Puma is a fun (and more affordable) alternative to their sister restaurant Barda. Has a cool vibe, great drinks, and tasty Latin American food. We had a great time. I want to send a shout to management also. I managed to lose my wallet the night we visited. We had hopped around to multiple locations but I was semi-convinced I left it there. The manager called me well before they opened in response to my calls and emails. They went so far as to review their security cameras for me and were willing to let me view them in person. I ended up finding it later in a different location but I really appreciate the help they gave me and their patience with my likely annoying behavior. read more

The vibes were good, we sat at the bar and it was a good vibe with some DJ music. The food didn't blow our minds tho, the mussels in particular weren't flavorful and overall it was okay. We also order TIRA DE ASADO (meat was a bit tough with so many fried) and CHORIBUN that was pretty good (which came with some many fries as well). Drinks on the other side were AMAZING! read more

Puma Detroit - MUSSELS CHALACA - Argentine Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

See all

Puma is a small but busy spot with a cool, eclectic crowd and dim, moody lighting that gives it a cozy, artsy vibe. It's lively without feeling chaotic, and the atmosphere alone makes it worth a visit. DJ was a nice touch but music was a bit too loud. The drinks were good, and the wine served in a little ceramic duck container was a fun, memorable touch. Most of the food was tasty. The burger was delicious and easily the standout. The shrimp with coconut rice was flavorful but a bit too spicy for my taste. I wasn't a big fan of the super butter-fried fish--it was just a little too rich for me. The octopus appetizer was small, and overall portions are medium: enough for me, but definitely not enough for my hubby. Dessert was a highlight. If you like sweet, go for the dulcet ice cream; if you prefer something more tart, the mango sorbet is excellent. Not cheap--but honestly, nothing is anymore. Overall, a trendy spot with solid food and a fun vibe. read more

See all

Loved Puma so much the first time, we returned the next week. I love the vibe of Puma, the bar, the dj on weekends, the decor and amazing smells coming from the kitchen add up to a great experience. The food is excellent, and the bartender serves up awesome cocktails. Getting the chicken thigh is a MUST. We also shared the mussels which were amazing. The steak and chorizo sandwich got devoured as well. This is an amazing restaurant. Highly recommend. read more

See all

The food was delicious, the drinks were outstanding and the service was amazing. We took recommendations from Michael and he was spot on about everything. He didn't recommend the broccoli, that was on us, it wasn't my favorite but it was broccoli. We were surprised the most by the chicken, it was so flavorful and juicy. The pickled jalapeno just added a brightness. We were very impressed for our first visit. We will definitely return. read more

See all

This was one of my best dining experiences so far in 2025. The food was delicious, fresh, unique, and reasonably priced for the excellent quality and amount of food served. Orders are taken all at once rather than piecemeal. My friend and I were hungry and wanted to order from every section of the menu. We loved everything we ordered. I highly recommend the Provoleta if you're a cheese lover, Butterflied Trout, Caribbean Rice, Aguachilé de Camarón, and Dulce de Leche Ice Cream. All of this was shared between two people and we left feeling satisfied with our culinary experience. read more

See all

Such a cool place with so much fine character. The service is phenomenal, our waiter paid attention and gave excellent suggestions. I loved everything we tried including the steak sandwich, hichama salad, empanadas and spicy peppers. The fact there is a dj playing while you eat is the cherry on top. Everyone devoured all the food before I could take a picture but look at the cute presentation in my Malbec wine. read more

Puma Detroit - Argentine Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

See all

This was my second time coming here. It was busy but I was able to get a spot at the bar. The restaurant is small but I love the vibe. I went at night I can't wait to try Puma in the summer during the day! The couple next to me let me try their lake fish. It was light and fresh. I ended up ordering the same thing and a pain killer cocktail. It was delicious! read more

Puma Detroit - Lake Fish - Argentine Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Such a fun night! We were across the street for dinner and came her for a drink after. This is a fun spot with lots to see. The bartenders were friendly and attentive and the drinks were delicious. We will definitely be back to eat. read more

See all

Loved it! Hands down. Will have to come back in the summer time to experience the outside. From what our waiter told us the menu was just changed (and I heard great things about the retired menu). Looking around at other restaurant patrons' plates everything looked great so our party decided to split bunch of entrees. What can I say - my compliments to the chef! Everything was amazing! Ceviche octapus appetizer flavorful, albeit on the smaller side. Choribun burger made with smashed sausage tasted sooo good! Lake fish was buttery and delicious (though I did still find bones, so be careful). The coconut rice that came with shrimps was fantastic, shrimps was a bit on a spicy side but totally worked for me. For dessert we couldn't decide so got both dolce du Leche and mango ice cream. Yum! Great food, great ambiance and great vibes with the dj in the middle of the room. read more

