Charlie Brown’s Pancake and Steak House
1038 Main St, Indianapolis, IN, 46224
Charlie Brown’s Pancake and Steak House Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Indianapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Indianapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Indianapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
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Opening Hours
- Mon :6:00 am - 7:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Breakfast
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Clare L.
An endearing spot. Charlie Brown's is a no frills dining experience that makes you feel like you are dining in a small town on Main Street USA. Okay, you are dining on Main Street in Speedway, so I guess that makes sense, but you catch my drift... Highly recommend for breakfast. I know they serve lunch and dinner as well but breakfast is what they're famous for, so stop in to catch them at what they're good at. Everything from the pancakes to the omelets to the coffee is just, good. And you can't beat eating blocks from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with 500 memorabilia as far as the eye can see. Sit at one of the counters, sit at a booth, heck, I'd even sit on the floor to eat at Charlie Brown's. A spot not to be missed in Speedway or the east side of Indy. Side note: one time when eating here as a little girl, I accidentally left my retainer on the table in a napkin. Realizing this after they had already cleared our table, one of the bussers dove into the trash without hesitation to fish it out for me. Nothing major, but a nice personal touch that has always put a smile on my face when thinking of this place.
(5)Ariel W.
I don't understand why this place has four stars it's a real disappointment. The food is nothing to write home about, the staff acts like they could care less about being there. the waitress didn't smile say hello ask how we were doing just threw the menus on the table walked past us to another table then came back and just asked what we wanted to drink. I mean I guess it's worth 4 stars if you love rude people, only have a few dollars to eat with and have no idea how to cook your own breakfast.
(1)Scott N.
If you asked anyone outside of Indianapolis to picture a stereotypical diner in Indianapolis, they would probably describe non-stop racing paraphernalia, crowds of blue collar families, along with good midwestern service and food. Well, hypothetical out-of-towner, Charlie Brown's is guaranteed to meet 100% of your expectations. The diner itself is exactly what you'd expect a diner to look like. Lots of counter space, tons of booths, and short order cooks yelling out small windows. Every single wall is covered in racing history, as is to be expected when the southwest corner of the IMS is visible from the parking lot. All of the servers are genuinely happy to have you there and seem to enjoy every second of it. The food is good. It isn't anything that you would constantly crave, but it is definitely a good breakfast. The pancakes were flavorful, albeit a bit chewy. The coffee was horrible, don't bother with it. Overall, we had a decent time. It won't crack the top 10 of our favorite breakfast restaurants, but it is somewhere every Indianapolitan should check out at least once.
(4)Bob C.
Average everything. However, eating an average omelette in the racing capital of the world, with the walls covered in racing portraits, pictures, autographs, and paraphernalia is an experience!
(4)Michael O.
There is nothing to write home about here. The food is average
(3)Jen C.
The best place to get an honest-to-goodness diner breakfast on the west side. Be ready for a wait on the weekends. The prices are right. I recommend the Eggs Benedict on Sundays!
(4)Nancy P.
My mom is in IUHealth Methodist and wanted some good homecooking and wahlah Charlie Browns came to mind. I got her the chicken and dumplings with cherry pie and finally after days of her refusing to eat she was excited about dinner. I indulged myself with a good breaded tenderloin since I was getting her some carry out. I have been a fan of this restaurant for years, but tonight I was thankful for it. It is very hard to find GOOD comfort home cook'in in Indy, but if you know about Charlie Browns you know you can find what can appeal to a person no matter what ails them.
(5)Danny S.
Great local atmosphere and feel of a small town diner. Lots of racing motif and local atmosphere. Food was pretty ok to good. Didn't stand out from anything I would taste at other breakfast places.
(3)John C.
Good food and friendly atmosphere. Seems like the guy at the end of the bar is a regular. Everyone's got a story to tell.
(3)Justin C.
