The Eagle

Best Conquered by a Group.
I first encountered The Eagle as part of a bachelor party. My chums and I ordered an entire chicken and five sides; by nights end we devoured like kings.
Now the particulars: The chicken meat was tender and the skin breaded and seasoned nicely. Our sides included mashed potatoes & gravy, mac n’ cheese, spoon bread, grits and, for good measure, a shrimp po’ boy. Though celebration was in the air for our beloved groom-​to-​be, we sacrificed words for noshing for a frenzied 45 minutes. The food was made with love and love and love and a great deal of expertise; in short, the food was very tasty and had a home-​cooked meal taste uncommon for restaurants. It’s just the way I wish my mother could cook.
For friends desiring family style dining options, I first, last and always recommend The Eagle.

Found this place via the Unilocal app and couldn’t have been more pleased. The fried chicken was outstanding. A little spice but not overwhelming. The sides are great. Sweet potatoes with marshmallows, Mac and cheese and biscuits. All great and affordable. Plus a great beer selection. Sit outside for a nice atmosphere and people watching.

Great southern soul food.
We ordered two whole fried chickens, collards, a kale salad, Mac n cheese, sweet potatoes, grits and spoon bread.
It was all phenomenal!
We started with mules to drink… And it got better from there!
My favorite were the collards and grits.
Spicy fried chicken was some of the best!
Ready for a nap…

Great atmosphere, interior is very welcoming. Our server was great, she was on top of everything we needed and seemed to enjoy working here.
The fried chicken was next level, so good! Also had the mac n’ cheese and the spoonbread, both were fantastic. Reasonable drink prices, no specials which was a little dissapointing. Will definitely be back!

What an unfortunate experience.
We came on a Sunday night. It was strangely busy but we were sat quickly. Our waiter was friendly and the beer selection was pretty good. Everything seemed to be going swell, not surprisingly since I love trying new-​to-​me places!
Unfortunately that all went down the drain when someone other than our waiter delivered our food and after they walked away, we realized not only did not have any silverware with which to eat our piping hot fried chicken, but the cornbread was missing the maple butter topping and, oh, by the way, there was a hair in it.
This all could have probably been no big deal in the end, but we legitimately waited for somebody — our waiter, anybody really — to help rectify the situation for 15 minutes. When the waiter finally came, we had to bombard him with our need for drinks, a cornbread with maple butter and without hair, and silverware (please). He apologized profusely for the hair and said he’d let the manager know, which was fine but not really necessary.
Ten minutes later and all we have is new cornbread. Another ten minutes later, I finally get up to go get my own darn silverware and end up passing our waiter as he’s bringing us silverware. Still no drinks. By this time the manager strolls on over, checking in with everyone, including us. I let him know what all had gone down, and said we really just wanted some drinks at this point. He didn’t seem phased about the situation at all, and as he brought us our drinks *another* ten minutes later, only then did he offhand mention taking the cornbread off of our tab.
Somewhere in there we asked for regular honey vs. the spicy honey (too spicy for me), were told it didn’t exist by one person and then it magically showed up with someone else… I couldn’t keep up!
The whole situation, as I said, was just unfortunate. The food was pretty flavorless and obviously the service — which could have been salvaged by the manager — was less than stellar. I always try to hold out for a true impression until my second visit, but with the meh food we tried, I won’t be rushing to make that happen.

Came for an early dinner and got the Mac and cheese and a half order of the cobb salad. The food was really great! Unfortunately our service was not so good. They wrote down the wrong number, so we waited a lot longer than we should’ve, then when we sat down our server took awhile to take our order. We were never checked on and were waiting to get the bill. Really yummy food though.

The Eagle is another win for the owners of the much-​loved Bakersfield right down the street. The fried chicken is extra crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. Add a little kick by drizzling the spicy honey over the top to complete it. The sides are a great size for sharing. Over the course of multiple visits I’ve tried the mashed potatoes, Mac and cheese, fries, and spoon bread and all were delicious!
If it’s a nice day make sure you request a seat out on the huge patio. The bar area should be opening outside in the next few weeks, so that will add even more seating.

How have I not written a review for this place yet?! That’s insane. How have I not told the public about their delicious fried chicken with spicy honey? Or about their delicious 5-​cheese Mac?! Or their beyond amazing collard greens that converted me into a lover of collards? And what of their crunchy fries? And those fricking biscuits with blackberry jam and honey butter?! And omg their spoonbread. Omg.
Okay y’all. It’s okay. *slaps myself* You guys, this is not a drill. Any sweet tea fans out there? THEIR SWEET TEA IS MADE WITH MAPLE SYRUP! It’s honestly one of my most favorite sweet teas in town and I almost docked them a star on not having to-​go cups available for me to enjoy this outside of their establishment after downing 15 cups of it during lunch or dinner.
Eagle. You guys work on getting me to-​go cups. I’ll keep bringing you business. I shit you not, I have coworkers from NYC and other big cities who beg to come back to eat here or have me ship them your food. What a great place. Service is always nice too!

This place way exceeded my expectations! The place was slammed with customers and we were on a 1 hour wait for a table for two. The servers on the patio, although not a bar area, took our order and payment for bar drinks. Received great service on a very busy day. We tried the house Bloody Mary and it was superb, jumbo mug with a nice shot of Guinness Stout on top of it. Around 35 – 40 minutes we received a text that our table was ready.
We had a great server (a guy from Florida-​wish I could recall his name), and he made some excellent suggestions. Tried the ½ fried chicken, collard greens, mac & cheese, a shrimp PO boy, and some local beer. The fried chicken is pressure cooked and then fried, it was out of this world!!! It rivaled some of the best southern fried chicken I’ve had in places like Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. The chicken is served with cayenne pepper spicy honey. It really complimented the crispy, salty chicken. Not sure why, but the honey really worked with the chicken. The Mac & cheese had bread crumbs and it was just perfect. The shrimp PO boy was great with soft bread, large shrimp, and avocado chunks-​spicy and succulent. Not at all like New Orleans PO boys, but good nonetheless. Would definitely go out of my way to come here again and have more fried chicken and local beer.

