For the price, quantity and taste combination, this little Venezuelan restaurant was an absolute hit in durham. The ingredients are fresh, and the food is SUPER filling. I never spent more than $10 there (2 arepas for ~$7 and i was full). The guasaca sauce is to die for, and the veggie, meat and fish options are all great. If you're trying to be low carb, just switch to a salad bowl and it'll be just as filling. We also used guasaca to cater many on campus events at Duke when I was a student there, and every time the food would run out quickly given the sheer number of guasaca lovers. It's quick, cheap, healthy (if you make it so), filing and tasty - a bomb combo! read more

From the pictures this restaurant seemed to be delicious! But we were really disappointed. My husband and I both Arepas and just didn't like them. The corn flake just completely over powers everything and just ruins the whole meal. It seemed like the bowls and salads are the way to go. Our food was also sitting on the counter for a while before someone remembered it was there and brought it to us. Expected a lot more! Won't be going here again :( read more

Yummy! I was brought here for lunch while I was visiting from California, and this was the first time that I've had arepas. The food was fantastic. I enjoyed the variety of toppings and choices, especially the caramelized onions and plantains. 6 months later, and I'm still wishing they were a nationwide chain and would replace a few of the Chipotle restaurants that we have on the west coast with their food. I'll definitely be returning any time I'm in the area. read more

We primarily order Guasaca through UberEats and have it delivered to our house. Guasaca's arepas and bowls are delicious. For a while, my husband and I were getting it once a week. The bowls are large enough (usually) that we can buy one a piece and get two nights of dinners or lunches. I rotate between the shredded beef and the shredded pork. My husband loves the avocado chicken. I get white rice, extra plantains, black beans, and white cheese. He gets brown rice, plantains, black beans, white cheese, pico de gallo, and the avocado guasaca sauce (at an extra charge). The problem with Guasaca is consistency: they do not have it. Sometimes the bowls are 3/4 full, sometimes they are barely 1/3 full. Sometimes they are almost all rice, sometimes they are almost all meat. The issue that has happened enough that we have stopped ordering from them is the sauce. If you order one of the sauces (we love the spicy red sauce) ON the bowl, you get a ton of it. It is too spicy for me to eat that much, so I ask for it on the side. If you order it on the side, you get a TINY amount -- enough for maybe a drizzle. If you want more, it is $1.75 for another drizzle, which is exorbitant. The stuff is delicious, but not worth it at that cost. I have complained to UberEats about it and they say they have talked to Guasaca about it, but it is always the same. The one time I went into the restaurant to pick up our order, instead of using UberEats, I saw that they had a tray with pre-filled tiny cups of sauce, and they were all filled for the drizzle amount. So apparently this is their standard way of doing it. That is not cool. No one wants to get a little to-go ramekin that is filled about 1/6 of the way. It looks like you're being chintzy, and you are. So, I'm frustrated with the restaurant. I give their food a 5+, but their inconsistency with how much "stuff" is in their bowls and arepas, as well as the exorbitant price for a decent amount of sauce brings the rating down to a 4. That is how good the food is. My recommendation: go inside and eat there or pick it up and tell them that you need more sauce than comes in the little cup. read more

To start with a positive, food was really great. But, will not be returning because of how rude the two young girls were in the line where you got your food. Never was there "hey how are you" but moreso yelled at you when it was your turn to order even though they were on the complete opposite side of the food line. I felt completely rushed and almost as if I, the customer, was an inconvenience for coming in. Improved staff would make this place 5 stars! read more

