Drake’s Keystone
3740 E 82nd St, Indianapolis, IN, 46240
Drake’s Keystone Menu
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Address :
3740 E 82nd St
Indianapolis, IN, 46240 - Phone (317) 436-7531
- Website https://www.drakescomeplay.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:30 am - 1:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Late Night
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Samantha P.
Oh Drake's, I wasn't expecting to like you so much. I don't know why I had a negative impression but you are winning me over. My friend and I like meeting here for an after work drink and dinner. It is almost never super busy on a weekday around 5:30, so we get our pick of tables and always get fantastic service! We have tried a variety of drinks, their tap selection has been great [ they had Jack-O Traveler this fall!]. We also enjoy their "patio punch" [I believe it is called that], which is a fruity mixed drink and usually on special in the summers. As for the food, I have never been disappointed, I really like their sandwiches and their salads. The menu has changed a few times on us so that could happen again but most likely you will find something worth eating. Also, it is not the biggest menu so if you are picky you may want to look ahead to make sure there is something you like. My friend and I aren't really picky. I have not tried the sushi but I may have to try it! This place does get busy during popular sporting events and would be a great place for a large group due to a wide variety of big tables. It is seat yourself, so get there early if you want your pick of a table when it gets busy! I am sure we will back soon and may have to bring a larger group sometime. Also, as a note, they have their own rewards program that is free, nice touch, although, I have yet to redeem anything.
(4)Lauren S.
Their alcohol menu is endless! I love all the options they have, and the food never disappoints.
(4)Mike R.
This place is really nice for a good burger and beer. The sushi is above average but nothing to write home about. Great selection of rotating drafts with specials all the time. The thing I feel that really stands out is the service. Everyone is happy, smiling, and really does a great job. Rachel took care of me today and she was cute, fun, attentive, and overall did an exceptional job. Any establishment can grill a burger and serve it. It's the intangibles that set some apart from others. Thank you Rachel, and thank you Drakes. It was fun.
(4)Lola S.
Due to the proximity to my job, I have been frequenting Drakes quite a bit. Their friendly atmosphere has definitely kept me coming back. There is always a cool special going on ($1 sliders on Sunday's). The food is fast and MOST of the staff is attentive and friendly.
(4)Corrine P.
The place has a nice hip atmosphere. I think that it's a franchise, but doesn't feel like one. I loved that I got a pint of the Stranger and got to keep the glass! The food is pretty good. I got frickles, sprimp tempura, and crab ragoon sushi. Contrary to other review, I didn't like the crab ragoon sushi. It's very rich. Maybe two rolls would be enough for me. I suggest splitting that roll with another person. The service was kind of awful. We had 4 different people wait on us the entire night. Our main waitress we saw 2 times - the second time because she forgot our order. She seemed to only want to serve the big tables...
(3)Doug B.
My first beer here was on the house! How can you not feel special when the bartenders want so bad for you to have a free beer that they simply refuse to take your money? Well technically they just disappeared for like 15 minutes. This after I had waited for like 20 minutes to get a menu, and then waited yet another 20 minutes to get someone's attention, only then to be brushed off and ignored. Thankfully I had captured their attention long enough to snag a free beer upon arrival. Maybe they were just too busy or overwhelmed by the high volume of drinkers and chaos. I suppose this spot may be only for those who only want drinks. There may be some hidden talent in this joint. Perhaps in the back or in the kitchen? However, I will likely never know. I'm still waiting for my bar tab.
(2)Anna W.
Came here on a Wednesday evening and it had a good amount of people. I like the place because it was a bar and it served sushi as well as American food. I ordered Miso Soup, Eel Avocado Roll and tater tots. Weird combination, but I loved that I could do that. The food was average, nothing special. The service was very slow and felt like bar service and not so much a restaurant.
(3)Eric M.
First time review. Sunday night at 6 pm and the place is pretty busy w young people. Just about every table at the bar has one of those skyscraper draft beer tower thingees and come to find out they are 50% off. Live acoustic music pretty good. Order the tacos and loved the portion size but the build-your-own sides were depressingly basic: cheddar chz, lettuce, pico, diced tom, blah, blah. These taco dishes (fish, chick, beef........) could be sooooo rocking with sides that felt you weren't at applebees or ryan's steak house. Crank it up guys . Our server Erica was very attentive and friendly. Cool atmosphere. Two other tap houses within a stones throw. Great area for a mini-pub crawl. 4 stars when you jack up the taco dish or remember my ice water after asking 2 x (and still not getting it).
(3)Corey L.
This is one of my favorite places to eat in Indy. Great food at a great price. Atmosphere is always great. My wife and I have been multiple times. I usually get the BBQ Bacon (burger) or the Good Morning burger. They have one of my favorite beers on tap and one of my favorite bourbons. The serve sushi, which is strange for a burger joint but its really good too! I recommend the spicy scallop roll. Great location, great service, I definitely recommend it!
(5)Karlz S.
Slowest service. Not busy for a Sunday colts game. Literally ate our whole meal without a beverage. First and last time.
(1)Ashley V.
The food was really good but the fact that I can have sushi and my fiancé can have a burger in the same place is what really makes this place unique. We will definitely be back!
(4)Whitney S.
Really like this place. Service was ok. Sushi is great! They have a really cool atmosphere too. The outdoor seating is nice. You can play corn hole when the weather is decent. I definitely prefer this place to its neighbor, Brewstone.
(4)Kherri B.
This place has amazing food. I got the sushi, it was really fresh! I recommend the crunchy munchy roll!! Super yum! The burgers that my husband and kids got were huge!!! Very good too! The staff was really attentive, soon as , drink is half empty they bring another. Really liked it!!
(4)Joseph O.
When people ask me to describe this place I call it red neck chik or upscale white trash. Tater tots and sushi share the menu and they both taste great. Lots of great specials. The seating sucks (nothing has a back to it and you get really close to your neighbors) otherwise they would get 5 stars.
(4)Patty L.
Pretty tasty Frickkes with a nice dipping sauce at Drakes. We have been here once before but it must not had been a memorable event for Jeff. I think it's a cozy place to eat after furniture shopping. I'll give an update when our other items arrive. It's a great place to get fat. We must get moved into our new place fast!
(4)Jessica W.
Great place to come for drinks after work! They have indoor and outdoor seating, and a wide variety of table sizes to accommodate different sizes of groups! Beer selection is pretty decent. I was really excited to see that they will be getting Three Floyd's Gumball Head sometime soon! Appetizers were pretty standard, but we're a good size for sharing! Chips with salsa/Guacamole came with unlimited refills on the chips, so that made for some good snacks to have on the table while drinking after work!
(4)Melissa K.
Drake's is a really good place to go after work! It has a bar type atmosphere, but in a good way. The seats are a bit odd (large picnic table type benches), but still comfortable. The drinks are fantastic! They have something called backyard porch punch (or something like that) that is served in a mason jar. It's very unique and refreshing! They also have a very wide selection of beers. Their menu has changed several times since I have been there, but everything I have had has been delicious. Their sandwiches are fantastic, especially the California club (I believe that's what it is called.) Chicken, bacon, avocado...so good! The service has always been awesome too. They have some games in the back (some type of shuffle board game and I think darts too). Late at night I think they have dancing in the back (they turned up the music and started some strobe/club lights when I was there late one weekend night), which doesn't really fit in with the atmosphere. Regardless, this place is great! They even have a rewards program. Too bad I never remember to bring my card when I go!
(4)Joanna S.
I give the ambiance more than 5 stars and the food 4, so that averages out to a nice rating! Open-air awesomeness, great interior, good seating. Odd menu, but awesome! I went for the sushi. Fried calamari roll and Midori roll. Both really fresh, with great flavors! I would get again. I also tried the sweet potato waffle fries and while good, they are thin so there's more crisp than doughy fry. Delicious, but I do like more fry than... fried lol. And a tad too much pepper. Left my lips tingly with spice. I do wish the soy sauce had a label of original or low-sodium. They put it in a cute whiskey bottle instead to go with the theme of the place.
(5)JM R.
Drake's at Keystone is a fun casual spot! Great bar atmosphere, completely open air with corn hole and jenga games on the front walk. Super selection of beers, local craft brews, and full bar. We were there for half priced table taps - Hello! Patio Punch is yummy too. Menu has a lot more options than you might expect. California Cob was a huge portion and very fresh. Mini Buffalo Chicken Sliders had great flavor served with cole slaw. Great service, fast and friendly. Good parking. Big clean bathrooms. Lots of TVs with sports and music videos. Trivia games too! Definitely a fun spot!
(4)Jason T.
This is a great spot on the northside! They're always busy, the food is really good and it's a great location. On weekdays They have some really good specials going on food and drinks! Oddly enough the sushi is really good there! The other night I went and it wasn't that good but every time I've been it has been.
(4)Sylvia R.
I really like Drake's! Great place to meet friends for drinks. The Crab Rangoon rolls are my favorite! Nice atmosphere, good music playing and they carry ciders (which I enjoy, I'm not a beer drinker).
(4)Amy R.
I ventured north to the Keystone area to visit friends and they wanted to go to Drakes. I usually steer clear of these big type of bar grill type of places, but I went along with the crowd. This is the second time I have been to Drakes. The first time was for drinks only. The atmosphere was lively. We were there early so the under 21 crowd was still able to enter in designated areas of the place. It was a mixture of families and groups of friends. They serve the normal bar/grill fare with the addition of sushi. I had a Cobb salad, which was pretty good. Some friends that I was with had the sushi and they were pleased as well. The drinks were okay. They don't really follow the standard with drinks placed in correct glasses. I was served a margarita in a tall glass with no salt on the rim. They have "craft cocktails" on the menu, but I don't really see how they can label these drinks as craft cocktails. Pretty sad. On both occasions the service was poor. This visit I initially was trying to give our server the benefit of the doubt that she was the only server, but after I spotted 3 more in our same area, I could hold that thought up. So to summarize, decent food, okay drinks and poor service.
(3)Alecia H.
A great sushi place meets a fun sports bar! I know what you're thinking, no way those things happen together, but Drake's more than makes it work! Give this place a try when you're craving sushi and want to catch the Hoosiers or Colts while you eat.
(4)Meredith S.
Boyfriend and I went to Drake's last night for dinner and to play trivia. While I can't say great things about the girl doing trivia (she was obnoxious), Drake's was much better than I anticipated! First off, the service was good and our waitress was very friendly. She had a lot of tables, but still managed to be attentive which I appreciated. Drake's has a good selection of beers on tap, and I opted for one of their seasonal pumpkin beers (yum). I thought the beers were reasonably priced as well. We started off with the chips 'n' dip appetizer which was so good! Bonus: it's bottomless chips!! The dips are a trio - salsa, guacamole and bean dip. All were fantastic, and since we had bottomless chips, we were able to finish off all the dips. Score! Boyfriend and I split a California Roll for dinner. We were both skeptical of getting sushi, but like others have said, it was surprisingly good. We finished off our meal with a giant cookie a la mode. The cookie was actually the most disappointing part - not that great, wouldn't recommend it. All in all though, we both enjoyed our dinner. We'll be back, although probably not for trivia unless they get a new host. Also, this place would be great in the warm months when they open up the big garage doors and you sit on the patio.
(4)Holly H.
This is one of the craziest menus I have ever seen. You start scanning and you see bar food, bar food, bar food and then you turn over the menu and BAM! sushi. Wait, seriously, sushi? Yeah. Here you can order a buffalo chicken sandwich or yellow tail nigiri. I love the large garage doors, which they open on nice days. It's a fun space with good pub food and, apparently, a nice variety of sushi.
(3)Bodie S.
Drake's is a pretty decent bar in the Castleton area. We went for a friend's birthday and it allowed for a good time! The inside of the bar/restaurant was extremely spacious, split into two areas, one area more for sitting, and the other provides more of a bar scene. They have a fireplace and comfortable chairs around it, which gives a nice aesthetic to the room. They have a good selection of local craft brews, and you can get beer towers, which I highly recommend doing! They come in all different amounts depending on how much you want to drink or the same beer. Especially if you're sharing with people it's the way to go. I didn't eat any food, but several of my comrades did and they all seemed to really enjoy the food. I tried some of the appetizer edamame and was really pleased with it. The wait staff was all very friendly and skilled and divvied up our checks like a champion!
(4)The Yelp-inator W.
Fun place with some of the best burgers I have ever tried. They also have sushi that looked pretty good, but I did not try any of this Lots of hip trendy adults here....not for kids
(4)Krista R.
Identity crisis, multiple personalities. Sports bar. DJ. Dance floor. Sushi. Music videos. Kid friendly. Beer towers. Bar food. Oh well. Surprisingly really good service. Food was salty and fried, and the drink specials were great. I'd recommend this place for a large group whose main mission is alcohol, not food. Sushi looked fresh.
(3)Adam S.
Stopped in for lunch on a Friday afternoon. I had the Mini BLTs with fries, which were great, but the real story for me was the good service. Alison took care of us with just the right amount of attention. The manager stopped by to check on things as well and asked more than just "How was everything?" I got the sense that there was some genuine concern about my experience. In a day where good service is nearly impossible to find in Indy, Drake's comes through.
(4)Sarah C.
Well this is a place I definitely want to come back to - preferably when summer returns. I was impressed by the layout of the place. It has the bar, it has the tvs, it has the beer - and all in a comfortable yet fashionable way. AND they offer sushi. The bar offers sushi. Did I mention the bar offers sushi? Ok, so that's great news right there, friends. The front of the restaurant is actually lined with garage doors. Or they appear to be garage doors. In the summer they open said garage doors and you have an outdoor eating experience. Lovely! They also keep part of the restaurant sectioned off so that those "I hate the sun" folks can soak in the air conditioning. Basically they have it set that no matter what, you'll get the type of seating you desire. Will I be back? You betcha! The fact that I now live in Castleton has opened my eyes to a whole new world. And Drakes, you're now part of it.
(4)Michael+Jenni B.
This is a place that on the surface wouldn't be a go to spot of ours, but look beyond the Keystone area strip mall location and the occasional rowdy bunch of early 20-something's and you'll find a bit of a gem. First, the sushi is legitimate. Unexpectedly fresh with a big variety! The other must is the fish tacos -- these are amazing! Perfectly fried fish and more than enough toppings served with warm tortillas. Great beer selection is a bonus and a DIY weekend Bloody Mary bar is good too. Service has always been good - not great - but efficient and pleasant. Seating is casual (seat yourself) and in nice weather there is corn hole and giant jenga. Good for all ages and food preferences.
(4)John D.
Excellent bar dining experience. My wife and I were out and about looking for some late night dinner and found the menu for Drake's online. Looked pretty decent, so we decided it was the place to go. This is definitely a bar. It's loud and after 9pm it's a dance party. We unknowingly seated ourselves in front of the dj, so we were right up on the dance floor, but it was fine and we got to watch some of the servers get down. We expected to wait a while since it was really busy. We didn't wait long at all before our server got to our table. Our server was fantastic. She was prompt, friendly, and attentive. The food was great. We had the buffalo chicken minis, the frickles, and the Morning Glory burger. The serving size on the frickles was fricking ridiculous for two people. So many pickles! The dipping sauce for them was delicious. The buffalo chicken minis were everything you could hope for in a buffalo chicken slider. Fried, hot, and spicy with a side of ranch. Yum! The Morning Glory burger was great! A big hearty burger with plenty of toppings. We would highly recommend the sweet potato waffle fries. Next time we'll probably check out the sushi menu. This seems like a great place to come with a bunch of friends to have a few beers, get silly, and play cornhole and giant jenga (and dance!).
(5)Tiffany B.
I imagine that this place will be to outdoors-loving patrons what the Piazza San Marco is to pigeons because you could have a roof over your head while almost smelling the cherry blossom tree outside. It felt almost weird walking up since all the "garage doors" were rolled up to expose the restaurant's innards, but once seated inside, that floor to ceiling opening offered ample view and breeze (even if the view is mostly a sea of cars/ parking lot/ 86th street). I was there at lunch and it was busy, but not overly. Staff was solid. Not wanting anything fried, I opted to try some of the Asian fare. The seaweed salad was quite tasty, but the sushi was very middle of the road. I did like that they offered fresh/ non-cooked spring rolls with sushi inside, if you so desired. Was glad to have the option. There was music and accompanying music videos that you'd hear now and then when the roar of the crowd died down. On a hot day on the north side, I'd consider this an option if I was wanting fresh air. And the best part with here is--unlike patios with a meager umbrella--you've got a roof over your head and can enjoy a summer afternoon rain shower without blowing away like some English nanny or getting drenched. That's a selling point. For the winter, meh, I'd give it a pass.
(3)Melody T.
