Nico's is still amazing and doesn't disappoint. It's cold today so soup is calling our name. They have chicken soup and beef soup with carrots, potatoes, and squash served with white rice or arepa. We ordered both with white rice. Ask for lime too. It's so so good and filling! Their arepas and cachapas here are awesome too. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great service and clean inside![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Really love love this Venezuelan restaurant! Their menus are also clear, concise, & have helpful pics. You scan the menu QR code on the table with your phone or ask for a menu. read more

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Really enjoyed the arepas here! They come out steaming hot and taste very flavorful. Service was fast and attentive. Their sauce tray is one of my favorites, and I would love to come and dine in again! (Warning the parking lot is a little small so I would come at a non-rush hour time) read more

Nico's Arepas Grill - chicken and cheese arepa - Venezuelan Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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My Venezuelan friend always makes arepas for me, so this time I wanted to try something familiar yet new! I followed the GPS and easily found this spot--the huge food truck is used as was a big advertisement, you can't miss it!!! Outside you would see the lunch special sign at the entrance . Unfortunately, the item I first chose from the lunch special wasn't available, so I went with an arepa instead (which was actually my original plan ). [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant itself is quiet and cozy, a nice contrast to the busy neighborhood outside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The staff were very friendly and helpful. I ordered to-go and was told it would take 10 minutes, but the food came out even earlier. The arepa was HUGE, and the salad was fresh and delicious! read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant has a pleasant atmosphere and friendly staff.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was decent, but some dishes were better than others, so the experience felt a bit inconsistent overall. read more

Food was great and very filling. Took lots home with us though. Service was fast and friendly. The QR code made it easy to look through the menu. Of course we used the Yelp pictures to help decide what to order. Got a sampler and the cheese sticks as appetizer and to be honest, that was filling for 2 of us. I took home my entire entree and my wife took home almost all of her entree. The food was very good and the sauces were a nice touch. [[HIGHLIGHT]]As you can see from my pictures, the ambiance is very casual.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Don't let the location fool you, it is worth the stop. Quick note: there is a 3% Credit Card fee so if you want to save a few bucks is, bring cash. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Today it was a bit warm in the seating area so it was slightly uncomfortable so I dropped a star[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] (Ambiance-4 Star, Food- 5 Star) read more

Nico's Arepas Grill - You can eat at the bar as well. - Venezuelan Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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I figured that I'd just update my review to say the same things. This place is so consistently excellent. [[HIGHLIGHT]]They have so many choices, an excellent staff, and a killer vibe of Latin music videos playing nonstop in the background.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I have several friends who ask to come here every time they cross the bridge - and I get it! This place is one of the highlights of Tampa, and I'm super grateful to live so close to it. read more

One of my mom and I's favorite way to enjoy a meal is to share a bunch of small dishes, south american being our favorite. We've been to Nico's a few times now and it is great everytime. We split a side of Fried Sweet Plantains, Tostones, 5 Mini Arepas, and avocado. She doesn't eat meat and this is the perfect amount to fill us up with some leftovers. My mom always gets the Groupon, which is a great plus. read more

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Every time we come to Tampa for Moffitt Cancer Medical Center this is one of the restaurants we indulge in. Their Arepas and appetisers are scrumptious & Delicious. Always fresh & yummy. The Arepa Shrimp, fresh soft cheese & Avocado is to die for. I always have them Special order it for me & they accommodate with a Smiling face! Hubby orders the Vegetarian Arepa. Go there & enjoy some Venezuelan Food The service is fantastic, fast & Curious. This time I had Nico's Shrimp Special Make Your Own Arepa with sweet Plantains & Black Beans. And hubby had Dmomo Arepa & Sauces & Spicy hot Sauce wish were delicious. read more

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I hadn't been to this place in years, and honestly, it's a thousand times better now. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The interior is super organized, and besides the extensive food menu, they also have a great variety of Venezuelan products to take home.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We ordered some tequeños and a Arepa Llanera, and we were blown away by the portions... they were huge! Everything was delicious, especially the churrasco, which was juicy and perfectly cooked. I definitely want to come back to try the cachapas. If you're looking for authentic Venezuelan food in a well-maintained space, this spot is an excellent choice. read more

