Very Very nice people and delicious food! Do not be afraid to give this cuisine a try. The arepas…read moreare really only the beginning! I love the ham and cheese cachapa! I also got to try their empanadas on my last visit and they were absolutely yummy. I had the shredded beef and the cheese one. Don't miss out on the hot sauce and the garlic sauce. Both are yummy on pretty much everything. I also enjoyed the fruit beverages, but they're a little sweet for my taste. Definitely give this small local business a shot!

In from out of town and been wanting to try traditional arepas and wasn't disappointed. The family…read morethat runs the place came from Venezuela and was very happy to walk me through the menu. The arepa was amazing, and extremely filling. I also had the tequenos which was very good and plenty to share. I will definitely go again before I leave town

Came here for a date night with my wife. The date night special was $55 per person for a 3 course…read moremeal. We ordered the Arugula salad, the arepitas, yuca arancinni and a white fish dinner. The only dish that wasnt superb was the arancinni. It ate a little dry. Everything else was flavorful and delicious. My standout was the white fish it. Although it could use some more sauce, the fish was well seasoned and yummy. The restaurant itself was a little warm. Given the glass exterior and the angle of the sun, it was a little uncomfortable for most of the dinner. Service is good. Food was quick and hot. Overall good experience. Will probably return in the winter :)

For the "west side" of St. Paul (I don't know why it is called that, for it is truly south and not…read moreat all west!), this is a very cool, chic and original concept for a foodie establishment. I went here with my twin sister, her husband, her husbands 2 brothers and one of his brother's fiance who were in town. All are foodies. All wanted to experience a good night out to titillate the tastebuds. For I try to impress upon out of town guests that not everyone in MN is of Scandinavian origin! But I digress... The food is just...awesome! Presentation is completely unique, including flaming drinks, an assortment of vessels for the dishes to accommodate the dish with an interesting flare without compromising ease of consuming or taste. Patatas bravas, tequenos, and rompe colchon were excellent. I mean mouth wateringly amazing. Shrimp in the rompe colchon was cooked PERFECTLY and the balance of the sour leche de tigre and mango made the dish interesting for the palate. Broccolini side dish was also cooked perfectly and the cheese foam gave a unique twist to the side dish. I ordered the bollitos pelones and OH MY GOODNESS. Think huge fried (but not greasy) ball of corn dough (like tamale but grains not so fine) stuffed with braised lamb and swimming in a dark, curry and spiced sauce. It was SOOOO GOOD and nothing like I'd ever had before. I also tried the pasta with rabbit and UMAMI! it was tasty. Also unique flavor that I cannot quite identify and the sauce to meat to pasta ratio was perfect. LOVED this experience and will 10000000% go back!

The caldo de bolas was terrific. It's a nice place…read more Food is awesome. I definitely recommend it, thanks

I've been for dinner twice, and both times service was great!…read moreThis time I sat outside because the weather was nice. Their patio area is cute and the chairs are comfortable. Food is good. The beef wasn't as tender as I hoped, but the flavor was good. The plantains were delicious! Note - they have a very small parking lot, but it is really easy to find nearby free street parking

Super friendly staff and amazing food! Go to this place if you want to try authentic Venezuelan…read morefood.

If you're looking for a fun spot with great food and drinks, Hola Arepa delivers. The Prickly…read morePaloma (Tequila, Aperol, Prickly Pear, Grapefruit, Lime) is phenomenal and at just $8 during happy hour, it's an absolute steal. For anyone with celiac disease, this place is great, the entire menu is gluten free, so you can order with complete peace of mind. The slow roasted pork arepa was a standout. The pork was incredibly tender with excellent flavor. One minor note: the yuca fries were a little light on portion size. That said, we left pleasantly full and very satisfied overall. The restaurant also has a small parking lot which in Minneapolis is amazing.

