CAYA Smokehouse Grill

Followed Unilocaler revs and gave CAYA a try! True to the Unilocal,the food was awesome. Carried out (they didn’t get the order right and it wasn’t that big) ribs and brisket (got turkey). The ribs were perfectly done. The restaurant was pretty empty. Cool outside covered deck/​porch area that looked fun for summer eating. Will carry out again!

CAYA is simply amazing. In my opinion they easily habe the best BBQ in Metro Detroit. The ribs, brisket, and pulled pork are fantastic. Their sides are killer, be sure to try the glazed sweet potatoes, mac & cheese and cornbread. Also their burgers are so good. The place has a really cool rustic industrial feel. The service is top notch. They always have good beers on tap and fun cocktails. Do yourself a favor and check CAYA out.

I have been here twice and loved the food both times.
After searching for good brisket, I found this place. One the first trip, I had the brisket and it was wonderful. They have a smoke pit right near the entrance, so you can smell the smokey greatness as soon as you hit the door. My friend got the ribs with the mac and cheese. He loved the ribs, they weren’t completely fall off the bone tender, but still very enjoyable. I had smoked wings on my second trip and those too were very good. I think their reasonably priced, charge by the lbs for a lot of the meats. I would definitely recommend. They have a nice bar also.

This place is solid. We were staying in the area for a night and happened upon this place after scouring Unilocal for a place to eat. BBQ sounded good, so we ended up here. Glad we did.
Place was pretty busy on Saturday. We sat down at the bar and ordered drinks. My fiancée got a Stella, I got a Knob Creek on the rocks. It was quite the weak pour for $ 11. The bartender filled the large glass with ice and then dumped a little Knob Creek over the ice. It didn’t even come close to filling half of the level of ice. It basically looked like I was halfway done with what should be a normal rocks pour. Needless to say, I didn’t order another after I saw the $ 11 price tag.
We split the meatball appetizer, brisket, ribs, and mac and cheese. The meatball appetizer was really good. It’s not a huge portion, so you can order it without spoiling your appetite. It was just the two of us, so we didn’t want to load up and be too full for the good stuff. The brisket was really really good, as were the ribs. They advertise them as baby back, but they’re a very sizeable portion. A half rack for one person is plenty of food in my opinion. The bourbon BBQ sauce was so good that I walked out with a $ 3.50 bottle of it. I didn’t notice it was even an option until the manager told me that when we asked for a couple of sides to take with us. I think they could up the promotion on the sales of the sauce. Maybe I was just oblivious, but I didn’t see it being pushed too hard. The sauce is awesome. We thought the mac and cheese was just so-​so.
The atmosphere was nice. Kind of an industrial look with Edison lighting, metal décor, etc. I’m about a 30 minute drive from CAYA, but I’ll be thinking about making a trip back in the near future.

AMAZINGGGGGGG!!! The five stars are only based on takeout. We have tried a good number of items and they were all mouthwatering. You must go!!!
We have never gone to a BBQ place and liked all the meats, but that is not the case here. We have tried the brisket, pulled pork, ribs, mac n cheese and cornbread. Let me tell you everything was to die for! The meats were perfectly smoked and juicy plus the ribs were DRY! What I mean by that is they were not doused in sauce. They let youuuu decide if you want sauce (love that). And the meats certainly don’t need sauce by any means, but their sauces are delicious also if your heart desires it! As for the sides, the cornbread is a MUST (it has actual corn in it) its perfectly crispy on the outside and sweet and buttery on the inside! The mac n cheese is heavennnn. The pasta is spirals, helloooo, and it comes with a lovely breadcrumbs topping. YUM-​O!!!
Well I really can’t say enough good things. Goooo!!!

Hmm where to begin… Not good at all!!! The Brussel sprouts were disgusting! Swimming in oil. Asparagus burnt to a crisp. Mac n cheese yuck. Meats were ok they did need a lot of help with seasoning. Sauces if you like A1.

Came for breakfast on a Sunday morning. For a while we were the only ones in there. A sign? Our food was delicious but my goodness, we had the smallest omelets I’ve ever seen. I just knew we’d be hungry again shortly after we finished our meal. I’m hoping it was a fluke and maybe next time it’ll be different.

