Nick's English Hut

Gayle and I returned to Nick's for Lunch a few weeks ago, along with her oldest Son. Same as it ever was, plus I purchased on of their iconic bell jar beer glasses to take home.

The duality of Nick's was more evident the next afternoon when I was walking near Campus and witnessed hoards of students with "Santa Crawl" t-shirts travelling from bar to bar (with their IDs ready for inspection). There was a huge line in front of Nick's stairway to their 2nd floor bar area and a lot of folks coming down. Meanwhile at the nearby door to the restaurant, I could have easily sat down for another delicious lunch in their far from full front dining area.

Popped into Nick's on a whim. We were seated right away despite the campus being busy with graduation. Our server was great. She was on her game and dealt with us quickly. She got us menus and took our orders within 10 minutes.

The ambiance of the place was loud and cramped. (Again... graduation.) Nick's is a sports bar, and the pub atmosphere is to be expected. That said, physically handicapped patrons may struggle with seating in the tight booths, and getting to the bathrooms. The place is very tight and crammed with booths. There's another seating area in the back that is more open, but still cramped. Restrooms are in a central location and there's not a lot of space in them - especially if you're in a wheelchair.

The food was mediocre. It was not bad; just par for a pub. I think that's my key criticism: we paid almost $25.00 a plate for something that was really worth about $12.00. Again, not bad, but definitely over-priced. The selection is good, with all things Americana on the menu, but everything is a la cart, so a burger, fries, and a drink end up being much more than they needed to be.

I think I will go back to Nick's. I'm just going to order a little differently next time.

I've been a pretty regular patron of Nick's for decades, but that might have all ended tonight. The food was good, server was good, beer was good. I've always liked to linger at Nick's but tonight I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there. And all for a reason I could never have anticipated -- screaming obnoxious children.
I was surrounded by them. The booth in front of me, behind me, and across from me.
Apparently the Indiana law changed a few months ago to allow children of any age in bar dining areas. Bars do not have to allow children, but apparently Nick's has chosen to. And inconsiderate parents seem to be loving it. I'm not. I sure wish Nick's would reconsider or at least set aside an area for grownups. Seeing Nick's turn into Chuck E. Cheese makes me feel like I've lost an old friend.

This is a Bloomington, IN staple and a must visit spot if you're visiting. Great game day place with full menu and bar. My go to menu item is the Traditional Stromboli (half) and Sink the Biz Fries. Lively atmosphere and wonderful service.

The atmosphere here was so fun! I can see the hype from the IU students. A great place to catch a game or people watch.

No IU experience is complete without a trip to Nick's.

Most of the food is standard bar fare, service is hit-or-miss, but the atmosphere is pure Indiana. There's Hoosier memorabilia everywhere, from license plates to records to their very own bison head. Will you be a little crowded squishing 4 people into a booth downstairs? Maybe. But after a few rounds of sink the biz in and stuffing those glorious fries in your face, you won't mind.

The sink the biz fries are always a bright spot. Dusted in a powder full of Parmesan and spices, you might just find yourself running your finger along the bottom of the bucket for more. The sauce is great, too. I also have to say that I love the new fry buckets themselves--they collapse into their own to-go containers. Genius!

Fantastic lunch today. Special, small pizza and salad. Jalapeño and cheese. A hearty helping of jalapeños and cheese, house salad with house made bleau cheese. Attentive service in a timely fashion. Will go back soon.

Biz Fries 9/10 really delicious; came with amazing Mayo sauce?

Supreme Pizza 8.5/10 also delicious! Wish their ranch was better but I still really enjoyed.

Stromboli 8.5/10 very impressed, very delicious. Bread was very soft and yummy

Overall pretty good. Bigger than expected portions. The waiter was quite a "smart Alec" in a fun way and made us feel at home. I will return. recommend to others when in Bloomington. The dining room has a lot of great IU posters and pictures. Comfortable seating as well.

Overpriced, mediocre, environment is fun, drinks aren't crazy priced. The location is great so they ride on that and bring a "Bloomington institution." Do better.