The food is great! Every time we've visited, we've had to wait for a table. Tonight, the restaurant was less busy, and we were seated right away. The service was excellent, the staff was amazing, and the food was fantastic. On our last two visits, our server was Gabby. Although the food was good, she made us feel as though we needed to rush through our meal to accommodate the next guests. In contrast, our server tonight, Carima, along with the manager on duty, Alex, was attentive and provided the best service we've experienced here to date. We hope they maintain this same level of service on our next visit. read more

Nothing hits the spot like a warm arepa from Mais. The server was incredible and the arepas were amazing! The only downside were the plantain chips were old and not crispy at all. Granted we did some in an hour before they closed; this was not good. The drinks were also not made well as both caprarinias were not good. Overall we love Mais even with the small missteps. read more

Maïs Arepas - Tostadas de Platano - Colombian Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Our server was very professional and understood the needs of my guests from India. One was vegetarian. We ordered plantains with avacadoes and two different sandwiches. One with chicken and one vegetarian. read more

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So very delicious! Our group of 7 had a reservation for 5:30pm on a Saturday night. We were greeted by two very nice, friendly employees and immediately taken to our table, which was already prepared for us. We ordered the empanadas and street corn as appetizers. The street corn was SO good! I'm not sure what's in the sauce on the corn, but it is additive. The empanadas were good, but a little dry. They came out with some sort of pickled red cabbage slaw, which helped with the dryness of the empanada and was tasty. For our entrees we ordered several kinds of arepas, the soup, the shrimp meal, and some sort of meat platter. Everything was absolutely delicious! Some things to note: Everything is gluten free. For groups of 5 or more the tip is automatically added to the bill. read more

Fresh. Authentic food. Sexy ambiance. Fast service. Will always have this on the list! Perfect for a date night or just a quick dinner at the bar. Reservations are highly encouraged! read more

Colombian dishes using fresh ingredients, well prepared with delicious combinations! Wait staff was enthusiastic and help as if they enjoyed working here. Compréhensive wine and drink selection. Folk-art, young professional, post-workday vibe! Portion size appropriate for combining small plates. The building even resembles the Spanish colonial style I saw in Puerto Rico and seen in pictures of Cartajena. A remarkable experience and a new favorite. Within walking distance of downtown, but you may want a taxis because the neighborhood may feel sporty to the uninitiated. Check this place out!!! read more

Found this place on google maps, and I am so glad I did! We ordered the ceviche de pescado as an appetizer. This was among the best ceviche dishes I have ever had. The avocado, fish, onions, tomatoes... all of the ingredients were incredibly fresh. And the passionfruit flavor was phenomenal. The seeds in the dish also added a nice texture that I enjoyed. I would come back here just to get the ceviche (and I probably will, although I'm only in town for 2 weeks). The arepas were also amazing. The Carnicera was me and my boyfriend's favorite; the grilled wagyu skirt steak was very tender and very flavorful. The Buenaventura was also delicious. Overall, I was super impressed by all of the dishes' flavors. Nothing was overpowering, nothing was too salty. The restaurant has a lovely ambiance and our server was very friendly as well. read more

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Maïs Arepas is one of those rare places where the food is even better than you remember--why don't I come here more? My favorite street corn I've had outside of Texas, the sauces that accompany the arepas are so flavorful and the staff is so helpful! I'll be back. read more

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Come here! I stopped by for a quick lunch before leaving town, and I'm so glad I did. Super cute spot with great decor. All of the staff are really friendly and helpful. I was dining alone so I only ordered the carcinera arepa, which had wagyu steak, plantains, and avocado inside a perfectly cooked shell. The chimichurri sauce was incredibly smooth and tasted amazing on everything. The plantain chips on the side were a nice accompaniment. Wish I had the chance to taste more things on the menu! Will have to wait until the next time I'm in town... read more

