We had a wonderful Valentine's dinner at Ocean Prime. The service was excellent (friendly and attentive but not overbearing). We liked all of our orders, from the fondue appetizer to the carrot cake. Our steaks were cooked correctly with some seasonings that made them as good as any steak I've had in Indianapolis (Shula's, Ruth Chris, etc). You can see from the menu that this is an expensive restaurant, but it's a great choice for your special occasion.
Review Source:Would have given 2 stars if not for the bar.
Strip mall - check.
Salty hostess - check.
Pretentiously priced menu for Indianapolis - check.
Disrespect for creatures of the ocean - sadly, check.
Salty hostess who really didn't feel like seating us because we had no reservation in an overpriced, strip mall, chain restaurant  - check.
If you want to get a taste of the Real Housewives of Indianapolis, go to Ocean Prime. The big qualifier here is IF - IF I had a crystal ball I would only come here for drinks and people watching. So fun to watch people get dolled up in their weekend best. Lots of rhinestones, lip liner, monogrammed purses - men in their best studded jeans and button down shirts with man necklaces. One group actually took turns on a portable breathalyzer. But I digress . . .
BAR
Loved the bar. The service and drinks were at 100%. Wine is alright - heavy on the Chardonnay, accessible, everything is pronounceable. All mixers, juices, purees are made on sight. Very fresh and well balanced. The Pineapple Vodka is house infused, ice cold, sweet, sour perfect. The bar has tons of seating and has live piano music on the weekends. Food can be ordered and truffle popcorn is served hot and salty (which is the theme of Ocean Prime in Indy).
SERVICE
No complaints. Excellent, prompt, polite, helpful service.
RESTAURANT
Ok inside. The main room has a banquet feel to it. Back room in more intimate.
FOOD
Such potential. I heard the fish is flown in fresh so it was sad to see how the fish was treated.
Tuna tartar was beautiful on the plate. Ahi tuna cut into large chunks on top of a bed of avocado and fried ginger. Such potential. Too bad the salty ponzu sauce wrestled the delicate tuna and avocado until it won plate and palate domination.
Sea Scallops. This was a nicely composed dish. Once I can only assume the dish is finished with sea salt so everyone gets an extra layer? Would be fine but the scallops were over cooked. Chewy and one had split. Made me very sad. Risotto was fine. I detected a hint of sage which was odd since there was shaved fennel on top. Maybe I am not refined enough for this dish.
Sea Bass. This is the hardest to write about. I don't know where to begin. That poor sea bass that was plucked out of the ocean and flown all the way to Indianapolis and onto my plate only to be assaulted by so much salt. Why do you love salt so much? The dish, by the way, looked beautiful. I was hopeful. The cut was thick and I thought the whipped potatoes underneath would balance everything out. I was wrong, again. Salt reigned supreme. There is no hope in this plate. Oh, some shaved truffles. Fancy.
BONUS
Can't walk ten feet to the door? Valet your car, or course.
The service was outstanding. Â The drinks were very expensive, and they forgot my wifes sea bass entirely. Â My friends steak was undercooked. Â The cheddar fondue is by far the best thing on their menu. Â After that first experience we decided to give them a second chance. Â
The bar outside is top notch. Â It has a great atmosphere for lounging around. Â I had lobster which was fine. Â Again my friends steak was undercooked, and my wifes food was mediochre.
There are many better fits in this city for a five star rating. Â Definately considering $14 cocktails
Ok, the $13 martini aside, I'm a fan. The ambiance is fantastic -- a younger, more hip version of Ruth's Chris tailored toward 30-50 somethings who know what they like but want to enjoy a modern lounge space. Â Service is great; the bartenders are attentive, and the kitchen staff will go above and beyond to accommodate food allergies and dietary restrictions. Â A huge benefit for a vegetarian dining with carnivores!
Review Source:Went there with a group of 5 on Thursday night for the Northside Nights menu. Â I've heard both good and bad things about OP so I thought I would check it out for myself. Â We were seated outside on the patio in the corner which seemed great at first. Â I didn't know that I would be "in the way" sitting there though. Â It is right next to a door that the employees use to run food, bus tables and possibly a shortcut so I was constantly being brushed up against by somebody. Â I ordered the french onion soup as opposed to the wedge salad. Â The soup had a single cashew in it so I was confused as to wheather it should have been there or not so I decided against eating it. Â Then I had the 6oz filet that was a little tough, mashed potatoes that were very bland and green beans. Â I also ordered the truffle fries for $9. Â The fries were really good but not $9 good. Â Then I ordered the 5 layer carrot cake for dessert. Â The carrot cake itself was really good but it was in a pool of pineapple reduction that was way too strong and ruined the cake it was touching. Â With so many other dining choices for this price range withing a two minute drive I would probably go elsewhere next time.
