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La Empanada Loca

4.7 (634 reviews)
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Updated over 3 months ago

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LA EMPANADA LOCA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - La Empanada Loca

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Bacalaito
Geysi J.

Love the vibes in this restaurant! The customer service received was great! They weren't shy and love their recommendations. The music was on point as well with their decors. Those empanadas definitely are a must, big and delicious. They were made to order so there was a wait but worth it. The bacalaito was taste but on the crunchy side. Parking isn't bad but definitely would go back

Bacalaito
Carol R.

I grew up in New York City eating lots of Puerto Rican food. I have not found many PR food places here in South Florida. I finally got to try La Empanada Loca. Parking is in front of the establishment, but there are only about four spots and it's right on the very busy West Dixie Highway. If those spaces are full, you may have to try parking at a business lot either next to the restaurant or across the street. The dining room is cute and nicely decorated. A large TV runs with Spanish programming. The tables are sturdy. The chairs are a little bit rickety. Service is excellent. I had to try their alcapurria (fried banana batter stuffed with chopped meat), something I grew up eating, and their bacalaito (saltfish fritter). While I really enjoyed the alcapurria, the bacalaito was disappointing. Although it was very attractive and crispy, I could not taste any saltfish in it. And the batter was quite skimpy (see photo). For our main entrees, hubby had the pork chunks and a double order of yuca fries, and I had the chicken stew with mofongo. The pork chunks were tasty, with bits of fat attached. The fries were fat and crispy and needed salt, but that's okay. Better to add salt than need to remove it. Hubby found the right solution by topping his fries with some of my chicken gravy. The chicken in my stew was extremely tender. The gravy was a tad salty, but since my mofongo didn't have any salt on it (again, that's good), I used the gravy to help flavor the mofongo. My dish also came with a small (simple) side salad of lettuce, tomato, and raw onions (had to remove the latter) that was accompanied by a light, refreshing dressing. Our satisfying lunch with 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, tax, and tip was $55.

Melissa E.

Hands down the BEST Puerto Rican restaurant in Broward. I take my family here for dinner at least twice a month since we enjoy it so much. The service is incredible, we go there so much the serve knows what we like. The owner is always so kind and friendly.

Mofongo y Chicharron De Pollo
Marleen P.

My family came down from a cruise and they were craving Puerto Rican food. We got a little bit of everything and it did not disappoint. We got the queso frito, la bandeja de picadera which had alcapurrias, tostones, empanadillas, y carne frita. I got the mofongo con chicharrón, my family got chuletas and carne frita. Honestly everything was seasoned perfectly. The pina colada tasted like I was back on my island. We did get everything to go, next time I would love to eat there. The grilled chicken was a little dry but apart from that I would get everything else again. From a service perspective, the woman who took our order was very friendly and patient with us. The parking can get very packed which is the only downfall if you're coming during a busy time.

Mofongo with crispy fried pork. Yum!
Christian Peter I.

We went on a Sunday for brunch. The cuchifritos were excellent, especially the bacalitos yum! Great mofongo too. Cool atmosphere, PR celebrity murals and music.Service was friendly our waiter was Geo. Nice guy. Great food

Puerto Rican flag door
Paula F.

10/10 authentic Puerto Rican food! Came here last season and got a platter to go. I got their pernil which was perfectly cooked and salted. It came with 2 sides and I got the arroz con gandules and the tostones. The whole dish tasted just like abuela makes it. Such delicious comfort food. I had to try their pastelillos too. I got a beef and a chicken- they were so meaty! Crispy, filling, and not greasy. I went again a couple weeks ago because I was craving some home cooking. I got the pernil and arroz con gandules again this time with a side of the maduros. Wow they were amazing! The whole dish hit the spot again!!! Consistently tasty Puerto Rican cooking. The guys at the counter are super friendly and service is quick! I drive over 25 min to get there and it's worth it every time. If you are searching for quality boricua food look no farther!

Mofongo Pernil
Garrett H.

My friend and I came here expecting to get a couple empanadas for a light dinner. We were seated quickly and one of the servers came over to explain the menu. I won't lie, there was a bit of confusion with the menu when we first looked at it, but the server explained it succinctly and expertly. Once I saw the rest of the food, I was sold on a more substantial meal! I had to get the mofongo, of course, with pork and served with a side salad. It was so. So. So. Good! I loved the sauce that came with it as well. It was also such a huge serving, I took a large portion home for leftovers! The restaurant itself was cute and cozy, with not many tables. Despite the small space, they were accommodating with different sized groups coming in, and cleaned tables quickly after people left so they could seat someone else right away. It was a busy dinnertime, but I didn't see anyone waiting more than about 20 seconds to be seated! Overall, I was extremely impressed and plan to come back soon!