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Great food, the arepas are a good size and the server was friendly and attentive. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The music also added to the welcoming atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Nico's Arepas Grill - El Cerdito Make Your Own Arepa - Venezuelan Near Me - Tampa, Florida

This place had it all.. great food, awesome service, aesthetically pleasing to the eye restaurant in Armenia. My friend and I tried the Pagada Nico's, so much food, similar to Peruvian staple Lomo Soltado. This dish can easily feed 3 people. My friend loved it, I on the other hand, wished it had more seasoning. It lacked oomph. We also got the cachapa traditional. Ooh I love Cachapas, hints of sweet corn with the salty cheese, YUMMY! So why 4 stars? They def raised their prices. Yikes! Plus they charge a transaction fee which was odd to see on the bill. When asked, our server told us it was for credit card fee. It felt little sketchy to us especially since they raised their menu prices. read more

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We were craving some South American food, so we headed to Nico's Arepas Grill for dinner last weekend. It was our first visit and we enjoyed it. We walked in and took a seat. I decided to go with tequeños to start, basically cheese sticks wrapped in bread. For our mains, we went with cachapa and an arepa. I added beef to the cachapa. Our food came out quickly and it looked great. I absolutely love cachapa, so I couldn't wait to enjoy it. It was really tasty. The sweet corn pancake was perfect and it had a good amount of melted cheese. The beef flavor was tasty too. Our arep had beef, guacamole, onions, and peppers. The flavor combo was hit all the right notes. We enjoyed both of our dishes. I had a sweet tooth that evening, so we decided to order a slice of passion fruit pie. This was custard pie covered in whipped cream. It was thoroughly enjoyed. Overall, we enjoyed our meal. The food and service were great. We will definitely be back to try out some other menu items in the future. read more

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The food, The service, The arepas! It's all off the hook! Best arepas in Tampa. I'm just sorry it took so long to find it.

We were in the mood for some Venezuelan arepas and Nico's Arepas Grill did not disappoint. The arepa with cheese was delicious. Our favorite was the La Glotona arepa. Highly recommend to try their fresh juices - the passion fruit was delicious. We had it in water and milk, both equally good. The service was okay. Small restaurant and they carry authentic Venezuelan products so you can shop after eating. read more

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I just ate at Nico's with my coworkers who was their first time at a Venezuelan restaurant, Tatiana our server was very patience and knowledgeable about the menu, she made our experience a pleasant one, food was delicious, and the samba as desert cherry on top read more

Decided to try Nico's while on a trip as we don't have Venezuelan food in my area. We tried the mini arepas (pollo, queso blanco, and reina pepiada), empanada de pabellón, and the cachapa llanera. All of this was brand new to my pallet and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The food was served hot and fresh from the kitchen. The plethora of cheese was hand-made and was incredible. The unique flavors were complex and prepared well. The staff was amazing and kind, especially since we spoke little Spanish. The food was served quickly. It's a small restaurant location and is kept very clean. Glad we tried this place! read more

Nico's Arepas Grill - Cachapa llanera, empanada pabellón, mini arepas - Venezuelan Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Per Uber eats, I am their number one fan and yes, just go eat and you will be too! The addiction is serious, and I cannot get enough of the Tequenos, Arepa's and dinner plates. They are the best Venezuelan food in town. My husband, being from Venezuela, we have tried other spots, and nothing compares to the freshness, taste and portions of Nicos. We normally order to go, but have eaten at the restaurant, and they're extremely nice and the service is always attentive read more

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Everything on this menu looked and sounded amazing! I ordered the 3 mini arepas. I ordered one with pork and Gouda, one with shrimp and white cheese, and one with reina pepiada and white cheese. These were amazing! Service was excellent! Would definitely come back and try more of the menu items! read more

