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Arepa City
Category: Restaurants Latin American Latin American [Edit]
316 N 2nd StHarrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 233-3332
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 9 pm
Fri 11 am - 3 am
Sat 12 pm - 3 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
57 reviews for Arepa City
Review Highlights
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"Everything was delicious, especially the chorizo con papas." In 5 reviews -
"Spicy slaw is super spicy and delicious." In 8 reviews -
"This is very authentic Venezuelan food." In 3 reviews
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56 reviews in English
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Review from Krisy P.
Morton, PA
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Arepa, like little corn pockets of heaven! You've got to get them/try them in as many combinations as you can fit in your tummy. I especially enjoyed the avocado and queso, while Hubs added some pulled pork to his to bulk it up.
Make sure you save room for flan of all kinds; the best are coconut, mocha, or choco-peanut butter.
The service is quite good because it is a small intimate eatery. Stop in to try for yourself! Don't forget it's a BOYB too. -
Review from Saif S.
Chicago, IL
3/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
This a great spot in downtown. I ordered the patacones Jardinero and it really makes veggie food taste good.
just keep in mind that the arepas are just sandwiches in cornbread.
the only downside is the place is kinda small. -
Review from Beth G.
Newville, PA
3/14/2012
What a great eatery! We tested it out because of a Living Social Deal, but I can tell you that I would pay full price on any day to eat there. The food was great and can be very spicy depending on what you get. I trid the Pelua Arepa and it was yummy! Fair warning though, there is a lot of liquid in them, so eat over the plate. If you don't, you could be swimming in your seat. Also, the Fried Queso is delish and makes me wonder how to make it at home. My husband didn't like that the Yuca Frita didn't come with ketchup but we got to try a whole bunch of different sauces. It also came with a side of Spicy slaw. It is spicy. Very spicy...like leave your lips numb spicy. But the flavor is wonderful. The heat comes later.
We had a great server who was knowledgable and patiently explained what everything was so we could make an informed decision. The service was quick and you definitely can get in and out of there for a work lunch within a half hour to forty minutes.
She also informed us that they do deliver, so on a rainy day, they may get the call.
We'll definitely be back. -
Review from Sam O.
PRINCE, NY
5/8/2012
This place is good. Solid menu, unique for the area, and decent service. One of the only places I've tried in downtown Harrisburg where the food has some heart and soul to it.
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Review from Arian M.
Hershey, PA
4/22/2012
OM FUCKING NOM
Granted, the arepas have gotten a little smaller, and the "lunch size" kinda sucks, BUT THIS PLACE IS AWESOME. The crybaby sauce changes from time to time, and that spicy cabbage that comes with the fried green plantains is money. The 3 for $12 deal is where its at, just make sure you come hungry. The pulled pork just melts in your mouth, and the black beans are so freakin delicious it is ridiculous.
I can't say much for the meatless dishes, because I'M A FUCKING CARNIVORE, but I haven't eaten anything there I didn't like, so roll in, get yourself some arepas, and get ready to chow. They have decent appetizers, and I hear the main dishes are great (albeit a bit pricey), but again, the arepas are where it's at! If your taste buds are too wussy for a little spice, you might want to bring your own box of tissues though, just sayin...
The late night menu has some pretty awesome skewers, they make excellent post-shitty-night-out-in-Harriburg-bars food.
So eat here, and thank me later. -
Review from Colin P.
Stratford, CT
I was alone and famished in a strange city on a dreary evening; what better opportunity to use my Yelp app? Sort by rating, $-$$, 1 mile, open now, go!
The name "Arepa City" doesn't sound very compelling, but the abundance of positive reviews, my constant craving for things of a tropical nature and being all too familiar with my other option (Five Guys) really sealed the deal.
I wandered to the back of the dining room where the lone server was located behind a small bar. Everything on the menu sounded highly enticing. I wanted arepas, of course, because I'd never been able to try them before and they are the namesake dish of the restaurant. After several of them caught my eye, the server suggested that I order the arepa slider trio.
