Finally came here this morning and it was a great experience! The worker was suuuper friendly, I got a mocha frappe and the lomo empanada. The empanada was soooo delicious, and their portions will fill you up! I forgot to get sauce like chimichurry to dip my empanada in as I normally do elsewhere at another empanada shop, but the lomo by itself was very tasty! Super clean, lots of parking, and a lot of people dining in on a Friday morning, and there's always someone ordering food, which is telling on their end! Would come back again!! read more

Big E Cafe - Mocha frappe, very balanced and well caffeinated - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Never again : Been coming here for years. Not a weekly regular, but I spent $1,000-$1500 a year here at least. Today a lady friend asked for 2 extra cups so she could let her coworkers taste the blueberry smoothie. The First Lady said yes. When I picked up the last of the drinks, I asked for the cups again. This time I got the answer "I don't have." Where did the cups full of Blueberry smoothie come from? "I don't have" I'm fluent in both English and Spanish, tried again & "I don't have". Either this gal is a big bolsa de locura, or she couldn't admit she did not want to give me the cups. I went to Safeway, bought some cups, took what I needed, gave them the rest. Since they seem to be unable to afford cups. Spend money here in the future? "I don't have " read more

Ordered a Lomo Saltado and a mango peach shaker. They are known for their empanadas, and it was delicious. Service was pretty quick. There is plenty of parking outside in front of the store. There is seating inside and outside. Didn't see a lot of outlets, and they don't have public restrooms. Overall, I will come back to try another empanada! read more

Big E Cafe - Tropical Mango Shaker - Regular - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Experience (5/5 stars): *Food: went here b2b so you know it real good, ranked below. the crust was crispy! recommend getting the chimichurri sauce with it. *Price: ~$7 per empanada - lomo saltado - philly - potatoes eggs and cheese - chorizo eggs and cheese - chicken cilantro - peruvian Overall, it's a yes for me! read more

Big E Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

I was running some errands in the neighborhood yesterday and stopped by Big E Cafe to grab a sweet empanada as an afternoon snack. The store was at the corner, and shared the same parking lot as Safeway. There're quite a few tables available inside, as well as, seatings outside. They had 3 kinds of sweet empanadas available. I got the peach and blueberries one and reheated it when I got home. The crust was thin and flaky, and there's a lot of yummy filling inside. So good! It's been a while since I had their empanadas. IIRC, their savory empanadas were pretty good, too. Will need to go back to try them again. read more

See all

Such a hidden gem in South San Jose! Stopped by before our hike last week and will definitely be making it a regular occurrence. Lots of parking in the shared lot & a good amount of both indoor and outdoor seating for customers. We ordered a couple empanadas & drinks and they were brought to us within a matter of minutes :) I got their protein matcha drink & my husband got their Mexican mocha which were both so good. Really liked the little kick of spice in the mocha. We also got both a sweet & savory empanada which we loved. Great size and so fresh - we will be back to try the rest. read more

See all

Well Bully For Perú Long-standing family-owned Peruvian bakery that celebrated their twenty-year (ca.2005) anniversary last year. While this is technically the only location, the owner's daughter does own Best Artisan Empanadas (BAE) in DT Campbell. Both locations specialize in Peruvian-style baked Empanadas, and are generally considered "the best" place to get these types of Empanadas in the South Bay. The Good: *Large plentiful shared parking lot *Dog-friendly outdoor seating *Online ordering available *More than savory Empanadas, as they also have sweet dessert ones, as well. We still haven't tried any but one day... *The Peruvian Empanada is my favorite, as the olives, beef and raisins is a winning combo for my tastes. *Love their housemade chimichurri that has a great garlicky bite to go along with the fresh herbs and EVOO. *Carissa loves the Chicken Cilantro one as that's her favorite at both here and BAE. The Meh: *This place is incredibly busy all the time. The Ugly: *Every order is packaged in to-go containers, which I find incredibly wasteful. Conclusion: If you're craving fresh-madd Empanadas then this is your spot. read more

