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Excellent bar in the most interesting artsy area of Indy. I went here 3 times during my last 15 day visit to town. The jazz players are authentic with great grooves.
Good drinks with a great little street to hang out on. Very highly recommended.
REMEMBER... This is a Jazz bar, not an Olive Garden. The reviews below, that complain about the condition of this place, obviously don't belong in such a great Jazz club. It's a classic!
Never again will I waste my money at the Chatterbox. I want to like it because it is right down the street from my house, a "jazz" bar, it's a little dingy and it's dark. But the thick air of pretentiousness among the staff and "regulars" will keep me away for life.
On my last trip there, the bartender actually made fun of my drink order (seriously?) and her douche-bag hipster counterpart on the other side of the bar giggled at my partner and I for our jukebox choices. I mean, I don't mean to be an asshole, but it's hard to make really awesome choices on the jukebox, when this "jazz" bar has the iTunes essential mix up on the box.
The Chatterbox should be cool, but people it is not. Indianapolis has some much better bars if you are looking for the dive experience, and we definitely have some really decent places to hear live music. If your downtown, check out Lockerbie Pub, The Brass Ring or Vollrath. For live jazz, check out Jazz Kitchen or the Madame Walker.
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name!
`nuff said. The box is great.
The Chatterbox is my favorite bar of all time - and I live in the bar capital of the world. If the Chatterbox were in Portland I would still go to bars.
Why do I like it? Live jazz. Interesting people. Old school. Cheap. Pies of Jamaica. Yeah, it's a dive, so it comes with all the trappings thereof. If dives aren't your thing, then stay away and leave a coveted seat for someone else.
The Chatterbox is dark, dirty, tiny, smoky and loud.
Sadly, there's not much more to say than that. My problem is that I'm not a big drinker, so I've been SOBER every time I've been here. Which means I see all the dirt, grime, puke in the bathroom, etc. Not a good scene.
One night we were here, my husband actually guarded the men's bathroom door so I could go in there BECAUSE IT WAS CLEANER THAN THE WOMEN'S.
Agh.
I feel like I can touch all four walls just by standing in the middle of the room. Yeah, the music is decent here, but it's SO LOUD and SO SMOKY that it's not worth it to me.
MICK & KEITH PLAYED HERE AFTER ONE OF THEIR CONCERTS
i wish i had been there That night!!!!!
one of the first orginal places on Mass Ave to hang out
yes, they were cool before it was cool to hang out on Mass
great place to get (limited) food before the Murat show
A OK jazz / music club on Mass. Ave
Come for good conversation (when the band isn't playing or you're sitting outside with friends. If you arrive solo you'll make new ones pretty quick), friendly staff (patience if your friend on a busy night) and, most importantly, jazz (the ol' folk and young'uns on stage get down on a Saturday night!).
Be warned: If it's a live music night come with cash: there's a cover (generally $5), a music surcharge (yup -- the beer list indicates it's about $1 more per bottle when the band is playing) and you'll want to toss a buck or two into the duct-taped and dented tips bucket on it's many trips round the bar (but, like I said, the ol' folk and young'uns on stage get DOWN on a Saturday night!! ).
Other notes: Limited martini selection -- order a vanilla or vanilla nutty and you'll be ok. Food fare doesn't go far beyond popcorn or mini cheese pizzas but works in a pinch!
The chatterbox is the best jazz dive in Indianapolis. It's cramped, so expect close quarters when you walk in. The stage is right when you walk in the door, so you can sit on the outdoor patio and still hear good music.
The inside is dark and covered with posters. There's writing all over the walls and pens on the floor. "Mick Jagger signed the fridge RIGHT HERE" the cute bartender said, pointing to an unintelligible scrawl on the side of the refrigerator on the way to the bathrooms.
They have a decent wine selection and a well stocked bar. It's slow on nights without acts, but it's great when it's a warm night out and you can listen to music on the front patio.
The wait staff is courteous and pleasant. This place is far from pretentious and the live jazz band selections are wise, quite in tune with the cozy atmosphere, the diverse patrons and the experienced ears.
It is a popular place for jazz AND conversation, remember: it is called the Chatter Box. Considering the size my only wish is that, like New York, bars were smoke free.
It is still my favorite spot in Indianapolis.
Best Jazz dive in Indiana! Small place in a great location downtown Indy.
Tip Jar rolls around so remember to throw some cash in that jar. Pay the cover if they have one. It's well worth it. I suggest a bottle of Pinot Noir with some close friends.
This place is def. a dive but cool in its own right.
I wish I had more to tell but this was the last stop on my 21st before I tossed my cookies. I do remember the bartenders were nice.
When its busy i don't like it. But when there dead in the middle of the summer with the door open its awesome. You can get an old school tombstone pizza and they automatically give you the hot sauce. Good beer selection the bartenders are very nice. I like it as a place to start your evening not finish. If you get a seat outside its kind of cool too. I sometimes think they could book better jazz...just a thought. When there isnt a band, the juke has some real nice beer drinking classic on wax.
The Chatterbox doesn't put on any airs, which is good, because it doesn't need to. Dark, inviting, and completely unpretentious. Jazz sounds good any time of the year. Spring, summer, fall, winter, love love love it.
The Chatterbox is a great hole in the wall jazz bar. The bathroom reminds me of "The worst toilet in scotland" from Trainspotting, careful with those suppositories. Make sure and check it out when there is a band playing. You'll feel like your on stage with them.
I know this is a local darling, but I've never been much of a fan. To me it seems like the place where all the alcoholics in town go to jointly advance their liver failure. Maybe that vibe is what gives this place its street cred, but it's not really my bag. That being said, if you like live music, you'll appreciate the collection of jazz musicians that perform here, and the intimate atmosphere. Look for the poster that says "I'm going to Mongolia--so what?" It's kind of my favorite.
Love this place. Love the music, love the crowd, love the packed-full atmosphere, love the greasy Tombstone pizza and the non-stop, efficient bartenders and servers. I could go here every night of the week. The cover's a little high, but I understand why it's there. This place is small and not well-known, but it's an Indianapolis institution!
Chatterbox is great for live jazz music. I would give it 4 stars, but you really can't fit that many people inside or out. The staff is real nice and courteous. They either can read lips or read your mind when you are placing a drink order. It's a little hard to hear when music is playing.
Neighborhood: Indy Metro
Category: Music Venues
Neighborhood: Indy Metro
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Indy Metro
Category: Lounges
Neighborhood: Indy Metro
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Indy Metro
Category: Bars
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