When you're in need of some good ol down home cooking, MCL is the place to go. It's a cafeteria style restaurant on the city's south side with dishes like fried chicken, beef Manhattan, and other dishes that change daily. IMO it's not big on bold flavors, but this food is comfort food. So grab your granny and make your way to warm hugs in the form of food. You can't beat the real deal mashed potatoes and the gravy smothered on top of a roast beef sandwich. Yes, I'm talking about the delicious Beef Manhattan. The warm you up, fill you up, soul soothing Manhattan. Thin slices of medium rare roast beef between white or wheat bread. Have it dipped in au jus if you're not a fan of the medium rare. It's roped with real mashed potatoes and from scratch gravy. The fried chicken is pretty legit too. Several different fresh salad selections as well. If you're in the mood for desserts they have everything from pie to German chocolate cake. You can find something for everyone in your party. From your salad people to your meat and potatoes people, MCL is a solid choice. read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - Comfort food- beef Manhattan and chocolate cake - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Overall, I love this place. I hope it doesn't get closed down like several of their other locations have recently. The food is generally very good, the place is clean, and the employees are very nice. One key getting a decent value here is order one of the Mayfield value plates. You get an entrée and two side sides and a bread for a decent price. If you go crazy and start treating it like a buffet, your bill might be shockingly high. read more

Great food, great service. Nice selection of proteins, veggies, starches and desserts. Prices are. Are fair, good value. Food appears and tastes freshly prepared.. read more

This MCL does not give senior discounts till after 2pm. A group of retirees come to that MCL about every 2 months and we get a room & it is about. 20 of us. We come between 11:30 & 1:30. We bring plenty of business & we have been going there for at least 2 years or more when we have our get together & they ne er give us a senior discounts. We bring you business. There will be know recommendations from me. We have a standing room for when we come. read more

Their food is always made fresh and I've never had a bad meal there and I've been in there probably hundreds of times it's just Home cooking

The initial experience was not good. Dated atmosphere, stained carpet, and old trays/buffet experience that felt like walking through a retirement community. The vegetables were old, and there just wasn't the quality or care that should be involved in preparing meals. My chicken leg was good. One side didn't taste good, but ate it anyway. The other looked so unappealing and old I just left it. The ladies on behind the counter were super sweet, but the waitress out on the floor was another story. The restaurant was huge and practically empty. She started by moving a chair I had placed my backpack on to keep off the dirty floor in further -- it wasn't out in the aisle, and there was a ton of space everywhere else. Not a huge deal. But then a few minutes later, I had my leg tucked/wrapped around the side of the booth -- not stuck out in the aisle, just on the side (and again -- there was a ton of space everywhere else in the restaurant and plenty of space next to my table too). But she came up, and told me to move my leg!! It felt like being told how to sit in a retirement home, not like a guest who chose this restaurant. Not a good experience at all, and will never be back. read more

Please please please fix your hours online. Drove 30 minutes to get food because it says yall are open til 8pm on Sunday. Only to get there and ITS CLOSED! Closes at 7:30pm on Sundays. What a waste of time. Now I'm hungry and angry. If you're running a business these things are important read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery on the southside of Indy is one of my favorite places to eat. The service is always phenomenal; the food is always fresh and flavorful, and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. I enjoy the wide variety of meats, sides, veggies, fruits and desserts. Some of my favorite items include: fried catfish, meatloaf, macaroni & cheese, and deviled eggs. All the food has that home-cooked touch, and the portions are plentiful. If you've never been to MCL, you're missing out! read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - Fried Catfish, Macaroni & Cheese, Green Beans, Deviled Eggs and a Roll. - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Charming, great service, floor hostess amazing, and food...these unedited pics don't lies

