The Friendly Tavern

decent food, not the best ever but not bad for the cost; really busy everyday so had to wait for some time; good for smaller groups

A very busy/ packed spot serving American bar food and drinks. We went there on a casual Friday evening, were showed to our table by the staff nearly after 40 min wait. Ordered a friendly platter, Hoosier sandwich, chicken club. Jalapeño poppers were my favourite among all. BPT was nicely breaded came with buffalo chips.The prices were inexpensive for the quality and quantity being served.

Great service and great food. Just not the place to go if you want to have a conversation during lunch or dinner. It almost felt like we were shouting at each other to hear. That just resulted in everyone talking loud at adjacent tables. But what was refreshing were the reasonable lunch prices. I had a great buffalo chicken wrap, plus a side, for under $10.

A great first experience dining here. Food is great tasting and the atmosphere is very welcoming. Andrew was a great waiter and always stayed on top of everything. Many meals to choose from, but I really loved my grilled chicken sandwich. The peanut butter silk pie was a great ending to my meal.

Amazing place! Food was excellent. Beer selection was awesome. Service was a bit slow but they were packed and it appeared our server had every table in our area. Still, was completely satisfied with our experience.

We had a truly great first experience dining here! The atmosphere is very welcoming, and the food is great tasting. Our entire visit was made exceptional by our waiter, Andrew, who was a great waiter and always stayed on top of everything. I really loved my grilled chicken sandwich, and the peanut butter silk pie was a fantastic ending to the meal. We highly recommend this spot, and definitely ask for Andrew!

First time going here but happened to be in the area so we stopped by. The staff was very friendly, no pun intended. Our waitress had suggestions since it was our first time there and everything we tried was delicious (chicken noodle soup, chopped steak, tenderloin, friendly potatoes, apple dumpling)! We are definitely going to have to make the trip to eat here again!

What a great first experience! The food is great tasting, and I loved my choices. I highly recommend the grilled chicken sandwich and definitely save room for dessert—the peanut butter silk pie was a great ending to the meal. Our waiter, Andrew, was also great; he always stayed on top of everything. With a very welcoming atmosphere and so many meals to choose from, you can't go wrong.

This place is a little gem! It was the perfect find for my group so we could meet in the middle. We were happy it's a very family friendly place that still serves adult beverages and great food. Upon arrival, there was a couple ahead of us who highly recommended the wings. And right they were! A large plate full of wings was soon devoured. I wish I lived closer so I could visit more frequently. Definitely recommend.

First time to this spot on the main drag of Zionsville. Got there early (4:30ish). A popular hotspot apparently judging by the crowd waiting at the door as I was leaving. Food was good (grilled pork tenderloin a side salad was my fare this night). Decent bottled and canned beer selection, but limited draft choices (-1 star, sorry). Waitress was prompt and friendly as was everyone one else that stopped by the table. Definitely will be back.

I can see why Zionsville loves this restaurant. The food is outstanding and the prices are surprisingly affordable. My only minor ding would be the noise level. From what I can tell, this restaurant is almost always packed completely full of people, which is a good thing, but all those people generate a lot of sound. The decibel app on my phone consistently measured 89+ decibels, and although that's not the same as attending the front row of a KISS concert in 1976, 89 decibels is too loud. Literally made my ears ring afterwards. We'll be back though. I'll bring my noise canceling headphones. Did I mention the food is superior?

They were super busy on a Tuesday night. Had a few specials including salmon, or the meatloaf, which was served with mashed and corn. I started with a cup of chilli was hearty as you old push the side in and it stood on its own on the center of the cup. It was full of flavor and did include beans for you Texans. There were several and I mean many plates for chicken wings being served. They bread them here and although sauces are served on the side, I did not see any that were sauced up from the kitchen. That style is about 3,500lbs/week at 2lbs/plate. Then there is the traditional buffalo wing which is not breaded and is a different wing. All the wings are fresh and never frozen. I had the Meatloaf which was browned nicely with good flavor, mashed potatoes were real and good! And corn(traditional) Other than the busyness of the restaurant everything was spot on and I can see why it's popular Pricing is very reasonable Linda at the bar provided great service even with it being incredibly busy. Came out from behind the bar introduced herself and handed me the check. Great experience

I have eaten here a few times now.and the food is always consistently good. You always will go home with left overs as the portions are huge. It's definitely a great local watering hole which I love. The prices are very affordable and they always have amazing specials.