See all

The ambiance was great!! It was very sexy, hip, and a perfect spot for a date. What i didn't like was there was no booth sitting, nor something to snack on why you wait for your food. I think it's very typical for a restaurant in Latin America to offer complimentary snacks. A good suggestion would had been homemade plantain chips. I ordered the Argentina sausage over rice because they didn't have GF bread. It was delicious and I didn't have any issues. Highly recommend this spot. read more

See all

What a vibe. Puma Detroit has some personality. The resultant is inside which seems like a renovated car garage but has a community fun, before you out for the night thing about it. You have an opportunity to either sit a the bar, the dining area (over looking the open kitchen), or at the DJ booth. Yeah.. there's a live DJ playing while you eat. The drink list is creative and delicious. Find something that speaks to you, I'm sure they'll craft it the way you will enjoy it . The food is unique but executed to perfection. They serve elevated South American cuisine. Everything we got, I would get again. The trout was well seasoned, the mussels were mini flavor explosions, and the provoleta was rich (use the chimichurri they place on the side, definitely brings up the dish). If you're looking to expand your palate and dine somewhere deliciously reasonable before your night out, look at puma read more

See all

We saw our waiter twice to order and to overpay. This is. Seriously bad food. We paid $30 for what looked like burnt fish ticks and and around $34 for clamped up rice with undercooked shrimp in tasteless sauce. read more

Puma is the more casual sibling of Barda. Both are modern South American, with cool, simple ambiance. Puma has an open outdoor patio, and for a city restaurant, is currently surrounded by greenery. The inside is small, an area of bar seats and a small area of tables, each with large windows. We sat at the bar and the service from the bar tender was friendly and knowledgeable. They have a limited wine selection, but they did offer an interesting white Malbec (served in a ceramic penguin). The food menu is also limited: a few snacks, three ceviches, three mains, three sandwiches, and order separately sides. My friend and I shared the Aquachile de Camaron (shrimp ceviche), Uruguayan Chivito (steak sandwich), and the coconut rice. The ceviche was fine, the only heat came directly from jalapeños. The sandwich was fantastic, good bread and perfectly cooked steak and egg. The coconut rice was good, but was ultimately $7 rice. Like Barda, I did find the price point a bit high for some items. Overall, I would return and try a few other dishes. We went early following a Tigers game, due to the size reservations may be needed. read more

See all

One of my favorite new spots in the D! Great vibes, delicious food (the Choripan and Bolivian Chicken are my favorites), good cocktails, and friendly service. What more can you ask for? It is fairly small, however, so I highly recommend making a reservation. I'll 100% be back! read more

Puma Detroit - Choripan - Argentine Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

I was really excited to eat here. The menu looked super interesting. However, I was underwhelmed by the food. The ambiance was cool, exposed walls, simple and open kitchen. The service was good; she was really helpful and nice. The food....so the empanada crust was too thick and had no flavor. The fried seafood was good; but the batter lacked seasoning and wasn't crunchy. The coconut rice was good but again lacked salt/seasoning, something was missing. The sweet potato fries were very basic nothing special. One ordered the fried chicken sandwich and stated it was just okay and almost over cooked. The other person ordered the steak sandwich and loved it. Both of them ordered drinks and really enjoyed them. Underwhelming, no plans to return. read more

Good food. DJ usually playing on the weekend. Great vibes. Choribun was tasty and unique . Server was great as well read more

Puma Detroit - "Choribun" chorizo smash burger - Argentine Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Tried Puma Detroit for the first time and I'm already planning my return visit. Pro tip come hungry and expect lots of cilantro, jalapeño, and it might get loud from the dj booth if you stay late. The food is mixture of South American / Argentinian street food. The first cocktail I tried was the Buenos Aires Spritz and it was earthy and smooth, perfect if you love grapefruit. The next was the Rum Manhattan which made for an excellent dark herbal nightcap you might say ha with dried fruit and molasses notes. We started with the Shishito Peppers and they were light and salty, easily the best starter. Decided not to get any cheese (I had watched some cheese pull videos earlier online). My favorite dish was the Chilean Chili, savory spicy sweet perfection. The Bolivian Fried Chicken was unexpectedly amazing, tender, moist, and perfectly fried. Fried chicken is not the first thing I order at a restaurant, but this blew my hair back, Both the Jicama Apple Salad and Camote Mixto came in generous, shareable portions (good for 3+), with the salad adding a refreshing crunch to the meal. Biggest takeaway: amazing Amaro-focused drink menu. Skipped the ceviches this time around but I'm eyeing those Mussels Chalaca for my next visit. The service was great, they explained items on the menu in detail for us and answered questions I had. Definitely want to come back hungrier next time ​​​​​​​​​​​​​ read more