Last night I took my kids to dinner at MCL. My family and I have been going to MCL since I was a kid. I like to go on Mondays because kids eat free and you can get 2 FREE kids meals with the purchase of one adult entree. There's always plenty of options for everyone to choose from, but my kids and I tend to stick to the same entrees. My kids always love the fried chicken, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, and corn on the cob if they have it. I tend to get the Mayfield Plate which is another great option for the value since you can get select entrees, 2 hot sides, and a bread item for $9.99. I usually get the Jr. Tilapia, broccoli and cheese if they have it, and Mac and cheese or other side. They did not have broccoli and cheese last night, so I got green beans. They have some of very tasty green beans! I also got a yeast roll. My daughter loves fresh fruit, so she got strawberries as her side. Since we saved on our meals, I splurged for dessert and got blueberry cheesecake to share with my daughter and my son got chocolate cake. I've never had a bad dessert from MCL, so it's not wonder they list bakery in the name. Most people don't visit MCL for the ambiance since the decor has been the same as long as I remember. Despite not having much of a modern vibe, you feel at home and is a great place to take the whole family that I feel is underrated and overlooked. While this may not be a trendy spot, the homestyle options are always a crowd pleaser and my kids regularly ask to go here for dinner. read more

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I don't get to have MCL very often but was near this location and placed a mobile order for curbside. I ordered one entree, 2 sides, a roll and a side salad. My total was $21. When I arrived I parked in the curbside spot and clicked the text link. I waited in my car about 20 minutes until it was past the expected order time. Finally I went in. When I gave my name to the manager standing at the counter he looked confused, but clearly a bag with my name and curbside written on it were sitting on the counter. I could tell it had been sitting. When I got home the food was cold, as expected. The salad was plain lettuce (and cost over $4). The roll was super soggy. The green beans were spilled all over the salmon. Also, no plasticware or napkins in the bag. This was so disappointing for one, simple meal. read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Very good. Food is great. We had a wonderful meal. The service was amazing. Very attentive. Had the BBQ special. Also received a senior discount. read more

I really wanted mashed potatoes they were good as was the ham BUT the corn was old tasting and watermelon was mushy. read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - Craving mashed potatoes so here I am... - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

My son had a colonoscopy appointment so he was starving. There was the two adults and an eight year old. The restaurant was not busy. But we noticed all the food looked old and dry. The ladies on the line were very nice. Cashier was very nice. The waitress was a whole different story! She was rude! Slammed our trays even. We figured maybe a long day. But my son said the cheesecake tasted spoiled. I approached the cashier who asked me what was wrong. That's when the waitress came barging into the conversation telling the cashier "our table was ridiculous"! We never said anything to her. When she came over to table again I explained I am a front of house manager and would never allow any of my employees to speak to customers in the manner she did. The waitress was a tall skinny woman with shirt grey hair. No name tag. I spent $51.21 and we didn't even eat the food. Never again will our family visit MCL! We left and went to McDonald's! read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - Receipt at MCL on 86th street - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

We recently had a group meeting MCL. They were very accommodating in keeping our drinks full and polite service. The food was excellent with many compliments from our group. Despite high prices everywhere, I thought MCL's prices to be reasonable. read more

This is an old fashion cafeteria type place I've been eating at randomly since I was a small child. You pick up your try and silverware and everything is alacarte. Just pick and choose which food items you want to eat, place them on your try and pay at the end of the line. They have roast beef, fried chicken, stuffed chicken breast, and much more for main dishes, many different sides, salads, desserts, breads, and finally drinks. It is a bit on the expensive side, but the food is good, not great, but good. Its nice to go back and enjoy a meal from here every once in a while. Homemade pies, and other old recipe dishes are served daily. They also have a banquet room available to rent for parties. Plenty of parking as they are in a strip mall location. read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Yes, OK, it's a favorite of the old folks. However I think they keep going because the food is good quality and it's reliable. When you want those comfort food items like mashed potatoes and gravy, fried chicken, or even coleslaw, you can go here and know exactly what you're going to get. This time around I decided to try their pie. It was BlackBerry and absolutely delicious. Perfectly balanced between tart and sweet. So, call up your favorite senior citizen and take them to MCL for lunch or perhaps an early dinner. Beware, the parking lot is pothole city. Bon appétit! read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - Piiiiie - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

