I really enjoyed this place. We came here on Saturday night for a birthday dinner, and the place was so packed, we couldn't even find a spot in the private lot and had to use the bank lanes as parking. This place seemed very intimate, and although our server was brand new, she did a great job. I ordered the cocktail special with included plum wine and a few other ingredients, and it was nice enough. I decided to try the Spicy Thai with Shrimp pasta dish, and ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc to go along with it. Both items were fantastic. Everyone at our table really enjoyed their meals, and there were many empty dishes. If I went again, I would like to try the coconut crusted mahi mahi.
I am really looking forward to taking my boyfriend here for a nice, romantic dinner.
Overpriced, mediocre food. Â The real kicker is that the waitress mentioned that the menu is "seasonal." Â Uhh, no it's not. Â The menu might change but it definitely is not seasonal. Â On 03/02/13, the menu had entrees with sides such as asparagus and summer squash and zucchini - that's not seasonal, that's SYSCO. Â Also, all I really needed to know about the place was that not every entree dish had its own unique sides. Â Asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes - on multiple entrees? Â Yikes.
Review Source:The food here is fantastic, and it is a really classy place. So, why only three stars? Because it is freaking LOUD! The entire place is made out of concrete and an unfinished ceiling that gives it a really cool look. But, those materials make sound echo and carry. There seems to be absolutely zero noise-absorbing materials that I Â now realize I have taken for granted in my life. The restaurant can be half-full and I'll wish I had earplugs. After the last time we went and could barely have a conversation over the noise of the rest of the full restaurant, I decided I am never going back. Their good food is just not worth it. There are other places that have great food and a nice atmosphere where I can at least hear what other people at my table are saying. If you do decide to go, the wine flights are a fun thing to do, and the service is pretty good. Just show up with some aspirin to treat the headache you're going to get.
Review Source:The place aspires to be nice and the food was good. Â The service was so-so but I got over that. Â There are television sets, spewing their moving images (!), all over the place. Â Tasteless and utterly unnecessary in my opinion. Â I found it to be a bit expensive -- especially in light of the upgraded sports-bar feel of the place.
Review Source:the northside is a very difficult place to like, even though the food is pretty good and they have a good beer list.
the parking lot, crammed with jaguars, range rovers, audis, etc. is the first indicator of what to expect. Â the second is the somewhat snotty hostess(es) that are immediately to the left once you enter. Â if you don't have a reservation, expect to be treated as a second class citizen. Â they will seat you at or in the bar area, more on that in a minute.
there is a black & white theme, very simple. Â lower eating tables to the east of the entrance, a row of high tables along the windows on the west wall, than a 4' divider wall containing the bar area in the northwest corner. Â there is outdoor seating. Â most all of the tables aside from the round high tables in the bar area are reserved. Â the actual bar is in the shape of an "L" and has a brushed steel bar top, no rail. Â the bar back sticks with the theme and is very simple. Â just some shelves, couple 42" hdtvs, and a mirror that is too high to be useful. Â anything i've eaten has been above average. Â in addition to a fair list of craft/fancy beers, they also have the usual domestics. Â aside from the hostess, the waiters and bartenders are all friendly and attentive.
the other patrons are the real reason for the two stars. Â bless them for having some money, but i can do without the look-at-me screaming and laughing. Â there are just too many blazers with jeans, donald trump hair, and short-short dresses on bodies with badly wrinkled knees. Â stuffy is the first word that comes to mind to describe the atmosphere, but these place/people are definitely not dull. Â a more appropriate word would be elitist, but that sounds very harsh. Â bottom line is the northside is packed with middle aged douches, single and married, who are more concerned with their experience than others (bumping into you while waiting in the bar, screaming over your table to one another, etc.). Â maybe i just liked the previous building occupants too much, but they are gone and the northside is here. Â it's just their place, not mine.
One of Broad Ripple's classiest eateries, I really enjoyed this place. Â My girlfriend and I came here for a romantic dinner and this was a perfect spot. Â The Northside Social has a great ambiance, I felt really at home here; I really appreciated the background music, too! Â I ordered a cocktail before dinner, 'The French Canadian,' and this French-Canadian though it was a real treat! Â (that's me!) Â We shared the Mac&Cheese for a starter - which was really good - and the Champagne Chicken for our main. Â I was really impressed! Â The chicken was prepared very well, along with some tasty sides.
