For years, I staunchly refused to set foot in any restaurant named anything like "Secret Recipes." Something about calling a restaurant that just seemed spooky, and made me worry about what exactly those secret recipes could be. I mean, come on...it could be Soylent Green for all I know! Not being from Downriver and basing my apprehension solely on the name, I was amazed at how quickly my fears were allayed. The inside was spick-and-span, the servers were attentive and friendly, and I very much got a "lifelong Downriver-er hangout" vibe...which is a good thing. When you see patrons being greeted with warmth and by name by all of the employees, you know you're in a good spot. On that visit and subsequent ones as well, I always had the Chicken Cobb Salad. It was absolutely delicious, and for the price ($7.99) the serving size was more than generous. Are you picking up or dropping off someone from Metro Airport, and taking the surface streets? I'd recommend this place if you're hungry en route!
(4)
C W.
When you are dining it's not appropriate for the manager/owner to keep asking the wait staff "who is going home" non stop. Very annoying. My fries were over cooked. Waitress was busy gossiping with other patrons. Not great experience..
(1)
Mark M.
This place has a real team that works together well, which indicates they have good management. The food is excellent, the service is great, and the place is clean. You can't go wrong here for any meal. Eat here.
(4)
Mary C.
The breakfast quesadillas are fabulous and they make a great cup of joe. Definitely one of the best choices for breakfast downriver but beat the church crowd you will be waiting. Service always great but sometimes food takes a bit to come out but that is also the charm of the place.....a leisure meal with friends and family you don't feel rushed.
(4)
Alfie W.
I enjoy eating here. They have a huge menu that would appeal to anyone. Lots of variety from healthy to not so healthy. I love their fried fish and all their quesadillas. Clean fast and friendly. Lots of coupons come out in the mail for this place if you live downriver.
(4)
Jon S.
My family and I tried this restaurant the other night since we were nearby and since we had a coupon . When we got there, there were only a couple tables available. I thought we were going to have a good dining experience since there were so many people there. I asked the server how the lake perch was and she then told me it was frozen fish. Frozen fish in a restaurant called secret recipes? Instead I decided on the meatloaf. When my meal came I noticed that the broccoli was frozen and that fresh steamed broccoli. The mashed potatoes tasted like they were from a box and the meatloaf was so so. My wife had the chicken Greek salad which was very tasty. Just my opinion, but if you're going to call a restaurant secret recipes I think that the food should be homemade and should have are unique twist or flavor. The food here seemed very generic and more like cafeteria food. We will not be visiting again.
(2)
Vince N.
Torn about a rating for this place, and would give them 2.5 stars if that was an option. Started with Chicken Dumpling soup that was a little weird in color. I have never had a broth that was a deep yellow like this, they must use a ton of chicken base in it. Had Meatloaf as an entree with Mashed Potatoes and Mac and Cheese as the sides. The meatloaf and the potatoes were okay, but I have had Kraft Mac and Cheese at home that tastes better. The worst part of the meal had to be the beef gravy which tasted like it came straight out of a can or packet mix. It was very dark in color and salty. The food is a litle lacking here but the service was attentive and the place is clean and tidy.
(3)
T. J.
There is only so much you can do with the "Diner" menu. It is blt and veal cutlet dinners for the most part. Indistinguishable from one another. Secret Recipes attempts (and usually succeeds) to bring fresh variations to an old tired format. BTW I worked here 45 years ago as did my wife. Management takes great care in presentation and style of the food. Example the usual Roast Pork is stuffed with Cinnamon Dressing. The care taken to try new things is appreciated. I had the peach cobbler (with ice cream) and it was delightful!
(4)
Miss D.
Ordered fish dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy...the fish had a crispy coating but the inside was wet...almost water logged.....yuk !!! And the gravy for the potatoes was clumpy and areas of gelatinous gooey stuff. The waitress was friendly but the food disappoints...
(2)
Lee X.
Service is always quick, great servers even when busy and the food always pleasing. Best fresh breakfast food compared to a lot of the family dining restaurants.
(5)
Clarence V.
We are currently sitting in the restaurant near the cash register. We heard no less than 7 customers tell them it's too cold. The staff smiles and takes the money. We brought it to their attention soon after we arrived, even had to go to the car and get my mother a sweater. The cold air continues to pour from the vents. The staff's comfort appears to over ride the customers.
(2)
Elisha C.
Great diner for carryout. We order our breakfast and in 10-15 minutes it's ready in no time. And it's nice hot warm and yummy for my tummy. They also offer great coupons if you sign up for their email distribution.
(5)
Debra D.
I have eaten several times here and very good. My recent visit was a chicken club melt with fries. The chicken breast was very tender. The bread was lightly buttered and grilled. Very tasty lunch special. In a previous I had their taco salad. If you like taco salads I say this is a must try!! When my parents come in from Florida this is one of their favorite stops. Sometimes the music is a little too loud in a small place.
(4)
Melanie S.
