Reviews of Café Mamajuana. (Restaurant) in Burlington (Vermont).

Café Mamajuana

119 Reviews

90 Comments

Restaurant

Dominican restaurant

88 Oak St, Burlington, VT 05401, United States

Description

Information of Café Mamajuana, Restaurant in Burlington (Vermont)

Discover the opening times, the location, contact, popular times, photos and real reviews by internet users.

This place has a very good rate, they treat their customers well and you’ll feel welcome, super recommended

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Reviews of Café Mamajuana

Danilo Jose

I got surprised that I found a Dominican restaurant in Vermont, beautiful decoration, the food was delicious and fresh, prices are just a little high but when the food arrive you forget everything. I know very well the Dominican food and I would recommend to anyone in Burlington that try at least the empanadas and you won’t regret.

A M

Loved Cafe Mamajuana! The chimi burger and wings were incredible. The wing sides are amazing, both the guava bbq and the jicama pineapple salsa. The side of tostones were perfect and the canoa de Carne was good as well, and a very generous portion (2 meals for me). Will be back ASAP, going to have to try the chimi burger on tostones and some empandas. Thank you so much for the delicious, fresh & flavorful food!

Noah Gootkind

Cafe Mamajuana is a hidden restaurant in the north end that teleports you out of vermont. The menu is unique and well thought out- its no wonder they were nominated for a james beard award! I got the Pescado Frito (fried red snapper) after seeing that they finally had it back in stock and was thoroughly impressed. The fish was perfectly cooked, and tasted incredible. The staff were so friendly and happily chatted despite being busy, all in all i had a great experience. Cant wait to return and try some of their creative specials!

Brittany Peterson

We ordered takeout for dinner from here and everything was fantastic! Each dish and accompanying sauce was flavorful and unique. The wings and Canoa de Carne were our favorites. On top of the delicious food, the staff was very welcoming and friendly. We'll definitely be returning here whenever we visit Burlington.

Ashley L

I enjoyed all my food, especially my entree, but was very unimpressed with portion sizes for price. Could that be more of a reflection of being used to very large American portion sizes? Possibly. That being said, I like to assume desserts can easily be shared between two people but it was hard to share our dessert we got. The pickled red onions that accompanied our meals elevated everything. Will be returning!

Thatcher Michelsen

I've only been in once but I was definitely impressed, great vibe cool people delicious food. I don't eat fried food often but if I am going to it'll be from a place like this those Bean empanadas are on point. Oh and the sauces wow. Every chef knows it's the sauce that makes the dish!

Will

This review is going to come across as gushing but, I am just blown away after eating here. There's nothing else like this in Burlington. I've eaten at places with similar vibes in larger cities but not in Burlington. Every dish we tried was fantastic. The atmosphere was great. The service was attentive and quick. Even the seemingly random location makes you feel like you're discovering something special. I mean this is special. We lack diversity in our restaurant offerings here so, to find a really good Dominican restaurant hidden away among the houses in the Old North End, it's so refreshing. Not only do I absolutely want to come back here, I can't wait to come back and try more dishes.

Yuliya Rudick

Wow this place is just amazing! The food is delicious! We tried them for the first time (take out) and loved it! We had a red snapper and stuffed plantain plus some empanadas and apps and everything was outstanding!

stephanie busch

The food was great, ordering for pick up was quick, and the pick up was also fast. Make sure to check you order before you leave the site. I am excited to go back.

Hannah C

The sauces and empanadas are 10/10. We also had the canoa with pernil, which was very tasty… just not as good as the empanadas.

Alexandra Kaye

We had such an amazing first time brunch experience!! the food was phenomenal. The brunch drinks were fresh! I would recommend this spot to anyone looking for fresh and flavorful food. Also, as a vegetarian they had plenty of options for me and everything was clearly labeled if it was vegetarian or not!

daisy roianov

AMAZING EVERYTHING !!!! We loved all the food you ordered. You can not go wrong with your order anything you get will be fantastic. The owner was extremely friendly; made us feel very welcome. Overall just fantastic. Will definitely come again.

Lori Potter

Our first try here did not disappoint. Delicious breakfast paella, and so simple to request vegan version. Will definitely be back, since I spied coquitos on the bar menu.

Grace Hawkins

Wow, this place is incredible! The breakfast empanadas are so creative and absolutely delicious... we had the chicken and waffles and the bacon. Both were so tasty, I can't wait for more. The real top hitter was the breakfast paella with pork. WOW WOW! The rice and beans were so flavorful, pork so tender, egg was perfect and the plantains were cooked to perfection. We ordered breakfast to go online... It wasn't ready when I got there (which is totally 100% okay it was super busy and I didn't mind waiting the ambience is so fun!). The folks working there apologized and thanked me for waiting sooo many times and even poured me a cup of coffee. Again I was more than happy to wait (mind you it was really only 5 mins tops). The staff is incredible and you can tell they really like working there. I am so excited to have this place in my neighborhood... Thank you for bringing such a fun restaurant to Burlington! Also, for the folks who are complaining about price point... Have you noticed what's going on in the world? Food costs are soaring... People have to make a living... :). The food here isn't really that expensive for the quality. Just be happy that restaurants are open.

