Sexy Steak Has Landed in the GAR Building #DetroitFood
Plus, six other downtown openings to know about now
Sexy Steak, downtown’s newest Victoria’s Secret-themed Italian steakhouse, has flung open its doors within the Grand Army of the Republic Building at 1942 Grand River Avenue, marking the latest in a flurry of dining establishments to launch downtown in the months and weeks ahead of the NFL Draft taking place this spring in Campus Martius.
West Bloomfield-based real estate investment and management company Barbat Holdings’ hospitality division, Prime Concepts Detroit, redeveloped the 30,000-square-foot four-story GAR castle, to include the steakhouse on the first two floors, a second-story lounge, as well as private event spaces on the two upper levels. An all-day burger spot called Sexy Burger was also previously announced to open on the ground level, though details about a potential opening date have not yet been revealed. The 4,000-square-foot main floor dining room can accommodate 120 guests, and another 100 guests on the second floor. The third floor seats 120, and up top on the fourth floor, the Grand Ballroom has seating for 180.
As for the menu, the restaurant’s highlight is its wide selection of premium all-halal beef, which is displayed in a Himalayan salt-lined display case. Guests can peruse the offerings before personally selecting their preferred cut. In addition, diners can also expect modern takes on traditional Italian fare, including pastas, veal and seafood dishes, and an oyster bar.
Royal Oak-based design studio Art Harrison Interiors handled the design along with the Barbat Holdings development team and was tasked with maintaining the building’s original charm, including its windows, staircase details, tile flooring at the entrance, wood floors, and the exposed brick walls in the event spaces. In addition, Prime Concepts Detroit worked with GAR Building historian Bruce Butgereit to create a dedicated space to display building artifacts.
For now, the restaurant is open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The GAR’s previous culinary tenants, Republic Tavern and Parks & Rec Diner shuttered during the pandemic and never reopened. The pair of eateries opened their doors in 2015, after the Detroit-based company Mindfield Video Production invested in a dramatic redevelopment of the castle. Prior to that, the building sat vacant for many years. The structure was originally built as a social space for Civil War veterans.
A downtown opening frenzy
The steakhouse represents the latest in a string of so-called clubstaurants to open in Detroit in recent months that are designed to give more of a Vegas-meets-Motor City vibe, with swanky, moody interiors, craft cocktails and a full food menu. Sexy Steak garnered headlines for its initial marketing push, which included window signage depicting the imagery of a woman and a suggestive invitation to answer the call of sexy.
Elsewhere downtown, Crain’s Detroit reported on Thursday, February 22, that plans are underway for a Chick-fil-A location next to Central Kitchen + Bar in the First National Building. Also in the works, in a space just south of the nearby Shake Shack storefront, is downtown’s first Chipotle Mexican Grill, the publication reported last fall.
Over in the Grand Circus Park area, Presley’s Kitchen is set to open sometime during the week of February 26 on the ground level of the historical David Whitney Building at Park Avenue and Woodward. The restaurant will feature American cuisine like shrimp and grits, brasserie chicken, flatbreads, and other comfort food dishes. Meanwhile, on the ground level of the Element Hotel at the Metropolitan building at 33 John R Street, a construction crew was spotted working on a storefront, which one worker told Eater Detroit was going to become a bar called the Lone Goat. Eater Detroit emailed representatives for Mariott, which will operates the Element chain, and will publish further details once they become available.
As previously reported by Eater Detroit, Gilly’s Clubhouse, the brainchild of Gilbert’s late son Nick Gilbert and nightlife expert Josh Lang, and Saksey’s cocktail lounge are also expected to land on Woodward Avenue this spring.
This growing roster of anticipated openings comes ahead of the huge influx of visitors to downtown for the NFL Draft taking place at Campus Martius, from April 25 through 27. Chris Moyer, a spokesman for Visit Detroit, tells Eater Detroit that hundreds of thousands of people are expected to descend upon the area for the momentous occasion.
“I think that the NFL Draft provides a focal point for restaurants and bars, businesses in general, to put a flag in the ground and say, ‘Hey, we’re here, we’re excited, the future of Detroit is bright.’”
from Eater Detroit - All
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