Palenque Colombian food

This place is a hidden gem. Literally took us back to Cali. The decor is beautiful, very lively and colorful. The food was delicious, we had the ceviche de chicharrón, the arepa burger and the limonada de coco. Everything was so tatsy. The portions are perfect. And the service was great. So excited to find a piece of home in NY

This place has been able to be get a full immersion cultural experience. I got there for the food and I was greatly impressed. Affordable, well presented and with the right amount of service for being welcomed and not overwhelmed. There’re more content in the place to make it even more inviting. I won’t tide you with descriptions; but the “La linterna” posters are a full Art show on them selves and there’s a wall of art for sale of emerging artist and a roll up screen for film screenings. My photos are not the best; but it’s what I got to show a friend a pandebono waffle and their logo. I can’t wait to go back!

We shared the mini arepas and spicy braised chicken thighs for dinner and both were pretty good. I prefer arepas a little thicker so they are more moist but the hogao, beans, and cheese was nice on top. We also had a couple of drinks (mojito & margarita) that were tasty. Overall had a decent meal here!

The arepa burger was so good , bursting with flavor !! Love the lentil soup and skirt steak as well!! Amazing place . Clean and cozy . And they play cool cumbia music and slow techno. Fire

Incredible food and service. Happy hour margaritas were really great, we tried all the flavors and they were all amazing. Especially the guayaba and pineapple ones. Vanessa was our server and took great care of us, we loved our experience, will definitely be back soon!

The food is gluten free. And they already charge a service fee of 20%. Most of the food was missing flavor, the best part of the meal was the drinks. The place looks nice but other than that, I wouldn't recommend this place unless you are going on diet or want gluten free options.

My meal here stands out among recent dining experiences. The kitchen presents original combinations with flavors that shine. The team balances efficiency with a friendly manner. Workers here make the experience better and the food is great. This spot maintains its standards.

We visited their Bryant Park booth. The food and service were great . They had vegan options such as fries and empanadas. The food was very flavorful. Definitely worth the visit .

We tried Palenque's empanadas at their Bryant Park Christmas market location. I was shocked to find some gluten free empanadas with different masa. The masa wasn't the best I've ever tried as I prefer normal empanadas but they were very rich. The options were amazing and the meat was very tasty. I really liked the salsa options too and chose a green salsa. The Bryant Park location was very cool for the Christmas market. The service was very fast and the workers helped us choose empanadas and a salsa to go with our food. It was slightly hard to find a place to sit but that's not on Palenque.

When passing by the plentiful Colombian restaurants along Bergenline Avenue, perhaps the most frequently advertised dish I've seen is bandeja paisa. Given how meat-centered it is traditionally, I never gave those ads much attention until I decided on a whim to swap out a planned mushroom arepa for a vegan version of the traditional dish at a recent dinner, here at Palenque right in East Williamsburg. Bandeja paisa is a generous Colombian thali of sorts - I suspect the version at Palenque includes far more in terms of greens than is traditional, but otherwise features some of the typical staples like plantains and rice topped with a sunny side up egg. They replace meat with a delicious stewed jackfruit served with a mild tomato chutney called hogao, which for me was the star of the show. Definitely a dinner for a day when you've worked up a significant appetite.

Beautiful Columbian restaurant in Williamsburg. I go here often when my child is at their music lesson nearby. They make the best chicken empanadas I have ever eaten. I love their cocktails, too. Also, the staff is very sweet.

While there was an abundance of food options at Bryant Park Winter Village, what caught my eye was the yuca fries from Palenque BBQ. I've eaten plain yuca fries before, but Palenque's yuca fries took it to a whole new level with a rainbow of toppings. Sharing these fries among four people was the right move. Our serving included about eight thick fries, served piping hot, and smothered in creamy and spicy red and green sauces. Topped with cotija cheese, the fries nearly made a complete meal. Served in a flimsy cardboard box with wooden toothpicks, the yuca fries were difficult to eat, especially because they were so thick (and some were a bit tough). Fortunately, we had grabbed plenty of napkins and inhaled the fries right on the spot. I'm definitely glad I gave the fries a try!

