Had the burger and it was really good! My boy enjoyed his food as well. The bartenders were very friendly! The host was personable! There's a dj and a dance floor.. played mostly Latin music. Only downside was the automatic service charge.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Ellen Bryan
Phenomenal! Absolutely delicious food, drinks, and desserts. I cannot wait to come back. Great service and prices too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Maria Santiago
An excellent place, cozy, family atmosphere and freshly made
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
jerry jibbss
I went there for lunch. I got a blue moon , cheese balls. And the dish that comes with multiple meats. Sorry for not using proper item names. I drank by deer ate two out of 4 cheese balls. Put aside on plate. Main meal come out. Steak which asked for rare was well done. Where beans overloaded plate. I put steak in side with cheese balls. So could see how it wss cooked without beans getting in thebway When I pointed out steak was well done not rare. Took my side plate. Long story short I paid 46$ plus tip for 2 cheese balls and a blue noon. Was not offered any of money back this place is horrible. As I told the barmaid the over cook egg ontop of the rice whivh could be used as a bouncy ball. was a perfect metaphor for the while plste. Edit) response to owner. With the steak that was being cooked. How did it come out after I walked out? While I was waiting for barmaid to talk to cook well person attempting too cook. I tired the pork belly it it wss extremely undercooked. At thst point I didn't trust the cook enough to eat food they cooked. Why I said I'd love to go to the back and teach them how to cook. The taste of all the food wss great so I liked it if it wss cooked correctly. Mr or Ms owner. Are you the one who attempted to cook my steak. If so cute attempt. What you guys fell short at was cooking the food. Steak was overcooked , the pork belly didn't seem to get pass the prep pre cook stage. So the sausage, I didn't want to attempt. I rather not eat raw pork and get worms. But the taste of everything I tried was good. So my problem wasn't a taste preference. It seemed like the cook was upset there was a lunch rush a party around 10 left around the time I got my cheese balls. Oh I wish they didn't get taken away from me without asking or any community when barmaid took steak away from me. Anywho seem like after that large party. The cook put zero effect into anything that wasn't put into hot geese take out of hot geese. Great cheese balls though. Only had sauce on two of them. Could see the lack of effort of the cook with everything he or she put on the plate.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Bandeja Paisa, Cheese Balls
Roya H.
So delicious every time. Friendly staff, quick service. It’s a great spot to eat with friends and family.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Avocado Arepa, Sweet Plantain, Arepitas de Plátano
Jireh Huang
After the epic failure of a meal earlier in the day, I had to find something to remedy the taste buds. As I began to drive back towards Boston, I searched for possible options along the way that were recommended restaurant stops for their food quality. This Colombian restaurant popped up on the list and immediately beckoned a slight detour to visit. As New England states are so tiny compared to the West Coast, it wasn’t long before I exited the freeway and parked along the street outside Panela.While the restaurant had a large space (noticed later there was a dance floor) and an almost equally large bar area, there were only a couple patrons that day - nursing their beers and quietly chatting. Service was fast and prompt and menus were on the table before I even sat down. Water showed up shortly before I was given a little more time to peruse the menu. It was an interesting menu and well thought out. I had no idea what to order so I just followed my gut on what I felt like gorging on (and was glad I did).I won’t go much into dissecting each dish. But I can tell you that the flavors were balanced and pleasant. Each bite beckoned more until the plate was empty. I couldn’t stop myself. I had to keep going on everything disappeared from the table. It’s one of those times that you’re not claiming a dish to be perfect in whatever culinary pedigree BUT that it’s so balanced in flavor that your palate is tickled in all forms. It was a tongue-gasmic moment and immediately remedied the most boring meal on earth that I just had earlier today.PS. Researched the background of the restaurant later on. Now everything makes sense. I applaud your need to create and represent. Cheers.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alan F.
Went there last month , one of the best food experiences I've had in lowell , it felt like it was in a different league , definitely recommend this place
Pamela G.
Great food! Great service. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. I'm looking forward to going back.
Jireh H.