I have eaten at this establishment approx. 3 times in the last month because the service and Sushi was excellent. On 4/24/15 I brought a friend from out of town and her 27 y/o daughter, and my 2 adult children. My friends daughter forgot her purse with her ID at my home which is a 45 minute drive from the restaurant which we realized when we arrived. All the women were carded and my 30 yr old son was not. We ordered alcoholic drinks with the exception of the person without ID. They brought us our drinks and then roped off the booth we were sitting in. We questioned our server and she stated the manager told her it was because she didn't have proof she was 21. This was extremely embarrassing to our party and the girl who didn't have her ID. We asked to speak to the manager who rudely informed us it was a state law that there had to be a barrier since she was under 21. Again she was 27. I asked for our bill 3 of the others went outside of course the mangers were standing in the entry watching them outside (I feel like they thought we were going to steal their corn hole board- lol) as I walked out I informed the manager that was embarrassing to us - he said it shouldn't have been. I'm glad he knows how we feel - I told him he was condescending - again he rudely said he was not - but believe me he WAS rude. I informed him we would not be back and he said "good" and then said in his condescending manner "have a good night". BTW - it appears the manager I was referring to is an active partner. Nice to know he cares so much regarding his customers! I want to add the service by the wait staff has always been excellent - it was the "Managing Partner" that was the issue. It left all of us feeling as though if they lost a customer - oh well they still have plenty of customers. I as well as my daughter have worked in the service industry and have been trained and believe ALL your customers are important. Word of mouth spreads far and wide. To be a manager and speak to a customer in that manner is unacceptable in my mind.
(1)Jolanda B.
I enjoyed the music on Saturday. It was fun!
(5)Dylan E.
This is a place that I used to frequent when I lived in the River Crossing area. Competition is very steep up here in the category of nicer sports bar type places, with at least 5 or 6 of the bigger ones in the city all within a mile or two of this location, but Drakes holds its own with some unique offerings. First of all, the place is what I would describe as an upper-scale sports bar. They have plenty of TVs everywhere you look, 2 large bars, and a nice but comfortable feel to it. The building isn't too difficult to get to, but traffic in the area can get pretty busy during rush hour and on the weekends. Their parking lot gets pretty full, but you will surely find something. My favorite feature to the location is that the entire front of the building opens up so you get lots of fresh air during the warmer months. The front room (with its own bar) feels very patio-like while still being in the shade and with all of the sports you want to watch within view. If you are looking for a quieter area, the front room is probably the choice for you. The back room has another very large bar, and quite a bit of seating at large picnic table type setups, so you can get a large number of people in one place. Back there is a little darker and where the DJ is, so it can get pretty loud when that is going on. I have always liked everything I have had to eat here. They a decent list of the types of sandwiches, burgers, entrees, and appetizers you will find at most places like this. I think the price of the food is on par with the quality and quantity. One unique thing about Drakes, and probably the reason I am here more often than not, is that they also serve sushi. Not many places can you get a table tap of craft beer, watch your favorite basketball team play, and eat sushi. It's not quite up to par with what you are going to get at a place that specializes in sushi, but it's certainly better than what I expected from a place like this. I think it is always pretty good quality and worth looking at as an alternative to a burger and fries. The beer is also a big pull here. They probably have 15 or so taps and bring in beers that you won't commonly find at most sports bars. You can get big 120 oz table taps of any of them which is a better deal than pitchers. They have some great specials on most nights of the week, my favorite being half price table taps on Sundays (at least it was the last time I was there). They have some tapping parties for unique beers that they get a limited amount in for, and that's a great way to try something nobody else has. The service here is hit and miss like a lot of these kinds of places. I've always gotten great service at the bar, but I've had a bad experience or two at one of the tables with waiter service. They host a trivia night that is pretty fun and draws a decent crowd. I've been here for big games and it can get pretty full, but outside of that you shouldn't have a problem getting a table here quickly. I like the options here for food, drink, and environment and think that this place gives groups with many different tastes something that everybody will enjoy.
(4)Danita C.
Good environment, they had outdoor games like corn hole and monster janga. Decent beer selection. Great staff and prices are up to par with most.
(4)Steve W.
Drakes is definitely a unique establishment. During my visit on the night before thanksgiving, I watched: -one table of people cheer while watching Family Feud (because they were actually the family on the show at that time) -one section of people enjoy the music from the DJ -one section of people (where I was) sit with friends and watch the pacers game -one final section of people that were there for dates and enjoying SUSHI. Yes, that last comment was about sushi. Drake's has it's hand in everything entertainment and food related. You can get basic bar food, local beer (they really only had Sun King and Three Floyds for local options), and Sushi all in one place. As I was there with friends and to watch the game, I went the local beer and bar food route. The Drake's ale is decent, but its very similar to a Bud Light. But the Sun King Sunlight tasted just as refreshing as at the brewery. I ordered the sliders with tator tots. I got the buffalo chicken (because it was the most popular), the cheeseburger, and the jerk chicken. The burger was actually juicy and quite delicious, which is difficult to do with such a small patty. The pineapple salsa on the jerk patty was delicious. The buffalo chicken wasn't for me, but that mostly because I don't eat much fried food and it was house battered, so it had a lot of breading on a small piece of chicken. Overall, I'd go back to watch a game or for a date night of Sushi. Its a great place and has an entertaining environment, no matter what you're looking for.
(3)Frank M.
Loved the sushi, service was excellent, place was neat inside. Two managers came by and asked us how everything was. It's somewhat of a younger crowd. I felt old and I'm 42, so I guess I am old. The place was pretty loud too. The food and service are what would keep me going back. Drakes, keep up the great work. You all have to go and at least try this place.
(5)Alex H.
went there on a Saturday night, music was excessively loud but expected for a bar. I ordered the pub burger, I would compare it to a thicker steak and shake burger but very salty. waitress was very busy so didn't get that good of service.
(3)Brad K.
Through the front door, you enter into a small foyer, but are basically in the bar. It's festival seating, every-man-for-himself. The bar runs across the front of the restaurant and has a lot of tables. The front wall of the space has what appear to be overhead doors making it cozy and warm in the winter, but presumably awesome and open when warmer. This isn't the first place to install garage doors, but it's still unique enough in Indy to attract a BIG crowd in the summer...great touch! We grabbed a bar height table in the next room which had plenty of room for our party of four, which was me, my wife and the outlaws. The menu had a lot to offer. Around our table, we ordered the fish and chips, mini hamburgers and sushi. Yes, sushi. I know, I thought the same thing but ordered it anyway. Our service was very good; not smothering, not absent. Father in law really liked the fish. First and foremost, there was A LOT of it, and it was hot. Mother-in-law and my wife had the minis which I understand were tasty and juicy. Minis are becoming common menu items everywhere and clearly a restaurant needs to make their version stand out. I don't know if Drake's stand out over others, but the ladies liked them. There were three to an order with fries. I got to sample the fries...crispy but not overcooked and good flavor. I had a tuna roll and a tempura roll. Par. That's all. Both tasted good. The spicy roll was spicy and the sweet roll was sweet. There is better sushi all over Indy; this is not a sushi destination. This is a menu alternative if you don't want another burger, chicken sandwich or wings. Two stars seems a little harsh for all of the average/good things I've mentioned, but about 1/2 way through the meal, the entire restaurant filled and as the standing-room-only crowd grew, we were asked no fewer than 5 times, "are you leaving yet?" by other hungry, wish-we-had-gotten-here-earlier patrons. Most were polite, but nonetheless annoying. Their policy of letting crowds gather among the tables will keep Drake's off of our regular round-robin of restaurants. I know restaurants need to turn table to make money, but we were there to catch up on the happenings of the week and enjoy a meal, and that wasn't allowed to happen. Order, drink, eat, chat between mouthfuls, pay bill, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. I'll come back when it's warm and check out the open air concept bar, but probably not until then.
(2)Marcie M.
I am sad (for the record) that the 1st person to review this said five words about an experience that really needs to be explained for fellow Yelpers to ensure it's worth a trip to the busiest area of town to try something new. That being said, I didn't even know Drake's opened until I got a coupon in the mail (which I used without issue and without an eye roll - score!). In my opinion, Drake's is doing something right. I want to put out there that Matt the Miller's in Carmel has a similar "vibe" and isn't doing it well and the reviews stand out due to the inconsistency. The owner of Matt the Miller's is clearly not sure what's going on in his own establishment b/c he doesn't understand the negative reviews, but he's NOT THERE. He doesn't live here and he isn't ON THE FLOOR at this NEW place and wonders why he is getting inconsistent poor notes from consumers. Note 1: Drake's had TWO managers (or who appeared to be managers) stop by our table during lunch - in addition to the endless staff that was always nearby, filling drinks, taking plates, making recommendations AND handing out FREE sushi samples! That has never happened to me in any restaurant and it was an amazing treat! Sooooo let's just start with the atmosphere. It's very upscale trendy bar feel. The immediate entry is garage doors so I assume in the summer when it's not 19 below we will be able to sit indoors and outdoors at the same time (assuming these doors raise and are not just decor). Hopefully I am right b/c that would be cool. This FIRST bar area is very spacious with several football shaped wooden tables which seat 6 people. Very nice! The bar itself is long and probably had about 30 stools and is surrounded in several HD flatscreens in layering effect that was very nice so that you can watch multiple sporting events at the same time. They also have speakers at the tables in the main area should you choose not to sit in direct line of a TV (or in the event it's very busy which seems it might be). The main dining area goes on forever and the main bar in the center is huge with tons of seating. I can imagine hanging out there all night on a weekend night, getting very intoxicated and having an awesome time. The design - they way you can move through this space - is wonderful for partying and socializing. They have entertainment on the weekends and in true bar fashion are open until 3 AM every single night! I imagine there will be lots of cool events going on to keep the people coming back for more this spring and summer. At least a girl can dream! Drake's claims to be a bar that loves food and a restaurant that loves beer. And it is clear they have a wide selection of beers (though I did notice nothing INDIANA local). The menu is a bit overwhelming b/c they have a FULL sushi (separate menu) and an insane amount of sandwiches, appetizers, tacos, and more! I think that may play against them but if it's working in KY, what do I know? Anyway....we didn't order sushi though that is what we wanted...and I'm kind of sad NOW that I didn't. Here's why - a wonderful waitress stopped by sampling their crab rangoon sushi roll and holy wonderfulness. It has a bit of a thai kick with the sauce and the crab was soft and tasty with a bang of explosive taste! Had I tried it BEFORE I ordered, I would have gotten the roll for sure! It was soooo sooooo good. I want to go back and get one tomorrow. I might. Just sayin'. OK, so my lunch was OK. It wasn't the best salad I've ever had. I got the salmon spinach salad and it was decent. There was some spice missing from it that I thought the salmon should have. It was grilled and cooked perfectly but the taste was a bit bland. The spinach and tomatoes were very fresh. I didn't enjoy the boiled egg on it and the provolone was sliced instead shredded so it didn't work for me. My friend got the chicken tacos and she LOVED them - devoured and they came out to build, which is nice b/c then you have full control over how many THINGS you want in your taco. I love that feature, as did she. We also got the three dip and chip appetizer which was great! The bean/cheese dip was addictive, the guac was fresh and the salsa had a little kick but wasn't TOO HOT. Let's just say although my salad wasn't out of this world, the overall feel was. I loved our server, who was attentive, easy going and not too in my face. Not to mention the others who were just always around cleaning and tidying along with the managers who stopped by for a quick chat and check in. I miss that touch at many other restaurants. This place is a new and is worth a shot! I hope it can make it. This area of Indy, while busy, does seem to run restaurants out of there very quickly. I do hope to see this place bloom b/c it is a place where you can be a "regular" or a "tourist" and enjoy the vibe and feel. As long as the service and quality holds, it could be a lasting fixture in this area of town.
(4)Jason C.
Special thank you to our server Breanne and manager Kyle. My girlfriend and I came in for a late night bite before our long drive back to Chicago. We were told that this was a great place to come and were really excited. After putting in our drink and food orders, we were told that the kitchen was closed. Obviously we were disappointed as we were going to have to settle for something like Taco Bell and that was not a good thing. After a few minutes the manager, Kyle, came over with Breanne and said he heard about our plyth and had the kitchen open back up just for us. We were beyond shocked that they would go that extra mile. Having worked in a kitchen before myself, I know what a pain it is to reopen after cleaning up for the night so I was extremely greatful. To top everything off, the fish and chips were some, if not THE very best I have ever had and we finished them up on the road home. Thank you so much Breanne and Kyle for making our experience so meaningful. We will be back if nothing more just to eat here.
(5)Kelly Ann J.
My love for Drakes started in Lexington and I have never been able to get enough! The only thing that could make it better is adding Malone's World's Greatest Dessert to the menu!
(5)Josh D.
Last night was our third or fourth visit. The first time I was very skeptical of ordering sushi from a sports bar. It turned out to be very good sushi. That atmosphere is pretty cool. Service is par, nothing great, nothing terrible. Sushi prices seem to be a bit lower then typical sushi restaurants, which is nice. I wish they had a happy hour or beer specials. We will definitely return for rolls and beer though.
(5)Dave W.
Good place bad night. Been here several times. Bartender seems to have ADD. Lights up full force and zero attention to your guests (the ones paying the bills). 15 min for a tower of beer because he needed to talk to the servers in casual conversation first. The rolls seemed warm. Bacteria maybe?!? Love to see the kitchen and temp the food. Off nights SHOULD be just as good as the busy nights. Maybe a staff and management change is in order? Love the concept though.
(2)Kristy K.
Any place that dances to the Wobble is a-o-kay in my book! So my colleagues and I literally crashed the Friends and Family lunch soft opening event. And by crashed, I mean we were warmly welcomed in by the hostess staff when we opened the door, asking if they were open. They were technically open and happy to host us for lunch. Since it was F&F, the meals were gratis...we just had to pay for drinks. So drink we did! Drake's has these fantastically tall towers of beer (and a great beer selection to fill it)...120 oz in all. Yeah, it was a work day, so we only had 1 tower. Now the food was pretty good. There are some interesting and unexpected sauces and flavors on a good amount of the food. This was met with mixed reviews at our table. Some people just wanted what they expected (buffalo sauce...not a mustard-honey-buffalo sauce, for example), while others enjoyed the new flavors. The part I find odd is the whole, we have a sushi restaurant in our regular 'merican bar/restaurant. This isn't to say that the sushi wasn't good. It was, but I just don't get it. The pacing was a bit slow, but we were fine with that given that it was a soft opening and we weren't paying for our food. But the manager type stopped by and chatted with us several times and even gave everyone in our party a gift card to return once they were 'officially' open. BONUS! I'll be back to check this place out again soon!
(4)David B.
The staff is always so friendly. We went to Drakes for drinks and found out the food is actually VERY good. Sushi was amazing... this is not your average bar food and with great prices on drinks... needless to say we have been back since.
(4)Sok L.
food is amazing here. one of the best bar food in the area annnnnnnnnd they also serve sushi. can't beat that!
(5)Rick G.
We had lunch for the first time at Drake's, and our experience was rather hit and miss. There were some good....some VERY good part of it, and there were some disappointing parts of it. First, the atmosphere. When we first walked in, I liked the atmosphere a lot. Nicely decorated, lots of neon and posters, it was a very pleasant atmosphere. Once we were seated, it hit me....this place is loud. VERY loud. With lots of brick walls and concrete for the sound to bounce off of, it was like dining in an echo chamber. It was difficult to carry on a conversation with Holly....so, in my opinion, they need some serious sound baffling here. The service was outstanding. Our server was knowledgeable about the menu and quick to give us some suggestions, since we'd not been there before. Drinks and food were delivered hot and promptly. I ordered the blue cheese burger, and it was above average but not what I would call great. The toppings were plentiful, but the burger was just a bit overcooked and dry. As a choice of sides, I chose tater tots (why don't more restaurants offer these??) and they were perfectly done. For her meal, Holly chose the fish sandwich and reported that it was outstanding. And it was HUGE....certainly large enough to share! For her side, she choose sweet potato waffle fries, and they were the biggest disappointment of the day. They obviously had been left in the fryer too long, and were devoid of any real taste. On top of that...they were cold.....ice cold. Serious points of for both those factors. That said, it was overall a decent...not great....but decent experience. We'll certainly visit again and see how they do after being open a few weeks.
(3)Wendy K.
First, the bad. The place is so, so loud. So as long as you are prepared to have to talk really loud to hear others at your table, then you'll be fine. I wasn't. Now the good. The food really was very good. In our group, we ordered soft tacos with chicken -- great. Nachos - great. Burger with egg (can't remember the name) - very good. Old school crinkle fries - great. We were seated inside, so we missed the festival seating issue, thank goodness. There was some guy howling like a dog out there, so it probably isn't a place I want to hang out! I will definately go back for the good food, but only when I am in the right frame of mind for the noise!!
