The Sinking Ship II

I’ve not been to the original Sinking Ship, so I can’t make any comparisons. However, on the recommendation of a friend, I went to the Sinking Ship II, which used to be Moon Dog Tavern. The first time, I had a burger and soda, and the food was decent and the service was great. Second time, I got the chicken and waffles, and a Not Your Father’s Root beer. Food was great, and service was again great. I like the atmosphere, the menu, and the service, and having ample parking is nice, too.

Great music, food and service. I think Indy needs more hockey bars in town.
They have a good variety of vegan offerings that you wouldn’t normally find. The Seitan gyros wrap was tasty and the upcharge for the salad instead of fries was nice not bad for $ 2.
Although I love that they have star shaped tots for no charge :) huzzah

I came here around 1:00 this afternoon and large friendly man promptly greeted me and suggested a beer. He recommended a few items to eat, I got some wings and stoner nachos which were fantastic! They don’t come much friendlier than the fellow behind this bar, a true professional. Will definitely eat here again.

I was here for a business lunch. The other guy picked.
The first line at The Sinking Ship’s website is «We are a working class hockey and craft beer bar.» Consistent with every bar/​pub in metro Indy I have ever been in, the food is a second thought.
I had their «Billionaire’s Burger». If this is the burger for billionaires then I feel sorry for billionaires. I asked for «medium rare» and the patty was medium well or well. It was dry. A burger from Hardee’s is better, and Hardee’s commercials are better with hotter women.
To be fair, this is a bar. People go here to drink, watch hockey, and fight. Food is here just so people can replenish themselves between brawls. I shouldn’t be so hard on them, but that’s why I gave them 3 stars instead of 1 or 2.

The food is good and the service is prompt and friendly. I highly recommend the fried chicken and waffles. The macaroni and cheese is on point as well.

We go here today around 4pm, they were not busy at all. We sit down at the bar and wait. Big man, unkept beard and sweaty, comes from the back area and says nothing to us. He pours a beer for I’m not sure who and continues to ignore us. So I’m thinking wtf? I look over and realize they are doing some type of live radio remote or something. So, ironically they are doing this to drive in more customers, we are there for our first time and can’t get service when maybe 10 patrons are in the place. We got up and left with never speaking to anyone. Oh yeah, one more thing. the Bubba Grizzly Adams barkeep likes to use his sausage fingers around the rim of the glasses so everyone can put their lips where his fingers have been.

The waitress was distracted. The food was typical bar food. They had excellent beer choices. My friend and I lucked out and got to play trivia. We enjoyed our evening and wished we had a bigger team to play trivia.

My wife and I love this place. We have gone to the one on college ave a few times and like it. This one is a little farther away for me but it takes less time to get there (off 465). It’s a hockey bar and I won’t spend a lot of time on that. I will say its not a dark and dingy bar. It’s clean and has plenty of light shining in without washing out the TVs. The beer selection is nice. I think they had around 14 craft beers on tap. They have domestic stuff too and cider too for the non beer drinkers.
The food is what my wife and I really enjoy. I can’t go through all the different food they have, but I will say the boneless wings are really good and the spicy teriyaki sauce is awesome (balanced sweet vs heat). The sauce is not the salty almost soy sauce taste that you would think comes with the name teriyaki.
My wife got the chicken club sandwich. I took a bite and it was GOOD. The chicken was an actually chicken breast not a chicken patty. It had the lettuce, tomato, mayo and thick cut bacon. I got the Chuck Norris. Its a burger with wasabi mayo, jalapenos and peper jack cheese. It’s not as spicy as it may sound. It is a nice heat that don’t over power the flavor of the hamburger (nice thick patty). Oh I almost forgot THEY SERVE TATER TOTS! Thats #1 reason my wife loves this place (even tho she loves hockey… it’s all about the tots). They are star shaped tots that are crispy and not greasy at all.
They do offer some sort of dessert. It is called «sack of balls». Its fried donut holes (2x larger than you get when you think donut holes). They serve them in a wax paper stack they are tossed in sugar and served with a believe is an apple butter. All I have to say is save room and try them.
If like hockey and good bar food this is the place. They did have other stuff on tv besides hockey, but I would think durning a regular season night it would be mostly hockey. They do have live music and trivia night.

