The grilled chicken is some of the best I've ever had. I'd grab it at least twice a month. I used to only be available to buy it twice a week because they were working outside of another restaurant. Now they have their own brick and mortar and it's available every day except for Mondays, they're closed. It's a Mexican restaurant but I've never had anything but the grilled chicken thus far. You have to try the grilled chicken, it's amazing. I have it without barbecue sauce. read more

Food is still really great, just in a bigger location. Been here two Sundays in a row for food. Their chicken is still mouthwatering. I tried their bbq ribs which I have never had before and they were amazing. They had a great char on them. Their tacos are still very good. I enjoy their carnitas meat. They don't give you the side of onions on your plate which is t a bad thing, but something I prefer. read more

Just made my first trip to Taqueria El Rey, and it will not be my last. Dear God. The smell of the grilled chicken is heavenly, but I had a mission, and that mission was tacos. I'll have to come back for the chicken. Also Botanas. They are on the menu, and while I may have some deep reservations about this unique Detroit-Mexicantown dish, I'm going to have to return to try those too. But let's get to the tacos. I love that they are on small, doubled, corn tortillas. I love that they are only $3 a pop (less during Taco Tuesday). I love that they have some very traditional fillings. I love that they come with radishes and plenty of limes. After reading through some of the reviews I was compelled to try the following fillings, which are below in ascending order of their deliciousness: - Carne Asada: It's fine, but I wouldn't get it again. - Cabeza: Tender and flavorful, but oddly dry for a typically rich filling. - Carnitas: Juicy, tender, and delicious! A winner. Among the best I've had in the region. - Al Pastor: Yes! Finally! So far, the only good version I've found of this classic here in the area. I'd say it's a must order. Oddly, what dragged these tacos down for me was the choice of the corn tortillas. They were a bit too stiff, and their flavor was so pronounced that the shells overwhelmed the fillings. Typically in this type of situation, one can simply remove one of the two tortillas and just eat them gingerly to avoid the potential failure of the taco's structural integrity. However, my tortillas somehow fused together which made the operation impossible. What does that mean? Well, in future visits I am going to be looking for other ways to make the carnitas and al pastor shine! Maybe it's in a quesadilla. Perhaps a torta? Or could it even be atop a plate of Botanas? The mind boggles. But I'm looking forward to the journey and giving El Rey that fifth star when I find it. Oh, one last thing. The horchata is tooth achingly sweet. Next time I'll try another aqua fresca in the hopes it might be better. read more

Food was phenomenal, some of the best Mexican food I've ever had. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a delicious meal. Large menu, something for everyone read more

Taqueria El Rey - Quesabirria Dinner- This is one of the best things I've ever eaten. Highly recommend this restaurant. - Mexican Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Zocales on the building sign. Enter at the corner. Ordered guacamole, mini taquitos with white queso dip, 1 6" quesadillas, 2 chicken tacos, flautas dinner with beans only, no cheese on the beans. $46.53 The bottled salsas are avocado and tomatillo. The mini taquitos and the flautas looks exactly the same. Both are good. The beans had cheese on them, was easy to pick off, since it hardened quickly. The beans were super thick and rather hard and quite quickly, is that from the lard? Wasn't into it much after a few bites. Had to ask for more chips and more house salsas a couple of times. Tacos aren't bad. Taquitos and flautas are both good. read more

See all

Great taqueria in Mexicantown! Tacos are authentic and flavorful, salsa is amazing and the guacamole was great. Service was good and the inside is cute. I would've given them a 5 star review, but we came on a Friday night and the music from the club upstairs was extremely loud (could barely hear each other talking) and obnoxious. Other than that it was a great experience! Will def be back....during the week though. read more

See all

One of the best grill chicken I had in Detroit area. That's why I came here because they are famous for their char-grill chicken. Menu is simple. Tacos, chicken(adobo or bbq) and some appetizers. Focusing on quality instead of offering too many varieties. Chicken is very good. Flavor from the wood and charcoal with adobo seasoning in every bite. White meat is a little dry, maybe they need to marinate a little longer. read more

