Pretty decent restaurant with a variety of food choices for all tastes Mexican and American. It was strangely empty for a Thursday night but the employees were extremely attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly. This includes the wait staff and bartenders. I will go back and I am curious to see if theybare as friendly when they are busy.
Review Source:Mexican food with incredibly large portions and incredibly large puddles of grease - just the way grandpa would have liked.
Abuelos was a far drive for a work lunch but worth it. While the menu usually has more expensive options for Mexican, they are with reason. The food is higher quality and there is more of it. The free chips for example, come with four separate salsas including a super spicy variety and even a green chile salsa.
For the record, green chile salsa is the greatest green sauce in the world - go ahead and prove me wrong yelpers, PROVE ME WRONG.
Abuelos also has lunch specials and even those are a lot of food. The burrito was more than enough for me as was the chicken chimichanga I ordered the first time I was there.
The chicken chimichanga at Abuelos was the best I had ever had, but the second time around I wanted something healthier. The waitress easily accommodated me by suggesting a chicken burrito with avocado. It was great.
If you love Mexican food, or restaurants named after grandparents, you should visit this place. Also, it has a convenient location in the parking lot of Lakeside Mall in front of JC Penney. No one ever goes to JC Penney so you will never have to fight parking or traffic.
BONUS: When you visit, try counting the stereotypes on the traditional Mexican mural on the wall. It is amazing.
I left here offended, angry, and felt like my heritage and palette were both insulted.
I should share that I am from Albuquerque. We are absolutely at the heart of the the Mex food environment. We tend to dress up our food but absolutely have a knack for making things really spicy with authentic flavors of both mexico and native American culture.
I came in on a slow Sunday at around 11:30AM. I sat in the bar area, and noted that a lot of the menu items were not authentic at all. For the first course I was served three different types of salsa with some chips. The chips were thin, but the real downer of the experience is that the chips were served cold. It would do a lot more for the flavor of the chips if they had been thrown into a microwave for about 20 seconds or so before being served.
The next item is the salsas. The three that were offered were a 'tropical' mix I had never heard of that *looked* like it could be a Salsa Verde that had a definite fruity twang to it. The second was a very poor and uninspired picante. The third was a hot (well, by Michigan standards I assume) sauce with a twinge to it and a peppery bite.
My bartender was kind enough to suggest I mix the salsas together to go with my chips... That idea fell flat as two bad salsas don't really mix together to make a good one.
The main course was truly a trumph of insulting food. I was served a "chille Relenno" which was a deep fried (Ahem, unstuffed...) Anaheim chili with CHEEZE WHIZ on top. Cheeze whiz. It was at this point that I decided to simply take some of my remaining chips and mixed the thing together and hoped for something resembling a mildly appetizing version of taco bell.
To the management: What were you thinking? This isn't even close to Mexican food nor Tex mex. This is at best a carribean spin on Mexican food with food that has been severely altered to appease a clientele that finds cod offensively spicy. It was undercooked, it was bland, and frankly it was insulting.
Lastly: DO NOT take my beverage, and refill the same class with a used lemon and watered down ice and refill it. How tough is it to screw up a diet coke?
Chili's is less offensive......
My boyfriend and I decided to try Abuelo's for a change up from our regular Mexican joint and were pleasantly surprised! We thought it was going to be just your average run of the mill chair mexican restaurant but we were wrong.
We both opted for the 3 enchilada combination. I had the Chicken with ranchera sauce,
Spinach with cream sauce and pork ( which I put the pineapple salsa on). Â They were all super good...my only complaint is that I am not a huge fan of corn tortillas...next time i go back I will ask for flour.
We had theTres Leches Cake which is a famous Mexican traditional sweet vanilla cake with three creams. It was seriously amazing I was scraping the plate wishing there was more.
The only reason it didn't get 5 stars is because the bartender was very unprofessional and was yelling at our waitress for stealing "his table"...which was us....
We will be returning!
Great food, service and management!
Reasonable prices too! Even for events...
We had my best friends 30th surprise party at the Sterling Heights location.
Restaurant was busy on a Saturday night but our party went fantastic.
