Bluebeard

this place is the best ok??? Everything I ordered (which was ALOT) was top tier soO GOOD. Chili Mac? GOOD. Nuts? GOOD. Pickles? GOOD. Brussel sprouts? GOOD. bean salad? GOOD. Push pop? GOOD. Beer? GOOD. Yes I ordered everything on the appetizer/​small plate menu & it was GOOD OK

I once had a duck confit with basmati rice and coconut curry at Bluebeard that was so good that I literally check their menu daily to see if it’s on for the day.
Their menu changes. This is both wonderful and awful. Wonderful because you will eat such great food every single time and you’ll be pushed to try something new. Awful because you will fall madly in love with something and although you might get a variation of that dish– the same exact thing will be a memory only.
One thing remains constant: $ 1 oysters on Sunday evenings. This summer, go sit on the patio, have a dozen oysters and the Beet Salad. Sip the Bees Knees. You will be happy.

Super yummy food in a chill atmosphere. Definitely a must visit spot when in Indianapolis!

Hands down the best restaurant in Indy!
We went to celebrate our anniversary. There was a bit of. Wait for the patio, so we sat at the bar and enjoyed chatting with the bar tender! Really unique feel, but totally chill and welcoming place. We both enjoyed drinks as well! A lot of unique options with many house made ingredients!
Loved the patio seating, although all the tables were full, it did not feel overcrowded and there was plenty of space between parties so the noise was minor. The trees and lighting gave it an intimate feel.
Service was outstanding, I’m sure the fact that my husband knew our waiter only made it better. Jake was extremely friendly and amazed us with his generosity and table side manor. He kindly gave us two appetizers to try, since we were celebrating. One of which was the pickle plate. We never would have chosen to try that if he hasn’t surprised us, however it was so fun to try all the house made pickle– jalapeño, pineapple, radish, celery, carrot. All so unique but pretty tasty! The bread dish was also good.
Main course– I had salmon cakes and my husband had some amazing butternut squash sauce pasta dish that was to.die.for! Can’t go wrong with their options! They have 3 different portion sizes, so if you’re feeling extra hungry you’ll want to go with the larger options (on the right of the menu).
Dessert– all the options looked amazing and I could honestly have tried them all. We went with the lemon raspberry cake and it didn’t disappoint! Was moist, the icing was THE highlight, and Jake even lit a little candle on the plate for us (1^st anniversary)!
I will be going back and would recommend this to anyone, any day of the week!

Service was amazing. Atmosphere was refreshing.
Olives al forno awoke the pallette.
The charcuterie of meats and cheeses accompanied with the cabernet about had my senses peaked. One of those places that we will visit time and again and not hesitate in asking the server to simply surprise us and just blow our doors off with the balance of flavors and presentation.

Bluebeard is one of those places that just screams «hipster»!
I’m okay with this.
Our bartender was absolutely amazing and every recommendation he made was spot on. It was like he had an all access pass to our culinary dreams. The drinks were strong and the ambience was pleasantly light in spite of the packed house.
We sat at the bar and needless to say, any place that has regulars is probably a win. My wife and I have a long standing habit of getting charcuterie almost everywhere we eat and this one was amazing.
Our entrees were hot and delicious and did I mention that the drinks were strong? Oh.
Sorry.
Yeah, where was I. Oh… So we had dessert and we finished off with the most well prepared Foie Gras dish I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. It just melted my heart and it melted in my mouth like high end poultry butter.
I don’t know about your eating habits but you should probably get here.

If I could give this place more stars I would because everything from service, atmosphere, presentation, food, drink, quality, and value are fantastic.
Can’t tell that I love it? Let me go on…
Bluebeard brings Indiana love with amazing cuisine. Their menu changes every week and they work off as much local ingredients as possible. Their location in Fletcher Place adds to the charm and the inside with its books, typewriters, great lighting and Kurt Vonnegut motif is superb.
Lunch is served Monday through Friday and has an array of sandwiches and salads that are different than you will get anywhere in Indy and for a great price.
Dinner is served every evening. Though Bluebeard does have vegetarian options they are in my opinion a more carnivore centric establishment.
I rarely ever order pasta when going out but Bluebeard even makes amazing pasta.
Their bread is baked in house at their attached facility, Amelia’s. Look at those reviews for more information.
The libations are one of a kind. The first time I ever went there (I’ve been too many times to count), our server was the person who makes the ginger beer. Yes, they don’t use bottled buy at a market ginger beer. That is just one of many things made by the staff and can really be said it is sourced locally. The staff rarely changes which in my opinion shows loyalty and commitment to service.
On that note, the service is always great and even when we think it’s going to be a super long wait they are fast and accommodating.
I recently had family in town and we went to Bluebeard to celebrate a birthday. One of my family members is allergic to peanuts. The server was informed and they found out all the ingredients and made sure we knew what to order.
Last but not least, dessert. They have amazing dessert and I don’t even like sweets that much. They have pie from Lattice and Lard and if you haven’t had their pie you aren’t living. The ice creams are creative and savory. The bread pudding is made to have the right texture and flavor. To top that, they have dessert drinks to add the end of your meal. I enjoy a good port.
I recommend this place to visitors and local alike. You will leave pleased and I do recommend you go with some time to sit and enjoy every course.
My spouse and I want to go here so much that sometimes we talk ourselves out of it just to try a different establishment but it’s hard to top because every time you go to Bluebeard it is a different experience for your palate.