Taqueria El Rey - Chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

See all

This new location for Taqueria El Rey (the orig was on Vernor and they had a fire that destroyed the building) is located in the El Zocolo building. El Zocolo's sign is still there, were didn't see any signage that this was Taqueria El Rey. We walked inside hoping the listing address was correct. I wasn't sure until I read the menu! Lol Anyway, I think proper signage would be a good idea. We wanted to try the bbq adobo chicken and some tacos. We got the 1/2 chicken dinner (with rice, beans and tortillas) and a 3 taco dinner (you can mix up the meats, we got a carne asada, carnitas and al pastor). We both agreed that the carnitas was the best, but all tacos were fresh and juicy. We also really liked the beans and rice. The chicken was juicy and flavorful. I ordered a margarita and it was good. I think the thing we liked least, was the chips and salsa. The salsa waa sort of bland and I guess I'm just partial to crispy, warm and sort of greasy chips (you know the type that salt will stick to. Lol). The chips were just ok We thought the prices were good $11.99 for a 3 taco meal, and 14.99 for the 1/2 chicken meal. read more

Nice little Mexican restaurant in the heart of Mexican Town. Service was okay - they seemed a little disorganised when bringing food out. Twice they brought the wrong food to the table and when they did bring the right food, we had items missing and a plate in the tray that didn't belong to our table. I'd like to rate 3.5 stars, but I rounded up. Even though they were disorganised, they were very friendly. I had the taco supreme dinner. The chicken tacos were wonderful! The steak taco was just okay. The steak was a little chewy and didn't really have much flavor. I did not care for the beans or the rice - didn't taste great to me. Others at the table ate the rice and beans and said they were good - so may just be a personal preference in flavor! We all agreed, the margaritas were superb! read more

Taqueria El Rey - Taco supreme dinner - Mexican Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

We have read about this place for years but we just made it in. My husband loved the chicken and ribs and says we will make the trek down next time he wants ribs. I had the birra quesadillas and a chorizo street taco. I loved that I could order a la carte and create my own plate. (I never eat the rice and beans.) This place has value and solid food. read more

Taqueria El Rey - Birra quesadillas and a chorizo taco - Mexican Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

See all

Not exaggerating when i say THEE BEST tacos in detroit!! The asada and al pastor tacos are my fav. The servers are so friendly every time i come in, the restaurant is always clean and they have the best Taco Tuesday specials! Oh and hands DOWN the best green salsa. I could eat here everyday for the rest of my life tbh read more

Taqueria El Rey - Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

See all

Great grande quesadilla Had a house margarita and it just seemed a short pour. The fried ice cream was perfect. Cool atmosphere. read more

Taqueria El Rey is located where the old El Zocalo was and still has the original sign up. Remembering the great food El Zocalo had we decided to give this place a try. I saw queso birria and looked no further. They were excellent! 3 large tacos came with an order. Loved the consommé for dipping. My friend tried the shredded chicken chimichangas. Both meals came with rice and beans. Complementary chips and salsa came right out and our bartender, Jorge, came back with a fresh basket of chips when ours was getting low. The portions are large and everything was fresh and delicious. Definitely worthy of a repeat visit! read more

See all

Food is real and authentic. It dose not disappoint. From the service and ambiance. Make sure you try the Jamaican drink. read more

Taqueria El Rey - Barbacoa soft tacos - Mexican Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

See all

Stick to tacos and even then make sure your asada is tender. This place is built for tourists, if you know tacos the taste will give it way. The ribs made me sick WTF! What do you all think you in TEXAS? Keep in mind when comes to just tacos you have many options in the hood. This place has never been my favorite but coworkers love it. How did they win the spot at Comerica Park I have no idea. Looking for some good ribs go to Brothers Smoke House in Inkster. As per tacos stop by WICHOS TACOS . That is all. Chief A battle can sometimes be won by adding more confusion read more

Taqueria El Rey - Ribs - Mexican Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Good tasting food and quick service. Large parking lot behind the building was convenient. We ordered the BBQ chicken, Ribs and combination fajitas. Everything tasted great. A little pan handling right outside the door was a turnoff, but I don't blame the restaurant. read more

Customer service sucked, made customers purposely wait outside the building while it rained, on a day where it was promised that they would be open for a Fifa World Cup Mexico game. Meanwhile from the side view there were plenty tables empty. Would not recommend, definitely better spots nearby! read more