Guasaca - Venezuelan Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I've been envious of Raleigh's Northwest Guasaca location since my first visit. So, after I discovered they were opening a location in Durham, I knew I had to be one of the first people in the door (which is where I am currently!) Now after I finish my Mechada Arepa I'll write my stellar review!.. That was quick. Good lord, they'll passing out samples of their signature item {you thought it was the arepa BUT it's actually their namesake--guasaca i.e. guacamole! And only $1.65 for a side}, the music is pounding and of course Guasaca is serving up some delicious treats. The bright, naturally sun lite spot is great for lunch or dinner. Located in Durham's Erwin Square where competitors include Baba Ghannouj (Mediterranean) and Parizade (Italian). But take it from me, drop what you're doing and make some lunch plans, because Durham's newest eatery is where it's at! The menu is clearly visible when you walk in and you have the option of ordering a signature or personalized arepa, bowl or salad. At prices ranging from $4.10-$8.10 per item, Guasaca is not only a flavor forward option, but also a reasonably priced lunch spot. Guasaca has a great thing going for them, although they were still working out kinks during my visit, it was nothing to diminish from the great food and ease of the experience. My tip: the only negative about the experience is the parking situation in Erwin Square. BUT, you can park for free in the parking deck or utilize street parking off Rutherford Street. Also, while the signature arepa's are good in a pinch, once you become familiar with the menu, I highly recommend making your own! Almost all the personalized arepa's are the same price or a better deal if you add the maximum three toppings and your favorite sauce. read more

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GUASACA IS FANTASTIC AND ANYONE WHO SAYS OTHERWISE, IS A LIAR, AND SHOULD NOT BE TRUSTED. Now that I got your attention, this place is really, really freaking good. Not just the food, but the service as well! I've been here about 5 times so far and I have not once had an unpleasant experience. You can definitely tell that people working here enjoy providing customers with excellent service and making sure that they are 100% satisfied. Sometimes after a LONG work day, I like to reward my team with something delicious to eat. 9 times out of 10, they ask for some Arepas from Guasaca. The reason this place has completely won me over is because every time I walk up to the counter, and I tell them "I'm going to need 10, differently customized arepas, por favor," they always smile, write everything down and get right on to making each arepa perfect. No mistakes, and no negative attitudes are all I could ever ask for from a restaurant and this place truly delivers. read more

Guasaca - Guasaca - Venezuelan Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Loved Guasaca! I always like to try a new place when I travel to Durham and Guasaca did not disappoint. So many places seem to be chasing the popularity of the bowl assembly line fad. Besides Mexican and Asian, I had never seen a Venezuelan bowl restaurant so knew I had to try it! My wife and I both had salad bowls and were not disappointed. First, I had never seen Romaine lettuce cut/shredded the way they had it in long strips. It made it much easier for all the ingredients to mix and mingle the flavors. So many choices of meats from steak and pork to shredded chicken, we chose the shredded chicken and it was delicious. Other toppings included black beans or black-eyed peas, pico, cooked plantain (platano), guacamole, their own twist on guacamole that they call Guasaca (little more expensive) with a lot of other veggies in it, shredded cheese and several choices of sauces. I like spicy flavors and the pinkish hot sauce did not disappoint. Highly recommend it if you like spice. The mixture of all the flavors, particularly the sweet plantains really set the bowl apart from any other bowl experience I've had lately. All in all a great first experience and we'll definitely be back! read more

"Cheap, delicious stuffed Venezuelan arepas near Ninth Street in Durham" I came here for lunch yesterday and liked it so much that I came back for dinner tonight. Arepas are Venezuelan "sandwiches" made from corn flour. The analogies to Chipotle that other reviewers have made are very true in terms of how ordering is done, but the food is so much better. You stand in line, pick out the fillings you want or go with one of their "signature" offerings, and then pay and seat yourself. It looks like a lot of people get it as takeout, given the restaurant didn't seem to fill despite many people in front of us in line. + Speedy. You get the food immediately. No wait. + Super-cheap. The signature arepas are under $5 each, and two will stuff even a pretty big eater. A more moderate meal might be one arepa and some chips + guasaca (kind of like guacamole). + STUFFED arepas. They really pack a lot into each one, so you're getting an excellent value. + DELICIOUS. Wow, the food here was SO good. Like many other writers, I loved the mechada beef one the most. Absolutely scrumptious. The red sauce that comes with it definitely has some kick, so apply sparingly if you're not use to hot things. I liked the tilapia fish signature one pretty well (not as much as the mechada), especially with the cilantro green sauce, though I agree the plantains were kind of funny mixed in there (albeit not bad). I was least fond of the vegetarian signature option (though it was good with the sweet yellow mustard sauce)... tasted fine, but I think I would have been better off making my own with plantains, etc. + Setting. Spacious, bright, airy seating. It gets loud as it gets crowded, but definitely comfortable with both high and low seating. I like EpaChamo, but honestly, after eating at Guasaca, I don't know that I'll go anywhere else for arepas. The speed, price, value, and quality are just tops. read more

