Arepa Please

This place honestly felt like vacation, like stumbling upon a hidden local gem while exploring side streets in a cruise port, in all the best ways. I pass it otw to work and have been wanting to try it for at least a year. Mostly bc I had no idea what an arepa was. I had time today. The food is made to order, fresh not fast, so bring your patience. It's absolutely worth it. The menu has arepas, wraps, salads and even a burger. Beer, coffee and fresh juices were available. I was pleasantly surprised to find several "no meat" options. I went with the Flying Monkey. It looked similar to a pita but definitely wasn't. I struggled figuring out how to eat it properly since picking it up sandwich-style just wasn't working. I ended up using a fork. The flavors were divine. The black beans complemented the cheese perfectly, and the plantains added the perfect kick of sweetness. I ate the whole thing! My friend had what she declared "the best BLT she's ever had," served wrap-style. We also split two empanadas—10/10. Just a heads up: it's busier than it looks. They had a constant stream of visitors on a rainy Saturday after 3pm, plus tons of to-go orders being prepared. Again, bring your patience. Price point- most items were $12-16. Highly recommend.

Wow! This food here is flavorful and delicious. Highly recommend the Jax Blond. The server gave us their cheese sticks, tequenos, which were amazing. Be careful when taking a bit though, can be a little messy. I can’t wait to go back and try other items. It gets pretty busy at lunch and could use better seating but totally worth stopping in.

Very low-key relaxing place to enjoy a fresh, authentic Mediterranean foods. I ordered the chicken salad and they make this amazing, warm bread thingy, the best way to describe it is between a crispy English muffin and pita bread. The sandwich was packed leaving you feel full and satisfied, they make their chicken salad with avocado which is amazing. Highly recommend. Everything is made to order so be patient. It's definitely worth the wait

I visited today for the first time, and my experience was nothing short of wonderful. The lady who took my order was pleasant and knowledgeable, and I loved her recommendations. I tried the Pabellon Arepa and the Chicken Empanada as well as a Café Con Leche, and I loved everything. The Arepa is big enough to eat from twice! The atmosphere was the perfect balance of serenity and diversity, and I would absolutely come here again.

Absolutely delicious! The arepas here are hands down the best I’ve ever had—crispy on the outside, soft and flavorful on the inside. Every bite is pure perfection. Highly recommend for anyone craving authentic, mouthwatering arepas!”

Loved this place! So much flavour, so little time… to try everything! Large portions. Very fresh.

Definitely a hidden gem. I love bringing my out of town people here when they visit. The food is always on point. The service is friendly and the experience never disappoints. I love that they support and promote other local businesses. This Mango hot sauce by Island Sauce went perfectly with my beef arepa. Can’t wait to stop in again!

Honestly, I'm not a big fan of Venezuelan food, but I can say that these arepas are delicious, the service is excellent, the merchandise is nice, and the place has a certain charm. However, despite all this, I think you can eat better elsewhere for the same price. I should clarify that tastes vary.

Just happened upon this amazing jewel after going to local farmers market. Marianna the girl who took our order was so sweet and helpful. When we told her this was our first visit she took the time to explain the menu, the arepa and discussed recommendations based on our dietary needs. It was a very upbeat and happy vibe. The food is baked fresh so don't expect it to be quick but it is absolutely delicious I got the queen Arepa and hubby got the fancy monkey arepa which was an excellent no meat option for those looking for vegetarian. I'll definitely make this part of my Saturday routine

I wanted to give 5 stars but I had to take a point away because I found a piece of hair mixed in with my shredded beef. I ordered delivery for the family; my family members stated their meals were delicious and they don't say that a lot. I was the last to eat and ordered the Jax Blond. The positive feedback; I thought the portion size was great. It came wrapped in wax paper and foil so nothing spilled and it was still warm when I opened it. The green sauce on the side was really good, not sure what it's called. I took a bite of it with the bread but it was so big that I decided to just eat it with a fork. That's when I found the hair. The negative feedback; it's probably not a big deal or deal breaker for some but I have a pet peeve about finding hair in my food. I know I can just take it out but as soon as I see one, I lose my appetite and don't usually eat it again. However because the flavor was good, I tried to continue to eat it but I couldn't enjoy it like I did in the beginning. I was paranoid and checking every forkful before eating it because I didn't want to waste my money. I ate most of it but the cheese was like a big glob stuck to the other piece of bread so I left it alone. I'm willing to try them again because the reviews were good and my family did enjoy theirs but just wanted to point out that hair can be off putting to some.

