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I was recently in Indianapolis for business and staying downtown. There's tons of derivative chain eats in the downtown area, but this seemed to be the least offensive of the bunch. It turned out to be a great pick.
We ate at the bar and only had soup and salad, but that was plenty for us. The complimentary sourdough bread is amazing. The bartender was super cool and treated us very well. And the clam chowder was some of the best I've had in a long time, and for a somewhat classy kind of place, the serving size was quite large. It's a chain, but yes, some of them are actually pretty good.
I was in town for the big 10 tournament last spring, and my best friend's dad took us to this place. I can honestly say that this was one of the best meals I've ever had. Everything from the appetizers to desserts were outstanding. Highly recommended!!
3.75- they lose some points for not having scallops on the menu. I mean c'mon, you're a freaking seafood restaurant!
The wife and I were excited to see a familiar face in a different place. For those of you that dont' know, The Oceanaire has multiple locations across the US. Having enjoyed a few evenings out in San Diego, we were very excited to try the one in downtown Indy.
AMBIENCE- Just like the one in SD, this place was pretty classy (stay classy San Diego, sorry, I digress). Definitely an elegant look about this place, this location seemed MUCH bigger than the one in SD. The place is two stories, and looks like it can hold a couple hundred people or so. It looked even bigger with the lack of people there (we went on a Sunday night after all). Booths on the outside, tables on the inside, it appeared to cater both to intimate parties, and large groups.
SERVICE- our server was a bit hit and miss. It didn't seem that busy, and our server would disappear for large amounts of time. Eventually, we started asking for things whenever she came by, just to make sure she wouldn't forget about us. Towards the end, I think she got the clue. Our server aside, the rest of the "team" was very friendly and attentive.
MENU- we happened to come just during the opening of Indy's restaurant week (aka Devour Downtown). While we were tempted to try one of their three course meals, we elected to try other things. Plenty of fresh fish to choose from, though as I said before, no freaking scallops. They also had steaks and such, for the non-seafood lover, though there were only about 3-4 selections. Oh yeah, the opposite side of the menu was all wines, so plenty of choices there as well.
FOOD- The wifey and I started with a crab cake, followed by stuffed white fish (shrimp and crab) and an Ecuadorian Mahi Mahi "Oscar" style, along with a side order of potatos Au gratin. Before anything though, they do give you some vegetables and pickled fish with bread. After munching on that for a bit, we got our crab cake. It's a bit pricey for what it is, but that thing is pretty much all crab meat. Very tasty, though, if not for the special occassion, I would have trouble rationalizing ordering it.
After a brief interlude, our entrees came out, and they were SPOT ON. I had never really had Mahi Mahi before, so I took a chance, and it really paid off. My wife really enjoyed her whitefish as well.
Since it was my wife's b-day, they finished the meal with Baked Alaska!!! I was a little disappointed that 1) the presentation was not nearly as nice as it was in SD, and 2) they used peppermint ice cream in the baked alaska. Peppermint ice cream!?!?!? At least it was free (yes Indy readers, FREE!).
OVERALL- certainly more of a special occassion dining exp. than everyday eating, I haven't been to many seafood places in Indy, but I would venture to guess this is one of the better ones. Check it out.
Movie Star Rating- Laurence Fishburne
Yes it is a chain, but still had a good meal. They even serve bread brought in from Chicago everyday!
The trick is to sit at the bar 4-6, when the bar menu is half off. We had oysters, chowder, wine, salad, cheeseburger for $48 with tip.
Great service
FAB! Except the pickled herring at the table as an appetizer/bread dish.
This oyster bar/great all around seafood restaurant is one of Indy's finest.
The service is great, the atmosphere is wonderful and it is quite large.
They have a great selection at the cold oyster bar, if you like oysters( I don' mind them, I'll eat em if offered).
I really don't know what to not recommend, which is a good thing, but bad if you don't know how to decide!
Get anything with shrimp or salmon because they give you great portions.
I always see people I know here, it's a great place to run into people, not like steak n shake on westfield at 4am ;)
Oceanaire Seafood Room is probably my most favorite restaurant in Indianapolis. The seafood is flown in fresh daily and their menu options change with each visit, but I always get the chowder to start. I love the ala carte side options and my husband and I indulge in the asparagus and gratin potatoes with each meal. My favorite is the crab cakes and it is the only place in Indy I will get them. There aren't many options in a land locked state for good seafood and this place does EVERYTHING right.
