I’ve been coming here for years. It used to be so much better in terms of service and even overall food quality. I’m disappointed and don’t plan on coming back, which is a shame because I’ve always loved its
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Dionne
This is the first time me and my family had thanksgiving at a restaurant!! We weee all impressed with the customer service , food portions and the taste of the meal! Definitely will be going back to try the regular menu.
Kathy
The first thing our server said to us is that he can't wait until his shift is over—it was 5:30pm. Then, apparently, Hollyhock Hill only serves turkey on Thanksgiving Day. They should have made that known when we made the reservation. We were all looking forward to chicken and macaroni and cheese. Food was good, dirty martini was awful, price was too high and I wish the server had gone home at 5pm that day.
Bernie
⭐️ 1 Star — Deeply Disappointed After Decades of Loyalty Hollyhock Hill has been a beloved part of my life for decades—I've celebrated graduations, baby showers, rehearsal dinners, and even my 50th birthday here. I've always described it as charming, consistent, and special. Unfortunately, the Hollyhock Hill I loved is no longer the experience we had. From the moment we arrived, the decline was obvious. The chairs were peeling, the Christmas décor looked like mismatched clearance items, and the ambiance felt nothing like the warm, historic home it used to be. Service was equally disappointing. Our server had never heard of a cosmopolitan, didn't card anyone at the table, and repeatedly had to return from the bar to tell us they were out of multiple wines. When a Pinot Grigio finally arrived, it was in a completely different glass than the Riesling served earlier, followed by an awkward explanation about the glass size. The food presentation—once a highlight—was unrecognizable. Hollyhock Hill used to serve a beautiful relish tray, tomato juice or soup, signature salad dressing, and a thoughtful assortment of vegetables. None of that was offered. Instead, mismatched dishes, undressed salad, and biscuits that tasted like fast food were served together. The main meal was just average at best, and dessert with squeeze-bottle syrups made it feel like a casual diner, not a 100-year-old Indianapolis institution. Our bill was over $300, and even my husband—experiencing it for the first time—said it was nowhere near worth that price. Sadly, he was right. I never imagined I'd leave Hollyhock Hill saying this, but the tradition and quality that made this restaurant iconic have vanished. I hope they can find their way back, but right now, it's simply not the Hollyhock Hill so many of us grew up loving.
We've been to Hollyhock Hill several times in the past years. Twenty five years ago the service was excellent and the food was delicious. Now in present day the service is sub par with our party of six waiting over an hour for the food to be served. The restaurant is run down ; the foundation looks like it is sinking; and the chairs are uncomfortable to sit in for any length of time. The menu was minimized and very confusing (waiter did not explain it properly). There used to be steak medallions that were wonderful but they were not on the menu any longer. The veggies were hot and good but nothing special. Our waiter brought out 6 chicken tenders(6” long) for 4 people to share. Seemed a bit skimpy. Price was approx. $38+22(just for food) for 1 1/2 pc. tender and veggies for two people. Also, our waiter gave us someone else's credit card and had to go look for our card. We expected much better service/food for the amount we paid. This has been a place of tradition for our family. So sad to see it going downhill. Please renovate and address the food/service items. Thank you.
Jan
Will not go back. Hollyhock Hill has gone the way of Ayres Tea Room. Nothing at all as I remember. Not even tablecloths like eating in a school cafeteria. Expensive also. $38 for 2-3 pieces of chicken. $22.00 just for fixings if you wanted to share. Find someone special this one is no longer that place.
Jane
There was a very low noise level on a Sunday at five thirty. We've gone here for years. We had a party of eleven and everything was handled very smoothly. Great server! The chicken is as delicious as ever. It is amazing that a restaurant where I dined with my parents as a child is still as wonderful as it was back then. I'm in my 70s.
Tim Mc
Ordered legs and breast. The legs were thin, scrawny and had very little meat. The breast was very small and bent almost in half. Upon first sight I thought it was a thigh. Very, very disappointed. The last time I had HOLLYHOCK chicken, the legs were plump, juicy and meaty and at least twice the size of this order. The breast were more than twice the size. I spent over $28 for 5 legs and one breast. PATHETIC
Food: 2
Gregory Roach
Home style food with Fried Chicken as the center piece. Awesome chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy and green beans. Service is excellent. Pricing inline with value.
