Indianapolis nightlife shifted hard over the past year. Downtown, Mass Ave, and Fountain Square all picked up new bars that don’t follow the usual playbook. You’ll find rooftop views 11 stories up, basement lounges with bartenders who can actually build a proper cocktail, and doors that won’t let you in without a password. Some of these spots hide behind pizza shops or require social media detective work. All of them serve drinks that show real skill and thought went into the menu. If you’re tired of the same brewery rotation, here’s where the city’s drinking scene got interesting.
- Astrea Rooftop sits on the 11th floor with Monument Circle views, weekend DJs, and a cocktail program that goes beyond basic vodka sodas.
- Nowhere Special and Wiseguy Lounge both hide on Mass Ave with zero obvious signage and serious bartending talent behind the bar.
- The Vault Indy requires a password to enter through an actual bank vault door, while Magdalena brought New Orleans oyster bar culture to Fountain Square.
Eleven Floors Up at Astrea Rooftop
The InterContinental Hotel on Market Street opened in February 2025, and its top-floor lounge offers the kind of views that make you pause mid-conversation. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrap around Monument Circle and the State Capitol. On Friday and Saturday nights, a DJ spins while groups work through seafood towers and Chef Craig Baker’s small plates at high-top tables.
Bartenders here mix botanical-forward cocktails and large-format drinks served in stemware that photographs well but tastes better than it looks. The indoor-outdoor setup includes firepits for when the temperature drops. Reservations help during peak hours, but the bar takes walk-ins if you show up early enough.
Two Mass Ave Spots That Make You Work for It
Nowhere Special opened in June 2023 in the basement where Libertine used to operate. Dan and Anna Cage, who run the Commodore speakeasy in Fountain Square, designed this space for people who want to lose three hours without realizing it. Exposed brick walls, dim lighting, and leather seating create the kind of atmosphere where checking your phone feels wrong.
Bartenders mix a Pirate’s Punch with rum, pineapple, falernum, and orgeat that drinks tropical without tasting sweet. Their Old Fashioned uses barrel-picked Old Forester. The food menu leans Caribbean and Southeast Asian with dumplings and cucumber salad. Happy hour runs 5 to 8 pm Sunday through Thursday.
Walk a few blocks down Mass Ave and you’ll pass Wiseguy Lounge without seeing it. Zero exterior signage. You walk through Goodfellas pizza to find the entrance. Inside, prohibition-era decor covers the walls, leather sofas fill the corners, and the back bar holds over 400 bourbons. Staff can guide you through single barrel picks and explain what makes each bottle different. Yelp put this place on their Top 50 Speakeasies list in 2023, and after trying their whiskey selection, you’ll understand why.
Crack the Code at The Vault Indy
Bates-Hendricks got its own speakeasy when The Vault Indy opened in 2022. An actual bank vault door blocks the entrance, and you need a four-digit code to get through. The password changes regularly and shows up on their Instagram, or sometimes you’ll spot a hint right at the entrance. Indianapolis loves a good John Dillinger reference, and this building has old newspaper clippings proving the infamous bank robber hung out here.
Live jazz plays most nights. The drink menu focuses on bourbon, whiskey, and tequila from the US, Mexico, and Canada. They also offer cigars if you want to smoke on their private deck.
Fountain Square Brings New Orleans Flavor to Indianapolis
Nick Detrich spent years in New Orleans co-founding bars like Jewel of the South and Cane & Table. Both earned spots on the World’s 50 Best Bars list and James Beard recognition. He opened Magdalena in November 2024 in the old Thunderbird space on Shelby Street, bringing Gulf South cocktail culture with him.
Penny tile floors, limewash walls, and candlelight at small tables make this feel like you stepped into the French Quarter. The oyster selection shows thought, with varieties like Pink Moons from Prince Edward Island and Murder Point oysters from Alabama. Each comes with cocktail sauce and shallot-red wine mignonette. The Sazerac here matches anything you’d drink on Bourbon Street. Happy hour from 5 to 6 pm drops classic cocktails to half price.
Where to Start Your Next Indianapolis Night Out
Pick Astrea when you want skyline views and weekend energy. Nowhere Special and Wiseguy work better for conversation over craft cocktails. The Vault delivers live jazz with your bourbon, and Magdalena hits if you’re craving oysters with rum drinks. Mass Ave and Fountain Square both leveled up their bar scenes. Each spot hired bartenders who know how to build proper cocktails instead of just pouring well drinks. That alone makes them worth the visit.
