you know that song from Sound of Music? All of my favorite things? well...if food could sing...this is what this place would be singing to me. Don't let the name fool you. It's not a pizza joint. A hole in wall, dive-ish Bolivian restaurant, this place steals my heart for the silpancho - steak eggs, rice, w/ some lettuce? and that jalapino/pico? my mouth waters as I write about it. At $11.00, it's pretty cheap given the quantity. Definitely not the best cuts of meat, but the food is delicious. The bakery next door allows you to order takeout from the restaurant. Don't be surprised like we were - some nights, the place turns into a karaoke bar/type place after 10pm. read more

The saltenas pale in comparison to the ones at Tutto Bene. The meat isn't as tender, the crust is too sweet for my liking, and they're greasier (not in a good way). The olives in them aren't pitted so you've got to be careful with every bite - I didn't expect the pit and almost ended up in a lot of pain. It's nice to be able to get the saltenas dine-in, and it's nice that there's a place that's available on weekdays, but I think I'll stick to Tutto Bene anyway. read more

Having just come back from a trip to Ecuador, this place was great. I felt like I was transported back to South America. Along with delicious food (the chicken saltenas and silpancho were great), the night was complete with a DJ, a classic bakery next door and of course someone trying to sell you flowers and gifts inside the restaurant. We also really liked the Bolivian peach drink; didn't know what to expect but with all the spices it reminded me of Christmas. The portions here are huuuuuge FYI - I think I even offended them by eating so little of my entree but I just couldn't do it after having the appetizers as well! Be prepared to be stuffed to still plan to stop at the bakery next door after :) read more

Ordered two chicharrón and two fricase for take out. We normally dine in and been customers for years however, due to COVID we decided to take out. The fricase was all water and bones it's as if we got the left overs, there was no mote, no potatoes. The chicharrón order had mote and choclo stale it wasn't fresh. We called and complained but there was no solution. We will not be coming back anymore. read more

I have has two very pleasant meals here. Recently I had a steak with hominy corn and an onion cheese and tomato salad. The sides were very good, unfotunately the steak was underwhelming. Bread that appeared at the beginning of the meal was good & the spicy green salsa that came with it was interesting. Lemonade came in a frosty mug with a frozen lemonade layer on top-a nice touch Coffee after the meal was exceptionally tasty and fresh. Friendly staff and clean men's room. Will return; a solid choice if you are in the area. read more

Great food! Salsa and bread was awesome! Ordered a beef (#12), pulled chicken and a fish (trout) dish for the non veg and a yuca appetizer for vegetarian. Everything was really good. Service staff was friendly and prompt. read more

I ordered a meal via UberEats and waited 45 minutes for my order to be canceled. Due to the cancellation, I was unable to eat before work and forced to work half of my shift without food. I can't begin to describe how irritating this experience was. read more

I love Bolivian cuisine. My favorite thing to order here is the Silpancho but really everything is delicious. If I am in the area I will always try to stop by. It's very close to VA Hospital Center. read more

Labelled here as Pike, this place's signage says "Pike Pizza," which my husband and I have always found funny, as this is latin american cuisine. I've been here for takeout several times. Best, most authentic Saltenas (large empanada-like pastry pocket filled with yummy beef, hard boiled egg, olives, and raisins in a stew-like sauce) I have found in the DC area. read more

One of the better Bolivian restaurants in Arlington or the Virginia area. They have the best Saltenas to savor and enjoy. Saltenas are like Argentinian Empanadas, but sweet and juicy on the inside. Dipping the Saltenas in the accompanied green spicy sauce adds a sweet spicy taste. Plus, the restaurant is pretty good with other Bolivian dishes like Peanut Soup (Sopa De Mani), Lomo Soltado ( a dish with cut pieces of hot dogs and french fries), Milanesa (Breaded Beef patty), etc. The decor is simple and older. There is a large bar taking up a good chunk of space. It is a pretty popular restaurant and is next to a pastry shop too. Service was great every time I have been here. read more