Lord have mercy - why did I wait so long to come here!? I came here for lunch - this is a great option if you've got some time at lunch and are working downtime. The parking lot is relatively small but we got lucky and were able to snag a spot from someone leaving. We tried to arrive a little before the lunch rush (11:45AM). Ordering was easy. There's walkup counter a a huge menu on the wall as smaller ones to hold in your hand. The inside looked like it could seat 20-30 people with a couple more small tables outside. Food took ~10 min to arrive at the table we were seated at. I had the vegan arepa with black beans and avocado. It was SO good. Especially with the green sauce. My coworker had her favorite, the Pabellon. I tried a bite of hers and the beef/banana combination was mouthwateringly good. There are trash cans nearby so you are able to cleanup after yourself once you're finished eating. Overall, I can't wait to go back and continue exploring the menu!

Friendly service and amazing food. We got the chicken empanadas, tequenos, and a few different arepas. Everything was great. Don't hesitate to try it.

When I walked in on a random Tuesday afternoon, I was the only patron. Immediately greeted by two smiling gentlemen behind the counter, they helped me pick an arepa and a soursop juice (bonus points for uniqueness and flare!!). I sat down in one of the booths and admired the moving art piece on the east wall and the happy plants in the windows. When my food arrived, the arepa had perfect grill marked and was packed to the max with pork, plantains, black beans, and this green saucy sauce which I could bathe in. I had to use a fork to eat some of the filling before I could pick it up and get a true sandy experience. It was yummy, and I would eat it again, but I wish the arepa was a touch thicker so that creamy crunchy bread-like texture could balance all the fillings. Also, the vintage playboy art on the west wall made me realize I probably wouldn't bring my kids there in the future - not that it's advertising as a kid place or that it should - but for me, it's something to consider when picking a place. But true artists make those choices knowingly and I respect the artistic heartbeat of Arepa Please!

Visiting Jax and stayed close to this cute little joint. Nice atmosphere, with avocado seeds sprouting everywhere. I ordered an arepa and an appetizer. Huge portions and both delicious. Service was friendly and fairly speedy.

I was staying at the Residence Inn-- and saw this right across the street. Had the tequenos, the just cheese arepa, the monkey arepa, but besides arepas-- the had an incredible out of art-- mural outside and a whole bunch of art insides

First time visiting and the arepas are huge! The chicken is juicy & the plantain is perfect! Excellent & friendly service! Cute decor.

This place is an absolute dreamland. Tucked underneath what seems like an apartment building on the fringe of downtown, this Venezuelan place is groovy, fair priced, and Delicious! Their interior replicates the inviting outside with moving graphics, plenty of plant life, and music that makes you want to stick around and try everything. I tried the empanada and the Pabellon arepa, both were outrageously good! So are the tequenos- similar to mozzarella sticks This location is great for a quick bite or for a sit down meal; do not be afraid to ask questions about things you are unfamiliar with, the staff is super friendly and helpful. A perfect descriptor of this arepa palace is 'arrechisima', meaning very cool or awesome in Venezuelan slang!(;

I like the fact I can order arepas via delivery apps and they are as good as when you eat at the restaurant. I usually ask for them not to assemble and they alway deliver as asked. Love it