Charlie Brown's is Speedway, Indiana concentrate. It's everything good about the Indianapolis 500 and breakfast under one roof. I can't help but feel like a kid again looking at all the die-cast cars and pictures of 500s past and present. If you're not from here, I'd guess you could say it's a pancake house with a bunch of junk but, then again, Spin and Win probably doesn't mean anything to you, either. The food and service are both on par. The prices are comparable to what you'd pay at a Denny's. If you're in the area or just passing through, why not go a few miles out of the way to be able to say you've eaten here? I've never had anything other than the breakfast so I cannot testify to the "steak house" section of the moniker, but I'm sure that the Pancakes will leave you satisfied as they are large, delicious and spongy. They bring coffee to the table in those little pitchers so you don't have to wait for refills. They have one of those pie carousels that is in every restaurant without corporate franchise support toting six delicious looking pies and one sad little one picked last for kickball in gym class. I say go for it.
(4)Amadin A.
The food was nothing special and it's not the best place to go if you're of color which is sad to say. After walking in we were greeted with dirty looks,rude racial charged remarks that people thought we couldn't hear, and bad service. I do not recommend this place at all and will not go back there.
(1)Stacie F.
This is a fine quick simple breakfast joint. If you want anything special or with a ton of flavors, this isn't the place for you. They make good and simple diner breakfast foods. It is always packed on weekend mornings but they are pretty quick at getting you in and seated.
(4)Sara W.
I have been to Charlie Brown's many times from 2008 to the present. I started going here because I worked for an elderly gentleman that I also consider a friend. We used to go to church together on Sunday mornings and he wanted to have breakfast afterwards. The local Denny's seemed dirty to me when we ate there. Charlie Brown's was recommended to me to try instead, so I gave it a go and kept going back. They can be extremely crowded on Sunday mornings, but I don't recall ever having to wait very long. Everyone there is friendly and goes above and beyond. It is much nicer than going to a chain, especially a dirty one. The older man that accompanied me used a walker and the staff were always kind enough to store it for him while we ate so that it wasn't in the way and then promptly returned it when we were ready to leave. I love the comfortable booths and all the racing memorabilia on the walls. It makes you really feel like you are in Speedway. I know my friend enjoyed looking at everything hanging up. There was even one sign up from the year before he was born and he really seemed to get a kick out of that. His breakfasts always looked really good. I like that you can also add ala carte items as he always liked to have three eggs and sausage and that exact combo wasn't on the menu. I was also here with my sister when I was first back in town last summer and she had a BLT minus the T, lol, and really seemed to enjoy her food. I cherish the photo of us there since it was one of the last times I saw her before she passed away. My dad usually gets a grilled cheese on rye which also looked very appetizing. I also take my aunt to local Speedway restaurants when she is in town and she enjoyed the omlet and pancakes she ordered. They serve pretty big portions that also seem to taste pretty good, too. There isn't a whole lot for a vegan here, but I usually get their fries and a salad sans cheese. Their large salad is actually pretty big and filling. It does use iceberg, which isn't my fave, but they add red onion, tomato, carrots, etc. that many places do not. So I feel it is a pretty decent salad, especially for a diner. Their fries are probably not homemade, but pretty damn good, in my opinion. They're always hot and crisp. I used to get their hashbrowns in the morning, but they tasted like bacon, so I would suggest steering clear if you don't want to eat pork. They are really good otherwise though. My elderly friend didn't quite understand my diet so I smile thinking of how he laughed at my salad and fries at breakfast time. I think he thought I was just watching my figure. He always tried to share his sausage links with me, God rest his soul! Service is great as well as the atmosphere, plus it's really close to home. I can just feel the air conditioning and imagine sipping on an ice-cold Pepsi thinking about the place. I haven't had pop in five years, but I am tempted to order one just thinking about Charlie Brown's. (And I was strictly a Coca-Cola addict in my former life.) Overall, I give them a solid five stars. I'd probably eat here every chance I got if I was a meat eater. They have a pretty good-looking menu! Comfortable place where I feel at home. Reminds me of another era. *The only other thing I would note is I am not sure what their hours are. I don't think they were posted on their door and they seem to change so it may be seasonal. Here on yelp it says they are open until 2pm, but I know I have eaten here later than that before. I would call ahead if you're traveling any sort of distance and want to eat here in the afternoon...
