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    El Paisa Restaurant

    3.7 (356 reviews)
    ModerateColombian, Empanadas
    Closed 10:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    El Paisa Restaurant Photos

    EL PAISA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - El Paisa Restaurant

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    Steak with rice
    Rawdon T.

    Me and the misses were cruising the streets at night and we just wanted something good to eat, and we stumbled upon this place. It was a little bit early, so the restaurant was completely empty which means service was very quick. I ordered steak with rice beans on the side. The food did not take very long to come out, and there was an assortment of sauces to add to the steak. The meal was not the best. The presentation was very nice and the waitress that took care of us was very friendly however, I do not think I would come back to this restaurant due to many of the items we first wanted were not available.

    My mom and I, very happy.
    Rosemary M.

    I just celebrated my birthday here with family and friends. Food was on point! Delicious. They went out of their way especially Andy & Mitzy. They gave me a special birthday hat to wear, put up a banner, recommend balones, didn't charge a plating fee for cake. It was so authentic and a 10 out of ten! They went out of there way to make sure my elderly mom was doing ok. She's usually very passive, but she asked to speak to the manager to compliment the service.

    It's FRIJOLES CON GARRA but no beans LOL   NO NO NEVER AGAIN CHECK YOU PRICE MACH WITH INTERNET

    I been at this place before many times Never feel like I need to do a feedback MENÚ IS FAKE please check your online prices don't let the guy with many rings and BS blin blin play with you money my bill was $40 and he was changing me almost $50 he came with the BS the price when up I was like WHEN? He just want more money I LOOK IT UP AND HE JUST CHANGE THE PRICE TO MUCH BE CAREFUL DONT LET THEM FOOL YOU OUT NEVER AGAIN Check you price online I noticed something was wrong

    Patacon con crema.
    Stephen C.

    If you're in Long Beach and are in the mood for Colombian food, go no further than El Paisa! Ordered a PICADA! It had everything blood sausage, empanada, fried plantain, sweet plantain, fried yuca,potato, and a cheese Arepa! What kind of sauces did they have? I'm not sure, but they tasted very good. One was spicy one was not. It was in between breakfast and lunch, so we were the only ones there however, it looks like it could be a good nights spot as well!

    PONYMALTA

    Service, food and environment are soooo good, this place truly makes me feel like i am back home I will be coming back to this place, they have the best bandeja paisa ever Also the music selection is authentic and really good

    Julian R.

    After a long wait and I have been following this place , major fail. The owner is rude and sarcastic! The food was not worth it and would not recommend. I will not return or refer anyone to this place . The owner does not appreciate or value his guest . I would give 0 stars if I could .............

    Advertised tamale on the menu on the left. What was actually served on the right. Tasted just as nasty as it looks.

    I've been wanting to try this place for a while. My Columbia friend was in town so I decided to finally try the place out. The server was extremely rude. My Spanish isn't the best but I can get by pretty good. But he chose to ignore me the entire restaurant experience, only addressing my Columbian friend whose Spanish was better. Her food came out and it took an additional 30 minutes to have just one tamale come out for me. It wasn't until I went up to the counter, the one tamale finally came out. But to my disgust they served me this overcooked, extremely watery tamale. I took a bite and it tasted so disgusting, watery and bland. I immediately showed the server the picture of the tamale they have advertised on their menu, compared to what they served me. My Columbia friend even told the server that's not what it's supposed to taste or look like. As he continued to dismiss me and not talk to me, even tho it was my dish. I just told him I didn't want anything else to reorder. My friend finished half of her dish and reported some of the flavors are off. But we ended up walking down the street to the Salvi restaurant and got exceptional food and service. Would not recommend this place! To the servers surprise it must have been when he tried to give my friend the bill to pay and I took it as I was the one treating. Let's just say his tip reflected his service. ;) ***ALSO, NO PRICES ON THEIR MENUS***

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    3 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    8 months ago

    Always, the best place for Colombian food and the owner is an amazing person, they have good service too

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    2 years ago

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    7 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    The food was okay. The service was slow and we didn't have the best experience over there.

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Came for the game and whoever was in control of the sound SUCKED. Couldn't hear anything and ruined the halftime show. Don't come here.

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    3 years ago

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    Page 1 of 9

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    Selva - Plantains

    Selva

    4.5(544 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$$

    Excellent food and Service! Chris, the bartender is a…read moremixology genius! He brings the drinks to a different level. We had the Tamal and the Scallops Crudo and Pollo. The food was creative and delicious. Jack our waiter was awesome. We will be back....