This is a great place for special occasions, b/c it is very expensive (we usually spend around $150+ with drinks every visit). It is SO worth it though!! :) The staff is experienced and well versed, polite and attentive. We celebrated our engagement and a couple of birthdays and we are always treated very well.
Oftentimes, there are celebrity sightings as many of the local celebs like Peyton Manning enjoy it for a good meal out downtown. They are great about accommodating groups, and I love valet...which is only $7 and makes it very convenient in the winter.
They have an amazing oyster bar as well if you are interested in that.
Definitely must check it out! :)
Went here for dinner around the holidays and it was ridiculously busy. We made reservations, but still had to wait an extra 45 minutes to get a table.
They had good seafood - and what I had was great.
We sat at the bar for the 45 minutes we were waiting - and we had a couple cocktails which were also good.
I can't say that it is the most amazing restaurant that I've been to, but it was a pretty decent and romantic restaurant.
Oceanaire is a great special occasion restaurant. I've only been a couple of times, but had great experiences on both occasions. The service is top-notch; they're so on top of things that it's almost scary!
If you arrive on a really busy evening, head to the bar for a cocktail first - they make a mean bloody Mary. The complimentary pickled vegetable and herring platter isn't my cup of tea, but I would absolutely recommend the fresh crabmeat cocktail. Just watch it, because the servers are really on top of things and they'll think you're finished with it before you really are -- you'll want to get every delicious piece of crabmeat out of this! The crabcakes are equally delicious -- more crab than 'cake' in them. I've spoken with people from New England who swear that these are better than most crabcakes that they've ever ate back at home.
Mmmm... you'll find the freshest seafood in the city here, and if you're looking for an upscale downtown dining experience, you can't go wrong at Oceanaire.
Excellent restaurant for special occasions as it is a bit pricey. Menu changes depending on what is fresh that day.
Crab cakes are fantastic here as is the shrimp cocktail. The iceberg lettuce wedge is done well. The salt and vinegar fries are a great side dish and the au gratin potatoes are fantastic. If you want something other than seafood, you should have the filet. It is excellent. For dessert, you must have the Baked Alaska. Must! It is a fun presentation and very tasty!
Please make a reservation for this restaurant. It is a very busy place. Expect to see local celebrities like Peyton Manning.
Atmosphere is industrial. Seems cold. Pricey for sure. Food is fine, but not the best place to go in indianapolis. You can get equivalent seafood at other restaurants with a better atmosphere.
I've been to this downtown seafood spot only once, and in my opinion, it is a bit overrated.
Here's why: It's loud. It's extremely crowded--almost to the point where you feel like you're sitting with people at the next table. And, most of all, it's extremely overpriced. It's also a chain.
That said, the food was good. Don't get me wrong. But I didn't see the amazing attention to detail others have pointed out. I had crab cakes and they were just OK. My husband enjoyed his salmon.
There is another chain seafood restaurant in town that is our hands-down favorite. I won't say the name here, but it has something to do with the skeletal makeup of a slimy living creature in the ocean. Much cheaper and yummier, I think.
NOTE: I got a mixed drink that I thought was quite strong. My husband pointed out his was "Top Shelf" as well. That's good to some people, and bad to others, I suppose!
The best place to have seafood in the city. These guys not only fly the freshest seasonal stuff in, they execute it in original and classic dishes. When they got Wild Alaskan salmon earlier this year, one impressive preparation was the sweet, sour and savory agrodolce with raisins and nuts. Desserts are decadent too; their signature is a bittersweet chocolate mousse.
Chef Ryan T. Nelson is well-connected in the Indy dining scene. The place tends to be a destination for everything from business lunches to the place where Maurice Hennessy, eighth generation descendant of the Moet Hennessy legacy, decided to host his cognac tasting while in town. The bar is always well stocked with interesting people and the bartenders well-versed in classic cocktails.
WOW!!! Went here for a wedding, and the food was awesome! Started with the raw bar, calamari + crab cakes, I moved onto the blacked marlin with, oh god, the blue cheese and butter, oh I wish I could drown in it, and then the monster brownie with warm carmel and chocolate poured all over it.
I need to go back.......
