MAIZ colombian street food

The food here is delicious and fresh. The garlic lover was full of flavor. The arepas are a must get. I could've eaten 3 plates just on my own. There are six different dips to choose from. We got the ajo and the spicy suerito and both were fantastic. I look forward to trying more menu items in the future. This was my first experience with Columbian food. The cashier/server was very polite and provided suggestions since we let her know that it was our first time. She definitely took the opportunity to let us know what was popular and what her favorites were. There is free one-hour street parking in front of the building - we were lucky to find a spot close by. We were actually pretty excited about it. We did see the parking attendant chalking tires, so make sure to keep it under an hour. We also found that leaving the parking space was a bit difficult due to cars stopped by the intersection. My suggestion is to park across the street (still street parking) on the opposite side and walk over. You won't have as much difficulty pulling out when leaving. Overall this is a great small business to support that will provide a memorable experience for your taste buds.

We absolutely loved having been introduced to this wonderful mom & pop home cooking restaurant in Portland, Maine. It is small with powerful - Colombian street food - and my favorite Frijoles (Bandeja Paisa). The stuffed arepas were a full delicious meal. The Yucca Sticks were toasty and the empanadas were perfectly prepared. This restaurant is all about serving authentic dishes and ‘home cooking’. A true gem. We also had the pleasure of meeting the owners Martha and Nic; a true joy, hardworking and truly dedicated to the authenticity and quality of their food. Our servers were Isa and Maylin, both were a delight and very attentive to our needs. This is a must go to for that lazy and super casual day.

The arepas are so delicious and very well made. There was no skimping on the filling at all, and it kept me content long after we left. The service was great as well. The casual seating was comfortable. We got the Beans Please arepa and built our own, along with the roja dulce sauce and one of the green sauces (can’t remember the name). We will be returning!

I ordered online however, there was a system error so my order was not placed. It took another 20 minutes ( Not their fault) . I definitely enjoyed their veggie Arepa ( the overload of chick peas was too much) , I’m happy I added the plantains. They increased the flavor. The black bean arepa lacked in seasoning…definitely a minus for me because I threw away $16 just like that… The arepas I look for are never the same to the ones I’ve had in puerto Rico. And this doesn’t come close. The bread is not fluffy, it’s flat no sweetness, tasteless . It’s a family owned business which I love and support, service was kind, restaurant was cute and clean. Worth coming? Maybe to someone but I’ll pass. In the end I wasted $33 ish and my time.

More gluten free Colombian street food. Substantial lunch with dessert and frozen coffee all absolutely gluten free and delicious. Awesome service!

The owner helped me figure out an order, so kind and helpful! The food was so so good. Very fresh and flavorful.

Nice waiters, English, and Spanish speakers. The food was good. We split it into two plates.

Read some good reviews so gave this place a try. Immediately upon asking questions about some menu items as this was our first time dining at Maiz the young lady who took our order was not very friendly and short with my husband and I. Felt like we were inconveniencing the young lady. The food was fairly average. With the huge selection of quality restaurants in Portland that provide delicious cuisine and excellent customer service we will not be returning to this establishment to receive subpar service.

Recommended: Yes, for a taste of authentic and flavorful Colombian cuisine. Overall: A fantastic hidden gem offering a delightful culinary experience off the beaten path. Snapshot: Food: 5/5 Drink: 4/5 Vibe: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Value: 5/5 ‍‍ Family-Friendly: NA Highlights: Perfect For: Savoring unique and flavorful Colombian street food Don't Miss: The loaded Arepa, empanadas, and plantains Bonus Tip: Enjoy their small but well-chosen beverage selection, featuring local beers like Austin Street All The Details: Tucked away on the route to Allagash, Maiz Colombian Street Food is a true hidden gem in Portland. This modest eatery with walk-up counter service offers a menu that's both outstanding and reasonably priced. The loaded Arepa was a highlight for us, but the empanadas and plantains shouldn't be overlooked either - each dish packed with flavor. On a night when we were looking for something casual yet memorable, Maiz hit the spot perfectly. It offered exactly what we wanted: fun and unique food that was full of flavor. The beverage menu, though small, had just what we needed, including some delicious Austin Street beer. The staff was super friendly, adding to the cool, laid-back atmosphere of the place. It might lean more towards a lunch spot, but for our needs that evening, it was ideal. We'll definitely be visiting Maiz Colombian Street Food again.