(5)Linda L.
The atmosphere is great the waitress are very friendly and helpful the food is good taste like your mom made it and priced very reasonable always have a nice crowd that in itself should tell you something will be coming back soon
(5)PJ S.
Old school atmosphere, really nice people, mediocre food. Two out of three ain't bad...but not good either. Its hard to say something negative about this place because its so welcoming . Everyone smiles and says hello...and one look at the old, dated but charming atmosphere somehow makes you know you are in for a great breakfast. Alas, the food just falls short. The pancakes are too dry. I ordered poached eggs and 10 minutes passed before the waitress informed me the cooks were having trouble making them...she actually told me nobody back there knew how to make them. Um...ok then. I got scrambled eggs. Nothing was bad, and they kept my coffee filled but there are better breakfast spots nearby.
(3)David A.
Stopped in at the tail end of the lunch rush. Several open tables and was seated quickly. Service was very slow. Waited 20 minutes for the server to take our order. Blueberry pancakes very good. Lots of blueberries. Also, it was very hot in the restaurant.
(3)Rose B.
Good, down home food, quantity and prices. The food is eally good but what sells this place is the staff! Friendly, happy, quick service.
(5)Hannah R.
Came today for the first time and enjoyed it very much. It is a Sunday so it was understandably busy. It is your typical old school breakfast joint that looks like it should be in some small town in the middle of nowhere, however the walls are covered in race memorabilia. The prices were super reasonable and I ordered a short stack as well as a fried egg, bacon and toast. They were all delicious, but the pancakes were especially yummy. My boyfriend ordered biscuits and gravy and they were good as well. Overall I thought it was great and will be coming back more often for Sunday breakfast. My only complaint is that it was super warm and muggy inside, but it wasn't anything I couldn't put up with.
(4)Maddy E.
Love the racing atmosphere here. There is so much racing history all over the walls it's great. Service is pretty fast. It's been here forever. Can't imagine coming to speedway without grabbing breakfast at Charlie Browns.
(4)Wanda M.
The walls are totally full of generations of race memorabilia, many signed by the drivers. Majority of the wonderful waitresses have been here for years and know the regulars and their business. Feels like family waiting on you here with good comfort food. Crowd on weekday is mixed age group but usually older retired crowd later in morning & many of the same families have been coming here for years. Weekends are busy but crowds move quickly. During May is always fun watching the crowd & atmosphere. Don't avoid it just because we have a race in Speedway. You'll enjoy the owners' humor, guaranteed chuckle, when the crowds aren't moving on race weekends. The biscuits & sausage gravy, Belgium waffle, chicken salad, and cottage cheese with fruit are a couple of my favorites. The pancakes are one of my husband's favorite and his favorite place for pancakes. Counter service is excellent if you're a counter kind of person. Perfect when you're in hurry and just grabbing biscuits and gravy...in-out. Tables just went outside yesterday but again NO WAITRESS service outside. Impossible to carry trays of fun through the line of folks waiting. Grab your chicken salad or take out and enjoy the warm weather.
(4)Angela W.
Great hometown feel. Good good. Facilities need updated. Recommend if passing through
(4)Joanna B.
I felt like I was back in my hometown when I stepped into this special little place. Everyone knew each other and they were calling out orders from the back of the kitchen. The food was delicious! It came out quickly and the price was spectacular! This would be the perfect place to roll into one morning after a rough night, just the right amount of grease to soak up all that alcohol but also a great place to take your parents for a quick breakfast before a Saturday out in the city!
(4)Lorand M.
Of course....a very successful place....frequently packed with all sorts of interesting folks....and an excellent friendly staff. ....however...I am not a fan of canned green beans....nor a fan of pancakes with fake butter and Mrs. Buttorworths style syrup...I prefer real butter and real maple syrup. My swiss and ham omelette was perfectly cooked but the ham was obviously pre-diced and virtually tasteless.....the "swiss" cheese was of the velveta class and while very creamy....had that fake salty taste of a sauce that may very well have contained no cheese. I would certainly go back for the friendly service, the ambiance, and the fact that the place is obviously well loved icon in Speedway.
