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    Julia's Empanadas

    3.9 (727 reviews)
    InexpensiveEmpanadas
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    Jamaican empanada
    Christopher L.

    tl;dr: Local chain, no frills, hole in the wall eatery with empanadas on demand that are made fresh daily and served hot. Obviously made with love when you see the empanadas. Warm, delicious, and perfect after a night out or a quick bite. I wanted the Chilean empanada, but they were out, and I will be back to try that one! Jamaica Empanada - 4/5: This empanada was not bursting with flavor as I was expecting, but it was pretty good! I think I would compare it to the beef in a Shepard's pie. The Pastry itself was delicious. I can't imagine how they taste out of the oven, because just from the warmers, it was so crispy, warm, and comforting. Chorizo Empanada- 5/5: the chorizo was amazing, and the flavor blast I was looking for. Especially compounded with the salsa verde they gave us, it was amazing! This empanada also had art on its pastry, just to demonstrate the love that goes into these. Papaya Guava Empanada - 3/5: The empanada was yummy, but after the other two, this was sort of disappointing. The guava jelly was fine, but I can tell it's definitely not homemade.

    Hair intertwine with the chicken.
    Susan E.

    Meh. Empanadas are hard, not boosting with flavor and expensive. I Had better. It's not worth the trip.

    Exterior
    C.M. C.

    Delish empanadas. DC staple with savory and sweet treats. No outdoor seating not good to grab and go.

    Chorizo
    Brett S.

    Small place, nowhere to sit inside, but tasty empanadas. We had a veggie, a chipotle steak, and a Spanish chorizo. The steak was the best, probably because the onion kept the dough from drying out. Oh, and the Apple cinnamon dessert empanada was quite good. All that and a water for $18. There's a small park across the street with some tables.

    Empanada
    Michael C.

    You want to eat something quick before or after a bar or club visit in the area? Pick this place - preferably before the club so you don't deal with drunk people. Been going here for years when I'm in the area and stopped by again tonight. Despite being 20F and colder, this place is where the good food is at. No line either so that was a plus. Got 1 Jamaican and 1 Chilean to go. Below is a pic of one of them. The other I ate in my car.

    Chilean Empanada
    Scott B.

    We took a bit of a detour to try the Chilean empanadas out. My partner is Chilean, and outside of the empanadas his Tita made and the ones we actually had in Chile, these are legit! The baked crust and the pino filling are spot on!

    Empanada - beef or chorizo
    Maria C.

    Walked past a very simple store front around lunch time. The "empanadas" sign caught my eye. Large, tasty empanadas with crispy (non-greasy) dough. Really reasonably priced for the size. We tried the sáltena (chicken), chorizo and Chilean (beef). So big. All good! It's take out only. Simple, fast, fresh.

    a variety of baked goods
    Kyle B.

    I am a huge fan of baked empanadas. So coming here was a no-brainer. The chorizo and chipotle steak were my favorites. The Apple empanada is also very good. The Jamaican one had too much of a curry kick for me, more of a Indian influence. The coconut pineapple empanada is also very good, it reminded me of a coconut cream pie. I would probably stop here again, but I'd also want to try some other options in the area first.

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    2 years ago

    Empanadas were fresh and tasty. Crust wasn't too thick and there was lots of tasty filling. I thought they were pricey at 7-7.50 each.

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    Ask the Community - Julia's Empanadas

    Does it take credit cards? Some reviews says cash only, but on yelp it says it takes credit cards. Thanks!

    I think theoretically they can take cards but I've been in there at 1:45 AM a couple of times and each time they've said the machine was down so cash only. Best bet is to have some cash.

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    I had a fantastic experience at Mola last night! The restaurant is small, just 2 tables you can…read morebook online and 10-12 bar seats. Their drink menu infuses Panamanian-Caribbean flare to popular drinks like margaritas, mojitos, old fashions, etc. The woman working came over to tell us about the menu and I could tell this was her restaurant because of her deep passion for the dishes and their flavors. The menu is intentionally small and as a vegetarian, I was extremely pleased with the spice vegan and cheese empanada combo I shared with a friend. We also got the cucumber salad and hojaldra bread, all fantastic. I am excited to return and wish the woman (did not catch her name) MUCH success.

    I traveled two hours away to try this gem and boy was it worth it. Let me first start with, the…read moreowner cooked each meal (i sat at a table where you could visibly see her cooking/preparing the dishes) and she even stopped by to chat with me. When was the last time the owner/chef held a conversation with you while at dinner? True Panamanian dishes with a twist. I was taken back to my childhood with each bite I took, and even shed a tear as I, hadn't ate many of these dishes in a while. I was finally able to enjoy the Panamanian flavors/foods without having to leave the country. If you're interested with indulging in Panamanian cuisine, and or want a meal cooked from the heart, go visit Mola, you will not regret it. I will be visiting again

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    Mola - Chicken empanada

    Chicken empanada

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    Julia's Empanadas - Empanadas

    Julia's Empanadas

    3.9(313 reviews)
    1.1 miAdams Morgan
    $$

    Food Have not come here in years (RIP to Dupont location),…read morebut these used to hit the spot. They have a wide variety of flavors and the dough is soft and the edges a bit on the crispy side. Their rotating vegetarian option is also vegan. I think the week I went was a miss, it was bean and something crunchy. Missing flavor, but the salsa really helped it. Everyone who got a meat option said it was really good. They loved everything that they got. Next time I would better check their vegan option, but it is nice that they always have one ready for you. Service Came here on a Thursday mid-day and needed to grab food for a customer. The woman working was so sweet and happy to assist with me getting nearly two dozen empanadas and giving a nice variety. She labeled each one and gave me salsas and napkins. Ambiance A hole in the wall for sure. There is nowhere for you to sit, but these are portable little triangles so easy to walk down 18th or Columbia. On a nice day I would take these to the park.

    Julia's Empanadas was perfect for a quick lunch near Adams Morgan…read more This is a hole-in-the-wall spot, and I was craving something fairly small for lunch since we were going out to dinner later. After taking one look at the specials board, I knew the vegetarian empanada was the option for me. This empanada was vegan as well. Of course, plenty of meaty options or vegetarian with cheese options are also available. The lady who rang up my order was super nice, and I told her I was excited to get an empanada since we do not have that many empanada spots back home. My empanada was packaged really well. It would be perfect to eat on the go, and it was warm throughout. Even after walking 1/3 of a mile back to my hotel and getting to the room, it was still warm. The empanadas are a large portion for the price, and one was enough for me for lunch. They do have catering options and smaller empanadas that you can order in advance for a crowd.

    Photos
    Julia's Empanadas - Empanadas

    Empanadas

    Julia's Empanadas - Veggie empanada (ingredients vary)

    Veggie empanada (ingredients vary)

    Julia's Empanadas - Empanadas

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    Empanadas

    Julia's Empanadas - empanadas - Updated August 2026

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