(4)Bryan W.
I wanted to give Drakes 3 stars, but the ending of the night just left a bad taste in my mouth. Not going to lie, the food is actually very good. Sushi is surprisingly fresh and well made. Chicken was cooked perfect. The problem is the atmosphere. It is Friday night, college football is starting, you have tons of TV's throughout the bar, but instead of having any games on, you have music videos for the music the DJ is playing. The DJ was playing 80's and 90's music that was way too loud, didnt fit, and was confusing. Then, we were asked to move because they wanted to make room for the dance floor??? No one danced, and those that did were just drunk and falling over themselves. It was embarassing to see them try to make a sports bar be a dance club after 10 at night. Just be a sports bar and you will succeed with the food and service you have. I will come back for lunch, but never dinner or a late night drink again. You are trying too hard and it shows
(2)Bill R.
Great food and great energy!
(5)Amy R.
Stopped in for lunch and was pleasantly surprised! Good sushi, good sandwiches and good service! We really liked the atmosphere!
(5)S S.
Oh my gosh! I wanted to try this restaurant since it opened. I went with my sister and we ordered several sushi dishes. I didn't expect to order the sushi but it sounded so delicious. We were not disappointed. The food was great, the waitress was attentive but did not rush us. She answered our questions, made helpful suggestions and kept my iced tea full. I really like the bleacher style seating. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Erin Q.
It is a little confusing as to where you are supposed to go into this place. Their big Now Open sign is on the left, by a door that you cannot enter. We watched almost everyone that came up to the place try to go in this door. You have to enter the one on the other end! The first part of this restaurant is a bar setting with a welcoming fireplace and it felt like you were walking into a cabin. . Our waitress was quick to come up and ask what we would like. Their only special for drinks on a Monday night was a tower. For those of you who are not familiar with this form of beverage service, it is a 120oz tower full of beer. Not likely that is going to happen on a Monday night w/ clients. Our waitress changed somewhere in the middle and this front part of the restaurant was not very busy. Back in the other room there was another bar and more comfortable seating options. There seemed to eventually be more people back there. We decided to order food and all but one of us ordered sushi. I ordered the Fantasy roll w/ Salmon and the Crab Rangoon roll. I also tried the fresh tuna. I thought both of the rolls were good. My friend is Gluten Free and they offer a menu for such. He was disappointed that they did not have gluten free soy sauce. The prices for the sushi rolls were in line with other places I've gone for sushi. The bar area where we were sitting appeared to have garage type doors that open with nice weather. It would be cool to come back and check that out when the weather changes.
(3)Bradley W.
Went here for dinner one night thinking it would be nice to try a new place. Went inside, it was a lot busier and cramped than previously thought. We were taken to a table with bar level seating. It was extremely loud and VERY uncomfortable. So we rolled with it. Ordered our food which came out eventually without too long of a wait. My girlfriend wasn't too impressed with her mini burgers. Although the sushi was a delight. In the middle of our meals manager came over to us and ASKED US TO MOVE to make more room. I found this beyond rude. This has NEVER happened to me before. He seemed like it wasn't important and tossed us in an even more crowded spot. It was bullshit to be honest. Our waitress was very friendly, tipped her well. Will NEVER return.
(1)Scott M.
HIT AND MISS... Maybe we spoke too soon.... During our last two visits, the service was hit-and-miss. Last night, the server made it back to the table ONCE after about an hour... despite the table being right by the bar and serving station. Also, there was no effort for almost three hours to put any wood on the fire, which eventually just went out (maybe an omen for their management team and investors). The visit before that, not one manager, server or bartender said "Thank you, kiss my ass or anything" as we left... after being good customers and good tippers." In fact, we walked the length of the entire front bar, where two bartenders were more worried about their tips than their customers. (Where do they think their tips come from?) I'd have to say Drake's has dropped a star or two in our book this week. I can see why it ranks two and three stars with so many customers. Indy managers and Kentucky investors need to step it up to motivate better customer reactions or they'll be gone from Indy's north side. The place is already about 50-75% empty most nights... and the area is too competitive for mediocre to poor service.
(2)Jessica S.
Good burgers, passable sushi, lots of beers. Seats are benches without backs, and you back up to the people at the next table ... a little uncomfortable if you plan to stay long, or if the table behind you is full of roaring drunks who invade your space.
(3)Theresa H.
We stopped in on a Saturday night, having read other reviews and looking forward to trying something new. I didn't believe that Drake's or any restaurant could truly have the 'first-come, first-served' festival seating, but it does, and it was a nightmare! They don't give out pagers or take names or anything - you're just on your own and if and when a party leaves, you might get that table. You'll need to be scouting it out the whole time, than if you see a table, grab it quick and sit there until someone comes to clean the last party's debris for you. People may ask if "are almost done" OR others may claim to have been there before you, when it isn't true! (also - almost none of the seats have backs on them, just stools or benches) The food was fine, standard bar food, and the drinks were good. Our service was also fine. But we probably won't be back- unless it's a slow lunchtime or something -otherwise, it's just kind of a hassle.
(2)Dav W.
Yes they serve alcohol, but they are also "kid friendly"
(3)Sqirrl B.
Nice, trendy atmosphere, although the backless benches, while inviting openness between tables, are a little uncomfortable. The grilled salmon was a bit small, and only came with one side, so choose whether you want a vegetable or a starch with that protein. Even though it was small, it was a very tasty piece of salmon, and I was impressed. Very clean, service was good, and the servers were friendly. The place serves a lot of shrimp, but they were very good about not having it everywhere, and very nice about making sure I didn't get any. The guys liked the beer tap at the table idea, which was unusual in my limited bar experiences. (Not being a beer drinker, I can only wish for the day they do that with the jack Daniels tap!) The restrooms were fairly clean, but the toilet paper hadn't been changed, and the roll was just sitting on the dispenser. I did see a waitress go back there, though, with a box of TP under her arm, so I assume it got changed. The lighting was that hideous, industrial bathroom lighting so beloved of the makeup companies, as it can make even a nice complexion appear zombieful, sallow, and spotty. Spend too much time under it, without a good self-confidence level, and you're going to be buying a lot of makeup. I would go back. Other than the lighting in the bathroom, the place was well lit, airy, and fun. 1 star on restroom lighting and food quantity. 4 on service, cleanliness, trivia guy and tastiness. 5 on the table beer tap.
(4)Kat C.
Thought i'd give it a try but instead got 3 mushy & fishy scallops nigiri. We ordered crab Rangoon roll and Surf & Turf but only tasted a powerful cream cheese. The vegetable roll only that was good. I will stick with Ocean World or Naked chopsticks when it comes to sushi.
(2)Scott H.
Food is good (I recommend the burger), but the service is bad. It's hard to get attention from your server. I ate at the bar a couple of days ago. My bartender was too preoccupied with flirting with guys at the other end of the bar than she was with checking up on me. Beer prices aren't bad. Some pretty girls come there sometimes.
(2)Frank Y.
Went there for lunch on Saturday, January 12th. It is a sports bar. Period. There was an enthusiastic crowd, and it was a friendly, congenial atmosphere. Seating was all high top (bar, tables) except for two chairs at the fireplace. With the exception of those two chairs, nothing had back rests. The bar stools were high quality with swivel tops. There were tables along the side with bench seats, but I didn't try those. The weather was quite nice, and they had opened up a couple of the sliding garage-type doors in front to take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather. They also had the fireplace in that area going to ward off the bit of dampness that ensued. The beer selection is excellent and the ability to adjust quantities was a nice touch. Service was quite good with one exception. I was given a pencil to sign the credit card receipt. This is a bad practice in general, and, although I have not experienced it myself, there are reports (not in the least related to Drake's) of such receipts being altered. When I refused to sign in pencil, I was given a pen. The food was somewhat disappointing, particularly in light of the rave reviews the establishment has received thus far. We had three menu items: buffalo shrimp appetizer, fish sandwich, and steak sandwich. Everything arrived quickly, was hot, and did not show signs of lingering on the heat table. The buffalo shrimp were tasty, but WAY too salty. I realize that salty appetizers promote alcohol consumption, but our sodium levels must have increased by an order of magnitude. We did not finish the appetizer largely because of the excessive salt. The person who had the fish sandwich reported that it tasted very good. It was flaky, was done with a beer batter preparation, and was a larger than the bun. The bun was fresh and had a good texture. The french fries suffered from the same excessive salt issue as the appetizer. The steak sandwich was made from shaved steak and had grilled onions and cheese wiz. The presentation was good, but the steak was extremely fatty and resulted in the entire sandwich having a mushy texture. The fat and the onions were easy to taste, the beef and the cheese not so much. The excessive salt issue continued with the french fries, but was not present with the sandwich. All in all, it is one of the nicer sports bars in the area, but I can't recommend the food.
(3)Amber P.
Visited Drake's on a Saturday night. By midnight, it was all but empty and the staff became rude. They clearly wanted us to leave, and didn't care that we were still ordering drinks and food. The manager came to our table asking to clear some trash. We were given dirty looks, and did not feel welcome at all. He clearly wanted us to leave. After that, another staff member came to our table to tell me that the manager could ask me to leave if he wanted to. My response was, "that's fine - I don't plan to return". Shortly after, they actually started playing "Closing Time" to edge people out the door. It was maybe 1am and there were still a few groups in there. As we were leaving, one of the security guards told my husband that he "felt bad for him for having to deal with a wife like that". seriously? no, we will not be back to Drakes, ever. and neither will any of our friends we invited out with us that night. there are so many options for bars, I wouldn't give this place your time or money. Unfortunately our tab was over $100 - and we were still treated like crap. No thanks!
(1)Christine B.
I got a free pass to eat here because I'm married to someone in the media and he couldn't go. I was very impressed with their sushi menu and tempted because one sushi roll had steak on it. I ordered that and it was very good. They actually have a seperate sushi menu and a special sushi chef. Also, my Tom Collins was delish and the fried pickes we had were good too. They also make a special dipping sauce for them. Our server was nice. The one thing I don't get is that their tag line is "Come Play" which would make one think that this place is like an adult arcade or something, when really they have one pool table in the back and a dart board. I was a little dissapointed in that. Either way, it was packed when I went here and I'm guessing it will be packed in the summer time too. They have a big glass garage doors that can be opened to create alfresco dining in the summer time. I like that because Indy really needs more places for outdoor dining.
(4)Kellie C.
My husband and I visited on Saturday, as we always try something new each weekend. We were impressed! George Manager/Partner introduces himself right off the bat and we told him it was our first time there. He proceeded to tell us about the menu and we agreed to try the chicken nachos. As he said, they were nacho ur normal nachos. It was a large flour tortilla fried crisp and smothered in refried beans, pulled chicken with cheese, scallions, fresh jalapenos and tomatoes, served with the homeade guac, salsa and a side of sour cream. Loved it!! Too many places have the normal pile on chips with little toppings only on the top layer and left with only Chips. He was dead on, these were the best we ever had. Then we decided to try the mini's, which in my opinion were a little larger than mini, so we split a them, two fish and one cheeseburger. Wow, the fish was better than the Claddaugh. Loved this place, TV's, friendly staff, (thanks Emilie and George) doors that open for the outside bar. Others reviewed it as loud, then go to the melting pot! Fun and exciting place, very classy. We will return with friends. We drove from Greenfield and it was worth the miles!!
(5)Jeremy B.
way to packer for an IU game
(2)Doug B.
My first beer here was on the house! How can you not feel special when the bartenders want so bad for you to have a free beer that they simply refuse to take your money? Well technically they just disappeared for like 15 minutes. This after I had waited for like 20 minutes to get a menu, and then waited yet another 20 minutes to get someone's attention, only then to be brushed off and ignored. Thankfully I had captured their attention long enough to snag a free beer upon arrival. Maybe they were just too busy or overwhelmed by the high volume of drinkers and chaos. I suppose this spot may be only for those who only want drinks. There may be some hidden talent in this joint. Perhaps in the back or in the kitchen? However, I will likely never know. I'm still waiting for my bar tab.
(2)Holly H.
This is one of the craziest menus I have ever seen. You start scanning and you see bar food, bar food, bar food and then you turn over the menu and BAM! sushi. Wait, seriously, sushi? Yeah. Here you can order a buffalo chicken sandwich or yellow tail nigiri. I love the large garage doors, which they open on nice days. It's a fun space with good pub food and, apparently, a nice variety of sushi.
(3)Bodie S.
Drake's is a pretty decent bar in the Castleton area. We went for a friend's birthday and it allowed for a good time! The inside of the bar/restaurant was extremely spacious, split into two areas, one area more for sitting, and the other provides more of a bar scene. They have a fireplace and comfortable chairs around it, which gives a nice aesthetic to the room. They have a good selection of local craft brews, and you can get beer towers, which I highly recommend doing! They come in all different amounts depending on how much you want to drink or the same beer. Especially if you're sharing with people it's the way to go. I didn't eat any food, but several of my comrades did and they all seemed to really enjoy the food. I tried some of the appetizer edamame and was really pleased with it. The wait staff was all very friendly and skilled and divvied up our checks like a champion!
(4)The Yelp-inator W.
Fun place with some of the best burgers I have ever tried. They also have sushi that looked pretty good, but I did not try any of this Lots of hip trendy adults here....not for kids
(4)Krista R.
Identity crisis, multiple personalities. Sports bar. DJ. Dance floor. Sushi. Music videos. Kid friendly. Beer towers. Bar food. Oh well. Surprisingly really good service. Food was salty and fried, and the drink specials were great. I'd recommend this place for a large group whose main mission is alcohol, not food. Sushi looked fresh.
(3)Adam S.
Stopped in for lunch on a Friday afternoon. I had the Mini BLTs with fries, which were great, but the real story for me was the good service. Alison took care of us with just the right amount of attention. The manager stopped by to check on things as well and asked more than just "How was everything?" I got the sense that there was some genuine concern about my experience. In a day where good service is nearly impossible to find in Indy, Drake's comes through.
(4)Rick G.
We had lunch for the first time at Drake's, and our experience was rather hit and miss. There were some good....some VERY good part of it, and there were some disappointing parts of it. First, the atmosphere. When we first walked in, I liked the atmosphere a lot. Nicely decorated, lots of neon and posters, it was a very pleasant atmosphere. Once we were seated, it hit me....this place is loud. VERY loud. With lots of brick walls and concrete for the sound to bounce off of, it was like dining in an echo chamber. It was difficult to carry on a conversation with Holly....so, in my opinion, they need some serious sound baffling here. The service was outstanding. Our server was knowledgeable about the menu and quick to give us some suggestions, since we'd not been there before. Drinks and food were delivered hot and promptly. I ordered the blue cheese burger, and it was above average but not what I would call great. The toppings were plentiful, but the burger was just a bit overcooked and dry. As a choice of sides, I chose tater tots (why don't more restaurants offer these??) and they were perfectly done. For her meal, Holly chose the fish sandwich and reported that it was outstanding. And it was HUGE....certainly large enough to share! For her side, she choose sweet potato waffle fries, and they were the biggest disappointment of the day. They obviously had been left in the fryer too long, and were devoid of any real taste. On top of that...they were cold.....ice cold. Serious points of for both those factors. That said, it was overall a decent...not great....but decent experience. We'll certainly visit again and see how they do after being open a few weeks.
(3)Wendy K.
First, the bad. The place is so, so loud. So as long as you are prepared to have to talk really loud to hear others at your table, then you'll be fine. I wasn't. Now the good. The food really was very good. In our group, we ordered soft tacos with chicken -- great. Nachos - great. Burger with egg (can't remember the name) - very good. Old school crinkle fries - great. We were seated inside, so we missed the festival seating issue, thank goodness. There was some guy howling like a dog out there, so it probably isn't a place I want to hang out! I will definately go back for the good food, but only when I am in the right frame of mind for the noise!!
(4)Josh D.
Last night was our third or fourth visit. The first time I was very skeptical of ordering sushi from a sports bar. It turned out to be very good sushi. That atmosphere is pretty cool. Service is par, nothing great, nothing terrible. Sushi prices seem to be a bit lower then typical sushi restaurants, which is nice. I wish they had a happy hour or beer specials. We will definitely return for rolls and beer though.
(5)Dave W.
Good place bad night. Been here several times. Bartender seems to have ADD. Lights up full force and zero attention to your guests (the ones paying the bills). 15 min for a tower of beer because he needed to talk to the servers in casual conversation first. The rolls seemed warm. Bacteria maybe?!? Love to see the kitchen and temp the food. Off nights SHOULD be just as good as the busy nights. Maybe a staff and management change is in order? Love the concept though.
(2)Danita C.
Good environment, they had outdoor games like corn hole and monster janga. Decent beer selection. Great staff and prices are up to par with most.
