Cancel

Open app

Search

El Sur

4.5 (207 reviews)
InexpensiveArgentine, Empanadas
Open • 9:30 am - 3:00 pm

Order El Sur Takeout or Delivery

El Sur Photos

Business Info

EL SUR ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Quiet
Good for kids
Good for groups

Recommended Reviews - El Sur

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Eric L.

I have finally found an empanada rival to my North Bay favorite. El Sur has terrible hours (you have to be local to get a taste), but these empanadas are filling and, more importantly, delicious and perfectly cooked. It's a counter service restaurant, but service is friendly, and they know what they're doing. I loved the traditional empanada so much I'm hoping I can find a way to escape work early one day again so I can pick some up.

Daniel F.

Must try! The people are friendly and food is delicious. Got the traditional empanada, carne sauve and churros. Empanada was fresh and the crust was very crispy. The churros were pretty good as well. Great indoor dining and there's a parking lot right next door. If you're in Redwood City make sure to stop by.

Allister D.

I thought this was a pretty good empanada shop. They have seating and the place is really clean which is a plus. It felt like a restaurant. I enjoy the nice glass casing of the empanadas for customers to see. I don't like how each empanada is a different size and shape though; even though they are all priced the same, their sizes vary which is slightly annoying. For example, their traditional was big in size (regular empanada size). It had incredible flavor from the diced beef cubes which was basically steak bits. The marinade and filling was delicious and the best traditional Argentinian beef empanada I've had. On the other hand, their Parisien flavor was small like a tiny ball shape. It had Kurobuta Ham, prosciutto, and 5-cheeses but this whole thing was a small puff pastry. I wish all the flavors were the same shape and size to better stretch our money. The empanadas are amazing tasting and freshly made. I'd love to come back for more but El Sur needs to make each one equal in size otherwise it'll feel like I'm getting ripped off for my money. Maybe next time El Sur?

Mushroom/cheese, traditional, and chicken.
Tíbor G.

My best friend and I were in Argentina eating empanadas all over the place and this place could easily fit right in! Got there within the last hour before close and the staff was just as helpful as if I would've been there in the morning. The food was equally as flavorful! Love the mushroom cheese, the traditional was super savory and comforting, and the chicken was an easy go to! They even have frozen empanadas to bake at home when you need a quick little meal! Come support them, they totally deserve the business!

Marianne
Mary F.

Thanks to Paolo and Marianne for a wonderful event with delicious food! Everything was so full of flavor, and I will definitely be back to pick up more Traditional beef empanadas and to try the breakfast flavor! Marianne was great to learn from and I love the story of how the building was originally her parent's grocery store! It was also very nice of them to have the chips and charcuterie boards out when we arrived, and the drink selection! Thank you again to Marianne, Paolo, and the staff members for a great experience!

Lisa H.

A hidden gem! So excited to get fresh made empanadas and especially vegan ones to boot. Only two flavors of this option currently but the Championes (mushroom/cheese) is very flavorful and filling. Several vegetarian as well as the expected meat ones too. Great little cafe - looks like they are set up to do coffee but didn't see a menu for those offerings. Well worth coming in to check them out. Also sell frozen unbaked to take home = I got a couple of those to try but haven't made them yet. Pro-tip -easy to miss the parking lot next door and street parking is challenging.

Kathy L.

I never knew this place even existed and when I was there for an event, I had the opportunity to taste these wonderful handmade Argentinian style empanadas. They are worth the price--flaky crust, packed with filling and so flavorful. There are many choices--beef, chicken, vegetarian, fruit filled and even a breakfast version. If you want to have some for a rainy day, you can purchase frozen ones too--easy to bake, no thawing needed. I bought frozen ones for home--the traditional and the breakfast ones. It's an open space--cafe style, so you can have a coffee, enjoy your empanada or takeaway. Definitely worth checking out--not far from the Costco either.

Keila P.

They have a parking lot on the side of the building which was easy to access. The inside was very neat, clean, and aesthetic. The display case was helpful in generating an idea of what we wanted to order and the staff at the register was very friendly in explaining what her favorite empanada was and making recommendations. We didn't wait long for our food and we ate inside the place. It was amazing! Would definitely return here. Thank you for your hospitality and great food!

Julianne C.

i grabbed some empanadas from the el sur food truck outside fort mason during a craft fair. overall, the quality is really great but i think it's a bit overpriced in my opinion ($8 per empanada). i've tried the mushroom, chicken, and beef and all are solid! i would recommend if you're in the mood for yummy empanadas! hopefully i'll be able to try the brick and mortar location soon!

Inside
Kimberly L.

Omg these are some of the best empanadas I've ever had! The mushroom one was so delicious I had to order another one. It was creamy and savory and the flaky crust was very tasty. I loved how they had a private parking lot and it was a quiet lunch spot with friends! Can't wait to go back.