Most of the arepa sliders are $5.00, so the trio at $12.00 seemed like a good value (it also ended up being perfectly satisfying portion - see photo). I ordered the Miliciosa (roasted pork, grilled queso fresco and avocado), Pabellon (shredded flank steak, black beans, sweet plantain and queso fresco) and a pork version of the Pabellon. To wash it down, I also ordered a banana milkshake.
It would have been awkward to sit at the tiny bar with the server in a nearly empty restaurant, so I took a seat at the front of the dining area. Unfortunately, the two other customers were clones of "Cathy" from the comic strip "Cathy." The banana milkshake arrived just as they were projecting when in the future they might become cat ladies. It was kind of icy and not very creamy. The server came back shortly afterward to ask if it was sweet enough because she'd forgotten to add sugar... oops. The bananas actually were sweet enough, but I'd have made it with less ice and more milk/la lechera/ice cream.
The sliders arrived and the presentation exceeded my expectations. Each was delicious and I'd order all three again. The corn buns were unique and, though soft, showed no sign of crumbling. I don't know how large the regular arepas are, but three of the sliders was just the right amount of food for me. After I had already devoured two of them, the server brought me a small cup of a cilantro sauce for dipping. This unexpected gesture was very nice, but a little late. Either way, it tasted great with my remaining arepa.
A couple things to note: They're open for "late night" (until 3am on Friday and Saturday) which is amazing for such a small, isolated town. Also, I'm glad I only had to share the dining room with the "Cathies" during my visit, because the furniture is quite oversized and really densely packed in considering the small space. I imagine that it gets loud, hot and cramped during busy periods.
I could certainly see myself becoming a regular here. Should I ever again find myself in Harrisburg, I'll skip the Yelp app and head directly to Arepa City. -
Review from Jessica M.
Harrisburg, PA
12/5/2011
Unbelievably delicious! I bring everyone from out of town to this restaurant and they are amazed and always ask to come here when they come back to town.
Even my friends from big cities haven't had Venezuelan food before, so that's always a good selling point, but the food is just always fresh and delicious.
I must admit the place is small and so is the staff so sometimes the servers can get backed up. If you can be understanding about this, you will be rewarded with very pleasant service and excellent food that you can't get anywhere else.
*They are BYOB*
MAKE SURE to get dessert - their flan is out of this world - really, and don't be afraid of the corn flan....it's the best way to eat corn I have ever tasted!
They also have a bunch of different sauces, that come separate but can be used for dipping any of the food from any meal! Make sure to try them all!
If you are walking by on the weekend, they usually have a stand outside the restaurant later at night which sells delectable, moist chicken on a stick!
If you have never had fried plantains, please make sure you treat yourself to fried sweet plantains. -
Review from A. E.
Fairfax, VA
11/25/2011
I have to say, my expectations were low for this place given the fact that none of the chairs and tables were stable when we sat down initially and the majority of patrons at that time were just drinking alcohol.
I was fortunately wrong about that assessment. Right off the bat the server was very upfront and helpful about what to pick on the menu and me and my friend knew what we wanted: sliders. The Sliders Trio to be exact, since we were both starving from driving into town from D.C.
I tried the Carne Mechada (flank steak), Chicken Guisado, and of course the crowd favorite, Chorizo con Papas. I can say that without previously having arepas, these were fantastic and hit the spot. I saved the Chorizo con Papas for last and I recommend you do the same because the spiciness and deep flavors overpower the other arepas.
Came back here for late night kabobs and this is where i have to deduct points... the kabobs were not very good. Too chewy and not too flavorful. Being a kabob aficionado myself, I can't let them off that easily! Overall, their core Venezuelan fare is pretty awesome as it is, so don't sweat their kabobs. -
Review from Amy G.
Hampden, PA
7/24/2011
I love it. This is technically a 4.5.
I've been here several times for lunch and the food has always been excellent. They also graciously accommodated our group of 12 for a retirement lunch despite their small size.
