St. Emo's is an Indianapolis institution cut from the old cloth. All of the servers in this restaurant are black and white clothed men. Period. And the lack of diversity doesn't stop there. If you're looking for anything other than steak (and a limited set of side dishes) you aren't going to find it here.Don't get me wrong, St. Elmo's has it's place in the Indy scene and as one of the few independantly owned restaurants in Indianapoolis (as well as one of the oldest) it gets props. However, in the last ten years there have been quite a few entrants into the steak scene in Indianapolis to give St. Elmo's a run for it's money in service, food, atmosphere, and size of your bill.
In spite of this, St. Elmo's has done nothing to change what it is, what it serves, and how it serves it. As a result, I no longer eat here unless I'm being taken by someone else that insists we go. There are places with better wine lists and, frankly, better steak for the money now.
I will give St. Elmo's this, however. They still have a killer shrimp cocktail that is one of the best I've ever eaten anywhere and the bartenders are, by far, some of the best in the city. They extensive list of scotch, burbon, vodka, and other spirits they have available is impressive and if you're into mixed drinks this is a great place to throw down your cash. When I go to St. Elmo's these days I go for the bar (a true old school beauty). I sit and have a few drinks, order a shrimp cocktail, and leave to eat steak elsewhere. I suggest you do the same.
