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Where to eat, drink, hang out if you don’t have Taylor Swift tickets
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Where to eat, drink, hang out if you don’t have Taylor Swift tickets

Thousands of people will descend on downtown Indianapolis for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concerts Nov. 1-3, but not everyone will actually be at the concert. If you are an extremely generous parent, partner, or designated driver of a Swiftie but not attending the show yourself, you will need a place to camp until the show is over.

Luckily, downtown Indy is full of bars and restaurants that stay open long after the starlight falls on the city. Here are 10 hangouts within walking distance of Lucas Oil where you can settle in until pickup time.

Brothers Bar and Grill

255 S. Meridian Street, brothersbar.comopen until 3 a.m.

Leave it to a bar that caters largely to students to provide you with nightly entertainment. Brothers offers a variety of sandwiches, wings and wraps alongside all your usual fried pub fare, plus a full bar and plenty of undefined screens.

Canoe

621, avenue Virginie, thedugoutindy.comopen until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, Sunday midnight

Located just over a mile from Lucas Oil Stadium in charming Fletcher Place, Dugout serves a higher class of bar food than your average watering hole. The menu includes a half-pound patty melt ($15.25), fried mushrooms ($12) and a soup of the day with grilled cheese ($9.50). This decades-old staple features two well-stocked bars and a spacious patio for those bundled up in early November.

Kilroy’s Bar and Grill

201 S. Meridian Street, kilroysindy.comopen until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday night. Open Sunday until midnight

Another titan of college bars, Kilroy’s offers a robust drinks menu — including wine, for those who want to sip pinot grigio with their fried pickles — in a raucous atmosphere. The kitchen is open until midnight and serves pub fare like burgers, tacos, and the bar’s famous stuffed breakfasts (at least, as famous as a breadstick can be at a regional bar chain).

Loughmiller Pub

301 W. Washington Street, loughmillerspub.comopen until midnight Friday and Saturday

One of Indy’s oldest bars, Loughmiller’s serves generous portions of pub classics like burgers ($14 to $22), fish and chips ($16) and pork tenderloins ($15). Guests can also enjoy a solid selection of local beers in a nostalgic and relaxed atmosphere just one mile from Lucas Oil.

O’Reilly’s Irish Pub and Restaurant

36 S. Pennsylvania Street, oreillysirishbar.comopen until 3 a.m.

A 15-minute walk from Lucas Oil, this family-friendly restaurant offers familiar pub fare like burgers and sandwiches, as well as quintessentially Irish options like bangers, mash and beef cottage pie. There is a full bar for adults 21 and over, as well as a kids’ menu for those 12 and under.

Social Punch Bowl

120 S. Meridian Street, punchbowlsocial.comopen until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday evening, open until 10 p.m. on Sunday

Punch Bowl closed reservations Nov. 1-3, but the major entertainment and dining venue will accept walk-ins on a first-come, first-served basis. Located in Circle Center Shopping Mall, a half-mile from Lucas Oil, Punch Bowl is open to all ages before 10 p.m. and serves a variety of appetizers and drinks alongside bowling alleys and arcade games.

Slippery noodles

372 S. Meridian Street, slipperynoodle.comopen until 1 a.m. Friday evening, 2 a.m. Saturday night, open until 11 p.m. Sunday evening

Considered Indy’s oldest bar, the Slippery Noodle serves just about anything between two buns or can be dipped in ranch dressing, plus beer and a nifty house cocktail list. The Slippery Noodle will also host a whiskey tasting aimed at fathers of Swifties during an event called “The Dad Lounge” from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The tap

306 N. Delaware Street, thetapbeerbar.comopen until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday evening, midnight Sunday evening

For a quieter atmosphere, try The Tap on Pulliam Square, just over a mile from Lucas Oil. The popular gastropub offers classic bar fare with artisan favorites like flatbread pizza and main salads. Guests can sip on a colorful cocktail or mocktail or, as you would expect from a place called The Tap, imbibe with one of dozens of beers on tap.

Sheet metal roof

36 S. Pennsylvania Street, tinroofindianapolis.comopen until 3 a.m.

If pop and indie-folk aren’t your thing but you still love live music, head to the Tin Roof less than a mile from Lucas Oil. Guests can eat staples like nachos, wraps and sandwiches and drink at a full bar while enjoying live entertainment starting at 10:30 p.m.

Whistle Stop Hotel

375 S. Illinois Street, thewhistlestopin.comopen until 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday evening

You can’t get much closer to the action than the Whistle Stop Inn, a 5-minute walk from Lucas Oil. The 21+ dive bar will serve beer, spirits and house cocktails as well as a slim, batter-heavy menu until the witching hour each night of the concert.

Contact food writer Bradley Hohulin at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter/X @BradleyHohulin.

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