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    Lito's Empanadas

    4.3 (530 reviews)
    InexpensiveEmpanadas

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    Al pastor empanada
    Leland L.

    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.

    Three sauces and three empanadas! They are stamped so you know which is which.
    Kendra M.

    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!

    Erin M.

    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!

    Sandy N.

    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!

    Chicken bowl
    Amanda H.

    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.

    Steak and fish tacos side of empanada
    MesmerEyes G.

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

    Chicken and beef empanada

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    2 years ago

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

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

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

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    2 years ago

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

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    3 years ago

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

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    3 years ago

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

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    Ask the Community - Lito's Empanadas

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    El Mercado Meat Mart - First time here!!

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    We are big empanada fans!! And I mean Big fans, anything encased in a crispy, fried/baked dough is…read morean automatic lovable treat for me. I know empanadas originated in Spain and they spread the art of making these handheld pies to the Philippines, Mexico, Columbia, Venezuela, and yes, Argentina. We are also big fans of Argentinian style empanadas and we were so happy to discover El Mercado on Yelp!! They have quite a variety and we ordered a healthy bunch and got a small tub of the chimichurri sauce. Everything was excellent and the spinach and beef empanadas rose above the rest. :) we decided to have an Alfajor cookie sandwich filled with dulce de leche (I'll have to have this with an espresso next time). Check out the store, get some fine steaks, have a coffee, soak it all in without having to take a flight. :)

    El Mercado Meat Mart is my number one spot for empanadas…read more I used to live in the area so I walked past this market so many times before I finally stumbled inside. I noticed they had a variety of empanadas and decided to try one, I was hooked ever since! I haven't actually shopped at the market but they seem to have a lot of niche items along with the basics. The staff is always friendly whenever visited. I've tried a variety of empanadas around the city but El Mercado reminds me the most of the homemade ones I used to make in college. They don't hold back on the protein and the empanadas always taste fresh. Admittedly the empanadas can add up. They're nearly $4 for each which is pricey so I only visit once in a while when I'm in the area. The empanadas are delicious so I highly recommend trying at least one. My favorite is the pepperoni and cheese as well as the ham and cheese. The pepperoni and cheese empanada is very cheesy so I pair it with a beef / chicken empanada because they don't come with cheese so they balance each other out.

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    Chilango Mexican Street Food - Burrito Bowl

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    Another day, another burrito bowl! This is your friendly remainder that Chipotle could…read moreneeeeeeeever! And especially not for 10.49! Are you kidding me?! If you have not tried Chilangos, I'm here to tell you that you're absolutely missing out! I also ordered the steak taco and the shrimp taco. Both of those were 10/10 (per usual) but i HAD to show you guys how beautiful this bowl was! On top of looking amazing, it tastes amazing as well. You have your choice of protein and that's it and tbh, I love that! It automatically comes with cheese, rice, sour cream, pico de gallo, pinto beans and romaine lettuce. When I tell you that you don't need any sauce or added spice to this! It's so delicious! The portion is insane. I can get through maybe a 1/4 of it and I have to save the rest. One thing I love about this bowl is that the rice is seasoned. It may even be yellow rice and that makes it even better! Every bite is the perfect bite because you get a little bit of everything! Thank you so much Chilango! You have never ever disappointed me and the way you provide consistency needs to be studied! I appreciate you guy so much! It was a beautiful meal and ofc, I'll be back for more!

    I had the munchies and was doom scrolling on DoorDash when Chilango popped up so I placed a pickup…read moreorder. The pickup process was super easy and the people working there were really friendly which made the experience even better............ I ordered the steak torta and I have honestly never had one made like this before. It had roasted veggies chipotle butter and came on toasted telera bread. It was really good and easily the best savory item I ordered. The tortilla soup did not really do much for me. I took a couple sips and kind of forgot about it. Now I am wondering if it was meant for dipping the torta because on its own it was pretty blah. Now let us talk about the Nutella and banana empanada because that deserves its own paragraph. That thing was loaded with bananas and Nutella and fried perfectly with the outside crispy and the inside warm and melty. I truly wish I had ordered five of them. No exaggeration. Next time the munchies hit this is absolutely my go to spot for something sweet.

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    Lito's Empanadas - empanadas - Updated May 2026

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