Pretty good place to eat and drink, especially after work. There is a huge patio for outdoor seating. It’s all communal seating though, so beware! The hostess say is at a 6 top with 4 people already there and there were MANY open tables and seats. We politely took our menus and moved.
Lots of beer on tap, a few wines and some southern inspired cocktails. The grilled cheese was amazing. Fried chicken (sandwich) is also a popular item. Fries with aioli is a good choice as well, but it’s not your typical aioli. There is a little kick to it, which it doesn’t say on the menu. Would have preferred just regular aioli.
Overall, a relaxing southern-​inspired bar and restaurant to enjoy a drink with friends.

We went here to celebrate a good friend’s birthday. It was dinner rush peak hour and a Pacer’s game had just let out downtown so it was PACKED. That being said, the hostess was honest with us about wait times and encouraged us to download the app they have to check our place in line. I found that reassuring for our party of eight.
Whiel we waited we found a spot at the stand up bar and ordered drinks. The service was good considering the amount of people packed into the bar. We were seated about an hour later.
We all ordered different things so we could try a little bit of everything. The collard greens were my favorite but the mac and cheese my friend ordered was a close second. The fried chicken they’re known for is, of course, phenomenal.
There was a slight issue that the birthday girl’s food came out a bit later than everyone else’s bit our server and the manager handled it quickly and were extremely nice and generous about it, comping her food items as a result. Customer service just went above and beyond here, and as someone who has worked in the food industry for 7 years, it still never fails to impress me when someone is genuinely nice and cares about people’s experiences.
I can’t wait to bring my parents here. They love homestyle cooking but are often turned off because places that serve it are greasy spoons or hole in the wall places. Not The Eagle. I would highly suggest this place for anyone coming from out of town to have a little taste of the Midwest food and hospitality!

After 2 visits, I’m still a bit emotional, but I think I’m ready to give this review a go…
Three of us flew into Indy last week for a conference. For lunch, we ended up at BRU (another review altogether).
Afterwards, we walked past the Eagle and I stuck my head over the fence to see what everyone was getting into (I’m nosey like that). Low and behold, this southern boy was no less than intrigued! I thought, «How is it that I’ve crossed the Mason Dixon only to discover that our southern secrets have been revealed, and the yankees have begun to capitalize on our benchmarks? And WHAT in the HECK is that honey for?!?
Just like that, with a belly as full as a tic, our dinner plans had been made… At about 9:30, we were finally there.
The absence of Florida’s staple humidity made sitting outside seem like a good idea. This may have been where we messed up… The shift was unwinding from a very busy dinner crowd, and the empty tables weren’t being cleaned; so we weren’t being sat. Due to an understandable mix-​up, the party of four that came in behind us got sat before we did… No big deal. We were sat just after… The waitress showed up and we ordered a round of beers, and two orders of the maple bacon appetizer. The bacon showed up quick; the beers did not.
Any bacon in itself is awesome… This bacon is awesom-​er. We were left to thirst though… Due to a poor service experience, this would be the end of our night at the eagle restaurant. We were sad. We disappointedly hobble across the street for pizza (another review altogether).
I admit I was reeling; but it happens. I would not be defeated. I was determined to find out if my great grandmothers legacy chicken-n-fixin’s had been reincarnated, and come back as a restaurant in this always room-​temperature town. (amazing weather)
On the last day of our stay, we drove around taking in the sights; but we’re really only buying time before our attempt at southern redemption… No matter how bad the service had been, I couldn’t get the idea of that spicy honey out of my mind. We watched the clock tick until 10:55, then we peeled off of the White River scenic road like Luke and Bo Duke. Time to eat!
We arrived, and were promptly seated outside by a gracious hostess. We had spoken briefly of our previous experience when asked if we had ever dined there before. We didn’t get into too much detail, but she seemed genuinely concerned.
Our waiters showed up and took our orders. We had rehearsed this moment in our minds 100 times, so we were ready.
Started with the fries and another order of that bacon.
We had full glasses of tea and water for the next hour. I swear they didn’t let them empty an inch before rebooting.
The appetizers showed up so fast I thought Lady Cleo had called and told them we’d be coming.
We placed our meal order when the appetizers arrived.
«We’ll have the whole chicken, the horseradish mashed potatoes, collared greens, Mac-​n-​cheese, andddddd the biscuits with raspberry jam» (deciding between biscuits and cornbread was as hard as a 12 year old putting down their favorite coon-​hound).
What felt like 30 seconds later, our feast arrived. I couldn’t figure out where to start. Obviously, hot biscuits are better than cold biscuits, so I decide to carb-​load. That biscuit was so good, if you put it on your head, your tongue would beat your brains out to get to it.
I tried to get to the collared greens next, but my buddy had skipped the biscuit and gone straight in. Judging by the moaning and groaning noises, it was clear he was enjoying them. They turned out to be as good as he made them sound…
Onto the Horseradish mashed potatoes: I’ve got to say, I don’t know what this town’s deal with horseradish is about, but I’m for it! We had the shrimp cocktail at St. Elmo two nights before (another review altogether), and I was hooked! Unfortunately, the south doesn’t seem to want to exploit the genius that is horseradish. These potatoes were insane. I’d had some of the same name the night before, but they sucked. These were amazing. I’m trying to figure out how to break it to my wife that her potatoes are less than, and not equal to these potatoes.
Now to the Mac-​n-​cheese. First off, I lived in Sicily for 3 years and I’m a bit of a pasta snob. Whoever decided to use cavatappi noodles for skillet mac is Einstein level! High five, low five, give him a medal. That is the perfect ratio of pasta to cheese.
The Coup de grâce: That damn fried chicken with spicy honey! Before my comparison, I’ll have the powers that be know that I spent the rest of the day walking around the airport looking at stuff and thinking to myself, «could you put some of that honey on this?»
I’m broken!
Two months ago, I had a meal catered by an Amish family in Pennsylvania. They delivered their fried chicken (that was killed that morning) up the mountain by horse and buggy; and it was simply amazing. This, quite frankly, was better!
Well played Eagle… Well played!

