I really enjoyed this place. We came here on Saturday night for a birthday dinner, and the place was so packed, we couldn't even find a spot in the private lot and had to use the bank lanes as parking. This place seemed very intimate, and although our server was brand new, she did a great job. I ordered the cocktail special with included plum wine and a few other ingredients, and it was nice enough. I decided to try the Spicy Thai with Shrimp pasta dish, and ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc to go along with it. Both items were fantastic. Everyone at our table really enjoyed their meals, and there were many empty dishes. If I went again, I would like to try the coconut crusted mahi mahi. I am really looking forward to taking my boyfriend here for a nice, romantic dinner.
(4)
Ike T.
Decor was unique, contemporary, and clean. A lot of options on the menu with a lot of mixture of American and Asian flare. My wife and I tried the mussels as an appetizer. We have had better, broth didn't have much flavor. For our entres, my wife had the grilled salmon and I had the brisket. Wife liked the salmon, but I didn't like the brisket. Not very flavorful. Would like to give this place another chance and try a different entre.
(3)
Mandy W.
I've been here on two different occasions and had great experiences both times. The service was great and that combined with the interior and decor makes the restaurant feel upscale. One of my favorites on the menu is the mac and cheese - I got it as a side with my last meal and liked it so much I plan to get it as my entree the next time I visit. The only reason this place doesn't get 5 stars is the price. There are other places in the area that I think are a better value.
Another excellent meal in the books! I ordered the mahi-mahi with crab and lobster cream sauce. The mahi was fresh and perfectly cooked. There was just enough crab sauce to please the palate but not overly heavy. My husband ate the Thai shrimp pasta which he noted was full of heat and seafood. We washed our meals down with tasty, refreshing mojitos. I highly recommend the brownie with ice cream (smothered in hot fudge that you pour on yourself!) and the lemon cheesecake (just a hint of lemon). Our server, Amanda, was top-notch and quick with menu recommendations. We will be returning for more!
Recently visited Northside Social for my bachelorette party. The location, and the ability to park in a lot, make this destination desirable in Broad Ripple. Once inside, the ambience is nice. It's not loud or cramped, but I can say that the booth side of our table wasn't the most comfortable. They do have plush pillows, but that doesn't leave much room between you and the table. The food was quite good. I had a Caesar salad to start, which was delicious. My entree was the beer brisket, which was smothered in a Guinness stout gravy. The meat may have been a little on the dry side, but it was very tender. The green beans and mashed potatoes were on point. For $21, this entree is very filling and tasty. For dessert, I had the bread pudding, which was incredible.
(4)
Jake D.
Recommend. Able to immediately be seated around 6:30 on a Friday, but it quickly filled up around 7:00pm. I had the Mahi Mahi and loved it. I could have eaten two -- only because it was delicious, not because it wasn't enough food. Don't pass this one up. My boyfriend ordered the parmesan chicken and said he enjoyed it. I tried a bite -- very good. We split an a la carte plate of mac and cheese. From previous yelp reviews, I didn't want to miss this. While delicious, i'm glad I didn't order it as a meal. It may have been too much for me. The actual mac meal is $17 while our side was $8, so I recommend you do what we did. It's worth it. The atmosphere was casual. Tennis played on two TV's, which I think is a bit silly. Why do we need TV's everywhere? Overall, I liked the interior design. Very clean, formal, but simple. Candles on every table, some pillows were added to the booths. Large windows, but not much of a view. Service was very polite and helpful. I usually have a few questions, so I appreciated the recommendations. Final thoughts: try it out! Get the Mahi Mahi.
(4)
Shaindel S.
Restaurant is nice and food is very good. We have been here several times before. My husband liked his chicken dinner and our friends liked their seafood dinners. I decided to try something different and had the vegetarian dish. I have to say my vegetarian Wellington dish was cold and had to be sent back to be reheated which was disappointing. It was then just ok. The noise level was very high and actually hurt. It seems that the acoustics could be fixed to make a more desirable comfortable noise level. We do enjoy the food but because of the noise, we will not return.
(3)
Candace B.
A standard date night spot for my husband and I. Local, high end fare with exceptional presence. The is the place to take the boss, in-laws or anyone you want to impress. Northside social has seasonal features that always please. Menu staple- Gourmet Mac and cheese, Jalapeño cornbread. Order them. Just do it. You'll be glad. Make a reservation as this place is always busy. If you have to wait, grab a cocktail at the bar, their bartenders are class acts.
(4)
Sonya A.
I don't know why we hadn't visited the Northside Social before. It's classy and smart and tucked away in the heart of Broad Ripple. They had a great variety of dishes (meat, seafood). Service was lovely and the cocktails were decent. I recommend for a date night or when you want to impress. Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Location: 4/5
(4)
Janet S.
We had reservations and were seated immediately. They were going to seat us at the worst table in the restaurant but I asked for another table and it was no problem. Service was excellent We had Julie in the bar. Very experienced and friendly. I had the house salad and the potato crusted Basa. The salad was perfect and the Basa was delicious. My husband had the special and loved it They also were great about substituting the side dishes.. No desert, appetizers or drinks and our tab came to $70 so it's not cheap. But the overall experience was terrific and I would definitely go there to eat again.
(4)
Mike F.
Having driven by the Northside Social hundreds of times since its opening some years ago, my mind had conjured many images of men in pastel shirts and blazers, paired with women dressed in Kentucky Derby regalia. I pictured them as pretentious: not "foodie" pretentious, but the martini-sipping, teeny-tiny portion of bland steak-and-potatoes pretentious. The Northside Social didn't appeal to me. There's a reason that a "J" exists in my INTJ Meyers-Briggs personality. It stands for "judging." Being judgmental is a sin. On my brother's Brazilian girlfriend's last night in the United States, she requested to eat something truly American: macaroni and cheese. We searched high and low for the best macaroni and cheese that Indianapolis had to offer. Since the Northside Social is known to have an excellent rendition of macaroni and cheese, I decided to put judgment aside in order to be a gentlemanly host. As I walked into the Northside Social, I saw no one in pastels, and no one was dressed for an afternoon at the country club. I had inspected the menu prior to dining, but I was very impressed by all it had to offer. I was further impressed by the friendliness and speed of the waitstaff. I was liking this restaurant before I'd even taken my first bite. After I took my first bite, I was sold. We started with he cornbread appetizer, which was dessert-like. I then devoured a delicious (and perfectly prepared) Greek salad. Being in a health conscious mood, I opted for the Spicy Spanish Triggerfish. This was the best seafood dish I have had in a very long while. My compliments to the chef, because it was even spicy enough for my discerning, bland-food-hating pallet. Being a true gentleman, I only sampled the macaroni and cheese when it was offered to me. That's probably a good thing, as I was tempted to hijack the entire plate. I mean, it was "that" good--melt in your mouth good. Despite the highfalutin name, the Northside Social defied all of my expectations. It is a culinary gem, and a five-star restaurant experience. I will return, and I suggest you follow suit.
(5)
Scott K.
Spicy Korean pork with rice dumplings. Holy s@&z Best meal I have eaten in some time. Pleasing environment with huge windows that make the outside seem to be indoors with you.
(5)
Stacy A.
Although we have only eaten here in Easter, I really enjoyed the restaurants atmosphere. The servers were friendly and prompt. The peeps on the Easter Day plates were a thoughtful playful touch. I look forward to trying them again soon!
(4)
Mark C.
Food was amazing. Service was amazing. Atmosphere was amazing. (Cornbread was the most amazing) I highly trimmed whether it's a date, work dinner or trying something new. It's not a jeans and t-shirt place, but, a little more dressy (sweater & jeans, polo and slacks). A little pricier (entrees between $21-$28) BUT it's well worth it. I got the coconut crusted mahi and it was delicious. Highly recommend their corn bread as well - you will NOT be disappointed!
(5)
Mariam H.
I've been a patron since they first opened, and Northside Social is a consistent dinner winner. I was compelled to finally write a review after my girlfriend held her wedding rehearsal dinner there last week. First off, they were one of the only restaurants in Indy willing to open for a private party on New Year's Day. The staff could have been grumpy buggers about working in a holiday, but instead they were delightful, exceeded expectations. Water always refilled without asking, timely removal of plates, paying special attention to the bride and offering educated drink suggestions are just a few little details I noticed. I have yet to have an entree that I didn't think was absolutely delicious. I've been for many dinners and even special buffet events for holidays like Mother's Day. My favorite entree is by far the potato-crusted basa. It's so savory with a great texture. When I really feel like diet cheating and testing my lactose-intolerance limits I order the gourmet mac and cheese. Holy moly is it a treat! Pig was meant for mac, and they add not only bacon but also prosciutto to this fantastic side offering! The bar offers a niceselection of local beer, big box beer, vino and signature cocktails. The PearSecco is my go-to beverage of choice with it's refreshing melody of sparkling wine, pear vodka and splash of lemon simple syrup. It's a very 'summery' drink, but I love it year-round. I think the cocktail menu is very encompassing of all taste profiles with bourbon, rum vodka and liqueur options. In addition to loving the food, I love the decor. Think sleek, white, dark wood, exposed duct work, great bar to bevy up to and low candle light. They have a few TV's at the bar if you absolutely feel the need to distract yourself from your yummy food or drink. I also highly recommend checking our their sister restaurant next door, the Northside Kitchenette, for lunch and brunch!
(5)
Alexandrea P.
Good:ambiance, service Bad: not cheap yet food salad, chicken were rather forgettable
(3)
Kristen W.
After 2 visits, I enjoy The Northside Social. My husband loves it, though this is 90% due to the chili mac and cheese which is seriously divine. Skip the abysmal lobster bisque, both times I ordered it it literally had not a single chunk of lobster meat. Overall good food and atmosphere, one of my favorites in Broad Ripple. The interior is definitely loud during weekend evenings, so while it has an intimate appearance it is not the best atmosphere for deep conversations.
Nice meal. Kristen was our very pleasant server. Calamari steak fries w/ aioli were hot, tender and delicious. I had the Spanish fish dish--healthy and very good flavor. Husband had Thai shrimp pasta dish, also very good. Prices a little on the high side, but meal was well prepared and service was good. Restaurant is kind of loud, probably due to open ceiling. Lighting dim, so reading menu a bit challenging, but low light did afford some dining privacy...
(4)
Maria L.
I came once for dinner with a girlfriend and I was very happy with my food. The interior is classy but casual, clean lines and nice staff. I ordered the Famous Beef Brisket (very good) and the Gourmet Mac and Cheese (also good). My waitress had a wine recommendation that paired nicely with my meal. I wish I had an opportunity to go back before I moved but it just never happened, unfortunately.
(4)
Amber C.
This hidden gem in Broad Ripple had just the right amount of everything. Great food, an attentive wait staff (thanks Jen!), and a beautiful atmosphere almost made me forget that I was in Indy. We visited late, and sadly, only got to enjoy the late night menu, but I saw several tasty treats that I'm looking forward to sampling when I return. The canyon flatbread was delicious, filling, and enough to share between two people. If you're in the Broad Ripple area, and looking for a classy retreat that's off the beaten path, this former biker bar may be just the right fit for you.
(5)
Leslie H.
I was a bit torn on this play. The ambience was great. The chairs, lighting, and exposed ceiling has that modern touch to it. They have a good selection of cocktail drinks, decent selection of wine and a small selection of champagne. The food though was just so-so. What I really like was their corn bread. My hubby had their famous brisket and he said it was just ok. They didn't have the deconstructed banana pie. Our server said that we were the 3rd party to ask for the dessert that night. We had their coconut cake and it was just ok. Overall, they get a 3 from me. It's an ideal place for cocktails, bar area is inviting and that's pretty much it. The server said they will change their menu soon and hopefully they can include the banana dessert.
(3)
Andrea J.
Wednesdays is half price wine bottle night for all bottles priced under 60. Woohoo! Who wants food?! Went here with my monthly dinner group, 8 of us, so we had a variety. Started out with the hummus platter and schezewan green beans. Meh. Entrees, Spanish trigger fish, halibut, beef brisket, chicken and gnocchi. I tasted both fish dishes, the tigger fish was better. This restaurant needs to kick it up a notch. If they wanna make ethnic foods they should be bold and go the distance. They seem to fall short on the spice, the sour, the intensity of flavors like olives, peppers. Sigh. And the lighting?! I recommend you carry a flashlight on your visit there. We sat at poorly lit table and literally used our iPhone flashlights to read the menu. Food is a sensory experience, I prefer all mine to participate.
(3)
S P.
Torn between 3 and 4 stars.... But I think I'll stick with 3 and try it again on another night. Food was good. Fish was cooked well. Atmosphere was good, cozy on a rainy night. Haven't tried the cigar bar but will go back for that. Service gets weird. On the one hand the bartenders were cool (I sat at the bar while waiting for friends). On the other hand, when I ordered a Stella Artois at the table, they brought it to me in a snifter glass. I was like... that's cool, but do you not have the actual Stella glasses? They were like "no".. So I asked them to just get me a regular glass instead. Long story short, when we got the check there was a $3 "pint upcharge" for the beer and the server was super adamant about the fact that when I switch from a snifter glass into a pint glass that it applies and there's nothing he can do. But this is Stella, this isn't some limited release hop slam deal. In the end, after a weird debate... the manager took the charge off, but I got a kick out of the fact that I could have paid $9 for a Stella that night if I didn't read the bill. Will revisit.
(3)
Whitnie E.
I really enjoyed this place. We came here on Saturday night for a birthday dinner, and the place was so packed, we couldn't even find a spot in the private lot and had to use the bank lanes as parking. This place seemed very intimate, and although our server was brand new, she did a great job. I ordered the cocktail special with included plum wine and a few other ingredients, and it was nice enough. I decided to try the Spicy Thai with Shrimp pasta dish, and ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc to go along with it. Both items were fantastic. Everyone at our table really enjoyed their meals, and there were many empty dishes. If I went again, I would like to try the coconut crusted mahi mahi. I am really looking forward to taking my boyfriend here for a nice, romantic dinner.
(4)
Ike T.
Decor was unique, contemporary, and clean. A lot of options on the menu with a lot of mixture of American and Asian flare. My wife and I tried the mussels as an appetizer. We have had better, broth didn't have much flavor. For our entres, my wife had the grilled salmon and I had the brisket. Wife liked the salmon, but I didn't like the brisket. Not very flavorful. Would like to give this place another chance and try a different entre.
The Brisket is good, as is the cornbread. It's not my favorite spot, but if I was invited to go again, I would.
(3)
Anna Z.
Elegant and relaxed. This place is pretty fancy and upscale. My Moscow mule is super tasty just wish it was spicer. The bartender, Jason, is super friendly and outgoing.
(5)
Gigi H.
Excellent food and service. I defiantly would recommend to friends. We both had one of the fish selections. Both were very flavorful and moist. Beautiful aromatic presentation. The service was impeccable. Will come again soon.
(5)
Terri T.
Another excellent meal in the books! I ordered the mahi-mahi with crab and lobster cream sauce. The mahi was fresh and perfectly cooked. There was just enough crab sauce to please the palate but not overly heavy. My husband ate the Thai shrimp pasta which he noted was full of heat and seafood. We washed our meals down with tasty, refreshing mojitos. I highly recommend the brownie with ice cream (smothered in hot fudge that you pour on yourself!) and the lemon cheesecake (just a hint of lemon). Our server, Amanda, was top-notch and quick with menu recommendations. We will be returning for more!
We went here for the first time recently and I'd be happy to go again. The food is tasty and the service is good. Prices are reasonable for the quality, and the atmosphere is really nice in that it's upscale without being too either too trendy or formal. It hits the sweet spot.
(4)
Sara N.
We went here tonight and had average food, ok service and completely terrible service on behalf of the manager( not our server!). First issue: We had a reservation for 4 at 6:45 and instead of sitting us at the 5 other 4 tops available we were sat right beside the front door and told that those other tables were reserved! Oh really? What about our reservation? Nope can't do anything, sorry. Fine we sat down. We ordered cocktails, don't bother, they were all sub par, not worth it, get something else. This is a recurrent theme, but we decided to try it again assuming perhaps they knew how to make drinks now. Nope. Worst part of the evening: When someone orders a $75 bottle of wine and expects a 2012 vintage, it is not ok to just pawn off a 2013 version and think it's just an honest mistake. I don't really care if this was a misprint on the menu or the wine distributors mistake. My server is not the one responsible for comparing the bottle and match it to the wine list, the list should match the wine brought out, period. If you are going to offer wines that are above $50/bottle you should expect people know what they are ordering. A 2012 and a 2013 is not the same. This is unacceptable, and to not even offer us a free app or comp our bottle was outright wrong and tone deaf. We will not be back here.
(1)
KEN S.
The food here is amazing. Everything was presented with detail, and the service was on top of things. I have to recommend the corn bread! There something magical in!
(5)
Bob L.
Outstanding. Nice variety on the menu. Excellent cocktails. Food was delicious. Easy to get a reservation. Comfortable tables and very pleasant service.
(5)
William W.
My wife and I love The Northside Social for date night or an evening out with friends. It's a couple of notches above pub food but it's not super expensive. We love the hummus & tapenade appetizer followed by a a salad & shared entree. Good wines & desserts, too. And, we love supporting local restaurant...no problem doing so when they are this good.
(4)
Cristina P.
We were here visiting and celebrating a birthday. Really excited for a night out all together with a big group. The atmosphere was great, amazing energy (especially considering we ate on the earlier side). Drinks all tastes really good - despite the Moscow Mules not being served in copper mugs with crushed ice (which *are* two signature components). But when it came to the food it was awful. The beef brisket (a signature dish) was incredibly dry, as was the Chicken chorizo and manchego dish. The scallops had little flavor. And to make matters worse, there was a HAIR found in the chicken!! Our server was OK but did very little to help make the situation better. The hostesses on the way out were also made aware of the situation and literally looked at us with a blank face. There were 8 of us and we were an expensive table, shame nothing was done to help make it a little better. Needless to say we will NOT be back and will not recommend it.
(2)
Kinsey C.
What a great spot for a romantic date or a celebratory dinner with the family. I decided to take my honey out for a nice dinner since he had been stuck at work late one night. He had mentioned wanting to try this place, so I called ahead and made a reservation. It turns out, we really didn't need one. We went at 7:30 of a Thursday and the place was pretty bare. The hostess sat us at a two-top near the main walkway in the restaurant, and since it wasn't busy we asked to be moved to a more secluded table. The hostess was happy to accommodate us. I ordered a glass of sparkling wine and my boyfriend got the French Canadian cocktail. We both enjoyed our drinks. Then we split the a la carte gourmet mac and cheese as an appetizer. it was really great mac and cheese, but I'm not a big onion fan so I had to pick them out of my dish. For an entree, we decided to split the Champagne Chicken. It was delicious! A chicken breast stuffed with creamy cheese and then covered in a butter champagne sauce with a side of roasted potatoes and asparagus? Perfection. The price, $22, was pretty steep for what you got, but it was still delicious. We topped off dinner with a brownie sundae, which at $10 was overpriced for the value. This restaurant with chic decor and good ambiance. One thing mentioned in previous reviews was the amount of TVs and how it cheapened the restaurant. I have to agree. I don't like my date looking over my shoulder at the TV an a restaurant like this. Lose the TVs, this isn't a sports bar! All in all: good food, good ambiance, but not a great value for what you receive. Still, it's worth checking out, and I will be back again for sure!
(4)
Lorand M.
Excellent service....the server was hilarious and played very well with this rather smart ass-ish customer ! I wish I could remember her name....darnit ! Food.... a matter of taste to be sure....as this place does very well and is often very crowded. I just did not care for the food at all....the pork tenderloin lacked a "bark" or nice crunchy exterior....the sauce accompanying was god awful sweet. Asparagus was properly cooked..but just did not fit with the "wintery" pork dish....I think I would have gone with brussels sprouts with pancetta....more salty and substantial. My date for this evening thought her steak rather un-exceptional and way over salted:( Wine list was somewhat pedestrian....but that is the way it is in Indy....I don't understand why restaurants don't invest in their wine selections.....e.g. Recess with their wine pairings...are always very interesting !
(3)
Scot C.
One of Broad Ripple's classiest eateries, I really enjoyed this place. My girlfriend and I came here for a romantic dinner and this was a perfect spot. The Northside Social has a great ambiance, I felt really at home here; I really appreciated the background music, too! I ordered a cocktail before dinner, 'The French Canadian,' and this French-Canadian though it was a real treat! (that's me!) We shared the Mac&Cheese for a starter - which was really good - and the Champagne Chicken for our main. I was really impressed! The chicken was prepared very well, along with some tasty sides. However, I thought it was really weird that this type restaurant had televisions all over the place, it detracted from the overall theme and creates a portal of distraction from what you should really be focused on: your company and your delicious food! I also thought that although the food was excellent, it was a bit pricey for the level of satisfaction. Overall, I highly recommend for your romantic/intimate dinner night or just a unique epicurean adventure.
(4)
Troy P.
Visited the Northside Social for the first time in years. And I have to admit I am not sure why it had been so long! The food was excellent. The beef and blue fondue appetizer was as good as I remember, homemade croutons, balsamic roasted tomatoes, and perfectly cooked beef served with skewers and blue cheese fondue dip, YUM! And for dinner, I gambled and ordered the Thai Shrimp Fettuccine and I say gamble because I don't have good luck ordering pasta out. Honestly, one of the best pasta dishes I have had in years, the shrimp was perfectly cooked, the pasta was perfectly al dente. I even asked for the chef so I could pay him my compliments on a perfectly created dish. And my wife had the gourmet mac and cheese and it was every bit as god as I remembered it.. I highly recommend this place, we will be back!
(5)
Mandy W.
I've been here on two different occasions and had great experiences both times. The service was great and that combined with the interior and decor makes the restaurant feel upscale. One of my favorites on the menu is the mac and cheese - I got it as a side with my last meal and liked it so much I plan to get it as my entree the next time I visit. The only reason this place doesn't get 5 stars is the price. There are other places in the area that I think are a better value.
(4)
Tony J.
Had dinner here last Thursday night. The inside feels romantic, classy, and cozy with its dark wood, white table cloth and candle light. I can see this as a good choice for perhaps a romantic dinner date or even a group event dinner or something in the Broad Ripple area. Service is very nice, and parking seem relatively easier compared to other BR restaurants along the main drag. We started with a wedge of corn bread and spicy green beans, both good but nothing special. Then I ordered the brisket while the wife had the trigger fish. My brisket was very tender and has that distinct stout taste, though the sides of mash potato and green beans they serve it with were boring. The wife did enjoy the trigger fish with the tad citrusy sauce. For dessert, we got the bread pudding which tasted good but very ordinary. It could have been slightly better if it was served with ice cream instead of just whipped cream and maybe a bit more caramel sauce. The sangria was quite weak, the bloody mary tasted good, and the moscow mule is fine, if you like ginger beer. Overall experience was good but as for the food, at least based on what we had and considering the price we paid, there are much better and exciting dining options in the area.
(3)
Ashley J.
I live about 3 blocks from here which means I'm here...A LOT. From the hostess to the server to the bartender everyone is always super friendly. Last time I had the clay pot fish...it was cooked perfectly, but didn't have a ton of flavor. The time before that I had the curry scallops. It might be the best thing I have ever eaten...or at least the best scallops. Go try it! They have a great wine selection and the drinks are strong.
(5)
Rachel C.
This place is not bad but not great. Appetizer mussels were very tasty. Seared scallops with risotto entree could have been better. But I'm picky about both. Scallops were chewy yet somehow undercooked and risotto was not very creamy. And they charge a split-plate fee which I think is kind of lame.
(3)
Sheena F.
We just moved into the area and have started to explore delicious dinner options...Northside Social is on the list. I believe our reservation was around 8ish on a Friday night, but we got there a little early. No problemo...the place was definitely busy but we were able to snag a place at the bar for a beer or two. I was a fan of the good selection of local craft beers. They had a red by the name of Robert the Bruce that was particularly tasty...wish I could remember the brewery! On to the food! My hubby got the brisket - which was misnomer as it was not actually brisket - it was pot roast. A very good pot roast with plenty of flavor and veggies, but I feel the need to deduct a star because of the false advertising haha. I had the scallops, which were just OK. Probably my fault for ordering seafood in landlocked Indiana, I'll learn eventually. However, the absolute highlight was the random side we decided to order...the mac and cheese. It was GREAT! Bacon, 4 types of cheese, onions, bread crumbs - I was in heaven! I couldn't decide whether to give 3 or 4 stars. The meal probably deserves 3, but they'll get a 4 from me because of the to die for mac and cheese as well as the fun & energetic ambiance :)
(4)
Bob F.
Jessica was our server and she made it an excellent experience. The mussels were perfectly cooked and well seasoned. Scallop entree was also very good. Enjoyed the sweet potato hash. Atmosphere is good - somewhat trendy but not overdone. I will go back to try what look to be some interesting menu items.
(4)
Bryan W.
Stopped in to this place for dinner with some friends. I was slightly concerned with some of the reviews, but the food quickly erased all those fears. I had the cornbread, potato crusted basa, and bread pudding. We all shared each others food and loved them. The only complaint I could possibly have is, their sides need a little work. Don't get me wrong, I love broccolini and mashed potato's, but everything came with a combination of that, cauliflower, or dill new potato's. If they can come up with some new sides, 5 stars easily. Highly recommend you stop in.
(4)
Rochelle S.
This is a fun place. Terrific atmosphere. Fun drinks. Delish food. A great place to start your night.
(4)
Joshua F.
Overpriced, mediocre food. The real kicker is that the waitress mentioned that the menu is "seasonal." Uhh, no it's not. The menu might change but it definitely is not seasonal. On 03/02/13, the menu had entrees with sides such as asparagus and summer squash and zucchini - that's not seasonal, that's SYSCO. Also, all I really needed to know about the place was that not every entree dish had its own unique sides. Asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes - on multiple entrees? Yikes.
(2)
Alex G.
For $100 (including tip) I've experienced much better food. The service was great but the $22 "Famous Brisket" was glorified roast beef that my crock pot could easily compete with. With all of the great food in Broad Ripple for a reasonable price I don't see myself going back.
(2)
Scott M.
