Chumley’s Indy

Came in last Sunday with some friends to watch football. They seem to be severely under staffed. The people working were all very nice but definitely spread pretty thin. It took 15 minutes to get someone’s attention to let them know we didn’t have menus and no one had spoken to us. Yet again they were nice about it but seemed confused.
The kitchen staff were also acting as food runners and just walking around asking who ordered wings.
Apart from that it was a good experience. A lot of options and build your own sandwich options. The most interesting being a ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ patty that is half hamburger half bacon.
I had the club sandwich and it was good. I would definitely be interested in coming back here to watch football sometime but I will just prepare to be patient with the staff.

Service has always been terrible unless you go to the bar. Usually get waited on and get my own drinks because I never see the server. Food is actually pretty good but sadly I don’t think I will be visiting too often any longer. I would have given this place a 4 before new management.
Under new management they removed half of the draft lines and basically got rid of their Schooner special unless you like terrible beer on a Tuesday. Schooner night was a great night and reason for all of my friends to get together and hang out but there is almost no reason to visit now. They have zero craft beer specials. I now have much less desire go visit and will probably visit other bars instead. Did not even notice there was new ownership because service was just as terrible. They stated they were closed for 10 days for remodeling but it looks like the same bar with less taps on the wall…

Chumley’s is a Broad Ripple institution with great selection of craft beers at a reasonable price, and I must admit that I got scared when they got under a new management in mid August this year. Soon after there reopening, I went to the bar to grab a beer on tap. To my disappointment I realized that they got rid of a lot of their taps leaving about 24 of them. But I must say that the selection was still pretty good.
I went for another visit three weeks later, I was with a group and we where looking for a kitchen open in Broad Ripple Ave around 11:30 PM on a Sunday. Chumley’s was one of the few bars with there kitchen open. The staff confirmed that the kitchen is open as long as the bar is, which I appreciate a lot! Plus, the new menu is smaller, but the quality has improved. The thin crust pizza, the chicken nachos, and the pretzel bites we ordered were great and fresh!
I would definitely recommend anybody to give a try to the ”new” Chumley’s. One thing I know for sure is that I’ll be back there soon.

Definitely the better college bar in Broad Ripple. Food is pretty good and they have drink specials every day, including schooners on Mondays and Thursday, $ 3.75 Midwest beers on Tuesdays, and $ 3.75 Indiana beers on Saturday. There’s a broad beer selection with better finds than you might expect.
Service can be slow, even if you’re the only table around. More than once I’ve had to approach the bar before a waiter came over.
They also have an indoor/​outdoor area with huge windows that open up on to the sidewalk. It’s a nice place to sit when it’s warm.

Went in during March madness to watch IU. Sadly — the hoosiers couldn’t pull off the W but our server sure did. He was quick with drinks and never once messed up an order and we were being those people who kept moving around a lot. I had the chicken tenders and the hot BBQ sauce was very good. Local beers were a plenty and the TVs were all in prime viewing locations. Good place to watch some sports.

The Lemon Drop Martini is extremely strong. Probably one of the strongest I’ve ever had… and I like it!. The servers are awesome, well attentive. The fried pickle spears are divine. There is an ample amount of seating, great for gathering a group of friends. Love the seating along the street.
Not a fan of smelling the cigarette smoke blowing back into the bar…

I’ve been here about 4 times and the last time I went was the best experience I had out of all the other times.
After the past few times I don’t order beer on draft anymore. It’s clear that they don’t clean their taps and beers I’ve ordered from there have always tasted funky.
The last time I went, I decided to order beer from a bottle. It was significantly more enjoyable, of course. My friends built their own pizza but it came out with the wrong ingredients, so instead of taking it back they let us have it for free. That was pretty cool because I had never tasted their pizza before and it was GOOD, and CHEAP!

Not particularly inventive but still it is what it is. A sports bar. Generally for in class fair I’ll give a four as long as it meets the usual standards. However the taps are all kind of lukewarm. Fix that and you’ll get the four.