See all

This place has a unique interior and dining experience. Food is pricey but they offer a great selection. Service was top notch, perfect spot for a classy dinner. read more

Puma Detroit - Argentine Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Had a group of 5 and didn't need a reservation on a Thursday night. Love the interior and the music playing. Was a little confused because it seemed like there would be a DJ every night at 9 but it didn't happen when we went :/ The vegan ceviche had mainly a jalepeño spice flavor but i enjoyed the hominey! the pisco drink was great and my friend tried the yerba mate based drink- also great. I do want to go again! and if i did i would order the Provoleta, the empanadas, the caribbean rice, and try more of the drinks! those were my vegetarian favorites from what i snagged off plates read more

See all

So good, drinks yum. Price high, flavor also high! Great vibe and dj. Would come back against super friendly staff and helpful insights on menu options. read more

Puma Detroit - Butterflied trout and Caribbean rice - Argentine Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

We went to the Tiger's game on Memorial Day and decided to come try out Puma. What an amazing experience! It's not very big, but there is ample seating at the bar and they have a counter that runs along the kitchen for dining as well. There is a DJ booth putting out nice music that really adds to the vibe. Our waitress was super nice and really understood the menu. She made a few recommendations and we ended up with milanesa with an egg, Bolivian chicken, sweet potato fries and coconut lime rice. All were simply amazing! The chicken was fried beautifully and had a nice crunch with a hint of spice. The rice had a nice coconut flavor with a touch of lime. The fries were tender and crispy, which most places can't quite figure out when it comes to sweet potatoes. We added the Dulce de leche (Argentine caramel) ice cream and it did not disappoint. It was a great meal and we will definitely be back! read more

See all

Great staff; Very friendly & attentive. Live DJ was a nice touch. The food tastes so fresh!! The mussels are 10/10! The trout didn't disappoint. It didn't have an overpowering fishy taste. The aguachile was good. The corn chips kind of have an overpowering flavor in my opinion. There are a few other things on the menu that I would like to try, but it'll have to wait until next visit. read more

See all

Puma was absolutely delicious. The flavors were fresh, punchy, spicy, and rich all at the same time. The service was also lovely, I felt right at home. We sat outside and enjoyed the nice weather but then moved inside when it rained. The music was fun and loud, but it was great to have a live DJ. Can't wait to go back and try more of the menu!! read more

See all

This spot is hawt. The DJ vibe works. Food on our first try was a few small plates & Sammy's. Also had Jicama salad & Provoleto that failed to capture. Definitely will return! read more

See all

Went for a friend's birthday. Nicely decorated and definitely has a fun vibe with the DJ area and hidden bathroom door. The food is on the pricey side and some things we liked and somethings we didn't. The wine was served in the penguin decanters which was cool but a place like this shouldn't be giving us cheap paper napkins, I would have expected cloth. For a snack, recommend the Provoleta. The cheese and chimichurri was great on the bread. The shishito peppers were good but nothing amazing. As for ceviches, Aguachile De Camarón was a little strange and had a strong celery taste. The Mussels Chalaca we're also just ok but just tasted like a cold mussel with pico. The other star of the show was the Bolivian Chicken. If you go, you have to get that. The spice and breading was crappy and full of flavor and the chicken was so juicy. Our server recommended the Butterflied Trout but let me say, it was pretty disappointing. All you could taste was a burnt char our whole table did not enjoy it. The Choripan was also just ok. Same with the Ecuadorian Empanada, we didn't get a great cheese pull and seemed a little on the cold side. Our server also seemed to be annoyed and not very friendly with us. I'd go for 2 things but for as much as we'd spent I'd rather go elsewhere. read more

See all

Great and attentive customer service VERY delicious food, every bite was delicious. Great ambiance Looking forward to returning read more

