I love the change of pace for food. We have a few selections in Elkins but when I get the chance I eat here.

Beef chachapa slaps! My wife came for the Cuban which she loves but it was a little dry as we came in late.

My wife and I were traveling through the area and found this restaurant on Yelp. We shared an order of Tostones. She had the chicken vegetable soup. I had spicy shrimp soup. My wife had the pork empanada dinner, and I had the beef arepa dinner both coming with black beans and rice in addition to the soup. We shared with each other. The portions were generous and flavorful. We had half of our dinners left over that we enjoyed for breakfast the next day. Charming ambiance and great service would have us coming back regularly if we lived in the area. read more

We made a 33 mile each way drive at night to catch eating here and boy was it worth it! The food was flavorful and very representative of Venezuela, while also having a surprising and great option of Mexican cuisine as well. I was so happy to see the respectful nature of vegetarian and vegan-friendly markers on those particular foods. It left the guesswork out of having to ask the waiter every detail all vegetarians/vegans ask for and sometimes get wrong answers i.e. is there chicken broth in the rice? Is there animal fat in the beans? Etc. So thank you, owners Derdlim and Rob for looking out for us. I would definitely love to come back whenever in the area again to catch some live salsa music which I am a huge fan of. The tostones, arepas, yuca and cachapas were on point! The wait staff is excellent: very welcoming, funny and attentive. read more

I am so excited to have found this gem! It was recommended to me by a local and I am so glad I listened! They have an extensive menu with lots of options for everybody! Everything I have tried has been absolutely amazing. The atmosphere is great with live music a couple of times a week, great staff and super friendly owners! A must try if you are visiting Elkins! read more

Great food! Everything is good there. Live entertainment and nice ambiance. I like the shrimp, chicken and steak cachapas.

Everytime we visit family in the area we have to go to El Gran Sabor. I don't know that I have every had Venezuelan before, but I know I love this place. My wife has a gluten sensitivity and there are a lot of options that my wife can eat, lots of corn instead of wheat options. It's in a beautiful older home that has been renovated for this restaurant and it is nice to see this older, well decorated and built home. Service has always been excellent and portions are very large. If you don't love this food i'd be shocked, so yourself a favor when in the area exploring the outdoors, and take time out to eat here. You will be upset you didn't stop by sooner! read more

This is where you want to eat in Elkins. The food is delicious. What a surprise to find this type of food in this part of WV! The converted house is a very pleasant place to spend some time. read more

What a little gem in Elkins! Traditional Venezuelan food in a location you wouldn't expect. Went here for lunch and ordered a lunch plater, plenty food! Delicious, fresh and different. Staff was super friendly. Nice place, I will return. read more

El Gran Sabor - Beef Arepa! - Venezuelan Near Me - Elkins, West Virginia

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I love this place. We eat here whenever we are in the area. That's not often enough and I love the empanadas and arepas so much that those are all I have had other than the sides. I' m told other dishes are also excellent but I alway get an empanada and/or arepa fix. If I lived closer, I'd explore the menu. The service is alway friendly and fast. The prices are very inexpensive for the quality and portion size. They have local craft beers on tap. read more

Excellent food. Beautiful atmosphere and decor. Courteous attentive staff. El Gran Sabor was the perfect find for us - and one we will return to when traveling to/near/or through Elkins! If you like Venezuelan and/or Mexican food, go to El Gran Sabor. read more

I was surprise to find a Venezuelan restaurant in WV. Very authentic, fresh ingredients, cachapas excellent. Unfortunately I found out about this restaurant my last staying in Elkins. read more

El Gran Sabor - Cachapa and Ham and Cheese Arepa. - Venezuelan Near Me - Elkins, West Virginia

I was so happy to find this hidden gem in Elkins. It's delicious and everyone should try it because this place has a little something for everyone. I grew up making my own arepas and haven't been too excited by other restaurants' arepas because they could not compare to mine, but these are so tasty and made with fresh/quality ingredients. I prefer to come here, then make my own. read more

