La Taguara
3502 E Washington Ave, Madison, WI, 53704
La Taguara Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Madison for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Madison for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Madison for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
3502 E Washington Ave
Madison, WI, 53704 - Phone (608) 721-9100
- Website https://lataguara-madison.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
- Mon : 11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Amanda L.
We have been looking for an authentic cuban sandwich in all of our US travels. Little did we know that there was one RIGHT HERE IN TOWN! The sandwich was delicious and the plantains were a nice crunch. The dipping sauces with our bolitas appetizer were all yummy. I think I have found my new favorite restaurant. The woman at the counter (didn't catch her name, sorry) was very attentive and friendly. I am always paying attention to customer service and this place was TOP NOTCH. She even checked in with us and asked if the Cuban was in "our top 10". It is one of our favorites. I heard they have a yummy breakfast on the weekends and I can't wait to go back and try something else delicious. Fast, friendly, small, clean and inviting. Definitely go there!
(5)Rodrigo G.
4.75 stars, really. The empanadas and plantain dishes took me back in time to my grandmother's kitchen in Caracas. Nowhere else in Madison have I had such authentic Venezuelan food. Only complaint would be that it's just a little pricy for what you get on some menu items, but nothing I don't mind paying for the taste and nostalgia value. I'm also sure they have to import a fair amount of things, I'd still rather come here for a few arepas instead of throwing down $8-$13 for a burrito or sandwich anywhere else. Small talk in Spanish with anyone I've ever encountered working the counter is also a unique experience, nothing but good things to say about the staff. Recommend this one for sure.
(4)Mark G.
This place is legit! The food had so much flavor and the sauces they have mmm mmm. Venezuelan food is very good and coming across them can be rare, so when you find one please try it and order a few different items so you can get the whole experience. I had some arepas and empanadas with sides, everything was amazing. The service was super friendly and helpful. Simply put, this is one of the best in the area and worth the stop!
(5)Chy L.
It was 9:47 pm on a Saturday night and I regret to say that I only tried the beef and chicken empanadas, not that they weren't offering everything, they were, I just couldn't decide. The empanadas were made with masa de maÃz, a corn dough that was crunchy to the bite yet fluffy not to crush the delicacies it contains. You can't go wrong with either, the shredded chicken and beef were rich and flavorful. Try dipping them in the guasacaca, a puree of cilantro and garlic based tastiness! I will definitely return to try some of their other entree menu items.
(5)Josh F.
We tried the traditional appetizers and dishes. What amazing flavor with just spices and seasons no heat required to taste this amazing food. The look of the restaurant is very humble but with the lack of pricey decor comes even better quality food. Nothing seemed to be reheated from a mass production, but instead was all made fresh here. This is a grate not found easily in this day of age and a absolute must try. Neither of us had even heard of Venezuelan food but do they do it right. I feel like I left Wisconsin and traveled to South America.
(5)Brian D.
This is some quality food, people. If you have never had an arepa, stop here and try one. You can't get these in many places, in fact not sure if Madison has had them since my friend from Colombia moved away. We stopped on a Sunday for breakfast that had shredded beef, beans and an egg (served with an arepa) with avocado on the side. This was a nice portion, very tasty and a nice change from the Madison area "traditional breakfast". Try this, you will be a fan. Oh, have some Venezuelan coffee too, it is definitely a cut above your standard breakfast joints coffee.
(5)Ravi R.
This place was long due on our list ... Me and wife were very much satisfied with the quality and quantity of the food here... Great service, the waitress was kind enough to explain the whole menu and helped us make some good choices.... Felt the place was a little expensive, some may find it reasonable.
(4)Ro M.
We live in Chicago and frequently travel to Minnesota throughout the year. This small casual Latin American restaurant has turn into s must stop every time we travel. Prices are reasonable, staff is friendly, and food quality and authenticity are excellent. This is must try if your are looking for a casual Latin American restaurant. If you are looking into a more fancy full served restaurant this is not your place.
(5)Dez B.
I have yet to have a dish from LA Tagura that I didn't love. Everything is cooked with pride and it shines through in the perfect balance of spices in the shredded beef. The arepas are always perfectly done. Regrettably I am allergic to plantains but they always look delicious too. The passion fruit pie is a little slice of heaven. The coconut rice pudding is great to take home it is an abundant portion and will last a couple of days, and is so tasty. I recommend a stop here if you've never had south american food its unforgettable in a good way, and I guarantee you'll be back.
(5)Maggie T.
First time visiting this restaurant and I highly recommend it! The food was delicious and the service was top-notch! We will go back any time we visit Wisconsin. This is the place to enjoy GREAT food!
(5)Christine L.
I came here on a Saturday afternoon at 2pm and the place was still busy with people. At La Taguara, you order at the counter and then find your own seat. I ordered the mojito en coco which is minced fish cooked in a coconut sauce. It came with crispy green plantains, a side of rice, and picadillo salad (like a tomato salsa). The fish was tasty and the acidity of picadillo salad added a brightness to the buttery richness of the coconut sauce. I was not a fan of the plantains that they served me though. It was too hard. Maybe if it had been sliced thinner so that it was more like a plantain chip instead of a overcooked fried plantain. My friend ordered the pabellon which, according to the menu, is the Venezuelan National Dish. It contains shredded beef and came with black beans, an arepa, and deep fried sweet plantains. I liked the plantains on this dish better, but the best plantains I've had is still at Cafe Costa Rica. The black beans were really good though. They were umami flavorful. They also serve a variety of juices including passion fruit, tamarind, and sugar cane with lime juice. I ordered the tamarind and it came in a huge glass. This is the only place in Madison that I know of with tamarind juice. I'm eager to come back and try their other juices and sandwiches.
(4)Jillian S.
I'm an immediate convert. Not only is the food delicious, but they have tasty Venezuelan sodas, facts about Venezuela plastered all over the restaurant, and an incredibly friendly and gracious owner. Come hungry or prepare to bring home part of your meal in a takeaway container. One arepa goes a long way!
(5)Ai Ling C.
I am writing this review in some pain from my extremely full belly. Husband and I are supremely glad we stopped in--this place deserves all their accolades and more. I rolled out the door. This food was absolutely fantastic. The Bandejita Paisa is amazing. The rice is spiced with a certain something (chicken stock? Something else?) and I couldn't stop eating it. The beans are lovely. The crispy pork is great. The steak tasty. The egg lovely (ah, molten yolk, YUM! The only way to cook eggs, IMHO.) I don't know how the chorizo tasted, because I traded it to my husband in return for his avocado and rice, but he ate everything on his plate too, so it must have been tasty. If you still have room after you're done with your entrée, make sure you try the passion fruit pie. Hubby did and I am glad he saved me a bite. I want more La Taguara. When are we coming back to Madison?
(5)Ally S.
Highlights/Lowlights 1) amazing food! 2) gluten free friendly 3) very casual This may now be one of my favorite lunch spots in Madison! La Taguara has awesome food at pretty reasonable prices. The cuisine is Latin American and Oh so good. Gluten free menu options are marked clearly on the menu and there are a ton of them. The ambience is very very casual. I would say this is more of a lunch place or a quick dinner. You order at the counter, take a number and your food is brought out to you. You get your own silverware, soft drinks etc. We had the pan fried white cheese appetizer that comes with this awesome pico de gallo type salsa. I had the chicken arepa and a side salad, and my friend had empanadas. Everything was awesome! The arepa "bread" is gluten free so you don't need to make any modifications to the menu option. The salad comes with this bright green dressing that is also awesome to dip the arepa in. The staff is super friendly and answers all questions quickly and cheerfully. Stop in for lunch if you haven't had a chance to, it's a great spot!
(4)Rintaro A.
