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Viva Las Arepas

4.5 (2.1k reviews)
ModerateVenezuelan
Closed 9:00 am - 10:00 pm

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Viva Las Arepas Photos

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VIVA LAS AREPAS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Viva Las Arepas

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Pernil (pork) arepa - sooo good!
Bronwyn B.

Found this gem when we were staying at the Strat, which is a five minute walk. Friendly service, delicious and inexpensive food. Highly recommend!

Inside
Jando S.

One of the true gems of the downtown Las Vegas scene, Viva Las Arepas' presence has grown tremendously over the years from a food cart to a full fledged brick and mortar. The pretense is minimal and the food is excellent, which is why it has been one of my favorite food finds ever. Parking in this part of downtown can be a challenge, but there are a handful of dedicated spots that face the storefront. There are solid indoor and outdoor seating options and a bustling staff working hard behind the counter. One of the owners (Felix) is so accommodating and one of the friendliest folks I've met. The arepas themselves are stacked. My go-to arepa, the reina pepiada, is shredded chicken breast that has been mixed with mayo, avocado, and cilantro. For an added boost, I enjoy the add-on queso (guayanés) for an added texture boost. The ham and cheese is a classic, and extremely gooey for those looking for a proper cheese pull. The pabellón features carne mechada (shredded beef) with plantains, beans, and a generous sprinkling of queso fresco. It's probably the heartiest arepa on the menu. There is a whole plethora of other Venezuelan items, which include some very crispy tequeños (similar to a giant mozzarella stick), grilled meat (parrillada) platters, empanadas, pastelitos, and numerous beverages. I am a sucker for passion fruit, which adds a nice tart aftertaste and complements the arepas nicely. Gone are the days of $3 arepas, the recent foodflation has price hiked these babies to sub $10+ for each. While it's a hit to the wallet, sometimes it's the price we pay for the things we love. I am already looking forward to my next visit.

Ken C.

Viva Las Arepas has been on my radar for 15 years, but I didn't check it out till now! They're known for arepas, which are fried crispy pockets made of corn masa filled with meats, cheese, and other goodies. I went with their Pabellion, which was filled to the brim with shredded beef, cheese, black beans, and plantains. My wife went with their Cachapa Arepa, which just had their cheese in a thicker fried corn dough that was almost like a pancake. Both of these arepas were served with a green salsa and creamy salsa. The corn arepa shell was crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle, and slightly sweet. The meat is all mesquite grilled, so it had nice smoky flavor, but was juicy, well seasoned, and flavorful. The sauces didn't cover up any of the flavor from the meat, but it added a little bit of heat that was needed. Between these two items, a side order of fried plantains, and a can of Coke, I spent about $31, which was way less than I spent for pastries at Caesars. On our way out, my wife saw someone eating pork spare ribs from their grill. The smell of the mesquite was unmistakeable. We ordered it to go. For $15, we got a generous portion of pork and two sides. The pork was tender, it fell apart at the bone, it had flavor from mesquite, and there was a very savory sauce that coated the exterior of the meat. When we were eating this in our hotel room we were extremely happy with this decision. Don't miss it. One of the reasons I haven't come here prior to today was because It's located about four blocks north of Stratosphere between the Las Vegas Strip and Arts District. When they first opened, they were just a small stand, but now their lot is a small strip mall with parking. Overall, if you want affordable gems in Vegas, then you need to look a little out of the strip. This is a perfect example. I've been looking for a Venezuelan Arepa like this for a long time. I'll definitely be back soon!

Joseph R.

Overall an amazing place worth the visit. Get the whole chicken and MAKE SURE you get the Yucca Root....

Inside seating
Tim L.

Great spot, price is good, food is fresh and authentic. Glad I came here, several miles from where I stayed, but muy delicioso. Would recommend to anyone looking for great arepas and venezulian cuisine!

Trung N.

I finally got around to trying Viva Las Arepas and I have regrets about not coming sooner. This place is fire. Arepas are round, flat cornmeal cakes that are stuffed with filling. They're slightly crispy on the outside with a soft and chewier on the inside. I've never had one before and these slid right into the rolodex of things I love. We shared three: -#1: wood fire beef ($10.49): lettuce + tomato with avocado (+$1.00) and cheese (+$1.00) -#2: wood fire chicken shredded ($9.99): lettuce with avocado (+$1.00) -#12: pabellón ($10.49): beef, beans, plantain + cheese The menu descriptions are very loose and require a little effort to really understand the beef and chicken sitch. For a point of reference, the beef resembles and tastes like carne asada. It's tender and they stuff it in thick. We added avocado and cheese which added layers of flavor and texture. Delish. The chicken is shredded, aforementioned, but it's stewed (there's a sauce). Not that it matters, but it gives you an entirely different taste and texture than expected. Honestly, the real star was the cilantro crema sauce. I doused everything in it. Twas very delicious. The arepas were unlike anything I've ever eaten before. Each individual filling we ordered was absolutely delicious with no overlapping flavors. Every bite was brand new experience. Ten.

