First time having an empanada that was not from a food truck. You dejected how many to order in multiple of 3, select your choice, get a dipping sauce and that's it. The filings were overstuffed and the food piping hot. The drinks were coke products in cans. No water available, nor cups or straws. I do not drink soda so this was a negative for me. read more

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Small unassuming place. Cute little grass wall. Lady was nice. We tried the Factory Sampler. It came with 2 empanadas we got the boricua (beef, cilantro, green olives& onions) and the brasiliero (beef and potatoes) 2 tacos (the steak and the pork) 2 tostones, some yuca fries and a small side of guacamole. We also got the 3 empanada box which we got the Cubans (champ, pork, pickle, mustard and cheese), the tripleta (pork, steak, ham and cheese with onions and mayo mustard) and the spicy picadillo and cheese. We also tried the sauces: cilantro Lime ranch, the garlic mojo (garlic olive oil, fresh lime juice) and , roasted tomato (roasted tomatoes a d jalapeño said extra hot) and cilantro lime (cilantro jalapeño and lime based sauce said hot) If anything said hot I tried it and I believe them!! I'm not much for spicy stuff but the cilantro like ranch!!! I will get that every time. The only thing that would be negative for me is their drinks are cans and that the tostones aren't really flavorful. They are crunch and fresh heals but wouldn't order them again! My absolute favorite was definitely the cubano empanadas! I could get a box of those and be completely happy! Will definitely return if I'm in the area! read more

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First time at the Empanada Factory. There are several options on the menu to combine items but you can't just order two empanadas and be on your way. Hubby & I both ordered the trio basket with a side. The beef and cheese was DELICIOUS!! You'll be full with the three! They may look small but they are full! The interior is very cute with a decorated wall as well as framed empanada history story art. The manager/owner is very personable and helpful. He takes pride in knowing you're enjoying your food. I'd would come back if driving through that area. It was a little out of the way from our typical path. read more

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First time trying these empanadas. They have a good selection of veggie empanadas, and gluten free options as well. I chose three different veggie empanadas. A mushroom, cheese and rice and bean blend. All were equally as tasty with a unique flavor to each. I do want to try a pizza empanada next time. I paired my empanada meal with some friend yuca fries. Yummy! read more

The Empanada Factory - Latin American Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

I tried the chicken + veggie empanada & side of rice! They were very good! So good I bought six more for dinner! The employee was very kind and patient. The atmosphere was chill. I will definitely be back! read more

The Empanada Factory - Chicken + veggie empanada & side of rice - Latin American Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

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Got excited when I found this place. I didn't know it was there. First impression upon walking in was that it was very bare. Empty refrigerator facing the door. The hostess was very nice. Menu's were ok with lots of good choices. However, everything that I wanted to order they were out of. So I ordered their assortment appetizer plate. Two empanadas, two tacos, tostones with a few sauces and of course the sauce is wanted they didn't have. The empanadas were not good, it didn't have any flavor, dry and the chicken and veggies inside had a funny taste, it was just not tasty, maybe the boricua with beef might be good, but it wasn't available. The only thing I enjoyed were the chicken tacos. Oh, my hubby ordered the spinach salad, which, guess what they were out of....... SPINACH!! One more thing, this is my opinion only, when dining is, I prefer REAL CUTLERY. Those plastic forks & knives are way too flimsy. We love supporting local businesses, but not if they don't have what they offer. WON'T BE BACK. read more

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I was born and raised in South Florida so Latin food is very familiar. Typical empanadas are fairly standard so the variety offered here is really good. I tried three different ones and were all well executed. Great for a snack. Definitely give it a try you won't be disappointed. read more

My daughter and I made the 1 hour drive to get the vegan friendly empanadas & yucca fries. It was so worth it. Until next time.

