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Categories: Nightlife, Latin American, Cuban [Edit]
4535 N. 5th StreetAfter much salivating I got my butt to this place to finally try their meal. First it's in a shady area but if you are just going to eat and peace out, then the area doesn't really affect anything.
Cool thing is that you can park in the rite aid lot across the street, that's a sense of safety that your vehicle is okay at least while you eat. They have guards in the lot who are there more or less to make sure stray people don't park there...they'll tow you with the quickness I'm sure.
I did make reservations 3days prior BUT for some reason when I got there, there was some miscommunication AS IF I never made reservations. It turned out okay because my party as accommodated nonetheless rather quickly. But I can't help but wonder what happened to my reservation despite the fact that I call even the morning off to confirm?
The place is def best for groups, it just has that atmosphere. The food is relatively inexpensive for the portion you get and everything was delicious. For a party we really just ordered 1 of the appetizer platters because the party trickled in but if everyone is there..I would recommend 1-2 of the appetizer platters because it has a lot included.
Drinks, I had the Caprihina. Just one cause I had another place to be and I needed to be sober to get there safely. My friend had one of their fresh juices.
I had the broiled snapper which was very good. Rarely do I eat fish that's cooked/grilled/broiled that has much flavor it of itself. Usually they pour some sauce on it to give it flavor. But the snapper here was just flavorful. My meal came with plantain and this huge ass side salad that looked like a meal itself.
Just for future reference, if u are not going to eat the salad, ask them NOT to bring it because it was just wasted and now thinking bad, I felt bad. Don't waste food.
The only downside was that the waiter was a bit slow for the party. He had other customers but sometimes it took him too long to come back. We needed water refills and that took a while. Overall tho, they were gracious.
I would recommend this place to others. I def wanna go back to try their brunch menu, dessert menu & other things.
oh they have a club upstairs that starts pumping music around 9pm
I've be eating at Tierra Colombiana since I was 6 years old (so for 16 years) and the place was a small hole in the wall. This is, by far, the most delicious Colombian and Cuban food you will find in Philadelphia. I know they have a sister restaurant downtown (Mixto), but you can't beat the servings and price of Colombiana. Sure, it's in the heart of the ghetto, but that's how you know it's good.
There are so many amazing options to choose from, but here's a list of my favorites: bandeja tipica (a bit of everything if you're indecisive), the avocado and mango salad, the grilled red snapper, the churrasco argentino, and the chicken a caballo. That's only a few of my favorites. The soups of the day are always tasty, as is the sangria and flan. Their massive cappuccino and espresso machines churn out fantastic cafe con leches and their lulu juice (with milk!) tastes just like the one's I've had in Colombia. And don't forget their assortment of Latin sodas like Postobon and Colombiana.
This place is simply the best.
A bunch of friends and I recently threw a large birthday party here (15+ people), and they were super accommodating and attentive. It was my first meal here and will definitely not be my last.
Food here was awesome. We tried several salads, the paella, several steak and chicken entrees, and we were all raving about it at the end of the night. I didn't have one thing that wasn't delicious. The best part of the meal was the tres leches cake. They brought out a whole pan for our party. I'd go back just for that cake alone.
You might be shocked at how scary this neighborhood is, but you have an oasis in the Rite-Aid. You are allowed to park there to eat at Tierra Colombiana and it's well-lit and safe. Just try not to appear too frightened as you cross from the parking lot into the restaurant.
The place is huge, in the evenings it is a night club and you can hear the thumping music through the walls. It is always latin music however, so it fits. If you don't want that eat an earlier dinner.
The Mojitos are AMAZING and the Cuban black beans are probably one of the most delicious foods I have ever had in my life. The chef has a secret recipe from Cuba that he supervises for those beans, and my God does it show.
Skip the overly-fancy Alma de Cuba in downtown Philly and go here instead for real Cuban and Colombian food. The only negative mark I give the place is their Colombian Empanadas were not that great, everything else was amazing.
Don't forget the real Colombian coffee before you go! They import the beans directly and grind them on the spot.
The food here is great. Park across the street at the Rite Aid. The place has the feel of being outside inside the restaurant. As a table item you get a sort of cuban bread panini pressed with a brush of olive oil a nice start to the meal.
