Hands down our favorite place for oysters in the city: the secret is in the shucking! And the mignonette sorbet is to die for! Topped it off like a mermaid with the Pearl Diver cocktail and I felt like I was on the other side of the world. Other than their amazing oyster variety and flavor, Strange Bird is some of the best food I've had in awhile. Perfect for a date night, it's a unique spot in a historic area of the city. No reservations to prepare for a wait and go visit the neighboring pub or handmade leather shop. Lots of dedicated parking but it did get busy on a Sunday. The interior is photo worthy mid century tiki but the patio as adorable right along the scenic trail. Their best ramen is the shoyu ramen - out of this world flavor simmered for 8 hours. Every thing is done with quality. I'll be back again and again (and will probably join the oyster club too) read more

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In the hundreds of times that I have dined out, I can't think of an instance where I tipped $0. I tipped $0 here. The food was pretty good. I thought that the ramen meats were delicious and I think the noodles were house made. Very chewy. The shoyu broth could have been slightly saltier. I ordered two sides of the egg, but only received one. I thought the shrimp eggrolls were maybe 50% too salty. But when I paired it with the ramen, it was tasty. The salad was also solid, although the Katsu chicken add-on (which was delicious) was a little bit pricey for how little chicken I received. That's where the positives end: the host seated me, and nobody came up to take my order for 10 minutes. I finally waved down the server, Lexi: no apology, no introduction, nothing. I placed my order and was told that the kitchen closed at 10 PM and that I needed to get any other orders in before then. Lexi told me to waive her down if I wanted something before 10 PM. I never saw her again before the kitchen closed (the food was delivered by other staff members), so I literally needed to leave my seat and go hunt her down if I wanted additional food! She finally came by at 10:05 to check on how I was doing. I asked if I could order an extra egg, and she told me that it was 10:05 and the kitchen was closed. Anything you can do? No, she said. They close up quite quickly. No apology, no attempt to see if she could get me another egg, nothing. The eggs are premade and require no prep, so this was disappointing. A very "sorry not sorry" response and we exchanged eye contact for a second too long: "I can't believe this," I thought; "tough luck, too bad," her glance said. I guess I'm disappointed because the food was pretty good, and the decor was unique. Sad to see how negligent and lackluster service can completely ruin an otherwise fine dining experience. It's clear that the owner and chefs put a lot of heart into the restaurant and the ambiance/design and the food, so a bit surprising to see the major inconsistency from a service perspective. read more

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Not hyperbole - this was a top 3 all-time bowl of ramen for me. Indianapolis isn't messing around. I ordered: Tonkotsu w/ mushrooms instead of pork Vegan Toga blood wings (these were epic) Tropical Fizz mocktail (super tasty) Ambiance is nice, staff were chill, food was fast, service was quick. What more can you ask for? read more

No notes. They nail what they do. Everything we had was great. We got the gyoza AND fried chicken for an app, if you're trying to decide between the two- I say gyoza. However dipping the fried chicken in your broth is an outstanding way to end your meal. OR- get the key lime pie.... Ok AND the French silk because they are both SO. GOOD. read more

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We went for my little sister's birthday. We put our names in and were told that it was about a 1 and a half hour wait, they don't offer reservations. It's a long wait but my sister wanted to go so we got a couple drinks at a different bar while we waited. We arrived at the restaurant after about an hour and then proceeded to wait another 2 hour making our wait 3 hours. We watched a party of 5 walk in and get seated immediately after three hours of us waiting. Our waitress came to our table a total of 3 times. By the time we got our food the restaurant was almost empty and then on top of that a required 20% gratuity. Even most Texas roadhouses provide better service and check ins than this place did. I would never go back to this place lol. read more

I have reviewed before, but the new seasonal addition of Birria Udon is over the top fantastic! The rich broth with clove is on point. Using lamb and pork give it that almost in Mexico taste of the traditional goat used in Birria. I opted for the Miso egg, which I combined with the house chili sauce it paired in an awesome flavor! Thank you Kyle for putting this on the menu! KEEP IT A WHILE please. read more

Long wait for a table was beyond worth it! Loved the bao buns, ramen and cocktails were awesome!!