I came here in a party of 2 on a Friday afternoon. Unfortunately disappointed! They have good breadth of arepas available and other side dishes. I got the patacones side dish (very very cheesy without much other substance, although the patacone itself was good) and basic arepa with chicken. Perhaps I was eating it wrong (quite possible) but my arepa was filled in layers so that I was eating one ingredient at a time, making the eating experience not that enjoyable. Additionally, it just tasted...okay - a little too greasy for my taste? Service was fine, atmosphere nothing to ride home about. Parking on the street right out front. Overall, disappointing experience at an establishment that has done well for itself in the area. Food was just okay and was definitely way too expensive for how cheap the ingredients are. $32 for an arepa and 5 patacone slices? Yo come on. I will not be back. 2 stars because it was still edible and not actively a bad experience. Come if you're desperate I suppose

Maiz has been a regular takeaway spot for us for a while now; ordering online is super easy, the food is almost always ready exactly when they say it's going to be, and the folks who work here are so friendly! I've got one major frustration though: the consistency in, and abundance of, fillings fluctuates. We noticed this a while back with some friends when we ordered four arepas - the two that came off the menu were enormous, where the two Build Your Own options were not nearly as full. Unfortunately, this wasn't a one off experience. When we order, my partner always gets the Beans Please (now $14; an arepa stuffed with black beans, corn, cheese, pico de gallo, and avocado) and if I get the Veg Overload (now $12.75; an arepa stuffed with onions, tomatoes, cauliflower, chickpeas, and avocado) my arepa is always as full as his. If I choose the Build Your Own option, it's sometimes noticeably less full. Which brings me to the fillings themselves: delicious! And I love that they have so many vegan options. As I mentioned, my go to is a Build Your Own (usually $12 to $14) with pinto beans, plantains, and avocado. I recently got one with spinach as well because you can do up to four ingredients. This was an additional $2.00, and it literally had three pieces of spinach in it. Glad we had some greens on hand to supplement! Sometimes the arepa I order is a pocket of beans, one piece of plantain, and a smear of avocado. Sometimes the arepa I order is a good 1/3 of each (those are my favorite)! But I genuinely never know what ratio I'm getting or if I'm getting as much as my partner's Beans Please. What is consistently perfect - besides their flavors and customer service - are their sauces. And this is where I have no problem paying extra ($2), because I always get two (one comes with your arepa): the cilantro oil which is this thick, creamy, earthy sauce and the roja dulce which is a sweet and spicy sticky red sauce. I like to take sauce turns with each bite. TOTALLY worth it. Here's the thing: I *love* the arepas here. But if you end up ordering here more than a couple times, you'll probably notice the same things I've mentioned above. It hasn't - and won't - prevent us from continuing to get takeout, but it is something to note!

Came to eat Colombian and was surprised at the size of the store. It feels a little disjointed but not off putting, just a lot of areas that need something to tie it all together. Arepita de queso: 3 little ones served hot full of cheesy corn flavor, high addictive but small for the price Chorizo skewers: chorizo sausage on skewer with bell pepper and onion, nothing too fancy and pretty salty, need the acidic sauce to balance out the flavors Garlic lover arepa: fully packed and needs two hands to keep together, wish cheese was melted but still flavorful Sauces: packed with green onions and onions so use a fork to get it all, liked the red more than green Overall this place feels like a nice lunch spot.

My wife found this spot - we always like trying a Colombian restaurant. Considering it is a 4.6 star review over all is pretty good. The place was clean and employees were friendly, always a plus. The food- we both were a little disappointed with our stuffed arepas. The outside of both our arepas were very tuff, you had to rip it with both hands, mainly a vehicle for the rest of food. Crispy? .. I don't mind crispy - however I think the chicharones in my arepa were way over fried, when I bit in them they nearly disintegrated bc of how fried they were. After enjoying Colombian food in Florida, Ny & Jersey it's hard for me to say this was authentic. However each to their own taste.

