I have been here twice. The service was good and the food is ok. I've had better. I have ate at many Mexican Restaurants and the only thing I liked was Chips and dip (the thing they call Mexican Ranch).
(2)
Aaron H.
Their food is always good, service consistently friendly and professional. I'm consistently surprised at how few people are there, no matter when I go (always for lunch, but any time between noon and 3 p.m.) Their food is fairly reasonably priced and abundant, especially when you order a combo plate, which I would recommend. I will say, however, that their unwillingness to allow for substitutions seems a bit severe. If you want a soft shell taco, not to mention a soft-shell taco with chorizo instead of beef, well, you can't have it--not with the lunch combo anyway. If I wanted anything but beef in my tacos (like chorizo) I was advised that I had to go over to the taco menu where I could order 3 tacos with any filling I wanted--for $9, a surprisingly high and generally unacceptable price relative to the rest of the menu items, and just as a matter of principle. I got the Dinner Combo #1 - and it cost me 8.47 with tax. This included two enchiladas with beef and a hard-shell taco with beef, lettuce, and cheese. I'm definitely full, but I would recommend this place with certain conditions attached to the recommendation: do you care more about authenticity than taste? There's an authentic vibe here, and while I'm not an authority on things (not)authentic (many others seem to be, so I'll leave that to them) there is, as I said, an authentic vibe here and the food is not particularly Americanized (i.e. If you want a mammoth American burrito dripping with guac and sour cream and bean salsas, this is not the right place for you. If, however, you want a steaming-hot dish of fajita toppings served in an oven-hot molcajete, well, good for you--you can get that here. I had it once with a friend and it was both delicious and filling for the two of us. About $10). If you want really good, authentic (and authentically cheap) Mexican food--tacos in particular--go to Lupita's in Southwest Detroit/Mexicantown (or one of the taco trucks, which are supposed to be even better, I've heard). If, like me, you're a schlub working out in the 'burbs for most of the week and you need to scratch that particular south-of-the-border itch but you don't have time to hitch on I-75 or 94 to go to Mexicantown on your break, Azteca is your next best bet.
(3)
Curt B.
This is a great Mexican restaurant. And it is a fantastic value. Ok, now there are places downtown that are awesome and more authentic, but this place is super affordable and really good food for what it is. They also have great coupons. Their chicken is excellent in anything. I love their enchiladas, the wife gets the chile relleno and our son loves their quesadilla. Tacos were really good too. The beef is ok, nothing wrong with it, but the chicken is so flavorful and juicy we always get chicken.
(5)
Lauren M.
This authentic Mexican restaurant is a new discovery for me, but a good one. The service was quick and professional, and the place was pretty clean. This isn't On the Border or a restaurant that pretends to serve real Mexican dishes, but actually quite similar to what you'd find in Mexicantown. However, it's not exactly Mexicantown, and thus, just not quite as good. The chips and salsa tasted fresh, and my order (chicken chimichanga) was pretty decent as well. I wish the dishes came with both rice and beans, instead of one or the other. I'd definitely come here if I had a craving and didn't want to make the drive.
(3)
Michael T.
I've been looking for a good Mexican restaurant for a while. This place really hit the spot. I could tell from the smells and the food on people's tables that this was exactly the kind of place I was looking for. This isn't high end, but the food was quite good.
(4)
Bill B.
I go to Grand Azteca about once a month or so. The food is of a higher quality than other surrounding Mexican restaurants I have tried. They also have far more vegetarian options than their competitors (important to me). They are very reasonably priced and they have good service. Totally authentic? Probably not. A good choice in this area (especially for a vegetarian)? Yes.
(4)
Heather W.
My new favorite Mexican restaurant. Food was fabulous which says a lot cause I'm quite picky. The service was ok. Our waiter was quiet and hard to understand. But hey as long as the food is good ill go back.
(5)
Harry C.
I live near this place so I wish it would get just a little better. It's just OK. Everything in the place is ordinary or slightly below. The help is so nice but not really very well trained; they just don't know how to give great service. The corn chips are tasteless and so is the guacamole, which is textureless and never really fresh. The beef in the enchiladas is overcooked and dry from sitting in the pan too long. But the beer mug is chilled! So that's good. I think they would get more business in a fairly upscale neighborhood if they just upgraded their game a little bit. I'd be a regular instead of an infrequent customer.
(2)
Krupa U.
I don't go here as often as I used to because I kind of wore it out... and I was exposed to the scrumptious Mexican restaurants in Southwest Detroit, but if I don't feel like going all the way down there, this is probably one of your best options in the burbs. It's cheap, quick and they have a very friendly wait staff, even if they don't know english! My bf and I would always start out with their bowl of bean/cheese appetizer... with a lil hot sauce and lemon mixed it, it was mouth watering, and a TRUE pallet teaser! We would always pick from the 1-31 combo dinner menu. I could never seem to get away from #1 (two enchiladas and a taco w/ rice or beans), and the #4 was my bf's favorite pick (beef and cheese tostada, enchilada and taco with rice). Their salsa is really fresh and tasty too. I remember a few years ago when they weren't as popular, they used to have 2 combo dinners for $6.99 coupon... that's when we were still in college and broke and it was the best dinner deal we'd ever found. Now the same coupon is $10.99 and we are graduated and still broke! Something's gotta give! LOL anyways, still worth a visit. And I hear they have a Mariachi band on Wednesday nights? I would like to check that out one day.
(4)
Dyanna W.
This food was absolutely WRETCHED! I'm new to the area, and wanted to go some place close by. I couldn't have made a bigger mistake. Food was unseasoned and bland; chips were stale; and the shrimp in my son's dinner hadn't even been de-veined! How disgusting is that? Then again, the digestive tract of a shrimp might have been the most flavorable part of the meal! DON'T waste your money.
