It's been awhile since we've been here - and the empanadas more shaped like the traditionally half-moon made - - with the same awesome fillings. I kinda missed the old days when you got a treasure map of each filling within every empanada (see previous pict). The Caprese is full of fresh tomatoes and gooey cheese. Beef is not greasy - love the green olives. The lamb is a must-have. Especially if you don't like lamb. Seasoned and flaky - not gamey at all. And another big star for being the healthy empanada place - they are all baked. Excellent service as well - you'll be in and out in under 5 minutes during a rush. That is unless the one moron in line was staring at their screen when they should be looking at the menu!! read more

Empanada Kitchen - Really nice presentation for takeaway! - Argentine Near Me - San Diego, California

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They make really good empanadas. This visit I got beef and mushroom/cheese empanadas. They were very tasty and had a good amount of "stuffing", but I couldn't tell which was which and had to break them apart before eating. I asked the young woman at the register to be sure to give me enough chimichurri for 3 empanadas. She gave me one small portion--not enough. So 5 stars for taste and cleanliness but -1 for no labeling, chintzy on the chimichurri, oh, and expensive for empanadas. Parking is a pain. I find the street parking is easier, if you can find any. read more

Nice little spot in North Park. Obviously parking not the greatest but well worth the effort. I ordered the Chicken, Lamb and the special of the day beef chili. All of them were hits. Great flavors and plenty of fillings. They were very generous with the proteins. Service was awesome. Very friendly and fast. Overall, a great place to get your Empanada fix. Make sure to get that chimichurri sauce! read more

Empanada Kitchen - Chicken, Lamb and beef chili special. A Russian Roulette of flavor - Argentine Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food is great but at $5 a pop it gets spendy quickly. Hrratcemoanadas though. Service is also good. Place was clean and had new seating. read more

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Is there anyone out there that doesn't love empanadas?! I mean, what's not to love! If y'all have read my reviews before, you know that the Hubs and I love to do a beer day - Hopping around to different breweries trying new brews.. and of course, some new snacks along the way. Empanada Kitchen has become one of my favorite snacks on said beer days and would be one of my go-to spots regularly if there was one in my direct neighborhood - * cough * Maybe Carmel Valley should be the next spot for a shop! Empanada Kitchen has 3 location in San Diego - North Park, La Jolla and Downtown {with a few pop-ups at select Pure Project locations}. Great idea - Is there a better combo than Brews and Empanadas?! I think not! Aside from visiting one of the locations, you can also order delivery via Uber Eats, Door Dash and Grub Hub - Score! Plus, catering for all of your Empanada needs. And all locations are open 7 days a week - Just check their IG for exact hour for each location - @empanadakitchensd The empanadas come in a variety of flavors: Veggie, Chicken, Mushroom & Goat Cheese, Beef, Caprese, Ham & Cheese, Sweet Corn & Basil, Lamb, Breakfast {only available during breakfast hours} and Specialty Flavors that rotate based on season and location. My top 3 {in no particular order}: Ham & Cheese, Sweet Corn & Basil and the Caprese. And do not skip out on the chimichurri - This kicks it up to a whole other level! You are also wise to get three as there is a 3 for $12 deal - or another $12 deal for 2 empanadas and a salad. You will also find a nice selection of non-alcoholic drinks to enjoy. I'm already thinking about my next visit! When you go - Let me know what you try! read more

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17-Sep-2025 Today my 4 boys were super hungry on the way to the barbershop. I usually carry a healthy snack for them, but today I totally forgot. I decided to find empanadas and came across Empanada Kitchen. I am so glad I stopped! Joanah was working the evening shift and was so kind to greet me, even while helping another guest, when I arrived and quickly helped me choose my empanadas. I bought 10 (6 chicken and 4 beef). The ambiance is like a nice coffee shop. It's certainly not some old ma and pa shop. It's modern and really clean and quiet with black and yellow colors. What I found to be really cool is that there is a small stamp or impression on the corner of each empanada to tell you what flavor you have when you open your mixed box. They provide this a unique card to help you. Amazing! If you are looking for a quick delicious empanada spot this is highly recommended. Price point is pricey, but there is a 3 for $11 deal. Gone are the days of $2 empanadas! Thanks, Ashley read more

