We were a party of 12 on a Saturday night. The service was excellent, the wait staff was very patient and accommodating. The food was delicious. Try the empanadas when they are nice and hot. I was a little disappointed that my sancocho was not warmer as I like a hot soup. But the server was so busy that I didn't want to bother her. The Chicharron looked delicious. If you like Colombian food, this is a great restaurant. read more

Saoco Colombian Restaurant - We were a party of 12 and they accommodated us very easily. - Colombian Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

Truly, a local gem if you enjoy authentic Colombian food. The consistency and freshness is phenomenal. The service is warm and welcoming. The food is served in an efficient and professional manner. The ambience is always clean and well organized. There's plenty of parking right in front of the restaurant. read more

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As a fellow Colombian I love this place. They make me feel like I'm right at home with whatever I order. The service here is quick, helpful and always correct. I've never had a problem with my order or the quality of anything. The juices and drinks here are super good. The food is always of great portion too. I recommend calling ahead of time on holidays but other than that there's always seating. The place is setup nicely with a side for the bar solely. It's clean, authentic and very cozy. 10/10. read more

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As much as I absolutely do love the food at this restaurant the attitude of the young lady who took my order sent me in another direction. I ordered 2 full meals, 10 empanada and 5 chorizos...why were the chorizo $10 a piece? Taken back considering a meal that comes with one chorizo and three other types of meat only cost 22$...the women at the counter said oh well take it up w the owner the cost of everything is going up .... Today's grocery flyer 2 pack chorizo for $10 ....regularly $6 per pack. Each pack has 7 chorizos ...when greed takes over you slow down giving your business...when workers have horrible attitude you STOP giving someone your business....been going since the week they opened....will find another location w better service. read more

The entire meal was great and while the prices are definitely on the higher end, the quality was there. The cooking and the service was worth the cost. We highly recommend Saoco Restaurant for any special occasion. We'll certainly be back!" read more

Sacco is very nice find, a very flavorful authentic Colombian cuisine. We got seated at the bar area and enjoyed the vibe as we savored the delicious empanadas, bandeja paisa, cazuela de mariscos. The service was great, a very friendly and knowledgeable waiter who gave us great recommendations as well. I am definitely going back and highly recommend Saoco. read more

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It was my first Columbian restaurant! Was very excited to try something new. The restaurant is very clean and nice. For my entree, I ordered Carne Tampiquena con camarones - sautéed beef and shrimp in a spicy sauce. Rice and sweet plantain. It also came with a side salad. I ordered a side of beans. It was delicious! I loved the beef. It has a vinegar taste which I love! The flavors were perfect. Everything else was tasty as well. My friend ordered Picada- chorizo, morcilla, steak, chicharron, tostones, yuca, arepas, and fries. He loved it. The yuca was so yummy! The portion sizes are great! We each ordered a drink and had an issue, but we just let it go. The service was not good. We enjoyed ourselves and will return. read more

Saoco Colombian Restaurant - a pink smoothie with a slice of lemon - Colombian Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

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Disappointed today . We were around the area and decided to go to Saoco. We have come here before and it was delicious and couldn't wait to Come back. Today, I don't know what happened. Las Empanadas weren't t crispy, barely had any meat and had mainly potatoes in them. If I saw meat in my empanada, I was lucky . My dad ordered Churrasco con chimichurri. Great size of steak and big. My dad ordered it medium rare. When he received it it was tough and chewy and was very very rare. Definitely needed more cooking. And 1 piece of yucca. I think they forgot to add more. 1piece ?! I Ordered la Bandeja, and I wasn't impressed. I'm Not sure what was going on in the kitchen today. Not all that. . The restaurant was pretty busy around 230ish on a Sunday. It's definitely a great place but today the food just wasn't all that. read more

Saoco Colombian Restaurant - Churrasco con Chimichurri - Colombian Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

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Delicious food and fast, attentive service. The server was friendly and professional. Great mojito, amazing coffee, and a spotless restaurant with a nice ambience and perfect music level. Definitely coming back! read more

