My partner and I got huevos fritos and choripan - TASTE: 4/5 - the hot sauce we requested was spicy and sooo good! Loved it w my huevos fritos. The choripan's Argentinian chorizo, pickled red onions, and chimichurri were chef's kiss TEXTURE: 5/5 - crispy arepas and yuca fries, melty Edam cheese, and dense sausage. It all hit the spot PRICE: 5/5 - each dish was only $10.50, amazing SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - satisfied us for brunch SERVICE: 4/5 - walked in at 12pm on a Sunday and were the first ones seated, though many families gradually came in. Our waitress was friendly and helpful ATMOSPHERE: 4/5 - had always walked by Orinoco, and glad we finally stopped in to try. Colorful interior and Venezuelan decor PARKING: 4/5 - we're usually able to find a metered street spot right on Harvard St read more

See all

Very cute place, vibrant, great food, salmon was cooked perfectly. Presentation of food also done well. read more

See all

I came in here on a whim to get drinks and it was a great decision. We split 2 dishes (the empanada trio and pernil arepa). Both were delicious and very flavorful, I'm looking forward to returning for a full meal. I also got the speciality caprinha which was great and very refreshing. The bartender was extremely nice and we were well taken care of. I will definitely come back! read more

Orinoco - Trio de Empanadas - Caribbean Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

I came here last night which was a Sunday at 6:30pm. We had made a reservation in advance but it wasn't too busy when we arrived and got to choose where we wanted to sit - which we got a whole booth to ourselves. It was just my husband and I, we wanted to celebrate his birthday but they're closed on Mondays so we bumped up our dinner date a day early. It was a nice ambience, you can see the chefs grilling towards the back of the dining area. You can see what looks like family photos stretched across a wall. Art & Decor that (I'm assuming) representing Venezuelan culture. Our servers were so friendly to talk to and they answered any questions with trying to figure out what to order. Since I've been introduced to Pisco Sours, once I see it on a menu I have to get it, so I ordered the Brazilian Sour and my husband ordered the El Catire. They were both so good. For food we ordered: The Sopa de Calabaza - so so good! And I loved the plantain in it Cocas - this was good but the cheese reminded me of blue cheese which I'm not a fan of. Chuleta - this was good Parrilla Caraquena - I sampled each item and everything was good! Overall the food and service were really good! read more

See all

There is a lot of good in this location of Orinoco, and a few things I'd revise a bit. I'm suitably impressed by the butternut squash soup with plantain. It's quite sweet and rich but I didn't mind. Weaker were the fried tostones which were much too oily, and were underseasoned. The arepas were generally good, though they were somewhat tough to handle and chew. The insides were more promising. The stewed meat version is first rate, very flavorful. The vegetarian one was also nicely balanced, especially the use of the avocado. The chicken one was flavored decently although it did come off as a bit tough. The strong non soup dishes of the evening were the sauteed spinach, also very flavorful, and the empanadas. The empanadas came with a side of salad, with excellent crispy texture on the outside of the empanada and gooey texture on the inside. Definitely worth a revisit! read more

See all

A cozy, warm atmosphere, with friendly folks. We had a delicious beet salad, tequeños, and choripan. Bright flavors, nothing too heavy. Delicioso! read more

Friendly staff and food was good overall. Chorizo- savory, juicy, and a little bit of spice 4/5 Lamb chops- a little overcooked but good flavor with the pistachios 4/5 Ribs- overcooked and pretty chewy The sauce was overly sweet too and tasted generic 2/5 Overall the food was good tasting, besides the ribs, but tendes to be overcooked. Overall a 3.5 but .I plan to come here again and try some of the more authentic plates and hope there is a bit more attention kept on the cooking times, which would make a huge difference read more

See all

I ordered To Go from this location on a Saturday night. Based on what I saw on the menu and reviews, we ordered the empanadas, arepas, and Chuleta. The empanadas were delicious. My favorite one was the bean one. It had a smokey flavor which made it stand out. Out of the arepas I had, I loved the Jardinera. The Pelua was also very flavorful. The Pernil wasn't outstanding. My friend got the Chuleta and wasn't too impressed by it. I would get the ones I liked again and skip the ones that weren't too phenomenal. I do want to try other foods on the menu because the dishes I liked were amazing. Next time, I would like to eat in the restaurant, which looks like it has a nice vibe. read more

Orinoco - Chuleta - Caribbean Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

