Colombian food in the suburbs is not easy to find. Taste of Colombia is excellent if you don't want to drive into Chicago, though the parking lot is sometimes reminiscent of something in Chicago. Everything we had was perfect, from the bandeja, the mixed grill, to the mini empanadas appetizer. The service was friendly, and the food came out quickly. I had been here once before when it was at a smaller space in the same strip mall. This new space had several more tables. read more

Colombian's Taste - Bandeja Paisa Carne Molida con Maduro - Colombian Near Me - Itasca, Illinois

I ordered a side of rice to go with some soup I had for lunch! This little bit of rice cost me $4 almost what a small bag of rice cost and the container is barely filled! This isn't the first time I order to go and they end up packing the bare minimum, never again! read more

Colombian's Taste - Está poco de arroz por casi $4 es un robo total! Ni pedazo de arepita le pudieron poner para completar! Nunca más! - Colombian Near Me - Itasca, Illinois

So after many months of wanting to try this place, I'm actually sad to report that I think I hyped it more in my head then the reality. I ordered online and picked up. When I got there I thought they were closed because it was so dark in the restaurant (turn some lights on). I went to the counter and patiently waited to get acknowledged and when I did the lady that took care of me was very kind and polite so I have no complaints about her. Total sweetheart! I got their Chicarron Con Arepa (Pork Grinds with Corn Cake). I was fully seasoned but at the same time heavily salted which got in he way of the flavors for me. It was fried to perfection, where the meat was crispy but the fat had a nice crisp to it but it was still soft in the middle.. The Calentado De Frijoles (Red Beans and White Rice/ served with Grilled Beef and Corncake). This was not a favorite dish of mine. The rice was overly cooked so it made it mushy and to add the bean sauce made it mushier so it looked like paste. I didn't like that, I like my rice cooked firm with some texture. The red beans were good and seasoned well. The grill beef I have mixed feelings about because I feel like they used the same seasoning that they use on the chicarron on the beef. Which I didn't care for. The corn cake has no flavor whatsoever so I don't know why it's even on the plate. The Best thing that I got from here is the Yucaton ( Steamed Cassava with fried pork belly pieces). Even tho the steam kinda softens the crispiness of the pork belly it was ok because it worked together with you mixed them together. Overall I might give them a try again but maybe this time dine in and see if it's a difference.. read more

Authentic Colombian food was great. Service was fantastic. The place is clean. Great for families. read more

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I've only been here once because I like to try different kinds of Latin American cuisine. Parking is sufficient, you don't have to worry about looking for a parking spot. The restaurant is not big so seating can be limited if it's a peak time. I went with a small group around lunch time. We ordered yucaton, bandeja Colombian's taste with skirt steak, and carne asada c.t. Service was good. Prices are cheap and affordable. -yucaton 5/5 - the steamed cassava with pork belly pieces were very tasty. -bandeja Colombian's taste with skirt steak 5/5 - portion size is huge. They don't leave you hungry. Everything tasted great. Skirt steak cut very easily. -carne asada c.t. 5/5 - New York steak cooked perfectly and seasoned well. Use the chimichurri sauce for dipping. read more

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Authentic flavors, friendly service, affordable price, unassuming location, simple but nicely decorated ambiance with Colombian music. Siendo colombiano recién llegado de California, me dio tanto gusto encontrar un restaurante colombiano! read more

interesting menu and reflextive of the culture. Hot and tasty. I just ordered for catering/pick up. My order was not finished timely and it was for an event. I thought things were a little pricy. read more

I had the empanadas, the bandeja paisa, and un jugo de mora en leche. Everything was delicious and I would definitely come back to eat here.

my first time ordering from there. the empanadas were delicious and the side salad was wonderful. will definitely get food from here again. can't wait to tell my husband about it. sooo good! read more

Food is good. Ambiance is similar to authentic Colombian tiendas. Service is great. Thank you.

