I went to city market for lunch and got food at a middle eastern restaurant and dessert at a cookie…read morestand. The falafel wrap and fries I got from the middle eastern restaurant were amazing. The cookies were great too. City market had plenty of options and lots of seating. Some of the stands were empty, though. And the inside is just very dated in general. A lot of things just need a small update. You can tell you're in a building that's seen better days, that all it is. Not sure about parking. Extremely easy access from the cultural trail bike path and from the IndyGo Redline (transit center stop). It's downtown so walking there is easy if you're close by. This place has seen better days. However it's still got a lot of great options and it's still worth a visit for lunch!

This place needs a facelift and an energizer of some sort. It was dead on a beautful sunny…read moreSaturday afternoon. It has a lot of potential. I hate when cities build up one area (Bottleworks) and neglect the now rundown but traditional spot that once had all the traffic. We need fresh produce and meat markets with small eateries in one big building again.

For a wheelchair user, I seem to have a weird fascination with everything in the world that's not…read moreparticularly accessible. Case in point? The Irvington Lodge. I love this building. I would never really recommend the building for wheelchair users, though I've managed to get around it fairly well. The building began development in 1921 and was completed in 1922. Like many Masonic Lodges, the ground floor was intentionally designed to allow for retail spaces as this would help support the Lodge. If you're familiar with the Irvington Lodge, then you know that it bears on it the rather ominous "Lodge #666" marking. It seems fitting to have this be in a neighborhood recognized for its many haunted locations, but there's no denying it even creeps me out a bit. The building was rumored to be the host of Ku Klux Klan meetings in the 1920s - KKK Grand Dragon D.C. Stephenson lived only a few blocks away in a mansion on University Avenue. Until 1950, the Lodge also hosted the Irvington Post Office. The Irvington Lodge continues to be an actively utilized building. Retail spaces are taken by Irvington Vinyl & Books, Hampton Designs Studio & Shop, and LVLUP Gaming Lounge. Additionally, Mosaic Church uses the Lodge's entire 3rd floor. Accessibility is most challenging in the 1st floor retail spots, though I noticed during my recent visit that Irvington Vinyl & Books had installed a bit of a ramp trying to help the situation. It's certainly not ADA, though it is an improvement. You can get into the first floor of the lodge. There is an elevator to the 2nd and 3rd floors. The 2nd floor includes a theatre room, reception room, a fully functioning kitchen, and a buffet area. You can rent these facilities and the rates are pretty market friendly. The Theatre Room has over 2300 square feet and many period touches still in place. It's rather stunning. The Reception Room is right about 1400 square feet. The 3rd floor has a couple of large main rooms. Hardwood floors are in place throughout and there's a stunning balcony that would be great for a wedding (unless you're in a wheelchair - then it would suck). This is one of those buildings I can't help but love. I'd give almost anything to have an office here, though it would inherently be a not particularly wheelchair friendly one. You also have close proximity to the Irving and nearby Irvington area businesses. Renting the facilities requires the usual liability insurance in place and a deposit, though rates are pretty friendly. They don't have preferred vendors - so, it offers flexibility that some venues don't. The Irvington Lodge was acquired, I believe, around late 2017-2018 by longtime Eastside resident Yasha Persson and a team. Given the pandemic was right around the corner, it was a challenging time to acquire such a beautiful building. However, here's hoping it continues to be such a beautiful, vibrant part of Irvington.

3rd floor gallery in the Irvington Lodge is a beautiful space! Great light for the artwork and just…read morea gorgeous venue all around. The pinball room is also amazing and a great way to get the whole family out to experience art and entertainment without breaking the bank! It is also perfect for weddings, parties and pop up markets. A true Irvington and Indianapolis gem!!!

Amazing place. Not all were open on a Saturday afternoon before Memorial Day, but those that were…read moreserved amazing food. Surprised to see a Caplinger's there! And that's what we got - The Platter. Same quality as the other Caplinger's around Indy. I don't think the prices were that different. The bar? Great! Nice area beer selection, cocktails, mocktails and other drinks. Tasha (sp?) was a great host, and in general, everyone made you feel welcome. A nice little secret place, hiding out in plain sight, with a great community feeling. Can't wait to visit again. That bakery looked great too!

the choices are endless and all wonderful next time we go I…read morewill try to do a much better job at getting photos of all the yummy that was devoured. always love the wings from taste of innova, got some ribs from the barbecue stand that I cannot remember the name of, we love hush puppies from Caplinger's and I had to stop at the little sweet treat shop and get some white chocolate covered strawberries (i will update with a name). knowing that what I'm spending is going towards these smaller local businesses makes me feel even better because everything taste amazing and you don't have to break the bank to enjoy. great for a family outing not far from the heart of the city.

