Red Crown - Quality Eats

I don’t know why somebody would have dared them to change their menu from Mexican to the most unappetizing food I’ve ever been served. The fish and chips were like a microwaved kid cuisine, the tacos were a mix of boiled, unseasoned chicken chunks and tomatoes. The service and ambiance was good as always but there’s truly no way anyone would ever return to this place with the current menu. I’ve never even written a review before but I felt i needed to warn others.

Red Crown is one of those neighborhood spots that just gets it right—friendly, attentive service that makes you feel welcome, a menu full of well-done classics, and a vibe that keeps people coming back. The burgers are consistently called out as juicy and flavorful, the fish sandwich and other handhelds hit the comfort-food sweet spot, and the overall experience feels relaxed but polished. Add in the charm of the restored vintage gas station setting and a solid finish to the meal (dessert included), and it’s easy to see why so many reviews land firmly in five-star territory—Red Crown simply knows how to take care of its guests and serve good food while doing it.

I have seen the negative reviews saying that’s it’s “not real Mexican”. I think it is a fusion type of Mexican. It’s not the processed American style Mexican. Which is why some people don’t like the more fresh and healthier taste of their food. But I love it because the chips are fried and fresh compared to other places where the chips are stale and dry. And the tacos are smaller but still full of meat and flavor not making it too overwhelming. And they have a pretty good horchata. And also btw the patio is dog friendly. If you are looking for a fresher Mexican food experience definitely worth the try. Edit : I do not like how they changed the menu and didn’t keep any of the special tacos that I loved. If you’re going to try to fit in with every restaurant around fine. But you could at least still try to have a taco menu on the side for people like me who just want some tacos and chips.

Updated review: The new change is a big change. The tacos was just okay to me. It reminds me of a limited menu Bakersfield. The churros were not fresh. The Margarita was great and so were the beans and rice. I probably won’t return again except maybe for drinks. Loved the new decor post pandemic. Brian and Gianni were amazing. We loved the service here. The happy hour was great. The mulled wine with smoked cinnamon stick was perfectly spiced and very smooth. The beef slider was my favorite of all the items (and we tried them all). The cheese with the pretzel was good, but the pretzel didn't seem very fresh. I would absolutely return again.

El Cocinero. A smart casual Mexican inspired restaurant with a chef’s flair to food presentation and quality. It’s not a place for getting huge amounts of food for cheap but rather a much nicer meal experience. Although I sat in the dining room of this former vintage Standard Oil Service Station, the bar seating looked great. The food was excellent and nicely spicy 🌶️ with slightly different spins on traditional Mexican-American dishes. I think my favorite thing was the overall atmosphere of this vintage space.

Used to be one of our favorite spots until the menu change. It’s clear management is trying to cut corners serving similar / same ingredient menu items as their other restaurants (e.g. Brine). The previous Mexican-style menu was far superior and unique. We unfortunately had to leave upon seeing the new menu and not finding anything decent. Truly a shame to have pivoted in such a poor direction - certainly a sentiment many echo based on recent reviews. Hope we can get back to the better menu - I’d happily re-review then.

Built inside a former oil change place, there is a great vibe here with an energetic atmosphere. The chips were amazing. They had great flavor but didn't naturally come with salsa or anything. Every taco we tried was great, not a bad one in the bunch and churros to end the meal.

We enjoyed Red Crown and their new revamped mexican restaurant. Sat on the patio and the service was very pleasant. We had the scallop ceviche, barbacoa taco, beef taco, carnitas taco and shrimp toastado. Everything was really tasty, except for the shrimp tostado which was not good at all in our opinion. Our hibiscus collins drink was delicious. Solid performance Red Crown!

Was rebranded awhile back as a Taco place. It was great! Popular, we were fans. And... they switched back. Food now is mid at best. Please go back to the way it was.

I had never been here before but decided to do a carry out one day. Such a great choice because the food was delicious!!! They packaged our carry out so delicately that everything was perfect when we got home. I really loved the chicken & shrimp tacos. My boyfriend loved the quesadilla. The elote was not my favorite but still decent. Definitely will be returning!!!!

