Workingman’s Friend

Great dive bar just west of Downtown. I tried the signature double cheeseburger and onion rings. Both were delicious. The burger comes with an extra bun between the two patties. They also had a pretty impressive bottled beer selection, as well as Coke/​Pepsi products in cans. If you’re looking for a no-​frills dining experience with solid bar food, I would definitely recommend.

A total wonderful homey dive that you feel at home right away for some reason. I can’t really say anything that hasn’t been said. Burgers, fries and onion rings are the way to go and never disappoint.
However, she is now having Tenderloin Tuesdays. And don’t forget about the yummy grilled cheese, ham and cheese sandwich and chili. Also don’t forget to ask if there are any specials. Occasionally the owner gets a wild hair and fixes something delicious that’s not on the menu.
Other than that… enjoy…

Stopped here recently to see what all the hoopla was all about. I ordered a dbl cheese burger with onion rings. I was quickly reminded by the lukewarm friendly waitress that it was cash only… The food arrived soon and it was a really good burger. Definitely not disappointed. While finishing up my meal I met the owner, who was very pleasant! I’ll go back…

The actual building is a bit of a dive, and the parking is terrible because they are so busy. There is a reason they are busy though. This place has, hands down, one of the best burgers in Indy. You simply can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Bring cash btw, they don’t take credit or debit cards.

Seriously one of my all time favorite places in Indy. The place has character. The staff are fantastic people. The burgers are thin with crispy edge style, singles or doubles, cheese or not. Like Steak N Shake but better. For you west coasters, like In and Out but better. The fries and beer battered onion rings are good, too, as well as the breaded tenderloin. If you can, toss it back with a schooner of beer. Established in 1918, they will have 100 years in business by 2018. There’s a reason they’ve been around so long.

Best burger, just like old Steak ‘n Shake. The staff is great. Stop in at least once a week.

What can u say. everyone has already said it. I saw this place voted #1 burger in the state on yahoo a year or two ago.

Not sure that I have anything to say that hasn’t already been said: The burgers here are legendary.
Grilled to order with crispy edges, American cheese slices, and your standard iceberg lettuce, tomato, onion and hamburger dill chip pickles. It shouldn’t be so amazing, but trust the reviews, because it is.
The onion rings are probably the best I’ve ever had: not too greasy with beer batter coating that brings out the sweetness of the onions rather than masking them.
The ambiance is purely original, nothing much has changed here in the decades they’ve been open. And I love that but I could see why some wouldn’t.
Be polite to the staff here and you’ll be treated accordingly. I wouldn’t try playing the jukebox before 5:00 PM, or asking for a craft beer. They had macro cider for a buck on special the day we visited. It is what it is, and that amounts to an Indy establishment in a kind of rough neighborhood that serves up a mighty fine double cheeseburger.
Still 21+ and cash only.

I can only echo the positive superlatives that have been shared.
Terrific place for lunch… unbelievably nice staff and patrons… easy parking… quick in and out service.
Enjoy !

While I don’t live in Indy, I can’t believe I’ve never had Workingman’s before. Given that I’m in town so often, I’ve been missing a treasure. Fantastic burgers — just fantastic. Old school, greasy, great. The onion rings are just as good, and the fries are great (I can’t handle onion on the burger, grease, and onion rings all together — at least not when I have to return to work!) — it’s a perfect lunch spot.
Keep in mind: CASH ONLY. My buddy who introduced me to this place did a great job of picking, but he probably should have warned me as he then ended up needing to pick up the tab. HAHAHAHA. Guess I shouldn’t be too disappointed. Will be back next time with cash in my pocket and ready to enjoy another great experience.

Their burgers are perfect. Along w/​a fish bowl draft? Your belly is swoll’d full.
Great service, just a great meal.

Get the double cheeseburger. It’s delicious and crispy with a soft bun. Everything about this place is old school. It’s your grandfather’s burger joint, for sure. It’s cash only because debit cards have not been invented yet in the time capsule that this place exists in and there’s nothing wrong with that.
The location is what it is but so long as you’re not out walking alone after dark with bags of cash, you’ll probably be fine. I saw a garage that had «Nasty Crew» spray painted on it. I still have so many questions…

Was looking for a dive place to have lunch and co-​workers recommended this place. Was definitely in an area that I would not have stumbled upon it myself. Had a very busy lunch crowd but we were able to snag some spots at the bar. My normal theory is that service is quicker sitting at the bar however that was not the case here. Service was incredibly slow. We were finally able to order and cannot believe how long it took to get our food. When it finally came, was disappointed to find it to be a burger that I could have gotten at any old fast food place, and didn’t taste much better. Inside reminded me of a cafeteria. Overall, I won’t be returning but considering how many people were there, they must do something that everyone else likes.