Menu with Puerto Rican flag
Christian M.

Holy smokes! That sandwich! That coffee! That flan! This is exactly what I was needing! This place is legit

Dinning area
Vivian K.

OMG!! Authentic Puertorrican food for sure! I'm born and raised in PR and that what you enjoy in the Puertorrican cuisine. My husband was amazed with the mofongo (he is gringo), he said "this is what I eat in PR. WEPA!

Christina F.

Authentic and delicious food. This spot is a hidden gem. I wish I would have found it sooner. They were very welcoming and gave some pretty great recommendations. The atmosphere is minimalistic, done just right. The menu had plenty of options, I went with a mofongo recommendation and an empanada. The parking is a bit tough, as you need to either back in to a spot or back up onto Dixie Hwy which can be a bit crowded. The food was the star. The mofongo was absolutely delicious, as close to Puerto Rico as you can get here in Florida. I got the pernil, roasted pork. It was tender and juicy and came with the most delicious dressing. Not pictured was the empanadas. They were recommended for the beef and cheese and guava and cheese. Definitely some of the best empanadas I've had. The price is right, the food on point and service is great. You can't ask for much more! While I'd love to keep it a hidden gem, it is definitely worth trying!

Mofongo Pollo A La Plancha with trifingo $1.00 upsell and salad
Pablo D.

I'd assign 5 stars based on food, service and ambiance. Stellar for what it is, an authentic Puerto Rican restaurant in a strip mall.

Flan De Queso

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2 months ago

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17 days ago

This is a wonderful authentic Puerto Rican restaurant in the Oakland Park area. They have all of the most popular Puerto Rican dishes.

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8 months ago

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4 months ago

Authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. It's like eating at Mamí's house. The food is excellent. You won't be disappointed.

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8 months ago

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11 months ago

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1 year ago

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William M.

Thank you Rosie it's our pleasure to serve you.

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11 months ago

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1 year ago

Beautiful atmosphere & drinks. Food is tasty & service is great!! Drinks are fire!!!

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4 months ago

Everything is authentic, delicious and fresh, if you like Puerto Rico, definitely a must try!

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2 years ago

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La Empanada Loca Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - La Empanada Loca

How many pasteles come in the order? Might buy some for Christmas!

One at the table. More if you order by the dozen.

Para el dueño: Solo por curiosidad, por qué las llamas empanadas y no empanadillas cómo se dice en Puerto Rico?

Porque empanadas es una palabra universal que todos incluyendo países americanos conocen. Solo nosotros de Borinquén sabemos que son empanadillas aquí en los Estados Unidos le dicen empanadas. Todo el mundo conoce lo que es una empanada no todos… Read more

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Pork O' Rican

Pork O' Rican

4.4(10 reviews)
9.7 mi

When your Puerto Rican friend spots the food trucks, she's going to pick Pork O' Rican which is how…read moreI ended up here. By the time I arrived at the Margate Fall Festival the lines for all the food were really long. It was either eat at Pork O'Rican, wait in another line for over an hour, or be hungry. Pork O' Rican it is! According to Pork O' Rican this is their story "We are a Puerto Rican food truck who also provides catering for corporate events, parties, festivals and more. We have been cooking authentic Puerto Rican food for years and wanted to be able to share it with the community. Our famous signature dish is our roast pork. Amongst that are some of our top sellers including tostone platters, rice & bean platters, empanadas, alcapurria, and more. We just want to share the Puerto Rican culture and provide the community with the natural flavors of Puerto Rico. This is a family run food truck. Mom and Dad cooked, their daughter took orders, and they even put their young son to work. By the time we got to order they were out of the arroz con gondules, yellow rice and pigeon peas. Fortunately they still had the bacalaitos, codfish fritters which my friend really wanted and she also ordered the alcapurias. I chose the roast pork platter with rice hold the beans ($12). A water was an additional $2. I was pleased that they took both card and cash payments. I gave the plantains to my friend who enjoyed them. The roast pork portion was small, had really hard pieces, and was swimming in pork grease. Once I dislodged it from the grease and shredded it, and incorporated it into the rice it was okay and it did the job of abating my hunger. To be fair my friend really enjoyed her food and she is Puerto Rican so you should trust her opinion more than mine. This is one of those times I really wished Yelp had half stars. If I averaged our two opinions it would be a 3.5. After reading the owner's thoughtful and fair reply and other good reviews I would be open to trying them again when they aren't so busy.

