Crazy Horse

Must stop in and hang at Nick's before any IU event! Excellent interior with historic pictures,…read moreStromboli is on point, and friendly staff makes this place a local gem! Pro Tip: 1st come 1st serve seating! Will be packed before a game

With both of our kids at IU, we came to Bloomington for a visit. I thought a good empty-nest…read moreactivity for my husband and I to start would to become eccentric day drinkers. So for lunch, we headed to our favorite place from when we were both at IU, Nick's. Eager to start our new hobby, I ordered a cosmopolitan and my husband ordered an old fashioned. We also ordered delicious appetizers (mozzarella sticks and mushrooms) and lunch (pizza and a grilled chicken sandwich) from our super friendly waiter. I was about 3/4 of the way through my cosmo and fell asleep. So my new middle-aged hobby ended just as soon as it started. Our waiter brought the check and we paid and tipped generously. The moral of this review: the food is good, the service is fast and friendly, and the drinks are strong. We'll be back again. And again and again. But next time I'm probably having a Diet Coke.

Biz fries

See all

Outdoor seating

The Dunnkirk Library

4.9(27 reviews)

Made a reservation for my wife's birthday, and once again it was awesome! We absolutely love this…read moreplace. The drinks are on point, and the atmosphere is great. Highly recommend!

I went to this place with a couple of friends one night and it definitely exceeded my expectations!…read moreThere are not a ton of places that you can get a good craft cocktail in Bloomington but this is definitely one of them. You do have to make sure you get a reservation, which can be tricky but if you do it's worth it. There is a time limit on the reservation, but there's plenty of time for you to enjoy a couple drinks and take in the atmosphere. It's a really small spot, but the vibes are strong. They give you popcorn to munch on while you sip your drinks and the noise of the upstairs is completely drowned out. I highly recommend checking this place out.

See all

Negroni

The Tap

4.0(430 reviews)

0.0 mi

Really cool place - they have a ton of beer to try! Their beer menu (which was fully printed and…read moreavailable at our table - no scanning a QR code or squinting to read a board at the bar) had a whole page of beers by The Tap Brewery, followed by two pages of guest craft beer representing every major type of beer and with some unique options, all on tap. For drinks, cocktails (and a few mocktails) and a smaller selection of wine are also available. I wanted to get beer but I was kind of tempted by the cocktails. My first choice was a flight that included a mix of The Tap beers and guest beers, but the waiter came back after taking the order and told me that they could only do flights with their beers but could let me sample the beers I wanted to try, so I did that, and the samples were probably around 2 oz each so I basically got half a flight. After that, I ended up ordering a real flight of their beer. The Tap beers I tried were: Kill the Lights stout (regular and barrel-aged), Tapenator dark lager, Frost Bite winter ale, Nefarious Nectar blonde. Guest beers: Jacob Leinenkugel white mocha stout, Weihanstephaner Hefeweissbier, BrewDog Winter Staycation. Not going to waste space reviewing all of these, but they were all fantastic. I was really grateful that they let me sample so many! And they also have food. The menu isn't huge but does have some variety, and it's not just basic pub food. I had the ahi tuna crunch bowl and it was pretty good! It kind of had the vibe of stuff thrown together in a poke bowl, but it worked and I thought the fish was done really well. Our waiter was wonderful! He was really friendly and just the right amount of attentive. My friend and I stayed for a while talking after we had paid and he didn't rush us out at all. Granted, it was a pretty quiet night. We both really liked the vibe of the place. I would love to be back soon!

I've been to the tap many a time - but this particular visit I was focused on the fries. See - I…read morewas on a quest to find the best fry in Bloomington. So here's how the tap came out: It was a busy Saturday night. Easy to grab a high top, but being over 30 - it's not fun sitting on a bar stool. That's fine. The service - like I said, they were busy. But one of my friends never even got his drink, and he ended up telling the waitress to cancel it because we were already eating our fries. The fries - - 4 dipping sauces equals 5 stars! Love the ability to try different flavors and find your fav. My fav is the pesto aioli because its unique! I give the seasoning 4 stars, and it was a little heavy handed, and kind of overpowered the sauces. Texture was good, some were a lil soggy, overall they were good! I've had the other food at the tap, and always enjoyed myself. Definitely worth a visit - but be prepared if they're super slammed!