Pike Restaurant is one of those hidden gems for Latin American food. Some might say it's as good as grandma's (abuelita's) cooking ... if she was Bolivian. The salteñas are some of the biggest, best pastries in the area. It's stuffed with a savory, juicy stewd with plenty of potatoes, vegetables, and meat. These salteñas are so filling that it's a meal in itself. Plus, its got a great pastry puff. Meat is pretty much the focal point of every dish - so vegetarians beware. I recommend coming for the lunch specials which includes an appetizer and the house special of the day. [Original Visit: April 30, 2010] read more

Never tried their pizza- heard its good. But a great place to pick up an order of Saltenas. Ahhhh saltenas. Pike's has really great ones- but call ahead. They don't always have them (being a pizza place and all) . I've tried their chicharon too- not super impressed. But great saltenas. read more

I hit up El Pike on a Tuesday afternoon after 2 and got the last table. The Silpancho was good but the fries weren't crispy enough. My waitress spoke enough english. The green salsa that came with bread was awesome. They take credit cards. read more

My family and I get our salteñas from Pike Pizza and have never had a complaint. We used to get chicken and beef, but have now just stuck to chicken. Hubby and I ate here once because we were running late for a class up the street, I was 8 months pregnant, hungry, and cranky. The food was pretty good. A big on the greasy side and heavy, but portion size and price made up for that! Oh, and then there's this Bolivian soup they serve that's worth checking out. read more

I usually go here on Sunday mornings and am addicted to the Salteñas! I'm from Central America but love South American food and these people know how to make it right. I don't really recommended their dinner entrees but five stars for their Salteñas! read more

I went here with a group of friends who were visiting - we all studied abroad together in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and were searching out some authentic Bolivian food for dinner. We found (almost) everything we were looking for at Pike's. The saltenas were great, though two of my friends were really hoping they would have vegetarian ones (though that's not a Bolivian tradition so it's really not their fault). Their trucha (fried trout filet served with rice, french fries, and salad) was out of this world, as was the fried yucca side dish and the huminta my friend ordered - I was eyeballing it all night. The fried plantains were so-so, but we had a ton of food already so it wasn't a problem. The choclo side dish was also very good - it's served with that strange white spongy cheese you can only find in Bolivia, which we all love but also still do not fully understand. The decor was colorful and generally pleasant, with some strange but awesome music videos playing in the background (think reggaeton, with the one michael jackson song you've NEVER heard before thrown in every once in a while). I would definitely recommend this place and go back for like twelve more orders of trucha and saltenas. all the yums. read more

I absolutely love this place. They're food is very good but don't expect it to be in any way fancy, I find that the hole-in-the-wall restaurants typically serve the better food. I recommend the saltenas to everyone I meet that wants to try some or are looking for some. Although I dont know how the chicken ones are since I've only gotten the steak ones. read more

Go to Pan American over this place. Pike's salteñas were not that great. I wouldn't come back here.

Here we go again with another hole in the wall! The food is ok but make sure you eat there while the sun is out because once it turns dark, especially on the weekends, the place is packed with drunks. That's all a can say! Oh, the salteñas are very good but watch out for the olive pits. read more

Great stop for Bolivian food. Perfect portion sizes and loved the Sopa de Mani.

I've never had pizza there, in fact, have never seen anyone eating it there! But those saltenas are divine. You have to go during lunchtime when they are coming hot out of the oven. Little pastry yumminesses filled with either beef or chicken, with veggies, a half a hard boiled egg, and olive (beware the pits!). Comes with a HOT sauce. For $2.50 you can't go wrong. It is definitely a local joint, and I've both eaten in and taken out. read more

Delicious Salteñas. I had both the chicken and beef with the Bolivian iced tea "mocochinchi". I left fully satisfied and will return for more. The restaurant is open from 8:30am to 2:00am, except Tuesday and Wednesday when they close at midnight. The ambiance is relaxed and the staff is very friendly. read more

It doesn't get anymore authentic than this place. I've been going here for years and this place has huge delicious portions. If you're adventurous you must try the Picante Mixto! read more

The lomo Saltado is excellent here. A real gem for Arlington. Am so happy to have found this place, I will be back often!