See all

Hidden in the drab, yea olive drab code of uniform signs in Brookline Village, is Orinoco. Who's idea was it that all shops have the same font and green signage-- oh so classy.... A Dunkin' costumed such as well. Use your Gps to find it. First, excellent waitstaff despite a busy night. A requested serving spoon was presented upon a napkin. A classy touch indicating a level if training and attention. No reservations, but 'A.' agreed to hold a table for a handicapped guest-- details. And the food was super. Triple empanadas( z3 types) , shared as an entreé, restore one's faith in the archetype, as a desired item, rather than one just consumed in haste, at miami airports or latin grocers. A stuffed portabella main dish on a mushroom spinach base, was great. The shredded beef, with black beans, rice and plaintains, a natural resonance to the ropa viejo at every lunch or formal Cuban dinner I've had. Certainly good, but perhaps not great, especially by Miami standards. I'd go a different way next time. And so, a Brookline village success. Do try. read more

See all

Great spot in Brookline and happy to see them succeeding. Lovely, low key ambiance and friendly service. This place can be a good brunch spot, dinner date, or in our case, family dinner with a 2 year old. I came for the arepas but stayed for the stewed beef with rice and beans and fried plantains. Cocktails were strong and flavorful. Yum! read more

Delicious. I am from Venezuela and can confirm the food is largely authentic. I come here for a taste of home.

Nice little place! The food was very good. I had the Parrilla Caraqueña which is a platter of steak, chicken, chorizo, guasacaca, and yuca frita with mojo. The flavors were excellent, and were it not for my steak and chorizo being a little over-done, I probably would have given 5 stars. Good service, despite the staff being busy, I also enjoyed my mojito! read more

Yum Yum Great customer service, great food and great atmosphere. Parking can be a little challenging so make sure you have enough time and patience to circle the block. read more

Wonderful surprise for my wife and I to "discover" Orinoco as we were wandering through Brookline Village looking for something else. Agree with the reviews that highlight how delicious everything is and how generous the portions. We had, and shared, the salmon dish with olive tapenade and quinoa, arepa Pelua, and Guyana Cocas, along with pair of house Margaritas. Every item was delicious, and we look forward to returning to try the other offerings. Our server was charming and informative. My only negative would be difficult acoustics. This was only a problem when a boisterous table of business associates got rowdy, but it was enough to let us know a crowded evening with music could be a challenge for some of us. That won't keep us from returning. Viva Orinoco! read more

A very nice spot for Venezuelan-inspired plates! Came here with some coworkers and we enjoyed some of their white sangria (very refreshing!), split some appetizers, and we each got an arepa! The appetizers were exceptional, especially the bacon wrapped dates, tequenos (guayanes cheese sticks), cocas del dia with fig glaze, and the plantains. And oh the arepas! I got the Pelua, which is shredded beef and Edam cheese - such great flavor, perfection. We left with happy bellies and a great memory. read more

Food was exceptionally good. Service was exceptionally bad. One server for the completely full space. We had wrong dishes brought out and one person in our party did not receive the drink they ordered until we engaged the bartender (well after the entree was brought out). read more

I can't understand low stars for this place. Yes they were a bit understaffed and it's a bit chilly inside (it's freezing out today), but the food and drinks are spectacular! Highly recommend a tamarind mojito or margarita. We then got bacon wrapped dates with almonds + the empanada trio. Everything was yum. Following we shared a steak with salad and lamb chops with salad. The lamb chops are a must. Pistachio crusted and to die for - you need to try them! We finished with a hot chocolate with rumchata and it was the best I've ever had i think. Come support this biz! You won't regret it. read more

See all

The place was quiet and you can actually have a conversation! Food was good! Apps came out quick and the main dishes followed shortly! Everything was tasty , but over seasoned! Overall, a nice place to eat and relax! The waiter was very very accommodating since this was our first time dining experience! read more

this place was yummy but i went through all the stages of grief bc they didn't have any cheese and the whole reason i came here was for the jardinera arepa read more

Orinoco - Empanada Verde - Caribbean Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

I'm a business traveler who relies on Yelp to find interesting places for meals. I've stayed in this area multiple times and was looking for somewhere different. Orinoco was a great find! Atmosphere, food and service were excellent. I had the rum marinated salmon which was cooked exactly as I requested - medium rare - and packed with an amazing combination of flavors. It came looking exactly like the picture with a mix of colors and textures that made me want to dive right in. My mojito was also very good. Espresso is prepared stovetop and served in the pot. I had to try dessert since it's similar to flan! If I'm ever in this area again I'll be back. read more

