Delicious crispy pastelitos. I ordered three mix-n-match pastelitos with shredded chicken, ground…read morebeef & potatoes, and sweet plantains & cheese. Shredded chicken was all right (a bit dry, in my opinion), but ground beef and sweet plaintains were great. The beef one is my favorite by far -- very juicy and flavorful! The sweet plaintains one was pretty unique, both sweet and savory. The texture of the pastry was crispy, and the accompanying cilantro lime sauce complemented the pastelitos well. Only con is that they take a pretty long time to make (maybe 20 minutes?), but the vendor makes everything, including the pastry dough, from scratch, so I can't complain about the fresh quality. Next time, I'll try their empanadas, which look delicious. Great friendly service.

Great addition to the relocated Southwest DC Farmers Market (now at the southern end of the wharf)…read more Arepas were made to order and even after walking home they were hot, fresh, and DELICIOUS!! These are probably the best Arepas I've had in the DMV!

This is such a cozy family owned Venezuelan place I love to…read morecome here specifically for the cachapas adding the chicken adds an amazing combination of sweet and salty dish. They have indoor seating with a very nice ambiance and usually you won't need a reservation, the service is always great!

We stopped by on our way to Dulles for a trip. It's a decent sized casual establishment. Greeted by…read morea guy who also served us. The service was good, as was the food. Here's the take on the items we ordered. The Cachapa was middle of the road. The maize was a little thin, the cheese was generous, and the overall size was about right for the price. The empanadas we nice and crispy on the outside and the meat was seasoned well. The yuccas were much denser that we usually have. My wife didn't love them, but I did. We had a sip of the ponche crema they were selling by the bottle for the holiday. It was decent, but not exceptional. Overall a solid choice for those seeking Venezuelan cuisine in NoVa!

Definitely recommend RicArepa for authentic Venezuelan food. Delicious, well seasoned, very juicy…read moremeat, very filling. Served hot with extra condiments to make the meal very tasty. All served with a warm smile! Great food for the whole family.

From the owner: Ricarepa Venezuelan Food Truck & Cateringread more

Arepa Zone appears to be a mostly pick up/delivery restaurant; however, there is seating, though…read morelimited. There were 3 tables that could sit 4 at each. It appeared to be pretty busy, but we still got food relatively quickly! I ordered a Pork Pabellón Bowl, while my boyfriend ordered a Beef Pabellón Bowl. It was a very nice portion with a good amount of meat. Pork was okay. It was a bit dry, but with the sauce it was very tasty though a bit salt. The plantains really balanced out the meal with their sweetness. I wouldn't say there is anything too special about the beans but they were creamy with some chew. My boyfriend's beef bowl had sauce on it and peppers. He didn't have to add sauce like me. Employees were very nice and gave us a free slice of ham bread. Very good for the price!

Delish food. Strong, hot coffee. This place gets busy. Best to order ahead and pick up upon…read morearrival. Great gem in Fairfax.

I stumbled upon Arepa Zone about 10 years ago on a random trip to DC. I remember it having good…read morereviews and I had never had an arepa before so I had to try it. I ordered so much food and loved all of it. I couldn't wait to get back to DC to get it again. Eventually, I ended up moving to DC and Arepa Zone is absolutely one of my favorite places to grab a quick meal. It has truly become one of my favorite comfort foods. I usually get the patacon which is huge and very filling and they have different variations of it at their other locations. You can eat it with whichever meat option you'd like and it's just so flavorful and always fresh. If you're here for the first time, I recommend the tequenos as well. They are just so simple but so delicious. Service is always quick and great!!

I wish this place was open when I went to UMD!…read more This was my first time having arepas (and Venezuelan food in general), and I loved it. Even though they're known for arepas, the pabellón bowl ended up being my favorite it tasted like a comforting, home-cooked meal in the best way. The staff were also super helpful and took the time to explain their options. The space itself is so modern and clean and there's a cute little market area on the side with things for sale. Would absolutely go back!

I swung by Arepi for a bite to eat after their "Groove Garden" event next door. Food came out…read morequickly and was a good portion size for the price. I got the "Party Beast" arepa which came with a heaping pile of shredded pork over some delicious cheddar cheese. I also got a side of yucca fries which were good but I'd probably skip next time as the arepa was SOO filling on its own. Love having this gluten free friendly option nearby!

This was our first time trying Venezuelan street food. I fear that they have spoiled all other…read morerestaurants of this type for us, everything was beyond good. The best thing we ate was the Pop Queen Cachapa. (Creamy chicken avocado salad & Venezuelan cheese). It was so flavorful, I will probably order this every time. The seating is limited, we went at an off-peak time so it wasn't a big deal.

