We come here quite frequently and for good reason. Quality of empanadas is excellent! Lots of variety and always great savory flavor including breakfast options. My repeat go-to's are: beef Classico, Argentina, caprese, chorizo, ham and cheese, corn, and mushroom (well, I guess I might as well list the whole menu, because they're all excellent!). Also, definitely try an alfajor if your looking for something sweet. Another tip: save a little with a 6 pack if you've got multiple folks to feed or want something to keep for later. Highly recommend, will obviously be returning repeatedly in the future! read more

Overall: 4/5 Food 4/5 - very tasty empanadas. I appreciate that each one is hand made, uses local ingredients, etc. The fact that these are baked rather than fried makes them much easier to eat than other empanadas I've had. None of the flavors really pop, though, or are super memorable Space 4/5 - cute interior. Can be for a quick stop-n-go or a proper sit down meal. For one or a group Other 5/5 - very cool story about Maria and the business as a whole. Something worth supporting. I'll be back read more

I'm not sure why Denver is so popular with empanadas, but it seems there are multiple options for them and we went with Maria's. The interior of the restaurant is beautiful and very modern. All the items are laid out right in front of you so that's pretty nice. I ended up going with a mushroom (by far the best), spinach (pretty good) and a potato and egg (subpar). I was pretty happy with my choice and the staff was really cool and happy to replace my espanola when it came out a little burnt. Given empanadas are really popular in town, I recommend giving this a try. Not sure how it compares to other empanadas but overall pretty good experience and I wouldn't be opposed to trying it again in the future. read more

Second visit to Maria Empanada and the first at this location. One comment is that it was 84 per the thermostat on their wall! For mid-July that's just too warm. Don't be so cheap and turn the AC on!! We got 6 and shared them between the 4 of us. My son and husband got the ham and cheese and didn't really care for it. The mushroom was really good. I also liked the chicken. Not as good as I recalled from last time at a different location. Pretty good but I'm not in a rush to return anytime soon. read more

Crack for the soul. OMG. Of you've not been here, I feel soooooooo bad for you. Where do I start? Service is on task, polite and quick. Thank you. The environment is clean at all their locations. Let's talk food: YES, YES AND YES. I tried all their empanadas over a few months. Yes. Best? Tough. Some days I want meat or chicken maybe spinach. Dessert empanadas? Yes. Just yes. Enjoy! Call me I'll meet you there read more

Food/Drink: Empanadas are great, hands down some of he best I've had. They have traditional kinds and plenty to choose from. My personal favorite is the Argentina empanada. Make sure to get a sauce on the side (Chimichurri for me). Atmosphere: Cool location, I've been to the one in Stanley Marketplace which is much smaller. The place is a good spot to grab a quick bite and be on your way or to hang out for a little bit. The staff is super helpful and relaxed. Overall: The place is really cool in all aspects - great food, history, culture and process. They try to source from local Colorado vendors for meat and vegetables, plus all of their empanadas are handmade to keep tradition alive. I'll be back to keep supporting them. read more

Maria Empanada - Empanadas Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Maria Empanada has been an infamous name in Denver for many many years and they've been expanding to different parts of the city. I came here with a couple friends for the grand opening of this location. Who could say no to a visit to Maria Empanada?? This location is bright, but cozy. They had SO many different empanada options, but I decided on the spinach and I think there was one with steak in it. Their chimichiri sauce is a must have with your empanadas. I like that their outer shells are thin so there is plenty of filling to eat. My mouth is watering from thinking about their delicious fillings. I then took home a couple ham and cheese for breakfast in the morning and they were really good. We just heated them up in the toaster oven. I tried their strawberry empanada and it was a good finishing touch to the end of a meal. If you've never had an empanada, or Maria Empanda, you need to come here ASAP. read more

Maria doesn't know how to make empanadas. So, stop, just stop. Yet another sign of the impending climate catastrophe, here we have 12 tiny empanadas for 50 American Dollars. Yes, five-zero, fifty. Marias' 'empanadas' have no taste; like they came 50 to a box, frozen from Costco. It looks like they're cooked offsite en mass and presented as artisanal. This is a complete affront to empanadas. Maria should be imprisoned. read more