Maïs Arepas - Carnicera Arepa - Colombian Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Literal hidden gem! Arepas were so good! We were traveling with a friend who has celiacs and she didn't have to worry about anything and was able to really enjoy herself. Had empanadas as an appetizer and the steak arepa. Nicely seasoned and had big pieces of steak in it. Definitely will be back when visiting Nola! read more

Maïs Arepas - Colombian Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Second time coming here and just as impressed as the first. The service is very attentive and helps explain a lot of items and gave suggestions. Literally cannot go wrong with the mojitos. We got the corn and ceviche to share and then everyone got a different arepa and it was all so good!! The restaurant is cute too. I love it here. read more

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I casually wandered into this spot, and it's now my favorite place in New Orleans. The Colombian food was the best I've ever had, hands down! You have to try the corn and the veggie arepas!! The service was amazing, and the music perfectly set the mood--light Spanish tunes with so much energy! read more

Maïs Arepas - Veggie arepa - Colombian Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Comfort food at its finest. I cannot visit without getting the corn, it's so good and I always save the excess sauce to dip my plantain chips in. I've had the whole fried fish which is really good. I've also tried the shrimp (marinera) and chicken (Pollo grilliao) arepas and they are both delicious, hard to chose between the two. The restaurant is pretty small so get there early and if there is a wait head to the bar to get the best sangria in the city! Yum! read more

Maïs Arepas - Maiz de la rueda - Colombian Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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It's always amazing! The food, ambiance, & service! I've been coming here for years & it's never let me down!

Contemporary Colombian arepas. It was clean, a simple menu, and it felt like they cared about the food. The sampler was crispy, each one flavorful and beautifully complimented by the salsa rosada. The limeade was very fresh and not very sweet so don't think soda, think sour lime warhead candy. I got the Choriarepa. Best chorizo I've ever had, seriously. It was such a good meal. The arepa was huge! Each ingredient played off of one another. I also tried a few of my friend's plantains and they hit the nail on the head with that. Kind of pricy but worth it. read more

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Went here our first night in town. Not too long of a wait but does get crowded fast. Waiter was sick and was still working. He was nice but it's different when you work around someone's food. Short and sweet. The Fruit drinks weren't good. It's like you can taste the tap water over the drink idk. It wasn't it. The Corn was cool, I'm not a big fan of the elote. Mini Arepas as an appetizer. Probably didn't need since we got the Arepas as entrees. They were okay. Nothing to brag about. I would look at other appetizers if I had known. But with all that said. The Chicken and Waygu Main entree Arepas was . I can't even remember all that was in there but they made up for everything else. Probably give this another try but they got a lot of competition in New Orleans. read more

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Fresh and delicious cuisine in the CBD, we loved the arepas, roasted corn, crispy mushrooms and assorted veggies. Everything here was tasty, fresh and sent us on a flavorful journey to Columbia. The service was also amazing and the staff was super friendly and attentive. The atmosphere of the restaurant also took us on a journey to Columbia and beyond. 10/10 recommend if you're in the CBD area ^^ read more

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Yum, Yum & YUM! The food was spectacular, the service was on point, and the vibe made me feel like I was in another local country! I really enjoyed Maïs Arepas and plan to go back. The desert was truly divine and I'm not even a huge sweets person. My favorite for sure was the Arepa! If you're looking for a new spot to try, drop on in and support them. p.s. Great Drinks too! read more

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This is a tough one. Very familiar with Colombian cuisine. In Colombia, it's kind of bland, not much spice, no spicy food or peppers (they don't even use black pepper, too spicy). But, I thought in New Orleans, with ALLL the flavors, spices, herbs and things it would be "kicked up" or elevated to a great flavor profile. I was disappointed. They DO stay true to the Colombian cuisine blandness of their food. THE FOOD: I started with the Boliyucas (yuca balls, cotija and mozzarella cheese) deep fried, with a dipping sauce . The sauce was good. The balls were as bland as could be. I also ordered the sampler of mini arepas. (Skirt steak, chicken, pork shoulder) all were cooked properly, but no flavor, no salt even. The servers were friendly, nice place, I sat at the bar. I guess if you're familiar with Colombian food or like no flavor, this is the place for you. It IS authentic, but I hoped for more. Sidenote: there is a lot of street work, construction going on (Feb 2025) so parking, driving the area is tricky. read more