After the epic failure of a meal earlier in the day, I had to find something to remedy the taste buds. As I began to drive back towards Boston, I searched for possible options along the way that were recommended restaurant stops for their food quality. This Colombian restaurant popped up on the list and immediately beckoned a slight detour to visit. As New England states are so tiny compared to the West Coast, it wasn't long before I exited the freeway and parked along the street outside Panela.While the restaurant had a large space (noticed later there was a dance floor) and an almost equally large bar area, there were only a couple patrons that day - nursing their beers and quietly chatting. Service was fast and prompt and menus were on the table before I even sat down. Water showed up shortly before I was given a little more time to peruse the menu. It was an interesting menu and well thought out. I had no idea what to order so I just followed my gut on what I felt like gorging on (and was glad I did).I won't go much into dissecting each dish. But I can tell you that the flavors were balanced and pleasant. Each bite beckoned more until the plate was empty. I couldn't stop myself. I had to keep going on everything disappeared from the table. It's one of those times that you're not claiming a dish to be perfect in whatever culinary pedigree BUT that it's so balanced in flavor that your palate is tickled in all forms. It was a tongue-gasmic moment and immediately remedied the most boring meal on earth that I just had earlier today.PS. Researched the background of the restaurant later on. Now everything makes sense. I applaud your need to create and represent. Cheers.
Vincent L.
I was in the neighborhood recently for a post-convention reception with our governor and lieutenant governor at a nearby restaurant, which got so jam-packed that the food ran out and the lines for drinks were super-long. It was mid-afternoon and I'd had little to eat the entire day, so, fortunately, Panela looked like an interesting recommendation on my Yelp app.I'm glad I walked the few steps down the street to check it out. You'll find authentic Colombian fare in a comfortable, clean, bright venue that easily passes as a sports bar. To start, I ordered the empanadas which were tinier than others that I've had given that they're dumpling sized, but were still nicely fried bursts of beef and potato flavor. Also reasonably priced at $7 for 5. I also ordered the arepa de platano ($16) and was pleasantly surprised to see that the banana, as implied by the name, was mixed and baked into the arepa shell itself. This made it nicely sweet and irresistibly soft and delicious. It was just one of many delightful parts of a massively satisfying equation, however, since it was overstuffed with crispy fried diced pork belly (chicharron-style) and meaty bits of chorizo, and topped with mozzarella, iceberg lettuce, vinaigrette, avocado sauce. Even more mouth watering than the description, and a sight to behold in person.Don't forget the drinks, which are nicely boozy and generously portioned given the prices. A passionfruit coconut margarita? Sign me up! As fruity and delicious as it sounds. Service from a younger bilingual lady at the bar was super sweet, explanatory, and welcoming - particularly in pointing out the differences between Colombian favorites and Venezuelan ones I was more familiar with, like the arepa reina pepiada. A 5-star experience all around. Thanks Yelpers for an excellent, local, independent find while I was out and about!
Food tastes good but portion size has decreased, it used to be like double the size . Merengon was very small compared to last time we went .
Alexis Thornton
The drinks were awesome and the food was some of the best I've had in a long time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bu
Karla Caroline M Oliveira
We buy the same appetizer two times. The first time the amount was ok. The second one came with a very smaller size. I do not know how they measure that. The fried food had too much taste of oil in some parts. Sometimes the service is slow, mainly to delivery beer and drinks.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Timna Life as a Maven Nwokeji
I’ve been going to Panela for years and never once have I been disappointed. With a seasonal menu focusing on modern Colombian cuisine, Panela takes you on adventure for your palette.Recently I tried their new fall menu and per usual was super impressed with the flavors.We ordered:Plantain ArepitasPork BellyMora y CarneBuñuelo DonutsMerengonService is always great and the atmosphere is always inviting. As a family run restaurant I love that when going to Panela I feel so welcome there!Definitely a gem of Lowell!Dietary restrictions: Big portion of menu is GF and everything is clearly labeled.Kid-friendliness: High chairs and super attentive/friendly to childten
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bu
Heather Carroll
I had heard about this place from my Colombian sister in law, and it took me awhile to finally get there. Which stinks, because Panela was DELICIOUS!!! Our server was super friendly, the food and drinks were amazing, and we will absolutely be back!The ONLY thing I didn't love about the place were the flashing/moving LEDs around the bar. I am extremely sensitive to flashing lights so we ended up sitting in the back table with my back to the bar. Out of sight out of mind, otherwise the atmosphere was perfect!!!
