DO NOT waste your time or money on this place. What a joke. They price their food like they are a high end Mexican Restaurant. $12.00 for two slices of a quesadilla, really?I hope enough people refuse to go to this joke of a place so we can put them out of business. They do not deserve customers.
(1)
Sarah M.
I just came back from a Quincerera that was catered by this place. Why is it rated so low? Some of the best Mexican restaurant food I have ever had - says me and my Mexican family (including my grandparents)! Chips and salsa, enchiladas, torts, beans, rice......so good! Definitely will be checking out the restaurant!
(5)
Patrick N.
Not bad. With just a few exceptions, this is a good mexican restaurant to have on standby. The food is flavorful and authentic and the staff was friendly to me. The pork tamales were large and prepared properly. Also the rice and beans we're delicious. Many mexican places don't pay much attention to the rice and beans, but at Camelia's you can tell thought was given and the taste reflected the attention given to them as far as balance and spices. If I could add one thing it would be condiments. There's only salt and pepper on the table and I enjoy as many others do, the option to dowse some chaloula or tobasco on a dish if I need a little heat.
(3)
M F.
Decent "Mexican restaurant ". People have to realize that "most" of Mexican restaurant in the Metro Detroit area are TexMex and Camelia's is one of them. For more authentic Mexican food people have to try the small restaurants in Southwest Detroit. Nonetheless, Camelia's food has a touch of authenticity such as the Mexican rice (I can't understand why people call it Spanish rice). The tostadas and enchiladas are good and so are the tostadas. The steak a la Mexicana is not even close to what it is served at most authentic restaurants and the same could be said for the carnitas. With all this said, I would continue to come back and get my chicken tostadas.
(3)
Jessica Y.
The food was actually pretty good. But my drink was mild, and service was ridiculously slow. There are better out there, which is a shane, because I really wanted to love this place so much.
(3)
Christina G.
Always great Mexican. The best enchilada mole I've ever had. Flavorful chocolate flavor with a little zip.
(5)
Terry K.
Camelia's, you come through in the clutch time after time when I need my hit of Mexican comfort food. We dine here about 2-3 times a month and cannot fathom why anyone would at eat at Cantina Diablo's when this place is right down 11 mile with way better food and prices. Shockingly, a building modified from an abandoned Pizza Hut isn't as enticing as one with 4000 square feet of flat screen LED TV's, blaring music, sexy bartenders and wall to wall neon lights. Don't you just love Royal Oak? First and foremost, their chicken fajita's for two are nothing short of tantalizing and the portions incredible for the price. The lean chicken breast they use is seasoned and grilled in a sensationally scrumptious way. I like how the cuts are relatively thin instead of massive chunks heaped onto the plate. The beef taco platter is my go to dish. For $7.50, you get three hard shell beef taco's with really good cheese and your choice of two different style of beans plus rice. You can eat plenty of their fresh homemade chips and salsa before your meal, indulge in your entree, tip out 25% and still only pay $10. Good deal! Service wise, the majority of their wait staff are super friendly, cordial and responsive. Camelia's is a true bang for the buck and a better alternative to Azteca when you don't want to drive to southwest Detroit for tasty Mexican food.
(4)
Aaron A.
We arrived 40 mins before closing. At first, we were going to eat-in and were going to be seated, then another woman said, "no. It'd carry out only," so we walked out. Very rude, very unprofessional, very unbusiness-like. Never went here before and never will.
(1)
Romeo B.
Love this place, authentic tasting Mexican food, the food comes out very fast and the fried ice cream alone is worth the trip!
(5)
Mike S.
After reading the mixed reviews, my wife and I were a bit hesitant but since a friend of ours told us it was good....we gave it a shot. Bad move. We both had an extra large margarita (maybe 36 ounces or so), and we agreed there was little if any alcohol in our drinks. It seemed like we waited 15 minutes until the waitress came back to take our order. My wife had the Mexican sandwich. After taking her first bite, I could tell it was below average at best. She mentioned how much better it was at Sage Brush in Lake Orion. I had the chicken fajitas...what a major disappointment. There was a pile of disgusting cheese on top of the chicken, and the fajitas themselves were swimming in some kind of oil. I was hoping for authentic Mexican food, but this was far from that. Both meals gave us stomach aches and we both said we would obviously never be coming back...especially since it was a 15 minute drive for us. The service was pretty pathetic as well. On top of all that, when we got the bill it was $57.00. I am used to cheap, good Mexican food. We both mentioned how Taco Bell and homemade margaritas would have been the way to go. Trust me, the bad reviews on yelp are correct!
(1)
Cari M.
My fella and I like to carryout from here maybe once a month. The Ferndale area is seriously lacking a good Mexican take out place! The food here is decent, good enough that we are consistent customers- however, 4 out of 5 times they have messed up our orders. Forgotten guacamole, forgotten tortillas, made with pork instead of chicken, no avocado, no egg - etc. It's always disappointing when you are expecting one thing and then it is lacking just due to forgetfulness of employees. However, we are now going to thoroughly check the bag before leaving as we've learned our lesson! We will still get carry out from here though. Salads are good - grilled chicken is yum!!! My go to order here is a salad. Fajitas are only ok. The tacos were a little soggy. Chips and salsa are awesome but the guac is a little too smooth and salty for my taste - I still eat it though because- It's guac!!!
(3)
Todd S.
We wanted Mexican food nearby and an average 3-star restaurant would have done. This is not a 3-star. Starting on a positive note, the service was better than average -- and that's it. My girlfriend's margarita had so much mix in it, it was undrinkable for me. She had the bontana and said it was okay. I ordered a veggie combo and it was well below my minimal expectations. It was dry and flavorless. Plain white rice, huh? My meal's only saving grace was the side of beans. This was not a $9+ meal. For half the price you could get a superior meal in Southwest Detroit.
(2)
Lutz E.
Worst. Service. Ever. No kidding, they refused to seat us 45 minutes before they're closing. The only other place I know behaving that way was a restaurant in communist Germany.
(1)
Anna S.
I really like this place! I prefer it to Azteca any day. The service is always good - not great, but good. The food has always been good and fresh - hard tacos are homemade hardshells (unlike Azteca who seems to use an Ortega/store-bought shell) Ambiance is an old Pizza Hut, but clean and basic. It's not a high-end Mexican restaurant, so for what it is, it's quite good!
(4)
Rena S.
I am not a fan of this place. I love Mexican food. I could eat it for every meal and have no regrets. Their cheese dip tasted like rotel and veleveeta. Their fajitas were awful. If you love food only flavored with pepper this is the place for you. If you want real flavor, go somewhere else! That being said our waitress was nice and it was clean. Also the chips were pretty good.
(2)
Yonikka T.
I love the drinks. Last time I had a margarita and this time I had a banana berry smoothie. It was sooo good. I love the red candles on the tables and the dim lighting in the dining room. I love the food too btw! Did I mention it's amazing. As my family and I said grace I remember hearing the sizzling of the fajitas at the table. Chips and salsa unlimited. Friendly staff. Great company in the other guest too. Everyone seems to be in their own world. Genuine authentic food. Great service.
(5)
Lisa S.
priced too high for amount of food. portions small, no chips and salsa with meal. Very bland no sauce, everything was extra. Not very impressed. gave a total of 4 chips in the box with meal. bought one of the trio's and it came with a mini chimichanga. Mini was right. It was the size of an egg roll. A total disappointment. We were so looking forward to a new Mexican restaurant in the neighborhood. Back to Margarita Cafe we go...
(1)
Ben O.
Meh is right. If it weren't the only Mexican restaurant anywhere near me I would probbaly dislike it more. The food is good and mostly seems fresh. My 3 complaints are as follows: the price is too much. After a tip it cost me $36 for two people. If it were spectacular I'd be fine with that price but this isnt a $36 place. Second they charge you a dollar a piece for sour cream. A DOLLAR. That's about 75¢ too much. You shouldnt be trying to make money on sour cream. And my biggest complaint by far is last time I ate there the oil was way way too old. My chalupa tasted like old oil and nothing else. This truely is enough reason for me to wait a good amount of time before going back.
(3)
John B.
First couple of times it was ok. But it's not worth going to anymore. Service sucks. Food had a funny smell to it. The ground hamburger looked disgusting and had a funny smell to it in my burrito. The sour cream was rotten. Food stuck to the utensils. I could go on and on. The 20 year old cook was in the bathroom and didn't was his hands. Where's the health dept. When you need them. Taco Bells food is better than this place.
(1)
Nunov Y.
I don't get why all the so-so reviews. This place has some of the best mexican food around. Certainly better than anything you'd find in Mexican town. Their carnitas are moist, delicious and out of this world. I visit Mexico at least once a year (no, I'm not talking Cancun which may as well be the US anyway as far as real Mexico) and Camelias is a treat for us when we're jonesing for some good Mex. Forget all those lame reviews. They're probably ordering something so American like Fajitas or Chimichangas. Go for the real dishes and you'll come up a winner.
(4)
Jenn A.
I've been here a total of 3 times now, the most recent being just a few days ago on a Thursday evening. The first two times were quite good (roughly Spring 2011 is was great, then Summer 2013 it was pretty ok still). This last time, however, will likely be my last time. The dish I ordered was served with brown guacamole dollop on top. Just gross that it was so old and still served. I ordered a side of guacamole and that was totally ripe so I just don't get it.... Also, the service was slow, and the margarita I ordered had so little alcohol, I truly believe there was none at all. I can't say much else, chips are chips, salsa is salsa. (The bathrooms are pretty bad too.)
(2)
Patrick R.
I tried this place a while back shortly after they opened. I thought it was ok (better than RO's shockingly bad Mexican restaurants). This time around, it was less impressive. First off, the set up is weird. The dining area is just and open square with tables packed in. Then there's the front area that doesn't make sense. Seems like it should be a bar... But it's more like a big server station? Our server was nice and mostly on the ball. But the food was not that impressive. I hope to god I'm wrong, but I've got good money they are not making fresh guacamole. The texture, taste, and temperature definitely made it seem like this was a bought product. I had fish tacos.... weird. It was like individual fried flakes of fish? Super dry with a dry flavor less slaw on lackluster tortillas. The rice was well cooked at least. No Draft beer is pretty weak. And over $4 a bottle for nothing special was a tad high. So for 2 entrees, 3 beers, and a small guacamole. .. we were over $40 before tip. Definitely on the high side for what we just had. I really want to like this place. It's almost walkable from my house.... But anywhere in Mexican Town... or even that new place in Clawson blow this one put of the water. Oh well.... par for the course when it comes to RO Mexican reataurants.
(2)
Jessica L.
The food was greasy, lacked flavor and was over cooked. There were also gnats flying all around our table. There are much better Mexican restaurants in town than this one! We definately will not be returning here.
(2)
Chris S.
Most authentic Mexican in the suburbs. Nothing in the area tastes as good. Only drawback is the atmosphere, but no frills means better food
(5)
Brooke B.
The food was authentic,,it wasn't great though ,, U would think it be really good ,, I prefer more heat spice wise,, at least the place didn't smell so bad,, bathrooms weren't as clean as I would prefer but OK,,, I can't say the food was good enough to come back,, I can say it was average I just want a restaurant that will blow my taste buds away,, maybe I'm just asking too much..
(3)
Corey G.
I really like this place. Good chips. Great salsa. Great rice (sometimes a little dry and salty). Awesome prices. Comfy dinning area. But every once in a while, we get the waitress we've dubbed "sunshine", because she is anything but. Idk what her problem is. If you're nearby and want Mexican, go here instead of downtown RO.
(4)
Fish A.
I don't understand the harsh reviews. We loved the food. The beef and cheese chimichanga was so good. The cheese had a lot of flavor. My husband liked the chicken fajitas a lot. We will definitely return.
(4)
Joe B.
I agree with Samir...this place is pretty decent. Service was solid and the food was better than I expected. I love my combos when I get Mexican so I tried the tamale, a taco and an enchilada. The tamale was done well stuffed with pork and plated in its corn husk. The taco was legit and the enchilada was satisfying too. Rice and beans accompanied my plate and those made for a nice midnight snack that were great even cold. Our server offered us Cholula and El Tapio hot sauces and the chips and salsa were pretty tasty too. The guacamole was really smooth and I liked its flavors. I'll be back here for sure. It's close by, quick and they do a nice job. My only complaint was the less than stellar margarita....definitely from a mix and a little astringent tasting.
(4)
Tamara Y.
Let me start out by saying that I went into this place expecting it to suck. Why? Because most of the Mexican restaurants in suburbia do. I was pleasantly surprised by this place. The chips and salsa are made in-house. The chips were freshly fried and still warm. Delicious. The salsa was appropriately spicy (I like hot) with lots of cilantro. The drink prices are not listed in the drink menu, which I thought was a bit weird. The drink menu also announced that happy hour ran until 7, while the sign in the window announced that happy hour ran until 6. The waiter wasn't familiar with either the prices or the hours, and had to go check with the manager. I found this a bit worrisome, but at least the kid was making an earnest effort. The margarita was ok. This being my first visit, I wanted to try an assortment of items and looked to the combo platter. However, I was told that I could only have hamburger or shredded chicken. Hamburger? I don't have a chunky beef option? Nope. To hell with that. If I wanted to eat a taco or burrito made with hamburger, I'd be at %$#@! Taco Bell. How about carnitas? Nope, no carnitas. I eyeballed the waiter suspiciously -- what kind of legit Mexican restaurant doesn't have carnitas? I ended up settling for the tamales dinner. I got two pork, one chicken, with the usual rice and bean accompaniments. They were actually pretty decent and clearly homemade. The chicken was better than the pork, with discernable mini-chunks of chicken and peppers. The masa to meat ratio was very good, and the masa was not rubbery, although it did fall apart somewhat when taken out of the cornhusk. The service was decent. Then again, the place was nearly empty. Will it ever displace Mi Pueblo in my heart? Hell no. But if I don't feel like driving to SW Detroit, this place will do.
(4)
Ashley H.
I just stopped in for the first time the other night. I think there were several bad reviews that initially kept me away but my friend really likes another location and insisted I give it a try. I give it four stars when comparing it to other suburban Mexican options. If I threw Mexicantown offerings into the mix, Camelia's rating would go down a bit. But if you're in the Royal Oak/Madison Heights/Ferndale/Berkley area, this is a good option. Better than Grand Azteca if you ask me. I thought our food had great flavor and tasted very fresh. Our server was friendly and prompt. I ordered a combo dinner to try a few things. The enchilada suiza was my favorite. Guacamole and salsa were good too.
(4)
Julie S.
This is the 1st time I have felt compelled to write a review. I have been eating at the Camelia's in FH since in opened and was always fairly happy with the meal I got. However the RO location has a lot of thing they need to work out. I was excited when it 1st opened up in RO but that excitement has only lead to disappointment. This is now the 2nd and last time I will eat at this restaurant. Both times the service was sooo slow and food was only fair. On Thursday night my husband , 1 yr old and myself decided to stop for dinner, we were sat ASAP, we told the server we needed a high chair but that wasn't brought until a few mins later. When I asked if they had ceviche the waiter didn't know what I was talking about and had to go ask the kitchen d they severed that. I wanted it as an appetizer not an entire meal which they didn't do. I ordered a Mexican pizza & My husband orders fish tacos and both orders were completely wrong. I received a Mexican sandwich and my husband ordered a fish plate. At this point we had been Waiting almost 45 minutes and were starving and decided to just eat what we were served. Mine was sooo bad that I couldn't eat it, my husband switched with me and he agreed it was not good at all. Though my husbands was the wrong meal it wasn't terrible the salsa was pretty good. To top it all off as I'm sitting there our waiter dropped a bowl of salsa all over the floor and onto my pants. At this point I had the other waitress get the owner b/c I was angry. The owner was very friendly and covered our entire meal but the fact that everything went wrong it was the least he could do.
(1)
Tony M.
I don't know why there is such a lack of good Mexican food in the burbs, but there is very little good to be had. It's kind of sad that Grand Azteca has become my benchmark for edible Mexican food, but that's the current state outside of Mexican Town. Having said that, we decided to try Camelia's in the hopes that we'd surpass that "edible" benchmark. I had seen the reviews and knew that we may be in for a mixed bag. Unfortunately, Camelia's falls far below that threshold. The service is as bad as everyone else has said. There were several staff members standing out in the lobby, but they certainly didn't want anyone getting their attention. We got refills after our cups were long empty, but they came back out diet. It took at least 10 minutes to get our over-tanned server's attention so we could get something to drink. The food was nothing special. The chips were very thick and the salsa was not great. They difference between the mild and hot was only heat, not taste. The shredded chicken was very dry and didn't have much flavor. My enchiladas were inexplicably gritty, and didn't have much flavor. My wife's chimichanga seemed to be wrapped in phlyo dough that was quite tough. So to sum up, this place is a fail. Lousy service, weak food. We will not be back.
(2)
Andrey T.
When they opened, I would have given them 4 starts. Now, just not good. Actually, really not good in every aspect. Food inconsistent and greasy (I've never had greasy Mexican food outside of here). Service is always the absolute worst and super slow. This place went from being a favorite to an "avoid" pretty quickly. Hope they recover.
(1)
Jason P.
Good food, friendly staff, I just wish it was open later! Free chips and salsa (hot and mild) and good stuff! Lunch specials are really awesome.
(4)
Susan M.
Ok. Nothing great but not bad. I have been here a few times but would never go out of my way for this place.
(3)
Meghan B.