Puma Detroit - Steak sandwich in the back Chicken sandwich in the front - Argentine Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

See all

Location: Tucked into Core City - across from Barda. Plenty of well lit parking right across the street. Restaurant & Service: They offered coat check which is always nice. Very vibey (read dim lighting and music. Live Dj was playing while we were there. Our servers were knowledgeable and gladly shared info on plates we asked about. Their recs did not disappoint. Food: We were a group of six and ordered quite a bit of food and drinks (o tried to get as many pics as possible). The stand out for us were the mussels. Though we enjoyed all the other dishes, the mussels were just divine. Order them! Everyone raved about their drinks - my fav was the Ananas. read more

See all

Love trying new spots, so my friend and I checked this out a couple of months ago for their happy hour. They have a couple of food and drink options on their happy hour but are known for their special on "wine penguins" just a cute little penguin vessel that you can pour your wine out of. We split the provelta (melted cheese in a cast iron served with chimnichurri and baguette) and milanesa (a pounded friend chicken dish). both were excellent! they had a dj this particular night and we were seated at a bar top surrounding the dj booth which was really cool and a little different. Our server was great and made good. recommendations. read more

Puma Detroit - Provaleta and wine penguin - Argentine Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

See all

Service was kind of slow. We understand giving time to talk and eat, etc. but even coming over to take our initial drink orders took 15 minutes. Ambiance was a vibe. We loved the live DJ on a Saturday night. Where it fell short for us was the food. Shishito peppers were just basic. The melted cheese was good, but nothing to die for. Our trout seemed a little bit over burnt for us and we couldn't get through more than a few bites, it was also pretty salty. We dipped and didn't have dessert because of the very slow service. read more

Just opened earlier this week - Puma is the casual, sister restaurant to Barda (just a block away) with the same focus on Argentinian food, all cooked over fire. No reservations, street parking only, Decent sized bar seating in front of bar and kitchen, otherwise a small area for tables. We met our friends at 7:30 and grabbed the only table left that could seat 4. They also had space for a dj table. Small menu for drinks and food- we ended up just ordering one of everything - and it was all Delicious! read more

See all

We went to Barda last year and were a bit underwhelmed, so we greatly enjoyed the alternative of Puma across the street, which features a modest, but well-crafted menu, aggressively modern industrial interior, an occasional live DJ, and an open kitchen setup (similar to Barda or perhaps Takoi-- all common characteristics of the Ph*l K*fk* gastronomic empire). We are sticking with the South American vibe, though! The chivito-- the national dish of Uruguay, basically a steak sandwich- was exceptional. The chicken sandwich, an alternative, was not quite as interesting, and was sort of in the vein of dry, crunchy chicken that is unfortunately quite popular these days, but the chivito was so good that I will forgive this minor issue. Beyond this, we enjoyed an exotic white malbec served in a little penguin decanter (dorbz). The aguachile de camaron and the milanesa both looked AMAZING and I will definitely try that next time, as did the camote mixto (it says "sweet potato fries" but it looked more like assorted fried root vegetables). The fish (butterflied trout?) also looked tasty and the charcoal parilla set up is a lot of fun. Staff were great. read more

Puma is the sister restaurant to Barda, so we wanted to check it out because Barda has really cool vibes. In terms of ambiance, Puma did not disappoint. It stays with the wood fire theme of Barda but has really cool neon lights and interior. The food is more casual than Barda, and I thought it was good, but not as good as its more upscale sister restaurant. The Milanesa was definitely my favorite dish out of the options. We were able to find street parking relatively easily, and were seated with no wait even without a reservation. The service was great and I would recommend for a cool place to try out with some friends if you're looking for a restaurant with a unique menu and good vibes. read more

See all

Good food and ambiance. It's small plates that are easily shareable. The only thing I didn't like was how small the restaurant was - felt overcrowded. read more

The staff were great, the food was amazing, the drinks were well balanced, and because we walked in during a rare slow Thursday night, we had almost the whole place to ourselves for the first half hour before it picked up. It's a little dark inside and hard to tell if they are (really) open from the street - but it's a cool vibe and space. read more

See all

Damn. Puma was a go to six month ago but we went to it today and it was so disappointing. Their social media rebrand was deceiving, we ordered the shrimp and it was basically college dining hall rice and tiny frozen shrimp with some sauces on top... horrible. Used to be fans but after this visit I fear it's lost it's soul. The service is still top notch but the food is not worth the price. Full stop. read more