See all

I'm a little embarrassed saying this but I live within walking distance of this place and have only been a couple of times which is absolutely unacceptable considering how delicious this place is! I decided to grab some breakfast on the way to work today. I arrived today a little after 9am and it wasn't busy which worked in my favor so I can take my time deciding on my order. I went with: Mexican Mocha with oat milk Potatoes, egg and cheese empanada Lomo saltado empanada The gentleman who helped me was really nice and patient as I decided on my order. And my Mexican Mocha was made to perfection! It has the right amount of spice and sweetness. My only criticism is the hot sauce packet contains red#40. I would probably recommend offering hot sauce packets with more clean ingredients. I will be back soon! I recommend their business! read more

See all

Big E Cafe has been on my radar for some years now and while I'm not exactly sure why it took so long to try them, I'm glad that I did. These are probably some of the best empanadas that I have ever had. They have a wide variety of empanadas ranging from savory to sweet to breakfast, you can easily get your breakfast/lunch/dinner/dessert right here. The empanadas are made fresh daily and they are quite big which I like, you can get a few and split them with friends or family and have a nice meal and get full. I have tried many of the empanadas so far such as: Potato/Egg/Cheese, Lomo Saltado, Traditional Peruvian and Raspberry/Cream Cheese. All of the empanadas have been very good but my favorites would have to be the potato/egg/cheese and lomo saltado. The breakfast empanada is just delightful, it's topped with onion and garlic and the potatoes are soft, they have the perfect amount of cheese and the eggs are perfect. The empanada is so flavorful and comforting and is the perfect breakfast option. My second favorite is the lomo saltado, it's filled with beef, onions, potatoes, sun dried tomatoes in a chipotle pepper sauce. This one was very savory and full of flavor as well, if I had to change one thing I would say maybe make the potatoes a little smaller or put less. Overall, this place is absolutely delicious! The customer service is great, the prices are decent and the portion size of the empanadas are great. I will be back! read more

See all

Empanadas are bomb! Stumbled on this place looking for spots to eat in the area using yelp.

Learned of this place from tik tok and since the last good empanada I had was in Long Beach and I been looking for good empanada in San Jose and I have so say that I found it. I ordered two empanadas to go, busy day and I unfortunately had to take the to go. I ordered a chicken cilantro and a chicken mushroom, and oh my god it was good. The flavors and the texture of the empanada were there and they are bigger than a small burger. I will have to come back and try the other flavors. read more

See all

Had recently heard this place had yummy empanadas and thought I'd just stop in for a little snack so I wasn't starving while I grocery shopped. I got the lomo saltado empanada and my mom got an egg, ham, and cheese empanada. They were both so hearty and filling. We also got sweet ones but were too full to eat them there. I just ate my raspberry and cream cheese empanada though and it was delicious. My mom has the peach blueberry for later. She also ordered a hot chai that we both thought was pretty tasty- more vanilla than spice but yummy. I got my son a chocolate croissant and he inhaled it before I could sneak a bite. There are several more menu items that sounded good, so we will definitely be back to try more. read more

Big E Cafe - Lomo Saltado - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Tried a small variety of empanadas here, got one each of the beef, chicken mushroom, and bbq pork. All of them were good but the bbq pork might've been my favorite since it was a little different. They have breakfast, sweet, and savory empanadas, so good options for anyone and any time of day! They are only open until 2, and when we came around 1 the options were a little more limited, but they did seem to have all of the super popular ones still available. read more

See all

Unfortunately I expected more. Over $20 for the majority not to be eaten. Vanilla Latte - tasted burnt and not good Bacon, cheese and egg - so dry I only ate a slice of it Chicken and Mushroom - this is where the stars came in. Very good even when reheated at home. The staff did not like that I told them their pay screen says 'SAUSE' instead of 'SAUCE.' read more

Super friendly staff. Tasty empanadas and pastries. Good coffee. I noticed while waiting for my food that there's a steady stream of regulars as the staff seemed to know so many customers by name. Always a great sign! read more