#3. Beef Shredded Arepa
Miss M.

Food is delicious and very flavorful , still however I have experienced a different quality when you order to go VS eating inside the restaurant. Eating INSIDE is the best quality they will make it worth your buck! Togo? DO NOT. You will be disappointed. Not worth the $20 per arepa after adding only avocado and sauce! You get charged for any sauce in this tiny container half way filled and your arepa has space for more meat when you order to go. It's not worth the extra prices and less quality. I would suggest DINE IN ONLY! The arepa should come with at LEAST once sauce.

#12. Pabellon Arepa

I was really excited to try this spot after watching a video of someone visiting. They raved about a couple of other restaurants in town that we love so I thought they were a trusted source! I ordered the arepa #12 with black beans, cheese, plantains and shredded beef. My husband had a shredded beef arepa and chicken empanada. We even brought my in-laws to try them also. The overall flavor was lackluster but after trying my husband's food, I definitely had the more flavorful of the two and the sauces didn't add much to the equation. My low review comes with the evening that I had following eating here. We had to make several stops for me to use the bathroom on the way home and it completely ended our day of adventures. As this was the only thing I ate, it's hard to say it was anything else. Looks yummy, not worth the tummy troubles.

View from parking lot
Madison K.

O hell yes! And they have a loyalty card too... Arepas are not exactly my love language (it's surprise gifts) but they fit right in-- by ritual, almost any bad day is reset by an arepa. These are amazing.. but do not omit the sauces. Both the creamy green and the pulpy green are crave inducing.

Number #13. Cachapa Arepa

Arepas are really good service is great quick and efficient love coming here! The place is quiet and easy to have a conversation.

Fire grilled beef combo
Vivian S.

OG place for arepas. Great arepas with the best bread. Stuff them with anything and slather the creamy cilantro sauce on and you'll have a good time. Empanadas also are made of a delicious dough and well fried. Lines can get long since the place is popular with the tourists. Parking may be difficult to find, so try parking behind the plaza.

##7. Reina Pepiada Arepa
Deja G.

10/10 ! I haven't had an arepa in years now ... this place was so delicious and definitely satisfied my cravings. Especially the number seven. It was the perfect bite to get us through the day before dinner. We also had the empanadas and the guava and cheese pastellito. The sauces are good and the location was clean with plenty of seating. The staff were nice too and it seems like everything is made to order. The location is great as well right off the strip against the grain from all the chaos.

Beef empanadas
Rebecca N.

If you're looking for something delicious, fast casual and great for families - this is your place. Indoor or outdoor seating, a menu with a lot of options without being overwhelming. I'm convinced any Arepa would be delicious but we like the shredded beef the most. Don't forget to order the Cachapa, a sweet and savory shareable that we fought over. The mixed plate with a variety of meats that was gone before I really got a chance to taste much - which is telling. Overall, this was an excellent choice for us and I would definitely come back for more!

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Such a good spot for a quick, filling meal. The food is always fresh and authentic, and the portions are huge!

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Viva Las Arepas Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Viva Las Arepas

Do all the meats have onion?

no, only the shredded beef (carne mechada, numbers #3 and #12) has onion already cooked in. the carne asada (wood fire beef), shredded chicken, roasted pork butt, reina… Read more

Are they gluten free?

all of the arepas are gluten free. they fry their plantains (the same one they use in the #12 pabellon arepa) in a separate fryer than the gluten stuff. if you're celiac or… Read more

Are they open in 2022?

Yes. And still serving delicious Arepas.

Are they open right now?

Went by their Las Vegas Blvd. location the other day and it's boarded up due to covid.

How ARE the papusas?

They don't sell those at this location. Pupusas are more of Central American food item. Arepas are from South America, typically found in Venezuela and Colombia. The arepas at this place though, are one of the best you can find in the US... I highly… Read more

Do they have any vegetarian food? Would it be worth it for vegetarians to go?

