Barley Island Restaurant and Brewhouse

A huge improvement on the Noblesville location, the food is pretty nice but service is lacking.

Finally got around to writing a review.
…(updated) apparently too late. as I have been told it is now closed… no surprise as they really had no clue how to run a restaurant… the stoner employees could’t care less about the customers… hostile ambivelence bordering on arrogance.
Good beer… with great «guest» tap selections that revolved…
food just is not very good… have eaten here couple of times… and grazed from others plates at a beer meet up event.
Service is a joke… drug testing for employees ?? Basically… I believe the employes have to do at least a couple of one hits prior to walking in the door… c’mon…don’t hire the burnouts.
…as an example… went here with a bunch of broadripple servers and bartenders… mostly from 3wise and Bros… for a day drinking thingy and an evening at crackers… walked in… asked the server for a menu and a beer… was told… that if we wanted it soon… go to the bar… really ??? ummm… you have two tables… the darn place is empty
Management…has to be awful… bartenders were o. k…knowledgeable…but seem disinterested… in a fairly empty bar… talk to your damn customers… make them feel like you care that they are there… and hope that they might come back…
…hello management… TURN ON YOUR OPEN SIGNS… can’t count how many times I drove by this place… and the open signs (neon) were not on… that is critical when the windows are so stupidly tinted… that you can’t see through the windows… therfore…even at dusk with their lights on… the place looks closed… Mentioned this to a manager… who informed me…“never happens. they are always on”…of course… i am not telling the truth… or…I am a complete moron… thanks !! and btw… upon leaving… only one open sign was on… hmmmm
It always amazes me how dismissive restaurant managers can be to suggestions from customers… not all customers are complaining idiots… some of us were paid a bunch of money as consultants to turn poorly run restaurants and bars around…
I like to support local businesses… but this place just isn’t worth your support…
if it is true that it is closed… I am sorry… but also shocked it made it this long

BTW, this place is now closed. Can’t say I’m surprised.

Really good beer, less than mediocre food, even worse service. We waited for 1.5 hours for our food to come out after we ordered. If you don’t mind ridiculous service, check it out. It was a pretty nicel atmosphere.

Good food & decent drinks. I am not a craft beer drinker, so all they had for me was Pabst. The layout of the bar is good (not overcrowded), with lower eating tables towards the windows and high tables closer to the bar. Good for larger groups. All the TVs you could ask for & the food is above average.

After a few visits now, I’ve decided that I like Barley Island! Yippee! My first visit soon after opening was underwhelming. The atmosphere was weird, but the place was empty and it was mid-​day. I’ve been a few times since and downed pints and eaten some decent bar food. Their wings were pretty damn good when I had them. I really dig Barley’s beers too. Their Barfly IPA is one of my local faves. James, the bartender, advised me that later in the year they will have their imperial IPA again which is supposedly amazing. I was warned it goes quickly though… The Sheet Metal Blonde is also great and refreshing. Besides their own brews, their visiting draft selection is stellar. these change a lot. but current selections I love are Bells’ Hopslam and New Albanian’s Elector Imperial Amber. They probably have 10 or so other visiting beers on tap. So the place still sort of feels weird when its empty, but one can still saddle up at the bar and enjoyably get your grub and guzzle on whilst watching sports teams play sports games. And as Sara M. mentioned you can park in the lot behind the place and get your money back although the dude might sarcastically say «So you were at Barley this whole time?» Nope! Sucker!

Their rotating tap is amazing. They always have something new and interesting to try. The atmosphere is a little weird though. Too bright. Too open. It didn’t feel like the cozy pub with a great view onto the Ave that it should be. My meal was good. I ordered a veggie wrap with a side of mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes were salty goodness on a cold night.

It was the best of beer, it was the worst of service. But, do YOU go to a brewpub for the service? If not, you’ll love this place!
This seems to be the way of things between Scotty & Barley Island here in the early twenty-​first century. The glass is half full (metaphorically, of course), because, I very much go for the beer!
I will note that the food has always been excellent. Somehow, even when it doesn’t arrive at the table for 20 minutes or more… it’s still hot and fresh. I don’t get it – and frankly, I’m not going to ask questions.
Why, you ask? As I’ve mentioned before, the beer: it gets better and better.
So as to not leave you in ambiguity, their draft list is phenomenal, especially for a place In Broad Ripple… and especially for a brewpub (at which I don’t think they brew any beer). But, not only do they serve the Barley Island favorites, they also include a delectable palette of «visiting» beers — of which you’re sure to find a favorite.
I must note: $ 2.50 pints on Sundays and Mondays! Yes, you heard right, re-​read if necessary.
All in all, I try to frequent this place whenever I can. My advice: sit at the bar; the best service I’ve ever had is when the bartender waited on us (from across the restaurant, mind you). The folks behind the bar are pretty knowledgeable, which is more than I can say for the others who work there. AND, better yet: you’ll be that much closer to your freshly poured pint!

Nichole pretty much summed it up. The food is tasty, the service is efficient and the prices are decent. They also win points from me for being nice and accommodating after our atrocious, dismissive non-​service at Naked Tchopstix (see my review). While they were all OMG FIVE PEOPLE IT’S A GIGANTIC PARTY DESCENDING UPON US WE CAN’T HANDLE THE PRESSURE, Barley Island was totally fine with our deviation from the four-​person norm. We left full and happy. Hillbilly Mac-​n-​Cheese… so good.
While I’m not a big fan of beer, my beer snob extraordinaire boyfriend gives their brew two thumbs up. He is especially fond of the Barfly.

