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    Arepas by Perla

    3.7 (28 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

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    #1 shredded chicken + cheese
    Brittany B.

    You know what every mall excision needs? Family owned Arepas! Or ceviche? Or pho? Idk why but Memorial City Mall has all three! While I can't say I've eaten a lot of arepas in my day, I can say I've enjoyed every one I've indulged in. Arepas by Perla was no exception. I'm sure when freshly prepared these babies are FIRE. Mine (not so fresh) was still good. I could tell the meat had been sitting, and the bread was on the grill for a bit too long, but my arepa came piping hot, hot enough to melt the Gouda cheese and heat the chicken releasing the flavor. Although my arepa was filling, and was presented in beautiful packaging - $10.99 for one arepa, nothing else...I may stick to the food trucks for this treat.

    a restaurant's menu
    Hudson N.

    Quite possibly one of the tastiest things I've ever had. I've had arepas and gorditas before -- this was different. Restaurant is EXTREMELY clean. This is a family-owned business. Talked with one of the sons who worked the counter -- a delightful guy. The family only recently moved from Venezuela due to COVID. The president had shut down the university. The United States is still the land of opportunity for so many. The arepa #4 with double fried cheese and plantain add-ins was filling. It is also among the best Latin food in the city. I was surprised and delighted by this find, a rare gem, be sure to check these guys out and grab a cold strawberry soda (Fress Kolita).

    A mixed cheese only Arepa and small passion fruit drink for $20.  Total rip off, plus I got sick after eating it.
    Pete Y.

    I paid $20 just for a small drink and a cheese arepa. The cheese was cold and just placed in the arepa. The passion fruit drink didn't even taste right. The arepa itself was full of oil. I had to vomit after eating this disgusting food, save your money and don't get sick eating here. It wasn't even worth spending half that for this food.

    Menu
    Alan S.

    I met up with a friend in the Memorial City Mall food court for lunch and we decided to try this newly opened place. They had a $10.99 lunch special with 1 meat and 3 sides as well as a bun and coke. I went with the shredded beef, boiled yuca, sweet plantains, and French fries. I wanted to try the mini tamales, but they didn't have any. The beef and plantains were nice and flavorful. The yuca was rather bland. The French fries were super fresh, but also lacked any flavor. Perhaps this will appeal to those with milder palettes than myself. I can only assume they have some sauces that perhaps the person working didn't offer to me and I didn't know to ask for. Pretty good sized meal for the price, just a little bland for me.

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    2 years ago

    Helpful 5
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    1 year ago

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    5 months ago

    La presentation de la comida muy desagradable, el hotdog no se parecia en NADA a la foto, super demorada la comida y estaba fría.

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    4 years ago

    Helpful 12
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    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
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    11 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
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    3 years ago

    Helpful 4
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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Simply delicious and they make great suggestions on how to enjoy their arepas!areas!! A must try

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    So good! Packed full of meat.. the shells are nice and crispy! Great atmosphere great service friendly staff and above all best food!!

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    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
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    3 years ago

    Super good food , great sauces , amazing customer service! 10/10 . Food is very fresh and drinks are great. Very authentic food

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    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Best arepas in houston!! Employees are always so friendly and the food is AMAZING!! Try the plantains when you go!

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    3 years ago

    BE CAREFUL! I ordered Arepa #4 and got severe food poisoning for hours, which doesn't seem uncommon from reviews on multiple platforms

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    I was pleasantly surprised by this place. The arepas were a nice size and the food really tasted homemade. I hope I can come back!

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Great food and I love the cheeses and cream sauce. Loved the empanadas. Will come back for more next time I'm at mall.

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    Review Highlights - Arepas by Perla

    The staff was very friendly and even let me know how to make my own empanadas.

    $5.50 Empanadas

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    Gusto Gourmet - La Reina (shredded chicken and avocado with cheese)

    Gusto Gourmet

    4.4(362 reviews)
    8.4 miUpper Kirby
    $$

    It took me over a year to realize Gusto Gourmet was more than just a cute cafe but a legit option…read morefor Venezuelan cuisine. Their unique position as one of the only Venezuelan spots in the loop becomes even more niche when one realizes that part of the menu is also Mediterranean / Middle Eastern (#1). If that's not Houston in a nutshell, I don't know what is. The place sports a casual vibe with a clean and bright interior. It's been practically empty with every visit, but I suspect the takeout game is strong here. There is limited parking in the back of the restaurant and the narrow alleyway entrance is somewhat easy to miss. Food wise, I am not disappointed. Their cheese cachapa is the stuff of dreams and includes a number of stuffings from ham to shredded chicken / beef. My vote is for their pabellón, which is a nice combination of shredded beef, black beans, and sweet plantains. For cheese lovers, the double cheese is perfectly indulgent with the sweetness of the cornmeal. The main draw for me was the arepas, which is something I missed having had so much of it back in NYC. La Pelua (shredded beef, mixed shredded cheese) is one of my go-tos, but my all-time favorite is the reina pepiada, a shredded chicken mixed with avocado topped with sprinkled salty white cheese. It's a staple in the Venezuelan arepa game and while their version is very solid, I'm just extremely thankful that it's available. Their breakfast platters are a big draw, which mainly consist of scrambled egg combos paired with arepas and various proteins. I think their yuca buñelos, tequeños, patacones, and especially their mandocas are incredibly underrated. The latter is practically dessert since it's mashed plantains with the cachapa stuffed with sugar and cheese. While they're not known for their empanadas, I do think their cazon (#2) is unique and their potato and cheese is always hearty. The shredded beef is a nice alternative to their arepas or arepitas (side) and make for an excellent snack on the go. Fans of Venezuelan cuisine who find themselves in the inner loop owe them a visit and I highly recommend calling ahead of time to ensure they have items available and to get a jump on the wait time for takeout. They are a slept on gem in the neighborhood and one that I hope sticks around for a very long time. _____________ (#1) The owners are Venezuelan and Syrian. The sweetest couple. (#2) Dogfish? It's really a mini shark.

