We tried El Barzon for the first time on Mother's Day, which was great but also not the best time to try it for the first time because they had a special limited brunch menu versus their usual menu. But the tables were beautifully set with fresh roses and they delivered a basket of mini croissants which I'm assuming doesn't happen normally. Also, it was pretty easy to get a reservation. I ordered the pollo el Barzon, which was kind of like chicken cordon bleu with a lemon caper sauce. It was served with roasted potatoes and a variety of fruit. I presume the fruit was also just part of the brunch offerings. The chicken was fried to a beautiful golden crisp and it was very tasty. My mother tried the enchiladas rojas filled with cheese and onion. She enjoyed them and they came with a variety of toppings. My father tried the eggs benny. He's an eggs Benedict aficionado and rated their version a 7 which for him is pretty great. The service was very impressive. Our server was kind and informative. We constantly had people coming by to refill glasses. Although our meals were too filling to have room for dessert, we were told the flan and crème brûlée are excellent so we'll have to save room next time. read more

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We stopped by El Barzon looking forward to a nice meal, but it fell short. My husband chose the place based on reviews, and he shortlisted this restaurant because the menu offered both Mexican and Italian dishes. After our visit, we honestly wondered if those reviews were for the same restaurant. There are several restaurants nearby with better food at half the price, and we drove an hour for this meal. We booked our table in advance to avoid waiting and were seated immediately. They do have covered outdoor seating with attractive lighting, which would be a nice option for warmer months. The food was just okay and not worth the price. The chicken parmesan and salmon were decent but not memorable. My son, who usually enjoys trying different cuisines, was very disappointed. The service was poor. Our waiter was not very attentive, and despite informing the staff that it was a special occasion, the experience did not reflect that. We requested hot water when we were seated but didn't receive it until just before leaving. Water refills had to be requested repeatedly, and overall, staff attention was lacking even though the restaurant was busy. Overall, nothing really stood out, food, service, and ambience were all just okay. Parking is available in the back, but we won't be returning. read more

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Nice vibe to the place however, the food was mid. I ordered the spaghetti scoglio alla vodka which sounded really nice for my anniversary lunch. My partner ordered the honey mustard salmon. The salmon on both dishes tasted frozen. The calamari and shrimp appetizer we ordered tasted frozen and came with 2 shrimp and filled with zucchini and canned jalapenos/carrots. The seafood in my spaghetti was also frozen tasting too, just unimpressed for the cost. Lacking sabor read more

El Barzon - Dining room - Italian Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Mother's Day brunch was wonderful! Food was great (the restaurant specializes in cuisine from Puebla, so the mole was fantastic!). The setting was the pretty covered patio area (which is beautiful in the evening, by the way). But, best of all was the service: amazing. Alex was engaging, enthusiastic, and funny. Highly, highly recommended. read more

We went here in November of 2025 with 2 other couples. Everything was amazing! The food, the vibe, the staff . . . . best night out in a long time. Can't wait to go back. read more

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Service: very attentive waiter Food: delicious! We started with the mixed calamari, shrimp, zucchini and peppers appetizer which was AMAZING. I had the halibut special which was soooo good. The fish was cooked perfect, broccollini was nice and crisp, plus the scallops potatoes were buttery delicious. I had a taste of the Kiss and the Vodka Pasta which were very good. Drinks were also on point. Ambiance: ok, so neighborhood seems a bit sketch but they had a semi private lot in the back which was totally safe. The interior was dark and a bit dated. Gave me the grotto vibes. But the food was a good selection of Mexican and Italian. I went in thinking I was going to go Mexican but ended up with an Italian dish. Go figure. read more

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Still 5 stars as always!!! Did the Mexican this time and it was awesome. Delicious beef and chorizo mole enchiladas. Also excellent queso fundido with thick cheese and plenty of chorizo. We love this place because the atmosphere is elegant yet comfortable. Service with Alex was top notch, what a great waiter who gave us some great suggestions and was so personable!! All other staff from the hostess to the other waitstaff are friendly and professional. Love this restaurant and the free off street parking makes it so convenient to come downtown anytime!! read more

