Ted Nugent Burger was good (if oddly named). Â Too much bbq sauce. Â Not on the burger itself-around the bottom bun. Â They should dress it with just enough to stay on the burger.
Decor is funky urban chic. Â Like it a lot. Â The best time to come is when the weather is a little warmer so you can sit outside and take in the view on the canal.
DELICIOUS SWEET POTATO FRIES. That is what I think of when I think of creation cafe. Everything else I've had there is so-so (chicken salad, pulled pork). I run on the canal at times and sometimes I purposefully run by there so I can smell the sweet aroma of sweet potato fries wafting out of their vents. Love the fries. LIke the food.
Review Source:We found the service to be fantastic, unlike other reviewers. Maybe we were just there on a (good) off night, but the hostess was prompt, our appetizer was out in less than 10 minutes, and the entrees followed shortly after. Our drinks were adequately refilled, and our server was polite.
We started with the pulled pork nachos which were pretty tasty. The cheese looked suspiciously like the shredded-out-of-a-bag type, but that's OK. It came with some tasty pico and really refreshing guacamole. I had the BBQ pulled pork sandwich which had a pretty interesting taste. It was listed as coming with bread and butter pickles, but when I got the sandwich, it didn't have any (not a huge disappointment because I don't usually like them). Then I bit into it and definitely tasted them, so I looked again, but no pickles. The taste was consistent through the meat and the sandwich, so maybe it was somehow integrated into the meat? Anyway, it was a good. It had a nice smoky sauce. The boyfriend got the BBQ/chipotle/bacon cheeseburger. He didn't seem over the top impressed. He said all the components were good with the exception of the BBQ, and then tasted my sandwich and said he thought it was even a different sauce than what I got. We both enjoyed our fries too.
This is a solid 3.5 star, but I'm happy to give it 4 because it seems like their ratings are artificially low based on some previous negative service experiences. We found out that tonight was the first night for their new menu (we had the first order of that burger), so as of right now, their online menu is not completely accurate. I'd come back again and order something different (not because I didn't like what I got, but because I like variety!).
So, I visited Creation with a large group while in town for work, and all the locals just RAVED about it. Raved.
I found it to be solidly nice, but nothing insanely stellar. Average+, if you will.
As a vegan, I ordered the Indiana tomato salad without mozzarella, and was pleasantly surprised when the dish came out with deliciously grilled/marinated mushrooms in place of the cheese. What a nice touch.
If I were local to Indy, this would be my go-grab-a-drink-in-the-summer-with-coworkers place, but maybe not so much for the (*cough* overpriced) food.
Creation Cafe is another place we try to hit at least once a month - ate there today. It's decorated super cute and is a great location for sitting outside overlooking the canal. They also have a little bakery that has to die for looking treats. I have yet to break my will and try anything though.
I've had many different items on the menu...pear gorgonzola flatbread (as others have mentioned) is quite tasty. They have really good salads, the  portabello sandwich is good, but our favorite sandwich is the veggie burger. It's fresh tasting and moist, but still holds it's shape. It's topped with guacamole and roasted red peppers. I also tried the pumpkin soup, which hit the spot.
The sweet potato fries are addicting...try them.
Service was great today. I've been there times when it's taken them awhile to "notice" you had been seated in their section...
Worth noting - if you go at lunchtime, it's loud in the dining room...really loud. Not the spot for a romantic lunch.
PRO: Beer. Float. No more words necessary.
CON: Slow service.
PRO: The restaurant is beautiful.
CON: Apparently when the restaurant is half full, that's "really busy."
PRO: Sweet Potato Fries. OMG. Awesome...and a HUGE serving.
CON: Kitchen severely understaffed for this "really busy" night.
I liked my food and drinks, but the service was slow...it took a hot minute to get any drink after I first sat down. For this "really busy" night, there definitely were members of the staff just hanging out and not looking "really busy." Also, the entrees that my friend and I ordered took almost a half hour to come out....that's just a little long.
I'd be willing to give this place another shot, maybe. The food was good, but the place just needs to move a little faster.
I have eaten here many times and mostly this was because I had a good coupon. Â It is a very good location and the food is not bad. Â The prices are on the high side and the food is nothing special but is not bad either. Â
I have had some really slow service experiences here and I had a bad experience with a groupon here once too. Â I hate it when it becomes your problem because THEY sold me a groupon? Â HELLO, where is the sign, where is the retraction.