(3)Ronee B.
What can I say? I'm a sucker for good pancakes! This place has some of the best pancakes I've had. They are HUGE, and they warn you of this up front (to which I scoffed and was shown humility when they arrived at my table). Both my hubby and I had the hot cakes and I ordered a side of sausage patties. The sausage was obviously a frozen patty that was overlooked to the point of a dehydrated mummy, so based on the sausage, I voted the place down a notch. The service was alright. Our waitress was a classic older lady who has been a waitress seemingly her whole life, but it was busy and she was a tad grumpy.
(4)Cashmere L.
Charlie Brown's was a nice small diner with lots of old cool racing stuff which was interesting. The staff were pretty friendly I couldn't distinguish who was staff when I first walk in, but they warmed up too me quick. I ordered two slices on French toast with a side of sausage and scrambled eggs with cheese. My order came up quick, everything was just like I asked. Only down side was that by time I made the 15 min drive back home some of my good was cold. Other then that it was a great experience and I would definitely go back and introduce others.
(4)Sonya A.
Want a homey, old fashioned diner? This is your place. Their omeletes are delicious and can't go wrong with French Toast. Are you seriously not going to order breakfast!? No worries Charlie's has a huge Turkey Manhattan all for you. Food: 3/5 Location: 3/5 Service: 3/5
(3)E M.
Great place with a hometown diner feel. I went here for breakfast on a recent trip to Indy and really liked this place. The staff was SUPER friendly - even though they were absolutely packed - and the service was quick. I have the corned beef hash and it was the best I've had in a while. The only letdown was the pancakes I'm sorry to say. Since the place is called Charlie Brown's Pancake and Steakhouse, I expected the pancakes to be phenomenal. I was really disappointed to find the pancakes below average - they tasted like water and flour mixed together and undercooked. :( Maybe I just had an off batch?? The service and the rest of the food more than made up for the pancakes though, and I would definitely go back for more.
(4)Scot C.
This is the kind of place that America is famous for: divey, hole-in-the-wall breakfast joint that will knock your socks off any day of the week - then promptly tell you to put them back on. Any dinner with a 'bar' that I can sit and chow-down my hotcakes and drink the coffee while watching magic happen back in the kitchen is alright by me. If the waitress' name was Flo, I'd think I was in a movie. While you're there, take in the decades of automobile racing memorabilia that cover the walls of this local Speedway gem. I get the short-stack of buttermilks, side of bacon, and a cup of coffee to call it good. If I'm feeling the urge, I take them up on some pie, too. Perkins wishes they could be this American. Go here next time you're in Speedway.
(4)Beth U.
So this review may be kind of biased as where I'm now at in northern California there are few good diners, but Charlie Brown's had good food and cheap prices. For 5.50 you get a tasty bacon cheese omelet PACKED with bacon hash browns and some tasty pancakes. To be clear, there's nothing fancy about this place and yes it did feel kind of dingy in there, but cmon it's a diner it's supposed to feel like that! The Big Joe was also bomb. Also, I will say presentation wise the food looked pretty plain, but again, it's a diner - yummy food for ~$5 with fairly large portions, so it gets 4 stars =)
(4)Glenn W.
Ya just eat here! Debbie is a great waitress, and friend. It's an institution is Speedway...
(4)Elizabeth B.
My family and I went to Charlie Brown's yesterday (Saturday morning) for breakfast. After ordering, we had to wait 45 minutes for our food. When the food arrived, it wasn't anything spectacular. I had the cheese omelet with pancakes and hash browns. The omelet was thin and very flat. It tasted alright, a bit bland. The hash browns were pretty good, but the pancakes were anything but light and fluffy. They were very heavy and dry. The decor fit the area. Everything was racing related.
(2)Beth R.
We only had breakfast here once, before MotoGP in 2009, but wow was it amazing! Very generous portions and the cook is top notch! Service was also excellent. All the cops hang out here, so it has to be good, right? ;)
(5)Randy K.