Love the atmosphere of this vintage gas station turned restaurant, it's a really cool space in a nice neighborhood. That said, the food was decent, but the portion sizes were unserwheming. I really like their deep fried chips, imo that's the only way to serve them. The margarita was good, but not worth the price for that little glass filled with ice. What has happened to real margarita glasses these days? I want the freakin birdbath, not a little rock glass, lol.. I've noticed this in more and more places, and it's a cheap-out by restaurants. Same price, smaller glass! No thanks. Rant over. Service was good, but slow. Didn't appreciate the server trying to upsell me on everything. Will I be back? Probably not, as cantinas are plentiful and there are better options out there.

BRING BACK RED CROWN MEXICAN suddenly red crown has American food.... And it is by FAR the grossest food I have ever tasted. I swear to god my fish&chips was a grey, soggy, & definitely cooked from frozen in a microwave. I'm not usually this picky with restaurants but I would have rather eaten my high school cafeteria's "mash". It was so bad that a newly sat table saw our food come out and they immediately left to eat somewhere different. This is all really devastating because the Mexican version red crown was some of the best food I have ever tasted. It was my favorite restaurant in Grosse pointe! What happened??? How did they lose their passion for making good food??

Was really good for a bit. But the new brunch menu is not hitting... there's only like one Mexican dish on the whole brunch menu despite it being a "Mexican restaurant." Where are the breakfast tacos?At the very least there should be breakfast tacos!!! Service is always super good and everyone is nice. The drinks are good and dinner is usually pretty good! Ambiance is great. The food is just. So hit or miss.

We love this place! Their marinated mushrooms are out of this world!!! I appreciate the delicious vegan options and the service has been stellar every time. Our little ones are always welcomed and even enjoy the kid options. And the cocktails are delicious. We got a $20 margarita sample of 4 flavors and it was both delicious and a great deal. So happy to have found this local gem.

Red Crown has re-made itself yet again, this version might be the winner. They have re-branded as a Mexican street taco place. They have many different taco options, tamales, quesadillas and salsa, guac & queso. Since it was Taco Tuesday you could get 3 tacos, rice & beans and an elote corn for $20. My bf and I split the taco special, then I added 1 chicken tamale. It was plenty for the 2 of us. My son & his wife did the same. So I ordered the shrimp tempura taco & a chicken tamale. Both were good, my taco was not warm though, so they need to make sure they're not sending out cold food. The corn was too 'limey' for all of us, they need to work on that recipe. The rice & beans were delicious, much better then other Mexican restaurants I've been too. Really flavorful and rich. We also ordered one of each of the dips to try. They were all really good, but I really liked the guacamole and the queso. Service was a bit slow, our waitress kept disappearing to the point we had to go find her to get our bill. Hopefully they'll work on customer service. I'll try again and hope they fix their glitches.

As much as we wanted some lunch this Sunday afternoon, there was only the buffet and while it looked good, neither of us were hungry enough to get proper value from the spread. We we enjoyed a couple of beers at the bar, chatted up the bartender and opted to get our meal elsewhere. [Review 17974 overall - 367 in Michigan - 1495 of 2022.]

The new menu isn't it. The fish and chips were flavorless and a kid size portion. The burger was the best dish but still fair

Yes absolutely. Excellent food. Great service and a wonderful ambiance. Take in the nice atmosphere of cute downtown Grosse Pointe Park at a retrofitted gas station turned restaurant. The special Brussels sprouts taco are to die for, and their traditional tacos are all street style and oh so tasty.

We love this place! I admit we've had hit or miss service but it always seems it's that they are understaffed and not sure if that's due to scheduling or unforeseen circumstances. But the food is amazing and I've loved everything I've tried. Great vibe and patio in the summer is wonderful!

First and last time giving this place a shot. Atmosphere and surroundings are great. Food and staff are absolutely "meh." When you're paying $18 for a "smash burger" and what they deliver are two patties that are no bigger than sliders, you have a quality control problem in your kitchen. Yes, I know, I should have sent the food back, but someone along the line should have seen that and questioned it before it got to our table. The staff starting with the host to our waitress all seemed to want to be anywhere else but working. In the end, not at all impressed.

