the coffee is fantastic and i love the Santiago bowl for lunch. Great service and fun upbeat atmosphere too.

I recently received a takeout order from colada shop for lunch. I got the vegetarian Cuban, which was absolutely and positively delicious!!! It had a lot of flavor. I only ate half for lunch and then I ate the second half for dinner. I reheated it in the toaster oven. In addition to the vegetarian Cuban, I also got the rice and beans and the yucca fries. This was too much food, but loved the leftovers for dinner. Like the sandwich, the beans and rice were also very tasty and a good portion. The Yucca fries surprisingly held up. I love the dipping sauce. I ate all but three, and reheated them in the toaster oven for dinner. They were still very good. I finished the meal off with the Keylime pie. Love the packaging in the little plastic container. It was good too. The whole order was well packaged I want to return and try the regular Cuban sandwich!! read more

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All the charm of Uber Eats without the comfort and convenience of eating at home. It was a lovely spring-like day, and we decided to stop by Coladas for an afternoon snack. They're located along a short, narrow, dead-end alley across from Whole Foods. We grabbed one of their outside tables and placed our orders. So far, it seemed like a delightful setup. Unfortunately, that's where the delightfulness ended. The way they work is you scan a QR code that's glued to the table. That takes you to a web page that looks like something right out of the Uber Eats app, except the pictures and descriptions in the UE app are much more descriptive than what you get from using the in-person ordering pages. And, just like Uber Eats, in addition to ordering our food and drinks and paying for what you ordered, you're also asked to provide a tip before any services have been rendered. More on that in a bit. I ordered their plantain nachos with pork, some croquetas, and a mojito. The nachos were visually striking and very tasty. The croquetas, I had two chicken and two ham, were crunchy and delicious. However, they were served in a tiny cardboard cup, and it looked like they were trying to make them seem unappetizing. Similarly, one of my friends ordered a Cubano sandwich, and it was served on a large plate with nothing else. In a world that differentiates between eating and dining, this place leans into eating. To round out the order, my mojito was sickly sweet with little or no alcohol. It was easily the worst mojito I've ever had. The service was prompt and impersonal. Again, following the Uber Eats Model. The food was brought to our table quickly, but no one bothered to ask how we were doing or if we had any questions. Would things, including my drink, have been better if I had given them a larger tip when I placed my order? And that's why I don't like tipping up front. It makes it seem less like a reward for good service and more like extortion to get any service at all. read more

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I came to Colada Shop after a friend recommended it to me. They partner with inKind, and I had a $25 credit to use. The colors on the outside immediately caught my attention, and inside is just as vibrant. I was thrown off at first because there is no check-in process, and the bar area was pretty packed to be right by the front door. I eventually saw the sign about seating yourself and proceeded to an empty booth. Since I was using inKind, the bartender informed me I had to order at the register to have the receipt generated. The staff here are very warm and helpful, especially for being busy. Their happy hour runs from 4-8 daily and consists of $8 cocktails. I ordered the Pitaya Daiquiri and Cuban Street Platter. The daiquiri was enjoyable, and a flavor I hadn't tried before in a drink. With the platter, you have multiple empanada and croqueta options to choose from. I enjoyed the chicken salad dip with the plantain strips. I wished they marked each empanada, so you didn't have to bite into or break them open to see. While flaky and moderately stuffed, they lacked a crispness I was expecting. I would come back for drinks and maybe a dessert. read more

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OUTSTANDING Cuban sandwiches and empanadas! Perfect balance of meat/cheese/condiments -- super fresh! We are regulars in Key West and Colada Shop's Cubans rival their best! read more

Colada Shop - EMPANADAS DUO -- Spinach (excellent) and chicken (fabulous!) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Absolutely amazing happy hour that runs till 8pm daily. We sat at the bar, but you're able to order at the front kiosk or via a QR code on each of the tables. Highly recommend frozen drinks which were the apple daiquiri and pina colada when we were there. The plantain nachos and guava bbq pork sliders were also stars of our meals. Highly recommend them both if you're looking for a nice bite before getting your night started. read more

