Bandit Tavern in Royal Oak ClosesBandit Tavern in Royal Oak Closes Bandit Tavern in Royal Oak, Michigan, has closed after nearly eight months in operation. The bar and restaurant, which replaced the former Jolly Pumpkin, announced its closure in a message on its Facebook page. Mission Restaurant Group, which owns Bandit Tavern, cited “current market conditions” as the reason for the closure. The group also operates Avalon Bakery & Cafe, Pretzel Bell, North Peak Brewing Co., Jolly Pumpkin, and Blue Tractor BBQ and Brewery, among others. The closure of Bandit Tavern follows the announcement that Mission Restaurant Group would transform its Vigilante Kitchen + Bar space into Epiphany — Nain Rouge Kitchen, a new restaurant concept from Detroit nonprofit Soil2Service and culinary program Detroit Institute of Gastronomy. Pop-Up Restaurants and Seasonal Promotions Bandit Tavern featured a unique concept with an upstairs tavern and a downstairs “Hideaway” that hosted seasonal pop-ups, VIP rooms, and a private party space. Some of the pop-up restaurants included Griswold’s Hideaway, a National Lampoon Christmas Vacation pop-up restaurant, and a Valentine’s Day pop-up called Cupid’s Hideaway. History of the Venue Before Jolly Pumpkin occupied the space, it was home to Bastone Brewery, Vinotecca Wine Bar, Café Habana, and Monk’s Belgian Beer Alley, among others. When Mission Restaurant Group announced the Bandit Tavern concept, they promised an “ever-evolving space” and the return of menu items from previous locations, including Bastone fries and Jolly Pumpkin and North Peak beers.
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No more fries, craft beer and seasonal pop-ups on Fifth and Main Street in Royal Oak.
Nearly 8 months after opening, Bandit Tavern in Royal Oak has closed.
A message on the bar and restaurant’s Facebook page read: “Dear friends, we have officially closed our doors. Thank you for making us part of the Royal Oak community. We will miss you!”
From the Mission Restaurant Group, Bandit Tavern at 419 S. Main St. in Royal Oak opened last fall, replacing the former Jolly Pumpkin. Its last day in business was Sunday.
David Ritchie, president of Mission Restaurant Group, cited “current market conditions” as the reason for the closure.
In an email statement to the Free Press, Ritchie said:
“We are proud to have served the Royal Oak community for 20 years, employing thousands of people, introducing 11 unique restaurant concepts and making lifelong friends. Unfortunately, current market conditions have forced us to focus our attention and resources elsewhere. We are working with staff to place as many people as possible in other locations within our group. We sincerely appreciate the support we have received over the years and will miss working in Royal Oak.”
Located in the historic B&C building, the group quickly pivoted to the new concept. The tavern, called Bandit Tavern and Hideaway, was upstairs and the “Hideaway” was downstairs. Bandit’s “Hideaway” featured seasonal pop-ups, VIP rooms and a private party space.
Some of the pop-up restaurants included Griswold’s Hideaway, a National Lampoon Christmas Vacation pop-up restaurant, and one for Valentine’s Day.
Before the Jolly Pumpkin, the venue was home to the Bastone Brewery, Vinotecca Wine Bar, Café Habana and Monk’s Belgian Beer Alley, among others.
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When announcing the new Bandit Tavern concept, owners promised it would be an “ever-evolving space” and that a number of menu items from previous locations would return, including Bastone fries and Jolly Pumpkin and North Peak beers.
Bandit’s closing comes about six weeks after Mission Group announced it would transform its Vigilante Kitchen + Bar space into Epiphany — Nain Rouge Kitchen, a new restaurant concept from Detroit nonprofit Soil2Service and culinary program Detroit Institute of Gastronomy.
Mission Restaurant Group has partnered with the nonprofit to operate out of the space at 644 Selden St., which opened in 2023 as Vigilante Kitchen + Bar in Midtown. The space was also home to the restaurant Smith & Co. from 2019-2023, named for the more than half-century-old building that once housed the Smith Welding Supply & Equipment Co. and the Owosso Casket Co.
Mission Restaurant Group operates several brands and concepts within its restaurant portfolio, including Avalon Bakery & Cafe, Pretzel Bell, North Peak Brewing Co., Jolly Pumpkin, Blue Tractor BBQ and Brewery and others.
Contact Detroit Free Press food writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news to: [email protected]. Follow @SusanMariecooks on X (formerly Twitter.) Support local journalism and become a digital subscriber to the Free Press.
