Knowing the power that online reviews can have and taking some experiences with a grain of salt here and there because sometimes you hit that one off day where maybe a place that's normally epic just doesn't quite have their stuff together, I find that I end up giving 5 stars in a range that goes from "really good" to "Michelin needs to stop in here (or already has)." This is definitely on the latter end of the spectrum. I popped in here tonight for a late dinner (830ish on a Saturday) to find the place relatively busy but with plenty of open seats. The decor was a nice mix of dark and light with the bright green accents plus a big screen TV cycling tropical getaways (I assume from places in Latin America). I was seated and tended to quickly by a hostess and server, respectively. I got my order in for a coconut mojito and a chicharron arepa right away. My mojito came shortly thereafter with my arepa not long after that. The mojito, as you can see, was garnished with a generous amount of shredded coconut on top and was heavier and creamier than a normal mojito, lighter on the mint flavor and pushing closer to a piña colada than a mojito. All in all though, still quite a refreshing drink after a hot and humid day. The arepa though was really the star of the show. The flavors and textures and everything about it were just mind-blowing. The handmade cheese, the incredibly seasoned and cooked pork, and the crispy arepa were all just *BOOM*. The avocado had a little bit of surface darkness on the one end that could have been polished up a little bit but not the end of the world. One I finished with these, I waited patiently for a while for my server to come back but alas I had to pop up to the bar to get my caipirinha. This version was slightly sweeter than some versions I've had and I don't mind sweet, but just be aware for those who may be considering it. Eventually, my server came back and apologized for being gone so long as she was conversing with her boss. Like I said... grain of salt. Aside from a minor inconvenience of having to walk 10 feet to the bar myself, this place absolutely blew me away and I will absolutely come back if I ever find myself in town again. Bonus points for having gluten and allergen callouts on their normal menu as well! read more

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Only my second time at Cilantro but I really need to come back more! Came for lunch with some friends. Every day they have specials and it was drink special day so we all decided to treat ourselves with some fun cocktails, they had a great selection and my Caipirinha was delicious! They also have a good happy hour I see that I'll need to check out sometime. For lunch I got the breakfast arepa- gluten free and vegetarian. With that cilantro sauce- so yummy! Another friend also got an arepa she loved, and another got bandeja paisa which she loved but couldn't finish. Love the decor and ambiance in there, it's really lovely, and we were well looked after by our waitress. Definitely recommend! read more

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We absolutely love this place! It's our new favorite! My kids and my husband and I all love the. Good and they have excellent mojitos! read more

We had a great experience at Cilantro. Our waitress Maria was polite and timely at every step. And everything that she brought to the table was great. From my mojito and Tostones Playeros shareable to the breakfast menu's Salchipapas, I thoroughly enjoyed everything. (Well, except for the pork belly on the Salchipapas as I find it too fatty regardless of who makes it. But even after setting the large chunks of pork belly to the side, the Salchipapas were still filling and delicious. The fries had the perfect crispness) My wife got coffee, which was free with her Calentado Breakfast entree. You can choose your protein on the dish, and my wife chose the same andouille sausage that was on my Salchipapas, so you already know that it' was good! Protip: get sides of the Cilantro sauce and spicy sauce to go with your order. They make a good thing better. Inside, the green-themed decor is evident without belaboring the point. There's a stage as well for nighttime entertainment, so there's no shortage of reasons to enjoy your trip to Cilantro. read more

Cilantro Latin Fusion - Venezuelan Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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A wide variety of latin food, it was tough to make a choice. So I try the 614 Arepa it was filled with flank steak it was very tasty. The Chicharron Hallaquitas was very tasty as well. Last but not least, I had the Venezuelan Pastelitos chicken and beef. The restaurant has plenty of seating with bright green colors. There's also plenty of free parking. The service was great. I order my food to go. I went around 4:00 p m. So it wasn't very busy, and I was waited on fast. read more

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The food was absolutely delicious, but seemed a little pricey. For example, my arepa was $14 (and some were $16+) and that did not come with anything else. For that price, I felt you should get a few plantains or beans, something. To add fries or plantains it was an additional $5. The house salad was delicious, but again, I felt the price point was a bit high at $9.50 for a side salad. The server was sweet and patient as we were first timers and had lots of questions. Cute little spot...they made it aesthetically pleasing! However, I will say the acoustics are off, it was incredibly loud and I couldn't hear my tablemates. Definitely a fan! read more