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Haven't been to the Colada Shop in a couple of years ironically. My birthday discount inspired me to pop in. I came during breakfast hours and ordered the bacon egg and cheese and spinach and cheese empanada. I also got a coquito shot and a hot pineapple cider drink. It wasn't busy at all so the drinks and food came out pretty quickly. The place was festivally decorated for the holiday. As I sat, more people started to enter and the place became pretty lively. Not much has changed over the years except for the increase in pricing which is now common everywhere. read more

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Sooo happy my friends and I tried this place out for happy hour! And speaking of- they have awesome happy hour deals. We each got a fun beverage and an appetizer or two - it was all great, fresh, flavorful!! I loved the Yuca. Service is a little hard to comment on- we ordered by QR code on our table and it was just dropped off when it was ready! The ambiance is very cute (see all of the Yelp photos) and photo worthy. Check this place out! read more

Colada Shop - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Tucked away in a corner, we might have missed it except that a friend recommended Colada Shop. When we arrived, the place was full and festive, the background music keeping the beat while a large group of friends enjoyed delicious snacks and drinks as they celebrated. We were warmly welcomed, seated right away, and the service was excellent. The menu is vast! I don't know much about Cuban food, so our server made several suggestions. Big shout-out to Aida! She ROCKS! Everything she suggested was fantastic. Every dish was artfully served, a delight to the palate and the eye. The Main meals were authentic and savory, the empanadas were flavorful pockets wrapped in a tender, flaky crust, the plantains were lightly crisp and bathed in a sweet syrup (is it rude to just drink that?) We had to get a to-go bag for the pastries, but who can resist??? We were so impressed with the service, the selection, and the excellence of the food that we wanted to write this review right away. Don't miss Colada Shop! Try anything. Try EVERYTHING! read more

Back again for another festive holiday hang! The empanadas are still just as amazing and the plantain nachos were also delish! The hot chocolate was a MUST. Great service and vibes too! read more

Colada Shop - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Was waiting on my phone to be repaired at the Apple Store across the street and stopped by for a drink and a snack. I ordered from the kiosk, which was super simple. I originally ordered to-go but then decided to stay and work for a bit. They we're super attentive and even realized that I was the one who ordered and brought it to me on a plate without me asking, which was super nice and I really appreciated them going the extra mile. read more

The Cafe Con Leche in the mornings, the Santiago Bowls for lunch, and the Old Fashioned for happy hour. Its an all day affair. Plus fast wifi, great atmosphere, tunes, attentive staff, and decor. read more

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The staff is friendly Tips 1) They are located around the corner and in the cut. 2) the espresso is good. 3) Tesla charging across the street on the top floor of the Garrage. read more

Colada Shop - Cubano - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I want to love Colada shop, this place is visually so cute, i love the indoor/ outdoor vibes, i love the cafe vibes, and they make a great cortado. the staff is wonderful and kind. I think its the perfect place for a first date, so many drink choices (with alcohol and without), and you can add something small. that said, i have never had a great meal here-- like the croquetas (one of my absolute fav things to eat), they just miss the mark and i cant say why. the ropa vieja doesnt come with any sauces (neither garlic-y or spicy) and so while i find the food mid, i think the place is cute and you cant go wrong with a cafe and something small and sweet. read more

Nice coffee shop tucked away next to Tatte. The food was yummy; I got the empanadas duo which was very good; I got the spinach and cheese. The Mariposa Blue Matcha latte was really way too hot and sweet- it had too much sugar/syrup- I couldn't finish it. read more

