Guasaca

Family-owned & operated

Vegetarian friendly

Had two arepas (chicken, beef) from their food truck.,really delicious and made beautifully. They…read moreare basically corn tortillas stuffed with your choice of protein. They had a couple of different cilantros to go with it. Highly recommended.

Just opened a block from my house and this is genuinely some of the best food I've had in a long…read moretime. Very friendly people and nice patio seats as well. Can't wait to come back every day!

BYO Bowls & Arepas

100% gluten-free arepas, always handcrafted fresh daily!

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Pana's Flavors

4.2(17 reviews)

4.1 mi

I love fried plantains, and theirs were fantastic. First time having tequenos, and they were flaky…read moreand delicious. The woman that took my order was nice and efficient. I'm excited to try their empanadas next time. I would definitely recommend them just from the 2 appitzzers I got.

I placed an order for a Pabellon empanada and was told they were out of black beans (took one star…read moreaway as this is a signature Venezuelan dish that is supposed to come with black beans) and asked if I wanted to substitute with something else like corn or bacon so I chose corn. I also ordered a chicken empanada with cheese and pico added extra. I was told it would be 5-10 minutes. Only one other person was waiting for an order. Empanadas were fresh and hot and tasted delicious! Even the side of garlic sauce was yummy. Customer service was great too. Would recommend you give them a try. Note- prices on menu are not accurate to what you are charged. Instead of 10 for Pabellon it was 10.30, Chicken was not 7 but 7.72 additional toppings were not 1.00 but 1.03 just a little over a dollar more than advertised prices.

Truck

Pabellon! My favorite.

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Grilled chicken Sweet Plantains and fried pork arepa

The Arepa Bar

3.9(58 reviews)

6.7 mi

Food great. Prices not so much, if you look at the prices on the website the plate we wanted it…read moresays it is $35.00 dollars but when you get there it is actually $55.00 dollars. Very disappointing on the price difference, more when we drove 2 hours to get there and had to pay higher prices for everything we ordered. Services was great super sweet lady, ambiance is ok. Small place.

Came here early evening on a Tuesday and it was not very busy at all. Sometimes not a good sign…read more But I was pleasantly surprised. It's a counter service restaurant and vibe. Friendly staff. We had a salad that the chef was actually cutting up in front of us. Fresh to say the least. We had a chicken arepa that was good and a churrasco with tostones that was very good. Great place to go for fast casual and good food. It's on the go to list.

Nice bakery items

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Miloja

The Corner Venezuelan Food

4.1(20 reviews)

6.7 mi

The food was amazing and the service was top notch. I'm definitely a customer for life!read more

Delicious arepas! And only $6 each. I'm so happy I stopped by. I tried both the beef and chicken…read morearepas. I actually preferred the chicken (even though I usually don't go for chicken), but you can't go wrong with either. If you aren't too hungry, one arepa is probably enough.

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Che Empanadas

4.5(145 reviews)

4.5 mi

Rating based on: Consistency, Cleanliness, Quality, Taste, and Presentation…read more Let me be REAL with you....I walked into Che Empanadas thinking this was some ordinary empanada spot. I was magnificently WRONG. This place is absolutely BANGING, and I'm so glad I found it tucked away here in Raleigh, NC. First up, the Beef Empanada. Listen. The meat is juicy, tender, seasoned with what I can only describe as impeccable love. The crust? Flaky, moist, golden perfection. Ground beef, onions, peppers, olives....every bite hits different. You can TELL they put their heart into this.... Then I tried the Dino Cheese....a scrumptious four-cheese blend wrapped in that same magnificent golden crust, dipped in their Chimichurri sauce, and oh my GOD. The flavor combo is luscious beyond words. That chimi hits like a flavor bomb and elevates every single bite. Now let me keep it honest with you because you know I'm a REAL one....in the pictures, the empanadas look a lot bigger than what they are in person. But with that said, if you have the urge to put up a couple extra dollars, this experience is WORTH it. Every. Single. Penny. The Knish....a Jewish-Argentinian classic with homemade potato and caramelized onion wrapped in flaky dough....MELTS in your mouth. I'm telling you, it's worth the drive alone. Scrumptious doesn't even begin to cover it. And the sweets? The Cubana....guava and cream cheese pastry....is luscious, buttery, and hits that perfect sweet spot. The Alfajor de Chocolate....dulce de leche sandwiched between crispy chocolate wafers and dipped in chocolate....absolutely MAGNIFICENT. Sumptuous is right. I tried about 80% of the menu and everything was delicious. And believe me, I KNOW good bakeries. I grew up a few blocks from Delancey Street in NYC....you feel me? I've been to more bakeries than I can count, and Che Empanadas? It takes the cake. The presentation is clean, the packaging is on point, and you can taste the authenticity in every bite. This isn't some mass-produced nonsense....this is handcrafted, Argentine soul food done RIGHT. Do yourself a favor. Go. Now. RIGHT NOW.. for a religious experience and I don't even care if you're atheist or not this place will blow your mind away.!

