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Empanada Mama

3.8 (1k reviews)
Open Open 24 hours

Order Empanada Mama Takeout or Delivery

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Business Info

EMPANADA MAMA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Casual
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Empanada Mama

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Reviews With Photos

Karen T.

I thought the food was really flavorful. I got the jerk & cheese, Buffalo chicken, cheese steak, and el jefe. My favorites had to be the jerk and cheese and el jefe. The Buffalo chicken was lacking something and the cheese steak consistency of the sauce was too runny for me. I really enjoyed the el jefe empanada and the jerk and cheese. They went great with the sauces. There's a dine in section and a take out section.

Mia H.

This 24/7 spot is an amazing spot for a bite at any time of day. This location in the LES, has lots of seating to dine-in but also kiosks for you to order at for take-out. Service is kind and fairly quick. They have a huge menu of lots of different empanadas as well as other Mexican dishes and sandwiches. I got their oxtail one, spicy chicken, greek spinach and feta, and their viagra (seafood stew with tiger shrimp and crab). Favorites were definitely their viagra and oxtail as both were so flavorful and filled with protein. I can definitely see this spot being a favorite late-night go to.

El Jefe and El Toro
Christopher C.

A staple post drinking snack spot-- the el jefe and el toro were filling and not terribly priced! Would love to come back after another night drinking! The ambience is a smidge ominous w some random people walking up and asking for money multiple times, but hey that's New York-- Cheers!

Hanh T.

So good ! We weren't too hungry but wanted a snack and were craving empanadas and this hit the spot ! The one we wanted was sold out sadly but the other options were just as delish !!! Quick service

El Toro, pernil, el jefe
Tiffany F.

Came here for a quick bite at 1am, got the El Toro (Jamaican oxtail) and pernil - they are very generous with portion size and I'm talking they stuffed the empanadas, no air pocket inside. Pop some green sauce on there and you're good. Did I need two? No, but I ate both in less than 10 mins. I'll be back lol

Tatyana C.

Pinch me--I think I've gone to heaven! Empanada Mama is open 24/7 and serves alcohol, which honestly feels like a game changer for anyone who loves late-night eats. I've been to plenty of their locations before, but I had no idea this one was open around the clock. After a night of drinking, I was craving something delicious, so I checked Yelp, saw they were open, and wobbled my way over. To my surprise, the place was PACKED with club-goers just like me, all hunting for that perfect late-night bite. Whether you want to grab to-go or chill inside, Empanada Mama has you covered. The empanadas are insanely good--crispy, flavorful, and just what you need after a night out. This spot just became my new favorite for late-night cravings. If you haven't experienced their 24/7 magic yet, you're missing out!

Maria M.

Tried this outlet coming back from our archery lessons. Always have been a fan of their empanadas- Love their hawain and mac and cheese ones. They never disappoint! They also have new sandwiches and burgers on their menu that my friends tried and loved. Also liked their spiked hot choco!!! A lil pricey if you dine in but great for pickups!

BBQ Pulled Pork
Haley T.

Anywhere there is an empanada, I'll be getting one but this place unfortunately wasn't as great as everyone hypes it up to be. I was really excited to try the corn flour empanadas but they were extremely hard and not worth it. Food 3/5: I got the bbq pulled pork (corn flour), corn cheese (corn flour, and pizza (regular). The only thing that really saved this meal was the green sauce that comes with them. The bbq pulled pork was just okay with the filling being pretty average. Though, the crust was so hard and unpleasant to bite into. The corn cheese literally had zero corn it was all cheese I just ended up throwing this away because it was so oily and swallowing me before I could swallow it. The regular pizza was the only thing to save this meal. Highly recommend and it even complimented well with the sauce. Service 3/5: Kiosk ordering system but long wait. My friends got drinks while we were waiting which complimented well with the empanadas and the bartender was nice. Ambiance: You can choose to sit in their front area or "dine in." A little confusing to be quite honest but we just chose to sit in the front seating area since we didn't feel like we would be there for long.

Cheesesteak
Phoebe C.

This is a perfect late night snack after a night out. The cheesesteak empanada is so good. There are a few tables inside or you can order for to go. Apparently, they also have frozen margaritas to go. It was so good. We went two times on our trip to New York.

Two Empanadas + Rice & Beans
Michelle P.

These are great on the go options and two is the perfect amount to feel full. They have pretty good options and I look forward to trying more. Also the Bombay and spicer flavors are the best!

Aaron Z.

I never knew there could be so many different types of empanadas. I got 2 for a light night snacks and they were amazing and dripping in juice from the meat. I love how they are open 24/7 because its a great spot for a late night snack. The food did take a while to come out so we waited for a while but I just assumed that they were super fresh and they did taste good so the wait was fine.

