We stopped into Nicky Blaine's before the Jim Brewer Comedy show and enjoyed a glass of Cabernet &…read morea cigar. The ambiance is dark and classic cigar bar vibe. Very elegant and cool. Our server was very nice and was laid back. That's the best thing about Nicky Blaine's is the vibe. We were definitely some cool cats that night.

Nicky Blaine's Cocktail Lounge is a true gem in downtown Indianapolis, exuding a charming speakeasy…read morevibe that instantly transports you back in time. The plush leather sofas create a cozy atmosphere, perfect for relaxing with friends. The menu boasts a fantastic selection of classic cocktails, expertly crafted to perfection. For cigar aficionados, their high-end cigar selection is impressive and adds to the overall experience. I would be remiss if I did not mention that Mike and the staff took good care of us.

I've heard that once a man reaches a certain age, he must choose to get really interested in either…read moreWorld War 2 history or smoked meats. (For the record, I like to smoke meat. Yes, I know: That's what she said!) I would like to add a third option: puffing on high quality tobacco. This is clearly an activity for men, like myself, of a certain age. You have two main options in the world of high quality tobaccos: pipes or cigars. You could choose both, but most rarely do. Each requires a different vibe, as well as skill set (yes, I said skill). Wanting to follow in the steps of my amazingly wonderful, late Grandaddy, I first attempted a pipe. I enjoyed it. I still own my pipes. But the skill (yes, skill!) required to smoke a pipe is a steep learning curve: types of tobacco, how to pack the pipe, the correct airflow, how to "sip" the smoke, proper breathing, keeping the correct temperature to prevent tongue bite (read: literally burning your tongue from smoke) and on and on. It's fun, but I ain't got time for that! I like to sit and chill and relax, usually in my hot tub, and pipes require a lot of babysitting. So, after some time, I chose to course correct towards cigars. Fortunately, my first real interaction with higher quality cigars was at Maduro on Main in downtown Fortville. This is a beautiful shop dripping with charisma and charm. First off, I was pleasantly surprised when I walked through the door that you aren't hit in the face with the smell of tobacco. A popular pipe shop I visited had old men right inside the front door lighting up. You smelled like smoke when you left that shop. It was off putting. But Maduro is clean as a whistle, well-lit, and smells pleasant. They do offer a smoking room, but it is in the back behind closed doors and some magical force field that keeps everything at bay. The walk-in, humidity-controlled room smells lovely of fresh tobacco. Cigars range in size, price and rarity. Maduro offers many great options to please any experience level, from the novice to the expert. The owner knows his stuff and is a wealth of knowledge. He is clearly smoking what he's selling! He has given me great advice on multiple occasions. I also love that he hand picks cigars for his own variety packs. These packs are great because they feature 4-5 cigars that vary in tobacco type, binder and wrapping so you can find the cigar you enjoy. The shop also sells some well-curated clothing, such as smoking jackets and hats. These smoking jackets, by the way, are straight fire! I love seeing the vintage paraphernalia around the store. And I believe veterans get a discount. Overall, this is exactly what you are looking for in a specialty shop like this. I look forward to returning soon and picking up a few stogies for the hot tub. Smoke 'em if you got 'em!

Great cigar selection, Very pleased and excellent customer service…read more Will be a frequent customer.

Great selection in the humidor. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable about cigars. Circle City…read moreCigars is inside the oldest Black owner cigar bar in Indy - Cosmo Knights.

Yal! Had some random fun here after a brunch with a friend…read more He's a conversationalist, so in true fashion we ended up conversing with a couple that was visiting from Ohio for a concert. Some of THE best tasting gin that I've had. I purchased a bottle that day. Delicious. Anything with lemongrass I feel I need. Haha Our bartender was attentive, engaged in convo and was respectful. Took a friend some weeks later to try the gin. She too loved it. And we are now big fans of their coffee liqueur. I will definitely be back.

Four Finger Distillery was an awesome place to grab a cocktail. The building was great and the…read moredecor inside was so cool. The bartender was very nice and knowledgeable.

Hotel Tango quickly became one of those places where you walk in and immediately feel like settling…read morein for a while. The space is incredibly cozy with comfy seating, exposed brick, warm wood accents, and plenty of board games to keep everyone entertained. It has that perfect mix of cocktail lounge and "come hang out for a few hours" vibe. What really stood out was the service. Nate took the time to ask what flavors I enjoy (and don't enjoy) before crafting a cocktail that fit my tastes perfectly. Every drink we tried was unique, beautifully presented, and absolutely delicious--even though I couldn't tell you the names all these years later! If you're coming with friends, grab a game and make an afternoon of it. If you're flying solo, don't be afraid to strike up a conversation. It felt like the kind of place where people are genuinely happy to welcome someone new into the group. Between the cozy atmosphere, incredible cocktails, and welcoming people, Hotel Tango is the kind of place that makes you want to melt into the couch and stay for one more round.

Great drinks and great staff! Such a welcoming environment with fun events like music bingo and…read moretrivia! Absolutely love Val, Cole, and Em! They are THE BEST!

