The food here is authentic and absolutely worth stopping. I had a lemonade, arroz co pollo, and a…read moreHawaiian empanada. They were all delicious. The arroz con pollo was a large serving, it could easily feed two.

I wanted to check out this place due to the long lines I've seen on the weekends, the word of mouth…read morerecommendations, and generally the fact that I love Empanadas. I came for lunch with a friend and the experience was good! I can see why it is considered a staple. The space itself is large. Bigger than you would expect and has a decent amount of seating and very cute decor. It felt Disney esc and like they were trying to get you to have some interaction and immersion. The service was top notch. Our server was very attentive, informative, and friendly. She did forget to give us the lunch specials menu, but quickly got it when we asked, which PROTIP, there is a lunch special but it's not on the main menu at all. Now, lets talk about the food. We ordered the following - - Beef Empanada: Small, but mighty. Packed full of shredded beef and fried to the top degree, almost edging on too crispy, but realistically can there be too much? Like I said, it was small for $3.75, but was piping hot and I loved the cilantro dip that came with it. -Arroz Con Pollo : Super Flavorful rice that is piping hot when it comes out. I'm not a fan of plantains usually but these were fantastic and went well with the meal. The lunch doesn't come with Fries or a drink, but the amount of rice you get is enough to fill you up -Pechuga al Limon: Fried chicken with a buttery lemony sauce on top. This was a massive dish that also came with fries and salad. -Hazelnut Latte: Not too much hazelnut, lots of milk Overall, I'd probably give them closer to a 3.5, but rounded up as the food was good and the experience was solid. If I'm on the east side I would consider meeting up with a friend there, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

I didn't go inside so I can't say much about the inside ambiance but the outside has some nice curb…read moreappeal. If I were walking by, I'd want to go inside and check it out. The lights and big windows draw you in. I can speak more to the food, specifically the vegan options. I ordered 3 entrees,3 empanadas, and a slice of cake for myself, my husband and 4 children. The portion sizes were large and the food was delicious. It's difficult to find vegan food this tasty at vegan restaurants. The gentleman who took my phone order was kind and helpful in selecting and recommending options for my family. I 100% recommend this place and this will be our go to spot when we travel to Madison in the future.

This was a struggle. I wanted to go 5 stars and it might deserve 5 stars but I just can't bring…read moremyself to do it. Wife and I are in Madison. The why doesn't matter but know we had a very VERY good reason. Anyway, she tasked me with finding a place for dinner and when I saw Peruvian with vegan options including tofu and seitan options, how do you say no? The closest you can get to vegetarian or vegan at most Peruvian places is just something with vegetables or pescatarian. We each started with an empanada. Hers had vegan chorizo and mine was a gluten free version with chicken. I didn't love mine. It was okay but it tasted like they took the chicken stuffing out or the freezer and then deep fried it. The outside was hot but the inside was cold. I also had their chicken and rice soup which was awesome and we got an order of their gluten free Brazilian cheese bread which was fantastic. For entrees, we both got the tacu tacu-hers with veggies and tofu and me with chicken, but gluten free. We both loved our meals. Mine was very soy sauce-y with sweetness, like honey added. There was also enough rice and beans for 6 servings. The fact that I loved and ate it all makes me fat. My wife really liked hers, too, but not being a fatty fat fat like me, she didn't stuff herself to the point of exploding. We each got a drunk, too. She liked her Peruvian margarita and I got their Amazon blush which was a cherry bourbon drink and excellent. So I guess if I am taking a star off it's for my empanada. It's at least a 1/2 star off for the frozen filling and I can't round up to a perfect score for that.

Love it here so nice and fresh flavors are absolutely delicious staff friendly and handle with careread more

Best food ever and a bakery delicious this place is the perfect spot . Girls look mean but they are…read morekind and service is good can't complain . The ambiance is very happy, inviting.

