Buena Fe Restaurant

I’m so happy that Buena Fe is in my area! I know this will be our go-to spot because I absolutely love Mexican food. On a Sunday night, we ordered takeout, and it was fantastic. You have to try the chips—they’re wonderfully crispy and flavorful, and the salsa and guacamole are great. Don’t skip the guacamole! My only complaint is that I wish there had been more of it. :) The enchiladas are delicious. We ordered the steak with red and green sauces, and they came with beans and rice, both of which were amazing. We ate every last bite! We decided to try a pupusa, even though we’ve only had one in Miami, so we’re not too familiar with them. The Buena Fe pupusa (cheese and loroco) was great, though it wasn’t quite what we expected. I’d definitely try it again next time. Looking forward to more Mexican food in the future!

We have been here several times and the food is consistently delicious!! This time we did carry out (apologies for the pic, I just dump everything on my pupusas) and obviously there was no difference in quality. Our go to are the pupusas. They are SO good and cheesy. The carry out order came with a bag of curtido which I appreciate so much because I could honestly eat a bucket of it! Inside is always clean with plenty of seating and the staff is so friendly. Prices are great for the amount of food you get. You will not leave here hungry!

Very authentic. Used to live in both Mexico and El Salvador. Wish I had found this place sooner! Food is so freaking good. Worth a visit. Ambiance inside makes you feel like you just stepped into a restaurant in El Salvador.

Let me just say this is excellent, no question. Got steak fajitas and a cheese pupusa delicious! The steak was good lots of cheese with beautifully caramelized onions n peppers. Rice was fluffy and fresh, beans with cheese classic good flavor. No beer but honestly not an issue it's a big meal so the beer would just slow you down. We'll absolutely be going back, friendly staff and good salsa too!

My partner and I tried a corn and a flour pupusa, enchiladas with red sauce, and flautas. So good! The flautas were perfectly crispy without being greasy at all. The PUPUSAS?! I’m not sure which one, maybe the corn? That boy changed my life. It was incredible. The slaw paired with the pupusas was really yummy and bright.

Highly recommend this establishment! The food is homemade and traditional El Salvadorian cuisine that you cannot get anywhere else! Friendly service, food comes out fast, paying the bill took a bit longer than we wanted that day or I would have given them 5 stars on service. Atmosphere is not the focus, don't let that turn you away. A very good experience overall! Papusas are amazing!

Buena Fe is a real hidden treasure that you should check out just for the fantastic dining experience it offers. I must admit that the decor and plating of the food is a bit old-fashioned and could benefit from some updates to draw in more customers. Nevertheless, the cuisine at Buena Fe is delightful and bursting with rich flavors. Their dishes consistently feature fresh ingredients and genuine spices that whisk you away to Latin America with each mouthful. Our top favourite dish’s are the Salvadoran Pollo a la Plancha and the Sopa de Pollo. Both were generous portions and cooked perfectly. We are excited to come back and try more of the menu.

Great carry out spot with delicious pupusas. Absolutely can’t get enough of the bean and cheese ones. The guacamole is also very decent and the salsa is fresh.

Day 5 Sandwich Week, my favorite all time Chicken Sandwich like no other Marvelous . Panes Rellenos Torta Bread stuffed with Chicken ,Cabbage, tomatoes, cucumber, radish, lettuce and mayo. Like totally addicted, I've eaten a few of these in the last 5 years. A superb Chicken Sandwich the most beautiful delicious ever eaten filled with both a Chicken Breast n Leg. One of a dozen Salvadorian restaurants in Metro Detroit, plating up Pupusa, Chicharron, Yuca Frita and mucho more. Also full Mexican menu and desserts to enjoy. Hundreds of 5 star reviews around the web Google Yelp Instagram just take a look. Follow the Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/buenaferestaurant?mibextid=ZbWKwL #buenaferestaurant @buena_fe_restaurant #salvadorianrestaurant #panesrellenos #pupusas #salvadorian #bestchickensandwich #yucafrita #downriverfriendseat

A friend highly recommended Buena Fe Restaurant. I stopped in and ordered carry-out. There was a steady flow of customers coming in and out. They're relatively quick and friendly. I enjoyed my selections and will return to try more menu items. There's plenty of space for dining in. There is also a parking lot for the strip mall they're in.

