Wasn't sure what to expect but was pleasantly surprised when the veggie haggis with Neeps and tatties... totally worth the stroll from the convention center vicinity. Vegetarian chili was also note worthy - washed down with a cold Wee Mac Scotish Ale. Â All in all a good night enjoyed by all in our group who tried MacNivens.
Review Source:I was staying in the Mass Ave district last Sunday night and popped into MacNivan's after a 5 pm show.
Scottish food isn't my favorite, and we weren't all that hungry, so we ordered dessert instead of dinner. We split the bread pudding with ice cream. The bread pudding was good, not great (since it is based in a mini loaf pan it was all edges...not as moist as a center piece). But the ice cream that came with it was great. It had these crispy nuggets that tasted like toffee that just made everything wonderful.
We got great service...granted the place was pretty empty on a Sunday night so service might not be quite so fast on a busy night.
I love the decor too. If I lived in Indy, I'm sure I would spend more time here.
One of my best friends & I strolled in for a random early Friday happy hour of our own. We were quickly helped with choosing drinks for the first round & Scotch Eggs to nosh on (so delish!!!)
I honestly can't say anything negative about our visit since I found good conversation with my friend and the bartender Max and a new-found appreciation for Imperial Stout beers. Max let us sample a few brews to get a feel for what we liked & made great suggestions. Can't go wrong with a local bar that highly encourages one to drink local!
I've never gotten the Scotch Eggs but I still give MacNiven's a solid 4 stars. It's a Mass Ave favorite with food on par with Chatham Tap or Bazbeaux's. The french dip is my go-to but the burger and anything with neeps (parsnips?) are both excellent as well. Onion soup and a high top table for people watching make for a perfect winter evening.
A review of MacNiven's wouldn't be complete without mentioning the beers selection, which is consistently impressive. They do a great job of showcasing Indy's local talent, which I really appreciate. They also have Irn Bru, which combines the taste of orange soda with the caffeine content of Mountain Dew. Woo hoo!
Also included on their drinks menu is the aptly named Fun in a Can, champagne that does exactly what it says on the label. Awesome.
Lots of beers... wow isn't that something.
Sotch eggs, freakin AWESOME.... and awesomely bad for you but oh well.
I asked the people behind the bar if they had any matches and got a healthy dose of self-righteous poo-pooing for my trouble. For christ sakes people, smoking and drinking go together like .... peanut butter & jelly! Why you hatin?
Great place for Scottish style food and drink. Â I got the haggis (which isn't made 100% traditionally) Â and it was really good with my Rober the Bruce from Three Floyds Brewery. Â The menu does trail off into other things like curry based dishes so if you want the full experience stick to the traditional dishes.
Review Source:From the moment I hear the wondrous creek of the wooden floors, I am filled with contentment. The atmosphere grabs ahold of me and transports me to a very happy place. The sausage rolls with baked beans are...are, well tongue blowing. So flaky and savory. The beers available (28 of them as of now) are top notch. A hand pull of local brew is usually available.
Review Source:Incredibly gracious owner donated a gift card to "Kids and Clays" - a Ronald McDonald House cause. I won the silent auction and the gift card was part of the package. Â Had I known the value of this donated meal, I'd have bid on it alone!!!
From the moment Randi (our adorable, knowledgeable, personable and attentive server) came over, we knew we were in good hands. Her beer recommendation was absolutely perfect - my new favorite beer (Sun King Cream Ale), the Scotch egg - ohhhh, my mouth is starting to water.....the haggis 50 cent  samples (how could I ever choose - both were excellent!), the sausage roll (which I settled on) and husband had a delicious scotch, settled on meat haggis and we just loved the potatoes and neeps that came with it -  we brought some home because we just "HAD TO HAVE" the bread pudding - Oh brother, where were the other people who needed to share this huge loaf of bread pudding and quart of ice cream with us?! I can't believe we ate the whole thing....ohhhh, yeah, my scale will believe it.....
We told Randi that she would have to drive our car back home because after all that food, we needed to walk!!!
Gorden Ramsey, WATCH OUT! This place is the real deal - atmosphere, staff, adult beverages and food that is out of this world.
We can't wait to get back and have already decided on what we are getting the next time...
And again, thanks for supporting the "Kids and Clays" Ronald McDonald House Cause - you donated a gift card and got two people who are huge fans with lots of foodie friends!!!!!! Â Keep the home fires burning!!!!