Colada Shop - Mariposa Blue Matcha - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I love me some Colada Shop. All locations! This is their newest location in Virginia nuzzled in the National Landing area. My go to is always the empanadas. Especially, in the summer when they have their summer corn flavor. If you have not tried this flavor run don't walk and go try it! They also have yummy drinks like coffee and alcoholic beverages. The staff is always super sweet and accommodating. Colada Shop is definitely one of my favorite spots in the DMV for quick eats! read more

Colada Shop - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I ate at this Cuban restaurant one evening with my friends while on a girls weekend away. We picked the spot because two of us are vegetarian and they had a few options on the menu.This restaurant you order at the register and then find a seat. You do buss your own plates at the end. This restaurant also has a full bar. I ordered the veggie Cuban sandwich and a side of yucca fries. Both were very delicious. The sandwich itself was gigantic and the yucca fries were big and thick. I shared the fries with a friend both of my friends very much. Enjoyed their food as well. I would highly recommend if you're in the area. read more

Colada Shop - VEGGIE CUBAN and yucca fries - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

A beautiful restaurant with a fun vibe. The food and beverages were DELICIOUS. Cannot recommend the blueberry matcha and croquetas enough. I personally would skip the churros next time because they had an odd texture and crumbled. The staff looked miserable but it was a busy day. read more

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I've been searching for a mariposa matcha latte for months. Finally found it one random evening at Colada Shop. It's the perfect blend of floral and earthy. I've always stopped by for their pastelitos and empanadas. Their croquetas are delicious too! read more

Colada Shop - ICED MARIPOSA BLUE MATCHA - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I've always said it and I'll say it again: Colada Shop is amazing! The atmosphere, the vibes, and the food is just stellar. I've gone a few times but this was my first time in the Arlington location and it is I think the best location. So much seating, beautiful murals, outdoor seating and a wide open window... there's even cute bar seating. We got the Havana Ooh La La which is a sampler platter of four croquettas, brownie bites, plantain chips and dips, and of course four empanadas. I've now tried almost all the empanadas and I can confirm the Picadillo is my favorite (though the bacon, egg, and cheese one comes close behind!). And the bean dip was crazy good too with just about everything--maybe not the brownies haha. But you could give that combo a try! Our service was good, though we just ordered at the counter. Everything came out fast. Colada shop is quickly becoming a DC staple and I'm looking forward to coming back for happy hour next time! read more

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Was here the day after Halloween for a friend's birthday party. It was nearly empty since most people were probably at other bars or at home hosting parties, so it was nice we had the place to ourselves. I arrived right before happy hour ended so I got goat cheese croquetas and a nojita (a non-alcoholic mojito). When my drink came out I asked if it had alcohol since I suspected the server may have misheard, and it did indeed have alcohol (nojito is easy to get confused with mojito so I recommend saying "non-alcoholic mojito" instead). He remade it for me pretty quickly and both my drink and my croquetas were good. read more

The chicken in the salad bowl looked off putting. The vinaigrette was good, but I didn't even touch the chicken. Rice bowl was okay. They forgot my sauce so had to add my own. I even asked to ensure they gave it to me and they said they did. The space is cool and well decorated. read more

Colada Shop - salad bowl - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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My new favorite Arlington cafe! Colada Shop brings a wide selection of coffee, pastries, food, and even cocktails to the Clarendon/Courthouse area. We first stopped in for the café con leche and guava and cheese pastelitos, and came back not only for those but also the cocktails! The piña colada, tamarind daiquiri, and the carajillo (similar to a rum espresso martini, with a light banana flavor) are all a must. They have happy hour weekdays, and I believe most of the day on Sunday, where many cocktails are only $8-- an amazing deal for the quality! The shop is very aesthetic, and they have tons of outdoor seating too! You can order on your phone, at the counter, or at kiosks. If you download their app you can get rewards over time too. Highly recommend for your morning coffee run or your evening drinks! read more

