I really disliked this place. We were headed elsewhere and my lunch buddy said he had not eaten here and asked should we try it instead? Why not I replied, I am always up to anew experience. Well the meal was a total disaster. We both ordered the Pollo Asado Burrito plates. We selected chicken and when asked whether we wanted them served "hot". we replied yes. Now I love spicy food and it almost never is really spicy enough for me. But his time, the food was so over spiced that neither I or my partner could even taste anything after our first bites. The food can best be described as inedible. The plated, with tip and tax came to about $ 17 per person. read more

This place is pretty cool, it can be a little loud and trendy, but the food is solid. I was totally stuffed and had no room for donuts, bummer. They did a pretty good job remodeling the inside, but you can totally tell it was Hooters from the outside. Now the food and the service were both great, you spend the money here but you enjoy it. I went with the nachos with grilled chicken and they were huge, they were really tasty and had a nice Gran Castor cheese sauce, but I found them a little dry and ask the waitress for some salsa, they have like three different kinds of fresh made salsa and I'm not sure which one I picked but it was good. My kid also got a veggie burrito that was avocado and it came with black beans and rice and it looked fat, I'm pretty sure she enjoyed it, and the left leftovers went home, along with my leftover nachos that I nibbled on later that night and they were still pretty good. And I wanted to try one of their tacos so I went with curried oxtail, I think it was $4.50 for 1 check my picture, and I added some of that salsa that I got to it, yeah it was good. Oh and don't forget the Margaritas had a couple of those and they were tasty, again the service was excellent and she did a great job and handled all our needs. I'm not sure if she was previous Hooters waitress but she was cute too. I'll be back for sure. read more

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The portions are huge here. For instance, our server advised that the Avocado Relleno appetizer was small and only enough for one. We got it for a table of 4 and were unable to finish it. It's an entire avocado with probably an entire sweet potato! And two tacos is plenty for an entree. But as you likely suspected from a place that tries to do too much at once (coffee bar / pizza / mexican fusion), they don't do any of it really well. My low star rating is due to the fact that our Fugazzeta appetizer, which came out on a pizza tray, had a clipped fingernail resting beside the food. How can I be certain? My more daring lunch companion picked it up and flexed it in his hands to confirm. Worst case? Someone's clipping their nails in the kitchen. Best case? Someone did it at home, it flew into their hair, and fell onto our tray. I try to reserve 1 star reviews for sanitary concerns or overly bad service, so this automatically falls into that category. Food alone, this might be around 2.5 stars. The food was decent. I don't think I'd go out of my way to come back, fingernail aside, I did eat other food options and it was unremarkable. Not bad, not great, I've had better at several establishments. read more

Great food with a nice gluten free selection. Very cool atmosphere. The menu isn't your average South American restaurant type. Everything I've had there is delicious. It's a bit pricy but worth it. read more

Ambiance awesome. Drinks delicious. Highly recommend the margaritas. ...however, if you like spicy/flavorful food, I do NOT recommend this place. I tried the Elote pizza and the tacos. All were bland AF. read more

Go! You won't be disappointed Street tacos, nachos, queso...all unique and delicious! read more

Wow. Blown away by this place. First of all, the decor is SO. MUCH. FUN!!!! I would live in this restaurant If I could. In the winter they have a fire place going in the center of the restaurant with comfy seating around it and in the warmer months most of the walls are garage doors that open to give you a taste of the outdoors. Can't say enough good things about it. The waitstaff was incredible, from our waiter, to the greeters, to the bartenders-- zero negative experiences here. Now onto the drinks: they have a huge list of beers, specialty cocktails, wines, and last but not least, margs! The margarita castor is so fresh, so delicious and deceivingly strong. The margarita flight for national margarita day was so yummy, their mango, peach sage, and blood orange habanero margaritas were so delicious and fresh!! The sweet pea guacamole was truly amazing, I don't even like peas and it was incredibly flavorful and fresh. The tacos you can get 3 ways, we got ours "the champ" style, which is a soft shell taco wrapped around a hard one with cheese in between. The Baja fish taco was my favorite but the banh mi was also quite tasty. All the food was so incredible I was disappointed that I got full and had to stop eating. There's also a coffee and tea shop inside the restaurant to scope out during the day! read more

