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    Friend’s Diner

    3.8 (35 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    Swiss Burger with potatoes
    Christina B.

    Overall, it was ok. The staff were friendly, the restaurant was clean, and they have a huge menu with lots of options to choose from. There seemed to be a few groups of regular customers when we were there. It was a healthy mix of older people and UIndy students when we were there. My mom and brother enjoyed their food, but I thought my food was just ok. The veggie omelet was like 75% onions. I do like onions but it was too much for me. And it was an unfair advantage since I had just had a veggie omelet the day before at another restaurant that was a bunch of super fresh veggies. My favorite thing was actually the butter on the pancake...it was whipped with vanilla or cream cheese or something. It tasted more like cheesecake than butter. But it sure tasted good on a pancake.

    Breaded tenderloin sandwich, Mac & cheese
    Duncan G.

    My beautiful wife & I have driven past Friend's Diner for weeks saying we need to try it. So last night we did. The interior was clean , well lighted & spacious. We went for an early dinner ( just before 6) & it was fairly slow. We were greeted & seated almost immediately. Our friendly waitress ( we had great service!) not only took our order but asked if we wanted some biscuits & apple butter. Since we are both sane ( although the jury is still out out on me) we said yes. They brought out 2 complimentary biscuits with a small container of apple butter. We both thought that was a tasty way to start. Breakfast is served all day here and lunch/dinner items after 10. We both decided on dinner items. My awesome wife got the Friends special meatloaf which came with 3 sides. She chose mashed potatoes, Mac & cheese & onion rings. She found the meatloaf covered in gravy decent & made there. The mashed potatoes we ok but bland. The Mac & cheese & onion rings were both brought in from the outside & were bland & just so so. I got the breaded tenderloin sandwich with just mustard on it ( which came in a small container) and for my one side I got the Mac & cheese. I found the Mac & cheese so bland as to be tasteless. The tenderloin though was another story. The bun was toasted. The tenderloin was pounded quite thin & breaded very nicely. It had a good taste & wasn't chewy at all. I'd recommend it! Overall it was a decent experience. The service was very good but we were disappointed in the quality of the sides. When you hear diner I tend to think items done from scratch. I found it interesting that the biscuits & entrees were but not the sides. It was okay but nothing spectacular. Pro tip. If you pay in cash you get a 4% discount due to credit card fees.

    Grilled tenderloin, mashed potatoes and ocra in the background and breaded tenderloin sandwich with fried mushrooms in the foreground.
    Bill A.

    My wife and I picked Friends Diner for lunch today. It was our first visit to this establishment. I would call this a neighborhood restaurant. The menu is large and fairly diverse. I had a tenderloin sandwich with fried mushrooms and my wife had a breaded tenderloin (without the bun) , mashed potatoes and ocra. She gave the potatoes an A+. We thought the good rated a solid 4 on a 5 point scale. The service was very good . We never waited on a drink refill and didn't have to ask for them. As for ambiance, they tried hard to get the place cozy and they succeeded. It's not plush but it's friendly (fits doesn't it). The cost for two meals was about average ($32). We will visit again in the future.

    Biscuits and gravy
    Sean V.

    Food was great and fulfilling. Staff were really nice and this was my first time here. They do charge a 4% credit card usage. They kept the place clean as well

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    9 months ago

    Horrible customer service, hair all in food. Definitely waiting for this place to slowly die and sbut down like it should

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    2 years ago

    It was a long wait but worth it. Our breakfast was very good along with the pancakes. Very nice waiter and lively place.

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    1 year ago

    Meatloaf was excellent. Service was ok they were superbusy and short staffed. Clean and clean restrooms

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    2 years ago

    Great food, excellent service and atmosphere. Friends meatloaf and gravy is a must have item.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Was very busy, but still had good service. Food was classic breakfast food served hot. Would go again and try out lunch/dinner menu as well!

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    Milktooth - Loaded grits

    Milktooth

    4.1(1.7k reviews)
    3.4 miFletcher Place
    $$

    One of my longtime go-to brunch spots in Indy has been Milktooth, and I'm happy to report the…read morerecent transition to "Arleen's" hasn't changed the things I've always loved about the place. Same great staff, same cool space, same open kitchen where a party of one like me can grab a counter seat and watch the chefs do their thing. I've honestly always enjoyed that part of the experience. Today I had the avocado toast with feta and an egg on top, and it totally hit the spot. Earlier this week I tried one of the newer menu items -- fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, plus a sample of jalapeño cornbread and Asian slaw. Incredible comfort food. And as someone who normally isn't much of a slaw person, I was surprised by how much I loved it. They also tried to tempt me with the roast beef special, which honestly looked great, but at 10:30 in the morning I just couldn't fully commit to roast beef yet. Maybe next time. The new name is a nice tribute to the owner's mother, Arleen, but thankfully it still feels like the Milktooth so many of us have come to enjoy over the years. Definitely worth checking out if you haven't been in awhile.

