Sazon Restaurant & Cafe

Great food and prices were fair too. Not the biggest fan of the desserts, but food is absolutely fantastic!

I like this food but they don’t really keep up with their diners. I always feel like I need to call them over for something and they aren’t there or can’t see. I went with my friend and got the domino empanada but they didn’t have it so I got the arepa. My vegan friend got the vegan version of the veggie arepa but later she said it might have had pesto on it :/​I do like this place, but the service could be better…

SO sad we had to move and leave behind Sazon…
The only legitimate Venezuelan place in Philly. Amazing food. As someone with Celiac, it was an added amazing relief to have the owners be so knowledgable about what I can and cannot have. They even make their own chocolate! This place is a true philadelphia hidden gem. My husband and I came (not an exaggeration) 4 times in the week we were packing up to move in lieu of cooking.

Just had a great experience here with a friend. We’re both gluten free and this place was super amazing for that. We shared three different types of the arepa sandwiches and they were all really fresh, substantial and delicious. We met the owner, Robert, and he is a super friendly guy. He makes his own chocolate that is some of the best that I’ve ever had. The drinking chocolates are highly recommended. But from what I can tell you can hardly go wrong here.

This authentic Venezuelan spot did not disappoint. It’s owned by a Venezuelan cook and her Philly-​native husband who were the main staff when me and my five friends visited on a rainy Saturday evening. The atmosphere was inviting, even if the décor felt a bit cheap, and the food was great and felt authetic. Definitely the best arepas I’ve had. Portions are a good size too. It’s also BYOB.

This place is SO GOOD. My husband and I love arepas, and it’s hard to find really good ones on the east coast. I had the Pabellon (incredible – the sweet plantain is so good and if you add the hot sauce they provide it takes it to another level), and my husband had the Pernil. We split some Tequenos, which are like mild mozzarella sticks… they tasted fresh. I know that sounds weird, but they were light and the dipping sauce was so herby and flavorful.
They also have a chocolate shop called The Chocolate Alchemist, so we had a classic hot chocolate and some homemade truffles. If you are a fan of real, true dark chocolate, this will be heaven for you.
We can’t wait to go back and try more! (PS: Like lots of Philly: Cash only!)

Finally made it here and it was delicious. Laid back and casual, with a very friendly and attentive owner. She was also great with the 2 young kids we had in tow, bringing lidded cups with straws and extra plates for sharing without us asking. My friend is vegetarian and I am gluten-​free and we had tons of great menu options. Between us and the kids we shared the plantains, the brown rice with raisins (big hit), black beans, broccoli, Venezuelan vegetarian soup, and the plain, paluda (beef) and pernil (pork) arapas. Everything was perfect. Great place for take-​out too. Slight downer it’s cash only. I get it, just not the best at planning ahead.

I came here yesterday because I’d read some good things and saw that they had tons of gluten free options. I was really hoping I’d be able to add this to my list of go-to’s, but that will unfortunately not be the case.
We arrived at 6:30 and were seated right away. Our waitress was really nice and attentive and when I told her I can’t eat gluten she pointed out all of the dishes on the menu that were GF. They’ll use clean oil (not the same stuff that they’ve made empanadas etc. in) if you ask, which is great! Anyway for dinner we ordered the yucca fries, a pernil arepa, and the asado negro.
— Yucca fries: My SO LOVED these (and the salsa that they came with). I also thought they were quite good, but didn’t love them as much as he did.
— Pernil Arepa: Neither of us cared for the arepa. The arepa itself was pretty bland/​dry and it somewhat overpowered the pernil inside. The pernil was cooked well, but the flavors of the dish were really one-​dimensional. If there was a pepper or pickles or some kind of spice it would have been a bit better I think.
— Asado Negro: This dish had a really interesting flavor, one that neither of us had had before. The sauce was sort of sweet and sort of tangy. The meat was a bit tough though, which made me like the dish a bit less. (I also wish that they gave us more rice. I think you need to eat the meat with something or else it’s kind of overwhelming.) I’m not sure that I’d get it again, but it was definitely something to try.
We also ordered a vegan coconut/​ginger truffle ($ 3) and the classic hot chocolate ($ 8). I realized after the whole thing that maybe I don’t actually love chocolate as much as I love sugar… The truffle and hot chocolate were both extremely rich, but a bit too much so for me. If you’re a true chocolate lover though, you should probably give the cocoa and truffles a shot.

