Oh-Em-Gee! This place is SO GOOD! I had never had Arepas before but I came here for a co-workers birthday celebration. The food is delicious and quick, they also have vegetarian options. Personally, one arepa was enough to fill me up, but I could totally see ordering two and taking some home. The restaurant is not huge but the seating is comfortable. We had an okay time getting meter parking right out front. read more

Were I picking petals from a rose, each one would read "love" when it comes to Arepas Cafe. You will literally love everything here. Literally. Everything. I've had pretty much every arepa on the menu aside from the more "exotic" options. I really love the white cheese and plantain for a sweet experience, or the shredded pork for something real and substantial. The staff here is always friendly and have a smile on their face, and weekday lunch specials come with a glass of sangria (score!) For around 7$ per arepa, you will leave here with a full belly and a full wallet! Any time my girlfriend and I are anywhere near Queens, the question we don't even bother asking is "what are we having for lunch?" Yeah, we already know. read more

Arepas Cafe - Shrimp in cilantro sauce, plantain and queso - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

After reading so many glowing reviews claiming this place has the "best arepas," and experiencing such mediocre food, I was pretty disappointed... After a day of exploring with the boyfriend, the hungry grumbles, and then the famished pre-acid reflux grumbles grew so loud and angry, I began to question my own sanity. There are a few sketchy-looking places in this neck of the woods, so when we passed the clean and populated Arepas Cafe, we had to sit down. I had no idea what an arepas was when I got here, nor did my stomach care enough to inquire (though i swore it might) . While we were waiting for a waitress to come over, I quickly pulled up Yelp to see what I should get. Everyone was raving about these arepas, so without even knowing what an arepas was, my boy and I ordered 2 each. Starving, I picked up my itsy-bitsy arepas and smashed it into my mouth-hole. The corn pancake was so hard, I couldn't even chew it. Looking on in horror, the couple seated less than 9 inches away from us gestured to eat it using a fork and knife. Feeling like a shameful ravenous monster, I placed the arepas on my plate and began to make unsuccessful slices. This is when my second arepas came out. Its like the Venezuelan fairies gave me another chance to redeem myself. Unfortunately for me, this arepas was inedible as well...The flavor of the inside of the Reina was delicious, however, the shredded chicken was a bit too wet with mayonnaise. Also, there are paintings of creepy nipples everywhere... read more

Arepas Cafe - Enjoying the interesting decor - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

Oh Arepas Cafe! WHERE DO I BEGIN? My boyfriend have eaten here a handful of times and we even have plans to being my parents for dinner. We're usually creatures of habit and when we find a place that we like, we'll go there often and Arepas Cafe is definitely one of those places! As much as I just want to rant, rave and gush about how much this place makes me happy, I'm just gonna break it down using some key qualities that make Arepas Cafe one of the brightest gems in Astoria. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + AMBIENCE: Comfortably casual. Could be a little more romantic with different music and if it were less loud, but it's a Latin restaurant (Colombian/Venezuelan to be specific) that's not trying to be something it's not. We're a loud, vibrant people. Between the colorful decorative elements, smells that bring me back to my childhood and are reminiscent of the mouth-watering aromas that resided in my Colombian abuelita's kitchen, the salsa/meruengue/bachata and other Hispanic tunes I just want to move in here. + SERVICE: My beau and I are normally seated immediately at a clean table, given menus and handed water - pretty much like clockwork every time. I'm a sucker for consistency when it ensures quality. There was only one time when we had to wait 30 minutes for a table, but it was a Friday night so we weren't surprised. Our name was taken, we found a random Brazilian bar, had a drink, talked about life and then 30 minutes later we were at a table and I was making goo-goo eyes to Arepa Cafe's garlic mojo sauce...oh that sauce.... + SAUCES: Who gives a restaurant a "sauce" category?! This gal right here. Sauces are an integral part of Latin cuisines. Whether it's a hot sauce, a meaty sauce, a herbal/cilantro sauce or a more watery (but intense) mojo sauce used as a marinade, broth or sofrito/cooking base - all Latin restaurants should make this stuff from scratch. I'm pretty sure Arepas Cafe does. My guy actually finds their homemade hot sauce spicy and delicious. I can vouch for its spiciness as well, but like most spicy things, too much so for me. My saucy poison of choice however is their garlic/cilantro mojo - it's delish and I pour it on generously over anything I order here. + FOOD: The beau and I have each tried 2 different types of arepas here - between the two of us we've had 3 different types in total and they've all been delicious. Our favorite arepa is their Catira which is composed of deliciously seasoned shredded chicken (grilled) and cheddar cheese. Last night I had the Domino (Domino black beans and grated aged white cheese) and my beau has enjoyed their Reina (Reina shredded chicken, mixed with avocado and little mayo). We've also had their appetizer sampler mini-platter which consists of 3 tequeños, 3 mini cachapas, 3 mini empanadas and 4 fried yuca pieces - EVERYTHING we've eaten here has been DELICIOUS. + SANGRIA: A pitcher of sangria here will run you $25, but Monday through Friday it's $15 during happy hour (until 7pm) and if check in on Yelp you'll get a free glass. They only have red sangria but it really is top notch. It's strong, but. It disgustingly so and seems to have some notes of grapefruit in it...could just be me, but whatever, it's delicious and one of the best sangrias I've ever had in a restaurant. DO IT, you won't regret it! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Again, if you can't tell from my very enthusiastic review, this is one of my very favorite restaurants in Astoria. Consistently fantastic service, food, sangria and dining experience. If you're wondering whether or not to eat here, just do it! read more

