A small bakery we love coming to for delicious empanadas! Breakfast and BBQ Pork are my favorites and 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. read more

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I went to OBRA Handbakery to try their empanadas. If you're not familiar, an empanada is a baked or fried pastry turnover filled with various ingredients--here they bake them. Originating in Spain, empanadas spread to neighboring countries and across the Spanish colonial network, resulting in many styles and fillings. The online magazine longbeachize.com has a great article on the owners of this business. By now, I've tried every empanada they offer at least once. What I order depends on my mood, but there are plenty of fillings to choose from. I have to say, this shop is consistent--the size and shape of the empanadas and the bread-to-filling ratio. I also appreciate that they mark the pastries, so you know exactly what's inside. But do not think they only serve empanadas. They also have sweet cakes and pasties as well. read more

OBRA HandBakery - empanadas - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

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A great alternative to Porto's! I bought a wide variety of empanadas here, including the breakfast and burrito flavors, and they were all incredibly savory and delicious. You have the option to buy them frozen to save for later, but they honestly taste best when you eat them fresh right at the bakery. A quick tip if you order online: Make sure to go straight to the front and let one of the many employees know you are there for a pickup. They only call out names for in-person orders, so you'll be waiting a while if you don't speak up! I also tried their new seasonal sandwich--the pulled pork melt and the very popular nonseasonal sandwich crispy chicken sandwich. Both were very filling and packed with flavor. Just make sure to eat these fresh, as they will likely get soggy if you try to save them for later. They have a great selection of desserts and coffee drinks that I didn't have room for this time, but I'll definitely be saving those for my next trip to Long Beach. If you're looking to try something a little different from the usual spots like Porto's, I highly recommend checking this place out. I will definitely be returning to try more flavors! read more

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My partner and I visited OBRA HandBakery for brunch after our marathon and this was a solid choice. It's quite the small shop with seating on the counter and 3 tables on their outside patio area. Parking - Free in a shared large parking lot, plentiful We were both intrigued by their potato balls, empanadas, and breakfast burrito in which we ordered 4 potato balls (2 chicken/2 beef), 2 empanadas (1 chicken, 1 beef), and 1 breakfast burrito to share. Our order came out in about 10 minutes or so, not too busy. Total came out to about $42 which is quite expensive for the amount of items in my opinion. 1. Potato Balls - By far my favorite menu items from the visit, they weren't as crispy/crunchy as Portos but they're bigger. Portions are big and it's filled with your choice of filling, very delicious, highly recommend 9/10 2. Empanadas - Usually I love empanadas but these were a bit disappointing on my end. They were softer than empanadas that I usually have, although delicious still but definitely not my favorite from the bakery. 6.5/10 3. Breakfast Burrito - Talk about portions, this breakfast burrito is loaded with ingredients, eggs among many other ingredients, super flavorful and savory. It does have a bit of a kick to it which adds to the taste, pretty good! 8.5/10 Overall, a solid brunch spot, although a bit expensive, it's still worth to check them out. Pretty decent tasting potato balls, breakfast burrito is big in portion and delicious as well, along with their empanadas which can be a hit or miss depending on the style of empanadas you like. Definitely a good spot for a snack even if you're in the area. read more

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My partner and I stopped by for a quick bite while we were in the area. The potato balls definitely caught our eye first. We had to try both the beef balls and chicken balls. They had a super crunchy texture with a nice coating of bread crumbs. I would order these again. Also had to try some empanadas since those are what they are known for. The empanadas are made from scratch on flour dough and served with spicy mayo and mild green salsa on the side. I was amazed at the wide variety of flavors they had on display. Their best seller, the beef empanada, was very flavorful and juicy. As for the chicken empanada, one of the most popular options, it was rich and creamy. Although the fillings were great, I thought the crust was too dry. I would skip these next time. The breakfast burrito was pretty good and comforting to eat. It was packed with scrambled eggs, onions, sausage, fries, mozzarella cheese, creamy cilantro sauce, and chipotle mayo. The ratio was just right. I enjoyed the combination of all the ingredients. In addition to savory goods, they offer plenty of sweets, pastries, and beverages. Make sure to look out for deals that they may have going on. If you buy a dozen empanadas, you can get 2 additional ones for free. They even have loyalty rewards you can sign up for. read more

