Buggs Temple restaurant closing

September 9, 2008
Back to TopCommentsE-mailPrint
Buggs TempleTavern at the Temple restaurant at 11th Street and the Central Canal in Buggs Temple will close for good on Wednesday. Creation Cafe, a casual restaurant and coffee shop on the first floor, will remain open and the historic building will continue to host special events until a replacement tenant is found. The upscale Tavern at the Temple survived about 11 months before "financial demands" grew too heavy. Partners in the restaurant include Chuck and Vicki Mack, who also own Moe & Johnny's in Broad Ripple and are planning a new Moe & Johnny's in Avon. While volumes were on target for Tavern, investors in the concept didn't materialize as hoped. "We don't have the depth financially to continue operating," Vicki Mack said. "We have brought every penny we have personally to the table, but we're done now." Buggs Temple opened last October after a $3.5-million renovation of the 1918 building dragged on for several years.
ADVERTISEMENT
  • GarySeptember 9, 2008 5:14 PM
    The failure of that restaurant rest directly on the owner shoulders. I have never been to a restaurant on any scale that made me feel as put off or as uncomfottable as that one did. They tired to be something they were never going to be.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • CorrNDSeptember 9, 2008 6:16 PM
    In a very rough sense, I think the failure here isn't so much the specific restaurant but the concept. By all indications (and my personal experience) the food was actually pretty damn good. The problem is that fine dining wasn't likely to take off at that location. A restaurant that caters to the lunch crowd in the nearby buildings (and those connected by the People Mover) and one that grabs people casually out enjoying the canal is what's needed. That's exactly what Creation Cafe is and that's why it's going gangbusters.

    All that aside: for god's sake, how successful did they think they were going to be without a freakin' sign?!

    I'm hoping for a sports bar with a cool beer selection in there in the future!
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • Lynn ShepherdSeptember 9, 2008 6:22 PM
    I just wanted to be sure that everyone is clear that Creation Cafe, located on the main floor of Bugg's Temple, remains open for business. We are saddened by the news that our neighbors upstairs are closing, but look forward to seeing all our usual and new customers. Come on in.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • NeeshaSeptember 9, 2008 8:41 PM
    I am not surprised this place is closing. My husband and I celebrated out Anniversary there and the service was terrible, the food mediocre (and mostly cold), and our experience one that assured we would never return. That night we predicted the place wouldn't last.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • AblerockSeptember 10, 2008 9:20 AM
    Yes, I'd also like to emphasize the fact that Creation Cafe is still open and is a good place to eat and relax. The staff is very nice and attentive and every meal I've had there has been delicious.

    As a matter of fact, I think I'll go there for lunch today!
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • cschoutenSeptember 10, 2008 9:29 AM
    Update: The food blog FeedMeDrinkMe has a new post about the future of Buggs.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • ParisSeptember 10, 2008 10:35 AM
    The service at this place was absolutely TERRIBLE. How can you run out of steak knives?!?!?! Good riddance.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • CoryWSeptember 10, 2008 10:45 AM
    I agree that casual and stop and grab a bite crowd is what is going to be successful at this location and further investments on the Canal until it becomes a dining/pub destination of its own. Eventually fine dining may work, but the traffic, excpet from near-by offices, is still the lollygagger and fitness buff.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • GeorgeOrwellSeptember 10, 2008 12:02 PM
    It wouldn't take much to turn this place into a modern version of the 'Embers' nightclub. You know, dinner, booze, live stage entertainment etc. A destination night spot instead of fighting over the jogging, water bottle, java & bagel crowd. And yes, a nice throwback neon sign would help.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • j. j.September 10, 2008 12:15 PM
    If only Buggs had been built as designed...sigh. It would have been a great night club / performance spot and fancy bar.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • DWNTWNINDYSeptember 10, 2008 12:33 PM
    Couldn't agree more with most of the posts. I've not heard a favorable review of the service experienced at the Tavern on the Temple yet. Better signage, cheaper menu (not a cheap menu), good beer/wine selection and this place will do just fine.

    I work with somone who literally had to get up and grab their own food off the kitchen window, because it was sitting there for a half hour. My cousins (in-law) had horrible service twice. Once was with the owner himself, he was wearing a baseball cap, ratty t-shirt and walking around sweating trying to say hello to everyone. I'm all for owner/management interaction with customers, but if you're trying to build a high-class establishment dress and act the part.

    Great location in my opinion, just the wrong concept. The city needs this place to do well for further canal expansion. Maybe a bright colored BW3 would do well here :) -jk-
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • thundermuttSeptember 10, 2008 1:24 PM
    Won't work for BW3. It has windows.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • JordanSeptember 10, 2008 1:36 PM
    I didn't realize there were two restaurants at the location--always thought I was eating at the Tavern. Whichever restaurant serves the patio crowd--I hope it closed, and GOOD RIDDANCE!!

    Ate there twice. First time, steak sandwich, pretty good but lackluster service. Had to hunt down the waiter twice, first time so he'd actually bring the drink I ordered, and a second time so he'd refill it (after empty for 15 minutes). Second time, I ordered a caprese sandwich and my wife had a salad. IT TOOK 1 1/2 HOURS!! For a sandwich and a salad? Worst. Service. Ever. Forever-ever? Forever-ever.

