Gene Simmons at Rock & Brews grand opening: 'Royal Oak is as cool as it gets'

Gene Simmons at Rock & Brews: 'We're proud to be here'

Gene Simmons from Kiss was at the ceremonial ribbon cutting at Rock & Brews in Royal Oak on Thursday. 

ROYAL OAK Mich. (FOX 2) - Rock and roll legend Gene Simmons was at the ceremonial grand opening of Rock & Brews Thursday - and wasted no time tipping his cap at the special connection between Kiss and Detroit.

The backstory:

Founded by Simmons and fellow KISS member Paul Stanley, Rock & Brews in Royal Oak features themed music and drinks served up in a space adorned with memorabilia.

"Everybody talks about Detroit, the first city to appreciate the band I'm in, which I respect," Simmons said. "I produced a film called ‘Detroit Rock City’ and Paul (Stanley) wrote a song called ‘Detroit Rock City.’"

The music-themed bar and restaurant in Royal Oak has been open for a few weeks now, but the ribbon was officially cut at noon. The restaurant was open during the event, followed by meet and greet opportunities afterward, which were sold out.

The Royal Oak location has three floors, with room for dining, live music, and DJs. As the weather warms, the top level's rooftop patio will also open.

Simmons was also complimentary of the location at 208 W Fifth Street, praising the city. 

"This spot, Royal Oak, is as cool as it gets," he said. "You don't need to define yourselves by Detroit. When I look outside I don't see graffiti, there are no drug addicts running down the street, you've got no homeless folks. These are beautiful neighborhoods and you should be proud of it."

Besides being a live event and concert space, Rock & Brews also has a menu featuring items like the "Back in Blackened Pasta," "Alice Cooper's Poison Burger," and the desert "Purple Rain Drops."

The "Demon Chicken" sandwich is a personal creation of Simmons himself, comprised of a brioche bun, fried chicken breast, rockin' hot sauce, pepper cheese spread, chipotle slaw, pickled red onions, fresh jalapeños and chipotle ranch.

"We’re excited to bring a Rock & Brews Restaurant and Concert Bar to Detroit Rock City," said Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons in a joint statement. "We’ve all worked hard collaborating as a team to create Rock & Brews destinations we could be proud to share with the community, and that is without a doubt what we will do for our newest location in Royal Oak."