Oakland Co. Restaurant Known For 'Simple Food Done Well' Closes Down

NOVI, MI — A popular Oakland County restaurant known for the motto "simple food done well" closed down Saturday and will reopen under new ownership.

Steve & Rocky's restaurant on Grand River in Novi, just outside the Novi Town Center, closed down Saturday after 25 years of business, according to organizers.

The owners, Steve Allen and business partner chef Chuck "Rocky" Rachwitz decided to sell the restaurant to Bob Loomis, its general manager for the past 3 and a half years, as the lease agreement was up, organizers said in a Facebook post.

Allen called the restaurant part of his family, and said it was like his second kid.

"So, before the drive and passion slip away and I can no longer say that I love what I do, I want to be able to say that I’ve given my all and left nothing on the table," Allen wrote in a post.

Loomis was expected to reopen the restaurant as Brentwood Grille. Allen said in a Facebook post that Loomis "agreed to keep all of the employees working and has honored their time served."

"It was very important to me that I didn't close the doors unexpectedly," Allen said. "I have people that have worked for me since 1999."

The restaurant was known for many dishes, including the roast duckling and sauteed perch entrees and chef Milos’ creamy mushroom soup, which shouldn't come as a surprise considering Allen said he worked as an executive chef at the Golden Mushroom before opening Steve & Rocky's.

Allen thanked his staff and many guests that came through the eatery the past 9,135 days and counting as the restaurant's host, writing that he is "humbly grateful."

"I couldn’t have done it without you and I am humbly grateful to each and everyone of you. You have helped me climb and stay on top of the mountain for a quarter of a century," Allen said in the post.