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This restaurant has gone down hill. Music so loud you couldn't enjoy your meal. Everything a la carte and nothing comes with your lone tacos sitting on your plate. The "griddled" cheese on the burrito was actually just burnt cheese. Server just let us sit there for 15 mins. after he gave us our checks. We had to pay at the bar. read more

This is vinsetta 2.0. When you go to a Union joint you will get the following 1. Incompetent hostess - there were multiple people waiting while the hostess disappeared for short periods. Once the hostess figures out the little iPad tells her what is going on, things will be good. 2. Pizza shutdown - just like vinesetta their pizza oven was down. Not because it want "working" but because there was no staff. Did anyone let your customers know? Nopeee 3. Over priced drinks - you are in a hooters restaurant. I want all restaurants to succeed however you gotta show up Curt. We left and went to a restaurant where people actually care and aren't taking the government handout. read more

LOVED the tacos!!!! I had the three on the left side of the Taco list. So different, so delicious! TRY THE MAC N CHEESE!!!!! I have never had such decadent mac n cheese. Weird to go with tacos but so worth it. Would have put 5 stars but my services was extremely Slow. Got seated right away but took a bit for anyone to come to our table and then in the end forever to get a check. Our waiter was making some type of dressing or something with a bowl/whisk yet the tables needed tending to. Was out of drinks as well. So sad but will have to give them another shot or just order take out read more

Beautiful fun atmosphere! I loved it as soon as I walked in. I was a little bit early meeting a friend for happy hour. The hostess greeted me and showed me around a bit. Recommend the back bar area and it was perfect! Such friendly staff! Wide range of draft and bottle beer options. Queso and Margarita pizza are amazing and it's just a fun place to be. Bar stools are extremely comfy too! The menu has something for everyone and the place is just plain cool to hang out in! I can't wait to come back! read more

Gran Castor - Latin American Near Me - Troy, Michigan

Many are unaware of this location in Troy, as it was formerly another establishment. If you're reading this, you can be one of the lucky ones! They offer pizza and tacos - I can only speak to the tacos, but they are delicious... margs too! read more

Lovely ambiance (similar to honcho- cozy, inviting). We've tried Honcho a few times and were never that impressed. There's a lot of overlap items with Honcho, but less of a Korean influence and more of a Central American influence which worked really well. We enjoyed everything we ordered (chicken taquitos, hot chicken nachos, elote pizza, donuts). Think this place deserves more positive reviews - had a wonderful experience with quick, pleasant service. Wouldn't have guessed they just opened up. read more

Gran Castor - Latin American Near Me - Troy, Michigan

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Someone put human feces in my "Dorado." The Union Mac and Cheese had a blue acrylic nail in it. Overall the experience was amazing and astounding! Tables were not 6 feet from each other though. read more

I am a regular at Gran Castor, frequently going on a Friday for happy hour ($5 margs every day from 4-6 pm). Best margaritas around and you can't beat that price. The vibe of the restaurant is very cool, kinda seventies, with unique music being played. The bartenders are great people. Love Eric & Dustin. The hostess is sweet too. Having been so much, I know the food and what I like and don't. The Elote pizza is my fave, followed by the tortilla soup, and chop salad. Not a fan of the burrito. I loved the bowl, but my stomach did not. Overall, a funky fun place to stop for some delicious food and coo read more

