The Arepa Place

I don’t have any food pics because I only got plantains this time to bring back home. Every time I go to Cincinnati, which is a 2 Hour Dr. I go to Findlay Market. I have never in my life had Verde sauce as great as they have here. So if I don’t eat here, I always pick up plantains and Verde to take home. Their food is authentic and delicious. I’ve thought about everything they have here, but that Verde sauce.Is everything..

Absolutely delicious food. My boyfriend and I shared the loaded vegetarian cheese arepa with the blanca salsa and it was the perfect portion to be satisfied but still able to try more treats in the market. Definitely would come here again if we’re in the area! Also recommend the sugar cane lemonade :)

Fantastic spot! Absolutely delicious arepas, especially the steak and cheese ones. It is a pulled beef type of meat which was excellent. Plantain chips and the chicken and cheese arepas are also very good. Reasonable and fairly quick. Bonus, it is all gluten free! Take out and enjoy on the outdoor tables nearby

I recommend salsa blanca w/ the very melty cheese arepas. Downtown prices $$$. Fillings for the stuffed arepas were mid. Parking structure a few blocks away.

Completely gluten free. I had a vegetarian arepa (black beans, cheese and plantains) Delicious! Verde salsa was flavorful and the plantain chips were great. I have celiac and this is a delicious and safe place to eat. Staff is very nice.

Very cozy and delicious place. The empanadas were amazing and the chicken arepas were huge and stuffed. The empanadas were a lil expensive for the size. Would recommend!

Was in Cincinnati this past weekend and stopped here while exploring the area. What else to say besides WOW! This was easily one of the most authentic and satisfying Arepas I have ever had. I spent an entire summer in Colombia and this place was as good as, if not better than some of the top rated places I went to while in Colombia. Wish I lived in Cincinnati because I would definitely become a regular here. Service was exceptional and I loved my lunch here. 12/10 and would recommend to anyone and would easily wait in a long line just to eat here again.

Amazing arepa restaurant. If you are in the area you must visit this place. I had the vegetarian stuffed arepa, and it was delicious and a very generous serving. I recommend ordering all the sauces. They are all fantastic. My friend ordered the empanadas, and she said they were fabulous. The gentleman who took our orders was very attentive and informative. I also had a beverage there that was delicious, aqua something. Definitely try that!

Wow! This place is amazing! We were at Findlay Market and was looking for a place to eat. The reviews looked good and we thought we would try it. We were not disappointed! It is a small business with great customer service and great food! When you walk in you could smell the fresh salsa they were making. The ambiance is nice and welcoming. We were sure what to order and the lady working the counter helped by offering suggestions. I had the Build your own Steak Arepa: $13.00: Steak, black beans, sweet plantains, and cheese. My husband had a Stuffed Arepa: $10.00: Chicken and Cheese. Our son had Empanadas: $4.50: Chicken. We aksi bought some Plantain Chips! Wow, everything was served hot and fresh and was so delicious! We even had leftover Arepa's and Plantains! Yes, we recommend this place and hope to be back when we're in the area!

Absolutely delicious. I got the cheese stuffed arepa with beans, steak, cheese and plantains. It was absolutely phenomenal! The steak was tender, so so so flavorful... the beans didn't add a whole lot. The arepa itself was a great texture. The plantains were flavorful and well cooked. I chose the Blanca sauce and adored it. My hubby got just a steak area, which was also delicious. He also got a beef empanada... the texture was perfect. Would definitely eat here again and will highly recommend to friends!

I was excited to see The Arepa Place at the Ohio River Paddlefest! It's so hard to pass up empanadas. Especially this place! Colombian's finest! We ordered beef and potato empanada with a side of the Arepa. My mouth was watering as I saw them making it fresh on the flat top grill. Their empanadas are made fresh! The wrapper is made out of fresh corn tortilla. The side cilantro enhanced the flavor. I wish I could've gotten more. The Arepa is a must try if you want to experience the place. I highly recommend it!

Very professional/nice and fast service. Clean dining area with good aesthetic. The steak&cheese Arepa was well worth the two hour drive and I would almost go once a week just for it!!! The empanadas were also very good 10/10 all the way around.

