Frita Batidos Ann Arbor — Restaurant in Ann Arbor

Coming from the land down under, where kangaroos roam and Vegemite reigns supreme, I knew there had to be better cuisine out there. Luckily, I found that culinary thrill that could only be found halfway across the world, at a little-known restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan called "Frita Batidos." Determined to savor the legendary Cuban-style burgers and a tropical shakey, I embarked on the wildest journey of my life.

I kicked off my journey with a leap of faith, soaring above the Outback in a homemade kangaroo pouch hot air balloon. With the wind in my hair and a Vegemite sandwich in hand, I floated across the skies, navigating through dust devils and avoiding the infamous she crabs lurking in the eucalyptus trees.

My balloon adventure soon gave way to a daring descent into the Great Barrier Reef, where I donned a makeshift scuba suit crafted from a crocodile's hide. Among the colorful coral and the curious sea creatures, I searched for the lost treasure of Captain Jack Tarpon, hoping it might fund my gastronomic quest. Alas, the treasure chest was filled with pearls, not dollars. Something I definitely need to pay the ole' tabby.

Undeterred, I found my trusty emu saddle and rode across the scorched Outback, zigzagging through the red desert dunes and narrowly escaping dust storms and rogue boomerangs. I stopped to share stories with the Aboriginal elders, who bestowed upon me ancient wisdom and the sacred didgeridoo, said to summon rain and good fortune.

My journey took a surreal turn as I ventured into the mystical depths of the Australian Dreamtime. Guided by a wise platypus named Puddlepaws, I encountered mythical creatures like Bunyips and Yowies, who taught me the secrets of eating a frita. With their blessings, I emerged with newfound spiritual clarity and a wallaby-hide notebook full of enigmatic symbols.

Crossing the vast Pacific Ocean on a surfboard fashioned from a massive gum tree leaf, I braved typhoons, evaded aggressive sharks, and discovered the secrets of wave-riding from a pod of friendly dolphins. As the sun dipped below the horizon, I rode a bioluminescent wave to the shores of the Jersey Pier, where I encountered mermaids who sang sea shanties and shared their tales of shipwrecks, such as the SS Buckeye.

Finally, I arrived in the charming town of Ann Arbor, Michigan, greeted by a euphoric choir of Maize and Blue-clad Wolverines who recognized me as a fellow traveler on a quest for the perfect frita and shakey (batido). With my sunburned nose and kangaroo-skin journal filled with otherworldly secrets, I strutted into "Frita Batidos."

As I devoured my first frita and sipped on a passionfruit shakey, I marveled at the divine flavors that transcended time zones and cultures. The taste of the Cuban-style burger mixed with the sweet ecstasy of the batido, and I knew I had truly embarked on the culinary adventure of a lifetime.

With a full belly and wild tales to share, I decided that my journey was not just about the destination but the incredible experiences along the way. As I sat in "Frita Batidos," surrounded by fellow food enthusiasts, I realized that sometimes, the craziest and wildest adventures are the ones that lead you to the most unexpected, delicious discoveries....

When I mentioned to a colleague that we were visiting the University of Michigan, she immediately told me about this place saying that "it has the best burger in the state of Michigan." I decided to take my family there and we all agreed.

You order your food first, give them your name then have a seat. We selected a picnic table. They had dominos on the table so we enjoyed a game or two while waiting for our food. The staff brings the food and drinks to your table. (They find you by calling your name.)

I ordered the chicken frita with tropical slaw. This is the first time that I have been satisfied with exactly how the burger came out. I usually reach for more ketchup, mustard, pepper, or something. I just held my burger until it was gone. Never put it down. My husband and sons followed Mike's (the cashier) suggestion and turned their burger into doubles with one beef patty and one chorizo patty. They all mixed toppings muenster, tropical slow, avocado spread, etc. We were silent for the entire meal. Everyone was focused on their burgers. Wow!

My son order the Chocolate Bastido and I had the Hibiscus Lemonade. They were made a a little bar right by our table. We both enjoyed the our respective drinks. My other son ordered a sprite and appreciated that it was in a glass bottle and not a fountain drink.

I also ordered the churros - 3 HUGE (almost a foot long and the width of a half-dollar coin) churros served with a chocolate sauce. INCREDIBLE! We were so stuffed we couldn't finish them.

The staff was efficient, knowledgeable and friendly. Mike - our cashier - was responsible for upselling us because his descriptions were so epic. I had to tell him to stop talking before my children would order anything else. :-D (It was all in good fun.)

We will definitely return whenever we are in the area. It was a...

during our midwest trip, we stopped in ann arbor's. the clear local favorite for food on yelp was frita batidos, so we had to make it our first meal.

TLDR; tasty burgers, but not exactly sure where the cuban influence fits in. gets pretty pricey as each additional topping is an add-on. tasty, but not sure it is anything extraordinary. usually a line and service is slightly inefficient.

the restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating. many customers were eating the burgers and batidos. didn't see many bowls or cuban sandwiches. order at the counter and they bring your food to your table (current system of yelling out the customer name and walking around feels inefficient as you sometimes have to get up and flag them down).

// coconut batidos ($5.50) // tastes like a vanilla milkshake with coconut mixed in. flavor was good and you could feel the little grits of coconut. a pretty small cup though and mine had some unblended ice at the bottom (presumably unintentional).

// beef frita burger with meunster and slaw ($10 + $1.50 + $1.50) // it's probably worth it to splurge and get the "make it loco" as each topping is $1.50 min. and really adds up.

bun was a potato brioche bun, soft but toasted. beef patty (medium rare) was decent thickness and juicy. french fries inside the burger had good seasoning but were really salty for me. i liked the meunster cheese inside. the tropical slaw was also good (with some sweetness and fruit inside). my my mom got the avocado topping add on but it was pretty small portion for $2.25

overall, yes it was a good burger. is it something i would dream about and revisit again? probably not, but it was still good to try the local favorite. just seems pretty pricey if you want...