Pricing for a plated dinner started @ $9.99 with a beverage.
We like the fresh flavors of the food and the guacamole is authentic.
It's way better than greasy Don Pablo's. Plus the restaurant and bathrooms are spotless! 5 stars for sure
I really liked this place. It is loud as some other's mentioned (with stucco walls and a tile floor it sure is going to be!), but I didn't have any issues with the service, maybe I got lucky. I had the Green Chile Chicken Quesadilla and Chile Rellenos, both were great, and way too much food, but I wasn't doing dessert and I had only one margarita. I would definitely go here again if I'm in the area.
Review Source:I hadn't been to Abuelos in quite a few years, and I now know why I missed it so much!! Â I cannot say that the flavors are really authentic Mexican because there is no real authentic Mexican around. Â However, I can say that this is THE BEST Mexican I have had in this area in a long time...aside from Los Galanes!!
My only complaint with the steak fajita nacho I had was that the beans were bland and did not add to the flavor of the meal.
My last visit to Abuelos was last Cinco De Mayo, and I'm not sure why it's been so long in between visits! Since our last visit they almost totally redid the menu! They have quite a bit of new combos to choose from! On this visit we got the Juarez combo. It comes with two  different enchiladas with dooling sauces, a pork filled tamale that was presented on the corn husk, and a taco served with rice & beans for 12.99. We also ordered there guacamole salad ( smashed avocado with diced  tomatoes served on sliced romaine) accompanied by ONE yummy crisp pita chip, its nothing fancy but its very good! The Margaritas here are very delicious & big! Before you leave be sure to load your pockets up with there complimentary mints and grab a photo in front of Neptune, the Roman God of water and Diviértete.
Review Source:I'd give it a 5 if the Margaritas were better!!
So tonight we went here for my birthday. It was my first meal at Abuelos. I ordered the fancy pants margarita and the chicken medallions.
I'll have to say. It was really really good. So far the best Tex Mex around me, other than El Charro. The chicken was cooked perfectly, and the breading was outstanding, with crunch, and flavor without tasting like fatty deep fried nonsense. Also it was stuffed with some good chorizo! The rice and beans were ok. Not the best I've had, but I ate it all, so that says something. The chips are thin and soooo good! The salsa is a bit mellow so ask for the spicy stuff in the tiny shot glass, and mix it in for a kick ;)
The margarita was less than stellar... a bit watered down and lacking flavor. I think the Agave version would have been a bit more flavorful with the agave nectar. My second drink was the Latin Manhattan. Bourbon, orange liquor, and agave nectar make for a sweet kick in the ass!
We finished up dinner with a free birthday flan, which was delicious, and the molten chocolate cake thing, that was also good...
Rojo used to be my go to for dinner with a margarita, but I think Abuelos just took their spot. Although Rojo has better margaritas. Next time I'll try some different variations they offer.
If your leery due to some bad reviews, just chalk it up to different tastes. If ya wanna play it save, go for the chicken medallions... Their shining dish by far.
I love the atmosphere, they did a great job capturing the outside vibe on a veranda. The giant painted mural on their back wall is beautiful, every time I come here, I have to study the details.
Their staff and service is great, but their prices and quality of food is lacking in my opinion. It needs more authentic flavors and spices.
My favorite dish to order is the shrimp fajitas, you have to make sure to tell em light on the oil or they will over do it and all your veggies will be soaked in fat ! Instead of their pinto beans, replace them with black beans, they are much healthier for you. And I always order a side of their Spanish rice & drench it in lemon juice.
I love their spicy salsa and chips here and their dolche de leche desserts, yummm !
I was really hoping i would like this place, but it was NOT good at all. First of all i have no idea why people are saying their chips are good. They are too thin, and tasteless. Their salsa is also not good, it has a smoked aftertaste, and it's just not good. Being vegetarian, i had their cheese enchiladas, it's just corn tortilla rolled up in a bunch of cheese. Their red and green sauces were the worst i've ever tasted. I also thought their queso dip was too watery, and not tasty at all. Overall, i will never be going back to this place!