I've never written a restaurant review before, especially for a small local business, but I felt compelled to share this experience in hopes that management or ownership can learn and grow from it. As a Latino myself and with there being very few Latino restaurants in the Wake Forest/Rolesville area I truly want this place to succeed. Unfortunately, my experience yesterday was extremely disappointing, and I'd hate for someone else to go through the same thing. Around 4:30 PM, I came in to place a takeout order for a Super Bowl party. There were only two people ahead of me one ordering and one picking up. I overheard that some menu items were already being substituted due to shortages, which is understandable given how busy it was. When it was my turn, I ordered the 12-empanada box with no issue and was not told there would be an extended wait. I sat down, and shortly after, a long line formed behind me. Many walk-in customers were then told multiple items were sold out, and it was clear the restaurant was running out of food. The biggest issue: there was only one young woman working the front and one chef in the back. No management or ownership was present though they were calling her repeatedly while she was clearly overwhelmed trying to handle walk-ins, phone orders, catering pickups, and delivery drivers all at once. After 40-50 minutes passed, only one person ahead of me had received their order. Customers who had placed orders earlier in the day or catering orders were being told their food could not be fulfilled because priority was being given to walk-in orders that had already been paid for. Understandably, many customers were upset. After waiting over an hour, I went up to ask about my order. She initially couldn't find my ticket, and once we located it, I was told my order hadn't even been started. At that point, I asked for a refund. Which she understandingly did and was very sorry. To be clear, my frustration was not with the employee she was doing her best in an impossible situation. My issue is with management and ownership for not being present to support on one of the busiest nights giving the circumstance, not staffing properly, and not stopping orders when it was obvious they could no longer keep up. At one point, I even suggested turning off the "Open" sign. A DoorDash driver was also told the customer would need to cancel because there was no food left. This experience could have been avoided with better communication, staffing, and oversight. I truly hope ownership takes this as constructive feedback, because the community needs places like this and experiences like this I would hope not be happening. read more

I loved it , I searched up nearest empanada place and it was 2 minutes from my job so I went they are AMAZING it's so good and filled to the rim . Haha has lots of cheese and beef is so good I recommend the spicy beef with cheese read more

The Empanada Factory - Tostones Chicken and Cheese Empanada Chicken & Veggie Empanada Spicy Jalapeno Chicken Empanada Beef and Cheese Empanada Mayo ketchup - Latin American Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

I really enjoyed my experience here! They have multiple empanadas for all types of diets and have a menu that clearly lays that out. I got the chicken and vegetable, the shrimp creole and the ground beef. The empanadas are generously filled, crisped to perfection and come out piping hot. I also loved their variety of sauces to accompany the empanadas. Servers were very nice and helpful when picking things out too. Will be back for sure! read more

I went with the tacos. They were delicious and everything was fresh nice clean, quiet restaurant and the service was delightful.

Although this was my first time trying The Empanada Factory, it is far from the last! The staff was extremely welcoming and personable. I ordered the 3 count empanada option and the employee kindly pointed out the daily specials with Monday's special being a 4th empanada for free when ordering the 3 count option. I ordered takeout though would love to eat-in in the future. The dining room was inviting and very clean. The Colombian music was very upbeat! I ordered the mushroom, cheese, and onion and the truly Cubano empanadas. Both were full of flavor and had a great texture!!! I can't wait to go back as I'm already craving another empanada! read more

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These are some of the best empanadas I've had outside of Florida. I would go here regularly if I lived closer. I got one of each of the flavors, and my family was so impressed! read more

The Empanada Factory had gone out of business for a little while and I was so upset because nothing beats their Romeo and Juliet empanadas made with guava and cream cheese! However, they're back and better than ever! Service was much better this time around and the food was outstanding!! Will definitely be back again. read more

The Empanada Factory - Latin American Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

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The food, the service, the atmosphere are all top tier. We had whatever the owner recommended and he did not steer us wrong! The chicken is flavorful and juicy... The empanadas are deep fried, as all empanadas should be. I'm their newest recruit as number one customer. read more