Cilantro Latin Fusion - Venezuelan Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Cilantro Latin Fusion was amazing! It was seriously the best place I ate at while visiting Columbus. The tostones (fried plantains) and empanadas were the favorite of both me and my travel companion, although the cilantro sauce was so delicious I could have drank it by the gallon. The restaurant was beautiful and busy, but not overcrowded. I would highly recommend it! read more

Cilantro Latin Fusion - Tostones Guey (with one plantain already eaten!!) - Venezuelan Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Excellent!! Get here!! Amazing service, ambiance and ah-maaaazing food! Can't wait to return. read more

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My dad recommended this place to me while my brother and I were home for the holidays and it didn't disappoint. I was curious what all "Latin fusion" would entail, and after going, I'd say just about everything you can think of under the Latin food umbrella. I went with the Back To Life Cocktail, which is technically an appetizer but with the plantain chips it comes with (which were excellent) it's enough for a full meal. And the sauces on the side were great, too, ranging from not so spicy to really packin' a punch! The service was great, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and they have a nice big stage for karaoke it looks like, which I'd love to take advantage of next time I'm home! I heard (from my dad) that their drinks are also pretty good (and strong) so that's another thing I'll be taking advantage of next time. If you're in the Columbus area, I'd recommend giving this place a shot. It's something different, and because of that, something you'll remember. read more

Cilantro Latin Fusion - Back To Life Cocktail - Venezuelan Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

The food is absolutely top notch. The empanadas are delicious. A hybrid of corn and flower. I do think they should add cheese to the chicken filling. The plain cheese one was the best one. So delicious with the cilantro sauce. The pork belly was divine and so was the arepa. I do think some of their main dishes are a bit pricey. Especially one with an egg, rice and beans. Which are pretty inexpensive items. I can understand the soups and steaks etc. The food is high quality though, over all worth it. Excellent service. And really chill ambiance. read more

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It's Restaurant Week, and we found ourselves near Cilantro so decided it was time! We went with mini empanadas (a nice selection including beef, chicken, and cheese), blondie arepas (anything that comes with cilantro sauce is a must try over here), and the passionfruit cheesecake. Everything was flavorful and delicious! The menu had a lot of great options, so I'm sure we will be back by again to try more. read more

Cilantro Latin Fusion - Blonde arepa and mini empanadas - Venezuelan Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Stopped in for lunch one Sunday with friends. They had some live music, a brunch menu, and some discounts on cocktails. I had been wanting to try their arepas for a while and mine didn't disappoint! I ordered the 614 Arepa and liked all of the flavors. The cilantro sauce was great and the steak was delicious. I also ordered the cilantro mojito, which was good but I'd order a different mojito flavor next time. It didn't taste like cilantro though. read more

Cilantro Latin Fusion - 614 Arepa and Cilantro Mojito - Venezuelan Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

First time here, place was empty at 1pm for lunch, but by the time we left it was busy. I had never tried an arepa before and I loved them. I was going to go with the empanadas but NO. The taste melted in my mouth and the cilantro sauce was so delicious it's like butter you can put it on anything. Service was excellent. Place is clean and very open. Definitely, something different for your taste buds. I would love to return soon so I can try the dessert next time. I WILL be back! read more

I visited Cilantro Latin Fusion on a weekday evening, and the experience stood out in a great way. I'd landed here after wandering around the area a bit--I'd first accompanied my friend to a popular sandwich spot over in Clintonville, and afterward, we were in the mood to try something new before heading home. The restaurant has a welcoming feel, with a clean, open dining area and pops of greenery on the walls. There's a stage tucked in the corner (possibly for live music), and I actually caught myself imagining coming back on a weekend to see a band play while sipping something cold. A big screen cycles through photos of their dishes and cocktails, adding to the anticipation of what's coming to the table. Our server, Alexandra, was wonderful--very patient and genuinely engaged in conversation. I appreciated how she shared which dishes were most popular versus which she personally enjoys. She recommended the Back to Life Arepa, the Blondie, and the 937 Arepa, and in hindsight, I probably should have trusted her suggestions. Instead, I ordered the 614 Arepa with a side of sweet plantains and asked for the hot sauce she recommended to pair with it. The 614 Arepa was well presented and filling. The steak wasn't melt-in-your-mouth tender, but it held up well against the rich grilled cheese and bright cilantro sauce without feeling tough. The plantains had a sticky caramel sheen and a soft center that balanced the savory flavors perfectly. Throughout dinner, there was a low buzz of conversation and upbeat Latin music in the background--just enough energy to keep things lively without feeling loud. I also tried the jalapeño margarita, which had a balanced kick, and my guest ordered the Guava Basil Mule. That drink came in a hammered copper cup and looked especially refreshing. If you haven't been here before, I'd recommend looking over the menu carefully or asking your server to walk you through options. Alexandra's recommendations felt thoughtful, not rushed, and next time I'll trust her taste more fully. Overall, Cilantro Latin Fusion is a spot I'd return to when I'm in the area. The combination of friendly service, hearty, flavorful food that felt home-cooked, and a laid-back atmosphere with just enough character to feel special made this a solid choice. read more

