Nikki P.

I love this place and the owners! The food is authentic Latin and delicious! I love everything that they make here! Very homey and chill vibe. Need to check out the backyard; it's perfect for a sunny day to eat, chill and have a beer.

Michelle D.

La Bodega Original was at Sip & Stroll at Jax River Walk last month. My friends told me great things about the restaurant so I chose it over multiple vendors. I waited 15-20 minutes in line but it was worth the wait! I ordered the Papa Relleno and the Original Empanada. The Papa Relleno was like nothing I've ever tried, and it was yummy. Very filling. But my favorite was the Original Empanada! Fresh, crispy and delicious! I plan to check out the restaurant soon so I can try some other menu items!

Brian C.

Food was delicious! I had the Tripleta, Yuca Fries and Ham Croquettes. I did not want to stop there but I wanted to leave empanadas for my next visit! Service was excellent and I loved the art deco them on the walls.

Jamie W.

I stopped by here recently while out doing some errands. I had heard such raving reviews, and I love me an empanada. I can't say that the food was not tasty, but it had zero seasoning. The Yuca fries were so bland, and needed so much salt. Just a little while cooking would have made such a major difference. I did the picadillo cubano empanada, and same thing. I just felt the meat had no seasoning and very little flavor. It is such a cute little place, and the outdoor seating is so inviting. I'll have to go back and try it again. Maybe they were having a bit of an off day - everyone's allowed that, and I always try to give a spot at least three tries before I determine it's not worth going back. With all the positive reviews I have to believe mine was an odd day out.

Robert F.

Delicious Latin fusion eatery and a new favorite for lunch. Tried the turkey special, empanada and yuccone so far and everything is perfectly seasoned and delicious. Plus they make the bread on site. The outside seating is great for a larger party. Plus there is an outside bar. Don't miss this place.

Lonnie Y.

First time here. Small center off blanding. Looked small. A few tables in front. BUT beer garden in back. Really friendly people and delicious food. Ok. Looked small. Took a chance. Beer garden in the back. Friendly people. Delicious food. Little shopping center off blanding. The pork is delicious. Specials each day. Bakery too. Sandwich breads made here. Try it

Crystal O.

Yum! One of my favorite Cuban delights is the potato ball- aka Papas Rellenas. A meat filling wrapped up in mashed potatoes and fried and absolutely delicious! I had to wait a bit will it cooked up. My son got a brat all the way and was completely finished eating before I got my potato ball- but it was worth the wait! Family run- I was happy to try La Bodega and hope to go to their restaurant soon too! Got to get empanadas for John next time!

Jay P.

ME: "Dad, where do you want to eat?" DAD: "Anywhere that serves Buffet" ME: "Negatory; we're going to La Bodega Original" La Bodega Original has been opened now for about 1.5 months, according to Chef Cely, owner of La Bodega. It's a mini shop that serves breakfast sandwiches, pastries, sandwiches, specialty plates and Empanadas (made fresh daily). It is food made with a Latin Twist. The shop seats accommodates about 16 people. FOOD: The Cubano (5/5): I always love chasing down a good Cuban sandwich so I ordered The Cubano. This is La Bogeda's Puerto Rican version of The Cuban sandwich. Verdict: one of the most delicious Cuban Sandwich I've ever eaten. Why you say? Per Cely, the bread alone is made fresh, in-house. The bread taste more on the sweeter side; it's not hard like how most Cuban sandwiches are served. Also, this sandwich does not have the typical Deli meats most Cubans are prepared. Instead it's loaded with slow, marinated, mouth-watering pork chunks that's just so Slap-Yo-Yelper good. According to Cely, this is her grandfather's recipe passed on, so muchos gracias to her beloved Abuelo. Stir Fry Veggies (4/5): Cambodian Style Mixed Veggies served with Pork Chops & Habanero Sausage. In exception to the Chops being on the hard side, my Dad actually enjoyed this dish. It is really not easy to find a balance when frying pork chops. And to be fair, my Dad had a hard time chewing the Chops because he wears dentures. I ate the Habanero Sausages because my Dad is not into spicy stuff. COFFEE: Cuban Colada (5/5): Hats off to the Cuban Coffee drinkers out there. I call it "Shotglass of Skrong Shett" and that's how it's served, on a small glass. If you ever wondered how it feels like to be shot out of a Caffeine Cannon, then drink one of these babies. 0-60 in 2 seconds worth of Injected Caffeine. It will definitely take your heart for a wild ride. I'm done here; will definitely be back. I got my eyes on the Cuban Mixta and Empanadas on next visit. #SupportLocal

Leah A.

OK. Here's the deal. La Bodega Original (owned & operated by Chef Cely Gawrysh) is located off of Shirley Avenue between Hamilton & Blanding Blvd in this longstanding, obscure strip mall with an ample parking lot. They used to be located inside Bold City Brewery, but are no longer there. They also still do full catering and have a setup every Saturday at RAM (Riverside Arts Market) under the bridge if you can't make it to this location on the weekdays. As of 03/05/2019: If you come to this location, they are open Tuesday through Fridays from 8AM to 5PM according to May, who also works alongside Chef Cely at this brick-and-mortar La Bodega Original. ****I would definitely call first just to make 100% sure of their hours.**** The food here is flavorful and satisfying and worth the trip if you make it. Come here for the quesito. A quesito is a cheese-filled pastry twist from Puerto Rico. I absolutely loved the flakiness of the cooked pastry dough coupled with the sweet cheese filling on the inside. This oven-baked pastry is a flaky, slightly crispy, sugar-coated treat stuffed with vanilla-flavored cream cheese and can best be appreciated with a cup of coffee. The Guava Cheese turnovers (Pastelillos de Guava) made with a tender baked pastry dough with sweet guava and cream cheese filling finished with a dusting of powdered sugar is another must try. So delish! In the savory department, I thoroughly enjoyed the homemade empanadas. I went with the Original Empanada filled with perfectly seasoned ground beef and the Tipsy Goat Empanada. OMG. Try them. Actually try them all... If you close your eyes while you're eating, you can detect all of the subtle flavors that go into the tasty fillings in every single bite. And the portion size of their empanadas are larger than most. With the Tipsy Goat, I can taste the fresh basil now with the slight tang from the goat cheese and sweet, rich, saltiness from the ham "enbreaded" in a fried pastry dough. There's enough space to eat-in and they are very efficient preparing the food if you want to take-out. The menu is diverse enough that I want to come back and try more. And they spoke of changing menus and other special dining events to keep their food concepts fresh and new.