(1)
tom m.
We have eaten here several times throughout the last 2 years and have only found 1 decent item on the menu, the Molcajete, everything else is just so so. Earlier this Summer Azteca had several flying ants inside the restaurant, on the floor, in the windows, kind of gross so we stayed away for awhile. We took a chance again last Saturday and my Wife had a live cockroach crawl out from under her dinner plate. We showed it to the waitress and she took it in the back. Based on her expression it seems this may be a problem they know about. The best they would so is give us our food for 1/2 off. We will not go back and are in search of another Mexican restaurant.
(1)
Mike Y.
When pressed for time and money, you can't beat this place. Look for coupons that offer two combo's for $10.99. Not gourmet, not authentic, but it comes to the table in under 10 minutes. Oh yea, this place is usually very clean. One thing that gets me with Mexican restaurants is the food on the floor. Every family with kids think taco chips are like peanut shells. This place does a good job of keeping the tables, seats, and floor clean.
(3)
Joel S.
Not good. They used processed cheese. Tortillas on enchiladas were dry and crumbly. They pu t some funky cheese sauce on my son's chimichanga. Don't waste your money here. Taco Bell is better. I lived in Mexico for two years, so maybe I'm a snob, but this place was just nasty.
(1)
Jack R.
Food is fantastic, small very Mexican feel. Service can be slow at busy times. Great drinks, and good prices. One problem which we hope they will correct. When we were there in October 2011, we killed three roaches climbing on the wall of our booth in the back by the kitchen.
(1)
David D.
love this place, prices are low food is vg and served fast. this is a favorite stop for me and my daughter either coming from or going to my parents house. little hard to spot but it's just west or Rochester Rd. on Long Lake Rd. once the order goes it it takes them less time to get it too piping hot. then waiting in Taco Bell and so so much better, takes them about 5 minutes to get it too you. Though it's not as good as Mexican Village it's Damn Close!
(4)
Sharon S.
Best Mexican restaurant in the area hands down! Wait staff is friendly and courteous every time we eat there. Food is hot and extremely fast, no more than a 8 minute wait. We normally go there at off peak hours to avoid crowds - not sure if there are we just do not like waiting around. Cheese dip (queso) is to die for we get a bowl and put it on all of our food. Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken Chimichanga & Chicken Fajitas are normally what we get, they all are really good.
(5)
Jeremy R.
We were driving around looking for a place to eat and saw this place, so we decided to give it a try. They have a pretty big menu and lots of drink choices (including several alcoholic concoctions). We only had the iced tea and both had the grilled chicken dinners. I had the Pollo Loco (grilled chicken with grilled onions) and my wife tried the Pollo Azteca (grilled chicken with ranchero sauce) - both included beans and rice. Both meals were excellent and there was so much we had leftovers for lunch the next day. We also enjoyed the complementary chips and salsa. So good! One problem was the table of four extremely intoxicated people seated near us. They probably should have been cut off long before we got there, but they were still being served drinks. They were being very loud and made it hard to carry on a conversation. Other than this, our visit to this location was great.
(4)
Ashley B.
For the service I would give 5 starts, for the food probably 3. The reason for 1 star is lack of concern. I recently visited with a group of friends for dinner and margaritas. I ordered a small frozen margarita and chicken fajitas. Halfway down my margarita an object came up through my straw and into my mouth. Fortunately I was drinking slow enough to spit out a sharp piece of glass. When I presented it to the staff all I received was a half ass apology and a promise to change the ice bin. The girl behind the counter swiped my credit card for my total amount including the drink that I didn't even finish. I'm not looking for a hand out just a forewarning for lack of consideration to their guests. I am lucky I didn't end up ingesting glass, and even if I did they probably wouldn't care.
(1)
ProudAmerican B.
Very disappointed with my experience eating here today. My friend and I showed up around 3:00 for a very early dinner, and were waited on by a guy who could hardly speak any English. If I didn't know how to speak Spanish, we'd probably still be sitting there staring at each other blankly. They did not offer different flavors for their margaritas. We ordered some of the queso dip and it was lukewarm, not hot as it should have been, so we sent it back to be reheated. Our main courses were good, thankfully. The bathroom was also very dirty. The toilet seats had obviously not been cleaned in a while. Our waiter left to go home (I guess?) before we were done eating, and the next person that showed up was only there to drop off our bill. Needless to say, no tips were left. Not sure what's going on with this place.
(2)
Thula K.
The food was decent and the wait staff were nice. The price was decent. What more can I say? Will be coming back! I really liked the chips and salsa that we got to much on as appetizers!
(3)
John S.
One of my favorite places to eat. Very consistent and lots of good chips and salsa. The best part of the meal for me is the HOT plate, not "*tee hee* it's hot!", more like WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP! Don't touch! DANGER!! - I hate cold food at a restaurant. "I don't like this, it's cold!" "It's ice cream, gramma" -Ray Romano I for one, like the re-fried beans a lot. I think the longest we have ever waited to get our food was 8 minutes, most of the time it seems like our order is taken and the server comes right back with it. Maybe not authentic Mexican, but delicious and filling without being gluttonous.
(4)
Johanna C.
