My second time here as the lady is well versed in this gem ! I'm glad that although the area is changing and unfortunately the building has new owners and VMA has to leave or close.... THEYRE moving down to JP! Thank goodness! 3 items we usually get. Empanadas, cachapas and arepas! Now for me i would go Beef or beef with cheese for all styles! I would say the empanadas are my absolute favorite 2-3 per person and you'll be on your tush, happy and sleepy haha. The green cilantro sauce whatever it is is perfect for everything. Without it would NOT be the same! The corn wrap is nice and sweet and i think they use real corn to make it not just cornmeal! The ladies working were really nice today and they do take quite awhile for your order to be ready unless you walk in and grab from the hot foods section (rice and stews etc Goat Chicken Beef pork) The arepa has nice crispy texture and is like a hot pocket of sorts! Enjoyed it but i still like empanadas the best! The cachapa is the lady's fave. Like a big Venezuelan omelette VERY filling so sharing is caring! Will be back and look forward to the new location! read more

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Delicious bean and cheese arepa and cheese empanada with the most amazing green sauce. Also love the maduros. I don't eat meat but I'm sure their meat options are delicious. The workers are very kind. read more

*** They are moving to a new location in soon! (220 Centre St, Jamaica Plain).*** I've been going to Vivi Mi Arepa since I was in high school & their food doesn't disappoint! Their carne empanadas do it for me, every single time. I could literally be good with just two or three of them & be happy ;) Highly recommend their cachapa. It is very filling and SO DELICIOUS. Arepas are also great, but if I had to choose just two items from the menu, the cachapas and empanadas are must gets ! Viva Mi Arepa seriously serves amazing Venezuelan food & every time I go to pick up take out, the food is consistent + blows my mind because it's always so tasty. Only issue I've ever had was in regards to the wait time for the food. I believe it's because they make it to order. There were times when I would call in my order to pick up when I'd be 40 min away, and when I arrived 40 min later, they would start my order only after walking in. Other times, I would try ordering via Ubereats takeout & pay ahead of time but order still would take 20-30 min... HOWEVER... Today, was a lovely day ;) I ordered online through toast. Came from Wrentham (about 40 min drive at the time I ordered) and when we arrived, the food was already ready!! This was honestly a first for me & cannot lie, I was feeling giddy. The ladies today were also super nice & friendly. Food was spectacular, as always, & staff was so kind today so I definitely wanted to update my rating for Viva Mi Arepa ;) Tip: Order through Toast for take out. You will save lots of time this way. Expect order to be ready in about 45min-1 hr. read more

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This was my first Venezuelan food experience. I ordered Pollo Guisado and a Queso Empanada just before closing. The stewed chicken and rice was very flavorful and tasty. I will be returning. read more

Viva Mi Arepa - Pollo Guisado and Queso Empanada - Venezuelan Near Me - West Roxbury, Massachusetts

Good service good food . I had the permit with rice and red beans and it was really good. Stephanie was very friendly and nice

I did a to good to go order and noticed we needed more food. Ordered stewed chicken, which came with rice and beans. The sides were good-sized, and the chicken was delicious! The lady who helped me was so friendly and smiling. The arepas were so good also. I can't wait to go back! read more

Viva Mi Arepa - Venezuelan Near Me - West Roxbury, Massachusetts

I wish this place was closer to me. The service was excellent, I dealt with 3 different women between walking in, ordering, and picking up. All of them were polite and friendly and helpful. I'm not sure if anyone speaks English because I speak just enough Spanish to conduct the transaction... but they were definitely polite enough to tolerate my limited language skills. I picked up food for my friend who is Venezuelan, and she loved it. It looked and smelled amazing, and I will definitely go back. The place is more of a take out place, only a few tables and chairs in the small front area. The prices are okay. I wish it was a little cheaper, like the Colombian place near me where you can get a lot of food for little money. Here, I'd say you will expect to pay between $15-20 per person unless you're getting just something small. But it's no more expensive than your average pizza place. And the quality of the food is very very good. Everything is cooked to order so I waited about 30minutes. I got: 3 arepas carne 1 Cochapa 1 sm platanos meduras 6 Tequenos 1 sm white rice 3 empenadas carne 2 Spanish chocolate bars And that was about $64 before tip. Not terrible. read more

