I was craving Colombian empanadas at the beach and ended up at Rico's. The owner, I assume, (working shirtless, beach-casual vibe) took my order -- I asked for the special, grabbed a ginger-lemon seltzer from the fridge, and got two ground beef empanadas. Total came to $16 plus tax and tip, about $20 -- solid value for dinner on the beach. I asked for chimichurri, but it came already poured over the empanadas rather than on the side. I wish the waiter had asked first -- I'd have preferred it separate so the crust stayed fully crisp. Everything was served in a simple disposable tray with a plastic spoon, and no napkins came with the order, which mattered more given the sauce situation. You can't grab and pick the empanada up without getting sauce on your hands and trying to eat the empanada with a spoon just crumbles everything... Despite that, the crust held up reasonably well, and the filling was rich and full of umami, a touch dry on its own but the chimichurri more than made up for it. Would I go back? Yes. Would I ask for sauce on the side next time? Definitely Suggestion for the owner: 1. Offer a to-go half-dozen option cause your empanadas are 2. always ask customers whether they want sauce on or on the side -- (or include napkins by default when chimichurri's involved) read more

See all

Empanadas are a great alternative if you don't want a hot dog, pizza, hamburger or any other junk on the boardwalk. They bake the empanadas to order. Some are already cooked and just need to be reheated, which only takes a few minutes while those with cheese take at least 10 minutes. I ordered the eggplant and jalapeño and cheese just before leaving. The staff said the eggplant would be ready quick but the jalapeño and cheese would take about 5 minutes. My parking time was ending in 10 minutes so I figured that's perfect. 15 minutes later, other patrons were crowding around waiting for their orders while I was still waiting for my jalapeño and cheese. The staff and small ovens were doing their best and were finally able to get everyone's orders out. They put a good amount of chimichurri on top, the crust is crispy and the flavorful fillings were hot. Besides empanadas, they offer fresh baked cookies, muffins, bottled beverages, coffee and tea drinks. I'd definitely come back but will keep in mind the ones with cheese take a while! read more

Rico’s Empanadas & Coffee - Baked to order empanadas are topped with house made chimichurri! - Empanadas Near Me - Venice, California

See all

First time visitors to this family-owned business. It is small, cozy, and well maintained. The owners, Rosie and Rico, are AMAZING! They are extremely friendly, welcoming, and went out of their way to make our visit fun and memorable. The chicken empanadas with chimichurri sauce we had were DELICIOUS! They were full of flavor, well made, and hot. I wish I had another one now. I will definitely return during my next visit to Venice Beach. I HIGHLY recommend this small eatery if and when you are in the area and hungry for a great meat or chicken-filled empanada. read more

See all

The ham and cheese empanada at Rico's Empanadas is fire~! My brother in law of 25 years' family has a bakery in Argentina specializing in empanadas....and this was better. Don't tell him I said that! But legit, the dough is perfect and flavorful, the insides were excellent and the garlic sauce they put over the top is a fun & unique fire touch! Found on the Venice Boardwalk, it's a cute black & white shop sandwiched between Rico's Surf Shop and Pizzeria. No seating but you can take your eats and sit over by the basketball courts. After ordering, food takes about 10 minutes to come out and you can get the aforementioned garlic sauce strewn over your eats if you like. I did like but what's weird is they just handed it to us without napkins so be sure to ask for napkins because it is messsssssy with all that garlic oil. One thing that I wasn't a fan of was ordering a cookie and they had me grab my own. I accidently touched the cookie below as I was grabbing mine and then didn't love the idea that the last person did the same touching my cookie. I would suggest a covering/bag for the cookies so staff can grab them & people can actually take them to go. Just holding a melting cookie in the sun while waiting for my eats was not ideal. Just a suggestion to optimize your customer's experience. :) Now as mentioned, the Ham & Cheese is the MUST get here, straight fire. I also enjoyed the beef though it wasn't nearly as delicious. Unfortunately the Cheese & Sweet Corn which I was most looking forward to was 95% crust with barely any filling. It was not cheesy at all and had but a few pieces of corn. Maybe an off batch? Overall, I would try them again because I loveeeeed the Ham & Cheese Empanada and would like to try more on the menu. read more

See all

I happened to run into Rico's Empanada & Coffee during a site visit for work and decided to get a cortado and a chicken empanada for lunch because his customers recommended it. Rico was nice and super friendly. Funny too!! I loved the music he was playing. Perfect for the area!! The cortado was nice and hot. But the empanada!! Wow. It was delicious. Don't forget to get the chimichurri sauce! It was also highly suggested to get the chimichurri sauce and I'm glad I did. The empanada alone was good, but the sauce....WOW!! read more

Been stopping by for breakfast/lunch empanadas for years. My favorite is the chicken with the chimichurri.

