Absolutely delightful experience. Francisco is doing the best he can until he moves his business to Clinton St. I give him credit for operating his business as long as he can while preparing a new location. Very hard worker who makes delicious meals.
C C
You have to try this place! Good food OMG the yuca frita is amazing! Looking forward to seeing the new place! The owner is super friendly!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pabellon Criollo, Yuca Frita
Colleen Cannavo
Such a welcoming environment and great food. Can't wait to go back, hopefully at the new location soon!
Lena H.
I enjoyed the opportunity to eat arepas or pockets made of yellow corn filled with meat or vegetables. You can order the filling and the dish will be prepared as you wish. I found the setting simple, clean and the service friendly. However, there was only one person doing it all. The owner is planning to move the business to a more accessible place of downtown. The experience was what I expected with typical items. My fav was yucas with a sort of chimichurri. Yummy.
JT H.
Not sure who exactly is writing these glowing reviews, but I'm at a loss to reconcile our experience with them. I'll point out that we are very familiar with arepas and Venezuelan food. We stopped by on our way to an evening event in the area and both ordered beers and arepas, as well as a side of fried yucca. With the exception of the beers it was uniformly terrible: limp, greasy yucca, chicken filling for my arepa essentially chicken pulp, arepas themselves poorly prepared. Restaurant interior features bright colors and grime. Lots and lots of grime. Restroom downright icky--I needed to use it after a long drive there, but decided to wait (and tried to erase the mental picture from my mind while waiting for what turned out to be a terrible meal). We stopped at Walgreens on our way out to purchase snacks to make up for dinner.
Hannah W.
If you are searching for a place based on food alone this is a great choice! It was fun to explore the menu of a cuisine that is not very well represented in our community. I have never had Venezuelan food before, so I was eager to try. As appetizers we ordered the Bolitos De Queso and an arepa with plantain and cheese. The Bolitos De Queso were piping hot and fresh when they came out. They were filled with stretchy cheese and had some sour cream and cilantro oil on top. These were delicious. Specifically, the cilantro oil was so deliciously addicting that we asked for extra and put it on everything we ate throughout the whole meal. The arepa with plantain and cheese was very underwhelming. The plantain inside the arepa hidden under the cheese was very mushy and kind of dark looking (like a banana might look when it is old or left too long which starts to turn brown). In addition to this, the combination of cheese on a sweet plantain in an arepa was not very enjoyable. For my entrée, I ordered the pabellon with pork. I was excited to try it as it is described as the national dish on the menu. The pork was so tender and flavorful, the rice was cooked well, and the beans were a nice compliment. I added a decent amount of the aforementioned cilantro oil to add a little more brightness (I love cilantro) and I thoroughly enjoyed every bite of this dish. My boyfriends ordered the Cuban Sandwich. I docked off some points here because the sandwich he was brought (although it was tasty) was not a Cuban sandwich. Cuban sandwiches have some slow roasted pork + ham + pickle + mustard +/- cheese. This sandwich which is called "Cuban" had salami in it, no pickle, no pork, no mustard, and a lot of cheese. Like I said, the sandwich tasted good, but it was not a Cuban. The yuca fries that came with the sandwich were also tasty (especially with the cilantro oil seen on top). Another thing that this restaurant could really work on is how it presents itself to customers. It is bright and vibrant, but it does not look well kept. It is dirty (dining room and bathroom). The building needs more upkeep. Condiment containers need to be wiped, tables need to be wiped and disinfected, the bathroom needs to have toilet paper and soap. Things like this. When a restaurant lacks these basics, it is easy to start wondering about the hygiene of the restaurant itself and the safety of the food you are consuming. Lastly, when we went, we noticed that it was only a one man show. The same gentleman who was cooking the food was also the one taking orders, being the waiter, and processing payment. Because of this we had to wait longer than acceptable to get our bill/boxes/pay/leave.