Great new location. Everything we ordered was demolished because it was so tasty so glad I have friends who know all the best places. Loved walking down the street and seeing the awesome sculptures. Parking was easy, we found a spot on the street but there were multiple lots. We were greeted when we walked in but told them I was looking for a friend who was already there. The friendly staff took our order, the food didn't take long, everything inside was decorated with festive and fun colors. Can't wait to be back in the D. read more

Really liked this place. Came here for a late lunch on a Thursday day off. Loved the setup and festive atmosphere. Sat at the bar and enjoyed some top Shelf margaritas with Patron Silver. They were excellent. Started with a very good order of guacamole. Chips and salsa and the avocado salsa were very good. For our meals, wife had the burrito bowl and I had the grilled chicken with extra adobo. Everything was great. Can't wait to go back and try something else. read more

Taqueria El Rey - Mmmm. Patron margarita at the bar, watching Tigers on a Thursday afternoon. - Mexican Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

The food quality was great. Coming from LA I have a taco in every state I visit. This place put Detroit and Michigan on the top of the Map for me. Don't be fooled by the different name on the sign, the permit on the door has the correct name as they just moved in. To go orders are on the side of the sit in restaurant read more

The food was great the staff was friendly. We really enjoyed it! The inside was nice. We had enchiladas. The rice and beans were very good and we had a margarita. It was delicious! The way to recommend it a specialty dish to my husband and he loved it. read more

If you like spicy food, this is not the place for you. Along with that, the food is pretty much tasteless. We ordered fish tacos, veggie and chicken tacos and nothing was good. The service too forever to bring the food out. Not going here again given there are much better options. read more

Still the BEST Mexican food in town. We came to their new restaurant and food still tastes as delicious and fresh as last time in their original restaurant. Highly recommend their Al pastor and original grilled chicken. Make sure to ask for the green sauce cause that's the best to add to your tacos. Dining area is much bigger and vibe is quiet and friendly. Staff is friendly and quick with service especially getting us additional chips and salsa. read more

See all

My favorite food truck now has a brick-and-mortar! The food has always been elite and still is. Sitting right in the middle of Mexicantown's restaurant strip, there's no way they won't keep expanding and end up #1 amongst the competition soon. The menu and food quality are undeniably on another level compared to the surrounding restaurants. The decor feels fresh, clean, and modern with plenty of seating and a nice open setup. The best thing about Taqueria El Rey is the flavor and juiciness of the meat. Never dry. This visit was no different - the whole chicken, the steak and chicken tacos, even the shrimp - all on point. The service could've been a little more put together, but not in a way that would stop me from coming back. It didn't feel intentional or rude, just a little unorganized. I'm sure it'll get better as they continue to move forward, I don't think they've been open that long yet. This should be your first go-to for tacos and drinks in the city! read more

See all

Have you ever had grilled chicken? I mean... real. grilled. whole. chicken. Superlatives will fail describing how exceptionally excellent that grilled chicken is. We ordered a whole grilled chicken, half an order of ribs, beans and rice... Everything was exceptional. Service was excellent, attentive, and smiling. The place smells like the grill outside... and the food was just.. exceptional. Grilled chicken... beyond superlatives. Ribs that was not quite fall off the bone, almost there, tangy sauce... I'm sorry for the folks who didn't have a great experience here. I was blown away: dollar for dollar, this was superb. read more

I love tacos. I love chips and salsa. I've loved Taqueria El Rey long time. After a tragic fire they closed for 2 years. I tried and tried to find another taco joint I loved as much. Nothing else quite hit the spot. I stick to chicken tacos and chips and salsa. They're hard to beat. As for the rest of the menu you'll have to see for yourself. I found my favorites. No need to explore. read more

Taqueria El Rey - The chicken tacos and the rice are impossible to beat - Mexican Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

See all

A Detroit classic. They just expanded their menu since the re-opening in the new location and it has some amazing options without sacrificing the quality of the staples. The chicken and ribs can't be missed. The service is always great, both at tables and at the bar. read more