I been to this location several times now. time and time again it has proven to provide the most authentic Mexican food in Detroit metro area. When you step into the restaurant you just feel like you are in Mexico, with the colorful wall paintings, the festive decorations and the authentic Mexican music constantly playing. You can definitely tell that the owners have put a lot of effort into the decoration from the ceiling to the table tops ( which have a very unique Aztec picture on them). The environment just makes you want to grab a margarita and relax. The food is just as unique and authentic as the environment. The chips and the two sauces that the servers welcome you with are fresh and very delicious, specially the Mexican ranch ( white sauce). The chips are served warm and the sauces have always had a very fresh homemade taste to them. The servers are very friendly and really know the menu if you happen to not know what something has. The food comes out super fast and fresh. Unlike other restaurant where the food takes a long time to come and it doesn't even look appetizing. The food comes quick and fresh to the table and you can definitely tell it was made right then and there. My favorite dish is either the fajitas, which come in a steaming, sizzling hot plate that just makes the whole restaurant smell so delicious, or molcajote. The molcajote is a dish that is served in a stone bowl, sizzling hot and very delicious. The dish consisted of melted cheese, carnitas, chicken, chorizo, shrimp, tomatoes, onions and green pepper. It comes with the side of rice, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and Guacamole. The cheese literally is boiling off the bowl! Highly recommended. Along with having such a great variety of dishes they also have a large arrange of drinks, from smoothies to their very famous house/Texan margaritas. They definitely compliment their dishes. I have really enjoyed their food and service and they are by far the most authentic Mexican restaurant in the area. Highly recommended.
(5)
Joe B.
This is the second Grand Azteca location I've been to and I haven't been disappointed by them yet. I'm not sure if it's a regular thing but Friday night they had a three man Mariachi band rockin' it out here...totally fun and just super happy guys roaming the restaurant playing for each section. It's a fun date night if this is a regular occurrence. The food here isn't something you'll remember forever but it's solid. Great rice and beans, really good margaritas and they have three kinds of hot sauce on the tables which I love. The taco was a hard shell and nothing too exciting but it was good. The tamale was pork or chicken filled, covered in red sauce and it was pretty good too. My enchilada was gone in a matter of seconds....needless to say this place will take care of your Mexican fix. I almost forgot to mention that the chips and salsa also came with Ranch dressing, and not just normal ranch but a really sweet version which was a little odd but interesting. You should check this spot out....friendly fast service and tasty inexpensive food that won't disappoint.
(4)
Maria A.
If you can't make it to Mexican town, this is the next best thing. I love their chips and salsa. The salsa has a nice kick and their food is delicious. I have visited three of the many Aztecas and I like this location the best.
(4)
Mike R.
I'm a big fan of Grand Azteca and Troy's is the Grandest of all. Very speedy service so you need to slow down and smell the roses...and enjoy the muy bueno salsa. Enchiladas and tamales are my fav.
(5)
Libby F.
Just as janelle p. said about her experience with the Grand Azteca in Waterford, I wasn't expecting much from this place based on Yelp reviews of the other location. The exterior, which back in my HS days was a Denny's, then some sort of middle eastern place is sort of bland and not very inviting; it could use some flowers, but it is smack dab in the middle of a parking lot. The interior however, is really pleasant. Spanish music in the background adds to its ambiance. The food to me was just okay. Unmemorable chips and salsa accompanied with ... ranch dressing. Really? Their menu is "grand". Since it was lunch we stuck with the lunch menu. I had ordinary tasting Lunch Fajitas and my mom had a Burrito Carmaron which she loved. The grilled shrimp inside were small, but flavorful. Both meals were $7.50 each, but if you knew my mom then you'd know she is never w/o a coupon! Hers, which was Buy one lunch/Get one for $3.50 came on the back of a Kroger receipt. (You can get the same coupon if you go to their website!) It was a $4.00 savings, which would have been the cost of a nice cold beer IF they had a liquor license. Our waitress was very nice even though it took a long time for the food to arrive at our table. All the employees are Spanish speaking which gives this new place a truly authentic feel.
(3)
Jennifer H.
After recently having a blah Mexican meal on vacation, I was still in the mood for Mexican, so when we got home with nothing in the refrigerator, off we went to Azteca. We have also wanted to try this place since we moved here (since it's pretty close to home). And I have to say that we were very pleasantly surprised. Yes, we were surprised by the ranch dressing that came with the chips and salsa, but it wasn't really that bad. The menu is very extensive and it was hard deciding what to order, so I settled on something I have enjoyed in the past--tacos al pastor with a side of refried beans (just to test them out, you know). Hubby got the fish tacos with a side of rice and a cheese enchilada. Oh year, we also got the cheese dip. So, we got the cheese dip within about two minutes--already a big step above the last place, which took about 10 minutes to get. We had waters immediately, too. Our waiter was nice, but you could definitely tell he wasn't that comfortable with English. Which really isn't that big of a deal...except that my margarita wasn't good AT ALL but I honestly didn't want to try to explain that with the language barrier. It just had no margarita taste to it--and what taste there was was somehow off. I know I should have said something, but I just didn't. Other than that, the food was all really good. I enjoyed my tacos and beans and hubby enjoyed his tacos, rice, and enchilada. We will definitely add this place to our rotation and are looking forward to going back.
(4)
Ani B.
have passed a number of these restaurants over the years and hubby finally wanted to give them a try. Mistake. Some of the worst we have tried in years. He got the chicken fajitas and they had a sour rotten taste to them. $8 range for lunch. No, he did not get sick, but their flavor could not coerce me to try anything more than an onion slice. I got the usual bean burrito, cheese enchilada with rice. Beans were very lardy tasting, red sauce gravy bland, and i can't even remember the rice. $4.99 lunch special. Cheese enchilada did taste better as left overs; not so for the bean burrito. I do remember the salsa being good with a little kick. that is the best i can say about the whole place. Service was also good enough. I would look for another place if you want good Mexican.
(2)
Terra G.
Was visiting the area for work and discovered Grand Azteca V. I ordered the molcajete and it was the VERY BEST THING I'VE EVER PUT IN MY MOUTH, EVER! It's basically like combination fajitas in a sizzling bowl with yummy (and probably outrageously fattening) cheesy sauce all over it. If I lived near this restaurant, I would be soooo fat and happy!!!!