My husband and I have discovered this gem in West Haven recently. The minute you walk through the door, you know you're going to have good food as the aroma fills the space along with the Latin music dancing off of the walls. The waiter tells you he's going to bring some water for the table and asks if we'd like anything else to drink. The menu has plenty of options for food and drink. If you've never tried it before and do like soda, ask for a Colombiana, which is a sweet and fruity soda from Colombia. The food was awesome, and didn't take more than about 20 mins to come out. The flavors are rich and very authentic to the culture. I'm speaking from experience here since my husband is Colombian himself. Loosen your pants and prepare to fill yourself up on deliciousness... We ordered the cazuela de mariscos which is a seafood stew in a creamy base that compliments the perfectly cooked shrimp, mussels and squid. The patacon is a plantain fried, smashed flat and fried again and is awesome with just about anything you put on top of it (my favorite being guacamole), and we also got the sancocho de res which is a beef soup/stew that is packed with flavor and a pleasant amount of cilantro that leaves a "homey" feel in your mouth. This is Colombian comfort food for sure. The best part is that this place is very affordable with most plates being in the $20+ range, so you're not breaking the bank and will go home very satisfied! read more

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I've come here many times, and I would rate the food a 9/10 and a 10/10 when Chief Manuel cooks. I would 100% recommend.

Very tasty. Excellent beef empenada, cappuccino and mixed meats dish. A place I enjoy going if I am in thkd part of West Haven. Prices are pretty good for lunch too. read more

We ordered five beef empanadas as clearly stated on the receipt. We received five chicken empanadas and did not know that until we drove away. The empanadas are also half the size of what they used to be. The ceviche was like watery soup with very little vegetable and shrimp in it. Quite a disappointment from what it used to be. read more

Saoco Colombian Restaurant - Shrimp ceviche - Colombian Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

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Expensive!...for an average Colombian food, be aware that they charge tip 18% on the bill, regardless of service offered. This place is crowded of tables and chairs unable to accommodate comfortably the customers. read more

First time here and the food was fantastic !!! I am a chef and very particular when eating out. This restaurant was over the top! Scrumptious every single bit!! The salad over the salmon was the freshest vegetable dish I have ever eaten !!!!! We are planning to go back already !!! This is a local casual place no dressing up!!!! The food is simply amazing don't miss it!!!! read more

Saoco is definitely a family favorite! We love bringing our friends here or just stopping by for dinner. Saoco is super accommodating when it comes to all of our large gatherings! Every meal is always so fresh and staff is always the nicest! Although I love everything here My favorite dish is the grilled salmon and Avacado salad with rice! They put their own twist on the seasoning for the salmon and it doesn't taste fishy at all! Drinks and appetizers are also great here! I will continue to come here and recommend Saoco! read more

Saoco Colombian Restaurant - Carne frita and yucca - Colombian Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

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Came to Saoco Colombian Restaurant tonight for a fundraiser benefit with some friends. The atmosphere was really cool, live music, vibrant staff, two full bars and fun people. The food was totally authentic and really amazing! Fresh, delicious, and flavorful. Definitely worth stopping by. Empanadas were light and crispy, full of meat. Stew was moist and flavorful with authentic flavors throughout. Awesome spot! read more

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The food was amazing again. Ordered chicken empanadas to start. Like heaven in a little pocket. For an enteee I ordered bistec with onions, rice and beans. What I love is that everything looks great and tastes even better. The service is always 100%, very attentive and kind. Comfortable setting, spanish music playing quietly in the background. Can't wait to come back read more

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Food is always delicious. Staff are always friendly!! If you enjoy Colombian food this is the place to go!