We were excited to eat here for dinner as we are a family of several vegetarian and latin fusion…read morefood lovers. I wanted to really love this place but unfortunately the flavors just weren't there. The restaurant is fun decor and service is friendly and efficient; they do an excellent job. Our granddaughters ordered mango, passionfruit, citrus, rhubarb drinks, soda. The drinks were thick and overwhelmingly sweet. Adding some sparkling water to it did help. As far as food; The food came promptly, but the flavors were not there. The Brussel sprouts came with a caramelized onion jam which was way too sweet and overpowered all the other flavors. Very disappointing. The shrimp aguachile was extremely soupy with overpowered spice, making it unable to taste the shrimp. The plantain chips were thick and hard, rather tasteless. The arepas were a little more flavorful but really wouldn't recommend any particular one that we tried. The only hit was the black bean empanadas, extremely great flavor, just a hint of spice served with pickle cabbage. Yum. We should just have had four orders of those.

It was very busy on a Sunday for breakfast. Good took quite a long time to arrive but it was…read moredelicious. We parked across the street otherwise street parking only.

Maria's is such a great place. I went for the first time a few weeks ago and am so excited to go…read moreback. The place is a little hard to find, because it is inside of another building (front door is currently locked). If you follow the signs though it's pretty simple. The cafe is cute and very cozy. Feels like a childhood memory of going to breakfast with my grandma. Service is very prompt and attentive! The menu is so large and varied. They have all day breakfast, many Columbian dishes, and lots of vegetarian options. I got Giovanni's Breakfast Wrap and it was so good. Love that it comes with vegetarian sausage without an up-charge! It also lasted me two meals, which was awesome. I am so excited to go back and try more of the menu! So much to choose from!!

If you're looking for authentic Venezuelan food, this place is an absolute gem! The food was…read moreincredible, the restaurant was spotless, and the owner was nice and helpful. It's a small to-go spot, but they also have a few seats inside and outside if you'd like to enjoy your meal there. I ordered the chicken arepa, and without a doubt, it was the best arepa I've ever had. The chicken was perfectly seasoned and marinated, so flavorful and juicy that I'm honestly craving it again already! I built mine with chicken, lettuce, tomato, and their delicious cheese, and every bite was amazing. I also ordered two plain hot dogs for my kids, and even something as simple as a hot dog was outstanding. The buns were incredibly soft, almost like they were homemade, and the hot dogs themselves were so flavorful. My kids also ordered the cheese-filled item, kind of like a cheese curd but bigger and they devoured it immediately. I had a bite of my friend's empanada and the crust was the best I've had anywhere in Minnesota. It was perfectly crisp on the outside yet somehow melted in your mouth. You can really tell everything is made with care and quality ingredients. This is hands down the best Venezuelan food I've had in Minnesota, and we'll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend!

Ordered the patacón for take out. It was reaaally good. The plantain buns were sweet, but not over…read moresweet. It was not super oily too, which is what I was afraid of. The meat was very tender, juicy, and flavorful. The salsa verde kicked the flavor up a notch too! It wasn't too spicy if that's stopping anybody. Overall very solid. Would come again!

We planned a double date here and had a great time!…read more I will say, this is a great place for people who love sauce, there was lots of it! My husband doesn't like sauce, especially ones based on mayo or sour cream and there was a lot he could eat here. I think my favorite dish was the potatoes, perfectly cooked, and on a bed of yummy sauce. The carrots were also good. I got the octopus as my main and really enjoyed how charred and flavorful it was. We got beer and wine but the cocktails looked cute and were served in very interesting mugs. We got here at 5:30, but by the time we left around 7 the place was completely packed! I will be back.

If you've ever had dinner anywhere in the Northloop, then this place will surely meet your…read moreexpectations. Very upbeat and lively. Their service is really refined and prompt. Never had to wait to long nor beckon to anyone for help. The shareables are the way to go if you're in a group and not too hungry. We had the beef empanadas, steak skewers and the paella. You've got to try their tres leches - very rich and decadent. Great drink menu. Would definitely return!!