Bluebeard might have taken the cake as one of my absolute favorite spots in Indiana. Not just Indy or F Square but the whole state.
I went out on a Friday for a date night and my boyfriend and I expected it to be much more crowded than it was — luckily we got in with only about a 10 minute wait, so it was very much so worth it.
We got sat in the front part of the restaurant, which the tables are a bit small but we made due.
We started with a bottle of Malbec and our server was amazing. Jacob, 6 stars for you sir! Jacob made sure we stayed entertained, fed and watered.
Appetizer: we got the artisan breads. All the breads are made in home so I highly recommend trying these if you haven’t.
For our meal we split three of the dishes: the ramp scramble (if you don’t know what a ramp is, well I didn’t either but Jacob sold us on them!), the scallops and the mussels & shrimp. The scallops had a great kick to them I wasn’t expected and the shrimp were amazingly well done.
We ended the night with dessert. Or as I like to refer to it one of the more embarrassing things I’ve done at a restaurant. We ordered the pecan bourbon pie. The dessert was probably the only item that took a little bit of time to get to our table so half a bottle of wine and a sweet tooth later I was ready to dig in. Well what got brought to or table was not the pie but I saw chocolate and immediately stuck my spoon into the plate. At this moment we see Jacob walking over to us to inform us that what we were eating was in fact not the right dessert. Delicious none the less! Jacob also brought us the right dessert to go which was super unnecessary but further evidence of being a great establishment.
I can’t wait to go back!

Visiting from Chicago for a work trip and read some great reviews about the place and decided to give it a try.
Great food– great rustic vibe– every dish was unique and they really know how to balance their dishes with great ingredients and flavor. They also own Amelia the bakery next door so their bread is fresh when you order their charcuterie.
Favorite of the night– broccoli/​green curry soup. The spice level is intense and it really opens up your taste buds!
Got the pulled pork and rice dish and it happened to come out paired with the soup and it was the perfect balance. The pulled pork married with zesty cilantro and onions and rice helped tame the spiciness of the soup.
Broccoli Waldorf salad– big chunks of broccoli with sweet golden rasins and crunchiness of sliced celery is a good solid starter
Dessert– try their vanilla bean chess pie with their homemade whip cream. Without the whip cream the pie filling may be too sweet but once you pair it with the whip cream it just hits that right sweet spot.
SPECIAL SHOUT OUT to our waiter Marx! He explained each dish with such ease and made really great recommendations through out the night! I hope to visit this place again!

I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed Bluebeard yet! It’s one of my go-to’s for all celebrations … and I can always find a reason to celebrate.
Their menu changes regularly, but we tend to stick to the basics so they usually make the seasonal cut. Our order:
Cheese Board: Your choice of three cheeses and a jelly. We ask their advice and they always pick a nice variety for us — $ 15
Chop Salad: We love their dressing! A small chop salad ($ 8) is splittable for two people.
Spaghetti: This may sound lack-​luster, but I promise it’s the best thing on the menu — and a generous portion considering it’s $ 9 and on the side menu. It’s fresh-​made pasta tossed in a crème fraîche, lemon zest & parmesan.
On top of the incredible food, our service has been top notch. Our server was attentive (but not annoying), well-​versed in the wine/​cheese lists, and gave great advice re: portion size without trying to up-​sell us.
Overall, one of the best spots in Indy!

They get 5 stars for the chess pie alone. Who can remember anything else after that?
That aside, I’ve never had anything I didn’t like here. From sandwiches, to salads to pasta; I’ve always been quite happy with my meal.
Now, if only they’d offer their amazing Bloody Mary’s on days other than Sunday.

