Cafe Buenos Aires Berkeley

Used to love patronizing this establishment but the ownership has changed and it’s quite obvious in the service and product.

I’m occasionally sent incentives and coupons and made an attempt to use one today (10% off purchase) but was rudely denied by the cashier. I asked if the coupon could be honored this last time since I wasn’t made aware of the ownership change or that incentives were no longer honored (despite being sent out via email less than 10 days ago).

The cashier refused me. With that said I went to Julio 9 Empanada Kitchen in Temescal instead.

I find the poor service and refusal to honor a measly 10% discount to be unethical, greedy and ghastly. I’ve supporting this business from day one and will no longer do so. I recommend any readers to follow suit. What a shame.

Service: 1

Love love love all their empanadas ! Ask for extra hot cuz they often get served warm. Just don’t burn your mouth! The drinks are mostly made with a powdered packet which is fine but underwhelming. I appreciate the vibes and kind staff! Great location for co working and spending hours on their wifi haha

Very average empanadas to say the least.

Good point was the young worker there who was attentive and welcoming.

After an exceptionally hard and frustrating morning I happened to wander in this cafe looking for a small coffee to help brighten my mood. I’m new to the area and have had some trouble settling in. What I was met with this morning went far beyond my expectations. I spoke to a very kind gentleman at the front who was very quick to offer genuine kind words and an ear to listen if I needed. The kindness I found here was exactly what I needed today. I came for a coffee but left feeling a little lighter. Thank you for creating such a warm atmosphere ;)
(also the food is delicious)

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Went here a long while back (December 2022, midway through finals week). I injured myself a week before while running (tripped and fell bad; had some ugly scrapes on concrete), so I was practically limping everywhere I went. I definitely limped by way to this place, picked up some empanadas, and went home. 100% worth it! Great breakfast!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Been meaning to visit for so long and it’s a bummer how mid it really is. Coffee was genuinely so bad I hate to say it. Empanadas were definitely not the “best in the bay” 😂 they were just ok. Great great service tho they do a great job. Not the cafes fault but keep in mind sketchy people and/or tweakers might be inside staring at you. Cool concept tho!

solid empanadas, and you order at the counter.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Humita, Spinach Feta Empanada

Bad customer service

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 2

Service: 1

Food was great, service was great and friendly, however we were given incorrect food allergy information. We were told that there were no nuts in anything but the rugelach clearly did and someone in our party had an anaphylactic allergic reaction to it. This is extremely dangerous and everyone should be aware so that this doesn't happen again.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 2

Great space to come and sit for a few hours. The traffic going by outside just myake you enjoy the time you get to take inside this charming cafe. Empanadas are good and they even have some vegan and vegetarian options.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

So much filling I loooove it

Just tried the chicken & nopal empanadas…..SO GOOD!! Packed with flavor and filling. 🙌🏻 I liked how the actual masa (outer flour coating) is not thick but rather thin making the empanada balanced. I need to go back and get more, i’m obsessed!! Also note, they’re not greasy - most empanadas are deep friend and I like how these aren’t!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

Great coffee - humble service!

Kid-friendliness: The place doesn’t mind having kids in pram/ stroller inside. However there’s also space to sit outdoors.

Stopped by this cafe as I was intrigued by their selection of empanadas. They all sounded SO tasty, but I opted to go for the beef empanada and the spinach/feta empanada. Both were really good but the spinach/feta was incredible — everything tasted so fresh, and love that this empanada had such a thin flaky crust with a nice bite to it on the edges. The dipping sauce was a nice touch and spiced it up which was very addicting. The cafe itself has plenty of space for seating and the service was nice and friendly. I definitely think this will be my new go to spot for empanadas… I got to try them all eventually!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Terrific cafe. Excellent service, lots of tables next to windows plus outdoor seating. Quick service, delicious drink. Good WiFi and fun decor. Wish I had more time to spend here

Dietary restrictions: Non-dairy milks

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5