I tried the El Duende hot chocolate (not on the menu — it was recommended by the Chocolate Alchemist, who said it was similar but more decadent than the Clasico, which I had loved). The El Duende had rum and eggnog plus other things, and it had some spices, which made the drink more interesting. It was very unique and amazing, but the Clasico is definitely the best hot chocolate out there. Warning: the El Duende is VERY decadent! Far more than the Clasico.
Wish the hot chocolates are more decently priced ($ 8 for a cup is kinda steep)…

Friendly, fast, delicious. My friend and I came in without reservations on a Saturday night and were seated at the bar.
Green salad was delicious, arepas were wonderful. Only drawback was that several of the chocolate offerings on the menu were unavailable, and the waiter didn’t think to tell us until we were ordering dessert. Oh well — dessert was still yummy.
Definitely coming back!

So much has already been said about Sazon, and I wrote a tip in 2013, but I feel a burning desire to really delve into the place. For those who hate to read: ambience, family-​centric, belly satiating, soul warming Venuzuelan restaurant.
I lived right around the corner from the gem in the rough and didn’t discover their epic delicacies until departure from the neighborhood. The place is a BYOB with plenty of diversified drink choices for even the most discerning palate. I really appreciate the handcrafted cacao drinks, but the Super Juice and lemonades are nothing to scoff at. As someone in long-​term recovery, having a wide berth of non-​alcoholic options is a treat.
The appetizers are all phenomenal. Garlic topped crispy yuca with housemade hot sauces, empanadas stuffed full of meats and cheese, and even the cheese sticks are delectable. I love that every dish perfectly melds textures and flavors and contains fresh ingredients.
For the main course, the Asado Negro will change your life. Sweet, garlicy and fork tender beef meets caramelized plantains in a perfect match. The arepas are delightfully crisp enough to stand up to the multitude of stuffings, yet soft enough to yield to a knife.
Dessert is unmissable. Try the «Chocolate Alchemist» chocolates (available in vegan/​raw vegan), churros with dark chocolate sauce, or any number of their seasonal specialties.
Sazon is CASH ONLY, so plan accordingly or be prepared for on-​site ATM fees. The place is run by a husband and wife team and occasionally service is slow. However, I feel that the rest of the experience more than makes up for occasionally negligent service. Just a forewarning that they may be understaffed– so come prepared for a leisurely meal.
Whether you are a local, or an out-​of-​towner Sazon is a must try in Philadelphia.

Haven’t been to here in a while, but it’s always awesome when I go. I was reminded today why a love this place. The sipping chocolate is out of the world! I recommend the Calabasa chocolate. The owners are crazy friendly and knowledgeable about their food and the chocolate. The atmosphere is comfortable, and I haven’t had a single menu item yet that I wouldn’t try again. I also recommend trying the churros they’re incredible.

Me encanta el trato de los empleados los dueños son súper atentos y amables me encanta la comida es deliciosa siempre voy porque me siento en casa como venezolana que soy las hallacas son ricas mmmmmm

Amazing Venezuelan food.
1) We got the Pabellon Criollo and Asado Negro. Both dishes are excellent.
2) For drinks I will recommend the chicha.
3) Ambiance is nice.

The food is awesome. Keep that in mind when your coming because the service is so so. Make reservations if you know in advance. I can’t give an I depth review because I can t pronounce half the stuff I ate but it was all great. Service is slow but there was only 2 services on. All and food was great. Worth the stop.