Review Source:On a busy Friday night, I had my first, and hope many more, OP experience. Â A luxury, supper club, type of decor that was surprisingly quiet. Â Initial opening service bugs seem to be worked out. Â We had steady service allowing us time to socialize. Â Excellent calamari, steak, creamed spinach, unique cocktails, and peanut butter-chocolate mousse dessert. Â I feel this place will put a couple of other Indy $$$$ steak and seafood places out of business.
Review Source:I think Ocean Prime has great drinks, great service, and fairly good food. We shared goat cheese ravioli and it was wonderful, but the lobster bisque wasn't that great. It lacked any actual pieces of lobster, and was quite salty and dull for being as pricey as it is. Our entrees were good, but I wasn't blown away by any of the flavors or the presentation of the food. The drinks are very fun, you can't go wrong with any of the cocktails on the menu. The service was great, our waiter was extremely attentive, despite having quite a few tables, and very helpful in explaining things on the menu. I would probably go back again to have drinks and appetizers at the bar.
Review Source:Food is great. Steak is better than ruth chris hands down. Service is sooooo slow. Have been here on several occassions now....some wait staff better than others but all very slow. Sat down at 8pm and got food at 11 pm. Too tired to eat it. Â Waitress was rude and kept forgetting things. Did not apologize. Just awful staff but great food. I have been told to sit at the bar for better service so I will do that next time.
Review Source:First time visit in late July. Love the contemporary and tasteful atmosphere but hostesses who fielded phone calls prior to our reservation nearly turned me off from experiencing the restaurant all together. Quite an heir of arrogance which is odd considering the source. Upon arrival, the hostess was friendly and our server assistant was a doll, Brandon. The waitress, Sam, was also very pleasant and thorough. Table ordered miso cod, crab cakes, and scallops. All was good, probably should've ordered sides in addition to the entrees as the scallops were the only dish with a sufficient side of risotto. All dishes were very good. Ive had much better scallops w risotto at other dining establishments in Indy, but no complaints. Had the lemon blueberry cheesecake for dessert which was definitely large enough for 3 girls to split, and pretty tasty! Will definitely be going back. 3 stars primarily for the people who fielded the phone calls on Thursday night.
Review Source:Well, my expectations were high - from my friends to Yelp, I had high hopes. Â I generally am a huge seafood lover and the idea that a high end seafood joint opened up just down the road from me, made me giddy with joy.
And, up until the entree, I was happy. Â The service was a bit slow to start, but it was a Friday night at prime dining hour (8 pm). Â Our server (Shelby) was awesome, very sweet and attentive. Â She was great with the menu options and allowed me three tastes of wine when I couldn't decide which glass I wanted to purchase. Â She guided us well through the appetizer menu and didn't push the most expensive items (though those are what I gravitate to anyway).
We got the calamari, which had a Thai twist. It was not too spicy though and very generous (enough for four people for sure - too much IMO for two). Â There was just enough breading, not too fried and were cooked very well. Â It was REALLY good. I would go back for drinks and appetizer for sure! Â I also got a cup of the lobster bisque, which was so so so good. Â It came out super hot and was just the right portion that I didn't get too full. Â However, this, unfortunately is where it ends for me. Â
I am a big crab cake fan.  Like I visit Baltimore on occasion JUST to eat crab.  And, I had perused the menu for a few hours the day of our dinner before deciding that I would definitely get  the crab cakes....They were a large portion of two cakes on a bed of cream corn and veggies.  The cakes were a bit bland and the corn sauce was not what I expected. The texture seemed off to me and the cakes were also under-cooked.  Super disappointed.
My hubby got the halibut which was dry and overdone. We were both distractedly coming down from our appetizer high....
And then the dessert came out (which was on the house since we were celebrating my birthday - THANK YOU!). Â We got the creme brulee as I had saw on their FB page earlier that day - as the specialty. Â It was a great portion, with a perfect crisp and delicious fresh berries. The texture was perfect and pudding-like. Â A little thicker than what I am used to with this dessert but it worked well. Â Very good and very nice of Shelby to offer us our choice on the dessert to celebrate. Â The chef also wrote "Happy birthday" on my plate, which made it even more personal and special. Â A very nice touch.
Overall, I could not go higher than 3 stars. I do feel there is some improvement. Â I am always happy to drop some cash on a great meal but this meal was NOT great. Â It was OK and unfortunately we paid the price for REALLY FABULOUS, which we did not get.
Another downside is that my hubby loves craft beer on tap and they offer NOTHING on tap - only bottle and it's ever-changing so the server was able to share her personal list but there is no beer menu. Â I guess I feel like with so many beer snobs out there now, this would be a great option, considering the bar is so awesome here! Â
I would definitely recommend checking it out for drinks and apps but maybe not feel as confident recommending it for entrees...so guys, hit it up to start the evening off but end the evening somewhere you will get your money's worth until they figure out what is going on with the main course.
