John's Famous Stew

1146 Kentucky Ave, Indianapolis
(317) 636-6212

Recent Reviews Order Online

Customers' Favorites

Tenderloin and French Fries and Beef Stew Mild
A Smothered Tenderloin and a Bowl of Stew
John's Famous Stews Tenderloin Supreme
Giant Breaded Tenderloin Sandwich
Tenderloin Covered in a Pizza Box
John's Famous Tenderloin Supreme
Blackberry Cobbler Ala Mode
Medium Hot Stew with Beans
Breaded Pork Tenderloin
Battered Fish Sandwich

Menu

John Famous Stews
John Hearty Stew
We start from scratch every day, adding chunks of potatoes, carrots and tender stew beef fo the pot. We slow simmer it in our savory broth and serve it piping hot. So grab your fork and spoon.
Hot Minced Pit
Fire up your taste buds with our hot and spicy stew thick with butter beans and hot peppers. A customer favorite.
Goulash Stew
Pick mild, medium or hot stew and we'll add plenty of tender butter beans and garden vegetables.
Stuffed Pepper Stew
A farm fresn green pepper stuffed with seasoned ground beef and rice, baked till fork tender. Ladled with mild, medium or hot stew broth.
Stew and Smashed Potatoes
Your favorite stew over a big bowl of hot smashed potatoes.
John Famous Tenderloin Supreme
Our giant breaded pork loin smothered in John's Famous Stew - prepared mild, medium or hot.
Cabbage Roll
Our large stuffed cabbage roll topped with our famous stew gravy.
John Stew Burger
A full third pound burger topped with your choice of John's Famous Stew.
John Famous Chili
Homemade and thick with meat and beans, seasoned just right and simmered slow for that delicious mellow taste.

Hearty Home Cookin

Country Fried Stew
There's nothing better than one of our delicious hand breaded steaks. Plated with a generous serving of mashed potatoes and creamy gravy. Served with your choice of coleslaw or crisp green salad.
Beef on Turkey Manhattan
We load up our ste& bread with lots of tender roast beef or pan roasted turkey breast and add mashed potatoes. We smother it all with rich gravy. Served with your choice of creamy coleslaw or side salad.

Tempting Appetizers

John Combo Basket
Great for shanngi Cheese sticks, mushrooms, chicken tenders and onion rings. Served with celery & carrot sticks along with sou cream cocktail sauce and ranch dressig.
Mozzarella Cheese Stick
5 sticks golden fried and served with snappy cocktail sauce or ranch dressing.
Breaded Mushrooms
Mot and tasty, served with our own cocktail sauce or ranch dressing.
Chips and Salsa
Plenty of crisp tortilla chips with salsa.
French Fry Basket
Great as a snack or with your meal.
Veggie Plate
An assortment of celery and carrot stacks, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers and radishes. Served with ranch dip.
John Famous Chicken Wings
8 meaty jumbo chicken wings served hot or mild with celery and carrot sticks. Choose your sauce: ranch, blue cheese or Asian ginger.
Chicken Tenders
a favorite starter Golden chicken tenders served with your choice of sauce.
Battered Onion Rings
A generous chicken basket of our famous onions served hot from the fryer.

Homestyle Salads
Hoosies Tenderloin Salad
Fresh lettuce greens tossed with cheese and bacon, topped with ho t pound grilled tenderloin.
Grilled Chicken Salad
Tender strips of grilled chicken served plant teriyaki or cajun style. Garnished with cucumbers, bacon, egg and topped with shredded cheese.
Codd Salad
Chilled greens topped with breaded chicken tenders, bacon bits, cucumber, broiled egg and cheese.
Taco Salad Supreme
A toss of fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions and cheese. Layered with spicy homemade chili. Served with sour cream, salsa and tortilla chips.
Chefs Salad Platter
A classic salad with lots of lettuce topped with ham turkey tomatoes, cucumbers soiled egg and bacon bits. Finished with shredded cheese.
Cucumber Salad
Cucumbers with tomatoes and onions Served with ranch dressing or Italian dressing.
John La Col Salad
Your choice of hamburger, grilled chicken, chicken salad or tuna salad. Served with cottage cheese and sliced tomatoes.
Tuna Salad
A fresh tossed salad topped with tuna salad. A light delicious choice.
Chicken Salad
A fresh tossed salad topped with chicken salad. A light delicious choice.
Crisp Dinner Salad

