The entrepreneur musician couldn’t care less what you think of his new restaurant
There’s a new kind of electricity running through Capitol View, and it’s got Detroit roots, Nashville grit, and just the right amount of outlaw energy. The Detroit Cowboy, a high-octane mashup of legendary seafood institution Joe Muer Seafood and rock icon Kid Rock, is officially open at 500 11th Ave N, bringing together big flavor, bold design, and the kind of unfiltered vibe you’d expect from both Music City and Motor City’s most unapologetic son.
“The Detroit Cowboy isn’t just a restaurant—it’s a culinary ride like no other, where like-minded folks who love this country can dine in style. Whether you wear a bow tie, a bolo tie, or no tie—it’s all good. I re-designed this place to share some of my favorite milestones and personal artifacts—cool gifts and mementos from legends like Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Eminem, Bob Seger, and Motown—to name a few, plus a few wild stories of my own as well as nods to musical heroes like Aretha, Stevie and both Hanks of course! The Detroit Cowboy is the only place on earth where Detroit grit and Nashville swagger collide for the finest dining hangout. The Vicaris and Joe Muer know fine dining, I know how to hang pictures, create a vibe, and make things fun!… all while still holding two middle fingers up high for the haters!” “To put it simply, I am here to take the foo-foo out of fine dining,” Rock shares.
The space features The Eagles Nest, Kid Rock’s ultra-private dining room that makes VIP-friendly sections look like sad folding chairs at a school assembly. This is the South’s funkiest, most exclusive fine dining spot, complete with its own private entrance, bathroom, and just enough high-class white trash to make you feel like you’ve been personally invited to party with the man himself. Think of it as Kid Rock’s personal bro cave, but with taxidermy, linen napkins and bone-in ribeyes the size of small motorcycles.
Why ‘The Detroit Cowboy?’ Because nothing says ‘let’s eat like kings’ quite like sucking down fresh shucked oysters while Loretta Lynn stares at you from a framed photo and Bob Seger plays over the speakers.
The Detroit Cowboy is what happens when two Motor City OGs collide: Kid Rock, who got his start galvanizing Detroit’s hip-hop scene before growing a mullet and moving to Nashville, and Joe Vicari, who resuscitated the iconic Joe Muer Seafood in 2011 and decided, ‘You know what? Let’s bring it to Nashville and let Kid Rock put his stamp on it.’
Originally founded in 1929 by the late Joe Muer, the restaurant became a benchmark for fine dining in Detroit. Vicari brought the name back to prominence across Michigan before expanding into Music City in 2023, with The Detroit Cowboy now representing a bold next chapter in 2025.
“We’ve built our name on quality, consistency, and hospitality—and now, with Kid Rock, we’re expanding our footprint. Under the culinary brilliance of Chef Marino Bianchi, guests will experience a culinary journey that celebrates two great American cities,” shares Joe Vicari, owner of the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group.
Open for lunch, happy hour, and dinner to start, The Detroit Cowboy is all about high-quality eats with a high-energy edge. Servers wear classic white dinner jackets and bolo ties, a nod to throwback supper club swagger. But don’t let the sharp dress fool you—this place doesn’t stand on ceremony. You’ll find prime steaks, sustainable seafood, and a wine list curated by Napa Valley native and sommelier Scott Herrmann, along with a robust lineup of craft cocktails and ice-cold beer.
Menu standouts include 32 oz Dry-Aged Tomahawk Ribeye; Veal Chop Parmigiano with Pomodoro and Burrata; Freedom Run Farm Barnsley Lamb Chop; Surf & Turf: 8 oz Chairman’s Reserve Black Angus Filet & Tristan da Cunha Lobster Tail; and shareable like Seafood Tower, Lobster Mac ‘n’ Cheese, Truffle Pomme Frites, and Fire Roasted Portabella Mushroom Caps with Beef Tips.
And for the wild at heart, some cocktails even get the rockstar treatment with tableside finishing.
Patrons will dine surrounded by Kid Rock’s personal memorabilia, stories from the road, and gifts from musical legends—from Johnny Cash to Dolly Parton, Eminem to Bob Seger, and yes, even a few Motown heroes. It’s a crash course in American music history with a side of killer surf & turf.
The Detroit Cowboy is the bold collaboration between Kid Rock and the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group, pairing the culinary legacy of Joe Muer Seafood—a brand originally founded in 1929 by the late Joe Muer—with the unapologetic energy of one of America’s most recognizable entertainers. Joe Vicari acquired the rights to Joe Muer Seafood in 2011 and revitalized the brand across Michigan before bringing it to Nashville in 2023. With The Detroit Cowboy launching in 2025, Vicari and Rock bring together fine dining, raw energy, and a cultural collision between Motor City grit and Music City soul.