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Third time visiting Obra for empanadas, and unfortunately I was disappointed again. Mainly with the customer service. I arrived around 4:40 PM, and even though they don't close until 6 PM, the staff seemed bothered that I was there. Even asking for sauces feels like a mission. I ordered a dozen empanadas and qualified for 2 free ones, but getting a few sauces turned into such a big deal that I offered to just pay extra. I'm already spending $65+ for 12 empanadas, so it shouldn't be this difficult. The empanadas are good, but the customer service really needs improvement. After three visits, I'm unfortunately not sure I'll be back. read more

OBRA HandBakery - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

A few visits to Obra and each time amazing. The empanada variety is incredible. It's so hard to choose that I always leave with extras. I have brought these to events and they are always a hit. They do have more than just empanadas. The pastries are quite good, as is the coffee options, sandwiches, etc. Consistency has been king here!! It's pretty much takeout with a few seats outside, but enjoyable if you can grab one on a nice day. read more

Delicious pastries and baked goods. Such a great business and the amazing staff behind it. read more

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Been here before! Had a craving today for some great empanadas. Ended up not getting any empanada, but did try the signature burger and Cuban sandwich. Both items were freshly made and the ingredients were all complementing each other. We also grabbed an Arnold Palmer and an iced cafe latte. Refreshing! Service was fast considering that it's made to order! This place has always been clean, well lit, and breezy. Will return and for sure get empanadas next time =] read more

OBRA HandBakery - OBRA Signature Burger - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Was excited to hear this was one of the stops on our Long Beach bike route. They said it was a coffee shop, but was excited to see there were pastries and empenadas! The two I got were great selections! I initially wanted curry but the person berfore me had just bought all of them. Didn't get a drink cause I was limited on cash, so I just drank water. Lots of pretty cool items here. Worth another visit definitely. read more

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Not getting the hype of this place. All I ordered were the empanadas so maybe the other stuff is better. Ordered a beef one and a ropa vieja Mac n cheese one. Both were warm but dry. The ropa vieja one was super dry and the Mac n cheese was mushy. Flavor of the beef one was decent but the ropa vieja Mac n cheese one lacked any sort of flavor. Add in the cost of almost $5 each and I'm not going back. Inside was clean, the workers were friendly, food was premade so it came out instantly. read more

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I wanted to try their empanadas, but with so many flavors to choose from, it was hard to decide! I ended up trying the chicken, beef, veggie, and BBQ pork empanadas, along with the chicken and beef potato balls. For dessert, I had the dulce de leche and strawberry cookies. Potato balls: These were my favorite! In my opinion, they were even better than Porto's. They weren't overly seasoned, and the flavors were well balanced. Empanadas: The fillings were tasty, but I found the crust a little dry. That may be because I'm used to the Filipino-style empanadas from different Filipino bakeries. I would describe these as a "healthier" version since they weren't greasy or heavily seasoned. Veggie empanada is ok. Cookies: Both the dulce de leche and strawberry cookies were delicious. They weren't too sweet, the portions were just right, and I enjoyed both flavors. Overall, I had a good experience and would definitely come back to try more flavors! read more

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The potato balls is where is at. The empanadas didn't feel like anything special and was underwhelming. Relatively slow when we came in and was helped pretty quickly. Nice little place to chill and have lunch. read more

