Paging Indy Veterans: Please post any/all must see, must go or must eat places

kam1996 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 07:24 PM

Hey guys,

With a little less than 2 weeks left before Indy Motogp, I figured we get a thread started so all Indy Veterans who have been to the track during other race events to share any must see places or must go/eat restaurants-Bars etc etc.

Please post any/all recommendations so all of us visiting Indy for the first time can have a more positive experience.

Thank you

rc-rick · #2 (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 10:33 PM

Buca di Beppo...GREAT Italian food. The meatballs are almost the size of softballs. One of the guys in our group gets one for dessert!

roadkill · #3 (**permalink**) 09-03-2008, 12:36 AM

There are many restaurants in and around the downtown mall.....both chains and some locally owned eateries....and you don't have to see what a dump Indy is when you are downtown. Damn if that isn't the most rundown city I have ever seen.....been to the last two Dealer Expos there and have tried to explore the place and it was quite saddening and depressing.

Baasinator · #4 (**permalink**) 09-03-2008, 01:13 AM

Downtown I like Palomino:
Palomino

A little further out, but not far from the track, I love Rick's Boatyard. Rick's has the best calamari appetizer I've ever had, and I go back just for that:
Welcome to Rick's Cafe Boatyard!

I've never been to either place during a race weekend, and both places have been very busy every time I've visited.

I'm just going for raceday this year, and I'm getting my lunch here:
Brickyard Box Lunch

TLR67 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-03-2008, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadkill

been to the last two Dealer Expos there and have tried to explore the place and it was quite saddening and depressing.

And we wont be leaving Lot 2 from Thursday to Sunday except for the races!

Full Bar, Bacon and Eggs, Pancakes, Low Country Boil, Quesadilla's and good night of Grilling... Who the heck needs to leave the track?

Well there is a Killer Steakhouse Near Putnam... I think its in Greencastle>?

Jami6989 · #6 (**permalink**) 09-03-2008, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadkill

There are many restaurants in and around the downtown mall.....both chains and some locally owned eateries....and you don't have to see what a dump Indy is when you are downtown. Damn if that isn't the most rundown city I have ever seen.....been to the last two Dealer Expos there and have tried to explore the place and it was quite saddening and depressing.

Amen dude! Just can't get into a race there for the above reasons.

Ruth's Chris downtown was a great meal for sure. And some seafood joint "Schmick's" wasn't horrible either. The strip clubs are quite unique but be warned that the chicks really think they're alot hotter than they are in reality.

viper1 · #7 (**permalink**) 09-03-2008, 02:33 AM

The strip clubs are quite unique but be warned that the chicks really think they're alot hotter than they are in reality.

[/quote]

I too am heading down on Thursday but I do remember when I went to the F1 race back a few years there was a strp joint that was fun until the chick smiled and she only had one tooth.....I thought OMG

- I'm not in Kansas anymore......WOW it was ugly!

Indypendent · #8 (**permalink**) 09-03-2008, 03:46 AM

I don't know much about the strip clubs, but I can give you some suggestions for bars and restaurants.

Baasinator mentioned Rick's Boatyard--excellent choice, and some decent riding in that area (northwest side). It all depends on what you're looking for. You want to be in the middle of it all, stick downtown as most visitors won't have a clue about any other interesting areas. I recommend the Slippery Noodle InnSlippery Noodle--live blues, great atmosphere, and pretty good food too. You want a great steak, St. Elmo Steakhouse is IT.

If you're looking for something off the beaten path, Mama Corolla's is the best Italian food in the city, no joke. Shanghai Lil's is a hidden gem on the north side if you dig on authentic Chinese/Japanese. I like locally owned places, but we have our share of chains as well.

Lastly, if you're riding in, I can recommend a nice long ride in-town that will take you from this city's ugliest--and yes, it can be ugly--to its best. Take Fall Creek Parkway from Meridian St. (can you say ghetto) to Geist Reservoir, pull in at Bella Vita on the lakefront and check out the "beautiful people", then turn around and head back. Even better if the leaves have started changing.

tmoneyr007 · #9 (**permalink**) 09-03-2008, 12:22 PM

Yeah outside of downtown (inside 465) can get pretty rundown. There are plenty of nice places around Indy though so don't slam it too hard.

I personally love PF Changs great chinese food. It's downtown connected to circle center mall. Lettuce Wraps and Chang's Chicken.... MMmmmmmm Good.

cannonball · #10 (**permalink**) 09-03-2008, 10:08 PM

Whats the name of that Irish pub on Meridian right next to union station, never had a bad meal there and nice atmosphere! +2 on the slippery noddle vote and St. Elmos is outstanding but pretty ritzy for jeans and helmet crowd. Is the Alcatraz Brewery and R.A.M. brewery still going downtown, those were pretty good as well.

Indypendent · #11 (**permalink**) 09-03-2008, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cannonball

Whats the name of that Irish pub on Meridian right next to union station, never had a bad meal there and nice atmosphere! +2 on the slippery noddle vote and St. Elmos is outstanding but pretty ritzy for jeans and helmet crowd. Is the Alcatraz Brewery and R.A.M. brewery still going downtown, those were pretty good as well.

The Irish place is The Claddaugh, and you're right, it's a good place. Also MacNiven's on Massachusetts Ave. is a great Scottish pub, very similar. Alcatraz, RAM, and Rock Bottom are all great breweries and all within walking distance of each other.

trussdude · #12 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 01:01 AM

Steak n Shake and White Castle.

waphill · #13 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 01:17 AM

What about Terre Haute? We are staying there and driving to the track each day. Should we hang out in Indy until we're ready to crash, or is there anything to do in Terre Haute? Would be nice to have a few beers and not worry about driving back.

tmoneyr007 · #14 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 01:30 AM

WTF, why are you staying an hour away?

waphill · #15 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 04:52 PM

By the time I booked the hotel, it was the closest I could find that was decent. I found some for a few hundred a night, but we aren't wanting to spend that on a hotel that we'll hardly spend any time at the place awake.

Indypendent · #16 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 06:17 PM

Wow, Terre Haute...I hope the wind's blowing right when you're there. It can be a little "fragrant" at times.

Terre Haute is a college town, so no shortage of bars. Most of the popular ones are downtown I think. There's one pretty cool one all the locals know about that used to be on the Underground Railroad. When you go down into the basement (and they have it open kinda like a tourist thing) they show you where the slaves came through and everything. Pretty cool.