It’s usually pretty difficult to find vegetarian-​friendly places in Indianapolis, but this is certainly one of the best!
My favorite item to order is the Korean BBQ seitan wings, with a side of the Cajun star tots. The Korean BBQ sauce is sweet and spicy, and the seitan wings (which they get from Ian at Three Carrots) are the PERFECT texture. The vegan ranch is really nice as a dip for both the wings and the tots.
Also, what goes better with vegetarian food than hockey?! Not many places you can watch hockey on TV! They also hold concerts and other events there (I saw Iron Diamond play there on New Years Eve), which is also very cool.

We stopped in for lunch the other day to check out the changes from SS on College & the old Moon Dog. The place is comfortable & feels more bar-​like than MD. As another review mentioned, if you’re expecting College St. Sinking Ship, you might be disappointed. We have been to MD to play music & to eat, so we knew that it couldn’t be transformed exactly like College St.
The servers (all guys, hairy guys, OK hubster is too) were very friendly and helpful. My burger was good, done as requested, and had a different but good kind of bun. I ordered mac & cheese, something I never do. It was tasty & a large portion for a side. Hubster had a long island & wings which he said were very good. Hopefully the music will continue.

Went here for the first time today and I was really impressed– my boyfriend and I can’t wait to come back!
First of all, it was nice to find a «hockey bar» in Indy! As a native Detroiter, this is something I usually fight to see on TV when I’m visiting. The beer was cold and they had a great variety, the fried portabellas were crunchy and flavorful (and my boyfriend, who claimed he «hated mushrooms» chowed down on them as well due to the delicious «fancy sauce» served on the side), and our food came out quickly. I really liked my entrée (BLTM) and the Mac and Cheese on the side was good (different, with the addition of herbs, but good!). In general, it was a pretty great place to stop for lunch.

There are plenty of TV’s for sports, the food is good and so is the beer selection.
If you like this bar when it was the Moon Dog Tavern then, I think you’ll like the changes. If you’re a fan of the original Sinking Ship then you may be disappointed in the menu which omits many items for the addition of pizzas.

Delicious! It’s been awhile since I’ve been to the original location in SoBro. I was pleasantly surprised with the wings because I’ve always known this place as more of a burger place. It’s in the old Moon Dog Tavern and felt like it was smaller than Moon Dog was. It’s very simple and «dive» looking, much like the SoBro location. I highly recommend going to check out some wings!

After our first choice for lunch wasn’t open yet, my husband and I decided to just drive across the parking lot to The Sinking Ship! It was fairly quiet since it was Sunday around lunch, but I really want to come back when there are hockey games on! The Sinking Ship bills itself as a hockey bar and even the servers/​bartender wear hockey jerseys. I’m a Blackhawks fan so I hope to see some playoff games here in May/​June! They have plenty of TVs to watch the action from, but today there was a mix of sports and afternoon movies.
The draft list is on digital menu boards above the bar. They had 2 from one of my favorite breweries — Scarlet Lane. I had the Dorian Stout (espresso), and my husband tried the Tiberius Centurion IPA (new!). Both were very tasty! I always appreciate being able to find local brews on tap!
I am not vegan, but I was really surprised by the number of vegan options they offered, especially while having a ton of burgers and other regular sports bar fare on the menu. They have a whole section of mac and cheese variations! I also want to try out the pizza on my next trip since they have a whole menu page dedicated to it!
For lunch I got the Chuck Norris burger (with jalapenos, pepper jack, and a spicy aioli) with mac & cheese, and my husband got the pulled pork sandwich with fries. I really enjoyed the Chuck Norris! It was spicy with just the right amount of heat and a good kick from the aioli. It was cooked perfectly since I always ask for medium well, but usually that means just this side of done. This one was perfect! Just a hint of pink which is what I like! The bun held up well to the burger and all the toppings. The mac and cheese was wonderful with a bread crumb and shredded cheese topping. The cheese sauce was the perfect balance of creamy and thick. I think it could use a touch more seasoning. When I put pepper on it, that elevated it to just that right spot. Try it!
Husband liked the pulled pork but was a little disappointed it was a sandwich so he just ate the pork out of it with his fork. He’s not a big coleslaw fan so he scraped that to the side since the pork is topped with it. He said the fries were good too! Nothing special, just done well. We’ll be back! If for nothing else, then to try the Bacon by the Pint appetizer!

