St Elmo Steak House

They did mistakenly overcook my steak but here’s what makes it 5 star.
Shrimp cocktail ditto on what everyone else said
Steak was on par with all the best ones I’ve attended
Service was great
Crowded but we could still have a conversation without yelling
Old school atmosphere
Beer/​Wine list is solid

Just recently ate at St. Elmo’s Tuesday (⁶⁄₁₄), and shared the shrimp cocktail with a coworker which was passive aggressively pushed on us by our waiter. Long story short, we both wound up with severe food poisoning — easily the worst thing I’ve ever experienced.
Morale of the story — ok food, high priced, and will never eat shell fish that far inland again.

This place is really great. It has the feel of a «landmark.» Service is pretty good. The 1933 Lounge upstairs has personality. Most of the menu is tops. Location is terrific. But…
Having been here 5 times in the past 5 months I tried preparing room inside my tummy for that whopping 38oz Grilled Prime Rib, 3 of those times. Unfortunately only once was it happy endeavor. That cut seems to be too thick and massive for the proper medium rare or rare temperature. Or as they slow roast the prime rib it is not cooked slowly enough or thoroughly enough to do anything to the fat. Allow me to identify myself as one the country’s number one lovers and consumers of gristle but the one stipulation is that it has to be cooked, a little. Some of the hunks of blubber on my last visit seem to have never even been warm, much less cooked/​roasted.
The one time I had that behemoth where every bit was thoroughly heated through and the gristle dissolved instantly on the tongue and the slab sat in half an inch of blood… WOW! Absolutely one of the best pieces of meat I’ve ever had. Unfortunately it is not a consistent enough dish that I would order it again; after 3 tries. Every other steak I’ve ordered or sampled from a friend’s plate was excellent. Sides are quite special too. Shrimp cocktail is a staple. Still a must-​visit steakhouse.

Five different groups of people at my conference told me they ate at St Elmos and it was terrible. Bad service, over cooked meals, etc. But I read up on the place and it’s been in business since 1902 so I thought, ‘how bad can it possibly be?!’ We decided to keep our reservations and we were not disappointed at all. I’d rank my steak as one of the finest I’ve ever eaten. Our waiter, Rick, has been serving there for 27 years and he was awesome.
I gave them a 4 only because it’s kind of a typical streak joint as far as décor and vibe. And it’s kind of pricey, especially the side dishes and appetizers. Their «famous» shrimp cocktail is $ 15! The steaks are typically priced for a nice steak place ($ 39-​$ 59). Our dinner (2 of us) with a few glasses of wine came to a little over $ 200.
Overall I’d recommend St Elmos.

Such a special place to enjoy a delicious meal! Very romantic and so classy. My husband and I made reservations, sight unseen, at St. Elmo’s to celebrate our first wedding anniversary together. I was looking for a special steakhouse and through some looking around on the web found that St. Elmo’s was highly recommended and quite famous within the City of Indianapolis and beyond.
We took advantage of the valet parking (a huge plus downtown!) and were wowed upon stepping foot inside the restaurant. The atmosphere is dark, staff was friendly, and food was delicious. This restaurant has all those special touches that make going out to fancy restaurant worth it– perfectly poured wine from a towel-​covered bottles, servers in white jackets, white table clothes, and after our meal the server used one of those scrapers to get the crumbs off of the table.
Because it was our first anniversary, we brought our wedding cake to enjoy after our meal. St. Elmo’s took care of all of the details and everything turned out fabulous!
Highly recommend!

Had very high expectations going into this. I eat at steakhouses often, and I had heard that this one was one of the best in USA.
That being said, it seems very difficult to differentiate yourself in the Steakhouse genre. The shrimp cocktail at St. Elmo’s did a good job of that. It was full of horseradish as promised, and was an intense flavor.
The steaks were good, we had NY strip and filet. They were seasoned just enough to compliment the flavor but to leave the focus on the quality of the meat.
We also had a side of crab mac & cheese, which was very good. I would recommend it to anyone.
Verdict: definitely delicious and worth going to. But not that much different than any other «steakhouse»