Food was delicious. We had sancocho de Res (beef soup) and some empanadas - we are from NY and have lived in Connecticut for 10 years and have had a hard time finding good Colombian food especially good empanadas! The service was perfect. Great location, great ambiance, clean and good music. Definitely coming back! Thank you! read more

Saoco Colombian Restaurant - Sancocho De Res - Colombian Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

Had a blast with friends here. Calamari was on point and we loved the seafood rice as well as the beef and onion dish. The servers were friendly and the price was very reasonable. Will be back! read more

Most likely the best authentic Colombian restaurant that is not located in Jackson Heights Queens NY. The rating is based on food alone, would have rated higher but the wait time to be seated is horrendous, the wait time for the food is excruciating and the service is just blatantly inferior. I'm half Colombian and I didn't feel right at home. Yelp elites stay away. Food is good but not worth it. read more

The GOOD: The food here is really tasty. The ambient music is just at the right volume. The wait to both sit, request and get food is pretty short. Loved the chicken I got. The BAD: The waiter took way too long on a night that wasn't too busy. They messed up our lemonade and sometimes would forget requests. It is possible that you may get a great waiter so this doesn't really affect the review that much since it only happened on our second time there. Bottom line : If you're craving Colombian food just get here, your hunger will be pleased. read more

Saoco Colombian Restaurant - This is the "Bandeja Paisa", guaranteed to fill you up. - Colombian Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

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Got the passion fruit juice and it was amazing. Also got the grilled chicken, beans, plantains and rice. Overall paid $28 after tax no tip included. Authentic food and great taste. read more

We enjoyed our mid week lunch here. Service was slow, lots of takeout takes time away from customer service. Took pan de yuca and buñuelos home and they were perfect. The chicharrón and steak were good. Will return. No one got "sick"... read more

Everything we've ordered here has been great. My husband and I love coming here and everyone is always very nice

I've always seen this restaurant but never paid it much of any mind but I'm glad I did. My best friend and I were looking for a place to eat after leaving the spa and he had been here before so we decided why not. When we got in, we noticed it was crowded and I immediately assumed it would be a long wait but it wasn't. The plantain and yellow rice with the egg on top is what I had which was so gooddddd. The rice was cooked to perfection. They were so nice to accommodate my wants because of my dietary restrictions. Only thing I'll say is skip the empanadas. My best friend didn't like them. All in all, it was a great meal. read more

My family and I loooove Saoco! We're one of those few Latin families that don't actually cook our own food that often, so it's a treat to go out altogether and enjoy a great Latin meal! The staff here is very friendly and welcoming, going out of their way to ensure you have the best experience. Like usual, we rolled up in a group of 7 late on a Saturday night and they accommodated us without a problem. We were started off with plantain chips and a delicious salsa, and the empanadas we ordered cake it piping hot soon after. The empanadas are a little different than what you'd usually expect (as in not made from a flaky pastry), but they are DELICIOUS and the perfect size to start off a meal. Pro tip: pair the empanadas with the salsa mentioned above and thank me later!! I had the carne encebollada which was steak with a mountain of grilled onions. The beef was so tender, smoky, and perfectly cooked. A few other reviewers mention the meat being bland, but I 100% disagree and think the flavor of the meat really shines through. Same goes for the chicken! Everyone at our table enjoyed their meal and most had enough left to take home for seconds and thirds! The rice and beans are pretty standard --yummy, but let the true star of the dishes shine. If I had to have one complaint, it would be that my maduro wasn't sweet and a bit too starchy. I love platanos though so no biggie. Even my mojito that night was one of the best I've ever had! Very fresh and flavorful with just-pressed juice, a perfect pair with my steak dinner. As you can see, I could go on and on about this place, so I'll stop here and just say that it definitely deserves a visit!! Excellent service, excellent food, awesome portion sizes, all at a very fair price. You cannot go wrong with Saoco --buen provecho!! read more

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I went to Connecticut to meet up with my friend for her daughters birthday. The plan was to eat. So not only do I get to see my friend, I get a Yelp out of the deal. It's a fair exchange. Her daughter loves Colombian food. So the plan was made to head to "Saoca Restaurant" a spot she heard about from a friend. When we got there and walked in, I liked the look of the place. It definitely felt like a restaurant where you can get good Spanish food. We sat at the table and my friend waisted no time ordering piña colada's for herself. The waitress came over and was very friendly and helpful, she took our orders and quickly put them in. Once the food came out, my friend order extra sauce for the meat at the table, which was a good idea, because there wasn't a lot available for the steak. The waitress brought over a tiny container of sauce, nearly not enough. Later I would find out it was two dollars, which in my mind wasn't worth it. I wasn't really happy with my meal. I don't mind it not being to spicy like some, but the meat was kinda bland. The birthday girl made out, because her dish was delicious. After the bill came my friend was shocked to see the piña colada cost nine dollars. I could tell she wasn't happy. The place has potential, I just need to try other items off the menu. I don't think I will get the chance, my friend doesn't want to go back. I think next time I should tell her, I want to go for my birthday. To see if she would even show up. read more

