Bluebeard

The ambiance was great. I was recommended the oysters by a friend but I wouldn't get them again. The Bolognese was amazing and you could tell it was made from scratch. Would definitely go back. The staff was also very nice.

Wait or reservation: they don't take reservations but we didn't have to wait for a table around 630p on a Tuesday!

Parking: Street. Can generally be tricky in that area but going in the neighborhoods is a good call!

Location: Holy Rosary near Fountain Square

Vibe: We sat outside because I love me a good patio! Beautiful trees, fire place + heaters!

Service: Phenomenal! Felt like I made a new friend. I even asked for my cocktail soul to be read and the server got me 10/10 both times.

Food: Make you want to cry, call a loved one, go to church. I hadn't been to Bluebeard in years and now I need to reflect on that life choice. I need to get back to therapy! ;) really I just want to go back all the time. We ordered it all! We started with chips and dip which feels basic but no. Those were some truffle chips that were perfectly fried and salted! Dip was zingy and fresh. The oysters! Omg. They were served on a frothy mousse and were so fresh had me feeling like I was on the coast. I liked the falafel but nothing super standout because the ricotta gnocchi stole the entire show. Jesus take the wheel. I can't even begin to describe the made with all the love and sauce from another plane deliciousness. Obvi we had to have a green to balance it all out! I wanted dessert but we just could not.

Pricing: spendy and take it allll it's fine

Gluten Free and Nonalcoholic: I was eating all that gnocchi gluten so truly didn't pay attention. Fabulous NA options!

Pro tip: They have been known for their spaghetti but have a new chef so it may be off the menu soon. go get it! I need to return for it. Maybe tomorrow...

We had dinner here for our anniversary. The staff were friendly, but we felt some lag in between times they would check back in with us. They have a good playlist going on in the background, but not so loud you can't hear across the table. We were seated in the dining area by the entrance, which felt a little cramped with the tables so close together since it's such a small space.

The grilled bread was a great starter. We also got half salads (beet and a house-type salad, I can't remember the exact name and their menu has changed since we were there last month after looking at their website). Highly recommend the salads for some extra veggies. They were great portion sizes and nicely seasoned!

For mains we got one of the specials that night and the diver scallops. Both were amazing. However, the strawberry ice cream cake we got for dessert was really lackluster and the sponge was super dry. They were not able to make espresso martinis when we ordered dessert, so that was a bummer as well. All in all, other than dessert, we had a great time and would definitely return.

Good cocktails/mocktails at the bar, fun décor. Mediocre food that promises more than it delivers. Would not recommend.

Does not take reservations. While we were waiting in the bar for our table, the host seated another couple at the bar for dinner who arrived after us. When I asked him why them before us, he apologized and said he didn't know that we would have accepted a seat at the bar. (Of course he didn't know. He never asked us.)

Definitely not farm to table although they lead you to believe that with the phrase "We have personal relationships with the local and regional farmers and purveyors who provide our meat and produce. " Maybe they do have those relationships, but there was quite a number of other dishes (seafood, foreign ingredients, etc.) that made me question their local commitment. I've often seen restaurants with that kind of commitment proudly list their farmers by name. Not here.

I got the scallops. They did taste fresh, but $34 for 3 scallops in an underseasoned sauce was a huge disappointment. The server recommended the Brussels Sprouts. Again, an underwhelmingly seasoned dish that we didn't even bother finishing.

We skipped dessert and left disappointed.

I don't think there could have been a better place to spend a beautiful, warm night out than on Bluebeard's patio. I came around 5:30 as a solo diner and was seated right away outside, although I saw it really filled up as the evening continued (restaurant does not take reservations). I was seated at the end of a long communal table outside; there are also more traditional tables for parties of two or four outside.

I was visiting from out of town and was really impressed with everything I ordered. The cocktail menu is extensive, it was hard to pick just two! The Naive Melody had a lighter and fruitier profile that I enjoyed; I also tried the Endless Summer, which is definitely sweeter but was nice paired with dessert.