This place was so good I think I’m getting tears in my eyes as I sit here to write this review. Seriously… it’s that good.
I decided to visit on the recommendation of a friend of mine and she was sure I would not be let down. She was right! They have more than just your traditional BBQ fare, offering a variety of burgers, sandwiches, salads, and pastas. In addition to these, they have a number of different smoked meats with sides a la carte. For a starter, my husband and I had the BBQ flatbread which consisted of smoked turkey, onions, mozzarella, and BBQ sauce. The appetizer was relatively simple, and all of the flavors work really well together. Great start to the meal!
On to the entrees,
I had the brisket, my husband had the ribs, and for our sides we shared the cornbread, mac and cheese, asparagus, and baked beans. I took my first bite of brisket and I was sure I died and went to meat heaven. Both entrees were amazing and the sides were just out of this world. I didn’t really care for the baked beans, however my husband though they were great. I supposed I’m just used to a sweeter baked bean and these had more of a tang to them. As we continued the meal, I’m positive I said at one point «I wish I could just rub all this food all over my entire body and bathe in it» …does it sound weird? Yup. But hey, I’m just keeping it real. Everything was near perfect… until we got to the dessert. We decided to go for the strawberry topped cheesecake, and sadly I wish we hadn’t. In comparison of the rest of the meal, it just wasn’t good. All in all, our experience was a positive one. I’d highly recommend CAYA to family and friends and I look forward to visiting again soon.

Let me start by saying I love barbeque. I was first introduced to it when I lived in North Carolina, and I love the fact that is has taken off way up here in Michigan.
We have been to CAYA twice, both on Saturday nights. The first time, we ordered half pounds of turkey and pulled pork with a variety of sides and it was quite good. Not outstanding, but worth returning. Which we did this evening. Sigh. When you go to a smokehouse and the best items you had were the beet salad, the Shorts Soft Parade and the crème brulee pumpkin pie, that is just sad. The place was pretty much empty at 7:30 on a Saturday. Yeah, it’s Halloween and people are at parties, but still, what gives?
I ordered a cup of their burnt ends chili, the Brussels sprouts and the smoked chicken wings. My other half ordered the aforementioned beet salad and a pulled pork sandwich.
When I think of burnt ends chili, I think rich, smoky, flavorful. Nope. Mediocre chili with chunks of smoked brisket tossed in. Meh. I ate it b/​c I was hungry.
The smoked wings were small, dry and salty. The blue cheese dressing watery and salty. the Brussels sprouts tasteless and greasy. My boyfriend said the pulled pork was good, but that he had had better.
We did cap off the meal by sharing a slice of homemade pumpkin pie that had sugar «bruleed» on top of it, with whipped cream and caramel sauce. That was very good, Thing is, when I go to a smokehouse restaurant, the smoked meat is what should stand out, along with the sides. Not dessert.
FIRST VISIT, we thought, «It’s pricey but really good.» SECOND VISIT, we thought, «It’s just pricey.»
CAYA is expensive for what it is; I would want more for my money or outstanding food. I am wondering, too, if business is suffering since both times we have been able to walk in on a Saturday night at prime dinner time and get a table no problem. I would suggest that they re-​work the menu and bring down the price points or get a ‘Que ‘n’ Two (que and two sides for set price) or really bump up the quality of the food overall.
Next time we are Jonesing for Que, we will make the drive to Lazybones, or check out their new partnership with Dragonmead in Warren — Dragon Bones.

Seriously good from the sides to the meats to the deserts blown away! The time, love, and care is apparent in every bite of every dish.

My review is long overdue, and is based on no fewer than three visits.
CAYA is a bit of an odd duck to me, but I’m certainly a fan of it, nonetheless. I think that the weirdest thing about it is that I’m not necessarily a fan of their meats, quite frankly. It’s not that they’re bad, but from what I’ve tried, I’d simply call their meats «passable». You read that correctly: their BBQ is not what I’d consider to be their strong suit. That being said, pretty much everything else, food-​wise, would be.
Their sides are magic. Honestly, if there’s a place to buy a dinner or lunch that consisted exclusively of nothing but their side items, this would be the place. At each and every encounter with their food, there is no doubt that the side items have not just outshined the meat, they’ve transcended them completely. From the asparagus to the grilled sweet corn to the portobello mushroom, they’ve got the veggies locked down and they are, to the one, fantastic.
More than that, the other items like chicken sliders and at least one appetizer that I tried (burnt ends, which would, yes, be meat, but not a main meat) were also very, very good, especially for their price points. I’d honestly just stick to things other than the BBQ meats (though the burnt ends were good) and you’ll probably be quite happy with your visit.
Service has always been good as well… no complaints there, either. I need to get back here, actually.

