Clean. Service was Sweet and Quick. Food is DELICIOUS. The small details are such a nice touch. The way they "stamp" the empanadas. #love City Parking. read more

Lito's Empanadas - Empanadas Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I ate at the French Market but the empanadas were great! I had a bacon & egg, chorizo & cheese and Nutella & Banana. All were good but the breakfast and dessert ones were my favorites. I also had a side of rice that was good. The dipping sauces were also a great way to have the empanadas. read more

Lito's Empanadas - Empanadas side of rice and dipping sauces - Empanadas Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Delicious empanadas. Best eaten fresh/when you order. The Al pastor was sooooooo good. I recommend the verde salsa, ask for it on the side. Super friendly service. Great for lunch or a snack on the go. Tables inside for eating as well. read more

Lito's Empanadas - Empanadas Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Chicago has so many empanadas and I'm glad I'm finally trying them!! I got the Al pastor empanada and Nutella banana empanada. The Al pastor was said to have pineapple, but it honestly just tasted like meat and cheese. The Nutella banana was decadent and delicious. The restaurant has a sweet, a regular, and a spicy sauce which was fun to try too. I liked the sweet one the best. I really like the affordability of empanadas, and they are a great quick or light lunch option! I'd like to come back and try more of the flavors. The interior of the restaurant is pretty bare, but there are a variety of seating options and lots of natural light. read more

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Excellent 'nada shop! These are some of my absolute faves. The crust is just the most decadent flaky fried dream. I've never known empanadas so big, juicy, crunchy AND crispy all at once! I love the #1 (beef, olives, raisins, potatoes, onions and tomatoes)- the filling is similar to an Argentine empanada (in some regions they're sweet like this one, with olives and raisins!)... the sweet/savory combo makes them irresistible. Close runners up are the #2 beef & rice, the #14 spinach & cheese and the #4 chicken & mushroom. You must get the creamy sauces- the sweet sauce (pink one) and the Serrano sauce (spicy light green one) are game changers! They do take 5-10 minutes to fry the empanadas, so if you're in a time crunch order ahead. Also this place is currently kinda under construction, but when they're open it's worth stopping in here for a pocket-sized snack to hold you over between meals. Consider me a regular! read more

Best empanadas in Chicago! I've eaten here for years and love them so much! Pro tip -- look for the little numbers stamped in the bottom corner of your empanada. That'll tell you which is yours if you get a mixed variety bag! read more

I was super excited to see an empanada shop in this part of Lincoln Park. I was much less excited when all of my empanadas arrived thoroughly deep fried, whatever personality their fillings might have had rendered mute by the casket of excessively crunchy rich salty dough. (Not that I don't like excessively crunchy, rich, salty things -- I do, excessively -- but not as a substitute for a flavorful and filling lunch.) I'd rather have my empanadas baked, or at least fried with moderation and discretion. I dunno, maybe the tacos are better. read more

I loved Litos at their former Clark St location and when they were closed for 8 months during the pandemic I thought they were gone forever. I am sooo thankful they moved just down the street. They are currently "soft" open meaning the dining area has equipment in it instead of tables, their menu is a little messy, and the sign is basically just a tv screen in the window, but don't let that deter you! We ordered pick up last night and it was ready in 10 minutes and absolutely delicious. My boyfriend was quiet while eating except when he paused to say "amazing, as always." Every single thing on the menu is good, but I personally love the chicken and mushroom empanada. They've also expanded their menu to include burrito bowls and quesadillas - haven't had a bowl yet but the quesadilla was very good! Plus all three sauces are sooo good, especially the spicy green one. I can't wait for the new location to fully open and for now I will be greatly enjoying the takeout! read more

Lito's Empanadas - Three sauces and three empanadas! They are stamped so you know which is which. - Empanadas Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A short bike ride from our hostel, we stepped inside, went right up to the counter to order. It was a Tuesday afternoon, but there was no wait. We were the only people in there so we had a pick of tables. It was a very clean and bright place even though it was dark and rainy outside. Food came super fast and was delicious. I got the chori-cheese empanada. It was well balanced, cooked to perfection, and just the right amount of food for a midday snack. If you were looking to make that a meal, I would order one of those and two tacos. I tried every sauce they gave us and they were all perfect with the empanada. Go here for lunch during the week if you want a quick delicious meal! read more

