Excellent option for a nice South American bite! Empanadas, juices and yuca frita. I had empanadas, tostones and yuca but the Picada from the lady sitting next table looked fantastic! Specially if you are super hungry! Service was very friendly and the entire area is fun to walk around! Enjoy! read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Going for empanadas. - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

Good food, cheap eats, tried Bombay, Reggaeton, and El Jefe. The different types of meat, even the chicken were very moist and not dry at all. Definitely recommend any of the three flavors that I got. read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

Everyone at my job is obsessed with this place but I've always been hesitant because for some reason I had them confused with the old empanada spot Nuchas in Times Square. Better late than never though right? We were there last night after our staff party so it wasn't too crowded but still a good amount of people for 2:30am on a Monday (technically Tuesday but you get it.) I decided to stick with fillings that were familiar so I got the pernil, shredded beef and the reggaeton. My friend is vegan and got the lentil soup that comes with an arepa and the rice&bean empanada. Everything came out super quick which was amazing because we were starving. Now right off the bat, you might think that they're small but they are jam packed. They barely leave a wing on the empanada.. you know the seam that's usually pleated with a fork? Lots of places give you all wing and no filling but here it's literally a cute little pocket full of goodness, so you definitely get your moneys worth. I ate the pernil one at the restaurant which is why I don't have pictures, but it was really good. I'm very picky about pernil.. I liked that it was tender and not dry at all. The green sauce paired perfectly. I also tried my friends lentil soup and loved it. We took the rest to go. It's the next day and I had no patience to deal with the oven so I put the other two empanadas in the microwave for about 2 minutes. The reggaeton empanada was just as good as the pernil. There wasn't anything out of this world about the moro inside but with the pernil it works so I think they do a great job of balancing it out because both dishes are usually very flavorful on their own. The shredded beef was also really good, I really don't have much to say other than that lol. The sauces are a nice addition, green was good on everything, red was mildly spicy. Tastes like good home cooked food which is always a plus. I will definitely be returning to try out everything else. Oh and the staff is amazing! We see them often at our place so it was nice to finally see some of them in their element. Definitely a must visit! read more

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I absolutely love empanadas so I knew that I had to try this place! Not only is this a fun open 24/7 establishment so you can get a quick fix anytime, but their empanadas are truly amazing! I've tried their Cuban, baked ground beef, and el toro and I love that each one is a different little pocket of flavor! The Cuban is definitely my favorite go to that I feel like you can't get at most places whereas the beef is nice and seasoned but more generic. The el toro was giving more of a beef stew wrapped up in an empanada vibe and was very rich in flavor but I think just wasn't what I was feeling in the moment. If you're ever in the area though, I would highly highly recommend checking this place out or letting it be your next go to night out spot! read more

This place legit has the BEST empanada's I've had in my life. First of all, they have a huge menu with all different flavors of empanadas. I got three of the spicy chicken. As a spice lover, most of the food that I order at restaurants never satisfies my spice cravings but this place did. The best part is they're only $3.99 each and very filling. They have solid drink specials throughout the week. read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

My friend and I were looking for a quick bite and ended up ordering Empanada Mama as we both heard great things about the place. I got the Shredded Beef and Chicken Empanada, and soon as I finished it I immediately regretted not getting more. The empanadas were packed with meat, and the sauces that came with it complemented the meat so well! We enjoyed it so much that my other friends ended up ordering more after a long night out. (According to them, it tasted even better at 5am haha) Empanada Mama lived up to my expectations and the fact that this place is open 24/7 makes it even more amazing. I look forward to ordering from here again, whether it's for lunch, dinner, or a very late snack. read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

Wow......just wow.. I literally dont know what to say other than wow. At first I was so darn skeptical. The food was presented to me in a greasy bag, that sort of resembled my grandpas "depenz" (adult diaper, also frequently filled with shit.) I had ordered a few cheeseburger empanadas, along with a single pepperoni, and so my first Empanada Mama experience began. I went for the cheeseburger shit bag first. Despite the worrisome appearance, I took a huge first bite. Instantly liquid squirted out of the cheeseburger empanada and directly onto my forehead, cheeks, and lips. It immediately triggered traumatic memories from my time as a BangBros production assistant in 2004, but I continued on. After getting through this full empanada, I can honestly say... Empanada Mama is the greatest restaurant in all of NYC. I legitimately filed for a divorce from my wife of 15 years the next morning.... This was because I had a full on affair with the second cheeseburger empanada that night. There was about forty minutes of baboon like intercourse and a delicious taste I can only vaguely remember. Then I woke up dressed as Gene Simmons from kiss with a case of stank dick that could have eradicated a jungle of all its wildlife. Overall, it was a beautiful and rather renowned experience. I would recommend Empanada Mama to anyone looking to divorce their wife asap! 10/10! read more