Tex Mex Steak Wrap

See all

Brewberry Crunch Beer

The Alley

4.2(25 reviews)

0.0 mi

•$

The Alley is one of the better bars in Bloomington. I really like the overall vibe and atmosphere…read more-- it's a great place to hang out with friends. The location is convenient, and it has a fun, welcoming feel that keeps me coming back. Definitely a solid choice for a night out!

Neighborhood bar. Good sound level, small, close knit, local feel. Not an amazing beer selection,…read morebut varied enough.

Bloody Mary

See all

Upland Brewing - Bloomington

4.0(712 reviews)

0.5 mi

I just left this place and let me tell you that staff is working hard!!!!!…read moreWith graduation they were clearly busy but made sure everything was taken care of. They even helped us seat all our reservations together when we were unable to make them as one large one. No easy task! Your manager Amber was so amazing and accommodating and KJ did a fantastic job as our server. We couldn't have chosen better place to celebrate with our friends and family. If you're ever in Bloomington this is a must for your list!

Generally this is a great place to go ! We're locals & love the beer & food. The service is hit &…read moremiss. We went for dinner on a Sat (no home games) at 5-pm & over half of the restaurant was empty & we were told if we didn't have a reservation (never in 17-ish yrs have I never had them ask me this) we wouldn't get seated for over an hr. So we left . Very disappointing Uplands!! A coach gives a shoutout on Tv & all of a sudden they can't seat you w/o a reservation ‍

Inside

Brats and Buffalo chili

See all

Bacon cheeseburger made with their very own homemade cheese and potato salad

Upstairs Pub

3.4(65 reviews)

•$

On January 19th, the night of the IU vs. Miami game, my friend and I decided to celebrate the win…read moreat Upstairs Pub. We are both Black women. Upon arriving, we showed our IDs to the first bouncer, who directed us to a second bouncer for an additional ID check before entering the pub. The second bouncer reviewed my ID and approved me without issue. For context, I am a current graduate student at IU, born in 1997. He then examined my friend's ID. She was born in 1998, yet he told her that her ID was fake and attempted to confiscate it. My friend firmly insisted that the ID was legitimate and asked what she could do to verify her identity. The bouncer claimed that the ID did not look like her and stated that she could prove it by using Face ID on her phone -- a request that made no sense, as Face ID can be used by anyone with access to a phone and is not a valid form of identification. While this interaction was taking place, white women were continuously passing us in line without being subjected to the same scrutiny or additional ID checks. The bouncer did not stop or question them at all. It is important to note that in my friend's ID photo, she was wearing a blonde wig and eyelash extensions, which she was not wearing that night. Despite these differences, it was still very clear that the ID belonged to her. Eventually, the bouncer stated that he was done speaking with us and suggested that we take the issue up with management. Once inside the pub, the first employee we spoke to was dismissive. He waved his hand at us as if to shut down the conversation and said, "You're here, you can just stay." We explained that the issue was not about being allowed inside -- it was about being racially profiled and feeling unsafe and unwelcome spending money at the establishment. As we attempted to explain this, a man standing next to the employee aggressively turned toward me and shouted, "WHAT," in a threatening manner. As a woman, I felt unsafe and intimidated. Engaging in a confrontation with a visibly intoxicated man who could physically harm me was not an option. Another employee, Connor, eventually stepped in and attempted to provide some comfort. He expressed empathy and stated that although he is white, he understands what it feels like to be a minority. While he cannot fully understand the experience of being a minority in America, I did appreciate his effort to acknowledge our feelings and the fact that he was the only employee who showed us any compassion. Based on this experience, I encourage people of color to be cautious when supporting Upstairs Pub, as our treatment made it clear that this is not an environment where we felt respected, protected, or supported.

Way too crowded!! Through the entire place (except the hallway by the bathrooms), there was nowhere…read moreyou could stand without getting pushed around by other people trying to move. I get that they want to make money but I have no idea why they kept letting people in since it was such a struggle to even get to the bar to buy anything. The AMFs were good if you're into that but not worth being packed in like sardines. Once we were in we figured we had gotten far enough to fight our way to the bar to get a round of drinks, but we left as soon as we finished.

Summer vibe

Bar

See all

My bar tab

Hoppy Wobbles

5.0(6 reviews)

2.5 mi

I didn't know this place existed but am glad I do now! This is a hole in the wall type dive, with a…read moresuper friendly staff and a great selection & variety of craft beer. We stopped by in the middle of the day during the weekend & all the other patrons were regulars and people who work in the attached strip mall. Very chill, local vibe. Plus, you can bring in your own food! 10/10

Trivia, lots of great local music, and great beers! Highly recommend this hidden gem on the west…read moreside of Bloomington.

Hoppy Wobbles!

See all

Bloomington Brewing Company

4.3(35 reviews)

Great little restaurant. The French onion soup was a nice treat and the pizza was so fantastic,…read morefresh and delicious. High recommend this place.

Love this place. If you are in bloomington you definitely need to stop by. The food is immaculate…read more Every bagel no matter what u get is going to be good. The people who take your order are rlly nice and helpful. The only reason why it's not 5 stars is because the inside is small so you probably won't get a table. The wait is also sometimes really long. I think it's worth it every time but something to consider.

The Bar

See all

Entrance to the brewery/bar seating

The Vault Pub

3.8(5 reviews)

0.7 mi

I was down in Bloomington for work, and stayed overnight before continuing on my work travels and I…read morenoticed signs for the vault, and was curious. I wandered down into the basement of the IMU, and found the vault, I was able to seat myself, and my server was very attentive! I had a gin and tonic and a tasty gimlet, they offer some food options, I had some fries that were hot, fresh, thick cut and seasoned well! This is a great place to hang out, and I hope I have the chance to visit again.

I can't believe it has taken me a year to try this place out, it's truly a hidden gem!…read more Thursday Trivia Friday Live Music on the Patio Kids Eat Free on Saturdays Free Validated Parking Drinks we tried: - House Signature - Ol' Red: Bone Snapper Rye Whiskey, bitters, grenadine, simple syrup, Luxardo Maraschino cherry, peeled orange. My favorite drink! - The Vault Lager: Brewed by Taxman Brewing featuring a light body, subtle earthy hop bitterness, and a touch of mild malt - Espresso Martini: Cardinal Spirits Songbird Coffee Liqueur, chocolate pocky stick - Sazerac: Bone Snapper Rye Whiskey, Absinthe, Peychaud's bitters, simple syrup, lime peel Food we tried: - Southwest Tofu Wrap: fried tofu, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, and pickled jalapeños. A part of the Bloomington Vegan Chef Challenge! - Pub Nachos: pico, pickled jalapeños, sour cream, hot sauce, and house-made beer cheese sauce. I would recommend the load it up option: add Fischer Farm pulled pork, smoked chicken, or chili - Hoosier Classic Pork Tenderloin Sandwich: An Indiana classic served with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and onion on a King's Hawaiian bun. Served with French fries + added Dill Pickle Aioli & Special Sauce. A CLASSIC for a reason, you can't go wrong with this one! Shout-out to Myles, Jordan, and the rest of the team for amazing service!

See all

Yogi’s Bar & Grill

3.4(108 reviews)

0.2 mi

Heard good things about this place and decided to give it a try, place was not all that crowded at…read more7 o'clock on a Wednesday and I was able to seat myself. Service was attentive and good from the bartender, the pork tenderloin was highly recommended and I would suggest the same. Bonus; ask for the Cajun ranch dipping sauce for the waffle fries!

A good experience, I'm not an IU guy or even someone who spends a lot of time in Bloomington but…read moreit's a great area. This place reminds me of Brothers without the rizz. That being said, service was good for a lunch hour. Wings were just ok, I ordered Big Red because I wanted to challenge myself to something with heat. This was incredibly mild which wasn't great considering the wings themselves didn't taste very great. Freezer burn kind of taste, it's pretty common at these sorts of places so usually sauce helps. Fried Pickles were phenomenal, I would get those again.