(4)Erin Q.
It is a little confusing as to where you are supposed to go into this place. Their big Now Open sign is on the left, by a door that you cannot enter. We watched almost everyone that came up to the place try to go in this door. You have to enter the one on the other end! The first part of this restaurant is a bar setting with a welcoming fireplace and it felt like you were walking into a cabin. . Our waitress was quick to come up and ask what we would like. Their only special for drinks on a Monday night was a tower. For those of you who are not familiar with this form of beverage service, it is a 120oz tower full of beer. Not likely that is going to happen on a Monday night w/ clients. Our waitress changed somewhere in the middle and this front part of the restaurant was not very busy. Back in the other room there was another bar and more comfortable seating options. There seemed to eventually be more people back there. We decided to order food and all but one of us ordered sushi. I ordered the Fantasy roll w/ Salmon and the Crab Rangoon roll. I also tried the fresh tuna. I thought both of the rolls were good. My friend is Gluten Free and they offer a menu for such. He was disappointed that they did not have gluten free soy sauce. The prices for the sushi rolls were in line with other places I've gone for sushi. The bar area where we were sitting appeared to have garage type doors that open with nice weather. It would be cool to come back and check that out when the weather changes.
(3)Bryan W.
I wanted to give Drakes 3 stars, but the ending of the night just left a bad taste in my mouth. Not going to lie, the food is actually very good. Sushi is surprisingly fresh and well made. Chicken was cooked perfect. The problem is the atmosphere. It is Friday night, college football is starting, you have tons of TV's throughout the bar, but instead of having any games on, you have music videos for the music the DJ is playing. The DJ was playing 80's and 90's music that was way too loud, didnt fit, and was confusing. Then, we were asked to move because they wanted to make room for the dance floor??? No one danced, and those that did were just drunk and falling over themselves. It was embarassing to see them try to make a sports bar be a dance club after 10 at night. Just be a sports bar and you will succeed with the food and service you have. I will come back for lunch, but never dinner or a late night drink again. You are trying too hard and it shows
(2)Bill R.
Great food and great energy!
(5)Amy R.
Stopped in for lunch and was pleasantly surprised! Good sushi, good sandwiches and good service! We really liked the atmosphere!
(5)S S.
Oh my gosh! I wanted to try this restaurant since it opened. I went with my sister and we ordered several sushi dishes. I didn't expect to order the sushi but it sounded so delicious. We were not disappointed. The food was great, the waitress was attentive but did not rush us. She answered our questions, made helpful suggestions and kept my iced tea full. I really like the bleacher style seating. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Sylvia R.
I really like Drake's! Great place to meet friends for drinks. The Crab Rangoon rolls are my favorite! Nice atmosphere, good music playing and they carry ciders (which I enjoy, I'm not a beer drinker).
(4)Jason T.
This is a great spot on the northside! They're always busy, the food is really good and it's a great location. On weekdays They have some really good specials going on food and drinks! Oddly enough the sushi is really good there! The other night I went and it wasn't that good but every time I've been it has been.
(4)Corey L.
This is one of my favorite places to eat in Indy. Great food at a great price. Atmosphere is always great. My wife and I have been multiple times. I usually get the BBQ Bacon (burger) or the Good Morning burger. They have one of my favorite beers on tap and one of my favorite bourbons. The serve sushi, which is strange for a burger joint but its really good too! I recommend the spicy scallop roll. Great location, great service, I definitely recommend it!
(5)Samantha P.
Oh Drake's, I wasn't expecting to like you so much. I don't know why I had a negative impression but you are winning me over. My friend and I like meeting here for an after work drink and dinner. It is almost never super busy on a weekday around 5:30, so we get our pick of tables and always get fantastic service! We have tried a variety of drinks, their tap selection has been great [ they had Jack-O Traveler this fall!]. We also enjoy their "patio punch" [I believe it is called that], which is a fruity mixed drink and usually on special in the summers. As for the food, I have never been disappointed, I really like their sandwiches and their salads. The menu has changed a few times on us so that could happen again but most likely you will find something worth eating. Also, it is not the biggest menu so if you are picky you may want to look ahead to make sure there is something you like. My friend and I aren't really picky. I have not tried the sushi but I may have to try it! This place does get busy during popular sporting events and would be a great place for a large group due to a wide variety of big tables. It is seat yourself, so get there early if you want your pick of a table when it gets busy! I am sure we will back soon and may have to bring a larger group sometime. Also, as a note, they have their own rewards program that is free, nice touch, although, I have yet to redeem anything.
(4)Lauren S.
Their alcohol menu is endless! I love all the options they have, and the food never disappoints.
(4)Mike R.
This place is really nice for a good burger and beer. The sushi is above average but nothing to write home about. Great selection of rotating drafts with specials all the time. The thing I feel that really stands out is the service. Everyone is happy, smiling, and really does a great job. Rachel took care of me today and she was cute, fun, attentive, and overall did an exceptional job. Any establishment can grill a burger and serve it. It's the intangibles that set some apart from others. Thank you Rachel, and thank you Drakes. It was fun.
(4)Lola S.
Due to the proximity to my job, I have been frequenting Drakes quite a bit. Their friendly atmosphere has definitely kept me coming back. There is always a cool special going on ($1 sliders on Sunday's). The food is fast and MOST of the staff is attentive and friendly.
(4)Amy R.
I ventured north to the Keystone area to visit friends and they wanted to go to Drakes. I usually steer clear of these big type of bar grill type of places, but I went along with the crowd. This is the second time I have been to Drakes. The first time was for drinks only. The atmosphere was lively. We were there early so the under 21 crowd was still able to enter in designated areas of the place. It was a mixture of families and groups of friends. They serve the normal bar/grill fare with the addition of sushi. I had a Cobb salad, which was pretty good. Some friends that I was with had the sushi and they were pleased as well. The drinks were okay. They don't really follow the standard with drinks placed in correct glasses. I was served a margarita in a tall glass with no salt on the rim. They have "craft cocktails" on the menu, but I don't really see how they can label these drinks as craft cocktails. Pretty sad. On both occasions the service was poor. This visit I initially was trying to give our server the benefit of the doubt that she was the only server, but after I spotted 3 more in our same area, I could hold that thought up. So to summarize, decent food, okay drinks and poor service.
(3)Alecia H.
A great sushi place meets a fun sports bar! I know what you're thinking, no way those things happen together, but Drake's more than makes it work! Give this place a try when you're craving sushi and want to catch the Hoosiers or Colts while you eat.
(4)Meredith S.
Boyfriend and I went to Drake's last night for dinner and to play trivia. While I can't say great things about the girl doing trivia (she was obnoxious), Drake's was much better than I anticipated! First off, the service was good and our waitress was very friendly. She had a lot of tables, but still managed to be attentive which I appreciated. Drake's has a good selection of beers on tap, and I opted for one of their seasonal pumpkin beers (yum). I thought the beers were reasonably priced as well. We started off with the chips 'n' dip appetizer which was so good! Bonus: it's bottomless chips!! The dips are a trio - salsa, guacamole and bean dip. All were fantastic, and since we had bottomless chips, we were able to finish off all the dips. Score! Boyfriend and I split a California Roll for dinner. We were both skeptical of getting sushi, but like others have said, it was surprisingly good. We finished off our meal with a giant cookie a la mode. The cookie was actually the most disappointing part - not that great, wouldn't recommend it. All in all though, we both enjoyed our dinner. We'll be back, although probably not for trivia unless they get a new host. Also, this place would be great in the warm months when they open up the big garage doors and you sit on the patio.
(4)Bradley W.
Went here for dinner one night thinking it would be nice to try a new place. Went inside, it was a lot busier and cramped than previously thought. We were taken to a table with bar level seating. It was extremely loud and VERY uncomfortable. So we rolled with it. Ordered our food which came out eventually without too long of a wait. My girlfriend wasn't too impressed with her mini burgers. Although the sushi was a delight. In the middle of our meals manager came over to us and ASKED US TO MOVE to make more room. I found this beyond rude. This has NEVER happened to me before. He seemed like it wasn't important and tossed us in an even more crowded spot. It was bullshit to be honest. Our waitress was very friendly, tipped her well. Will NEVER return.
(1)Scott M.
HIT AND MISS... Maybe we spoke too soon.... During our last two visits, the service was hit-and-miss. Last night, the server made it back to the table ONCE after about an hour... despite the table being right by the bar and serving station. Also, there was no effort for almost three hours to put any wood on the fire, which eventually just went out (maybe an omen for their management team and investors). The visit before that, not one manager, server or bartender said "Thank you, kiss my ass or anything" as we left... after being good customers and good tippers." In fact, we walked the length of the entire front bar, where two bartenders were more worried about their tips than their customers. (Where do they think their tips come from?) I'd have to say Drake's has dropped a star or two in our book this week. I can see why it ranks two and three stars with so many customers. Indy managers and Kentucky investors need to step it up to motivate better customer reactions or they'll be gone from Indy's north side. The place is already about 50-75% empty most nights... and the area is too competitive for mediocre to poor service.
(2)Jessica S.
Good burgers, passable sushi, lots of beers. Seats are benches without backs, and you back up to the people at the next table ... a little uncomfortable if you plan to stay long, or if the table behind you is full of roaring drunks who invade your space.
(3)Theresa H.
We stopped in on a Saturday night, having read other reviews and looking forward to trying something new. I didn't believe that Drake's or any restaurant could truly have the 'first-come, first-served' festival seating, but it does, and it was a nightmare! They don't give out pagers or take names or anything - you're just on your own and if and when a party leaves, you might get that table. You'll need to be scouting it out the whole time, than if you see a table, grab it quick and sit there until someone comes to clean the last party's debris for you. People may ask if "are almost done" OR others may claim to have been there before you, when it isn't true! (also - almost none of the seats have backs on them, just stools or benches) The food was fine, standard bar food, and the drinks were good. Our service was also fine. But we probably won't be back- unless it's a slow lunchtime or something -otherwise, it's just kind of a hassle.
(2)Dav W.
Yes they serve alcohol, but they are also "kid friendly"
(3)Karlz S.
Slowest service. Not busy for a Sunday colts game. Literally ate our whole meal without a beverage. First and last time.
(1)Ashley V.
The food was really good but the fact that I can have sushi and my fiancé can have a burger in the same place is what really makes this place unique. We will definitely be back!
(4)Whitney S.
Really like this place. Service was ok. Sushi is great! They have a really cool atmosphere too. The outdoor seating is nice. You can play corn hole when the weather is decent. I definitely prefer this place to its neighbor, Brewstone.
(4)Sqirrl B.
Nice, trendy atmosphere, although the backless benches, while inviting openness between tables, are a little uncomfortable. The grilled salmon was a bit small, and only came with one side, so choose whether you want a vegetable or a starch with that protein. Even though it was small, it was a very tasty piece of salmon, and I was impressed. Very clean, service was good, and the servers were friendly. The place serves a lot of shrimp, but they were very good about not having it everywhere, and very nice about making sure I didn't get any. The guys liked the beer tap at the table idea, which was unusual in my limited bar experiences. (Not being a beer drinker, I can only wish for the day they do that with the jack Daniels tap!) The restrooms were fairly clean, but the toilet paper hadn't been changed, and the roll was just sitting on the dispenser. I did see a waitress go back there, though, with a box of TP under her arm, so I assume it got changed. The lighting was that hideous, industrial bathroom lighting so beloved of the makeup companies, as it can make even a nice complexion appear zombieful, sallow, and spotty. Spend too much time under it, without a good self-confidence level, and you're going to be buying a lot of makeup. I would go back. Other than the lighting in the bathroom, the place was well lit, airy, and fun. 1 star on restroom lighting and food quantity. 4 on service, cleanliness, trivia guy and tastiness. 5 on the table beer tap.
(4)Kat C.
Thought i'd give it a try but instead got 3 mushy & fishy scallops nigiri. We ordered crab Rangoon roll and Surf & Turf but only tasted a powerful cream cheese. The vegetable roll only that was good. I will stick with Ocean World or Naked chopsticks when it comes to sushi.
(2)Scott H.
Food is good (I recommend the burger), but the service is bad. It's hard to get attention from your server. I ate at the bar a couple of days ago. My bartender was too preoccupied with flirting with guys at the other end of the bar than she was with checking up on me. Beer prices aren't bad. Some pretty girls come there sometimes.
(2)Joseph O.
When people ask me to describe this place I call it red neck chik or upscale white trash. Tater tots and sushi share the menu and they both taste great. Lots of great specials. The seating sucks (nothing has a back to it and you get really close to your neighbors) otherwise they would get 5 stars.
(4)Corrine P.
The place has a nice hip atmosphere. I think that it's a franchise, but doesn't feel like one. I loved that I got a pint of the Stranger and got to keep the glass! The food is pretty good. I got frickles, sprimp tempura, and crab ragoon sushi. Contrary to other review, I didn't like the crab ragoon sushi. It's very rich. Maybe two rolls would be enough for me. I suggest splitting that roll with another person. The service was kind of awful. We had 4 different people wait on us the entire night. Our main waitress we saw 2 times - the second time because she forgot our order. She seemed to only want to serve the big tables...
(3)Jolanda B.
I enjoyed the music on Saturday. It was fun!
(5)Frank Y.
Went there for lunch on Saturday, January 12th. It is a sports bar. Period. There was an enthusiastic crowd, and it was a friendly, congenial atmosphere. Seating was all high top (bar, tables) except for two chairs at the fireplace. With the exception of those two chairs, nothing had back rests. The bar stools were high quality with swivel tops. There were tables along the side with bench seats, but I didn't try those. The weather was quite nice, and they had opened up a couple of the sliding garage-type doors in front to take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather. They also had the fireplace in that area going to ward off the bit of dampness that ensued. The beer selection is excellent and the ability to adjust quantities was a nice touch. Service was quite good with one exception. I was given a pencil to sign the credit card receipt. This is a bad practice in general, and, although I have not experienced it myself, there are reports (not in the least related to Drake's) of such receipts being altered. When I refused to sign in pencil, I was given a pen. The food was somewhat disappointing, particularly in light of the rave reviews the establishment has received thus far. We had three menu items: buffalo shrimp appetizer, fish sandwich, and steak sandwich. Everything arrived quickly, was hot, and did not show signs of lingering on the heat table. The buffalo shrimp were tasty, but WAY too salty. I realize that salty appetizers promote alcohol consumption, but our sodium levels must have increased by an order of magnitude. We did not finish the appetizer largely because of the excessive salt. The person who had the fish sandwich reported that it tasted very good. It was flaky, was done with a beer batter preparation, and was a larger than the bun. The bun was fresh and had a good texture. The french fries suffered from the same excessive salt issue as the appetizer. The steak sandwich was made from shaved steak and had grilled onions and cheese wiz. The presentation was good, but the steak was extremely fatty and resulted in the entire sandwich having a mushy texture. The fat and the onions were easy to taste, the beef and the cheese not so much. The excessive salt issue continued with the french fries, but was not present with the sandwich. All in all, it is one of the nicer sports bars in the area, but I can't recommend the food.
(3)Amber P.
Visited Drake's on a Saturday night. By midnight, it was all but empty and the staff became rude. They clearly wanted us to leave, and didn't care that we were still ordering drinks and food. The manager came to our table asking to clear some trash. We were given dirty looks, and did not feel welcome at all. He clearly wanted us to leave. After that, another staff member came to our table to tell me that the manager could ask me to leave if he wanted to. My response was, "that's fine - I don't plan to return". Shortly after, they actually started playing "Closing Time" to edge people out the door. It was maybe 1am and there were still a few groups in there. As we were leaving, one of the security guards told my husband that he "felt bad for him for having to deal with a wife like that". seriously? no, we will not be back to Drakes, ever. and neither will any of our friends we invited out with us that night. there are so many options for bars, I wouldn't give this place your time or money. Unfortunately our tab was over $100 - and we were still treated like crap. No thanks!
(1)Christine B.
I got a free pass to eat here because I'm married to someone in the media and he couldn't go. I was very impressed with their sushi menu and tempted because one sushi roll had steak on it. I ordered that and it was very good. They actually have a seperate sushi menu and a special sushi chef. Also, my Tom Collins was delish and the fried pickes we had were good too. They also make a special dipping sauce for them. Our server was nice. The one thing I don't get is that their tag line is "Come Play" which would make one think that this place is like an adult arcade or something, when really they have one pool table in the back and a dart board. I was a little dissapointed in that. Either way, it was packed when I went here and I'm guessing it will be packed in the summer time too. They have a big glass garage doors that can be opened to create alfresco dining in the summer time. I like that because Indy really needs more places for outdoor dining.
(4)Kellie C.