I can't recommend this place enough! Everything was incredible. The service was super friendly. We dined in even though it seems to be mostly takeout. They do have tables and it's a good spot for a chill dinner out. The papusa with bean and cheese was incredibly good. The chimichanga with beef was so flaky on the outside and gooey on the inside. The tacos were also good and my favorite was the el pastor. They were even better with salsa poured on top. The chips and salsa were also incredible which is always a good sign!

It was solid and great as leftovers. It is a good location for us so yes we would return.

We decided to take a short drive and have some of the best dang tacos I've ever had tonight. Birria tacos. Ever had these? Holy Cow, and I mean that literally. Sure, the place isn't fancy, but it doesn't need fancy. Quick service, food was delivered fast and hot. And those tacos... served with steaming hot rice, a refried beans with cojita cheese on top. The guacamole was... whacko good. In summary: Want great tacos? Come to this place, order the birria taco meal, and just freaking enjoy.

The dining area is basic. I had the Lunch Special #1 with Papusas. I had the bean and cheese and the cheese. There were knats flying around the food after it was served. Very annoying. We were also never offered refills of our drinks while we were there. Service was a bit lacking.

Freaking AMAZING! Never been, just randomly picked and I'm so sorry I didn't find sooner! Food was EXCELLENT, salsa is to die for, service was friendly and engaging. I feel like more people do carry out bc we were the only customers eating inside, but I cannot recommend this place enough!!!!

The food was beyond any expectations I had, authentic. The ambiance was nice. The service was awesome. I over ate because every bite was simply delicious. My pupusas were divine. My tamales were literally to die for.

I never give one star review but this place was the worst restaurant I've been to in years. Service was horrible the food was not flavorful at all. How can a Mexican Restaurant mess up guacamole and only have one size $10. This is the perfect location and could do very well if the food and service were better.

As someone who spent time in El Salvador, I'm a sucker for a good papusa. Buena Fe's do not disappoint! Chimichangas, tacos and papusas are what we've tried. All good, but papusa's were excellent. Ambience isn't awesome, a little tired in the decor department and the space is too big. Some shelves of Salvadoran staples might take some of the cavernous feeling out (just a thought). Great value and the people could not be nicer!

small hole in the wall with non-fancy exterior. Gives you a true Salvadorian feeling inside and outside. It is not fancy nor is it advertising to be. In terms of environment it is exactly what you would expect for a mom and pop central American restaurant. Food gave me a taste of El Salvador without going there. Got the pollo Suisado which was recommended and I could tell this was slow cooked for hours with love. Chicken (thigh + drum) was tender in a savory soul warming sauce plus a side of rice and beans. This was $15 and the definition of comfort. Same can be said about the chicken soup (forgot actual name). This soup reminds me the of the kind of thing I want when sick or cold outside. Hot, soul-warming, soft vege, salty. Has fried chicken and rice which complemented it well. It is also $15. But the papusa which was $2.5 was SO good - perfectly made and perfect portion of pork sandwiched between corn flour pancakes. I would go back and order many of these. Guac was so so. It is slightly liquidy rather than solid. It doesn't look like some of the other guac pictures on yelp from here. Nonetheless it was good. It was reasonably priced and price point was on par with the vibe I got from the ambiance. Would return. Service was attentive and nothing to complain about.

The current menu and Yelp prices they have listed are not up to date. When I ordered they did not let me know this fact so when I went to pay and it was almost double! They seemed to not really care and was the service pretty unfriendly after I politely asked why the prices were different online. Their answer was simply, "the online prices haven't been updated in years!" Like whattt! That's very bad business I would suggest supporting other businesses.

I REALLY wanted to like this place...so I may try it again; ordering with very specific instructions. I was excited to find a neighborhood taco restaurant, thinking that I would frequent it regularly. I ordered a few tacos, pork and steak. Both varieties had pretty good flavor, but in the end, the meat was incinerated. My teeth hurt trying to enjoy these tacos. The service was friendly, though slow. The menu items are affordable.

