Empanada Mama Les Reviews

What a renovation! The 9th ave location is 4xs its original size. And the menu is larger too. Watermelon salad was delicious. Empanadas second to none...chicken was filled to the brim. Spinach pie was amazing. Can't wait to go back.

I Bought empanadas to entertain my business associates at the end of November 2016 and when they were delivered, the empanadas were burnt the store had changed prices and did not match the menu on the internet, in addition to adding a more expensive delivery charge, I ask to speak with the Manager several times, I was not given the name and he never was available, I do not recommend this place. I was very busy to make the criticism, but I heard that they reopened a branch in Times Square, I hope people do not have to suffer the same scam.

I can't say enough great things about this place. We were staying at the Fairfield Inn on 95 Henry St in Chinatown. The Asst Mgr recommended this place. I'm so glad we listened. The owners partner was soooo nice, welcoming, personable, and helpful. This place is opened 24hrs. It's super affordable. Your money is so well spent. They have more than empanadas. My husband and I went with another couple they enjoyed the food and staff too. One of the few restaurants we went to that greeted us as soon as we walked in. The food was sooo awesome!! We had the Viagra, Corn& mozzarella, feta cheese and spinach, steak and cheese empanadas, and pineapple sangria for ~$20. Our friends ordered the same sangria, a couple of empanadas, and plantains with yuca chips with dip. Those plantains and yuca were perfect. Happy hr is 10a-9p. The owner says their expanding in other areas around the Tri-state and considering other states. We recommended Jacksonville,Fl. We sure hope they come. I'd love to go there often. Whenever I visit NY again I WILL BE BACK!

Go here if you’re in the area for a great little Cuban place. Full service bar, draft beer and great atmosphere. We went on a hot summer night and it was packed, you can tell it is very popular with locals. It did not disappoint. Food was great and service was quick. Overall great choice, it came with a local’s recommendation and he was spot on!

This is one of the better 2 locations. The other one is at 9th avenue and 51st Street and it was pretty small, and people could barely go through, considering how crowded the place was. But back to the Lower East Side location. This place I'd much bigger and suprisngly less crowded. I strongly recommend the American, Cuban, Mambo Italiano, and Polish empanadas!

one of the best meals in new york loved everything . thank you to the wonderful staff you made everything wonderful

The other EM is closed- BUMMER! This one is the only one. Totally different staff, basically same foods/beverages but the old EM was slightly better in taste and presentation. New EM looks classier and a lot bigger. The waiters don't pay much attention so don't expect great service. It's still fairly new so I would definitely come back and give it another shot to see if they've ironed out their kinks.

What a great find in the Lower East Side. Friends that live in NYC recommended this establishment and if you are looking for good cheap eats in NYC, this is the spot an you get some good latin food. The chicken and ground beef empanadas were really good. Yes, they have more than empanada's. The guacamole and the fried plantains we highly recommend. Yes fried plantains, so good. I don't even like plantains, but I like them fried. It's a starter, but big enough to have as an entree. Definitely worth a visit, you'll enjoy it for sure.

Great, neighborhood restaurant. The Guiso de pollo was like homemade—exquisito! Very nice staff. Reasonable prices for quality and portion size.

Start with some of the finest guacamole & plantain chips, with some pico de gallo, add some beans & then plough your way through the varied selection of empanadas until you can't eat any more. Bliss!

The food is always great there, the options are vast, so many types of empanada and arepa, it just can’t go wrong. Sometimes the crowd can be loud, specially late night.

Perfect place for late night snack!! Super close to the hotel we were staying. Their juices are sooo good. I loved their corn empanadas.

The food was delicious... some of the best empanadas hands down (spicy beef!). The spicy chicken arepas and guac/plantains were good too. Ask for the free side sauces (red/green). The one problem was that the restaurant was so loud that I could not carry a conversation. I can usually handle some noise, especially since I naturally have a loud voice but this was nightclub/concert loud! It doesn't help that the tables are 1 inch apart. Too busy, too loud, too tight. Good food but not recommended for dates.

If you would like a quick bite on the go or to sit down and enjoy a tasty dinner, this place can do it for you! We went there, grabbed two empanadas and walked to Central Park to eat them. They were amazing!

My family and I grabbed dinner to go at empanada mama. They had over 20 different empanadas they are small but inexpensive . The place was packed but service was quick . We all loved the empanadas we choose . They are open 24 hours which is a plus ! We will return when in the Area.

