Nicky Blaine's

09/09/08

great place fantastic service

by SR911 at Citysearch

We love Nicky Blaines. By far the nicest club in town . Look at the dates on the previous two reviews. Must be a disgruntled employee ,as they both sound the same and are the same date. Go to Nickies and see for yourself . The place is always packed they must be doing something right .The previous two reviews

sound alot like someone in the industry just trying to bash the place . Go Nicky Blaines WE LOVE YOU

• Pros: great service
• Cons: Too much fun

helpful (0) not helpful (1)

Comments

somelier55– November 14, 2009 at 06:56:37 PST

This looks as if the management of Nicky Blaine's is writing this.

I am in out of town from the east coast, and I never have been to IN in my life. I eat regularly at places like Savoy. The staff was pretty nasty. The waitresses are sweet. The issue here is the upper level staff. I see lots of various dates on these reviews.

I would these reviews should be brought to the attention of the OWNER of the establishment, who probably has no idea how his bartenders/managers behave.

comment

11/14/09

Be very careful with the management

by somelier55 at Citysearch

I will never forget the vicious management and bartenders.

However, if you like a great look, great selection, you'd be happy. Be very careful not to complain to the manager about the staff, you will receive retribution and they will ask you to leave. The manager sides with staff over costumer, even when the bartender says something misogynistic and hurtful to a customer.

• Pros: Great look, selection
• Cons: Staff

06/03/09

In for the race. Had a great time!

by ChrisV54 at Citysearch

My buddies come in for the race every year. This is the third year we've come to Nicky Blaines. We've had a great time in the past and this year was no exception.

I love coming in for a cigar and drinks. Looks like this is becoming a tradition. I highly recomend checking it out!

• Pros: Great cigar selection, cool atmosphere
• Cons: Little expensive

05/19/09

used to like this place...

by sr911 at Citysearch

It is unfortunate when you frequent an establishment and grow to know what to expect from it, and then it lets you down. I love going to Nicky Blaine's but lately it's become more of a hassle than it's worth. Reading the reviews on here are disappointing, but understandable. I would expect the staff and management to defend the place, but is this website the place to do it? A place for which I once had a lot of respect, has quickly lost that respect, in my opinion. Allowing your crew to post rebuttals to guest complaints is unacceptable, but when the owner is doing the same what can one really expect? I used to enjoy going in to Nicky Blaine's and savoring the company of the familiar bartenders and their kindness. It seems lately they are more concerned with the back rubs they are getting from their staff than the customers at the bar. The rudeness presented to customers is appalling. I would normally recommend this place, but lately it seems to have turned into an incestual friend-fest. I know the bartenders are better than that, yet they haven't been showing that lately. I hope that ownership refocuses their concept of the bar that was once a success and realizes that their bartenders don't need to be wh**es on sale for all to view. Just run an honest establishment with genuine service and people will flock to your place. When you make people feel less than human for doing nothing more than walking into your bar, you're losing customers. Gone are the days you can act arrogant and think people will return to you no matter what, returning are the times you need to put your customers first and let them know you are thankful they are in your establishment. Times are tough, and your customers have plenty of places to choose from, do you think your place will be the one they choose?

• Pros: Tasty libations. Decent service.
• Cons: "Friendly staff", staff making you feel less than human.

03/10/09

The Truth

by downtownserver at Citysearch

To those of you who have read the previous review titled horrible service/horrible staff...I would like to give an more accurate account of that evening. Mr. Clark and his party were informed of our policy of all parties of 6 or more be on one check by the manager when they sat down. I explained more thoughly when I came to the table to take their order, that they could give me multiple forms of payment but I could not seperate the bill. They were given great service and had a good time until the bill was set before them. They begun complaining immediatly, I again explained that each of them could hand me a card and tell me how much to put on it. (most restuarants and bars have a one check policy for parties of 6 or more) As Mr. Clark stated he came to me to complain...What he didn't state is that getting with-in inches of my face raising his voice and trying to belittle me is more than complaining. Two of my fellow co-workers came to my side one ready to defend me physically if need be the other to tell Mr. Clark that I was simply doing my job. He proceeded to berate my manager along with several others from his table all to no avail. They sat for 45 minutes firguring out their bill ranting as loud as they could about us and cussing us when they did not think we could hear. When they finally gave me the tab with the cards to pay Mr. Clark again got in my face to tell that he better recieve every F***ing penny of his god**** change. After calling us a few more names they left threating to write bad reviews. All over having to think I had 4 beers at 5 dollars a beer I owe....Well Mr. Clark I am sorry that you are such a small human being with such limited life experience that having to divide a tab with your friends is such a traumatic experience. I am extremely sorry that you think getting in a lady's face, raising your voice and belittling her should get you what you want. I however am not sorry I did not thank you and your friends for coming in.