My husband and I visited on Saturday, as we always try something new each weekend. We were impressed! George Manager/Partner introduces himself right off the bat and we told him it was our first time there. He proceeded to tell us about the menu and we agreed to try the chicken nachos. As he said, they were nacho ur normal nachos. It was a large flour tortilla fried crisp and smothered in refried beans, pulled chicken with cheese, scallions, fresh jalapenos and tomatoes, served with the homeade guac, salsa and a side of sour cream. Loved it!! Too many places have the normal pile on chips with little toppings only on the top layer and left with only Chips. He was dead on, these were the best we ever had. Then we decided to try the mini's, which in my opinion were a little larger than mini, so we split a them, two fish and one cheeseburger. Wow, the fish was better than the Claddaugh. Loved this place, TV's, friendly staff, (thanks Emilie and George) doors that open for the outside bar. Others reviewed it as loud, then go to the melting pot! Fun and exciting place, very classy. We will return with friends. We drove from Greenfield and it was worth the miles!!
(5)Jeremy B.
way to packer for an IU game
(2)Jessica W.
Great place to come for drinks after work! They have indoor and outdoor seating, and a wide variety of table sizes to accommodate different sizes of groups! Beer selection is pretty decent. I was really excited to see that they will be getting Three Floyd's Gumball Head sometime soon! Appetizers were pretty standard, but we're a good size for sharing! Chips with salsa/Guacamole came with unlimited refills on the chips, so that made for some good snacks to have on the table while drinking after work!
(4)Melissa K.
Drake's is a really good place to go after work! It has a bar type atmosphere, but in a good way. The seats are a bit odd (large picnic table type benches), but still comfortable. The drinks are fantastic! They have something called backyard porch punch (or something like that) that is served in a mason jar. It's very unique and refreshing! They also have a very wide selection of beers. Their menu has changed several times since I have been there, but everything I have had has been delicious. Their sandwiches are fantastic, especially the California club (I believe that's what it is called.) Chicken, bacon, avocado...so good! The service has always been awesome too. They have some games in the back (some type of shuffle board game and I think darts too). Late at night I think they have dancing in the back (they turned up the music and started some strobe/club lights when I was there late one weekend night), which doesn't really fit in with the atmosphere. Regardless, this place is great! They even have a rewards program. Too bad I never remember to bring my card when I go!
(4)Joanna S.
I give the ambiance more than 5 stars and the food 4, so that averages out to a nice rating! Open-air awesomeness, great interior, good seating. Odd menu, but awesome! I went for the sushi. Fried calamari roll and Midori roll. Both really fresh, with great flavors! I would get again. I also tried the sweet potato waffle fries and while good, they are thin so there's more crisp than doughy fry. Delicious, but I do like more fry than... fried lol. And a tad too much pepper. Left my lips tingly with spice. I do wish the soy sauce had a label of original or low-sodium. They put it in a cute whiskey bottle instead to go with the theme of the place.
(5)Patty L.
Pretty tasty Frickkes with a nice dipping sauce at Drakes. We have been here once before but it must not had been a memorable event for Jeff. I think it's a cozy place to eat after furniture shopping. I'll give an update when our other items arrive. It's a great place to get fat. We must get moved into our new place fast!
(4)JM R.
Drake's at Keystone is a fun casual spot! Great bar atmosphere, completely open air with corn hole and jenga games on the front walk. Super selection of beers, local craft brews, and full bar. We were there for half priced table taps - Hello! Patio Punch is yummy too. Menu has a lot more options than you might expect. California Cob was a huge portion and very fresh. Mini Buffalo Chicken Sliders had great flavor served with cole slaw. Great service, fast and friendly. Good parking. Big clean bathrooms. Lots of TVs with sports and music videos. Trivia games too! Definitely a fun spot!
(4)Sarah C.
Well this is a place I definitely want to come back to - preferably when summer returns. I was impressed by the layout of the place. It has the bar, it has the tvs, it has the beer - and all in a comfortable yet fashionable way. AND they offer sushi. The bar offers sushi. Did I mention the bar offers sushi? Ok, so that's great news right there, friends. The front of the restaurant is actually lined with garage doors. Or they appear to be garage doors. In the summer they open said garage doors and you have an outdoor eating experience. Lovely! They also keep part of the restaurant sectioned off so that those "I hate the sun" folks can soak in the air conditioning. Basically they have it set that no matter what, you'll get the type of seating you desire. Will I be back? You betcha! The fact that I now live in Castleton has opened my eyes to a whole new world. And Drakes, you're now part of it.
(4)Kherri B.
This place has amazing food. I got the sushi, it was really fresh! I recommend the crunchy munchy roll!! Super yum! The burgers that my husband and kids got were huge!!! Very good too! The staff was really attentive, soon as , drink is half empty they bring another. Really liked it!!
(4)Michael+Jenni B.
This is a place that on the surface wouldn't be a go to spot of ours, but look beyond the Keystone area strip mall location and the occasional rowdy bunch of early 20-something's and you'll find a bit of a gem. First, the sushi is legitimate. Unexpectedly fresh with a big variety! The other must is the fish tacos -- these are amazing! Perfectly fried fish and more than enough toppings served with warm tortillas. Great beer selection is a bonus and a DIY weekend Bloody Mary bar is good too. Service has always been good - not great - but efficient and pleasant. Seating is casual (seat yourself) and in nice weather there is corn hole and giant jenga. Good for all ages and food preferences.
(4)John D.
Excellent bar dining experience. My wife and I were out and about looking for some late night dinner and found the menu for Drake's online. Looked pretty decent, so we decided it was the place to go. This is definitely a bar. It's loud and after 9pm it's a dance party. We unknowingly seated ourselves in front of the dj, so we were right up on the dance floor, but it was fine and we got to watch some of the servers get down. We expected to wait a while since it was really busy. We didn't wait long at all before our server got to our table. Our server was fantastic. She was prompt, friendly, and attentive. The food was great. We had the buffalo chicken minis, the frickles, and the Morning Glory burger. The serving size on the frickles was fricking ridiculous for two people. So many pickles! The dipping sauce for them was delicious. The buffalo chicken minis were everything you could hope for in a buffalo chicken slider. Fried, hot, and spicy with a side of ranch. Yum! The Morning Glory burger was great! A big hearty burger with plenty of toppings. We would highly recommend the sweet potato waffle fries. Next time we'll probably check out the sushi menu. This seems like a great place to come with a bunch of friends to have a few beers, get silly, and play cornhole and giant jenga (and dance!).
(5)Steve W.
Drakes is definitely a unique establishment. During my visit on the night before thanksgiving, I watched: -one table of people cheer while watching Family Feud (because they were actually the family on the show at that time) -one section of people enjoy the music from the DJ -one section of people (where I was) sit with friends and watch the pacers game -one final section of people that were there for dates and enjoying SUSHI. Yes, that last comment was about sushi. Drake's has it's hand in everything entertainment and food related. You can get basic bar food, local beer (they really only had Sun King and Three Floyds for local options), and Sushi all in one place. As I was there with friends and to watch the game, I went the local beer and bar food route. The Drake's ale is decent, but its very similar to a Bud Light. But the Sun King Sunlight tasted just as refreshing as at the brewery. I ordered the sliders with tator tots. I got the buffalo chicken (because it was the most popular), the cheeseburger, and the jerk chicken. The burger was actually juicy and quite delicious, which is difficult to do with such a small patty. The pineapple salsa on the jerk patty was delicious. The buffalo chicken wasn't for me, but that mostly because I don't eat much fried food and it was house battered, so it had a lot of breading on a small piece of chicken. Overall, I'd go back to watch a game or for a date night of Sushi. Its a great place and has an entertaining environment, no matter what you're looking for.
(3)Frank M.
Loved the sushi, service was excellent, place was neat inside. Two managers came by and asked us how everything was. It's somewhat of a younger crowd. I felt old and I'm 42, so I guess I am old. The place was pretty loud too. The food and service are what would keep me going back. Drakes, keep up the great work. You all have to go and at least try this place.
(5)Alex H.
went there on a Saturday night, music was excessively loud but expected for a bar. I ordered the pub burger, I would compare it to a thicker steak and shake burger but very salty. waitress was very busy so didn't get that good of service.
(3)Dylan E.
This is a place that I used to frequent when I lived in the River Crossing area. Competition is very steep up here in the category of nicer sports bar type places, with at least 5 or 6 of the bigger ones in the city all within a mile or two of this location, but Drakes holds its own with some unique offerings. First of all, the place is what I would describe as an upper-scale sports bar. They have plenty of TVs everywhere you look, 2 large bars, and a nice but comfortable feel to it. The building isn't too difficult to get to, but traffic in the area can get pretty busy during rush hour and on the weekends. Their parking lot gets pretty full, but you will surely find something. My favorite feature to the location is that the entire front of the building opens up so you get lots of fresh air during the warmer months. The front room (with its own bar) feels very patio-like while still being in the shade and with all of the sports you want to watch within view. If you are looking for a quieter area, the front room is probably the choice for you. The back room has another very large bar, and quite a bit of seating at large picnic table type setups, so you can get a large number of people in one place. Back there is a little darker and where the DJ is, so it can get pretty loud when that is going on. I have always liked everything I have had to eat here. They a decent list of the types of sandwiches, burgers, entrees, and appetizers you will find at most places like this. I think the price of the food is on par with the quality and quantity. One unique thing about Drakes, and probably the reason I am here more often than not, is that they also serve sushi. Not many places can you get a table tap of craft beer, watch your favorite basketball team play, and eat sushi. It's not quite up to par with what you are going to get at a place that specializes in sushi, but it's certainly better than what I expected from a place like this. I think it is always pretty good quality and worth looking at as an alternative to a burger and fries. The beer is also a big pull here. They probably have 15 or so taps and bring in beers that you won't commonly find at most sports bars. You can get big 120 oz table taps of any of them which is a better deal than pitchers. They have some great specials on most nights of the week, my favorite being half price table taps on Sundays (at least it was the last time I was there). They have some tapping parties for unique beers that they get a limited amount in for, and that's a great way to try something nobody else has. The service here is hit and miss like a lot of these kinds of places. I've always gotten great service at the bar, but I've had a bad experience or two at one of the tables with waiter service. They host a trivia night that is pretty fun and draws a decent crowd. I've been here for big games and it can get pretty full, but outside of that you shouldn't have a problem getting a table here quickly. I like the options here for food, drink, and environment and think that this place gives groups with many different tastes something that everybody will enjoy.
(4)Tiffany B.
I imagine that this place will be to outdoors-loving patrons what the Piazza San Marco is to pigeons because you could have a roof over your head while almost smelling the cherry blossom tree outside. It felt almost weird walking up since all the "garage doors" were rolled up to expose the restaurant's innards, but once seated inside, that floor to ceiling opening offered ample view and breeze (even if the view is mostly a sea of cars/ parking lot/ 86th street). I was there at lunch and it was busy, but not overly. Staff was solid. Not wanting anything fried, I opted to try some of the Asian fare. The seaweed salad was quite tasty, but the sushi was very middle of the road. I did like that they offered fresh/ non-cooked spring rolls with sushi inside, if you so desired. Was glad to have the option. There was music and accompanying music videos that you'd hear now and then when the roar of the crowd died down. On a hot day on the north side, I'd consider this an option if I was wanting fresh air. And the best part with here is--unlike patios with a meager umbrella--you've got a roof over your head and can enjoy a summer afternoon rain shower without blowing away like some English nanny or getting drenched. That's a selling point. For the winter, meh, I'd give it a pass.
(3)Melody T.
I have eaten at this establishment approx. 3 times in the last month because the service and Sushi was excellent. On 4/24/15 I brought a friend from out of town and her 27 y/o daughter, and my 2 adult children. My friends daughter forgot her purse with her ID at my home which is a 45 minute drive from the restaurant which we realized when we arrived. All the women were carded and my 30 yr old son was not. We ordered alcoholic drinks with the exception of the person without ID. They brought us our drinks and then roped off the booth we were sitting in. We questioned our server and she stated the manager told her it was because she didn't have proof she was 21. This was extremely embarrassing to our party and the girl who didn't have her ID. We asked to speak to the manager who rudely informed us it was a state law that there had to be a barrier since she was under 21. Again she was 27. I asked for our bill 3 of the others went outside of course the mangers were standing in the entry watching them outside (I feel like they thought we were going to steal their corn hole board- lol) as I walked out I informed the manager that was embarrassing to us - he said it shouldn't have been. I'm glad he knows how we feel - I told him he was condescending - again he rudely said he was not - but believe me he WAS rude. I informed him we would not be back and he said "good" and then said in his condescending manner "have a good night". BTW - it appears the manager I was referring to is an active partner. Nice to know he cares so much regarding his customers! I want to add the service by the wait staff has always been excellent - it was the "Managing Partner" that was the issue. It left all of us feeling as though if they lost a customer - oh well they still have plenty of customers. I as well as my daughter have worked in the service industry and have been trained and believe ALL your customers are important. Word of mouth spreads far and wide. To be a manager and speak to a customer in that manner is unacceptable in my mind.
(1)Kristy K.
Any place that dances to the Wobble is a-o-kay in my book! So my colleagues and I literally crashed the Friends and Family lunch soft opening event. And by crashed, I mean we were warmly welcomed in by the hostess staff when we opened the door, asking if they were open. They were technically open and happy to host us for lunch. Since it was F&F, the meals were gratis...we just had to pay for drinks. So drink we did! Drake's has these fantastically tall towers of beer (and a great beer selection to fill it)...120 oz in all. Yeah, it was a work day, so we only had 1 tower. Now the food was pretty good. There are some interesting and unexpected sauces and flavors on a good amount of the food. This was met with mixed reviews at our table. Some people just wanted what they expected (buffalo sauce...not a mustard-honey-buffalo sauce, for example), while others enjoyed the new flavors. The part I find odd is the whole, we have a sushi restaurant in our regular 'merican bar/restaurant. This isn't to say that the sushi wasn't good. It was, but I just don't get it. The pacing was a bit slow, but we were fine with that given that it was a soft opening and we weren't paying for our food. But the manager type stopped by and chatted with us several times and even gave everyone in our party a gift card to return once they were 'officially' open. BONUS! I'll be back to check this place out again soon!
(4)David B.
The staff is always so friendly. We went to Drakes for drinks and found out the food is actually VERY good. Sushi was amazing... this is not your average bar food and with great prices on drinks... needless to say we have been back since.
(4)Sok L.
food is amazing here. one of the best bar food in the area annnnnnnnnd they also serve sushi. can't beat that!
(5)Kelly Ann J.
My love for Drakes started in Lexington and I have never been able to get enough! The only thing that could make it better is adding Malone's World's Greatest Dessert to the menu!
(5)Anna W.
Came here on a Wednesday evening and it had a good amount of people. I like the place because it was a bar and it served sushi as well as American food. I ordered Miso Soup, Eel Avocado Roll and tater tots. Weird combination, but I loved that I could do that. The food was average, nothing special. The service was very slow and felt like bar service and not so much a restaurant.
(3)Eric M.
First time review. Sunday night at 6 pm and the place is pretty busy w young people. Just about every table at the bar has one of those skyscraper draft beer tower thingees and come to find out they are 50% off. Live acoustic music pretty good. Order the tacos and loved the portion size but the build-your-own sides were depressingly basic: cheddar chz, lettuce, pico, diced tom, blah, blah. These taco dishes (fish, chick, beef........) could be sooooo rocking with sides that felt you weren't at applebees or ryan's steak house. Crank it up guys . Our server Erica was very attentive and friendly. Cool atmosphere. Two other tap houses within a stones throw. Great area for a mini-pub crawl. 4 stars when you jack up the taco dish or remember my ice water after asking 2 x (and still not getting it).
(3)Brad K.
Through the front door, you enter into a small foyer, but are basically in the bar. It's festival seating, every-man-for-himself. The bar runs across the front of the restaurant and has a lot of tables. The front wall of the space has what appear to be overhead doors making it cozy and warm in the winter, but presumably awesome and open when warmer. This isn't the first place to install garage doors, but it's still unique enough in Indy to attract a BIG crowd in the summer...great touch! We grabbed a bar height table in the next room which had plenty of room for our party of four, which was me, my wife and the outlaws. The menu had a lot to offer. Around our table, we ordered the fish and chips, mini hamburgers and sushi. Yes, sushi. I know, I thought the same thing but ordered it anyway. Our service was very good; not smothering, not absent. Father in law really liked the fish. First and foremost, there was A LOT of it, and it was hot. Mother-in-law and my wife had the minis which I understand were tasty and juicy. Minis are becoming common menu items everywhere and clearly a restaurant needs to make their version stand out. I don't know if Drake's stand out over others, but the ladies liked them. There were three to an order with fries. I got to sample the fries...crispy but not overcooked and good flavor. I had a tuna roll and a tempura roll. Par. That's all. Both tasted good. The spicy roll was spicy and the sweet roll was sweet. There is better sushi all over Indy; this is not a sushi destination. This is a menu alternative if you don't want another burger, chicken sandwich or wings. Two stars seems a little harsh for all of the average/good things I've mentioned, but about 1/2 way through the meal, the entire restaurant filled and as the standing-room-only crowd grew, we were asked no fewer than 5 times, "are you leaving yet?" by other hungry, wish-we-had-gotten-here-earlier patrons. Most were polite, but nonetheless annoying. Their policy of letting crowds gather among the tables will keep Drake's off of our regular round-robin of restaurants. I know restaurants need to turn table to make money, but we were there to catch up on the happenings of the week and enjoy a meal, and that wasn't allowed to happen. Order, drink, eat, chat between mouthfuls, pay bill, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. I'll come back when it's warm and check out the open air concept bar, but probably not until then.