But then lets talk about the location....they are right on the north end of the canal and they have great outdoor seating and they are located in a historic location.
So my 2 cents is to go there when you want to chill out and enjoy the canal and have some time to relax...but expect your standard food.
Went to Creation Cafe today for a business lunch. Â Seated quickly, service was good the entire time. Â One of the soups of the day was chili and the waiter was able to answer questions as to how spicy it was, how it was made, etc. Â Definitely knew what he was talking about. Â I had the turkey panini melt...pretty standard, but it was well made. Â I had cole slaw as the side to my sammich and it came in a large cereal bowl...it literally is the most coleslaw I've ever been served at a restaurant. Â I would have paid about $20 at B's Po-boy to get this much coleslaw. Â
Nice, relaxed atmosphere and in a great location. I didn't see anything similar to the negative remarks in other reviews. Â The person I went to lunch with said that he eats there twice a month or so and that he's never been unhappy with his meal or the service.
I probably would have hated this place if my food was bad and the service was poor. Â Actually, I probably would hate anyplace like that. Â Thankfully, Creation Cafe had their act together and I didn't have to hate them with a 1 or 2 star review.
This place gets worse each time I eat here. Â The latest debacle - the garden party sandwich on 09/11/12. Â The eggplant was dark grey on the inside so either it had been breaded several days ago or it was rotten when they breaded it that day. Â Either way - inedible. Â The fries also had a nasty aftertaste - old oil or perhaps they had used the same oil for (gasp) fish?!? Â I'm not really sure but they were terrible. Â
To top it off a server dropped a plate of food entering the patio and dropped a really, really loud F-bomb. Â He certainly didn't offend me but there were lots of families and young kids there during lunch. Â The server is a tweaker like most of the waitstaff. Â
Creation gets by because of it's nice patio and location on the end of the canal. Â There also are a LOT of people (including myself) that work in the area and have very few lunch places within walking distance. Â The food is a total sham. Â The menu descriptions are nice but the quality of ingredients is very low and the skill of those in the kitchen is lacking - BIG TIME. Â
I have crossed it off of my list of places to eat on my own but I have nightmares of the day that I will be forced to eat here for a work function.
With all of the mixed reviews for Creation, I've been a little nervous, but with the awesome menu and killer location, have been really wanting to try this place. Â We came here on a Saturday afternoon, and ended up having a lovely late lunch. Â We sat outside so we could enjoy the canal view, and even though it was sprinkling a little, they still kept the patio open as more than half of it it covered, which I thought was nice. Â
Pros:
+ Apple gorgonzola flatbread with mixed green salad was KILLER! Â Clearly made with good, fresh ingredients.
+ Brewed iced tea, always a plus
+ After an initial absence that had me worried, the service ended up being very good and attentive and my tea was kept full throughout the meal
+ Beautiful canal view
+ Did not feel ripped off by the prices of our meals
Cons:
- Outdoor tables are made of wrought iron with lots of holes that are difficult to clean - I'm not sure our table was initially wiped down, so when the menus were put down on the table they ended up with gross food water on them. Â The tables were promptly cleaned when we asked, but this type of table is hard to get clean regardless, so there was still food stuck between the grates in different spots on the table. Â This made me not want to put my silverware down on the table AT ALL.
Final Analysis - I like this place and will be back - I'll just be sure if I sit outside that I'm checking the table cleanliness!
It took 5 minutes to get someone acknowledge my being at the hostess table. Â Someone finaly then said sit where you would like. Â Really? Â Â You were at the coffee bar the whole time I was standing there. Â Took my drink order and vanished. Â Someone else brought me my drink and then vanished. Â Finaly ordered and almost 20 minutes later got my pressed sandwich. Â Nothing special. Â Too much watery pork, roll was too crusty for my taste for a cuban sandwich. Â Sweet potato fries had what seemed to be a crusty sugar coating that made them way too sweet.
Not busy as it was late afternoon. Â Staff seemed to be oblivious to patrons.
Will not be back.
I work in close proximity to Creation Cafe - the convenience and view is why I keep coming back. And the fact my boss quite enjoys the place.
Today though, will be the last time I go there without my boss. I went to simply order a bagel to go. Like most other reviews, it took five minutes for anyone to even acknowledge I was there. (I walked around the main area twice as well looking for someone.) The girl behind the cafe noticed me and said she would be with me in a minute. So, after another few minutes she takes my order. Keep in mind, I was the ONLY one there.
