The Eagle
Fried Chicken First, Wine Dead Last
Mass Ave · Indianapolis · Southern, American, Brew Pub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 22, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The Eagle is a blues-soaked, fried-chicken-forward spot on Mass Ave, and the wine list reads exactly like you'd expect from a place that has its priorities straight — and wine is not one of them. You get a single page of familiar names, nothing surprising, nothing exciting. It's a list built for people who want wine on the table without thinking too hard about it.
Selection Deep Dive
The list tops out around 10-20 bottles and leans heavily on supermarket staples — Meomi Pinot, Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay, Trivento Malbec. There's no regional focus, no independent producers, no attempt to reflect the bold Southern character of the food. The lone bright spot is a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck Brut, which at least suggests someone upstream made one interesting call. Beyond that, this is a list assembled for convenience, not conviction.
By the Glass
Glass pours clock in at four to eight options, which is serviceable but unsurprising given the overall list size. Expect the usual suspects — a Chardonnay, a Pinot, probably the Malbec. There's no rotation, no seasonal shuffle, no sense that anyone is paying attention to what's in the pour.
Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay — $46
At 84% markup it's the least egregious bottle on the list. It's a reliable, crowd-pleasing Chardonnay that at least earns its keep — and relative to the Meomi and Malbec markups, it practically feels like a deal.
Piper-Heidsieck Brut
Nobody's ordering Champagne at a fried chicken joint, and that's a mistake. At $76 it's marked up less aggressively than most of the table wine, and it's the one bottle on the list with any real personality. Crack it open, order the hush puppies, feel like a genius.
Trivento Reserva Malbec
A $12 retail bottle sitting at $34 on the menu — a 183% markup on grocery store Malbec. There is no universe in which this is the right call. Order a beer, seriously.
Piper-Heidsieck Brut + House-brined fried chicken with spicy honey
Bubbles and fried food are one of the most reliable combinations in existence. The acidity cuts the fat, the spicy honey plays off the Champagne's yeasty richness, and you'll look like you know something the rest of the table doesn't.
❌ The Bottom Line
The Eagle is a genuinely great place to eat fried chicken — the wine list, however, is an afterthought dressed up in a menu. Drink the beer, order the bubbles if you must, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that reciprocates.
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