The feature dish, the Arepa, is a sandwich (a gluten-free "bread") that is almost like a very thick corn tortilla sliced in half and filled with a variety of options. (You can even get it with two different fillings which is a great way to find out what you like.)
There are fillings to please everyone. Some spicy, some sweet, some creamy. Even the vegetarians in our group were happy with their options.
I'm a fan of the Pabellon, Pernill, and Carne Mechada. The tostones are also excellent and I find myself wanting to lick the bowl that holds the sauce. Lots of great sauces are available to accent your meal - including one so hot even the Indian chili-heads on my team couldn't believe the heat. The slaw is also great.
Good portions, too. -
Review from Shaqueela G.
Harrisburg, PA
12/5/2011
The best chicken avocado salad sandwich ever!!!!
:) -
Review from Juli R.
Newmanstown, PA
7/11/2011
I went to Arepa City for lunch with my fiance. I had to run in ahead to get change for the parking meter and the waitress was very friendly, she made change for me out of her own wallet.
We shared tostones with a variety of sauces and they were phenomenal. (shhh...they're better than the ones my Puerto Rican cousin makes!) Our waitress (whose name I forget) brought us some sauces to try since we were first timers. I forget what she called the avocado/cilantro/vinegar sauce but it was so good, when we were out of tostones, I stuck my fingers in the sauce.
For arepas, we split the Chorizo con Papas (spicy sausage and potatoes) and the Pabellon (flank steak, black beans, plantain and queso fresco). They were absolutely incredible. The arepa itself was fresh and piping hot. There was good crust on the outside but it was soft in the middle. They were overstuffed and just good. Really, really good.
We actually ordered dessert because our waitress was so bubbly and friendly. I had coconut flan and my fiance had the peanut butter flan. Both were a good sized serving and (I'm getting redundant here) so good. My only complaint about the dessert is that the shredded coconut was left really long and it made the flan difficult to cut with my spoon.
I'll be back there, for sure. -
Review from Julia D.
Harrisburg, PA
1/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Arepa City is a breath of fresh air in a bar food dominated town. The Arepas are delicious and worth a try (gluten free!). I'm also a huge fan of the Tostones which are served with a very spicy slaw and a side of some sort of Cilantro avocado dip. Very tasty! I've been here several times and the service had always been very slow, but last night I must say the service was much faster and our waitress was very nice and even recommended several of the dinner dishes to us.
Check this place out if you're in Harrisburg it's unique and delicious. It's BYOB so bring a bottle or a six pack, they'll happily provide the glasses.Listed in: Best Restaurants in the Burg
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Review from bampf S.
Mechanicsburg, PA
3/26/2011
Probably our favorite place to eat in the city. Absolutely amazing dishes. The beautiful thing about Arepa city is those with an adventurous palate can satisfy your longing for the exotic, but you can bring your 'meat and potatoes' friends as well... slow cooked beef and pork... everyone can appreciate that. It s a great gateway drug to get your non-adventurous friends to try some great ethnic cuisine...
"You like slow cooked BBQ right? Good. You ll love Arepas then"
It will work and they will love it! In five visits we have yet to have a bad dish. My advice... anything with plantains is golden! -
Review from Faustino S.
Hollywood, FL
4/6/2011
Love those arepas!
This is very authentic Venezuelan food.. even the owner and chef is from Venezuela :).
"Como esta la vaina? Muy buena" -
Review from Kelly Y.
Harrisburg, PA
2/13/2012
Absolutely yummy! BYOB, makes it even better! Service is typically quite good and very helpful but the place is tiny, so be prepared to wait depending on the hour.
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Review from Melissa D.
Mechanicsburg, PA
6/27/2011
MMmmmmmmm...I haven't been so stuffed as I was leaving this place in a LONG time!!! Finally a great Latin place to eat!! I was introduced to this place with a coupon I found in the Coupon Clipper and am so thankful I tried it!!! We didn't have reservations, and were still able to be fit in on a Saturday night. This seemed like winning a small lottery since the place was REALLY small and I do mean literally "fit" in. We had to get up and move our chairs to let the table next to us leave when they were finished.
