By Susan Selasky | Detroit Free Press | Published February 5, 2023

The wait is over for the opening of a returning bar and restaurant to Royal Oak. HopCat, with its well-known signature Cosmik Fries, is back in downtown Royal Oak after more than a two-year absence.

The gastropub’s former Royal Oak home closed in 2020. At the time, its parent company, Project Barfly, said it would look for a new spot in Royal Oak. And the company found it at the corner of Main and Fifth Avenue and is set for a soft opening beginning Monday.

The Cowboy Smash Burger with Cosmic Fries at HopCat in Royal Oak. Photo Credit: Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press

The new location is not far from its original, three-level spot on Fifth Avenue in downtown Royal Oak.

Ned Lidvall, CEO of Project Barfly, said HopCat is “excited to be back in Royal Oak.”

“We are very impressed with the location and feel like we can grow,” he said. “It’s a slam dunk in real estate on a main street corner.”

HopCat’s new Royal Oak location occupies the building’s very spacious ground floor level, which formerly housed bd’s Mongolian Grill, a GameStop location and a Noodles World Kitchen that moved to a smaller space a few doors down.

Lidvall also called the location a “good fit” in Royal Oak’s downtown, stating the overall brand is both “bar forward with restaurant and also a restaurant that is bar forward.”

At more than 11,000 square feet, it’s Project Barfly’s largest HopCat location.

HopCat is known for its beer-battered crispy and tasty Cosmik Fries with a signature black pepper seasoning. It is also noted for its craft beer and upscale bar food. On tap at the large, Royal Oak location’s bar are 60 curated beers.

Its menu includes several options of smash burgers, including a turkey burger option, chicken wings (bone-in or boneless), served with a choice of signature sauces, and its loaded Cosmik Fries with bacon, red onions and pickled jalapeños. The loaded Cosmik Fries are also topped with its signature warm beer cheese sauce. There are also brisket tacos, soups and salads.

Inside, the space is very spacious with high ceilings with exposed ventilation. There are several seating areas featuring table and high-top seating, booth and bar seating. In total, the bar and restaurant seats nearly 300. On the corner of Main and Fifth, garage doors will open to outdoor seating in warmer months.

The space is large enough for two kitchens. Both have separate cooklines. One is solely designated for “off-premises” orders.

Project BarFly also operates Stella’s Lounge and Grand Rapids Brewing Co. HopCat has seven other Michigan locations and one each in Nebraska and Indiana.

At a Friday preview of the Royal Oak location, Lidvall also said a new Livonia location is planned for sometime this summer. The Livonia location, Lidvall revealed, will be on Haggerty Road near Schoolcraft College. Lidvall offered no further details, but the location is expected to be in the former The Claddagh Irish pub, which closed in 2019 after more than 15 years in business.

Royal Oak’s HopCat soft opening begins at 10 a.m. Monday. A public grand opening will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 11. In honor of the opening, the first 100 guests in line will get free Cosmik Fries for a year, HopCat swag and other special giveaways. Lunch and dinner dine-in guests also will get complimentary Cosmik Fries and swag while supplies last.