The food is affordable and the servers are friendly. Definitely worth checking out if you're looking for a mom and pop kindve place.

Still the best stew in town. Friendly people working here. Nice setting and relaxing. read more

John's Famous Stew - John's Hardy Stew Gravy - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Our stew orders were loaded with large chunks of potatoes, carrots, and beef, all in a rich and savory broth. Carrot cake and chocolate cake followed the meal, and both were excellent. The menu was filled with many more options, so a return visit is in order. read more

Here for the first time. Staff was friendly and efficient. Had the goulash medium snd was excellent. My husbamd had the pork tenderloin. He said it was the best he ever had Portions were lg so take a doggie bag. Will definitely go back. read more

I did a pick up order from this location. There was a $1.00 Take Out fee. I read it was a must to get a pork tenderloin sandwich from Indiana and saw this place recommended online. When I came to pick up my item I thought I was in the wrong place. It looks like a warehouse no one uses anymore, but once you turn into the parking lot the lot is full. There is free parking and a large parking lot. When I went inside the restaurant was already busy at 11:30AM. I saw everyone with stew dining inside. If I am ever back I'd like to try that. My tenderloin breaded sandwich was huge!! You can easily feed 2-3 people with 1. I couldn't even take a full bite because the sandwich was so big. It was $9.99 and came with a size of fries. Everything was shockingly affordable. The sandwich and fries were great. I also ordered a carrot cake and it was phenomenal. Next time I'd like to eat inside and have it fresh. Service was great! There's a bar to pick up to go order or dine at and additional tables for indoor seating. read more

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Great place, feels like a home cooked meal and the staff are awesome. Looking forward to running through the menu! read more

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Just look at the picture. Do I need to say anything? I got a huge tenderloin smothered in spicy beef stew. It's absolutely incredible. I've had the stew and mash, and some other sandwiches, it's all good. This cost I think 13.50. In the winter I go once every other week. Great service. Local hole in the wall vibe. I recommend 2 people split a spicy tenderloin deluxe and a stew and mash. There will probably be leftovers. read more

John's Famous Stew - John Famous Tenderloin Supreme - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Finally! My husband has been in search of his childhood memory of the giant tenderloin sandwich for years, we finally found it!! He has been disappointed by soggy, flavorless sandwiches during our search. However, John's Famous Stew tenderloin hits all the right notes:) Number one it is HUGE, important but not the only note! It was crisp and flavorful as well. I forgot to mention the price, also a throwback of 12.00! WOW!! The restaurant was off the beaten path and a throwback to the pub/bar vibe. It was a super clean place and very friendly staff! If you too are in search of a memorable tenderloin definitely stop by! read more

John's Famous Stew - Best tenderloin sandwich! - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Wow! I had the job of finding a flavorful, great-reviewed breaded pork tenderloin sandwich coming from Chicago and on our way down to Nashville. I thought Indianapolis is known for breaded pork, but it felt so tough finding a place with good, consistent, and recent reviews. Hidden in the shadows of Lucas stadium... John's. My family and I were totally blown away. We got a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, onion rings, and a cup of medium stew. My parents are so picky and LOVED everything, especially the sandwich and the stew! Apparently the stew comes in mild medium and hot, I asked for what was recommended and medium was great, not a ton of spice just flavor! I have to admit... the place looks rough from the outside. Plus, there was no one there! We were shocked by no crowd with how amazing this food was. Called in our order, ready in 15 minutes and seriously, just SO good. We are thinking about coming on our way back up! read more

John's Famous Stew - Giant Breaded Tenderloin Sandwich Stew Gravy - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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It's getting to be Fall, so thought stew sounded good. Headed to the Southwest Side to John's Famous Stew. I haven't been there in years ... so many so that if I told you, I'd date myself. We ordered the Giant Breaded Tenderloin for $9.99. The menu said "this tenderloin is so big it fills up the plate." And boy is that a true statement! It came with fries, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion and mayo ... all on the side. We also ordered John's Famous Stew for $11.99 with added garden vegetables, for an additional $1.59. We requested it medium heat, and it had a kick. If you don't like spicy heat, get the mild. We were told the hot was very hot. The stew was very good. It was hearty and filling. The vegetables (potatoes, butter beans and carrots) had great flavor. As mentioned, the medium heat level was spicy. The beef was fork tender and literally fell apart. Just wish there'd been more meat. The tenderloin sandwich was very good. It was huge and not wafer thin like some other large tenderloins at different establishments. The fries were very good as well. Service was very good. Our server was friendly and attentive. The food was served promptly on a Saturday afternoon at 1pm. Portion sizes are large, well worth the money! If it's cold weather or you're craving stew or chili, I'd recommend a stop at John's Famous Stew. It's well worth the trip to the Southwest Side! read more

