I can still taste it hours later. I am licking the walls of my mouth right now, smiling. This is food for kings and queens. Every bite freedom. A release.

Rich, thick, and addictive Venezuelan over ice is so yummy. Food and service are great 👍🏼

My favorite place for a meal in Old Pasadena. There are vegetarian and vegan options and everything Ive tried at Amara has been delicious. If they were open for dinner Id eat there even more often.They are often busy, so even pre-Covid the seating was sometimes scarce - I like to pick up for takeout and walk to the park nearby.Absolutely go here if you get the chance.

Such a cute little spot! 10/10! The staff is very friendly and helpful! Also their coffee is delicious! Get the Caracas latte iced with almond milk and cinnamon dolce. If you like the smaller coffee shop vibes, this is it!! Also the solo pa’ mi is perfect for sharing! 6 churros, only four shown because I ate them 💕

Enjoyed amazing Venezuelan lunch. Drinkable hot chocolate was heavenly.

Good service and good experience.

They have an extensive menu covering breakfast, brunch and coffee/chocolate drinks. Everything Ive had has been super tasty. Friendly and fast service.

WOW! What an amazing spot for some amazing food and service! I tried the Galipan Cachapa plate and it was delicious. The menu is hard if youve never been but the staff is so friendly and helpful! My friend had the Aztec chile cafe and it was delicious. I cant say enough about this place! A great place in Pasadena!!!

I met friends here for breakfast and we all enjoyed every single item we tried. The churros were scrumptious, the arepas were tasty, and the chocolate and coffees were perfect. I dont live near Pasadena, but this is definitely a place I will make a trip out to Pasadena for!

Exelent food, my favorite the vegan arepas😋 the staff are all very nice. While you wait, sometimes, I think is the owner he gives a free small lemonade, delicious!

EXCELLENT everything we have tasted is so good. The coffee, food and chocolate are the best!! We were here one year ago and it is still the best of everything.

Wow! One of the best food experiences ever. If I could give it a 10 star I would. The food was delicious. I tried 3 different kinds of meats and they were all full of flavor. A must try every single item on the menu. As I was complementing the chef the owner was gracious enough to appreciate my compliments.

Coffee and chocolate is amazing here! Recommend the drinks and the food. Its family owned and the arepas are delicious. Great place to take a special someone or even an old friend to reconnect.

Fantastic variety of delicious food & desserts. Excellent place for coffee, conversations, and just enjoying company with people you love. This place is a MUST TRY if youre in Pasedena.

Happy staff ~ Happy guests!!I wish a remembered the name of the sweet happy lady who was working on July 8th. Even though the place was about to close she was still very happy to serve me and she was so loving. I will definitely be back to try the food! So far I only tried the beetroot latte and really enjoyed it 😊

LOVE this Venezuelan place!!! Food in amazing, great options, super friendly staff

Amara’s food is consistently delicious as is its warm service. From their Venezuelan fair in the form of empanadas, cachapas, and arepas, to their cacao drinks and salad bowls (the roasted vegetables are actually bafflingly delicious), I’ve only had great experiences.If you want customization, go for the generously sized salad bowls. If you want traditional, try cachapas with a meat of choice. If you’d like a sweet desert, get one of their fantastic chocolate drinks with a side of churros. You won’t regret any choice you make!

Exceptional Quality with Every Dish.Fast, friendly service. Incredibly fresh looking and tasting food. Great care and presentation goes into every menu item (I watched food going out).The meat was flavorful and savory.Ive tasted some pretty bland empanadas elsewhere and these were the opposite! Tostones were also a nice, delicious treat.I encourage you to get a bite here.

Super packed but that makes sense since the food is amazing. The owner was there and she was very nice. Good local business.

I ordered 2 sandwiches and a cachapa from this restaurant and really wish I hadnt. The Cuban sandwich hits the notes of a Cuban sandwich but lacks in a key flavor note. The steak sandwich was so horrible we didnt eat it. The cachapa was my last hope but it was burnt. I wouldnt order from this place again. At least the churro dessert was good.