I've had Buena Fe 3 times in the last couple weeks. There's some off elements, sure. The recycled Joe's crab shack tables. Some very off-putting decor choices and a hideous sign out front. You walk in to be greeted by pictures of dessert that can't be found on the menu. The horchata is a bit gritty. The chips and salsa aren't great. The quesadillas are somewhat mid. The service is pretty much dropping off your food and not coming back. With all that said, WHATEVER. It's great take-out for the right items. The birria tacos are absolutely fantastic. The pollo guisado tastes of a home I wish I grew up knowing. The pupusas lack a perfect execution in texture (a little on the mushy side) and presentation but still hold such addicting flavor that I'll forever be coming back for more. So while rough around the edges, lean into the more authentic Salvadorian menu items and there's enough intrigue to have you coming back.

It's so good and fresh! Nicely priced. Family style. I have lunch here 3 times a week

Definitely a takeout for me. I ordered the taco dinner and a papusa. A little bland, nothing special. The big sin was the corn tortillas were soft and mushy. I won't be going back

I'm thrilled that Buena Fe is in my neighborhood! I love Mexican food and I know this will be our staple. We ordered carry out on a Sunday evening, and it was a great experience. The chips are a must. They're perfectly crunchy and delicious, and the salsa and guacamole are excellent. Do not skip the guacamole! My only critique would be that I wish there was MORE of it! :) The enchiladas are wonderful. We ordered the beef with red and green sauces. They come with rice and beans, which were also fantastic. We ate every last bite! We decided to try a pupusa. We aren't well-versed in pupusas, having only tried one in miami once. It wasn't great, but the Buena Fe pupusa (cheese & leroco) was awesome! Would definitely try more next time. Looking forward to more Mexican food in our future!

Food is just ok. Had carry out from here multiple times. Tastes very homemade, but something is missing. Can't exactly put my finger on it. I wish I enjoyed this place more. I think it's their recipes. Everything is just a little bland.

Best mom and pop Salvadoran joint in all of Michigan hands down. Food is made with love and you feel it, small hole in the wall doing big flavors, service is nice & attentive.

Everything about this small restaurant is amazing, I have absolutely no complaints. The salsa is SO fresh, the guacamole was more of a chunky avocado salsa but was delicious. We tried the papusas for the first time and WOW!! Also, the tamales are made wrapped in banana leaves which really kept the heat and moisture in. The food was out quickly and everything was delicious. I will definitely be back for this Salvadoran comfort food!!

These were the best tacos ive ever had in Michigan. I had one steak, al pastor, and one Birria

SO GOOD. I love their chicken tamales and pupusas. This is one of my daughter's favorite restaurants, and she says that she loves the quesadillas. I've never been able to get her to eat a taco with a corn tortilla, but she loves theirs.

Located in a small stripmall just outside trendy Ferndale. Shared free lot. Inside is a bare very sparsely furnished place to sit and ordering/serving counter. Sodapop from a small fridge. Tables, chairs, and glasses which appear to have come from the clearance rack at the restaurant outlet. The food ranged from not so good to pretty good. The steak tacos were blah, even with the side serving of two types of sauce and salsa. The chicken was okay. The pupsas were good, the rice and refried beans were okay.

I loved the place that was here before and while I was sad to learn it closed, I was excited to try some Salvadorian food. Papusas were a big hit. Our favorite was the cheese and loroco. The Yuca Frita was excellent- use the sauce it comes with. We had no idea what we were eating with it but everyone loved them- it turns out they were the pork rinds. They were chunky and meaty and not what we expected. The chicken taco was good and they even remade them when they realized they forgot to omit the cilantro. The enchiladas were really good too. The chimichanga was just meat and dough so be prepared for that. Hubby thought it would have veggies too. It was a wonderful opportunity to try some new foods. We will be back.

Went with friends for lunch on Friday and had a very good meal with excellent service. Despite higher prices since I was last here about 6 months ago, it was all excellent tasting, large servings and fun enviroment.

My wife & I wanted to try a different ethnic food. We carried out and it was ready when I arrived. The food was excellent. We will be back!

Papusas are amazing, tortas should be experienced dine-in, guacamole is diced instead of mashed, everyone is nice.

I was looking for Mexican food. Saw this had great reviews, so decide to check it out. This place is in a strip mall, so I wasn't sure what to expect. But don't let the strip mall scare you away. The food and service here are fantastic. I got three steak tacos with rice and beans, as well as chips and salsa. Also, to point out, they are not skimpy on the portions. You really should check it out. I will, for sure, be coming back again soon.

