Central Kitchen + Bar

Stopped by for lunch last Thursday and ordered a carry out –chicken sandwich for a whopping 11.50 no fries or soup came with the sandwich, no extra anything. The sandwich was tasty, but it reminded me of a Wendy’s chicken sandwich. Nothing fancy or extra ordinary. I will try again and dine inside!

Omg. I cannot begin to say how much I love this restaurant! First time here and I will be back. First off love the location. Second the place is cute. Third kaylee our waitress is awesome. She offered. Her recommendations, we took her advise and I am were not disappointed. The Detroit burger, wonderful. French fries, seasoned thin cut would order again. Oh, also we split the Green chili– be sure sure to add pork… yummy!

Great Aura, great food, friendly service… We indulged in the hush puppies, Detroiter burger, and the ahi tuna salad… Everything was delicious! I will most definently be back to try some different menu options!

The food here is awesome, I will definitely be coming back. Love the atmosphere. The staff is very friendly and helpful.

Tried on a recent Saturday night and was surprised at how busy it was just after New Years. I guess I thought everyone would be broke or burned out by the holidays — but not so, the place was jammed. We were told we’d have a 30 minute wait which was only about a 15 minute wait, so not bad. We were put at a 2 person hightop table, near the front of the restaurant across from the bar, it was comfortable if a bit congested. Every time our waitress stopped to take our order, refill drinks, etc., it did cause a bottleneck which meant she was squishing into our table. I liked the menu selections and settled on the duck confit flatbread and the wild mushroom soup. I really liked both of them and thought the price for the flatbread was really reasonable ($ 11). It had large chunks of duck on it that were tender and delicious. The soup was equally tasty. The only glitch was the waitress asked if I wanted my soup first, I said yes, then she proceeded to bring both items together (and didn’t acknowledge the oops). My bf got the Carnitas tacos, and said they were really good — again at $ 12, not too bad. I liked the décor and the atmosphere, good location, I’ll be back.
The good/​bad — they have a dj who fired up his music about half way through our meal. A speaker was hanging over our table — we could no longer converse and the music was deafening. We flagged down our waitress and asked her if they could turn down the volume a bit. To our surprise they did, it appears they can control the speakers individually. So while it was still pretty loud in there, and we did have to raise our voices to converse, it was better. So points for trying to fix the problem.
I still don’t understand the trend though to super noisy restaurant acoustics, I go out to dinner to enjoy my meal and converse. Not sit silently staring at my date or yelling to be heard. Hopefully this trend will backfire soon and restaurants will go back to a civilized volume.

Just a quick stop for lunch today, I was very surprised at how good it was! Atmosphere is good, service was smooth and food was delicious!
Had some catfish tacos that totally rocked! I’ll be back for 2nds!

I don’t think there was valet — or at least it wasn’t very apparent — but a public lot just down the street (maybe a 60-​second walk) made that annoyance nearly null.
The atmosphere is amazing. Very light and airy. The seating options are plentiful (cozy two tops at the bar to large 6-​people booths in the dining room). A TV in the bar with the red wings game on kept some members of our party happy. Didn’t get a chance to dine in the heated patio area but it looked awesome, especially if you’re sharing food with friends and don’t necessarily need a formal table to sit.
The calamari appetizer was recommended by our waiter Norris… And, boy, was he right! Different than normal calamari but incredible. Very lightly breaded. Not too heavy. We also got the BBQ wings and mussels to start. Both were gone quite quickly!
Main courses were equally as well received (the Cuban, the burger, Ahi tuna salad, prosciutto flatbread).

Eh. I was enticed by the website and some friends experiences.
We went on a saturday around 5 pm.
The atmosphere is okay, its pretty hodgepodge designs honestly.
Food: EVERYTHING SALTY.
I mean super salty.
Like, fill up my cup of water quicker salty.
The calamari was served in nice presentation but was salty.
My wife had the mussels which were okay but not special.
I had the fried chicken sandwich which was dry with a crumbly bun.
Overall, a lot of hype but didn’t deliver. Certainly worth a try once or twice but not a regular place to go.

Central Kitchen is a perfect spot to meet after work. I’m giving it only 4 stars right now because I didn’t actually eat anything, just had a few drinks. As per most happy hours they have drink and food specials, but I love the look and feel of the place. It’s smaller than I expected, so I’m sure the wait time will be ridiculous on most non early days. The bartender was awesome though. Very personable and friendly.
So for now it gets a good review on aesthetics and reasonably priced happy hour and a very cool bartender. Can’t wait to try their menu.

I’ve been here a few times now for weekday lunches. The food is pretty good (worth the price tag), and you’re usually seated right away. I was here last Friday, with some coworkers, and everyone loved their food (we had flatbreads, mussels, burgers, and tacos).
So, why only 3 stars? Because the service is super slow. While the food didn’t take too long to bring out, closing out and getting our checks took about 30 minutes. All of the tables in our section seemed to falling prey to the same problem, so perhaps there was an issue with connectivity? In any case, I hope this isn’t a recurring issue, but maybe Friday lunch-​rush issue. Fingers crossed!