The waitresses were very busy so not so much on the personable side, though our waitress perked up a little after I spoke some Spanish with her. I was happy with the selections on the menu, and chose not to order a delicious sounding arepa. I'm definitely trying one next time. As a mother of a toddler, I was very grateful for the waitress who brought out some maduros for my daughter to munch on before we ordered. She was getting a little fussy due to it being a little past her dinnertime. I ordered the pernil, rice and beans, yucca, and tostones...which were to die for! Perfectly crispy and salty, I know I could float out of there when I was done from the amount of sodium intake! The tostones come out with a tray of little dips...oh man they were so good! My mother has the pulled beef which was simemred in a red sauce like ropa vieja. She LOVED it, as did my two year old daughter who woofed down many bites of both of our meals. My mother's only complaint was regarding the maduros (sweet plantains), they weren't cooked as long as she likes, with the crispy edges and super soft in the middle. The waitress was very confused when we requested them to be cooked a little longer. They did end up coming back out a little crispier though. the food was completely authentic, and I wish I had more money (and more tummy room) to try out some other things. I'm definitely coming back to this winner of a Latin eatery!! i apologize to any bystanders who could smell my garlic breath a block away while walking back to my car!
My recommendation...MAKE A RESERVATION!! This is a must try place!!
Pros: Authenticity of flavor, menu choices, the Tostones dips!!!!
Cons: cluttered seating, parking availability, very small restaurant -
Review from Dan R.
9/12/2009 9 photos
Yelp had some fantastic reviews of Arepa City, which interested me, so this past weekend we ended up visiting during Kipona. I havent really had experience with much South American food, but was very excited. There is indoor & outdoor seating, inside its kind of tight, not much leg room. There are pictures & postcards from Venezuala that decorate the walls. The waiter & waitress were pretty cool, they put up with us (our daughter was really restless)!
For starters we had the Sopa de Caratos Negras (black bean soup 4.50)- which was alright, it had a dark rich broth. We tried the Pabellon arepa (flank steak, black beans, fried plantains & white cheese 7.00) which was really good. We also tried the Carne Mechada (flank steak, onions, peppers, tomato 6.50) and to go we got the 2 more arepas (Pernil and Chorizo con Papas). They came with a small paper wrapper to pick it up, and were loaded with meat and cheese.
Its always exciting to see new styles of food in Harrisburg, that really arent that expensive. Arepa City is on my to-do-again list. Thanks so much to all the other Yelpers (Lisa, Brian, Dana) who really had spot on reviews! -
Review from John C.
Mechanicsburg, PA
10/24/2009
I am quite disappointed actually. I am from Venezuela and know exactly how each of those items suppose to taste. Arepa is my favorite dish and quite disappointed to what I got in Arepa city.
To start it off, the place, location, and the decorations are quite nice as other reviewers have stated.
Ok, the first item of the menu:
Cocada: This drink is suppose to be a slushy coconut drink. Very popular that you can find around beaches. What I got from Arepa City was a water down version. Barely or no coconut meat in it(which is usually shredded and blended into the drink). The drink was also a bit bitter and had an odd after taste which leads me to believe they did not used fresh coconut juice nor condense milk.
Arepa: I ordered the Chicken Guisado Arepa. The chicken was decent. However, the arepa itself, the masa, the "bread", didn't taste fresh and I do not think it was cook thoroughly.
Empanada: I ordered the Domino Empanada. The empanada is filled with black beans and white cheese. The filling wasn't that great, but it was better than the arepa. With this one, they cooked it thoroughly so it was definitely much better.
Now, the only reason I gave it a 3 star instead of 2 stars was because of the guasacaca. This is a very popular salsa and I eat it a LOT! The one that they make in Arepa City was not the best I have tasted, but was still pretty good.
