Avidity Restaurant Ultra Lounge

I have to preface this review by saying that I hate the inside of this place. The décor is very specific and gives off a sort of creepy dungeon vibe. My friends and I will only go here when it’s nice enough to sit outside. They have an amazing patio, especially for being downtown. It’s actually one of my favorite outside spaces in Lafayette and Indianapolis. The drinks are priced very well. The food is a little more expensive considering the drink prices, but it tastes good, is nicely portioned, and is on-​par with other restaurants in the area. We have often had the same waiter who is prompt and attentive. We held my boyfriend’s birthday get-​together here last summer and the staff was very accommodating to our large party (around 15 people). When the weather is nice this is our go-​to place.

Great food, drinks, service and outdoor patio! My partner and I like to share the wasabi shrimp appetizer and the Alaskan salmon dinner (with loaded mashed potatoes and veggies). Very filling and always satisfying. Joshua is a fantastic bartender and always surprises me with his creativity and knowledge of tasty beverages.

A group of friends and I rung in the new year here. Our bartender wad Joshua and our server wad Lacie. The service and drinks were excellent, and arrived a very short time after ordering. Water glasses at the table were never empty (one of my personal measures of good service).
We ordered a few apps for the table, all of which were well prepared and quite tasty. The prices are excellent, much lower that other businesses downtown.
The environment at Avidity was quiet and chill, it is rather dim however so if you don’t see well in low light, you will have an issue. The décor was rich and well thought out, the tile backsplash at the bar is my favorite part of the room. The main room also features two fireplaces and couches to relax on.
I will definitely be back!

I love this place. This was my third trip and probably the best ever. The first time was about a year and a half ago during one of the street festivals (summer). My friends and I had appetizers and drinks on the patio. Very nice. The second time my partner (a certified chef) and I came for drinks only. But we decided on split an appetizer so he could test the food quality. We got the chicken wonton tacos. They were spot on. The drinks were made with the greatest precision. It was entertaining just to watch the bar tender.
Tonight my partner had a dinner he needed to attend. I really didn’t feel like cooking for myself so decided to try dinner there. Most of my friends are traveling to see family or have family in town so it was just me. As a single lady dinner out by yourself can be daunting. However I went and am so glad I did. My pre-​dinner drink, the blue lagoon was made with the same precision as my last experience. I could seriously sit and watch the bartenders all night. The lamb chops were spot on as well as the mashed potatoes. I also loved the cucumber salsa/​salad. It also came with a side salad. I got the Orange-​honey vinaigrette. It was crisp and great. The only reason they get only 4 stars is that everything was served at the same time. Salad and hot meal. Bummer. By the time I finished the salad my lamb was just luke warm. Yes I could have eaten the hot portions first but I’m OCD and eat dinner in traditional order. Yea I will be back.

Give this place a try. Ben the bartender may be the best I’ve seen outside any big city. The guy actually tastes each drink to make sure it’s to his liking. (he dips a straw into to the drink and samples it). Just got one of the apps because we weren’t really there for food but had the chicken won ton tacos and we scarfed them in no time, tasty and just right for the evening. The décor is a lil weird but all in all cool joint and we will be back.

I’ve only had drinks at Avidity, but I feel safe to say that Ben is the best bartender in Tippecanoe County. There is a wide variety of beer and interesting cocktails up for drinking here. The patio is great and good music is always playing. The only downside is cell service is non-​existent in the bar area, but hey, let’s all just have a chat and put the phones down, eh?
Cheers! Go and have a cocktail.

The only redeeming quality about this place is the patio in the summer. Other than that, it’s not very remarkable. The décor on the inside is weird, almost Alice in Wonderland-​ish, very dark. We have never eaten here so can’t comment on the food but all of the drinks we’ve ever ordered have just been flat out bad.

As part of a systematic effort to try all of the places in Lafayette, I went here with no particular expectations. The décor inside is strange. It is going for a lounge vibe, obviously. But, even when it’s empty, I found the inside a bit tight and too small. Too many tables, etc. The patio on the other hand is really very nice. The main thing that would have made it awesome is simply more people. I think it could make for a really good spot when full.
Both the bartender and the server were very knowledgeable about the local beers they had on tap, which were excellent. The food was also not disappointing, although my medium rare burger was definitely not medium rare.
Avidity is very close to being a really good place. Mainly it just needs more folks to show up and give it a good vibe.