Maybe I was being biased to another colombian place that serves da bomb empanadas, but these were alright. They tasted like they sat under a heat lamp, not crispy at all. So I wouldn't recommend the empanadas unless maybe they were hot and fresh off the burner.
I ordered the
Arroz con Pollo Cubano......
Saffron rice with chicken, cuban sausage and green olives
$12.50
(Very tasty and good enough to share with another, although I ate the whole bowl myself. It came with beans and plantains. Do I have any regrets? Not a one!)
In summary this place is for just about anybody. With tasty food and large portions, you'd have a hard time not being satisfied with your meal.
Decor:5
Food:4
Service:4
Would I go back? You bet your pastrami I would!
I have only ever been here for breakfast, but it's my favorite breakfast spot in Philadelphia. I like to get gallo pinto, which is sometimes on the menu and sometimes not, but they bring it if I ask for it: rice, black beans, sweet fried plantains, avocado, fried cheese, and steak. And coffee. That costs around ten dollars.
Sometimes I get arepas,which are corn cakes with cheese. By the way, the same people operate the expensive restaurant Mixto on Pine Street. If you like Mixto, you will like Tierra Colombiana. The menu is the same. The food is the same. The prices are half. Arepas at Mixto, $2.50 for two. Arepas at Tierra Colombiana, $0.50 each. They are the same arepas.
They have a full bar. Sort of. I made the mistake of ordering bourbon. There was a long conversation over by the bar while they tried to figure out what it was. Eventually the waitress came back. She was very polite. "Sorry, we don't have bourbon." I realized my dumb mistake. This is a Cuban-Colombian restaurant; of course they do not have bourbon. Duh. I ordered brandy instead.
If you speak English, it is possible that you will be the only customer there speaking English. Remember to smile and say "gracias".
Addendum 20091005: Brought the five-year-old here for breakfast on Friday, She was very excited to be going to Daddy's secret breakfast place. Got gallo pinto again, this time with steak. The kid also ordered bacon, which turned out to be some of the best bacon I've ever had: thin, perfectly crisp, salty and flavorful. And we got arepas (cheesy polenta cakes), which I love.
But I'm really writing in because I had Cafe Cubano for the first time. This is espresso infused with a lot of cream and brown sugar. Wow. Heavenly. Suddenly I'm a Cubano addict.
Gallo pinto, plus dos arepas, bacon, cafe Cubano, cafe con leche, and hot chocolate all totalled about $21. Then we took home half the food and ate it later.
When you want something authentic and true to the flavors of spanish cuisine, I suggest coming here. A diamond in the rough, this northern location of Philly is situated in a typical city environment- which is why the restaurant could be seen a mile away with it's prominent flourescent lights that adorn the massive restaurant/nightclub structure. One of the best things about this city jewel is that you can park across the street at Rite Aid without having to find a spot blocks away.
Inside is pretty festive. Bright and happy colors dominate the entrance and throughout the restaurant. During our visit on a Wednesday night, a few patrons were enjoying their meals- mostly Spanish crowd- which strongly suggests that the food authentically resembles their cultural dishes.
The menu had an abundance of variety and were reasonably priced. They have a decent assortment of juices- the concentrate can be blended with either water or milk. We had guava which was subtle and not too sweet but just right. They have a full bar with exotic drinks for all you borderline alki's.
As an appetizer, we had empanadas made with chicken, beef and shrimp. For dinner, I had the breaded and fried chicken with rice, beans (in a bowl) and plantains- most of our food came with these delicious additions. Just be careful not to eat too much of the bread that comes before dinner- you're going to be consuming so much starch between that and your actual order that you'll be full before you can finish your meal.
We didn't get around to dessert. We LOVE tres leches cake, one of the best desserts ever created on earth, but that day we couldn't have a single bite (which is always an excuse to come back!). They do, however, have others kept in a see-through fridge at the front of the entrance. It looked fresh and appetizing.
Overall, the service was very respectful, the food came in large portions and very good quality and the sitting was pleasant. The music was appropriately subtle and we could still talk without any interferance, which could change once the club opens upstairs. They have dancing from Thursday to Saturday night I was told, and judging from the space... ALOT of people seem to go.
This place would be best for groups- to share and laugh and kick back- all the while being able to experience a little part of this beautiful Spanish culture.
