Great Nights Out: With Out-of-Towners
1933 Lounge
We hear there’s a pretty good shrimp cocktail here …
You want ritzy? You go straight to the clubby environs above St. Elmo Steak House, all dark wood and brick and plush seating, where pretty young things in red body-con dresses serve perfectly chilled martinis (plus the place’s signature cocktail, the bourbon-and-vanilla-laced Elmo Cola). It’s a great place to do power Manhattans, to surprise your far-flung friends with Indy’s quiet brand of chic, and for Aunt Judy to try that shrimp cocktail she’s heard so much about. 127 S. Illinois St., 317-635-0636, stelmos.com/1933-lounge
The Eagle’s Nest
These sights aren’t going to see themselves.
No, that’s not a spaceship perched atop the Hyatt Regency in the center of Indianapolis. It’s the hotel’s ritzy, rotating restaurant and bar, featuring 360-degree views of the city. Enjoy dinner and drinks 22 stories above the bustling streets while the restaurant rotates slowly, revealing panoramic scenery as your backdrop to forkfuls of ginger mayo–swiped crab cakes and sips of something sparkly. For Instagram-worthy shots, try to snag reservations just before dusk. The floor completes a full revolution once an hour, meaning there’s not a bad seat in the house. 1 S. Capitol Ave., 317-616-6170, indianapolis.regency.hyatt.com
The Libertine Liquor Bar
Mass Ave may not be Williamsburg, but it’s got its share of cool watering holes.
If you’re trying to help Indy shed that bright-eyed, behind-the-times Hoosier persona, you’ll want to hit up this subterranean bar. Tatted bartenders slinging boozy sips, young urbanites nibbling on caviar-topped deviled eggs, and a rotating seasonal menu from James Beard Award–nominated chef/owner Neal Brown are staples of the dark, moody lounge, where the mixologists boast a dark wit. A recent Marie Antoinette–inspired Let Them Eat Cake bubbly confection infused with the flavor of angel-food cake was served in a dainty teacup (the opulence factor, you know), and a drink devoted to JFK was morbidly dubbed Back and to the Left. 608 Massachusetts Ave., 317-631-3333, libertineindy.com
