Orinoco Harvard Square
Latin American restaurant · Cambridge ·
Smoky arepas, Latin-accented space, Venezuelan cuisine
Smoky arepas, Latin-accented space, Venezuelan cuisine
"Brookline Village loves a tiny restaurant, and Orinoco is no exception — and the food and drinks are also top-notch. The menu focuses on Venezuelan cuisine with nods to the Caribbean and the Andes as well. You won’t go wrong with choices like the maracuchitos (cheese wrapped in sweet plantains) and pollo adobo. There’s also a chocolate cake made of 100 percent Venezuelan dark chocolate." - Erika Adams, C. Shardae Jobson
"Orinoco serves a lot of really good Latin specialties that are perfect for when you’re in the mood for a giant plate of food that you’ll be surprised to see yourself finish. It works especially well for Sunday brunch, when you can get things like corn pancakes topped with queso to shake up your standard eggs and mixed fruit routine. But you should also keep it in mind whenever the weather’s nice to enjoy one of Harvard Square’s best quiet patios." - dan secatore
"Here’s something that sucks: Orinoco closes. It sucks because with a menu full of big, meaty Venezuelan specialties like mojo marinated pork and a backyard that looks like the “after” picture in a Scotts Turf Builder commercial, you’re not going to want to leave here. Get here for Sunday brunch, too, when corn pancakes topped with things like melted queso take over the menu." - dan secatore
"Contracting with the city as part of a pilot program, Orinoco is participating in delivering meals to homeless shelters around Cambridge — a program that launched March 23 aiming to deliver about 2,000 meals to nine shelters by the end of the week and that could expand if the initial phase succeeds." - Eater Staff
"This Cambridge restaurant also moved into hibernation as of November 17, closing fully to the public and suspending operations to minimize cash burn to mainly rent and other fixed obligations. Despite summer adaptations—shortened hours and tightened menus—the location continued to suffer severe revenue declines, prompting difficult conversations with long-tenured staff and the decision to pause rather than accumulate more debt. The aim is to reduce monthly losses, retain the possibility of rehiring employees once it’s safer and more profitable to serve guests, and buy time through the winter; owners acknowledge, though, that without significant aid or a rebound in business, the future is still precarious." - Hillary Dixler Canavan