It's been awhile since we've been here - and the empanadas more shaped like the traditionally…read morehalf-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!!

The mushroom empanada was absolutely delicious, especially when you dip it in the chimichurri…read moresauce. Just two of these make a light meal. So I chose a mushroom for my main course and the corn for dessert. At just under $5 each, I enjoyed the change for my normal lunch menu. Service was quick and with a smile. Private free parking lot. Clean and well appointed space, but little room to actually sit and enjoy my meal.

I love empanadas and have had these empanadas before when at Pacific Beach open market…read more I kind of stumbled on this place and immediately I knew I wanted some empanadas! Empanadas are stuffed turnovers, originally from Spain and Portugal, and eaten widely across South America, including Argentina, Paraguay and also eaten in Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Phillipines too. They are a delight and delicious! This spot is an Argentinian place and I got 3 empanadas. They have many different stuffed options and I chose a beef, mushroom and spinach as my three. I asked how spicy the spicy beef one is and the very nice lady working said it was about 5/10, so I passed. She said it wad spicy, unfortunately, I cannot handle too spicy. So far, I have eaten the beef and spinach one and like them both. I was given chimichurri sauce, but I dont think I like this version, its a little too lemony for me. I like a more parsley forward chimichurri and this one too sour for me. For 3 empanadas, it was about $11, which isnt too bad! The empanadas are delicious and I will def be back again and again!!

I really like the empanadas here. I do not like fried empanadas so to me these are close to…read moreperfect. I like the texture of the baked dough and usually these are filled pretty full. I prefer the spinach, mushroom and beef empanadas. I tried the Malbec beef but it was too mushy and sweet for me. I'll stick with the traditional one, with olives. I lived in S. FL and baked empanadas are everywhere and usually were $1.50 each (now maybe $2.00-$2.50) so it does bug me to pay $4.00 for an empanada. On the other hand, they make a great snack or meal, depending on how many you get. And they are not as easy to find here, especially baked, so I'll keep coming to Parana.

Been frequenting this area for a long while or a big chunk of/span of my lifetime. As a local…read morenative San Diegan I like to introduce spots to people who travel into the surrounding area. Point Loma is one of those places since it has a certain charm to it. Don'tcha think!? *It's very historical and strongly tied to those who serve or have served our country. Hence the anchor logo and other nautical features you'll spot in the area. Especially since the NAVY is right there in town. *The market hosts many different food and small business vendors all in one hall. Truly a hidden gem and so glad they opened up the space to share with those business owners. *You can visit larger restaurants establishments in the very near vicinity as well. It's touristy and locals favorite hot spot vibe is all rolled into one fused place here. *Very Family and fur baby friendly! *Very close to some nice hotels as well! Hope you enjoy as much as I do! Cheers!

I hadn't been back here since before COVID. I'm so glad we decided to pop by for lunch. Food halls…read moreare perfect for parties that don't all want to eat the same thing. My friend and I tried three places here, and most of them were great. The wonton noodles from Slurp actually had a heaping big portion that we were struggling to finish. The platter we ordered from Asado Gaucho, while tasty, were too overcooked for our taste. The empanadas from Panana were to. die. for. If I come back, I am 100% grabbing some to go. We had asked the employee for recommendations and they were all spot on. If you have to try anything in this hall - highly recommend their empanadas!! I regret not buying more to take back home LOL.

I always see this stand at my local farmers market and today I finally tried one & it was so…read moredelicious! I got the #1 which has smoked bacon scrambled eggs cheddar cheese and avo sliced on the top. It took about 10min & it was made fresh so now I want to try all the other flavors the offer. The stuffed has brown was seasoned good and it had crispy edges and the salsa offered was yummy as well!

Came across this food truck at the end of the Little Italy Farmer's Market. We share a #1 (Smoked…read morebacon, scrambled eggs, avocado, cheddar cheese) $15 and it was generally pretty good but I felt the bacon was tasting a bit porky, almost like that smelly pork smell that comes from certain pigs. I also wished the hash was crunchier rather than stiff and a bit stale.

