Knowing the power that online reviews can have and taking some experiences with a grain of salt…read morehere and there because sometimes you hit that one off day where maybe a place that's normally epic just doesn't quite have their stuff together, I find that I end up giving 5 stars in a range that goes from "really good" to "Michelin needs to stop in here (or already has)." This is definitely on the latter end of the spectrum. I popped in here tonight for a late dinner (830ish on a Saturday) to find the place relatively busy but with plenty of open seats. The decor was a nice mix of dark and light with the bright green accents plus a big screen TV cycling tropical getaways (I assume from places in Latin America). I was seated and tended to quickly by a hostess and server, respectively. I got my order in for a coconut mojito and a chicharron arepa right away. My mojito came shortly thereafter with my arepa not long after that. The mojito, as you can see, was garnished with a generous amount of shredded coconut on top and was heavier and creamier than a normal mojito, lighter on the mint flavor and pushing closer to a piña colada than a mojito. All in all though, still quite a refreshing drink after a hot and humid day. The arepa though was really the star of the show. The flavors and textures and everything about it were just mind-blowing. The handmade cheese, the incredibly seasoned and cooked pork, and the crispy arepa were all just *BOOM*. The avocado had a little bit of surface darkness on the one end that could have been polished up a little bit but not the end of the world. One I finished with these, I waited patiently for a while for my server to come back but alas I had to pop up to the bar to get my caipirinha. This version was slightly sweeter than some versions I've had and I don't mind sweet, but just be aware for those who may be considering it. Eventually, my server came back and apologized for being gone so long as she was conversing with her boss. Like I said... grain of salt. Aside from a minor inconvenience of having to walk 10 feet to the bar myself, this place absolutely blew me away and I will absolutely come back if I ever find myself in town again. Bonus points for having gluten and allergen callouts on their normal menu as well!

Only my second time at Cilantro but I really need to come back more! Came for lunch with some…read morefriends. Every day they have specials and it was drink special day so we all decided to treat ourselves with some fun cocktails, they had a great selection and my Caipirinha was delicious! They also have a good happy hour I see that I'll need to check out sometime. For lunch I got the breakfast arepa- gluten free and vegetarian. With that cilantro sauce- so yummy! Another friend also got an arepa she loved, and another got bandeja paisa which she loved but couldn't finish. Love the decor and ambiance in there, it's really lovely, and we were well looked after by our waitress. Definitely recommend!

Looking to expand the palate, we recently tried La Colombiana. Started with fried plantains and…read moreempanadas (two beef, two chicken). Both were delicious, especially the fried plantains. I've had plantains in the past, but these were certainly the best I've tried. For entrees, we went with arroz con pollo and bandeja paisa which was basically an assortment platter. I was a little disappointed in the arroz con pollo. Rice was over cooked and the flavor was overall muted. For dessert, we tried obleas -- thin waffles filled with jam, caramel and cheese. The waffles weren't true waffles, but more just cracker type. Again, rather disappointing but maybe I just don't have the right taste for it. The service was excellent, and we did enjoy the appetizers. Entrees and dessert were a let down. Overall, 3 stars in my book.

What a delicious find! My son was searching for dinner on our recent overnight and La Columbiana…read morepopped up. After checking out the menu and reviews he suggested we give it a try. When we arrived we realized it was literally next door to our hotel! Score! They were really busy, but the service was still friendly and efficient. And the food ... so good! I enjoyed an Arepa con queso and a chicken empanada while my son had the carne asada and a beef empanada. Everything was fantastic. So much food too. I especially loved the hot aji sauce that came with the empanadas - I put it on my arepa too -yum! If we are in the area again, I will definitely return.

Loved the latino seasons!!!! This place is a gem in between…read morepizzas and hamburgers. Reminded us of Home Recommended A+

What a hidden gem! My coworker found this place and we decided to try this place. I hadn't had much…read moreLatin American food and I was so pleased to have gone. The restaurant is tucked in a residential neighborhood so we almost missed it so keep your eyes peeled. Parking wasn't an issue since there's a parking lot next to it. Service was great, our waitress had been working there for a very long time. I suspect it was a family owned business so it was great to hear her recommendations and she did not disappoint. All of her recommendations were on point. I got the garlic shrimp in coconut sauce and that was amazing. But the star of the meal was the sweet plantains! Omg those were delicious! It was an appetizer for us but I swear I could have ate just that for my main meal. Portions are very generous too so you'll leave feeling very full. So if you come across this place, don't hesitate and try it out!

