Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Exotic Latin Grill

    4.3 (132 reviews)
    Open 4:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

    Order Exotic Latin Grill Takeout or Delivery

    Exotic Latin Grill Photos

    Business Info

    EXOTIC LATIN GRILL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Casual
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Exotic Latin Grill

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Menu
    Jonathan K.

    Oh man... Authentic but very accessible latin fare To the lay Mexican food fan. Food was super fresh & such a fun & diverse menu. If I lived in Columbus I would have to be a weekly visitor.

    Colombian Hot Dogs
    Adri C.

    *Cash only From the name and location, I was super skeptical of this place. But it has actually turned into one of my favorite food places in Columbus! They have delicious, authentic food and fast service. I've tried so many new things there and loved all of them. My recommendations are the Colombian hotdog, arepa with cheese, and stuffed plantain.

    Torta !
    Kalah Rae F.

    I have been eating from this truck for a decade! And it's always in this location, right outside of 14-0, which has one of the best carry-out beer selections in the campus area. It should be noted that the place got a major facelift and paint job and it looks much different than it did 10 years ago, but they still only accept CASH so come prepared so you don't have to pay UDF or 14-0's wack atm fees. I've never known the exact hours of operation, but I think I've only stopped in on a few random days over the years and been disappointed to see it closed. Otherwise they are typically open, and usually until pretty late to cater to the boozie midnight snackers who are leaving local bars at that time. My go-to order is a chicken baleada. I usually ask for it to be cooked 'extra crispy', and it comes out perfect. It's like a quesadilla but with a thicker dough instead (I know, sinful) I hadn't been there in awhile, so last time I ordered the house baleada because I saw it had avocado in the photo, low and behold I got a behemoth of 2 eggs, meat, beans, avocado, etc. lol. It was still good even though I am super picky about eggs and I rarely order them when I'm out... let alone from a food truck at 9pm. I also love their tamales, and I order those whenever they are available. They used to not have them most days, but last time they did, so maybe they have them more often now! The best empanada IMO is the Hawaiian empanada which contains cheese and pineapple! Yum. Another favorite item is the arepas. Always amazingly delicious-- like a cheesy cornbread pancake. Last time I ordered both of their beverage options (never had tried them before) and I liked them both. Horchata is always amazing, I would compare it to drinking an iced chai, but less spicy and complex made mostly with cinnamon. The Tamarindo is basically a tamarind-flavored juice. If you've never had Tamarind I'm not quite sure how to describe that, sorta fruity? It's common in Mexico. It's like a super sweet/tart snapple tea flavor that you can't quite place. I would definitely recommend El Manantial Latino :) I'll always go back after those late-night campus shows at Rumba Cafe!

    Carne asada tacos
    Deniece W.

    This food truck has existed in the parking lot of 14-0 for yeeeeears. They offer a decent variety of Latin American food for a food truck. Unfortunately, it took way too long for our food order to be prepared. The burger & carne asada tacos we ordered were good, but over 30 mins is just too long of a wait for food truck food, especially in the campus area.

    #3, must try
    Pat E.

    This food truck is pretty popular. The quality & quantity of food is the reason. Always a wait to get your order, so call ahead. The Cubano is huge, full of meat & cheese. Very filling. Personally, I would like more pickles, but delicious anyway. #3 Bandeja palsa is for the HUNGARY person. Beans, potatoes, rice, sausage, beef, half avocado & plantains. Speaking of plantains, the last few times, fried bananas replaced the plantains. Not sure why as they aren't as good. The woman working at the window is hard to understand, and I am good with accents. If you like very good value price food, this spot is for you. CASH ONLY. MASK REQUIRED to order. Oh and BTW, they have plenty of vegetarian options too if that is your thing :,-)

    Sobrebarriga
    Richard P.

