This place is the real deal for Venezuelan food. I had the $16.50 lunch combo special which included a carnitas empanada, three cheese sticks /tequeños appetizers and a beverage. The empanada was huge--one was plenty for me. A friend ordered two and could only finish one! We also shared the Yucca Root with cheese and fresh avocado appetizer. Everything was simply made and very delicious, especially with one or more of the sauces provided in plastic bottles for the table. The service was prompt and friendly. The ambience is strictly plain, but the outdoor tables with umbrellas would be great on a nice warm day. I'll be back! read more

Coming from Miami, I was craving a good, casual, greasy empanada and I found exactly what I was looking for! Their flavors, service, vibes, and sauces are all very good! I have enjoyed their breakfast and lunch options and typically dine in to enjoy all of the sauces with each and every bite! I highly recommend Empanada Express Grill to anyone! read more

As a person who passionately write reviews on Yelp, finding a restaurant many call a hidden gem is a prideful moment. Last Sunday (on the day many were getting ready for their Super Bowl gatherings), I was busy running some errands in Sunnyside neighborhood. All of a sudden, the thought of eating to entertain my 70% empty stomach hit me, I searched for the word "empanada" as I wanted some finger food and this restaurant came up in my search. Upon finding out that it was about 5-10 minutes away from where I was, it was a no brainer to me. This is a Venezuelan restaurant with almost 5-star review. Not knowing much about Venezuelan cuisine, my first thought was that they might have similar dishes as the surrounding South American countries like Columbia do. But most of all, I was so eager to try their empanadas. I've had Argentinian, El Salvadorian, Columbian and Nicaraguan versions of empanadas in the past. I wondered how different Venezuelan ones would be... I was warmly greeted by a young lady upfront upon arrival. This is a small/family style restaurant. The number of tables is very limited but you can sit outside as long as the weather permits. There was a large table of 7-9 people having a birthday party. I think I hit the place during the peak lunch time. Their empanadas are priced at $8 range. This was a bit pricey to me at the first glance but since I didn't know what kind of portion size they'd be made in, I thought I'd give them a try. I got me Reina Pediada, Sweet Domino and Fish. The total came to $27 with some change. Yup, you usually don't pay this much for a few to several empanadas but hey, like I said, I decided not to judge at that point. The young lady who took my order impressed me with some careful attention to detail. I placed my sunglasses at the ordering counter where the space was very limited. She had to move them just a little when she placed the credit card receipt for me to sign it. "I worked in the optics before." is what she said when she gently placed my sunglasses a little to the side in a very careful way. What a kind/considerate gesture that was! This kind of minor and yet incredible care didn't escape my notice. Thank you!!! When my food was ready, the same young lady handed me my bag. It was quite heavy. As soon as I got to my car, I opened it and there they were; my beautiful empanadas were large and dense/heavy!! They appeared to be all deep-fried so I wonder if Venezuelan style empanadas are all that way? Not sure. Anyway, I was on my way to a job duty so I had to eat quickly. I started to take a bite out of each one and ohhh yes, they were dense with a lot of fillings inside. Although I must frankly say that I like the flaky baked kind of empanadas more, these Venezuelan ones were equally impressive. Yes, this was a surprise find. I will definitely stop by here when I'm in the neighborhood for sure. read more

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Variedad de Comida y muy rica y tipica Venezolana. Cachapa, sancocho y demas... Estoy seguro de refresher read more

Empanada Express Grill - Mucha variedad de chucheria venezolana - Empanadas Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Good service and food was good but not my thing. But had to try and see as I have been passing by for a long time

Okay, I can't wait to come back here again! The service is absolutely wonderful and friendly. I asked for recommendations on the best arepa and the best empanada for someone that has never visited and isn't afraid of spice. So, let me give you the low down! I tried the shredded beef empanada (the recommendation) and a chile relleno (because I love a yum chile relleno) andddd both were delicious! I definitely favored the shredded beef empanada based on juice and flavor. I loved the fresh crunch when biting into them! I would order them again... especially the shredded beef. It was a great suggestion. The arepa recommended was the pork and avocado! So, for this arepa alone, I would come back. It was my favorite item. I enjoyed the seasoning on the pork meat and how the avocado and cheese blended to give that ooey gooey deliciousness. The ground maize dough tasted great too, it just breaks apart fairly easy. So, be prepared to fork and knife it. I was happy to visit and the server gave me an extra hot sauce when I told her in the beginning how I love spicy food. She knew I wanted to turn it up and I thought that was really thoughtful. read more