Good pupusas but the tacos were average. The atmosphere leaves room for improvement but over all a good experience. The service was fine but could have been friendlier.

Buyer beware - there is a small notice on the door stating prices may be slightly higher to due the usual suspects. However, their menu is NOT updated with these prices and your bill will be double what you expect. Food was decent but the fact that menus don't have updated prices feels pretty scuzzy and I suggest you support other businesses.

I guess all the subpar reviews are from out-of-towners because I'm a local and have nothing but great food and service every time I go. The prices are outstanding for what you get. Would recommend Buena Fe over Imperial and Mezcal any time.

Food is good, honest: it is. So why only three stars? Well... ...if it ever *gets* there, the food is good. Really good. But you will wait. And wait. And wait. And wait some more. They'll be gracious, while you wait, and they'll be happy to bring you more chips and salsa, napkins, water/ice, etc....while you *WAIT* for your why-the-heck-is-this-taking-this-long? food. Basic tacos, and they are good, shouldn't even take half the time they take, here. I mean, it's another hole-in-the-wall joint where the carpet *definitely* needs replacement, but probably won't be, because of COVID or something. It's a pretty spartan setup. That honestly doesn't bother me at all, but the sticky carpet thing definitely does. It's gross, and there's no getting around that point. I had initially ordered three tacos for myself, and soon after I started eating, I realized that I would need a fourth, so I ordered it *right then*, being that our initial order of 7 tacos (no rice, no beans, just 7 tacos and some sour cream and pico de gallo) started making me wonder if I'd celebrate my next birthday before seeing the food. That last taco? I honestly wish that I hadn't ordered it, it took so long to get. That's...that's a heck of a lot of inefficiency in the kitchen. It seems like they've got enough people, so why can't they get the kitchen's rear in gear? Perhaps the answer lies in that carryouts seem to get preference in terms of orders...and I don't know why that would be. Even with my noticing that, it seemed like the kitchen was *WAY* behind the entire time we were there. I could *never*, in good conscience, stop here for a "quick lunch". I don't think it stinking exists, here. Again: good food. No complaints there, honest! Most of the time, really good food is worth waiting for...but this place tests that theory by stretching your patience far, *far* too thin. They need to work on efficiency in the absolute worst way. And replace that d@$# carpet.

Realized once I walked inside and saw the epoxy covered wood table with mixed media cutouts at the booths that I had been here once when it was a sushi restaurant. Onto Mexican / Salvadorian cuisine. Started with the chips and salsa, holy moly guacamole, 1 cheese and loroco and 1 bean and cheese pupusa, 3 chicken tacos with diced grilled chicken. The salsa is mild, they have a slightly hot salsa and one with some habanero in it. The holy moly guacamole has the avocados diced into cubes, red onions, jalapeño and tomatoes, was the best guacamole I have ever had at a Mexican restaurant to date. The cheese and loroco I preferred over the bean and cheese, but both were still tasty. The pupusas come with a tomato salsa that's super mild and this spicy slaw for the pupusas is made with ACV, oregano, cabbage, carrots, jalapeños. The slaw is very unique and not as good solo, much better on top of the pupusas and covered with some of the spicy salsa. Food overall is good and the waiter was super friendly and explained what loroco is, of a plant that is cooked using the bud and flower.

I came here with an extremely large party, and we gave an order ahead of time to the restaurant, and even then, they only staffed ONE waitress for an entirely rented out restaurant. In addition, the food was also extremely bland. I'm willing to give them another chance with a much smaller party, but my initial impressions were lackluster.

It was just alright. Problem I get with most mexican spots in Detroit area is that they never season their food well enough to taste flavor in the meet. Ironically their fries were somehow EXTREMELY salty. (Especially for a Mexican restaurant.) The tacos were small and they mince the meat a lot to make it seem like you get a lot, but you don't. (You can kill a taco in two bites.) Also, they douse it with cilantro to the point that it overpowers even tasting any meat. I probably won't go back but the bread that has the cheese in it did look good. I didn't try that though.

I love their food very delicious. The customer service is nice. They have a nice neighborhood with new bike lanes and parks. It feels like you're in south America when you walk in.