I love this restaurant. The food is amazing, unique and so filling. I always get the chicken arepa (on a corn arepa) and it's incredible. Next time, I want to try the shrimp arepa. Really good cilantro sauce. I also got a passion fruit juice which was super good. One of the only good restaurants in the neighborhood that's open on Mondays. The service is great. Fantastic ambiance.

Delicious freshly prepared authentic Colombia food and drinks. Service was outstanding. She was super friendly and patient. Beautiful decor full of nature and plants. Such a relaxing place to grab a drink and small bites. Extremely clean

I tried two of their empanadas. For $6.50 each, they were quite small. The empanada shells tasted like they were made with whole grain flour. Different from the norm and it gave them an earthy texture. They were also made with avocado oil, which was noticeable. The portobello mushroom empanada was tasty. The mushrooms were very tender. The smoky dipping sauce that came with it was super flavorful. I also tried the guava and cheese. It was sweet with a nice balance of both ingredients. This restaurant is located in the front room of Gaia NoMaya, which is a community and event space with lots of activities like yoga, meditation, and dance. The decor is lovely with tons of plants, dried flowers, bright colors, raw edged wooden tables, and fabric couches. The empanadas weren't bad. Definitely unique taste and texture, but felt a tad overpriced.

I didn't go to the actual restaurant I was at the beach and they had a small table set up. They workers were really nice. I really enjoyed their beef empanada the 5 grain dough gave it a unique and interesting flavor and texture. I also got their agua de panela (sugar cane lemonade and ginger) it tasted good but too just really regular I could buy and Arizona that tastes the same way.

We are from their stand at Bryant Park Winter Village- had beef and chicken empanadas, a cheese arrepo and yucca fries. The fries were absolutely awesome- so good. And everything at their stand is gluten free!

We stopped by and saw an arepa spot. They had just opened up. The lady that was there was so nice and she spoke spanish as well. She told us that since we got there early the yuca fries had to defrost so we just got an arepa instead. We also got a guava paste which was delicious. The food came out pretty fast and the service was great

This place is such an asset to the neighborhood! Delicious food, nice cocktail menu, excellent service and it's so nice that they have vegan options! Cute for a quick lunch or a cozy dinner, the ambiance is incredibly inviting as are the portions. A def can't miss spot, can't wait to come back!

Stopped by as I was walking past Palenque because I couldn't resist my craving for arepas and yuca fries. Really enjoyed the flavors of the vegan chorizo and salsas of the arepa, and the yuca fries were well done (though I wish I asked for extra sauce because that was very tasty). Would definitely return to try more items off the menu.

Nasty food! As a Colombian this was a huge disappointment. Beef empanada was disgusting - the beef was mashed into the same consistency as the potato. The empanada dough was made of grains and bland. The yuca was rock hard and not ripe. Food was thrown away after half a bite and money wasted...I will never come here again. Que asquerosidad!

I came here two nights in a row because I forgot my credit card the first night. The bartender Bella was so nice and attentive, and she luckily kept my credit card in a safe place until I arrived back again. Thank you, Bella! The first night I had the AGUA DE PANELA HECHIZADA with mezcal to drink after Bella recommended it. It was well balanced, not too sweet, and super drinkable (perhaps why I forgot my credit card). I also had an AREPA DE CHOCLO which is a hearty and tasty appetizer. The second night I had the Gallo Arepa (pictured) which was also quite good. The chicken, cheese, sauce, and arugula (I think that was the lettuce type) were fresh and delicious on top of the arepa. Tip: If you plan to dine here, call ahead to make sure they aren't having a silent event that night which requires it to be quiet in the restaurant. My first night there we were told we taking too loud because of the quiet sound bath event in the back room.