See all

Stellar Venezuelan food, quick and friendly service, welcoming staff. We were seated promptly and our food arrived quickly. Fresh and delicious arepas and homemade beverages. Highly recommend! read more

Got the mini platter, shrimp arepa; "pabellion criollo" which was the shredded beef with rice, everything on that plate was great except for the plantain. The plantain was way too hard to enjoy and I have so much love for plantain so I was a little disappointed. Over all Food was great! Service was good even though the place started getting crowded. I would definitely NOT get the shrimp arepa as the waiter recommend because it was extremely bland! Everything else was delicious. Will be back! read more

See all

A quick arepa as a late night dinner. I think this place is better than 3 stars, but I will need to sample more...so I guess I need to return! read more

We had a fantastic late lunch here last Tuesday. We were on our way to the Museum of the Moving Image but were famished. We were warmly greeted by the owner and he explained the menu. They have a Weekday Lunch Combo Special from 11am-4pm. For $7, you get your choice of one arepa and a juice or soda. For $12, you get 2 arepas and a juice or soda. The fillings were wide and varied, from traditional Venezuelan-style shredded beef to baby shark. I forgot what my friend ordered, but I chose camarones (shrimp cooked with tomato, onion sauce, and cilantro) and pabellon (shredded beef, black beans, fried sweet plantains, sprinkled with white cheese). They came with bottles of cilantro mayo and another sauce that was hot and sweet. I love condiments, so I generously used both. I enjoyed the contrasting savory and sweet flavors of the pabellon. Their cafe con leche was also surprisingly delicious. This meal hit the spot, especially since we haven't eaten anything since 6:40am. This is my second time trying arepas (my first being at Caracas). This one was a much better experience. Great lunch special, no wait, and you don't feel like you're rubbing elbows with the customers next to you. Pro-tip: grab more napkins, as it can get messy. read more

Arepas Cafe - Camarones (shrimp cooked with tomato, onion sauce, and cilantro) - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

See all

I have a little bit of a reputation for having a large appetite along with the tendency of eating way too much. So when I saw the size of the arepas I was fairly certain I'd need at least five of these little guys to make a dent in the abyss I call my belly. Sure enough I ordered 3 arepas plus a large platter of beans, rice, meat and plantains shared between two people. Little did I know that arepas are like the Gimli of food: small, dense, and incredibly hearty. I quickly realized these little pockets of deliciousness fill you up pretty easily and after my first arepa I knew I was in trouble. Not to fear, though, I still triumphed against my meal but not without struggle. Everything tasted great, but the Reina was my favorite. The baby shark was actually a little too fishy for me and I could've done without it. Even without the arepas, though, I'd probably come back just for the awkwardly sexual artwork on the walls. No time to explain. Must see for yourself. read more

