(((SCRATCHES HEAD))) I'm lost on this one. This place has a lot of character and is obviously a local favorite, but I left very disappointed. I walked in without knowing what their specialties were, and ordered the Bon Appetit acclaimed chili, a ham sandwich, and a slice of coconut cream pie. The chili was not good at all and I actually struggled to finish it. It wasn't spicy, it wasn't meaty, and while I'm sure they make it fresh, it had a canned quality to it. Not looking good so far. Next up was the bourbon-baked ham sandwich. This was much better than the chili and had a nice balance between briny and sweet flavors, but at the end of the day it was still just a ham sandwich. Finally, I tried the coconut cream pie which was fantastic and among the best I've ever had. Rich, decadent, and creamy from the first bite. If I ever return, it will be for this pie. read more

This is a place loved by the local neighborhood. Great desserts. Great food. Piano player/singer on weekends. Small but cozy bar also. Small so get there early. A very fun experience. read more

An AWESOME under the radar spot with an old-school atmosphere. Loved the piano playing a huge range of classics and newer songs to accompany a great heart-clogging meal. Shared a few entrees and combinations with a group - all were delicious. As mentioned in every other review the Hot Pot Pig is a must. Also tried the grilled bbq chicken and beef tenderloin skewers. Looking at the menu the prices were a little higher than I expected, then you realize how much food you get with each entree (mine included two sides and dessert). All in all, a great spot to try for anyone that hasn't - I don't think there's any way you'd go for a first time and not come back. Family-owned with a great vibe and service with excellent homestyle food like your mom or grandma made at their best. read more

Most people probably don't even know this place even exists.....even the locals. Tucked away in downtown Indy is this really neat place. A friend from NYC was coming into town and we were meeting for dinner. He is previous Indy folk, so when I let him pick our dinner destination, he said, "I know where we are going!!". We ended up at Ralph's. This place isn't fancy, by any means. It has a small town pub feel to it and when you walk in, you almost feel like everyone in there knows one another and you are the "out of towner", but in minutes, they all make you feel like part of the clan. The menu offers quite a variety, but we stuck with the more pub-like food. I got a ham sandwich, which is something I would NEVER order at a restaurant. Um, yeah.....BEST EVER!! It was so flavorful. I was excited about a ham sandwich. We also had the Bacon Horsey Dip with chips. OMG, this is a must if you go here. So darn good! The service was great and this place is definitely a great quiet place to catch up with an out of town friend. In fact, I have been back with another friend. Also tried the Hot Pot Pig (a staple soup) and Coconut Cream Pie (also a staple). Both were delish.....obviously staples. Great hidden restaurant in downtown Indy and I sincerely recommend that anyone give it a try! read more

So working / school downtown and living on the eastside = I've driven by Ralph's Great Divide a billion times. And never stopped. Until last night (after hearing so many times how great a place it is!). Chips and salsa - The BEST I've ever had. The chips were really warm - I mean so tasty warm and also just the right crispiness. This is the first time I think I've ever done a Yelp review that mentions the chips that are served - but this place had the best. Ordered the shrimp entree that included a much larger salad than I expected (along with one other side option) that was very good. All the reviewers here on Yelp mentioned the dessert so of course had to try the cake and it was very good. Short wine list but had the essentials. Highly recommended - will become a regular no doubt. read more

So typically this is a place I would drive right by. On the outside it is nothing special but it came highly recommended from the folks at Easlys Winery which is walking distance from there. Overall I was impressed with the cleanliness and quality of service. I got the hot pot which unfortunately wasn't as flavorful as I had hoped consider it is one of the things they were known for. My sandwich which was the chicken salad was good however they don't make it in house so nothing special. The rest of my family liked their meals but the highlight was the desserts. The entrees come with a dessert which from the looks of them they make them in house. I would say from my first experience it was good, but not great. However I would give it another shot to really impress! read more

If this is a "dive bar" it's one of the best I've been to for lunch! I had the Beef Barbeque sandwich and it was delicious.