If you’re a beer drinker, this place will suit your fancy. Multiple good selections on tap and tons more available in bottle form. Wish they would offer tasters or even samples because I’ve had some real terrible selections on the recommendation of a server or bar tender.
This is also an excellent place for those that want to get out to Broad Ripple but don’t want to be packed in a sweaty dance club like sardines. If you sit on the balcony, you have built-​in people watching and entertainment all night long pretty much guaranteed.
Like another reviewer commented, the jalepeno tots were my favorite and was disappointed they were gone off the menu last time I was in there.

I’ve been here a handful of times for appetizers and drinks and have always had a great time. If you plan on coming back more than once definitely buy a 32oz. goblet for $ 6 — domestic refills are $ 2 and craft brews are $ 5.75 on Mondays and Thursdays.
The service is great even when the place is packed, bouncers are nice, and the appetizers are tasty. It’s everything you need for a fun night out unless you are looking for quiet!

I was one of 8 patrons on a early sunday evening. The bartender acted like I inconvenienced her from continuing a side staff conversation and paid no interest in me. There was constant chatting among the bored staff. What were they talking about you ask… they were making fun of customers right in front of me. I wonder what they had to say about me after I only finished half of my $ 5 beer…
As a hotelier of a luxury hotel, nothing irritates me more than staff being buried in cell phones and expecting a nice tip when you havent asked me about my day. Won’t be back…

I feel like I’ve been a patron of Chumley’s pretty much forever, but that is because I love Broad Ripple, like bar food, live close, and still think I’m young. Plus, there are TVs everywhere, so it’s a great place to watch sports.
I never got in on the schooner thing, but if there is one thing I do before I die, I WILL, mark my words, I WILL complete this Beer Passport and get my name on a little golden plaque on the wall to show to all the world my accomplishment of spending hundreds of dollars on week-​day nights (doesn’t work on weekends) & drinking various beers (52, I think) within a year… that’s only 1 a week, right? So what if one tastes like chili?
Anyway, they have lots of beer on draft, great burgers, good apps: tots, pretzel breadsticks, boneless wings with great sauce choices, pizza is good and they have a wide variety of sauce choices.
Props to Colin, he’s my fav server.
The only thing that’s missing is the jalapeño tots that they just discontinued for some reason. They were my fav thing on the menu. Bring back jalapeño tots!

Writing this review is killing me because I have always loved Chumley’s and have always made it a «must stop» when I come to BRipp… now, I don’t know that I will.
I was super hype for a night out with new friends to celebrate my roommate getting into med school (wooohooo! you go girl ;) and we all decided to go to Chumley’s because it was a place that we had all loved in the past and had great experiences at. It so pains me to have to leave my first review on a bad note.
When we arrived, the gentleman checking ID’s was very nice and super friendly, I thought for sure we were in for a great night… that is, until our waitress entered the scene. I don’t know if she had an opinion of the type of people she THOUGHT we were or what, but from the first moment she approached us, she had her nose in the air and her attention elsewhere. Not only did it take an unreasonably long amount of time to get our drinks, but she neglected to mention that two of the beers that we had ordered were no longer served there, and made no alternative options for which we could choose from… now, coming from the alcohol industry, you should always have a second option in your pocket in case things don’t work out… but I won’t hold that against her (mainly because there are a million other things that went far more wrong on this visit than that)
After waiting over 15 minutes to get our second round of drinks, members from our party went to the bar to get one of the many great options that Chumley’s offers, and once we realized that our waitress was never coming back, they just decided to continue ordering from the bar. When she did make an appearance, she rudely asked us to cash out since half of our party was using the bar and not her… I’m not sure how you can order from a waitress who is never attending to your table, but hey, to each her own.
When we did cash out, it pained each and every one of us to leave less than 20% as we were/​are all employed in the service industry, however horrible service is horrible service and there was no getting around the fact that this was just outright awful service. But what happened next was just beyond what I ever imagined to happen at a bar.
When our waitress returned our cards she said, and I quote «Did you all think that you had shitty service or something, because none of you tipped me 20%» EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE ME. After I picked my jaw up from the floor all I could do was muster up the words to ask for her manager. After over two years as a server, I know as do most individuals that you NEVER question a tip that you receive. NEVER. If this lady knew the amount of times that people didn’t tip at all she may be singing a different tune.
Anyways…
After the server blatantly bitched (there is no other word for what we WATCHED happen) to her manager about how much of a problem we were to her, the manager came over and apologized. I feel bad for her because it seems like that server just walks all over everyone which is really a shame because as mentioned above, I LOOVED this place, but I refuse to be treated with such disrespect and unprofessionalism again.
So sad. So, so sad.