Although I am sad that Venezuelan arepa is represented poorly, guasacaca is well represented. Empanadas are pretty good too so I will definitely get my coworkers and others to try it. I will probably be coming back here to try their yucca, tostones(my favorite snack), queso fresco( my favorite cheese). -
Review from Hannah N.
Salt Lake City, UT
Updated - 5/17/2010
Just went there recently and sorry to say that the quality has gone down quite a bit from what I was used to. I guess that's what happens when restaurants get popular, but I would always rather the prices were upped $1~$2 than to see the quality suffer. Especially since I used to try to go to the restaurant at least every other month or so since last year.
I ordered a few arepas, yucca fritas, sweet plantains, and a platano relleno. I may be mistaken, but sad to say the arepa corn bread has changed to something thinner than what I was accustomed to last year. Still tasty, but a little disappointing. Additionally, the sauces they used to have at the table are not there anymore. You have to order them separately, and instead of getting the neverending variety of 3, you have to specifically ask for them and when you do, it comes in a tiny dipping container. All of these were sad changes, but not deal breakers.
The real deal breaker was the platano relleno. When we used to order the platano relleno, the plate used to be overfilling with glorious fresh cheese and meat. Not the case anymore. The meat has been reduced to around 1/3 of what it used to be, and instead of the meat, the platano is topped with black beans. And to be honest, black beans are a poor substitute for its former glory. Scant cheese sprinkled on the top. Totally not even close to what it used to be.
Honestly, the food is still in the 'pretty good' category, but definitely NOT what we have come to expect from Arepa City. We'll still be stopping by for drunk food after partying on 2nd street, but no more special occasion dinners. I mean, if it's your first time there, I'm sure you won't notice and still have a jolly good meal. But as a repeat patron, I'm just saddened and disappointed at the downgrade in the quality and quantity of food.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/21/2010
Let me start by saying I have a Cuban boyfriend from Miami who was unsatisfied by anything we've had… Read more »
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Review from Phil B.
3/30/2010
I was surprised to discover this place existed in Harrisburg. Chalk that up to preconceptions, I guess.
The place is small and casual, and BYOB. The food was good - I went with tostones and an arepa sandwich. The tostones came with a dip I was not accustomed to, I believe it was salsa, but my memory may be incorrect. And they are sliced vertically like chips. Still, they tasted great.
The arepa was great and filling. I only had one, and was pretty full at the end. -
Review from Sandra M.
New Cumberland, PA
7/12/2010
As a vegetarian, Arepa City offers many delicious choices at reasonable prices. I am particularly fond of the domino empanadas and arepas, which contain black beans, spices, and queso. The queso is a bit salty, but still tasty. The spicy slaw that comes with many of the dishes is delightful and goes great with the yucca fries. I've wanted to try the tequenos, but they have never had them every time I've been there.
My biggest complaint is the service. The waitresses are rude and slow to bring you anything. One time they messed up one of the orders and actually argued with one of my friends about what he ordered. She then took over a half hour to bring him the right dish, with no apology.
If they improved the service, I could honestly give Arepa City five stars. The food is great, but they really need to hire a better wait staff. -
Review from Brian R.
Harrisburg, PA
5/10/2009
Wonderful restaurant. The food here is just fantastic, and certainly unique to the region. I've never tasted Venezuelan food before but I'm sure I'll be getting much more from this place.
It's right next door to Ceoltas, you really can't miss the bright yellow exterior. The inside is small but quite nice, and the food is worth recommending. We tried the shredded pork, 4 mini arepas, and an empenada. All were excellent. The arepas were like mini corn pitas stuffed with different combos of meat, beans, and whatever else.
Reasonable prices too, go try this place ! -
Review from Colleen S.
10/23/2009
I was quite surprised today at lunch, I mean I read the reviews but never expected such a cute little cafe tucked so close to the row. Really tidy inside, nice tables and decor. Great location and even got a spot to park less than a block away during the busy lunchtime madness.
