Every time I go the food does not miss! The first time I went on a late night during PRIDE after a friend's event was bar only and I have been hooked ever since. My food critic of a mother and her friends love it too! No matter how packed you will get your order (sit down or take-out) ... depending on the time of day the music will draw you in & the bar especially during happy hour is a plus. I have enjoyed almost every empanada I have tried, the yucca is good, there's a guava sauce to die for! My favorites are the Viagra & El Toro!! read more

I feel like every time I've tried empanadas before I haven't been super impressed by it. Regardless, this is one of the most reviewed places in NYC so I had to try it out. Got seated immediately which was pretty nice and although the waiter came to take our order pretty quickly, it took around 30-40 minutes before our empanadas came, so just be a bit mindful of that. - Viagra - I wasn't the biggest fan of this empanada because of the imitation seafood they used although I did appreciate how much seafood they had in each one. I thought the name was kind of funny too haha. - Cuban - Feel like they didn't give me a Cuban but rather a shredded spicy chicken which was still good regardless. I appreciate that they have the sauces to dip on the side in case the dough was too heavy, and I especially liked the spicy red with it. - Eggplant Parmesan - The fact that this was my favorite one out of the three was kind of mind-blowing. The eggplant was incredibly tender and I appreciate how much cheese was in the empanada. Although I feel like the flavors could be enhanced by some marinara sauce, I still really appreciated the balance of the dish. Overall, solid place for food in Hell's Kitchen especially for a cheap eat when all the other restaurants are booked. read more

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

Been going here and ordering from here for years and it has never disappointed. Jerk n cheese will forever be my favorite empanada and the green sauce is amazing. I only dined inside a couple of times but the service is fine and the place itself is pretty casual. Great spot for just lunch or late night bites! It's always a hit when we order. read more

Empanada Mama, thoroughly enjoyed, the food was delicious. we had the al pastor tacos, carne asada tacos, ground beef corn empanada, reggaeano empanada, and a shredded chicken corn empanada. The prices were so good that I thought the portions would be much smaller. We had no room for dessert, sadly. So worth going to! We didn't care for the shredded chicken empanada, mainly because the texture of the meat filling, tasted good, just didn't care for the texture. Everything else was fantastic. Service was good and the price was great! read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Ground beef corn empanada...so, so, good! - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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Good was delicious. So so many varieties. Loved the breakfast one and spicy jerk chicken ones the most . Would return to try more read more

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

A perfect place a bit off the beaten path near the theatre district for a nice simple meal in NYC. You can take away, ordering at the screens or sit inside a be served. Fillings and empanada types vary for all your dietary needs, including a very tasty plum dessert one. Very reasonable price. $4-$6 per empanada. You could easily be quite satisfied with 3 empanadas and a drink, followed with a dessert one. Will be back next time I am in NYC. read more

Pretty large and clean restaurant! Service was nice and attentive. The jerk and cheese was okay but the spicy chicken was my favorite! read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Jerk & Cheese and Spicy Chicken - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

My daughter went to empanada mama and I asked her to bring me some empanadas. So this review is solely on food. The empanadas were amazing! They are completely filled inside not like other empanadas that have little filling and there's more dough then filling. I have El jefe, El reggaeton and Viagra. El jefe is stuffed with birria, corn and I forgot what else is inside but it's delicious, a little spicy and juicy. El reggaeton was roasted pork, yellow rice and pigeon peas. Soooo good and you can taste the Latin flavors. The Viagra is stuffed with shrimp and crab meat. And the green sauce for dipping or drenching your empanadas is tasty. Each empanada is 5.00-6.00 but the way they are stuffed to the brim I think it's worth the price. Definitely a good spot to go and eat empanadas In Manhattan. read more