Love this place. It's good comfort food. My favorite is the mini cheeseburgers. Nice wait staff and buss boys. Affordable too.
(4)
Judith K.
Worst food ever....I had the veal parmesan. It was comparable to a mcdonalds chicken nugget. I will not go back.
(1)
Otis D.
Very old. Old wait staff. Old design. Old menu. Nothing was cooked with care and nothing impressed. This one is not worth the trip. Go to Phil's across the street.
(1)
Ben F.
In the past several weeks the booths have been reapholstered and it has made an already nice warm atmosphere even nicer. It is nice to see an establishment make upgrades with their customers in mind.
(5)
Maureen P.
Went here for breakfast today with my husband. It was only our second time. We were so impressed the first time at the cleanliness and good food, that we had to go again. Same as our first visit, very clean restaurant, including the silverware!(VERY rare these day's) Friendly and efficient wait staff. Food was delish again and hot. So nice to get your food hot. So many time's at restaurant's the food come's barely warm. We don't live nearby this place but when we are in that area, we will def be back! Someone know's how to run a business!
(5)
Vickie R.
I don't think Secret Recipes is out to get on the Zagat's list of must-go restaurants, but it is a good and reliable neighborhood standby that I hope will be around for a long time. We went for lunch on Saturday, and it was packed, which I was glad to see. The service was great, and the food was pretty dang good. As long as you don't go there with super high expectations, you'll most likely find something that will hit the spot. I ordered a Patty Melt with fries and I thoroughly enjoyed them. Since it's a Patty Melt, you don't get to order it to the temperature that you want it to be, but even at the temperature that it was at, it was quite juicy and not rubbery. The fries were hot and crispy, just the way I like it. Although the menu is huge, the pictures are pretty appealing, and I foresee myself going back for something different next time. Maybe breakfast?
(3)
John Z.
My Saturday breakfast group loves to check out different places, so when a member recommended Secret Recipes, we figured it was worth a shot. Come to find out, it was well worth it. There were 11 of us, so we were broken up into three booths. At my table, one diner loved the He-Man Bowl and was still full hours later. Another had a ham-and-egg combination with plenty of ham. (Bonus points for serving delectable Dearborn Brand hams, by the way!) I had the Texas Hash and loved it...it was very filling, and I loved the rye toast, which was thicker and more buttery than some other places we go. Most importantly, lol, the coffee was delicious and the waitress seemed to have a radar beam that picked up on cups needing a refill. Bottom line...the secret is out about this place! It was a great experience and we'll definitely head there again for breakfast...or maybe even lunch to try something different.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Amby M.
For years, I staunchly refused to set foot in any restaurant named anything like "Secret Recipes." Something about calling a restaurant that just seemed spooky, and made me worry about what exactly those secret recipes could be. I mean, come on...it could be Soylent Green for all I know! Not being from Downriver and basing my apprehension solely on the name, I was amazed at how quickly my fears were allayed. The inside was spick-and-span, the servers were attentive and friendly, and I very much got a "lifelong Downriver-er hangout" vibe...which is a good thing. When you see patrons being greeted with warmth and by name by all of the employees, you know you're in a good spot. On that visit and subsequent ones as well, I always had the Chicken Cobb Salad. It was absolutely delicious, and for the price ($7.99) the serving size was more than generous. Are you picking up or dropping off someone from Metro Airport, and taking the surface streets? I'd recommend this place if you're hungry en route!
(4)C W.
When you are dining it's not appropriate for the manager/owner to keep asking the wait staff "who is going home" non stop. Very annoying. My fries were over cooked. Waitress was busy gossiping with other patrons. Not great experience..
(1)Mark M.
This place has a real team that works together well, which indicates they have good management. The food is excellent, the service is great, and the place is clean. You can't go wrong here for any meal. Eat here.
(4)Mary C.
The breakfast quesadillas are fabulous and they make a great cup of joe. Definitely one of the best choices for breakfast downriver but beat the church crowd you will be waiting. Service always great but sometimes food takes a bit to come out but that is also the charm of the place.....a leisure meal with friends and family you don't feel rushed.
(4)Alfie W.
I enjoy eating here. They have a huge menu that would appeal to anyone. Lots of variety from healthy to not so healthy. I love their fried fish and all their quesadillas. Clean fast and friendly. Lots of coupons come out in the mail for this place if you live downriver.
(4)Jon S.
My family and I tried this restaurant the other night since we were nearby and since we had a coupon . When we got there, there were only a couple tables available. I thought we were going to have a good dining experience since there were so many people there. I asked the server how the lake perch was and she then told me it was frozen fish. Frozen fish in a restaurant called secret recipes? Instead I decided on the meatloaf. When my meal came I noticed that the broccoli was frozen and that fresh steamed broccoli. The mashed potatoes tasted like they were from a box and the meatloaf was so so. My wife had the chicken Greek salad which was very tasty. Just my opinion, but if you're going to call a restaurant secret recipes I think that the food should be homemade and should have are unique twist or flavor. The food here seemed very generic and more like cafeteria food. We will not be visiting again.