This is real authentic Venezuelan food! Me and my wife are from South America and were very happy to have found this place. We were completely amazed by the food. I had the bandeijta paisa, it came with carne asada, pork cracklings, sausage, black beans, avocado, fried egg. It tasted incredible, the pork cracklings were my favorite. My wife had the cachapa con queso and cochino frito. The cheese in the cachapa was delicious as was the fried pork! The guasacaca sauce was amazing. For dessert we had the churros with dulce de leche sauce, they were a little too crispy for our taste but they very tasty nonetheless. We will definitely be coming back to try the rest of the menu.
(5)Paul M.
Tried the mojito la coco which is a coconut fish curry. Amazing. Yucca fries were good too.
(5)Jen W.
Simply fantastic. My arepa, which was brimming with flavor and natural ingredients, was only $5! Sure you could get a footlong sub served on yoga mat bread with processed meat for $5, but you would be the loser there. I've never been to Venezuela so I can't speak to authenticity, though I do eat a lot of food so I can speak to flavor and it was absolutely delicious. Curiously, this restaurant looks almost identical, both inside and out, to the only other arepas restaurant I've ever been to (VIva Las Arepas outside of Vegas). This place is nowhere near where I live or work, but I know I'll be back soon
(5)Pamela M.
La Taguara is nothing short of FANTASTIC! I am hoping that the people of Madison are realizing what an amazing gem they have here and hope they appreciate it. The prices are reasonable, the food is flavorful and the menu has an array of options. Service was informative, helpful with a very friendly smile and personality. The Yuca fries (frita) appetizer was amazing! Better than any yuca I've had anywhere else before, including Chicago. I had for lunch the arepa stuffed with white cheese, eggplant and shredded beef. The arepa is made of corn so it is gluten free and it had this moist softness reminiscent of a steamed bun. Also I had a side of black beam soup an salad with a passion fruit dressing that was citrusy and refreshing. Please sample the tamarindo juice! It is a little tart and a little sweet - very nice drink. Next time I am anywhere near Madison I will be looking this place up!!! Wow! (They also haw a cooler full of beers)
(5)H R.
Had the queso Frito, and highly recommend it. Also had the tostones and they were very enjoyable as well. Love the salsa that comes with them! For dinner we had pabellon a cabello, arepas and empanadas, all we would highly recommend. One of the best gems in Madison!
(5)Rachel R.
This place is delicious! It's very casual, just a few tables in the place, more of a take-out type place. Really good variety, authentic food and everything is good!!!
(5)Seth K.
Unassuming on the outside, amazing food inside. I had the "Venezuelan National Dish" with the egg on top and it was delicious. The beef in there is something I'll be thinking about for a while. Others in my group had the empanada and Cuban sandwich. Both were fantastic. The passion fruit pie is very fresh, light, and tasty. This has got to be some of the best food in Madison. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and they're willing to explain all of the dishes to any newcomers. Don't even think about it - just try this place out and see for yourself.
(5)Matt W.
After my recent visit to La Tagura, I am tempted to change their Yelp category to Soul Food. While it doesn't fit the strict culinary definition of soul food, the food served here truly satisfies the soul of those who consume it. And with each flavor-filled bite, it's obvious that the kitchen is putting their heart and soul into each dish they prepare. I appreciate how the restaurant extracted so much flavor from the food despite working with the simplest of ingredients. If you appreciate this style of cooking, it worth making the trip to Madison's north side. The restaurant is a bare bones operation; don't expect pictures of the interior to show up in the next issue of Martha Stewart Living. The interior is small with clean golden yellow walls, decorated with various Venezuelan knick-knacks. A muted flat screen mounted on the wall shows a looping slideshow of pictures from Venezuela. The standard issue table and chairs and the drop ceiling also fit right into the basic diner décor theme. You order at the counter and they call out your number when your food is ready. The owner asked us if we had eaten at La Taguara before. When we said we had not, he enthusiastically provided us with a guided tour of the menu. He pointed out the most popular items on the menu and deftly explained the differences between arepas, empanadas and pastelitos. I decided to go with the pernil (roasted pork) arepa lunch special ($7.99), which included a choice of soup or salad. The soup option I selection, the sancocho, was a combination of vegetables, beef and chicken in a delightfully flavorful broth and helped awaken my taste buds for the rest of my meal. The arepa is a Venezuelan version of the pita sandwich. The pocket bread is made from a white corn meal fried on the grilled behind the front counter. While the exterior was not crispy, it still provided a pleasant textural contrast with the shredded pork interior. Like the soup, the pork was expertly prepared, fork-tender and well seasoned. It was a wee bit dry but that was quickly remedied by added the tantalizing guasacaca sauce to the sandwich. If you have never tried this staggeringly tasty combination of avocado, fresh parsley and coriander, green bell pepper, onion, garlic, salt, oil and vinegar, get off your hindquarters and make a beeline to La Taguara. It alone is worthy of a pilgrimage to this north side eatery. My dining companion, who grew up in Bolivia, was equally impressed with his order of Pabellon (black beans, white cheese, shredded beef, rice and deep fried sweet plantain and an arepa). I am not alone in my enthusiasm for the food at La Taguara. There was a steady flow of customers streaming through the restaurant on a Tuesday lunch service. Do yourself a favor and join them.
(4)Sara T.
My friend had already eaten here. It was my first time. A-mazing!!!! One amazing just doesn't cut it. It was AMAZING! My friend had the special - fish patacon pisao. It was a fish sandwich and the "bread" was fried plantains!!!! He also got the altias de pollo. The passion fruit sauce was so tasty and fresh. I got an arepas with shredded chicken and black beans and pastelitos with chicken. I could have eaten twenty of them. I can't wait to go back. Please go eat there so it stays open!!
(5)Ashley W.
The food was all delicious! Pabellon, the fried cheese appetizer, passion fruit pie, all of it so so good. We've been traveling and I was sick of spending $ to eat out but this was definitely worth the cost.
(5)Steve L.
Excellent first experience here on Friday, April 25, 2014. Our friends, Paul & Sallie, suggested we give this place a try before heading to a show at Kiki's House of Righteous Music, and boy am I glad we went! - Smallish parking lot - Interior has "cafeteria" feel to it - hard chairs, plain tables, very bright + Super friendly and helpful staff - very personable and offered great suggestions + Menu posted on wall above order/cashier area + Printed menus available + GREAT selection of Mexican, Central American, and South American beers - wow! + The food. AMAZING. Clearly all house-made, fresh, and absolutely delightful. + Rompe Colchon - essentially shrimp ceviche with fried plantain chips and a wonderful pico de gallo. I could've eaten an entire bathtub full of this stuff. + and - Bandejita Paisa - a massive overall platter of assorted meats, along with rice, an over easy egg, avocado, and beans. The meats were a bit meager in portion, although SUPER tasty and flavorful. The steak was very thin, and about the diameter of a piece of bologna. The chorizo was about the size of a quarter of a standard brat. The french-cut fried pork belly piece was maybe the size of a Fritos Scoop chip. The thick plantains were wonderfully seasoned; the copious amount beans were delicious; the huge pile of rice made for a nice bed for the over easy egg. + Accepts credit cards I can't wait to return. We also sampled some of our friend's meals, and each was better than the other. Just superb. Go. Go now.
(4)Brock H.
We dropped in on our way through madison. I've lived in a number of large east coast cities, and always found it tough to find truly good arepas, so when we passed this place I knew I had to try it. La Taguara did not disappoint. The arepas were a perfect consistency and the fillings all very tasty. Great place for a quick, inexpensive and delectable lunch.
(4)Yvette R.
First time trying Velenzuelan food... this place is a little hole in the wall & it's delish, a hidden gem for sure! It's a must try, trust me you will not be dissapointed.. & the staff is so attentive & friendly! Loved it!!