DC folk who are familiar with my reviews know that one of my favorite restaurants is Rose’s Luxury in Barracks Row. For others reading this review, Rose’s Luxury won Best New Restaurant in 2014 from Bön Apetit Magazine. With that said, Bluebeard now represents the «Rose’s Luxury» of Indiana for me… it was magnificent in every way.
We lucked out and were able to grab the last table for two before it got busy on a Saturday night. The ambience is very intimate, just a touch hipster, but overall the dining room just exudes a casual elegance. Our server was very sweet and prompt, checking on us several times throughout the meal without being overbearing.
Bluebeard’s cocktail list has a ton of variety, but our server was able to provide a great recommendation for me based on my preferences: the «Jailbird». The menu rotates based on what is in season and/​or generally available. At the time of my writing this review, it appears the menu has already changed since I dined there a week ago. Nonetheless, I am confident that anything you have here will be delicious.
We ordered two Medium size dishes and one Large dish, along with a dessert, for the two of us — and were bursting at the seams by the end of the night. The charcuterie boards also looked especially appealing. Boyfriend and I ordered the 1) mussels, 2) grilled salmon, and 3) ostrich… yes that’s right, ostrich. It was actually surprisingly good, served with a salsa verde. The mussels were like comfort food and the salmon was perfectly cooked, falling apart at the touch of a fork. Our dessert, a matcha flan with coconut ice cream, was certainly unique and took a few bites to get into it, but was ultimately a fun pairing to try.
Overall, this was one of my most memorable dining experiences while in Indiana and is highly recommended for dates or drinks and reunions with friends.

Celebrated my anniversary here and had a wonderful time. We didn’t make reservations, and arrived to find the place was pretty crowded, not surprising for a Friday night. We were told we’d be waiting for 45 minutes, but someone from the wait staff squeezed us in at the bar so that we could be served.
We shared a Dark & Stormy, which was made with spicy ginger beer. It was delicious, along with our next drink, the Aviation, made with crème de violet.
Our waiter was endearing, conversational and very knowledgable about not only the menu, but the business itself. He sent us home with the tastiest loaf of bread from Amelia’s next door.
I’d recommend the bucatini (I have been trying to replicate it ever since) as well as the bread appetizer that comes with various butter creations. One is made with anchovies, which sounds strange, but is actually magnificent.
To top it off, they serve your check in an old book. I wrote our names in the front page, alongside many other names written by past, equally happy customers.

Disclaimer: Bluebeard is my favorite Vonnegut book. And I love typewriters, which are displayed all over this place. So why the heck did it take me years to visit Bluebeard? Hipsters. They scare me.
But don’t worry, the hipsters here are pretty friendly. And maybe too polite to tell us that we arrived at exactly the wrong time of day to order food, because Bluebeard’s kitchen goes on lockdown between 2 – 5.
But guess what… We still won.
Because of pickles and bread. Yep, snacks were available from the kindly hipster barkeep, and I doubt anyone else has escaped from this place relatively full for $ 20.
And they pickle weird things, which I love. Broccoli stems? I’d just been throwing those out but now Bluebeard has inspired me.
I can attest that Amelia’s bread is the star here, and the «small» portion was surprisingly generous. Calvin Fletcher French press coffee and ten taps of mostly local beer on draft for your beverage needs.
While I’m not sure that Kurt would dig this joint, we might come back on an off time. If only for those pickled broccoli stems.

As New Yorkers visiting Indiana for a few days, we came to Bluebeard after seeing many good reviews. We had a good overall experience. We sat in the front part of the restaurant but there is a whole back area with a bar. We came in at 7 on a Thursday night and were lucky enough to get a table for 4 right away, but be prepared to wait since they don’t take reservations.
Service was good, everyone was very friendly. No free bread tho! Kind of a bummer. We ordered the bread anyway and it was good but nothing extraordinary. The drinks menu is extensive and has a lot of cool options. The dinner menu changes daily so I won’t go into detail about each dish, but overall everything was very good though not amazing. It took a bit long for our food to come out and some of the dishes were lukewarm by the time they reached us which was unfortunate. Flavors were good, everything was well cooked, pork was very tender. The best dish was the mariscos.
BUT the HIGHLIGHT of the meal was the DESSERT! The small cakes were sooo good! Bluebeard is attached to a bakery so I’m assuming that’s where the dessert comes from. The flavors were so complex in the lavender earl grey cake, and the flourless chocolate cake was so rich and creamy. Definitely get dessert, it’s a must!
Bottom line: solid food, great dessert, nice ambience.
Tip: ask for seating in the bar area if you get cold easily, the front area is a bit drafty in the winter.

Wipe that look off your face and order the BOURBON BLEU CHEESE PECAN PIE! Traces of citrus orange and crushed nuts do some magical work. You’ll just have to taste for yourself the perfect marriage between bleu cheese and bourbon. You’re welcome.
So the parking is crappy around here. But get yourself there. The folks at Bluebeard have real passion for good food. They partner with an awesome local bunch for bread, meats, dairy, desserts. Kudos. And the servers know what they are doing. (Cheers to fearless men in sweaters! Hey, where I come from despite freezing temps even hipster dudes cannot brave a pullover sweater).
The servers recommended my charcuterie south cider and it was delish! Meat soaking up cider? MMMMMMMM. Fingerling potatoes were super tasty. A bit too much mustardy for my tastes but very good. The brussels sprouts gave the perfect crunch. All very good. And the chocolate cremoso dessert was like a generous plop of nutella. The key is to get creative with how you eat it. It’s like playing in a sandbox. Um, yeah. You’ll just have to try that one too.

