Really cozy restaurant with yummy, flavorful food and drink. Relaxed, friendly service.read more

I love this place! The food, the people who work there, and the ambiance is just what I need to…read morerelax. My husband and I go there often.

A Yelp event first brought me to Mpanadas last year. After a great initial impression and even a…read morewarm welcome by the owner, I was in the neighborhood again recently and wanted to stop by. As expected, same great service and, more importantly, great empanadas! I was leaning toward breakfast for lunch, so I had the maple bacon and beef empanadas. These are on the larger side and eating two in a row made me feel as stuffed as the empanadas themselves are with filling. The menu has so many fantastic options, so I can't wait to return. On this second visit, I am pleased to see the construction on Columbia Pike is gone and people can access the greatness of Mpanadas. The dining area is perhaps one of the coziest spaces I've seen in the area. You can't go wrong with vibrant patterns, pillows, and the llama mascot. Note to self: these would definitely be a winner for catering or a party.

Cute, casual, and full of positive vibes. Great neighborhood spot for coffee or a quick bite, and…read morehospitality. The empanadas are stamped with their llama logo -- how creative! Not sure if it is the dough .. but the sweet taste mixed with the spice gave the chicken and beef empanadas a balance of spicy & sweet taste. The vibe is relaxed and upbeat, making it a good place to stop by whether you're grabbing food on the go or looking to plug in and play from their dining area.

The inside of Aroma Cafe is very relaxing--a nice playlist of Colombian music playing alongside…read moreESPN on 24/7. The beautiful artwork featuring local women of color from Colombia adds a great cultural touch, and there's plenty of parking. I ordered the Papas Rellenas (picadillo-stuffed potato fritters), which were really big, dense, and satisfying for $5. I also got the bandeja paisa (with kidney beans, steak, fried egg, pork belly, etc.), knowing it would take about 20 minutes on a Monday at 10:45 a.m. That wait felt outrageous, though--only about 10 people were in a space that could easily hold 100. However, the pork belly and steak wasn't overcooked and very flavorful. Even the sausage bursted with flavor. The food was authentic and tasty, but the long wait is a dealbreaker for me unless I'm with a friend craving Latin food and have time to spare. I probably won't return on my own unless it's a weekend and I have time to kill.

Aroma Cafe may be the only option to bring a taste of Colombia to Virginia, but it comes with…read moreconsistently poor customer service and a lack of professionalism. I placed an online order for pickup, was charged in full, and was never notified of any issue. I drove almost an hour to pick up the order, only to be told upon arrival that my order was not ready and would not be fulfilled at all. This order was for an event I was attending, so I was left scrambling at the last minute while staff showed no acknowledgment or accountability for their mistake. I was never contacted, never proactively refunded, and had extreme difficulty reaching anyone. Phone calls went unanswered repeatedly. As a last resort, I commented on one of their Instagram posts and my comment was deleted. I posted again and still received no response. It wasn't until over a month later that someone finally shared an alternate phone number for a staff member. When the refund was finally processed, it was only partial about 65% of the total charge. I am still having to follow up to recover the remaining balance. To make matters worse, I was blocked from their Instagram page. At this point, this is no longer about the money. It's about the complete lack of professionalism, accountability, and basic customer service. I am a reasonable person and understand that the food industry is complex but businesses do not have the right to charge customers, fail to deliver, avoid communication, and then silence them. This experience was not only disappointing, it was disrespectful. Unfortunately, this is one of the only places offering Colombian food in the area, which leaves customers with little choice. A quick look at reviews across platforms shows that customer service issues are a consistent pattern. I had previous less-than-great experiences ordering here, but this was the tipping point. This business seriously needs education and improvement in customer service. Customers deserve transparency, communication, and respect.

Service pretty friendly and the Milanesa doesn't disappoint either…read more The Membro cake pretty amazing Pretty good vibes , need to go back for the asados

It's a small location next to a hotel on route 1. Cute little place with much to offer. The food…read morewas a little on the more expensive side compared to other restaurants in the area. However, the quality and portion of the food makes up for it. It was so delicious. We ordered 2 milanesas napolitanas, 1 chicken & 1 steak, & empanadas. The service was amazing. I've also had the facturas from here and they are the best I have ever tried!! Will definitely recommend to people and go back for more food.

Best salteñas I've ever had -- hands down. Perfectly baked, packed with flavor, and clearly made…read morefresh. If you're anywhere near Pan American Bakery & Grill, it's absolutely worth the stop. I'll definitely be back!

Food? Delicious -- especially that lechón sandwich... easily the star of the show. Tender,…read moreflavorful, and worth coming back for. The spot itself has that cozy, mom-and-pop vibe with decent seating and good accessibility -- wheelchair-friendly, which is always a big plus! Now for the downside: customer service needs serious improvement. The ladies up front aren't exactly bringing the warm and fuzzy vibes -- more like cold and confused Also, the bathroom could use some TLC -- not a dealbreaker, but definitely not a highlight. Would I recommend it? Yes -- for the food. Just come with a little patience and low expectations on service.