See all

I travel from the Bronx for the Veggie Arepa. It is just so yummy! For my non meat lovers the veggie arepa comes with black beans, sweet plaintains, and avocado! I have them add cheese and its oh so good. And its a corn flatbread so its perfect for my gluten free friends! This place really is the place to go for arepas. They are so delicious and made to order. I love that I'm not getting an arepa that's been pre-made just sitting there. Everything on the inside comes to you nice and hot. The menu options are extensive. There really is an Arepa option for everybody. And you can even ask for changes. The people are friendly and truly want you to enjoy your food. I haven't tried much else on the menu but I plan on hitting up their non meat options on my future visits. Oh and if you go right after work, you score with happy hour. My sangria got a size upgrade for the same price. I am never mad at things like that! read more

Arepas Cafe - Veggie Arepa- black beans, avocado, and sweet plaintain and cheese - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

See all

I stopped by here after a visit to the Museum of Moving Image which is only a couple blocks away. I had a good experience here with good service and quality food. I got to try multiple dishes including: Pabellon Criollo ($12) This is the Venezuelan national dish which features shredded beef, white rice, black beans sprinkled with grated white cheese and fried sweet plantains Reina Arepa ($6) consists of shredded chicken, mixed with avocado, and little mayo, mixed with avacado, and little mayo, Mixed seafood arepa. This is a must try and my favorite arepa. Rompe Colchon Arepa ($6) consists of mixed seafood. read more

Always a huge fan of Arepas Cafe ever since I moved around the corner. Even when I moved out of Astoria, I still come here and bring all my dates and friends unapologetically. There are days I crave Reina and I have to bother someone to go with me to fulfill my cravings. The seating is quite crowded but understandably always busy and doing well. The price is very good and the taste is amazing. One is pretty filling for a medium stature woman like me but I know when I brought a big guy with me, he could barely finish two and regrets ordering the third one. Don't let the portable size of the arepas fool you! I recommend buying a pitcher of Sangria and if you're not down for alcohol, try the sugar cane lemon drink. Here are some suggestions for arepas: Bomba, Reina, Mami, Pernil.. just from the top off my head. I haven't tried the others but I am sure those are pretty dope too. Becareful if you're not Latino and you are willing to try Chicha. It tastes good but it goes down your throat ooey gooey like sweet cold jizz and it's hard for those who are not quite acquainted with the drink The service is very good, the atmosphere is alive. This is a good place to come in a small group or with your date. The paintings on the wall definitely adds character to the restaurant. It is close to a popular "hipster-chic" hotel, a major road and also the orange + yellow subway lines. read more

These are some fancy arepas, but they are definitely worth it. They are fairly big--two can probably make a meal--and come out filled to the brim with ingredients and flavor. The roast pork, which appears in several arepas, is really quite tender and tasty. There are so many different combinations that it shouldn't be too hard to find one that fits anyone's tastes. The corn biscuit is crispy and has a great complementary texture. The patacon was another beast all together. Almost double the size of an arepa, it was basically a huge delicious sandwich, but with crispy tostones rather than bread. This made for some messy eating (knife and fork couldn't cut it either since the outer layer was hard), but it was worth it. The passion fruit juice was a delicious refreshing drink to go with all of this savory food. read more

Arepas Cafe - Arepa mami - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

See all

This place is a small but cozy restaurant. When we first stepped in, we were greeted and told we can sit anywhere. They have a to go menu and a to stay menu with lung specials. However, I just ordered something from the to stay menu (not lunch specials). The arepas here are pretty good, but I've had better. Parking here is a bit difficult to find but they have street parking. I had the carne mechada. The meat was really great. It had so much flavor and it was PACKED with meat. They did not skimp out. My friend the the reina. It is shredded chicken with avocado. I love avocado but there was too much avocado in it and it felt overwhelming. We also ordered yuca as an appetizer. The yuca was good but I couldn't eat more than 1. read more