Review Source:It was 3pm and I had not ate a thing all day. I was ready for a nice meal so I went to my favorite, nearby Mexican restaurant...Abuello's!
I was in the mood to try something different. I explained to the server that the last time I tried something different that had avocado, spinaches and a cream sauce that I loved it. She said that if I enjoyed that meal I should really enjoy the Pescado Guerro, boy was she ever right! This meal was prepared to perfection and was so tasty. There was a large piece of mahi-mahi with shrimp, asparagus, spinach and mushrooms on top. There was a delicious, light, butter cream sauce poured over everything. It hit the spot. The rice was very good to include with each bite I took. I enjoyed this meal with a glass of St. Francis Red wine.
Although I was stuffed I decided to try a piece of the white cake. I loved it and despite my 48yr old waste line that is every growing, I ate every light, delicious bite.
My server provided top-notch service.
Regarding the Pescado Guerro it was very tasty. This meal was prepared to perfection and was so tasty. There was a large piece of mahi-mahi with shrimp, asparagus, spinach and mushrooms on top. There was a delicious, light, butter cream sauce poured over everything. It hit the spot. The rice was very good to include with each bite I took.
With  so many restaurants vying for our business with specials & lunch specials, Abuelos is /was the latest place to have lunches starting at $5.99 & Up.
Lets  start with the welcome /greeting or lack there of, we walk in at 2:12 pm, and of course no one is at the hostess kiosk, or at or near the bar, so eventually this young man comes up , and says two?  Yes a  table please and could you please not sit us on top of another table?  Sure thing ! why would anyone do that unless we were slammed he says.
*note
there was a table of 3 and a booth with 2 gals in it, he passes umpteen empty tables and seats us next to the gals in the booth , ode well
So Melissa our server , bounces onto the scene, takes our beverage order & asks if it is our 1st visit, no it is not.
I ordered a chili relenios & enchilada special for $7, which included beans/ rice and papa's potatoes
Chile Relenois w/shredded beef & queso served in a poblano pepper
A+
Chicken Enchilada
B+
All beans no rice per request
A
chips & salsa, fresh & hot & request the special hot sauce
A
Melissa  as a server
A+
Also noteworthy is Abuelos "ALWAYS" serves their food piping hot
one final note, Melissa  kept  full salsa containers in front of us constantly, which is no easy task, because Abuelo's uses the smallest serving dishes I have ever seen , and the HOT salsa was served a a metal cup the size of a shot glass
I can't say I've ever been disappointed by the food at Abuelo's. Â The amount of food that you get is really reasonable for the price, and I've always thought it was pretty tasty. Â Their chorizo is really good, and I'm a big fan of their fancy mashed potatoes - which I have tried to replicate but not mastered. Â As strange as it sounds, not to speak poorly of the rest of the menu, but I'm just as happy with a pitcher of sangria, their dip sampler and some chips. Â I'm such a sucker for chips and salsa. Â Their avocado cream and queso are super. Â If you want Mexican, it's not a bad place to try.
Review Source:So my coworkers took me to this chi chi mexican place and after eating here I started to wonder why I was paying $15 for some enchiladas when I could probably find a taco truck with better food.
The good: Â The drinks are good, this place is probably great for happy hour. Â The chips are super thin and delicious.
The bad: Â Well, the food. Â Bland enchiladas for me, yuck. Â Since I go to restaurants for food I won't be back to Abuelo's.
"Hey boss, what if we made a Mexican version of the Olive Garden?"
"Great idea Jimmy, you get a promotion!"
This is the conversation I imagine happened during the inception of Abuelo's. It's casual dining masquerading as fine dining. The food is as Mexican as apple pie. That behing said, many people still like it.
Abuelo's plays it safe with a variety of tacos, enchiladas, and other fare served on a plate slightly larger than your laptop. Calories be damned.
To put it into perspective, their chicken taco with lettuce, cheese, and sour cream comes in at  340 calories, 10g fat, 20g carbs... each. They usually serve these 3 per plate. That's 1020 calories in one meal. This doesn't include rice, beans, or beverage. An average adult is only allowed 2000-ish per day. You can look up the rest of the items.
