The arepa was buttery and corn-y flavor The dark meat roast was tender but gravy was salty and thick and rich. I felt like there wasn't much dimension. I was so full after though The plantains were also sweet and yummy. Would go back for this! read more

Arepa Grub Spot - Dark Beef Roast - Asado Negro - Venezuelan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Staff is very friendly. Quick service and delicious tasting empanadas. I got the carne molida empanadas and they were fresh, flavorful, and crunchy exterior and juicy interior. Amazing value for the price as well. Definitely will be back go try other items. read more

Arepa Grub Spot - Venezuelan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lovely Friday evening experience at Arepa Grub Spot. We decided to dine in--there are a few round tables with chairs and counter seating along the window front and one side wall with stools. The woman who took our order helped us choose between the many dishes on offer that appealed. We sat and food came out as it was ready and piping hot. The garlic avocado sauce was delicious and, if you like a bit of spice, ask for the house-made salsa, which was mildly spicy, but its vinegar base lifted the fried foods. We particularly enjoyed the beef empanada and the Pavilion Arepa (black beans, shredded beef, fried sweet plantains, and feta cheese). read more

See all

Excellent place to experience Venezuelan food. Excellent location. Friendly staff awesome food. Small space with outside seating. read more

See all

A small local shop with immaculate quick eats. I ordered the Carne Cashapa, 2 Arepas (chicken with queso blanco Avacado | Shredded beef add Avacado) & Passion fruit fresh juice. EVERYTHING was a 10/10. I've never had Venezuelan food in my life and now I'm craving it nonstop. All of the meat was seasoned and flavorful. Breading was sweet but not over the top. Sauces complimented everything. An absolute gem to come to. read more

See all

We love this place (everything is so fresh and filling). Don't sleep on the vegan arepa, which has plantains and black beans. We also love a curvy queen and the shrimp arepa (when it's available). We will typically order on our way to get veggies at the Italian market and will come back 15 min later. We do often have to wait an additional 5-10 min after we come back so don't expect to be in and out! read more

Delicious Venezuelan empanadas. Pleasant atmosphere and friendly staff. I would recommend it to anyone:) read more

Arepa Grub Spot - Venezuelan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

Pedí perros calientes y hicieron lo que les dio la gana. Me dieron un choripán que ni siquiera había pedido y, aparte, tenía más pan que chorizo. Pedí una cachapa y parecía que la licuadora se dañó porque tenía el maíz entero; o sea, estaba muy, muy mala. El cocinero tenía cara de todo menos de venezolano. Las cachapas se desboronaron todas, no tenían consistencia. Lo único venezolano del establecimiento es la chica. Tan lejos que vinimos para llevarnos esta decepción. ¡¡ES HORRIBLE!! read more

Came here after getting the Birthday cake ice cream from Milk jawn, had to come in after walking by days before after getting Dough head weekday special. Glad I had iPhone translate to help with my ask for recommendations and just randomly went with the Flurry Pelùa shredded beef with cheddar cheese, the beef empanada and the con todo hot dog. The hot dog I admit was a mistake and worst to get just not good lol n think maybe the hot dog was boiled but also not even as good as ball park Frank The carne mechada empanada was good but the arepa was the best of the 3. The spicy salsa was good but the avocado sauce good and definitely would help to add hot sauce. I'll have to come back for the soups, grill specials, breakfast desayunos, n mains etc lol. They take Apple Pay and nice staff. read more

I went in for this Yelp event grand opening. I got the chicken empanada. It was soooo good. Freshly made and you can tell because when I bit into it you could see the steam coming out of it. It was literally so good, I left and came back to buy another one with a can soda. The soda was flat lol but that's fine. The food was good. If you're not familiar with that area be advised that parking down there is a nightmare! FYI they have Apple Pay! read more