The staff were so friendly and to be honest its a small place so having the other patrons being chatty and very cute as well. Not sure if this is a common thing but I was the only table with a lonesome one, but all the nearby tables were chatty so .. there you go.
I had the black bean soup and the Chicken Morichal (Pulled chicken in tomato sauce, served with rice, black beans and fried plantains). Just returning from Costa Rica I really needed a refueling of plantains and was not disappointed. I would agree that at least with this particular dish it did have a seasoned salt in the sauce (others mentioned a saltiness) it was not overbearing at all and really complimented the dish. Needless to say looking at the menu, what others had and the reviews I will be back. This is a nice cheap place for lunch with fresh ingredients... definitely worth a lunchtime drive downtown (or for you walkers) -
Review from Mandy H.
This place was very good and different for me, as I've never had Venezuelan food before. I ordered the $9 lunch special which was an arepa, can of soda, and sweet plantains. I thought that was a pretty good deal. I chose the 1/2 pernil, which was pork leg, and 1/2 Pelua, which was flank steak with cheddar cheese. Both were very delicious. My other companions were a little more adventurous than me and tried some of the other arepas with plantains on them or avocado, which looked equally delicious. The sweet plantains were like a nice desert and I felt very satisfied after my meal. I think this place is a BYOB too, so it probably would be a good dinner spot. Definitely give it a try.
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Review from Samantha N.
Harrisburg, PA
7/15/2010
Had a good meal with a good friend last night at Arepa City. I started with the Merengada de Cambur (banana shake) which was light and delicious - perfect for a steamy July evening, sitting outside. For dinner I had the Pabellon arepa (shredded pork, black beans, fried plantains and white cheese) which was the perfect size and sufficiently flavorful. My friend got the Arroz con Pollo (Spanish-style rice, chicken, chorizo, olives, peppers, onions, cherry wine and spicy slaw) which she said was spicy but delicious. We both tried the flan for dessert (her mocha, me coconut) and both were a perfect summer treat!
The only negative thing I can say about Arepa City was the speed of our service. Our waitress was super friendly and helpful but 30 minutes would go by between seeing her. Because we sat outside it was more difficult to flag her down if we needed something. -
Review from Todd R.
Harrisburg, PA
7/9/2010
Not sure why it took me so long to make it here. I was very pleased with the service and the food.
I think it is first important to note that the menu states the arepas are gluten-free and they offer some vegetarian options.
I had the Picadillo arepa (beef and green olive) with blackbeans and rice and my cohort had the Guisado arepa (shredded chicken in tomato sauce) and the tostones appetizer with spicy slaw. Everything had a good flavor. I think the owner may have brought our food out. He offered us some condiments with our meal as he somehow knew it was our first time. There was a garlicky mayo and avocado-cilantro sauce that were both tasty.
We walked in and were seated immediately. Despite the restaurant being almost completely full, our female server (who was the only server there) was attentive and explained to us the menu.
We did not opt for dessert. They were out of a couple dishes but it was not a major issue for us. Some may think the prices are a bit high but the portions are generous. Will definitely go back. I'll give it 5 because I think people should try it. -
Review from Erin R.
Seattle, WA
8/19/2011
Here on a long overnight staying at a hotel just up the street I was psyched to have a yummy Latino meal. The arepas are indeed good, and I decided to try two different halves rather than having just one variety. The Caraquena and the Pabello were both good, and the side of sweet plantain was also tasty. I was a little disappointed at how small the portions were, but I guess for $6.00 (the lunch special) that's to be expected. Glad I got the side of plantain though! The woman behind the counter was friendly and at 2pm there was only one other family dining at the time. Good experience over all and I'll be back next time I'm in PA in the mood!
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Review from Art C.
Harrisburg, PA
8/22/2009
Marinated pork arepa- excellent
The fried green plantains were very good, but the star of the show was the vinegar-based spicy slaw. It's just outrageous. I wish they sold the slaw by the quart to-go.