The Empanada Factory - Empanada combo and half chicken meal. - Latin American Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

i got charged for a drink that came with food, wasn't told about the side that comes with food and later told i didn't order it... if it comes with the food im ordering, she should have mentioned it, if i wasn't in a hurry i would have argued.. terrible customer service read more

Food is delicious! The different empanadas taste like they should. Service is welcoming and friendly. Ambience is clean and well decorated. Tostones and yuca fries are an added benefit. read more

This is acquaint, cafeteria style, kind of fast food place, that is very reminiscent of Island food owned by a fellow 'rican. The empanadas (which are more Pastelillos in my vernacular) are super plump, chalk full of goodies on the inside that will make your toes curl! Fried to perfection, crispy, golden, and delicious - not greasy. We also ordered the loaded Tostones. They were great! Not the healthiest lunch, but it certainly hit my soul - our soul food. Bachata, salsa, merengue, bomba, plena, tres chorreao, aguinaldo... island symphony on a plate. No time for weight watchers here. You just sink in and go to town. If there's one complaint I have - I found it a little bit over seasoned/heavy-handed on Sofrito. It wouldn't hurt him to cut back just a tad. Recao city... it's one of those herbs that you really have to treat with respect, great earthy and strong flavored it can tend to overwhelm the other deliciousness in the Puerto Rican. meripoix. Other than that, I would never turn down his food, dude can cook for me any day! Buen provecho, amigos! read more

The Empanada Factory excels in both savory and sweet offerings. TRY THE CHIMICHURRI SAUCE. You won't be disappointed.Their pastry is perfectly flaky yet substantial, providing a satisfying crunch with every bite. Each empanada is generously filled, ensuring a burst of flavor with every bite. Their Nutella dessert empanada is to die for! Overall, everything I've tried here has been delicious. Empanada factory is a must-try for anyone with a savory or sweet tooth. read more

The Empanada Factory - Latin American Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

2.5 stars- I haven't been here in a long time but wanted to return to see how this place has been since my last visit. I was hoping it would be better than my last visit more than a year ago (not good), but it didn't match my first time here 3 years ago, which was wonderful. First off, the young man on the counter does noes not need to be there. I'm hoping he was a fill in because that's how he acted. Like he was just there to fill in and that's it! His only concern was his cell phone. This grinds my gears! There was absolutely nothing welcoming about his presence, he was not friendly, and his head was down, and there was no greeting. His cell cell phone was clearly more important than my experience and money spent. I observed him with customers after I ordered and he continued to have his phone in his hand at the counter, while the customers were there. He didn't ask if they needed help, he didn't put his phone down to greet them, nothing. He used the time they spent looking at the menu to go through his phone. He didn't ask if they needed help or had questions about the menu. This is unacceptable! The only bathroom customers could use was not clean. I arrived at 11:15am and they opened at 11am. This makes me believe that the bathroom was not clean from the day before. The inside was not bad but again, to arrive just after opening, I'm not convinced it was cleaned the night before. Tables still had food on them. Cell phone guy was too busy responding to whoever to address these issues. I ordered the lunch combo with 3 empanadas and my side item was the garlic fries. I think their empanadas have decent flavor but they are not hot on the inside. The outside is cooked but the inside was barely warm. Their sauces for dipping are always good and their garlic fries are tasty. In this case, third time is not a charm. I wont be going back after 2 bad experiences. read more

The Empanada Factory - Latin American Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

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The food is good quality for the money however they are consistently making mistakes with my order I go at least 3 times a month and can never use DoorDash because of poor customer care and when I speak with them about making substitutes for my orders without consulting me they apologize but do not correct or compensate I have since decided to no longer patronize them. It's unfortunate but food is actually good. read more

First time here seen the place on instagram my girlfriend wanted to go. Great authentic empanadas and great street tacos. We tried the beef and cheese, chicken and cheese, and jibaro all three were was pretty good with a good cheese pull. I love the selections of sauces. The customer service was very pleasing as well. read more