When I walked into MI TIERRA, I realized real quick this place is doing double duty, market on one…read moreside, restaurant on the other. It's ground‑level from the parking lot, so no climbing Mount Everest just to get a taco. The parking lot is small, but they do have handicap spots, so points for accessibility. There are large menu screens everywhere, and if you've aged like a fine bottle of wine (or just drink a lot of it), you'll appreciate how big and easy to read they are. They also have a couple of handheld menus at the counter. Seating is minimal with metal tables and chairs, so if you're a diva, bring your donut cushion. I ordered the Carnitas and pork belly, both sold as sides. The pork belly sits under a warmer at the counter, daring you to stay committed to that Weight Watchers plan. It's sold by the pound, and my piece came to $4.80. I almost put it back, but I'm pretty sure there's an unwritten rule about not returning food you've already mentally claimed. Even the cashier said, "Oof, that's pricey," but listen I liked it, and I'd pay it again. The half‑pound Carnitas for $7.99 were delicious and worth every penny. My foodie partner ordered the fried chicken plate. Medium comes with fries; large comes with rice and salad. I tasted her large plate the seasoning was on point, the chicken leaned toward being a little dry, but not enough to stop me from wanting to shake those tail feathers. You order at the counter, they call your name, and voilà food in hand. Service was quick and easy and served with a smile. Overall, I'd definitely come back.

I came here on a recommendation from a stranger. Normally, I don't take recommendations from random…read morepeople off of the street, but this one proved very good! I walked into this deli/convenience store/restaurant midday on a Friday. It's brightly lit and there is Latin music coming through the speakers at a reasonable volume. You order at the counter and bring your food back to one of their 15 or so tables. There's monitors with pics of the menu items for the Latin dishes-- helpful. I ordered the fried chicken plate (beans and rice and salad with three pieces of raw chicken). That chicken was so tasty! There were no beans, but there was a gravy that they served with it that made me not need the beans. The portion sizes are pretty big- more than I can eat at a setting. My sister got the Carnitas plate. She said they were tender and good. The media Libra doesn't come with sides. There's pay-by-the-piece pork belly warming in a container when you go to the counter-- she said her piece was good. There is some parking , but there's not much of it due to the size of the strip mall where it's located.

As a not very fluent spanish speaker they were AMAZING!!!! They did not have what i was looking for…read moreright there and ready so i did a pickup for the next day. And they once again flawlessly helped me out. The horchata is SOOOOOO good. I also got 3 slices of tres leches and 3 panes de muertos, once again flawless. The aroma of the pan de muertos filled my car.

OMG!! First time trying Tres leches, I was a little nervous not knowing what to expect but it was…read morethe absolute best slice of cake I have ever had. Everything about it was on point the flavor, it was super moist the display was great. But what sold me was it's $3!! For a huge slice of cake that's unbeatable. Also tried the Pupusas's they were decent, $5.50 for two. Definitely coming back for the cake, and to give the puspusas another go. If youre looking for great Tres Leches in the del ray/4mile run area go to Marcela's.

Ordered again via UE. Empanadas arrived hot and were delicious. I also ordered dessert, Marquesa,…read morelayers of cookies, creamy white and milk chocolate, crowned with a swirl of chantilly cream. The ground beef and mushroom empanadas are still my favs and solid choices.

I was very excited to find this place! I love a good, authentic empanada - my family is from South…read moreAmerica and I have eaten my share of great empanadas! Argentine empanadas are a favorite and this shop makes plenty! I ordered chicken, chicken cilantro, ground beef and steak & I ordered Chimichurri & Garlic Sauces on the side. The empanadas were hot when they arrived and there were two of us for lunch. These empanadas are cocktail sized empanadas - really between a normal sized pie and one you would serve as an hor d'oeuvre. Generally, Argentine empanadas are filled with carne cortada a cuchillo (hand-cut, not ground beef), combined with onions, hard-boiled eggs, paprika, cumin, and olives. The flavor is not wimpy! And all of that is in a delicious crust that is baked. Fried was not an option. The crust is flakey and warm and improves with a sauce. The pie crust was the star! Of the four ordered, the two beef empanadas were the best. Lots of flavor, but no onions, egg, olives or enough spices, etc. The chicken were disappointing. Not enough flavor. Very pedestrian. There is talent in this kitchen, as the fillings lack the flavor one usually finds in authentic Argentine empanadas, but the crusts were exceptionally good! Value: The price for one empanada is $5 - for a very small empanada. About 1/2 the size of a traditional Argentine Empanada. If Empanadisimas works on the filling - these could be terrific. Right now, not so much. Also, sauces come with all empanadas, but the website does not mention that - so if you order delivery don't order additional sauces. They are included. Sides: . Popular sides in Argentina traditionally include a simple salad, yuca fries, or arroz con gandules. I would have liked a nice side salad - maybe tomato - to accompany these pies. The savory sides at Empanadisimas are lacking. An avocado salad would have been welcomed. We passed on ordering desserts because they were all very expensive. I wish this place well, because if they tweak a few things (fillings & pricing), it could be a good product. When they update their website and work on reasonable pricing, I will give it a try again, but for now - I am staying away! And we are still hungry - on our way to get lunch!