FOOD I came in for dinner on a Friday night and ordered the guava BBQ pollo sandwich. It came a little soggier than expected, but the filling was rich and flavorful. DRINKS I had their Calypso mango tea. It came unsweetened but the fruity notes of the mango was refreshing in the heat of the day. AMBIANCE The interior is decorated neat, modern, and offers a lot of natural light into the establishment. SERVICE You can order on the kiosk at the front or via QR code when you grab a table inside. It's via Toasttab so make sure you close the tab before leaving! The staff are kind and friendly. BATHROOM Two clean, gender-neutral bathrooms are available at the back of the store. read more

Cuban was delicious, as were the empanadas and croquetas my friend and I shared. It's a bright, airy place and I would recommend for a casual, delicious meal. read more

This menu is extensive! They have breakfast food options with tons of great coffee/matcha/teas. For lunch or dinner they have salads, sandwiches and entrees. They also have pastelitos, empanadas and dessert. The drink menu is extensive from smoothies to cocktails and fruit sodas. Happy hour is every day M-F from 4pm - 7pm and all day on Sunday. This includes $ off certain drinks and 4 for $10 empanada (typically 3 for 10). We came for happy hour and I got a passion fruit soda, guava soda and empanadas. The guava soda was by far my favorite, as well as the cheese empanada (we tried cheese, spinach, beef and chicken). There is indoor and outdoor seating availabl. read more

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Came here to work with a peer on our capstone projects. It was a hot day and I walked all the way over. Seating was self-serve, and they had options to order at the counter or via a QR code. I was really excited by the idea of their pina colada and promptly ordered it. It was much more of an icee than it was a creamy drink, which slightly disheartening. However, the variety of pastries and sandwiches was incredible and my friend LOVED the sandwich he ordered (which was both huge and came quickly). Overall, I would like to come back and try more of the food, but I'm a little less sold on the drinks. read more

Came back to try the cocktail bar they have for the holiday season and the rum cider is good! They have a great selection of different holiday drinks in cute cups and the decorations are really cute as well. Would recommend stopping by to try the seasonal menu read more

Colada Shop - Coquito - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Needless to say my partner and I enjoyed ourselves! We ordered at the kiosk at the door and then sat down so all our food came at once. I had the ropa vieja, which was soooo good. My partner got the arroz con pollo which also had positive reviews although he said mine was better. We also split some croquetas, and dessert was guava and cheese pastelitos which 100% stole the show and I'd come back just to get those to go. read more

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Ambiance is cute and tropical. The drink selection for non alcoholic is not big but I enjoyed it very much. The empanadas were alright. 5/10 But the vibe here is very chill. Service was good, not the best but alright. read more

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Colada shop is a well organized, clean, and nicely decorated restaurant. The food is plentiful and the service is courteous. While it is a step above of the cava's of the world, I still feel that their price points should be more or less at those in Cava and yet it feels to be about 15-20% higher. The food is tasty though and you hardly find Caribbean food in such a setting. The beans could be a bit more season and yet they are still delicious. It is a must try for sure. read more

Colada Shop - SANTIAGO BOWLS - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Wow!!! Never thought I could be so impressed with empanadas but theirs blew me away! I could eat 10 of their spinach ones by myself in one sitting. So yummy. The guava oat cookie is delicious too! The cafe is very cute. Latino vibes with a modern twist. The staff were really friendly as well. read more

Yum! Yum yum yum. Great little place tucked away under a Lifetime Fitness. The front opens up completely, giving it an outside-inside vibe. Great drinks, delicious cuban sandwiches, really fun empanadas. The place has a light vibe, but I'll absolutely go back. Especially great in nice weather. read more