I've been here twice. First time it was ok, second time it sucked! Service was horrrrible the second time. They were probably 70% busy, & our waiter took forever to do anything. I wanted to walk out b/c it took so long. We had 2 margaritas, non-frozen b/c their machine was broke & they were extremly weak! $8 for a non-alcholic margarita is rediculous. We also had to wait a long time for water, and refills. We had obviously tons of chips and salsa which were really good, I devoured them! :) I've had their chimichangas in the past that were decent but not up to par at all compared to other mexican food places in the area. We also had the mexican pizza which was a sad looking piece of food. It small, ugly, and looked like it came out the freezer. I was very disappointed. The rice and beans are ok, nothing special. Plus their food presentation is poor. I won't be coming back here anytime soon, or by choice. Camelia's seems to me like a restaurant chain kind of place. They do a half-ass job on service and food but want you to pay above and beyond for it. If you want great mexican food and amazing $2.50 margaritas try Juan's Hacienda at 13 1/2 & Dequindre.
(2)
Karl N.
After 2 visits I'm going to become a regular. Family friendly (kids welcome) and cool happy hour prices. Free chips & salsa, lots of choice on the menu, and the food was tasty. Much more fun and satisfying than a chain restaurant.
(4)
Sarah G.
Don't believe the bad reviews... Camelia's is GREAT!!! With other local "mexican" restaurants like Blue Tequila, Cantina Diablo's and Monterrey's to choose from and mexican being our favorite food we've had to go without for quite some time. Then for my boyfriend's birthday we were determined to find a new place to eat! We found Camelia's on Yelp and since it was so close we decided to just go despite our fellow Yelpers. First impressions were that it was very cute, clean and lots of (FREE!) parking. We walked in and about half the tables were taken, so we were seated immediately. The inside decor was super cute and we particularly loved the cowboy hat lights. They have a wide selection of beer (plus margaritas!), good chips and salsa and a large menu with the mexican classics. Our waiter was great and by the time we were eating our meal, the place was full. Everyone was very talkative and enjoying their meal. The food was exactly what we were looking for... not expensive, but very yummy. We ordered a wet burrito and enchiladas, both of which were great. We each took about half our entree's home. Overall, this is exactly what we wanted and will be coming back frequently. We suggest you do the same!
(5)
Heather H.
yaya
(5)
Robert R.
My wife and I drive past Camelia's infrequently so it's not in our face all the time. But about three weeks ago we wanted Mexican food and didn't want to drive down to Mexicantown nor could we bring ourselves to go to Juan's, Azteca, Diablo, etc. so we remembered Camelia's and decided to give it a try. We're really glad that we did! We just returned from our second visit and we have now tried the Carnita's (twice!), Chili Relleno and Chicken Enchilada Suiza's. So far our food has been very, very good - certainly far better than the other Madison Hts, Royal Oak, etc, places. On both visits, the Carnita's have been excellent and cooked perfectly with a nice crisp texture on the outside and were soft and tender on the inside. The Chili Relleno that I had tonight was amazing and unlike any Chili Relleno that I've ever had before. I'm giving them high marks for their food. We waited a little bit for our homemade chips and drinks but it certainly wasn't an excessive wait. Our server, who I remember seeing in the restaurant on our first visit, was friendly and let us know that the Chili Relleno that I ordered would take a little time because they make it to order. It did take a little time but it was worth the wait. Camelia's has a good selection of Mexican beers. On our first visit I had a Pacifico and tonight I had a Sol. Both were served ice cold in the bottle with a slice of lime. While you can tell from the outside that it is a former Pizza Hut it is casually comfortable inside. There's couple of unobtrusive TV's to zone out on if you decide that you don't want to have a conversation with your dining partner. I'm giving Camelia's a strong 4 rating for their food and decent service - they're making a real effort here - and I know that we will be back.
(4)
Ashley R.
Food was good. We had the Mexican kabob and the appetizer chimis. Waitress lady wasn't very friendly
(3)
Amy M.
Well since my last review things have gotten bad there. The food is not good, the service is subpar and the "I'm sorry's" by the staff just aren't cutting it anymore. I won't be going here anymore nor will I recommend it.
(1)
Vernon B.
Mondane, pedestrian mexican that tasted descent. The portions are small compared to other mexican restaurants. Service is horrible! Waited over 15 minutes to get our beverages and chips and salsa. The tortilla chips are bagged except for the 2 they give you on your entree. Those seem to be freshly made and tasted good. Why not serve those instead of the crappy bagged ones? This is the second time eating here (always give a place a second chance). However I would not recommend this place if someone asked me where to get a good mexican meal.
(2)
Elizabeth P.
The best comment I have on this place is they serve good chips. Everything else leaves something to be desired.
(1)
Jennifer E.
Sad to say, but I won't be coming back. My husband and I do not really like Monterray Cantena in Royal Oak, but were caving Mexican. My husband did a search and Yahoo! claimed it to the best Mexican in the area. We were seated and shortly approached by our waitress. My husband had to try 3 drink orders before she finally said, "Yes! We do have that!" Seems as they do not have a full bar like their Farmington location and chose not to update their menus. So in a decent amount of time the bus boy brings us chips and salsa. We see other patrons finishing there baskets and their waitress/waiter asking if they'd like more. We finished ours fairly fast as we were starving! And we waited...and waited...and WAITED and never once even saw our waitress...not even at her other tables! (We wondered if they are allowed smoke breaks out back?!!?). She FINALLY returned, took our orders and we asked for more chips. Our chips came back with our orders MUCH later :( As we ate our drinks were gone and never once did the waitress ask if we'd like more. We were drinking alcohol and you'd think she would want us to run up the bill = better tip, but guess not! The food was pretty bad considering the wait. I ordered the Tacos Carbon and the Delmonaco steak that was to come inside was tough and a few bites I chewed pieces of steak fat :( My husband had burrito, enchilada, and a chalupa. His chicken was watery and the beans and rice were bland. We really had high hopes for this place.... If they get better service and a cook who knows how to create a quality, tasty dish, we will think about returning.
(1)
John C.
I just moved into the area and I wanted to find a goto mexican restaurant. So far iv eaten here three times, almost 4 but we were turned away at the door 40 mins before they closed. The chips and salsa a very good especially the hot salsa, and the service has been pretty good as well. The food is very salty for me, and im a guy who loves salt. The first time I thought it may have been a mistake, but it's been pretty consistent the three times iv come here. Aside from the salt the food has been sub par. The big burrito was about 85% salty beans 15% meat, a real disappointment for $11. The 2nd visit the wife and I split a nacho, the cheese didn't look close to melted, ordered it with chicken and again it was mostly salty beans. Poorly executed. The little cup of sour cream was $1, and the little cup of jalapeños was $1. Unreal.. On our 3rd visit I tried the quesdillas pan fried, again lacking meat and left a pool of oil on the plate. My ala carte burrito was so small it was laughable. I may come back here eventually but I think I'll explore my options.
(2)
Hal N.
Beats Trini and Carmen's, nice people, great food, well thought out full menu (and drinks, though I'll forego). Art Myatt, Lee Sprague, and I really enjoyed our meals. I finished with flan.
(5)
Kali b.
I went with 3 other people for my bday - i wanted a place that was fun and chill and where we could all talk and be relaxed. the food was good - everyone enjoyed what they ordered. I have had some better enchiladas in other states, but for what is around here- this is better than the other choices. Giant margaritas, pina coladas and sangria where all cheersed at the table. the waiter was friendly and on top of everything. If your looking for a fancy decored upscale place, then this is not for you. But if you enjoy sitting in a booth with your besties and not waiting 45 min to get a seat - then you will love it here. We all agreed we will be back for more :) ps. they close at 10 on sat. great place to grab dinner and a few drinks before going out for more
(4)
Liza S.
Great service and great food. HUGE portions. The only thing we were put off by is there is Horchata on the menu but they said they no longer carry it. :( Carne asda burritos. We will be back.
(5)
Brian P.
We spent a few minutes at the door, waiting to be sat. We were shown into the dining room by an unfriendly lady, only to wait at one if the 8 dirty tables while she wiped it. We waited 10 minutes before anyone addressed us at the table. We were brought chips and salsa. And then waited another 10 minutes and NO ONE even took our drink order. Needless to say, we left. There were 3 servers cleaning tables and attending to the only other 2 tables of customers in the place, each if whom walked past us numerous times. Ridiculous.
(1)
Joshua L.
******Update******** I go here pretty much once a week now. Service can be a little slow when they are busy, but I've not experienced "bad" service. I'm still pretty amazed this keeps coming up in reviews. Maybe I'm more patient? Either way, great place!
(4)
Bill B.
My wife and I happened onto Camelia's at the end of a longer than expected shopping expedition. We were hungry and not too fussy. Though it was not great (great not being an adjective I've ever associated with Mexican food in the Detroit area), it had some things going for it. As a vegetarian, I appreciate the chicken-stock-free white rice and pleasantly soupy vegetarian whole beans. My veggie combo (cheese enchilada, veggie burrito and quesadilla) was palatable if not inspired. As Kimberly S below mentioned, the chips are distinctively double-layered and blissfully un-salty. As long as you're not expecting it to be more than what it is, Camelia's can work for you.
(3)
Victoria A.
I am a salsa nut and this place has extremely delish, fresh salsa! The entree's are very fresh and good as well. I think that they have weeded out the bad servers. I think with the right servers and add a bit more to the ambiance.. a definite best Mexican in the royal oak area!
(4)
Amy B.
Absolutely atrocious service!!!! After listening to a waiter complain for 5 min. to the hostess right at the hostess stand that she wasn't giving him a 6-top instead of the 5-top earlier, we were seated in his section (there were 2 of us). Another 5 minutes passed before he (never gave his name) asked if we needed something to drink, then 5 min. more to actually get our waters. Even later the busboy brought us a basket of chips/salsa - no silverware or napkins yet. Finally we ordered, but after having to ask another waitress for more chips (she never brought them) then the busboy again for silverware, and after an hour only seeing our waiter once to drop off more chips (no salsa) we left. We spoke to the manager who only said he was sorry.....I will NEVER go back again & will be sure to tell all of my friends!
(1)
Teri S.
Not bad, but not a "must go to" place. Service was very slow, at one point while we were waiting for our server to pick-up our payment we saw her sitting up front with what appeared to be the manager (he had been visiting various tables). We both had the combo place (pick 3 items). My husband had ordered all three items with chicken and one was beef. He didn't send it back because we knew it would take too long. The chips and salsa, rice and beans were very tasty compared to other Mexican restaurants we've visited, very fresh. The only thing I missed was the little side of lettuce and tomatoes you usually get, helps break up the heaviness of the fried items.
(3)
Eva J.
Great food and great service! Can't wait to go back! I was craving steak fajitas and I'm so glad we found this place. They came out sizzling hot with some guac and pico de gallo on the side. I was very happy. My boyfriend got the pan-fried chicken quesadillas which were also delicious.
(4)
Brandy L.
Moving from San Diego and being surrounded by AMAZING mexican food EVERYWHERE. My husband and I were really disappointed when we moved here two years ago and only found Monterey's down town. That place is NOT mexican food! That is a very bad version of tex mex/taco bell. Diablos - again not mexican food, not terrible. But never going there expecting to feed my mexican food cravings. Camelia's is AWESOME. Carnitas, excellent! Once we discovered this place, right after their opening, we went at least twice a month. Either to eat in or take out. Never once, have I had a bad experience w/ service or food. I think the mid-west has a very different idea of Mexican food. If you're confused, maybe make a little trip to Mexican town. Anyway, we love this place, we're moving again very soon due to job placement and I'm hoping we can find another good mexican restaurant. My personal favorites: Carnitas plate, Chilaquiles for breakfast, and I don't think you can go wrong w/ a combo plate: Enchiladas, mini chimi (chicken), tamale (pork), beef flautas. PS - if I weren't pregnant and could drink I'd want to get unlimited supply of their sangria.
(4)
Scott M.
I'm really glad we did not read the reviews of this place before deciding to swing into Camelia's. This place is a nice repurposing of an old (and gross) Pizza Hut and deserves a better shake than a lot of the reviews here give it. Upon entering i was pleasantly surprised by their simple redecorating of the place. It has a nice vibe and feel to it. Amazed that just the addition of a wall and some quaint Mexican kitch can make such a big difference. The place was fairly empty when we arrived, but the woman who sat us was warm and friendly as was our server. Our chips and salsa were delicious and when our food came, which wasn't much after the chips, it was equally delicious. It wasn't high end food, but it wasn't Taco Bell either. If I had one complaint about the place it would be that they're menu is just a bit too big. Anytime I see a place with a menu this big, I always worry about them being able to make everything on the menu well, and then I worry about their overhead costs to produce that big of a menu. Fortunately that wasn't a problem for us. Overall, the food was decent and the place and service was nice. I think it's a great change from the nasty Pizza Hut that used to be there, and it provides similar quality Mexican food as Monterrey at the price Monterrey should be charging.
(4)
Chris M.
I've not felt much desire to post on Yelp as of late. Sometimes I've been detoured from going to a place or will avoid a place if I read what I feel is an over the top review of a place. I still think it is a great site and maybe I'm just being pissy. Anyway.... This place is close to my house and my favorite taco truck isn't. Stopping in to the ghost of Pizza Hut past was somewhat depressing. Pretty empty and did I mention depressing. It really looked like the owner requested the painters to find a bland color and run with it. I travel so much for work that I have started asking the server to order for me. 70% of the time I feel like they have given me the best they have to offer, 15% of the time they pick the most expensive items to drive the check up, and the other 15% I get told "I'm a server not a mind reader", which I appreciate. Overall I enjoy eating this way. I think I just ate two chicken enchiladas, which is what the girl picked for me. She was attentive very pleasant. I got home and opened the carry out to see 4 tortilla chips resting on tinfoil....4!!!! This is the same gripe I had with lockharts. Provide a reasonable amount of something or don't provide it all. The beans and rice were standard beans and rice. Pretty decent which earned the 3rd star. The cardboard chicken things I got were actually worse than eating a roll up at 7-11, which are not bad after drinking btw. Not a whole lot of flavor in the food. I could see this place struggle to stay open since there wasn't anything overly terrible but nothing that would make me want to call a friend up to meet for lunch or jump in a dinner waiting list.
(3)
Samir N.
This place was actually pretty decent. I really liked the thick and crunchy chips, and the salsa was solid too. I ordered flank steak tacos. I am guessing the meat was not the best cut, or why else would they chop it so small? It tasted okay, but I was looking for big and juicy pieces of flank steak. I would not mind trying other things on the menu and I am sure I will, since this place is right around the corner from me.
(3)
Richard R.
Let me start with the staff, They were all very friendly, very attentive and they were keeping the place very clean throughout our visit. Our waitress was great, very friendly and checked on us at all the right times, overall they were on top of their game. Now on to the food. We ordered a chicken chalupa, chicken nachos and a chicken burrito. The chicken on all the dishes was way over salted and it overpowered every other taste on the plate. After making my burrito wet and adding chunk chicken its now a 12$ burrito which I knew going in, but after a few bites I felt disappointed and that it wasn't worth my hard earned money. I am not one to send food back to the kitchen, I just dont trust that it will be better or not tampered with. So I guess the hunt for good Mexican food in the Detroit area continues.
(2)
Steven M.
If I could, I'd say it's more like 2 1/2 stars but I tend to 'round up' a little. The place is ok - nothing great but I seriously would rather go here than Monterrey or the new pianobar/mexican combo on Main street. As with any good Mexican restaurant, the chips and salsa are done in house. The hot sauce is a nicely surprising hot and felt like a great start to the meal. The menu is fairly full, plenty for anyone and I'd say they tried to represent well. It's better than a chain because you feel like they're doing things from scratch on many fronts but there are some stinker items here. The waitress was virtually alone, just her dealing with ALL tables. That's insane! From the other reviews, it looks like that's a trend rather than an isolated problem. She was nice and seemed busy for sure. Getting orders taken took a while for sure but our food came out quickly. I'm also sure the waitress was our bartender too. C'mon Camelia's, can you spring for one more person who can wait a few tables and tend bar to give this poor girl some help?? The food was decent, not outstanding but decent and I didn't mind the portions being less than GIGANTIC. With chips and salsa, we had plenty. Would I go back? Yes. Would I expect it to be amazing? No. This is Royal Oak, if I want great mexican food, I go to Mexican Village and can find plenty of options. This place is better than the chains, cozy and has a relaxed feel. It was pleasantly busy so you didn't feel like the only person in town who didn't get the joke. The food doesn't compare to a Zumba but it's not bad - so they did the basics ok, need more staff and it would likely get another star from everyone here.
(3)
Adam C.
To preface, What a group of bros and hipsters below. I understand what you're looking for and it isn't Mexican cuisine. Please go to On The Border to fulfill your "authentic Mexican cuisine" needs. This place is consistently delicious and fresh, the staff is friendly, and the portions are reasonable. I'm a big dude and always come away stuffed. The tortilla chips placed atop your entree are garnish. Enjoy as a bonus. Surely if you requested another serving of chips with your meal, it wouldn't be an issue. My only gripe about this place is the price - while not any more expensive than other Mexican joints in the area, I can't wrap my mind around beans, meat, cheese and masa equating to "over $10." That being said, keep up the good work - thanks for providing a quality service to a former neighborhood eyesore. -ac
(4)
Paul B.
Here is the deal, the food is very good and their salsa is excellent. I often get carry out and get a large salsa to go and use it through the week. It is that good. The menu has a lot to choose from and the enchiladas are fab. The negative is their service. It is just brutal. Every time I have gone there and dined in the service has been poor and the food very, very slow to arrive.
(3)
Ed C.
Great chips and solid salsa but that's about it. Six different entrees at our table and wasn't impressed by any of them. There's a suprising lack of pork on the menu, and I was told the $9 bowl of menudo would take 25 minutes because it's made to order. Let that sink in. !#@%"¢?£¥@#%$? ^ the carnage of my head exploding.^ I'm not sure I would come back, I continue to be unimpressed by the quality of mexican food on the west side. Apparently I need to stay on the eastside or head to southwest.