(5)Le M.
For the past five years I've been living in a Latin neighborhood in Brooklyn. Coming back to Wisconsin, I missed walking a few blocks to my favorite Venezuelan restaurant. Also ... public transportation. Anyhow, I was cautiously hopeful when I read there is a good arepa in Madison. After a long drive down East Washington--longer because I drove past it for an embarrassing distance--I discovered the austere yet homey interior of La Taguara. (Note it is after the "Access" sign and before the big steak house.) You order at the little window with the smiling people. The arepas are "build your own" with many fillings to choose from. I chose black beans, white cheese, and shredded eggplant. A little wait at a clean table under fluorescent lights, and another smiling person delivered my neatly packaged corn sandwich. It was love at first sight. The corn patty was thin and tender, with a crisp exterior. The black beans were bursting with flavor. The cheese was chewy and fresh. And the eggplant had a bright taste and added the intriguing consistency of shredded beef, just without the ... um, beef. It was all thoroughly wonderful and magical. That was my only order, but I am already won over. I will definitely return to order the holy trinity: plantains, rice, and beans. My only teeeeny regret is there is no option of avocado for the filling. But that was a damn good sandwich, and now in the early hours of the morning I am already craving another. I hope they prosper and are able to expand to a more central location with later hours (please higher beings).
(5)Paulius M.
great El Patacon Pisao! Unique cuisine, great service!
(5)Neftali S.
Great South American food. Excellent arepas, great food selection and my favorite, platanos!
(5)D B.
This. This thing. This thing called a "Patacon Pisao." I can't imagine a more perfect thing than this. It eats and tastes like nothing else... the flavors, the spices, the texture, the fact that you'll need two hands and a scuba suit to eat the damned thing. Or a big bathtub and two consenting adults. But how addicting. When a craving hits you, you'll have no choice but to end up at La Taguara. Just awesome.
(5)Nicole H.
I have 4 words: You must eat here!!!!!!!! Seriously! And for so many reasons. The Venezuelan husband and wife team who own/run La Taguara are just too fantastic to even be believed - warm, genuine, helpful, hospitable and man alive, can they create beautiful food. Everything was so authentic and they are truly trying to educate people on the food of their culture & share some of their passion for it. We started with the Queso Frito (fried cheese) appetizer. It was so incredible I wished we'd ordered 2. They make the cheese by hand in-house. It's insane!!!!!!!! Trust me, order it. Early & often. You'll be so happy you did. We got to sample their 3 flavors of juices and we very much look forward to ordering the passion fruit blend sometime. Crazy flavorful & just the right amount of tart. My husband had the Pabellon a Caballo and he loved everything about it, especially the pork as it was so flavorful & tender. I had the Bandejita Paisa. It was delicious! And I have to say, I was so surprised that I enjoyed the plantains so much. The pork belly was crisp & flavorful. I stuffed the arepa with a slice of seasoned beef, avocado and rice. There was no room for dessert. But we'll be back again. And again. And again.
(5)Sarah W.
We've been back to this place several times and their food has always maintained its high quality. I wanted to update my review by talking about their burgers. This is not a typical madison burger (and I love the typical Madison burger). It is, however, a truly authentic Latin American burger. The burger is a pressed patty piled high with lettuce, tomato, onion, ham, a fried egg, bacon, cheese and shoestring potato chips. This burger is exactly like the hamburgers I ate when I used to live in Brazil and my husband (who is Brazilian) loves them. I know this is a Venezuelan place (I can only assume this is also like a Venezuelan burger having never been there myself) but I could almost say they make an authentic Brazilian hamburger. If this is something you have been looking for (or are curious) I recommend checking out the hamburger here. If not, their other selections, which I talked about in my other review, are really great as well.
(4)Iris T.
Amazing food! We had the garlic shrimp dish and the pabellon and loved them both. We had the rice pudding for dessert. It was delicious. Not the greatest location but easiest to get to once you know it exists. Very clean restaurant and friendly staff.
(5)Tenny D.
Drove all the way to east side from far west side and it was totally worth it. Five of us tried different entrees and we loved them all. The arapas were specially moist and delicious!! Love the customer service. The owner took his time to explain to us every dish on the menu. The service was prompt. Will definitely visit again. Loved it!!!!!
(4)Christina P.
Went back and had the bistec encebollado. Super delicious. Loved the beans and rice most of all. I still really liked the passion fruit dressing as well. It would be appreciated if they organized a wait staff. I'm not too fond of the "ordering at the counter" method and helping yourself to everything. I like to enjoy my dinner and not having to get up several times to get things that I forget I need (utensils, napkins, refills, etc.)
(4)Denis M.
The food was excellent and fresh. My buddy and I decided to try it out. He ordered the Taguara burger which had alot going on. He said it was awesome. I ordered the churrasco criollo. Very delicious. Very clean inside and good latin music that kinda took me back to Puerto Rico there for a minute. Never had yuca fried. Good but a little dry. Even though I never ate Venezuluen food I grew up eating latin food and this is the real deal. Definitly making another visit when I'm back in town.
(5)Rick S.
Excellent food and excellent people. We almost did not go in as we had had a bad experience at another local Latin American restaurant, but we are very glad we did. They were very warm and friendly and able to explain their menu if you haven't eaten Venezuelan food before. The food was great and very different from other Latin American food that we have had previously. We look forward to going back many times in the future to try all of their many options.
(5)Mytoan N.
This is an order at the counter restaurant. The food is high quality and so are the drinks, which they make in-house (passion fruit juice, tamarindo, etc.) Get the churros for dessert, which dulce de leche and chocolate sauce dipping. Diddo on what others were raving about, too. East Washington on this side of town needs more restaurants like this!
(4)Nelly M.
Honestly, I was not that enthusiast when my friends were suggesting this place for a farewell dinner for two friends leaving the States for good. Arriving at around 7 PM, this restaurant was empty and was still empty until we were done with our dinner. Don't get me wrong- the food is GOOD. My hubby and I ordered Yuca for the appetizer and we got to try the fried plantain and both are equally good. For us, it's like reuniting with our Indonesian taste, as we have the exact same dishes of Yuca, which is actually cassava. The way they serve it is the same way like we have back home. We also had empanadas and pastellino. The empanadas were okay, but not the best. Our friends had Pabbellon, which came a jumbo version. It can be shared with two to three people, in fact. And they all liked it! Overall, this place serves a good selection of food and I'm sure I'll be back for their Yuca Fritta!
(4)Paul K.
I have been here three times and I haven't been disappointed any of those times. I am not familiar with Venezuelan food so I can't speak to authenticity but I can say that this is the best Latin American food that I found in Madison. I am a big fan of this place!
(5)Michelle H.
I've visited La Taguara a couple times. It's in one of the locations that I tend to forget that it is there. There have been several businesses in and out of this location - but I hope La Taguara is here to stay. The owner is so nice and friendly. He gives recommendations if you've never had Venezuelan food before. The different dipping sauces are super tasty. The two different meals that I have tried there, I thoroughly enjoyed. You get pretty hefty portions of food. A fun local establishment.
(5)Sandro F.
When I was working in Madison I used to come here regularly for lunch. Amazing food and authentic Venezuelan all the way. In addition, Venezuelan is somewhat similar to Brazilian food so it brings me back to my roots. Give yourself a break of the ordinary chains and come for a much better food for about the same price. They serve very fast too.
(5)Kelly P.
La Taguara is some of the best food I've had. The staff is nice, helpful, and the atmosphere is great. My friend and I split a few dishes. I want to try everything!
(5)Tess B.