Specifically the "Burger":
How can they call what they serve a "burger"?  It reminds me of overcooked, institutional-grade liver, or gyro meat that has had every molecule of spice or "flavor-like-substance" painstakingly extracted.  Sure, as a science experiment, it might merit an "A" for its potential applications as an industrial insulator or as a modern-day Flubber ® fantabulous elastomer; but on the Fujita scale of flavor, it ranks a solid suck-point-o.
I've been here a few times, sometimes for a drink and occasionally for food.
Stopped by there today for a little of both.
We wanted to absorb as much authentic Scottish style food as we could so we split some appetizers: the Scotch Eggs and Haggis Sampler. The Scotch Eggs were decadent and delectable - perfect amount of sausage around the egg and the sauce is a nice addition. We weren't a big fan of the haggis, I'm not deducting any points from my rating since I'm sure it's authentic and enjoyable to fans of haggis, but I'm not into organ meat, and you can tell it contains some - we did end up eating most of it just for the experience - some hot sauce and Scotch Egg sauce made it a little more palatable for us. Try it if your adventurous or if you like organ meat like liver.
Since the appetizers weren't a complete meal, I also had a cup of the beef stew - it was near perfection with thick beefy broth and nice chunky meat and vegetables. The bread on the side was a accompaniment.
The bar has a nice rotation selection of local beers and some great Scottish ales - I really enjoyed the Belhaven Nitro Scottish Ale. If you're into Scotch Whiskey, you can only imagine the depth and quality of their selection, I'll have to try some next time.
Roach motel...my co-workers and I took someone out for their last day and they had roaches flying  around and crawling on the floor. When we made them aware of it, they said it could have flown in. The one crawling up the wall didn't have wings.  They should stop being cheap and turn the air on so roaches can't fly in if that was  the case
Review Source:MacNiven's is by far my favorite bar on Mass Ave. They have an very nice beer/liquor selection and some of my favorite food in town for the money. If you've never tried their Rolled Angus Burger, their Roast Beef McHattan, or the scotch eggs then you haven't lived. Go there and order all of those along with a local craft beer.
The bar closes a little earlier than most, but it's still a great place to start the night off.
Good selection of rotating beer on tap, nice selection of scotch and very friendly staff. Â This is a neighborhood staple when we're craving a drinksie. Â Also worth noting, MacNiven's went smoke free *before* the ban so they earn some extra street cred from me. Â
It's not my first choice on places to eat but some solid choices
* Apps: Â Jumbo tater skins & Â Onion Rings (these are amazing!). Â If you have never had scotch eggs, this is the place to give them a whirl. Â It's a hard boiled egg wrapped in sausage and breaded/fried. Â Sounds like a heart attack, right? Â You know it'll taste good!
* Entrees: Grilled cheese, fish and chips, Â the sausage rolls, beans and chips, vegetarian taco salad
The place is busy, but not too busy. Â I rarely have a hard time finding a seat and the one time I did, they took my number and would text me when the table was ready. Â How cool is that?
The fish and chips is OK because 1. There are only 3 little pieces (chicken tenders type) 2. Limpy and NOT crispy 3. It comes with steak fries. TIP: Chatam Tap is couple blocks away with amazing fish and chips!
Curry Chicken is unexpectedly good considering it's a American Bar and the one tasting is an Asian, it's unbelievably authentic I have to say. However, I'd prefer it comes with plain white rice rather than "fake fried rice with peas".
THE PIPER IS DOWN! Every day, ladies and gentlemen, is celebrated like Sean Connery's birthday at MacNiven's Scottish Pub. As if the squeaky wooden floors greeting you at the door aren't enough, you'll really feel as if you've stepped into the heart of hooligan country as soon as you find your seat and the barkeep asks if they can start you off with a Guiness or an Irish coffee. The head barkeep, by the way, is named Joe Doyel...That's right. Just let it out. "Joe Doyel Rules!" He is the very hard-hearted harbinger of haggis you'd expect, too. Anyhow, I never fail to ask, "You wouldn't happen to carry Dogfish Head Ale, would you?" whenever I walk into a bar for the first time. The answer, unfortunately, is always, "No,' or 'Sorry." Gratefully, to the credit of Mr.Doyel's wisdom, however, I was finally given an incredibly insightful, educated explanation as to why my favorite beer cannot be found anywhere in the Midwest. And, unless you actually give a hoot about Dogfish Head, now would be a good time to quit reading this review.