OBRA HandBakery - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

After my workout class I was feeling hungry and here I go opening up my Yelp and closest bookmark goes to empanadas!! Heard lots of good things about this spot and heard they opened another location that means it's that good! Went inside and so many selections of desserts and empanadas! They also have massive potato balls!! I had to get a beef potato ball and it was huge and filled with cheese. The outer layer was so crunchy and beef filling was yummy. I got 4 empanadas since I couldn't decide on just 1 Breakfast- I wanted something breakfasty- has potato's. Felt like breakfast Cuban- yummy and the green sauce was perfect with it Chicken curry- very curry.. not sure how I felt about it curry in an empanada Chicken- can't go wrong and the green sauce and the creamy sauce worked well with it 4 empanadas and a potato ball for $25, a bit hefty But if you buy a dozen empanadas, you get 2 free! read more

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Got the Baked Beef Empanadas, OBRA Beef Ball and a slice of Strawberry Cheesecake. The empanada was good. The seasoning was a little mild. The OBRA Beef Ball was delicious. Very flavorful. I liked the gooeyness from the mozzarella cheese. The Strawberry Cheesecake was smooth and tasty. Good strawberry flavor without being too sweet. Included were a salsa verde and a sweet creamy mayonnaise sauce. Service was very friendly and prompt. No issues on parking. read more

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Not bad but can't say I'd go out of my way to come here, nor would I crave it. Their potato balls are HUGE, seems bigger than what you would get at Porto's, hence the price also being more. Not a ton of vegetarian options. I tried the veggie and jalapeño/cheese empanada -- both were okay. It comes with a green salsa and creamy sauce. The creamy sauce is meh, but the salsa is GOOD! I like the empanada much better with the salsa. They also have some sweet pastries, though I haven't tried it. Perhaps another time, they also have sandwiches so it's a nice spot to pick up lunch to-go. read more

OBRA HandBakery - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Everyone in Long Beach knows we are spoiled because we have something even better than Porto's; this little hand bakery called Obra. Obra's potato balls beat out Porto's potato balls any day of the week - they are so HUGE and filled with so much gooey cheese and meat flavor (I prefer the beef potato balls). Admittedly, I have a hard time buying empanadas in the states because I used to eat empanadas every day when I lived in South America (and they were only 20 cents per empanada!). However, Obra's empanadas are the ONLY empanadas I've tried in the states that I truly feel like are as delicious and flavorful as they should be! They're baked empanadas with a great flaky crust. And super creative fillings. I particularly love their Thanksgiving flavors. -The chicken curry empanada is next level. 9/10 -The Cuban empanada is probably my very favorite. 9.5/10 You don't even need any of the sauces for either of those empanadas since they're so flavorful. -They have a new flavor, the Ropa Vieja, which also has an amazing depth of flavor. 9/10 -The sausage empanada was just ok for me, but it was a good breakfast empanada since it has plenty of potatoes in there as well. All of these come nice and warm when you order them. But you can order frozen ones as well and take them to go so you can bake them at home. They come with a chipotle aioli and a green salsa, which are both solid sauces. I didn't get the guava and cheese pastry this time but that is always a crowd pleaser whenever I have people visiting. They have a great selection of sweet pastries, lunch sandwiches like a Cuban sandwich, soups, and coffee. They have limited seating outside, and parking is pretty easy. It gets busy but you never have to wait too long. I love it here and highly recommend it. read more

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Twice in a week. The empanada craving is real. Stopped by with the hubby while running errands. This time I tried the beef ball and the pork empanada. Both satisfying and will report some other time on the big dulce de leche cookie. Friendly staff with quick service. Small little cafe set up, bright and clean. read more

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Tasty!! Heard so many good things about this place and had to try it out! We were full from lunch but took some treats to go! We tried the ropa vieja hand pie and the potato ball! Soooo good!! I cannot wait to go back and try their other goodies! read more

A convenient walk up to order bakery shop off PCH. Their empanadas are packed with many varieties of fillings. I ordered the tres leche latte that is layered with coffee, condensed milk, and regular milk that brings out just the right sweetness. Staff is extremely welcoming, making you feel like a regular. Definitely you feel like a local here and can clearly tell that OBRA is part of the community. read more

OBRA HandBakery - Iced Tres Leches Latte - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