I went here for dinner on a Monday night and the place was decently full. We opted for the patio since it was still nice enough to do so. I ordered a cocktail to start, it was just okay. Nothing that blew me away. My friend liked his gin and tonic. For a starter, we did the charcuterie plate and it was delicious. The bread they bake in house is heavenly! The condiments are also house made, I believe. The mustard had a huuge kick and I loved it.
For my entrée, I had the pork cheek and my friend had the shrimp. Their wine list is amazing, especially by the glass options! Not as eclectic as it once was.
So, now onto my entrée. I love pork cheeks. They should be tender, flavorful and glazed in a tasty, luscious sauce. These, however, were not. They were well-​seasoned when it came to salt. But flavor was completely lacking, as was quality of texture. They were dry, no sauce was added, and the texture was almost stringy. The components (some greens and something that resembled grits) were also lacking in the flavor department. It was a huge disappointment. Especially for paying almost $ 20. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t inedible, hence I didn’t send it back. But with Bluebeard’s reputation you’d think they could execute a good pork cheek.
On another note, my friend loved his shrimp. The service was absolutely fantastic. And for dessert we had a slice of Lattice and Lard pie (you can never go wrong there).
Overall, sure I’ll be back. I think I just chose the wrong entrée that night. Maybe I’ll go for a drink at the bar or some snacks next time.

At long last, I was finally able to make it to Bluebeard for dinner! On a Monday night, the restaurant was still completely full, but we were able to get a table that had just been vacated.
The cocktail menu is fun and extensive! Our server was really helpful in guiding us through the many choices. I had The Verve, which was very good, and as promised, not too sweet. We started with a small order of bread which was served with sauerkraut, garlic and anchovy butters. All were wonderful on the grilled Amelia’s bread. A small order is plenty for two, and maybe even three or four people. We also shared a roasted beet salad which was fresh and delicious!
We then each ordered a pasta dish. I had the Casareccia which featured duck confit, Brussels sprout leaves and onions in a horseradish Parmesan sauce. Wow, this was such a rich and amazing dish! The pasta was clearly fresh; I’m not sure if they make it in house or have a great source, but either way, it was great! The flavors in the dish were just fabulous! We also shared the roasted cauliflower which was so good! Anchovy, capers, and pine nuts with cauliflower that was caramelized to perfection would convert even the most die hard cauliflower hater!
We split a bread pudding for dessert despite being stuffed! Brioche bread pudding with cocoa nibs — need I say more? It was a great end to a fabulous dinner!
Service was excellent. Our server knew the menu very well, and had great suggestions. Despite this being a busy, popular place, everyone seemed relaxed and friendly. There does not seem to be an ounce of pretentiousness here!
As a final note, how fun that the check comes in a book with the check tucked into a library due date card pocket? I love how everyone signs somewhere; we added our names and rave reviews!

As many people will tell you, Bluebeard is one of the few MUSTS in the city of Indianapolis. As in, if you could only eat at one restaurant in the city before leaving or passing away then that meal MUST be at Bluebeard.
The dinner is supposed to be amazing but my experiences are all at lunch and I have to say I’ve been blown away every time and by every dish. If I could recommend a particular dish I would but the menu is constantly changing (daily!) so there is always something new to try.
The outdoor dining area, bar, and dining room are all completely charming and service is always fast and beyond pleasant.
Eat here soon and save room for dessert if you can (I’ve never managed too and it’s one of my great regrets)

The service here was really good. Our server didn’t needlessly steer us to bigger portions in order to get a bigger tip-​I really appreciated that.
We were able to try a variety of things so I’ll try to describe what I liked and what I didn’t like as much. We started off with the $ 4 portion of grilled bread which was very good-​especially the anchovy butter. We also got the $ 8 size chop salad which was a good size portion to split between 2 people-​it was good also.
The next courses we got were the grilled shrimp (medium size) on the menu. It came with about 4 good sized grilled shrimp and some puff pastry-​we liked this also. The side of spaghetti we ordered come out when we ordered this and it was a bit too salty for our taste.
Our main courses were the Striploin and Pappardelle. The Pappardelle was a great pasta dish-​not sure if the pasta is made in house but this was one of the stars of the night and I would recommend it. The striploin not so much as it had only like 3 pieces of steak and personally the temperature of the food wasn’t as hot as I would like it in comparison to the pasta which came out hot. Maybe it cooled off while letting it rest, but the flavor was just ok too-​I wouldn’t recommend this.
All in all we had a great meal and I think this is very unique restaurant in Indianapolis-​mostly all shareable dishes.