Ralston’s Drafthouse

The recession burger was delicious! I was skeptical but took a chance and enjoyed every bite. I also had the fries and homemade ketchup which were good

I actually tried Ralston’s the first time ever surprisingly. As often as I’m out and about on Mass Ave. and as interested as I have been in going there, it just took me a long time to get to it.
I still kind of feel the same way.
There’s nothing really wrong with the place. I just think it’s just an ok place.
Our waiter was great. He was pretty patient as I was scanning through the beer list (which is an impressive list) and he was a perfectly nice man just doing his job.
My friend wanted to get the soft pretzel appetizers, so we did. They come out with a beer cheese dip, a honey mustard dip and another kind of mustard I believe it was. I only enjoyed the beer cheese dip with the pretzel and as cute of a display it was, I just thought it was a bit underwhelming. The cheese dip was good, but it was almost borderline flavorless.
I then got the mushroom onion burger. I thought it was fine, but once again, I just wasn’t blown away. I wasn’t a big fan of the pretzel bun and the I found the burger itself just a little underwhelming also.
I really would like to give this place another try and maybe this time just avoid all of the pretzel items in general, because I think there is definitely a lot more potential in the place.
I’ll definitely be coming back for the drinking aspect as it is a nice place to really just get together with your friends and have beer and cocktails. Plus, I think this place would be so much more magnificent in the spring and summer when you can sit outside and really enjoy the energy that Mass Ave has.
So far at the moment though, it’s just «an ok» place for me.

this place has grown on me. was not a big fan of the menu at first but realized recently it has evolved for the better. in addition to a great bar I consider this a go-​to food spot. they also have friendly service, darts, shuffle board and clean bathrooms

Great Bloody Mary’s. For $ 5 and Ketel One, it’s a must have on a Sunday. They’re «El Guapo» wasn’t quite memorable with fish, but I appreciated the fresh ingredients. I love their sweet potato fries and cream cheese dip. Though, I didn’t realize it was an extra $ 1. And I don’t know why, but up charging condiments is huge pet peeve.
Ralston’s lives up to its name as a true that it is a draft house. Unless it’s summer, it’s always cold in there.

This is a great place for casual drinks and super awesome food. Food can be pricy, but worth it. The beer selection is excellent and bar tenders/​staff are friendly and helpful in making selections. Definitely recommend it!

As one of the architects of Indianapolis, Alexander Ralston would be ecstatic to see the progress his creation has made. That being said, Ralston’s Drafthouse is a celebration of all things Indy, from the décor to the menu. The outdoor space is superb and this place will be packed most evenings.
Pro-​Tip: Head here for brunch on Saturday or Sunday. It’s not insanely busy, there’s no kids around since you have to be 21+ to enter, and the chorizo biscuits and gravy are worth the money.
Great local beer list and fantastic menu.

Just stopped in sat at bar waited 5 min no one greeted us no bartender so we left it was weird plenty of people working did not seem to care

The word «fine» comes to mind. Not terrible, not great.
They have decent, well-​priced food. Most sandwiches and flat breads run between $ 8 – 12.
Highlight: The Sauced Duck — best thing on the menu
Keep in mind the restaurant is 21+ after 9 pm.

We have had a couple of 4 star experiences here, but too many 1 – 2 star ones. Service has been inconsistent over the years, while leaning more towards slow and unattentive. One occasion we waited nearly 3 hours for a meal, while our waitress kept saying «it’ll be ok, I’ll take care of it» which to me says, we shouldn’t have to pay for a meal that was not even entered into the system for over an hour.
When informed of such a terrible experience and that we still had to pay for our meals (with no discount whatsoever), the manager said «I’ll take care of you next time.»
Really, ralstons? Really?