Spotlessly clean, very friendly staff. Owner said BYOB, they will not be applying for a liquor license. Too bad, a Red Stripe or a Negra Modelo would be great with an arepa. -
Review from Laurene C.
Baltimore, MD
4/17/2011
Don't let the unassuming exterior fool you, arepa city is an adorable little restaurant that serves some yummy arepas. Arepas are sort of like tacos where instead of tortillas, the ingredients are stuffed into a thick corn cake. Be warned, these are a little messy unless you want to fork and knife it, and even then, I almost flipped my arepa into my friend's face-so it may not be ideal for a first date if you're trying to exude prim and proper dining etiquette, but hey, might as well go balls out from the get go.
We go the tostones for an appetizer, which are green plantains that are sort of smushed and resemble thick circular fries. They are served w/ spicy slaw and your choice of sauces. It was delicious and simple.
Based on some forceful recommendations by the owners' delightfully identical and precocious daughters, we got the Pabellon arepa, which is shredded steak, beans, a slice of plantain and grilled queso fresco. This one, by far, was my favorite. The Miliciosa was also quite good. The corn cake part was a little hard b/c it was grilled-my only very minor complaint.
Cant wait to come back and try the patacones! -
Review from Tina Z.
Dauphin, PA
2/15/2010
You can't miss Arepa City's bright blue exterior. inside is a small dining area with friendly, attentive staff who are welcoming and very helpful to 1st timers like us.
All but one of our large lunch party was new to Arepa and it's Venezuelan cuisine. I called ahead since our lunch party had grown to 15 and I knew the seating was limited. They were very accommodating and had the tables all ready for us. Our server was the only one and she was great and very busy. We were one of 2 large groups that came in and all the other tables were filled as well. I noticed at least 5 take out orders come and go as we were there too.
I ordered:
Corn Bun w/ Miliciosa $7.00
(Roasted pork, grilled queso fresco and sliced of avocado)
Huge amount of tender, shredded pork that was very tasty. The corn bun is good but I found it a little hard to eat so I cut it up and ate it all with a fork.
Carne Mechada Empanada $4.50 same corn bun outside but inside was a very nice beef filling that I really liked
Others had:
Chorizo con Papas $6.00 (Spanish Chorizo and diced potatoes) This looked very appetizing and got a thumbs up
Chicken Morichal $10.95 and the Pabellon Criollo $12.00 both were enjoyed
Chicken soup looked hearty and homemade and also had a thumbs up ( but said it could have been warmer)
Ensalada de Palmito (Hearts of palm, avocado, tomato, onions and balsamic dressing) $8.00- nice but small and not worth $8.00
If you can't decide you can choose "undecided" and choose 2 items, they will give you 2 halves of the corn bun sandwich which is nice
For dessert Mocha, coconut and corn flan was ordered and the winner was the Mocha Flan, I really liked the coconut, it has alot of coconut and taste coconut cream pie-ish
Everyone said they were won over and would return to Arepa. -
Review from Pat B.
Harrisburg, PA
2/4/2010
Very friendly place, I like their attitude, try it, if you don't like it, don't pay.
The roasted meat (chicken/pork) Arepa (sandwiches) were very good. I would go back again, it's casual and reasonably priced. There are many freshly made sauces to try. I love flan, but did not care for the chunky corn one- the texture is terrible with chewy corn bits. -
Review from Seth M.
Harrisburg, PA
7/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love this place. The menu is completely gluten free and all home cooked. I was very happy with everything that we ordered.
The prices were a bit higher than I was anticipating but I am certainly not complaining for the quality that I received. I am really picky about the food when we eat out, but I felt this was worth every penny I spent.
... unfortunately I forgot the left-overs on the table *sigh*. -
Review from Richard P.
Arlington, VA
7/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Service great, food was excellent, best yucca I ever had, highly recommend, only criticism is the air freshener that automatically sprays on the dining area, the food smell which is really great should suffice!