This place is a delicious classic! Definitely need to check it off your list. I was able to finagle my way into a last-​minute reservation at St. Elmo Steak House in Indianapolis, serving up some of the best steaks (and THE best shrimp cocktail) in town since 1902.
This was my first trip to St. Elmo, but I’ve been wanting to go for years. (And yes, it’s the steakhouse Ron Swanson loves on Parks and Rec.) We had a reservation, but since we were early we headed up to their 1933 Lounge. But then we got seated so quickly, we headed right back downstairs to get our meal on!
Of course, we had to have their shrimp cocktail. The shrimp are jumbo, and the sauce has so much horseradish that it packs a real punch! The kick is quick, and the results are delicious. It’s no wonder this is what they’re famous for after all these years.
For my main course, I went for a filet mignon, with their red skinned mashed potatoes as my side. Solid choice! You also get navy bean soup or tomato juice with your meal. The steak was wonderful! Definitely a high-​end steak, perfectly cooked, juicy, not needing any kind of condiment.
Dad ordered steak too, but Mom, who doesn’t eat red meat, got a beautiful seafood pasta. She had such a big plate, she had enough to take home for leftovers, which always makes my Mom a happy camper. (2-​for-​1 meal, eh?)
I don’t always get dessert when we’re out, but we got one to share because I got seduced by the menu. White chocolate blueberry bread pudding, with bourbon cream sauce and vanilla ice cream. AMAZING. We ate it all, and it was one of my favorite parts of a really great meal. Don’t skip dessert!
It was the perfect place to take my parents for a special dinner. We all really enjoyed it. The service was smooth and fantastic. It’s a well-​oiled machine, you can just tell.
I think the only thing keeping it from five stars for me is something that makes it a little more distinctive from the crowd of classic steakhouses. It’s great at what it does, it just doesn’t boast an insane wine collection or odd quirks like Bern’s in Tampa or something like that. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be back over and over!

I heard of St. Elmo from word of mouth and decided to give it a shot. This place is huge and has a lot of seatting. My hotel set me up with a reservation, which you need. We arrived early and told us that if I gave them my phone number they would text me when they are ready. That worked well and they texted at the orginal reservation time. We got seated in the basement and it was quite loud. I looked around and saw everyone from familys with kids, adults drinking on wine and being loud, and businessmen looking at their phones the entire time not saying a word to eachother. It made me laugh.
Options of food was good and classic. Everything was just perfect and very filling! I will go back again.

My husband and I ate here during our trip for the Indy 500 and the food is fantastic. He ordered the ribeye, which was perfectly cooked and delicious. I had the surf and turf… filet was good, but the lobster stole the show… it was fantastic.
We also thoroughly enjoyed our drinks. I had a red sangria that had cinnamon in it, very odd but very good. Also, the shrimp cocktail appetizer had my husband coming back twice more during our stay just for that!
Would highly recommend making reservations, they are very busy every day it seems.

Love the atmosphere and style of the restaurant. It’s a wonderful Indianapolis treasure.
The steaks are wonderful. Offerings include a variety of cuts and ounces. There is something for everyone.
Order a couple of sides for the table to share. Unless, you want the lobster mac n cheese for yourself. No one would blame you. Don’t forget the shrimp cocktail. Practice moderation with the cocktail sauce. The horseradish is stronger than you may think.
I really enjoy looking over the wine list and picking something we normally don’t drink. The servers are very knowledgeable about the offerings. They scrape the table of any crumbs very frequently with what looks like a barber’s straight edge. It’s part of the experience and the little touches that make St. Elmo’s what it is.

This place is amazing! The wait staff is almost the best part of the experience. Our waiter told us the history of the tomato juice and the restaurant itself.
Steaks and navy bean soup were delicious. I would highly recommend this for a nice date night or a group of people. Andy was our server and he was the best!

I have enjoyed every meal and experience I have ever had at St Elmo’s. The entire staff from the hostesses to the servers have been phenomenal, they don’t hover but come at the exact times they need to. The wait staff is very knowledgeable on the menu and the drink options. The food is always delicious as well and the courses are well spaced out so your table is never too full! If you want a great steak and fantastic service this is definitely the place to be, just don’t expect it to be a quick meal because it shouldn’t be!

I have been to many high class, quality steakhouses in the country, and St. Elmo’s is great, just not the best I’ve ever eaten. Let me explain.
St. Elmo’s is a classic, modern looking steakhouse that has been around for 100+ years. They know what they are doing, and do it well. That doesn’t mean I agree with all their procedures.
The only appetizer on their menu is their famous shrimp cocktail. For those that don’t like that, too bad. They offer other selections on their bar menu but wont accommodate you wanting something like the Thick Slab Bacon. I asked and waiter said no. Peter Lugar you aren’t.
They do offer Navy Bean Soup, as a starter, and that is delicious. They also include a potato choice with meal while most other steakhouses don’t.
Onto the main course; the reason for going there. I ordered the 28 ounce Porterhouse. Their steaks are charred on the outside and perfectly cooked on the inside. Beef was very tender; as an aged steak should be.
Our waiter, Brian, gave us dessert menus while someone in my party was still eating his entrée. Brian, what was the rush?
I would choose a place like Peter Lugar or Wolfgang over St Elmo any day. Slicing the steak away from the bone and cooking it with butter and its own juices is my preferred way to go.
I would return to St Elmo’s, but to eat in the bar area and enjoy the bacon.