Good food but very slow service. We got takeout from this location the last time we were in nyc and really liked it. This time around we chose to dine in for lunch. Despite the dining area being less than half full and a bunch of wait staff going by, it was a full 15 minutes before anyone came to the table to even give water after sitting down. Once the waiter got to us, they didn't have a drink on the menu that I asked for, so I stuck with just the lunch special (2 empanadas plus rice and beans) Their beef empanada is classic and tastes great with the red and green sauces they serve it with. The Buffalo chicken one was good but not as good as the beef. The rice was standard and somewhat boring, but the black beans were flavorful. We were almost finished with the meal when our waiter checked on us to see if we needed anything so I asked for the check. Paid cash to get out of there a little faster and avoid the 3% charge they pass on for using a credit card. In summary, I'd get their takeout again, but wouldn't eat in. read more

This place was good! It's a cute place with great Latin music. The drinks were overpriced but I think you pay for the ambiance. The food was good. I got a chicken empanada with corn flour and a sweet cheese arepa. Both were overpriced but pretty good. They are definitely pre-made and probably just reheated, but still not too bad. The service is great! read more

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TLDR: this place gets packed in a holiday weekend night. Be prepared to wait 10-15 minutes if just picking up. Great empanada options that hit the spot. Went with a group of friends in the late evening on Halloweekend for empanadas. Buffalo chicken empanada: was not my favorite in terms of Buffalo sauce but was packed with chicken and was crispy Shredded beef empanada: fantastic, crispy, beefy, great with the green sauce. Cheesesteak empanada and steak empanada: tasted very similar to each other but both were great. Overall a great late night spot to hit up after a party. If you plan to go with a group on a busy evening be prepared to wait a more than reasonable amount of time. read more

I ordered for pickup just so it was ready to go and I asked if I could stay and eat it in the restaurant, the host had an attitude and said "no, cause you ordered for pickup" , even though the restaurant was empty. I had no where to eat my food since I was passing time. Should've just ordered there if I was gonna receive an attitude. I guess that's my bad? Lol read more

Open late and hits the spot! I'll be dreaming of the Romeo & Juliet forever. I never thought guava and mozzarella could go together so perfectly. Also got the Cuban and really enjoyed it! I loved how bustling it was even after midnight. Drinks were flowing and the atmosphere was excellent. read more

Empanada Mama is such a tease. I love that they're open 24/7, and some of the empanadas on the menu are truly a delight. Unfortunately, the service is almost always mediocre, even when you're sitting at the bar. It's very confusing figuring out the digital menu system because there are so many old and outdated menus of theirs floating around online. If you scan the QR code in the restaurant you'll be okay, but do not just try Googling things or you'll wind up with the wrong information. On that note, I discovered that there is no longer happy hour on weekends, despite images on the internet from last year saying that they did have Saturday and Sunday happy hour. I can't fault them for changing their hours, but it is disappointing nonetheless. This is a tough neighborhood for weekend happy hour, and Empanada Mama is missing out on a lot of potential customers. Anyway, the food's decent and the margs are strong. I particularly like the spicy marg, which packs a ferocious punch but is still super drinkable and delicious. I've got room in my heart for Empanada Mama, imperfections and all. read more

Went back for late night food after a long day. There was a crowd there at 1AM which says everything about how popping this place is. It was hard to get a table. The bartender was so kind to ask us if we wanted to take seats at that bar. He churned out some absolutely amazing drinks. The Michelada was on point. The Sangrita was really good too. I tried the Tamarindo Paloma and was blown away by it. Absolutely one of my favorite drinks now for sure!! The empanadas were amazing and that kind of goes without saying at this point. My two current favorites are cheeseburger and pepperoni pizza. The ambience is great too. They play a lot of Reggaeton music which fits right in with the vibes. The service was amazing. Blessed to have this experience. read more

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i was ordering something to go. By the time the order was ready. my next bus was 20 mins so i thought why not finish it. Anyway the bartender was curt and said take out is strictly takeout. You can't it it here at the bar. The lack of flexibility or hospitality or courtesy is not inviting. It was not a busy time and surely it wasn't a problem to eat their food at their restaurant Look for better ambiance and hospitality elsewhere. You won't find it here read more

