Indianapolis
Indianapolis's craft-beer scene runs deeper than the tourist taps. These ten are where locals drink. The craft beer bars on this list span every neighbourhood worth a trip, Mass Ave, Fountain Square, Broad Ripple, Downtown all show up, and every price tier from a $5 local pour to a $25 hotel-bar tasting. Each bar earns its spot for a different reason.
FOUNTAIN SQUARE · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Indy's most awarded cocktail bar. Order: Indiana-corn Old Fashioned. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded, book ahead or arrive early.
MASS AVE · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Cocktail bar inside the Alexander Hotel. Order: Indiana-corn Old Fashioned. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
FLETCHER PLACE · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Distillery tasting room with a serious cocktail bar attached. Order: Indiana-corn Old Fashioned. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing, the upstairs gets loud.
MASS AVE · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Cafe-bar-pastry hybrid. Order: Indiana-corn Old Fashioned. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.
FLETCHER PLACE · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Restaurant-bar with one of Indianapolis's tightest natural-wine lists and a craft-cocktail menu. Order: Indiana-corn Old Fashioned. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded, book ahead or arrive early.
DOWNTOWN · $ · COCKTAIL BARS
Heritage blues bar from 1850. Order: Indiana-corn Old Fashioned. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Use this guide either as a single curated route through Indianapolis or as a checklist to revisit over a long weekend. Reservations are flagged where they matter. Otherwise, walk in. Below: the ten craft beer bars that any serious drinker in Indianapolis would tell you to put on the list.
Indy's most awarded cocktail bar. Order: Indiana-corn Old Fashioned. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded, book ahead or arrive early.
Cocktail bar inside the Alexander Hotel. Order: Indiana-corn Old Fashioned. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Looking beyond Indianapolis? See our guide to the best craft beer bars worldwide, or compare craft beer bars city by city. Or find craft beer bars near you.