My husband and I went here on a Saturday night. It was very busy, and every table was full. The restaurant is in an old house, so the layout is very strange to begin with, and I'm sure there are fewer tables due to COVID. Several people came and ordered takeout instead to avoid the wait, but we didn't have anyplace nearby to eat takeout, so we hung around. It actually didn't take us that long to get a table, but it was very frustrating that the waitstaff (there were only two of them) kept walking past us in the foyer without even so much as a glance our way or a "be right with y'all." This might be one of those small-town places where you seat yourself, but if so, there was no sign saying that anywhere. Beyond that, though, we had a mostly positive experience. I ordered the chicken cachapa and my husband got the steak fajitas. It was a lot of food for a relatively small price, and it was delicious. Definitely the best food we've eaten during our weekend here. Given the crowd and the takeout orders, we got our food pretty quickly. We'll be back the next time we're in Elkins. read more

El Gran Sabor - Steak fajitas - Venezuelan Near Me - Elkins, West Virginia

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The same lady has served us every time we have gone and she is the coolest, nicest person. The food was amazing!! I always stay away from chicken when eating out but the chicken here was so moist and flavorful!! read more

First time trying, everyone loved their meal. I tried the Venezuelan combo #4 with pork and chicken soup, rice and beans. Everything was delicious. Everyone loved their meal and waitress was awesome even though it was crazy busy read more

The braised beef was absolutely delicious! The wait staff was friendly and texted us once our patio spot was ready. Their drinks were nothing special, but overall a fun environment! read more

El Gran Sabor is one of of the most amazing restaurants I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. Not only is the food AMAZING!! the service is a step above not only local restaurants but restaurants in much bigger metropolitan areas. Due to the latest virus scare, they have step up and are now providing local delivery. Please please please, if you are in Elkins WV for business or vacation stop by and enjoy one of the best restaurants in WV! BTW Say hello to Chris, he is an amazing cook... BTW the flan is to die for!.. read more

Excellent food with good service... Happy atmosphere... The Papellon and shrimp tacos were excellent too! Will definitely stop here again! read more

El Gran Sabor - Venezuelan Near Me - Elkins, West Virginia

Such a unique and authentic spot. The food is amazing. Be sure to try their homemade hot sauce.

The customer service is poor and the food is okay at best. Not worth the 30 minute drive or the money.

Great food, atmosphere and owners! Best live music in Elkins!!! In addition to eating at this restaurant for over 15 years, I have played here many times over the years. Always a good crowd and standup professional in dealing with the performers. Highly recommend El Gran Sabor!! read more

Oh my goodness!!!! This hidden gem is the most phenomenal South American restaurant! The food was superb and rivaled any that I have ever had before. The cachapas were amazing and melted in your mouth. Arepas were just as great! We also enjoyed fried plantain and the house corn, equally wonderful. I love the quaintness if the restaurant. A beautiful Victorian home off the Main Street houses this restaurant. This is a must visit!!! read more

So you're in Elkins WV, the last place you'd expect to find a Venezuelan restaurant. But it is here. You walk in, and think you are entering some one's grand old house. But don't worry, it's a great restaurant, with awesome food. It might seem a little awkward because you're not sure if you should seat yourself, or wait to be seated, but go ahead and seat yourself, they will know you are there. I'm guessing the owners must also live in the large house, because there were some kids running up and downstairs, who seemed like they lived there. Their specialty is the "cachapa", a pancake/taco like dish , filled with meat or seafood. I found it very good, but it is a little mushy with a little too much bread. Instead, I recommend the burritos, which are spicy with just the right amount of bite. There is a patio in front for outdoor dinning or you can eat in the main room. The wait staff is very friendly and helpful, and the service is fast. There is a separate bar and small stage in the back, where you will often find a local act performing. You actually have to walk past a very small (and often unused) bar on your way to the bigger back bar area. There are a few tables in a sunken area in front of the stage, if you want to eat and enjoy the show. When I was there, Blackwater Mojo was playing, which is an excellent local band. So go there, enjoy the good food, and have a few beers while listening to whatever local band is performing. It is definitely a great, local experience, 1,000 times better than eating at an Applebee's, or clone of Applebee's, if you are just visiting. read more