I was on prop pick up duty for Yelp today and had the opportunity to stop at this small hole-in-the-wall establishment. David, the mastermind in the kitchen, welcomed be back to not only take me step by step as to how they assemble the absolutely mouthwatering and delicious Hot Pot Pig soup, but he also offered me a cup of this delectable, potato goodness. The melted cheese, bacon, and soggy croutons were exactly what my stomach was calling out for on this chilly February day. Not only is the food wonderful, but the people here are such a delight! I was able to chat with David and his sister as I enjoyed my soup. They are so welcoming and treat ya just like family. I cannot wait for my next visit! I have heard only great things about the coconut creme pie and we all know I have a sweet tooth. So I'm coming for ya pie. read more

This place is phenomenal. Period. The only downside is that it's not close enough to my house so that I could easily become a regular. Dive bar exterior (literally, no windows), local low key neighborhood bar interior. Think a mix of Nascar signs and nick-nacks, a few strategically placed tv's (muted), hand-written specials over the bar and then, a surprisingly nice menu and a piano player! We started with the jalapeno pretzel (awesome!) and then shared the "pick 2" option. We had a crab cake and beef tips with the rosemary potatoes. The crab cake was tender, flaky and very well done and the beef tips actually came out perfectly pink in the middle, a feat I have to admit surprised me. We also had 2 dinner salads which were exceptionally well done for "bar" food - large, pretty and with more than your standard fare of bagged lettuce and carrot shavings. This was fluffy, fresh greens with red onions, olives, tomatoes, cheese, egg and a side of garlic bread. Already stuffed, we still managed to devour the included dessert, the coconut cream pie. It rivaled my mothers (which is saying A LOT), except without the over the top sweetness that some may associate with CCP. Service was fantastic - attentive, informed and friendly. They take reservations! We will be back... often! read more

I've heard about this place forever and finally had the chance to go, on St. Patrick's day, of all days! The friend I was with lives within walking distance so she is well known here and we were warmly welcomed. Our waitress was so friendly and answered all of our questions! They have quite a large menu, but as soon as I saw the patty melt, I was done! I found it strange they have no French fries, but that thought was quickly gone as I tried their potato soup. Well, I'm sure that had zero calories in it, but it was so good. And, since I was on a roll, I decided to have some cake too! They had this chocolate cake with baileys and Kahlua too. I mean, how does a girl say no to that? I should have walked home after that, but I of course took an uber. I will be back. It's such a perfect place! read more

We went to Ralph's on a Thursday afternoon based solely on Yelp reviews. Thank you, fellow Yelpers - you were right on the money. Ralph's is delicious, affordable and 100% pretense-free. It looks like a total dive bar, complete with a ceiling that may or may not be caving in. We were greeted by a man whose demeanor and haircut led me to believe he is responsible for all the USMC memorabilia on the walls. He brought us our bottled/canned drinks (IBC root beer for me, Sun King Wee Mac for Kyle) wrapped in Ralph's coozies - a nice touch. He also quickly brought our order of horseradish-bacon dip, a dish I expected to be served warm. Rather, it's a cold, picnic-style dip, served with real-deal Ruffles. It's just as addictive as everyone's said. After realizing I was going to fill up on the dip, I ordered just a bowl of chili (with cheese and onions) and a side of pea salad. Kyle got the filet tips and cup of Hot Pot Pig (the potato au gratin soup). Someone else had mentioned here that the chili was bland and devoid of meat; I didn't really pick up on either of those faults. It definitely had a lot of beans, which is how I like my chili anyway, and the cheese and onion helped to kick it up a notch, but it was far from tasteless. The pea salad, however, was a bit disappointing. I think that's a matter of me being unfairly biased on pea salad thanks to my mom's one-of-a-kind recipe, though. I didn't try the filet tips, but Kyle was very impressed. The Hot Pot Pig... wow. The topping itself, crunchy and cheesy and potato-y, is worth its weight in gold. Our server, a very efficient and nice guy who called me "dear" a lot, recommended the mandarin orange cake that Debbie raved about. I couldn't resist... and it was just heavenly. Kind of a weird dessert to serve at a place that is primarily known for gourmet bar food, but I'm not complaining. I had to take quite a bit of my piece home due to being stuffed from everything else. Truly, my only complaint (or perhaps regret) is that I wish we'd come here in the fall or winter. I can just imagine how amazing that food would taste after coming in from the chilly weather. read more