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We have eaten at John's famous stew for years. It was always our go to place for lunch. But we haven't been here for about four years. My usual was a tenderloin supreme with hot stew. The wife and I went there yesterday for lunch. We were immediately greeted by very friendly and polite waitress, however, she was the only one working except Cook and they were pretty busy. My wife ordered the grilled Cajun chicken sandwich and I had my normal tenderloin supreme. It took a while, but when the food came out, my wife's Cajun chicken sandwich really didn't look appetizing and she said it was very dry and choked down. my hot stew tenderloin supreme however looked delicious and the stew did not disappoint. The stew really has a good kick to it so if you're not prepared for hot, you should order mild stew. on the other hand the tenderloin Tasted like it was fried in old oil. It was almost un-edible. I ended up leaving half of it behind. It wasn't even good enough to take home. I did enjoy the stew however we have removed John's famous stew from our dining list. I certainly wouldn't recommend this place since it's changed hands. I could only give it two stars. The first star was for the smiley, very polite waitress although our service was very slow. She was very apologetic and the second star is for the delicious stew. read more

John's Famous Stew - Grilled Cajun chicken sandwich - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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I love to go to John's Stew when I have a chance. I always get the stew and it's always delicious. If you've never been, give it a try. I will say that the place is old, small, and outdated...but I'm fine with that because the food is exactly what I want when I go there. I would recommend it and get the hot stew if you like spicy, mild if you don't, and medium if you're undecided. read more

Gave them 3 stars for the food, but no stars for seating and ambience. When we stopped by there, we were immediately greeted by a friendly and polite hostess and were seated in a booth. After reviewing the menu I chose to get up and use the restroom. Upon returning I went to slide back into the seat in the booth. I immediately felt discomfort in my leg. I slid back out and found my denim jean shorts torn, I looked at the booth and saw a sharp pointed piece of metal sticking out and determined that was what had torn my pants and scraped my leg. I then noticed a piece of duct tape laying on the floor nearby and I could see the residual of the tape on the bench. We went to another table with chairs but the table was very wobbly. We did find a functional table, but the light above the table was out. I called the waitress over and told her what happened and asked to see a manager. A few minutes later another waitress came out and I shared and showed her what had happened. She shared that she was sorry for what had happened. She said that she would talk to the owner and that we probably would not have to pay for our meal. She returned a few minutes later and said that our bill would be reduced by 50%. She also shared that there was another booth that had the same problem. We decided to go ahead and order our food. As we were eating the hostess came and placed tape over the problem area of the seat in the booth. A short while later a male came out to see the booth. He looked at the booth and did not say anything to us. My jeans cannot be worn anymore. I was very lucky that my skin did not get ripped open. The waitress said the only way to fix the booth seat is to buy a new one, but that was not an option for the restaurant. read more

They're baaack, same great stew and options. Delicious year around. Savory thick, with big chunks of vegetables as well as meat. I opted for the medium heat level over mashed potatoes. Awesome. The bread they serve may be nothing spectacular, but it is perfect for sopping up the stew broth. The only downside was the cherry cobbler. My friend purchased one to go and it was incredibly small for the price and I was told it wasn't that tasty either. On the other hand I keep hearing how great their blackberry cobbler is... so I'm a little torn on that issue. Despite the size of this restaurant you get the hole in the wall feel here. Service is friendly and quite efficient. Private lot alongside the building for ease of parking. read more

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John's Famous Stew (1146 Kentucky Ave., Indianapolis, IN) Stopped in for lunch today and had their breaded pork tenderloin (with mustard and jalapeños), fries, and goulash stew. The stew was good. I ordered a cup of goulash medium heat, but didn't really taste the spice in it. It tasted good on a cold day, though! The tenderloin was huge. I cut it in half, and folded half into a double-decker sandwich. It was still way larger than the bun. It is pretty thin, but tasted ok. It wasn't greasy or salty or anything like that. I took the other half home. The fries were just average. Overall, I'd say their breaded pork tenderloin is good, but I'd rather go back for their famous stew. I later noticed the BPT is listed as $9.99, but they charged me $11.99. read more

