Dos Hermanos—Spanish for “two brothers”—is a familiar name in Ypsilanti, where Reyes and Nicolas Arreola run a bustling Mexican supermarket on W. Michigan Ave. and recently added a restaurant a few doors down in the former Abe’s Coney Island.
Now the next generation of brothers—Reyes’s sons Alex and Hiram—has branched out into Scio Twp., buying Moe’s Grill and More in the plaza across from Sam Hill and quickly converting it to Dos Hermanos Express.
“We’re super hyped about it. We’re just two young brothers who are just motivated to bring really good authentic Mexican food to the Ann Arbor area,” says Alex Arreola, at twenty-five the elder by two years.
They’d long worked at the family’s market and full-service restaurant in Westland but are glad to have the help and guidance from their father and uncle in launching a fast-casual eatery of their own.
“We were mentally prepared for this. We already knew what we were getting ourselves into,” he says. “It’s hard work. It’s short hours of sleep.” Their soft opening was on March 4, just four days after taking possession, “and those four days we worked sixteen hours a day to do the cleaning, the maintenance, the preparation.”
Top sellers early on include the “loaded fries” ($14.99) topped with any of nine meats, plus cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream; tacos ($3.49 apiece or as one of several combo options); and the $11.99 tortas, available in Cuban, Hawaiian, and build-your-own.
Five breakfast entrées are served throughout the day. Beverage choices include house-made horchata, and for dessert there’s flan, tres leches, arroz con leche, or churros.
The brothers are aiming for an April grand opening event, perhaps with mariachi. They plan to hire a muralist to add atmosphere too. And Alex hints that their hopes over the next year go beyond the surface. “I want to break down some walls,” he says, “and surprise the people again.”
Dos Hermanos Express, 25 Jackson Industrial Dr. (734) 780–7388. Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. doshermanosexpress.com