I've driven by this place hundreds, if not thousands, of times, and never thought much of it. From the outside, it does not look like much, and even gives the appearance of being in a rough neighborhood (it is near east side, after all, and is a windowless building with a metal security door in front of the entrance door). The inside tells a different story. This is a sit-down restaurant as you enter, and what appears to be a bar area in divided-off section to the left. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming. It was apparent that most of the other customers were regulars, and I can see why: The staff is great, and they make you feel right at home. They have a piano in the dining area, and live music certain nights. We were lucky we wandered in on one such night, when David Meek (???) was playing piano. They have a somewhat limited menu, and are best known for the hot pot aug (a scalloped potato soup) and the hot pot pig (a potato-cheddar soup with bacon and jalapeno cheese) and their various pies made in-house. The entrees are mainly club sandwich or other sandwich-type offerings, though I noticed they also have alfredo and marinara pastas. The entrees come with a side, but for a couple dollars more, you can substitute a cup of the hot pot aug or hot pot pig. . . and it's totally worth it. As far as pies, we've tried the popular coconut pie, and the English toffee pie, and both were made with a whipped frosting that wasn't overly sweet or heavy. They have several other kinds of pies, but availability is limited to whatever they've made and still have on hand. read more

We came for dinner on Friday night at 6 so we beat the rush. They do take reservations. Service was friendly and welcoming. Of course, you have to get either hot pot aug (potato cheese soup with croutons) or hot pot pig (potato cheese soup with bacon and pepper jack). Dinner salad was fresh and dressings are home made. They're also known for their ham - very flavorful. Lots of good beer options. And of course save room for dessert! Coconut cream and butterscotch cream pies were awesome as was the Heath toffee cake which was a special. They also always have blackberry cobbler. read more

Ralph's is an Indianapolis mainstay, and for good reason. From their sandwiches to their classic Hot Pot Pig soup, it's the perfect low-key place to grab a drink and a snack (or full meal) on a day out around town. Their pie is absolutely fantastic! I'm a sucker for a classic diner, and Ralph's has a similar feel, plus booze, which is a winning combination in my mind. Never change, Ralph's, never change. read more

Cool working class dive. I went there for lunch on a Monday and it was crowded. The servers were nice, but they were a little bit slow. Lots of regulars. It seems like most of the people there knew each other. I ordered their specialty: T&A - tips and aug, which means beef tenderloin tips and cheesy potato soup. It cost $12.00. The tenderloin tips were DELICIOUS! They seriously tasted about as good as a St. Elmo steak. I was pleasantly surprised. If Ralph's is that good at cooking meat, I'll have to go back to give their hamburger a try. read more

Super great little place that is worth looking for! My husband enjoyed the beef and shrimp skewer with the hot pot pig and pea salad. He enjoyed the pea salad so much and ate it so quickly that I couldnt get a picture . I enjoyed the tuna on sourdough for a simple meal and it really hit the spot. Many drinks and desserts tp enjoy and more food than one can eat. More than reasonably priced and friendly staff make this a go to when you visit Indy. read more

The Great Divide - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Went on a Friday night with my wife and we both ordered the Prime Rib Special with the Hot Pig and a garden salad. It came with a fresh out of the oven homemade dinner roll. Best meal I've had in quite awhile. Great service. Do yourself a favor and check it out. Forgot to mention dessert......YUM! read more

Ralph's Great Divide was the very first restaurant I ate at in Indianapolis Dec 2014 while Ryan was here on his interview & we loved it! Now that we moved here I was able to stop there for lunch last week and by golly, the food was still great. From the outside this is a very unassuming place, right next to the highway with not a lot going on around it. Food: I had the Chicken Cordon Bleu which really was fabulous. As a side I had the pasta salad which was pretty standard, no complaints Atmosphere: The wall is covered from top to bottom with tchotchkes of all types. Very cozy place to be to enjoy a good hot meal & a beer on a cold day. Definitely a dive, but what can I say, it's my kind of dive. Staff: Very friendly, helpful, and rough around the edges with some playful humor. Quick service and did not have to wait long at all. Cons: I wish they would fix up the back outdoor area a little bit, it isn't extremely inviting. read more

