Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Northwest Indiana

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in Northwest Indiana? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Nisi Greek Taverna

4.9

4.9 (516)

$31 to $50

Greek

Schererville, IN

About the restaurant

Modern Greek Cuisine. Opened up by Greek Master Chef Pandelis Vouros. Book today!

Top review

NatalieVIP

Dined 7 days ago

Food, drinks and service are always excellent. Great place!

Gamba Ristorante

4.8

4.8 (1176)

$31 to $50

Italian

Merrillville, IN

About the restaurant

The former owners of the Venezia Bar & Grill and Café Venezia, Benito and Hilda Gamba, have combined their efforts into the Gamba Ristorante. Located in Merrillville, this restaurant is housed in an architectural masterpiece, which is hard to miss with its circular design and copper roof. Modeled after upscale restaurants in exotic European locations, the menu offers classic Italian cuisine. The wine room boasts storage space for 1,000 bottles. A banquet hall holds up to 175 people and looks out onto an open courtyard.

Top review

Amy

Dined 1 day ago

Exceptional every time we dine here. We are never disappointed!

Farina's Supper Club

4.8

4.8 (949)

$31 to $50

Steak

Michigan City, IN

About the restaurant

Featuring Prime steaks and chops, fresh fish, and seafood. Many of Chef Farina's signature favorites, include Pork Chop Sinatra, Brick Chicken and Joe's Mama's Meatballs. Other Italian favorites like Eggplant and Chicken Parmesan, Mile High Meat Lasagna, and Linguine with Clams will be offered daily. Stop in to experience our global wine list, along with the old school cocktails, which will bring you right back to the Supper Club era!

Top review

Becky

Dined 6 days ago

Exquisite food and wonderful service. Great cocktails & wine list too. The complimentary cheesy bread with marinara was scrumptious and paired well with the calamari and our soups & salads. Our only critique would be the room was very hot, but there were a lot of people in the restaurant celebrating & having their holiday parties. Might be a good idea to kick on the air conditioning a bit when all the people start to come for the evening. ;)

Hooters Lansing

4.7

4.7 (726)

$30 and under

American

Munster, IN

About the restaurant

Hooters is the place to be for great seafood, signature burgers and sandwiches, specialty salads, ice cold beer, a full liquor bar and of course, our world famous chicken wings served up in one of our signature sauces. With a casual, upbeat atmosphere, and plenty of HD TV’s, you’ll have a front row seat to all the games. Hooters, the original wing joint.

Top review

ShaunnaVIP

Dined on Nov 3, 2024

The server was great! I haven’t had an attentive server at hooters in a long time and she was excellent.

Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant - Merrillville, IN

4.6

4.6 (4568)

$30 and under

American

Merrillville, IN

About the restaurant

Experience the perfect fusion of award-winning wines, Napa-style tasting rooms, and modern casual dining at Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants. Enjoy contemporary American cuisine influenced by international flavors from our scratch kitchen. Each dish is expertly paired with our selection of wines for the best food and wine match. Whether you explore the tasting room for a pre- or post-dinner adventure or join the world's largest wine club, we believe in the power of food and wine to create lasting connections. Dining reservations are highly recommended, but walk-in guests are always welcome on a first-come, first-serve basis. Gluten-free and vegetarian dishes are available.

Top review

Don

Dined 3 days ago

I took two special women to lunch at Cooper's Hawk in Merrillville,, IN, today. I hadn't been there myself for a while. I was not disappointed. The food was excellent and my guests loved the place.

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Popular dish

Classic Tomato Bruschetta

Popular dish

Drunken Shrimp

Experience

Brunch & Bubbles | Saturdays & Sundays 10am – 2pm

Lighthouse Restaurant

4.6

4.6 (1325)

$50 and over

American

Cedar Lake

About the restaurant

Nestled on the shores of cozy Cedar Lake, Lighthouse Restaurant welcomes residents, visitors, and boaters with its beacon of great food, fun, and friends. Surrounded by windows, diners enjoy the scenery of the water while savoring cuisine that is found nowhere else in the region!

Top review

Carrie

Dined 6 days ago

Great atmosphere, superb service, and even greater food!

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Popular dish

Lobster Bisque

Experience

2024 New Year's Eve Party!

Experience

Wine Wednesday

Root & Bone - Chesterton

4.6

4.6 (54)

$31 to $50

Southern

Chesterton

About the restaurant

Soul nurturing, conscientiously sourced, farm-fresh ingredients. A craftsman’s ethic coupled with artistic culinary thought. A tribute to the timeless recipes and traditions of a rural America and the warm embrace of its hospitality.

Top review

Janet

Dined today

This was our thrid visit to Root &Bone and we have been pleasantly pleased each time. On this visit we had a very thoughtful and attentive server, as we have each time. The menu selection was good, the temperature and noise level were comfortable, and dining room and bathrooms clean. There were six in our party and all but one was very pleased with their food. My husband’s ribeye was just okay, not great, but my duck breast was fantastic, as were the fried green tomatoes appetizer. My only disappointment was that all the cocktails were all sweet, I always enjoy a savory cocktail choice so I stuck with a beer. Although the location is not the best for is, we will be back.

Coppolillo's Italian Steakhouse

4.6

4.6 (181)

$31 to $50

Italian

Crown Point, IN

About the restaurant

CHC Restaurant Group, the group that recently brought Rosebud Steakhouse to Munster, is excited to introduce our Italian Steakhouse concept, Coppolillo's Italian Steakhouse to Crown Point, Indiana. We will begin serving the Crown Point area on Monday, July 8, 2024 at 3:00 PM. Please call and/or make your reservations on OpenTable.

Top review

Sherry

Dined 1 day ago

Experience was great food and service. It is very loud hard to have a conversation

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Experience

Celebrate Christmas Day At Coppolillo's!

Experience

Celebrate Christmas Eve At Coppolillos!

Experience

Celebrate New Year's Eve At Coppolillo's!

Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant - Schererville, IN

4.6

4.6 (64)

$30 and under

American

Schererville, IN

About the restaurant

Top review

La Tonja

Dined 1 day ago

Great experience and great food. The server was amazing and knowledgeable too

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Experience

Brunch & Bubbles | Saturdays & Sundays 11am – 2pm

Experience

Seasonal Chef Recommendations

Experience

Wine Tasting

Goblin & The Grocer

4.5

4.5 (321)

$30 and under

American

Michigan City, IN

About the restaurant

The Goblin & The Grocer is a restaurant, market & take away built to be an inviting year-around lake retreat & respite. As hosts we are passionate about serving thoughtfully prepared, locally sourced food & drink with a unique combination of service that is knowledgeable, friendly & laid back.
We are proud of our Award Winning Bloody Marys, Brunch with Bottomless Mimosas &
Farm to Table Menu

Top review

Kathie

Dined 6 days ago

I always enjoy eating at Goblin and the Grocer. It is fun and lively in a unique and creative atmosphere. It has a wide variety of dishes on the menu and the staff is always accommodating.

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