Catching up on Yelp reviews as it's been a minute... This Yelp review is coming from a Purdue Alum so expect bias... I came to BoilerUP Bar when my family and I visited campus for the Purdue/OSU men's basketball game back in February. I've stayed at the Union Club Hotel many times, but this was the first time post renovations. BoilerUP Bar is a cocktail and whiskey bar in the Purdue Memorial Union and apparently serve some bar eats. We came here for drinks on a Saturday night after having dinner at Walkon's in the basement. The place was packed (expected) at around 7pm and seating is first come first serve, but we were able to Eagle-Eye/Hawk at spot (kindly ask the leaving party to sit down as they are leaving). Yes this is definitely a thing and it's called "smart dining". If you follow me on Yelp, then you should know I am a Bourbon Enthusiast and Old Fashioned's are my favorite cocktails. They are very simple with ingredients, but they are extremely difficult to master and I think they are a great test for any Mixologist. So I had the BoilerUP Signature Old Fashioned and the Spiced Winter Old Fashioned. Both were very excellent and they were served with some big rocks (great to see). After a night out, I came back and I had a nightcap at the bar before closing. They have an ok whiskey list. Not as amazing as 648 Bourbon & Cigar Lounge across the river. But I was able to find one of my favorite unicorns on the whiskey list, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, and the best part was it was only $15 for a 2oz pour, which is pretty difficult to find at that price nationwide (Cost of living is a tad different in Chicago). Service was mixed. I believe our waitress serving us gave me the wrong drink as I ordered the BoilerUP Signature Old Fashioned first, but it was definitely the Spiced Winter Old Fashioned because I could taste the syrup. However, I was ok with it because I liked it anyways. So that is why I ended up ordering the BoilerUP Signature Old Fashioned again and it was correct. It's easy to mix up as all Old Fashioned's pretty much look similar and the drink was excellent. Our waitress was friendly and service was good as well so really no issues besides a small mix up. When I sat at the bar before closing, the bartender was friendly and service was a ok. Overall, the BoilerUP Bar is a GREAT addition to West Lafayette! Price is definitely no quarter bottles at the old Where Else, but this is more suited place for alumni and I am perfectly fine with that! Ambience is small/intimate and great for date night. So if you are in the area, you should definitely check this place out! read more

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Prices are hoping visitors and Purdue tourists cannot go more than a mile from campus. Sadly the menu has wildly bloated numbers double what many similar restaurants offer, Town and Gown, Bistro 501, RedSeven deliver and reach above expectations unlike the dull expensive dry roast recently eaten this past week. I cannot comprehend this place, after four visits with friends, unable to recommend any dish or drink as a standout win up against the cost. Let me nail down each dish we had this past Wednesday, the grilled bacon was entirely fine, quite tough but nice fatty flavors, I like Teay's River candied bacon app better. Oyster was good, east coast briny does me right. Our Old Fashioneds were insanely expensive without offering any memorable flavors, balance seemed restrained neither giving a forward bite or a smooth sweetness. Strawberry Lemon sprits was similar, an overpriced kid's slushy. Asparagus was fine. Potato sides surprisingly flavorless, we all couldn't believe how dull the potatoes were. My sister's salmon looked half the size of Town and Gown's while costing fifty percent more and offering half the food. She did finish the ocean protein but left most of the rice. Thankfully the desserts were better, bread pudding somewhat dry and needing a sparkle of that smooth actual pudding but the winner was definitely the key lime. Rich and dense, dreamy and tangy, I got happy! Sure the atmosphere and staff is enjoyable, providing some fresh city vibes compared to the homely and old school Mountain Jacks. However Jacks and Mcgraws Steakhouse both do far better as culinary is concerned. Would be exciting to see this place fix up their inconsistency, out of touch pricing, or they'll be the next to go the way of Bowen Bistro during the next economic crash. read more

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Lovely, classy bar on Purdue's campus! The drinks and mocktails here are fabulous. They also offer small bites here. Such a great place to meet up with people or to hang out solo. Highly recommended! read more