We had a really good experience at this restaurant. I'm so happy to find colombian food in Illinois! I had the sancocho de gallina and my boyfriend had the arepa rellena. We also ordered some appetizers, the pan de bono was delicious. I will for sure be coming back to this place! Service was pleasant too! read more

Colombian's Taste - Sancocho de Gallina - Colombian Near Me - Itasca, Illinois

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I order a sancocho and it was really good The natural juices were good because wasn't to sweet I want to go back Service was good Looks like sometimes they have live music. read more

Several years ago my wife and I had a chance to go to Puerto Rico, on that island we fell in love with fried green plantains and a style of cooking we had not experienced. What can you expect when you walk in the door of Colombian's Taste? You might be ready to walk out because it is small (really small), clean, and it doesn't give you that "I want to stay" vibe. Let me caution you now, DON"T LEAVE! Sit down at the first table available and then go for the menu. What would I suggest? I had the Mixed Plate (spelled differently) which had steak, chicken, a salad (it also came with rice and Yuca fries but I substituted Patacones (fried green plantains)). This meal was awesome! Yes, it was $15 but I have paid that for a burger and fries. We also had several Empanadas, we ordered steak; and I had to have a Cafe Con Leche. Several folks there got the Steak Platter - it came with rice, red beans, steak, chorizo, chicharrones, and a couple of fried eggs; next time I come I think I will order this meal to try it out. To recap: lousy location, no ambiance, cramped quarters, great service, AMAZING FOOD, planning my next visit. That is why you should come in, find a table, and enjoy a meal because you will be planning your next visit. read more

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Get ready to wow your taste buds with delicious Columbian food and drinks. Don't be alarmed that this is a tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant at the corner of a busy intersection. Plenty of parking. You may have to wait for a table as their dining room is very small. Seats maybe 15 people. From the photos posted on their Yelp page, it looks like they used to have window seats with tall chairs. However the window is now walled off to allow a small corner a/c or humidifier (see pictures below). The only waitress working last night did a great job of seating us and taking our order after clearing off and separating a couple tables after a family left. We didn't wait long at all for our table. She gave us menus and walked away giving us an opportunity to choose which dishes we wanted to order. Each meal has a photo and description so even if you don't know what the titles mean in Spanish, it's easy to decipher from the description and photos. This place is known for their empanadas. Don't be fooled at how small they appear. These empanadas are full of flavor and are made fresh. We also ordered their mixed meat dish that came with skirt steak, chicken, salad, chimichuri sauce. Instead of cassava and rice, we substituted patacones! I LOVE fried green plantains. Call them tostones or patacones it doesn't matter because they are delicious. Don't forget to ask for the pink sauce to dip them in. read more

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Stopped in for lunch and it was nice and clean. Service was really good and super attentive. The food was just okay and lacked seasoning or tasted just bland. This was the only missing factor. read more

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Amazing little place in the Chicago sub. Real tasty Colombian food Arepa Relleno, Café and a empanada. I go to many Latin American restaurants around the state. Colombian Taste definitely quality is in the top. read more

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I love their food. The empanadas are a good appetizer. They are a little too small but tasty. I'll come back

Food was good, but we arrived about an hour before close and they were rushing us out even though we were one of two tables. Ordered soup and they waited until we had entrees and we asked why it never came to tell us they were out. Just overall poor customer service. The restaurant smelled horribly of smoke but it's a non-smoking restaurant so guess it's coming from elsewhere in the plaza (there is a hookah place) or they smoke in the kitchen??? I don't know, but if I hadn't been meeting people, I would've just left. Definitely won't be back. Would recommend for take out only, if at all. read more

Coming in from Iowa, where Colombian food is rare, and having lived in Miami where it was everywhere, it was great to enjoy fantastic and legitimate arepas and empanadas to go! Lovely woman took care of our "Colombian Care Package" order for our to go order. Wish we had days in Chicago to try the dishes on their extensive menu. Oh, to have had a sit down experience in order to enjoy a bandeja paisa! read more