Northside Social is an odd combination of upscale and casual ... cushy leather chairs, swanky style yet lots of TVs mounted on the walls. For the most part, it pulls it off. The dress code appeared to be officially "pretty much anything you want," as we saw nearly formally-dressed customers alongside those wearing baseball hats & shorts. Service was friendly and gave us just the right amount of attention on a Saturday evening. Based on the wide range of reviews here on Yelp, I didn't really know what to expect from the food. It was very good! The feta + hummus appetizer was too expensive for the amount of food received, but it had an AMAZING olive tapenade that I'm pretty sure would even make my shoe taste great. The clay pot fish was excellent as was the halibut cheeks entree ... I liked the cheeks ever-so-slightly more yet my wife preferred the clay pot dish. Either way, we were very pleased with both selections. We splurged on the chocolate brownie + ice cream dessert and while it might not have been anything overly innovative, the brownie was warm, soft, and delicious. The dessert portion size was superb for sharing. The wine list wasn't huge but it hit the main varietals fairly well with good by-the-glass prices and some affordable bottles. Overall, I'd be happy to return to Northside Social for dinner. Prices could be a little lower but the overall experience was a good enough for me to look the other way ... and that olive tapenade, wow.
(4)
Nobuko K.
I was visiting Indianapolis, and a friend of my boyfriend took us there. I enjoyed my Mediterranean salad and Mediterranean Linguini. These items were perfect as I was not too hungry and I was looking for something that is on the lighter side. I especially enjoyed the Linguini. The sauce (white wine based, I think) was excellent, and I enjoyed the vegetables in it. If I were more hungry, I would have gone for the early bird special prix fix menu! Also the interior and the atmosphere were great. I could see this place can be a nice spot for romantic dinner.
(4)
Dan N.
food was fresh but lacked flavor. There is nothing special about this place for what you pay.
(2)
Carey C.
This is solid, but based on our expectations we were a bit underwhelmed. Reservations recommended on WE. The cocktails were disappointing in spite of the hype. Mine was fairly watery. The green bean appetizer was the highlight. Definitely get it! My wife had their signature brisket - it essentially is a (overly salty) pot roast. Fine, but not something worthy of signature dish. I had grouper and it was very good and a huge piece of fish - close to 12 oz or more. Nicely prepared. Our wait staff was fine but wrestled with opening our wine and broke the cork. We'll give it another try.
(3)
Machelle H.
Great food, hip place, would have given more stars if the service were better. It was super slow. They need to change the lighting for a few tables where the bulbs are blinding halogens; and the tables by the windows at night offer the ugly glare of parking lots lights. We moved. We were visiting on a night with lots of big groups which made our service suffer and our food came out a bit tepid. But overall -we've been there other times and the food was great. The tasty food will have us coming back.
(4)
Tiffany B.
Totally disappointed after hearing other people say good things about it. Service was slow and forgetful, prices really high for what you got and most offensive was a split charge. If I was at the Cordon Bleu, I might expect this, but this is Indianapolis and there were 8 people having multiple drinks, appetizers, salads and entrees. As for the chow, it was ok- some fish pate of sorts (appetizer) was a little too pungently fishy and from what I saw or sampled from my table mates, everything looked to have bready coatings or sauces--to me, a sign that the quality of the food is off. If you are presenting fresh product, you don't have to cover it under a mountain of other stuff. It was my friend's birthday, and rather than just charging us a table fee for the homemade cupcakes one of our party brought, it was outright refused. We had to tailgate in the parking lot for the birthday cupcakes. For a place that is trying so hard to represent classy, this joint is NOT representin'. Take a page out of the Nordstrom's book on customer service and satisfaction. No way in h*ll I go back to this place with the bad taste it left in my mouth.
(2)
Christine B.
We made reservations for around 8:30pm on a Friday night. My husband and I got right in. The places was crowded and loud but lively, not too loud. Our waitress was very nice and very knowledgeable about the menu. I was pleased with the selection and pricing. Most entrees are under $25. Honestly, I wanted to try one of everything on the menu. Drinks were yummy. I had the English mustard chicken which is kind of like a cordon-blue. Delicious. The sauce, amazing. The asiago potato cake is a must try. Most dishes are served with it and asparagus. We also ordered the adult mac and cheese side which is big enough for two people to share. My husband had the famous beer brisket and he really liked it. On a first trip, this place easily became one of our favorites in Indy. One week later, we took our folks here and everyone liked their meal. I had the manchengo chorizo chicken, delicious again! This place attracts a very affluent crowd, but isn't pretentious. I like the fact that the menu is in plain English and I don't have to have a fluency in french to understand it. It's female owned and she also owns the kitchenette next door and Delicia in So Bo, another favorite of ours.
(5)
Jon A.
"Dammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmn was the crowd hyphy...." Yea...E-40 could write a hip-hopera based on his findings of civilization at the Northside Social. I'm down to stave off the Lexus-driven cougars and pumas from the Exotic Feline sanctuary in Western Indiana, who ask, "who is your Tiger?" to eat here, to drink here, to pray/prey upon the bread pudding here. I'll figure out a way to get cozy at the bar here before I'll ever sit, aka get crammed into a table for two here. The bar service is top notch here (which as a result if you order a drink at a table...prepare to nosh on some damn fine tapenade while a wait for your drink happens). We deterred the 90 minute wait for a table with our lumberjack-ness of being able to sit out on the patio between two ferns. (Life note: when an establishment offers that, "there's no wait for a table if...." take it, because whatever their options are -- say, in smoking section, outside, inside, or amongst the detoured bus of geriatrics dropped off from the defunct MCL -- is no doubt better than waiting an obscene length, eh?). So, outside we go. Unfortunately, our waitress didn't make it. We were served better and more often by the food runners and hosts (good form by them!). I was pretty certain that this place would exist to me solely for it's weeknight beer and bread pudding appeal (local midwest micros on draft...Bell's Sparkling Ale being the hi-lite...beyond that...every other beer is over-priced...as in $6 Guiness). I found their wine flight ($15) attractive -- four wines of any choice. It's just simply frustrating that the entrees say, "chef's choice of side." I mean...even if this chef chose a bedazzled gimlet of marinated Kardashian...it's annoying. I want control! I want choice! What if the chef likes Kourtney over Kim? Disastrous. Who says I can't have fries as the side with my pork chop? I'm droppin $17 for this chop...I want fries. Let alone, a bottle of Heinz on my table with my fries. However good the potatoes & asparagus were...I wanted fries (O, and they screwed up the side and brought out the asparagus separately). The chef isn't Daniel Boloud or even the most recent Iron Chef winner ya know.... And, really, why do you think you're too good for Heinz bottles on the table? I guess I'm asking for the Devil in a Catholic Church here...or at least that's what they made me feel like. I watched a trio walk in, walk out immediately & say, "yeah...the crowd use to be a lot younger here." The place has been open for a few months now...I'd say it's always trended a bit old...which is okay really...they're amazing to watch...as they're concerned more about imagery than bread pudding. As we sit their and devour the bread pudding, I began to be really thankful this place is so popular...because it offers up so much people watching...and the bartenders enjoyed the reprieve of being hit on all night (and every time they stepped outside too they realized the respite from the cacophony of middle-aged mingling was as nourishing as the bread pudding we were eating). Did I mention the bread pudding? Notes: Outside for a quiet romantic dinner (be prepared to ask the service to turn down the patio music) with the lovely backdrop of a drunk parking lot, a gas station & a credit union (which reminds me of the bizarre choice of location for this place -- a gentrification of a deadbeat strip mall...what a triumph!). Inside for people watching of speed dating, or speed dating itself, or cozy bar corner with bartender who loves you for not being a mingler. Price: hefty. It didn't hurt so bad b/c I expected it but it's hefty -- bottom line. I will not buy my fries a la carte (nor will I call them frites damnit!) out of principle...so join me in demanding them as a side for anything you order! Service: Sit at the bar or you'll be disappointed & you'll feel weird about the tip because you feel like you should give it to the host who worked harder. Full dinner at the bar...and plenty of room too...wonderful wide and long stone-slab bar. Cut through all the clutter of this place & it proves there are two essentials in life, and they are what earn stars -- bread pudding & bar service.
(4)
Josh S.
We went here with a large group on a Saturday for my birthday. The service we received was excellent. Our waiter was prompt and had no problems splitting the bill and keeping everyone happy. Our food came out fast and all together. Everyone really enjoyed their food and the Sea Bass I had was excellent. Loved the decor and a nice selection at the bar. We will be going back
(5)
Lauren T.
Great signature cocktails and fish dishes!
(4)
Kelly O.
This was my first stop at the Northside Social. Tucked into a little strip mall area, this is a cute place. I was meeting my friend Lindsay here- she's a local and it was her idea so it had to be good. It was packed, we sat in the bar area because it was like 8pm and we had no time to wait for a table. The service was great- the Bloody Mary's were spot on spicy. LOVE it. We shared some flat bread pizza- lovely and not greasy or too cheesy either. Then we split (it was late) a cheeseburger- very good although I will be honest I was NOT digging the flat -bread it was served on; IMO burgers belong on a bun. Enough said. NOT toast. Just sayin. The fries were good but - kind of small in portion size. We shared the "Banana Cream Pie" for dessert and I put it in quotes because you will see from the picture that they have made it an EXPERIENCE. Unreal. Delicioso. Overall- I liked it. I am laughing at the review from Jon A because yes I did see a whole lot of "Cougar-Esque" types here definitely seeming to be on the prowl. Too funny. Next time I'm trying the bread pudding....
(4)
Jim B.
First time visitor to this new (01/2010) restaurant on College Avenue in Broad Ripple. Attended a company party that had the restaurant provide great appetizers, sushi, pizza, a good variety of foods. Full bar with very helpful bar staff. Seemed to be well staffed with pros who know what they are doing and seemed to be enjoying working there on a busy Thursday night. Will definitely be going again soon to check it out during a regular evening when its not quite as crowded.
(4)
Ashley S.
I am so disappointed! I haven't lived in Indianapolis for about 13 years, but have been trying to plan some events for a bride where I'm one of her bridesmaids. I wanted to have a nice evening for just the girls and was wanted a place that was chic, with good food, and where we could get the night started. My parents had told me about this place and even offered to swing by for an evening to check out the food. I called to find out if they took reservations--and they don't--but explained that we were going to be a small group for an event where I would be inviting people. The last thing I wanted was to invite people where we had plans for after dinner and be standing around waiting for a table. When I explained this to the hostess she basically told me best of luck. My parents, always wanting to help out, also tried to see what we could do for an event. For a THURSDAY night, they offered us a small table for up to 10 people FOR TWO HOURS ONLY for a minimum of $500. I'm sorry, $500 minimum for a DINNER table in INDIANAPOLIS on a THURSDAY night...someone had to be pulling my leg!!! Even if we weren't going to make it to dinner here I still wanted to check the place out eventually, but now I'm so turned off by how unaccommodating they are I can guarantee I will NEVER be spending money here!
(1)
D h.
the northside is a very difficult place to like, even though the food is pretty good and they have a good beer list. the parking lot, crammed with jaguars, range rovers, audis, etc. is the first indicator of what to expect. the second is the somewhat snotty hostess(es) that are immediately to the left once you enter. if you don't have a reservation, expect to be treated as a second class citizen. they will seat you at or in the bar area, more on that in a minute. there is a black & white theme, very simple. lower eating tables to the east of the entrance, a row of high tables along the windows on the west wall, than a 4' divider wall containing the bar area in the northwest corner. there is outdoor seating. most all of the tables aside from the round high tables in the bar area are reserved. the actual bar is in the shape of an "L" and has a brushed steel bar top, no rail. the bar back sticks with the theme and is very simple. just some shelves, couple 42" hdtvs, and a mirror that is too high to be useful. anything i've eaten has been above average. in addition to a fair list of craft/fancy beers, they also have the usual domestics. aside from the hostess, the waiters and bartenders are all friendly and attentive. the other patrons are the real reason for the two stars. bless them for having some money, but i can do without the look-at-me screaming and laughing. there are just too many blazers with jeans, donald trump hair, and short-short dresses on bodies with badly wrinkled knees. stuffy is the first word that comes to mind to describe the atmosphere, but these place/people are definitely not dull. a more appropriate word would be elitist, but that sounds very harsh. bottom line is the northside is packed with middle aged douches, single and married, who are more concerned with their experience than others (bumping into you while waiting in the bar, screaming over your table to one another, etc.). maybe i just liked the previous building occupants too much, but they are gone and the northside is here. it's just their place, not mine.
(2)
Kara F.
I went to Northside Social for the first time for the first half of the Butler Final Four game. It was a time I didn't want to be distracted by lousy food or service, and Northside delivered a nice experience. It's funny - it was a way classier place than I thought it would be from driving by it a lot. A sign outside the door reads "Proper dress required," so I hesitantly asked the hostess if jeans were okay. They were, don't worry. Our waitress was nice, even though she didn't stop by too often, but that was okay since we were watching the game anyway. Maybe she was trying not to bug us too much? Not sure, but I guess that would have been thoughtful. She definitely didn't rush us at all. My boyfriend and I split a beer flight, so we chose 4 samples of beer out of probably 12 possibilities. We also split an a la carte order of gourmet macaroni and cheese and, after much deliberation since so many entrees looked great, the brisket. We didn't get charged the $5 plate splitting fee listed in the menu, which was a nice surprise! The brisket was great - nice and tender. We asked for extra sauce, but even without that it would have been good. The gourmet macaroni did not disappoint, and I was skeptical going in about how good it was actually going to be. Absolutely delicious! I doubt it can be topped, in fact! I will be back for more!
(4)
Jay A.
So every so often I return to Indianapolis to visit family, and every time I experience severe culture shock. Yes, I truly belong in LA. First, I'll forgive this place for sporting a truly uninspired name. That said, there wasn't much to praise about this place. We arrive, a party of 5. Not an unusual number for a restaurant, no? Well the hostess wants to simply put a 5th chair on the end of a table for 4...and there would have been no room for us to all fit, legs under the table where they belong. An empty table set for 6 is next to the too-small table, and we inquire about using that one. No, the table that is set for six is used for parties of 7 to 8. Yeah I don't get that either, but 15 minutes later the hostess got 3 other people to put 2 other tables together to accommodate us. The place was almost empty, mind you. The table ordered a cornbread skillet to share. While it tasted good, this is way too much food. Seriously, it was like a cornbread birthday cake sliced for 6 slices. Huge. Our party had some serious eaters in it, yet quite a bit went to waste. Simply too much food. My father ordered a salad. It was not what I would call a salad, as it had one long piece of romaine lettuce on it and then some meat. Gross, and definitely a ripoff. Entrees were a mixed bag. While I cannot recall the exact names, the following dishes were ordered: 1) Hot pot fish (x2) 2) Brisket 3) Ribeye** 4) Spicy Penne in a Light Creamy Vodka sauce with chicken Hot pot fish was well-liked. Really good according to the two ladies who had it. My father ordered the ribeye, and he thought it was good, but "adequate." Nothing groundbreaking here, but nothing glaring, either. The brisket was universally panned. Brisket is supposed to be slow-cooked, imparting a very tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. This "brisket" was deemed to really be sliced pot roast, as it was dry and chewy. The diner and his wife (she had a bite) were not happy. The penne ala vodka with chicken was also not what actually came out. There was no cream added to the sauce at all. This was straight-up red marinara sauce, not the classic pink sauce one would expect from a penne ala vodka dish. It was edible, but not what was ordered. Penne was really small in diameter, a little over-cooked, and the chicken was super dry. The sauce was NOT a "light creamy vodka sauce" as advertised, and instead was a marinara sauce. It wasn't awful, but had I known what I would be served, I would have ordered something else. Note on entrees: if you want to split an entree, they charge you $5+ to split. This is outrageous, even in Los Angeles (it happens, but it's not really common). This place is not of a caliber where this would be expected, and it reeked of pretension. For dessert, several bread puddings were ordered and split. No one was wowed; this is very average bread pudding. It had caramel drizzle on top, and it is honestly too sweet. The whipped cream on the side was loaded with confectioner's sugar and was deemed inedible by everyone. Each order of bread pudding was split by 2 people, though not one plate was finished more than 50%. This portion size was more out-of-control than the cornbread skillet. I don't like places that charge super high prices for mediocre-at-best food, while serving so much of it that much goes to waste. NO ONE could eat the portions at this restaurant as part of a healthy diet. This is also not health food. Service was slow and uneven, prices high, pretentious factor cranked up to level 12...just no. I'll waste my money on a place with better food than what I can make at home, thank you so much. **Edited to correct an inaccuracy. Ribeye is not brisket. Update: I just spoke with a few friends who recently dined here, and they had the same reaction to the penne pasta dish, though theirs didn't have chicken. Like me, they were expecting an item described as having a light, creamy sauce to actually have a light, creamy sauce...but instead they also received a chunky, tomato/marinara sauce. While not bad, it was not what was ordered. Maybe Northside Social needs to educate their chef on the menu, or maybe they should just change the menu to reflect what the chef feels like serving.
(1)
Richard H.
You know, maybe I just hit it on a lucky night (Thursday), but I really liked this place. It's a pleasant atmosphere -- as Scott says, a little upscale but very casual and inviting. The service was friendly and fast, and our server really knew the menu. Everything we ordered was quite well prepared. The menu may not be exciting, but it's fairly varied, and the appetizers sounded and looked great. Next time, we may just do a table of appetizers. The one thing that I strongly disliked -- and I say strongly -- is that TVs are everywhere. Why do restaurants feel that they have to have even one TV? I can kind of deal with a TV or two in the bar area, but The Northside Social has them throughout the dining room as well, and for a place trying to pass itself off as casually elegant, their presence pulls it way down.
(4)
Curt C.
The place aspires to be nice and the food was good. The service was so-so but I got over that. There are television sets, spewing their moving images (!), all over the place. Tasteless and utterly unnecessary in my opinion. I found it to be a bit expensive -- especially in light of the upgraded sports-bar feel of the place.
(3)
Josh V.
Came here for a celebration dinner and was completely disappointed. The atmosphere is nice. We weren't able to put our finger on it but it was fresh, clean, modern, yet classic in a way. The only problem we noticed was that as it got busier the place got louder. It ended up sounding like we were eating in a high school cafeteria. Our server was very ho-hum, definitely not excited to be at work and made no effort to connect with us as guests. The menu has some promising choices but all fell short of expectations. I ordered the grilled meatloaf. The marsala mushroom sauce was fantastic, potatoes and asparagus were on par with what I expected, the meatloaf however had no flavor at al. I was hoping for the perfect balance of flavors but it was really just small textured chunks covered in the marsala. They could have used pre-cooked frozen beef patties and it would have tasted the same. My friends' meals all had the same story. Take an inventive idea then ruin it by falling short on the rest of the dish. At the end of meal we felt rushed to leave. Our server even came to pick up the credit card slips before we left. As I was once a server myself, I think that's a pretty rude move on her part. There were plenty of open tables in the dining room and bar area. Overall, it's not worth coming back to. I can give the service the benefit of doubt but the food is at best hit or miss. 3 meals and not one met or exceeded expectations. Those aren't chances that I want to take again.
(1)
Michael G.
The basa (fish) is out of this world. Nice atmosphere, good drink selections, great apps.
(4)
Schreiber C.
Quite possibly the worst meal I've ever had . . . . and I've dined in just about every state and abroad. I couldn't even complain about it because our server (who posed as a janitor) disappeared until it was time for our check. My niece and her husband along with my girlfriend from Florida were visiting and my niece picked this place because "it's always full of people on the weekends." I'm wondering if any of them ever come back. We ordered cocktails and my friend and I had a simple vodka on the rocks with olives. Mine came with olives, hers did not so I shared. As I was reaching for the glass for my first sip, over it went onto the uncovered table and on to my skirt with no napkins around except those placed underneath the drinks. I sat there a long while and couldn't ever trip a server passing by. Finally got a replacement and another $9.00 charge. It took 20 mins. before our server got our dinner order, another 35 mins for our order to come up. I ordered the Beef Brisket because it had a box around it, usually reserved for house specialties. This was a cheap ass chuck roast, overcooked, dry, hard and stringy. It was swimming in what tasted like canned gravy. There were some kind of very cold thick lumpy potatoes and cold broccoli rob. My niece's husband got fish in a pot and we tasted it and spit it out. It was swimming in wine that had not been reduced and I cannot imagine why any chef who actually went to school would think that was delicious. My friend got a ribeye, med. rare and check this out . . .it was not only grey like it had been nuked, it was FROZEN inside!! Unbelievable! After trying a good long while to get a server, any server, we got the steak turned back with a "humpff" and a question, who's your server? Another 30 min. wait and we all felt sorry for eating in front of our friend, not our meals but our niece's. Yep, we all shared her main dish order of macaroni and cheese. Okay so we are now in here for 2 1/2 hrs. and her steak arrives presented gold platter style by the manager. My friend immediately cut into it and it was thawed but not good. We were comped with a dessert for the table to share. It was some kinda mush with whip cream on it. So here we are now waiting again for our original server/cleaning lady to appear to get our check. My skirt has long been dried and our plates sit there full of food we slightly picked over except for the mac and cheese. She asks "do you want doggie bags?" Huh? Okay I just about lost it and had to sit on my tongue. I said that was not brisket of beef and everything was cold. "Well, you should've said something earlier" she says and whisks it all away. Soooo, if you want to spend $200 for dinner for 4 and sit close to 3 1/2 hrs. in a noisy place that looks like a cafeteria with TV's, then go ahead. We are done living "social."
(1)
ford g.
We had dinner on 5/25/2011 and were looking forward to a quality dinner. We were surprised, the Slow cooked brisket was as dry as a very dry merlot. The steak salad was ok. We were disappointed to say the least. Our server was more interested in socializing than keeping our beverages filled. Atmosphere was nice..
(2)
Tom F.
Swanky, smooth, tasty and groovy. Very nice hip place. You'd never know it used to be a biker bar. It's tastefuly decorated for nice ambience and the food was great. The bone in pork chop is delicious. Get the cornbread for sure. I will definitely revisit.
(4)
Kristen Y.
Okay, so I want to love this place but it really doesn't measure up. Northside Social totally succeeds as a bar. It's well-lit, the drinks are great and interesting (they had a special tap of a Sun King exclusive a few weeks ago--The Grapefruit Jungle...amazing!), and the staff is friendly. On the other hand, the restaurant does not measure up. I've been there a handful of times now, and every appetizer and entree I've had is overpriced and not what the menu promises. I ordered a Mediterranean sampler (with tapenade, hummus, pita, and fresh veggies). It cost $12 and they gave us about $4 worth (only a dollop of each spread--enough for 1.5 people). Not cool. Last time I was there, I ordered a Greek salad with pulled chicken and the meat was so bad, I could not eat it (literally, it just sat in a pile on the side of my plate--and it cost $5 extra!). The salad consisted of iceberg lettuce with chickpeas, which is not the traditional Greek salad that we all know and love. Maybe it has just been my personal menu selections that haven't been up to par, but it really is a disappointment. They do have desserts that are out of this world though. The bread pudding is worth the trip; my advice, just go for drinks and dessert instead of a full dinner. Overall: it is certainly not terrible, just not as good as it has potential to be.
(3)
Julia M.
We live near Northside Social and it came recommended by my foodie boss, so we decided to try it. We were a bit apprehensive when we saw there were plenty of tables on a warm summer night at 8pm, but we figured it was probably a late-arriving crowd. The ambience was LOUD despite the few people, and over the next hour as more people arrived it got even louder. The decor is minimalist-elegant in black, white and taupe but the management does not have a dress code. The menu is not large and the prices were more than we expected, but we were able to find entrees that interested us at the lower-priced end of the menu, which ranged from $15 to upwards of $30. The "Chow Down Midtown" event was on, so there was a special prix fixe menu at $30 for salad, entree, dessert and beverage; we did not like any of the offered entrees so we opted out. My husband ordered the beer brisket at $18, which he found mostly very dry and the gravy tasted somewhat canned. I ordered the grilled salmon with a sweet chili glaze at $21--it was tender and nicely grilled, although the glaze was much thinner than I expected and was more sweet than chili. The chef's vegetable that evening was asparagus, which neither of us like, and although they could not provide a substitute vegetable they offered to give us double portions of the starch (mashed potato for him, rice for me), which we accepted. The vegetables were fairly ordinary-tasting, good but nothing special. My husband and I both work in the design industry, and we were surprised at the flatware: an older Myco product, it was very heavy and the stems were cylindrical. The knife and fork kept spinning in our hands as we tried to use them, and it made eating a bit challenging. This difficulty completely dominated the dining experience in a negative way. The service was attentive--water glasses were filled constantly, the food arrived quickly and the waiter was unfailingly polite. We had no complaints there. Overall, we felt that the experience did not live up to either the recommendation or the prices. We will not return. My husband gives them until November before they close.
(2)
Michayla S.
The food here is fantastic, and it is a really classy place. So, why only three stars? Because it is freaking LOUD! The entire place is made out of concrete and an unfinished ceiling that gives it a really cool look. But, those materials make sound echo and carry. There seems to be absolutely zero noise-absorbing materials that I now realize I have taken for granted in my life. The restaurant can be half-full and I'll wish I had earplugs. After the last time we went and could barely have a conversation over the noise of the rest of the full restaurant, I decided I am never going back. Their good food is just not worth it. There are other places that have great food and a nice atmosphere where I can at least hear what other people at my table are saying. If you do decide to go, the wine flights are a fun thing to do, and the service is pretty good. Just show up with some aspirin to treat the headache you're going to get.
(3)
Charles F.
My friend's wife actually picked this place when I wanted to treat him for dinner for his birthday. It was pretty recent at the time (summer) and I was definitely up for a new place. We were lucky enough to get a table outside on a Friday evening since we went a little past the prime dinner hours. Supposedly this is some sort of cougar bar, but that didn't matter to me since I'm all about the food. I had the clay pot fish. While it may not sound very interesting (Fish in a pot??), it was delicious. My friend and his wife enjoyed their food though I can't remember what they had. The wine list seemed to be pretty decent, but I generally don't drink wine at restaurants. This is a place I'll definitely go to again. Maybe I'll even up my rating to 5 stars if I have another great experience. I just have a hard time giving 5 stars upon only a single visit.
(4)
Fi H.
Fantastic atmosphere, but pretty loud so it's hard to have a large group dinner with easy conversation. The food is great, though, so I'll let the loudness slide :) when I'm there it's like I'm in another city! So glad to have this grown up addition to broadripple.
(4)
Dean F.
The Northside Social gets five stars for serving up two very well prepared meals and for the list of craft beer and for the good service. One star is knocked off due to the several TV sports monitors instead music. The decor is clean twenty-first century. The menu is genius and if the staff executes well and if the chef keeps it fresh then it ought to provide nice profits to the owners. This food menu is structured and priced to be able to support a business plan without needing a big lift from the bar's profits. It is an adult establishment. The prices will keep out a lot of the youngsters. There's no bread service except for ala carte corn bread (no thanks). The lack of bread and oil drove us to spend $10 on the flatbread appetizer and that was very good. Again, the cost structure is genius! The brisket & mashed potatoes and the grilled salmon were both excellent comfort food entrees. The asparagus was crisp and fresh. The only fault with the food was a serving of bland rice.