You're back! And everything that was so perfect about you on Vernor is 100 percent same on Bagley. Except there's way more room! Now I'm not afraid to write a review about how I literally CRAVE your food, because there's room for more people! Let's start with Marg's: ahem, your top shelf Marg is the real thing! No fake mix going on here. But that stellar Marg ain't got nothing on your food. Your legit charbroiled chicken is second to none. Hubbs orders the whole chicken and takes half home. I'm addicted to the chicken burrito, which is so perfect. I douse it with their "crack" homemade avacado jalapeno sauce. I can only eat half. And I can eat. If you remember them on Verner, go back. If you've never been, get to 3400 Bagley and rejoice. Signage is poor in the new location. They've taken over El Zocala - right on the corner of Bagley and 23rd Street. Welcome back Taqueria El Ray! Love you more than ever! PS: bottle that Avacado Jalapeno sauce!!! read more

Food was consistent, flavors mild, service smooth. Overall fine but not remarkable, a fair three-star dinner. read more

Taqueria El Rey - Mexican Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Best of Mexico right here in Detroit, always great service and food! Love the barbecue chicken it's amazing!

Food was good. Our server seemed annoyed to be there And it wasn't that busy. But still won't go back

I love this building, it's beautiful inside and out! It has been updated to a well lit open concept, last time I was here it was El Zocala in the late 90's. About the food...The chips were super fresh, the Guacamole was fresh & delicious, the house red salsa was very good, the verde salsa was smooth & creamy & slightly spicier than the red. I got 4tacos, 1Al Pastor,1Pollo & 2 Carne Asada tacos. The Al Pastor was my favorite, the meat was marinated & smoky & could really taste the pineapple & the sweet tomatillo salsa with it is amazing. The Pollo taco was smoky and very good but the meat was pretty dry. Carne Asada is my go to favorite taco but unfortunately these did not have the smoky marinated flavor that makes carne asada great, the meat was actually quite bland. 7/10 read more

See all

So glad they are back! We went to the new location on Bagley and we really loved the whole experience. The service was excellent and the old El Zocalo location is really pleasant. The tacos are the real thing, genuine, delicious and a substantial portion. I had one of each kind of meat - my favorites were the pastor and asada. The Michelada was just right, a little spicy, a little tangy with lots of tajin. Again, special shout out to the servers who were really nice, quick and attentive. read more

This place does the best advertising on Instagram. So much so that I could not wait to try it. In a phrase "That did not hit the spot!" I had to ask three times to have our table cleaned. The restaurant was dirty. My wife ordered cheese tamales and I had their signature grilled chicken. The chicken combo came with rice and beans. If you look at the photo you would think it's bursting with flavor. Not! I have never had a more flavorless meal. The chips and salsa were so stale. I am on the hunt for a great Mexican restaurant this is not it. Normally I give at least three visits before I right them off. I am making the exception and vowing never to return. Yuck! read more

See all

Food is always yummy and can't beat the prices. Consistently good and tasty. Great service and attentive service and staff

This was our first visit to Taqueria El Rey, and we really enjoyed. Their service was friendly, and efficient. Their food was authentic, and the asada was outstanding! There was a great vibe too, with a nice mix of people with couples, families, friends, etc. read more

Not the same quality as the old location Meat was all overcooked on asada and pastor tacos... asked the server and she said all the meat is "precooked" What does that even mean, ewww Tortillas felt mass produced Service was great that's why 3 stars but food needs help Better choices for tacos nearby read more

Oh Lord. It was like robbery without a gun. I ordered the taco Supreme (3 tacos and two are at home with me now), the guacamole tasted like paprika was in it and had some spiciness to it. My drinks were watered down. Won't be back... read more

Had an incredible experience at this restaurant that just re-opened, we visited it on a Friday night and it was packed but they were still able to get us a table within a few minutes. The margarita was excellent, not too sweet and they didn't skimp on the alcohol. I had the 3-taco dinner which were excellent, highly recommend the Al Pastor and Carnitas. Those were my favorite from what we tried. These were authentic tacos with fresh ingredients. Our server was awesome, he checked on us multiple times and made us feel at home. The restaurant was really nicely decorated and it was a fun ambiance. Overall if you're in Mexicantown, highly recommend coming here and for sure getting a margarita and some authentic tacos. The prices are fair and the quality is there. read more

Great food, friendly staff, fun atmosphere. Would recommend to anyone wanting authentic mexican at a great price!