Always solid the food, my favorite dish to order always are the burguers and tequeños, you never get wrong with those. The people are amazing over there, and also on summer the patio is great to hang around and enjoy the weather. read more

We wanted some good food after enjoying some drinks at the nearby Right Bee Cidery. We know a good arepa, so we were eager to try and they did not disappoint! We got a vegan 2 arepa (yes, they have vegan and vegetarian ones) and a ham & cheese empanada and both were delicious! The music / vibe was great too, and the staff was very kind and helpful. We loved this place and would highly recommend! read more

Rica Arepa - Vegan 2 Arepa - Venezuelan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Everything was spectacular! Came on a Saturday afternoon and was seated promptly. We ordered a spread of arepas and sides and everything exceeded our expectation. The arepas were STUFFED and the quality of the ingredients were very fresh and all so well seasoned. Rica Arepa even makes their cheese in house! We definitely will be back again. read more

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Delicioso todo lo que probamos. The shredded beef is very good! La empanada y el pabellón recomendados.

Food is delicious and the restaurant was clean and cozy. The service was professional however it was a little chilly in there. The prices are reasonable. The steak is flavorful, thick and tender. I will be back soon. read more

This is the OG Rica Arepa spot and a must have when I come to Chi-town. I have had the classic, Vegan 1+2 options the Criolla and the Pabellon. Every time I go I try a different one but I have never been disappointed with the taste. The setting is simple, but the food and service make up for it, food comes out quick too! read more

Outdoor patio, great food and great service! So glad we tried this spot. The arepa appetizer sampler (try the reina pepiada) was a yummy prelude to the main arepa event. In this case a Tropical arepa. But don't forget the sweet plantains cooked to perfection. read more

I ordered Rica Arepa online so I haven't been to the physical location but my food was great. They have amazing vegetarian options, I like their yuca fries, they gave me sauces, and best of all they have a maracuya drink and it's SO good. The sweet plantains on my arepa were flavorful and perfect. Venezuelan arepas are different than the Panamanian arepas my family makes but this was just what I wanted. Really great. The order got to my house fairly quickly as well. read more

Rica Arepa - Veggie arepa with Sweet Plantains and Black Beans - Venezuelan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

TLDR; The food is delicious and flavorful, but don't expect a quick dining experience. My gf and I have been trying to chase the arepa experience we had in Austin, TX, which was the best we've had so far. I've ordered from this place on Grubhub before and wasn't really impressed, so I figured I should give it a try in person. This is definitely the best way to have their food, because the quality was superb. The place is a little on the smaller with only a few tables, but they're all 4 tops so they can fit a fair amount of people in there. Here's what we got: Chachapitas Con Queso (not pictured) - 5 mini chachapa, or sweet/savory corn pancakes with cheese. A perfect versatile appetizer or dessert option. They were really delicious without feeling too rich or decadent. La Boriqua - Shredded, slow roasted porn and gouda cheese on a large griddled corn cake. Smokey, salty, and savory. Really enjoyed this one a lot because I love lechon. However, the pork was a little saltier than I'd like, and it really needed some sort of acidity to cut through the richness. Punta Rica - Sirloin steak, house cheese, avocado, tomato, and guasacaca sauce on a griddled corn cake. Savory, rich, creamy, and complex. This is an arepa done right! The cheese was the only thing that was a little challenging. It came in a single solid piece and was hard to distribute evenly, which caused massive mouthfuls of it to come off with each bite. We had to use a fork to shread it up to make it easier to eat. A few things to note: They have hot sauce and garlic sauce at the tables which really kick up the flavor of your items. We used garlic sauce on everything which made it amazing. Hot sauce was definitely needed for La Boriqua to give it a little more balance. The service was very fast in the beginning, but very slow after our chachapitas. It seemed like the servers communicate directly to the kitchen when placing orders, and we heard our arepa order called about 5-10 minutes after we finished our appetizer. It took about 15-20 minutes to get our arepas afterwards. We weren't super upset about it, but the large gap of time was a little concerning. We would probably come back here again in the near future as long as we have some time to kill. read more

Rica Arepa - Rica Punta arepa with sirloin steak, house cheese, avocado, tomato and guasacaca sauce - Venezuelan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Service was great, the PAPELON CON LIMÓN is sooo good but I thought the food was mediocre. read more

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Love this place! Try it for the first time with a friend who introduced me to the place, and it did not disappoint. The service was quick, the people were friendly, and overall the food was very good. Definitely have come back a couple times after that lol read more

