Puma Detroit

I dined at Puma Detroit on a Tuesday early evening with coworkers in town for a delicious dinner. We sat outside and the seating isn't plentiful so I recommend a reservation or coming in a small group to sit at the bar. All the dishes were delicious I recommend the ceviche and the trout along with any of their cocktails.

Puma Detroit has an amazing vibe — the live DJ and great music really set the tone and bring a fun, high-energy atmosphere. The service was excellent from start to finish, and you can definitely feel the same hospitality and style that Barda is known for. However, as someone who considers Barda one of my favorite dining spots, I had higher expectations for the food at Puma. The main courses, particularly the meat cutlets and chicken, missed the mark. The meat was incredibly thin — almost paper-like — and overwhelmed by the breading. The chicken felt like it was mostly deep-fried breading with very little substance. A few thoughtful tweaks to the menu could easily elevate the experience and make Puma truly unstoppable.

Met some friends for dinner before a concert and loved the vibe of this place (music/look/open kitchen with wood cooking). We had a reservation in the main dining room but they do have a happy hour at the bar, 5-7pm. We were sat right away and greeted by our server Evelyn. The staff was so welcoming and gave awesome recommendations on food/drinks. We started with cocktails (Diablada & Porteno Corner) and the Mussels Chalaca; the mussels were under ceviche but they were fully cooked, very large and topped with a fresh pico. I was impressed immediately. After our party arrived we ordered a few dishes to share family style (Peruvian Jalea; provoletq served with Chimichurri,and grilled Baguettes; Bolivian Chicken; Milanesa with Fried Egg; Caribbean Rice; Jicama Apple Salad) and then later had 2 rounds of shots (lemon drop and green tea shot). I really enjoyed the shots - the green tea one subbed peach schnapps with passion fruit juice amazing!) Actually all the drinks were very delicious and well crafted. The standouts were the Mussels Chalaca; Bolivian Chicken; and Jicama Apple Salad. Everything was fresh tasting even the fried items didn’t taste too heavy; cuts of meat were thin but flavorful and juicy. Steak even had a little pink like I like it. Many of the dishes came with a chimichurri or cilantro aïoli that paired well on everything. We tried many of the dishes and I’m excited to return for more.

Puma is an experience. It was a gorgeous interior, and the music was bumping loudly (which we enjoyed). The wait staff was very attentive and gave amazing recommendations. As to the food, we were underwhelmed: we ordered the aguachile, the milanesa, and the choripan. The aguachile had little to no flavor, which went against every iconic aspect of aguachile. Aguachile should be spicy, sharp, acidic. Their aguachile was flat and very mild. Next was the milanesa: the milanesa was good. We got it with a fried egg on top (which it didn’t really need in all honesty). The breading stayed on, it was crispy, and you can’t go wrong with fried meat. The cilantro aioli was delicious; a wonderful addition to the rich dish. The addition of arugula also made this dish our favorite of the evening. Finally, the choripan, or should I say chimichurri with a small chorizo. The chimichurri was too overpowering in this dish, it could’ve went with half the amount. The chorizo itself was delicious but it was hard to find beneath the intense flavors of the chimichurri. The bread was delicious: it was soft and absorbed the oil of the chimichurri perfectly. The food was all under salted. It needed a bit more seasoning to bring it to life. we expressed to the waitress that we weren’t really happy with some of the food and she brought us the mussels: they were delicious. Definitely brought the overall score of the restaurant up. Finally, the drinks. The drinks were phenomenal. If you come here, come for the drinks and ambiance not the food.

Stopped by Puma for dessert and now I can’t wait to come back for dinner! They’ve got a live DJ on the weekends, so try to get there before 10 PM to catch the full vibe. Dessert was amazing, the atmosphere was on point, and the music was fye! Definitely a spot worth checking out.

MUST visit spot for drinks, dinner or simply just the vibes! The service is just another worldly! S/O to Ray! The food was delicious, the mains were definitely the highlight for me, the fried chicken was very well seasoned and the black trout with apple salad…. I’m drooling thinking about it.

