Topa
AC Hotel Detroit at the Bonstelle
10 Eliot St.
Detroit
May 22, 2026
You love to see a new hotel arrive on the scene and check out what it has to offer, both as an option for friends coming into town and for locals alike.
For us locals, it’s going to be the bar and the restaurant that bring us in. That’s the idea at the AC Hotel Detroit at the Bonstelle, which earlier this week premiered its rooftop 11th- floor restaurant Topa (a Basque word that means to cheers or clink glasses).
With nearly 360 degree unobstructed views of the city, including the downtown skyline, you can see the new Hudson tower, Ford Field, Comerica Park and well beyond. There’s covered patio seating here as well as open air accommodations with fire pits.
Can a killer view of the skyline, however, bring warmth to a hotel restaurant?
That’s the challenge Topa is facing here. It boasts beautiful views but still has the corporate feel of a chain hotel restaurant. You’re surrounded by stunning architectural views, but left a bit cold by the design of the restaurant itself. Perhaps when it’s soaked in sunset golden hour lighting through its abundance of windows, the simplicity shines. Or perhaps it will prove a cute date night spot with the twinkle of lights of downtown in the distance.
When we visited around happy hour, however, it was clear that a stunning skyline view is likely more intriguing to a tourist than a local at the end of the day.
Now, the food here is stunning and worth a try. I was already a fan of executive chef Jorge Morales from his time at the Blue llama Jazz Club in Ann Arbor. I’m so happy to have him closer to home with his pan-Mediterranean menu of dips, fresh pita and breads and an abundance of skewers. This is the ultimate happy hour tapas menu.
During my visit, I slurped down dollops of fresh hummus with sesame on warm pita alongside one of the best baba ghanoush I’ve ever heard and an herb chili chimichurri that I’m still dreaming about. The skewers, like the barramundi striped bass with persian rice, saffron and miso beurre blanc, are delectable and rich. A stand-out favorite of mine was a Mediterranean-meets-Mexican pizza with crispy flatbread, perfectly seasoned beef and a creamy garlic tum sauce.
If you’re looking for mood and atmosphere, Topa might feel a bit stiff and under-designed while the sun's still up. But the food and cocktails make it worth a try, especially when the sun sets and the natural lighting of Detroit illuminates an otherwise cold interior.