However, I thought it was really weird that this type restaurant had televisions all over the place, it detracted from the overall theme and creates a portal of distraction from what you should really be focused on: your company and your delicious food! Â I also thought that although the food was excellent, it was a bit pricey for the level of satisfaction.
Overall, I highly recommend for your romantic/intimate dinner night or just a unique epicurean adventure.
What a great spot for a romantic date or a celebratory dinner with the family. Â
I decided to take my honey out for a nice dinner since he had been stuck at work late one night. Â He had mentioned wanting to try this place, so I called ahead and made a reservation. Â It turns out, we really didn't need one. Â We went at 7:30 of a Thursday and the place was pretty bare. Â The hostess sat us at a two-top near the main walkway in the restaurant, and since it wasn't busy we asked to be moved to a more secluded table. Â The hostess was happy to accommodate us. Â
I ordered a glass of sparkling wine and my boyfriend got the French Canadian cocktail. Â We both enjoyed our drinks. Â Then we split the a la carte gourmet mac and cheese as an appetizer. Â it was really great mac and cheese, but I'm not a big onion fan so I had to pick them out of my dish. Â For an entree, we decided to split the Champagne Chicken. Â It was delicious! Â A chicken breast stuffed with creamy cheese and then covered in a butter champagne sauce with a side of roasted potatoes and asparagus? Â Perfection. Â The price, $22, was pretty steep for what you got, but it was still delicious. Â We topped off dinner with a brownie sundae, which at $10 was overpriced for the value. Â
This restaurant with chic decor and good ambiance. Â One thing mentioned in previous reviews was the amount of TVs and how it cheapened the restaurant. Â I have to agree. Â I don't like my date looking over my shoulder at the TV an a restaurant like this. Â Lose the TVs, this isn't a sports bar!
All in all: good food, good ambiance, but not a great value for what you receive. Â Still, it's worth checking out, and I will be back again for sure!
Came here for a celebration dinner and was completely disappointed.
The atmosphere is nice. We weren't able to put our finger on it but it was fresh, clean, modern, yet classic in a way. The only problem we noticed was that as it got busier the place got louder. It ended up sounding like we were eating in a high school cafeteria.
Our server was very ho-hum, definitely not excited to be at work and made no effort to connect with us as guests.
The menu has some promising choices but all fell short of expectations. I ordered the grilled meatloaf. Â The marsala mushroom sauce was fantastic, potatoes and asparagus were on par with what I expected, the meatloaf however had no flavor at al. Â I was hoping for the perfect balance of flavors but it was really just small textured chunks covered in the marsala. They could have used pre-cooked frozen beef patties and it would have tasted the same. My friends' meals all had the same story. Â Take an inventive idea then ruin it by falling short on the rest of the dish.
At the end of meal we felt rushed to leave. Our server even came to pick up the credit card slips before we left. Â As I was once a server myself, I think that's a pretty rude move on her part. There were plenty of open tables in the dining room and bar area. Â
Overall, it's not worth coming back to. I can give the service the benefit of doubt but the food is at best hit or miss. 3 meals and not one met or exceeded expectations. Those aren't chances that I want to take again.
i thoroughly enjoyed my time at this restaurant/bar. Â the food was delicious and while a bit on the $$$ side it was well worth it. Â the drinks were also a bit pricey for Indy but blended very well. Â definitely a step up in aesthetic appeal (both the decor and the crowd) from the standard Indianapolis night spot. Â the wait staff was overly courteous which was a pleasant change. Â will definitely be returning.
Review Source:We went here with a large group on a Saturday for my birthday. The service we received was excellent. Our waiter was prompt and had no problems splitting the bill and keeping everyone happy.
Our food came out fast and all together. Everyone really enjoyed their food and the Sea Bass I had was excellent. Loved the decor and a nice selection at the bar. We will be going back
You know, maybe I just hit it on a lucky night (Thursday), but I really liked this place. Â It's a pleasant atmosphere -- as Scott says, a little upscale but very casual and inviting. Â The service was friendly and fast, and our server really knew the menu. Â Everything we ordered was quite well prepared. Â The menu may not be exciting, but it's fairly varied, and the appetizers sounded and looked great. Â Next time, we may just do a table of appetizers.
