Cilantro & Ajo is a Venezuelan street food restaurant. They have multiple locations, but my friends and I visited the Lawrenceville location. Parking is a little tricky because it is street parking only, but we got lucky with a spot right out front. Ordering is super easy and efficient. They have menus up front where you order, and then you sit down and they bring your food to you. I've never tried Venezuelan food so this really was a great experience. I wanted to try it all. Here's what I ordered: [Brown Lemonade]: Tasty and different than your average lemonade [Plaintains]: Sweet with queso fresco [Arepas]: Mine had chicken & gouda and was absolutely delicious. Soft and flavorful. [Empanadas]: These were really tasty. I really loved the beef with the peppers & onions. My friends really loved their papallon bowls, and overall, the experience was really great! This was such a unique experience with unique food. I will be back! read more

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One of my go-to spots in Pittsburgh. I've never gotten anything bad here. The yucca fries remind me of childhood and their maracucha arepa always hits! I love that the southside location also has some grocery items and South American candies available to purchase. read more

Finally got to drop in here after seeing reviewed for so long. I wasn't familiar with what to get but the guy behind the counter was very helpful. I got this arepa which was just phenomenal, best bite I've had in a while. Very comfortable inside with little candies also available for purchase, and I loved hearing the Spanish spoken. Felt like I was back in NYC, its was a great vibe. Would go back! read more

Cilantro & Ajo - Arepa 2 filling - Venezuelan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This place is a hidden gem. Really unassuming from the outside, located near the Salvation Army in the South Side. The woman taking our order was kind and patient. Very clean inside. We ordered a mixed grill platter, 2 empanadas, and plantains for $50 total. We ended up taking the empanadas home; it was so much food. Everything was so flavorful and cooked perfectly. The platter was the highlight, especially the sausage and cachapa. Cilantro & Ajo might be one of my new favorite spots in Pittsburgh. If you're lucky, you might even see their food truck out somewhere! read more

Cilantro & Ajo - Platter with Cachapa, Steak, Chicken, and Sausage - Venezuelan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! It's my go to place for arepas, and the soup that they serve only on weeks is AMAZING as well. I always get the arepa pabellon, but all the other ones I've tried are great as well. This is such a great restaurant owned by the kindest people. They're always happy to explain dishes to me and make recommendations as well. Certainly recommend coming here! read more

I really wanted to like this place. As a Latin American person, I make a point to support small Latin American businesses, but after my experience at Cilantro y Ajo, I have to think twice. First, they don't offer coffee, which is surprising for a restaurant representing a culture where coffee is such a staple. That was already disappointing, but the service made things worse. When I politely asked the owner -- a woman with a noticeably unpleasant attitude -- to add two scrambled eggs to my order, she flat-out refused. No explanation, no alternative, just a rude "no." The entire interaction felt dismissive and unwelcoming. Between the lack of basic menu items and the unprofessional service, this visit was a huge letdown. I genuinely hope they improve, but based on this experience, I won't be returning. read more

I brought my husband here and the food was wonderful! Authentic and delicious! This is a great place to come. There is only street parking so plan to walk but it's very worth it! read more

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We tried the Lawrenceville location, and it was amazing! Family-owned, traditional Venezuelan food - what more could you ask for? This is their second location, and I'm so glad this place is thriving! Inside is small and cozy with plenty of tables. They bring an entire bottle of their green sauce to your table and we went through about half of it - it was so good! I'm a big fan of unique condiments, and this complemented the food so well. A spicy option would be next level! The empanadas were so crispy and delicious - not greasy at all. The bowls were cooked perfectly. Everything from the plantains, beans, protein, and rice was seasoned well. The yucca fries were hot, crispy, and the best texture out of any yucca fries we've had before. Service was fast and friendly. They were very helpful in answering any questions we had. Loved this place! read more

Cilantro & Ajo - Bowl with Grilled Chicken - Venezuelan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Tasty down home style food in casual atmosphere. This isn't health food but it's all fresh and well prepared.

Two Haiku Review: Patacon is like A sandwich with fried plantain Instead of bread. It Was very tasty And just as messy. Good deal And clean atmosphere. read more

So glad Cilantro and Ajo has joined Lawrenceville. Food options just keep getting better and better. C & A is no exception! The shredded chicken bowl is where it's at! The meat is juicy and exploding with flavor, as are the beans and plantains. All for a very affordable price. Weekdays they run a $10 special and it's at least a meal and a half. We didn't dine in, so I'll be back for a dine in review soon. read more

Cilantro & Ajo - Venezuelan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Super yummy yuca and green sauce. I like that their yucca is straight yucca and not a lot of breading. The green sauce is NOT spicy, like some green sauce I've had from Peruvian places. It takes about 7 minutes for the yucca to come out, and I've kept on going back for more! read more

Cilantro & Ajo - Yuca Frita - Venezuelan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

So freaking good. Delish Arepa Reina Pepiada, and empanadas! Green sauce was perfect, with quick service.

