4.5 stars Empanadas: a Brief history. Everyone has a version of a savory filling wrapped in dough. Madison has pasties (or pasty). Italy has calzones. China has baos. They vary based on stuffing, flour, and cooking method. I'm from Oklahoma and knew the "empanada" way before the others. SO I'll stick with empanadas come from "South of the Border." Even at that Venezuela is different from Argentina, from Bolivia, from Colombia. Anyway, I'm not an official empanada connoisseur, but throughout my life, I've discovered I LOVE corn flour AND deep fried (vs baked). So La Taguara arrived in my life, and I knew I had to try the Empanadas (and Arepas). Chicken Empanada - Fabulous. Basic shredded chicken, stewed in seasonings (garlic, green pepper, onion, paprika, seasoning salt), not spicy, still juicy. Nothing else in it. Fried. The breading has a slight brown crunch on the outside and soft white chew on the inside. This rivals Miami, but it's in Madison! 5 stars Arepas - a finely ground corn flour (much more than corn tortilla type flour), is like a chewy, puffy thick round tortilla (think 5 layers together), but is known as "bread," and cut in half to fill it with a protein. I've had a Costa Rican version, Pupusa made of Masa flour (smaller and more dense). There is a difference. Venezuelan arepas are lighter and more airy, but they don't handle the cut as well. Reina (arepa) - arepa filled with chicken salad, potatoes, mayo and avocado. This is a Venezuelan specialty. It's good, but every place I've ever ordered it, they use dark chicken and it just overpowers the delicate avocado and mayo. Thankfully, La Taguara has this AMAZING sauce, guasacaca = garlic + avocado + vinegar. 3/5 Pabellon (arepa) - traditional is filled with shredded beef, plantain, black beans, and cheese. I asked for chicken without cheese. Unfortunately, I was GIVEN beef. I was excited to try salty and sweet, but I had to toss the beef. It was bland without the salty protein. 2/5 Pepito de Pollo - Chicken Sandwich is how it's framed. What a surprise! It reminds me of a mustard-style chicken chili (tangy, tart; not tomato based) on a soft french roll. They pile on onions, green peppers, bacon, lettuce, tomato, 5 sauces! and onion strings! (I held the cheese.) This is a Venezuelan chili. Southerners pour gravy over everything, Texans pour red chili over everything, and Wisco pours cheese over everything. So of course this made sense to me! It was so good. Comes with fries and "pink sauce" (ketchup + mayo), which is Central/South America's version of ketchup. 5 stars Space - small-medium. Fits about 5 tables of 4, and 3 tables of 2. The TVs flash pics of Venezuela, not sure if they can show games. Overall, I LOVE this place. Good South/Central American style food (think everyone below Mexico). This is NOT Mexican food. Nothing spicy, nothing too fancy, just flavorful. La Taguara is a warm southern breeze in a cold beer state. read more

La Taguara - Pepito de pollo - OMG! This is Venezuelan chicken chili on a bread roll. SO good! - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Phenomenal food which never disappoints. I always get the Pabellon a Caballo because it is always delicious and always a good portion of food - they don't skimp on the pork by any means. Most recently I opted for the Tostones, which were great with the given sauce. read more

La Taguara - Pabellon A Caballo - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Love the food. The service is great. Would recommend trying this, and if you like hot sauce, you should try their hot sauce. Delish.

My team and I at work were looking for a delicious place to order lunch. This was recommended by a friend. No disappointment at all! I am looking forward to passing the suggestion on to everyone. Super friendly staff. You walk in. Go right to the counter to order. This is cool because you see everything being prepared. Make your order. Pay. They bring it to you. Delicious. I have enjoyed everything I have tried so far. Guasicaca (spelled incorrectly) sauce is amazing. Ask for it. This is not an American diner. If you have questions about the food, ask. They will tell you. If you never try it... you'll never know. Take the adventure. read more

Returned for a repeat meal. Surprises... Place was packed, still spotless, very helpful staff, food was exactly as we had remembered it. It is rare that food quality remains the same over time. I was thrilled to see such a diverse group of diners. Treat yourself to a little something different. read more