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This review is long overdue! This is a small kitchen, but don't doubt it's got big flavor! I've been frequenting this location for a long time. It's so hard to just get 3 empanadas, but when you need that quick fix of deliciousness, it hits the spot! We love trying the special flavors but our fav is definitely the beef empanada and the chicken empanada as our second! The bacon and egg empanada is only offered during breakfast time (just an FYI if you want one in the evening). You get a small chimichurri to dip with your empanada, but when that's not enough, get the big jar! We love it, so we buy the jar! It's about $12, but we use it for others things and it's definitely more than enough for the empanadas! They also make it spicy! Only a few seats inside and out. They have a small parking lot, shared with the Wise Ox. You can quickly grab your empanadas and be in your way. 2025:26 read more

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I'm Argentine so I'm biased and am picky because I've tried thousands throughout Argentina and in SoCal. I was naturally excited to try this place but the empanadas fall short of great. El relleno (filling) is so little compared to other empanadas. I bought beef, corn, chicken, lamb, caprese & mushroom. La masa (breading) hecho al horno (in the oven) in other places are extremely soft and filled with flavor from the juices having sucked in from the filling. These didn't have that. The flan was good but, unfortunately, we wouldn't return. If the filling wasn't so minimal, I'd be a constant customer. Por una docena de empanadas, igual también es muchísimo más caro que otros lugares. read more

I made a to-go phone order. I requested twi orders of the 3 empanadas for $12, with the chicken, beef, and corn. The sweet corn was definitely my favorite, and the chimichurri was delicious. read more

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I have been wanting to come here for a long time now. I drive passed it all the time and finally stopped by wishing I had done so sooner. It's a cute, bright little shop that hurt my eyes a little bit (in a good way). My guy and I tried the Chicken and the Mushroom & Goat Cheese. I really liked the dough for both empanadas. The chicken was definitely juicy, as the description warns, but the overall flavor was on the blander side. The mushroom one was soo good! Next time, I want my own. No sharing this one ever again. Neither my guy nor I enjoyed their chimichurri. It was all oil and no actual flavor. Their spicy chimichurri was way better, but wasn't actually spicy. I did come here late at night, so I'm looking forward to trying it when the empanadas and the chimichurri is fresher. read more

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Stopped by about 1 hour before closing and most empanadas were still available. We got the Beef, Ratatouille (Veggie), and the Sweet Corn & Basil. For $4 each it's a pretty decent deal. Inside is very vibrant with a few tables. Between the 3, I felt that the Beef had the best flavor overall. It was nicely spiced and very savory. I also enjoyed the Sweet Corn & Basil one which came with a creamy sauce and was still balanced with the sweetness of the corn. The dipping sauce is some sort of chimichurri which was decent but wasn't necessary for every single empanada. I do feel that the empanadas could be stuffed a little more. They aren't particularly plump but rather more flat and thin. The texture of the outside was nice and semi-soft crispy though. read more

Empanada Kitchen - Argentine Near Me - San Diego, California

Been driving by this place for months, finally popped in today. We are so HAPPY we did! Bright, clean and cheery store front with two high top tables and stools. We were greeted with a smile. She was pulling them out of the oven when we walked up. They smelled so good! Today's special was Choripan, but the ran out. We ordered: Chicken, Beef, Lamb, Corn & Basil, Mushroom & Goat Cheese and Veggie with both spicy and regular chimichurri sauces. They were the perfect size so you can have more than one. The dough to filling ratio was on point. Each one was so juicy and didn't need sauce. Our favorite was the Mushroom & Goat cheese but they were all very yummy! She threw in the apple because they ran out of the special. Will be back to try the others! read more

Empanada Kitchen - Lamb, Mushroom & Goat Cheese, Veggie - Argentine Near Me - San Diego, California

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I prefer the lamb in La Jolla. The beef and chicken were not to my liking at like $4.50 each. They have ham and cheese too. A few tables inside. Small parking lot next to The Wise Ox. read more

Really wanted to try other things but the beef was calling my name. And they didn't have the caprice available. First bite, was kinda mid. But man after adding the chimichurri sauce, that was a def game changer. It added so much more flavor. I liked my empanadas, I will be going back to try others. The dough was really tasty too. Parking is kinda hard. Small, cute little spot. read more

