Delicious empanadas!! They have so much filling, great taste, and so many flavors to choose from…read more They have WiFi, good seating, outlets, and good coffee too! I will be back soon :)

I wandered the block on a break from work and I am so glad I did. This corner cafe' stood out…read morebecause of all the signage outside and the big painted letters on the windows that read COFFEE & EMPANADAS. I also couldn't help but notice the huge African Euphorbia near the very corner of the building that is relaxing to stare at. I was actually looking to buy pastries but when I noticed the variety of empanada's as I walked in I had to sample. I chose the mole and this my friends is legit chicken mole. No scimpy filling either. Massive amounts of chicken mole stuffed inside. Noel recommended the chimichurri and I should have asked for more. I finished it after four bites. I've been back there a handful of times since early April and I have devoured the Chorizo Empanada which comes with yukon potato, scrambled eggs and Jack and cheddar cheese. The Carne Picada empanadas were flavorful with top sirloin beef, onions and spices. Reminded me of my Abuelita's top sirloin with papa burritos. There is also Spicy Salsa available that is authentic. The Al Pastor was authentic as well and you have to pair it with the salsa. Delicious!!! By the way I also pour the chimichurri on all of them. Hahaha!! My goal is to try every version before the end of the year. They have a reward program and if you sign up you can stack points for future deals. I will sample the coffee and pastries next visit. Thank you Noel and Merlin for always being so helpful with the menu and being so courteous.

Slightly upscale Mexican food in a hopping shopping area in Berkeley…read more 2 college friends and I walked in on a Saturday evening around 5pm for an early dinner and it was busy (and then got even busier)! I enjoyed the Pastor burrito. It was large and the pastor was tender. Chips (and guac) are extra. Horchata was sweet. The ambiance is chill and relaxed, I love the bright pink colors. Service was fine. Clientele skews older (hey, it's Berkeley--lots of old NIMBYs.)

I was having a craving for lengua tacos and a friend suggesting coming here for lunch and I was…read morequite surprised. They were so good. We also got fried plantains and tuna ceviche that were both tasty. The ceviche was covered in a chile sauce, which I wasn't expecting but a delightful surprise. The staff was also very friendly and prices were also reasonable. We came on a weekend lunch time but there was plenty of seating but parking is always a bit challenging in this shopping area.

Love this quaint and quirky local spot. Good food, friendly folks, and the upstairs dining area is…read moreso cozy. Excellent place to take a friend for a conversation.

I would give a 0 if I could. DO NOT order online from these scammers. You won't get your food. If…read moreyou call them to notify that your order never came, they do not care, won't rectify or resend. I have to go through my credit card company to charge back. So much hassle and dishonesty. Get your food anywhere else!

Only discovered this place recently as I was searching for some Empanadas. I tried the steak,…read moreJamaican beef and chicken and all were excellent. The Jamaican beef was my favorite of the 3 although I did enjoy all 3. They have some scotch bonnet in the Jamaican beef which gives it a nice bit of kick although I would say it's not too hot, just a little bit of kick. They have several other flavors so I will definitely come back to try some of the others. Chimichurri was very good as well. Location is on Claremont right by Telegraph so it's very close to the whole foods near 51st and Telegraph.

Good value for the empanada combo…read more Watermelon Mint Agua Fresca (4/5): very refreshing and not too sweet but I did not taste any mint. Plantain chips with guac (5/5): were portioned generously. Empanadas (4/5): stuffed with good amount of protein but lacked flavor and were a bit dry.

The excellent fresh food and the choice of a relaxing indoor and sunny outdoor patio…read more Looking for a new lunch space on a busy sunny Berkeley Saturday. My usual haunts would be busy I knew. Found UQBAR on Yelp. It was bustling but tables opened up outside after I ordered. I did have to wait for a minute or two until the tables were bussed & wiped clean. I ordered the half soup and half sandwich which cost about $15. A surprisingly reasonable price. The mushroom soup was thick and the best I've had in a while. The lamb sandwich was succulent and melted in my mouth. I also ordered their milkshake which is made with coconut milk and a berry which name I don't remember right now. The shake was a nice chilling treat on a sunny day after a week of overcast days. Of course, I enjoyed sunbathing over my leisurely lunch. The only glitch was somehow my order got misplaced. After a long wait, I brought it to the attention of Benjamin the owner and order taker. It turned out that my order somehow got lost on a bustling morning. But Benjamin made good by offering me a full sandwich. It was the best lamb sandwich I've had in Berkeley for a while. Benjamin is a very nice person and didn't try to disguise or excuse the glitch. As I told him, the lamb sandwich was well worth the wait, especially since I was hungry when I first ordered and much much more hungrier because of the wait! To be fair, even in Berkeley venues I've frequented for a long time, this does happen once in a while when things are busy. But from what I can see the staff of UQBAR are typically OTJ. I'll be back to my new fave Berkeley lunch spot. Oh, it was easy parking on a Saturday.