I have been coming here ever since I was a little kid, and after living in two other major cities outside of Boston and trying all sorts of other Latin food, I can still confidently say this is some of the absolute best food I have ever eaten. Their empanadas are still the best I have ever had, and all of their other food is fresh and delicious, not to mention a great deal. Every time I'm back in town, I have to come by and bring friends. Food can sometimes take a while, but you can't rush perfection. read more

I'm of Venezuelan descent, and I live in south Florida. My husband is from Boston and every single time we are here we drive by. Today was finally the day that I stopped and honestly it was disappointing. It didn't smell pleasant when I walked in--the smell of overly fried food made me kinda sick but I let that go. I had an arepa. It was just ok. The staff was extremely warm and friendly. I had a parchita (passion fruit) juice which took me straight to Caracas--best I've had in a while. The reason I gave VMA two stars is because the cheese in the arepa tasted like mozzarella cheese--for an authentic arepa you need to use the right cheese...it's a shredded white cheese that doesn't melt or get gooey like mozzarella. I wish this place all the best in their new location in Jamaica Plain! Lovely staff read more

This restaurant has been around for so long for a reason. The Venezuelan arepas are so authentic and yummy. I like to get the chicken and cheese, grilled arepas. I also ask for the Mayo + ketchup sauce on the side. The ladies that work here are super sweet and make you feel welcomed every time. read more

Go see Lady .. she's one of the owners of this ridiculously delicious restaurant.. She is very nice and is always smiling.. The food is legit guys .. it's basically cooked like it would be if it was cooked at home I'm always there enjoying all of the different foods that they serve... Make your way there .. it's a no brainer !!!!! read more

The food here is fantastic. I personally can't get enough of the tequenos and cachapas. The staff are so kind and friendly. Unfortunately, they have a tendency to take a longer time to make the food than one would expect (I've waited over an hour with no one else in front of me), and when I've done delivery from there it was even worse. I really want to love and support this business but at the very least I would like to know what exactly takes so long and why can't they at least give a heads up? Still- if you're curious about this place, try it out!!! The food really is fantastic. Get the tequenos or the Cachapa you won't regret it. read more

Viva Mi Arepa - Tequenos and passion fruit juice - Venezuelan Near Me - West Roxbury, Massachusetts

Service was pretty terrible, but the food was amazing. I would recommend, but be prepared to wait a while.

So delicious! This was my first time trying Venezuelan food and it was amaaaaazing. The menu isn't very big, but that doesn't matter because what they do offer is just awesome. I got an arepa and jugo de piña while my husband got two empanadas and a limonada. All that for about $20. It may not sound like much, but our meal was so filling and satisfying. The cashier was so nice, too! Be warned, this place is tiny. I think about 10-15 people sit inside. Street parking is available. I think people would have an easier time parking on Washington St. it seems like there's more space there read more

Viva Mi Arepa - Arepa and jugo de piña (you could see two empanadas in the back) - Venezuelan Near Me - West Roxbury, Massachusetts

This place used to be so nice and friendly. You will still get some of that friendliness from the staff who are serving you the food, but not from the owner and his daughter. I'm never going there again because their arrogance, lack of respect for their customers in the service they provide is very apparent now and I will not stand for it anymore. A couple of Sundays ago, my 8 year old son and I went to get some food like we do very often, but usually on Saturdays. We waited in line, got our food from the nicest lady in there, only to stand there for more than 10 minutes while the daughter was having a conversation on the phone with a customer. I waited, then found myself pacing back and forth while waiting. The more I waited, the more she spoke on the phone. She didn't acknowledge us, nor did she put the customer on hold for a minute to ring us up (that's what I would have done, but what do I know?). At some point it became evident to me that she was doing it on purpose and my son kept looking at me like "what's going on?" I said to him, let's go because this lady was not in the mood to serve us today. So, we left, never to go back again. There goes one of your faithful weekly customers. My advice to you: don't do that again because you will lose your customers one by one if you keep this up. Good Luck! Folks, here's the response I got from the owner's daughter herself. You be the judge: read more