(2)Marcie M.
I am sad (for the record) that the 1st person to review this said five words about an experience that really needs to be explained for fellow Yelpers to ensure it's worth a trip to the busiest area of town to try something new. That being said, I didn't even know Drake's opened until I got a coupon in the mail (which I used without issue and without an eye roll - score!). In my opinion, Drake's is doing something right. I want to put out there that Matt the Miller's in Carmel has a similar "vibe" and isn't doing it well and the reviews stand out due to the inconsistency. The owner of Matt the Miller's is clearly not sure what's going on in his own establishment b/c he doesn't understand the negative reviews, but he's NOT THERE. He doesn't live here and he isn't ON THE FLOOR at this NEW place and wonders why he is getting inconsistent poor notes from consumers. Note 1: Drake's had TWO managers (or who appeared to be managers) stop by our table during lunch - in addition to the endless staff that was always nearby, filling drinks, taking plates, making recommendations AND handing out FREE sushi samples! That has never happened to me in any restaurant and it was an amazing treat! Sooooo let's just start with the atmosphere. It's very upscale trendy bar feel. The immediate entry is garage doors so I assume in the summer when it's not 19 below we will be able to sit indoors and outdoors at the same time (assuming these doors raise and are not just decor). Hopefully I am right b/c that would be cool. This FIRST bar area is very spacious with several football shaped wooden tables which seat 6 people. Very nice! The bar itself is long and probably had about 30 stools and is surrounded in several HD flatscreens in layering effect that was very nice so that you can watch multiple sporting events at the same time. They also have speakers at the tables in the main area should you choose not to sit in direct line of a TV (or in the event it's very busy which seems it might be). The main dining area goes on forever and the main bar in the center is huge with tons of seating. I can imagine hanging out there all night on a weekend night, getting very intoxicated and having an awesome time. The design - they way you can move through this space - is wonderful for partying and socializing. They have entertainment on the weekends and in true bar fashion are open until 3 AM every single night! I imagine there will be lots of cool events going on to keep the people coming back for more this spring and summer. At least a girl can dream! Drake's claims to be a bar that loves food and a restaurant that loves beer. And it is clear they have a wide selection of beers (though I did notice nothing INDIANA local). The menu is a bit overwhelming b/c they have a FULL sushi (separate menu) and an insane amount of sandwiches, appetizers, tacos, and more! I think that may play against them but if it's working in KY, what do I know? Anyway....we didn't order sushi though that is what we wanted...and I'm kind of sad NOW that I didn't. Here's why - a wonderful waitress stopped by sampling their crab rangoon sushi roll and holy wonderfulness. It has a bit of a thai kick with the sauce and the crab was soft and tasty with a bang of explosive taste! Had I tried it BEFORE I ordered, I would have gotten the roll for sure! It was soooo sooooo good. I want to go back and get one tomorrow. I might. Just sayin'. OK, so my lunch was OK. It wasn't the best salad I've ever had. I got the salmon spinach salad and it was decent. There was some spice missing from it that I thought the salmon should have. It was grilled and cooked perfectly but the taste was a bit bland. The spinach and tomatoes were very fresh. I didn't enjoy the boiled egg on it and the provolone was sliced instead shredded so it didn't work for me. My friend got the chicken tacos and she LOVED them - devoured and they came out to build, which is nice b/c then you have full control over how many THINGS you want in your taco. I love that feature, as did she. We also got the three dip and chip appetizer which was great! The bean/cheese dip was addictive, the guac was fresh and the salsa had a little kick but wasn't TOO HOT. Let's just say although my salad wasn't out of this world, the overall feel was. I loved our server, who was attentive, easy going and not too in my face. Not to mention the others who were just always around cleaning and tidying along with the managers who stopped by for a quick chat and check in. I miss that touch at many other restaurants. This place is a new and is worth a shot! I hope it can make it. This area of Indy, while busy, does seem to run restaurants out of there very quickly. I do hope to see this place bloom b/c it is a place where you can be a "regular" or a "tourist" and enjoy the vibe and feel. As long as the service and quality holds, it could be a lasting fixture in this area of town.
(4)Jason C.
Special thank you to our server Breanne and manager Kyle. My girlfriend and I came in for a late night bite before our long drive back to Chicago. We were told that this was a great place to come and were really excited. After putting in our drink and food orders, we were told that the kitchen was closed. Obviously we were disappointed as we were going to have to settle for something like Taco Bell and that was not a good thing. After a few minutes the manager, Kyle, came over with Breanne and said he heard about our plyth and had the kitchen open back up just for us. We were beyond shocked that they would go that extra mile. Having worked in a kitchen before myself, I know what a pain it is to reopen after cleaning up for the night so I was extremely greatful. To top everything off, the fish and chips were some, if not THE very best I have ever had and we finished them up on the road home. Thank you so much Breanne and Kyle for making our experience so meaningful. We will be back if nothing more just to eat here.
(5)Amy R.
I ventured north to the Keystone area to visit friends and they wanted to go to Drakes. I usually steer clear of these big type of bar grill type of places, but I went along with the crowd. This is the second time I have been to Drakes. The first time was for drinks only. The atmosphere was lively. We were there early so the under 21 crowd was still able to enter in designated areas of the place. It was a mixture of families and groups of friends. They serve the normal bar/grill fare with the addition of sushi. I had a Cobb salad, which was pretty good. Some friends that I was with had the sushi and they were pleased as well. The drinks were okay. They don't really follow the standard with drinks placed in correct glasses. I was served a margarita in a tall glass with no salt on the rim. They have "craft cocktails" on the menu, but I don't really see how they can label these drinks as craft cocktails. Pretty sad. On both occasions the service was poor. This visit I initially was trying to give our server the benefit of the doubt that she was the only server, but after I spotted 3 more in our same area, I could hold that thought up. So to summarize, decent food, okay drinks and poor service.
(3)Alecia H.
A great sushi place meets a fun sports bar! I know what you're thinking, no way those things happen together, but Drake's more than makes it work! Give this place a try when you're craving sushi and want to catch the Hoosiers or Colts while you eat.
(4)Meredith S.
Boyfriend and I went to Drake's last night for dinner and to play trivia. While I can't say great things about the girl doing trivia (she was obnoxious), Drake's was much better than I anticipated! First off, the service was good and our waitress was very friendly. She had a lot of tables, but still managed to be attentive which I appreciated. Drake's has a good selection of beers on tap, and I opted for one of their seasonal pumpkin beers (yum). I thought the beers were reasonably priced as well. We started off with the chips 'n' dip appetizer which was so good! Bonus: it's bottomless chips!! The dips are a trio - salsa, guacamole and bean dip. All were fantastic, and since we had bottomless chips, we were able to finish off all the dips. Score! Boyfriend and I split a California Roll for dinner. We were both skeptical of getting sushi, but like others have said, it was surprisingly good. We finished off our meal with a giant cookie a la mode. The cookie was actually the most disappointing part - not that great, wouldn't recommend it. All in all though, we both enjoyed our dinner. We'll be back, although probably not for trivia unless they get a new host. Also, this place would be great in the warm months when they open up the big garage doors and you sit on the patio.
(4)Doug B.
My first beer here was on the house! How can you not feel special when the bartenders want so bad for you to have a free beer that they simply refuse to take your money? Well technically they just disappeared for like 15 minutes. This after I had waited for like 20 minutes to get a menu, and then waited yet another 20 minutes to get someone's attention, only then to be brushed off and ignored. Thankfully I had captured their attention long enough to snag a free beer upon arrival. Maybe they were just too busy or overwhelmed by the high volume of drinkers and chaos. I suppose this spot may be only for those who only want drinks. There may be some hidden talent in this joint. Perhaps in the back or in the kitchen? However, I will likely never know. I'm still waiting for my bar tab.
(2)Holly H.
This is one of the craziest menus I have ever seen. You start scanning and you see bar food, bar food, bar food and then you turn over the menu and BAM! sushi. Wait, seriously, sushi? Yeah. Here you can order a buffalo chicken sandwich or yellow tail nigiri. I love the large garage doors, which they open on nice days. It's a fun space with good pub food and, apparently, a nice variety of sushi.
(3)Bodie S.
Drake's is a pretty decent bar in the Castleton area. We went for a friend's birthday and it allowed for a good time! The inside of the bar/restaurant was extremely spacious, split into two areas, one area more for sitting, and the other provides more of a bar scene. They have a fireplace and comfortable chairs around it, which gives a nice aesthetic to the room. They have a good selection of local craft brews, and you can get beer towers, which I highly recommend doing! They come in all different amounts depending on how much you want to drink or the same beer. Especially if you're sharing with people it's the way to go. I didn't eat any food, but several of my comrades did and they all seemed to really enjoy the food. I tried some of the appetizer edamame and was really pleased with it. The wait staff was all very friendly and skilled and divvied up our checks like a champion!
(4)The Yelp-inator W.
Fun place with some of the best burgers I have ever tried. They also have sushi that looked pretty good, but I did not try any of this Lots of hip trendy adults here....not for kids
(4)Krista R.
Identity crisis, multiple personalities. Sports bar. DJ. Dance floor. Sushi. Music videos. Kid friendly. Beer towers. Bar food. Oh well. Surprisingly really good service. Food was salty and fried, and the drink specials were great. I'd recommend this place for a large group whose main mission is alcohol, not food. Sushi looked fresh.
(3)Adam S.
Stopped in for lunch on a Friday afternoon. I had the Mini BLTs with fries, which were great, but the real story for me was the good service. Alison took care of us with just the right amount of attention. The manager stopped by to check on things as well and asked more than just "How was everything?" I got the sense that there was some genuine concern about my experience. In a day where good service is nearly impossible to find in Indy, Drake's comes through.
(4)Sarah C.
Well this is a place I definitely want to come back to - preferably when summer returns. I was impressed by the layout of the place. It has the bar, it has the tvs, it has the beer - and all in a comfortable yet fashionable way. AND they offer sushi. The bar offers sushi. Did I mention the bar offers sushi? Ok, so that's great news right there, friends. The front of the restaurant is actually lined with garage doors. Or they appear to be garage doors. In the summer they open said garage doors and you have an outdoor eating experience. Lovely! They also keep part of the restaurant sectioned off so that those "I hate the sun" folks can soak in the air conditioning. Basically they have it set that no matter what, you'll get the type of seating you desire. Will I be back? You betcha! The fact that I now live in Castleton has opened my eyes to a whole new world. And Drakes, you're now part of it.
(4)Kherri B.
This place has amazing food. I got the sushi, it was really fresh! I recommend the crunchy munchy roll!! Super yum! The burgers that my husband and kids got were huge!!! Very good too! The staff was really attentive, soon as , drink is half empty they bring another. Really liked it!!
(4)Michael+Jenni B.
This is a place that on the surface wouldn't be a go to spot of ours, but look beyond the Keystone area strip mall location and the occasional rowdy bunch of early 20-something's and you'll find a bit of a gem. First, the sushi is legitimate. Unexpectedly fresh with a big variety! The other must is the fish tacos -- these are amazing! Perfectly fried fish and more than enough toppings served with warm tortillas. Great beer selection is a bonus and a DIY weekend Bloody Mary bar is good too. Service has always been good - not great - but efficient and pleasant. Seating is casual (seat yourself) and in nice weather there is corn hole and giant jenga. Good for all ages and food preferences.
(4)Corrine P.
The place has a nice hip atmosphere. I think that it's a franchise, but doesn't feel like one. I loved that I got a pint of the Stranger and got to keep the glass! The food is pretty good. I got frickles, sprimp tempura, and crab ragoon sushi. Contrary to other review, I didn't like the crab ragoon sushi. It's very rich. Maybe two rolls would be enough for me. I suggest splitting that roll with another person. The service was kind of awful. We had 4 different people wait on us the entire night. Our main waitress we saw 2 times - the second time because she forgot our order. She seemed to only want to serve the big tables...
(3)John D.
Excellent bar dining experience. My wife and I were out and about looking for some late night dinner and found the menu for Drake's online. Looked pretty decent, so we decided it was the place to go. This is definitely a bar. It's loud and after 9pm it's a dance party. We unknowingly seated ourselves in front of the dj, so we were right up on the dance floor, but it was fine and we got to watch some of the servers get down. We expected to wait a while since it was really busy. We didn't wait long at all before our server got to our table. Our server was fantastic. She was prompt, friendly, and attentive. The food was great. We had the buffalo chicken minis, the frickles, and the Morning Glory burger. The serving size on the frickles was fricking ridiculous for two people. So many pickles! The dipping sauce for them was delicious. The buffalo chicken minis were everything you could hope for in a buffalo chicken slider. Fried, hot, and spicy with a side of ranch. Yum! The Morning Glory burger was great! A big hearty burger with plenty of toppings. We would highly recommend the sweet potato waffle fries. Next time we'll probably check out the sushi menu. This seems like a great place to come with a bunch of friends to have a few beers, get silly, and play cornhole and giant jenga (and dance!).
(5)Steve W.
Drakes is definitely a unique establishment. During my visit on the night before thanksgiving, I watched: -one table of people cheer while watching Family Feud (because they were actually the family on the show at that time) -one section of people enjoy the music from the DJ -one section of people (where I was) sit with friends and watch the pacers game -one final section of people that were there for dates and enjoying SUSHI. Yes, that last comment was about sushi. Drake's has it's hand in everything entertainment and food related. You can get basic bar food, local beer (they really only had Sun King and Three Floyds for local options), and Sushi all in one place. As I was there with friends and to watch the game, I went the local beer and bar food route. The Drake's ale is decent, but its very similar to a Bud Light. But the Sun King Sunlight tasted just as refreshing as at the brewery. I ordered the sliders with tator tots. I got the buffalo chicken (because it was the most popular), the cheeseburger, and the jerk chicken. The burger was actually juicy and quite delicious, which is difficult to do with such a small patty. The pineapple salsa on the jerk patty was delicious. The buffalo chicken wasn't for me, but that mostly because I don't eat much fried food and it was house battered, so it had a lot of breading on a small piece of chicken. Overall, I'd go back to watch a game or for a date night of Sushi. Its a great place and has an entertaining environment, no matter what you're looking for.
(3)Frank M.
Loved the sushi, service was excellent, place was neat inside. Two managers came by and asked us how everything was. It's somewhat of a younger crowd. I felt old and I'm 42, so I guess I am old. The place was pretty loud too. The food and service are what would keep me going back. Drakes, keep up the great work. You all have to go and at least try this place.
(5)Alex H.
went there on a Saturday night, music was excessively loud but expected for a bar. I ordered the pub burger, I would compare it to a thicker steak and shake burger but very salty. waitress was very busy so didn't get that good of service.
(3)Corey L.
This is one of my favorite places to eat in Indy. Great food at a great price. Atmosphere is always great. My wife and I have been multiple times. I usually get the BBQ Bacon (burger) or the Good Morning burger. They have one of my favorite beers on tap and one of my favorite bourbons. The serve sushi, which is strange for a burger joint but its really good too! I recommend the spicy scallop roll. Great location, great service, I definitely recommend it!
(5)Dylan E.
