Prodigy Burger & Bar

New Family-Friendly Restaurant Opens at Clay Terrace

Writer  /  Jon Shoulders
Photographer  /  Amy Payne

Jeremiah Hamman, co-owner of the recently opened Prodigy Burger & Bar in Carmel, says his new establishment fills a much-needed culinary niche in the Clay Terrace shopping center.

After Ted’s Montana Grill closed the doors to its Clay Terrace location, Hamman, who co-owns Prime 47’s Carmel and downtown Indy restaurants, was contacted by a Clay Terrace leasing agent to see if he might be interested in taking over the vacant space within the popular retail center. Clay Terrace currently features a wide range of eateries, including Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Mitchell’s Fish Market, Café Patachou and Biaggi’s – but no “mid-level” food choices, as Hamman puts it.

“As I looked around, I thought there was a glaring need for kind of a neighborhood gathering place that offered some entertainment and fun, in a friendly-fast environment,” he says. “So, I designed Prodigy. We like Clay Terrace, and we like the communities that surround it up here – Noblesville, Westfield, Carmel and Zionsville. They’ve gone through a significant renaissance in the last couple of years. We’ve had great success at Prime 47.”

The Prodigy menu consists predominantly of craft burgers and sandwiches, made with what Hamman describes as “fresh, never-frozen ingredients,” as well as a bourbon and wine list and a kids menu. Sixteen of the restaurant’s 22 beer taps are dedicated to local craft brews.

“The menu is narrowly focused, but with some unique twists on some commonplace items,” says Hamman, who grew up in northwest Indiana and relocated to Indianapolis in 1996. “It’s mainly burgers and sandwiches, and we have a strong focus on quality. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, we’re just trying to provide excellent food with excellent service, and hopefully we’ll be patronized by the locals. You go around the community and every restaurant’s full at dinnertime, and we’re just trying to fill a void at this location.”

All ages are welcome at Prodigy, which officially opened on Nov. 2, and the friendly-fast environment Hamman refers to consists of 24 televisions, a private dining room, a play area for kids, dueling piano entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays and an ample outdoor patio with two garage-style doors and a fire pit.

“We’re locally owned so we’re nimble,” Hamman adds. “By that I mean we can adapt to what’s needed in the community. I don’t know that we need to be unique or special in any regard other than just serve great food with friendly and efficient service and have a great location at Clay Terrace.”

Prodigy Burger & Bar is located at 14490 Clay Terrace Blvd., Suite 100A, in Carmel. For more information call 317-569-9996.