Guacuco Bed-Stuy

This place is awesome. My friend and I walked in to kill some time before our event started. We didn't know what to expect bc I've never eaten Venezuelan food, we didn't go deep into the menu but their empanadas 🔥🔥 , run punch 🔥🔥, tostones 🔥🔥 and their coconut drink I had 4 of them lol. Shout out to Marcy she's the best, she provided the best service and suggestions on what to order. She makes me want to go back. If you're in the area give this place a try you won't be disappointed.

Randomly found this place and glad I did!! Ambiance was cheerful and welcoming. Marcy made an amazing rum punch and had great energy! The vegetarian empanada was fabulous. I’ll visit every time I’m in the neighborhood (or maybe even make a trip to come here specifically).

Loved this place. The staff was friendly. The food was so flavorful and fresh. I ordered the vegetarian empanada which had cheese, beans, & plantain inside. It was a good size and very filling. The empanada dough had a sweet tang to it. I also ordered the pulled pork arepa and that was a hit as well! As for drinks: I ordered a passion fruit mimosa and it came with a popsicle inside of it. The taste wasn’t my favorite but I tried another drink: this coconut & rum frosty type drink and it was so good but it’s strong 😝 - I would highly recommend. And you don’t need a reservation, just walk right in!

The food here is amazing! I’d come back any time, any day. Guacuco was actually my first meal of 2020 and it brought me back to leave. Although I am Hispanic, I was as still new to this type of cuisine and I loved every bit of it. I ordered a passion fruit juice, a cheese empanada (which was huge), a shredded beef arepa with plantain in it (great savory and sweet combo), the cachapa ( a delicious sweet cheese and corn dish ) and the beef lasagna type dish. Lastly, we had the soup of the day which was an incredible chicken soup. We split the food between three of us and we were super full by the end. On top of the great food, we also had very great service!

I came here in February and enjoyed the brunch food. Since then I decided to call in and go back today, however the phone was hanged up on me while trying to confirm that brunch was taking place. I find this to be unprofessional and would not come back because of this. After speaking so highly of the food to my out of state friends who came to visit, and for that to take place was distasteful. I wanted to believe that the disrespect was not intentional and tried calling back to be sent directly to voicemail. This allowed myself and out of state friends to believe that it was intentional. I would give a two star review, but decided to be fair in regards to their food. If you are looking for a respectable establishment, I would probably take my business elsewhere. SN: The reason why I called to confirm that brunch was being served is because I previously tried to visit the establishments a month ago prior to my friends arrival and was told brunch was only served on specific days.

The arepas are so good and fresh!! Drinks are super refreshing! Loved the coco-nada so yummy!!! Would have loved more salsas

I am on a journey to find the best cachapas in NYC and I didn’t expect to find the best cachapas of MY LIFE. 10/10 literally crying every second I’m not eating these cachapas. The dough is perfectly cooked and it has a good flavor and they do use Venezuelan cheese which some other places just use mozzarella. Their papelon con limon was mundial! The cocada was okay it was decent and the tres in uno was delish as well. Highly recommend getting cachapas here, best place in nyc so far out of the 6 restaurants and food trucks I’ve been to.

I ordered the number 12 A vegetariana, I personally love cheese and plantains. I also shared an appetizer, fried small arepas with GuayaneCheese!!! Sooooo goood!! I didn’t get to try one of their empanadas but I’m sure to make it out again and try more things. Haven’t had a traditional arepas in a very long time so this was a treat 🍭

I stopped by because I saw empanadas on the menu. I knew it was a full service place but had the expectation that there'd be a little showcase with empanadas already prepared. ( I was hungry and somewhat delusional hehe). The place was bustling with joyful laughter, groups of friends at every table having brunch with what appeared to me to be like a regular meet up. This place gives off a very friendly neighborhood favorite vibe. Like locals at their usual meeting spot having a good time .. Latin music was blasting and the counter attendant warmly welcomed me , asked if I wanted a drink. I declined and ordered empanadas to go. I sat at the bar absorbing the vibes , 10 mins go by , then 15 ummm where's my empanadas at? My hubby who had been parked outside waiting texted me to check if I was ok. After confirming my safety with him it dawned on me that they were probably making the empanadas fresh to order. I have to say though the atmosphere in here was so joyous it's kinda hard to get annoyed without feeling like you're going to be the party pooper if you complain. The bartender is shaking drinks while dancing, the server is gently sashaing to the music. This place is a total vibe. Well since I'm waiting I might as well join in on the fun. I ordered a drink. I just chose one of the frozen margaritas that had been spinning in the machine (perhaps hypnotizing me all along). Passionfruit Mango I think. One sip, ooooh now I see why people were so happy. Strong, good strong and delicious. Not the usual watered down version that usual spews from these machines. It was $14 after all and taste worthy. My empanadas arrived- 22mins after ordering. I felt like a child being told her playdate was over and I had to leave my new friends . I wanted to stay longer but my hubby and kids were outside in the car ( initially thinking I got kidnapped) and were hungry too. I took the empanadas out to the car and they were quickly devoured. They were worth every second of waiting. I don't know if it usually takes this long but they were freshly made and piping hot . It was also a busy Saturday brunch time so that could have accounted for the wait time too. Either way , the emempanadas were honestly some of the best I've ever had. Stuffed full of well seasoned shredded beef, creamy black beans salty cheese and balanced with sweet plantains. It's a must have. The magical green sauce was so good too but the empanadas held their own. I will be back to join this neighborhood party and check out the rest of the menu. Till next time new friends.

