This place is the shit! The owner is passionate and very friendly. The food was amazing! A true Gem to find in Honolulu!

I'd give 10 stars if I could. Absolute top notch empanadas, tasty sauces, and the guy running this one-man show was super friendly and helpful. We stopped by on our first night in Waikiki and returned twice more in the same week. Definitely eat them while they're hot, and mix the green and white sauces. read more

Of course, the hubby and I decided to drive around Waikiki for food late Friday afternoon when Hurricane Lane is closest to Oahu. We were here two days ago but desperately wanted to eat here again. (I was too sick to eat much previously but don't worry I ordered eight empanadas this time to make up for that). I advised calling ahead to make sure it's opened. Did I mention that this is one of the few places opened during Hurricane Lane? Park across the street at the zoo at $1 per hour. The arepas were good but the empanadas were superb. Air-fried to perfection. Every single one of the empanadas was delicious. The green sauce has a nice spicy kick to it (my favorite). The tomato based sauce is another good one filled with vinegar and green onions. We might just come back one more time before the end of our trip. No maybe two more.... read more

Mami's Empanadas - Latin American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I found this business on Yelp. The first time I looked for it, it somehow didn't connect in my brain that this was a food truck, so we were walking around the general vicinity looking for a restaurant and not finding one, so we gave up and went elsewhere. The next day, I was determined to find it, and input it into my Google Maps app and did walking directions, which took me onto an almost alley-like street between some hotels and condos just off the main drag, and that's where it was. The owner was very friendly and high energy, and told us he'd just opened for the night and was already swamped with orders and that it might be a bit of a wait before any food we ordered was ready. We ordered anyway. He has a lot of flavors of empanadas to choose from, including stuff like samosa, potatoes, beef, chicken, pepperoni pizza, cheeseburger, etc., which he makes in an air fryer so they are less greasy. He also had a bunch of different dipping sauces, all of which he makes himself. He sells the Aloha Made drinks. He had a couple of tables outside for people to sit, so you could either eat your food there or take it to go. The food was good, the owner was cool and took pride in his business, and it was a unique experience. read more

Very friendly guy running the food truck. Gives great suggestions. We tried the cheeseburger and the beef and potato and they were delicious! The two mild sauces were great and spicy was not too spicy. read more

Mami's Empanadas - Bottom cheeseburger and top is beef and potato - Latin American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Best food we've had on our trip so far. Friendliest guy, amazing flavor. We will definitely be back for more!

I love empanadas!!! Eating here is sooooooo worth the drive to waikiki. My tip: call in advance to place your order. He gets a lot of phone orders so your chances are slim if you do a "walk-up & order" type of deal. The menu is different everyday so call to ask then tell him your order. It's 4 empanadas for $10!! You can't go wrong!! Nice dude, works hard and enjoy the yummy food! read more

Mami's Empanadas - From left to right: Guava & mozzarella, sofritio chicken, samosa, beef & potato - Latin American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I really don't understand why everyone raves about this place. At this point I'm giving it 2 stars but I will try it again, and here's why: They were out of every empanada I wanted to try. We didn't even go there that late but just beware, if you have your heart set on trying something specific, like bacon cheeseburger or Domino you might not get it. We tried a couple others but weren't thrilled. Tried the hotdog but it just didn't do it for me and we also ordered the Cubano which was very very dry. But I'm spoiled since I visit Miami every year but whatever, not even close to a good Cuban. read more

If you're in Honolulu, this is a must try. Alex is an amazing chef! We've been eating here since we discovered it in 2017. You have to preorder by phone because these empanadas are in high demand. read more

Love that spot, selection of their sauces (try green spicy one!!) and vegetarian options satisfy even the pickiest health nut! And Alex, the chef, is just super nice, hardworking guy that goes above and beyond to make sure you leave happy and full:) read more

Alex is extremely responsive. You have to call to place your order in advance, so that Alex keeps it ready. It works well as it saves everyones time. The food itself was delicious. We tried empanadas, tamales, Pops, the cubano sandwich. All of them were great. read more

Great empanadas you gotta try if you're around the area! Different flavors. Even the vegan options were awesome!

