Venezuelan Chamo Cuisine

Super delicious! The empanadas were FRESH and SIZZLING. Super flavorful food plus delicious juice options - I got a refreshing passion fruit juice.

This was my first experience with Venezuelan cuisine, and I was pleasantly surprised. The restaurant is vibrant and has a lovely atmosphere. I went with my friends, and we decided to share our dishes to try a wider variety of flavors. We had a great time at Chamos, and it turned out to be a fantastic choice!!

Beautifully decorated Venezuelan restaurant. The ambiance is lively and the food is delicious. Food is ordered at the register, and brought to your table. I especially recommend the empanadas, the cachapa, and the pabellón dish.

Very quaint restaurant! Beautiful, vibrant colors and decor. The food was tasty, and fresh. Venezuelan food has a unique overall selection; with some shared elements with other central/South American cuisines. The staff here is very nice, and attentive. Food was freshly made, and very fast. Each dish had a great taste profile. There is a parking lot for customers south of the restaurant/street front. Plenty of spot there! The chicken breast dish was tasty, and simple (in a good way!). The yucca fries were different and nice! Overall everyone enjoyed their dishes! I would not say the fusible has a very strong/rich taste (like Thai/Indian food might…but it is still nice!). Plenty of seating indoors, and a few outdoor spots under a covered tarp. Wishing this place well!

I had the pleasure of dining at Chamo Restaurant recently, and while the food was absolutely delicious—authentic Venezuelan flavors, fresh ingredients, and perfectly balanced spices. From the moment we walked in, the service made us feel welcome with a warm smile and genuine hospitality. The service was knowledgeable about the menu, happily explained the differences between arepas and cachapas, and gave fantastic recommendations (the service suggestion to try the pabellón criollo was spot-on!). Throughout the meal, the service was attentive without being intrusive, checking in just enough to make sure we had everything we needed. It’s clear that the service takes pride and work in representing Venezuelan culture through food and service. I do definitely come back not just for the amazing food, but for the kindness and energy the service brings to the table. Highly recommend!

My first time here and I’ll be back for seconds (and thirds and on!) - Excellent all around! Charming, tropical decor and a warm, bold, cheerful cashier greeted my friend and I upon entering. Her first time with Venezuelan food, not mine. At the cashier’s suggestion, she ordered and was stoked on the Reina. The Domino and a capacha did me right! Flavorful, whole food-based, and enough leftover for another meal. We loved sharing the passion fruit juice too. Thank you, Chamo!!

This place is fantastic. The chicha alone makes it worth coming here. Probably one of the best chicha drinks I've had in my life. I highly recommend the tequeños, empanadas and their pabellón criollo. There's street parking in the area. The decor is fantastic too and the staff is nice and friendly. The food does take a bit to come out but it comes out fresh and it's worth the wait. The prices are reasonable for what it is, and the fried plantains in the pabellón were cooked to perfection.

We really enjoyed our meal here. The atmosphere is bright and fun, the people working there were all friendly and welcoming, and the food is great. We had the fried yucca (with some great sauces), a chicken empanada, and an arepa. The chicken in the empanada has such great flavor. The arepa was much lighter and less greasy than some we've had in the past (in a good way) but not to say it wasn't huge and absolutely filling. We got the one with the fried pork, avocado and tomato and it was absolutely smothered in garlic sauce, which we loved.

INCREDIBLE!!!! So worth the price. The decor, the food, the service, the music transports you into another Venezuelan universe.

I took a couple of co- workers to Chamo to try it out for lunch and I'm glad we did! Chamo is small restaurant on Colorado adjacent to Lake nestled in with a number of different neighboring restaurants. 3/4 of us ordered different types of Arepas, while the other ordered a breakfast plate. The arepas were huge and definitely worth it. I didn't know what to order so I had our waitress create my own arepa. I'm so glad I did because it came out piled high with so many different ingredients that I ended up taking half of it home. The only reason I'm giving a 4 instead of a 5 on this review is because since my arepa had so many ingredients, it was tough to eat as a sandwich and get every flavor in every bite. I ended up deconstructing the sandwich later. All the flavors were there though so I'll definitely be back to try a different arepa or different dish and will update my review then!

Service is super great and friendly! The tequeños and their sauces are delicious. I definitely prefer the pabellon arepa more than the plate because it provides a little texture variation with the lil crunch of the arepa. I will say the chicken on its own (plate) can be a little dry and def needed the sauce to dress it up. Also a bit pricier than expected. 1 plate, 1 arepa, and tequeños came out to $59 w tip

My fiance and I stopped here when we had to to make a trip to Pasadena. It was my first time getting Venezuelan food and I loved it. We got two arepas. The pabellon with chicken and the llanera. The lady at the front was super helpful and so friendly. Since I'm currently gluten free, she helped me understand the gluten free options. She also put the fried plantains on the side so my fiance could have them. She put the avocado on the side for my fiance's llanera and as you can see from the pictures, they give you plenty. The arepas are loaded and quite huge. It was loaded with so much cheese and tons of meat and beans. The flavors were awesome and she offered us both the garlic sauce and the spicy garlic sauce on the side. They were both really good. I enjoyed my arepa so much, I ordered another one to-go for a friend. I would definitely come back when in the area.

Wow the arepas here are amazing and one is big enough to satisfy one person. Stopped by on a Sunday afternoon. Music was blazing the interior was beautiful felt like a tropical getaway. I tried the shredded beef and my husband tried the fried pork. The quality of the ingredient was obvious and I want to go back to try all of the arepas! Unfortunately they were out of the chorizo when we went so hopefully next time. Also tried the iced tea was really unique tasting.

I had Chamo back in 2017, and since then I've been thinking about the arepas and empanadas! I finally got around to go again and it was everything I remembered. The food is authentic and has that homemade vibe. The arepas are stacked and full of flavor (highly recommend the pabellón). The inside is a hole in the wall, homey feel. It is small so big parties might have trouble with seating. The cashier was really friendly and gave me some recommendations. The prices surprised me since I remembered 2017 prices BUT that was 7 years ago so can't blame them for inflation A meal here cost the same as a meal anywhere else $10-$20 and its authentic. (Forgot to take pics of food!)

Should you eat here: Yes! My wife and I decided to pop in during one of our Sunday walks in the neighborhood. The arepas are delicious, fresh, and filling. One arepa is enough for a person. I'm honestly upset I just discovered this hidden gem. I recommend getting the Pabellon and Reina arepa, with a glass of papelon con limon.

Based on the reviews, I was really looking forward to trying this place. If you're looking for parking, they have a small parking lot behind the restaurant off of S. Mentor Ave. Upon arrival, the restaurant's not huge but had plenty of seats for small parties of 2 or 4. You step up to the counter and order with the server. Upon arrival, there was no one at the counter. After a few minutes, a girl stepped out but just stood there. No greeting, no hello, nothing....I was tempted to just leave. But after a few awkward minutes, I finally asked what she recommended...which then prompted her to answer and she seemed a little more welcoming after that...but it shouldn't take the customer to start that. In any case, onto the rest of the visit and the food. We had to try an empanada so we ordered the Carne Molida. The crust was really nice and crispy (not hard) and the ground beef was really good. I'd definitely order this again and try another empanada. We also ordered the Cochino Frito. This was really good. The pork was pretty flavorful and not dry. However, the same cannot be said for the Llanera which was dry and didn't have much flavor at all. We also tried the Yuca Frita which was okay but if you're looking for flavor and seasoning, you won't find that here which is why you'l lneed to drown it in the garlic sauce that they provide. For drinks, we got the Papelon con Limon and Parchita Passion Fruit. Both were good but very sweet. I'd recommend that you get a side cup of ice water to dilute it.

First time eating Venezuelan food and looking forward to eating more! The young lady taking our order was incredibly helpful with walking us through our options and letting us try some of their traditional beverages. We had the Pabellón Arepa and Chorizo Arepa that came out looking beautiful and were wonderfully tasteful. The chorizo arepa has a little kick to it. The Pabellón has your mouth going from the sweetness of the plantains to the savory seasonings of the beef and you won't be disappointed. Come ready to eat because the portion is no joke!

Came here with a big group and the customer service was excellent. The lady working (not sure if she's the owner) was super helpful, friendly, and accommodating! All the food is really good, photos attached. Lots of cheese and a decent amount of fried food so it's definitely nap fuel. Good music and good vibes all around, free parking in the back

It was a simple place on Colorado Blvd. It's easy miss it if you drive by too fast. It order at the counter and find your own table. Very casual vibe. Nothing fancy. The food is delicious. It was my first time tasting Arepas. I had the Cochins Frito which were very tasty. The pork was fried perfectly, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. The mix with the avocado, sauce and the corn meal shell was great. One was almost enough to satisfy me, but I wanted more. Can't wait to go back and try different ones.

This place is fantastic. The chicha alone makes it worth coming here. Probably one of the best chicha drinks I've had in my life. I highly recommend the tequeños, empanadas and their pabellón criollo. There's street parking in the area. The decor is fantastic too and the staff is nice and friendly. The food does take a bit to come out but it comes out fresh and it's worth the wait. The prices are reasonable for what it is, and the fried plantains in the pabellón were cooked to perfection.

My first time here and I'll be back for seconds (and thirds and on!) - excellent all around! Charming, tropical decor and a warm, bold, cheerful cashier greeted my friend and I upon entering. Her first time with Venezuelan food, not mine. At the cashier's suggestion, she ordered and was stoked on the Reina. The Domino and a capacha did me right! Flavorful, whole food-based, and enough leftover for another meal. We loved sharing the delicious vibrant passionfruit juice too. Thank you, Chamo!!

We tried this place out this weekend- I was craving some good Venezuelan food. This place did not disappoint! The food was amazing, the place was very clean and the customer service was great! I'm Venezuela but my friends were not the waitress who may have been the owner explained all the great food items. I can't wait to go back. So authentic.

Very expensive i got a cachafa with cheese sweet corn with cheese i was charged over 21 dollars when i got home it was burned saggy and not very sweet it was a total missed not worth it at all. I feel sorry because i really wanted to like it but definitely that was not worth over 20 bucks.

I love me some Venezuelan food from time to time, and although there are many other places that have them chamo seems very authentic. I usually get their tequeños (cheese rolls), cachapa (sweet corn pancake filled with cheese and sweet cream) and arepa (stuffed corn tortilla/sando like), hallaca (Venezuelan holiday tamale, very tasty). Everything comes with two kind of sauces but my fave is their garlic one (light green one). They also have yummy drinks (such as lemonade sweetened with brown sugar, parchita 'passionfruit' etc), and Venezuelan goodies such as sweets, cookies etc. Service is very dry to be honest with you, just straight up taking orders and go on their way; but there's plenty of seating inside and the place is very welcoming. Super clean restroom and street parking.

Great food. Great service. Colorful comfy restaurant. I enjoy the outdoor seating when the weather is right.

I love Venezuela and its food. When I saw there is a Venezuelan restaurant close I had to try it out. It is such a cute little place and it's in a great location. The only issue is parking but there is paid parking pretty close. I wanted to order one of everything but knew that wasn't going to happen so I settled on two cheese empanadas. They were great and reminded me of being back in Venezuela. So it's a sit down place but you order at the counter and they bring your food out to you. The girl working was very kind. There were only a few other people in there, likely because they just opened for the day but I could tell they were all enjoying their food. I will be back for sure. I'm even considering going back for dinner tonight.

I've never had Venezuelan food in my life, and I saw a brief video about arepas and Venezuelan cuisine. I saw this cuisine being served in a restaurant in Pasadena, so I had to give it a try. Chamo Venezuelan Cuisine is a small restaurant, located in East Pasadena, with a few tables that are nicely spaced apart. We order at the counter and then the food comes to us. The person at the counter was super nice and recommended that we try the pabellon arepa, which we ordered with beef. We also wanted to share an appetizer and thus we shared tequenos, which are deep fried dough with cheese - kind of like mozarella sticks, but with dough on the outside so it's less dry. I actually loved the tequenos, which was served to us with two different sauces. I loved the spicy sauce. For the arepa, we were told to eat it with our hands. The Venezuelan sandwich was just too large for me to eat with my hands, so I ended up using a fork to help scrape out some of the inside. The combination of beef, cheese, black beans, and the corn dough was absolutely amazing. It also went well with the spicy sauce. Definitely a very unique experience that I would love to try again.

I wanted to try their empanada's here and I was left quite disappointed. The meat to batter ratio needed a lot more work on the meat side and the overall meal was a bit too salty for me. I would not come back again.

This is a great Venezuelan place just off Lake. Very vibrant colors decorate the place and the staff is always super nice and helpful. The arepas are amazing. The Pabellon is the most common and is perfect. I normally am not even a fan of plantains but it works so well. Place works well for vegetarians with the black bean and plantain arepas as well. Appetizer/sides wise I've only had the taquenos (fried cheese and dough) but those were a huge hit. Love going here

A bit on the pricey side. The food and ambience are great though. I will probably be back but not as often.

What an incredible find - an authentic Venezuelan restaurant with a variety of choices + a delicious array that reflects the rich culture's cuisine. If you have never been to a Venezuelan restaurant or tried its food, don't miss out on an arepa - it's a savory corn-flour dough and Chamo provides plenty of options pending your appetite and preferred flavor profile. The arepas are pretty sizeable, so one should be enough. I love the Reina. There are also authentic drinks - frescolita is delicious! During the holidays you can get hallacas and pan de jamon - a rarity! Try it if you want to get a sense of the holiday flavors.

First time trying arepa and it was delicious! Chamo is a Venezuelan restaurant located in Pasadena and I was excited to give it a try for lunch. I got the Reina Arepa which includes avocado chicken salad with onion, cilantro, and mayo. It was a tasty blend of some of my favorites. The arepa was a filling meal. They have a good amount of seating inside the restaurant as well as some outdoor seating. I was able to find street parking nearby.

1st time to try Venezuelan food. Interestingly good but quite pricey too. 3 entree+a small lemonade drink+ yucca fries. It was casual dining with paper plates, cups and plastic utensils. $17 each for arepa, traditional plate and I think the hallaca too. Serving is descent size but nothing fancy. Worth the try if you want to experience a different cuisine.

If you want to experience some authentic arepas, Chamo is the place to go! I ordered the Reina Arepa which has chicken and avocado! They give you generous amount of chicken and avocado. Very flavorful. Come on an empty stomach! The food is filling. There's plenty of street parking.

great little spot for Venezuelan food and vibe. I especially enjoyed the tequeños. I'll be back to try more.

Delicious food, first time trying it very good! Service was great the vibe was very family it felt like. I gotta come back and try more !

Pabellon Arepa is sooooooo good!!!! Love this place. It was my first time having an arepa. And I am forever a fan as well as recruiting fans :0) They also have unique drinks like chita (a cinnamon drink) and parchita (a passion fruit drink, very sweet and refreshing)! Their yuca fries are soo good and my absolute favorite part of this place is their DELICIOUS GREEN SAUCE! My only complaint is how long the food takes to come out. I appreciate that it is fresh but we had to wait 15-20 min (felt longer when you are starving). I am the type to get very hangry so unfortunately I need to subtract a star.

Very nice new restaurant in Pasadena. Very friendly host who helped out with menu selection. I had the Pabellon Arepa and it was excellent--very filling, so go with a big hunger. It is a small, well appointed eating area, with very colorful decorations and music playing that seems reminiscent of Venezuela. Try this place!

A loving small no frills shop that delivers. It was the lemonade for me! I had a black bean arepa with cheese and we ordered separately at the counter and they brought it to us. They gave us yuca fries on the house and my friend ordered the tostones. Friends got black beans and rice with meat and it was hearty, filling and cheesy. Would love to come again!

I really enjoyed my food from here. I came for the first time today and there are truly a lot of options to choose from. I chose to try the Reina Arepa and some plantains. The Reina Arepa was perfect for a warmer day like today and it was full of flavor, sort of gives the same vibe as a chicken salad sandwich just with pieces of avocado and cilantro which was the kick i needed. The only thing is, it's soooo expensive.. for the arepa and a side of plantains, it was $25 for 1 person. I'd probably only go back once every so often because of the pricing, otherwise I'd visit often based on how good the food was. The inside is designed really cute with a feeling like you are in Venezuela. The gentleman taking my order was really nice as well with a great attitude. Again, it's just the price that got me a little thrown off.

This is definitely one of my top 10 favorite restaurants! The food, customer service, ambiance, and vibes are exceptional. I've been coming here for years for their authentic Venezuelan cuisine! Yessica and Daniel are wonderful people who wear their hearts on their sleeves and go above and beyond to make you feel welcomed. This restaurant offers top-tier food, service, and wonderful people. If you're near Pasadena, this is a must-visit! I absolutely adore this place!

Excelente comida, todo lo que pruebes es delicioso, increíble ambiente y servicio, te hacen sentir como en casa

This spot was amazing. I definitely recommend the red sauce. It's spicy but that good spice. Portion was good. I had the mechada (no cheese). Plenty of meat considering price. Meat was just right. Service was excellent. The environment was great. Definitely date idea. Music was cool. Restroom clean.

This restaurant is so cute. In its decor! It's family run and very charming. I came to try the empanadas. It's a pretty large size - the outside made of a cornmeal based dough instead of a wheat dough... and for the size I was hoping for a little bit more feeling inside. I'll be back to try the Arepas someday! It looks like it is a specialty here.

Wow. This has to be one of the best empanadas I've had in a very long time. They've pulled it off twice too, so it's not a game. The dough they're using has a bit of cornmeal or something special added to make their crust a bit different. Both times I've got the Molina empanada and both times it has come out crispy, warm m, deliciously perfect. It's amazing. Also, the arepas are amazing. I had the beef steak one (llamadas i think it's called) and it's basically the best Venezuelan steak burger everrrr. Looking forward to trying the plantains next. Definitely worth the money.

The last time we tried to come here, we got here right before closing, and they were fresh out of arepas. So we tried again today. Got one arepa with shredded chicken, beans, plantains, and cheese (Pabellon), and another (the Domino) with just the beans, plantains, and cheese. The Domino that they gave us had shredded pork, which obviously was a problem. They were very apologetic and fixed this. Everything was delicious, and it came with an aioli type white sauce that nicely balanced everything else that was going on with the arepa.

Good food - They had just made hallaycas (Venezuelan tamales) for the holidays - I highly recommend. Small restaurant, so you have to be patient.

When you can walk into a place and feel like family. It's the best feeling. Especially not being from here. The owner came out and gave my kids some rice and beans just because...( they usually just eat off of my plate) and I thought it was the sweetest thing. Reminded me of my aunts and family. Thank you for that eating out with children isn't the easiest. You have no idea how that helped me . THE FOOD WAS AUTHENTIC AND DELICIOUS to say the least! Sooooo FRESH

I stop by this place every time I'm in the neighborhood, the food is delicious, ready quickly and the staff is always kind!

Had the pabellón with tequeños and one arepa !! Everything is good . Really good service

Here for the rose parade and it was empty inside. Went to come use the restroom and we needed to purchase something to use the restroom (valid). We bought a water (which we needed anyways) and the lady said we can use the restroom. Some other rude lady came in and said us buying the water isn't acceptable to use the restroom. She had a very rude tone towards us and even the other workers. If we purchase something at your facility we are a paying customer. Wasted money and i don't appreciate that ladies nasty attitude.

I ordered the Reina with cheese several times. Addictive! also great fried plantains.

Many many years ago, one if my best friends in High School moved from Caracas to San Salvador cause her Mom was a diplomat way back when Hugo Chavez wasn't president yet. Those were the sweet days when traveling to and from Venezuela was easy as driving down to the beach. Her Mom lived permanently in San Salvador cause she worked at the Venezuelan embassy, but her dad had a business in Caracas that he had to oversee so he would come over just a few times a year. He cooked such DELICIOUS dishes, among them, arepas, he MADE hallacas for Christmas, he made tequeños and carne mechada and all sorts of Venezuelan dishes that since then, I had never eaten again, until I stepped foot in this restaurant. This place makes some PHENOMENAL dishes, and if you know about south american food, you know Colombian arepas are different. These are just another level. What a trip down memory lane is to eat this food again after TWENTY THREE YEARS. I havent seen my friend since, but I know she and her mom are ok. And her Dad lives in Isla Margarita now. I dream about his cooking skills from time to time. He would make THE BEST pabellon criollo that I could ever ask for, and only ever tasted again the first time I stepped foot in this little Hidden gem in the middle of Pasadena. So yes Yelpers, south americans not only settle in Florida, and if u look hard enough, you'll be able to find treasure places like this, which, if I am not mistaken (please correct me if I am) is THE ONLY authentic Venezuelan restaurant in the entire L.A. County. I could dare to say, the entire SoCal region..

Wow. Highly recommended! Workers are extremely nice and the arepa was perfect. Shredded beef was perfectly cooked same with the plantains. Both sauces add so much flavor to an already delicious meal. Will definitely be craving this joint in the weeks to come.

Authentic Venezuelan confort food, a lot of variety. The owner is super friendly and attentive.....

Incredible flavors! Enjoyed every bite. Have to try the lemonade, surprising and flavorful.

I'm not Venezuelan but it still tastes like home; like home-made with love. Came with a bunch of friends and tried a variety of arepas and plates and everything was made with care to perfection. The fried yucca is great and their sauces are super delicious! I hear people saying it's expensive, but they do give you a lot of meat and food in LA is just expensive. Also try the passionfruit juice - yum! And Jessica is super nice and cool - will definitely be back! Thank-you!