Nico's Arepas Grill - Mini Arepas (3) - Venezuelan Near Me - Tampa, Florida

This place is insanely overpriced. Just look at the menu and you'll instantly lose your appetite. Came in hungry. Left full, but full of regret that is. I know the economy is fudged up, but as someone who just moved from New York, I know that a single arepa with cheese is absolutely NOT 9 bitcoins. Not even New York would do this. This should be roughly 5. And that's a New York price. The minimum wage in Florida doesn't even cover an arepa in this place. And no, I'm not broke, I just feel terrible for the citizens of Tampa. read more

The Beef Soup is a definite 5/5 - it really can't get any better. I loved it so much especially since each time I've had it - this is my 2x ordering it - it has been consistently delicious. The last time time I had it - the corn wasn't fresh, prob. recycled from previous day & sour - should've asked for a fresh one instead. I really am not a complainer unless the food was awful - the remaining 70% was great from the broth to the giant piece of beef, so I'd rate 4 stars for my previous experience. The soup also includes potatoes. The Sangrias (5/5) were on Happy Hr. - buy 2 & get 1 free - floral & pretty good especially since they give you a lot in a tall glass. I'd pass on the Spaghetti Cabonara (3.5-4/5) for $16.99 - you can pay a couple bucks more for fresh pasta from an Italian restaurant. It did include pieces of steak, chicken & pork. The Venezuelan Flan (5/5) is a highly recommended dessert - loved how they incorporated orange in it - delish treat! Hubs wasn't impressed with Arepas last time, so we stayed away from it - I'd give them a 3.5-4/5 & try them, again! read more

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It's nice to see a business "graduate" from a food truck to a sit down restaurant. While I've never eaten from a food truck, I become exponentially more interested if it transitions to a sit down. Nico's is located close to the Armenia and Busch intersection. I went on a Thursday night after visiting Lowry Parcade since it was only a mile away. When you enter, I was greeted and sat down inside the cafe. The server was prompt and while I needed a few minutes to decide , I briefly surveyed the interior. On first glance, I almost thought I was inside Pepito's. However, The wall at the back has a skyline at night design. It reminded me of Batman The Animated Series' dark deco look. On the ceiling, there are green circles. NEat design for a cafe imo. Another thing I love was the menu. It had multiple glossy pages with great pictures, and an aesthetically pleasing design that puts to shame many menus from more established American chains. I kinda wanted to steal it. I decided on the Nico sampler and a coke. Their arepas and cachapas are in the $8 range and I wanted to try a variety of items. The sampler comes with 2 small arepas, 2 small cachapas, 2 tequenos, and 2 small empanadas. I forgot to ask what meats are incuded lol. The tequenos are very similar to cheese sticks. Best with the sauces 3/5 Empanadas were hot but not my favorite thing. 3/5 The best two items were the arepas and cachapas. Arepas use cornmeal to make a "bread" that is functionally a sandwich. Both had meat, cheese stuffed to the brim. One had chicken that was seasoned well. The starch part was warm and a medium texture- not crispy like the arepon from Pepito but not super soft like Perdigon. Arepas- 4/5 Cachapas are corn based pancakes that are both sweet and savory. They were served with a a soft white cheese. I'm not a big cheese guy, but that pairing goes together so well. 5/5 Service was prompt and friendly. She filled my soda frequently. The check took a while to come but overall a great experience. One cool thing is that they are open late till 4 am on Fri/Sat. There were no real missteps, but I think the arepas at Perdigon are a little tastier. However, my last meal there took 45 min for it to arrive. Nico's only took 10-12 mins so a big improvement. Also, Nicos isn't as cramped as Perdigon. Overall Nico's is the best of the three Venezuelan restaurants I've been to in Tampa. read more

Nico's Arepas Grill - Interior - Venezuelan Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!!! We loved this place! Honestly best arepas I've had in Tampa. Everything was super fresh and the service was great! We got tequeños, empanadas, and two arepas. Everything was delicious, even the drinks! Will definitely be back read more

