Nightlife in Indianapolis

16 clubs, live music venues and late-night spots in Indianapolis.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Eat
Capri
Locally owned Italian restaurant that is one of the stars of the city. The family is from Naples, and the food is fresh and delectable. Dine in the bar—a dark wooden collection of comfy couches and a few televisions. Live music all week and a nice wine list.
Do
Chatterbox
A local favorite and one of the oldest bars in town. It's a Mass Ave. staple that has walls graffitied by visitors and the bathrooms as well. Bring a marker. Drinks are really strong and they have a small wine menu with good choices and beers too. Live jazz is the thing here. The teeny tiny bar features a teeny tiny stage that caters to Indy's finest real jazz. This is the place to hear good simple old school jazz at its finest. Smoke free early in the evening, and outdoor seating which is the best in town. Check the website for wine tastings and special events. Great place to mix with the locals—artists, journalists, musicians all call it home. Grab some Jamaican Patties while you're there. 21+.
Drink
Coaches Tavern
Popular for lunch and after-work meet ups, Coaches celebrates just that—sports and coaches. A nice wooden pub located right downtown with high tables, video games and jukebox, and of course sports on the TV. Live music and DJs offer entertainment on the small stage and outdoor seating is nice during the warm months. Thursdays is $2 pint night, and the beer choices are good and plentiful. They also serve food—and lots of it. Great place for lunch and a brew in the afternoon. Vegetarian-friendly. 21+
Do
Crooked Stick Golf Club
Has hosted the 2009 U.S. Senior Open, 2005 Solheim Cup, 1993 US Women's Open and 1991 PGA Championship. Designed by Pete Dye.
Drink
Easley Winery
The oldest winery in downtown Indy. Free guided tours, wine tasting, and events. In warm months they feature after-work cocktails and live music. Check out the wine-shop featuring tons of wine and beer making goods.
Eat
Edelweiss Restaurant
Located inside German Park on the far south side of Indianapolis, this restaurant is run by a private club (the German-American Klub) but is open to the public. Serves lunch Tuesday through Saturday and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Food is mostly Bavarian in style, with some American specialties on the menu with daily specials. Friday evenings often have live entertainment in the quaint Gasthaus-style dining room. There is also a Biergarten for dining on pleasant evenings. A ballroom on the upper floor is available for rental.
See
Indianapolis Art Center
Formed in 1934, it continues to be one of the Midwest's premier community art centers. Check out one of the many local art exhibits, take an affordable art class, relax and read a book in the beautiful library, shop at the art gallery gift shop and don't pass up the amazing ARTSPARK located around the White River and the natural grounds. ARTSPARK has interactive sculptures laid out through the 12 acres (5 ha) designed by Michael Graves, a Hoosier native known throughout the world for his architecture and design work. Each summer you can check out the fun Broad Ripple Arts Fair, which features arts and crafts, food and booze, and live music galore on the grounds.
Mon–Fri 9AM–10PM, Sat 9AM–6PM Sun noon–6PMFree
Do
Melody Inn
One of the oldest bars in town has become the haven for punk rock and underground music in the city. Built in 1933, the bar features local relics in the decor, a back VIP lounge, the best jukebox in town and a friendly staff and group of regulars. Punk, indie, acid jazz, folk, rockabilly, techno, goth is the main beat here. They also have retro video games and pool. Drinks are cheap and hard, and the beer selection is unique and good sized. The house specialty is Pabst Blue Ribbon, and specials are usually $1.25 for a can. It is a great dive bar. $2–6. 21+.
Eat
St. Elmo Steak House
Downtown in Indy since 1902, the restaurant has gone through some changes, but the biggest asset is the main room. Make reservations to dine in the main room/entry room/bar. This is the original restaurant, the walls are covered with celebrity photos including more car racing stars than the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's museum, artwork and memorabilia from the opening to present. Their shrimp cocktail features giant prawns and is the best in the city. The wooden bar is beautiful and the prep-chef sits in the window, serving up shrimp cocktails and preparing seafood and steaks for your viewing.
Eat
Sullivan's
Inspired by the famous boxer, 1940s decor offers up amazing steaks and seafood. Now smoke free, their bar is a great place to hear live jazz and watch a sports game. Bar menu is a tad different than the dining room. The bar menu features "The City's Best Hamburger" and it is—thick, juicy and cooked perfectly. Also order a chocolate souffle when you order dinner, your taste buds will thank you. Vegetarian friendly.
Do
The Jazz Kitchen
Voted one of the top 100 jazz bars in the world by DownBeat magazine, serving up jazz, salsa and American fusion food. Music six days a week. Wednesday features live jazz and soul/neo-soul/neo-jazz DJs, Thursday is Indy's biggest salsa night too. Cover ranges. 21+.
Drink
The Vogue
A movie theater built in the 1930s, in the 1970s it opened up as a music venue and nightclub. Now, it's the place for college kids to get wasted on the weekends and dance to top 40 and retro tunes. You'll also find great live music and past acts include Cheap Trick, Johnny Cash, David Byrne, The White Stripes, Common, Sean Paul, The Faint, VHS Or Beta, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams III, The Black Keys and more. Cover varies. 21+
Do Not mapped
Indiana State Fair
The biggest summer event in the state. A trip to Indiana isn't complete without a trip to the fair. Animals, crafts, art, rides, dancing, education, environmentalism, Hoosier Pride and food. They also have live music and concerts. Prairie Home Companion comes every other year. Although many locals usually complain about the food being largely overpriced.
Do Not mapped
Indy Jazz Fest
A very popular event featuring jazz, blues, bluegrass, roots, r&b, zydeco, and fusion bands. Vendors also sell food and drinks. Past performers include Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt, Wynton Marsalis, BB King, Chris Isaak, Blind Boys of Alabama, Ray Charles, and James Brown.
September 12-17th
Do Not mapped
Oktoberfest
Held annually since 1974, Oktoberfest is a celebration of German culture organized by the German-American Klub. The festival features German food and beer, along with other food vendors, live music (on at least two stages), shopping, and German dance exhibitions.
Do Not mapped
Vintage Indiana Wine & Food Fest
Over a dozen Indiana wineries come together in downtown Indy, offering samples of their finest. Restaurants from the city participate as well, serving up samples too. Cooking classes show you how to cook with wine, and Indy's finest live music acts perform. There is a kid's activity area too for the under 21ers Though it's rather not that exciting for the little ones.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Indianapolis (CC BY-SA 4.0).