Local Restaurant Is Quickly Becoming a Kokomo Favorite
Photographer / Jim Hunt
From the Mozart burger to Thomas Edisons Stuffed Breadsticks, the menu at Kokomos Prodigy Burger Bar & Grill is packed with delicious dishes inspired by historic figures.
We specialize in paying homage to those greats of the past who were prodigies of their time, hence the name Prodigy, Manager Brandon Bowsher says. We exemplify that by making our dishes inspired by those prodigies, in a way that makes sure guests are satisfied and leave our building wanting more.
An offshoot of the Prodigy location in Carmel, Prodigy Burger Bar & Grill in Kokomo carries a wide selection of food and beverages for the whole family. Highly touted for its diverse selection of burgers and sandwiches, the restaurant also offers a variety of craft beers and cocktails, making it a great place to watch a game or simply hang out with loved ones.
Jeremiah Hamman, co-owner of Prime 47 restaurants in Carmel and downtown Indy, introduced Prodigy to Carmel in 2017. After quickly finding success, Hamman decided to open up a Prodigy location in Kokomo less than a year later.
Like the Carmel restaurant, Prodigy Kokomo serves several specialty burgers, the most unique being its Wagyu burgers, known as a delicacy around the world.
Wagyu literally translates to Japanese cow, Bowsher says. The reason why its so amazing is the way the animal is treated while its alive, as well as the strict feeding regimen its given.
While Prodigy does serve up delicious burgers, the restaurant also offers up all sorts of other delicious food options.
We are more than just burgers, Bowsher says. Were switching that perception from just being a burger establishment to being something thats so much more, which I believe we execute very well.
Customers can expect most dishes on the Prodigy menu to be prepared fresh daily.
We do 80% of everything in our building from scratch, so its fresh and never frozen, Bowsher says. The other 20 percent are things like baked goods and desserts. We dont pretend to be bakers, so we leave that to the professionals.
When it comes to their craft beer selection, Prodigy focuses on domestic craft brews, with an emphasis on nearby breweries.
We traditionally focus heavily on local Indiana breweries, Bowsher says. Theres just so much in the Indiana area and just outside the Indiana area, so we try to focus on those as our mainstays.
To further educate the public on the craft beers they carry, Prodigy brings in different brewery representatives every Tuesday at 6 p.m. to lead free classes and tastings.
Theyre a great way for us to be recognized as a craft beer aficionado, and to make sure that anyone who comes to the area knows that were the home for craft beer, says Bowsher of the Tuesday tastings.
In addition to their craft beer selection, Prodigy serves many different mouth-watering milkshakes.
We have hand-dipped milkshakes – both family-friendly as well as adults-only, Bowsher says. We even have one on there that tastes just like a Cinnamon Toast Crunch shot. We also have another one on there called our Maple Bacon Royale, which has maple-infused whiskey and bacon in it. Its absolutely to die for.
Although they offer plenty of 21-and-over beverage options, Bowsher says Prodigy is a great place to bring the whole family on any night of the week.
Our atmosphere is 100% family-friendly, he says. We exemplify that by kids eating free on Mondays, and making sure that families are taken care of first.
As for the Prodigy Kokomo staff, Bowsher has assembled a team of locally-based employees who work to positively impact the Kokomo community with an excellent customer experience.
Theyre all locally-bred folks who have been diving in since day one to help us be successful, Bowsher says of the staff. Ultimately were only here for two reasons. One is to be a part of the community, and to provide jobs to those people in the community who are willing to work hard for a small, locally-owned company.
Prodigy Burger Bar & Grill is located at 1355 South Reed Road in Kokomo. Call 765-450-4443 or visit facebook.com/ProdigyBarKokomo for more info including exclusive specials and events.