Great food with great service. Arepas are one of the best north of the equator. Nice outdoor patioread more

I returned to Encuentro Cafe after many years. I decided on the trio of Venezuelan Empanadas with…read moresalsas and a match latte. I have to say, I was very fond of the empanadas. I loved the crispy outer shell of the corn meal, not to mention the fillings. They offer ground beef, chicken, or cheese. I went with two beef and one cheese. The ground beef empanadas were delicious. The ground beef was very good. It was well seasoned and came with a light red sauce. The best thing that I liked about the cheese empanadas was that they did not hold back on the cheese! The white cheese was of a very good quality and tasty. The empanadas came with a trio of sauces as well. They were all excellent. The cilantro sauce was creamy and mild, but packed with delicious flavors, the red sauce was also mild and rich in flavors, and the Serrano peppers sauce was a little spicier and had good flavors. I loved all three of them. The matcha latte was good. The hospitality was very good. The two young ladies at the counter were super nice and helpful with the menu items and such. I look for to trying the arepas. They offer a lovely dining patio.

As a Colombian who has been craving authentic Colombian cuisine since my last visit to New York in…read moreDecember, I can confidently say this restaurant truly satisfied those cravings. Being nearly eight months pregnant, my expectations were especially high, and it is rare to find a place that meets them so well. From the seasoning of the food to the warm and attentive service, everything about this restaurant stands out. Although I don't recall my server's name, he was incredibly kind and provided excellent service throughout. The ambiance is also worth noting--the space is large, offers plenty of seating options, and even features a large TV, making it a great spot to relax or watch sports. To start, I ordered a watered mango juice along with a beef empanada. The empanada exceeded my expectations--despite being on the smaller side, it was packed with flavor. I enjoyed it so much that I ordered five more to go, which speaks for itself. They were served with fresh ají, a traditional sauce that complemented them perfectly. For my main course, I had the carne asada plate, which included steak, rice, beans, sweet plantains, avocado, tomato slices, and a small arepa. Every component of the dish was well-executed--the beans were flavorful, the meat was well-seasoned, and the overall plate felt authentic. It is often difficult to find truly authentic Colombian food, especially in San Diego, where options are limited or not genuinely Colombian. This restaurant, however, delivers on authenticity and flavor. The portion size was generous, and I ended up taking leftovers home to enjoy later. In addition to the empanadas (two chicken and three beef), I also ordered a buñuelo and a cheese arepa to go. Unfortunately, these items did not meet the same standard. The arepa lacked flavor and was overly greasy, and the buñuelo was dry and similarly oily, even after absorbing excess grease from the bag. Overall, I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for Colombian food, especially given how rare it is to find quality options in this area. Friends of mine visited recently as well and thoroughly enjoyed their bandeja paisa, further confirming the consistency of the food. I will definitely be returning--especially for those empanadas. Como colombiana que ha estado antojándose de comida colombiana auténtica desde mi último viaje a Nueva York en diciembre, puedo decir con confianza que este restaurante realmente cumplió con mis expectativas. Además, estando casi de ocho meses de embarazo, mis expectativas eran aún más altas, y no es fácil encontrar un lugar que las cumpla tan bien. Desde el sazón de la comida hasta el servicio cálido y atento, todo en este restaurante destaca. Aunque no recuerdo el nombre del mesero, fue sumamente amable y atento. un servicio excelente en todo momento. El ambiente también merece mención: el lugar es amplio, y limpio. cuenta con muchas opciones de asientos y tiene una pantalla grande, lo que lo hace ideal para relajarse o ver deportes. Para empezar, pedí un jugo de mango (rebajado con agua) junto con una empanada de carne. La empanada superó mis expectativas; aunque es un poco pequeña, tiene muchísimo sabor. Me gustó tanto que pedí cinco más para llevar, lo cual habla por sí solo. Venían acompañadas de ají fresco, que las complementa perfectamente. Como plato fuerte, pedí la carne asada, que incluía arroz, frijoles, plátano maduro, aguacate, rodajas de tomate y una arepita. Cada componente del plato estaba muy bien logrado: los frijoles tenían un excelente sabor, la carne estaba bien sazonada y jugosa y, en general, el plato se sentía auténtico. Hoy en día es difícil encontrar comida colombiana verdaderamente auténtica, especialmente en San Diego, donde las opciones son limitadas o no lo son del todo. Sin embargo, este restaurante sí cumple con ese nivel de autenticidad y sabor. La porción fue bastante generosa, por lo que terminé llevándome lo que no pude terminar para comer más tarde. Además de las empanadas (dos de pollo y tres de carne), también pedí un buñuelo y una arepa de queso para llevar. Lamentablemente, estos no estuvieron al mismo nivel. La arepa carecía de sabor y estaba grasosa, y el buñuelo estaba seco y también muy aceitoso, incluso después de que la bolsa absorbiera parte de la grasa. En general, recomiendo este restaurante sin duda a cualquiera que esté buscando comida colombiana, especialmente considerando lo difícil que es encontrar buenas opciones en esta área. Unos amigos míos también vinieron recientemente y les encantó su bandeja paisa, lo que confirma la calidad constante del lugar. Definitivamente volveré, especialmente por esas empanadas.