Please treat yourself to Judy’s traditional Christmas Dinner available right now
And Robert’s elegant chocolates
Still The Best
Wonderful experience engulfed by love

4.5 stars.
Loved the place and ambience. It was my first time trying Venezuelan food and so it was quite exciting and unique experience. I tried La Selva, which was bit blend (maybe for my Indian taste buds — I don’t know) but was still very delicious. My friend had omelette from the brunch menu, which I felt was much more delicious and filling.
The most amazing part was the hot chocolate. We tried El Classico and it literally was unique! It had 5 different blends of cocoa amalgamated and the taste was just perfect. I would definitely give that a try again soon! The cocoa blends were from Peru, Ecuador and Dominic Republic.
We tried chocolate truffles and got chance to interact with the guy who makes them. He was very friendly, humble and knowledgeable and gave us some samples complimentarily. If you are into dark chocolates, this is a worth going place.
I didn’t feel that the place was over pricy specially because we had some complementary samples as well. I would have tipped extra anyways bc of such an amazing hospitality.
Overall, 4.5 stars and a worth going place.

This place is fantastic! Staff/​owners are super friendly. They take tables and cool everything themselves. There is a real love in their effort. I had the Asada Negro and it was sweet and delicious! This is a BYO and cash only place. They also have can’t miss chocolates! Delicious!
The only reason why I didn’t give 5 stars is because they don’t have typical soft drinks or bottled water.
It was either, tap water fresh juices (which were delicious) or wine!
Sometimes a girl just wants a soda or some sparkling water.

Every time I go I don’t understand why this place isn’t flooded with people. The food is amazing. This is absolutely the best Spanish food I’ve had in Philadelphia and the best Patacon I’ve had ever. The empanadas are really good as well as the sauces they serve with it. The atmosphere is perfect for date night but also good for getting a quick bite. Definitely recommend.

What a hidden gem!
I had almost given up in my quest to find edible empanadas in Philadelphia when I came across this restaurant, situated across from Union Transfer. Their empanadas are PHENOMENAL! Mine was filled with seasoned brisket, plantains, beans, and cheese. So delicious! They also have arepas, among other Venezuelan selections. In addition, there is a chocolate counter near the entrance, featuring some fascinating looking chocolate truffles (made in-​house).
I was ordering take-​out, but will definitely have to come back with a group of friends and bottles of wine to have a proper meal here. The interior is cute and the staff is very friendly. The owner took care of me herself and was very kind.
Can’t wait to be back!

Una vez cenamos ahí, y muy rico. Arroz con una crema de cangrejo, y unos tostones. Y para starter un platillo típico, en el que todo estaba muy bueno. Una salsa tipo guacamole y otra picante creo que de chipotle… Buenísima. No probamos postres pero tenían muy buena pinta también. Por poner un ‘pero’ me esperaba que fuera más barato, pero volveré seguro.

Arroz con pollo superb. Rice/​veg balance good. Plantains well done.
Asado Negro intense.
Menu is fascinating and healthy and creative.
Friendly staff. Chocolatier owner

Great place! We had tostones, one reina pepida arepa, one pabellon arepa and a side of yuca. It was all amazing and so filling! The servers were super gracious and attentive. Very nice little place. The Venezuelan artwork and dessert selection (vegan options!!) really sets this place off! Gluten-​free selections as well!

This Venezuelan restaurant is worth a trip a Spring Garden. It has great options for both vegetarians and gluten freebies. The La Selva arepa is a perfect example and it’s on the larger side, so it’s entrée sized. I’m also a fan of their house hot sauce. For dessert, I always go with their truffles. They make the truffles themselves and have several interesting flavor combinations.
Things to remember to make the most of your trip to Sazon:
— they’re BYOB. So be sure to bring a bottle!
— they’re cash only. So be sure to bring some folding money!