"Downtown Indy's own dry-aging steakhouse in an 1895 landmark, $87 bone-in ribeye and no chain markup — book it to close a deal."
The corner of Pennsylvania and Maryland Streets holds the Majestic Building, built in 1895, and behind its 18-foot windows runs Prime 47 — a locally owned steakhouse that ages its own beef 47 days. The number is the address and the program both: 47 South Pennsylvania, 47 days in the box. The bone-in dry-aged ribeye lands near $87, a full dinner runs $90 to $130 a head, and the room trades the polish of a national chain for marble columns, original tile, and beef that, by Indianapolis Monthly's reckoning, is among the best downtown. This is the room you book to put a steak in front of a client.
The Kitchen
The space has had a few names. It opened as a steak room, became J. Hamman Prime under Jeremiah Hamman in 2013, and after a quick run of rebrands settled on Prime 47 — a nod to its street number that has stuck ever since. Hamman built the prime-beef program that still defines the kitchen: USDA Prime as the floor, a 47-day dry-aging box for the marquee cuts, and wagyu for the top of the card. The room is locally owned and operated, not part of a national group, which is the whole pitch.
The beef is the reason to come. The 47-day dry-aged bone-in ribeye is the signature, priced near $87, with a deep, mineral edge that the wet-aged chain cuts cannot match. The Delmonico ribeye is the everyday order; the World Tour wagyu flight is the splurge for a table that wants to taste cuts side by side. Steaks run from the mid-$40s up, sides and seafood are à la carte, and a full dinner lands at $90 to $130 per person. It is a splurge, but it undercuts the national chains on comparable beef — and the 1895 Majestic Building gives it a sense of place those chains buy with reproduction fittings.
The Room
Tall street-facing windows, marble columns, original tile floors: the Majestic Building does the decorating, and the room feels solid rather than slick. Sound is a steakhouse hum that rises on game nights and settles midweek; lighting is low and warm; tables are spaced enough for a private conversation away from the windows. Dress is smart-casual to business — jeans with a collar are fine, gym wear is not. The room seats a good crowd over two floors. On Colts and Pacers nights the bar fills early; for a quiet deal dinner, come Monday to Wednesday.
Best for Closing a Deal
Book this room to close a deal downtown for three reasons. First, the building carries weight — the 18-foot windows and marble give a dinner some gravity without anyone having to say so. Second, the tables away from the street are spaced for the kind of talk a deal needs, and the service knows to leave a working table alone. Third, the dry-aged ribeye is a confident, no-debate thing for a host to order on the table's behalf. Take a back table early in the week, start with the triple cheese plate, and let the ribeye carry the second half of the meeting.
Not for
Not for a quiet date on a game night. With Lucas Oil Stadium and Gainbridge Fieldhouse minutes away, the bar floods before Colts and Pacers games and the room gets loud — book a weeknight, or expect to raise your voice.
Frequently Asked
Is Prime 47 worth it?
Yes, if you want a serious dry-aged steak downtown without the national-chain markup. Prime 47 runs its own 47-day dry-aging program, serves USDA Prime and wagyu, and sits in the 1895 Majestic Building on Pennsylvania Street. It is a locally owned room rather than a celebrity kitchen, and the beef is the reason to come — Indianapolis dining coverage has called the cuts among the city's best.
How hard is it to book Prime 47?
Not hard on weeknights, harder around Colts and Pacers home games and major downtown conventions. Prime 47 takes reservations on OpenTable and by phone; the room fills on Friday and Saturday and on any big event night at nearby Lucas Oil Stadium or Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Book a few days ahead for weekends, and ask for a window table in the Majestic Building's tall street-facing room.
What is the dress code at Prime 47?
Smart-casual to business. There is no jacket requirement, but this is a downtown prime steakhouse, and most diners come from the office or dressed for a night out. Jeans with a collared shirt are fine; gym wear and ball caps are out of place. Game-day crowds dress down, but a deal dinner here still rewards looking the part.
What is the average meal price at Prime 47?
Plan on $90 to $130 per person for a full dinner with a steak, a side and a drink. Steaks run from the mid-$40s to around $90 — the bone-in dry-aged ribeye lands near $87 — and wagyu and the World Tour flight cost more. Sides and seafood are à la carte, which is how steakhouse bills climb. It is a splurge, priced below the national chains for comparable cuts.
Is Prime 47 good for closing a deal?
Yes — it is one of downtown Indy's reliable rooms for a business dinner. The 18-foot windows and marble columns of the Majestic Building give the room gravity, the tables are spaced for talk, and a dry-aged ribeye is a confident thing to put in front of a guest. Book early in the week to avoid the game-day crowd, and see our picks for closing a deal for a quieter backup.
What should I order at Prime 47?
The 47-day dry-aged bone-in ribeye is the signature and the dish the kitchen is built around; order it medium-rare. The Delmonico ribeye is the lighter alternative, and the World Tour wagyu flight is the splurge for a table that wants to compare cuts. Add the triple cheese du jour to start and a classic creamed side; the kitchen is strongest on beef.