Magdalena

Excellent food, excellent service! So great to see Fountain Square getting upgraded with a place like Magdalena. We kind of ordered the whole menu, and everything was fire. Great place for a date or to bring some friends and share some plates. Will definitely be going back.

I was so excited to hear that we had a new restaurant show up in Fountain Square! I'll admit I was very intimidated by the menu, so I put off getting a meal here for far too long. Most of the menu screams gluten and the rest of it was full of ingredients I have never tried before.I was pleasantly surprised when we walked in and asked if they could accommodate a gluten allergy that they gave an enthusiastic yes. They then marked up a menu (after asking me if cross contamination was OK--which for me it is). I had a lot more options than I thought I would.Everything we ordered was incredible! 3 East coast oysters, 3 west coast oysters, angels on horseback (broiled oysters), steak frites, chocolate cremeaux, Cara Cara posset, and four different cocktails were all absolutely amazing. I was pleasantly surprised at the noise level and the lighting! The seating was spaced out so well and the lighting was where I could still read a book if I wanted to rather than bring my kindle. Our waiter Joe was knowledgeable, fast, and attentive! I was not knowledgeable at all on oysters and Joe didn't make me feel weird about asking how to order them. Joe also recommended the Cara Cara Posset which was our favorite of the two desserts we ordered.I can't wait to go back on a 2 buck shuck night! I'm glad we were able to get in without a reservation, but I do not anticipate that being the case for too long. The food and drinks are too good for Magdalena to not become a packed Indy favorite restaurant on a Friday night.

The food at this place is not good. Now that the punchline is out of the way, let me explain: Sazerac Cured Salmon: This dish had a mix of flavors that didn't seem to enjoy each other's company, so you tasted everything in isolation. In addition, the fish was perhaps not the best quality because that dish hasd a VERY fishy taste. I'd have expected the restaurant to use a better quality fish, but I'd say it was 3/10, so perhaps they tried. Cucumber Salad: I had one bite, and that was enough for me. As much as I'd like to be able to explain the different flavors and dilate upon each of them individually, all I can say is that the dish had cucumbers, and it didn't taste like much. In my view, the buttermilk is not a very good addition. 2/10Wagyu Bavette and Fries: The steak was...raw, and cold. When I took the first bite, I thought to myself that perhaps this would have been better served as a steak tartar, but it didn't taste nearly as good as even a mediocre tartar, and it was supposed to be a steak, so that thought died pretty quickly. I took one bite, and put the fork and the knife down. Someone from the staff spotted that the steak was untouched, and they inquired about how it was. I told them that it's raw, and cold, and that's really all I could say. They offered to 'fire it up', and I don't know what to make of that. I have been to steakhouses where sometimes the steak wasn't prepared as desired, and it's usually a simple fix in that it was replaced by a steak that was done properly, and that's the end of that. This one, however, was beyond saving. I did not complain to the staff at all: if they hadn't inquired, I would have been happy to pay for the untouched steak and get the hell out of there, but once they inquired, I had to tell them the truth. To their credit, they did take the steak off our cheque, I appreciate that very much. As for the non-food stuff: the service was good, and the ambience is decent. Indianapolis is not really a foodie city in that the average restaurant food quality is fairly mediocre, and I have been to plenty of places with 'good' reviews that serve ordinary food, so it's not surprising that I had a forgettable experience. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes food.

I went just when this new spot opened and it only had a few people at the bar and at the tables in the bar area. It was a nice first experience because the staff was super attentive, food came out quickly, and we got a feel for how the restaurant runs.I loved the decor and their menus! Everything felt thoughtfully curated, from the font they used to the little cocktail graphics (especially next to each drink) and the coral stickers on the front windows. The artistic touch of the restaurant's name printed vertically down the side of the food menu was something I especially liked--it felt modern and fun!As for the food, we started with the fish dip. It was definitely smaller than anticipated, but the fried saltines were magical. I can't say I remember having friend saltines anywhere else. It added an indulgent bit of grease and salt to each bite while the pickled shallot added a tanginess. The fish roe and herbs added a burst of flavor and freshness too. This fish dip was fantastic honestly (and I'm from the east coast). The brussels sprouts were very tasty and classic in a way. They were the same old crispy sprouts that became popular years ago, but had a miso/umami flavor to them. I'd say this was the least unique/adventurous dish on the menu. There are only three bigger dishes and only the ham seemed to have protein as the star of the dish. I was hesitant to get the ham, but am so so glad I did. I don't normally eat southern food so I was nervous it would be too rich and heavy, but it was perfect to share. The red eye gravy truly perfected the dish - it was salty and savory yet not too heavy. It was fantastic on the cheesy grits. It was definitely a rich dish, but not overly so if shared. The glib son cocktail was a great savory, oniony cocktail, and I'm excited to try others. I can guarantee I'll be back for $8 classic cocktails during their happy hour (4-6pm on week days). I can't say I'd really recommend the American orange punch. It wasn't very flavorful. Overall, I will 1000% be back. I do think this spot is more so for apps and drinks before dinner. They have lots of snack items, but most menu items are quite small. I also hope they change their menu regularly because I can't imagine wanting these dishes 10 times a year. I'm so excited for this addition to fountain square and can't wait to see this restaurant get popular!

