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    Julia's Empanadas

    3.9 (313 reviews)
    ModerateEmpanadas
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

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    Dessert Empanada Case
    Chelsea C.

    I absolutely love this place for a quick and affordable bite! Empanadas are one of the most comforting hand-held bites you can have, they take a lot of dedication in terms of labor and thought in what makes a great filling, so I'm glad that there is a bakery solely dedicated to the craft of the great empanada. The menu is incredibly varied, drawing from flavors not only derived from the south American communities that make empanadas (such as chorizo or Saltena), but drafting from the unique flavor profiles that are present in the DMV such as Jamaican. There are also vegan empanadas! Which were extremely satisfying and taken with the same consideration as their non-vegan counterparts. The pastry casing was delightful to see with all the hot empanadas that were likely made the day of. The quality of the empanada is great, the pleats are tight and don't even add an unnecessary thickness. The dough has a tight crumb as well and all of these things mean that the filling is secured and insulated with all of its unique juices and seasonings and that it will come in your hand piping hot! Their dessert empanadas are so delicious with a unique variety of fruit flavors. The guava is a personal favorite, because its so sweet and tangy. Genuine guava is a had flavor to get in any metropolitan city so I'm glad I got to have a taste of it through this bakery. Whoever Julia is, you did your big one here. Thank you! Note, this is a bakery front, so the bakery is done in house (and they evidently produce really high quality empanadas) and the countertop. There is no seating inside, aside from the bench outside! But thats fine because empanadas are a handheld. I recommend coming here if you're trying to find a quick meal for a festival that is often occuring in the area or order a large box to take home.

    Empanadas
    Min Z.

    Julia's Empanadas in the heart of (Adams Morgan) is a cozy gem I found by accident. I tried their popular Chilean-Style Beef empanada-a perfect mix of beef, egg, olive, and raisin with a spicy kick. So delicious! Can't wait to try the other flavors.

    Alex R.

    They got all different types of empañadas all from various parts of South America. That makes this restaurant super specialized in empañadas. I wasn't sure at all about what the differences are and I was stuck between the Chilean beef or the Bolivian chicken empañada. Honestly I have had empañadas before but I never really knew that there were so many different types. They're almost like a delicacy. The worker gave me a little guidance, but there was no way to know for sure until I tried one. After much self-denatr I decided on the Chilean beef empañada, and I have high hopes that it was be as delicious as everyone else says they are. In terms of the ambiance, this tiny restaurant is designed for take-out and delivery and there are no seating options or restrooms available.

    Steak empanada
    Amber F.

    Service was fine, but I was not a fan of the empanadas. I prefer mine fried instead of baked, but still wanted to try out the fillings. I ordered the steak on and only about half of the pastry had filling, the rest was just dough. I ended up tossing the unfilled part, but the steak filling was sweet? It was weird. Texture and flavor was off and I didn't even finish it.

    RaeLynn F.

    This is such a great spot! I got the Chilean and Jamaican empanadas and they were great. My fave was the Jamaican for sure. A bit expensive but the price is expected given the area it's in. I also got the apple dessert empanada and it was amaaazing!! Would definitely return.

    Daniel R.

    It's great to have an empanada place in the neighborhood, but this place frankly was a skip for me. I was immediately rubbed the wrong way when I found out this is a cash-only establishment. In the world of Square readers and digital payments, there really is no reason for this. The empanadas were fine but not particularly memorable. The chicken empanada was my favorite; I loved the curry-inspired flavors. The dessert empanada is a skip. Strawberry jam inside what tastes like an old pie crust wasn't quite as delicious as I had hoped.

    empanada counter
    Stephanie Z.

    Visiting DC and wandered around AdMo for the afternoon. I got the Jamaican Style and Chilean Beef. The flavor was not as powerful as I expected. The empanadas are baked, and the dough was not flaky. I'm not an empanada expert though

    Chilean Beef Empanada
    Jamie L.

    I have been looking forward to knocking Julia's Empanadas off my bucket list for years now. Unfortunately it was not nearly as good as I expected. They were out of most, and takes 15 minutes if you have time to wait for a fresh order. I had the Chilean Beef and the flavor was great, but the edges were extra hard. The pricing is a little high, $8.25 plus tip. Doubt I will ever go back, as parking is a nightmare and I got a ticket.

    Empanadas - spinach & cheese
    Kat T.

    Must try!! This place is one of the signature spots of Adam's Morgan! It's been around for a while, and it's not surprising. Veeeery delicious empanadas, good selection (including vegetarian ones), always fresh and warm!! Highly recommend!

    Will M.

    Wow! Chorizo empanada was bursting with so many different flavors. Piping hot and wasn't reheated. Spice let's you know it's there but doesn't overwhelm you. Could taste the freshness of the dough. Service was friendly, will definitely be returning to try other ones.

    Mimi I.