First time trying arepas ! I thought it would be something I would be trying in California (since I am from there) but you know what we happen to come up on this place because my friends and I were walking around the Finlay Market and we were trying to find a restaurant with indoor seating as it was very hot. Many places seemed to be a pick up place. We happen to find this place because it has some indoor seating. Colombian food my goodness was it good. Think of arepas as a thicker corn tortilla that has been split open to stuff in a bunch of cheese and meat. I got myself the chicharron arepa which had corns and plantains with cheese inside. The pork belly was fatty with the nice crunch from the skin and the plantain and corn helped cut down the heaviness from the pork. Excellent combination of flavors. I also got the chorizo arepas with cheese. It was thick one with so much chorizo and cheese. They stacked the chorizo in there. The last thing I got was the chicken empanada. Or wa so juicy when I bit into it. Well flavored. I recommend getting the Verde sauce with all the arepas and empenadas. The place is a small market selling goods from Colombia. They had Colombian snacks coffees and even a refrigerator with plantains which was pretty cool to see.

I came down to Findlay Market and stopped here for lunch. I had the chicken empanada and the cheese empanada with the blanca salsa. I could drink that salsa!! The chicken empanada was my favorite. The dough is crispy and soft and perfect. The food was cooked to order and out quickly. I'll be back to try more items!

This was my first time having an arepa and now I'm hooked! Mine had fried pork belly, plantains, and corn. It was delicious!

Hands down the best Arepas in the country and maybe the world. I don't know how they make them but they should be on one of those TV shows where that Guy goes and eats at different restaurants. My son said his cheese one was the best he ever had, I had the Chorizo and cheese. I wish we were here longer just so we could go back.

The Arepa Place's menu is small but mighty. My recommendation, as someone who doesn't eat meat: order The Great Arepa with black beans, cheese, and fried plantains, and get a side of guacamole, salsa blanca, and a cocktail. Great for those craving a healthy, filling meal, or for those with celiac!

It was busy over the lunch hour and the service was still fast. Food was hot and fresh and had great flavor! Shop was clean and inviting and the person working helped us with recommendations!

I've never had an arepa before but enjoyed my first one so much that I came back again! This place is located near one end of Findlay market. It's a small little shop that doesn't really have a lot of seating, but if you can snag a spot it's near the window and a good place for people watching. I've tried both the beef and chicken arepa. Both are delicious, but I think I prefer the beef more. You get your choice of one sauce, which both times I got the mild sauce, but I have also tried my friend's creamy mildly sauce which tastes just as good. I do wish they gave more sauce, but you have to pay extra. Overall, I would recommend this place if you're in the area!

Did a day trip to Cincinnati with some friends and we were looking for a gluten free friendly spot for our friend with celiac's disease and had read that The Arepa Place was great for just that! We ordered to go to eat before our drive out the city and it was AMAZING! The arepas were so full of deliciousness! I got the loaded vegetarian cheese arepa and it was divine (the plantains were perfectly cooked!). The salsa verde was incredibly fresh and flavorful as well, I was tempted to get another to have for lunch tomorrow! My friends ( including the one with Celiac's) all loved their arepas! I am looking forward to coming back to Cincinnati for these arepas !

How can you not love this place?! The menu is extremely simple and clear, the flavors are delicious, and the arepa place is in an awesome location with both indoor and outdoor seating (although indoor is much more limited). Also - most of the menu is gluten free! They also have gluten free treats and ingredients all around the store (labeled as such). There is typically a wait - but I often expect this when a restaurant is delicious and provides good service.

I have been so eager to try this place after having my first arepa in Spain earlier this summer. The restaurant itself can be packed, but that's expected at Findlay, especially on a Saturday. Naturally, I had to wait a bit before my order was complete, but it took only ten minutes. You can sit inside or outside, all food is packaged to go. The staff was kind and quick. I enjoyed the Chicken and Cheese Arepa with the Blanca salsa. Delicious. The flavor is there and even though the chicken looks dry, it's not. The arepa is crispy and some of the cheese was all at the bottom. Looking forward to coming back to try more and recommending this place to others!

this this place is one of my favorite places in the city. I come here at least once or twice a week and today I got their chichoron arepa and I kid you not it is the best most crunchy and soft pork belly I've ever tried in my entire life, it is so delicious. I would recommend this place to anybody.