Going here and eating the food just makes me feel awesome to be from here (and where we had our tenth high school reunion-- have events in the back!). The food is fantastic and inexpensive, and the Cachapa with pork was one of the best things I've EVER eaten. Must go here if you come to Elkins. read more

Was in Elkins WV (Where?) with my Motorcycle group. Someone local suggested a Venezuelan Restaurant, hidden away near downtown. Venezuelan? In West Virginia? Oh, no... is it going to be a Del Taco?? Saturday night, we made a reservation for a large group, and went off to find it. When we find it, it's an old house, tucked off the main drag. Free on street parking out front. The patio has nice outdoor seating. From the outside, it looks too small to be a restaurant. But walking inside, we discover the place is huge! And it has old creaky wood floors! They bring our group out back to the bar area, and seat us all together by ourselves. Awesome! The waitress, who was a real doll (and is probably the owner's daughter) took good care of us. The owner came out and explained the items on the menu, and we ordered up a storm. Margarita was excellent, and frankly, dirt cheap. The food was WAY better than expected. I had the #4, pulled pork something or other. It was a corn cake with Pork and cheese, and It was delicious. Many of us shared our meals and appetizers. Everything was amazing, and my tab was $10. Seriously. Elkins is fortunate to have someplace this good. In fact, it's far too good for Elkins. Belongs in an artsy college town near me. As always, to keep my reviews fair, I have to point out the bad things. The front stairs are very very tall, especially after that Margarita. Oh, and the waitress refused to marry me. Heartbroken. Five big chrome stars!!! read more

There haven't been many times when a strong positive rating on Yelp has led us astray, but this is definitely one of them. Perhaps we went on an "off night"? I won't go into the entire sordid affair, but the highlights included COLD nachos (the shredded cheese on top was cold to touch and the beans goop made the chips soggy and cold as well)... no napkins, plates or utensils brought for at least 15 minutes... the entrees were brought by someone talking on her cellphone the entire time... chicken fajitas which were overpriced considering they did not come with any of the usual items (no guac, sour cream, etc - just some chopped chicken which had already been mixed in with onions and peppers)... undercooked yucca... overcooked plantains (but cold - now that's a trick)... and the waitress seemed completely unprepared to answer questions ranging from what drinks the bartender could make to any menu recommendations. Let's end this by saying if we hadn't eaten in almost 24 hours we wouldn't have stayed, and I recommend others not bother unless they too are so hungry even a table leg would taste good. read more

Forget store-bought tortillas, pico de gallo and melted orange cheese--this is Latin food done Venezuelan style. El Gran Sabor means the "big flavor" and it didn't disappoint. The cachapa is excellent. It's a fried, doughy, corn pancake with various fillings. I got the surf and turf, which was on special that night. El Gran Sabor is nice find in a town otherwise filled with ho-hum franchise restaurants, and walkable from the Davis and Elkins College campus. The address on the Yelp page is not correct, it's in the 400-block of Kerens Ave., just off the main drag through town (US 33/250/219) read more

One of the best Venezuelan restaurants outside of Caracas! This is simple Venezuelan cuisine similar to some Mexican food staples we all know and love. I travel through WV often by motorbike and I always try to stay in Elkins for one night just to eat here! The cilantro sauce they have is incredible ! read more

