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    Empanada Mama

    4.1 (60 reviews)
    Open • 10:00 am - 11:30 pm

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    Desayuno Colombiano
    Patrick Z.

    The crust on these are absolutely bombastic so insanely crispy you may as well put a picture of these empanadas in the dictionary under the word crispy. The Desayuno Colombiano was super delicious, although couldve had a bit more meat I think like two of my bites had any. The Bombay had much more meat but flavor was not as on point. Red salsa was decently spicy but Green salsa was pure magic.

    Katherine N.

    Empanada Mama has become my unofficial late-night pit stop, the kind of place you stumble into on autopilot after a long evening. This time, I went for the plantain nachos--an inventive twist I couldn't resist. The plantains leaned a little soggy, but the sweetness paired with the pulled pork actually worked in their favor, adding a depth you don't get from ordinary nacho chips. The pork itself was tender, the queso melted into everything beautifully, and together it made for a plate worth lingering over. The restaurant itself is wonderfully laid-back, the kind of chill sit-down space where you can catch your breath before heading home. Nothing fancy, nothing forced--just comfort food with a little personality. Late-night cravings don't stand a chance here.

    El Jefe
    Kathie H.

    I got the El Jefe empanada which had birria and was sooo good! Simple place, limited seating. You order via a kiosk, it's pretty quick. Great place for a snack or quick meal.

    El Jefe - flavor of the month
    Seby I.

    The cheese empanada was downright delicious. No wonder- it was fried. The cheese inside was soft and pulled like mozarella. It was quite filling but as I was still hungry I had a second one with spinach and cheese. This one was less tasty as the spinach only lent color and no flavor. Here oniy one tiny sauce is given as the second one costs money. Service was friendly. Mama Empanada has been here for over two years. I knew the hot dog place which was here. Each empanada costs under $5. Besides empanada, a variety of food is available and some is expensive like the guacamole and plantain chips for nearly $15. This place is popular with youngsters.

    Michelle O.

    8/19/2024: Enroute home saw this before heading to train station: Cute and small. Staff is friendly and pleasant. I selected 3 to try: El Toro: had a little kick Chicken: flavorful Reggaeton: a bit spicy All yummy and would definitely return if in the area.

    Eva G.

    The best empanadas I have ever tasted are from Empanadas Mama!!! They are filled with delicious ingredients and every bite is delectable and delicious!!! They don't skimp on ingredients!!! Every time I'm in town I do my best to drop by to any of their locations and bring some back to Cali!!!!! My faves are the spinach and cheese, Greek spinach, chicken corn. I also like the Bombay, Brasil, Viagra , Desayuno Columbiano. They are all good. I recommend to come and enjoy some empanadas!!!!

    Bombay + Rice & Beans Combo
    Justin T.

    I heard a lot of great things about Empanada Mama, so I had to give it a shot. This location seems much smaller than the others, and there's really only a handful of seats available -- this seems more like a grab and go location. There was a lunch special deal that came with 2 empanadas and a side of beans and rice, so we got that. The two empanadas we chose were the Wheat flour Bombay and the Shredded Chicken. I thought they were both pretty good and the sauce it comes with compliments the empanadas well. The rice and beans were good too, but nothing special. Looking back, I feel like the food was a bit pricey when considering the size, but nonetheless it was good. I would recommend checking it out at least once!

    Inside
    Vanessa S.

    What a great spot to goto when your on the run and need some tasty empanadas! I got the corn empanadas with meat and another with vegetables both were amazing. While their good, it sometimes takes a while to come out it's absolutely worth it I promise. They also take all forms of payment so just bring your phone to pay if you want.

    Corn veggie empanadas
    Vincent W.

    This location is my go to along the L. Late nights I'd order online and they have discounts when order ahead via website. The service is usually fast and empanadas are consistent. This location is pick up mostly, due to limited space but you can dine in. I recommend try this eatery.

    Carolina , Alvaro , Andres
    Kristina V.

    I was searching for best empanadas in the City for a very long time .... I believe I found it ! Great food and perfect customer service. The owner of this place Karolina is great, hands on owner! She attentive equally to customers and her staff. I would highly recommend eggplant parmesan empanadas. Bartenders Alvaro and Andres were so nice ! I wiish bartenders in Sunnyside can do that ( wishful thinking? :) The service I received was absolutely terrific! The Ambience is relaxed/ casual. I would highly recommending that establishment . Sincerely

    Corn shell, cheese
    Bloss C.

    Empanadas are the perfect food in my opinion, and Empanada Mama always delivers quality empanadas. This new location is small and clean with a few stools if you want to eat at the high-top by the window. I had two of my usuals, cheese (corn shell) and Viagra (wheat shell), and tried the eggplant (baked wheat shell with tomato, oregano, basil, red wine, parmesan and mozzarella) which was a revelation! Definately give the eggplant a try, it was out of this world good. My only gripe with Empanada Mama is they could have more vegetarian options.

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    2 years ago

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    17 days ago

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    1 year ago

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    7 months ago

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    10 months ago

    Great spot. Price, Quality, & convenience perfectly blended in the east village. Will be revisiting!

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Delicious- dont sleep on the cheeseburger one its so good I think about it even after moving away from NYC

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    3 years ago

    Delicious empanadas!! Service is a little wonky and so is the ambiance but the empanadas are worth the trip!

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Empanada Mama

    Review Highlights - Empanada Mama

    “If I had to choose what to eat as my last meal, I would say Viagra empanadas time and time again.”