Everything I ate at Mais Arepas was delicious from the Sangria, to the appetizers, to my Pollo Griliao arepa. The atmosphere was lively with great music playing and drinks flowing. The service was good and the staff were friendly. Overall it was a great experience and I will be back to explore the menu. read more

With its tasteful interior design, beautiful presentations and perfectly-prepared base ingredients (arepa bread, sauces, reductions - all made in house!) this Colombian establishment is unparalleled in New Orleans. Mula in a copper tin - well executed and high quality ingredients. Caipirinha - calming on the eyes with its white glow and candied lime. Again, on point with its preparation and investment in foundation components. While the cocktails are excellent, the arepas are the stars of the experience. All of them - and the sauce combinations - are top shelf. I love the shrimp and chorizo the most (the chorizo is so delicious and the gulf shrimp is large and perfectly seasoned), and... there is a reason to try every single one - the mechada (skirt steak), the cerda (roasted pulled pork), the carnicera (wagyu)... there are others and even a delicious grilled vegetable option. I am not one to order plantain chips when given the option - but they do make them in house, so they are probably the best you will ever eat. I do adore fried fresh plantains. Careful - you only got the latter on the current menu when ordering the dishes that have them as an accompaniment. I have tried to negotiate substitution, but they held their ground. Then, the service is truly so kind and attentive that Debayn made it happen anyway (with no knowledge that I love to post reviews). The plantains he brought out are what dreams are made of - now that you know, please don't ask to substitute. Just order the dish that has fried fresh plantains to begin with (that will influence my selection next time!) - there are reasons for the combinations. My multiple experiences here attest to how deeply the staff desire that your experience is excellent. The maracuyá flan is made with fresh passion fruit found both in its foundation and in an exquisite reduction moat, and the custard, which is perfect in its composition and freshness, and is topped with mint leaves and ripe berries. Unbelievable. An authentic Colombian jewel in the crescent city. read more

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One of the best restaurants I experienced in New Orleans. The food was amazing and authentic. The service was friendly and the waitress was informative. The ambiance is fun and casual. This is a must try restaurant while visiting. A great change when you're tired of traditional Cajun cuisine. read more

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I. AM. STUFFED. I was humming as I was eating. Savoring each bite. Food was amazing! Full of flavor! The textures! I've been here before, but THIS visit was really nice! I sat at the bar and was greeted and immediately serviced. Placed my order with the friendly and welcoming staff and I GOT TO WORK. I'm stuffed. Drinks were great! Effective! Would absolutely recommend. So so very full. I didn't want it to end. read more