Love love love this place. Currently my favorite restaurant in Detroit and I would argue that it is the best. The vibe is incredible and very clean with pops of color. The staff are so nice! Multiple people asked us how the food and drinks were even though we were just sitting at the bar. You can tell this is a place they are proud of. The choripan is so rich and flavorful with all of the right textures. I got it as is, and I would recommend having at least one in its purest form. We also tried one of their specials which was so good I'm sad it won't be there next time (milanesa). Make sure you follow them on instagram so you don't miss anything! I forgot what it's called but the pineapple cocktail is also very good if you like sweeter drinks. I also love that they have djs playing on certain nights! Great for a night out. read more

Cute atmosphere and I went here for Andre Terrell's DJ set but was greeted at the door very rudely .... It felt like a "what are you here for" Lady was rude not sure if she was the owner or a head bar tender but I told her I came there because of the street pass app event and she directed me to the bar stating it was no dance floor and I responded I can dance right here which she raised her voice at me and told me NO!!!! .... Literally came there to dance but didn't realize it was such a small space.... Will not spend any money with this company. I'm sure they will be fine with this.... Can't wait til Andre is booked at an actual dance club and hope puma paid him well. read more

3-1-2025 We had a fabulous time at Puma. The interior has a very interesting industrial chic type vibe. Enjoyed the DJ too. Raelyn, our server, did a fantastic job of explaining the menu in a friendly and unassuming way. Our choices: Provoleta Trout Caribbean rice Chivito. All sooo good, with the trout as the stand out. Fantastic place!! read more

The vibe of the place is great. Inside looks cool af. Love the simple yet rich design. The red outlines on the concrete outside, look so polished. A Manhattan/Paris/Berlin yet so Detroit style. That's how I'm explaining the vibe lol. I went for a friendsaversary. They had a live DJ (pretty standard for the place) which was cool, but a little too loud. The two of us just laughed at it as it made us feel extra old. There isn't much to 'catch' the sound, so it's just bouncing off left and right lol (full disclaimer .. I am in no shape or form a sound knowing person). It just felt too loud for a restaurant. Also, could just be me getting into that age lol. I did like the music tho, so I was torn between starting to dance and shouting at my friend haha. It felt like they turned it down, or we just got used to it as we didn't need to lean into the table as much to hear each other. I feel like in the summer time with everything opened .... music everywhere, people chatting, silver wear clicking, shishito smells everywhere (more info below on that), drinks spritzing ... I can't wait for the summer and going back to this place. We started out with a couple of appetizer. First, we had the Provoleta, which must be eaten asap. Once the cheese is cold it's hard to cut through. Our drinks almost hit the floor, as we were dying laughing cutting the cheese. But the taste was great. The Chimichurri was sooooooo good!!! I want that recipe. The baguette was a little too burned at some spots for me personally, but once that Chimichurri was on, all was forgotten. As a second app we had the empanadas, too stiff for my taste. I would have loved more of the pickled sauce to moist it up and soften it. Either way good flavor. But them Shishito Peppers tho ... amazing! When they hit our table ..... that smell took over mhmm. The taste was soooo good, the spices .... perfection (as I'm writing about them my mouth is watering). Perfectly cooked and not charred. I get annoyed when the shishito pepper is basically burned, and when I peel the burned skin off there is no pepper left. These had a couple tiny spots, which I didn't even remove. Like I'd eat those all day every day there. What I'm trying to say is ... GET THEM. For the main course we did the Butterflied Trout and it did not disappoint. The meet was so juicy. The spices used were a great compliment to the trout. Then we had the Dessert and almost fought over it. Delicious that's all I can say. The peanut pieces and Carmel (I think that's what it was) tasted so great together. A crunch never hurts. For drinks we both had the Ananas all I can say is, yum. Made me feel like summer hit my tongue. We also did the Piattelli and it went well with the dessert and the penguin cups are so damn cute (does not look like a penguin imho lol but the little story behind it made it that much better). Service was awesome. We got kicked out because we overstayed and the next reservation was waiting. If we could have we would have stayed longer but we where also there for 3 hours lol so totally understand :-) Overall it's just a cool azz space. Inside and out. It's great to see people moving into the empty spaces around the Detroit area. Hopefully they're plugged into the local community as well. Loved everything about it and will be back for sure. read more

Puma Detroit - The penguin sparkling wine cup fillers. - Argentine Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

See all