Clarissa Drill

Delicious food and drinks, friendly and caring staff, super cute cafe...do NOT skip this place!! In a town with some great restaurants, this one takes the cake. Got the breakfast paella which was fresh, full of flavor and SO filling. Cant wait to try more next time I'm in town!

Chester Elliott

Newsflash: plantains are delicious, and this place knows how to cook them. The canoas and tostones are really good.

Emily Buxton

As other reviewers have said, this isn’t a cheap meal for the portion sizes. What you do get though is flavorful, delicious food. I had the wings coated in the dry rub seasoning, which were crispy, perfectly spicy and left me wanting about 50 more. To follow, the dessert empanadas were to die for. (I ate both myself and wanted about 50 more of those too :D ) The chinola cocktail comes in a deceptively small serving - I would have loved it to be a bit bigger for the hefty $18 price, but it was admittedly pretty strong, so I finished up happy. Thank you for a great meal, and I enjoyed supporting a local business. I’ll be back next time I’m in Burlington!

Gabi Pezo

Wow! The chicken boat was great. The beans were also great. My kids loved their empanadas and maduros. And the canoa de pollo was perfect mix of spices , curtidos and sour and creamy rice. Hard to explain the explosion of flavors in my mouth but it was out of this world. My heart is happy. The service was great also. So friendly and helpful. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ All the way.

Mallorie Madewell

Moved to Vermont from the Caribbean, so this definitely helped those cravings! The rice and beans are great- such comfort food. I really enjoyed the tostones, maduros, and the empanadas. Having some cheap, classic mayo ketchup as a sauce option would have been clutch, but the sauce offerings were delicious. The canoa was really really good, just not quite as greasy and unhealthy as they are in the islands. So that’s a positive and a negative! Also, the service was fast and friendly. I will definitely be back and ready to try the rest of the menu.

Elizabeth Jarrard

Phenomenal dinners. Lots of plant-based,vegan and dairy free options. Tons of flavor. Excellent drinks. Extra points for fully compostable takeout. Get the hot sauce!

Megan O'Brien

So good and highly recommend!! Absolutely love everything I’ve had from Cafe Mamajuana, the flavors are unique to the area and soo good! They bring a lot to the Burlington food scene and you should definitely check them out!

Marguerite Suozzo-Gole

This place was amazing. I was visiting my cousins for the weekend and we split a bunch of tapas between us for take out one night. We got the papas rellenas, tostones, arancini dominicana, guava BBQ and jerk chicken, and 3 empanadas. Everything came with its own different dipping sauce, all of which were great. We also got the Mama Juana cocktail — a traditional Dominican brew — which came in a tiny plastic bottle, but was strong enough that divided up between the three of us it was enough. My favorite was the guava BBQ and jerk chicken. Spicy jerk seasoning on the drumsticks, guava BBQ sauce that I could eat on its own (and ended up slathering on the rest of my order), a pineapple salsa, and something pickled, maybe jicama? Overall, our order was lacking green, so if you’re on a veggie kick this might not be your vibe.

Abigail

Like others have said, the empanadas are good, but $4.50 per is steep for the Burlington area. I think that what it is is that the price just doesn’t seem to match up with the rest of the menu for me, where the entrees average $15ish and the sides around $4. I know it’s purely consumer psychology but I also think it feels like they’re even more expensive because you’re seeing the price per empanada rather than getting 2 for $9, for example. That said, don’t write this place off because of the price of the empanadas. The food is beyond SPECTACULAR, and the rest of the menu is very well priced. The entrees are so damn good, especially the canoa de carne. I’ve had dreams about the Guava/Queso dessert empanadas. And the tostones are to die for. I’m so happy that this gem of a place opened up, and their lunchtime counterpart Poppy is also really good. Highly recommend Café Mamajuana. It’s a bit off the beaten path of Church St Marketplace if you’re just visiting, but it’s some of the best and most unique food you’ll find in Burlington. It’s worth it.

Edward Deak

Fantastic! Great food made with quality ingredients and well prepared. Prices are more than fair and the portions are perfect. I would absolutely recommend.

Collin M

Just go to this place. The food is delicious, it’s very cute, and did I mention the food is delicious. We ordered WAY too much and just couldn’t stop eating it. We were so stuffed and happy afterwards. Everything was cooked and prepared just right, which is hard to find in take away. Will be back to this place undoubtably.

Pandora Box

I was exited to try this place because I love empanadas the cheese empanadas are out of this world they where great but when we tried the chicken ones they where so cold like they gave us old empanadas from the day before and didn’t even care to heat them up. I don’t know if the staff was having a bad day but I felt like it was an inconvenience for them to have us there. I will definitely give it another try the yuca is incredible too but they need more quality control with the empanadas it’s not so appetizing to bite into cold pink chicken.

Katie Horner

Five of us got takeout and all were happily stuffed. The food is absolutely delicious and seems really reasonably priced for a high quality meal! Absolutely recommend for a tasty, filling fun meal - this is joyful food!

Ben H.

The food was pretty good, but over priced for what you get. Staff was great, really friendly and fun atmosphere. Some reviews here say "best food I've ever had", unfortunately I can't say I agree with that. There are tastier options in the Old North End and also much more affordable. Would definitely go back for a special treat but sadly too expensive to eat there regularly.

Rachel Zellem

Top notch, exciting, flavorful food made with love. My husband and I ordered a bunch of things to share, and the highlights were the arancini, papas rellenas, and pork empanadas. I was also lucky to get some of the spiced rum and wine mixture that is their namesake. It was strong and delicious and drinking it felt like a special occasion.

Naomi M Trautmann

I have been dying to try Cafe Mamajuana since the moment they opened. I have been following the evolution of Maria's dream for years and to finally be home in Vermont and able to try the magic first hand was an absolute dream. Every single thing on the menu was amazing, and let me tell you, we ordered A LOT! The arancini dominicana and canoa de carne topped the charts. Every empanada was better than the last and the yuca frita was divine. I will be eating at Cafe Mamajuana every single time I am back in Vermont. In fact, I may have to make extra trips just to get my fix!

Jang Praggy

Delicious food until the last bite! Will be coming back for more! 🥰 …

Carleena Lara Bregatta

The food at Cafe Mamajuana is 100% authentic and delicious! I love how fresh & flavorful everything is & how they have delicious options for people who have dietary restrictions. Maria, the owner, is a wonderful woman who advocates for women of color in the restaurant industry & beyond. I love to support a local business that is bringing so much culture to the Old North End. I recommend the empanadas as they are family recipes along with the canoas as a heartier meal.

Charlotte Reider-Smith

The BEST food I’ve EVER HAD!!!!! probably. It was SO INCREDIBLE. I got the bean plantain thing and my boyfriend got the Cubano. Also the bean empanada was to die for. I like 1.5 hours away and I’d come again just for the food. Like INCREDIBLE. How do they do it?!?! The FLAVORS!!!!!!!

Kelt Wilska

Tasty! Great to have Dominican food in Burlington now. The maduros are perfect. We were unfortunately very disappointed with the small portion sizes given the price. It was 30$ for 4 pieces of plantain, a small cup of salad, and about a cup of mofongo, which is listed as an entrée.

Jamaliya Cobine

Excellent food and would absolutely order from here again. It does feel a little pricey for the portion sizes as others mentioned however it seems like high quality meat and produce so I don’t mind splurging a bit for the tasty flavors and unique (to Vermont) menu.

Cassidy Peck

It’s a good thing I live in Williston, otherwise I’d be tempted to eat here every night! So flavorful and fresh and different from anything else in the area. The empanadas are the bomb, and the passion fruit tart is the best thing I’ve ever tasted! Do yourself a favor and try Café Mamajuana!

Sam Peisch

Incredible food - 10/10 every time. Even held our food for hours when we had an emergency and it was warm and ready when we came to pick it up. Wonderful people - a true testament to the virtue of community.

ramona bregatta

You will feel like you are family in the cozy atmosphere of Cafe Mamajuana. Maria serves all the traditional Dominican classics like empanadas, tostones, maduros, pernil, fried whole red snapper and of course yellow rice. Make sure to try the amazing homemade flan, guava cake and tarts. There is something for everyone including vegetarians, don’t miss the bean empanadas!

Rachael

Maria is a fantastic cook and kind. There’s not one thing from her kitchen I would rate less than 5 stars. Empanadas are top notch. 100% recommend trying this restaurant.

Phoenix Rising

Delicious each and every time! The food is like a flavor explosion with the bean canoa mixing the sweet with the and herby flavors.

Iva M

We absolutely love Cafe mama Juana! The food is delicious and the customer service is 100/100. Feels good to finally have real Latin food over here, thank you for doing this! Everyone should try it!!!!

b m

Descending from PR, I always indulge in some hearty caribbean meals with family on Nochebuena. This past December I was unable to visit home for obvious reasons, but the maduros and tostones at Mamajuana have me on the beach in my mind. I'm so grateful to Maria for bringing these heartwarming, comforting, and sorely underrepresented flavors to Burlington. Now to try and stop myself from going every day!

Jess Lilly

I don’t often review, but when I do, I leave 5 stars. Sooooo good. Seriously the best food I’ve had in a long time.

Aziza Malik

Most exciting food in town! Everything I’ve ordered has been absolutely delicious. If I could eat here every night, I would!

Anna Pond

Tasty, crispy and so flavorful!!!! A welcome addition to the Burlington brick and mortar food scene. Great serving sizes and fresh, rich flavors.

Jared

Food is excellent, however the portions are relatively small. For example, a single small empanada is $4.50 - not what I was expecting.

Alison Hall

Holy moly MamaJuanas is so tasty!!! Recommend this restaurant to everyone, the food is consistently delicious, fresh, and interesting!

Ian Anderson

Food was outstanding, everything we ordered was great, and the simple rice and peas and tostones were some of the highlights.

Heather Estby

Reminds me so much of when I lived in the Dominican Republic! I highly recommend the chicken and cheese empanadas, the guava dessert empanadas, and of course the Mamajuana!

Patrick McAndrew

Amazing! We ordered a little of everything. Do not miss the Cheese & Garlic Empanada and the Chinola (Passionfruit) Tart!

Kathryn Vitali

Not only is the food DELICIOUS, the staff are Kind, Cool, and Friendly. Also, the restaurant itself is very chill and clean. If I could give 6 stars I would!

Mark C

What a great spot with a amazing food. I hope they are able to reopen soon!

Chris Muzzy

Delicious chicken chili and rice/beans with chicken. Corn bread with guava butter was amazing!

Jon Mendel

So good! The Empanadas are top notch. The paril was super dope too. Eat it while it's not!

Danica Zirkle

* ~ AMAZING ~ * Currently (April 2021) Wednesday-Saturday 4-8:30 Limited hours but it’s worth the wait - this is some REAL food. If you haven’t been there yet, you’re missing out!

Thaina Calix

Outstanding customer service and great food! Will definitely keep going back for lazy nights dinner out.

Nathalie T

Wow! Everything we ordered was delicious. Made with love! Can't wait to go back again.

Gisela Veve

Absolutely delicious. Cafe Mamajuana has become a favorite. A most try.The canoa de pernil is THE BEST.

Nicole Curler

Just went for drinks and loved it. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. I can't wait to try some food next time!!

Laura Andrews

AMAZING and authentic Latin food; tostones, empanadas, pernil, red snapper and so much more! The best in VT!

Hon Dro

The canoa was to die for. I only got a bite of the chimi burger, but that was fantastic, too. Not sure which one to get next time.

Amy Lieblein

Every time we eat here we are blown away! Insanely delicious and highly recommended.

Risto Laboski

That burger is outstanding! I’d also recommend trying the Papas Rellenas de Res and the Canoa de Perníl. Delicious!

Tim Hodet

Just got take out from their soft opening. Wow...awesome food. A definite stop on any food tour of Burlington.

Y L

The food was fantastic! Felt like eating at home 🇩🇴

Nicholas Means

We got the wings and poutine and they were some of the best we ever had

Eric Coughlin

Some of the most delicious wings I have ever had I will certainly be going back

Brandon Stoffregen

Worlds best empanadas The drinks are also delicious

Adam Wing

Incredibly delicious - amazing flavors and a fantastic culinary must in Burlington!

Jessica Wymer

Everything is so amazing here. Def order the key lime pie for dessert, omg.

laura ruhlman

Great vibe and fantastic gluten free options.

Justin Peregoy

Don't sleep on Mamajuana! It's the real deal! Absolutely fantastic food and amazing staff.

Kaley

Loooove this place, best (and only?) empanadas in Burlington

James Mock

Great food, but definitely pricey!

Ben Farmer

My new favorite restaurant. Delicious!!!

Leigh Gamble

The empanadas were sooooooo good. Yum! 🥟🤤 …

Nicholas Drago

The La Canoa was amazing!!! Great service and friendly folks!

Rex Accavallo

Excellent food! Great addition to Burlington!

Cedric Jacobson

Amazing food, very friendly service!

Addie Schlingmann

THE BEST FOOD IN BURLINGTON. HANDS DOWN, NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

Gui Meireles

Just gonna say that: You gotta try this place!

Jay Chrysanthus

Phenomenal food a must go!

Marla Emery

OMG. The canoa pernil is amazing!

Nicholas D'Antonio

Deserving of five stars and recognition.

Dylan

EAT THIS FOOD. 9 thumbs up

Tina Ingemi

Brunch was delicious.

Davis Williams

the food is phenomenal!!!

SunFarmer

Amazing Food!!!!

Daly Braxton

AMAZING‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

Jay Furr

Authentic!

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