    Exotic Latin Grill has been around for a while; 7 years plus at the current location outside the 14-0 on Hudson, and down by campus before that. At some point, I can't honestly recall when, it came under new ownership. Besides the snazzy new wrap on the trailer, the new ownership also brought with it a few new dishes. Amongst the usual tacos and burritos on the menu are a couple of standout Colombian dishes, including bandeja paisa and sobrebarriga. The sobrebarriga is a particular favorite of mine. Big chunks of unctuous beef stewed with onions, tomatoes, and spices, accompanied by yucca, rice, sweet plantains, half an avocado, and a bit of salad. It's a generous helping of beef; I can get several meals out of the amount of meat. My only gripe is that it doesn't come with enough of Exotic Latin Grill's tasty fried sweet plantains, but this is easily solved by ordering a side of sweet plantains to accompany it, which I unfailingly do. The bandeja paisa is pretty indulgent, if meat is your thing. Chorizo, chicharrones, and flank steak, plus a fried egg, an arepa, half an avocado, rice & black beans, and fried plantains. I would order it more often, but the sobrebarriga (which isn't always available) usually wins out. There are also arepas, empanadas, and tamales to be had, in addition to the usual taco truck offerings. Don't forget to order that side of the fried sweet plantains. They get pretty busy in the evenings, particularly when OSU is in session, but you can always call ahead and then go pick up your order.

    Cuban sandwich, papusa
    Jessica E.

    This place is SO GOOD! The only thing that could make it better is if they excepted credit cards and if the Baleadas were authentic. Don't order the baleada here because it's nothing like an actual Honduran baleada. HOWEVER they have a million other amazing things. You really can't go wrong with the Papusas, empanadas, and tamales. My mom is OBSESSED with the Colombian hot dog and my husband got the Cuban sandwich last time and it was SO good. We still have so many things on the menu that we're looking forward to coming back and trying.

    Empanada, my hand is for scale
    Mindy H.

    I was recommended to go to this food truck so many times by my friends I thought I just had to try it when I didn't have time to make lunch one day. We waited about 7 minutes for our food and we just waited in our car to social distance. It was not a bad wait at all. The person serving us gave us two salsa verdes and 1 hot red sauce. It was the perfect amount to spread on the torta and two empanadas. The empanadas were were freshly fried, crispy and the fillings(shrimp; beans) were soft and nicely spiced. I had a bite of my partner's torta and it was just so good. The steak and cheese complimented each other perfectly. This is a great find and I would not pass up a chance to try Exotic Latino Grill!

    meat (below) and pineapple and cheese empanadas (above)
    Yessica A.

    Soooo good! I love to order their tacos, tortas, empanadas, plantains, and cubans. It's cash only so make sure you have that and a few bills to leave a tip! These guys are extremely hardworking, stay open late, and serve some of the best food on campus. Love this place!

    Burrito
    Patrick S.

    This is the place. Don't let the exterior keep you from eating one of the best food trucks in Columbus. YEARS, I had been driving by and never thought twice about it until a friend recommended it to me. Reasonably priced, fantastic food. My go to is the steak burrito and the pineapple cheese empanadas. Try the salsas. The red is extra spicy so beware. Also cash only. You won't be disappointed.

    Please be great!!!
    Ruben R.

    Coming from Los Angeles I've been on a mission to find some great tacos. I'd like to FINALLY announce, "I have found them!" My 1 complaint is they're double tortilla tacos and I'm not a big fan so take that with a grain of salt. The Pastor was great and no salsa needed, just add lime. The Lengua, oh man, it took me back to my childhood. It's def a top 3 Lengua taco I've ever had. I absolutely loved it. We live in New Albany and that taco is bringing us back. The Asada was really good as well. Unfortunately, the Cuban Sandwich was on the opposite side of the spectrum. The bread was not pressed, it was soggy. 2 pickles for the entire sandwich and very minimal mustard. I hate to say it but it was probably the worst Cuban I've had. I don't entire rule out going back because this is NOT a Cuban truck. I will be back for those tacos and to try other items. My wife got a Torta and she liked it but it wasn't anywhere close to a LA Torta. Flavor was good but to much cheese (shouldn't have any). Lengua Taco 9.5 Pastor Taco 8.2 Asada Taco 8.5 Cuban Sandwich 3.3 Torta 8

    Truck
    Steve A.