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Review from Amy C.
Harrisburg, PA
1/7/2011
I wish I could give this a 4.5. This is one of our favorite places to eat- the food is delicious, the prices are amazing, and it's byob.
Love the tostones and all of the arepas are amazing. Spicy slaw is super spicy and delicious. The entrees are so reasonably priced and really good... the platano relleno and arroz con polllo are two of my favorites.
Their black beans are also lovely
If I had one complaint, it's that the place is SMALL! and I often feel guilty sticking around for a few extra minutes to finish our wine. They take reservations which often leads to a lot of "reserved" tables that stay empty for your whole visit while you are shoved in a corner but it's worth it for some different, delicious, inexpensive food in a city full of mediocre stuff. -
Review from Stephanie Y.
Mechanicsburg, PA
7/10/2011
Showed up too late to order from the full dinner menu, but did get to chose from a nice selection of Arepas on the late night menu. Everything was delicious, especially the chorizo con papas. I will definitely go back when I'm in town.
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Review from Josh F.
East Greenville, PA
7/3/2009
Simply awesome spot!
The food was outstanding, and the staff/owner were friendly and attentive. We had the tostones and yuca frita to start, both were quite tastey, and not greasy in the least. The accompanying sauces were amazing, specifically the spicy mayo and guasacaca...complimented the tostones/yuca very well. I had the jaredine and black bean with queso fresca arepas, grilled...as opposed to fried...although they looked good fried, my girlish tummy hates me after eating fried anything. They were good sized, and stuffed full of fillings.
No booze on premise, and being July 3rd...all local wine and spirit spots were shutdown, no worries. I tried to buy a bottle of wine from the Irish pub next door, but they refused...F them ;)
Go...eat...enjoy. -
Review from Paul E.
Harrisburg, PA
3/8/2011
Food was good, reasonable prices for lunch. Only 1-2 servers during the day, and you can get a good portioned meal for around $6. Small restaurant, so gets packed quick (but never seen too too busy).
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Review from Jared D.
Marysville, PA
1/30/2011
The food was pretty good when I actually got service. The first time I went the food was delicious, but the service was very slow, I had to remind the waiter several times that we were indeed waiting to be served. The food was good and the portions were medium. The second time we had to remind the waiter several times to wait on us, and after the third time of holding us off and 20 mins passing we left, lets just say I never had another date with that girl and I never went back to Arepa City.
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Review from Anne C.
Arlington, MA
5/27/2009
All you really need to know before going in to Arepa City is that the food is delicious, and if you're not sure what to order, your waitress will help you. I went last weekend with my husband and his parents, and we ordered a ridiculous number of arepas because we couldn't decide which ones we really wanted. I had one arepa (the pepil) and the black bean soup. The soup was awesome. I love homemade soup, and this was definitely homemade. And cheap! I think it was only $2 for a huge bowl.
One of the other reviews suggested that if you like tacos, you'll like arepas. That might be true, but arepas really don't taste or look like tacos. And the review that says the food was bland? I don't know what she was talking about. It was all pretty salty, I'll admit that, but our waitress was always there to refill the water glasses, so it wasn't a problem.
We also ordered the tostones (fried plantains), and they were more flavorful than many I have had in the past.
I never had an arepa until I went to Arepa City, and now I can't wait to go back for more. In the meantime, I'll probably have to look for some in Boston... -
Review from shannon s.
Philadelphia, PA
2/12/2011
The food is phenomenal! It is authentic and well priced. Other bonuses include being open late night on weekends and being BYO. Particular dishes our group enjoyed: The Pabellon (both the arepa and the entree version are excellent and give you the full flavor of Venezuela) and the miliciosa arepa filled with pulled pork, fried cheese and fresh avocado. The tostones with various dipping sauces made an excellent appetizer.
I would have given the place 5 stars if the service wasn't lacking- we were the only group in the place and still felt not attended to at times. I likely would not go during the very busy dinner hour as I suspect the service would be even worse then.
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