Visited based on other Yelpers. Thank you people!!!! I loved that the owner explained the dishes to me. Made me want to try them all! I am in town for one more night and will go back. The fresh passion fruit juice was wonderful and I also thought the tamarind juice was great. Tough decision. Had the national dish of Venezuela. Black beans, rice and beef. Perfect comfort food on a cold November day. Also tried the fried yucca. Wonderful!!! Prices were so reasonable and portions are huge!
(5)Michael W.
This might be my second review on LT. I can't remember, as I am still in an empanada and arepa induced haze. I came here early for dinner on a weeknight and had only one minor complaint, which I will get to shortly. I ordered an empanada and an arepa as well as a some fried plantains and they were heavenly. Not heavenly like really good, but heavenly like I left the place and had to pull into a nearby tech school parking lot, recline, and rejoice in what just happened. The taste was amazing. Just amazing. The fresh cilantro salsa with the plantains was awesome. I actually preferred the smaller items to a previous meal I had with a more traditional dinner plate. I took a few pictures and yelped them, but I was so overwhelmed by the awesome taste I could only label them "Appetizer" and "Dinner" and have just now recovered from this taste bud induced awesomeness about 12 hours later. My **only** complaint would be that the staff there had 2 of their kids who were hanging out in the dining room which did, at times, take away from my moment. But I understand it's not easy to produce such awesome food and daycare is pricey so I was able to still bust out 5 stars.
(5)Rebecca L.
Hey ya'll! There's a new restaurant on E. Wash and it's the first Venezuelan restaurant in Madison! Although Venezuelan cuisine bears some similarities to Mexican food, it's also distinctively different. Instead of salsa, they have a sauce called guasacaca, which I think is cilantro-based but tastes nothing like cilantro. It's slightly creamy and garlicky. They also have a spicy and really spicy version of that. Yucca is the potato of Latin America and you can order yucca fries under appetizers. I ordered the 3 taco plate (which is really just 3 tacos, for $5.99). One shredded chicken, one shredded beef, and one pernil (roast pork). Unfortunately, I got them to go and could not determine which was which, but two of them were good and one of them was excellent. After conferring with my bf, who ate half of them, we have come to the conclusion that it was probably the pernil that was the best. The tacos came on double corn tortillas which were soft and tasted fresh, and were topped with cilantro and chopped onion, Mexico City style. They also offer freshly made tamarind and passion fruit juice (freshly squeezed, yo). And sugarcane lemonade. Do it. We may have to return to conduct a more thorough investigation of their menu. They have some lunch specials on Mon-Fri, 11-2pm which look like pretty good deals (see menu on website). There are some empanadas and arepas (kind of like savory turnovers). If you are into spicy food, you'll love their guasacaca. If you're not into spicy foods, they've got stuff here for you too. Get over to La Taguara ASAP!
(5)Eileen R.
Went here on a whim. We were originally going to another restaurant, but there happened to be a snow storm and La Taguara was a lot closer. So happy fate brought us here. Food was delicious. My picky two year old loved her food. She got the hot dog, which doesn't seem like anything extraordinary, but they shaped the hot dogs like little octopus. We got the pabellon and bistec encebollado. Both were delicious! A lot of food for the price. For dessert we got tequenos de guayaba y queso and dulcellitos & nutellitos..AMAZING! Definitely recommend this place!
(4)Oscar Y.
This is a surprising place. Out on a stretch of East Washington where everything's dingy, the interior gleams bright, colorful, and fresh. You order at the counter, and the server is just as bright and lively - - and enthusiastically describes the menu and gives recommendations. I asked someone chowing down what he was having, and he pointed it out on the menu and said that he had eaten there about a dozen times and was working his way through the menu, and loving everything. While waiting for a friend, two of us had the fried yucca sticks and an arepa as a starter, and they were very tasty. Trouble was, after that, we were both full! Hearty (filling) tasty, distinctive food; great service (for counter-ordering eats!) it is bright, colorful, clean (though has a bit of a fast-foody-feeling for a place with $11 entrees). Try to avoid looking out onto East Washington if you can.
(4)Mary P.
Delicious food!!!! Amazing service!!! And super nice people!!! I am soooo happy to find a Venezuelan place like this one!!! Prices are good too!!! I love it!!!!
(5)Ellen O.
My daughter who lives in Madison has some friends from South America who really like La Taguara and she has been waiting to have a buddy to appreciate this one year old cafe. We were out shopping and found this opportunity last evening. The owner came to help us get a baby stroller in the door and from that moment with his charming explanations and descriptions of the menu items we were happy! The place is adorable: very nice decor and very clean. We zeroed in on a sandwich called Patacon Pisao which is crispy green plantain made into a sort of sandwich layer, tomato, onion, cheese, mayo but not too much, tartara verde and a great guasacaca sauce which seems to be avocado and cilantro. You get a filling of beans or meat and we chose a potato chicken salad. We learned about 2 very important national dishes, the pabellon and the cachapa con queso y cochino frito. We decided to split both the patacon pisao and the pabellon. Pabellon had shredded seasoned pork, black beans with a sort of queso fresco, and rice, and a patty of yuca. The real treat was the sauteed plantains on the side. Our appetizer were some lightly fried yuca frita sticks which remind us of potatoes but are light, served with the guasacaca sauce and picadillo salad. I had a Venezuelan frescolita which is like a reddish cream soda. I really really really like a place that uses real plates and real silverware. All the staff working there were helpful and welcoming. The portions were so big we brought half of the meals home with us. This is now my daughter's favorite place! We were also thrilled to see that the Central Park music event alternates food from La Taguara with another vendor too. I agree with Matt W that the food is soul food prepared by people who really care about the quality and presentation. I have loved Madison from the get-go when I first came here since 2006 but I always say that there are new features to this city all the time and you can get anything here you can get in LA for unique and fun things to do and eat. I invited La Taguara to come to LA so I can enjoy their dishes often!!
(4)Saira L.
La taguara even though on a prominent street is a little hidden. But once you find it its great. So when we entered we were greeted by a guy, who asked us if we had ever been there. Upon hearing " No," he went on to explain the menu and it even has the favorites highlighted- very useful, and very friendly. You order and then take a seat. I started with the Sugar Cane juice- I was NOT a fan. It happens when you try a new cuisine, there are going to be things you do not like. It was still interesting, and you could tell well made. But that was the only thing that I did not like. I tried tostones, a pork arepa, and a beef empanada. All delicious. Tostones- got to love fried plantains. Arepas is why you go to this place- not really available any where else. The beef empanada was not the kind I was use too it has a thicker almost bread like dough, but was still yummy. But better than all of them was a green sauce that is served along with it- I could consume that my the gallons. I was with others who's dishes I picked at were incredible as well, some of tastings included: friend sweet plantains ( yum), crispy pork belly ( salty in a good way), and re fried beans ( best I have had). Overall I would go back there more often- if it was not such a haul for me living west of the capital. Its definitely worth one trip though.
(4)Bruce U.
This place is the Hidden Gem of Madison. Fresh, delicious,clean,friendly,excellent entrees though I can not pronounce the name...the Taste Broke all Language Gaps! From Arizona but will remember next time in Madison.
(5)Bryan D.
Very good food. Yuca frito and arepas make a perfect meal. Very authentic, great service, and great atmosphere.
(5)Ka L.
