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    El Sur

    4.5 (205 reviews)
    InexpensiveArgentine, Empanadas
    Closed 9:30 am - 3:00 pm

    Order El Sur Takeout or Delivery

    El Sur Photos

    Business Info

    EL SUR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

    Recommended Reviews - El Sur

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    Reviews With Photos

    Eric L.

    I have finally found an empanada rival to my North Bay favorite. El Sur has terrible hours (you have to be local to get a taste), but these empanadas are filling and, more importantly, delicious and perfectly cooked. It's a counter service restaurant, but service is friendly, and they know what they're doing. I loved the traditional empanada so much I'm hoping I can find a way to escape work early one day again so I can pick some up.

    Daniel F.

    Must try! The people are friendly and food is delicious. Got the traditional empanada, carne sauve and churros. Empanada was fresh and the crust was very crispy. The churros were pretty good as well. Great indoor dining and there's a parking lot right next door. If you're in Redwood City make sure to stop by.

    Allister D.

    I thought this was a pretty good empanada shop. They have seating and the place is really clean which is a plus. It felt like a restaurant. I enjoy the nice glass casing of the empanadas for customers to see. I don't like how each empanada is a different size and shape though; even though they are all priced the same, their sizes vary which is slightly annoying. For example, their traditional was big in size (regular empanada size). It had incredible flavor from the diced beef cubes which was basically steak bits. The marinade and filling was delicious and the best traditional Argentinian beef empanada I've had. On the other hand, their Parisien flavor was small like a tiny ball shape. It had Kurobuta Ham, prosciutto, and 5-cheeses but this whole thing was a small puff pastry. I wish all the flavors were the same shape and size to better stretch our money. The empanadas are amazing tasting and freshly made. I'd love to come back for more but El Sur needs to make each one equal in size otherwise it'll feel like I'm getting ripped off for my money. Maybe next time El Sur?

    Mushroom/cheese, traditional, and chicken.
    Tíbor G.

    My best friend and I were in Argentina eating empanadas all over the place and this place could easily fit right in! Got there within the last hour before close and the staff was just as helpful as if I would've been there in the morning. The food was equally as flavorful! Love the mushroom cheese, the traditional was super savory and comforting, and the chicken was an easy go to! They even have frozen empanadas to bake at home when you need a quick little meal! Come support them, they totally deserve the business!

    Marianne
    Mary F.

    Thanks to Paolo and Marianne for a wonderful event with delicious food! Everything was so full of flavor, and I will definitely be back to pick up more Traditional beef empanadas and to try the breakfast flavor! Marianne was great to learn from and I love the story of how the building was originally her parent's grocery store! It was also very nice of them to have the chips and charcuterie boards out when we arrived, and the drink selection! Thank you again to Marianne, Paolo, and the staff members for a great experience!

    Lisa H.

    A hidden gem! So excited to get fresh made empanadas and especially vegan ones to boot. Only two flavors of this option currently but the Championes (mushroom/cheese) is very flavorful and filling. Several vegetarian as well as the expected meat ones too. Great little cafe - looks like they are set up to do coffee but didn't see a menu for those offerings. Well worth coming in to check them out. Also sell frozen unbaked to take home = I got a couple of those to try but haven't made them yet. Pro-tip -easy to miss the parking lot next door and street parking is challenging.

    Kathy L.

    I never knew this place even existed and when I was there for an event, I had the opportunity to taste these wonderful handmade Argentinian style empanadas. They are worth the price--flaky crust, packed with filling and so flavorful. There are many choices--beef, chicken, vegetarian, fruit filled and even a breakfast version. If you want to have some for a rainy day, you can purchase frozen ones too--easy to bake, no thawing needed. I bought frozen ones for home--the traditional and the breakfast ones. It's an open space--cafe style, so you can have a coffee, enjoy your empanada or takeaway. Definitely worth checking out--not far from the Costco either.

    Keila P.

    They have a parking lot on the side of the building which was easy to access. The inside was very neat, clean, and aesthetic. The display case was helpful in generating an idea of what we wanted to order and the staff at the register was very friendly in explaining what her favorite empanada was and making recommendations. We didn't wait long for our food and we ate inside the place. It was amazing! Would definitely return here. Thank you for your hospitality and great food!

