I had a bottle root beer in a frosted mug, their famous stew (mild), and then the blackberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Spectacular food and very down-to-earth staff. Loved it!
It's fantastic. Yes the place is old and not the most updated place you have been BUT I wouldn't change a thing. The staff wants to be there and greats you like you eat there everyday!
I can't just say the stew is beyond amazing. I have not found anything that is not amazing. Stew with tenderloin, stew with stuffed pepper... We go on Saturday's for lunch. The food is ne plus ultra. Faith is an awesome waitress.
My first time there, will be going back soon. Long drive but worth every bit of it. The waitress was a lady from Tennessee and just made you feel like a million
I hadn't been there in years. It was just the way I remembered it. Old school. I'm told all of their food is delish. I just can't bring myself to order anything but the famous hot stew. It's amazing. Yes, I always order the hot version. Yes, it's hot. Makes your nose run and your eyes water. If you don't like hot and spicy, get the mild. If you're like me and love it hot, you won't be disappointed. The wait staff is always friendly and the prices are right. Two thumbs from this guy.
Medium Supreme! you're welcome! It's by far my favorite place to eat in Indy
Nothing like it anywhere. Unique and delicious. Has always been in my top three places to eat in indianapolis.
I've been eating at John's for over 40 years. It is the best beef stew I have ever had. I still meet friends there once a month and always order the stew.
My father-in-law got me hooked on the stew....he brings us back stew and fresh bread every time he's up in Indy. Excellent. �
Chicago doesn't even have something as authentic/delicious as their Macedonian stews!
Just a fun place to have lunch and be with friends.
Always great service and absolutely love the tenderloin supreme.
Just as good as I remembered. John’s never disappoints.
I used to work just because i loved the stew....many yearz ago now but i thought they closed down....im so happy to find out different...im a coming soon!!!!!!!!!! Oh yes i am
I I was there 20yrs ago. The stew was incredible. My former husband toot me there, he's a native Indianapolis boy. The outstanding flavor for me was the plentiful green bell pepper content. Is it still like that? I have made that stew the Gold standard of stews ever since! Do you ship to Texas?
This 100+ year old bar/restaurant has been a local favorite for as long as I can remember. Yesterday I took my elderly mom, who had never been. We had the most awesome bowl of stew!! Mom chose the mild, while I had the hot version. Good grief that's good stuff!!!! Meaty, rich, old-fashioned beef stew!! If you like super spicy food, the "hot" version might not meet your requirements. It is indeed hot, but not off-the-charts. Most people will probably order the medium, and be very satisfied. If you ask, the server will bring you samples. Recommend going for dinner..when there are no crowds. The lunch crowd here can be huge!! Love this place!
Service was fast and good and the people there were very pleasant.
Best Stew in Town. The service is about what you'd except from an aging family restaurant. The waitresses have been working there for a long time and don't work too hard to impress you. However, they're very easygoing and will make you feel at home. The overall cleanliness of the place is middlin, and I don't think it's been remodeled since the 70s.
That being said, the stew itself (and most of the entrees that feature the stew) is very good. The tenderloin (with stew on top) will fill you for a week. I've been there 4 times now and the quality has stayed exactly the same: top-notch. Their homeade cobbler is fantastic. Prices aren't too bad, either.
Under 21 not allowed (just FYI - I first visited when I was 20 and was very disappointed to be turned away).
I love this place. I was there almost 20 years ago and very little has changed. That's a good thing.
The fried pollock was fresh and had very little breading. The stew was great. Lots of onion, cabbage, carrots, and celery. The hot is spicy but not too hot.
Don't Miss This!. John's Famous Stew is one of my favorite places to eat lunch in Indianapolis. It is crowded, loud, and hard to find a seat but it is worth the trouble once you taste the food. The stew comes in several flavors, hot, mild, medium, ect. And it is a hardy portion served with bread and butter. The sandwiches are very good as well. You just can't go wrong eating here.
Johns Famous Stew is one of those places you walk into and you are washed with the wondrous mix of warmth, amazing smelling stew and American pride. It's as down home as they come and have a wide variety of fare outside of stew although the stew is what keeps us coming back. Served in mild medium or hot it's more than a belly full so come hungry and do t forget to order extra bread, your going to need it.