Where do I start....bland, chewy...tiny joint tucked away in the biggest eye sore of a mini mall on the corner of Lake & 53. This is take-out mostly with only a few tables. You'd be hard pressed to notice this place if you weren't looking for it. More of a 2 star review but because the woman who took our order was super friendly, brought order to the car while wearing a mask and nothing was missing, I'm bumping it to 3 stars. During the pandemic, they offer pick-up but you have to call in. I've been wanting to check out this spot for awhile and when I tell you I was super excited to try it (excellent reviews, pics) I'm not exaggerating. I had no reservations that the food would be great, plus.. I get really excited when it comes to food. I'm also certain I set the bar high based on all the positive comments here, so when we finally tasted a good amount of dishes, it was a huge let down. Here's the thing - most everything needed salt and more flavor. The second major issue - my jaws were working overtime. From the pork rind to the grilled flank and deep fried plantain - even the corn cake..Yes, it was all served very warm, but none of these were tender. I don't know if some items were reheated, but I'm telling you, it was tough to eat and unfortunately, most of the Bandeja Paisa Columbians Taste dish (referred to above) was tossed in the garbage. The red beans served alongside had no flavor except cilantro. Thank God I requested a side of chimichurri to accompany the meat. Sausage was the most flavorful. Sancocho de gallina (hen stew) is only served on Saturday. They give you a med container of soup with a separate hefty serving of stewed dark chicken & potatoes, white rice and garnish with corn and avocado. Chicken was very tender, but the broth was majorly lacking in flavor with the exception of cilantro. We didn't finish this either. Tamal is very different then your typical tamale, but I knew this going in. Very soft, mushy texture. I didn't mind the texture, but the big chunks of meat wasn't pleasing to the eye and it needed lots of flavor. Steak sandwich was perfectly grilled and tasty, but again...the meat was tougher than it should've been. The best thing we ordered were the empanadas. The dough was exceptional. Perfectly crispy and tender. I ordered 3 beef. The second one didn't taste like beef. Filling needed some work. Total for everything: $51 I really hate sounding so cliche' with "maybe it was an off night" but considering most everything was lacking salt/flavor, I don't think this fits here..We were blind sided by all the great reviews. This is a one and done for us. read more

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Delicious food! The hot chocolate is a must. Everyone is always very friendly and fast service. read more

Colombian's Taste - Steak Sandwich de Carne con Fries - Colombian Near Me - Itasca, Illinois

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I liked this restaurant, the cleanliness of the place is good, the bathrooms too, the food is delicious, the only thing that is not tasty are the beans, I did not like them and my friend either, it did not have any flavor, it is comfortable to have them cooked. water because they didn't taste. More nothing but if it's good ahy. Me gusto este restaurante,la limpieza del lugar es buena,de los baños también,la comida rica,lo único que no está rico son los frijoles,no me gustaron y a mi amigo tampoco,no tenía ningún sabor,es cómodo les ubiesen hecha do agua porque no tenían gusto. Más nada pero si esta bueno ahy. read more

Colombian's Taste - Colombian Near Me - Itasca, Illinois

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Ordered the bandeja paisa. It was ok nothing out of the ordinary. I also ordered an empanada but you can tell they were pre cooked. The empanada was not even hot when we got them. I was expecting more out of this place but was let down. If you're in the area I would recommend the place if not I wouldn't go out of my way to dine here. read more

Colombian's Taste - Bandeja pisa - Colombian Near Me - Itasca, Illinois

This restaurant is amazing with excellent service, music and delicious Colombian food! I totally recommend this place. Oh! And the tropical juices are to die for!!! read more

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Service was really good, such good energy :) Yucca with garlic was my favorite, simple but very flavorful. Aguapanela con limon was a really sweet tea, went well with everything. Empanada con carne was good too. read more