    Exotic Latino Grill is another of those food trucks in Columbus. I have usually found it at the carryout on Hudson Street. They have a fairly big menu for a truck. It has lots of Colombian inspired items as well as Mexican. They also have some vegetarian options. I ordered the vegetable burrito. It was $5 and it was massive. This is the best value of any food truck around. It came with a couple of hot sauces. They are so fucking hot beyond belief. If getting the red hot sauce, you need to get something to drink with it. They unfortunately are not able to sell drinks from the truck, so you have to go to the store. The food itself is okay. It's kind of bland without the hot sauce. The burrito needed to be made with a bigger and stronger tortilla. It ripped into pieces almost immediately. They put way too much into it so it made a big mess in the container. I would choose Exotic Latino Grill over some of the other food trucks. It's more authentic tasting if kind of bland. The sauce is very hot so be sure to get a Mexican pop to cool off with.

    See all

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    So good the Cuban sandwich are some of the best I've had. They're so big that I have leftovers for lunch the next day!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Food was decent, service not so good. Wouldn't go out of my way to go here lots of other options where they seem to appreciate my business.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Pat E.
    129
    297
    1134

    6 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Melany B.
    169
    17
    1

    3 years ago

    The food was mediocre at best, kinda cold when I got it and everything was overcooked. Not the best for Caribbean food, you can do better.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of P P.
    443
    53
    23

    4 years ago

    Mucho mucho tasty. Nicest workers and people in columbus Ohio - arepa w cheese and green sauce and the veggie burrito are champions

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ruben R.
    488
    26
    33

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Steve A.
    4750
    5576
    8499

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    The food is all very bland, dry, and flavorless. Disappointing after reading all the raving reviews. Wouldn't go again or recommend.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Śea E.
    326
    28
    39

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Pricey for a food truck that serves mediocre food. Never had a good or worthy experience here. This is a cash only establishment too.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1
    Photo of S M.
    9
    191
    6

    13 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Best Latin food ever!! Me and my husband love getting take out From here! Wish the owners would put up a restaurant

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lisa H.
    27
    64
    80

    12 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nate B.
    4
    46
    46

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 4

    Exotic Latin Grill Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Exotic Latin Grill

    Are there any gluten-free options?

    Yes. The tacos use corn tortillas, the tamales use masa (cornmeal), and the arepas are made with cornmeal as well. Also, the dishes like sobrebarriga come with rice, no wheat.

    View All 2 Questions

    You might also consider

    El Sabor de mi Tierra - Restaurante Salvadoreño

    El Sabor de mi Tierra - Restaurante Salvadoreño

    4.5
    (2 reviews)
    5.5 mi

    Tucked away in a big, run-down strip mall. I've driven past dozens of times and never noticed it…read more There's really no sign you can see from very far away. It is next to a plasma place and what might be a market. If you're coming off Cleveland or 161, look for the car repair place and it is straight back from there. They said it's been here two years, but in the three months I've been a fairly regular visitor to the area I've never noticed it. Step inside, and it's nothing fancy, but with lots of comfy booths and tables. A drink cooler off to the side with Mexican Coke, etc. Small menu with the basics (I should have taken a picture of that.) Beef, shrimp, fried plantains, etc. Some breakfast items and pastries. I went with carne azada. Strips of beef, marinated and grilled, and probably the best I've had. Sided with a mix of rice and beans that was pretty good, pico de gallo, excellent guacamole, a roasted pepper, and perfect, hot and fresh corn tortillas. Wrap it all up or eat it individually, it's great either way. Great food, at a decent price, in a non-descript place. Service was stand-offish at first for someone clearly not a regular, but as I wolfed down the food and smiled, they warmed up. I'll be back.

    The menus do not have English descriptions, so have your phone out so you can use google translate…read more The food was really good, the service friendly, and the place was clean though well worn.