Food: 5 Service: 5 Ambience: 4 Date/Time: 3/20/2016 6:30pm I'm a big time Guasaca fan in Raleigh, so when I saw, via Groupon, they opened a 2nd location in Durham, I was in the neighborhood and decided to see if they're as good in Durham as they are in Raleigh... I think the rating is a giveaway on that subject :-) And, it was nice to be able to get a Groupon as I bought my max number of them for Raleigh :-D This is the place I compare to other places serving arepas (pita-like corn patties stuffed with the mixture) and so far, no one has come close... not in Raleigh, Durham or even Brooklyn! The service behind the counter where you select your choices and they build your arepa or bowl is great, with helpful folks and piling it on in the bowls! :-) The dining area has a combination of standard tables/chairs, bench/chair combo tables and higher stool seating tables. The only problem is the noise. The sound bounces off the walls like crazy so it's a little difficult to carry on a conversation, but I'm usually too busy stuffing my face to notice :-) My favorite is the avocado chicken in either the arepa or bowl, but just a warning, like any pita, you'll be biting into all the stuff they piled in last and then eventually get down to meat. With the bowl, you can mix it all together and enjoy the combination of flavors. I usually add brown rice, black beans, plantains, onions and cheese, then ask for the cilantro (green) sauce and put on some of the Tabasco Chipotle sauce they have in bottles at the drink machine. It's awesome! And, don't forget the chips and guasaca! HIGHLY recommended whether you're in Raleigh or Durham! read more

Venue--Easy parking for Durham. Lots of seating. Service--fast and easy! Food---delicious and affordable!!! The arepa bread is soft and fluffy, not greasy at all. I had two and was STUFFED. The fillings are well made and they are generous with their portions. I tried the signature tilapia arepa which was flavorful and made my own chicken arepa. For the fillings the plantains were my favorite. The sauces were all flavorful. The red one was legitimately spicy, And I was surprised as to how tasty the mustard and cilantro ones were. Cost--worth the cost and filling. Overall will definitely be back--want to try the bowl next. Only wish I lived closer! read more

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Nice alternative to chipotle if you're craving something slightly different. They have plantains and other fixins! The arepas are delicious as well. read more

Tilapia bowl - 3 stars Each ingredient is unimpressive (2.5 stars) but everything comes together to form a decent meal. The tilapia had a fishy smell to it but it was masked once I mixed everything in with the cilantro and red sauces. The pinto beans were not flavorful. My friends love this place though and I'm sure I'm gonna get flak for this! read more

Really glad to have this option in Durham. I used to work/live in the Raleigh area, and hung out at the original Guasaca and Bottle Revolution there. Since moving to Durham, I've been back, but my wife fell in love with the Guasaca and chips! She loves all manner of Latin American food, and these arepas are the best we've had. The single missing star is because I've been to the one in Raleigh, where the cooks really have the recipes dialed in, and this one is still gaining steam. I'll be back soon, I'm sure, and will update the review soon. My recommendation: Try one of the signature arepas first. Maybe several on different visits. Then, you'll have a good idea about the "build your own" menu. Oh, and that Tabasco® Chipotle sauce by the drink machine? You need to use it. You won't believe it until you try it! read more

As a Venezuelan, this was a really nice find. The arepas themselves are a little thin for my taste but the fillings are good!! The green sauce is traditional and tastes just like it should- if you get an empanada or arepa definitely add it! They do a really good job of explaining what everything is if it's you're unfamiliar with Venezuelan food. It really is a Venezuelan version of chipotle- not fully authentic but close enough to make me more than satisfied. Overall, if they make their arepas with harina pan (the usual cornflour) I would give them the other star read more