We decided to grab dinner with the family here the other night. Very cute esthetic and scenery. The waitress was helpful with ordering and explaining the menu and what was gluten free. I had the mushroom, chicken, and beef tacos and the flavor was amazing. The chips and salsa was very good too. I was a little disappointed in the kids menu. The cheese quesadilla was lacking. I'd recommend just ordering from the main menu unless you have super picky kids. We will definitely be back.

Wanted to love, but it was such a miss :-( the margaritas were either funky or watered down, and when we asked- they said its a keg margarita with soda water added. You would think that a mexican restaurant would at least make their own margaritas... disappointing, we couldn't drink any of them! Both tacos came cold, and the queso lacked flavor. Guacamole was good but nothing i couldnt make at home. Chips were yummy plain... but overall super sad about the food! We had a great server, but you are better off going to bakersfield or imperial!

I've had this place bookmarked for a while, just never had time to make it out here and eat until this past weekend. I am glad I finally got to make it in, as both the date and I really enjoyed our time here. They have both indoor and outdoor seating with heat lamps and a cover for the patio which is kind of cool. The area's fenced off as well, and we had a hard time finding the entrance since we were tired and starving. The hostess saw us wandering around and guided us in. LOL. The menu isn't huge compared to other places, but seems to have good food none the less, along with a great booze selection. I wasn't much for drinking so I passed on the booze, but I did order their house hamburger with the fancy sauce. Date went with the BBQ pork, and let me tell you, it's the best food we've had in a while. I mean, we like good food, but this place does it better. We liked it so much we will be returning in the future! The interior is decorated as an old gas station, and I guess from what I've heard that's what it used to be. Pretty cool! Service here was decent and on point, which was nice. Seating seemed limited on the inside. I don't know if it's always like that, just an observation. Also, my only food comment is the sweet potato fries. They were a bit thin. I like them not shoe string style, which these were. Will remember this next time I order. Prices were on point and we were happy all around. Thank you Red Crown, you really made a fabulous impression on us!

Needed a place for a late lunch/early dinner, which was hard to do in this area. But found Red Crown and wasn't disappointed! Cool building with lots of different seating. It is an old converted gas station. Decent bar area, outdoor seating, and booths. Place was clean and welcoming. Two single stall restrooms. Staff was friendly and our waitress was attentive. Menu isn't big but has some solid bbq staples, appetizers, and entrees. The pretzel appetizer was delicious! Bread was warm and soft and the cheese was ooey gooey. BBQ is a must order! The brisket and pulled pork were both delicious and had a great smoky flavor. Good portion sizes as well. The house made bbq chips were delicious! Happy with our meal and got my bbq fix!

We were looking for a dog friendly patio last night and Red Crown popped up as an option. I had wanted to try it for a while and the weather was perfect. We called ahead for seating and they said they could save us a spot on the patio for 10 minutes - it was absolutely perfect! We wanted a light meal so we tried the smoked chicken salad and it was great. The Smokey flavor in the chicken was outstanding! The bill was reasonable for a couple of drinks and salads. The staff was very sweet to our dogs and other pups on the patio. They had water dishes ready, which was very kind. The patio offered a nice amount of shade, high and low tops, and the music was at a low volume making it relaxing and easy to talk. We will definitely be back to try more of their bbq now that we know about this spot. Thanks to our sweet server and the manager who came over to check on us. It was a great evening!

Sat in the bar area tonight. Maddie is a great bartender and server. Super friendly and does a great job. I had the St. Louis ribs. I see I previously said they might be the best I've ever had. After tonight, I can confidently say these are the best ribs anywhere! Perfect dry rub with a bunch of great sauces to try. The meat comes right off the bone and is absolutely delicious. The potato salad side was terrific as well. Red Crown has the best BBQ in town, hands down,

I'm not sure where all the bad reviews for this place are coming from? Just tried it for the first time with the family and everyone loved it! Tacos are awesome, loved the tamales, amazing chips and guacamole... it was a yes for us! Good service and great atmosphere. Give this place a chance if you like authentic Mexican with an inventive twist.