I visited this placed through the TooGoodToGo app where I was able to get 4 random empanadas to…read moretake home for a cheap price, cool. I didn't know the flavors until I got home to reheat them up in my air fryer. There was definitely a sweet one in there which I think was pumpkin , it was terrible. I had another one which was beef I believe, that was ok. My last two were the same flavor and I wasn't a fan of those either , something too sweet inside of them. Not a good first experience, I may have better luck trying it again where I can pick the flavors I want.

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We didn't like this sour one

Guasaca

4.3(65 reviews)

2.4 mi

I finally got to come back and try a stuffed arepa at Guasaca! The workers were so kind and patient…read morewith me as I couldn't decide on what I wanted but I eventually settled on a build-your-own stuffed arepa with avocado chicken, beans, plantains and pico de gallo. It was absolutely FANTASTIC! My husband also ordered an arepa and our total for two was only $11. This place is inexpensive, delicious, and overall outstanding. If you're in the area definitely stop by!

Good food, poor service…read more The menu is actually quite good, but the customer service is terrible. It's not worth having a great meal if the staff is unpleasant. Buena comida, mala atención El menú es bastante bueno, pero el servicio al cliente fatal. No vale la pena comer algo rico si el trato del personal es desagradable.

Dining area

Avocado Chicken Signature Arepa

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Seating area

L'Arepa

2.9(10 reviews)

7.3 mi

•$$

I like to support local food spots, but this truck was a total disappointment. Perhaps I've gotten…read morespoiled by Arepa Culture. Their prices are pretty high for what you get. Two classic arepas were $13 and two signature were $15. This is more expensive than Guasaca and Arepa Culture, and La Arepa's aren't as large. Overall, the flavor was really lacking and the arepas themselves were hard (It reminded me of an English muffin). I've saved the best for last! I was halfway through eating my second arepa when I looked down to find a DARK HAIR! Both my friend and I were done eating at that point, disgusted. Another review mentioned finding an object in her food, so this seems to be an issue. I won't be ordering here again.

The worst arepa we ever had. Both my sister and took 1 bite and threw both away. Disgusting!!! Go…read moreto Arepa Culture or Guadalcanal for delicious Arepas.

Marinated beef with plantains and mozerella cheese

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Mami's Latin Style Rotisserie Chicken

4.2(660 reviews)

3.9 mi

The food was Amazing! Had 1/2 chicken, green beans and rice. It was a little smoky inside overall…read moreperfect place for lunch.

Unfortunately came too late for their special daily but got the quarter chicken combo which came…read morewith a quarter chicken plus two sides. Got rice and beans which were standard and it came with fried plantains. The chicken was juicy and their sauces were good complimenting the flavor of the chicken. Overall, a good experience.

Pollo Saltado

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Half chicken with rice & beans, corn.

The Dominican Restaurant

2.8(61 reviews)

6.3 mi

I tried this restaurant two times and it never failed me. Food is delicious and service is always…read morequick! Great atmosphere, some nights they have a live band!

I wanted to try food even if ratings were low. I should have stayed away from this place. I ordered…read moresteak with onions and I got cold steak with peppers and cold rice that was so hard to chew, I had to return it and ask for plantains. I am very disappointed overall. We'll never go back. This place is only good to have a drink or a cold beer. Hopefully they can't mess that up.