Arepa Por Favor! We came in for an early lunch. Thank god they have their own lot too since we all know how parking is downtown... This place already had a good number of people here but lucky the line wasn't too long. We quickly got to order and they had a lot of options that sounded good but I ended up going with the Jax Blond which is Shredded Beef slow cooked in Pomodoro Sauce with South American herbs in a bed of melted Cheddar Cheese. I also got myself a Dos Equis since it was Saturday and hey "Treat yourself" Our arepas came out in about 10 minutes and they looked really good. They were basically arepa sandwiches which I wasn't expecting. Now these are Venezuelan Arepas so they are not sweet but still have a strong corn flavor and they are a little bland. I will say though the arepa doesn't need a whole lot of flavor since the Shredded Beef it was loaded with had some much flavor and was so tender. Just melts in your mouth. Each arepa also comes a Chimichurri and/or Cilantro Sauce. I'm not sure which it is but this just takes them to the next level. So good. I will say though I was a little underwhelmed by the Cheddar Cheese that came on the Jax Blond. It just seemed like it come out of a bag. Wise it was fresh shredded at least. Always taste better that way and melts better too. All and all would for sure come back since they have so many options. Might I to make my own next time.

Very cute atmosphere. Ordered the porko loco arepa, which was very good. It was slow cooked pork with cheese between an arepa; just wished it had more sauce than came with it as it was a little dry at times, but still tasty and super hot!

Ambiance: I love the style of this place! Very artsy and has lots of plants. Whoever decorated did an amazing job! Food: My husband and I ordered the Tequeños and two different types of Arepas, the Queen and Jax Blond. We had never seen Tequeños before and were pleasantly surprised to find these Venezuelan twist on cheese sticks taste delicious! The Arepas were HUGE and we are glad we only ordered one each. My husband was able to finish his, but I was not able to. The sauces were a nice additive to the meal and definitely brought really good flavor!! We will definitely be back to try some of their other items on the menu since it is so vast!

The Queen is my absolute favorite, lots of tasty chicken salad blended with fresh avocado on the grilled arepa bread. So good! Only thing I can fault here is service can be slow. The cashier is also a server so when it's really busy, be prepared to wait.

We went to see a Book of Mormon at JCPA and wanted to try a new spot to grab something to eat. I went with my wife and parents. There is a parking lot. It is small but at least they have one which is a nice change for this part of town. I ordered the Pabellon arepa. It had shredded beef, fried plantains, black beans and cotija cheese. They serve the arepa in a paper wrap like you would get it from a street vendor and then put that on a plate. The amount of stuff in the arepa does make it a bit of a messy eat. I was the only person that didn't use a fork and knife to eat their arepa. I'm from Miami and the beef reminded me of ropa vieja. The plantains could have been a little sweeter for my preference. It also came with a green sauce on the side that had a faint cilantro taste. I'm not a cilantro fan so I'm glad the put it on the side. If I had to pick out a con, I think it would be the cost. 4 arepas, 4 waters and an espresso came out to $80.

Got the queen. DELISH! The sauce on the side was flavorful as well. The service was great. Will definitely be back

Excellent food. Any things in there menu are gluten free so I had a variety to choose from. Great service as well.

A hidden gem in the heart of Jacksonville! I've been meaning to visit for a few months, and it was certainly worth the wait. The atmosphere is that of an art installation that somehow also serves towering arepas that are sure to please. While I had a breakfast option with ham, egg, and cheese, my friends had a Pabellón - plantains, beans, cheese, and steak. Both were to die for. Overall, I will be making Arepa Please a staple on my Jacksonville work trips. The area is conducive to working away from the office.

Pretty good Venezuelan street food. Walk up order and wait. Really nice interior. Lots of avocados

Quick takeout order, delicious as always! Tried a new Arepa for me, Pabellon, and it was great. Food here is always freshly made and full of flavor. Love the ease of online ordering and quick pickup during my busy work day.

Delicious, fresh, and unique! Arepa Please deserves its high marks on Yelp. Staff are friendly and welcoming. If you're new to Venezuelan food, they're eager to answer your questions. Ambience here is very cool with color changing portraits on the walls and the largest collection of baby avocado plants I've ever seen. Love this place, will return!