(5)
Vikram V.
Used to come here more often. Though some of the prices have gone up (honestly, which places haven't :P), it's still a nice place for some Mexican food. I came through today as the MVP bringing in a 4.99 Lunch Special coupon. There are 10 Lunch Specials that are usually 6.99 on the menu but the coupon I had can apply to everyone at our table who chooses to order one of them. Our server was really patient waiting for all our late stragglers to file in. She was able to multitask and handle all the details. We had plenty of time to order. The complimentary chips and salsa (and a ranch-esque dipping sauce) are always tasty. I ordered Lunch Special 6 (2 chicken enchiladas with rice, sour cream, and tomatoes). I really wish guac and pico are included. They honestly shouldn't be that much of a commodity and it's really prevalent in any Mexican restaurant. Anyways, always a nice place to get good food and even better with coupons/deals.
(4)
Ryan M.
Chimichangas were OK. Decor inside is cool. But who seriously serves ranch with tortilla chips?
(3)
Bridgette Z.
Well i guess i shouldn't have had high expectations when i found the $4.99 lunch special coupon but this isn't far from my office so my coworker and i went there today for lunch. The restaurant was empty except for 1 other table when we arrived at 2 pm. We were seated and brought warm chips, good salsa and an odd but tasty ranch dip. There is a huge language barrier here which is understandable but got to be a little frustrating. First, i asked the server if we could both use my coupon, although i did have 2 just in case. He did not understand the question at all and kept pointing to the menu. After trying to ask the same question about 6 times with no clear answer, we gave up and ordered. I chose lunch special #1 and my coworker chose #10. The food literally came out in less than 5 minutes except the server thought my coworker said 2, not 10, but the kitchen remade her dish in about 2 minutes no joke! I do appreciate fast service but this really just tells me the food is pre made and warmed up in a microwave. My chile relleno was very good, the beef taco was ok, the beans were also just ok, the "guacamole salad" was really just lettuce, tomatoes, and a spoonful of guac. Overall the food was kind of bland, my coworker agreed that hers was too. I probably won't rush to go here again and if i do, i wont be ordering a lunch special.
(3)
Chris J.
Try the Molcajete (in mixed menu section) it is very good! One of the best Mexican dishes I have found in the area. So much more flavor than most Mexican dishes around here. Needless to say we were happy that we finally gave Gran Azteca a shot. Other than the Molcajete: -Their tamales are quite nice - flan is very good
(4)
Marc J.
I use to eat here alot.but after its new lookand new menu prices went up..smh... but how ?on precooked food thats not even hot unless you get a sizzling plate...my plate was hotter than my food.smh.....not totally bad but get a real cheif in that kitchen thats gonna cook to order.
(3)
Todd P.
Great food and service tonight, cold XX beer!
(4)
John H.
I love this place. It is the best in the chain for sure. The food beats mexican town by far, and the prices are great. This is a must for vegetarians, trust me.
(5)
Tim J.
After reading the reviews we decided to give the Azteca a try. The staff was friendly but as another reviewer noted, English is not their first language. My wife's ability to speak Spanish helped when we asked the server for a slight modification to our order. The chips with Ranch(?) dressing were so great we didn't even try the salsa. We split an order of chimichangas and they were excellent. Definitely would stop again when we are in the area.
(4)
Chris D.
Terrible food. Every combo is basically a flour or corn tortilla with bland ground beef in it. Most of the combos don't even come with rice and beans like most Mexican restaurants. I will never go back.
(1)
Shannon M.
The last day in my 5 day Mexican binge. Ah I love Mexican. I chose Grand Azteca because it's consistent. Always. No matter what location. I have been going to Grand Azeteca's across Metro Detroit for years. I have tried so many menu items it's kind of comical. I do have my staples though, and this was one of them. This location is big. It's full of Mexican decorations and dare I call it Mexican Polka music. Lots of seats and a full bar. Many booth and tables too-personally I have never not had a booth. Your service is super fast. The beverages come in giant cups, which is refreshing (no pun intended) since you really won't need a refill with that much to drink. The chips and salsa are so good. Chips are hot and fresh, and they give you a mild salsa and a ranch sauce that I would put on everything. It's my favorite. If you go at lunch, many specials are only $4.99. Compared to everywhere else I have been this week, that deal blows the competitor out of the water. Their portions are large and you feel really full. You can get the dinners or ala cart, but no matter what it's good. I love their beans. I usually get the Enchiladas verdes, fajita burrito, or the Chilaquiles. Today it was Chilaquiles Rancheros all the way. They come out so fast-was maybe 5 minutes and boom-food time.If you saw my picture you know this dish is amazing. Chilaquiles for those who don't know, are tortillas cut into quarters, lightly fried and then soaked in a red or green (or both) sauce for maximum flavor. This isn't a soggy dish btw. They then top with a meat and a cheese with peppers. I got the chicken and that was smothered with cheese so melty and creamy it's sinful. there were also poblano FRESH pepper rings incorporated in there. Santo señor!! (Holy lord) SO GOOD! The sauce was full of flavor and every bit (with the guacamole side salad and beans too) was the best. I highly recommend this location, along with any other you can find. Their food is quality and consistency. I can go to any location any time, order the same dish, and it will taste the same. Hell, McDonald's cant even do that.
(5)
Denise P.
Thank you Yelpers! In town for a short visit and found on Yelp. Excellent food. Good quality and home cooked taste. Pork was awesome in the Enchiladas Ranchera. Fajita burritos were very tasty. The addition of Mexican ranch to the salsa offering with chips was an unexpected treat. Would come back again if in the area.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet 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.