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These were "just okay" for us. It may be authentic, however, I thought it lacked flavor and spice. We got a box of assorted flavors so we had the opportunity to sample different fillings. Street parking and tons of foot traffic for the neighboring restaurants but no line at this place. read more

Empanada Kitchen - Argentine Near Me - San Diego, California

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We got the empanada deal 3 for $12: 1 chicken, 1 beef and 1 sweet corn and basil All three were so delicious and there were so many more flavors we wanted to try so we are definitely coming back ! Service was fast and friendly - the empanadas were ready and hot to serve Four tables to sit inside and two tables to sit outside - more of a grab and go kinda place. Parking is rough but tbh I think it's worth the hassle for food this good read more

A good place to snack some great tasting empanadas but parking is limited. The service is very friendly. Bright and yellow inside. read more

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Pretty good empanadas. the corn one was good with the chimmichurri sauce. really nice worker read more

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So delicious. So easy to order. So easy to understand which one you're about to bite into. They give you a guide to help reveal which ones you have. Hardest part is deciding what to order when your eyes are bigger than your stomach. Everything was seasoned well, had nice crispy and soft dough, and delicious chimichurri to pair with them. read more

Empanada Kitchen - Box of 4+guide - Argentine Near Me - San Diego, California

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Truthfully, only walked in because it was the only closest bathroom around. Thought I'd buy a quick empanada on the way out. Turned out it was the best one I've had! These empanadas are delicious! I ordered the lamb empanadas and let me tell you, the filling was so savory and packed with flavor. I don't usually like lamb but for some reason I read the sign saying it was slow cooked for 10 hrs so immediately I said yes. The meat was tender and the juices were oozing greatness. Wish I could have bought more on the way out! This is a great place to work from home as it instills peace and quietness away from the busy beach setting! read more

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The food here is great, but the service could definitely use improvement. It's been difficult to reach anyone by phone, which makes placing a pickup order frustrating. I'd prefer not to order online since the menu there doesn't seem fully updated and is missing some items available in-store. Hoping they can improve communication and keep their online menu current. read more

Sophie fixed my depression with empanadas. Braised lamb and beef are super delicious.

Best Empanadas in SD! They also have a location on C Street in the East Village. Bring back the Little Italy location please:)!! Our favorite is the sweet corn empanadas. They are made with corn, mozzarella, and béchamel sauce. Delicious! They are also available for delivery on DoorDash and likely other delivery apps as well. read more

This small cute little restaurant has some of the best empanadas I have ever had, I love coming here for the lamb empanadas. Service is friendly and easy . read more

Empanada Kitchen - Argentine Near Me - San Diego, California

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Amazing flavor !! Mushroom and goat cheese my fav ! Girls working there are so friendly . Will be back :)

Such a great spot! I had heard great things about these empanadas so thought I had to try for myself. I ordered the trio, with beef, chicken, and sweet corn and basil, and the worker was so sweet and gave me an extra so I got an egg and bacon as well. Great service and all the empanadas were uniquely delicious and packed a lot of flavor. Easy to reheat in the over and quick service! read more

Empanada Kitchen - Argentine Near Me - San Diego, California

Walked in to zero greeting and an employee with an earbud in who only asked "spicy or regular for chimichurri sauce?" The vibe was flat, and sadly, so were the empanadas. Nothing memorable. read more

Good empanadas from a little hole in wall place. A little greasy, which made eating them tricky at the beach. Good selection of veggie empanadas, with the mushroom one being a particular favorite. read more

I'm not a huge fan of empanadas but I loved the empanadas here. They're so flavorful and full of meat, the sides of are crunchy and the chimichurri is delicious. I wish the spicy one was spicier but it was good. We got three flavors: lamb, beef and chicken. The lamb was my favorite. We'll be back again :) they serve their empanadas at the pure project in balboa park! read more

Empanada Kitchen - Argentine Near Me - San Diego, California

We have ordered from here several times. We finally made it to Empanada Kitchen! So if we have ordered a lot then you should deduce the empanadas are delicious and filling! Typically we get the beef and an apple. You cannot go wrong with those choices!! The location is small and cute! Love the colors and the staff are a delight to talk to. My son is a huge fan and wants the beef every time we order! Come by or order from one of the delivery services! You will not be disappointed!! Oh would have taken pictures of the empanadas it they were eaten! Go do yourself a favor and enjoy some empanadas!! read more

