Champions is attached to the Marriott downtown. The location is great; it's only a short walk from Victory Field, the Convention Center, Monument Circle, et cetera. In fact, its proximity/convenience is really the only reason I've made return visits. Champions has a very nice look/feel, as far as décor and layout are concerned, but the overall atmosphere is compromised by the stiffness of the staff. The service is good enough, but the staff is not welcoming or friendly-- it's effective, at best. The quality of the food is good, but it is expensive considering the relatively small portion sizes. However, they do offer quite a few regular specials on drinks. I don't think Champions is "bad," but it's generally worth walking a few more blocks for somewhere better.
Review Source:The time to eat at Champions is not during the lunch rush in a convention week. Dull offerings, overpriced entrees, and head-throbbing volume on the televisions do not make for an entertaining meal or a lively environment. Forget trying to hold a conversation without shouting. Tables are all but stacked on top of one another to maximize floor space.
I attended said convention with my beau and between meetings, we decided to make a break from the Indianapolis Convention Centre for a meal at Champions. They serve standard sports bar grub -- lots of hamburgers, chicken and fries, and a few sandwiches. We both ended up going for the beef dip, and I substituted chips for fries so I could sneak a snack back with me into another 2 hour lecture. Add tea and pop for us, and our total bill was pushed to close to $30 for lunch.
Prices here are considerably higher than you can expect to pay a few blocks over at the RAM or Rock Bottom Brewery. Burgers ranged $10-15 each, our sandwiches came out at $13 for a rather scrawny bun stuffed with a reasonable, but not astonishing amount of meat. His French fries were a portion large enough for two, but we polished them off because the sandwiches left us still hungry.
Our server was good about refills and made a point to check in, the sort of cheery guy you hope to get at these sorts of restaurants. He was the highlight of a lacklustre meal. With little elbow room to actually eat and TVs that were turned up very loud to catch the latest game, plus a few people starting happy hour at 1:30 PM, we felt there was a lot to be desired. I doubt we would go back in the future.
We ate here at about 7:30 PM on a Friday. Â The place was almost completely empty, which is sad. Â We had a coupon from <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a>, which prompted us to go, otherwise I might have never known it existed. Â The restaurant is in the Marriott, with the great tunnel/tube system downtown, you can get there from the mall or pretty much anywhere else and never go outside.
They had Modelo on draft, and 22oz ones were on special for $4. Â Most of the entree items were in the $11-16.00 range including sandwiches. They also have a couple of steaks on the menu. Â I plan to come back soon and try the chipotle rubbed one. Â I had the A1 burger which was well sized, cooked right, and tasted great. Â It came with a lot of fries, a pickle and cole slaw. Â We also had onion rings which had the traditional sauce and this other sauce the was almost a sweet and sour sauce. Â Those were vary tasty as well, and both sauces were a nice complement.
My friend wasn't even able to finish all of her sandwich/fries because of the size. Â She got a take home box though, so she obviously enjoyed it.
Chris, our server was great, when he heard it was my birthday, he brought me a free birthday sundae, which was easily big enough for two people to share.
So, 3 22oz drafts, some sandwiches and an appetizer came out to just under $50 before the coupon and tip.
If you are downtown and want some good food at a reasonable price, I would definitely recommend this place. Â Our server did warn us that it tends to fill up fast after baseball and football games.
Not a bad place to stop after an Indians game if you're still in the drinking/eating mood. Typical sports bar, TV's, pub food, drink specials... Pre/post Indians home games will net you $1 drafts, but don't be fooled, they come in small plastic cups. Service was pretty friendly, food and drinks came out in a respectable time frame. Tried a couple of appetizers, the sliders and the spinach dip. No complaints with the dip, creamy, lots of spinach, cheese melted on top, and fresh tortilla chips. The sliders were pretty underwhelming. The smallest meat patties I've ever seen, without a doubt. Smaller than White Castle's, and no where close to the size of its accompanying bun. Plain, no frills, just bun and burger. Pretty sure one of the apps were comped after catching a Yelp online deal and checking in. Somewhere along the lines of Buffalo Wild Wings atmosphere, maybe a little quieter, and no Trivia games. Good place to stop if you're walking back to a close hotel, or are parked close-by, but outside of a nightcap after a game or simply staying at their hotel and don't want to leave, you could probably find better places to hang out.
Review Source:I was in the Marriott Downtown for a convention from the 26th through the 2nd. I went into Champions one night, which is right in the lobby. A lovely, nice, but not overbearing young woman named Chassidy seated me very quickly. I asked her for a water and a Woodchuck cider while I perused the menu. Excellent choice of drink, served almost immediately.
My main course was a philly cheese steak and fries. Looked HUGE on the plate, but I got through it. Wanted more, but as they say, "wait 20 minutes and you will feel full". So, I left it at that.
Chassidy said she was pretty new, but she handled me just about perfectly. She made that experience a wonderful one (So did my first alcohol in four years, but that's another conversation).
Between the convention likely coming back some year, and our family friends in Speedway, I wouldn't be surprised at my making it back.
Holy cripes! I know they have your wallet over the fire since you're on Hotel Island but geez oh Pete the prices were outrageous! $12 average-at-best burgers, $6 domestic pints, $10 appetizers. Nice service, but yeesh. If it was great food and a good environment (or you're on an expense account), I'd say go for it but otherwise spare yourself and walk or cab somewhere else.
