Found this restaurant through Instagram. Initial thoughts, cute , intimate, and colorful. We had…read morea reservation and were running late to our surprise the restaurant wasn't super busy on a Friday night. We started off with nachos, great size and flavorful. For our entrees my husband had the steak ordered medium and came out to perfection . I had the chicken and it was also perfect. I look forward to visiting again .

Alma Bistro, Cocina Latina is a Latin fusion restaurant in Norwalk, Connecticut, celebrated for its…read moreflavorful, authentic dishes with a modern twist, blending South American, European, and Asian influences. Popular menu items include birria tacos, octopus, shrimp ceviche, and steak chimichurri. My daughter and I visited here for her birthday, and we both love Latin cuisine. As we walked in, we were greeted warmly and shown to our seats immediately. It was a chilly day, and the restaurant felt cold inside as well. The staff tried to warm things up with space heaters, but they didn't quite do the trick. We ordered empanadas, birria tacos, hanger steak, and sweet plantains with crema and queso fresco. When the dishes arrived, they were lukewarm--a bit disappointing, considering how cold it was outside. The birria tacos were delicious, though again, they could have been hotter. The meat was tender and well-seasoned, but I would have liked it a bit crisper. The hanger steak was tender, and the Pico de Gallo was bursting with flavor, pairing perfectly with the steak. It was nicely seasoned and had a good-sized portion. The empanadas were tasty, with flavorful and plentiful meat. The plantains were extremely delicious. The crema and queso fresco helped bring the whole dish together beautifully. The customer service was friendly, but the food could have been hotter; still, the flavors and seasonings were spot-on.

Amazing food! And the portions were generous. For being a…read moreweekday late lunch place was open, no long wait Service was very good. Place was clean and with good lighting. We had the opportunity to thank the chef in person for a great experience

Great service. Walked in and had a seat in 10 seconds. Took my order in under another minute. And…read morehad a drink in hand under 5. Gotta love it when you're on a quick work lunch. Got a custom Lomo with steak and shrimp. And a passionfruit mojito. Also delicious. I'll have to swing by and grab another lunch soon.

The restaurant has rebranded to Valencia Cocina. The menu has been streamlined. The food was…read moreexcellent as usual. Friendly, knowledgeable staff. Cocktails were well made! They took what worked well before and made it even better!..

I was passing by on Cinco de Mayo around lunch time and decided to pop in. I had been waiting for…read morethe renovations to finish so I was pretty excited. Sadly, just like the rest of the recent reviews I was quite disappointed by what I encountered. Everyone working was super friendly and attentive which was nice but I didn't recognize anyone working there. I didn't pay much attention to that but when the menu came it was greatly reduced and trying to be more "upscale". it felt odd as the main draw of Valencia for lunch was that it was fast, casual, affordable and delicious. I usually get the lunch combo that came with an aerpa, empanada, rice beans and ceviche but that wasn't on the menu that I saw. I ordered the street corn to start and got the bowl with a pernil arepa. The bowl was a large portion and everything was fresh. Taste wise things were pretty good but didn't blow me away. The pernil was only ok and that should have been the star of the show. I had to ask for aji and I was only given a small dish with some hot sauce as well. In the past your server would just hand over a bottle of aji and let you go to town. The food was decent, but not close to what I remember. The biggest let down was when the check came. I know things are expensive all over but lunch was $41 for some street corn, a jeujed up chipotle bowl and a coke. That seems wild. There was also a charge added for the kitchen which I get but it still feels odd to see additional service charges on an already expensive meal. As far as the renovations go it honestly didn't really seem like anything changed inside, maybe some fresh paint and tile? Unfortunately I will probably not return any time soon or even at all.

We went for a quick bite before an even at the music hall. The service was great. They sat us down…read morequickly and our food came out right away. We order the meat picadera. All the meats and chicken wells flavorful and tender. I definitely will come back and try a dinner meal.

My husband was craving Ecuadorian food, and since his mom lives all the way in Queens, NY and I…read morehaven't quite mastered those dishes yet. We decided to take a trip down to Norwalk after seeing the mouthwatering photos from El Idolo. The menu, especially the "specials," had some nostalgic favorites that caught my husband's eye. I was especially excited for the Bolón de Verde, my favorite Ecuadorian breakfast that's very similar to a Dominican mofongo. We ordered it as an appetizer, and wow -- not only was the portion size much larger than expected, but it was just as incredible as the ones I've had in Ecuador. My husband couldn't stop talking about the humitas -- one of his favorite childhood breakfast dishes -- so, of course, we had to order those too. I have to admit... I might actually like them more than tamales! Our main entrees did not disappoint. The portions were huge for the price, so we had plenty to take home. Somehow, we still saved room for dessert -- figs and cheese, a surprisingly amazing combo that ended the meal perfectly. To top it all off, our host was incredibly attentive and kind. She even saved us from getting a parking ticket when we completely missed the meter at the end of the awkwardly placed street. And the Ecuadorian music playing in the background? It made us feel like we were right at home with my husband's family -- complete with the classic tunes about heartbreak and betrayal! We'll definitely be back!