See all

Tasty arepa, Venezuelan style. The dough was very fresh and warm, tasted like it was made recently. The inside was very juicy and they provided a good garlic sauce for drizzle if you chose. My friend got a ham and cheese arepa and was more disappointed - the cheese wasn't melted and there was only 1 slice of ham but again, the dough was fresh. An okay price for arepas, 7$. Feels authentic read more

Arepa Grub Spot - Steak arepa - Venezuelan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My neighbor recommended this place and he was absolutely right about the arrepas. This place is near the intersection of 9 and Washington. The dining area was clean. The lady who took my order was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. She explained several kinds of arrepas, which quite extensive. She wrote "enjoy " with smiley face on the takeout bag. Reina pepiada: creamy avocado chicken salad. When I tried it without the sauce, it was okay. However, after I put the sauce, it elevated the flavor. Do delicious. Pabellon: black beans, shredded beef, fried sweet plantains, and Israeli feta cheese. Very flavorful but on the salty side. Both arepas were stuffed but didn't fall apart. Flan: it was delicious but too sweet for me. I definitely will go back to try other authentic Venezuelan dishes that I've never had such as patacón which is a sandwich with slices of green plantains instead of bread, and cachapas, which is a pancake made with ground fresh corn. Another reason to support this business is because they are using environmentally friendly containers for the take out. read more

See all

Tried the Curvy Queen (avocado chicken salad) and Dark Beef Roast and both were so good! But the important part is when you add the hot sauce AND the avocado sauce on the arepas - it boosts the flavor 10x! It is a small family based restaurant and I was so impressed by the quality of the arepas. I will definitely come back for more! read more

Tequeos with pina sauce was delicious, Curvy Queen Arepa was amazing with the spicy avocado sauce, and Dark Beef Roast Arepa was disappointing. Service was great. Restaurant was clean and simple. read more

Arepa Grub Spot - Tequeos with pina sauce was delicious - Venezuelan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This place is absolutely delicious. I came here originally for a Yelp event and was so impressed that day that I had to return again. The arepas here are delicious, definitely try the shredded beef -- it's unreal! The interior is quaint with about 10 chairs and 2 outdoor tables. Service is a bit spotty and it does take some time for the food post ordering, but it's worth it. read more

Arepa Grub Spot - Venezuelan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This is my new go to arepa spot. My girlfriend got the ground beef arepa, and I got the chorizo over fries. We also got brown lemonade which was delicious. All of the food was delicious. The location of the restaurant is cool too, and there's lots of Spanish cuisine & culture nearby. The only con was the wait was a little long, but they were very busy so you know it's good! 10/10 highly recommend. Oh yeah, and for those wondering, there is a happy hour and it is also BYOB! read more

See all

Was super excited to try this place out after seeing all the amazing reviews but had a bit of a rough experience - perhaps they were having an off day? I wasn't looking for a full meal but just a snack, so I ordered one arepa (Arepa con Queso de Mano, or Hand Cheese Arepa with a delicate Venezuelan cheese). I would have loved if they offered an arepa with cheese, beans, and plantains combo like I've had at other places but didn't see that on the menu. I waited almost a half hour for a single arepa. I thought it would be an in-and-out in 10 minutes kind of deal since I saw the arepas were ready to go and it was more of an assembly preparation with the ingredients to go inside. All the other patrons waiting inside seemed to have been waiting for quite some time as well and were getting antsy. The arepa itself was good, but not good enough to justify a half hour wait. read more

Nubia came all the way from Venezuela to serve up some amazing food at her restaurant. It was just absolutely wonderful and she made an excellent suggestion to us for the arepas. Her service was perfect. The empanadas are a bit different than Mexican ones, but the meat (ground beef) inside was perfect. The chef here has great taste in their seasoning. This place feels very casual and would be a great place to get together with friends or introduce someone to some amazing food. This place has great south american vibes to it, in the best way possible. I have to try more stuff on the menu, but for a quick stop, I'm looking forward to coming back. Parking is a bit difficult, but I think it's worth trying it out. I'm not from Philly, but I'd imagine you could spend up to 20 minutes if your stubborn about finding a good spot. I still think the food is worth it though! read more