Really great environment and décor at this restaurant, whose original location is in Cincinnati’s Over-​The-​Rhine neighborhood. All the staff did a nice job too.
The Eagle serves what is probably the best fried chicken I’ve ever had. The sides were all amazing too, except for the spoonbread. Don’t get me wrong… for skillet cornbread it was really good… it just wasn’t spoonbread. I used to live in Berea, KY, home of the Spoonbread Festival, so I say this with some authority. The house corn nuts were out of this world, shockingly delicious!
Although kids are permitted in the non-​bar areas here, the space is fairly loud and if your kids are super picky eaters you may be setting yourself up for a failed evening. The boy who came to dinner with us had just finished 3^rd grade that very day and enjoyed his mac and cheese, salad, biscuit, and honey butter, and was willing to try just about everything else. He declared the chicken to be «pretty good but kinda spicy» and the pickled vegetables to be «so terrible». He wondered why his salad didn’t have any lettuce.

I really like this place! I only visited for snacks and drinks, so I can’t speak on the famous fried chicken. I will say, though, that it smelled fantastic! My friend and I ordered the Eagle Iced Tea, per our servers suggestion. It was a great choice and we were both pleased. Our other friend had a Taxman beer that was on draft. (Yes, they’ll let you try it first.) I ordered the biscuits with berry jam and honey butter. Oh my, so tasty. I’ll definitely order both again. For a Sunday night, there was still a 20 minute wait. I’m hoping that when I return, it’ll be relatively quick to be seated since they now have the huge outdoor patio area to utilize as well. It’s great to see this spot on Mass Ave. so busy!

Myself, my husband, and my 19 month old son visited The Eagle last Saturday for a late lunch. We arrived and were told that there would be about a 25 minute wait. The nice thing is that they have an app that you can download to see where you are in the queue.
We spent the time waiting looking at the menu and enjoying the atmosphere. The menu is simple which makes ordering easy. Our wait seemed to go by quickly, and we were seated in the back room that looks out onto Delaware. I was so glad given that the Bar area was quite loud.
We ordered: a half of fried chicken, coleslaw, spoon bread, mac n cheese, and succotash. I am not kidding when I say everything was amazing! The spicy honey is yummy enough to drink. We definitely didn’t have anything left to take home.
However, the best part was probably the bill. It was a very inexpensive meal given the amount of food we ordered. We will be back.

We waited over an our to get a seat at The Eagle, but it was well worth the wait. We strolled around the city as we waited for our text indicating that our table was ready. Downtown Indianapolis is clean and vibrant. I like the city.
After we were seated, our waitress promptly took our drink orders. To my delight, The Eagle serves plenty of craft beers. I started with a local wheat ale, which I really liked. It was around 9 PM, so I wasn’t in the mood for a full meal, but the fried chicken sure looked good. So I ordered some biscuits and bacon instead. However, my wife and daughter both ordered fried chicken. My daughter also ordered mac n cheese. A short while later, our food arrived.
The bacon was cooked with some sugar and was delicious! I don’t think bacon requires sugar to be great, but it was very tasty. I then tasted some fries with the aoli sauce and they were very tasty. Great fries! I then tried my daughter’s mac n cheese and it too was delicious. I tasted some fried chicken. Wow! Amazing! The batter was spicy and absolutely delicious! My wife gave me one of her chicken thighs and it was spectacular.
Finally, I tasted my biscuits with some scratch made butter and jelly. The biscuits were amazing! I have never had fresh made butter before, so this was a first. I absolutely loved the fresh butter and jelly. I can’t believe they make everything from scratch! The honey was also very delicious on the biscuits.
This was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. I would love to eat at The Eagle again. My kind of joint!

I figured with all of the raving reviews of the Eagle, this place couldn’t POSSIBLY live up to the hype, right? Wrong.
My friends, I am here to tell you that The Eagle is one of the best dining experiences in Indy. And surprisingly it is affordable to boot!
I have been here twice — once for drinks and once for dinner — and both times have been a homerun.
They have a great selection of local and regional craft beers as well as specialty cocktails. Though not known for it, they have great margaritas!
I know what you’re wanting to know about is the food, so here goes:
The chicken — hands down the BEST fried chicken I’ve ever had. So juicy and flavorful and the honey served with it is a must.
Also fabulous:
Biscuits (come with honey butter!)
Macaroni and cheese
Horseradish mashed potatoes
Spinach artichoke dip
Highly recommend for a dinner with friends or even a place to take visitors from out of town. I would expect a wait almost any time you come, but on a nice day, waiting on the extensive patio with a drink isn’t a bad way to spend time.
Definitely not diet friendly, but who wants to eat healthy ALL the time? ;) I need one of the Guinness Bloody Marys in my life so I’ll be back soon.

Definitely a strange concept, with fried chicken and soul food in Indy in mass ave, but the outdoor seating in a sunny spring day was irresistible! The pitcher of long eagle ice teas? Even better! Make sure you share the sides, they are way too big for one person. The chicken is all fried, not my favorite but still tasty. Prices are very reasonable, and you get a lot for it!