While I waited, I decided to purchase a Chai drink as well - bad idea. It was cold like the coffee when I get it. Also, it was overpriced for sure.
Anyways, back to the bagel, I order and pay - wait five more minutes, and they are out of bagels - it is 10AM at breakfast, there isn't a soul in the place and they are out of bagels - so she offers me something else, both of which are cheaper than the bagel I just paid for. So that made me pretty angry and I had given the girl my change - sure it was like fifty cents, but that is the difference in price of my bagel and the English muffin I got.
She brings my English muffin and says sorry about the bagel, yeah whatever, and then I HAD to ask her if I could get some butter and jam, which took her a minute to get and it takes probably a grand total of ten seconds to walk to where it was.
Needless to say I have visited Creation Cafe by myself for the last time.
It's really hard to write this review. I want to like this place. I really do.
My first impression was decent when I went for a weekday lunch - the Garden Party sandwich was good and the sweet potato fries made me happy. It's trying to be trendy and welcoming in it's design and shelf of board games to play with, but the people don't carry the tone through the experience - they're just there to do a job, it seems.
I was excited to take an out-of-town friend friend for an early lunch. The first thing out of the greeter's mouth was "there's a wait." I don't think she even said hello. 15 minutes for inside; 30-45 for patio (that's expected with the wonderful view it offers). We took 1st available since we were getting hungry. Most of the inside dining room was empty; I'm sure there was a reason.
After that, we were pretty much ignored. Our waiter was fast with the drink order, but then never visited out table again. We saw him struggling with a champaign bottle, attending to other tables and standing around the kitchen with the entire wait staff (presumably waiting on the cooks to do their part). He gestured to us once that he'd be right back, but then never made eye contact or said anything to us - even as he walked within inches of our table.
20 minutes after getting our drinks, we left cash on the table for our beer and left. Hungry and very disappointed. We did let the hostess know we were leaving and why (politely; it wasn't her fault, but the staff deserved to know.) Â Her response was "oh, ok." Maybe she's used to hearing it.
Whatever problems were going on, Â I really hope they get them fixed quickly. It's a great concept and an awesome location. But it's at risk of having a 'for lease' sign on the door if something doesn't change.
:(
My girlfriend and I decided to stop in here for breakfast this morning at around 8:15. The place was completely empty; not a single customer in sight except us. There was someone who appeared to be a manager behind the main register, a waiter outside, some cooks and a staff member in the bakery area. Upon walking in, no one even acknowledged us; we felt very unwelcome. It looked as though the staff was still in the process of opening the store, despite opening time being at 8am. Everyone was very distracted; I couldn't believe no one even acknowledged us. We should have left then.
Instead, I asked the manager-guy if we should just grab a seat, but he said that he'd take care of us. He sits us at a table by the window. Not a big deal but this table wobbles extremely bad, 3-4 inches vertically on both sides. Why the hell, if we're the only customers in here, would you sit us at a broken table? Maybe he's just not paying attention (wouldn't surprise me), but maybe he just thinks we're a couple of jerks for bothering him. I don't know. Â
We put in our food order. I ordered an omelet and she ordered pulled pork eggs Benedict. This was around 8:20. Still, we are the only customers in the place. We wait. And wait. And wait. Finally, at 8:45, I flag down our waiter and ask him the ETA on our food. He is very apologetic as he tells us that our ticket "got routed to the wrong printer", so the cooking staff hadn't even started yet. My girlfriend was very hungry and I didn't have anywhere else to be, so we decided to wait. To his credit, our waiter was very apologetic, and offered to box our food up to go once it was ready. Nice gesture. Â
That being said, I don't really buy that the "ticket got routed to the wrong printer." Even if that was the case, why wasn't our waiter on top of it? Why did it take 25 minutes for him to realize that the kitchen wasn't preparing our food? How could that be possible? I will give him the benefit of the doubt though since I've never been a waiter in an empty restaurant. Maybe he had a lot to do. Maybe he hates his job. Â
Once we got the food, it wasn't bad. She loved her pulled pork, and my omelet was good. Only complaint about the food itself is that they piled a couple of slices of American cheese on it, which I personally hate. YMMV. Â
By the way, this is our SECOND visit to Creation Cafe. The first visit was at lunch hour. Again, we had to flag someone down to get acknowledged and seated, but I'm much more understanding with a packed house. Based on our experience this morning, I guess that's just the way they do it there all the time. That being said the waitress didn't tell us until we'd been sitting for ten minutes that the wait on the kitchen would be over 45 minutes. Needless to say we paid for our sodas and left. Â
Overall, my impression of this place is that very hip decor hides absolutely rotten management practices. Things only get this bad in organizations of any kind when there's a management/leadership failure. I have no doubt that the staff at Creation Cafe is overworked, overburdened, stressed out or some combination of the three. I will not be back until Creation Cafe is under new management.