(4)
Aaron K.
A nice space with upscale food and drinks that could be great with a few changes. The cocktail prices were in the $10-12 range which is rather high for Indy. Even at that price they are not using the best liquors nor are they able to make a number of classic cocktails not on the menu (for instance sazerac or gimlet.) A good mixologist and bar manager could really do wonders. The food here is dressed up standards which were prepared well. Nothing mindblowing, but all solid. However, the real stars were the apps. I would recommend ordering a few and doing small plates at your table rather than ordering entrees and pastas. The beer selection here is stellar and includes a number of well known microbrews from the midwest (including Founders and 3 Floyds) both on tap and in the bottle. Overall a nice space which is good for conversations. They have a myriad of TV's which were all thankfully muted. It would be a great place to catch a Colts game during the season.
(3)
Anthony G.
i thoroughly enjoyed my time at this restaurant/bar. the food was delicious and while a bit on the $$$ side it was well worth it. the drinks were also a bit pricey for Indy but blended very well. definitely a step up in aesthetic appeal (both the decor and the crowd) from the standard Indianapolis night spot. the wait staff was overly courteous which was a pleasant change. will definitely be returning.
(4)
Mike F.
Having driven by the Northside Social hundreds of times since its opening some years ago, my mind had conjured many images of men in pastel shirts and blazers, paired with women dressed in Kentucky Derby regalia. I pictured them as pretentious: not "foodie" pretentious, but the martini-sipping, teeny-tiny portion of bland steak-and-potatoes pretentious. The Northside Social didn't appeal to me. There's a reason that a "J" exists in my INTJ Meyers-Briggs personality. It stands for "judging." Being judgmental is a sin. On my brother's Brazilian girlfriend's last night in the United States, she requested to eat something truly American: macaroni and cheese. We searched high and low for the best macaroni and cheese that Indianapolis had to offer. Since the Northside Social is known to have an excellent rendition of macaroni and cheese, I decided to put judgment aside in order to be a gentlemanly host. As I walked into the Northside Social, I saw no one in pastels, and no one was dressed for an afternoon at the country club. I had inspected the menu prior to dining, but I was very impressed by all it had to offer. I was further impressed by the friendliness and speed of the waitstaff. I was liking this restaurant before I'd even taken my first bite. After I took my first bite, I was sold. We started with he cornbread appetizer, which was dessert-like. I then devoured a delicious (and perfectly prepared) Greek salad. Being in a health conscious mood, I opted for the Spicy Spanish Triggerfish. This was the best seafood dish I have had in a very long while. My compliments to the chef, because it was even spicy enough for my discerning, bland-food-hating pallet. Being a true gentleman, I only sampled the macaroni and cheese when it was offered to me. That's probably a good thing, as I was tempted to hijack the entire plate. I mean, it was "that" good--melt in your mouth good. Despite the highfalutin name, the Northside Social defied all of my expectations. It is a culinary gem, and a five-star restaurant experience. I will return, and I suggest you follow suit.
(5)
Scott K.
Spicy Korean pork with rice dumplings. Holy s@&z Best meal I have eaten in some time. Pleasing environment with huge windows that make the outside seem to be indoors with you.
(5)
Stacy A.
Although we have only eaten here in Easter, I really enjoyed the restaurants atmosphere. The servers were friendly and prompt. The peeps on the Easter Day plates were a thoughtful playful touch. I look forward to trying them again soon!
(4)
Mark C.
Food was amazing. Service was amazing. Atmosphere was amazing. (Cornbread was the most amazing) I highly trimmed whether it's a date, work dinner or trying something new. It's not a jeans and t-shirt place, but, a little more dressy (sweater & jeans, polo and slacks). A little pricier (entrees between $21-$28) BUT it's well worth it. I got the coconut crusted mahi and it was delicious. Highly recommend their corn bread as well - you will NOT be disappointed!
(5)
Janet S.
We had reservations and were seated immediately. They were going to seat us at the worst table in the restaurant but I asked for another table and it was no problem. Service was excellent We had Julie in the bar. Very experienced and friendly. I had the house salad and the potato crusted Basa. The salad was perfect and the Basa was delicious. My husband had the special and loved it They also were great about substituting the side dishes.. No desert, appetizers or drinks and our tab came to $70 so it's not cheap. But the overall experience was terrific and I would definitely go there to eat again.
(4)
Shaindel S.
Restaurant is nice and food is very good. We have been here several times before. My husband liked his chicken dinner and our friends liked their seafood dinners. I decided to try something different and had the vegetarian dish. I have to say my vegetarian Wellington dish was cold and had to be sent back to be reheated which was disappointing. It was then just ok. The noise level was very high and actually hurt. It seems that the acoustics could be fixed to make a more desirable comfortable noise level. We do enjoy the food but because of the noise, we will not return.
(3)
Erin Q.
Recently visited Northside Social for my bachelorette party. The location, and the ability to park in a lot, make this destination desirable in Broad Ripple. Once inside, the ambience is nice. It's not loud or cramped, but I can say that the booth side of our table wasn't the most comfortable. They do have plush pillows, but that doesn't leave much room between you and the table. The food was quite good. I had a Caesar salad to start, which was delicious. My entree was the beer brisket, which was smothered in a Guinness stout gravy. The meat may have been a little on the dry side, but it was very tender. The green beans and mashed potatoes were on point. For $21, this entree is very filling and tasty. For dessert, I had the bread pudding, which was incredible.
(4)
Jake D.
Recommend. Able to immediately be seated around 6:30 on a Friday, but it quickly filled up around 7:00pm. I had the Mahi Mahi and loved it. I could have eaten two -- only because it was delicious, not because it wasn't enough food. Don't pass this one up. My boyfriend ordered the parmesan chicken and said he enjoyed it. I tried a bite -- very good. We split an a la carte plate of mac and cheese. From previous yelp reviews, I didn't want to miss this. While delicious, i'm glad I didn't order it as a meal. It may have been too much for me. The actual mac meal is $17 while our side was $8, so I recommend you do what we did. It's worth it. The atmosphere was casual. Tennis played on two TV's, which I think is a bit silly. Why do we need TV's everywhere? Overall, I liked the interior design. Very clean, formal, but simple. Candles on every table, some pillows were added to the booths. Large windows, but not much of a view. Service was very polite and helpful. I usually have a few questions, so I appreciated the recommendations. Final thoughts: try it out! Get the Mahi Mahi.
(4)
Candace B.
A standard date night spot for my husband and I. Local, high end fare with exceptional presence. The is the place to take the boss, in-laws or anyone you want to impress. Northside social has seasonal features that always please. Menu staple- Gourmet Mac and cheese, Jalapeño cornbread. Order them. Just do it. You'll be glad. Make a reservation as this place is always busy. If you have to wait, grab a cocktail at the bar, their bartenders are class acts.
(4)
Sonya A.
I don't know why we hadn't visited the Northside Social before. It's classy and smart and tucked away in the heart of Broad Ripple. They had a great variety of dishes (meat, seafood). Service was lovely and the cocktails were decent. I recommend for a date night or when you want to impress. Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Location: 4/5
(4)
Anna Z.
Elegant and relaxed. This place is pretty fancy and upscale. My Moscow mule is super tasty just wish it was spicer. The bartender, Jason, is super friendly and outgoing.
(5)
Gigi H.
Excellent food and service. I defiantly would recommend to friends. We both had one of the fish selections. Both were very flavorful and moist. Beautiful aromatic presentation. The service was impeccable. Will come again soon.
(5)
Andrea J.
Wednesdays is half price wine bottle night for all bottles priced under 60. Woohoo! Who wants food?! Went here with my monthly dinner group, 8 of us, so we had a variety. Started out with the hummus platter and schezewan green beans. Meh. Entrees, Spanish trigger fish, halibut, beef brisket, chicken and gnocchi. I tasted both fish dishes, the tigger fish was better. This restaurant needs to kick it up a notch. If they wanna make ethnic foods they should be bold and go the distance. They seem to fall short on the spice, the sour, the intensity of flavors like olives, peppers. Sigh. And the lighting?! I recommend you carry a flashlight on your visit there. We sat at poorly lit table and literally used our iPhone flashlights to read the menu. Food is a sensory experience, I prefer all mine to participate.
(3)
Mariam H.
I've been a patron since they first opened, and Northside Social is a consistent dinner winner. I was compelled to finally write a review after my girlfriend held her wedding rehearsal dinner there last week. First off, they were one of the only restaurants in Indy willing to open for a private party on New Year's Day. The staff could have been grumpy buggers about working in a holiday, but instead they were delightful, exceeded expectations. Water always refilled without asking, timely removal of plates, paying special attention to the bride and offering educated drink suggestions are just a few little details I noticed. I have yet to have an entree that I didn't think was absolutely delicious. I've been for many dinners and even special buffet events for holidays like Mother's Day. My favorite entree is by far the potato-crusted basa. It's so savory with a great texture. When I really feel like diet cheating and testing my lactose-intolerance limits I order the gourmet mac and cheese. Holy moly is it a treat! Pig was meant for mac, and they add not only bacon but also prosciutto to this fantastic side offering! The bar offers a niceselection of local beer, big box beer, vino and signature cocktails. The PearSecco is my go-to beverage of choice with it's refreshing melody of sparkling wine, pear vodka and splash of lemon simple syrup. It's a very 'summery' drink, but I love it year-round. I think the cocktail menu is very encompassing of all taste profiles with bourbon, rum vodka and liqueur options. In addition to loving the food, I love the decor. Think sleek, white, dark wood, exposed duct work, great bar to bevy up to and low candle light. They have a few TV's at the bar if you absolutely feel the need to distract yourself from your yummy food or drink. I also highly recommend checking our their sister restaurant next door, the Northside Kitchenette, for lunch and brunch!
(5)
Alexandrea P.
Good:ambiance, service Bad: not cheap yet food salad, chicken were rather forgettable
(3)
Kristen W.
After 2 visits, I enjoy The Northside Social. My husband loves it, though this is 90% due to the chili mac and cheese which is seriously divine. Skip the abysmal lobster bisque, both times I ordered it it literally had not a single chunk of lobster meat. Overall good food and atmosphere, one of my favorites in Broad Ripple. The interior is definitely loud during weekend evenings, so while it has an intimate appearance it is not the best atmosphere for deep conversations.
(4)
Maria L.
I came once for dinner with a girlfriend and I was very happy with my food. The interior is classy but casual, clean lines and nice staff. I ordered the Famous Beef Brisket (very good) and the Gourmet Mac and Cheese (also good). My waitress had a wine recommendation that paired nicely with my meal. I wish I had an opportunity to go back before I moved but it just never happened, unfortunately.
Nice meal. Kristen was our very pleasant server. Calamari steak fries w/ aioli were hot, tender and delicious. I had the Spanish fish dish--healthy and very good flavor. Husband had Thai shrimp pasta dish, also very good. Prices a little on the high side, but meal was well prepared and service was good. Restaurant is kind of loud, probably due to open ceiling. Lighting dim, so reading menu a bit challenging, but low light did afford some dining privacy...
(4)
Allison F.
The Brisket is good, as is the cornbread. It's not my favorite spot, but if I was invited to go again, I would.
(3)
Amber C.
This hidden gem in Broad Ripple had just the right amount of everything. Great food, an attentive wait staff (thanks Jen!), and a beautiful atmosphere almost made me forget that I was in Indy. We visited late, and sadly, only got to enjoy the late night menu, but I saw several tasty treats that I'm looking forward to sampling when I return. The canyon flatbread was delicious, filling, and enough to share between two people. If you're in the Broad Ripple area, and looking for a classy retreat that's off the beaten path, this former biker bar may be just the right fit for you.
(5)
Leslie H.
I was a bit torn on this play. The ambience was great. The chairs, lighting, and exposed ceiling has that modern touch to it. They have a good selection of cocktail drinks, decent selection of wine and a small selection of champagne. The food though was just so-so. What I really like was their corn bread. My hubby had their famous brisket and he said it was just ok. They didn't have the deconstructed banana pie. Our server said that we were the 3rd party to ask for the dessert that night. We had their coconut cake and it was just ok. Overall, they get a 3 from me. It's an ideal place for cocktails, bar area is inviting and that's pretty much it. The server said they will change their menu soon and hopefully they can include the banana dessert.
(3)
S P.
Torn between 3 and 4 stars.... But I think I'll stick with 3 and try it again on another night. Food was good. Fish was cooked well. Atmosphere was good, cozy on a rainy night. Haven't tried the cigar bar but will go back for that. Service gets weird. On the one hand the bartenders were cool (I sat at the bar while waiting for friends). On the other hand, when I ordered a Stella Artois at the table, they brought it to me in a snifter glass. I was like... that's cool, but do you not have the actual Stella glasses? They were like "no".. So I asked them to just get me a regular glass instead. Long story short, when we got the check there was a $3 "pint upcharge" for the beer and the server was super adamant about the fact that when I switch from a snifter glass into a pint glass that it applies and there's nothing he can do. But this is Stella, this isn't some limited release hop slam deal. In the end, after a weird debate... the manager took the charge off, but I got a kick out of the fact that I could have paid $9 for a Stella that night if I didn't read the bill. Will revisit.
(3)
Sara N.
We went here tonight and had average food, ok service and completely terrible service on behalf of the manager( not our server!). First issue: We had a reservation for 4 at 6:45 and instead of sitting us at the 5 other 4 tops available we were sat right beside the front door and told that those other tables were reserved! Oh really? What about our reservation? Nope can't do anything, sorry. Fine we sat down. We ordered cocktails, don't bother, they were all sub par, not worth it, get something else. This is a recurrent theme, but we decided to try it again assuming perhaps they knew how to make drinks now. Nope. Worst part of the evening: When someone orders a $75 bottle of wine and expects a 2012 vintage, it is not ok to just pawn off a 2013 version and think it's just an honest mistake. I don't really care if this was a misprint on the menu or the wine distributors mistake. My server is not the one responsible for comparing the bottle and match it to the wine list, the list should match the wine brought out, period. If you are going to offer wines that are above $50/bottle you should expect people know what they are ordering. A 2012 and a 2013 is not the same. This is unacceptable, and to not even offer us a free app or comp our bottle was outright wrong and tone deaf. We will not be back here.
(1)
KEN S.
The food here is amazing. Everything was presented with detail, and the service was on top of things. I have to recommend the corn bread! There something magical in!
(5)
Bob L.
Outstanding. Nice variety on the menu. Excellent cocktails. Food was delicious. Easy to get a reservation. Comfortable tables and very pleasant service.
(5)
William W.
My wife and I love The Northside Social for date night or an evening out with friends. It's a couple of notches above pub food but it's not super expensive. We love the hummus & tapenade appetizer followed by a a salad & shared entree. Good wines & desserts, too. And, we love supporting local restaurant...no problem doing so when they are this good.
(4)
Cristina P.
We were here visiting and celebrating a birthday. Really excited for a night out all together with a big group. The atmosphere was great, amazing energy (especially considering we ate on the earlier side). Drinks all tastes really good - despite the Moscow Mules not being served in copper mugs with crushed ice (which *are* two signature components). But when it came to the food it was awful. The beef brisket (a signature dish) was incredibly dry, as was the Chicken chorizo and manchego dish. The scallops had little flavor. And to make matters worse, there was a HAIR found in the chicken!! Our server was OK but did very little to help make the situation better. The hostesses on the way out were also made aware of the situation and literally looked at us with a blank face. There were 8 of us and we were an expensive table, shame nothing was done to help make it a little better. Needless to say we will NOT be back and will not recommend it.
(2)
Michael C.
We went here for the first time recently and I'd be happy to go again. The food is tasty and the service is good. Prices are reasonable for the quality, and the atmosphere is really nice in that it's upscale without being too either too trendy or formal. It hits the sweet spot.
(4)
Lorand M.
Excellent service....the server was hilarious and played very well with this rather smart ass-ish customer ! I wish I could remember her name....darnit ! Food.... a matter of taste to be sure....as this place does very well and is often very crowded. I just did not care for the food at all....the pork tenderloin lacked a "bark" or nice crunchy exterior....the sauce accompanying was god awful sweet. Asparagus was properly cooked..but just did not fit with the "wintery" pork dish....I think I would have gone with brussels sprouts with pancetta....more salty and substantial. My date for this evening thought her steak rather un-exceptional and way over salted:( Wine list was somewhat pedestrian....but that is the way it is in Indy....I don't understand why restaurants don't invest in their wine selections.....e.g. Recess with their wine pairings...are always very interesting !
(3)
Scot C.
One of Broad Ripple's classiest eateries, I really enjoyed this place. My girlfriend and I came here for a romantic dinner and this was a perfect spot. The Northside Social has a great ambiance, I felt really at home here; I really appreciated the background music, too! I ordered a cocktail before dinner, 'The French Canadian,' and this French-Canadian though it was a real treat! (that's me!) We shared the Mac&Cheese for a starter - which was really good - and the Champagne Chicken for our main. I was really impressed! The chicken was prepared very well, along with some tasty sides. However, I thought it was really weird that this type restaurant had televisions all over the place, it detracted from the overall theme and creates a portal of distraction from what you should really be focused on: your company and your delicious food! I also thought that although the food was excellent, it was a bit pricey for the level of satisfaction. Overall, I highly recommend for your romantic/intimate dinner night or just a unique epicurean adventure.
(4)
Troy P.
Visited the Northside Social for the first time in years. And I have to admit I am not sure why it had been so long! The food was excellent. The beef and blue fondue appetizer was as good as I remember, homemade croutons, balsamic roasted tomatoes, and perfectly cooked beef served with skewers and blue cheese fondue dip, YUM! And for dinner, I gambled and ordered the Thai Shrimp Fettuccine and I say gamble because I don't have good luck ordering pasta out. Honestly, one of the best pasta dishes I have had in years, the shrimp was perfectly cooked, the pasta was perfectly al dente. I even asked for the chef so I could pay him my compliments on a perfectly created dish. And my wife had the gourmet mac and cheese and it was every bit as god as I remembered it.. I highly recommend this place, we will be back!
(5)
Tony J.
Had dinner here last Thursday night. The inside feels romantic, classy, and cozy with its dark wood, white table cloth and candle light. I can see this as a good choice for perhaps a romantic dinner date or even a group event dinner or something in the Broad Ripple area. Service is very nice, and parking seem relatively easier compared to other BR restaurants along the main drag. We started with a wedge of corn bread and spicy green beans, both good but nothing special. Then I ordered the brisket while the wife had the trigger fish. My brisket was very tender and has that distinct stout taste, though the sides of mash potato and green beans they serve it with were boring. The wife did enjoy the trigger fish with the tad citrusy sauce. For dessert, we got the bread pudding which tasted good but very ordinary. It could have been slightly better if it was served with ice cream instead of just whipped cream and maybe a bit more caramel sauce. The sangria was quite weak, the bloody mary tasted good, and the moscow mule is fine, if you like ginger beer. Overall experience was good but as for the food, at least based on what we had and considering the price we paid, there are much better and exciting dining options in the area.
(3)
Ashley J.
I live about 3 blocks from here which means I'm here...A LOT. From the hostess to the server to the bartender everyone is always super friendly. Last time I had the clay pot fish...it was cooked perfectly, but didn't have a ton of flavor. The time before that I had the curry scallops. It might be the best thing I have ever eaten...or at least the best scallops. Go try it! They have a great wine selection and the drinks are strong.
(5)
Rachel C.
This place is not bad but not great. Appetizer mussels were very tasty. Seared scallops with risotto entree could have been better. But I'm picky about both. Scallops were chewy yet somehow undercooked and risotto was not very creamy. And they charge a split-plate fee which I think is kind of lame.
(3)
Bryan W.
Stopped in to this place for dinner with some friends. I was slightly concerned with some of the reviews, but the food quickly erased all those fears. I had the cornbread, potato crusted basa, and bread pudding. We all shared each others food and loved them. The only complaint I could possibly have is, their sides need a little work. Don't get me wrong, I love broccolini and mashed potato's, but everything came with a combination of that, cauliflower, or dill new potato's. If they can come up with some new sides, 5 stars easily. Highly recommend you stop in.
(4)
Josh V.
Came here for a celebration dinner and was completely disappointed. The atmosphere is nice. We weren't able to put our finger on it but it was fresh, clean, modern, yet classic in a way. The only problem we noticed was that as it got busier the place got louder. It ended up sounding like we were eating in a high school cafeteria. Our server was very ho-hum, definitely not excited to be at work and made no effort to connect with us as guests. The menu has some promising choices but all fell short of expectations. I ordered the grilled meatloaf. The marsala mushroom sauce was fantastic, potatoes and asparagus were on par with what I expected, the meatloaf however had no flavor at al. I was hoping for the perfect balance of flavors but it was really just small textured chunks covered in the marsala. They could have used pre-cooked frozen beef patties and it would have tasted the same. My friends' meals all had the same story. Take an inventive idea then ruin it by falling short on the rest of the dish. At the end of meal we felt rushed to leave. Our server even came to pick up the credit card slips before we left. As I was once a server myself, I think that's a pretty rude move on her part. There were plenty of open tables in the dining room and bar area. Overall, it's not worth coming back to. I can give the service the benefit of doubt but the food is at best hit or miss. 3 meals and not one met or exceeded expectations. Those aren't chances that I want to take again.
(1)
Michael G.
The basa (fish) is out of this world. Nice atmosphere, good drink selections, great apps.
(4)
Kristen Y.
Okay, so I want to love this place but it really doesn't measure up. Northside Social totally succeeds as a bar. It's well-lit, the drinks are great and interesting (they had a special tap of a Sun King exclusive a few weeks ago--The Grapefruit Jungle...amazing!), and the staff is friendly. On the other hand, the restaurant does not measure up. I've been there a handful of times now, and every appetizer and entree I've had is overpriced and not what the menu promises. I ordered a Mediterranean sampler (with tapenade, hummus, pita, and fresh veggies). It cost $12 and they gave us about $4 worth (only a dollop of each spread--enough for 1.5 people). Not cool. Last time I was there, I ordered a Greek salad with pulled chicken and the meat was so bad, I could not eat it (literally, it just sat in a pile on the side of my plate--and it cost $5 extra!). The salad consisted of iceberg lettuce with chickpeas, which is not the traditional Greek salad that we all know and love. Maybe it has just been my personal menu selections that haven't been up to par, but it really is a disappointment. They do have desserts that are out of this world though. The bread pudding is worth the trip; my advice, just go for drinks and dessert instead of a full dinner. Overall: it is certainly not terrible, just not as good as it has potential to be.
(3)
Kinsey C.
What a great spot for a romantic date or a celebratory dinner with the family. I decided to take my honey out for a nice dinner since he had been stuck at work late one night. He had mentioned wanting to try this place, so I called ahead and made a reservation. It turns out, we really didn't need one. We went at 7:30 of a Thursday and the place was pretty bare. The hostess sat us at a two-top near the main walkway in the restaurant, and since it wasn't busy we asked to be moved to a more secluded table. The hostess was happy to accommodate us. I ordered a glass of sparkling wine and my boyfriend got the French Canadian cocktail. We both enjoyed our drinks. Then we split the a la carte gourmet mac and cheese as an appetizer. it was really great mac and cheese, but I'm not a big onion fan so I had to pick them out of my dish. For an entree, we decided to split the Champagne Chicken. It was delicious! A chicken breast stuffed with creamy cheese and then covered in a butter champagne sauce with a side of roasted potatoes and asparagus? Perfection. The price, $22, was pretty steep for what you got, but it was still delicious. We topped off dinner with a brownie sundae, which at $10 was overpriced for the value. This restaurant with chic decor and good ambiance. One thing mentioned in previous reviews was the amount of TVs and how it cheapened the restaurant. I have to agree. I don't like my date looking over my shoulder at the TV an a restaurant like this. Lose the TVs, this isn't a sports bar! All in all: good food, good ambiance, but not a great value for what you receive. Still, it's worth checking out, and I will be back again for sure!
(4)
Sheena F.
We just moved into the area and have started to explore delicious dinner options...Northside Social is on the list. I believe our reservation was around 8ish on a Friday night, but we got there a little early. No problemo...the place was definitely busy but we were able to snag a place at the bar for a beer or two. I was a fan of the good selection of local craft beers. They had a red by the name of Robert the Bruce that was particularly tasty...wish I could remember the brewery! On to the food! My hubby got the brisket - which was misnomer as it was not actually brisket - it was pot roast. A very good pot roast with plenty of flavor and veggies, but I feel the need to deduct a star because of the false advertising haha. I had the scallops, which were just OK. Probably my fault for ordering seafood in landlocked Indiana, I'll learn eventually. However, the absolute highlight was the random side we decided to order...the mac and cheese. It was GREAT! Bacon, 4 types of cheese, onions, bread crumbs - I was in heaven! I couldn't decide whether to give 3 or 4 stars. The meal probably deserves 3, but they'll get a 4 from me because of the to die for mac and cheese as well as the fun & energetic ambiance :)
(4)
Bob F.
Jessica was our server and she made it an excellent experience. The mussels were perfectly cooked and well seasoned. Scallop entree was also very good. Enjoyed the sweet potato hash. Atmosphere is good - somewhat trendy but not overdone. I will go back to try what look to be some interesting menu items.
(4)
Rochelle S.
This is a fun place. Terrific atmosphere. Fun drinks. Delish food. A great place to start your night.
(4)
Tiffany B.
Totally disappointed after hearing other people say good things about it. Service was slow and forgetful, prices really high for what you got and most offensive was a split charge. If I was at the Cordon Bleu, I might expect this, but this is Indianapolis and there were 8 people having multiple drinks, appetizers, salads and entrees. As for the chow, it was ok- some fish pate of sorts (appetizer) was a little too pungently fishy and from what I saw or sampled from my table mates, everything looked to have bready coatings or sauces--to me, a sign that the quality of the food is off. If you are presenting fresh product, you don't have to cover it under a mountain of other stuff. It was my friend's birthday, and rather than just charging us a table fee for the homemade cupcakes one of our party brought, it was outright refused. We had to tailgate in the parking lot for the birthday cupcakes. For a place that is trying so hard to represent classy, this joint is NOT representin'. Take a page out of the Nordstrom's book on customer service and satisfaction. No way in h*ll I go back to this place with the bad taste it left in my mouth.
(2)
Scott M.