Ok, commentary. Did a Drive-by of Culver's, was a nightmare long line, did a U-Turn, and saw Pork…read moreO' Rican truck on 2701 SR 7 (441) in Margate parked in one of the lots. I got the pork sandwich which normally comes with lettuce and tomato, they do not offer onions raw or cooked which is a bummer, but I had sweet onion and spicy pineapple vinegar at home so no biggie. Roll is like an amoroso or something, it's a hoagie type, I would have preferred it as a panini-style on Cuban bread or a round roll but I guess that's what they used today. Next time I won't get it with cheese, frankly next time I'll probably just get it as a plate with beans and rice. Pork itself is nice and tender. Came with tostones. They look good, left them for later. Empanadas are clearly homemade, they are a nice size. Got the beef picadillo ones, haven't touched them yet. I did, however, try their beef Alcapurria. This is a fast food dish unique to Puerto Rico, it is like a tamale but made of mashed plantains, filled with any number of things (this was beef picadillo) and then deep-fried. OMG. An empanada with a plantain crust. Some notes. They did not give me any condiments and didn't ask if I wanted any. Tostones really require Salsa Rosa (pink sauce) or some mojo. I, fortunately, had the ingredients to make it myself, it's ketchup mixed with mayo and usually some spicy vinegar. I would ask and make sure they give you something to dip in. They did take credit card payments and put it in my trunk while I waited so relatively contactless.

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Pork O' Rican
Pork O' Rican
Pork O' Rican - Come kick off the new year with us at the Coral Springs Bites & Sips on January 3 from 6pm - 10pm at the Coral Springs City Hall.

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El Bayú de Wela Sara. - Bacalaitos

El Bayú de Wela Sara.

4.4(380 reviews)
12.1 mi
$$

Great place to have a delicious Puerto Rican meal…read more Service was fast and efficient, no wait time when I arrived. Monday evening, holiday. Food was delicious, from appetizer to main entree. Recommendations were made and I went with all of them. Pork belly chunks that were seasoned with salt and pepper, and lemon was added afterward for a little more punch in the flavor. Shrimp creole was delicious. The red beans and rice mix makes you want to keep having more and mixing it all together gives you a flavorful punch in your mouth. Mofongo, aka , masked green plantains are only for those looking for something a little dry with flavor. Mines had steak and it was drizzled with mojito sauce and oil. Our server was excellent and recommended flipping it over to have the juice flow into the mofongo which she went ahead and did.. steak was well done and when mixed in had a great combination of flavor.. Ambiance feels like a local P.R spot, flags, art, music, and very fun ambiance. Enjoyed it. Definitely when I'm in the area will come again..

I visited el Bayu de la wela sara with a lot of hype and expectations, which were sadly not met…read more The service overall was A+ 5 out of five. The food was mixed . - Alcapurrias : 5 stars crunchy, juicy, proper size and flavor. - pork chunks mofongo: 4 stars, great flavor. Huge pork portion. - shrimp mofongo creole sauce: 3 stars sauce was on the saltier side and once it reached the bottom of the mongo it was "just too much" - churrasco (kids): 3 stars. A bit overcooked (kid refused to eat it) but it was decent flavor and tenderness. - beans: 3 stars, too salty - white rice : 1 star, felt dry and grainy like day old rice from the fridge.

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El Bayú de Wela Sara. - Pastelón Typical Puerto Rican Dish

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La Casa Del Mofongo - Tres Leches

La Casa Del Mofongo

4.5(223 reviews)
33.1 mi
$$

From the outside, you might wonder if you had arrived at the correct venue... the restaurant is…read morevery unassuming from the outside. However, the moment you walk in the door you know that the correct decision was made and you MUST get a table. The aroma of steak and pork grabs your olfactory senses and whets your appetite. Then you notice how every single table is occupied by very happy diners and it's not even a decision to not wait your turn. We only had to cool our heels maybe 10 minutes before we were seated and we both got the Mofongo, which is a plantain-pork amalgamation of flavor and fun. Paired with your favorite meat, it's a winner. The staff is fun, knowledgeable, and they serve up the fare FAST. We ate every bite. La Casa Mofongo is THE place for Dominican food. Worthy of a return to try something new.

