BEST EMPANADAS I've had from a Carry out taste just like Abuelas. I recommend to everyone who wants a really fast and delicious empanada first time and I'm very impressed definitely will be coming back in the near future read more

Great emphanadas! The sauces they have with it are amazing! The only thing I disliked was that they were made with ground beef instead of skirt steak. The lady told me they were argentenian style. I am going to assume that is why. Colombian style is usually made with skirt steak. Overall the place was great and I would probably stop in again. read more

I highly recommend visiting Lito's Empanadas for a quick, delicious, affordable meal anytime your in the area. Order 2 empanadas for a snack, 3 or 4 for a large meal. And the best part; you cant go wrong...they all taste great! Oh yeah - make sure you order the cilantro hot sauce with your empanadas...it's a great addition. read more

Lito's is the type of place that most people walk right past; they have no idea how big of a mistake they are making. There are only empanadas on the menu, and there about 8 types at any given time, usually with a few sweet options. The spinach and cheese is great, but the BBQ chicken covered with hot sauce is the type of thing you daydream about at work. The classic beef/chicken and potatoes are fine, but I recommend going for the less-traditional options. It is tiny i.e. ONLY 5 counter stools, so take-out is the most popular option, but eat in if you can to enjoy your fried deliciousness at its best. The other knock is the drink selection, which is all Coke products (canned soda and bottles of vitamin water). The vitamin water is appreciated, but I'd love to see fountain options or Jarritos to go with my empanadas. read more

My fiance and I try empanadas at almost every restaurant that offers them. These empanadas REALLY TOP our list!! It is a great place to stop in for lunch or carry out. The establishment has three stools to sit, enjoy and eat at so it's comfortable, just not a real sit-down dining experience. Empanadas are the only things on the menu. Which ultimately means you are about to try something good that they concentrate on perfecting :) You don't have to be a vegetarian to appreciate how delicious the Spinach and Cheese is, it's amazing! They are about $2.09- 2.69 per empanada so for $10 two of you can really fill up and enjoy. For dessert- I ABSOLUTELY reco the Nutella and Banana. It is very very good! I recent picked some up frozen and made them for friends who were over for a dinner party. Big hit and SUPER SIMPLE. They deep fry the empanadas there but I baked mine and they were delicious both ways!! I definitely reco these empanadas!! Like I said earlier, best ones I tried in the city. AND if you decide you don't like them, you've only spent a couple dollars so it wasn't a big investment. read more

One of my addictions - fast, cheap, and excellent. My favorites: champiñón chicken, spinach and cheese, and the choco banana. I'm not fond of the beef, but I think it's just not my taste. They could be spicier, so get their homemade hot sauce. read more

I am from Colombia and I love this place. Lincoln Park is lucky to have Lito's. The chori-queso empanadas are great and so are the choco banana and beef empanadas. The home-made spicy sauce is very good as well. Get at least 2, its 25 cents. It complements the empanadas really well. The place itself is very small, so I would recommend buying the empanadas and eating them somewhere else. read more

Let me preface this review by stating that my knowledge of empanadas is fairly limited. But from what I know about them by my somewhat frequent lunches here, Lito's is very good. The food isn't greasy, they make each order right in front of you, and for being in Lincoln Park the price is very reasonable. The staff, usually only one person at the register and one in the kitchen, is very friendly and attentive - I'm assuming they're a family-run business, which is nice to see. The menu is fairly extensive, probably about 20 different flavors, which is good because, if you're anything like me, you get bored with flavors easily. And the shop itself is very small - only enough room for 4 or 5 people to sit comfortably at the bar - but for my needs (taking something to go) it's more than enough. read more

5 stars right? Pretty high, but for what it is & what I ate it most certainly was. Food: Almost $3/empanada, totally worth the money. Eat 3 and you'll be full. I had the (in order from best to least-best) Chicken champion, Hawaiian (speaks for itself), and vegetarian. Get the hot sauce if you like it, it's delicious and the ketchup & mayo mixed sauce is great too. Restaurant: 6 seats that overlook the street, really small, definitely seems to be a "to-go" atmosphere. Verdict: I had lunch there & I'm going back for dinner. Eat it, you'll be happy read more