I honesty don't know why I keep coming back to this place... its probably the fact that its on the canal. Other than the scenery... they don't have much to offer.
Every single time I have been here, I have had to wait 10 minutes or more for service. In fact, the last 3 times I visited, I had to get up and find someone myself. Overpriced drinks and a very disappointing menu.
Came here after a long walk on the canal with the dog. Â The place has a great atmosphere and lots of libations to choose from. Â The service was incredibly slow and nothing over the top. Â Our table had two sandwiches and it was 40 minutes before we got our orders. Â The food was nothing to rave about. The me u had some good looking items but I would imagine they are all just as flavorless as our sandwiches. Â I may come back again just because of the location and that I can end a dog walk here. Â I would not come back for the great food or great service because both of those are non existent here.
Review Source:My husband likes this place more than I do, but I appreciate several options to choose from for vegetarian and since we've only been twice, I still have options. Â My husband got the Bleu Bliss sandwich which is apples, cranberries, bleu cheese... I forget the rest, but he worships that sandwich. Â I'm not kidding. I think he'd leave me for it if you could marry food. Â I had the black bean burger first visit and a flatbread 2nd visit. Â Burger was better than the flatbread, but both left me feeling heavy and a little sick, but that may just be me, not the quality of the food. Â
The restaurant itself is at the top end of the canal downtown, which is lovely!! Â They have outdoor seating, with a lovely view. Â The decor is kitchy/hipster/artsy and it works for the interesting old building, I think as a church... now not sure, don't wanna look it up though. Â Anyway, they're busy for weekday lunch with the hospital/school around, but Saturday lunch wasn't busy. Â They have beer floats on the menu. I don't like beer enough to try that, but it's unique.
What a fun place to eat!  I would love to come to Creation Cafe every time I come to Indy, but if I did  I wouldn't have much time for anything else!  It felt like we were there FOREVER, and our service was pretty slow, I think it was the lunch rush, but they seemed understaffed.
I had a hot ham & cheese sandwich on a pretzel bun, LOVED it. Â My boyfriend loved his Cuban sandwich, and I promise he's a picky eater! Â :) Â He even brought what he couldn't eat, home!
My boyfriend and I decided to come here after riding around the city for a bit and working up an appetite. We were around the Canal, so we decided to give Creation Cafe a shot. We rode around the building searching for a bike rack, but alas, there was none. So, we locked up to the canal gate and hoped the bikes would be fine.
The hosts were very friendly and we were seated right away. We asked for the patio and they tried to seat us directly in the sunlight. I love being outside, but I felt like I was getting a sunburn THROUGH my shirt. So, we asked to move, and they didn't seem to mind.
When we sat down, we both made a remark about how we've only heard bad things about the service here, but we are both low maintenance diners, so we didn't let it bother us.
What else goes great with a long bike ride? Beer. Their Wine & Beer menu is pretty great, but it is a little pricey (broke college student inside me talking). $9.00 for a Fat Tire? Yikes, No thanks! So, I stuck with a Bell's Two-Hearted IPA.
We both had the black bean burger and a side salad. The first bite of my salad was on the warm side, but luckily that was the only warm bite, aside from my burger, of course. As a non-meat eater, I was stoked to see the black bean burger on their menu. The avocado was a great touch, but it would have been a little less bland if they added mayo. Unforunately, this hadn't dawned on me until I was down to my last bite.
The food definitely hit the spot, and was perfect for our bike-riding appetites, but it definitely wasn't amazing, by any means.
The prices were do-able on a budget, and despite the bad reviews, the service was actually pretty good. I'll definitely be back & maybe I'll remember to ask for mayo.
Oh, Don't forget to get order a Beer Float!
