El Sombrero Bakery

"I came to this restaurant thinking I'd receive an authentic Colombian experience as a Colombian myself. While the server we had was kind and attentive, one of the others, the one wearing glasses, wasn't, and in fact, she got many things wrong. I repeatedly asked that the sausages and French fries I ordered for the kids were sausages and not hotdogs. I'm very intentional with what I eat and the kids eat. I don't want the nitrates and over processed, unhealthy side effects on the body that come with eating hotdogs. The "sausages" and fries arrived, and it was hot dogs. I pointed this out, and she was repeated in a hostile tone that they were sausages. We also ordered bread, and while the other server was kind and attentive and said she'd put aside our bread, but the other, who had been told not to sell our bread, sold it anyway. In the end, the food was only okay. I've gone to a few other Colombian restaurants in Charlotte and the encompassing area, and only one other was also mediocre. For the price, the rice isn't flavorful or generous, considering how cheap rice is, and they can't even be bothered to give you more than 2 small pieces of plantains, unlike other places Ive been to. I might even be alright with the portions if the food was more flavorful, but this was amateur hour. The only redeeming quality, besides the primary server we had, was the bread we ordered, despite the fact we didn't get the bread we came for to begin with. I'm being generous with the stars I gave. Edit: Removing one more star. I just looked at my receipt and realized that I ordered 3 choclos sin queso and they only gave me two."

"ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS, GO TRY THEIR FOOD NOW! The young lady at the register was very kind to walk us through each of the items and what they contained. I am so thrilled to have found this place because everything my partner and I tried was delicious! And if you're a fan of not overly sweet things, this is the bakery for you! (Side note: they have a menu of lunch/dinner food as well, we did not try that today.) We tried one of their popular items, the round cheesey dough balls (forgive me, I have no names) and they are beyond compare. Cheesey, slightly sweet and salty, and so soft and bouncy. I also got a cheese stick which had a bit more crunch and cheese, also very good. My partner and I tried their empanadas (beef and chicken) which were filled with potato, meat, and fried. They were hardy and the sauce that comes with them was perfectly paired. On the note of no overbearing sweetness- we got a caramel item, guava/cream cheese item, and a cheese danish item. All of them were delicious and filling and none of it left us feeling uncomfortable and lethargic from the sugar. Lastly, the prices can NOT be beat! We tried so many things today and didn't go over $17. Hands down new favorite local food place."

"The food is great here! The people are very nice, but the only small issue is the plating and water. I would love a cup instead of a bottle and some plates were in plastic."

"I decided to try El Sombrero since they were open at 10:30am for an early lunch. The first thing you see when you walk in are the display cases of enticing, beautiful Colombian/Latin pastries of all shapes, sizes, and flavors (yes even savory!). My waitress was very kind and was quick to bring my bottled drink and to take my order. I ordered Pollo de milanesa con papas, arroz y frijoles, y maduros con queso. The food came out quick and was hot, delicious, and seasoned to perfection. The chicken was crispy and flavored well, the rice was soft, the beans were hot and delicious- even the side salad was good! The maduros stole the show, with the savory queso helping balance the sweetness of the plantain. I took some of my meal home for later and enjoyed it again! Look forward to trying again soon!"