As someone who has been spoiled by great fresh seafood while living in Seattle, WA, I tend to be a bit skeptical about seafood in the midwest in general.
Oceanaire is a rare deviation of that common wisdom. With fresh choices flown in daily, there is always something to chose from that you can feel confident will be good.
Be ready to pay for the privilege of having the fresh choice of seafood, but I believe it is worth the price when you are in the mood.
Still gets our vote for favorite restaurant in Indy - well, favorite expensive, upscale restaurant anyway.
Since we live in Carmel and Oceanaire is downtown, we usually reserve our visits for special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, new jobs, etc.
Plus, we love the personalized menus the staff always prints for special occasions.
We have never, ever had bad service, bad food or anything else to complain about here. My all time favorite dish here is the halibut cheeks - I've had them two years in a row, both times prepared differently, both times incredibly memorable. I also love the au gratin potatoes and the little dish of crudite and pickled herring (ah, takes me back to Sweden!) they bring out after one is seated. My guy loves the Nueske's bacon - okay, more like bacon steaks, for an appetizer. Too much meat for me, but he devoured it!
I must rave about the "appetizer" we had on our last visit, though. Huge, huge crab legs, which our server told us were from a recent harvest from one of the "Deadliest Catch" boats - how cool is that? We ordered one 1.5-lb. serving to share between three of us and before we even finished that, had requested another. They were that good....very expensive, but unbelieveable.
I always look forward to a trip to Oceanaire because I know my tastebuds are in for a real treat. Plus, there's always something left over for lunch the next day ;-)
I didn't see this mentioned in any of the other reviews, but the personalized menu thingy is such a nice touch - especially for first-timers. When making your reservation, just mention your special occasion and the staff will print your party's menus with a personalized, congratulatory message on the top. My guy also received a handwritten card signed by the staff when we went there to celebrate his new job.
On a Convention week this place is packed and LOUD. The food is consistently good, service has always been excellent, and their wine list, for being in Indy is pretty good. I'm sure that has to do with being a chain.
Their mussels are my favorite. 2nd would have to be the salt and vinegar fries! They are the supper skinny shoe string type. Perfect for dipping in the broth while eating your mussels!
I saw their ads in the plane magazine, and was reccommended for happy hour and also the best seafood in town...love the decent fine interior of the place and thier oysters and mussels were so fresh and until now, I can't wait to be there again in my next visit to my boyfriend who moved there recently...we'll keep looking and trying other places but so far this can be my fav for fine dining or casual bar food.!!
For a city full of steak houses and family chains, this is a depenadable bet while in Indy. Great selection of fish (all interestingly prepared... think Korean salmon), huge family style sides (the hash browns a la Oceanaire deserve a religious following), and a smart, fun wine list. Not a lot of wines by the glass but as far as bottles go, they have a lot of great years and interesting varieties.
Our server knew the menu and preparations backward and forward and guided us through the menu. The ambiance is really cool with an Art Deco, underwater vibe. It gets loud in there but we went early before the rush and got great service, the food came out quickly, and we were able to choose carefully before ordering.
Love it! Will definitely be back.
Great seafood place!!! They get fresh fish everyday and their crabcakes are to die for. Pricy and elegant, but very nice place to go eat and to take that special someone.
I WISH I liked seafood - but I am not a huge fan. Visited for a business appointment and was a little shocked at the non-seafood list. There was ONE other option for non-seafood-lovers - a pork tenderloin and I wasn't blown away by it. But great atmosphere and service and hopefully one day when I get brave and try sometime I like I will find an amazing seafood dish at Oceanaire!
Its top notch in any city especially in the nap town area
Service can be hit or miss at this location but when you have a good server the evening will be a winner. I ate here last night (for at least the 20th time) and tried a couple new things from the menu. The Black Cod was incredible as were the 4 or 5 different oysters (half shell) I tried. My favorite dish came in a bottle however. Oceanaire is one of the few places to which I've ever been that offers more than one wine from Flowers in Sonoma. Last night my table had the 2004 Pinto Noir and I would definitely recommend this wine. If you ever have the chance (read: if you ever find the scarcely produced) to taste the Flowers Perennial do so.
Neighborhood: Indy Metro
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Indy Metro
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Indy Metro
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Indy Metro
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Fletcher Place
Category: Turkish
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