Northside Social is an odd combination of upscale and casual ... cushy leather chairs, swanky style yet lots of TVs mounted on the walls. For the most part, it pulls it off. The dress code appeared to be officially "pretty much anything you want," as we saw nearly formally-dressed customers alongside those wearing baseball hats & shorts. Service was friendly and gave us just the right amount of attention on a Saturday evening. Based on the wide range of reviews here on Yelp, I didn't really know what to expect from the food. It was very good! The feta + hummus appetizer was too expensive for the amount of food received, but it had an AMAZING olive tapenade that I'm pretty sure would even make my shoe taste great. The clay pot fish was excellent as was the halibut cheeks entree ... I liked the cheeks ever-so-slightly more yet my wife preferred the clay pot dish. Either way, we were very pleased with both selections. We splurged on the chocolate brownie + ice cream dessert and while it might not have been anything overly innovative, the brownie was warm, soft, and delicious. The dessert portion size was superb for sharing. The wine list wasn't huge but it hit the main varietals fairly well with good by-the-glass prices and some affordable bottles. Overall, I'd be happy to return to Northside Social for dinner. Prices could be a little lower but the overall experience was a good enough for me to look the other way ... and that olive tapenade, wow.
(4)
Nobuko K.
I was visiting Indianapolis, and a friend of my boyfriend took us there. I enjoyed my Mediterranean salad and Mediterranean Linguini. These items were perfect as I was not too hungry and I was looking for something that is on the lighter side. I especially enjoyed the Linguini. The sauce (white wine based, I think) was excellent, and I enjoyed the vegetables in it. If I were more hungry, I would have gone for the early bird special prix fix menu! Also the interior and the atmosphere were great. I could see this place can be a nice spot for romantic dinner.
(4)
Dan N.
food was fresh but lacked flavor. There is nothing special about this place for what you pay.
(2)
Carey C.
This is solid, but based on our expectations we were a bit underwhelmed. Reservations recommended on WE. The cocktails were disappointing in spite of the hype. Mine was fairly watery. The green bean appetizer was the highlight. Definitely get it! My wife had their signature brisket - it essentially is a (overly salty) pot roast. Fine, but not something worthy of signature dish. I had grouper and it was very good and a huge piece of fish - close to 12 oz or more. Nicely prepared. Our wait staff was fine but wrestled with opening our wine and broke the cork. We'll give it another try.
(3)
Machelle H.
Great food, hip place, would have given more stars if the service were better. It was super slow. They need to change the lighting for a few tables where the bulbs are blinding halogens; and the tables by the windows at night offer the ugly glare of parking lots lights. We moved. We were visiting on a night with lots of big groups which made our service suffer and our food came out a bit tepid. But overall -we've been there other times and the food was great. The tasty food will have us coming back.
(4)
Christine B.
We made reservations for around 8:30pm on a Friday night. My husband and I got right in. The places was crowded and loud but lively, not too loud. Our waitress was very nice and very knowledgeable about the menu. I was pleased with the selection and pricing. Most entrees are under $25. Honestly, I wanted to try one of everything on the menu. Drinks were yummy. I had the English mustard chicken which is kind of like a cordon-blue. Delicious. The sauce, amazing. The asiago potato cake is a must try. Most dishes are served with it and asparagus. We also ordered the adult mac and cheese side which is big enough for two people to share. My husband had the famous beer brisket and he really liked it. On a first trip, this place easily became one of our favorites in Indy. One week later, we took our folks here and everyone liked their meal. I had the manchengo chorizo chicken, delicious again! This place attracts a very affluent crowd, but isn't pretentious. I like the fact that the menu is in plain English and I don't have to have a fluency in french to understand it. It's female owned and she also owns the kitchenette next door and Delicia in So Bo, another favorite of ours.
(5)
Jon A.
"Dammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmn was the crowd hyphy...." Yea...E-40 could write a hip-hopera based on his findings of civilization at the Northside Social. I'm down to stave off the Lexus-driven cougars and pumas from the Exotic Feline sanctuary in Western Indiana, who ask, "who is your Tiger?" to eat here, to drink here, to pray/prey upon the bread pudding here. I'll figure out a way to get cozy at the bar here before I'll ever sit, aka get crammed into a table for two here. The bar service is top notch here (which as a result if you order a drink at a table...prepare to nosh on some damn fine tapenade while a wait for your drink happens). We deterred the 90 minute wait for a table with our lumberjack-ness of being able to sit out on the patio between two ferns. (Life note: when an establishment offers that, "there's no wait for a table if...." take it, because whatever their options are -- say, in smoking section, outside, inside, or amongst the detoured bus of geriatrics dropped off from the defunct MCL -- is no doubt better than waiting an obscene length, eh?). So, outside we go. Unfortunately, our waitress didn't make it. We were served better and more often by the food runners and hosts (good form by them!). I was pretty certain that this place would exist to me solely for it's weeknight beer and bread pudding appeal (local midwest micros on draft...Bell's Sparkling Ale being the hi-lite...beyond that...every other beer is over-priced...as in $6 Guiness). I found their wine flight ($15) attractive -- four wines of any choice. It's just simply frustrating that the entrees say, "chef's choice of side." I mean...even if this chef chose a bedazzled gimlet of marinated Kardashian...it's annoying. I want control! I want choice! What if the chef likes Kourtney over Kim? Disastrous. Who says I can't have fries as the side with my pork chop? I'm droppin $17 for this chop...I want fries. Let alone, a bottle of Heinz on my table with my fries. However good the potatoes & asparagus were...I wanted fries (O, and they screwed up the side and brought out the asparagus separately). The chef isn't Daniel Boloud or even the most recent Iron Chef winner ya know.... And, really, why do you think you're too good for Heinz bottles on the table? I guess I'm asking for the Devil in a Catholic Church here...or at least that's what they made me feel like. I watched a trio walk in, walk out immediately & say, "yeah...the crowd use to be a lot younger here." The place has been open for a few months now...I'd say it's always trended a bit old...which is okay really...they're amazing to watch...as they're concerned more about imagery than bread pudding. As we sit their and devour the bread pudding, I began to be really thankful this place is so popular...because it offers up so much people watching...and the bartenders enjoyed the reprieve of being hit on all night (and every time they stepped outside too they realized the respite from the cacophony of middle-aged mingling was as nourishing as the bread pudding we were eating). Did I mention the bread pudding? Notes: Outside for a quiet romantic dinner (be prepared to ask the service to turn down the patio music) with the lovely backdrop of a drunk parking lot, a gas station & a credit union (which reminds me of the bizarre choice of location for this place -- a gentrification of a deadbeat strip mall...what a triumph!). Inside for people watching of speed dating, or speed dating itself, or cozy bar corner with bartender who loves you for not being a mingler. Price: hefty. It didn't hurt so bad b/c I expected it but it's hefty -- bottom line. I will not buy my fries a la carte (nor will I call them frites damnit!) out of principle...so join me in demanding them as a side for anything you order! Service: Sit at the bar or you'll be disappointed & you'll feel weird about the tip because you feel like you should give it to the host who worked harder. Full dinner at the bar...and plenty of room too...wonderful wide and long stone-slab bar. Cut through all the clutter of this place & it proves there are two essentials in life, and they are what earn stars -- bread pudding & bar service.
(4)
Josh S.
We went here with a large group on a Saturday for my birthday. The service we received was excellent. Our waiter was prompt and had no problems splitting the bill and keeping everyone happy. Our food came out fast and all together. Everyone really enjoyed their food and the Sea Bass I had was excellent. Loved the decor and a nice selection at the bar. We will be going back
(5)
Lauren T.
Great signature cocktails and fish dishes!
(4)
Joshua F.
Overpriced, mediocre food. The real kicker is that the waitress mentioned that the menu is "seasonal." Uhh, no it's not. The menu might change but it definitely is not seasonal. On 03/02/13, the menu had entrees with sides such as asparagus and summer squash and zucchini - that's not seasonal, that's SYSCO. Also, all I really needed to know about the place was that not every entree dish had its own unique sides. Asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes - on multiple entrees? Yikes.
(2)
Alex G.
For $100 (including tip) I've experienced much better food. The service was great but the $22 "Famous Brisket" was glorified roast beef that my crock pot could easily compete with. With all of the great food in Broad Ripple for a reasonable price I don't see myself going back.
(2)
Kelly O.
This was my first stop at the Northside Social. Tucked into a little strip mall area, this is a cute place. I was meeting my friend Lindsay here- she's a local and it was her idea so it had to be good. It was packed, we sat in the bar area because it was like 8pm and we had no time to wait for a table. The service was great- the Bloody Mary's were spot on spicy. LOVE it. We shared some flat bread pizza- lovely and not greasy or too cheesy either. Then we split (it was late) a cheeseburger- very good although I will be honest I was NOT digging the flat -bread it was served on; IMO burgers belong on a bun. Enough said. NOT toast. Just sayin. The fries were good but - kind of small in portion size. We shared the "Banana Cream Pie" for dessert and I put it in quotes because you will see from the picture that they have made it an EXPERIENCE. Unreal. Delicioso. Overall- I liked it. I am laughing at the review from Jon A because yes I did see a whole lot of "Cougar-Esque" types here definitely seeming to be on the prowl. Too funny. Next time I'm trying the bread pudding....
(4)
Jim B.
First time visitor to this new (01/2010) restaurant on College Avenue in Broad Ripple. Attended a company party that had the restaurant provide great appetizers, sushi, pizza, a good variety of foods. Full bar with very helpful bar staff. Seemed to be well staffed with pros who know what they are doing and seemed to be enjoying working there on a busy Thursday night. Will definitely be going again soon to check it out during a regular evening when its not quite as crowded.
(4)
D h.
the northside is a very difficult place to like, even though the food is pretty good and they have a good beer list. the parking lot, crammed with jaguars, range rovers, audis, etc. is the first indicator of what to expect. the second is the somewhat snotty hostess(es) that are immediately to the left once you enter. if you don't have a reservation, expect to be treated as a second class citizen. they will seat you at or in the bar area, more on that in a minute. there is a black & white theme, very simple. lower eating tables to the east of the entrance, a row of high tables along the windows on the west wall, than a 4' divider wall containing the bar area in the northwest corner. there is outdoor seating. most all of the tables aside from the round high tables in the bar area are reserved. the actual bar is in the shape of an "L" and has a brushed steel bar top, no rail. the bar back sticks with the theme and is very simple. just some shelves, couple 42" hdtvs, and a mirror that is too high to be useful. anything i've eaten has been above average. in addition to a fair list of craft/fancy beers, they also have the usual domestics. aside from the hostess, the waiters and bartenders are all friendly and attentive. the other patrons are the real reason for the two stars. bless them for having some money, but i can do without the look-at-me screaming and laughing. there are just too many blazers with jeans, donald trump hair, and short-short dresses on bodies with badly wrinkled knees. stuffy is the first word that comes to mind to describe the atmosphere, but these place/people are definitely not dull. a more appropriate word would be elitist, but that sounds very harsh. bottom line is the northside is packed with middle aged douches, single and married, who are more concerned with their experience than others (bumping into you while waiting in the bar, screaming over your table to one another, etc.). maybe i just liked the previous building occupants too much, but they are gone and the northside is here. it's just their place, not mine.
(2)
Kara F.
I went to Northside Social for the first time for the first half of the Butler Final Four game. It was a time I didn't want to be distracted by lousy food or service, and Northside delivered a nice experience. It's funny - it was a way classier place than I thought it would be from driving by it a lot. A sign outside the door reads "Proper dress required," so I hesitantly asked the hostess if jeans were okay. They were, don't worry. Our waitress was nice, even though she didn't stop by too often, but that was okay since we were watching the game anyway. Maybe she was trying not to bug us too much? Not sure, but I guess that would have been thoughtful. She definitely didn't rush us at all. My boyfriend and I split a beer flight, so we chose 4 samples of beer out of probably 12 possibilities. We also split an a la carte order of gourmet macaroni and cheese and, after much deliberation since so many entrees looked great, the brisket. We didn't get charged the $5 plate splitting fee listed in the menu, which was a nice surprise! The brisket was great - nice and tender. We asked for extra sauce, but even without that it would have been good. The gourmet macaroni did not disappoint, and I was skeptical going in about how good it was actually going to be. Absolutely delicious! I doubt it can be topped, in fact! I will be back for more!
(4)
Jay A.
So every so often I return to Indianapolis to visit family, and every time I experience severe culture shock. Yes, I truly belong in LA. First, I'll forgive this place for sporting a truly uninspired name. That said, there wasn't much to praise about this place. We arrive, a party of 5. Not an unusual number for a restaurant, no? Well the hostess wants to simply put a 5th chair on the end of a table for 4...and there would have been no room for us to all fit, legs under the table where they belong. An empty table set for 6 is next to the too-small table, and we inquire about using that one. No, the table that is set for six is used for parties of 7 to 8. Yeah I don't get that either, but 15 minutes later the hostess got 3 other people to put 2 other tables together to accommodate us. The place was almost empty, mind you. The table ordered a cornbread skillet to share. While it tasted good, this is way too much food. Seriously, it was like a cornbread birthday cake sliced for 6 slices. Huge. Our party had some serious eaters in it, yet quite a bit went to waste. Simply too much food. My father ordered a salad. It was not what I would call a salad, as it had one long piece of romaine lettuce on it and then some meat. Gross, and definitely a ripoff. Entrees were a mixed bag. While I cannot recall the exact names, the following dishes were ordered: 1) Hot pot fish (x2) 2) Brisket 3) Ribeye** 4) Spicy Penne in a Light Creamy Vodka sauce with chicken Hot pot fish was well-liked. Really good according to the two ladies who had it. My father ordered the ribeye, and he thought it was good, but "adequate." Nothing groundbreaking here, but nothing glaring, either. The brisket was universally panned. Brisket is supposed to be slow-cooked, imparting a very tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. This "brisket" was deemed to really be sliced pot roast, as it was dry and chewy. The diner and his wife (she had a bite) were not happy. The penne ala vodka with chicken was also not what actually came out. There was no cream added to the sauce at all. This was straight-up red marinara sauce, not the classic pink sauce one would expect from a penne ala vodka dish. It was edible, but not what was ordered. Penne was really small in diameter, a little over-cooked, and the chicken was super dry. The sauce was NOT a "light creamy vodka sauce" as advertised, and instead was a marinara sauce. It wasn't awful, but had I known what I would be served, I would have ordered something else. Note on entrees: if you want to split an entree, they charge you $5+ to split. This is outrageous, even in Los Angeles (it happens, but it's not really common). This place is not of a caliber where this would be expected, and it reeked of pretension. For dessert, several bread puddings were ordered and split. No one was wowed; this is very average bread pudding. It had caramel drizzle on top, and it is honestly too sweet. The whipped cream on the side was loaded with confectioner's sugar and was deemed inedible by everyone. Each order of bread pudding was split by 2 people, though not one plate was finished more than 50%. This portion size was more out-of-control than the cornbread skillet. I don't like places that charge super high prices for mediocre-at-best food, while serving so much of it that much goes to waste. NO ONE could eat the portions at this restaurant as part of a healthy diet. This is also not health food. Service was slow and uneven, prices high, pretentious factor cranked up to level 12...just no. I'll waste my money on a place with better food than what I can make at home, thank you so much. **Edited to correct an inaccuracy. Ribeye is not brisket. Update: I just spoke with a few friends who recently dined here, and they had the same reaction to the penne pasta dish, though theirs didn't have chicken. Like me, they were expecting an item described as having a light, creamy sauce to actually have a light, creamy sauce...but instead they also received a chunky, tomato/marinara sauce. While not bad, it was not what was ordered. Maybe Northside Social needs to educate their chef on the menu, or maybe they should just change the menu to reflect what the chef feels like serving.
(1)
Ashley S.
I am so disappointed! I haven't lived in Indianapolis for about 13 years, but have been trying to plan some events for a bride where I'm one of her bridesmaids. I wanted to have a nice evening for just the girls and was wanted a place that was chic, with good food, and where we could get the night started. My parents had told me about this place and even offered to swing by for an evening to check out the food. I called to find out if they took reservations--and they don't--but explained that we were going to be a small group for an event where I would be inviting people. The last thing I wanted was to invite people where we had plans for after dinner and be standing around waiting for a table. When I explained this to the hostess she basically told me best of luck. My parents, always wanting to help out, also tried to see what we could do for an event. For a THURSDAY night, they offered us a small table for up to 10 people FOR TWO HOURS ONLY for a minimum of $500. I'm sorry, $500 minimum for a DINNER table in INDIANAPOLIS on a THURSDAY night...someone had to be pulling my leg!!! Even if we weren't going to make it to dinner here I still wanted to check the place out eventually, but now I'm so turned off by how unaccommodating they are I can guarantee I will NEVER be spending money here!
(1)
Richard H.
You know, maybe I just hit it on a lucky night (Thursday), but I really liked this place. It's a pleasant atmosphere -- as Scott says, a little upscale but very casual and inviting. The service was friendly and fast, and our server really knew the menu. Everything we ordered was quite well prepared. The menu may not be exciting, but it's fairly varied, and the appetizers sounded and looked great. Next time, we may just do a table of appetizers. The one thing that I strongly disliked -- and I say strongly -- is that TVs are everywhere. Why do restaurants feel that they have to have even one TV? I can kind of deal with a TV or two in the bar area, but The Northside Social has them throughout the dining room as well, and for a place trying to pass itself off as casually elegant, their presence pulls it way down.
(4)
Curt C.
The place aspires to be nice and the food was good. The service was so-so but I got over that. There are television sets, spewing their moving images (!), all over the place. Tasteless and utterly unnecessary in my opinion. I found it to be a bit expensive -- especially in light of the upgraded sports-bar feel of the place.
(3)
Schreiber C.
Quite possibly the worst meal I've ever had . . . . and I've dined in just about every state and abroad. I couldn't even complain about it because our server (who posed as a janitor) disappeared until it was time for our check. My niece and her husband along with my girlfriend from Florida were visiting and my niece picked this place because "it's always full of people on the weekends." I'm wondering if any of them ever come back. We ordered cocktails and my friend and I had a simple vodka on the rocks with olives. Mine came with olives, hers did not so I shared. As I was reaching for the glass for my first sip, over it went onto the uncovered table and on to my skirt with no napkins around except those placed underneath the drinks. I sat there a long while and couldn't ever trip a server passing by. Finally got a replacement and another $9.00 charge. It took 20 mins. before our server got our dinner order, another 35 mins for our order to come up. I ordered the Beef Brisket because it had a box around it, usually reserved for house specialties. This was a cheap ass chuck roast, overcooked, dry, hard and stringy. It was swimming in what tasted like canned gravy. There were some kind of very cold thick lumpy potatoes and cold broccoli rob. My niece's husband got fish in a pot and we tasted it and spit it out. It was swimming in wine that had not been reduced and I cannot imagine why any chef who actually went to school would think that was delicious. My friend got a ribeye, med. rare and check this out . . .it was not only grey like it had been nuked, it was FROZEN inside!! Unbelievable! After trying a good long while to get a server, any server, we got the steak turned back with a "humpff" and a question, who's your server? Another 30 min. wait and we all felt sorry for eating in front of our friend, not our meals but our niece's. Yep, we all shared her main dish order of macaroni and cheese. Okay so we are now in here for 2 1/2 hrs. and her steak arrives presented gold platter style by the manager. My friend immediately cut into it and it was thawed but not good. We were comped with a dessert for the table to share. It was some kinda mush with whip cream on it. So here we are now waiting again for our original server/cleaning lady to appear to get our check. My skirt has long been dried and our plates sit there full of food we slightly picked over except for the mac and cheese. She asks "do you want doggie bags?" Huh? Okay I just about lost it and had to sit on my tongue. I said that was not brisket of beef and everything was cold. "Well, you should've said something earlier" she says and whisks it all away. Soooo, if you want to spend $200 for dinner for 4 and sit close to 3 1/2 hrs. in a noisy place that looks like a cafeteria with TV's, then go ahead. We are done living "social."
(1)
Julia M.
We live near Northside Social and it came recommended by my foodie boss, so we decided to try it. We were a bit apprehensive when we saw there were plenty of tables on a warm summer night at 8pm, but we figured it was probably a late-arriving crowd. The ambience was LOUD despite the few people, and over the next hour as more people arrived it got even louder. The decor is minimalist-elegant in black, white and taupe but the management does not have a dress code. The menu is not large and the prices were more than we expected, but we were able to find entrees that interested us at the lower-priced end of the menu, which ranged from $15 to upwards of $30. The "Chow Down Midtown" event was on, so there was a special prix fixe menu at $30 for salad, entree, dessert and beverage; we did not like any of the offered entrees so we opted out. My husband ordered the beer brisket at $18, which he found mostly very dry and the gravy tasted somewhat canned. I ordered the grilled salmon with a sweet chili glaze at $21--it was tender and nicely grilled, although the glaze was much thinner than I expected and was more sweet than chili. The chef's vegetable that evening was asparagus, which neither of us like, and although they could not provide a substitute vegetable they offered to give us double portions of the starch (mashed potato for him, rice for me), which we accepted. The vegetables were fairly ordinary-tasting, good but nothing special. My husband and I both work in the design industry, and we were surprised at the flatware: an older Myco product, it was very heavy and the stems were cylindrical. The knife and fork kept spinning in our hands as we tried to use them, and it made eating a bit challenging. This difficulty completely dominated the dining experience in a negative way. The service was attentive--water glasses were filled constantly, the food arrived quickly and the waiter was unfailingly polite. We had no complaints there. Overall, we felt that the experience did not live up to either the recommendation or the prices. We will not return. My husband gives them until November before they close.
(2)
ford g.
We had dinner on 5/25/2011 and were looking forward to a quality dinner. We were surprised, the Slow cooked brisket was as dry as a very dry merlot. The steak salad was ok. We were disappointed to say the least. Our server was more interested in socializing than keeping our beverages filled. Atmosphere was nice..
(2)
Tom F.
Swanky, smooth, tasty and groovy. Very nice hip place. You'd never know it used to be a biker bar. It's tastefuly decorated for nice ambience and the food was great. The bone in pork chop is delicious. Get the cornbread for sure. I will definitely revisit.
(4)
Michayla S.
The food here is fantastic, and it is a really classy place. So, why only three stars? Because it is freaking LOUD! The entire place is made out of concrete and an unfinished ceiling that gives it a really cool look. But, those materials make sound echo and carry. There seems to be absolutely zero noise-absorbing materials that I now realize I have taken for granted in my life. The restaurant can be half-full and I'll wish I had earplugs. After the last time we went and could barely have a conversation over the noise of the rest of the full restaurant, I decided I am never going back. Their good food is just not worth it. There are other places that have great food and a nice atmosphere where I can at least hear what other people at my table are saying. If you do decide to go, the wine flights are a fun thing to do, and the service is pretty good. Just show up with some aspirin to treat the headache you're going to get.
(3)
Charles F.
My friend's wife actually picked this place when I wanted to treat him for dinner for his birthday. It was pretty recent at the time (summer) and I was definitely up for a new place. We were lucky enough to get a table outside on a Friday evening since we went a little past the prime dinner hours. Supposedly this is some sort of cougar bar, but that didn't matter to me since I'm all about the food. I had the clay pot fish. While it may not sound very interesting (Fish in a pot??), it was delicious. My friend and his wife enjoyed their food though I can't remember what they had. The wine list seemed to be pretty decent, but I generally don't drink wine at restaurants. This is a place I'll definitely go to again. Maybe I'll even up my rating to 5 stars if I have another great experience. I just have a hard time giving 5 stars upon only a single visit.
(4)
Fi H.
Fantastic atmosphere, but pretty loud so it's hard to have a large group dinner with easy conversation. The food is great, though, so I'll let the loudness slide :) when I'm there it's like I'm in another city! So glad to have this grown up addition to broadripple.
(4)
Dean F.
The Northside Social gets five stars for serving up two very well prepared meals and for the list of craft beer and for the good service. One star is knocked off due to the several TV sports monitors instead music. The decor is clean twenty-first century. The menu is genius and if the staff executes well and if the chef keeps it fresh then it ought to provide nice profits to the owners. This food menu is structured and priced to be able to support a business plan without needing a big lift from the bar's profits. It is an adult establishment. The prices will keep out a lot of the youngsters. There's no bread service except for ala carte corn bread (no thanks). The lack of bread and oil drove us to spend $10 on the flatbread appetizer and that was very good. Again, the cost structure is genius! The brisket & mashed potatoes and the grilled salmon were both excellent comfort food entrees. The asparagus was crisp and fresh. The only fault with the food was a serving of bland rice.
(4)
Aaron K.
A nice space with upscale food and drinks that could be great with a few changes. The cocktail prices were in the $10-12 range which is rather high for Indy. Even at that price they are not using the best liquors nor are they able to make a number of classic cocktails not on the menu (for instance sazerac or gimlet.) A good mixologist and bar manager could really do wonders. The food here is dressed up standards which were prepared well. Nothing mindblowing, but all solid. However, the real stars were the apps. I would recommend ordering a few and doing small plates at your table rather than ordering entrees and pastas. The beer selection here is stellar and includes a number of well known microbrews from the midwest (including Founders and 3 Floyds) both on tap and in the bottle. Overall a nice space which is good for conversations. They have a myriad of TV's which were all thankfully muted. It would be a great place to catch a Colts game during the season.
(3)
Anthony G.
i thoroughly enjoyed my time at this restaurant/bar. the food was delicious and while a bit on the $$$ side it was well worth it. the drinks were also a bit pricey for Indy but blended very well. definitely a step up in aesthetic appeal (both the decor and the crowd) from the standard Indianapolis night spot. the wait staff was overly courteous which was a pleasant change. will definitely be returning.
(4)
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Address :6525 N College Ave
Indianapolis, IN, 46220
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : No Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Whitnie E.
I really enjoyed this place. We came here on Saturday night for a birthday dinner, and the place was so packed, we couldn't even find a spot in the private lot and had to use the bank lanes as parking. This place seemed very intimate, and although our server was brand new, she did a great job. I ordered the cocktail special with included plum wine and a few other ingredients, and it was nice enough. I decided to try the Spicy Thai with Shrimp pasta dish, and ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc to go along with it. Both items were fantastic. Everyone at our table really enjoyed their meals, and there were many empty dishes. If I went again, I would like to try the coconut crusted mahi mahi. I am really looking forward to taking my boyfriend here for a nice, romantic dinner.
(4)Ike T.
Decor was unique, contemporary, and clean. A lot of options on the menu with a lot of mixture of American and Asian flare. My wife and I tried the mussels as an appetizer. We have had better, broth didn't have much flavor. For our entres, my wife had the grilled salmon and I had the brisket. Wife liked the salmon, but I didn't like the brisket. Not very flavorful. Would like to give this place another chance and try a different entre.
(3)Mandy W.
I've been here on two different occasions and had great experiences both times. The service was great and that combined with the interior and decor makes the restaurant feel upscale. One of my favorites on the menu is the mac and cheese - I got it as a side with my last meal and liked it so much I plan to get it as my entree the next time I visit. The only reason this place doesn't get 5 stars is the price. There are other places in the area that I think are a better value.
(4)Kelly O.