This is a place that I used to frequent when I lived in the River Crossing area. Competition is very steep up here in the category of nicer sports bar type places, with at least 5 or 6 of the bigger ones in the city all within a mile or two of this location, but Drakes holds its own with some unique offerings. First of all, the place is what I would describe as an upper-scale sports bar. They have plenty of TVs everywhere you look, 2 large bars, and a nice but comfortable feel to it. The building isn't too difficult to get to, but traffic in the area can get pretty busy during rush hour and on the weekends. Their parking lot gets pretty full, but you will surely find something. My favorite feature to the location is that the entire front of the building opens up so you get lots of fresh air during the warmer months. The front room (with its own bar) feels very patio-like while still being in the shade and with all of the sports you want to watch within view. If you are looking for a quieter area, the front room is probably the choice for you. The back room has another very large bar, and quite a bit of seating at large picnic table type setups, so you can get a large number of people in one place. Back there is a little darker and where the DJ is, so it can get pretty loud when that is going on. I have always liked everything I have had to eat here. They a decent list of the types of sandwiches, burgers, entrees, and appetizers you will find at most places like this. I think the price of the food is on par with the quality and quantity. One unique thing about Drakes, and probably the reason I am here more often than not, is that they also serve sushi. Not many places can you get a table tap of craft beer, watch your favorite basketball team play, and eat sushi. It's not quite up to par with what you are going to get at a place that specializes in sushi, but it's certainly better than what I expected from a place like this. I think it is always pretty good quality and worth looking at as an alternative to a burger and fries. The beer is also a big pull here. They probably have 15 or so taps and bring in beers that you won't commonly find at most sports bars. You can get big 120 oz table taps of any of them which is a better deal than pitchers. They have some great specials on most nights of the week, my favorite being half price table taps on Sundays (at least it was the last time I was there). They have some tapping parties for unique beers that they get a limited amount in for, and that's a great way to try something nobody else has. The service here is hit and miss like a lot of these kinds of places. I've always gotten great service at the bar, but I've had a bad experience or two at one of the tables with waiter service. They host a trivia night that is pretty fun and draws a decent crowd. I've been here for big games and it can get pretty full, but outside of that you shouldn't have a problem getting a table here quickly. I like the options here for food, drink, and environment and think that this place gives groups with many different tastes something that everybody will enjoy.
(4)Danita C.
Good environment, they had outdoor games like corn hole and monster janga. Decent beer selection. Great staff and prices are up to par with most.
(4)Tiffany B.
I imagine that this place will be to outdoors-loving patrons what the Piazza San Marco is to pigeons because you could have a roof over your head while almost smelling the cherry blossom tree outside. It felt almost weird walking up since all the "garage doors" were rolled up to expose the restaurant's innards, but once seated inside, that floor to ceiling opening offered ample view and breeze (even if the view is mostly a sea of cars/ parking lot/ 86th street). I was there at lunch and it was busy, but not overly. Staff was solid. Not wanting anything fried, I opted to try some of the Asian fare. The seaweed salad was quite tasty, but the sushi was very middle of the road. I did like that they offered fresh/ non-cooked spring rolls with sushi inside, if you so desired. Was glad to have the option. There was music and accompanying music videos that you'd hear now and then when the roar of the crowd died down. On a hot day on the north side, I'd consider this an option if I was wanting fresh air. And the best part with here is--unlike patios with a meager umbrella--you've got a roof over your head and can enjoy a summer afternoon rain shower without blowing away like some English nanny or getting drenched. That's a selling point. For the winter, meh, I'd give it a pass.
(3)Melody T.
I have eaten at this establishment approx. 3 times in the last month because the service and Sushi was excellent. On 4/24/15 I brought a friend from out of town and her 27 y/o daughter, and my 2 adult children. My friends daughter forgot her purse with her ID at my home which is a 45 minute drive from the restaurant which we realized when we arrived. All the women were carded and my 30 yr old son was not. We ordered alcoholic drinks with the exception of the person without ID. They brought us our drinks and then roped off the booth we were sitting in. We questioned our server and she stated the manager told her it was because she didn't have proof she was 21. This was extremely embarrassing to our party and the girl who didn't have her ID. We asked to speak to the manager who rudely informed us it was a state law that there had to be a barrier since she was under 21. Again she was 27. I asked for our bill 3 of the others went outside of course the mangers were standing in the entry watching them outside (I feel like they thought we were going to steal their corn hole board- lol) as I walked out I informed the manager that was embarrassing to us - he said it shouldn't have been. I'm glad he knows how we feel - I told him he was condescending - again he rudely said he was not - but believe me he WAS rude. I informed him we would not be back and he said "good" and then said in his condescending manner "have a good night". BTW - it appears the manager I was referring to is an active partner. Nice to know he cares so much regarding his customers! I want to add the service by the wait staff has always been excellent - it was the "Managing Partner" that was the issue. It left all of us feeling as though if they lost a customer - oh well they still have plenty of customers. I as well as my daughter have worked in the service industry and have been trained and believe ALL your customers are important. Word of mouth spreads far and wide. To be a manager and speak to a customer in that manner is unacceptable in my mind.
(1)Rick G.
We had lunch for the first time at Drake's, and our experience was rather hit and miss. There were some good....some VERY good part of it, and there were some disappointing parts of it. First, the atmosphere. When we first walked in, I liked the atmosphere a lot. Nicely decorated, lots of neon and posters, it was a very pleasant atmosphere. Once we were seated, it hit me....this place is loud. VERY loud. With lots of brick walls and concrete for the sound to bounce off of, it was like dining in an echo chamber. It was difficult to carry on a conversation with Holly....so, in my opinion, they need some serious sound baffling here. The service was outstanding. Our server was knowledgeable about the menu and quick to give us some suggestions, since we'd not been there before. Drinks and food were delivered hot and promptly. I ordered the blue cheese burger, and it was above average but not what I would call great. The toppings were plentiful, but the burger was just a bit overcooked and dry. As a choice of sides, I chose tater tots (why don't more restaurants offer these??) and they were perfectly done. For her meal, Holly chose the fish sandwich and reported that it was outstanding. And it was HUGE....certainly large enough to share! For her side, she choose sweet potato waffle fries, and they were the biggest disappointment of the day. They obviously had been left in the fryer too long, and were devoid of any real taste. On top of that...they were cold.....ice cold. Serious points of for both those factors. That said, it was overall a decent...not great....but decent experience. We'll certainly visit again and see how they do after being open a few weeks.
(3)Wendy K.
First, the bad. The place is so, so loud. So as long as you are prepared to have to talk really loud to hear others at your table, then you'll be fine. I wasn't. Now the good. The food really was very good. In our group, we ordered soft tacos with chicken -- great. Nachos - great. Burger with egg (can't remember the name) - very good. Old school crinkle fries - great. We were seated inside, so we missed the festival seating issue, thank goodness. There was some guy howling like a dog out there, so it probably isn't a place I want to hang out! I will definately go back for the good food, but only when I am in the right frame of mind for the noise!!
(4)Josh D.
Last night was our third or fourth visit. The first time I was very skeptical of ordering sushi from a sports bar. It turned out to be very good sushi. That atmosphere is pretty cool. Service is par, nothing great, nothing terrible. Sushi prices seem to be a bit lower then typical sushi restaurants, which is nice. I wish they had a happy hour or beer specials. We will definitely return for rolls and beer though.
(5)Jolanda B.
I enjoyed the music on Saturday. It was fun!
(5)Dave W.
Good place bad night. Been here several times. Bartender seems to have ADD. Lights up full force and zero attention to your guests (the ones paying the bills). 15 min for a tower of beer because he needed to talk to the servers in casual conversation first. The rolls seemed warm. Bacteria maybe?!? Love to see the kitchen and temp the food. Off nights SHOULD be just as good as the busy nights. Maybe a staff and management change is in order? Love the concept though.
(2)Joseph O.
When people ask me to describe this place I call it red neck chik or upscale white trash. Tater tots and sushi share the menu and they both taste great. Lots of great specials. The seating sucks (nothing has a back to it and you get really close to your neighbors) otherwise they would get 5 stars.
(4)Jessica W.
Great place to come for drinks after work! They have indoor and outdoor seating, and a wide variety of table sizes to accommodate different sizes of groups! Beer selection is pretty decent. I was really excited to see that they will be getting Three Floyd's Gumball Head sometime soon! Appetizers were pretty standard, but we're a good size for sharing! Chips with salsa/Guacamole came with unlimited refills on the chips, so that made for some good snacks to have on the table while drinking after work!
(4)Melissa K.
Drake's is a really good place to go after work! It has a bar type atmosphere, but in a good way. The seats are a bit odd (large picnic table type benches), but still comfortable. The drinks are fantastic! They have something called backyard porch punch (or something like that) that is served in a mason jar. It's very unique and refreshing! They also have a very wide selection of beers. Their menu has changed several times since I have been there, but everything I have had has been delicious. Their sandwiches are fantastic, especially the California club (I believe that's what it is called.) Chicken, bacon, avocado...so good! The service has always been awesome too. They have some games in the back (some type of shuffle board game and I think darts too). Late at night I think they have dancing in the back (they turned up the music and started some strobe/club lights when I was there late one weekend night), which doesn't really fit in with the atmosphere. Regardless, this place is great! They even have a rewards program. Too bad I never remember to bring my card when I go!
(4)Joanna S.
I give the ambiance more than 5 stars and the food 4, so that averages out to a nice rating! Open-air awesomeness, great interior, good seating. Odd menu, but awesome! I went for the sushi. Fried calamari roll and Midori roll. Both really fresh, with great flavors! I would get again. I also tried the sweet potato waffle fries and while good, they are thin so there's more crisp than doughy fry. Delicious, but I do like more fry than... fried lol. And a tad too much pepper. Left my lips tingly with spice. I do wish the soy sauce had a label of original or low-sodium. They put it in a cute whiskey bottle instead to go with the theme of the place.
(5)Patty L.
Pretty tasty Frickkes with a nice dipping sauce at Drakes. We have been here once before but it must not had been a memorable event for Jeff. I think it's a cozy place to eat after furniture shopping. I'll give an update when our other items arrive. It's a great place to get fat. We must get moved into our new place fast!
(4)JM R.
Drake's at Keystone is a fun casual spot! Great bar atmosphere, completely open air with corn hole and jenga games on the front walk. Super selection of beers, local craft brews, and full bar. We were there for half priced table taps - Hello! Patio Punch is yummy too. Menu has a lot more options than you might expect. California Cob was a huge portion and very fresh. Mini Buffalo Chicken Sliders had great flavor served with cole slaw. Great service, fast and friendly. Good parking. Big clean bathrooms. Lots of TVs with sports and music videos. Trivia games too! Definitely a fun spot!
(4)Jason T.
This is a great spot on the northside! They're always busy, the food is really good and it's a great location. On weekdays They have some really good specials going on food and drinks! Oddly enough the sushi is really good there! The other night I went and it wasn't that good but every time I've been it has been.
(4)Sylvia R.
I really like Drake's! Great place to meet friends for drinks. The Crab Rangoon rolls are my favorite! Nice atmosphere, good music playing and they carry ciders (which I enjoy, I'm not a beer drinker).
(4)Samantha P.
Oh Drake's, I wasn't expecting to like you so much. I don't know why I had a negative impression but you are winning me over. My friend and I like meeting here for an after work drink and dinner. It is almost never super busy on a weekday around 5:30, so we get our pick of tables and always get fantastic service! We have tried a variety of drinks, their tap selection has been great [ they had Jack-O Traveler this fall!]. We also enjoy their "patio punch" [I believe it is called that], which is a fruity mixed drink and usually on special in the summers. As for the food, I have never been disappointed, I really like their sandwiches and their salads. The menu has changed a few times on us so that could happen again but most likely you will find something worth eating. Also, it is not the biggest menu so if you are picky you may want to look ahead to make sure there is something you like. My friend and I aren't really picky. I have not tried the sushi but I may have to try it! This place does get busy during popular sporting events and would be a great place for a large group due to a wide variety of big tables. It is seat yourself, so get there early if you want your pick of a table when it gets busy! I am sure we will back soon and may have to bring a larger group sometime. Also, as a note, they have their own rewards program that is free, nice touch, although, I have yet to redeem anything.
(4)Lauren S.
Their alcohol menu is endless! I love all the options they have, and the food never disappoints.
(4)Mike R.
This place is really nice for a good burger and beer. The sushi is above average but nothing to write home about. Great selection of rotating drafts with specials all the time. The thing I feel that really stands out is the service. Everyone is happy, smiling, and really does a great job. Rachel took care of me today and she was cute, fun, attentive, and overall did an exceptional job. Any establishment can grill a burger and serve it. It's the intangibles that set some apart from others. Thank you Rachel, and thank you Drakes. It was fun.
(4)Lola S.
Due to the proximity to my job, I have been frequenting Drakes quite a bit. Their friendly atmosphere has definitely kept me coming back. There is always a cool special going on ($1 sliders on Sunday's). The food is fast and MOST of the staff is attentive and friendly.
(4)Karlz S.
Slowest service. Not busy for a Sunday colts game. Literally ate our whole meal without a beverage. First and last time.
(1)Ashley V.
The food was really good but the fact that I can have sushi and my fiancé can have a burger in the same place is what really makes this place unique. We will definitely be back!
(4)Whitney S.
Really like this place. Service was ok. Sushi is great! They have a really cool atmosphere too. The outdoor seating is nice. You can play corn hole when the weather is decent. I definitely prefer this place to its neighbor, Brewstone.
(4)Kristy K.
Any place that dances to the Wobble is a-o-kay in my book! So my colleagues and I literally crashed the Friends and Family lunch soft opening event. And by crashed, I mean we were warmly welcomed in by the hostess staff when we opened the door, asking if they were open. They were technically open and happy to host us for lunch. Since it was F&F, the meals were gratis...we just had to pay for drinks. So drink we did! Drake's has these fantastically tall towers of beer (and a great beer selection to fill it)...120 oz in all. Yeah, it was a work day, so we only had 1 tower. Now the food was pretty good. There are some interesting and unexpected sauces and flavors on a good amount of the food. This was met with mixed reviews at our table. Some people just wanted what they expected (buffalo sauce...not a mustard-honey-buffalo sauce, for example), while others enjoyed the new flavors. The part I find odd is the whole, we have a sushi restaurant in our regular 'merican bar/restaurant. This isn't to say that the sushi wasn't good. It was, but I just don't get it. The pacing was a bit slow, but we were fine with that given that it was a soft opening and we weren't paying for our food. But the manager type stopped by and chatted with us several times and even gave everyone in our party a gift card to return once they were 'officially' open. BONUS! I'll be back to check this place out again soon!
(4)David B.
The staff is always so friendly. We went to Drakes for drinks and found out the food is actually VERY good. Sushi was amazing... this is not your average bar food and with great prices on drinks... needless to say we have been back since.
(4)Sok L.
food is amazing here. one of the best bar food in the area annnnnnnnnd they also serve sushi. can't beat that!
(5)Kelly Ann J.
My love for Drakes started in Lexington and I have never been able to get enough! The only thing that could make it better is adding Malone's World's Greatest Dessert to the menu!
(5)Anna W.
Came here on a Wednesday evening and it had a good amount of people. I like the place because it was a bar and it served sushi as well as American food. I ordered Miso Soup, Eel Avocado Roll and tater tots. Weird combination, but I loved that I could do that. The food was average, nothing special. The service was very slow and felt like bar service and not so much a restaurant.
(3)Eric M.
First time review. Sunday night at 6 pm and the place is pretty busy w young people. Just about every table at the bar has one of those skyscraper draft beer tower thingees and come to find out they are 50% off. Live acoustic music pretty good. Order the tacos and loved the portion size but the build-your-own sides were depressingly basic: cheddar chz, lettuce, pico, diced tom, blah, blah. These taco dishes (fish, chick, beef........) could be sooooo rocking with sides that felt you weren't at applebees or ryan's steak house. Crank it up guys . Our server Erica was very attentive and friendly. Cool atmosphere. Two other tap houses within a stones throw. Great area for a mini-pub crawl. 4 stars when you jack up the taco dish or remember my ice water after asking 2 x (and still not getting it).
(3)Brad K.
Through the front door, you enter into a small foyer, but are basically in the bar. It's festival seating, every-man-for-himself. The bar runs across the front of the restaurant and has a lot of tables. The front wall of the space has what appear to be overhead doors making it cozy and warm in the winter, but presumably awesome and open when warmer. This isn't the first place to install garage doors, but it's still unique enough in Indy to attract a BIG crowd in the summer...great touch! We grabbed a bar height table in the next room which had plenty of room for our party of four, which was me, my wife and the outlaws. The menu had a lot to offer. Around our table, we ordered the fish and chips, mini hamburgers and sushi. Yes, sushi. I know, I thought the same thing but ordered it anyway. Our service was very good; not smothering, not absent. Father in law really liked the fish. First and foremost, there was A LOT of it, and it was hot. Mother-in-law and my wife had the minis which I understand were tasty and juicy. Minis are becoming common menu items everywhere and clearly a restaurant needs to make their version stand out. I don't know if Drake's stand out over others, but the ladies liked them. There were three to an order with fries. I got to sample the fries...crispy but not overcooked and good flavor. I had a tuna roll and a tempura roll. Par. That's all. Both tasted good. The spicy roll was spicy and the sweet roll was sweet. There is better sushi all over Indy; this is not a sushi destination. This is a menu alternative if you don't want another burger, chicken sandwich or wings. Two stars seems a little harsh for all of the average/good things I've mentioned, but about 1/2 way through the meal, the entire restaurant filled and as the standing-room-only crowd grew, we were asked no fewer than 5 times, "are you leaving yet?" by other hungry, wish-we-had-gotten-here-earlier patrons. Most were polite, but nonetheless annoying. Their policy of letting crowds gather among the tables will keep Drake's off of our regular round-robin of restaurants. I know restaurants need to turn table to make money, but we were there to catch up on the happenings of the week and enjoy a meal, and that wasn't allowed to happen. Order, drink, eat, chat between mouthfuls, pay bill, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. I'll come back when it's warm and check out the open air concept bar, but probably not until then.