Pretty good, but I found the dough too soft, I like it crispier. I think there was cinnamon on it tho I ordered two savory. Maybe more cheese than is normal. Unique filling options but this place wasn't especially authentic, and needs a/c inside. Staff was nice. Also, bigger cups for your Verde sauce. You can't really dunk the empanada in it and the orange sauce wasn't really good. Not sure what it was. read more

Glad to see this place is getting good reviews on Yelp. I found this place mentioned somewhere else wanted to try it. My adventures in South America introduced me to the empanada and I was never able to find somewhere in Chicago that satisfied my cravings. This is just what I was looking for. I would recommend going with a friend and trying 4-5 of them (including a dessert one) for a lunch or stopping to get one by yourself for a snack. I'm a big meat-eater, but my favorite one was the spinach one. I can't wait to go back. I think they were a little over $2 each so really affordable (especially in that area). One thing to note is that there is VERY limited seating so I would plan on taking it to go. read more

Great place for a fast snack, the empanadas are delicious, they fry them as you order them.... i love the ham and pineapple and beef ones. read more

My favorite empanadas in Chicago. Simple menu; delicious results! Recommend the beef & rice. Go here now! read more

I've been going to Lito's on Clark for over 5 years now and have tried every empanada on the menu. My favorite is the chori-cheese (chorizo, potato, cheese, tomato, onion) and I normally get another one to go along with it, more often than not, the vegetarian (green pepper, cilantro, onion, potato, tomato, and chipotle pepper). These empanadas are fried to order, so they are always fresh and piping hot. There is a sauce they sell for .50 and call hot sauce, but it just tastes like onions and cilantro in lime juice, and I don't find it to be "hot" at all. I do occasionally get this, for added flavor, but the empanadas are equally great without it. Lito's has bottled hot sauce you can use without an extra charge should you really want to add spice to your empanada experience. The store is small, but does have a counter with a few stools so customers can dine in, if they want. I eat there sometimes and other times take my delicious empanadas to go. Either way, service is always friendly and efficient. What I love most about Lito's is that its super straightforward. Lito's is the place to go for empanadas. There are 11 to choose from. There's nothing else on the menu aside from a few cold beverage options. Boom. The hardest part of the experience will be deciding which empanadas to try on this trip. That, and finding parking probably.. Parking isn't easy in this neighborhood, nor free, but its worth a buck or two in the meter to run into Lito's Empanadas and get you some! read more

Lito's empanadas is a great bite to eat. My favorite is the chicken champion & the BBQ chicken. The empanadas are less the $3 each. read more

I just tried this place for the first time today and it was amazing! Me and some friends were walking down Clark street trying to find a place to eat and a guy on the sidewalk stopped us to tell us about how good this place was. We definitely weren't disappointed! I tried the bbq chicken and it was outstanding, the sauces were really good too. I will definitely be back to try more flavors! read more

Dear Lito's empanadas. I've walked right past your store for the past two years without paying much attention. I only decided to try you today because I wanted something flaky. Your crust is so flaky, crunchy yet so soft on the inside. The filling is really fresh tasting and flavorful. On top of that, y'all sure don't go skimpy with the filling. But what? Most of them are under $2.50?? That is ridiculous! it's ridiculously tasty, filling, and cheap. I hope you stay open for awhile because empanadas this good are hard to come across around this neighborhood. XOXO Your new biggest fan. PS. Please sell your homemade green sauce by large quantity. It is crazy how good it is and how well it compliments the empanadas without overpowering them. I couldn't get enough of it. read more

GREAT!!! our favorite is Beef and rice, I've tried other flavors and, yes I like them but beef and rice is the winner. Spinach and cheese is really good if you wanna go vegan. Kids love them... better, crazy about them. read more