The Gnocchi Alla Bava and Kiss Pasta are must trys! I'm not sure what magic they use to make these dishes, but on the first tries for both, our entire table erupted in, "ooohs" and "omg this is so good"! We had reservations around 8pm for a table of 12 people and were seated immediately. While their sister restaurant was packed, El Barzon had more openings and we enjoyed the quiet setting. Our table also got their steak special, and the meat was extremely soft and juicy. After everyone got a hefty share, there was still a decent amount left, so they definitely don't skimp on portion sizes! I didn't get a picture of all of the apps, but the calamari was yummy, broccolini had a nice snap to it, and the Italian sausage with peppers were also a crowd favorite. Highly recommend! read more

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El Barzon is both an Italian and Mexican restaurant. The service has always been exceptional in the 10+ years I've been dining here. Meals begin with complimentary chips and salsa, while bread and butter is served with appetizers. The salsas are better than the average Mexican restaurant's, and chip baskets get replenished free of charge. If you plan on drinking, I recommend reviewing the margarita menu. As for appetizers, both the insalata caesar (caesar salad) and calamari La Noria are worth getting. I could distinctively taste the anchovy in the caesar salad, but it wasn't overbearing by any means. The croutons tasted fresh and weren't overly dry or crunchy. I initially questioned why arugula was a part of the calamari La Noria, but it ended up being a nice touch. The pennette (penne) alla vodka is the best I've been able to find locally. The kiss pasta is also incredible, but is quite pricey ($33) for a pasta dish. I didn't dislike the scaloppine (veal) alla Frances, but it's my least favorite dish I've had here. The costolette di vitello (veal chop) alla Milanese is the better veal dish between the two, but is more than double the price. My most recent experience at El Barzon was in celebration of my wife and I's anniversary. The staff was kind enough to surprise us with a complimentary "happy anniversary" dessert. The dessert was flan, and it was delightful. However, it was the staff going the extra mile for us I appreciated more than anything. El Barzon successfully pulls off the combination of Italian and Mexican cuisines, and offers a worthwhile dining experience. read more

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What a delightful surprise! Looking at the outside of the building, it looks like a dive. But you step inside to a beautiful space and are greeted by very friendly staff. The menu is an odd mix of Italian and Mexican dishes, but I guess that gives something for just about everyone. My husband and I shared three dishes. The two standouts were the Mole Poblano Con Pollo and the Chocolate Cake. The mole was some of the best I've ever had; I'd drive an hour just to eat that dish. The mole sauce was rich and complex without being overwhelming and the chicken was moist and tender. Perfection! The chocolate cake was amazing -- the layer of hazelnut cream sandwiched between two layers of dark chocolate was a perfect way to end the meal. Unfortunately, the appetizer Insalata Caprese was not good. The tomato was tasteless and the mozzarella cheese was rubbery. I gave five stars because the two other dishes were so outstanding that they overwhelmed the one not-good dish. read more

Nice upscaled dining experience. Waiters and hosts were very friendly. The margherita pizza was light and the crust was perfect. The enchiladas were very rich in flavor read more

El Barzon - Enchiladas Suiza - Italian Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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Service is very kind and attentive. Menu is very large. Fusion of Latin and Italian dishes. I wish I could say the food was better, but most of our items came out room temperature. We ordered multiple small plates to share. The rice and beans were lacking in flavors. The calamari, asparagus and chorizo queso were all cold. Inside the restaurant is nice. There are many tables but you will want to make a reservation. I would give it another try as a date night. read more

El Barzon - Asparagi alle parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

What a jewel. Don't let the location deter you from coming. It was a great experience. So cute and quaint inside. So many goood options for dinner it was hard to choose. The pasta dishes are delicious. And the fresh margarita was such a treat! Service was over the top great. Loved it read more