A great little cafe the serves Bolivian food. The name kept me away for years. Today I went in and had a wonderful meal. The waitress was very helpful with the menu. Try the saltenas or steak. "Pike Pizza" is the name and Bolivian food is the game :) Enjoy. Highly recommend. read more

The places looks cool but i ordered saltenas, and it was not good. They tasted bad, small and cold and pricey. I know good saltenas like the place next door. Dont buy them there. read more

This appears to be a very popular Bolivian restaurant among the locals. Whenever I've gone, there are people at the bar and at the tables, sitting around and enjoying conversation, food, and the Spanish television broadcasts. Very nice atmosphere and wait staff! As for the food, they have a good variety of dishes. The silpancho is good and the green sauce is passable, and for only $11. not bad at all. And the saltenas are only $2.30, so it's definitely the least expensive saltenas I've found in the area. :-) The saltenas are pretty good, but I've noticed that they always seem to pull them from a pizza delivery box. Even though it seems like they don't make them here, they are good. read more

Sorry Pike, I totally screwed up and reviewed the bakery next door thinking that it was you guys. I have only gone in for carry out Salteñas but they are amazing. If you want to read about the utter deliciousness of this treat read my review of Pan American Bakery, its actually about Pikes. Sorry about that. read more

They were all out of the infamous saltenas, so we took the waitress's recommendation and got the empanadas, which from the sound of things are quite similar. They were fantastic! Perhaps we were just lucky but the olives inside were pitted, so it was okay that we were less than cautious in devouring the flaky and oh so savory purses of goodness! As indicated in the Washingtonian Best Cheap Eats issue, the portions are big, so after seeing the plates arrive at nearby tables we decided to share the lomos. The flank steak itself was a bit ho-hum, but the addition of piping hot eggs, super soft white rice, topped with sauteed onions, peppers, jalapenos, and a brown sauce made up for the steak's shortfall and MORE! While the service was a bit slow, the wait proved to be well worth it. We will be back! read more

My review is for the saltenas only. I've never been able to not order them because they are soooo good. Delicious. I picked up two chicken and beef ones today fresh and hot. This is a simple, casual local Bolivian place. don't come here for fine dining or ambiance. Just great saltenas. Some day I will try something else! read more

This is a good, wholesome Bolivian food. If you have ever visited or lived in Bolivia you will recognize the authentic dishes and tastes. I come here every time I pass through DC (3-4 times a year) and this place never disappoints. Pollo picante is my go to and I love being able to order a Pacena beer as well. Nothing but kudos to this place read more

Note that even though the sign reads "Pike Pizza" it's actually an El Pike. They just didn't change the sign when they moved in, I guess. There's another one near 7 Corners, but this one is in Arlington on Columbia Pike and it is the one I prefer. This is my favorite restaurant in the DC metro area. Every single dish I have ever had is great, and every guest I have brought there has felt the same way. It's inexpensive, has a relaxed atmosphere, and the food is delicious. I'm not knowledgeable about Bolivian food, but I do know a lot about potatoes, meat, and fried eggs, all of which are in almost every dish. Every item on the menu is heavy on meat and starches and comes in very large portions. I'm a large man (6'7" 225lbs) and regularly only eat about half of my order, bringing the rest home. If you are there on a date or with a partner you could easily share an order. A few tips: -My favorite dish is the Silpancho. It's a lightly breaded flattened steak over rice covered in a delicious tomato, onion, and peppers salad. Bonus: It comes with roasted potatoes and fried eggs. -The saltenas are great. Saltenas are a Bolivian turnover filled with a delicious beef or chicken stew. El Pike adds kalamata olives to theirs -Pay with cash. The waitresses sometimes mess up the bill when you pay with a credit card. I noticed this after I checked my credit card statement and figured out that they hadn't charged me for the tip I had written on the credit card slip. Now, I just always pay in cash. -Very late, probably after 10:00 PM, on both Friday and Saturday, they set up a DJ table and it turns into a dance party. I usually leave before then because I prefer the quiet, but if you like Spanish language music and dancing you might enjoy it. read more

I saw this place offered bolivian food and silpancho and since Tutto Bene closed its doors years back I have been searching for a good bolivian food place. The atmosphere isn't as classy as Tutto bene and felt more like I walked into a dive bar since it had tv's and people cheering and some of them drunk as they watched the soccer game on TV. I didn't stay to eat but ordered pickup. I ordered 2 chicken and steak saltenas and 1 silpancho. Delicious! The silpancho came with a side of bread that was very good. The saltenas were also very good. I'll order for pickup again but wish that the ambience was less dive bar and more family oriented to bring in family. read more