Central — so glad you’ve decided to join the downtown party.
A perfect location, right on Cadillac Square. The atmosphere is old meets new — feels very hip with whitewashed walls, lights, and mirrors abound. A great spot to pop in when you want to eat somewhere trendy and avoid Fountain Bistro’s mediocrity.
Also, you won’t go broke eating here; the dishes are reasonably priced for a downtown establishment. They do a mix of burgers, tacos, flatbreads, and mains — something for everyone. The carnitas tacos are awesome — very succulent and flavorful. The fig flat bread is great, as is the prosciutto (if you love Gorgonzola, get this!).
Great service. Not a huge space, but they have lots of different seating area types, including outdoor in the summer.
Minor critique: I’d like to see the cocktail menu get revamped.

Food is good, drinks are good, great location
Menu contains great takes on standard dishes (burgers, sandwiches, tacos and some common entrees). As for drinks, have only had their unfashionable, but that was a tasty item — not sure it’s worth the 12 dollar price tag.
Apps
Wings — skip these and go straight to sweet water
Cheese curds — don’t skip these, they are worth it
Entrees
Central Burger — won’t let you down
Chicken Sandwich — very good option, well rounded flavor
Cuban Sandwich — good take on a classic
Carne Asada Tacos — It’s no Mexican town, but they are still good

Great food and hip atmosphere.
I enjoyed the food thoroughly and I am looking forward to the next time I dine here. It was a Friday night and it was busy, but there wasn’t a wait for a two-​top. It is pretty congested inside with the restaurant space not being very large.
For two people are bill was around $ 60 which wasn’t bad. We each ordered a cocktail ($ 12 a piece) and I thought they were both excellent. They are on the stronger side, so I’m not complaining :) I thought the drink with Maker’s Mark and St Germain was fabulous!
We started with the Wisconsin cheese curds, recommended to me by a friend. They were good, but I would probably pass on them next time. I ordered the Veggie tacos for my entrée and OMG these were the best I’ve had. The tortillas were flour over corn which I prefer and they weren’t soggy. The roasted cauliflower was to die for and the slaw added great taste.
My disappointment was with the service. We were never checked on after our food came. Someone who wasn’t our server noticed I needed a box and grabbed one and then after waiting 15 minutes with no drinks or plates someone finally came around, once again not our server, to see if we were ready for the bill. This may have been a one-​time thing and something happened, but I’ve also heard from others that their service was nothing to rave about.

Every business has its negatives and positives, since no one likes ending on a sour note…
The not-​so-​good about Central Kitchen + Bar: Even though my friend was able to make a reservation for 2 people for 6:30 on a Wed night, we still had to wait to get seated. The hostess had this blank look like she’s not sure what a reservation is. I ordered the duck confit flatbread, waited for 20+ minutes for it to come out, and it was the wrong one and was warm at best (the fig/​goat cheese/​brussel sprouts flatbread). I understand the feel of the place is supposed to be very industrial/​hipster, but it is way too loud in there between drunk happy hour folks and the lack of padding to absorb any sound. I couldn’t carry on a normal conversation without yelling across a tiny table even if I tried.
The good things about Central Kitchen + Bar: It has a nice patio area, great for happy hour. The signature cocktails looked yummy and everyone there seems to be having one. It was packed on a Wednesday night, so it bodes well for their quality of food, which is just as important as having a good atmosphere in a restaurant. I had the Bistro Onion soup (baked French Onion soup) and that was delightful. They did mess up my order, but did fix it and brought me my Duck Confit Flatbread quickly and allowed me to take home the «wrong» flatbread without charging me extra. The Duck Confit flatbread was very good as well. The duck was tender and I’m a sucker for pizzas/​flatbreads that has a runny egg on it.
So, overall, I was glad I had gone there and had tried their food, but I’m not sure about going back.

Nice atmosphere that seems to revolve around the bar. It’s nice in there but kind of standard new restaurant feel with no Detroit authenticity to it. I’ve sat at the bar and outside. The bar was nice, it’s more square than most, which made you always feel like you were close to a bartender. And the heaters outside were lovely, despite the chill in the wind, we were plenty warm.
The service was fine. They were attentive and appropriate. You almost didn’t even realize they were there. Which for some people is the best kind of waitstaff service. But they weren’t winning any awards in my book.
The food on the menu all sounds pretty amazing. The descriptions explain these ingredients that sound delicious and refreshingly new. But it’s mostly standard again. You expect to bite into an array of flavors and a combination that could bring this restaurant to the next level. But then your met with food that isn’t impactful, it’s all a little bland and therefore makes the meal weak.
The only thing I would actually recommend here is the nachos. But I doubt I’ll be super eager to come back here.