Kristine Z.
I have been here twice. The service was good and the food is ok. I've had better. I have ate at many Mexican Restaurants and the only thing I liked was Chips and dip (the thing they call Mexican Ranch).
(2)Aaron H.
Their food is always good, service consistently friendly and professional. I'm consistently surprised at how few people are there, no matter when I go (always for lunch, but any time between noon and 3 p.m.) Their food is fairly reasonably priced and abundant, especially when you order a combo plate, which I would recommend. I will say, however, that their unwillingness to allow for substitutions seems a bit severe. If you want a soft shell taco, not to mention a soft-shell taco with chorizo instead of beef, well, you can't have it--not with the lunch combo anyway. If I wanted anything but beef in my tacos (like chorizo) I was advised that I had to go over to the taco menu where I could order 3 tacos with any filling I wanted--for $9, a surprisingly high and generally unacceptable price relative to the rest of the menu items, and just as a matter of principle. I got the Dinner Combo #1 - and it cost me 8.47 with tax. This included two enchiladas with beef and a hard-shell taco with beef, lettuce, and cheese. I'm definitely full, but I would recommend this place with certain conditions attached to the recommendation: do you care more about authenticity than taste? There's an authentic vibe here, and while I'm not an authority on things (not)authentic (many others seem to be, so I'll leave that to them) there is, as I said, an authentic vibe here and the food is not particularly Americanized (i.e. If you want a mammoth American burrito dripping with guac and sour cream and bean salsas, this is not the right place for you. If, however, you want a steaming-hot dish of fajita toppings served in an oven-hot molcajete, well, good for you--you can get that here. I had it once with a friend and it was both delicious and filling for the two of us. About $10). If you want really good, authentic (and authentically cheap) Mexican food--tacos in particular--go to Lupita's in Southwest Detroit/Mexicantown (or one of the taco trucks, which are supposed to be even better, I've heard). If, like me, you're a schlub working out in the 'burbs for most of the week and you need to scratch that particular south-of-the-border itch but you don't have time to hitch on I-75 or 94 to go to Mexicantown on your break, Azteca is your next best bet.
(3)Curt B.
This is a great Mexican restaurant. And it is a fantastic value. Ok, now there are places downtown that are awesome and more authentic, but this place is super affordable and really good food for what it is. They also have great coupons. Their chicken is excellent in anything. I love their enchiladas, the wife gets the chile relleno and our son loves their quesadilla. Tacos were really good too. The beef is ok, nothing wrong with it, but the chicken is so flavorful and juicy we always get chicken.
(5)Lauren M.
This authentic Mexican restaurant is a new discovery for me, but a good one. The service was quick and professional, and the place was pretty clean. This isn't On the Border or a restaurant that pretends to serve real Mexican dishes, but actually quite similar to what you'd find in Mexicantown. However, it's not exactly Mexicantown, and thus, just not quite as good. The chips and salsa tasted fresh, and my order (chicken chimichanga) was pretty decent as well. I wish the dishes came with both rice and beans, instead of one or the other. I'd definitely come here if I had a craving and didn't want to make the drive.
(3)Michael T.
I've been looking for a good Mexican restaurant for a while. This place really hit the spot. I could tell from the smells and the food on people's tables that this was exactly the kind of place I was looking for. This isn't high end, but the food was quite good.
(4)Bill B.
I go to Grand Azteca about once a month or so. The food is of a higher quality than other surrounding Mexican restaurants I have tried. They also have far more vegetarian options than their competitors (important to me). They are very reasonably priced and they have good service. Totally authentic? Probably not. A good choice in this area (especially for a vegetarian)? Yes.
(4)Heather W.
My new favorite Mexican restaurant. Food was fabulous which says a lot cause I'm quite picky. The service was ok. Our waiter was quiet and hard to understand. But hey as long as the food is good ill go back.
(5)Harry C.
I live near this place so I wish it would get just a little better. It's just OK. Everything in the place is ordinary or slightly below. The help is so nice but not really very well trained; they just don't know how to give great service. The corn chips are tasteless and so is the guacamole, which is textureless and never really fresh. The beef in the enchiladas is overcooked and dry from sitting in the pan too long. But the beer mug is chilled! So that's good. I think they would get more business in a fairly upscale neighborhood if they just upgraded their game a little bit. I'd be a regular instead of an infrequent customer.
(2)Krupa U.
I don't go here as often as I used to because I kind of wore it out... and I was exposed to the scrumptious Mexican restaurants in Southwest Detroit, but if I don't feel like going all the way down there, this is probably one of your best options in the burbs. It's cheap, quick and they have a very friendly wait staff, even if they don't know english! My bf and I would always start out with their bowl of bean/cheese appetizer... with a lil hot sauce and lemon mixed it, it was mouth watering, and a TRUE pallet teaser! We would always pick from the 1-31 combo dinner menu. I could never seem to get away from #1 (two enchiladas and a taco w/ rice or beans), and the #4 was my bf's favorite pick (beef and cheese tostada, enchilada and taco with rice). Their salsa is really fresh and tasty too. I remember a few years ago when they weren't as popular, they used to have 2 combo dinners for $6.99 coupon... that's when we were still in college and broke and it was the best dinner deal we'd ever found. Now the same coupon is $10.99 and we are graduated and still broke! Something's gotta give! LOL anyways, still worth a visit. And I hear they have a Mariachi band on Wednesday nights? I would like to check that out one day.
(4)Dyanna W.
This food was absolutely WRETCHED! I'm new to the area, and wanted to go some place close by. I couldn't have made a bigger mistake. Food was unseasoned and bland; chips were stale; and the shrimp in my son's dinner hadn't even been de-veined! How disgusting is that? Then again, the digestive tract of a shrimp might have been the most flavorable part of the meal! DON'T waste your money.