(2)Vince N.
Torn about a rating for this place, and would give them 2.5 stars if that was an option. Started with Chicken Dumpling soup that was a little weird in color. I have never had a broth that was a deep yellow like this, they must use a ton of chicken base in it. Had Meatloaf as an entree with Mashed Potatoes and Mac and Cheese as the sides. The meatloaf and the potatoes were okay, but I have had Kraft Mac and Cheese at home that tastes better. The worst part of the meal had to be the beef gravy which tasted like it came straight out of a can or packet mix. It was very dark in color and salty. The food is a litle lacking here but the service was attentive and the place is clean and tidy.
(3)T. J.
There is only so much you can do with the "Diner" menu. It is blt and veal cutlet dinners for the most part. Indistinguishable from one another. Secret Recipes attempts (and usually succeeds) to bring fresh variations to an old tired format. BTW I worked here 45 years ago as did my wife. Management takes great care in presentation and style of the food. Example the usual Roast Pork is stuffed with Cinnamon Dressing. The care taken to try new things is appreciated. I had the peach cobbler (with ice cream) and it was delightful!
(4)Miss D.
Ordered fish dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy...the fish had a crispy coating but the inside was wet...almost water logged.....yuk !!! And the gravy for the potatoes was clumpy and areas of gelatinous gooey stuff. The waitress was friendly but the food disappoints...
(2)Lee X.
Service is always quick, great servers even when busy and the food always pleasing. Best fresh breakfast food compared to a lot of the family dining restaurants.
(5)Clarence V.
We are currently sitting in the restaurant near the cash register. We heard no less than 7 customers tell them it's too cold. The staff smiles and takes the money. We brought it to their attention soon after we arrived, even had to go to the car and get my mother a sweater. The cold air continues to pour from the vents. The staff's comfort appears to over ride the customers.
(2)Elisha C.
Great diner for carryout. We order our breakfast and in 10-15 minutes it's ready in no time. And it's nice hot warm and yummy for my tummy. They also offer great coupons if you sign up for their email distribution.
(5)Debra D.
I have eaten several times here and very good. My recent visit was a chicken club melt with fries. The chicken breast was very tender. The bread was lightly buttered and grilled. Very tasty lunch special. In a previous I had their taco salad. If you like taco salads I say this is a must try!! When my parents come in from Florida this is one of their favorite stops. Sometimes the music is a little too loud in a small place.
(4)Melanie S.
Love this place. It's good comfort food. My favorite is the mini cheeseburgers. Nice wait staff and buss boys. Affordable too.
(4)Judith K.
Worst food ever....I had the veal parmesan. It was comparable to a mcdonalds chicken nugget. I will not go back.
(1)Otis D.
Very old. Old wait staff. Old design. Old menu. Nothing was cooked with care and nothing impressed. This one is not worth the trip. Go to Phil's across the street.
(1)Ben F.
In the past several weeks the booths have been reapholstered and it has made an already nice warm atmosphere even nicer. It is nice to see an establishment make upgrades with their customers in mind.
(5)Maureen P.
Went here for breakfast today with my husband. It was only our second time. We were so impressed the first time at the cleanliness and good food, that we had to go again. Same as our first visit, very clean restaurant, including the silverware!(VERY rare these day's) Friendly and efficient wait staff. Food was delish again and hot. So nice to get your food hot. So many time's at restaurant's the food come's barely warm. We don't live nearby this place but when we are in that area, we will def be back! Someone know's how to run a business!
(5)Vickie R.
I don't think Secret Recipes is out to get on the Zagat's list of must-go restaurants, but it is a good and reliable neighborhood standby that I hope will be around for a long time. We went for lunch on Saturday, and it was packed, which I was glad to see. The service was great, and the food was pretty dang good. As long as you don't go there with super high expectations, you'll most likely find something that will hit the spot. I ordered a Patty Melt with fries and I thoroughly enjoyed them. Since it's a Patty Melt, you don't get to order it to the temperature that you want it to be, but even at the temperature that it was at, it was quite juicy and not rubbery. The fries were hot and crispy, just the way I like it. Although the menu is huge, the pictures are pretty appealing, and I foresee myself going back for something different next time. Maybe breakfast?
(3)John Z.
My Saturday breakfast group loves to check out different places, so when a member recommended Secret Recipes, we figured it was worth a shot. Come to find out, it was well worth it. There were 11 of us, so we were broken up into three booths. At my table, one diner loved the He-Man Bowl and was still full hours later. Another had a ham-and-egg combination with plenty of ham. (Bonus points for serving delectable Dearborn Brand hams, by the way!) I had the Texas Hash and loved it...it was very filling, and I loved the rye toast, which was thicker and more buttery than some other places we go. Most importantly, lol, the coffee was delicious and the waitress seemed to have a radar beam that picked up on cups needing a refill. Bottom line...the secret is out about this place! It was a great experience and we'll definitely head there again for breakfast...or maybe even lunch to try something different.
(4)