Note: This also appears with my reviews over on Yelp
Overall Impression:
St. Elmo is an old school steakhouse serving some very good food. The place is massive. Capacity has to be north of 400 people with all the different rooms. It is also pricey, but they deliver on the quality end of the equation, so it is worth what you layout. The vibe is traditional, with semi-formal service and a comfortable clientele (at least on Colts Sunday afternoons where Manning and Harrison jerseys are badges of cool no matter where you are).
Highlights / Lowlights:
What was great
Food - I had an excellent filet mignon, getting the 10oz. medium well. They say they cook it a little light, so medium well still has some pink in the center. I found it perfect for my tastes. Still juicy, flavorful and not butterflied, which I often see with filets ordered medium well. Nicely done. Also good was the tomato, onion and bleu cheese salad with vinaigrette dressing. Add a couple of pints of Guinness and yes, I am getting ready for some football.
Atmosphere - If you like old school joints, you'll love St. Elmo's. They do the same walls-of-fame photo arrangement that you tend to see at most steak places. I don't know if it was because I didn't expect it here in Indianapolis or because they just do it better than other places, but I was amazed by both the number and variety of pictures on display. e.g. A young Lee Corso from his Indiana days, or local legend 'Dick the Bruiser'. Hundreds of others I can't recall. Over their ~100 years of service they have certainly accumulated an impressive array of star shots. You dine at St. Elmo's and you join the long line of storied guests who have also polished off a fine steak at these tables.
What wasn't great
Sitting downstairs - While still nice enough, the downstairs dining area definitely has a kids-table-at-Thanksgiving kind of feel to it, especially after you trek through a couple of the spiffy upstairs rooms on your way there. We were there on a high volume day, as it was Patriots - Colts game day, so we didn't have a lot of room to negotiate on table choices.
The Scorecard:
Two Critical Questions
Would I eat there again?
Sure, but I would definitely want to be upstairs.
Was it good value?
It is pricey. 10oz. fillet is $36. But it was a damn good fillet. So the value for money is there. But it didn't hurt that this was a business related lunch and was therefore expensable.
Essentials
Food - Excellent
Service - Good. Random note: Waiters are in tuxedos and apparently the Colts game day tradition is blue bow ties. Kind of corny with a prom-like feel, but nice show of school spirit, right?
Amenities
Decor - Classic.
Private party room - While downstairs I glimpsed what appeared to be a set up for a bunch of big hitters to watch that day's NFL schedule in a small room with a table set for 8 or 10 people and a flat screen TV on the wall. Not a bad way to spend a special Sunday, I suppose.
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