Orinoco - Espresso and quesillo - Caribbean Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

Loved the authentic dishes, and loved that they also had dishes anyone can appreciate. Salmon and the lamb chops were cooked perfectly and my kids adored the plantains, arepas, and empanadas. Wonderful service, lots of easy parking, and a really nice interior. We loved it and are very picky. read more

We walked in on a rainy Sunday night and we were seated promptly without reservations. We ordered the bacon wrapped dates, cheese empanada, tostones, tequenos, parilla caraquena, and the flan. Everything was so so delicious. In our last visit, there were some misses but we loved every thing we ordered this time around. I highly recommend the parilla caraquena, it comes with strip steak, chicken, chorizo, fried yuca, and guasaca. Everything on the plate paired well and this time the fried yuca was cooked through. read more

Orinoco - Quesillo - Caribbean Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

Wow! What a dinner we just had at Orinoco. The restaurant had been on my list to try for like ever and I don't know why we waited this long to dine it. The place is cute and the service is spectacular. We started off with non-alcoholic drinks- Guayaba (Guava) and Guanabana(soursop). Both we were told are freshly made at the restaurant and tasted fantastic. The soursop was our favorite, and unlike the name it wasn't really sour haha. Most of the dishes are tapas style. Our favorites were- -Cocas del Dia: Spanish flatbread Guayaba with guava preserve, goat cheese, arugula, fig glaze. -Cachapas : corn pancakes stuffed with cheese -Maracuchitos: queso Paisa wrapped in sweet plantains -Yuca fries, -Verde Empanadas: stuffed with mushrooms, piquillo peppers and Manchego cheese; with a fresh greens salad. -Jardinera Arepa: Guayanés cheese, sweet plantains, guasacaca -And the cherry on the cake was their Torta fluida Dessert, which is served in this unassuming disposable foil cup. The first bite will take you back to when the simple things in life made you grin from ear to ear. It is decadent, not overly sweet and is a must order if you like anything related to chocolate. Cannot wait to go back!! read more

See all

I've been to the Orinoco in Harvard Square a handful of times, but never to the Brookline location. I stopped in to have a late lunch with some friends from out of town after we visited NETA. ;) We chose Orinoco mainly because they serve wine, and the red wine they recommended was quite tasty. The food is always delicious, and the menu at this location is the exact same as the Harvard square location. We had an order of the bacon-wrapped dates, an order of taquenos, an arepa, and two orders of beef empanadas that each come with a FRESH tasty salad. (The salads here are seriously amazing - their dressing has the perfect amount of sweetness and tang). We could not choose what we liked best because it was all so good. Our waiter was attentive and helpful. I'd definitely be back to eat here again if I was in the area! read more

10/5 stars if I could rate it that high! Service was friendly. The waiter recommended so many amazing options. We loved the sangria, reminded us of Christmas! The empanada trio was a great start. Everything we tried afterwards was delicious. The space is small, cozy, and neatly decorated. It was easy to get into on a Tuesday evening! The quietness was nice and intimate. Highly recommend! read more

What a delight! We were greeted promptly and courteously. It was our first time here, and our server, Alonso, was super helpful and accommodating. Among four of us, we had the beet salad (remolache con cabra), roasted portobello arepa, baby back ribs with guava sauce (costillita), and parrilla caraqueña, which is a grill plate with steak, chicken, chorizo, guasacaca and yuca fries. I've been on the hunt for a delicious arepa for years, and this one was amazing! All the ingredients complemented each other perfectly, and it was packed with flavor. Of all the delicious items we had, this was my personal favorite by far. Next in order of preference is baby back ribs. If you like your barbecue sauce on the sweet side (not overwhelmingly sweet), this is for you! The roasted beet salad was fantastic as well. Everyone enjoyed the plate of grilled meats as well, If we make it back to Boston, we will definitely return to Orinoco. read more

Amazing food, I ordered the arepa pelua, which was so tasty. Great ambiance, and priced very well. I can't wait to go again!