Southern comfort food with a splash of hipster! Loved my experience here from the moment I sat down at their friendly bar for a beer to the last drop of spicy hot honey I licked off my fingers.
The hostess told me I could wait at the bar until my party showed up. The bartender was friendly and helpful giving me different types of ale to try off their draft menu. I can’t remember what I settled for but it started with «founders».
My friend showed up and the two of us basically ordered a meal enough for four people. Our sever thought I was joking when I said I wanted everything off the menu lol. We ordered the eight piece dark meat, Mac and cheese, collards, cheddar grits, mashed potatoes and spoonbread (cornbread).
I loved every. single. dish. But if I had to choose my fave, it would’ve been the mashed potatoes, grits and spoonbread. I really want to try the biscuits and blackberry jam next time.
Service was prompt and friendly– this was just an amazing meal. Already planning for my next visit.
*Important tip: DO NOT skip the spicy hot honey when eating your fried chicken! Just drizzle some of that golden goodness over your chicken and it will change the way you’ve been eating fried chicken!

Okay. So The Eagle totally deserved a redo review. After a very pleasant email from their GM Ricky, I headed back in to try again. And it lived up to what I had been expecting the first go round. Fried chicken was amazing. What I obviously missed out on for my first trip was the white cheddar grits. These are legit and truly amazing. Just the right amount of everything, including a bit of a kick! And I’m a southern girl who really, really likes her grits.
Another sweet, sweet surprise was they ARE trying to add sweet tea (cause again, gotta have it at any proper southern, soul food establishment) and the manager personally brought me a glass to try. Well done, Eagle.
Lastly, with the amazing spring weather finally making an appearance we were able to enjoy their large patio. This is going to be one very busy and happening hot spot for sunny afternoons, and warm nights. Cannot wait!
Thank you to Ricky, Patrick and Brittany for the amazing service!

I used to come to this location when it was Front Page. I hardly recognized it when I walked in. It’s much more open and brighter. And cleaner (for those who remember).
The patio is much improved too. The ground is nicely bricked and there’s finally an outdoor bar. I bet this place is crackin’ on a Friday night in the summer.
I came here for a weekday lunch and ordered the famous (for Indy) fried chicken. Sat at the bar and my food arrived in less than 5 minutes. Couldn’t be happier with the speed. Or the service. Very personable bartender and I never saw the bottom of my water glass.
The chicken itself was cooked well and was very juicy. Good sourcing (Amish) I suppose. The breading was nice and crispy, but lacked some seasoning. However, the chicken is served with a spicy honey (in a pancake syrup dispenser) which really kicks up the flavor a notch. I would say the fried chicken on its own is in my Indy top 10. Add the spicy honey and it cracks the top 5.
I also ordered a side of horseradish mashed potatoes (everything here is a la carte) which were good (big chunks — just the way I like), but may have just a bit too much horseradish for some.
So it’s 3 stars for now, with the potential to move up to 4 stars. I need to come back when the patio opens up and check out the scene. I want to try the collard greens, mac & cheese and one of the sandwiches (probably the pork shoulder and broccoli rabe).

WARNING: get ready to have your mind blown over and over and over again.
Bakerfield’s sister, The Eagle, joined the Mass Ave. family in recent months, and I warmly welcomed this fried hen house with open arms. Having dined at the Cincy location twice, I knew how good things could get.
Things didn’t get good… it got grand real fast.
The head of the hen house is the Amish fried chicken. It’s seasoned just right with a superb crunch, and once you drizzle your bird with the honey-​tabasco sauce, you won’t come up for air until that chicken bone is completely licked clean. Although I could order a whole chicken for me alone («bottomless pit syndrome»), I make sure I leave room for sides, as I can’t get enough of the mac ‘n’ cheese and the collards. My perfect, complementary portions of cheese and greens get wolfed down pretty quickly, which can be painful when dining with a slow-​eating companion. There is nothing worse than having to watch someone else eat some of the best food on Mass. Ave. when you’re hungry for more. Perhaps I should also order these shareable for one…
Remember that it’s your duty, Unilocal foodies, to eat and eat well. Make sure you make a point to at The Eagle.

I really wasn’t expecting a restaurant that offered fried chicken to look this nice. I was expecting a run down, tiny eatery but what I got was this trendy/​hipster bar-​like restaurant with great service and attention to detail.
The ¼ dark meat was fried perfectly, had great flavor and was moist. The tabasco honey (I’m guessing tabasco) was really addicting and kind of gave you that chicken and waffles, sweet/​savory thing we all love. The greens for $ 4 had a slight vinegary taste and other than the portion size which to me wasn’t sharable as I can put away some greens, was pretty good. The mac and cheese was recommended by the waitress and did not disappoint. If you’re in the area and want a quick lunch at a nice sit-​down restaurant, come here. I received my complete order in less than 5 minutes after ordering.

I’m truly impressed. I knew I would like this place because of them having the same owners as Bakersfield but I didn’t think I’d love it as much as I do. Growing up on fried chicken I just don’t crave it but wow is theirs delicious! The mac and cheese is a must though, oh and the spoon bread. Then put the hot honey on everything.
The only downfall was the lack of love I had for their Moscow Mule. It was just eh. I also was disappointed that it wasn’t served in a copper mug. That’s a must with a mule in my eyes. But in all, what a cool place! Check it out if you can get in without a crazy long wait. Definitely worth the wait though!