When I go out, I don’t really want to go to a dancing bar. I’d rather sit at a table and talk with my friends and actually be able to hear them. Chumley’s is the place to go for that.
They have drink specials every night and a long list of cocktails for anyone who isn’t a fan of their extensive beer list (read: me).
Appy Hour (half priced apps) is weekdays from 3 – 7. Any bar food you could want is on that menu. I decided to be fat and got spinach and artichoke dip (okay) and mozzarella sticks (yum!). Definitely worth paying half price!
After a few drinks here, I might end up at Wild Beaver down the street. Enough drinks and I will want to go to a dancing bar.
Overall, an okay place to go.

Ate here with a meetup (
) last weekend. The atmosphere is nice. Having a wide open front end is great when the weather is right. Not sure how they handle it when it’s colder, may or may not be a problem.
Was really good for the large group we had. Our waitress, Ashley (I think), was phenomenal. Huge props to her in making the experience not only pleasant but actually enjoyable despite having a good 20 – 30 people there.
I’m giving a 4 star review because of the fact that they have 50 beers on tap. I’d give them a 3 otherwise, probably. The food was good, but certainly not great. Nothing special, but not bad either. I got the California Burger. The burger is a good sized, but it’s the flattened, well done style (i.e. a large McDonald’s patty), not a thick, juicy burger cooked at your preferred temperature (where all the taste is!). Potato chips on the side with a french onion dip. Again, not bad, not great. Not worth complaint or commendation.
Back to the beers. Awesome. The fact that I have a problem choosing is a problem that earns an extra star. Got to try three other local brews that I hadn’t seen elsewhere since my time in Indy (not long, admittedly). My wife and I both thoroughly enjoyed the beers we chose and will definitely be back again for drinks if nothing else.

I was expecting some grungy bar for some reason but Chumley’s has a very contemporary feel. We found a booth right away for a Saturday night and had no problem ordering drinks.
Downfall: can’t play any table games on the weekend… woommmmp.

Chumley’s provides a little bit of a refuge for when you are looking for something a little lower key in Broad Ripple. It’s not a dance place, and it usually doesn’t get too crowded to go in and get some dinner at night. Predominantly a sports place, it also is a good bar to get a larger table with a big group in a setting that is usually quiet enough to have actual discussions without yelling, assuming it isn’t too full, which it sometimes can get for larger events. It has one of the larger seating areas relative to other bars on the strip, and has a great seating area along the front window of the place that even opens up completely during the warmer months so you can do some people watching while enjoying that beer.
Beer is what they do here, and I think they have the best selection of any place on Broad Ripple Ave hands down. As a complete guess, I’d say they have 40+ taps of great craft beer. They have a long list of bottles, and of course carry all of the popular light beers for when quantity plays more of a role than quality. Bartender knowledge about their beers is hit and miss, but some of them can give you a good recommendation. They have at least been open to letting me try them before committing to a pint if there is one I am curious about. If you like exploring through a variety of beers, they have some type of beer passport that you can get and when you try one on the list, they will sign off on it. When you finish the entire list you actually get your name put up on a little nameplate above the bar.
The food is your standard bar food. It’s a lot of burgers, sandwiches, and deep fried concoctions. They do have quite the selection of burger toppings, but they aren’t the most quality of ingredients. The traditional bone-​in wings are really good here, and are half price on Sundays. The boneless wings are terrible, and I would avoid them. I think that they have other food specials on just about every night of the week, and beer specials to go along with them. Usually beer is a bucket special or it’s common to see reduced prices on Indiana beers, which they carry a large selection of. I wouldn’t come here for the food on its own any night of the week, but if you want a good beer to go along with it, it should make it worth it.
The service is hit and miss. The bartenders have all been pretty good except for my last visit. Service in the seating area is pretty lackluster. It’s your typical bar service where one person is probably covering more tables than they should so things get spread thin when they get busy. As far as entertainment, they will play sound over the speakers for large sporting events, but there is music on at all other times. They have a couple pool tables, shuffleboard, and maybe darts or something like that also. There are a lot of TVs, but they could definitely use an update and it wouldn’t be uncommon to have the one you’re watching start to skip or develop a large dark patch on the screen. Pretty much every seat has a view of at least one TV though. A final note, the bathrooms are some of the worst in Brip, and that’s not setting the competition too high.