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This cozy little Colombian restaurant is a little off the main stretch, but it's downtown. The street may look sketchy, but it's worth the visit. The taste of the food is phenomenal, the portions are very fair, and it's reasonably priced especially for downtown. We got there at 8:30pm on a Saturday night, and it was packed! We were told it would be a 45-minute wait for the next table. They have a little waiting room with a few tables and stools (meaning the wait happens frequently enough to warrant a dedicated space for it), but the waiting room was also packed! Once seated, our orders were taken quickly and the food came out quickly. These items are a MUST try, and I highly recommend them: *Ceviche de pescado ($16) - Pickled raw fish and veggies that comes with plantain chips (not the candied kind). The plantain chips were light and crisp, the ceviche was one of the best I've ever had. So fresh and yummy! The portion looks kind of small initially when it's packed tightly in the cylindrical shape, but once you start digging in and loosen it up, you see that the portions are decent! *Arepas sampler ($14) - A sampler plate with 3 mini-arepas, so you can try one of each of the beef, chicken, and pork. All 3 were delicious, and perfect if you can't decide which to get! They do NOT skimp on the meat toppings here. Each mini-arepas is a handful! *Bandeja paisa ($28) - A meat-lover's plate that comes with SO MUCH FOOD, and every item is phenomenal!! It comes with: a palm-sized tender and delicious wagyu steak; a chicharron strip that's fried to a flavorful crisp; slightly spicy chorizo sausage; green plantains cooked into salty crunchy disks; classically sweet, soft, and ripe plantains; rich and well-seasoned rice and beans; a perfectly poached egg; and a small salad with avocado, tomatoes, and a mustard-based vinaigrette. The portions for this plate is HUGE. You can definitely split this with someone! We also tried these, but I would skip them next time. Don't get me wrong; they were good, but they don't impress you like their other items. *Arroz con pollo ($25) - The chicken roulade (leafy veggies wrapped in a thin chicken breast) was kind of dry and not as flavorful as I would have liked. There are only 4 slices of the roulade, and the rest of the dish is basically a Spanish rice with shredded chicken and vegetables mixed in. It was mediocre and not worth $25. *Flan de maracuya ($7) - The flan was good, but it was nothing special. Not to mention, it was pretty tiny. It's cute though if you want to pay for the fancy appearance. read more

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Food is excellent. Drinks are excellent. Atmosphere is charcharming. I ordered the corn on the cob, empanadas and arepa de cerdo and a blueberry margarita. Food and drinks are flavorful. A definite recommendation. read more

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This was my first time trying this restaurant, I got the vegetarian arepa and it was still very very tasty, however the flavor did kind of get tiring after a while because they are so filling. (The plantain chips on the side are so good.) You have to get the maiz de la rueda as your appetizer, prepare to want an order to yourself! Also ordered their sangria because I heard how good it was, and it was delicious, had a slight cinnamon aftertaste to it! It is a very very busy restaurant, so make sure to call ahead and try to make a reservation! (They only take reservations until 8:45 and then walk-ins only!) read more

Maïs Arepas - sangria - Colombian Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Wow! Great food. Found this restaurant by searching nearby restaurants on a another travel site. Glad I did. Took a walk from the World War II museum around a neat monument to this restaurant, just on the other side of the highway. Don't let the neighborhood's appearance or homeless tents scare you away. Wonderful Colombian/Latin menu. I had the shrimp ceviche and whole fried fish, which was red snapper, as recommended by my server. Simply put, the ceviche was the best ceviche I have ever eaten. Lots of shrimp, in a sauce with red onions that was truly memorable. Served with miniature plantain chips was also tasty experience. The snapper, which was lightly seasoned and fried was mouthwatering and delicious. Nice size portion. It was served with some type of fried flat pancake that was also very good. 15 or so Arepas on the menu as well. See the photo I took of the menu. Pricey lunch, but worth every penny in my opinion! read more

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While the location is somewhat inconvenient, the exceptional quality of the food makes this establishment highly desirable. read more

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Renewing my pleasure at the food, service and value Maïs Arepas represents. The key, I have learned, is to make a reservation! The space is small, and crowded with fellow foodies. You have to call, they do not have a website. This trip, we ordered our food to go, for the first time from Maïs Arepas. We had to call in our order. Pickup was fast, and everything was correct, hot, well packed for delivery, and delicious. I have nothing but love for my favorite Columbian street food restaurant, Maïs Arepas. Five Stars. Can't wait to return! read more

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Love everything about this place. Food is amazing, great menu, great service, nice atmosphere.