Avidity is not the best or worst place to eat out in Lafayette. And while that may not sound like much it really makes a difference. It’s open much later than most places, and if you’re not really feeling the grease of DT Kirby’s, this may be your best choice.
I really like the tents outside, and the ambiance inside can get… interesting; not in love with the ambiance/​decorations and really confused by the random curtain to the side. But even then it’s not too bad for a date.
The food is decent. I’ve tried two of their fondues so far and both have surpassed my expectations (yay!) The nacho cheese fondue didn’t remind me of cheese that came out of a can and the chocolate fondue was not reminiscent of Hersey’s chocolate (which is what I was expecting). Everything else I’ve tried has also been decent. So basically, take it for what it is.

I have been to Avidity a handful of times now since they opened. This review is really two parts. Let’s start with the food…
On my first visit, I just popped in for a beer to check the place out. The menu looked interesting. The next time I went in with a friend of mine to eat. I had the fin, fowl, and beef which I hoped to be a delicious experience. Each bite of the fish, duck, and steak was more disappointing than the previous bite. I’ve had better fish and chips in a dive bar. My friend had a steak sandwich (which is his staple). When I asked how is sandwich was, he gave me «a look.» This look meant he didn’t want to mention how mediocre it was in front of the bartender.
So, after this experience, I didn’t eat there for many months giving them some time to hone their skill. I would be walking by on a Thursday and saw a sign for a «Southern Fried Chicken» dinner special. I finally decided to give it a try since I just can’t seem to find good fried chicken around town (and that colonel’s chain doesn’t count as anywhere near good). The server told me it came with mashed potatoes, green beans, and cornbread. That sounded like an ideal fried chicken dinner. The server came out about 5 minutes later and told me they had some problems that the cornbread didn’t come out right and he would substitute corn. Then the dinner came. The beans were something out of a #10 can with absolutely no indication they had the flavor of actual green beans. Jolly Green Giant frozen beans are way better. The gravy for the potatoes was something out of a grocery store brand jar of gravy. The corn and potatoes were blah. Then the chicken… I so wanted it to be good and it was less desirable than that big chain place which starts with a K. I’d rather eat a Swanson «Hungry Man» chicken dinner. As for the cornbread, how can one screw up a Jiffy brand out of a box (which is likely what is was)?
Someone once told me their appetizers are ok. I find that hard to believe though. Maybe they should just drop their regular menu and be an appetizer place to go with their ultra lounge atmosphere. All I can say as that no more food from this place will go into my stomach.
On to the other aspects of this place. The drink prices are very good for downtown Lafayette. On Thurs, they had $ 1 well drinks. That is even cheaper than a dive college bar for a summer special. Even their regular prices for most drinks/​beer tend to be $ 1 (or more) less than most of their competitors. The servers have always been helpful, friendly, and efficient each time I’ve visited (whether for drinks or food). The outdoor patio is nice being tucked away with greenery and trees all around the tables. The only reason I give this place 2 stars is for the service/​drinks. If I had to rate the food, it would be zero stars. I can open up cans of food and microwave frozen Banquet chicken at home for the same quality.

I went to Avidity for the first time on Thursday for a typical co-​worker happy hour. I was impressed with the décor, both inside and out (we sat outside), restrooms were very clean. It is clear that they cater to the «experience» of dining out, which is nice.
When I arrived, there were just three of us in our party… but every time the waitress came back with drinks/​food, at least another person in our party had gotten there… until there were about 15 of us. Oops! Our server kept up with us and never once looked flustered. She really was pretty great, but I can’t remember her name. I made sure to give her a good tip. I had the steak quesadilla, and it was pretty good (although it’s hard to mess up a quesadilla). Everyone in our group seemed pretty happy with the food and service.
Thursday was «$ 1 well drink» night, and we all took advantage of it. To my surprise, my dollar vodka tonic was an actual vodka tonic, and not just «tonic with a splash of vodka.» It was actually quite strong!
The *only thing* I was not happy with was that there were huge wasps outside where everyone was sitting (not just our group, but pretty much every party there on Thursday was sitting outside… it was nice out). Please spray for wasps!
I didn’t give five stars because of the wasps and because I’ve only had one experience there, so there’s always room for improvement. That said, I had a great time at this restaurant.