This tiny cafe is easy to pass by on the way to Riverside's many food choices. But that would be a mistake. While the restaurant itself is a bit plain, it's the food that counts. We shared the Queen Arepa, a sandwich that sort of resembles a large oreo cookie only this one is stuffed with a wonderful combination of shredded chicken and an avocado sauce that is amazing. It's stuffed between two crunchy pieces of arepa, a grilled white corn similar to a tortilla that couldn't be more different from Wonder bread. We also shared a gyro salad that included large tomato slices, olives, feta cheese and a nice helping of perfectly seasoned gyro meat. We checked out Arepa Please thanks to a recommendation from my husband's co-worker who is from Venezuela and said the arepas there are as good as any he had back home. High praise indeed! The service was friendly and the food arrived within less than 10 minutes. The prices were more than fair and the limited seating was adequate. An added bonus: the parking lot is big and right next door! Our only regret is not getting another arepa to take home.

I'm Venezuelan and I lived 10 years in Miami before coming here, so I think I may have and educated opinion on arepas. Let me tell you, there Reina Pepiada is the best one I've had since I moved to the US. I have been to arepa please at least 5 times, and I always get the same. Next time should try something else, but their Reina is so good it makes it hard.

Arepa Please has been on my list of places to try for a while now and finally I had the opportunity to stop in. We came in on a Saturday pretty soon after they opened, we waited in a small line which gave up time to plan out what we were going to order. If you and your significant other don't create a game plan before ordering at a restaurant can you even call yourself a foodie? Needing a coffee I ordered that first and then ordered The Queen which was not what I was expecting but very good. My husband ordered the The Jax Blond arepa which was very very good. While I liked both I thought the Jax Blond was better. I actually didn't know how good arepas could be until I started ordering them fresh and this place does a very good arepa sandwich. We were able to find a table right away but did notice several people have to wait a few minutes for a table. If I am in the area I will absolutely be going back to try more arepas!!!

I had the shredded chicken with sweet plantains, queso blanco, and black beans. This was literally an explosion of flavors that set my mouth to water. I was hoping for one to be as good as what I had in Colombia, but this surpassed my expectations. The service was quick but the flavor lingered on.

The food and service were great! We had the Funky Monkey arepa and it was delicious. I also had a sour sop drink and it was also delicious! Can't wait to go back.

Absolutely loved the experience! So much so that while in the area on vacation we came to the restaurant twice. The food is incredibly good, the café con leche was perfect and the vibe is chill with cool art. The pictures don't do the food justice! We tried the Queen, Mona, Pabellon, and the Porko Loco. Definitely a must.

I've lived in Jax for a while and Just haven't had the time to visit. But today, we decided why not! Walking in this little gem is so neat. Nice music vibes, chill set up to sit and chat with friends, and well as far as the menu it's great- Even vegan options ! you order at the front , sit down and wait for your food. The food did not take too long and it came out smelling oh man soo soo good! Prices were decent as we paid 45 for two people and got the táquenos, San Marco and the pabellón and a Coke Zero and that was with a 20% tip included.

The food was so good I forgot to take a picture! I got the philly cheesesteak with fries. The meat was amazing and flavored very well! The guys working were very nice and the projection mapping on the artwork was really cool!

Came here during a filming for the restaurant, and I even though my friends and I were pretty loud, the workers were nice about it and told us not to worry about the shooting. Overall the food was SOO SOO delicious. I couldn't stop thinking about the arepa for a week. My friend took me here because she's from Columbia and told me how this place is the closest and most authentic to Columbian food. I was soo excited about it, especially since I've never had Columbian food before either. The arepa was super flavorful and well seasoned. Please stop by if you're ever in town or if you're looking for somewhere new.

OMG today was my first time having an arepa and boy was it life changing. It was sooooo delicious! Everything was really fresh. Also really liked the art on the walls and the tshirts they sell (although they were too expensive to buy).

Wow, just wow!! From the empanadas to the arepas, this place will blow you away. Everything was delicious and I can't wait to go back.