La Taguara - The corn pancake sweet and crispy - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I came here based off of Yelp reviews. I was in town for the weekend and decided to try at least one delicious restaurant while I was here. Let me say they did not disappoint!!! I came here around 5pm on a Sunday. They close at 6pm on Sunday's. I ordered the Pabellon (Venezuelan National Dish with black beans, white cheese, shredded beef, rice, and deep fried sweet plantains, arepa, and topped with a sunny side up egg ). Fulfilling and scrumptious For my appetizer I ordered the Alitas de Pollo (crispy chicken wings tossed in our home made passion fruit spicy sauce served with a side of nata). Sweet and spicy wings . For dessert Tequenos de Guayaba y Queso (Venezuelan version of cheese sticks filled with white cheese and guava). Let me say that the portions were of a good size and you will be fulfilled with any entree that you purchase. The Pabellon was flavorful, not spicy, and seasoned to perfection. The shredded beef literally melted in your mouth, the plantains very sweet and crisp, and the rice and beans were not heavy but seasoned with love! The Alitas de Pollo were sweet and spicy and crisp and deep fried. You get about 10 wings per order or 1lb. The dessert was tasty as well. Im glad I stopped in this place and decided to have dinner. Next time I'm in Madison I will definitely be back. Oooh before I forget. This is the only place that I've been that sells Guarana Brazil soda. I studied abroad in Brazil in college and literally drank this sofa every other day . This place deserves 5.5 star to be honest read more

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This place kicks ass! Yelp brought us here (as usual) and it's a great find. There are lots of accolades for best food on the wall. I had the shredded beef and black beans (Venezuelan National dish) Really , really good. The arroz con coco for dessert is so good. Kudos to the owners of this place for bringing quality Venezuelan/Cuban/Mediterranean food to the upper Midwest ! read more

La Taguara - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We had the Pabellon without the egg and the Cachapa con Queso y Cochins Frito and a Polar Pilsner imported from Venezuela. All the food was excellent and unique. The service was excellent and friendly. The entrees included lots of food. The sweet plantain very nicely prepared. The Cachapa, a corn pancake filled with a slightly sweet Venezuelan cheese, was a marvelous treat. The crispy pork was battered and came with a white garlic and cilantro sauce and and a green sauce. For desert we had Arroz con Coco/Coconut Rice Pudding. It had shredded coconut and was topped with cinnamon. Very good. Definitely repeat! read more

Got takeout for dinner on Friday. It was delightful. I had the shredded beef entree with rice and beans and an egg. Our son had the kids ham and cheese sandwiches. I especially liked the sauces that came with the kids sandwich, it was great on top of the shredded beef. I also got the Caribbean cheese empanada which was excellent the next day for lunch. We've had their breakfasts before too and they're always spot on. Very friendly service and reasonably priced! read more

Food is great, I prefer the location closer to Madison over the Sun Prairie spot but they are both good. Price is good especially considering the HUGE serving sizes. I prefer the Madison location because I get the service is better. More of a order at the register and then sit down type deal. Very laid back chill spot. Can't recommend enough. read more

Delicious Venezuelan food! My bf and I ordered the Bandeja Paisa, Tostones and the Cachapa con Queso y Cochino Frito. Service was great. The staff helped us with our orders and made sure it was to our liking. We didn't have room for dessert, but we'll be back for more! read more

La Taguara - Bandeja Paisa... Muy delicioso! - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Visited based on other Yelpers. Thank you people!!!! I loved that the owner explained the dishes to me. Made me want to try them all! I am in town for one more night and will go back. The fresh passion fruit juice was wonderful and I also thought the tamarind juice was great. Tough decision. Had the national dish of Venezuela. Black beans, rice and beef. Perfect comfort food on a cold November day. Also tried the fried yucca. Wonderful!!! Prices were so reasonable and portions are huge! read more

La Taguara - Happiness on a plate! - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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This place is legit! The food had so much flavor and the sauces they have mmm mmm. Venezuelan food is very good and coming across restaurants that serve this cuisine can be rare, so when you find one please try it and order a few different items so you can get the whole experience! I had some arepas and empanadas with sides, everything was amazing. The service was super friendly and helpful. Whenever I go to Madison I usually consider eating here, one of my favorite places in town. Simply put, this is one of the best in the area and worth the stop! read more

Overall, the food was very good. Portions are plentiful and prices are mid range. It is very clean inside and quaint. Photos of Venezuela pass by a television set showing the weather for Madison. Only a few minor notes: the Tostones were very dry and pico de Gallo was very salty. Churrasco was a bit fatty but that's common. Definitely would return. read more

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The owner greeting us and explaining the menu really made the group of us fall in love with this place. The flavorful and homemade food also helped too! The passion fruit dressing on the salad was so good! Loved the tostones and arepas as well. read more

La Taguara - Tostones! - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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A very unassuming business from the outside, but the food is fantastic. I cannot remember the name of the dish that I had but it is billed as one of the staple dishes. It came with beans and rice and pork and a type of bread that I also cannot recall the name of. The night that I was there picking up takeout, it did take a little longer than I had anticipated, but by the time I got home and opened up the dinner, I saw that the wait for the food was worth it. Everything was perfectly spiced and cooked and a large meal that I had wanted to split into two one for dinner one night and half of it for the next night, was all devoured in one sitting. I can't wait to go back and start trying other menu items. Highly recommended. read more

Went to LA Taguara on a Sunday afternoon looking for something different to eat. The place was clean and pleasant looking, the staff was right there to walk first timers through the menu! Yes the food was different, my son likes to drink South American soda's and the two he tried were very good!! We had a nice variety of food and are eager to come back and sample some more. read more

La Taguara - Awsome fried cheese and pica dillo salad! - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Visiting from out of town, tried this restaurant for the first time. I love arepas and this place didn't disappoint. I ordered the classic, Pabellon. Will definitely be back! read more

The arepas are the most delicious! Thanks to our local festivals in Madison i was lucky enough to stumble by their food stand. My friend was familiar with the arepas and and after seeing how amazing his looked I bought two. Now I'm hooked, everything served at this place is top notch!! The chicken breast and rice dinner is so flavorful and the chicken is so JUICY even the rice was the best rice I've ever had. The prices are amazing!! I love everything about this place. Service is excellent, always! Anytime I have questions about the menu the person behind the counter explains. This place is a must try. read more

EVERYTHING is delicious here! Can't go wrong with arepas, choosing a filling, shredded beef with picodillo salad seem to work well together. I don't normally get desserts but The churros are delicious and work well with coffee. They will ask if you want chocolate or Dolce de leche with your churros, GET BOTH! read more

Food is excellent. Nothing fancy about the restaurant. Perfect for take out! Highly recommend!

Friendly folks and great food! We stopped in for a quick lunch and we were not disappointed. This is across from Gardner/Bimbo bakery on East Washington. The food is authentic and the staff is awesome. You order at the counter, grab your utensils and pick your spot. Service is quick. Lunch hour can be hectic, so come earlier. read more

First time here. Small parking lot but street parking was available. Clean bathrooms. You order at the counter and seat yourself. I've never had Venezuelan food before but it seemed as though they had a lot of assortment on the menu; there were many things I've never heard of or had which is one of the things I love about trying new things. I brought a friend and the bill came to $50 for one appetizer, two entrees, two desserts, and two sodas (I bought the beer later). The food was well made, but my friend's skirt steak was really tough. We both said we'd come back though. read more

La Taguara - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This place was recommended to me by a couple different people. So we stopped by on a Monday night and ordered food to go. I ordered the Pabellon. I actually didn't know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. The beef was shredded and flavored wonderfully. The plantains, even though are not a favorite of mine, were good. The beans and cheese covering them were excellent. A lot of food for the money and great quality. I look forward to returning to try more from their menu. read more

La Taguara - Pabellon to go - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Very authentic. Friendly staff- great variety of food. Well priced. Filling. Loved the sauce that came with the empanada. read more

La Taguara - Arepa empanada - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

So good, fresh, and flavorful! Just picked up an arepa and empanada for lunch and it's the best tasting meal I've had in a long time. Everything was just perfectly cooked and prepared. Incredible value! read more

Great food quality and quantity. Friendly service and plenty of parking. Love the empanadas.

If you are craving a good authentic Latin-American dish which is different from Mexican cuisine, I would recommend La Taguara. The setting is simple (it is a self-service restaurant) but very cozy. The most important: the dinner tasted delicious !!! We will be back! read more

La Taguara - Bandejita Paisa , $13.99 Absolutely delicious - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Oh my goodness, we found La Taguara on our drive back to the airport. The food and atmosphere are wonderful. The arroyo de coco dessert was to die for. I'm not sure I would fly to Madison to eat here but will eat hear if I am ever back in the area read more

The food here is so authentic and really good! I am glad I took the time out of my day to try the food here. Highly recommend

This place is so delicious!!! Great food and great service. I've had the empanadas, steak with onions and their rice pudding, all was super delicious. I'm pretty sure you can't go wrong with anything off their menu tho! read more

Paballon a capaballo, great portion size, tasty. A lot like Ropa veja... Sweet plantains are excellent. read more

I was so excited to discover this order-at-the-counter Venezuelan restaurant on East Washington near First Street. I have really fond memories of eating Patacon Pisao at a place in Queens, NY (it was so delicious that if I happened to be in the neighborhood, I'd have to talk myself out of coming back more than once a day). At 5:45pm on a weekday, La Taguara was pretty empty. I ordered my favorite, the above mentioned Patacon Pisao for $7.99. The man at the counter was very accommodating and let me mix beans with chicken as the protein in the sandwich for no extra cost. The sandwich, which came out super-fast, was unwieldy. So much so that I couldn't even eat it as a sandwich and had to take a knife and fork to it. Not only was it sloppy, but the lettuce was wilted, and there was too much mayo. Overall, pretty disappointing. My dining mate got the Pabellon entrée for $12.99 and was happy with it (plus it came with a beautiful chopped salad). I'd love to get an amazing Patacon Pisao in Madison, but La Taguara won't be that place (which is perhaps better for my waistline). read more

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Excellent food and service Been coming here since their opening. It never disappoints. Always delivers quality food and flavor with the unparalleled Venezuelan people's warmth. Good for groups. Not spicy, but they have hot sauce upon request. Good job guys!! If you are not familiar with the food, they will assist you with your choice. A1! read more

This is my new go-to spot for spicy food. A smattering of their mild sauce with a spoonful of food is spicier than any other restaurant I've found so far. Their hot sauce is some of the spiciest stuff I've had, anywhere. They don't give you much, because they expect you to spread a bit on your whole dish, but they'll give you as much as you want if you ask, and it's amazing. Edit: I tried this place again about a year later, and it wasn't nearly as spicy! The food is still good, but they toned down the spice level. read more

Great food, great service. Our server, José was just attentive enough (without being too overbearing), fast, and friendly.

Honestly, I was not that enthusiast when my friends were suggesting this place for a farewell dinner for two friends leaving the States for good. Arriving at around 7 PM, this restaurant was empty and was still empty until we were done with our dinner. Don't get me wrong- the food is GOOD. My hubby and I ordered Yuca for the appetizer and we got to try the fried plantain and both are equally good. For us, it's like reuniting with our Indonesian taste, as we have the exact same dishes of Yuca, which is actually cassava. The way they serve it is the same way like we have back home. We also had empanadas and pastellino. The empanadas were okay, but not the best. Our friends had Pabbellon, which came a jumbo version. It can be shared with two to three people, in fact. And they all liked it! Overall, this place serves a good selection of food and I'm sure I'll be back for their Yuca Fritta! read more

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La Taguara catered our wedding: the union of my Wisconsin family with my husband's Venezuelan family. Many of our guests had never tried Venezuelan food before, and they had an amazing first impression. Some even said it was the best wedding catering they'd ever had! They have many vegan options so it was easy to accomodate all of our guests' needs, and they adapted as we asked for changes. The staff was professional, organized, and excited about our big day. Throughout the planning process (including multiple postponements due to Covid-19), Jeykell was flexible and communicative, and we're so grateful for all they did for us. They truly went above and beyond, and we can't wait to get back to Madison to visit them and have more tequenos! read more

La Taguara - Photo by McKenna Marie Shaffer @mckennamariephoto - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I had eaten lunch at the Johnson Street location last year and enjoyed the food. Last week, a friend suggested that we try the East Washington Avenue location for dinner. It ended up being a great idea! La Taguara on East Wash is a no-frills kind of place, but the food is excellent. The staff are all Venezuelan, so the food is authentic. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. Even though it was my first time there, I immediately felt as though I was among friends. That alone would make me want to return. The "chicken en coco" caught my eye. I commented to the staff that the menu board should actually list it as "pollo en coco." They were very impressed with my pronunciation. The dish was absolutely amazing! Everything was so flavorful. The coconut milk added a nice flavor to the sauce on the chicken. The plantains were crisp and tasty. It's hard to say what part of the dish I enjoyed the most, because it was all so good! I definitely intend to return for another dinner. We are fortunate to have such a restaurant in Madison. read more

We were blown away by the food here. Absolutely delicious. Love the green sauce and will continue to return.