Eating here is like visiting another country. The ambiance is sweet and relaxed, and it helps to speak Spanish, but it's not necessary. The food is fantastic, made with care and quality, and it tastes real. I have tried arepas, cachapas, and empanadas, all excellent. The tropical juices are fine as well. And the empanadas are now my go to snack to take to the airport and eat waiting for my flight. read more

Sadly due to gentrification, they are being forced out of the neighborhood. A developer who purchased the building will not renew the lease and wants them out. He is already forced out the businesses who have been staples to the neighborhood. Goodbye to great food and great people. read more

Took a really long time both times I've ordered..... buttttt the food is authentic and delicious.

This place is the only reason I have Ubereats on my phone. The food slaps harder than your momma after you spent the whole day acting up at school. The empanadas are sweet, cheap, and delicious. The paella is always sold out (order early) i still havent tried it yet lol The shrimp, arepa, and literally everything else is rocking The rice is perfect, plantains are perfect - not too greasy Now I love this place because the food is A1 but you will be WAITING FOREVER. And if that's ok with you, then cool just order in advance - but for all the gentrifiers moving in yall might not like that lol. Longest i ever waited like 1 hour for some food but i promise it is worth it - they should work on that though, but they get a lot of business w/ a small staff. I saw another review mention a language barrier - order "pick up" on uber eats before you go - show them your name on the app -boom no language barrier lol Happy eats! read more

Clean restaurant friendly staff and delicious food is an all together great experience sad they don't have much space to have more people at a time but they make do with the space they have and honestly they are very great with their customer service . read more

We have been eating here since it opened quite a few years ago, and have watched this restaurant develop and deservedly prosper. They make the best arepas in this area. Tasty cornmeal pockets (they can be grilled or fried-- we wait a few min. more for the grilled version, done on a classic cast iron stove). The fillings are very tasty, and subtly well-seasoned. Unless you are a great cook feeding a large family, you're probably not making these wonderful slow-cooked meat fillings at home. We enjoy the cheese cachapas, tostones y maduras (2 kinds of fried plantains), and their empanadas as well. They cook to order-- it's kind of "slow" food, but definitely worth the wait if you have the time. Much of what they sell re-heats well, so we always "over order" and enjoy the leftovers. read more

First time here and WOW this place is good ! Got some chicken Cachapa,chicken empanada, and some plantains. All were excellent. Best cachapa I've ever had. The empanada crust was different, delicious, and filled with some tasty-ass chicken. Green sauce was really good also, whatever it was. Service was on point. Can't wait to come back to try everything else they have. read more

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big fan of the food here, but don't expect to find anything green (except the delicious dipping sauce!) this is a great little hole in the wall with delicious food. it is a small spot, and you order at the counter and then find a spot to sit. parking and seating are limited, but it is worth the trip. my eyes are always bigger than my stomach here, and i sometimes regret the heavy fried food dinner, but you can't beat the flavor or the pricing. who doesn't love an arepa? if you haven't had one and have no idea what i'm talking about, google it now and feel your mouth water. read more

Viva Mi Arepa - one of everything, please - Venezuelan Near Me - West Roxbury, Massachusetts

I had some business to attend to nearby but came here for lunch beforehand. I've had no prior experience with Venezuelan food so it took time to decide what to get. But the man at the counter was friendly and informative. The cachapa with queso and carne was a nice example of comfort food. The cornmeal pancake was nicely grilled, warm, a little crispy outside, and generously sized. It was slightly sweet, which balances the filling inside. I'm not necessarily yearning for that "balance" but it worked here. As for the filling, there was a lot of both cheese and flavorful shredded beef. Even though this is a casual joint and could be construed as fast food, you do have to wait here for your food. The wait was worth it, however. read more

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I don't have words for how delicious this place is. Like oh my dear god. The best Venezuelan food ever!! The sweet corn puffy pillowy empanada just wow. They are very nice there! Occasionally the wait is long-ish even when calling in an order. They definitely take their time and put heart into the food. We drive a LONG time to go here, as we don't live very close. However, it's worth it. The prices are more than reasonable, too. Don't wait. Go now. read more