This is the worst and most dry Arepa I've ever had in my life, it was a beef, patty, burger, Arepa, and he didn't wanna give me no extra green sauce, I ended up throwing it away, and just eating the meat part which had absolutely no seasoning whatsoever. Definitely a thumbs down! I know about Venezuelan and Colombian food because I am married into that culture. Don't waste your money.

I am not a Colombian, but I am an empanada connoisseur..... the $7 chicken empanada from Palenque is the worst I've ever tasted. For $7, I was expecting something larger first of all. The crust was rock hard and dry and had flax seeds in it. Who puts flax seeds in empanada crust?? Next of all, there was more mashed potato than there was chicken in the filling. And they didn't even include a sauce which would have helped combat the dryness! I also ordered the lentil soup, which was flavorless. Guess I won't be ordering from here again. You win some and you lose some ....

Honestly, this was probably one of the most unique things I've tasted! I stopped by their kiosk at the Union Square Holiday Market looking for a quick bite. Ordered the turkey hot dog with everything on top (cilantro sauce, columbian cheese, fried potato sticks, spicy mayo, sweet sauce and scallions). Servers could not be sweeter and I got my order relatively quickly. I cannot speak for the authenticity of the food but it was literally not like anything I've ever tasted before! It's just such a unique combination of ingredients that work well together even if you don't think it will (at first). I ended up scraping up the last bits of potato that fell off in an attempt to savor before I was off again! Overall, would visit this place again to try its other offerings. Especially the union square market version. Seems like they made a few special menu items for the market itself!

I want to like it so much because I personally love love Colombian arepas, but it was almost the only thing I loved here, plus the cilantro sauce. The empanadas were ok, and the meats were a bit bland and dry. The deserts also didn't hit the spot (flan was too hard and the wafers were overly dressed in jam and chocolate sauce). Our waitress was sweet but not sweet enough to convert the experience to a 4 star.

I had the shrimp on corn arepa and the shrimp and toppings were excellent but the arepa was hard and dry and difficult to cut with the butter knife provided. Guava juice was slightly watery but still good. I would come back but maybe get a different type of arepa.

Came on a beautiful Thursday night. There was just one server working all the tables and she was working really hard and so friendly and gracious. Food was very good and we loved the juices too. The arepa appetizer (just corn arepa and mozzarella) reminded me of the fresh ones I use to get in Miami during my childhood and plantains were cooked just right. Outdoor seating is very nice and they are dog friendly. Thanks for a lovely evening out!

I really wish I could give Palenque a 5 star review - the food itself was amazing and the servers were nice. BUT it took over an hour for my single entree to come out on a to go order after the dinner rush when there were only a few tables full in the restaurant. Although the servers were apologetic, it's really unacceptable to allow someone to wait that long on a tiny order. As someone who has worked in hospitality, I would expect to have been at least offered some sort of drink on the house or something to make the wait more bearable. Most likely they are understaffed and hopefully this will be solved soon! I got the Chicken Arepa and was blown out of the water by the sauces and flavor combination. It was EPICLY good! Seriously would not hesitate to come back if it weren't for the long wait.

I ordered a bunch of food from here for takeout one night and was extremely satisfied. I tried their tamal, guava and cheese empanada, and their bandeja paisa. Everything was delicious! My favorite was the tamal but if you want to order that, you will have to wait an hour for it. I loved the guava and cheese empanada but I think it could use a tad bit more guava inside. This place has a bunch of different colombian dishes and I definitely want to give the rest on the menu a shot, especially their arepas!

Server was out for a while, she came back and said she was "throwing up" so we decided to leave because it felt unsafe. She was upset and mumble in Spanish "hope you don't come back" Lol

I highly recommend this place!! I am Colombian and recently moved to the neighborhood. I had an arepa de huevo to go and it didn't take me two bites to come back for a full meal. The food is amazing, the service is unique, energetic, and kind. These girls are killing it! Either if you are Colombian or not this is a must try. (I bet you won't regret it, neither will you body because it is healthier) I had the following: 1. Arepa de Huevo 2. Arepa de Choclo 3. Ajiaco 4. Bandeja Paisa (Angus Beef and sunny side up egg on top) 5. Patacones with Cheese and Hogao 6. Pineapple, Mango, and Orange juices

Very authentic Colombian food. The staff is amazing, very kind and warm. The empanadas with cheese and guava sweet are a must!!!