See all

Terrific place that we were slow to discover, but now that we have, we're certainly coming back. I was mostly struck by how bold the flavors of were, from the Chicken-mushroom, to the olives and cheese in the Mediterranean, and even the sausage in the breakfast empanada. The sauces were also excellent, we have chimichurri and mango as addons. Highly recommend for quick and tasty eats. read more

A lot of options for the empanadas here, both traditional and innovative. The shells are nice and crispy and they stay warm for a good amount of time! Not super impressed with the fillings though. I think overall it's overpriced for what it is, even adjusting for inflation. Good: Chicken and Mushroom - I thought this flavor was the best out of the 4 empanadas I tried. It's got really good balance and isn't dry at all because of the creamy stew. Pairs well with the hot sauce and the chimichurri. Just OK: Thai chicken - I expected this one to have a lot of flavor in it since it's one of the more innovative flavors on the menu, but it came out on the bland side in my opinion. Chicken was a little dry but balanced out by the vegetables in this. Disappointing: Chorizo and potato - also quite bland for a chorizo empanada! I thought it would be nice and red colored too on the interior but this one mostly tasted like potato and egg. Lomo Saltado - I think this one was also dry and on the bland side. The beef was on the chewy side and tasted steamed or boiled. Perhaps other empanadas are better but my honest take is that these were, for the most part, disappointing. For almost $8 an empanada too, they gotta be real good to be worth it and I don't think this place delivers. Each sauce is 50 cents as well. I think overall they could do better with the fillings, but they seem to have a loyal following and a high score here on Yelp. read more

See all

The teens in my family love the empanadas here, especially the ones with pepperoni. I have tried several and they were pretty tasty. My hesitation in recommending this cafe is that it seems a bit unclean. I have seen employees handle food, coffee, trash and brooms without cleaning their hands which concerns me in terms of hygiene. read more

Jollibees sold out of their Katseye meal so this place was my plan b. Not going to lie, this was very bomb and mind you this is my first time eating an empanada. I'm glad that I get to try it at this mom and pop shop because this place deserves some publicity. Great size and pretty affordable price. One empanada can fill you up really fast but not to the point where you're stuffed. The people working there are also really nice! read more

Big E Cafe - Spinach & Feta, Hawaiian, Lomo Saltado - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

The Lomo Soltado empanada was good. Would compare it to a beef pot pie but with less sauce and with a hint of spicy kick. It had tender beef chunks. The taste of green bell pepper was the most noticeable flavor in the empanada which was good. The Bacon Egg Cheese empanada was ok. The taste was similar breakfast to hot pockets. I feel that the crust did not pair well with the filling. The crust on the Lomo was better. The one on the BEC had a bit more baking soda or baking powder because it had a little bit of a soapy taste. Both empanadas had a lot of filling. The staff were nice and patient when customers are deciding what to order. Small eat in area with a few tables for two and an outdoor table. Pricewise, it's a bit pricey for me. But I guess it's like buying a sandwich but just a little smaller for the price because it takes more time to make. read more

See all

This place is absolutely EXTRAORDINARY!!. The variety of empanadas, the flavors, the generous portions, everything is simply AMAZING. You can truly taste that it's homemade, and it shows in every bite. From the moment you walk in, you feel like you're at home. The space is so welcoming, and the people working there are incredibly kind, sweet, and genuinely attentive. They really go above and beyond to make you feel happy and cared for. Everything is also spotless, and you can feel how much pride they take in their work and in their customers. I discovered this place by pure chance, and I'm so grateful I did. It genuinely warmed my heart. Go taste the best empanadas in the Bay Area! read more

Hate to give mediocre reviews for mom and pop shops but Big E cafe really did not impress me. There a lot of options for traditional and out of the ordinary empanadas, but the portions were small and overpriced. We also ordered a fruit smoothie which tasted like... artificial flavoring and ice, which was very disappointing. I would recommend going to another famous empanada place down the road to get even more options, more bang for your buck, and actual fresh fruit smoothies. Service was great though. Staff were patient and kind. read more