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Went weekday lunch around 1, and ordered on snackpass touchpad for to go. The store was pretty empty, and service was quick. As for the empanadas: Cuban 5/5: tender, juicy, flavorful, would def get again Bourbon Chicken Melt 4/5: very mushroom heavy, and chicken was in cubes. Decent flavor, but not mindblowing Viagra Corn 3/5: the corn was a little hard, but the lobster was good Desayuno Colombiano 2/5: the lackluster of the the bunch in terms of flavor. Overall, priced a little steep at 4.5-5 per empanada. Would go again late night because open 24-7, but other than that, not so sure. read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Cuban, Bourbon Chicken Melt, Viagra Corn, Desayuno Colombiano - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

The empanadas were so, so delicious!! I tried the El Jefe & the Cheeseburger & they definitely did not disappoint. They both had the perfect dough-to-meat ratio. The Coconut Tres Leches cake was also pretty good read more

Awesome empanadas, and taste is always delicious. Bit pricy for empanadas but the taste is delicious. Staff is rough around the edges and not the friendliest and their drinks are watered down. But best advice get empanadas and go drink elsewhere! read more

This NYC gem is awesome! With quality, extremely tasty, and affordable food this place offers you the option to try and taste a variety of protein and flavor profiles. Better for takeout as a late night meal or snack and works great if you need to feed multiple people/groups. My favorite empanadas are the jambon (ham & cheese), viagra (shrimp), and chicken. The spicy red sauce is a must have on them all. The Entrana La Plancha (skirt steak) with chimichurri sauce is super yummy and great alternative if you want a full meal. Here is hoping this place expands to outside NYC so the rest of the country can experience it. read more

Been wanting to try this place for quite a while. The restaurant looks super chill and great place to get drinks and snack on some empenadas I got the basil, oxtail and Colombian empanada. I REALLY enjoyed the el toro (oxtail) and Colombian ones. Oxtail was full of flavors and Colombian was super cheesy. When I say cheesy I mean huge cheese pull. Servers were nice and worked with my mistake of accidentally ordering to go. Will be back again for trying other ones! read more

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Service was fast and empanadas are very filling and amazing! I was full off the two empanadas and was very happy read more

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

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If you are a fan of empanadas, then Empanada Mama is the place for you. They've got an entire page (with slightly small font) full of different empanadas to choose from. I've tried a bunch of them and they have all been great quality. This includes ordering delivery and also dining in. In order of my preference (although all were good) based on my last time dining in: Hawaiian empanada ($4.45)- if you are someone who enjoys Hawaiian pizza, then this is a classic ham / pineapple / mozzarella combo that does not disappoint Viagra empanada ($4.80)- don't get weirded out by the name, because this really is a great option. It is a delicious seafood empanada with shrimp and crab meat Cuban empanada ($4.45)- similar to the Hawaiian except with slow roasted pork instead of the pineapple, and very tasty as well Reggaeton empanada ($4.45)- while I'm ranking this one #4, it is good as well with a combo of roast pork, yellow rice, and pigeon peas; a Caribbean-flavored empanada, as the name suggests In addition to the empanadas, I also got a Papaya Fruit Shake ($6.50). They have a number of different fruit options for these shakes, and you can choose between milk or water based (I chose milk based). It is clear that they use real papaya fruit blended with milk to make a delicious and refreshing fruity drink. The interior of the restaurant has quite a lot of seating and it can get very busy during peak dining hours (we were able to just walk in on a Friday night though). They are actually open 24 hours, which is super convenient if you are looking for a late night snack/meal. Our waiter was pretty friendly, and the service speed was decent. There are some colorful paintings / decor along the walls, which adds to the bright environment. The atmosphere is very lively with all of the customers in there. Overall, Empanada Mama is a great option for empanadas and other similar dishes and drinks. I would give it 4.5 stars if I could, but the only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because it didn't have a super special "wow' factor. Still, I would highly recommend this place for both delivery/take-out and dining in if you are in the Hell's Kitchen area. read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Cuban (top left), Viagra (top right), Reggaeton (bottom left), and Hawaiian (bottom right) empanadas - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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I try to make Empanada Mama a stop every time I'm in the city! Always fresh, open 24 hours and super inexpensive! Yummy to boot and the vibe is always exciting! It's an experience for sure! read more