Empanada Kitchen - Excellent! - Argentine Near Me - San Diego, California

inside is clean and shares a space with a burger place! parking can be tricky though. empanadas are fresh and good size! their sauces that they give are also a nice touch. service is great! i got the chicken, beef, and sweet corn chicken was not dry but lacked a bit of flavor, with the sauce it was good beef was delicious, i would get this when i come back. has great classic empanada flavor sweet corn was also a nice treat. a bit more savory but still delicious. read more

Empanada Kitchen - Chicken Empanada Beef Empanada Sweet Corn and Basil Empanada - Argentine Near Me - San Diego, California

I used to think maybe Empanada Kitchen wasn't good, because I never saw anyone in there. Then I finally went, and I was in the restaurant for about 10 seconds and I understood why I never see anyone inside (cause you get your food instantly :D) The empanadas are magic. Spicy beef ftw They also have these cookies that are really good (a bit crumbly though if you're not into that sort of thing) read more

Joanna was amazing! Excellent customer service. Greeted me with a smile and welcomed as I walked in. Very knowledgeable about their empanadas, especially with me being a first time customer. Packed the empanadas as requested, with specifics. Keep up the great work!! read more

Every time I come to this place, they are well stocked with hot, yummy empanadas. They have fantastic deals which means they are an affordable option for lunch or a light dinner. While I have yet to see the same person working, whoever is helping is always nice, albeit they seem to take their time coming up to the counter to help. I usually will eat there and enjoy the experience well enough. However, the chairs are backless, bar height, metal, and as such rather uncomfortable after about 5minutes for me. Tasty food: check. Service that gets the job done: check. Timely service: maybe not so much. Cozy location: no check. Do I go there frequently despite imperfections: absolutely. The food and chimchuri sauce is YUMMY! read more

First I want to start by saying this place is very clean and organized. I was helped by Sophie & Esmeralda they were both really nice and amazing they helped me chose some delicious empanadas I recommend coming here every single time for ur empanadas cravings read more

Well I happen to stumble upon this place as I was taking an alternate route home. I usually stick with the same drive, but I'm so glad to check this place out. It's very cute stepping in and everything looked delicious. I had the beef, chicken and special and I must say I'm a fan I enjoyed the chicken out of the selection I made and I'm sure I'll go back to try more verities and definitely would place a catering order during the holiday. They were very delicious . The service was very nice and helpful. I highly recommend making an effort to get out and try this place. read more

Went in at 7pm and they were only out of the special and bacon & egg empanadas. The 3 empanadas special is decent for a little bit of savings. There is a small lot but I never see parking as it's shared with a few businesses. Street parking is available but due to its location, you might drive around a bit. If I wanted to eat empanadas just for dinner by myself, three were good enough. The person working wasn't the friendliest but they were out outwardly rude. It's a cute spot with some seating inside and they also sell some beer to enjoy when you dine in. I got the Lamb, Beef, and Mushroom & Goat Cheese. Lamb was the best as it was the most flavorful and the meat was very tender. Beef is next and it had a tad sweetness from the onions. I love mushrooms but this was meh. The mushrooms were chopped really big and I ended up with no filling after a few bites. Wouldn't order that one again, but I would definitely order the lamb next time. read more

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So juicy and flavorful! I got the beef empanada with chimichurri sauce. The pantry was crispy on the edges and soft in the center, not dry like other empanadas. Best empanada I've had! read more

Was in town in January and stopped by while on my way to another food place. Tried the chicken and beef empanadas. They have letters on the empanadas so you can identify them, which is very helpful when you are ordering a variety. The empanadas were so good. They had a lot of meat in the filling and it was moist and tasty! The dough was fresh and not too heavy and doughy. They were both juicy and full of flavor. The woman, whom I thought may be the owner, said they import the flour. She was very informative, helpful, and friendly. She also offered me a free Alfajor Chocolate to try. It was light and sweet. There's seating indoors. It's bright and clean. If I lived in the area, I'm sure I'd be a regular. It's the perfect snack to have. read more

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The food was good! The empanadas were flavorful and juicy on the inside, perfectly crispy edges on the outside. My favorite was the sweet corn and basil although the chicken was very good too. Service was fast but it was really hard to find parking since there's a very small lot in front. Food: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4/5 read more