There wasn't anything terrible about Charlie Brown's, it just didn't stand out in any area. The place was crowded, we stood in line for about 10 minutes until we realized we could "self sit" at the counter and not wait to be seated. We did that and enjoyed that part of the experience. I love the communal feel of sitting at a breakfast counter, talking to strangers over coffee. It didn't take long to place our order. Like others have said, coffee was served in a pot left at the table to serve yourself. I guess I don't really have a problem with that especially since they were so busy and it was Sunday morning. The coffee was good and hot. It took a good amount of time to get our order, but as I said it was busy. The biscuits and gravy were not good. They weren't "bad" they just were not flavorful at all. I asked the waitress if they made them by scratch and she said they did. There are plenty of good packaged gravy mixes out there Charlie Brown if you can't get the seasoning down right. You should look into them. Our omelets were as expected. Nothing over the top or sub par. Over all "Meh. I've experienced better" is the best rating I can give. Oh.... and they had cheap silverware and napkins. A spoiler every time!
(2)Bob B.
The Country Breakfast is always my favorite. The wait staff were glad to see us after vein away for a long time. We've been coming to Charlie Brown's for over 30 years and have not been disappointed. A must stop when traveling through Indianapolis. Worth going out of the way!
(5)Rick G.
I recently reviewed Charlie Brown's breaded tenderloin sandwich on another site, and I can say it's one of the best tenderloins I've ever had. Charlie's breakfast is outstanding, as is their lunch and dinner. They've got a nice variety of diner food, and the service is always prompt and friendly. Their food is always properly prepared, just as I request it, and I think it's a very good value for the money. This is a restaurant that has earned my repeat business.
(5)Candi K.
Large menu, reasonable prices. Especially great for those of you, like me, who prefer small portions (plenty of sub $5 small plate options for breakfast). Friendly enough server & the coffee pot was never empty for my friend. Would definitely stop by again.
(4)Shawn O.
This is a place I have eaten at for I don't even know how long off and on. The food is very good and pretty cheap. Even though this place is always packed, the service is fast and the food seems to come out in no time. If you are a racing fan, this is like the perfect place to eat. They have so many cool racing items around the store. I almost would consider this the official restaurant of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway because of the amount of memorabilia they have. If you are hungry for breakfast food, eat here. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Angie A.
This is the epitome of a neighborhood cornerstone. I don't think there are many residents of Speedway who can remember their little village without it. Standard diner fair prevails. A gaggle of Regulars, and a small platoon of hard core waitstaff that have been working there since before you were born, and they'll call you out on any misbehavin as quickly at your mom would, populate the joint. My favorite little touch are the Charlie Brown T-shirts that are the staff's uniforms, genius! A Sunday brunch here makes everything right with the world.
(4)Kaitlin B.
I absolutely love this place. The food is not gourmet by any means, but it is great American comfort food when you are really hungry or really hungover. They offer breakfast all day so there is no need to rush out in the morning. I usually get the ham and cheese omelet which comes with a side of pancakes or toast. Add a side of hash browns if you are feeling crazy. The service is fast and friendly and the atmosphere is exactly what you think small town Indiana would look like. It is a nice short drive from downtown and a nice change of scenery.
(5)Rob F.
As a race fan, Charlie Brown's is a perfect place to grab a bite beside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Far from being in the shadow of the famous racetrack, the diner has enough character to warrant a visit all on its own. From the memorabilia adorning the walls, to the collection of model cars by the doorway, it's race fan heaven and we haven't even got to the service and the food. I've only been in for breakfast, but I can tell you that even at 06:30 in the morning the staff are upbeat and friendly with that hoosier hospitality in full swing, even at such an early hour. The bacon & eggs with a side of pancakes that I had were pretty good, and set me up for the day ahead. Known for being frequented by members of the racing teams, I wasn't entirely shocked when a bunch of guys from Team Penske wandered in for breakfast, too. If it's good enough for them, it's more than good enough for me - I'll be back in Charlie Brown's the next time I'm in Indianapolis.
(4)Jackie A.