(2)
Joshua M.
I've been twice now. The salsa is fantastic. Their beans are different but very, very good. I would love to see a larger vegetarian menu, but their Big Veggie Burrito is outstanding. The portion sizes are big, plus it's a Mexican place... so all the chips and salsa you can eat. Recommended.
(4)
Mike P.
Awful... Simply awful. Unless you love dried out tortillas and cilantro tacos with a little steak.
(1)
Ryan S.
Despite reading the less than flattering reviews, my girlfriend and i were desperate for mexican in royal oak. Well, may i start with the good? Salsa was to my liking. My food was good, altough not what i ordered. Now the bad. No beer, nasty server, and both our orders had the wrong kind of meat. When confronted with this, the waitress argued with us claiming we were wrong and so on. Someone on here mentioned how small/ expensive the side of guac is, and I can confirm this. If you go here, make sure you are clear about what you're expecting from the kitchen. Luckily it wasn't busy because the dining area is small, and the wait time for food was already quite long.
(2)
Kimberly S.
I thought this place was great. The chips were unique and not basic out-of-the bag chips. The salsa was alright--the mild wasn't much different from the hot. But the enchiladas with the green sauce were out of this world. I'd go back just for those. The fried ice cream was also amazing, but way more than one person's worth. I highly recommend this. I'm not sure why everyone else seems to hate it so much, but it's much better than any of those other Mexican places around town, especially Monterey...which is overpriced and totally inauthentic.
(4)
Elizabeth M.
Good: We needed a restaurant to take the space of that old yucky Pizza Hut building. Bad: Everything is watered down - from the salsa to the queso to the mole. Steak is dry & tough. Veggie burrito is watery and filled with just veggies - no cheese, no beans...bleh. Service is TERRIBLE. I checked in an hour before my server told me that my food would be "right up"....twenty min later, a total of 80 minutes later, our food arrived. It wasn't worth the wait. Don't eat at Monterrey - but be prepared to pay for this place in flavor and style. I would take my extra 20 minutes back and drive to mexican town for mexican food.....now THAT would be worth it.
(1)
Thomas J.
Brief summary: The food is not so good and the service is pretty weak. Was at the royal oak location last night with my girlfriend and a couple walked out because their meal had basically been forgotten. As we looked around, we noticed that others that had been there before us had not received their food and we had been waiting roughly 20 minutes or so by this point. Try not to come here if you're in a rush. The salsa they served was actually quite good, but the chips had the texture of taco bell tortilla chips. I'm much more fond of the freshly fried tortilla chips one receives at most mexican restaurants. My girlfriend got the veggie combo. One part of the 3 part combo was appetizing according to her, and it was a simple bean burrito. Her "veggie burrito" was just lettuce and cheese, and the taco she received was filled with unappetizing burned cheese. My entree was the enchiladas mole (chicken). The chicken inside my enchiladas was dried out and seemingly re-invigorated with either water or highly diluted chicken stock. For anyone who enjoys great mexican food, you know that this isn't supposed to be like this. The upside to my entree has a downside as well - the mole sauce tasted great, but also tasted overly sweetened compared to most mole sauces. While they did find the time to fill my girlfriend's taco with burned cheese, it seems as though they skimped on the cheese atop my enchiladas which resulted in me trying to wipe the chicken all over my plate to pick up mole sauce so that it didn't taste so dry. They forgot to give me beans that came with my meal, and the beans they gave my girlfriend (I was supposed to receive them as well) were a bean soup, which actually didn't taste terrible as far as beans go, it just wasn't what you expected when you have beans with a mexican dinner nor did it look appetizing at all; for a soup, these "beans" were quite abysmal. I was really hoping this restaurant would be a good replacement for Grand Azteca, so we wouldn't have to go by Oakland Mall during dinner time and because this restaurant is within walking distance from our house but sadly it is not. The restaurant looked pretty nice for being an old pizza hut, but for those prices and service quality(I kind of wish it was a pizza hut again with beer and the atari machine they had), I'll continue heading toward Grand Azteca roughly five minutes away for cheaper more appetizing food at better prices when driving down to Mexican Village is out of the question. Oh, and Grand Azteca has a liquor license, so beer and drinks are readily available.
(2)
Michael G.
Well that was a waste of money! This converted former Pizza Hut tries to pull off the Mexican restaurant vibe decently... though the waiting area is very small. Got the chicken enchiladas for $9. I took two bites and that was it.... the sauce was bitter and lacked any flavor at all.... That's about as much as I can say about the food as I didn't make it past two bites..... I actually drove down to Mexican Town an hour later for some GOOD Mexican Food that was cheaper! As for the staff.. I can't stay they were friendly at all.. very short, seemed annoyed with everyone there (customers & fellow employees). I will not be returning here!
(1)
Jennifer V.
Husband and 9 year old son went for a quick Sunday lunch before errands. We were hoping this would be a good addition to an area that could use a few more Mexican options. Menu was extensive and had all the typical fare. My husband and I both got a lunch special. He got 2 quesadillas and I got two chicken soft tacos. The quesadillas looked deep fried and did not have much cheese at all. The soft tacos were fine, if not a little skimpy on the fillings. While the food was fresh, ingredients were not generous, except for the obligatory rice and beans. The server asked if we both wanted sour cream. He brought us 2 sides in a shot glass sized cup and then charged us .99 each on the final bill. My son ate off the kids menu- chicken strips and fries. With two soft drinks and our lunch 'specials', the bill was over $30 with tip. So while the service was adequate and the food freshly prepared, I would not consider this a good value for the money.
(2)
Rich D.
Love camellia's! portions are legit, they match their prices and aaron is an awesome server!
(5)
Ryan B.
Absolutely abysmal. The service is dreadful (complaining waitstaff is never acceptable); the food dry, salty and boring; and no liquor license. Avoid this place and nuke some chicken pot pies (or just go hungry) instead. The only redeeming quality is the chips and salsa. If you want less crappy 'Mexican' food you might as well go to Margarita's on Woodward. Can I give a negative rating?
(1)
Cara W.
Gave it another visit and was pretty pleased. We were very comfortable dining in and the food was really good. Love the fresh ingredients. The shredded chicken is really tasty and thought the beans and rice were on par with the places in mexican village. *** We eat here once a week now.
(4)
Christin R.
I love this place!! Their beans are the best I've ever had. =)
(5)
I Am S.
I wonder what restaurant someone will open here next?
(2)
Kyle S.
Not a big fan considering all the competition in the area. The salsa was good, the guacamole was good, and the rice was good. You're served chips and salsa like many other places though they sorta skimped on the chips which were kind of bland and they only bring you a tiny salsa dish at a time or mild or hot, but not both. I tried the enchiladas, which were OK i guess, and i tried the chimichonga which was kind of tiny, and didn't make a big impression. Don't know if I'll go out of my way to dine their again, when there are so many other tex-mex, or Mexican places nearby. The inside of this restaurant was kind of plain and didn't feel very lively. The inside was very clean, but that doesn't do much when it feels as boring as it does. When i think of Mexican atmosphere i think of lots of color and mariachi music. The wait staff was very courteous, though it seemed like they rather not be their when i seen one of the waitresses updating her Zoon mp3 player. I think this restaurant has big plans to be busy but i don't see it making a big impact locally. Also I don't think they serve margaritas which might be able to save this place, if people got loud and drunk and were having a good time maybe it was create more of a festive environment.
(3)
Myrtle M.
Definitely better food and more authentic than Diablo's (should be spelled Diablow's) down the street. And they have their liquor license now, so anyone who has complained that they don't serve alcohol, that's not the case anymore. Great fajitas and burritos and pretty awesome fried ice cream. I took my family here a couple weeks ago to grab some lunch, and everyone seemed happy with their order and the service, too. The decor could use a little love, but it's a pretty great place for some tasty Mexican noms.
(4)
Carly F.
omg this food is bomb!! i obsess over their refried beans and need to get a fix at least once a week. i've never had a bad experience, the food is always on point. ask for aaron as your server!! it's a little under-staffed during lunch.. just gonna throw that out there. CANNOT WAIT FOR BURRITO EATING CONTEST ON CINCO DE MAYO!!
(5)
jack n.
Just a quick review here... I know I should be witty and descriptive but I forgot to to this a couple days in a row... I ate at Camelia's for the first time this past Saturday... and went back again Sunday. I know the restaurant has been there for a while, but nothing attracted me to actually venture in. I'm sorry I hadn't been sooner. The food is really good. Good variety, nice portions. The beans and rice have more flavor than any other Mexican restaurant I've eaten at. I had the Enchilada Suiza, Chicken Quesadilla, a beef burrito and a taco. Everything was really good. My least favorite was the ground beef burrito, but there was nothing bad about it. Camelia's is a small, unassuming place with good food. Nothing fancy. No gimmicks. No exciting theme. But yes, the food is worthwhile. And good guacamole too.
(4)
TinaRene J.
i have to say that i love their mole sauce, the guac is great and i love the refried beans. this isnt gourmet mexican, but it is authentic and simple. i tend to be a creature of habit, so the mole enchiladas i have ordered on several occasions and they are consistent and delicious, i have also love the fact that i can order goat cheese as well. and while the service might be a little on the slow side, i typically don't go to any place during peak hours, so i have not experienced the overly slow service. my only boo is that they use styrofoam for carryout.
(4)
Hymae W.
My buddey had talked this place up forever. The service took FOREVER and the food was okay at best. They had no staff and were really slow to take our order, refil our drinks, and even slower at making our food.
(1)
Don D.
I've driven by this place a few times recently and decided to give it a shot for lunch on Monday afternoon. I love Mexican food and love the idea of not having to drive far to get a good version of it. Unfortunately Camelia's does not deliver. The service was very lacking for a place that wasn't very busy. The food was very dull, and was missing all the flavors associated with Mexican cuisine. Very unimpressive.
(2)
Angela L.
My husband and I went here for the first time last week and we loved it! It's a cozy little restaurant with fun decorations and a super sweet staff. Everything we ordered was fresh and tasty. I especially loved the bean nachos and their flan was really rich and perfectly sweet. Our waitress was kind and helpful. We can't wait to come back :)
(5)
Sara G.
I am not a big fan of mexican food because my fiance thinks moe's was awesome. But we decided to try Camelia's when we just wanted easy takeout. I ordered tacos, he ordered a burrito and we ordered the strawberry chimi-cheesecake for dessert and loved all of it. The refried beans were great as well as the salsa. I can't comment about the service but the food was great and everything was as we ordered it.
(5)
Greta F.
Been here multiple times now....great food and service. Highly recommend!
(5)
Beak A.
I wish this place wasn't so bad but, they are. With like 3 Aztecas within a 5 mile radius of this joint they don't stand a chance ....Terrible food and a staff that is clueless about whats on there own menu, customer service and just life in general they will be closed by years end.
(1)
Brian B.
Have to update the masses. Been here a couple times since my initial 4 star review. I gave them 4 stars at first because it was the first night of business and I figured they would've ironed out the kinks by now, but no, it got worse. Service The service is subpar. Always has and probably always will. I had to wait 20 minutes to get seated even though tables were open. Waiter took a while to come to the table, bring chips, bring pops, etc. He was quick to bring us out check though. Food subpar. the fajitas the other days were not marinated. they were grilled with a salt and pepper blend. the veggies were flavorless. it's sad when the rice is the best part of the meal. the salsa is decent. My tacos were just ok, however, the size was very small for the price. i've had other dishes and have felt similar feelings towards them, edible but leaves you wanting way more. my biggest gripe to the whole place is they nickel and dime you. i realize extra condiments aren't free, however, the prices they charge are ridiculous. when i ordered tacos, the waiter asked if i wanted a side of guac and sour cream and i said sure. now, part of me thought these might be included and the other other part thought there was going to be a slight charge. my GF ordered fajitas and was asked if she wanted cheese on them and she said yes, figuring a slight upcharge. no big deal for me or her. however, when we got the bill, i realized were charged $6 for the extras. $2 for each item. i got an extremely small serving of sour cream and a laughable amount of guac, which isn't even good. a single slice of white cheese on the fajitas was barely melted. i'm sorry, but $6 for that, it doesn't compute. i'm not one for bitching about things like this, but this really irritates me for some reason. honestly, i'd rather have gone to taco bell and spent $20 less. even though this place is a 3 wood shot away from house, i won't be back any time soon. even waiting, i noticed a lot of confusion and bickering from the staff. it seems like no one knows what's going on there and it shows. i'd rather take my money to Monterrey, which isn't my gold standard of mexican, but sure is better than this place.
(2)
J R.
The best Mexican Food in Michigan! We are from Arizona and California and even with hispanic decent. The service poor, only because the F.H. location is small and it was a busy Friday night, but, I was drunk off the salsa. It was so good, I could drink it and the food and rice was just so authentic and fresh. I have nothing but good things to say. So glad we did not go to a chain Mexican restaurant like we originally intended nor did we drive to a disgusting part of Detroit for mediocre Mexican food.
(5)
Kady D.
I went here for lunch with my pops. It was slow , as in we were the only table in the joint. I really liked the chips and salsa that was brought to the table and the warm homemade chips are amazing. The salsa and guacamole were pretty good as well. I ordered the steak fajitas and my dad got a combo plate with a taco, enchilada, and something smothered in cheese. He wa happy with everything he got and I was too. My fajitas were nothing special I ate everything but it wasn't remarkable in my book. Overall I think I'll probably be back when I want some Mexican food and don't feel like making the long drive downtown.
(3)
Cheryl T.
Camelia's is located at the end of my street (Blair) on 11 mile in the old Pizza Hut building, and opened yesterday. I went with a friend, and was really impressed with how the changed the interior and made it into a cozy Mexican eatery. The staff was extremely friendly, and the food good, so I decided to go back with my stepson today. Again, was not disappointed. Their Guacamole is awesome (which is really what I rate Mexican places by), salsa is very fresh tasting, and the entrees were really good. Tonight I had the Tacos de Pescado, and they were delicious. Three corn soft tacos with breaded tilapia finished with cabbage and pico de gallo and lime wedges. It also came with rice & beans. I dont usually rave about rice, but I seriously love Camelia's rice!! It was a very generous portion. My step son had the beef enchiladas, and he wolfed them down really fast. It was also a large portion, and he said it was delicious. Very friendly staff, good food, and very reasonable prices. I'm so glad that we have a new Mexican place in Royal Oak. I think Monterrey's is gross and overpriced, and it was nice to get good food and not destroy my wallet!
(4)
Ilene R.
Ordered carry-out from here. They were very short with me over the phone and didn't even know what was in their own taco salad. Then, when I went to pick up the order, they once again didn't know their own menu, when I asked how much chips and salsa was they had no idea, and even looked at the menu and could not figure out the cost. Then they said a small side of chips and salsa would be almost $6. That is ridiculous to me. The quality of the food was also not great and didn't taste that great. I give it a 1 on a 1-5.
(1)
Rod B.
Hola! I saw this place on Saturday night with the NOW OPEN sign so we decided to try it on a cold Sunday noon right after church services. Ample parking space, nice greeting, and we were seated alright. Chips and salsa came and due to the chilly weather, decided to order hot coffee or tea and was told they don't have it, we were told they don't have the coffee machines yet...hmmm, not a good excuse to me. We proceeded to skip appetizers and dig right into the main courses. We ordered the vege combination platter and the Mexican kabob. The vege combo was dry with scant drips of cheese...did they forget the supply of cheese as well??? My Mexican kabos came with 2 sticks of skewered veggies and wiat, where's the meat??? Oh, there's 2 small slices inserted in between. It came with a white rice...white rice in a Mexian place???? The food was lukewarm, the rice was cold and the 2 slices of tomatoes on the sides looks like they have been sitting there since last night. Ok, ok., ok, I am not trying to be hard on them but come on 'Camelia', you just opened the restaurant, have you ever heard of the phrase "first impression is lasting?" .. I'll give them a break as they just opened 3 days prior. On my way out, I was asked the usual question 'how was everything?' and I honestly answered the food was lukewarm, etc. but it seemed to me that he did not 'hear' what I said as the chashier was fumbling with the roll of tape resgister. Hmmm, lukewarm that is. Anyway, I hope 'Camelia' reads this and ACTS on it fast...There's competition around the area...Zumba, Monterrey, and Azteca baby! Well as for now, I am giving this place just UNO star. I will be willing to give them another try soon, but for now, I will keep my 'OLE' to myself.
(1)
Mr. and Mrs. F.
Before my review I will explain my point of view on authentic Mexican food......authentic Mexican food is NOT what you find at most places which categorize themselves as Mexican restaurants (Monterrey/Cantina Diablo's/ChiChi's/Don Pablo's,etc). These restaurants, while yummy in their own rite, should be thought of as "American Mexican/Tex Mex". Real authentic Mexican food is noted for its simplicity of content and presentation, and the quality of fresh ingredients where presentation does not outshine flavor. With that, my wife and I found last night's dinner to be a very pleasant experience. We were seated quickly, and the staff was professional and courteous throughout our meal. The chips and salsa (both mild and hot) were very good, and as authentic as any Mexican restaurant we have been to in the US or Mexico. Previous reviews used descriptions of "watered down"....again, I think many people are just used to more chunky type salsa from Kroger/7-11/Costco, etc. Our waitress was quick to spot when we needed more. I ordered Tacos Carne Asada, and was very pleased. Three tacos were nicely presented in their true authentic fashion.....on small, double layered corn tortillas. The tender meat was finely chopped, and layered nicely with cilantro and onions, and served with an ample side of pico de gallo and guacamole. The tacos were complimented with traditional beans and rice, and garnished with mini lime halves. The tacos were delicious and right on the money as far as authenticity goes....reminded me of eating at a taco stand in Jalisco. Nothing fancy, just darn good!! My wife tried a combo plate of a bean burrito, chicken chalupa and ground beef hard taco. All were good. It appears that they make their own hard taco shells.......a VERY nice upgrade to the boxed taco shells at most Mexican resturants (you'd expect these from Taco Bell, etc but not a sit down restaurant, right?). Last, I think they did a good job shedding the Pizza Hut vibe. The interior was clean, nice and very simple....wooden beams warm up the ceiling and Mexican tile features can be seen in the front/soda fountain areas. Overall we think Camelia's is very good......authentic, reasonable and unpretentious, and a nice alternative to other local Mexican restaurants (Margarita's, Azteca). We'll be back for sure. Good place to bring kids too. If you want a fishbowl Margarita and a 3 lb chimichanga on an oversized, over-microwaved platter dripping with cheese and multicolored nacho chips while you watch music videos on a giant flatscreen you'll probably be disappointed...
