Flavors and taste are good and really close to Venezuelan dishes. Restaurant usually misses plates. Other times it misses ingredients and won't let you know in advance and you will find out later in a take away order. I don't think it's honest. Improve general quality service is needed. read more

Wow! My husband and I went here for lunch yesterday, and we are both very impressed! My husband is Colombian, so this was partially a taste of home and partially new tastes. We got the Taste of Venezuela plate so we could try it all. I am so glad we did! The arepas de choclo were insanely delicious (the freshest I've had!), the empanada was HUGE, the arepa was fluffy and generously filled, and those cheese sticks (tequeños, I believe) were waaaayyy better than a mozz stick!! We will definitely be going back...often! read more

Empanada Express Grill - Taste of Venezuela - Empanadas Near Me - Denver, Colorado

I want to like this place. I really do. I love Venezuelan food. The only thing this place has going for it is that it's the only one of its kind around. The cachapa is always burnt. And completely tasteless. The arepa is fried. The plantains taste like potatoes and the service is not welcoming. Go to Quiero arepa to see what a real arepa should look like! read more

Holy guacamole! The empanadas here are big. Big and delicious. So are the arepas. I order one of each and had the empanada for lunch one day and took the arepa home for lunch the next. Though I also had a side of plantains so as a stand alone item you may need more than one to constitute a meal. Empanadas are a fried turnover with fillings. My choice had black beans and white cheese only, but there are over a dozen choices for fillings. Arepas are small corn cakes stuffed with something on the inside. Mine had carnitas, white cheese, and avocado. There are aso about a dozen options for this filling choice. I'd take two more right now if I could have them. Oh wait, I can if I just get myself up to the Highlands. Guess I better stop writing now then... Oh, one last tip - you can eat in or get your food to go. If you eat in be prepared for very casual dining in a rather small space. And try one of the juices - so good! read more

Next to the Oriental Theater you'll find an all too overlooked eatery known as Empanada Express Grill. The word "express" is stuck in there to be ironic, but more on that later. Empanada Express Grill (EEG) sells Venezuelan food. Besides being rich in oil and democratically elected despots, Venezuela also apparently is home to some amazingly delicious food! I went for the Taste of Venezuela, a combination plate with an empanada, arepa (sort of a cheese and meat filled corn-based puffy thing), tequeno (really amazing cheese sticks, basically), chachapa (another variation on the corn pancake, but not stuffed), and a fried plaintain. Everything on this bountiful plate of wonder was magical, especially the plethora of fried things. Also, and this surprised me, there seemed to be a lot of eggs used in general from each item. How long does it take to prepare such a feast? About 45 minutes, because my server was also training the lone cook. It took a full 30 minutes for me to get a papaya juice, but that's okay, because it too was amazing. I waddled away feeling happy. read more

Alright, let's get a couple of things out of the way. First, the food here is Venezuelan style. So, their empanadas are fried, large and chewy. This is in contrast to empanadas from Argentina or Chile which will often times be baked and crispy. They are also made with corn meal, not white flour. Same goes for the arepas. Colombian arepas are usually made with a white flour versus the corn meal used for Venezuelan arepas. It's important to know this distinction so you know what you're in for. With that being said, this place is pretty damned awesome. I split two arepas and two empanadas with the madre and they were mighty tasty and mighty filling. We had one empanada left over that I ate for breakfast this morning and it was just as chewy and delicious left over. Their salsas are also a perfect complement to the arepas and empanadas. We had a darker red sauce and a green-ish (?) salsa (I'm color blind, give me a break). Both had great flavor with the red packing more heat than the green. Usually the salsa is an afterthought and luckily that is not the case here. But what let me know this place was legit was talking with a Venezuelan woman who was eating there. Her and I got to talking because she was shocked that a gringo knew what an arepa was. After exclaiming her disbelief with my knowledge of the arepa, she continued to rave about Empanada Grill and how it was awesome to have an authentic Venezuelan restaurant in Denver. 'Nuff said. When in doubt, listen to the Venezuelans. Unless their name is Hugo Chavez. Then be afraid. Be very afraid...unless he recommends this restaurant. Then you can listen, but only to that one statement. What a nut. Anyway, so why not 5 stars? Well, if you need a meal on the quick, this may not be the best option. The service is slow because the people working the front of the restaurant help prepare the food. You can tell it's a small, family business and so everyone helps with everything. So don't expect super quick service. They are really busy making sure you get awesome food. But if you do have the time and find yourself in the Berkley neighborhood, treat yourself to the Empanada Grill and enjoy the food. You won't regret it unless you dislike all things that are good. read more