I enjoyed a bomb Sunday brunch here with a group of friends. Located on Mass Ave. — One of my favorite areas of downtown Indy. While searching for a brunch spot a friend suggested Ralston’s. I have enjoyed a dinner or two here and was eager to try out their brunch.
We were easily accommodated at around 11:30am with our large party of 8. We were all desperate for a hair of the dog. A few of my friend chose a strawberry lemon and basil mimosa and loved it. The real excitement came with the bloody mary special… $ 5 14 oz Ketel One Bloody Mary’s. Bloody hell that was a deal. Very spicy and made with sriracha. This instantly had my hangover gone and me feeling like a million bucks.
Some friends casually enjoyed throwing darts while we waited for our brunch to arrive. The atmosphere was great for a Sunday morning. They have a nice patio area were many people were enjoying their post Halloween night meals in the first Sunday of November.
I ordered the Wakin’ Bacon. Wow. This was an awesome concoction. Wrapped inside a flatbread was scrambled eggs, chorizo, bacon, habanero sauce, coconut, and mixed greens. I chose the rosemary potatoes as my side upon a suggestion from a friend. This meal exceeded my expectation. Perfect amount of spice in the flatbread and all the ingredients pair lovely together.
Service was great. Everything was very fast. Very reasonable brunch prices. No one likes to break the bank at brunch. Can’t wait to spend another Sunday Fun Day here in the future!

Have you ever been stuck at an airport waiting for your flight to arrive, walked over to an airport bar, ordered a drink, and then chatted with a complete stranger to pass the time? I do this all the time. And then I stalk them all over social media because I am creepy like that.
Anyway, I had some time to kill before heading off to the airport so I came here to pass the time. I figured a real bar with an outdoor patio sure beats spending time inside of a stuffy airport bar. When it comes down to it, fresh air plus cheaper booze prices equals drunker and happier Archie. Good times.
Ralston’s Drafthouse offers up plenty of craft beers and craft dishes in a «crafty» environment. Everything about it was exceedingly «inspired basic.» It’s sort of like when your guy friend who always wears holy t-​shirts, loose fitting jeans, and dirty white sneakers heads to the mall and buys an entire outfit for Friday night at Express. Sure, he looks good. But he looks like every other guy at the bar that night. And that’s pretty much the issue with Ralston’s Drafthouse: It reminds me of every other craft beer joint.
Beer was alright. Food was alright. Staff was excellent. If you’re in the area, come on by and pass the time. Maybe you’ll find someone to stalk on social media. Good times.

I have to update my review based on my experience this past Sunday for the brunch. Do not go here for Brunch. There are such better places in Indy for brunch.
We arrived at noon. We were the first people on the porch, so I am assuming they hadn’t served very many people before we came in. I ordered the yogurt and granola and was told about 5 minutes after ordering they were out of granola. Maybe if they were busier or if the time was toward the end of the brunch I would have understood but to be out of the main part of a dish so early was just disappointing. I asked if I could have more fruit to sub but do not think I was given that.
My boyfriend has something with their gravy. He didn’t finish it and let me tell you my boyfriend loves gravy. We both said after the meal we wish we could have a brunch do-​over and that now we both know better not to come here for brunch. The food was lack luster and brunch is one of my favorite meals. I’ve learned, at least for me, Ralstons in not the place to eat for the price but the place to drink.
Stick with porch beers, flat bread, and their homemade ketchup.

I’ve been to Ralston’s a couple of different times, but recently just had food there. I stopped in for brunch on a Saturday morning in June with a group of friends because they had an outdoor patio with enough room for our group, and they allowed kids.
Starting out with Bloody Mary’s, we learned that spicy meant spicy here. The lightweights in the group couldn’t handle it, but those who liked a little heat were pleasantly surprised. Keep this in mind if you’re a Bloody Mary fan.
The breakfast menu was bigger than I thought. I went the healthy route and did the fruit with yogurt and granola. I wasn’t expecting it to come all together in a bowl, but it wasn’t bad. Next time I’ll probably ask them to separate out the fruit so I can enjoy it without having it coated in yogurt.
It was a busy morning and they got a lot busier not too long after we sat down, and the service was a little disappointing just because we had to wait so long for everything. Definitely worth checking out again!

Good food and beer, service is inconsistent.
I used to live a couple blocks from Mass Ave, so I’ve probably been here at least 10+ times. The food has consistently been good. I noticed there are some subpar reviews regarding the food but I haven’t had a bad experience yet. I love the beers (Kentucky bourbon is great) and all of the burgers I’ve tried (especially the Guac burger), but the service has not been on the same level as the food. It’s been quite inconsistent. However, I love the atmosphere, location, and food. The patio is an added bonus because I prefer to eat outside when there is nice weather. I love the sweet potato fries as the side.
I’ve moved further away, but I hope to still be able to visit once in a while (and I hope the service continues to improve).