Trendy, Great Atmosphere, Great Service. I love this place! The décor is upscale and trendy, the menu offers some amazing tasty options and the service is always on par! On the weekends make a reservation though!!
(4)Terri T.
Another excellent meal in the books! I ordered the mahi-mahi with crab and lobster cream sauce. The mahi was fresh and perfectly cooked. There was just enough crab sauce to please the palate but not overly heavy. My husband ate the Thai shrimp pasta which he noted was full of heat and seafood. We washed our meals down with tasty, refreshing mojitos. I highly recommend the brownie with ice cream (smothered in hot fudge that you pour on yourself!) and the lemon cheesecake (just a hint of lemon). Our server, Amanda, was top-notch and quick with menu recommendations. We will be returning for more!
(5)Benjamin R.
Very good everything, but especially the Gourmet Mac N Cheese. I'm a big fan of mac n cheeses, and I think I can safely say this one was my favorite. Entrée were really good too, and there were lots more that I wanted to try. The atmosphere is cool and slightly upscale. Will come back soon for another round.
(4)Erin Q.
Recently visited Northside Social for my bachelorette party. The location, and the ability to park in a lot, make this destination desirable in Broad Ripple. Once inside, the ambience is nice. It's not loud or cramped, but I can say that the booth side of our table wasn't the most comfortable. They do have plush pillows, but that doesn't leave much room between you and the table. The food was quite good. I had a Caesar salad to start, which was delicious. My entree was the beer brisket, which was smothered in a Guinness stout gravy. The meat may have been a little on the dry side, but it was very tender. The green beans and mashed potatoes were on point. For $21, this entree is very filling and tasty. For dessert, I had the bread pudding, which was incredible.
(4)Jake D.
Recommend. Able to immediately be seated around 6:30 on a Friday, but it quickly filled up around 7:00pm. I had the Mahi Mahi and loved it. I could have eaten two -- only because it was delicious, not because it wasn't enough food. Don't pass this one up. My boyfriend ordered the parmesan chicken and said he enjoyed it. I tried a bite -- very good. We split an a la carte plate of mac and cheese. From previous yelp reviews, I didn't want to miss this. While delicious, i'm glad I didn't order it as a meal. It may have been too much for me. The actual mac meal is $17 while our side was $8, so I recommend you do what we did. It's worth it. The atmosphere was casual. Tennis played on two TV's, which I think is a bit silly. Why do we need TV's everywhere? Overall, I liked the interior design. Very clean, formal, but simple. Candles on every table, some pillows were added to the booths. Large windows, but not much of a view. Service was very polite and helpful. I usually have a few questions, so I appreciated the recommendations. Final thoughts: try it out! Get the Mahi Mahi.
(4)Shaindel S.
Restaurant is nice and food is very good. We have been here several times before. My husband liked his chicken dinner and our friends liked their seafood dinners. I decided to try something different and had the vegetarian dish. I have to say my vegetarian Wellington dish was cold and had to be sent back to be reheated which was disappointing. It was then just ok. The noise level was very high and actually hurt. It seems that the acoustics could be fixed to make a more desirable comfortable noise level. We do enjoy the food but because of the noise, we will not return.
(3)Candace B.
A standard date night spot for my husband and I. Local, high end fare with exceptional presence. The is the place to take the boss, in-laws or anyone you want to impress. Northside social has seasonal features that always please. Menu staple- Gourmet Mac and cheese, Jalapeño cornbread. Order them. Just do it. You'll be glad. Make a reservation as this place is always busy. If you have to wait, grab a cocktail at the bar, their bartenders are class acts.
(4)Sonya A.
I don't know why we hadn't visited the Northside Social before. It's classy and smart and tucked away in the heart of Broad Ripple. They had a great variety of dishes (meat, seafood). Service was lovely and the cocktails were decent. I recommend for a date night or when you want to impress. Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Location: 4/5
(4)Janet S.
We had reservations and were seated immediately. They were going to seat us at the worst table in the restaurant but I asked for another table and it was no problem. Service was excellent We had Julie in the bar. Very experienced and friendly. I had the house salad and the potato crusted Basa. The salad was perfect and the Basa was delicious. My husband had the special and loved it They also were great about substituting the side dishes.. No desert, appetizers or drinks and our tab came to $70 so it's not cheap. But the overall experience was terrific and I would definitely go there to eat again.
(4)Mike F.
Having driven by the Northside Social hundreds of times since its opening some years ago, my mind had conjured many images of men in pastel shirts and blazers, paired with women dressed in Kentucky Derby regalia. I pictured them as pretentious: not "foodie" pretentious, but the martini-sipping, teeny-tiny portion of bland steak-and-potatoes pretentious. The Northside Social didn't appeal to me. There's a reason that a "J" exists in my INTJ Meyers-Briggs personality. It stands for "judging." Being judgmental is a sin. On my brother's Brazilian girlfriend's last night in the United States, she requested to eat something truly American: macaroni and cheese. We searched high and low for the best macaroni and cheese that Indianapolis had to offer. Since the Northside Social is known to have an excellent rendition of macaroni and cheese, I decided to put judgment aside in order to be a gentlemanly host. As I walked into the Northside Social, I saw no one in pastels, and no one was dressed for an afternoon at the country club. I had inspected the menu prior to dining, but I was very impressed by all it had to offer. I was further impressed by the friendliness and speed of the waitstaff. I was liking this restaurant before I'd even taken my first bite. After I took my first bite, I was sold. We started with he cornbread appetizer, which was dessert-like. I then devoured a delicious (and perfectly prepared) Greek salad. Being in a health conscious mood, I opted for the Spicy Spanish Triggerfish. This was the best seafood dish I have had in a very long while. My compliments to the chef, because it was even spicy enough for my discerning, bland-food-hating pallet. Being a true gentleman, I only sampled the macaroni and cheese when it was offered to me. That's probably a good thing, as I was tempted to hijack the entire plate. I mean, it was "that" good--melt in your mouth good. Despite the highfalutin name, the Northside Social defied all of my expectations. It is a culinary gem, and a five-star restaurant experience. I will return, and I suggest you follow suit.
(5)Scott K.
Spicy Korean pork with rice dumplings. Holy s@&z Best meal I have eaten in some time. Pleasing environment with huge windows that make the outside seem to be indoors with you.
(5)Stacy A.
Although we have only eaten here in Easter, I really enjoyed the restaurants atmosphere. The servers were friendly and prompt. The peeps on the Easter Day plates were a thoughtful playful touch. I look forward to trying them again soon!
(4)Mark C.
Food was amazing. Service was amazing. Atmosphere was amazing. (Cornbread was the most amazing) I highly trimmed whether it's a date, work dinner or trying something new. It's not a jeans and t-shirt place, but, a little more dressy (sweater & jeans, polo and slacks). A little pricier (entrees between $21-$28) BUT it's well worth it. I got the coconut crusted mahi and it was delicious. Highly recommend their corn bread as well - you will NOT be disappointed!
(5)Mariam H.
I've been a patron since they first opened, and Northside Social is a consistent dinner winner. I was compelled to finally write a review after my girlfriend held her wedding rehearsal dinner there last week. First off, they were one of the only restaurants in Indy willing to open for a private party on New Year's Day. The staff could have been grumpy buggers about working in a holiday, but instead they were delightful, exceeded expectations. Water always refilled without asking, timely removal of plates, paying special attention to the bride and offering educated drink suggestions are just a few little details I noticed. I have yet to have an entree that I didn't think was absolutely delicious. I've been for many dinners and even special buffet events for holidays like Mother's Day. My favorite entree is by far the potato-crusted basa. It's so savory with a great texture. When I really feel like diet cheating and testing my lactose-intolerance limits I order the gourmet mac and cheese. Holy moly is it a treat! Pig was meant for mac, and they add not only bacon but also prosciutto to this fantastic side offering! The bar offers a niceselection of local beer, big box beer, vino and signature cocktails. The PearSecco is my go-to beverage of choice with it's refreshing melody of sparkling wine, pear vodka and splash of lemon simple syrup. It's a very 'summery' drink, but I love it year-round. I think the cocktail menu is very encompassing of all taste profiles with bourbon, rum vodka and liqueur options. In addition to loving the food, I love the decor. Think sleek, white, dark wood, exposed duct work, great bar to bevy up to and low candle light. They have a few TV's at the bar if you absolutely feel the need to distract yourself from your yummy food or drink. I also highly recommend checking our their sister restaurant next door, the Northside Kitchenette, for lunch and brunch!
(5)Alexandrea P.
Good:ambiance, service Bad: not cheap yet food salad, chicken were rather forgettable
(3)Kristen W.
After 2 visits, I enjoy The Northside Social. My husband loves it, though this is 90% due to the chili mac and cheese which is seriously divine. Skip the abysmal lobster bisque, both times I ordered it it literally had not a single chunk of lobster meat. Overall good food and atmosphere, one of my favorites in Broad Ripple. The interior is definitely loud during weekend evenings, so while it has an intimate appearance it is not the best atmosphere for deep conversations.
(4)Dawn O.
I have been a fan of Northside Social for years and it just keeps getting better. The food is always delicious and the service is outstanding. There are new additions to the menu for the summer and they are delicious. We tried one new appetizer and one entrée and I would order both again. The appetizer was Beef & Bleu Fondue which consisted of seared black angus tenderloin pieces, oven-roasted tomatoes, croutons and bleu cheese sauce. The sauce was so delicious without any of the heaviness that sometimes get associated with bleu cheese. The oven roasted tomatoes where cooked perfectly and were still juicy and sweet. I would definitely get this again and again and again ... The new entrée we tried was Mahi in Dashi Broth which was mahi mahi filet, dashi broth, sugar snap peas, heirloom carrots, green onion, micro greens. It was so flavorful and filling, but still perfectly light for summer. I would definitely order this again. Bonus is Wednesday is 1/2 price bottle of wine night and we enjoyed a wonderful Pali Bulffs Pinot Noir. We also noticed a summer long special for appetizers at the bar are 1/2 price Monday-Saturday from 4-6. We will definitely be taking advantage of that this summer!
(5)Alicia R.
Nice meal. Kristen was our very pleasant server. Calamari steak fries w/ aioli were hot, tender and delicious. I had the Spanish fish dish--healthy and very good flavor. Husband had Thai shrimp pasta dish, also very good. Prices a little on the high side, but meal was well prepared and service was good. Restaurant is kind of loud, probably due to open ceiling. Lighting dim, so reading menu a bit challenging, but low light did afford some dining privacy...
(4)Maria L.
I came once for dinner with a girlfriend and I was very happy with my food. The interior is classy but casual, clean lines and nice staff. I ordered the Famous Beef Brisket (very good) and the Gourmet Mac and Cheese (also good). My waitress had a wine recommendation that paired nicely with my meal. I wish I had an opportunity to go back before I moved but it just never happened, unfortunately.
(4)Amber C.
This hidden gem in Broad Ripple had just the right amount of everything. Great food, an attentive wait staff (thanks Jen!), and a beautiful atmosphere almost made me forget that I was in Indy. We visited late, and sadly, only got to enjoy the late night menu, but I saw several tasty treats that I'm looking forward to sampling when I return. The canyon flatbread was delicious, filling, and enough to share between two people. If you're in the Broad Ripple area, and looking for a classy retreat that's off the beaten path, this former biker bar may be just the right fit for you.
(5)Leslie H.
I was a bit torn on this play. The ambience was great. The chairs, lighting, and exposed ceiling has that modern touch to it. They have a good selection of cocktail drinks, decent selection of wine and a small selection of champagne. The food though was just so-so. What I really like was their corn bread. My hubby had their famous brisket and he said it was just ok. They didn't have the deconstructed banana pie. Our server said that we were the 3rd party to ask for the dessert that night. We had their coconut cake and it was just ok. Overall, they get a 3 from me. It's an ideal place for cocktails, bar area is inviting and that's pretty much it. The server said they will change their menu soon and hopefully they can include the banana dessert.
(3)Andrea J.
Wednesdays is half price wine bottle night for all bottles priced under 60. Woohoo! Who wants food?! Went here with my monthly dinner group, 8 of us, so we had a variety. Started out with the hummus platter and schezewan green beans. Meh. Entrees, Spanish trigger fish, halibut, beef brisket, chicken and gnocchi. I tasted both fish dishes, the tigger fish was better. This restaurant needs to kick it up a notch. If they wanna make ethnic foods they should be bold and go the distance. They seem to fall short on the spice, the sour, the intensity of flavors like olives, peppers. Sigh. And the lighting?! I recommend you carry a flashlight on your visit there. We sat at poorly lit table and literally used our iPhone flashlights to read the menu. Food is a sensory experience, I prefer all mine to participate.
(3)S P.
Torn between 3 and 4 stars.... But I think I'll stick with 3 and try it again on another night. Food was good. Fish was cooked well. Atmosphere was good, cozy on a rainy night. Haven't tried the cigar bar but will go back for that. Service gets weird. On the one hand the bartenders were cool (I sat at the bar while waiting for friends). On the other hand, when I ordered a Stella Artois at the table, they brought it to me in a snifter glass. I was like... that's cool, but do you not have the actual Stella glasses? They were like "no".. So I asked them to just get me a regular glass instead. Long story short, when we got the check there was a $3 "pint upcharge" for the beer and the server was super adamant about the fact that when I switch from a snifter glass into a pint glass that it applies and there's nothing he can do. But this is Stella, this isn't some limited release hop slam deal. In the end, after a weird debate... the manager took the charge off, but I got a kick out of the fact that I could have paid $9 for a Stella that night if I didn't read the bill. Will revisit.
(3)Whitnie E.
I really enjoyed this place. We came here on Saturday night for a birthday dinner, and the place was so packed, we couldn't even find a spot in the private lot and had to use the bank lanes as parking. This place seemed very intimate, and although our server was brand new, she did a great job. I ordered the cocktail special with included plum wine and a few other ingredients, and it was nice enough. I decided to try the Spicy Thai with Shrimp pasta dish, and ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc to go along with it. Both items were fantastic. Everyone at our table really enjoyed their meals, and there were many empty dishes. If I went again, I would like to try the coconut crusted mahi mahi. I am really looking forward to taking my boyfriend here for a nice, romantic dinner.
(4)Ike T.
Decor was unique, contemporary, and clean. A lot of options on the menu with a lot of mixture of American and Asian flare. My wife and I tried the mussels as an appetizer. We have had better, broth didn't have much flavor. For our entres, my wife had the grilled salmon and I had the brisket. Wife liked the salmon, but I didn't like the brisket. Not very flavorful. Would like to give this place another chance and try a different entre.
(3)Kelly O.
Trendy, Great Atmosphere, Great Service. I love this place! The décor is upscale and trendy, the menu offers some amazing tasty options and the service is always on par! On the weekends make a reservation though!!
(4)Allison F.
The Brisket is good, as is the cornbread. It's not my favorite spot, but if I was invited to go again, I would.
(3)Anna Z.
Elegant and relaxed. This place is pretty fancy and upscale. My Moscow mule is super tasty just wish it was spicer. The bartender, Jason, is super friendly and outgoing.
(5)Gigi H.
Excellent food and service. I defiantly would recommend to friends. We both had one of the fish selections. Both were very flavorful and moist. Beautiful aromatic presentation. The service was impeccable. Will come again soon.
(5)Terri T.
Another excellent meal in the books! I ordered the mahi-mahi with crab and lobster cream sauce. The mahi was fresh and perfectly cooked. There was just enough crab sauce to please the palate but not overly heavy. My husband ate the Thai shrimp pasta which he noted was full of heat and seafood. We washed our meals down with tasty, refreshing mojitos. I highly recommend the brownie with ice cream (smothered in hot fudge that you pour on yourself!) and the lemon cheesecake (just a hint of lemon). Our server, Amanda, was top-notch and quick with menu recommendations. We will be returning for more!
(5)Benjamin R.
Very good everything, but especially the Gourmet Mac N Cheese. I'm a big fan of mac n cheeses, and I think I can safely say this one was my favorite. Entrée were really good too, and there were lots more that I wanted to try. The atmosphere is cool and slightly upscale. Will come back soon for another round.
(4)Michael C.
We went here for the first time recently and I'd be happy to go again. The food is tasty and the service is good. Prices are reasonable for the quality, and the atmosphere is really nice in that it's upscale without being too either too trendy or formal. It hits the sweet spot.
(4)Sara N.
We went here tonight and had average food, ok service and completely terrible service on behalf of the manager( not our server!). First issue: We had a reservation for 4 at 6:45 and instead of sitting us at the 5 other 4 tops available we were sat right beside the front door and told that those other tables were reserved! Oh really? What about our reservation? Nope can't do anything, sorry. Fine we sat down. We ordered cocktails, don't bother, they were all sub par, not worth it, get something else. This is a recurrent theme, but we decided to try it again assuming perhaps they knew how to make drinks now. Nope. Worst part of the evening: When someone orders a $75 bottle of wine and expects a 2012 vintage, it is not ok to just pawn off a 2013 version and think it's just an honest mistake. I don't really care if this was a misprint on the menu or the wine distributors mistake. My server is not the one responsible for comparing the bottle and match it to the wine list, the list should match the wine brought out, period. If you are going to offer wines that are above $50/bottle you should expect people know what they are ordering. A 2012 and a 2013 is not the same. This is unacceptable, and to not even offer us a free app or comp our bottle was outright wrong and tone deaf. We will not be back here.
(1)KEN S.
The food here is amazing. Everything was presented with detail, and the service was on top of things. I have to recommend the corn bread! There something magical in!
(5)Bob L.
Outstanding. Nice variety on the menu. Excellent cocktails. Food was delicious. Easy to get a reservation. Comfortable tables and very pleasant service.
(5)William W.
My wife and I love The Northside Social for date night or an evening out with friends. It's a couple of notches above pub food but it's not super expensive. We love the hummus & tapenade appetizer followed by a a salad & shared entree. Good wines & desserts, too. And, we love supporting local restaurant...no problem doing so when they are this good.
(4)Cristina P.
We were here visiting and celebrating a birthday. Really excited for a night out all together with a big group. The atmosphere was great, amazing energy (especially considering we ate on the earlier side). Drinks all tastes really good - despite the Moscow Mules not being served in copper mugs with crushed ice (which *are* two signature components). But when it came to the food it was awful. The beef brisket (a signature dish) was incredibly dry, as was the Chicken chorizo and manchego dish. The scallops had little flavor. And to make matters worse, there was a HAIR found in the chicken!! Our server was OK but did very little to help make the situation better. The hostesses on the way out were also made aware of the situation and literally looked at us with a blank face. There were 8 of us and we were an expensive table, shame nothing was done to help make it a little better. Needless to say we will NOT be back and will not recommend it.
(2)Kinsey C.
What a great spot for a romantic date or a celebratory dinner with the family. I decided to take my honey out for a nice dinner since he had been stuck at work late one night. He had mentioned wanting to try this place, so I called ahead and made a reservation. It turns out, we really didn't need one. We went at 7:30 of a Thursday and the place was pretty bare. The hostess sat us at a two-top near the main walkway in the restaurant, and since it wasn't busy we asked to be moved to a more secluded table. The hostess was happy to accommodate us. I ordered a glass of sparkling wine and my boyfriend got the French Canadian cocktail. We both enjoyed our drinks. Then we split the a la carte gourmet mac and cheese as an appetizer. it was really great mac and cheese, but I'm not a big onion fan so I had to pick them out of my dish. For an entree, we decided to split the Champagne Chicken. It was delicious! A chicken breast stuffed with creamy cheese and then covered in a butter champagne sauce with a side of roasted potatoes and asparagus? Perfection. The price, $22, was pretty steep for what you got, but it was still delicious. We topped off dinner with a brownie sundae, which at $10 was overpriced for the value. This restaurant with chic decor and good ambiance. One thing mentioned in previous reviews was the amount of TVs and how it cheapened the restaurant. I have to agree. I don't like my date looking over my shoulder at the TV an a restaurant like this. Lose the TVs, this isn't a sports bar! All in all: good food, good ambiance, but not a great value for what you receive. Still, it's worth checking out, and I will be back again for sure!
(4)Lorand M.
Excellent service....the server was hilarious and played very well with this rather smart ass-ish customer ! I wish I could remember her name....darnit ! Food.... a matter of taste to be sure....as this place does very well and is often very crowded. I just did not care for the food at all....the pork tenderloin lacked a "bark" or nice crunchy exterior....the sauce accompanying was god awful sweet. Asparagus was properly cooked..but just did not fit with the "wintery" pork dish....I think I would have gone with brussels sprouts with pancetta....more salty and substantial. My date for this evening thought her steak rather un-exceptional and way over salted:( Wine list was somewhat pedestrian....but that is the way it is in Indy....I don't understand why restaurants don't invest in their wine selections.....e.g. Recess with their wine pairings...are always very interesting !
(3)Scot C.
One of Broad Ripple's classiest eateries, I really enjoyed this place. My girlfriend and I came here for a romantic dinner and this was a perfect spot. The Northside Social has a great ambiance, I felt really at home here; I really appreciated the background music, too! I ordered a cocktail before dinner, 'The French Canadian,' and this French-Canadian though it was a real treat! (that's me!) We shared the Mac&Cheese for a starter - which was really good - and the Champagne Chicken for our main. I was really impressed! The chicken was prepared very well, along with some tasty sides. However, I thought it was really weird that this type restaurant had televisions all over the place, it detracted from the overall theme and creates a portal of distraction from what you should really be focused on: your company and your delicious food! I also thought that although the food was excellent, it was a bit pricey for the level of satisfaction. Overall, I highly recommend for your romantic/intimate dinner night or just a unique epicurean adventure.
(4)Troy P.
Visited the Northside Social for the first time in years. And I have to admit I am not sure why it had been so long! The food was excellent. The beef and blue fondue appetizer was as good as I remember, homemade croutons, balsamic roasted tomatoes, and perfectly cooked beef served with skewers and blue cheese fondue dip, YUM! And for dinner, I gambled and ordered the Thai Shrimp Fettuccine and I say gamble because I don't have good luck ordering pasta out. Honestly, one of the best pasta dishes I have had in years, the shrimp was perfectly cooked, the pasta was perfectly al dente. I even asked for the chef so I could pay him my compliments on a perfectly created dish. And my wife had the gourmet mac and cheese and it was every bit as god as I remembered it.. I highly recommend this place, we will be back!
(5)Mandy W.
I've been here on two different occasions and had great experiences both times. The service was great and that combined with the interior and decor makes the restaurant feel upscale. One of my favorites on the menu is the mac and cheese - I got it as a side with my last meal and liked it so much I plan to get it as my entree the next time I visit. The only reason this place doesn't get 5 stars is the price. There are other places in the area that I think are a better value.
(4)Tony J.
Had dinner here last Thursday night. The inside feels romantic, classy, and cozy with its dark wood, white table cloth and candle light. I can see this as a good choice for perhaps a romantic dinner date or even a group event dinner or something in the Broad Ripple area. Service is very nice, and parking seem relatively easier compared to other BR restaurants along the main drag. We started with a wedge of corn bread and spicy green beans, both good but nothing special. Then I ordered the brisket while the wife had the trigger fish. My brisket was very tender and has that distinct stout taste, though the sides of mash potato and green beans they serve it with were boring. The wife did enjoy the trigger fish with the tad citrusy sauce. For dessert, we got the bread pudding which tasted good but very ordinary. It could have been slightly better if it was served with ice cream instead of just whipped cream and maybe a bit more caramel sauce. The sangria was quite weak, the bloody mary tasted good, and the moscow mule is fine, if you like ginger beer. Overall experience was good but as for the food, at least based on what we had and considering the price we paid, there are much better and exciting dining options in the area.
(3)Ashley J.
I live about 3 blocks from here which means I'm here...A LOT. From the hostess to the server to the bartender everyone is always super friendly. Last time I had the clay pot fish...it was cooked perfectly, but didn't have a ton of flavor. The time before that I had the curry scallops. It might be the best thing I have ever eaten...or at least the best scallops. Go try it! They have a great wine selection and the drinks are strong.
(5)Rachel C.
This place is not bad but not great. Appetizer mussels were very tasty. Seared scallops with risotto entree could have been better. But I'm picky about both. Scallops were chewy yet somehow undercooked and risotto was not very creamy. And they charge a split-plate fee which I think is kind of lame.
(3)Sheena F.
We just moved into the area and have started to explore delicious dinner options...Northside Social is on the list. I believe our reservation was around 8ish on a Friday night, but we got there a little early. No problemo...the place was definitely busy but we were able to snag a place at the bar for a beer or two. I was a fan of the good selection of local craft beers. They had a red by the name of Robert the Bruce that was particularly tasty...wish I could remember the brewery! On to the food! My hubby got the brisket - which was misnomer as it was not actually brisket - it was pot roast. A very good pot roast with plenty of flavor and veggies, but I feel the need to deduct a star because of the false advertising haha. I had the scallops, which were just OK. Probably my fault for ordering seafood in landlocked Indiana, I'll learn eventually. However, the absolute highlight was the random side we decided to order...the mac and cheese. It was GREAT! Bacon, 4 types of cheese, onions, bread crumbs - I was in heaven! I couldn't decide whether to give 3 or 4 stars. The meal probably deserves 3, but they'll get a 4 from me because of the to die for mac and cheese as well as the fun & energetic ambiance :)
(4)Bob F.
Jessica was our server and she made it an excellent experience. The mussels were perfectly cooked and well seasoned. Scallop entree was also very good. Enjoyed the sweet potato hash. Atmosphere is good - somewhat trendy but not overdone. I will go back to try what look to be some interesting menu items.
(4)Bryan W.
Stopped in to this place for dinner with some friends. I was slightly concerned with some of the reviews, but the food quickly erased all those fears. I had the cornbread, potato crusted basa, and bread pudding. We all shared each others food and loved them. The only complaint I could possibly have is, their sides need a little work. Don't get me wrong, I love broccolini and mashed potato's, but everything came with a combination of that, cauliflower, or dill new potato's. If they can come up with some new sides, 5 stars easily. Highly recommend you stop in.
(4)Rochelle S.
This is a fun place. Terrific atmosphere. Fun drinks. Delish food. A great place to start your night.
(4)Joshua F.
Overpriced, mediocre food. The real kicker is that the waitress mentioned that the menu is "seasonal." Uhh, no it's not. The menu might change but it definitely is not seasonal. On 03/02/13, the menu had entrees with sides such as asparagus and summer squash and zucchini - that's not seasonal, that's SYSCO. Also, all I really needed to know about the place was that not every entree dish had its own unique sides. Asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes - on multiple entrees? Yikes.
(2)Alex G.
For $100 (including tip) I've experienced much better food. The service was great but the $22 "Famous Brisket" was glorified roast beef that my crock pot could easily compete with. With all of the great food in Broad Ripple for a reasonable price I don't see myself going back.