You might not be on a diet, but the prep in the food here is dangerous for anyone trying to keep it light.
We tried out Abuelo's for my coworker's birthday on Monday, as it's right around the corner from our office. At 1 pm on a Monday, the place was completely empty. We were seated promptly, and our waitress came over to take our drink order quickly.
As everyone else has said, the inside of this place is gorgeous! The murals on the wall and excellent decor make it seem a little fancier than it is - we weren't out of place in our office clothes, but jeans and tee's would have been fine too.
The waitress brought us our drinks - and left without asking if we were ready to order... I'm not really sure where she went, as there wasn't a single other table of people in the restaurant. She eventually came back, with chips and salsa, and we put in our order for our appetizer and meals.
We tried the queso - delicious. It had just the right amount of kick to it, and didn't have any meat added to it, which is my pet peeve. I was not a fan of the salsa... it was a little sweet, but pretty flavorless.
I had the chicken medallions with beans and papas de somethingoranother (it's their "signature side"). The medallions were okay... nothing impressive. The papas were pretty good, though I wished that I had some salsa to make them a little spicier. The beans were regular refried beans, nothing special. They did have excellent guacamole.
I should note, that we weren't given refills this entire time, until we asked when the waitress came back to ask if our food was okay. We were still the only people in the restaurant. It sounded like they were having a great time in the kitchen though. Clearly the waitress would have rather been in there.
All in all, decent food, okay service. I wasn't wowed, but I would probably go back again.
Abuelo's looks kind of cool when you are driving by at night, for a year or two I imagined a higher level of Mexican food within those fancy shmancy walls...  maybe.  Advertisements in the paper for the restaurant showed pictures of expensive looking meals  so I figured this was upscale.  Not really.
The inside is really cool too. Â There are murals on the wall that bring Diego Rivera to mind, the dining room is a faux courtyard with statues and a sky ceiling. Â This might be a good place to bring a date if you think they'll be distracted enough by the atmosphere. Â The customers in there were dressed more casual than I expected and there were families w/ kids as well.
The waitress was super friendly and spunky but not irritating, she seemed very genuine.
My date loved her soup, I can't remember what it was but I think they won some kind of award for it, I do remember it was cream based. Â She also enjoyed her Margarita. Â I didn't know what to think about the salsa for the chips, they looked and tasted different from the usual but they really weren't that interesting.
I had a combo plate of different things including chicken enchiladas, taco, signature potatoes, that really were actually pretty run of the mill, after some good first impressions it was kind of a let down, maybe I should have ordered one of the expensive items like the bacon wrapped tenderloin or shrimp?
2.75 Stars
Abuelo's is a little far to go often, and it definitely doesn't hit the spot for that baja cali craving, but its a decent Americanized Mexican option.
I had the veggie fajitas, and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. I was also impressed that the server who brought out the food had the sense to let me know that the rice had chicken stock in it, in case I was really vegetarian. I thought that was nice.
Abuelo's reminds me vaguely of Chevy's back home. A great place to go get margaritas, chips, salsa, and something cheesy.
I got a gift card for this restaurant and decided to try it out for my birthday.
Hubby went with and we went in totally open-minded. Â
We were there in the late afternoon so there weren't a lot of people there, but the decor I thought was beautiful. Â In the center of the restaurant, the ceiling is painted like a sky and if you sit underneath, you feel like you're eating outside!
the chips were hot and fresh, not too greasy either. Â The salsa was eh, but we kept eating it because it was there. Â
Our waiter was very nice and easy on the eyes too! Â (teehee) Â He showed us the specials and we ordered up some queso flameto. (sp) Â
The queso was wonderful!! We didn't want to stop eating it!! The waiter was very attentive, refilling glasses and such, but that may have been just because they weren't busy. Â
I got a seafood enchilada special which was a little small, but DELISH!! Little crepes with shrimp, scallops and cheese covered in cream sauce. They were so good, I almost burned myself because I just loved them so much!
