BESA

This place is amazing. Hands down the best meal and service in the Detroit area. The dishes and cocktails area extremely well thought out. You could tell the waiter enjoyed being there and was knowledgeable of the food and drinks. A must when dining in downtown Detroit.

Had a great experience at BESA! Our server, Joy, was excellent—she took care of us every time and made sure we had everything we needed. The starters were okay; the cheese was a bit hard and would’ve been better with some crackers to pair with it. The lion’s mane mushroom kebab had great seasoning, but the texture wasn’t my favorite. However, the lobster tail and salmon were both cooked to perfection—absolutely delicious. We ended our night with a fantastic dessert, which was the perfect sweet touch to finish the meal. Overall, a solid experience with great service and some standout dishes!

We stopped here for appetizers and cocktails, and had a great experience! The food and drinks we tried were all unique and delicious, and Sebastian was attentive and friendly. We tried the Short Rib Arancini, Herb Marinated Chicken Kabob, and Broccoli Frito… all were so tasty! The “Toast to the Coast” cocktail was so unique and flavorful, I loved it! “Hard Day’s Night” was also great, very refreshing. Highly recommend a visit!

My husband and I went for his 33rd Birthday. Everything about our experience was phenomenal. From the ambience, to the service, to the entree, the drinks, down to the dessert. 10/10 hands down! We felt like we took a trip, life was on pause, it was complete indulgence into the food and experience. Our waitress Danielle was excellent, very professional, helpful, & kind. We're already planning to go back. Best spot we've been to in years.

Went here on Thursday for a date night. I can’t believe I’d never been here before. Great location and beautiful atmosphere in the restaurant. The service was excellent and super fast, everyone on the staff was EXTREMELY friendly and our server Adrian was excellent. The food was incredible, the calamari was some of the best I’ve had. Everything we had was delicious and cooked to perfection. I will be coming back!

First thing to note is how attentive and friendly everyone was. Our server Sarah was amazing and went above and beyond. Now to the food, everything we ordered was delicious! Usually there’s always something I don’t like but honestly loved everything! Starters: pulled lamb- meat was tender and full of flavor over hummus and some sort of reduction 🤌🏼💋we also ordered the grilled artichoke which is usually a main but they split it into 2 and served it as a starter. WOW! artichoke was perfectly grilled and seasoned over hummus, fave bean/ wheat berry and pickled onions. Main: ribeye steak frites, scallops both well seasoned and delicious We were so full but opted for a mango sorbet- tasted like they spooned fresh mango- so yummy! Drinks: 1917 - think Hugo spritz with gin- YUM! Carpe diem (NA) mint lime soda water

Came here for a date night and enjoyed the atmosphere. Music was not too loud and the scene was not overly crowded. I was seated right away, but I did have a reservation which was easy and quick to make online. The food was excellent- dishes that stood out were the eggplant toast and lamb chops. We came during happy hour which went until 630. Much more affordable prices on drinks. Only thing that I would say was a negative was that it took the servers longer to clear my dirty dishes.

Beautiful ambience and great service. One of our friends who had a ribeye steak said it was one of the best he’s ever had. I had the spaghetti with the Hungarian peppers, perfect level of spice. The only thing I didn’t like was the heavy oil they could’ve let up a little bit on the oil had a couple of messes with service didn’t bring a spoon for me, for example and asked if anybody wanted pepper, but overall good service and would be back again. Drinks were great. Menu was a bit pricey.

We had just two full days to explore and eat in Downtown Detroit. For happy hour we chose Besa for location and the fresh appearance of it. I won't make this a long story. Sat at the bar and ordered some bubbles to start and some appetizers. Everything, food, beverage, service and ambiance was outstanding. I wish we had more time to have a full dinner but definitely in our list for whenever we visit again.

Great Service and GREAT food. I'm from minneapolis and my Michigan friends took me here for my 40th birthday! It did not disappoint! we stayed at the David Whitney, autograph collection and the restaurant was in walking distance. The dish of the night was Pulled Lamb Shoulder which was set over hummus. This was a whole fave of the table. I also got the swordfish belly kebab which was delish. the only dish that didn't pass was the Ribeye, they kept over cooking it, however they comped my friend so no hard feelings! We also got free dessert for our birthdays!

