Donkey Taqueria — Restaurant in Grand Rapids

I shouldn’t have believed the amazing reviews! Based on what I saw in people’s posts, heard from a couple relatives and read from online reviews…. I was sold! Unfortunately, we had a group of 9 people that included 2 kids who are normally good adventurous eaters. No kids menu but when we asked, they would do a couple baby quesadillas … only thing is they were white corn tortillas so they were not soft like a flour tortilla quesadilla, so no chance of a younger kid (smaller than our 4 year old granddaughter) eating them. Our 10 year old grandson who loves fajitas, or any grilled steak, chicken, shrimp, sushi, or scallops could not eat his plain Taco De Carne Asada tacos. The spices were too strong for him. The menu is very limited… which could be partially due to Covid, and I get that. But, on the opening page of the website, there are nachos, which they do not currently offer. The descriptions of the food were difficult to interpret, and the waitress did not help with the way she described things. The food that we got did not look like the photos we saw. Maybe the food got cold on the way to our table since we were in an igloo, so I can forgive that… but the pork on the Taco Al Pastor looked like what you see in a catering pan after if has been sitting being warmed by sterno cans for a few hours. Even though it did not look good and was cold, the pork had a good flavor. They really should have a warning on the Taco De Papas Verde that it would be spicy, even ordered without the salsa verde and onion. Four of us (3 of whom like spicy) tried it and couldn’t eat it. We had two people order the $20 seafood special, which was ok, but not great. I asked about the Sopa De Dia (which is described as Chef’s selection of rotating Mexican soups and stews) was described as a bowl of pork broth (no root veggies or anything else) for $10. My passionfruit margarita was good, although $9.50. The first set of classic margaritas to our table were pretty good, but the second round was almost all ice, and was definitely short poured. Disappointing at $9.50 each. One couple had lived in Chicago and really liked eclectic foods, but they did not like their food. I certainly didn’t mean for this review to be so long, but for our combined bills being about $300 before tip, we were expecting the special food people described! All of us said that our dinner was not good, and we would not return. Overall, I can give a thumbs up to the guacamole and the queso was pretty average. One thing we did like was their side of rice, which was not even on the menu. And, as for a side of beans, and you will get (and I am not kidding) a stainless steel 2 tablespoon ketchup side with liquified black beans in it for $1.00! Was our experience a rare one? Maybe… but we definitely will not be returning. In my experience/opinion, this place is more for 25-35 year olds with no kids who don’t mind overpriced, over seasoned, mediocre quality...

To: Mr. Paul Lee and The Winchester Restaurant Group I attempted to dine at the Donkey Taqueria Friday afternoon with friends, but ended up having the most bizarre, humiliating and degrading experience ever. Apparently, there was a waiting list, an hour to an hour and a half, if not longer. We decided not to wait and started to leave and noticed the hostess along with 2 other employees (waitresses it appeared) kept looking through the enclosed plastic window at us as we were walking away, smiling and laughing. I went back to ask what they were looking at and why? After not providing a good answer why, I was told by the hostess that I looked confused walking away and one of the waitresses apologized that they were sorry for staring at us? I asked to speak with a manager at this point, only to have a disingenuous manager approach me and immediately start making excuses for the employees’ behavior and called over another male employee acting as some sort of bodyguard to the female manager. The male employee was rude and disrespectful. After questioning the hostess further, she finally told me the real reason she and the other employees were watching us through the enclosed plastic window, was because they thought we were going to sneak through the back, side door of the restaurant. I found this accusation to be offensive and absurd. I am a 59-year-old gray goatee wearing, working professional hanging out with friends and your employees thought we were going to sneak in the restaurant. I wonder why? I hope it wasn’t because of our ethnicity, race, or your employees stereotyping. I can’t think of too many other reasons why your employees would treat a potential customer this way. The culture that the employees displayed was not customer friendly, rude, and the manager was defending and enabling this type of behavior. Needless to say, I will not be returning to your establishment and will tell others in my circle about my experience and encourage them not to dine...

We couldn't be happier with our decision to have Donkey Taqueria cater our wedding! From start to finish, the entire experience was smooth, stress-free, and downright delicious. The team at Donkey Taqueria was not only incredibly professional but also genuinely kind and communicative every step of the way; especially Sean, who went above and beyond to make sure every detail was covered. His responsiveness and warmth helped ease so much of the stress that usually comes with wedding planning. We truly felt like we were in great hands from day one.

Let’s talk about the food- WOW. Our guests were absolutely raving about the tacos all night long. The taco bar was a huge hit, with a great variety of proteins and toppings that catered to all tastes and dietary needs. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented.

We also started the night with Donkey’s chips and dips, which were just as impressive. The chips were perfectly crisp, and the guacamole, salsas, and queso were so good that people were literally standing around the table going back for seconds (and thirds). It set the perfect tone for the night.

What really made Donkey stand out wasn’t just the amazing food, it was the service. Sean and the team were thoughtful, organized, and clearly experienced. They took the time to understand our vision and seamlessly integrated into our day without us ever having to worry or double-check a thing. The whole process was so easy, and that peace of mind made a huge difference in how we experienced our wedding.

If you’re looking for catering that’s both fun and refined, with incredible food and an exceptional team behind it, we couldn’t recommend Donkey Taqueria more. They played such an important part in making our wedding unforgettable, and we’re...