If you like a little heat in your food then this is definitely the place for you. Everything (even the honey) was a bit spicy!
We started with the spinach artichoke dip. A good dip, served with nacho chips, with an added kick. I’m not sure I liked it better than the average spinach artichoke dip (without the kick) but it was nice for a change.
The fried chicken was as amazing as everyone else has claimed it to be. Just enough spice to separate it from the average fried chicken and so tender and juicy.
We also tried the macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, horseradish mashed potatoes and the biscuits. The macaroni and cheese was just okay for me. I prefer mine more cheesy and less spicy. The sweet potatoes were delicious but the horseradish mashed potatoes were my favorite. I love just a little horseradish sauce and that’s all these creamy (with a few chunks) mashed potatoes needed. Yum! I would go back just for these potatoes. The biscuits! I almost forgot the biscuits! Some of the best biscuits I’ve ever had. And the butter… I don’t know what they did to their butter, but I hope they don’t stop!
Service was awesome. I wish I could remember our red-​headed gentleman server’s name so I could give him props, but he took great care of us on a busy night and prices were very reasonable.
The only problem with this restaurant is the noise level. Don’t go here thinking you are going to have an intimate conversation (or much conversation at all) and forget it if there is a person between you and the one you want to talk to! There were 6 of us at the table last night and we really had to talk loud to be heard. Food and service, 5 stars. Atmosphere (for me) only 4. I wish there was a way to average. One of our friends said it wasn’t as loud the last time they were there, so maybe the gorgeous Indiana weather created the crowd and the noise last night. I’ll go back and try again sometime, for sure. So worth it!

Come for the new feel and vibe of this location. Stay for the fried chicken. Seriously, order the fried chicken. The flavor is spectacular.
We ordered half a fried chicken and two sides. It was the right amount for us. The mac n cheese was good, but liked it the next day better, the flavor had sat in more.
Staff was friendly and very attentive.
Next time I’m trying the fried chicken sandwich, which reminds me of a Hattie’s Chicken Sandwich from NY.

This is the second time I’ve given a restaurant 5-​stars. I feel I need to be very picky about doing so. To me, 5-​stars means it’s my favorite place to eat for that variety of food and I crave it.
I ate the best damn fried chicken I’ve ever had at The Eagle. Period. I just love me some fried chicken.
For a snack I ordered bacon… because it’s bacon… and it’s s snack.
The Mac ‘n Cheese was damn good. It had a little heat to it. The sweet potato casserole was damn good. The collard greens were good, but I wouldn’t have ordered a vegetable if my wife didn’t force me to.
Even the honey had heat to it. It tasted like it had Tabasco mixed in it. It was wonderful.
I highly recommend this place to anyone who likes beer, fried chicken, bacon, Mac ‘n cheese or sweet potato casserole.
My only surprise is that The Eagle doesn’t serve sweet tea. All this comfort food and no sweet tea. Oh well. It’s not enough of a disappointment to knock it down to 4-​stars.

Drop down and get your Eagle on! Just thinking about The Eagle makes me want to dance. Seriously.
As I type, I am just finishing up the last of my left-​overs from our dinner at The Eagle a few days ago… and I don’t want it to come to an end. Yes, it’s 2 days later and I am *still* thinking about the amazing experience we had at The Eagle. Here’s how it went down:
We started with the House Corn Nuts app, the Bloody Mary, and the Eagle Tea while this side-​a-​holic tried to narrow down which sides we would order with our fried chicken. From the first glance and sip, I knew this was no ordinary Bloody Mary. The fresh horseradish within and the Guinness floater gave this mug an awesomely spicy yet deep, almost smoky flavor that was very different from a traditional bloody mary. The hub’s Eagle Tea was super fresh-​tasting and delicious — this was no syrup-​laden Long Island knock off. We later learned that they squeeze the citrus daily in house for their sweet and sour mix. It is the small yet important details like this that set The Eagle apart from other spots for sure.
We finally decided on ½ chicken (4 pieces), the sweet potato crock, the homemade biscuits, the mac & cheese, and the horseradish mashed potatoes. We placed our order and before we knew it, we had skillets upon skillets of sides and food in front of us! SO FAST!
So about that fried chicken. Never and I mean NEVER have I had fried chicken that was so moist (and I never use the M word unless I mean it). I am a breast girl, and usually this means I have to dip my white meat in something to mask the dryness. Oh no. Not this chicken. It was perfectly seasoned and SO GOOD. While the hot honey was a nice touch, I felt it actually detracted from the amazing taste of the chicken straight up. If I could be so bold, I would say this is the best fried chicken I have had for as long as I can remember. Try it and let me know what you think. As an aside, the hubs had his wing and leg left over the following morning and said it was even better cold the next day! That’s a true testament, folks.
The sides. OMG, the sides. Each was amazing in it’s own respect. If there is one theme in the food at The Eagle, it’s that the flavors are balanced and deep — and everything has a kick to it. The mac & cheese was creamy and smoky, the horseradish mashed potatoes were perfectly lumpy with bits of skin like real taters should be, and the hubs raved and raved about the sweet potato crock — and he’s traditionally not a sweet potato fan! The biscuits with jam were surprisingly good — the jam was perfect and not so cloyingly sweet that it overpowered the subtle honey in the butter below. Well done.
The space is super dim, somewhat industrial/​utilitarian, yet cozy — not the best lit for seeing menus, but nice to focus in on your company. We came early enough in the evening that we *just* missed having to wait, and we caught some natural light to read our menus by. Overall, just a super sweet, almost woodsy-​sexy spot to have some comfort food. Dug it.
Service is key — and ours rocked. We were greeted warmly by a host and hostess, lead to our communal table for 7 that we eventually shared with 2 other groups of diners. Our server Sarah was helpful and attentive without hovering and was just a delight. We were visited by Ricky, the General Manager who chatted us up and answered many of our questions about the food, the space, the outdoor patio with full bar (opening in 4 – 6 weeks, dog friendly is TBD), and anything else we threw at him. His enthusiasm for and belief in the business was evident — and this kind of positivity is contagious. It’s easy to see why a spot at The Eagle table is so coveted — and totally worth the wait. I can’t WAIT to get back!

So this is probably the best fried chicken I’ve had in a long time. We had the maple bacon appetizer which was good but maybe more karo syrupy to me. The mac n cheese was really good but not enough. I could’ve used a big comfort food bowl of it. Collard greens were good as well. This felt like Sunday dinner. If I would’ve gotten biscuits, I might have never left.
The only bad part is that they didn’t serve dessert.
We went around 4/​5ish so there wasn’t a crowd. We were able to get in and out. Our server was excellent and always checked on us.