Rica Arepa - I want to say this is the Rica Punta arepa and the drink is Chicha Venezolana. - Venezuelan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have tried this place a couple of times! They have a soup that is great for hangovers! I'm not a big fan of their tequeños, but empanadas are great, my favorite empanada is the pabellón one and is delicious. The ambiance is great, they have indoor AC and outdoor seating They are BYOB. My current favorite is the fried pork! Very friendly staff. I'm coming back to try their parrilla! read more

Rica Arepa - Soup - Venezuelan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was my first time trying Arepas, and I must ask myself why did it take so long for me to finally try them. They had a few tables open and we were able to get a table right away. Service was great. The entire staff all helped out and made sure we were all taken care of. The wife and I both ordered their Pabellon Arepa. At first I thought it was a little pricey as first, thinking they were small. The one Arepa is definitely filling. The Arepa came with shredded beef, black beans, sweet plantains and cheese. The sweet plantains really made this dish phenomenal. The shredded beef was also very flavorful. I also ordered an empanada and it came with the same shredded beef. This was also very huge and got full with both the Arepa and empanada. We also ordered their Brazo Gitano for dessert. The pictures on Yelp looked delicious and I knew I had to try it. A cake with dulce de leche. It was sweet and the perfect dessert to finish off a great meal. I will definitely be returning. read more

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Outstanding Venezuelan food and friendly staff. We had an steak arepa and the pabellón and a limonada that was so tasty. The steak was seasoned perfectly. Nice outdoor eating area although we opted for indoor because was humid out. read more

Rica Arepa - Dining area - Venezuelan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came seeking a vegan arepa, and got a different taste from anything else I've had in Chicago. As I often find with arepas, this thing was so stuffed that it overflowed, and I don't know how you'd eat it without some help from a fork. Mine had some well-spiced black beans, a few plantains, and a bunch of avocado. The beverage I tried on the side was something like a horchata, but with dairy milk and it was a bit too sweet for me. I had some hope that going farther from the center of town would be a bit cheaper, but this was a pricey arepa. It was good, though, and there were many other vegetarian and vegan (and GF) options. It's also the sort of place where I was the only one there that doesn't speak Spanish (at least, not well). They have a second location, too. read more

Rica Arepa - Chicha - Venezuelan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Quiero empezar por la atención al cliente, fui con mi marido y la mesera no me miraba ni me hablaba a mí que era yo la que estaba pagando, me pareció de muy mal gusto..., la comida, pedí arepa de carne y la carne sabía muy mal , pedimos tequeños y estaban un 5/10 , el sitio muy lindo , pero creo que deberían mejorar el sabor de la carne y hablar con su mesera que no esté pendiente al marido ajeno si no a su trabajo. read more

It's rare to find an affordable restaurant with memorable, consistently good food that also has friendly service. Rica Arepa has both. And I've been to this location as well as the one on Lincoln in town and loved them both. As did everyone in my family that was with me each time. read more

I'm surprised I haven't heard of this place earlier! The food is super good and prices very reasonable. This is a great spot to check out if you are looking for authentic Venezuelan food. The menu is expansive and I had difficulty selecting what to order since I wanted to try so much of it. We ended up getting the tostones as an appetizer, and I got pabellon arepa as my main. All of the food was delicious! The arepa was really stuffed with beef, it was difficult to get a full bite haha. I liked how flavorful the meat was, and the plantains topped inside was a nice touch. We finished our meal with a tres leches and it was incredibly good!! It was a decently sized slice, and it was so moist and fluffy and sweet - YUM. Overall we had a great experience and definitely feel like this place is underrated. The food is flavorful, the menu has many interesting items, and price was reasonable. I'll be coming back for more! read more

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Rica arepa is an amazing Venezuelan restaurant in the Hermosa neighborhood. They have plenty of vegan options. I got the arepa with black beans, plantains and avocado. It was delicious! I will definitely be coming back and trying more arepas. I also got the papelon drink which is cane sugar juice with lime. It was very good too! They have plenty of seating area and outdoor patio when the weather is nice. It was great service, everyone was friendly and helpful. There is street parking available in front of the restaurant. read more

Rica Arepa - Vegan 2 - Venezuelan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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On a whim, a friend and I decided to get some arepas, and we just found this in the area. Ordered on the phone, the girl who took our order did not speak great English, but with patient and grace, we both got through it. We went to collect our food, and the restaurant was absolutely spotless clean, smelled great, and as soon as I looked through the kitchen window, I knew the food would be great because the chefs looked like Hispanic mamas who just knew what they were doing. The girls at the counter were super sweet and polite. We grabbed our food and went our way. Got back to work, and sampled the food and.... WOW!!! My friend got the chicken arepas with avocado and both LOVED it!!! Friend got two, and I bought my husbanf two. Holy smokes these were so nicely stuffed, they both tapped out after 1 arepa each. I ordered the shrimp and the fish empanadas, and these are soooooo good. But if you're not someone who can stomach a greasy empanada, these are not for you! Taste-wise these are SO on point!!!! The white sauce on the side served with the arepas and the empanadas is to die for. Mildly sweet, but super flavorful. Absolutely amazing. I'm going to be going back again, and again, and again!!! read more