Not the best empanadas in the world, but pretty good... lots of options and the price is not too bad considering the location and how pricey everything else around is. There is a pretty mixed crowd that makes it a fun atmosphere. Unfortunately, service can use some work. They have a quite a few people on staff working at the same time but it looks like they were more interested in mingling with each other than waiting on tables. Took about 10 minutes to get the waiters attention for the check and about another 15 for him to come pick up the check.

Ordered here numerous times with no issues. The food is great and typically delivery is great and timed perfect. Ordered through GrubHub as always and after 70 minutes of waiting on an order quoted at 40 I called. At first the restaurant said they didn't have an order. Then a second person confirmed the order and stated they accepted it yet never sent it to the kitchen. When asked how long they stated they will rush it. I then asked for time and they said 35-40 more Minutes. I called and cancelled with GrubHub. Complete failure

I expected a cool, low-key, maybe divey hangout. What I got was essentially a takeout line with security guards. After a certain time (I went just before midnight), this place turns into a tiny shotgun space (the other half is marked off by security). You go up to the window and order. I went up and told them to order four of their favorite empanadas and their favorite drink. They were nice, but not overly friendly. I ended up with two El toro empanadas (oxtail, Jamaican pepper, wine, chipotle, onion, carrot, thyme, etc). They were crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside, but I’m not sure I could discern all the components in this empanada. I also got: viagra wheat, made of seafood stew, including shrimp. This was probably my least favorite and least flavorful, but keep in mind that I’m NOT a shrimp fan. I found it flavorless. My last empanada was jerk and cheese—Swiss cheese and jerk marinated chicken. It was also juicy, but not as well seasoned as the oxtail. I’m pretty sure they chose a passion fruit margarita for me, which was a little sweet, but not bad. This spot has a huge number of empanadas available: eggplant Parmesan, pepperoni pizza, Mac n cheese, ham n cheese, ground beef, portobello, veggie, Cuban, and more. All are 4.50. They also have tapas, entrees, arepas, sandwiches, salads, and more, though you’re almost certainly coming here late at night to get some empanadas to soak up the alcohol.

My friend and I were in and out of this place really quickly because we only got empanadas. They have a large selection of empanadas. I tried the chicken & broccoli teriyaki and the bbq pulled pork. The bbq was really good! My friend loved the cheeseburger one. This place is pretty big inside, but it was fairly empty around lunch time.

Went here late night to have a bite. First, tastiest Moscow Mule ever! The addition of fresh ginger was wonderful. The place was packed at 12:30 am and the take-out business was brisk. The menu offers a surprising number of choices and everything we tried was delicious! Would absolutely return and tell friends about it!

My hubby and I stopped in for a quick bite before heading out to the USOpen on Sunday. This 24/7 joint is usually much busier late night and during the lunch hour and I think our experience would have been better if we came at a different time. Our chicken empanadas were cold but the beef were terrific. Loved the Brazilian too. Best part is the green sauce.

Excellent homemade empanadas, superb rice and grains. Very welcome, courteous service. A beautiful place to eat delicious empanadas and with choice. Thank you, I recommend this place for lovers of South American cuisine. Thanks to the waiter and in addition to the good music in the room. Thank you to the staff and all the kitchen and room team., 👍😉Very Good Value for Award

Good latin place to eat a lot Empanadas filled with different flavors (Latin, American e International). The Viagra (seafood) was the best for me, because it helped to stand up “my friend” 😳 haha!!! More food in New York @Manufoood 🐖

Empanada Mamas is your go to for all combinations and varieties of the deliciously fried or baked treat.. My favorites are the mozzarella and apple cinnamon. Of course there are tons loaded with various types of meat cooked to perfection.

It’s a fast food restaurant for empanadas. If you have a weak stomach, don’t come here. The grease from the frying can be a bit much. I did enjoy my pork empanada. The ham and cheese tasted odd to me. There was a full bar adjacent to the empanadas counter.

I could seriously eat their green sauce/salsa(?) all day. The empanada selection here was outstanding and wide. My favorite was the Reggaeton--pork with sofritos seasoned yellow rice and pigeon peas--NOM NOM NOM! I also enjoyed the Greek spinach pie.

Had a few of these tasty empanadas while staying nearby and were good value and delicious. Good for either a snack or a meal. Would eat here again if in the area

I had heard about this place from other sites online, and I'm so glad we searched it out. The empanadas are amazing - especially the Viagara, with shrimp, scallops and crab. There are lots of varieties to choose from, along with 2 other huge menu pages of options, and a lot of fun cocktails! For dessert we tried the fig, caramel, and cheese empanada and it was one of the most interesting and delicious things I've ever eaten. We liked it so much we went back the next day for more!

