New steakhouse to occupy 2 floors of downtown Detroit's GAR Building

Since the eateries of Detroit's Grand Army of the Republic Building, casually known as the GAR Building, closed shop during the COVID-19 pandemic, frequent diners have been curious to learn of the new steakhouse and event space that would replace the once beloved Republic and Parks and Rec Diner.

The recently installed window wraps that cling to the glass at the ground level of the historic building have hinted at what’s next, and yet simultaneously added to the mystery of the place.

“Experience a taste of royalty,” reads a tagline over an image of a woman dressed in scarlet with a glass of red wine within reach. “Sexy is calling,” it says, the woman wearing red, patent-leather gloves and holding a red phone to her face. “Will you pick up?”

Sexy Steak is the name of the impending restaurant by Prime Concepts Detroit, and plans for the ambitious project are underway.

Prime Concepts Detroit is the West Bloomfield-based hospitality group behind restaurants such as Prime29 Steakhouse; Nara, with locations in West Bloomfield and Miami, and Pao Detroit, another culinary transformation of a city artifact with the rehab of the former Michigan Oriental Theater into a multilevel, Asian-inspired restaurant. This week, the group will celebrate the soft opening of its latest restaurant, Aurora Italiana in West Bloomfield. Reservations are available today, Sept. 6 through Sept. 17.

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Plans for Sexy Steak are still in development and before city officials for approval. The team projects an end-of-year to early 2024 opening for the steakhouse. The timeline for an anticipated opening date is a rough estimate and logistics are subject to change based on final approvals. Still, there are some details we can bank on.

Sexy Steak will occupy the first and second floors of the GAR Building, with ambitions of “building on the traditional steakhouse but modernizing some of the flavors and presentation,” according to Justin Near, president of Near Perfect Media and spokesperson for Prime Concepts Detroit.

“We're calling it a ‘modern a la carte steak and seafood restaurant,’ ” Near said, adding that halal beef will be sourced from the famed Kansas-based Creekstone Farms, including wagyu. Dishes are also intended to come at an affordable price point.

As the imagery on the façade of the building implies with its half-filled globular Burgundy glasses, the wine list at Sexy Steak will be robust, with an emphasis on boutique and allocated bottles of big Napa Cabernet, Burgundy and Bordeaux varietals.

Taking over the former Parks and Rec Diner at a corner of the building is a smaller, more casual concept. Sexy Burger, a six-day, lunch-and-dinner spot, will specialize in upscale blends, such as lamb or wagyu burgers, as well as salads, pasta, chicken, fish and steak entrees. Sexy Burger will accept reservations but will also encourage walk-ins.

The third and fourth levels of the GAR Building will be reserved for private dining and large-scale events, such as weddings and other celebrations. The team also plans to build out a publicly accessible museum showcasing found items that celebrate the building’s unique history.

“They’ve uncovered things in the building — pictures, drawings and artifacts — that will be on display on the third floor,” Near said. “Just as they did with the Pao space, they want to highlight the history of the building.”

The Royal Oak-based Art | Harrison Interiors will lead the design for Sexy Steak and Sexy Burger, as with all Prime Concepts Detroit projects. Renderings of the space will be released once the project receives final approvals and construction begins.

In the meantime, future diners can follow the project’s progress via Instagram @sexysteak.

Sexy Steak and Sexy Burger coming to Grand Army of the Republic Building, 1942 Grand River Ave., Detroit. sexysteakdetroit.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Sexy Steak restaurant to open in Detroit's Grand Army of the Republic