I was really glad to find a place that serves some salvadoran food i. the area The pupusas were really great - the dough was so flavorful and the filling excellent. I did the pork and cheese and loroco. They also serve horchata. I hope they expand their salvadoran offerings as we really could use some more representation of this awesome cuisine. Service was friendly. i didn't try the tamales but will return and i really hope they do banana leaf tamales.

A charming authentic Mexican restaurant in a nice location. The food was amazing!!! Having lived in Houston, TX for 6 years I know what good Tex-Mex tastes like! The refried beans were fantastic! Homeade and appealing. The Mexican Rice was awesome. When I saw it I knew it was going to be good. The home made chips and salsa to die for. The chicken flautas were stuffed with chicken and the crust was thin, crispy and melted in my mouth! My son's chimichanga was fabulous. The place is clean and attractive. Service was friendly quick and excellent. We will be back.

The food here is okay, I would definitely go back to try a few other menu items. It's also very reasonably priced

Simply incredible. I would consider it THE best option for food in Oak Park and up there amongst the best Mexican/Salvadoran restaurants I've ever had.

This place is a diamond in the ruff! Everything I've tried is amazing. The tacos, papusas (beans, pumpkin, and locoro all top notch), enchiladas, fajitas, Mexican quesadilla and the chicken saucy torta thing (Jesus that was great and unexpected). Great food all around. Kind of weird interior with Joe's Crab Shack tables but worth it. No alcohol.

Looks like they're takeout only at the moment. Very nondescript storefront right on nine mile so super convenient. I tried a bean and cheese papusa, al pastor tacos, chicken tamale, and chips and salsa. Wanted to get the tres leches but they were out. Everything was homemade and fresh. Very good. Was hoping for slightly more spicy but I have a high tolerance. My favorite was the papusa. I could eat those all day everyday. The little cabbage salad you eat with it is perfect. I'll definitely be back.

I literally eat here once a week. It's so amazing to have this restaurant in Oak Park. The staff is so friendly and the carry out is always hot and fresh. I haven't had one bad thing from here and it's always very affordable. During these Covid times, you get tired of cooking and thus far I've Very happy with my experiences.

Wow! Delicious and authentic, this place is really incredible. The caldo de pollo was so flavorful and delicious. You also can't go wrong with the pupusas! I also have to complement the chicharron in the yuca frita - so delicious! Great restaurant and great service!

If I saw the inside of this place before ordering I probably would've passed. Lol The place was packed but the dining room was filthy. Sticky floors, tables uncleared for at least 30 mins. I had the birria tacos and pupusas that were pretty good. Clearly the people in the area know something I don't. Lol

This place was deserted except for the little girl doing her homework in the corner while her family was busy in the kitchen. Everything we ordered was delicious, especially the pupusas. Service was helpful and friendly. Worth the trip!

No need for a long review as if I'm some type of fancy food reviewer. This place is straight fire . Berria tacos on the weekend and everything on the menu is good.

This is located in a strip mall just outside of Ferndale 's downtown. I've been keeping my eye on this place as I go to work and finally got the chance to dig in with my dinner companion. There were. Lot of carry out order going through the door. But the single up front server was doing great helping us and them. We ordered the following. After the complimentary chips that were warm and salsa that was just what we were looking for. Bean and cheese pupusa just as good as any in Southwest Chicken tamale luscious outer layer with tons of flavor! The filling was moist and flavorful with a few veggies. Order of steak tacos charred just right and still moist yummy sauce on the side Order of al pastor tacos flavorful and delicious The side of beans and rice also had great consistency and flavor! If you are thinking about going please do!

My favorite Mexican Restaurant in Pontiac closed and was looking for a replacement and think I found it. It's not very fancy. By mistake we ordered several orders of shrimp tacos dinners , chicken enchiladas, AL pastor tacos, Guacamole and chicken burritos, chicken tamales and a Mexican coke. Shrimp was well seasoned and not overcooked. Could use more "stuff" on my tacos but loved it anyways. Al pastor taco (pork) was just too overcooked for me so will pass on those. Tamales had good amount of chicken, and so did enchiladas. Beans were baby food consistency which personally I don't like. We didn't try any Salvadoran food. I Found several things they did well so would come back. Be sure when you order that you specify if you want dinners or individual tacos