This is the best food I've had on the island! I would definitely recommend to give it a try and I promise you'll be back more than once! He has a variety of options to chose from which is great. For the price and how much you're getting you really can't beat it. Sometimes there is a long wait but it's worth it. You can also text the owner ahead of time to see what the menu looks like for the day and place your order to have your food a little faster. read more

Pretty lucky that we found this place while on our way to the beach. Tucked away in an alley behind the Queen K - you'll find this little food truck. The worker - I think owner - was pretty busy making sandwiches so we patiently waited for him to finish up before ordering. I ended up getting four empanda's for $10.00 which I wish I ordered more of. It was the perfect snack while sitting by the water. My favorite was the chicken and the spam and egg was not too bad either. I wasn't able to use the salsas because Logan poured it out. I really want to try their sandwiches now! If you're in the area, check them out. It's really worth the try. read more

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the food was good, the guy who owns the place cooks for you personally and does a great job of being friendly, but it seems to only be open at night which worries me as in I wonder of its licensed and food kitchen inspected regularly? Other than that it was good. read more

I thought the empanadas were salty and didn't have ingredients that tasted good. We had three different empanadas and we didn't even finish them because they weren't that great. Our hotel was right next to it, so it wasn't that much of an issue with ordering because you have to text him the morning of to get the menu. I just feel bad for the people who had to make any effort to get here. I also encountered the chef twice and both times he was in a sour mood. The time that we originally agreed for me to pick up the order changed to an hour later. He was also abrasive with the people who picked up their orders when I was waiting. I think this place might be all hype and people don't want to admit that the empanadas are just okay after making all the time to order. He admitted that it's always just way too busy, and I did see a hiring sign on his food truck. I hope he gets the help that he needs so he isn't so stressed and can get orders out in a reasonable time. He kinda reminded of the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld, the Empanada Nazi. read more

Yeah..so I don't leave reviews, ever. But this place got the crack. Straight up the best meal I've had on this trip and I was all over Maui and Oahu. Maybe I'm a sucker for Latin/Hispanic food being an Los Angeles native, but if you fiending for something else besides the overwhelming amounts of poke, sushi, and ramen shops, this place is the one. As Action Bronson says, "F#@! That's Delicious. read more

So so good definitely going back. The man that owned it was really nice and you can tell that he is very passionate about his business!!

After reading such good Yelp reviews, what a BIG DISAPPOINTMENT! We got two of each empanadas to feed the family. True to previous reviews, it was not greasy. The Domino & Potato was palatable. Aprepa Con Queso was bland but we were hungry so we finished it. All the other empanadas was way too salty. We each took a bite and no one wanted a second so we threw the rest away. Note: They start setting up at 9am. Around 9:30am, they start taking orders. Both staff/owner are nice, hence the two instead of one star. read more

Wow, excellent product and Chef Alex is deserving of the perfect 5-star rating. I'd been meaning to stop by Mami's when he was operating in Kakaako along my route to work, but I finally made it to his current location at the corner of Cartwright and Kapahulu across from the zoo parking lot. Opted for the empanads (do the 4 for $10 for the variety and value), but will try to Cubano next. Flavors are that of Latin and South America (not Mexican) with some great salsas. While the empanadas are premade, they are finished in a convection fryer (i.e. no oil) so they come out freshly baked in just about 5 minutes. The chicken empanada was crazy good. Next pot luck, I'll be bringing a tray of these babies... Can't wait for Chef Alex to do a full restaurant!! read more

Honestly, these empanadas are just as good as the reviews say. My husband and I stayed at the Queen Kapiolani hotel just down the street and wanted to try this place out. When we saw the food truck was open we HAD to try it after reading the reviews. We had the beef + potato and chicken empanadas and OMG so good. My mouth is watering just thinking about it right now. If we weren't leaving Hawaii today we'd definitely go back! read more

Today my friend and I decided to try a few trucks and we wanted to try these empanadas. The truck is located in a small street across from the Marriott hotel in Waikiki. There is limited seating and it gets a bit busy. We learned that the owner is the cook and he's by himself so there's a bit of a wait. All of the food is made fresh, so the menu changes daily based on what he wants to offer the community and tourists that day. We ordered 4x empanadas for $10. We got 2x beef and potato, 1x Mac n cheese, and 1x Sofrito Chicken. The empanadas are air fried so they are not oily. Out of all 3x, the Mac n cheese was my favorite. The chicken and beef/potato had an intense taste that I'm sure most will love, but I didn't. I honestly can't describe the taste of smell, but I know I didn't like it. The Mac n cheese was perfect. The empanada was crunchy and the macaroni was perfectly al dente and cheesy that it was the perfect combination. If I come back it will be to order more of those. read more

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These were the worst Empanadas that I have ever had. Also the ordering process is ridiculously stupid as you have to text your order in the morning. read more

This is a great little joint tucked away in a quite alley. It's been here for a very long time, and for a good reason.... excellent late night snack! There are a few of our favorites here so we usually get 4 for $10. We're a big fan of all the corn-based dough, and potato-beef is definitely the best. Also like their sweet ones like guava. Chicken is also tasty. I've tried other flavors such as the "cheese pizza", was pretty good too. The owner is super friendly! I see other people ordering specialty drinks a lot, I'm guessing they are good too. read more

