Freya — Restaurant in Detroit

Freya really surprised me. We usually don't eat out in fancy places unless it's for special events or milestones in our family. I went here yesterday 4/5/25 after we attended the Detroit Zine Fest. Definitely reserve early, I did nearly a week prior. After having been here, I can see why slots fill up quickly.

The food was impeccable and most important of all, memorable. The "Oyster" was truly something else. A piece of art and a culinary delight, like nothing I've ever had. As a designer, I could appreciate the aesthetics. The shell was made of white chocolate dusted in some charcoal coloring and the "oyster" meat was actually a plump scallop. Beautiful presentation, like what you'd expect to see on something like a competitive cooking show. Tasted nothing like I'd expect, but delicious nonetheless. As I said to the waiter, I could eat 20 of these.

My partner had the Pierogi (Lake Superior Smoked White Fish, Cream Cheese, Miso-Honey Mustard). As a hater of cream cheese, he really enjoyed it, as did I. My only experience of having had "pierogies" before was from Aldi and it was a sad one. Nothing to compare.

For the second course, we had the Brussel Sprouts (Hot Honey, Cumin Aioli, Cotija and homemade tortilla crisps) and Werp Farm Carrot (Red Curry Emulsion, Miso, Toasted Rice, Fukujinzuke). The brussel sprouts were amazing, beautifully charred and drenched in flavor. We both thought it was better than the carrot dish. Usually brussel sprouts are a safe side at most restaurants, but you have not lived till you've tried Freya's rendition. Amazing and packed with flavor, it'll wake you up.

Third course, I had the Mushroom (Tonkotsu, Scallion, Sesame, Black Garlic Aioli) and my partner had the Tongue & Cheek (Beef Cheek Croquette), Sauce Zingara, Sunchoke, Truffle). Both were very good though I would've appreciated if maybe the mushrooms could be cut a bit smaller. Presentation again was gorgeous on this one though. The "Tongue & Cheek" had no tongue, just cheek meat, but if you adore a deep rich beefy flavor, wow that Croquette was amazing. The depth of flavor reminded me of barbacoa, marinated and slow cooked meat that has been simmering in the juices and fat for a long time. Good stuff.

For our mains we both decided on the Rohan Duck (Parsnip Puree, Mole, Plantain, Hibiscus) though I was tempted to get the lamb. My partner had a rarer cook on his duck which I personally prefer (we should've traded plates), but both were good. The parsnip and mole served as great dipping sauces for the duck and the plantain crisps added crunch.

Which reminds me... In addition to great taste and presentation, each dish really explores the textural element with contrast of the ingredients and the cook on them, elevating the dimension of each dish.

Lastly, the dessert. I had the Bakewell Tart (Almond Raspberry, Blueberry, Vanilla Raspberry Ice Cream) and my partner had the Lime Cake (Mandarin Curd, Basil Oil, Coconut Whip, Pineapple). On paper, I would've liked the Lime Cake more, but in actuality the tart was even more delicious. I was hesitant because of the almonds. I don't like slivered or crushed nuts in desserts, but this was really good and the nuts were secondary to everything else on the plate.

I would advise to try to get a bit out of your comfort zone here. If there's a single item listed in a dish you may not like, go for it, it may surprise you, as it had on more than one occasion for us here at Freya. I wish we had a restaurant like this in GR! Will definitely be back!

Though expensive, the price is warranted for the experience, execution, and creativity of the dishes. I was definitely full at the end. They do start you off with bread and salad. The bread and the seasoned butter were amazing but felt the salad could use some work. My partner liked the salad with no complaints but I found it to be very bitter. A roasted sesame dressing or ginger sesame dressing would've made a world a difference. But this is really minor given the experience...

First walking in to Freya, my party and I were STOKED!! The vibes were high, the night was young, and we had a lot to celebrate! Sadly, the night took a bit of a turn when the guests joining us called with a medical issue that seemed to raise enough concern for us, so we decided that they wouldn’t come for the dinner The staff kindly accommodated from 4 guests to 2. Shortly after, those friends called us again with hopes that they could push through the ailments and have a good time. Again, the staff was very understanding and happy to have them back on for our celebration. About three courses in, one of the guests came down quickly with the same issues we were having prior to the reservation. Amongst all of the chaos, we noticed really impatient treatment and, to be honest, nasty glares from some of the staff. Becoming self conscious of the issues within our group, we decided it’d be for the better if we, again, cut our party from 4 to 2. Our primary staff, Hank, helped our friends get situated and cashed out so they could tend to the concerns. As the two of us tried to find our footing once more and get back into the celebration spirit, we noticed the same impatience and frustration from the staff, possibly at a more obvious level. While we understood why our situation might have caused problems within the working of the restaurant, we also expected a little more grace given the circumstance was out of our control. With all of the negative looks and treatment from most of the staff, my sister and I had a very hard time enjoying the last two courses. Then Hank came back to our table and treated us with the utmost compassion and kindness in regards to our situation. Thanks to Hank, we found ourselves go from crying to laughing in no time! It will be my lasting memory of Freya and the highlight of my meal to see someone treat us with such genuine kindness, as Hank did with us. It being my first time and my sister’s third, I was close to never returning here after the way this service was going. I truly want to reiterate how grateful we were to have Hank as our server and how appreciative we are of his support...

I generally am not one to write reviews, but Freya deserves one. My wife and I went out for our first date since our baby was born as a celebration and we chose Freya as our venue. My wife has a significant dairy allergy, she’s allergic to dairy protein and will be sick for days if she consumes it, so finding a tasting restaurant with a vegan option for every course was extremely appealing to us because we knew she could safely eat. To briefly summarize I’ll just say that this was the best dining experience my wife and I have ever had. The service was unparalleled and the food was some of the best I’ve ever had. Any time you got up to use the restroom, you came back to a folder napkin. Anytime my wife came back a server also came to pull out her chair. They knew we were celebrating our baby’s birth and congratulated us several times, started our evening off with a toast and even some of the waitresses deeply complimented my wife and made her feel so confident and seen. Regarding the food, we’ve only been to one other tasting restaurant, which entirely vegan, out in Portland, Oregon and this meal significantly outclassed it. The first bite of each course was purely joyful, almost like the feeling of taking the first bite of a nostalgic childhood meal you haven’t had in a long time. The flavors were incredible and complex, yet clear and distinct. Their menu shifts, but I was able to have their grilled octopus and it was probably my favorite dish throughout my lifetime this far, truly was that good. My wife had similar experiences with their vegan menu, each course seemed to best the previous one.

I could go on in showering compliments, but all I can say is that I highly recommend this establishment. For anyone this would be an amazing experience, but if you have an allergy then this is probably one of the best places to go. It was clear they put a lot of attention to detail regarding their guests and their allergies and were extremely accommodating. There was never a moment of concern that my wife was going to consume something unsafe for her, which made the time all the more fun...