Delicious, homemade empanadas and other items. Many different coffee choices, including delicious frozen frappes

Stumbled upon this little gem after my AVAC workout. My favorite Vietnamese restaurant had a wait list and I was ravenously hungry. There's not a lot of options nearby so I poked my head in. I'm glad I did. I got the lomo saltado, which is a beef and potato empanada. It's pre-made but fresh. They heated it up and gave me an olive oil/herb sauce and a packet that said "hot sauce." I used both, and it was amazing. Just be aware that the food is ethic (Peruvian I believe) so this isn't some bland hot pocket. This is some really flavorful food, and a great find on my part. I highly recommend that you give it a try. There are about five different lunch empanadas to choose from. They also have breakfast and dessert. read more

I was looking for a quick breakfast and came across this place. The restaurant is cozy and clean. I ordered one chorizo empanada and an iced latte for breakfast. The chorizo empanada had eggs, cheese, potatoes and chorizo in it. The chorizo is mildly spicy which I enjoyed. There were equal portions of everything and it hit the spot for breakfast. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to pick one up for the next morning. The iced latte was also enjoyable. I also ordered a Peruvian beef empanada to go. Unfortunately, the beef empanada had Kalamata olives in it so I wasn't a fan. I blame myself for not googling what's in a Peruvian beef empanada. The workers were also pleasant and attentive. I will definitely be coming back to try more of their food and drinks!! read more

Big E Cafe - Empanada options - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Service was great. The gal that took our order and rang us up was patient, quick, had a friendly smile, and did not seemed stress when a line formed and the phone was ringing (people calling in to place pickup orders). Gavin had just finished practice. He chooses not to eat prior (it's 2hrs). Anyway. She even gave us cups of ice to go w/ our bottled water. It's a cute little cafe. A few tables outside but inside had just 2-3 tables. It's meant as a grab and go place, I believe but we ate there. Gavin ordered the BBQ pulled pork and the ham, cheese, and potatoes empanadas. I ordered the Peruvian and mushroom chicken empanadas. We sat and enjoyed our water until our food was ready. I forgot to order any dipping sauce so I went to the register to order but she just asked me which sauce I'd like and how many - didn't even charge me. It didn't cost much but the gesture was incredibly sweet and genuine, We ate ours and cleaned everything before we left. I loved the mushroom chicken the most because it was creamy and soft. The olives I did not care for in the Peruvian one but I took it out if I saw it and ate it like a child. It's more doughy than my previous empanada experience but the service alone made this top notch and yes, we would come back again! read more

See all

First time trying this place....i had the traditional empanada...way to many onions for me....its overpriced.

Big E has been my family's go to spot since forever. The best empanadas in San Jose that we've found! I recently ordered a dozen via their website, for the staff at my daughter's school. Pickup was for 7:30AM. I got a text from the owner that it was ready earlier than the original time, got there and they were perfectly packaged and distinguishable between the flavors ordered in paper bags. Really enjoy their coffee, too, when I have the time to sit inside. Love that this is local and family owned in the neighborhood!! read more

My coworkers and I love the empanadas from Big E Cafe! I just had one over the weekend but was craving them again, so I placed an order for work. This was my first time ordering coffee and it was delicious! I also had a nice message on the top of the lid! Although I have never been to their actual location, I have received emails asking how they did and I love that! Great customer service! In my "terminator voice" , I'll be back! read more

See all

Phenomenal empanadas. I love empanadas, I make them, I buy them, I dream about them. This place has it all figured out. You can't go wrong with any and I kid you know I felt like I ordered the whole menu. The lomo saltado flavor is good and so is the traditional beef one which has olives. Yum! I'm not sure I took a picture as I just scarfed it down. A perfect breakfast or snack item. read more

