We chose this place for the gluten free options my friend needed, and they were careful and…read moreconsiderate in taking her order. This is an order at the counter place, then they bring the food to your table. The dining room is not fancy , but with a big screen showing the sights in Venezuela , I barely noticed. Since we were in the middle of a road trip visiting the restroom was mandatory. It was clean and spacious and had some nice decorative touches. This was my first Arepa , or really any Venezuelan food. I ordered the one stuffed with Pabellón , the national dish, and it was a bit hard to hold on to, but so delicious! Even better, my diet app considered it a solid choice nutritionally. I want to learn how to make these now, maybe with a simpler filling to start.

Been there multiple times. The service has been outstanding. The food is exceptional. We consider…read morethis a go to restaurant.

The owner is soooo kind and told me he was impressed I was ordering this much just for myself, so…read morehe decided to gift me an Inca Kola, which is a sweet soft drink with a lemony flavor - similar to sprite but more concentrated. It was admittedly a little warm inside, maybe because the AC wasn't working. I got the lomo saltado, which reminded me of college days when my dining hall would serve this!! The beef was SO tender, and the fries help soak up the soy based sauce. I also loved the aji verde that comes with the fries - so fresh made with jalapeños, cilantro, and mayo! The portion was honestly huge!! I also got the ceviche, which came with hugeee chunks of fresh fish! There was also big pieces of Incan corn and fried corn!

PIKKITO--which means "little kiss" in Peruvian--was my first time seeking to eat at a restaurant…read moreattached to a gas station, which added a "wait, what?" moment. Upon entering, the first thing that hits: chickens on the rotisserie, and honestly, I haven't seen that since Boston Market a decade ago. I ordered at the counter, and a few minutes later the worker came by offering my dining partner and me chicken soup as a little extra gesture--hot, delicious, and very welcome. I had cilantro rice and black beans alongside my chicken, all perfectly done. The flavors here are solid and a great introduction for me to Peruvian cuisine. Why not five stars? The vibe is minimal and casual--gas station setting and all--so it's more functional than cozy or lively. Still, the food is excellent, and I'll absolutely be back for more.

Food was absolutely delicious!!! The restaurant was decorated very cutely with both booth and table…read moreseating. The food took quite a while to come out, but it was definitely worth the wait. The empanadas were perfectly flavorful and crunchy on the outside. The chorizo had a stronger taste than the beef empanada, but the beef was wonderfully juicy and tender. Would definitely recommend getting them as an appetizer! We were warned that the seafood paella would be spicy, but when we tried it, it wasn't spicy at all! It was pretty yummy anyways, so I'd say it was a very salty dish rather than spicy or hot. The rotisserie chicken was very yummy. It came with two sides and we chose sweet plantains and the fritas. The sweet plantains were soooo good, they reminded me of turons except sliced. Only complaint was that it felt like we had five different servers, which made it hard to get consistent attention or feel any personal connection to the service, especially with our table tucked away in the corner, leading to slow and scattered service. Overall, we had a delicious meal here and will definitely be returning for more. Thanks!

Had a day date with my husband and stopped here for some lunch. This place has vegan and…read moregluten-free empanadas. I feel like I died and went to heaven. They have Peruvian empanadas, and they have Colombian style empanadas made from cornflower. The vegan chorizo Colombian style empanadas were amazing! The Peruvian style ground beef and chicken empanadas were delicious as well. Their lunch offerings do have wine, beer, and even gluten-free beer options. The. Yucca fritas were delicious as well. When I was debating what sweet empanadas to take back home, I saw that they not only had sweet empanadas, but they had vegan and gluten-free black forest cake. I did not have the space to eat it, but I sure did bring it home. The black forest cake did not disappoint. It was delicious. The server was super kind and attentive. The gratuity is also included in your total which the server mentioned. He was also very proactive in asking if there were any allergies. I wish more servers and restaurants did that. How I have not been to this location until now is unbelievable to me. I could eat here every day. We will be back!

This place is one of the many hidden gems of the town of Waukesha. Venezuelan food is kind of hard…read moreto find all across the USA, so I was blown away to find a place in this town that doesn't just do Venezuelan food -- it does Venezuelan food right. The owner is one of the nicest people you will meet and you can see the sheer passion just oozing from him. He makes you feel like a guest in his own home and he is so obviously proud of the food he serves. That pride is well deserved -- this is some of the best Venezuelan food I've ever had, anywhere in the world. The pabéllon and the reina pepeada are especially worthy of mention, with the pabéllon in specific being one of the best things I've ever eaten. The yuca frita is delightful -- fried to perfection, with a delicious chimmichuri-esque drizzle. The kids arepa is hilarious and hilariously good -- a ham and cheese delight tuned for the very German influenced palate around here. My kids and I hope to sample every last item on the menu. My only worry is that this is not a style of food that generally gets a lot of attention in this town -- this place is always rather empty whenever I come. I would love to see lines out the door, because that's what this place deserves, and that's how good the food is here. The fate of many ethnic restaurants in this area seems to be to go under -- and oftentimes that's not commentary on the quality of the food. The palate of the general population in this area tends to be less adventurous, and that puts restaurants like this at a disadvantage. That is to say: please come experience this place. Please come eat here. Please help make sure that this place sticks around.

