Orinoco

Had the pepito de carne and it was SO good. Meat was tender and flavorful. Would definitely order again and come back.

I’ve never had specifically Venezualan food before. The food is great at a good price. Arepas are a little small. However I love to order the Empanadas (gluten free).
I recommend the drink called «papelon con limon», it’s a lemon-​with-​sugarcane juice and I just can’t get enough of it! The outdoor seating is also lovely on a nice day.
It does close on the early side and only has two desserts – but they are both great (chocolate one is AMAZING (but not gluten free), the other is flan (gluten free)).

Super tasty hidden gem (literally hidden — entrance through an alley). We came here on a Wednesday night close to closing and ordered a few items.
I like the atmosphere because it seems very homey and has a lot of charm. I like all the different colored chairs, and I can see this as a cute date-​night place with the romantic evening ambiance. We saw they had outside seating but weren’t given the option.
Food! Mini Costillitas were amazing ribs with tender meat falling off the bone. The sauce is super tasty with just the right amount of tang. I could have probably eaten 3x this portion even though I wasn’t hungry. I didn’t even share! I also had the reina pepiada arepa which was really fresh and the sauce that comes with arepas is amazing. It’s herby and garlicky and you could probably put it on everything.
Passion fruit to drink was also quite good and refreshing.
I will be back the next time I’m in Boston. It’s so close to the Harvard Square T.

As I write this review, I already can’t wait to go here again. For lunch we shared the cheesy sweet plantains as a starter. Cheese is similar to halloumi in texture but more bland and less salty so when it’s tucked in between sweet plantains it gets more flavor. As main course, I had the arepa with flank steak and avocado while my fiancé had the pepitas with pork and ham. If you’re less hungry go with former, if you want more go with latter. Each is packed with flavor and both buns are equally amazing. Oh and get the yucca chips and devour the super garlicky aioli-​like sauce. Salivating as I write.

An excellent find tucked away in Harvard Square! Each time I’ve been here, the servers have been helpful in helping me navigate the menu and wine pairings. Delicious food and charming atmosphere.
The bacon wrapped dates are absolutely amazing.
They don’t take reservations so be sure to allot time to wait. Not great for large parties.

Went with a friend for her birthday dinner and is was pretty good. She had the tuna and i had the steak with crab and it was delicious.

I went here with a Venezuelan guy and so I definitely had an advantage going in. He also said that there’s only about three Venezuelan places in Boston and this one is the best.
Food:
Plantains stuffed with cheese: so good! I mean what a heavenly combo of two amazing things
Bacon wrapped dates: pretty good but I’ve had better elsewhere. The almond in the middle kind of threw me off.
Empanada trio: they’re pretty basic. Just cheese. Just meat. Just beans. Still really good though and the green sauce it comes with is great (the mojo I think).
Arepa Jardinera: really delicious. I love the cheese they use and I’m such a fan of plantains.
Arepa Queso de Mano: also really good but just a slab of cheese in an arepa. The guy said this was pretty authentic though, usually places overload the cheese and this one gives a great proportion. Cheese was delish though
Quesillo: just flan. The texture was kind of thick than normal flan which threw me and him off
They also were out of a bunch of things when we got there, like the famous tequenos, and the wine that we wanted, which was a bummer. Also apparently the restaurant is super lax. Sometimes they have things, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they open when they say they do, sometimes they don’t. They warn you about this on their site which is pretty funny. I also wish they had cocktails like they do in their other locations. Also, there were no hispanic customers in the restaurant which was pretty interesting.
It might have just been what we got but I though although everything I got was pretty tasty, it was also pretty basic. I think I enjoyed it this time because I never had Venezuelan food before so I was super excited to try new things. But if I came back a second or third time, I don’t think I would be that impressed.

A hidden little gem in Harvard Square! Their meats are superb and if you can get in early enough you won’t have to wait during the week.

I love this place. The one problem when I go there, is that I want to order everything on the menu. Everything is very authentic and you will forget you’re in the heart of Cambridge: beer, music, food.
Just go, eat and enjoy, this place is the best!