See all

I love arepas and there aren't a whole lot of places locally so when visiting other cities I see if there are any arepa places around to check out! There were a couple tables inside along with a counter with stools overlooking the street. The woman who helped me was super sweet but I struggled to communicate with her. She brought my arepa out to me along with a squeezable sauce- not exactly sure what it was but it was good! I opted for the pavilion-pabellon arepa with shredded beef, black beans, plantains, and cheese. The sauce in the little container pictured was on the spicy side for me, but I enjoyed the squeezable sauce. My only complaint is that when eating it the beef and plantains were front loaded so by the time I got to the latter half all that was left was the arepa "bun" and black beans. read more

Arepa Grub Spot - Pavilion- Pabellon Arepa - Venezuelan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Saw a targeted ad for their grand opening today and wanted to be one of the first to try! This is a new Venezuelan spot right in the Italian Market. It's small, with a counter and a few tables inside. Arepas are obviously the main draw. I tried the Asada Negro, an eye of round dish from Caracas. The meat was flavorful and moist. I also ordered a pavilion empanada- stuffed with shredded beef and plantains, I would highly recommend this. I would also recommend trying the cachapas, "pancakes made from ground fresh corn" and specifically the pernil filing. This was a "woa" for me. You know how street fairs sometimes have "mozzarepas" vendors that aren't that good? These looked like those in the menu picture but were nothing like them. Sweet, charred corn flavor with tender pork inside. I am really excited we have Venezuelan food entering the Italian Market and I hope this spot does well. There is a big menu to try and I'll be back soon. read more

See all

Stopped in just before noon on a Monday while running errands, no one was there and my to-go order was completed promptly. The cashier was very friendly, and there was ample interior seating (while there is external seating, I wish it was more inviting, especially as someone who avoids eating inside restaurants these days). I'd never had arepas before and I ended up ordering an arepa pabellon; the serving size was nice for a single order, the meat was delicious, the feta is a great inclusion, and the spicy sauce complemented the dish so well. I was full enough for a light lunch but definitely left wanting more. I'll definitely be back ASAP! read more

Skip the arepa, get the queso cachapa. You're welcome. I got the queso de mano arepa once and I was disappointed the cheese was cold/unmelted (my mistake though). The cachapa will be melty heaven. ! queso de mano is a Venezuelan cheese that is kinda similar to fresh mozzarella? Very delicious. The arepas seem to already be made, I was hoping they were freshly griddled to order, but I can understand for quickness that they would make them ahead of time. Still very fresh tasting. (prices have gone up a couple bucks since opening--docking one star as it felt a tiny bit expensive to pay $9ish for one cheese arepa and sauce, but workers are friendly, a clean dine-in, and they take credit card) read more

Randomly found this place online and after scrolling through some photos, I decided to make a trip on a saturday morning. Decided on three arepas: Rumbera (roasted pork with cheese) Pabellon (shredded beef with black beans plantains and feta cheese) and the Reina Pepiada (avocado Chicken salad). When we were asked if we were eating in or taking out, I told the owner we wanted to eat the Pabellon at the store and take the other ones to go. After a little while, he brought out the Pabellon first to eat while he went back to finish the rest of our order which was very thoughtful of him. The Pabellon was exactly how I imagined to taste and more. Flavorful marinated beef with a slight sweetness from the plantains and the creaminess of the black beans along with the saltiness from the feta were perfectly balanced between fresh hot homemade masa bread. The creamy salsa de ajo was the perfect condiment for this Venezuelan arepa. I can't wait to come back and try some other their other arepas and dishes. Buena suerte! read more

Arepa Grub Spot - Pavilion Arepa - Venezuelan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

I was very excited to try this place but they messed up my half order and whatever was correct was definitely just okay. They have potential to be amazing but failed at execution. Possibly an off day as they seem to be very highly rated so I may give it another go. Just not rushing back there any time soon. read more

