There is a certain kind of place that is hard to pin down in a single sentence, and Almost Famous on Massachusetts Avenue is exactly that. Tucked into the heart of Indianapolis at 721 Massachusetts Avenue, it pulls double duty: by day it goes by Crema, a coffee shop pouring craft coffee, and by night it becomes Almost Famous, a cocktail bar that doubles as a tapas spot and a venue for performance art and theater. It is the kind of spot that works as well for a Tuesday morning caffeine fix as it does for a Saturday night out, which is a rare trick to pull off.
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The hours are the first thing worth knowing, because they shift depending on the day. It is closed on Mondays, so plan around that. Tuesday is a coffee-only affair, open from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Wednesday and Thursday stretch from 8:00 AM all the way to 1:00 AM, and Friday and Saturday go even later, closing at 2:00 AM. Sunday rounds it out with an 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM window. Happy hour runs from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM Wednesday through Saturday and from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Sunday, which is the sweet spot if you want to catch the transition from coffee shop to cocktail bar without paying full price.
Food-wise, the menu is built around small plates and tapas, with sections for conservas, brunch, dinner, postres, and a late-night category called Black Lagoon Bites. You will find a spinach melt sandwich served with a side salad, churro waffles, Serrano ham, calamari, tuna belly, and avocado toast. The drinks are where people tend to linger: the Oaxaca Old Fashioned, a cosmopolitan, a Tommy Tomilo, and an espresso martini made with fresh-pulled espresso. There is also a line of real sober cocktails for anyone skipping the alcohol. The craft coffee is the other half of the equation, and it is the part that keeps the morning crowd coming back.
What really gives the place its character, though, is the room itself. It is a performance space as much as a bar, and that comes through in the calendar. Vinyl nights are a regular fixture here, and there are a few coming up if you are looking for a night out. This Saturday, October 24, DJ Little Town plays an all-vinyl set from 9:00 PM to 2:00 AM. The Cookout lands on Thursday, October 29, from 9:00 PM to midnight. Then, on Saturday, October 31, Sounds by Cam brings back Vinyl Nights — that one runs every four weeks on Saturdays, with DJ Cam spinning all vinyl from 9:00 PM to 2:00 AM, a $5 cover, and a 21+ door. And on the first Saturday of the month, Cool Hand Lex takes over from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM.
People describe it as a really nice little bar with great cocktails and a chill, Cali-influenced vibe, and that about sums it up. Whether you are stopping in for a quick coffee at Crema or settling in for a late cocktail and a vinyl set at Almost Famous, it is a place that wears a lot of hats without ever feeling like it is trying too hard. If you want to check the latest hours or see what is on the menu before you head in, almostfamousindy.com keeps it all in one place.