    I have been craving empanadas after having some good ones recently. I was in the area and hungry, so I stopped by Julia's. These didn't satisfy my empanada cravings though. My first thought was they were pricey at $6. I still bought one, trying the Chilean version, which is beef, raisins, onion, egg, olive. The dough wasn't what I thought. It was kind of a light, soft dough. The flavor of the filling was good, but I was looking for a more dense dough and packed filling. It wasn't terrible, but with the price and not the type of empanada I like, I wouldn't return.

    Open later than 9

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    13 hours ago

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    7 months ago

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    7 months ago

    Really good traditional empanadas with a variety of fillings - they even have vegan and vegetarian options!

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Cute small shop, there is no place to sit so a take and go place. food was good, be prepared for cilantro and onions in everything!

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    11 months ago

    Argentinian empanadas this is not Bolivian.this was a big disappointment. Wish they were more strait forward about what you are getting.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    The chorizo empanada barely had any chorizo and was severely underseasoned! The pastry itself wasn't great either

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    2 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Worth every penny! Kind and informative staff, wish I had gone sooner. Great selection from savory to sweet.

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Julia's Empanadas

    Has anyone been to Julia's lately? I called and received no answer. I would be driving a good hour to get empanadas and want to be sure they still exist post COVID before I make the trek. Can anyone tell me if they are open?

    I went today. Fantastic!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Julia's Empanadas

    The fillings are amazing - my favorite is the spinach but the Jamaican and Saltena empanadas are also classics.

    Mentioned in 30 reviews

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    Colada Shop - Churro- fried pastry dough with cinnamon sugar served with condensed milk. Beware this came out HOT

    Colada Shop

    4.0(388 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    I always hit this spot when I'm seeing a show at the Anthem!…read more Delicious (but a bit pricy) Cuban food, cocktails, and coffee. What keeps me coming back time and time again are their double-fried tostones. The texture and flavor is absolutely insane, and the sauce it comes with is to die for. I've also tried their Cuban sandwich, which is hot, melty, and scrumptious. The shop itself is bright and modern, and even has a small outdoor patio section. I will definitely be back when I have more shows at The Wharf in DC!

    Due to the Cherry Blossom Festival, the shop was extremely crowded, and I wasn't able to fully…read moreenjoy my experience. The staff seemed a bit overburdened trying to keep up with orders and get everything out in time. That said, the young man and woman who prepared my order were kind and very focused on doing their best. I definitely plan to return and give them another try under less hectic conditions. This location is an entire vibe. It's tucked down a painted alley that leads you to a side entrance, which I actually preferred over the front. Parking is what it is at the Wharf, but I recommend parking near the museum and walking over. Once inside, you're met with gorgeous decor and a thoughtfully designed space that feels like a Spanish-style bar set in nature. The tile, the color palette, and the food and drink options all come together beautifully. I ordered the Carrot Cake Con Leche, which came out to about $8 after tax. It was tasty and a great treat after my morning run. It did take about 15 to 20 minutes to receive my order, but given how busy it was, that felt understandable. I'm looking forward to returning and experiencing it at a calmer time.

    Photos
    Colada Shop
    Colada Shop - Tostada - traditional toasted cuban bread with butter & a delicious guava marmalade.

    Tostada - traditional toasted cuban bread with butter & a delicious guava marmalade.

    Colada Shop

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    DC Empanadas

    DC Empanadas

    3.7(174 reviews)
    1.7 miPetworth
    $

    If you don't want to track down the DC Empanadas food truck, then you can just visit this stall at…read morethe Union Market. DC Empanadas specializes in gourmet empanadas, but there were only four options to choose from (Divine Swine, Latin Beef, El Greco, and Speedy Gonzalez [all cheese]). $3.50 for each empanada or you can pick any 3 for $9. ***. Divine Swine (pulled BBQ pork, featuring the No. 5 sauce [smokey sweet] from BBQ Bus Smokehouse - $3.50): Empanadas itself wasn't too bad - tasted slightly sweet with crunchy dough. However, $3.50 is a bit pricey for one empanada and you will probably still feel hungry even if you get 3 for $9 deal. *** I will still stick with empanadas from Los Angeles (Tito's Market in El Monte or Red Ribbon Bakeshops) as they are both good and inexpensive.

    Pretty good empanadas! I got the three meat options being offered that day: divine swine, el toro,…read moreand the badass. None was particularly impressive, but I WAS impressed with how much sauce they managed to put in there. For example, I really tasted the buffalo sauce for the chicken one and I was amazed at how Americanized it tasted. There isn't much service to be provided here, but it could really use a step up. The guy taking orders had a don't-bother-me look and never once made eye contact or smiled once. He's the same one frying the empanadas, and he does it without wearing any gloves or anything-right after he handled the money. Sigh.

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    DC Empanadas
    DC Empanadas
    DC Empanadas - Huge Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich (08/01/2016 special).  Normally comes with pickles and custom sauce on sandwich...

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    Huge Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich (08/01/2016 special). Normally comes with pickles and custom sauce on sandwich...

    Julia's Empanadas - empanadas - Updated May 2026

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