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    El Peñol

    4.3 (203 reviews)
    ModerateColombian
    Open 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order El Peñol Takeout or Delivery

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    EL PEÑOL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - El Peñol

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    Cafe
    Francisco P.

    Craving authentic Colombian cuisine, my party of three decided to visit El Peñol in East Boston around 2 PM. Despite the mid-afternoon timing, the restaurant was bustling. A group of four was ahead of us, and shortly after, a group of six and another group of three arrived. The waitress seemed to know members of both the group of six and the other group of three, greeting them personally. After seating the group of four, she proceeded to seat the second group of three. When we inquired about this, she explained that she had noted that group arriving first, followed by the group of six, and then our party. I respectfully clarified that we had arrived after the group of four and before the group of six. She acknowledged this and assured us we'd be seated next, which is all we wanted. Eventually, we noticed her conversing with her acquaintances, with some pointing in our direction. It appeared she asked them to move to accommodate us, which we neither expected nor desired, but we were seated promptly. This led to a bit of an awkward meal with the man on the other group of three mean-mugging us the entire meal. Once seated, the experience was seamless. Another waitress took our order, providing friendly and attentive service. The coffee was rich and delicious, a testament to Colombia's renowned coffee culture. I highly recommend trying it. We ordered the Bandeja El Peñol, an enhanced version of the traditional Bandeja Paisa. The bandeja includes rice, beans, steak, chicharron, fried egg, plantain. The bandeja Peñol also includes chorizo. Based on the menu, it seems like the bandeja was supposed to include an arepa too, which we didn't get, but it was too much food anyway. The portions were generous, and the flavors transported me back to my time visiting Colombia. The chicharron is probably the best I've had in Boston. The chorizo was so tasty and the steak was so tender. As I mentioned earlier, our waitress was so attentive and she offered us salsas which we appreciated. The red salsa was perfect with the steak adding a bit of acidity from the lime and some heat. We enjoyed a fantastic meal and I can't think of a better restaurant for Colombian food. Given the excellent service and delectable food, I highly recommend El Peñol. However, I encourage them to improve their seating system to avoid confusion. Perhaps taking names for each party would help. While it felt like we might have been de-prioritized in favor of regulars, I'll consider it an honest mistake and give them the benefit of the doubt.

    Frijoles
    Mimi S.

    The food has been great every time. I prefer this location. I've ordered from Everett, and this is number one by far--very consistent, tasty, and flavorful. The other location is a hit or miss.

    Bandeja Paisa
    Max G.

    Best Hispanic food I've had in Boston! I've been a few times while in East Boston with work friend and we're always blown away with the food and service. The traditional breakfast plate with beef, chicharon, plantanos, rice and beans is epic and unmissable. The food is always seasoned beautifully and generously portioned. My buddy always gets the limo saltaedo which comes in a rich sort of creamy spiced sauce with onions and peppers. He loves it. The cocktails are always on point too. The servers are all so kind too! Aleja always takes good care of me

    El Peñol.
    Sergio L.

    El Peñol gives you a real taste of Colombia. The minute you walk in, you're surrounded by Colombian warmth, familiar accents, and friendly faces. The menu itself makes you hungry, especially the Traditional Colombian dishes (don't skip the empanadas!). Service is fantastic, and the food hits all the right spots. The whole vibe is just right. Buen provecho, mi gente! El Peñol te da un toque auténtico de Colombia. Apenas entras, sientes la calidez, los acentos y la buena onda. El menú te abre el apetito, especialmente los platos Tradicionales Colombianos (no te pierdas las empanadas). El servicio es excelente, y la comida está buenísima. La vibra es perfecta. ¡Buen provecho, mi gente!

    Bandeja Paisa Mini
    Anna F.

    I thought this place was excellent. Though it was a little bit of a wait to get in on a Saturday late morning/early afternoon. My partner told me this was the original el Peñol. I came in with high expectations, and was not disappointed. There were fresh fruit juices or milkshakes, and there was nice coffee. We all got versions of the bandeja dish. My partner's and his friends had additional meat and was larger. Mine was a mini bandeja paisa- with one fried sweet plantain, and a slightly smaller portion of yummy rice and beans, a huge chicharron (I think fried pork belly), steak, and a fried egg on top. Certainly the breakfast of champions. Reasonably priced, and this real home cooked taste and vibe. Definitely a great local spot. Was already planning who to bring next. They give you chewy Colombian coffee candy with the check.