    Julianne C.

    i grabbed some empanadas from the el sur food truck outside fort mason during a craft fair. overall, the quality is really great but i think it's a bit overpriced in my opinion ($8 per empanada). i've tried the mushroom, chicken, and beef and all are solid! i would recommend if you're in the mood for yummy empanadas! hopefully i'll be able to try the brick and mortar location soon!

    Inside
    Kimberly L.

    Omg these are some of the best empanadas I've ever had! The mushroom one was so delicious I had to order another one. It was creamy and savory and the flaky crust was very tasty. I loved how they had a private parking lot and it was a quiet lunch spot with friends! Can't wait to go back.

    Delicious empanada

    Definitely 5 stars! I have gone to the Menlo Park food trucks and had their empanadas and they were absolutely amazing. I just saw that they now have a store on Middlefield Road. I had a beef empanada and it was delicious. They also have a special with two empanadas and a salad for $17. The flavor and spices were perfect and they were very filling. I took some frozen empanada's home in their take and bake freezer! The owner was telling me they do a lot of catering. I will definitely use them for my next party. They are south of Costco in Redwood city and they have a nice size parking lot so it's easy to get in and get out. I would definitely recommend them and if you haven't tried an empanada before, just come in one time and you will be hooked!

    David B.

    Are these the best empanadas in the bay area?? The tradicional, pollo and champiñón were all excellent! Friendly staff to help you choose and the place is clean and simple. The alfajores are worth snagging as well

    Outside
    Navila H.

    Come for the empanadas, stay for the chill aesthetic vibes... Right at the base of Potrero Hill, this now brick-and-mortar family business is serving up hot flaky empanadas! There's plenty of street parking and a couple in the immediate lot. Easily accessible by bus as well. Features cafe-style seating proving a great place to meet up and hang out for a glass of wine. Would not come with a group larger than 4. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable; willing to talk through any dietary restrictions. I've honestly tried many of the flavors and can confidently say you can't go wrong! The empanadas are Argentinean style with french culinary flair. This pairing is a perfect harmony for the tasty stuffy and buttery crust. Their meat is locally sourced here in Northern California at Five Dot Ranch and you can taste the love folded into each bite. Fun fact: they first sold these out of a Citroën H-Type van, if you're not familiar look it up!! Great idea for catering too~

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    3 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Empanadas are so good! I had one for the first time at the Fort Mason night market and I had to go to Redwood City for more

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    Thank you for coming and we hope to see you again soon!

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    So glad you found us! Hope to see you again soon :)

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    Page 1 of 6

    El Sur Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - El Sur

    Do they ever do bean empanadas? The vegetarian options look like they rely on cheese to make them filling. I would love to try a healthier/heartier vegetarian option.

    View All 2 Questions

    Comalito - Yucca Fries 
 
 served with Cilantro Aioli and Chipotle Aioli on the side

    Comalito

    4.6(87 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    We wanted papusas and Comalito came up with spectacular reviews and was open (at time of writing,…read morethey open Fri-Sun)! Food and service were great. Food ordered: Yucca fries on the house! 1. Plantano Fritas (4/5) I love a plantains and these were delicious and less oily than other which I appreciate! Personal preference is a I prefer a little more sweetly caramelized plantains, but I did really enjoy this. The dish comes with a white creamy sauce and a refried bean dip - both yummy and not overpowering in flavor. Papusas: Lots of flavors to choose from! And in general, for all the papusas, the papusa batter is wonderful and the porportion of filling to papusa is perfect. 2a. Calabaza Papusa - mixed cheese + zuchinni (4/5) This was the most cheesey papusa, where the cheese was the heavy lifter. I enjoyed it and every bite had a nice cheese pull too it. I would have liked to see a little more zucchini green, and for it to add to the textures. 2b. Frijol y Queso Papusa - mixed cheese + refried beans (5/5) My favorite! Can't go wrong with a bean and cheese papusa and this was so so good. I recommend this classic pairing of flavors anywhere. I was thinking about this papusa for days. 2c. Chicken Papusa - mixed cheese + chicken (5/5) This was also really good. the chicken is mixed in with the cheese, so every bite has both, which was nice. There was also a lovely seasoning which balanced all the flavors beautifully. 3. Churros: This usually comes with vanilla ice cream, and the server warned us they didn't have any in stock. We were fine with that because we love churros. When we were complete with our papusas, they served us our churros and surprised with apple slices instead of ice cream which was a lovely touch. Parking: There is no designated parking lot that we have found, but the public 2 hour parking lot 2 blocks over on Second Ave! Overall, we really enjoyed our experience at Comalito. The hardest hurdle is parking, but once you find the public parking lot a couple of blocks over, it was easy to find and gives you a little exercise before you eat! Papusas were all delicious and there is a plenty of seating room. Keep in mind they are open Friday-Sunday only at time of writing.