Disclaimer: my husband didn’t care for the brisket and pulled pork, he said they were both dry, and he didn’t like the sauces either. His eating experience here was definitely below expectations, especially given the price.
I, on the other hand, really liked my meal. I ordered the build your own burger (juicy, cooked exactly to order, great brioche bun, fresh and tasty toppings) but I am OBSESSED with the tomato salad I had! Fresh, looked like heirloom tomatoes mingled with watermelon, red onion, and cubes of Spanish cheese, dressed with a light red wine (?) vinaigrette and chiffonade ribbons of fresh basil. OMG SO GOOD! Also their tater tots were delightful! Not like the soggy things you might remember from childhood…
The restaurant itself was kinda ugly and very open, a little awkward on the inside, felt very warehouse-​y and not comfortable. And the prices were a bit higher than I will routinely pay. But, I really enjoyed my food a lot. I would come back for that tomato salad. :-)

While visiting Michigan for a NASCAR race, we decided we were ready for some BBQ. Now being from North Carolina, we know good BBQ. So finding a BBQ restaurant that lives up to what we have come to expect is not always easy.
From the different BBQ restaurants nearby, we chose C.A.Y.A. Smokehouse Grill in Walled Lake. C.A.Y.A. stands for «come as you are» and the casual rustic décor fit right into their name.
I like to try a little of everything to get an overall impression of their BBQ style. So the three of us ordered the half slab of baby back ribs, half pound of brisket, and half pound of pulled squash. For sides we chose the mac & cheese, creamy cole slaw, and my favorite, tots!
The ribs and brisket were both tender, with a perfect smoke ring. The pulled spaghetti squash was smoky, quite different (good) from anything I have ever tasted.
Dora here. Great food, quick service, and a cool rustic interior. What more could a person want?
We rate the restaurant, 4 forks out of 5 for a family friendly serving great food. ~Ernie & Dora Hiers, Fiction Faith & Foodies Blog

Went here for a family members birthday and the food was pretty good quality. We all left satisfied with our meal, but I knocked down a star for the patio area and small portion sizes for seafood.
We sat in the patio area which we soon realized was a bad decision. The look of the patio area really sets a great ambiance, but the air circulation in that area only makes you want to stay for 5 minutes. Even with all the windows open, very little air was circulating through. Also there’s only one ceiling fan covering a large area. It was no bueno.

After reading the reviews, I really wanted to try C.A.Y.A. We went there for brunch on a Sunday. Unfortunately, the patio area was closed for a funeral reception, so we had to sit inside. There weren’t many people in the large, open, dining area. It is decorated in wood and feels like a restaurant you’d find up north.
While waiting for my party, the server brought water & mentioned that they had $ 2 mimosas. Did you see that? $ 2 MIMOSAS! That’s the same or less than any off their other beverages (which, at $ 2.50, are overpriced.) Of course, I partook as did my mom & sister when they arrived.
I made my own omelette with cheddar cheese, mushrooms and brisket. It was very good, but the brisket is pretty much minced, so you don’t get the full flavor. I think perhaps a better choice to get the flavor would’ve been the BBQ & eggs. The potatoes that came with it were a little salty (why do so many chefs these days seem to over-​salt everything?) but had a good flavor. And the biscuit was nice and light.
My sister ordered the Brisket Hash & Eggs. The eggs were as she liked them, but her hash was mostly potatoes, with minced cubes of brisket, and not many at that. My mom had the waffle with berries, and she must’ve liked it because she ate the whole thing, which she rarely does.
When the bills came, my mom noticed that she was overcharged for her breakfast & asked to see the menu. But the server caught the problem and fixed it for her, explaining that it was an issue with how the computer was programmed.
I like that it’s all locally sourced, and the staff is friendly, too. I think that, for dinner, some of the other barbecue places offer a wider variety at less cost, but if you want something different for brunch on the weekend, this is an excellent choice, and one that I will be back for.
(I do wish Unilocal would allow half stars, as I’m wavering between 3 and 4. I am giving it 4 because of the local sourcing and unusual brunch choices, but the mincing of the brisket and stinginess with the ratio of brisket to potatoes in the hash makes me want to give it 3 stars.)

The food was good but a bit overpriced. $ 6 for a 15 Oz beer, $ 10 for a sandwich, sides cost extra, entries push $ 30 for a 1lb portion with no sides.
The quality of food is IMHO just slightly below the price point. My brisket sandwich was flavorful and tasty but didn’t have that BBQ flavor awesomness that I expected. You’re supposed to use one of the two or three sauces on the table, which is not quite the same experience. My wife’s pulled pork entrée was a bit on the bland side, good after we added sauce but again, nothing spectacular.
Don’t get me wrong — their meat is very good. Just not their price point good.
The place is not fancy but atmospheric. The service was decent. But I think they should either work on their flavoring /​presentation or their prices.
We may come back but I wouldn’t have it as my first choice.
Oh, and check the reviews that Unilocal hides under «not recommended» category. Quite a few negatives based on their cost vs food quality. I wish we’ve read them before driving here.