First time experience on Friday night 7 pm: Â Quick and professional valet parking. Â Kind greeting by hostess (more than one). Â No open tables in the bar so we sat in a little comfy waist high booth kind table. Â It was too small for dinner but a great size for cocktails and an appetizer. Â Our waiter, Nick, asked us if we would be having dinner, gave us menus and then quickly offered that a 4 top bar dining table in his section was coming availabe asap (great touch Nick!). Â We were quickly seated and offered a choice of water and ordered a couple of nice Chardonnays (there were very good).
Nick went over the menu starting with Beef and giving the typical "why are beef is so good speel" blah blah blah. Â We were there for seafood and quite honesty I didn't come to "Ocean Prime" for beef---duh. Â At a fine dining restaurant I was expecting Seafood first and at least a question if we were in the mood for Beef. Â I digress.
I asked for several recommendations and several were offered. Â We opted to pass on salads and appetizers due to alacarte veggy and potato which we beleived to be of two person size. Â The $34 seabass was very large and just OK. Â I tasted a fair amount of seasoning on a barely or just cooked enough piece of fish. Â I wasnt impressed for the most expensive fish on the menu. Â The presentation was awesome however.
I chose Snapper and it was very good.
Nick suggested the Truffle Mac and Japeno Au Gratin potatoes. Â Both were very good and perfect for two people. Â No desert.
The bar decor and atmosphere was very cool and everything you'd expect from a fine dining restaurant: Â A. Â We saw a dry ice cocktail that was really cool with the fog rolling off of it---great idea!
And now the bad. Â FOR ME, the guy playing the piano and singing was way too loud and he came off like a cruise ship entertainer waiting for his big break. Â We were sitting the farthest away from this music and it was still way too loud. Â The music at Sullivans is way better---you can have a good conversation at your table without speaking loudly and still here the tunes. Â The music for me pulled a 4 star experience to a 3. Â I would suggest passing on the bar if your seeking a wonderful romantic date. Â The bar was of bar volume but really cool as a restaurant bar goes.
Hopefully the Billy Joel wanna be singer dude was a temporary. Â If he was the house musican I would definitely pass on the bar next time and insist on the dining room.
Leaving the restuarant was probably my best experience as the GM approached me and asked "What other restaurants did you consider in additional to Ocean Prime?". Â Since I'm a marketing guy this scored huge points for me. Â His question made me think and ultimately I realized that we patronized Ocean Prime because it was perceived to be the best SeaFood restaurant if you drove from the Geist area (or at least the best fine dining seafood that I could think of).
Summary: Â Great place. Â Music too loud. Â Should of had more SeaFood menu options IMO. Â They are missing out on a niche which is great seafood as I think there are no other options in the Keystone or Castleton area. Â I'll be back but it won't be next weekend or in the next few months.
Cheers,
It was our anniversary night and the evening was wonderful the service was spectacular the food was awesome I suggest coming here anytime you can when you can afford it. I must say that they need to improve on the desert the cheesecake tasted  like refrigerator and upset my pregnant wife therefore I conclude I love going to Ocean prime for the old-school style service.  My favorite dish the calamari and also the Yellowfin tuna was awesome order rare as possible!
Review Source:We went to Ocean Prime on an early Sunday evening, Â The food was very good, the interior is beautiful, the acoustics were good, the wait staff was pleasant and efficient but man, it's expensive. Â There are still some lingering new restaurant issues. Â We asked what beers were available and we were handed the waiter's cheat sheet. Â The menu was fairly limited but the wine list was extensive. Â 3 people, 1 drink each, 1 entree each, 2 sides = $157 before tip. Â No appetizers, desserts, salads, or extra drinks. Â I get the feeling it's trying to be the Ruth's Chris of seafood. Â Overall it was a good meal but it just didn't measure up to the cost. Â Still, it's a great destination for the expense account crowd.
Review Source:4th visit...service was horrible! Took 30 minutes to get our Pellegrino with lime right, 1 hour for salads, total meal...nearly 3 hours. It's not just slow, it's almost as though they don't know how to properly service. Â They rarely check back to see how you're doing or to see if you need anything, basics! Not sure I'll go back anytime soon.
One positive, food is very good. But can't take the poor service! Please fix... We want to go back!
What a waste. I was hoping for the same experience I'd had at other OP (Texas and Florida) but was sorely disappointed. Service was haphazard. Waiter forgot one of our drinks, had NO wine knowledge (though he certainly knew what was expensive on the list) and seemed confused by simple questions about the fish. I wanted to know what kind of crab was in the cakes, and the source of their sea bass. One would think that a restaurant with the word "ocean" in the name would know a vast majority of Chilean sea bass is illegally sourced and take measures accordingly. He was thoroughly baffled by the concept of Patagonian Toothfish. Ugh
They certainly know at Oceanaire.
Dessert was blase' at best.
I don't mind spending money on good food, but there are so many better options.
Excellent addition to the Indy dining scene. VERY good service, GREAT food and a wonderful atmosphere. The steaks and blackened snapper our group of 4 had were all first class. The side dishes were superb and could easily be sufficient for 4 or even 6 diners. Cocktail choices were very interesting and try the "bubbles and berries" martini!!!
Review Source:
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