My dear Indianapolis dwellers, what more can I say regarding the cultural landmark we call Ralphs Great Divide? It's cramped, old, the menu is interesting to say the least, there is a piano crammed in there straight from 1945, and in a building that is so in descript that one can drive by it 100 times and still not find it....it is also one of the greatest places in the city for a comforting meal. Ralphs is the kind of place you take people from out of town to give them a true taste of Hoosier hospitality and the quirky spirit that is part of Indianapolis heritage. The menu consists of mostly Ham and Bacon based products, but you will also find things like crab cakes. The ham is amazing and will most likely be the best you have ever eaten. I know families that put in orders with The Great Divide for whole hams to take home for holiday dinners. The ham sandwiches are with no doubt the star of the show at Ralphs. The co-star of the performance would have to be a bowl of the famous Big Pot Pig. It is a hearty soup consisting of bacon, potatoes, cheese, and ham. It is absolutely the perfect soup for the slight chill of a late fall Hoosier day. The homemade desserts are also a reason people love The Great Divide. Most enjoy the Coconut Cream Pie, but I have also had a carrot cake there that is the absolute best carrot cake I've had. Bottom Line: If you live here in the Circle City then you must have eaten at Ralphs Great Divide or make immediate plans to do so. The place is a landmark and the food is good enough to take home to family for holidays, and that should say it all. Next time you have an out of town visitor looking to experience some local flavor you can say "I've got just the place. " read more

I went last night with 3 of my friends. I ordered the hot pot pig soup and the Philly sandwich. The soup was very delicious. The sandwich tasted better than what it looked. My friends ordered the steak and they also received soup and a piece of cake. I tried each of their slices. OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! 5 out of 5 on the food and the service! You should give this place a try! read more

I saved Ralph's Great Divide to be my 100th review! Yippee! I came here with a large group on a Saturday night. We called in advance for a reservation, which turned out to be very important because the place was packed. It's sort of a two part restaurant on the inside--half is clearly the eating area and the other half is more of a bar. Smoke free! The gentleman playing piano was fantastic, playing a variety of music and singing occasionally. I'd go back just for him. My personal food choices were DELICIOUS. I got the tips and aug on the recommendation of other reviewers, and it did not disappoint. Curiously, I almost felt like the soup had too much bacon (is that really a thing?), but that can't honestly be a real complaint. The steak was cooked really well and was super tender. The coconut cream pie was pretty tasty. As for the food of my other seven dining companions, some were disappointed and some were really pleased. There were several eventually clean plates that started out with pasta and sandwiches. However, my husband wasn't crazy about his BLT. All the ingredients were there, but none of them were great (think Wonder bread, boring/thin cut bacon, etc.). We also noticed that the potato chips they served were straight out of a bag of Ruffles, so that's kind of a bummer. Our waitress was very friendly and funny, and she did a great job managing such a large group. However, the service was generally slow. She mentioned that they were in the midst of training a new cook, and that things were moving more slowly than usual. I appreciated her explanation. I thought the pricing was fair. I think a more honest review might be a 3.5, but I'm willing to round up for this local joint. It's totally unassuming on the outside (one of our friends actually thought it was a liquor store when he drove up), but just embrace that it's part of the charm. If you go here expecting some sort of fine dining experience, you'll be disappointed. It's a little divey but quite tasty! read more

I've been here twice. My breakdown of the restaurant is as follows: Service: 2/5 Food: 2/5 Entertainment: 6/5 Their food is okay. The first time I came I had a sandwich which was made on grocery store bread and served with Ruffles potato chips. The second time I came I ordered their most popular combo, the T&A. This included 6oz skewered Beef Tenderloin Tips (tender but not really seasoned) and a cup of their Hot Pot Aug (not sure what the hype is about). Everything was a little bland. My drink was never refilled and the waitress questioned what someone in my party ordered and tried to upsell them. They are very nice though, just a little aloof. The entertainment is great though. The main dining area has a piano and David shows up to play at 7:00pm sharp. If it hadn't been for his musical talent I would not have come back here a second time (and realistically I'm sure I'll be back again). He's friendly, approachable and takes requests. He greets his guests as they come and go and engages his audience from time to time (but it's not invasive). He really elevates an otherwise unremarkable restaurant. I don't know if he'd go for it, but I actually recommended that one of my friends look into hiring him for live music at their wedding. It doesn't really matter what the food is that they're serving, their piano entertainment steals the show. read more