Arepas, awesome. Empanadas, awesome. Salsas, awesome. All their food is fresh and flavorful and amazing. Located at Findlay Market between Eli's BBQ and Maverick Chocolate, it's super convenient to the streetcar stop at Findlay. You can grab your food and eat in at a shared table, or go right outside to the red chairs/tables where you can get drinks from Jane's. It really is in one of the most perfect spots at Findlay. It also doesn't hurt that every single thing they serve is so amazing. Every time I get something from here, I think, wow, that's the best thing I've eaten in a while!

You have to love the authentic Arepas at this hole in the wall! Legit. Order at the counter and eat!

I was exploring the Findlay Market area and ready for lunch. I saw the Arepa Place while walking around and, after peeking at their rave Yelp reviews, decided this was the spot to land on. It was a VERY good decision. Everything was excellent! I wanted to try two of their signature items so I went for the loaded cheese arepa and the chicken empanada. Both were great but WHEW! That arepa? Amazing. I've honestly been craving one since I got back home to Michigan. A hot, gooey, cheesy, corn cake topped with plantains, beans, steak, and shredded cheese. Delectable! Lovely outdoor seating is also available which I highly recommend given the great views and vibe of the surrounding market. Everything was pitch perfect!

I love this place! Such good food at reasonable prices. I got a basic chicken arepa with cheese a d a cilantro sauce. Filling and quality food. Definitely will be back.

As always excellent empanadas! I get empanadas for my office every year for Hispanic Heritage Month from The Arepa Place, and they are always a big hit! Again, they did not disappoint, the potato-eggplant and the chicken ones are my favorites! ! Delicious!

If your looking for something out of the ordinary- this is the place. They offer yummy tasting empanadas (pastries filled with savory stuffings) that are made fresh to order. The restaurant is smallish but does have some available dine in. There are also outside tables available in the area. Our service was friendly.

Salsas and plantain chips were phenomenal. Great arepa - delicious! Empanadas were pretty good, but not best I've had. Order took a little wait - nothing unbearable.

I was looking for a place to eat at Findlay Market and this place caught my eye when reviewing the Market's website. I had never had an Arepa before, but knew it was a South American dish (cue the lyric from Encanto...."My mom Julieta can make you feel better with just one arepa....") This is located not directly inside the Market, but on the "outskirts" nearby. It has its own signage and entrance but is considered part of the market due to its close proximity. I walked inside and the gentleman behind the counter greeted me warmly. I told him I had never had an arepa before and asked what the number one choice was. He pointed out the Great Arepa and although I felt like it may be too much food, I went for it. I also ordered a side of plantain chips and guac (I LOVE plantain chips!). I took a seat at the high top bar area (unfortunately there were not any seats outside). My meal came out within 10 minutes. The arepa looked to meet my expectations. Having never had one before, I was unsure how to eat it. At first, I attempted it like a sandwich, but alas, it was too much. So I had to fork and knife it. I am really glad I tried it. It was good, although I felt like could use a little more flavor somewhere (maybe in the chorizo or the actual arepa "shell" itself.) The guac was so creamy and smooth. I gobbled all of it up and still had quite a few plantain chips to spare. All told, I am very glad that I branched out of my comfort zone and tried something new. It's great to see a restaurant dedicated to a unique dish that you don't see too often in Ohio (and is a minority-owned local business!). I would definitely go back.

Small but clean space. Counter service with a few chairs to sit inside. Line was long but service was quick. I had the chorizo & cheese arepa & it was excellent & filling. The thinly sliced plantain chips were sweet, salty & crunchy

The colleague and I are in town for work work. Since we heard that this area is one of those new and cool hot spots. We did a lap around the area to see what it's all about and since my friend has never had Arepa's before. I think it's just proper we get her feet wet. So I order the beef and she orders the one with everything on it. I loved mine, just about inhaled it instantly. She also loved hers, but she stopped half way to save hers for later. The Spicy sauce is probably the best sauce they have. Not spicy for me, my friend did try it and she ended us asking for more of that sauce. So I think even the non spicy eaters can handle this sauce. The place is really nice. It's a no nonsense place. You walk up to the counter. Bark your order, you pay then a few moments later, you get food. Everything you need to know is written in a giant board right behind the counter. I would definitely eat here again if given the chance. ¡Muchos gracias y hasta pronto! Thank you so much for reading my review. I hope this helps with your decision making experience. Enjoy your awesome yelptastic day!!!

Fantastic authentic super tasty dishes. My favorites are the chicken empanadas with verde salsa and blanca sauce. And the sweet plantains are my life. I order two orders every time. They also offer a selection of Hispanic refrigerated/frozen and shelf stable grocery items.

One of my favorite places to grav food at Findlay Market. The arapas are flavorful and the wait is usually reasonable even when it is busy. They used to have a stand at Findlay but now are brick and mortar. The store is small but there is usually a place to sit inside or out front. Never been disappointed when I've stopped by.

The arepas here are HUGE! The pictures do not do a justice and one can easily fill up someone. I got one with beef and everything in it as well as an empanada and both were good. I would 100% come back here and get another arepa the combination of the plantain, meat, cheese was just wonderful

First time having an Arepa and I loved it! My husband and I got a few ones to try. I got the chicken and cheese arepa which came with a salsa. My husband got a chicken and a steak empanada with a side of salsa as well. They both were good, but we definitely liked the arepa the best. This place is perfect for vegetarians and gluten free diets as well. So glad we got to try this place while passing through town.

Tiny place at Findlay Market (outside, not inside) that was absolutely delicious. We got beef empanadas, salsa blanca, sweet plantains, and Aguapanela. Everything was fresh (at 3pm) and cooked to perfection. The crisp on the empanadas was *chef's kiss* will definitely return

Saw a number of reviews about this place and decided to check it out today. Ordered three cheese areapas to try. It took a while but did come out hot. Each of my friends said the same. Melted cheese no flavor but good beer soakage. No one finished them or wanted a second. Sorry..we did try.

The food was amazing !! I love the arepas with chicken and cheese ! The creamy cilantro sauce is the best and not spicy. The staff is so

Wow! The food at The Arepa Place is excellent. We stopped by for takeout lunch today and tried a little bit of everything. Our picky preschooler devoured a beef empanada and my husband loved his chicken stuffed arepa. The cheese Arepa and empanada were both so good; the cheese was very tasty and the empanada was perfectly cooked with just the right amount of crispy. The Blanca salsa was without a doubt the tastiest thing I tried; it is so good. Definitely add some to your meal. I liked the Aji Colombiano but the Salsa Verde wasn't my favorite. The plantain chips to accompany the sauces were also great - perfectly salted and the right thickness. I also want to applaud the store for their COVID practices. The staff were all masked and gloved, and they have customers order at the desk and then wait outside for their order. The orders came out quickly and were packaged really well so they were still tasty when we got home 25 minutes later.

Cheese arepa was definition of perfection and both salsas I tried with it (roja and verde) paired perfectly. The cheese arepa had a crispy exterior and an almost creamy interior blurring the difference between dough and cheese. Plantains were cooked well, slightly sticky and sweet as expected of plantains. The empanada shell (chicken) was perfectly crispy and the dough was just the right thickness. The chicken arepa was absolutely loaded with chicken! I'm not sure exactly how it's cooked, but it seemed to be a lean option without a hint of added fats or grease. Without the salsa, it would be a bit dry for our liking. But, the salsa comes with it, so I assume it's expected to be used! Other details: Strictly complying with covid guidelines, they are carryout only, with a sign indicating only 5 customers inside at a time. If you walk up order, you'll wait outside for 15 minutes or so for your order to be brought out. According to their sign, you can also call ahead or get delivery through UberEats and DoorDash.

Custom built, made fresh. Worth the 5 minute wait. Only 10 seats but this is chow made for the beer garden 20 steps away. The one with three meats was good and the salsa with sour cream was good!

Whole gluten free menu, bc it's authentic. I got the chicken empanadas, potato and eggplant empanada, an arepa with chicken, cheese, and beans, and plantains. Everything was fantastic, and authentic, not white toned. Very quick, very clean, good prices. Great for different dietary needs.

Good customer service, very helpful and patient; even better food. I tried the eggplant and potato empanada, tasty with a really good crust. I also had the arepa with everything. I thought the shredded meats could have been more moist, but the flavors were delicious. Plantains were sweet and yummy. The cream sauce is thick and rich and is a perfect topping. I was full with the 2 items.