(1)tom m.
We have eaten here several times throughout the last 2 years and have only found 1 decent item on the menu, the Molcajete, everything else is just so so. Earlier this Summer Azteca had several flying ants inside the restaurant, on the floor, in the windows, kind of gross so we stayed away for awhile. We took a chance again last Saturday and my Wife had a live cockroach crawl out from under her dinner plate. We showed it to the waitress and she took it in the back. Based on her expression it seems this may be a problem they know about. The best they would so is give us our food for 1/2 off. We will not go back and are in search of another Mexican restaurant.
(1)Mike Y.
When pressed for time and money, you can't beat this place. Look for coupons that offer two combo's for $10.99. Not gourmet, not authentic, but it comes to the table in under 10 minutes. Oh yea, this place is usually very clean. One thing that gets me with Mexican restaurants is the food on the floor. Every family with kids think taco chips are like peanut shells. This place does a good job of keeping the tables, seats, and floor clean.
(3)Joel S.
Not good. They used processed cheese. Tortillas on enchiladas were dry and crumbly. They pu t some funky cheese sauce on my son's chimichanga. Don't waste your money here. Taco Bell is better. I lived in Mexico for two years, so maybe I'm a snob, but this place was just nasty.
(1)Jack R.
Food is fantastic, small very Mexican feel. Service can be slow at busy times. Great drinks, and good prices. One problem which we hope they will correct. When we were there in October 2011, we killed three roaches climbing on the wall of our booth in the back by the kitchen.
(1)David D.
love this place, prices are low food is vg and served fast. this is a favorite stop for me and my daughter either coming from or going to my parents house. little hard to spot but it's just west or Rochester Rd. on Long Lake Rd. once the order goes it it takes them less time to get it too piping hot. then waiting in Taco Bell and so so much better, takes them about 5 minutes to get it too you. Though it's not as good as Mexican Village it's Damn Close!
(4)Sharon S.
Best Mexican restaurant in the area hands down! Wait staff is friendly and courteous every time we eat there. Food is hot and extremely fast, no more than a 8 minute wait. We normally go there at off peak hours to avoid crowds - not sure if there are we just do not like waiting around. Cheese dip (queso) is to die for we get a bowl and put it on all of our food. Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken Chimichanga & Chicken Fajitas are normally what we get, they all are really good.
(5)Jeremy R.
We were driving around looking for a place to eat and saw this place, so we decided to give it a try. They have a pretty big menu and lots of drink choices (including several alcoholic concoctions). We only had the iced tea and both had the grilled chicken dinners. I had the Pollo Loco (grilled chicken with grilled onions) and my wife tried the Pollo Azteca (grilled chicken with ranchero sauce) - both included beans and rice. Both meals were excellent and there was so much we had leftovers for lunch the next day. We also enjoyed the complementary chips and salsa. So good! One problem was the table of four extremely intoxicated people seated near us. They probably should have been cut off long before we got there, but they were still being served drinks. They were being very loud and made it hard to carry on a conversation. Other than this, our visit to this location was great.
(4)Ashley B.
For the service I would give 5 starts, for the food probably 3. The reason for 1 star is lack of concern. I recently visited with a group of friends for dinner and margaritas. I ordered a small frozen margarita and chicken fajitas. Halfway down my margarita an object came up through my straw and into my mouth. Fortunately I was drinking slow enough to spit out a sharp piece of glass. When I presented it to the staff all I received was a half ass apology and a promise to change the ice bin. The girl behind the counter swiped my credit card for my total amount including the drink that I didn't even finish. I'm not looking for a hand out just a forewarning for lack of consideration to their guests. I am lucky I didn't end up ingesting glass, and even if I did they probably wouldn't care.
(1)ProudAmerican B.
Very disappointed with my experience eating here today. My friend and I showed up around 3:00 for a very early dinner, and were waited on by a guy who could hardly speak any English. If I didn't know how to speak Spanish, we'd probably still be sitting there staring at each other blankly. They did not offer different flavors for their margaritas. We ordered some of the queso dip and it was lukewarm, not hot as it should have been, so we sent it back to be reheated. Our main courses were good, thankfully. The bathroom was also very dirty. The toilet seats had obviously not been cleaned in a while. Our waiter left to go home (I guess?) before we were done eating, and the next person that showed up was only there to drop off our bill. Needless to say, no tips were left. Not sure what's going on with this place.
(2)Thula K.
The food was decent and the wait staff were nice. The price was decent. What more can I say? Will be coming back! I really liked the chips and salsa that we got to much on as appetizers!
(3)John S.
One of my favorite places to eat. Very consistent and lots of good chips and salsa. The best part of the meal for me is the HOT plate, not "*tee hee* it's hot!", more like WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP! Don't touch! DANGER!! - I hate cold food at a restaurant. "I don't like this, it's cold!" "It's ice cream, gramma" -Ray Romano I for one, like the re-fried beans a lot. I think the longest we have ever waited to get our food was 8 minutes, most of the time it seems like our order is taken and the server comes right back with it. Maybe not authentic Mexican, but delicious and filling without being gluttonous.
(4)Johanna C.
