" Absolutely fresh & Delicious Arepas & Empanadas " Oh wow…read morethey make these to order and fresh . You got to wait a tad because they are made fresh . They are not sitting around already made . When you bite into a arepa it's magical; and freshly made off the stove . The empanadas taste just as fresh & delicious. I got the "Venezuelan lemonade" it's good too . Just a bit sweet , that never hurt anyone ; lol. The vibe is welcoming & friendly. I definitely will be back here when in the area .

Nice, newish, clean place. Lovely service. Each of our choices for food was very fine, good combo…read moreof ingredients.

I absolutely LOVED all the food at this place. I had never tried Venezuelan food, and was dying to…read moretry it. We were on our way back from the White Mountains (New Hampshire) and decided that we should grab some food on the way back to my parents place. We ended up trying quite a few dishes.

We went to Orinoco a little under an hour before closing. We were seated immediately and the waiter…read morewas very attentive. We had hoped to eat some arepas but they were out of them. I recommend getting here earlier if that's what you're craving. We ended up getting the empanada trio, the Pabellon Criollo (which I did not realize also had plantains), the maracuchitos and the tostones. Yes, all the plantains in the menu. It kind of happened by accident but it worked out great. We got our food incredibly fast! Everything was delicious. However, the tostones and the empanadas were my favorite. I also had a maracuya juice, which was sweet and refreshing. We really liked our waiter, we was very nice and attentive. I wish I remembered his name to give him a shout out. I really enjoy the food from Orinoco. Historically, I had only gone to the restaurant in the South End but I'm glad to see the one at Harvard Square maintains the same flavors. I can't wait to be back for arepas.

First time to try Venezuelan food…read more Bowl Pabellon Beef: Pabellon is said to be Venezuela's national dish. Product from this stall was healthy, but not that authentic, or delicious for my Chinese appetite. As the core part, beef was absolutely fabulous, shredded and deep stewed to soft and tender, more on the savory and fragrant side, but also with a zing of tomato's sourness and paprika's spice, somehow similar to Mexican style. However, the black beans and banana were a bit overcooked, together with the salad dressing, mixed with the rice, making it overwhelmingly mushy, which was a disaster for me who love dry rice. I have checked through Google and ChatGPT that all ingredients should be placed separately, and obviously, pico de gallo should not be in there. By the way the food stall is located in a pub or something, where all people were crazily yelling. It is insanely chaotic so you'd better escape asap to protect your heart.

They were situated inside Aeronaut Brewery and I needed a substantive snack. I saw they had a vegan…read morebowl on the menu (no prices listed--turns out it was $13 after tax), so I ordered that. The lady made it instantly. It came with rice, black beans, plantains, and a tomato and onion salsa. Quite tasty, maybe a bit salty, needing something a bit more to lift it up, but fairly tasty and satiating. Not a bad option given the circumstances but nothing I'd seek out.

Food - 4.5/5 Service - 5/5…read moreAmbiance - 4/5 Rounded up to a 5! The food was very good - this menu is huge! I got the pernil cachapas, and my friends got a shrimp canoas and a vegetarian arepa. Everyone was very happy with their food! I did wish there were more veggie sides or vegetables in my cachapas - it was pretty much all meat and carbs but the taste was perfecto. The restaurant is very clean and well maintained - there was one flickering light that gave me a mild headache, thus the four out of five. Service was outstanding! We were checked in on multiple times and Barbie was very happy to answer any questions (and chat with me in Spanish, as I need to practice.) Muchísimas gracias a Barbie!

I really enjoyed my arepa from here! Saw this place as I was walking by and knew I had to check it…read moreout. I got the pelua arepa to go with spicy beef and cheese, they also included some sauces on the side which was nice so it didn't get soggy on the way back. The arepa was very tasty, I got mine fried and it felt like it was made fresh. The meat was a little tough to chew through at times but still tasty, and I did like the cheeses. It tasted yummy. Their menu is large and they have many arepas, I would like to try other kinds. Plus they have other venezuelan dishes too. This place is very inviting and everyone inside was friendly.

My partner and I got huevos fritos and choripan -…read more TASTE: 4/5 - the hot sauce we requested was spicy and sooo good! Loved it w my huevos fritos. The choripan's Argentinian chorizo, pickled red onions, and chimichurri were chef's kiss TEXTURE: 5/5 - crispy arepas and yuca fries, melty Edam cheese, and dense sausage. It all hit the spot PRICE: 5/5 - each dish was only $10.50, amazing SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - satisfied us for brunch SERVICE: 4/5 - walked in at 12pm on a Sunday and were the first ones seated, though many families gradually came in. Our waitress was friendly and helpful ATMOSPHERE: 4/5 - had always walked by Orinoco, and glad we finally stopped in to try. Colorful interior and Venezuelan decor PARKING: 4/5 - we're usually able to find a metered street spot right on Harvard St

Very cute place, vibrant, great food, salmon was cooked perfectly. Presentation of food also done…read morewell.

