The quality of the food is great, but our experience just sucked. I enjoyed the dishes that I tried, but there was just too much other nonsense to get past.
First, Plum's is pretty cute. It's cozy and decorated nicely, despite these huge awkward portraits on the walls.
Immediately upon arriving, we got an icy, snobby reception from the hostess / bartender / manager. She asked if we had a reservation (we did). When we said we were waiting for one, she offered us a seat at the bar. The place was really empty so we just asked for a table. Then the waitress took us to a table for 2, since she apparently didn't communicate with the snobby hostess. We had to ask for a bigger table.
Once we sat down, the bartender / hostess / manager comes over and, seeing our large table, asks if we are expecting anyone else.
Umm... yea, we already covered that. And geeeeeeez!!! Could the two of you work this out amongst yourselves, because your lack of communication is really becoming bothersome. Seriously, get yourselves sorted out and come back to me when your head is on straight.
We were presented with sticky menus. I never forgive sticky menus in an establishment that serves $30 entrees. Anyhow, the cocktail menu didn't have descriptions. I asked the waitress about a cocktail that sounded interesting. She told me it was a brandy cocktail and that it was refreshing, but couldn't tell me what else was in it... Luckily, it *was* refreshing.
Appetizers were great. We did the trio of bacon and a cheese plate. Pretty simple, and I was happy with our choices. Unfortunately, for dinner, they were out of EVERYTHING. They waited until after we'd ordered to tell us, which I found obnoxious. In all seriousness, they were out of 3 different entrees. This is on a menu that includes less than 10 entrees. For my colleagues, they'd ordered, ten minutes went by while we thought food was being prepared, and THEN the waitress comes back asking them to make another selection. It was just beyond ridiculous.
When you know you're out of something, tell the guests at the moment you seat them. When you have limited availability of certain things...maybe because they're specials...TELL your guests before they get their hopes up.
What a complete mess. If I were the chef here, I'd move on...he's totally carrying the team.
I like this place. The small downtown Zionsville in general is nice. Lots of boutique shops and restaurant. Brick road gives it that extra special ambiance, plus parking is still free. Its like a quite, smaller, cleaner, nicer version of Broadripple in some way. As for Plums, its on the second floor (I now understand why upperroom), high ceiling, exposed wooden beams, dim lighting, large windows facing the street, and paintings/photos on the wall. Excellent candidate for a romantic dinner date. Food is good, the wife enjoyed the pork shoulder and I was told it was really tender and yummy, while I (being somewhat a good Catholic on a Friday during lent) thought the red snapper with rissoto that evening was pretty tasty, though I would prefer to have the fish in the broiler a few more minutes. The portion of the dishes was on the small side, but not Recess small, and cheaper. The sticky toffee with some caramel we had for dessert was really tasty. They did not have a full bar yet but have a isting of wine and beer and some liquor that I am not familar with. Service was great and overall it was a good experience and excellent choice for a Friday evening dinner.
Review Source:I wanted to go to Plum's while visiting with my family because they had told me about many outstanding meals they had eaten there. Our server informed us that Plum's got a new chef a couple of months ago, and it seems that this was a very negative change. Â We started with the $25 local cheese platter which had a delicious selection of 4 cheeses, fruit, and honey, but only a tiny, tiny wedge of each cheese. Hard to justify so little food for the price. The famed tomato soup was light pink, bland, extremely starchy, and in desperate need of salt and pepper (which weren't on the table). Honestly, I could hardly even taste any semblance of tomato and it looked nothing like the soup in the photo on this website. I had the special, which was poppyseed crepes with cheese and local vegetables. They were tasty but could have used more veggies and less cheese in my opinion (ironic given the meager portions of the cheese platter). Two people in my party ordered the pork shoulder ($26), one received a large portion of delicious meat; the other received a cut that was at least 2/3 pure fat and contained maybe 3 oz of meat at most. Â One person very much enjoyed their rack of lamb. Â As a side note, the people behind us sent back meat (not sure what) that was cold in the middle.