This is a nice place to go for the ambiance. The patio is nice, the interior is well done, and the vibe of the place is great. The service was average, and the food is average to below-average. I had the Cuban, which was quite bland. Wife had the chicken nachos, they were ok. Nothing to write home about. We wanted to try some ice cream, but the gentleman serving the ice cream was unpleasant, so we ended up skipping. I guess my hair was not long enough for him or something.
In summary, we might come back for a dessert or some coffee. We won't be back for a meal. Food was average at best, and service was close to the same.
So I was debating four stars but then I decided on three. Â Here's why. Â First, they were out of bacon. Â Seriously, how does that happen? Â Not that I ordered anything with bacon on it but several members of my group were saddened by that news. Â Second, there was pretty slow service. Â I did read reviews beforehand and I knew what to expect but still, it's worth mentioning. Â Once we had our food no one came to check on us and it wasn't until everyone was finished and we were sitting with empty plates for, mmm, ten minutes that the server actually came back to clear or even just show us she cared.
Third, the other star got taken off because of the sweet potato fries. Â Maybe it was because they were talked up in reviews and my all of my classmates but I was kind of disappointed in the end. Â By the time they got to me they were mushy and cold. Â They also look exactly like a certain kind of sweet potato fry I can buy in the freezer aisle of the grocery store. Â That's not to say they weren't tasty, because they were, but there was something seriously lacking in the presentation of a cold and mushy pile of orange fries.
Anyways, I can say that my sandwich was awesome. Â I had the Bleu Bliss sandwich with bleu cheese, almonds, honey, cranberries, black pepper, and Granny Smith apples. Â It was a hot and pressed panini that hit all the right notes. Â I sincerely enjoyed its gooeyness. Â Honestly probably one of the best grown up grilled cheeses ever. Â Don't be scared if you're not a total bleu cheese kind of person. Â It isn't overwhelming at all. Â The honey mellows it out and then you get that tartness of the cranberry and sweet crunch of the apple. Â Greatness.
I didn't get a chance to try dessert but you can bet I'll be back to jump on that train sometime soon. Â The whole case display looked incredible. Â I don't know another place in town you can get a giant slice of Hummingbird cake!
Overall blah and blech. Ordered a salad w/ grilled chicken very little salad and about three pounds of shredded cheese, thus no point in ordering salad. Nothing my dining companions had looked or tasted good either, Â they seem to "hide" blandness of food with copious quantities of cheese. Â .Not a place for foodies. To be fair, I don't know, but perhaps their breakfast is better?
Review Source:After my last experience at Creation Cafe, my intention was to write an update to my past review, but it appears I never reviewed Creation Cafe. Â So, here's my thoughts in a nut shell. Â If I had written a review a year ago, which I intended but apparently never did, it would have been bad. Â I had a couple bad experiences with bad service and mediocre overpriced food. Â
BUT...here comes the update...I recently returned and had a really good experience!! Â Yelpers, I believe the Creation Cafe has listened to your feedback and have made some changes!! Â The menu has been updated and I think they've increased the number of servers or hired higher quality servers. Â New menu looked like it included new sandwiches and flatbreads. Â I got the Tijuana turkey burger with avocado aioli, pico, and queso. Â It was delicious! Â The fried pickles are addictive and I don't even like pickles...or horseradish, but that didn't stop me from going back for more and dipping in the horseradish sauce. Â Considering my coworkers go ga ga for the pickles, I can say with certainty that I will be returning and am looking forward to trying more of the new items and of course enjoying the outdoor seating during the warm months.
Eclectic, cool, cozy, and just downright awesome!
As I walked in, I was greeted by huge colorful cookies and tempting cupcakes in the display and an impressive coffee bar that serves beer floats. Â Yes....beer floats!
The place was bustling with every table seated for lunch and you can either sit inside or if it's a nice day outside, grab a table with a view of the canal. Â If you sit inside you'll be greeted with intricate paper cutouts over the lamps, strings of coffee cups at the window, lots of color and funky iron decor...what's not to love about the decor?
After a long debate over the menu and a serious discussion with my stomach, I had the Cuban. Â A yummy sandwich of good ol' pulled pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mustard, mayo and homemade pickles grilled on ciabatta bread. Â With a side of creamy cole slaw, each crunchy bite of my sandwich was made even better with the cool crisp slaw.
Two thumbs up Creation Cafe! Â Not only do you have a delectable menu, you have a fun upbeat ambiance to go with it.
