Richard P.
Yelp
I'd been wanting to try out The Med ever since finding out it had taken over the spot vacated by the iconic Legend closed up shop in 2021. Located in Irvington, The Med is a new concept from the family behind the beloved breakfast/brunch Lincoln Square restaurants. As I'm a definite fan of Lincoln Square, I was pretty sure I would click with The Med.
My actual first impression of The Med came 3-4 weeks ago when I was in Irvington at this same strip center but not quite ready to try it. If you know me, you know that I'm a wheelchair user. I was getting out of my car, but I was a little unsteady on this day. One of the employees from The Med actually saw me and came over to see if I needed help. They were super friendly and I thought to myself "I have to try that place."
Tonight, in celebration of a promotion at work I decided to try it. Unlike Lincoln Square (including a location at the opposite end of this same strip center), The Med is essentially a dinner only restaurant that opens at 4pm. It is billed as a Mediterranean restaurant and has a decent variety of options including some you might not necessarily think of as fitting in with a Mediterranean place. There are both hot and cold appetizers, sandwich options, sides, and actual meals. Additionally, they offer beer, wine, and a limited cocktail menu.
For this strip center, I usually park in the back as it's simply easier to navigate in a wheelchair. I did try both the front and rear entrances here and they are both wheelchair accessible, though the front door is a bit trickier. There are two different rooms here - a main dining room along with a more adult-oriented area that includes a bar. There's also an outdoor dining option fairly similar to what was offered by Legend.
The decor is more of a breezy Mediterranean openness. I had to be a bit careful in the wheelchair, though I was able to get everywhere I wanted. I was greeted fairly quickly upon arrival. I arrived just before 5pm and there were a few diners. I was seated at a four-top. I appreciated this as it gave the wheelchair room. I found the 2-tops a bit small. I will admit I somewhat missed the more intimate style of the Legend, however, I did like this and it was comfortable.
I'd previously seen Lasagna on the menu and was pretty sure that was what I wanted. There are some solid Greek options here that I will try in the future and my sense was that even those who prefer a more Americanized ethnic menu could easily be happy here.
The lasagna comes with garlic bread. I also ordered my usual unsweetened iced tea.
The lasagna was a healthy serving and had a bit of a kick to it. It was spicy, but not overly so. I enjoyed it quite a bit. There were two small slices of garlic bread that I found a tad disappointing. I enjoyed the iced tea and got my always desired refill without having to ask.
My server, Sarah, was a highlight. She was friendly, attentive, lightly conversational, but never intrusive.
There's a bit of an echo in terms of acoustics here. However, I'd say the noise level was fairly moderate.
My meal came in at a little over $20 without a tip. The lasagna is $16 and the meals are definitely a bit pricier than the sandwiches (all of which include fries).
If they were packed, I'd imagine that wheelchair access would be a bit more challenging. However, I've always been impressed with the Lincoln Square family and they are pretty conscientious about making things work. I liked the style here along with the atmosphere. The employees I met were friendly and Sarah's service was top-notch. The food was quite good and I would and easily will return. The lasagna was a tad heavy - I enjoyed it and would easily order it again when craving lasagna. However, I'm anxious to try other meals.
I'm not quite ready to go with a 5-star yet, though this was a solid 4-star experience for me and I'd definitely recommend a visit for this locally and family owned restaurant that offers a solid Mediterranean option on Indy's eastside.