This place seems more than a little out of place in Elkins, WV! El Gran Sabor (EGS) resides in a large old house on a residential street in downtown Elkins, WV. Only a brightly colored sign out front identifies the place as a restaurant. That sign also identifies a bar inside. I skeptically entered ELS seeking only drinks -- I inquired about the bar. Expecting a small, simple bar, I was directed down a hallway. At first I saw a small bar-like room, and thought that was it -- but I was told to "keep going" and after walking a bit more came to the back of the house which was quite large -- that was the bar/lounge. The bar itself would sit maybe 20 people, but the rest of the room was what surprised me. There was a sunken area of the room where they presumably host live bands. There were a variety of instruments, including large "bongo-like" drums (I don't know exactly what they are called), and even a grand piano! I enjoyed some drinks and decided to try their food. The friendly bartender recommended one of their house specialties -- a cachapa. I had no idea what a cachapa was, but the bartenders description sounded good, so I went with it -- I chose a pork cachapa. In case you're wondering, a cachapa is a Venezuelan thing that's sort of a cross between a pancake, taco, and quesadilla. It was quite good, although the pancake-tortilla-like-thing was a little mushy. Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be. I've spent several weeks in Elkins for work and have drank/eaten at pretty much ever place in town -- I rank EGS as one of the top two places in town (the Jabberwok is the other). read more

I came to Elkins, WV on a business trip and this place was recommended to me. I was excited to go since I have never had Venezuelan food before. I came here for lunch and the place was very homey and cute. The restaurant actually occupied the first story of the house, which I thought was interesting since I've never been to a restaurant like that before. I walked in and stood in the entrance area for a few minutes since there wasn't host to greet me. I continued to stand there until another customer who was already seated said that I can just seat myself and that she believed the place was currently understaffed. So then I just sat at a table and the server eventually came out. The server was very nice and sweet and since the reviews on here recommended the cachapa, I decided to order that with beef (I believe). It was pretty good, but I'm not too sure that I liked the fact that the cachapa was sweet since everything else was salty. However, for 8-9 dollars, the portion was generous and I didn't even have to eat dinner that night. I came back on a different day and order a chicken quesadilla to go, which I thought was really gross and on top of that it smelled weird. I had one piece of it and then threw it away since I could not force myself to finish it. The quesadilla was just so disappointing, I mean Taco Bell's is way better! read more

Great food and WONDERFUL owners! Derdlim is a sweetheart and Rob will knock your socks off with his saxophone if you are here in the evening and can enjoy the live music! read more

This restaurant is a must visit for excellent food, wonderful atmosphere and excellent service! I highly recommend the Surf and Turf Cachapa! For vegetarians, they also have the vegetable Cachapa. They also have excellent vegan options! They have an beautiful bar and live music on the the weekends with a one of a kinda ambiance in the area. The owners are wonderful people that I highly recommend meeting if you have the opportunity to visit the restaurant. You are missing out if you haven't been to this restaurant! read more

worked and stayed in Wilkins for a few months in 2014. the food is great and the owner is the coolest dude, puts on live music almost every night. I wasn't a local at first, but Rob made me and my co-workers feel right at home. get the friend plantains!! read more

My favorite restaurant in Elkins, hands down. The staff is wonderful and the food is delicious. I can be seen here devouring nachos grande, squash soup, enchiladas and a strawberry daiquiri on a near-daily basis. The coconut flan helped me finally understand why people like flan. My partner is gluten and dairy free but still has plenty of menu options. There are a few less-flavorful items on the menu, but in general the food is spot on, and has considerably more variety than most places in town. The lounge area can get a little loud--I prefer to sit up front, but that's a matter of personal taste. read more

I love everything about this place. Great food, excellent service, inviting and clean environment, live music several nights per week. This is my go to in Elkins. Favorite dish: surf and turf cachapa. I get it almost every visit. read more

Authentic Venezuelan restaurant located in a cute little house on a street in Elkins, WV. This is not something I would have expected to come across while staying in Elkins, but I was pleasantly surprised. The empanadas were pretty good, but the pork inside was a little dry and could use more flavor. The rice was full of flavor and the black beans were good The prices were very reasonable and the staff was very friendly. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for some pretty good and affordable Venezuelan cuisine. read more

Outstanding.

This restaurant is fabulous and inexpensive. We each had a wonderful meal and two delicious appetizers, one dessert and wine and it was about $60. It was so good! I would go back in a heartbeat. read more

Visited during a work trip. The food was so tasty and the price was amazing and loved the atmosphere. I will definitely eat here again if I'm in the area. read more