They open very early and conveniently located in mid town at 9th ave and 51st st..excellent Colombian Breakfast with unlimited thick coffee all for 10-11 $

The atmosphere was fun, the food is affordable and the margaritas are spectacular. The waitresses must be new because they seemed to have trouble communicating with the kitchen. I would recommend sticking to the empanadas list as with that route you'll know what you're getting. Happy hour daily 12pm - 6pm, and it looks like other daily deals and specials I will for sure be returning back here.

A friend suggested Empenada Mama for dinner one night. I didn’t really know what to expect but we were pleasantly surprised! First off our waitress was super fun and great at giving us recommendations. We ordered some plantain chips as an appetizer. We preferred them without the toppings and just plain (with guacamole on the side). The food came out piping hot and was absolutely delicious! I ordered a couple empenadas and a shredded chicken arepa. Everything was so good! My only recommendation is to not over order (I was stuffed after my arepa but really wanted to keep eating). We ordered a dessert empenada too. The ice cream was OK but the chocolate empenada was fantastic!! Highly highly recommend! We enjoyed it so much we came back a second time before we left.

Spotted it exiting the Tenement Museum. Love empanadas so took a shot. The place is great. Clean, friendly staff, expansive menu, cold beer. We got Columbia’s chorizo, bandits, Cuban, & chicken. These folks know how to blend flavors (wonderful hot sauce). Black beans & rice could have been a fine meal alone. Finished with chocolate, caramel, coconut desert empanada. Tasted like sweet sin. Don’t know how they could be any better.

We ate the Hell's Kitchen location every night that we were visiting. Great late night snack and so many choices! Great sauces! The fried plantain chips were so good too!

Empanada mama has the best empanadas in NYC. The best are sofrito & cubano. Save room for their dessert empanadas which are scrumptious! Try the arroz con pollo too. Oh and don't forget to start off with the guacamole and plantain chips. Wash it all down with a refreshing glass of sangria.

My family and I were eager to check out this restaurant after we reviewed the online menu. The menu has an empanada for everyone...the vegetarian, the carnivore and the seafood lover. And, make sure you try the fried yuca and sweet plantains.

Probably the best meal out we had in NYC & the bar is pretty high! The waiting staff could be a bit more attentive, but the food speaks for itself. Pick 3 or 4 empanadas from the large selection, add some sides & you've got a great meal at a reasonable price.

Delicious, excellent quality price by new york standards. Spectacular seasoning! We tried Cuban and bourbon chicken and both leave you wishing you had ordered a couple more. The service and the atmosphere very good.

Since the Hell's Kitchen location was closed due to a fire , we decided to try the location in the LES. Much nicer space- Very bright and airy- looked newly decorated. Lots of room unlike the other location. Went around 11:30 am on a Monday and the place was practically empty. We were seated immediately by a very nice server. Ordered the guacamole with plantain chips. The guac was wonderful- freshly made. The plantain chips were still warm and not greasy at all. I had the spicy chicken empanada and the Cuban. Both were fantastic - lots of flavor and spice. Husband ordered the cheese corn empanada and the ground beef corn empanada . While these were good they were not as good as mine. Also ordered the mimosa which was at happy hour prices in the morning. It was very good being mostly prosecco and a little OJ. We enjoyed our visit.

The empanadas are amazing here, and there are a lot of veggie options- cheesy, beans, etc. Yum. The sangria is not that nice so stick to the food options! Great place I you're on a budget

Empanada Mama is a long time favorite and a must eat restaurant. Their 9th avenue location in Hells Kitchen has just reopened and that is my usual go-to location. You can't go wrong here- everything is delicious. The HK location is more of a full restaurant while this one is more of a quick bite place or take out. You won't regret eating here!!!

We came here for a quick bite after the Tenement Museum. The empanadas were so tasty and had a good amount of filling. We also had there margarita, but it wasn't the best. But at least the empanadas made up for it.

The guac was great. We had it spicy and mild and both were good. The waitress suggested that each person get 3 empandas each. That was too many for me because I ate so many chips before the empanadas arrived. But, we took the extra ones home and had them for lunch the next day and they were good.

Visited the Lower East Side location for lunch and had an excellent meal. Quirky but safe neighborhood. We tried the Brazil, Rice-n-Bean, Reggaeton (Carribbean) empanadas, and a Cuban Arepas (more like a sandwich). All were very tasty, service and atmosphere were fun and fresh. The menu has many non-traditional variations on the empanada, highly recommend!