My favorite item I ordered was the guava cheesecake. So light and tasted like real guava, which I can't find outside of Hawaii. The ropa vieja empanada was my favorite for the savory items. Love that each of the pastries came with their own sauce, either a verde or spicy mayo. read more

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This place was a nice little, hole-in-the-wall cafe for a quick bite. Seating is limited. There is a small bar area inside, but nobody was sitting inside, because the line to order was kind of taking up that area. There are also three tables outside that seat four, four, and two for a maximum of ten. The place fills up fast, but empties just as quick. And their baked goods go quick, so grab them while you can! I ordered the Cuban Empanada as an appetizer. The savory rice and bean filling was a perfect compliment to the sweet ripe plantain filling and hint of sweetness in the dough. They are baked and the dough is thick and chewy, so if you're not a fan of that type of Empanada, be warned... I ordered the Cuban Sandwich as the main course. It was DELICIOUS and I would recommend it to everyone! If you're a purist, like a few of my friends and family though, be warned. Their take on the Cuban is made with Ciabatta not Cuban Bread, Mozzarella not Swiss, and is toasted not pressed... I ordered a Vanilla & Dulce De Leche Cookie for Dessert. It was AMAZING! Soft chewy on the inside, a little crunch on the outside. The taste of a sugar cookie with little sugar bombs of Dulce De Leche throughout. Perfect. And I washed it all down with a Tres Leches Latte (Hot). It was DIVINE! Very much on the sweet side, which I absolutely enjoyed to the last drop. But, if you do not like it too sweet, you can ask them to lower the sweetness level. Also, they will give you an option of dairy milk (2%), almond milk, or oat milk when you order. Overall it was an excellent experience, for me. I will recommend it to all my friends, and will definitely be back! read more

OBRA HandBakery - Tres Leches Latte, Cuban Sandwich, and Vanilla & Dulce De Leche Cookie - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Came in today after watching movie next door, we decided to stop by here for late lunch. I saw this place on Instagram and TikTok and of course I want to stop by is compared to porto bakery LOL.... Anyway it's a tiny shop with bar seating and outdoor seating (very tiny) this time we decided to Take our food to go. While driving, I couldn't wait to try so I tried the beef empanada. I was very disappointed no flavor whatsoever.on social media I did see you do pair it with some kind of sauce, which I didn't get of course. Not sure if you have to ask for it. I thought it was an automatic, but I guess maybe that's why it didn't have any flavor very bland. My son got a chicken empanada and the flavor was better. My tres leches coffee was a little too sweet for my taste.... Another lack of flavor not sweetness. We also ordered some desserts. I haven't tried those so I can't comment on those yet. I also ordered some beef balls. Those were flavorful. Would I be back? Probably not.....glad we came in, service was great. (It's the next day and the dessert here was good. It was a pumpkin cheesecake) read more

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Not bad! But I definitely think I've had better empanadas. I'd love to come back and try their sandwiches or burritos next time! It was our first time here, so we wanted to try all the flavors! We got the beef, chicken, BBQ pork, Cuban, chicken curry, veggie, and ropa vieja empanadas. I LOVE the crispy exterior of the empanadas, although interestingly, the first bites always tasted slightly salty. The fillings all had decent flavor, but none of them were outstanding or impressed me enough to want more. I will say, the green salsa they included with the order SIGNIFICANTLY improved the taste and experience of the empanadas. By itself, I'd rate the empanadas 3/5, but with the salsa, it definitely goes up to at least 4/5. But I dislike that the empanadas can't hold their own without the addition of the salsa. The shop is located in a plaza with a decent amount of parking. I think there were a few tables outside to enjoy the food, but not much seating otherwise. The girl at the counter seemed sweet and helpful and immediately greeted us when we came into the store. While the empanadas here aren't for me, it does seem like many people like them! read more