While this is a great funky place, hipster for sure, the value isn't there. Food is good, but nothing special verse other ramen available in the area. Also their cocktails are more about the appearance than the value again. Fun place, we just left hungry and underwhelmed with a $125 bill. I would go again, just had to be the right occasion now that the expectation is set. read more

Strange Bird - Tiki Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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I've wanted to try this place out ever since a friend recommended it a couple of months ago. Since then I even heard the chefs on a podcast Harder Brunch and that made me want to go even more. I am happy to say that this place didn't disappoint. I went with my husband on a Friday evening so we weren't surprised that the place was packed. When checking in we were told the wait may be 20 minutes but we were sitting at the bar within 10 minutes. The bartenders were knowledgeable about the menu and it was nice seeing them make all of the fun drinks that they offered. Now for the food. We shared everything and we got oysters, bao buns, toga blood wings, and the tonkatsu ramen. Everything was delicious! My favorite thing was the bao buns the beef cheeks were amazing. I also absolutely loved the oysters the mignonette sauce was better than most and was a perfect accompaniment. If you have not tried this place out yet then you are missing out on a definite gem. read more

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Super good ramen! Definitely a must try if you are in the Irvington area after 5pm. They don't have a ton of seating inside but bar seating is an easy option. If you go between 5-6pm the oysters are on special, or all day on Sunday. The oysters were really good with a fun little onion vinegar frozen spread to eat them with. My husband and I both ordered ramen. I tried the tonkatsu and added spice. It was very good but the broth was mild and I'm glad I ordered the extra spice with it. The egg was super tender and jammy, the pork cooked perfectly and the in house made noodles were springy. He ordered the Spicy Tantanmen which he loved too. We tried a few fun cocktails and they definitely put time into creating them. Will be back to try more things! read more

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I really enjoyed the decor and the ambiance of Strangebird; I'd love to re-visit later at night for cocktails. The cocktails looked amazing even though I didn't get one myself. We got the happy hour oyster special to share, and I got the shoyu ramen. I would come back and try something new to explore the menu a little more! read more

Strange Bird - Oysters - Tiki Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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What a great spot, tucked away in Irvington. So close to downtown, and so many other walkable options for progressive dinner or drinks/brewery visits. The noodles are made in-house and you can taste the difference...amazing! The broth was so flavorful, and clearly a labor of love. Save room for not too sweet and unique cheesecake of sorts, with sesame seeds and caramel sauce. read more

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Strange Bird has been on our list of Indy restaurants to try for awhile and we were not disappointed! Strange Bird is a rum and oyster bar as well as a Shoyu (ramen) shop. We elected to try as much as we could and started out with a dozen oysters since we were there during the half price oyster happy hour. For the half price oysters it's shuckers choice. We chose to pay the extra $3 for the horseradish sorbet, which was entirely worth it. The spicy horseradish is balanced out with a sweet citrus ice. The extra chill from the sorbet and the sweet spicy combo really made the oysters even more delicious. We moved on to two appetizer selections, gyoza and the shrimp spring rolls. The gyoza were very clearly hand crimped and were filled with a delicious pork mixture that had a nice kick. The spring rolls were crispy and light and came with a sweet chili dipping sauce. To accompany our appetizers we decided to get two of their cocktails. See pictures for the ingredients and description- all I can say is, they know what they're doing in the cocktail realm. On to the Ramen round! First get yourself a Japanese beer: Sapporo to balance out the rich ramen broths. I ordered the Tonkotsu, one of my favorite styles that features a rich and creamy pork broth. My husband ordered the Tantanmen as a soup (it's available sans broth as well) and although both were flavorful and satisfying, we agreed the Tantanmen was something uniquely delicious and we couldn't get enough. I highly recommend a side of rice ($3) because you're going to want to soak it in that broth. We couldn't leave without dessert. We ordered both, of course. Key Lime pie is one of my favorites and this slice was one of the best I've ever had. The rum cake is surprisingly light, sweet and fluffy and garnished with a house made whipped cream. I paired bites of both with a rum old fashioned that was sweet and clean. Our server Annie was attentive and friendly and made great recommendations. If you're going to do all of the courses prepare for a nice relaxed meal that allows you to really appreciate every bite. read more

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I love this restaurant. Their food is fantastic. Their drinks are fun with unique twists! We sat at the bar and Neil was our server (he was so awesome). They had really neat artwork all around which gave with a fun vibe. I tried their painkiller which was fantastic. They had a good amount of four square rums to try so we had a flight. Not pictured are the dumplings (so so good, small but worth it) and the oysters! I already want to go back! read more