Before there was Kilroy’s in Broadripple, Chumley’s reigned as king of the sports bars on the strip. Although some of the business has moved across the street, Chumley’s is still typically full on a weeknight and is always full on Monday/​Thursday for Schooner night. What’s schooner night, you ask? Well my friend, read on…
The booze: on any given Monday or Thursday, one can fill a 32oz glass (purchased for $ 6 and yours to keep and bring back in the future, called a schooner) with either domestic draft for $ 2 or any other draft (think Sun King and other locals) for $ 5.75. They have a ton of local beers on draft, and this is a great way to enjoy them at a low cost. Oh, you don’t like beer? You can fill your schooner with any mixed drink for the price of a double (so roughly $ 10 for a 32oz hand made Long Island, none of that premix garbage)
On Saturday, you can grab a pint of Indiana beer for $ 3.75, yet another great deal.
The food: hit or miss, but generally good for bar food. If you stick to the burgers, wraps, or wings, you’ll be satisfied with what you get for what you pay
Service: if they are busy, service is usually pretty slow for food, but I’ve never had a problem keeping my drink full
Overall: don’t feel like you should go to kilroys just because you know the name. Chumleys has a TON more local beer options, better food, and costs less.

I get dragged to Chumley’s on a fairly regular basis by friends and co-​workers when we go for drinks in Broadripple, but I am not really a fan myself. I also find it amusing that it’s called «Chumley’s Grill» because do people really eat here? After about 8:00, all I ever see is a whole lot of drinking going on. But I guess they have a food menu.
What don’t I like? Well, it’s always super crowded. We went on a Thursday night last week, and it wasn’t much less crowded than on a Friday or Saturday night, probably because that’s schooner night. Also, it always takes sooo long to get drinks. And it’s a sports bar (which I don’t enjoy anyway), but it’s so loud that it’s really hard to talk to other people and would be impossible to listen to what’s going on in a game, even when 12 different tvs are blaring.
I’m sure people will keep dragging me here. And I like these people, so I’ll come, but I don’t understand what they like about it.

For being smack dab in the middle of the «Broad Ripple Strip,» this place has kept up with its bar competition. Don’t expect to walk inside and get your groove thang on, but know it’s an ideal spot to grab a beer (or two, or five) and chat with your friends. These type of settings are so much more appealing to me than clubs. Last night I ordered a Summer Shandy and was so very thankful that they were still selling it. Just the other day I saw that Oktoberfest brews were taking over the shelves. Trust me, I love a good Oktoberfest beer, but I don’t want to say goodbye to Summer Shandy quite yet. Especially considering the fact that it’s been blazing hot this week.
Ok, back to Chumley’s. I liked it. I liked it to the point that I would most likely return. I’m always a little skeptical of Broad Ripple in general — but finding a spot like Chumley’s warms my soul.