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    Empanada Kitchen

    4.7 (72 reviews)

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    Sky Blue Sky A.

    This place is so great! My daughters loved the chicken empanadas so much they were fighting over the last piece. Very friendly service; will be a staple for when we are in the area.

    Ashton I.

    Hidden gem in La Jolla! Empanada's are delicious and the people that work there are so lovely. Perfect for a quick & very tasty meal.

    Lamb Empanada's are on point here! Real lamb!
    Andy M.

    Great tasting & filling empanadas, one of the best I've had. My favorite is the lamb, it's hard to find good lamb anywhere but here their lamb is very good. Their beef & ham & cheese ones are good too & so is their sauce, you can get spicy or regular, both times I came here they were very good. I love that they are not fried but baked & the crust is pressed tight & good & their well packed with meat. They have a good deal too, get 3 for $11.95, I don't come to La Jolla often I live in Chula Vista but for now on when I do I will go out my way to come here to get my Lamb Empanadas :)

    Empanadas
    Jack M.

    Great empanadas as usual! This new location is in the same mini retail strip as the Taco Stand. I had a trio of empanadas: the breakfast with bacon, the corn and basil, and the monthly special, which came with cheese and onions. All the empanadas were very tasty and tasted even better with their chimichurri. The cheese and onions combination was delicious, and so was the corn and basil, which offered a touch of sweetness. The bacon and eggs empanada was very good too, but I would like to see some more bacon inside them. One thing all the three empanadas had in common was the great crust. They are baked to a golden brown and had good texture. Reheated them at home in a simple toaster oven works great or air fryer. Service is super friendly. The location has a few parking spaces in front and some inside seating.

    The front window is an empanada. Cute.
    Danielle D.

    Yum! We were hungry while waiting in line for Taco Stand and I'm so glad we branched out. The special (cheese, onion, and oregano) was amazing. We also tried the (ground) beef, veggie and mushroom. They were all delicious. The empanada dough was perfectly crisp at the edges and doughy with the filling. Service was amazing. This location is new and they are making an effort to get the word out. It's worth a try! We'll definitely be back for more.

    Empanada key
    Annabelle R.

    There's a bunch of different eateries on Pearl Street, but there was no line and no waiting at the Empanada Kitchen on a Sunday evening. We enjoyed all of the flavors we got... mushroom and goat cheese, ham and cheese, lamb, chicken, and caprese as well as the chimichurri sauce (regular and spicy) that came on the side. The caprese was my fave. Nothing special about the crust of these empanadas, it didn't add much in terms of texture or flavor, but the ingredients inside each were really tasty. Service wasn't bad either, and [[HIGHLIGHT]]indoor seating was available for us to dine in at this eatery, in a clean and casual, welcoming environment.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Affogato

    Love love love this spot! The empanadas are delicious, and [[HIGHLIGHT]]I adore what the new owner is doing to transform the place into a cafe as well![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The affogatos are scrumptious, and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the music is always perfect for the vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The owner is so attentive, and takes care of your every need. I will be coming back!

    Beef with chili churn mild on the side.
    Rhonda F.

    The empanadas tasted great I love the beef. The chili choir sauce was a great mix not too spicy. The service was fast and the cashier person was very helpful. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very quiet and welcoming.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Apple Pie Empanada, Beef Empanada, Ham and Cheese Empanada, and Italian Sausage Empanada
    Jenny C.

    This hidden gem behind Taco Stand and a pizzeria is a must stop! They had so many varies of empanadas, even an apple pie dessert one! We had the beef and ham and cheese ones. My husband and I absolutely loved it and we had to get more! We also tried the Italian sausage one that's a special and I love the extra spice it had- so yummy! Loved the chimichurri sauce, so much that we got a bottle to go! We don't live near by but when we come to visit La Jolla, we will definitely be back! A delicious gem!

    3-Pack of Empanadas
    Alisa B.

    Yum! Pretty tasty empanadas. Crispy texture and they don't skimp on the filling. My family grabbed a few empanadas while waiting in line for The Taco Stand. We got the Ham & Cheese, Ratatouille, and Caprese. All were flavored well and came out piping hot! I was surprised the caprese was really creamy, but overall delicious. The Ham & Cheese and Ratatouille were exactly what you'd expect.

    Perfectly baked empanadas

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    Review Insights

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    Great tasting empanadas! Cashier is always kind when I go in there too. Quick & easy service

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    The food was so good and good service! They gave us an extra empanada to try! Would recommend

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    Daniel H.

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    2 years ago

    The service was great and the empanada, are always good, and fresh.I will recommend them to our friends.

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    2 years ago

    A nice selection of empanadas with two daily specials. Nice price and very tasty. Friendly service.

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    2 years ago

    The empanadas are super good. The people working there are super nice and Ill definitely come back.

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    2 years ago

    The empanadas are delicious and the service is excellent! Looking forward to visiting again when I'm in the area.

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    2 years ago

    A very nice little shop with some very good empanadas. Would highly recommend checking out.

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    2 years ago

    Wonderful food and wonderful people working there! Super kind and accommodating to our film crew!

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    3 years ago

    Excellent customer service!! Food was delicious and is an excellent place to spend time in La Jolla.

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    The Spot La Jolla

    The Spot La Jolla

    3.7
    (1.1k reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    This was a lucky find! We initially planned to go to another restaurant but it was too crowded and…read morewe just wanted something more chill so we can talk. The spot looked like that place and so we walked in, promptly greeted and seated. We sat at the table pretty close to the bar and our server told us that we can just order our drinks and food at the bar. A big selection of drinks, from margaritas to classic cocktails and beers. I really enjoyed the spicy margarita and the old-fashioned is not bad. For the food, I highly highly recommend the deep dish pizza (and onion rings for the apps). They have a personal sized deep dish pizza, which is perfect for one person. It's gooey, cheesy and doesn't sacrifice on taste just because it's a cheesy piece of pie.

    I've been coming to The Spot in La Jolla for years, and it's disappointing to see what it has…read morebecome under the new ownership. What was once a cozy Irish-style pub with generous portions and a welcoming atmosphere has turned into an overpriced, noisy restaurant that seems more interested in cutting costs than taking care of loyal customers. On my most recent visit, I ordered the lamb chops. The portions were shockingly small, with very little meat on the bones. To make matters worse, the plate was piled high with onion rings, apparently to fill the empty space. In the past, the lamb chops use to be served with just a few crispy onions underneath the chops, allowing the main dish to be the star. Now it feels like the onions are there to distract from how little food you're actually getting. Prices have gone up significantly while portions and quality have gone down. The atmosphere has also changed dramatically. The warm, comfortable pub feel is gone, replaced by a loud, crowded environment that lacks the charm that made this place special. It's unfortunate to watch a longtime La Jolla favorite lose its identity. Loyal patrons deserved better.

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    Bar
    Bar
    Lamb chops, tacos and potatoe skins
    Lamb chops, tacos and potatoe skins
    The Spot La Jolla

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    Empanada Kitchen - breakfast_brunch - Updated July 2026

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