I went here with my boyfriend and my parents, and overall we enjoyed our experience. The patio is very nice and offers views of the courthouse. I think my favorite thing was the value. The drinks and food were interesting, well-​done and pretty cheap. (1.75 PBR) I shared the steak sandwich with my mom and we both had salads before. The southwest dressing was a little peppery but they were really nice about bring us a different dressing (avocado cucumber or something) which was excellent. We had a bottle of wine and the chocolate fondue for dessert. Overall, I enjoyed the value and the patio. Will definitely be returning.

A friend and I decided to start our night out with appetizers here. This place is a bit tucked away, but once you find it, it’s really cute. The interior is very fresh and modern-​looking.
I started off with Deep Fried Breadsticks, which were okay but not remarkable. We also had the Traditional Cheese Fondue, but the friend I was with claimed that it wasn’t a «real» fondue, because it didn’t have wine in it. It wasn’t too great either.
We also had drinks with our food. I ordered a Cheesecake martini, but it didn’t taste like we expected. It ended up being more of a «strawberry cream» martini. My friend mentioned this to our server, and she offered to replace it with a different drink free of charge, explaining that they were still tweaking their recipes. I had an Apple-​tini for a replacement, and that was very yummy.
So, I think the food could still use some work, but I think the service was fairly good.

I’m not crazy about the décor, but I guess that’s a matter of taste. I came here for lunch, which they just started serving. The service was excellent, the food was good, and I was in and out with plenty of time to get back to work. I will eat here again.

I had no idea this place existed until I went to dinner here with a group of friends. It must be a relatively new restaurant/​bar because it seemed like it was still getting its feet wet and feeling out what type of clientele would be eating and drinking there. The staff was all very friendly and eager for customers and the food and drink was all topnotch. It’s a little hard to find, but the best way to describe it is right across the street from the courthouse on the east side. Friday night they had great drink specials – $ 2.50 well drinks and they were decently sized too. I was pleased with what they had to offer in terms of drink varieties. And apparently on Saturdays they have $ 1.75 PBRs so I’d eat that up in an instant.
Their food was really great also. Our group had a combo of a fresh salad with a steak on top of it, cooked to order, and BLT with deep fried bacon and a mound of fries, chicken fingers, and much more. The portions were quite large and worth the price, which averaged around $ 12 to $ 13 a meal. The food was delicious and the atmosphere is very classy so it would definitely make for a nice dinner out. The lounge has couches, bar space, tables for eating, and many TVs if you’re there for that type of entertainment. I’ll cross my fingers that this place will succeed in downtown Lafayette.

The outdoor seating area looked bustling and fun, but unfortunately the day we went there wasn’t any seating available. We went inside and the staff seemed a bit unsure what to do with us, the servers and owner hesitated about who should seat us and it took a good bit for them to get back and take our drink order. Drinks were great, but the food was less than stellar. Steak kabob was severely overdone and cold, fried dishes were lukewarm and the house specialty sauces, although super tasty, had to be requested several times.
I’m hoping this is a reflection of the newness of the establishment and will be worked out in time. Going again with girlfriends for happy hour and it’s been 2 months since I’ve been previously, so we shall see!

Well we had to try it but actually only ordered appetizers and decided there was nothing appealing on the menu. So the «fondue» is a small bowl of nacho cheese lit by a tea light candle that didn’t really have anything special about it and the bacon wrapped jalapeños had to be stock frozen «poppers» with a piece of bacon. I asked about the mozzarella sticks to see if they were hand breaded (b/​c nothing is better than homemade sticks) — nope frozen. The mojito wasn’t half bad but the inside décor while trying to be trendy was strangely cafeteria like. Moved on for dinner at Black Sparrow where we knew we could get a meal made with homemade ingredients and creativity.