Review Source:The best thing about this place was my friend who was talking to the hostess in a southern accent for a moment. She bought into it, and it was funny. It only happened for a moment. After that, we were seated, we made our orders. I had a roast beef and swiss sandwich. It was okay. The fries were okay. My big-size Fat Tire tasted just like it should have. Eh.
For some reason, a couple different server dudes kept staring at us and glancing at us all weird. Whatever.
The food was average. The bar was average. It's like any pub with beer and bar food. Nothing special about it. at all. Except maybe a creepy server (or busser guy) giving you sideways stares.
If I were a guest at the Marriott, I would probably give an extra star for convenience. As a local passing by on the way to Victory Field, Â it gets two stars for being expensive with average nachos. Â I've never tried any of their other menu items. Â
They do have drink specials every day including $1 plastic cups of Miller
Light and Coors Light on Monday nights.
I stopped in to grab a quick beer on 07/18/11 at about 11:45pm. Â I was staying at the attached Marriott hotel, so I entered through the lobby. Â There was no greeter, or posted hours, so I tried to grab a seat at the bar. Â Unfortunately for me, the bar was filled, so I grabbed a nearby table facing the bartender. Â I figured someone covering the section, or the bartender herself would come over and take care of me. Â I'm a pretty patient guy, and the bartender was very busy, so I decided to wait. Â Tow other servers walked past me, made eye contact, and kept moving by. Â After the third server ignored me, I decided to approach the bartender to order my drink. Â It was 12:04am. Â While waiting for the bartender to come around to my side, another server walked by. Â I asked her, "Are you guys closed or something?" Â She responded that they closed at 12. Â Frustrated, I walked out. Â A few minutes later, I came back in and found the server I had spoken with. Â I explained that I had been ignored for 15 minutes, and I just wanted one beer and I'd be on my way. Â The bar was still pretty full at this point. Â The server told me the only person who could help me was the bartender. Â So, I spoke to the bartender, who was incredibly rude. Â I asked if I could just get one beer and close out. Â She said that they were closed and that she couldn't serve me. Â I told her that I had been sitting out there since 11:45pm waiting for someone to help me. Â She said, "No you didn't. Â I watched you come in at 11:55pm and I had already made last call." Â I explained that in fact I had been there since 11:45pm because I was sending emails on my phone (with time stamps), and I just wanted one beer. Â She said "You weren't here that early. Â I can't serve you." Â No apologies for anything, just a very terrible attitude.
Needless to say, I won't ever come here again, even though it is attached to my hotel. Â I'd recommend that you don't either.
Champions is located directly across the street from the Indiana Convention Center, which makes it a first option for anyone attending an event there. It is also connected to the Marriot.
On our first night in Indianapolis, my frat brothers and I ate here. The food was good. I ordered a BBQ chicken sandwich and it was delicious. Our waitress was a very pretty girl named Sara. My brother was flirting with her the entire night. It didn't result in any free food, but I guess it was fun.
The drinks seemed a little watered down. The bartender(s) definitely needed to be a little more heavy handed with the spirits.
Overall, if you're in Indianapolis and you're looking for a spot to watch sports and eat good food, Champions is highly recommended. If you want alcoholic beverages, I might recommend going somewhere else.
The happy hour M-F 4-6:30 is great for a pre-Indian's Game bite.
The menu features $5 nachos, wings, sliders (pork, chicken, or burger), and mini corn dogs.
There are nightly drink specials. Monday night is $5.50 margaritas (which isn't really that great of a price for your average margarita in a pint glass, if you ask me!) and Coors light/ Miller light pitcher specials (can't remember the price, but once again it didn't seem like a steal)
On Mondays & Thursdays post-Indian's games they feature $1 pints.. which is great!!
Service was friendly but a little on the slow slide. The food for the price was great!
Between sessions at a conference a friend and I had our lunch break at champions. I ordered the fish and chips and she ordered the Cajun chicken pasta. The fish was tasty, but turned mushy pretty quick. My friend's pasta was filling and the perfect amount of spicy. Overall we enjoyed our meal and experience with the staff :)
Review Source:The food here is surprisingly good. Â I didn't expect much when I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich. Â The service here is outstanding. Â The chicken was lean with nice buns and fresh lettuce. Â
Full bar in the middle of the restaurant with plenty of big screen TV's all over the place. Â A couple of arcade games to pass the time very convenient if you staying at the Marriot.
Champions Sports Bar is located inside the Marriott Downtown Hotel, but also has a separate entrance on Maryland; it effectively functions as the hotel's casual bar, but also draws a good mixed crowd of conventioneers, tourists and locals.
The service in here the few times I came in here was excellent. The bartenders were friendly, attentive and efficient; the food was good -- certainly for sports-bar standard, the BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich is outstanding! -- and the drink and chat flow easily. The combination of booth seating, bar tables and bar seating works very well here, too.
When there's a big event in town (as there was this weekend), Champions stays lively until well after midnight, and was a good place to call into for a couple after the shows finished in the late evenings.
A hotel bar that actually has some spunk to it? Who'd have thought...!
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