Fantastic wings! Crispy, juicy, and perfectly seasoned -- not greasy at all. Portions are huge (the photo's my leftovers after eating my fill!). Service was a little slow but a friendly hometown vibe and taste with large portion size made it so worth i

The Friendly is a Zionsville staple. It's been around for yours and people love it for the atmosphere. I've had different menu items here and there during prior visits in the last 10 years but finally found one I enjoyed. I got the club and it was great size for the price and yummy! Only "complaint" is the ratio of bread but it's still manageable. Perfect meal if you're hungry, wanting to split, or save for leftovers. It came with a side of chips but able to swap sides for an upcharge.

First time at the Friendly this evening! We tried the vegetable beef soup which I thought was actually the best thing we ate! Tasted like a grandma's home-cooked soup. Very good. We also split a salad with a VERY delicious ranch dressing. We shared Friendly's famous wings and buffalo chips. The wings were good with the buffalo sauce and the honey apple bbq sauce. The chips were great dipped in ranch. We really loved the atmosphere. It is everything you'd expect of a "small town" restaurant. So old school and relaxed.

The Friendly Tavern is the special place in Zionsville where you can enjoy lunch or dinner or grab a cocktail. Casual dress attire is acceptable. The food is great! The fish sandwich or hamburgers are amazing. Fried chicken and the French Silk Pie. Highly recommended .. service is also great. Like the name of the restaurant , The Friendly

The Friendly is a perfect specimen of what it claims to be: a friendly bar with good simple food. Anyone who is disappointed was looking for something else! It doesn't look like many updates have happened to the interior in decades and this gives the a perfectly nostalgic vibe. The wait staff is made up of practical but kind ladies middle aged and up. If there's a wait for a table (and there usually is a wait on a Friday night), you'll get your name written on a notepad, and then the host will give you a nod when your table is ready. It's going to be loud in there, but everyone is having a good time. The best part is the food! Burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, fried appetizers, and big crispy chicken wings piled high. If you're feeling fancy, get a steak an a baked potato wrapped in foil. Add a cup of vegetable beef soup taht is just like my grandma made. Get a side salad and enjoy sorting through the cracker basket that comes along. They're generous with portions, and everything is prepared just right. And, the prices are extremely fair for what you get. I've never had a bad meal there.

What a cute spot! Had their famous wings but we made the mistake of tossing them into the sauce...still tasty but would get them untoward as they have on menu. Also tried out the famous IN pork tenderloin and I had flashbacks to the county fair (in the best way). People were nice and it was a cute dive. We were told "back in the day" they even had a dirt floor - they have gotten rid of this

Great chicken tenders, tenderloins, mushrooms and potato skins! I haven't had anything bad here! Highly recommend this place!

One of the things we love most about Friendly Tavern is their consistency. The food and service are consistently excellent, and the daily specials are always anticipated. The atmosphere reflects a warm, friendly neighborhood pub where you can't wait to return. The famous chicken wings are one of our favorites and so popular, orders are taken days ahead for the Super Bowl. We personally enjoy the Black Jack Chicken Sandwich, Grilled Tenderloin, BLT's, Burgers, Blacken Catfish dinner, Prime Rib, Charboiled Pork Chops and the Meatloaf special. Save room for one of the daily desserts or the ever popular Apple Dumpling with cinnamon ice cream that has been a staple for many years. Friendly's Tavern is loud, full of good conversation and laughter. This isn't the restaurant for a quiet, romantic dinner and only those 21 and older.

Wings. Friendly Wings. She's a well-known must have in Zionsville across all generations. I didn't step foot in this place until I'd eaten hundreds of poultry pops from styrofoam containers. Salty and juicy in all the right places. Sound familiar? Well, OneRepublic wrote their 2008 hit on a Buffalo stained napkin in this joint. How else would you come up with the line, "All the right friends in all the right places?" Friends in the Friendly eating salty and juicy wings, harmonious. A family friend, Bob, who recommended a place that would fix my bike, frequently dines here. He's adamant there's no better place to enjoy a lazy weeknight steak adorned with the fixins, soup, baked potato and dinner roll. He stands among many who tout various items their champion from this menu. If you can bang out an Oriental Chicken Salad and Hoosier Classic Tenderloin at this level then who's to compete? Jackson and I sat among a generation our senior, who sat among a generation their senior. Smiles across sprawled bodies that recline far too comfortably in these well-loved seats. Conversation bleeds so thickly from the heart of this dining room I question if music even played on my most recent visitation. That's restaurant heritage. That's the Friendly Tavern.