Wow were these empanadas GOOOOOOD!! I ordered delivery from here tonight through seamless. The delivery was the quickest I have ever experienced. I couldn't believe that it came so fast! I got the buffalo chicken empanada and the mac and cheese empanada. The pastry of both were so flaky and delicious. I loved the addition of the buffalo sauce on the side for the buffalo chicken one. The spice level was perfect. Not too hot, but definitely full of flavor. That one was my favorite! The mac and cheese one was good, but could have used more noodles. It felt more like a cheese empanada, than a mac and cheese empanada. But the flavor was great! I can't believe I waited so long to order from here! I look forward to trying all their other unique flavors :) read more

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

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Love Empanada Mama. I can't comment on the service as I only really order delivery from here, but the empanadas are always great. They offer several varieties, from traditional fillings to ones like bbq pulled pork and a Bombay version (Indian curry-esq). Each one is about $4-6. The green salsa is great too. read more

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I was waiting for my ONE, SINGULAR empanada, and decided that I wanted to get a drink. So I sat at the bar, my boyfriend and I, with my card out, waiting for the bartender to approach us to order a drink. Instead, I was ushered out by the manager, a very abrasive woman, who said that because we ordered from the to go line, that we couldn't sit and order a drink. I see a pattern in New York City, where hospitality is getting watered down into something pathetic, authoritarian and lazy. People do not know how to treat paying customers. We had receipts for our food and were booted from sitting at the bar. There are silly rules that are made due to the ever growing population of this city, and if you are New York born and bred and used to the treatment you normally get in any establishment, you are usually in for a shock when you go to places that are frequented by out of state transplants who will sit back and accept when staff abuses them. Enjoy the empanadas though, that's the one thing about this place that's somewhat decent. read more

The food was delicious and was just what we needed, at the right time. Appreciate the staff that has to deal with the late night customers.

Mama knows best. Walked by this randomly on our last visit to NYC, and it was a no brainer for this trip. Just grabbed a few amazing empanadas and then sat in Hell's Kitchen Park. Some tasty options to choose from: Pernil- pork done amazingly Cubano - very nice Mac & Cheese - because why not USA - a little homemade apple pie goodness I don't think you can go wrong with any choice honestly. read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Pernil, Mac & cheese and USA empanadas - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

I placed an order online and then went to pick up my food. No one greeted me when I arrived. I waited at the front desk while 3 employees continued to work in front of me without acknowledging me. I finally got one guy to look at me and told him I was picking up. He asked my name and said it wasn't ready. So I waited. There were only 2 other customers in the dining area and one person at the bar. It wasn't busy at all. After almost 20 mins of them looking at me, I finally asked again how long it would be as I had ordered 45 mins prior (2 empanada and a salad). He asked my name again and then handed me the bag that had been sitting there in front of him the whole time. This isn't even a rating of the food, but the lack of any customer service. read more

Have been to this establishment on many occasions and have never had a problem. Came here early on Saturday with my friend who was visiting NYC. We ordered from Kiosk with the expectation to grab and go. We ordered at 12:30 according to our ticket order. I got my food around 1. My friend who ordered 3 empanadas and a Diet Coke didn't get his until 1:15. Unbelievable!! We waited so long we were hungry, and decided to just eat at the bar. The manager rudely told us we couldn't eat at the bar with takeout orders (per policy) despite waiting almost an hour for our food. Good customer service would have apologized and/or offered us something, but that was not our experience. Very disappointed in today's experience. Will probably not be back to this location. read more

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

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I recently went to the location on 9 Avenue and W 52nd st was ushered out of the establishment during a time when it was empty because they said I didn't specify that I wanted to dine in after I paid they pulled a sign from behind the bar that stated seating was for dine in guests only and rudely forced me to leave the hosts were unprofessional especially after taking my money I would never eat here again and I being an influencer will most definitely have as many ppl as I can avoid this location read more