    Give the space to someone who knows what the heck they're doing.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • Jim BSeptember 10, 2008 1:59 PM
    I've eaten at the Creation Cafe on the lower level several times and have enjoyed each one - no problem with service or food. I will go back; it's a great place to see and eat. I hope they can do something with the upper level. I have not been there but I've not heard anything good about it.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • JacoSeptember 10, 2008 3:46 PM
    So let me get this straight. The Lower Level--Creation Cafe--is where you go and can sit outside overlooking the canal basin, right? With numerous tables with umbrellas, etc.? You go up some stairs to get into Creation Cafe, right, so you have to go up even more stairs to get to this Tavern at the TEmple that's closing? So its up-upstairs? I didn't even realize there was a restaurant up there. No wonder they're closing, in addition to all the other reasons enumerated in other posts.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • Da HooeySeptember 10, 2008 4:00 PM
    LOL. The owner, Chuck, always wears torn up clothes, bad ratty baseball cap, etc.


    Right guy, wrong concept.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • MariaSeptember 11, 2008 1:32 AM
    This place was an absolute joke. No signage whatsoever. No service whatsoever. Going along with the poster than mentioned they ran out of knives, when I was there they told me they ran out of wine glasses! WTF?!
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • downtownerSeptember 11, 2008 12:58 PM
    Please tell me how a Halloween Store can set up shop at the intersection of Meridian and Washington. This is a disgrace. For all of you upset about BW3's, why dont you take up the battle to get rid of the Halloween store. For all of you worried about BW3's trying to turn downtown into a strip mall....
    how about this store trying to turn downtown into the vacant gas station turned fireworks/Halloween store
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • BBBBSeptember 11, 2008 9:06 PM
    I've eaten there many times, and it's been my favorite restaurant all summer! I've taken friends, family , business associates, and and it's been perfect every time! I don't know of any other place to sit outside on a lovely evening, and enjoy a delightful dinner and glass of wine...I'll miss it. sorry others didn't have the same experience.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • Horrible experience
    Deb KohlAugust 13, 2010 3:07 PM
    We ate at Buggs Temple last night - Eurphoria restaurant at the top of the building. It was one of the worst experiences EVER. First, they brought me something I did not even order. So, I told them again what I had ordered. Waiter apologized, when I finally got my food (after everyone else in my party was done eating by the way!) IT. WAS. STILL. THE. WRONG. THING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! by that time, I was hungry and just ate it. meat was ok - rest of it was awful. $101 dollars WASTED!!! Never again.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
    • Haunted?
      LaVonna JonesOctober 11, 2012 6:14 PM
      Sep. 2012 watched "A Haunting" on tv about the Buggs Restaurant being quite haunted. Maybe that's why there was poor service, not so good food as the previous reviewers have mentioned?B
      Reply to CommentFlag Comment

    Post a comment to this blog

    COMMENTS POLICY
    We reserve the right to remove any post that we feel is obscene, profane, vulgar, racist, sexually explicit, abusive, or hateful.
     
    You are legally responsible for what you post and your anonymity is not guaranteed.
     
    Posts that insult, defame, threaten, harass or abuse other readers or people mentioned in IBJ editorial content are also subject to removal. Please respect the privacy of individuals and refrain from posting personal information.
     
    No solicitations, spamming or advertisements are allowed. Readers may post links to other informational websites that are relevant to the topic at hand, but please do not link to objectionable material.
     
    We may remove messages that are unrelated to the topic, encourage illegal activity, use all capital letters or are unreadable.
     

    Messages that are flagged by readers as objectionable will be reviewed and may or may not be removed. Please do not flag a post simply because you disagree with it.

    ADVANCED SEARCH
    Sponsored by
    ADVERTISEMENT

    1. First, the Athenaeum is going to have to get past the hurdle with the Lockerbie residents and the agreement that the parcel would be residential. Second, and in my opinion, this prime piece of property should include parking, PLUS, a black box theater(s), some market rate and affordable artist housing and a plan to renovate and reconfigure the second story theater. I would negotiate to add the DeHaan property surface parking lot into the development mix, place a one story surface parking garage on the DeHaan lot on the street level (for the Dehaan tenants use during the daytime) and add a second story to the garage that would become an addition to the current second story theater and then change the direction of the theater by moving the stage across the alley and on top of the DeHaan lot parking. You can add all the stage elements that are currently missing from the Athenaeum stage to make it more attractive for use by Ballet, Opera and traveling productions. Plus, the theater changes would probably help solve some of the soundproofing issues. Alas,it does not seem to be a part of the strategic plan to conduct a study to determine best use of the property. Seems like the current plan is a quick and easy move that ignores the property best use/potential and any strategic property planning for the effect on future generations.

    2. I recall that MSA's pilings are still in the ground and hard to remove. It’s not likely any proposal will include significant underground construction/parking because of this. Start adding 2 floors of retail, 8 floors of parking and 5-10 floors of possible hotel, and/or 10-20 floors of residential, and you are at 30 floors already with possible expansion of all the uses. But then again I could be wrong.

    3. Accoriding to their website there is no deadline to the Do Not Call list. What is this article referring to??

    4. On what planet are they entitled to this largesse from the stockholders? These people make multi-million dollar salaries: Pay for your own personal travel.

    5. It matters because they're already paid enormously fat salaries: Pay for your own personal travel. Being "taxed on it" isn't a valid excuse--so what? They're still being gifted a raft of luxury perks from somebody else's money on top of an enormous, lavish salary.

    ADVERTISEMENT