This place is the real deal for Venezuelan food. I had the $16.50 lunch combo special which…read moreincluded a carnitas empanada, three cheese sticks /tequeños appetizers and a beverage. The empanada was huge--one was plenty for me. A friend ordered two and could only finish one! We also shared the Yucca Root with cheese and fresh avocado appetizer. Everything was simply made and very delicious, especially with one or more of the sauces provided in plastic bottles for the table. The service was prompt and friendly. The ambience is strictly plain, but the outdoor tables with umbrellas would be great on a nice warm day. I'll be back!

As a person who passionately write reviews on Yelp, finding a restaurant many call a hidden gem is…read morea prideful moment. Last Sunday (on the day many were getting ready for their Super Bowl gatherings), I was busy running some errands in Sunnyside neighborhood. All of a sudden, the thought of eating to entertain my 70% empty stomach hit me, I searched for the word "empanada" as I wanted some finger food and this restaurant came up in my search. Upon finding out that it was about 5-10 minutes away from where I was, it was a no brainer to me. This is a Venezuelan restaurant with almost 5-star review. Not knowing much about Venezuelan cuisine, my first thought was that they might have similar dishes as the surrounding South American countries like Columbia do. But most of all, I was so eager to try their empanadas. I've had Argentinian, El Salvadorian, Columbian and Nicaraguan versions of empanadas in the past. I wondered how different Venezuelan ones would be... I was warmly greeted by a young lady upfront upon arrival. This is a small/family style restaurant. The number of tables is very limited but you can sit outside as long as the weather permits. There was a large table of 7-9 people having a birthday party. I think I hit the place during the peak lunch time. Their empanadas are priced at $8 range. This was a bit pricey to me at the first glance but since I didn't know what kind of portion size they'd be made in, I thought I'd give them a try. I got me Reina Pediada, Sweet Domino and Fish. The total came to $27 with some change. Yup, you usually don't pay this much for a few to several empanadas but hey, like I said, I decided not to judge at that point. The young lady who took my order impressed me with some careful attention to detail. I placed my sunglasses at the ordering counter where the space was very limited. She had to move them just a little when she placed the credit card receipt for me to sign it. "I worked in the optics before." is what she said when she gently placed my sunglasses a little to the side in a very careful way. What a kind/considerate gesture that was! This kind of minor and yet incredible care didn't escape my notice. Thank you!!! When my food was ready, the same young lady handed me my bag. It was quite heavy. As soon as I got to my car, I opened it and there they were; my beautiful empanadas were large and dense/heavy!! They appeared to be all deep-fried so I wonder if Venezuelan style empanadas are all that way? Not sure. Anyway, I was on my way to a job duty so I had to eat quickly. I started to take a bite out of each one and ohhh yes, they were dense with a lot of fillings inside. Although I must frankly say that I like the flaky baked kind of empanadas more, these Venezuelan ones were equally impressive. Yes, this was a surprise find. I will definitely stop by here when I'm in the neighborhood for sure.