Having gone to lunch at a relatively expensive downtown restaurant the day before, when my husband and I were trying to decide where to eat lunch this past Saturday, I said,“I would just as soon go to Workingman’s as I would [expensive downtown restaurant].” And, honestly, I was more satisfied after that lunch than I was after the one the day before… and we spent at least $ 50 less.
When I worked nearby, after visiting for the first time in November of last year, I considered myself a regular, having lunch there at least two or three times a week, if the crowd allowed. Now, that I am no longer close, it felt like a treat getting to stop by for a bite to eat in the middle of our day.
In the past I’ve also had salads, bean soup, chili and tenderloin. But, knowing my visits are now fewer and farther between, I had to get what most of Indianapolis raves about… a cheeseburger. I don’t know how they flatten the edges so thin and chat them so perfectly without making the rest of the burger taste burnt or tough to chew, but they do it well. I love everything about this burger.
We have never had bad service. Even when the restaurant gets crowded to near standing room only, we have only found our waitress moving that much faster to make sure our experience doesn’t suffer.
While the outside of this restaurant may not seem like much and the inside is outdated and worn, it just doesn’t seem to matter to anyone. From blue collar to white, low income to high, everyone who comes to Workingman’s leaves the same… satisfied.

This my friends is the real deal… a burger that glories in its simplicity. A thin, irregularly shaped burger with crispy edges topped with the basic fixings… no fancy-​schmancy foodie topping of the moment or selection of cheeses to rival a deli… just the standards your grandpa would have ordered back in the day. An order of fries, or the onion rings, and a can of soda are the perfect, classic accompaniment. Only for the over 21 crowd (minors not allowed) and bring your cash, They don’t take credit.

The giant double cheeseburger blew me away. It is reminiscent of a Streak N’ Shake burger, but actually good. The soda is served in a can with and optional glass. Very laid back but great quality and flavor.
Another thing that was excellent was the staff. Super friendly and helpful. The waitress heard us talking about how we wanted to go to the Indianapolis Indians Baseball game, but the good seats were sold out. She went on a mimi-​quest to help us find seats. That’s how you do great customer service, folks. Go above and beyond.
Only drawback, and it’s a small one, is it’s cash only.
Saddle up to the bar and get you a hot burger, cold beer, and maybe a shot or 2.

You know that one scene from your favorite movie, where the whistle blows and all of the tired workers trudge off to their favorite spot to drink and eat away their paycheck? Workingman’s Friend is precisely that spot. White, blue, or no collar, all are welcome to have a beer and a nice juicy burger. It’s a no frills sort of food, but it tastes good and it definitely scratches that culinary itch after a long day (or morning) at work. Just remember to leave the interns (e.g. minors) at work and bring cash.

There’s a special place in my heart for greasy spoon establishments, and Workingman’s Friend definitely fits the criteria.
I’ll save you some time on ordering: just go for the double cheeseburger. I’d put it up against any diner burger in Indy — thin burger patties, a little crispy around the edges and served up quick.
Be aware that you have to be over 21 to dine here. Otherwise, enjoy it!

Trillist and Business Insider both gave this place the Best Burger in Indiana title, so of course I have to check this out. Plenty of parking, decent amount of seating, especially if you don’t mind sharing a big table. Good service. CASH ONLY. The burgers were handmade and then cooked on a flat top grill; they must have been drained because they weren’t nearly as greasy as you’d expect. Decent onion rings, fresh produce, good fries. Nothing revolutionary here, but if you’re a burger person, you can’t miss this classic.

So it’s kind of hard to say that this place isn’t at all trendy, since it is always filled with lawyers (the AG’s office loves the place). On the other hand, no one could accuse lawyers of being hip, so it is hardly a hipster place.
What this place is is an ancient blue collar tavern that has kept it entirely real. From the massive Hoosier pork tenderloins to the char of the gods cheeseburgers to the 60’s era national cash register to the cabinets with wooden sliding doors to the front of wall of the bar consisting of glass blocks. The owner/​bartender is a super nice lady and the patrons are generally pretty interesting.
I wish it was open longer hours, but much of the blue collar base has moved away from the neighborhood. It is because it is such a special place that people make the trip to go there.
The fact that it is pretty run down (though very clean) somewhat adds to the charm, but I wish they would fix some of the broken glass blocks and maybe put some retro vinyl on the floor (currently the floor is ‘covered’ with probably 50’s era vinyl that is 70% gone).
Go here, get burger and a high life, and see what bars were like before chains and hipsters.