I've been meaning to try this place for a long time. I finally got here…read more The food was wonderful. I wish they had some type of fruit empanada here, instead of just savory, though. I ordered the three cheese empanada. On the menu, you're warned that you shouldn't get it if you don't like blue cheese. After I ordered it, I was also warned. I was expecting it to be stronger blue cheese than it was because of the warnings. It was delicious, though, and so was the ham and cheese. They have a no laptop policy here, so expect to be social with whoever comes with you. It's not a bad thing, just different than a lot of places. I'll definitely be back.

Best coffee I've had a looong time…read more Food smells amazing, but didn't have time to eat today Very chill atmosphere, clean and lovely! Empanadas look reasonably priced. Great neighborhood place vibe. Love it

Love me an empanada…read more Made fast and price was not too bad considering we were in a high tourist area. Nice variety and a side of chimichurri. All was good and tasty little snack

This one is definitely on me. I did not study the menu…read more Spinach empanada- spinach and cheese, right? Nope. Think thick bacon chunks show up and take over. There is nothing I hate more than bacon, I even run away from the bacon smell alone in public places. I'll be back for veggie options only - this one was a no for me.

Oh my goodness! This was my first time here and also my first time trying this Argentinian staple!…read moreI came alone on a quiet Saturday night, and the moment I walked in, the lady in the back immediately welcomed and helped me. I ordered the spicy beef empanada, and OMG it was SO good. It was packed with flavor and perfectly crispy. I loved it so much that I ended up getting a second one, the chorizo and that one was amazing too. The chipotle spicy sauce and chimichurri complemented the empanadas perfectly. One detail I thought was really cool was how they stamped the restaurant's name, "VENGA," around the border of the empanadas. Such a small touch, but it made the experience feel even more unique and authentic. The food, hospitality, and cozy atmosphere made this such a memorable experience. Definitely would come back here again!

I came in on Friday may 15 at around 5:45PM or 6PM, really happy to get some empanadas. I haven't…read morecame here in a while and love all their items, so I was browsing the options while my nephew used the bathroom. I walk up to the cashier with stretched ears and tattoos and he immediately says, "Hurry up sweetie because I got shit to do." Um? That was really uncalled for and so mean. I don't know what type of day he was having, but it's no reason to treat somebody that way. Also dude... umm, you're working in customer service of course you have shit to do. That's part of having a job. I'm truly surprised that this establishment, where I've had excellent experiences before, hired somebody with such a horrible attitude and way of treating people. And to say that in front of my little nephew was wtf, man. Truly a horrible experience. This review is on my experience and the way I was treated and spoken to, not the empanadas those are great.

Solid! I had the…read moreBeef, Chorizo, Mushroom, Chicken and the Carne Picada. All were good and I really light dough. Solid breakfast, Lunch or Dinner option.

Hello Yelpers,…read more Wanted to share with everyone a phenomenal Empanada Joint located on Polk Street I the city. Wife and I had the unfortunate experience of having to get our passports expedited and had to return to the Federal Building on Turk. To make the best of a bad situation we ducked into a small establishment called Cafe Buenos Aires. Let me begin with saying this little gem of an empanada establishment has me yearning to return to San Francisco. I am not a city boy by any means and avoid the city like a bad rash. Wife and I ordered 4 empanada's and a special protein and collagen latte. Everything has me saying Obrigado! (Thank you). We had the Carne Picada (Choped Sirloin) was beyond good. I have had empanadas all my life and can simply say this one has blown my mind. Spice and seasoned to perfection with potatoes and quality chopped top sirloin cuts. Chicken (Pollo) same thing with quality ingredients. Beef (Ground Beef) also excellent not my first choice but why not. I'm already here. Service was friendly and the lady working today was awesome. Not much seating inside more of a to go spot but fit the bill. Finally the Protein Cafe Latte with collagen had the wife raving about how good it was. Trust me when she says we may have to go back is a rarity for her especially in SF. Can't wait to swing by when in the area. Don't miss this place it's worth a visit and revisit in my opinion.

Why 5 stars? Because despite a few non-ideal circumstances, it was very worth the visit…read more --- --- --- After eating lunch nearby, I had one final stop to make here for coffee and dessert, before I headed to SFO. The issue is that I was definitely pushing it on time if I planned on making my flight. As I was driving here, I had the thought that if there was an annoying parking situation or a line, I would just have to pivot and forego patronizing. But as it turns out, there was one spot available right next to the front door and no one inside. But then when I requested a nitro, the owner (I assume?) was extremely apologetic that their coffee machine broke. I asked for a few alternate types of coffee, but it turned out said machine controlled it all. So we shifted to the pastries. I read on the website that they had something with guava, so I asked for two of those: one for me, one for the wife. He even offered to heat mine up, which I will say yes to 100% of the time. I then jumped back in the car and was back into "don't' miss your flight mode." Of course, when you're in a hurry, you manage to hit every red light along the way, so I was doing a lot of yelling at electricity and God. But then I figured I might as well take the time to try the pastry that I'd originally planned on eating on the plane. As it turns out, it brought me into a nearly immersive experience of zen. The only bad thing is that I devoured it within seconds and then it was merely a thing of the past. My wife is fortunate that I have the amount of integrity that I do because I am sitting on the plane as I write this and I could easily inhale that 2nd pastry with her being none the wiser. If you're reading this, wife, remember that you hit the spousal lottery.

