Bar Louie - Carmel — Restaurant in Carmel

*UPDATE "Bar Louie commented under my review almost 2 months ago and never got back to me. I even sent a follow up email on 6/30/25 and still have not heard from "customer service" since they asked me which location it was on 6-9-25. DONT BE FOOLED BY THEIR RESPONSE ON NEGATIVE REVIEWS, ITS CLEARLY JUST FOR "SHOW" THEY REALLY DONT RESOLVE ANYTHING. STEER CLEAR. (SCREENSHOT ATTACHED)

Not the best experience but the cocktails were on point!!! The waitress keshawndra and Morgan were very pleasant as well. My sister and I visited this location as I had received a notification from the "In-Kind" app to receive $25 off of $50 purchase. (FYI They did not honor the coupon, the only location that doesnt) I had not known we had a Bar Louie as we are from the Chicago area and there location is always nice!

Then we saw that it was girls night out on Thursday and we're super happy about the $6 drink specials clearly advertised on the Carmel locations website. The waitress informed us that they don't do the drink special at this location and they had other people come in with the same issue.

This is AFTER we ordered like 3 drinks each AND food that had not came out yet. I asked for the manager but he refused to come out at first and sent another server to try and handle it. Mind you this manager c was walking around talking to everyone in bar area except us the entire time we were there and disappeared to the back once the issues arose. He finally came out after I refused to take the food that came out and explained that the owner does not acknowledge the in-kind app or the daily drink specials. There was nothing he could do and he also stated this has happened several times. I asked if they could put a note on door to avoid this happening in future...still no sign on door but still false advertising online. Completely ridiculous. In the end AFTER repeatedly telling us how he wont honor anything he let us keep the food ( which wasn't great...

UPDATE: This location can’t seem to get their story straight. On my last visit, I was told happy hour was from 4-7 PM and was denied happy hour pricing, despite Google listing it as 3-6 PM. Today, I was told that happy hour is actually 3-6 PM and has been since the day before my last visit—meaning I was wrongly denied the discount before. To make things even more confusing, I was denied happy hour pricing again—this time for my second drink because it was after 6 but before 7.

Adding to the inconsistency, I was informed that the GM who was present during my last visit is no longer with the company.

On a positive note, the calamari was exquisite. My burger was tasty, though the bacon was chewier than I’d hoped.

ORIGINAL POST: I’ve had good experiences here before, but this visit left a lot to be desired. My ticket was opened at 3:33 PM, during what Google lists as happy hour (3-6 PM). However, when I received my bill, my calamari was full price. I asked my server if it was supposed to be half off for happy hour, and he confirmed that it was—but then said happy hour actually runs from 4-7. I showed him Google’s listing (see photo), and he went to check with his manager. When he returned, he told me his manager was “in a mood” and wouldn’t honor the pricing. The general manager, Julio, was on duty, but I didn’t get the chance to speak with him.

The food itself was fine. My calamari was slightly overdone but still edible. However, my entree order was incorrect. I ordered the citrus grilled salmon, and my server repeated it back to me correctly. Yet when my food arrived, I was given a salmon Caesar salad instead. When I pointed it out, the server said he thought that’s what I ordered—despite having just confirmed “citrus grilled salmon” moments earlier.

I usually have Renee as my server, and she’s always delightful. I was disappointed not to see her this time, especially given how...

Bar Louie Carmel — Carmel, IN

When you first walk into Bar Louie Carmel, it gives you hope. The atmosphere is nice—lighting is on point, décor is trendy but not overdone, and it looks like a go-to spot for lunch or happy hour. The setting is cute.

But that’s where the positives end.

Me and my mom came in around 2 PM. By 4 PM, we were still sitting there waiting on two simple drinks. Meanwhile, behind the bar, servers were on their phones, walking in and out, spilling beer, laughing, and moving like they were hosting a kickback—not running a business.

Our server? Sweet personality, but professionally not equipped. She had no urgency, no full knowledge of the menu, and honestly should be hosting, not serving.

The bigger issue: No manager was on duty. At first, we were told a “manager” would help, but it was just the kitchen manager wandering around. No General Manager. No assistant manager. No floor manager. When we pressed a little more, we found out Bar Louie Carmel hasn’t had a real floor manager scheduled during day shifts for over six months. Not by accident — by design.

Now to the food: • The “crispy” chicken tenders? Limp, greasy, and flavorless. • The calamari? Mostly crumbs and fryer bits — barely edible. • Everything else? Way too salty to enjoy. • Even basic menu suggestions were wild. (Lemon vinaigrette suggested as a Thousand Island substitute?!)

And through all of it, still no management visible or active.

Bottom line: Bar Louie Carmel has a beautiful space but no leadership, no structure, and no accountability. This isn’t a “bad day” — it’s a broken system. Until serious changes are made, it’s not worth your money or your time.

Final Rating: 2/5 — Beautiful setting, tragic execution. Won’t return until...