This place has a really warm, faux rustic interior with plenty of space between the tables. I had the fried chicken & Mac & cheese. The chicken and its accompanying spicy honey was delicious, and the ¼ chicken was plenty of food at a great price. The Mac & cheese is extraordinarily rich, split it with someone else.
The beer selection is fantastic. Plenty of local brews (Upland, Fountain Square) and national brands (Abita, Lagunitas) to choose from.
I came at lunch and it was fairly slow, but I’d guess the low prices has this place packed at night.
Bonus points for ice in the men’s urinals. Could not confirm if there was ice in the women’s urinals or not.

Great new business/​restaurant in downtown Indianapolis by way of Cincinnati.
My group of 4 went on a Sunday night and it was packed! We had a 25ish minute wait, but I was expecting that with a new restaurant. There is plenty of space to hangout in, grab a drink, and wait for your table. Once that huge patio is open there will be even more space.
We were seated at one of the communal tables. There was a mix of single party tables, communal tables, and bar seating. I like the communal table concept, if you are an introvert it may not be for you. We were seated next to an older couple and they were giving us tips on what to get. It was great!
There is a pretty good draft beer selection. Plenty of beer bottles, some wine, and some cocktails. It will be an even better place to go grab a drink once their massive patio opens and the weather warms up.
Now let’s get to the real reason for this 5 start review, the FOOD! The fried chicken is as good as advertised (the spicy honey is a great touch). They also have a fried chicken sandwich that was good. The Mac’n’cheese is some of the best I have ever had! Cheesy and delicious. We also tried the horseradish mashed potatoes (I love mashed potatoes!) and they were tasty. The spoonbread and the sweet potatoes were good enough to get again.
The only thing I didn’t like about the whole experience that I have heard a lot about was the candied bacon. I guess sweet bacon just doesn’t do it for me, but that was a small blip in an otherwise great evening.
This is a place I would definitely recommend and I will definitely be back. I can’t wait to enjoy the patio this spring!

Amazing! Everything was simply amazing. Four of us went to dinner last night and each got our own main dish, but split the sides. I ordered the fried chicken sandwich and the flavors came together so well. The fried chicken is wonderful, and this might be one of my new favorite sandwiches! The grilled cheese looks awesome too, but I didn’t get to try that sandwich yet. I see why everyone that I’ve talked to in Cincinnati, and Indy about The Eagle, loves it so much!
The sides we got:
— Mac and cheese: best Mac and cheese I’ve ever been lucky enough to try.
— Mashed potatoes: the slight hint of horseradish is an excellent twist to the traditional favorite.
— Spoon bread: Slightly sweet and tasty! Hint: Add a drizzle of the spiced honey!
— Sweet potato dish: Simply sweet and so tasty! I’m not much of a sweet potato fan, but I do love sweet potato fries. This was almost like a dessert and it was a nice end to the meal.
There is such a nice ambience in The Eagle, and I cannot wait to go back! The outside seating area will make for a wonderful way to spend a nice day in the city! Finally, I was very impressed with the prices. We had a great meal, and left happily full!

Don’t let your tush hit the seat without ordering the spoon bread. To hell with corn bread, I am now and forever more, committing my sworn oath of bread love to this spoon bread. I just wish it were a larger portion. I didn’t want to share. The two salads I tried were pretty good – not too boring, not too overdone. A little disappointed in the candied bacon, as 1. it was cold and 2. it wasn’t crispy enough bacon. I don’t want candied mushy fat bits. Also, wish there was a little more variety of options on the menu. Went when it was pretty dead on an off time on the weekend, which was good, as we had tried to go before but there was a 1+ hour wait (sorry, it’s good, but it ain’t worth all THAT kinda drama). Décor is interesting, and wonder how much of the ceiling and column details are original. Nice space, staff was fine. But trust me on the spoon bread.

The Eagle has landed Indy!
This is the place to take a group for a Mass Ave affair on a budget. Not only will your wallet thank you but your taste buds will scream with pleasure as you nosh on crispy herb pepper chicken drizzled in hot spicy honey. A group of 3 – 4 could easily split a whole chicken and 4 – 5 sides for around $ 40. Sides change seasonally. The creamy five cheese mac n’ cheese with breadcrumbs is the best side dish on the menu. I could honestly lick that cast iron skillet clean of cheese and garlic crunch remains. In a close tie for second place are the cheddar grits and warm buttermilk biscuits. Sides range from $ 3-​$ 5.
Their beer list consists of a dozen draft selections (local & national brands) with a greater variety in bottles and cans. I would love to see a Cincy influence in their beer menu given the original location in Cincinnati. Wine, Gluten Free beer and cocktails are also available. The Fade to Black cocktail sounds amazing.
Located where the old Front Page Sports Bar & Grill used to be this is a prime corner street location. The inside of The Eagle is pretty sexy with an urban blues vibe. It’s the type of place you could simply hang out for while. The lighting is dim (not ideal for food photos) but creates a comforting atmosphere. I can’t wait until the weather is warmer and I can take full advantage of their huge outdoor patio complete with a full service bar and fire pits. Service is top notch, our server made my groups experience exceptional. Yep, this bird is the word.
Unilocaler shout out: Thankful to my dear friend Allison F. for introducing me to The Eagle in Cincy!