Delicious empanada

Definitely 5 stars! I have gone to the Menlo Park food trucks and had their empanadas and they were absolutely amazing. I just saw that they now have a store on Middlefield Road. I had a beef empanada and it was delicious. They also have a special with two empanadas and a salad for $17. The flavor and spices were perfect and they were very filling. I took some frozen empanada's home in their take and bake freezer! The owner was telling me they do a lot of catering. I will definitely use them for my next party. They are south of Costco in Redwood city and they have a nice size parking lot so it's easy to get in and get out. I would definitely recommend them and if you haven't tried an empanada before, just come in one time and you will be hooked!

David B.

Are these the best empanadas in the bay area?? The tradicional, pollo and champiñón were all excellent! Friendly staff to help you choose and the place is clean and simple. The alfajores are worth snagging as well

Outside
Navila H.

Come for the empanadas, stay for the chill aesthetic vibes... Right at the base of Potrero Hill, this now brick-and-mortar family business is serving up hot flaky empanadas! There's plenty of street parking and a couple in the immediate lot. Easily accessible by bus as well. Features cafe-style seating proving a great place to meet up and hang out for a glass of wine. Would not come with a group larger than 4. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable; willing to talk through any dietary restrictions. I've honestly tried many of the flavors and can confidently say you can't go wrong! The empanadas are Argentinean style with french culinary flair. This pairing is a perfect harmony for the tasty stuffy and buttery crust. Their meat is locally sourced here in Northern California at Five Dot Ranch and you can taste the love folded into each bite. Fun fact: they first sold these out of a Citroën H-Type van, if you're not familiar look it up!! Great idea for catering too~

See all

4 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marianne D.

Marianne D.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

22 days ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0
Photo of Devi K.
138
382
1819

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 3
Oh no 1

10 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 1

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Tíbor G.
223
311
531

8 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 3

2 years ago

Helpful 6
Thanks 1
Love this 8
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 2
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marianne D.

Marianne D.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

11 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of ali c.
4
49
0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Jenn H.
0
29
12

4 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marianne D.

Marianne D.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Empanadas are so good! I had one for the first time at the Fort Mason night market and I had to go to Redwood City for more

Business owner information

Photo of Marianne D.

Marianne D.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Sandy d.
113
123
126

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 2
Love this 0
Oh no 1

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 1

1 year ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marianne D.

Marianne D.

Thank you for coming and we hope to see you again soon!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Luke S.
1237
1854
511

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marianne D.

Marianne D.

So glad you found us! Hope to see you again soon :)

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of M M.
169
87
25

1 year ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marianne D.

Marianne D.

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of John S.
890
3012
4516

2 years ago

Helpful 5
Thanks 2
Love this 7
Oh no 0
Photo of Beverly D.
206
18
12

2 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marianne D.

Marianne D.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marianne D.

Marianne D.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Elaine Y.
1044
1699
4644

6 years ago

Helpful 13
Thanks 0
Love this 9
Oh no 0
Photo of S F.
13
820
1201

3 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marianne D.

Marianne D.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of michael p.
35
215
109

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of K N.
0
5
2

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 6

El Sur Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - El Sur

Do they ever do bean empanadas? The vegetarian options look like they rely on cheese to make them filling. I would love to try a healthier/heartier vegetarian option.

View All 2 Questions

Cocina Milonga - Apple Almond

Cocina Milonga

4.8(162 reviews)
16.6 mi
•$

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.

Discovered Milonga at the farmers market and so happy I did! Their empanadas are amazing!…read more My husband and I tried the mushroom, potato, tomato and basil, chorizo, beef and pineapple. They were all well balanced, not too salty or sweet, toasted to just the right crispiness, and definitely satisfying. Not to mention the staff were fun and friendly

Photos
Cocina Milonga - Counter & menu

Counter & menu

Cocina Milonga - Empanada

Empanada

Cocina Milonga - Mini Palmiers/Palmeritas

See all

Mini Palmiers/Palmeritas

Espetus - San Mateo

Espetus - San Mateo

4.1(3.3k reviews)
8.5 mi
•$$$$

Been coming to Espetus for years and usually for a special occasion…read more This time, no reason other than we were in the Bay Area and decided to come here since it's been awhile. We made reservations for 7 pm for a Saturday night, checked in at 6:45 pm and were immediately seated. Service is exceptional and the meats came in soon as I put the green bar on the table. Compared to other Brazilian steak places I've been to including the ones in Rio De Janeiro, Espetus is up there. Meats were good.. some more flavorful than others. The one i especially liked was the pork belly so recommend you try it. All the other beef's can sometimes be hard to recall when you get so many on the plate. Soda was about $5.50 for a small bottle so not worth getting. Overall, great experience. My wife enjoyed sharing photos to her insta from here.