Another wonderful night at the Broken Barrel. This is one of Carmel's hidden gems. Attached to…read moreWolfie's, but a 21 and over space only . The ambiance is a quiet, private, speakeasy like environment. The only tv in restaurant shows black and white movies exclusively. Your choice- bar height tables or comfy leather chairs and loveseats with shorter tables. The service is impeccable. The bourbon and whiskey selection is top tier. The food is delicious with a large variety. Prices are very reasonable. Truly one of my favorite restaurants.

The drinks, food, and service were all great! Great first date location! Start with a drink, if it…read moregoes well, move to the attached restaurant!

We had a wonderful experience tonight at Q's Wine Bar. I found this place on TikTok and immediately…read moreknew I had to take my book club here. It was a Sunday night in Carmel so it was not busy at all, highly recommend coming during that day and time if you don't want it to be busy. The atmosphere was super quaint and clean. We sat in a little nook since we had a big group and the service was great! Our server Sarah took so much time and care to explain everything to us and give us her recommendations, even told us that she hopes we had a great time and that we come back! The food was absolutely amazing. I got the bolognese and as someone who is a big fan of bolognese (the one at Mama Carollas is my unbeatable favorite), this was top notch! My friends also got food that I was able to get a taste of. Their bread, lobster dip, prosciutto and fig flatbread, and lava cake were all delicious! I have no doubt that everything on the menu is amazing. The bill was a bit expensive, $53 for 3 wine samples, my bolognese, and a 20% tip, but overall not bad for the experience I had. If I were to give one suggestion I'd say I would love for there to be a wider variety of wines. There were only 1-2 sweet wines, which are my favorite, so I wish there were more of those. Having a fruit flavored wine would also be nice, like blueberry or blackberry. Overall, highly recommend!!

Finally! Carmel has a wine bar with a self-serve wine wall. I experienced this type of wine bar on…read morea trip in a different state, and I really enjoyed it. It's a fun way to try multiple varieties of wine or bottles that you've never had before. How it works is you receive a card that is connected to your credit card. Then you grab a glass (stemmed or no stem), put the card in a slot with the type of wine you want to try (bubbly, white, rose, red), and place the wine glass under the dispenser. Then you press a button over the specific bottle of wine you want to try, with the amount you want dispensed (just a taste at around 2 ounces, half a glass or a full glass), and then you take your wine to one of the tables or comfy couches and enjoy. Want more of the same or a different kind of wine? Just walk up to the wall and choose your wine. Repeat until you're satisfied and/or feel nothing anymore. When you're done, you just walk up to the counter and close out. One thing to note is that you need to make sure your wine glass is under the dispenser before you press the button. The wine comes out fast! If your glass is not under the dispenser first, you are liable to make a mess like I did, with wine splattering around and down your glass. Luckily, you will not be left alone to figure things out yourself. The owner herself, Quynh, was there to greet us and explained how to do this wall-o-wine thing at the beginning. But after a glass or two of wine, my reflexes were not what they should be, and I would sometimes forget to place my glass under the dispenser first. Doh! No worries -- they have people to come by and clean up after your wino self. They have a menu of food and desserts, but I was just there to relax with some wine. This is a great place to relax with wine! There are seating arrangements with comfy couches, regular tables, and even outdoor seating when the weather is nice.

One of the best black women owned wineries you can visit. This place has both sweet wines and a…read morered (merlot) wine you would like. I'm not a fan of sweet wine but I like the sweet wines at this location. The owners are amazing and this is a great spot for private events. Nice cozy environment with out door and indoor seating. The soy based candles are amazing as well with a low price point.

So, on the morning of Sept 28th I was watching Fox 59. I love watching the segments from Sherman…read moreBurdette where he goes to different businesses. Well, that morning Sherman was at black owned boutique wine shop call B Legendary, and the owner is Carmen Randolph. I love exploring new wines, and visiting local wine shops, as well as wine boutiques. Yesterday, Saturday Oct 23rd I invited my sister-in-law, and friend checkout B Legendary Wine Boutique. When, you go to the B Legendary Wine Boutique website, you'll subscribe, and then you'll get a free wine tasting. The location is on the far East side, and not too far from Daniel's Vineyard. Upon, entering inside there's a sign outside her building about the tasting wine hours along with the new flavors to taste. Walking in the wine boutique shop there are no stairs, small yet felt very warm, and home like. The decor in the wine boutique shop is so pretty, the owner Carmen Randolph does offer small bottles of wines, and big bottles. The shop did open in mid 2019, not only can you go to B Legendary Wine Boutique for wine, but the wine shop also offers candle making classes. The wines that Carmen make the ABV are on higher in from 12% to 16%. When, you subscribe you'll get that free wine tasting of 5 selected wines of your choice. I had pineapple, lemon drop, pear, peach, and blackberry lime. In, additional I did taste new flavors carmel Apple, and orange krush. The bathroom is small, yet very clean as well nice decor. I'll definitely go back there for candle making classes. Going to B Legendary Wine Boutique is great to bring your friends for the tastings, date, or just exploring local wines in Indy.