Oakleys Bistro — Restaurant in Indianapolis

An Elevated Evening at Oakleys Bistro

Casual diners and food enthusiasts navigating through Indianapolis might find themselves at Oakleys Bistro, particularly on a Saturday night when the atmosphere gently hums with soft chatter and clinking tableware. It comes recommended by TimeOut, and with due reason.

Tucked unassumingly into a strip mall, your first impressions might waver, yet upon entry, Oakleys refutes any doubts. The interior strikes a meticulous balance, possessing an effortless elegance that doesn’t encroach upon its welcoming demeanor. It's subtle, with an intentionally understated design that quietly elevates above its physical locale.

An available terrace, which we opted to forego, seemed like a pleasant option under more conducive climatic circumstances. A mental note was made for future reference.

Exceptional service isn’t exuberant; it’s consistent, attentive, and anticipatory. Our waiter, Grace, navigated through the evening with a commendable handle on these traits, maneuvering through service and upsells with equal tact.

The food leans into elevated cuisine, aesthetically considered and notably palatable. It’s a sensory experience that aligns with visual allure and flavorful depth, each dish presented with an apparent respect for the ingredients and the diner. Our highlight was the pork chop - well rendered and tasty side vegetables. Complementing the meal, the cocktails, balanced and aptly crafted, not only paired well but stood impressively on their own.

For those charting a course through Indianapolis’ dining scene, Oakleys Bistro not only deserves a visit but commands a position on your culinary itinerary. It doesn’t demand your attention with audacity but earns it with a quiet, consistent excellence in food, service,...

My boyfriend and I went out to celebrate Valentine’s Day and heard really good things about the food and the shrimp corn dog (even though we thought it lacked flavor and texture they were ok)

Here’s how the night deteriorated and with such velocity. We were sat at a 4 person and the placement for the two of us were awkwardly up against the wall and another table. We sat on the opposite spots then what was laid out since one chair couldn’t even be pulled out. That’s how close to the wall it was.

Our waiter Donni came out and the first thing he says “Hey sorry but you’re gonna hate me you’re going to have to move to the other spots as this other table pushed their table out further out and we need to be able to access the back portion. We found that odd as our table was a 4 person table, what would they have done if we were a party of four? It just felt we weren’t valued as patrons as the larger table, who not only not only loud loudly kept talking about prostitutes in Vegas, real charming.

We order and as I mentioned the corndogs were just ok. The food was wonderful 5 stars to the chefs and kitchen staff. Once Donnie came back and mentioned he was gonna ask if he could get our corndogs compd by the chef, I didn’t find that necessary.

He tries to make jokes throughout the rest of the meal and I was honestly over it. At the end our bill was $270 for the two of us but hey Donni really came through with taking off the $6 corndogs, it sadly did not save from the first impression being subpar.

The waiters and waitresses of restaurants are the first impression and set the tone for the evening and sadly Donni just made the evening less than enjoyable on what was supposed to be a...

This place, in my opinion, is a small, tiny step below that of a Michelin star restaurant. And they are certainly some of the best food you can get in Indy. I had just finished a huge exam and this was the place to asked to be taken in celebration. We arrived at 8:30 and, even though they close at 9, their service was not rushed at all. I ordered their Venetian Aperol spritz to start. It was very good but make sure to mix it up because it was quite strong at the bottom. For the starter we ordered the tulip tree trillium and the brisket dumplings. The cheese was so good but piping hot. I loved the texture of almonds in it along with the sweetness of the jam. The dumplings were also very good, the brisket inside was melt in your mouth good!

For mains we ordered the duck and duck and the mushroom paella. If you read the menu, the paella is not actually made of rice but mushroom rice so it has a different texture. But I love it! I almost exclusively order this dish when I come here because I truly believe it’s the mark of a good chef if they can take vegetables taste good! The paella is a journey of textures, color, and flavors as you devour all the differently prepared veggies. The duck was a little disappointing based on all the rave reviews. It was still cooked perfectly but just not the flavor I was expecting, my fiancée seemed to enjoy it though. We also ordered the tomato/Parmesan risotto as a side which was a surprising show stopper. It was really good and was finished entirely!

Sadly, I had no room left for dessert! I highly recommend Oakleys for a date night or celebration. They have phenomenal food and service and have never...