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I am obsessed with this place. If I could come here every day I would. The food is so good. The service is absolutely amazing. And the ambience is so nice. I highly recommend you check it out and when you do make sure you also get a dessert because it's some of the best desserts I've ever had. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThy72V7d/ read more

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I really hope I could know this place much earlier. We really love this place, and it will be our frequent hangout spot for sure. They have live music every Friday, and they have variety of drinks. The service was so great and our waitress patiently answered all of our questions. The food was so authentic, just brought us back to south. Love it so much!!! read more

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Perfect in every way. It was easy to make a reservation and they were set up for us. Everyone in our party of 11 loved their food. I ordered a Passion Fruit Sensation which was refreshing and tasty, and Venezuelan Pabellon which consisted of rice, grilled chicken, sweet plantains, black beans topped with a fried egg, and avocado: a delicious combination of flavors. Service was friendly and efficient and our server got all of our orders with separate checks correct. We got our drinks and food pretty quickly. Near the end, a disk jockey was starting to do something (8 p.m. on Saturday night) so we left but we were ready to head out anyway. I think all of us would go back. read more

Cilantro Latin Fusion - Passion Fruit Sensation - Venezuelan Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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First time here and walking in the place was clean, simple but with cute decor, and not too busy on a Saturday afternoon. We were greeted quickly and sat at our table and our waitress took our drink orders. Service was quite slow. We received our drinks 1 or 2 at a time for our party of 4 (ordered 6 drinks total). We placed our appetizer order (humus and the seafood cocktail) which arrived very quickly, but they didn't bring plates for our appetizers and we had to wait a few minutes to get them despite sitting next to the kitchen. Appetizers were good, nothing too special, but I would get them again. The pita served was very yummy! We ordered a variety of arepas which were decent, but all of our meat was room temp or cold. I felt there could have been some more flavor but we asked for their cilantro sauce and that gave it a good kick. Their fries were nice and crunchy and tasty so I recommend them! My mother ordered the Venezuelan Pabellón and has not stopped raving about it so perhaps the main dishes are the way to go. Overall nice dinner here but hopefully service improves! read more

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the moment I walked in I could tell this places was going to be good! the restaurant was busy and we were greeted warmly by the hostess. I had already viewed the menu before hand and found a couple must have items. we ordered the empanadas ( cheese and chicken) Taco Arepas, Sweet and Sour Pork Belly and Hallaquitas Chicharron's. These dishes were seasoned so well, the sauces provided were perfection. At one point we both said we could just drink the cilantro sauce. We also got the mini sweet arepas and while parts of the dish were good it was an interesting mixture to have as one bite. None the less this place is a 10/10 for flavor, service was amazing we felt very taken care of and the pricing was very reasonable For a scratch kitchen. This place is a must try! read more

An awesome place for a great meal! The restaurant is so pretty, there's plenty of parking, plenty of seating inside, and cute decor. I recommend all the favorites on the menu if you've never been but you can't go wrong with most of the menu. Everything is delicious and so worth trying. I really like their tacos, sandwiches, and their plantains. Everything is authentic and delicious! Try their cilantro sauce in every spice level because they're so flavorful and adds to each dish. Staff is so nice and accommodating, they always provide so many good recs for their favorites and explain certain dishes and ways to enjoy it. I recommend for groups, casual hangs, a great meal, and a good time. Try everything and come back, try it again! read more

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I'd like to give this place another shot. Their menu is very intriguing and includes many South American cuisines as well as more American style offerings. Everything sounded very good, we had a hard time deciding. I did like most of what we ordered (an arepa, sweet and sour pork belly, plantains, cachapas trio) but it didn't seem too fresh. Some things were served not entirely hot or a bit over cooked. Service was good. The space is clean and easy to find. Again, I'd really like to visit again as the menu is unique and the experience was overall good. read more

