The Smokehouse on Shelby in Indianapolis, Indiana

I recently dined at "The Smokehouse on Shelby" in the Fountain Square Building of Indianapolis. (This building is a 3 minute drive from downtown and is located on Shelby Street.) This particular day, I was having lunch alone on a day full of business. I was looking forward to trying something new and I had passed the restaurant several times that day. The funny thing is, the Smokehouse is advertised as a barbecue joint and barbecue isn't my thing. So why did I go in? Because the restaurant is designed really well. It seems silly to go to a restaurant because of the way it looks, but it made me curious. They also had free wi-fi, which definitely helped their case.

The restaurant looks similar to some of the cafes I've been to in New York City. It's a very high ceiling, an industrial feel, bright red walls, huge posters or movies from the fifties, and a black and white checkered floor. Like the Shelbi Street Café, there is counter seating and also tables and booths. The staff was extremely friendly, and the waitress came to my table almost as soon as I sat down to take my drink order.

As I browsed the menu, there weren't too many selections that I would typically enjoy. Like I said, lots of barbecue. (I tend to steer more toward the type of fare that's available across the hall at the Shelbi Street Café.) But I settled on a fish sandwich with fries and a side of cottage cheese. I asked for the sandwich without bread because typically restaurant sandwiches are too much for me and I don't like to waste food.

My wait time was a bit above average for a lunch. But sometimes that means that you're getting higher quality food because they have to spend more time on it. You may be able to go into any chain restaurant and get lunch in ten minutes, but that typically means it isn't cooked fresh. So I didn't mind waiting. (Food for thought, eh?)

When the food arrived, it was worth the wait but not quite up to the standards of the Shelbi Street Cafe. The fish was excellent and the homemade tartar sauce was great as well. It certainly wasn't healthy, but it was tasty. The fries were sub-par, and I suspect that they were either frozen or warmed over. The cottage cheese was average, but I really can't remember the last time that I raved about cottage cheese. I think it's pretty much the same across the board.

So would I recommend going to The Smokehouse? Yes, but with some qualifications. Go during dinner or for a date, get a milkshake and go for the whole 50's vibe. I wasn't super impressed with it when I went and probably would choose the Shelbi Street Café over this place for lunch. However, I would give it a chance for dinner. The food had potential, the service was excellent, and I suspect that it's hopping and at full atmosphere for dinner, especially on weekend nights. Definitely give it a try and enjoy the atmosphere!