Headed to Creation Cafe after IUPUI class and then time to burn before a meeting @ Clarian. Â The views are fantastic and I would recommend a stop at this restaurant just to see the views of the canal.
Food was decent with the exception of artichoke dip bread was quite stale. Â
Service was rough - the either need to trim down number of tables to match the staffing level or increase the staff numbers for wait staff and kitchen staff. Â If the capacity of the kitchen only allows a certain number of customers / hour then that needs to be the limit for number of tables/seats. Â
Will definitely head back there but perhaps wait until well after 130p and the lunch rush.
I am having a slumber party tonight (sorry guys, no pillow fights here) with my sister, her friend and our kiddos. Â We were discussing a few awesome food experiences when we remembered we had not yelped our awful experience at Creation Cafe a few weeks ago. Â So, I hopped on and read Jon's awful experience and realize he is calling all yelpers to remind them that customers should come first.
Here's the shitastic experience:
- Reservations the night of a concert and were seated 15 minutes late.
- Ordered our appetizers to share at 6:05...
......7:05, no food nor had we had a drink refill due to no one waiting on our table of 8....(employed people with money to spend on drinks - girls night out - hello!)
...Asked waiter (goofy lookin' guy) if he could check on our order and he said that four other tables were in front of us even though two tables who sat AFTER us had received their food. Â We then explained we had tickets to a concert and would like him to ask the kitchen to expedite our orders.
He didn't come back so I got up and asked to speak to the manager about paying for our drinks and leave so we could get to the concert (after waiting another 15 minutes).
The hostess was supposed to help us but she didn't...we waited another 15 minutes and then out came our food WITH THE MANAGER (the evil blond) - after 7:30 (which means the concert was already starting).
We explained why we were upset and wondering why we had to wait so long while other tables were served before us despite our reservation. She never gave us an answer.
She would not remove the gratuity despite our requests even though we received HORRIBLE service. Â Instead of apologizing to us, she laughed at us and reprimanded us for not planning our evening better and expecting quicker dinner service on a Saturday night...she made us feel like we should not get our dinner any faster than 2 hours after we ordered it. Â Remember, we had a reservation nearly 2 hours (!!!) before the concert....
So, let's recap....reservation (seated late), ordered immediately (no appetizers for an hour), waited another 30 minutes for an answer as to no food, food came, and when we expressed concerned, we were told how wrong we were to be there.
It's really sad b/c the beautiful setting + the gorgeous restaurant really draws you in but the terrible service RUINED the vibe of the evening. Â
I 100% agree with Jon ...but I'm not sure why he has given them the extra star...seriously, take that other star off!! This place sucks.
It is the worst service I've ever had in my beloved downtown. :( Â
This place need a Restaurant Impossible make-over...stat.
I am going to give this place another try after seeing the mixed reviews of this place, I honestly can agree with a lot of comments, positive and negative. Our server was good. Not great, but not poor. They were quite busy for lunch, but there was about 5-6 open tables, but we had to wait a good 15 minutes to be seated.
The food sounds great in theory, but I found it just average. Like I said, I'll give it another shot but if I wanted average food and average service, I would go to a fast food joint.
Eventually, this place will fall apart and perish. Eventually, this space will brim with a new look, a new life. Eventually, poor service, sloppy food preparation and the elevated expectations due to the priceless view will catch up to this place.
Eventually...
Until then, because we wanted a view and an entree salad... we came here recently.
Every time I've come here... the service pulls a ruse on the potential of the food, and before we know it... we're all pissy. A plain tizzy that we don't feel responsible for, and should just leave.
Note: I am not slighting the server for "sorry, I have to get a 2nd opinion on your ID" moment. I swear, I'm not. I just have to point out that I had the weirdest moment in awhile. Yeah, a 2nd opinion on my ID -- like I'm in line at Taps & Dolls. No, I'm here. Bearded. Dark circles under my eyes. And clearly really interested in having not-the-first Sun King OPA. I just thought it was really bizarre. She got a 2nd opinion -- awkward! -- and the beer came.
I also asked if I could have the salmon that's in the entree to replace the chicken on a salad and they were prepared to up charge me $8 for a total of $19.
Logic says (the $4 difference b/t chicken & salmon entree) that there would be a $4 up charge -- doable -- for the salad. No. Because my offer was ostentatious, she got a 2nd opinion and it was $8
So i held my breath and ordered the seared ahi tuna salad.