This place has so much potential with its adorable atmosphere and emphasis on fresh local foods. Â They clearly strive to create a complete dining experience. I would love to see more restaurants with these qualities. My entree was quite good but not worth the high price. It was disappointing to see that a new chef may have spoiled Plum's fine reputation.
Plum's is a special place. Great decor, ever changing menu, fresh ingredients (They don't have a freezer - or a microwave. Love that.) It's a relaxed vibe but with some serious beers, wines and entrees to choose from. One of the best burgers I have ever had -honestly. The waitstaff can at times be a bit unpolished, but in an odd way I prefer that to the practiced / rehearsed approach of so many chain restaurants.
I've become a frequent guest there and recommend you do too.
I don't normally venture north of 86th Street, but happened upon Plum's Upper Room one afternoon when shopping in Zionsville. Â It's a really cozy little restaurant on the upper floor of one of the main street shoppes. Â It's got brick walls and exposed beams and the feel of a warm hearth (although there is no actual fireplace). Â The food is all housemade and as local as possible. Â Our meal was very tasty. Â If you are looking for somewhere a little nicer to go and don't mind venturing outside of Indianapolis, this is a great option.
Review Source:Zionsville is something of a semi-quasi-home-away-from-home for us. Â Kind of. Â We found it first because of Traders Point Creamery, and then eventually ventured into Zionsville proper and always liked it.
We wanted to find a nice wine bar or two to check out - and NOT ones downtown Indy (Stupid Bowl insanity still in full effect), so I looked for places in Zionsville and found this place.
The plan was made and we headed to good old comfortable Zionsville, and Plum's Upper Room.
What a wonderful place! Â They're very aware of an accommodating of different dietary restrictions and needs, and have things available to meet probably any of them that you might have. Â They are particularly aware of gluten concerns.
Their wine list is fairly impressive, and they're quite knowledgeable about them. Â
The food. Â Wow. Â The tomato soup is like no other I've ever had - and I definitely need more of this! Â The pork BBQ with the housemade sauce was also very, very good. Â The flavor of the pork still came through the sauce, but the sauce was very good in and of itself.
We *will* be back!
Sometimes you walk into a business and you feel a kinship. Â A sort of 'I belong here and these are my people'
Plum's is that place for me.
Jon C. went on an online quest to find wine bars in Zionsville for a pre-birthday celebration - they had gluten-free/adjustable-fat options and, wine. =)
We entered up a grand stairway that was grand in the fact that it looked like the lumber was older than the part of Indiana it was currently residing in. Â At the top awaited Plum's and their kind staff.
The room is large and vaulted - like the top of a rustic cottage or barn. Â *smile* Â I liked it there already! Â We seated ourselves near a window and, I think, had the best view of Zionsville that exists.
The manager and staff came out to explain Plum's, since we'd never been there before.
This is a slow-food/craft-food restaurant. Â They know where their pork, lettuce and every bit of stuff they use comes from - and they take great pride in it. =) Â Everything is very carefully chosen for flavor, at the peak of freshness and shown off the best way possible.
*smiles bigger*
We chose the barbeque sandwich (sans bun) with their famous tomato soup as a starter.
The soup was exactly what I thought it would be - large chunks of lovely tomato, rice that was disintegrated (This is very good - this is what happens when you home-create a soup and let the flavors meld - you get starches disintegrating and adding to the body of the soup), beautiful herby notes.
I closed my eyes. Â I thanked the tomato.
The pork was spectacular.
I am not generally of the 'sauced meats' tribe. Â Usually I rebel against marinades or any attempts to 'tart up' meat with sweeter sauces.
This barbeque sauce had so much complexity... eating each piece of the pork was a little bit of a new story about this pork (with different stages of 'crisp' to it, I believe it was shoulder) and this gorgeous barbeque sauce.
I read it til the end... =) Â I was not disappointed... =)
We skipped on dessert, as I had some sorghum flour pumpkin-spice cupcakes waiting to be created at home.
This is one of very few places that loves, adores and cherishes food as much as Jon C. and I do. Â We will be back here again and again - it feels like home.
J and I go here a couple of times a month. We typically sit at the small bar behind the couches and have a couple of snacks with a bottle of wine and then share a main course. The staff is great. They give you attention but allow you to have a conversation. The menu is on the board on the wall and is always changing based on what is fresh. It's a small place that is great for a romantic date.