It was actually our first time at a Venezuelan. Waiter made very clear suggestions on the best and most popular dishes and all of them were so good. Specially the Maracuchitos and the lamb. Very tasty. Place is very nice and cozy. A must! Looking forward to our next visit to Orinocco!

Who knew that you could get awesome Venezuelan food in Harvard Square?
I’m from SF back from before everyone got priced out, so I have some limited experience with Venezuelan cuisine. This place was awesome. We came rounded Christmas, and they offered hallacas as they’re so good.
A lovely spot with checking out whatever time of year.

Food: 4
Décor: 3
Service: 4
Came here with a group of 5 for lunch.
1. Pepito de Costillita, 8
slow-​cooked, boneless passion-​fruit bbq baby-​back ribs, with pickled onions and vinegar coleslaw.
~Pretty good. Nicely balanced.
Service was good, although our food was delayed since the fire alarm went off.

This place is SO hard to find. There’s a small sign before an alleyway. Right next to Boston Tea Stop.
I came here for a quick lunch, so I got the arepas (corn flatbread stuffed with different meats and cheeses) I went for the Pelua (venezuelan-​style stewed shredded beef with edam cheese). Didn’t realize edam cheese was so hard and kind of waxy, so that detracted from how much I liked the meal, and most of the meat was really stuck together so I gave up trying to eat it with my hands like a taco and just took a fork and ate all the meat first. It was okay for my first time trying Venezuelan food.
I also tried my friend’s Tequeños (cheese wrapped in crisp dough and served with chipotle ketchup) which she describes as a glorified mozzarella stick. I have to agree. It was really delicious, and the dough on the outside was crisp and warm. So good!
We were the only ones there at 11:30am when they opened, so service was really fast and friendly.

Hidden alley near Harvard South American fare. Ate here as a way to try something new, but it didn’t really tickle the tummy well. When the weather is nice, the best place to eat is on the open patio. Inside eating gets a little claustrophobic probably due to the inadequate lighting. Service is spotty due to the lack of waitresses.
-=-Food-​=- Bacon dates and plantains were probably the only things that I enjoyed here. The portion didn’t exactly justify the price though, but these typical filler items were what kept me from rebelling. The French bread beef sandwich was where it failed me. I could have been courageous and ordered an arepa, but I thought I’d play it safe. Turns out it wasn’t safe enough. Beef was stringy and the flavors were not memorable. I did try a bite of the Pernil Arepas, but it was just a big mess being a soggy bite.

I LOVE ORINOCO.
The most hole in the wall restaurant in Harvard Square. It is hidden behind a few restaurants, marked by a sign above the alleyway gate. The meat here is delicious and tender. I strongly recommend the steak medium-​rare, which came out the perfect texture and consistency.
However, their credit card machine has been broken for several months (4+ months) so make sure you come with cash. ($ 20 per person)

Never tried Venezuelan food before but this was an enjoyable experience! Intimate setting with dim lighting & candles. would use quaint/​cute to describe it.
Came here on a weekday around 6:30 pm — had no problem getting a table (they don’t take reservations) but it got packed surprisingly quickly afterwards.
Solid food all around:
Small dishes — I enjoyed the Datiles (bacon-​wrapped dates, liked the sweet n salty combo a lot, but $ 8?!) and Tahadas (fried sweet plantains, yum but also quite small).
Arepas — So, I heard good things about the Pernil Arepas (pork filling inside a corn pocket sandwich) beforehand, but honestly it didn’t live up to my expectations… Soggy, dripped everywhere, and the taste didn’t strike me as bold/​memorable.
Main dish — The Panela Salmon was solid, and not dry at all. Can’t say the flavor was amazing but didn’t disappoint.