I have come here so many times and I absolutely love it! The hot chocolate always impresses whoever I bring. This time I had the ice cream chorros and they were phenomenal! Any dish with both of us is amazing as well. They also have some really delicious coffee that you dont even need to add sugar and cream to.

Love love love this place. The arepas are AMAZING, the hot chocolate is divine. Churros and coffee are really good, too! Plus, the owner is really nice! Im moving away from Pasadena/LA, and this is one of the few local Pasadena restaurants Im really going to miss.

It was very yummy and full of flavors! I enjoy it very much! I recommend it!

Phenomenal food, great coffee. Had the pal pana, and ginger latte. Both way above expectations. Make sure you get your eggs Venezuelan style!

The owner is super nice. Love to see a place with great service. The food was delicious. I will definitely be back again.

The best Venezuelan food in the United States. You cant go wrong trying anything off the menu or just swinging by and trying the coffee first.

Started coming here with my wife for breakfast. We live in Pasadena. I love having an empanada or a cachito with with a capuccino for an early morning breakfast before work with the view of the mountains. Reminds me of home. I grew up in Caracas and really miss having breakfast by the avila mountains. Arepas and cachapas are good too. It is a super nice spot.I have not tried the madrid style churros. But they look amazing. Ive been to spain many times and thick hot chocolate with churros is quite a treat. This is usually eaten at breakfast. I always say ill try it next time. But I am too venezuelan to say not to a corn empanada or am arepa lol

My boyfriend and I go every weekend and get the exact same thing. That’s how good this place is.

Since visiting Madrid, my fiance and I have been looking for a place that would satisfy our chocolate and churros craving and Im happy to say weve found the spot here at Amara!While not exactly like San Gines in Madrid, this place sure does come close. The quality of chocolate they use is without a doubt some of the best with its silky smooth texture and satisfyingly rich flavor. They give you a lot of it too! We had plenty left over to drink some and take some home. The churros then themselves are great too - crispy on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. Along with this they also have whipped cream on the side.Their specialty coffees are great as well! Ive tried both the iced Amara latte and the Aztec latte and both had a superb taste. I would recommend getting a hot specialty drink with chocolate in it since their chocolate is so delicious.To top it all off, the arepas Ive gotten here have been amazing too. During my last visit I got the vegan arepa (trying to eat something a bit healthier after loading up on sugar from the churros and chocolate) and it was very tasty. It has sweet plantains and avocado in it with some sweet peppers and onions. It tasted super fresh and the side of pickled beets paired nicely with it.As far as COVID precautions, you order inside at the counter and then wait for your food outside. You can choose to either take it to go or sit at their sidewalk seating area. They have umbrellas shading the tables from the sun. You can also order delivery off of DoorDash (Ive done this once as well). Its great any way you do it!

Great Service! Delicious Food. I had my bike with me and they took my order outside and took care of everything I needed. Very appreciative for the attention. Good job guys, keep up this level of excellence.

This is my new favorite restaurant! The arepas are spectacular and the Madrid-style churros with chocolate are to die for. Make sure your order them! The staff was incredibly friendly and we had an opportunity to chat with the owner whos very kind and friendly. Well definitely be back soon. Cant recommend highly enough!

The place is good, and they had really interesting food. We had guava and cheese churros and some fruity teas. Will be coming back to try more dishes.

This is a cute place in Pasadena. They offer validation should you decide to stop by.In this case, I stopped by on Election day to check out their goodies... especially their Churros!Let me tell you, they make them fresh! So, upon ordering you have to wait which is good! I enjoyed their dark chocolate dip but I also decided to order a refreshing lemonade!I am going back because I want to try their arepas and other plates they offer!Stay tuned!

Top favorite for me and my family. The churros and drinks are incredibly delicious and overall amazing. Reccomend everyone to try this place!!

This is not your standard coffee chain. This place is truly unique, and I strongly recommend it. There are so many never seen before items on the menu that you know you will have to come back 🙂 Everything we tried was good and well presented. The reason for one missing star is the signature drink Award Winner Venezuelan Chocolate. This drink is actually prepared in advance, refrigerated, then poured and reheated when needed. This actually causes the ingredients to separate and you end up drinking a chocolate soup. While the taste is still good and strong, the experience is extremely reduced by the absence of smoothness.