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Strange Bird is my favorite neighborhood spot. I love everything on the menu (and we go so often I think we've tried it all) and the staff are SO friendly! Cannot recommend the ramen and oysters enough. Their mignonette and horseradish sorbets that come with the oysters are incredible. They do not take reservations though so I recommend showing up slightly early and having a drink or going on a little Irvington walk while you wait. read more

Strange Bird - Oysters & mignonette sorbet - Tiki Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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FIVE STAR SPOT. I'm a professional chef and find it so hard to end every single visit to a restaurant with a "PERFECT AGAIN. S-LEVEL" but I say this every time. Have not been to Japan, but have eaten Ramen at several spots in Japantown, San Francisco; this ramen is BETTER. Next up: the oysters. I am also from the Boston area and know my seafood. These are the freshest, COLDEST and perfectly shucked oysters I've had in at LEAST Indiana let alone some spots in Massachusetts. The mignonette is a slush (I could eat it with a spoon), horseradish is fresh and cocktail sauce on-point. Then there are the wings - crispy-chewy skin (in the best way possible), saturated with flavor and so juicy - I order the toga blood (buffalo-esque with the addition of japanese 6 chile spice and a healthy dose of magic) every time and they are insanely good. Keep up the GREAT work! :) read more

Went to strange bird tonight for a friend's birthday, we were having a great time sitting at the bar celebrating and talking to a wonderful bartender when out of nowhere a manager approached us and said they have a policy that you can only stay two hours and then you will be asked to leave even if you're buying drinks! Will not be going back !! read more

Celebrated our 14 year anniversary here and absolutely loved it! Drinks were so much fun, food was delicious, and service was so friendly. Loved the tiki bar vibes! read more

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Strangebird is among the 10 places you should go before you leave Indiana... die... whatever - it's just that good okayyy. . It is always busy. IT IS ALWAYS BUSY, please be prepared to wait and don't be rude. You can have a pre dinner cocktail in the lovely, hipster, vintage, tiki glow while you wait. . Get the Gomme salad. Period. They house make the pickled veg and it is something I will crave forever, I have tried and failed many times to replicate it and no they won't tell you and no they won't sell you the pickled veg, I've tried. . Tonight we got the Ramen. Their Ramen features handmade noodles and house made broth 3 options (chicken/ pork, chicken, or veg) using local sourced proteins and ingredients. . My order from tonight - Shoyu - clear chicken broth with a little ginger, noods, soy saucey egg, chicken, *ORDER WITH NO PORK AND NO FISH BITS. (Cause seafood allergy and pork makes me feel like I've had 3 bottles of very high tannin wine, but that's me). . Mocktails are fabulous. Cocktails are delicious, too delicious they're sneaky strong proceed with caution. . Skipped dessert but it's all good - silent plea to bring back the miso basque cheesecake though. . Anyways in conclusion it's the bomb, go with friends order one of everything and share it all. read more

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Strange Bird turned me into an oyster fan! Oddly delicious and crave worthy. The wings are also amazing, we get them every time. From the appetizers to entrees all menu items are flavorful and delicious. Fun and yummy drinks as well. Service is always good and we have enjoyed the additional outdoor seating. Service is always good and you can enjoy delicious beverages in comfortable seating if there is a wait for a table. read more

Strange Bird - Oysters with delicious vinegar sorbet - Tiki Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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I previously left a review that went into more depth, but I got to try their ramen and take pics so I had to leave these here:-) The Saturn is my go-to drink. It's so so so good. The ramen was actually crazy. I've had ramen at other places before, and trying strange bird's made me realize that I have not been eating good ramen lol. It was delicious, unlike anything I've ever had before. Thank you, Strange Bird!! Until next time-- read more

Strange Bird - Saturn - Tiki Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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probably a 3.5, but rounding up Came recently on my drive through Indi. This is a tiki bar themed place, but there is also a separate section of the place which is more of a traditional dining area i came here because i was specifically interested in having ramen, and this place apparently has some of the better ramen in the city. i got that, along with the spring rolls. i thought everything was good. i really don't think it was anything special, but i think it's nice that there is ramen to be found in indianapolis in general, and that should be celebrated read more

Loved the food, atmosphere (we dined in the bar) and service! We tried every appetizer and then the katsu curry and two different ramens. All were authentic and delicious. Will definitely be back. read more