John's Famous Stew - Receipt - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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I've reviewed John's Famous Stew before. We just took a nephew to try it out before he goes to Basic Training. He gobbled down his order. Others in our group of five had trouble getting thru half of their stew. To go boxes had to happen. John's definitely gives ample portions and is well worth the drive, time, and effort. Their server was very friendly and was very efficient. The venue is old, but rugged and has character. I like it because it's usually pretty quiet and not a cliche type of restaurant; not a chain. How anyone could rate this lower than a five is beyond me. TRY IT....!! read more

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Had lunch today at John's. I got the beef Manhattan. Husband got the tenderloin with stew on top. Both meals were excellent. Served hot. Manhattan was literally piled high and covered the plate. Gravy was traditional and delicious. The tenderloin had a delicious breading. It was nice and crispy, and the stew was outstanding. The server was excellent. He immediately greeted us, and we waited no more than seven minutes for our food. He had such a great attitude and was super friendly. We've been going there for over 20 years and the service and quality of food has not changed. Absolutely delicious. It's always a treat to come here. read more

John's Famous Stew - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Great good old fashioned service. Enough for 2 meals. Nostalgic setting. Daily specials. read more

John's Famous Stew - Goulash stew!! Medium hot! - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

My dad frequented John's back in the 70s & 80s. Stopped in for a quick Saturday afternoon lunch and I got swept back to my childhood. The place has not changed! We enjoyed John's Hot Stew and a beef Manhattan. Two stick to your ribs, FLAVORFUL choices. Walked out for $24- 2 entrees and an appetizer. I won't wait 35 years until my next visit. Cravable! read more

John's Famous Stew - Beef Manhattan - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Food Is Great and the Staff are Awesome ! I felt like a regular as soon as I walked in.

This is a one of a kind place. If you have never been here, put it on your bucket list. My favorite menu item is the Tenderloin Supreme. It's the best of both worlds, a giant breaded pork tenderloin smothered with John's famous stew. read more

John's Famous Stew - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

John's Famous Stew is BACK! Woo Hoo!!! They opened their doors almost 3 weeks ago in the same location (1146 Kentucky Ave.). The parking lot is ample with room for a full restaurant of patrons vehicles. They currently do not have a liquor licenses so it is Coke products and now kid friendly with a new kid's menu. John's Famous Stew has 5 options of stew to choose from and all are served either mild, medium or hot. We ordered the house favorite, John's Hearty Stew and opted for hot. The Stew is served with a large, thick slice of bread. We ordered extra bread (.39 per slice) so we could dip in the amazing Stew broth. You can order extra ingredients for your Stew from stew broth to butter beans, meat or potatoes plus hot peppers will be added if requested. Stew Your Way! One of my son's favorites is John's Famous Tenderloin Supreme. It consists of their large, Breaded Tenderloin smothered in John's Famous Stew and served mild, medium or hot. John's Stew Burger uses a 1/3 lb. Burger smothered with John's Famous Stew. If you enjoy Cabbage Rolls try theirs. It is a large stuffed cabbage roll covered with their famous Stew gravy. If you are looking for other home-cooked options try the large serving of tender roast beef or pan roasted Turkey Manhattan. It begins with the Stew bread topped with roast beef or turkey and add mashed potatoes then smothered with rich gravy. If that isn't enough, it is served with cole slaw or side salad. The other popular dish is their Country Fried Steak with a hand breaded steak, plated with a generous amount of mashed potatoes and smothered in creamy gravy. Again, served with coleslaw or a side salad. Stew is just one of the many dishes you can order at John's. A full appetizer menu is available along with many salads from Cobb, Taco, Chicken Salad and Tenderloin Salad plus more. So many types of sandwiches are available and most people will find something that pleases them. I had to end the evening with a slice of their cobbler. Peach or Apple Cobbler are the mainstay but occasionally you'll find Blueberry or Blackberry. Peach is my favorite but it, along with the Peach pie, was sold out. I opted for the Apple Cobbler which has a great flavor with cinnamon and nutmeg. It is served warm with vanilla ice cream and I devoured the warm, flavorful cobbler. They were extremely busy and had close to a full house when we visited at 5:00 p.m. Friday. We were told the current hours will be 10:00 - 6:00 until they see the trend. Our server had been working close to 12 hours so she was running on empty but gave it 100%. Our drinks took several minutes but our stew arrived hot and timely. She only checked on us once but understandable with the crowd she was trying to serve. They also need additional staff as most restaurants are currently facing. This little restaurant is historic and a laid-back, casual gathering spot. So many stories and memories were bring shared. Fun night. Go if you enjoy delicious stew. read more