Espresso made to perfection, pairs perfectly with churros and Nutella.

Fresh & delicious Arepas & avocado toast! Staff is very friendly & respectful. God bless Amaras!

Wow, outstanding food! .. so much flavor! Kind of pricey, but definitely worth the money!. Very good portion! I am a big fan of venezuelan food now! I highly recommend coming

Great food, Good service. The iconic Reina is what I order-can never go wrong with this delicious meal. Because of the changes due to covid you have to order your food before you can be seated. NO SAVING TABLES. Alternative to co coffee drinks are great. The owner works with his staff and interacts with his customers.

We got our food quickly, the staff was extremely attentive, and the food was delicious. The owner even gave us a sample of their hot chocolate to try at home. Great place!

Service is quick for that morning or afternoon coffee. Their espresso is creamy, rich, and well priced. They have a wide selections of drinks, pastries, and food. This is a definite must visit.

I met my friend here for coffee, walking in with no knowledge about the spot and found out about the churros! My Signature chocolate cappuccino was absolutely delicious, and I was wondering so long about whether or not to get the ICE CREAM CHURROS that one of the extremely nice and friendly (they all were) associates there gave us a free sample! I WILL BE BACK

Absolutely delicious. My wife and I got a table right outside in the beautiful weather to enjoy our food. Delicious, filling, tasty food and strong coffee. Its a win win! Lastly, buy the Dark chocolate blend bag. We sampled it and immediately fell in love. The owner was nice enough to give us a bag to try. Mix with hot water or milk and enjoy!

Great service...arepas very filling... Tasty food

Amara is a small cafe that serves delightfully delicious Picozo (spicy) hot chocolate and churros con dulce de leche (caramel) and queso crema (cream cheese). What a treat!

+ Amazing churros! Crispy, warm, fresh, and light.+ The hot chocolates are crazy. Its literally liquid chocolate -- thick, creamy, and rich. Delicious, but I dont think I can have one to myself+ Quaint and cozy restaurant+ Seating can be a little cramped. Not the best for large groups+ Decent breakfast/brunch menu+ Fast, dining experience -- order/pay first, find seating, get served+ Prices are reasonable, portions are fair+ Central, convenient location to lots of eateries and retail

Its a MUST next time youre in Pasadena. Everything was just over the top, like always. Gracias Amara y Alex for such amazing food and service. The best Venezuelan food in town BY FAR! Great for breakfast, lunch and dinner, they will never let you down!

My mom and I stopped by here for lunch on a Friday afternoon. She had an Americano coffee, and a chicken pesto sandwich. I had a Suegra Arepa and a guava lemonade. My moms chicken pesto was lacking in pesto I would say, and had really nothing special to it. She did really enjoy her coffee. It was fresh and tasty she said. My Suegra arepa was meat free and had plantains, black beans, and 2 different cheeses. The plantains were not sweet but well done. In all honesty it was lacking in flavor for me. It was a bit of a let down that it was missing authenticity to me. The lemonade was fresh and I enjoyed it. I would probably be back for drinks and maybe try the churros because they looked great. Food was basic🤷‍♀️

We met THE Amara and shes just as phenomenal as her food! Breakfast here makes ur whole day!!

My go-to spot for excellent, authentic Venezuelan cuisine.

Coffee very flavorful...thank you...

I love love love eating here. Every time I go I feel at home. Get some tekes, cachapa con queso de mano and churros. Those Churrossss!! You won’t regret it. Amara is also such a sweetheart. You can see how much love and time she put into her restaurant.

Absolutely fabulous! The coffee with chocolate is rich and not too sweet. The breakfasts filling and tasty, there are multiple of options, including some traditional Venezuelan dishes. Will come back!One thing that could be improved: real plates instead of paper ones (especially that the coffee is served in a proper mug)

Delicious food. Beautifully fresh. Friendly service.

Such a cute place. We order cortado, chain latte and affagato. All came out great. Staff are friendly and menu has many choices. Would love to try more items next time including the ice cream and churro.