Visited here on 04/25/2025 @ approx 3:30pm Food: we didn't eat Service: 1/5 There were 5 staff members behind the counter. The bartender was making drinks. There were no other customers waiting and it took almost 10 mins before anyone even acknowledged us or greeted us. We were standing at the bar area to place a drink order. There were only 3 customers in the entire restaurant - none of which were in the bar area. Beverage: 1/5 I ordered the frozen Pina Colada with rum added to it for $11.50. My boyfriend ordered a Senate Lager for $8. My drink didn't taste like it had any alcohol in it and I thought it was overly sweet. He received the incorrect beer and was given an IPA but he didn't realize it until after he had already drank some of it. Overall, I was disappointed and we had planned all week to go there finally and have a drink outside. We walk past it everyday and heard so many great things about it but unfortunately, we didn't have a good experience at all. I will not be coming back. read more

Tucked away in a cozy spot, it has a laid-back vibe that makes it perfect for grabbing a quick bite or catching up with friends. I tried the Ropa Vieja Sliders, and wow--flavor bomb! The shredded beef was so tender and perfectly seasoned, with just the right balance of savory and tangy. The soft, pillowy buns tied everything together beautifully. read more

I've made deli sandwiches from Giant better than the guava bbq pollo sandwich. It's not just a bad Cuban style sandwich, it's just not good in any way, from the bread to the lukewarm flavorless meat to the sauce. Pina colada excellent - coconut flakes a nice touch. Empanadas were disappointing both in quality and size. The kitchen just can't deliver on this restaurant's pretensions. read more

Went here for a Monday dinner and it was quite empty. The inside was super clean, had a variety of seating options, and had super cute floral/plant decor. I got the pollo fricassée which was a chicken stew with tomato, green beans, rice and plantains For drink, I tried the shaken mint lemonade which was very refreshing. To share, we got an order of the plantain chips with black bean dip and these were delicious. My father got the Cuban sandwich which was super tasty after trying a bite. I really enjoyed my stew and the plantain chips. I just wish the portions were a little bit larger. Overall, I'd recommend this spot if you're looking to try somewhere new in the Clarendon area. read more

Colada Shop - COLADA SHOP CUBAN, PLANTAIN CHIPS & BLACK BEAN DIP, SHAKEN MINT LIMEADE, POLLO FRICASSE - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

By far one of the best Cuban places i've tried. Their special sandwich and also their Ropa Vieja is a must try. The place is very clean and nice, i'm looking forward to coming back here again. Their staff was nice too. read more

The food here was pretty tasty. The beef empanadas in particular was good. The others we ordered were the summer corn and chicken filled empanadas. These didn't stand out in any way but they were still decent. There was a 3 for 10 empanada deal offered on the menu but careful, all the ordering was supposed to be done via QR code and the offer was not present on toast. I asked a staff member specifically to take my order through her tablet. A little inconvenient, but the staff was super friendly and accommodating of the situation! The place itself has a cool vibe. Was a little loud during the weekend lunch rush but was still easy to find a seat and order (establishment is a seat yourself place) read more

Colada Shop - EMPANADA TRAY Clarendon - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

DO NOT EAT HERE!!! I spent almost $50 on a Ropa Viaja meal, a kids meal and a Cuban sandwich. This place is not only a complete ripoff, the food is a sad excuse for even claiming they make authentic Cuban food. Not sure if they just think they can fool the DMV people into thinking otherwise, but with absurdly small portions and food that literally has no flavor, they should be ashamed of themselves in representing a category of cuisine that is typically anything but delicious and filling. And to show I'm not simply a disgruntled customer, look at the pics of the Cuban sandwich with a tiny sliver of ham in between 2 giant bread halves. I literally felt like I was just eating bread. And how do you cook a pork butt for multiple hours and still have it taste like nothing??!! The beef (where I could find it), in the Ropa Vieja was also flavorless, as was the rice. And can you tell me what jasmine rice is doing on a Cuban restaurant's menu? You can also see how small the beef portion is in the photo. I'd love to know how this restaurant has the financing to open multiple locations in the most expensive neighborhoods with terrible food like this. I was honestly excited that I finally found a Cuban restaurant in the area, but never again!! Please do not think this is what Cuban food is supposed to be like and save your money! read more

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