This is mostly to the attention of people of color - Specifically Asians. TL;DR, offensive racism, stay away. THE GOOD : I wanted to like this place. The interior decor is super trendy and the atmosphere is great. Our waitress was super friendly and the menu items, although not remotely authentic, were interesting enough. The beer selection was fun and though I didn't foray into it- the tequila and mezcal offerings seem quite varied. The ingredients were fresh, and again, although I'm not always a huge fan of the fusion experience (the Vietnamese inspired bahn-mi taco had korean sauce???). Overall we were happy with the food and left quite full. THE HUGE PROBLEM : right before we left I overheard a bartender and a waiter openly and loudly mock an "Asian lady". Both of them seemed younger, the waiter was bald and the bartender/barback was a shorter, slimmer guy with dark hair. Just ... over and over again they were doing this loud "Asian" accent. I don't know who exactly they were mocking, but it was really offensive. My inference is that the targets of their derision were these two Asian women who were sitting at the bar when we got there. Now, we were there for my birthday and I was having a great time and I wanted to just put it past me. But by the time I got home it was eating at me so much that I felt that this needed to be shared. I get that writing a review like this is more than a little passive aggressive. I feel shame and guilt at the fact that I did not confront them immediately. Regardless, I can't ignore the fact that the experience is REALLY eating at me and I'm never going to be coming back to this establishment and I'm going to strongly suggest that my friends find their nourishment elsewhere. read more

The only thing I didn't like was the noise level. It was pretty loud making conversation at the table a little more work than it should have been The food, however, was incredible. I had the brisket taco and the chicken. My boyfriend let me try his oxtail. All of them were just super amazing. Totally worth the trip there. read more

Such great service at the bar with Aaron and Cam! Try the jerk chicken taquitos and the jackfruit carnitas! Aaron gave another customer a sample of a different beer to find out if it was acceptable as a substitute for the beer he ordered that they were out of. Super attentive bartenders for sure and everything was amazing! Will be back for sure read more

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Wow. I originally saw this place as I passed by to go to the mall. It's so cute on the outside. I finally went in and it's even cuter on the inside! 10/10 for decor. 15/10 for the food! A Nashville Hot Chicken Taco?!? This place really exceeded my expectations! Along with the fore mentioned taco, I got the shrimp ok boy taco and a side of macaroni. Everything was great! read more

Food was not good at all. We got 4 diff dishes and all of them were just bland, cheap ingredients cheap food

Very good and great ambiance. The servers were great, especially Mustafa, and the happy hour specials were amazing!! I follow a vegan diet, and there were nice options for me. read more

Didn't know anything about this place until tonight, came on a whim. Loved everything, music, food, vibe. Will definitely be a returning customer. read more

Gran Castor - Bar - Latin American Near Me - Troy, Michigan

Met a friend here for dinner without realizing it was part of the restaurant group of Clarkston Union, Vinsetta Garage, et al. SUPER impressed with the site, location, decor, music, everything. Within minutes of getting in there I felt like I was in a really cool place to be. Service was fantastic and prompt, food high quality and flavorful. Prices are on the higher end for drinks, but the food is appropriately priced. Would highly recommend for a party or a large group. read more

I came here on 2 different occasions, one on Friday and one on Tuesday. They started accepting reservations which is nice. The ahi tuna taco, mahi mahi taco, hit chicken taco were delicious. The guacamole and queso are also delicious! The salsas were okay nothing special. The drinks including La flaca and bad hombre are delicious. The tres leches dessert and donuts were also great. The donuts are served hot and the tres leeches is absolutely delicious. On Friday when we went, they were a little busy and took awhile for us to be served both at the bar and then at the table but the service thereafter was great. read more

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These folks own a lot of restaurants and they seem to have the recipe to Michigan success as their restaurants always appear crowded and an 1+ wait. If I came again, would I wait even 20 minutes? No. I came with a group of 11 at about 5:30 on a Saturday. Turns out they only have one table that fits over 7 people, so naturally you will have to wait. No big deal, I've waited longer for really good food. We're seated in the comfy lounge area next to a grand fire-pit. You can order food and drinks in this area, so we opted for nachos with their famous brisket and green pea guacamole. Not bad, but not mind blowing either. Wish they used real queso instead of melted cheese as it turned the nachos into little bricks stuck together. Some people opted to get sweets from the coffee bar next door to tide themselves over. Once seated in the empty back room, we ordered all our food and dessert at once to expedite the process. The food was meh and the queso was inedible. Who puts lumps of cream cheese in there?! One of our friends is a dumpster and he wouldn't touch it! The passion fruit in a jar was good but overly sweet, please share this with someone. Our waitress was hard to get a hold of when we wanted to go boxes that I had to get up and find someone when she said she would bring it 20 min ago. Also, why is it so dark in here? Are you trying to avoid me seeing my food? Honestly, this is the last of their chain restaurants i will go to. They artificially create demand by creating so much dead space in the bathroom and general areas. The menu is a hodgepodge of their other restaurants from the Mac and cheese, burritos, to the brisket. Griddle cheese on a burrito an insult to a wet burrito. 1 stars for location and venue aesthetics but every time someone asks my opinion I say, 'No, don't waste your money or your time.' read more