    Went here for dinner with some friends as a popup for Filipino Tuesday night. Party of 8 with…read moreReservations set for 6pm. This restaurant primarly serves Columbian food, which is a Columbian restaurant 90% of the time. 1 to 2 days filipino dinner within the week and the rest of the days is Columbian. From the outside, this place looks plain but from the inside the place was cozy, vibrant and comfortable. The ambiance of modern fusion. Nice bar, clean restrooms and great seating with great Feng shui energy. Ordered adult beverages. Beer , wine, calimansi with added vodka. From the Get go, we ordered chicken wings, pork, fish, coconut rice, beef plate and eggplant dish. Everything was very tasty! All was delicous. No complaints on the food. Presentation and prepared dishes were outstanding! Now comes the Pros and Cons with honest criticism. Pros: 1) Food and drinks are outstanding, no one can object nor disagree to that. Clean restrooms and Clean dining area. Restaurant staff is very friendly and professional. 2) Sip and Paint activities being offered. I find that pretty cool. Cons: 1) Parking is very tight, you snooze you lose. Must get there early to find side parking. If not, you have to settle for street parking on a very busy street. Again, all is pending on the time you come to dine. 2) Service is very slow, even though it was not that busy being a Tuesday. We were seated at 6pm did not start our food order until 6:20sh. By the time everything was served and eaten, we finished at 840pm. There was too much lag time on the dishes being served. Entrees were coming out every 15-20mins. Even though good conversations was taking place, The wait time in-between was noticed for food and drink delivery. Had the entire group discussing why the food that was ordered was taking so long to receive? If you are having filipino night, you must make sure the rice is served first or have it come out with the main dish. Rice should not be served after the main entrees have already been eaten. 3) Dishes are expensive and quantity does not match up to the price value of the meals. $46 for a meat dish that was small. If you are a big eater, you might be dissapointed on the quantity being served. RICE Bowls are very small for $6. Overall, I would definitely come back. Food was outstanding! Customer Interaction is great. If you dont mind the slow service and enjoy the conversation instead, this place is for you! Definitely made for couples on a first date. I would say meals are fancy and yummy, since it is above average pricing, in terms of fancy to a point of pricing. The service did not live up to the expectation. But we are yet to try the Columbian food here! Looking forward to our next visit.!

    Photos
    Selva - Inside

    Inside

    Selva - Scallop Crudo. So good!

    Scallop Crudo. So good!

    Selva - Smoked Pollo Half plate. Delicious!

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    Smoked Pollo Half plate. Delicious!

    OBRA HandBakery - Breakfast sandwich on a warn croissant!

    OBRA HandBakery

    4.4(1.2k reviews)
    3.7 mi
    $
    Family-owned & operated
    Free parking

    This bakery was recommended to me by a friend, and I'm so glad she did! OBRA is a Latin American…read morebakery that serves sandwiches, pastries, desserts, and more. They have two locations, one in Long Beach and one in Santa Ana. Their Long Beach location is located in a shopping plaza, and I didn't have any trouble finding parking. They had lots of different items in their bakery case to choose from! We had to get their OBRA Balls, which come with beef or chicken. Their OBRA Beef Ball has ground beef and mozzarella surrounded by mashed potato and deep fried. It was cheesier than I expected! The OBRA Chicken Ball is a more of a cone shape and has shredded chicken, aji amarillo sauce, and cheese surrounded by mashed potato and deep fried. Both were tasty! They serve it with a side of their spicy mayo and green salsa for dipping. They're known for their empanadas, so we had to try some of these too! We got a Baked Chicken, Chicken Curry, Beef, and Ropa Vieja. Their Beef and Chicken are some of their most popular. The Beef Emapanda has spicy ground beef, onions, and potatoes, and their Chicken Empanada has shredded chicken, mild spicy creamy yellow chili sauce, onions, potatoes, and mozzarella cheese. The Chicken Curry is one of their newer empanadas and has diced chicken thighs cooked in mild spicy curry and coconut milk, steamed rice, bell peppers, onions, and cilantro. But my favorite was the Ropa Vieja! It has tasty shredded beef, onions, bell peppers, tomato, garlic, seasonings, and cilantro. The meat is so tender and juicy! For desserts, we got a Cocada and a Peach and Dulce de Leche Turnover. The Cocada is their coconut macaroon made with shredded coconut, covered with chocolate. It is massive! Very moist on the inside. I'll be back to try their sandwiches and get some more OBRA balls!

    A small bakery we love coming to for delicious empanadas! Breakfast and BBQ Pork are my favorites…read moreand my husband loves the Cuban, Chicken Curry, and Ropa Vieja. He also likes the Beef Ball and Square Pie. Their sweet baked goods are good too. We've tried a cookie cake and a macaroon. The location is small, but they're very popular! The place seems clean and the service is friendly.

    Photos
    OBRA HandBakery - Ham & Egg Sandwich!

    Ham & Egg Sandwich!

    OBRA HandBakery - Best seller! Cuban Sandwich.

    Best seller! Cuban Sandwich.