See all

***WARNING WARNING*** On12/30/25 it was my first time giving this place a try. I could not wait to taste their food. After I ordered 2 empanadas I decided to give them a $2 tip when I saw their tip jar. Because of giving them cash I did not except to tip it when the girl cashier rang it up. She saw me put the money in her tip jar. When I got my $17 bill for 2 empanadas I was surprised to see she added a $2.43 tip. I did not want to cause a scene bc there was a lot of customers in the shop. That is not like me!! I also told her that I wanted them cold, yet I got them hot not to mention one of them was burnt. Because she did not tell me she was also adding a tip, I will not frequent this place again. There are lots of places to get delicious empanadas that do not deceive you. read more

Big E Cafe - Showing the tip on my receipt. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Wow I can't believe it took me this long to try this place. I've been severely missing out! The empanadas were delicious. Shout out to the spicy Thai chicken and chimichurri sauce! I also tried their coffee and it was so good. I will definitely be coming back!!! read more

Big E Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Amazing freshly baked empanadas. They're very filling and have satisfied me just like a meal would. Friendly staff and great service. When I arrived, there were people dining but no line at all. I waited a little under 10 minutes to wait for the empanadas to be warmed up. I ordered the spinach cheese and chorizo. The spinach and cheese reminds me of a spanakopita, I loved every bite of it! Chorizo was also great, I had it about 3 days after I initially bought it and even when it was reheated it was still delicious. I'd definitely be a regular if it was a lot closer to me! read more

Big E Cafe - Menu - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

I got really bad food poisoning. That's all I can say. And the food wasn't good a lot of onions in everything

Terrible customer service, I walked in stood in line, after the person in front of me was done ordering, the person taking the order started doing something else. Did not even acknowledge me. Another person walked in and she started taking her order. After that I told her I've been waiting in line, and she said well you're just waiting for an order and I said she didn't even confirm if I wanted to place an order or waiting for an order. Then she started telling the other employees in Spanish and mocking me in Spanish. I understood everything. She handed me my order and said have a good day in a very sarcastic tone. I actually didn't even eat the food, afraid it might have been tempered with. 1st. And last time there. read more

Amazing service and high quality empanadas. Some of the best empanadas we've ever had. read more

We had an excellent experience today! It's a small shop with a few tables inside and a handful of tables outside which were mainly all under a covered awning. Everyone was so nice and helped us pick out a few items to try. We did the egg potato cheese and the ham egg cheese empanada - both were really good and had a ton of filling. The ham one was a bit salty for my taste, but had great flavor. The guy who took our order had us try a mango salsa which was excellent with the breakfast empanadas! Topped it off with mango shaker which was super refreshing and not overly sweet. We can't wait to come back and try a few other empanadas. read more

See all

My kids love the mushroom chicken empanada. We visit often to stock up for home. They feeeze and reheat great. I've tried several other options and all have been tasty. read more

This place was suggested to me by yelp (places nearby) and I was happy I went here. Cute little cafe, decent sized empanadas. The manager came over to help us with the empanada selection and they were so good we placed another order before we left to take home. Here are my ratings.... Chicken and mushroom: 9/10 Chorizo & eggs: 9/10 BBQ pulled pork: 10/10 Bacon & eggs: 8/10 Cilantro & Chicken: 10/10 Loma Saltado: 9/10 Strawberry Italian soda: 10/10 Don't forget to get the little extra sauces! read more

Oh My Godddddd ...soooooo good ! This morning I was saying "where can we go get brunch/bft & not pay $70 bucks for 3" Bingo Big E came up in a yelp search. I had the chorizo potato and egg empanada, my girlfriend had the Thai chicken empanada, My daughter had the ricotta cheese and spinach empanada. I had a nice big vanilla shake, My daughter & gf had a vanilla latte frappe. And we got a potato salad which was more than enough to feed three of us for two bucks. All this got $40 bucks. We are full & happy now ! Sorry I didn't put pictures cuz we are all so hungry We gobbled them down ! This is going to be our new weekend little brunch spot because there's so many different empanadas you can try here. read more