I feel like this place has a lot of potential; it just missed the mark for me. The décor/ambiance is great, the place is huge, they have ample space for those waiting for a table, and our server was great. But for me, that was it as far as positives go. They had a lot of faded/shaded items on the menu (2 appetizers, 1 taco, 1 side, 2 entrées, 1 pizza and build you own pizza). We thought those might indicate a house specialty or something since they were still legible, just faded. It turns out, those are items they no longer offered. For a restaurant that is only been open for 3 months that does not seem like a good sign or a good way to handle the issue. The menu is not large, so we were able to order many things off of it, but again, nothing was that great. Perhaps the tacos would have been good, but mine came out barely warm and were cold by the time I got to the second one. We ordered a few drinks as well and I didn't care for any of them either. I am really disappointed since this seemed like a neat place (and they have a huge patio that would be nice in the summer) but I didn't like any of the food or drinks so I do not plan to come back unless I have heard that things have improved. read more

Great place for texMex and drinks. The food is good (unless you have your heart set on authentic rice and beans) the atmosphere is really nice in a relaxed casual vibe. read more

Love the atmosphere of this place! I went with my friend and fiancé. They both got tacos and I got the rice bowl. I was very excited but it just wasn't that good! read more

Gran Castor - Rice bowl - Latin American Near Me - Troy, Michigan

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We went last night for a casual-but-not-TOO-casual anniversary dinner date. We were looking for an interesting dinner, a drink or two, and dessert. Gran Castor had all that and looked similar to Honcho, which we enjoyed the one time we went. At 7:15 on a Tuesday night, the seats were about 60% full. The host cleaned off a 4-top for us, but when we sat down the table felt awkwardly large for just the two of us, so we opted to go sit at the bar instead-- which is where we typically sit when we go out anyway. The bartender was with us pretty promptly. We always take a long time to decide what to drink and what to eat when at a new spot, and Gran Castor certainly has a lot of menu items to read through on both counts. She settled on a tequila cocktail that was just okay (not much flavor aside from the salt rim, but at least balanced well enough that the tequila wasn't overpowering) and I had a draft beer. Since no other reviews have directly mentioned it: yes, Gran Castor has a full bar with all the booze you'd hope for. Their liquor list is respectable, especially the tequilas. Their beer list is less so, going far too heavy on light lagers from Mexico and the occasional Michigan basic, but 8 of their ~14 taps were good selections. The wine list was of average length and variety; only about half of them are available by the glass. Sangria is listed with the wine. After lots of strategizing, we finally decided on an elote pizza (which was the reason we'd been interested in Gran Castor in the first place; we love elote), a chorizo-potato pizza, a curried oxtail taco for me, a banh mi taco for her, a side of what they call 'creamy masa', and chips & salsa. We noticed that the bartender didn't take out his pad and start writing until halfway through that list, but we gave him the benefit of the doubt. The chips and salsa were pretty great. There were three salsas: a green tomatillo (slightly spicy, slightly salty, slightly vinegary), a dark red tomato (saltier and spicier than the green; my favorite), and a creamy green one (her favorite) with the consistency of thick ranch dressing and a flavor profile I couldn't place; this last one was also on the pizzas. The chips were good; they seemed to have been fresh-fried but earlier in the evening, since they weren't warm, which was fine. The serving of chips was a bit too small for the three servings of salsa, but we did our best. I had to ask about the 'creamy masa' before ordering it, since those two words made no sense when used together. Masa is a finely-ground corn flour usually used to make dough for tamales or tortillas. The bartender explained that this was more like grits. I love grits and make them at home constantly, so I gave this a shot. It was slightly soupy from milk or cream, with shreds of cheese on top, and little bits of what the menu promises is poblano. There wasn't much flavor, but the consistency was fine (again, I love grits, so this wasn't a stretch; others might not like it) and we finished off the little bowl. (The serving size is like a diner's "cup" of soup: about two cups by volume, which is not the "pretty hefty portion" the bartender described. As we would realize throughout the evening, he doesn't really know much about food.) The tacos were... serviceable. We each finished ours, but didn't find them to be noteworthy. I actually wound up putting some of the tomatillo salsa on my curried oxtail taco, since I couldn't taste any curry and the oxtail itself was uncharacteristically mild. The banh mi taco was just regular taco pork (al pastor-ish?) with veggies on top. That makes sense, and it was fine, but it was certainly not better than the tacos from literally anywhere in Southwest Detroit. They're probably better than most tacos in Troy (which isn't saying much), and they're at Big Beaver prices. This category is a shrug. The elote pizza was underwhelming. Like so many other things, it looked good and had nice texture, but was lacking in flavor. It came drizzled with that creamy green salsa from earlier, which completely overpowered everything else. The dough was great. We ordered desserts: postre chaja (white cake, peaches, chamomile syrup) and chocolate flan. The postre chaja came in a mason jar and was just okay-- kind of dry, and light on flavor. The flan, though, was the best thing I had all night. It was rich, perfectly creamy, and had intense flavors of cocoa and orange. It was sweet, and we were glad to be splitting it, but it was absolutely my favorite item. Gran Castor has a nice atmosphere and an interesting-enough menu at just-tolerable prices. The flavor of the food doesn't meet the high bar set by other Union Joints like Vinsetta Garage or Clarkston Union, but perhaps it will get there with time and tweaks. I'll chalk the service failures up to a new-ish bartender still getting comfortable. I'll return for coffee, but probably wait 6 months before trying another meal. read more

