We pride ourselves in sourcing from responsible farms, organic meat, free-range poultry and mostly locally sourced produce to share our roots and culture with our community. Its a fusion between the cultures that we grew up in; inspired in South America with a California twist.
Based on 423 reviews, the restaurant has received a rating of 4.8 stars. Price $
✔️ Dine-in ✔️ Curbside pickup ✔️ No-contact delivery
Address:
724 E Haley St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Phone: (805) 679-3320
Social Profile: 
Hours
| Friday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Saturday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Sunday | 11 AM–4 PM |
| Monday
(Labor Day)
|
Closed |
| Tuesday | 11 AM–8 PM |
| Wednesday | 11 AM–8 PM |
| Thursday | 11 AM–8 PM |
Menu
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Menu Photos
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Reviews
Claudia Rasi
Very good empanadas. I especially enjoyed the carnitas empanada and the spinach and cheese one, while I did not like the chicken empanada very much.
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Cristina Carrillo
Ordered a half dozen empanadas, the arugula salad and the chimi papas. Out of all 6, my partner and I agreed the Quinoa one was the star of the show. Don’t get me wrong, they were all so amazing but that one topped them. Salad was fresh and delicious, papas were crispy and so flavorful. Service was great, our server was friendly and so attentive.
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Marina T
The only downside is the parking, on a busy day. Everything else is 5 stars! Such great service and the food… we stopped by 2 days in a row on our two day trip to SB. The empanadas are crazy delicious and filling. Perfect to grab for a beach snack. So happy that we discovered this adorable place.
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Becca McInally
Delicious, affordable, and so many options for empanada fillings! We got the half dozen and some chimi papas, and it was more than enough for two people. Will come back if I’m in the area again!
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Ana Thompson
“Buena Onda”!!
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Mark Y
How did I live here so long without knowing about this gem? They have a wide selection of tasty morsels and the prices aren’t bad. We sat outside in the pleasant patio area and tried a variety of empanadas and every single one of them was delicious.
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Flying Rook
❤❤❤ WOW! Just wow! Hands down the best empanadas that we have had and probably the sweetest restaurant of our current road trip! The staff are all so friendly and helpful! And the empanadas??? NEXT LEVEL!!! Lots of options for vegan and vegetarian food too! My son and I both indulged and had the 3 empanada and side dish plate! We both opted for the chimi papas with a spicy aioli… delicious on there own. But the empanadas? SUBLIME!!! We tried 6 different varieties and all of them were stellar! I loved the humati empanada – a seasonal specialty with sweet corn, caramelized onions and scallions! They are handcrafted on site with the freshest and finest ingredients! I peeked into the kitchen on a bathroom visit… I can’t say enough nice things about this place. The owner is Argentinian and knows his empanadas. Also their chimichurri sauce is nearly perfect! We were stuffed but picked up a dessert empanada for the road: goat cheese and fig! Nuff said! Don’t miss this place!!! 6 stars out 5!
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Tony Trimmer
We decided to do a day trip from Orange County to Santa Barbara and the first stop was going to be lunch. After the miserable drive in bumper to bumper traffic this first stop for lunch had better be amazing to save the day and it was. I’ve only had empanadas a few times in my life but I really like them. This restaurant can easily be missed driving through this neighborhood. Everything about it is very cute and relaxing. We ordered some chicken empanadas and some carne empanadas. We also ordered a side of little potatoes. To be honest, the potatoes were nothing special to us. The carne empanadas were amazing. They were about as good as I’ve ever had. The chicken, not so much. They were a little plain and could have used some kind of a sauce inside. The carne made up for them for sure though. Next time I come to Santa Barbara this will probably be on my food itinerary as well.
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Stacie Aptin
5 stars all around. Empanadas were off the charts good. We tried several (Carne, Gaucho, Espinaca, Hongo, Caprese, and Vegana). My daughter is vegetarian and they had so many delicious options. The empanadas were crispy on the outside and well filled. We got the meal and the potatoes were crispy and flavorful. The ambiance of sitting outside made for a perfect evening. We enjoyed our meal so much we went back the next day to purchase a dozen frozen to take home with us.
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Becca Samson
Buena Onda catered our party at Paradise Springs and from the start of planning to last bite at the event, it was perfect! The staff at the event were so friendly, on time, attended all guests and details with care. The food was fresh, delicious and a perfect addition to our event. I would absolutely work with them again and hope you have the chance to taste their food!
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