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Delicious food and great friendly service despite the Mother's Day crowds! No picture of the pandebono, but it lives up to the hype and served as a great appetizer. I'm still thinking about it... mmmm. The steak was delicious and my steak sandwich was perfect. Everyone else also enjoyed their plates, and the chicken was tasty! Dad even enjoyed the white rice. The aguas frescas taste fresh and are generous portions. You have the choice for a water or milk based option with them. I'll be back when I'm nearby! read more

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I've been happily getting vegetarian empanadas and steamed/fried yucca here for a while; they've upgraded from a tiny hole in the wall to a nice-looking small restaurant with reasonable dining space and restrooms two doors down. The strip mall is at the intersection of the 53 and Lake Street, so getting in and out is sometimes an adventure (tip: U-turns are allowed from the 53 heading south). For some reason, vegetarian empanadas are custom (minimum order: 20) but mini-empanadas can be ordered whenever (you get 10, they fit into a standard hamburger-sized takeout box). They're the cornmeal crust kind, and come with a delicious condiment that's probably something simple like mayonnaise plus ketchup but WOW is it good. If you want a vegetarian arepa, you're getting plain cheese. The cornmeal patty is basically perfect, with the grains fully cooked but separating slightly when you cut it, with just a little sear - but with just cheese it's pretty bland. If they offered this with loroco (sp?) or beans or something I would get these all the time. As it is they really need salsa. You can also get yucca fries (merely OK on my last order) or steamed yucca with garlic - soooo delicious. And I'm not sure why the roasted baby potatoes are so tasty but they are, with a fantastic creamy texture and a certain something about the delicate skin. Have some with that tasty sauce! read more

Taste: 5 Location: 3 Cleanliness: 3.5 Ambience: 2.5 Value: 4 Service: 4.5 OVERALL = 3.75 * Out of a 5-point scale Really good food. I mean, really really good. I wasn't expecting it at all! The empanadas are amazing. The fried pork loin (Chuleta de Cerdo) and sandwich (Arepa Rellena) are out of this world too! The corn dough they use for Arepa is just amazing. The only downside is their place is very small, hence 4 stars out of 5. And some of the dishes come in a really huge plate so there's not enough space at all on the table. But the food, again, is fantastic! I'll definitely come back for the food if I'm in the area. They have a shared (free) parking lot with nearby businesses. read more

Colombian's Taste - Chuleta De Cerdo. It's amazing. And Humongous! - Colombian Near Me - Itasca, Illinois

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The food was ok. The empanadas were good, jugo de mora was not good too much milk, the steak was good, the ajiaco was blah... The waitress was very nice. I was a bit disappointed with the food. I drove far because several people had recommended this restaurant. read more

Fresh, delicious food. Kind and friendly service! Excellent meal! From the fresh juice smoothie to the fried plantains and shrimp, everything was perfect. read more

Food was good, big portion sized meals. Service was good juice drinks were good. Recommend it 5 stars. read more

Colombian's Taste - Bandejas Columbians Taste with carne asada - Colombian Near Me - Itasca, Illinois

Love their food!!!!!! Steak is Aaaamazing and the empanadas are legit. Their chicken and rice is always catered for our events. read more

Colombian's Taste - Colombian Near Me - Itasca, Illinois

Ordered from here for the first time today, and went big. Glad I did, we enjoyed everything we got and can't wait to try more! 1. Picada for 2: basically a delicious mountain of food! I can't imagine how much is in the 5 and 7 person servings, but this one was easily enough for 3 grown adults. I love chicharron and it's got plenty, but I also liked the pork ribs. Wife loved the Colombian sausages, especially with the hot sauce. Of course, everyone loves fried cassava and plantain. 2. Tostada con Todo: my favorite dish that we got today. Everything tasted so good put together. I might be able to eat this every day. 3. Ajiaco: I'm a sucker for potatoes in soup. I'm not sure if I ate this one right, but I just poured everything (chicken, capers, cream, avo) into the soup and stirred it together. But I don't care because damn it was delicious. 4. Arepa Rellena: Ordered one with chicharron especially for the wife, who loved it. But it's a BIG arepa, and super filling. They do not skimp on the limes or tomatoes either. The white corn torta is pretty spectacular itself - not fried to a crisp so its still got some chew and give to it, but it holds up surprisingly well despite filling it with the chicharron, lime juice and hot sauce. Well done! 5. Empenada: I was able to sample one of their beef empenadas, and I instantly regretted not ordering 10. If you're used to softer empenadas you're in for a pleasant surprise with these, as the outside layer is SUPER crispy, but the dough underneath is still a bit soft. Delicious filled with a spoon full of hot sauce with each bite. read more