Damn! One word to describe this place. Damn good, damn cheap and Damn! Where are we?
Location is not the best but this place is a gem. I cruised by for dinner one night with la familia. Getting there wasn't bad from center city. Took Roosevelt boulevard there, and it was basically 'sorta' right off the highway. The neighborhood looks a little rough, especially at night. But lemme tell you, there were people in there that looked like they were straight off Wisteria Lane. So don't let a little hood scare ya. Hood is a relative term anyway!
The place is huge, you can't miss it at night since it has a border of neon lighting on top of the roof. Getting inside you notice tons of tables, two sides to the place. Great for large groups. We got seated quickly, which was tops.
From then on, service was sorta slow. But I gave them some slack, since the place was hopping.
The menu was extensive to say the least. There is a section for Cuban and Colombian food. Good description of the dishes. We ordered to start: crab empanada (deepfried dough filled with crab meat), Plantain stuffed with mozzarella cheese and Mofongo with shrimp (crushed fried green plantains with garlic). These were excellent. The mofongo was one of the best I've had before. The appetizers are large, so share and pace yourself.
Our meal: Masa de cerdo (cubes of pork with cassava, Cuban tamale, plantains and black rice). The pork was very tender, delicious, but on the saltier side. The overall dish was excellent but the rice was the best part. I think I finished the rice before the rest. It's sorta like the Jamaican rice and peas my mom makes.
The rest of the meals were, a whole fish fried and garnished with veggies and avocado. Also garlic shrimp with plantains and rice.
The food was so good, and so much, it was insane. A few times in the meal I said I was full, but ended up finishing it since it was that good.
To top it off, I had a Cafe con leche and flan. I am a big lover and critic of flan, and this was a little lacking. But hey, I was already full and so it wasn't anything.
There is a dance club, upstairs and so things can get a bit loud on certain nights. On the bright side, you can eat and then go dance it off.
The whole vibe of the place is a social, loud, gastronomic delight. Many returns are in store for the future!
So I've been hearing about this place a lot, and usually everyone has good....no, great things to say about it. I went there with high hopes and plantains dreams.
I was told to try the Chursasco Argentina, and we also got the Chursaco Columbian (per the waiter's suggestion when I said I was in a meat mood). For both dishes we got yellow rice, red beans and plantains. The Churasco Columbian was too dry and over cooked, even though I asked for Medium. The Argentina was ok, but nothing to rave about. The side dishes were good, but there are a lot of other places if you just want good sides. For dessert we tried the Tres Leches cake and it was a bit too sweet for my taste. In all fairness, I'm just not that big on desserts so don't take my word for it.
Ultimately, I didn't think it lived up to the hype, but that could be because I went in expecting too much or I just ordered the wrong things. I will say though that I like the place enough to come back and keep trying. The prices and portions are good, and the service is friendly. So if anyone can recommend other things to try, I'm open to suggestions.
Just to say that I would move to philladelphia just to be close to this restaurant!.
When I use to study at edison Highschool I use to go here with my sister like every 2 weeks and i absolutly loved it!....
For my birthday all i wanted as a gift was to go to this place.
im dying to go back to philly just to go to this restaurant.
The enviroment is great. The service is super! And was the place it self is so traditional. It makes me feel like if i just took a flight to colombia it self.
When i go i always order arroz con pollo with selvesa. thats rice with chicken cooked with a hint of beer.
Once I went & there was the cutest most buffed waiters serving me and my sister the food. && they was so nice to us! We even got a special dish on the house.( Come on!! im a sweet heart! lol)
I would so recomend this place to anybody.
this place is a MUST!!!
Its approved by Catherine Galan
the pickiest critict yet known :)
wonderful Spanish eatery in north Philly. the food was very good and the service was also very good. I've eaten here a few times and the quality is consist ant. i especially enjoyed the picadillo and the desserts. bring lots of friends for good eats, tropical drinks and later on, go upstairs and dance your ass off!
Don't get me wrong: I love this place. But I can't imagine giving it 5 stars.
