Parks & Rec Diner
| Address: | 1942 Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48226, USA |
| Phone: | +1 313-446-8370 |
| Site: | parksandrecdiner.com |
| Rating: | 4.4 |
| Working: | 8AM–2PM 8AM–2PM 8AM–2PM 8AM–2PM 8AM–3PM 8AM–3PM 8AM–3PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 10
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Jordan Buck
So lets start with the good stuff: Wait wasnt long at all and the server was awesome! The menu looked great, the food looked great and the restaurant fits its theme perfectly. From here it all goes downhill so buckle up :( We were seated with water and coffee, about 10 minutes later we order our brunch: Biscuits and Gravy & the Chilaquiles. A half hour later we are ravenous, our server comes over to apologize as some 20 top put there orders in before us so the kitchen is rather backed up. A quick survey of the tiny diner and sure enough, almost the entire joint was without a single plate! In all curiosity, WHY would you allow a 20 top at your establishment that barely has 20 seats in the main room! I mean I get it, but PLAN FOR IT! Soooo another 20 minutes go by and we start to see a flurry of breakfast pour out of the kitchen doors FINALLY ITS EATIN TIME! and boy does the food LOOK AWESOME! Sadly thats where it stopped being awesome. My biscuits and gravy was ice cold and I mean frigid! My girlfriends skillet wasnt even warm to the touch (ironically had a hot pad around it), and the Chilaquiles were soggy & strange. Even worse still neither of our eggs were even remotely done, egg white oozed from it after a poke. We were both beyond hungry and the poor server looked too stressed to bring it up. In fear of waiting any longer to eat, we ate what we could stomach paid up and couldnt of left any sooner. I bet everything would have been good, but what a let down for the time and price. It was such a bummer, if there is a next time, I hope its for the best... Or at least warm.
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Tonya Phillips
My family went to this restaurant after church for the first time today. We stood in this super small doorway for nearly 5 minutes and absolutely nobody acknowledged us or even spoke to us. However, they DID look right at us as to clearly say we did not belong. 4 out 5 in my party were African-American. Everybody else in the restaurant was young and white. Finally we just left. My brother-in-law went back in to ask to speak to the manager, who was "taking a call" and witnessed another white family with their Detroit Tigers gear come in and they were immediately greeted and asked to put their name on the board for a seat. My brother-in-law then asked the servers about the obvious difference in service and all he got was a flippant "sorry". Racist, rude, or both..not going back.
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Evan McDowell
Detroit is making its comeback and this little diner is all about that. While the seating is very limited, this vintage diner harnesses the spirit of Detroit and pairs it with an eclectic menu that is superb. Their coffee is sublime and I would definitely recommend the lamb bacon and Dutch baby. The Dutch baby does take about 30min to make, but it is well worth it. Bloody Marys and mimosas are also served and are both top notch. Get there early if you are going to go, around 9, otherwise the line will be out the door and you might not get a seat before they close. This place is the real deal and you are missing out if you cant make it in here if you live in the area.
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Paige Bradley
Delicious brunch that never disappoints. The specials are always worth checking out but menu standouts are the biscuits and gravy and the cereal milk pancakes. Also do yourself a favor and order the funfetti cinnamon roll for the table as a post breakfast dessert (totally worth it). Parks and Rec is teeny tiny so there is always a line on the weekends but it generally moves pretty quickly. If you can go on a weekday you can usually sit right down (and you might see a local celebrity or two -- HI Travis Wright!!) Kid friendly but definitely bring a clip on highchair if you have one or be prepared to wait for the big table (singular).
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Mary Lyttle
Absolutely GREAT and made from SCRATCH FOOD. The specials change weekly (seasonal also) for the weekend and while there this time we had the bologna sammy which was fresh, especially the bun, chorizo burrito which was the best ever had, delicious bacon and the cinnafetta roll which was heaven. The place is small, however that just adds to the fun of this diner. We did not wait long for our food....and even if we did my thought is you wait in LINE at other restaurants for a ridiculous long time before even getting your food so waiting for food prepared from scratch is worth it!
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Anjali
Parks & Recs is easily one me of my favorite Detroit establishments. I have been here twice for two very different occasions and I was blown away both times. Once, my friends rented out the restaurant and we all participated in the tasting menu. The menu was filled with unique plates, such as, duck, rabbit, and a variety of veggies, cheeses and meat. The second time was for breakfast, where I had one of the best Bloody Marys I have ever had, an amazing eggs Benedict and delicious figgy treat. The place is small but the energy is not.
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Jesseca Chatman
We traveled to Detroit for two things only Parks and Rec and Charles Wright African American History Museum. This restaurant is amazing. The food is unexplainable. The eggs and pancakes are soo unique and mouth watering, i recommend ordering again just to take back home. My husband and I visited for the first time 7.3.16 on our way to Canada, we returned yesterday based on our experience 6 months ago. Staff are professional and friendly. I love how this business is taking a chance in downtown Detroit, thank you for reviving the community.
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Denise Hay
Great little place with a staff who seems to actually like working there! Not a lot of tables, but they do a good job of moving people in and out without making you feel rushed. Our son had the baloney and egg sandwich and loved it. If you like lamb, you have to try the lamb bacon. So good! My daughter-in-law ordered the cinnamon roll, and although the flavor was great, the middle wasnt cooked all the way, making it a little doughy. Despite that, I would definitely return if only for the bacon! A unique and fun place!
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Ganj Beebani
The name and decor is an homage to the buildings past life as the Detroit Parks and Recreation Department. The food is classic breakfast items, perfected. Try the biscuits and gravy, its got big chunks of meat and the best Ive ever had! Order a side of lamb bacon, its arguably better than regular bacon (I know, its hard to believe). While the cinnamon roll looks delicious, its tangy and doughy which I didnt like very much. Still, I would love to come back here just for the biscuits and gravy!
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Kate Rochlitz
I wanted to like the food here but our entire party was disappointed for brunch. I will probably try it again, maybe we ordered the wrong things. None of us liked the "lamb bacon". I got the chorizo burrito but it was nothing special. Two of us ordered the french toast and it was so sugary they couldnt eat more than a few bites. The place is very small so expect to wait. And expect to wait even longer after that because the service was slow despite there only being approx. ten tables.