I visited this restaurant while staying nearby at the Even hotel Norwalk. I ordered there fish…read moretacos to try because I was not familiar with this restaurant or it's food. The staff was friendly and helpful when I asked questions. The restaurant itself was spacious and clean however I did not eat there. When my order was ready I took it to go. When I saw my tacos I knew immediately that most likely I would not return. First, $15 for 2 fish tacos that had more avocado than fish was crazy to me. Especially, when the menu described my order as - taco de mar baja style fish tacos - Citrus Cabbage Relish and Chile Aiali were the listed ingredients but mine were full of Avocado which was not listed as an ingredient. I didn't want to try anything else after that.

The Salmon is my go-to. Easily one of my favorite dishes in the area. Service is pretty good,…read moredesserts are fantastic.

Excellent food! Six of us (from loves-spicy to spice-averse) had totally different meals and were…read moreall very satisfied.

Came on taco Tuesday. Right now the price is $25 for all you can eat tacos and one margarita or…read morebeer included. You can choose from nine different tacos and can order up to three at a time. I tried all of them, I really was disappointed in the fish taco as it seemed just like a fish stick. My favorite was the birira and the chicken. Good service on the busy night. There was a DJ also which made it a little bit loud, but festive atmosphere. Definitely a great value, the flavors of the tacos weren't stand out, but pretty good food overall and nice atmosphere

The staff is SO nice. The ambiance is amazing -- and my husband and I added a lock to the wall,…read morewhich was sweet. We were not starving, but needed a little something, so we yordered a beef empanada, a cheese empanada, and a Reina Pepeada - which was *more* than enough for the two of us -- but reheated perfectly in our air fryer the next day for a second meal. (In full fairness, we do not eat tons at a time, but even their appetizers are very plentiful.) It is a lovely place and while we cannot regularly afford it, it is definitely on our special date night list and somewhere we consider special to our relationship -- especially as, he is Mexican and Irish and I am Irish/Welsh and Syrian, so we were asking about the food and what we might like, and two different staff members were happy to recommend -- and also keep in mind I am allergic to seafood. Muy bueno.

Very fast service, although a little bit of pressure to order. I asked the waitress what her…read morefavorite was and she recommended the steak and cheese arepa fried. I also did the shredded beef and plantain and beans grilled. Steak and cheese arepa was the star, so crispy, juicy steak, cheese seared. I could eat it dinner every time. The other arepa was decent, it just had the mistake of going second, shredded beef felt slightly dry. It was al little pricier than expected, the steak was 14 and the shredded beef was 11. Will be back to try other dishes!

The ambiance and service was Fantastic!!! I live out of town and it was my First time here and I…read morewill definitely be back. The food was SOOOO GOOD and fresh! The staff were so nice and friendly & work as a team. Loved the experience! The music was perfect - I love a place with good music. I Highly recommend the Fried Red Snapper - one of the best I have had!!

they charge you 3.00$ for a empty plate this is disgrace I would go here every weekend with my…read morefamily they lost a client forever! Check your bill because they charge you extra without you knowing Te cobran 3,00 $ por un plato vacío, esto es una vergüenza, iría aquí todos los fines de semana con mi familia, ¡perdieron a un cliente para siempre! Revicen sus recibos porque te cobran extra sin que lo sepas

I LOVE this restaurant. All of the daily soups are delicious - and I swear, magical if you are…read moresick. I'll take a big serving and have it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner - take a shower, get a good night's sleep, and the next day? Better! The empanadas are soooo good. The chicken is awesome with rice and beans. Always fresh avocado. Plus the staff is really nice, especially the woman I call "the super cute waitress." :)

Stay away!!! Es una vergüenza decir que esto es un…read morerestaurante de comida Colombiana. Está arepa fue calentada en un microondas con un pedazo de queso y una tonelada de mantequilla. Deje de ir hace muchos años y volví hoy porque tenía antojo de arepa y que recepción. Horrible!