Second time here after bad first experience with service. My group wanted to come here, so I went with the majority. Food was delicious and service was outstanding. I'm assuming since it was a Wednesday, it was better compared to the weekend. I had the chicken breast dinner and I actually finished it because it was so delicious. The chicken wasn't over cooked, and was moist. The asparagus was a little burnt, but was still good. I do wish they could have added more mushrooms to the dish and it was not enough. Our waitress was very attentive and helpful with answering any questions. I'm happy and will be back.

Besa is one of the best restaurants at the end of Woodward and they should be extra commended for that success. The atmosphere is amazing, with huge windows allowing the city lights to shine in, the staff is extremely friendly and the food is great. The fish crudo was bright and acidic but well balanced. The pulled lamb should was divine, extremely tender and well seasoned allowing for all the lamby flavors to be highlighted. A great spot if you're looking for a downtown dinner

We were in town for the University of Michigan football game, and my husband was nice enough to make a reservation at this restaurant. It is in a nice area with other restaurants and office buildings nearby. We were quickly seated at a nice table aIong the window. The restaurant has a very nice modern vibe. The complimentary focacia bread and olive oil were great. We started with the calamari appetizer, and it is one of the best calamari dishes I have had. The menu has several seafood, meat, and chicken entrees. I opted for the scallops dish. The scallops were delicious. One suggestion would be to serve the mashed potatoes that come with the scallops at a higher temperature. My husband had the prawn scampi dish. He loved the flavors. We were too full for dessert, but maybe next time.

The food & drinks were excellent. The staff were really nice and welcoming. I Highly recommend this restaurant. 10/10

Absolutely beautiful restaurant in a great, central location. The staff is quick and attentive, and willing to provide recommendations. The food and drinks were good but felt slightly overpriced for the quality. I had the steak frites and it was well-cooked, but a bit on the bland side compared to other restaurants of similar caliber. The wine list is frankly a bit underwhelming given how beautiful their cellar is -- a bunch of uninspired grocery store wines with the occasional $$$ big brand bottle thrown in there. It just doesn't feel super thoughtful or like it's meant to go with their food menu in any meaningful way. Overall, a good spot for a date night but probably not my first choice at its price point.

Service was great! I sat at the bar. Meal was meh - manouri cheese and roasted eggplant bruschetta was not what I was hoping for. NA beverage was syrupy sweet. I bet other options on the menu would have been better choices.

Terrific vibe with big floor to ceiling windows adding brightness and people-watching. Music was a bit loud for my taste, but not overly obnoxious. The calamari appetizer was among the best ever - Fresh calamari and tasty red sauce. The Prawns Scampi was well-prepared, flavorful and filling. Service was excellent, supported by multiple staff members. Pricing is at the higher end averaging about $80-$100/person all-in, depending upon what drinks are selected. Overall, a wonderful experience.

My girlfriends and I had a girls night out here on Saturday and we were blown away by the food. We decided to get some appetizers and some entrees to split. The food was fantastic. The wait was very accommodating to allow us to split most of the food so we could share it. Not pictured is the bacon scallops which were cooked to perfection. Also not pictured is the bread - it was so delicious that we asked for more. The cheese was interesting and the combo of the honey and nuts was great. I'd love to come here on a date night to try a lot of the other menu items. It was not a cheap dinner, but the service and the atmosphere was worth it.

I had an amazing meal at Besa! The lamb chops were absolutely delicious--tender, juicy, and seasoned perfectly. The portion was generous, and the presentation was beautiful. The restaurant has a great vibe, and the service was friendly and attentive throughout the night. If you're in Detroit and craving a flavorful, well-cooked meal, I definitely recommend Mesa!