Review Source:LOVE THIS PLACE. Â Full disclosure: I just had dessert, not dinner, but I will definitely be back.
It has a hip old-world charm, from the vaulted ceilings to the chandeliers to the candles. Â The opposite of generic. Â So romantic, so genuinely charming. Â And our server was incredibly personable and helpful.
This was a lesson in paying attention to the date stamp on fellow Yelper's reviews. My business colleagues and I held out such hope for finding good food from a non-chain restaurant close to where we were staying in NW Indianapolis. Our hope was dashed by the time our mains were served.
The menu reads like it has high aspirations for being good New American food, but the delivery on the promise falls way short.
The waitress wasn't able to speak to any of the items on the chalkboard menu (because she hadn't eaten any of them) and she couldn't recall if the salad with grilled chicken was warm or not. We learned later the chicken was warm two nights previous as a different main course. In hindsight, we should have picked up on the subtleties our waitress was sending our way by stating she didn't know about any of the dishes because she hadn't tasted any of them herself.
We raced ahead though, and I had the pork chop which looked good but came overcooked and over-sauced. The accompanying chef's vegetables happened to be undercooked which felt more than a little odd.
My one colleague had the salad with chicken that had rubberized skin from the way it had been stored from its grilling two nights prior. The greens weren't spun so he had a noticeable pool of water in the bottom of his salad bowl.
My other colleague's salmon was overcooked like my pork chop had been, even though the salmon seemed the safest thing on the menu.
If I had to guess, the staff is changing up and the folks in the kitchen have worked in better kitchens but never as the lead chef, or they wouldn't have let the food leave the kitchen in the state it was in.
Wait until they print their menus out, or at least until the wait staff is willing to give recommendations based on what they've actually eaten. And be sure to watch for at least a couple positive reviews from this summer to signal Plum has found its way again.
Bad. Ass. This place really impressed me. I stopped in for lunch while wandering downtown Zionsville. As has been noted in previous reviews, it is a quaint and charming spot. An upper loft type area with a provincial, rustic European feel. I sat at the bar, and was more or less the only customer in the place. The staff were all unfailingly polite, and interesting, offering suggestions and describing the fresh and local ingredients that were used.
I had a chicken salad sandwich on their homemade French bread, and, upon the recommendation of a server, their tomato soup. Now, I'm not a huge tomato soup person, but this blew me away. It was a creamy tomato soup, and had various other ingredients worked into it (I recall rice, and some fresh herbs). It was amazing! And it paired well with my sandwich.
I also had several glasses of white wine, and overall the meal, the location, the atmosphere, and the service made it a remarkable visit. It was also not terribly expensive, for lunch. I cannot speak to dinner.
I would be interested in trying it at dinner, sometime. It looks like it would be a fantastic date place, or just a great place to take a small (very small) group of intimate friends.
Go try this excellent restaurant!
This place is fantastic!!
Twinkling lights lit the stairway to the restaurant on the second floor.
Our table of 6 had a hand-made and personalized "reserved" sign waiting for us. Our waiter was phenomenal - genuinely friendly, relaxed, and encouraged us to sit back and spend a few hours in the loft.
Everything we ate and drank was delicious - and they even carry a handcrafted beer from Two Brothers in Aurora, Illinois - a favorite brewery of my family.
Their food is local and fresh - and tasty.
The only downside to the small menu is that the entree I really wanted was sold out when I ordered at 8pm.
We will definitely be back!
I have to admit, I'm starting to be jealous of those who live walking distance to downtown Zionsville. Â I just love all the little shops, pubs, restaurants and coziness of Main Street...it's really a nice place on the outskirts of Indy and Plum's is no exception. Â This hidden gem is next to Cobblestone Grill up a flight up stairs in an old beautiful brick building with high beamed ceilings. It is very warm and welcoming. Â
They use ALL local, fresh ingredients and our server bragged that they don't have a microwave. Â Everything is cooked fresh.