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they don't wear gloves in the kitchen after picking there nose and wiping hair then grabbing food directly and they block you when you tell them about it on facebook and have there friend roger moore harass you !!!! and had horrible service horrible food read more

This is the type of place that the locals know of but don't tell because they don't want it to be too crowded. I got taken here by a colleague and walked into a delightful slice of americana. Crowded at lunch with a noisy chatty crowd of blue collar workers. Good honest cooking for a good honest meal. I love meat stew and I was delighted. They have many dishes but I stuck with the classic. You have a choice of heat. I found the medium heat just on the verge of being much. I really enjoyed my meal. Love that gravy. read more

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Hearing that John's Famous Hot Stew was back we decided to give it a try. We thought stew and a beer would be great but we were both highly disappointed. First, John's no longer serves alcohol. So, we ordered cokes. Then the stew. It was like hot dishwater. Meat, 1 hunk in mine. My husband got a couple of chunks. Bread, the best part. Fresh white store bread. Total bill including tip was almost $40.00, A lot for eating what used to be special The staff, not eager to serve or bring check Two men standing around the bar wearing top coats, kept coming and going into the kitchen. I couldn't help think how sanitary that was. Not! Wish lunch was better but it seems reputation can't do it if you can't produce the product. read more

Yummy and will be back - after driving by 40 years we finally stopped! A happy to have the stew but the tenderloin sandwich looked amazing! read more

John's Famous Stew - Stew (medium hot) and 1 order of Mashed potatoes (split Inn 2 bowls - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

this is definitely a new favorite spot of mine. the staff was kind, the interior is super vintage, and the food is very well priced. i got the wing deal (9.99 for atleast ten bone in wings AND fries AND carrots and celery) and my boyfriend got the stuffed pepper stew. it was to DIE FOR. the stew was so good i had to take some home. i will 1000% be back and/or ordering takeout from this place asap. read more

Happy that John's has reopened, albeit sans liquor license. :( But hey! Now they have a KIDS menu! :( :) Well, some may see it differently than I do! The food is the same, on point and delicious. They have some growing pains: new staff, new pos systems, etc. Service was a tad slow when I last visited. With that said I'm super happy someone has purchased this Indy "Institution" and is willing to give it a go. Local places like this will ALWAYS be better than chain restaurants! read more

John's Famous Stew - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

I've never made a yelp review. I left John's so befuddled that it was either this or therapy. Staff and charm of the establishment were amazing. Bathroom was clean. The food...defied science and logic. Our appetizer was a hodge podge of fried items. The mushrooms were hot to the touch but sopping wet and ice cold on the inside. Same with the mozzarella sticks...hot yet somehow the string cheese sticks inside remained cold and rigid. They were served with an ice cube of marinara and piping hot ranch. Creative! The "stew" consisted of ice cold beans atop a tepid beef paste. Ordered the hot which apparently meant for pain and not flavor. Live and learn. Cold and spicy is a bold choice for stew! The flavorless club sandwich was served at a temperature I can only describe as "food borne illness." The bread was somehow both toasted yet wet. Mouth feel shock waves! 3 people received (unseasoned/unsalted) fries with their meals and it was a scene out of Goldilocks and the 3 bears. One order was ice cold, one was warm, and one was burning hot yet not cooked through. Just right! Food decisions were made today. And not one of them made sense. Definitely worth the stop if you're looking for a memorable experience! The group chat memes relating to our experience here have been especially wonderful. read more

We've been there 3 times. Very friendly staff, a unique "old school diner" atmosphere, & good food! LOVE the stew!!!! (w/ a side of mashed potatoes, of course!) read more