«honey-bunny…look at the prime location — Broad Ripple Ave & College — empty. what a shame. what. a. shame.»
The former «Scholar’s Inn» just sat there empty. That empty location really started to round-​out the apocalyptic feel of Broad Ripple sometimes: take this empty spot along with the two adjacent empty gas stations, and we have ourselves living amongst History Channel’s Earth After People.
Lo, in swoops Barley Island Brewhouse to the vacant location.
They get a star just for their name that insights a deserted island of just me and fields of barley — an endless drifting with a growler of beer carabiner-​ed on my belt loop — holding endless chats with Cillian Murphy and Craig Ferguson.
I pass by this place nearly once-​a-​day, and oddly it’s empty.
Then I stepped in, and if they ever wonder why they don’t get service… look down at your feet when you’re there and you’re walking on industrial carpet. Really? You cut costs by laying industrial carpet that reminds me of Pleasant Grove elementary for your establishment? Bah.
I suppose I got over this major faux-​pas pretty quickly when I saw their tap list. Something bothers me about brew houses… is they only have their beer on tap — a very Clintonian abuse of power.
Instead, here, they have a stellar guest tap list — including a continual homage to Two Brothers brewery — with Domaine Dupage and the Red Rye. Oh, and Wednesdays they have $ 2.50 Guest Tap Deals!
Whaaaaa…they just out-​smarted the Wellington by a Quarter. That’s right… go here and save a quarter. It’s a tiny victory that feels good for us peasants.
Sunday & Monday all pints are $ 2.50. Yes, please. It’s a rare occasion to get a beer deal on a Sunday (considering in Indiana bars have the market cornered with the no take-​home law).
The food: So far, I’m slightly impressed. I would never eat something called «beer bread & beer cheese,» why would I anyway? I like to drink my beer. A convincing table-​mates proved otherwise. Hey… that’s a heavenly-​pillow for my innards.
A place like this I’m pretty beer-forward…as in I’m not ordering ’til after a few pints anyways. So, everything I’ve eaten so far… well…let’s say… has been enhanced by the circumstances of timing.
I ordered the beer-​battered tenderloin and it was the size of my head and as thick as my wrists. I couldn’t see the meat before I bit into it the batter was so thick.
Their onion rings are a value, relatively at least. Most onion ring portions are small — it helps that here they just take a whole onion and deep fry it.
The service is good, but it’s sorta empty… which I swooped in on the controls of the TV & they requited with immediate channel changing.
«Sorry, even after a few pints… cars driving fast in a straight line doesn’t do it for me.»
I’ll just say it again — $ 2.50 pints of beer on Sundays Mondays & Wednesdays.
And this is beer that makes Europeans über-​jealous because they can’t get it in their country. Really… our beer is better. Take pride & advantage of being an American that can drink such quaffable delights & that Barley Island is accessible.

It’s a good location for our post church dinner. Solid food with consistent service. No wait and no attitude for our large parties. Can’t say the same for other places we visit.
We’ve eaten here a few times, and the Irish Nachos, Scotch Eggs, Fish and Chips and Tenderloin seem to be favorites.
Last trip, my husband ordered a full rack of ribs, but what they served looked much closer to a HALF order if you ask me. The man had planned for leftovers, but instead, left hungry.
The prices are on the cheap side, so if you want a decent meal, with decent atmosphere, this is a safe bet.

My family and I ate at Barley Island last night (a Sunday) and it was nearly empty. I had been to this location once before and loved the Spinach Chicken, but wanted to try something different. I opted for the beer-​battered (not breaded) chicken fingers with kettle chips. The flavor was very good, but I had to stop about half way through because the grease was making me a bit nauseated. Another member of our group ordered the fish and chips and had the same complaint.
The two vegetarians at our table praised the house made black bean burger, and the beer (which was on special for $ 2.29 a pint). Service was a little slow, but our server did keep our drinks refilled (a big deal for this group).
Overall, it was good, but not great.

Barley Island’s new location is alright: definitely a step up from their original Noblesville brewhouse, but it will be interesting to see how it fares amongst fierce and established competition in Broad Ripple.
We went on a Friday night at nearly 10pm. The place was busy, but not full, which I found strange for a new place in such a popular part of town. The atmosphere and décor was a huge step up from the dark, dreary, old feel of the Noblesville restaurant/​bar, but I admit I was slightly disappointed. The restaurant is set up in kind of a strange way, with a large, arching seating area surrounding a cool fireplace. But booths and tables lining the wall seem too separate from the rest of the place. And the floral arrangements looked like they were straight out of the mortuary just down the road — I hope they do away with them quickly and replace them with something more appropriate and stylish. I wasn’t a big fan of the lighting, either: spot lights highlighted some people too much (including the bald guy on the other side of the room whose shiny head I couldn’t help but notice throughout the evening), but where I was sitting, it was so dark I could hardly see my menu. Would’ve been nice if it was more evenly lit & subdued. The place is nice & new, but feels a bit too much like a stylish hotel lobby.
Service was okay. Our server was less than enthused to be there, which was strange given that, according to her, the restaurant just opened yesterday. She only showed up about half the time; the rest of the time a peppier, friendlier server brought us our food and checked in on us.
Food was pretty good: my friend loved his pork tenderloin, my wife’s black bean burger was better than Boca, and my fish & chips were tasty if a little tough. But the homemade chips and waffle fries were terrific, a chocolate beer cake was delicious, and of course the beer was great.
The brewery will provide a decent place to chill close to the Vogue, and balances the opposite end of Broad Ripple nicely if people don’t want to go to the Brugge or the Brewpub. But with those two popular mainstays, I’m not sure how often I’ll frequent Barley Island. Perhaps if the atmosphere becomes a little more comfortable, and if the food is great next time (more veggie dishes, please!), I’ll be back, but the Brewpub has too many veggie options and great beers to let Barley Island pull me away…