Catalina's Supermarket

Many things in this market is either overpriced or doesn't even have a price tag. Countless things that I wanted to buy but didn't because they didn't show a price and I'm one of those shoppers that does the math when I shop. If I don't know the prices I'm not going to waste time bringing stuff to the register to only find out that the items are overpriced and I don't want them or something. Other than that, the employees are friendly. The place is always clean.

Best empanadas in LA. Happened to be Catalina’s adjacent last week. Couldn’t resist stopping by to pick up an empanada assortment for a meeting later on. You can call first, if you like, but I hadn’t expected to be nearby. After placing order for a couple each of de carne & de espinaca con queso, I waited in their cafe. They make these treats to order. I’ve patronized the deli/empanada section for years. My empanadas were delicious. Check out the mercado, too. There are hard to find mate drinks, a super butcher shop. (When I’m feeling super rich, el carnicero prepares the best filet mignon.) There’s Argentinian fare like matambre @ deli. Free parking behind mercadito.

Always delicious empanadas! Market sells a variety of groceries from central and South America. Their selection of Argentinian delights is bountiful as well. Been coming here since I was a child. Though it has been remodeled their selections and quality remains the same. Sausages, chimichuri, sandwiches!!! Yummy!!

besides this place being convenient, they have the best empanadas! my favorite would be the corn and cheese and the chicken. they sell cakes and pastries too. they have a little eating area. the place is clean, parking is convenient and their prices are worth it. they have all latino and hispanic foods, ingredients etc. love it. been going here for years.

This neat market has a variety of options for produce, meat and pastries! Friendly staff and spacious parking! :)

The beef empanadas seem to be made with spam instead of ground beef, and no matter how much you season, the taste of spam is very strong. Other than that personal opinion, overall the store hasn't been the same since the original owner passed away.

Good choice of food, but mostly mexican products.

Smaller supermarket with great prices and hot food available! Empanadas are pretty good. Parking is also very nice, they have their own lot where the door to the market is. Super busy area but the parking lot situation makes it so much easier to shop here. Definitely coming back for the hot food!

I can't believe I'm barely discovering this place! Where have I been?! I feel disappointed in myself as an Argentinian for not finding this place sooner lol This little market is truly a treasure . Authentic imported Argentinian goods at a reasonable price, delicious, empanadas, good quality sandwiches de miga and good quality meats. The bakery is delicious and has a wide variety of pastries, little pansitos, hot sandwiches, and empanadas. They also have fresh bread! I highly recommend Next time I'll take some pictures of the empanadas

Solid. Every flavor of empanada. Fried is definitely better, but sometimes we try to be a little healthier and get the baked... but you know... fried. Only thing is you have to remember to ask for the chimichurri sauce. They don't just give it to you whether you order 3 or a dozen. I wish they were open late cause this would be an amazing light night snack. Also, the bolillos are baked super fresh and super soft right there. Great for sandwiches!

Delicious sandwiches and amazing empanadas Great little market has been around for many years

A small little market in Hollywood but they have everything you need, including a wide selection of yerba maté. Some of their deli foods are good as well too.

Loved going here! Cheap prices. Lovely bakery. They have the best chorizo empanada. I will always go back here if ever i will be in LA! nice staff too. Can see hollywood sign right outside the shop. Love the meat choices too.

Parking: available/free Side story: Been going to this family-owned, authentic spot since I was in the womb! I remember it before it was remodeled :) The entrances are a pain the butt because the carts need to go through the exit, but their food is BOMB. This market place has the best Latin American foods ranging from Argentina to Peru. Food: The deli has great empanadas and sandwiches de miga! You can't forget the chimichurri sauce!! :P These are great appetizers! I just wish they had more gluten free and dairy free options, but my family LOVES this spot. My brother loves to get Inca Cola from here. COVID-19: They're taking it seriously. It can get crowded at times. So, be careful. Overall, they have hand sanitizer and masks on!