We had some good news to celebrate and I couldn’t think of a better place than Indy’s iconic St. Elmo Steakhouse (beloved by Ron Swanson and every athlete and celebrity passing through town). We came for the Sunday night three-​course dinner menu, where you get 3 courses consisting of: 1) their famous shrimp cocktail or a wedge salad, 2) a petite cut of filet mignon or salmon or chicken accompanied by mashed potatoes and green beans, and 3) a cheesecake, chocolate cake or crème brûlée. It’s $ 40 if you have the filet and $ 30 for the other meats. I believe the same menu is also available before Pacers games if you have a ticket. This isn’t quite as good a deal as it sounds like because the portions are quite small, but I doubt you’ll leave hungry unless you’re a really big eater. Just don’t count on tons of leftovers.
Holy cow (pun intended), is this good steak. I’ve been to my share of high-​end steakhouses (e.g., Ruth’s Chris, The Capital Grille, Smith & Wollensky, Alexander’s in the bay area…) and this definitely ranks up there as one of the best pieces of beef I’ve ever had. It was so tender I barely needed a knife and melted in my mouth like butter. It was cooked exactly how I wanted it (I ordered medium and the waiter clarified that this would have a red center, I said I wanted pink throughout and that was exactly how it was delivered). The mashed potatoes were also absolutely amazing and so so creamy. The bread basket was also totally incredible, with an amazing onion roll and a fresh butter with black sea salt.
The rest of the food was not quite as great as those three things. My husband had both appetizers since neither is to my taste and I don’t think he was wow-​ed by the shrimp cocktail. He said the horseradish was overwhelming and considering just the smell of it was overwhelming to me, I’m inclined to believe him. The green beans served with the steak were a little undercooked. The crème brûlée was very good, but the portion size looked like it was made for an ant (all the other portions were not monstrous but were definitely adequate, this was the only one I looked at and thought «that’s it!?»), and the chocolate cake was not the fudgy layer cake I was hoping for but instead a very dry mini-​bundt cake. But this is a steakhouse, not a cake house, and the steak (and mashed potatoes and bread basket) were so delicious I can’t give anything less than 5 stars.
I rarely notice or care about a restaurant’s ambiance (unless it’s so loud I can’t hear my dining companions), but the old school feeling here (complete with wood-​paneled walls), is pretty incredible. You definitely feel like you’re dining somewhere special and historic.

The downstairs menu was out of my price range with no food specials. However, the employees told me about the upstairs /​bar menu. I ordered the filet slider for $ 4.95. It was a little burnt but tasted OK.
The upstairs bathroom was around the corner up the incline — felt a bit far.

My husband loves visiting historic steak houses (opened in 1902 y’all!) and I love any reference that makes me think of the 80’s (St Elmo’s fire… I can be a man in motion… all I need is a pair of wheels) Cheesy sure. But we picked a winner by choosing dinner at St Elmo!
We were able to make same day reservations (Monday) but the times were either early or late (5pm or 845pm). Well, with a 4 year old in tow, we gladly took the 5pm reservation. We were kind of confused to see an almost empty restaurant at 5. But by 6pm the place was almost full.
The space is old school décor – like men’s club mid century midwestern modern. It’s dark and big business deals are probably made here. And I liked it.
Of course we had to open with drinks and the much-​lauded shrimp cocktail. My gin drink was perfect and my son loved his Shirley Temple. My husband went local with a microbrew. The shrimp cocktail is the only appetizer on the menu, but we also got a basket of bread. The drink list is extensive – cocktails, wines, brews.
The shrimp cocktail was delicious. I love horseradish and the plump fresh shrimp was covered in a very strong horseradish cocktail sauce. Sinus all clear now!
I went with the New York strip that was cooked to a perfect medium. Just enough char to make the pretty cross marks and just enough marbling to make it decadent. It was delicious. One of the best steaks I have had (better than our most recent experience at high end steak restaurant in CHI) I liked how the steak entrees all come with a potato choice and soup – the mashed potatoes were creamy and flavorful and the navy bean soup was also yummy – my son ate most of that up. We also ordered a side of creamed spinach and roasted asparagus. Both made really well and I loved the the asparagus was still firm and not mushy as some places tend to overcook them. I got to try my husband’s soup – lobster bisque – and that was quite lovely also.
There’s not much to choose from regarding desserts. But when our son heard «dessert» he said yes and since we were on a mini vacation, we couldn’t say no to him. We all shared the mint chocolate chip ice cream. It was minty, There were chocolate chips. solid choice.
Service was amazing. From hostesses to server. It was one of the best experiences in regards to service. When he offered to box up our leftovers, my husband joked about needing a to-​go cup for my son’s Shirley Temple and to our surprise, our server brought us a full Shirley Temple to-​go in large styrofoam cup! That was so sweet and unexpected. I wish I could remember his name because he was went above and beyond and made our fun night very enjoyable.
PS no kids menu and not a place I would bring a child who thinks every restaurant is going to be like Chuck E Cheese.

