This place was a nice little, hole-in-the-wall cafe for a quick bite. Seating is limited. There is a small bar area inside, but nobody was sitting inside, because the line to order was kind of taking up that area. There are also three tables outside that seat four, four, and two for a maximum of ten. The place fills up fast, but empties just as quick. And their baked goods go quick, so grab them while you can! I ordered the Cuban Empanada as an appetizer. The savory rice and bean filling was a perfect compliment to the sweet ripe plantain filling and hint of sweetness in the dough. They are baked and the dough is thick and chewy, so if you're not a fan of that type of Empanada, be warned... I ordered the Cuban Sandwich as the main course. It was DELICIOUS and I would recommend it to everyone! If you're a purist, like a few of my friends and family though, be warned. Their take on the Cuban is made with Ciabatta not Cuban Bread, Mozzarella not Swiss, and is toasted not pressed... I ordered a Vanilla & Dulce De Leche Cookie for Dessert. It was AMAZING! Soft chewy on the inside, a little crunch on the outside. The taste of a sugar cookie with little sugar bombs of Dulce De Leche throughout. Perfect. And I washed it all down with a Tres Leches Latte (Hot). It was DIVINE! Very much on the sweet side, which I absolutely enjoyed to the last drop. But, if you do not like it too sweet, you can ask them to lower the sweetness level. Also, they will give you an option of dairy milk (2%), almond milk, or oat milk when you order. Overall it was an excellent experience, for me. I will recommend it to all my friends, and will definitely be back! read more

OBRA HandBakery - Tres Leches Latte, Cuban Sandwich, and Vanilla & Dulce De Leche Cookie - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Not bad! But I definitely think I've had better empanadas. I'd love to come back and try their sandwiches or burritos next time! It was our first time here, so we wanted to try all the flavors! We got the beef, chicken, BBQ pork, Cuban, chicken curry, veggie, and ropa vieja empanadas. I LOVE the crispy exterior of the empanadas, although interestingly, the first bites always tasted slightly salty. The fillings all had decent flavor, but none of them were outstanding or impressed me enough to want more. I will say, the green salsa they included with the order SIGNIFICANTLY improved the taste and experience of the empanadas. By itself, I'd rate the empanadas 3/5, but with the salsa, it definitely goes up to at least 4/5. But I dislike that the empanadas can't hold their own without the addition of the salsa. The shop is located in a plaza with a decent amount of parking. I think there were a few tables outside to enjoy the food, but not much seating otherwise. The girl at the counter seemed sweet and helpful and immediately greeted us when we came into the store. While the empanadas here aren't for me, it does seem like many people like them! read more

Everyone in Long Beach knows we are spoiled because we have something even better than Porto's; this little hand bakery called Obra. Obra's potato balls beat out Porto's potato balls any day of the week - they are so HUGE and filled with so much gooey cheese and meat flavor (I prefer the beef potato balls). Admittedly, I have a hard time buying empanadas in the states because I used to eat empanadas every day when I lived in South America (and they were only 20 cents per empanada!). However, Obra's empanadas are the ONLY empanadas I've tried in the states that I truly feel like are as delicious and flavorful as they should be! They're baked empanadas with a great flaky crust. And super creative fillings. I particularly love their Thanksgiving flavors. -The chicken curry empanada is next level. 9/10 -The Cuban empanada is probably my very favorite. 9.5/10 You don't even need any of the sauces for either of those empanadas since they're so flavorful. -They have a new flavor, the Ropa Vieja, which also has an amazing depth of flavor. 9/10 -The sausage empanada was just ok for me, but it was a good breakfast empanada since it has plenty of potatoes in there as well. All of these come nice and warm when you order them. But you can order frozen ones as well and take them to go so you can bake them at home. They come with a chipotle aioli and a green salsa, which are both solid sauces. I didn't get the guava and cheese pastry this time but that is always a crowd pleaser whenever I have people visiting. They have a great selection of sweet pastries, lunch sandwiches like a Cuban sandwich, soups, and coffee. They have limited seating outside, and parking is pretty easy. It gets busy but you never have to wait too long. I love it here and highly recommend it. read more