I stumbled on this hidden gem while staying in the south side before a licensure exam and it did not disappoint! Food is very flavorful, and staff is wonderful! I definitely enjoyed the colorful artwork featuring menu items along with authentic Venezuelan music and culture! Come back this place when you're in the area! read more

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My friends introduced me to this place as they live on E Carson st. and we know that this area has many hidden gems in regards to restaurants and small businesses. I've been introduced to different ethnic foods since my move to Pittsburgh and this definitely made it on my top list! I love the sweet plantain that comes with the orders because it adds a little bit of sweet & savory snack to the meal. Their shredded beef was seasoned well and I would love to come back and try their other protein options. My friends had the arepas while I had the bowl since I'm not really into bread/sandwiches for lunch, and I feel like I made the perfect choice for my first time! We also tried the yucca fries, which were worth a try and I found out that yuca is a separate root vegetable from sweet potatoes! It definitely had similar texture and taste but I can see the difference in size that they had from sweet potato fries. I recommend dipping them in the green sauce that they pair with it for a flavorful bite. The service was great as it gave mom and pop shop, and the lady at the register served us our food once they were ready instead of having our orders called in and grabbing it at the counter. They were super nice when it came to asking for extra sauce, water, utensils, etc. and satisfied our visit. read more

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Delicious arepas! Their house green sauce is so tasty too. Ordered takeout and it was ready pretty quickly. The inside was cute with a little mini market kinda thing. Great Venezuelan place! read more

This place never disappoints. We got empanadas and a bowl. Delicious. Service was good and the staff was exceptionally courteous. read more

Tried this restaurant's food truck. Great friendly service here! I ordered the arepa pabellón with avocado. Very good and flavorful! The green sauce is great. Will be back. read more

Cilantro & Ajo - Arepa Pabellon - Venezuelan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

My favorite Latin place in Pittsburgh! The ropa vieja is always so good inside the arepa. Tastes like my abuela made it! The plantains are cooked to perfection, and the vibe at the restaurant is perfect. Love Cilantro & Ajo! read more

Cilantro & Ajo - Arepa Pabellon - Venezuelan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

spent over $60 on food and tipped decent asked for small cup of the green dipping sauce told we would have to by family size spending that much money was that right? NO that was a turn off DO BETTER CILANTRO and AJO read more

This was one of the first places that people recommended when I moved to Pittsburgh. And it did not disappoint. I got the pabellón arepa and it was delicious!! I think it has been my favorite arepa in Pittsburgh. I did take out so I don't know how service is but seeing from other reviews, seems like there is friendly staff as well read more

My boyfriend has been coming here for empanadas and claim these are " the best empanadas he's ever had". I finally got to try these and glad they did not disappoint! The turnovers are on the fluffier side, different from the baked ones I often eat before. But the cachapas was SO GOOD!!! Delicious sweet corn pancake with cheese in the middle, a little sweet but also the savory flavor balanced it out just the right amount. For street food, the price is not the cheapest in the area ($4/empanada; $9 for cachapas) but everything we got tasted amazing. The restaurant itself was clean and spacious. read more

Cilantro & Ajo - Cachapa with Venezuelan Chesee (Queso de Mano)!!! - Venezuelan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Great authentic restaurant! This hidden gem in the Southside is sooo delicious. It's a small place but have enough tables and clean. The staff are friendly. You get a menu to pick what you want, get to the counter to order and then they'll just bring your food to the table. They have great brown lemonade. I ordered chicken empanadas, plantains sandwich (not sure what they were called on the menu), and arepas. THEY WERE ALL DELICIOUS! I highly recommend. read more

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We loved this food truck! Aspinwall Riverfront Park had them recently, so we went to check them out. They serve super delicious arepas and other Venezuelan treats, so bring your appetite! The arepas can feed a small army, and are easily shared with friends or family. The food is fresh and well seasoned, and the folks working the line are friendly and helpful for making your choices! The tres leches cake for dessert is a MUST! Will definitely be on the lookout for this truck again! Delicious! read more