Great place for great food and price. Enjoyed the service…read moreand friendly staff. Appreciate yall.

I almost want to gatekeep this place because it's such a tiny spot with incredible food and the…read morefriendliest service. Some of our favorite dishes are the Cazuela de Frijoles (Beans Casserole), served with rice, sweet plantains, and eggs. It's simple comfort food, but the flavors are absolutely amazing. We also really appreciate how accommodating they are , for example, they're happy to remove the pork rinds or chorizo from the cazuela if you ask. The pabellón is another standout . It contains perfectly seasoned shredded beef served with rice, black beans, and sweet plantains. It's hearty, flavorful, and feels like home cooking. Another must-order for us is the limonada tradicional, a fresh lemon-limeade that's perfectly refreshing and tart without being overly sweet. They bring out piping hot arepas with a delicious sauce for every table as a complimentary appetizer, which we love. The arepas on the actual menu weren't our personal favorite, but honestly, everything else we've tried has been outstanding. The menu/service is primarily in Spanish, so you may need to use Google Translate if you're not fluent, but it's absolutely worth it for such delicious food.

The tamarind mezcal margarita was so good!!…read more I loved the shrimp taco, cheese empanadas, and the flan so much. It was extremely good! The shrimp taco was so creamy and the flavors were such a good combo. I've had better quesabirria and fish tacos though. The flan is a must have. So yummy! My only reservation is that this restaurant is really on the expensive side. I think it'll have to be reserved for special occasions only.

SO GOOD. Incredible vibes and energy. This is an amazinggg spot in Brighton…read more As a table we ordered: - Tequeños - Yuca Frita - Arepa - Beef empanada & chicken empanada - I got a red sangria - My friend got a shrimp cocktail + a passion fruit Margarita No notes. All of it was 10/10. So so good. And it's an amazing environment if you're trying to catch any soccer game. Will be back!!

Love the food and love the vibe here! I really like their chipotle chicken- it is delicious! Most…read morerecently I got the portabello tacos with rice and beans which are delicious! They have a taco Tuesday menu which i attached as well, they have a selection of tacos available for 2.50, dine in only. The iced tea and coffee is refreshing here as well. I love the white lights they have hanging up as well. Staff is friendly too! I love coming here, such a chill vibe with delicious food!

Counter serve restaurant with a variety of Latin American food. I thought my food was fine but…read morenothing special. The prices are on the higher side for what you get, and I feel like I would've had a better experience with some of their big plates instead of a rice bowl which is pretty simple and hard to mess up. The service here is quick and you get your food fast. There's parking that's pretty easy to find but I'm sure it's much busier on a summer afternoon than a Friday evening.

My second time here as the lady is well versed in this gem ! I'm glad that although the area is…read morechanging and unfortunately the building has new owners and VMA has to leave or close.... THEYRE moving down to JP! Thank goodness! 3 items we usually get. Empanadas, cachapas and arepas! Now for me i would go Beef or beef with cheese for all styles! I would say the empanadas are my absolute favorite 2-3 per person and you'll be on your tush, happy and sleepy haha. The green cilantro sauce whatever it is is perfect for everything. Without it would NOT be the same! The corn wrap is nice and sweet and i think they use real corn to make it not just cornmeal! The ladies working were really nice today and they do take quite awhile for your order to be ready unless you walk in and grab from the hot foods section (rice and stews etc Goat Chicken Beef pork) The arepa has nice crispy texture and is like a hot pocket of sorts! Enjoyed it but i still like empanadas the best! The cachapa is the lady's fave. Like a big Venezuelan omelette VERY filling so sharing is caring! Will be back and look forward to the new location!

Delicious bean and cheese arepa and cheese empanada with the most amazing green sauce. Also love…read morethe maduros. I don't eat meat but I'm sure their meat options are delicious. The workers are very kind.

I love the stew chicken plate, they have insane birria tacos and the ambiance there is great…read more Food generally travels well from the items I've ordered and they have homemade juices and horchata, plus the Jarrito's plug is always a plus Service is great, they'll walk you through the menu should you have any questions Definition of a neighborhood essential

I was looking for something nutritional and not too heavy. I came across this Dominican Republic…read morespot on Google, it had high reviews. I tried to Uber here but the location wasn't appearing so I gave them a call and confirmed they are open. I actually took the subway and it was super easy as it is near a stop. Spicy Shrimp Bowl 5/5 - the fish was really soft and seasoned just right. The black rice is phenomenal, I could eat it on my own. Horchata 5/5 - exactly how I like it, heavier on the cinnamon side, also the horchata helped with cooling down my tongue after pouring too much ghost pepper on my bowl Dropping a star because the service isn't that great, when our food was ready, the staff member just muttered our food was ready...also seems like the utensils are in a spot only for staff to grab but it's actually self serve. We also asked for queso and were told they had some. When we never got it with our food, the staff member acted like he didn't know what we were talking about.