Located along East Washington, almost by the East Towne Mall, lies this unassuming little shop in the strip mall. Sadly, it was very quiet when we visited for weekend dinner. However, this might be a great place for large group outings, as we did with 8 people. Also, you can make reservations ahead of time. Cheap food, large and spacious, delicious tidings - great for a large gathering! Also, they have parking in the strip mall, so no worries about parking! There is no waiter service and seems more like a take-out style manner; you head to the counter and make your order, and head back there to collect your food when it's ready. Food: Fried plaintains - very good and savory. Fried yucca - not my favorite. It was kind of fibrous... Bandeja Paisa - had several kinds of pork. As a pork lover, this is obviously my choice. I loved the fried pork belly! But the rest of the meat selection was kind of dry. Large enough to share with my boyfriend! Papelon con Limon - delicious drink to go with the meal. Sweet and sour sugarcane drink! Ducellitos and Nutellitos - these cute little empanadas are awesome for dessert. one per mouth and off they go! La Taguara is a little far for me, but I will venture out to the far East to grab me some Ducellitos and Nutellitos. P.S., I tried some of my friend's #1 dish. It was awesome!! (was doubtful of the beans, but it's actually really tasty!)
(4)Cisco N.
Delicious Venezuelan food! My bf and I ordered the Bandeja Paisa, Tostones and the Cachapa con Queso y Cochino Frito. Service was great. The staff helped us with our orders and made sure it was to our liking. We didn't have room for dessert, but we'll be back for more!
(4)Jay N.
We stopped by here after looking for something close as we were just outside of the Capitol region. This is a very good place that I would return to at anytime. There is a small parking lot in front but you can't make a direct left turn in or left turn out when you leave. They asked us if we had come here before and when we admitted we hadn't, the young lady hostess explained the main things people order and different we combinations that are complementary rather than repeating the same things. Someone else had ordered the pabellon and the cachapa, so the staff person showed us what it was. We went with the pabellon (without egg) along with an arepa. We chose the potato chicken salad with avocado rather than the shredded beef or black beans since it was already a part of the pabellon. They also checked to see if we were really hungry since the pabello tends to be big. Since it wasn't that busy they told us that they would either call our number to pick up at the counter or they would bring it to our table. Well, ours came to the table and the plate was pretty heavy since she spilled a few drops of the beans. The pabellon was filled all the way to the side with black beans, white rice, corn cake, 3 sliced deep fried plantains, and a good portion of the shredded beef. The server was also nice enough to ask if we wanted an extra plate since we were pretty obvious about sharing our meal. The arepa was pretty well stuffed with the potato chicken salad which also contained boiled carrots. The corn cake was well toasted to give it good texture and hold up the filling. The guasacaca sauce has plenty of cilantro, which I definitely like. I went up to get some of the passion fruit juice as well since it was a fitting complement to the meal. It was quite sweet so I had to water it down with plenty of ice. Overall, the place is very welcoming for first time visitors and will make you want to come back soon!
(5)Chad F.
My trip here was completely accidental as I thought it was still a sub-par gyro shop and never even bothered to look it's way! I'm definitely happy I did though. The staff was extremely friendly, the menu was interesting and very unique for Madison, and most importantly - the food was ridiculously good. I ordered the sweet corn pancake stuffed with homemade cheese and a side of yucca fries. It was served with two sauces and a pile of fried pork. This was easily enough food to feed 2 people but somehow I managed to choke down every last bite. The yucca fries were crisp and flavorful and the sauces paired with them perfectly. The sweet corn pancake was absolutely unlike anything I had tried before and I could have easily gone for seconds. I wasn't in love with the pork, but not because it wasn't tasty, I just wasn't feeling it that day. Overall, the meal was just incredibly satisfying, packed with flavor, and felt every bit as fresh and from scratch as they claimed it was. This is one of those restaurants where I will definitely be returning to try more items on the menu. The only downside is that it is a bit pricey, but if I remember correctly they had decent lunch deals posted. This may be my favorite new Madison restaurant!
(5)Jess C.
Love this place. I am familiar with Venezuelan cuisine from having studied abroad and returning again afterward, so I was thrilled to give it a try when La Taguara opened. Now that I have been there a few times I can say it will not let you down. Authentic cuisine, delicious, reasonable prices, very friendly staff and the owner seems to always be there. A few days ago my family and I went to try out their traditional Christmas fare, and was not dissapointed. Even with the higher prices for the seasonal plates, 4 of us ate until we were completely stuffed to the gills, for about $75 including several drinks. My favorites so far- Cachapas, pabellon, empanadas, and of course the seasonally available Hallacas. Mmmm, navidad! Service is counter-style. Walk up, peruse the menu and ask questions of the friendly service staff at the counter. Place your order, pay, and have a seat. The food is then brought out to your table. In the questionaire below, it asks if this location has a TV. I am going to answer yes because they do have 2 TVs, but they are (always?) playing a sort of Venezuelan slide-show. I like it, really. But I do not know if they occasionally show anything else on that or if it is even hooked up to cable. My only regret is that I cannot order from La Taguara for delivery, and it's location is not exactly on the walking-around-Madison path. Please go try this wonderful little place!
(5)Mio S.
A big nod to mojo to en coco. I may have found new foreign cuisine love. I never had Venezuelan dishes before. It turns out, they are down right delicious. And the hit sauce is down right hot and delicious. At first my novio and I were stuck at the counter. We are both vegetarians, so it was difficult to make entree selections. But the family behind the counter was very helpful for giving us the right substitution and guiding through the menu. They are such nice people!! Wouldn't you love talking to the owners who are enthusiastic about introducing their culture? Whatever you order, don't forget the two things: tamarindo + hot sauce = happiness.
(5)Elena G.
I am Venezuelan and I am just visiting Madison from Miami. I stopped by to see if this was any original Venezuelan food and out of sheer curiosity and I can tell you this was delicious and fresh ! Very legit and big portions I was so happy to eat some of my home food in Wisconsin. 10 out of 10 will come back. Try the mojito which is fish done in a coconut sauce shredded up trust me you will be amazed at how delicious the is !
(5)Maria I.
As a native Venezuelan, I can testify that this is authentic Venezuelan food. I highly recommend the "Reina Pepiada Arepa" the "Pabellon" (of course, I mean it's the national dish), and my personal favorite the "Tequeños." If looking for something sweet I would suggest the "Quesillo" or the "Cheese and guava Tequeños." Owner and staff also are authentic hard-working Venezuelan people. My fiancé (who is from Madison) also loves this place. He's obsessed with the "Empanadas." Great little place for dinner but especially for lunch because it's cheaper and you get either a soup or a salad for a side. Finally, for drinks they have all kinds of Latin American beers, but I would recommend the passion fruit juice if you're wanting to avoid alcohol and/or looking for a healthier drink. Dress code is super casual, laid back. Also sign up for their emails because they send promotions (like 15% off or BOGO entrée). Hope you give this place a try! :) SALUD!
(5)Alice D.
I forced my friend Brandon to drive me here from campus because of the dank yelp reviews!! We had a blast and our friend Anneliis said this was one of her top 5 meals. I had the Pabellon a Caballo (pictured in, like, everyone's reviews...) which seems to be, rightfully, their most popular dish! Deliciousness and freshness!! We tried the passion fruit juice (sweet & tasty), the tamarind juice (unique & refreshing), the grilled white cheese (OMGGG), beef and chicken empanadas (purty good), and for dessert- the rice coconut pudding and Tequeños de Guayaba y Queso (fried white cheese and guava sprinkled with confectioner's sugar). This was SO GOOD! My favorite part was the cheese dessert- sweet and savory; I highly recommend trying it. Probably one of the best desserts I've ever had. I ate too much cheese though- decide on either a cheese app or dessert! NOT BOTH ;) Will be back as soon as I can find another amigo with a car, or Brandon agrees to take me again...
(4)Jordan W.
Food was great, very good portions for the reasonable price, staff were very helpful and friendly in explaining food choices that were unfamiliar. Many gluten free/vegetarian options or variations. Its great to see cultural variety in dining options like this!
(5)Christie L.