BobberQueen
Great find…. Authentic Venezuelan/Latin American dinner. Delicious!! Francisco, the owner does it all. Greets you, serves the food and has spent the day cooking real home cooked delicious food. The restaurant is in between locations. It will be moving soon to a new location in downtown a few blocks away. Arepanita’s decor is inviting and colorful. Cute place. Can’t wait to see what he does with the new space. We really enjoyed our dinner and will be returning.
Mary K.
Authentic Peruvian food that is so tasty. My husband and I went to Peru a few years ago, and the owner does a good job at making us feel like we are back here with his cooking. Small little restaurant, but worth it to support a small and local business.
Joe Boppre
First time eating here. Our experience was wonderful. Food and personal service by owner, Francisco, were suburb. He takes so much pride in his food & establishment. He's moving downtown Waukesha this year on Clinton St. which will be a perfect fit for his restaurant. We learned a lot about Venezuelan food. Delicious Cuban sandwich, yucca fried strips, fried sweet plantains, and everything else. Reasonably priced Chardonnay Venezuelan wine. Definitely will be returning soon. Never knew how delicious Venezuelan food is. Francisco enhanced the experience with his friendliness and pride displayed in what he does.Vegetarian options: Gluten freeParking: Plenty for the # of tables
Amazing food. Amazing owner. Authentic, tasty and fresh and the owner is the nicest guy you'll ever meet. Could be a one man show depending on the day, so be patient. It's worth it, I promise.
The food was delicious and fresh, and we received excellent service. It was our first time having Venezuelan food and now we want more! It was paired with wine, perfect
LT
Great food, unique environment, and exceptional service. The owner is so kind and makes you feel welcomed. The interior is painted/decorated is such a creative way. I'm really happy that we found this.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Elena M.
First time visit , friendly service, had apps and taps a big order pricy but flavorful
Tracey Hassinger
Excellent! Francisco was so sweet. The food was fabulous and atmosphere quaint and eclectic. Please don't miss out on this wonderful establishment!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cachapas
Amberleigh G.
First time trying Venezuelan and it was delicious food, the restaurant is quaint with delightful quirky decor and a wonderful host. Definitely recommend.
Absolutely delightful experience. Francisco is doing the best he can until he moves his business to Clinton St. I give him credit for operating his business as long as he can while preparing a new location. Very hard worker who makes delicious meals.
You have to try this place! Good food OMG the yuca frita is amazing! Looking forward to seeing the new place! The owner is super friendly!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pabellon Criollo, Yuca Frita
Such a welcoming environment and great food. Can't wait to go back, hopefully at the new location soon!
I enjoyed the opportunity to eat arepas or pockets made of yellow corn filled with meat or vegetables. You can order the filling and the dish will be prepared as you wish. I found the setting simple, clean and the service friendly. However, there was only one person doing it all. The owner is planning to move the business to a more accessible place of downtown. The experience was what I expected with typical items. My fav was yucas with a sort of chimichurri. Yummy.
Not sure who exactly is writing these glowing reviews, but I'm at a loss to reconcile our experience with them. I'll point out that we are very familiar with arepas and Venezuelan food. We stopped by on our way to an evening event in the area and both ordered beers and arepas, as well as a side of fried yucca. With the exception of the beers it was uniformly terrible: limp, greasy yucca, chicken filling for my arepa essentially chicken pulp, arepas themselves poorly prepared. Restaurant interior features bright colors and grime. Lots and lots of grime. Restroom downright icky--I needed to use it after a long drive there, but decided to wait (and tried to erase the mental picture from my mind while waiting for what turned out to be a terrible meal). We stopped at Walgreens on our way out to purchase snacks to make up for dinner.