We made a reservation for 7 p.m. last night and I scored a discounted coupon on <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a>. Â It wasn't hard to hit the minimum of spending $50. Â Our bottle of wine was $30! Â I think that is why I cannot give it 5 stars. Â My husband and I loved it but it was over-priced for what we got.
I was under the impression that this restaurant was a bit more upscale based on reviews and pricing, but...it really is not too fancy, which is more our speed. Â However, I think that maybe it should be for what you pay! :)
That being said, I loved the food and ambiance. Â It is a romantic place and they had a little table card with our name on it for our reservation, which I thought was a cute touch. Â They decorated the stairwell with small tea lights on each step, so it was very lovely.
The staff was INCREDIBLY friendly and though we were sitting right behind the pianist, it was not loud or intrusive. Â He was also quite good! Â I was impressed.
Now, for the food. Â We got a special appetizer that was grilled pita bread with shrimp and local veggies. Â Can I just say.....YUM. Â It was wonderful but expensive - $15. Â It didn't go as far as I would have liked, but maybe I was just feeling SUPER hungry! ;)
I asked for a recommendation between the beef tenderloin and bacon wrapped pork loin, as both sounded fantastic. Â The server highly recommended the beef, which came with chunky mashed red potatoes, a salad and fresh, local green beans. Â There was a special cheese sauce on it that I could have licked off the plate. Â I wanted a bowl of it to dunk my head in. Â The beef was a little over-cooked, BUT it was still juicy and delicious.
I nabbed a bite of my hubby's four cheese manicotti which was WONDERFUL. Â The food was scrummmmmmpdilliumptious! Â I loved my tenderloin and the green beans were fresh and crispy. Â
A couple of notes about the salad: Â Too many red onion. Â I love them but too many can ruin the rest of the meal. i would ask for way less...there were at least 15 strips of onion on each of our salad and we only needed two each! Â
Second....it took forever between courses....We were there for almost three hours, which I think is a little long. Â The only course that came out quickly was dessert.
We got the cheesecake crusted in a carrot cake flavored crust....not our favorite. Â My soft brownie was amazing...warm and very flavorful. Â Also, they did not skimp on the dessert...they were both nice sized, but not necessarily to share unless you barely have room! :)
Overall, I really enjoyed my experience at Plum's but our bill was $125 and for a semi-casual place that doesn't necessarily do anything that fast. Â Now, I know it's all cooked fresh, but it took a little too long between courses.
I would recommend this place for fourth or fifth dates, when you are really getting to know someone and want to have a slow, romantic experience and TALK a lot. :))) Â There is plenty of time in between courses to get to know each other and the food (when it comes) is definitely worth talking about. Â Just remember that it is going to be pricier, so make sure she is worth it, boys and you really do want to talk! :)))
Plum's Upper Room is a very interesting, cozy restaurant that has an interesting premise. They have very few tables, and change their menu daily (it's written on a chalkboard). Plum's has a small menu that uses mostly fresh and local ingredients.
The restaurant has a very artsy traditional feeling. You have to go up some narrow stairs into a room that is made of red bricks, and appears almost half built. There are only a dozen or so tables spread out around a largish loft area that is very airy and not at all claustrophobic.
If you find something you like on the menu, you won't get it the next day, but if you're a picky eater be careful because the options are limited. If you are looking a restaurant that will thrill your pallet and give you an all around fun and unique experience in Zionsville I would recommend Plum's Upper Room.
In my opinion, this is the most romantic dining spot in the Indy Metro area. Â Plum's occupies the upper loft of an old building on Zionsville's main street. Â The place is decorated with rustic furniture, original art, and dim accent lighting that makes it feel like it's been there for decades. Â The menu is varied, with nightly specials that usually sell out very quickly. Â I would classify the menu as innovative American, with touches of many different ethnic varieties. Â The wine list is somewhat limited, but very eclectic. Â Same with the beer selections. Â One of the few places I have found that serve Old Speckled Hen. Â On the weekends, they have music to accompany the meal time, but it is low key and doesn't overpower dinner conversation. Â Last night, the piano player did incredible versions of Radiohead's "No Surprises" and "Karma Police". Â
You really need to give this place a chance. Â It is hard to believe something this hip and innovative exists in Zionsville.
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