This place is a bigger version of their other restaurant, Honcho's in Clarkston. Similar decor. Pretty place and very trendy. But nothing stands out with the food. We didn't go to eat wall hangings. Actually felt dumb driving all the way to Troy when Honcho's is closer to us. Also El Camino in Keego Harbor. A good place to try (or see) but only deserves 2 stars from me. Beautiful interior. But I was hungry and I came for the food... Dos estrellas. read more

I really enjoyed my time here. The atmosphere is stunning. There is a giant fireplace that is awesome! My friend and I ordered the brisket nachos for an appetizer and they were so good! Will definitely be back to order those again! For dinner I ordered the tacos, and they were ok. They were nothing to boast about, but the avacado/pea guacamole on them was good. One downside, they have things on their menu that they are "out of". I literally tried to order 3 different margaritas but they were out of ingredients for all three. I ended up getting the watermelon one, which was good, but not my first, or third really, choice. read more

Gran Castor's Slogan should be "Jack of all trades, Master if None" I'd like to start off by saying, I don't like to leave negative reviews, being a business owner myself I know online reputation could be detrimental to a business, so please take this as constructive criticism. Negatives- Too many things going on at this place- It's sort of Mexican but there is, Korean, Pizza, BBQ, Coffee bar, Fried chicken, and a few other tastes of the world that are all done just "OK" in my opinion. This might just be a personal preference but I just don't think these flavors went well together all. The menu is almost trying too hard, I went with a diverse group for lunch with some "foodies" and some just "meat & potatoes" people and we all came to the conclusion that it just wasn't that great. Positives- The chicken tortilla soup was pretty good. It's the facility was beautiful on the inside. Our service was pretty good. read more

From start to finish I had a great lunch experience here. It's hard to imagine it used to be a Hooters. The servers wear jeans and are really nice. The vibe is relaxing. And the food is great. Their tacos are ala cart and you have choices on what type of taco you want. Their is an up-charge but it's worth it, if it's what you want it really depends on how hungry you are. They don't give you free chips and salad here so we ordered it with a side of their guacamole let's just say it's the best decision we made. I'm a big salsa fan so I really enjoyed this appetizer. I will definitely be back to try other items from their menu. read more