Totally a dive. But the food is great. And yes, FRIENDLY! Service during the busy holiday season was just ok. It took us a long while to get going and I never received a coke refill despite having an empty cup. Least everything came out correctly. But now that 2025 has started, my husband and I had lunch recently and everything came out super quickly. Service was truly outstanding for the value you get. They have great rotating specials. But when your go-to's are always good, I don't switch things up often. Good - beef vegetable soup, dinner salad Better - regular fries Best - pork tenderloin, fried catfish, buffalo chips with ranch, chicken wings with honey apple bbq

The Friendly Tavern in Zionsville has a great local, unique, and warm environment. The food is great and the servers are great! It's my favorite restaurant in the state of Indiana.

I had heard great things about Friendlys Famous Wings. As someone who loves wings I super excited to check them out. The wings weren't bad but I was expecting them to be super juicy and flavorful. The skin and breading had season but the inside chicken did not. They had a nice crisp and were fresh out the fryer! Also the amount you get was worth the price. The service wasn't the friendliest. Our server rushed the whole process and even took our plates when we still had fries and sauce left. Mind you she had given us tops for our sauces and we had yet to put them on. I literally had a fry in my hand about to dip and she took the plate. It was loud in there but that's a tavern vibe so no complaints. I just had a better overall experience in mind.

Back again for a Thursday night prime rib with a side Caesar salad and cabbage. Very good and a great value. A nearby restaurant charges $10 more for pretty much the same prime rib dinner. The place gets crazy busy after 6pm and usually requires a wait. Excellent bartender Kim. Probably not the place to go if you are in a hurry.

Good service, very busy and welcoming environment. Best part was the food, wow. Breaded mushrooms with house made ranch were amazing. Menu stated the best burgers around and I'm now a believer. Prices were extremely fair as well. We will be going back.

We went to Friendly's because of a recommendation of a friend. From the outside and looking in it has the vibe of a neighborhood tavern. When we walked in we looked around and were not sure if we should seat ourselves or if someone would seat us. We were soon greeted by a man who appeared laid back and relaxed and pointed to where we should sit. His demeanor was so chill we thought he could have just been another customer. I realized later this is part of the charm that makes this place so special. Our waiter soon came and it felt more like old friends. The food is a step above a regular Tavern. The Prime Rib was amazing and a decent price for all we got. I love this place and am definitely coming again

Excellent service, excellent food, friendly neighborhood bar ambiance. I was just here for a celebration lunch with 17 people. The owner did a stellar job of placing us across nearby tables as they came available. I had the Hoosier classic tenderloin with lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, and ketchup. It was delicious! It was not as ridiculously large as it used to be--but still generously exceeded the bun size. Highly recommend this place!

Chicken wings are always delicious! Great service too. The servers have been there a long time and know what they are doing. They can roll with it even when they are super busy. They help each other out and get you what you want. The atmosphere lives up to it's name, Friendly Tavern

Absolutely loved this place ! Glad we tried this place recommended by a local in Zionsville. I got the Black Jack Chicken sandwich and it was delicious. The sandwiches can be either upgraded to side of fries or buffalo chips which I did and didn't regret . The service was fantastic and servers and staff are extremely friendly. The establishment is pretty old which you can tell from ambiance but h the at does not compromise the quality of food at all. We spent $32 for 2 people with 2 entrees and 2 beers which I felt was decently priced! Be sure to check out this place if you're looking for a casual , tasty American restaurant in Zionsville . PS : Food was so good that I forgot to stop to take photos :(