    Great Venezuelan food! I have celiac (gluten-free) and I'm vegetarian and they have multiple…read moreoptions available. They even have a gluten free fryer separate from a regular fryer, which is great! The restaurant itself is very casual, few tables and friendly staff at the counter for helping decide. I tried the caxapa with cheese, 3 empanadas with various fillings, and the plain mini areas. All the items were good especially the caxapa and the empandas, though I think the combination of items I picked was definitely fryer-heavy. The sauces they were served with with are also a nice accompaniment. We got to go and excited to try out more of their menu!

    Photos
    Gusto Gourmet
    Gusto Gourmet - Cachapa

    Cachapa

    Gusto Gourmet - Handmade with love

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    Handmade with love

    Sabor Venezolano - Pelua Arepa

    Sabor Venezolano

    3.4(168 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    While it's possible I'm among the minority, I'm incredibly happy with the offerings here. In the…read morelast couple of years since moving from NYI, I haven't found many legit Venezuelan options until recently here at Sabor Venezolano. I'm pleased to report that the food lives up to the name and most everything was quite sabroso and very Venezuelan. The place is bigger than it looks from the outside, but seating is really limited to solo diners and small groups. There are counter seats toward the back and small cafe tables in the front. There are some refrigerated items for grab and go while ordering is done at the counter. I'd recommend calling ahead of time for faster pickup. If you're able to order in Spanish, do it. The food gets a thumbs up. Much of the menu is Venezuelan specific which includes cachapas, arepas, tumbarachos, patacondes, and tequeños. While they have a "menú Mexicano" that features quesadillas, tacos, burritos, and tortas, I'd avoid it if at all possible. The arepas might appear to be smaller, but they're packed. I personally loved their jamón y queso guayanés, in which the latter is a thick slab of gooey cheese. A similar arepa is their mechada y queso guayanés, which is equally tasty and I appreciate that they have cazón (#1) as an option. The pelua (beef + cheese) and reina (shredded chicken with avocado) will be my perpetual favorites and the cachapas with tequeños are also particularly hearty. The food is a bit pricier than most Venezuelan fare I've had previously, foodflation never surprises me anymore. Given how often I'm in the neighborhood, I already know that I'll be here more often than not. __________ (#1) Nothing like a little shark to get your day started.

    Solid Venezuelan food…read more If you are craving tequeños, an arepa, empanada, or such victuals, this is a solid spot. Counter service, order and they bring your food to your table. Ambiance is an ethnic strip mall restaurant, with Latin flavor. Salsa music playing, people coming and going is it what is. I'm a fan.

    Photos
    Sabor Venezolano - Inside

    Inside

    Sabor Venezolano - Carne Guisada (Platillo)

    Carne Guisada (Platillo)

    Sabor Venezolano - Outside

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    Outside

    Latin Delight - Rumba Snack Combo: FROZEN Snacks to fry and enjoy at the comfort of home!

    Latin Delight

    4.8(38 reviews)
    12.4 mi

    This place was such a pleasant surprise that I invited a group of friends to meet me there a few…read moreweeks later. The edamame falafel was so moist & delicious. We had yuca fries, empanafas, the cheese (both fried & cold). All were good. The best thing for me was the sandwich they make with flattened, fried plantains that serve as the bread. I loved it & ordered it both visits. It's called a patacon. The restaurant is small but clean & has plenty of tables. There's usualky a game on the tv. Our server was very sweet.

    We came on a Sunday afternoon after finding this on Yelp. It was pretty quiet when we arrived, but…read morewere immediately greeted by the owner behind the counter. The server was very friendly and explained the menu to us. I love the fact that there is a QR code at the table that pulls up a menu with all the photos. It's great for someone who doesn't know what the items look like. You can also pay by scanning the QR code. The downside is that they charge you extra hidden costs like tap water and a whole lot of many other things. I would have bright my own purified bottled water from Costco that cost a a fraction of what they charged. The prices didn't not align with what was reflected on the menu from scanning the QR code and they were not upfront about it until we got the bill. The menu states that one of the orders came with brown rice so that's what we ordered, but they tagged in extra $2.50 for that on our tab. With the patacon, there was lack of transparency that you would be charged extra for each additional ingredients which was not started on the menu and they don't tell you until the very end when it shows up on the bill. Price and transparency 1/5. Pan De Jamon was Sweet and savory with reasons, ham, olives. They're homemade and fresh. 5/5 Patacon - you can add a variety of means but they charge you extra for each one. The plantain part was good, but I felt mixed about it because certain ingredients were hot, lukewarm and some cold. Lack of consistency. 3/5 We also ordered the pabellon plate, It came with plantains (the best part about it), black beans, brown rice according to the menu through the QR code. The meat was tender but not much flavor. 3/5 Love trying out local hole in the walls and finding hidden gems, but this one didn't meet expectations.

    Photos
    Latin Delight - Nice clean seating area

    Nice clean seating area

    Latin Delight - Arepa - Llanera. Grilled Meat, Pico de Gallo, Queso Fresco.

    Arepa - Llanera. Grilled Meat, Pico de Gallo, Queso Fresco.

    Latin Delight - Delight Special Burger. That's the thriller burger you deserve!

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    Arepas by Perla - venezuelan - Updated May 2026

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