This place is pretty darn good. But I am deducting half a star for reasons you will read about below.
So I went here for my mother in laws b-​day.
Let me start by saying I felt like I was in an elks lodge. I felt I needed a smoking jacket and cigar to feel normal. The décor can use a touch of an update.
The food:
Had to order the shrimp cocktail.
Fantastic. The shrimp were fresh. The cocktail sauce was outstanding. Although be mindful of the horseradish in the sauce, it has some kick. But it short lived.
The Navy Bean soup. Simple. Tasty. You get a great taste of the bacon/​ham within the soup. Great consistency and came out at a good temperature.
The Prime Rib Special… This part is a little bothersome for me.
I asked what the difference was between the menu prime and the special prime.
The waiter said major difference is 18oz special as well as dry aged over the menu prime which is 14oz and not dry aged.
What the waiter failed to mention is that 4oz and dry aged means an additional $ 20+ dollars… That’s would have been nice to include.
Nevertheless my overpriced prime rib was cooked to perfection. I want to go back to every steak restaurant that has over cooked my steak and have these chefs show them how it’s done.
Now my steak was good but certainly not my favorite thing on the menu.
You may laugh but the chopped steak from this place is 10 times better than the prime and I ate it reheated a day later…
The chopped steak and the shrimp cocktail (which is also overpriced) are the two reasons I would ever go back.
No desert for me today. I didn’t want to get a $ 45 piece of tiramisu which would probably be a special.
Even though my experience wasn’t amazing. And my waiter kind of conned me in to getting a pricier meal this place is good.
I would come back although I do not know when.

I will admit, I thought this place was ALL hype. My boyfriend called in several weeks in advance to snag us a Sunday reservation (TIP: they have a 3 course prix-​fixe menu on Sundays), however my expectations were low — as with all steakhouses and tourist favorites.
St. Elmo’s was certainly deserving of all the praises. We arrived a little earlier than our reservation time and checked in with the hostess, who told us she would send a text message once our table was ready. There are several small tables near the bar area that are first come, first serve — so try there if you don’t have a reservation already. Otherwise, the wait is 2 – 3 hours depending on your party size.
The main dining area is surprisingly large, considering St. Elmo’s actually looks pretty unassuming from the outside. The ambience is dim and loud — yet somehow still intimate and upscale. When we dined, it was surprisingly chilly — I actually kept my jacket on. We were greeted quickly by our server, who was one of the most polite, friendly, and attentive servers with whom I have had the pleasure to dine. Although most people order the St. Elmo’s Cola, boyfriend and I opted for the «Bourbon Trail», which can be made with your choice of lemonade or cider. They are very generous with their pours here — my drink was STRONG!
We also opted for the 3-​course tasting menu, which is $ 40 for their «World Famous» EXTRA SPICY shrimp cocktail (or salad, blech), 6 oz. filet mignon (with sides of mashed potatoes and green beans), and a choice of dessert (cheesecake, chocolate cake, or crème brûlée). There are surcharges if you’d like to increase the portion of meat, or you can opt for chicken/​salmon for $ 30.
The courses come out really fast and are timed like clockwork. The shrimp cocktail sauce is no joke. I have a relatively high spice tolerance and the horseradish cleared out my sinuses instantly. I even had to chug down some water sometimes — don’t take this lightly. Next was the filet… I am VERY particular about how my steak is cooked which is why I am so frequently dissatisfied by steakhouses. I always ask for medium rare but somehow wind up with medium/​medium well. This time around, I wound up closer to rare (they warn you about this at the time of ordering) which was 10 000% fine by me. It was one of the best steaks I have had — so tender and really did not need any sort of seasoning or sauce whatsoever other than fresh pepper. The sides were nothing to rave about because the meat really was the star. As for dessert, they were decent but also nothing spectacular.
St. Elmo’s is not a cheap meal and certainly requires some planning in advance — but if you are a steak lover, it is definitely worth it to take a visit here. Every random local we spoke to in Indianapolis recommended that we come here, and I am so glad we did.