The one thing that I strongly disliked -- and I say strongly -- is that TVs are everywhere. Â Why do restaurants feel that they have to have even one TV? Â I can kind of deal with a TV or two in the bar area, but The Northside Social has them throughout the dining room as well, and for a place trying to pass itself off as casually elegant, their presence pulls it way down.
Went to the Northside Social last night, it was a Friday, we didn't have reservations, but we put our name on the list for 2 and were told that we would have to wait approximately 15-20 minutes. Â Being that it was a Friday, we anticipated a wait, so we went and sat at the bar. Â After a couple of high priced draft and bottled beers ($7.00 for draft, $6.00 for a bottle) and about 50 minutes, we checked with the hostess who assured us that we would be the next ones seated. Â After another 25 minutes and watching numerous other people being seated we left. Â We received no apology and were not given any reason for not being seated. Â Needless to say, we will not be going back there again.
Review Source:The Northside Social gets five stars  for serving up  two very well prepared meals and for the  list of craft beer and for the good service.  One star is knocked off due to the several TV sports monitors instead  music.  The decor is clean twenty-first century.  The menu is genius and if the staff executes well and if the chef keeps it fresh then it ought to provide nice profits to the owners.  This food menu is structured and priced to be able to support a business plan without needing a big lift from the bar's profits.  It is an adult establishment. The prices will keep out a lot of the youngsters.  There's no bread service except for ala carte corn bread (no thanks).  The lack of bread and oil drove us to spend  $10 on the flatbread appetizer and that was very good.  Again, the cost structure is genius!  The brisket & mashed potatoes and the grilled salmon were both excellent comfort food entrees.   The asparagus was crisp and fresh.  The only fault  with the food was a serving of bland rice.
Review Source:Northside Social is an odd combination of upscale and casual ... cushy leather chairs, swanky style yet lots of TVs mounted on the walls. Â For the most part, it pulls it off. Â The dress code appeared to be officially "pretty much anything you want," as we saw nearly formally-dressed customers alongside those wearing baseball hats & shorts. Â Service was friendly and gave us just the right amount of attention on a Saturday evening.
Based on the wide range of reviews here on Yelp, I didn't really know what to expect from the food. Â It was very good! Â The feta + hummus appetizer was too expensive for the amount of food received, but it had an AMAZING olive tapenade that I'm pretty sure would even make my shoe taste great. Â The clay pot fish was excellent as was the halibut cheeks entree ... I liked the cheeks ever-so-slightly more yet my wife preferred the clay pot dish. Â Either way, we were very pleased with both selections. Â We splurged on the chocolate brownie + ice cream dessert and while it might not have been anything overly innovative, the brownie was warm, soft, and delicious. Â The dessert portion size was superb for sharing. Â The wine list wasn't huge but it hit the main varietals fairly well with good by-the-glass prices and some affordable bottles.
Overall, I'd be happy to return to Northside Social for dinner. Â Prices could be a little lower but the overall experience was a good enough for me to look the other way ... and that olive tapenade, wow.
I went to Northside Social for the first time for the first half of the Butler Final Four game. It was a time I didn't want to be distracted by lousy food or service, and Northside delivered a nice experience. It's funny - it was a way classier place than I thought it would be from driving by it a lot. A sign outside the door reads "Proper dress required," so I hesitantly asked the hostess if jeans were okay. They were, don't worry. Our waitress was nice, even though she didn't stop by too often, but that was okay since we were watching the game anyway. Maybe she was trying not to bug us too much? Not sure, but I guess that would have been thoughtful. She definitely didn't rush us at all.
My boyfriend and I split a beer flight, so we chose 4 samples of beer out of probably 12 possibilities. We also split an a la carte order of gourmet macaroni and cheese and, after much deliberation since so many entrees looked great, the brisket. We didn't get charged the $5 plate splitting fee listed in the menu, which was a nice surprise! The brisket was great - nice and tender. We asked for extra sauce, but even without that it would have been good. The gourmet macaroni did not disappoint, and I was skeptical going in about how good it was actually going to be. Absolutely delicious! I doubt it can be topped, in fact! I will be back for more!
