Guasaca South American Grill - Lake Boone — Restaurant in Raleigh

Wonderful, fresh food and interesting flavors. The only real downside is how uncomfortable the seating is (but I am guessing the owners don't mind--they are hoping to turn over the tables quickly! That place is hoppin' at lunch!) The line may seem long when you walk in, but it moves fast because the service here is quick. This is not the place to go if you feel like having a leisurely lunch chatting with friends. A couple of reasons for the less than perfect score. First, did I mention the uncomfortable chairs? They are hard wood, as are the tables. But the are designed with visual appeal in mind more than comfort. In fact, there isn't a soft surface or rounded corner to be found in this environment. Second, all those harsh surfaces make for a loud environment, too. Yeah, I get it, it is a quick place with a walk up counter, but would some simple baffles be too much to ask? Third, this place is a favorite of vegetarians, vegans and also the gluten-free crowd. (Wait, did I type that out loud?) I kid! That is actually a plus. This place is great for omnivores and eaters with restrictions, alike. But as other reviews have pointed out, be careful to ask, because some of the beans are cooked in fat!

When it's all said and done, The restaurant Guasaca is worth it for the...well...for the guasaca alone (I have seen a kid in diapers use the chips as a spoon, simply gobbling up the guasaca as if it were marketed by Pixar, Disney and Nickelodeon -- and flavored with bananas, animal crackers, and cotton candy. Hi, Emily!)

And make sure you grab a fork and plenty of napkins, even if you only order the arepas, these overstuffed pockets of deliciousness can not...

I have loved this restaurant and have been a regular since 2013, but after my most recent experience I will not be returning. I ordered a vegetarian SALAD via the online ordering system. A vegetarian salad comes standard with guasaca, although it never shows up in the print out for the employees and this is an issue each and every time I go (which WAS 3-4x/month). I picked up my order, it took so long for an employee to acknowledge me to pick up my online that I waited over ten minutes. Then we had the issue with the guasaca missing and the cashier tried to give me the smallest serving of guasaca and said it would cost extra for the normal side. Again, it was a vegetarian salad the guasaca is included in the price. Once I made it back to work I open up my salad to discover there was NO LETTUCE. So my "salad" had no base and was just a bunch of toppings. Fortunately I did not have any meetings and I work close by so I was able to drive back and have them fix it. The whole point of ordering online and getting take out was so that I could have a quick lunch break. From the time I ordered to the time I got back to the office with the correct order was over 90 minutes. They comped my $7 meal, but that hardly makes up the time and inconvenience it caused. On a different day I may have been forced to skip lunch, or eat "salad toppings". I followed up by contacting the owner and she said she would call me about my experience and make it right, but she did not follow through with...

So I finally decided to see what all the fuss was about. I ordered online and it was a quick and easy process. I'm glad I did because the place is a zoo at lunch time and I don't like to eat up all my lunch break not eating. The prices are surprisingly reasonable considering that it's ethnic inspired food. I thought one downside was that they don't really have a counter dedicated to those just picking up. You kind of have to weave through the crowd and stand to the side by the register until they bring out your food. My food seemed to be ready when I got there(I ordered an hour in advance online). On to the food: in my opinion it was pretty good for what it is, which is Venezuelan style good being made very quickly. I got two signature arepas-the tilapia on white arepa and the shredded chicken on yellow arepa. The tilapia one was really good. It comes with plantains (maduros) inside. The chicken one was just ok, not nearly as flavorful. You will definitely want to purchase two arepas if you want to feel full. Overall, I'm glad I gave this place a try. I can't say it was my favorite or that it blew me away, but it would be worth...