Great big selection of empanadas. So many options that we ordered many of them and ate them all. Neat place, but the service was very slow the night we were there. The food was a bit doughy, the sauces were amazing. There was a creamy green sauce that i would love the recipe for. if you are curious about Venezuala food, give this a try. I have had empanadas before that were crispier, but these were good. The establishment was very tiny inside, so not good for a big group read more

I've seen this place to the right of the Oriental Theater for as many time's as i've been there! It is small and cozy, the gal was very nice, let me order to-go (not a ton of places to hover while waiting, luckily i was the only one, so i sat at their prep table by the cash register!) I got the fried plantains - delicious, although they added some cheese which i didn't think was necessary and would probably request they not to that. I also got a chili relleno empanada and their "typical" one which i can't remember the name of! The empanadas are huge - luckily the hubby shared with me, i really only needed one, but i couldn't decide! I'll definitley be back and try some more flavors! read more

This is my favorite restaurant! Everything is very affordable, and every dish I've had has been delicious. I would recommend the taste of Venezuela plate and the sopapillas(dessert). The flavors in the Venezuelan plate are amazing and the sopapillas are so soft! They're both so good I have to force myself not to eat more! read more

Everyone has said everything already. My take: One of my top 10 favorite restaurants in the city. I'm so classy and handsome that this basically makes this like a 6 star review. So, come eat here, because your stomach will thank you - and if I am in there getting take out which happens often, then your eyes will thank you. Win, win huh? read more

I've heard about this place for a while and decided to stop in with my two year old. We both loved it and the prices were great. The sauces were great, too. We had a carnita empanada and an arepe (I can't remember its name now) that had plantains, black beans, and white cheese. Both were to die for! So great. The atmosphere is a little lacking (gray flourescent lighting and a CD that skipped) but it is kid friendly. It's the kind of place you wouldn't feel uncomfortable or awkward eating alone in. Good service. read more

I'm not sure how I ever got along without this place before I discovered it, and my biggest regret about moving away from the Westside is that I now have to drive some distance to get to one of my favorite places to eat in Denver. I have been to this restaurant about 16 times now over the summer. No joking. The nice lady who always greets me every time I come in asks me how my family is doing. Yes, I go that often, because for the money, there is no better meal you're gonna get. Anywhere. This restaurant makes empanadas, arepas and other Venezuelan specialties, like sancocho and coconut flan. They have an impressive array of South American sodas and beverages, and I have never had a single one I didn't like. Try the Soda Colombiana. The "taste of Venezuela" platter is enough to feed 2 people and a little kid, or have a little bit of leftovers for the next day if it's just two adults. If you are there for lunch, order an empanada and you'll probably have half of it left over for the next day. They're huge, cheap, and delicious. I ordered the relleno empanada for lunch and was stuffed after having split a fourth of it with my kiddo, and paid 4 dollars and some cents total for lunch. Can't beat that! Believe every great review of this place that you read, try it for yourself, and trust me when I tell you that you'll be glad you did, because there just isn't any place quite this good anywhere else...except their other location, that is. read more