(4)
Kathryn L.
We really enjoyed eating at Camelia's. There was nothing super special about the food quality, but it definitely wasn't bad either. It was your typical Mexican entrees. The service here was great though, and the drinks were great too!
(4)
Laurie H.
We had good service and the food was delicious. I got the chicken chalupas...yum. My beloved got the big steak burrito and was quite pleased as well. Delicious salsa too! Our order was carry-out and was ready right when we got there. Just goes to show ya....form your own opinion...don't just go with what some others say! Glad we didn't! Will definitely be back...
(4)
Jennifer J.
Not someplace I would recommend. I don't know where to start. My boyfriend came in and were seated fairly promptly. This is about the best thing I can say about the place. Just to get our drinks it took forever. Simple soda is not hard. It took quite a while. Okay so some of the customers around us were rude I am sure they had their reasons for it. To order our food it took quite some time. The menu is extensive and a bit pricey for the lack of actual food you get. I would not feed the food to a stray animal if I had my choice but that will be talked about later. Our server took our order and I made sure to specify that I wanted quesadillas that were grilled not fried. my bf ordered enchiladas. a few moments later the server came back because she wrote down our order but couldn't find it and forgot it. Okay so I repeated it. She acted annoyed. The chips are nothing special, and the salsa that was served is not very good. One was too hot the other had no flavor and they both were really runny. I prefer chunkier salsa myself. Preferably something that has some resemblance of vegetables in it not just sauce. Of course we waited almost an hour for our food. When it did come my order was wrong. I got fried quesas instead of grilled. so gross. Don't get this fried. it is chicken and cheese in a shell fried. no flavor to it or anything. I was already very hungry so I wasn't going to send it back and wait another hour since I had someplace to be later this evening. The food overall left me wanting to vomit. I am still burping up the taste and it is many many hours later. My boyfriend has not been too happy with the experience tonight either. Needless to say my toilet is getting used more than normal. I don't need to go into details here. I will say that pepto bismo; is a god send though. If you are going to eat here you might want to reconsider. the food and headache is not worth the price. As far as the waitress, she had a bit of an attitude yeah. I don't know if she has ever waitressed before but she didn't act like it. people in her section were pretty frustrated and had to ask for things multiple times. From napkins to refills. She would disappear for long periods of time and then get irritated when people would ask her for things again. I can say I will not be going back here. It definitely left a bad taste in my mouth for sure.
(2)
Kristine Z.
The food wasn't good. HORRIBLE SERVICE. I had to ask for more water. I will not not coming here again.
(1)
Paul M.
This place is a crap shoot. Sometimes the food and service is great, sometimes it is horrible. The horrible service usually stems from being served by one particular nasty waitress--you'll can tell who I mean from the stench of gingivitis wafting over your fajatas. For the food, the menu is too big for everything to be freshly prepared. Just avoid the fringe items that seem like they might be coming out of the freezer and into the microwave.
(3)
Marcos R.
The food is good but the service if very poor. We started with hot tea and coffee. My coffee was served stone cold in a clear coffee mug that the waitress carried by hand and Anyone with a sense of sensation or sense at all would have noticed that it was not even warm...just cold. My wife ordered the Chile Relleno and I ordered the Tex Mex burger. Now let me just say that neither of us eat a lot of cheese and we do ask not to have any on our meals. Unfortunately, not everyone listens. My wife's relleno's arrived with cheese, so we sent it back but she just was out of the mood for anything else...in the mean time my coffee replacement came looking and tasting so week that it was more like tea...I sent it back again...My Tex Mex burger was good and my wife's relleno's looked good too. I asked for a box and a flan to go and each time the waitress arrived separately without a bag. Then the bill arrived and it was wrong after I asked for the lunch price when ordering...Now I'm not going to mention anybody's name here but I'm sure that we didn't get the cream of the crop of the waitress staff. I don't think it really deserves only one star but get rid of the young poorly trained staff. The ones that know how to make coffee should stay.
(2)
Jason B.
Camelia's was a fantastic local Mexican find. We have tried every Mexican Restaurant in Mexican Town, frequent Mexican Village in Utica, MI and take passion in looking for new Mexican places to dine. We find the "trendy" places like Rojo and Diablos offer not much more than a empty place in your wallet and little or no Mexican flavor. Camelias, although it lacks the waterfalls, fancy lights and a prime location, ranks in the top 5 places we have found in Metro Detroit and offers a quality Mexican experience. We went on a Saturday night about 6:30pm and the service was great. Although they had been busy we did not have to wait long for a table, about 3 minutes. Once seated the staff quickly had our drink orders in (non-alcoholic) and chips & salsa at the table for our disposal. Everyone ordered something unique and the food all came out at once. All of the food was hot and the presentation was decent. While waiting for the food our chips, salsa, and water was refilled as you would expect. The food when it arrived was fantastic! The shirmp was amazing, the burrito's, enchilada, tamale, taco's and the beans and rice all excellent. If we had one complaint about the experience it would be the price of the Shrimp and Chicken Fajitas. Given the portion size $18.95 would have been more appropriate price point than the $23.00 dollars as priced on the menu. We will definitely be going back to sample other items on the menu at this new restaurant! Hopefully they get approved for alcohol in the near future!
(5)
Amy -.
I've been to Camelia's 2x now. We really love the food. It is fresh & simple. I adore the Tacos Carne Asada. I've also tried pork & the chicken tamales. I've been very happy with everything I've ordered. I will be back again.
(5)
Stacey D.
Second time there and the food is delish. Best Mexican place in Royal Oak, seriously.
(5)
Grace R.
Very rarely do I actually want to bash a place I usually only post reviews when I have had an awesome experience as I believe it is worth rewarding good service/products. We have eaten at Camelia's twice, once to try it out and the second time because we got a gift certificate (doh!) On our first visit, the waiter didn't have it all "together" and it took a LONG time to get food. I am quite patient but I was so crazy hungry and am used to the service at Grand Azteca which is lightning. We ordered the botana, which can to our table ... minus olives, jalapenos AND chorizo, when we pointed it out to our waiter he questioned us by asking to see the menu. Like I'd lie about what I was paying for. He brought us the ingredients out in separate bowls.. fair enough. Once our dinner came, we were missing a quesadilla which took quite a bit longer to get... the mushroom app we got was not as it was explained to us and basically tasted like a big salty mess of soup with mushrooms in it and a brick of cheese barely melted on top. The tamale was dry and tasted slightly of chemicals, almost as if oven cleaner infused it. The over all taste of the food was incredibly salty, and that's coming from a salt lover. During our meal a woman came up to ask how things were going and proceeded to try and force us to tell her if they sucked or not due to getting bad reviews, asking if the waiter was too slow as he was standing right there, it made me feel very uncomfortable although I know they are only trying to improve. The second time we went I can say the mexican sandwhich was MUCH tastier than I expected but the rellenos were mushy and flavorless. Again we encountered a kind but all together uninformed waitress who knew nothing about the menu and couldn't answer any of our questions about the food. I knew there was a charge for sour cream ($1 and some cents I believe) but I got some anyway, and she brought out a TINY lil' bowl with less then a tablespoon of sour cream in it. I actually laughed. Even though they seem to care and they try very hard to be a good wait staff, the food speaks for itself and unless the get on the ball with that, no amount of fixing the waitstaff issues is gonna help.
(1)
PamperedChef J.
I won't go on explaining why I think this restaurant is horrible...as our experience unforunately encompassed everything already listed by other reviewers (wish I had read & skipped this place)...especially being charged ridiculously $2 EACH for a TBSP of guac, sour cream, and 1 slice of cheese!!! I would never go to this place again (nor to Margharita's on Woodward, as someone else mentioned). The only decent authentic Mexican food in this area is Juan's Hacienda (Dequindre north of 13 Mile), and they have very reasonable prices. In comparison, I would rate Taco Bell 5 stars compared to only 1 for Camelia's or Margaritta's (which should be a negative 100)! I wouldn't eat either of these places again if it was 75% off.
(1)
erin m.
My coworkers and I were craving mexican, so we decided to order camelia's. i called the restaurant and the person who answered the phone wasn't very cheerful or helpful at all. I put in our carry out order and had him repeat it back to me to see if he got it all correctly. He got everything and originally quoted me at $38 or so. I get to the restaurant to pick it up, and the man handling my carry out said that the price he gave me over the phone was wrong, and it was actually cheaper than what he had quoted me at. I then paid for it and asked for a detailed receipt of everything that was ordered. I noticed my boss' tostadas were not on there. I asked him where they were, he knew exactly what i was referring to and replied, "the bean ones? i must have not put them on there" so i had to pay for them and wait. i finally get all the food, go back to my office, and realize one of the orders is wrong. i'm gluten intolerant and asked for CORN tortillas instead of flour tortillas. here I find that they gave me ONE corn, and one flour. so I wasn't able to eat my full meal. I called up the restaurant and told them all of my complaints, the man on the phone told me I could come up and the manager would "probably" give me a full refund. After my work slowed down, I went up there. The cashier told me that he spoke to the manager and was told I could only get a refund for the item that was wrong. I explained to him that I was told I could get a full one, then asked for the manager's name and number. He wouldn't give it to me. He told me the manager would be in tomorrow and I could come in and speak to him then. So here I am wasting my time driving back and forth, and not getting anything resolved. I went up there today and spoke to the manager. He was very understanding and I asked him if I could please have a refund and a gift card for my time. At first he was a little hesitant., but he ended up giving me a $50 gift card and free chips and salsa. As for the good, it's nothing to wire home about. The side of vegetarian beans are very good, but what kind of (veggie) burrito doesn't have beans?! kind of weird to me. The salsa and guacamole were also pretty good. Even though I have a gift card I probably won't be coming back here again, it's not rocket science to take down a carry out order and the whole ordeal completely turned me off from ever going there again.
(2)
MichiganFoodie S.
I prefer their Farmington Hills location for flavor & service. I've given this location 3 chances and each time they have failed miserably. Although the Royal Oak Camelia's HAS improved their cooking from the first two times I've visited (thank you for not burning my meat until it was rock hard anymore), their service has gotten so poor that I don't think I'm willing to give it any more chances. Sorry Camelia's...3 strikes you're out. (The extra star is only because your sister location is good).
(2)
Moira G.
Don't go anytime near closing..... We were greeted by the manager who was very friendly.. come in and watch the game! Our waitress came by shortly after and took our margarita order, then our appetizer order which were both very good. Downhill after that. For some reason, the waitress took care of every other table while we waited to place our dinner order. Finally we order entrees. While we waited a very long time for our entrees the place cleared out. All other patrons are gone and we are waiting, waiting, waiting... The waiters & waitresses begin their cleaning and closing procedures. Still waiting.... FINALLY dinner... which was tasty but clearly the staff didn't want to wait around for us to eat it. They banged our table with the mops, and a cook came out from the kitchen to sat in the booth directly in front of me and give me a stare down. GET OUT OF HERE they seemed to scream at us. When paying our (not cheap) tab the manager suggested we hang around to watch the end of the game.. are you kidding? Clearly he didn't observe the entire staff working there trying get us the heck out of there.... too bad
(1)
Cristin C.
After trying Camelia's for the first time: The food was just fair - pretty comparable to other local Mexican fare (which is not a compliment) but the service left a lot to be desired. Really. Slow. Took too long to get food, wait for server to come back with drinks...bill...etc. Specifics on food - had the veggie fajitas and chicken fajitas. They came out sizzling on the plate, so much so that they were starting to burn. Server asked if we wanted cheese on our fajitas and if you say yes, they come melted on top of the veg/meat on the hot plate (I personally was not a fan of this, and ended up scraping it off). Several reviews mentioned the rice - be warned that if you order a "vegetarian" dish you will get vegetarian beans and plain white rice. If you like this = great, if not, specify otherwise. The salsa was pretty tasty, and the shining star was the mushrooms in the veg fajitas. I couldn't stop eating them. The guac was just ok. A few other comments - there are these annoying blinking lights in the corner of the restaurant, I guess to attract people driving by - but if I had to sit next to one of them I'd want to relocate. Overall, I think I will give it another try and order something else next time, but I still think the area needs a good Mexican place and Camelia's hasn't satisfied that.
(2)
Christina D.
The food here is basic. I would not consider it Mexican. I suppose one could classify it as Tex-Mex. The salsa is moderately flavorful. I have ordered chicken fajitas at Camelia's on three different occasions. If I had to make a recommendation based off the food alone, I would meekly suggest Camelia's to someone indiscriminately desperate for a semblance of "Mexican" flavors. However, the food is overpriced. There are plenty of other cheaper and more authentic places to choose from - i.e., Mexican Town. All food matters aside, my main reason for rating Camelia's with one lousy star is the service. Deplorable, egregious, disrespectful, unprofessional. An embarrassment. These are the type of words that come to mind as I conjure up images of the staff and their extremely unsuccessful attempts at being civil, knowledgable, and courteous individuals. My second time at the restaurant, the waitress was a complete curmudgeon. No smiles. No communication. I asked for a margarita without salt and she brought me a margarita with salt. It was literally a saline solution, laced with hints of lime and tequila. I suppose that was not the deal-breaker, because I decided to go, yet again, for dinner with my best friend. We both arrived at the restaurant, entered the building and were welcomed by...a waitress entering a bill into the computer. Her body was not facing us. It took her several seconds to register that we had walked in (as we awkwardly stood around) and were waiting to be seated. She flashed us a disgruntled and annoyed look - as if we had violated some unspoken law by walking into the restaurant. She started talking to another waitress in the back of the kitchen, and was inquiring to the other waitress whether or not we would be her next table. She adamantly stated to the other waitress that we would not be her next table. Apparently, things didn't go as planned for this waitress and she ended up having to serve us. Gee, how tragic. How horrible. A waitress was forced to pick up...another table?! Keep in mind, the restaurant was not busy by any means. Anyhow, the waitress continued to act annoyed as she seated us at our booth and asked us what we would like to drink. She failed to re-fill our waters. She took my plate away without asking if I was done. I asked for a box, as she took my plate away and was left with my hands to empty my food into the box. She even witnessed me using my fingers to scoop the guacamole out and did not flinch. Meanwhile, behind us, another peeved waitress raced out to ask some patrons if they knew what the difference between a fajita and a quesadilla was - the people behind us were stumped and quite dumbfounded. They nodded, perturbed, and said, "yes, we know - we know what we ordered, thanks". The waitress seemed even more peeved by their response and retorted, "I just wanted to know if you knew what you were ordering". With great disdain and hostility, this waitress stormed off - huffing, puffing and stomping like a child. My friend and I were confused by this other waitress's behavior. The people behind us eventually got up and simply left. This other waitress continued to sport her immature attitude to some elderly men that walked into the restaurant. She yelled at them about not entering the restaurant correctly and that they had to get behind the others that came before them. She did not convey this message amiably. Rather, again, she stated it as if her time and her life were of much greater importance than the customers'. I find this appalling and pathetic. This restaurant needs to purge itself of such incompetent staff. Seriously. I thought I was in a dream. This will be the last time I ever go this restaurant. These people have absolutely no idea how to create lasting rapport with others - which will inevitably hurt future business. I am personally in need of employment and it is saddening to see such unappreciative, cantankerous, contemptuous little brats running around whining and instigating conflict with CUSTOMERS.
(1)
Betsy E.
The food is mediocre (and thats being generous). The service is just as it is everywhere else in the Metro Detroit area...*sh*tty. Things I noted during the meal... 1. Our waiter had a difficult time greating us so we told another waitress would like to place a drink order. She said "hold on" and walked away. A few minutes later our waiter showed up. It took him waaaaaaay longer than it should have to get our drinks. His excuse was that the Chardonay that my mother in law ordered (i Chardonnay at a Mexican restaurant..whatever) was buried in the back somewhere and he had to dig it out. MMMMM warm Franzia. 2. I ordered the Carnitas. It was cubed pork butt. Right choice of cut but it literally just tasted like pork. Nothing else. No sauce, no seasoning, no spice, just pork. Big chunks of cubed pork. Served with a side of pico that was just as bad. Apparently though the kitchen staff doesn't have any knife skills because the jalapeno was cut so large that it made the pico very unappetizing. 3. When the food was brought out to us, only three of the four entrees were delivered. The fourth followed shortly after, but I guess it wasn't that bad because we couldn't start eating anyways since there weren't any place settings on the table. Here's my thing.... I love restaurants. I really do. I've been a professional cook for many years. I've worked at numerous restaurants around metro Detroit and across the country in major cities. I have a seriously expensive education in culinary arts from the CIA. Now I don't expect that every restaurant should be a fine dining experience or some culinary masterpiece and I definitely don't expect us to be a Chicago or a New York. But I do expect that if you are going to be in the restaurant business your first focus should be the food. Pay attention to it, its what keeps people coming back. Secondly the service is just as important. Servers in this area seem to think that their job is not a real profession. They take it extremely lightly to the point where they just SUCK at it. I hope the owners and general manager read their reviews not only on yelp but on every other review site. SAVE OUR RESTAURANTS!!!