I wasn't expecting to absolutely fall in love with this place. The place is super cute and I love how they have all their savory and sweet items on display. Everything seems very fresh and I love the items I chose. The Beef Potato Ball is a must get, it's cheesy, fluffy, and crispy. The empanadas have a generous amount of filling, they're not skimping out. I like that it comes with sides of sauce. The prices are higher compared to Porto's, but it is so worth it. The workers are very nice and it wasn't busy on a Tuesday afternoon. ig: @cravingswithcat read more

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Went to Obra after Easter mass and it hit the spot. Everything looked fresh, and the baked goods never disappoint whenever I go here. The ropa vieja burrito is easily my favorite...super flavorful and filling with shredded beef and cheese. Easily the best burrito Ive ever had. Only thing its limited in seating. read more

OBRA HandBakery - Baked goods, cookies etc - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Located in a small strip mall on PCH is one of the best empanadas and baked goods in the area. Their pure selection of empanadas is top tier. They have other options such as the potato balls that have one of the best cheese pulls Ive had. If you've had portos bakery then these easily compare or could even be said to be better. Now for the location details: easy parking, fast moving service, great staffing, and plenty of places to eat inside or outside. read more

OBRA HandBakery - Mix & Match *Your 14 Choices* Baked BBQ Pork Empanada Baked Beef Empanada Baked Chicken Empanada Baked Jalapeo Empanada Potato Ball - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

OBRA is definitely worth giving a try! Parking is free in a lot. I ordered a tres leche latte & it was so good! It was the perfect amount of sweetness. I also tried the sausage empanada. It was good, but it was dry and not fresh (arrived around 11 am). I wouldn't get their empanada again but would come back for their coffee! They also have a lot of other pastries that looked really good! read more

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My girlfriend found this place on Instagram and wanted to give it a try, so we stopped by one afternoon. It's a small shop, but the display case is filled with a wide variety of pastries and baked goods that all look great -- definitely the kind of place that makes it hard to pick just one thing. Service was solid. The staff were friendly and offered helpful recommendations when we asked about a few of the items. Everything came out quickly and felt fresh. We ordered the potato balls and empanadas, both of which were really good -- flavorful, nicely baked, and satisfying without being too heavy. We've actually come back a few times since to try other menu items, and it's been consistently good each visit. Prices are fair, and they often have nice promo deals that make it even better value. Overall, OBRA Hand Bakery is a great little spot for quick bites or snacks. Friendly service, tasty food, and a solid selection that keeps you wanting to try more. read more

OBRA HandBakery - Potato Ball, Baked Beef Empanada - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

Nice places with nice selection of empanadas. I haven't tried their sweets but wow.... they look good! Maybe next time I'll get so.ething sweet. Strong coffee... as it should be. They have two sauces which are ok. A sweet and spicy mayo or a green salsa. I always just get stuff to go so there might be more variety of sauces if you eat there. This is a good local spot for some baked goods. I would recommend you stop by of you are un the area. read more

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This place was overall really good! I ordered 3 empanadas. Beef, chicken curry, and chicken teriyaki (not in photo) They were all pretty good, a bit dry but still tasty. I thought they were a bit pricey but overall I don't regret getting them. My favorite was the chicken curry and least favorite was the chicken teriyaki since it was a bit drier. The service was good overall, and it was a nice ambiance with good music playing in the background! Overall, I'm glad I came and would definitely come back for the beef potato balls since they were amazing and the highlight of the visit!! read more

OBRA HandBakery - Baked Beef Empanada Baked Chicken CURRY Empanada - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

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I've had this on my to do list and came to visit family out in HB so we decided to finally stop by. It's a tiny little place with 2 tables with stools out front. There's tons of pastry, empanadas and potato ball options right in the case as you walk in. There's so many options for empanadas it was hard to make a decision. In the end we chose to share a ropa vieja. It was so good by itself but with the 2 sauces it came with it was even better. One sauce was like a sweet chili aioli and the other was a green salsa. Yum! We also ordered a Cuban sandwich to share which is one of the popular menu items. Ugh, it was so good! I'm super glad I finally made it in and look forward to coming back. read more