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The empanadas are delicious. My favorite are the beef and rice. The bread is like an eggroll textura but the shape of an empanada. The people are very friendly and there is not a longer wait. read more

We used Lito's to cater a graduation party last weekend, and they were a hit. The ordering process was easy and they were very flexible when I realized I messed up my dates and needed them the next day instead of in 2 days. We ordered: -beef and rice -spinach and cheese -bacon and egg -Al Pastor Everyone raved about them! The sauces were also delicious. 10/10 recommend if you just want a good empanada or if you need an easy and delicious caterer. They even delivered, which was very helpful. read more

I stopped into Lito's Emapandas for a little snack. I got 3 empanadas for a total of $10. This could easily be a meal. The empanadas were a happy medium size that had plenty of room for maximum filling. I got the Chori Cheese #6, Al Pastor #12, and Spinach #8. The Chori Cheese was my favorite but it was pretty hard to tell the difference between that and the Al Pastor (look for the pineapple). The empanadas were generously filled and you can see/taste the other ingredients. No skimping here! The dough was plump like a pillow and crispy on the outside. It is a very satisfying bite. I'll for sure be stopping into Lito's the next time I'm in Lincoln Park. I'm interested in trying one of their dessert ones next! Stop in, you won't regret it! read more

Lito's Empanadas - Empanadas Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It was honestly hard to contain my excitement when I walked past Lito's today and saw they'd reopened!! I've been checking each time I've walked past for the last year and they're back! With an expanded menu and filling, delicious empanadas you have to stop in. Great service, fast and fresh this is a hit. It's hard to choose a bad empanada. Pick 2 or 3 if you're really hungry and you can't go wrong. read more

Fantastic, larger location now. Four dipping sauces for fresh pockets of yummy! Both recommended: Beef - the uniquely Latin flavor profile of ground beef, olives, raisins Al pastor - pork, pineapple, and cilantro read more

Litos has been my favorite restaurant this year! I was told they expanded their menu to include burrito bowls and it has been my go-to burrito bowl place ever since, I never think about going to Chipotle now. While their burrito bowl isn't their staple item, they load it with fresh ingredients and I always top it with their green hot sauce, which is a must-try here. I wish I could have a bottled version of this hot sauce at home. As for their empanadas, they're massive and so delicious! I don't get them often since the bowl is so much food, however I never regret it when I do. The crust is super flaky and delicious. My favorite is their al pastor. Aside from the amazing food, their pricing is great for everything you get out of it. The bowls are massive and could serve as two meals all for $10. I think it's very reasonable for a quality meal. read more

Lito's Empanadas - Chicken bowl - Empanadas Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Clean open place with great fresh fish tacos and savory empanadas, I had chicken. Friendly service. read more

Lito's Empanadas - Steak and fish tacos side of empanada - Empanadas Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

New location! Soft opening. Wow! The empanadas here are amazing. Great price and size! The sauces are all equally tasty. I just kept dipping in all 3. My new favorite empanada spot! read more

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Vegie burrito bowl delicious! Better than most places! I recommend it. Counter service a plus

Soo good! Ordered the spinach empanada and nutella-banana empanada - both were delicious! As a vegetarian, it's difficult to find good veggie empanadas so I'm very glad I decided to give this place a try. I'll definitely be coming back here and recommending to friends and family! read more

Interesting mix of items on their menu. Some classic Mexican fare (tacos, burritos and nachos) as well as empanadas. We ordered a few different empanadas ... our favorite was the Nutella/ banana. The spinach and cheese was mostly cheese. The mushroom was good, but had a ton of liquid in it. The beef was packed with meat, well spiced, but dry. The nachos we ordered as an appetizer was a cream and cheese stew with chips buried at the bottom. It was a soggy mess from the start, but tasted good if you have the stomach for that much cream. The beef burrito was excellent (mission district style). read more

Back again. Love their veggie tacos and taco salad nut without tortilla shell! Everything is fresh and tasty. And of course empanadas are great read more

The most delicious empanadas. I eat every day for lunch. Service 10/10. I recommend spinach and cheese, al pastor, and chorizo.

Good pricing. GREAT empanadas. Great service and cleanliness the times we've visited!

My favorite empanadas so far. I recommend them whenever someone suggests empanadas. The beef ones are the absolute best.