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Music stage

Flan

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116 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Carlos M.

14 years ago

Last Friday night, my girlfriend and I decided to go check this place out (since everyone is talking about this place, we've decided to give it a try). The interior of Guasaca is quite interesting, the colors and the pictures on the wall matches very well, (the pictures by them self get you hungry as soon as you walk in). It was very well thought from the owner on putting a menu on the wall right before you get to the food line (it helps to choose or have and idea before you order) Even though behind the line their is another menu which is the same one. We loved the fact how the girl jumped in and helped us with the menu and also brought us some sample of Guasaca sauce that it was DELICIOUS! We never have had an arepa before nor had an idea about what it was, excellent from the person in the line that took his time to teach us what it was (even though they were busy, we did not felt the rush of like moving us fast from the line, like in other places do). We got to sample their meats to have a better idea on making our order...choosing my girlfriend a vegetarian arepa (comes with black bean, caramelized onion, guasaca sauce and cole slaw) her comment form the first bite was "wow, great taste". I ordered two arepas, one shredded beef (comes with black beans, pico de gallo, white cheese and a side of red sauce) it was really flavorful, shredded beef very tasty while the pico de gallo and black beans adds some juice into it which is a fabulous tone to the palate, the red sauce "spicy" wasn't that spicy, but tasty. My second arepa was fish (comes with baked plaintain , carmelized onion, white cheese and a side of cilantro sauce) no words could explain the great taste of the fish combined with all the ingredients that this signature arepa brings! Also when we were about to pay the same girl that gave us the sample of guasaca suggested us to get some Guasaca sauce with some chips, which it was amazing!! After finished our diner we were absolutely agree with what people were talking about this food, specially with my friend that works near by the restaurant and told us how he loved this food. Over all, we have found a great place to dine, nice and clean place, great service, EXCELLENT FOOD, and unbeatable prices. WE WILL DEFINITIVELY COME BACK! read more

Anna A.

6 years ago

called for pickup on a friday night. inside was a shit show. i'm sure they were super busy with call in and online orders on top of walk ins. i think they have too many outlets for ordering that the staff can't keep up. there was no system in place, the people behind the counter were visibly flustered and disorganized- so disorganized that i saw a couple days later my card was charged twice. there was a pile of wrapped arepas on the check out counter. when it was my turn to pay, they had lost my order. the person working the register asked if there was a call in, and another person shuffled through a bunch of receipts and found mine. the cashier dug through the existing pile of arepas, didn't find mine. they hadn't started on it yet, which is ok they were probably really busy. i sat and waited for about another 15-20 minutes on top of the 15 minutes i was told to wait on the phone. finally my order of 2 arepas, plantains, and chips + guasaca was ready. got home, ate the beef arepa first. it was okay, lukewarm. pork arepa was inedible which is a shame because it was so delicious the first time i had it and i was really looking forward to the mustard sauce :(. this time it was so greasy that the arepa was falling apart and couldn't hold in the fillings. i tried eating just the pork with the chips but it didn't taste good at all. chips were stale, plantains were cold and undercooked. i live across the street, so i know the order didn't go cold from the 2 minute drive home. also would like to say i've ordered from here before and the food was great!! maybe they were having an off night. maybe there should be some better organization with handling online 3rd party orders, call ins, and walk ins. thank you for working food service during a pandemic! read more

Jeanne B.

14 years ago

I ate here a couple of weeks ago while visiting family for the holidays and was blown away by how awesome everything was. From the food, to the service, to the atmosphere - Guasaca exceeded my expectations by far! I would have to concur with those that likened the restaurant to Chipotle (but better food :) in terms of the concept in that you choose if you want a bowl, salad, or arepa and then served down the line. If you are not familiar with Chipotle, then think Subway, same concept, different food. Back to Guasaca...I love that they give you the choice of custom filling your entree` or selecting a signature combination of fillings that best compliment the meat of your choice. It says a lot that despite my best efforts not to overeat, overeat I did. After indulging in a bowl filled with brown rice, seasoned chicken, black beans, pico de gallo, sour cream and white cheese, I could not resist the urge to go for a vegetarian arepa with plantains, black beans, caramelized onions and Guasaca sauce. And let me tell you something, the plantains were so yummy and sweet that never mind my already full tummy, it didn't go to waste! Well, it went to MY "waist" but was well worth it :) One last thing, as a North Carolinian, I can appreciate a glass of good sweet iced tea, and these guys have that one in the bag too. So, here is my advice, if you are in the area or all the way across town, give these guys a try, you will be delighted that you did! This girl can't wait until her next NC family visit! read more

Cait H.