I wanted to have a special birthday dinner out as part of my partners gift. I choose this place for what I thought would be a unique experience. The restaurant was clean, neat and well laid out, bathroom was fine, service was okay. Server was polite, but not a well trained, or a well rounded professional server, but was okay. This restaurant tries to be a upscale type, with a few elements that try to mimic fine dining; (white tablecloths, pre set cutlery, cloth napkins) with modest prices. The food was not good at all. My dish, Zuppa di Pesce with Black Ink Linguini was top 3 worst meals I every had. The only thing the two meals above it did to top this trash food was make me sick. It's listed with shrimp, mine had none, the fish listed as snapper was not. The broth was red colored water, with less flavor. No spice, whatsoever. I was literally a hot mess. The food came overly hot, which cooked the calamari to the over done stage. The "broth" was way too much and turned the dish into more of a soup, rather than a pasta. My dates dish, Ravioli di Aragosta was fair to good. Overall this place could do with a different menu, starting with removing Zuppa di Pesce with Black Ink Linguini. It's a classic case of trying to do too much to add high profit/profile dish that just doesn't work. What was there (missing shrimp) did not come close to working in the form it was served. Off night perhaps, but more like incompetence, borderline fraud. RW read more

Came here with a group and it was excellent. We sat outside and it was very nice. Service was great the entire time and the wait was not bad considering the group size. I ordered the veal saltimbocca which was phenomenal. Very nice portion. The veal was cooked perfectly and the prosciutto complimented it so well. A top tier dining experience and a must visit. read more

How this place doesn't have 5 stars blows my mind. My brother has been patronizing this restaurant for over a decade, and I finally had the opportunity to check it out with our family on New Year's Eve. Everything we ate was delightful and cooked to perfection. We had mushroom soup, Caesar salad, calamari and shrimp app, octopus app, fried burrata, balsamic lamb chops, goat, veal Marsala, pasta carbonara, a truffle prosciutto cheese stuffed veal chop special, and beef enchiladas with mole. The atmosphere is really nice. Our service that we received was nothing short of perfect. We constantly had our waters and bread baskets refilled, constant bussing so we had room to relax, and our server was nice and knowledgeable. 12/10 recommend lol. We will absolutely be back and it's going in my favorite collection here on Yelp. This place is the definition of a hidden gem. So happy my brother suggested it for us. read more

Gosh I love this place, and I love it more after today! Immediately we were welcomed and asked (twice) if we were celebrating anything specific. We were - my mom's birthday! We started with sangria - some of the best in the city, chips, salsas, and guacamole. Careful - everything is quite delicious and you start stuffing your face quick. Is it weird to eat guac and chips, and then penne pasta? Sure, but you will get past this. We all had something different and everyone finished their plate with the exception of a slice of Margherita pizza (pizza is a weekend thing only). Mom got the Cavatelli alla Boscaiola and an adorable complimentary birthday dessert. She was so delighted having everyone sing to her and this flan was spectacular. Thanks to all of the staff for making it a great celebration. Several of my family mentioned how wonderful they thought El Barzon was. Last time we sat on the beautiful patio, but it was too hot today. The dining room was perfect. Add great service, wonderful food, and a happy (birthday) mom, and it was a wonderful family dinner! read more

El Barzon and La Noria share menus, so you can enjoy both Mexican and Italian dishes in one spot love that concept! The patio is the place to be, as most people prefer it over indoor seating. Good food, fair prices, friendly service, and plenty of free parking in the back. read more

El Barzon - Italian Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

From outside the front you would never expect what a hidden gem this place is. In the front, it looks like every other older spot in Mexican Town Detroit. However, when you enter the giant decorative metal gate in the back, it is beautiful. This place was packed with people enjoying the outdoor dining space. El Barzon is a Mexican and Italian restaurant with options for everyone. This is not an American style Mexican, it is incredibly authentic. I ordered the Mole Enchiladas with chicken. My wife got a Margarita pizza from their wood fire oven (only available on weekends). Our table had some calamari, courtesy of the owner. The Enchiladas de pollo Mole were incredible. The mole takes them days to make and it is so deep with flavor. It is sweet, tangy, and spicy. The chicken just fell apart and it was a perfect portion. I couldn't get enough of the sauce. My wife's margarita pizza was also amazing. It was perfectly crispy, but still floppy where it needed. The wood fire oven sets it on top. Would definitely recommend trying it on a weekend. This place is a hidden, but not so hidden gem. From the service, to the food, to the beautiful patio, this place delivers. Next time you are downtown, check it out. read more