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The menu items sound like familiar Mexican dishes when you first look at the menu, but when the food arrives and you taste it you can really notice the Latin influence. The food tasted very fresh and the spices used set this place apart from other restaurants. will definitely be returning To try their other items. I had the Gran Castor Burrito and found it to be enough for two meals. The rice and beans were seasoned just right and complimented the Burrito well. My wife had the Enchiladas which were very cheesy. read more

There was some good, some not so much. The host stand experience was atrocious, made me wonder what the point of having 2 people at the stand? Can they just have an iPad for me to sign in? I was shocked when they got my number right and texted me that our table was ready - it didn't seem possible after my exchange. The place is huge and loud. The menu is also huge but after 2+ months they are still in the soft opening menu where lots is not available. And fyi, not open for lunch right now. The guac had peas in it and large chunks of onion. It was good (except the crunchy chunks), chip ratio was not enough and i think we got a lot from the bottom of the bag. Just throw the crumbs out, no one wants that... The taco I ordered was good, but needed salsa. I asked for some and was directed to hot sauce. Not what I had in mind but that was the answer. I think our waitress was scattered but ok. The food was ok. The space was loud and uncomfy. read more

This please is such a breath of fresh air. From the moment you walk in its so cozy and inviting. The decor is just beautiful! Our waiter was so helpful with answering all of our menu questions and even recommended delicious things for us to try. I ordered a pollo asado on THE CHAMP and it was incredibly delicious! (Order it. Just do it). The chicken was cooked perfectly (not dry/not greasy) and the guac in the taco was perfection. I also got the grilled avocado salad, which in the beginning I wasn't too excited about, but ended up really great! We got the chips and queso for the table (who says no to queso?!) And a margarita pizza. The green tomatoes and lime on the pizza crust were very interesting combinations. I love that you can come here to enjoy a great meal with new flavors and for such reasonable prices. Definitely going to make it out here again! read more

Gran Castor - Latin American Near Me - Troy, Michigan

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I like this place! The atmosphere and decor make this place a fun joint! The food is great, and they have quirky takes on all different types of Latin American dishes. The Mexican hot cocoa flavored soft serve is so good! We've visited more than few times and have always had great service and enjoyed our food. We've tried the tacos, salads, pizzas and burrito, and couldn't complain about any of it. I recommend this place for dates or groups and really like going there when it's not too busy for faster seating. read more

I've been to this festive Latin American bar/restaurant twice. Once for lunch and once for dinner and drinks. Both experiences were terrific. Service was upbeat enthusiastic and quite helpful. Food was very very good. Loved the guac and the pollo tortilla sopas. If you like really really hot food order the honcho hot chicken. It burns. For drinks I had a sangria which was fabulous and a sipping tequila off the list of many. My wife had the GC marg which was great also. They have a small coffee shop attached that ill need to try when i come back for the third time. read more

Gran Castor - Latin American Near Me - Troy, Michigan

We went for lunch on Saturday and the place was empty! Server was prompt and friendly. We started with the queso dip which the dip and chips were both unique but very tasty! My fiancé ordered the oxtail taco and I got the chopped salad with grilled chicken- the small salad was more than enough for me to finish! To the left of the main dining room they have a small coffee shop. I grabbed a pour over on my way out and it was sooo good! And They did so well with the decor! It's warm and welcoming but modern and stylish at the same time. It looked like they had a private room for dining parties as well. Will def be back! read more

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Was definitely expecting better than this. Was originally seated in a side room that had communal seating. Small room with hideous wallpaper floor to ceiling and on the ceiling. The noise is the room was was so loud that we asked to move. The main room that we were moved to was not as obnoxious. The margarita I had was watery at best. Ordered the salsa appetizer ($6.95). Three little ramekins of salsa and a handful of really greasy chips. The salsas were good, but the chips were nasty and definitely not enough for the appetizer. Had the burrito as an entree ($14.95). It had some weird cooked lettuce in it and was served with beans and a side of white rice on a plastic plate. Yes, white rice - the kind you get at a Chinese restaurant. The burrito had some kind of sauce on it, so you couldn't pick it up and eat it. The dull cutlery and the plastic plate made eating it extremely challenging. There would have to be some major changes before I consider ever returning. Feeling ripped off. read more