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    La Farola Empanadas

    4.7 (453 reviews)
    ModerateEmpanadas, Argentine
    Open 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order La Farola Empanadas Takeout or Delivery

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    LA FAROLA EMPANADAS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - La Farola Empanadas

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    Outside
    Paloma O.

    I have been meaning to try La Farola's empanadas and I finally came around to it. I tried two chicken and two beef flavored ones. My sister got the spicy ones in the same flavor. The location has plenty of parking and walking in, the location seemed very clean. I also got a delicious cheese pastry as I waited for my empanadas to be ready. When they came out, they were perfectly baked, and had a side of chimichuri sauce which was lemon-y and perfect. We sat and ate our empanadas there and the business was pretty busy on the Sunday afternoon. I would definitely tey the empanadas and other plates they serve as the people next to us had them and they looked delicious!

    Cafe' Con Leche with Alfajor
    Lulu T.

    Located across the street, towards the side of the "Veterinary Emergency Group" on Adams and Harbor is an Argentinian Cafe named "La Farola" beside Gotcha Tea. La Farola serves up authentic foods of their country from Beef, Chicken Empanadas to Alfajor cookies (powdered caramel melt in your mouth cookies) served well with a Cafe Con Leche. I suggests ordering this for a Holiday Dessert! I have taken this for Thanksgiving and everyone's eyes lit up and they came and asked "where did you get these!" That should tell you a lot. But bring coffee to go with it! Lolz Their Empanadas don't need to be made spicy, unless you want to self-cool your tongue. Their Empanadas are good already. Their Manager, "Jaoquin" is a delight both in personality and service. Plus, he looks like a model! This place has small cafe tables that would seat 12 people, 2 each and a bar area for 4-5 people. Additionally, they cater, so order a hit dessert. Definitely worth it to come by for food or just a hot Cafe with Alfajor. Customer service is what makes you return to a food establishment aside from the food. I applaud Joaquin because his customer service truly gives people a good experience. Thanks Joaquin! Lastl, if you are served by the shorter man, expect him to have a dry, serious and emotion-less based personality. A few people have mentioned his personality to be uninviting when you go in, just order your foods and realize it isn't you. He is just a calm and serious person. Don't take it personal! Come in for the food and you won't regret it!

    Pastelito
    Raven R.

    This is a cozy place in Costa Mesa! I stumbled into it while craving something sweet after lunch. The staff is very friendly and answered my questions. I ordered a box of alfajores and a pastelito. Alfajores- The shortbread is light, buttery, and crumbly. The caramel filling is rich and creamy. Such a perfect bite! Pastelito- The pastry is delicate and flaky. You get a custard filling that is creamy with a hint of vanilla Finished with a dollop of rich caramel. Tasty! Great experience overall!

    Leeza D.

    Baked empanadas! I grabbed the saltena which is one of their most popular and it has beef, potatoes, peppers and onions. My bowling teammates loved them and it's a great snack. Casual. Indoor seating. Good parking. Good service. Please come and create your own adventure.

    Mari F.

    Amazing Argentinian bakery spot and the best spot for freshly baked, flavor packed empanadas / pastries !! The employees are so nice and welcoming ! The place is very clean and organized , with lots of selections to choose from which I love the variety. My favorite is the beef empanada , with a Brazilian guanaba soda and a pastry of course to end my meal off the right way!

    Baked goods
    Tina L.

    Spinach empanada was good with chimichurri sauce and the side hot sauce you can add if you dine in. Would've wanted more of a cheesy pull though but relatively quick service. Need to try the other flavors and baked goods. Several tables available and a TV making this a cozy casual place. Parking is bit difficult with a full lot on a weekend.

    Kaloni S.

    I stumbled upon this place as I was stopping by the spa in the same plaza. There is plenty of parking available in the lot. The restaurant itself is pretty small. It has 4 tables inside and 4 bar stools for bar seating. The service was quick and staff were very friendly. They offer bottled beverages and have a wide variety of options on their menu from sandwiches, pizza, desserts, and their empanadas. Definitely worth a try if you're in the area. Food review: I only ordered empanadas to try this time, but I will definitely be back again to try more menu items. My top 2 are definitely the Arab and Spicy Saltena. The chimichurri here is AMAZING. I wish I would've ordered a second one, it just wasn't enough for all 4 of the empanadas. Arab: (5/5) Omg! When I took the first bite my tastebuds exploded. Flavors are amazing, it came out nice and hot, and the texture was great. I'd definitely order this one again and again. Chicken: (4/5) This one is pretty good, but nothing spectacular. I'd pass and try a different one next time. Spicy Saltena: (5/5) This one is definitely in the top 3 as well. The flavors are amazing, it's stew like? Idk. Whatever it is was delicious and wasn't too spicy. Pepperoni: (3/5) This one was OK. It tastes exactly like pepperoni and cheese, but I could've gone without this one.