Cilantro & Ajo - Cilantro & Ajo food truck!!! - Venezuelan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Cilantro & Ajo is a Venezuelan restaurant that serves empanadas, arepas, BBQ parillas, desserts, etcetera. The restaurant also has a food truck that focuses mostly on empanadas and arepas. Prices are reasonable, with most items costing about several dollars each. At the Pittsburgh Taco Festival, I ordered a Pabellon arepa, which contained shredded beef, black beans, plantains, and queso. The ingredients were very fresh, and I enjoyed the flavors very much. Now I want to try more of their menu items... read more

Cilantro & Ajo - Pabellon arepa - Venezuelan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The food is excellent and the price is reasonable. I eat here about once a week and I don't see any reason why that won't continue. Highly recommend! read more

Stopped in on a Tuesday night and man was this little place busy! We ordered a variety of arepas, some tostones, one street corn, and the brown lemonade. The arepas were stuffed! Huge portions. I was full from one The pork in the pork & gouda arepa was seasoned perfectly and there was a ton of it. They do not skimp on filling. My brother had the pabellon and he said the beef was delicious. My mom had the maracucha and the slice of cheese in there was thick. Everyone loved everything. The wait was a little long just because of how busy they were, but it was completely worth it. There are some tables inside that were clean and the decor was minimal, but bright. The staff was super friendly. The bathroom was small, but clean and stocked with soap and paper towels. I will definitely be back! read more

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Cilantro & ajo is an amazing little Latin American restaurant in SouthSide. My friends have been constantly raving about it, so I thought that it was time to try it out for my self. I went here a few weeks ago and it was a ton of fun! You go up to the counter to order and then take a seat of your choosing, and they will bring you out the food. I decided to go for two different arepas, the Arepa Pabellon and Arepa Reina, and both were absolutely to die for. They were filled with an insane amount of meat and cheese to the point where it was falling out! They were also very reasonably priced at between $7 to $8 per arepa, which is a steal because they definitely filled me up. My girlfriend ordered the Pabellon Bowl, which was loaded with rice and beans, meat, and maduros! At $13, she easily got two meals out of this which is a bargain! The staff was super friendly and gave some awesome food recommendations when we were they're that lead to an awesome experience! I will definitely be back soon as it is walking distance from my house! Easily deserving of a 5 star review taking in the staff, food quality, and price all into consideration! read more

Cilantro & Ajo - Pabellon Bowl - Venezuelan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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We have been wanting to try this restaurant since we had their soup in one of the South Side soup contests. Their food truck came to Biddle's Escape in Regent Square last week. Wow, great turnout of people. First indication their food must be good. I ordered the black bean and avocado arepa, shrimp empanada and yuka fries. I had never had an arepa before. I thought it was really good and the plantains on it were amazing. The yuka fries were probably one of the best things I've ever eaten. The cheese and sauce, yum! The empanada was just okay but I think I'm just not a big empanada person. I would definitely visit them again and I would love to get to the restaurant to try out their full menu. If you do get a chance to check out the truck, carve in some time to wait. It was about a 25-30min wait for the food. read more

Cilantro & Ajo - Yuka fries - Venezuelan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I had the deluxe patacón- grilled steak, it was really good! I enjoyed it. Definitely coming back. You order at front desk and pay then choose your table. Small place but overall great service. read more

Looking for absolutely DELICIOUS and fair priced food? Look no further. We've been in Pittsburgh for less than a month and have eaten here 4x already- it's that good!! I go for the la Catira arepa every time and every time it is the most delicious thing I've eaten all day. The Gouda is beyond good. Try the taquenos and the yucca fries too, you will NOT be disappointed. My husband has tried almost everything else on the menu, it's all delish. Vegan? They got you covered. My vegan pal LOVE their food as well. And if you were wondering, their green sauce is a staple and delicious on everything. read more

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My vegetarian husband loves this place as well as i do! They have the best arepas in town. My favorite one is the black beans with plantain and I add cheese to it. The spicy sauce they have is also good. I didn't post a picture because I usually order to go. read more