As Joe Doyel so very well informed me, "Dogfish Head is brewed and distributed by a small brewpub in Delaware, and, until made the figurehead of Discovery Channel's "Brewmasters" a few years ago, could be exclusively found in pubs across the nation. Since the debut of the series and because they refuse to expand out of their grassroots brewpub, Dogfish Head's popularity has grown to such an extent that its distributors had to limit its footprint even more, in order to keep up with the demand."
Wow. Thanks, Joe.
I've only been there once, and admittedly didn't eat any entrees, so bear in mind I can't speak for their food much. Stopped in for drinks and a dessert on a Saturday night. The servers were friendly and helpful, and helped us snag a table big enough for our group, though space was limited.
They had neat open front windows that served as sort of overflow bar seats, where you could sit facing the street and get fresh air while you drink, or talk to your buddy who's standing outside smoking.
The beers were good, nice local choices. They arrived quickly and any time a glass started to get low, a server checked in. We also had some of their signature ice-cream, which was FANTASTIC. Crowd was varied and jovial, and the comedian/actor who had just done a show nearby turned up, so you know everyone is recommending the place.
Lots of fun, energetic and loud, both trendy and homey.
I was in town for a conference and walked the extra distance from my hotel to have dinner. It waas well worth the effort. As suggested the scotch eggs starters were excellent. I then followed that up with the steak pie which was also very good. Following the reviews of others got me a good dinner in a place with atmosphere.
Review Source:MacNivens has a grapefruit beer. MACNIVENS HAS A GRAPEFRUIT BEER! I know what you're thinking 'oh, snap! that sounds awesome!' and you're right, your thoughts are right, that is awesome.
I am not going to keep going back to this place just because they have some kind of super-awesome beer of amazement that I like. Nay, I'm going to keep going back because they also have awesome dipping sauces for things you might like to dip, hearty and delicious fish and chips, a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, and many beers in the over 6% range.
The food is delicious, the service was fast, friendly and just really nice, and the price is right, suckah em cee!
also....did you hear they have a grapefruit beer?
How is it that I've never gotten around to reviewing MacNiven's? Maybe because it's so close to my heart I just swore I had already.
Hands down this is my favorite place to sit and have a beer downtown. (Or two. Or three. Or...) The fact there's always Sun King on tap is one reason why, but the main reason is just.... everything. The vibe is great. Very laid back. The walls are plastered with Scottish swag. The pictures of Ewan McGregor in the women's restroom don't hurt either.
The staff is fantastic. There's not many restaurants or bars that I can think of where I'm a regular customer and have never, ever, ever had a bad experience. This place is on a very short list of awesomeness. The staff knows their beer. Which you would think should be a no-brainer when working in a bar, but it's not always the case. They are attentive too, quick to offer to get the table another round. Quick to take orders. Unlike some other establishments on Mass Ave, they don't see me sitting at a table alone, waiting for the rest of my party, as a reason to ignore me. Just because I'm there before my friends or loved ones doesn't mean I want to wait for a beer. Maybe food yes, but I never want to wait for beer. They are incredibly friendly too, and will gladly chat you up while you wait for the rest of your party. I never feel awkward or alone here, even when I am.
The food here is fantastic too. The Angus burger is my favorite thing on the menu. It's pounded very thin, requiring you to fold it not once, but twice, just to get it on the bun. The fries are good but I sub them out for the shrimp and corn chowder when it's available. It's as good as I would expect from a high quality seafood joint. The shrimp is never overcooked or rubbery, it's tender and perfect. So. Good.
My favorite time of year to hang out here is late summer and early autumn when the windows are open. Just sitting in front of the windows late in the evening and people watching. I love you MacNiven's. So hard.
I finally got here on my birthday, and I wish I would've gone sooner.
MacNiven's had been on our "we need to go soon" list for probably 5-6 months, but other places just kept winning out. Â Well, no more!
After all, they have HAGGIS. Â Yeah, haggis. Â Offal is not verboten in our household; quite the opposite - we enjoy most of it. Â And haggis is lamb liver and heart (no lungs in the good ol' U.S. of A). With oats. Â Mmmm.