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Saoco Latin Cuisine is a hidden gem. I knew it from the moment I walked in the door. The place was packed, people were waiting to be seated and the smell was phenomenal. Saoco's dining room is small so arriving on a Saturday night around 7:15pm was rough and we waited about 30-45 minutes for a table. Once we sat down we placed our order and got teased by dishes that kept coming by. They had a couple of TV's around the restaurant showing a Barcelona soccer game. We ordered some chicken and meat empanadas which were made with corn dough instead of flour. They were good but not the kind I am used to. The sangria pitcher we ordered was really good and the fruit was cut fresh at the bar. When my dish (bistec encebollado) arrived I was blown away by the presentation. Everything was really flavorful and cooked to perfection. Lastly we had the tres leche dessert which was good but should've been more moist. I loved this spot and can't wait to go back and get my homecooking cravings taken care of. The service was excellent. All the servers and manager were friendly and welcoming. Prices were really reasonable. My dish was $14.95 and it was massive! Only reason why I didn't give them 5 stars was because all of the waiting we had to do before sitting down and once we placed our orders. They were packed though so hopefully next time I visit it won't be at a busy hour. read more

Saoco Colombian Restaurant - Bistec Criollo - Colombian Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

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I went with my wife for dinner on Saturday. Service was good and the food was delicious. We will go again. Waitress was friendly. read more

Saoco Colombian Restaurant - Sancocho de Res from Saoco Restaurant - Colombian Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

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Came here for Mothers Day. It was crowded but the wait wasn't too long. Colombian food was delicious. Had the avocado with lobster/shrimp, empanadas, bandeja paisa, roast pork loin and Aguila beer. Very reasonably priced, too. read more

Saoco Colombian Restaurant - Aguacate con langostino y camarón. - Colombian Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

Great service and great food while following all covid rules. Definitely will be going back again.

I expected more from this place since a friend highly recommended, however the flavor of the food wasn't that good. I've tried many Colombians restaurants and this one is average. I tried the Sancocho de Gallina but it has too many ingredients on it. Potato, yuca, corn and green plantain in the same plate?! Nope, no good idea. read more

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Food was really good everything was nice and fresh breaded pork loin delicious, also had grilled chicken with avocado salad. Kid had a hamburger it was really good read more

Saoco Colombian Restaurant - Breaded pork loin - Colombian Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

Absolutely fabulous! From the service to the delicious food . Trust me, not one complaint and I'm very fussy! If you want to try something different I highly recommend Saoco! read more

Very friendly and kind atmosphere. Their fried plantains are delicious. As are their blended fruit drinks. I love the papaya one. Get it with milk if you want more of a sweet, creamy blend, or get with water if you want more of a refreshing, smoothie type. And before my brother passed, he loved this place (he's Colombian). His favorite was the Bandejita Paisa. read more

Saoco Colombian Restaurant - Bandejita Paisa - Colombian Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

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Disgusting.. Served us old reheated food. We've been to this place on many occasion's but what happened last night is simply unacceptable. Worst yet we informed our waitress that the food was bad and she just stared in disbelief. Said nothing and did nothing. The Connecticut board of health needs to inspect this establishment. Be careful. We were all sick after eating here. read more

First time here i pass by when they were almost to close n cant complaint the food was so tasty n good i will visit again.... read more

Saoco Colombian Restaurant - Great food n prices i will visit again.. - Colombian Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

Disappointed with the quality of food! Sweet Banana was dry and not sweet, beans lack flavor. Overpriced for mediocre food, coming from an Hispanic. read more