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I found this place on a whim and did not expect much seeing as I had a bit of a hard time finding the address but I was proven wrong. The food here is amazing. The service is spectacular. And serving sizes and huge and prices are reasonable. I recommend everything. I have tried most things on the menu both food and drinks and my tastebuds have never been disappointed. read more

Colombian's Taste - Colombian Near Me - Itasca, Illinois

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So happy to stumble upon this place!!! I was in the area with my boyfriend and we were looking for a new place to try! I saw the great reviews on Yelp and wanted to check it out for myself. I read somewhere that the portion sizes were small, but I beg to differ! We ordered 10 mini chicken empanadas as an appetizer. They were larger than we thought they'd be! It was served with a green sauce that was delicious! My boyfriend got the sandwich hawaiano con papita (potatoes) and I got the sandwich de carne con yuca (fries). We split our dishes with each other! It was really good. The steak in my sandwich was cooked perfectly. The green sauce was good with everything! We were so full and satisfied with the variety of flavors. We took half of our empanadas to go! I loved how warm and welcoming the waitress was. She was more than happy to explain the menu to us. The music filled the atmosphere with authentic vibes. It made our meal really enjoyable! As we were leaving, more customers came. There are only about 5 tables total, so it quickly became packed. As stated in other reviews, the place is relatively small, but I was there for the food! Great place for a quick bite to eat. You won't be disappointed!!!! read more

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Great great great place! Always pmm my rasante and respectful and happy that they expanded . Always great food! Authentic also

First time here looking forward to traditional Colombian food not impressed very small place kinda whole in the wall tight seating a mother came in with here child in a stroller She looking where would she fit she left the young lady in front was very nice but more nice to two other patrons that didn't speak Spanish plus where not local from what was said coffee was not very strong at all the tamale if that what you would call a tamale it was mushed rice and peas and two kind of meat wrap in a banana leaf with no flavor at all very bland it needed the green sauce just to give it something plus the mayo ketchup sauce just for flavor not worth the 28.08 we pay for the food hell the lemonade wasn't even lemonade so yelpers not a a repeat or worth the prices read more

Colombian's Taste - Tamale and papas and salchichas - Colombian Near Me - Itasca, Illinois

Such nice customer service makes you feel at home So many delicious food options such as the empanaditas (mini empanadas) I would recommend the chicken for appetizers! Their plates are good to share or for yourself if you can, their carne asada plate provides a steak cooked to your liking, white rice, Maduros (sweet plantains), side salad, and chimichurri sauce is a must add to your steak. Next time I might try the bandeja to get a taste of everything. Great music atmosphere as well. read more

Man, I'm a picky eater and let me tell you this was my first time ever eating Columbian food and it won't be my last. I ate everything on my plate. I can't wait to go again. I can't wait to try something else when I go again! read more

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Don't you hate it when you are in an unfamiliar area and you are STARVING!!! Well thanks to Yelp, I was able to find a 4 star eatery in a couple minutes. using my yelp app. This is not the first time yelped helped me find a really good place to eat. The food was good and you get a lot of food for a really good price. The establishment is super tiny. It is more of a take out place as there are very few tables and chairs. My sister enjoyed it so much she went back two other times after we had gone . read more

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