I was so excited to hear that Empanada Express opened a second location in Denver. On Saturday night I was exhausted from a day of power shopping and then cleaning so I decided to go in and order the Taste of Venezuela plate with the beef and potato empanada and a carnitas arepa. It ended up being 2 meals. A nice touch was that they brought me a coconut flan with a tasty candied papaya slice for dessert on the house. I chatted with the cook before heading out. He said that business has been a bit slow so far. Hopefully that will change, this is an awesome addition to Denver! read more

I am just discovering the beauty and flavors of empanadas and I'm glad that Empanada Express is where I've started my explorations. I stopped in here after a meeting around the corner at Tenn St. coffee house. Lured in by a sign that said "$3.50 lunches, I checked out the specials board and ordered 2 carnitas empanadas - to go. For around 6 bucks I got 2 huge, piping hot empanadas filled with savory shredded pork, along with some really delicious sauces. My only trouble? I should've sat down and truly enjoyed these rather than trying to negotiate these like a burger while I was driving down the freeway (sorry to that person in the Jetta...). I'll definitely be back for more! read more

This is a very small restaurant that serves up delicious traditional Venezuelan cuisine. I absolutely loved my chile relleno empanada (one was enough for lunch). The crust was soft on the inside and light and crispy on the outside. Two sauces in squeeze bottles, one tomato based with a very slight hint of spice and the other, a cilantro mayo (I prefer the red sauce) are served with the meal. I also enjoyed a passion fruit merengadas (more like a smoothie than a milk shake). What Empanada Grill lacks in atmosphere it more than makes up for in flavor. read more

These empanadas are not like the ones I am used to. These are Venezualan style, and more doughy and deep fried then the ones I'm used to eating. I think empanadas are the bf's favorite food, so he was super excited to take me here after visiting once himself. He went NUTS for the yucca, so we started off our meal with an order of that. The only other time I've eaten this is at Zengo and I didn't like it. Here, a big big fan of it!! I also ordered a chicken empanada platter with fried plantains and rice as my sides. I actually liked the sides better than the empanada themselves, to be honest. I really don't know why I didn't like the empanadas as much as I had hoped, maybe because they were deep fried and I prefer them baked and not as doughy. The papaya juice was made fresh in house-very yummy! I felt sick after eating here-just because I had digested so much deep fried food. This is a very small restaurant, but you can dine in. Expect to wait a bit for your food, which is a good sign. You know they're cooking it fresh. I give this place 3.5 stars, I don't think I love it enough for 4. Great cheap and different food option in NW Denver. read more

I'm not sure what authentic Venezuelan food is supposed to taste like, but if this is it, here I come Hugo Chavez!!! First off, the green and red creamy-type sauces that they serve with the food is so good, I just want to tip my head back and squirt them in my mouth. Seriously. The empanadas and arepas are fantastic! The empanada shells have a perfectly crispy outside, soft on the inside and some yummy fillings. I've only had the rajas and the carnitas fillings, but both were flavorful and I plan on going back to try them all! The Sancocho which is a chicken soup had lots of veggies and the broth had great depth of flavor. This is one of my new favorite spots in Denver! read more

Neither I nor my partner have ever had anything bad here. As a vegetarian who is gluten free (Celiac), I stick with the Arepas, which are grilled (not fried, therefore not risk of cross contamination), and they are fantastic. I love the Rajas and the Sweet Domino (and the regular domino too!), and the corn cake appetizer. My partner prefers the empanadas and rocks the chicken salad one, and the chili relleno one, while nomming on the fried cheese appetizer. He likes the red sauce while I prefer the green. It's small and casual, nothing fancy here, but the food is some of the best in Denver. The server is always friendly and knows what goes into each item, which is super helpful. At times, service is slow, but totally worth the wait! read more