Viva Mi Arepa - Arepas gluten free - Venezuelan Near Me - West Roxbury, Massachusetts

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Tequeños and cachapas are amazing! The domino arepa was very dry despite an abundance of black beans. Fresh smoothies and juices are delicious. read more

Great spot! The cachapas aren't to my taste with the sweet corn taste, but their filling is always spot on. The beef empanada was so flavorful and tender, I was sucking out the juices that pooled at the bottom! The chicken and cheese arepa (fried) was delicious with the green garlicky sauce, and super filling. I tried ordering a guanabana shake once, but it arrived orange colored and was definitely passion fruit, but I'll try again next time! read more

I have been wanting to get this place for the longest and just didn't want to take the drive but since moving to Dedham I am super close. So we go a little after is opened on Saturday. I would have liked the option to order through Yelp but I kept getting an error message that they were either closed or not excepting orders online. That kinda sucked. But nonetheless I drive there and order 2 chicken empanadas, a chicken cachapa, and two chicken and cheese arepas. While I was waiting I was reading more reviews and saw a bunch about the very long wait time and was beginning to panic cuz I had stuff to do at home. Literally the food took less than 15 minutes and was awesome. The staff were really nice and made it a seamless process. Afterwards we go home and try the food. The food was good and my kid though it was great. Just a tip that if your not a huge fan of SWEET then some of items will not be appetizing to you. The food was good but very sweet. Arepas were on point and the meat in everything was seasoned beautifully. I would definitely go back but next time change up what I order. read more

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The food here is so delicious and the portions are very generous for the price. Do yourself a favor order here.

This place is good if you have 45-60 min to wait. I was told several times 2 min and an hour later here we are...... Much like Congress trying to fix the debt ceiling. read more

Viva Mi Arepa - a man in a kitchen - Venezuelan Near Me - West Roxbury, Massachusetts

My first and last time ordering here. I ordered at 7:25 through Uber eats. Estimated time 8:10. The first driver apparently gets there at 8:10 and leaves since the app says the food is still being prepared. A second driver arrives there at 8:25 and I finally get my food at 8:50 and but I live only 6 mins away. So the thing is, I'm not in any way dissatisfied with Uber eats. The driver apologizes for the delay and says they didn't start making my order until he got there. I read reviews about how slow the service is and sheesh y'all ain't lying! I ordered the fried chicken (chicharron) and look at this picture because all of it was fat. Plantains soggy and everything was really greasy. I don't think this place is worth the money and definitely not worth an hour and a half wait read more

Viva Mi Arepa - Chicharron. This is all fat! They fry it up and you would never know. A plate full of fried fat. Waste of $11.00. Plantains were soggy too. - Venezuelan Near Me - West Roxbury, Massachusetts

Most of the reviews I am seeing for this place are spot on. Phenomenal arepas. Arepas are so good, and this place has perfected them. I always get arepas, I've never tried anything else... I feel like I don't have to. The arepas are out of this world.... the stuff dreams are made of. Grilled or fried, plain or with meat or beans or cheese, it doesn't matter. The arepas are made to order and take a bit of time to prepare, it isn't "fast food", so keep that in mind if you're going there. The people are patient and kind, too. I would go here even if they were rude and mean, honestly. But they are not, at all! And the price? I feel like I am ripping them off! Go here. Keep this slice of heaven in business. 10/10. read more

Everything is great here. The arepas and cachapas are delicious. The plantains, beans and rice and sauces are all amazing too. Prices are reasonable and the staff is friendly. I love this place! read more

5/5 I used to live around here and loved coming here for take out. This is the definition of a hidden gem. Which would think that there would be Latin American food this delicious in the middle of West Roxbury? The quality of the food is top notch and very flavorful. Everything is always made fresh to order. The downside to this is the long wait time. On the outside, this place looks like a fast food joint, but this is not a place to go if you are in a hurry to eat in or quick take out. I've waited over half hour for food before. If you have the time though, I think the food here is worth the wait. Can't go wrong with the empanadas here. I haven't tried better empanadas in the US. My favorite arepa is the tuna fish arepa. And if I'm in the mood for something a little sweet, then I'd order a cachapa. Lastly I'll note that the portion sizes here are HUGE so you get a lot of bang for the buck. read more

