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Tierra Colombiana
Categories: Nightlife Restaurants Latin American Restaurants Cuban Nightlife, Latin American, Cuban [Edit]
4535 N 5th StPhiladelphia, PA 19140
(215) 324-6086
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 7 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 7 am - 2 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
82 reviews for Tierra Colombiana
Review Highlights
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"When i go i always order arroz con pollo with selvesa." In 6 reviews -
"End your meal w/ a Tres Leches cake, you'll love it." In 6 reviews -
"I always get the plantains with chesse." In 21 reviews
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82 reviews in English
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Review from David P.
Philadelphia, PA
5/6/2012
Super authentic latin dining experience. Sometimes it's awkward if you're not fluent in Spanish.
The food is great! Portions are huge and at average prices. They have great tasting milkshakes also.
The atmosphere is cool with dim lighting and Latin music.
Sometimes our waiter/waitress gets very busy or "disappears" for a while.
We've been here a few times and never had a bad experience. It's a very cultural place. -
Review from Tyler R.
4/26/2012
This is the place to be if you want a great mix of Latin-South American and Caribbean food. I've been here a number of times, and I always want to go back the next day for lunch or dinner. In recent years, the restaurant was taken over by Philadelphia's Mixto group. That really hasn't changed the food or atmosphere, though.
I've had the chicken and rice (Arroz con Pollo, Cuban style), the roast pork, ropa vieja (braised/stewed beef), and plenty of side dishes-- platanos maduros, mofongo, red bean soup, etc. They were all very good, though a little on the heavy & salty side at times. Also, you can't beat the drinks- caipirinha, mojitos of all kinds, and so many more classic Caribbean cocktails.
The decor is somewhat out of date for a restaurant with food this good, but this feels like a family style place, so it fits a bit. There are issues with parking, as some spaces are reserved in a parking lot across the street, and there is limited street parking. I just take the 47 bus when I can.
Tierra Colombiana is a great place that any lover of Latin food and drink should try. While it has its weak points, and is in a less than favorable neighborhood, it shouldn't be discounted or forgotten. -
Review from Gianna A.
Ham Croquetas - Meh.
Sancocho de pollo - Excellent
Bandeja tipica - Enough to share -
Review from Elaine S.
Woodinville, WA
5/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was visiting a friend and craving colombian food so bad, so they took me to this place. I have to say I was completely disappointed. Do NOT order their chorizo it is absolutely mushy and not the right consistency. The food overall was mediocre. It's saving grace is their drinks
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Review from Karina M.
Philadelphia, PA
5/5/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I've been eating here for the past 4 years. The food never disappoints me, always good (some dishes better than others) but what really brings down the rating with me is the service. The staff is friendly but the service or lack of is extremely disappointing. So far been sitting at the bar for 15 min w/out anyone taking my order. I have stopped coming to eat at the restaurant because despite the sucky service they will still charge you gratuity (no matter how big the party) so I just order my food to go. It's better to order your food for pick up beforehand or you'll be at the bar like me waiting for service :(
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Review from Erica C.
4/18/2012
We got take-out from here last night and were really pleased with the meal. I was especially happy that they included everything they provide in-restaurant. The meat in our arroz con pollo (Colombian style) and ropa vieja was cooked perfectly. I thought the ropa vieja had more flavor than the arroz con pollo. I preferred the arroz con pollo with the super spicy salsa they provided...I thought it could've used a bit more heat/flavor. Regardless, the price and portion were fantastic and we will likely get take-out or eat-in here again. Maybe we'll even give salsa dancing a try!
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Review from Mercedes A.
Philadelphia, PA
2/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Best meal I've had in years! You cannot go wrong with this spot. I ordered the bistec encebollado with tostones (my favorite) and it was seasoned and cooked perfectly. The staff is very friendly, courteous and helpful.
This place also doubles up as a salsa club on Thursday, Friday & Saturdays. While I haven't been to dance yet, I can't imagine that it will be a disappointment considering everything I've seen thus far. -
Review from Paul C.
Philadelphia, PA
4/11/2012
Been here many times...and always leaving the restaurant feeling VERY CONTENT...best Paella and Sangria in town...friendly staff...
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Review from John E.
Merchantville, NJ
4/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is okay the food was good nothing to kill over. The peolper are nice and stuff the thing I dont like about this place is the dishes seem to be all the same and very small portions and very expensive.
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Review from Adam B.
Philadelphia, PA
12/4/2011
Cuban, Colombian, and Dominican favorites from the same people who own Mixto in Center City -- this is some high-end barrio food, folks.
The place starts off with great details: grilled bread at the table, Colombian coffee with milk, chimichurri hot sauce for everyone with heat on the front of the tongue before it moves to your throat. My ropa vieja wasn't too spicy but still red and flavorful, and the sizzling-plate bistec was impossibly tender.
The price points are kind of high -- $13 for basics, $40 for multi-protein entrees -- but consider that most meals come with a choice of rice, a choice of beans, and a choice of plantains/cassava/fries. Even if it takes you a second sitting at home to finish, you won't just eat TC's food, you'll demolish it.
(There's also an attached club, if you're interested in getting your Latin swerve on.) -
Review from Nathan V.
Philadelphia, PA
9/12/2011
Why have I never reviewed TC before? What was I thinking?
After trying a few of the other Cuban/Latin inspired offerings around Center City, a friend suggested we head to Tierra Columbiana for "The Real Deal." Boy was he right!
We've been more times than I can count and never been disappointed.
From the enormous portions, to the drop dead diner prices it is as close to being in Cuba/Columbia as you can get in Philadelphia.
We took some friends who were visiting from Panama and they were astonished by the authenticity, the great selection and the quality of the food.
Everything is good, I have worked my way through most of the menu and tried things I'd never had before and it was all amazing.
I will go back again, and again and again.
I dream about Ropa Vieja. -
Review from Tip W.
Philadelphia, PA
11/14/2011
Tierra Columbiana,
How do I love thee. Let me count the ways.
The cuban bread... for one. You must have read my mind and decided that you must not just spread butter on the bread before you baked it but that dunking that hunk of bread into a bowl of melted butter before you bake it seems like a much better solution because I swear when I bite into you its like biting into straight crispy butter... but with bread. YUM!
The food was like no other. They came out in huge portions so sharing would be easy but I wouldn't recommend it. Everythings just way too good to share, and it's ok to be a little greedy every now and than!
Can't wait to go back! Maybe next time I'll order myself a margarita or two.... -
Review from Erin W.
Philadelphia, PA
1/26/2012
On a whim went to dinner ay Tierra Colombiana for dinner tonight. I'm a big fan of Mixto, so I had high hopes for the food. Same delicious pan friend, buttered bread. I ordered a pulled pork shoulder served with yellow rice, black beans and fried sweet plantains. Mixing the sweet and savvy taste of the pork and fried sweet plantains took it from to great to excellent. We had a shredded savvy plantain appetizer that tasted like a better version of french fries. Yum.
Nice inside, but def more casual than Mixto. Where Mixto wins for style, Tierra makes up for with price. Definitely reasonable, non-center city prices. I'd probably be likely to go more often if not for the long drive. -
Review from J E.
Philadelphia, PA
1/15/2012
I hear that this is the exact same restaurant as Mixto (center city) except lower prices...works for me!
The food is great-the bread, avocado, rice and beans they bring as sides are fresh and tasty. My favorite dish is "ensalada de pulpo" or octopus salad. yummm i definitely recommend -
Review from German S.
Chester, PA
My one stop after getting a hair cut..been doing this for yrs..why I do this, well because I'm a retard and drive 40 min from home just to come to the same barbershop, and can't beat food n drinks.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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1/1/2012
After partying to the fullest this past new year I had to top it with a delicious seafood paella.… Read more »
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Review from Linell E.
Washington, DC
7/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
The salsa here is AMAZING!!! Words cannot do it justice. If you do not go here for any other reason, you MUST go for the salsa. Oh, and it's kind of spicy so beware.
I have nothing to say but good things about the restaurant. If you're looking for authentic Colombian or Cuban cuisine, this is the place for you. I went here with a friend on a Sunday night around 8pm. Everything about the experience was amazing( the service, the food, the ambiance, the people, etc.). It was quite few people here considering it was a Sunday night (but it was not "packed").
For drinks, we ordered a couple of their mojitos (simply delicious). For appetizers we had an empanada calena and an empanada de pollo. The empanadas and the salsa together is truly an orgasmic experience (to your taste buds of course). It reminded me of the first time I had empanadas with homemade salsa back in Colombia. For our main entre my friend had the red snapper in coconut sauce and i ordered the Salmon con Camarones al Ajillo. For dessert we ordered the Caramel Pecan Cheesecake. I don't even even like cheesecake that much, but it was the perfect ending to a scrumptious meal. The sides that came with the dishes were delicious as well. I had the fried plantains and their black rice and beans.
The Nightclub is located next door. The music came on around 10pm the night I was there. As we were leaving the restaurant there were quite a few people lined up to go inside the nightclub. I will definitely check out the nightclub and eat at TC again the next time I'm in Philly. Hell, I might even go to Philly just to have dinner at TC =)
If you're still undecided about this place, you must not like good food! -
Review from Alyssa M.
4/17/2011
I was craving Puerto Rican food so my Puerto Rican papi (aka my best friend's dad who adopted me) took me and the fam here. So I know....this is not exactly a Puerto Rican restaurant, but papi reassured me they served puerto rican cuisine--- "It's all Latin, It's all Latin" he said. And he's right...they had all the Puerto Rican staples :-)
Tierra hooked me uuuppppp.....I got the pernil (roasted pork shoulder), rice and beans, and plantains--D-Licious! Filling as all hell, so a doggie bag was a must! OH--and that bread they serve....crazy addictive. You won't find your typical rolls here--instead they serve mini garlic bread pieces-nniiicceeee....but very easy to fill up on just these-careful!
The service was super friendly, and I got to practice my gringo Spanish without feeling like a complete dork.
I will definitely be back. Can't wait to try other things on the menu and the salsa club upstairs! -
Review from Lou P.
Morrisville, PA
3/30/2012
Great Spanish food! Although, our lobster in our paella was obviously frozen (it stuck to the shell). The rest of our meal was great. Get the mofongo con camarones.
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Review from Maria G.
Annandale, VA
8/28/2011
I'm from DC and I would drive up to Philly maybe once every couple months just to hang out. I visit this place EVERY SINGLE TIME. I have never had a negative experience at TC and my mouth starts watering as soon as I think back to my last meal there.
Originally I stumbled upon this place when I used to live in the city. Close to home was Mixto, which is a sister restaurant to TC. I saw on their business card at Mixto that there's another location and decided to check it out. Initially, I was quite intimidated by the neighborhood this restaurant was set in. But as soon as I walked into the restaurant, all was forgotten. My favorite dish is the Churrasco just because I love steak in general. I would also recommend the appetizer sampler for first timers. It's a HUGE dish BTW so make sure you can share with a couple people. The drinks were good as well, especially the mojitos. They also have all types of latin beers.
Next door is the TC nightclub. The music is crazy good and it's one of those places where you can dance your butt off all night long and more. They played all kinds of latin music like salsa, merengue, and reggaeton. Definitely should stop by if you're a dancing machine like me! Plus you get to burn all the calories off from dinner next door :) -
Review from Andrew A.
5/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
I lived in Philly for 7 years and never knew about this place!!
So you're ilving in Philly and you want Colombian/Cuban food? Well you got to head out to the hood in North Philly... The area isn't the nicest but for good food its worth the trip.
From the outside it looks like a bar - but when you walkin the place is actually really big - and mid day on Sunday it was PACKED.
To start they offer you cuban bread (you know - toasted and buttered type)
For appetizer we ordered the plaintain chips with Guacamole (mm.. it was fresh guacamole which was really good!)
I ordered the Bandeja Familiar (aka Bandeja Paisa) - everything you would expect - fried egg, beans, maduros, arepa, chicharron, avocado and bifstek (however they replaced the steak for ground beef). The chicharron has to be the best that i've ever tasted.
My friend ordered the salmon plate (forgot what it was but she really liked it).
Great food, good service and The presidente was ice cold! -
Review from Jess M.
Philadelphia, PA
3/5/2011
This place is AMAZING. I've been here several times and I have never been disappointed. I always get the plantains with chesse. I have also tried their samples, pork, beef and chicken dishes. Im somewhat of a finicky eater, and I have LOVED everything that this place has had to offer. The staff is always working very hard, and they also provide excellent customer service.
I was in there tonight, the crowd at the bar was a little obnoxious ( I have to assume they were waiting to go upstairs to the night club) but even with the place being packed, we got our food fast! The prices are great and the portions are generous. I LOVE this place! -
Review from Jose A.
Philadelphia, PA
1/19/2011
This place has a fantastic representation of latin cuisine, makes you feel like your at home in moms kitchen (if your latino that is)...I really liked this place the first few times i went, it continues to live up to it's name.
Great for lunch, dinner, or whatever, dancing, drinking, you name it they got it...Listed in: Philadelphia Latino Food
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Review from Stephanie Y.
San Francisco, CA
1/25/2011
LOVE the skirt steak with chimi churrey sauce here. I've also tried the arroz con pollo and whole fish and empanadas.
I would never venture out of here if it wasn't for my puerto rican friend. Now I come whenever I'm craving hispanic food. It's the same owner as Mixto, but Tierra is much cheaper with bigger proportions. Also, you know it's a good restaurant when latin people come here!!!! -
Review from Steve W.
Brooklyn, NY
9/5/2011
I always get Bandeja Typica which has sausage, egg over rice, beans, chucharron, ground pork, bistek, avocado, and platanos. Toasted cuban buttery bread for your breath was awesome. Cheap and filling! I spent $15 for dinner. WOWZERS! I couldn't try for dessert. No wonder latinas have BIG bootys cuz of the food like this. I would like to try their nightclub one of these days when I have learned salsa. Dancing with big booty latinas sound fun!
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Review from Melissa W.
Philadelphia, PA
1/16/2011
"Cuantas personas? Cual es su nombre?" You know a Latin place is going to be good when the hostess automatically assumes you speak Spanish (or doesn't care if you don't). Good thing my Spanish was passable enough for me to not feel like a complete idiot.
Yes, the area is sketchy, with shady characters hanging around on most corners outside. And yes, they will stare at you if you don't look Latino, particularly if you are a woman unaccompanied by a male. But the restaurant itself is well-lit on the outside, relatively classy and full of people on the inside, and it's like stepping into a nice (by Latin American standards) restaurant somewhere in Latin America. So park in the Rite-Aid lot across the street (the restaurant says you're allowed to) and make a run for the door.
The food is decently priced at around $12 for most entrees. I had the churrasco Argentino which was delicious, but a juicy steak grilled medium-rare is pretty difficult to screw up. My dining companions didn't seem to find their carne asada quite as delicious. The food in general seemed somewhat unrefined, not exactly sophisticated or exceptional. However, it's pretty good for what it is: basic Latin food in fair portions for a reasonable price. I will be back at some point for the tres leches. Hasta entonces... tres estrellas.Listed in: Philly's Hidden Gems, Latin Loves
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Review from Craig N.
Philadelphia, PA
3/10/2011
Ay Mami!! I have been coming here for 12+ years and it is always consistent. Authentic food @ great prices w/ large portions. You will always have leftovers for lunch the next day.
My only beef w/ this place is that they take your drink order rather slow, you must flag down the server for a drink when they bring out your bread and water.
End your meal w/ a Tres Leches cake, you'll love it. -
Review from Brian M.
1/9/2010
Ok I know my review is going to go against the grain. But having lived in a place where latin food (Cuban, Colombian, Peruvian, Venezuelan, etc) is the staple, Tierra Colombian comes up short in so many ways.
They offer Colombian and Cuban cuisine. It may well be the "best Colombian and Cuban food you will find in Philadelphia," but that doesn't mean it is good.
The beef dishes were tough and tasteless. The fish was overcooked and dry. The Churrasco...PLEASE! And worst of all, the pork had no flavor at all!
In Miami this place would be a definite pass it by. Although the desserts were fairly good across the board. Try nearby El Balconcito, or Sazon on Spring Garden, for latin food done better. But I'm still in search of good Cuban in Philly. Forward any suggestions.
I haven't been to the nightclub portion of this place, but if the crowd is right I've no doubt the place can be a blast! And yes, the neighborhood is a bit dodgy-but don't let that be the reason you don't go. -
Review from Jessica E.
Philadelphia, PA
7/12/2010
This food is fantastic! I would not have thought to venture to this neighborhood for fine dining, but this restaurant came highly recommended by a friend. I was not disappointed. I ordered the arroz con chorizo, which also came with delicious beans and plantains. The servings are very generous, so I can look forward to some leftovers as well! I was able to try a bit of the salmon too, which was cooked to perfection.
There is a connection between this restaurant and Mixto in Center City. I am fairly certain it is the same owner. While Mixto has a more "center city chic" atmosphere, the menu is very similar and more reasonably priced at TC. If you live in center city, TC is worth the trip. If you live outside of the city and enjoy Columbian food, this is a great option for great dining and you do not have to worry about parking. Also, the mojitos rocked!Listed in: Flavorific!
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Review from Kemi A.
11/7/2009
After much salivating I got my butt to this place to finally try their meal. First it's in a shady area but if you are just going to eat and peace out, then the area doesn't really affect anything.
Cool thing is that you can park in the rite aid lot across the street, that's a sense of safety that your vehicle is okay at least while you eat. They have guards in the lot who are there more or less to make sure stray people don't park there...they'll tow you with the quickness I'm sure.
I did make reservations 3days prior BUT for some reason when I got there, there was some miscommunication AS IF I never made reservations. It turned out okay because my party as accommodated nonetheless rather quickly. But I can't help but wonder what happened to my reservation despite the fact that I call even the morning off to confirm?
The place is def best for groups, it just has that atmosphere. The food is relatively inexpensive for the portion you get and everything was delicious. For a party we really just ordered 1 of the appetizer platters because the party trickled in but if everyone is there..I would recommend 1-2 of the appetizer platters because it has a lot included.
Drinks, I had the Caprihina. Just one cause I had another place to be and I needed to be sober to get there safely. My friend had one of their fresh juices.
I had the broiled snapper which was very good. Rarely do I eat fish that's cooked/grilled/broiled that has much flavor it of itself. Usually they pour some sauce on it to give it flavor. But the snapper here was just flavorful. My meal came with plantain and this huge ass side salad that looked like a meal itself.
Just for future reference, if u are not going to eat the salad, ask them NOT to bring it because it was just wasted and now thinking bad, I felt bad. Don't waste food.
The only downside was that the waiter was a bit slow for the party. He had other customers but sometimes it took him too long to come back. We needed water refills and that took a while. Overall tho, they were gracious.
I would recommend this place to others. I def wanna go back to try their brunch menu, dessert menu & other things.
oh they have a club upstairs that starts pumping music around 9pm -
Review from Nat P.
Philadelphia, PA
6/29/2008
Damn! One word to describe this place. Damn good, damn cheap and Damn! Where are we?
Location is not the best but this place is a gem. I cruised by for dinner one night with la familia. Getting there wasn't bad from center city. Took Roosevelt boulevard there, and it was basically 'sorta' right off the highway. The neighborhood looks a little rough, especially at night. But lemme tell you, there were people in there that looked like they were straight off Wisteria Lane. So don't let a little hood scare ya. Hood is a relative term anyway!
The place is huge, you can't miss it at night since it has a border of neon lighting on top of the roof. Getting inside you notice tons of tables, two sides to the place. Great for large groups. We got seated quickly, which was tops.
From then on, service was sorta slow. But I gave them some slack, since the place was hopping.
The menu was extensive to say the least. There is a section for Cuban and Colombian food. Good description of the dishes. We ordered to start: crab empanada (deepfried dough filled with crab meat), Plantain stuffed with mozzarella cheese and Mofongo with shrimp (crushed fried green plantains with garlic). These were excellent. The mofongo was one of the best I've had before. The appetizers are large, so share and pace yourself.
Our meal: Masa de cerdo (cubes of pork with cassava, Cuban tamale, plantains and black rice). The pork was very tender, delicious, but on the saltier side. The overall dish was excellent but the rice was the best part. I think I finished the rice before the rest. It's sorta like the Jamaican rice and peas my mom makes.
The rest of the meals were, a whole fish fried and garnished with veggies and avocado. Also garlic shrimp with plantains and rice.
The food was so good, and so much, it was insane. A few times in the meal I said I was full, but ended up finishing it since it was that good.
To top it off, I had a Cafe con leche and flan. I am a big lover and critic of flan, and this was a little lacking. But hey, I was already full and so it wasn't anything.
There is a dance club, upstairs and so things can get a bit loud on certain nights. On the bright side, you can eat and then go dance it off.
The whole vibe of the place is a social, loud, gastronomic delight. Many returns are in store for the future! -
Review from Chris G.
Philadelphia, PA
5/15/2010 3 Check-ins Here
In my book this is the best nightclub in the city if you love latin music. I prefer to go on Saturdays. The crowd is less tense and everybody is looking for a good time. Dj Safarii is the resident DJ and is a fantastic, fantastic DJ. He mixes bachata, merengue, salsa and some good house and trance music.
There is a giant dance floor in the middle which can fit over 1,000 people. The lighting in the club is great and there are two bars on the outsides of the dance floor. It is never too crowded nor impossible to get a drink. Drinks are reasonably priced.
The place tends to stay open past 2 normally between 2:30-3am. While it is in a bad neighborhood there is constant security around the club/restaurant, the crowd on Saturday night are older late 20s-early 30s all looking to dance and have a good time. The perfect place to end your night if you're looking to dance!
All of the normal tendencies you see at nightclubs do not apply here. You don't have to worry about the braggadocios machismo guy looking to pick fights and look tough; The bartenders who are more interested in finding the drunkest chick in the club/bar than serving you drinks and the overpriced everything that comes along with the clubbing experience. It is good drinks, great music, a relaxed crowd and great atmosphere. -
Review from Suzanne S.
Philadelphia, PA
5/24/2010
What can I say? I have eaten at many Latin places (including places in Latin countries) and this place has the BEST FOOD EVER!
I go there at least twice a month because the food is great the drinks are great and everything is priced reasonably.
Don't let the fact that its in North Philly stop you. No, you wont get shot and you can park in the Rite Aid parking lot across the street if you are paranoid about your car being stolen. haha. on to the food...
Everything comes with a side of rice, pork-free beans, and either sweet or crispy plantains. The crispy plantains come with a garlic sauce that i could drink-its soo good, and the sweet ones taste like a fried banana. The bistec de pollo (chicken breast with peppers and onions) is delicious and the shrimp salad is good as well.
Other things I recommend are the shrimp empanadas (shrimp patties), bistec encebollado (top round with onions) and the ensalada de pulpo (octopus salad/ceviche).
Keep in mind this place owns the Philadelphia restaurant MIXTO but is half the price of it. The only downside is the service is slow so be patient-the food is worth every penny. -
Review from Judy T.
Wynnewood, PA
9/13/2009
A bunch of friends and I recently threw a large birthday party here (15+ people), and they were super accommodating and attentive. It was my first meal here and will definitely not be my last.
Food here was awesome. We tried several salads, the paella, several steak and chicken entrees, and we were all raving about it at the end of the night. I didn't have one thing that wasn't delicious. The best part of the meal was the tres leches cake. They brought out a whole pan for our party. I'd go back just for that cake alone. -
Review from Jineen C.
Philadelphia, PA
10/30/2011
My friend & I were looking for good spanish food in Philly and hit the jackpot with this place. They had all my favorites. I'm definitely going back so I can try the rest of the menu! Great service too, everyone was so nice.
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Review from Kathy L.
New York, NY
2/19/2008
This is the original restaurant that inspired Mixto down in center city. Even if it is out in North/Northeast Philly, it is worth the trip! So much better and more affordable than Mixto with food that is fresh and authentic (enforced by the many Colombians who visit the restaurant).
Go for lunch when the service is quicker and the crowds are smaller (and it is light outside... bc the neighborhood is not the best). The Bandeja Tipica comes with a chicharones (deep fried fatty short ribs - 4 pieces) with an arepa (corn cake with cheese) and a huge platter with a steak topped with 2 eggs, rice, beans, plantains, and avocado. Top it off with the home-made salsa and you have a meal for two that costs $11. -
Review from Thuy T.
Philadelphia, PA
9/9/2011
Ive only been here a few times and everytime I eat here I always always always leave with food for the next day. The prices are cheap, nd a plate of food can literally feed 2 ppl. Im giving it 3 stars instead of 5 because their pernil was lacking in pretty much everything. My sister in law makes to die for pernil and tierras is nothing compared to hers. Also, another reviewer mentioned the tres leche cake. Sorry but Ive had better. Besides those 2 glitches on the menu, I would come back to try their other specialties
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Review from Mark D.
Philadelphia, PA
6/3/2009
I have only ever been here for breakfast, but it's my favorite breakfast spot in Philadelphia. I like to get gallo pinto, which is sometimes on the menu and sometimes not, but they bring it if I ask for it: rice, black beans, sweet fried plantains, avocado, fried cheese, and steak. And coffee. That costs around ten dollars.
Sometimes I get arepas,which are corn cakes with cheese. By the way, the same people operate the expensive restaurant Mixto on Pine Street. If you like Mixto, you will like Tierra Colombiana. The menu is the same. The food is the same. The prices are half. Arepas at Mixto, $2.50 for two. Arepas at Tierra Colombiana, $0.50 each. They are the same arepas.
They have a full bar. Sort of. I made the mistake of ordering bourbon. There was a long conversation over by the bar while they tried to figure out what it was. Eventually the waitress came back. She was very polite. "Sorry, we don't have bourbon." I realized my dumb mistake. This is a Cuban-Colombian restaurant; of course they do not have bourbon. Duh. I ordered brandy instead.
If you speak English, it is possible that you will be the only customer there speaking English. Remember to smile and say "gracias".
Addendum 20091005: Brought the five-year-old here for breakfast on Friday, She was very excited to be going to Daddy's secret breakfast place. Got gallo pinto again, this time with steak. The kid also ordered bacon, which turned out to be some of the best bacon I've ever had: thin, perfectly crisp, salty and flavorful. And we got arepas (cheesy polenta cakes), which I love.
But I'm really writing in because I had Cafe Cubano for the first time. This is espresso infused with a lot of cream and brown sugar. Wow. Heavenly. Suddenly I'm a Cubano addict.
Gallo pinto, plus dos arepas, bacon, cafe Cubano, cafe con leche, and hot chocolate all totalled about $21. Then we took home half the food and ate it later. -
Review from Eric D.
Blue Bell, PA
7/1/2009
I love this place. Cuban food that rivals what you will find at either Versailles Restaurant in Miami or Columbia Restaurant in Tampa. If you are familiar with either of those places and have not been to Tierra Colombiana then get over there now!
You can park at the Rite Aid across the street and even though the neighborhood might appear sketchy at times - you will be fine. The interior is suprisingly nice. I think if this restaurant was in center city it would be among the most well-known restaurants.
I can't even do justice describing the food. My recommended favorite meal: Ham croquettes for an appetizer, Bistec de Palomilla entree (ask for limes to squeeze over it - this is basically a thin steak cooked with onions), black beans and rice, tostones, tres leches cake for dessert and of course café con leche! HMMM! -
Review from Alisha M.
Philadelphia, PA
1/24/2010
I went solo to Colombiana for lunch, and I felt welcomed and very comfortable there.
I ordered the french toast with cream cheese in the middle and a few fruits on the side. It was basically American, I didn't really want American , but their other dishes were a bit heavier with meats. So it worked out in the end. It was nice and filling, but....I wanted something that had Latin flavor.
I also ordered a hot chocolate, it wasn't mixed all the way, so, eh, attention missed there. I also got another drink that was alcohol infused, but I can't remember what it was. Maybe something with mango in it.
I ended up spending some dough on myself that afternoon. Almost 20 bucks, including tip. But, oh well, I found a place that I'll go to again. Parking was easy, but since the area has small blocks, I can see where you might want to go a little early before the upstairs opens for dancing for the night. -
Review from Anthony L.
11/1/2010
Don't be scared! I'm confused by those who have written below that this restaurant is in such a scary neighborhood- it's not, really. Sure, it is a lower-income neighborhood, but your car is not going to disappear if you enjoy a meal here for an hour. Park at the Rite-Aid across the street because it is convenient, not because you fear for its security.
Anyhoo, now to the food. A "typical" Colombian or Cuban meal (rice with some kind of protein, plantains and beans) will cost you about $12, and, considering the portions, I think that's a fair price.
I ordered rice with sausage and received a huge portion of yellow rice mixed with chopped chorizo, which was not the best and not the worst chorizo I have ever eaten in my life. The main dish was accompanied by four sweet plantains and a small bowl of well-prepared black beans. My dining companions had the vegetarian dish and the rice with shrimp. You can choose, for most dishes, whether you would like them prepared in the Cuban or Colombian style.
If I were back in Philadelphia and craving reliable, authentic Latin food in a warm and hospitable environment, I would not hesitate to return to Tierra Colombiana.