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Brett P.
DO NOT waste your time or money on this place. What a joke. They price their food like they are a high end Mexican Restaurant. $12.00 for two slices of a quesadilla, really?I hope enough people refuse to go to this joke of a place so we can put them out of business. They do not deserve customers.
(1)Sarah M.
I just came back from a Quincerera that was catered by this place. Why is it rated so low? Some of the best Mexican restaurant food I have ever had - says me and my Mexican family (including my grandparents)! Chips and salsa, enchiladas, torts, beans, rice......so good! Definitely will be checking out the restaurant!
(5)Patrick N.
Not bad. With just a few exceptions, this is a good mexican restaurant to have on standby. The food is flavorful and authentic and the staff was friendly to me. The pork tamales were large and prepared properly. Also the rice and beans we're delicious. Many mexican places don't pay much attention to the rice and beans, but at Camelia's you can tell thought was given and the taste reflected the attention given to them as far as balance and spices. If I could add one thing it would be condiments. There's only salt and pepper on the table and I enjoy as many others do, the option to dowse some chaloula or tobasco on a dish if I need a little heat.
(3)M F.
Decent "Mexican restaurant ". People have to realize that "most" of Mexican restaurant in the Metro Detroit area are TexMex and Camelia's is one of them. For more authentic Mexican food people have to try the small restaurants in Southwest Detroit. Nonetheless, Camelia's food has a touch of authenticity such as the Mexican rice (I can't understand why people call it Spanish rice). The tostadas and enchiladas are good and so are the tostadas. The steak a la Mexicana is not even close to what it is served at most authentic restaurants and the same could be said for the carnitas. With all this said, I would continue to come back and get my chicken tostadas.
(3)Jessica Y.
The food was actually pretty good. But my drink was mild, and service was ridiculously slow. There are better out there, which is a shane, because I really wanted to love this place so much.
(3)Christina G.
Always great Mexican. The best enchilada mole I've ever had. Flavorful chocolate flavor with a little zip.
(5)Terry K.
Camelia's, you come through in the clutch time after time when I need my hit of Mexican comfort food. We dine here about 2-3 times a month and cannot fathom why anyone would at eat at Cantina Diablo's when this place is right down 11 mile with way better food and prices. Shockingly, a building modified from an abandoned Pizza Hut isn't as enticing as one with 4000 square feet of flat screen LED TV's, blaring music, sexy bartenders and wall to wall neon lights. Don't you just love Royal Oak? First and foremost, their chicken fajita's for two are nothing short of tantalizing and the portions incredible for the price. The lean chicken breast they use is seasoned and grilled in a sensationally scrumptious way. I like how the cuts are relatively thin instead of massive chunks heaped onto the plate. The beef taco platter is my go to dish. For $7.50, you get three hard shell beef taco's with really good cheese and your choice of two different style of beans plus rice. You can eat plenty of their fresh homemade chips and salsa before your meal, indulge in your entree, tip out 25% and still only pay $10. Good deal! Service wise, the majority of their wait staff are super friendly, cordial and responsive. Camelia's is a true bang for the buck and a better alternative to Azteca when you don't want to drive to southwest Detroit for tasty Mexican food.
(4)Aaron A.
We arrived 40 mins before closing. At first, we were going to eat-in and were going to be seated, then another woman said, "no. It'd carry out only," so we walked out. Very rude, very unprofessional, very unbusiness-like. Never went here before and never will.
(1)Romeo B.
Love this place, authentic tasting Mexican food, the food comes out very fast and the fried ice cream alone is worth the trip!
(5)Mike S.
After reading the mixed reviews, my wife and I were a bit hesitant but since a friend of ours told us it was good....we gave it a shot. Bad move. We both had an extra large margarita (maybe 36 ounces or so), and we agreed there was little if any alcohol in our drinks. It seemed like we waited 15 minutes until the waitress came back to take our order. My wife had the Mexican sandwich. After taking her first bite, I could tell it was below average at best. She mentioned how much better it was at Sage Brush in Lake Orion. I had the chicken fajitas...what a major disappointment. There was a pile of disgusting cheese on top of the chicken, and the fajitas themselves were swimming in some kind of oil. I was hoping for authentic Mexican food, but this was far from that. Both meals gave us stomach aches and we both said we would obviously never be coming back...especially since it was a 15 minute drive for us. The service was pretty pathetic as well. On top of all that, when we got the bill it was $57.00. I am used to cheap, good Mexican food. We both mentioned how Taco Bell and homemade margaritas would have been the way to go. Trust me, the bad reviews on yelp are correct!
(1)Cari M.
My fella and I like to carryout from here maybe once a month. The Ferndale area is seriously lacking a good Mexican take out place! The food here is decent, good enough that we are consistent customers- however, 4 out of 5 times they have messed up our orders. Forgotten guacamole, forgotten tortillas, made with pork instead of chicken, no avocado, no egg - etc. It's always disappointing when you are expecting one thing and then it is lacking just due to forgetfulness of employees. However, we are now going to thoroughly check the bag before leaving as we've learned our lesson! We will still get carry out from here though. Salads are good - grilled chicken is yum!!! My go to order here is a salad. Fajitas are only ok. The tacos were a little soggy. Chips and salsa are awesome but the guac is a little too smooth and salty for my taste - I still eat it though because- It's guac!!!
(3)Todd S.
We wanted Mexican food nearby and an average 3-star restaurant would have done. This is not a 3-star. Starting on a positive note, the service was better than average -- and that's it. My girlfriend's margarita had so much mix in it, it was undrinkable for me. She had the bontana and said it was okay. I ordered a veggie combo and it was well below my minimal expectations. It was dry and flavorless. Plain white rice, huh? My meal's only saving grace was the side of beans. This was not a $9+ meal. For half the price you could get a superior meal in Southwest Detroit.
(2)Lutz E.
Worst. Service. Ever. No kidding, they refused to seat us 45 minutes before they're closing. The only other place I know behaving that way was a restaurant in communist Germany.
(1)Anna S.
I really like this place! I prefer it to Azteca any day. The service is always good - not great, but good. The food has always been good and fresh - hard tacos are homemade hardshells (unlike Azteca who seems to use an Ortega/store-bought shell) Ambiance is an old Pizza Hut, but clean and basic. It's not a high-end Mexican restaurant, so for what it is, it's quite good!
(4)Rena S.
I am not a fan of this place. I love Mexican food. I could eat it for every meal and have no regrets. Their cheese dip tasted like rotel and veleveeta. Their fajitas were awful. If you love food only flavored with pepper this is the place for you. If you want real flavor, go somewhere else! That being said our waitress was nice and it was clean. Also the chips were pretty good.
(2)Yonikka T.
I love the drinks. Last time I had a margarita and this time I had a banana berry smoothie. It was sooo good. I love the red candles on the tables and the dim lighting in the dining room. I love the food too btw! Did I mention it's amazing. As my family and I said grace I remember hearing the sizzling of the fajitas at the table. Chips and salsa unlimited. Friendly staff. Great company in the other guest too. Everyone seems to be in their own world. Genuine authentic food. Great service.
(5)Lisa S.
priced too high for amount of food. portions small, no chips and salsa with meal. Very bland no sauce, everything was extra. Not very impressed. gave a total of 4 chips in the box with meal. bought one of the trio's and it came with a mini chimichanga. Mini was right. It was the size of an egg roll. A total disappointment. We were so looking forward to a new Mexican restaurant in the neighborhood. Back to Margarita Cafe we go...
(1)Ben O.
Meh is right. If it weren't the only Mexican restaurant anywhere near me I would probbaly dislike it more. The food is good and mostly seems fresh. My 3 complaints are as follows: the price is too much. After a tip it cost me $36 for two people. If it were spectacular I'd be fine with that price but this isnt a $36 place. Second they charge you a dollar a piece for sour cream. A DOLLAR. That's about 75¢ too much. You shouldnt be trying to make money on sour cream. And my biggest complaint by far is last time I ate there the oil was way way too old. My chalupa tasted like old oil and nothing else. This truely is enough reason for me to wait a good amount of time before going back.
(3)John B.
First couple of times it was ok. But it's not worth going to anymore. Service sucks. Food had a funny smell to it. The ground hamburger looked disgusting and had a funny smell to it in my burrito. The sour cream was rotten. Food stuck to the utensils. I could go on and on. The 20 year old cook was in the bathroom and didn't was his hands. Where's the health dept. When you need them. Taco Bells food is better than this place.
(1)Nunov Y.
I don't get why all the so-so reviews. This place has some of the best mexican food around. Certainly better than anything you'd find in Mexican town. Their carnitas are moist, delicious and out of this world. I visit Mexico at least once a year (no, I'm not talking Cancun which may as well be the US anyway as far as real Mexico) and Camelias is a treat for us when we're jonesing for some good Mex. Forget all those lame reviews. They're probably ordering something so American like Fajitas or Chimichangas. Go for the real dishes and you'll come up a winner.
(4)Jenn A.
I've been here a total of 3 times now, the most recent being just a few days ago on a Thursday evening. The first two times were quite good (roughly Spring 2011 is was great, then Summer 2013 it was pretty ok still). This last time, however, will likely be my last time. The dish I ordered was served with brown guacamole dollop on top. Just gross that it was so old and still served. I ordered a side of guacamole and that was totally ripe so I just don't get it.... Also, the service was slow, and the margarita I ordered had so little alcohol, I truly believe there was none at all. I can't say much else, chips are chips, salsa is salsa. (The bathrooms are pretty bad too.)
(2)Patrick R.
I tried this place a while back shortly after they opened. I thought it was ok (better than RO's shockingly bad Mexican restaurants). This time around, it was less impressive. First off, the set up is weird. The dining area is just and open square with tables packed in. Then there's the front area that doesn't make sense. Seems like it should be a bar... But it's more like a big server station? Our server was nice and mostly on the ball. But the food was not that impressive. I hope to god I'm wrong, but I've got good money they are not making fresh guacamole. The texture, taste, and temperature definitely made it seem like this was a bought product. I had fish tacos.... weird. It was like individual fried flakes of fish? Super dry with a dry flavor less slaw on lackluster tortillas. The rice was well cooked at least. No Draft beer is pretty weak. And over $4 a bottle for nothing special was a tad high. So for 2 entrees, 3 beers, and a small guacamole. .. we were over $40 before tip. Definitely on the high side for what we just had. I really want to like this place. It's almost walkable from my house.... But anywhere in Mexican Town... or even that new place in Clawson blow this one put of the water. Oh well.... par for the course when it comes to RO Mexican reataurants.
(2)Jessica L.
The food was greasy, lacked flavor and was over cooked. There were also gnats flying all around our table. There are much better Mexican restaurants in town than this one! We definately will not be returning here.
(2)Chris S.
Most authentic Mexican in the suburbs. Nothing in the area tastes as good. Only drawback is the atmosphere, but no frills means better food
(5)Brooke B.
The food was authentic,,it wasn't great though ,, U would think it be really good ,, I prefer more heat spice wise,, at least the place didn't smell so bad,, bathrooms weren't as clean as I would prefer but OK,,, I can't say the food was good enough to come back,, I can say it was average I just want a restaurant that will blow my taste buds away,, maybe I'm just asking too much..
(3)Corey G.
I really like this place. Good chips. Great salsa. Great rice (sometimes a little dry and salty). Awesome prices. Comfy dinning area. But every once in a while, we get the waitress we've dubbed "sunshine", because she is anything but. Idk what her problem is. If you're nearby and want Mexican, go here instead of downtown RO.
(4)Fish A.
I don't understand the harsh reviews. We loved the food. The beef and cheese chimichanga was so good. The cheese had a lot of flavor. My husband liked the chicken fajitas a lot. We will definitely return.
(4)Joe B.
I agree with Samir...this place is pretty decent. Service was solid and the food was better than I expected. I love my combos when I get Mexican so I tried the tamale, a taco and an enchilada. The tamale was done well stuffed with pork and plated in its corn husk. The taco was legit and the enchilada was satisfying too. Rice and beans accompanied my plate and those made for a nice midnight snack that were great even cold. Our server offered us Cholula and El Tapio hot sauces and the chips and salsa were pretty tasty too. The guacamole was really smooth and I liked its flavors. I'll be back here for sure. It's close by, quick and they do a nice job. My only complaint was the less than stellar margarita....definitely from a mix and a little astringent tasting.
(4)Tamara Y.
Let me start out by saying that I went into this place expecting it to suck. Why? Because most of the Mexican restaurants in suburbia do. I was pleasantly surprised by this place. The chips and salsa are made in-house. The chips were freshly fried and still warm. Delicious. The salsa was appropriately spicy (I like hot) with lots of cilantro. The drink prices are not listed in the drink menu, which I thought was a bit weird. The drink menu also announced that happy hour ran until 7, while the sign in the window announced that happy hour ran until 6. The waiter wasn't familiar with either the prices or the hours, and had to go check with the manager. I found this a bit worrisome, but at least the kid was making an earnest effort. The margarita was ok. This being my first visit, I wanted to try an assortment of items and looked to the combo platter. However, I was told that I could only have hamburger or shredded chicken. Hamburger? I don't have a chunky beef option? Nope. To hell with that. If I wanted to eat a taco or burrito made with hamburger, I'd be at %$#@! Taco Bell. How about carnitas? Nope, no carnitas. I eyeballed the waiter suspiciously -- what kind of legit Mexican restaurant doesn't have carnitas? I ended up settling for the tamales dinner. I got two pork, one chicken, with the usual rice and bean accompaniments. They were actually pretty decent and clearly homemade. The chicken was better than the pork, with discernable mini-chunks of chicken and peppers. The masa to meat ratio was very good, and the masa was not rubbery, although it did fall apart somewhat when taken out of the cornhusk. The service was decent. Then again, the place was nearly empty. Will it ever displace Mi Pueblo in my heart? Hell no. But if I don't feel like driving to SW Detroit, this place will do.
(4)Ashley H.
I just stopped in for the first time the other night. I think there were several bad reviews that initially kept me away but my friend really likes another location and insisted I give it a try. I give it four stars when comparing it to other suburban Mexican options. If I threw Mexicantown offerings into the mix, Camelia's rating would go down a bit. But if you're in the Royal Oak/Madison Heights/Ferndale/Berkley area, this is a good option. Better than Grand Azteca if you ask me. I thought our food had great flavor and tasted very fresh. Our server was friendly and prompt. I ordered a combo dinner to try a few things. The enchilada suiza was my favorite. Guacamole and salsa were good too.
(4)Julie S.
This is the 1st time I have felt compelled to write a review. I have been eating at the Camelia's in FH since in opened and was always fairly happy with the meal I got. However the RO location has a lot of thing they need to work out. I was excited when it 1st opened up in RO but that excitement has only lead to disappointment. This is now the 2nd and last time I will eat at this restaurant. Both times the service was sooo slow and food was only fair. On Thursday night my husband , 1 yr old and myself decided to stop for dinner, we were sat ASAP, we told the server we needed a high chair but that wasn't brought until a few mins later. When I asked if they had ceviche the waiter didn't know what I was talking about and had to go ask the kitchen d they severed that. I wanted it as an appetizer not an entire meal which they didn't do. I ordered a Mexican pizza & My husband orders fish tacos and both orders were completely wrong. I received a Mexican sandwich and my husband ordered a fish plate. At this point we had been Waiting almost 45 minutes and were starving and decided to just eat what we were served. Mine was sooo bad that I couldn't eat it, my husband switched with me and he agreed it was not good at all. Though my husbands was the wrong meal it wasn't terrible the salsa was pretty good. To top it all off as I'm sitting there our waiter dropped a bowl of salsa all over the floor and onto my pants. At this point I had the other waitress get the owner b/c I was angry. The owner was very friendly and covered our entire meal but the fact that everything went wrong it was the least he could do.
(1)Tony M.
I don't know why there is such a lack of good Mexican food in the burbs, but there is very little good to be had. It's kind of sad that Grand Azteca has become my benchmark for edible Mexican food, but that's the current state outside of Mexican Town. Having said that, we decided to try Camelia's in the hopes that we'd surpass that "edible" benchmark. I had seen the reviews and knew that we may be in for a mixed bag. Unfortunately, Camelia's falls far below that threshold. The service is as bad as everyone else has said. There were several staff members standing out in the lobby, but they certainly didn't want anyone getting their attention. We got refills after our cups were long empty, but they came back out diet. It took at least 10 minutes to get our over-tanned server's attention so we could get something to drink. The food was nothing special. The chips were very thick and the salsa was not great. They difference between the mild and hot was only heat, not taste. The shredded chicken was very dry and didn't have much flavor. My enchiladas were inexplicably gritty, and didn't have much flavor. My wife's chimichanga seemed to be wrapped in phlyo dough that was quite tough. So to sum up, this place is a fail. Lousy service, weak food. We will not be back.
(2)Andrey T.
When they opened, I would have given them 4 starts. Now, just not good. Actually, really not good in every aspect. Food inconsistent and greasy (I've never had greasy Mexican food outside of here). Service is always the absolute worst and super slow. This place went from being a favorite to an "avoid" pretty quickly. Hope they recover.
(1)Jason P.
Good food, friendly staff, I just wish it was open later! Free chips and salsa (hot and mild) and good stuff! Lunch specials are really awesome.
(4)Susan M.
Ok. Nothing great but not bad. I have been here a few times but would never go out of my way for this place.
(3)Meghan B.