Cilantro Latin Fusion - Arepa, Sweet Plantains W/ Cheese & Nata, and Trio Cachapas - Venezuelan Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Been meaning to come here since they opened! My friend and I walked in without a reservation. It was a very cold day so it wasn't busy at all. A few groups here and there but still a number of tables open. We shared yuca fries which were delicious and thick. Still crunchy! And perfect with the thick, chunky, white cheese on the side. For the arepas, my friend chose the vegetarian one which had plantains. It was good but she didn't find it filling. I picked the 614 arepa since it had chimichurri steak. Delicious! It's not the most stuffed arepa I've had but it tasted homemade and was flavorful. Not overly cheesy which was good. Prices seemed reasonable. My friend got a diet Coke while I tried the mango juice. Yum! Our server was friendly. I've had arepas before but my friend hadn't, so I appreciated her explaining what it was and what she recommended from the menu. I would come back again. I loved the vibe. They do have a stage where they do live performances, but that evening they just played popular Latin music. read more

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Great service! Server was very attentive to our large group of 12! Great food! Wished there was live music that day but the music selection was good,kept the atmosphere lively! read more

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Cilantro Latin Fusion has opened up a brick and mortar restaurant right near Walmart on Sawmill and Bethel. After a successful Foodtruck business they decided expand their menu for this restaurant They have some amazing Arepas. I usually get the Queen Arepa which has chicken in it. It's filling and delicious. Their green sauce is the best thing. You will want to pour that on everything. The plantains are amazing too They do have a lunch happy hour if you plan to visit for lunch make most of that Definitely going to be a regular dinner choice for me read more

Cilantro Latin Fusion - Margarita - Venezuelan Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Great local joint! In a huge fan of one off restaurants it non-national chains and this one didn't disappoint! Ordered the 614 Arepas and fries. Beef was super tasty, crispy outside edges and the inside was trendy and juicy with tons of flavor. High quality meat with little to no fat remaining post cooking. Fries were light and crispy, served asked if I'd like cilantro sauce and that was a showstopper! Delicious on both the sandwich and fries. Value for money was amazing and the amount of thick sliced beef included for the price was astonishing. Highly recommended! read more

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This was my first visit. I saw it on yelp and decided to try it out. It is fantastic. I ordered the 614 arepas of course. I also ordered the breaded cheese tapas. They were both amazing. I ordered it to go and the service was excellent. I want to come back and try some signature drinks that they have on the menu. read more

Cilantro Latin Fusion - 614 Arepas. The picture doesn't do it justice. The meat is the best I've ever had. - Venezuelan Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Ordered some arepas for takeout with friends and they were great! The texture of the arepa was firm enough to hold all the ingredients. The queen bee had shredded chicken, sauce and cheese. It looks small but very filling. read more

Appetizers of Trio Taco Arepa and Ceviche were good. The Brisket arepa was flavorful then we had the Cilantro Signature Picada for sharing 3-4 people. This was just okay. All the meats were fried not really well seasoned and accompanied by sauces. This was just a dry meat dish with french dries and few small arepas. We barely touched this. We finished this meal with the flan. Extremely sweeet for a slice of flan for $8. It seemed like theres a pound of sugar in this one slice that was heavily drizzled further with chocolate. We didn't finish this. Overall experience was ok. Service was quick though. Plenty of parking outside. read more

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Came twice and found the quality dependent on what you order. The first time I got an entree and a special plantain side dish and they were pretty good. The second time I ordered one of the sandwiches with chicken and the meat was so overly fried I couldn't taste anything. The plantain side was served plain and was pretty boring so I ask for a side of the cilantro sauce, which itself is delicious. Servers are very nice. Inside has a very large tv and neon lights so not much ambiance. read more

In Columbus for a few days and wanted to try something new/local and Yelp pointed me to this place, and what a find! We only ordered a few items on the menu because we weren't that hungry but they were so good! The 614 arepa and trio cachapas were both 5/5. The beef in the arepa was flavorful, tender, and juicy. Wrapped in a crispy edged arepa and tasted cheese, it was a huge yummy bite. The cilantro sauce was great - just wish they put more on. The cachapas were something I never tried before and I loved them too. Too bad we weren't too hungry; otherwise would have loved to order more. The sugar cane limeade was amazing (5+/5) and I could have guzzled it. Don't even know how to explain the flavor profile. It definitely wasn't too sweet and the tartness reminded me of a plum. Service was quick and there were plenty of tables. From the clientele could tell the food was pretty authentic. read more

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From the first sip and the first bite it was the beginning of a 5 star! This was the second stop for date night and it was a great choice. The restaurant is next to a drive thru Jimmy John's and a bike shop. It doesn't look like much from the outside. Definitely a looks can be deceiving situation. The decor inside is unique. The hostess was welcoming though she assumed that I was a Spanish speaker and had a Spanish menu for me and mistakenly gave the menu to my better half. Another looks can be deceiving situation this happens to me all the time but come on. I wasn't offended and we laughed and told our waiter that neither of us spoke Spanish. The Back To Life Arepas and the Venezuelan Pastelitos and sweet plantains were so tasty. The chimichurri sauce was phenomenal! We are going to become regulars. What an amazing gastro experience! read more