Orinoco is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. We love it so much that we're having them cater our wedding! The food and cocktails never miss, and the staff is super friendly. They even totally nailed their takeout operations during Covid (while they were open - they did close 2 out of 3 locations for a few months, including the Brookline one). If you're looking for a delicious and fun restaurant experience, check them out! read more

Had an evening meeting around the corner in 45 minutes In Brookline Village. Decided to try Orinoco and have an arepa or two. Ordered the empanada-mechada and a fruit drink. The food arrived in short order it was delicious. Crispy Empanada wrapped around tasty beef surrounded by a tasty salad. The greens were fresh, crispy and an Avocado based dressing. About $15 without tip. I'll be back. read more

Everything was absolutely delicious! Beautiful atmosphere and kind service! Authentic Venezuelan cuisine. read more

See all

Oh, Orinoco. Why must you be so delicious, my Venezuelan friend? With your sexy Latin flavors, drinks, and decorations, the temptation is simply too hard to resist. Sundays are for Venezuelan brunch! Order yourself some of their exquisite red sangria. The drink's taste is so unique - almost reminiscent of autumnal mulling spices - and our waiter clued us in to what makes it so. Cloves, passion fruit juice, and juniper berries were a few of the ingredients we squeezed from him. The rest is a secret! Unfortunately a carafe doesn't come with a ton of liquid, since both the glasses and carafe were filled with ice. It's too bad since we finished it off pretty fast and were left wanting more of the sweet stuff! As for food, you really can't go wrong! Empanadas, arepas, and more substantial breakfast plates are offered during their Sunday brunch. Do your table a favor and order the datiles as an appetizer. The Reina Papiada arepa is shredded chicken sandwiched with a tomato and avocado in an arepa and served with a very garlicky aioli on the side. This plate may look small, but that guy was stuffed and can still be a good amount for a meal. And the flavor packed in that small package is pretty unreal! Inside the Empanada Mechada, the warm, shredded beef with sweet onions reminded us of the Cuban dish ropa vieja. There are 2 empanadas cut in half and served with a large salad in the center of the plate. The salad wasn't too noteworthy but added a nice freshness. Also a good amount of food for a lighter meal. And the flavors of that sweet, juicy beef can't be beat! You can't have a proper brunch here without a Venezuelan breakfast plate! The Pa' Los Gringos (aka "For the Non-Latin Folk") is a hefty serving of everything you would want to see in the morning. Savory chorizo, a mix of scrambled eggs with onions and tomatoes, a disc of yucca hash, and a plain arepa. The arepa was pretty flavorless but provided a nice vehicle to transport the eggs and chorizo from plate to mouth. The yucca was served hot and crispy on the outside. I'd never even yucca in the form before and wish more restaurants would get a clue. It would be the perfect accompaniment to pretty much any dish. Since anything goes during brunch, we ended our mid-Sunday meal with dessert. The quesillo is a Venezuelan cheese flan. The texture was creamy and the caramel flavor delicious. It's served cold and just the right amount of light sweetness to end the brunch on a satisfying note without that feeling of bloated guilt. The only guilt I feel is how long it takes me to return to Orinoco between visits. Apologies, amigo. Nos vemos pronto! read more

See all

Orinoco is a small local chain preparing Latin American cuisine at affordable prices. One weekday evening we went to the one located in Brookline, on Harvard Street, but a short walk away from the Brookline Village T station. Directly upon entering, I found my friend seated at the corner of the bar directly to my left by the door. We were then quickly seated at one of their 7-8 two top tables along the left wall. Three booths lined the wall to the right, and a long table for larger parties occupied the floor between. After mulling over the menu, the two of us decided to make a meal of a number of their smaller dishes. First up was the Datiles ~ bacon wrapped, almond-filled dates $7. As scallop wrapped in bacon oft sounds much tastier than the reality with soft strips of bacon ringing the creamy whit flesh, so I had expected this dish. However, I was happily proven wrong with the savory, salty bacon being of the crisp sort snugly hugging the sweet meaty date. At a count of four, we each savored our two pieces. The Maracuchitos ~ queso paisa wrapped in sweet plantains $5 was just as satisfying with sweet plantains sandwiching thick meaty cheese slices. These first two were my favorites of the evening. The Empanada Mechada ~ Venezuelan style stewed shredded beef with a fresh greens salad tossed with queso blanco, sherry vinaigrette and Mojo Criollo $8.95 arrived as a pair of empanadas sliced in half and presented around a mound of fresh salad. The empanadas were pretty tasty, but I was disappointed that they could not handle our special request for a mixed set of one each of their two types of empanadas. The least enjoyable of our selections ended up being the Mini Costillitas ~ apple cider, slow-steamed, baby-back ribs with guava BBQ, tapas-style $8. While the meat was literally falling off the bones, the sauce was overly abundant. As a light sweet ending, we opted for the Quesillo ~ homemade traditional Venezuelan custard with caramel $5.25 from the super short dessert menu which was recited to us by memory. It was a bit airier and less smooth and less rich than the more familiar flan, but still it was a nice treat. For bathrooms they have two single person spacious rooms for our comfort. And at least the one further back has a baby changing table. read more