A small place with nice decor and Francisco as the owner and chef. Venezuelan food, like much South…read moreAmerican food is best described as flavorful comfort food. Francisco serves homemade dishes, using spices for deep flavors but not heat. The pork empanada is full of flavor and fried to a perfect crispy crush. The yucca fritas are cooked to perfection. Do yourself a favor and get the green chile dipping sauce. It complements the fritas perfectly. His Cuban Sandwich has the delicious ham and pork, crunchy pickles and a surprisingly good Velveeta like cheese. The black bean arepa my wife had was also well flavored, a nice balance between the tangy black beans and white cheese. The bread holds it all together and is made in-house. We were in town for a wedding and ventured into the delightful downtown area. Arepanita's is a gem and Francisco sweats the details- or as he says, makes his food with love. Check it out!

Very nice place for some modern Peruvian food. The service was outstanding. The waiter even made a…read morecocktail that wasn't even on the menu. Loved the feeling and ambiance of the place.

Truly a must-go in Rockford for anyone wanting to break away from the reruns of meat and potatoes…read moreof typical Midwestern cuisine. Honestly, this spot seems out of place in Rockford and seems like something you would find in a bigger city. The decor is colorful and bright, the drink selection is very impressive and creative and the menu is broad yet impeccably put together. I've been here a few times and had some excellent meals, though I'd like to mention the recent restaurant week menu. I brought my fiancé and parents here for a weekend dinner and they were a little skeptical about the empty restaurant. For the weekend, there were a lot of people waking right past, but perhaps the sub-zero temperatures were keeping their eyes focused on getting to their cars only. We were greeted warmly by the server/hostess/bartender (she wore many hats that night!) and ushered to a tablescape that seemed almost too nice to be in the Forest City. We ordered drinks per our server's recommendations and were not disappointed. Full of tropical fruits, peruvian liquors, and a little kick (not all are spicy, just ones we chose)...they were a delight. All were served in fantastical glassware ranging from a mirrored martini glass, a stemmed glass with dangling chili peppers, and a gorilla head. Yep, you read that correctly. My drink was served in a painted gorilla head with star fruit on top. Absolutely delicious. We ordered an appetizer with mussels, ceviche, and a potato dish, as well as fried cassava. To my delight all the seafood tasted nearly as fresh as a coastal city where the fish is likely just out of the water. Everything was perfectly seasoned and not too chewy. The mains were another home run-- the guys got a VERY hearty pork stew and a beef and potato dish (so even those who still want meat and potatoes can feel at home here!) and the ladies a fish dish with a red sauce and a squid ink orzo with seafood. Nothing left us wanting more, but for me the orzo was a complete surprise. It was a gorgeous presentation with exquisite color and the flavor-- so light and yet so... there is no other word for it... buttery. EVERYONE at the table needed more than a bite. We rounded off dessert with a passion fruit mousse (honestly we were stuffed but felt we had to try something else as everything was so scrumptious) and rolled out of there talking about how shocking it was to have SUCH a high-quality and unique place in downtown Rockford. They got more tables as the night continued, but I'd have loved to see more. I would HATE for the people of Rockford not to have this experience. A few tips, the prices are higher than some of the other places in the area (as is the quality!), so be aware. Also they make everything fresh so plan for the evening to be a bit longer than elsewhere. But I cannot stress enough that no matter your tastes you will be very well cared for here, and have an experience you'll remember. And if you're not sure what to order, ask! The owners and servers are knowledgeable and friendly. They will steer you well! Tl;dr: This place is a foodie experience seemingly transported from a bigger city, and we are lucky to have it here in Rockford! Give them a try!

Great experience! This was our first time w Venezuelan food. Our waiter Diego was great with Any…read morequestion we had. Everything was amazing and we had portions for home too. The building is beautiful as well. We will def come back! I must try the carrot cake!

Very good! I just…read morewrapped up a meal here in June '26. It's a quiet Wednesday evening and I sat at the bar and was immediately greeted by a friendly bartender. In less than 2 minutes I had a delicious margarita and ice water placed in front of me. Margarita is top notch - they don't skimp on the booze here. I asked the kind lady to surprise me with dinner and it did not disappoint! Overall, very please with both the service and quality here. If I'm in the area again I will definitely return!