Came here with local friends for a few drinks and we ended up spending the evening in a splendid atmosphere with great drinks, food and excellent salsa music which I love and haven't heard for quite sometime... Although my friends have been there before - it was a first for me but it won't be my last. I loved the place and hope to be back soon...Gio, the manager was superb and made me feel very welcome!

Too small to justify prices. Small and greasy. Corn flour was not particularly corny, just yellow. Chili and beef was NOT spicy, tasted like plastic. Cheese was tasteless, like cheap mozzarella. Not horrible, but not great. You can do better in the subway. Small, greasy, expensive, tasteless. Not filling or satisfying for $10.

There is nothing here that I do not like!! If I could bottle the happy green sauce I would as it goes great on everything. I will say the seating is very close in the restaurant but they do offer take out and delivery.

Wanted to try something new for lunch. Thought this was a nice clean spot. We were in for a surprise!!!! The food was so fresh and tasty!!! That we went there three times in the week we were in Manhattan!!!!! 😋😋😋 Their baked versions are so good that you can't say they aren't fried! And of course, the traditional empanadas were mouthwatering goodness for our tummy! 😋😋😋😋😋 The avocado salad with the cumin dressing?!?!?!? Get outta here!!! So delicious and unique !!!! They're open a bit late so if you get hungry but don't want a very heavy meal..... run to this place and have a wonderful food 😊

Located in LES this restaurant was perfect for dinner after spending the day touring The Brookly Bridge and shopping on Canal St. The service was great, friendly staff, quick and efficient. The empanadas are so tasty and leave you wanting more, the Bandeja Paisa was plenty enough for 2 fresh tasting and delicious. You will definitely visit more than one time..guaranteed. Price is reasonable.

this is our go to spot for a delicous well priced meal. we have been in the city about 6 times and we have eaten her about 8 times. you really can not go wrong with the empanadas. their drinks are also pretty good only one i have not liked so far was the michelada too bland on the flavor.

Great variety of flavors that are something for all tastes even the more adventurous or dessert empanadas. Absolutely loved all that we ordered - especially the Cuban

Cool little spot in the LES with tons of variety of empanadas. I wasn’t starving and only got one - Pernil - marinated pork. It was delicious! Service was a bit slow-but the food is great!

Great little find in Hells Kitchen. Affordable and tons of options. We sampled a few of the empanada's both fried and baked. All were very flavorful. I would love to try more of their menu as well.

We stumbled upon Empanada Mama after tour the Tenement Museum. What a great place! Large variety of empanadas priced at $3,95 each. They were having some happy hour drink specials at lunch on a Sunday. The breakfast selections looked interesting. They did add a 18% service charge for our party of 3, which I thought was a bit of a surprise. I gave no further tip.

I love Empanada Mama LES but I order lunch over the phone. I asked for a small garden salad it looked sorry. I asked for an avocado salad it had no avocados barely one or two cucumbers and two grape tomatoes and a lot of lettuce. Let's get it together over there.

It was a really cozy place with a good atmosphere and good music. The food tasted really good and the service was good and fast. Can definitely be recommended, and will also personally visit the place again!

Delicious every time. My favorite late night snack, always the go to. Fast service and its always worth the wait, especially the caramel & cheese YUM.

Cute and cozy little spot in the LES perfect for just dropping and picking up a quick bite. We had empanadas, which are packed full of flavor, Cuban sandwich and sausage with arrepa. The Cuban was different, it was shredded and mashed in together for a great burst of flavor every bite, fairly large hero size too, perfect for splitting. The sausage and arrepa was good but I will try something different next time. Try the Sangria too!

Oh my, these empanadas are so so great. Get the shredded chicken one. You will be in heaven. Right now, I think you can only get take a way. I was there in February and was able to eat there. The service is great and super friendly. The Ham and cheese with pepperoni is out of this world and the crust, oh the crust. Have the best time.

Empanadas galore! They come in tons of varieties- different meats and flavors, both corn and wheat coverings, baked or fried. Looks like a lot of people get them delivered, but the restaurant does have seating. The empandas come in little paper bags and are piping hot. They also have some Colombian food on offer, but empanadas are king here. Pleasant wait staff. Unfortunately the West Side location is closed, so its a trip down to the lower east side.. well worth it. 2-4 empanadas are plenty per person depending on how hungry you are.

On our last day we came here for breakfast just trying to find somewhere in hells kitchen. I went for the 9th ave breakfast, the hot dogs were so nice! We got a $10 breakfast deal. Well worth it. The watermelon lemonade was also refreshing. Hopefully next time will come back in the evening.