This was my second visit to this Dominican spot, and let me tell you... they are 2 for 2 because…read morethey did NOT disappoint I went for lunch with a colleague and ordered the oxtail with white rice, habichuelas, concon (you already know ), and crispy tostones--and whew... every bite was hitting! The flavors were rich, comforting, and straight-up authentic. You can taste the love in that food. And let's talk portions... they are NOT playing with you. I had enough leftovers to run it back for dinner later, and it still tasted just as good! The service? Super attentive and welcoming--exactly what you want when you're trying to sit, relax, and enjoy a good meal. And the decor is such a vibe--cute, cozy, and full of personality. Even the restroom had a unique touch... a big pot turned into a sink! Like... come on, that's creative Will I be back? Oh absolutely. Probably next month though, because it's about an hour drive for me--but listen... it's worth it. If you're ever in the area and craving real, authentic Dominican food... don't even think twice. Just go.

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La Casa Del Mofongo - Café colao

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Padrino’s Cuban Restaurant - Dinner time!

Padrino’s Cuban Restaurant

4.3(747 reviews)
3.3 mi
$$

Located in a strip mall but the main dining area has an upscale ambiance…read more Our waitress was very nice and attentive. Ceviche is fresh served with long plantain chips. The appetizer platter also comes with the same kind of plantain chips. Highly recommended if you want to try a bit of everything. Empanada has fresh homemade crust Lechon asado: tender and juicy roasted pork. I substitute the moros with fried plantains. I really enjoy it. Plantains are ripe and sweet but not mushy. Tostones are the biggest I've ever had. Well fried and not greasy. Plenty of drink options. Sangria is ok, not very fruity. Only has two slices of oranges . Mojito: strong rum from my favorite rum brand Don Q. My friend ordered paella. The portion is huge. You can share it with more than one person. It takes three containers to take home the leftover. Very tasty with fresh seafood.

Last time we were at Padrino's was over a year ago. I can honestly say I don't remember being quite…read morethis good. The service was excellent, and the restaurant is beautiful with a very relaxed atmosphere. The food was delicious. We started with the empanadas which had an excellent flavor and the mango salsa that it came with was really really good. For dinner, my wife had the Lachona Asada and I had the churrasco steak. Both our dishes were excellent amazing flavors. The meat was super tender, and the portions were a really nice size. I can definitely say that we're going to return more often, especially if the food continues at this level.

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Padrino’s Cuban Restaurant - Looking back at the pig. Rotated photo. My apologies.

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Isla Del Encanto - Chuletas de puerco, Arroz gandules, Tostones.

Isla Del Encanto

4.0(486 reviews)
40.2 mi
$$

Delicious! We went for my birthday and I am so, so glad we did. It's fairly close to my house since…read moremy Publix is in that shopping center and I always wanted to try it. It was nice to stray from wine or a cocktail, so I ordered the Sangria, which was the best Sangria I've ever had. To start we ordered the platter of appetizers "antogitos" and added the fried cod fritters. It is was plentiful for a party of 6 and we all were able to taste the different "picadera". I've had cod fritters before, but these were not balls, they were flat and chewy. Just thinking about them, I get a craving lol The entrees we ordered were mofongo with shrimp, mofongo with churrasco and shrimp, mofongo with a pork chop, and the mofongo with pork chunks. I had only eaten mofongo in Puerto Rico which I fell in love with and Isla del Encanto definitely rivaled it. It tasted so authentic. For dessert, we shared a flan, flan de coco and tembleque - did I say Delicious! What an end to a wonderful meal. I usually ask the names of the servers and busboys but I was enthralled with my meal and completely forgot. The service was great! It was a Tuesday since it was my actual birthdate and not too busy. However, they waited on us hand and foot - no complaints!

Amazing energy and food! You feel like you are walking into the beautiful island of Puerto Rico…read more The employees are all so friendly and very helpful. We came in hoping to have some mofongo but got a bit carried away with their sampler which lets you try all of the deliciousness from Puerto Rico like empanadas, arrañitas, alcapurias, etc. so yummy!

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La Empanada Loca - puertorican - Updated May 2026

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