I started with the bread service, which was a great start to the meal- the bread was fresh and I was pleasantly surprised at the portion size. All three of the butters/spreads were SO good. The anchovy butter was savory, the garlic confit was rich (and paired well with both butters), but I think the honey thyme butter was my favorite and packed the most flavor.

I decided to try the casarecce as my main, which my server said was the only thing that never leaves the menu- and I can see why! It was really flavorful and had a nice level of spice that I wasn't expecting. The fluffy, fresh Parmesan on the top was the perfect finish and I appreciated that when I asked for more, they brought an entire small dish of it.

There were four dessert options that all sounded equally good, I went with the orange financier cake. As a huge cake person, I absolutely loved this- the financier layers were rich and paired nicely with the sweet/tartness of the citrus curd and buttercream. I finished every bite.

My server was Jacob and he truly made the evening so pleasant- he had excellent recommendations and described everything on the menu so well, but was also just extremely friendly and nice. This would be a regular stop for me if I lived here!

Had a wonderful brunch on Saturday at Bluebeard. Service was spot on and so was the food. So much to look around and take in as far as the atmosphere goes. Will definitely return!

Bluebeard has been keeping me very well fed since I discovered it in 2018. Their dinner is amazing, the casarecce is a fail safe option for those venturing into their amazing options.
Lunch is always BOMB. And their sister company Amelia's always has great sandwiches and groceries. Truly love this company.

Bluebeard is a staple in the Fountain Square area - for a good reason.
The atmosphere, the creative menu, the high quality food, the presentation...all top notch. On my most recent visit, we celebrated our birthdays with my dinner partner. We ordered an app (pickled herring on brioche toast), a salad to share (warm kale with duck confit) and our own mains - steak for him and the grilled octopus for me. Everything was excellent, as was the service.

Bluebeard is my last meal and every special occasion in between. The food never disappoints, the atmosphere is warm and interesting, and the service is always excellent. The space is always filled with industry locals on their day off so you know it's good.

Was the best meal we had in Indianapolis. We came around 5:15 on a Saturday night and luckily got seated right away. Probably within the next 30 minutes, a line started forming and people were waiting 45 minutes to an hour so highly recommend coming early.

The restaurant is cute. It seems to have an outdoor area but it wasn't open when we went in November. There is also another area which has a wood-based decor where some of the bigger parties were being sat.

We started with the olives, grilled bread, and chips. We've never had cooked olives and it really changes the flavor of olives. It was good and unique but I probably would not get this again as I prefer the more familiar flavors of olives. The grilled bread was great. All the dips were delicious and different with the anchovy butter being a big hit. It wasn't too fishy but had lots of umami. The chips were of course popular with the kids and the french onion dip was clearly homemade and an elevated flavor than what you might get at other places. That said, I wouldn't get the chips again personally.

For veggies, we got a caesar salad and the Brussel sprouts. We LOVED the caesar salad with all of its extra variety of greens. Great texture, flavors, and a bright, clean flavor. The brussel sprouts were also good but nothing particularly notable about it.

We tried the dragon shrimp as well and the waitress warned us it was hot. It was pretty hot but also pretty delicious. I'm not sure why they make it so hot though because if they toned down the heat then it would probably be a very popular dish.

For the main course, we shared the scallops and the ribeye. The scallops were cooked perfectly tender. I liked the ribeye a little less but still a delicious dish. We washed this all down with their excellent cocktails. They had a pretty good selection of mocktails which was also fun for the kids to order something and feel like an adult.

We ended with 3 desserts, the lemon taco, chess pie, and bread pudding. I'm partial to bread pudding and this did not disappoint. Moist and not too sweet. Great flavors. The chess pie was my second favorite and it was a close second. Just fantastic. Although I'm not a big fan of citrus desserts, this was pretty good, nice tartness balanced with a delicious crust on the taco shell.

All in all the best restaurant we've been to in Indianapolis and highly recommend.