Hubby had a trio of changas (not something I like) and he said they were terrific. Â The waiter helped him pick his sauces and which meats to get. Â He really loved the shredded pork. Â
Although we had a gift card, the prices were VERY reasonable for the amount of food and drink you get!!
I can't wait to go back to Abuelos again!
I was really impressed with Abuelo's.
First off, the chips were uniquely light and absolutely delicious. The salsas were also very good.
The Durango Burrito was great, and the sopapillas were a great end to the meal.
Overall, we had a great experience at Abuelo's, and I would surely return.
The wide range of reviews has got me stumped. I've eaten here more than 20 times and I've never had a bad meal. In fact some of my favorite Mexican-American food comes from Abuelo's.
First off, they have the thinnest, crispiest and most perfectly salted chips I have ever eaten. Every time I go to another Mexican restaurant I sit for at least 5 minutes and wish their chips were as good as Abuelo's. They also have good salsa and excellent queso dip.
Abuelo's, hands down, makes my favorite fajitas. I'm not a big fan of chicken, I really only eat it when I'm dieting unless I fancy a fried finger or two but their chicken fajitas are really good. Really, really good.
Their Margaritas are delicious and they have some of the coldest beer I've ever had.
My only complaints are that there is very little authentic Mexican food on the menu and the dining room is often freezing in the summer, I mean even if you have a sweater on your nose will probably freeze right off your face. If you sit in the middle at a table rather than in a booth you can get around this.
If you crave Mexican-American food Abuelo's is worth trying.
The food was edible....but I wouldn't dare say anything more than that.
I felt like eating microwavable frozen burritos was better than this crap. As a matter of fact I wouldn't be surprised if my whole plate of chimichangas was microwaved to begin with.
The entire layout of this restaurant is also very awkward with lighting that's a bit unsettling. Too much open space in the wrong places and some of the tables are right next to the kitchen entrance where I felt like I'd probably get hit in the head with a tray was the waiters made their way out. (got placed there and had to ask to move to another table)
Just another fake ethnic chain to add to the million fake ethnic food chains that already infect this country.
So this isn't authentic Mexican food, we all know this, But for what it is it is pretty decent.
I suggest getting a margarita and just chow down on the chips and salsa with some guac.
The service is always great here. I have had the same gal a few times now and shes been nothing but super friendly and accomodating.
I'll try this place again, and see what comes of it. Like I said if anything there is always the Patron margaritas, chips and salsa.
I was excited about going here when it opened a few years ago. I like what they did with the decor, its also big looking on the inside. On to the food, it was nothing really special. It seemed a little diluted for lack of a better word. The service was good, and the people there are friendly.
Its been a while since I've visited Abuelo's, I should check it out again to see if they've stepped it up a notch.
Judge me all you want. I know Abuelos is a chain... I know I know... I don't care. I love this place! Hear me? L-O-V-E. The GFs and I always go here for chips and dip and some of the best Sangria in the area. The decor is just so nice, the entire place cost alot to build and it just adds to the experience. Service is ALWAYS friendly if you are at the bar or a table. They even allow us to order one meal and split it since it is always just so much food if you are drinking. The chicken medallions meal is m favorite hands down. The chicken is stuffed with cheese and peppers and you dip into a queso-pepper dip. The cheesy potatoes are great too! It may not be "super authentic" but whatever it is...it tastes damn good...and that is what counts!
Review Source:Not sure where some of the other reviewers have been eating lately. The dozen or so times I've been here have all been pleasant experiences. I guess they all must be finding some great authentic mexican food in Macomb County that I've been missing. All in all, a good solid dining experience.
Review Source:** 1/20/10 Update** Tried this place again and the food was not so good. The meat was very strange and the beans tasted someone dumped a large container of pepper in them. My plate was full of grease, I mean a pool of grease. Eesh. Not sure we will try this again for a long while.
Not bad, a bit generic and on the bland side, but might help me not go totally crazy for let's just call it, " Shelby, Michigan Mexican style" food.
Believe I had an enchilada and my dining partner had the steak fajitas. The lunch portions were a bit small, but the chips and salsa were ok. Just added some cilantro and hotter chillies and would be just ok. Â The restaurant was decorated very nicely, but must comment on the really odd murals. Wow. The service was good. Not sure about this place.