The service is excellent. You have to wait sometimes because they make them from scratch, but IT IS WORTH IT! The flavor! And Rosie is so nice and attentive to her guests ;) Highly recommend! I will be back! read more

This was my first time visiting here and I really enjoyed it! Rico and Rosie were so friendly and welcoming, and their empanadas were delicious, I chose the chicken, and with Rico's recommendation, I chose the chimichurri sauce on top. I'm so glad I did but it added the perfect kick to the empanadas!! I will definitely come back next time I'm here! read more

Rico’s Empanadas & Coffee - Empanadas Near Me - Venice, California

Fun vibe! Super attentive to the audience during the watch party. I definitely recommend supporting their team read more

Rico’s Empanadas & Coffee - World Cup watch party! Fun atmosphere built by their team. - Empanadas Near Me - Venice, California

Tourist trap: $20 for three espresso coffees that tasted like dirty water. When we asked for them to be remade, they also asked for more money, so we refused. The staff member was supposed to add the sugar himself, and they didn't even have sugar packets available for us. As Italians, we ended up throwing the coffees away. We don't even want to imagine what the food tastes like. Very rude staff, shouting over extremely loud music, and unclear pricing. Definitely not recommended. read more

Absolutely must stop and try these empanadas! So full of flavor and good quality texture! If you know me, I'm stopping by any Argentine place I see. I spotted this out of the corner of my eye, and was skeptical about trying it. The lady working the stand was very sweet though, and convinced me otherwise. I tried the chicken empanada, sitting at $6 per empanada. That's good beachside price for one big empanada. But this empanada was one of my favorites I've ever had! The flavors and textures were cooked to perfection! I very much enjoyed my empanada and am very glad I stopped by! read more

Rico’s Empanadas & Coffee - Empanadas Near Me - Venice, California

See all

Great Empanadas, quick place to grab some food on the beach! Definitely try it with the garlic "sauce" they put on top... read more

Rico’s Empanadas & Coffee - Beef & Potato - Empanadas Near Me - Venice, California

See all

This is my kind of breakfast. Had to take my son to surf at Venice beach at 6:30am. I was not thrilled until I came across this little morning treasure just off the walkway that's lined with stores not yet open and where all the bodybuilders will show off their bulges once they wake up and drink their protein powder shakes. But me I'm having the "Today's Special " 2 empanadas & a drink for $15. Usually I don't do anything except coffee till 10 but this place was calling to me. So glad I listened to myself for once. read more

See all

Great service and great food. It's a great Venice Beach experience I had the beef and the chicken empanadas with chimichurie they had Crispy shells and flavorful stuffings. I also had the Rico Suave espresso. It was Rich and Beautiful. I'll be back read more

Rico’s Empanadas & Coffee - Rico and his rubber chicken - Empanadas Near Me - Venice, California

June 11 & 12th, 2025 | Venice Beach: When you're walking on the Venice Boardwalk and crave a bite of Argentina, I highly recommend Rico's Empanadas! Memorable empanadas bursting with flavor, personality plus via Rico & beach scenery...it's a win! Eggplant Empanada: Eggplant, bell peppers, seasoned to perfection... gets me every time, I love it!! While I have been going to Rico's Empanadas for years, this one is my absolute favorite empanada! Eggplant, bell peppers, seasoned to perfection... gets me every time, I love it!! Corn & Cheese: Piping hot, cheesy, creamy corn filled & flavorful, inside of a crispy edged empanada! Oh my!! Customer Service: Rico is pure happiness! He easily leaves you with a smile & often times, laughter! He's full of personality & a whole vibe! Note: Got 2 empanadas to go for myself & the very next day, met up with a friend and introduced him to the empanadas, and we both got empanadas to go! They truly are delicious! Overall: Mouthwatering bites that will easily have you coming back for more! Yes! Let's go! read more

See all

We ordered the eggplant empanada and were initially told it would be ready in 5 minutes. After waiting longer than that, we went back to check and were told they had to get it from another location but that it was almost done. When I asked again for a timeframe, they said 7 more minutes and even offered to give us an extra empanada for the delay, which we appreciated at the moment. However, 30 minutes later, we still hadn't received our order, so we decided to leave. To their credit, they did refund our money, which we appreciated. That said, the overall experience was disappointing. The staff member preparing the empanadas seemed annoyed even before we ordered, as if she didn't want to be there. When we decided to leave, her response was, "We don't want to give you the empanadas frozen," which is understandable, but the way it was communicated came across poorly. Overall, there seems to be a lack of communication and customer service. With better coordination and attitude, this could have been a much better experience. read more

Was delighted to find an Argentine empanada spot, walking around. Nice spot in a corner, along the Venice beach boardwalk. Not too far from the main parking lot. Wanted to try the eggplant empanada but they were out so got the spinach & cheese. Was good with the chimichurri on top! Good cheese pull when taking bites. We also got a coffee. Would go again when in the area. read more

See all

The best empanadas in LA ! I come here like 3-4 times a week . Rico and Rosie are the best . read more

Dude who runs this spot is nice and the empanadas are delicious. Great for after surf or beach run/skate snack/meal.