The food was amazing and very authentic. Plenty to choose from on the menu. Service was decent and…read moreplenty of customers to support a local hole in the wall small business. I was very pleased with the overall experience, except they were out of desert, which I was too full to eat anyway. Quality local Latin food!

The Cactus Restaurant started as a food truck in Marysville in 2020 and opened a restaurant in 2024…read morein a Powell strip mall off the beaten path. The restaurant is bright, welcoming and very clean We were seated in a side room with the bar, a large projection TV screen with the volume on MAXIMUM and two smaller TVs advertising menu items. Those TVs featured some seriously delicious looking items! Service was ok. Drink refills were not offered and I needed one. We both ordered lunch specials advertised for $10.99 but billed at $11.99. Hubs ordered the lunch chicken bowl with rice, black beans, grilled chicken and corn. The corn was served refrigerator cold. The rest of the meal was hot. Overall the food lacked seasoning. I started with a cheese empanada. Expertly made and fried with goody cheese inside. The empanada was served with a dmall side of green sauce that I thought was cilantro based. I ordered the lunch Pabellon Bowl with pork, white rice, black beans and a sweet plaintain Everything on my plate was served hot but also without seasoning making it bland. I used the empanada sauce to add some flavor to the pork and rice. In summary, I wanted to love this restaurant the advrtised images on 2 TVs are gorgeous but the food was bland. The projection TV volume made conversation difficult and service could have been more attentive. This was our first expusure to Venezuelan food and probably our last. I still stand by the fantastic empanada. I would return for that alone.

A great new gem for Oxford Ohio. Atmosphere was pleasant with Guatemalan themed art. Service was…read moreprompt and attentive. But, best of all the food was really good. We had papusa and empeñadas and finished it off with dessert plantains. Everything was fresh sand full of flavor. Looking forward to our next visit here.

From the moment you walk in the door, you know immediately that you're not in Mexico. The…read morerestaurant decor is based on the Guatemalan flag and the menu is a delightful fusion of Central America with a few Mexican dishes thrown in. Truly a unique taste sensation for Oxford and one not to be missed.

We've been meaning to stop here for so long but every time we drive by we're on our way to do…read moresomething! We finally did it! Don't sleep on this spot! My husband had the half chicken with rice and black beans and I had the same chicken shredded in a tortilla bowl - think taco salad with their house dressing. It was all delicious and more than we could eat. No problem. We love leftovers! Our server was delightful and happy to help us with their specialties. The decor was terrific as well!

I've been to Nelly's twice and was underwhelmed both times. The first time I had their "specialty"…read more- roasted chicken. It was good, but it's just roasted chicken, not special IMO. The second time I ordered the relenos. Those were tasty, but the service was so freakin slow that I decided it's not worth it to go back. We had a party of eight and two of us arrived early. They seated us quickly and there was only one other table with guests. The server would not take our drink orders until everyone arrived and even then, I had to motion for her to come over. She just stood in the corner doing nothing until I asked her to take our drink orders. She was clearly not busy, so I don't understand why she made us wait so long. Weird.

Great addition to Newport! Extensive menu featuring a mix of traditional and typical Mexican food…read more(burritos, tacos, fajitas) as well as some unique but more authentic offerings that we don't often see on other menus (Gorditas, sopes, flautas, and various fillings and toppings). Do not pass up the Platanos con Crema!!!Delicious. I enjoyed the Tostada with picadillo as well. We ordered the Gordita de Asada (I'm a little particular about the fat texture from meats and this one had some chewy pieces), the Sope de Chorizo, Tacos de Birria, and Flan for dessert (just okay). Service was friendly and we enjoyed our meal overall - will definitely be back to try more!

The empanadas are so delicious!! Definitely reminds me of home cooking, not the corporate bland…read moretasting empanadas that are in other places. Highly recommend for a tradition home cooked empanada!! The tacos de Birria are amazing as well!! They sell by one only and not a combo of 3 which is understandable because they are super filled with beef!! And it's women cooking!!! They know what they're doing!!

This is a great little hole in the wall spot for El Salvadorian food (including Papusas) and tacos…read more The prices are very reasonable and the service very friendly though maybe a bit slow because usually there's only one waitress. However, it hasn't stopped me from going back and it seems very authentic.

Service was great and the food would've been a good value if it was all cooked properly. I got the…read morePlato Loco which included one pupusa, chicharrones, plantains, fried yuca, a tamalito de elote, and slaw. I think the frying oil was overused because the chicharrones tasted like old oil unfortunately. Pupusas were good and my favorite was the tamalito.