Had my first dining experience at The Eagle this weekend. I drive past it nearly every day on my way home from work, so it’s been on the list of new restaurants to try ever since it opened. With my mother visiting from out of town, it gave me the perfect excuse to stop by.
We arrived for a late lunch (2-​ish on a Saturday), and I was surprised by the number of people eating there! Not packed, but relatively busy for a late Saturday afternoon downtown when the business professionals aren’t around. We were seated immediately, and you should know that much of their seating is «communal»… meaning you will share a large table with other patrons. Doesn’t bother me, but it might be a deal breaker for some. I did see a few booths (maybe four?) when we first walked in, so it’s possible you could request those. Also, much of the seating is at high tables with high seats. If you have mobility issues, you may want to call ahead for a reservation, because I’m not sure how many tables they have at a regular height.
Our waiter came over right away to get our drink orders and offer suggestions, he also explained a few things about the menu. Sides are all separate, and they are big enough to share. I’d say 2 – 3 people could share the sides we ordered. I got the dark meat fried chicken, and my mom got the white meat fried chicken, and we shared spoonbread and sweet potatoes. First… the fried chicken. It’s got a peppery spicy kick to it. I’m a total wimp when it comes to spicy/​hot foods, but I was fine with it. Excellent, crispy skin with a lot of flavor, and the meat was juicy and cooked to perfection. The spoonbread is the best I’ve had in Indy. It can be hard to find! It has a sweet, cake-​like texture with kernels of corn in it. The sweet potatoes were probably the best I’ve ever had. They’re gooey and devilishly sweet, topped with mini marshmallows. It all just melts in your mouth.
Service was excellent. Our waiter… I think his name was Trent? Trevor… was attentive without being annoying. He didn’t let our drinks run dry, and he made sure to check in on us to see if everything tasted good. The food arrived much faster than I ever would have expected given that it tastes like classic, home-​cooked stuff. Also, the servers definitely deserve tips since the kitchen is apparently in the basement, so they have to carry all your food upstairs! Talk about a cardio workout.
I will definitely return. I can see this being my new go-​to restaurant when I’m downtown, especially when I want to impress friends visiting from out of town. The prices are reasonable, and it looks like the outdoor seating will be nice this summer!

No, I don’t eat meat. Yes, I still loved it all.
I briefly glanced over the menu before going to make sure that there was enough stuff for me to eat and it all sounded delicious.
A group of friends and I went on a Friday evening. It wasn’t slammed but we did share a table, community-​style. Not a problem at all for a group of friends but might want to keep that in mind if you’re going there for a first date or something like that.
I started off with the Moscow Mule and it was delicious. And SO big! The price seems crazy but you get quite a bit of fluids so it’s worth it! We then ordered a variety of food. A couple of friends got the ¼ and ½ chicken and said it was amazing. Another friend got the chicken sandwich with the slaw on top and said it was divine. I got the grilled cheese with the fruits on it. It was a bit on the greasy side but that’s what this place is all about! Greasy, in a classy way.
We got the Mac n Cheese (a MUST!), the cornbread side (tasted like cornbread + pancakes = so good!), and the biscuits. The biscuits were great, but the BUTTER that came as a side was the best part of that side. It was so fresh and made in-​house.
Order of favorites:
— Mac N Cheese
— butter (biscuits)
— Moscow mule
— grilled cheese
I can’t wait for this place to open its patio to order a pitcher of the Eagle’s Tea, down some home-​cookin’ comfort food, and sit outside!
Well done, Eagle! A great addition to the Mass Ave district!

Where do I start… Similarly the Bakersfield and many other Mass Ave staples, the vibe is rustic-​chic. It’s casual, but you wouldn’t feel out of place dressed up a bit. There is ample seating, though it’s mostly high top community tables — great for going out with friends and meeting new people or taking large groups, no so great for a one-​on-​one date. There’s also a great deck that I look forward to trying out this summer!
The servers/​bartenders are very friendly and attentive (but not overly). They all have recommendations and favorites on the menu, which is helpful at a new restaurant.
The drink menu is pretty substantial and fairly priced, ranging from craft brews on tap to staple domestics to wine and signature cocktails. I got the Eagle Ice Tea, which is basically a Long Island ice tea — but good none the less.
Now for the best part — the food. I’m a girl that loves her comfort food when it’s done well, and The Eagle did not disappoint. They offer a variety of entrees from chicken sandwiches to sloppy joes to apple-​topped grilled cheese to shrimp PO boys to salads. Of course, I always try to get what a restaurant is known for, so I went with the fried chicken. It was cooked to perfection, moist and tender. They accompany it with a spicy honey which gives it a little kick, but nothing too crazy. For sides, I had macaroni and cheese and biscuits. The macaroni is heavenly and the biscuits came with home made butter — the stuff tasted like is just came from being hand churned, people.
From the community tables to the a la carte sides, The Eagle is really conducive to a family style dinner. So grab 5 or 6 of your closest friends and split one of everything! Great experience all around, I’ll definitely be back.

Homestyle American food and delicious drinks. What is there not to like?
This place fills a void in the Mass Ave district in my opinion. I first visited their location in Cincinnati and had a great experience. I was sad that it was not located in Indy. However, when I heard that Bakersfield had plans to open up another location in Indianapolis, I was thrilled! I saw them renovating the interior for months, just waiting for the time when I could revisit the delicious chicken sandwich and macaroni & cheese. The very first night that it opened, we went there to help show that we were happy about the new location. I went again for my second time last night and was not disappointed. I was reminded of why I enjoyed my first two experiences.
They are most well known for their chicken, which is obvious by its featured placement in the center of the menu. I personally like the chicken sandwich. I also tried half of the grilled cheese last night and that was also wonderful. The sides are a la carte, and slightly more expensive than you’d expect. However, once you see them you’ll understand. They are large, shareable sides. I have tried the bacon as an appetizer, and the macaroni & cheese and cornbread as sides. I enjoyed everything that I’ve tried! The macaroni & cheese is my personal favorite side.
As far as drinks go, their list is quite extensive. They have lots of beers on tap as well as craft beers, mixed drinks, and their famous iced tea. Last night I got a pitcher of their iced tea and was not disappointed!
Go try it! You won’t be disappointed.