See all

AREPA PABELLLON. Yes, it is as good as everyone is saying it is. My boyfriend and I couldn't decide between that arepa or the MAMI, so naturally we got both. No matter which one you get, your stomach will be happy. A lot bigger than when you started, but it'll be happy. I especially liked the unexpected maduros stuffed in there and their green sauce! To finish off the meal, I got the tres leches ($4). It could use a bit less cinnamon, but it was devoured anyway. It was gone less than two minutes after it was set in front of us. Aside from the food, service is good and the prices are great. No doubt I'll come back to a gem like this. read more

See all

Arepas Cafe is a great place to check out. Their food is yummy and made from scratch. You will notice that people make comparisons between Caracas Arepa Bar and Arepas Cafe. Of course one is in East Village and the other is in Queens which isn't too fair, but if you are driving and don't mind the commute, you should check out Arepas Cafe. If you read that service here is better than Caracas Arepa Bar, it's because it's true. The service is definitely friendlier and the owner is always there to supervise his employees. You can easily strike up a conversation with him and that kind of service is what attracts clientele. If you are new to Venezuelan arepas, you will probably get the arepa 'Reina' as a suggestion, but the arepa pabellon is a must-have. Make sure you ask for the 'Arepa Pabellon' because 'Pabellon' alone is another dish (although similar). It has shredded beef, black beans, fried sweet plantain and white cheese which makes it soo very good. Having traveled to Venezuela and had plenty of their authentic food, I will say however that the cachapas (which are a corn pancake filled with beef and/or cheese) here are a bit flat and rubbery. Good cachapa pancakes are better when a bit fluffy. NONETHELESS, they are still good. The establishment was expanded a while ago, so now it seats more people. Great place to go and have food with a date, but I warn you will reek of food once you leave. Prices are decent (takeout comes out to $40 for three) and it is just a couple of blocks away from Beer Garden and Regal Cinemas. read more

Arepas Cafe - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

See all

Recommended cheap eats. Great staff. No booze. Filling and fairly hearty. Arepas at Arepas Café are warm and filling, but not jumbo American size, which is great because the staff will recommend you eat two. I've tried three, which were all fantastic: mami (pork, cheese, avocado, $6.50); domino (black beans and cheese; $3.75); Guyanesa tropical (Guyanes cheese, sweet plantain, avocado, $6). The sauces are on the table for a reason, so use them. Pabellon Criollo ($11) was a gorgeous homey plate of shredded beef, rice and beans, and soft sweet plantains. Viva la cheap eats! read more

Arepas Cafe - Mami arepa: pork, cheese, avocado ($6.50) - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

See all

What a great find! Knew we'd be in the area so I decided to look up some potential eats. As NYC's Caracas was the only real exposure I've had to arepas - outside of the cheesy greatness of the street fare ones - we decided this would the move...and what a great plan that was. The restaurant itself is medium-sized but attractive with a cool Venezuelan flag hanging near the entrance wall. We were seated immediately and decided to order two sangrias - a passion fruit one for me and white wine for the sweetie. Her's was okay, my own was really good (though I could've done with a splash more liquor!). But the real star was the entrees. I had the mushroom (Funghi), she the blackbean and cheese, and us both each the Tropical. The latter is loaded with, as advertised, the Guayasa (sp) cheese. This is a good thing though as you can spread your cheese to your other selections if they have none (skills!). The mushroom selection in particular is nice n' hot, so putting the cheese on this makes it extra melty as the Tropical is not steaming hot. We also ordered a side of plantains (sans cheese...c'mon, that'd be too much at this point!), and honestly, these are some of the best plantains I've ever had...and my family is from the Caribbean! But you can add particular items to your specific arepa order too, which is clever on their part. The wait staff is also pretty attentive but also know when to leave you alone. Love that. The only negative I'd say is that the menu should be more understandable to non-Latinos. It is in English, of course, but I suppose they want you to ask them questions about certain items. I suppose. If I didn't look at the menu online before arriving I would have been a bit confused. That said, I'm definitely headed back here next time I'm local. read more

