Dining Out: The Rathskeller (Indianapolis, IN)

 

Just a taste of the decor. Want more? Keep reading.

Exterior: 5/5

The entire building is impressive, and the Rathskeller owns a variety of gathering spots in the area. 

History!

The Rathskeller is located on the outskirts of downtown Indianapolis in the little cluster of eateries near the Old National Centre. It's a historic building that has been lovingly preserved. Unlike in some other areas of downtown Indy, you can actually find street parking next to the building (you have to pay for it, but it's there). The sidewalk was bustling while we were there, probably because it looked like the Rathskeller was gearing up for an event upstairs - maybe two. There were people in suits with instruments standing around outside. Whatever was going on looked fun. Fortunately we were able to duck around the guy collecting a cover charge because all we wanted to do was eat food. There's enough signage to tell you the restaurant is there, but it's not large enough to ruin the overall aesthetic of the building. Everything, in short, is classily done. 

Ambience: 5/5

Google Translate tells me this means "Seeing is serious, being is cheerful." I'm sure there's a more poetic way to say it auf English.

Beautiful bar area!

German for "Women have to walk all the way across the restaurant to use the bathroom."

The big event venue

Looking into the bar

So many fun little details!

This place is Old World beautiful inside. The Rathskeller has been around since 1894, and while I'm sure they've updated things here and there it still has the Bavarian charm that the turn-of-the-century German-American community in Indianapolis built into it. You have to walk down a short flight of stairs to get down to the dining room and banquet area; once you're at the bottom you feel transported. We went at about 4pm on a Friday after a trip to the Indianapolis Children's Museum, which was an ideal time to get in without reservations. Although there wasn't a crowd (yet) there were definitely other people who wanted fancy Euro food at that time of day. It was still nice and quiet, though. My only critique was that the bathroom was a little creaky and confused, but, like, it's an old building. I get it.

Variety: 4/5

Cajun Chicken over Red Beans and Rice

Appetizer Sampler with Chicken Cordon Bleu Fingers, Cajun Chicken Poppers, Brat 'n Kraut Balls, and Jalapeno Corn Bread Hush Puppies

Shrimp Scampi

Although the menu isn't enormous, they do a nice job playing with their offerings to give you some traditional standards, some creative twists on those standards, and some things you wouldn't expect to see. We were pretty thrilled with everything we got with our appetizer sampler (see above), and it was nice to be able to try a little bit of everything that way. My husband enjoyed being able to get Cajun food with a fine dining vibe. Most of the entrees are carnivorous, but even if you aren't a meat-eater there's pasta and salad for you to enjoy. 

Quality: 5/5

Your meal comes with a basket of these huge, beautiful pretzels and two types of mustard

Schlacht Platte with a pork chop in fruit sauce, knockwurst, spaetzle, and sauerkraut

Schnitzel with spaetzle and rice

Caesar Salad

The different things we tried ran the gamut from good to amazing. Like I said, the appetizers were stellar, particularly the Chicken Cordon Bleu Fingers and the Jalapeno Corn Bread Hush Puppies. My spaetzle and sauerkraut were pleasant; but my pork chop and its fruity sauce blew me away. I was rapt. I also got to try a friend's Shrimp Scampi (after she ate all the shrimp out of it) and it was really nice with some zing from red pepper flakes. They really care about quality at the Rathskeller, and it shows. Or it tastes, I guess. 

Kid-Friendly: 4/5

Kids' Menu

Crayons!

Kid's [Massive] Hot Dog and Fries 

I was honestly surprised at how kid-friendly this place was given that it looks so pinky-up. They're ready for littles, though. There's a kid menu that has some opportunities for adventure but also some old faithfuls for those with steady habits. The food there is good quality, too. My 5YO got a hot dog, and even though it was probably the biggest hot dog he's ever seen he devoured the whole thing. It helped that we went before the dinner rush, because when the kids got silly (like my 5YO buttering his hair with his butter knife because he thought it was hilarious) it wasn't a huge deal. All in all this is a good place to expose your kids to dining with multiple kinds of plates and forks and things. 

Would Eat Again?: Green Light

I should make a disclaimer before I go any further: The Rathskeller is expensive, especially the dinner menu. Most entrees range from the high $20s to the low $40s. Even the stuff on the Kids' Menu is like $10/plate. That said, you're getting what you pay for. The food is spectacular, the ambience is even more so, and the overall experience is special. My dad is from Chemnitz and I was raised to appreciate German food, and this is a very satisfying scratch for that itch. Even if you don't jump up and down with excitement when you think about European cuisine, give this a try. The experience here might give you new flavors to appreciate.