So good and good service didn't take long and the most important part is that the food is so good…read moreand there is a bathroom too here are so photo I took

So I visited with a friend for lunch. We ordered the lunch specials which were only $10. My burrito…read morewas mostly lettuce with some very unexciting rice and beans on the side. Maybe their non-lunch or regularly priced burritos are better? What really put me off was their approach to tipping. I am a very generous, some might say excessive tipper. As a former bartender it's just good karma for me to tip well. I was surprised that they added a tip to the check automatically. I might have missed it if I'd just glanced. But then when I paid the bill they again prompted me to add an additional tip with options from 18-25%. So a lot of people who eat there are likely getting tricked into tipping twice. That's not okay. I won't be back.

I stopped by the new location, and the very first thing I ordered was two beef empanadas--and wow…read more They were so good I swear I'd been dreaming about them. For my entrée, I ordered the Filete a la Criolla: a perfectly cooked bass fillet topped with shrimp in a rich creole sauce, served with rice, green plantains, and salad. Everything was amazing. The fish was cooked perfectly, the creole sauce was full of flavor, and I loved that the taste was exactly the same even in the new location. That consistency really matters. To drink, I ordered a lemonade, and it was refreshing and perfectly balanced. The new location is so much closer to my home, which makes this an even bigger win for me. The atmosphere is beautiful and much more intimate compared to the East Washington location--perfect for a relaxed, enjoyable meal. The service was spectular and I'll definitely be back again and again.

Menu looks delicious. Only had time for calamari and a beer but will be back again. Service and…read moreAmbiance were great. Enjoyed the music.

I was last here 14 years ago so it's probably time I write a review! I stopped in for lunch on a…read moreweekday and the dining room was quite absent one other table. They do have a lunch menu as well as their typical menu with both mediterranean as well as Italian options. I opted for their "famous" (their words) falafel sandwich. Maybe I was anchored by their use of "famous" in their description but I was not impressed. The falafel was quite dense and lacked the earthy/herby flavor I was looking for. The tahini sauce also lacked any sort of punch. At $15.99, it simply didn't deliver. It wasn't terrible but also not great. Sure, the complimentary bread was a nice throwback to simpler times. Will it be another 14 years before I return? Who knows but I won't be in a rush for a return visit.

This place is a hidden gem!! Absolutely amazing!! It's locally owned. We had the manicotti, stuffed…read moreshells, and cheese ravioli. Everything was home made. The sauce was mouth watering. The bread was warm and delicious. The service was great and prices were reasonable. Definitely added to our list of places to go when we are in Madison.

If you have a hankering for Mexican, I'd definitely recommend this place. Great service, and great…read moreenchilada plate! Margarita was good & strong! Only drawback is that the chips and salsa were pretty salty. I was the only person in here at 5:30p on a Thursday which is shocking bc this place is very good

I like this place. Everyone is very friendly and the food is delicious. I like the decorations of…read morethe restaurant.

Came in from out of town and we had a great time. The owner took pride in waiting on us and making…read moresure we had a good experience. Food and drinks were great. Shared a drink with the owner on the way out. She is very sweet. Food: 5/5 | Service

I'll admit, I was nervous to try this place. I was a bit of a regular back when it was The…read moreMediterranean Lounge, and was worried I would be trying to compare with the new ownership. I could not be happier to be so incorrect. Didn't get any photos, but what excellent food and ambiance. My dining partner and I started with the ceviche and the arepas. I was nervous, but both were absolutely delicious and clearly prepared with love. Like a fun atmosphere and still enjoyed our evening out, but it tasted like a home-cooked meal (as opposed to stamped out on an assembly line. Then came the Bandeja Paisa - steak cooked perfectly med-rare (as requested) resting on a gorgeous mushroom sauce with with pork prepared two ways accompanied by avocado, sweet plantains, beans/rice, a d topped with an egg. I wish I had taken a photo, but I was too excited to dig. Absolutely stupendous. I will return simply to get this again. Thanks for a great time, and see you again soon!