02/12/09

Horrible service/horrible staff

by patricksclark at Citysearch

Wow! What HORRIBLE service we just had at your indpls restaurant! Upon being sat for my friends bday party we were told we had to give a credit card for our party of six to get a seat. We gave a card and immediately asked our server if at the end of the night we could split the ticket between the guest, we were reassured yes. After ordering, they were out of 3 of 6 orders (makers mark, new castle, miller lite) we celebrated my friends bday. At the end of the night we were given a bill and told we need to separate our own bill, (on a Thurs night with max 25 in bar) including tax and tip, and then tell our server what to charge each card. 3 separate parties pleaded with the "manager" for help with our bill and with splitting, we we're only told "sorry we can't help, it's policy." We spent over an hour figuring our "bill" with calculators on our cell phones, our server or manager offered no help, we figured it out, and Nicky Blaines lost 6 customers permanently. We think the ma!

nager should have worked with us and the staff could have easily spilt our bill and included tip to make it worth all of our time. We are extremely displeased and cannot in good faith recommend your establishment to anyone that we come in contact with. Our server or manager never thanked us, appologized for the major inconvenience, or recognized the $30 mandatory tip we were forced to give for inadequate, unprofessional service.

PLEASE, do not go there with more then 2 people the hassle is not worth ruining your night and the expensive drinks do not ease the pain of being abused as a consumer

• Pros: Cool environment
• Cons: Poor service, expensive drinks

10/13/08

Glad I moved!!

by Vegasguy04 at Citysearch

I just moved from Las Vegas,NV. I asked some of my new co-works where I could go for a drink, and cigar. They told me to check out Nicky Blaine's. As I walked down the stairs, I was a little worried where they sent me. Then as I open the doors that felt like a vault door going in to a bank. I was truely amazed I found my diamond of bars!! Coming from Vegas, and seen every type of bar concept on the planet. I was very impressed with the leather couches, "RatPack" feel of the place, and the smell of many great cigar smoke filled the air. As I walked to the bar after being stopped by a very beautiful hostess asking me if I wanted to go to the bar or a couch. As tempting as a couch sounded to me I had to go to the bar. As I walked to the bar I was amazed with the gorgeous red Chicago bar top. As I sit down at the bar. I was greeted by one of the bartenders with water in one hand, and a lighter in the other to light my unlit cigarette. As I looked through the menu for a scotch. I was truely impressed with the selection they had, the same with the cigar menu too. I had the best time at Nicky Blaine's plus with the service, and the wide range of the choices they had. It made me not think about home at all. I would recommend this place to everyone. Thanks for everything!!!

• Pros: Fast service
• Cons: Closed at 3am

10/13/08

Great place, A must see in Indy!!!

by Blondigirl31 at Citysearch

My husband and I were in last weekend and I absolutely adore the place. We sat at one of the beautiful leather couches tucked away in the corner. Our server was great, she was attentive and charming. The drinks we had were fairly priced for a place of this caliber. We had a wonderful time and will be back. I would recommend this place for any couple who needs a night out on the town. Thanks so much Nicky!!

• Pros: Awesome drinks and good service
• Cons: Can't get my husband to leave the place.

09/16/08

THESE BAD REVIEWS ARE TRUE! I WAS THERE!

by LindseyN at Citysearch

Since another reviewer chose to refute the negative comment below his or hers, let me assure you, this story (though it seems totally unbelievable) IS true. I was there...

I've been to Nicky Blaine's exactly four times in my entire life. None of these experiences have been even average or good, but since the place seems to have a following of people who enjoy super slow service and subpar rude staff, I tag along when someone suggests visiting a martini bar while in downtown Indy.

After my own wedding reception, a group of my friends and family visited Nicky Blaine's. We had all trailed in in groups of 3-5 people and sat near each other. The waiter assumed we were in a group. This was a fairly common assumption, and only a few of us minded the hassle of the bar's "no split check" policy for "groups" of our size.

However, the bar staff was EXTREMELY slow. None of us expected lightning speed when we arrived but we did not expect to wait up to 20 minutes for a martini and even longer to take care of our bills.

The story Elliot5 tells below me is absolutely true and basically ruined a very special night for our friends and friends. Let me go on to say that after our family member who had been treated so poorly left we all asked for our bills, WHICH had not been split between even the half of our party who had been there for about an hour before the other half. It was horrendous. We tried to figure out who had ordered what, but eventually gave up screaming over the loud techno music and my husband paid the bill without even being sure we ordered enough drinks to total the bill. It was over $300.

Our friends and family are not low class or poor. However, we were treated like subclass trash that night.

Had we recieved average service, our tip would have indicated such. However, we recieved absolutely the worst service all of us had ever recieved in a public bar or restaurant in our entire lives.

The experience was horrible. End of story. Would never return.

• Pros: Good place for people who don't know the value of good service or their own welfare checks to experience a "premier" martini bar
• Cons: "Premier Martini Bar" is used loosely in exchange with "Nicky Blaine's- Worst Bar Ev-ar"

09/07/08

neat place, bad service

by John1034 at Citysearch

this is a really cool bar. but, the people who work there are rude. recently, i went there with two of my friends. we ordered a round of drinks. the waiter never asked for payment. so, i assumed that he was keeping track on a tab. after we each drank our martini, which are very overpriced, we asked for the bill. he told us he'd be right back. 15 minutes later, the bill arrived, with FIVE martinis on it! i told him we each had one. that makes three. he told me "don't be a smart a--." i was shocked. i told him that i didn't want to argue, just take two of the drinks off. since he was so mean, i only left him a 10% tip. he didn't deserve any tip after the comment. but, it wasn't enough for him. before i could leave, he approached me and told me to get out. and he called me an a--hole. i'll never go back.

• Pros: good martinis
• Cons: overpriced, mean staff