    Bandeja Paisa
    Jimmy N.

    My favorite Colombian restaurant around. This review is based on delivery. The food came on time (45 mins). It was well packaged and secured. The food was still hot. Both my empanadas were still warm and crispy. My fried pork was still crispy. Highly recommend trying one of their many restaurants around the Boston area.

    Flan so good

    Great food very authentic super nice staff and very reasonable El Peñol es un restaurante conocido por su cocina tradicional y su ambiente acogedor. Se encuentra en un lugar pintoresco, a menudo con vistas impresionantes, lo que lo convierte en un destino popular para turistas y locales. En el menú, puedes encontrar una variedad de platos típicos, incluyendo carnes asadas, pescados frescos y opciones vegetarianas. Muchos visitantes elogian la calidad de la comida y el servicio amable del personal. También es común que ofrezcan productos locales y frescos. Si tienes alguna pregunta específica o quieres saber más sobre un aspecto particular del restaurante, ¡háznoslo saber!

    Espresso martini
    Des B.

    Umm ESPRESSO MARTINI is all I have to say! On a serious note, the food is delicious here and the staff is kind. Mostly Spanish speakers, but they will assign someone who speaks English to you if they see you might be struggling like I was. Very relaxing atmosphere. Even at the bar. Decor for Easter cute as well!

    Yink T.

    A must go Absolutely delicious! Excellent service and atmosphere. Delicious food. Best Chicharron in town.

    Empanada De Carne

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    29 days ago

    Es bueno, aunque me parece un poco caro, unos huevos de codorniz a 7 dolares es exagerado. La picada es buena.

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    3 months ago

    Love the food. It brings me joy every time I eat there when I'm feeling homesick. Good music

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    2 years ago

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    2 months ago

    Great Colombian food. We always get bandeja paisa. The church empanadas stole the show. Great service

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    1 year ago

    El servicio estuvo excelente y la comida igual. 100% recomendado. Si quieres comida Colombiana, éste el el lugar

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    2 years ago

    Nothing like eating food that makes you feel at home. Great food, nice servers, good vibes.

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    Page 1 of 6

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    Con Sabor a Colombia - Cazuela paisa

    Con Sabor a Colombia

    4.6(8 reviews)
    0.1 miEast Boston

    Ordered take out: -…read moreMini bandeja: Loved the rice and beans (I know it's the most basic part of the plate but if a place can't master these, they lose me). Carne was dry. Chicharron was great. - Arepa: looks like a tortilla, so not the typical thick arepas I'm used to. So felt like I paid $8 just for a tortilla and small block of cheese - Tostones con guacamole: I prefer my tostones to be crispier, but they had great taste. - Cazuela de Mariscos: Great flavor. I put it on top of rice and enjoyed it with the other food, otherwise too heavy/dense on it's own. I didn't enjoy the mussels (I love mussels). They were too gritty.

    " From Colombia with Love " For a moment I was…read moretransported in time to my aunt Mimi's house in Colombia. Where I spent many wonderful summer vacations as a child . We tried a little of everything on the menu . The smoothies our a must . Everything tasted fresh and delicious. The service was kind. Overall warm and welcoming. (For a moment I could feel myself eating at my aunts house in Colombia , it was that warm and welcoming of an environment ). The name of the restaurant " Con Sabor a Colombia " is the most favorable name for this establishment. Which translates to ; Food with flavor of Colombia. Parking is difficult but manageable. The prices are a bargain for the quality, portion size , experience and freshness.

    Photos
    Con Sabor a Colombia - Beef empanadas

    Beef empanadas

    Con Sabor a Colombia - Sancocho de res and sweet plantains

    Sancocho de res and sweet plantains

    Con Sabor a Colombia - Fresh Blackberry drink yummy

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    Fresh Blackberry drink yummy

    El Peñol - colombian - Updated May 2026

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