Best stew in town. Remember that this is an Indianapolis staple, service and dicore leave something to be desired but the stew makes up for it's short comings. I have heard that items on the menu are not as good as the stew but why would you go to a place with stew in the titel and not get stew.
Good stew. Dropped in on a Saturday, and the stew was very good -- nice spice, good vegetables. But the service was perhaps some of the worst I have ever experienced. So I'll say I like it based on the stew alone, but I am not sure I would return.
Since 1911 whenever you wanted a bowl of home-made stew you went to John’s.To say it is an Indy Icon is an understatement.I haven’t had John’s since they had a place in Irvington;and that was quite a while ago.The stew they serve today is just as tasty;just as delicious as it was 30 years ago.And don’t let anyone tell you that stew is only a cold weather food.A bowl of good stew is appropriate food year round.And from the size of the crowd we’re not the only ones that feel that way.John offers his 3 ways;mild,medium or hot.Pat got a medium I wussed out and opted for the mild.Regardless of which style you order you will receive a big bowl of savory gravy,filled with big chunks of carrot and potato.And sitting right in the middle of this gravy sea was Big Cow Island.A huge chunk of beef about 1/2 the size of a man’s fist.And everything was so tender you could use a spoon;no knife or fork required.Pat offered that the last time he had stew this good was at Nick’s in Bloomington.It was a
It’s had been a while since I had made it there but the stew was tasty as I remember. Got the hot and man it was making me tear up almost. The tenderloin was fantastic. Thin crispy and tasty. Certainly great to see it still here after all these years!
If you like things like good hearty stews, roast beef, chicken fried steak, and mashed potatoes and gravy, you're going to love John's Famous Stew. The service here is good. The prices are fantastic. With regard to the vibes, it's as if you're transported back in time to a diner in the 70s. However, if you read about JFS history, you'll find out that they've been serving their delicious stew in Indianapolis for more than 100 years! Pro tip: I love spicy food, but if you order the stew, I'd recommend getting it mild. I ordered mine medium and found the heat to be a distraction rather than a compliment. 🤷♂️
Hoosier Breaded Pork Tenderloin smothered in John's hot Stew is a dish best served warm and often!
The friendly staff at John's Stew have been serving up a menu of delectable delights for over 100 years...they have their Stew perfected beyond imagination.
Thanks to Phoebe and the staff at John's for a great meal and some fun conversation during my visit today
Great food! Service varies but always friendly. Will be back, over and over.
Literally had 4 sandwiches with this bad boy. Fed 3 people for 2 days.
The cabbage roll could be much better. But the stew carries it as a favorite of mine. The fries are crispy and fresh.
**Do not get water**
Don't say I didn't warn ya.
Glad to see johns back. Heaping bowl of chunky carrots, onions, potatoes, and beef in a slightly spicy gravy, with bread and beverage. Friendly service by two young ladies. Always happy to frequent the locally owned spots and lookimg forward to cabbage rolls next time.
Great hole in wall old school restaurant. The beef stew was fantastic. When in Indy it's a must go for a great meal at reasonable price.
Decent place with friendly staff. Stew was ok. Meat was a little tough. Service was great. Not a bad lunch if you’re in the area.
We had heard that John's Famous Stew was really good, so we made the trek. We ordered the stew over mashed potatoes, stew over pork tenderloin, John's double burger, and a chicken sandwich. We later added the Peach cobbler and carrot cake. While the food was good, it wasn't the best. The stew over mashed potatoes sounds like it would be a large portion of mashed potatoes, it was a smaller cafeteria style scoop. The pork tenderloin and stew mix was a weird taste combination. The grilled sandwich came out as two fried chicken strips on a bun. The burger was the best tasting item that we ordered. The carrot cake and the Peach cobbler were good, but not nearly a large enough portion for the price. Overall, John's Famous Stew is ok, not great. We will not be back though.
This place is nostalgic with the best homemade beef stew! Plus the tenderloin was so huge it could have fed 4 people! Our waitress was so kind to us ladies for my birthday. We split the blackberry cobbler with ice cream, can I say yum! Go here , I've been wanting to go for many years and so happy I finally did!
Great food, I mean absolutely great food. The place is an old dive bar that's 112 years old to date with homestyle cooking. If you love all things stew, then this your stop!
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