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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Colada Shop remains a favorite of mine. I love that there is one so close to me. My two experiences at this location were consistently good. The empanadas were crispy and flavorful. My iced cafes con leche were delightful. I enjoyed the arroz con gandules croquetas, which proved to be a nice little taste of one of my favorite dishes. The staff is friendly. I swear Colada Shop hires the nicest, friendliest staff across all locations. And of course, the colorful decor and upbeat music make for the perfect ambiance. I'll probably be here more often than necessary, but I like forward to it. read more

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There are some restaurants that try to be jacks of all trades and masters of none. That sums up Colada Shop. A Cuban inspired shop centered on serving coffee and sandwiches primarily, which unfortunately has spiraled into serving mediocre platters and antojitos Cubano tailored to an American palate. Their sandwiches are great- nicely seasoned and flavorful. Their platters and antojitos are incredibly disappointing. As a Dominican, I know what true roast pork, rice and beans, and empanadas should taste like. They should be heating you mouth with sofrito, garlic, and culantro. You'll find none of that here. You might be better off walking up to chipotle up the street, which is sad to say. If you're looking for a nice cup of Cuban coffee and medianoche, then visit Colada. But that's pretty much it. read more

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Great place and ambience with vibrant colors and nice aromas. The inside is spacious and with lots of coffee selection for any taste. Looking forward to coming back for the empanadas that looked delicious. Friendly and attentive staff. read more

Colada Shop - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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After failing to try Colada Shop Mosaic before I moved back to Arlington, I was excited to see the Clarendon location open up, situated behind Seamore's and next to Tatte and LaserAway on Edgewood & Clarendon Blvd. I get the hype now and it's a go-to for me for the selection for breakfast, lunch, brunch, or afternoon snack. The Cuban island vibe is an instant mood lift and I'm looking forward to trying their cocktails sometime soon. Great coffees, juices, smoothie selection. Have had the jamón croquettes twice already and the spinach egg breakfast sandwich is satisfying but not heavy. Order at the counter or from your spot with QR code. Will be back many times this summer. read more

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I've been wanting to try this spot even though I've tried it at the Wharf. It was quite busy on a Saturday morning but we sat at the bar area. It was confusing in terms of if we use the QR codes or had a bartender but someone served us directly. Service was fairly quick. We got the Cubano coffee and one passion fruit mimosa. The coffee was small- we were warned but it was quite overpriced (3.50) for a literal shot of coffee. We've had them before down in the keys and they are lot more reasonably priced elsewhere. The passion fruit mimosa was absolutely fantastic- a nice mix of sour and sweet. Food wise we tried the breakfast empanada and the chicken empanada. The breakfast one was fantastic and bought had a good shell but the chicken one didn't have too much flavor- the dip they served made up for it but would love more flavorful chicken. The guava pastillo had good flavor but the pastry part itself was a bit lack luster and crumbly. Good service and look forward to try more items. read more

Food good but service is slow. Lost orders twice in the few times I've been there. Recommend the empeñadas read more

One location of a local Cuban-inspired cafe chain that has a few locations across the DMV The space is bright, airy, and modern Offer coffee, pastries, and hot food Can order at the counter, off of table QR codes, or at a kiosk right when you walk in My GF and I each got a coffee (a cafe con leche for me & an iced vanilla latte for her), but neither of us was very impressed and her coffee was cloyingly sweet I also tried a breakfast sandwich, which was more solid. read more

Based on the sandwich article in the WP - tried the Colada Shop Cuban & throughly enjoyed it! Large sandwich full of pork and flavor - great bread! One slight complaint. Ordered a side of Yuca which was very tasty with great crunch & taste BUT there were only 5 pieces of Yuca for $6. For that price, would have thought there would be a few more pieces. read more

Hi, received colado gift card, entered the restaurant, and then went straight to display to order my food. Had an technical issue with the ordering machine, communicated with manager and will contact IT dept to resolve machine being able to take 2 cards. read more

The waiter was Super nice and guava pastry to die for. Amazing cortadito and limeade!