Nice little place, asked what the servers favorite was and he turned me on to the charcoal chicken. It was great, better than Alpacas for me and the plate was a great deal. Those fries freaking rock! Will definitely come back read more

The Empanada Factory - Latin American Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

I've had this place saved for quite some time but never got around to going. Since my friend and I were in the area we decided to stop here for lunch. If you don't know exactly what you're looking for, you might miss the turn. It's located within a "cluster" of other businesses/restaurants. When we arrived we were greeted by a nice cashier. She allowed us to take as much time as we needed since we'd never been there before. My friend asked her for recommendations and what suggestions she had. She was very helpful. I ordered 12 empanadas to take home and a taco, empanada, side special to eat in the restaurant. My friend ordered the mini empanada box to take home, empanada, Parmesan fries, and a cheesecake(?) empanada. Our food was delicious. My chicken taco had so much filling! The cashier wrote the flavors of empanadas on the box according to their placement. I can't even tell you which one is my favorite because all of them were delicious. They are jammed packed with meat and flavor! I am definitely coming back when I'm in the area again. I only have 1 con. Reheating the empanadas in the microwave seems to bring all the grease out. Maybe it's just the ones I had. But other than that, everything was great. read more

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They are great, we tryed different flavors of empanadas, and we enjoyed it all. They use a thin fried pastry that reminds me "pastel" from Brazil. The place is clean and the staff friendly. read more

The Empanada Factory - Menu Jun 2024 - Latin American Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

One of the best empanadas I had in a while, love the aesthetics of the place and the food is so authentic. Service was nice. read more

I wanted to like The Empanada Factory more than I did. I ordered several empanadas, including a box of 6 of the dessert empanadas, and only noticed when i was walking out the door that they didn't include any of the dessert sauces. I was told they were out, which is unfortunate because that's a big reason why I ordered them. It would've been good to know beforehand so I could order something else instead. We thought most of the empanadas were tasty but the service was a real bummer. read more

Amazing. So delicious every single thing we had. I felt like I was in South America with the music and the food and the wonderful staff. Every sauce is great, but especially the cilantro ranch and the chimichurri. We tried a whole bunch of empanadas but our favorites were the spicy jalapeño chicken and the brasiliero. Can't wait to come again and try some more! I only have one complaint and that is the awful fluorescent lighting. But eh can't have it all. read more

A colleague put me on to this spot... being from Miami and it's rich Caribbean and Latin culture I just had to try this spot out. It's flavorful empanadas remind me so much of home that it's become a spot I come to often now (twice already in one week). As I mentioned the food is flavorful however I can only speak for the empanadas because that's all I have had here lately. I do plan on tasting their other food choices. As far as the staff and establishment... each time that I've visited I've been politely greeted and received excellent service. The dining area is clean with abundant seating and if you prefer outdoors they have seating outside as well. I've been around once during lunch hour and it can get busy, merely a testament to how great the food is here. I'll surely be back again. read more

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Phenomenal! Was in the area doing some shopping and needed a quick bite to take the edge off between lunch and dinner. Empanadas are not a big commitment and the place had good reviews. The Empanada Factory exceeded expectations. Forget dinner, I want second helpings here. I went with the pick 6, all savory - no doubt dessert would've been tasty too. The fillings for all were delicious to the point that I didn't want to adulterate it with the dipping sauces (mango-habanero and cilantro lime) - both of which were tasty in their own right. All empanadas were perfectly spiced with all flavor components prevailing. The BBQ in the Raleigh could go toe-to-toe with any pulled pork BBQ in the area. La Havana was a prime example of what great flavors can be extracted from a marriage of basic ingredients: beef, beans and plantains. Cameron Diablo did not fail to bring the heat. Note: The dough was perfectly fried, no excess residual grease. Will likely be returning to WF sooner than later just to taste the empanadas again. Looking forward to it. read more

