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Having lived in Venezuela for 10 years, I can honestly say this is the best Vene food I have had in years. The arepas are wonderful and the owners were fun to reminisce with about Venezuela. I will absolutley return to Sazon, hopefully pretty regulary!

I took my kids to Sazon after seeing the Pirate exhibit at the Franklin Institute so they could taste some real pirate food! The owner kindly allowed us to enter the restaurant before it was officially open. The decor consists of many crafts from Venezuela and is attractive and stimulating. Service was prompt and very gracious. Portions were generous, and the food was prepared with the utmost care. The owner explained that everything was prepared from scratch. We tried arepa and empanada, as well as the grilled steak dinner entrees. For dessert we ordered the chocolate quesillo and the hot chocolate. The hot chocolate is the gold star dish of this restaurant. The chef starts with the cacao bean from Venezuela. Our server brought some roasted beans to our table and let the children taste them. The cacao beans are roasted, and then a hot chocolate is concocted that has the consistency of a molten truffle. This is the best hot chocolate I have had in my life! I highly recommend Sazon restaurant, and bring the kids!

I was born and raised in Venezuela, and I can say with some authority that the food is very good. While it may not be 100[%] authentic, the variations are a slight adaptation to the local taste, and not outside of variations that you can easily find in Caracas at nicer restaurants. For me it is just a blessing that this is available at all, and I encourage people to try it. If you think that South American food is tacos and hot sauce, you need to educate yourself here. Every country has a fairly unique cuisine, and this restaurant does a good job of representing Venezuela. Finally, their chocolates are a unique thing on its own. I have never had chocolate drinks as good in Venezuela as the ones I taste here. I would recommend experimenting with a couple of them. If you are expecting a luxurious treatment you will be disappointed. The area is quite ugly, and the service is very informal. With regards to returning the food, it is inappropriate to go to an international food restaurant expecting Friendly's food. The taste will be different, and very unique. It would be unfair if you have the taste buds of a five year old to return every meal you are served. But that's just my opinion!

had a great birthday party here. food was great, one wrong dish was quickly replaced. my 3 year old is always welcome here. judy, the owner sang happy birthday in spanish for us! good time!! vegetarian dishes are not an afterthought here, which i really appreciate. wonderful, flavorful tofu!

The food we had in this restaurant was not authentic Venezuelan food and the service was very mediocre the hostess and the manager were impolite. Especially the manager who has no manners and etiquette! Also we tried calling before going there to make a reservation and the person who answered either did not speak English well or had no sense of courtesy!! Totally bad experience. I wonder if the owner also has bad manners.

We brought a party of six to Sazon in February 2007. One member of our party ordered an item, took one bite, didn't like the taste, sent the item back, and ordered something different. Not only did the manager refuse to remove the uneaten item from our bill, he curtly explained that it was restaurant policy to charge for all items that are properly prepared, regardless of whether the patrons like the taste. When we politely pointed out that (1) most restaurants do not charge for items that patrons find unappealing (so long as the item is not eaten to any substantial degree), (2) our waitress had recommended this particular item as a house favorite, (3) the item was not eaten (only one bite was taken) and (4) the policy had not been disclosed to us when we sent the dissatisfactory item back, the manager stated "We're the only Venezuelan restaurant in Philadelphia, and that is our policy." We tried to press our argument (politely), but the manager walked away as we were speaking, and for the rest of the evening refused to come out and speak to us, despite our numerous requests. Enjoy the food if you go, as it is tasty, but be aware that the customer doesn't ever seem to be right in the minds of Sazon's management.

Sazon is excellent for families and adult visitors. There is a wide range of prices and portion sizes, as well as a good selection of vegetarian dishes. The flan and especially the chocolate flan are perhaps the best in the city. The rice drink (I forget what they call it at Sazon) is good too. One of my dining companions adored the hearty soup. It is not usually difficult to get a seat, and there are several booths as well as regular tables. Highly recommended!