Both salads came out with that weird brown juice that salad gets when old. Imagine if I took the up charge and got the same greens?
The point of all this: the only thing I've ever had here that's been par has been a beer at 10am on my birthday and pancakes. For many reasons great beer here is average because I've never had a positive experience in ordering it (are they closet Gideon's out to make us feel weird for drinking the brain juice? They just might be).
Am I hoping more people come out of the wood work and wake the owners up to reality that they have to do a major overhaul to keep this place alive? Yes. Very much so. Because Indy is becoming more & more of a destination for so many out-of-towners, and that the Bugg's Temple is so alluring, I'm concerned this place leaves a bad taste in traveler's mouths. I really am.
The upstairs -- upscale, Euphoria -- has already caved. Before long Bugg's Temple will be vacant. Or, if they get their act together -- get a real GM in here -- and do a major makeover... then it can survive.
They have an incredible place ready & waiting, I'm just hoping they:
*recruit better staff
*hire a GM
*hire a chef or kitchen mgr to make sure all ingredients are legitimate.
*keep calm & carry on.
Every time I come here, I am disappointed in the service. Â That explains why I've only gone 3 or 4 times since they've been open. Â It takes forever for a server to acknowledge you, and once they do, good luck getting them to come back to take your order or fill your water glass.
But the food is quite good. Â I was very pleased with my green eggs and ham breakfast sandwich. Â They are now open for brunch on Sundays, so that's a plus. Â And they have a full menu of beer floats. Â What a beautiful idea for a hot summer day!
Despite the slow service, if I could change one thing about Creation Cafe it would be to add bike racks. Â It's right on the canal and moments away from the Cultural Trail, yet there is no good place to park your bike.
I love the patio here, especially in the evenings, on the side nearest the canal. Great view of downtown, the water, the gondolas, the people. Nice selection of beers, mixed drinks around around $8 and up. We tend to always have the pulled pork nachos because they're awesome and huge, but the other food I've had (flatbread, cuban sand., some entree) were also good. The prices are a dollar or 2 higher than what you might see elsewhere, but the quality and atmosphere are good.
I've always experienced pretty good service when I come here, but sometimes it can take too long for someone to acknowledge you at the hostess stand. Our last time...2 nights ago...was great. Seated right away, really good food, water glasses stayed full, our waitress was cute and friendly and checked on us 3-4 times between when the food came and when we asked for the check. That experience would've earned 5 stars but we've been here enough to experience some of the spottiness too.
A beautiful location seems to have them resting on their laurels, while skipping all the way to the bank from the OVER priced, just ok food. Was really looking forward to liking this place, and am a little heart broken over feeling I had been extorted from.
Their going to have to have a MAJOR event to get me back in the doors.
Off to try another first this weekend and chose Creation Cafe! Â I knew it was on the canal, but had no idea there would be so much outside seating with such an incredible view!! Â Needless to say, I was immediately bummed that it was raining :( Â Once we got inside, I was perfectly happy staying inside for this visit, because I already knew I would be back....sometimes you just know :)
The decor was eclectic, bright and cheerful. Â The staff was incredibly helpful and friendly. Â The menu was very creative, hence the name I assume! Â For a person like myself that loves to try new and unique dishes, Creation Cafe was perfect for me. Â
The Creation Chopped Salad had such a presentation that my eyes truly lit up and I said out loud, "Wow". Â The taste definitely did not disappoint! Â Tons of bacon, blue cheese crumbles, avocado and a really yummy ranch dressing on the side. Â This salad is a meal. Â In fact, 80% of it is my lunch for tomorrow.
The Garden Party sandwich was also "Wow". Â Huge sandwich with enough fries for me and 3 of my friends. Â Who would ever think to put
fried eggplant, grilled portabella, feta, tomatoes and olives together and call it a sandwich?? Â So glad they did!! Â OUTSTANDING!!! Â Honestly, I couldn't eat it all.....
The Southern Style BBQ Sandwich was topped with melted cheddar cheese and coleslaw and once again, "Wow". Â What a creative combination that makes the taste buds smile. Â
Cool hip restaurant with one of the most creative menus I have seen. Â I wish I hadn't been so full, because I really wanted to try a beer float!! Â The Blue Moon with Orange Sorbet sounded really fun. Â The dessert bar looked tempting even on a very full stomach. Â So many options!!