    Food was decent. We had a latke, sourdough waffle, bacon,…read moreeggs. Latke and waffle had good flavor. However, the service was terrible. I waited 30 mins for a drip coffee. 45 mins for the cortado. I personally think our order was probably not put in and forgotten.

    Photos
    Milktooth - Inside

    Inside

    Milktooth - Raclette grilled cheese

    Raclette grilled cheese

    Milktooth - Outside seating

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    Outside seating

    Taxman CityWay

    Taxman CityWay

    3.9(344 reviews)
    3.8 miMile Square
    $$

    We came during happy hour on Sunday and we had a great time. This place has plenty of seating…read moreindoors and outdoors. The servers are also friendly and attentive. The apps were reasonable prices and filled us up. We enjoyed the drink specials as well. Not pictured are the chicken bites with curry ketchup. While the chicken itself wasn't super seasoned, it was crispy and the curry ketchup was delicious. After we ate our table played a board game and the server continued to check in on us. Overall a great experience!

    The beer is good. I really enjoyed the Deduction Belgian-style dubbel - a Gold Medal winning beer…read more I am very sad about the food and service, though. I will cut some slack on the service, however - I arrives after what seems to have been a very atypical rush of Journey fans who inundated the place before heading to Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The staff seemed a bit rundown and slap happy - not really attentive to the bar where I sat. I waited a bit long before I was greeted with a menu, waited awhile with an empty glass, waited with my food pushed away before it was cleared. No one asked if everything was okay even though most of my food was untouched. The food... my salad (house greens) was a great little salad! I say this despite finding a hair on the plate when I was about 2/3 through. My mussels and fries were not great. The fries were mid - they tasted kind of overdone or as if the oil were old. The mussels were actively bad. The portion (an app) was pretty small. There was hardly any broth/wine and they weren't piping hot. Also, they were actually not tasty and the texture was rubbery. They remained in front of me, uncleared, even after I closed my tab. They did not smell good. I don't anticipate being sick but I do anticipate being hungry.

    Photos
    Taxman CityWay
    Taxman CityWay
    Taxman CityWay - Beer flight

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    Beer flight

    Easy Rider Diner

    Easy Rider Diner

    4.4(252 reviews)
    3.0 miFountain Square
    $$

    I enjoyed this event at Easy Rider Diner. I had been wanting to try as I am a fan of diners, dives…read moreand drive-ins lol. I was not a fan of the drinks. I first tried Christopher oaxanao... can't really spell it but was told it sounded like walken? Anyway it was very bitter, took one sip and asked for a different drink, which they agreed to with no issue. The second drink was called no aloha. It was much better but tini wini! Lol I came home and fixed a good old glass of wine! Now to the food. I had honey hot chicken and sweet potatoes (fries) The flavors were perfect. I can't have dairy so I got honey hot dipping sauce . Perfect amount of spices and heat. I would like to come back and try the vegan nachos. The restaurant is designed like a diner. Nice atmosphere. Throwback music. It's right next to a concert venue.we got tickets to several concerts. Don't know if every customer gets that or it was only for the yelp event. event. I am interested in having brunch next time. Overall pretty good and fun night out. Don't think it would make Guy's pick list tho :)

    We went to Easy Rider Dinet for dinner and it was just as good as brunch! Customer service 10 out…read moreof 10. Food 10 out of 10 ambience 10 out of 10. Easy Rider Diner is easily in my top 20 restaurants. The food is always amazing. If you think you have had steak fries before you really need to try theirs because they are out of this world. So many flavors going on, all complementing each other. The jalapeño cornbread was really good as well. It's a huge portion!

    Photos
    Easy Rider Diner - Mac & Queso topped with pork belly.

    Mac & Queso topped with pork belly.