I wanted to love this place, I really did. I sought it out because I missed the lovely Venezuelan restaurant I frequented in Virginia before I moved here last fall. I will say that the fried yucca was delicious--ever so slightly better than what I got in Virginia. However, the arepa with reina pepiada--my absolute favorite in Virginia--was very blah. The arepa itself was pale and didn't taste as much of corn. It was bland. And the reina pepiada was just shredded chicken drowned in mayonnaise. There wasn't even a hint of avocado in it, and it needed salt and acid. My husband tried the empanadas and found them greasy, with the same problem regarding the reina pepiada--no avocado and no seasoning. I hope I can find good arepas here! read more

Best empanadas in all of DENVER. Venezuelan style. So delicious, do yourself a favor and try everything here. Just get all of it, you'll be happy. I promise read more

After almost a week in San Francisco, this was the first place I picked, which says a lot. It was a little cold, and I wanted something warm and delicious. I was going to go with my usual, the Sweet Domino empanada (plantains, cheese, and black beans), but one of the specials was a trio of Colombian empanadas, so I went with those and a side of plantains because I still needed my plantain fix. The plantains come with shredded cheese (monterey jack I think), which they don't need, but is a bonus for cheese lovers. Colombian empanadas are made with a different kind of flour and are smaller than the Venezuelan empanadas, which are the biggest empanadas I've ever seen; Venezuelan empanadas are just about the size of turnovers. They threw in a corn cake for me to try too and that was also delicious. They have a red and green sauce. The red is the spicier of the two and my favorite. The arepas are large and delicious too and should be a good option for gluten free people; I'm not sure what they use in their fillings, but think that most if not all are gluten free. Worth asking about anyway. They make your food to order, so you can't just run in and grab something, without a little planning. You can call ahead. It's a small, plain space. They have a few small tables outside. They also have a catering menu, and when I haven't had time to cook or bake myself, I've taken their mini empanadas to parties, and they've been a big hit. An even bigger hit than my creations, which is fine with me because I love introducing people to delicious food, even when it's not mine. read more

This place is a REAL hole in the wall. There is (very) limited seating and the staff when I got here was just one very nice hostess/server/chef who suggested that I try the ground beef empanadas. They were flaky, fried dough pockets filled with seasoned beef and other tasty ingredients. I also tried one of their specials, "empanadas colombiana" which was available vegetarian or carnivorous and came with 3 empanadas, each with different fillings (I chose ham&cheese, pork carnitas). Every empanada was unique- the "columbian" were light and puffy, while the others were smaller with more filling(s) Overall, if you want a variety of empanadas & are in the Denver area, you can't go wrong with this joint. WARNING: empanadas are explosive! read more

I have been coming here for seven years. This place is awesome. Small, family run so everything is very authentic. This is my 11 year old daughter's favorite place in denver. Yucca fries and plantains are excellent as are all the empanadas. The green and red chimichurri sauces are very tasty and balance out the rich flavors in the empanada perfectly. read more

Let me say that I love the Empanada Express on Colfax that's closer to me, I've had a wonderful experience there. So when were still hungry after the Chef and Brew event one night I recommended Empanada Express to a group of friends. We decided to split the Empanada Appetizer which was 12 Empanada's of four different varieties. For the most part the empanada's were good, not the vegetarian one, something was really off putting about that one - not sure what happened. I really enjoyed the chicken one. The crust on the empanada's is unique and crusty - different than most empanada's I think. The heater was going full blast at first and then I think they realized that was dumb and turned it off. Service was a little lack luster. Not sure I'll be back to this location, not a very good first impression. read more