I've been here a couple times and the food is SO good! Probably one of my favorite places to go in Durham. I usually get the chicken arepas, and the taste and quality are amazing! Ingredients are so fresh, and chicken is juicy and tender. Just note if there's a lot of people, it's sometimes hard to communicate over the counter what you want. It's kind of echo-y inside and can get hard to hear. The last time we were there was on a weekday during dinner time, and they got our orders wrong and mixed up with other people's. Doesn't happen all the time, though, and their food makes up for that! I'd still come back and recommend this place to others. read more

Guasaca - Chicken arepas - Venezuelan Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Killing it- Guasaca is a go-to for us after being burrito bowl addicts at other places... The ingredients and components are better all around (as Little Dipper is to The Melting Pot, Guasaca is to Chipotle): from the corn arepas, signature avocado dip and salsas- not only are they somewhat unique, but more flavorful. Adding cilantro and the red 'hot' salsa to our meals with a side of 'Guasaca dip' and chips ... The there is the price: maybe a $1-2 more than the corporate chains but you actually can get as much food, yet tastier leftovers. We are sold, please open one closer to our house (it's the only thing that keeps us away) Some folks talk about difficulty ordering at the food line. I would agree, some of the seemingly 'annoyed' order takers are no longer around much..... but now I have taken to ordering in mostly Spanish and it helps a lot, never mind keeping the foreign language skills fresh. read more

Low key place serving some pretty yummy arepas. My husband had the vegetarian arepa and was a huge fan. I had the tilapia and the consistency of the braised tilapia threw me off a bit...would have preferred chunks of the fish instead. The cilantro sauce was delicious and the chips and guasaca was a hit with my kid. One arepa is pretty filling! read more

Guasaca - Tilapia - Venezuelan Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

My very first Guacasa experience, thanks to a $24 off group on a friend found online. After pulling into the small shopping/business complex area and walking inside, I had two thoughts: 1) this looks like a Chipotle 2) but a much brighter, cleaner and more open version of Chipotle. The menu and serving line were clearly laid out but I was changing my mind up until the last minute. Ultimately decided to create my own bowl from scratch, with chicken, rice, beans, guacasa sauce (a more acidic guacamole), cheese, lettuce, grilled onions, and plantains. My friends ordered two arepas each, but had to ask a couple of questions about the order and held up the line a bit. One of them remarked that the store seemed a bit understaffed. We found a table near the window and got our drinks/utensils from the soda fountain area. When we sat down and started to eat, I loved the mix of flavors, e.g. the salty and sweet contrasts between the meat and the plantains. The lettuce and guacasa provided the perfect amount of freshness to the taste. I also couldn't finish it all because the portion size was so huge. Chips and guacasa was decent too. Wasn't a big fan of the arepas, which I found a little tough and chewy. The biggest draw for this place is the price. Arepas are only $4.50, and my huge bowl with all the toppings was $7-8. A steal! Not sure if I need more guacasa in the near future, but its affordability is worth a 4 star overall rating. read more

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I'd never had arepas before eating at Guasaca, but they're incredible! I find them a little hard to eat without the insides all spilling out, so when I order here I get a bowl with a plain arepa on the side. I prefer the white corn ones to the yellow ones (I find them too sweet), but they're both good. My Venezuelan and Columbian friends also give this place two thumbs up, so I think that's a pretty good indicator of their authenticity! read more

This spot is my go to for home delivery during COVID-19 pandemic ... love the healthy options for delicious bowls. The plantains with the other things in the bowl is simply delish! read more

A great and affordable spot for delicious arepas! A great late night snack and the sauces are delicious!

