Fountain Square Theatre Building
Fountain Square Theatre Building
Fountain Square Theatre Building
4
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
22 reviews
Excellent
11
Very good
5
Average
2
Poor
2
Terrible
2
Barry F
Indianapolis, IN212 contributions
Mar 2015 • Family
My daughter and some friends (High School Juniors and Seniors) wanted to go to the Fountain Square Theater's Friday Night Swing Dance. However, since there was a bar within the theater and we did not know of anyone who had been to this event, I went separately as a sort-of chaperone. We were concerned about what kind of crowd and atmosphere there would be, especially as the evening got later and some patrons possibly had too much to drink.
What I found was this: at least 50% of the crowd were under 21 and identified with orange wrist-bands, while 25% were 21-40 and 25% were 40+ and identified with blue wrist-bands with which they could purchase alcohol at the bar.
The atmosphere was very lively and very friendly: Lots of people dancing on the dance floors on the main floor as well as in the balcony. Lots of people standing around or sitting at tables visiting. Lots of young people walking around moving from one group to another.
Alcohol drinking certainly took place, but the bar was definitely secondary to the dancing. Drunkenness was not an issue (and I was watching for it) at least up until we left at 10:30pm.
Friday night Swing Dance was obviously a very safe venue for under aged young adults to attend, and I feel comfortable sending my daughter and friends without me along next time.
I even enjoyed it myself (though I did not dance): people watching and listening to the live swing band.
What I found was this: at least 50% of the crowd were under 21 and identified with orange wrist-bands, while 25% were 21-40 and 25% were 40+ and identified with blue wrist-bands with which they could purchase alcohol at the bar.
The atmosphere was very lively and very friendly: Lots of people dancing on the dance floors on the main floor as well as in the balcony. Lots of people standing around or sitting at tables visiting. Lots of young people walking around moving from one group to another.
Alcohol drinking certainly took place, but the bar was definitely secondary to the dancing. Drunkenness was not an issue (and I was watching for it) at least up until we left at 10:30pm.
Friday night Swing Dance was obviously a very safe venue for under aged young adults to attend, and I feel comfortable sending my daughter and friends without me along next time.
I even enjoyed it myself (though I did not dance): people watching and listening to the live swing band.
Written 2 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sally D
Indianapolis45 contributions
Jun 2014 • Family
We live in Indianapolis, but a recent visit from a daughter and grandson, who live in Evanston, Illinois, we took the Indy grandchildren and their visitors for an afternoon of duck pin bowling at Fountain Square's Theatre Building. Revived and decorated in vintage manner, the alleys are available for rental for an hour at a time. Before 5 on weekdays, five people can finish 10 frames for $25. You do not have to rent shoes, but if you decide you want them, there is no additional fee to borrow them.A 75 year-old, a forty-something, and kids as young as 8 all had great fun. None of us did very well, but occasionally triumphed with a well-aimed ball. The small pins are very difficult to knock down with the small lightweight wooden ball. Even experienced conventional bowlers don't necessarily do well. The alley is on the top floor and offers an excellent view of the city and of the historic Fountain Square. Afterwards, you can enjoy a giant and delicious root beer float or more hearty fare at the downstairs Smokehouse. The same folks run both businesses. If the alley appears closed, step into the restaurant and someone will open the bowling facility especially for you.
Written 30 June 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chad G
Melbourne, FL597 contributions
Sept 2015 • Friends
Great place to take friends and family. Please feels like you're pleasantly taking a step back in time. Everything seems so original and very well maintained. Definitely need to make reservations ahead of time. Duckpin bowling is likely a new experience for most with small pins and bowling balls. Usually 1 hour is enough for 3-4 people to complete a game. Scoring is done on your own manually like the old days before the electronic scoring.
Written 19 October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
steve c
Indianapolis, IN3 contributions
Sept 2014 • Couples
My wife and I visited the rooftop garden and was greeted by the rudest man I have ever encountered at a restaurant in my entire life of 43 years. We asked if we could look around the place and determine if we wished to eat dinner there. In the most negative voice possible was told NO, I couldn't look around, and instructed to "NOT HARRASS THE CUSTOMERS!!'. There is no explanation as to why we were treated in such a manor. I felt we were being discriminated against. I will never step a foot back in this establishment. We turned around and walked out.
DO NOT GO HERE!
DO NOT GO HERE!
Written 3 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adrienne0627
Mahomet, IL43 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
My husband surprised me with a trip to the Fountain Square Theatre Building for our anniversary. It's a hidden gem! He booked a room at the Inn, on one floor of the building, and we spent a fun summer evening hopping among the attractions on site. They have a seasonal restaurant on the roof top. The prices were reasonable, food good (he had a pizza, I had a calico salad and grilled Italian chicken), and we enjoyed the view of Indy. After dinner we headed downstairs to the refurbished Theatre for swing dancing lessons and live big band music under the twinkling star ceiling. The live music was great- we counted about 17 musicians in the band. The dancing and people watching were so much fun! I think we had grins plastered on our faces the whole time! We headed back up to the rooftop for dessert by candlelight and a nighttime view of the city. The chocolate mousse in an edible tulip shaped cup was amazing, truly! It was so pretty, I almost felt bad eating it. Almost.
