Frita Batidos Detroit — Restaurant in Detroit

11/14/23 5* Food - 5* Been here several times including the location in Ann Arbor. Food is always stellar. I don't always eat the top bun of a burger, but the bread on the Fritas here is basically as delicious as a fresh croissant (I know it's not French lol) so I did. Always love the beef, but the chicken is also great with some nice heat to it. I'll need to try the others. I love a shoestring fry, so it wasn't hard to get me to fall for the fries here, especially with the garlic cilantro if you like that. Ok.. A sweet ripe fried plantain is one of my most favorite international delicious, and they deliver that here with both the cinnamon sugar and the garlic cilantro. Takes me back home to one of my fav Filipino desserts, turon, which is basically a dessert egg roll with ripe plantains. We didn't get a batido this time (since I got a beer), buuuut every single time we do they are top tier. Coconut and chocolate are my favs. Once, we even got it mixed. The chocolate also takes me back to a Filipino porridge my grandma used to make. Ooof. The feels. Truly exceeds my expectations.

Service - 5* The lady who took our order was super friendly and very accommodating if we needed anything. We weren't very picky, but it was very clear she wanted everything to be good for us, and we truly appreciate that. It's a little different here than many other restaurants where after you order, they bring the food out but you can order more from them when they do. It's a cute little flair that I always liked about this place. We didn't actually order more, but we did get a little extra on the house because I think sometimes they do that. It was very cute. Very appreciated. Everyone was so kind. We loved it.

Atmosphere - 5* White paint is an understatement. Ahaha! No, but for real: it is very clean and bright in there. Seating consists of large picnic tables (also white). I was hesitant at first back when I visited their first location in Ann Arbor, but I've since grown to love it. Frita Batidos was built on community, as the sign reads in the store, and a shared love for Cuban-inspired food (which that distinction of inspiration versus claiming to be 100% authentic I always find to be incredibly respectful and appreciative). From the physical features of the establishment to the emotional connection I make with the familiar flavors of the food, the sense of community from something as simple as a shared picnic table with others, and just knowing Frita Batidos cares and gives back the community it serves, I feel...

As a long-time fan of Frita Batidos in Ann Arbor, I was thrilled when they opened a second location in downtown Detroit. Their Cuban-inspired burgers have always been a standout for me — bold, flavorful, and totally unique. The original spot in Ann Arbor is hands-down one of my favorite burger joints in Michigan, so naturally, I had high hopes for the new location.

I’ve visited the Detroit location three times now, and while the overall vibe and menu remain consistent, the execution has been a bit uneven. On my most recent visit, I ordered my burger medium-well, but it arrived closer to medium-rare, with visibly undercooked meat in the center. It was a bit of a letdown, especially considering how consistently well-prepared the burgers are in Ann Arbor.

This difference in quality and consistency seems to be a shared experience — I’ve heard similar feedback from friends who’ve also tried both locations. It’s disappointing because the flavors and concept are still fantastic, and when done right, these burgers are some of the best around.

That said, I still appreciate the Detroit outpost for bringing this delicious Cuban burger experience closer to home. The space is fun, the service is friendly, and the potential is absolutely there. I just hope the kitchen can tighten up the cooking standards to match the excellence of the original.

Verdict: Still worth a visit, especially if you’ve never had a Frita burger before — just keep an eye on how your burger’s cooked. If they can iron out the consistency, this location could easily live up to the high bar set...

Everything about this place was just really weird and off-putting. Firstly, the lay-out of the restaurant makes little sense whatsoever. The line bends around itself at the front and the tables inside have little space at all as a result. Furthermore for the tables, they are uncomfortable picnic bench style tables and they weren’t set or filled with any napkins. The line also took incredibly long as there was only a single employee taking orders for a super long line. As for the food and drinks, I was not given what I ordered and paid for toppings that did not come with my food. Secondly, I ordered the garlic-cilantro fries which were extremely undercooked, greasy, and soggy. Thirdly, I ordered the ginger-lime tequila which was easily one of the worst cocktails I’ve ever had. It was literally just straight liquor and I couldn’t bring myself to drink more than a few sips of it. The service was also not good, as the employee who gave me my order very snarkily and sarcastically handed me my order after it got dropped the first time. I had high expectations for this place, but everything about my experience was just very disappointing and this is the first negative review I’ve ever written for all of the...