Hollyhock is a family tradition that continues to provide incredible food: The best fried chicken served in Indiana, Great service with true warmth. Hollyhock is place that makes you feel welcome and comfortable each time you come!
Bill
As usual our meal was wonderfully tasty. Portions were more than enough. Our waiter Craig was on top of everything. We (all 6 of us) thoroughly enjoyed each others company. Hollyhock Hills restaurant is definetly a wonderful, cozy place to celebrate some special occassion or just with best friends. We thank Hollyhock Hills for the most enjoyable dining experience. Bill and Marge, Helena, Carol, Bill and Nancy.
Lisa
We celebrated my husband's birthday with our family at HollyHock Hill. It was simply wonderful! We dined “family style” which was perfect for our group of 12. The food was delicious as always and the service was superb! The staff even served our purchased birthday cake with the ice cream included with our meal. We will definitely plan on coming back again soon!
Tab
Always enjoy going here. Kinda disappointed in the cutback changes that we made as well as the servers no longer wear the traditional uniform. Some things are better left unchanged! But overall, you can't go wrong by going here.
carol
the building is old and smells even older- not nostalgic, just old. Food was way over priced, the waitress said the chicken was so good she took some home every night, however the chicken that was brought to me was dry as a bone and it choked me. the coating had very little flavor, as if they had forgot to season it. I ordered a glass of Merlot, however it did not taste ANYthing like any Merlot that I have ever had, so I wondered if they had poured me something else for their convenience. The salad was tasteless and they only had ranch dressing which again, no flavor, it tasted like milk water. They did not give me bread even though the menu said that I was supposed to get some. The waitress told me no. Later, AFTER the fact, I glanced at a menu and sure enough, the menu said my entree came with bread. I brought it to her attention and then she brought me bread but we were already done eating. The bill came and we were overcharged, they adjusted it but I just couldn't understand the menu-not sure how two adults and 3 children's tasteless meal could come to 124 bucks. We should have went someplace else, but at least now I know. I paid the bill, but I will NEVER waste my money there again. Honestly, I think it was the most boring, tasteless chicken I have ever had.
I’ve been coming here for years. It used to be so much better in terms of service and even overall food quality. I’m disappointed and don’t plan on coming back, which is a shame because I’ve always loved its
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
This is the first time me and my family had thanksgiving at a restaurant!! We weee all impressed with the customer service , food portions and the taste of the meal! Definitely will be going back to try the regular menu.
The first thing our server said to us is that he can't wait until his shift is over—it was 5:30pm. Then, apparently, Hollyhock Hill only serves turkey on Thanksgiving Day. They should have made that known when we made the reservation. We were all looking forward to chicken and macaroni and cheese. Food was good, dirty martini was awful, price was too high and I wish the server had gone home at 5pm that day.
⭐️ 1 Star — Deeply Disappointed After Decades of Loyalty Hollyhock Hill has been a beloved part of my life for decades—I've celebrated graduations, baby showers, rehearsal dinners, and even my 50th birthday here. I've always described it as charming, consistent, and special. Unfortunately, the Hollyhock Hill I loved is no longer the experience we had. From the moment we arrived, the decline was obvious. The chairs were peeling, the Christmas décor looked like mismatched clearance items, and the ambiance felt nothing like the warm, historic home it used to be. Service was equally disappointing. Our server had never heard of a cosmopolitan, didn't card anyone at the table, and repeatedly had to return from the bar to tell us they were out of multiple wines. When a Pinot Grigio finally arrived, it was in a completely different glass than the Riesling served earlier, followed by an awkward explanation about the glass size. The food presentation—once a highlight—was unrecognizable. Hollyhock Hill used to serve a beautiful relish tray, tomato juice or soup, signature salad dressing, and a thoughtful assortment of vegetables. None of that was offered. Instead, mismatched dishes, undressed salad, and biscuits that tasted like fast food were served together. The main meal was just average at best, and dessert with squeeze-bottle syrups made it feel like a casual diner, not a 100-year-old Indianapolis institution. Our bill was over $300, and even my husband—experiencing it for the first time—said it was nowhere near worth that price. Sadly, he was right. I never imagined I'd leave Hollyhock Hill saying this, but the tradition and quality that made this restaurant iconic have vanished. I hope they can find their way back, but right now, it's simply not the Hollyhock Hill so many of us grew up loving.