Rica Arepa - Empanada de Cazon (fish) - Venezuelan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The place is byob my friend Brenda like this place so we go This time, we order the rompe colchon and the arepitas with chicken and beef There is no corge fee, so that's good read more

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Wow! Idk if I need to say anything else but this was one of the best Arepas I've ever had! I wasn't sure what to expect but let me tell I will be coming here any time I am in Chicago. The size of the arepa is a perfect size, it large enough you'll be full but the flavors will have you wanting another one over and over. I'd recommend adding the house garlic sauce to your arepa, it's delicious. There was an explosion of flavors in my mouth, the beef was tender and juicy and the freshness of the avocado gave it a good balance. The cheese was fresh and the sauce that joined the arepa was delicious. The service was quick, the ambiance was clean, chill and a homey vibe. There's cute decor too. I would love to come when it's warm out and see the patio. I'd recommend coming here with friends and family! read more

Rica Arepa - Rica Punta arepa and yuca fritas - Venezuelan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Una experiencia agradable, excelente servicio, muy limpio, comida deliciosa y la decoración es increíble

Rica Arepa was deeelish! My boyfriend and I had arepas arepas a few days prior to stopping into Rica. They weren't that good so we needed to fulfill our tastebuds demands. Soooooo happy we found Rica. Their whole menu looks really good and they even have a VEGAN menu!!!! Love that! My boyfriend ordered the reg tropical arepa I ordered the vegan tropical and...another vegan arepa, I added an egg to that one ( seen in video). My goodness, did they hit the spot. I didn't know how big or small they would come so the second one i saved for lunch the next day. I ate it cold (lol) and it still hit the spot. Totally hit the spot. I know you're wondering, we'll why not 5 stars. Well that's only because they had a super cute patio that was closed, it's summer time chi...I need that outside vibe and the service was ok. I think with one or two more severs, they'll be just fine. read more

Absolutely loved this place. They've got a great little outdoor patio, the food was amazing, & the service was great. Can't wait to go back.

This was so good!! My husband & I ordered the Arepa punta trasera con queso de Mano y guasacaca , the Rica Punta arepa "Please add sweet plantains. The Tostones with cheese and a chicken Empanada. The arepas are big! We could have probably shared one and the empanada and we would have been fine. The empanada was the star of the show, holy moly was it good. It's way bigger than a traditional empanada so the price makes sense. The tostones were okay, I could have done without. One thing I'd recommend is for the restaurant to have sides. We really wanted just a side of rice and ended up making some at home to go with our order. Overall, would order again! read more

Yum yum yum! I've been wanting to check this place out for awhile so on my day off, I decided to swing by here for an early dinner. I walked in, went to the counter in the back, and was told I could sit anywhere I would like. I was given the menu and went straight for the arepas because thats what they're known for! I looked at the menu and asked my server what she would recommend. She said that since it was my first time, she recommended the Arepa Pabellón, so that I could taste what the original arepa is like. I went with the recommendation and ordered the Chicha Venezolana as my drink. The Chicha Venezolana was so good! It's similar to an horchata but with a thicker consistency - if you've ever had arroz con leche, imagine that but all blended together. I really enjoyed it and it was nice to drink throughout my meal and at the end to hit my taste for dessert. Now, the arepa...it was amazing! It was so large that I wasn't sure how to eat it at first but just push it all down and go for it! The arepa pabellón had shredded beef, black beans, cheese, and sweet plantains - what a delicious combination! They also give you 3 sauces to put on the arepa, a red and green sauce (both have a kick of spice), and a garlic sauce (very similar to garlic aioli). I tried all three and various combinations of them as I made my way through the arepa. I ended up liking a generous amount of the red sauce with a small dollop of the garlic sauce - just writing this out makes me want another one! All in all, great menu, helpful service, and even better food. All of this was affordable and I cannot wait to go again and take some of my friends here. Definitely a hidden gem on the north side! read more

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Let me start by saying that this chicken patacon was one of the best tasting dishes I've ever had!!!! This place is amazing!!! Even the arepa was so flavorful and fresh. Everything was great. Will definitely be back for more patacones!! I definitely recommend them! P.S. sub the patacon with sweet plantain- it's life changing!!!! read more

Rica Arepa - Reina Pepia Arepa and chicken patacon (with sweet plantain) - Venezuelan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Arepa cabimera was absolutely delicious as well as the tajadas with cheese. The last time I had an arepa like this was in Florida so I was so happy to eat one again! they don't sell them everywhere. read more

Rica Arepa - Venezuelan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This a great little neighborhood place. The menu has a small vegan option which I was pleasantly surprised. They have patio which is nice because the place itself is small and busy. They are always busy with sit in and take out. They staff is quick and friendly. Highly recommend for great food in the area. read more

Rica Arepa - Photo op - Take a picture and tag yourself. - Venezuelan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Delicious food! Super cute and modern decor! Our server Stephanie was attentive and kind. Please try out this local gem!