    Mini alfajores = just ok, was hoping to get the regular-sized ones
    Laura H.

    Went in hoping to snag some alfajores, but they were sold out. Ended up with a container of smaller-sized ones that were supposedly "the same thing" but basically mini and rolled in coconut shavings. However, I think they were too doughy or shortbready for my liking, and I was missing the oomph of the sweet filling that alfajores are known for having. I also tried a pepperoni empanada. At $4, it seemed so small, but it was a satisfying and surprisingly filling savory snack. I loved the melty cheese and salty pepperoni. The friendly lady who helped me at the register told me my empanada was going to be made fresh, so I just waited about 10 minutes at one of the few tables inside. Not sure if all empanadas are made to order, though. The interior is very casual. I can see La Farola being a solid spot to grab a quick lunch. It's located in a very unassuming white building with dark windows. No issues with parking in the lot.

    Milanesa clásica, una delicia
    Roxanna L.

    Muy rica milanesa, es cómo comer en casa! Sabor casero! Delicioso El servicio es excelente cómo siempre

    Arcadia W.

    You absolutely HAVE to check out this place! My friends and I were SO hyped to finally try it after seeing all the rave reviews, and let me tell you, they weren't kidding. The food is seriously delicious - authentic and flavorful, the kind that makes you want to lick the plate clean (almost!). It's super casual - you seat yourselves - and the food comes out perfectly cooked. We were a group of six, and the whole meal only cost us $75! Can you believe it? Where else can you get a fantastic meal for six people for that price? The empanadas were an absolute highlight - so bursting with flavor! I'm already planning my next visit.

    Onions & Cheese - Spicy
    Katarina O.

    Wowwwww seriously no complaints. Got there 3 piece empanada meal, with Caprese, Mushroom & cheese, and Spicy Onion & cheese. The spicy was too spicy for me but the other two were delicious!! Hot and fresh, with a bunch of cheese. Service was quick. Cute small local place- will be going back

    4 empanadas (1 spicy chicken, 1 chimi cheese, 1 Arab, and 1 spicy beef) and 1 Chimichurri
    Isaac L.

    Amazing Empanadas and Even Better Chimichurri! La Farola is an absolute gem if you're looking for authentic, delicious Argentinian empanadas. We got four to eat there and four to-go-every single one was packed with flavor and cooked perfectly. We tried the Arab, Spicy Beef, Spicy Chicken, Salteña, and Chimi Cheese. They were all really good, but the Arab empanada was definitely the standout-so flavorful and unique. The chimichurri sauce they serve with the empanadas was incredible too-seriously next-level and the perfect pairing. Whether you're dining in or grabbing some to-go, La Farola delivers quality, authentic flavors that will have you coming back for more. Can't recommend it enough!

    Insidr
    Cat N.

    La Farola is a cute little dining spot that offers one of the best empanadas in the area. It is my preferred spot to go get empanadas in Costa Mesa. Not only do they offer delicious empanadas of all different flavors but they also offer a full menu here. La Farola has sandwiches, pizzas, and pastas. All of which are just done right here. The owner is super nice and very helpful. The food may take a little time but it is worth the wait. The last time I came here was to pick up a few empanadas. They had over 17 types of empanadas. Our favorite was the Saltena, which included ground beef, potatoes, onion and red peppers. It was recommended by the owner and she was right because I was about to not get it. Empanadas are $3.75 each or $42 for a dozen. We got 3 and paid about $13 total and it came with a small chimichurri sauce and a hot sauce. They were good. The inside is smaller but there are some tables and chairs for you to enjoy your food. It's casual but cute. We would love to come back.

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    4 months ago

    Best empanadas I've ever had. I have eaten here for several years and every time I've had it its been the best.

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    La Farola Empanadas Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - La Farola Empanadas

    With COVID going on right now, do you guys still accept cash payments?

    Yes , we do!

    Do you serve Bolivian style empanadas?

    Hello! Thank you for visiting our site! Our Empanadas are Argentinian style . I was told that our… Read more

    Are you offering your full menu yet? If not what's the ETA?

    Hello! Thank you for your interest. Yes, we are offering full menu. Hope to see you soon.

    How big are the empanadas? Would three even feed a grown man?

    If a grown man = normal BMI, then absolutely! If you are not too hungry 2 might be enough. If a grown man = big guy, then 3 will be good if you are not super hungry.… Read more

    Do they have Vegan options?

    Unfortunately we do not.

    Do they accept Bitcoin Cash payments?

    Unfortunately we do not.

    View All 12 Questions

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    La Farola Empanadas - empanadas - Updated May 2026

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