Overpriced, dry, tasteless empanadas. They don't taste nearly as fresh as the real deal. I was disappointed. I wish there was a mom and pop shop nearby, this place just didn't make the mark in my book. The best one was the ground beef empanada, but without an olive in sight, among other things, it made me question the authenticity of this place Olives are crucial for the flavor of a true ground beef empanada. There was a tuna pie, called Empanada Gallega. Fishy, understandably, but dry as if it was made not so recently and poorly kept. It was pretty empty when I was there. Paired with the fact that I felt like the food wasn't as fresh as it should be I think that should've been my warning sign. I hope to find a place in Denver that satisfies my hankering for a good, authentic empanada. read more

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I was here a Yelp event (salsa dancing) but of course had to try out the empanadas. Holy buckets - the empanadas are really, really good. I also like how many varieties there are...guess I'm going to have to go back to try out all of them... Oh, they have alcohol there too which is rad. I only had the sangria and it was good, but I'll be back for the empanadas. read more

Is it lunch? Is it dinner? Is it just a grab and go? Not sure. But it is still something I would try again. Maria Empanada stands out because: 1) Friendly staff 2) Not so limited vegetarian menu 3) Fresh and clean interiors, easy vibe 4) Quick service (because everything is ready to go and 5) Their killer chimichurri sauce (they should really just bottle this by itself) 6) And the sweet lady at the counter made me a nice, huge foamy cappuccino and served it with a cute little butter cookie when I checked in on Yelp. More of 4.5 than 5 stars because: 1) The pricing is a little odd. 1 or 2 empanadas are not really enough if it's a lunch/dinner and 3 might be a lot for some! We got the Half dozen. $21.95 can definitely fetch a bigger, more filling meal for two at a decent place. They also sell their sauces for .45 in really tiny containers which is kinda odd given that many restaurants have those available for refills or sell them as part of the meal. Half dozen comes with two sauces but again they are tiny! By piece, buy your sauce! 2) Some empanadas were a little dry. Tip: Desserts are gooooodddd! I think they add a tinge of citrus essence. Personally, I would have liked some more of that! read more

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The Skinny: A decent spot for a quick bite but didn't think the food was anything spectacular. A little overpriced for what you get. Atmosphere: A decently large spot that is counter service/seat yourself style. I have never seen it too busy there. Food/drinks: The food was overall just okay. A few empanadas were decent, a few were a bit dry. But overall it seemed a bit pricey when you need at least 3-4 to be semi-content. Good variety of bfast and regular empanadas. Actually enjoyed the tortilla pie (which was basically scalloped potatoes in cake form). Had a mimosa which was made with fresh OJ which was actually pretty decent. One cool thing is that each empanada is folded a little differently so you can tell the difference between all of them (and it is all laid out on the back of the napkin containers). Espresso was surprisingly good. Service: Nice quick service Price/value: $$ Not really worth the value since you need quite a few to be full as they are a bit small. Would I come back? Maybe if I needed a quick bite and was in the area, I'd get the tortilla pie. But I wouldn't go out of my way for it. read more

Was expecting More for the price. p.s. there is a difference between ham and roasted pork. just saying. spinach empanadas would be 20,000 X better with some cotija. and less allspice. read more

Very excited to have a new restaurant on Platte Street. My boss and I had lunch here and it was delicious. Lots of empanadas to pick from for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. Staff is very friendly and helpful and the dining area is brand new. Huge windows to watch the world go by in a nicely lit restaurant. Counter service. read more

Maria Empanada - Empanadas Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Oh snap! this place is a find - so good, always fresh and a rotating menus of specialty items. Great fir takeout, breakfast or a quick snack. Support this place! read more

It is absolutely beautiful inside. The Sierra Speciality and the Argentina Speciality are flavorful and definitely a good choice for someone who hasn't had empanadas before. Their sauces are delicious. So many options, even vegan options. I had never tried Empanadas before and they were delicious! Lovely place with great service! read more