    OBRA HandBakery - A must try! Beef OBRA Ball

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    A must try! Beef OBRA Ball

    Olé Tapas Bar & Kitchen - Paell Valenciana

    Olé Tapas Bar & Kitchen

    3.9(2.8k reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$$
    Live music
    Kitchen open late

    ¡Olé, olé, olé, olé... olé... olé!…read more If you're looking for the perfect place to watch a soccer match, this is it. We came for the Mexico vs. Korea game and the energy inside was electric. The crowd, the excitement, and the overall atmosphere made it such a fun viewing party. The DJ really helped elevate the experience and kept the energy going all game long. It truly felt like the place to be for soccer fans. Food-wise, I definitely recommend the chicken quesadilla. Also, the mojitos downstairs were excellent--super refreshing and worth trying! Just note they weren't available at the viewing party on the 3rd floor. Overall, such a great spot for a game-day experience. We'll definitely be back, and next time we want to try more from the full restaurant menu.

    Paella was really disappointing. The rice did not have any saffron. The rice color was very pale…read moreyellow that confirms the lack of saffron. The texture of the rice was gummy and seemed warmed over. The amount of meat was nice, but the ratio of chicken to other lamb, sausage, etc, was weak. Overall, it was very disappointing, and for the $44 price tag for a single portion, it's frankly unacceptable. The previous Spanish restaurant at this location (Sevilla) was much better, but this dish reminds me of Sevilla in it's last days... which isn't good. It's why they went out of business. I love a great paella and have been to both Barcelona and Madrid, I've never been to the Sevilla in Costa Mesa or SD, but I'm curious now and need to go. I won't go back to Ole.

    Photos
    Olé Tapas Bar & Kitchen
    Olé Tapas Bar & Kitchen - Paella Valenciana, Pan con Tomate, Afternoon in Valencia Craft Cocktail

    Paella Valenciana, Pan con Tomate, Afternoon in Valencia Craft Cocktail

    Olé Tapas Bar & Kitchen

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    Alegria

    Alegria

    3.5(1.2k reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    Daysha the light skinned bartender is literally the besttt!! she is so sweet and has great customer…read moreservice. she was very fast with our drinks especially with how packed this club was. 10/10 recommend her!!

    July 19th 2026 Sunday…read more This spot did not have to many people inside for the FIFA world Cup Final match between Argentina vs Spain. It was very accomodating since everywhere else was packed! We wanted to find some shade as well since it was 90 degrees outside. In parallel to this event, there was a city event going on at the same time called Beach Streets. That event was awesome as well! We were hungry so we posted up here from our bike ride. My wife and I got ID'd just to come in. Why ID if it is a restaurant, did not make sense? We did not have a host to sit us. Sit as you see was the service provided. Once we sat the waiter took our order. We wanted Sangria but come to find out they had nothing in stock. A restaurant that is Spanish desent and has FIFA world cup soccer being televised with out Sangria wine. Big surprise there!. We ordered a pitcher of Margarita. 10 mins to drop off and took another 17 minutes for our waiter to take our order. Ordered ceviche, empenadas and Lomo Saltado. All received within a 15 min time frame. Not going to complain about the taste, all is good. Presentation and billing is my problem from my dissapointment statements listed below. To get to the point, my complaints of dissapointment in details. This place is expensive!! The presentation of the food delivered was nothing special. The quanity being served for $26 a plate did not do justice. $16 appetizers of Ceviche and Empenadas. The margarita pitcher was $55 and it was filled mostly with ice. Lacked liquor, a bit stingy on their serving. Received our bill, they automatically but a 20% service charge tacked on my bill! Keep in mind It is only two people not a party of 6. I want the option to decide myself if the waiter is worthy of a good tip with provided service. The guy was hustling trying to take everyones orders. What type of management understaffs on a FIFA World Cup Championship game? Just one guy taking care of the entire restaurant is not acceptable. He was nearly non existence on our stay. Also, what type of managent doesnt stock alcohol up for the big game? The place looks and feels runned down. Tables looked old, restaurant was hot. Plastic Forks and spoons provided with one napkin. Lol. Just full of dissapointments. My final bill came out to $140. The nail in the coffin for me to rate this place only 1 star was the automatic service charge attached. I disagree with this restaurants billing policy. They stronghold you to pay for service, even if the service is bad. Overall, the taste is good, but if your going to charge me $26 for a plate, at least give me some silverware and clean my tables. I have been here a few times since the early 2000s. This place needs a makeover. Tables are dirty outside and inside. Charging for high quality prices for a place that doesnt deliver the ambiance. Total dissapointment on my visit. "My experience only." Ask them to remove the service charge. Complete BS

    Photos
    Alegria - Bar..watching with 2 little screens

    Bar..watching with 2 little screens

    Alegria
    Alegria - Front view of night club.

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    Front view of night club.

    El Paisa Restaurant - colombian - Updated September 2026

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