We are so lucky to have this family business in Pasadena. Food is so delicious! Coffee is excellent. I go every week!

Food was good but we felt rushed by Carlos since it was our first time here, not sure what to order we asked him and he said everything is good. The restaurant is small.

Great place to visit. Food is good and service exceptional

The chocolate drink is Marvelous!!! Very pure chocolate tasty full of your mouth, youll feel very happy and satisfied

Great tasting food in a nice fairly quiet area of Pasadena. Definitely recommend it for breakfast!

I LOVE Venezuelan cuisine and I am so excited to have found this place. I felt like I was back in Caracas. I had the Trio Tostones and all of it was delicious including the salad and I don’t even like salad but the vinaigrette dressing was so delicious. La reina - a chicken avocado salad was so delicious too. Even my drink was the best. Ginger with papelón. Can’t wait to be back to try the churros- but seriously this place is truly special for those of us that know about South American food which you can’t find very easily in CA.

- Churros were crispy and delicate with dark chocolate dipping sauce.- 32 oz iced signature cacao latte with 63% dark Venezuelan chocolate. Chocolate milk on steroids.- El Torero croissant sandwich (not shown): its like a breakfast sandwich with Spanish Chorizos.- Pabellon: shredded beef with plantains in Arepas sandwich- La Reina: chicken breast in ripe avocados puree in Arepas sandwich

THE BEST. Just go there. Excellent, high quality food. Friendly, welcoming service. Have the mañanitas churros with bacon - or basically anything they have. You wont be disappointed! FYI: small, intimate space. Little bit of a wait. Worth it.

So happy I found this place while at a conference nearby. The arepas are gluten free and the staff was very nice about letting me know what my GF options were. I had the La Reina for lunch and it was very good! There are so many other things I wanted to try. If I’m ever in the area again I’ll definitely be back.

I was pleasantly surprised with this restaurant! My wife and I were looking for a breakfast spot while driving through Pasadena and we saw outdoor seating that was bustling, and there was a line out the door. We were intrigued and stopped in and were greeted with someone kindly walking us through the kiosk and explaining the menu, (since Venezuelan cuisine is not common). I ordered the burrito with Iberian Chorizo and bacon, and my wife ordered the Galipan (like a corn cake pancake with melty Cheese and other goodies) Both were absolutely TERRIFIC!! Coffee was fantastic, prices were reasonable and will definitely come back to try some of the other items on the menu (although would still want to order the same, since it was delicious!).

I came to Amara a while back, precovid, and it was okay. I decided to try it again and I was very delighted about the coffee and it tastes better than before. I liked it so much, I came back a 2nd time with my mom and we both love it here. Will be back soon.

OMG..this was absolutely delicious. Churros are a must!

EXCELLENTNot only the food is prepared with REAL Venezuelan knowhow, but the owner is always there taking care of customers. I drive all the way from Beverly Hills, back and forth, just to have a piece of authentic Venezuelan cuisine.Amara Cafe and Portos are a true gift to Caribbean Angelenos to feel back home for a while.

Amazing coffee, delicious matcha, ridiculously scrumptious food! The entire experience from what you choose to put in your belly, to the ambiance, to the warmth from the staff....a hands down exceptional experience!

You have to taste the churros (the more crunchy I already tasted I. My hole life) and the hot chocolate (smooth and not so sweet, made with real Colombian chocolate). It’s a small place but so comfy and local. The team is also really warm and with a fast service.Pro tip: if you like a espresso coffee you need to taste it! But be aware it’s really strong (the way it should always be, haha).

Everything they have is great!

My $16 burrito arrived luke warm, and my water was served in a cheap plastic cup. The flavor was bad, too-sweet bacon didnt go with any of the other ingredients, and the avocado was not ripe. Gross, poorly prepared, and truly over-priced.

We bought some arepas and a arepa comboNot sure if they have a new cook but the arepas lack flavorThe coffee was really good thoe

Delicious spanish breakfast burrito and latte! Bonus sample packet of hot chocolate!

Delicious with great service! We loved it

Authentic Venezuelan arepas. Great hot chocolate, awesome churros and a variety of great sandwiches

Went to get Venezuelan cheese. place was packed. parked outside real quick. good visit

Excellent quality of food and service!Taking off one star because1) The churros were crunchier on the outside, almost on the hard side, than I expected. It was still great and the dipping chocolate was fantastic. But I prefer my churros to only be slightly crunchy on the outside.2) The place gets really busy and cramped. Its a hole in a wall type place and I went on a weekend for brunch so it was to be expected, I guess. My friend and I sat outside to have a bit more space but the outdoor area is a sidewalk to a main road so its not ideal either.Regardless, will definitely come back to try other stuff. Maybe Ill deliberately try to go on an off-peak time.

I had come here before and only had their hot chocolate which had cheese in it. It sounded weird but I had to try it. It far exceeded any expectations I had for it. Definitely a must try, and be open to it having cheese in it.

Great spot in Old Town Pasadena. The South American dishes are delicious and the lattes with gourmet chocolate are incredible.

I’ve been coming to this place for so long! This place is wonderful every time! The cachapas and arepas are to die for!

Cozy and inviting establishment. Owner was very patient in explaing offerings and recommendations. Breakfast was great! Their signature Caracas latte is a treat I will return to try again.

One of the great moment here with coffee

Great little place with wonderful food. The hubby and I both enjoyed our selections. Definitely try the samples.

I love their coffee here. I love coffee in general but they made it like, to be one of my favorites!

The best coffee experience of my life! Its easy to see why they are top-rated and have a line out the door and down the street.Look, if you are THAT popular and are packed in like sardines, it might be time to move to a location with more space, equipment and cash registers. I hated that part of the experience, us OC people like elbow room.My wife had a smores chocolate drink that they torched the marshmallows on, so cool.I tried the chocolate coffee Cocoa AND the drinkable dark chocolate. OH MY GOD, so delicious! So many Venezuelan drinks and foods I still want to try, just dont know if Im up for the chaos again.

Wow! What an amazing coffee shop! It is beautifully decorated with inside and outside seating. The outside is somewhat like a greenhouse with plants and a waterfall. The baristas are very kind and nice to all customers. Excellent place to relax and unwind!

This restaurant makes me want to move to Pasadena! The staff is SO friendly and warm, and everything is delicious. I wanted to order way more than I could eat. We got a breakfast arepa, Madrid style churros, and a mango+guava Fresca. I definitely will be back!

Lovely place! They have a wide selection of coffees and pastries. These are all affordably priced which I appreciated so much. Kodus also to all of the staff for caring about their customers. They really went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable and made y stay so unforgettable. Thank you very much and keep up the good work always.

This place not only has good food, but also very unique coffees and chocolates.

Churros with Nutella, and a double espresso. So tasty. Consistently amazing espresso.

The food is good, but the best part of Amara is the very kind staff! Their menu has a lot of choice including arepas, empanadas, sandwiches, and drinkable chocolate. Their churros are especially delicious, and I recommend getting them with condensed milk and dulce de leche! There is parking available right next to it, which is 90 minutes free and then a maximum of $5 flat rate. Seating is available inside and outside the cafe.

This is not your average churros you get in Disneyland or Costco; if you have time, try it and you might like it as i am.

The avocado salad is great for lunch.

We really love Amara Cafe & Restaurant! We always make sure to visit when we are in town. I had the egg croissant sandwich. My husband had the salmon BLT which he said was excellent. My son had the Belgian waffles, yum! Love their food!

OMG! This sweet shop has delicious coffee and desserts. They also have food. The staff are excellent.

Very delicious food and outgoing staff. Love the cacao drinks. Would definitely recommend for a weekend lazy day.

I love love love this place, seriously. The ambiance, weather, customers, baristas and coffee are perfect. The atmosphere here is very warm and inviting. It is always packed. I feel very comfortable here to do work, and the coffee is really good quality.

The smores churros with chocolate sauce were sooo delicious!! I was literally just eating the chocolate sauce on its own in the end.

I love this place! Their spicy cacao latte is DELICIOUS and their food brings back good memories of my country. Also Amara and her husband and the best ❤️I really recommend this cafe.