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The food was authentic,the service was outstanding , very attentive server, every dish was well prepared We were passing by Denver and found this wonderful food read more

My good buddy is really into the arepas. He loves them. So when a new friend told us about this place we had to try it. The Arepas were good, I would Defiantly eat here again. I got the chicken and also one beef. The 2 sauces were spiced but not too much. Perfect, sauces for the food. I love sauces so this helps. The place itself is very basic. A register, tables, and drink cooler is all you will see in the place. Pshhhh, places like that are usually the best. Defiantly recommend this place. read more

Empanada Express Grill - Arepas! - Empanadas Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This is one of my favorite restaurants I can't stop recommending to all my friends and family the food is just so flavorful and I enjoy it every time I stop by as well as the service it is amazing and this place might be small but I makes you feel at home if I could rate this place higher I would read more

I brought two new Venezuelan friends into this restaurant today (they recently arrived in Denver) and they said the food was 'muy rica!' So that's the most authentic review you can find! They both took business cards so they could recommend it to other Venezuelans. I had the lunch plate with the rajas (chile poblano, sour cream and cheese) empanada and it was really tasty! The service was excellent and the food came out faster than expected. I also want to thank the owner and her family who generously donated food and time to our immigrant population from Venezuela on Thanksgiving (& possibly other times as well). I highly recommend supporting this local business who gives back to the community. read more

Unfortunately didn't even get to try it. I walked in and asked for a menu for a man who lives in the building across the way and explained how he just moved in and is 91. I was told, "No, I'm sorry we don't but you can scan this card and read the menu." I calmly explained how he can't use that, and she said, "Oh I'm sorry, we dont have takeout menus." I hope if she makes it to old age that she has someone advocating for her when she encounters discrimination based on age aka ageism. Shame on you guys. Looked good, too, but i won't support an establishment that isn't inclusive. read more

Every year for Christmas Eve we've ordered empanadas for the whole family. This has been our ongoing tradition for 11 years. Every year, the mini empanadas are a good size. They have good amount of meat inside of them and the kids love them. This year they got super cheap. The mini empanadas were half the size of normal and some of them had just a small pinch of meat. They've gotten cheap, but their prices went up four dollars. You would think that they would try to take care of a customer who's been going there 11 years and is ordering a $150 - $200 order. But whatever. I just know that next year I'm hiring a Venezuelan to make me empanadas in my house. I will not spend my money here. read more

Very tasty, very authentic Venezuelan food. Incredible sancocho. Just great food across the board, a must stop.

I'm not a huge fan of Denver food in general -- overpriced and rarely that great. And I don't write reviews often. But, these are the best empanadas I've ever had! They're not doughy or lacking filling like you usually see. They're crispy and the perfect proportions with fantastic fillings. Places like these need support to flourish and set a higher standard. Check them out! read more

Always bomb af, I love the rajas empanada and the green salsa. My girlfriend LOVES the Taste of Venezuela plate, she always get the Reina Pepiada empanada and arepa. Always good and they have amazing service! Love the food one of my go to places! read more

Amazing food always great service the only place I go for great empanadas can't wait to go back

No alcohol served. I don't want you showing up and being disappointed. As someone who has never had a taste for it - I'm good. The food here, however, is really great. This is one of those hidden gems. It has very little atmosphere. It's a "strip mall" front with very few tables and often I'm grabbing to go. But that said, the empanadas and the arepas are killer! Also, do yourself a favor and try the Hallacas! A little different, if you've never tried them. I love something a little new and different and this place is really good. read more

