This month saw a lot of casual restaurants joining the dining landscape in Metro Detroit.
Buns and Patties debuted to much enthusiasm in Berkley, and national chain Honeygrow opened its first Michigan location in Rochester Hills. I’m very excited to see a new Hawaiian barbecue carryout spot Downriver, too.
Meanwhile, the Dime Store’s short-lived Rochester Hills outpost said goodbye.
On the Detroit bar scene, Wet Picnic and Topa made their debut in the Midtown area, each offering fruity and interesting craft cocktails.
Read on for the details on 14 new bars and restaurants that opened in Metro Detroit in May 2026, plus five that closed.
HopCat — Auburn Hills
Burgers, cosmik fries, wraps, salads and 40 taps of craft beer have landed in Auburn Hills with the opening of the latest HopCat bar and restaurant on May 4. Located at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets, the new, 8,200-square-foot restaurant is near the AMC Star Theatre where Bar Louie used to be. The 12th HopCat for Michigan, this one has an outdoor patio and a private dining space. “They bring a fun, energetic vibe and a great reputation for craft beer and comfort food that we know our guests will love. It’s always exciting to add a new dining option that gives people another reason to visit and enjoy their time here at the center,” said Great Lakes Crossing Outlets general manager Gary Neumann in a press release.
Open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-midnight Sat. and 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sun. 4390 Baldwin, Auburn Hills. (248) 997-7071. hopcat.com/auburn-hills/hopcat-auburn-hills.
Okika Hawaiian BBQ — Flat Rock
This is an exciting debut because we don’t have enough Hawaiian cuisine in Metro Detroit. Tackle your hunger with Okika’s traditional Hawaiian plate meal with your choice of protein, veggies, two scoops of rice and a scoop of pasta salad, just like you’d find in many diners in America’s 50th state. They also have musubi (grilled Spam), crab Rangoon, family meals and catering packages.
Open 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat. and noon-9:30 p.m. Sun. 27026 Telegraph, Flat Rock. (734) 984-6140. okikabbqflatrock.com.
Buns and Patties — Berkley
Smashburgers are (still) very on-trend right now, and when you add late-night hours, creamy custard desserts and a cute dining room — designed by Matthew Lisk of FOV Studio — you have the recipe for hot opening. Buns and Patties opened May 15 and were so busy their opening weekend, owners said they ran out of supplies and had to unexpectedly close for a few days to reset and wait for suppliers to restock. There’s still no online ordering, but guests can walk in and order for dine-in or carry out.
Open 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Sun.-Thurs. and 11 a.m.-3 a.m. Fri.-Sat. 2375 Coolidge, Berkley. Bunsandpatties.com.
Hollywood Coney Island — St. Clair Shores
This new coney wasted no time getting into the space left empty by Comet Burger a few weeks ago. They serve breakfast, coney dogs, burgers, soups, salads, deli sandwiches and more on a comic book-themed menu. Order online, walk up to the window and order or drive-thru.
Open 24 hours, seven days a week. 24101 Harper, St. Clair Shores. hollywoodconeyislandscs.com.
Honeygrow — Rochester Hills
The first location in Michigan but the 78th across the country, Honeygrow is now open in Rochester Hills with calorie-conscious stir fry, salads and desserts. The customizable menu has dishes that are made-to-order, like cold sesame noodles, loaded Greek salad, spicy garlic with freshly made egg white noodles and you can build your own bowl. Honeygrow has vegan and gluten-free options, too.
Open 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. 3058 S. Rochester, Rochester Hills. (248) 270-2234. Honeygrow.com.
Wet Picnic — Midtown Detroit
Opening in the space formerly occupied by scent-paired cocktail bar Castalia (which closed at the end of 2025), Wet Picnic is Midtown’s newest bar. All cocktails are $15 and the list may include a peanut and cola whiskey highball, grape negronis, kiwi and tomato margaritas and a papaya gin and tonic. They also have some wine, nonalcoholic drinks and other options.
Open 6 p.m.-1 a.m. Wed.-Thurs. and 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Fri.-Sat. 3980 Second, Suite E, Detroit. (313) 217-1265. wetpicnicbar.com.
Also opened in May 2026
7 Brew Coffee: The latest location of this drive-thru beverage stand that boasts thousands of drink combination options opened May 7 at 29179 Gratiot in Roseville.
Enzo’s Pizzeria of Oxford: The latest location for this pizza brand debuted this month at 40 N. Washington in Oxford, joining its other locations in Clio, Flushing, Davison, Grand Blanc, Hartland, and Fenton.
Hibachi & Co: Find the newest location of this halal food truck at 31350 Michigan in Westland.
Noorjahen Indian Cuisine: The latest location of this halal Indian restaurant is now open at 23230 Allen in Woodhaven.
Sidecar Slider Bar: The latest location for this Michigan-based restaurant group debuted recently at 50575 Gratiot in Chesterfield, open daily 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
Saroki’s Crispy Chicken and Pizza: Fast-growing brand Saroki’s opened its first downtown Detroit location inside Griswold Market & Spirits at 735 Griswold.
Sushi Spot: A simple, neighborhood sushi joint at the south end of St. Clair Shores at 22602 Greater Mack.
Topa: A new 11th-floor rooftop lounge at the AC Hotel Detroit in Detroit’s Brush Park area.
May closings
Blue Whale Cafe: The sustainable, farm-to-table cafe in Ann Arbor is closed. MLive reports that a note on the door pointed to an increase in rent from a new landlord.
Buffalo Wild Wings: After 20 years, the B-dubs at 205 S. State closed this month. There’s another location in the area at 3150 Boardwalk in Ann Arbor.
Dime Store Rochester: After two years in Rochester, this popular brunch spot closed its second location after its Mother’s Day service. The original restaurant in downtown Detroit remains open as usual. The owners stated on social media that it was a financial decision. “We tried a lot of different things along the way to make it sustainable, but in the end we ran out of runway.”
Drifter Coffee: A popular coffee shop off the beaten path in Ferndale, Drifter’s owner said on Instagram they ran into financial issues after making a push to expand to a larger space than its current digs on Woodward Heights at the north end of Ferndale. It started as a mobile coffee shop in 2015 and opened a brick-and-mortar in 2019.
O’Halloran’s Public House: After a decade of serving fish and chips and pouring Guinness in Mount Clemens, O’Halloran’s Public House has closed. “We’ve weathered the highs and lows of the restaurant industry, faced challenges we never could have imagined, from floods to COVID, and everything in between. Through it all, we kept going because of you,” reads a statement posted to social media this week. “This place has been so much more than a business to us — it’s been a home, a family, and a community.” The post also thanks current and former staff members and customers.
Melody Baetens is The Detroit News restaurant critic
mbaetens@detroitnews.com
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: 14 Metro Detroit bar and restaurant openings in May, plus 5 closings
Reporting by Melody Baetens, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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