Walking into Arepas Café on a cold night just instantly warms you up with the smell of home cooking and wake you up with lively Spanish music. Lets not forget your favorite telenovela playing on the flat screen behind you. Women yelling at each other in outrageous neon pink outfits? That was the best part in my opinion. We spent the entire night munching on our arepas and translating the Spanish soap opera into our own entertaining dialogue. Lots of laughter from us and the waiters watching our little live play followed. It definitely wasn't your typical date but who likes typical? What we ordered: 1) Mini Platter: This appetizer sampler came with a variety of fried little bites including 3 mini empanadas, 4 fried yucca, 3 fried white cheese sticks and 3 corn cakes with white cheese. My favorites with the mini empanadas. They give you a shredded beef version a chicken version and a plain cheese. All were great but the winners were the sauces they give you on the side. I could put their cilantro lime sauce on everything! 2) Reina: I went for this arepa because its praised so much on yelp but I was pretty disappointed. In my opinion is doesn't have enough seasoning and the filling is basically cold chicken avocado salad without much taste. Next time I come here I will try the "bomba" which is the same arepa but with more avocado and cheese. I think that would add the flavor this guy needs. 3) Guayanesa Tropical: This arepa comes filed with sweet plantains, avocado and cheese. Such a great pick for vegetarians and it was my favorite out of the 3 with sampled. I love lots of avocado so if you're like me then you'll love this combo. 4) Arepa Pabellon: This one is a winner! Shredded beef with black beans, plantains and white cheese. It had so much flavor and they were not cheap on the fillings. YUM I really liked our experience at this spot and will be coming back to try all the other arepas. I definitely recommended making your own and telling them what you would like in your own customized arepa. The guys working here and really nice and you can add whatever you like, that way you'll never be disappointed with your order. read more

See all

On my way back from the gym and starving, I decided to get off one train stop earlier to see what's around. I knew this was a bustling South American neighborhood - there is a Brazilian market and and a few eateries aptly named after the famous beaches in Rio. I was looking for quick, cheap and good eats. Enter the Yelp app and Arepas Café - a neat Venezuelan joint just two blocks from the subway stop. I tried the carne mechada arepa. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=b59rGvoXO3edDYkq0TDYKg&userid=33h9Jv4VKbbxB42CUD9WQg It's good on its own but great when you add a couple squirts of their green and red sauce. Allow yourself to be generous with these. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Leuz8Vs4KIzrLuxEwAOWsg&userid=33h9Jv4VKbbxB42CUD9WQg. IMHO the carne mechada in Patacon Pisao # 2 in Elmhurst is still the best around but Arepas Cafe comes a close second followed by Caracas in the EV. Also tried the Super Mix. The shrimp, fries and yucca fries were awesome but the beef and chicken was overcooked and tough...but nothing a generous helping of their green sauce couldn't fix. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Zgrl_daMMhiLHh6okZKbsg&userid=33h9Jv4VKbbxB42CUD9WQg Definitely coming back to try some of the other arepas. read more

See all

Yummy yummy! I have fallen in love with Arepas, and this is my spot. First time I went (yeah it's been a few more since : P ) I ordered: Mini empanadas to share, they were alright, not the reason I was there though. They are small. BTW found this on Yelp when searching for Arepas while driving around looking for food, awesome (was waiting for Di Fara pizza to reopen, lol). The sweet plantains with aged white cheese is yummy and a good size, share it! We had the mini cachapas, which were yummy but if you wanted to you could order the Cachapa (it's larger and works out to be a better deal) The cachapa is based on the arepa choclo, which is made with sweet corn, similar to a Mozzarepa® from street fairs and other places. This one from Arepa cafe is better and fresher tasting. Share it!!! Arroz y Caraotas (white rice and black beans) rice is tasty but the beans were too sweet for me. I put some of the red sauce/salsa, hot, to counter the sweet. I have had the: Reina - Shredded chicken, mixed with avacado, and little mayo and added white cheese. this one is good but I prefer the Pollo Mechado, es muy sabroso, and the reason I have returned so frequently. do it! read more

