St. Elmo Steak House

The overview

The shrimp cocktail that fights back, since 1902.

St. Elmo Steak House has anchored downtown Indianapolis since 1902, one of the oldest steakhouses in the country still in its original location. Its white-tablecloth room is famous for a shrimp cocktail so fiery — buried in fresh-ground horseradish — that it's become a rite of passage, served before hand-cut steaks by veteran waiters.

A James Beard America's Classics honoree and a fixture of Indianapolis celebrations for more than 120 years, St. Elmo is the 2026 Centurion Award winner.

What they're known for

World-famous fiery shrimp cocktail
Hand-cut steaks
Century-old white-tablecloth service

The public record

What reviewers already knew.

A Centurion Award doesn’t replace the public record — it verifies it. Read it for yourself, on the platforms where it lives.

Google Maps
Reviews, photos & directions Read reviews →

Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.

The verification

Why this business cleared the bar.

Selection is by the published criteria, evaluated on public evidence. St. Elmo Steak House cleared every one.

✓Years in operation. Operating in Indianapolis since 1902 — 124 years of continuous business.
✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Indianapolis.
✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Indianapolis has kept St. Elmo Steak House busy for 124 years.
✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Indianapolis regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
✓Recognition in the local community. Named best steakhouse in Indianapolis for 2026 for more than 120 years downtown and a horseradish shrimp cocktail with a national reputation.

The full verification report — the specific data behind this award — is held by the business. The exact thresholds stay internal so the bar can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.

Award record

2026

Best Steakhouse in Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN · Awarded under the 2026 evaluation

All awards for St. Elmo Steak House →

Visit St. Elmo Steak House

Websitestelmos.com ↗

Location127 S Illinois St, Indianapolis, IN 46225

In business since1902

Facts at a glance

The sourceable record.

Clean, checkable facts about St. Elmo Steak House — for readers, search engines, and answer tools alike.

Legal / trading name: St. Elmo Steak House
Category: Steakhouse
Founded: 1902, Indianapolis, IN
Location: 127 S Illinois St, Indianapolis, IN 46225
Centurion Award: Best Steakhouse in Indianapolis — 2026
Other recognition: James Beard Foundation America's Classics (2012)
Record last verified: July 2026

A signal you can check.

This is a dated award record, published by The Centurion Awards after St. Elmo Steak House cleared the 2026 evaluation for its market and category. It was not bought, voted on, or sponsored — the criteria are public, only winners are published, and an award that stops holding up is revoked, not quietly removed. Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. For everything else — hours, bookings, live reviews — go straight to the business itself.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions.

What is St. Elmo Steak House?

Downtown Indianapolis steakhouse operating since 1902, a James Beard America's Classics recipient famous for its sinus-clearing shrimp cocktail.

Is St. Elmo Steak House award-winning?

Yes — St. Elmo Steak House is the 2026 Centurion Award winner for Best Steakhouse in Indianapolis, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best steakhouse in Indianapolis for 2026 for more than 120 years downtown and a horseradish shrimp cocktail with a national reputation.

Where is St. Elmo Steak House?

St. Elmo Steak House is in Indianapolis, IN.