I was super excited to try this spot, big fan of Arepas! But this was so disappointing... We got the beans please, the mushroom one and the cheese and beans. We shared them all and both felt the exact same way about all 3. The beans please was hard to eat, it's either you only get beans or only get what's on top, the avocados had that weird bad taste. The mushrooms ones was our favorite. The cheese and beans, check the picture, the person who put that in the bag sure doesn't care. It was smooshed, the whole arepa was falling apart and the whole cheese was burnt. We both cut our lips eating them. And to top it off, $50 for 3 arepas....

Finally made it to Maiz and I question what took me so long to try it because it's SO good. The menu is huge and offers so many options for different tastes. Parking is always daunting in this part of town but I managed to snag a spot right out front. They have outdoor seating and indoor seating and it's counter service. I had never had an arepa before and didn't know what to expect but my husband and I both went for it. It's a grilled corn pocket stuffed with practically anything on the menu. I had chicken, cheese and pico with cilantro sauce. My husband had the chorizo, cheese and beans arepa with garlic sauce. We also had a guava juice to share and got mango panna cotta to go. We were both absolutely stuffed and very satisfied. We have a better sense of what we'd order next time in the arepa because they are super messy. Can't wait to return!

Stopped by over the weekend and got the chorizo arepa. The cheese on top wasn't melted. Personally, I didn't think it was quite worth the price tag.

YES YES YES! This reminds me of the good food "back home" in Chicago. Latin American joints seem a little hard to come by in these parts, at least they are not as plentiful as my former city, but I am so glad I came in here today. I opted for the chorizo and I figured it would be oily and messy, as chorizo often is, but after tucking in the arepa pocket really did prevent the delicious ingredients from going everywhere. It is messy and you'll need a lot of napkins, but so delicious and satisfying. This was my first time having an arepa and a pleasant surprise came at the end when I had finished all the ingredients and found that the bread had a delicious cheese baked into it. Sorta like cheesy bread. Nothing went to waste! Except napkins. Parking right in front of the restaurant will be tricky, but pro tip: stay in the left lane (northbound), do a little circle around the block and park in front of the Walgreens.

We had a great lunch and locally produced drinks. We both had bean arepas which were overflowing and delicious. The sauce I chose was a spectacular addition - roja dulce. The cafe is simple and intimate but very nice. There was a bit of outdoor seating. The young man who took our order was nice but also funny when he made sure we understood that the can of "lemonade" my partner ordered was alcoholic. Big bonus: entire menu is gluten free.

Just tried the garlic lover arepa - the taste was fine but the chicken was super dry. We had it spicy and that sauce was delicious. The Choclo tastes like the ingredients, nothing more. There is no synergy! The platano maduro was passable. We tried this Colombian restaurant because we had delicious meals at the last three we visited (out-of -state). Maiz was lovely but not on the list of restaurants we'll revisit.

I had a previous review but I've tried the three single serve desserts over the last three days and they are all outstanding. Tres leches, Tiramisu and Dulce de leche If you're out walking around and in need of soothing your sweet tooth, I recommend it.

Very generous portions, decadent food, and very friendly service! We loved the crunchy arepa 'e huevo the most, but the Veggie Overload one was amazing too. The cilantro sauce, and the aji/garlic sauce - which come in a good sized container, are a perfect complement for either. We had them outside on the patio. Lots of gluten-free and dairy-free options too! It's why we stopped here on our road trip. There are also interesting mini champagnes and other alcoholic options to chose from, and little treats from Colombia that work as gifts. Now I want to return to Colombia for a 4th time! Will come back to try their desserts and juices.

I have been coming here for a long time but unfortunately the last two times were not so good. About a month ago I noticed the quality and quality of the food had changed and it wasn't as tasty as normal so I thought maybe it's just a one off kind of day. So I went back last week and it was again, not good. My chicken had fatty pieces in it. I had a teeny smear of avocado, back in the day I used to get big chucks of nice bright green avocado. And the pico was flavorless. I'm not sure what is going on but it's not as good as it used to be. I'm so sad about this because this used to be my go to spot but the prices have gone up and the quality has gone down so I don't think I will make it back out there again.