Loveeeee Colada shop!!!!! Soo flavorful, creative combos, amazing vibes inside and great service. I always loved colada shop on 14th street and am so happy they're in Clarendon now. Amazing options for really any time of day. Try the pastelitos with guava and cheese.... You'll be addicted! read more

Visited during the holiday bar pop-up! Loved the decor (cute twinkling lights, mini Christmas trees & festive music). The staff was super nice and service was fast! The MoHoHojito was so refreshing & came in the cutest gingerbread glass! The Nutcracker Cider was also a nice winter drink that was served warm and had the nice fruity flavors paired with a cinnamon winter twist! The Coquito Shooter was soo delicious! The creaminess of the condensed milk & coconut tasted amazing with the spiciness added! The empanadas were delicious (chicken & spinach were my favorite). The croquetas were also pretty solid. The Platanachos also had a large serving for the happy hour price. Overall casual vibe for happy hour or to get a coffee! Kind of hidden location but super cute. read more

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What a wonderful addition to the Clarendon neighborhood! I've visited another location in DC and was sooo excited to have one close by. I looove the interior and vibe of this place. Sitting at the bar was a super enjoyable experience and big shout out to Horacio for his knowledge of the drinks and patience in explaining / recommending them to me. I had the 3 for $10 empeñadas: - Chicken - pretty standard, what you would expect.. nothing special but still yummy!! - Spinach and cheese - this was alright, lots of spinach though and it felt stringy - Bacon, egg and cheese - surprisingly delicious!! I wish I had just gotten three of these! Who would have thought! Super creamy and melt in your mouth feeling Overall the texture and crispiness of the empanadas was perfect! Drinks: Café con leche - I got this with a quarter sweetness and it was perfect. I don't usually take my coffee with sugar but I wanted to see what the whipped sugar flavor was like and it did not disappoint!! This will be my go to order from now on. It's basically a latte but better!! Blue matcha - (fair warning I go this at a different location) I was not a fan of this drink. It's basically like drinking melted ice cream lol. It was suuuper sweet and really took away from the butterfly pea flavor (if it was even that?) it's honestly my fault for ordering this at a Cuban inspired coffee shop lol but I was looking for a non caffeinated option at the time. Desserts - the tres leches was disappointing. Very dry and simply not what you would expect from a tres leches My last note is around the cutlery and presentation - I understand Colada Shop is a chain and has to tread a balance between being a take-out cafe vs. Sit down. I just wanted expecting to receive my coffee in a to-go cup while ordering at the bar (for dine in). Similarly, the tres leches was served in a single use plastic container. The food, however, was served on dishware. I think it would really enhance the vibe to be able to eat the dessert off a plate or drink my coffee out of a mug when dining in. Not sure if this is feasible, though - just my thought. read more

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Great addition to the Clarendon neighborhood! Kind of tucked away between Tatte and Seamore's so it won't exactly stand out if you're coming down Wilson Blvd. However, when you walk in you'll realize how much space it has. Available seating indoor, outdoor, and at the bar for individuals or groups of 2-4. Service is friendly and efficient. You can order at the front, online from your table (QR code), or at the kiosks on the side of the restaurant. The food itself is great of course. I ordered a breakfast sandwich and it was light, fluffy and full of flavor especially from the pork. It's likely not the cheapest option for cuban food in the area but pairs well with the location and the ambiance inside calls for a great dining experience! read more

5 Stars - The coconut pina colada and fried yucca Pina colada was amazing, and is a must try. Fried Yucca traveled well (walked it home) and came with cilantro aioli which was the perfect condiment for it. 4 Stars - Cuban Sandwich Cuban sandwiches are too hard to find in Northern Virginia. I can think of exactly two places that sell real ones, Colada Shop being one. It was tasty, only issue was bread to meat ratio was a bit off 3 Stars - Matcha and Croquettes (ham) The iced matcha was nice if you like sweet milk, I wouldn't try it again but it wasn't bad by any means. I love Spanish croquettes but perhaps not Cuban ones. I'd be willing to try the other two flavors but the ham was just not great. read more

Got Guava bbq sandwhich. It was delicious, but half of the sandwich was saucy but didn't have much meat. The other half was meaty and saucy. Maybe it was an oversight. Good service and ambiance. read more

Great food! Great service! Vibrant atmosphere! Can't wait to bring the hubby and out of town visitors! read more

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Very nice addition to this area! Our experience with this particular Colada shop was our first one ever and it did not disappoint. The staff were all very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. In my opinion, for a newer location/business, that's rare! So A++ for that! Food was yummy too! We all got several of the empanadas. Their blue matcha drink was so yummy. Tasted like the bottom of the ice cream bowl lol! read more