If you're still in that phase of your relationship where you're trying to be a dainty eater, move along. We've been to Rica Arepa three times now, always for carry out. There is a good selection of arepas for meat eaters and vegetarians with vegan and gluten free options to boot. At some point I'd like to dine on their patio, it's quite nice looking. Portions are generous and the flavors are on point. The corn used is perfect, sweet, but not overly so. Their maduros are also delicious. So why isn't this a romantic date spot? Because I've yet to eat an arepa and not go through a ridiculous number of napkins. This isn't just a Rica thing, I've been to other arepa places and the one downfall of these delicious little corn pockets is how messy they are. I've only tried the vegetarian options, but husband has eaten a number of the meal options and is a fan. We do prefer the favorite part of the arepa menu. Bottom line, we're fans and don't care if we look like savages devouring our meal. We'll definitely be back. read more

Amazing place! As soon as you walk in the place is very clean and bright. Good music and the food is amazing. I ordered 2 arepas, they came out right away and the flavors were like no other. The garlic sauce also gave it a good flavor and the hot sauce. It wasn't too spicy but gave it the right amount of flavor. I will definitely be coming back when I'm in Chicago again. read more

Rica Arepa - La parrillera - Venezuelan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I am here in Chicago just for the Holidays , I live in Montana where there are not any Venezuela restaurants. My stepson wanted to make me happy so he ordered the special Christmas menu ( plus extra ) , he had eat arepas there before so he assumed the food was going to be good as well BUT sad to say it was the worst pernil ( pork ) with tons of salt and adobo powder , impossible to eat , the salad- Ensalada de gallina was the worst also , went straight to the garbage , the tequeños also , the hallacas and ham bread were acceptable ( was the only food we didn't throw to the garbage ) I will not recommend this restaurant at all ! read more

Good food and ambiance, been here a few times would visit again. Favorite weres the chicken item

This spot is it! I ordered the pabellón, a vegan arepa and a cheese arepa for my little one. Everyone was happy. Food was fresh, fast, and FLAVORFUL. Rica Arepa has a patio that I will have to check. Out in the warmer months. The inside is cuuutte and I absolutely loved seeing a restaurant fully operated and staffed by womyn! Don't snooze on this restaurant. read more

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Came here on a weeknight, and it wasn't busy. When we walked in, we weren't sure whether to sit down or if you need to order at the counter, but once we walked to the back we were instructed to grab a table and wait. Our waitress was very pleasant and after we explained it was our first time, she ran us through the entire menu and recommended certain items. We ordered 2 of the signature arepas (pabellon and rica reina) and both were delicious! We also got some tequeños to start, which were like cheese sticks but so much better! Everything was very affordable and the food came out very quickly. The service was exceptional. Overall, I really enjoyed my experience here and would for sure go back! read more

I got the arepa pabellon. SO GOOD!! Such good flavors and a really large amount of food. I've only had arepas once while I was in Spain and while these aren't necessarily the same as I had there, it's still absolutely delicious! Better than most meals you sit down and pay 50 bucks for. Also people were super nice. If I lived here I would frequent this spot!! Thanks rica arepa! read more

Never tried arepa before and decided to check this place out. Spectacular service! Our waitress took the time to explain everything on the menu and even gave a few recommendations to try since we have never been. The prices are very reasonable and the portions are large. The arepas we tried were delicious! My favorite was actually the "cheese sticks" in the appetizer section (better than any cheese sticks ever!). Parking is not available on site but there are paid for parking on the streets surrounding the restaurant. There is free parking a block over if you are willing to walk. Most of the street parking surrounding the restaurant is permit only. So you will have to circle to find the non-permit ones if you don't want to pay for parking. read more

I came to this restaurant with high expectations being that I'm originally from Venezuela and left extremely happy. The food is amazing, extremely flavorful and great portions. We got empanadas, parrilla for 2 and the tequeños, very impressed with how fulfilling all of these are. The service was also very professional, helpful and fast. All the people who served us spoke Spanish. The prices can be a bit expensive but I promise you it's worth it. Definitely will be coming back to try other items from their menu as well as desserts. read more