We went here for Valentine's Day and the experience seemed sub par for the hype and over all aesthetic. It is BEAUTIFULLY modern and welcoming inside, it gives a more open feeling to what is a corner space of a restaurant. Yes I understand Valentine's Day is a busy day, and can see to feel non stop but a smile and greeting go an extremely far way. The hostesses did a lovely job! They were friendly, and prompt explaining tables were running behind and they would get us seated as soon as possible. They directed us to the bar for a cocktail during our wait. The bar was quick to bring us cocktail/wine menus with waters but then never checked back in on us for drinks. We ended up flagging one down to place our order and then again later on to cash out to go to our table. The downstairs was decorated lovely with heart balloons floating against the ceiling. It made it cute but not over done. Kudos to a simple but elegant decoration for the space. Dinner was unfortunately underwhelming, portion sizes for the appetizers are small. The calamari is plated over the marinara which if not delivered to the table immediately will cause you to get soggy pieces and not crisp. The pulled lamb shoulder was good but again everything shoved onto a small plate toppling over each other. This was good but also very fatty. (Upon bringing these out we had no plates to share these on. Had to wait to eat to ask for plates) I had the Double Cut lamb chops and my boyfriend has the Ribeye steak frittes. These were both lovely taste wise, but I do feel like what you get for what you pay on both of these is mediocre. Two lamb chops with 4 pieces of barley roasted vegetable... Our server was lovely, but most of her time was unfortunately taken up by an unhappy guest through out the experience. We refilled our own waters, stacked plates to be taken, asked for dishware ect. There was quite a confusion at the end of the night with the bill including the deposit. We received our neighboring tables bill, I noticed the amount she told us to pay vs the amount with the deposit were not the same in the slightest. Then noticed it wasn't even our bill to began with shortly before leaving. We were paying cash and this would have had us paying almost an extra $80. We then received the right bill and again, confusion with the deposit and what the total amount actually was. For some reason she was going off the total, and not the balance due at the bottom of the receipt which had the deposit included. If I hadn't been in this industry for the last ten years I can see how many people may have been told totals not including their deposit. (20% gratuity is automatically applied on holidays) Not one person mentioned this, as I do think gratuity is important on holidays because most people do not tip these days. It would be nice to be notified of before you're reviewing your bill after you've paid.

Fantastic plates and great ambiance. It's an eclectic mix of food offerings and changes regularly. The only criticism would be if you get seated in the lower level... i.e. the basement! It's definitely a bit pricey, but if it's a special event, it's worth it .

Yet another five star experience at Besa! Amazing food, ambiance, and service. Raed provide the absolute best service and makes perfect recommendations. We have loved every recommendation he's max river the years and tonight was no exception. Best restaurant in Detroit!

This was our first time trying Besa, and we really enjoyed it. The hosting staff and manager were very friendly upon arrival, as are the servers. The ambience is chic and modern. And the food was quite good. We loved the eggplant toast, the seared manouri cheese with figs, and the zucchini fritter. The spinach pie tart was good, but not as exceptional as the other appetizers. I prefer the phyllo of spinach pie, rather than puff pastry. The Gorgonzola and arugula salad was very tasty, though it was a bit difficult to eat the Jurassic sized arugula leaves even after attempting to cut through them with a butter knife. The green tomato gazpacho was also good, it had a peppery bite to it which I liked, but was slightly too cucumber forward for me. The grilled chicken with avgolemono sauce was delicious. I could eat that all the time. And the roasted fingerling potatoes were amazing. I really liked how light everything was, but still bursting with flavor. And the focaccia was great also. Our desserts; the trilece cake and the hazelnut espresso frappe were both really good. The trilece cake was served ice cold, dripping in the milk mixture. It was the best tres leches cake I've ever had. Nice job. And the hazelnut espresso dessert was like a giant ice cream sandwich, which we also enjoyed. Overall, the food was lovely. If pressed, I would say the only things we didn't enjoy were the somewhat uncomfortable banquettes, and the bizarre choice of music; this terrible EDM baloney. "Elevator Techno" is the best I can describe it. I would much rather hear some traditional Greek or pan-Mediterranean music, something that actually suits the food being presented, to add to the mood rather than subtract. But my harsh music review notwithstanding, we would definitely eat here again.

Classy and sophisticated. The wait staff is very attentive and friendly. I tried the chicken which is on top of rice with trumpet mushrooms and asparagus. It was delicious! The chicken was juicy and the avgolemono sauce was perfection. I was drinking the lule which is vodka, rose water simple syrup, and citrus. Just a hint of floral rose and bright citrus. It was good.