Great empanadas! They toast them up to a temp that results in a perfectly hot n toasted, fresh…read moretasting empanada! I tried their beef as well as mushroom. Both are repeats for me! Don't forget to ask for their chimichurri sauce. I also love the vibes of the spot. Felt like I traveled to Argentina for a brief moment.

Adorable little deli spot! Great assortment of drinks and…read moresnacks. This is a real community and cultural spot, nothing like what I expected. Francisco was super nice and helped me practice my spanish. The vibes here are just great and the food was tasty, too! only 1 star off because the prices were a bit high but not terrible. Radio Habana has cheaper empanadas and an indoor seating area not far away. But yknow what they say - location, location, location! Only half a block from the 16th BART and it's real quality food made quick, with quality empanadas, cakes, drinks and more! I attached some pics of the menu to help people pick their order out before strolling over :)

Chile Lindo is the original Mission empanadas spot, and the perfect place to grab an affordable…read morehandheld meal. It is a cute little storefront near 16th and Mission Bart station with a small outdoor counter you can eat at. I really like their vegan option which is traditional with faux groud beef, olives and raisins. I haven't tried any of their other vegetarian flavors but they have a cheese one too. Nice crust, less greasy than other empanadas I've had in the Sco, good ingredients, love Chile Lindo.

Lovely spot for a quick snack and coffee!! I mostly come to El Porteño for the coffee because the…read morelocation is super convenient for a morning pick-me-up, and it's often my favorite part of the morning. The coffee is rich and nutty, and it pairs well with all of their milk options (they have oat and almond for my fellow lactose intolerant folks). I have yet to try one of the empanadas, but they smell and look divine -- I'm always super tempted. Depending on when you come by, sometimes you can catch the staff working on the next batch, which is always fun to watch. The team is friendly, and the space is quite large. It's usually pretty quiet -- even though they have a decent flow of foot traffic, most folks don't stop for long. If you need a relatively quiet place to work for a bit, they do have a good number of tables and outlets, although there, tragically, isn't WiFi.

What a pleasant snack to grab! Our family started our day SF trip here right after landing at the…read moreCaltrain station nearby. We grabbed a light snack with the jamon y queso (ham and cheese). The cheese was creamy and delicious, wish there was more ham. The pastry itself was excellent. Good consistency, good profile, and very tasty; just the right amount of flakiness. Would come back again and try the other flavors next time we're out and about in the city.

Great place to come for breakfast, tamales, pastries and especially the bread rolls. Prices are…read morevery reasonable, food comes out quick and it's usually packed with people eating breakfast and other things. I am a big fan of the breakfast sandwich with plaintains, eggs, beans, cheese and crema and usually get some bread rolls to take home to make my own sandwiches. Parking can be a bit tricky in the area but I have found that it is usually fairly easy to find a spot on one or the side roads as opposed to on mission itself. Staff seem friendly. Majority of customers seem to be Latin which is always a good sign for a place like this.

Just happened to stumble in on my way to work and found this hidden gem. This cafeteria style…read moreGuatemalan bakery serves a hardy breakfast and other unique drinks that looks freshly made every morning. The ladies are extremely friendly and had no issues ordering what I wanted. Once I paid in front, the food came out immediately, very efficient! My plate comes with my choice of scrambled eggs ( a few styles that I can choose from), a slice of cojita? cheese?, and a hearty serving of beans. I also ordered a rice drink thats not too sweet. Perfect The meal came with a bread roll that by far is my favorite. It brought the whole breakfast together. The bread had a nice crust and pillowy soft inside. It's a bakery after all the serves breakfast and other meals. Would definitely come back again :)

Clean and well-located, Delicious food and friendly waiters; Esteban was the one who served us, and…read morehe was super professional.

Gaucho Parrilla Argentina is decent, but it didn't totally live up to the hype for me. The meat is…read moregood and clearly high quality, but for the price, I expected it to be a bit more impressive. Everything tasted fine, just nothing that really wowed me. It was super busy when I went, which made the place loud and kind of stressful. Service was friendly but rushed, and we waited longer than expected for our food. Overall, it's not bad and I don't regret going, but I'm not in a rush to go back. Good food, just not as amazing as people make it sound.

Casual spot offering comfort food!…read more I ordered three empanadas to take home and heat up for dinner: Gallina, spinach, and spicy beef. Each one was better than the last! The crust was flaky and the fillings were hearty and perfectly season. Gallina: the onions and peppers were stewed perfectly and the chicken was tender Spinach: perfect balance of spinach and cheese. Thai paired soooo well with the orange sauce. Spicy beef: this was my favorite. The beef and potatoes were so soft and tender, but not mushy! Perfect texture all around. It's not a cheap meal if you're hungry, but it was hot and comforting! I definitely enjoyed it. I'd stop by again!

This is a great spot in the area for a quick snack. They have tons of flavors that they bake upon…read moreordering (takes about 4 mins) and a bit of bar seating inside along the windows. It's right beneath Salesforce Park and usually not too busy. My favorite is the spinach and cheese.