Fantastic Venezuelan restaurant — delicious food, great service, intimate setting.
I came here with a fellow vegetarian, and while we were initially concerned about finding meat-​free options, we had more than enough dishes to choose from. We started with the maracuchitos — a superb combination of sweet fried plantains and mild cheese. Then came the queso de mano arepa — soft mild cheese sandwiched between delicious maize flatbreads. We had the cocas del dia, and while it was a tough choice between the black truffle option or the guava paste choice, we were quite pleased with the perfect balance of sharp cheese, sweet and tangy balsamic vinegar, warm doughy bread, fresh arugula, and creamy mushrooms on the former. Our final savory treat was the empanada verde, accompanied by a fresh salad. This was my personal favorite — though it’s hard to pick one — because the vegetable filling was creamy and bursting with the mushrooms’ flavors. And last, but not least, a divine molten chocolate lava cake — sweet and rich, but not overly so; a perfect end to an excellent meal.
So the food was clearly the highlight of our experience, but our server was also very friendly and attentive, and gave great recommendations. The food service was also very quick, despite how crowded the restaurant was. It was a intimate atmosphere with dim lighting, so a great place for a date or small reunion with friends.
In short, I have literally run out of strong positive adjectives to describe this place.

Hands down best arepas in Boston/​Cambridge. First time had it was last Sept and the Pernil was delicious. Had the opportunity to come back again — had the dominico. Just as great. 5 star for consistency and taste.
Also has cute patio on the outside with plenty of seating that’s quiet and not street facing.
Get those bacon wrapped dates. Promise you that even those people who are on diet will break from said diets and take them all.

Quaint Venezuelan restaurant tucked away in harvard square. It’s set back so it’s pretty easy to miss when you’re walking down JFK st looking for it. They don’t take reservations, however since I was planning on having a party of 1 they saved us a table anyway. Very accommodating! For groups– be aware the highest amount of times they will split up the check is 6.
The food is really delicious. The sangria was so tasty. Nothing like the sangria I’ve attempted at home. The appetizer of the empanadas is good. It comes with three little empanadas with cheese, black beans, and I think the last one has pork. The yuca is also a good appetizer/​side dish of you’re really into carbs. The first time I went, I got the verde empanada for lunch. It was so filling that I was unproductive the rest of the day! Super tasty though and only about $ 8. The second time I went I got the portobello mushroom arepas. It was SO GOOD that I hope it gets on the menu again. If you go, definitely go with arepas. You can’t go wrong.
Good date place– I don’t suggest taking a big group like I did– we were much louder than everyone else.

Food: 4.5
Service: 3.5
I am rounding up to a five because I love this place so much. I have been here a total of three times, I wish I could be here more often. The most recent visit was on February 14, 2015. Although it was a holiday, it was not that crowded and I did not need a reservation.
The service was okay which is why I only gave it 3.5 stars. Our waiter was fine but one of the ladies who brought us the food had no idea what the food item was or what was in it. Because the restaurant is pretty small and there’s only a limited number of staff members there is generally a wait time in terms of getting your order fulfilled.
My lady companion ordered the portobello arepa which was her favorite item from an earlier menu (it’s a special). The sauce was very nice and it was a very hearty entrée even though it is technically on the appetizer menu. For a shared appetizer we ordered a flatbread with goat cheese and arugula – guayaba. it was okay, not necessarily the highlight of the meal and the sauce was a bit overpowering for my taste. I order lamb (cordera tradicional?); I had gotten it before and really liked it so I ordered it again. The highlight of this entrée is the sauce it is green and looks a bit like nickelodeon slime but is purely delicious. And there are pistachios! Those are my favorite nuts embedded in the meat. One thing, however, that really disappointed us was the food was a bit too cold when it came out.
And lastly a quick note about ambience. This restaurant as I mentioned is small so there are not many tables. we were literally sitting elbow to elbow with the people next to us and we could hear all of their conversation! Thankfully they were a cute older couple. also the whole place is dimly lit with pseudo candles that are electric but I guess you could call it romantic.
Anyway I would call the dinner an overall success. We went elsewhere for dessert because we overheard that it wasn’t worth it from the couple that was sitting next to us. Definitely give this place a shot if you’re looking for an authentic and exotic culinary experience!

Había leído sobre este restaurante en la sección EL VIAJERO de el periódico EL PAÍS, y lo recomendaban, así que fuimos y nos gustó mucho. El sitio de cambridge es muy bonito, con un patio interior, lo recomiendo: comida buenísima