So, we went, and ordered the lunch portion of haggis and also some scotch eggs (gotta try 'em, you know).
The eggs were good - not killer or great, but good!
Haggis is good, btw. Â Neither of us had ever had it before, but you can bet we'll have it again. Â I doubt you'd be able to tell what it contained if you didn't know. Â It just tastes rich and meaty and fairly earthy - but again, unless you know it has liver and heart in it... you'd probably not figure it out.
The beer selection is good, as is the Scotch selection (of course!). Â The rest of the menu is fairly jumbled; mostly Americanized pub fare, with the only real "Scottish" thing being the haggis.
If there was more to differentiate the place from "Just Another English/Irish/Scottish 'Style' Pub" I'd feel more stars would be warranted.
A good place though, and I'm sure we'll be back!
I am giving Macniven's 4 stars because of two things. Â You always have Alpha King on tap (in addition to a excellent beer selection over-all). Â And you are going smoke free. Â
As far as the food. Â Honestly, it has never impressed me. Â
However I will continue to return to MacNiven's for the atmosphere and the beer. Â Thank you for going smoke free!
The food is just OK. I got the fish and chips and was pretty underwhelmed. A little too much batter for me, and definitely not the best beer batter either.
I wish I could say good things, but it just wasn't right. And the small beer selection was also a little bit of a disappointment. Perhaps I should have gotten the sausage rolls?
Like they need one more great review, huh?
For the last 10 years, my Belfast born husband has only wanted sausage rolls. Â
MacNivens caught his eye and we finally got in there today.
Super cool vibe and a good "pub" feel. Â A lower ceiling and a roaring fire would make it a true, cozy, public house. Â
We started with the Scotch Egg. Â It was my first Scotch Egg and I loved it. Â Pip said they "nailed it!" Â It tasted great without the accompanying spicy mayo. Â Turns out, this aioli is pretty tasty with the fries, so hang onto it.
I got the Angus Burger, which is different - but delicious. Â I can only describe it as a "giant meat crepe." Â It arrives covering your entire plate and you get to fold it up, which results in many tasty burger layers. Â I enjoyed the interactive part of folding it. Â I added sauteed mushrooms and bacon to mine, but let them keep the cheese. Â
Pip ordered the sausage rolls (2) w/ beans and chips. Â He was in sausage roll heaven. Â It met his needs, saying it was 98% right on. Â The taste was a hit. Â A little less pastry and looser sausage crumble and the texture would have been spot on.
When we got there, one of their desserts caught my eye, but I couldn't make it through my huge burger and load of fries. Â Next time, I'll plan accordingly. Â
Our server was a cute hipster in skinny jeans. Â He took great care of us.
I can't wait to go back!
Looking to kill time and down a beer or two before a show at the Murat, MacNiven's was the first and last place discussed. Their beer selection is great with a decent selection of beers on draft, including several Indiana beers.
There is a decent selection of vegetarian dishes to choose from. I suggest the quesadilla with vegetarian chili. I'm also a big fan of the tuna salad. As others have mentioned, the scotch eggs should also be tried.
All in all, this is a nice bar with good food and good beer. What else do you need?
Make sure you get there at the right time because it's not very big, especially the bar area, and can get very crowded.
The beer selection is top notch. I have grown a bit tired of the meatless food options, but I can never resist the veggie haggis. The staff is nice for the most part, but it can get a bit busy. I do like that it is split into a bar (smoking) and a tabled (non) area that is a bit more relaxed.
Seats in the front windows are prime real estate on summer days/nights.
Man! I'm alway trying to find a great place ot eat downtown after 9 p.m. on Thursdays. Seriously. I have a standing late Thursday night date and so many places close their kitchens at 9:00. Called The Rathskeller and they said their kitchen was going to be open until 9:30 but when we arrived at 9:15, the lights were out and the doors were locked.
Strolling down Mass Ave, we pass Bazzbeaux (closed) the Chatterbox (never been - didn't want to try them) and stopped at MacNivens. Good choice!
They were doing some business and this boded well. We were seated immediately and our waiter, Blair, got our drink orders right away. The crowd was a good mix of younger and older. The volume level was loud enough to cover intimate discussing but not so loud that I couldn't hear the lascivious details of my companion's stories.
Drinks arrived quickly and we placed our orders. My guest requested the fish and chips which Blair told us were battered in one of their excellent on-tap beers.