My friend selected Empanada Mama as a starting point for our monthly dinner outing. We arrived around 6 on a Thursday and it was crowded. We were able to get seats at the bar. The waitress/bartender was professional and the food service was quick. We selected three empanadas each and shared the Cubana arepa. The empanadas were excellent, we enjoyed oxtail, spicy chicken, and a seafood empanada that they call Viagra. Oxtail was probably my favorite but the seafood empanada was also a hit, can't say I recall having seafood in an empanada before. The Cubana arepa was a nice portion to share. The arepa itself had good texture and it was stuffed with pulled pork and melted cheese. Empanada Mama is a good place to share tasty food. read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Trio of empanadas. Viagra (seafood), oxtail, and spicy chicken. Very good! - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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The empanadas were crispy and hot from the first bite tot the last bite. They are the perfect size. Not too small, but not too much that you can't finish them. The service was fast and friendly. It was not as busy as I thought it would be for late night. Please go here! read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Pepperoni Pizza and Cheeseburger - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

Casual spot with a massive menu of empanadas (40+ flavors, corn or wheat dough). The classics -- beef, chicken, cheese -- are excellent, crispy, and well-seasoned, and the green sauce is a must. Fun to experiment with creative options like cheeseburger or seafood, though some "out-there" flavors can be hit or miss. Portions are generous, prices fair for NYC, and it's open 24/7, which makes it a late-night lifesaver. read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Corn Flour Beef Empanadas - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

Empanada Mama offers a delightful 24/7 experience with a laid-back atmosphere. The variety of empanadas, including El Jefe, pepperoni pizza, and breakfast options like Desuno, were all delicious. The green sauce added a flavorful kick. The exceptional service and scrumptious food make it a place worth revisiting. The music set the mood and was also inviting. Definitely will come back because that green sauce was so good. Dessert churros. Yum. read more

Empanada Mama - Hell's Kitchen - Your food comes out in a basket. They are individually labeled for our convenience. - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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After I was seated, no one ever greeted me or brought me a menu. After 20 minutes, I left.

An amazing quick bite or late night go to! Service is INCREDIBLE and all servers are so kind and accommodating. The long list of empanada choice are endless and tasty so you really can't go wrong choosing something different. Music is great and the vibes are always a party! The only thing is the bathrooms are crazy!! Sure they are dirty but it's more about the toilets that shoot water straight up when you flush. My advice would be to wait to use the bathroom at the next place for your perfect empanada mama experience. read more

06/9/24 @ 5PM Had to eat here again after such a delicious first visit. Got to Pernil's again and they were just as good as the first time. Our service was absolutely TERRIBLE though. We had Fabrício as our server and he was awful. He didn't greet us when we sat down and ignored me when I said hi. It took awhile for our order to be taken after we sat down- two tables were sat beside us AFTER we sat down and Fabrício took their order first. He nearly forgot to take our order; had to turn around after walking away. After our food was served by someone else, I had to flag someone down to get a drink order from my mom since Fabrício never returned to check on us. He even walked right by us and didn't even stop to ask How things were or if we needed anything! Fabrício provided some of the worst service I have had in a long time. Absolutely horrendous. We finally had to ask the hostess for our server so we could get the check. Another woman came up and said she was our server now. This was so odd- I've been at restaurants during a shift change and normally the prior server says something to us about them ending their shift soon. That didn't happen at all. What's even more odd is that I still see him serving tables as I type this. So weird. When I come back here, I'll definitely be requesting anyone but Fabrício. read more