If you're not careful, you can easily miss this hidden treasure nestled in Lincoln Park. Lito's is a delicious little nook of a restaurant that is serving up the tastiest Empanadas on the planet. It's a simple little place with pretty much nowhere to sit (except a small ledge along the front of the window while you wait on your food or to devour quickly if you're eating on the run), but don't let that fool you!!! They have meat, veggies, fruit, and dessert Empanadas that will rock your world. I've actually tried them all, but my favorites include: the spinach & mozzarella, the Hawaiian, and the banana nutella dessert Empanadas. YUMMMMMMMMMY!!! I usually get their Empanadas to go when I need a quick dinner option on my walk home from work, or they're great for a picnic since the park is just a few blocks away. They have weird hours in the winter, but reasonable and the price is on par with any other taco stand/ empanada-like stand you'd find in the city. read more

Found this place purely on accident. I was on my way to get a kalbi taco next door and decided to pick up some Empanadas to take home. I had the beef and rice, the chori cheese and the choco-banana. Wow! My only regret is not bringing home more of them! After talking with the woman behind the counter (really friendly), I learned they will be opening up another location in "little Italy". Good news for some people, even further away for me! read more

Don't get me wrong, the food is like um' great... But, it's freezing inside there. I used to always go there in the summer whenever I'm out shopping on Clark. But, now that it's colder out it feels like they don't even have heat in there. Plus, it's small so the cold air lingers when someone opens the door... Brrrrr.... Lito's is great for to-go orders. But, I won't go there in the winter. I like to sit down and eat, and it's just too cold in there. But, this all led me to discover the Korean BBQ place next door. But, that'll be my next review :) Au revoir : ) read more

Delicious empanadas! Small inside but we went on a Sunday and it was not crowded. The champion chicken empanada is delicious, highly recommend. I definitely will be back and probably will order delivery in the near future. read more

I came first thing in the morning and the only wait time I experienced was because the empanadas were still being made! Delicious empanadas and still warm! Very generous with the sauce, as well. Already planning to introduce all my friends to Lito's read more

Get the al pastor empanada. Such crispy, much flakey, very flavor. The woman working was so sweet and filled up my water bottle for me. I can't wait to go back and try a sweet one. I'm bored of Nutella shit but I feel like it's probably amazing cause it's Nutella in an empanada and this place rocks read more

One of my favorite places to go to when I'm in town!! Everything is made fresh and to order. The place is very cozy and you can sit at the front window and ppl watch as you eat your empanadas. There are so many choices to make from the delicious variety of empanadas that are offered. I always like to try to at least two different ones on each visit and I always end up leaving having a "new fave" on my palate. They have a great lunch special. read more

Lito's is a 'what you see is what you get experience.' Nothin' fancy, yet still quite good. Sparse interior, only a few bar-style seats at the windows, and a clear view of the kitchen. But the empanadas were good, and at $2.99 a pie, it's a pretty good deal. The Hawaiin and BBQ chicken my favorite, but all the types we ordered - traditional beef, beef and rice, and chicken as well - were quite tasty. It's a quick, fun and cheap alternative to fast food. read more

I first fell in love with empanadas when I visited Argentina and I was THRILLED when I saw an empanada shop was coming to my very own Lincoln Park! The owners Carlos and Eve super friendly and they offer and present a product in such a manner that can't be easily found anywhere else. The empanadas are DELICIOUS (the choco banana is dangerously addicting--you've been warned) and they're incredibly convenient. It's food that's fast without sacrificing taste! What a great, unconventional food to grab and go (not messy, except my choco banana fav :) ) as you are running around with your hectic life. Makes sense to me. Thanks Carlos and Eve for coming to the neighborhood...can't wait to see what new creations and flavors you come up with! :) read more