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6 of us had dinner at El Barzon on Mother's Day evening. The place was absolutely packed. We ate inside the restaurant, but they have a covered outdoor section that was very nice. Our waiter, Cesar, stopped by and immediately apologized (even though we had only sat down 3 minutes prior) and took our drink orders. My wife and others were very impressed with the Italian Margarita and the Strawberry Jalapeño Margarita. He quickly brought chips and salsa (really good) and Italian bread and butter. For our meals, I had the Saltimbocca Alla Romana and was blown away. Absolutely amazing flavor! 2 people got the enchilada - both said it was the best they had ever had Honey Mustard Salmon - Loved it / extremely good Scaloppine Alla Toscana - Incredibly good A pasta dish that I don't remember the name, but it was very flavorful! The portions of veal were fairly small, but potatoes and spinach came with our meals so it was enough. A big thank you to Cesar. He was an amazing waiter and truly busted his butt that evening. A definitely favorite of ours. Definitely an odd combination (Italian and Mexican), but I highly recommend it! There is a small parking lot behind the restaurant as well. read more

El Barzon - Italian Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

We had an amazing server and the wine steward was also very helpful. We were seated on the lovely patio surrounded by beautiful flowers for a late lunch early dinner. Everyone in our party of 7 seemed to enjoy their food. I was the only one who had been there before and my friends were grateful for the pick. read more

El Barzon - Italian Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

A gem in the neighborhood. Always 5 star service with 5 star food! Authentic as it can get and the drinks don't disappoint. Your world transforms into a tranquil ambience with a running water falls. read more

Food portions were small! They gave us 4 pasta orders served on 1 big plate! Typically, these types of restaurants would have large portions per order of pasta so we thought we could share, but the portions were very small. Service was average. The restaurant was not very busy for a Saturday night! read more

If I could give 100 stars I would. The food is amazing no question but the SERVICE is unparalleled. Alex, Carmela and Rena were absolutely outstanding, we definitely will be back! 10000/10 read more

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The food - the service - the outside garden - all was so very nice. We will be back soon!

Tried their seafood special and it was amazing! Everything tasted fresh, and the portions were perfect. Staff were super kind too

My friend and I decided to have dinner at El Barzon before attending a concert at motor city casino. Parking is in the back of the building and you may miss the alleyway entrance to the lot if you're not paying attention. We made a reservation and I'm glad we did because it became quite crowded on a Friday night. Our server was very nice but he seemed a bit frazzled. He talked very fast and was running between tables like there was a fire. I started with the white sangria which was refreshing but not what I expected. It tasted more like a sparkling wine instead of a sangria. We ordered the fried calamari that comes with shrimp and zucchini. There was no flavor, the accompanying sauce was very good but the actual dish lacked flavor. I ordered the pollo al limone which had a good lemon flavor. It was served with potatoes and spinach. The potatoes were good but the spinach tasted like it came straight out of a can. Service was good but this isn't a place I would visit again. read more

El Barzon - Pollo al Limone - Italian Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

This place sucks. Food was tasty. However that's the only positive. It was Valentine's Day today & I could not hear my lady due to the inexplicably loud music, which led to quite the misunderstanding between us. Thank you El Barzon. Also, our candle on the table wasn't lit, which made my lady very upset. I would also like to thank the staff - for taking 40 minutes & us asking 3 multiple (on payroll) employees to give us the check. Making me and my lady late/frustrated to our show. I was inches away from dining and dashing because we already had to cancel multiple ubers, but our waitress came back in the nick of time. She was in a suit. Drinks also took 15-20 minutes to come out after ordered, when the place was not crowded. Food came out on time. Shoutout to the kitchen staff. The bathroom sucked. I was not pleased and have seen better. 1 stall for a whole restaurant of dudes? C'mon now. El Bunzon sucks. read more