Delicious empanadas! I tried the beef and rice and it was perfectly crispy and full of flavor. I also ordered 2 steak tacos and they were pretty good as well. The meat could've been a bit crispier but overall it was delicious and better than any steak tacos I've had in this area. They did not fall apart and the flavor from the fresh cilantro was a perfect touch. I've tried a few nearby taco spots and they seem to always fall apart. Would recommend to anyone looking for a quick bite that doesn't lack in flavor and quality. read more

I am an Empanaddict! I was driving in the neighborhood and saw their signage. They only serve empanada, there are few tables to dine in. They cater more for deliveries and pickup. There are like 12 empanada varieties, 10 of them are savory and 2 are like dessrts. The empanadas are baked fresh every timw you order. I love the beef and chorizo empanadas. read more

Lito's Empanadas - Empanadas Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Place looks clean but review if off if food quality. Average service. Empanadas are full of rice barely any meat. Not great tasting. Tacos are served on small flour tortillas. read more

Wanted to find a new taco spot on my lakefront bike ride and found this place on Yelp. Great empanadas! I had the chicken and rice as well as the BBQ chicken and they were both great. Will add the shrimp tacos next time. read more

After roaming around the streets, my friend and I popped in for some snacks, and we are so glad to have come! The place is pretty small, but it's nice and cozy. The prices are affordable as well! All of the empanadas are 2.99, both savory and sweet. We got the two sweet options - Nutella/Banana and Apple Caramel. If I were to choose one, it would definitely be the Nutella. It felt like I was drowning in a vat of chocolatiness. The apple one ended up being too mushy bits instead of chunky apple pieces, which I prefer. Regardless, the crust of the empanadas is to die for, so any option will have a beautiful blanket surrounding it. The apple one was covered in cinnamon sugar! What I loved the most was that all the empanadas are fried fresh. They pull out your choices from the fridge, and fry them for about five minutes! Definitely stop by to even just try one! read more

Lito's Empanadas - Menu - Empanadas Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Super tasty empanadas with really fun flavor combinations. Highly recommend the al pastor. Empanadas were flaky with a gooey middle. Perfect texture and taste. Great addition to the neighborhood! read more

WOWW Completely blown away with the empandas. I just got back from a trip to Spain where I had the most tasty empandas in my life, and these are on totally on par! The restaurant is quite small with just three tables. Walking in there's a giant chalkboard with all their available empanadas. Once you order, you have to wait 5 min as they heat them up fresh for you!! My sister and I split the Chori-Cheese (#6) and the Apple Caramel (#11). The Chori-Cheese tasted amazing and was delicious. The apple cinnamon one tastes similar to an apple pie but with more crust which I absolutely LOVED. If you're looking for a snack, this is the place to go! I know they also do catering/deliveries if you're doing an event. I will be dreaming about these in my sleep! read more

Lito's Empanadas - Empanadas Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Love me some Lito's! First, let me say that these are Colombian empanadas. So you can't really compare them to the other empanada place down the street. Those are Argentinian empanadas. They are both good, but just not the same. I have been here several times in order to try the different fillings. For me, two is enough to make me full, three if I'm feeling greedy. My favorite ones are the Hawaiian and the Chori-cheese. I've also had Champignon Chicken, BBQ chicken, Spinach, and Beef and Rice. They are all good! A lot of people love the Choco-banana, but for me the banana was not ripe enough and the Nutella was runny. Too hot maybe? But I didn't even eat it right away... However, I'd like to give it another try since so many have raved about it. My favorite part of these empanadas the the flaky outer puff crust/shell pastry thing. It's nice and crispy and not greasy at all. I also really like how the ones with cheese are really cheesy and just so good. All of the empanadas are stamped with a the Lito's name which I think is a really cute touch. And the homemade hot sauce is a must! There's not much seating and on the hot days I went it was really hot inside. Not sure if they don't have a fan or AC or if they just didn't turn it on the day I was there. That is probably the only complaint I have. Overall, I love Lito's Empanadas. What a tasty little treat! read more

Lito's Empanadas - Empanadas Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Sometimes you go to the movie theater you buy a ticket more than an hour away and need to kill sometime. You stroll through the neighborhood searching for a snack. You get cupcakes realize you still have more time and stop for empanadas!! Menu written in chalk. They have a few vegetarian ones and many more with meat. Got a ground beef one with rice and a chicken one. They give you a green salsa in addition to a creamy reddish/ pink one. Will probably make this a tradition empanadas and cupcakes prior to seeing film. Staff was helpful and gave water cup in addition to discussion about the reddish/ pink sauce. read more