Having never been to The Sinking Ship in Broadripple but hearing amazing things about it, I was excited to see the Sinking Ship 2 open on 96^th street.
We stopped in with some friends on a Friday night. It was busy and service was a bit slow but we were in no hurry and didn’t mind. Our friends, who are vegetarians, raved about their veggie and vegan options but the hubby and I decided to be carnivores for the evening and ordered cheeseburgers. I had the Nicholas Cajun and while I could have handled more heat, it was still delicious. Hubby also enjoyed his Damn Burger. We both had the star tots and nothing make my tummy happier than some crispy tater tots! Our friends had one of the mac and cheese options and the vegan chili dogs. They both devoured their meals!
For my new years resolution, I am trying to cut more meat out of my diet so I can’t wait to go back and try their vegetarian options.

This is a cool sports bar for those interested in a beer, some greasy grub and a hockey game. Not really my scene though.
Pros:
— food comes out fast
— live music on Saturday nights
— If you’re into hockey/​Indy Fuel, this is the place to be!
— They smoke their pork in-​house. Mmm!
— $ 5 onion petals
— decent vegan options
Cons:
— They were out of more than one thing on the menu. Kind of a bummer.
— Only beer and cocktails. No cider or wine for any of you sophisticates.
— My husband’s chicken wings weren’t cooked all the way.
— 21 & up only. Sorry, all you underage pups. No soup for you!

One day during lunch, I went to Jimmy John’s on 96^th street and noticed that the sign for Moon Dog Tavern had become a vinyl sign for The Sinming Ship; that’s how quickly the transition seemed to be. We’ve always talked about going to TSS in Broad Ripple, but parking is difficult and we tend to stick to the northeast part of the city so it hasn’t been in the cards.
Enter a lazy Saturday morning where neither my boyfriend nor I feel like cooking lunch, so we pull up Unilocal!to look at our options, and my boyfriend points out that we still haven’t tried this place. So we get dressed (see? lazy) and drive down the road. We walked in and after a moment of disorientation, we seated ourselves.
There weren’t too many parties in the place, maybe five or six including us, and it looked like there was only person working. It took him a few minutes to get to us, but he was a very nice gentleman, and attentive as he could be working the bar as well as all the tables with people. We ordered our food and waited.
The food was good. I wouldn’t say amazing, but very good. I got the boneless wings with the mild buffalo sauce, and while I felt like I got plenty of wings, I felt like they skimped on the fries a little. That said, the amount of fries I got was actually probably all that I needed (portion control!), and what I had were quite good. My boyfriend got the black bean burger with fries, and he made the same comment about the fries, but also went on to say that his burger was fantastic. So I call this a win. I would, however, like to see the prices be a little more proportional to the serving sizes, as both of our meals were nearly $ 10 apiece.
The atmosphere was what you would expect from a strip mall sports bar – lots of windows, at least five TVs, the space mainly dominated by the bar. There’s exported duct work and plenty of air vents, but I felt like the place was actually quite chilly. They had a hockey game up on multiple screens, but interestingly enough, the football game on a few of the other screens is what played through the speakers.
All-​in-​all, I enjoyed our experience at The Sinking Ship, and I’m sure I’ll be back a time or two, but I won’t go back in expecting heaping servings, nor when I’m looking for a cheap place to grab a burger.

I’ve been the the original on College my fair share of times. Walking into its uptart little brother seems familiar. Same menu, same tap selections, same jukebox. Bill & Teds Bogus Journey was even playing.
But somehow the heart and soul seems to be left back in SoBro. It just seems like it’s too clean. Also a lot less beards, tattoos, and hipsters.
Nothing wrong with the place, don’t get me wrong. But if you’re expecting the Sinking Ship, you may get the one you could bring your kids to. A sort of Sinking Ship with training wheels.