Good classic food and great service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Entree - Indiana Fried Chicken
We've been to Hollyhock Hill several times in the past years. Twenty five years ago the service was excellent and the food was delicious. Now in present day the service is sub par with our party of six waiting over an hour for the food to be served. The restaurant is run down ; the foundation looks like it is sinking; and the chairs are uncomfortable to sit in for any length of time. The menu was minimized and very confusing (waiter did not explain it properly). There used to be steak medallions that were wonderful but they were not on the menu any longer. The veggies were hot and good but nothing special. Our waiter brought out 6 chicken tenders(6” long) for 4 people to share. Seemed a bit skimpy. Price was approx. $38+22(just for food) for 1 1/2 pc. tender and veggies for two people. Also, our waiter gave us someone else's credit card and had to go look for our card. We expected much better service/food for the amount we paid. This has been a place of tradition for our family. So sad to see it going downhill. Please renovate and address the food/service items. Thank you.
Will not go back. Hollyhock Hill has gone the way of Ayres Tea Room. Nothing at all as I remember. Not even tablecloths like eating in a school cafeteria. Expensive also. $38 for 2-3 pieces of chicken. $22.00 just for fixings if you wanted to share. Find someone special this one is no longer that place.
There was a very low noise level on a Sunday at five thirty. We've gone here for years. We had a party of eleven and everything was handled very smoothly. Great server! The chicken is as delicious as ever. It is amazing that a restaurant where I dined with my parents as a child is still as wonderful as it was back then. I'm in my 70s.
Ordered legs and breast. The legs were thin, scrawny and had very little meat. The breast was very small and bent almost in half. Upon first sight I thought it was a thigh. Very, very disappointed. The last time I had HOLLYHOCK chicken, the legs were plump, juicy and meaty and at least twice the size of this order. The breast were more than twice the size. I spent over $28 for 5 legs and one breast. PATHETIC
Food: 2
Home style food with Fried Chicken as the center piece. Awesome chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy and green beans. Service is excellent. Pricing inline with value.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Hollyhock is a family tradition that continues to provide incredible food: The best fried chicken served in Indiana, Great service with true warmth. Hollyhock is place that makes you feel welcome and comfortable each time you come!
As usual our meal was wonderfully tasty. Portions were more than enough. Our waiter Craig was on top of everything. We (all 6 of us) thoroughly enjoyed each others company. Hollyhock Hills restaurant is definetly a wonderful, cozy place to celebrate some special occassion or just with best friends. We thank Hollyhock Hills for the most enjoyable dining experience. Bill and Marge, Helena, Carol, Bill and Nancy.
We celebrated my husband's birthday with our family at HollyHock Hill. It was simply wonderful! We dined “family style” which was perfect for our group of 12. The food was delicious as always and the service was superb! The staff even served our purchased birthday cake with the ice cream included with our meal. We will definitely plan on coming back again soon!
Always enjoy going here. Kinda disappointed in the cutback changes that we made as well as the servers no longer wear the traditional uniform. Some things are better left unchanged! But overall, you can't go wrong by going here.
the building is old and smells even older- not nostalgic, just old. Food was way over priced, the waitress said the chicken was so good she took some home every night, however the chicken that was brought to me was dry as a bone and it choked me. the coating had very little flavor, as if they had forgot to season it. I ordered a glass of Merlot, however it did not taste ANYthing like any Merlot that I have ever had, so I wondered if they had poured me something else for their convenience. The salad was tasteless and they only had ranch dressing which again, no flavor, it tasted like milk water. They did not give me bread even though the menu said that I was supposed to get some. The waitress told me no. Later, AFTER the fact, I glanced at a menu and sure enough, the menu said my entree came with bread. I brought it to her attention and then she brought me bread but we were already done eating. The bill came and we were overcharged, they adjusted it but I just couldn't understand the menu-not sure how two adults and 3 children's tasteless meal could come to 124 bucks. We should have went someplace else, but at least now I know. I paid the bill, but I will NEVER waste my money there again. Honestly, I think it was the most boring, tasteless chicken I have ever had.
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