    Easy Rider Diner - Chef Ricky Martinez

    Chef Ricky Martinez

    Easy Rider Diner - Baked Eggs - A Mexican take on Eggs in Purgatory with chorizo and pico de gallo

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    Baked Eggs - A Mexican take on Eggs in Purgatory with chorizo and pico de gallo

    Yolk - City Way

    Yolk - City Way

    4.1(896 reviews)
    3.7 miMile Square
    $$
    Gluten-free friendly
    Vegan friendly

    We had a great experience at Yolk in Indianapolis. The food was excellent across the board, and we…read moresat at the bar which ended up being a great spot. I usually base a lot of choices on coffee options and was happy to see flavored creamers for drip and LOTS of specialty options for coffee lovers. The woman working on the getting plates ready for the servers and expediting food was fantastic--super attentive and kept everything moving quickly. We watched everyone's plates came out fast and fresh the entire time. We ordered the All Star and upgraded the cinnamon roll French toast for $3, which was absolutely amazing and worth it. We also got a half order of the red velvet French toast--just as good and perfectly done with fresh strawberries. The avocado toast was solid as well. Only small note: the capers were a nice touch, but pickled red onion instead of fresh chopped would've taken it over the top for more balance and brightness. Overall, really good food, great service, and we'll definitely be back.

    Any breakfast restaurant that sits me with the words "here is a cozy place" is already winning for…read moreme. The new Yolk behind the Alexander hotel hit the spot for a need food fast & must be breakfast or I will crash out immediately moment. I had the pleasure of Brittany as a waitress. She was extremely patient. Trust me, I tested her but not on purpose of course. I just couldn't get it together and was asking for a million things. She was so patient with me Y'all. So nice. The food was delicious. I can eat breakfast for every meal and be in bliss so keep that in mind with my review. My scrambled eggs tasted like soft pillow goodness. So good if you like REAL scrambled eggs, the way they should be cooked. My dad (RIH) made the best eggs & these were on par to his making us the best weekend breakfast. I am a purist with my pancakes so I didn't jump for the many varieties they have. The plain pancakes were pretty good. The sausages are HUGE! Think brat size & texture. If you like that, then you will be super happy. I am a bacon girlie so will get that next time. Great selection of teas; including pressed English black tea. Yolk is a franchise but still a bring your friends & family to have a chill meal vibe. Food came fast & I felt comfortable eating because I eat super slowly. I mean I usually go ahead and pay type of slow. Love a place that is chill like that. They have so much seating as the restaurant is super big. I had no wait getting in on Sunday at 10:30am. If you need breakfast fast, want it to be good with simple ingredients that tastes yummy. Come on in!

    Photos
    Yolk - City Way
    Yolk - City Way
    Yolk - City Way

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    Spoke & Steele - Pinot Noir Poached Pear

    Spoke & Steele

    4.0(462 reviews)
    4.0 miMile Square
    $$

    Spoke & Steele, located in downtown Indianapolis, offers a dining experience that beautifully blend…read moreof modern design with upscale food. It sits at the base of the Le Meridien hotel. The restaurant features an extensive drink menu that will suite anyone's pallet. We chose to start with the bread service which was killer especially the honey butter. All of the apps look d amazing but went for the dry rub duck wings with home made ranch. My only critic was I wish there were more than 3. Finished off with the shrimp and grits. Although, I wasn't in New Orleans the spiciness took me back there. The wait staff was great. Even though we were late for the reservation we were seated promptly and had multiple people taking care of us. Spoke & Steele is a must if you are staying in the hotel but also if you want a cool vibe for drinks and great food I would stop by and take a look.

    There's brunch... and then there's Spoke & Steele brunch!!!…read moreFrom the moment you walk in, the vibe is giving cozy, elevated, and just the right amount of "I deserve to be here." The seating? Intimate. The lighting? Soft. The whole space feels like a quiet luxury moment tucked right into the city. Now let's talk about what REALLY matters, the food. The shrimp & grits??? Listen... this wasn't just a dish, this was an EXPERIENCE. The grits were creamy, smooth, and perfectly rich, but that sauce layered on top?? Whew. Flavor on flavor on flavor. You've got that deep, savory, slightly smoky profile with juicy shrimp, sausage, and those pickled onions cutting through everything with the perfect tang. Every bite felt intentional. Like somebody knew what they were doing in that kitchen. And can we talk about how beautiful it was plated?? Because yes, I absolutely appreciated the aesthetics before I even picked up my fork. Paired it with a simple coffee moment, sitting by the window, and honestly... it felt like a reset. Not rushed, not loud, just good food, good atmosphere, and a chance to actually enjoy it. If you're looking for a brunch spot that feels a little more elevated, a little more intentional, and delivers on both flavor and experience. This is it. 10/10. I'll absolutely be back!!!