Yesterday for my Birthday I decided to have late lunch at JFS. I have been coming here for years but the last time I patronized was in 2018. John's Hot Stews had operated for more than 40 years under the ownership of Tommy Caito, who died in November 2018. The lunch I had in 2018 would be the last time I would have the actual JHS's quality. The food was so wonderful, the servers were great and it was a true downtown institution. Right away I could see that the place didn't look the same. The full service bar was gone as well as the bulk of all the interesting photos and wall accoutrements. When were seated we were given the menus and asked about our drink orders. We waited for 10 minutes for the server to get us our drinks as she was busy talking to a guy standing by the kitchen, She finally got there with our drinks and we ordered. Wife ordered a Reuben sandwich with coleslaw. I ordered the hot stew and mashed potatoes. The cook came out to the table and said they were out of Swiss cheese and could she substitute hot pepper cheese? My wife being a good sport said fine. The food arrived about 10 minutes later. My stew was lukewarm at best and had too much pepper added. I found one piece of beef and a good sized chunk of fat & gristle. The "mountain" of "Smashed" potatoes was really just a small scoop. I was pretty let down as I realized the Caito family had closed and sold the restaurant at some point during Covid. I have to say the server who is the owners daughter was very sweet & engaging. She did a good job. She did not know the previous owner, Tommy Caito but thought her dad bought the place from John Strangeff, the original owner. I hope they can improve their restaurant but, I won't be returning. read more

First of all a major shout out to Ms. Nicole for making sure the now new "Michael Scott Turkey Stew Manhattan" was created using John's Famous Stew for the topping on the mashed potatoes!!! Make sure to get yours asap!!! read more

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This was my first time eating at JFS, so of course I had to have the stew (they have lots of other things on the menu). It was wonderful...thick and rich and hearty! And it came with more bread than we could eat. Great place!! read more

waitress didn't take our order and only took our drin order which was simple, water w lemon, another person she knew came over, they talked, hugged for over 10 minutes while she had our water in her hands, my guy tried to get her attention twice and she continued to talking ignoring customers so we left. I was so looking forward to the famous stew but that kind of service no thanks read more

Great service and a very nice setting and the stew was excellent. all at a very good price too read more

No stranger to Johns pre-closure and was super stoked to visit again once they reopened. I could've spent my little $80 on a pack of Marlboros and some lottery tickets and been more ecstatic about that outcome than I was over this food (And I don't even smoke). Dear kitchen staff: did y'all even try? And miss ma'am handling to go orders: when I asked if the ranch was in the containers and you said yeah, I'd like to know if the wing fairy snatched all f*cking 6 of em then? I really could've used at least one to make the wings more edible. Unless you struggle with post COVID lack of taste do yourself a favor and eat anywhere else. This is damn near Mann's Grill's cousin (not a compliment to those unfamiliar with Manns) read more

John's Famous Stew - Fries - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Don't waste your time A friend and I went for lunch and it was surprisingly busy right at opening We ordered stew thinking it would be pretty quick and get us back to the office Our waitress was younger - black and red flannel shirt and absolutely no personality Many other tables were already eating before our two bowls of stew came Ours took over 1/2 hour to arrive Stew was ok - tasted like mostly canned vegetables 3 pieces of beef - not terrible Service was the biggest disappointment read more

Best hot minced pit stew EVER! Great service. Great food. Fun ambiance. I've been going to John's Famous Stew for years. It was a sad time when they shut down during covid. I'm so happy they're open again. read more

Wow, what a treat. Tender beef, carrots and potatoes over smashed potatoes. The flavors are sooooo good. The staff was friendly. Even though the place was packed, I was seated quickly and served fast too. You cannot beat the price for such a hearty meal. read more

John's Famous Stew - Delicious Stew Over Smashed Potatoes! - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Great to see this place reopened. Stopped in for a late lunch. I had the tenderloin deluxe, which means breaded tenderloin with stew in top. Lots of carrots, onions and a few green beans and potatoes. Shredded tender beef was very good. Wife had regular bowl of stew. Bread and butter served too. You can choose mild, medium or hot(seasoned) stew. We both chose mild, but it had a bit of zing, but not overpowering or uncomfortable. I would order mild again. Very satisfied including the portion size. Kid's menu posted on wall. read more

John's Famous Stew - Tenderloin covered with stew, bowl of stew and bread. - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana