Rock Lobster

Horrible bar! Kicked me out for wearing shorts. They call them jeans, they hate gays apparently! I don’t like Bigot lameass bars that judge people off of appearance!

Dull, outdated music, ordinary drinks, DJ who doesn’t work the floor. I guess it’s okay for kids who’ve never seen anyplace that’s really jumping.

My favorite bar in Indiana.
Being from Michigan and currently living in DC, I’ve been in some weird places. Though visiting Indiana, I’ve noticed that the social life here is really different then anywhere I’ve been. People love to be in the Dive, drinking drank, but don’t like to be in it. For instance, down the street at Brothers was an awesome DJ and everyone was drinking «Swamp Water» drink specials, but were not dancing and asking everyone else to dance. Weird, right?
Well the cure to this social dilemma is Rock Lobster. Multiple bars in one, this place has EVERYTHING which I think makes everyone in it to spin it. You get crazy music, a slightly too small dance floor filled (rare from what I’ve seen in Indy), great drink prices, and pure animal craziness.
Had such a blast here and going to recommend it to people going through Nap Town.

It is what it is. If you’re looking for a drunken mistake, this place is your matchmaker. There’s sometimes a line out front on the weekends, but don’t be scared off by it. People leave this place as fast as they come in, so it’s never a long wait at all. There are two fully stocked bars, and another that I’m pretty sure just does beer. It’s separated into a few different rooms, some of which are a little quieter than other, but still loud throughout. They do have an outdoor area which is a really great way to get some fresh air and get away from the music for a little while. The bartenders are actually pretty good about getting drinks out quickly for as many people as there are in here. The music is loud enough that you will have a hard time hearing yourself think, and it’s usually top 40s club music.
There is a smaller dance floor that is always packed to the brim so moving around it, or even getting up onto it, is difficult. It is the kind of dance floor that is usually about 80% guys trying to stick their chests out, and they all seem to have the same attitude that if you are a girl who walks up there then you have no problem whatsoever about how close they get to you. Don’t try to wear a hat in here, because they will definitely stop you. The bouncers do seem to have a little bit of a chip on their shoulders, but I can’t blame them for having to deal with that crowd all night. Drinks prices are on par with everything else in Broad Ripple. I’ve never seen a cover here, so it does stay crowded. A lot of times it is shoulder to shoulder on a weekend night.
Bottom line, if you’re not hammered drunk with no inhibitions, you’re going to be outside of the majority of the crowd.

I just saw them refuse entrance to a guy with shorts «too baggy» and forced the guy out of line. His friend got in and his pants were much baggier. I just left the line and convinced others to leave. This place is a joke. This isn’t the Palace of Versailles, it’s called Rock Lobster. Go to Bagel Ripple and enjoy an amazing sandwich. This place is garbage.

Best bar for partying/​dancing/​socializing on Friday/​Saturday nights.

Im confused. why is this place named like a seafood bar? is it? I dont remember and dont want to find out.

I was a little confused when I walked in here for the first time. From the sounds of the music outside, I thought I was going to walk into a huge room full of dancing people. When I walked through the door, there was a pretty narrow room with a teensy tiny «dance floor» full of dancing people. It took me a bit to unwrap my head from it’s confusion. If you walk past the narrow room, it opens up in the back and even has an outdoor area which is pretty fantastic actually. After taking in the cool air out back, I began to notice the DJ was hippity-​hoppitin’. I’ve only been there once, but I’m game for going again. Even if it’s just to people watch. And for those of you fishing for lobster, this is probably a good place to go.

Let’s be honest, this is the type of bar you go to when:
— You are blacked out
— You want to black out
This bar is a crazy club filled with a bunch of blacked out 20-​somethings. The music is good, and I’ve had my share of fun times there, but for some reason I can’t really say it’s been the time of my life. Here is my summary:
Pros:
— Good music and dancing, fun times
— Cheap drinks
Cons:
— Shady, blacked out mess
— Can get super crowded
— Easy to get lost in

This seems to be the super-​drunk, late night, bad decision bar of Broad Ripple. At first it looks like a small, dark bar with a dance floor. Then you start walking towards the back and you suddenly end up in a twisted maze /​cavern of bars and patios. There is definitely a demand and need for a place like this, but as someone who is over the age of 25 and usually not blacked out by 11 PM, it wasn’t for me. In summary:
Rock Lobster is good for:
— Dancing
— Staring at people dancing
— Taking shots
— Blacking out
— Random hookups
Rock Lobster is not good for:
— Talking /​socializing
— Drinking good beer
— Being sober
— Finding long-​term relationship material

This is the kind of place I find myself at the end of the night when my words are slurring and I’m the only who thinks my dance moves are something to write home about. Yeah, that point in the evening where it seems totally acceptable to take a catnap on the toilet. Don’t judge, I bet you’ve bobbed your head into a sleeping abyss in a dirty bathroom stall before.
There is something dirty and sleezy about Rock Lobster that I both love and hate. I hate it because I’d prefer to have a little more room for my mad dance artistry and to maneuver from point A to point B without having the eager male attendance «accidentally» brush up against me. But! I love it because it achieves a nostalgic frat house party feel complete with hormone raging rap and sloshing drinks. Next time I’m craving some Sigma Chi or Lamda Chi Alpha, you’ll find me at Rock Lobster.
*Please note that I super-​duper rarely take toilet catnaps these days…

If you’re looking for a club atmosphere – lots of dancing, flashing lights, deafeningly loud music, and overpriced drinks – then «The Lobster» is the place for you. It is packed wall to wall with people grinding and trying to hook up with each other, which isn’t at all a bad thing if you’re in that kind of mood, but if you’re looking for a normal night out, I would probably stand clear of this place. There’s normally a long line to get in and they make you take off your hats before entering and you cannot wear plain colored t-​shirts. I wasn’t pleased when I had to carry around my hat all night (just a normal, Purdue baseball cap). Drinks are so overpriced – $ 5 for a small, watered down vodka cranberry. Ladies, work your magic for free drinks, and guys, I recommend a healthy pregame beforehand.

Ok… this place sucks. It is not worthy of being in the strip.

We were at a party
His ear lobe fell in the deep
Someone reached in and grabbed it
It was a rock lobster
We were at the beach
Everybody had matching towels
Somebody went under a dock
And there they saw a rock
It wasn’t a rock
It was a rock lobster
Motion in the ocean
His air hose broke
Lots of trouble
Lots of bubble
He was in a jam
S’in a giant clam
Down, down
Underneath the waves
Mermaids wavin’
Wavin’ to mermen
Wavin’ sea fans
Sea horses sailin’
Dolphins wailin’
Red snappers snappin’
Clam shells clappin’
Muscles flexin’
Flippers flippin’
Down, down
Let’s rock!
Boy’s in bikinis
Girls in surfboards
Everybody’s rockin’
Everybody’s fruggin’
Twistin’ ’round the fire
Havin’ fun
Bakin’ potatoes
Bakin’ in the sun
Put on your noseguard
Put on the lifeguard
Pass the tanning butter
Here comes a stingray
There goes a manta-​ray
In walked a jelly fish
There goes a dogfish
Chased by a catfish
In flew a sea robin
Watch out for that piranha
There goes a narwhale
HERE COMES A BIKINI WHALE!
Also no cover, the food is pretty decent, and cool enviorment.

