Bagger Dave’s Burger Tavern

The market for premium burgers is very saturated in Carmel/​Westfield, which makes it very hard for a burger place to knock it out of the park for me.
Bagger Dave’s is a solid burger joint. The food is great and the service is solid. The train-​based décor is spot on for the area, with pictures of the Monon line from the early 20^th century and old maps. It’s pretty nice.
The burger is fairly standard. You can either pick one of the numerous signature burgers or you can create your own. They offer lots of choices with patty meats, cheeses, veggies, sauces, and buns. The burgers are good, but they are nothing special that would elevate Bagger Dave’s (a chain) over the multitude of really good burgers made by locally owned restaurants in the area. That’s not to say that there is anything wrong with Bagger Dave’s burgers… they just fall short of the standard set by Bub’s, Bru Burger, and the Pint Room.
Overall, I’ll admit that it’s a good place to have a meal, hang out with friends, and chill. I will probably come back, but the burgers don’t even crack the top 5 best burgers in the area.

Bagger Dave’s is a relatively new name in the area for me. Been wanting to go as I’m a fan of new and different burger layouts. Finally went a few weeks ago with some friends.
I noticed the overall rating of this place isn’t great, but my experience was apparently better than normal. We were greeted promptly and seated near the bar. I like the décor inside, they have some really cool local decorations, and a train running along the walls above the tables. Next time I go I’ll check out the bar.
This place makes their own sodas, and will spike a milkshake for you if you ask nicely. I had their Mexicali burger, coleslaw, jalapenos, guac, and some other goodies. They have an array of dipping sauce choices for their fries, rather than just ketchup which is nice because I hate ketchup. Their beer selection is underwhelming but they do have local options which is always nice.
The worst part of my visit was the service. The server seemed a bit lost, unattentive and slow. The whole place was slow that night, and unfortunately a lot of times you’ll get better service when it’s packed and everyone front and back of house are on their game.
I’ll definitely go back at some point to try a different spot and some different burgers!

Ate there for second and last time last night. Burger was mediocre, blue cheese was a slice and not crumbles, Mac and cheese had funny taste due to Gouda, service was slow but server was very nice. Hardly anybody there so not sure why it was slow. My hunch it will close by March next year.

Nothing special. Typical frozen patty with ok taste. Sides are extra, so overpriced if you add it up. Service was good the food was just ok. It’s not worth a trip back.

I have been to 2 different locations now and I have to say, first and foremost, whatever staff training they do it’s pretty awesome. Friendly, polite, attentive but not overbearing, and it’s across the board. The food is not spectacular but it’s good, definately should be considered if you are wanting a decent burger. They have a few the designed but are all about you building your own as well. They make their own soda which is pretty good! Oh and then there is half off draft craft beer and wine Thursdays. Thank you very much!!!
They location in Carmel is much bigger than the one on Michigan Rd in Indy, at least seems that way. Also felt a little cleaner, but that could be me being in a mood when at the Michigan Rd location ;)
I say definately give it a try.

Great service, mediocre food. One of the popular farm-​to-​market style restaurants here in Indy. We had fabulous service, but menu choices on food are extremely limited. Bagger Dave’s produces their own in-​house soda, which is unique, but nothing to write a review about. The food overall is fine, but nothing that would make this a regular destination for us.

If you are a burger guru, not the place. Very average burger, nothing unique. Thin patties that seem like frozen box hamburgers. Fries are fantastic. Neat experience, clean, etc. But you can find a better burger elsewhere.

Alexis was a great server! All other servers seemed nice and helpful as well.
Everything was good too. It is close by and easy to access. Plus it wasn’t too busy during meal time.
Food tasted good and it had a pleasant atmosphere. Even though it has a bar it’s family friendly enough.

Profound disappointment. Restaurant was half full at best and it took over 20 minutes to get our food (two appetizers and a burger). My wife ordered a beer, but since it had not arrived when the food came she cancelled it. No apology from the waiter.
This was our 2^nd trip, and I would have given the first one only two stars.
Don’t bother. There are other, better burger places in the area.

Maybe my expectations are high, but if your name has Burgers in the title I would assume your burgers are going to be better than a fast food restaurant, which sadly I did not find when I visited. I found the meat tasteless and they try to cover it up by offering sauces to add flavor, sorry if you have to add a sauce to your burger to give it taste then there is something wrong. Then there is the Bagger Dave’s Very Own Soda, $ 2.59 for a sugary sweet diet cola, I returned it after one sip, yet still had to pay for it, the same was true with my son who tried several flavors before also deciding on just water.
Would I recommend this place: No plain and simple, too overpriced for the quality of food you get.