Empanadas are amazing!!! Definitely coming back for them These are like no other, hot and savory! read more

Rico’s Empanadas & Coffee - Cárne con papa y éspinaca con queso - Empanadas Near Me - Venice, California

Great staff, excellent food, perfect location. What else do you need. I highly recommend the spinach empanadas after a long day at the beach

Super friendly and chill empanada stand! Wonderfully enjoyable empanada lunch with iced coffee- can't think of a better way to spend a day walking along the beach! read more

Rico’s Empanadas & Coffee - Menu - Empanadas Near Me - Venice, California

My son is 7 years old the first thing he says when we get to Venice beach "dad let's go to Rico's empanadas" after our adventure at Venice "dad let's get a empanadas before we go home" Rico's empanadas is really good especially with that Chimichurri sauce omg it sooo delicious we'll be back again in may. read more

Rico’s Empanadas & Coffee - My son eating the ham and Ham & Cheese Empanada - Empanadas Near Me - Venice, California

Best Empanada's & coffee!!! You can't beat the location and I just love Rico & Rosie!!! Service is great!

Went here awhile ago and the Empanadas were really good. Came back and the place is twice as big... Had really good coffee now with a whole coffee bar read more

Rico’s Empanadas & Coffee - Empanadas - Empanadas Near Me - Venice, California

See all

Amazing!!!! I love the beef & OMG there's olives in there but it is soooo good!!! You should try all of them. We ended up trying the chicken, beef, beef & potatoe, jalapeno& cheese, sweet corn& cheese. We need to try the eggplant! Must try when you're at the Venice beach! read more

I was here with my family and we went for one set of empanadas , we usually eat the beef and potatoe (so Good!) but they were out of it, but the owner recommended the beef is really so good! And it did not disappoint!!!! We ended up buying 6 empanadas total! Came back for seconds! read more

Rico's Empanadas are the best , his service is excellent and professional definitely I would recommend eating here and also I can't forget his coffee and Rosie's as well sooooo Delicious read more

Best eggplant empanadas ever! The eggplant filling was smoky and Rico made a fresh batch for one order of empanada.. super kind and hospitable place.. I tried his jalapeno and cheese empanada as well.. too good! Anyone visiting Venice Beach must not miss this place. read more

Just came from Rico's and had the original beef and the ham and cheese empanadas. The ham and cheese has little ham and little cheese and was very salty. The beef was very greasy clearly using very cheap ground beef, it was also very spicy which clearly caters to the non Argentines here in California . No way either passes for the originals in other restaurants, I do not recommend going here . I pray I don't get sick from all the grease., read more

I recently moved to Venice and am always on the lookout for the next legendary hole-in-the-wall--and wow, I think I just found one. I spotted this spot on my way to yoga, and something about it stuck with me, so I came back after class just in time for "last call." I grabbed a beef and a chicken empanada (already prepped, just needed a quick reheat) and... wow. The crust was the perfect balance of soft and crispy, and the filling? Juicy, flavorful, and packed with seasoning. No dry bites here--just pure satisfaction. Rico, the owner, was such a vibe--super chill and welcoming. Turns out he also gives surfing lessons and runs a shop right next door. You can tell he pours love into both his food and his community. A gem in Venice for sure. Can't wait to go back! read more

I got one chicken empanada because their beef was sold out and with good reason! The empanada was very good and not too greasy or heavy. It was the perfect snack while enjoying a day at the beach! read more

Rico’s Empanadas & Coffee - Chicken empanada with chimichurri sauce - Empanadas Near Me - Venice, California

Stopped by when we saw the little shack during our walk along the Venice boardwalk. Rico was really kind and made them fresh and quick! I had never had an Argentinian empanada before and was blown away. You can add chimichurri sauce (and other sauces) on top if you choose or want spicy. I definitely recommend! read more

Delicious amazing service and can't wait to go back! Beef empanadas yummmmm, matcha yummmm

Small little coffee shop. Super nice people, excellent coffee, great vibe. Thanks for perking me up a few times while visiting!

Great food great coffee great prices friendly and attentive staff. A must try if you are in Venice near the Boardwalk!!!

Food was amazing and they were quick to bring the it out to us friendly staff a must stop when your hitting the beach

A must try place prices are good and so is food . Thanks Rico. Hot fresh and fast. Great place at Venice

Rico is the most awesome and kind guy making and serving the most awesome empanadas you could ever dream of!! Trust me, add the empanada sauce with some green sauce and forget about...best you ever had!! read more

Rico’s Empanadas & Coffee - Beef Empanada with house chimi sauce - Empanadas Near Me - Venice, California

See all

Wow wow wow! I had a Berenjena, Spinach & Cheese. Beautifully balanced, with a sauce that adds a perfect heat. A crust thats got just enough resistance & crunch, soft & tender in the middle. Service is warm, authentic & So Cal chilled. read more