    Photos
    Spoke & Steele
    Spoke & Steele - Cajun Duck Wings

    Cajun Duck Wings

    Spoke & Steele - House Bread

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    House Bread

    Bluebeard - Perfect Brussels Sprouts

    Bluebeard

    4.4(1.4k reviews)
    3.3 miFletcher Place
    $$$

    I stopped by this fantastic spot in Fletcher Place for lunch and it was a total win! I loved that…read morethey offer two different experiences a great bar area and a beautiful full-service dining room. I opted for the dining room, and even though it was buzzing with a lunch crowd, it was the perfect level of energy without being noisy. The service was 10/10. My waiter was incredibly warm and took the time to explain the day's dishes in detail. I ordered the Brussels Sprouts and a drink, and both arrived in just a few minutes. The sprouts were perfectly prepared and very satisfying easily some of the best I've had. If you're looking for a high-quality lunch with excellent service and a great vibe, this is the place. I'm giving it a full rating and will definitely be back!

    Heading back home from Sturgis SD taking the I80 route, stopped in Indianapolis IN for a quick…read moredinner. Quick web search, Bluebeard popped up as one choice. Reviewed the menu seemed to be eclectic enough, off we go. The place had a decent size outdoor dinning area. Few of the tables were occupied. Table for one...indoor, outdoor was the question? Indoor. Although the weather was beautiful, indoors was my choice. Al fresco dining is not my first choice. I don't like to do battle over my meal with insects and other wild life. I deducted 1 star for red wine served at room temperature. How is it that, red wines are chilled (55F) on the west coast but served at 'room temperature' (72F, 82F...) on the east coast. Had two dishes, they were OK, service was ok Would I go back? Yes, if the red wine was chilled.

    Photos
    Bluebeard - Draft Taps

    Draft Taps

    Bluebeard - Winter Panzanella salad

    Winter Panzanella salad

    Bluebeard - Brussels SproutsBrussels

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    Brussels SproutsBrussels

    Love Handle - Waffle and pork belly

    Love Handle

    4.3(409 reviews)
    4.9 miChatham Arch
    $$

    Met up with two friends for brunch at Love Handle and it absolutely delivered. Great location at…read morethe end of Mass Ave near Bottleworks--and pro tip: parking directly in front on the same side of the street is free. The space is big and fun, with a large dining room, an old-school video arcade game, interesting art, and a big screen playing movies, which adds to the laid-back, quirky vibe. It's counter service with clear menu boards on the wall, making ordering easy. I had the cheesy jalapeño grits with bacon and an egg and... my goodness. So incredibly delicious. One friend ordered the same grits but swapped in fried catfish instead of bacon--also a fantastic choice. Our third went with a classic plate with eggs and bacon, and let me tell you, the bacon is thick and plentiful. We ordered a side of fries for the table and there were more than enough to share. Self-serve coffee with all the fixings is a nice touch, and the service was friendly and welcoming. Fun atmosphere, great food, solid portions--definitely will be back.

    Stopped in here for brunch this past Sunday with my husband because we had been wanting to try it…read moreout for a while and had mixed feelings. We were greeted right away and looked over the menu a bit before ordering. My husband ordered the country breakfast with chicken (definitely the way to go) and I ordered the cheesy jalapeño grits with bacon. We each got a cup for water and I ordered a coffee, excited because I saw ahead of going that it was self-serve (like at Cafe Patachou where I can get as many coffees as I like without having to wait for our server to come check on us first). However, the self serve coffee excitement was short-lived after seeing that they only offered half and half as creamer (I'm lactose intolerant) and the two coffee carafes were not labeled for what was inside (decaf? medium roast? you'll never know!) and then one was completely empty and never refilled during our visit. The water station also was not ever refilled during our visit, so we were not able to get refills after filling up our cups the first time. It took a couple of tries to find a table we could sit at because you seat yourself, but several had not been cleaned after other guests left and had food and drinks spilled on them. There were definitely enough staff members there to be able to clean them in between customers, so we weren't sure why they were left that way. We ended up sitting in the middle of the room towards the front, across from the clown art wall, which made for interesting conversation as we looked through everything. When the food came out I was impressed with the portions, but I had no flavor whatsoever to my cheesy jalepeno grits. The egg and bacon were good, but not enough to make it a good dish and I would not order it again. And I love savory breakfast and grits in general, so it was a real bummer. My husband's dish was worth the visit though. It was a huge portion size and we honestly would just split it if we came back and ordered it. It was so savory, seasoned perfectly, and juicy. One of the best breakfast dishes I have tried recently! I really debated between 3-4 stars for this, but my dish was a flop, the lack of cleanliness for the seating area, the lackluster self-serve coffee station, and not refilling the beverages ultimately scored a 3 star review for me. I would come back and try something else though, or split the country chicken breakfast because it was really good. Hopefully next time the beverages won't be empty!

    Photos
    Love Handle - Coffee Station

    Coffee Station

    Love Handle - Waffle and Pork Belly

    Waffle and Pork Belly

    Love Handle

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    Friend’s Diner - diners - Updated May 2026

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