Ash & Elm Cider Co. Carmel Taproom — Restaurant in Carmel

This is a repost of an older review I had previously taken down, but after seeing the individual we referenced share their own experience—and noticing many similar complaints since our incident, I felt it was important to share again.

We gave Ash & Elm a second chance after a so-so experience during Devour, where we expected delays but still felt a bit unwelcome. The first time, a server said how he wasn't going to serve just two people, not sure if he knew we heard that or not... unfortunately, after the second visit, we won't be returning.

We sat at the bar again and were initially greeted and got our drinks quickly. However, as time went on, the bar manager kept disappearing for 10+ minutes at a time while customers waited. We struggled just to get a refill, let alone order food. When we were ready to ask for our check, she finally reappeared--only to disappear again to check what the new burger of the month was. Meanwhile, a couple who sat down after us waited so long that they listed everything they wanted at once, unsure when she'd return. They weren't rude, but she told them they were and asked them to leave, making the whole atmosphere tense.

After waiting 1 hour and 45 minutes, our food finally arrived--and mine was wrong. At that point, I just asked for a box so we could leave. Meanwhile, people who sat down after us were already eating. I didn't want to spend over two hours waiting for a simple burger and cider.

We understand staffing shortages and are sympathetic, but disappearing for long stretches, leaving customers unattended, and not even checking in isn't acceptable. Seeing other reviews mentioning the same issues months ago makes it clear that nothing is improving. Maybe a second location isn't a great idea if staffing is an ongoing problem. And calling customers "rude" for trying to get their order in after waiting forever? That's just bad hospitality. Lived in Indy for 12 years now, this has been the worst service experience in any restaurant in the Indianapolis area. If you want good ciders still, I highly recommend going to the liquor store, get some Ash & Elm and some Steak n Shake burgers and you're going to have much better service and cheaper experience altogether. While upper management did address the situation, it has continued to come up in conversations about some of the worst places to go in...

Great food and drinks!

We went last night for my wife's birthday. The restaurant was slow when we arrived at 5:00. But it quickly filled out shortly afterward. The team told us they were running on a shorter staff than usual and asked for our patience this makes sense on a big concert weekend with the newly opened business. Our server’s name was Bryn and Taylor assisted him. The two of them did a great job working with a sizeable dinner crowd and did an exceptional job of getting food and drinks out to the guests. They remained in communication with us and were always friendly and kind.

Ash and Elm is an awesome restaurant if you have someone in your life who has food allergies. They're incredibly friendly to people with gluten issues. They also have some decent vegetarian options. All the food we've had at this restaurant has been fantastic. The flavors are great, and we've enjoyed it every time we've visited Ash and Elm. As you can imagine we were excited to see one down the road from us in Carmel.

This is a fantastic restaurant that has some favorites in the types of food they offer, but they also have some unique options that you don't find at your typical restaurant. The pricing is fair, and I believe very affordable for today's restaurant market. We had a fantastic time and can't wait to go for our next visit!

The kindness and care of this team is greatly appreciated!!

The food is great, the food is safe, and we always have the best meal.

Our server, Kelsey, told us it was only her second day waiting tables but you couldn't tell. She was knowledgeable and on time. Friendly but never intrusive.

It was a great meal and the new gluten free cheesecake is a must!

Extra shout out to Brynn the GM for stopping by and hearing our thoughts and going. Above and beyond to take care of us

We...

Bloody amazing experience at Ash and Elm!

From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with a smile and seated promptly. The atmosphere was infectious; everyone seemed genuinely happy—how could you not be in a cider house? Our server, Jordan, was a superstar. Despite the restaurant being packed, he handled everything with ease. Good job, mate!

We ordered a variety of dishes: #glutenfree fish and chips, chili, fried chicken sandwich, tofu fries, and the non-GF mac and cheese squares. I should have ordered two helpings of the curds—whatever breading they use is simply wonderful. The fish was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The GF fried chicken sandwich was bloody brilliant, with sweet and tangy BBQ sauce, a wicked crunch, juicy chicken, and a chewy, non-crumbly bun. Move over, @chikfila—Ash and Elm's chicken is better!

The chili was flavorful and hearty, perfect for a chilly day. The fries were golden, crispy, and delicious. None of the fried foods tasted like they were cooked with the fish, which is a big plus. My biggest complaint at other places is that once a fryer is shared, everything from chips to chicken to crisps tastes like fish. This is not the case at Ash and Elm.

Order the curds before they run out, and call ahead as they may be out of certain menu items. I also tried the autumn tide slush—yummo! It was like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and hope all blended up in an icy apple pie. We got a flight, a couple of growlers, and some swag to go. I may have finished that wee growler of margarita when I got home. Kudos to...