Had the burger and it was really good! My boy enjoyed his food as well. The bartenders were very friendly! The host was personable! There's a dj and a dance floor.. played mostly Latin music. Only downside was the automatic service charge.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Phenomenal! Absolutely delicious food, drinks, and desserts. I cannot wait to come back. Great service and prices too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
An excellent place, cozy, family atmosphere and freshly made
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I went there for lunch. I got a blue moon , cheese balls. And the dish that comes with multiple meats. Sorry for not using proper item names. I drank by deer ate two out of 4 cheese balls. Put aside on plate. Main meal come out. Steak which asked for rare was well done. Where beans overloaded plate. I put steak in side with cheese balls. So could see how it wss cooked without beans getting in thebway When I pointed out steak was well done not rare. Took my side plate. Long story short I paid 46$ plus tip for 2 cheese balls and a blue noon. Was not offered any of money back this place is horrible. As I told the barmaid the over cook egg ontop of the rice whivh could be used as a bouncy ball. was a perfect metaphor for the while plste. Edit) response to owner. With the steak that was being cooked. How did it come out after I walked out? While I was waiting for barmaid to talk to cook well person attempting too cook. I tired the pork belly it it wss extremely undercooked. At thst point I didn't trust the cook enough to eat food they cooked. Why I said I'd love to go to the back and teach them how to cook. The taste of all the food wss great so I liked it if it wss cooked correctly. Mr or Ms owner. Are you the one who attempted to cook my steak. If so cute attempt. What you guys fell short at was cooking the food. Steak was overcooked , the pork belly didn't seem to get pass the prep pre cook stage. So the sausage, I didn't want to attempt. I rather not eat raw pork and get worms. But the taste of everything I tried was good. So my problem wasn't a taste preference. It seemed like the cook was upset there was a lunch rush a party around 10 left around the time I got my cheese balls. Oh I wish they didn't get taken away from me without asking or any community when barmaid took steak away from me. Anywho seem like after that large party. The cook put zero effect into anything that wasn't put into hot geese take out of hot geese. Great cheese balls though. Only had sauce on two of them. Could see the lack of effort of the cook with everything he or she put on the plate.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Bandeja Paisa, Cheese Balls
So delicious every time. Friendly staff, quick service. It’s a great spot to eat with friends and family.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Avocado Arepa, Sweet Plantain, Arepitas de Plátano
After the epic failure of a meal earlier in the day, I had to find something to remedy the taste buds. As I began to drive back towards Boston, I searched for possible options along the way that were recommended restaurant stops for their food quality. This Colombian restaurant popped up on the list and immediately beckoned a slight detour to visit. As New England states are so tiny compared to the West Coast, it wasn’t long before I exited the freeway and parked along the street outside Panela.While the restaurant had a large space (noticed later there was a dance floor) and an almost equally large bar area, there were only a couple patrons that day - nursing their beers and quietly chatting. Service was fast and prompt and menus were on the table before I even sat down. Water showed up shortly before I was given a little more time to peruse the menu. It was an interesting menu and well thought out. I had no idea what to order so I just followed my gut on what I felt like gorging on (and was glad I did).I won’t go much into dissecting each dish. But I can tell you that the flavors were balanced and pleasant. Each bite beckoned more until the plate was empty. I couldn’t stop myself. I had to keep going on everything disappeared from the table. It’s one of those times that you’re not claiming a dish to be perfect in whatever culinary pedigree BUT that it’s so balanced in flavor that your palate is tickled in all forms. It was a tongue-gasmic moment and immediately remedied the most boring meal on earth that I just had earlier today.PS. Researched the background of the restaurant later on. Now everything makes sense. I applaud your need to create and represent. Cheers.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went there last month , one of the best food experiences I've had in lowell , it felt like it was in a different league , definitely recommend this place
Great food! Great service. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. I'm looking forward to going back.
After the epic failure of a meal earlier in the day, I had to find something to remedy the taste buds. As I began to drive back towards Boston, I searched for possible options along the way that were recommended restaurant stops for their food quality. This Colombian restaurant popped up on the list and immediately beckoned a slight detour to visit. As New England states are so tiny compared to the West Coast, it wasn't long before I exited the freeway and parked along the street outside Panela.While the restaurant had a large space (noticed later there was a dance floor) and an almost equally large bar area, there were only a couple patrons that day - nursing their beers and quietly chatting. Service was fast and prompt and menus were on the table before I even sat down. Water showed up shortly before I was given a little more time to peruse the menu. It was an interesting menu and well thought out. I had no idea what to order so I just followed my gut on what I felt like gorging on (and was glad I did).I won't go much into dissecting each dish. But I can tell you that the flavors were balanced and pleasant. Each bite beckoned more until the plate was empty. I couldn't stop myself. I had to keep going on everything disappeared from the table. It's one of those times that you're not claiming a dish to be perfect in whatever culinary pedigree BUT that it's so balanced in flavor that your palate is tickled in all forms. It was a tongue-gasmic moment and immediately remedied the most boring meal on earth that I just had earlier today.PS. Researched the background of the restaurant later on. Now everything makes sense. I applaud your need to create and represent. Cheers.
I was in the neighborhood recently for a post-convention reception with our governor and lieutenant governor at a nearby restaurant, which got so jam-packed that the food ran out and the lines for drinks were super-long. It was mid-afternoon and I'd had little to eat the entire day, so, fortunately, Panela looked like an interesting recommendation on my Yelp app.I'm glad I walked the few steps down the street to check it out. You'll find authentic Colombian fare in a comfortable, clean, bright venue that easily passes as a sports bar. To start, I ordered the empanadas which were tinier than others that I've had given that they're dumpling sized, but were still nicely fried bursts of beef and potato flavor. Also reasonably priced at $7 for 5. I also ordered the arepa de platano ($16) and was pleasantly surprised to see that the banana, as implied by the name, was mixed and baked into the arepa shell itself. This made it nicely sweet and irresistibly soft and delicious. It was just one of many delightful parts of a massively satisfying equation, however, since it was overstuffed with crispy fried diced pork belly (chicharron-style) and meaty bits of chorizo, and topped with mozzarella, iceberg lettuce, vinaigrette, avocado sauce. Even more mouth watering than the description, and a sight to behold in person.Don't forget the drinks, which are nicely boozy and generously portioned given the prices. A passionfruit coconut margarita? Sign me up! As fruity and delicious as it sounds. Service from a younger bilingual lady at the bar was super sweet, explanatory, and welcoming - particularly in pointing out the differences between Colombian favorites and Venezuelan ones I was more familiar with, like the arepa reina pepiada. A 5-star experience all around. Thanks Yelpers for an excellent, local, independent find while I was out and about!
Restaurantji Recommends
Food tastes good but portion size has decreased, it used to be like double the size . Merengon was very small compared to last time we went .
The drinks were awesome and the food was some of the best I've had in a long time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bu
We buy the same appetizer two times. The first time the amount was ok. The second one came with a very smaller size. I do not know how they measure that. The fried food had too much taste of oil in some parts. Sometimes the service is slow, mainly to delivery beer and drinks.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
I’ve been going to Panela for years and never once have I been disappointed. With a seasonal menu focusing on modern Colombian cuisine, Panela takes you on adventure for your palette.Recently I tried their new fall menu and per usual was super impressed with the flavors.We ordered:Plantain ArepitasPork BellyMora y CarneBuñuelo DonutsMerengonService is always great and the atmosphere is always inviting. As a family run restaurant I love that when going to Panela I feel so welcome there!Definitely a gem of Lowell!Dietary restrictions: Big portion of menu is GF and everything is clearly labeled.Kid-friendliness: High chairs and super attentive/friendly to childten
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bu
I had heard about this place from my Colombian sister in law, and it took me awhile to finally get there. Which stinks, because Panela was DELICIOUS!!! Our server was super friendly, the food and drinks were amazing, and we will absolutely be back!The ONLY thing I didn't love about the place were the flashing/moving LEDs around the bar. I am extremely sensitive to flashing lights so we ended up sitting in the back table with my back to the bar. Out of sight out of mind, otherwise the atmosphere was perfect!!!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bandeja Paisa, Cucumber Mango Salad