Food was excellent. It was enough for the tomahawk steak for us to share so we only had one tomahawk steak but enjoy the delectable tartar and other delicious appetizers., Our service was impeccable very attentive, nice friendly ambience was looking out the window and around a circular seat at Woodward and Congress really enjoyed this meal. I will be coming back. It was definitely five star and amazing every taste.

Great service (Danielle). Great food. One couple vegan and had good choices and well explained by Danielle. Open Mondays unlike a lot of other restaurants in Detroit

I LOVED the lamb shoulder app and would get it every time I come. The soup also far exceeded my expectations. Those 2 alone were already really filling, but I decided to also get the sable fish. I thought the sides could have been a little more seasoned but I loved the balance overall. I would highly recommend any of them. Our server was super attentive and explained everything very professionally.

So this restaurant has been on my "restaurant list quote for quite some time. Finally tried it today and I was impressed. My friend and I went after work and the vibe inside was very nice. It's definitely a very nice classy restaurant for dates or business functions or grown/sexy birthday party. We had the most amazing waitress (blanking on her name at the moment). She arranged for us to see the wine cellar downstairs and had the manager give us a small tour of all the different wines. I had the Caymus Cabernet. Very smooth and full. She was also very aware of the menu. We started with the pulled lamb which was so tasteful. It was served over hummus, and the combination is just amazing. We both had the ravioli as an entrée which was topped with summer truffle. OMG! So flavorful! Highly recommend this restaurant. It's located right downtown Detroit.

Adrian was an attentive server who read the table's needs well. Beautiful wine selection and great cocktails. Flavorful and eclectic fare, but it definitely comes with a price tag.

I planned a work dinner here in Besa's private room. During planning, they were very accommodating with some requirements we had on our end, especially about timing of food. Having never been there before, I was still a little nervous about the dinner. The night of the dinner, we arrived early to prep and were pleasantly surprised to find they were already set up, waiting for us. Shawn and her team were amazing. As soon as the other guests got there, the appetizers hit the table and Shawn was ready to take our entree orders, being sure to inquire about dietary restrictions individually and discreetly. Service remained attentive throughout, waters being refilled almost instantly. The room we booked was beautiful and sufficiently quiet to have meaningful discussions. The chairs were a little loud but that's the only negative. The food was delicious! I had the chicken, and I never knew chicken breast could be so tender. The bread was also amazing, especially with their special olive oil blend. I cannot say enough how delighted I was with Shawn and her team! Everything went so well, and we couldn't have asked for a better experience.

We had reservations here with my sister's family for dinner. The place had an upscale ambiance, yet our server made us feel comfortable. We started out with the calamari which was pretty good. I had the ribeye steak substituting the fries for the whipped potatoes and it was very tasty and had some of my niece's scallops which were also very delicious. We ended our meal with a couple of desserts the raspberry ice cream pie and the dark chocolate fudge torte, both were decadent and very satisfying.

Bread, ribeye, and tres leche dessert were amazing. Zucchini fritter, truffle ravioli were decent. Service was very good. It's a fun place for a celebration night! Definitely need to come back to try more things.

Good service. Great food. And homey service. 10 out of 10. Delicious food and great happy hour.

Wow Dorian was phenomenal! Service was top notch! So helpful and informative! Helped us vegetarian and non dairy people navigate through the menu! Double checked our order with the chef to make sure we were still able to enjoy a wonderful dinner! Highly recommend!

Located off woodward on the corner next to a coney and like Grand Trunk. Parking is street or paid lots. Very walkable. Went here for my birthday and to have drinks with friends. This is pricy but the food is yummy. Perfect for a date or friends vibe or family dinner. The service is always outstanding and you will be taken care of.

Besa gets a solid 5/5 from me. Their fries, truffle ravioli, and chocolate dessert were all top-notch. Everything was well-prepared and flavorful. The cozy ambiance and attentive service made it a great dining experience. Definitely worth a visit for a delicious meal.