Ordered Togo and got the Bourbon Chicken and the El Jefe. I thought the Bourbon Chicken was lacking in flavor and basically just cheese and mushrooms. The El Jefe on the other hand was great you can really taste all the ingredients and every bite has a little unique combination of texture and flavors. read more

The ambience is very mediocre and nothing to write home about, however, the empanadas here were nothing less of amazing along with fun and silly names as well... The yuca fries were the best I ever had and the white passion fruit sangria was pretty good as well... Over all it was a good time for a date or just a quick bite with some friends. The other awesome thing that they have going for themselves that sets them apart are the kiosks that allow you to place ordering from the sidewalk in front and it's open all night for any late night munchies! read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Viagra empanada Tiger shrimp, scallops, crab stick, and chiles stuffed into a wheat empanada. AMAZING! - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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Great empanada - never disappoints! Music is often too loud; space is echoey in the back and it's annoying to compete to talk even when it's empty. read more

My first review of 2021. Finally tried them today. FYI for those looking to dine outdoors, they start at 4 PM. We got our lunch order to go. We ordered: Brasil, Viagra, ground beef, pernil, and tostones. Here are my thoughts: Brasil - the most flavorful one, def solid Ground beef - pretty good Pernil - I appreciated that it wasn't dry as pernil can be, but it lacked a flavor you usually expect from pernil Viagra - probably the most disappointing one since so many people raved about it. I didn't get "chunks of shrimp and crab". It was a mush of imitation crab and I'm not so sure there was shrimp in there Tostones - solid with great dipping sauce To sum up, it's good enough, but it's not Queens good. Especially at more than double the price. Yes, their empanadas are slightly bigger, but I'd rather get smaller Queens empanadas for half the price or less. I'd get them if the craving was bad. Otherwise, I can't really jump on the bandwagon of these being "the best empanadas of NYC" (insert confused face meme) read more

Empanada Mama had a large variety of empanadas for everyone and they are all very tasty. I would recommend skipping appetizers and going for empanadas. My favorite are the cheeseburger, Cuban and pernil. Don't forget to use the green sauce for the pork ones! The banana Nutella empanada is a great way to end the meal for dessert! read more

If I'm visiting NYC I'm going here at least once and frequently recommend it to others. The last couple visits the food was great as usual. But the service was not. In November it took a bit for someone to come to our table. I watched 3-4 servers chatting near the bar while waiting patiently for someone to approach. One was even munching on something. So clearly the delay was not because they were busy. This week when we went our server took our order and that was the last we saw of him. Someone else brought out our food. We finally had to ask for our server and someone else came to our table and said she was now our server. But we saw the first one there until we left serving others. Maybe their table assignment changed. He could have come back to close the loop or something. Something else odd we noticed is the first night we went this week a 20% gratuity was included on our bill. That's never happened before. The next night it was not and the server did not have an explanation. We only had two people in our party. Not sure what that's all about. The food is still great but I hope they aren't taking their popularity for granted and letting service fall by the wayside. read more

Have been a customer for a long time. Brought family into the city for a show at MSG. The people who ate the shrimp and crab empanada got so sick that they could not leave our hotel and we ended up spending money on a private IV service to get them medical care. We missed the show we came into town for. Staff was friendly, I do not blame them. But you need to be more careful serving seafood. read more

Holy moly this place offers delicious food! My favorite is the corn flour ground beef empanada. It goes really well with the sauces they give you! Oh, and the price is reasonable! Especially in New York City! Come try this place out if you're in the area! read more

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Have to update my review: Still my favorite empanada place!! There's a 3% charge if you use card New favorite empanadas - el Toro (oxtail) is so good and flavorful! - cheeseburger literally tastes like a cheeseburger - eggplant parm - so good and it's not one if their fried ones - Bombay is still a favorite The yucca fries with the guava is actually pretty good! The guacamole is just so addicting! read more

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Open 24/7 and we visited at 1 am. Had the brazilian empanada and it was fresh and delicious. Very crispy and the sauce was good too. No dine in, just order from an outside window but wait is short and perfect midnight snack read more

A fun spot for Latin eats that won't break the bank. The food here is SO good for the price and it's the perfect place for a quick bite with friends. We got an app and some empanadas to sample: Plantain Chips and Guac -- a strong yes, these were so good! The chips were tasty and not overly sweet as plantain can sometime be. The guac is also really fire! Empanadas -- tried the Cheese Pizza, Spinach and Cheese, and Rice and Beans. The cheese pizza is probably my favorite with rice and beans coming in second, although literally all of them were great. read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Guacamole with Plantain Chips - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