Not badly priced for this bourgeois neighborhood (in areas with more Colombian and Ecuadorian people we get empanadas for less than half the price), but very quality. The ingredients are clearly good. I had the two vegetarian non-sweet ones. The Vegetarian one was really quite good, and a bit spicy though I soaked it in some hot sauce (as is my custom, y'see), and the spinach and cheese empanada was great, with the kind of cheese that follows you and meltily gets on everything. When I went, this tiny place was packed, and everyone was interested in the food of choice. Two guys got their empanadas, and a Thai woman talked to the worker about how they have a similar turnover in her home country. Meanwhile, some rich, light-skinned South American women spoke about how everyone they know makes empanadas, and proposed an empanada party. I should have invited myself along. read more

I've been waiting to go here for like over 4 months now ----- and FINALLY, I've savored the rewards of Lito's. With a menu of 9-different empanada flavors, Lito's offers some cool mixes. From the regular Beef and Chicken empanadas, to the bizzare Hawaiian (ham, pineapple, mozarella) and Choco-Banana (Nutella chocolate and banana), Lito's is pretty varied. I tried both the BBQ Chicken and the Hawaiian empanada (~2 bucks each). The Hawaiian was surprisingly tasty. The dough was nicely fried, toasty, and the cheese just the right melted. Mmmm.... and don't get me started on the BBQ Chicken - that was FIRE (aka, amazing!). I need to introduce more people to this place because I don't want this place to go out of business anytime soon. :-) read more

This place is amazing and so close to me! I've had all the empanadas and I can honestly say that you can't go wrong. The beef and rice empanada is outstanding and the cheesy chorizo made my heart sing.The space inside is small with a few stools along a window counter. The staff is super friendly and helpful and will let you take your time deciding (which you will need). For dessert? Don't worry, they have you covered. A Nutella and banana empanada is outstanding and makes my mouth water just thinking about it. They deliver in the area too and takeout is very easy to arrange. I love this neighborhood gem! read more

My boyfriend earned gold stars the other night for bringing home surprise empanadas. He brought home the chorizo and champinon chicken empanadas, though in the past we've had beef and other options too. We've had empanadas at other places in the area (ahem, 5411), and these are just as good, bigger, cheaper, and I love their thick, doughy wrappers and the meat is never dry. They are definitely our go to take-out option for picnics in Lincoln Park in the summer, just grab a bunch of their different sauces and you're set! read more

I have only tried a few types of the empanadas from Litos: the chicken and rice, the spinach and cheese, and the veggie. I LOVE the chicken and rice and the veggie ones, but the spinach and cheese was just eh. I did try the BBQ chicken one once too - just okay, but still this place is my go-to when I want some quick "Mexican" (and Chipotle won't do!). They have a very fresh "hot sauce," which is actually more like a green salsa with lots of yummy cilantro. The interior is small, sparsely decorated with a small eat-in bar that seats maybe 4 people and a few tables outside when the weather's nice. So take out works best. The staff is super friendly. All and all, a nice addition to the neighborhood! read more

Quick, easy, simple. I love this place when I'm in the area and on the go. Small menu and the empanadas are perfect walking food. They are all great -- even the choco banana. Please patronize this small business because I want these empanadas available to me forever! read more