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

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I came with a couple friends before seeing a show nearby on a Friday night, and with the way the restaurant filled up by the time we left, it seems a lot of others had the same idea. Seems popular for takeout and delivery but also has a good amount of tables for dine-in which is what we did. I will say service got a bit spotty maybe because it got more crowded - the food and water refills took a while and I didn't get a garlic sauce I ordered but was still charged for. It's still a convenient, tasty, and reasonably-priced spot though so I wouldn't mind returning now that I know how the place works. There are maybe dozens of empanada fillings ranging from traditional Latin flavors to more fusion stuff, plus a range of appetizers, entrees, and drinks that I didn't try this time. My friends and I ordered a bunch of empanadas and tried bit of each, and my favorites were the El Toro (oxtail), Jerk Chicken, and Viagra (seafood, but why the name??). I liked all of them though, and they may look deceptively small but are filled really generously and I was full after eating three. The empanadas also come with plenty of green creamy sauce and red hot sauce, which I wish I knew so I wouldn't have tacked on the garlic sauce; I especially liked the green sauce and went through several little cups. Each empanada comes under $5, so you can fill up for not too much money here before or after your nighttime activities - it's open really late! read more

I love the empanadas! Omgg it so was flavorful. I ordered the el toro- which consisted of oxtail, Mac & cheese w/ bacon & spicy chicken one all so good! I'd def come back here again. They also serve drinks & main course dishes. I'd def have to go bck to try but overall 10/10! Ouuu & I love the green sauce it comes with ! read more

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Super fast and always delicious. Empanada mama never fails me!!!! My favorite go to one is Viagra. They are not skimping on the filling!! You get huge pieces of shrimp and crab. I usually order on Yelp for a faster pick up. read more

Its been about 10 years since I have been here and I like it better this time around! Pitchers of margaritas? Yes, please! Add a flavor too? Heck yeah. Tried blackberry and it did not disappoint. Tapas to get I would recommend the yuca and chips combo which come with guacamole. Fried yuca equals happiness. The maduros are good too and they have some serious quality control because not one wack maduro was to be found in the batch; they were all perfect, unlike my maduros at home. I tired the jefe, toro and viagra empanadas. Cant go wrong with birria, oxtail, and seafood fillings. My friend did not like her viagra empanada, but I think she is just a little cray cray. Lots of locations, but I have only been to this one and I think it is the OG one. read more

Still the best empanadas I've had. The name is weird, but their Viagra empanada is to die for. The hefty chunks of crab meat with marinated shrimp in a thin, crispy and chewy skin just works. Other favorites are the Cuban, macaroni and cheese. The pernil was a bit dry. Mmm mmm mmm. read more

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HATE I opened the door for a security guard named Anais (sp?) who I later asked for his name and instead of just being polite and saying no or sharing his name, he looked at me and just kept walking. Just because you're security doesn't mean you need to be rude. DISLIKE Nothing. LIKE The overall vibe of the place. The menu selection. The chicharon. The fun music. LOVE Our server Martie, who was so energetic, helpful and so knowledgeable - she even helped me create a dessert empanada that wasn't on the menu! The festive decor. The crispy empanadas. read more

I can understand why this place is open 24/7 - they need to be because they are also busy 24/7! There hasn't been once instance where I've walked past and not seen a line or a crowd here. My husband orders from here often and I've tried some empanadas along the way and can see why he frequents it so much - it's SO GOOD! Collectively we have tried the following: Buffalo Chicken Cheese Mac and cheese Jerk and cheese Spicy chicken Portobello Eggplant parmesan I can only speak for the vegetarian ones and the eggplant parmesan is probably my favorite! It could probably use some sort of marinara, but I think that's because I am used to it being served like that traditionally. The cheese is pretty basic, can't go wrong with it and I like that they give you sauces on the side to spice it up! My husband loves the chicken ones and indulged in the mac and cheese, which I refused to try, but he said it was alright. We have always ordered out from here and he picks it up, so I can't speak on the ambiance or what it's like inside, I'll have to stop in one of these days just to see! I'm not sure if I am glad this is just a few blocks away or not (so tempting all the time), but it's great to have in the neighborhood for when I don't feel like cooking! read more

Always excellent. It is our go to late night spot. Empanadas are amazing. The green sauce is excellent. Ask for extra.

Don't say you're open and when a patron arrives they get told it's only to go service. I was so upset I walked 2.5 miles in the frikn cold to try out the restaurant and when I get there the gentleman said it was only take out- no dine in. If there is a period of time where you're only take out- make that clear somewhere so people don't waste their time. read more