I would definitely come back for the food, but then again, I knew the food would be good because this is the sister restaurant to La Noria Bistro, which I fancy quite a bit. (The two restaurants share some menu items.) I recommend the chorizo and cheese appetizer to eat with the complimentary chips. Their homemade pasta is scrumptious, and the sauces outstanding. A friend had veal scallopini and said it was wonderful. Another friend had enchiladas suizas and said it was slightly spicy, but not uncomfortably so, and delicious. Someone else mentioned that the clams are good. They also have a large wine list and decent cocktail choices. I like the ambiance a little more at La Noria, but El Barzon is very nice, and it looks like they have a nice patio for warmer months. The bathrooms are clean. We had a reservation for 15 people at 5 p.m. It took a while to get drinks brought out, and then a while longer for appetizers. We didn't get our main courses until almost 6:25. We had to eat in a hurry because we had a 7:30 show about 15 minutes from the restaurant. Then we had to wait to pay. If you go with a big party, they won't split the check so ask for your bill early if you're in a rush. It takes a considerable amount of time for them to ring everyone up this way. Perhaps it's to keep tipping fair when wait staff splits a table. I'm not sure, but I know it's inconvenient and time-consuming for both the patrons and the wait staff. Everyone who waited on us was friendly and professional though, and they did their best. Whatever you order, I'm sure you'll enjoy it, and you'll be treated well by the staff, so give them a try! read more

El Barzon - Tris di Pasta--all delicious, but the one on the right in meat sauce was the best - Italian Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

We were in Detroit for a short stopover before a flight out the following day. We aren't familiar with the area but El Barzon came up on reviews with positive feedback. We were hoping it was going to deliver and boy did it deliver and then some! We had an outstanding evening that far exceeded our expectations! First off the Italian cuisine was absolutely authentic with ingredients and preparation. The menu was off the charts! There were so many great offerings that we ended up ordering three entrees because we couldn't decide. We are risotto snobs I would say and so many restaurants take shortcuts in the prep because it does take a long time and has to be constantly attended to so very labor intensive. They did it right, absolutely delicious! And to further add to our enjoyment they used fresh porcini mushrooms! I can't recall the last time we had fresh, normally they aren't porcini at all or they are dried. What a difference fresh makes! We also ordered the veal scallopini francese which again was outstanding and not often found on menus. There were approximately a dozen veal scallopini options many of which were very appealing but we opted for the francese since it had been such a long time since we have had it. We also ordered the veal and mushroom ravioli which included both dry and fresh porcini. Totally homemade as were many of the pasta dishes. They have a pasta section for fresh and for dried. Caesar salad and octopus were our starters. The octopus was sautéed. I would say I prefer a seared octopus although it was super tender. The ambiance is upscale casual and very warm and appealing. They have a strong wine program as well including solid choices by the glass as well as bottle including some more difficult Italian wines to locate. And the service...wow! Dawn was absolutely amazing! She totally enhanced our evening. She was very knowledgeable, frank, engaging and fun! She wasn't hesitant on recommending dishes and has a deep knowledge of wine as she trained under a Master Somm. I wished we lived closer because we would be dining at El Barzon regularly! I can't recommend highly enough. Go if you enjoy authentic Italian that hasn't been watered down for mass appeal. read more

This restaurant is absolutely stunning in both decor and plating. We came as a group of 9 for late dinner and were seating in the outdoor patio. I ordered the margarita pizza, only available on weekends, and also had a calamari appetizer. The service wasn't the greatest, a little rude, but the owner and his son were absolutely charming. 10/10 read more

The seating area that is on the outside was very nice but a bit cold. The atmosphere was loud with the music sounding like it was someone singing karaoke. I had the grilled whole branzino it was just a little undercooked. Frito mixto was good but not enough for four people. The melted cheese chorizo was very good. Others had the gnocchi, Zuppa de Pesci with black ink linguine, and a Marguerite pizza. We also had the chocolate cake, cream brûlée and flan for dessert. The cake was very coffee forward, the crème brûlée was chunky and gritty it was not smooth and silky at all. The flan was good. Now the service was very slow. Our server kept disappearing. We had to ask repeatedly to get water,refilled for on our drink, get salsa, napkins from other servers. It took half an hour just to get our drinks when we ordered. My husband just said forget it to his drink since she brought out our drinks and not his and my Paloma tasted like sprite. I'm giving it 3 stars because my husband and kids dishes were good and so was the appetizers. read more