I have loved this place for a long time! Although, sometimes in the mornings the online orders aren't going through but the man at the counter made sure to start on my order and had it out to me in minutes! The food is always amazing! read more

The Empanada Factory - Shredded Chicken Taco - Latin American Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

I had the 2 pinchos and tostones..delicious. I mixed the cilantro lime and garlic ranch together-yum. As I was leaving he threw in a ground beed empanada..the best! read more

First time trying this place. We ordered two bowls to go. What a treat when we arrived home! The bowls were fully stuffed and so flavorful -- big chunks of chicken, rice, black beans, a generous helping of plantains (only 50 cents extra), pico, cheese, etc. The sauces on the side -- cilantro lime and roasted tomato-- were delicious, too, with just the right amount of kick. Look forward to trying the tacos next time. There were tons of options to choose from. read more

I've been on a empanadas craving lately. I'm glad that I stumbled upon this place during my visit to Wake Forest. I love the ambience and vibe of the shop. I arrived for a late lunch around 2:00 p.m. -- the place filled up quickly after I ordered. The empanadas here are the real deal! They are huge pockets filled with goodness! I got the 3 empanadas + side (garlic parmesan fries) + drink for $12. Not bad at all! I think 2 would've been good. I totally over ate but no shame about that! My favorite was the beef and cheese. The chicken and rice was a little dry for my likings. The garlic fries was amazing! Wow! Some of the best that I've had. I like how the fries aren't salted which compliments garlic/parmesan very well. The food came out fresh! Overall, great customer service! I really enjoyed the full meal here. Props! I can't wait to return! I am craving it again. read more

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Nice place to eat good ambiance and affordable meal options. The service was excellent and there was not a wait. Good place to go for lunch.

The food is amazing!! Absolutely best empanadas I've have in NC so far & I've eaten a lot of empanadas!! The service is great they're sweet, patient & helpful!! The ambiance is super chill! Not a lot of decor but inside tables & outdoor the have a cute sign to take pictures with! read more

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We had lunch here today. My boricua empanada and my friend's shrimp empanada were very good! I wouldn't order the paella empanada again; the small amount of seafood was chewy and "fishy" tasting. My friend said his mushroom empanada was mostly cheese, with few mushrooms. Despite this, we generally liked the food, including the cilantro rice and plantains. The place is tiny! It was packed the entire time we were there (on a Saturday afternoon), but no one ever waited for a table. The "flow" is difficult because there's little space to move around other diners. The toilet in the one restroom didn't flush all the way, and there were no paper towels. On the plus side, the prices were good, although the menu you see online isn't the one they have in the restaurant. We both got combo deals, which included a side and a soft drink. Also, the one employee behind the counter remembered all of the diners' orders and brought the food to the tables without giving us a number or taking our names. She was busy, but she was friendly and patient with everyone. read more

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I met a friend here for lunch and it was so good! I ordered one of the combos, 3 empanadas (the La Havana, Picken Chicken and Romeo & Juliet), a side (cilantro rice), a sauce for dipping (chipotle) and a drink (well.. I ended up getting a beer instead, only bottle options are available). It is very small so there is a limited amount of seating available both inside and outside. My favorite empanada was the La Havana, my least favorite was the Romeo & Juliet. It was too much cream cheese and not enough guava. In the end, if you like or want to try empanadas this place is obviously a must visit. read more

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Went in here while getting some laundry done. Had the food done within 10 minutes of ordering it. Had the Yuca Smash and Cubano empanadas - both very good and had a large range of sauces for dipping. Had a side order of cilantro rice and the plantains, which both were great. Rice was moist and flavorful with cilantro. Plantains were very sweet and baked to perfection. Wife and I loved it! Would definitely go back again and try a few other empanadas. read more

The Empanada Factory - Sweet Plantain Yuca Smash Empanada - Latin American Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina