The food here is delicious! I like their arepas and fried plantains. We have taken friends here as well, and they have loved it. If you like latino flavors, you'll enjoy the food here. read more

WONDERFUL food! Flavorful, great portions, and friendly staff. The beef empanadas and #1 was the best. They were offering a Christmas special that looked amazing - I'll be back to try it! read more

La Taguara - Delicious! #1 on menu - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This is real authentic Venezuelan food! Me and my wife are from South America and were very happy to have found this place. We were completely amazed by the food. I had the bandeijta paisa, it came with carne asada, pork cracklings, sausage, black beans, avocado, fried egg. It tasted incredible, the pork cracklings were my favorite. My wife had the cachapa con queso and cochino frito. The cheese in the cachapa was delicious as was the fried pork! The guasacaca sauce was amazing. For dessert we had the churros with dulce de leche sauce, they were a little too crispy for our taste but they were very tasty nonetheless. We will definitely be coming back to try the rest of the menu. read more

La Taguara - Bandeijta Paisa and Cachapa con Queso and Cochino Frito - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I've been wanting to come here for a while now since seeing all the amazing yelp reviews so I was very excited when we finally came here for a late lunch on a Saturday. The lady at the counter was extremely nice and when she noticed that we had been staring at the menu for 5+ minutes obviously having a hard time trying to decide what to order, she told us about their three most popular dishes (1. Pabelon 2. Cachapa con Queso y Cochino Frito 3. Bandejita Paisa) I got the Pabelon (it's the Venezuelan national dish, their most popular dish, and it comes with sweet plantains so I had to try it) and the person I was with got the Bandejita Paisa because of the sheer variety of food it comes with. Our food came out pretty quickly, the waiter originally brought out three arepa sandwiches to our table thinking they were for us, unfortunately they were not, but they smelled amazing and made us even hungrier for our food. We both really enjoyed our food, the meat in the Pabelon was very tender and I don't normally like beans, but the combination of the meat with the beans and rice was great and I enjoyed using the arepa to make a mini sandwich out of my entree. I would definitely recommend getting a side of the green cilantro sauce because it is delicious and goes with everything. My friend really enjoyed the Bandejita Paisa, the steak was delicious and there was a ton of food. The weakest link on the plate was the chorizo but there were so many other delicious things that it didn't subtract from the experience at all. It is extremely reasonable for the quantity of food that you get (easily two meals worth) and now that I know they have another location on E Johnson I will definitely be back very soon for an arepa sandwich. read more

La Taguara - Pabellon and the bandejita paisa (back) - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Went back and had the bistec encebollado. Super delicious. Loved the beans and rice most of all. I still really liked the passion fruit dressing as well. It would be appreciated if they organized a wait staff. I'm not too fond of the "ordering at the counter" method and helping yourself to everything. I like to enjoy my dinner and not having to get up several times to get things that I forget I need (utensils, napkins, refills, etc.) read more

So delicious came here for lunch and I'm so full. I'd describe the food as a lighter, brighter more refreshing version of a Mexican style food. Nice and clean, friendly staff willing to help. Little bit on the pricey side but worth it. read more

La Taguara - Absolutely amazing! Food is so full filling but very light food, huge portions. - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

The best! Very tasty Latin American mostly Venezuelan. Hidden gem in Madison, WI. Small place great service. The people here are proud of their heritage and express it through sharing their food in a superb way. Everything here is great and tastes like homemade. read more

I've been wanting to give this place a try for a long, and last Saturday I finally payed La Taguara a visit. As I first walked in I instantly could tell it was one of those "hidden gem" kind of places. The interior wasn't fancy; however the smells were amazing, the menu was huge, and the place was packed. The lady at the counter was super nice, and recommended try both the Pabellon and the Cachapa con Queso (national dish), the recommended dishes. The wait was kind of long, but I waited patiently, eagerly watching the steaming dishes pass by. The pork that came with the Cachapa was amazing. It was super flavorful. I personally wasn't all that impressed with the cornbread/cheese pancake, but it was alright. The Pabellon was delicious. All the components were just right. Both dishes were a little expensive, but the portions were huge. This is definitely a very authentic Venezuelan restaurant. I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu read more

I ordered Bandejita Paisa for delivery and it arrived early, which was a pleasant surprise. The dish itself was delicious and very enjoyable. Just the right mix of spices for a great flavor. Glad i gave them a call. read more

Had lunch here today because of all the positive reviews. My friend and I both really loved our food. I'm happy to report that this is a very vegetarian friendly restaurant, serving delicious, ample portions of thoughtfully prepared food. On the advice of our server, I ordered the national dish of Venezuela, Pabellon, which they were happy to prepare with eggplant in place of the usual meat. Everything was delicious and although I was pretty hungry from our hike at Devil's Lake, it was more than I could eat. My companion was also very pleased with his empanadas. He had considered ordering three with rice and beans, because empanadas can be very small, right? But he was more than content with two. These are generously sized portions. Just a word about beans, because - I'll be frank - I've been eating beans as a main source of protein and I'm a bit of a freak about them. Obviously I can't speak to the non-veggie beans, but the black beans are vegetarian and they are simply delicious. While not fancy, the restaurant is clean and welcoming. I loved the videos of Venezuela playing (silently) on the few TVs. read more

The first time I went to la taguara I remember finding it a little bland, but I recently got some food there again with a friend and the pabellón was amazing. The beef was so so tasty. I do wish they'd give a few more plantains with the dish though - that's the best part! The empanadas are also very good; I think I will definitely be back to try out more. read more

2 star for Food. But 1 Extra Star for Great Customer Service. This was our first time here. The place is a cute little joint with a open kitchen order concept ala food trucks. The guy at the front was very polite and explained everything really well. We ordered Bandejita Paisa and Cubano Sandwich entrees and Papelon con Limon as a side drink. The Bandejita Paisa was OK for its Beans and Rice flavor profiles ang the runny egg!. The Steak was Over Cooked till death, to the point of being uneatable. The sausage was dry with a strangely hard to cut outer casing. The Crispy Pork Belly was average since a lot of Ends were rather chewy. The Cubano Sandwich was a better bet. Still, on its own, not really worth the money. The meat portion was impressive but lacked flavor and dry and stringy. Looking at all the glowing reviews, I'd imagine we just came in on a bad day. Still for nearly $35 for two people, this ain't worth another trip. All in all, If you were to give this place a try, stay away from the Steak for sure!! read more

Absolutely one of the best Madison restaurants. We've tried nearly every one of their dishes over the past 5 years through EatStreet and have never been let done. Perfection. read more

Excellent authentic food and quick service in a casual setting. Dinner is always my favorite time to come here. Highly recommended!

Excellent food. Locally family-run. The price is right with heap loads of food so you're not going home hungry. The only negative is the parking lot is tiny. Give it a try! read more

I stopped by a few nights ago and the food was fantastic! I wish I lived in the area to go more often. Staff was friendly and answered all of our questions. Highly recommend this place. read more

La Taguara - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We live in Chicago and frequently travel to Minnesota throughout the year. This small casual Latin American restaurant has turn into s must stop every time we travel. Prices are reasonable, staff is friendly, and food quality and authenticity are excellent. This is must try if your are looking for a casual Latin American restaurant. If you are looking into a more fancy full served restaurant this is not your place. read more

I love this place. The food is amazing. The arepas are very good and the queso de mano tastes amazing. read more

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Went here on a whim. We were originally going to another restaurant, but there happened to be a snow storm and La Taguara was a lot closer. So happy fate brought us here. Food was delicious. My picky two year old loved her food. She got the hot dog, which doesn't seem like anything extraordinary, but they shaped the hot dogs like little octopus. We got the pabellon and bistec encebollado. Both were delicious! A lot of food for the price. For dessert we got tequenos de guayaba y queso and dulcellitos & nutellitos..AMAZING! Definitely recommend this place! read more

Went here for lunch today and was glad I did. The staff is incredibly friendly and truly shows they appreciate your business. My friend and I both got the Cubano sandwich which was freshly made and filled with delicious meat. The sandwich came with soup or salad, so we chose the soup of the day which was a chicken soup. It was the best soup I have ever had at a restaurant. We also decided to split a chicken arepa, however after trying it she decided she wanted it all to herself and I had to go back up and order my own, and yes it was that good. The sweet corn cake its served on was incredible. If you're in the area definitely stop in and try some food you've probably never had before, you won't be disappointed. read more

La Taguara - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Spoiler alert: I'm obsessed with La Taguara's food now! We stopped in after hearing a lot of excellent things about La Taguara. First off, I was a little put off by the higher prices for items when you order at a counter and bus your own table. However, after experiencing the food here, I think it's worth every penny. This food is absolutely delicious! The woman who took our order was very friendly, and willing to give us recommendations or answer any questions since it was our first time here. We tried the tostones (fried plantains), the mojito en coco (a tilapia coconut curry dish served with plantains, rice, and pico), and the camarones al ajillo (garlic shrimp with plantains, rice, and pico). Everything came with this delicious avocado-based sauce, guasacaca, which I couldn't get enough of. The pico was super fresh, the plantains were perfectly seasoned, and both the fish curry and shrimp were super tasty. I couldn't get enough of it, but with the large portions and appetizer, we both had enough leftover for a big meal the following day. I LOVE this place and now I want to try everything on the menu. Madison has an abundance of Central American restaurants to try, so it was really cool to try something from Venezuela. We also appreciated that the menu had some seafood and vegetarian dishes (or probably some that could be modified to be vegetarian pretty easily) to choose from as well. read more

Delicious, friendly, fast. Eat here all of the time. The shredded beef arepa with white cheese is my favorite at lunch with the salad.

This place is the Hidden Gem of Madison. Fresh, delicious,clean,friendly,excellent entrees though I can not pronounce the name...the Taste Broke all Language Gaps! From Arizona but will remember next time in Madison. read more

great El Patacon Pisao! Unique cuisine, great service! read more

La Taguara - Patacon pisao at La Taguara! - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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This is new favorite place for South American food in Madison. Great prices, flavor and cooking. If you like to find hidden gems then show them off, this is a great find. The empanadas are crispy on the outside, piping hot and have a delicious avocado sauce. Fried pork is crispy, and as savory as bacon. A touch on the salty side, but not over bearing. read more

This is one of my favorite places in town. The entrees are delicious and affordable-- I especially like the coconut fish. The service is great. And the churros are good too. :) read more

We love small, family owned places where the menu is unique and the owner makes an awesome recommendation. As we've never had Venezuelan food-we were pleasantly surprised with the taste, quality and speed. Wish it was closer to Milwaukee! Delicious, great presentation and affordable. Left fat and happy! read more

La Taguara - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Great little joint on Madison's East Side for South of The Panama Canal eats. For those not very adventurous on their first time, there's always arepas, which are simple sandwiches where the "bread" is a pocket instead of slices. The empanadas are slightly different than most South American varieties as the shell is made from corn meal. The Aji Crillo (green) sauce IMO could use a little more "pop", but the flavor is good. It's not fancy, but the quality is good. Check it out. read more

This place is legit. It's a ritual for me to come here every time I'm in Madison. Being from LA I've had my fair share of South American food and this place is on par. Usually get the Pabellon and it fills me up every time read more

Lunch was amazing! Shredded pork arepa and beef empanada was delicious. I highly recommend the black-eyed pea with sweet plantain soup! Reasonable as well. read more

From the outside, this small "hole-in-the-wall" type restaurant one could question its cooking capabilities. The menu was short and sweet, the staff was helpful and friendly, the kitchen was open, clean and inviting. Even though you order at a counter, the staff still serve you at your table. However, you do have to get all your own utensils and napkins provided at a station. From the counter, the kitchen can be seen and was super clean. The chef seemed to be a grandma, which makes me think this is a family owned business. From their appetizers and entrees to their desserts and side sauces, was simple, authentic, homemade, and delicious Venezuelan food. I will sure return to eat here again soon. I highly recommend you try! read more

I love this place. Delicious food that is different enough from most restaurants to be exotic, but tasty for most American tastebuds. Latin American food is not just Chipotle burritos. The restaurant is very clean and neat.The prices are extremely reasonable. We will definitely come back many times. read more

La Taguara - Pabellon a Cabello - Venezuelan Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Delicious, authentic food! I love the corn pancakes! The service is so friendly, and the sauces are amazing.

We usually love this place, but we were really disappointed this last time. A Had the main special, which is the shredded beef, black beans, fried plantains, and an arepa. The cojita cheese was either bad or had olives added to it. Very offensive taste and ruined the back beans. We thought about saying something but we also thought it could be olives in the black beans? We probably won't go back. read more

We love to grab mid-five meal here on our way to Chicago. Really a cute, friendly place with Venezuelan did you cannot find anywhere else.

Wow! Great food and friendly staff. I was completely unfamiliar with anything on the menu and the gentleman that helped me order was both cordial and knowledgeable. Highly recommend you try this place! read more

The cachapa dish is really flavorful and loaded with food. For $12 it is pretty pricey as far as Venezuelan goes, but they really deliver a tasty portion with the pork and cachapa. Arepas are okay-- nothing spectacular. Slightly bland, but the corn cake itself is very crisp (which is a plus for me). Fillings of pork and cheese were generous, just nothing about the flavor really stood out. Soups were pretty good, both the beef and chicken. Empanadas are really good though, and at $6.99 for two empanadas and a soup, the lunch special is the way to go. Really a neat ethnic restaurant in Madison-- unpretentious: order at counter, no table service, but very friendly and helpful if you do not know what to order. read more

I had never been here, but decided to give it a try based on Yelp reviews. Friendly and fast service, seemed like a family place. Nice cafe style dining room was simple, yet inviting. Had the pabello, which was I was told was the number one seller. This entree was excellent. Portion was quite large (but so am I and did not have much for lunch), but was well presented. The beans were well seasoned, rice was perfect, the beef was some of the best I have had. Topped with semi-sweet plantains: better than formal desert. Give it a try! read more

Small parking lot but plenty of street parking. Delicious comfort food. Cubano sandwich was full of tender meat, arepa and empanadas were good and my toddler's mini beef empanadas were perfect size. The shredded chicken was just a little on the dry side, otherwise good. Plantain chips weren't greasy. Love hole in the walls like this. read more

Our first weekend in Madison, we decided to try this restaurant. Yelp did not disappoint! It's a small place, the decor was cute. The staff was very friendly. We ordered beers (Peruvian, Spanish, and Nicaraguan), arepas (beans and cheese, eggplant and cheese), fried plantains (sweet and savory), cheese sticks with guava and Pabellon. The arepas were excellent and the fried plantain took me back to the Caribbean. My mom ordered the sugarcane lemonade (a must have if you're not drinking alcohol). The portions were big -perfect for sharing. We had some leftovers that tasted great the next day. read more