We headed back inside and tried out the duckpin bowling. Fun! A great (small) twist on the game you already know. It's a small venue, so if you really want to bowl, get a reservation in. It was a busy Friday night, and we waited until 11 pm. The Inn rooms are nice. Laid out differently than what you're used to in a traditional hotel. It was broken up into several rooms, but clean and decorated tastefully and thoughtfully. For breakfast the next morning, we ate at the End of the Line cafe. The homemade granola was yummy. The whole building is just fun- the authentic vintage vibe and unique attractions make it special.
Although they did not take away from our experience, there are a few things potential visitors should keep in mind. The building is old, and getting up and down on a busy night can mean taking the stairs or waiting a while on the small elevator. Food for the rooftop restaurant goes up and down the public elevator, so it stays busy. Duckpin bowling went until midnight on the night we visited and the alley was directly above our room. Had we made it to bed before midnight (we didn't) we would have been listening to bowling noise for a bit. That said, the managers of the Inn told us this up front when booking, so it was not an unwelcome surprise. We ventured out to explore the neighborhood shops around 11 am on Saturday morning, and most things were closed. We moved on to do other things in Indy for the rest of the day, but left with smiles on our faces! We'll definitely recommend this spot to our friends, and hope to be back swing dancing and eating tulip cup mousse again soon!
We headed back inside and tried out the duckpin bowling. Fun! A great (small) twist on the game you already know. It's a small venue, so if you really want to bowl, get a reservation in. It was a busy Friday night, and we waited until 11 pm. The Inn rooms are nice. Laid out differently than what you're used to in a traditional hotel. It was broken up into several rooms, but clean and decorated tastefully and thoughtfully. For breakfast the next morning, we ate at the End of the Line cafe. The homemade granola was yummy. The whole building is just fun- the authentic vintage vibe and unique attractions make it special.
Although they did not take away from our experience, there are a few things potential visitors should keep in mind. The building is old, and getting up and down on a busy night can mean taking the stairs or waiting a while on the small elevator. Food for the rooftop restaurant goes up and down the public elevator, so it stays busy. Duckpin bowling went until midnight on the night we visited and the alley was directly above our room. Had we made it to bed before midnight (we didn't) we would have been listening to bowling noise for a bit. That said, the managers of the Inn told us this up front when booking, so it was not an unwelcome surprise. We ventured out to explore the neighborhood shops around 11 am on Saturday morning, and most things were closed. We moved on to do other things in Indy for the rest of the day, but left with smiles on our faces! We'll definitely recommend this spot to our friends, and hope to be back swing dancing and eating tulip cup mousse again soon!
Written 29 June 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
387indy
Coral Springs, FL4,374 contributions
Jan 2017
Fountain Square Theatre Bldg. is in area where I spent middle and high school years. The building has been put on Historical preservation status. The main entrance on Prospect St. was a side exit from the movie theatre during my time period. The rest of the building was offices. Now its, roof top dining, hotel, wedding venue, meeting hall ,dancing on Friday night, and mainly 4th floor 'Duckpin bowling'.
Written 2 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EricWRR
Saint Louis, MO57 contributions
Jun 2014 • Family
This 1920s take on the sport was generally the same, but you roll a shotput sized ball against smaller pins and you get three chances to knock all the pins down instead of 2 (and you need them since the smaller pins don't scatter the same way the bigger ones do)
I'm not an expert bowler, but I do enjoy to play....I was particularly thrilled with how much easier it is to get a professional type spin on the smaller balls.
The entire building was a treat, like going back in time to the 1920s. The view from the top of the building was also nice glimpse of the neighborhood and fountains. The only downside was the temperature in the building was very warm, which was only made worse when hurling balls down the lanes 30 times a game. But I still would recommend this activity.
I'm not an expert bowler, but I do enjoy to play....I was particularly thrilled with how much easier it is to get a professional type spin on the smaller balls.
The entire building was a treat, like going back in time to the 1920s. The view from the top of the building was also nice glimpse of the neighborhood and fountains. The only downside was the temperature in the building was very warm, which was only made worse when hurling balls down the lanes 30 times a game. But I still would recommend this activity.
Written 24 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ohjb
Cuyahoga Falls, OH83 contributions
Jun 2014 • Friends
On a recent visit to Indianapolis, a few friends and I met for duckpin bowling. For the uninitiated, duckpin uses a ball slightly larger than a softball aimed at sub-sized pins. Action Bowling, located in the Theatre Building was a ton of fun! The lanes are themed with 1930s vintage equipment and decor, which creates a fun and inviting atmosphere. We had a great time, and if I'm back in Indy again, you'll definitely find me at the Fountain Square Theatre Building.
Written 8 June 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Heathen71940
Indianapolis66 contributions
Jan 2014 • Business
The location is an old community on the fringe of downtown Indianapolis. There really was a fountain but it was on a triangular plot, due to the convegence of three streets, which has since been destroyed for the betterment? of traffic flow. Years ago, I attended movies there as well as enjoyed duck pin bowling. The theatre no longer shows movies but the duck pin bowling is still fun and, yes, do make reservations. It's a popular spot for parties and after-work gatherings. The building has a decent restaurant and the facade is worth studying. Across the street was one of the last G. C. Murphy stores in the country. Fountain Square is an historic area which, fortunately, has preserved buildings and pastimes for all to enjoy. Go, enjoy.
Written 12 March 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
skconsulting
Dripping Springs, TX15 contributions
Aug 2013 • Family
During a recent family reunion, a dozen adults tried their hand at this strange game. It was a blast...even though every single one of us were lousy bowlers! Sure glad we made reservations because the place was packed. Due to a heavy rain storm, the rooftop area was closed so that was disappointing but there's always next time.
Written 22 September 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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