Caitlin E.

Holy Sh$@("! Authentic heavenly Cuban cuisine complete with homemade bread for the Cubano sammies. I'm dying! Tamarind tea, and the most beautiful, seasoned rice and beans. What a surprise to find this little gem.

Kerry C.

La Bodega Original might sound familiar to you - it should. The owner, Cely Gawrysh, has a mini cafe at Bold Bean Brewery on Roselle Street and a booth at RAM on Saturdays. Her style is Latin Fusion and is always fresh and tasty. Today was the grand opening of her first real brick and mortar store in a strip mall on Shirley Avenue on the Westside between Roosevelt/17 and Blanding. It's bright and clean inside and smells fantastic. I had my hopes on a hot lunch (arroz con pollo!), but silly me was there before 10 am. Hot lunch isn't served before 11, so I'll have to come back another day. They will make lunch sandwiches earlier though. They had little dessert samples on a tray - flaky, creamy, deliciousness with fresh strawberries - a good 3 biter of a sample. Mmm... I picked up two empanadas, the flavors change daily. I chose a Cuban beef and a "Tipsy Goat" (ham, pesto, & goat cheese) to take home. Both were very delicious and came with sauce. The Cuban was traditional and tasty, but the Tipsy Goat rocked my boat. Nice chunks of ham and good flavor combination. It was a lot of fun to eat. All the pastries in the display case looked fabulous and I chose one large one called Mil Hojas de Dulce de leche. I haven't actually eaten it yet (saving it for dessert tonight with my husband) but I did take one bite (shhh don't tell). It is very much like a Napoleon with a Dulce de Leche Caramel-like flavor. Just as I hoped, it wasn't too sweet, but had that lovely cream custard flavor. I'm so happy for Ms. Gawrysh and her family and wish her the best of luck. She's very talented and the Westside is very lucky to have La Bodega Original there. I cannot wait to go back.

Naomi B.

My Yelp Elite buddy Leah H. told me about La Bodega when we met up for dinner one night, and just from all the good things she had to say about the food and the establishments humble beginnings, I knew it wouldn't be long before I found my way there. When it comes to good food, she knows her stuff, after all. The smell of fresh baked goods entices you from the doorway as you enter, along with the multitude of wonderful aromas wafting out from the kitchen. It's a cute cozy place with just a few tables, but not bunched together to make one feel claustrophobic. Tempting tarts and pastries peek out from behind the glass display, and a list of the day's specials (changes daily) is posted on the wall to the right. Lunch starts at 11 a.m., so know that going forward. Yes, yes, yes, I've heard all about how La Bodega takes empanadas to the next level and even another level after that. I know....they're that good. HOWEVER, when I saw "Pork Tamales" among the offerings on the daily specials list....I was done. Game over. Pork Tamales it was. The verdict? SHYITTTTTT......let me tell you, these tamales MELT in your mouth. They're LIT. LIT, I tell you! Especially when accompanied by delicately salted shreds of pork that sit atop a mound of fluffy white rice and perfectly seasoned black beans. Boom....Boom.....POW. I'm not sure if I was able to finish, but I know I was stuffed. And THENNN.......see what had happened was.....there was this "Raspberry Almond Tart." It beckoned to me and said "Yes, I'll make you fat.....but I'll make you happy." I couldn't resist. I savored this so much, I think I ate with my eyes closed. I spoke to both ladies who run the joint and they mentioned that a Sunday brunch menu might be in the works soon, especially for Mothers Day. GO HERE. EAT HERE. I'm officially a fan of La Bodega Original and enthusiastically recommend this locally owned business and send my compliments to the chef. I'll be back for those empanadas soon! Thanks for reading, and till next time....support your local businesses and as always...SYOY!

Matt M.

Surprises sometime come in small packages. and in unique places if you are adventurous enough. La Bodega is one of those, a little off the beaten path, but so worth the trip. I came at lunch with my son and the special of the day was a conch fritter sandwich, he ordered it and it was the last one. I expected them to yell "86 on the conch", but they didn't, they kept asking me would I like coffee, tamarind tea, empanada, tres leches....,wait, back up, TAMARIND TEA? Okay, guess what, I got over the lack of more conch when I got my tea. Since this was our first time and my son is young and can eat for two, we tried a number of things: Empanada with ham and Brie - one of the days specials, it was amazing. Light crust, diced succulent ham and mixed Well with the Brie. The sauce, a garlic pesto/aoli was really over the top good Conch Sandwich - who knows, my son ate it and didn't share. He seemed happy though, but he still ate half my empanada. El Jefe Fries - Very good, coated with an old bay flavor, I think. But the fries were a precursor to the main event, the sauces they come up with dish. Really special, my son when crazy over the Special G sauce. Yes, he ate half of my fries too. Maduros - very interesting as their version they coat with guava, and I love guava. However, the maduros were perfectly cooked but I would 86 the guava but that is just my preference. They were still delicious. Parking is plentiful. Service is so good, you will think you are at a friends house.