I totally understand the hype! I was so impressed with the flavors. The pork was phenomenal as was the grilled chicken. Do not skip the cilantro sauce and plantanes We opted for the premade combos BC there are a lot of options. Cannot wait to come back read more

Feels like the Chipotle chain restaurant, just for arepas. Not a bad idea. The execution of this "not bad idea" is not that great. I had the chicken avocado arepa. The corn part was way overdone and not in a good way. The chicken inside had been cook a long while ago and was sitting there waiting for me long before I parked my car and walked in. There were some nice fancy sodas and nice standard sides , but no Latin American drinks like horchata, Jamaica, and such. That would have raised it to three stars. The staff was nice but forgetful. When asked to bring a side that was ordered and paid for, they forget again. When I walked up to the counter to ask for my side it was like the it was the first time they saw or heard me. Third request yielded a little side order. I am not opposed to trying them again. Maybe I got the wrong crew. read more

Unique, cheap, filling, and delicious! This was my first time trying an arepa and I was left speechless! The warm corn patties were scrumptious and a perfect compliment to the savory and flavorful filling. The location is great --very close to Duke-- and the service was quick and painless! Definitely will be back for more! read more

Guasaca - Venezuelan Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

What is wrong with me, not trying Guasaca until it had been open for a year and a half (maybe more)? I needed a quick lunch while I was out running errands one day and finally stopped into Guasaca. I got one of their menu creations with some customizations à la Chipotle or Qdoba cafeteria line and It. Hit. The. Spot. And now that Uber Eats is around, you can order online and have it delivered to your doorstep (or curb)! Definitely a reasonably-priced, delicious gem. Getchu some! read more

The Guasaca on Main Street Durham is staffed with a team, fully engaged to serve each customer. I am always greeted warmly by each team member and often see the owner working the line to fill when needed. This location serves the west campus Duke campus and Duke east campus as it is nicely located right at the intersection of Anderson and Main. Each team member looks me in the eye and always efforts to write down my order and recite back to me what I have requested. This is obviously leadership driven to create an exceptional customer experience and minimize buyer's remorse. The Arepa vegetarian bowl is what I enjoy with brown rice, black beans, onions, plantains, cheese, and Guasaca and cilantro sauces. A well balanced savory and sweet culinary delight. To be frank, the plantains tilt the scales more than slightly i favor of sweet. Chipotle is growing so fast that it needs now more than ever to fall back on the behaviors that led to their success. It is the food that brings us in but the service that keeps us coming back. read more

The Chipotle of Venezuelan food. Went with a grilled chicken salad. Added plantains and guasaca as well as a few sauces. Really nice, fresh flavors. read more

I think more cities should have solid arepa options. I ordered 2 but was full after 1, I like how much you can customize them. wish there were dessert options. read more

I was a little overwhelmed and confused on what to order the first few visits, but I think I have my go-to down now! The avocado chicken arepa is yummy. I like to add black beans, plantains and cheese to mine. I also get the chips and guasaca, which is also delicious. One arepa with the chips is very filling for me! This is a quick order at the counter spot, unless there's a very long line. Bonus - they have had a lot of Groupon deals for awhile now. Last time I visited I was able to get a Groupon with $10 by paying just $5. read more

Guasaca is a fast-casual arepa restaurant with three locations. I'm very pleased to have one in Durham! They feature Venezuelan-style arepas, flat pockets made of white or yellow maize flour, cut in the middle and filled with yummy things. We, the un-picky and simple-minded, can choose from their list of "Signature" arepas, which have the fillings pre-packaged. You, perhaps brilliant and more discerning, can easily customize the arepa with your own fillings, choosing between things like braised tilapia, plantains, black eyed peas, and sauces like cilantro and mustard. Two arepas is about the right meal size for a hungry person. You can order these fillings as a bowl or salad. They are less messy, if you are trying to impress someone for some reason, but imo you're missing out if you're not getting arepas. The service is quick, and the space is clean & bright. I want to give a particular shout-out to the catering staff here. I've ordered larger amounts of food for delivery several times now, and they've always been reliable about delivery, accurate with the orders, and super friendly & flexible. Guasaca is a special place, and you won't find many others places like it (yet). Come for a fresh, quick, affordable meal! I think I'm going to go there now, I'm getting super peckish for an avocado chicken arepa as I'm writing this... read more