We first found Palenque at the Union Square Holiday Market, where I tried the Colombian (beef) hot dog with all the toppings. It was a little heavy on the scallions but I LOVED the pineapple and potato strings. Brought me right back to late night perros in Miami (drool). When I found out they have a brick and mortar in Williamsburg, I knew I had to check it out. We arrived as they were opening for lunch on a weekday and they needed a few minutes to get ready for food service, so we got espresso while we waited (Devoción coffee, of course). They do not offer the hot dogs in the restaurant, so I ordered the arepa burger. It was super delicious, so flavorful! The arepas are much more filling than a traditional bun, but it soaks up the juices perfectly. Service was super friendly and accommodating. I hope they stay safe and well because this is truly a unique and much-needed Colombian spot!

Food is amazing! Service is very slow and that's the only reason I deducted a star. The restaurant is very clean and very bright!

Some of the best food I have ever ate. Recommend all dishes. My favorite was the lentil soup!!!

I have been meaning to order from Palenque a long time ago and I'm so glad I ordered today. I ordered the bandeja paisa and oblea. The chicken was really tendered and flavorful, the salad was delicious, the cilantro rice and beans along with the sweet plantains were amazing. The oblea was a light but delicious dessert with a happy face. I just shared with my neighbors and told them to order from Palenque ASAP. Thank you for an amazing lu

Absolutely incredible. If I lived here I would be here every day. Pictured below are the beef and chicken empanadas, pomegranate cheesecake and an almond milk mocha. Go here and live your best life.

Excellent clean well made food Everyone who works here is pleasant The empanadas have a taste like no other I'm happy to eat here often

As a fan of Colombian food, I had to stop by to try an arepa and empanada. Got their chicken empanada and their cheese and sweet corn arepa. Both were pretty decent. The empanada filling was okay, wishing it had just a little more flavor. I'm not sure what the outside was made of, but it looked and tasted like it was whole grain. The dough had a ton of seeds in it which was interesting, but not very tasty. The arepa was also just okay. It was a little too sweet for me and one dimensional. It just needed something more. The chipotle sauce that it was served with however was really good.

So glad I tried Palenque for delivery on a whim. I was craving arepas and they did not disappoint. I ordered La Madura on a corn arepa and it was seriously delicious. I've never had arugula on an arepa but the flavor combinations were perfect. I also tried an arepa de choclo and empanada with guava and cheese and both were amazing. For quality arepas and empanadas you must try Palenque! I can't wait to eat here again.

These guys operate like crooks. This review is for their Smorgasburg stand. We ordered a $25 bbq meat platter. It was a small portion to start, but 4 pieces were pure chewy fat (not even the melt in your mouth kind) They clearly knew what they were doing when they gave this to us because they cut the meat to make it look like the portion was bigger (are you starting to get a better idea of how this establishment is being run?) That means someone knowingly picked up these whole pieces of fat and purposely served it to us. My husband went back and asked for the pieces to be replaced. The cashier didn't show any surprise (cementing the notion that perhaps this is an everyday business practice of theirs?!) This is the best part: The cashier then turns around to the people grilling and tells them in Spanish to only replace the 4 pieces of meat with 3. My husband who is fortunately fluent, immediately told him four not three. The really sad thing is we were so looking forward to this stand and the possibility of becoming regulars because we love bbq. It's clear that this place is all about cheating the customer. Please don't support a business like this. These were not mistakes They are blatantly and actively being dishonest. Taking your money and then giving you something inedible that would otherwise go directly into the trash is called Stealing.

Fantastic food!! The ambiance is adorable. Service is great! Every time I eat here I can't believe it's gluten free. Amazing!!!