AJ's Isa great spot for R&B music, live or a DJ. Their…read morefried catfish filets are delicious. Cocktails are righteous! Nice size floor if you want to dance. Friendly, great place to connect.

My friends and I had good, lowkey vibes here for drinks. Moscow mule was strong but pricey for $16.read more

Now this is a mall! So many stores with high quality products. The mall was clean and well…read moremaintained with great options for clothing, food, and good security! Would definitely go broke here if I lived in Indianapolis lol

1/21/26 Took an Uber…read moreto kill some time and check out the mall and a lunch. Didn't spend too much time but liked seeing different retailers. I appreciate the smaller food court- makes it easier to decide food options.. So glad I stopped in.

There's a good selection of stores no matter what you're looking for. And I've always felt safe at…read morethis mall. We were looking for a couple of cocktail dresses and really enjoyed Von Maur, Macy's, Windsor, and a couple others for browsing.

1/20/26 In the area…read moreand after having dinner decided to walk to the mall.. Crazy cold but needed to get our steps in. Enjoyed seeing a few familiar retailers.. Glad they are conveniently located from the hotel too.

Unfortunately came on a Sunday when everything was closed but this is such a cute little square!…read moreThere's a fountain, lots of shops, and plenty of parking! Great place to walk around and spend some time outside. They have a gym, intimate apparel store, toy store, homewares store etc. Plus a steakhouse and sushi restaurant! There were even more dining options too. They have rental bikes if you want to cruise around! Wish I came when things were open, but if you're looking for a place to do some shopping or even just window shop, it's a great place to get some steps in and enjoy the atmosphere.

Carmel City Center is ideally located pretty much smack dab in the middle of Carmel with direct…read moreaccess from the Monon Greenway. Within one complex, you've got the Center for the Performing Arts, Carmel Farmer's Market, Christkindlmarkt (during the holidays), Hotel Carmichael, and a number of other retail options, restaurants, and entertainment options. It's all, quite literally, within walking distance (well, unless you're like me and don't have feet. But, you know what I mean). Because this is a central area, a good number of the Carmel festivals will happen around here. You've also got live music and theater (including Civic Theater also housed within this complex). Accessibility is pretty strong since so much of this area is new. I've had my quibbles with accessibility involving the Center for the Performing Arts, though in talking to current Mayor Sue Finkam there's a definite effort to go beyond ADA and to truly become more accessible. Free parking is abundant in this area and the arts district is about 1/2 mile north. Dining options include Aroma Experience, Divvy, The Old Spaghetti Factory, The Cake Bake Shop, Eggshell Bistro, Lone Pine, Graeter's Ice Cream, and others within walking distance. Retail options include Kits & Kaboodle (a great toy shop), 317Home, A.D.A. Vintage, Addendum, Baseline Social, and a host of others. I will note that most of these shops lean toward the more premium experience. There's definitely no Dollar General to be found here. There's definitely a lot to offer here and it's nearly always crowded. I also like that the website will tell you which stores are closed on bad weather days. As accessibility continues to improve, I may very well move this up to a 5-star experience. For now, it's a definite 4-star experience and it's definitely a place I can easily spend the day once I arrive and also enjoy some time on the Monon.

I'd heard so many stories about Red Key Tavern and so off we went last Saturday night. While it…read morewon't be everyone's vibe, it was definitely ours. My husband and I grabbed a seat at the bar and proceeded to order a bucket of domestic beer, $14!! I also had a gin and tonic, that was light on the tonic so beware if you're not used to a heavy pour. My husband had the famous burger and loved it, I had the grilled cheese with bacon that was so good. We started with an order of braunschweiger and crackers and it was like a Time Machine back to our childhoods. The clientele were lovely, we chatted with so many fantastic people and the staff were equally as friendly. If you're looking for a true neighborhood dive bar with a slightly more mature crowd, Red Key is it! Don't forget cash! No cards accepted but they do have an ATM.

Met a friend here for catching up over drinks. Had no idea what to expect but have driven by this…read moreplace a million times and just never stopped was super excited to go! It is a very quaint local bar a bit like cheers. Everyone seemed to live in the neighborhood, or at least a regular if not. They only accept cash but you don't feel bad about it because their drinks are probably the cheapest in the area. Not an overly expansive bar but they have the usual suspects. The bartender talked us into trying the best hamburger in the city (so he says) and of course we had to, right? It was a darn good burger indeed. No frills, just a burger, with lettuce and tomato, very simple. No fancy bun, no avocado, no bacon, just a burger. I can't remember how much it was but very inexpensive. They don't have much else on their menu and no fryer but they have chips if you need something to go with your burger or cocktails.