Wow has this neighborhood changed in my last review! What hasn't changed is how good this place is. The juices and empanadas are my go-to's here after so many years. It's always the same friendly face with the mostly broken English that makes this experience so endearing. I love it! Definitely a hidden gem especially now with all the 'trendy' places popping up. read more

For all looking for, or thinking you're having, authentic Venezuelan food--this isn't it! The good: the stars are for the staff for how nice they were and how hard they work. I hope the owner gives them a raise and more help ASAP. The bad: the ambiance is nonexistent. The place doesn't look very welcoming and could use a deep clean. Don't show up famished, food takes a long time to come out from the kitchen. The menu says it's authentic Venezuela but that's not accurate. The first item on the menu says Colombian empanadas and unless they are from a part of Venezuela I'm not familiar with, something is way off. The tequeños are not wrapped like any tequeños I've ever had. The food quality is also inconsistent. The first time I went the sancocho was delicious but this time it was awful. The authenticity is questionable at best and sazón just isn't there for me. Verdict: I'm so sad to say this about a small business but I'm so disappointed. I could overlook all of the above, even the misrepresentation of a cuisine, if the food was good but that's too many misses for me. I will not be returning. read more

Great authentic Venezuelan dishes! It's a must try when you're in the area. I love the arepa lunch!

I never had empanadas before but kept hearing good things about them. So, on the spur of the moment stopped in to try them. The carnitas empanada was great and we discovered another wonderful treat, the arepas! We'll definitely be making regular trips for these amazing new favorites! read more

For all looking for, or thinking you're having, authentic Venezuelan food--this isn't it! Today I drove an hour in the snow to fulfill my craving for my country's food and came back hangry, mistreated and broken hearted. During the visit to this cafe, my fiancee and I were served raw, old, insipid, and lackluster food. When we tried to make our observations known to the waitress she was combative and careless. We were ready to spend $100 on a treat meal out and we ended spending $40 for an inedible plate. To top it all, the server was incredibly ignorant and offensive towards myself. I asked to get the owner's contact info to relate my experience and she told me to go back wherever the hell I came from. I'm Venezuelan/American and I was so disappointed in witnessing the harm uneducated people make within their own communities. This has to STOP! Don't give your hard earned money away to businesses that don't care about their own. read more

The empanada and arepas were really good. Stick with that. The sides and appetizers are all bad. The answer to everything isn't throw more cheap cheese on it. The sopapilla was undercooked and not good. However, I doubt you'd be disappointed if you stuck with what they do best. I'd rank it a 4, but they messed up my order. read more

Exactly what you would want in a small empanada shop Quick, tasty, lots of options no complaints! read more

The empanadas are unique! I've never had Venezuela's version. To me it was like pan de bono (Colombian) and Ecuadorian's flour empanadas (especially the size). The empanadas are huge! Wish I had ordered the smaller to try them all. Got 4 flavors- my favorite ones were of the chicken variety. Great flavors in the filling. The sauces that came with the empanadas were missing something and could do without. If it came with some aji or pico type of sauce it would be bomb. But, you don't need sauces to enjoy them. My only qualm was the service - the lady was rude, and I felt as if I had intruded on some personal time. If I hadn't already paid for my order I would have just walked away. I get it - you're busy andf you're hustling. But, as a first time customer or ANY customer - dont you want to make a good impression so you build loyalty and create more word of mouth referrals? The food was good, but might not return due to the customer service experience. read more

Probably one of the places I frequent the most. Amazing food, service, and the atmosphere is just great. Really a big fan of the Arepas and will keep coming here as long as I'm in Denver. read more

As a lover of all world foods, I've often felt like I lacked experience in Venezuelan food. I've had a lot of empanadas and plantains, but I've pretty much just had arepas at Avanti. We were going to a show next door at The Oriental Theatre (which should've been renamed The Asian Theatre after the year 1995 or so), and we were happy to find that EEG was right next door for some quick eats. First, I think it's important to point out that EEG is a sit down restaurant. It doesn't take a long time, but something about the name made me think that it was structured like a Chipotle inside. It's not. This is a roughly $10/person restaurant with a menu, appetizers, combos, etc. It's no-frills and small inside, but you'll grab and seat and will have a waiter/waitress. We were still easily in and out in 30 minutes, but I think it's important to clear that up if you're looking into this place for the first time. The menu is simple, but I'm pretty sure you can't go wrong. I did an arepas combo meal with cheese sticks and plantains, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love me some Avanti arepas, but this one felt a little more authentic while being even more delicious. The plantains were sweet and not gooey or mushy, and the cheese sticks were as good as you always want fried cheese sticks to be. At around $13, the simple meal felt a little overpriced to me, but it was also really good - great flavors, fast service, and confirmation that I do indeed like me some Venezuelan food. Worth a visit! read more