Elite 15

179

292

242

14 years ago

After 2 visits - I'm absolutely a fan. Guasaca boasts a deliciously simple concept. If you have no idea what an arepa is, just think of it as the love child of a tortilla and cornbread. And the cornbread cheated on the tortilla with a pita pocket. They're kind of hard to explain, but oh-so-good. Guasaca's arepas are dense and perfectly grilled, and stuffed to the gills with meat and veggies and cheese. Feel free to pick from their signature arepas - Jay enjoyed the Mechada (shredded beef, black beans, pico de gallo, white cheese and spicy red sauce), but wasn't nearly as fond of the Braised Tilapia (though it might have been the plantains, a flavor neither of us are familiar with). On both visits for me, I ordered the Steak arepa (sans black eyed peas, plus sour cream) and was incredibly satisfied. Each arepa is about the size of a small burger, but significantly more fun and tasty. Add on chips and guasaca (a really fresh, sweet, chunky guacamole) and everybody's happy! We spoke with the owner on visit 1 and he was VERY pleased when I said how much I preferred his establishment to a certain fast food, Mexican-grill chain. I wish him a lot of luck and hope that his yummy concept gets the chance to expand in the Triangle. You could come to Cary - I wouldn't complain :) read more

Charlotte E.

11 years ago

After reading so many reviews, I'll admit I was expecting to get totally blown away. We ordered a variety of arrepas, the chicken, pork and steak. For about $3-$4 each not very expensive for our family, typically runs us about $50 for eating out, it was $35 for 4 of us including three drinks (no tip since there is no waiter service). The arrepas were messy but had a ok flavor. The guasaca itself lacked flavor, had the usual tomato and onion like guacamole but perhaps was just in need of some salt? Not worth the extra surcharge. I think what we were expecting was flavor, from the black beans to to actual meats. Nothing was bad per say, yet nothing made me go, "wow that was good!" Nothing out of the ordinary. Had high expections for this place, will not be coming again. read more

Haddley C.

12 years ago

My daughter and I tied this restaurant on a whim. We were pleasantly surprised! We went on a Friday and wanted to have fish or seafood. We had the signature fish arepa which is braised Tilapia.. We got two and received a discount for ordering two of the same item. The arepas were substantial in size and very satisfying. The flavors were excellent! We also ordered tortilla chips and guasaca (guacamole) and both the chips and guasaca were excellent! There are big chunks of avocado in the guasaca. We since went back and had the steak arepa and that was equally good! The prices are really reasonable too. We love this place. Whenever we think about going out for lunch, we always seem to think of Guasaca. I think we're Guasaca addicts! read more

Gen H.

9 years ago

Guasaca is my jam, bebe! I love the bowls (even though they can get pretty pricey if you add enough to fill you up) and the food is always fresh af. There are only a few small things that I don't like about Guasaca and why they don't get five stars from me. One is that the lines are always out the door, this isn't a huge issue to me except that they could fix it with ease if they trained their employees to work more efficiently. The line isn't JUST long because there are a lot of ppl, it's the employees not working fast, trust. Also, it's really loud in here all the time, so don't bring anyone around lunch time that you plan to chat with intimately. Plus I am a Vegan. read more

Breanna H.

12 years ago

I'd never had or heard of an arepa before I went here. My boyfriend recommended the restaurant to me after he went. I got the chicken arepa and I loved it! The cilantro sauce that came with it was not something I ever would have chosen myself, but it was very good and suited it well. I really loved that the chicken was sliced instead of diced like at other restaurants. I will definitely be going again. Not sure if it matters at all, but there were many Hispanics eating in the restaurant. I have literally never seen that in any other Latin American or Mexican restaurant in this area (not the largest Hispanic community in my area). read more

Raisa M.