Best new restaurant in Williamsburg. Healthy home cooked food. Traditional Colombian fare. All gluten free. Warm and wonderful team. Couldn't recommend more highly.

We love this spot! Enjoy healthy amazing empanadas!! And excellent arepas!!! Our entire Colombian family loves them. Especially the ahijaco!

I have visited this establishment with my parents now three times and have also ordered take-out. I have a Colombian daughter-in-law so am familiar with some of their dishes. The food and ambiance is lovely. The taste, seasoning of their food makes you want more! I take my parents out to dinner once a week and often look for places that my Dad will like since he only thinks my Mom cooks good! This is definitely on the list! The waitress is so nice and helpful with good recommendations! Sorry I forget her name. My bad! Check this place out the food is amazing, finger licking good! Nice addition to the WillyB!

Absolutely incredible!! Many organic choices vegan too. It just opened and i can't be Happier ! Sweet cheese arepas are the beat I've had in years !!! Empanadas sooooo good - gluten free options and vegan options too. I love thy they have oat milk too !!! Anyways I'm loving this place

My favorite place to enjoy colombian food in the city. Sadly they had to close like everyone else becouse Covid situation. Now they are back and these energetic girls are back for pickup plus delivering frozen delights like their awesome multigrain arepas to prepare and enjoy your creativity using arepas to prepare any sort of topping you can imagine. Give them a call you will be not disappointed!

The location at the Rockaway Bazaar is situated on the boardwalk over-looking the beach, surrounded by other food stands. Palenque's is one of my favorite eateries in the area, alongside Tacoway Beach and Whit's End. Their food is lovely and colorful, carefully prepared, and reliably fresh. I always return for their arepa's each summer. The only reason I didn't give them a five star is because they repeatedly get my order wrong. I typically don't complain about it, since whatever I get ends up being delicious regardless - but it's kind of like a weird arepa-roulette each time. Nonetheless, I always thoroughly enjoy what I'm given!

Love this place! Great food. Friendly staff. Lots of GF options. So happy they opened! Delicious :)

One of the best Columbian restaurants in nyc and the interior cannot be more stunning. I ordered the corn arepa with chicken and pork which was one of the best I've ever had, EXTREMELY satisfied also had their beef empanada that was both incredibly fresh and delicious. Cannot say more good things about this spot please try it. VERY VERY FRESH and quality ingredients.

Stopped in for some empanadas while on a walk and they are AMAZING. We got mushroom, beef, and guava & cheese. The ingredients are so high quality, and it's shocking that they're gluten-free and still so good! I'll be sending all my friends who can't have gluten to check them out. I can't wait to go back and try the larger dishes!

The food here is delicious. I typically order the quinoa arepa with beef and avocado. It's so good I keep ordering the same thing. The fried yucca and cheese empanada is also very is so good. I also had the fresh lemonade which has been very refreshing this summer. The most important to me is the food is fresh. When they say like home made they mean it. As mentioned in other posts the staff is very hospitable, energetic and positive always. Nicole is always great!!! Keep up the good work I'll definitely be back! Like next week.

Soooo good! Lunch special was great. Awesome choices as my husband and I went there with vegetarian friends and we were all able to get something delicious. And the waitress was very nice and helpful and we had nice seating outside. Highly recommended.

This is now my favorite restaurant in town. The food stands on its own as fantastic. But that it is strictly gluten-free is the kicker. Always fresh and perfectly prepared. The chicken arepa (gallo) is my default dish. If you like plantains, don't miss the maduro appetizer! The lunch special is great. But all in all I have liked every thing I have ordered here.

This place is the cutest! The only place that i know can make colombian vegetarian and make it taste delicious. The guava cheese empanada is to DIE for. Arepas are a fantastic, the cheese will change your life. Our waitress, Camila, was the most warm and welcoming and made our first experience perfection. I will definitely be coming back!

My god this is the best cappuccino I've had in literal years. Seriously. Normally I'm more verbose but I literally stopped in my tracks after I walked out and took my first sip.