UPDATE:
I tried this place for a 2^nd time, and I am glad I did. Again, John L. was my server/​bartender and he is spot on great. He is funny, polite, and very attentive.
I tried the Italian Beef this time, and I am glad I did. I had it dipped in the au jus and boy oh boy was it great. Very tender, thinly sliced, and full of flavor. I would highly recommend this to any fan of Italian Beef.
I was able to enjoy a beer this time, I had the Triton Four Barrel Brown. They served it in the right glassware, which is a nice touch!
All in all I feel this place is great. The prices are a bit high, but the portions are solid.
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I went here for lunch and sat at the bar. What can i say about this place? The atmosphere is great. The service was above average. The food was OK.
The place was nearly empty on a Wednesday for lunch. Just me and another guy at the bar, with maybe 8 to 10 other patrons in the entire place. My server/​bartender John R. was AMAZING. Very knowledgeable about craft beer, attentive, and very easy going.
I ordered the Bacon and Egg Zip. I asked for my burger to be served medium, it was closer to medium well. It tasted OK, but not as good as I thought it would be. The Zip sauce was decent. The fries were very tasty, just too small to dip into my recommended buffalo garlic sauce. I need a fry to be big enough to dip! It was as if someone shrank the fries down to kiddy size.
The prices are OUTRAGEOUS! My burger was $ 12.25, and that did not include fries. I could have went to Beefcake Burgers in Greenwood and for $ 12.25 received an original, fries, and a drink. With change leftover. Plus, Beefcake Burgers are much better tasting.
The place is clean, very clean. One of the managers, Amber, came to see how I was doing. Very attentive and thorough with her questions. A+ for that.
3.5 stars is my exact rating for this place.
I will go back as their beer selection is very good and their service is better than average.
All in all I was happy with almost everything.

I”ve been here a few times & service has always been very good. Servers aren’t pushy & don’t hover yet attentive; I’ve never had to ask for a refill.
As a wonderful extra bonus… there are power outlets… both plugs as well as USB… at many booths.

I’m surprised by the reviews… I typically don’t post but was SUPER impressed with the service here! I wish I remembered our servers name but she was great. Very helpful (out first visit), on top of refills, anticipated our requests and even opened the door for us as we left. After having horrible service at fancier restaurants lately, this was such a nice change.
On top of the service, my boys loved the train, the stickers, the crayons/​activity page AND the burgers.
I had the Ono chicken sandwich and the hubbs had the Buffalo Chicken Bowl. We both enjoyed our meals and will be coming back. Thanks!

Bagger Daves has a train theme to it, with a little train that runs around above your heads.
The unique sodas are my favorite and is one of the main reasons I like this place.
The burgers are fun to custom order with the paper provided, but you can just order something standard from the menu if you want to.
I’ve tried the fries and sweet potato chips, and both are great. Plus the dipping sauce options are pretty fantastic!
Anything with the Railhouse Thousand Island is reaaally good.
The only reason I’m giving this a lower score is because service has been very iffy the two times I’ve been there. The first time our family was put in a table too close to another table and it caused some problems for serving staff and members of both parties. The last time I was there it took forever to get sat down (stood at the front door for about 5 minutes until someone noticed us) the server actually had b.o. It was not pleasant.

Fifty plus bucks after tip for four hamburgers, 2 orders of friends and drinks? How about no, Scott.
The turkey burger I had was good, but it wasn’t $ 10+ a head good. Everyone else had your run of the mill beef burger and the fries were just average. Son said the soda was the highlight of his meal — had the root beer. I may give it another shot if I had a coupon but no way I’d pay full price again.

Love the fact they have turkey burgers and they are so yummy! My favorite thing is that I get to customize it, and don’t even get me started on the fries-​so good! I also recommend getting the turkey chili and a handcrafted soda to wash it all down with. Worth checking out!

First time at Bagger Dave’s and we are impressed. Food is hot, fresh, quick & delish. Can’t wait to bring the Littles back to check out the train!

My burger was actually pretty good, but I’m downgrading the rating for two reasons: First, our server was way, way too intrusive. I was there on a business lunch with my boss, and we were desperately trying to talk business during our meal. Our server wouldn’t allow it. Constant interruptions, and she was just way too … «involved» in our meal. Secondly, she told us that we would receive 15% off if we wrote a Unilocal review. I’m not sure, but I think that goes against what Unilocal is supposed to be about. I told her to keep the 15%. But then again, here I am, writing a review, so I guess she won.

Came here on a Saturday night and sat in the bar area. Enjoyed a customized turkey stack (brioche bun, mozzarella, basil, mushrooms) with fries and a Bells Two Hearted on draft. The burger patties are thin but tasty, which is a good way to get them out faster and avoid over/​under cooking issues. I love this place.
Pros:
–Fun atmosphere, especially in the bar area
–Friendly & efficient service
–You can customize your order with the paper tickets they provide
–Tasty turkey burgers, tasty fries
–Great craft beer selection
–reasonably priced
Cons:
–None

Yes, it’s a chain. Everyone knows that. They’re consistent and I like their inventive burgers and their fresh made sodas. They also have a pretty good selection of beer. I just love the train that goes around the lobby.