Great service and nice atmosphere. DJ playing house music throughout the day was a plus. Food is your standard fare. Mussels were good, as were the agua chiles. Id avoid the trout and the proveleta

I like this spot a lot. The design is impeccable! I didn’t have any of the food but I overheard and witnessed people enjoying it. I was there to hear ATM DJ for dinner service and that was great. Their sound system is beautiful.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!!

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

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!

Amazing atmosphere. Super friendly staff. The drinks were very good. We got the chicken sandwich and the burger. Both were very good.

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.

A party atmosphere without being overwhelming. The shishito peppers, provoleta, Milanesa were all phenomenal. Start with the mussels ceviche, you won't regret it. Also sitting at the bar was just perfect for a conversational catch-up between friends but also plenty of good music piped throughout from the DJ in residence. Service from the very busy bar staff was an amazingly attentive experience.

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.

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!!

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.

Puma is one of the best vibe spots around with amazing food. My favorites are the plantain empanadas, the mussel ceviche, the trout cooked over the fire with the creamy rice, and the fried chicken. The service is always super friendly and on point as well. This is one of my favorites spots in Detroit!! It deserves more love!

New head chef Pat Laremy blending Argentinian flare with Latin favorites to create an incredible food experience unlike any other. A Menu curated specifically to highlight multi-cultural food and drink favorites alike, look for Laremy's influence to permeate the rest of the menu (and Detroit food scene overall)!! This is a MUST GO!!

Everything was so flavorful and beyond my expectations I love my Spanish food and they really nailed it. Definitely coming back and trying EVERYTHING on the menu.

The food was excellent but the main cook is nasty. He kicked the back of his hand, tasting a sauce, and continued to cook. Then he picked up a broom handle from the floor and didn't ever wash his hands. He is not sanitary.

Another sweet, eclectic, fun, yummy restaurant to join the Detroit squad. This restaurant has the bones of a broken down industrial spot, but with hits of neon orange paint that give it real personality. Great service with knowledgeable staff. Fantastic guidance on menu items and elevated cocktails. I loved the choripan! I would eat that over and over again!! Definitely recommend.

Fine, nothing special. Seriously lacking flavor and spice for a South American place. Way more expensive than it should be, very loud DJ music, not the best ambiance in my opinion. Would be better for a quick drink than a sit-down dinner.

The ambience of this new restaurant is phenomenal. The music is great and the service. However, the food is not so great. I've had better ceviche at other Argentinian restaurants. The version here was a little too salty, but had no other spices. The chicken was fried very hard and bland and the fish was OK. I had high hopes for this restaurant, but the food is not the best thing here.

Delicious Food and great service. Came to visit before a Tigers game and had a wonderful meal and great cocktails. Park across the street in a lot featured in Architectural Digest, walk to see the art galleries and quonset huts (yes) next door and leave a bit happier than you were.

Second visit: Server was very good. With ten people there (Thursday night), kitchen timing was off. Apple/jicama salad was really good. We were disappointed the corn on the cob was gone. One entree was served 15 minutes later than the first. Really sneaky hot, spicy food! Drinks are served in tiny coupe glasses. The Music is way too loud and very intrusive. How can people have a relaxing dinner without yelling at each other? Everyone was yelling at each other! THAT is what has now driven us away. Too bad.

Puma puma puma. It's fine. It's totally okay. The mechanics of the shrimp ceviche were a bit off, flavor was okay. I had a fork and it was basically soup and they give you a hard taco shell cracked in half. It had an attitude. Bartender didn't smile. Forgot to put our sandwich in. Never got water. No warmth, I'm sure some of the bartenders are cool but there was a lack of friendliness and service from ours. The mussel ceviche shells sat in front of us for like 25 minutes, it was a mess until we asked for them to clear stuff. Sausage sandwich was decent, $5 to add cheese and slaw?? $23. Drinks are good I suppose Overall worth going to for a little snack and drink but I wouldn't say anything groundbreaking is happening here.

Thought I would share this with everyone. This place is the bomb! It's Basically Barda but relaxed.

Food and atmosphere are fantastic. Would recommend to anyone to try this restaurant.

This is a amazing place to chill and relax and enjoy Amazing food.The service is amazing like the food. Different DJ's playing Amazing music can't wait to go back