I would easily weight 300lbs if I lived anywhere within a 50 mile radius of this place.... HOLY S*** THIS PLACE IS AMAZING!!! My wife and I are in from out of town and we saw this was within walking distance of our hotel. We had our eyes on both The Queen and The Jax Blond. The Queen was extremely refreshing with the avocado mayo and avocado slices while The Jax Blond was melt in your mouth beef with amazing spices. There was some sort of green sauce that came with both too and it complemented both arepas phenomenally. The only negative of this place is that they've got me addicted and I live nowhere near it....

Fave place in town!! Go NOW. Cannot recommend it enough. Super friendly staff and the juices are 10/10 , I tried the Passionfruit and I hoe surly wish I got two . Whole menu is delicious but my fave is the pabellon

Food is good, it's Deirdre my so if you're in to exploring different foods, I World recommend trying. Service is always great. Great atmosphere, good music, very colorful and unique decor.

Hubby and I stopped in to try Arepa Please recently and really enjoyed it. We shared an order of tequenos which were to die for! I love anything with queso blanco but when you wrap it with a buttery, flaky dough and fry it - it just doesn't get much better than that. He ordered the Pabellon arepa and he loved it. Delicious shredded beef paired with sweet plantains, queso blanco and black beans - yum! I ordered the Mona Chicken arepa. This was very good! The shredded chicken was seasoned perfectly. The plantains and queso blanco were yummy with the chicken. My only complaint was the chicken was a little dry. The green sauce was excellent and helped moisten the chicken a bit. I also used some of the yellow/orange sauce from the tequenos. There is definitely a chill vibe in the restaurant, the employees are friendly and the food is great.

First time eating Venezuelan and all I can say is I am a fan! Our table of 6 all had something amazing and shared, there was nothing that was not absolutely phenomenal! I can't post pics because we couldn't stop eating long enough to take any. You will NOT regret eating here...but don't waste your time with the American dishes. Go for the ethnic dishes- WOW WOW WOW!

So amazing we love the guys there! The two men at the front are so nice and know my order by heart! And the previous owner of the Greek restaurant that used to be here still works here and is so amazing! I'm from Greece so it's nice to see a face of familiarity.

We were walking along the river after checking out R.A.M and decided to stop by Arepa Please for a quick lunch. The space isn't very large and the tables were full so I decided to get everything to-go. The person at the counter was very helpful and answered all of my questions regarding the menu options. I ordered their Pabellon and the JAX Blonde arepas, a side of plantains, and a cachapa (corn pancake with cheese). The arepas were stuffed to the point where they were spilling out and a bit messy to eat--which we did not mind. At other places, I'm sometimes left hungry after one arepa. At Arepa Please, you just need one! The Pabellon had shredded beef with sweet plantains, queso blanco, and black beans. I love this traditional combination since it hits all your taste buds at once. The meat was tender, the beans were cooked well, while the plaintains were soft and sweet. The JAX Blonde contained shredded beef that was cooked in pomodoro sauce with melted cheddar cheese. I really enjoyed the flavorful meat and it went well with the gooey cheese. I saw some other Yelpers add avocodo to the blond and I think I'll give that a try next time! The cachapa pancake was alright to me. It might have been the traditional type of cheese that goes with the pancake, but I just wasn't a fan of the rubbery texture of the cheese and it didn't have a flavor that I thought meshed well with the sweetness of the corn pancake. The pancake itself was good though and I enjoyed the texture and flavor that the corn flour gave it. Certainly a must try if you're in the area!

The food is great. The service from his owner is the worse. He does not what the customer service means.

Love Arepa Please. Each arepa is do good we have trouble deciding. Service has been consistently good. Try it. You will like it. Great if you are gluten free.

Very delicious South American Cafe! First impressions of this place: easy parking in front of a cute wall mural, clean space, and friendly service! Greg first greeted us and introduced what the cafe has to offer, which was super helpful for someone who isn't very knowledgeable in South American food. Prices were very reasonable (~$10-$15). We ordered two Arepa Pabellons. Although it may look small, it was very fulfilling and flavorful. It was stuffed with beans, fried plantains, and carnitas and came with a sauce. The bread was made out of corn flour and toasted. It kind of looks like a very thin English muffin. Loved the overall taste and presentation. I also ordered guayoyo coffee, which I believe is drop coffee with honey. I instantly fell in love with it! All in all, loved the staff and the food!

