Tom's Watch Bar opens in Indy
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.

Tom's is here to shake up the Indy sports bar scene. Photo: Justin L. Mack/Axios
The mind behind the McGriddle has moved his high-end sports bar concept to downtown Indianapolis.
Why it matters: The grand opening of Tom's Watch Bar gives Circle City sports fans with a slightly more sophisticated palate another option for catching big games.
The big picture: The bar's arrival also injects new life into a section of downtown undergoing a significant transformation.
- It sits just across the street from Circle Centre Mall, which has grown more accustomed to closure announcements than grand opening celebrations as a drastic renovation plods along.
- It's also just steps from an ongoing Indiana Convention Center expansion poised to reshape the Indianapolis skyline.
💠Justin's thought bubble: It's also a head turner that's likely to elicit a lot of "what the hell is that?" responses from folks who might not have been downtown in a while.
- The idea that you can see the game from anywhere at Tom's seems also to apply to standing outside it.
- It's impossible to miss with street-facing screens that blast light onto the 100 block of Illinois Street.
Driving the news: The Indianapolis location, its 13th total, officially opened Dec. 2.
- Axios Indianapolis was in the house for a recent gathering to check out the menu and the man behind the idea.
- Co-founder Tom Ryan brought McGriddles to McDonald's and stuffed crust to Pizza Hut in the early '90s. He also launched the Smashburger chain in the mid-2000s.

What he's saying: Ryan says Tom's Watch Bar is built to replicate the live-viewing experience with the next generation of sports fans in mind.
- "Think about the sports bar you were in last. They're a little dingy, they're a little sticky … and they're a little bit old. And the next generation is looking for something very, very different," Ryan said.
- "Tom's Watch Bar is an expression of that creativity. To bring sports watching and viewing as part of the occasion that people are integrating into their lives."
Zoom in: Tom's packs 135 TV screens into the 10,000-square-foot establishment, featuring a central oversize "stadium" screen and surround-sound speakers.
- The audio system lets fans tune into their preferred games so they can hear the action at their seats.
- Tom's also encourages planning in advance by putting its entire schedule of games online up to two weeks in advance.
Yes, but: With so many TVs, and a concept that centers around being able to see the game, chances are if a match is happening while Tom's is open, you'll probably find it on one of their screens.
- "If it's worth watching, it's on at Tom's," Ryan said.
If you go: 140 S. Illinois St.
- Open 4pm-12am Monday-Thursday; and 11-12am Friday-Sunday.
Go deeper: Check out our review of the wings at Tom's