I been to this location several times now. time and time again it has proven to provide the most authentic Mexican food in Detroit metro area. When you step into the restaurant you just feel like you are in Mexico, with the colorful wall paintings, the festive decorations and the authentic Mexican music constantly playing. You can definitely tell that the owners have put a lot of effort into the decoration from the ceiling to the table tops ( which have a very unique Aztec picture on them). The environment just makes you want to grab a margarita and relax. The food is just as unique and authentic as the environment. The chips and the two sauces that the servers welcome you with are fresh and very delicious, specially the Mexican ranch ( white sauce). The chips are served warm and the sauces have always had a very fresh homemade taste to them. The servers are very friendly and really know the menu if you happen to not know what something has. The food comes out super fast and fresh. Unlike other restaurant where the food takes a long time to come and it doesn't even look appetizing. The food comes quick and fresh to the table and you can definitely tell it was made right then and there. My favorite dish is either the fajitas, which come in a steaming, sizzling hot plate that just makes the whole restaurant smell so delicious, or molcajote. The molcajote is a dish that is served in a stone bowl, sizzling hot and very delicious. The dish consisted of melted cheese, carnitas, chicken, chorizo, shrimp, tomatoes, onions and green pepper. It comes with the side of rice, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and Guacamole. The cheese literally is boiling off the bowl! Highly recommended. Along with having such a great variety of dishes they also have a large arrange of drinks, from smoothies to their very famous house/Texan margaritas. They definitely compliment their dishes. I have really enjoyed their food and service and they are by far the most authentic Mexican restaurant in the area. Highly recommended.
(5)Joe B.
This is the second Grand Azteca location I've been to and I haven't been disappointed by them yet. I'm not sure if it's a regular thing but Friday night they had a three man Mariachi band rockin' it out here...totally fun and just super happy guys roaming the restaurant playing for each section. It's a fun date night if this is a regular occurrence. The food here isn't something you'll remember forever but it's solid. Great rice and beans, really good margaritas and they have three kinds of hot sauce on the tables which I love. The taco was a hard shell and nothing too exciting but it was good. The tamale was pork or chicken filled, covered in red sauce and it was pretty good too. My enchilada was gone in a matter of seconds....needless to say this place will take care of your Mexican fix. I almost forgot to mention that the chips and salsa also came with Ranch dressing, and not just normal ranch but a really sweet version which was a little odd but interesting. You should check this spot out....friendly fast service and tasty inexpensive food that won't disappoint.
(4)Maria A.
If you can't make it to Mexican town, this is the next best thing. I love their chips and salsa. The salsa has a nice kick and their food is delicious. I have visited three of the many Aztecas and I like this location the best.
(4)Mike R.
I'm a big fan of Grand Azteca and Troy's is the Grandest of all. Very speedy service so you need to slow down and smell the roses...and enjoy the muy bueno salsa. Enchiladas and tamales are my fav.
(5)Libby F.
Just as janelle p. said about her experience with the Grand Azteca in Waterford, I wasn't expecting much from this place based on Yelp reviews of the other location. The exterior, which back in my HS days was a Denny's, then some sort of middle eastern place is sort of bland and not very inviting; it could use some flowers, but it is smack dab in the middle of a parking lot. The interior however, is really pleasant. Spanish music in the background adds to its ambiance. The food to me was just okay. Unmemorable chips and salsa accompanied with ... ranch dressing. Really? Their menu is "grand". Since it was lunch we stuck with the lunch menu. I had ordinary tasting Lunch Fajitas and my mom had a Burrito Carmaron which she loved. The grilled shrimp inside were small, but flavorful. Both meals were $7.50 each, but if you knew my mom then you'd know she is never w/o a coupon! Hers, which was Buy one lunch/Get one for $3.50 came on the back of a Kroger receipt. (You can get the same coupon if you go to their website!) It was a $4.00 savings, which would have been the cost of a nice cold beer IF they had a liquor license. Our waitress was very nice even though it took a long time for the food to arrive at our table. All the employees are Spanish speaking which gives this new place a truly authentic feel.
(3)Jennifer H.
After recently having a blah Mexican meal on vacation, I was still in the mood for Mexican, so when we got home with nothing in the refrigerator, off we went to Azteca. We have also wanted to try this place since we moved here (since it's pretty close to home). And I have to say that we were very pleasantly surprised. Yes, we were surprised by the ranch dressing that came with the chips and salsa, but it wasn't really that bad. The menu is very extensive and it was hard deciding what to order, so I settled on something I have enjoyed in the past--tacos al pastor with a side of refried beans (just to test them out, you know). Hubby got the fish tacos with a side of rice and a cheese enchilada. Oh year, we also got the cheese dip. So, we got the cheese dip within about two minutes--already a big step above the last place, which took about 10 minutes to get. We had waters immediately, too. Our waiter was nice, but you could definitely tell he wasn't that comfortable with English. Which really isn't that big of a deal...except that my margarita wasn't good AT ALL but I honestly didn't want to try to explain that with the language barrier. It just had no margarita taste to it--and what taste there was was somehow off. I know I should have said something, but I just didn't. Other than that, the food was all really good. I enjoyed my tacos and beans and hubby enjoyed his tacos, rice, and enchilada. We will definitely add this place to our rotation and are looking forward to going back.
(4)Ani B.
have passed a number of these restaurants over the years and hubby finally wanted to give them a try. Mistake. Some of the worst we have tried in years. He got the chicken fajitas and they had a sour rotten taste to them. $8 range for lunch. No, he did not get sick, but their flavor could not coerce me to try anything more than an onion slice. I got the usual bean burrito, cheese enchilada with rice. Beans were very lardy tasting, red sauce gravy bland, and i can't even remember the rice. $4.99 lunch special. Cheese enchilada did taste better as left overs; not so for the bean burrito. I do remember the salsa being good with a little kick. that is the best i can say about the whole place. Service was also good enough. I would look for another place if you want good Mexican.
(2)Terra G.
Was visiting the area for work and discovered Grand Azteca V. I ordered the molcajete and it was the VERY BEST THING I'VE EVER PUT IN MY MOUTH, EVER! It's basically like combination fajitas in a sizzling bowl with yummy (and probably outrageously fattening) cheesy sauce all over it. If I lived near this restaurant, I would be soooo fat and happy!!!!