'The Queen' is a heaped chicken salad concoction blended with Avocado sandwiched into a delicious arepa. The sweet plantains on the side are amazing too! I loved the detail on the cafe con leche that we ordered. At this point in the day all I could think about was coffee :) they have very intriguing wall art too! It lights up with the music. Great chill place to stop by when downtown or by riverside to grab a reasonably priced & tasty lunch or dinner.

Excellent food. I've been a few times and love the Jax Blonde. The service is consistently good.

Was waiting on the opening of an art show at Fem-Art Gallery, which is right next door. So my girlfriend and I decided to have a before beverage at Aerpa Please to pass the time. We sat at the outdoor table and I had a delicious Malbec. The restaurant folks were very courteous and great service! I'd go back :)

Delicious food and fast service. The green sauce is amazing! Will definitely return for more.

My girlfriend and I decided to venture out and try something new to eat and I chose "Arepa Please". I've been hearing so many good things from this place that I decided on having it. My nationality is Dominican so I've been accustomed to eating Arepas but not my girlfriend. She's Italian and I wanted her to this authentic Spanish dish. She was blown away by the multitude of flavors that an Arepa can bring. She ordered the shredded beef with cheese, while I ordered the chicken salad but mixed with Avocado which I must say I've never seen but it was orgasmic. After having that combination I'm totally going to try and make that at home soon. Her shredded beef with cheese was very well put together and extremely tasty. We also ordered as appetizers, two ground beef empanadas as my girlfriends loves trying empanadas at every Spanish restaurant I've taken her too. And I quote those were the best ground beef empanadas she's ever had. She loves the seasoning of the meat and the empanada flavor blew her socks off. The empanadas were cooked to perfection. We also ordered Palito de queso and those with every bite the cheese melted in your mouth. My apologies for forgetting every items name that you see in the photos but when we dove right into the food forgetting the name that should tell you the food was outstanding. With this outstanding review why did I give it 4 out of 5 stars, well the reason for that was all of that food was a bit pricey. Everything you saw in the photo which in a sense didn't look as much but came out to $50. I get the area in which the place is located but definitely have gone to other places and have ate more for less. But I don't want to discourage anyone from visiting this place because the food is Amazing and the decor to the establishment was well put together as well. The staff was nice and very helpful as I told them right before we ordered that it was our first time. A nice young gentleman with glasses broke down the menu to us and even asked us what did we have in mind and he maneuvered his way to helping us order. I would absolutely return to try more stuff on the menu and be more prepared with my finances.

This is my third visit to Arepa Please and, as always, it was a good experience. The place is hip and filled with art (I think it'd be cool if they had rotating galleries, especially with that projector), and the people at the register have always been nice and helpful. I've had a homemade arepa before and it came pretty bite-sized, so I was worried one from Arepa Please would not be enough. My worries were quickly assuaged because their options are HUGE. They have a pretty varied and creative menu, filled with goodies that I'd like to try as time goes on. At $10-12 a pop, I find it to me a little expensive for not including a side dish I n that price. While I do wish that a cheaper combo option, the plantains and French fries are actually soooo yummy. And I love the green sauce they include with your order. It was a breeze at Arepa Please!

I'm in the mood to try new coffee places and this was on the list, so decided to stop by today. Overall, I like the mood and vibe of the place, low-key cozy and nice (also love the view from the window bar sitting area, perfect for me to do homework). The staff is kind, friendly, and welcoming. I got an iced caramel latte and it had an interesting taste I think signature to this place. I would come again and try some of their food, since it looks tasty, but that's for next time.

Huge to-go salad! Great pricing and speedy delivery through DoorDash too! The ingredients are fresh and the dressing is tasty