Yes they have Vegetarian arepas.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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CHICA - Crispy Rock Shrimp

CHICA

4.3(2.9k reviews)
2.3 miThe Strip
$$

One of the conferences that I was attending had a vendor hosted event at the CHICA restaurant…read moreinside the Venetian. I only had some tapas that evening. it was great though! The first thing I noticed was just how packed the entire Venetian area was that night! Apparently No Doubt was in town performing at Sphere, and since the Venetian parking garage is basically right next door, the whole resort had a ton of energy and nonstop foot traffic. It was definitely busy! CHICA had a really fun atmosphere. The restaurant itself feels stylish and upscale without being overly formal. The décor had this vibrant inspired energy with music, lighting, and a social vibe that works really well for group dinners or events! Since it was catered for the event, I only tried a selection of tapas, but everything I had was really good! All of the food was flavorful, well presented, and easy to share while mingling! I really enjoyed the experience! Between the Vegas energy from the Sphere crowd, the lively atmosphere inside CHICA, and the solid food, it ended up being a really fun evening during the conference trip! Definitely somewhere I'd consider coming back to for a full dinner next time I'm on the Strip.

SO GOOD! Favorite spot of the day , hands down. What a great way to end our day trip to Vegas!…read more We started with two appetizers which were more on an amuse bouche. Small in size but packed with flavor. The Himachi? We could've eaten ten of them. Deeeelicious. The main course came out while I stepped away for a few minutes so I missed the fire show, but got to see it when another table got it later. The taste of the beef was absolutely amazing and loved the accrucements that accompanied it as well. We ended our meal with an almost missed Tres Leches. (Silly me didn't ask for the dessert menu, almost had grounds for being left in Las Vegas!). I'm so glad we circled back and got it, cause it was fan freakin tastic Service also was amazing - our server was so patient and kind

Photos
CHICA - Dining area

Dining area

CHICA - Queso Fundido

Queso Fundido

CHICA - Salmon Tacos

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Salmon Tacos

Dandino’s Arepas Cafe - Cheese Queso Empanada

Dandino’s Arepas Cafe

4.3(16 reviews)
2.1 miEastside

I don't know if there has been a name change but Dandino's was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the…read moresigns said Sabor Panp Anccs Tipico. I had read the reviews for Dandino's and I wanted to try their South American food. I ordered two items--a mechada arepa and a mechada empanada. Mechada is Venezuelan shredded beef. The arepa is made with corn flour in rounds and filled with whatever filling you choose. The empanada was not sealed, but was partly open. Arepas are a common food in Venezuela and Columbia. There was a bit of a language problem but we got past that. I took a seat and enjoyed the singing by an older man who played the keyboard and sang to entertain in the food court. When I ordered, I was told it would take 7 minutes and that was right on. The woman I ordered with arrived at my table with my arepa and empanada in that time. She then brought my Coke. First off, the food was blisteringly hot. I had to wait a bit to be able to enjoy. That showed me the freshness of the making of the items. The mechada was excellent. It was juicy and the sauce with the shredded beef had a super flavor. I'll be back but I'll mix my order and get a cheese empanada and a different arepa. It's worht the stop here. It is close to UNLV and I'm there often so there's not much of a drive. Note: This is a cash only place. No credit cards or contactless payments.

We came to the plaza for the vegan Mexican spot next door, but this arepas spot was also on my…read morelist! It was a coincidence and I ended up buying a cheese arepa. It was fresh and delicious. I will be back! Plenty of parking outside and this is located inside the El Mercado Plaza.

Photos
Dandino’s Arepas Cafe - Music this Sunday evening.

Music this Sunday evening.

Dandino’s Arepas Cafe - Arepa and empanada.

Arepa and empanada.

Dandino’s Arepas Cafe - Restaurant.

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Restaurant.

Mr. Cooker - Pepito

Mr. Cooker

4.7(61 reviews)
15.9 mi
$

Solid value for some of the best Venezuelan food around town. The fact that it's on wheels just…read moremakes the hunt a little more thrilling. Mr. Cooker is a Las Vegas food truck that's been around for a little over a year now. I'm surprised at how few their review count is, despite their appearances at such events as the Great American Foodie Fest, Sunset Park'd, and a Yelp Elite Event. The former two are sometimes derided for overpriced and lackluster food, which is true for some places. However, they impressed people including yours truly at the latter, which is why I was so glad to find them in the wild today. Well, "the wild" in this case is the inaugural running of a weekly food truck gathering at the Total Wine & More on Las Vegas Blvd (near Fry's / Town Square), and it's more like a ring of about ten trucks/trailers/vans showed up and these guys were in the thick of it. I knew that they'd be among the best, so I couldn't pass them up as I regrettably did at other food truck events. The man running front of house (or outside of truck, in this case) gave me a brief tour of some of their menu. I went for his favorite after finding out that I could get two different meat choices. My order of patacones ($8 for two) came out within perhaps 5 minutes still plenty hot, but I eagerly dug in to these creations of meat, cheese, and sauces sandwiched between fried, crispy plantains. That crispness stands out first and foremost. It's not a hard crunch, and it yields something substantial in your mouth that texturally reminded me of some chicken skins that I'd recently had. Speaking of which, the meats are no slouch. The pork was great, but the shredded beef was surprisingly juicy and rich in flavor. And the slew of sauces was complementary and not overwhelming, although some areas were less sauced. Fortunately, I soon noticed that they had squeeze bottles including one that contained more of that ubiquitous green cilantro sauce. Ask for them. They're important. I'm definitely going to revisit Mr. Cooker soon. I definitely need to try their arepas, empanadas, pepitos, and perhaps one day a traditional certain comestible, if they ever source the right corn and cheese to craft the recipe to their liking. I'll be waiting.