Great ambiance. Had a private room on a Tuesday for a party of 12. Carter was a wonderful server and Roger the manager was very attentive. For dinner we had the chef special ravioli with pork belly and black truffle -- Delicious. Also delicious was the chicken breast entree. To drink we had the Beet Mezcal and it was amazing!! We'll be back.

If you're visiting from Cali this is the place to try. We went on a last minute Parents Night Out Date . We called to make sure and they fit us right in. Our waiter was so nice (I think it was Jake but he had some awesome tattoos)! Not only was he very professional but he also recommended fun things for us to do after. I was so impressed because I realized we were still there after they had closed. They didn't rush us at all I couldn't believe it! The food was great and so were the drinks! The ribeye was delicious! Totally recommend. I also really enjoyed the sea bass crudo. Just try everything haha. I'm a bread girl so the freshly made bread was the star for me hahah. Fair warning the drinks are delish but they are strong haha. Oh and you can't forget desert! I can't remember what it was called but it was like a giant fancy ice cream sandwich. It was good even my husband liked it and he doesn't do chocolate lol. So I guess what I'm saying is go for it haha.

The food was pretty average but the restaurant had a very nice ambiance. The service was also very efficient so we overall enjoyed our dinner. We got the kale salad which was very very good and the Ribeye Steak which was good but could have been cooked better.

My coworkers and I went here recently for an after-work happy hour. We had our own table in the basement level. We had a good view of the wine cellar, into which we were invited (we declined). We ordered drinks and a variety of appetizers. The open face spinach pie had a thin crust with a nice leek flavor (note: do not expect a Greek spinach pie). The zucchini fritters were pliant without being soggy and the yogurt sauce balanced them well and was not overly yogurty. They were more substantial than the spinach pie, which was smaller than expected. I did not have drinks so I cannot comment on those but props to the white bread with a perfect crunchy crust. Besa had a classy atmosphere. Our waitstaff was knowledgeable and efficient. They offered one in our party a chance to taste different wines to decide what to order. Note: the stairs to the basement are long and steep. Take care on them or ask for an elevator (I assume one exists).

Besa is consistently flavorful and an overall great experience. Every time I go, the staff is beyond amazing. They have wonderful recommendations, and are confident in those recs. They start you off with focaccia. It has an incredible crunch & is still warm when they deliver it to you. You can always tell a good restaurant by the quality of their olive oil, and Besa's olive oil and vinegar dipping sauce is the perfect compliment to the bread. For drinks, I ordered the B sting, which is Smokey and spicy. It's definitely not for everyone, but I love the different flavors you get sipping on it, and I can't get a drink like it anywhere else downtown. The waitress recommended the city lights to my friend, and she said it was the perfect suggestion for a nice sweet refreshing drink. (I didn't try it so I can't confirm) As an appetizer, I got the calamari. It was extremely light, fresh, and had a wonderful tomato sauce with it. I will say, the table next to me got a cheese and fig appetizer and it looked so yummy, I was sad I didn't get that.. (not that the calamari disappointed whatsoever) For my entree, the waitress recommended the lamb chops. They were juicy & had the perfect sear from a well seasoned cast iron skillet. They were accompanied with a vibrant cucumber, pepper, and onion Mediterranean salad and a red pepper yogurt. Eating a bite with all components was a flavor bomb! Although my appetizer, entree, bread, and olive oil plates were okay were licked clean, we somehow found room for dessert. The labneh cheesecake was flavorful & tasty. I will say, the cinnamon in the crust was a bit overpowering for me, I would've preferred a cinnamonless crust to really spotlight the flavor of that cheese part of the cheesecake. My friend got the trilece cake, which I've had before and I know is ridiculously yummy. My favorite dessert they have is the hazelnut frape bar. To my disappointment, they were out of it this time... just forcing me to come back again. If I had to change anything, I would've loved a nice mashed potatoes with my lamb chop as well, but that's just because I know how ridiculous the mash is that comes with the filet. (But I totally respect that the mash would not go with the perfect bite that they've created with their lamb chop meal already, I just love potatoes, don't hate!)

Absolutely fabulous! We loved this place. All the food was fantastic. We loved the desert and the knowledgeable staff. The ambiance was great.