My friend's wife actually picked this place when I wanted to treat him for dinner for his birthday. Â It was pretty recent at the time (summer) and I was definitely up for a new place. Â We were lucky enough to get a table outside on a Friday evening since we went a little past the prime dinner hours. Â Supposedly this is some sort of cougar bar, but that didn't matter to me since I'm all about the food. Â I had the clay pot fish. Â While it may not sound very interesting (Fish in a pot??), it was delicious. Â My friend and his wife enjoyed their food though I can't remember what they had. Â The wine list seemed to be pretty decent, but I generally don't drink wine at restaurants. Â This is a place I'll definitely go to again. Â Maybe I'll even up my rating to 5 stars if I have another great experience. Â I just have a hard time giving 5 stars upon only a single visit.
Review Source:Okay, so I want to love this place but it really doesn't measure up. Â Northside Social totally succeeds as a bar. Â It's well-lit, the drinks are great and interesting (they had a special tap of a Sun King exclusive a few weeks ago--The Grapefruit Jungle...amazing!), and the staff is friendly. Â
On the other hand, the restaurant does not measure up. Â I've been there a handful of times now, and every appetizer and entree I've had is overpriced and not what the menu promises. Â I ordered a Mediterranean sampler (with tapenade, hummus, pita, and fresh veggies). Â It cost $12 and they gave us about $4 worth (only a dollop of each spread--enough for 1.5 people). Â Not cool. Â Last time I was there, I ordered a Greek salad with pulled chicken and the meat was so bad, I could not eat it (literally, it just sat in a pile on the side of my plate--and it cost $5 extra!). Â The salad consisted of iceberg lettuce with chickpeas, which is not the traditional Greek salad that we all know and love. Â Maybe it has just been my personal menu selections that haven't been up to par, but it really is a disappointment. Â They do have desserts that are out of this world though. Â The bread pudding is worth the trip; my advice, just go for drinks and dessert instead of a full dinner. Â
Overall: Â it is certainly not terrible, just not as good as it has potential to be.
This was my first stop at the Northside Social. Tucked into a little strip mall area, this is a cute place. I was meeting my friend Lindsay here- she's a local and it was her idea so it had to be good. It was packed, we sat in the bar area because it was like 8pm and we had no time to wait for a table. The service was great- the Bloody Mary's were spot on spicy. LOVE it. We shared some flat bread pizza- lovely and not greasy or too cheesy either. Then we split (it was late) a cheeseburger- very good although I will be honest I was NOT digging the flat -bread it was served on; IMO burgers belong on a bun. Enough said. NOT toast. Just sayin. The fries were good but - kind of small in portion size. We shared the "Banana Cream Pie" for dessert and I put it in quotes because you will see from the picture that they have made it an EXPERIENCE. Unreal. Delicioso.
Overall- I liked it. I am laughing at the review from Jon A because yes  I did see a whole lot of "Cougar-Esque" types here definitely seeming to be on the prowl. Too funny. Next time I'm trying the bread pudding....
So every so often I return to Indianapolis to visit family, and every time I experience severe culture shock. Â Yes, I truly belong in LA.
First, I'll forgive this place for sporting a truly uninspired name. Â That said, there wasn't much to praise about this place.
We arrive, a party of 5. Â Not an unusual number for a restaurant, no? Â Well the hostess wants to simply put a 5th chair on the end of a table for 4...and there would have been no room for us to all fit, legs under the table where they belong. Â An empty table set for 6 is next to the too-small table, and we inquire about using that one. Â No, the table that is set for six is used for parties of 7 to 8. Â Yeah I don't get that either, but 15 minutes later the hostess got 3 other people to put 2 other tables together to accommodate us. Â The place was almost empty, mind you.
The table ordered a cornbread skillet to share. Â While it tasted good, this is way too much food. Â Seriously, it was like a cornbread birthday cake sliced for 6 slices. Â Huge. Â Our party had some serious eaters in it, yet quite a bit went to waste. Â Simply too much food.
My father ordered a salad. Â It was not what I would call a salad, as it had one long piece of romaine lettuce on it and then some meat. Â Gross, and definitely a ripoff.