Service. Service. Service.
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, I don’t care how beautiful your sea salt browned butter cookies are, if you don’t offer a strong customer service experience, I’ll most likely leave with a bad taste in my mouth.
I left The Eagle with a good taste in my mouth. Both in flavor and experience.
From our friendly server, Beth, to the great atmosphere and energy, we were smiling for two hours straight.
I kicked my feast off with the Bloody Mary (their version features Guinness beer and a thick slab of maple bacon, olives and celery). I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the Guinness with the vodka.
Next up:
–pickled veggies (tasty light start $ 4 — not mindblowing but a great lighter start)
–horseradish mashed potatoes (yes! Horseradish should be used more in general, in my opinion)
–fried chicken dark meat (2 legs and a thigh for $ 6) — that fried, crispy goodness… the meat comes from an Ohio farm
–mac and cheese (follow your fellow Unilocalers’ recommendation on this one: «get it!»)
–thrown biscuits with jam and butter
–cheesy grits (one of my favorites from our five sides)
Last piece of advice: order family style! Who says you can’t try it all?

Really wanted to try this place since it just opened, but I recently moved away from Indiana. However, made a trip to Indiana for a wedding and came here at 11 pm for a late night dinner/​snack-​no wait and the full kitchen was open (due to my late night arrival).
My brother and I ordered a half chicken, the horseradish mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, and biscuits-​this was more than enough food. Everything came out hot and fresh, which was surprising since the restaurant was near closing (midnight). The chicken was nice and juicy and the «hot honey» was a great addition-​as I’ve never had «hot» flavored honey with chicken-​it had a subtle heat. The horseradish mashed potatoes were really good and I would order them again as my first side.
This visit stood out to me as the Manager (Sam) was very kind and took care of us unexpectedly. I really appreciate the service we received that night and will gladly come again when I’m in town. I really think it’s worth the hype (luckily I didn’t have to wait for a seat like others). This will be a really nice place to sit on the patio once the weather is better!

Fine establishment. Top-​to-​bottom. Food, drinks, service, and atmosphere are TOP notch. Management does a great job to ensure customers have a great experience.
I had a not so stellar experience my first visit here, but the last two visits have been a complete 180. Not surprisingly, the place is always packed on a Friday night, but it’s part of the fun to run into old friends.
But as people know, what I care about most is the food. Hot shit! It’s good. Luckily, I was with a few friends so we had a chance to try almost the whole menu. EVERYTHING is good. For me, that’s hard to say about any establishment. There was nothing I wouldn’t get again.
Drinks: Eagle Iced Tea, The Mule, good beer selection with rotating drafts too
Appetizers: Brown Sugar Bacon, Artichoke Dip
Mains: ¼ (Dark) Fried Chicken (Spicy honey? Absolutely!), Shrimp Po Boy, Chicken Sandwich, Grilled Cheese
Sides: Mac & Cheese, Collards, Sweet Potatoes, Spoon Bread, Fries, Biscuits

I finally got around to trying The Eagle, a hip new addition to the already amazing Massachusetts Avenue. After stalking the menu for several weeks, I figured a Sunday night would be perfect. The hostess gave us an option of several nearly full tables to sit at or the bar. I’m not sure if communal seating is part of their charm or if they were trying to be accommodating. My friend and I opted for the bar. The bartender took a while to warm up to us but when he finally did he was extremely helpful and friendly.
I got the ¼ chicken (white meat), collard greens, and grits. My friend got the same chicken with a side of horseradish mashed potatoes and we split a side of biscuits. I may have built this place up in my mind because everything was just ok. The greens needed a bit more flavor, the biscuits were a bit harder than I was expecting. I’m going to return to try the mac and cheese. Stay tuned…

I rarely visit a restaurant in its infancy, but with all of the buzz surrounding The Eagle, I had to go. Featured in a recent IBJ article, I decided this would be a great spot to celebrate my mother-in-law’s birthday.
1) They don’t take reservations, so be prepared for crazy long wait times. The good news is they take your cell phone number and will allow you to leave the restaurant while you wait. We were quoted a 90 minute wait on a Friday at 5:30pm. We went across the street to Louie’s Wine Dive to kill the time. They called after an hour.
2) It’s loud, and the seating is communal. The latter doesn’t bother me, and I’m not soft-​spoken– but I don’t think the elderly would enjoy the experience during peak times.
3) The food is delicious. Our party of four shared the biscuits, fries, spoonbread, mashed potatoes, and Mac n cheese. This was overkill– 3 sides would have been plenty. The spoonbread and Mac n cheese were my favorites. Everyone else got the fried chicken (Amish raised in Ohio), which was phenomenal. I didn’t think it was spicy, but that varies based on tastes. The «spicy hot» honey wasn’t spicy at all, per the other reviews. I had the fork and knife sloppy joe. It was AWESOME! Granny Smith apple cole slaw and stone ground mustard made it perfect. It’s a huge portion.
4) The service was very quick, and our total bill was completely reasonable. We had 3 chicken dinners, my sandwich, a beer, and 2 sodas for $ 67. Not bad for Mass Ave! Truly, it’s probably cheaper than its sister restaurant, Bakersfield. Also, you leave stuffed.

HUGE fan. I feel like I was on a fried chicken high when I left, so I can’t wait to go back and make sure it’s real life.
This is a much needed new vibe for the area. We finally have somewhere that we can take friends from out of town and say, «LOOK, this is the finest Midwest cookin’ you’ll get outside of my grandma’s house.» Gma isn’t always readily available to cook for everyone trolling for dinner on Mass Ave, so this is obviously a Godsend.
Go, get the friend chicken, mac and cheese, maybe even a PBR and eat like the true Midwesterner you are at heart.