So I was walking back from UPS and decided to stop in and grab a bite. Once I walked in, I was hit…read morewith the amazing sense of all the delicious food that was cooking. The atmosphere was welcoming and lively. I was greeted promptly by a friendly young lady at the front and she suggested that I try the beef empanadas. They only cost a few dollars so I went ahead and bought two. So as I walked to the car, which was conveniently parked in the lot behind the restaurant, I immediately unwrapped my empanada. At first, I thought it was going to be like other empanadas that I've tried which have a crispy shell however these empanadas are similar in a way, but are very different in texture. These empanadas are a bit softer on the outside and have a denser inside filling which include potatoes and beef and it was quite delicious. I thought I could eat both of them, but after one I was full. I will definitely be back to the restaurant since I'm always in that area and it's literally five minutes from where I live. I can't wait to try other items on their menu.

Enjoyed my recent dinner here- the portions are huge so I opted for a side of sweet plantains…read more(maduros) and shared a Bandeja Paisa which was massive and came with steak, two eggs, avocado, rice, beans, sausage, arepa and chicharron.. it was definitely enough for two people and we had enough leftovers for at least two breakfasts. The staff is really sweet, very family like. I also had a soursop juice smoothie with milk- which was delicious.

Final Review -…read more (English + Español) English: The owner personally called to apologize for his employee's behavior, and I truly appreciate that. He handled it professionally and showed that he genuinely cares about his customers. The food is good, and almost everyone else who works here has always been kind to me. However, I'm keeping this review up because once I go back to the restaurant, I do expect a personal apology from Sophia. The way she treated me was terrible, and normally I don't post a negative review after one bad visit -- but the fact that my sister also had an issue with her before is concerning. On October 19th around 10 PM, I ordered takeout and paid at the counter. After I paid, Sophia saw that I didn't tip on the card (I usually leave cash when I leave), and her attitude completely changed. She claimed she gave me six hot sauces when there were only two, rolled her eyes when I asked politely for more, and said, "Empanadas don't come with hot sauce." When I explained I've been coming here for years, she said, "I don't speak English." I also noticed an old receipt showing an 18% gratuity, so I asked if it was added again that night. They double-checked and confirmed it had been removed -- so I suggest customers always review their ticket just in case. After I shared my experience, Sophia called me around midnight and even threatened to sue me instead of apologizing. I later saw several new reviews within a few hours all mentioning how "nice Sophia" is, which feels suspicious. I don't want to assume, but it really seems like a cover-up. I removed her photo out of respect, but I'm leaving this up because she still hasn't apologized -- the owner had to. The food and most of the staff are great, but I hope this situation reminds management that every customer deserves respect. Español: El dueño me llamó personalmente para disculparse por el comportamiento de su empleada, y de verdad lo aprecio. Él fue muy profesional y se nota que realmente le importan sus clientes. La comida es buena, y casi todos los empleados siempre han sido amables conmigo. Sin embargo, mantengo esta reseña porque cuando regrese al restaurante, espero una disculpa personal de Sophia. La forma en que me trató fue terrible, y normalmente no dejo una reseña negativa por una sola visita mala, pero el hecho de que mi hermana también haya tenido un problema con ella es preocupante. El 19 de octubre alrededor de las 10 PM, pedí comida para llevar y pagué en el mostrador. Después de pagar, Sophia vio que no dejé propina en la tarjeta (normalmente dejo efectivo al salir) y su actitud cambió por completo. Dijo que me había puesto seis salsas picantes cuando solo había dos, puso los ojos en blanco cuando le pedí más de manera educada y me dijo: "Las empanadas no vienen con salsa." Cuando le expliqué que llevo años viniendo aquí, me respondió: "No hablo inglés." También noté un recibo viejo que mostraba un 18 % de propina incluida, así que pregunté si me la habían cobrado esa noche. Revisaron y confirmaron que la habían quitado -- por eso recomiendo siempre revisar su recibo. Después de publicar mi experiencia, Sophia me llamó cerca de la medianoche y hasta me amenazó con demandarme, en lugar de disculparse. Luego vi varias reseñas nuevas, todas publicadas en pocas horas y mencionando lo "amable" que es Sophia, lo cual me parece sospechoso. No quiero asumir nada, pero parece un intento de encubrir lo sucedido. Quité su foto por respeto, pero dejo esta reseña porque ella aún no se ha disculpado -- el dueño fue quien tuvo que hacerlo. La comida y la mayoría del personal son excelentes, pero ojalá esta situación sirva de recordatorio de que todos los clientes merecen respeto.