See all

Food has always been predictably good, but service is the worst. I called ahead and put our name down to ensure our getting the table because we had to drive to town. Arrived, but the host (sonya) gave the last table to another party of two (why did we even bother to call). After waiting for a while, they sat us at the booth right by the door that was extremely cold because people keep coming in and out. It was freezing even with my jacket on. I asked the host to sit us in the other booth, also open, exactly the same size and type, in the back. And she said, "no, because that booth has to be for four people." So there we were sitting in the cold. Full jacket on and such. And two minutes later they sat TWO people on that booth we asked for. Absolutely no care for their customers. Also, when you arrive, look up to the ceilings and the light fixtures. It must have been years since they last dusted this place. read more

Orinoco - Inside decor - Caribbean Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

See all

Came here for lunch. Nice spacey restaurants with booth seating, regular tables and bar seating. No music playing so was quiet but dinner might be a different vibe. Service was quick and friendly. I asked what their recommendation was and I got the cubano sandwich which was so tasty! The portion was good as well and came with some friends plantan chips. My friend got the butternut squash soup which was tasty and a good portion. We also tried some of the veggie empanadas which were tasty! Would recommend checking it out! read more

Orinoco - Cubano, butternut soup and veggie empanadas - Caribbean Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

See all

Today I found this restaurant on my way to work. It looks really nice inside. I ordered an arepa to go. The server/cashier was so rude to me. It was a shame because that arepa was bomb! Some places have great food but bad service and I think this was the case. Anyhow I'm coming back again in another time to try something else from the menu (when this guy isn't around haha). read more

Orinoco - Guayanés cheese, fried plantains, guasacaca arepa. - Caribbean Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

See all

This is not a Venezuelan cuisine I ordered tequenos: they were refried. It came with a side of ketchup. Yea ketchup sauce Pernil arepa: usually comes with guayanés cheese. They had a slice of mozzarella as if one didn't l ow the difference. The arepa dough was insipid no salt added to it. The arepa was half broken and cold. They had a mojo sauce which was basically a white garlic sauce. Mojo is supposed to be made with parsley and usually green Lastly I ordered some guasacaca and it was a Coarsely chopped avocado salad with tomato and bits of onions. This is restaura of some cuisine. But Venezuelan it is not. read more

Boston is slowly coming alive due to this Pandemic Time, happy Orinoco is open with outdoor seating and very safe environment, our Bartender "Luc" served us food and drinks with the sweetest disposition even thous he was very busy, the Chef (I didn't get his name), was very knowledgeable of our food, I'm lactose intolerant and my friend is vegetarian, so he advised us what to order, I give it Five stars. Thank you Orinoco! read more

Orinoco - Outdoor Seating. Food and drinks, friends. - Caribbean Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

Delicious Food , great service! Super cute spot ! Arepas are Delicious !!! And tequeños with the sauce !!

The food was absolutely delicious, our waiter was very friendly, and the portions were quite good! So, why 3 stars? Although we were seated relatively quickly, we waited 30+ minutes for water and to put in our order, and another 30+ minutes for our food to arrive. We went on a Tuesday at around 7:30pm (not a holiday). It seemed like they were understaffed, with just one chef, one waiter, and one bartender. But the food was still worth it. Just make sure you do not have time-sensitive plans afterwards. read more

Orinoco - Arepa Jardinera - Caribbean Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

See all

Orinoco is one of my all-time favorite restaurants in the Boston area! I used to work across the street from the Brookline Village location and went there for lunch multiple times a month. I particularly love the bacon wrapped dates, the plantains, ALL of the arepas, and the empanadas. This past weekend, I ordered take out from the Brookline Village location for family members who have specific dietary restrictions (gluten free, dairy free, nut free, etc.). They were super friendly over the phone and prepared the food promptly, safely, and with COVID-19 health restrictions in mind. There was a specific area for picking up food separate from the staff and the food was dropped off near me by individuals wearing masks and gloves. Lots of signage outside and inside the restaurant made the process clear and they provided Purell at the pick up station. I love this restaurant and think it's more important than ever to support it during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are doing an excellent job of adjusting to new regulations and I am confident in ordering from them multiple times in the coming weeks! read more