Bad first experience here. I am learning Spanish in school, and I was on assignment to set out to eat some good food from an authentic place. I brought the bf. One small family ahead of me. Everyone is speaking Spanish and that's OK--because I can get through while ordering food without having to speak any English. The woman behind the counter was pleasant enough. She repeated the order and it was clear the bf and I wanted two deserts, which had to be paid for first (man, I saw it coming, sigh). I am not a fan of places where you pay before you order, including tip. Two entrees, and two desserts with tip was almost fifty bux. We gave you a large tip thinking maybe that would proactively help when it came to service. Still, just the bf and I and a group of 4 or 5 at another table. It didn't help the wife was giving us the stink eye. While the people working there made us feel like we belonged the other patrons did the opposite. I ordered what Steve L did. I didn't think it was that good. At any rate, our deserts were forgotten and people seemed to disappear while cleaning. Half an hour after eating and nothing. I had to go over and try to find someone. Bad service and mediocre food that was highly overpriced. NO one was there! What was the problem? I can make rice and beans with shredded meat with a hard boiled egg on top at home and remember to make myself dessert too. Super disappointed. I had high hopes.
(1)Marcial C.
Being from South American and recently moving to Wisconsin, I was craving some Latin cousin. Then I found this place the arepas are amazing I usually get mine with shredded chicken or beef with white cheese (recommended), I also tried the empanadas they are really good too and for dessert I had a churro wasn't the best but it was good. I recommend this place, and enjoy some Venezuela and Colombia cousin
(5)Ami R.
I ate at La Taguara last night with my guy. We both loved it! It is conveniently located on East Washington Ave. You enter their parking lot on Wright St. The owner did a wonderful job decorating the restaurant. He clearly is proud of his Venezuelan roots. I enjoyed the streaming pictures of Venezuela on the TV monitors. You order at the counter and they bring you the food. A lovely young woman stepped out from behind the counter and carefully described to us our options. She clearly had an emotional stake in the business doing well. She wasn't just going through the motions. She is a family friend of the owner. We were told that none of the dishes are spicy but they have a mild and hot sauce available on request. We chose their two most popular dishes. "Pabellon"; black beans, rice, shredded beef, plantains and some cheese. The cheese is dry and crumbled. The dish is not cheesy which I really appreciated. The beef was moist and ever so flavorful. The rice was fluffy and everything had distinct flavors. It was truly delicious. next time I will go alone and try it with pork which my guy does not eat. The second dish contained my favorite component of both dishes, a sweet corn pancake. We paired it with shredded chicken. The pancake was "to die for". Sweet, a little crispy with a small amount of cheese which only enhanced the texture of the pancake. This meal was served with a cilantro and garlic sauce. on the side. The name of the dish is Cachapa con Queso y Cochina Frito. Each element stands on its on. Food is not piled together so you can truly taste the textures and flavors of each component. The restaurant is spotless, service friendly, waitstaff helpful and the prices were reasonable for the food you received. Our two dishes cost $25. I had a Mexican beer and my guy had passion fruit juice which was yummy. Great for takeout. Go there in winter to warm your soul.
(5)Elisabeth H.
If you've never had Venezuelan food, this place will make you a fan. If you like Cuban food, or Mexican food, you are in for a treat. We had a great experience at this clean, Eco-conscious place that has great, authentic, interesting, yummy Venezuelan food. Lots of gluten free options for my friend who had the Venezuelan national dish. I had tasty cochinitas fritas with corn pancakes. The yucas fritas was great, and the fresh passion fruit juice was perfect. The portions were generous, and the owner was on hand to make recommendations, answer questions, and make sure we had a great experience. The good food and friendliness reminded me if when I lived in Ecuador.
(5)Cindy W.
There food was delicious. I got the corn pancakes with cheese in the middle and fried pork on the side. My dad ordered the plantains with shrimp on the side. Both were very excellent and the girl working the counter was very patient with us. Lovely service!
(5)C S.
The pabellon arepa is the way to go. It is great without the guasacasa sauce, and becomes fantastic with it. The pabellon entree is good, but if you get the pabellon arepa, you get all the same stuff inside! The pork arepa was OK. The gausacasa sauce really improved it. The yucca fries were unique. They were crunchy on the outside, and pasty inside. If you like fruit, I definitely recommend the passion fruit juice. The tamarindo juice is also very tasty. The sugar cane with lime juice was just OK.
(5)Michelle R.
Just visiting Madison on a business trip, but this place made me want to stay. The gentleman (who I'm assuming is the owner) was extremely helpful in explaining the menu and making suggestions. He was also very encouraging at my attempts at spanish (it has been a few years!) and invited me to come back to practice. The food was absolutely delicious. I wish I could have tried everything on the menu. I had the tostones (fried plantain chips) and the Cachapa con Queso y Cochino Frito, which was a giant corn pancake stuffed with cheese and served with the most crispy delicate pork. I also had the tamarind juice which was refreshing and not overly sweet. I will definitely be back!
(5)Justin H.
This was my second trip to La Taguara after having my first arepa at Taste of Madison. I'm not sure why I waited so long to go back. The staff is incredibly friendly and very willing to go through the entire menu to explain the dishes they offer and make suggestions. I think that is a fine quality that is lost on most people and restaurants today, taking time to please the customers. I will continue to dine here because they overall experience is top notch. Excellent food, service, and experience!
(5)Hatelyn H.
Do yourself a favor and eat here. Our meals were amazing and the customer service was phenomenal. They are very welcoming, explain the menu options, and give recommendations to those new to this type of food. We will most certainly return to this gem.
(5)C R.
Arepas and tamales are super.
(4)Emily B.
I've been here for dinner a couple of times before and was blown away at the quality of the food. Fresh ingredients full of flavor and a variety of dishes to try. But I just came here for breakfast for the first time and all I can say is WOW. I ordered the "typical Venezuelan breakfast" Desayuno Criollo) although they do offer their full menu during breakfast time as well) and it surpassed my expectations (which I didn't think possible because everything I've had here is amazing). Deliciously seasoned shredded beef and black beans topped with the perfect amount of shredded cheese, avocado slices and a fried egg all blended beautifully on my plate with a little container of crema in the center to dollop where I pleased. I cleaned my plate and don't feel weighed down or in a food coma. It was perfect. I can't forget to mention the delicious passion fruit juice I had to accompany my breakfast. From what I understand, they make their juices themselves - and this stuff will make you never want to have orange juice with breakfast again. :) Please come here and keep this place in business for a long time!
(5)Prudhvi C.
The first time I ate her the place was packed, and for good reason. They have amazing food, that taste as authentic as I imagine it can. It was a pleasure to eat this food, and I walked out truly feeling satisfied with what I had eaten. But my qualm with La Taguara is there lack of servers. Though it may work when they are not packed when the place gets congested a large line forms and it takes for ever to get your order in. But I felt as though the food lived up to the rush and was worth the wait.
(4)Jonathan P.
Been here twice within a week. This is my new favorite place. If you ask for the owner's recommendation, he will tell you about the two most popular dishes. Both are incredible, but the second choice is what I urge you to choose. It is absolutely sublime. Viva La Taguara.
(5)exa g.
Diet Mountain Dew and their Pico is amazing. We finished the large bowl we requested after sampling it with our appetiser. I am buying more to-g,o for later. The right amount of lemon juice, fresh tomatoes, onions, etc.
(5)K H.
I had never been here, but decided to give it a try based on Yelp reviews. Friendly and fast service, seemed like a family place. Nice cafe style dining room was simple, yet inviting. Had the pabello, which was I was told was the number one seller. This entree was excellent. Portion was quite large (but so am I and did not have much for lunch), but was well presented. The beans were well seasoned, rice was perfect, the beef was some of the best I have had. Topped with semi-sweet plantains: better than formal desert. Give it a try!
(5)Dan L.