All you need to know: nachos. And sweet potato waffle fries with cinnamon and brown sugar cream cheese.
Cool atmosphere both inside and out on the patio and a good list of local and regional beers and ciders on draft. Bushelhead!
Our server was slow as all heck and when he was actually at our table, he recommended a really bad sour Lambic to our table. I have no idea why I listened to him — maybe I’d been a tad over served on cider at that point, but there was $ 6 down the drain on a drink I didn’t finish. I have a hunch that some of the other reviews complaining about a specific male server are about him, but I guess I may never know. Hopefully he sees these reviews and improves his customer service.
Definitely will come back for the good food, beer list (no Lambic), as well as for the darts and shuffleboard.

The only redeeming feature of this bar is the beer.
I ordered a New York style sandwich which was hardly the way it was described on the menu. The description stated a sandwich piled with meat. The sandwich that I got was close to a super dry panini. The sandwich stood a whopping inch-​high and the dry meat fell off as the breads cannot support aged-​dry meat. After reading this review, the amount of «dry» to describe the sandwich still is probably not sufficient. Be ready to order at least three beers to finish your meal. Would not recommend.

One of my friends says I’m obsessed with Ralston’s. I’m not sure if obsessed is a good word, but I definitely frequent this place.
I’ll start off with a negative — there is a particular waiter that makes me want to turn around and walk out. One bad experience? Okay. Two? Might be a coincidence. Three? How does this guy still have a job?
Aside from one particular server, all of my other waitstaff have been great.
I love Ralston’s because of their beer menu. They have a great selection at a very reasonable price. I like to try new things, so I’m usually just picking something random.
I’ve also always enjoyed my food. Have you tried the tenderloin? No? Go. Right now. Get it fried, obviously, and get the slaw for your side. It’s my favorite meal.
Another reason I love this place is because the patio. I can usually get a spot — the bar is open seating — with a short wait.
I highly recommend.

I had the most hilarious, worst first date ever at Ralston’s, so the beer selection was my saving grace. Mad Anthony, Founder’s, Ommegang, Dark Horse, Oaken Barrel, Oskar Blues, Mashcraft, Dogfish Head, Flat 12, Tyranena… all were perfect for large gulps as you witness your awful date get completely wasted and repeatedly pound his fist against the table top to show you how «powerful» he is. Bartender, another beer please!
Bonus: Ralston’s has a decent-​sized patio so people can witness your terrible first date and buy you a sympathy beer afterwards.

Tons of draft beer, great food, house-​made beer cheese and shuffleboard. What’s not to like?
Food to get: ‘Merica Fries w/​white cheddar cheese sauce, the peachy pig flatbread, the Indy Sandwich (a philly cheesesteak with their white cheddar cheese sauce and onion straws) and the crab dip.
It was PACKED on the Friday night we went, which apparently is the only night they do not offer reservations, but after a long 45 minute wait, the food more than made up for it. They had like 50 beers on draft too (which makes sense for a restaurant with daft house in the name)
Good location (except for parking), tons of good beer, awesome food and games. A+ for me!

I came here for lunch with my coworkers. The choice of places to go were Patachou (a regular staple of mine), Shoefly Public House (never been and I recommended), and Ralston’s. Several people in the group had been to Ralston’s before and it just seemed to be the most convenient choice.
It was my first time at Ralston’s and at first impression is a regular sports bar with a shuffle board and a couple of dart boards. I would never have guessed that they would have gastro pub food here.
I got the Peachy Pig flatbread with rosemary potatoes. I like that there was a variety of sides that you could choose from. To go with your dish. The place also has a large drink menu. I thought my dish was awesome, the pulled pork and peach chipotle were perfect together and they also gave a good amount of meat. The Rosemary potatoes were okay, I felt that they were a bit over cooked, having the slightly getting to the burnt point flavor and a bit hard.
Everyone else also seemed to really like their food and our server was really nice. That’s why I’m giving Ralston’s 4 stars, although I felt it bordered 3 – 3.5 starts.