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    4.1(1.3k reviews)
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    I've been using Cook Unity for several years and as someone who typically cooks from scratch, it…read morehas really impressed me. The meals arrive premade and in the fridge, not frozen. Some are salads or bowls and meant to be eaten cold and taste fresh. Others only take a minute or two in the microwave and taste like my own cooking or my own leftovers. I particularly appreciate that most have the sauces on the side. This helps increase how fresh they taste. It also means if I want something less caloric or less spicy, I still have some control over the meal The range each week is amazing and it's so easy to sort. They can filter for types of food (bowls, mains etc. ) or by dietary needs (carb conscious, Mediterranean, specific calories, etc) or by protein (shellfish, fish, vegan, vegetarian, chicken, pork, beef). They have a decent amount of vegan and a lot of vegetarian, ranging from fake meats to beans or tofu. And you can sort by ethnic foods. The delivery has always been on time. And they come in reusable bags so each week, we set out last week's bag and they pick it up. Far less waste. It's also easy to skip weeks. I still love cooking but CookUnity is great for those weeks when I just want to take it easy. It's easy to change the day it arrives - and how many we get a week.the price is super reasonable considering there's basically DoorDash waiting for me in my fridge all week and usually better quality but at a fraction the price. It's even cheaper than some of the other meal delivery services that send ingredients. The only tiny complain is some of the chicken is a little gamey. Not inedible but not amazing. And we don't eat red meat so we eat a lot of chicken and fish. But we've found that eating the chicken cold helps. And much of it is delicious regardless. Their shrimp and salmon are superb. And we love their chicken burrito. So I highly recommend cook unity !

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    Cook Unity - Tod English's New School Chicken Cacciatore. Look at the mushrooms! I wish I had more photos of other meals.

    Tod English's New School Chicken Cacciatore. Look at the mushrooms! I wish I had more photos of other meals.

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    The Sandwich Board

    The Sandwich Board

    4.3(78 reviews)
    1.0 mi•Bowery, Lower East Side
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    The lap cheong mala wrap alone is enough reason for me to come back…read more Bolo bao sandwiches seriously need to catch on in NYC, since they're quite common in Hong Kong. This was my first time seeing one with roasted duck though. Just a heads up that the street felt a bit sketchy even though it's near the edge of Chinatown. We were unfortunately harassed by someone outside of the store and ended up giving him a few dollar bills... *Chinese Sausage Mala Wrap $10 ** The lap cheong was spread so evenly throughout that I got some in almost every bite. The mala aioli was quite spicy, but not overpowering or lingering. The crispy shallots added such a nice crunch too which I loved! *Duck Tsangwich $16 I was quite surprised that the roast duck skin stayed crispy! The crackly cookie topping could've been thicker since it was pretty flat. They give you chili oil on the side, but it was already super flavorful with the hoisin sauce. Only thing I wished for was more cucumber and scallion to help balance out the richness.

    accidentally found this place, which looks like a hole-in-the-wall. It only has walk-up ordering…read more There are a couple of chairs and a small table outside to sit. The Duck tsangwich is on the small size. The duck skin is crispy and the sauce is very good. The Chinese sausage sandwich has crispy shallots which added nice touch to it. Aioli was a bit spicy. I was here at 9:30 AM. They had a breakfast menu. I think it stopped at 10 o'clock. Overall, I'm glad I found this place

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    JoJi Box - Joji Box from Omakase Box

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    1.5 mi•Midtown East

    I only learned about Joji Box because one of the partners at work orders from them and had trouble…read moregetting to the website. In helping him troubleshoot the block, I learned of this amazing take out sushi that is unlike any other take out I've had before. We went for the Joji Box 1 and I wasn't sure what to expect but wow. This little box of goodness rivals some omakases I've had in person. The fish was fresh, and the rice was perfect temperature without falling apart. Even the box felt like it was a high end gift box. Everything is tucked away in this box: chopsticks, napkins, sauce dishes, fresh real wasabi, and even soy sauce from a tiny bottle. What a treat. Also their spicy tuna is easily one of the best I've had in recent years. Just wow.

    TLDR: Fancy sushi to go. Definitely on the pricier side but quality of toppings are premium, the…read morepackaging is sexy and the most important part of quality sushi is top notch. The rice. I'd splurge on it if you want to treat yourself to a good "to go" lunch or dinner. Definitely do so if you have corporate meal allowance. I was always curios about Joji Box but it' s not cheap - so like many I wondered if it was worth it. Eventually took one for the team. The first time I got the omakase box I didn't love having to sauce/wasabi it myself but I think that's just being picky. The last time I got the omaakase box, the omakase chirashi and the maki flight. The omakase box is a good assortment with a shimi, salad, two maki rolls and 10 nigiri. The pieces vary with premium ingredients like kinmedai, ikura, uni, toro, etc. It's costly at $62 but I think you get what you pay for. The chirashi had a variety of sashimi, lots of ikura and plenty of sushi rice. It's very good but for $50 I'd rather kick in more $ for the omakase. Maki Flight is great, $21 for a sampling of their three best rolls. It's 12 pieces total but they're nice size with a good amount of filling. If you're looking to treat yourself for lunch or maybe a nicer dinner takeaway - solid choice. I'm convinced enough that I'll try Joji for real one night.

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    JoJi Box - Chirashi Box and Maki Flight

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    Empanada Mama - empanadas - Updated September 2026

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