Hidden inside is a bakery that have Cuban/Argentinian style pastries, empanadas, hot and cold sandwiches and French fries. Also have Rotisserie chicken and fresh baguettes. Service is prompt and they have a few small cafe tables but it's ambiance is a market. Parking can be a challenge in the back but best bang for your money

Came by to pick up some goodies for the Argentina Brazil game last week and enjoyed several items from here! Their sandwiches de miga were tasty. Had both their ham and cheese and mixed variety pack. Enjoyed both. Also liked their baguettes. From the deli we tried their Muenster Cheese, Mortadella w/ Pistachios and the Beef Matambre (Argentinian Stuffed Flank Steak). The matambre was delicious though a bit pricey (about $17 bucks a pound). The muenster was decent but did not enjoy the mortadella. For sweets we grabbed some white chocolate alfajors (Alfa Pampa) and a big tub of dulce de leche (Serenisima). Both delicious. We grabbed some heart of palms that we dip in salsa golf (mayo+ketchup) from a jar. I wouldn't get these again because they were pricey ($9) for the quality. Tasted the same as the much cheaper canned ones. Also picked up some Jamaica powder that was good (Klass) to make some Jamaica for those too lazy to brew their own (like myself). They were sold out of most of their empanadas when we came by (only had corn, which I didn't want to try). We'll have to pick some up another time. All in all, a great spot to stop in for some tasty Argentine goodies! On this last visit I didn't spot any of the morcilla dulce but they may have just been sold out. Hopefully I can pick some up next time! Pros: + Mr Tango: Morcilla Dulce Argentina (frozen) + Sandwiches de miga (ham and cheese, mix) + Baguettes + Beef matambre (deli) + Serenisima dulce de leche + Alfa Pampa White Chocolate Alfajors + Klass Jamaica Cons: - Mortadella w/ pistachios - Heart of Palm (pricey, weren't better than canned)

Catalina market has been my go to market for Argentinean groceries and meats. I've been going there since the early 2000s before their renovation. I highly recommend the pan de miga sándwiches, empanadas crudas and pan Argentino. Our family also always gets morcillas, mollejas, and asado amongst many other items. With a full-blown carnicería and panaderia in the same building...they're my one-stop shop for all my Gaucho necessities.

Brazilian staples on aisle 1 - farinha, batata palha, guaraná, goiabada pão de queijo e mais!

Catalina's is an Argentine and pan Latin American market south of the Mexican border. Rather large market considering most markets of this genre are small mom &/or pop operations. There is a limited parking lot adjacent. Bought the Argentine Empanadas which are similar to the English meat pies & are ubiquitous in Australia & New Zealand. Just as meat pies were handed down to the British colonies, there seems to be empanadas of some sort in most former colonies of Spain including the Philippines. The Empanadas Argentinas left under heat lamps have a very thin two layer millefeuille like pastry enclosing: 1) Ricotta style cheese & spinach which I liked the best. 2) Shredded white chicken breast meat simmered in light tomato sauce. 3) Ground beef, dIced onion in its own juices. The chicken & beef lacked being cooked in a rIch fond de cuisine broth so there was little meaty Umami. I find the chicken empanada at nearby Valerio Pilipino bakery is a more flavourful alternative although it is of a different style. However, Catalina's empanadas beats the dry, chalky, tastless empanadas sold at Empanadas Place in West L.A. Don't eat them after they cool off or are cold from being stored in the refrigerator since they will taste extra bland. Place empanada in a microwave for about 30 seconds to warm up the interior then place in the toaster oven to crisp up the pastry covering for about two minutes. I found that the warmed empanada has more pleasing aromatics and texture. The Chorizo Argentino looked excellent in the refrigerated meat case. Unusual to see sausages that have a continuous string that ties off the ends of the sausages. Meat inside is chunky although there is also visible fat here & there. They look a bit like Salsiccia Italiana/Italian sausage but without the fennel seeds. I cooked the Chorizo Argentino in the microwave under a dish covering to keep the moisture enclosed while cooking. Great sausage that is meaty with a light chaw. Most of the fat drained out. Seasoning is a large dose of garlic, bit of black pepper, perhaps sweet marjoram & sage. This sausage is worth going out of the way to purchase. Looked at their advertising newspaper. Good deals such as zucchini for 33¢ per lb, potatoes for 15¢ per lb, granny smith apples at 50¢ per lb, most favourful La Fortaleza Totopos for $1.99, medium eggs for $1.25 per dozen, etc. Go-to-market for those seeking food products that are more oriented away from the large numbers of Mexican markets and towards the South American & Central America arena. 3+ Yelp stars.

Whoa walked in and Security Guard told me to put my purse by the door in a wood slot by bagging area! Longtime customer no mas.

Found most of the peruvian things I was looking for but could not find (definitely harder out here than in the east coast) plus they have argentinian sandwiches and empanadas

Went to this market after 4yrs for the Choripan.... And I'm damn glad I did.... WOW!!!! After watching the Netflix special of Street Foods and saw the Famous Argentinian I had to rush out and get one... I walked out of that store with $40 in goods... Check them out, the empanadas are good too and the best one for me is the Pollo...