The prices are now ridiculous. I just paid $30+ for a simple rice bowl with chicken, avocado, plantains, and pico. That's insane. I love this place but likely won't be back.

This is a great little hole in the wall and I mean that in the best way! It was recommended by a friend. He said " great spot, big portions and the best part for you, gluten free!" So we checked it out and boy what a surprise!!! Everything was delicious!! They are doing take out so I picked a few items to try since I have never had Columbia's Street Food and I was not disappointed!

Mind officially blown. Tonight was my second visit and it is the beginning of a regular rotation of tasty Portland feasting. I moved to the area from Florida, where there is a large Colombian food presence. It's one of my favorite cuisines. Maiz is getting it better than right. The empanadas were juicy with a crispy exterior- bursting with well seasoned chicken. My black bean and cheese arepa was bursting with flavor. The vinegary green sauce set it off perfectly. The most amazing dish was a cheese filled plantain--baked to perfection like a savory banana split. O M G it was heavenly! I can't say enough nice things about the folks who own this business. Quality food, quality people.

Love Maiz because: *They're consistent *They're yummy *They are great value Its crazy I feel like the arepas are not gigantic by any means but I think its because they stuff them with so much protein you feel so full after half, but then theres just another half to go so you eat the rest. What can you do!

Prices have increased substantially while the portion size was nearly cut in half. We were left disappointed and hungry.

Let me tell you, as a former New Yorker- this here is the real deal. The second I took a bite of my beans and chicharrones (crispy pork belly!!!) I felt like I was back in the city and having a late night snack with my cousin. It was so crispy, but the also melty. A bit of everything in a forkful, and it's just *chefs kiss* I did add most of the spicy green sauce as I like more of a kick. Oh, the carimonolas? The cheese pull was ridiculous ! So good. Dunked it in the cilantro sauce , oy. I could eat a mountain of them. Chicken empanada? Crispy on the outside, nice and a tad chewy and juicy and flavorful chicken and cheese. While waiting for my food I had a lovely conversation with the owner, Martha I believe about many things. Most importantly? How much I was excited for their menu!!! She expressed that people kind of shy away from the chicharrones when they work so hard to get it here. Everybody, if you haven't considered the chicharrones you are truly missing out.

It was dead when we walked in around 4:30pm today, but the food did not disappoint!! The woman that served us behind the counter gave us all the time we needed and gave us great suggestions when we asked! A little pricier than I anticipated, I'm from San Diego and I'm used to arepas being roughly $6, but it probably costs a lot more to get the ingredients shipped here. two arepas and two drinks cost just over $50 with tip, but they were delicious! I got the chori arepa and my partner got the upgrade arepa :) both were great and we loved the reggaeton playing! will def be coming back!!

Great authentic food, beers, and excellent service. We enjoyed the veggie loaded arepa and the pon de bono!

First time having arepas - overall was not disappointed! We tried the chori and the beans please arepas. Both were good but wish they were mixed more. The ingredients in both were layered rather than mixed, so each bite could be somewhat one dimensional. Definitely good portion sizes - an average person probably wouldn't need to eat the whole arepa to be full. At the moment they have limited dine in seating. Planning to come back at some point to try some of the other arepas and snacks!

We stopped through Portland on our way out of the area, and were delighted to find a place where we could get arepas. Where we live, there are none unless you want to make arepas yourself. Parking was easy and plentiful off a main street. Inside, we were greeted by festive music, and a very friendly team on the other side of the counter. We ordered some different arepas, both sweet and regular, as well as platanos, tres leches, and a variety of sauces to try. Both of our arepas were packed with flavor, but seemed to be overly stuffed on the meat-side, and could have used a different ratio in my opinion. The sauces were really good, and brightened up the main dishes. Platanos are always good, but this one really needed a bit more cooking time. The star of the experience was the tres leches, which crazy enough isn't even made by them, and is outsourced to an independent baker. The entire restaurant is gluten free, and they have a ton of different selections if you're vegetarian, vegan, or other. Service is fast and friendly, the prices are fair for the quantity of food, and the music is perfection. I would absolutely come back for the tres leches cake, and may return for the arepas, but would not order the platanos again if cooked the same way. One star for good service, one star for great variety of dietary options, and one star for amazing tres leches.