Came here on a Tuesday evening with some friends for a catch up dinner. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. Menu was limited but did have a variety of appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches, flatbreads & entrees.
We split the kalamari appetizer. I was told to order this dish by a friend. I was skeptical because of the sweet soy glaze, but I was definitely wrong. This was one of the best kalamari dishes I’ve ever had! My dinner was carne asada tacos with no slaw. They were DELICIOUS and the steak was so incredibly tender, juicy & well seasoned. Tacos were filled with radishes, jalapenos & cotija cheese. The tortillas were grilled & fluffy, and the tacos came with a HUGE side of tortilla chips (on the greasy side) and salsa verde. The salsa verde was okay, not too much tomatillo flavor, but it had a good balance of spice.
I opted out of dessert this time but I want to come back to Central just to get some dessert — everything on their dessert menu sounded yummy! Including pumpkin mousse and a nutella brownie.
My four star review is a result of the limited menu and not appealing to my tastes. Yes I am a picky eater but I would expect a few more basic dishes on this menu, and also a margherita flatbread.

This restaurant was very «take it, or leave it.» My boyfriend and I went for dinner during Jazz Fest and to start off, we couldn’t find the entrance they were directing people to. We finally found it, got out IDs check, prior to entering (we were there for dinner) but if you are planning to drink, you must get a wristband ahead of time. When we entered the restaurant, we were seated to three different tables, that were already sat. The hostess was very confused about what was going on. Finally, we were seated at our table and our waitress whispered the entire time — in a loud restaurant, mind you. We contemplated appetizers and finally selected the sausage tasting, just to be told that they were out of it. I wish she had mentioned that prior, because at this point, we skipped ordering an appetizer all together. I ordered the roasted cauliflower salad and a turkey burger sans bun. They were so-​so. The presentation was boring and everything was fine, but just that — fine.
You could give it a try — the flat-​breads looked really good, but I doubt I’ll be back with so many restaurants opening downtown.

Hats off to the waitstaff at Central Kitchen.
I came here for the first time for a large work lunch, with about 25 people in our party. They positioned two long tables on the patio, buttressed by lounge chairs at each end. It was a little tight, but our servers made it work. They were extremely patient and even managed to divide up the tab for individual receipts since we advised them in advance.
Also, they have a nice diverse salad menu to choose from, along with options for adding proteins. I was tempted by the kale, but ended up going with the Ahi Tuna salad based on a friend’s recommendation. The crispy noodles were a bit overboard, but every other element of the salad was fresh and delicious. Several of my coworkers ordered the Roasted Cauliflower salad, which I will definitely order in the future after seeing it.
All in all, a nice place that can manage a big group like nobody’s business!

Great place in Campus Martias to meet for lunch. Exceptional location, ambiance, staff and food.
Located in the First National Building, I’ve been here 3 times since the doors opened, and every time I’ve been impressed. Layout is great with a full service bar, outdoor patio and garage doors which open up on nice weather days.
I enjoyed the Baby Kale salad and added a piece of grilled salmon. Clean, fresh, and healthy. Enjoy!

We went here for a friend’s birthday party so there were seven in our group. We were seated in a booth area right near a large open window. The atmosphere is really cute and trendy with an easy, breezy feel. It feels contemporary and modern. The venue itself is not very large so it creates somewhat of an intimate feel. They also have an area outside where you can sit if the weather is nice.
We went on a Saturday night and two people in our party were already seated when we arrived so we walked right over to our table. Our waitress came up right away and took our drink orders. Since we were waiting on the rest of our party to arrive, we took our time in canvassing the menu. The menu is not huge but there is enough variety where everyone should pretty much be able to find something they like. We decided to order some appetizers while we waited for the rest of our party. We chose the chicken wings and fried cheese curds. They put all the sauces on the side which was nice since we were sharing amongst such a large group. The wings were good but oh my goodness, the cheese curds were amazing! They came with a buffalo ranch sauce which was also out of this world. The flavor of the cheese curds were bold but not overwhelming. They were just so addictive! For my entrée, I decided to go with the Bistro salad which contained mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, and french green beans, and fried buttermilk shallots. I opted out of the dressing the salad came with and elected the pickled ginger dressing and white balsamic dressings on the side instead. And when I tell you the white balsamic dressing was probably one of the best that I’ve ever had, I am telling you the honest truth! It was out of this world. If you go, you have to try it! I also decided to add grilled chicken breast to my salad for protein. I’m deducting a star because the waitress forgot to put in my chicken and brought out my salad last and without the chicken while everyone ate their food. So, I sat there for about an extra 15 – 20 minutes waiting for my chicken breast to eat my salad. She didn’t apologize or anything. I thought that was a little rude. Once the chicken finally came out, it was hot and fresh and tasty so I was pleased with my food overall. The other people in my party had the burger, turkey burger, and cuban burger. They all enjoyed their food. I tasted a few of my friend’s fries as well. They were also good. I honestly don’t have any complaints about the food. It was great!
I’ll be back and may elect to sit outside this time. One of the owners also came up to our table afterward and insisted that we try the Nutella ice cream. So, I’ll add that to my list of things to try next.