Thanks to all of the great reviews I just went over and tried this place out. I had driven past all the time since I live very close by and was excited to see what it was all about. OMG. Sure it's a little hole in the wall, easily overlooked...but the flavorful meal was incredible. I got the Sweet Domino empanada (black beans, plantain, cheese) with a side of rice and passion fruit juice. The place was very cool and well air conditioned considering this is one of the first 80+ days so far this spring/summer. I chose to sit outside and get some sun at one of their patio tables instead! The ladies working there were very sweet and they make some amazing food. They brought my juice out to me with a straw with the wrapper still on the top inch (just a nice cleanly touch). Also, I went at 12pm on a Friday - I ordered, ate, cleaned up left overs - and was back home by 12:30. I deem that quick service to my standards. Oh and the sauces on the side of my meal were a nice bonus. The white sauce was a good way to cool down a bite and red added a little spice. So good. I told them they will be seeing a lot more of me very soon. :D PS. Haters gonna hate. Don't write a terrible review off one experience. If someone ran into you on a bad day and judged your entire personality off that, would you deem it fair? Be fair......or don't. More empanadas for the rest of us ;) read more

Oh! That's what all the fuss is about. Empanadas have been on my mind since I've heard of their Golden location, but I never made the drive. Now I'm hungry in the Highlands and open my Yelp app. Quick U-turn at 38th and Lowell and I'm redirected toward their 44th and Stuart location. First of all, these empanadas and arepas are huge. I ordered the La Criolla arepas (shredded beef, black beans, white cheese, and sweet fried plantain). These are gluten-free and baked. I also order the Pabellon Criollo empanada (black beans, white cheese, sweet fried plantain, and choice of meat). They didn't ask me for a meat choice, so I assume it was shredded beef. They also have an assortment of lunch and dinner specials, combination plates (perfect for sampling their menu), and more Americanized options for the less brave. The arepa is like a stockier and beefier pita. The fried plantain wraps around it guarding its interior. The flavors were just great. The empanada was so dense. These came with two different sauces. The green one tastes of citrus (lime?) and is less hot than the red tomato based salsa. That one made me sweat, but still very good. I may have to try the specials next time. It seems they may give you more spending power. read more

I used to make a trip to the Empanada grill when it was located in Golden. The owner is friendly and the Arepas are well made and a delicious meal. The fillings are delicious, on my last visit I had the chicken, chicken salad and eggs with avacado. All three were tasty. For an appetizer, I ordered the Yucca fries which was a great decision, they are prepared like french fries but they are much tastier. I also enjoyed the mango juice. I fell in love with Arepas when I visited Venezuela. The arepas I had in Venezuela were thicker and had more corn filling. The empanda grill brings me back to Venezuela. read more

After reading the other yelp reviews, and being that I just moved to the area, I figured I would try it, and try it I did. I ordered the special of the day arepa, two empanadas and plantains. Wow. The melty, tender and awesome arepa adoba special of the day was absolutely delicious. I wish it was on the permanent menu. Along with the other items, if it was possible for me to inhale them I would have. I guess I'll just have to go back to try the other goodies. thanks yelp for the hot reviews. :) read more

I walk by Empanada Express Grill every night and always wondered how the food was. Sometimes there is no one in the restaurant and other nights, there are only 1 or 2 customers. But tonight, my husband and I were looking for somewhere to eat within walking distance and Empanada Express Grill ended up in my yelp search results. We decided to check it out since the reviews were pretty good and because we had a restaurant.com gift certificate. I got the Taste of Venezuela plate with the chicken salad empanada, shredded chicken and black bean arepa, fried plantains, fried dough/cheese sticks, and these corn pancakes with cheese on top. My husband got the Empanada dinner plate with a carnitas empanada, soup, and fried plantains. We also ordered the coconut flan for dessert. Everything was very tasty and he portions are very filling. Believe the reviews when they say 1 empanada is enough for lunch or a light dinner. The empanadas are none like any that I have ever eaten. They are light and crispy on the outside (and not very greasy) and chewy on the inside. They are very generous with their empanada and arepa fillings. The sauces they provide give a nice kick to the already flavorful food...especially the dark pink sauce. Although the restaurant was practically empty when we got there (around 6pm on a Saturday), every table was completely full by the time we left...so that's a good sign. We will definitely be back! read more