Delicious food and everything is totally gluten free! Don't forget to get an order of the guacamole and fried plantains. So so good! We didn't have to wait long for the food and the employees were very helpful and nice. We can't wait to go back!

Can't believe I stumbled on this place because the last time I went to the Findlay Market area in Cincinnati this place did not exist. It's also wild to me that a Colombian place exists in this part of the country but makes me so happy to see my people's food in Ohio! We were visiting friends in Cincinnati from Chicago so coming by this place was a real treat. Ordered this bomb ass filled arepa (the one with basically everything in it and it was freakin fireeee! Especially with the Blanca sauce (they have 4 sauces to choose from). We also ordered some empanadas which I was honestly not too impressed with, although the Ají was plentiful and decent. I would certainly come back to this place...and I recommend others looking at this place to try it out as well. Not too many people know about Colombian cuisine so please try it! Get a stuffed Arepa and try it yourself! Mmmm I want more as I write this review.

The Arepa Place was good! I had seen them for awhile and finally had the chance to try them. I stopped by with a friend for quick snack. I really enjoyed them. I Build Your Own Beef and/or Chorizo Arepa add: chicken, black beans, cheese, fried plantains. I had chorizo. The way the Arepa Place serves theirs is layered. It's the dough, then cheese, then meat, and beans. It's such a pretty stack. It's very tasty and filling. I did not finish the entire arepa. I will certainly come back.

Love this place. And you won't leave hungry! I always get empanadas, arepas, and sweet plantains! I just can't choose

I was walking around the market on a Sunday and everything was pretty much closed. It was hard to find a place that was open and The Arepa Place saved the day. Having lived in Colombia for a while, my bar was pretty high and this place was spot on. Not only was the arepa perfect, but seeing all of the Colombian products around for sale gave me a nice sense of nostalgia. The only thing that I would change is a little more in their salsa portions. The atmosphere is fast-casual. It was cold outside so I wanted to sit inside and eat. It's possible, but difficult. It's a small space and if you want to sit in the high-top chairs you may get bumped by the people standing behind you in line or trying to get a drink from the coolers.

Beef empanadas are good. We also had the Arepona and it was really good. Would come back

I love pretty much everything about The Arepa Place: It's a small, local family business. It's a success story. It's a labor of love. It's an original take on Colombian cuisine. It's gluten free. It's affordable. It's delicious! My favorite so far: The Arepona. It's a masterpiece that dwells in my deepest gluten-free dreams. It's a corndough 'sandwich' with beef, chicken, chorizo, black beans, cheese, fried plaintains -- I cannot think of a quick, portable type food that I have enjoyed more in recent memory. The Arepa Place is such a unique concept: Colombian "street food" that can hold its own against many of the other "sit down" OTR boutique restaurants. It's so nice to see a bit of Colombian cuisine and culture represented on Findlay Market, and it makes me hopeful for what might pop up next in the storefronts around the market.

I love the vegetarian ...lots of cheese. Beans on top and Maduros..such a simple uncomplicated dish but the flavor combination was great..way better than the chicken one

Visited Findley Market and found this place. My wife ordered 3 empanadas 1 cheese 1 chicken and 1 beef. She liked them. I thought they tasted ok. I ordered their specialty item with cheese chicken and plantains. The watery tomatoe sauce didnt help. It was super dry. Needed some type of sauce or sourcream because it was super dry. I didnt taste any plantains. It was very large but that didnt matter for $8. I think the $3 empanadas was high. They were small. We also ordered another sauce but didnt get it. Since we took it to go they get a free dollar. No napikins or silverware was given. You needed it for the sauce.

Fantastic place to get a quick lunch with the family. Sit outside and enjoy the public people watching on a weekend. The sweet plantains are a must!

Nice cute little place in a fantastic location. They also beside a nice food selection have a rather large Columbia grocery food selection. My Empanada was filled with meat. I also had a rather cheesy arepas that was both good and very filling. They also have a draft beer selection which is a added treat. Very friendly staff and service was delivered with a nice smile. Prices are very good to really fill yourself up. Do go and enjoy. And enjoy Findley Market as well.

Great little spot for lunch. For the veggie option and was stuffed after it. Loved the salsa that was served with it.