I think this establishment must be a "locals only" place if it has 4.5 stars because our service here was terrible. My husband, our 2 friends, and I all stopped in here tonight for one more drink after dinner before going our separate ways. We will not be returning again. We arrived around 10 PM (plenty of time for one drink) and they close at 11 PM. The man who seated us asked "you guys are having food, right?" and we said we were just here for a drink and he was kind of weird about it, but said to sit wherever and then brought us a couple of menus and said our server would be right over. Our server started out really nice and we put in our drink orders. I was the only one who ordered a draft beer, a blue moon. I was not able to drink it because it tasted spoiled- I do not think their beer lines are being cleaned properly because the taste was awful and it made my throat feel weird. I ended up just drinking my water the rest of our time there. Our server came back over to check on us shortly after we had gotten our drinks and hadn't fully stopped all the way to ask if we were doing okay/we didn't even get to answer before she went "okay" and then abruptly walked away. She came over a couple more times after that and each time we would all be in the middle of a conversation that she would just loudly start speaking over instead of waiting for a break to interject or for us to stop and look up. It just seemed like at the 10:15 PM mark that they were trying to close down and kick everyone out. Around 10:30 PM all of the staff seemingly decided to start banging everything around as loud as they possibly could- we could not even hear our friends talking across the table from us- so we decided to get our check the next time our server came over as they clearly wanted us to leave. After we paid my friend took a few more sips of her beer and then we got up to leave. The man who first seated us RUSHED to the door and did not even let it close on its own before telling us "have a good night" and yanking it closed behind us. As soon as the door closed he turned the front light off on us while we were still in front of the entrance. This was at 10:45 PM. We stood across the street discussing how bizarre and rude the whole thing was and then we see him a few minutes later come out of a side door with a bag of trash to throw away before leaving. It was just an incredibly unfriendly atmosphere and I guess they do not like to stay open until their stated business hours. I would not recommend coming here to anyone.

Came here after hearing a lot of hype. It took a little bit to be seated and seemed a little chaotic as I just stood behind some people standing towards the entrance. Perhaps because it was so busy no worker was able to tell us it will take a little time or anything. They have a bilevel situation which is unique. There was very little diversity in the restaurant. We got the wings and they were massive and perfectly fried. They came with sauces and were a little bland on their own as I like a wing that can stand alone. But the oriental sauce was really good but I wasn't super impressed with the buffalo sauce. It's unique they don't toss their wings in the sauce so I appreciated that.

The consistency of the line of patrons out front is correlated with the consistency of the good food and service. The Friendly Tavern has served the community, well, forever, it seems. The current owner has been running the tavern almost 30 years. The menu never seems to change-best burgers, wings, fish sandwiches and any comfort food that you need for lunch or dinner. They don't need to advertise, people just seem to know. I ordered taco salad and my friends had the iconic wings. The taco salad is filling, fresh and delicious. The girls loved the wings, served piping hot with a choice of sauces. They have a full service bar but don't brew their own beer. You can get Sun King or other local crafts. They offer a couple different inexpensive wines. The wait for a table can be long during the dinner hour. We waited about 20 minutes, which wasn't too bad on a Monday night. They do not take reservations. Everyone is "friendly". The servers and the other guests smile and make you feel welcome. No kids slowed because it is a bar in Indiana. Parking is tight in downtown, but there is an adjacent lot. I'm not sure it's accessible as there is tight turn to enter.

Great first visit to Friendly Tavern! Excellent service, classic neighborhood bar/restaurant feel, great food! Had a short wait for a table, even at for lunch on a Tuesday, but we were seated quickly. Great menu made it tough to choose. Everything was delicious and reasonably priced. Definitely keeping this spot in the rotation.

Horrible, slow service. Food not worth the price. The Friendly Hamburger Steak did not come with a brown gravy. No baked potatoes. No mashed potatoes. Will not return.

I have been eating here for years. Always good food. While I usually get the tenderloin, I got the wings tonight. Everything is spot on. Not gourmet, not pretentious. Just great food. The place is a staple in Zionsville for decades. Probably the original interior. Don't expect fancy, just friendly fast service and great food.

I had lunch with some friends today at Friendly Tavern in Zionsville. We got there around noon and only had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. Our waitress was extremely efficient and lived up to the name of the restaurant "friendly". We made it easy on her - we all ordered the breaded tenderloin - it comes with chips. The tenderloin was deep fried, with good flavoring and very moist inside. They are also know for their chicken wings - a table next to us ordered them - a huge pile of deep fried wings on a plate that 2 people can easily share. I've been to the Friendly about 20 times over the years and it never disappoints.