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Once upon a time, we were celebrating a birthed day. We ordered a dozen empanadas, the guava/almond cookie cake, and several cookies. All were delicious! Perfect party foods! The end. read more

OBRA HandBakery is a classic LB spot known for their delicious Cuban empanadas! This spot is located in a plaza with a good amount of parking spots. They have limited seating inside, but have a nice outdoor patio with a couple tables for seating. For their menu, they have a great selection of coffee, tea, cakes, cookies, burritos, empanadas, and more! Wifey and I ended up getting a spread consisting of the Beef Ball, Ropa Vieja, BBQ Pork, Cuban, Chicken Curry, and Jalapeño empanadas. Overall, these are hands down some of the best empanadas you can get in LB and beyond! All of the staff here are very friendly and welcoming. We always make sure to stop by to support their business and grab some delicious bites every time we are in the area. There is definitely a reason why this spot has over 1,000+ positive reviews! read more

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Love the empanadas here and sandwiches. Trying a seasonal one today. Also the burrito empanada. The food here never disappoints. Highly recommended. Service is excellent too. read more

OBRA HandBakery - The offerings - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

The bakery store is located in a shared plaza with quite a few other merchants, with plenty parking available. it's a great place for breakfast and lunch or anytime for light bites. I've like their beef empanada, and strawberry cheesecake, and also would recommend their signature drink tres leches latte. read more

The customer service was great and enjoyed the experience, they had a plethera of items to grab, I got beef potato balls and chicken potato balls 3 empanadas the Cuban, beef, chicken curry. The items o grabbed were underwhelming they weren't seasoned well and I think they give you the sauce to carry it and that was lnt it for me I wanted them to taste good on their own and didn't get that. read more

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Tried to come here a few time over the years but scheduling and timing was always off. Yesterday, we were actually able to come when they were open. Few things were missing because it was later in the morning but for empanadas that we got they were good. Will come back! read more

Excellent Latin bakery - a must visit place in Long beach area. This small but mighty modern Latin bakery with traditional empanadas, potato balls and so many great pastries, cookies and cakes! Tres leches, Dulce , guava, etc. Plus sandwiches and soups! There potato balls in beef & chicken are way better than Porto's, and other Cuban/latin restaurants. Plenty of parking in a large lot - coffee, matcha and espresso to go along with the delicious food. Super friendly family service. Frozen empanadas available to bake at home. Happy hour after 3pm. read more

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What's sad is how long it took me to come here after years of wanting to try it, yet passing it by... all because of impatience lol. I heard about there being a line or possibly a wait at certain times and let that stop me from visiting. What's even more sad is when I finally visited, I didn't encounter a single person in front of me because I placed an online order on a Friday afternoon. To be fair, I didn't know I could order online, but still... a brief wait isn't going to kill me. Lol Here's the order (of someone wanting to try all the things, also sharing with others, but still wanting to try it all lol): 1 Baked Chicken Empanada 1 Baked Beef Empanada 1 Baked Cuban Empanada 1 OBRA Ball *Beef* 1 OBRA Ball *Chicken* 1 House Chimichurri 1 Spicy Mayo 1oz 1 Chocolate Chip Cookie 1 Dulce de Leche Brownie Obviously I didn't try it all, but here's verdict on the items I did try: 1. I prefer their savory options over sweet/or desserts. 2. The menu said the beef empanada is a customer favorite, but DO NOT sleep on the Cuban. Hands down my favorite. Reminds me of empanadas I used to get at this spot in Yonkers. So good! 3. Now the beef ball? My favorite ball. Lol I paid for extra sauces but the very kind lady that helped me gave me many extras. 4. My favorite sauce is definitely the spicy mayo. This is a small establishment without seating. I understand why there may be a line at times, but I also understand why it's worth waiting for now. Now that I have a couple favs, I'll definitely be back to try other items. I have a sweet tooth and was hopeful about the desserts, but I didn't love the brownie or cookie. So I'll definitely be back to try others - they have so many options. read more

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