Megan Van Dyke is an excellent bartender. She gave us great service! We'll be back! Located in the Purdue Memorial Union, this is a gorgeous bar! read more

I love this place, especially since it is in a college town! This place is next to 8Eleven and is its sister restaurant/bar. The ambiance of the place is what strikes me first and is very classy which I like. The food is also pretty good. We got the crab croquettes and burrata cheese (10/10 and also served at 8Eleven, as well as the wagyu burger). For drinks we had rosé and this stone fruit mule cocktail which were both great. The service is pretty good too, and our waitress was very sweet and kind! read more

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Having already had positive experience at 8Eleven with my SO, we decided to try the bar. I loved the cozy ambiance! Great selection of drinks, and good selection of light appetizers. The server was attentive and very helpful in recommending drinks that fit our tastes. This is now our go-to date-night bar in the Lafayette/WL area! read more

We visited this place twice during our stay. The drinks are super cool and eclectic for a Midwestern college town. No cheap beers here even if the beer is usually cheap. The cocktail service isn't as engaging and friendly as the bartender service. The tiniest clothespin holds a blistered orange slice in one tequila drink. Nice touch. read more

Boiler Up Bar - Cranberry Orange Margarita - Cocktail Bars Near Me - West Lafayette, Indiana

I've been here so many times the last few years, while it may be considered pricey... it's the epitome of a lounge. The energy is incredibly cozy and modern while holding that old-town feel. I have tried many of the hors d'oeuvres and drinks I have never once been disappointed. Ever. I've had several servers that were so polite and respectful of my privacy. They were present and memorable but noninvasive. I am very impressed every time I visit! read more

Super cool bar, great drinks. Wasn't too fond of the staff--they seemed a bit judgemental. My friend and I came towards the end of a football game still in our football attire to check it out. It wasn't too busy and seemed really neat. The bar tender just laid down menus and left us. My friend had been there previously and was telling me about the drinks. When the bar tender finally came back I was undecided so I said I've never been here between these two which is better? He just said one with no explanation or anything so I just said okay. He seemed annoyed I asked. After we got our drinks, the bar tender just kind of ignored us. We had to flag him down to order a second round cause he didn't ever check in and so we just sat visiting, having a nice time regardless. At some point An older couple that was a bit more dressed up came to stand beside me at the bar. I didn't noticed cause I was just talking to my friend but then was interrupted and scolded by the bar tender to move down so the couple could sit.I didn't realize that where we sat kept a bar stool open at the end. It was kind of embarrassing because the couple hadn't asked us, it wasn't a big deal to move down...but seriously he couldn't of said sorry could you please...instead of "come on guys! Move down so they can sit!". Like um okay...then what really ticked me off was I noticed the bar tender ask if they had ever been there, explain the drinks, give recommendations...but he couldn't even bother to do the same for us? I'm assuming he thought I was some younger just out of college kid that wouldn't tip him so he went for the nicer dressed older couple...completely disregarding that I'm in my mid 30s and spent about $40 on drinks. If he treated the other couple similar I would understand but he completely judge us and decided to not waste his time. The bar is beautiful, it's a great addition to the union for alumni. But the customer service is beyond lacking. read more

Boiler Up Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - West Lafayette, Indiana

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Had a reservation for 8Eleven, arrived early so stopped by the Boiler Bar. There were 5 in our group, so we sat down at a table. Very cool atmosphere, great list of spirits and cocktails. Unfortunately we did not get a chance to enjoy any of them, we waited around 15 minutes and never got to order a drink. One server was working, she had two tables of 3 guests. She brought over menus as soon as we sat down, did not interact at all other than handing out the menus and checking ID's for two of our group. Never showed back up or even looked our way. Kept thinking she was going to stop over after delivering drinks to the other tables, but no, she'd turn around and disappeared. Didn't want to do that awkward interaction where you go to the bar and get told that they would send the server over so went and requested to get seated at 8Eleven. Not sure what the situation was, but we got the impression we were not welcome. read more

I hung out here a couple times over Memorial Day weekend and loved it. The vibe is chill and the decor is appealing. The bartenders were pleasant and had no problem changing the channel on the one TV to a baseball game. The strawberry mule is a delicious cocktail and their Manhattan made with rye whisky also hit the spot. The menu only has a few food items listed but they will let you order from the full menu of the bistro next door. read more