I've been here twice. First time it was ok, second time it sucked! Service was horrrrible the second time. They were probably 70% busy, & our waiter took forever to do anything. I wanted to walk out b/c it took so long. We had 2 margaritas, non-frozen b/c their machine was broke & they were extremly weak! $8 for a non-alcholic margarita is rediculous. We also had to wait a long time for water, and refills. We had obviously tons of chips and salsa which were really good, I devoured them! :) I've had their chimichangas in the past that were decent but not up to par at all compared to other mexican food places in the area. We also had the mexican pizza which was a sad looking piece of food. It small, ugly, and looked like it came out the freezer. I was very disappointed. The rice and beans are ok, nothing special. Plus their food presentation is poor. I won't be coming back here anytime soon, or by choice. Camelia's seems to me like a restaurant chain kind of place. They do a half-ass job on service and food but want you to pay above and beyond for it. If you want great mexican food and amazing $2.50 margaritas try Juan's Hacienda at 13 1/2 & Dequindre.
(2)Karl N.
After 2 visits I'm going to become a regular. Family friendly (kids welcome) and cool happy hour prices. Free chips & salsa, lots of choice on the menu, and the food was tasty. Much more fun and satisfying than a chain restaurant.
(4)Sarah G.
Don't believe the bad reviews... Camelia's is GREAT!!! With other local "mexican" restaurants like Blue Tequila, Cantina Diablo's and Monterrey's to choose from and mexican being our favorite food we've had to go without for quite some time. Then for my boyfriend's birthday we were determined to find a new place to eat! We found Camelia's on Yelp and since it was so close we decided to just go despite our fellow Yelpers. First impressions were that it was very cute, clean and lots of (FREE!) parking. We walked in and about half the tables were taken, so we were seated immediately. The inside decor was super cute and we particularly loved the cowboy hat lights. They have a wide selection of beer (plus margaritas!), good chips and salsa and a large menu with the mexican classics. Our waiter was great and by the time we were eating our meal, the place was full. Everyone was very talkative and enjoying their meal. The food was exactly what we were looking for... not expensive, but very yummy. We ordered a wet burrito and enchiladas, both of which were great. We each took about half our entree's home. Overall, this is exactly what we wanted and will be coming back frequently. We suggest you do the same!
(5)Heather H.
yaya
(5)Robert R.
My wife and I drive past Camelia's infrequently so it's not in our face all the time. But about three weeks ago we wanted Mexican food and didn't want to drive down to Mexicantown nor could we bring ourselves to go to Juan's, Azteca, Diablo, etc. so we remembered Camelia's and decided to give it a try. We're really glad that we did! We just returned from our second visit and we have now tried the Carnita's (twice!), Chili Relleno and Chicken Enchilada Suiza's. So far our food has been very, very good - certainly far better than the other Madison Hts, Royal Oak, etc, places. On both visits, the Carnita's have been excellent and cooked perfectly with a nice crisp texture on the outside and were soft and tender on the inside. The Chili Relleno that I had tonight was amazing and unlike any Chili Relleno that I've ever had before. I'm giving them high marks for their food. We waited a little bit for our homemade chips and drinks but it certainly wasn't an excessive wait. Our server, who I remember seeing in the restaurant on our first visit, was friendly and let us know that the Chili Relleno that I ordered would take a little time because they make it to order. It did take a little time but it was worth the wait. Camelia's has a good selection of Mexican beers. On our first visit I had a Pacifico and tonight I had a Sol. Both were served ice cold in the bottle with a slice of lime. While you can tell from the outside that it is a former Pizza Hut it is casually comfortable inside. There's couple of unobtrusive TV's to zone out on if you decide that you don't want to have a conversation with your dining partner. I'm giving Camelia's a strong 4 rating for their food and decent service - they're making a real effort here - and I know that we will be back.
(4)Ashley R.
Food was good. We had the Mexican kabob and the appetizer chimis. Waitress lady wasn't very friendly
(3)Amy M.
Well since my last review things have gotten bad there. The food is not good, the service is subpar and the "I'm sorry's" by the staff just aren't cutting it anymore. I won't be going here anymore nor will I recommend it.
(1)Vernon B.
Mondane, pedestrian mexican that tasted descent. The portions are small compared to other mexican restaurants. Service is horrible! Waited over 15 minutes to get our beverages and chips and salsa. The tortilla chips are bagged except for the 2 they give you on your entree. Those seem to be freshly made and tasted good. Why not serve those instead of the crappy bagged ones? This is the second time eating here (always give a place a second chance). However I would not recommend this place if someone asked me where to get a good mexican meal.
(2)Elizabeth P.
The best comment I have on this place is they serve good chips. Everything else leaves something to be desired.
(1)Jennifer E.
Sad to say, but I won't be coming back. My husband and I do not really like Monterray Cantena in Royal Oak, but were caving Mexican. My husband did a search and Yahoo! claimed it to the best Mexican in the area. We were seated and shortly approached by our waitress. My husband had to try 3 drink orders before she finally said, "Yes! We do have that!" Seems as they do not have a full bar like their Farmington location and chose not to update their menus. So in a decent amount of time the bus boy brings us chips and salsa. We see other patrons finishing there baskets and their waitress/waiter asking if they'd like more. We finished ours fairly fast as we were starving! And we waited...and waited...and WAITED and never once even saw our waitress...not even at her other tables! (We wondered if they are allowed smoke breaks out back?!!?). She FINALLY returned, took our orders and we asked for more chips. Our chips came back with our orders MUCH later :( As we ate our drinks were gone and never once did the waitress ask if we'd like more. We were drinking alcohol and you'd think she would want us to run up the bill = better tip, but guess not! The food was pretty bad considering the wait. I ordered the Tacos Carbon and the Delmonaco steak that was to come inside was tough and a few bites I chewed pieces of steak fat :( My husband had burrito, enchilada, and a chalupa. His chicken was watery and the beans and rice were bland. We really had high hopes for this place.... If they get better service and a cook who knows how to create a quality, tasty dish, we will think about returning.
(1)John C.
I just moved into the area and I wanted to find a goto mexican restaurant. So far iv eaten here three times, almost 4 but we were turned away at the door 40 mins before they closed. The chips and salsa a very good especially the hot salsa, and the service has been pretty good as well. The food is very salty for me, and im a guy who loves salt. The first time I thought it may have been a mistake, but it's been pretty consistent the three times iv come here. Aside from the salt the food has been sub par. The big burrito was about 85% salty beans 15% meat, a real disappointment for $11. The 2nd visit the wife and I split a nacho, the cheese didn't look close to melted, ordered it with chicken and again it was mostly salty beans. Poorly executed. The little cup of sour cream was $1, and the little cup of jalapeños was $1. Unreal.. On our 3rd visit I tried the quesdillas pan fried, again lacking meat and left a pool of oil on the plate. My ala carte burrito was so small it was laughable. I may come back here eventually but I think I'll explore my options.
(2)Hal N.
Beats Trini and Carmen's, nice people, great food, well thought out full menu (and drinks, though I'll forego). Art Myatt, Lee Sprague, and I really enjoyed our meals. I finished with flan.
(5)Kali b.
I went with 3 other people for my bday - i wanted a place that was fun and chill and where we could all talk and be relaxed. the food was good - everyone enjoyed what they ordered. I have had some better enchiladas in other states, but for what is around here- this is better than the other choices. Giant margaritas, pina coladas and sangria where all cheersed at the table. the waiter was friendly and on top of everything. If your looking for a fancy decored upscale place, then this is not for you. But if you enjoy sitting in a booth with your besties and not waiting 45 min to get a seat - then you will love it here. We all agreed we will be back for more :) ps. they close at 10 on sat. great place to grab dinner and a few drinks before going out for more
(4)Liza S.
Great service and great food. HUGE portions. The only thing we were put off by is there is Horchata on the menu but they said they no longer carry it. :( Carne asda burritos. We will be back.
(5)Brian P.
We spent a few minutes at the door, waiting to be sat. We were shown into the dining room by an unfriendly lady, only to wait at one if the 8 dirty tables while she wiped it. We waited 10 minutes before anyone addressed us at the table. We were brought chips and salsa. And then waited another 10 minutes and NO ONE even took our drink order. Needless to say, we left. There were 3 servers cleaning tables and attending to the only other 2 tables of customers in the place, each if whom walked past us numerous times. Ridiculous.
(1)Joshua L.
******Update******** I go here pretty much once a week now. Service can be a little slow when they are busy, but I've not experienced "bad" service. I'm still pretty amazed this keeps coming up in reviews. Maybe I'm more patient? Either way, great place!
(4)Bill B.
My wife and I happened onto Camelia's at the end of a longer than expected shopping expedition. We were hungry and not too fussy. Though it was not great (great not being an adjective I've ever associated with Mexican food in the Detroit area), it had some things going for it. As a vegetarian, I appreciate the chicken-stock-free white rice and pleasantly soupy vegetarian whole beans. My veggie combo (cheese enchilada, veggie burrito and quesadilla) was palatable if not inspired. As Kimberly S below mentioned, the chips are distinctively double-layered and blissfully un-salty. As long as you're not expecting it to be more than what it is, Camelia's can work for you.
(3)Victoria A.
I am a salsa nut and this place has extremely delish, fresh salsa! The entree's are very fresh and good as well. I think that they have weeded out the bad servers. I think with the right servers and add a bit more to the ambiance.. a definite best Mexican in the royal oak area!
(4)Amy B.
Absolutely atrocious service!!!! After listening to a waiter complain for 5 min. to the hostess right at the hostess stand that she wasn't giving him a 6-top instead of the 5-top earlier, we were seated in his section (there were 2 of us). Another 5 minutes passed before he (never gave his name) asked if we needed something to drink, then 5 min. more to actually get our waters. Even later the busboy brought us a basket of chips/salsa - no silverware or napkins yet. Finally we ordered, but after having to ask another waitress for more chips (she never brought them) then the busboy again for silverware, and after an hour only seeing our waiter once to drop off more chips (no salsa) we left. We spoke to the manager who only said he was sorry.....I will NEVER go back again & will be sure to tell all of my friends!
(1)Teri S.
Not bad, but not a "must go to" place. Service was very slow, at one point while we were waiting for our server to pick-up our payment we saw her sitting up front with what appeared to be the manager (he had been visiting various tables). We both had the combo place (pick 3 items). My husband had ordered all three items with chicken and one was beef. He didn't send it back because we knew it would take too long. The chips and salsa, rice and beans were very tasty compared to other Mexican restaurants we've visited, very fresh. The only thing I missed was the little side of lettuce and tomatoes you usually get, helps break up the heaviness of the fried items.
(3)Eva J.
Great food and great service! Can't wait to go back! I was craving steak fajitas and I'm so glad we found this place. They came out sizzling hot with some guac and pico de gallo on the side. I was very happy. My boyfriend got the pan-fried chicken quesadillas which were also delicious.
(4)Brandy L.
Moving from San Diego and being surrounded by AMAZING mexican food EVERYWHERE. My husband and I were really disappointed when we moved here two years ago and only found Monterey's down town. That place is NOT mexican food! That is a very bad version of tex mex/taco bell. Diablos - again not mexican food, not terrible. But never going there expecting to feed my mexican food cravings. Camelia's is AWESOME. Carnitas, excellent! Once we discovered this place, right after their opening, we went at least twice a month. Either to eat in or take out. Never once, have I had a bad experience w/ service or food. I think the mid-west has a very different idea of Mexican food. If you're confused, maybe make a little trip to Mexican town. Anyway, we love this place, we're moving again very soon due to job placement and I'm hoping we can find another good mexican restaurant. My personal favorites: Carnitas plate, Chilaquiles for breakfast, and I don't think you can go wrong w/ a combo plate: Enchiladas, mini chimi (chicken), tamale (pork), beef flautas. PS - if I weren't pregnant and could drink I'd want to get unlimited supply of their sangria.
(4)Scott M.
I'm really glad we did not read the reviews of this place before deciding to swing into Camelia's. This place is a nice repurposing of an old (and gross) Pizza Hut and deserves a better shake than a lot of the reviews here give it. Upon entering i was pleasantly surprised by their simple redecorating of the place. It has a nice vibe and feel to it. Amazed that just the addition of a wall and some quaint Mexican kitch can make such a big difference. The place was fairly empty when we arrived, but the woman who sat us was warm and friendly as was our server. Our chips and salsa were delicious and when our food came, which wasn't much after the chips, it was equally delicious. It wasn't high end food, but it wasn't Taco Bell either. If I had one complaint about the place it would be that they're menu is just a bit too big. Anytime I see a place with a menu this big, I always worry about them being able to make everything on the menu well, and then I worry about their overhead costs to produce that big of a menu. Fortunately that wasn't a problem for us. Overall, the food was decent and the place and service was nice. I think it's a great change from the nasty Pizza Hut that used to be there, and it provides similar quality Mexican food as Monterrey at the price Monterrey should be charging.
(4)Chris M.
I've not felt much desire to post on Yelp as of late. Sometimes I've been detoured from going to a place or will avoid a place if I read what I feel is an over the top review of a place. I still think it is a great site and maybe I'm just being pissy. Anyway.... This place is close to my house and my favorite taco truck isn't. Stopping in to the ghost of Pizza Hut past was somewhat depressing. Pretty empty and did I mention depressing. It really looked like the owner requested the painters to find a bland color and run with it. I travel so much for work that I have started asking the server to order for me. 70% of the time I feel like they have given me the best they have to offer, 15% of the time they pick the most expensive items to drive the check up, and the other 15% I get told "I'm a server not a mind reader", which I appreciate. Overall I enjoy eating this way. I think I just ate two chicken enchiladas, which is what the girl picked for me. She was attentive very pleasant. I got home and opened the carry out to see 4 tortilla chips resting on tinfoil....4!!!! This is the same gripe I had with lockharts. Provide a reasonable amount of something or don't provide it all. The beans and rice were standard beans and rice. Pretty decent which earned the 3rd star. The cardboard chicken things I got were actually worse than eating a roll up at 7-11, which are not bad after drinking btw. Not a whole lot of flavor in the food. I could see this place struggle to stay open since there wasn't anything overly terrible but nothing that would make me want to call a friend up to meet for lunch or jump in a dinner waiting list.
(3)Samir N.
This place was actually pretty decent. I really liked the thick and crunchy chips, and the salsa was solid too. I ordered flank steak tacos. I am guessing the meat was not the best cut, or why else would they chop it so small? It tasted okay, but I was looking for big and juicy pieces of flank steak. I would not mind trying other things on the menu and I am sure I will, since this place is right around the corner from me.
(3)Richard R.
Let me start with the staff, They were all very friendly, very attentive and they were keeping the place very clean throughout our visit. Our waitress was great, very friendly and checked on us at all the right times, overall they were on top of their game. Now on to the food. We ordered a chicken chalupa, chicken nachos and a chicken burrito. The chicken on all the dishes was way over salted and it overpowered every other taste on the plate. After making my burrito wet and adding chunk chicken its now a 12$ burrito which I knew going in, but after a few bites I felt disappointed and that it wasn't worth my hard earned money. I am not one to send food back to the kitchen, I just dont trust that it will be better or not tampered with. So I guess the hunt for good Mexican food in the Detroit area continues.
(2)Steven M.
If I could, I'd say it's more like 2 1/2 stars but I tend to 'round up' a little. The place is ok - nothing great but I seriously would rather go here than Monterrey or the new pianobar/mexican combo on Main street. As with any good Mexican restaurant, the chips and salsa are done in house. The hot sauce is a nicely surprising hot and felt like a great start to the meal. The menu is fairly full, plenty for anyone and I'd say they tried to represent well. It's better than a chain because you feel like they're doing things from scratch on many fronts but there are some stinker items here. The waitress was virtually alone, just her dealing with ALL tables. That's insane! From the other reviews, it looks like that's a trend rather than an isolated problem. She was nice and seemed busy for sure. Getting orders taken took a while for sure but our food came out quickly. I'm also sure the waitress was our bartender too. C'mon Camelia's, can you spring for one more person who can wait a few tables and tend bar to give this poor girl some help?? The food was decent, not outstanding but decent and I didn't mind the portions being less than GIGANTIC. With chips and salsa, we had plenty. Would I go back? Yes. Would I expect it to be amazing? No. This is Royal Oak, if I want great mexican food, I go to Mexican Village and can find plenty of options. This place is better than the chains, cozy and has a relaxed feel. It was pleasantly busy so you didn't feel like the only person in town who didn't get the joke. The food doesn't compare to a Zumba but it's not bad - so they did the basics ok, need more staff and it would likely get another star from everyone here.
(3)Adam C.
To preface, What a group of bros and hipsters below. I understand what you're looking for and it isn't Mexican cuisine. Please go to On The Border to fulfill your "authentic Mexican cuisine" needs. This place is consistently delicious and fresh, the staff is friendly, and the portions are reasonable. I'm a big dude and always come away stuffed. The tortilla chips placed atop your entree are garnish. Enjoy as a bonus. Surely if you requested another serving of chips with your meal, it wouldn't be an issue. My only gripe about this place is the price - while not any more expensive than other Mexican joints in the area, I can't wrap my mind around beans, meat, cheese and masa equating to "over $10." That being said, keep up the good work - thanks for providing a quality service to a former neighborhood eyesore. -ac
(4)Paul B.
Here is the deal, the food is very good and their salsa is excellent. I often get carry out and get a large salsa to go and use it through the week. It is that good. The menu has a lot to choose from and the enchiladas are fab. The negative is their service. It is just brutal. Every time I have gone there and dined in the service has been poor and the food very, very slow to arrive.
(3)Ed C.
Great chips and solid salsa but that's about it. Six different entrees at our table and wasn't impressed by any of them. There's a suprising lack of pork on the menu, and I was told the $9 bowl of menudo would take 25 minutes because it's made to order. Let that sink in. !#@%"¢?£¥@#%$? ^ the carnage of my head exploding.^ I'm not sure I would come back, I continue to be unimpressed by the quality of mexican food on the west side. Apparently I need to stay on the eastside or head to southwest.