Viva Mi Arepa - Pabellon crillo - Venezuelan Near Me - West Roxbury, Massachusetts

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Food is really good and a great price everyone who works there is really nice . The empanadas are amazing read more

"Shall we say Grace? Y'all bow. Dear Lord . . . We thank you for the corn meal. It is our lifeblood. It keeps our bowels pumping and our wallets throbbing. We thank you for the spark of inspiration that helped us figure out how to make it into a flatbread. We thank thee for thy flatbreads, Lord! Your humble subjects thank you for discovering the innate human need for sandwiches. We are grateful that you recognize that your only earthly creations are morbidly obese, lazy fuckers and need a convenient meal on-the-go. Thusly, we are grateful that we have created TWO flatbreads. Lo and behold, Lord, we have things to put in between our flatbreads! We understand the patience you command of us to slaughter, marinade, and slow-cook the bounties and animals of the land (chicken and beef in this case) to perfection (which goes between the flatbreads). For who knows how soon again you shall smite your celestial wrath upon us and obliterate my access to bourbon, you smug asshole? It felt like your wrath was upon us when this unassuming little restaurant delivered a cup of hot sauce that systematically disassembled my stomach and anus. But it was delicious, Lord. It made me believe in you all over again. The green sauce only made me confirm it. Lord, my god, I will never see eye-to-eye with you. I have many a bone to pick with you. In the extremely slim chance I get to Heaven, I'll sue your ass off. But, should we ever come to blows, this incredible restaurant and its South American charm will weigh in your favor. It may well take your place because the sensual essences of the bounty in this place made me want to forever sing your name. Amen!" read more

Viva Mi Arepa - See that shredded meat under the arepa?  It holds more flavor than you would ever think possible. - Venezuelan Near Me - West Roxbury, Massachusetts

Still delicious BUT service here is spotty at best. For example, if you call ahead with your order dont expect it ready when you arrive for pick up. More likely, your food will be started when you walk in the door and ask for it. (I imagine most people walk out at this point.) Also, check your bag of food before you leave the corner. Its highly likely that what you ordered and what you received aren't the same thing. As mentioned in the initial review, the food is tasty AF. Is it worth the hassle of dealing with unintendedly surly/substandard service? Make that decision carefully, especially if you're super hungry. read more

There are no other places like this one! Small restaurant. Flavorful food. They have food to choose from in the window as well as made to go orders. I mainly eat the cachapas which I have yet to find anywhere else. I never ate those before this location. The baked chicken has a phenomenal taste. The goat was delicious and should be tried at least once here. I pretty much enjoy everything here, especially when you add some of the green garlic salsa that you can ask for (and you should). If you are taking food to go, it is better to call ahead. read more

I don't know where to begin.... this place was AMAZING!!!! We ordered two grilled arepas( one chicken, one beef), chicken cachapa, order of ripe plantains and two bottled waters. Total was roughly $30ish and I have never been more satisfied. The cachapa is as described in the sweeter side and huge! There were little kernels of corn and it was stuffed with chicken and cheese! My husband couldn't stop raving about the arepas and while they offered a fried option we thought the grilled was the way to go. So soft and stuffed with the respective meat and cheese. Other reviews mention a green garlic sauce.... I will vouch that it is well worth asking for extra. It gave a great flavor and a different condiment then what I have had in the past. They have stolen my heart and now I'm determined to frequent them soon for a second helping!! Currently doing take out and I believe they offer delivery through Grubhub. Check them out!!! Your stomach will thank you read more

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Estaba allá hoy a las 7pm y la mujer dominicana que me atendió nos estaba hablando con actitud a los clientes porque no solamente fue a mi, esa mujer no tiene nada de educación y no se le puede preguntar absolutamente NADA, a parte de que modificaba los precios a su gusto y quiere vender lo que ella quiere sin darle opciones al cliente... Es una PENA que por este tipo de personas haya que dejar de ir a restaurantes buenos! ESPERO QUE LOS DUEÑOS SE DEN CUENTA DE LO QUE SUCEDE CUANDO ELLOS NO ESTÁN PRESENTES! read more