Everyone needs to try Friendly's Famous Wings! You'll definitely get your bang for your buck. You get a ton of crunchy, juicy fried chicken wings for $19.99 plus two sauces of your choice. I recommend buffalo and ranch. Make sure to get a side of buffalo chips too. The spinach and artichoke dip was good, but could use more cheese to enhance the flavor. If you get the hot Italian sub, make sure to put the vinaigrette sauce on the sandwich. It does get pretty loud and the service is slow, but that's expected for a restaurant with a large bar area. Even if it's in downtown Zionsville, I love that there's a free parking lot right next to the restaurant!

First, Customer Service is excellent. Not just our waitress, but the host and the buss people as well. Kind. Smiles. Helpful. We never had a dirty dish or an empty cup for maybe a minute. That alone.. 20 stars. The restaurant appeared clean. Which is huge for obvious reasons! Food is the three star review. It was just alright. It reminds me of a diner that serves steaks. We had: mozzarella cheese sticks. I loved them. We're they frozen, yes. Do I care, no. I had the filet with friendly potatoes, and potato soup. Filet was flavorless. I couldn't and didn't even try the potatoes. They looked like they had sat on a steam table for hours or even days. No thanks. The potato soup was actually delicious! It does have carrots in it, so if you hate carrots. Don't eat the soup. My husband had the Ribeye, broccoli, and the vegetable beef soup. He said the same about his steak, flavorless. Broccoli, well it's broccoli with nothing on it. Vegetable soup, he said it was delicious. And it was so good! Maybe we should come back for soup! We attempted to eat dessert, but their peanut butter pie (which you never find) has chocolate whipped into the peanut butter. I'm out.

This was our first visit to this place after seeing the reviews, and I am so glad that we came here. Our waitress Brenda was extremely pleasant and recommended the white fish fillet and cabbage, and even though I'm not a fan of cabbage, I loved it! The fish was grilled to perfection, not too mushy and not hard as a rock. But the highlight was their clam chowder, and being from Southern California, where seafood is extremely plentiful and fresh being on the West Coast, this place nailed it, even to the point where I was literally scraping the bowl! My wife ordered the Cajun fresh breast of chicken, and it was also very moist, and juicy and cooked to perfection. She also noticed that they have a oriental chicken salad, and she has not been able to find a place here in Indiana that serves it like she had back in Southern California, so we are definitely gonna be making another trip out here soon! I also want to point out that the place kinda reminded me of Cheers, especially the bar area.

The first place I go to for home cooking in a bar/restaurant! Best burger, wings, and cold beer! Fast and friendly service! Be prepared for the wait, always busy but well worth it for adults only which means no crying at all except when your team loses. Cool atmosphere and just excellent food and service.

Came here for a weekend dinner and the place was absolutely packed. Luckily we managed to snag the last open table so we didn't have to wait. We ordered: Friendly's Famous Wings ($19.99) - We got 23 pieces of some of the most juicy and succulent wings we've had. They came out piping hot and it seemed like every table around us had ordered this. The breading had a very nice crisp and the wings were perfectly seasoned. I have nothing but the highest praise for these wings. We got the BBQ and Ranch as the two sauces - both were pretty typical food service Sysco-like sauces. Not complaining here; they go well with the wings. Hoosier Classic Tenderloin + Fries ($9.49 + $1.25) - To start, the bun was well buttered and a nice fluffy complement to the ingredients inside. All the veggies - lettuce, red onion, pickles, and tomatoes were crisp and fresh. The mayo had more egg yolk added than a typical mayo, resulting in more richness and heartiness. The tenderloin itself wasn't pounded as flat as some other places (about 1/2 inch) which means it's smaller but has a nice juiciness. The problem - the breading was not good. Sad and soggy, no crispiness at all. This ruins the sandwich. The fries were normal food service ones, fried pretty well. Shaved Prime Hoagie + Chips ($10.99) - The sandwich was decent. Shaved beef, sweet onions, button mushrooms, and melted cheese on a buttery toasted hoagie. Quite greasy with an oily sheen all over the bread. The sandwich came with some horseradish sauce that complemented the sandwich well. The chips were crisper than say, a Lay's chip, but less crisp than a normal kettle chip. Very salty. My other tablemates got the Patty Melt and The Friendly Chopper and they were equally disappointed in their dishes. All four of regretted not just getting more wings and possibly the fried chicken. To be honest, if we had only gotten wings, this would probably have been a 5 star review. My advice: come to Friendly Tavern for the wings, skip everything else.