This is my new go-to spot for spicy food. A smattering of their mild sauce with a spoonful of food is spicier than any other restaurant I've found so far. Their hot sauce is some of the spiciest stuff I've had, anywhere. They don't give you much, because they expect you to spread a bit on your whole dish, but they'll give you as much as you want if you ask, and it's amazing. Edit: I tried this place again about a year later, and it wasn't nearly as spicy! The food is still good, but they toned down the spice level.
(5)Jeffrey P.
Passing through Madison and our family decided to let Yelp find a place to eat dinner. As usual, we were not disappointed! We especially enjoyed the Rompe Colchon and the Arepo de Pabellon, but everything was delicious and authentic!
(5)Ri M.
I went to give this place a try since it has many good reviews. I asked for two arepas (shredded beef and chicken) both meats were ok, the arepas were too thick and no flavor at all, I had them with a side of rice and black beans ( they were good). My hubby had the Pabellon and he liked it. We also tried the Tamarindo and the passion fruit juices and they were very good, being from Central America I know what they really taste natural and those juices were the real thing. I have to mention that the lady at the counter ( I am guessing she is one of the owners) was very friendly, it was our first time and she guided us through the whole menu and we really appreciated that. We would come back to try other items.
(4)Jen I.
I have never written a review on Yelp before, but I literally made an account so I could write about La Taguara. This is hands down my favorite restaurant in Madison. Having lived here for 5+ years, I've tried many of the amazing places this city has to offer, but nothing compares to La Taguara. The food is incredible, unique and authentic. The staff is extremely friendly and knowledgable about everything on the menu. Don't let the simple exterior fool you; give it a shot, and once you do, I know you'll be back again and again!
(5)Heather H.
My husband and I had dinner here for the first time this evening. We decided we needed to try someplace neither of us had ever been and saw this was well-reviewed. The outside of the building is easy to miss, but inside it is clean and bright. As it was our first trip, we took the helpful suggestions provided at the counter. We got tequenos (kind of like mozzarella sticks) to start. They were good and the green onion sauce was a hit with my husband. For entrees we had the pabellon and cachapa con queso y cochino frito. The pabellon was good, shredded beef on a layer of perfectly cooked rice. The side of sweet plantains were wonderful as were the black beans. The cachapa was really fantastic though. The sweet, crispy corn pancake filled with cheese was amazing. The guasacaca (bright green cilantro sauce) was the best part, in my opinion. We're looking forward to going again soon. I'll get my own papelon con limon (sugar cane juice) next time and definitely try out some other dishes. Our total bill (2 large entrees, an appetizer, 2 beverages) was just shy of $40.
(5)Juan G.
Incredibly tasty food, and very pleasant staff. I would drive from Milwaukee to come here any time!
(5)Craig W.
Welcome to the Bolivarian Republic of awesome. For someone who took 8 years of Spanish between 7th grade and college, I knew embarrassingly little about Venezuela. So how did I learn a little more? How else but to order the pabellon, Venezuela's national dish? With the first bite of juicy, seasoned, roasted shredded beef, I am transported to Caracas and arrive on the beach, drinking a native Polar Beer. Gnawing that beef down with rice and black beans and fried plantain slices and an arepa (a crispy, doughy puff of heaven) and a couple empanadas, my Venezuelan journey is complete, and it cost less than $25. The space is spotless, the service friendly beyond belief, and the rest of the menu is begging for me to sample it. I cannot wait to go back.
(5)Neal C.
The cachapa dish is really flavorful and loaded with food. For $12 it is pretty pricey as far as Venezuelan goes, but they really deliver a tasty portion with the pork and cachapa. Arepas are okay-- nothing spectacular. Slightly bland, but the corn cake itself is very crisp (which is a plus for me). Fillings of pork and cheese were generous, just nothing about the flavor really stood out. Soups were pretty good, both the beef and chicken. Empanadas are really good though, and at $6.99 for two empanadas and a soup, the lunch special is the way to go. Really a neat ethnic restaurant in Madison-- unpretentious: order at counter, no table service, but very friendly and helpful if you do not know what to order.
(4)Tracy G.
Excellent food. Friendly staff that will help you with the menu. Venezuelan food is very good.
(5)Fei X.
Excellent food. Locally family-run. The price is right with heap loads of food so you're not going home hungry. The only negative is the parking lot is tiny. Give it a try!
(5)Poppy F.
WONDERFUL food! Flavorful, great portions, and friendly staff. The beef empanadas and #1 was the best. They were offering a Christmas special that looked amazing - I'll be back to try it!
(4)Shanda W.
I went for lunch. The arepas were delicious. The staff is super friendly and nice. The food is affordable and pretty authentic. They have really spruced up the place since Dimitris.
(4)Chad C.
Fresh ingredients, along with not taking shortcuts in making their traditional dishes with a twist, make the difference here. The setting is straightforward and nothing to behold, but it was clean and colorful.
(4)Bethany K.
I visited La Taguara because I love arepas and I was well pleased with the options I had there. I ordered two, one black bean and one shredded eggplant. The black bean option was a messy, delicious, classic. The shredded eggplant was an unknown to me when I ordered it and it turned out to be amazing. The eggplant was treated similar to pulled pork and was bursting with savory, flavorful sauce. I sampled the pancake part of the cachapa con queso and it was amazing. It was much sweeter and more corn-flavored than the arepa dough, and I'm tempted to order a cachapa with black beans or eggplant in the future to see if they would do it. That's not to say the arepa dough wasn't awesome too, just different. We also sampled the juices, and though I'm not a big juice drinker, I'd definitely go for the passion fruit or tamarind if you are. The tostones were decent, but in the future I'd probably skip them to save room for arepas. The main downside: the atmosphere is essentially that of a fast food chain. This is perhaps good, as it's embarrassing to drip sauces down your chin, hands, and fingers at a finer dining establishment (and with arepas, you will), but I'd love to see the harsh, commercial edges softened in favor of warmer, more welcoming furnishings and decor. The service is very friendly and welcoming; I hope someday the atmosphere is as well!
(4)Kriss M.
Passed by this on the way home the other day and stopped in. WOW! What a discovery. Everything was delicious, big and unique.
(5)Dima S.
Found this place on Yelp and was not dissapointed. Dining area is small but very clean. Personal was friendly and my food came out pretty fast. I ordered Pabellon and this dish was really good. It is a lot of food on 1 plate. Meat was perfectly cooked. I will be back to try some more items on the menu.
(5)Dan R.
What a find! Stopped by on road trip from Atl. to Mpls. Great arapas. And soup too.
(5)Kristi H.
This place is amazing! Went with a big group and we all got something different so I got to taste many dishes. Everything was delicious. The owner is so nice, informative,and passionate about his food! Can't wait to come back!
(5)Veronica T.
I'm from Venezuela so I know what I'm talking about... This place is GREAT!!! I live in Chicago and I was on just passing by Madison and me and my Venezuelan husband saw this place, we loved the decoration, the staff super friendly, on top of that the food is amazing... we LOVED it. This restaurant makes me want to move to Madison lol. If you want to try authentic Venezuelan food, this is the place to go. I will definitely come back :-)
(5)Steve B.
First time for Venezuelan and not the last, this place was awesome. Great food, family friendly, and the owner is great.. You could tell he really enjoyed teaching you about his food. I had the Cachapa con Queso y Cochino Frito for 11.99 - Sweet corn pancakes filled with artisan handcrafted Venezuelan cheese, crispy pork accompanied with nata and guasacaca. ... I'd like to try everything on the menu but this was so good it's going to be hard to order anything else.
(4)Isa S.
Excellent real Venezuelan food. I say this as a Venezuelan native. I will be coming back for sure! Really enjoy the Pabellón and Mojo! Get the Parchita juice if you like like passion fruit, it is delicious here. Very welcoming, friendly staff.