Absolutely love this place! The food is authentic and the portions were big. We ended up taking to…read morego boxes and our server was so helpful and friendly. My favorite here is the arepas. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for amazing Colombian food. We will definitely be back.

It has been a while since I've stopped in here. But Cako and I were on our way home and there was…read moreparking right in front. There were several people ahead of me, so I grabbed a tray and started grabbing what looked good! I got a guava and a pineapple triangle, two bolero rolls, a chocolate twist, a chocolate chip cookie, and a croissant shaped pan! All of them were great! Toasted the boleros for sandwiches! The friendly woman helped me practice my Spanish. The prices have gone up a little, like maybe 25 cents or so, but todos los pasteles están buenísimos!

nostalgia overdrive here .. place reminds me of those panederias on the other side, such a special…read moregem in this neighborhood. they have all the classic pan dulces and they even do cakes. came here yesterday to get my roscas (kings bread) and waited about an hour due to high demand. little shopping center has limited parking and they are building a mid rise right in front of this property as of now, so the parking / street access is more scarce. definitely worth the wait, walk around and soak up the old san diego feel of golden hill.

Food 5 stars Service 5 stars…read more Ambiance 5 stars Value 5 stars Sincerely a wonderful family-owned and operated gem. I wish I could remember the name of my dish but I had Gloria (mama G) son ordered for me and it was amazing Our new go to when we are in San Diego

Food was great but they didn't have enough servers to help with the amount of guests. It took a…read morewhile to get seated and to order. So just be prepared to wait a while, patience is needed. I had the the fettuccine with steak, but you can also choose veggies or chicken. My friend ordered the Tallarin Verde with steak which was very tender.

Cocina 35 is one of my favorite places to eat in San Diego because it has delicious Mexican food…read moreand a fun atmosphere. The restaurant looks aesthetic and nicely decorated which makes it a great place to take pictures and enjoy your food. I ordered chilaquiles, and they were really good and flavorful. The people who work there were also very nice and friendly. The prices are okay and reasonable for the food you get. One thing I don't like is that they close really early, so it can be hard to go later in the day. Overall, I would give Cocina 35 4 out of 5 stars.

The food was good…read more However we were told we can only buy water. Then when we asked we were told they were out of cups despite other tables were getting cups of tap water. The group I was with made a joke of it threw out the day but all in all was confused over the experience

Some of my favorite sweet tooth pasteries and empandas. The staff is always so nice and helpful…read morewith choices to eat or drink. Defintely get a cuban firing squad drink. The ambiance definetly giving me outskde patio area in cuba while playing dominoes

I was saddened to hear that their Clairemont location closed but happy to learn there is another…read morerestaurant in Mission Valley. So on a visit to San Diego, since I no longer live there, Havana Grill was on the top of my dining list. The sampler plate had everything from their appetizer menu. The Giant Papa Rellena is a sight to behold! A fried potato dumpling with delicious beef filling inside but in XXL size, it is a definite shareable for the table. Yuca fries were freshly made and perfectly tender inside with a crispy exterior. Tostones were also freshly made, tender and crispy. Ham croquettes had a good smoky ham flavor. Mariquitas and the plantains were equally well prepared. The appetizer plate came with their delicious mojo de ajo sauce for dipping. Their Lechon is still the best that I have ever had so I ordered that. It was tender, very flavorful, and came with black beans, rice, and plantains. I always order extra portions of their mojo de ajo to accompany my meal. The Lechon was, as always, very delicious. For dessert, I tried the Cuban Coffee Tres Leches cake. This was light in texture and not too sweet. The cake was soft and moist. There was a some coffee flavor but that could have been stronger for me. Nevertheless, this was a delicious ending to a very fine meal. Staff were efficient and friendly. I like the dine in format at this restaurant. The dining room is bright and airy with high ceilings. Very comfortable seating. Parking is plentiful in the adjoining lot but may be difficult depending on the time of day.