Can't believe it took me this long to try this place! The ambiance was fabulous - and gorgeously decorated for the holidays. I found it hard to choose what to order, and I am somewhat limited in what I can eat being a lactose-avoiding pescatarian. No problem here! They were very attentive to our various dietary restrictions. They started us with a fresh-baked focaccia with olive oil that had both za'atr and lemon juice. Fantastic combo! Being a big mushroom lover, I ordered the lions mane skewer, which came with some grilled vegetables. The mushroom pieces were very large and sumptuous, and absolutely delicious. I even got avowed mushroom-hater in our group to agree it was great. We also ordered their fries - a very large portion that came with 2 dipping sauces. Three of us ordered the sable fish with uni orzo, which was great. Portions were more than adequate. Two shared the lamb chops and both reported that they were outstanding! I can't wait to go back!

Father in law flew in from California and we really wanted to show him a great time. Wife and I have been here several times and it's always been amazing. Impeccable service by our server Alex. He was attentive, considerate and when our 9 year old got her meal and it had something she didn't want on it, she was too afraid to say anything other than "it has cheese on top". Alex saw the look on her face, took her plate and reassured her that he was going to fix it. 5 minutes later, he brought out a new dish with no cheese and she lit up with joy. So amazing. It's these little things that keep us coming back here and keep us recommending BESA to everyone. In short, the service is second to none from the door to the table. The menu is simple yet exquisite. The ambiance depends on the time of night. Once you get past 7pm on a Friday or Saturday night, it can be a little loud, but still very manageable to have a conversation without yelling "HUH?!?" across the table. Parking is a breeze too. 3rd party valet is available for $15 on the other side of the street in front of Townhouse or you can park in the enclosed One Detroit Garage right behind it for a couple of dollars less (that's where valet parks the cars anyways TBH). Attire is business casual but it's always best to dress to impress!

This Albanian restaurant truly delivers the taste of the Adriatic in downtown Detroit. The restaurant staff is attentive from the moment you enter and the ambiance is quite modern, adding to a delectable dining experience. We came in a large group and got seated downstairs near their wine cellar. I started our meal with a hibiscus infused vodka cocktail, Besame, which was pomegranate red, picture-worthy, and perfectly sweet. We started our meal family style with lots of appetizers, each one perfectly bringing in Mediterranean flavors. 1. The seared Manouri cheese was the perfect combination of salty from the cheese and sweet from the figs; it was a table favorite. 2. The butternut squash and feta cakes were light and went well with the yogurt; you can never go wrong when feta is an ingredient in the dish, and this appetizer was a testament to it. 3. The pulled lamb shoulder with brown butter hummus was tasty with a very generous serving of braised lamb shoulder, making it a hefty appetizer. 4. The open face spinach pie may not have been the best puff pastry pie I have ever had, but was quite large with 2 square cut pies perfect for sharing between 4 people. 5. The village salad was standard affair with the usual suspects: tomatoes, cucumber, olives, peppers, and feta. I wished the feta was sliced and not crumbled and there were more olives, but, as a wise music group once said, you can't always get what you want. 6. The seared octopus was unfortunately just okay. I expected this dish to be great, but was not as impressed with the flavor, and could have passed on this appetizer. For my main, I got the filet mignon and finished every bite of the well seasoned and perfectly cooked steak. The olive oil whipped potato was a true step up from your classic mashed potato and the heirloom carrots complemented the dish well. The Pinot Noir we got for the table paired nicely with the steak. For sides, we got the green beans, crispy fingerling potatoes, and fries. Each was pretty standard affair and, honestly, your entree will be large enough that you will not necessarily need sides next to it. After splurging on such a meal, we couldn't leave without trying out 3 of their 4 desserts. If you made it this far in the review, here's a brief overview ordered from most to least favorite: 1. Trilece cake: this absolutely perfect dessert truly delivered. Wet and sweet, this rich sponge cake is traditionally made with a combination of 3 milks. Each spoonful had a nice caramel aftertaste. 2. Labneh cheesecake: I loved everything about this cake except for the cookie crust, which tasted too dense and had too much cinnamon. Glazed blueberries were a nice touch, however. 3. Dark chocolate fudge torte: it looked great, but I wasn't a fan. It was very dense and the cocoa crust unfortunately tasted too bitter. Overall, this was a great experience for a large party; I would definitely love to come again. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Delightful evening with family. Ada took exceptional care of our table, beginning with the menu description, then with the timing of our meal delivery. The wine was continually topped off and the bread was warm and fabulous. We had a variety of dinners at our table and everyone raved about their choice, claiming to have the best dish. The GF options were good too. We were seated at a nice table for 6 looking right out the big window. Of course judging the parallel parking of others and enjoying the city lights. We will return. Thank you for a wonderful experience.