I will be back and I will make sure it is a sunny day. Â I must try that outdoor patio overlooking the canal with a beer float in hand. Â Thank you, Creation Cafe, for a very unique and pleasant dining experience. Â
FYI...they also have a massage chair downstairs by the restrooms. Â What?? Â Super cool.
Yet another update for Creations. Three things prompted my update: dogs, iced tea, and "hold my chicken" (get your mind out of the gutter).
1. Not only do they allow dogs on their outdoor patio (which is really the absolute best way to appreciate Creations) but they encourage it. The wait staff is really great with dogs and make both Otis and I feel welcome. Lunch there is the perfect pre or post canal dog walk spot.
2. I've also been won over by their iced tea (which is some kind of blueberry/pomegrante, I think). I usually don't drink black tea but this one has a really great flavor and they are generous with the refills.
3. Previously, I was avoiding meals here (other than brunch) due to the few vegetarian options on their menu. That all changed when I had the brilliant (but seriously belated) idea of just holding the meat in their dinner salads. That made all the difference.
The Texas Chop salad without the Chicken is really delicious. Even the (what I'm guessing are) canned mandarin oranges work well. The ginger dressing that goes with it is really tasty as well (though you may want to ask for it on the side because a little goes a long way).
It is ridiculous that they don't have vegetarian options of their dinner salads on the menu. It's also painful to pay full price when you're having them hold the most expensive item. Those complaints aside, this is now my go to lunch/dinner place on even a reasonably nice day and my can't miss spot on nice days.
The downstairs sister to Euphoria, I honestly prefer Creation Cafe. My only beef was that our menus (late late in the evening) didn't seem to contain the entree selections, so we ordered appetizers as our meal. Our BOGO coupon for entrees wasn't accepted. Grrr. Oh well. Maybe it's a ploy to ensure our return. And we probably will.
I ordered the chips with black bean salsa which was fantastic. I also had the quesadilla, and my friend ordered the nachos. Everything was delicious. The service was decent - even considering I arrived about 20 minutes prior to closing.
Went here for lunch one day during the week. Â It was close to where I had meetings all day so a few of us figured we would give it a try. Â The menu was okay, the service was HORRIBLE, and the food is completely overpriced. Â
We waited probably at least 10 minutes just to get drinks and then the waitress dumped a soda all over one of the people I was with. Â She disappeared for a while only to return with 2 small wash cloths to clean up the mess. Â
Needless to say, this did not give us a good first impression. Â Then we waited about 30 minutes for our food (all of which were cold sandwiches and salads). Â Not sure how it takes that long for 3 meals that require no cooking.
$11 for half of a sandwich and a small dish of cole slaw! Â No thank you!! Â
Will definitely NOT be back!
On a sunny day I could spend hours reading a book on the outside patio overlooking the canal. Â What a view! Â
As it happened my book club met here; my girlfriends and I gathered around one of their big indoor dining tables and contentedly attacked a plate of nachos as we discussed our latest read. Â It was the perfect meeting place - uncrowded on a Saturday afternoon - and we were both well taken care of and left alone to do our thing by our waiter.
The decor is eclectic - think Anthropologie meets Urban Outfitter - and the vibe is very low-key. Â Definitely feels like a college-y hang-out, though I've heard the upstairs is more sophisticated. Â Eat, drink, hang out, discuss.
Downstairs cafe in a renovated temple on the canal. Â
Sat by the window over looking the canal, pleasant enough. Â Couldn't eat the soup, tasted like flavored water, I would stick with bar food on the menu next time. Â Would be great in the spring or summer to sit outside, either downstairs or upstairs at Eurphoria.
Bugg's Temple, the fine dining establishment upstairs, bit the dust about a month or two ago. Luckily, Creation Cafe endures.
Soups, sandwiches and innovative plates like the famous pulled pork nachos are where it's at here. My last visit I had a Cuban sandwich and brussel sprouts bisque. I know, the latter sounds gross, but it barely tasted like brussel sprouts--or bisque, for that matter. But it was flavorful. I could have done without the tough onion strings on top, though. The Cuban was pretty decent, though my friend thought it was a little salty.
We shared some carrot cake bread deal for dessert; the icing could have tasted more homemade and the bread could have been more moist. Maybe this piece was just a little old.
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