(2)Scott M.
Northside Social is an odd combination of upscale and casual ... cushy leather chairs, swanky style yet lots of TVs mounted on the walls. For the most part, it pulls it off. The dress code appeared to be officially "pretty much anything you want," as we saw nearly formally-dressed customers alongside those wearing baseball hats & shorts. Service was friendly and gave us just the right amount of attention on a Saturday evening. Based on the wide range of reviews here on Yelp, I didn't really know what to expect from the food. It was very good! The feta + hummus appetizer was too expensive for the amount of food received, but it had an AMAZING olive tapenade that I'm pretty sure would even make my shoe taste great. The clay pot fish was excellent as was the halibut cheeks entree ... I liked the cheeks ever-so-slightly more yet my wife preferred the clay pot dish. Either way, we were very pleased with both selections. We splurged on the chocolate brownie + ice cream dessert and while it might not have been anything overly innovative, the brownie was warm, soft, and delicious. The dessert portion size was superb for sharing. The wine list wasn't huge but it hit the main varietals fairly well with good by-the-glass prices and some affordable bottles. Overall, I'd be happy to return to Northside Social for dinner. Prices could be a little lower but the overall experience was a good enough for me to look the other way ... and that olive tapenade, wow.
(4)Nobuko K.
I was visiting Indianapolis, and a friend of my boyfriend took us there. I enjoyed my Mediterranean salad and Mediterranean Linguini. These items were perfect as I was not too hungry and I was looking for something that is on the lighter side. I especially enjoyed the Linguini. The sauce (white wine based, I think) was excellent, and I enjoyed the vegetables in it. If I were more hungry, I would have gone for the early bird special prix fix menu! Also the interior and the atmosphere were great. I could see this place can be a nice spot for romantic dinner.
(4)Dan N.
food was fresh but lacked flavor. There is nothing special about this place for what you pay.
(2)Carey C.
This is solid, but based on our expectations we were a bit underwhelmed. Reservations recommended on WE. The cocktails were disappointing in spite of the hype. Mine was fairly watery. The green bean appetizer was the highlight. Definitely get it! My wife had their signature brisket - it essentially is a (overly salty) pot roast. Fine, but not something worthy of signature dish. I had grouper and it was very good and a huge piece of fish - close to 12 oz or more. Nicely prepared. Our wait staff was fine but wrestled with opening our wine and broke the cork. We'll give it another try.
(3)Machelle H.
Great food, hip place, would have given more stars if the service were better. It was super slow. They need to change the lighting for a few tables where the bulbs are blinding halogens; and the tables by the windows at night offer the ugly glare of parking lots lights. We moved. We were visiting on a night with lots of big groups which made our service suffer and our food came out a bit tepid. But overall -we've been there other times and the food was great. The tasty food will have us coming back.
(4)Tiffany B.
Totally disappointed after hearing other people say good things about it. Service was slow and forgetful, prices really high for what you got and most offensive was a split charge. If I was at the Cordon Bleu, I might expect this, but this is Indianapolis and there were 8 people having multiple drinks, appetizers, salads and entrees. As for the chow, it was ok- some fish pate of sorts (appetizer) was a little too pungently fishy and from what I saw or sampled from my table mates, everything looked to have bready coatings or sauces--to me, a sign that the quality of the food is off. If you are presenting fresh product, you don't have to cover it under a mountain of other stuff. It was my friend's birthday, and rather than just charging us a table fee for the homemade cupcakes one of our party brought, it was outright refused. We had to tailgate in the parking lot for the birthday cupcakes. For a place that is trying so hard to represent classy, this joint is NOT representin'. Take a page out of the Nordstrom's book on customer service and satisfaction. No way in h*ll I go back to this place with the bad taste it left in my mouth.
(2)Christine B.
We made reservations for around 8:30pm on a Friday night. My husband and I got right in. The places was crowded and loud but lively, not too loud. Our waitress was very nice and very knowledgeable about the menu. I was pleased with the selection and pricing. Most entrees are under $25. Honestly, I wanted to try one of everything on the menu. Drinks were yummy. I had the English mustard chicken which is kind of like a cordon-blue. Delicious. The sauce, amazing. The asiago potato cake is a must try. Most dishes are served with it and asparagus. We also ordered the adult mac and cheese side which is big enough for two people to share. My husband had the famous beer brisket and he really liked it. On a first trip, this place easily became one of our favorites in Indy. One week later, we took our folks here and everyone liked their meal. I had the manchengo chorizo chicken, delicious again! This place attracts a very affluent crowd, but isn't pretentious. I like the fact that the menu is in plain English and I don't have to have a fluency in french to understand it. It's female owned and she also owns the kitchenette next door and Delicia in So Bo, another favorite of ours.
(5)Jon A.
"Dammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmn was the crowd hyphy...." Yea...E-40 could write a hip-hopera based on his findings of civilization at the Northside Social. I'm down to stave off the Lexus-driven cougars and pumas from the Exotic Feline sanctuary in Western Indiana, who ask, "who is your Tiger?" to eat here, to drink here, to pray/prey upon the bread pudding here. I'll figure out a way to get cozy at the bar here before I'll ever sit, aka get crammed into a table for two here. The bar service is top notch here (which as a result if you order a drink at a table...prepare to nosh on some damn fine tapenade while a wait for your drink happens). We deterred the 90 minute wait for a table with our lumberjack-ness of being able to sit out on the patio between two ferns. (Life note: when an establishment offers that, "there's no wait for a table if...." take it, because whatever their options are -- say, in smoking section, outside, inside, or amongst the detoured bus of geriatrics dropped off from the defunct MCL -- is no doubt better than waiting an obscene length, eh?). So, outside we go. Unfortunately, our waitress didn't make it. We were served better and more often by the food runners and hosts (good form by them!). I was pretty certain that this place would exist to me solely for it's weeknight beer and bread pudding appeal (local midwest micros on draft...Bell's Sparkling Ale being the hi-lite...beyond that...every other beer is over-priced...as in $6 Guiness). I found their wine flight ($15) attractive -- four wines of any choice. It's just simply frustrating that the entrees say, "chef's choice of side." I mean...even if this chef chose a bedazzled gimlet of marinated Kardashian...it's annoying. I want control! I want choice! What if the chef likes Kourtney over Kim? Disastrous. Who says I can't have fries as the side with my pork chop? I'm droppin $17 for this chop...I want fries. Let alone, a bottle of Heinz on my table with my fries. However good the potatoes & asparagus were...I wanted fries (O, and they screwed up the side and brought out the asparagus separately). The chef isn't Daniel Boloud or even the most recent Iron Chef winner ya know.... And, really, why do you think you're too good for Heinz bottles on the table? I guess I'm asking for the Devil in a Catholic Church here...or at least that's what they made me feel like. I watched a trio walk in, walk out immediately & say, "yeah...the crowd use to be a lot younger here." The place has been open for a few months now...I'd say it's always trended a bit old...which is okay really...they're amazing to watch...as they're concerned more about imagery than bread pudding. As we sit their and devour the bread pudding, I began to be really thankful this place is so popular...because it offers up so much people watching...and the bartenders enjoyed the reprieve of being hit on all night (and every time they stepped outside too they realized the respite from the cacophony of middle-aged mingling was as nourishing as the bread pudding we were eating). Did I mention the bread pudding? Notes: Outside for a quiet romantic dinner (be prepared to ask the service to turn down the patio music) with the lovely backdrop of a drunk parking lot, a gas station & a credit union (which reminds me of the bizarre choice of location for this place -- a gentrification of a deadbeat strip mall...what a triumph!). Inside for people watching of speed dating, or speed dating itself, or cozy bar corner with bartender who loves you for not being a mingler. Price: hefty. It didn't hurt so bad b/c I expected it but it's hefty -- bottom line. I will not buy my fries a la carte (nor will I call them frites damnit!) out of principle...so join me in demanding them as a side for anything you order! Service: Sit at the bar or you'll be disappointed & you'll feel weird about the tip because you feel like you should give it to the host who worked harder. Full dinner at the bar...and plenty of room too...wonderful wide and long stone-slab bar. Cut through all the clutter of this place & it proves there are two essentials in life, and they are what earn stars -- bread pudding & bar service.
(4)Josh S.
We went here with a large group on a Saturday for my birthday. The service we received was excellent. Our waiter was prompt and had no problems splitting the bill and keeping everyone happy. Our food came out fast and all together. Everyone really enjoyed their food and the Sea Bass I had was excellent. Loved the decor and a nice selection at the bar. We will be going back
(5)Lauren T.
Great signature cocktails and fish dishes!
(4)Kelly O.
This was my first stop at the Northside Social. Tucked into a little strip mall area, this is a cute place. I was meeting my friend Lindsay here- she's a local and it was her idea so it had to be good. It was packed, we sat in the bar area because it was like 8pm and we had no time to wait for a table. The service was great- the Bloody Mary's were spot on spicy. LOVE it. We shared some flat bread pizza- lovely and not greasy or too cheesy either. Then we split (it was late) a cheeseburger- very good although I will be honest I was NOT digging the flat -bread it was served on; IMO burgers belong on a bun. Enough said. NOT toast. Just sayin. The fries were good but - kind of small in portion size. We shared the "Banana Cream Pie" for dessert and I put it in quotes because you will see from the picture that they have made it an EXPERIENCE. Unreal. Delicioso. Overall- I liked it. I am laughing at the review from Jon A because yes I did see a whole lot of "Cougar-Esque" types here definitely seeming to be on the prowl. Too funny. Next time I'm trying the bread pudding....
(4)Jim B.
First time visitor to this new (01/2010) restaurant on College Avenue in Broad Ripple. Attended a company party that had the restaurant provide great appetizers, sushi, pizza, a good variety of foods. Full bar with very helpful bar staff. Seemed to be well staffed with pros who know what they are doing and seemed to be enjoying working there on a busy Thursday night. Will definitely be going again soon to check it out during a regular evening when its not quite as crowded.
(4)Ashley S.
I am so disappointed! I haven't lived in Indianapolis for about 13 years, but have been trying to plan some events for a bride where I'm one of her bridesmaids. I wanted to have a nice evening for just the girls and was wanted a place that was chic, with good food, and where we could get the night started. My parents had told me about this place and even offered to swing by for an evening to check out the food. I called to find out if they took reservations--and they don't--but explained that we were going to be a small group for an event where I would be inviting people. The last thing I wanted was to invite people where we had plans for after dinner and be standing around waiting for a table. When I explained this to the hostess she basically told me best of luck. My parents, always wanting to help out, also tried to see what we could do for an event. For a THURSDAY night, they offered us a small table for up to 10 people FOR TWO HOURS ONLY for a minimum of $500. I'm sorry, $500 minimum for a DINNER table in INDIANAPOLIS on a THURSDAY night...someone had to be pulling my leg!!! Even if we weren't going to make it to dinner here I still wanted to check the place out eventually, but now I'm so turned off by how unaccommodating they are I can guarantee I will NEVER be spending money here!
(1)D h.
the northside is a very difficult place to like, even though the food is pretty good and they have a good beer list. the parking lot, crammed with jaguars, range rovers, audis, etc. is the first indicator of what to expect. the second is the somewhat snotty hostess(es) that are immediately to the left once you enter. if you don't have a reservation, expect to be treated as a second class citizen. they will seat you at or in the bar area, more on that in a minute. there is a black & white theme, very simple. lower eating tables to the east of the entrance, a row of high tables along the windows on the west wall, than a 4' divider wall containing the bar area in the northwest corner. there is outdoor seating. most all of the tables aside from the round high tables in the bar area are reserved. the actual bar is in the shape of an "L" and has a brushed steel bar top, no rail. the bar back sticks with the theme and is very simple. just some shelves, couple 42" hdtvs, and a mirror that is too high to be useful. anything i've eaten has been above average. in addition to a fair list of craft/fancy beers, they also have the usual domestics. aside from the hostess, the waiters and bartenders are all friendly and attentive. the other patrons are the real reason for the two stars. bless them for having some money, but i can do without the look-at-me screaming and laughing. there are just too many blazers with jeans, donald trump hair, and short-short dresses on bodies with badly wrinkled knees. stuffy is the first word that comes to mind to describe the atmosphere, but these place/people are definitely not dull. a more appropriate word would be elitist, but that sounds very harsh. bottom line is the northside is packed with middle aged douches, single and married, who are more concerned with their experience than others (bumping into you while waiting in the bar, screaming over your table to one another, etc.). maybe i just liked the previous building occupants too much, but they are gone and the northside is here. it's just their place, not mine.
(2)Kara F.
I went to Northside Social for the first time for the first half of the Butler Final Four game. It was a time I didn't want to be distracted by lousy food or service, and Northside delivered a nice experience. It's funny - it was a way classier place than I thought it would be from driving by it a lot. A sign outside the door reads "Proper dress required," so I hesitantly asked the hostess if jeans were okay. They were, don't worry. Our waitress was nice, even though she didn't stop by too often, but that was okay since we were watching the game anyway. Maybe she was trying not to bug us too much? Not sure, but I guess that would have been thoughtful. She definitely didn't rush us at all. My boyfriend and I split a beer flight, so we chose 4 samples of beer out of probably 12 possibilities. We also split an a la carte order of gourmet macaroni and cheese and, after much deliberation since so many entrees looked great, the brisket. We didn't get charged the $5 plate splitting fee listed in the menu, which was a nice surprise! The brisket was great - nice and tender. We asked for extra sauce, but even without that it would have been good. The gourmet macaroni did not disappoint, and I was skeptical going in about how good it was actually going to be. Absolutely delicious! I doubt it can be topped, in fact! I will be back for more!
(4)Jay A.
So every so often I return to Indianapolis to visit family, and every time I experience severe culture shock. Yes, I truly belong in LA. First, I'll forgive this place for sporting a truly uninspired name. That said, there wasn't much to praise about this place. We arrive, a party of 5. Not an unusual number for a restaurant, no? Well the hostess wants to simply put a 5th chair on the end of a table for 4...and there would have been no room for us to all fit, legs under the table where they belong. An empty table set for 6 is next to the too-small table, and we inquire about using that one. No, the table that is set for six is used for parties of 7 to 8. Yeah I don't get that either, but 15 minutes later the hostess got 3 other people to put 2 other tables together to accommodate us. The place was almost empty, mind you. The table ordered a cornbread skillet to share. While it tasted good, this is way too much food. Seriously, it was like a cornbread birthday cake sliced for 6 slices. Huge. Our party had some serious eaters in it, yet quite a bit went to waste. Simply too much food. My father ordered a salad. It was not what I would call a salad, as it had one long piece of romaine lettuce on it and then some meat. Gross, and definitely a ripoff. Entrees were a mixed bag. While I cannot recall the exact names, the following dishes were ordered: 1) Hot pot fish (x2) 2) Brisket 3) Ribeye** 4) Spicy Penne in a Light Creamy Vodka sauce with chicken Hot pot fish was well-liked. Really good according to the two ladies who had it. My father ordered the ribeye, and he thought it was good, but "adequate." Nothing groundbreaking here, but nothing glaring, either. The brisket was universally panned. Brisket is supposed to be slow-cooked, imparting a very tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. This "brisket" was deemed to really be sliced pot roast, as it was dry and chewy. The diner and his wife (she had a bite) were not happy. The penne ala vodka with chicken was also not what actually came out. There was no cream added to the sauce at all. This was straight-up red marinara sauce, not the classic pink sauce one would expect from a penne ala vodka dish. It was edible, but not what was ordered. Penne was really small in diameter, a little over-cooked, and the chicken was super dry. The sauce was NOT a "light creamy vodka sauce" as advertised, and instead was a marinara sauce. It wasn't awful, but had I known what I would be served, I would have ordered something else. Note on entrees: if you want to split an entree, they charge you $5+ to split. This is outrageous, even in Los Angeles (it happens, but it's not really common). This place is not of a caliber where this would be expected, and it reeked of pretension. For dessert, several bread puddings were ordered and split. No one was wowed; this is very average bread pudding. It had caramel drizzle on top, and it is honestly too sweet. The whipped cream on the side was loaded with confectioner's sugar and was deemed inedible by everyone. Each order of bread pudding was split by 2 people, though not one plate was finished more than 50%. This portion size was more out-of-control than the cornbread skillet. I don't like places that charge super high prices for mediocre-at-best food, while serving so much of it that much goes to waste. NO ONE could eat the portions at this restaurant as part of a healthy diet. This is also not health food. Service was slow and uneven, prices high, pretentious factor cranked up to level 12...just no. I'll waste my money on a place with better food than what I can make at home, thank you so much. **Edited to correct an inaccuracy. Ribeye is not brisket. Update: I just spoke with a few friends who recently dined here, and they had the same reaction to the penne pasta dish, though theirs didn't have chicken. Like me, they were expecting an item described as having a light, creamy sauce to actually have a light, creamy sauce...but instead they also received a chunky, tomato/marinara sauce. While not bad, it was not what was ordered. Maybe Northside Social needs to educate their chef on the menu, or maybe they should just change the menu to reflect what the chef feels like serving.
(1)Richard H.
You know, maybe I just hit it on a lucky night (Thursday), but I really liked this place. It's a pleasant atmosphere -- as Scott says, a little upscale but very casual and inviting. The service was friendly and fast, and our server really knew the menu. Everything we ordered was quite well prepared. The menu may not be exciting, but it's fairly varied, and the appetizers sounded and looked great. Next time, we may just do a table of appetizers. The one thing that I strongly disliked -- and I say strongly -- is that TVs are everywhere. Why do restaurants feel that they have to have even one TV? I can kind of deal with a TV or two in the bar area, but The Northside Social has them throughout the dining room as well, and for a place trying to pass itself off as casually elegant, their presence pulls it way down.
(4)Curt C.
The place aspires to be nice and the food was good. The service was so-so but I got over that. There are television sets, spewing their moving images (!), all over the place. Tasteless and utterly unnecessary in my opinion. I found it to be a bit expensive -- especially in light of the upgraded sports-bar feel of the place.
(3)Josh V.
Came here for a celebration dinner and was completely disappointed. The atmosphere is nice. We weren't able to put our finger on it but it was fresh, clean, modern, yet classic in a way. The only problem we noticed was that as it got busier the place got louder. It ended up sounding like we were eating in a high school cafeteria. Our server was very ho-hum, definitely not excited to be at work and made no effort to connect with us as guests. The menu has some promising choices but all fell short of expectations. I ordered the grilled meatloaf. The marsala mushroom sauce was fantastic, potatoes and asparagus were on par with what I expected, the meatloaf however had no flavor at al. I was hoping for the perfect balance of flavors but it was really just small textured chunks covered in the marsala. They could have used pre-cooked frozen beef patties and it would have tasted the same. My friends' meals all had the same story. Take an inventive idea then ruin it by falling short on the rest of the dish. At the end of meal we felt rushed to leave. Our server even came to pick up the credit card slips before we left. As I was once a server myself, I think that's a pretty rude move on her part. There were plenty of open tables in the dining room and bar area. Overall, it's not worth coming back to. I can give the service the benefit of doubt but the food is at best hit or miss. 3 meals and not one met or exceeded expectations. Those aren't chances that I want to take again.
(1)Michael G.
The basa (fish) is out of this world. Nice atmosphere, good drink selections, great apps.
(4)Schreiber C.
Quite possibly the worst meal I've ever had . . . . and I've dined in just about every state and abroad. I couldn't even complain about it because our server (who posed as a janitor) disappeared until it was time for our check. My niece and her husband along with my girlfriend from Florida were visiting and my niece picked this place because "it's always full of people on the weekends." I'm wondering if any of them ever come back. We ordered cocktails and my friend and I had a simple vodka on the rocks with olives. Mine came with olives, hers did not so I shared. As I was reaching for the glass for my first sip, over it went onto the uncovered table and on to my skirt with no napkins around except those placed underneath the drinks. I sat there a long while and couldn't ever trip a server passing by. Finally got a replacement and another $9.00 charge. It took 20 mins. before our server got our dinner order, another 35 mins for our order to come up. I ordered the Beef Brisket because it had a box around it, usually reserved for house specialties. This was a cheap ass chuck roast, overcooked, dry, hard and stringy. It was swimming in what tasted like canned gravy. There were some kind of very cold thick lumpy potatoes and cold broccoli rob. My niece's husband got fish in a pot and we tasted it and spit it out. It was swimming in wine that had not been reduced and I cannot imagine why any chef who actually went to school would think that was delicious. My friend got a ribeye, med. rare and check this out . . .it was not only grey like it had been nuked, it was FROZEN inside!! Unbelievable! After trying a good long while to get a server, any server, we got the steak turned back with a "humpff" and a question, who's your server? Another 30 min. wait and we all felt sorry for eating in front of our friend, not our meals but our niece's. Yep, we all shared her main dish order of macaroni and cheese. Okay so we are now in here for 2 1/2 hrs. and her steak arrives presented gold platter style by the manager. My friend immediately cut into it and it was thawed but not good. We were comped with a dessert for the table to share. It was some kinda mush with whip cream on it. So here we are now waiting again for our original server/cleaning lady to appear to get our check. My skirt has long been dried and our plates sit there full of food we slightly picked over except for the mac and cheese. She asks "do you want doggie bags?" Huh? Okay I just about lost it and had to sit on my tongue. I said that was not brisket of beef and everything was cold. "Well, you should've said something earlier" she says and whisks it all away. Soooo, if you want to spend $200 for dinner for 4 and sit close to 3 1/2 hrs. in a noisy place that looks like a cafeteria with TV's, then go ahead. We are done living "social."
(1)ford g.
We had dinner on 5/25/2011 and were looking forward to a quality dinner. We were surprised, the Slow cooked brisket was as dry as a very dry merlot. The steak salad was ok. We were disappointed to say the least. Our server was more interested in socializing than keeping our beverages filled. Atmosphere was nice..
(2)Tom F.
Swanky, smooth, tasty and groovy. Very nice hip place. You'd never know it used to be a biker bar. It's tastefuly decorated for nice ambience and the food was great. The bone in pork chop is delicious. Get the cornbread for sure. I will definitely revisit.
(4)Kristen Y.
Okay, so I want to love this place but it really doesn't measure up. Northside Social totally succeeds as a bar. It's well-lit, the drinks are great and interesting (they had a special tap of a Sun King exclusive a few weeks ago--The Grapefruit Jungle...amazing!), and the staff is friendly. On the other hand, the restaurant does not measure up. I've been there a handful of times now, and every appetizer and entree I've had is overpriced and not what the menu promises. I ordered a Mediterranean sampler (with tapenade, hummus, pita, and fresh veggies). It cost $12 and they gave us about $4 worth (only a dollop of each spread--enough for 1.5 people). Not cool. Last time I was there, I ordered a Greek salad with pulled chicken and the meat was so bad, I could not eat it (literally, it just sat in a pile on the side of my plate--and it cost $5 extra!). The salad consisted of iceberg lettuce with chickpeas, which is not the traditional Greek salad that we all know and love. Maybe it has just been my personal menu selections that haven't been up to par, but it really is a disappointment. They do have desserts that are out of this world though. The bread pudding is worth the trip; my advice, just go for drinks and dessert instead of a full dinner. Overall: it is certainly not terrible, just not as good as it has potential to be.
(3)Julia M.
We live near Northside Social and it came recommended by my foodie boss, so we decided to try it. We were a bit apprehensive when we saw there were plenty of tables on a warm summer night at 8pm, but we figured it was probably a late-arriving crowd. The ambience was LOUD despite the few people, and over the next hour as more people arrived it got even louder. The decor is minimalist-elegant in black, white and taupe but the management does not have a dress code. The menu is not large and the prices were more than we expected, but we were able to find entrees that interested us at the lower-priced end of the menu, which ranged from $15 to upwards of $30. The "Chow Down Midtown" event was on, so there was a special prix fixe menu at $30 for salad, entree, dessert and beverage; we did not like any of the offered entrees so we opted out. My husband ordered the beer brisket at $18, which he found mostly very dry and the gravy tasted somewhat canned. I ordered the grilled salmon with a sweet chili glaze at $21--it was tender and nicely grilled, although the glaze was much thinner than I expected and was more sweet than chili. The chef's vegetable that evening was asparagus, which neither of us like, and although they could not provide a substitute vegetable they offered to give us double portions of the starch (mashed potato for him, rice for me), which we accepted. The vegetables were fairly ordinary-tasting, good but nothing special. My husband and I both work in the design industry, and we were surprised at the flatware: an older Myco product, it was very heavy and the stems were cylindrical. The knife and fork kept spinning in our hands as we tried to use them, and it made eating a bit challenging. This difficulty completely dominated the dining experience in a negative way. The service was attentive--water glasses were filled constantly, the food arrived quickly and the waiter was unfailingly polite. We had no complaints there. Overall, we felt that the experience did not live up to either the recommendation or the prices. We will not return. My husband gives them until November before they close.
(2)Michayla S.
The food here is fantastic, and it is a really classy place. So, why only three stars? Because it is freaking LOUD! The entire place is made out of concrete and an unfinished ceiling that gives it a really cool look. But, those materials make sound echo and carry. There seems to be absolutely zero noise-absorbing materials that I now realize I have taken for granted in my life. The restaurant can be half-full and I'll wish I had earplugs. After the last time we went and could barely have a conversation over the noise of the rest of the full restaurant, I decided I am never going back. Their good food is just not worth it. There are other places that have great food and a nice atmosphere where I can at least hear what other people at my table are saying. If you do decide to go, the wine flights are a fun thing to do, and the service is pretty good. Just show up with some aspirin to treat the headache you're going to get.
(3)Charles F.
My friend's wife actually picked this place when I wanted to treat him for dinner for his birthday. It was pretty recent at the time (summer) and I was definitely up for a new place. We were lucky enough to get a table outside on a Friday evening since we went a little past the prime dinner hours. Supposedly this is some sort of cougar bar, but that didn't matter to me since I'm all about the food. I had the clay pot fish. While it may not sound very interesting (Fish in a pot??), it was delicious. My friend and his wife enjoyed their food though I can't remember what they had. The wine list seemed to be pretty decent, but I generally don't drink wine at restaurants. This is a place I'll definitely go to again. Maybe I'll even up my rating to 5 stars if I have another great experience. I just have a hard time giving 5 stars upon only a single visit.
(4)Fi H.
Fantastic atmosphere, but pretty loud so it's hard to have a large group dinner with easy conversation. The food is great, though, so I'll let the loudness slide :) when I'm there it's like I'm in another city! So glad to have this grown up addition to broadripple.
(4)Dean F.