Perhaps one day we'll actually get to eat here. I called at 6 pm to asked when they closed. She said 8pm. At 7:40 I called to confirm again since we were 5 mins away and the woman I spoke with said the owner told them to close at 7:30. Somehow I doubt that. May not eat here on principal. read more

Empanada Express Grill - Hours from their website. ***not open till I every day! - Empanadas Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This place is so good. Either Arepa or empanada for the fillings, you won't be disappointed. Also the empanadas are huge; so don't be dissuaded by the price- totally worth what you're getting. I've had the carnitas, ground beef, ham, raja... you really can't go wrong. Have amazing salsas for dipping too! They are open for take out right now, and I highly recommend. read more

Delicious food and fresh squeezed juice! Every time we visit Denver we stop by to enjoy a good quick meal.

I was drawn to this little hole in the wall as a result of a quick Yelp search prior to dining with my teenage son while traveling. Thank you fellow Yelpers, you were right - this is a great little dining place! Warning - ambiance snobs do not whine about the simplicity, stay focused on the great, home made food. We sampled just a small part of the varied menu - a few different empanadas (all were fantastic, fresh and home made), shared a plate of fried plantains with traditional black beans - they were excellent, just like I remember when traveling in South America. Prices were fair, service was friendly - though be aware hurried diners - this is home made food, it takes more than a few minutes to make and cook a fresh empanada. Would we go back - yes, in a heart beat. Would we recommend it - absolutely - enjoy! read more

Took my parents here as an alternative to Mexican food. Which if you are tired of the over cheesy/greasy-ness of Mexican food, I highly suggest branching out to other Latin foods, this being a great place to start! We ordered different empanadas and all of them were phenomenal. For normal people the plates would be just the right amount of food. I have a big apatite and needed an extra empanada to fill me up. This being said, the prices are more than fair, so I had no qualms with what I paid. Will definitely go back and will definitely take others. read more

This place is awesome even though I have only had the Empanadas! Went in to see about ordering 30 of them for a party and the gentleman was so nice who helped me and had my order ready within an hour! Cheap and delicious and a HIT at my party! Good food, good prices and great service! read more

Wonderful little spot, one of those I kept driving by and meaning to go into and then would forget. Glad I finally stopped in today! I got takeout so I can't comment on the service but the woman who helped me was very sweet. The empanadas are huge! 2 completely stuffed my garbage disposal of a boyfriend and at $4 a pop, $8 total is a really cheap meal to fill him up! He loved the carnitas empanada. I'm a vegetarian so I got a domino empanada and a sweet domino arepa and they were both superb (note: I ate about half of each and was full). We will definitely make this a regular lazy night take out spot. read more

I drove here 15 miles out of my way for lunch.... but I'm legitimately thinking of going back and getting more. I don't even know where to start. Just do yourself a favor and go try it. I got the machaca empanada con huevos with a side of platanos and black beans and rice but can't wait to try the entire menu! I'm a sucker for black beans so this automatically won 5 stars for the frijoles alone. Hidden pockets of cheese in everything, which makes you feel like you're panning for gold on a bed of adobada empenada deliciousness. read more

Dammmn this place is good! Highly recommend the empanada sampler and any of the burritos (spicy)! Yuca fries are crispy and delicious. My girlfriend had an arepa and like it too much to share. While the appearance could give the idea its a cheaper / fast food type spot.... do not be deceived. It is one of my favorite places to eat in all of Denver. read more

This find was so Good. Real Venezuelan style. The "ripe plantain" was soooo good. The shredded meat tasted amazing. They have all tropical natural fruit smoothies, If you ask, they would prepare them with out sugar. read more

Empanada Express Grill - Empanadas Near Me - Denver, Colorado

So yummy! Mechada empanada lunch special (comes with beans and rice) was exactly what I wanted! The ladies that work here are very kind as well! read more

Empanada Express Grill - Mechada empanada lunch special. Perfection! - Empanadas Near Me - Denver, Colorado