(5)Vikram V.
Used to come here more often. Though some of the prices have gone up (honestly, which places haven't :P), it's still a nice place for some Mexican food. I came through today as the MVP bringing in a 4.99 Lunch Special coupon. There are 10 Lunch Specials that are usually 6.99 on the menu but the coupon I had can apply to everyone at our table who chooses to order one of them. Our server was really patient waiting for all our late stragglers to file in. She was able to multitask and handle all the details. We had plenty of time to order. The complimentary chips and salsa (and a ranch-esque dipping sauce) are always tasty. I ordered Lunch Special 6 (2 chicken enchiladas with rice, sour cream, and tomatoes). I really wish guac and pico are included. They honestly shouldn't be that much of a commodity and it's really prevalent in any Mexican restaurant. Anyways, always a nice place to get good food and even better with coupons/deals.
(4)Ryan M.
Chimichangas were OK. Decor inside is cool. But who seriously serves ranch with tortilla chips?
(3)Bridgette Z.
Well i guess i shouldn't have had high expectations when i found the $4.99 lunch special coupon but this isn't far from my office so my coworker and i went there today for lunch. The restaurant was empty except for 1 other table when we arrived at 2 pm. We were seated and brought warm chips, good salsa and an odd but tasty ranch dip. There is a huge language barrier here which is understandable but got to be a little frustrating. First, i asked the server if we could both use my coupon, although i did have 2 just in case. He did not understand the question at all and kept pointing to the menu. After trying to ask the same question about 6 times with no clear answer, we gave up and ordered. I chose lunch special #1 and my coworker chose #10. The food literally came out in less than 5 minutes except the server thought my coworker said 2, not 10, but the kitchen remade her dish in about 2 minutes no joke! I do appreciate fast service but this really just tells me the food is pre made and warmed up in a microwave. My chile relleno was very good, the beef taco was ok, the beans were also just ok, the "guacamole salad" was really just lettuce, tomatoes, and a spoonful of guac. Overall the food was kind of bland, my coworker agreed that hers was too. I probably won't rush to go here again and if i do, i wont be ordering a lunch special.
(3)Chris J.
Try the Molcajete (in mixed menu section) it is very good! One of the best Mexican dishes I have found in the area. So much more flavor than most Mexican dishes around here. Needless to say we were happy that we finally gave Gran Azteca a shot. Other than the Molcajete: -Their tamales are quite nice - flan is very good
(4)Marc J.
I use to eat here alot.but after its new lookand new menu prices went up..smh... but how ?on precooked food thats not even hot unless you get a sizzling plate...my plate was hotter than my food.smh.....not totally bad but get a real cheif in that kitchen thats gonna cook to order.
(3)Todd P.
Great food and service tonight, cold XX beer!
(4)John H.
I love this place. It is the best in the chain for sure. The food beats mexican town by far, and the prices are great. This is a must for vegetarians, trust me.
(5)Tim J.
After reading the reviews we decided to give the Azteca a try. The staff was friendly but as another reviewer noted, English is not their first language. My wife's ability to speak Spanish helped when we asked the server for a slight modification to our order. The chips with Ranch(?) dressing were so great we didn't even try the salsa. We split an order of chimichangas and they were excellent. Definitely would stop again when we are in the area.
(4)Chris D.
Terrible food. Every combo is basically a flour or corn tortilla with bland ground beef in it. Most of the combos don't even come with rice and beans like most Mexican restaurants. I will never go back.
(1)Shannon M.
The last day in my 5 day Mexican binge. Ah I love Mexican. I chose Grand Azteca because it's consistent. Always. No matter what location. I have been going to Grand Azeteca's across Metro Detroit for years. I have tried so many menu items it's kind of comical. I do have my staples though, and this was one of them. This location is big. It's full of Mexican decorations and dare I call it Mexican Polka music. Lots of seats and a full bar. Many booth and tables too-personally I have never not had a booth. Your service is super fast. The beverages come in giant cups, which is refreshing (no pun intended) since you really won't need a refill with that much to drink. The chips and salsa are so good. Chips are hot and fresh, and they give you a mild salsa and a ranch sauce that I would put on everything. It's my favorite. If you go at lunch, many specials are only $4.99. Compared to everywhere else I have been this week, that deal blows the competitor out of the water. Their portions are large and you feel really full. You can get the dinners or ala cart, but no matter what it's good. I love their beans. I usually get the Enchiladas verdes, fajita burrito, or the Chilaquiles. Today it was Chilaquiles Rancheros all the way. They come out so fast-was maybe 5 minutes and boom-food time.If you saw my picture you know this dish is amazing. Chilaquiles for those who don't know, are tortillas cut into quarters, lightly fried and then soaked in a red or green (or both) sauce for maximum flavor. This isn't a soggy dish btw. They then top with a meat and a cheese with peppers. I got the chicken and that was smothered with cheese so melty and creamy it's sinful. there were also poblano FRESH pepper rings incorporated in there. Santo señor!! (Holy lord) SO GOOD! The sauce was full of flavor and every bit (with the guacamole side salad and beans too) was the best. I highly recommend this location, along with any other you can find. Their food is quality and consistency. I can go to any location any time, order the same dish, and it will taste the same. Hell, McDonald's cant even do that.
(5)Denise P.
Thank you Yelpers! In town for a short visit and found on Yelp. Excellent food. Good quality and home cooked taste. Pork was awesome in the Enchiladas Ranchera. Fajita burritos were very tasty. The addition of Mexican ranch to the salsa offering with chips was an unexpected treat. Would come back again if in the area.
(4)