The Northside Social gets five stars for serving up two very well prepared meals and for the list of craft beer and for the good service. One star is knocked off due to the several TV sports monitors instead music. The decor is clean twenty-first century. The menu is genius and if the staff executes well and if the chef keeps it fresh then it ought to provide nice profits to the owners. This food menu is structured and priced to be able to support a business plan without needing a big lift from the bar's profits. It is an adult establishment. The prices will keep out a lot of the youngsters. There's no bread service except for ala carte corn bread (no thanks). The lack of bread and oil drove us to spend $10 on the flatbread appetizer and that was very good. Again, the cost structure is genius! The brisket & mashed potatoes and the grilled salmon were both excellent comfort food entrees. The asparagus was crisp and fresh. The only fault with the food was a serving of bland rice.
(4)Aaron K.
A nice space with upscale food and drinks that could be great with a few changes. The cocktail prices were in the $10-12 range which is rather high for Indy. Even at that price they are not using the best liquors nor are they able to make a number of classic cocktails not on the menu (for instance sazerac or gimlet.) A good mixologist and bar manager could really do wonders. The food here is dressed up standards which were prepared well. Nothing mindblowing, but all solid. However, the real stars were the apps. I would recommend ordering a few and doing small plates at your table rather than ordering entrees and pastas. The beer selection here is stellar and includes a number of well known microbrews from the midwest (including Founders and 3 Floyds) both on tap and in the bottle. Overall a nice space which is good for conversations. They have a myriad of TV's which were all thankfully muted. It would be a great place to catch a Colts game during the season.
(3)Anthony G.
i thoroughly enjoyed my time at this restaurant/bar. the food was delicious and while a bit on the $$$ side it was well worth it. the drinks were also a bit pricey for Indy but blended very well. definitely a step up in aesthetic appeal (both the decor and the crowd) from the standard Indianapolis night spot. the wait staff was overly courteous which was a pleasant change. will definitely be returning.
(4)Mike F.
Having driven by the Northside Social hundreds of times since its opening some years ago, my mind had conjured many images of men in pastel shirts and blazers, paired with women dressed in Kentucky Derby regalia. I pictured them as pretentious: not "foodie" pretentious, but the martini-sipping, teeny-tiny portion of bland steak-and-potatoes pretentious. The Northside Social didn't appeal to me. There's a reason that a "J" exists in my INTJ Meyers-Briggs personality. It stands for "judging." Being judgmental is a sin. On my brother's Brazilian girlfriend's last night in the United States, she requested to eat something truly American: macaroni and cheese. We searched high and low for the best macaroni and cheese that Indianapolis had to offer. Since the Northside Social is known to have an excellent rendition of macaroni and cheese, I decided to put judgment aside in order to be a gentlemanly host. As I walked into the Northside Social, I saw no one in pastels, and no one was dressed for an afternoon at the country club. I had inspected the menu prior to dining, but I was very impressed by all it had to offer. I was further impressed by the friendliness and speed of the waitstaff. I was liking this restaurant before I'd even taken my first bite. After I took my first bite, I was sold. We started with he cornbread appetizer, which was dessert-like. I then devoured a delicious (and perfectly prepared) Greek salad. Being in a health conscious mood, I opted for the Spicy Spanish Triggerfish. This was the best seafood dish I have had in a very long while. My compliments to the chef, because it was even spicy enough for my discerning, bland-food-hating pallet. Being a true gentleman, I only sampled the macaroni and cheese when it was offered to me. That's probably a good thing, as I was tempted to hijack the entire plate. I mean, it was "that" good--melt in your mouth good. Despite the highfalutin name, the Northside Social defied all of my expectations. It is a culinary gem, and a five-star restaurant experience. I will return, and I suggest you follow suit.
(5)Scott K.
Spicy Korean pork with rice dumplings. Holy s@&z Best meal I have eaten in some time. Pleasing environment with huge windows that make the outside seem to be indoors with you.
(5)Stacy A.
Although we have only eaten here in Easter, I really enjoyed the restaurants atmosphere. The servers were friendly and prompt. The peeps on the Easter Day plates were a thoughtful playful touch. I look forward to trying them again soon!
(4)Mark C.
Food was amazing. Service was amazing. Atmosphere was amazing. (Cornbread was the most amazing) I highly trimmed whether it's a date, work dinner or trying something new. It's not a jeans and t-shirt place, but, a little more dressy (sweater & jeans, polo and slacks). A little pricier (entrees between $21-$28) BUT it's well worth it. I got the coconut crusted mahi and it was delicious. Highly recommend their corn bread as well - you will NOT be disappointed!
(5)Janet S.
We had reservations and were seated immediately. They were going to seat us at the worst table in the restaurant but I asked for another table and it was no problem. Service was excellent We had Julie in the bar. Very experienced and friendly. I had the house salad and the potato crusted Basa. The salad was perfect and the Basa was delicious. My husband had the special and loved it They also were great about substituting the side dishes.. No desert, appetizers or drinks and our tab came to $70 so it's not cheap. But the overall experience was terrific and I would definitely go there to eat again.
(4)Shaindel S.
Restaurant is nice and food is very good. We have been here several times before. My husband liked his chicken dinner and our friends liked their seafood dinners. I decided to try something different and had the vegetarian dish. I have to say my vegetarian Wellington dish was cold and had to be sent back to be reheated which was disappointing. It was then just ok. The noise level was very high and actually hurt. It seems that the acoustics could be fixed to make a more desirable comfortable noise level. We do enjoy the food but because of the noise, we will not return.
(3)Erin Q.
Recently visited Northside Social for my bachelorette party. The location, and the ability to park in a lot, make this destination desirable in Broad Ripple. Once inside, the ambience is nice. It's not loud or cramped, but I can say that the booth side of our table wasn't the most comfortable. They do have plush pillows, but that doesn't leave much room between you and the table. The food was quite good. I had a Caesar salad to start, which was delicious. My entree was the beer brisket, which was smothered in a Guinness stout gravy. The meat may have been a little on the dry side, but it was very tender. The green beans and mashed potatoes were on point. For $21, this entree is very filling and tasty. For dessert, I had the bread pudding, which was incredible.
(4)Jake D.
Recommend. Able to immediately be seated around 6:30 on a Friday, but it quickly filled up around 7:00pm. I had the Mahi Mahi and loved it. I could have eaten two -- only because it was delicious, not because it wasn't enough food. Don't pass this one up. My boyfriend ordered the parmesan chicken and said he enjoyed it. I tried a bite -- very good. We split an a la carte plate of mac and cheese. From previous yelp reviews, I didn't want to miss this. While delicious, i'm glad I didn't order it as a meal. It may have been too much for me. The actual mac meal is $17 while our side was $8, so I recommend you do what we did. It's worth it. The atmosphere was casual. Tennis played on two TV's, which I think is a bit silly. Why do we need TV's everywhere? Overall, I liked the interior design. Very clean, formal, but simple. Candles on every table, some pillows were added to the booths. Large windows, but not much of a view. Service was very polite and helpful. I usually have a few questions, so I appreciated the recommendations. Final thoughts: try it out! Get the Mahi Mahi.
(4)Candace B.
A standard date night spot for my husband and I. Local, high end fare with exceptional presence. The is the place to take the boss, in-laws or anyone you want to impress. Northside social has seasonal features that always please. Menu staple- Gourmet Mac and cheese, Jalapeño cornbread. Order them. Just do it. You'll be glad. Make a reservation as this place is always busy. If you have to wait, grab a cocktail at the bar, their bartenders are class acts.
(4)Sonya A.
I don't know why we hadn't visited the Northside Social before. It's classy and smart and tucked away in the heart of Broad Ripple. They had a great variety of dishes (meat, seafood). Service was lovely and the cocktails were decent. I recommend for a date night or when you want to impress. Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Location: 4/5
(4)Anna Z.
Elegant and relaxed. This place is pretty fancy and upscale. My Moscow mule is super tasty just wish it was spicer. The bartender, Jason, is super friendly and outgoing.
(5)Gigi H.
Excellent food and service. I defiantly would recommend to friends. We both had one of the fish selections. Both were very flavorful and moist. Beautiful aromatic presentation. The service was impeccable. Will come again soon.
(5)Andrea J.
Wednesdays is half price wine bottle night for all bottles priced under 60. Woohoo! Who wants food?! Went here with my monthly dinner group, 8 of us, so we had a variety. Started out with the hummus platter and schezewan green beans. Meh. Entrees, Spanish trigger fish, halibut, beef brisket, chicken and gnocchi. I tasted both fish dishes, the tigger fish was better. This restaurant needs to kick it up a notch. If they wanna make ethnic foods they should be bold and go the distance. They seem to fall short on the spice, the sour, the intensity of flavors like olives, peppers. Sigh. And the lighting?! I recommend you carry a flashlight on your visit there. We sat at poorly lit table and literally used our iPhone flashlights to read the menu. Food is a sensory experience, I prefer all mine to participate.
(3)Mariam H.
I've been a patron since they first opened, and Northside Social is a consistent dinner winner. I was compelled to finally write a review after my girlfriend held her wedding rehearsal dinner there last week. First off, they were one of the only restaurants in Indy willing to open for a private party on New Year's Day. The staff could have been grumpy buggers about working in a holiday, but instead they were delightful, exceeded expectations. Water always refilled without asking, timely removal of plates, paying special attention to the bride and offering educated drink suggestions are just a few little details I noticed. I have yet to have an entree that I didn't think was absolutely delicious. I've been for many dinners and even special buffet events for holidays like Mother's Day. My favorite entree is by far the potato-crusted basa. It's so savory with a great texture. When I really feel like diet cheating and testing my lactose-intolerance limits I order the gourmet mac and cheese. Holy moly is it a treat! Pig was meant for mac, and they add not only bacon but also prosciutto to this fantastic side offering! The bar offers a niceselection of local beer, big box beer, vino and signature cocktails. The PearSecco is my go-to beverage of choice with it's refreshing melody of sparkling wine, pear vodka and splash of lemon simple syrup. It's a very 'summery' drink, but I love it year-round. I think the cocktail menu is very encompassing of all taste profiles with bourbon, rum vodka and liqueur options. In addition to loving the food, I love the decor. Think sleek, white, dark wood, exposed duct work, great bar to bevy up to and low candle light. They have a few TV's at the bar if you absolutely feel the need to distract yourself from your yummy food or drink. I also highly recommend checking our their sister restaurant next door, the Northside Kitchenette, for lunch and brunch!
(5)Alexandrea P.
Good:ambiance, service Bad: not cheap yet food salad, chicken were rather forgettable
(3)Kristen W.
After 2 visits, I enjoy The Northside Social. My husband loves it, though this is 90% due to the chili mac and cheese which is seriously divine. Skip the abysmal lobster bisque, both times I ordered it it literally had not a single chunk of lobster meat. Overall good food and atmosphere, one of my favorites in Broad Ripple. The interior is definitely loud during weekend evenings, so while it has an intimate appearance it is not the best atmosphere for deep conversations.
(4)Maria L.
I came once for dinner with a girlfriend and I was very happy with my food. The interior is classy but casual, clean lines and nice staff. I ordered the Famous Beef Brisket (very good) and the Gourmet Mac and Cheese (also good). My waitress had a wine recommendation that paired nicely with my meal. I wish I had an opportunity to go back before I moved but it just never happened, unfortunately.
(4)Dawn O.
I have been a fan of Northside Social for years and it just keeps getting better. The food is always delicious and the service is outstanding. There are new additions to the menu for the summer and they are delicious. We tried one new appetizer and one entrée and I would order both again. The appetizer was Beef & Bleu Fondue which consisted of seared black angus tenderloin pieces, oven-roasted tomatoes, croutons and bleu cheese sauce. The sauce was so delicious without any of the heaviness that sometimes get associated with bleu cheese. The oven roasted tomatoes where cooked perfectly and were still juicy and sweet. I would definitely get this again and again and again ... The new entrée we tried was Mahi in Dashi Broth which was mahi mahi filet, dashi broth, sugar snap peas, heirloom carrots, green onion, micro greens. It was so flavorful and filling, but still perfectly light for summer. I would definitely order this again. Bonus is Wednesday is 1/2 price bottle of wine night and we enjoyed a wonderful Pali Bulffs Pinot Noir. We also noticed a summer long special for appetizers at the bar are 1/2 price Monday-Saturday from 4-6. We will definitely be taking advantage of that this summer!
(5)Alicia R.
Nice meal. Kristen was our very pleasant server. Calamari steak fries w/ aioli were hot, tender and delicious. I had the Spanish fish dish--healthy and very good flavor. Husband had Thai shrimp pasta dish, also very good. Prices a little on the high side, but meal was well prepared and service was good. Restaurant is kind of loud, probably due to open ceiling. Lighting dim, so reading menu a bit challenging, but low light did afford some dining privacy...
(4)Allison F.
The Brisket is good, as is the cornbread. It's not my favorite spot, but if I was invited to go again, I would.
(3)Amber C.
This hidden gem in Broad Ripple had just the right amount of everything. Great food, an attentive wait staff (thanks Jen!), and a beautiful atmosphere almost made me forget that I was in Indy. We visited late, and sadly, only got to enjoy the late night menu, but I saw several tasty treats that I'm looking forward to sampling when I return. The canyon flatbread was delicious, filling, and enough to share between two people. If you're in the Broad Ripple area, and looking for a classy retreat that's off the beaten path, this former biker bar may be just the right fit for you.
(5)Leslie H.
I was a bit torn on this play. The ambience was great. The chairs, lighting, and exposed ceiling has that modern touch to it. They have a good selection of cocktail drinks, decent selection of wine and a small selection of champagne. The food though was just so-so. What I really like was their corn bread. My hubby had their famous brisket and he said it was just ok. They didn't have the deconstructed banana pie. Our server said that we were the 3rd party to ask for the dessert that night. We had their coconut cake and it was just ok. Overall, they get a 3 from me. It's an ideal place for cocktails, bar area is inviting and that's pretty much it. The server said they will change their menu soon and hopefully they can include the banana dessert.
(3)S P.
Torn between 3 and 4 stars.... But I think I'll stick with 3 and try it again on another night. Food was good. Fish was cooked well. Atmosphere was good, cozy on a rainy night. Haven't tried the cigar bar but will go back for that. Service gets weird. On the one hand the bartenders were cool (I sat at the bar while waiting for friends). On the other hand, when I ordered a Stella Artois at the table, they brought it to me in a snifter glass. I was like... that's cool, but do you not have the actual Stella glasses? They were like "no".. So I asked them to just get me a regular glass instead. Long story short, when we got the check there was a $3 "pint upcharge" for the beer and the server was super adamant about the fact that when I switch from a snifter glass into a pint glass that it applies and there's nothing he can do. But this is Stella, this isn't some limited release hop slam deal. In the end, after a weird debate... the manager took the charge off, but I got a kick out of the fact that I could have paid $9 for a Stella that night if I didn't read the bill. Will revisit.
(3)Sara N.
We went here tonight and had average food, ok service and completely terrible service on behalf of the manager( not our server!). First issue: We had a reservation for 4 at 6:45 and instead of sitting us at the 5 other 4 tops available we were sat right beside the front door and told that those other tables were reserved! Oh really? What about our reservation? Nope can't do anything, sorry. Fine we sat down. We ordered cocktails, don't bother, they were all sub par, not worth it, get something else. This is a recurrent theme, but we decided to try it again assuming perhaps they knew how to make drinks now. Nope. Worst part of the evening: When someone orders a $75 bottle of wine and expects a 2012 vintage, it is not ok to just pawn off a 2013 version and think it's just an honest mistake. I don't really care if this was a misprint on the menu or the wine distributors mistake. My server is not the one responsible for comparing the bottle and match it to the wine list, the list should match the wine brought out, period. If you are going to offer wines that are above $50/bottle you should expect people know what they are ordering. A 2012 and a 2013 is not the same. This is unacceptable, and to not even offer us a free app or comp our bottle was outright wrong and tone deaf. We will not be back here.
(1)KEN S.
The food here is amazing. Everything was presented with detail, and the service was on top of things. I have to recommend the corn bread! There something magical in!
(5)Bob L.
Outstanding. Nice variety on the menu. Excellent cocktails. Food was delicious. Easy to get a reservation. Comfortable tables and very pleasant service.
(5)William W.
My wife and I love The Northside Social for date night or an evening out with friends. It's a couple of notches above pub food but it's not super expensive. We love the hummus & tapenade appetizer followed by a a salad & shared entree. Good wines & desserts, too. And, we love supporting local restaurant...no problem doing so when they are this good.
(4)Cristina P.
We were here visiting and celebrating a birthday. Really excited for a night out all together with a big group. The atmosphere was great, amazing energy (especially considering we ate on the earlier side). Drinks all tastes really good - despite the Moscow Mules not being served in copper mugs with crushed ice (which *are* two signature components). But when it came to the food it was awful. The beef brisket (a signature dish) was incredibly dry, as was the Chicken chorizo and manchego dish. The scallops had little flavor. And to make matters worse, there was a HAIR found in the chicken!! Our server was OK but did very little to help make the situation better. The hostesses on the way out were also made aware of the situation and literally looked at us with a blank face. There were 8 of us and we were an expensive table, shame nothing was done to help make it a little better. Needless to say we will NOT be back and will not recommend it.
(2)Michael C.
We went here for the first time recently and I'd be happy to go again. The food is tasty and the service is good. Prices are reasonable for the quality, and the atmosphere is really nice in that it's upscale without being too either too trendy or formal. It hits the sweet spot.
(4)Lorand M.
Excellent service....the server was hilarious and played very well with this rather smart ass-ish customer ! I wish I could remember her name....darnit ! Food.... a matter of taste to be sure....as this place does very well and is often very crowded. I just did not care for the food at all....the pork tenderloin lacked a "bark" or nice crunchy exterior....the sauce accompanying was god awful sweet. Asparagus was properly cooked..but just did not fit with the "wintery" pork dish....I think I would have gone with brussels sprouts with pancetta....more salty and substantial. My date for this evening thought her steak rather un-exceptional and way over salted:( Wine list was somewhat pedestrian....but that is the way it is in Indy....I don't understand why restaurants don't invest in their wine selections.....e.g. Recess with their wine pairings...are always very interesting !
(3)Scot C.
One of Broad Ripple's classiest eateries, I really enjoyed this place. My girlfriend and I came here for a romantic dinner and this was a perfect spot. The Northside Social has a great ambiance, I felt really at home here; I really appreciated the background music, too! I ordered a cocktail before dinner, 'The French Canadian,' and this French-Canadian though it was a real treat! (that's me!) We shared the Mac&Cheese for a starter - which was really good - and the Champagne Chicken for our main. I was really impressed! The chicken was prepared very well, along with some tasty sides. However, I thought it was really weird that this type restaurant had televisions all over the place, it detracted from the overall theme and creates a portal of distraction from what you should really be focused on: your company and your delicious food! I also thought that although the food was excellent, it was a bit pricey for the level of satisfaction. Overall, I highly recommend for your romantic/intimate dinner night or just a unique epicurean adventure.
(4)Troy P.
Visited the Northside Social for the first time in years. And I have to admit I am not sure why it had been so long! The food was excellent. The beef and blue fondue appetizer was as good as I remember, homemade croutons, balsamic roasted tomatoes, and perfectly cooked beef served with skewers and blue cheese fondue dip, YUM! And for dinner, I gambled and ordered the Thai Shrimp Fettuccine and I say gamble because I don't have good luck ordering pasta out. Honestly, one of the best pasta dishes I have had in years, the shrimp was perfectly cooked, the pasta was perfectly al dente. I even asked for the chef so I could pay him my compliments on a perfectly created dish. And my wife had the gourmet mac and cheese and it was every bit as god as I remembered it.. I highly recommend this place, we will be back!
(5)Tony J.
Had dinner here last Thursday night. The inside feels romantic, classy, and cozy with its dark wood, white table cloth and candle light. I can see this as a good choice for perhaps a romantic dinner date or even a group event dinner or something in the Broad Ripple area. Service is very nice, and parking seem relatively easier compared to other BR restaurants along the main drag. We started with a wedge of corn bread and spicy green beans, both good but nothing special. Then I ordered the brisket while the wife had the trigger fish. My brisket was very tender and has that distinct stout taste, though the sides of mash potato and green beans they serve it with were boring. The wife did enjoy the trigger fish with the tad citrusy sauce. For dessert, we got the bread pudding which tasted good but very ordinary. It could have been slightly better if it was served with ice cream instead of just whipped cream and maybe a bit more caramel sauce. The sangria was quite weak, the bloody mary tasted good, and the moscow mule is fine, if you like ginger beer. Overall experience was good but as for the food, at least based on what we had and considering the price we paid, there are much better and exciting dining options in the area.
(3)Ashley J.
I live about 3 blocks from here which means I'm here...A LOT. From the hostess to the server to the bartender everyone is always super friendly. Last time I had the clay pot fish...it was cooked perfectly, but didn't have a ton of flavor. The time before that I had the curry scallops. It might be the best thing I have ever eaten...or at least the best scallops. Go try it! They have a great wine selection and the drinks are strong.
(5)Rachel C.
This place is not bad but not great. Appetizer mussels were very tasty. Seared scallops with risotto entree could have been better. But I'm picky about both. Scallops were chewy yet somehow undercooked and risotto was not very creamy. And they charge a split-plate fee which I think is kind of lame.
(3)Bryan W.
Stopped in to this place for dinner with some friends. I was slightly concerned with some of the reviews, but the food quickly erased all those fears. I had the cornbread, potato crusted basa, and bread pudding. We all shared each others food and loved them. The only complaint I could possibly have is, their sides need a little work. Don't get me wrong, I love broccolini and mashed potato's, but everything came with a combination of that, cauliflower, or dill new potato's. If they can come up with some new sides, 5 stars easily. Highly recommend you stop in.
(4)Josh V.
Came here for a celebration dinner and was completely disappointed. The atmosphere is nice. We weren't able to put our finger on it but it was fresh, clean, modern, yet classic in a way. The only problem we noticed was that as it got busier the place got louder. It ended up sounding like we were eating in a high school cafeteria. Our server was very ho-hum, definitely not excited to be at work and made no effort to connect with us as guests. The menu has some promising choices but all fell short of expectations. I ordered the grilled meatloaf. The marsala mushroom sauce was fantastic, potatoes and asparagus were on par with what I expected, the meatloaf however had no flavor at al. I was hoping for the perfect balance of flavors but it was really just small textured chunks covered in the marsala. They could have used pre-cooked frozen beef patties and it would have tasted the same. My friends' meals all had the same story. Take an inventive idea then ruin it by falling short on the rest of the dish. At the end of meal we felt rushed to leave. Our server even came to pick up the credit card slips before we left. As I was once a server myself, I think that's a pretty rude move on her part. There were plenty of open tables in the dining room and bar area. Overall, it's not worth coming back to. I can give the service the benefit of doubt but the food is at best hit or miss. 3 meals and not one met or exceeded expectations. Those aren't chances that I want to take again.
(1)Michael G.
The basa (fish) is out of this world. Nice atmosphere, good drink selections, great apps.
(4)Kristen Y.
Okay, so I want to love this place but it really doesn't measure up. Northside Social totally succeeds as a bar. It's well-lit, the drinks are great and interesting (they had a special tap of a Sun King exclusive a few weeks ago--The Grapefruit Jungle...amazing!), and the staff is friendly. On the other hand, the restaurant does not measure up. I've been there a handful of times now, and every appetizer and entree I've had is overpriced and not what the menu promises. I ordered a Mediterranean sampler (with tapenade, hummus, pita, and fresh veggies). It cost $12 and they gave us about $4 worth (only a dollop of each spread--enough for 1.5 people). Not cool. Last time I was there, I ordered a Greek salad with pulled chicken and the meat was so bad, I could not eat it (literally, it just sat in a pile on the side of my plate--and it cost $5 extra!). The salad consisted of iceberg lettuce with chickpeas, which is not the traditional Greek salad that we all know and love. Maybe it has just been my personal menu selections that haven't been up to par, but it really is a disappointment. They do have desserts that are out of this world though. The bread pudding is worth the trip; my advice, just go for drinks and dessert instead of a full dinner. Overall: it is certainly not terrible, just not as good as it has potential to be.
(3)Kinsey C.
What a great spot for a romantic date or a celebratory dinner with the family. I decided to take my honey out for a nice dinner since he had been stuck at work late one night. He had mentioned wanting to try this place, so I called ahead and made a reservation. It turns out, we really didn't need one. We went at 7:30 of a Thursday and the place was pretty bare. The hostess sat us at a two-top near the main walkway in the restaurant, and since it wasn't busy we asked to be moved to a more secluded table. The hostess was happy to accommodate us. I ordered a glass of sparkling wine and my boyfriend got the French Canadian cocktail. We both enjoyed our drinks. Then we split the a la carte gourmet mac and cheese as an appetizer. it was really great mac and cheese, but I'm not a big onion fan so I had to pick them out of my dish. For an entree, we decided to split the Champagne Chicken. It was delicious! A chicken breast stuffed with creamy cheese and then covered in a butter champagne sauce with a side of roasted potatoes and asparagus? Perfection. The price, $22, was pretty steep for what you got, but it was still delicious. We topped off dinner with a brownie sundae, which at $10 was overpriced for the value. This restaurant with chic decor and good ambiance. One thing mentioned in previous reviews was the amount of TVs and how it cheapened the restaurant. I have to agree. I don't like my date looking over my shoulder at the TV an a restaurant like this. Lose the TVs, this isn't a sports bar! All in all: good food, good ambiance, but not a great value for what you receive. Still, it's worth checking out, and I will be back again for sure!
(4)Sheena F.
We just moved into the area and have started to explore delicious dinner options...Northside Social is on the list. I believe our reservation was around 8ish on a Friday night, but we got there a little early. No problemo...the place was definitely busy but we were able to snag a place at the bar for a beer or two. I was a fan of the good selection of local craft beers. They had a red by the name of Robert the Bruce that was particularly tasty...wish I could remember the brewery! On to the food! My hubby got the brisket - which was misnomer as it was not actually brisket - it was pot roast. A very good pot roast with plenty of flavor and veggies, but I feel the need to deduct a star because of the false advertising haha. I had the scallops, which were just OK. Probably my fault for ordering seafood in landlocked Indiana, I'll learn eventually. However, the absolute highlight was the random side we decided to order...the mac and cheese. It was GREAT! Bacon, 4 types of cheese, onions, bread crumbs - I was in heaven! I couldn't decide whether to give 3 or 4 stars. The meal probably deserves 3, but they'll get a 4 from me because of the to die for mac and cheese as well as the fun & energetic ambiance :)
(4)Bob F.
Jessica was our server and she made it an excellent experience. The mussels were perfectly cooked and well seasoned. Scallop entree was also very good. Enjoyed the sweet potato hash. Atmosphere is good - somewhat trendy but not overdone. I will go back to try what look to be some interesting menu items.
