Highlands Detroit restaurant at RenCen to stay open until spring 2027

Diners have about 16 months until last call at Highlands Detroit, the steakhouse at the top of Detroit’s iconic Renaissance Center. 

Shawn McClain, Highlands Detroit owner and James Beard Award-winning chef, in a Tuesday, Feb. 24 news release, announced the restaurant’s timeline for permanently closing.

Dining atop RenCen’s at Highlands Detroit, which occupies the 71st floor and operates the 72nd floor events space with stunning views up and down the river, ends in May 2027. 

Staying open until May 2027 takes the restaurant through events such as the NCAA’s men’s Final Four at Ford Field and the annual Detroit Grand Prix that races through downtown streets. 

Highlands Detroit closing comes amid General Motors and Bedrock’s proposed $1.6 billion redevelopment of the Renaissance Center and the surrounding riverfront that is expected to take several years. 

Inside of the Highlands on the 71st floor of the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Saturday Nov. 23, 2019.

“When we opened Highlands, we set out to build something that was worthy of this view — a restaurant where the food and the experience matched the magic of being 72 stories above the Detroit River,” said chef and owner Shawn McClain in a news release. 

 “Detroit welcomed us with open arms, and we’ve been honored to host thousands of celebrations, proposals, anniversaries, and unforgettable evenings in this extraordinary space. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built here and grateful to GM and Bedrock for being such tremendous partners throughout this journey.” 

While McClain called GM’s and Bedrock’s vision “extraordinary” for the RenCen site, he said the focus now is on “making these final 16 months the best Highlands has ever been.”

"We want every guest who walks through our doors to feel the full power of this place," McClain said.”

It was 2019 when McClain opened Highlands, returning dining to the top of Renaissance Center with stunning views and McClain’s deft menu of a variety of steaks, including dry-aged, to match.

Highlands Detroit dining experience also includes the High Bar lounge, with craft cocktails, an extensive Scotch collection and a menu that features oysters, beef tartare and the house-grind, dry-aged burger.

And its 72nd-floor premier event space, with floor-to-ceiling windows, also offered stunning views of the city as well as Windsor, Canada. Highlands’ late December 2019 opening came just a few months ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic, which decimated restaurants in Michigan. 

Over five decades, the top floors of the RenCen housed restaurants, including The Summit and its 360-degree views of the city. In 2004, Matt Prentice opened Coach Insignia with a menu of steakhouse fare that was lauded as a special dining destination. Coach Insignia closed after a 13-year run.

Now, through its planned closure in May of 2027, the restaurant is open for booking a table or planning a special occasion, such as a wedding, at its event space. Also, through its final months, Highlands plans to introduce special programming and events. 

For dining reservations and event inquiries, go to highlandsdetroit.com or call 313-877-9090. Dining hours are 5-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 4:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. 

Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: [email protected]. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press. Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for insider scoops on food and dining in metro Detroit.