It's a cute place. I don't really have anything positive to say otherwise. The service is bad. The bartender who waited on us took forever to get our orders, and then he got the food order wrong. He also left without turning us over to one of the many staff behind the bar/counter. We had to flag somebody else down to get our check. It wasn't worth telling anybody that our food was wrong; nobody asked how our food and drinks were anyways. The staff were so disinterested in customers, it made the service fee that was charged to our bill all the more insulting. YEP, this restaurant charges a service fee. I didn't see that until I looked at the receipt sent to my phone. I advise that patrons look at the bill before paying, and make the decision whether a tip should be added on top of the service fee. Personally, I don't think the restaurant deserved either from our party. read more

Pastry was good. My ham and cheese was good. Coffee strong but good. Staff super kind. Atmosphere is cute kinda like 1980s Miami Vice

below average cuban food. expensive for the quality and service. the mint limeade was so sour i couldn't drink it. food needed salt & sauce so badly. won't be back read more

Colada Shop - ROPA VIEJA - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I couldn't believe how good the coffee, Croquetas, and tostadas were. Better than any I've had in Miami. Pickle, croqueta, and tostada sandwich!! Just saying. Service and ambiance also amazing! read more

The croquetas were very good and the service was fast. I like the coffee too. The ambiance inside is very colorful.

This place is really nice. We wanted to try somewhere new in Arlington and ended up here for the brunch. The ordering is easy since you just scan the QR code on the table and order the food. The quality of their food is also good. We ordered their egg and spinach sandwich and I think what made it special was the bread. It was very fresh and soft bread and the egg and cheese on there was also really good. The person working there was very friendly. I also like the colors which are happy. Will upload some photos soon and definitely try again. read more

Hugo is very cool! Knows definitely what he's doing! Really love his mojitos! He said hello when I came in!

Great little hidden gem! Great ambience and delicious coffee. Haven't tried the food yet but will be back.

Camilla was absolutely amazing. she was very courteous and timely with our party's requests. above and beyond service! thanks!!!!

Colada shop is exactly what Clarendon needs. Vibrant, inviting, delicious food, and outstanding service. Run, don't walk to experience this amazing new addition to the neighborhood! read more

Loved visiting the Colada Shop in Clarendon - it's right across the street from Clarendon Common. The drinks and small bites were delicious! Don't miss the Mariposa matcha latte. read more

Such a fun place to grab a snack and drink with friends. Spritzers and croquettas are delicious. Enpanadas are also good

Nice atmosphere! Good food. Good music. This is s place that I have to come back. If you want to have caribbean good you must come anytime.

So glad to try this place out. The empanadas were great. They were served very hot and the sauce was tasty too. Their coffee selections were plentiful and the signature drink is not to be missed. It is always nice when places offer so many different milk options. Highly recommend trying their Guava BBQ chicken sandwich, but their Cuban sandwich is the best in the area. Highly authentic and great flavors. Looking forward to coming back again for their cocktails! read more

What A great service !! Thank you Colada in Clarendon for offering great people! as a customer rather than expect a great food , the service Is what makes the difference and makes you enjoy it the most ! Best Sunday ! read more

Absolutely garbage, it's a combo of bad service, bad food and bad atmosphere. Please do not come here and find something else. The person waiting on us had no idea what he was doing. read more

The food was good, but minimal service: order from an app, get your own water, etc. the app suggests a tip starting at 18%. A 10% tip would be generous. read more

I look forward to being in the area to pick up my Ropa Vieja from Colada Shop. I was able to also try the new items on the menu that are amazing! read more

The food was excellent, and as a picky eater, I was pleasantly surprised. Our waiter, was very welcoming and kind. The corn croquetas were delicious, and the blue matcha was a unique treat. Highly recommended! The ambiance of the place was also impressive! read more

Our waiter, Josh, was incredible. He served us with great kindness and a big smile. The mushroom and corn croquettes were delicious, and the Cuban-style eggs were spectacular. read more

The service was great and they're really nice... their drinks are just not that good and incredibly small for the $10+ range... maybe half the size of a regular drink/cocktail anywhere else! Loved the vibe of the place and the location is great. read more