The Mcl is an old school cafeteria. Same system as when you we're in school. Just the food is good. And if you are anything like me you'll get too much of it. They have different options everyday. They also have a few things you can get every day. We always get the beef Manhattan. It's delicious and it's a very generous portion. I really like their Mac and cheese as well even though it appears to be of the pre packaged variety. I also got pecan pie which was good. I did stand there for a few seconds trying to decide which piece was biggest. The restaurant is in a rather run down plaza. Watch for pot holes. Some of them are really bad. Also the table service was a little inattentive. I'm not sure if they were short staffed or just don't care but I had a hard time getting my tea refilled. Overall a good stop for lunch. read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - Beef Manhattan. Mac n cheese. Broccoli casserole. All good. - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Ordered beef manhattan in line. Mgr was cutting it and putting fat on it and I told him please cut the fat off that I don't eat that. He cut it off and I barely had any meat on it. Other half got stuffed chicken breast was very tough. I wished I had taken a photo. They defiantly need a new MGR. Also the amount of people that where in their I would say this one won't be open very much longer. read more

Service is friendly. Food was bad. All three of us ordered liver and onions. They were cold and hard. In fact everything was lukewarm or cold. The only exception was the twice baked potatoes. They were hot and delicious. read more

Nice place for an evening meal. I had a bowl of vegatable soup and side of cubed squash.

I have fond memories of eating at MCL. That's how it will remain. Decided to have lunch here as an alternative to fast food; I'm sorry that I did. The meatloaf and mashed potatoes were passable. The Mac and cheese was soupy and possibly the worst I've had in a long time. The dinner roll and iced tea were the best part of the meal - both tasted just as I remember. To top it off it was over-priced. I could have gotten much better food for less than what I paid here. read more

We have been eating at this MCL for years, but our last visit has convinced me this location has gone down in quality from the past. I ordered stuffed chicken breast and the chicken was tough and stringy and entree was COLD! My husband's fried chicken thigh was lukewarm and stringy as well. My desert of custard cup was encrusted with a thick topping of nutmeg which had a bitter aftertaste and the custard was runny. I wouldn't be surprised at all if this location closes permanently. We were totally disappointed with the lack of quality of the food. For $26 for 2 people we could have had a much better hot meal somewhere else. You have lost us as customers. read more

I went for a second time for a Birthday Lunch with my family today. I was excited because the first time we had a great time and we were going to see family I hadn't seen in a long time ! Well we were in the banquet room and someone came in from the back and was not an employee asked the cooks something and went thru the restaurant and came in the room and stole my purse I had my car keys , drivers license, debit cards , $10, pictures, insurance cards, my needed meds. My biggest issue is it is gone! He was caught on camera ! I had to have my car towed! He knows my address! He knows what my family looks like ! He has my stuff and he took my stuff! I had to cancel my cards he charged gift cards at speed way on Hanna Ave. on my debit card over $500. And tried to charge at CVS but my bank stopped it. And tried to charge my other card as well. I have to go dispute at my bank today now. Because someone took my stuff! I have to replace all of my cards. But as I sit here with not one bit of my stuff and I am super upset and can't believe someone had the nerve to do this to me so be careful every where you go. read more

My wife and I love this place! We go here a lot with her parents because they love it, too. One of my favorite entrees is their fried chicken. My favorite dessert is their pumpkin pie. All of the food here is very delicious! It's like having a home cooked meal. When you walk through the front door, the smell of all that goodness hits you. It's like you can't wait to sit down and eat. The staff is very friendly, but sometimes the waiter/waitress can get a little annoying when they ask you repetitively if you need a refill or if everything's ok. This place has a banquet room that you can reserve for special occasions, and they also cater. read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

We don't have one in Fort Wayne anymore, so I try to stop in whenever I'm in Indy or Anderson. My absolute favorite is the roast beef manhattan. The beef is outstanding, but the gravy on top makes it irresistible. The fresh pies are second to none. The pecan, banana and coconut cream are my favorites and when they have all three it is hard to decide. Another delicacy is the broccoli cheese bake. It isn't out very often and doesn't last long. It is a good day for me when I catch this. I will get a double side of it. You don't have to be retired to enjoy the home cooking here. I will eat here as often as I'm near. read more