I went to the other location about ten years ago and have been thinking about the sauces since then. I should've been thinking about this shredded beef. For fear of being deeply dramatic, I had to actually put my fork down and do some mindful eating when I had that first bite. The meat was so flavorful. The whole meal was absolutely delicious, and the sauces were very good. BUT without them, the whole meal was phenomenal. I didn't love that the beans were a little sweet, but they paired well with the plantains. I also realize that I must've been eating arepas wrong my whole life because this one was steaming hot, moist, and had a bit of a crunch. Lots of seats available at 2:30, but still had multiple tables full of people. Music popping, a colorful bathroom, good vibes.

Got to stop in here for a quick dinner. Theres plenty of seating inside and has a nice casual vibe. The waiters were really nice and pretty quick. I got the arepa leo, a beef empanada and a coconut rum drink. The drink was delicious, but so much coconut flakes clogged up the straw. The empanada was huge and filling. The arepa was one of the best things ive tasted in a while. With the green salsa on the side, it was an amazing bite of spicy, savory, and buttery from the texture of the arepa. Price is a little high but the arepas are insanely good

i ordered delivery so i cant speak to the ambiance or service. however the food was delicious! i got the pabellon arepa without cheese and it was delicious. i love the way they do the plantains. i also got a side of arroz + caraotas (rice + black beans). everything was super good!!

Went to this place for dinner on Friday night. The servers were so warm and welcoming. It was our first time having Venezuelan food and our server had great suggestions for my pescatarian diet. We ended up ordering two of the mains on their traditional dishes list. My friend ordered the traditional beef dish and I ordered the shredded fish dish. It was very flavorful and satisfying especially with the spicy topping sauces. The cocktails were also very delicious. The place itself is very casual. It's a no frills kind of place.

If I lived in this neighborhood I would be a regular here. I had an arepas--sort of like a skinny pita sandwich--with shredded beef, salty cheese, beans, plantains. And a ham and cheese empanada. All excellent, quality, and DELICIOUS. The flavors of everything listed on the menu were distinct and present in the food--it didn't taste like it all just mashed together. Amazing. I went on a rainy Sunday night and just ordered with the bar tender, who was helpful in directing me toward how much food I would need. He was super friendly, and his recs were bang on. The vibe is the kind of place hipsters will find, but luckily it doesn't feel gentrified. The room has a variety of seating types from high-tops to booth to bar stools. It's "live" but not oppressively loud.

Amazing Venezuelan Food! they have the best empanadas, the Pabellón empanadas are my favorite, me and my husband go all the way from Astoria to Brooklyn to get them, can you plase open a place in Astoria?

Came here on a recommendation from my cousin and it did not disappoint!!! I ordered a chicken empanada and a pabellon empanada, as well as a side of beans and rice. I also had a delicious cafe con leche!!! I took a sip of my cousin's cocada which is like a coconut milkshakes and it was INSANELY good. I'm so excited to have found this delicious spot in my new neighborhood!!!! Also our waitress was so nice. Really wonderful energy in the restaurant.

The pricing for this food is outrageous! I paid $20 for each arepa, and all it had was sweet plantain and cheese--no premium ingredients like steak or any other expensive protein. On top of that, they charged extra for the sweet plantain. It's ridiculous for what it is. The location itself isn't anything special either, so I have no idea how they justify these prices.