I went to Espetus for lunch. The salad bar was good and had rice, beans, feiodada, cheese, salami,…read moresalads. It also had lasagna roll, French firs, fried banana, polenta etc. There were not a lot of meats going around. We had the top sirloin and pineapple a lot but did have to ask for other items. Lunch ended and we did not see much other meats. They brought out chicken wings that we asked for a Parmesan pork. We also saw chicken hearts but that's about it and did not get to try the other meats. The employees were nice and friendly so it's only 3 stars for the meats as sometimes the table was skipped or items just stayed in the back. I have been there many times in both San Francisco and San Mateo for at least 14 years. The ambiance was nice and I lights the lights. The bathroom toilets were mostly dirty and clogged though.

Photos
Espetus - San Mateo - Dining area

Dining area

Espetus - San Mateo - Chicken hearts

Chicken hearts

Espetus - San Mateo - Dining Area

See all

Dining Area

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

3.8(1.8k reviews)
3.0 mi
•$$$$

We had a wonderful experience at Fleming's for a professional dinner event. From the planning…read moreprocess through the evening itself, the team was incredibly accommodating, attentive, and professional. The private dining space was perfect for our group, the service was seamless, and the food was excellent. Our guests felt very well taken care of, which made it easy for us to focus on connecting and enjoying the evening. Everything felt polished and well organized from start to finish. I would absolutely recommend Fleming's for professional dinners, networking events, or special occasions, and we look forward to hosting another event here!

I have sat with making this review for a while and finally decided to do it. First off, I rarely…read morego out to eat, I knew coming here would be pricey, but my husband wanted to try Tomahawk Tuesday. We were seated quickly as it was early. We ordered the tomahawk steak medium well. The salads came out first which was expected. The lag time between finishing our salad and getting the rest of our meal was way too long. As I was sitting there, I looked up to find the lamp shade above us filled with dust. Apparently, they don't clean those. We also had an annoying gnat flying in our face that we kept having to shoo away. When our tomahawk steak came our waiter pointed out how it was not medium well, it was visibly very red and bloody. He asked if we wanted him to take it back, to which we said no because if they had to recook it or cook it all over again that would have been painfully way too long. I ate the pieces that were cooked the most to my liking and took the rest home and cooked it further for lunch the next day. Needless to say I was disappointed with our experience, especially given how much our bill was. I knew the price going in, I didn't know that would get us a dusty lamp shade, bugs, and an undercooked steak.

Photos
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

See all

Telefèric Barcelona - Paella Negra

Telefèric Barcelona

4.1(2.3k reviews)
3.8 mi
•$$$

Met up with the girls for dinner and it was amazing from start to finish…read more We ordered the Paella Negra, Wagyu Empanadas, Salmon Tartare, and Ceviche, and everything was perfectly flavored. Each dish had its own thing going on, and nothing felt like filler. The service was great, and the ambiance hits a sweet spot -- casual enough to feel relaxed, but with a romantic edge that makes it great for a night out. Even on a Monday, the place was packed, so I'd highly recommend making a reservation ahead of time. Telerific Barcelona is a must-visit in Palo Alto. We'll definitely be back!

I came here after many, many years and was greatly disappointed by the way this restaurant is…read moreoperated. We came as a walk-in on Thursday night at around 6:30pm. They told us the wait would be about an hour, which we were OK with because we didn't want to sit at the bar. Instead of putting us on a wait list, the very confused host made a reservation for us at 7:45pm. Odd, but whatever. Eventually we get seated and service is prompt and friendly. When we asked them for a recommendation for the paella, the server couldn't give us any. She asked if we plan to come again in the next month (which we said we don't), and based on that answer, she recommended we get their monthly special. Food came out in about 15-20 minutes. The ham croquettas were amazing, they melted in the mouth. The paella de carne was decent, with some very refreshing chimichurri drops and a perfectly cooked duck confit. If I were rating on food only, I would've given them five stars. Finally, we ask for the check. They bring it and explain that they added 20% gratuity. Slightly annoying that this wasn't communicated upfront, but whatever. And, here's the kicker, they added the gratuity as an item and calculated tax on that gratuity! Who does that!? Super shady practices of operating, or if I give them the benefit of the doubt, total amateurs at how to run a restaurant. I recommend to avoid it if possible.

Photos
Telefèric Barcelona - Gin Tonic Drink Refreshing Cocktail at Telefèric Barcelona

Gin Tonic Drink Refreshing Cocktail at Telefèric Barcelona

Telefèric Barcelona - Grilled Salmon

Grilled Salmon

Telefèric Barcelona - Salmon Tartare

See all

Salmon Tartare

El Sur - argentine - Updated October 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...