    I came here to meet up with a friend for dinner. The location is doesn't have a lot of street…read moreparking available, but there is a small public parking lot a few blocks away. The spot is full of character and a good amount of seating. The customer service is great. Everyone was so kind. We each ordered 3 pupusas of bean & cheese w/ curtido and some casamiento to share. I also got a side order of carne asada. All the food was good. Everything was full of flavor. The carne asada was tender. The pupusas had the perfect mix beans and cheese, with the masa being light and fluffy. The casamiento with a great mix of rice and beans. The only negative was the curtido. It was ok. Somewhat soggy and not very crisp. Also, lacked any flavor. It's a small thing, but otherwise the dinner was 5 stars.

    Photos
    Comalito - Aesthetic plants

    Aesthetic plants

    Comalito - Churros
 
 coated with cinnamon and sugar and served with chocolate and caramel syrup

    Churros coated with cinnamon and sugar and served with chocolate and caramel syrup

    Comalito - Arroz Con Leche

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    Arroz Con Leche

    Lolita Artisanal Bakery Cafe - Inside

    Lolita Artisanal Bakery Cafe

    4.8(160 reviews)
    6.1 mi
    $$

    Grabbed some coffee and a snack with some friends after a workout…read more This former Starbucks has a small parking lot in the back and there were a few spaces open, so it was very easy to find parking. The service was friendly and quick. They were very patient while we explored all the various items they had on display. I got a bacon and egg empanada which they warmed up for me. It was nice, might've been even better with some kind of sauce too. My friends got the mushroom empanadas which looked really delicious. I wanted to order one to bring home only to find out they sold out! The cafe con lèche was quite strong but they do warn you about it before you order. Nice place to catch up with some friends. Good amount of small tables and it's clean.

    Bakery and coffee shop with specialty of Argentina pastries. It has been opened for many years and…read moreI just found it last week. It is nice bakery and coffee shop on same roof. The interior is simple with plenty of tables. One of Their speciality is empanadas and you cannot go wrong with it. It is very yummy. There are couple filling options. The other pastries like Traditional Argentine pastries such as Guava Dulce de Leche which we order are also yummy. The Alfajones is also good. If I am not mistaken either you have to order pastries two at a time or it is cheaper if you order two. The drip coffee is good and light. Beside argentina pastries they also have more common pastries you find at most of places like croissant. Service was good and quick. Parking is available on the street or it has parking lot at the complex. Will come back next time to try other pastries.

    Photos
    Lolita Artisanal Bakery Cafe - Inside

    Inside

    Lolita Artisanal Bakery Cafe
    Lolita Artisanal Bakery Cafe - Entrance of parking lot in back

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    Entrance of parking lot in back

    Cocina Milonga - Apple Almond

    Cocina Milonga

    4.8(160 reviews)
    16.6 mi
    $

    Discovered Milonga at the farmers market and so happy I did! Their empanadas are amazing!…read more My husband and I tried the mushroom, potato, tomato and basil, chorizo, beef and pineapple. They were all well balanced, not too salty or sweet, toasted to just the right crispiness, and definitely satisfying. Not to mention the staff were fun and friendly

    Why 5 stars? Because despite a few non-ideal circumstances, it was very worth the visit…read more --- --- --- After eating lunch nearby, I had one final stop to make here for coffee and dessert, before I headed to SFO. The issue is that I was definitely pushing it on time if I planned on making my flight. As I was driving here, I had the thought that if there was an annoying parking situation or a line, I would just have to pivot and forego patronizing. But as it turns out, there was one spot available right next to the front door and no one inside. But then when I requested a nitro, the owner (I assume?) was extremely apologetic that their coffee machine broke. I asked for a few alternate types of coffee, but it turned out said machine controlled it all. So we shifted to the pastries. I read on the website that they had something with guava, so I asked for two of those: one for me, one for the wife. He even offered to heat mine up, which I will say yes to 100% of the time. I then jumped back in the car and was back into "don't' miss your flight mode." Of course, when you're in a hurry, you manage to hit every red light along the way, so I was doing a lot of yelling at electricity and God. But then I figured I might as well take the time to try the pastry that I'd originally planned on eating on the plane. As it turns out, it brought me into a nearly immersive experience of zen. The only bad thing is that I devoured it within seconds and then it was merely a thing of the past. My wife is fortunate that I have the amount of integrity that I do because I am sitting on the plane as I write this and I could easily inhale that 2nd pastry with her being none the wiser. If you're reading this, wife, remember that you hit the spousal lottery.