Lito's Empanadas - Empanadas Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came here for a snack, what we got was an addicting spanish pie/pastry having us wanting MORE! The recommendation was Champion Chicken and Chori Cheese... goodness both were so deliciously perfect. On top of that, the green hot sauce which I believe was just ground jalapenos was perfect for the empanadas. Furthermore, the pricing is very fair for food in this neighborhood/area, at $3/empanada. See you again soon! By the way, I'll take these empanadas over the overrated 'korean' tacos at del seoul any day! read more

A little gem in LP. Just opened recently. Went in for carry out. Nice people and service. GREAT empanadas with variety of fillings. Really liked the chorizo, chicken and veggie. The tortas were huge and loaded with fresh veggies, flavorful fillings we liked the pork carnitas. Tortilla soup was excellent. The salad and rice bowls are shareable, excellent. Also packed with fresh ingredients. Great value. The space is clean and has seating. Will be back. Fast convenient. read more

I just ate two of their empanadas for dinner plus I tried a bite of my friend's empanadas as well and I was pleased. Empanada prices aren't bad at $2.09-$2.49. Service was very friendly although there was a slight multi-tasking fail. We ordered a diet coke and were given a regular coke but couldn't even correct the error because she was on the phone the phone the whole time taking an order. Oh well. Not a big deal. The BBQ Chicken Empanada was good but could have used a bit more BBQ, that flavor got a bit lost in this. The Hawaiian Empanada was amazing! Cheese and juices gooshing everywhere from this little guy. The pineapple was sweet and tasty (probably from a can, but hey it makes me feel healthy) and the cheese & ham were very tasty. Absolutely loved it and would recommend it the most of the four I tried! I wouldn't make a special trip here for the treats but if you're in the neighborhood it's a good option to pick up & go. read more

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Litoooooo! My man. You make some good a$$ empanada...let me tell you. I love the beef and rice, I know, that's so basic but whatever. I've also had your champiñon chicken, OH and your chorizo and cheese. Damn, if I could put an emoji on this review I'd totally do the drooly one but Yelp won't let me, maybe it's for the best. I almost forgot, those sauces! My favorite being the serrano but the Aji comes close second. Ugh, now I want some. read more

The best empanadas in the world. I went on a recommendation of a friend and I was absolutely impressed. They are so delicious. I am vegetarian so I got the Spinach (spinach, mozzarella, and onion), the Vegetarian (green pepper, cilantro, onion, potato, tomato and chipotle pepper) and the Apple-Cinnamon. They were all amazing. The dough is magical. The mozzarella was oozing out of the spinach one, perfectly fresh and stringy. The chipotle sauce for the vegetarian one was amazing. And the dessert - the Apple-Cinnamon - to die for! Fresh apples and not very sweet - just a perfect blend of apples, cinnamon, and sugar. McDonald's Apple Pies - you got nothing on this one! I got my friends the Chicken one (chicken, rice, tomato, and onion), and the Beef one (Beef, rice, tomatoes, and onion) and they thought it was amazing. GO VISIT! You will not be disappointed!! read more

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Loved these empanadas! I bought the chorizo cheese, bbq chicken, Hawaiian and Al Pastor. The chorizo cheese was my favorite! Great flavor and can never go wrong with too much cheese. The bbq chicken was my least favorite because there was too much meat and not enough flavor or sauce. The Hawaiian was okay, nothing too special but not as bad as I heard previously from a friend. The Al Pastor was good too. I meant to order the Nutella one but accidentally said the wrong number so instead of the last empanada being a dessert one, I ate until I was very full. I'll try this on an empty stomach next time to enjoy it more! My cousins K and T and Me all had different experiences with our Al Pastors. T said hers was really spicy and K had a greasy one. Mine was not too much of either so I guess I got lucky! I'll be coming back for the Spanish, Nutella and maybe another chorizo cheese! read more

Lito's Empanadas - The engraved numbers and restaurant name in the empanadas is genius! - Empanadas Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Empanadas are delicious and they offer a lot of other things. Best empanadas I've had in Chicago and a great family business