Fantastic food at fair price, great service and even great music. Staffed by authentic Colombians. Get the frozen pan de bono to take home.

These arepas are HUGE!! The price is worth it considering how filling and large these arepas are. The portions are generous. The yuca cheese bread is delicious. The staff is also super nice and accommodating.

A cute little place and the staff was super friendly! They have vegan options ~ the Veg Overload Arepa was excellent!

So delicious! Great little find tucked away on forest Ave. tried several different items from the menu. Everything is gluten free. Huge portions that are filling but oh so worth it. You can order ahead to pick up. Staff willing to help you decide. Try more than one sauce, they are so vibrant and flavorful

Very fond memories tied to this place. It became a staple with my friends and was honestly a really cute and whimsical spot in Portland. The food is good quality and the experience was refreshing and fun. The individuals working there were patient and kind. No problems at all.

This place has become a bi weekly to-go spot during Covid. One thing we've really been playing attention to is take out containers being paper or foil. This place is killing it in the sustainable to go packaging. Their food is a perfect combo of fare I say sweet and savory. The semi sweet corn on the outside and the amazing fillings are what my dreams are made of. We've had everything from their empanadas to their little desserts and each has been amazing. If you've never had an arepa this place is the spot to try one. My wife and I went to a Colombia two years ago and this style of arepa, in Cartagena, was labeled as "Italian style". When we had the "street car version", it was just cheese fried into a masa cheese mixture fried on a hot plate cart. Whenever we get the takeout, my wife, a pescatarian, gets the Veggie Overload, stuffed with avocado, beans, and cauliflower, just to name a few. I get the Upgrade, a meat lovers paradise. The side sauces may be the highlight of my meal. For some reason I am OBSESSED with their garlic aioli. I always get extra and put it on my eggs the next morning! Overall, this place is a solid five stars for take out, pandemic or not!

Oh my gosh! I ate so much! I could not stop it was so delicious! The mushroom arepa is so good! The tres leches cake! Wow I can't wait to go back!

Amazing, outstanding, delicious! The real thing! Full of flavors and with amazing "sazón"! I would eat bere over and over again.

This food is exceptional! I had never had Colombia food, so I didn't know what to expect but wow, this was delicious. My husband and I decided on this lunch spot last minute and we ventured someplace new. We got easy parking on Forest and walked right up. Inside vibe is chill and casual. They have a small outdoor section, too. Menu had pictures, which was helpful. The gentleman at the counter made recommendations after we said we were new to Colombian food. I ate the "Básico," which was amazing. The garlic sauce was to die for. Meat was tender and flavorful. Pico was so fresh. Messy but worth it! I also tasted my husband's Empanadas and they were so tasty. A must if you are near the area!

Perfect lunch spot for fresh (and GF!) food. Not only we're the arepas HUGE and some of the best I've had, there were also so many options.

We had just gotten to the area and was searching for gluten-free foods. This place came up and Yelp as the first and the best and it did not lie. Easy to get to and with great parking. They are not really a dine-in friendly establishment although you can it seems that they are doing a lot of delivery and pickup although everyone is very nice there isn't a want to stay here kind of feel which is fine. The service was great and they helped me to decide what to get and I settled on the chorizo and chicken and spinach. These were fantastic stuffed with meat and veggies. These also heated up very well which was great because they were huge and we could not finish them.

Outstanding home made arepas made from hand ground corn. Awesome food, great people. Still the best!!

Always delicious food, great service and a cafe that I love to eat at with and without my kiddos!

Maiz has the best arepa and pão de queijo in town. Even though I have previously not liked other Arepas I've tried, the ones at Maiz are less bready, so I love them. They are packed with delicious choices that will not disappoint. In fact, there's so much inside that they can even work for someone like me on a Keto diet that is working to reduce carbs. My favorite is the "upgrade" that has both chicken and pork with pick de Gallo. I have it with the garlic ("ajo") sauce. And if you have a room, make sure to try one of the delicious pão de queijo (" pan de bolo") with one or d their amazing Colombian-style coffees while your there.

