Royal Oak, MI — What better way to kick off the new year than with an unexpected foodie adventure! I was cruising up Woodward Avenue Thursday morning on the way to my optometrist for an annual eye exam when I noticed what appeared to be a new restaurant just south of 14 Mile Road. It was one of those moments where time slowed down as I passed (or I kind of just took my foot off the accelerator for two seconds) as I carefully observed the Taco Bros establishment along the northbound side of Woodward.
Thankfully, my optometrist’s office was nearby, so I parked roughly a minute later and quickly looked up Taco Bros since it wasn’t an eatery I was familiar with. I pulled up the details, reviews, and some photos shared by diners and was rather impressed with the array of Mexican street food. I could tell from some of the pictures that this place served authentic Mexican renditions of tacos, burritos, birria, and other dishes.
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Taco Bros was started up by two brothers in Wyandotte about six years ago. According to the website, the brother’s goal was to share their homemade food with Metro Detroit using recipes passed down through their family, sharing a piece of their Mexican history with Michigan. Over the years, Taco Bros expanded to a location in Farmington Hills in October 2023 and then to the Royal Oak location along Woodward Avenue, which I stumbled upon. According to Taco Bro’s Instagram posts, the Royal Oak location opened several months ago, on August 15th of last year.
During my eye exam, I asked several employees if they had tried Taco Bros since it was only a minute’s drive from the office. Two staffers mentioned they had sampled it a couple of times and that they really enjoyed the tacos and loaded fries. I decided to stop into Taco Bros for lunch after my exam since I walked out from it about ten minutes shy of noon. I was pulling into the parking lot within seconds after a quick Michigan left along Woodward.
I had a few moments to dissect the menu and decide which tacos I wanted to experience for my first visit. Whenever I check out a new taco establishment, I usually go with my favorite: chorizo, then usually Al pastor or birria, but in this case, I went with the whole trifecta! I noticed the small whiteboard beside the registers listed the specials and most popular items with patrons. So I ordered chorizo and Al pastor tacos on corn tortillas and tacked on two birria quesadillas on flour tortillas, one of the most popular menu items! I love birria and quesadillas, so I won’t miss the opportunity to try such a glorious combination of food items.
I was ready for this epic meal since I hadn’t had anything to eat yet for the day, and I’d been lifting heavy the last couple of weeks, so the rationale was that I had to feed the gains! (for anyone who knows me, insert the hearty chuckle here)
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I also want to give a shout out to the staff at the Taco Bros Royal Oak location for outstanding service! The employee who assisted me at the register was very helpful in explaining the different options when it came to ordering the birria quesadillas (to get them with corn tortillas; for example, it has to come in an order of three) and toppings/sauces for the tacos. I, of course, had to go with the hot sauce and all the traditional toppings and fixings for my tacos and quesadillas. The staff was also fast, efficient, and polite in bringing your order to you after calling out the attached name. Props to the staff’s exceptional service and well-maintained interior; it’s always great to see at a restaurant!
The woman who had helped me at the register called out my name a few minutes later and brought over my tray, which contained a food spread that enthralled my stomach with exuberance. I was amazed at the stacked composition and sheer amount of meat and cheese stuffed within the flour tortillas, particularly the hefty globs of seared, grill-kissed cheese. This was one of those occasions where I was not only motivated by the depths of my hunger but also visually enticed to inhale every bite of food in front of me as if I were Kirby, the pink, food enthusiast video game character.
I started with the birria quesadillas (mainly because they were closest to me on the tray), quickly popped off the cover cap to the consommé, and seized a crispy and heavy quesadilla. I poured the broth along the birria quesadilla, ensuring every drop was utilized between both quesadillas. The interior meat was so juicy and tender; the aromas alone drove me into an insatiable foodie frenzy, and before I knew it, I had chomped through the first quesadilla in about twenty seconds! I quickly understood why that menu item had risen to the #1 Most Liked order via DoorDash.
The copious cheese was wonderful and helped keep the tortilla glued together, on top of the slight crispiness it also provided from a well-timed searing. This tactic brings out every last bit of flavor from the fat molecules within the cheese, adding to the rich range of flavors of the birria, which is presumably one of those angelic family recipes that we all get to enjoy now! I would order the birria quesadillas again and even consider ordering a third just to experience them on corn tortillas! Either way, those birria quesadillas will be hard to top for a while!
After putting away two hearty and delicious birria quesadillas, I was ready to tackle the two tacos. The chorizo and Al pastor tacos were exquisite, loaded with exceptional flavors and visual aesthetics. The corn tortillas appeared to be made in-house due to their freshness and warmth. The tortillas were soft and, honestly, one of the best facets of the overall taco, driving home that taste of an authentic family recipe. The considerable allotment of cilantro and onion was also greatly appreciated, contributing graciously throughout each taco from end to end.
I eagerly picked up the chorizo taco first, noting the crispy and seared edges of the meat burgeoning from the tortilla. The meat was perfectly cooked and was loaded with spice and savory sausage juiciness. The tortilla’s saturation endurance held up well despite me splattering nearly an entire container’s worth of hot sauce across the open taco before folding it back up to be quickly devoured. Between the spice and hot sauce, I felt a pleasant warmth rush to my forehead, a perfect level of desired heat for this taco endeavor. The abundant chorizo was almost a challenge to contain within the taco without a piece or two falling back down to the tray underneath, but I consider this a great problem to have! Besides, that’s what a fork is for, and remarkably, my meticulous hand-held approach only resulted in one or two uses of the fork for backup! I really enjoyed this taco and say it’s on par with Tu Taco Tienda Mexicana in Madison Heights!
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Next, I scooped up the remaining Al pastor taco from the tray and took another hearty bite to ensure I got some of the Mexican pork shoulder with a good chunk of pineapple for the whole experience. The sweet pineapple paired beautifully with this well-seasoned pork, and between the juice from the pineapple and lime I squirted over, I decided to forgo the hot sauce on this taco and enjoy the combined flavors already present. The onions and cilantro also upped the game in tandem with the pineapple, presenting a variety of textures, crunch, and refreshing sweetness. The Al pastor soaked up the juices well and exploded like flavorful meat versions of popcorn in your mouth with each bite. Another absolutely solid choice for a taco off this finely curated menu!
Although I didn’t visit the original location in Wyandotte, I’m still exhilarated that I was able to stumble upon and discover such a wonderful taco establishment! It’s inspiring to see an expanding business started by two brothers committed to sharing their stellar family recipes and authentic Mexican cuisine with Metro Detroit foodies. It’s the success story you love to see happening in your neighborhoods because of the influx in food variety and cultural contributions to the community.
These brothers and their staff have a solid operation model in place with precision service, top-tier tacos, and more. I wouldn’t be surprised if we eventually see more Taco Bros pop up around Metro Detroit in the near future because the reviews (myself included) sing high praise, and the desire exists for authenticity when it comes to one of the world’s most beloved street foods. If you live or find yourself near Royal Oak or Farmington Hills, consider stopping into one of the newer Taco Bros locations asap! Or the next time you happen to be Downriver, make a pitstop in downtown Wyandotte to check out the OG location for one of the best taco joints in Metro Detroit — I know I will!
For more information about Taco Bros, click here.
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