Quick bite before Moving Image Museum. Amazing-ness! Had the Pork arepa with black beans, and plantains. Phenomenal! Done and out in 20 mins. $8 had me totally full. read more

Arepas Cafe - Arepa with pork, black bean, and plantains. Amazingness! - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

As we were trying to figure out what to have for dinner, my wife had mentioned one of her coworkers was raving about a Venezuelan restaurant in Astoria. I decided to yelp it and there it was, good reviews, ratings, pictures, near by LEGGO!! We arrived and place was packed which was a good sign, it was somewhat cold, being a cozy restaurant we had to wait outside as even the bar was packed. I believe we waited close to an hour or what it felt like one and perhaps thats the reason for the 4 star rating. We were greeted by the manager, pretty down to earth and cool guy, hats off to you sir, that alone won me as a customer. Now to whats important... We started with the passion fruit sangria, national beer POLAR which by the way the logo reminded me of a klondike bar and an order of tajadas with cheese. My wife loves tajadas also known as maduros by others, they didn't disappoint, right texture, right amount of cheese and the cream on the side, it was just that good. We also had Pabellon Criollo and a Mami Arepa, I wasn't expecting for the black beans to be on the sweet side but I didn't mind it, it was different and yet exciting, they have this amazing green sauce which the manager explained consisted of mayo, cilantro and other ingredients.. Also their hot sauce has papaya in it and it was good as well, I like hot sauce and the sauce was hot enough for my liking. I took the Mami Arepa home as we were too full and currently in the fridge, cant wait to take a bite out of it. I would deff be back a second and third time, music was on point, service too, quick and efficiently. So refreshing to find a new gem near by, Chavez would be proud. read more

See all

This place used to be great. First time eating here since the pandemic, and was very disappointed. Not only was there a giant hair obviously sticking out of my pabellon de pernil, it was so salty that it was almost inedible. Honestly, hate leaving bad reviews... but this was a total waste of money. read more

Food here was so good! Really enjoyed their appetizer platter. Will come back to try their other arepas read more

See all

I got the Plato Navideño, which is the Venezuelan traditional Xmas platter. A must try if you come here. The Hallaca is delish, as well as the pernil and the hen salad. The ham bread is a bit salty but still tasty and moist as it should be. Yummy! The music is nice though I would've loved to hear some Gaita to make it perfect, lol. read more

Arepas Cafe - Plato Navideño: this is the Venezuelan typical Xmas platter. A must try if you come here. - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

Out of the two Arepas locations, This is the small Arepas restaurant and it has better service. The staff is always friendly and attentive. I love the mini empanadas, arepa pabellón and the Bomba. My top favorites. The mango juice is awesome. Not a fan of the passion fruit juice because of its sourness. (I've written a review months ago about Arepas Grill, the Arepas are ALWAYS hard and the staff is unwelcoming. I'll stick to Arepas Café because the food is just as great. I know both restaurants are from the same owner but the large Arepas spot needs to step their game up.) read more

Arepas Cafe - Mango juice :) Yum - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