The food truck photos looked good, but the items we ordered were mehhhhhh. The best part was their…read morecilantro sauce they had on the side. I think the empanadas were just not that great, and their cheese filled pastry dough thing wasn't special either. I'll be taking my business elsewhere.

Photos
Mr. Cooker - Empanada y patacones

Empanada y patacones

Mr. Cooker - Arepas ($7) can be customized to your liking. I went with pork and cheese. Don't forget the sauces (not shown).

Arepas ($7) can be customized to your liking. I went with pork and cheese. Don't forget the sauces (not shown).

Mr. Cooker

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Makers & Finders - Breakfast wrap

Makers & Finders

4.1(2.2k reviews)
0.5 miDowntown
$$

Makers & Finders is the kind of spot that reminds you why local cafés matter. The energy hits…read moreimmediately--bright, lively, and full of people who actually look happy to be there. The coffee is consistently excellent, with real depth and flavor instead of the generic stuff you find on the Strip. The food is even better: fresh, vibrant, and clearly made with intention. I highly recommend the Arepa Paisa--comforting, flavorful, and perfectly executed--and the Dulce de Leche latte, which is rich without being overly sweet and easily one of the best specialty lattes in town. Service is upbeat and attentive without ever feeling rushed, and the whole space has that perfect blend of community vibe and quality execution. Makers & Finders is a must‑visit every time I'm in Vegas. Five stars, no question.

When I come to Vegas for a tradeshow, I like to find little places like Makers & Friends…read more The inside is cozy and charming. The Latin infused food is delicious. The brisket hash I had hit the spot. I also got a Mexican spiced latte that was perfect and has some of thr best latte art I've seen. (I owned a coffee shop). When it's not busy you can linger without feeling like you're taking up space. They also have an outdoor patio in the front with tables to sit and people watch. I'lll be back on my next trade show visit.

Photos
Makers & Finders - Seating area and Bar

Seating area and Bar

Makers & Finders - Chilaquiles

Chilaquiles

Makers & Finders - Inside... bar area and many seating options

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Inside... bar area and many seating options

Tío Simón  - Pepito bululu without pork

Tío Simón

4.1(22 reviews)
5.0 miWestside

Came here with friends who recommended this spot. To what I understand, Tio Simon used to be…read moreArepas which I loved Arepas on Las Vegas Blvd so I was really excited. We were a party of 5 and they did get busy and thank God we were already seated and ordered our food. Food: Chicken Empanada Beef Arepas My friend ordered a couple of appetizers but I forgot what it was called but I'll upload the pix. It was good. The Empanada was delicious. I loved the texture and the chicken was flavorful. The Arepas was okay alone. But when you add the sauce it elevated and tasted so much better. The sauces were a green, spicy and another that is like an aioli. Now the negative. Service was horrible. 4 out of 5 of us got our food and the main person who we were celebrating did not get her food. We were already done and she finally got her order. I had to ask a couple of times for a cup of ice. I haven't drank can soda in a long time but it was $4.14. I was like WOW but ok. Overall, I'd still return because the food was delicious. The server just needs help. Im thinking she did not put my friends order in. I was Happy to see a guy walking around asking how's everything. We told him our friend didn't get her food and he asked the kitchen about it.

I'm Venezuelan and I can say this place is perfect if you want to try out some Venezuelan food. I…read moreordered a pepito, which is like a street food sandwich with chicken. The size of this pepito could feed 3 people I had YEARS since I had a pepito and this was so satisfying and delicious. My husband had a cachapa with cheese. For those who don't know, a cachapa is like a corn pancake, but this cachapa is not trying to be anything else but like a great cachapa. They gave us cilantro/garlic sauce, corn sauce, and spicy sauce to try with the pepito. I also had mango and passion fruit juice, it felt great with this summer heat, plus, that mango juice reminded me of the juice my mom used to make for me. Great service and super friendly people. Please try the pepito and the cachapas if you get a chance!

Photos
Tío Simón
Tío Simón  - Cachapa con queso

Cachapa con queso

Tío Simón

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Viva Las Arepas - venezuelan - Updated May 2026

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