Food was good Service was good as well I like the location of the place The bad part about this place is the bathroom situation. I didn't like that you have to wait by the door till someone gets out and it's near the kitchen so you are in the way while waiting. Nice ambiance though. We sat somewhere tucked away from the bar I'd like it a bit more if the seating was more toward the bar area.

You know when sometimes you go to a vey expensive restaurant and when the bill comes, you don't care how much it is because the dining experience was so fantastic? Well this is not that. Don't get me wrong, everything here is spot on: service is highly professional and the food is creative and properly cooked. Cocktail menu and wine list are well put together. But something I can't put my finger on, just does not excite me about coming back. Ambiance is very LA. Nice buildout, fairly upscale. Crowd is everything from well dressed to jeans with flannel shirt. Servers all well dressed and highly trained. Food was all technically perfect and tasty. I mean everything was perfect. So I feel bad I can't be passionate about this place. You should definitely try it and see if this is more your cup of tea.

Dinner after the Tigers game with my girlfriend's. This is my second time being here, but my first review. I enjoyed it the first time, too. I just didn't write a review after that visit. First, before I talk about our meals, I have to mention our server. Her name is Shawn and she was amazing! Her description of whatever we asked about was superb...we couldn't decide what to get! Open face spinach pie-great appetizer, from the crispy crust on the bottom to the thinly sliced lemons on the the top. Bread with olive oil-the bread is crusty on the outside and soft in the middle. Just delicious, but try not to eat it all or you won't have room for your dinner Filet mignon-looked tender enough to cut with a fork. It was served with roasted carrots and a potato cake. It must have been good because both of their plates were empty. Branzino-nice crispy skin, flaky moist fish. The menu describes it with asparagus, but tonight it came with mashed potatoes. I didn't care at all for the potatoes, there was some kind of spice in them that I didn't care for; horseradish? Maybe? I dont know for sure. Luckily, I was able to swap them out for the potato cake that came with the filet. Much better potato choice!

This place has decided they are here to brag. They scream it from the roof tops, we know what we are doing, and they are right. My appetizer was delicious. The atmosphere is sleek and inviting. My entree was delicious. The wine paired with the meal, which was suggested by our server, was on point. Get this Detroit if you don't finish the bottle There, they pressurize it and let you take it home. I dined here on the fly and fine myself lucky for the experience. Oh, and if you like Olga spinach pies, they have taken them to another level. I recommend this place.

Came here for dinner prior to the Rolling Stones concert. Downtown Detroit looked excellent. It was walkable from Ford Field. We went in early for happy hour. The apps were 30% off and there was beer, wine, and cocktails on the happy hour menu. They were out of Prosecco so one of the drinks was not available but my dining companion and I chose the Mockingbird. It was a tequila drink with some tropical juices. It was excellent for seven dollars. We shared the lamb shoulder appetizer and the seared octopus. Both of them were excellent. I will say that the octopus appetizer had a lot of olives and not a lot of octopus compared to some of the other restaurants in the area. But it was taster. But the lamb shoulder was amazing. Rich and flavorful. A big hit at our table. We we're already quite comfortable sitting at a table along the windows in the bar so we stayed there for our dinner reservation. We had the lamb heart and mushroom Ragu and the sable fish entree. The lamb heart Ragu was incredible. It came on a bed of pasta that had a slightly thicker than spaghetti sized noodle. Possibly a bucatini pasta. The Ragu was very rich and had an ever ever so slight gamy taste -I say that's not like it was in a bad way but it was full flavored. It was really excellent. The chef is a lamb genius. The sable came with uni orzo. Both the fish and orzo had a bright lemony flavor. The fennel was a nice addition. Staff were friendly and service was good despite sitting in the bar. The tables along the window are great for people watching. I would recommend this restaurant. It is a great option downtown.

