No. 14 – MacNiven's

Best Scottish Brogue

With its excellent menu of single-malt Scotch and photos of Sean Connery as James Bond on the walls, MacNiven’s might be mistaken for a franchised theme bar (like Claddagh). But this laid-back pub is legit: Owner Stuart MacNiven Robertson emigrated from Scotland, where he ran a B&B. European and American football share time on the TVs here, but in the summer, most patrons crowd around the garage-door windows and focus their attention on the stylish denizens of Mass Ave. The beer selection has always been respectable, but the recent addition of 16 new draught lines (including Sun King, Flat12, Fountain Square, and Three Floyds brews) and a rotating wine tap call for a bagpipe parade.

339 Massachusetts Ave., 317-632-7268


Photo by Tony Valainis

This article appeared in the January 2013 issue.