(4)Rochelle S.
This is a fun place. Terrific atmosphere. Fun drinks. Delish food. A great place to start your night.
(4)Tiffany B.
Totally disappointed after hearing other people say good things about it. Service was slow and forgetful, prices really high for what you got and most offensive was a split charge. If I was at the Cordon Bleu, I might expect this, but this is Indianapolis and there were 8 people having multiple drinks, appetizers, salads and entrees. As for the chow, it was ok- some fish pate of sorts (appetizer) was a little too pungently fishy and from what I saw or sampled from my table mates, everything looked to have bready coatings or sauces--to me, a sign that the quality of the food is off. If you are presenting fresh product, you don't have to cover it under a mountain of other stuff. It was my friend's birthday, and rather than just charging us a table fee for the homemade cupcakes one of our party brought, it was outright refused. We had to tailgate in the parking lot for the birthday cupcakes. For a place that is trying so hard to represent classy, this joint is NOT representin'. Take a page out of the Nordstrom's book on customer service and satisfaction. No way in h*ll I go back to this place with the bad taste it left in my mouth.
(2)Scott M.
Northside Social is an odd combination of upscale and casual ... cushy leather chairs, swanky style yet lots of TVs mounted on the walls. For the most part, it pulls it off. The dress code appeared to be officially "pretty much anything you want," as we saw nearly formally-dressed customers alongside those wearing baseball hats & shorts. Service was friendly and gave us just the right amount of attention on a Saturday evening. Based on the wide range of reviews here on Yelp, I didn't really know what to expect from the food. It was very good! The feta + hummus appetizer was too expensive for the amount of food received, but it had an AMAZING olive tapenade that I'm pretty sure would even make my shoe taste great. The clay pot fish was excellent as was the halibut cheeks entree ... I liked the cheeks ever-so-slightly more yet my wife preferred the clay pot dish. Either way, we were very pleased with both selections. We splurged on the chocolate brownie + ice cream dessert and while it might not have been anything overly innovative, the brownie was warm, soft, and delicious. The dessert portion size was superb for sharing. The wine list wasn't huge but it hit the main varietals fairly well with good by-the-glass prices and some affordable bottles. Overall, I'd be happy to return to Northside Social for dinner. Prices could be a little lower but the overall experience was a good enough for me to look the other way ... and that olive tapenade, wow.
(4)Nobuko K.
I was visiting Indianapolis, and a friend of my boyfriend took us there. I enjoyed my Mediterranean salad and Mediterranean Linguini. These items were perfect as I was not too hungry and I was looking for something that is on the lighter side. I especially enjoyed the Linguini. The sauce (white wine based, I think) was excellent, and I enjoyed the vegetables in it. If I were more hungry, I would have gone for the early bird special prix fix menu! Also the interior and the atmosphere were great. I could see this place can be a nice spot for romantic dinner.
(4)Dan N.
food was fresh but lacked flavor. There is nothing special about this place for what you pay.
(2)Carey C.
This is solid, but based on our expectations we were a bit underwhelmed. Reservations recommended on WE. The cocktails were disappointing in spite of the hype. Mine was fairly watery. The green bean appetizer was the highlight. Definitely get it! My wife had their signature brisket - it essentially is a (overly salty) pot roast. Fine, but not something worthy of signature dish. I had grouper and it was very good and a huge piece of fish - close to 12 oz or more. Nicely prepared. Our wait staff was fine but wrestled with opening our wine and broke the cork. We'll give it another try.
(3)Machelle H.
Great food, hip place, would have given more stars if the service were better. It was super slow. They need to change the lighting for a few tables where the bulbs are blinding halogens; and the tables by the windows at night offer the ugly glare of parking lots lights. We moved. We were visiting on a night with lots of big groups which made our service suffer and our food came out a bit tepid. But overall -we've been there other times and the food was great. The tasty food will have us coming back.
(4)Christine B.
We made reservations for around 8:30pm on a Friday night. My husband and I got right in. The places was crowded and loud but lively, not too loud. Our waitress was very nice and very knowledgeable about the menu. I was pleased with the selection and pricing. Most entrees are under $25. Honestly, I wanted to try one of everything on the menu. Drinks were yummy. I had the English mustard chicken which is kind of like a cordon-blue. Delicious. The sauce, amazing. The asiago potato cake is a must try. Most dishes are served with it and asparagus. We also ordered the adult mac and cheese side which is big enough for two people to share. My husband had the famous beer brisket and he really liked it. On a first trip, this place easily became one of our favorites in Indy. One week later, we took our folks here and everyone liked their meal. I had the manchengo chorizo chicken, delicious again! This place attracts a very affluent crowd, but isn't pretentious. I like the fact that the menu is in plain English and I don't have to have a fluency in french to understand it. It's female owned and she also owns the kitchenette next door and Delicia in So Bo, another favorite of ours.
(5)Jon A.
"Dammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmn was the crowd hyphy...." Yea...E-40 could write a hip-hopera based on his findings of civilization at the Northside Social. I'm down to stave off the Lexus-driven cougars and pumas from the Exotic Feline sanctuary in Western Indiana, who ask, "who is your Tiger?" to eat here, to drink here, to pray/prey upon the bread pudding here. I'll figure out a way to get cozy at the bar here before I'll ever sit, aka get crammed into a table for two here. The bar service is top notch here (which as a result if you order a drink at a table...prepare to nosh on some damn fine tapenade while a wait for your drink happens). We deterred the 90 minute wait for a table with our lumberjack-ness of being able to sit out on the patio between two ferns. (Life note: when an establishment offers that, "there's no wait for a table if...." take it, because whatever their options are -- say, in smoking section, outside, inside, or amongst the detoured bus of geriatrics dropped off from the defunct MCL -- is no doubt better than waiting an obscene length, eh?). So, outside we go. Unfortunately, our waitress didn't make it. We were served better and more often by the food runners and hosts (good form by them!). I was pretty certain that this place would exist to me solely for it's weeknight beer and bread pudding appeal (local midwest micros on draft...Bell's Sparkling Ale being the hi-lite...beyond that...every other beer is over-priced...as in $6 Guiness). I found their wine flight ($15) attractive -- four wines of any choice. It's just simply frustrating that the entrees say, "chef's choice of side." I mean...even if this chef chose a bedazzled gimlet of marinated Kardashian...it's annoying. I want control! I want choice! What if the chef likes Kourtney over Kim? Disastrous. Who says I can't have fries as the side with my pork chop? I'm droppin $17 for this chop...I want fries. Let alone, a bottle of Heinz on my table with my fries. However good the potatoes & asparagus were...I wanted fries (O, and they screwed up the side and brought out the asparagus separately). The chef isn't Daniel Boloud or even the most recent Iron Chef winner ya know.... And, really, why do you think you're too good for Heinz bottles on the table? I guess I'm asking for the Devil in a Catholic Church here...or at least that's what they made me feel like. I watched a trio walk in, walk out immediately & say, "yeah...the crowd use to be a lot younger here." The place has been open for a few months now...I'd say it's always trended a bit old...which is okay really...they're amazing to watch...as they're concerned more about imagery than bread pudding. As we sit their and devour the bread pudding, I began to be really thankful this place is so popular...because it offers up so much people watching...and the bartenders enjoyed the reprieve of being hit on all night (and every time they stepped outside too they realized the respite from the cacophony of middle-aged mingling was as nourishing as the bread pudding we were eating). Did I mention the bread pudding? Notes: Outside for a quiet romantic dinner (be prepared to ask the service to turn down the patio music) with the lovely backdrop of a drunk parking lot, a gas station & a credit union (which reminds me of the bizarre choice of location for this place -- a gentrification of a deadbeat strip mall...what a triumph!). Inside for people watching of speed dating, or speed dating itself, or cozy bar corner with bartender who loves you for not being a mingler. Price: hefty. It didn't hurt so bad b/c I expected it but it's hefty -- bottom line. I will not buy my fries a la carte (nor will I call them frites damnit!) out of principle...so join me in demanding them as a side for anything you order! Service: Sit at the bar or you'll be disappointed & you'll feel weird about the tip because you feel like you should give it to the host who worked harder. Full dinner at the bar...and plenty of room too...wonderful wide and long stone-slab bar. Cut through all the clutter of this place & it proves there are two essentials in life, and they are what earn stars -- bread pudding & bar service.
(4)Josh S.
We went here with a large group on a Saturday for my birthday. The service we received was excellent. Our waiter was prompt and had no problems splitting the bill and keeping everyone happy. Our food came out fast and all together. Everyone really enjoyed their food and the Sea Bass I had was excellent. Loved the decor and a nice selection at the bar. We will be going back
(5)Lauren T.
Great signature cocktails and fish dishes!
(4)Joshua F.
Overpriced, mediocre food. The real kicker is that the waitress mentioned that the menu is "seasonal." Uhh, no it's not. The menu might change but it definitely is not seasonal. On 03/02/13, the menu had entrees with sides such as asparagus and summer squash and zucchini - that's not seasonal, that's SYSCO. Also, all I really needed to know about the place was that not every entree dish had its own unique sides. Asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes - on multiple entrees? Yikes.
(2)Alex G.
For $100 (including tip) I've experienced much better food. The service was great but the $22 "Famous Brisket" was glorified roast beef that my crock pot could easily compete with. With all of the great food in Broad Ripple for a reasonable price I don't see myself going back.
(2)Kelly O.
This was my first stop at the Northside Social. Tucked into a little strip mall area, this is a cute place. I was meeting my friend Lindsay here- she's a local and it was her idea so it had to be good. It was packed, we sat in the bar area because it was like 8pm and we had no time to wait for a table. The service was great- the Bloody Mary's were spot on spicy. LOVE it. We shared some flat bread pizza- lovely and not greasy or too cheesy either. Then we split (it was late) a cheeseburger- very good although I will be honest I was NOT digging the flat -bread it was served on; IMO burgers belong on a bun. Enough said. NOT toast. Just sayin. The fries were good but - kind of small in portion size. We shared the "Banana Cream Pie" for dessert and I put it in quotes because you will see from the picture that they have made it an EXPERIENCE. Unreal. Delicioso. Overall- I liked it. I am laughing at the review from Jon A because yes I did see a whole lot of "Cougar-Esque" types here definitely seeming to be on the prowl. Too funny. Next time I'm trying the bread pudding....
(4)Jim B.
First time visitor to this new (01/2010) restaurant on College Avenue in Broad Ripple. Attended a company party that had the restaurant provide great appetizers, sushi, pizza, a good variety of foods. Full bar with very helpful bar staff. Seemed to be well staffed with pros who know what they are doing and seemed to be enjoying working there on a busy Thursday night. Will definitely be going again soon to check it out during a regular evening when its not quite as crowded.
(4)D h.
the northside is a very difficult place to like, even though the food is pretty good and they have a good beer list. the parking lot, crammed with jaguars, range rovers, audis, etc. is the first indicator of what to expect. the second is the somewhat snotty hostess(es) that are immediately to the left once you enter. if you don't have a reservation, expect to be treated as a second class citizen. they will seat you at or in the bar area, more on that in a minute. there is a black & white theme, very simple. lower eating tables to the east of the entrance, a row of high tables along the windows on the west wall, than a 4' divider wall containing the bar area in the northwest corner. there is outdoor seating. most all of the tables aside from the round high tables in the bar area are reserved. the actual bar is in the shape of an "L" and has a brushed steel bar top, no rail. the bar back sticks with the theme and is very simple. just some shelves, couple 42" hdtvs, and a mirror that is too high to be useful. anything i've eaten has been above average. in addition to a fair list of craft/fancy beers, they also have the usual domestics. aside from the hostess, the waiters and bartenders are all friendly and attentive. the other patrons are the real reason for the two stars. bless them for having some money, but i can do without the look-at-me screaming and laughing. there are just too many blazers with jeans, donald trump hair, and short-short dresses on bodies with badly wrinkled knees. stuffy is the first word that comes to mind to describe the atmosphere, but these place/people are definitely not dull. a more appropriate word would be elitist, but that sounds very harsh. bottom line is the northside is packed with middle aged douches, single and married, who are more concerned with their experience than others (bumping into you while waiting in the bar, screaming over your table to one another, etc.). maybe i just liked the previous building occupants too much, but they are gone and the northside is here. it's just their place, not mine.
(2)Kara F.
I went to Northside Social for the first time for the first half of the Butler Final Four game. It was a time I didn't want to be distracted by lousy food or service, and Northside delivered a nice experience. It's funny - it was a way classier place than I thought it would be from driving by it a lot. A sign outside the door reads "Proper dress required," so I hesitantly asked the hostess if jeans were okay. They were, don't worry. Our waitress was nice, even though she didn't stop by too often, but that was okay since we were watching the game anyway. Maybe she was trying not to bug us too much? Not sure, but I guess that would have been thoughtful. She definitely didn't rush us at all. My boyfriend and I split a beer flight, so we chose 4 samples of beer out of probably 12 possibilities. We also split an a la carte order of gourmet macaroni and cheese and, after much deliberation since so many entrees looked great, the brisket. We didn't get charged the $5 plate splitting fee listed in the menu, which was a nice surprise! The brisket was great - nice and tender. We asked for extra sauce, but even without that it would have been good. The gourmet macaroni did not disappoint, and I was skeptical going in about how good it was actually going to be. Absolutely delicious! I doubt it can be topped, in fact! I will be back for more!
(4)Jay A.
So every so often I return to Indianapolis to visit family, and every time I experience severe culture shock. Yes, I truly belong in LA. First, I'll forgive this place for sporting a truly uninspired name. That said, there wasn't much to praise about this place. We arrive, a party of 5. Not an unusual number for a restaurant, no? Well the hostess wants to simply put a 5th chair on the end of a table for 4...and there would have been no room for us to all fit, legs under the table where they belong. An empty table set for 6 is next to the too-small table, and we inquire about using that one. No, the table that is set for six is used for parties of 7 to 8. Yeah I don't get that either, but 15 minutes later the hostess got 3 other people to put 2 other tables together to accommodate us. The place was almost empty, mind you. The table ordered a cornbread skillet to share. While it tasted good, this is way too much food. Seriously, it was like a cornbread birthday cake sliced for 6 slices. Huge. Our party had some serious eaters in it, yet quite a bit went to waste. Simply too much food. My father ordered a salad. It was not what I would call a salad, as it had one long piece of romaine lettuce on it and then some meat. Gross, and definitely a ripoff. Entrees were a mixed bag. While I cannot recall the exact names, the following dishes were ordered: 1) Hot pot fish (x2) 2) Brisket 3) Ribeye** 4) Spicy Penne in a Light Creamy Vodka sauce with chicken Hot pot fish was well-liked. Really good according to the two ladies who had it. My father ordered the ribeye, and he thought it was good, but "adequate." Nothing groundbreaking here, but nothing glaring, either. The brisket was universally panned. Brisket is supposed to be slow-cooked, imparting a very tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. This "brisket" was deemed to really be sliced pot roast, as it was dry and chewy. The diner and his wife (she had a bite) were not happy. The penne ala vodka with chicken was also not what actually came out. There was no cream added to the sauce at all. This was straight-up red marinara sauce, not the classic pink sauce one would expect from a penne ala vodka dish. It was edible, but not what was ordered. Penne was really small in diameter, a little over-cooked, and the chicken was super dry. The sauce was NOT a "light creamy vodka sauce" as advertised, and instead was a marinara sauce. It wasn't awful, but had I known what I would be served, I would have ordered something else. Note on entrees: if you want to split an entree, they charge you $5+ to split. This is outrageous, even in Los Angeles (it happens, but it's not really common). This place is not of a caliber where this would be expected, and it reeked of pretension. For dessert, several bread puddings were ordered and split. No one was wowed; this is very average bread pudding. It had caramel drizzle on top, and it is honestly too sweet. The whipped cream on the side was loaded with confectioner's sugar and was deemed inedible by everyone. Each order of bread pudding was split by 2 people, though not one plate was finished more than 50%. This portion size was more out-of-control than the cornbread skillet. I don't like places that charge super high prices for mediocre-at-best food, while serving so much of it that much goes to waste. NO ONE could eat the portions at this restaurant as part of a healthy diet. This is also not health food. Service was slow and uneven, prices high, pretentious factor cranked up to level 12...just no. I'll waste my money on a place with better food than what I can make at home, thank you so much. **Edited to correct an inaccuracy. Ribeye is not brisket. Update: I just spoke with a few friends who recently dined here, and they had the same reaction to the penne pasta dish, though theirs didn't have chicken. Like me, they were expecting an item described as having a light, creamy sauce to actually have a light, creamy sauce...but instead they also received a chunky, tomato/marinara sauce. While not bad, it was not what was ordered. Maybe Northside Social needs to educate their chef on the menu, or maybe they should just change the menu to reflect what the chef feels like serving.
(1)Ashley S.
I am so disappointed! I haven't lived in Indianapolis for about 13 years, but have been trying to plan some events for a bride where I'm one of her bridesmaids. I wanted to have a nice evening for just the girls and was wanted a place that was chic, with good food, and where we could get the night started. My parents had told me about this place and even offered to swing by for an evening to check out the food. I called to find out if they took reservations--and they don't--but explained that we were going to be a small group for an event where I would be inviting people. The last thing I wanted was to invite people where we had plans for after dinner and be standing around waiting for a table. When I explained this to the hostess she basically told me best of luck. My parents, always wanting to help out, also tried to see what we could do for an event. For a THURSDAY night, they offered us a small table for up to 10 people FOR TWO HOURS ONLY for a minimum of $500. I'm sorry, $500 minimum for a DINNER table in INDIANAPOLIS on a THURSDAY night...someone had to be pulling my leg!!! Even if we weren't going to make it to dinner here I still wanted to check the place out eventually, but now I'm so turned off by how unaccommodating they are I can guarantee I will NEVER be spending money here!
(1)Richard H.
You know, maybe I just hit it on a lucky night (Thursday), but I really liked this place. It's a pleasant atmosphere -- as Scott says, a little upscale but very casual and inviting. The service was friendly and fast, and our server really knew the menu. Everything we ordered was quite well prepared. The menu may not be exciting, but it's fairly varied, and the appetizers sounded and looked great. Next time, we may just do a table of appetizers. The one thing that I strongly disliked -- and I say strongly -- is that TVs are everywhere. Why do restaurants feel that they have to have even one TV? I can kind of deal with a TV or two in the bar area, but The Northside Social has them throughout the dining room as well, and for a place trying to pass itself off as casually elegant, their presence pulls it way down.
(4)Curt C.
The place aspires to be nice and the food was good. The service was so-so but I got over that. There are television sets, spewing their moving images (!), all over the place. Tasteless and utterly unnecessary in my opinion. I found it to be a bit expensive -- especially in light of the upgraded sports-bar feel of the place.
(3)Schreiber C.
Quite possibly the worst meal I've ever had . . . . and I've dined in just about every state and abroad. I couldn't even complain about it because our server (who posed as a janitor) disappeared until it was time for our check. My niece and her husband along with my girlfriend from Florida were visiting and my niece picked this place because "it's always full of people on the weekends." I'm wondering if any of them ever come back. We ordered cocktails and my friend and I had a simple vodka on the rocks with olives. Mine came with olives, hers did not so I shared. As I was reaching for the glass for my first sip, over it went onto the uncovered table and on to my skirt with no napkins around except those placed underneath the drinks. I sat there a long while and couldn't ever trip a server passing by. Finally got a replacement and another $9.00 charge. It took 20 mins. before our server got our dinner order, another 35 mins for our order to come up. I ordered the Beef Brisket because it had a box around it, usually reserved for house specialties. This was a cheap ass chuck roast, overcooked, dry, hard and stringy. It was swimming in what tasted like canned gravy. There were some kind of very cold thick lumpy potatoes and cold broccoli rob. My niece's husband got fish in a pot and we tasted it and spit it out. It was swimming in wine that had not been reduced and I cannot imagine why any chef who actually went to school would think that was delicious. My friend got a ribeye, med. rare and check this out . . .it was not only grey like it had been nuked, it was FROZEN inside!! Unbelievable! After trying a good long while to get a server, any server, we got the steak turned back with a "humpff" and a question, who's your server? Another 30 min. wait and we all felt sorry for eating in front of our friend, not our meals but our niece's. Yep, we all shared her main dish order of macaroni and cheese. Okay so we are now in here for 2 1/2 hrs. and her steak arrives presented gold platter style by the manager. My friend immediately cut into it and it was thawed but not good. We were comped with a dessert for the table to share. It was some kinda mush with whip cream on it. So here we are now waiting again for our original server/cleaning lady to appear to get our check. My skirt has long been dried and our plates sit there full of food we slightly picked over except for the mac and cheese. She asks "do you want doggie bags?" Huh? Okay I just about lost it and had to sit on my tongue. I said that was not brisket of beef and everything was cold. "Well, you should've said something earlier" she says and whisks it all away. Soooo, if you want to spend $200 for dinner for 4 and sit close to 3 1/2 hrs. in a noisy place that looks like a cafeteria with TV's, then go ahead. We are done living "social."
(1)Julia M.
We live near Northside Social and it came recommended by my foodie boss, so we decided to try it. We were a bit apprehensive when we saw there were plenty of tables on a warm summer night at 8pm, but we figured it was probably a late-arriving crowd. The ambience was LOUD despite the few people, and over the next hour as more people arrived it got even louder. The decor is minimalist-elegant in black, white and taupe but the management does not have a dress code. The menu is not large and the prices were more than we expected, but we were able to find entrees that interested us at the lower-priced end of the menu, which ranged from $15 to upwards of $30. The "Chow Down Midtown" event was on, so there was a special prix fixe menu at $30 for salad, entree, dessert and beverage; we did not like any of the offered entrees so we opted out. My husband ordered the beer brisket at $18, which he found mostly very dry and the gravy tasted somewhat canned. I ordered the grilled salmon with a sweet chili glaze at $21--it was tender and nicely grilled, although the glaze was much thinner than I expected and was more sweet than chili. The chef's vegetable that evening was asparagus, which neither of us like, and although they could not provide a substitute vegetable they offered to give us double portions of the starch (mashed potato for him, rice for me), which we accepted. The vegetables were fairly ordinary-tasting, good but nothing special. My husband and I both work in the design industry, and we were surprised at the flatware: an older Myco product, it was very heavy and the stems were cylindrical. The knife and fork kept spinning in our hands as we tried to use them, and it made eating a bit challenging. This difficulty completely dominated the dining experience in a negative way. The service was attentive--water glasses were filled constantly, the food arrived quickly and the waiter was unfailingly polite. We had no complaints there. Overall, we felt that the experience did not live up to either the recommendation or the prices. We will not return. My husband gives them until November before they close.
(2)ford g.
We had dinner on 5/25/2011 and were looking forward to a quality dinner. We were surprised, the Slow cooked brisket was as dry as a very dry merlot. The steak salad was ok. We were disappointed to say the least. Our server was more interested in socializing than keeping our beverages filled. Atmosphere was nice..
(2)Tom F.
Swanky, smooth, tasty and groovy. Very nice hip place. You'd never know it used to be a biker bar. It's tastefuly decorated for nice ambience and the food was great. The bone in pork chop is delicious. Get the cornbread for sure. I will definitely revisit.
(4)Michayla S.
The food here is fantastic, and it is a really classy place. So, why only three stars? Because it is freaking LOUD! The entire place is made out of concrete and an unfinished ceiling that gives it a really cool look. But, those materials make sound echo and carry. There seems to be absolutely zero noise-absorbing materials that I now realize I have taken for granted in my life. The restaurant can be half-full and I'll wish I had earplugs. After the last time we went and could barely have a conversation over the noise of the rest of the full restaurant, I decided I am never going back. Their good food is just not worth it. There are other places that have great food and a nice atmosphere where I can at least hear what other people at my table are saying. If you do decide to go, the wine flights are a fun thing to do, and the service is pretty good. Just show up with some aspirin to treat the headache you're going to get.
(3)Charles F.
My friend's wife actually picked this place when I wanted to treat him for dinner for his birthday. It was pretty recent at the time (summer) and I was definitely up for a new place. We were lucky enough to get a table outside on a Friday evening since we went a little past the prime dinner hours. Supposedly this is some sort of cougar bar, but that didn't matter to me since I'm all about the food. I had the clay pot fish. While it may not sound very interesting (Fish in a pot??), it was delicious. My friend and his wife enjoyed their food though I can't remember what they had. The wine list seemed to be pretty decent, but I generally don't drink wine at restaurants. This is a place I'll definitely go to again. Maybe I'll even up my rating to 5 stars if I have another great experience. I just have a hard time giving 5 stars upon only a single visit.
(4)Fi H.
Fantastic atmosphere, but pretty loud so it's hard to have a large group dinner with easy conversation. The food is great, though, so I'll let the loudness slide :) when I'm there it's like I'm in another city! So glad to have this grown up addition to broadripple.
(4)Dean F.
The Northside Social gets five stars for serving up two very well prepared meals and for the list of craft beer and for the good service. One star is knocked off due to the several TV sports monitors instead music. The decor is clean twenty-first century. The menu is genius and if the staff executes well and if the chef keeps it fresh then it ought to provide nice profits to the owners. This food menu is structured and priced to be able to support a business plan without needing a big lift from the bar's profits. It is an adult establishment. The prices will keep out a lot of the youngsters. There's no bread service except for ala carte corn bread (no thanks). The lack of bread and oil drove us to spend $10 on the flatbread appetizer and that was very good. Again, the cost structure is genius! The brisket & mashed potatoes and the grilled salmon were both excellent comfort food entrees. The asparagus was crisp and fresh. The only fault with the food was a serving of bland rice.
(4)Aaron K.
A nice space with upscale food and drinks that could be great with a few changes. The cocktail prices were in the $10-12 range which is rather high for Indy. Even at that price they are not using the best liquors nor are they able to make a number of classic cocktails not on the menu (for instance sazerac or gimlet.) A good mixologist and bar manager could really do wonders. The food here is dressed up standards which were prepared well. Nothing mindblowing, but all solid. However, the real stars were the apps. I would recommend ordering a few and doing small plates at your table rather than ordering entrees and pastas. The beer selection here is stellar and includes a number of well known microbrews from the midwest (including Founders and 3 Floyds) both on tap and in the bottle. Overall a nice space which is good for conversations. They have a myriad of TV's which were all thankfully muted. It would be a great place to catch a Colts game during the season.
(3)Anthony G.
i thoroughly enjoyed my time at this restaurant/bar. the food was delicious and while a bit on the $$$ side it was well worth it. the drinks were also a bit pricey for Indy but blended very well. definitely a step up in aesthetic appeal (both the decor and the crowd) from the standard Indianapolis night spot. the wait staff was overly courteous which was a pleasant change. will definitely be returning.
(4)