Ordered the potato soup -- it's good...but be warned: it's THICK and it's HEAVY! When it hit me, I was ready to go to bed! I ordered a hamburger as well. It was pretty basic. Bartender was nice. Plenty of parking.

Get the chicken wings, they are the best around and huge! The tenderloin is amazing too! I haven't had a bad dish here really. Service is quick and Friendly, you're treated like a regular. It's in an old building that was originally a carriage maker, so it's got a little character and original beams. Give them a try, you won't be disappointed.

Best wings in town, hands down! Yeah, they're expensive, but it's a huge plate of wings, perfectly cooked and they're excellent leftover if you warm them in the oven or air fryer. It's so good that you should expect to wait to be seated most any day of the week, especially if you get there before 7. You should also expect it to be loud with chatter. It truly is hard to hear anything in there. The service is excellent. There are people ready to give you boxes, refill drinks, and clear empty plates throughout the meal. The tables are small so it's really nice that they are on top of this. We'll definitely be back and highly recommend Friendly's.

Love the atmosphere here!!! It's a place you want to become a regular at. Food was very good. The service was amazing. They all seem to love being there. I had a steak and cheese, mushrooms, onion wrap and it was good. I want to go back to try their fish and their patty melt and more! Recommend this place to go with friends! Have fun!

After hearing about this place and their infamous wings for years, I FINALLY made it! And let me tell you, the Friendly Tavern did not disappoint! When you walk in, you can tell this place hasn't been touched for decades, but combined with the super friendly staff, you feel like you're right at home. We arrived at 7 on a Saturday night and though there were already a few groups waiting ahead of us, it only took about 15 mins to get a table. We started with the wings and good lord they are incredible! Served fried with sauce on the side (honey apple bbq was the bomb), they reminded me of little bite-sized fried chicken. The skin was SO crispy and the meat stayed juicy and tender. You won't be able to stop eating, but don't worry, you get 20+ wings in an order!! I threw my leftovers in the air fryer the next day and they were perfect.

I had a hard time ordering bc there were a handful of menu items that I wanted to try! They had pretty big portions as well.

Food is consistent, service is good, that are alway busy. Classic wings are fantastic, their buffalo sauce is very vinegary, not my fave. The honey apple bbq sauce is awesome!!

June 20, 2024 My friends recommended Friendly Tavern. My friends and I were greeted by the friendly owner and seated. The character of Friendly comes from the location and the age,1956. The waitress was friendly. The food was good. My critique is that the ladies bathroom stalls were rusty. This was not what I expected from this landmark Tavern. Please consider updating the ladies bathroom. I

I have been here twice while visiting Indiana. They have the BEST pork tenderloin sandwich in the Indy area. Service was ok, but they were very nice. Didn't get my order quite right as I asked for no bun and extra pickles, but it's ok. Just hate wasting food and I didn't eat the bun.

Food and service. Only negative is the noise. Glad they have burgers made with ground turkey, and a few more veggies selections would be good.

Great tavern in Zionsville. We ordered chili and the pork tenderloin. Chili came in huge bowl, loaded with onions, cheese and jalapeños. The tenderloin was breaded and we got with fries. The fries were nice and crisp, tenderloin pounded thin and crispy. Server was tons of fun. Definitely going back.

The wings were great and one order is 18-20 pieces. The service was also great from start to finish. Will be going back to explore more on the menu.

Great home cooked food at reasonable prices. Service was excellent. Highly recommend this place.

"The Friendly" gets a five star rating from me for more than good - they live up to their namesake simple as that. If there's a line the host is an excellent conversationalist who seems genuinely interested in your day. If you're over 40 and a Zionsville native, the question isn't if you're going to see someone you know but, how many? Their food is better than bar food. Kinda that classic mom-and-pop restaurant of the 1990s menu. An Ice cream scoop of chicken salad served an a slice of lettuce and hollowed-out tomato is what you'd expect fro Their standard fare but their wings are amazing. If you're new to Zionsville, the Friendly is a great place to get a taste of Zionsville locals and make new friends.