Great place. I have been wanting to go here for a while and will be back. Went in on a Friday around 6pm. Patio is first come, first served. We were sat right away. We had the soft pretzels with melted cheese for an appetizer, it was great. I had the Cobb salad and my fiancé had the red crown burger with mixed greens for entrees. Only thing I can complain about is my fiancé didn't care for the dressing on the salad, it was slightly sweet, so I finished it for him. It was a great meal. To drink I had the pomegranate mule which wasn't too sweet. Everything was good. I will be back to try the bbq.

had eggs Benedict on pulled pork today for their Sunday brunch (10 AM to 2 PM). Outdoor seating only, but well-spaced and all tables have umbrellas. The hours have changed, the next time they are open is 3 PM on Wednesday. The eggs were good, and the pulled pork was very tasty. The pricing is a bit above a diner. Averages about $18-$20 per person with tip, without any alcoholic beverages.

Best queso and chips I've ever had (nothing comparable). We go back just for the question and chips. As a bonus, this is one of the few places that serves fresh homemade margs.

Know this! I am a food troll. That being said Red Crowns ambiance is spot on. It's service is better than just sufficient. Drinks we're there quick. The staff was pleasant waiter Maxwell was a joy. The smoke flavor was legit but I found the St Louis style rack of ribs uncooked. Chicken was done but if Kroger chicken had it's smoke profile it would be better. Maybe it was a bad day. U only have one time to make a 1st impression. 1 star for COVID safety/ 4 stars for service. 2 1/2 for food execution. 3 & 3/4 for smoke profile. I would eat there again. I would like to try the Mahi sandwich & andouille sausage sides a 3 1/2.

Food was terrible Sunday night. Wait staff could not remember an allergy we had. but worse yet never checked on us and we never were offered to order a second drink. Won't ever go back.

Used to love this place! Sad to say, something has seemed off the last several times we've been back. Service was indifferent - especially the hostesses, food doesn't quite have the same panache and the dining room's new-ish layout is not amenable to dinner conversation. Don't know if they're having difficulty finding reliable employees or what, but we've been more & more inclined to pass since COVID, which makes us sad, since we used to come two or three times a month. Will be awhile before we return. Sorry.

I loved it when it first opened years ago. Not sure if it is a change of ownership but every iteration makes it worse. Overpriced average food and the pre-made margaritas are an absolute sugary debacle. Reminded me of $1 margaritas in college. I want to love the place because I adore the idea of renovating an old gas station. Unfortunately ever iteration gets worse and worse.

We are new to the neighborhood, sadly we will never return to this establishment. Better choices in the area.

Drinks were good, tacos were ok, service was slow and the ambience was good except for one thing... My husband and I dined with our 7 year old and there was a man with a thong on wearing a mesh cover up with his buttocks fully exposed . I cannot believe that their management would allow someone to dine in their restaurant so disgustingly clad. I won't be returning. What ever happened to no shirt, no shoes, no service? Now it's ok to expose your butt cheeks for all to see including innocent children? This was crossing a line!

This place has gone from downhill to circling the drain. I have had great meals here in the past. A couple weeks ago I got a lobster roll. The bun was not toasted and buttered and no tarragon mayo. The lobster was delicious and the fries are really terrific- so it was hard to be too critical... I was disappointed, this roll really had potential to knock it out of the park. I had really wanted their shrimp and grits. I called before we left for the restaurant to make sure they were available to see if we needed to make a reservation - the person that answered the phone minutes before we arrived told us they had them. Tonight ordered the shrimp and grits and a beet salad for curbside. The shrimp and grits- no longer has bacon, cheese, a fried egg, or Creole sauce. It was served with small bland shrimp, frozen peas and a few carrot peels for flourish - crazy!!!! I call immediately and the person that had taken my order told me they changed the dish... did I look at the menu on the website. Honestly, I did not. I did when I got off the phone. The shrimp and grits change had not been updated on the Red Crown website. This was beyond disappointing. I tried my beet salad. The beets where cut thick and where barely even blanched. I like raw food, even beets. I could barely put my fork into any of the under cooked beets. I can no longer recommend Red Crown. I doubt I would return, this makes me really sad.