My favorite neighborhood spot for a quick, casual lunch. Their chicken sandwich is consistently…read morefantastic, and the hummus is honestly otherworldly. Everything feels fresh, unfussy, and thoughtfully made. Part of me wants to gatekeep this spot because it's THAT good, but they deserve the love.

1st time back in a few years and Javi still make the BEST empanadas I've ever had…read more The Carne & the Champiñones are still my favorite. This time I had it with Javi's home made Chimichurri Sauce, let me just say, WOW!!! I have been back twice already with in a week. The service was excellent!!!

Little gem in the corner! When you least expected it too…read more Ok - my husband and I happen to drive by this place and oh my, were we pleasantly surprised. Not only did we strike up a conversation with Carolina (the owner) but man she was just wonderful. It is so refreshing to see someone so cheerful and passionate about their job. She was wonderful when it came to asking us what we were looking for. We decided to get several options - apple empanada, chicken, ham and cheese, and veggies. Ham and cheese 10/10 - the amounts of ham added to the empanada was surprising. Usually, I find it hard to get enough filling but it was just enough. Veggie 9/10 - spinach, corn, squash, mushroom. The seasoning on this was amazing, and before I knew it I was more than halfway through it. Apple empanada - was a nice little treat. Omg! They have Peruvian beer and I love that for me because it's delicious, and also very uncommon! My only regret is not getting more empanadas (you can get a pack to go that is frozen), because they had some many options.

I seriously love this place. Every time I go there, I have a blast. From live music on the weekends…read moreto an amazing lomo saltado and any kind of sauce you can imagine, this place is amazing. Their flan is to die for, and the owner is pretty nice. Now, the only gripes that I have with this place are: - Sometimes there are certain staff members that are less than friendly. If it wasn't for the amazing food and the integrity I've known the owner to have, that would have completely ruined my experience. - I don't know what it is, but sometimes it takes a little longer to get my order, so I wouldn't come here if you're absolutely starving. - Lastly, I wish I could place an order on the phone. It would save a lot of time. Overall, though, this place still deserves a 5 star because the food is absolutely amazing, and the vibes make you feel amazing.

We stumbled onto this place after a killer mid-morning walk by the Bay. We had skipped breakfast,…read moreso we were totally starving and needed a quick bite before our next appointment. Luckily for us, while most of the stalls at the Public Market weren't even open yet, Paradita was ready to save the day! We ordered the grilled pork belly on salad, the mushroom empanadas, and a passion fruit drink to wash it all down. Side note: their cocktails sounded incredible, but at 10 AM, we figured it was a tad too early to start day-drinking, lol! The food was absolutely stellar: The Grilled Pork Belly: Incredible. Super tender, not overly fatty, and packed with flavor. It sits on a tasty vinaigrette salad, and the potatoes on the side were executed perfectly--nice and fluffy on the inside with a perfectly roasted skin. The Mushroom Empanadas: These were unique! Instead of the typical heavy, deep-fried style, they use a flaky puff pastry for the shell. The filling was savory and so delicious. Prices were reasonable, and the owner was helpful and friendly while we ordered. If you're at the Public Market, I highly recommend checking this spot out! They totally crushed it.

We got the BLT, potato puffs, and beignets. It was all really good! The sandwich had really fresh…read moreproduce and the spread was delicious. All items were really reasonably priced and the service was nice. Thank you!

Really nice owner took our order today. The beignets were very hot because they were made fresh so…read morehe warned us about them being hot so we don't burn our mouths. The beignets come in orders of 5 with powdered sugar and strawberry sauce. They have some covered seats outside. Will have to try their sandwiches next time. Saw a hotel worker order sandwiches and they looked good.