Eat Up Havana: +57 Brings An Unapologetic Taste of Colombia and Venezuela

Over a decade ago, former Westword food editor Mark Antonation began his food-writing career by eating his way up Federal Boulevard. Now, we’re turning our attention to another vibrant culinary corridor.

The four-plus-mile stretch of Havana Street between Dartmouth and Sixth Avenue in Aurora is home to the most diverse array of international cuisine available in the metro area. From restaurants and markets to take-and-go shops and stands, food lovers of nearly any ethnicity or interest can find a place that will remind them of home or open new culinary doors. In Eat Up Havana, Antony Bruno will visit them all, one by one, week by week. Check out his previous stops.

This week, Bruno visits +57 Bar & Restaurante  

Food writers often throw around words like “authentic” and “traditional” when reviewing, profiling or seeking out so-called “ethnic” restaurants. But here’s another descriptor that probably deserves to gain a little traction in the food world: unapologetic. 

After all, authenticity and even tradition are subjective concepts often based on experiences, backgrounds and biases. But unapologetic is clear, unambiguous and very telling. It’s a term that should be reserved for establishments that are very clear and focused about who they are and who they aim to serve. By design, it won’t be for everyone. And that’s something to celebrate, not criticize. 

So with that in mind, the best description for +57 Bar & Restaurante on Aurora’s Havana Street is unapologetically Colombian and Venezuelan. Named after the telephone country code for Colombia, +57 opened about three months ago, taking over the former private room that its neighbor, Piramides, would rent out for meetings and special events. 

Walking in, the first thing you see is the large Colombian flag hanging over the bar facing the entrance, with an equally large Venezuelan flag facing perpendicular to it, setting the tone for everything else to come. 

The restaurant’s description online and on Instagram is only in Spanish (the translation reads, “The best Colombian cuisine at your fingertips in a pleasant, family-friendly setting.”) In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a word of English printed anywhere inside or outside the restaurant, save the required government notices and the bathroom signs.

The menu is simply a list of Colombian and Venezuelan dishes. No descriptions. No pictures. Just a title and a price. You either know what it is, or you don’t. And the staff is just fine with that. 

That’s not to say they’re unwelcoming — far from it. Those walking in who may seem clearly out of place — compared to the regular stream of expats who frequent the bar — are greeted warmly, but somewhat cautiously…mainly to make sure you’re not lost or getting into something you’re not expecting. 

Despite any language barrier you may have (the staff here only speaks Spanish), the team is more than happy to explain the menu to you, taking full advantage of Google Translate apps on their phones to make recommendations and answer questions with patience. 

The Menu

If you’re new to Colombian cuisine, the first thing the staff will point you towards is also the first thing on the menu: bandeja paisa, a protein-filled platter featuring ground beef, a whole fried strip of pork belly (chicharrón), chorizo sausage link and a fried egg. This comes with a bowl of red beans cooked with pork, a masa flatbread called an arepa, rice and sliced avocado. 

According to the server, it is the most representative dish of Colombia, and a staple of the fare coming out of the +57 kitchen. Other options include an assortment of fried meats and vegetables called picada; barbecue ribs (costillas BBQ); chicken breast with cheese sauce called pechuga gratinada; a mixed grilled meat platter called parrillada; and a meat and vegetable stew called sancocho (as well as its Venezuelan counterpart hervido de res). There’s also carne asada, tamales and fried beans. 

The Drinks

Lest we forget, this restaurant is also a bar, bringing the drinks familiar to Colombia and Venezuela to the table. This includes six kinds of Colombian beer, such as Aguila, Costena Bacana, and a Venezuelan pilsner called Polar. 

If your taste leans more to the spirits, this spot carries two types of aguardiente, the rum-like drink of Colombia, including Cristal and Aguardiente Antioqueño. For the non-drinkers, there are sodas from the homeland, including Postobon and Pony Malta from Colombia, and Frescolita and Maltin from Venezuela. 

The Fun

The food and drinks are only the start of +57’s efforts to bring a slice of home to Aurora. It’s a small space, with not a lot to work with in the way of a dance floor or a stage. But that’s not stopping it from holding regular music-themed events. 

On most weekends, the bar turns into a celebration of Colombia’s traditional folk music, Vallenato. A live band performs, and patrons dance shoulder to shoulder in the tight space as best they can. When the band’s not available, it’s karaoke time. 

Music aside, the bar also features a pair of bolirana machines, a sort of Colombian version of Skee-Ball where you throw a metal ball into the mouth of a frog figurine and other targets for points. 

Between the Colombian and Venezuelan food, drinks, music and games, +57 Bar and Restaurante offers a very specific point of view that doesn’t try to adapt to the mainstream American diner. It is rightfully unapologetic in its focus and more than comfortable in its own skin. Whether that’s for you or not, something that all can share is the comfort knowing that places like this can still exist. 

+57 Bar & Restaurante is located at 1911 South Havana Street in Aurora and is open from 11 a.m to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m .to 10:00 p.m. Saturday, and 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday. For more information, follow @57bar_restaurante on Instagram.

All the previous Eat Up Havana stops:

• Old Town Hot Pot
• Leezakaya
• Chutney Indian Cuisine
• El Tequileno
• Milkroll
• Shin Myung Gwan Korean BBQ
• Watan Restaurant & Bakery
• Las Fajitas
• Mr. Tang
• Nana’s Dim Sum & Dumplings
• Yemen Grill
• Tofu House
• Sushi Katsu
• Coco Loco
• Ali Restaurant & Bakery
• Thank Sool Pocha
• Taqueria Corona
• Hanyang Wang Jokbal
• Coffee Story
• Tofu Story
• Havana Street Night Markets
• Seoul BBQ & Hot Pot (the Hot Pot)
• Seoul BBQ & Hot Pot (the BBQ)
• Pho 75
• Yong Gung
• Chopsticks A GoGo
• Angry Chicken
• L Cafe & Food Court
• Gangnam GT Lounge & Karaoke
• Katsu Ramen
• Dae Gee
• Snowl
• Chef Liu’s Kitchen
• Piramides Mexican Restaurant