A tiki bar that serves ramen?! Now that's STRANGE. But I was pleasantly surprised with how nice the ambiance, service, and food was! Came here with my friends on a Friday night for a good hearty bowl of ramen and we were not disappointed. I ordered the spicy chicken shio ramen and it was to die for. The noodles had the perfect bite without being too overcooked and the broth had the perfect amount of spice. The thinly sliced chicken in the broth was also very flavorful and melted in my mouth. Unfortunately we were not able to try the drinks but will definitely be back for that!! read more

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I continue to go back. The staff is always so happy, and the service is quick. I've gone with family, friends, and date nights. It works for anything, and the ambience is so chill and darker inside. The food is 10/10, I have loved everything I've had. I swear by the yoga blood wings and the tofu dish! read more

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I've been wanting to go here for a long while and now I already want to go back! Wait or reservation: no wait when we went right around 5p on a Sunday when they opened. They do not take reservations. Parking: Simple! They have a lot. Location: Irvington area! Want to make a point to get there there more! Vibe: Tiki but not overly done! Clean tiki. Classic tiki. Pink lights! White bamboo. Plants and greenery. Omg so cute! We sat in the dining area since we had a little - love to see they welcome they bebes but definitely want to check out the bar side! That was next level vibe. Service: Megan was fab! Stayed on top of everything and never rushed us even when they started to have a wait. Food: Will bring tears to your eyes! Oysters were fresh! Different they didn't serve with crackers or offer cocktail or horseradish but they had some kind of vinegar in the dipper which elevated the already delicious oyster. Wings. Omg. Meaty, saucy, coated. My friend said it's the best wings he had in a long time and I could not agree more. You could feel the love in that ramen! Tasted like it had been cooking all day and perfectly balanced. Key lime pie was zingy with the buttery graham cracker crust. Okay so maybe I'll go back tomorrow. Pricing: who cares. Just let them take your money ;) ramen is $18-$22, wings are $16, and oysters are $3. Allergens and NA: So many GF options! Love to see it. Fun mocktails too! I got a noijto and had all that lovely mint. Pro tip: half off oysters on Sunday! read more

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I love that we have this little gem in Irvington. It's cool, unique and family friendly which is a huge plus. A bit pricey but they do offer happy hour specials on some of their items. Delicious bao buns and tasty ramen. I come regularly for an early dinner when they open at 5 on weekdays! read more

This is the best restaurant in Indianapolis, hands down. Food is ALWAYS delicious. The service and people are incredible. The tiki/rum bar vibes are immaculate and I always enjoy the patio in the nicer months. Their curated cocktails are always fun to try and never disappoint!! read more

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A Tiki bar experience that is well worth visiting. Excellent craft cocktails are on the drink menu and a variety of absolutely delicious Ramen dishes to choose from. Made to feel welcome by a friendly and knowledgeable staff. Highly recommended read more

We had the shrimp rolls -- incredible 9/10 We had the gyoza -- delicious 8/10 We had the bao buns -- INCREDBILE 9.7/10 And then I had the shoyu ramen and it was on of the best things I have ever eaten. 10/10 Please try this place if you're in the area. We lucked out and got there around 5:30 before it got crowded and had a wait. read more

Strange Bird - Scorpion cocktail - Tiki Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Saw someone post about this spot on instagram so I decided to come here for my birthday dinner! So glad we came to try it out because we both got it. If you like curry- you must order the curry chicken wings. The flavor was out of this world. Didn't even need to dip them in the ranch (maybe dill/buttermilk ranch) that came with it because it was so flavorful. The oysters were great and seems like they have at least three different choices come in daily. My husband had the Tantamen Ramen and I went with the Shoyu Ramen. Next time would get the Tantamen- it's not very spicy so I could have handled it. We ended with the key lime pie which was as good as Publix key lime pie which is saying a lot because that's my absolutely favorite key lime pie! Also got 4 cocktails all were delish but the Painliller was probably our favorite. Overall fun spot! I just wish the cocktails were bigger. The glasses are fun but some are a bit small- so I was done with my drink in a few sips. Can't wait to go back and try more delish cocktails and get those wings again. read more

I can't say enough good things about my dining experience at Strange Bird. I went there on. Sunday evening by myself and I was so tired and hungry They served me 1/2 price oysters served with lemon and something like pink, sweet frost to top it and a perfectly mixed cocktail. Not syrupy like a lot of restaurants, but a nice actual drink. The menu items were explained and the waitstaff were so nice. I had the Tonkatsu where the very rich chicken broth was so flavorful. The cured egg was the best part of the dish or maybe the pork belly that fell apart in my chop sticks from tenderness. What a pleasant surprise! And I love the design of the bowl and spoon! And I will always retreat to this place for sure on another Sunday evening. read more