    Photos
    El Salvadoran artwork
    El Salvadoran artwork
    Front entrance, very easy to overlook
    Front entrance, very easy to overlook
    Carne azada.

    See all

    Carne azada.
    Arepazo Tapas Bar Grille

    Arepazo Tapas Bar Grille

    4.0
    (341 reviews)
    4.4 mi
    $$

    Great time here! Came for dinner at the suggestion of a friend, and they delivered! Sat on the…read morepatio which was very nice. Food was delicious and came out fast. Had the Colombian Bandeja Paisa which was enough food for two meals for me and amazing. Also had the Venezuelan Empanaditas as an appetizer and strongly recommend. Our server Marte A was very friendly and knew the menu well. One thing to note, there is free parking in the back; on the street is metered.

    Came by Monday with friends! Not sure if they take reservations but they weren't busy so we walked…read moreright in and got a table. To start, we got beers and margs. Not bad but nothing special. We also shared the shrimp ceviche. Good flavor but strange texture with the toasted nuts. The food seems like it's fusion as my friend and I both got chilaquiles but the chips were already broken apart and mixed with the meat. Still tasty but not what we expected. My other friend got the patacon, which basically looked like a salad. Far from the usual plantain fritters with toppings. Only one of my table mates ordered something that sounded like what was expected, the Ecuadorian churrasco: sirloin, eggs, fries, rice, and salad. For dessert, we got the flan and tres leches cake. There was a hair on the cake and they quickly gave us a new slice. Good but the flan could've been better. The cake was good though. Nothing was too sweet which was perfect. Overall the food was good but not as authentic as we had hoped. The service was also a bit slow. It was a slower evening but it took a while to get our drinks. Our server was really nice though. We ordered his recommendations. I'm not too familiar with parking around here but there were parallel spots in front. I parked in the garage at the back. Around $6 for two hours.

    Photos
    Arepazo Tapas Bar Grille
    Chimichurri Carne Asada & Peruvian Lomo Saltado (@joeynht)
    Chimichurri Carne Asada & Peruvian Lomo Saltado (@joeynht)
    Happy Hour Sangria (@joeynht)

    See all

    Happy Hour Sangria (@joeynht)
    The Cactus Restaurant

    The Cactus Restaurant

    4.1
    (26 reviews)
    10.9 mi

    My husband stopped in a few weeks ago and hasn't stopped talking about the empanadas. We were…read morelooking for a pickup option this week and decided on Cactus since I hadn't tried it yet. I am gluten free and was thrilled to be able to select from a variety of options (not just salad ). We called our order in and I confirmed gluten free options. When I arrived to pick up our order, I was greeted warmly and was impressed with the decor and set up. The inside is much bigger than I expected! The food was fantastic and I can't wait to try every arepa option on the menu!

    The Cactus Restaurant started as a food truck in Marysville in 2020 and opened a restaurant in 2024…read morein a Powell strip mall off the beaten path. The restaurant is bright, welcoming and very clean We were seated in a side room with the bar, a large projection TV screen with the volume on MAXIMUM and two smaller TVs advertising menu items. Those TVs featured some seriously delicious looking items! Service was ok. Drink refills were not offered and I needed one. We both ordered lunch specials advertised for $10.99 but billed at $11.99. Hubs ordered the lunch chicken bowl with rice, black beans, grilled chicken and corn. The corn was served refrigerator cold. The rest of the meal was hot. Overall the food lacked seasoning. I started with a cheese empanada. Expertly made and fried with goody cheese inside. The empanada was served with a dmall side of green sauce that I thought was cilantro based. I ordered the lunch Pabellon Bowl with pork, white rice, black beans and a sweet plaintain Everything on my plate was served hot but also without seasoning making it bland. I used the empanada sauce to add some flavor to the pork and rice. In summary, I wanted to love this restaurant the advrtised images on 2 TVs are gorgeous but the food was bland. The projection TV volume made conversation difficult and service could have been more attentive. This was our first expusure to Venezuelan food and probably our last. I still stand by the fantastic empanada. I would return for that alone.