I had gone to this place for many a work lunches. I went back in after a while, and was glad to see that its the same Ralph's. Hot pot aug. Incredible. This is one of few places I'll double up on potato dishes. Amazing. The sandwiches (HAM!) are also a nice pleasant meal. The building itself? Quite a bit of seating, a little cramped, but full of awesome little trinkets on the wall. I spot something I didn't notice each time I go in here. All in all; a nice pleasant place to get a meal, and then staff is a lot of fun too. read more

Just to clarify, the rating is based on a comparison to the hundreds of other dive bars I have been in over the past 3 decades. With that statement the food was excellent. The potato augratin is their specialty and highly recommend. Beer pretzels were outstanding and their steak skewers were as good as any I had anywhere. Homemade deserts were as advertised.....excellent! read more

This place is good when you want some "comfort" food. Try the hot pot aug and steak tips. Great meal for under $10. If you like peas, make sure to try the pea salad. It is one of the best that I've had. read more

I've been to Ralph's multiple times for lunch before writing this review. The staff members there are friendly and were eager to please. They also made sure to give me exactly what I wanted. I visited Ralph's on another occasion just to visit the bar in the evening. It was a very laid back atmosphere with friendly people. I had never met any of the people there, but they made sure to make me feel welcome. It felt a little like Cheers! read more

Great environment, wonderful food, and excellent service. I've been here plenty of times and have never been disappointed either with the service or the food. I've even eaten out on their little patio twice. The twinkle lights add charm and the fountain drowns out the sound of the interstate. There are even smoking and non-smoking areas on the patio! What follows is my original review from the first time I visited. Ralph's remains one of my favorite spots in Indy. Both members of the wait staff were very friendly to us, answered questions knowledgeably, and promptly bussed our dirty dishes. We were also warmly greeted when we entered. As a bonus, even though we were sitting near the door on one of the coldest days of the year, we weren't cold. On to the food! We each started out with a bowl of Hot Pot Aug (potato soup with melted cheese on top. Heavenly and absolute perfection on that cold February night. I had a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, which was grilled to a lovely golden brown, and the ham was evenly placed, rather than being piled up all in one place. Our waiter asked me what kind of cheese, bread, toppings, and even asked about preparation. I was shocked! It was awesome to get exACTly what I wanted. My partner ate the ribs. A half rack with 2 sides and dessert was $19.99. They were the best ribs I've had in YEARS. Fell right off the bone, full of flavor, not fatty but also super moist. We wished the sauce had been just a tad spicier or smokier, but the sauce wasn't even really necessary because the meat was SO wonderful. Moving on to the coconut cream pie: you MUST save room for this dessert! Even the crust is worth eating, and we usually leave that behind. Lots of coconut, not too much topping, velvety in texture and buttery in flavor. It's rich without being too sweet. This is now my favorite dessert in the city of Indianapolis. Hands-down. Full bar, no draft beers, but a great selection of local brews in bottles and cans. Also, the alcohol prices are kind of high, but once you see the location (right on the near east side) it'll make sense. For the 2 of us, 2 soups, sandwich, entree, 3 drinks, dessert, and good tip was just under $60. Ribs aren't available every day, so if you're set on those you might call ahead. Ralph's Great Divide is on New York Street, a one-way east-bound street that runs out of downtown. It's just off the Michigan/New York exit off I-65. The exit ramp turns into Davidson St (one way south)....so it's on the corner of Davidson and New York. Parking lot access is off Davidson. This bar is totally worth your while to seek out. Also, no children allowed...it's a bar! Ralph's used to not be open on weekends but is now and they close fairly early by bar standards through the week. Also, last time I tried to go on a Tuesday, I was sad and angry to learn that they'd traded out being open on Saturday for being closed on Tuesday. Weird, weird, weird choice. read more

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Food was terrific, beers were cold and the service was top notch. I would definitely recommend this place to any friends or family.