(2)Joshua M.
I've been twice now. The salsa is fantastic. Their beans are different but very, very good. I would love to see a larger vegetarian menu, but their Big Veggie Burrito is outstanding. The portion sizes are big, plus it's a Mexican place... so all the chips and salsa you can eat. Recommended.
(4)Mike P.
Awful... Simply awful. Unless you love dried out tortillas and cilantro tacos with a little steak.
(1)Ryan S.
Despite reading the less than flattering reviews, my girlfriend and i were desperate for mexican in royal oak. Well, may i start with the good? Salsa was to my liking. My food was good, altough not what i ordered. Now the bad. No beer, nasty server, and both our orders had the wrong kind of meat. When confronted with this, the waitress argued with us claiming we were wrong and so on. Someone on here mentioned how small/ expensive the side of guac is, and I can confirm this. If you go here, make sure you are clear about what you're expecting from the kitchen. Luckily it wasn't busy because the dining area is small, and the wait time for food was already quite long.
(2)Kimberly S.
I thought this place was great. The chips were unique and not basic out-of-the bag chips. The salsa was alright--the mild wasn't much different from the hot. But the enchiladas with the green sauce were out of this world. I'd go back just for those. The fried ice cream was also amazing, but way more than one person's worth. I highly recommend this. I'm not sure why everyone else seems to hate it so much, but it's much better than any of those other Mexican places around town, especially Monterey...which is overpriced and totally inauthentic.
(4)Elizabeth M.
Good: We needed a restaurant to take the space of that old yucky Pizza Hut building. Bad: Everything is watered down - from the salsa to the queso to the mole. Steak is dry & tough. Veggie burrito is watery and filled with just veggies - no cheese, no beans...bleh. Service is TERRIBLE. I checked in an hour before my server told me that my food would be "right up"....twenty min later, a total of 80 minutes later, our food arrived. It wasn't worth the wait. Don't eat at Monterrey - but be prepared to pay for this place in flavor and style. I would take my extra 20 minutes back and drive to mexican town for mexican food.....now THAT would be worth it.
(1)Thomas J.
Brief summary: The food is not so good and the service is pretty weak. Was at the royal oak location last night with my girlfriend and a couple walked out because their meal had basically been forgotten. As we looked around, we noticed that others that had been there before us had not received their food and we had been waiting roughly 20 minutes or so by this point. Try not to come here if you're in a rush. The salsa they served was actually quite good, but the chips had the texture of taco bell tortilla chips. I'm much more fond of the freshly fried tortilla chips one receives at most mexican restaurants. My girlfriend got the veggie combo. One part of the 3 part combo was appetizing according to her, and it was a simple bean burrito. Her "veggie burrito" was just lettuce and cheese, and the taco she received was filled with unappetizing burned cheese. My entree was the enchiladas mole (chicken). The chicken inside my enchiladas was dried out and seemingly re-invigorated with either water or highly diluted chicken stock. For anyone who enjoys great mexican food, you know that this isn't supposed to be like this. The upside to my entree has a downside as well - the mole sauce tasted great, but also tasted overly sweetened compared to most mole sauces. While they did find the time to fill my girlfriend's taco with burned cheese, it seems as though they skimped on the cheese atop my enchiladas which resulted in me trying to wipe the chicken all over my plate to pick up mole sauce so that it didn't taste so dry. They forgot to give me beans that came with my meal, and the beans they gave my girlfriend (I was supposed to receive them as well) were a bean soup, which actually didn't taste terrible as far as beans go, it just wasn't what you expected when you have beans with a mexican dinner nor did it look appetizing at all; for a soup, these "beans" were quite abysmal. I was really hoping this restaurant would be a good replacement for Grand Azteca, so we wouldn't have to go by Oakland Mall during dinner time and because this restaurant is within walking distance from our house but sadly it is not. The restaurant looked pretty nice for being an old pizza hut, but for those prices and service quality(I kind of wish it was a pizza hut again with beer and the atari machine they had), I'll continue heading toward Grand Azteca roughly five minutes away for cheaper more appetizing food at better prices when driving down to Mexican Village is out of the question. Oh, and Grand Azteca has a liquor license, so beer and drinks are readily available.
(2)Michael G.
Well that was a waste of money! This converted former Pizza Hut tries to pull off the Mexican restaurant vibe decently... though the waiting area is very small. Got the chicken enchiladas for $9. I took two bites and that was it.... the sauce was bitter and lacked any flavor at all.... That's about as much as I can say about the food as I didn't make it past two bites..... I actually drove down to Mexican Town an hour later for some GOOD Mexican Food that was cheaper! As for the staff.. I can't stay they were friendly at all.. very short, seemed annoyed with everyone there (customers & fellow employees). I will not be returning here!
(1)Jennifer V.
Husband and 9 year old son went for a quick Sunday lunch before errands. We were hoping this would be a good addition to an area that could use a few more Mexican options. Menu was extensive and had all the typical fare. My husband and I both got a lunch special. He got 2 quesadillas and I got two chicken soft tacos. The quesadillas looked deep fried and did not have much cheese at all. The soft tacos were fine, if not a little skimpy on the fillings. While the food was fresh, ingredients were not generous, except for the obligatory rice and beans. The server asked if we both wanted sour cream. He brought us 2 sides in a shot glass sized cup and then charged us .99 each on the final bill. My son ate off the kids menu- chicken strips and fries. With two soft drinks and our lunch 'specials', the bill was over $30 with tip. So while the service was adequate and the food freshly prepared, I would not consider this a good value for the money.
(2)Rich D.
Love camellia's! portions are legit, they match their prices and aaron is an awesome server!
(5)Ryan B.
Absolutely abysmal. The service is dreadful (complaining waitstaff is never acceptable); the food dry, salty and boring; and no liquor license. Avoid this place and nuke some chicken pot pies (or just go hungry) instead. The only redeeming quality is the chips and salsa. If you want less crappy 'Mexican' food you might as well go to Margarita's on Woodward. Can I give a negative rating?
(1)Cara W.
Gave it another visit and was pretty pleased. We were very comfortable dining in and the food was really good. Love the fresh ingredients. The shredded chicken is really tasty and thought the beans and rice were on par with the places in mexican village. *** We eat here once a week now.
(4)Christin R.
I love this place!! Their beans are the best I've ever had. =)
(5)I Am S.
I wonder what restaurant someone will open here next?
(2)Kyle S.
Not a big fan considering all the competition in the area. The salsa was good, the guacamole was good, and the rice was good. You're served chips and salsa like many other places though they sorta skimped on the chips which were kind of bland and they only bring you a tiny salsa dish at a time or mild or hot, but not both. I tried the enchiladas, which were OK i guess, and i tried the chimichonga which was kind of tiny, and didn't make a big impression. Don't know if I'll go out of my way to dine their again, when there are so many other tex-mex, or Mexican places nearby. The inside of this restaurant was kind of plain and didn't feel very lively. The inside was very clean, but that doesn't do much when it feels as boring as it does. When i think of Mexican atmosphere i think of lots of color and mariachi music. The wait staff was very courteous, though it seemed like they rather not be their when i seen one of the waitresses updating her Zoon mp3 player. I think this restaurant has big plans to be busy but i don't see it making a big impact locally. Also I don't think they serve margaritas which might be able to save this place, if people got loud and drunk and were having a good time maybe it was create more of a festive environment.
(3)Myrtle M.
Definitely better food and more authentic than Diablo's (should be spelled Diablow's) down the street. And they have their liquor license now, so anyone who has complained that they don't serve alcohol, that's not the case anymore. Great fajitas and burritos and pretty awesome fried ice cream. I took my family here a couple weeks ago to grab some lunch, and everyone seemed happy with their order and the service, too. The decor could use a little love, but it's a pretty great place for some tasty Mexican noms.
(4)Carly F.
omg this food is bomb!! i obsess over their refried beans and need to get a fix at least once a week. i've never had a bad experience, the food is always on point. ask for aaron as your server!! it's a little under-staffed during lunch.. just gonna throw that out there. CANNOT WAIT FOR BURRITO EATING CONTEST ON CINCO DE MAYO!!
(5)jack n.
Just a quick review here... I know I should be witty and descriptive but I forgot to to this a couple days in a row... I ate at Camelia's for the first time this past Saturday... and went back again Sunday. I know the restaurant has been there for a while, but nothing attracted me to actually venture in. I'm sorry I hadn't been sooner. The food is really good. Good variety, nice portions. The beans and rice have more flavor than any other Mexican restaurant I've eaten at. I had the Enchilada Suiza, Chicken Quesadilla, a beef burrito and a taco. Everything was really good. My least favorite was the ground beef burrito, but there was nothing bad about it. Camelia's is a small, unassuming place with good food. Nothing fancy. No gimmicks. No exciting theme. But yes, the food is worthwhile. And good guacamole too.
(4)TinaRene J.
i have to say that i love their mole sauce, the guac is great and i love the refried beans. this isnt gourmet mexican, but it is authentic and simple. i tend to be a creature of habit, so the mole enchiladas i have ordered on several occasions and they are consistent and delicious, i have also love the fact that i can order goat cheese as well. and while the service might be a little on the slow side, i typically don't go to any place during peak hours, so i have not experienced the overly slow service. my only boo is that they use styrofoam for carryout.
(4)Hymae W.
My buddey had talked this place up forever. The service took FOREVER and the food was okay at best. They had no staff and were really slow to take our order, refil our drinks, and even slower at making our food.
(1)Don D.
I've driven by this place a few times recently and decided to give it a shot for lunch on Monday afternoon. I love Mexican food and love the idea of not having to drive far to get a good version of it. Unfortunately Camelia's does not deliver. The service was very lacking for a place that wasn't very busy. The food was very dull, and was missing all the flavors associated with Mexican cuisine. Very unimpressive.
(2)Angela L.
My husband and I went here for the first time last week and we loved it! It's a cozy little restaurant with fun decorations and a super sweet staff. Everything we ordered was fresh and tasty. I especially loved the bean nachos and their flan was really rich and perfectly sweet. Our waitress was kind and helpful. We can't wait to come back :)
(5)Sara G.
I am not a big fan of mexican food because my fiance thinks moe's was awesome. But we decided to try Camelia's when we just wanted easy takeout. I ordered tacos, he ordered a burrito and we ordered the strawberry chimi-cheesecake for dessert and loved all of it. The refried beans were great as well as the salsa. I can't comment about the service but the food was great and everything was as we ordered it.
(5)Greta F.
Been here multiple times now....great food and service. Highly recommend!
(5)Beak A.
I wish this place wasn't so bad but, they are. With like 3 Aztecas within a 5 mile radius of this joint they don't stand a chance ....Terrible food and a staff that is clueless about whats on there own menu, customer service and just life in general they will be closed by years end.
(1)Brian B.
Have to update the masses. Been here a couple times since my initial 4 star review. I gave them 4 stars at first because it was the first night of business and I figured they would've ironed out the kinks by now, but no, it got worse. Service The service is subpar. Always has and probably always will. I had to wait 20 minutes to get seated even though tables were open. Waiter took a while to come to the table, bring chips, bring pops, etc. He was quick to bring us out check though. Food subpar. the fajitas the other days were not marinated. they were grilled with a salt and pepper blend. the veggies were flavorless. it's sad when the rice is the best part of the meal. the salsa is decent. My tacos were just ok, however, the size was very small for the price. i've had other dishes and have felt similar feelings towards them, edible but leaves you wanting way more. my biggest gripe to the whole place is they nickel and dime you. i realize extra condiments aren't free, however, the prices they charge are ridiculous. when i ordered tacos, the waiter asked if i wanted a side of guac and sour cream and i said sure. now, part of me thought these might be included and the other other part thought there was going to be a slight charge. my GF ordered fajitas and was asked if she wanted cheese on them and she said yes, figuring a slight upcharge. no big deal for me or her. however, when we got the bill, i realized were charged $6 for the extras. $2 for each item. i got an extremely small serving of sour cream and a laughable amount of guac, which isn't even good. a single slice of white cheese on the fajitas was barely melted. i'm sorry, but $6 for that, it doesn't compute. i'm not one for bitching about things like this, but this really irritates me for some reason. honestly, i'd rather have gone to taco bell and spent $20 less. even though this place is a 3 wood shot away from house, i won't be back any time soon. even waiting, i noticed a lot of confusion and bickering from the staff. it seems like no one knows what's going on there and it shows. i'd rather take my money to Monterrey, which isn't my gold standard of mexican, but sure is better than this place.
(2)J R.
The best Mexican Food in Michigan! We are from Arizona and California and even with hispanic decent. The service poor, only because the F.H. location is small and it was a busy Friday night, but, I was drunk off the salsa. It was so good, I could drink it and the food and rice was just so authentic and fresh. I have nothing but good things to say. So glad we did not go to a chain Mexican restaurant like we originally intended nor did we drive to a disgusting part of Detroit for mediocre Mexican food.
(5)Kady D.
I went here for lunch with my pops. It was slow , as in we were the only table in the joint. I really liked the chips and salsa that was brought to the table and the warm homemade chips are amazing. The salsa and guacamole were pretty good as well. I ordered the steak fajitas and my dad got a combo plate with a taco, enchilada, and something smothered in cheese. He wa happy with everything he got and I was too. My fajitas were nothing special I ate everything but it wasn't remarkable in my book. Overall I think I'll probably be back when I want some Mexican food and don't feel like making the long drive downtown.
(3)Cheryl T.
Camelia's is located at the end of my street (Blair) on 11 mile in the old Pizza Hut building, and opened yesterday. I went with a friend, and was really impressed with how the changed the interior and made it into a cozy Mexican eatery. The staff was extremely friendly, and the food good, so I decided to go back with my stepson today. Again, was not disappointed. Their Guacamole is awesome (which is really what I rate Mexican places by), salsa is very fresh tasting, and the entrees were really good. Tonight I had the Tacos de Pescado, and they were delicious. Three corn soft tacos with breaded tilapia finished with cabbage and pico de gallo and lime wedges. It also came with rice & beans. I dont usually rave about rice, but I seriously love Camelia's rice!! It was a very generous portion. My step son had the beef enchiladas, and he wolfed them down really fast. It was also a large portion, and he said it was delicious. Very friendly staff, good food, and very reasonable prices. I'm so glad that we have a new Mexican place in Royal Oak. I think Monterrey's is gross and overpriced, and it was nice to get good food and not destroy my wallet!
(4)Ilene R.
Ordered carry-out from here. They were very short with me over the phone and didn't even know what was in their own taco salad. Then, when I went to pick up the order, they once again didn't know their own menu, when I asked how much chips and salsa was they had no idea, and even looked at the menu and could not figure out the cost. Then they said a small side of chips and salsa would be almost $6. That is ridiculous to me. The quality of the food was also not great and didn't taste that great. I give it a 1 on a 1-5.
(1)Rod B.
Hola! I saw this place on Saturday night with the NOW OPEN sign so we decided to try it on a cold Sunday noon right after church services. Ample parking space, nice greeting, and we were seated alright. Chips and salsa came and due to the chilly weather, decided to order hot coffee or tea and was told they don't have it, we were told they don't have the coffee machines yet...hmmm, not a good excuse to me. We proceeded to skip appetizers and dig right into the main courses. We ordered the vege combination platter and the Mexican kabob. The vege combo was dry with scant drips of cheese...did they forget the supply of cheese as well??? My Mexican kabos came with 2 sticks of skewered veggies and wiat, where's the meat??? Oh, there's 2 small slices inserted in between. It came with a white rice...white rice in a Mexian place???? The food was lukewarm, the rice was cold and the 2 slices of tomatoes on the sides looks like they have been sitting there since last night. Ok, ok., ok, I am not trying to be hard on them but come on 'Camelia', you just opened the restaurant, have you ever heard of the phrase "first impression is lasting?" .. I'll give them a break as they just opened 3 days prior. On my way out, I was asked the usual question 'how was everything?' and I honestly answered the food was lukewarm, etc. but it seemed to me that he did not 'hear' what I said as the chashier was fumbling with the roll of tape resgister. Hmmm, lukewarm that is. Anyway, I hope 'Camelia' reads this and ACTS on it fast...There's competition around the area...Zumba, Monterrey, and Azteca baby! Well as for now, I am giving this place just UNO star. I will be willing to give them another try soon, but for now, I will keep my 'OLE' to myself.
(1)Mr. and Mrs. F.
Before my review I will explain my point of view on authentic Mexican food......authentic Mexican food is NOT what you find at most places which categorize themselves as Mexican restaurants (Monterrey/Cantina Diablo's/ChiChi's/Don Pablo's,etc). These restaurants, while yummy in their own rite, should be thought of as "American Mexican/Tex Mex". Real authentic Mexican food is noted for its simplicity of content and presentation, and the quality of fresh ingredients where presentation does not outshine flavor. With that, my wife and I found last night's dinner to be a very pleasant experience. We were seated quickly, and the staff was professional and courteous throughout our meal. The chips and salsa (both mild and hot) were very good, and as authentic as any Mexican restaurant we have been to in the US or Mexico. Previous reviews used descriptions of "watered down"....again, I think many people are just used to more chunky type salsa from Kroger/7-11/Costco, etc. Our waitress was quick to spot when we needed more. I ordered Tacos Carne Asada, and was very pleased. Three tacos were nicely presented in their true authentic fashion.....on small, double layered corn tortillas. The tender meat was finely chopped, and layered nicely with cilantro and onions, and served with an ample side of pico de gallo and guacamole. The tacos were complimented with traditional beans and rice, and garnished with mini lime halves. The tacos were delicious and right on the money as far as authenticity goes....reminded me of eating at a taco stand in Jalisco. Nothing fancy, just darn good!! My wife tried a combo plate of a bean burrito, chicken chalupa and ground beef hard taco. All were good. It appears that they make their own hard taco shells.......a VERY nice upgrade to the boxed taco shells at most Mexican resturants (you'd expect these from Taco Bell, etc but not a sit down restaurant, right?). Last, I think they did a good job shedding the Pizza Hut vibe. The interior was clean, nice and very simple....wooden beams warm up the ceiling and Mexican tile features can be seen in the front/soda fountain areas. Overall we think Camelia's is very good......authentic, reasonable and unpretentious, and a nice alternative to other local Mexican restaurants (Margarita's, Azteca). We'll be back for sure. Good place to bring kids too. If you want a fishbowl Margarita and a 3 lb chimichanga on an oversized, over-microwaved platter dripping with cheese and multicolored nacho chips while you watch music videos on a giant flatscreen you'll probably be disappointed...