Food was delicious. fr . They got it out very fast and the servers were on top of things even though it was busy. Music was nice and loud, so keep that in mind if it's not your thing I had the Hawaiian and the buffalo chicken empanadas- those things were GOOOOD. get them. absolutely recommend. watermelon salad was also very good, but it's a large portion so def share it mango juice literally hit the spot. yum yum guac was not very spicy, but still delicious. it does not come with tomatoes. the plantains... yum. read more

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I ordered online to go, the process was quick and easy. This was my first time trying this place out and I was not disappointed. The empanadas were adequately stuffed. The savory empanadas were seasoned well and the desert empanadas was not overly sweet, they were just perfect. There's definitely an empanada choice here for everyone. I will be ordering from here again but next time am going to eat there instead of takeout. I'm interested of taking in the whole experience. read more

24 hours. Great spot to go after a broadway show. Came here around 11pm on Sunday and it was busy! We waited for a table for less than 5 minutes. There was a bar area and a dining room. It was lively and loud. The menu was extensive and there were many options to choose from. When they brought the empanadas over, they were all stamped/labeled! That made it easy to distribute the food to everyone at the table. Shredded chicken on wheat - good Mac and cheese - okay and comes with bacon bits We also ordered 1 of each dessert empanada. Belgian chocolate - great Nutella banana - great USA (apples, cinnamon) - great if you like apple pie Caramel cheese - pass, caramel flavor not there Romeo & Juliet (guava, mozz) - pass, would be better with a different cheese read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - They label all the empanadas - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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Me and my sister went inside to order empanadas but we ended up ordering 2 lunch specials! The food was very good! We look forward to returning! read more

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I live in Southern California, but have visited the city about every year or so since I was a kid since I have family there. I have a short list of places I always make a point to go to and Empanada Mama is now at the top of it. Discovered this 24/7 gem on a recent girls trip and we all liked it so much that we ate there two nights in a row for dinner. All of the empanadas were delicious, but the one that we loved the most was the Viagra, it is hands down one of the best foods I've ever eaten. It's beyond flavorful without being overpowering. My friends and I regularly talk about how much we miss the Viagra empanada and wish we could get them shipped to us. They also have an excellent drink selection, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic. HIGHLY recommend! read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Viagra Empanada (GET THIS!) - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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This place was recommended by the hotel I was staying in. It was a short walk so why not. When we arrived, there wasn't anyone to greet us. We were a tad bit confused on whether we should seat ourselves or not. Someone finally came to assist. There were so many options for empanadas. I loved the buffalo empanada and red beans and rice. Very pleased. Filled with flavor. read more

We stumbled across this place while walking around looking for something different to try. This was one of my favorite meals from my most recent NYC adventure. They have a HUGE selection of very unique and common empanadas. We ordered the El Toro (oxtail w/ Jamaican pepper, chipotle, wine, onion, carrot, thyme, maduros) and the Cuban (slow roasted pork, ham w/ mozzarella & a touch of sofrito) and both were phenomenal! We also ordered the "Typical Colombian Bfast" with the sausage. The sausage was definitely the star of the show, and added an amazing flavor to the other elements of the dish. The server was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu, which was a great thing considering the amount of choice you have. Overall this is a very casual restaurant, and we will definitely be back to try more of their empanadas! read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Typical Colombian Breakfast with sausage - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

The shredded chicken and the Brazil hit the spot! The kitchen is open 24 hours! Nice place for the late night snack

This place is a hit or miss, the empanadas are pretty good, the staff is very nice and prices aren't too high.

1 hour for 2 empanadas... literally how? I need 85 characters to leave this review... but ???

Bad service - rude front of house .. waited 20 min for my order only to discover it was sitting right there in front of me.. woman on the front desk was so brash and unfriendly she didn't even bother to check if it was mine .. didn't feel like she needed to apologize once she'd realized either .. won't be coming back read more

The best thing about this place is that it is open 24/7! It is perfect to go to at 3 AM when not many places are open, but it is also perfect at any other time of day because they have such a wide variety of empanadas. If you want faster service, download the Snackpass app because sometimes there is a very long line. My favorite flavors are spinach and cheese, mac & cheese, and pernil! read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

Mmmm super yummy! The regular cheese arepa was simple and delicious. The seafood one was also great! Wish we had this back in Los Angeles!

I have never seen a place with such a great assortment of empanada! Will definitely stop by again next time!