I came, I saw, I did not conquer. Okay, so here's exactly what happened. I was in the area and of course my absolute favorite sushi place, Toro happens to be a few doors down, and one of my favorite little Korean joints, Del Seoul is also like right next door, and I'm thinking, I'm right here, do I go where I know or do I venture out and try Lito's which happens to be in the middle of the two I just mentioned. Since I set myself out to be an adventurous person, I decided to try something new since I was just in Argentina last year and love pretty much anything South American and especially some great quality empanadas, I thought, why not. When I walked in, the place was tiny, not like a full sit down restaurant by any means. It's more of a pick up and to go option, unless you want to sit down on one of like three stools by the window to people watch. I was kind of in a hurry so I opted for the to go option. Also, it was a Sunday evening around 6pm when there was one other girl besides me getting something to go. I decided to order the Champinon Chicken since I read decent reviews on it and it's an empanada that comes with chicken, cheese, sauteed mushrooms, tomatoes and onions. The guy I ordered from was friendly, but he didn't say anything about any kind of sauce that comes with it or doesn't come with it. I forgot to ask, but I remember seeing a green kind of sauce that is possibly spicy to go along with these fried dough concoctions. Anyways, the wait was like 5 minutes and my empanada was ready. I went inside my car and started going at it. Okay, pause for a second. The dough was super hot like I like so clearly it was just fried, which is a good thing but the rest of it was oh so blah. I was disappointed. I saw Chicken and I saw cheese, where was the mushrooms, onions and tomatoes, I swear there was nothing remotely red in it. Darn, it seemed like the one with the most amount of flavor. I'm used to empanadas with a kick, with a certain level of spice or if not spice, definitely flavor. This was oh so bland. You may be thinking why I didn't try another flavor, well this one just left a foul taste in my mouth, even though I did eat the whole thing, I think two of them is a good sized portion for a person but I just wasn't having it. I'm not a big fan of sweet things inside empanadas so all the fruits and chocolatey stuff was out, and then the beef was just a description of beef and rice or chicken which was chicken and rice, that did not seem interesting. Maybe those had a lot more kick or flavor, but the Champinon certainly did not. Well, at least I tried something new but I just didn't love it. Like I said the dough was great, the service was nice and fast, but the fillings were oh so missing. For $3 per empanada, which was not that big, I'd rather get a del seoul taco next door which is amazing! But hey, if you like sweet fillings, then maybe it's the place for you. read more

Oh I forgot about this place, it's yummy! I was here with my boys one day last year when we ditched school...shhhhh, don't tell anyone! :) I'm trying to remember what they had exactly but I can't remember. What I do know is that they loved it and were so happy. Now it's quite possible they were so happy because they were not in school but I think it was because they really loved this place! read more

Nothing like having a neighborhood empanada stand to increase the old waistline. The perfect place for cheap eats, Litos offers a menu exclusively of empanadas. The spinach and cheese one is the best, but I've tried most of the menu and never been disappointed. The crust is about as perfect a crust I've ever sampled. The meat filled options can be a bit bland so I recommend some hot sauce. Highly recommended for cheap eats. read more

Very delicious, wow, being a native San Diegan and Angeleno; this place is one of the best restaurants around... PERIOD.. Today, I tried the beef, chicken; and vegetarian versions of the empanadas offered here, they were exceptionally delicious. The girls are nice and offer great customer service, make it a practice to tip the counter people because they really put in a great effort in all areas! read more

Ordered Lito's for dinner on Eat24. Delivery was quick and the empanadas were hot. Ordered the following: Spinach, Chori-Cheese, Al Pastor, Hawaiian, Choco-Banana, Champion Chicken. All were delicious, but the Al Pastor rose above the rest. Each had the perfect ratio of flaky crust to filling. I'm not one to order fried food, but these empanadas are a treat that I couldn't pass up. read more

This is a cozy little place that has amazing empanadas at a reasonable price! My favorite ones are: BBQ chicken and beef and rice. Then of course I finish off my meal with some dessert: choco-banana :) read more

Affordable and delicious, and literally right downstairs from where I live. It's almost too dangerous because it's so easy to walk down there and order a couple empanadas to bring home and eat while watching tv... The store is clean and inviting and they have a clear menu on the wall with 12 items on it. The empanadas are crispy and fluffy and flavorful and just all-around wonderful. My favorite is the last one #12 which is a pork flavor with cheese in it. The #2 (?) Beef with rice was also really good. The one sweet item with bananas and nutella was also decent if you're craving something sweet to finish your meal but don't feel like walking somewhere else to pick up dessert. Don't forget to pick up some of that creamy pink sauce (actually not sure what it is) because it's really good! The only thing keeping me from eating these all the time is probably because they're not very healthy... Oh well, indulge first, regret later... Haha! read more