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What a great surprise! I normally go to the normal American spots and I'm so glad I took the chance on something new! I was able to order the Venezuelan breakfast omelette, some fried plantains and fresh mango juice! I cannot stress how amazingly delicious and fresh everything was!!!! Also there was a nice younger gentleman to help me and he knew his menu which helped me a lot! I did also see they had live music at times which would be an added delight to the food decor and SERVICE! Love this place, thank you for feeding me and making me feel welcome read more

Super cute place, friendly staff and drool-worthy menu! The food was fresh and tasty. We started with fresh mango and passion fruit juice, followed by the cheese tequenos appetizer dipped in cilantro sauce - heavenly! Then I had the patacones with pulled pork. It was good, but I prefer it on sweet plantains vs green plantains. I could have used more cilantro sauce, too. Hubby loved his arepa 614! It came with the perfect amount of cilantro sauce. Yucca fries as a side were a little dry, but my sweet plantain side was perfection. We loved the vibes and energy here! Can't wait to come back. Next time, I'll follow our server's excellent recommendations and get the queen arepa! read more

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I can't say enough good things about Cilantro Latin Fusion in the Carriage Place shopping center off of Sawmill and Bethel. Today, I had the Vegan Arepa. That's a grilled Masa corn cake filled with a sauteed King Oyster Mushroom, Tostones (fried sweet Plantains) and Avocado slices. I also had a side order of Black Beans. Everything was delicious! Subtly seasoned and great on their own, but the complementary Cilantro and Hot sauces were great for adding even more spice, and some heat. $17.00, including the side of beans. Also, they gave my spouse a free glass of Sangria yesterday, in honor of International Women's Day. read more

Cilantro Latin Fusion - Vegan Arepa with a side of Black Beans. $17 - Venezuelan Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

This was my first time at Cilantro Latin Fusion and it will definitely not be my last! The arepas are an explosion of flavors in your mouth from the first to the last bite. The natural juices are a refreshing addition to meals. The service was good and friendly. read more

Cilantro Latin Fusion - Venezuelan Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

My wife and I dined at Cilantro Latin Fusion last Sunday for lunch. It was our first time to this restaurant. My wife had the Pelua Arepa, and I had the Cilantro Fusion Grill. The food was served relatively quickly and was delicious. Our server was excellent. We will definitely frequent this restaurant in the future. read more

This place is SOOO good. Went during 614 Restaurant Week & the 3 course meal was a great deal for $30. We started with the cheesy yucca fries & the sweet plantains w/ shredded cheese. Both were delish but I could have eaten the dip that came with the yucca fries with a spoon. It's basically sour cream at the bottom & torched cubes of panela cheese (the thick non-melty kind that goes inside the arepas in thick slices). The torching of it made it taste like campfire in a good way. We then had the 614 arepas which are basically steak, panela cheese & a creamy cilantro sauce. The steak is unbelievable. So much flavor. We both asked for more sauce on side because it was a bit on the stingy side for the size of arepa & amount of steak in it....and honestly, the sauce is so good I probably would ask for extra regardless. We finished with the Venezuelan flan & tres leches cake. Both were great but I'm more of a flan girl & appreciated the firmer texture & deep flavor without being overly sweet. The cocktail list could use some more inspiration personally. There were a few good options but considering all the fun juices they have, they could have been more variety. I will say from someone who used to work at a Brazilian restaurant, their caipirinhas were very good. Overall, food was excellent, service & atmosphere were great, drinks were ok, but I can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu because there's so much authentic well-done food that I need to go back for. read more

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What a perfect hidden gem! Excellent mixture of ambiance, service, and flavorful options. Our group consisted of three adults, and we ordered two tapas and two full meals to be shared. Every one of the four items (piononos, empanadas, arepas, and pabellón) was outstanding; with flavors that awoke every taste bud. We will be back! read more

Love this restaurant! Excellent food and great service. I am hooked on the Chaufa, a Peruvian fried rice, served with your choice of 1-2 proteins -- chicken, shrimp, pork belly, steak. So delicious! read more

We went for the Sunday brunch and it was amazing! The restaurant was beautiful, the server was attentive and made great suggestions and the food came out quickly and was delicious. We will definitely be coming back to enjoy dinner and live entertainment! read more