    Photos
    Main room
    Main room
    Beef in mushrooms sauce with to sauces
    Beef in mushrooms sauce with to sauces
    Cachapa with pork rinds

    See all

    Cachapa with pork rinds
    Ranchero Kitchen

    Ranchero Kitchen

    4.6
    (116 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$

    Ample parking in a busy strip center. Two doors from a BMV. Ambivalent front opening to a spacious,…read moreopen, comfortable interior. Our server was pleasant, helpful, and efficient. Any age would be welcome here. The food for me was mixed. Nothing bad or not fresh. The tortilla chips were thin and excellent. Not overly salty and strong enough to scoop goodly amounts of the tasty cheese dip. Sadly the cheese dip was barely above room temperature which was disappointing. The "bang bang shrimp" had no bang. They were alright as fried shrimp but no spice. The shrimp sauce was essentially mayonnaise. And again lukewarm at best. The two different sandwiches we had were both well stuffed. Among other things we tried both types of chorizo sausage they offered. Neither was what I expected. The French fries were very good. Another place that I'd have no problem going again, but, probably wouldn't choose again.

    Let me tell y'all something…read more.. I've driven past this spot so many times knowing it was a Hispanic/Latin restaurant, but never actually stopped in because I didn't really understand the menu. Today, I finally gave it a shot--and I'm so glad I did. Everything we ordered was AMAZING. The food? Incredible. The atmosphere? Warm and welcoming. Our server was fast, funny, attentive, and made sure we were taken care of the whole time. Even the manager came out to check on us, which says a lot. This place is seriously a hidden gem. The prices are right in that perfect middle--not too high, not too low--and the portions? HUGE. Even the desserts don't play around. I would absolutely recommend this place again and again and again. If you've been thinking about trying something new but weren't sure... this is your sign.

    Photos
    Inside from our table.
    Inside from our table.
    Pupusas, with chicken, cheese and jalapeños. Side of fries and a 2oz side of very spicy salsa.
    Pupusas, with chicken, cheese and jalapeños. Side of fries and a 2oz side of very spicy salsa.
    Ranchero Kitchen

    See all

    Choripan

    Choripan

    4.5
    (130 reviews)
    7.6 mi
    $

    Excellent service and amazing recommendations. Love the artwork throughout. Steak is delicious…read moreand cooked to perfection. The potato salad is great as well. Proudly displaying his mother's and sister's beautiful artwork. It's almost as though you are eating in an art gallery! Will.ALWAYS be a stop for me when visiting clients in Dublin, OH!!

    We stopped for a light lunch and were the only customers. By the time we left. The dining room was…read morefilling up. The owner answered my questions and stepped us through the menu. We took a seat in the small dining room and within minutes complex aromas from our meal prep surrounded us. My belly started to rumble but within a short time our empanadas arrived. We decided on carne asada and pollo empanadas sharing both. Pollo was stuffed with peppers and onions. Very flavorful. The Carne be asada was only cubed beef. The flavor was fantastic but there were no vegetables. I purchased the Pico ( not the menu name) diced tomato onion oralegano red wine vinegar and oil. I ate the salsa with each empanada and thought it was fantastic and totally elevated the flavor of the empanada. I had read other reviews recommending the zuchinni. It did not disappoint! We love churos and had to order them here. These were unexpected. Maybe I'm used to mecican churos; fried dough, to covered in cinamon and sugar. As you can see in the photo- no cinamon or sugar sprinles (maybe the tiniest amount) House made dulche de leche is served on the side. Perfect for dipping the churo! I really enjoyed this churro. I think my husband was anticipating a more "mexican churro" experience. But he ate the entire stick! LOL. I'm excited to return - there are other empanadas flavors to try and that zuchinni will definately be ordred again!

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Plantain chips.
    Plantain chips.
    Choripan

    See all

    Exotic Latin Grill - mexican - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...