Entrees were a mixed bag. Â While I cannot recall the exact names, the following dishes were ordered:
1) Hot pot fish (x2)
2) Brisket
3) Ribeye**
4) Spicy Penne in a Light Creamy Vodka sauce with chicken
Hot pot fish was well-liked. Â Really good according to the two ladies who had it.
My father ordered the ribeye, and he thought it was good, but "adequate." Â Nothing groundbreaking here, but nothing glaring, either.
The brisket was universally panned. Â Brisket is supposed to be slow-cooked, imparting a very tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Â This "brisket" was deemed to really be sliced pot roast, as it was dry and chewy. Â The diner and his wife (she had a bite) were not happy.
The penne ala vodka with chicken was also not what actually came out. Â There was no cream added to the sauce at all. Â This was straight-up red marinara sauce, not the classic pink sauce one would expect from a penne ala vodka dish. Â It was edible, but not what was ordered. Â Penne was really small in diameter, a little over-cooked, and the chicken was super dry. Â The sauce was NOT a "light creamy vodka sauce" as advertised, and instead was a marinara sauce. Â It wasn't awful, but had I known what I would be served, I would have ordered something else.
Note on entrees: if you want to split an entree, they charge you $5+ to split. Â This is outrageous, even in Los Angeles (it happens, but it's not really common). Â This place is not of a caliber where this would be expected, and it reeked of pretension.
For dessert, several bread puddings were ordered and split. Â No one was wowed; this is very average bread pudding. Â It had caramel drizzle on top, and it is honestly too sweet. Â The whipped cream on the side was loaded with confectioner's sugar and was deemed inedible by everyone. Â Each order of bread pudding was split by 2 people, though not one plate was finished more than 50%. Â This portion size was more out-of-control than the cornbread skillet.
I don't like places that charge super high prices for mediocre-at-best food, while serving so much of it that much goes to waste. Â NO ONE could eat the portions at this restaurant as part of a healthy diet. Â This is also not health food.
Service was slow and uneven, prices high, pretentious factor cranked up to level 12...just no. Â I'll waste my money on a place with better food than what I can make at home, thank you so much.
**Edited to correct an inaccuracy. Â Ribeye is not brisket.
Update: I just spoke with a few friends who recently dined here, and they had the same reaction to the penne pasta dish, though theirs didn't have chicken. Â Like me, they were expecting an item described as having a light, creamy sauce to actually have a light, creamy sauce...but instead they also received a chunky, tomato/marinara sauce. Â While not bad, it was not what was ordered.
Maybe Northside Social needs to educate their chef on the menu, or maybe they should just change the menu to reflect what the chef feels like serving.
I am so disappointed! Â I haven't lived in Indianapolis for about 13 years, but have been trying to plan some events for a bride where I'm one of her bridesmaids. Â I wanted to have a nice evening for just the girls and was wanted a place that was chic, with good food, and where we could get the night started. Â My parents had told me about this place and even offered to swing by for an evening to check out the food.
I called to find out if they took reservations--and they don't--but explained that we were going to be a small group for an event where I would be inviting people. Â The last thing I wanted was to invite people where we had plans for after dinner and be standing around waiting for a table. Â When I explained this to the hostess she basically told me best of luck. Â
My parents, always wanting to help out, also tried to see what we could do for an event. Â For a THURSDAY night, they offered us a small table for up to 10 people FOR TWO HOURS ONLY for a minimum of $500.
I'm sorry, $500 minimum for a DINNER table in INDIANAPOLIS on a THURSDAY night...someone had to be pulling my leg!!! Â Even if we weren't going to make it to dinner here I still wanted to check the place out eventually, but now I'm so turned off by how unaccommodating they are I can guarantee I will NEVER be spending money here!
"Dammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmn was the crowd hyphy...."
Yea...E-40 could write a hip-hopera based on his findings of civilization at the Northside Social.
I'm down to stave off the Lexus-driven cougars and pumas from the Exotic Feline sanctuary in Western Indiana, who ask, "who is your Tiger?" to eat here, to drink here, to pray/prey upon the bread pudding here.
I'll figure out a way to get cozy at the bar here before I'll ever sit, aka get crammed into a table for two here. The bar service is top notch here (which as a result if you order a drink at a table...prepare to nosh on some damn fine tapenade while a wait for your drink happens).