Great food and margs! Good for casual dining. Service was quick considering it was one or two people front of house for a full restaurant. The flavors were amazing. No complaints

Incredible venezuelan place with original, not americanized, venezuelan food. If you want something that is not on the menu, just ask for it. Passion fruit mojito is out of this world! Marcia is the best!

Love this place. Great food, great drinks, great service and great atmosphere. Good for take out but I prefer to dine in.

Fell in love with the location in Bushwick. So glad they have this outpost in Bedstuy. No frills Colombian food. The platter with ropa vieja, white rice, beans, plantains and arepa is my go to, never disappoints. Good for 1 meal if you're starving, easily makes 2. Order was made in record time. Definitely recommend

I love everything about this spot. The food, ambience and service. We also ordered catering for an event and the food was incredible. Highly recommend Guacuco!

Love Guacuco I was one of the first customers in the original location in Bushwick. I've always been a fan of the food, and the service ,food was excellent once again.we had the Mariscada, Pabellón, Cazón arepas & a plate of Tajadas. It was all delicious and well-made and prepared fairly quickly. My only drawback was the prices have definitely changed since the pandemic for one Arepa, Pabellon was around 15$. When they first open, they were going for around 8$. While they were still good, the price with the drinks and tip came out to around 130$kind of expensive. if I was buying Arepas from one of the street carts say in corona queens I could've paid about 40-60$for the same meal for three people. Other than that, the service was friendly and engaging & atmosphere was calm and energetic. I would definitely recommend trying, just bring your wallet.

Awesome food and drinks. A nice place to try Venezuelan food, very tasty. The waitress was very friendly, smiling and recommended good food to try.

Always good Venezuelan food and atmosphere. Great place for tasty apps and arepas, soccer watching and drinks!

Absolutely loved this place! The place is so hip and welcoming! The staff is so nice and bubbly! Everyone suspect talkative and willing to answer any questions you may have. We tried the cachapa con queso and the traditional Venezuelan plate which were all delicious! I will definitely be returning for some more delicious foods and drinks!

From the moment the tostones arrived, I knew I was in for a treat. The foods were all tasty but not overpowering and went well together. The wait times for our food were a bit long, but everything that came out tasted fresh.

My fave--gracias guacuco I love the pabellón criollo and the pabellón empanadas! everyone should try them. All of the food is delicious

The food is exceptional! Very tasty and well prepared and you can chose among many menu options. I love the service at the place and the staff is so friendly with the guests and always takes care to offer the best quality! I highly recommend this place.

Visited the city for a dance battle. I was feeling a little snack-ish after the long traffic filled drive. Luckily this spot was only a block away from the venue! I got a cheese empanada and the Pabellon empanada and was not disappointed!! The empanadas were perfectly cooked and incredibly flavorful. The gentleman who served me was adorable and so sweet. If only I was hungry enough for a full meal. I want to know what the rest of the menu tastes like!!!! I'm saving this place as a go to for future visits!!

Despite having ordered from here at least six times, this is only my second time dining in. Per usual, the food was delicious! I try to have the shredded fish whenever I can, but unfortunately they almost never have it (sad face). So for my second time dining in, I got the shredded chicken and their passion fruit juice. The juice was also perfect, not too sweet. I'll definitely return, hopefully for the fish.

Wow, this place is delicious. First we started off with their frozen coconut cocktail (Yum!) and some tequenos. Followed by the Pernil and the Pabellon. Two beef empanadas to seal the meal for my guest and I. Everything here was fantastic. If you're trying to decide between those two arepas I think the flavor in the Pabellon brought a little more to the table. I don't think you can make a bad choice here because it's hands down delicious but remember to pace yourself because your eyes can easily be bigger than your stomach here!! I also appreciate how stuffed their empanadas are. Glad to have two locations so close!

I love an arepa. With a Venezuelan mother-in-law, arepas have definitely become a comfort food for me. We visited during the 2020 pandemic, so unfortunately we were not able to sit down to eat inside, however it was clearly an adorable place with Caribbean vibes. Their COVID set up was very effective. A woman at the front took orders from the bar and they had a table blocking off entrance into the main restaurant. A huge container of hand sanitizer was located at the counter. We ordered an arepa pabellon (how can you judge an arepa place if you order a different arepa with every visit - haha), a pernil arepa with pork and cheddar cheese, an order of tequenos, and a pitcher of passion fruit mojitos to go. They have a lovely outdoor seating area, that we utilized while waiting for the food, but we walked over to Herbert Von King Park, a couple of blocks away and had a lovely meal in the park. Sadly, once we sat down, we realized we received tostones instead of tequenos. The tostones were excellent doused in the guasacaca sauce, but when your heart wants tequenos, it's a bit of a disappointment. The arepas were delicious too, however they were smaller than many of the other arepas I've gotten in the past. Next time, we'll order a third to share!

