Lola’s Taco Bar is officially open in Grosse Pointe Woods, about six months after the project was first announced. The new eatery serves up tacos, burritos, bowls, queso, rotisserie chicken, margaritas, beers, and more — all in a fast-casual, order-at-the-counter setting.
Co-owner Branden McRill, who was born in Mt. Clemens and grew up nearby in Grosse Pointe, is a well-credentialed restaurateur. He has operated numerous restaurants over the past 20 years, including a Michelin star-winner in New York City.
The Method Behind the Margaritas
Lola’s Taco Bar serves three types of margaritas: classic, guava, and frozen mango. For the sake of speed, they are served on draft, rather than individually shaken. However, they are anything but “premade,” co-owner Branden McRill tells Hour Detroit. Every day, kitchen staff squeeze limes and prepare simple syrup, which is mixed with fresh agave.
“Next, we stir it, and then we shake it,” McRill says. “So, we’re agitating it first, and then it goes into the keg. And then the keg has a built-in agitator, which stirs it consistently. So, when we pull out of it, it tastes like a freshly shaken margarita. It’s spectacular.”
Taco Toppings
The opening menu at Lola’s Taco Bar has seven different tacos, which are served on a warm flour tortilla (corn tortillas are available upon request). Several of the tacos feature meats that are spit-roasted right behind the counter: Steak Trompo, Rotisserie Chicken, and Al Pastor (made with pork trompo smoky adobo sauce, pineapple, white onion, and cilantro).
Other highlights include the sweet and spicy Baja Shrimp tacos, which are made with Tempura shrimp, chipotle lime sauce, cilantro lime slaw, white onion, and fresh cilantro. Fans of fried mozzarella may want to order the Crispy Queso tacos — made with a fried cheese stick, salsa verde, jalapeño onion relish, queso fresco, and cilantro.
Classic or Cali Style
Burritos are prepared with the customer’s choice of protein and salsa. They can be ordered “Classic Style,” (orange mojo rice, three beans, lime crema, jalapeño onion relish, queso fresco, cilantro) or “Cali Style” with Chili Lime Fries and romaine hearts instead of beans and rice.
Rotisserie Rescue
Lola’s Taco Bar is located inside a building that once housed a Boston Market location for around 30 years.
Boston Market has seen a steep number of closures since filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023 — including all its metro Detroit locations. The chain — once known for popularizing rotisserie chicken in the U.S. — left behind a piece of equipment at the Lola’s space that was too good to get rid of: a rotisserie chicken oven.
“We were looking at it, and we were like, it be really great if people could take a whole rotisserie chicken, take a tortilla in their hand, and grab some shredded meat off of that and then put a little bit of cilantro, onion and salsa in it and just eat it,” says McRill.
Rotisserie chicken can be ordered whole for $28 as a family-style dinner. The meal includes a choice of two sides, chips, salsa, flour tortillas, jalapeño onion relish, queso fresco, cilantro, and limes.
The Team
In March of 2025, McRill returned to his native Grosse Pointe after more than 22 years in the hospitality industry. During that time, he’s worked in Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York City, where in 2015 he founded the wine-focused, French-inspired Rebelle, which earned a Michelin star before closing in 2017.
Helming the kitchen is Brandon Zarb, former chef of Ferndale’s Imperial. In Chicago, Zarb cut his teeth at Big Star and later helped launch Dove’s Luncheonette, an acclaimed Mexican-inspired diner.
A fun fact: both McRill and Zarb worked for legendary Chicago restaurateur Donnie Madia — but at different times. Instead, McRill and Zarb ended up meeting online about 12 years ago.
“I was sifting through Instagram and saw his food, which I thought was some of the best food of anybody cooking it in Detroit,” McRill says. “I just texted him for coffee, and fast forward to 10-12, years later, here we are.”
Co-owner Melissa Fuechtmann has worked in management at several of McRill’s ventures (including Rebelle) in New York and Philadelphia. And growth strategist Nikolaos Moschouris made his name as a Subway franchiser in his early twenties; today he serves on the boards for Detroit Wing Co. and Beyond Juicery + Eatery.
Giving Back to the Community
Under the “Good Taco” initiative, Lola’s Taco Bar will regularly feature a taco with proceeds benefitting a local community organization (schools, sports teams, and nonprofits). Currently, the restaurant is raising funds for Rising Stars Academy, a metro Detroit nonprofit that assists intellectually and developmentally disabled adults with life skills and job training. Employees of Rising Stars (where Zarb previously worked) will also provide prep cooking assistance for the Lola’s team.
Location and Hours
Lola’s Taco Bar is located at 20195 Mack Ave. in Grosse Pointe Woods. It is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (until 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays). For more information, visit lolastacobar.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
