Detroit, MI — A long-standing name in the Detroit culinary scene, Joe Muer Seafood, is expanding out-of-state to the Music City!

The eatery, which has been owned in name and operation since 2011 by the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group, is set to open its Nashville location on August 23rd in the Capital View district. The Nashville edition will have an interior aesthetic similar to the original location for its dining room and patio, filling up a 12,000-square-foot space in the North Block Building at 500 11th Ave. Just like here in Detroit, the restaurant will be serving up some of its famous recipes and fresh seafood flown in from across the world in a fine-dining environment.

The decision to expand the Muer brand was made after Joe Vicari visited Nashville and fell in love with the vibrancy of the city. Vicari was introduced to Capital View in 2021 and found the next home for the Muer legacy.

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“For some time, we’ve considered expanding the Joe Muer brand outside of Michigan,” said Joe Vicari, president of the Restaurant Group. “It’s a big step, but we’re excited to be doing so in Nashville. The city has grown so much over the years and is the perfect place to expand our Joe Muer brand. Capitol View is in a booming downtown area with a great neighborhood feel for guests. We look forward to sharing our world-class dining experience with our new Nashville family.” 

A Quick History Lesson

The Muer name is well-known in the restauranteur world of Metro Detroit, which all stems back to when Joseph Muer I decided to open a small oyster bar on Gratiot Avenue in Detroit in 1929. As the eatery rose in popularity, Muer scaled back his cigar production business and focused on the restaurant, which expanded over the years and became one of Detroit’s premier dining destinations by the 1950s. When Muer I passed away, the restaurant became a family heirloom in a sense, passed down to his son, Joe Muer II, then to his sons, Joe Muer III and Chuck.

Full History of Joe Muer Seafood

Unfortunately, as more families moved out to the suburbs over the decades and eateries in Detroit saw less traffic, Joe Muer Seafood was forced to close in 1998. Vicari, a restauranter known for his Andiamo Italian restaurants (est. 1989), first approached Joe Muer III in 2005 and began discussing bringing Muer’s family namesake restaurant back. By this point, Muer III had retired from the restaurant business, and conversations shifted toward Vicari re-opening the restaurant since he held such a deep respect for the Muer seafood brand and felt its revival would be great for the City of Detroit. After several years of planning and negotiating, Vicari bought the Joe Muer name, intellectual properties, and recipes. With the final blessings from Muer III, Vicari opened the new Joe Muer Seafood in Detroit’s Renaissance Center in 2011 and has been crushing it in the seafood game, racking up awards and accolades ever since.

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While I have yet to check out Joe Muer Seafood, I love the legacy and story behind it. I’m a fan of establishments with a long history in their communities that have become generational for owners and families alike. I think it’s wonderful Muer and Vicari came to terms and brought back such an iconic concept that dates back nearly a century. Joe Muer Seafood is an excellent representation of the spirit of Detroit; like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, both are back stronger than ever and with no ceiling in sight. And, of course, major props to Joe Vicari for not only bringing back Joe Muer Seafood but also for expanding it on the national scale and sharing a piece of Detroit’s legacy with the world. Whether you’re in downtown Detroit or Nashville (or even the Bloomfield Hills location, est. 2017.), consider stopping by if you’re in the mood for seafood!

For more information on Joe Muer Seafood, click here. And for more details about the upcoming Nashville location, click here.