La Maja Empanada — Restaurant in Redwood City

I'm not much on reviews but the experience I had here was bad enough that I feel compelled to talk about it. My wife and I arrived to Venga last week while we were on our way SFO. The trip was initially met with a lot of fanfare since I had been reading reviews on this place, and as a result, we were very excited to try Venga's offerings. I really wish I hadn't because it left a lot to be desired.

Upon entering, we were the only patrons in the restaurant (already a bad sign) and we were not greeted at all. A simple "hello" would have sufficed, I'm not asking for anyone to treat me like royalty when I walk in but the woman at the counter clearly couldn't care less. We asked a couple of questions about the menu regarding their cold items and she just motioned over to their refrigerator. We selected a spinach salad, lentil soup and a drink from the fridge and I ordered two empanadas. It was absolutely mind boggling to me that both the empanadas and the soup needed to be warmed up and were not freshly prepared.

The empanadas themselves were relatively bland and if I'm being completely candid, almost resembled a taste like a microwave burrito. The salad was fine and the lentil soup just served as filler. The combination of the service and the food pretty much sealed it for me. I wanted to like this place because people seemed high on it but it just didn't do it for me.

Edit to owner's reply: I was here on March 22, 2023 around right around 4:30 PM. There was a younger woman working the...

La Maja Café – Redwood City

Out of all the options in Redwood City, this place feels like a little oasis — somewhere you can pause, relax, and disconnect from the hectic downtown energy. The background music sets the mood perfectly: not loud, but with rhythm and variety. I’ve even discovered new artists here — today it was Rastafarian Mariachi — which made the experience even more fun.

The food is consistently fresh, and I especially appreciate the way each empanada is stamped with a letter to identify the filling. It makes group orders so easy — “S” for Spinach, “M” for Mushroom, “C” for Chicken — no mix-ups, no guessing. Two empanadas make an excellent, satisfying lunch, and you can pair them with a nice selection of coffees or teas, made to order.

The seating is comfortable and thoughtfully designed — from woven chairs with pillows to high bar stools both indoors and outdoors. Even the restroom area has a decor and is very clean!

Yes, prices have gone up everywhere, but I’d still rather pay $12 here for a fresh, wholesome lunch than the same price for a single dessert slice elsewhere in RC.

I’ll definitely keep coming back — and I absolutely recommend you...

I used to really enjoy going here; the soups are very good, and the empanadas so comforting. The fillings always taste homemade and they’re a great item for takeout. My favorites are the gaucho chicken and the chorizo, though all the cheese ones are also good. But there are a few reasons why it’s gone downhill: -It’s super expensive now - for six empanadas it’s almost $40 which just doesn’t make sense for fast casual (you need about three for a meal) -The service has gotten much worse. The young woman who was working there today kept her airpods in and talked on the phone for a personal call with her friend the entire time she was serving me and kept not hearing what I was saying. Then she did not write any reheating instructions on the box, or write on the box top which empanadas had which filling, which the lady there always does.

If you’ve never had empanadas it’s worth a try at least once, but because of the price and the service I don’t think I will make it a regular thing. The ambiance isn’t great with fluorescent lighting so if you do go, I...