We decided to try the famous St. Elmo’s for dinner last week. They accept reservations so that helped us avoid the wait on a busy Wednesday night.
The only appetizer they offer is their signature shrimp cocktail! Very good, but boy was it SPICY! Horseradish is definitely not scarce! I loved it, but be sure to go easy on the sauce if spice isn’t your thing!
I ordered the filet, and it was great! Cooked how I asked (which is expected from a prime steakhouse) and I adored the mashed potatoes.
My friend ordered his strip medium rare, and his came out VERY rare. We’re talking still cold in the center… He did not enjoy his steak, but was too nice to ask to have a new cut. I felt so bad that he was unhappy with his $ 50 steak. That should not be an issue for a steakhouse that has been open for over 100 years.
I’d be willing to go again. I’m sure the staff would have been more than accommodating had my friend had the guts to send his steak back. Just not something we were thinking was a possibility at such a nice steakhouse. :/

They are known for the steak and the hotttttt cocktail sauce on the shrimp cocktail. The shrimp are large and great texture. the cocktail sauce is already on the shrimp and it’s got a ridiculous amount of horseradish. In the future I’d insist they serve the shrimp on the side and add lots of catsup. I like it spicy but that was just stupid hot.
the restaurant is nice inside. nice atmosphere. The steak was good. As with all good steak places it’s pricey but good for special night out.

Hervorragende Steaks. Waren zu dritt, jeder hatte eine andere Spezialität. Ich habe noch nie so ein hervorragendes Rib-​Eye gegessen. Perfekt gereift, perfekt zubereitet.
Leider hat der Kellner meiner Begleitung ein Glas Wein über das Hemd geschüttet. Er hat sich zwar vielmals entschuldigt, aber das Ersetzen des Hemdes wurde vom Geschäftsführer abgelehnt mit dem Hinweis, man würde die Reinigung übernehmen. Natürlich sind die Flecken nicht rausgegangen

Classic steakhouse, downtown Indy. Consistent quality. Coool place.
100 year old building and it retains the old mystique. Old school kind of place, dark wood, classic style, and the steaks are dependably good (rec the porterhouse or dry-​aged cowboy ribeye). You may also want to try a house specialty as an appetizer which is a jumbo shrimp cocktail with horsey sauce heat. It will clear your sinuses for sure. Wine list is varied. You will need to reserve as it gets very busy, especially during sporting events.
They have a bar where you can also get delicious food on a chopped down menu. It also has the classsic, dark-​wood rat pack kind of vibe and a great selection of old-​time and modern cocktails.
Not cheap folks you can pay easily $ 100 or more per person if you get a bigger steak. I still recommend highly.

Das St. Elmo ist eine der besten Adressen für Steaks in Indianapolis. Sie sind bekannt für Ihren Shrimp Cocktail als Starter, da die Meerrettichsauce extrem scharf ist. Die Steaks sind sehr gut! Die Preise sind entsprechen hoch. Ich persönlich schmecke dem Steak das Geld nicht ab in einer Stadt in der es genug Alternativen gibt. Hinzu kommt, das es hier auch nur einen Starter gibt nämlich den Shrimp Cocktail und keine Alternativen dazu.

St Elmo a la réputation d’être la meilleure Steak House d’Indianapolisd’après mes collègues qui habitent sur place. Elle est aussi la plus ancienne (1902 quand même).
Connaissant la qualité des steaks aux US et avec cette adresse en poche, je né pouvais pas rater ça.
L’endroit est vraiment hyper populaire. J’ai du revenir une seconde fois pour avoir une table, et j’ai diné à 17h00Donc réserver bien à l’avance !
L’ambiance est bonne et le service à la limite de la perfection. Mon filet mignon était excellent et j’ai pris en entrée le fameux Shrimp cocktail super ! (attention très épicé).
La carte des vins est copieuse et au final cet endroit est à la hauteur de sa réputation. L’addition est élevée également.