(5)Jeff B.
Friendly, fast and delicious. I'm a fan and will definitely be back. The menu has a range of options for carnivores and vegetarians. Vegans may have a harder time but it's workable. The arepas for lunch were terrific and I heard a customer at the neighboring table complimenting the salad dressing. You order at the counter and they will call your number when it's ready.
(4)Charlie R.
Delicious! With kids away at camp, we were able to get out on a Friday night. This place hit the spot. A number of cars in the lots, but plenty of seating in the small dining area. Walked right up to the cjnter and we like others were asked if ever been before. the hostess then walked us through the menu. We ordered their top dish, pabellon and a pabellon a caballo. Anndd delicious. Enjoyed with a Polar beer and as we were finishing up the place was nearly full. A great casual meal. We will return to explore the rest of the menu.
(4)Robert V.
I usually don't write reviews, but this place was outstanding. It was very accommodating for my vegetarian son, and I wanted to spend the night just to eat lunch here .....but had to continue our journey across the country.
(5)Kristopher S.
After having lived in South America and Central America and returning home to Madison, this place is our new favorite restaurant. The food is delicious and the owner is very friendly. We ordered the pabellon, Tequeños de Guayaba y Queso, and Papelon con Limon. Pabellon was delicious--black beans were very well seasoned, as was the meat. Tequenos de Guayaba y Queso tasted like funnel cakes, stuffed with ricotta cheese, and yummy fruit jelly. They were wonderful too. The lemonade was also refreshing. Having eaten a lot of good food while living/traveling in Latin America, we are picky when it comes to good Latin American food. We are so happy that La Taguara is around.
(5)Greg H.
Great food, everything was cooked well and had a ton of flavor. Had the Pabellon a Caballo which I would highly recommend. Cachapa con Queso y Cochino Frito was interesting but not my favorite.
(5)Lori J.
We've been here twice now, and both times have been fantastic! The staff is sooooo friendly and helpful - explaining everything, and giving suggestions. The fried yucca is out of this world...we will order it every single time we go there, for sure. Very difficult for the hubby to decide if he likes the pork or beef better, so will likely always order an arepa of each. I have had the fried fish (YUM), and this last time tried their vegetarian arepa - somehow they have made eggplant to resemble pulled pork. The flavor and texture were sooooo good. Cheese empanada was quite tasty as well (and quite chzy!!). Tamarind and passion fruit juices are both delicious. We will be back again and again and again.
(5)Ezra E.
Amazingly good food. I cant say that I am an expert on Venezuelan food but I am definitely a fan now. We had passed by this place on the way between work and hotel and decided to look it up here on yelp and saw the positive reviews and decided to give it a try. I can say we will definitely be back regularly. There were three of us and all of the orders looked more delicious than the others and everyone was completely happy with what they tried. I look forward to exploring the menu in the coming weeks and months.
(5)Araceli V.
I'd never had Venezuelan food until recently, and I have to say it was a pleasant surprise. The dishes here have some interesting, unique flavors and the staff is very helpful and informative when it comes to choosing something off the menu. To start I ordered the tostones, which are fried plantains served with a guasacaca sauce. The guasacaca sauce is awesome, I love the garlicky flavor. My entrée was the Bandeja Paisa dish since it seems to be one of the more popular choices. It consists of steak, pork belly, chorizo, sunny side up egg, plantain and rice, pinto beans and avocado. It's also served with this little fried corn masa; that was one of my favorite components of the dish. On my next visit I had an arepa stuffed with pernil, a pork roast, that was very satisfying. I also ordered a lemonade the first time I went but was given a tamarind juice. I didn't say anything only because I ended up really liking the tamarind flavor. I would like to go here during the lunch specials as the prices seem very decent.
(5)Regina G.
I randomly drove by this place and had to check it out. When my friend and I arrived, one of the owners took his time answering all of our questions, as we wanted to make the best out of our first time. He was patient and detailed and super friendly. We ordered an arepa, which we enjoyed as it was yummy and not greasy and oily. We also had the bandejita paisa, which was a great idea for a variety of choices. A lot of different flavors in one dish--awesome And the homemade spicy salsa was AMAZING. The owner even took time to talk about his culture, his history and background for opening the shop, and was just very welcoming all around. I felt like I was invited into his home and not just another restaurant. He even ran to the counter to say bye to us when we left. I loved it! I work just down the street, so definitely going back with my colleagues!!
(5)Sarah G.
Checked out the new Venezuelan place tonight. Super authentic. Moderate pricing. We tried the pabellon and the mojito en coco. The first is the national dish and the second was a fish dish. The national dish was great but not super exciting but all the accompaniments were great. The fish was ok with great sides but I wish it was t mashed up so much. There is a lot of other promising looking dishes. The arepas are super. We had a chicken and beef empanada and the chicken was better.
(4)Am S.
Don't be turned off by what this place looks like on the outside. From the outside it looks like a total hole in the wall but the inside is much better lookin'! And the food? Outstanding. You get so much food for so little money. The guy working the counter (he could have been the owner?) spent quite a bit of time explaining the Venezuelan cuisine to our party and helped us pick out a number of items from the menu. After our first round we had to order a few more things because everything was so good. I highly recommend the tajadas con queso and empanadas if you're looking for a quick bite for lunch and in intro to the cuisine. The Cachapa con Queso y Cochino Frito? YES. This is a great addition to the Madison restaurant scene and I hope that it is successful!
(4)Giovanny L.
The food is delicious and the people working there are very nice. You have a chance to try authentic Venezuelan-Colombian dishes that are freshly cook. I will go there again and again.
(5)Ross S.
Excellent! The owner has cleaned up the old Dmitiri's space and made it his own. Order from the counter and relax while amazing, homestyle Venezuelan food is prepared. I'm somewhat new to Venezuelan, but it seems to be similar to other Caribbean/Central American and not as hot-forward spicy as Mexican can be: homestyle plates of meat/beans/rice, with sides of fried plantains and the ever-present arepas, empanadas, and pastels. And all of it is wonderful. We tried the Pabellon, an arepa, and an empanada. The Pabellon is, according to the menu, the national dish of Venezuela, consists of a giant plate of shredded beef seasoned with garlic and not-hot peppers, cilantro rice, three slices of fried plantain, a small arepa, and a portion of black beans with a refried consistency and topped with a white cheese. The arepa, which comes as a side with the Pabellon and other dishes, can also be stuffed and made into a sandwich. We had one stuffed with ham, and it was delicious. It is deep fried, like many items on the menu, but not at all greasy. The outside comes out crisp while the inside is a nice, moist texture. We also tried an empanada, which also comes filled with your choice of meat, and is deep fried. The empanada and arepa are also served with guasacaca, which sounds somewhat foreboding but is actually a garlicky sauce made with green peppers and avocado and tastes great. I'll definitely be going back!
(5)An T.
Incredible food. What a find!
(5)Brandi S.
Wonderful! Very clean inside, very friendly staff, and great food! We got the shrimp salsa called "Rompe Colchon" and it was yummy. We will be back!
(5)Diana B.
Had the pabellon. Enjoyed the layers of flavor. Black beans were buttery smooth, yummy. Good service, cheery service. I look forward to trying rest of menu.
(4)Yayi M.
Best Venezuelan food I have tried in a while. A lot of different things on the menu to try even if you are a vegetarian. The service is good and the owner was there very friendly! I'll go back soon
(5)Marjorie M.
Great food! This is the second time I've eaten at La Taguara this week. Today my husband and I went early to get a quick snack before heading out of town. We ordered the sweet plantains and the arepa with chicken and loved them both. The restaurant is clean, employees are very friendly (and make helpful recommendations) and our food arrived quickly. We will definitely be back!
(5)