Jerk chicken empanada
Jeffrey L.

One of my favorite empanada place. I couldn't remember the last time I had it and I was craving for it. The person I told to get viagra for me really thought i was getting a viagra lol.

Cheese empanada
Nery A.

Came here just now after searching for a pizzeria that ended up being closed early. I was hungry but it was late so there wasn't a lot of spots I could go in that weren't bars. My husband saw the neon lights of this spot as if it were a pond in the middle of a dessert. We asked for 4 empanadas to go and I'm glad we waited 18 minutes for them because that means that they were fresh. They were also super huge. I had ordered a pizza empanada because of the pizza craving I still had and it was delicious. I also had a Bombay empanada that made me feel like I was having a full plate of Indian food. The cheese empanada was so big that I thought they had given me two of them accidentally when I first felt it. That I'm saving for when I get home. I highly recommend if you love empanadas and variety as well.

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1 month ago

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Ask the Community - Empanada Mama

Is there a bathroom available?

Yes. There's a unisex bathroom. The sink is right outside the bathroom door so that's very convenient if you just want to wash your hands.

Is the rice and bean empanada vegetarian? Meaning, are the rice and beans cooked with veggie stock and do not contain chicken or other animal stock/fat.

Are the beans vegetarian or are they cooked with meat?

vegetarian

How many empanadas do you get for $3.99 (delivery)?

One. Don't understand the confusion.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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4.3(478 reviews)
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Getting a reservation here is very hard. One just popped up in my Resy app for lunch though, so I…read morewent for it. It was my first time here although, it has been around for ages. The front part where you first walk in is the bar area with some tables. This restaurant is on the darker side and brings you back in time. Once you walk in further that is where the main dinning room is. This is also on the darker side as you can maybe tell by my photos. The wall paper and art around the restaurant is cool and there are some monkey statues around the restaurant. I was seated in a corner table in a booth area that seemed to be for at least 2-3 people. I thought for sure they would seat me at the bar area. I had a wonderful waitress whose name I think was Taylor but I could be wrong. I ordered the Monkey bread to start off with. It's a very buttery bread with truffle and parm cheese on top. I have alot of allergies and I was searching online if I could even have truffles as I have a nut allergy. So, I asked the waitress and she said she had never heard this. But, she came back to me and told me that White truffle grows near or like over where Almonds grow from but that, they don't use white truffle so I was all good. Well, this was super nice of her to check for me. I had no idea she was going to do this. She said the restaurant has strict protocols when it comes to food allergies. I then got for my main dish the double cheese burger with onions and pickles. To drink I had the cucumber martini. WOW everything was pretty darn good!! I passed on dessert. If you get a chance or a reservation pops up in your resy to go, even if it is for lunch..I highly say go for it.

From the moment we sat down, the service set the tone for the entire experience. Our server was…read moreincredibly warm, upbeat, and full of energy--one of those people who genuinely elevates a meal. I only wish I could remember her name because she deserves the recognition. We started with drinks, and mine ended up being a surprise standout. I ordered the coconut margarita, slightly hesitant since I'm not usually a margarita fan--but it completely won me over. It struck a perfect balance and leaned just enough into the coconut to make it feel unique without being overpowering. My sister-in-law, who's pregnant, had a non-alcoholic Ritual margarita and loved it, noting how convincingly it mimicked the real thing. Since we were sharing, we got to try a good mix of the menu. The monkey bread came first--definitely a splurge at $34, but it's one of those fun, indulgent starters that's worth ordering at least once. While I wouldn't call it the best bread I've ever had, I also wouldn't change anything about it. The crab rangoon was another highlight. Having it made with real crab made a noticeable difference, and the dipping sauces complemented it really well. It felt like a more elevated take on something familiar. For mains, the French dip was a hit. The meat was incredibly tender, the bread had that ideal crusty exterior, and the au jus was packed with flavor--I was very glad I ordered extra. It pulled the whole dish together. We also tried the smoked whitefish Caesar, which was the only dish that didn't quite land for me. It was a well-made, fresh salad, but the smoked fish flavor was a bit overpowering and took over the balance of the dish. Even though we were too full for dessert, the restaurant surprised us with a scoop of strawberry ice cream with chocolate sauce to celebrate my sister-in-law's babymoon. It ended up being one of the most memorable bites of the meal--we're still talking about how good that ice cream was. We arrived right at 11:45, and by the time we left, the place was absolutely buzzing. It's clearly a popular spot, and for good reason. Between the lively atmosphere, strong service, and well-executed food, I'd highly recommend making a reservation if you can.

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Empanada Mama - latin - Updated May 2026

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