Named after the co-founder's family and featuring an open-air storefront during nice weather, MacNiven's Restaurant & Bar is a good-time Scottish pub in the heart of Indianapolis' downtown arts district. Co-founders Tom Gregory and Stuart MacNiven Robertson (a Scotland native) emphasize authenticity in their menu, with recipes from Robertson's mother and with a bar featuring about 120 beers, many of which are Scottish. The creamy Belhaven Scottish Ale, in fact, goes into the batter for the excellent fish and chips. Other traditional Scottish favorites include haggis (intestines, oats and spices) with mashed potatoes and neeps (turnips), mince 'n' tatties (a Scottish shepherd's pie), Scotch eggs (sausage-wrapped eggs), and steak pie. More Americanized fare such as chicken curry and grilled cheese sandwiches also receive high marks.
Admission age 21 and over. Full bar. Serving lunch and dinner daily.
"Start MacNiven Robertson was born and raised in a small town outside Glasgow, Scotland, and, at 19, moved to the United States. Luckily for Indianapolis, his mother's recipes made it through customs."
— Indianapolis Monthly