Maria Empanada - Counter - Empanadas Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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They have changed the way they are folding the empanadas and it doesn't taste the same. Please change this back. You will loose business if you keep this up. read more

Fantastic selection of different delicious Empanadas to close from. Great Vegetarian options and sauces. & always fun to come and try a new variety of flavors! I love this place. read more

Maria Empanada - Vegetarian Empanadas - Empanadas Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Ok empanadas, but expensive for what you get. As someone who grew up eating dumplings, raviolis, meat buns, and other similar types of food, I find this chain unspecial. I like that it's locally owned and they hire Argentinians, but I just don't care for the food. And most of the empanadas I've had from this place had skins that were too thick and you just end up eating a bunch of bland dough. The spinach pie and mushroom pie slices are also on the bland side. I've eaten all over the world and have had some delicious cuisines, so these are just unsatisfying and I can't justify paying $4 for bland, baked dough. And did I mention it takes about 3 of them to fill me up? That's at least $13 plus tax. On the plus side, if you are in a hurry or just want to eat something on the go, this place can get you in and out in a few minutes tops. The food is premade in a heated display case, so you can get in, buy it, and walk out while eating the food. If they start topping their empanadas with gravy, I'll come back to try it again. read more

I absolutely love the veggie empanadas here! The spinach and the mushroom are my two favorites! Will definitely be coming back again and again! read more

Maria Empanada - Spinach Empanada - Empanadas Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This place was completely delicious! We randomly walked in on a Saturday morning. I ordered the chorizo breakfast empanada with the chili mayo sauce and my husband got the española chorizo with the green onion sauce. The chili mayo sauce was AMAZING and is one of the best I've had. Highly recommend. I also got the mini banana Nutella empanada which was a good little sweet thing to have afterwards. Definitely coming again! read more

Yummy in a little pocket! Prices are a little high about 6 for $26 but they do a great job. A large selection of empanadas. We got mushroom, caprese (mmm), potato & egg, ham & cheese & spinach. They come with two sauces of your choice. Really good. read more

The first impression of the employees, they were quite rude. And the empanadas were not the greatest, the chicken empanada was the only only worth going back for but after trying the chorizo, breakfast potatoes, and soggy spinach empanadas we will not return. read more

Did door dash so can't speak to physical. Ordered a sampler of 6 and was pleased. Something for everyone. One down side was that they were a little dry but I believe you can order side sauces for extra $$. read more

Everything is super delicious!! A bit pricy, but they put so much care into everything is worth it. YUM!

I really wanted to love this place however it was a miss for me. I love empanadas and one of my hands down favorite treats. We tried the mushroom and chicken chimichurri with the dipping sauces green onion and chimichurri sauce. I think they were good but too much dough and the mushroom was on mushy side and chicken was good. The sauces were the best part for me. I do have to wonder we walk past early morning and evening daily and almost no one in and the pastry under hot light all day not sure if this causes them to dry out but we never see anyone in the location and the workers tend to be sitting at a table by the windows always doing paperwork. I am glad I tried the place but comparing to empanadas at 312 in Chicago it was a total disappointment. read more

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I love me some good empanadas and this place nailed it! Great customer service and fast service. Definitely coming back! read more

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So good! We tried a variety of empanadas and they were all excellent. It was quiet for a Sunday morning which made it even better. It's a cute little place. Highly recommended. read more

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My wife and I came here recently for a Yelp event -- a salsa dancing class. Of course we had to try the food, too. I'm glad we had an excuse to give this place a try! The location and space are good ones. It's a nice-sized restaurant that's well laid-out and it's located near a lot of walk-able shops. They cleared out a lot of the seating for salsa dancing when I was there (which they do every Thursday!), but there were still a lot of seats along the window -- perfect for people watching. The food itself was really tasty. I was impressed by the number of vegetarian options (I counted four separate empanadas, not including dessert), each of which we tried and thought was yummy. My favorite was the corn, which featured sweet corn, red bell pepper, Parmesan cheese, and spices with the caprese coming in as a close second (roasted tomato concasse, Buffalo style mozzarella blend, and fresh cut Italian sweet basil -- pizza in empanada form, anyone?). We got the banatella for dessert, which was a nice size for sharing and very tasty warmed up. Overall, great experience: very filling food at a good price, friendly staff, and a decent drink selection to boot. What's not to like? read more