I just had MCL cater my wedding in Shelbyville, IN on July 22nd and it was absolutely perfect! It was an outdoor wedding Ceremony & Reception and they were compliant with all the needs all the while being completely professional and serving delicious comfort food! Our guests have raved about the staff & the food, for not only the taste, but also the presentation! Our menu included: BBQ Pork Sandwiches, Roasted Red Potatoes, Cole Slaw, Macaroni & Cheese, & Corn Bread with Sweet Tea & Lemonade -- the BEST comfort food! Jessica W, the MCL Event Manager, is so super sweet & extremely into all the details. From the food tasting, and wanting to know our theme, to the wedding day and bringing extra serving platters to match my vision. She was absolutely terrific! I highly recommend MCL for any of your catering needs! read more

Have given them several chances but always the same cold over priced food. 2.35 for an ear of cold corn and they didn't even bother to cut the bad spots out. Pretty sure there's still a insect in there. read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

I'm a frequent visitor to MCL and thoroughly enjoy their food and dessert. I am a big fan of their chicken cordon bleu, teriyaki chicken with rice and their chicken noodle soup. Their breads and desserts are also very good and it is difficult for me to walk out the restaurant without a piece of cake or pie. I am a little disappointed with their roast beef and or turkey Manhattans. They use to come piled with several slices of thick pieces of meat, but lately I have only received a couple of thin slices of meat. They don't seem to be worth the cost. Maybe they will add more slices in the future. They do have servers on the floor who will refill your drinks if needed. All in all, good food at good prices served by a friendly staff. I'm ready for dinner now! read more

I love their food and selection! Not much on the outside but clean and food is always good! Love their fish on Fridays and beef manhatten.

Was as great as I remember. The older lady bussing and doing refills is a great worker, a real MVP read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - Vegetables were crisp and delicious. The chicken portion was huge and juicy. Staff was friendly - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

In regard to catering for our wedding, working with MCL was a very pleasant experience. The food was great and the set up/tear down was very quick and drew minimal attention during our reception. Working with Jessica was a great match for us. She was very prompt with answering all of our questions, very understanding with rescheduling our tasting when a family emergency arose on our end, and she was very informative throughout the tasting and even gave us the option to change any dishes we wanted to change that was different from what we originally signed the contract for. We didn't change anything for our menu but the fact that we had the option was a very pleasant surprise. I will definitely recommend MCL catering to all my friends and family who are looking for an event to be catered at a modest price and with excellent food. Thanks again, Jessica!! read more

MCL promotes catering. However, when the recording suggests that if you want to place a catering order within 48 hours to call your closest store, it may be a good idea if the store would actually answer the phone. Called three different locations in Indianapolis with no answer. The number for this location even disconnected me after several rings every time I called. Very disappointed. read more

I've been coming to MCL at least twice a month since as long as I can remember. The staff have learned who I am. They know what I'm going to get as soon as I walk in the door. One of their staff, Heather, already has a refill on my drink before I even sit down at the table. I highly recommend MCL! read more

I would never expect MCL to be great, but this place could be much better. The food is bland and overpriced, and the service is below-average. I'm not a huge fan of MCL, but other locations are much better. read more

MCL is by far the best home cooking you don't get from home. I have been eating at these restaurants since I was a kid. Pretty much never had a bad meal here. Though it doesn't appeal to most anyone under the age of 80, the liver and onions is my favorite. Can never go wrong with a beef manhattan though. But the part that is often overshadowed is the breads. The bakery part is phenomenal. Put it this way if my my momma wasn't dead I'd eat dessert at her house but MCL fills the hole in my heart with sugar and cholesterol. Though it looks like a retirement home most the time, don't let that make you think the food is as outdated as the clientele. It's fresh and terrific every time. read more

I've been going here for many years with my grandparents and the food was always really good , there creamy coleslaw is probably the best coleslaw ever had , food is reasonable priced ! read more

We love the food here. There are a lot of choices. I like the stuffed chicken breast. My husband likes the soups. The desserts are also good. I like banana cream pie and coconut cream pie. My husband likes the fruit pies and cinnamon rolls. read more

Staff is always friendly! Noon special with sandwich, side and drink for $6.99. What a deal and so yummy!!!

I loved this place back in the day, but the food has been slipping a lot, please pay more attention to the quality not quantity.