I was recently visiting the Indy area and looked on Yelp for a good place to eat. It said this place was good, and they are right. The food was very good the service was also good. Would recommend it if you are near the race track or coming from the airport and heading that way.
(5)Colleen G.
The biscuits and gravy were pretty bland, eggs benny sauce was super thick, overall sub-par. I am from out of town and wouldn't waste my time to go out of my way to hit up this greasy spoon. yikes.
(1)John L.
Good, pancakes rocked. Perfect Pre-race fare and friendly crew.
(3)scott b.
In short, service was not good at all but the food was great
(3)Bennett G.
As the four stars say, "Yay, I'm a fan!" Grew up in Speedway and have been going to Charlie Brown's for years. Every city I've been to has those "Cool Breakfast Places" and Indy's is Charlie Brown's. If you live in Indy, eat here. If you have friends visiting wanting to experience a piece of Indy for breakfast, eat here.
(4)Tim W.
Perfect breakfast. Fast service. I went based on Yelp reviews when I was in a part of town I wasn't familiar with and was glad I did. Great staff here.
(5)arlie h.
Stopped in before the heading to the Track in May. This will be my new tradition from now on. Food was good, service was excellent, seating was "cozy". If you like to read and keep to yourself while dining, I would recommend you choose another place for breakfast.
(4)Mark W.
A diner that's as good as it gets ... sit at the counter & enjoy the food, the service, and the banter.
(5)Mak J.
I am a big lover of both breakfast and diner foods, and I had high expectations for this place. The old man and I were looking for some diner style breakfast in an environment that is just a touch above Mann's Grille, and on the outset, this place was is. But when we got out food, the consensus was definitely "Shoulda went to Mann's..." The place is clean and nice looking, and there was a big crowd when we walked in early afternoon for a late breakfast. We were immediately greeted by a short order cook in the kitchen as we approached the "Please Wait To Be Seated" sign, and then wait we did. For about three minutes while servers (of which there were many) passed by without acknowledging us. First bad sign. We were seated and given drinks and asked for our orders by a surly lady in one fowl swoop. Literally never saw her again. My boyfriend was given a kettle of coffee to self serve his cup, which at first seemed nice, but later proved to be an excuse to not be acknowledged at all later throughout our dinning experience. I ordered a breakfast special that seemed most appealing (two eggs any way, two biscuits and gravy, hashbrowns) and asked for a side of bacon to be added. Boyfriend got the same thing sans bacon, add toast. Now, at Mann's, you can get all of these things (two eggs, two biscuits with gravy, hashbrowns, bacon, and toast) for the same price as just the special (eggs biscuits hashbrowns) here. Also the food quality just wasn't as good. The gravy was bland, the bacon was dry, and the hashbrowns are the EXACT same thing you get called tater tots or something at Mann's that my boyfriend bemoaned as tasting "fake" but at Mann's they give you the option of real hashbrowns as well. They may have been better with ketchup but our requests for some were denied. Honestly, the best part (aside from the eggs because its impossible to mess them up) was my boyfriend's extra side of toast. Shoulda went to Mann's. They did have some good specials at this place though. A $5.95 beef or turkey manhattan deal everyday. Also daily breakfast and lunch specials. The special on the day we went (Tuesday) was country fried steak with gravy, mashed potatoes, and green beans for $5.95. I saw it go by and I wanted it bad. I should have ordered that if I was gonna get anything. It would have been cheaper, and it had to have been more delicious. So it boils down this this, if you are on the west side and you want diner food, you can go here and have the nice clean environment and pay with your debit card and put up with the surly waitresses and the bland food, or go to Mann's and have awesome food but pay cash and deal with the dirty walls and dirtier clientele. At least the waitresses are nicer at Mann's.
(2)Kjirsten K.
Awesome family-owned diner in downtown Speedway, great for breakfast. It can get crowded on the weekends so expect to wait for a table.
(5)Michael C.
Top notch diner food in Speedway! I had heard about this place since moving here in 2007. I finally took the time to go for brunch on a Monday. I had the French Toast and it was great. My friend had the Country Fried Steak with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans, I was told that it was also delicious.
(4)