We picked this place because our two previous choices (Buca and Carrabbas) didn't open until 4 (ugh). But we were very pleasantly surprised! The place was nearly empty and the service was prompt (including water refills, which is a biggie for me).
Interestingly, the place looked really familiar but I knew I hadn't been there before. Or had I? Turns out I had been to another Abuelos in Texas a few years back. But  I had remembered the decor because I LOVED the painted ceiling - to look like you were in an outdoor plaza!
We ordered the guacamole to go with the complimentary chips and salsa...and I would say that was a mistake. While the chips were thin, salty, crispy, and warm (TO DIE FOR, in other words!), the guac was pretty tasteless and had a creamy over-processed consistency. Definitely not worth the $5. Of course we ate it, but we would never order it again. Hubby's enchilada and tostada plate was yummy, as were my chicken medallions. (I uploaded pics of all three.) That said, the refried beans were very MEH...but their signature Papas con Chile (mashed potatoes with mexican ingredients) were quite yummy.
I would give them a 3.5 overall, but am rounding up to 4 because of the good service and the overall experience.
Honestly I do know many people who like this restaurant.  I personally do not.  The decor is fine, the drinks are fine, the food the 3 times I've been here have been horrible.  The service has also been mediocre at best.  And the music they play is a fast paced pounding, all most like club music.  Not sure if this is to speed up your eating for the next guest or what, but I found it pretty annoying.  With all of the choices we have in where we go to eat anymore, this isn't even on my list.  I say go to Mexican Village on Van Dyke north of Hall Road or  anywhere else...
Review Source:The decor at this place is truly outstanding, and the portions are huge. Â Unfortunately, the food was a bit bland for my taste
The entry to Abuelo's is guarded by two cool statues, and in the inside you are treated to walls covered with murals evocative of Diego Garcia. Â You eat in an indoor garden with high ceilings, plants growing from colorful Mexican pottery, and featuring a statue of what is seemingly a wealthy community leader helping an impoverished youth. Â The ceiling is painted with clouds. Â Cool, huh?
The drinks are good and reasonably priced.  For a  Mexican-American chain, this is no surprise as margaritas are the bread and butter.  My blue curacao margarita was strong and tasty.
Our appetizer was less exciting. Â It was a dip plate, and the cheese and beans were good, but the guacamole was really disappointing. Â I couldn't taste even a hint of lime, cilantro, garlic, onion, or pepper. Â There was no kick whatsoever. Â If the avocado that was used had been really awesome that would've made up for the blandness but it really wasn't.
I also had a shrimp chowder, which was pretty good but also a bit bland for me. Â Our complimentary salsa was good with the spicy being spicy and the mild having a really good roasted pepper flavor. Â Cilantro, again, would have helped.
For Dinner I ordered the Monterrey, which was a sort of sampler plate, but everything came up bland. Â The plate was huge and there was so much left over. Â If someone else hadn't eaten my leftovers I might have Â
tried to re-season them, though, before eating. Â Still a great deal if you are a starving student. Â In my case it was an even better deal; I had a $5 off coupon because it was my birthday, but he staff generously gave my the entire cost of my entree off because that was the birthday deal that was generally offered in the past. Â Aside from even that, the service was very nice and kid-friendly, as my niece's soda spill was quickly dealt with.
The decor and service are so nice at Abuelo's that I think it would be worth coming back to experiment and see what items on the menu are worth ordering, and asking for them to make things spicier might work as well. Â
3.5 stars rounded to 3.
Wow this place surprised me! Â All my preconcieved notions went out the window when I saw the prices on the menu and moreso when my order arrived. Â The ambiance of this place fools you into thinking you're going to drop a pretty shiny penny on dinner. Â
For $10.79 I got a cheese chile relleno, chicken enchilada and beef enchilada (yaaaay shredded beef!) Â and they were nicely portioned. Â
We passed on dessert because I out did myself in cleaning my plate. Â Next time I'm saving room for that tempting dulce de leche cheesecake!
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