Pueblito Viejo is a pair of Colombian restaurants in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

and

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

Pueblito Viejo #1 (Chicago)

The Chicago location, Pueblito Viejo #1, is owned by Colombian native Gonzalo Rodriguez. It opened in October 1994 and is located at 5429 N. Lincoln Avenue in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood. The popular restaurant is known for its extensive decor and its large dance floor, filled with dancers enjoying a DJ's

salsa Salsa most often refers to: * Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments * Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music * Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music Salsa or SALSA may also refer to: ...

cumbia Cumbia refers to a number of musical rhythms and folk dance traditions of Latin America, generally involving musical and cultural elements from American Indigenous peoples, enslaved Africans during colonial times, and Europeans. Examples include: ...

, merengue, bachata, and other

Latin music Latin music ( Portuguese and es, música latina) is a term used by the music industry as a catch-all category for various styles of music from Ibero-America (including Spain and Portugal) and the Latino United States inspired by Latin Amer ...

until 2AM Sunday, Wednesday-Friday or 3AM Saturday nights. The Chicago Reader wrote of the decor, "artificial trees, vines, fruits, and flowers and dozens of baskets fill just about every inch of wall space at this cavernous Colombian restaurant and bar," concluding it was, "over the top." The name comes from the popular Colombian folk song "Pueblito Viejo" (English: "Old Village"). Pueblito Viejo serves hearty, authentic Colombian foods including

arepa ''Arepa'' () is a type of food made of ground maize dough stuffed with a filling, eaten in the northern region of South America since pre-Columbian times, and notable primarily in the cuisine of Colombia and Venezuela, but also present in the cuis ...

empanada An empanada is a type of baked or fried turnover consisting of pastry and filling, common in Spanish, other Southern European, Latin American, and Iberian-influenced cultures around the world. The name comes from the Spanish (to bread, i.e., ...

, seafood, and pechuga de pollo. Bilingual waitstaff wear traditional Colombian outfits, including wide brimmed hats for the male servers. A full-service bar serves

Grupo Modelo Grupo Modelo is a large brewery in Mexico that exports beer to most countries of the world. Its export brands include ''Corona'', ''Modelo'', and '' Pacífico''. Grupo Modelo also brews brands that are intended solely for the domestic Mexican m ...

beers such as

Corona Corona (from the Latin for 'crown') most commonly refers to: * Stellar corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun or another star * Corona (beer), a Mexican beer * Corona, informal term for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the COVID-19 di ...

, Modelo, and

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

as well as liquors, including authentic Andean

aguardiente ( Spanish), or ( Portuguese) ( eu, pattar; ca, aiguardent; gl, augardente), is a generic term for alcoholic beverages that contain between 29% and 60% alcohol by volume (ABV). It originates in the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain) and in ...

and Latin-themed mixed drinks like

mojito Mojito (; ) is a traditional Cuban punch. The cocktail often consists of five ingredients: white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime juice, soda water, and mint. Its combination of sweetness, citrus, and herbaceous mint flavors ...

and

margarita A margarita is a cocktail consisting of Tequila, triple sec, and lime juice often served with salt on the rim of the glass. The drink is served shaken with ice (on the rocks), blended with ice (frozen margarita), or without ice (straight up). ...

Pueblito Viejo Chicago salsa concert May 2015

Pueblito Viejo #2 (Miami)

Pueblito Viejo #2 opened on January 27, 2003. The Florida restaurant has a larger capacity of 230 people and served 75,000 people in its first year of operation. Like the Chicago location, the Miami Pueblito Viejo features Latin music and a full-service bar. Live entertainment is available on weekends. It is a popular gathering spot for Florida's Colombian-American community, the nation's largest, and experienced crowds during Colombia's

2014 World Cup The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's national football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014, after the country was awarded the hosting righ ...

run.

Juanes appearance

Colombian rock star Juanes, winner of 19 Latin Grammys, performed an impromptu, acoustic performance at Pueblito Viejo #2 in June 2014. He performed his hit " Una Flor".

Rick Scott campaign stop

In the home stretch of a toss-up reelection campaign, Florida Governor Rick Scott gave a campaign speech there to 100 invited guests. He launched the first minute of his discussion about jobs in heavily accented Spanish. Lieutenant Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera appeared with Governor Scott at the Pueblito rally.

Rachel Russell and Style Saves

Miami style "it-girl" personality Rachael Russell started a South Florida charity Style Saves to donate stylish clothing to disadvantaged. Pueblito Viejo #2 donated empanadas and other food for the not-for-profit's fundraiser.

References

External links

* Colombian-American culture Latin American restaurants in Chicago Restaurants in Miami Restaurants established in 1994 1994 establishments in Illinois Latin American restaurants in Florida {{Restaurants in Miami