    Photos
    Cocina Milonga - Counter & menu

    Counter & menu

    Cocina Milonga - Empanada

    Empanada

    Cocina Milonga - Mini Palmiers/Palmeritas

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    Mini Palmiers/Palmeritas

    Nina’s Cafe - Pollo Empanizado Sandwich

    Nina’s Cafe

    4.6(121 reviews)
    5.8 mi
    $$

    Delicious food! We ran in before closing and they were nice enough to let us get a bunch of…read moreempanadas to go. We got two each of the quito beef (it's sweet b/c of raisins, you have to try it!), spicy chicken, spinach w/cheese, and mushroom w/cheese. They were all delicious! Also, we got one of each of the sweet ones as well; guava w/ cheese, and nutella. They offer red & green sauce. Red is mild, green has some punch and twang. Both tasty. The empanada dough is the same for each I think; just the right amount of flakiness to keep it light without exploding, and still have a little bit of doughy chew. Perfection! I won't pretend I know anything about Ecuadorian cuisine but I know this was super yummy and I'll be back! Who doesn't love a good meat pie from any culture?

    My husband and I came here for breakfast-the portions are generous, so we split a Nina's breakfast…read moreburrito and a plate of plantains with cheese. This is only my second time in my life, having plantains, but I like them. There's just enough starch, and they are fried so they are a nice replacement for the traditional hash brown. The inside dining space is small, but if it is nice out, sit outside by the water. In the morning, you can watch the birds and the kayaks; in the afternoon, you can watch all the boats go by. I recommend sitting outside. They do serve dinner, but only on the weekends, but they are working on their schedule so that they can be open longer hours during the summer. We will come back and try their dinner.

    Photos
    Nina’s Cafe - Inside of Ninas Cafe

    Inside of Ninas Cafe

    Nina’s Cafe - Seco De Chivo

    Seco De Chivo

    Nina’s Cafe - Sangria with a view

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    Sangria with a view

    Estampas Peruanas Restaurant - Helado de Lucuma

    Estampas Peruanas Restaurant

    3.9(400 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    I had a great experience at Estampas Peruanas. I ordered the lomo saltado, and it was really…read moreflavorful, well-seasoned, and cooked perfectly. The portion was satisfying, and the combination of the beef, onions, tomatoes, and fries made for a delicious meal. They had a pretty big area to seat people and when I went was around dinner time so there was a small wait but that did not negatively impact the experience what so ever which resulted in the food coming out hot n freshly made. Overall, the food and service were both very good, and I would definitely come back to try some of their other Peruvian dishes. My only criticism is that I found the prices to be a little on the high side compared to similar restaurants. That being said, the quality of the food was good enough that I still felt it was worth trying. Prices may deter a population of people which they should improve on but definitely a spot I would recommend if you're craving Peruvian food!

    We just arrived in Redwood City after 10 hours on the road and just wanted to find something close…read moreby to eat. Found this place randomly on yelp and decided to try it with zero expectations. As soon as we walked in, we were hit by the live music and fun atmosphere. We ordered the NY steak for our daughter. We were going to order it cooked medium for her but most places usually overcook the steaks so we went with medium rare. This place does not overcook their steaks. It came out medium rare and maybe rare in some parts. It tasted great but we did try to cut around the rarer parts for our daughter. She ate half the steak and loved it. I ordered a seafood dish in tomato cream sauce and it was so good mixed with rice! My husband got the saltado with fried fish and that was good too, but maybe the fried fish on fries was a little too much fried stuff. Everything tasted great and service was friendly. I loved the music but it was a little too loud for my daughter even though we were pretty far back already. Definitely want to come back if we ever visit the area again, but maybe bring earplugs for my child.

    Photos
    Estampas Peruanas Restaurant - Dining room December '25

    Dining room December '25

    Estampas Peruanas Restaurant - Arroz chaufa con mariscos

    Arroz chaufa con mariscos

    Estampas Peruanas Restaurant - Saltado de Mariscos

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    Saltado de Mariscos

    El Sur - argentine - Updated September 2026

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