If you are searching for a place based on food alone this is a great choice! It was fun to explore the menu of a cuisine that is not very well represented in our community. I have never had Venezuelan food before, so I was eager to try. As appetizers we ordered the Bolitos De Queso and an arepa with plantain and cheese. The Bolitos De Queso were piping hot and fresh when they came out. They were filled with stretchy cheese and had some sour cream and cilantro oil on top. These were delicious. Specifically, the cilantro oil was so deliciously addicting that we asked for extra and put it on everything we ate throughout the whole meal. The arepa with plantain and cheese was very underwhelming. The plantain inside the arepa hidden under the cheese was very mushy and kind of dark looking (like a banana might look when it is old or left too long which starts to turn brown). In addition to this, the combination of cheese on a sweet plantain in an arepa was not very enjoyable. For my entrée, I ordered the pabellon with pork. I was excited to try it as it is described as the national dish on the menu. The pork was so tender and flavorful, the rice was cooked well, and the beans were a nice compliment. I added a decent amount of the aforementioned cilantro oil to add a little more brightness (I love cilantro) and I thoroughly enjoyed every bite of this dish. My boyfriends ordered the Cuban Sandwich. I docked off some points here because the sandwich he was brought (although it was tasty) was not a Cuban sandwich. Cuban sandwiches have some slow roasted pork + ham + pickle + mustard +/- cheese. This sandwich which is called "Cuban" had salami in it, no pickle, no pork, no mustard, and a lot of cheese. Like I said, the sandwich tasted good, but it was not a Cuban. The yuca fries that came with the sandwich were also tasty (especially with the cilantro oil seen on top). Another thing that this restaurant could really work on is how it presents itself to customers. It is bright and vibrant, but it does not look well kept. It is dirty (dining room and bathroom). The building needs more upkeep. Condiment containers need to be wiped, tables need to be wiped and disinfected, the bathroom needs to have toilet paper and soap. Things like this. When a restaurant lacks these basics, it is easy to start wondering about the hygiene of the restaurant itself and the safety of the food you are consuming. Lastly, when we went, we noticed that it was only a one man show. The same gentleman who was cooking the food was also the one taking orders, being the waiter, and processing payment. Because of this we had to wait longer than acceptable to get our bill/boxes/pay/leave.
Great find…. Authentic Venezuelan/Latin American dinner. Delicious!! Francisco, the owner does it all. Greets you, serves the food and has spent the day cooking real home cooked delicious food. The restaurant is in between locations. It will be moving soon to a new location in downtown a few blocks away. Arepanita’s decor is inviting and colorful. Cute place. Can’t wait to see what he does with the new space. We really enjoyed our dinner and will be returning.
Authentic Peruvian food that is so tasty. My husband and I went to Peru a few years ago, and the owner does a good job at making us feel like we are back here with his cooking. Small little restaurant, but worth it to support a small and local business.
First time eating here. Our experience was wonderful. Food and personal service by owner, Francisco, were suburb. He takes so much pride in his food & establishment. He's moving downtown Waukesha this year on Clinton St. which will be a perfect fit for his restaurant. We learned a lot about Venezuelan food. Delicious Cuban sandwich, yucca fried strips, fried sweet plantains, and everything else. Reasonably priced Chardonnay Venezuelan wine. Definitely will be returning soon. Never knew how delicious Venezuelan food is. Francisco enhanced the experience with his friendliness and pride displayed in what he does.Vegetarian options: Gluten freeParking: Plenty for the # of tables
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pabellon Criollo, Cubano Sandwich with Yuca Fries, Flan, Yuca Frita
Amazing food. Amazing owner. Authentic, tasty and fresh and the owner is the nicest guy you'll ever meet. Could be a one man show depending on the day, so be patient. It's worth it, I promise.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vegetarian Arepa, Empanadas, Arepa Perico
Restaurantji Recommends
The food was delicious and fresh, and we received excellent service. It was our first time having Venezuelan food and now we want more! It was paired with wine, perfect
Great food, unique environment, and exceptional service. The owner is so kind and makes you feel welcomed. The interior is painted/decorated is such a creative way. I'm really happy that we found this.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
First time visit , friendly service, had apps and taps a big order pricy but flavorful
Excellent! Francisco was so sweet. The food was fabulous and atmosphere quaint and eclectic. Please don't miss out on this wonderful establishment!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cachapas
First time trying Venezuelan and it was delicious food, the restaurant is quaint with delightful quirky decor and a wonderful host. Definitely recommend.