I am back at this bar more often than I admit and the experience is still spot on! By far my favorite bar in West Lafayette! read more

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Today, for the first time, I was disappointed at Boiler Up Bar. This disappointment had nothing to do with service or the quality of a drink or cleanliness. It has to do with attention to detail and attention to a potential patron. I stopped in today at 3:50pm and noticed that there was a sign a the entrance to the bar from the cafe area and the sign about being of age and mentioned that the bar opened at 11am. I walked past the sign and noticed that the bar was empty and some of the chairs were still on the table to imply it was not open. A gentlemen, who seemed to be in quite the rush or hurry, dressed in a white shirt, so I assumed he was the manager or bartender?, stopped me and told me that bar was not open. I mentioned the sign said 11am and he mentioned something about not serving breakfast today or something like that. I was confused and thought that maybe he was talking about the Bistro? I pointed out to him that the sign said 11am and he said that the sign was printed "a while ago" and it wasnt correct. His part of the conversation took place while he was hustling around the bar area. I asked him if there was a different sign that I should have seen nothing the proper opening time and by the time I finished my question he had already disappeared into the Bistro side. I have been here many times and have never felt like I was a nuisance to anyone before today. I am sure that he had many things to do, but I did not see any part of the restaurant or bar area on fire and did not see anyone bleeding to death so whatever he had going on could not have been THAT important. What would I have liked? I would have liked him to offer me a seat in the bar area. It did not have to be at the actual bar, but at least offered me a seat to wait until they opened. That would have been a nice, personal touch. I even packed my Bourbon passport with me and was looking to try out a new drink after my class, but was disappointed I was not offered the chance to sit. It will be interesting to see if the sign gets updated of not used. It is experiences like this that make me want to go back tomorrow at Noon or 1pm and see if the sign proclaiming an 11am opening time is still displayed. read more

This place is a must-visit if you're in the West Lafayette area! It's located in a hotel in downtown West Lafayette, close to Purdue campus. We went here after dinner one evening to have a few drinks, and we were surprised at how delicious they all were! The Boiler Up Signature as well as the Traditional old fashions were both delicious, and the Blackberry Mule was amazing. This bar has a bunch of original/unique drinks, so it's a fun place to go to if you're wanting to try something new. If you're looking for a bar scene that's a bit fancier than Harry's Chocolate Shop down the street, the Boiler Up bar is the place to go! read more

Boiler Up Bar - List of old fashions - Cocktail Bars Near Me - West Lafayette, Indiana

Espresso martinis are good. Looking forward to trying out brunch soon. The menu is extensive.

Faster to to to bar. Overwhelmed on game day. Sat at table , ordered, watched people next to me go to bar and come back with drinks. I went to bar, complained, and was told the were busy????? WTF???so you ignore table service for the bar??? Hello??? read more

This place is fantastic. Great for everyone. I'm a whiskey advocate and their old fashioned is the best I've ever had. Plus great selections to drink neat or on the rocks. Also my significant other who prefers fruity drinks was beyond satisfied. Highly recommend. read more

Boiler Up Bar - Signature old fashioned - Cocktail Bars Near Me - West Lafayette, Indiana

Great service and craft cocktails. The reading room lounge and a few appetizers were a perfect after work indulgence.

Best old fashions and best key lime pie ever. Great service. What more do you need to know?

This is such a great spot for cocktails or even a coffee break between studying. It is literally connected to campus and has tons of fresh options. The service is also great! Highly recommend especially when showing visitors around town. Super sanitary as well. read more

The service is horrible. If takes 20 minutes for a waitress to get you a drink. And once she finally brings it, she'll really damage the whole vibe in your group by her attitude. Well, thanks for condescending to serving us, I guess... read more

Stopped by for a quick cocktail. Great atmosphere and service. Check out their 12 days of specials. Half off drinks on Mondays. half off food.on Thursdays. We will be coming back on Thursday, the food looks yummy. read more