Best empanadas I've ever had! Chef Alex makes everything from scratch and air fries them so they are perfectly crunchy without all the grease. You may be inclined to just order 4 for $10 in your first visit. Don't play it safe. You'll wish you had ordered in bulk! read more

Alex is the man. He seriously works ridiculously hard to keep costumers satisfied. The deliciousness of his empanadas, arepas, and sauces are unrivaled by any restaurants in the area. Highly recommend going here at least once during your time in Hawaii. I'm from Miami and am used to many latin American food options and I can confirm that his recipes are uniquely authentic. This guy deserves his own restaurant chain. Great service, even better food, a block away from the beach. read more

Delicious empanda food truck though the line can be insanely long. I got the Argentine beef ones, which had amazingly good beef. The veggie empanadas were also good, but not as good as the meaty one. read more

Very good empanadas from a food truck (although I've had better). Very affordable at $3 each or $10 for four. They're small though so an average guy will probably need 3-4 at least. Nice guy running the place and he was all alone so you may need to wait a while to get your food. read more

I heard so much about this food truck. The variety of empanadas was great but the wait time was so slow. For Hawaii they were great but I lived in a Hispanic community for yrs. By comparison they were good but not outstanding. The food is 3 stars but the service gave it a two. read more

Mami's Empanadas and Chef Alex have a longstanding history in New York City as well. Their food was amazing here in a place where culinary competition is fierce; the world's top chefs call this town "home". I can't wait to head out to the pacific to reunite with the best empanadas I've ever tasted. See you soon Chef Alex!!! read more

Who really thinks this place is good, needs their taste buds examine. I literally just ordered 3 empanadas. 2 chicken and 1 beef & potato. First off they are pre fried and put in a container, second, they microwave them. Last and not least chicken was super salty and the beef and potato had no flavor. The inside was still slightly cold. I gave them away to my friend and was lucked out of $12.00 read more

The best empanadas I've had. Chicken, beef , potato to die for and the salsas tO go with it delicious ! We also had the Cuban sandwich which was also ddelicious everything has so much flavor not greasy ! The guy is super down to earth we called to get their location and he was super helpful he does suggest you text or call in your order because he gets really busy. But if you're ever in Waikiki and looking for the best empanadas ever this little truck in an alley is your go to spot you can chill and eat there he does have table set up you can take your drinks and eaT empanadas all night. read more

I found this hidden gem by looking for good eats in the area. This food truck happen to be rates high on the list. First, I must say I'm he was very nice and had no issue explaining the food choices. He even have out samples ........i must say he sold me on the Horchata. In most cases I just decline but I tried the samples ( the original and their creation) their creation more on the fruity side but it was good. I don't think I ever had Horchata taste like that. So. In his words .......they spoil for competitors. I will always search that taste/flavors if I even try again. The empanadas also made to order fresh n hot. I tried all the sauces as well and they are a go as well. Then I went on a soda pop binge buying 6 brands since he was nice enough to give me the background of each one I decided to take the drinks home for later consumption. I couldn't decide on just one. Thanks to the guy who gave me a better appreciation of homemade Horchata. read more

Mami's Empanadas - My drinks ......lol - Latin American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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People take time and energy to look up new places to eat. If you're running a food truck, you need to update your social media (yelp/facebook) about your hours so that people can look elsewhere. Took a long time to get to this place since it's in Waikiki and there was no sign on their truck or anything. I called twice and got a text message that they were catering for the day. Show you care as a business and let people know if you're changing your hours. read more

Food was great! I had 4 empanadas. Various kinds. One Cubano. Portion sizes for price? Not so great. Worth trying once. I'd go back, but not often. read more

Hands down best empanadas and cubano I've ever had.. they are cooked to perfection and the three side sauces that come with it are so bomb. This place is a must eat on your stay in hawaii. Ill be coming back here on my next trip. read more

If you're looking for a quick bite come visit! It's so good, freshly made & the owner explains everything on the menu! Definitely recommend if I'm Waikiki! read more

Mami's Empanadas - Latin American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Selection changes frequently. I got the empanada variety pack and I can't wait to ocme back and try more! Arepas and sandwiches too. read more

Mami's Empanadas - Latin American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Fantastic experience stumbling into this place after a long day. Excellent food and varieties of flavors, amazing dipping sauces, and excellent customer service. The owner is very nice and shared his prep process. Can't recommend a visit enough! read more

It's a shame we found this place on our last night in Oahu!!! We tried the beef potato, chicken arroz, bacon cheeseburger and Cubano. All were amazing. We are going to try to make it out tomorrow at open before we head to the airport. Hopefully we can make it work. Reco doubling up on the side sauces. Parking might be a little hard to find but it's worth it. read more

Mami's Empanadas - Latin American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii