Secret garden in the back was adorable and the food was so good we grabbed the ham and cheese empanadas and the brisket ones, the hot cocoa was creamy sweet and so cute! read more

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This casual coffee shop is famed for its Yerba mate, but I'm reviewing the empanadas - unique and intriguing flavors (brisket and pulled pork) that were great. But it's really overpriced. Two empanadas cost $20, which really is a bit too much. Vinoma (in the North Bay) is more affordable and just as good. Service is fine - it's a counter. And parking is easy (on a rainy weekday in Pacific Grove). read more

Amazing food and coffee, one of the best empanadas I've had in California. The staff were friendly and it was a very nice relaxing ambiance.

Absolutely adorable cafe with delicious empanadas and yucca fries. They also have vegetarian and gluten free choices- a very nice surprise. The chai was the best i have had in a while- very flavorful & aromatic. We will definitely be back! read more

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This place is GREAT!!!!! Their coffee is delicious, cappuccino is perfection and the espressos were again... perfection. The customer service is amazing. They have outdoor garden seating: its an area surrounded with flowers, plants, and theres tables and a hammock. Indoor seating is very nice too... very well designed with Argentinian and Paraguayan culture. Their empanadas are delicious and even more so with the chimichurri! We also tried an alfajor - deliciously sweet since it has "cajeta" or "dulce de leche". When combined, eating the alfajor with the cappuccino - WONDERFUL! The coffee and sweetness make a great pair. Purchase the chimichurri for $10.00 - delicious on sandwiches, fish, toast, etc. read more

Cafe Guarani - Empanada with chimichurri Espresso iced Alfajor Cappuccino - Cafes Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

Great place! We walked in on a whim and were emidiatly impressed with the friendly staff and atmosphere. Great coffee (spiced Guatamalin spiced mocha) and empanadas. We loved it so much we came back the next day. The yuca fries are so good. Even better with the chimichurry aioli ( you need to ask for it). Hardest decision you willneed to make, is which empanadas to try! read more

Staff was friendly but the empanadas were bland and overpriced - $9.50 each! The most expensive and plain empanadas I've ever had . I was craving empanadas so much and it was a let down. It's a tourist trap - not worth it. The yucca fries were delicious but also expensive. read more

We liked this place so much we stopped here twice in three days. ;) Favorites are the baked ham and cheese empanada, and anything with guava. The guava tart is great, and the Guava Media Luna is also quite tasty (huzzah for the brioche bread instead of croissant dough). Friendly service, and I definitely want to try some of their cakes on a future visit... ;) read more

Cafe Guarani - Ham and cheese empanada and guava media luna bread - Cafes Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

What a find- was visiting a friend and had to come here twice cuz it was so good. The chicken empanada is so so good, the first day the chicken was just a touch dry but the second day it was so juicy and honesty with the chimmichuri sauce, it didn't even matter if it was dry. The house made chimmichuri is soooooo good I wanted to get a bottle and take it home! Got the smoked brisket empanada as well with the tomato based house made bbq sauce which was also very good but I pref tried the chicken. The place is cute and has a lot of pastry options, cute place to sit and do work/read. Very close to the ocean. The staff is friendly . The only thing was I didn't enjoy my mocha- it was a bit gritty and the flavor was off. But I will be dreaming of those Chicken empanadas for weeks! read more

Great coffee and the empanadas were a favorite for adults and kids. Ham and cheese empanada is like a gourmet hot pocket (in a good way). Breakfast one was also very tasty! read more

This review is for their empanadas only since that's all we tried. We ordered the ham and cheese and the chicken empanadas and enjoyed both. They were decent in quality, size, and taste, but 2 empanadas ran us north of $19. For the price point, I don't think it's worth it. read more

One of the most authentic empanadas I've had. Loved pairing with the traditional Yerba mate! Favorite empanada: ham & cheese. Oh, and the chimichurri was delish! read more

Cafe Guarani - Cafes Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

The empanadas caught my attention, stopped by slightly before noon and there was plenty of selection still available. I was shock when I saw the price. I walked to a quiet shop so I didn't want to leave empty handed. Purchased 2 empanadas and it cost over $20 with tax and tips. They were good, full of flavor and served slightly warm. 4 stars for taste 3 star for value Even with the rising cost of inflation, I sincerely think they are over priced. I wish this business success but I may not be able to be a repeated customer. read more

Found this gem by accident. Everything is so fresh and delicious. Highly recommend having the cocido with splash of milk and a piece of warmed up chipa. Chipa is a delicious cheese bread. Love this place! Highly recommend! I took some empanadas home and I'm kicking myself for not buying more. Quite possibly the best empanada of my life. The ground beef is mashed to perfection the very unique and authentic Paraguayan way. Omg I will definitely be making the trip back for these babies!! If only I could order to Santa Cruz!! read more

Cafe Guarani - Chipa - Cafes Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

Very tasty empanadas. They have a backyard with flowers and shaded tables. Good coffee.

This is a cute little cafe with not only cute little treats but they're delicious, too. The first time I came here, it was purely unintentional. I was picking up some food at the restaurant nearby and walked over to this cafe to take a look at the menu from outside. They weren't even open but this tall, handsome dude came out and offered to help me if I wanted anything. He was super nice. Today I just needed some caffeine and also decided to get a pastry so I went with the guava tart. OMG it was sooo gooood. It was like the best butter cookie I've ever had plus guava paste. I took one bite then inhaled the rest. Mmh! Tempted to go back and buy the rest lol read more

Cafe Guarani - Guava tart - Cafes Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

Just trying a new place out and got the beef and pulled pork empanadas. It really was delicious and I enjoyed it so much I hope to visit in the future. This would be the place you want to go to for a not so touristy spot to eat and still be close enough to the touristy areas. I was not a fan of the croquets. I think i'm just used to the Japanese kind. My experience with the beef croquet was oily, potato mush with little flavor. I think I'm just not used to it, maybe someone who knows south american croquets can give a better idea. read more

Cafe Guarani - 2 empanadas, and Alfajores - Caramel Sandwich Cookies - Cafes Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

I was pretty excited to see an empanada spot in Monterey but was sadly let down. We tried the beef as well as the ham and cheese and both were subpar. The filling was dry and over cooked. The chimichurri was pretty good though and the sweet treats (guava cookies, alfajores, etc) looked super yummy. Maybe I should have tried those instead. read more

Cafe Guarani - Cafes Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

I enjoyed the atmosphere of this cafe, and the food did not disappoint! The iced chai latte is awesome, one of the best I have tried. As a college student coming home from school, prices are little high, especially with any add ons. But it is worth it to go and try it out. The service has always been friendly the times I have gone. I recommend especially since this place provides great culture and good items to enjoy. read more

My wife is Argentine & we live part time in Buenos Aires. So we *LOVE* empanadas. When I read about Cafe Guarani, I was intrigued, since the founder is a Paraguayan that was trained by a well-regarded Argentine chef. So, we paid them a visit this week. Honestly, I've had few restaurant experiences more disappointing. First, the customer service is abysmal. The counter is run by the owner's son & daughter-in-law. Neither are friendly or helpful. They're not rude, but they have zero concept of helpfulness. Case in point, we walked to the counter & were discussing all of the empanada options. They both stood there listening, waiting to take our order. When we settled on which empanadas (and the quantity) we wanted, I gave her the order & she proceeded to tell me that they were out of almost everything we wanted. Literally, why would you listen to someone debate the different options & not interject to let them know certain options were unavailable? Since they were sold out of most of what we wanted, we ordered 6 empanadas (for a family of 6) and waited for more to be baked. When you place your order, there's a series of large, laminated menus on the counter. But, the prices are crossed out. So, you order without knowing what anything costs. But, we ordered the 6 empanadas, a Pellegrino, and a can of soda. The total was $59. With a large family, I'm used to big dollar amounts, so I didn't think anything of it. Later, after we finished the empanadas, we ordered 6 more from what they were baking fresh. The total for that was $57, which got my attention. When I sat back down to wait for the empanadas, I pulled out my receipts to investigate & this is what I discovered: 1ST RECEIPT: $8 each = Ham & Cheese Empanada (x3) $9 each = Pulled Pork Empanada $9 each = Brisket Empanada $9 each = Beef Mandioca Empanada $5 = Can of Soda $3 = Pellegrino 2ND RECEIPT: $9 each = Ham & Cheese Empanada (x2) $8.50 each = Beef Empanada (x2) $10 each = Pulled Pork Empanada (x2) In the US, whether we're talking Dallas or Chicago, empanadas are generally $3 - $5 each. I've legitimately never seen empanadas anywhere for more than $5, even in NYC and San Fran. But the 1st order of empanadas were all $8 - $9. And these aren't massive empanadas. Never mind that they also charged FIVE DOLLARS for a 12 oz can of soda!!! On the 2nd order though, notice they charged me $1 more per empanada for the same ham & cheese and pulled pork empanadas. After looking at the receipts, I went up to the counter & politely told them I thought there might have been an error, b/c I was charged $1 more per empanada on my 2nd order. The owner's son, Sebastian, said they give a 10% discount for an order of 6 or more. Again, poor customer service. They listened to use discussing empanadas on two separate occasions when ordering at the counter & never once mentioned that if we order 6 or more we'd get a 10% discount. That said, my 2nd order was actually for 6 empanadas. So, even though I paid with a CC, he reached in the till and gave me $6 back. Even then, the math on neither transaction made sense. All in all, the empanadas were decent, but none were better than average. They'd go out of business if they tried to sell the same caliber of empanadas in Buenos Aires. The quality & flavor isn't good enough to justify a premier price. In total, with the refund, we paid $110 for 12 empanadas, a soda, and a Pellegrino. To put it into context, 2 empanadas is the same size as a small hamburger & 3 empanadas is the size of a large hamburger (like what you'd get at a nice restaurant). So a normal adult is going to spend $27 - $30 on empanadas. And mind you, Cafe Guarani is a counter service, fast food restaurant where the empanadas are pre-made, sold out of a case, and microwaved to heat up when you order them (unless they're sold out & are having to bake more). In our affluent, high cost of living city, a dozen empanadas from the top Argentine restaurant in the city is $40 + tax. This place is an epic ripoff. It's not well-kept. It's just a run down, hole-in-the-wall, counter service fast food joint. The food is decent, but not world class. The prices are double probably every quality empanada place in the US. And the customer service is abysmal. read more

Great food, quick service, cute secret garden in the back. What more could you want? I would recommend the beef empanadas!

Stayed in Monterey for the first time, this place has yummy coffee !! Ordered a cappuccino here.

We tried out this cafe by chance.. the wait for a very popular seafood restaurant was a little long so we opted to try out this cute cafe next door.. we are so glad we did! My son and I love empanadas of all kinds so we were excited to see these on the menu. We each ordered two each of these savory meat pies (chicken and Beef). They were accompanied with some freshly made chimmichuri.. I could have drowned my food in this sauce.. I loved the garlic kick it gave. My husband had the BBQ chicken with yucca fries. His first response after biting into it was "wow! everything tastes so fresh" his wrap was a good sized serving of BBQ chicken with portobello, lettuce and tomatoes. Red pickled onions and sweet pickles accompanied the dish. Yucca fries were perfectly crispy and fluffy on the inside. Dessert was a guava tart that tasted like a buttery cookie with sweet guava jam... Delish!!! read more

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We got the brisket with boiled egg, chicken, pulled pork, and brisket. All were delicious. Wifey said the brisket (I think, had a honey mustard sauce) was too sweet (says the Cinnabon lover) but I liked it. Staff was friendly, nice ambience and they had other pastries that looked delish but we just stopped by for a quick bite. A little pricey ($9-10 each) but with post Covid inflation and good quality it can be forgiven. I just won't be buying a box for my co-workers... maybe a box for myself :) read more

This is my go-to place for Empanadas in Pacific Grove/Monterey. There is a great variety: Ham, cheese, and egg; pulled pork; brisket; and chicken. Had all 4, and they are delicious. The chimichurri sauce is a must-try as it adds tartness and spice to the Empanadas. read more

So happy to find empanadas in PG! We tried chicken and tofu and both were warm, fresh and crispy. The chimichurri sauce was garlicky perfection. Check out the stamps on the dough- almost as adorable as the two brothers working the counter- ¿paraguayos? More like a pairaguapos, ¡lol! . We also tried the tereré -iced Yerba mate tea- and an alfajor which was large and beautiful but maybe a little bit dry, but I blame the pandemic for keeping customers away from this little gem. Can't wait to try the picadas when the space opens for dining! https://www.montereyherald.com/raul-nava-off-the-menu-831-cafe-guarani-brings-a-taste-of-paraguay-to-pacific-grove read more

Cafe Guarani - Alfajor, chicken and tofu empanadas - Cafes Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

The empanadas came with some of the best Chimichurri that I have ever had. Coffee and mate were very good. Absolutely loved the garden in the back! We got to chill, work, and eat all in the same space. The staff is very friendly and made us feel very welcome! Next time we're in town, we'll definitely have to come back! read more

I was lucky enough to get invited to this location for a yelp event. Funny thing was I got the dates mixed up and went one weekend early and decided to not waste the trip and get some pastries to check it out and see the service and I was not disappointed. We returned the following weekend to pick up some empanadas, I was extremely pleased as they were extremely delectable. The offering was for two but we do always like to support so we ended up purchasing a few more. We tried the beef brisket the barbecue pork pork ham and cheese and the chicken. The ham and cheese was hands-down her favorite oh my God think a handmade artesian hot pocket on steroids! They accompany the empanadas with a chimichurri sauce that is out of this world. The staff was extremely accommodating and super nice answered all of my questions and also told me about their little secret garden in the back. We did enjoy our food back there it was really comfortable quiet and inviting. It feels like you're in the backyard of one of your good girlfriends enjoying some wine and some good food. I did ask about the pastries and they did let me know that everything was made by the owner which is very impressive. Some of the decorating and recipes are superior for a pastry chef let alone someone making these delectable empanadas. My mom and I said we would definitely be back My Hubby loved the ham and cheese so that's another trip for us. Extremely happy about this because honestly this probably wouldn't be a place we would've just picked to try our own and now they have repeat customers due to the event. Bravo to this café everything was great! read more

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Their (beef) empanadas are THE best I've ever had (out of 10 other similar eateries--I am of course trying to find more places that offer empanadas but they are few and far between) and don't forget the chimichurri. read more

Amazing spot for breakfast. Empanadas are 10/10! Coffee is awesome. Guava cookies and guava tarts are to die for! read more

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Stopped here for breakfast and it was delicious! Their beef and chicken empanadas were made perfectly. We ordered their mocha and vanilla latte and both had amazing flavors. read more

Cafe Guarani - Beef and chicken empanada - Cafes Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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Delicious and surprising. Found when searching for good coffee shops. The latte was great, as were the empanadas (breakfast and brisket, we ordered a second breakfast), and yucca fries. Flavorful, delicious, and different. On a good day, sit in the secret garden in the back. We brought our dog. read more

This family-run cafe has become my favorite for morning coffee or to pickup a takeout lunch. The owner and her family and staff are welcoming and friendly, making each cup of coffee from scratch. I love their Paraguayan and South American pastries (the dulce de leite chocolate chip cookies are a particular favorite) which remind me of my childhood in Brazil. For lunch, their empanadas are outstanding while their new chicken sandwich is one of the best I've ever had. read more

Wow ! I'll advise you to not do as I did and wait till you get home to try the fries. I cheated and I was shocked how great they are that I almost crashed. Now to the nitty gritty..... I've tried the empanadas, lomito sandwich, and several pastries and all are keeping me going back to try something different. The lomito sandwich was out of this world. The perfect char on the steak, seasoned veggies, perfectly grilled brioche bun, and homemade pickles and onions put this sandwich on the top tier of any I live had in my lifetime. The empanadas are a perfect accompaniment for your morning beverage. The ratio of meat and pastry is perfect and the dough is light and crispy. The chimichuri sauce goes great and these are tops on the peninsula. I look forward to going back and trying the rest of the menu, if I can get past the lomito sandwich. read more

Cafe Guarani - Lomito Sandwich - Cafes Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

Great option if other breakfast places are crowded. Our family enjoyed the cinnamon roll (very decadent), banana bread and empanadas. Good coffee. Peaceful patio in the back. read more

This was a great find, located close to the aquarium on a main street. But you'd never know where you were if you venture out to the back patio, which is a great little garden area and makes it seem so secluded. The food, hard-to-find Paraguayan, was very good. I wish they offered a few more varieties of empanada, but on the other hand, this was the first time I had a pulled pork one, so there you go. There's a great bakery inside as well, and both of the desserts we tried were quite flavorful. Sadly we didn't partake in the extensive drink menu, but I was impressed with this place. It makes for a great morning or lunchtime stop. read more

Good food, service very friendly' ambience vey warm. Fresh food made from scratch, pastries the best .

Love love love their brisket empanada and the pulled pork one was amazing as well. The chimmichurri sauce it's served with has a wonderful flavor that pairs well with it. There's a cute seating area out back in the garden!!! read more

Cafe Guarani is an absolutely gorgeous Paraguayan style coffee shop chock full of yummy cakes, delectable baked goods and traditional Paraguayan meals. You can definitely tell that the family that owns this cafe puts their heart, soul and culture into every aspect of the shop ranging from the food to the decorations on the table tops. My favorite items here are the smoked Yerba mate tea, almond cookies and chicken empanadas that come with an AMAZING green sauce (which they now sell by the bottle!!). They also sell their cakes whole and accept pre-orders. The carrot cake is one of the best I have ever had! This is a great local business and family to support and I will be here weekly for sure! read more

Cafe Guarani - Chicken empanadas and the yummy green sauce - Cafes Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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I cannot believe how delectable the pastries were. This was the last stop on my trip and I couldn't have been more pleased with the quality of the food here. I got a vegan empanada, chicken empanada, two guava tarts, two alfajores, two guava medialunas, and a dulce de leche latte. I throughly enjoyed every bite of my vegan empanada and the two guava pastries. I'm happy I saved the alfajore for last because I savored and enjoyed every single morsel. The latte was good, it was missing a little something...maybe figure out how Tierra Mia makes their dulce de leche latte and then you're good to go! read more

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