While being at the University of Indianapolis, there are always plenty of options to grab a bite to eat, whether that be on or off campus. The surrounding areas, such as streets like Keystone Ave. and Madison Ave., offer many restaurants and fast food to choose from. A new restaurant was added to the mix just recently as Friend’s Diner has just opened around the corner from campus. The diner is located on 3915 S Madison Ave. and is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. While only being a short walk from campus, this establishment serves a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner options.
I had a chance this week to go sit down with a friend and try them out for ourselves. Knowing how some restaurants serve around here, I had low expectations going in. While pulling into the restaurant, which is attached to a strip mall, we could not tell if they were open or closed from the outside. The open sign was on but little to no light was emitting from the restaurant and it was not until we walked in, I realized the diner had some sort of tint on the window to make it hard to see in. This did not cause me much of a negative response as it was not noticeable once inside the diner. It did make the place hard to find though, so please keep note of that if deciding to try the diner yourselves. With that being said, if trying this place for the first time, be aware they just opened only a few weeks ago so the walls are very bare with little to no decorations.
Once inside, the experience took a turn for the better as the environment was very inviting with the waitresses being extremely friendly. They happily answered all the questions we had about the menu. Service was quick and the menu was large. Not so large that it was overwhelming, but they had everything you could hope for a diner to have. They serve their breakfast entrees all day, as well as their lunch menu. Offering burgers, unique sandwiches, pastas and a variety of sides, I was happily surprised by the menu.
My friend opted to order off the breakfast menu, ordering a bacon, egg and cheese bagel sandwich with a side of hash browns. While I ordered a delicious chicken and shrimp fettuccine alfredo. The food is definitely the star of the show here, as it should be at every restaurant. The portions were large, the presentation of the food when brought to the table was great and everything tasted phenomenal. Besides my fathers homemade fettuccine alfredo, the one at Friend’s Diner is easily the best I’ve had, and is for sure the best pasta I have tasted in my four years living in Indianapolis. As for my friend’s meal, he ate his whole side of hashbrowns before even touching his sandwich because they were “that good.”
Overall going to “Friend’s Diner” was a great experience and I will definitely be returning in the near future. I gave my overall rating of my pasta a nine out of ten, while my friend rated his an eight out of ten. Friend’s Diner offers a small inviting environment, with big plates of food. Be sure to check them out this season as I was pleasantly blown away, a very simple place with outstanding food.