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Food is always great . Ambiance is always great although I wish they'd play Venezuelan gaitas and Oscar de Leon and just be more with the music. read more

Nico's Arepas Grill - Pabellon arepa and cachapa with queso blanco - Venezuelan Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Omg delish!! I got the jardinera arepa and it was perfect with the Mayo ketchup and garlic sauces. The tequenos and the fried yuca were also amazing read more

Probé la arepa de pabellón, me sentí como si estuviera en venezuela, tienen opciones de bebidas venezolanas, me pude comer mi arepita con mi malta jajaja. El quesillo estuvo muy bueno. Súper recomendado! a mi novia que es americana también le encanto todo read more

No doubt their food was great and tasty. I personally like the drink that we ordered. Definitely be back when I am in town. read more

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If you want one try arepas for the first time, this is the place to go! Our favorites are Tequenos and Reina Pepiada read more

Nico's Arepas Grill - Mini Arepas (3) catering - Venezuelan Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Great restaurant. Food is good and the service was fast and friendly. If you have never tried Venezuelan food I would recommend ordering the sample. You get 2 MINI EMPANADAS, 2 MINI CACHAPAS, 2 MINI AREPAS, 2 TEQUEÑOS. A little taste of the popular dishes. The tostones are good too, try them with Mayoketchup! read more

Nico's Arepas Grill - Nico's Sampler - Venezuelan Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Never would've thought to stop at this place if not for the great reviews. I didn't know what to expect really, as I'd never tried it before. I had the sampler and wasn't sorry. Service was great. Peaceful environment, family friendly and spacious. Would recommend. *if you're dairy-free this place is not for you. read more

This was my first time at this location. The pros about this place was they had a large menu, our server was very attentive, and overall I was full and satisfied walking out. I had three of the mini arepas, one regular arepa, an empanada, and cachapa (All to share of course). THE EMPANADA DE PABELLON AND CACHAPA LLANERA WERE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. For dessert the passion fruit pie was equally as good! I would say one con was the wait time for the food initially. But overall I would definitely come back as a regular. read more

Nico's Arepas Grill - Venezuelan Near Me - Tampa, Florida

So bad. So very, very bad. We were greeted when we entered and seated right away. We ordered drinks and the Nico's sampler, all of which came out in a timely manner. The appetizers were hot and tasty, and we hoped that they were a sign of things to come. Sadly, this was not to be. For our entrees, we ordered the beef soup and Venezuelan lasagna. The soup comes with a choice of rice or an arepa - I asked the latter. Our waiter confirmed this, but returned a couple minutes later and asked if I wanted rice or an arepa. I'll reiterated that I worked like the arepa. Over 45 minutes later, Gray went to the bar and asked for an ETA on our entrees. He was told that would be about 5 minutes. About 10 minutes later his lasagna appeared, and it was ice cold in the center. I am not exaggerating - it was ice cold. My soup followed, accompanied by rice, a couple minutes later. My soup was room temperature at best. Gray asked the waiter if he could see the manager. The waiter left and returned a few minutes later telling us that the manager had left, as he had "gone home for the holidays." He said that he would comp the appetizer. When asked for the manager's business card, the server flippantly replied, "you could just call the restaurant." Obviously, we won't be returning to this restaurant or their food truck. read more

Not their fault We were in Tampa and my wife came across Nico's while searching for a place to eat. She likes trying new things and while my palate is not quite as adventurous, I'm still game for sampling different cuisines and quickly agreed on her choice. Turns out we are not fans of Venezuelan food, at least for me with the Arepas. She got a sampler plate, which gave her a nice variety. I got carried away as usual and got two Empanadas and an Arepas. The Empanadas were quite large, much larger than ones I remember trying long ago in a restaurant far, far, away. The ones yesterday were pretty good, I noticed a hint of sweetness in the crispy shell. Pretty oily. By the time I was ready for my La Pelva Arepas I was already feeling a bit full. The white cheese was salty and I like salty, but it wasn't the kind of cheese I would like. I'm not a fan but it was not Nico's fault. I'm not going to downgrade an otherwise excellent visit simply because the type of food didn't suit my taste. Our server was great, the place had a nice modern look and feel. There was close parking and the restaurant was easy for us to find. read more