I had lunch with a friend there. Great food! Small store front restaurant. Clean, bright. Big portions. Hooray for leftovers!

I've lived in Colombia and let me say... this is the real deal. Delicious empanadas. Wish I was nearby all the time. They would be a regular in my rotation

Absolutely delicious. Do not skimp on the sauces. Each one is absolutely delicious and complements whatever arepa you get beautifully.

Possibly my new favorite spot to grab lunch or dinner in Portland. Not a sit-down place (although there are a few chairs on the sidewalk out front), but a great option to pick something up. All of the arepas are delicious and cooked to perfection. The only complaint I have is that I got the arepa with chickpeas and cauliflower and it was loaded up with chickpeas but only had two small pieces of cauliflower in the whole thing. But the flavor? Impeccable. Love the roja sauce. And their carimañolas are to actually die for. They just melt in your mouth.

Oh my goodness this place is awesome! We went to the new one in Brunswick and it's adorable!

I thought I was going to love this place, because *everything* there is gluten free...I was anticipating a gluten free heaven of sorts. The food was very tasty, and we had ordered the yuca fried cheese (can't remember the Spanish word, as an appetizer.) One of us loved it, the other didn't like it at all. We ordered two different areparas, but both chicken. One came with ground chorizo, not chicken. We shared each one, which was a challenge, and difficult and messy to cut in half. I don't recommend doing that. We had three different sauces...all good, and we both preferred the cilantro. The seating was uncomfortable (small metal chairs) and the room incredibly loud. The lighting was bright and it wasn't a nice, comfortable environment to eat in. I'd like to try again...

Let me just start by saying I LOVE that Forest Ave is becoming a hot spot for fun new restaurants. Especially the Latin influenced ones! Growing up in Arizona, I have a constant need for flavorful spicy food and have YET to find it in Maine... until NOW! Maiz thank you for filling this void!!! I heard great things about this place when they first started at the Public Market Location (which they still have). Now I am so lucky to have them right down the road from my house and I look forward seeing them on all days that end with Y (except Monday, because they are closed). The parking is all street parking but I ended up find a spot right in front. Inside is spacious and simple. Reminds me of the places I'd go to in Spain. They have great options for seating, including a rail right near the action, with beautiful tiles and amazing smells coming from the kitchen. I ordered basically the entire share sides of the menu, the fried yuca with cheese was the happiest my mouth has been in awhile! The arepas were nice and fluffy, the chorizo and veggies stick are still on my mind- wow SO GOOD, tons of flavor and just enough spice in the chorizo to keep it exciting. The empanadas of the day we're also Chorizo and another cheese option. These weren't my absolute fav but still very good. The only thing I didn't like was the cheese stuffed plantain and that's because they use Maduro Plantains and I prefer the more savory starchy Tostones. You also get your choice of salsa with each dish- they are so Different but equally delicious. I recommend trying them all and finding your fav. Mine is the one made with Greek yogurt- YUM and the Veriditas. Overall an amazing experience, the staff is SO nice and the food is just what Forest Ave needed!

Maiz is amazing! I normally get the Arepa Nachos and they have always been a 9/10, but tonight I got them with the grilled chicken and it was 11/10! amazing food, better people and a place everyone in Portland should check out! - Gabe

Absolutely delicious food. I've been searching for the recipes since last night. Veg arepa with the red salsa was outstanding. Can't go wrong here.

Second time getting take out from Maiz... let me just confirm that yes... the food is amazing and basically almost entirely gluten free. Additionally.. I will also say that in those two instances without a doubt we have over ordered... the portions are generous. Usually we order a few arepas with fan favorites including the "upgrade" and the "create your own" option (basically I love the option of adding plantains). Definitely try the chicken empanadas, currently both times I have regretted ONLY getting one order (3) instead of two and last but not least.... I must give a glowing recommendation for the gf chocolate cheese cake. We will definitely be coming back in the future! Amazing food and if you get the chance to stop by in person everyone is super nice as well!!!

Why didn't I come here sooner? I had the basico arepa and it was delicious!! Fresh ingredients, great flavor, and seasoning! This place is a little gem in the Portland foodie scene!