Came here on a friday evening around 6pm for dinner. We had an event in the area and figured to…read morestop by. I saw this place on ig. Our server was very nice but the food took 52 min to arrive. I ordered salmon with rice and beans, guacamole, tostones, and yuca. The guacamole took 40 min alone to come out. We just had to wrap up our food to go and couldnt even sit and enjoy or we would of missed our event. I would not drive 40 min to come here again.

Drinks were so gorgeous! A+ on presentation and the outdoor patio area is to die for. However, the…read moreguacamole was very lemony, which masked all the jalapeño and other flavors. Also, the drinks were a tad sweet.

Food was good, service was a little slow but glad so I could catch up with my friend. The drinks…read morewere strong. We were both so full from appetizers that we barley touched our dinners. The meat was tender and flavorful. Can't wait to go back.

Had catered food from this place that relatives in Westfield served , the pernil was excellent as…read morewere the rice and cooked plantains . There were a little bit of leftovers which I snagged and ate them that night after returning home .

so so so yummy!! and the restaurant was beautiful although we did takeout. they were really kind!!read more

Super cute shop. Excellent empanadas. Very friendly service…read more Looking for Venezuelan cuisine in Elizabeth? Here's your new spot!

I absolutely cannot shut up about this place! I love how they have an accessible parking lot a…read morecouple of stores down which makes it so easy to get to. My favorite from here is the cachapa and the tequenos. The food is authentic and the staff is helpful in explaining the difference between each plate. You will not be disappointed!

Noches De Colombia is awesome. The food hits the spot every time; super tasty and fresh. The staff…read moreis really friendly and makes you feel right at home. And the vibe? Just perfect. Chill, fun, and a great place to hang out with friends or family. Definitely one of those spots you end up coming back to.

Run the other way or go to the sister establishment! This location is not the best actually it's…read morethe worst one. The atmosphere and food is great but the service the last two times I have been there is slow, sloppy and unorganized.

Had the worst time trying to get this to this place no parking…read moreJust to go around like an idiot and see that they're closed If you're closed, update your yelp page so people don't waste their time It says you're open till seven. We arrived at 5:15.

La Cocina is the classic Newark spot for Cuban eats! For lunch, you pick your choice of rice,…read morevegetables, and protein -- and on a recent visit, I had arroz con gandules, steamed broccoli, and beef stew. All delicious, albeit a little salty to my taste. La Cocina is a popular catering spot for Rutgers events, so I have been fortunate to try a wide variety of offerings such as pastelon, pernil, and chicken stew -- and you can't really go wrong with any of them. The empanadas are also a must (make sure to ask for hot sauce), and while difficult, try to save room for dessert! Flan and tres leches are soooo good. Lunch time gets really busy, so you can avoid the rush by coming a little later. However, the staff is good about moving everyone along, so you won't be waiting forever. Definitely give La Cocina a try!

Solid spot for empanadas around the area. They were juicy and tasty with the sauce they provide…read more Depending on the empanadas, they range around $3 which is pretty decent for the size of the empanada. Workers were really nice and told us all the empandas they had and what the empandas had inside. We bought 6 empanadas and the cashier gave us a free drink with that. Which I thought was really kind for them to do. Overall, I would come back here whenever I am around the area and try the other foods they have.

Delicious food for a great price! Recommend checking this place out for some authentic Ecuadorean…read moredishes! Also super friendly staff!