We deterred the 90 minute wait for a table with our lumberjack-ness of being able to sit out on the patio between two ferns. (Life note: when an establishment offers that, "there's no wait for a table if...." take it, because whatever their options are -- say, in smoking section, outside, inside, or amongst the detoured bus of geriatrics dropped off from the defunct MCL -- is no doubt better than waiting an obscene length, eh?).
So, outside we go. Unfortunately, our waitress didn't make it. We were served better and more often by the food runners and hosts (good form by them!).
I was pretty certain that this place would exist to me solely for it's weeknight beer and bread pudding appeal (local midwest micros on draft...Bell's Sparkling Ale being the hi-lite...beyond that...every other beer is over-priced...as in $6 Guiness). I found their wine flight ($15) attractive -- four wines of any choice.
It's just simply frustrating that the entrees say, "chef's choice of side." I mean...even if this chef chose a bedazzled gimlet of marinated Kardashian...it's annoying. I want control! I want choice! What if the chef likes Kourtney over Kim? Disastrous. Â Who says I can't have fries as the side with my pork chop? I'm droppin $17 for this chop...I want fries. Let alone, a bottle of Heinz on my table with my fries. However good the potatoes & asparagus were...I wanted fries (O, and they screwed up the side and brought out the asparagus separately). The chef isn't Daniel Boloud or even the most recent Iron Chef winner ya know....
And, really, why do you think you're too good for Heinz bottles on the table? I guess I'm asking for the Devil in a Catholic Church here...or at least that's what they made me feel like.
I watched a trio walk in, walk out  immediately & say, "yeah...the crowd use to be a lot younger here." The place has been open for a few months now...I'd say it's always trended a bit old...which is okay really...they're amazing to watch...as they're concerned more about imagery than bread pudding.
As we sit their and devour the bread pudding, I began to be really thankful this place is so popular...because it offers up so much people watching...and the bartenders enjoyed the reprieve of being hit on all night (and every time they stepped outside too they realized the respite from the cacophony of middle-aged mingling was as nourishing as the bread pudding we were eating).
Did I mention the bread pudding?
Notes:
Outside for a quiet romantic dinner (be prepared to ask the service to turn down the patio music) with the lovely backdrop of a drunk parking lot, a gas station & a credit union (which reminds me of the bizarre choice of location for this place -- a gentrification of a deadbeat strip mall...what a triumph!).
Inside for people watching of speed dating, or speed dating itself, or cozy bar corner with bartender who loves you for not being a mingler.
Price: hefty. It didn't hurt so bad b/c I expected it but it's hefty -- bottom line. I will not buy my fries a la carte (nor will I call them frites damnit!) out of principle...so join me in demanding them as a side for anything you order!
Service: Sit at the bar or you'll be disappointed & you'll feel weird about the tip because you feel like you should give it to the host who worked harder. Full dinner at the bar...and plenty of room too...wonderful wide and long stone-slab bar.
Cut through all the clutter of this place & it proves there are two essentials in life, and they are what earn stars -- bread pudding & bar service.
First time visitor to this new (01/2010) restaurant on College Avenue in Broad Ripple. Attended a company party that had the restaurant provide great appetizers, sushi, pizza, a good variety of foods.
Full bar with very helpful bar staff.
Seemed to be well staffed with pros who know what they are doing and seemed to be enjoying working there on a busy Thursday night.
Will definitely be going again soon to check it out during a regular evening when its not quite as crowded.
A nice space with upscale food and drinks that could be great with a few changes. Â The cocktail prices were in the $10-12 range which is rather high for Indy. Â Even at that price they are not using the best liquors nor are they able to make a number of classic cocktails not on the menu (for instance sazerac or gimlet.) Â A good mixologist and bar manager could really do wonders. Â The food here is dressed up standards which were prepared well. Â Nothing mindblowing, but all solid. Â However, the real stars were the apps. Â I would recommend ordering a few and doing small plates at your table rather than ordering entrees and pastas. Â The beer selection here is stellar and includes a number of well known microbrews from the midwest (including Founders and 3 Floyds) both on tap and in the bottle. Â Overall a nice space which is good for conversations. Â They have a myriad of TV's which were all thankfully muted. Â It would be a great place to catch a Colts game during the season.
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