I was looking for some Peruvian and Argentinian products. Found everything I was looking for easily in Catalina's. Free parking available

This place sucks, employees pretend not to know English so they won't help you and quite frankly the customer service sucks the cashiers are always nice but that's about it

I love this place! Their empanadas have been a frequent member of our dinning life for my family. It's one of the only markets that I can find South American products which always makes my belly happy. They have parking if you go through the alley and there's always plenty of it so no need to drive around. On top of all that, they're not over priced like all the rest of the markets around the area. They have a great selection of wine which also feeds my soul! I hope they stay around forever....with all the businesses closing and not reopening, this would be a huge loss for the community. Catalinas has been in our community for years. Check them out, the have produce and you can treat yourself with some empanadas or a delicious milanesa sandwich while you shop.

I came to America in 1989, my brother took me to this place to do market, the Argentinian sausages are so good, it's been 33 years still like to go and buy some , good selection of wines , oh my god , I tried one it's call trapiche, is a must try!!! Food excellent , I'm going today for Yerba mate, I hope is open if in LA , try their food , is amazing:)

This market is EVERYTHING! I always make sure to get the empanadas, Cuban sandwiches, home-made salsa, Cuban bread and crackers - and all of the desserts!! There is even parking!

been coming here before they remodeled it and damn idk how my raza supports this place my crema came out sour to a point where it felt expired but then again I had family Members who worked at this market and they would tell me about the sketchy and scandalous stuff this Argentinians manager would do, who changes expiration labels on the cremas and queso so sad who knows if they still do this maybe even worse , try something new mi gente no se dejen!!

Stopped in to grab some Argentinian, Spanish, Guatemalan sausages and decided to try some new fruits while I was at it. They had a decent sized meat market and foods you can't find everywhere. More on the Latin side. Looking forward to trying them! The fish market was decent but we couldn't find red snapper.

Pay attention at the meat department!! The Gentleman that work there where sweeping and scratching their heads and had the nerve to be touching the meats... when I asked 1 of them to plsss change their gloves before touching my chicken he got upset.. like Bruhh u serious right now. Walked right out.. totally disgusted....

I won't buy meat or seafood here anymore. The fish are old and dry, shrimp stink rotten and the beef any thing but fresh. It is sad to see this market that at a time was a great place to shop go down this way. Villalobos Market is further away for me but worth the drive.

Dear Natalie and Catalina management, Your empanadas are that delicious that I'd re-consider returning to your fabulous family-owned business. I'd need to know how your phone-in orders have been updated, what do I need to do so that my order is ready upon arrival? I'd love, besides the empanadas, to bring the GF's down for a cafe y una media luna. You're a secret "fun" destination & I want you to value me as a customer. 1/05/2020 Natalie! 8:20 AM: I called the Market, pressed 106 for the Cafe & Deli. You don't have your act together for a pleasurable customer experience. My call went straight to voicemail. I left my message pleading that someone return my call. I wanted to place an order for 3 dozen empanadas. My voicemail message was never returned. I went to East Hollywood's Armenian bakery, Pabellón, instead. I was able--Natalie, can you imagine?--to place my order for their empanadas online! The pastries are incredible & thewait staff are friendly! My order was ready when I arrived. What would Beyoncé do? She'd say, "Thank you, Jesus" 1/12/2020 Diana, the manager of Café Catalina's, phoned to smoke the peace pipe. We both inhaled. I put her on speaker. I performed my sun salutation & my downward swan flapping. Diana is truly sorry. I'm finding that Catalina's does, in fact, have cute marketing labels they should have affixed to my empanadas boxes. Staff just didn't bother to slap the stickers on. Thereby ensued awkward incident involving my being charged what SNAP clients receive for free, a stamped bag saying "Catalina's: best empanadas in LA!" Yes, they are. But customer service is slacking off. I pray for Catalina's redemption in round 3. I will again attempt the "empanada run." Place a phone order successfully. Drive down to secret parking in your colonia. Hope my order is ready & that the boxes have your cute labels stuck on. This would say, "I weathered a new hood. I found their estacionamiento. I brought you Catalina's because I ca 2/2/2020: Diana rocked this! She & Catalina's best empanadas ever were 1) ready after placing phone order on Super Bowl Sunday! 2) offered up with courtesy & respect! Go here!

Love this market for the upstanding family and authentic Argentinian cuisine. Their empanadas are delicious and I will be coming back for more. I'm gonna be a regular here and I'll always leave with at least a case of Guarana. Support this local family business.

Clean market with great selection of South American chorizo's but the staff is extremely rude and clearly doesn't care about providing decent customer service. I came specifically for the Argentine chorizo, which did not disappoint. However, the butcher/deli area had some of the rudest employees I've come across. They would purposely ignore or give you attitude for whatever reason.

We bought a few dozen tapas to make empanadas but they were pretty bad quality. They were so dry that the dough was falling apart while forming the empanadas. It almost seemed like these were a few weeks old. My family and I have been coming here for years so wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt and hope they'd make it better by replacing them. Unfortunately when I called they had an attitude and refused to replace them. I'm pretty disappointed and will have to look elsewhere from now on.

This market has a decent selection of Latin American and Spanish goods with mostly reasonable prices. The deli is nothing special and you can get a free Argentine empanada with Yelp Check-in. They do have good prices on produce. Some favorites from Argentina (alfajores, mantecol) are not cheaper than on Amazon.com. Great shopping for Central Americans.

Best place for Argentinian groceries. Also has Great Argentinian Sausage. Very fresh meats. Also, good selection of mineral salt.

Catalina's has the widest variety of South American products I could find in LA, especially from the Argentinian market (which I must say was very hard to come across with in 2 years of being here). Great prices too!

Thank GOD for this place. All Latin food and products. And argentinian! Im so happy!!!!

The date of this update is April 6, 2017. I stopped by Catalina's Market to buy some empanadas to take home with me. The empanadas sold for $1.75 each or $19.00 a dozen. That's over 25% price increase over the last time I bought them. I wish my salary would have gone up by 25% in year. As good as the empanadas are here, I decided to forego on purchasing any. There are ample of recipes for Argentinian, Peruvian and South American Latin empanadas on the Internet so I will make my own. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The date of the review is June 29, 2016. A friend of mine recommended I go to Catalina's for some good empanadas. I was not disappointed at all. I ordered two dozens of assorted empanadas. When I got home all was consumed within an hour. The empanadas sell for $1.35 each or $15.00 a dozen. The empanadas had a thin crust and you can taste the stuffing instead of tasting only dough. I also bought a can of Aji Amarillo paste that I used to make the dressing for the BBQ chicken (Crema de Ají). The store manager (she) who assisted me was extremely cordial and helpful. She was very friendly with me. Parking could be tricky. They have their own parking lot but it is not obvious how to get there. To enter their parking lot, one has to go through an alley from Santa Monica Blvd. Today, I was lucky to find street parking on Western Avenue. It's $1.00 per hour. Overall, a great grocery market that carries a variety of Central and South American ethnic foods.

My family loves the empanadas here, but the service at the cafe, located in the market,is lacking. Tonight, I was waiting before another customer, and the employee went to the other person, and I know she saw me arrive before. Also, I called in an order and I arrived before the time, and her tone implied I shouldn't have done this. They need to improve the professionalism of their employees since there are various places for consumers to buy empanadas. Otherwise people who've been coming here for 20 plus years will move on.

Más, más mate Delicious yerba máte. Most máte El Ay.

I sent a friend to buy me a dozen of empanadas, he got 9 pieces only, we paid twelve, my friend went back with receipt and product, they didn't gave me the 3 missing empanadas, my friend bought me the other 3, at the store he was told they will check cameras, but never asked for any phone number, they're loosing a good costumer. Poor costumer service. Not coming back ever neither my family.

So glad Catalina's Market is open again. It was so nice to see Michelle and Candace. I love the new bakery and deli counter.

Changed reviews to 5 stars as mgmt handled my complaint with no issues. Brought wine back. I have been here 2xs and the empanadas were great. Bought a $14 bottle of Los Haroldos 2011 Chardonnay and it was terrible. Very highly rated on my Vivino app and a store employee recommended it as well. Must have been poorly stored because it tasted awful and moldy and we had to toss. If I didn't throw it out, I would have and should have brought it back.

For the Butcher Shop: the worst quality meat ever. Purchased 8 short ribs (asado) and more than half was fat. Not to mention 2 of the 8 were spoiled and had to throw away. Never coming back here for meat. They used to be good. Sad.

The staff is rude, all I wanted was to shop for food and a couple of groceries and was harassed by 3 employees about leaving my purse at the front door, I'm sorry but I'm not going to just leave my bag so when something happens to it you tell me "we are not responsible for items getting lost!" I've always come to shop here before carrying the same bag!!!!! And never had a problem before also is not like I looked suspicious any way. Sorry Catalina's but you had 100% lost my business. El personal es extremadamente grosero aquí, por parte del gerente y 2 empleados que insistían en que debo dejar mi bolso en la puerta principal mientras compro, ¿cómo se supone que debo dejar mi bolso en un estante mientras compro, si algo sucediera y mi bolso se pierde, les apuesto a que me dirán que no son responsables de los artículos perdidos. 3 personas me rodearon completamente, insistiendo en que dejara mi bolso, incluso le dije a uno de los tipos de seguridad, son más que bienvenidos a caminar conmigo mientras yo realizo mis compras, ¡pero no dejare mi bolso! Puedo ver que estaban empezando a enojarse, así que por mi seguridad, simplemente me fui, me fui por miedo no solo a que estaba siendo exteriorizada pero también a que se sintieran con la autoridad de usar la fuerza, vivimos es unos tiempos donde uno debe ser caudaloso pero esto no les da el derecho de abusar al poder. Por lo tanto, le advierto que tenga cuidado de no traer un bolso que parezca demasiado grande o podría ponerse en la misma situación.

AMAZING TAMALES! My friend brought a tray to a party and we could not stop eating them - so good!

Still obsessed with this place! I have been coming to Catalina's for years to get my empanada and miga sandwich fix. Both are delicious and my go to dishes anytime I attend a potluck. Love Catalina's for my parties or when I have to show up with a dish. The market is also super convenient when I'm in a rush because you don't have to order the miga sandwiches in advance. They are already made and ready to take out in the grab and go area. As for the empanadas, SO GOOD and so many different fillings! (Ham and cheese forever.) What's also nice is that they usually have a lot already baked in the warmer so I'm in and out quickly! But when I have a larger order for parties, I like to call them in before so they are ready when I arrive. This place is my potluck weapon. Delicious and easy!

They have the best housemade Brazilian AND Argentine sausages/chorizo EVER!!! (I could eat like a million of these :D) They have like 4 other kinds of sausages/chorizo too Good deals on other meats.. like oxtail, short ribs, etc. etc. Parking lot is in the back.. you have to go thru an alleyway to get there.

This spot continues to improve and grow their offerings. Full hot/prepared foods including the bomb rotisserie chicken now. Pure love!

Catalina's Market is the BEST! I've been obsessed with their miga sandwiches and empanadas for 15+ years! Love how it's a family owned business for so many years. HIGHLY recommend this place!

I stopped by here because my dad needed an ingredient for a Latin American dish he was trying out. Came here hoping they'd have it after reading all the fantastic reviews on Yelp. Absolutely no one speaks English so they couldn't help me find what I was looking for :( I did try the corn empanada and that was pretty good, but nothing out of this world.

This was a very authentic Argentine market. The empanadas were just like the ones I had in Buenos Aires (and like the ones my grandmother makes). I've been to several Argentine markets, and this is the first one I've actually found Alfajores. Definitely am going to visit more frequently. Parking is in the back. You can enter from the alley off Santa Monica.

I came here and tried a wide enough variety to get a good idea of what this place has to offer. I probably won't come back, which is unfortunate, because I was hoping to find a gem in koreatown and not have to go all the way to Porto's to get my South American bakery fix. I ordered 2 hot sandwiches: the Cubano and the roasted pork. The meat on both sandwiches were dry. I came a little after 12 pm so it should have been early enough to get fresh ingredients. It wasn't. I also tried each one of their empanadas: spinach, chicken, ham and cheese, and beef. The empanadas were not flaky at all and almost tasted a day old. I also took home some of their baked goods - everything was definitely AT LEAST A DAY OLD. I'll definitely just make the drive out to Porto's next time.

Have you seen the Re-model? I was totally taken back when I came in to buy my favorite empanadas the other day. What a nice change for the neighborhood and the store itself. I can't believe how wide open the place looks. The desserts counter is beautifully done. The dessert counter has to be 20 feet long and the assortment Is so much better than I imagined. My absolute faves are the creme brûlée and flan. And how cute are the girls behind the counters? Happy to see the business is still family run. Anyhow Catalinas is still true to its argentine roots and still my favorite place to go for my chimichurri and empanada fix. Nice job!!

I hadn't been to the market since it was rebuilt following the fire. It used to have the most authentic, fantastic chorizos outside Argentina. I bought some chorizos yesterday, and found them awful: almost tasteless, salty, bad. Big, huge disappointment. A serious loss!

I come here at least once a week for lunch. Best Milanese sandwiches EVER!!!! I buy 2 each time I go so I have one for the next day as well. Great staff and even better food. I love this place. Be sure and try their new pizza too. It's quite yummy considering this place isn't an Italian joint:)