In the last few years, Pittsburgh has gained a handful of Venezuelan restaurants, including Cilantro & Ajo. And not only is this little eatery one of our most unique spots, but it's also one of the most delicious spots in the city. Cilantro & Ajo aims to make authentic and traditional Venezuelan dishes, with handmade arepas being my favorite specialty of theirs. Arepas, in case you haven't had one yet, are corn meal pockets. They're pretty fantastic and can be filled with any number of ingredients - think meat, vegetables, sauces, cheeses, etc. They're also gluten free, according to Cilantro & Ajo's website! When ordering arepas here, you have the option of 1) making your own custom ones, 2) ordering a variety of traditional arepas, and 3) enjoying some modern concoctions as well. Since there are so many different ways to combine ingredients in an arepa, it's very easy to put something together that your particular taste buds will go wild for. If you can't tell, I'm guilty of mostly getting arepas here. Once I picked up a roasted pork tostadita, but since their tostaditas are deep-fried arepas, well...that wasn't exactly rocking the boat! That said, the tostadita was one of the best things I've ever eaten; not only was the pork cooked perfectly, but it included a BBQ-like sauce that balanced out the sweetness of the rest of the dish. One word: YUM. Needless to say, I love this place. I'm not in the South Side very often, especially in 2020; but when I am, I try to find a reason to stop by and pick up some chow here. I will definitely be back - and I'll definitely have to branch out and enjoy some other dishes ASAP. (Note to self: next time, order cachapas!) read more

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Placed an order through Yelp this evening and pickup was a breeze. Not a ton of parking on Carson Street but ample parking on the side streets. Under normal non-Covid circumstances I think a few small parties could be seated in the restaurant but it feels more like a grab 'n go kind of place. Today was my first time and I was intrigued by the maracucha so that's what I ordered. Food was freshly prepared and piping hot when I arrived. The tomato and avocado wedges were fresh, the meat was flavorful and tender and the grilled cheese had a nice texture to round it all out. One of these was plenty to keep my hunger at bay and is large enough to share if a couple people wanted to sample several items. Love everything about this. Will be back for more! read more

Cilantro & Ajo - Maracucha - Venezuelan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Food was absolutely delicious and perfecto! The service was great and welcoming. The ambiance went with the theme... I Loved the Music! read more

Cilantro & Ajo - Very delicious Shrimp Empanada with Sauce!! - Venezuelan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Whatttt I can't believe I haven't written a review for this place yet. This is one of my favorite local restaurants. Everyone here is always so nice and helpful! I've recommended C&A to a few people and haven't heard any complaints they actually rave about it and can't wait to try more things from their menu. The brown lemonade sets the meal off.... Get it!! read more

Cilantro & Ajo - Venezuelan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Hice una compra de más de 130 dólares porque a mis hijos les gusta lo que cocinan, pero la atención de pésima calidad, me atendió una mujer de apariencia guajira que aparte de su mala cara durante el tiempo de hacer el pedido hasta que me mandó a sentar, otros clientes pidieron papelon, se le cayó el vaso de plástico rodando por el piso y así mismo agarró el mismo vaso y le sirvió hielo y después la limonada. Sinceramente no sé cómo harán el resto read more

Such an experience!! Just Amazing! Situated in E.Carson, a small restaurant you could easily pass by w/o noticing. Moving from Queens, it was so hard to get decent spanish/south American food. This place surpassed expectations. Street food so expect mostly fried foods. We ordered a bunch of dishes to try: 1. Patacon ((deep fried plantain w/ the shredded chicken filling))--sounds odd but is actually large & oh so good & ofc filling!! The fried plantain balances out the shredded meat& other fillings.; 2. Shredded beef Arepa-- oh what an experience ! Couldnt get any better than this. Hands down the best of all!! 3. Empanadas ((Shredded chicken& plantain/cheese))-- the chicken was excellent but the plantain & cheese was way too cheesy! Couldnt handle all that cheese tbh. 4. Yucca fries--covered in a mild garlic sauce& their cheese on top, w/ a side of the Ajo sauce..too good! A lil too garlicky so dont go for this if youre on a date lol! 5. The Brown lemonade-- delish! Not too sour nor too sweet. Had leftovers as everything was fried& heavy. All the dishes came w/ the green Ajo sauce-- just perfect! Inside, the restaurant was clean. You place your order at the counter & they bring it to your table. Self seating. I. Love. This. Place!!!!!!! Authentic street food! Just an amazing experience. I cannot rave enough about this restaurant. read more

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The food was outstanding.I had the steak aprea and it was full of steak and I thoroughly enjoyed.My husband got one with chicken and my daughter got one of their bowls.Both loved their meals.we got street corn and plantains as a side.Very good and given so much we took some home.Servers were also very friendly. read more

I have only tried the food truck and the black bean empanada. At the time that was the only vegetarian option. It was pretty good and not as expensive as other food trucks. read more