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Was visiting Denver with some Mexican friends and wanted to introduce them to our Venezuelan food. The empanaditas were great wish we could choose the flavors. Carne mechada empanadas were the favorites and the garlic sauce. Arepas were fine too but the cheese was tasteless, not the Grill's fault but could try different brand read more

The food here was fairly good. I ordered some cachapas and I was sadden to see that all I received was arepas de choclo which is corn cakes with cheese on top. Normally cachapas have a Thick layer of cheese inside which these did not have.so I do not recommend getting the cachapas here. read more

Empanada Express Grill - Tequenos - Empanadas Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Outstanding arepas and amazing staff. They even accommodate my to-go requests when I ask for "no styrofoam" so the order is has less waste. Friendly and personable team that offer a delicious menu. Honestly, I've never had a better arepa than here. Love this business and would recommend! read more

Simple, no frills eatery with decent arepas and empanadas. I thought it was a bit pricey for what you got. The flavors were pretty good and the juice was delicious. It's a good stop for a quick bite to eat before seeing a show at the oriental. read more

Always enjoy the food. Basic Venezuelan staple. Nothing very fancy, but extremely fulfilling.

I almost forgot to take a photo of my food I ate it so quick. This place had the best food I've ever tasted. I had the empanada lunch (beef empanada with potato and cheese with a side I chose of tostones with chicken salad on top). My wife ate the reina pepiada. I ate some of her food too lol! read more

Empanada Express Grill - Outside patio - Empanadas Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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So glad I found this place and WOW brings back so many memories of living in Judibana, Venezuela as a kid. I had the Empanada lunch plate with Rajas and fried plantains along with the closest thing to a Frescolita a Jarritos fruit punch soda! The service and food were both authentic and tasty makes me want to frequent this place just so I can have Empanadas and frescolitas like we did heading to our bus stop every morning. But in Venezuela there were houses you go to to buy empanadas we could usually buy a dozen empanadas for $5 bolivars, that was one of our favorite food! So wonderful to find a place that makes authentic Venezuelan empanadas cannot wait to try them again, and bring my family here! read more

Empanada Express Grill - Empanada launch plate! - Empanadas Near Me - Denver, Colorado

BEST EMPANADAS IN DENVER !!!! The staff is so friendly, the empanadas are perfect every time, and the passionfruit juice is a must!

So delicious. They really load up on the cheese. The ingredients are fresh. The yucca has melted cheese and avocado on it. I ordered the la mexi arepa and the machacha empanada. The portions were huge. I ate half the arepa and half the empanada and the yucca appetizer and feel like I'm gonna roll over and pass out. read more

Best empanadas and arepas that we've had EVER. My husband lived in Miami for several years and swore by his Arepa with the shredded beef. The plantains were melt in your mouth and chicken salad topping mild and the perfect touch. Both the empanada and arepa were gluten free too. So hugggggeeee kudos to that. My husband has celiac so we appreciate any foods he can eat without keeling over. Loved this and highly recommend read more

Delicious lunch specials!! I had the shredded beef empanada, rice, and black beans. The empanada was bigger than I expected and very flavorful. read more

This is by far my favorite Arepas place in Denver. They are so generous with their portions and everything on the menu is fantastic make sure you get Extra green and orange sauce! read more

My wife and I ordered a Domino arepa each. It took about 20 minutes for the food to arrive. They came with two meager slices of avocado and were barely warmer than room temperature. Disappointed, to say the least. The sauces were good, and the service was decent, aside from the wait. read more