I LOVE this place. My friends described it to me as Chipotle, but for arepas. I hadn't had an arepa before, so I didn't have anything to compare these to, but these taste delicious and are incredibly craveable. The staff is very nice and patient - it took us a while to figure out what we wanted. And the food is just incredible! Lots of different meat options and combinations of things inside an arepa. All of the meats are great, and the two different types of arepas are both delicious (although the yellow ones are a bit better). I really love the ability to customize your arepa or salad (but it does make ordering that much more difficult since everything is delicious!) TBH, I'd skip the guasaca sauce since it's just overpriced guacamole, but otherwise, I'd highly recommend the place! read more

Consistently delicious, great prices, lovely outdoor seating, friendly staff - what is not to like? I have tried arepas all around and these are my favorite. Even my mom who likes nowhere and insists on living gluten free enjoys coming here. This was our first time at the Durham location but still the same delicious experience. The pulled chicken and pork are my favorites with Guasaca and plantains but you really just can't go wrong with any of their options! read more

Guasaca - Always delicious - Venezuelan Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I have to this location a couple of times already since this is a convenient lunch spot for me when I'm at work. I usually get a couple of arepas and a drink when I come to Guasaca. Sometimes I get three if I'm really hungry. My favorites are the avocado chicken and and the tilapia. I do like they have a couple of options if you don't want the arepa where you can have it in a bowl or a salad. My favorite sauces are the cilantro and mustard sauce. I think 1 sauce comes free so if you want both, you may have to pay extra. Definitely planning to come back again especially if I have meetings at Erwin Square. read more

Good food. Consistently tasty. Personally I love the coriander sauce and red sauce. The shredded beef is good too. And the plantanos.

Found that this place was highly rated on Yelp do I figured I'd give it a shot! Very glad I did! I went for lunch and ordered the grilled chicken rice bowl. You are able to add the topics that you would like. If you're looking for a lunch place that will not slow you down.. stop looking! read more

Guasaca - Rice bowl with chicken - Venezuelan Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I used to love this place. This time, we ordered online for pickup but waited more than half an hour to get our food. Disappointed.

My mother in law spent a good portion of her life in Venezuela and she said the food here was quite authentic. Even if you have never been to Venezuela, Guasaca is a good place to check out. Think of arepas as small pita pockets made of either wheat flour or cornmeal. The fillings that Guasaca offers are all tasty, but my favorites are the avocado chicken and the tilapia. Understanding the menu is somewhat difficult (it reads from right to left for whatever reason) so let me summarize it for you: - you can order 1 or 2 arepas; these arepas can either be custom made (up to 3 fillings) or Guasaca-recommended filling combinations - you can order a salad or a bowl, with your choice of meat, very similar to Chipotle. The fillings are from the same list as the arepas but there is no limit to the # of fillings - choose a sauce! My favorite is the green cilantro sauce but they are all good so try them out - order a side of chips and guasaca, the restaurant's namesake, which is amped up guacamole with chunks of tomatoes in it. The line tends to get long during meal times so don't let that deter you - the wait is well worth it! read more

The Connector goes by here regularly and I have been saying I would stop there and try it out...Today was that day....Had a Tilapia arepa and it was defiintely delicious....The meal was healthy and it's not that far from home, and the prices are definitely not bad..I will be making a return trip for soon.... read more

I love this place. First, Guasaca is a word that just makes you feel happy when you say it. And when I mention it to others they also seem just as happy which is pretty much the best sign about a business one can get I think! This is a small fast food/chipotle style type of spot but you can make arepas with all kinds of delicious fillings and the options are endless it seems! The pork and chicken I've tried are so flavorful and juicy and the number of sauces and toppings here you can really have an endless number of options and combinations to try. And their plantains are also quite tasty too! And we've also used them for catering and they show up with a huge amount of food that way! In my opinion one of the better catering options that is still affordable, but then you get trays full of all of the tasty toppings, huge trays even of their special guasaca sauce, and everyone can make their own lunch bowl or arepa that way too! And like above, when we have catered from them, I also have seen the room light up with happiness (which maybe is because it isn't pizza, but I think it is because it is guasaca!) read more