Orinoco

Brought my co-workers on a return trip here including my boss who is from Venezuela. By far the best meal we had on our entire trip. The arepas are amazing. The sangria is very unique. I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Harvard or happen to be in the Cambridge area.

We went to Orinoco a little under an hour before closing. We were seated immediately and the waiter was very attentive. We had hoped to eat some arepas but they were out of them. I recommend getting here earlier if that's what you're craving. We ended up getting the empanada trio, the Pabellon Criollo (which I did not realize also had plantains), the maracuchitos and the tostones. Yes, all the plantains in the menu. It kind of happened by accident but it worked out great. We got our food incredibly fast! Everything was delicious. However, the tostones and the empanadas were my favorite. I also had a maracuya juice, which was sweet and refreshing. We really liked our waiter, we was very nice and attentive. I wish I remembered his name to give him a shout out. I really enjoy the food from Orinoco. Historically, I had only gone to the restaurant in the South End but I'm glad to see the one at Harvard Square maintains the same flavors. I can't wait to be back for arepas.

Step into the alley and discover delicious foods! My bf found this hidden gem tucked away from the main busy street. The restaurant is not that big but it has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. They have a big menu with many interesting dishes. I decided on their pollo adobo and wanted tostones on the side but they had run out. My bf got a savory meat dish and our friend ordered what looked like a pizza topped with shredded beef.The food was very tasty and very good! My pollo adobo was cooked perfectly and it came with a mushroom sauce and gnocchi. I quickly devoured it! The pizza looking dish was also very good. It had sweet flavors which was surprisingly delicious! My bf dish was also very good and very filling. He ordered shredded beef with a side of rice and beans. The service was great and the ambiance was nice. We had a great dinner and will definitely be back!

A bit hidden from the main road but it's a total gem to be checked out!Inside, it's got a very homey cozy vibe yet everything is neat and clean. They have room for a group, but i'd say it's more perfect for a smaller setting. Because it's rather a small space, service was really quick. Servers were all very kind and they noticed whenever we needed them very quickly. But the food was the VIP of the place. They were very affordable, good portion size, and super super tasty. We started our meal with trio de empanadas, got two arepas (pernil and pelua) and costillita for entrees and tostones and tajadas for sides. Trio de empanadas were such a perfect appetizer for two people to share. Fried fresh, we enjoyed every bite of it. I thought it was a good way to start a meal and try the classic flavours of Orinoco :)Arepas were perfectly grilled that it was crunch outside but soft, and the inner filling was so juicy and flavourful. The ribs came with such gold portion and they were so tender - it just came right off the bone and they melted in mouth. I wasn't sure if I tasted guava even though they said its in guava BBQ sauce. Yuca frites were great - they are not dipped with too much batter so you can definitely taste yuca. I'm so glad we had dinner here - had such a wonderful time! Would definitely come back and would 100% recommend to everyone!

We came here for valentines day. They do walk-ins instead of reservations as well as they close at 8:30pm. I'm not sure what their weekend hours are like.We got here around 7:30pm and there were quite a few seats left, and we got to choose where we wanted to sit. It's a charming atmosphere, most of the tables were filled with couples. It's a cozy restaurant inside, it somewhat felt like I was in the New England version of a "Florida room" of the house with all the windows. Where we sat had family photos hung up on the wall.I didn't get our server's name but he was very helpful with any questions we had and friendly. And Everything we ordered was so good! We were definitely stuffed. We could have done without one of the sides but we wanted to try as much as we could.What we ordered:SangriaCachapaAdobo Smoked ChurrascoCordero TradicionalTajadasYucaQuesilloThis restaurant is definitely a gem and we'll be back.

Pretty cozy spot to get a meal! The arepas were wonderfully flavorful and paired well with the garlicy sauce. The yuca fries were also quite nice. I don't recommend the tuna which was pricy and was rather uninspiring.

Right as you walk in the smell from the kitchen invites you to get closer. You can see the kitchen and I was immediately greeted by the server, who offered available tables for me to choose from. The menu is off a QR code which made seeing items easier, given the lighting was dim, which adds to the ambiance. It's casual but still nice. I ordered a few items to try. The steak was well cooked and pre-sliced, piled next to simple yet delicious arugula salad. The adobo sauce on the steak was amazing. I also ordered the salmon, which was also tasty. I also had the bacon wrapped dates which were sweet and savory. The sweet plantains were also perfectly fried and were not greasy. I would definitely recommend this place.

Found a little off the main roads, Orinoco is a quaint little restaurant with a calming ambiance, delicious food, and kind service. My friend suggested the spot and I wasn't completely sure what we'd walk away with, but the experience was super pleasant and I can't wait to come back!We came on a Sunday for an early dinner and the space was quiet. There were only 2-3 other parties there, but the building was small to start with so it felt rather cozy. The table was a little sticky when we sat down, but other than that, the space was pleasant. We had our order taken relatively quickly and the food came out fast as well so there was little downtime. The empanadas were smaller than I expected, but super fresh and tasted delicious. The sauce it came with was also excellent. I was excited to try the arepa as well and it didn't disappoint - stuffed very well with filling and was a pleasure to eat. The churrasco was also great as a main course - the meat was cooked and marinated so well, I would order this dish again in a heartbeat. The sangria also was flavored well and paired great with everything I ate. Thanks Orinoco for a great dinner. Can't wait to return for another amazing meal!

They don't take reservations but I called/emailed ahead and they were very accommodating. Not too crowded on a Friday night. Their costillitas are delicious, I would definitely come back for more. Ambiance is great for a date with a partner or a friend.

Amazing food and awesome service. Very sweet waitress and the owner checked on us too, she was very nice! Super cool spot kinda tucked away in a small alley and it has great vibes. Food was awesome with the tequenos being our favorite and the datilles also a must try. Sangria was also a big hit I don't drink wine but this sangria was so smooth and not too sweet with just a little bit of spice like maybe cinnamon oh boy now I wanna go back again tonight!