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We had a party of 4 for Christmas Eve. The food was excellent! Service was excellent! We started off with the calamari guacamole and vongole and clams. Yum! I had the lasagna hubby had the Chiles en Nogada. Dad has veal and artichoke dish. Mom had the shrimp and pasta dish. All of it was delicious. Been going here since they opened in 2007. read more

Great food. Had the single best corn taco I've had with the best corn tortilla I've had and goat meat. Simple and well done Italian pastas are great as well. Service is consistently good with very friendly wait staff. read more

We here for restaurant week. What a great find. Had the egg plant appetizer, several pastas and the flan and tiramisu desserts. The wine list was reasonable and well paired. The back area was welcoming and comfortable. Service was excellent. read more

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How the mighty has fallen! El Barzon used to be one of my favorite "special event" restaurants. So, when my son came home from college - it's a place I wanted to share with him. We drove from Ann Arbor for a 7pm reservation. We arrived on time and were told by the manager to have a seat. We were brought water, and then were not seen by anyone for 1/2 an hour. When we flagged a waiter he said the manager had not indicated that he had seated us at the table, so no waiter had been assigned. We asked for chips - which used to be free but was not a charge. We said we'd pay for them, and also ordered the calamari and zucchini. It arrived cold. My husband and I each ordered a drink - my son ordered an Arnold Palmer. When it arrived he tasted it and then said - mom, taste this! It tasted like bitter coffee. We told our waiter who said he'd get another. When he returned he said he had tasted the tea and we were right, it had tasted like coffee. The 2nd Arnold Palmer was better, but still not good. My son opted for a coke. I ordered the medallion di Vitelli al carciofi. The description sounds fantastic. The execution was not. The veal "medallions" were gray and felt boiled. The artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, olives and capers felt overcooked. Their colors were dull and they were mushy and bland. Our waiter, Alex had a personality that made him a bright spot but in the end - our meal was 2+ hours, expensive ($192 before tip) and not at all what I had hoped for. read more

El Barzon is a stable in the Detroit area. My boyfriend and I went to celebrate our first anniversary and was impressed by the waiter and the staff. At first, I was hesitant as the restaurant isn't the "prettiest" in the area and isn't in the safest part. However, the food was impressive and different as they hone in on offering Mexican and Italian cuisine. To start, they bring out chips and salsa AND bread and butter. I really enjoyed my gnocchi and mole enchilada as they both had plenty of flavor. It was extremely thoughtful of the staff to additionally bring out a dessert for us that was tasty and well decorated. This is a perfect date night spot! read more

El Barzon - Italian Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

We had dinner towards the end of a Friday night. We started with the calamari and octopus. The calamari was good, as was the octopus. I had the spicy calamari, but it was not too spicy. The spice was created with red pepper. Chips and Salsa were put out when we sat down. I have the Motown Margarita which I thought was quite good. For dinner I had the Ravioli di Aragosta suggested by the server. It was very good. The portion size was right for me. The sauce was on the more orange side, as opposed to a dark red. The ravioli filling was pillowy and The menu - I find the cross between Mexican and Italian...strange. I was drinking a Motown Margarita while eating ravioli. We were eating calamari with chips and salsa. ‍ Should you have red wine or sangria with your fish? Everything was good, but I am not sure it works for me. The atmosphere is upscale family. It is a bit dark in the restaurant with the brick and wood. White table cloths and candles. The servers were formal in black and white. ThIt fits with the Italian theme. I love restaurants that have creatively re-purposed space, and El Barzon fits the bill. El Barzon is not in the best area. It is only a couple of blocks south of the highway. You pull to the back and they have a gated parking lot and entrance to the restaurant. read more

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Amazing food! Great service and cool place, definitely a hidden gem in Detroit. Can't wait to go back read more

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Excellent food, attentive and knowledgeable waitstaff. The cactus soup was outstanding.