Calexico (Detroit: mortgage, restaurants, prices)

[Coldjensens]

Anyone tried it? The reviews are terrible. I was going to set a business lunch there, but I think I had better go elsewhere.

[jaynarie]

I forgot about it already. Everyone has been talking Wahlburgers at work all week. No one I work with tried Calexico.

[brodie734]

I got the worst burrito bowl ever for $13. Meh.

[Coldjensens]

Despite all bad reviews so far, it is crowded. I could not get in to try it. Maybe that is a blessing. The two people form our office who ate there said it was not good and somewhat pricey.

I have noticed over the past year the Campus Martius crowd seems to be getting younger and younger as well as bigger. Last year it seemed a lot of the people out and about were in their 40s or 50s with a mix of other ages, but middle aged was predominant. Now, it is mostly 20s. Maybe that is just chance, or maybe Quicken is hiring a bunch of young people.

The number of people out and about continues to grow as well. We need more restaurants now. When you have to wait half an hour to forty five minutes to get to a food truck, there are not enough restaurants.

It is sad that Olgas failed due to poor layout and bad management of that location, and now Calexico may fail due to high priced bad food (if the reviews/reports are true). People are going to believe a restaurant cannot make it at that location. However if there was a well managed Olgas, or a good Mexican food place with reasonable prices (or many other mid level options) there, I would eat there a couple of times a week and I believe a lot of other people would as well. Despite there being hundreds of options for lunch where there were less than a dozen three years ago, there is still very little available in the middle between high end and fast food order at the counter. We need more places where you can sit down have a decent lunch for $10 or so and get in and out in less than an hour. I was oping Calexico would be one such, but it is not looking too promising.

[belleislerunner]

Downtown needs a Chipotle, Qdoba, Indian buffet or Noodles & Company. All would make a killing.

[Coldjensens]

I tihnk anyone would make a killing downtown. If people wait 45 minutes for a food truck for a $10 sandwich, how cna any reasonably priced restaurant fail?

[jaynarie]

If Calexico fails, it will be because that spot was meant to be a Chick-fil-A all along.
Seriously, if it closes, I may pen Dan Gilbert a handwritten letter. Although maybe it won't reach him. I guess I could Tweet him. Or maybe google his email address.
I don't want to see more failure, but my hope is renewed, lol.


I think Shake Shack will do well when it opens in the FNB. And it is needed, IMO.

[brodie734]

I think the Bedrock team is primarily interested in borrowing NYC cachet by bringing in chains like Calexico

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by brodie734

I think the Bedrock team is primarily interested in borrowing NYC cachet by bringing in chains like Calexico

I am not sure what NYC Cachet is, but if NYC Cachet means bad quality expensive food, that is probably a poor choice. There are a lot of good options downtown. Not enough, but enough that bad food or poor management (like olgas) can potentially fail.

[jaynarie]

I'm over the whole trying to make downtown more like NYC. I'm not going to complain about Shake Shack (I think that is a good move), but Calexico has never made sense. Who thinks NYC when they think Mexican food?! People want real Mexican food!!
And most of the new shops opening along Woodward are too high end for Detroit. At least for now. No one except DG's top mortgage bankers can afford to shop there, lol. I'm not saying open up cheap Old Navy level stores, but there is a medium in there somewhere.

Basically- Mr. Gilbert, this isn't NYC. Maybe you forgot?