Sensational Sandwiches
Giant Breaded Tenderloin Sandwich
Fresh cut, premium pork loin, hand breaded and fried to golden brown. This tenderloin sandwich is so big. it fills up the plate.
Grilled Tenderloin Sandwich
A thick and juicy tenderloin grilled to perfection.
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Tender breast of chicken grilled the way you like it - Plain. Cajun or teriyaki. Served with lettuce, tomato and mayo.
Hand Breaded Chicken Breast Sandwich
Served deluxe on a toasted bun.
Canned Beef Sandwich
Thinly sliced and piled high on marbled rye.
Reuben Sandwich
Lean corned beef smothered with Swiss cheese and sauerkraut on marbled rye. Served with 1000 dressing on the side.
Chicken Salad Sandwich
A generous portion of fresh chicken salad. Served with toasted stew bread.
Tuna Salad Sandwich
A generous portion of fresh tuna salad. Served with toasted stew bread.
Philly Beef and Cheese Sandwich
Thinly sliced tender seasoned roast beef topped with Swiss cheese, grilled onions and green peppers. Served on a toasted bun.
Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwich
Thinly sliced ham with American or Swiss cheese. Served on grilled stew bread.
Incredible BLT Sandwich
Crisp bacon, plump tomatoes, crunchy lettuce and mayo on toasted bread.
Grilled Cheese sandwich
Our traditional grilled cheese with double the amount of Swiss and American cheeses. Served with chips.
Battered Fish Sandwich
Tender cod. Lightly battered and deep fried. served on a toasted bun with ham em and tartar sauce.

Burgers

John Famous Double Burger
Two third-pound juicy steak burger patties with Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions and mayo on rye.
Patty Melt Burger
A third pound juicy steak burger topped with Swiss cheese and smothered with sauteed onions. Served on marbled rye with thousand Island dressing on the side
Double Cheeseburger
Two-third pound juicy steak burgers with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions and mayo on a toasted bun.
Hamburger
An 8 oz. juicy steak burger topped with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions and mayo on a toasted bun.
Cheeseburger
An 8 oz. juicy steak burger with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles onions and mayo on a toasted bun.
Bacon Cheeseburger
An 8 oz. juicy steak burger with 2 slices of bacon and 2 slices of cheese. Topped with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles onions and mayo on a toasted bun.

Wraps

Grilled Chicken Wrap
Buffalo Chicken Wrap
Veggie Wrap
Club Wrap
Cheese Wrap
BLT Wrap
Philly Wrap

Triple Decker Clubs
The Traditional Club
Ham, turkey & bacon club with Swiss & American cheeses.
Turkey and Bacon Club
Served with American cheese.
Ham and Bacon Club
Served with Swiss cheese.
Grilled Chicken and Bacon Club
Served with American & Swiss cheeses. Served on a toasted bun.

Desserts

Carrot Cake
Chocolate Cake

On the Side
French Fry Basket
Mashed Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
Mixed Vegetables
Butter Beans
Sliced Tomatoes
Cottage Cheese
Coleslaw
Stew Gravy

Beverages
Soft Drinks
Lemonade
Iced Tea

Photos

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Recent Reviews

Waitress was very kind. Very vintage spot. Nothing fancy, straight to the point. Know what your getting (as in if you dont want stew, sure but thats what its known for). Food decent. I like the place🤷🏽‍♂️might not be everyone's bag🤙🏽
June 2025
Place was run down, we sat down our table was dirty with coffee spilled on it. Waitress cleaned it after we had to ask. Ordered the giant tenderloin and John's famous Stew. The stew was great but my tenderloin was solid pink on the inside. Did ask me if I wanted to replacement I said no thank you so she gave me a discount off the price of the tenderloin. She was very nice an apologetic.
June 2025
The southwest part of downtown Indy is largely industrial but you’ve most likely driven by John’s Famous Stew, a true dive that has been open since the 1910s. I saw it on a Google search and it looked great so we decided to stop in.

Came on a Saturday at around 2:30 PM and they weren’t busy. Our waitress was super friendly and attentive to our table. The overall vibe of the place is very vintage, and looks like a true dive.

I got the...
December 2024

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John's Famous Stew

1146 Kentucky Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46221
(317) 636-6212