For someone coming from the western suburbs this is a slightly challenging place to get to (I've never managed to get off the Boulevard at the right place). The neighborhood isn't the greatest, but it is definitely improving. When I first was introduced about 5 years ago the parking lot across the street was just that: a lot. No pavement, no nothing. Just dirt and a pulled down chain-link fence. Since then a brand-spanking new pharmacy (walgreens, I think) was put in and, thankfully, a wonderful, huge parking lot facing Tierra Colombiana was put in. In addition, I think Tierra Colombiana put a little money into their facade.
The food is pretty good. As others have noted, big portions. The bandeja tipica, basically a breakfast platter, is enough for 2 or 3--though I know a certain colombiana who can polish it off and want seconds.
The appetizers could be a little more diverse. If you order a picada you'll basically be getting a "pupu platter" version of everything. For a fan of the argentine version of a picada, it's a bit disappointing. But the chef is already covering cuban and colombian cuisine, so I think it's fair that he not have to include tierra del fuego into his gastronomic geography.
The paella came suggested by the waitress (who was very nice and very attentive) but when asked if she could not include mussels in the dish she let on that it comes from a pre-made bag. Once the paella was served that much became obvious. Though it was generously adorned with chorizo (a personal favorite), the paella lacked the toasty-ness one expects.
The churrasco argentino and colombiano are both pretty good.
They make a very tasty white wine sangria and are willing to whip up whatever kind of liquado you might desire.
The upstairs is home to a latin dance club. I haven't had the opportunity to check it out, but if you push the envelope on closing time downstairs you'll end up hearing the music anyway.
This is the original restaurant that inspired Mixto down in center city. Even if it is out in North/Northeast Philly, it is worth the trip! So much better and more affordable than Mixto with food that is fresh and authentic (enforced by the many Colombians who visit the restaurant).
Go for lunch when the service is quicker and the crowds are smaller (and it is light outside... bc the neighborhood is not the best). The Bandeja Tipica comes with a chicharones (deep fried fatty short ribs - 4 pieces) with an arepa (corn cake with cheese) and a huge platter with a steak topped with 2 eggs, rice, beans, plantains, and avocado. Top it off with the home-made salsa and you have a meal for two that costs $11.
I use to go here alot as a kid for breakfast. Their bread was always my favorite part. I've only been here for dinner a couple of times (maybe 2). Althought the food is good, I never thought it was amazing, maybe because I have spanish food on a regular basis. The service is pretty slow and the hardest part is probably trying to find parking on 5th street.
This is the place for authentic Columbian food.
I love this place! This is where I went to seek comfort in the madness that is medical school. The entrees are big, and the dishes come with huge portions of plantains and rice and beans. My go-to item was the cajun shrimp with yellow rice, it was totally worth the sketchy parking in north philly. Mixto is considered to be the upscale version of Tierra Columbiana, but I've been there to, and it really doesn't compare (except in price).
My parents used to take me to this place as a kid. I just recently started eating here again and it really brings back the memories. Awesome food, great portions, and best of all it's cheap. The vegetarian platter is only $7.50 and has the biggest portions I've ever seen at that price. Fantastic!
On the low, this is that spot when you want a good ratio of cost to amount of food. Colombian and Cuban food here. I like it better than some of the Cuban spots in Center City because the only concern when it comes to plating is fitting everything on it. Don't miss their various tropical fruit nectars and juices. Morirsonando is my personal favorite. Good churrasco steaks. Those that eat pork, get the arroz con chorizo. yummy. tostones with their special garlic sauce? fantastico. One of my top 5 fav places to eat in the city! It's in the hood, but don't be scurred. Park in the Rite Aid lot across the street (they have an agreement)
this is one of my favorite places in philly. i've been here several times and the food is consistently delicious. it's very reasonably priced, considering the huge portions. everything i've ordered there is perfect and they make the best mojitos i've ever had. my mouth is watering as i type.
service is efficient and friendly, and it helps if you speak spanish. i love this restaurant!!!
Everything I have had on the menu has been delicious. I am looking forward to trying their breakfast...I heard it's spectacular. The portions here are huge and very tasty. Their coffee is to die for but most of all their churasco steak is incredible...whether it be Ecuadorian, Argentinian or Cuban...yum
Very authentic, great food and great price.
Neighborhood: Washington Square West
Category: Latin American
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Cuban
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Spanish
Neighborhood: Olde City
Category: Cuban
Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
Category: Latin American
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