I have a rather awkward confession.
I have some rather pleasant memories of the parking lot of this space now inhabited by The Sinking Ship II, formerly known as Moondog Tavern.
Very pleasant. (wink)
So, it was a weird mix of romantic nostalgia and hunger pangs that I found myself visiting The Sinking Ship II today. It’s the second location, though you probably figured that out on your own, for this Indy-​based not quite but almost a mini-​chain with the other located in the SoBro area.
For the record, I despise the term «SoBro.» It’s kind of like «We want to convince ourselves we’re cool and almost hipsters, but in reality we’re not quite able to afford Broad Ripple and we live in one of the city’s higher crime areas.»
But, I digress.
The Sinking Ship II is located in a strip center in that Bermuda Triangle of commercialization that borders Carmel, Fishers and Indy. With the tag line «Service with a Smirk,» The Sinking Ship II serves up a friendly yet slightly irreverent environment with a sort of split personality that includes sports, especially hockey, along with live music, local brews, and a variety of special events ranging from a «Toxic Trivia» night every Thursday to PBR Bingo and more. They openly advertise that they show every NHL game and it’s well known that they are supporters of the Indy Fuel. They have Blackhawks memorabilia, an electronic menu that advertises their local brews (including Three Floyds, Taxman, Scarlet Lane, Central State and others) along with non-​local craft brews.
The food, as a couple of others have noted, is a notch above the usual bar fare but pretty much in the bar fare mode including burgers, pizza, wings, other sandwiches, appetizers, and some vegetarian and vegan options that you might not expect in a bar.
I ordered the Damn Burger at $ 9.50 including a side — I chose «star tots,» which are essentially tater tots shaped like stars. In case you’re wondering, they taste like tater tots and not stars. The Damn Burger technically comes with your choice of cheese and is made to order — refreshingly, they will make it across the full spectrum from rare to well done without giving you a look like you’re insane. I ordered mine without cheese and medium-​well. It was delivered without cheese and medium-​well. As a major plus, the meat is locally sourced from L.E. Kincaid & Sons Meat Market.
The burger was thick and juicy and delivered on a toasted bun (type of bun is completely escaping my memory right now, but it was different than usual!). The «star tots» were very good and a nice change of pace. While they were pretty much your usual tater tots, I enjoyed them and I enjoyed the fact that Sinking Ship does something unique with them in shaping them like stars.
Hey, now when somebody says «Reach for the Stars» you know where to go!
I know. That was corny.
I ordered my usual unsweetened iced tea and got my always desired refill without having to ask. Andy, who was also tending bar, was friendly and spied me pretty quickly when I arrived and sat away from the bar, which is not wheelchair friendly, at one of the booth/​table combos.
In terms of access, Sinking Ship is pretty good. The curb cut for the strip building is actually located a couple shops down as are the accessible parking spots. That may be a bit inconvenient during the winter, but it’s not rare and not a major pain. The two front doors are a bit odd — one opens out, one opens in. The 2^nd set of doors is a bit heavy and with carpet at the doorway could be a bit challenging, but on this day I didn’t have any problems. As you enter, you enter the bar area with a dining area to the left that includes tables, small booths, and bigger table/​booth combos. The décor is relatively contemporary with sort of a red clay wall color and large-​screen televisions throughout.
The meal came in at just over $ 13 without the tip. It’s about standard for a bar & grill type setting and, it may be important to note, you do have to be 21 to enter this place.
I enjoyed The Sinking Ship II, though I wasn’t completely blown away by it. I have a feeling it’s likely a bit more lively and service-​oriented during the evening hours. That’s in no way a reflection of Andy, who was terrific, but the atmosphere itself was incredibly casual and it felt more like a bar hang-​out than a place you’d go for a meal and I get the sense that’s not really what they’re going for given their diverse menu. My gut tells me it’s different at night and that it will be even more different once the word gets out about the new location.

This is the second location of the popular SoBro establishment. With it comes Indiana microbrews, Blackhawks memorabilia, and indie rock.
Not sure how I feel about this place. I was a big fan of the previous tenant. Other than some paint, I can’t really tell the difference on the inside.
The menu is your usual pizzas and burgers, albeit stepped up a notch so that it borders on gastropub. There are a lot of vegan/​vegetarian items too.
I have a feeling that the SS2 might be a bit to hipster (Old Style on draft, anyone?) for this area (it’s in a strip mall right across the street from a car dealership and a concrete supplier.
I think the real reason this location was chosen is the live music venue next door. It gives the owner the opportunity to bring in some indie bands (the previous owner preferred local cover bands). Again, not sure how that is going to fly. Only time will tell.
As for the food, is pretty good. Definitely more gourmet than your corner dive bar. But not quite gastripub, I fear. (Just because your tater tots are star-​shaped doesn’t make them any classier or taste better.)
The crowd (6 people) on a Wednesday evening was much smaller than what it used to be under previous management. I don’t know if that’s sure to the newness and lack of advertising/​word-​of-​mouth or an omen.
I will continue to come here and see the evolution (or devolution) first-​hand.