Horrible service , I ordered food 3 times over the phone those 3 times they have said that no one called / ordered anything even though I showed them my called logs ... I will not be ordering food from this place anymore . read more

Are you kidding me? Worst food I have ever eaten. The saltenas were bleh and burnt and I found four chicken bones in one. My husband got a steak dish and he refused to eat it. I tasted it and literally spit it out. The steak looked like rubber and tasted like vegetable oil. The fries tasted like bad board walk fries with no salt. The rice was tolerable and so were the tomatoes, that's the only thing he ate off his plate. Even his lemonade tasted disgusting. I would give this place 0 stars if I could. DO NOT GO THERE. If you want a good steak, go to La Union on Wilson Blvd and get the Tipico. If you want good saltenas, go next door to the bakery or to Tuto Bene in Ballston. I wish I could turn back time and take back this dinner and the $20 we spent there. Worst decision I have made in my entire life. read more

The place is small and cold. As soon as you walk in they expect you to know what you want to eat and drink . The food wasn't all that great. I didn't see any chicken products on their menu and I asked . Her suggestion was for me to try the steak and sausage platter, which has nothing to do with chicken but okay .The service was definitely not great, I asked for some limes for my meat because it was dry. It only took 20 minutes for the lime to finally make it to my table because the "waitress" was having dinner herself. She had totally forgot I had requested something and the only reason she came to the table was because I was staring at her eat. While she's serving ??? By the time she came back, I was already halfway done. The lime she brought had no juice. It was just horrible, I've never seen anything like it. So this waitress who is supposed to be waiting on us, is also having dinner. Unbelievable... I don't recommend it, I'm not going back. read more

i was actually pleasantly surprised at the taste of the food here. i really wanted some saltenas, but they were sold out for the day, so I settled for empanada, some chicken with rice dish, and a steak sandwich with eggs. all were very tasty and filling. the sandwich was really hard to eat. also, i wasnt a huge fan of the fries. i thought it was too dense. but the green spicy sauce they give you with the bread is amazing on EVERYTHING! read more

This place is great. When you walk in you will be thinking "what a dump" Well, don't judge a book by it's cover. The food is excellent. They serve authentic Bolivian food. The Silpancho is to die for. The portions are huge. read more

I had never had a saltena before and based on the Washingtonian's listing of cheap eats and the proximity to my office....decided to check it out. It's called Pike Pizza on the outside, even though the menu says it's called "El Pike". They probably didn't want to spend the $$$ to change the outdoor sign display. There is an old pizza oven in there they now use for their "baked goods"...probably left over from a failed pizza pie venture back in the day. I knew I wanted a saltena since I hadn't had one before...reading a couple reviews on yelp, it sounded like I should try chicken and the I split a steaks sandwich with an egg on top and fries. The saltena is basically a pot pie turnover deal. It had a bunch of flavorful ingredients in it including hard boiled egg, olives, chicken, and pieces of potato. It comes with a spicy green salsa that was deelish. The sandwich took a while, made to order, and finally showed up. It was a piece of flavorful flank-like steak served on a good sub roll and a perfectly cooked and runny egg on it. I was enjoying it until a bit into an unforgivable piece of disgusting grizzle that was so big and hard that it almost broke my teeth. I was disgusted with the rest of my half of the sandwich and left the remaining couple of bites on my plate. The fries were big and clunky and undercooked and needed a ton of salt....not that great. After that, it took a while for the chef / bartender to come out and get our check...so that yelp ranking was falling fast. Splitting a sandwich and having some saltenas and a couple bottles of water yielded a $19 check.....not too bad. Having nothing else to compare it to, the saltena was awesome....I wish I had just ordered a couple more of those...because that grizzle in the sandwich was enough to make a billy goat puke. The fries were easily forgettable. The place, at lunchtime, was not that crowded and it's a total dive. The service could have been a little faster and they should have noticed that the meal was over and given us our check about 5 minutes earlier. That said, I am anxious to go back, try something else, and feast on more saltenas. read more

Salteñas. Best place around for those. Love them.