Nico's Arepas Grill - Venezuelan Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I've been here four times and haven't left disappointed once. I like beef. The meat here is flavorful along with the cheese and the many delicious they include in their arepas! I'm so happy to see the beautiful people of Venezuela delighting us with their food!! read more

Nico's Arepas Grill - La Llanera - Venezuelan Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Came here looking for some Venezuelan food and at first we were skeptical since the storefront looked so small, but the food was delicious. We went with the sampler so that we could try a little bit of everything and their maduros was to die for. They have a food truck as well! read more

Nico's Arepas Grill - Nico's Sampler - Venezuelan Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Despite the friendly staff and seemingly cleanliness, the food is some of worst inedible food ever! Typically, I love Latin food but the arepa was soggy , the styrofoam take out container did not help, unseasoned, and the wrong item prepared despite the take out order placed in Spanish and confirmed. Chimichurri sauce was an off green and gross. $12 for an arepa? Tasteless rip off , don't be so desperate for an arepa to dine here! read more

I really really wanted to love this place but no. I think they urgently need employees at least for a day like today, Saturday night. Staff was highly distracted and you could hear them gossiping about other staff members or clients that were just with them over the phone. There were people waiting to be seated and they ended up leaving because no one greeted them, please note that the restaurant was not even full, plenty of tables open, hopefully it's just that they are short staffed. The staff was so distracted that they gave our order to someone else, AND when we finally got our order it was messed up, def a bad first impression. The tequeños were meh, and the 2 stars are because the cachapas were decent and the chicha was actually the only really good thing, but I wouldn't be back just for Chicha. I really hate giving average ratings but this was so disappointing. I hope staff is better trained and aware of their surroundings by the time you're going there. read more

Nico's Arepas Grill - Cachapa de pollo mechado y queso - Venezuelan Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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The arepas are meh .. I felt that there was no authenticity to it. Servers got my tequeño order wrong and the guasacaca sauce tasted like plain chimichurri instead .. Wouldn't recommend this place unfortunately. read more

Honestly couldn't wait to have a bite before taking a bite!! This place was great and good service! read more

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I'm Venezuelan born and raised, new to Tampa. went today for lunch I gave been craving an arepa. I haven't had an arepa like that in years. it was so good I texted my mom! go, get yourself an arepa or cachapa- I'll be getting a loaded cachapa next time. when food brings you memories of home, you can't beat that! gracias Nico's read more

#500 Review I have been saving this review for some time. I chose Nico's Arepas Grill not just for the good food. It has successful Cinderella story that many small businesses can learn about it. Many yelper know about them for the food truck they have operated. The Arepa that they have served using the imported Venezuela cheese. This cheese is almost like mozzarella cheese. When it melt, you can pull like small string. Thousands yard long. May be not. May be you can make it to Guinness record by single pull cheese string. Good Luck:) This is a small guy that make it to the big stage. Now they open the restaurant to serve this food. It is truest Cinderella story make it to the big stage. What make them successful is the first impact that make the customer want to comeback after one visit. The success reason are: 1. Nice restaurant interior design to attract young and old crowd 2. Great service that make you feel welcome 3. Vibrant atmosphere created by the people who work there feel the Latino warm feeling 4. Good food for the reason to come back This was our second stop of restaurant night and we have ordered the Nico Sampler and Sopa de Res. In the sampler, every items are great especially the cachapas. The cachapas is made from sweet corn and they are good. The Sopa de Res is the beef soup and it is very good too. They told me the weekend special is their tripe soup and it usually sold out in the morning. Our waiter Rafael make our trip special and welcome. I am glad they hire the good personality and vibrant waiter. If you feel hungry at night when all restaurants have closed, they are the few open restaurant in the Bay Area. They open till 4 am in the week end. Go checkout and give them a shout if you like. read more

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