This is one of my go-to restaurants to de-stress and eat some good grub. I had noticed this place over two years ago but wasn't sure whether it was Colombian or Venezuelan. Colombian arepas are more of a snack or side dish than a main feature. Venezuelan arepas are thick, fluffy on the inside but crispy on the outside arepas filled with imaginative ingredients sandwich-style. finally I dragged one of my friends, who lives nearby, and have been hooked ever since. I have experienced Cocotero, Caracas, and some of the lesser known arepa joints uptown, and this takes the cake. My favorites are the pabellón, with shredded beef, sweet plantains, savory white cheese, and black beans, which you can also get in a dish form sans arepa. I also like the llanera, the white cheese and sweet plantains, the pernil (Latin-style pulled pork), and stewed check. If not the arepas, the tajadas- sweet plantains with a slightly less dense sour cream do the trick. The empanadas are similar in style to Colombian one's, yellow and masa versus the pastelillo style ones Puerto Ricans and Doninicans make. You are offered two sauces, a creamy garlic sauce and a thick hot sauce, which I love to load up on. I love to come here for the sangria as well. They have red and a bright yellow passion fruit variety. There's happy hour on these Monday-Friday from 4-7. Not sure how they do it, but the red sangria is layered and appears two-toned. It's a lot of fun to sip after a long day at work and comes in small and large. For dessert I highly recommend the quesillo, a thick flan the consistency of cheesecake versus the pudding-like ones that you usually get at restaurants. The few leches is cinnamon-y and also on point. Why not just go see for yourself? read more

See all

The Arepas here are really good I just wish that they would pack them with more meat! I felt like I had more cheese than anything inside of mine but the shredded beef that was in it was delicious. As always I probably enjoyed the sauces more than anything being that I am obsessed with sauces! We ordered the mini sampler which came with empanadas, yucca, and a couple of other things along with my favorite sauces, Spicy mayo and jalapeño mayo so good!!!!!!! Aside from the single arepas they have a small brunch selection and entrees to choose from as well. I also tried the passion fruit mimosa and the fruit sangria which tasted EXACTLY the same which I though was weird but it tasted good so I didn't complain. The waitress was very nice. Its a small place but its definitely worth trying! And don't forget to ask for your free glass of sangria for checking in! read more

Love stopping by arepas cafe for a bite! The food is delicious and not expensive. I always order the yuca fries and the arepa pabellón. The atmosphere is very chill, prefect place to hangout out and chat with a friend. The weekends can get very busy, it's a small place so I recommend going early. Overall this place is amazing if you want good Venezuelan arepas. read more

Arepas Cafe - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

It's good, but definitely not as good as Caracas Arepa Bar in the city. If I ever crave some arepas, I'd still trek all the way out to the city to chow down on some. My friend and I ordered the chicha, mini empanadas, a shredded chicken arepa, and a shredded beef arepa with cheese, plaintains and beans. The chicha was interesting. It's this thick drink made out of rice. If you try drinking it out of a normal straw, you need to unfortunately suck hard, very hard. It's literally a pudding in a cup. It wasn't bad. The empanadas were not memorable. Skip. Yes, there is one with shark, but it's mostly a fishy tasting nugget, and that's how you know that it's the "shark." As for the arepas, when compared to the ones at Caracas, the arepas here were just ok. My beef arepa was a bit dry. I felt that Caracas' arepas were more flavorful. I didn't like how thin the bun was. Because it was so thin, the liquid got to it, making the bun soggy after awhile. I prefer the thickness of Caracas' buns. However, the sauces here were good. It tastes just like the green sauce from Pio Pio. The service here was a bit slow. It took forever to get the waitress's attention. We sat on the other side, and for some reason the whole room echoed. It was like a cave. It was hard for me to focus on my friend. And the print on the couch was giving me a crazy headache. It felt like the designs were popping out and moving around. And no, I was not on drugs. I paid almost the same price as Caracas (although it is a tad cheaper here at Arepas), so given the price and the taste, I'd definitely go to Caracas in the city the next time. read more

Arepas Cafe - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

I ordered for take out on the weekend and paid $85 for everything. The food taste good and authentic from Venezuela (I'm from Venezuela). There are two reasons why I give 3 stars. First of all, I had to ask for more sauce because there weren't enough for the food I ordered, they gave me 2 little cups with half filled sauce which it's still not enough. I asked for more to another girl and she said somebody gave us extra sauce already and they can't give us more. It's ridiculous because before they gave us the "extra" ones, there was only 2 little cups. So I had to complain and asked them how come they give so little and which food were supposed to come with the sauce. They weren't able to explain that to me, first they said the yucas come with the sauce then another girl said the empanadas also. If so, it's not enough sauce for what I ordered. This is ridiculous, i had never argued with somebody over a sauce. I don't get it, how is it so hard to give me some more sauce for the food I ordered? Unacceptable. Second of all, the cachapas and empanadas taste way too sweet from what I remember. I don't like it, it seems like the added way too much sugar in the dough. I don't think I'm coming back to this place, I've been a customer for more than 3 years and never had any problem until now. Very disappointing and rude from those two girls working there. read more