I'm speechless about my visit to Ralphie's Great Division. I don't really know how to review my experience. I'll edit this later once I figure out how to put it in words... until then wonder about ordering Ruffles potato chips with your steak read more

My wife and I went there for dinner. The piano player is really good and we enjoyed the music during dinner. That is a definite reason to go back. I had the balsamic chicken. It was very tasty but over cooked. The chicken was very chewy. Had it been cooked properly, it would have been awesome. The hot pot aug was good but I have had better potato soup. The pea salad was pretty good. My wife had the cheese burger club. She though it was adequate. We had desert. She had the coconut cream pie and thought it was ok. I had the butterscotch cream pie and it was good. The service was good until the end. It took forever to get a check which put a damper on things. We will go back. It is a small charming dive that is a Indianapolis icon. The piano is a reason to return. read more

Finally made it to this place. Took my Valentine's date as we tend to prefer this type of place. The weather was harsh, which was the only reason we got in. It was quite busy. Waited to long to write this review, so I can't even remember what we had. I do know it was unremarkable. We tried the soup they're known for. It was ok, not amazing. Service was not great, but still friendly. I think things were a little off due to holiday crowd and weather. Atmosphere was unique and enjoyable. We'll go back in the summer. read more

My family and I just went to celebrate December birthdays in our family and we were looking for great desserts and appetizers. It was phenomenal! I didn't even know there was live music! Such a wonderful surprise! Thanks for making our birthdays great :) read more

Great service (our group is the acid test for tolerance in servers) delicious meals for the 8 people in our party. Nothing pretentious or hoity hoity here. Not even the piano player. In an out of the way location near the spaghetti bowl downtown. Order the beef tips with all the dipping sauces. GO! read more

The Great Divide - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

We found this restaurant on Yelp while travelling from Baltimore, MD onthrough to Wichita Falls, Texas. We walked in and asked our friendly waiter what he recommended. After kindly informing us that "everything is good" he suggested two stellar dishes. I would continue on to describe them, but its more important to know that they have amazing homemade blue cheese and their meat is cooked as requested. Ask for medium rare and thats what you're gonna get! The decor leaves nothing wanting and is one of those places that leaves you scanning the walls from one object to another. Also, request the Coconut Cream Pie! If in the area, stop into the Sun King Brewery as well. It's only 3 minutes from Ralphs! read more

Killer Reuben, great service from Stefani at super reasonable prices. Wish we had found this jewel sooner! And don't pass on the pickled beets. As they say at home in NYC, "to die faw!" read more

The Great Divide - Ralph's one of Uncle Sam's Misguided Children! Don't know where he learned to cook but it wasn't at Parris Island! - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

You might drive by this place about a million times and not think about stopping in but you'd be making a mistake. Hole in the wall bar that serves good food. I had the Hot Pot Pig soup and the ham sandwich, both keepers. Others in my party had the tenderloin skewers and salad. We were seated right next to the piano player so it was a little difficult to hear each other at the table but if tinkling ivory is your thing during dinner they have it going on about every night. read more

Ate here for the first tonight. We were completely ignored by the waitress. We got our food and it some of the worst I have eaten in Indy. 30 bucks for a turkey sandwich and steak tips. Save your money....eat at home. read more

We got to Ralph's a little early and weren't even sure they were open. From the moment we walked in the door we were greeted with a friendly hello! The drinks were great and the food even better. Jennifer was our server and took amazing care of us. I would definitely recommend Ralph's Great Divide. What an OUTSTANDING place!! read more

Went for lunch today. Food was delicious, especially the soup. I would recommend the hot pot pig soup! Service was inconsistent but they were really busy. read more

Very decent dive bar with nice people working. Beers are cold, but don't go for the Scotch selection. It's a good neighborhood joint with OK bar food. I'll be back. read more