Wow. I had no idea that I’d ever step foot in here. I mean, I dance, yes. I just dance to different drummers than what typically goes down here. I have to give them much credit for hosting a Broad Ripple Music Fest showcase — Tapes ‘N Tapes. With their intimate setting of a 6 foot by 6 foot, one foot raised, stage (think corner apartment patio), they gave me the opportunity to stick to my rules: be sure to find my favorite bands at bars & venues that are small before the bands move on to arenas & major festivals.
With a ticket being 10 for a single show or 15 for the whole fest, it was economical. With Upland beer being the BRMF sponsor, local beer was at the ready.
Albeit still a smoking establishment, most of the smokers lingered in the back near the open-​aired second bar patio that felt like a house party — and I liked that.
I’d imagine it gets might smoky and sweaty on their regular club nights but I’ll never be attest to that.
I do have to give them credit for one more thing: their name. Bizarre. Eye catching. Kooky logo. Conjoining «Rock And A Hard Place» general store next door. I mean… at the very least they’re adding absurdity to the zeitgeist of Broad Ripple Avenue conversations.
Potential conversation:
«I’m going dancing with Tracy, Trisha and Cujo at Rock Lobster.»
«Wait, you’re friends with Cujo? The part time DJ?»
«Yeah. He introduced me to the Hot Havana Crustation Nights at Rock Lobster.»
… well… they should have a crustation night if they don’t already…

Good atmosphere and strong drinks. DJ was awesome. Great place for dancing. Only bad thing is the smoking. People can smoke everywhere.

Upon a recent visit to Indy, this is what I have deduced about Rock Lobster:
What I liked —
1. no cover!
2. good dance floor/​stage
3. outdoor area so it stays cool
What sucked —
1. INCREDIBLY crowded due to the fact there is no cover (I swear they violated some kind of fire code)
2. constant siren thing that kept going off while on the dance floor
3. the disgusting smell of the dumpsters out back that kept wafting into the open area near the «lobster lounge»

Best experienced while extremely intoxicated. If you’re less than totally wasted and/​or over the age of 23 you will be annoyed out of your mind. But if you are young and drunk then you will have an awesome time.
Plusses — more bars than Landsharks. Outdoor area. Chill lounge on the side. Cooler (temperature-​wise) than Peppers.
Minuses — tiny dance floor. DJ very hit or miss. Drink specials not that great. Hard to find people in the maze-​y layout.
Overall, for dancing I prefer The Vogue or The Red Room… but Rock Lobster definitely has its moments.

Despite the fun times I’ve had here, it’s not my favorite. I’m not sure why, exactly. I only go when a friend’s/good band is playing, otherwise I never go. The drinks are good, not too expensive. Drawback for me: it’s on the strip in Broadripple. That alone can be exhausting to me to navigate.
I do like that during the summer, they have a back area that’s pretty good sized. It’s nice to feel like you’re a little more out in the open and not so much stuck in a small smoky bar. Maybe this summer will be the summer I embrace my love for Rock Lobster?
Mmmmaybe… Don’t hold your breath.

My 22-​year-​old self once loved and accepted with open arms the long wait to get into Rock Lobster on a busy Saturday night. It didn’t matter if it was raining, snowing or blasting hot, I would stand my dumbass in this line to pay a $ 5 cover to dance on a small dance floor… at …1:30 in the a.m. Oh, those were the days.
My 28-​year old self would rather poke myself in the eye with a fork than go to this bar. So, the question is… why do I? Wellll, b/​c somehow my friends always have the VIP hook up and getting served in the VIP lounge is SO much faster than the three OTHER bars they have in this place. Not only that, but now that they added a section where you can just chill with more calming music, the scene has slightly changed. Just close your eyes and keep walking… nope, keep walking… ok, turn left… AHHHH there it is… the safe haven for the old people! It’s perfect. A long stretch of bar, a couple of televisions and access to the outdoor patio without dealing with the techno-​hoppin’, bad MCing, 21 year old dancin’ crowd out front.
Be prepared for:
Long lines, overpriced drinks, loud/​bad music, a great outdoor area witha smallish bar, horny college boys, sorostitutes of all shapes and sizes, and egotistical bouncers.
OH…to be young and 22 again. Those were the days!