Arepas Pues is a great casual spot in Downtown Silver Spring for Colombian and Venezuelan street…read morefood. Everything feels homemade in the best way that tastes comforting and flavorful! I got the Bandeja Paisa con Carne Asada, and it was SO good! The portion was big and the carne asada was delicious! If you're craving reasonably priced, authentic, hispanic comfort food, I'd definitely recommend giving Arepas Pues a try!

If you've arrived at this place, then you're in the right space! The food is a wonderful…read morecombination of Cuban, Venezuelan, and Colombian cuisine. I ordered the Ajiaco, a homemade chicken soup with large chunks of chicken, corn, and other veggies. Flavorful, but not salty. The tostones with steak and guacamole on top was excellent, the bottom is a crispy plantain mashed down flat. They place the steak and guac and then drape it with this sauce. It was large enough for two people. I really enjoyed this; flavorful and filling. The steak was tender. You can sit in or take your food to go. The staff is very nice and will explain what the dishes are like if you're not familiar. They have so many things to explore outside of arepas. I look forward to coming back soon!

I had an Alma birthday gift card so it was time to use it on a Saturday night. We had a reservation…read moreat 6 but arrived earlier to enjoy the Bar and some apertivos. A good list/variety of Cocktails including Zero. Dan is the Man and not only made drink recommendations but navigated the menu for us. Lessons in Alliteration and the Mezcal y Manaca were my favorites, Guayabita and Vieja Escuela were also enjoyed. We started with the Patacon Salvaje -Calamari, avocado etc-just wanted to look at it as it was a work of art-tasty, Tequenos-their version of cheese sticks-the Guayaba sauce takes it over the top! First course-Alma Caesar salad-order it! Brussel sprouts, kimchi dressing-enough said, Caribe Atomico-have never had scallops (thinly sliced) this way before and loved it-the sauce wants to be spicy but stops at savory and the rice cracker complimented nicely-basically a Ceviche and another must try. Entrees-based on recommendation went with the Solomo Criollo (prime NY strip)-came out medium rare as ordered and Yuca with Chimichurri was a perfect side. The Duck Attolado stole the show! Exquisite spiced Duck breast over a bed of rice similar to Paella-delicious! Service was attentive and engaged-Kez took great care of us. Prices are at a premium and rightfully so as you won't find these creations on every corner. Perfect spot for date night!

First time in but it won't be our last!…read more Service was amazing. Our server, Spence, was great! Very knowledgeable about the menu and always there making sure we had what we needed. Do not sleep on the cocktails! The Lessons In Alliteration will bring me back here, it is so well balanced and goes down a little too easy. The food was incredible. We started with the Tequeños and Patacón Salvaje (the best bite of the night for me!). Then came the Caribe Atómico (a little too salty) and Caribbean Surf & Turf Salpicón. For our entrees we tried the Duck Atollado (the rice in this dish was amazing and so flavorful) and the Pelao Guayanés. Everything was well prepared and so tasty. Dessert was the Vanilla Quesillo and Cacao+, would skip, dessert was our least favorite course.

Do you want a meal that is so filling and satisfying that you feel like you could hibernate right…read moreafter? Just curl up like an exhausted grizzly and forget the world until your belly is no longer full? Then go to Brazza and get ready to bring on blissful exhaustion. I've been here three or four times now and have tried several menu items. Everything comes to the table quickly and perfectly delicious. The meats are tender and flavorful, and the crispy skin on the pork belly chicharrón sings when you scrape it with a fork. The sides are hearty and massive, with the fried plantains being especially delicious bars of golden delight (I recommend the tomato and onion salad as the perfect side for the chicharrón). There are lots of drink options, too: the papelón is the best limeade for a hot day, and the chicha-criolla vaso is like a milkshake delivered directly from heaven. The absolute star of my heart, though, is the blood sausage. The skin has a delicate snap, the filling is silky in consistency, and the flavor is robust and rich. Add the smallest drop of the hot sauce (ask for it specifically) to change and amplify the flavor into something even more interesting. If you have never tried blood sausage before, Brazza offers an exceptionally palatable way to try it through the homogenous filling, rich spices, and minimal tangy flavor. If you already enjoy blood sausage (I grew up eating boudin), then you should try what I consider the smoothest and most complexly flavored version I've ever eaten. Long review short, go to Brazza if you want amazing meats, refreshing drinks, and delicious food in general, all at an excellent price. And you get Carlos' warm welcome and big smile for free!

Brazza on Steaks is such a solid place for good Latin American cuisine. The owner seems to be very…read moredevoted to the quality of the food and the steaks really could not be any tastier. I do think that a mix of the steak and other dishes is a good balance but it would've been great to have more greens as an option. But then again, this isn't something that is unique to this restaurant alone or the type of cuisine. I would love to watch a great soccer game or other sports event here to root on a local team. It is the perfect combination of solid food, genuine vibes, and great service.