I had not been here for sometime . The menu is largely barbecue with a Southern bent. It was ok. As long as this place has been open, if you order an appetizer that comes with crackers or bread rounds. If you ask for more to complete your dip, you must pay an extra dollar. I just shake my head.

So happy with the more recent menu change! The margaritas, tacos, and tamales are great! Very family friendly still & delicious desserts to end the night!

My wife and I have been driving by this place since it was a defunct gas station. We knew someone was going to turn it into a restaurant or microbrewery. (We were hoping for a brewery) It originally opened as a BBQ restaurant, and has gone through several menu changes since, none of them any better than the first IMHO. It is now a taco restaurant with margaritas "on tap." My wife and I tried it out for the first time last week. We both ordered the Chipotle Chicken tacos, at the bartenders recommendation. They were pretty good. I also ordered the pork carnitas. Mine came with two pieces of "pork", the larger of which was 95% fat. They've taken their previous respectable beer list and pared it down to a couple Mexican lagers (to be expected) and Two Hearted and another hazy IPA. My wife ordered the on tap margarita and found it a bit on the sweet side. Our tortilla chips were mostly broken pieces and overly salted, and salsa was an upcharge. Overall disappointed with this place, but we'll give it another try & see if they improve. But seriously, if you're going to have a very limited menu (like 5 tacos and one shrimp tostada) you've got to knock it out of the park. They did not.

Service was good, however waited 30 minutes for 4 tacos and beans/rice!!! They apologized as kitchen staff was new they said. Unfortunately, probably won't return.

What a disappointment! We ordered carry out for the first time here and it was a nightmare. One order was forgotten, two allergy requests were not fulfilled, and everything was packaged so haphazardly that one of the tacos had no shell. Also, the small $5 queso cup does not come with chips. You have to order them separately. Such a bummer

Went for Sunday brunch and menu was pretty good. Waitstaff was good and not much waiting. Food portions were a nice size and nice ingredients

Red Crown is reinventing itself with new chef and new menu. I like it!! The menu was limited but very enjoyable. Had my variety tacos, appetizers and a couple cocktails, with good service and nice ambiance on a Friday evening; a great addition to the neighborhood. Can't wait to see a bigger menu. Coming back. Please join me to make this place a success it deserves.

Food is good. Restaurant is fun, a renovated old gas or oil station. I like this eclectic restaurant in GPP. It's a fun hangout to meet friends for a nice meal. It has a wonderfully unique and fun menu. Everything is good here. Service is top-notch. Had a graduation anniversary party once, was a good fun spot outside on their patio.

I ate here on a Sunday afternoon and everything was great. We had excellent service, food, and the atmosphere on the patio was amazing. Ordered a few tacos, chips & guac, and churros. Everything was good, but the barbacoa tacos were my favorite. The combination of affordability and quality are unmatched. Dinner for two at less than $40 with starters, mains, and something sweet to top it all off.

Came with family of 6, after there were long waits at a few other nearby places. Went in knowing there wasn't a kids menu, but tried it anyway. Good food, lots of cocktail options... but not very kid-friendly. That's okay though, I'll come back for date night or drinks with friends, but the zesty chips and spiced tacos / sides don't work well for kids who only like mild things

Great outdoor patio & overall experience. Many tables had umbrellas too. Started with nice cocktail menu, beer & wine. Had the blueberry lemonade shandy, which was really good! For those who like shandy, it was not sweet but fruity enough to recognize the flavors while still definitely being beer. They also ha had a couple cider options too, and hard seltzer. The smoked chicken salad was really good, on a spinach wrap with lettuce, comes with homemade chips that were also excellent. House side salad was nicely done, not boring, with grilled onions & confit style tomatoes. The shrimp roquette (arugula) salad was great, large shrimp, great dressing. And the Apple & smoked chix salad (on greens) had a really good mustard vinaigrette. Service was great, food came out fast, no complaints. Would def go back. A quick note, I noticed the menu was just a little different from the one I had viewed on the website previously, it didn't matter but you know how that is...

Great place to grab a quick, casual, reasonably priced meal. Or just hang out with friends for cocktails. The homemade chips with guacamole are delicious and a total bargain. Also had great service!