The food here is so good and the drinks are so cheap! I live in brooklyn, but my friend was in town and we stayed at a near by hotel as to not disturb my roommates. I love arepas but can't ever find any good ones near me, this place was awesome & had great service! read more

Poor, dry food. Rice had the texture of being old and microwaved. Also literally everything was disposable. Cups were disposable, and had black particles in the water. Plates were paper, and utensils were plastic. read more

Arepas Cafe - Venezuelan national dish - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

Small cozy restaurant, walked in and was greeted and sat on another small seating area. Zagat rated numerous times and decent yelp reviews. We ordered a pitcher of Passion Fruit Sangria that was delicious. Not sure the price was worth $25 but for a first impression wasnt too bad. Could have definitley have more fruit for flavor. We ordered a small tasting plater which was cute and tasty. Mini arepas and cheese breads with meat tastings. Beef and chicken were great, but most flavorful was the mixed chicken with avocado def wana try that at home! Arepas were stuffed to the point of jawbreaking, a lighter presentation would be best. Too stuffed to even try dessert, let alone due to the dryness of the masa. Sauces were great addition on the side to moisten every bite. Would come again to do tasting platters and sangria and possibly try more food once in a while. read more

Arepas Cafe - Small tasting platter, sangria pitcher. - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

I swear that I tried many venezuelan arepas in nyc and none of them come close to this place. I went with my skeptical husband, because he had a digusting arepa experience before and now he is an arepa believer lol He fell in love with the Pabellon Arepas (shredded beef with plantain and white cheese) the mix is just incredible! Also tried the rompe-colchon arepa (variety of seafood: oyster, shrimp, scallop, squids, white cheese) good for seafood lovers. Their green sauce is one of my favorites which I tried to replicate at home but failed :( In short, the place is cozy, nicely decorated and service is pretty good. It is not a big place, but if its a large group I would suggest to make reservations ahead. I would totally recommend this place to my friends and family!! read more

See all

Despite being my least favorite (and with the worst green sauce*) of the handful or so arepas spots I've tried in the boroughs, a mediocre arepa still beats good versions of most other foods, so it certainly wasn't a bad dinner. Arepa Queso Amarillo o Blanco - Choice of Cheese: Tropical White $3.75+tax Arepa Pabellon $7.25+tax *They give you this and a pink/orange sauce which they make it seem more generous by adding 1 sauce container per arepa, but unfortunately each has barely any sauce inside. read more

See all

One of the most authentic Venezuelans you'll find. No frills goodness. Get the Tequeños (Teh-keh-nee-oss) appetizer! The brunch plates are a powerhouse. You can build your own arepa with them. read more

Arepas Cafe - The Venezuelan Scrambled: A plain arepa comes with Guayanés cheese, scrambled eggs, black beans, ripe plantains, avocado. - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

Came here for lunch with my friend since I owed him a meal for his birthday and we really enjoyed our arepas. We tried the Mami, the pabellon and the mechada. They were all amazing and the that green sauce (cilantro sauce I think) was very tasty. Also, got the passion fruit sangria which was very good. read more

So delicious.....would recommend it to anyone for authentic Venezuelan food! The arepas and pabellón criollo were so delicious. The portion size was also awesome!! Would also recommend getting a sampler, delicious and you can try a bit of everything! Great atmosphere & service is quick. We came in on a busy night and didn't have to wait too long! read more

Arepas Cafe - Venezuelan Near Me - Astoria, New York

See all