We ordered take out and the food is absolutely delicious. I'm from Colombia and I have had a lot Venezuelan arepas back home and these are the real deal, all the ingredients tasted fresh and authentic. My 6yo loved the tequeños with the sauce and also wanted to finish my cachapa de queso. My husband and I tried the arepa pabellón y rumbera, both great but he voted for pabellón as his favorite so far. read more

So delish ! A good addition to the neighborhood! Went with my husband and it was absolutely tasty. The pernil on my patacon was great and the different sauces. I tried the garlic and the green one. The service was good and definitely plan to go back. read more

Arepa Grub Spot - Beef Cachapa - Venezuelan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

Eggs arepa tequeños empanadas Arepa Grub Spot always is such an underrated gem. So so good and with the little salsa they give you . Lovely lovely little spot read more

Best empanadas I have had in America and the arepas were amazing as well. Very original Venezuelan food.

Best arepas ever! Everyone was friendly ! Highly recommend this place! The plátano maduro was great too ! And the sauces! read more

Great Venezuelan food! Get the tequeños! We've been twice now and love it. Great quick bite. read more

See all

I was born in Venezuela, and this is the closest approximation to authentic Venezuelan food in Philadelphia. The restaurant itself is bare bones and really more of a take away spot than a true sit down restaurant. The owner and employees are very nice however. We started with the ground beef empanada. Beautiful crispy crust with lightly season perfectly cooked ground beef. (Just like my mom used to make) I had the roast pork arepa with cheddar cheese. Slow roasted pork is piled high with just the right amount of cheese. They also supply green mayonnaise and flavored ketchup which while a bit atypical do add to the overall flavor. The shells were perfect. Thin and crispy, yet they held together without fail. My wife had the patacon. A sandwich with pressed plantain substituting for the bread. Hers was filled with roasted beef. Not really my thing but she loved it. All in all if you want an authentic Venezuelan experience in Philadelphia, this is the place!! read more

INCREDIBLE!!! we grabbed patacon (one chicken one pork). weve never had one before and we were both blown away!

We've always been searching for good Venezuelan food in Philly but haven't found it until today. We had tequenos, a chicken empanada, an arepa with carne machada (shredded beef) and an arepa de pabellón (shredded beef black beans sweet plaintains and salty cheese). The empanada was one of the best we've ever had, the outside was crispy and full of corn flavor and the chicken was delicious. Arepas were both amazing, I could have eaten an entire bowl of the sweet plantains and the beef was juicy and flavorful. The place is small but cute and clean and service was great. Can't wait to come back! read more

Visiting from Florida, I wanted something quick so I ordered a pabellón empanada, it didn't have enough sweet plantain or black beans. The taste was great but I found the empanadas to be a tad greasy. I will revisit them next time I am in Philly, we all deserve a second chance. I like eating from local places when I am in town. read more

Ordered takeout with four different Arepa flavors and they're all pretty good, particularly like the quail eggs. Will try to sit down in their shop next time. read more

Amazing authentic food and friendly staff. Highly recommend the pabellón and cachapa

I ate everything too quick to take pictures, but it was all so good! The fresh juices and milkshakes really are from fresh fruit- so good. Arepas and empanadas were hot crispy and delicious- I really like the creamy green sauce that comes with it. A real treat! read more

Love the food here, and the prices are definitely reasonable! Run by some wonderful folks. Had not eaten arepas before going for the first time, but I've been back four times in as many weeks for quick dinners. The dark roast beef is soft delicious and melt in your mouth good. Highly recc!!! read more

The food here was absolutely fantastic. The roast pork patacón I ate was a 10/10. Not only that, but they have a very welcoming environment, with immediate attention when you walk in. Absolute must try when you're in the area! read more

Great food, reasonable prices but a dollar off wouldn't hurt. Try the cachapa (a sweet corn based arepa) with pernil (roast pork)