If you are going to have a menu that small everything must be perfect. Rice was very mushy like it sat in a the food warmer for hours ( or days). Tacos were one note. Flavor profiles were fine but nothing to get excited about, and generally fairly similar. We tried one of everything from the taco options. Drinks were pretty good but not enough to go again.

This place could be so amazing. The location is outstanding, the patio is the best around, the servers are pleasant, but the food is so, so bad. Consistently well below average and just overall disappointing. Its sad that its been this way for years. I don't understand their commitment to being a BBQ establishment. If that's the direction you are going to go, be amazing at it. On numerous occasions i've had ribs so dry that drowning them in BBQ sauce (which i had to ask for) didn't even help. I didn't even have to say anything to our server either. She came up to me and asked "were the ribs too dry?" Like she already knew. Thats not a good sign. Their motto is comfort food with a twist. Guys - listen to us - get rid of the twist. Being different for the sake of being different doesn't make things good. It makes things weird. Having a weird menu is a novelty at best. Most recent example: Cuban sando with sweet pickles - wtf? Pickles are essential in a Cuban. What the heck is your guy's obsession with needing to make everything be sweet?? Your salads are like you had a child blindfold themselves and just pick whatever ingredients they could grab and toss them in. Whoever created your menu is trying way too hard. Dial it back. Keep it simple. The only redeeming thing about this place is the bar/drink menu. Their drink menu is consistently amazing. Thats really the only thing we go there for anymore, is just to grab a few drinks and maybe some truffle fries. If you could count on a solid drink to pair up with decent food, we would eat there weekly. Instead, we walk by and complain in unison on our way to Atwater. And I KNOW that most of our neighbors share the same opinion. Also - why the hell are you closing at 8 when it stays light out well past 9? Is that why you are charging $18 for a Kale salad & $30 (!!!) for shrimp and grits? God, this place could be SO MUCH BETTER. It's sad. Sad enough for me to write a review in the hopes they "hear" us. But i have very little hope that happens.

I went to today with my co worker friend and of my god the atmosphere the food and drinks were excellent and the customer service was amazing I would definitely recommend this two anybody who wants to get great food amazing customer service and it really is what they say they are and our food didn't take long they are truly great I'll will be going back there

Very nice experience last night. LOVED all the gluten free choices. We will be back.

Love this place. It's an odd culinary adventure and sometimes it's messy, but it's fantastic. I enjoyed the brisket grilled cheese and the deviled egg appys were the perfect warm up. One of my regular haunts for sure.

Not great. Really not even good. We dined outside in the tent and it was absolutely freezing. Obviously I don't expect it to be as warm as inside, but the heater we were given was low on propane and barely kicked out any heat. We mentioned this several times and the propane tank was eventually exchanged for a full one...right as we were about to leave. The food was very meh. I got the chicken soup and pork sandwich. The pork sandwich was incredibly dry; I had to drench it w bbq sauce and even then it wasn't great. The soup was completely flavorless. Our server was seldom seen and barely came by. We had to ask multiple times for things that were often forgotten. We also had a check splitting issue at the end when separating food, and my brother got double charged for something. At that point, we were ready to get out of there and he just took the loss.

I used to love this restaurant so much. I was very disappointed tonight. The baked beans were hard and not cooked through, the Mac and cheese was dry, as was most of the meat we ordered. Service was friendly but not what I would call prompt. I work in the service industry so I hate being overly critical, but this was a total fail Red Crown, please do better.

I was a little skeptical after the mixed reviews but this was a great spot! We came for brunch and sat outside on the cute patio. Service was friendly and quick. I got the man bear burger. It was cooked as asked and amazing. The bacon was thick and the pimento cheese and pickled jalapeños were a unique flavor. Wife got the shrimp and grits which she really enjoyed. She wasn't a fan of the Bloody Mary, and said it tasted like just a glass of tomato juice. Friends got a breakfast plate with eggs, bacon, and sausage, which they enjoyed. Also ordered the silver dollar pancakes for my daughter which I tried and they were very good. This place is a bit on the pricey side though, $60 for two meals, one Bloody Mary, and one beer, so it won't be a regular brunch spot, but definitely a good place for a special occasion.