The Epicurean Trader – Ferry Building

Rating: Liability

When El Porteño in the Ferry Building ran out of chicken empanadas (WTF?), we went searching for a backup because our kids love empanadas. We landed at The Epicurean Trader a few stores down, hoping for a save.

Instead, we got a 20–25 minute wait for empanadas that came out bland, with chicken so dry it was almost painful. No seasoning, no flavor — just disappointment wrapped in dough. At $7 a pop, you’d expect at least some seasoning or juiciness. Paying $35 for five sad empanadas felt like a bad joke.

The only real laugh came when they handed us the bags — each one labeled with my name and the word “chicken.” So there it was, bag after bag: “me – chicken.” My wife and kids couldn’t stop laughing. Honestly, that moment was the best part of the whole purchase.

The staff were kind, the Ferry Building location is great, and the handwritten labels could’ve been a nice touch. But when the food falls flat and the price tag stings, the whole thing feels like getting roasted — and not in the way you want. We ended up bailing to Gott’s afterward so the kids could finally get chicken tenders with real flavor.