A great addition to Platte Street. The food is excellent as is the service. It's a great value pricewise. The space is wonderful and I highly recommend it. read more

Came here with a pal that lives downtown for a quick bite before the Nuggets-Warriors game ... great place! We were there maybe 15 minutes before they were going to close for the day, but they still had a nice selection of empanadas. It wasn't very crowded at that hour, and it is a lovely, bright space with friendly employees. The empanadas are like little pieces of art, each type folded in a special way to identify the filling. At the recommendation of the server I tried the Argentina, which was described as the most traditional and the mushroom -- she said she didn't really even like mushrooms but she thought the empanada was really good. I also had the pears in marsala empanada for dessert. All were delicious, but the mushroom was my favorite. I'm hoping that I have a chance to come by again soon -- there are so many other varieties I would like to try. read more

Super yummy food. Will definitely add this to the list of places to go when we are in Denver!

I go here multiple times a week. I got back from Buenos Aires, Argentina today and think everyone should no that the empanadas there did not even compete with Maria's. She is the empanadas queen! read more

I had lunch here on March 3rd. Even though things aren't completely back to normal post-pandemic, the selection of empanadas was great and the food was excellent as always. They never disappoint and it's always nice to have a place where you can get smaller portions of really good food as a snack or light lunch, or just order more empanadas if you're really hungry. The people are friendly and efficient. The atmosphere is casual and clean. It's easy to get in and out quickly. I always recommend this place to friends. read more

I am so happy that María Empaña opened a downtown . For years I had to travel to Broadway or to Stapleton (!!!). This place is trendy but they serve the same delicious empanadas that we are all used to and in the perfect place! Right in front of the breweries. read more

Maria Empanada - Yum! - Empanadas Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Yummy. Cute casual place and the empanadas are delicious. The mushroom was my favorite but all we tried were great

My brother was in town visiting and had never tried empanadas before. We took him here (our first time, too) and we all loved it! We ordered 3 each and an alfajor for dessert to share. In highly recommend this place for a quick, yummy bite. Prices are great, staff was friendly, and food was tasty and unique. Plus, the place is new and clean and bright. We'll be back! read more

I finally had the opportunity to try this restaurant while on vacation. It was everything I expected and more! When you walk in the place is very clean, open, modern and the row of empanadas has this magical power to pull in you! The little pockets of goodness are displayed along the back wall with explanations of what's in them. Since we were rookies, the lovely worker described them for us, helped us to choose and lastly was so kind to recommend we try all 4 dipping sauces. So glad we did. So far we've had both kinds of beef and the sweet corn empanadas and they both were fabulous! Go there, eat, drink, dance, have fun! read more

Hungry? Not sure what you're hungry for? Stop what you're doing right now and go here. I can't give this place enough praise for its unique blend of delicious food and amazing hospitality. There is a reason Maria Empanada has had so much national praise (thank you, Zagat, Food Network, and the U.S. Small Business Administration), being rated as one of the country's best bakeries. The empanadas come in 15+ varieties (including 4 at breakfast until 10:30 AM), and to ensure quality, they are all prepped at the same kitchen and then sent out to the various locations for baking. House favorites are the two Clasicos and the Tango, but I can't get enough of the Spinach and the Chicken Chimichurri. 2-3 empanadas is a solid amount for lunch, but no matter how stuffed you are, save room for a dessert empanadita -- specifically, the banatella is to...die...for. Take out is easy as they will send you with a to-go container with pictures of the empanada designs (so you don't forget which is which) and instructions on how to properly reheat so as to maximize deliciousness. Hmm...as I type this, I know what I'm going to have for lunch now! read more

I loved their Broadway location but I have to reiterate other reviews of the Platte location that the empanadas are dry, sometimes over cooked, and lacking flavor. They clearly need to work out some quality issues with the new place. read more