(2)Marcie M.
I am sad (for the record) that the 1st person to review this said five words about an experience that really needs to be explained for fellow Yelpers to ensure it's worth a trip to the busiest area of town to try something new. That being said, I didn't even know Drake's opened until I got a coupon in the mail (which I used without issue and without an eye roll - score!). In my opinion, Drake's is doing something right. I want to put out there that Matt the Miller's in Carmel has a similar "vibe" and isn't doing it well and the reviews stand out due to the inconsistency. The owner of Matt the Miller's is clearly not sure what's going on in his own establishment b/c he doesn't understand the negative reviews, but he's NOT THERE. He doesn't live here and he isn't ON THE FLOOR at this NEW place and wonders why he is getting inconsistent poor notes from consumers. Note 1: Drake's had TWO managers (or who appeared to be managers) stop by our table during lunch - in addition to the endless staff that was always nearby, filling drinks, taking plates, making recommendations AND handing out FREE sushi samples! That has never happened to me in any restaurant and it was an amazing treat! Sooooo let's just start with the atmosphere. It's very upscale trendy bar feel. The immediate entry is garage doors so I assume in the summer when it's not 19 below we will be able to sit indoors and outdoors at the same time (assuming these doors raise and are not just decor). Hopefully I am right b/c that would be cool. This FIRST bar area is very spacious with several football shaped wooden tables which seat 6 people. Very nice! The bar itself is long and probably had about 30 stools and is surrounded in several HD flatscreens in layering effect that was very nice so that you can watch multiple sporting events at the same time. They also have speakers at the tables in the main area should you choose not to sit in direct line of a TV (or in the event it's very busy which seems it might be). The main dining area goes on forever and the main bar in the center is huge with tons of seating. I can imagine hanging out there all night on a weekend night, getting very intoxicated and having an awesome time. The design - they way you can move through this space - is wonderful for partying and socializing. They have entertainment on the weekends and in true bar fashion are open until 3 AM every single night! I imagine there will be lots of cool events going on to keep the people coming back for more this spring and summer. At least a girl can dream! Drake's claims to be a bar that loves food and a restaurant that loves beer. And it is clear they have a wide selection of beers (though I did notice nothing INDIANA local). The menu is a bit overwhelming b/c they have a FULL sushi (separate menu) and an insane amount of sandwiches, appetizers, tacos, and more! I think that may play against them but if it's working in KY, what do I know? Anyway....we didn't order sushi though that is what we wanted...and I'm kind of sad NOW that I didn't. Here's why - a wonderful waitress stopped by sampling their crab rangoon sushi roll and holy wonderfulness. It has a bit of a thai kick with the sauce and the crab was soft and tasty with a bang of explosive taste! Had I tried it BEFORE I ordered, I would have gotten the roll for sure! It was soooo sooooo good. I want to go back and get one tomorrow. I might. Just sayin'. OK, so my lunch was OK. It wasn't the best salad I've ever had. I got the salmon spinach salad and it was decent. There was some spice missing from it that I thought the salmon should have. It was grilled and cooked perfectly but the taste was a bit bland. The spinach and tomatoes were very fresh. I didn't enjoy the boiled egg on it and the provolone was sliced instead shredded so it didn't work for me. My friend got the chicken tacos and she LOVED them - devoured and they came out to build, which is nice b/c then you have full control over how many THINGS you want in your taco. I love that feature, as did she. We also got the three dip and chip appetizer which was great! The bean/cheese dip was addictive, the guac was fresh and the salsa had a little kick but wasn't TOO HOT. Let's just say although my salad wasn't out of this world, the overall feel was. I loved our server, who was attentive, easy going and not too in my face. Not to mention the others who were just always around cleaning and tidying along with the managers who stopped by for a quick chat and check in. I miss that touch at many other restaurants. This place is a new and is worth a shot! I hope it can make it. This area of Indy, while busy, does seem to run restaurants out of there very quickly. I do hope to see this place bloom b/c it is a place where you can be a "regular" or a "tourist" and enjoy the vibe and feel. As long as the service and quality holds, it could be a lasting fixture in this area of town.
(4)Jason C.
Special thank you to our server Breanne and manager Kyle. My girlfriend and I came in for a late night bite before our long drive back to Chicago. We were told that this was a great place to come and were really excited. After putting in our drink and food orders, we were told that the kitchen was closed. Obviously we were disappointed as we were going to have to settle for something like Taco Bell and that was not a good thing. After a few minutes the manager, Kyle, came over with Breanne and said he heard about our plyth and had the kitchen open back up just for us. We were beyond shocked that they would go that extra mile. Having worked in a kitchen before myself, I know what a pain it is to reopen after cleaning up for the night so I was extremely greatful. To top everything off, the fish and chips were some, if not THE very best I have ever had and we finished them up on the road home. Thank you so much Breanne and Kyle for making our experience so meaningful. We will be back if nothing more just to eat here.
(5)Bradley W.
Went here for dinner one night thinking it would be nice to try a new place. Went inside, it was a lot busier and cramped than previously thought. We were taken to a table with bar level seating. It was extremely loud and VERY uncomfortable. So we rolled with it. Ordered our food which came out eventually without too long of a wait. My girlfriend wasn't too impressed with her mini burgers. Although the sushi was a delight. In the middle of our meals manager came over to us and ASKED US TO MOVE to make more room. I found this beyond rude. This has NEVER happened to me before. He seemed like it wasn't important and tossed us in an even more crowded spot. It was bullshit to be honest. Our waitress was very friendly, tipped her well. Will NEVER return.
(1)Scott M.
HIT AND MISS... Maybe we spoke too soon.... During our last two visits, the service was hit-and-miss. Last night, the server made it back to the table ONCE after about an hour... despite the table being right by the bar and serving station. Also, there was no effort for almost three hours to put any wood on the fire, which eventually just went out (maybe an omen for their management team and investors). The visit before that, not one manager, server or bartender said "Thank you, kiss my ass or anything" as we left... after being good customers and good tippers." In fact, we walked the length of the entire front bar, where two bartenders were more worried about their tips than their customers. (Where do they think their tips come from?) I'd have to say Drake's has dropped a star or two in our book this week. I can see why it ranks two and three stars with so many customers. Indy managers and Kentucky investors need to step it up to motivate better customer reactions or they'll be gone from Indy's north side. The place is already about 50-75% empty most nights... and the area is too competitive for mediocre to poor service.
(2)Jessica S.
Good burgers, passable sushi, lots of beers. Seats are benches without backs, and you back up to the people at the next table ... a little uncomfortable if you plan to stay long, or if the table behind you is full of roaring drunks who invade your space.
(3)Theresa H.
We stopped in on a Saturday night, having read other reviews and looking forward to trying something new. I didn't believe that Drake's or any restaurant could truly have the 'first-come, first-served' festival seating, but it does, and it was a nightmare! They don't give out pagers or take names or anything - you're just on your own and if and when a party leaves, you might get that table. You'll need to be scouting it out the whole time, than if you see a table, grab it quick and sit there until someone comes to clean the last party's debris for you. People may ask if "are almost done" OR others may claim to have been there before you, when it isn't true! (also - almost none of the seats have backs on them, just stools or benches) The food was fine, standard bar food, and the drinks were good. Our service was also fine. But we probably won't be back- unless it's a slow lunchtime or something -otherwise, it's just kind of a hassle.
(2)Dav W.
Yes they serve alcohol, but they are also "kid friendly"
(3)Sqirrl B.
Nice, trendy atmosphere, although the backless benches, while inviting openness between tables, are a little uncomfortable. The grilled salmon was a bit small, and only came with one side, so choose whether you want a vegetable or a starch with that protein. Even though it was small, it was a very tasty piece of salmon, and I was impressed. Very clean, service was good, and the servers were friendly. The place serves a lot of shrimp, but they were very good about not having it everywhere, and very nice about making sure I didn't get any. The guys liked the beer tap at the table idea, which was unusual in my limited bar experiences. (Not being a beer drinker, I can only wish for the day they do that with the jack Daniels tap!) The restrooms were fairly clean, but the toilet paper hadn't been changed, and the roll was just sitting on the dispenser. I did see a waitress go back there, though, with a box of TP under her arm, so I assume it got changed. The lighting was that hideous, industrial bathroom lighting so beloved of the makeup companies, as it can make even a nice complexion appear zombieful, sallow, and spotty. Spend too much time under it, without a good self-confidence level, and you're going to be buying a lot of makeup. I would go back. Other than the lighting in the bathroom, the place was well lit, airy, and fun. 1 star on restroom lighting and food quantity. 4 on service, cleanliness, trivia guy and tastiness. 5 on the table beer tap.
(4)Kat C.
Thought i'd give it a try but instead got 3 mushy & fishy scallops nigiri. We ordered crab Rangoon roll and Surf & Turf but only tasted a powerful cream cheese. The vegetable roll only that was good. I will stick with Ocean World or Naked chopsticks when it comes to sushi.
(2)Scott H.
Food is good (I recommend the burger), but the service is bad. It's hard to get attention from your server. I ate at the bar a couple of days ago. My bartender was too preoccupied with flirting with guys at the other end of the bar than she was with checking up on me. Beer prices aren't bad. Some pretty girls come there sometimes.
(2)Erin Q.
It is a little confusing as to where you are supposed to go into this place. Their big Now Open sign is on the left, by a door that you cannot enter. We watched almost everyone that came up to the place try to go in this door. You have to enter the one on the other end! The first part of this restaurant is a bar setting with a welcoming fireplace and it felt like you were walking into a cabin. . Our waitress was quick to come up and ask what we would like. Their only special for drinks on a Monday night was a tower. For those of you who are not familiar with this form of beverage service, it is a 120oz tower full of beer. Not likely that is going to happen on a Monday night w/ clients. Our waitress changed somewhere in the middle and this front part of the restaurant was not very busy. Back in the other room there was another bar and more comfortable seating options. There seemed to eventually be more people back there. We decided to order food and all but one of us ordered sushi. I ordered the Fantasy roll w/ Salmon and the Crab Rangoon roll. I also tried the fresh tuna. I thought both of the rolls were good. My friend is Gluten Free and they offer a menu for such. He was disappointed that they did not have gluten free soy sauce. The prices for the sushi rolls were in line with other places I've gone for sushi. The bar area where we were sitting appeared to have garage type doors that open with nice weather. It would be cool to come back and check that out when the weather changes.
(3)Bryan W.
I wanted to give Drakes 3 stars, but the ending of the night just left a bad taste in my mouth. Not going to lie, the food is actually very good. Sushi is surprisingly fresh and well made. Chicken was cooked perfect. The problem is the atmosphere. It is Friday night, college football is starting, you have tons of TV's throughout the bar, but instead of having any games on, you have music videos for the music the DJ is playing. The DJ was playing 80's and 90's music that was way too loud, didnt fit, and was confusing. Then, we were asked to move because they wanted to make room for the dance floor??? No one danced, and those that did were just drunk and falling over themselves. It was embarassing to see them try to make a sports bar be a dance club after 10 at night. Just be a sports bar and you will succeed with the food and service you have. I will come back for lunch, but never dinner or a late night drink again. You are trying too hard and it shows
(2)Bill R.
Great food and great energy!
(5)Amy R.
Stopped in for lunch and was pleasantly surprised! Good sushi, good sandwiches and good service! We really liked the atmosphere!
(5)S S.
Oh my gosh! I wanted to try this restaurant since it opened. I went with my sister and we ordered several sushi dishes. I didn't expect to order the sushi but it sounded so delicious. We were not disappointed. The food was great, the waitress was attentive but did not rush us. She answered our questions, made helpful suggestions and kept my iced tea full. I really like the bleacher style seating. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Frank Y.
Went there for lunch on Saturday, January 12th. It is a sports bar. Period. There was an enthusiastic crowd, and it was a friendly, congenial atmosphere. Seating was all high top (bar, tables) except for two chairs at the fireplace. With the exception of those two chairs, nothing had back rests. The bar stools were high quality with swivel tops. There were tables along the side with bench seats, but I didn't try those. The weather was quite nice, and they had opened up a couple of the sliding garage-type doors in front to take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather. They also had the fireplace in that area going to ward off the bit of dampness that ensued. The beer selection is excellent and the ability to adjust quantities was a nice touch. Service was quite good with one exception. I was given a pencil to sign the credit card receipt. This is a bad practice in general, and, although I have not experienced it myself, there are reports (not in the least related to Drake's) of such receipts being altered. When I refused to sign in pencil, I was given a pen. The food was somewhat disappointing, particularly in light of the rave reviews the establishment has received thus far. We had three menu items: buffalo shrimp appetizer, fish sandwich, and steak sandwich. Everything arrived quickly, was hot, and did not show signs of lingering on the heat table. The buffalo shrimp were tasty, but WAY too salty. I realize that salty appetizers promote alcohol consumption, but our sodium levels must have increased by an order of magnitude. We did not finish the appetizer largely because of the excessive salt. The person who had the fish sandwich reported that it tasted very good. It was flaky, was done with a beer batter preparation, and was a larger than the bun. The bun was fresh and had a good texture. The french fries suffered from the same excessive salt issue as the appetizer. The steak sandwich was made from shaved steak and had grilled onions and cheese wiz. The presentation was good, but the steak was extremely fatty and resulted in the entire sandwich having a mushy texture. The fat and the onions were easy to taste, the beef and the cheese not so much. The excessive salt issue continued with the french fries, but was not present with the sandwich. All in all, it is one of the nicer sports bars in the area, but I can't recommend the food.
(3)Amber P.
Visited Drake's on a Saturday night. By midnight, it was all but empty and the staff became rude. They clearly wanted us to leave, and didn't care that we were still ordering drinks and food. The manager came to our table asking to clear some trash. We were given dirty looks, and did not feel welcome at all. He clearly wanted us to leave. After that, another staff member came to our table to tell me that the manager could ask me to leave if he wanted to. My response was, "that's fine - I don't plan to return". Shortly after, they actually started playing "Closing Time" to edge people out the door. It was maybe 1am and there were still a few groups in there. As we were leaving, one of the security guards told my husband that he "felt bad for him for having to deal with a wife like that". seriously? no, we will not be back to Drakes, ever. and neither will any of our friends we invited out with us that night. there are so many options for bars, I wouldn't give this place your time or money. Unfortunately our tab was over $100 - and we were still treated like crap. No thanks!
(1)Christine B.
I got a free pass to eat here because I'm married to someone in the media and he couldn't go. I was very impressed with their sushi menu and tempted because one sushi roll had steak on it. I ordered that and it was very good. They actually have a seperate sushi menu and a special sushi chef. Also, my Tom Collins was delish and the fried pickes we had were good too. They also make a special dipping sauce for them. Our server was nice. The one thing I don't get is that their tag line is "Come Play" which would make one think that this place is like an adult arcade or something, when really they have one pool table in the back and a dart board. I was a little dissapointed in that. Either way, it was packed when I went here and I'm guessing it will be packed in the summer time too. They have a big glass garage doors that can be opened to create alfresco dining in the summer time. I like that because Indy really needs more places for outdoor dining.
(4)Kellie C.
My husband and I visited on Saturday, as we always try something new each weekend. We were impressed! George Manager/Partner introduces himself right off the bat and we told him it was our first time there. He proceeded to tell us about the menu and we agreed to try the chicken nachos. As he said, they were nacho ur normal nachos. It was a large flour tortilla fried crisp and smothered in refried beans, pulled chicken with cheese, scallions, fresh jalapenos and tomatoes, served with the homeade guac, salsa and a side of sour cream. Loved it!! Too many places have the normal pile on chips with little toppings only on the top layer and left with only Chips. He was dead on, these were the best we ever had. Then we decided to try the mini's, which in my opinion were a little larger than mini, so we split a them, two fish and one cheeseburger. Wow, the fish was better than the Claddaugh. Loved this place, TV's, friendly staff, (thanks Emilie and George) doors that open for the outside bar. Others reviewed it as loud, then go to the melting pot! Fun and exciting place, very classy. We will return with friends. We drove from Greenfield and it was worth the miles!!
(5)Jeremy B.
way to packer for an IU game
(2)