By Alex DeCamp
I've lived in Detroit for about fifteen years now — long enough to remember when every new restaurant felt like a discovery.
Back then, Detroit's restaurant renaissance was still unfolding. Chefs were experimenting, menus felt adventurous, and restaurants weren't just serving food, they were introducing people to entirely new flavors and ideas. The first time I had squid ink pasta was at Selden Standard. The first time I tried pork belly was at Mani in Ann Arbor. There was an energy to it.
I'd give tours of the city and proudly point out the newest restaurants, coffee shops, and hidden gems. Exposed brick walls felt fresh. Every menu seemed to have something unexpected on it, and there were trends that swept through the city one after another — the Brussels sprout craze, the pork belly era, and plenty of others I've probably forgotten.
Over time, though, that feeling faded. Not because Detroit's food scene got worse — quite the opposite. We have more great restaurants than ever. But after enough incredible meals, it takes something special to surprise you.
And then I found Tacos Wuey.
A Birthday Dinner That Turned Into a Discovery
A few days ago I wasn't feeling great physically, but I decided to go to a friend's birthday dinner anyway. I'd missed his birthday the previous few years because I always seemed to be traveling when it rolled around, so I wasn't about to miss another one.
The restaurant was Tacos Wuey, a relatively new spot in Southwest Detroit from Chef Eddie Vargas, who was at Vertical Detroit, a restaurant I absolutely loved before it closed. I walked in with zero expectations.
The place is BYOB, which immediately creates a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Some of my friends brought wine, others brought tequila, and everyone was sharing food and passing plates around the table. Then the menu arrived, and that's when I started to realize this place was different.
Mexican Food With Absolutely No Fear
The menu is one of the most creative I've seen in Detroit in years. One dish jumped out at me right away: Birria Ramen. Think about that for a second — Mexican birria flavors meeting Japanese ramen noodles. That's either a terrible idea or a brilliant one, and fortunately Chef Vargas clearly knows which side of that equation he's on.
The creativity doesn't stop there. The guacamole can be upgraded with crispy chicken skins or pork belly chicharrón, and these aren't little garnish add-ons — the dishes arrive looking like the culinary equivalent of a fully loaded Bloody Mary, with towers of toppings stacked on top. Every plate that hit the table generated conversation, which is something I haven't experienced in a while.
The Dish Nobody Expected
For dinner, I made what my friends considered a questionable decision. I ordered spaghetti. At a Mexican restaurant.
To be fair, I understood their skepticism. But the Spaghetti Verde con Milanesa sounded too interesting to pass up: poblano cream sauce, cotija, queso fresco, arugula, and a crispy breaded chicken cutlet. When it arrived, I knew I'd made the right choice.
The dish was incredible. Not "good for a Mexican restaurant serving pasta," and not just "interesting." Genuinely one of the best things I'd eaten in months. The poblano cream sauce was rich and flavorful without being heavy, the fried chicken added texture and crunch, and every component worked together. It was the kind of dish that makes you go quiet for a minute because you're too busy trying to figure out why it tastes so good.
So Good I Went Back the Next Day
The highest compliment I can give a restaurant is this: I came back the very next day.
I returned specifically to try the Birria Ramen, and it was good — really good. But that spaghetti is the dish I'll remember. Sometimes a restaurant has one item that becomes part of its identity, and for me that's the Spaghetti Verde con Milanesa. Order it. Trust me.
The Best Part: The Prices
Another pleasant surprise was the value. In a time when restaurant bills seem to climb every month, Tacos Wuey feels refreshingly reasonable. Tacos run roughly $11 to $17 for two or three, and most of the larger plates — including that spaghetti and the birria ramen — sit in the low twenties, with only a few of the biggest entrees climbing higher. Our group of about twelve ordered aggressively, sharing appetizers, entrees, desserts, and plenty of extras, and the bill still came out surprisingly manageable. It's the kind of place where you can experiment with the menu without worrying about the check.
Southwest Detroit Continues to Deliver
One of the things I love most about Tacos Wuey is where it sits. It's on Vernor Highway in Southwest Detroit, near Clark Park, surrounded by the kinds of businesses that make a neighborhood feel authentic — a barber shop, a laundromat, longtime local spots. It doesn't scream for attention, and it doesn't need to. The food does that.
Usually this is the part where I'd point you toward one of our properties nearby and tell you to come stay with us. But I'll be honest — we don't have anything within walking distance of this place. And you know what? I don't care. Everybody should check this spot out regardless. Even if you're not staying with us, even if you're just passing through, go. It's that good.
I actually thought I'd stumbled onto some hidden secret, and then I looked online and realized I was late to the party. The restaurant already has a devoted following and hundreds of glowing reviews. Detroit's food community has clearly already figured out what Chef Vargas is doing. Still, I hadn't heard many people in my own circle talking about it, so consider this my contribution.
Save Room for Dessert
As if the food wasn't enough, the dessert menu keeps the creativity going. We had flan, crème brûlée, and a churro dish built around the viral Dubai chocolate trend — pistachio cream, chocolate, and churros, ridiculous in the best possible way.
Final Thoughts
Restaurants rarely surprise me anymore, and not because Detroit lacks great ones. We have plenty. But genuine excitement is harder to come by once you've spent years chasing the newest opening and trying every hot reservation in town.
Tacos Wuey brought that feeling back. It's inventive without being pretentious, creative without trying too hard, and most importantly, it's delicious. If you're heading to Southwest Detroit, put it on your list. Order some tacos, order the guacamole, and order the Birria Ramen if you're curious. But whatever you do, don't leave without trying the Spaghetti Verde con Milanesa. That's the dish that reminded me why I fell in love with Detroit's restaurant scene in the first place.
Restaurant Information
Tacos Wuey 3970 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit, MI 48216
Reservations: Reserve a table at Tacos Wuey Instagram: @tacoswueydetroit
Photos by Alex DeCamp