I used my usual trick of selecting two meals, both of which sounded good to me, and run them by Blair to see what he'd recommend. I had selected their Roast Beef MacHattan and their Tatties & Neeps (described in the menu as a version of Shepherds pie without the cheese. (I hated being told what I COULDN'T have! and I love cheese) Blair called my two choices "different meals" with the MacHattan being "just roast beef, mashed potatoes and toast." But the Tatties & Neeps description was much more compelling. Neeps, for the uninitiated such as me, are a mashed root vegetable, like a turnip. The star of the dish is the stew and the mashed potatoes alongside the Neeps.
After a surprisingly short wait our meals arrived and were both excellent. The Fish and Chips was made of flakey and moist fish breaded and fried to the perfect color with a side of very potatoe-y fries. The stew came in a boat on a plate next to the mashed potatoes and neeps. Taking a bite of neeps or tatties and then dipping it in the stew made for a perfect bite. Tender vegetables and ground beef served piping hot made this a meal I'd definitely come back for again.
We looked at the dessert list which featured bread pudding, chocolate confusions, apple pie cheesecake and ice cream, but opted to stop by Steak n  Shake on the way home and get a malt. Great evening.
The only thing that kept me from giving them 5 stars was the lack of anything to nibble on during the short wait for our food. I would have loved a basket of homemade breads to take the edge off my hunger.
I'd never had Scottish food before. I didn't know what to expect. Granted, from watching SNL, I knew that if "it's not Scottish, it's crap," but some crap tastes sorta good... so what did I know? Luckily, I was at MacNiven's with an international man of mystery who guided me through this culinary maze.
I began my meal... with beer. Duh. A nice brown ale set the mood for my UK adventure. After the suds came the Scotch Eggs. I might have been the only person in Indy to not know what a Scotch Egg was but in case you're in my boat, let me explain. A Scotch Egg is an unholy union between sausage and egg. Pig and fowl combine in a way that's wholly unnatural. It's served with some sort of pink sauce. Nothing about the item makes sense. It's alright, but I felt the need to go to confession after eating it.
After my buddy made a bold play to trick me into ordering haggis (nyet), I settled upon a chicken sandwich with curry sauce and flavored fries. I know that Edinburgh boasts some pretty choice Indian restaurants (so my friends have told me), so I thought my choice was authentic and tasty. As with most things in life, I was correct. Served on soft, sturdy bread, the sandwich was generously portioned, nicely topped with tomato and the like, and deliciously flavored with curry sauce. It comes on the side so you can put as little (booo) or as much (yay!) as you'd like. Between the sandwich, bread, evil egg, fries, and beer, I was in need of a nap. That's my litmus test for good eatin'. Well done, Scottish food. You can stick around.
En route from Columbus to Chicago, I decided to meet with my friend, Paul from Guam who I haven't seen in a decade. Â Luckily, he moved to the midwest for an orthodontics residency. Â Anyway, as I was yelping Indianapolis, MacNiven's caught my eye because they serve haggis and veggie haggis as well, and decided that this be the place for me, Paul, and Amish to dine out on our first night. Â
I was excited because Chicago does not have restaurants that serve haggis on a regular basis. Â The only time I had haggis in Chicago was at the Robert Burns supper at Martyrs. Â But...the haggis was not too good here. Â It was a bit too mushy and wet. Â While the veggie haggis tasted just like chilli. Â So the only thing going for MacNiven's that night was that they served Belhaven and Tennet's.
Two words...Scotch Eggs. The cholesterol ridden, artery clogging, life ending snack that would make a fat man blush. They're so good you almost want to order two, but since they come with a complimentary gurney and triple bypass, they can be a bit pricey.
Just kidding, but they are amazing, and paired with a great pint of beer, it makes for  fun night. This place has a great beer selection, one of the best downtown, especially if you like big, bold, hoppy beers. (Which I can't quite figure out, because compared to Britain or Ireland, Scottish beers are incredibly mild and often on the sweet side.)
The ambiance is cool, and the service is spot on...not amazing and not bad, just good. You can come in most nights and get a table fairly quickly, or just park it in the window, which is as good as it gets as far as I'm concerned, I love the window seats.
The down side at current, is the construction going on with the condo's next door, so the view is a little hindered by the eyesore of boarded up and fenced in job site.
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