Delicious vegetarian arepas - the crunchy exterior mixed with the mildest white cheese, soft avocado and plantain, a slice of tomato and a topping of decadent mayo make for a perfect amalgamation of flavors. Add a rum coconut cocktail that was sweet, cold, and well textured, reminiscent of orzata, for a perfect summer combo enjoyed on the sidewalk.

My favorite element about this place would have to be the map artwork on the wall (ode to bedstuy) and the bar. I had the sangria which is okay. If you're looking for a kick then just get to the cocktails. The juices and cocktails are really good and refreshing. The food seemed pretty authentic. I think they could've done a bit more with the tostones. My friend enjoyed her arepas. It was really fresh and they definitely know how to pick an avocado. If you are going for something pretty filling, I would shoot for the beef and rice dish. You get all that and plaintains and arepas on the side.

Delicious empanadas. Always so hot and fresh. Great juice and desserts as well!! And lovely, lovely people. Thank you Guacuco

YUMMYY! Got a fish empanada and beef cheese platano arepa. Both really good and the sauces are really good. The arepa probably wasn't worth 2x the price of the empanada. 12 dollars for an arepa maybe is overpriced? I'm not mad though because I'm in such a good mood after eating them. Also the empanadas were big. so if I went back (as I am a value valuing consumer) I would probably get 2 or 3 empanadas instead of the 1 arepa and 1 empanada. Or maybe I'd try one of the plates. But hey if you like arepas go for it you won't be disappointed. The sauces are crazy good too

Service, food quality and portion size were SO great Marcy was super sweet and friendly suggesting some things on the menu. Drinks was very tasty and strong. 10/10 returning!

If I judged this place on the environment and the arepas alone, I'd give this place a better rating BUT my entire dish was just simply okay. There wasn't anything memorable about this place except how incredibly sweet their bean are. At first, I was enojying them but then as you continue to eat them they are just way too sweet. The arepas had a great texture. Everything else was average. I also thought the price for the food was overpriced.

Fantastic food with lots of flavor and quick delivery! I took a chance and went for delivery for the first time eating here. I was wowed by their speedy service and impeccable delivery and presentation of the food. Not only are portion generous, they even gave me extra sauce at no additional charge. I ordered the veggie empanada, rice and beans and the tostones. All arrived warm and neatly presented. The green sauce that each dish comes with is out of this world. Definitely a treat. I'm not a big arepa fan so I went for other items on their menu and was definitely satisfied with my choices. Yay to my new delivery spot!

Exceptional. One of the best restaurants in the area. Amazing delivery as well. Don't sleep on this spot.

Excellent food and amazing staff....very friendly. Nice atmosphere. Easy access by bus or train.

Brunch ! Excellent ! Pabellón Margariteño ! Recommended for Sunday noon !!! The papelon drink and tequeños were also very good

Wow! Very surprised such an authentic restaurant opened in the heart of bedstuy. Not only is the service and food amazing, but they give you such large portions and it's totally affordable. I will for sure be back soooooon!!

Love this place, went twice in one weekend! Food was yummy, people working here are friendly and nice. Vibe is awesome, would come back for happy hour.

I been going here for few years now and I usually only get the arepas. I usually get the pernil or the pabellón which are my top favorite but they had more options before but the took them off which is unfortunately.

Totally in love with this new Venezuelan hotspot. I love my Yelp updates! As I was in the field and was thinking about taking lunch, my Yelp notification let me this new spot was open for business. Originally, I was going to do take out but changed my mind and decided to dine in. I don't get to take lunch alot at work (like most folks) so it felt really good to just relaxed and enjoy delicious food. Service was top-notch. Shout-out to the waiter who was very cool and professional. He had such an easy-going personality. I ordered a vegetarian arepa along with fish and vegetarian empanadas. This was actually my first time trying an arepa and it was soooooo good. It was stuffed with sweet plantains, four slices of avocado, a tomato and a type of Venezuelan cheese (guayenes cheese). Looks can be deceiving; it looks small but you will get full. I definitely pushed my limit by ordering the empanadas but I was able to try both. Both empanadas were tasty but my favorite was the fish one. The veggie one could've used more black beans and paisa cheese. Unfortunately, I didn't taste the plantains and jalapeno inside so maybe it was missing? Not sure. But the fish empanada was definitely on point. Overall, I was pleased with my visit. But since the arepas and empanadas are deep-fried, I don't have the genetics to eat them all the time but I can see myself visiting when I want to indulge. :-)

This place is delicious and has a great summer vibe. The arepas and empanadas are freshly made. The various sauces are real fun, my only complaint is that i'd like something spicier- I'm from the south so when I ask for something hot I mean Hot. This is a good finger food joint, it is filling but you should expect one item on your plate not a meal with sides so to speak. Fun colors, good music, great food. It's a cutre date spot if you are comfy eating with your hands!

