Zona Vip — Restaurant in Springdale

Food is excellent!! One of my favorite restaurants. Owner is really nice. My favorite thing to get is Sancocho, muy delisioso! Updated 6/19/20 I love there oxtails dinner as well!

Updated 4/27/24... my favorite dish to get is their Sancocho but it's not what it used to be... The quality of my favorite dish the Sancocho is not what it used to be. The flavor is still good but the quantity for how much they charge is not okay, major shrinkflation! I literally got a fatty piece of meat with a heavy bone and only 2 pieces of starch in the soup and a tiny piece of corn delivered by way of grub hub and figured I'd let them know to see if they made a mistake and a chance for a do over. The owner is very nice and obliged my request and so when I ordered it again the following week I received the same poor amount as before and so I'm left to believe that this is there new normal. By the time I remove the bone and fat from the meat the soup it is only half way full in the container they give which is mostly broth with no substance: literally one half piece of potato, one tiny piece of yucca, tiny piece of corn. Which is very disappointing and not at all how they used to pack their soups. They used to pack the soup full of vegetables: lots of different potatoes and large piece of yucca and broth to the top of the container without the huge bone in the meat. That way they can fill up the container. Not anymore! And as much as I love their food, and that particular dish Sancocho, it's not worth spending almost $20 for less than half a large soup container with a big bone and a super fatty piece of meat. I hope they can do better with their portions of that soup, or change the price or take it off the menu if you can't provide it the way that...

Ask any Colombian in Greater Cincinnati where's the best place to go for Colombian food which tastes like home, one name invariable pops up -- Zona VIP. This restaurant is popular with the diasporic Columbian community in Greater Cincinnati for a good reason - they serve authentic Colombian food which is as good as back home. Located on Springfield Pike in Springdale with ample free parking, the unassuming shop belies the good food served inside. On my visit for this review - for Sunday lunch - the place was filled with Colombian families - young and old -- always a good sign! Zona VIP is well known for their Colombian soups (sopa) and Colombian specialties like bandeja paisa.

For lunch, I ordered bandeja paisa and jugo de lulo. An iconic Colombian specialty, the bandeja paisa is the most well known of Colombian food. Zona VIP's version is rice served with a thin slice of steak, asada chorizo, chicharrón, fried plantains, arepa, fried egg, and pinto beans -- see photo in this review. The bandeja paisa is so delicious and tasty - I love the chicharrón - just the right balance, flavor, taste, and texture of deep fried pork attached to the pig skin. The savory fried plantains melts in one's mouth. And the chorizo is flavorful. You can order extra sides but for me, this was plenty for lunch!

The popular Colombian jugo de lulo (freshly squeezed lulo juice) is refreshing on a hot summer day and a thirst quencher which balances nicely the bandeja paisa.

Verdict: excellent meal that is value for money! Highly...

This place is my go-to when I am missing the comfort foods of my childhood. The Colombian food at this restaurant is as authentic as you can hope for—especially in this area! One bite of their bandeja paisa transports you into the mountains of Antioquia with its inviting flavors, and the natural fruit juices reminds you of the biodiversity of the country.

The food is always on point, no matter what you choose. There’s enough variety in the menu to sample diverse regional dishes. If you’re in the mood for a hearty soup, I recommend trying the ajiaco. But, if you want a sampler of meats, definitely go with bandeja paisa—it’s recognized as the national dish. (And choose the morcilla—it’s delicious and extremely hard to find outside of Colombia!)

The servers are always very friendly and attentive. The food isn’t served very fast—but good, fresh food takes time to make, and you will definitely get great food when it finally arrives. If you’re extra hungry, order some empanadas for an appetizer while you wait.

The atmosphere is… alright. The music played is primarily salsa (oldies but goodies). The décor is a bit dated, plain, and humble. But, what it lacks in décor, it makes up for in food taste. And you’re really coming...