Love this place!! Came here before our dinner reservation to enjoy happy hour (4-6:30). They offer $7 cocktails and 30% off appetizers. The my dining companion and I both enjoyed was the tequila Mockingbird. OMG it was delicious! We had 2 appetizers - The seared octopus and the polled lamb shoulder. The secret octopus was very light on the octopus, and had a lot of green olives in it. It was good, but I would not order it again. But the pulled lamb shoulder on brown butter hummus... I could eat a bowl after bowl of it. For dinner my companion had the sable, and I had the lamb hearts and mushroom Ragu. Her fish was quite good, and it was served with orzo. The Ragu came on top a plate of bucatini, and was freaking amazing. I think the chef has a way with lamb. It was so so good.

Overall enjoyable time here. Fuad was a phenomenal server and explained everything spot on! Tried the tartare - very good but a bit pricey ($30) - spinach pie - very good - kale salad - decent needs more dressing - lamb shoulder - very good - fig cheese dish A MUST - steak frites - order med well as this was fatty (good size portion but again fatty. Overall - 7.5/10. Rushing back, no, recommend sure. It's good.

So, while visiting Detroit, I wanted to try the best. Honestly, I went to Takoi. Excellent. Vibey. Bright. Delicious. I went to Bar Pigalle. Understated. On point. Beautiful presentation. Great staff, well trained. I went to Mangiabevi, Urban Italian. Authentic cuisine. Easily the best the Detroit area has to offer. And then, tonight BESA. Honoring our many years of marriage, I chose it because of solid reviews. And I was blown away. From the greeting at door to the best service offered in the D. This restaurant is simply the best. Order the gazpacho. Ask for the truffles. Let the very seasoned and knowledgeable server select the wine. There are no disappointments here. Only wonderful flavors. Nicely plated. Perfect portions. Our server, Daniel, consummate professional. Yes, i will return. And I will tell the others.

Went on Friday night. T. Swift was in town, but it wasn't busy. Still a hidden gem I guess. I had the fries and roast chicken. The fries were perfect. The flavor of the chicken could be amped up and it didn't come out hot. Just lukewarm. The hibiscus NA drink I had was sour for a lemonade. 4 stars for ambiance and 3 stars for the food.

Just tried Besa for the first time! Really beautiful restaurant with lovely lighting. A perfect spot to check out for date night or a girls night out! They had really great service as well! Our waiter was very attentive and gave great recommendations without being overwhelming. I ordered the "fall for you" cocktail and loved this unique drink - highly recommend! They start off with freshly baked focaccia and oil/balsamic dip. The bread was absolutely delicious and so fluffy! We also ordered the calamari and eggplant toast for our appetizers. I think these were both lovely starters, especially the eggplant toast! For entrees we ordered the roasted maitake mushroom and sea scallop entrees. The mushroom was delicious, but I found the side salad served with it to be underwhelming. The sea scallops were also cooked great but didn't have as much flavor as I had hoped. The scallops were served with bacon and a very tasty and flavorful bed of mashed potatoes (this was one of my favorite parts of the meal). We ended the night with the labneh cheesecake which was also very lovely. Overall I was very pleased with my dining experience and definitely plan to return!

This restaurant has been on my list of places to try since they opened! I am so glad I went. The food is great and the service is even better! Warm olive, fried calamari and octopus appetizers were presented well and were very good. My spicy shrimp dish was seasoned like nothing I ever had before. My wife's fish was cooked to perfection. My wife had a tiny chip on the rim of her water glass which even she did not see until she drank. She cut her lip ever so slightly on it and reported it to the waiter so they would not reuse the glass again. Waiter apologized profusely and gave us 1 of each of all 4 of their desserts for free! I was not expecting that at all! We sampled each one and they were all great! Waiter was personable and friendly! Next time I am in Detroit I will go back. I cant wait to try the other menu items. Thanks Besa for a great experience.