This is a new spot in the area, and I was super excited to visit! We went on Valentine's Day and ordered a couple drinks before our meal. We chose the vegetarian empanada for the appetizer, which was made of corn and delicious! They also brought the rice and beans out for the appetizer even though we asked it to be brought out with the meal. It took a long time for the food to come out (I think they had a lot of take our orders), and when it did, our rice and beans were cold, which wasn't very pleasant. The arepa (vegetarian) was ok, a little soggy and the tomato was almost pink (not the freshest). The sauces aren't my preference, as they all taste like they have mayonnaise as the base (although I may be wrong?). I would've preferred some hot sauce that doesn't have a dairy base. My partner ordered the shredded fish, which was good but definitely an acquired taste, which seemed authentic! The rice and beans were really tasty, a little sweet but so perfect! Overall I would say 3 1/2 - waited way to long for the food and the arepa I had was so-so. Prices are average!

I would definitely recommend this if you are a local. They have a very nice bar, so you could come here for just drinks and finger food, or the pre game meeting. Tequeños are good but for a Venezuelan born and raised, they could be better in the dough and that's the reason why I didn't give 5 stars. Pabellon empanada was very good, it had sweet Plantain and it was tasty. I did not tried any of the arepas. Cachapa was little smaller that I expected but the beef inside was very genorous. I had a cocada which is a coconut milkshake and it was awesome. Overall I will definitely go back. Perks? Have a drink first they have mojitos the passion fruit one seems promising have some Tequeños or I heard the plantains w jalapenos are very good too and then you can dive in to the rest of the meal. Environment is very family friendly. No outside tables, meaning no dog friendly. Place was very clean and staff was friendly.

SO GOOD we loved the arepas and our server was super nice and friendly. Cool bathroom too!!!

Not really a fan of this place. I think, It'd have a lot of potential if they follow true Venezuelan recipes. The service is good and vibe of the place is really fun. Recommended if wanting to satisfy that arepa craving and don't want to go far.

Walk in and there was no one at the front to greet. Then the lady saw us and she didn't acknowledge us probably because it was too busy but that's not an excuse. We decided to leave and we didn't even bother to talk or ask for a table. Please improve your service and be more attentive to your customer. You are only attracting the Venezuelan customer but be more friendly and make eye contact for someone that is not Venezuelan looking. Not coming back here to give second chance. I would rather go to Arepas Cafe in Queens!

I loved this place.We started with tostones and Hailey's arepitas . I tried the ham& cheese empanada, and my husband tried the steak arepa. The food is made with fresh ingredients that will make you immerse into the flavors of authentic Venezuelan food. Don't forget to try the Cocada, which is a frozen traditional treat. The quesillo also is something to die for. In addition to everything, the staff is awesome!!

I've only gotten the food for takeout or delivery during the coronavirus shutdown, so I can't speak to their service during regular times. When I ordered, they were cooking everything at the Bushwick location but still delivering within this location's area. I've tried a few things from their menu, and the standout for me is definitely the Arepa de Pabellon. It's an arepa over-stuffed with juicy beef, salty cheese, black beans, and maduros. It comes with an amazing green sauce on the side. The sweetness of the maduros combined with the salty savory of the other ingredients really makes the sandwich amazing. I also enjoyed the queso empanada, though it's pretty different from the Mexican empanadas I'm used to. I was much less impressed with the arepa de pernil, and I would definitely avoid the cachapa-- which was burnt and flavorless (You should go to Cachapas y Mas for that dish)

Ordered via Postmates. First time trying this restaurant. Love arepas and Venezuelan dishes. This place does the essential stuff really well. Highly recommend. Tip - ordered on the early side, like 5:15pm. Food came fast and hot.

The food is very good, but the service has been terrible each time. If you want to take your time and enjoy great food, this is definitely a good place to go. But if you want attentive service, then I would pass. The servers don't check on you and it can take awhile to even get greeted. I have been about 6 times since they opened and this was the case every single time, so it wasn't just an off day.