Food it's very tasty but it takes too long to come out! Also our waitress was very rude when I asked about a dish, she said "it says in the menu" and every time she came to the table she has an attitude with us, also the drink we order was not as expected and when we mentioned to her she said, that's the way that always has been. I came to visit this restaurant back in march this year and the drinks were so way better and the service was outstanding that's why I came back but now The customer service was awful and such a bad experience read more

Maïs Arepas - Maíz de la rueda - Colombian Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Delicious espresso martinis BUT BETTER . Ask for their passion fruit martinis if you want to go home with your heart full & belly asking for more. Enticing i know. So I won't tease my schpeel of the arepas de platanitos. Instead .. I'll lay it easy on you & let you have a visual picture of what the food looks like. Cheers read more

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The best Colombian Food in the area! We love their buñuelos, bandeja paisa and their ribs! Amazing food and service! read more

Maïs Arepas - Bandeja Paisa - Colombian Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I visited Mais Arepas because it is one of the only 100% gluten free restaurants in the city, and I had a friend with celiac in town. The food was fabulous! This was my first time trying an arepa and I was blown away! The flavors were wonderful and the plain rain chips were excellent! If you go with a bigger group, I highly recommend splitting the sangria pitcher ‍ read more

Maïs Arepas - Sangria - Colombian Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Sooo good ! Love this Colombian fusion gem. La bandeja paisa was delicious. The service was amazing and friendly Cute place loved the ambience ! read more

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This place is a favorite of mine that I don't get to frequent as often as I'd like. The food is Colombian. The staff is always really nice. The drinks are good but never strong. I had a passion fruit margarita then a pineapple one. Perhaps an extra shot would help. The restaurant is small so I recommend reservations. The shrimp ceviche is great! They coupled it with plantain chips. I'm always thankful when a restaurant does this because I always feel I want a chip of some sort to put my ceviche on. I'm arm huge fan of arepas so I had the pulled pork one. It was also served with plantain chips. It was delicious. It goes without saying that I'll be back to reignite my tastebuds with Colombian food. read more

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Love love this place! It's small so make a rez- we arrived near opening and only 2 ppl so we got lucky- within 30 minutes bar was even full Ceviche pescado, 2 arepas: cerda & Buenaventura (shrimp/sausage), sangria, pineapple margarita & limeade = $70-ish, very fair prices for size/quality & excellent service Food & drink excellent Can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu! read more

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Worst experience i ever had. I used to love this restaurant. The order was taken out tonight, and it took 30 minutes. This wasn't the biggest issue. They add a charge for all takeout orders. I asked about it, and they appeared frustrated. The bartender seemed to inform other staff members about my question. After 30 minutes and adding a few dollars on top of the to-go order, i made it home to eat my food. I had the longest hair inside my area. Someone had to have put it there. No one's hair falls out like that. This will be my last visit. Update: i called the restaurant and was hung up on after informing them that i didn't want my money back, i only needed the management to know. Shameful. read more

Maïs Arepas - Hair in food - Colombian Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Even though NOLA has amazing food full of flavors and history, I feel Mais is the perfect option if you are looking to try something different. In my case, is my coworkers and I go-to place when we are sent to work over in NOLA. Especially us, latinos, we truly enjoy every time we get to eat in Mais! Mais is the perfect hispanic fusion with the great service and friendly attention from the south. We always have a great time, great food and of course great drinks. We always order a few appetizers to share like ceviches and empanadas, and of course some drinks like the mojito and sangrias. For our entrees most of all usually gets arepas, of course my favorite is La Reina (shredded chicken avocado salad) However, the pabellon and mechada ones are amazing! I've tried the bandeja paisa as well and is really good! Love the place! read more

Maïs Arepas - Reina Arepa - Colombian Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Soy colombiano y vengo de otro estado. Las arepas estaban muy deliciosas y la limonada muy buena. Sin embargo, el ajiaco no era el verdadero ajiaco colombiano: parecía solo agua con papa y pollo desmechado. Con todo respeto, el lugar es muy bonito, pero deberían buscar la receta correcta del ajiaco. Es una crítica constructiva. Además, demasiado costoso para una bandeja paisa. No lo recomiendo como colombiano. read more