I love BBQ. I was super excited to find out about Caya and it’s much closer to where I live than any other BBQ place in the Metro area. My boyfriend and I came on a Sunday night. It wasn’t particularly busy but there were some large groups of customers. This became a slight problem because there were only 2 servers so it was hard for them to keep up.
I got a red blend and my boyfriend got beer to drink. The wine was very good and reasonably priced but the pours looked a bit short, imo. Their beer list is great, lots of bottles and a handful of craft beers on tap. The bottles run about $ 4 – 5 and the taps were $ 6 for a pint.
For food, we split the polish sausage appetizer. I got a half pound of pulled pork and mac and cheese. My boyfriend got a half rack of ribs and a half pound of brisket plus collard greens and pickled veggies. The Polish sausage appetizer was not exactly what I had in mind. It was smoked and grilled but there didn’t seem to be any seasoning at all in the meat. Polish sausage normally has a very spicy, kind of salty flavor. This sausage didn’t so I wouldn’t order it again. Kind of disappointing.
My pork was really, really good. Way superior to Union Woodshop or Lockhart’s. About on par with Meat and Slow’s. The one thing I think could improve is the sauce situation. They only have three. Mustard sauce, bourbon pepper sauce, and a sweet fruity sauce. I thought the sweet sauce was too much and the bourbon sauce just lacked. It was a bit peppery but I would have liked something more substantial with a tanginess or a vinegar based sauce.
The ribs were absolutely amazing. They were falling off the bone and were absolutely delicious. The brisket didn’t contain really any fat which was weird. It seemed a bit dry but the piece I ate was okay. The mac and cheese was yummy, the collard greens were tasty but too salty. Overall, the bill came to about $ 90 but that included all the food and 5 drinks between the two of us so I think it was reasonable.

$ 2 Mimosa specials ($ 5 for a larger one with vodka) are always a good addition to a lovely Sunday brunch.
We were a large group (~25 people split over ¾ tables) so service was a little slow, with the first table receiving their food before the last table had ordered. I believe that they may have intentionally done this to help prevent the last table from expecting their food earlier than it would have shown up as I am sure that they would not be able to prepare 25 meals at the same time.
For food I ordered their Mushroom Omelet (Mushrooms, herbs and goat cheese) with Pesto and the combination was delicious since it had been made well.
I also liked that they had water bottles at the tables which prevented us from needing to ask a server each time we needed a refill.
There were however a few things that I was not pleased about from my visit. First, the mimosa was not bubbly (still tasted good), next we did not have enough opportunities to order more drinks as our server did not come around enough and finally, our server did mess up the orders slightly by giving my first mimosa to someone who had not yet ordered theirs (though this was rectified quickly).

Solid!
Have been eyeing this place for a while now. We came with a group of 8 on a Saturday, and I called ahead for a reservation; reservations are taken for 6 or more. I told them we had 7 adults, and a toddler. When we arrived on time, the table was ready, there was 7 waters and a then milk in a cup with a lid and straw. Talk about service!
The rest of the meal was pretty damn good, there were no complaints. We all had different entrees, we all ordered a side to share, so we quite literally sampled nearly the whole menu. Few of us had some mixed drinks, which I can’t recall the names but they were crafted well.
A couple things stole the show, aside from all the desserts which were amazing, the pear bread pudding being my favorite. One item was the corn bread with maple butter in the small cast iron pan. YES! Another was the smoked turkey. I’ve never tasted more flavorful and moist turkey in my life, and my dining companions agreed. Roasted brussel sprouts with bacon were a bit try, but the grilled asparagus was on point.
Overall. I’d come back.

It is always a good problem to have when you cannot make up your mind between all the delicious-​sounding items on CAYA’s varied menu. For dinner, some notable entrées include: smoked chicken pot pie, osso buco, and braised short ribs. However, the smoked meats were the main attraction and provided an opportunity to indulge.
I was able to sample both the smoked brisket and the incredible pork ribs. The latter was beyond tender, the definition of «fall off the bone» goodness. Sides include: tater tots poutine with an abundance of melted cheese curds in an earthy mushroom sauce; sweet potatoes served with maple syrup, and cornbread. On paper, the sweet potatoes with even sweeter syrup should not have worked. It did though and was very enjoyable.
The restaurant is large and can accommodate a crowd — its parking lot is huge. The dining area has an industrial rustic feel that adds just the right ambiance. On Sundays, it tends to be busier in the morning for brunch and later on in the evening.
The serving staff was helpful and courteous.