13 years ago

Hats off to GUASACA!!! Thank you for bringing to the area something different and delicious. Your Empanadas and bowls are awesome. My favorite, the Tilapia Empanada! Wonderful job. Your food is fresh and oh... so tasty. Flavorful indeed, not burning hot spiced. Manuel is there with a big bright smile ready to introduce you to the new delicious choices. Great location and nice area. I loved it and will continue to visit. Highly recommend it. read more

Briana V.

9 years ago

Hands down the best Arepas I have ever had! All of the meats are delicious, juicy and packed with tons of flavor. I tried the shredded beef and my friend tried the shredded chicken. Oh man. The arepas are stuffed beyond belief and one will definitely have you satisfied but you'll just want to keep eating more because it's THAT good. This is literally one of my favorite restaurants of all time! Check it out, you won't be disappointed!! read more

Drew M.

9 years ago

The bowls here are phenomenal. There are a ton of ingredient options that really help you to make a hearty, yet healthy bowl. I choose Guasaca over going to Chipotle any day. The only issue I have is the noise and the long lines. Get past that and this is one of Raleighs best lunch spots. Oh and the actual Guasaca is DA BOMB! It's a must on any bowl, along with onions. Mmm mm mmmm. Who doesn't love onions. read more

Revel V.

13 years ago

If you like spicy and hot, add the red sauce and don't tell me i didn't warn you! Man I am addicted to it. I like the simplicity of this place, the tables are always clean and the floors are shiny. I heard from friends that one arepa would be enough and I'm happy I listened because I couldn't even finsih the last bite! This is the definition of perfection. By far better than any fast food in America read more

Michael J.

13 years ago

It is really difficult to find real Latin food in the Raleigh area. I took my Tia (aunt) to Guasaca today and we all loved it. The arepa's are delicious and the meat is really fresh. The special Guasaca sauce with Avocado is really great. I took some arepa's home to my wife and she loved them. We are definitely going back to Guasaca. Thanks read more

Andrea T.

12 years ago

Good food and the quality is great too! The green sauce is amazing! I love going there with my family. It's a very kids friendly place. On a good day it's great to sit outdoors. I wish they had a broader menu - sometimes it gets boring to eat the same stuff. Parking can be an issue on weekends. read more

Janet T.

12 years ago

Seriously the best food that I have had in a long time! The staff is so friendly and they get your food correct every time. The owner is always there working and he is always polite to the customers. I highly recommend this place to anyone wanting to try something different for lunch or dinner! read more

Casey T.

13 years ago

Extremely delicious, very fresh, and affordable!! The corn arepas are so good and they are a nice change from the flour tortillas that most places use. I recommend the Signature Mechada Arepa. The Guasaca sauce and chips are also very good! Thank you Guasaca for making such awesome food!! read more

Elle R.

102

5 years ago

Nice little arepa joint! Laidback atmosphere, order Chipotle-style (in a line). The arepas are very reasonably priced and absolutely delicious; a great value. Quaint and comfortable outdoor seating area. Minus one star for chaotic and inconsistent communication between the staff. read more

Casey W.

13 years ago

I'm pregnant, so I get to make a monthy (soon to be bi-monthly) trip to Rex Hospital for a checkup. I always try to schedule my appointments so they end about lunchtime, so my husband and I can go to Guasaca. Fresh, delicious, and different every time. We're big fans. read more

Shawn S.

12 years ago

I've heard about this place form friends for years and finally got a chance to try it out. Food was fantastic, I've never had Venezuelan food before but was pleasantly surprised. I got the Mechada arepa and it was delicious! Cant wait to go back. read more

Marie T.

11 years ago

Yum! Everything I've tried here has been great :) It can be difficult to communicate special dietary needs sometimes depending on how busy they are and who is working, but I know that's more on me having allergies and not on the establishment. read more

Guasaca - venezuelan - Updated October 2026

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Food was sooo good! My better half ordered the Mexican Flag he had been wanting to eat this dish,…read moreand said was as good as ever. Very nice manager that checked on us. Love the guac and salsa. The ambiance of the star lights is beautiful. Highly recommend!

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