(4)Kathryn L.
We really enjoyed eating at Camelia's. There was nothing super special about the food quality, but it definitely wasn't bad either. It was your typical Mexican entrees. The service here was great though, and the drinks were great too!
(4)Laurie H.
We had good service and the food was delicious. I got the chicken chalupas...yum. My beloved got the big steak burrito and was quite pleased as well. Delicious salsa too! Our order was carry-out and was ready right when we got there. Just goes to show ya....form your own opinion...don't just go with what some others say! Glad we didn't! Will definitely be back...
(4)Jennifer J.
Not someplace I would recommend. I don't know where to start. My boyfriend came in and were seated fairly promptly. This is about the best thing I can say about the place. Just to get our drinks it took forever. Simple soda is not hard. It took quite a while. Okay so some of the customers around us were rude I am sure they had their reasons for it. To order our food it took quite some time. The menu is extensive and a bit pricey for the lack of actual food you get. I would not feed the food to a stray animal if I had my choice but that will be talked about later. Our server took our order and I made sure to specify that I wanted quesadillas that were grilled not fried. my bf ordered enchiladas. a few moments later the server came back because she wrote down our order but couldn't find it and forgot it. Okay so I repeated it. She acted annoyed. The chips are nothing special, and the salsa that was served is not very good. One was too hot the other had no flavor and they both were really runny. I prefer chunkier salsa myself. Preferably something that has some resemblance of vegetables in it not just sauce. Of course we waited almost an hour for our food. When it did come my order was wrong. I got fried quesas instead of grilled. so gross. Don't get this fried. it is chicken and cheese in a shell fried. no flavor to it or anything. I was already very hungry so I wasn't going to send it back and wait another hour since I had someplace to be later this evening. The food overall left me wanting to vomit. I am still burping up the taste and it is many many hours later. My boyfriend has not been too happy with the experience tonight either. Needless to say my toilet is getting used more than normal. I don't need to go into details here. I will say that pepto bismo; is a god send though. If you are going to eat here you might want to reconsider. the food and headache is not worth the price. As far as the waitress, she had a bit of an attitude yeah. I don't know if she has ever waitressed before but she didn't act like it. people in her section were pretty frustrated and had to ask for things multiple times. From napkins to refills. She would disappear for long periods of time and then get irritated when people would ask her for things again. I can say I will not be going back here. It definitely left a bad taste in my mouth for sure.
(2)Kristine Z.
The food wasn't good. HORRIBLE SERVICE. I had to ask for more water. I will not not coming here again.
(1)Paul M.
This place is a crap shoot. Sometimes the food and service is great, sometimes it is horrible. The horrible service usually stems from being served by one particular nasty waitress--you'll can tell who I mean from the stench of gingivitis wafting over your fajatas. For the food, the menu is too big for everything to be freshly prepared. Just avoid the fringe items that seem like they might be coming out of the freezer and into the microwave.
(3)Marcos R.
The food is good but the service if very poor. We started with hot tea and coffee. My coffee was served stone cold in a clear coffee mug that the waitress carried by hand and Anyone with a sense of sensation or sense at all would have noticed that it was not even warm...just cold. My wife ordered the Chile Relleno and I ordered the Tex Mex burger. Now let me just say that neither of us eat a lot of cheese and we do ask not to have any on our meals. Unfortunately, not everyone listens. My wife's relleno's arrived with cheese, so we sent it back but she just was out of the mood for anything else...in the mean time my coffee replacement came looking and tasting so week that it was more like tea...I sent it back again...My Tex Mex burger was good and my wife's relleno's looked good too. I asked for a box and a flan to go and each time the waitress arrived separately without a bag. Then the bill arrived and it was wrong after I asked for the lunch price when ordering...Now I'm not going to mention anybody's name here but I'm sure that we didn't get the cream of the crop of the waitress staff. I don't think it really deserves only one star but get rid of the young poorly trained staff. The ones that know how to make coffee should stay.
(2)Jason B.
Camelia's was a fantastic local Mexican find. We have tried every Mexican Restaurant in Mexican Town, frequent Mexican Village in Utica, MI and take passion in looking for new Mexican places to dine. We find the "trendy" places like Rojo and Diablos offer not much more than a empty place in your wallet and little or no Mexican flavor. Camelias, although it lacks the waterfalls, fancy lights and a prime location, ranks in the top 5 places we have found in Metro Detroit and offers a quality Mexican experience. We went on a Saturday night about 6:30pm and the service was great. Although they had been busy we did not have to wait long for a table, about 3 minutes. Once seated the staff quickly had our drink orders in (non-alcoholic) and chips & salsa at the table for our disposal. Everyone ordered something unique and the food all came out at once. All of the food was hot and the presentation was decent. While waiting for the food our chips, salsa, and water was refilled as you would expect. The food when it arrived was fantastic! The shirmp was amazing, the burrito's, enchilada, tamale, taco's and the beans and rice all excellent. If we had one complaint about the experience it would be the price of the Shrimp and Chicken Fajitas. Given the portion size $18.95 would have been more appropriate price point than the $23.00 dollars as priced on the menu. We will definitely be going back to sample other items on the menu at this new restaurant! Hopefully they get approved for alcohol in the near future!
(5)Amy -.
I've been to Camelia's 2x now. We really love the food. It is fresh & simple. I adore the Tacos Carne Asada. I've also tried pork & the chicken tamales. I've been very happy with everything I've ordered. I will be back again.
(5)Stacey D.
Second time there and the food is delish. Best Mexican place in Royal Oak, seriously.
(5)Grace R.
Very rarely do I actually want to bash a place I usually only post reviews when I have had an awesome experience as I believe it is worth rewarding good service/products. We have eaten at Camelia's twice, once to try it out and the second time because we got a gift certificate (doh!) On our first visit, the waiter didn't have it all "together" and it took a LONG time to get food. I am quite patient but I was so crazy hungry and am used to the service at Grand Azteca which is lightning. We ordered the botana, which can to our table ... minus olives, jalapenos AND chorizo, when we pointed it out to our waiter he questioned us by asking to see the menu. Like I'd lie about what I was paying for. He brought us the ingredients out in separate bowls.. fair enough. Once our dinner came, we were missing a quesadilla which took quite a bit longer to get... the mushroom app we got was not as it was explained to us and basically tasted like a big salty mess of soup with mushrooms in it and a brick of cheese barely melted on top. The tamale was dry and tasted slightly of chemicals, almost as if oven cleaner infused it. The over all taste of the food was incredibly salty, and that's coming from a salt lover. During our meal a woman came up to ask how things were going and proceeded to try and force us to tell her if they sucked or not due to getting bad reviews, asking if the waiter was too slow as he was standing right there, it made me feel very uncomfortable although I know they are only trying to improve. The second time we went I can say the mexican sandwhich was MUCH tastier than I expected but the rellenos were mushy and flavorless. Again we encountered a kind but all together uninformed waitress who knew nothing about the menu and couldn't answer any of our questions about the food. I knew there was a charge for sour cream ($1 and some cents I believe) but I got some anyway, and she brought out a TINY lil' bowl with less then a tablespoon of sour cream in it. I actually laughed. Even though they seem to care and they try very hard to be a good wait staff, the food speaks for itself and unless the get on the ball with that, no amount of fixing the waitstaff issues is gonna help.
(1)PamperedChef J.
I won't go on explaining why I think this restaurant is horrible...as our experience unforunately encompassed everything already listed by other reviewers (wish I had read & skipped this place)...especially being charged ridiculously $2 EACH for a TBSP of guac, sour cream, and 1 slice of cheese!!! I would never go to this place again (nor to Margharita's on Woodward, as someone else mentioned). The only decent authentic Mexican food in this area is Juan's Hacienda (Dequindre north of 13 Mile), and they have very reasonable prices. In comparison, I would rate Taco Bell 5 stars compared to only 1 for Camelia's or Margaritta's (which should be a negative 100)! I wouldn't eat either of these places again if it was 75% off.
(1)erin m.
My coworkers and I were craving mexican, so we decided to order camelia's. i called the restaurant and the person who answered the phone wasn't very cheerful or helpful at all. I put in our carry out order and had him repeat it back to me to see if he got it all correctly. He got everything and originally quoted me at $38 or so. I get to the restaurant to pick it up, and the man handling my carry out said that the price he gave me over the phone was wrong, and it was actually cheaper than what he had quoted me at. I then paid for it and asked for a detailed receipt of everything that was ordered. I noticed my boss' tostadas were not on there. I asked him where they were, he knew exactly what i was referring to and replied, "the bean ones? i must have not put them on there" so i had to pay for them and wait. i finally get all the food, go back to my office, and realize one of the orders is wrong. i'm gluten intolerant and asked for CORN tortillas instead of flour tortillas. here I find that they gave me ONE corn, and one flour. so I wasn't able to eat my full meal. I called up the restaurant and told them all of my complaints, the man on the phone told me I could come up and the manager would "probably" give me a full refund. After my work slowed down, I went up there. The cashier told me that he spoke to the manager and was told I could only get a refund for the item that was wrong. I explained to him that I was told I could get a full one, then asked for the manager's name and number. He wouldn't give it to me. He told me the manager would be in tomorrow and I could come in and speak to him then. So here I am wasting my time driving back and forth, and not getting anything resolved. I went up there today and spoke to the manager. He was very understanding and I asked him if I could please have a refund and a gift card for my time. At first he was a little hesitant., but he ended up giving me a $50 gift card and free chips and salsa. As for the good, it's nothing to wire home about. The side of vegetarian beans are very good, but what kind of (veggie) burrito doesn't have beans?! kind of weird to me. The salsa and guacamole were also pretty good. Even though I have a gift card I probably won't be coming back here again, it's not rocket science to take down a carry out order and the whole ordeal completely turned me off from ever going there again.
(2)MichiganFoodie S.
I prefer their Farmington Hills location for flavor & service. I've given this location 3 chances and each time they have failed miserably. Although the Royal Oak Camelia's HAS improved their cooking from the first two times I've visited (thank you for not burning my meat until it was rock hard anymore), their service has gotten so poor that I don't think I'm willing to give it any more chances. Sorry Camelia's...3 strikes you're out. (The extra star is only because your sister location is good).
(2)Moira G.
Don't go anytime near closing..... We were greeted by the manager who was very friendly.. come in and watch the game! Our waitress came by shortly after and took our margarita order, then our appetizer order which were both very good. Downhill after that. For some reason, the waitress took care of every other table while we waited to place our dinner order. Finally we order entrees. While we waited a very long time for our entrees the place cleared out. All other patrons are gone and we are waiting, waiting, waiting... The waiters & waitresses begin their cleaning and closing procedures. Still waiting.... FINALLY dinner... which was tasty but clearly the staff didn't want to wait around for us to eat it. They banged our table with the mops, and a cook came out from the kitchen to sat in the booth directly in front of me and give me a stare down. GET OUT OF HERE they seemed to scream at us. When paying our (not cheap) tab the manager suggested we hang around to watch the end of the game.. are you kidding? Clearly he didn't observe the entire staff working there trying get us the heck out of there.... too bad
(1)Cristin C.
After trying Camelia's for the first time: The food was just fair - pretty comparable to other local Mexican fare (which is not a compliment) but the service left a lot to be desired. Really. Slow. Took too long to get food, wait for server to come back with drinks...bill...etc. Specifics on food - had the veggie fajitas and chicken fajitas. They came out sizzling on the plate, so much so that they were starting to burn. Server asked if we wanted cheese on our fajitas and if you say yes, they come melted on top of the veg/meat on the hot plate (I personally was not a fan of this, and ended up scraping it off). Several reviews mentioned the rice - be warned that if you order a "vegetarian" dish you will get vegetarian beans and plain white rice. If you like this = great, if not, specify otherwise. The salsa was pretty tasty, and the shining star was the mushrooms in the veg fajitas. I couldn't stop eating them. The guac was just ok. A few other comments - there are these annoying blinking lights in the corner of the restaurant, I guess to attract people driving by - but if I had to sit next to one of them I'd want to relocate. Overall, I think I will give it another try and order something else next time, but I still think the area needs a good Mexican place and Camelia's hasn't satisfied that.
(2)Christina D.
The food here is basic. I would not consider it Mexican. I suppose one could classify it as Tex-Mex. The salsa is moderately flavorful. I have ordered chicken fajitas at Camelia's on three different occasions. If I had to make a recommendation based off the food alone, I would meekly suggest Camelia's to someone indiscriminately desperate for a semblance of "Mexican" flavors. However, the food is overpriced. There are plenty of other cheaper and more authentic places to choose from - i.e., Mexican Town. All food matters aside, my main reason for rating Camelia's with one lousy star is the service. Deplorable, egregious, disrespectful, unprofessional. An embarrassment. These are the type of words that come to mind as I conjure up images of the staff and their extremely unsuccessful attempts at being civil, knowledgable, and courteous individuals. My second time at the restaurant, the waitress was a complete curmudgeon. No smiles. No communication. I asked for a margarita without salt and she brought me a margarita with salt. It was literally a saline solution, laced with hints of lime and tequila. I suppose that was not the deal-breaker, because I decided to go, yet again, for dinner with my best friend. We both arrived at the restaurant, entered the building and were welcomed by...a waitress entering a bill into the computer. Her body was not facing us. It took her several seconds to register that we had walked in (as we awkwardly stood around) and were waiting to be seated. She flashed us a disgruntled and annoyed look - as if we had violated some unspoken law by walking into the restaurant. She started talking to another waitress in the back of the kitchen, and was inquiring to the other waitress whether or not we would be her next table. She adamantly stated to the other waitress that we would not be her next table. Apparently, things didn't go as planned for this waitress and she ended up having to serve us. Gee, how tragic. How horrible. A waitress was forced to pick up...another table?! Keep in mind, the restaurant was not busy by any means. Anyhow, the waitress continued to act annoyed as she seated us at our booth and asked us what we would like to drink. She failed to re-fill our waters. She took my plate away without asking if I was done. I asked for a box, as she took my plate away and was left with my hands to empty my food into the box. She even witnessed me using my fingers to scoop the guacamole out and did not flinch. Meanwhile, behind us, another peeved waitress raced out to ask some patrons if they knew what the difference between a fajita and a quesadilla was - the people behind us were stumped and quite dumbfounded. They nodded, perturbed, and said, "yes, we know - we know what we ordered, thanks". The waitress seemed even more peeved by their response and retorted, "I just wanted to know if you knew what you were ordering". With great disdain and hostility, this waitress stormed off - huffing, puffing and stomping like a child. My friend and I were confused by this other waitress's behavior. The people behind us eventually got up and simply left. This other waitress continued to sport her immature attitude to some elderly men that walked into the restaurant. She yelled at them about not entering the restaurant correctly and that they had to get behind the others that came before them. She did not convey this message amiably. Rather, again, she stated it as if her time and her life were of much greater importance than the customers'. I find this appalling and pathetic. This restaurant needs to purge itself of such incompetent staff. Seriously. I thought I was in a dream. This will be the last time I ever go this restaurant. These people have absolutely no idea how to create lasting rapport with others - which will inevitably hurt future business. I am personally in need of employment and it is saddening to see such unappreciative, cantankerous, contemptuous little brats running around whining and instigating conflict with CUSTOMERS.
(1)Betsy E.
The food is mediocre (and thats being generous). The service is just as it is everywhere else in the Metro Detroit area...*sh*tty. Things I noted during the meal... 1. Our waiter had a difficult time greating us so we told another waitress would like to place a drink order. She said "hold on" and walked away. A few minutes later our waiter showed up. It took him waaaaaaay longer than it should have to get our drinks. His excuse was that the Chardonay that my mother in law ordered (i Chardonnay at a Mexican restaurant..whatever) was buried in the back somewhere and he had to dig it out. MMMMM warm Franzia. 2. I ordered the Carnitas. It was cubed pork butt. Right choice of cut but it literally just tasted like pork. Nothing else. No sauce, no seasoning, no spice, just pork. Big chunks of cubed pork. Served with a side of pico that was just as bad. Apparently though the kitchen staff doesn't have any knife skills because the jalapeno was cut so large that it made the pico very unappetizing. 3. When the food was brought out to us, only three of the four entrees were delivered. The fourth followed shortly after, but I guess it wasn't that bad because we couldn't start eating anyways since there weren't any place settings on the table. Here's my thing.... I love restaurants. I really do. I've been a professional cook for many years. I've worked at numerous restaurants around metro Detroit and across the country in major cities. I have a seriously expensive education in culinary arts from the CIA. Now I don't expect that every restaurant should be a fine dining experience or some culinary masterpiece and I definitely don't expect us to be a Chicago or a New York. But I do expect that if you are going to be in the restaurant business your first focus should be the food. Pay attention to it, its what keeps people coming back. Secondly the service is just as important. Servers in this area seem to think that their job is not a real profession. They take it extremely lightly to the point where they just SUCK at it. I hope the owners and general manager read their reviews not only on yelp but on every other review site. SAVE OUR RESTAURANTS!!!
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