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Strange bird is one of the best restaurant experiences in Indy. The ambiance is very unique with tropical decor and a tiki bar. There is usually a pretty long wait time though as seating is limited. Highlights: - Toga blood wings: Super crunchy with a spicy, flavorful sauce. Would highly recommend if you like wings. Honestly could be a meal just by itself - Tantan noodles: Normally soupless but there is an option to have it served with broth. Very unique flavor but honestly can't go wrong with any of the ramen choices on the menu. - Rum cake: Light moist cake that wasn't too overpowering with the rum. Perfect light dessert Would definitely recommend checking Strange bird out for both the food and the ambiance. The only downsides are the wait times for a table and slow service, so would recommend going earlier in the evening. read more

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There is no better place to be pampered and feel tropical if you seek evocative flavors in the Midwest! It's romantic, exotic, and a true feast for the senses. The atmosphere is incredible. The staff knows their stuff. The rotating menu of cocktails and availability of truly excellent ramen make this restaurant a MUST. It might be one of my favorite places on earth. Come see! read more

Strange Bird - Tiki cocktails - Tiki Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

It was alright. I ordered a drink and it was watery so the took it back and made me a new one. The Birria Ramen was good, but however when I got home I had puked it all out. I guess the meat was undercooked. read more

We walked in and instantly fell in love with the ambiance and atmosphere. It's a cute date night places with the lowlight and warm tones. The fusion vibe also creates a warm atomoshoere welcoming you in. All the workers here are really nice and helpful and the food was great. Teriyaki chicken wings were very flavorful and crispy. Definitely get your moneys worth with these. The tonkostu ramen was not as thick/rich broth as I thought but the noodles and the topping were spot on. read more

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First Food and Drinks were great. Great flavors and presentation. I love anything tiki! All around we enjoyed and would recommend. However, the 3 percent fee/charge for the kitchen staff is a bit ridiculous. Now this is not just this restaurant, but then they want 30 percent recommended tip. How about charge what you want and pay your staff yourself. This tip culture is getting completely insane. Im about to revolt back to 10% everywhere. Does three drinks, two appetizers and three plates warrant $40 in tips? Sorry the answer is no. read more

World class ramen. Incredible selection of fresh oysters at very reasonable prices. This is a must try restaurant. read more

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We love Irvington and have visited just about every main attraction that there is to do since October, so it was time we hit up Strange Bird. Finally we were in the neighborhood on Not A Monday and in the parking lot at 4:45pm, allowing us enough time to mentally prepare to walk in at 5:00 On The Dot. This was important because probably close to 5:10, there might have been a wait. Strange Bird doesn't take reservations and it's not a huge place (does have ample outdoor seating and has what I'd call two halves - bar half and non-bar half), so it's important to know you're either going to need to wait or you need to be ready at 5pm. My partner is allergic to shellfish (what a buzzkill) so oysters are a no-go when I'm in his presence so we did skip that portion of the evening. I did order a rum drink (The Lost Lake) and he ordered an Old Fashioned. The Lost Lake was strong, which I'd hope it was for being in a tiki/rum bar, and he said the Old Fashioned was a little strong on the bitters. The Tonkotsu Ramen was amazing in flavor and the noodle texture was awesome, and his curry was nearly perfection. Definitely 8.5/10 stars in real life and 4/5 stars in Yelp life. A must-do if spending time near Irvington and love that this area has such a fun restaurant with an amazing, sexy vibe (as one patron in front of us called it, and I'm stealing it). read more

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I've been hearing good things about Strange Bird for almost two years, so it was finally time to cross it off my bucket list. The broth of the Tonkotsu and Tantanmen were 10/10 good, and the noodles were probably a 9/10. I loved the egg and scallion within my tonkotsu, but wished there were maybe a few more garnishes in it to liven things up a little more. My boyfriend felt the same about the tantanmen. Cocktails were interesting but maybe just not my cup of tea. The garnishes were adorable, but beware if you're someone like me who will try to eat whatever is put on my drink--the mushrooms were real, and taste real weird with alcohol. I loved the dark tiki vibe of the place and having a view of all the cool glassware at the bar. Service was polite and they worked pretty quickly given how busy it was. read more

Strange Bird - Tonkotsu ramen - Tiki Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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