As an oyster lover, I was super excited to try this restaurant and it didn't disappoint! There's not a ton of seating inside, so I'd recommend making a reservation online. They serve smaller portions, so our waitress recommended ordering a couple plates per person, which was accurate. We had had the oysters, snow crab claws, Brussels sprouts, focaccia, steak frites, cured salmon and bbq peek and eat shrimp. Overall the oysters and Brussels sprouts stood out the most! The creamy whipped ricotta and salty sprouts are a match made in heaven. Unfortunately, the tiny portion of steak was room temperature and the salmon was kind of fishy. In the future I'd stop by for drinks and appetizers because they have tons of fun cocktails on the menu!

The ambiance of this place is wonderful, with charming table lamps that provide just the right amount of light. Though it's a small space, it feels open and inviting. The service was excellent--our servers checked on us frequently and made sure we had everything we needed.As for the food, we tried the fried chicken livers. While I'm not a fan of their flavor in general (not even my mom's recipe wins me over!), I gave them a shot. But the fragile teen crackers that came with it were a first, and a nice change. The roasted brussels sprouts were a bit more charred than I expected, but the ricotta cheese spread paired with them really elevated the dish, making it enjoyable. Lastly, the fish dip had a good flavor but was a little too salty for my liking. It's all about small plates and sharing, which is why we tried a few different things.The drinks were decent, and I'd definitely return just for those. Overall, it's a cozy spot with great service and a pleasant atmosphere!

Service, food and ambiance were all 11/10, super happy to have this spot in the fountain square neighborhood.

This just opened about a week ago and they are already rocking in. The service was top notch. Our drinks came out very quickly and our server was very knowledgeable about the drinks and gave great recommendations. We started out with happy hour drinks and got the margarita and Hotel Nacional. We then got Angel's on Horseback oysters which were also excellent. We can't wait to go back again!

This is a great place! The cocktails and mocktails are delicious. It's sharables and the portions are perfect! The oysters are cleanly shucked. (Not unexpected grit like at some places) We had the brussels, the ham (SO GOOD!), the special which was a shrimp dumpling like dish, and even the olives had an herb like pesto on them that was tasty!Bailey and Jo(e?) were great with service! We had a food allergy and I even received a call ahead of time from Bailey and they took the time to write on the menu so that we knew where egg was in the dishes. Jo(e?) was knowledgeable on the drinks and the food alike. They were very kind and attentive and we will definitely be back!!

Magdalena is one of the best dining experiences I've had in Indianapolis hands down. The menu is seasonal and will change accordingly. The food is one of the best I've had in Indy. We ordered Murder Point oysters (which comes with house-made sauce), the Focaccia, ham and grits, and steak frites. The oysters were great, but the star of the dish was the home-made sauce. It left a tangy and vinegar feel that paired very well with the oysters.The focaccia was not overly charred as some restaurants, and the cheese butter for the break was great.The main entrees were the ham and grits and the steak frites. Steak frites came with their garlic butter that paired super well. The steak wasn't overly seasoned with butter or garlic, leaving the quality of the beef to speak for itself. The frites were perfectly fried and crispy, and the mushroom sauce that accompanied it was very full and fulfilling. My favorite was the ham and grits as it has changed the way I view grits in general. I didn't grow up with grits, and I dislike them at any restaurant (even fine dining). The grits here have made me reconsider. They were perfectly seasoned with a thick and creamy sauce. This is an item I would order again.Our server was Taylor, and she was amazing. She expertly made sure our meals were staggered such that there was always something on the table. Taylor was very attentive and had a keen eye to detail.The space was intimate and unsuspecting. It's definitely a place you'd look over if you're not paying attention! This was by far the best dining experience I've had in Indy, and we will definitely be back!