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Tasty!! Heard so many good things about this place and had to try it out! We were full from lunch but took some treats to go! We tried the ropa vieja hand pie and the potato ball! Soooo good!! I cannot wait to go back and try their other goodies! read more

After my workout class I was feeling hungry and here I go opening up my Yelp and closest bookmark goes to empanadas!! Heard lots of good things about this spot and heard they opened another location that means it's that good! Went inside and so many selections of desserts and empanadas! They also have massive potato balls!! I had to get a beef potato ball and it was huge and filled with cheese. The outer layer was so crunchy and beef filling was yummy. I got 4 empanadas since I couldn't decide on just 1 Breakfast- I wanted something breakfasty- has potato's. Felt like breakfast Cuban- yummy and the green sauce was perfect with it Chicken curry- very curry.. not sure how I felt about it curry in an empanada Chicken- can't go wrong and the green sauce and the creamy sauce worked well with it 4 empanadas and a potato ball for $25, a bit hefty But if you buy a dozen empanadas, you get 2 free! read more

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Twice in a week. The empanada craving is real. Stopped by with the hubby while running errands. This time I tried the beef ball and the pork empanada. Both satisfying and will report some other time on the big dulce de leche cookie. Friendly staff with quick service. Small little cafe set up, bright and clean. read more

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I wasn't expecting to absolutely fall in love with this place. The place is super cute and I love how they have all their savory and sweet items on display. Everything seems very fresh and I love the items I chose. The Beef Potato Ball is a must get, it's cheesy, fluffy, and crispy. The empanadas have a generous amount of filling, they're not skimping out. I like that it comes with sides of sauce. The prices are higher compared to Porto's, but it is so worth it. The workers are very nice and it wasn't busy on a Tuesday afternoon. ig: @cravingswithcat read more

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Went to Obra after Easter mass and it hit the spot. Everything looked fresh, and the baked goods never disappoint whenever I go here. The ropa vieja burrito is easily my favorite...super flavorful and filling with shredded beef and cheese. Easily the best burrito Ive ever had. Only thing its limited in seating. read more

OBRA HandBakery - Baked goods, cookies etc - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Not bad but can't say I'd go out of my way to come here, nor would I crave it. Their potato balls are HUGE, seems bigger than what you would get at Porto's, hence the price also being more. Not a ton of vegetarian options. I tried the veggie and jalapeño/cheese empanada -- both were okay. It comes with a green salsa and creamy sauce. The creamy sauce is meh, but the salsa is GOOD! I like the empanada much better with the salsa. They also have some sweet pastries, though I haven't tried it. Perhaps another time, they also have sandwiches so it's a nice spot to pick up lunch to-go. read more

OBRA HandBakery - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Excellent! Such a cute and delicious bakery. I've been to OBRA a few times and it never misses. I love their empanadas, sweet plantains, and delicious chocolate chip cookies. The last time I went, I tried the ropa vieja burrito which was another hit! I don't think you can go wrong with anything on their menu. read more

My favorite item I ordered was the guava cheesecake. So light and tasted like real guava, which I can't find outside of Hawaii. The ropa vieja empanada was my favorite for the savory items. Love that each of the pastries came with their own sauce, either a verde or spicy mayo. read more

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The customer service was great and enjoyed the experience, they had a plethera of items to grab, I got beef potato balls and chicken potato balls 3 empanadas the Cuban, beef, chicken curry. The items o grabbed were underwhelming they weren't seasoned well and I think they give you the sauce to carry it and that was lnt it for me I wanted them to taste good on their own and didn't get that. read more

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Tried to come here a few time over the years but scheduling and timing was always off. Yesterday, we were actually able to come when they were open. Few things were missing because it was later in the morning but for empanadas that we got they were good. Will come back! read more

Came in today after watching movie next door, we decided to stop by here for late lunch. I saw this place on Instagram and TikTok and of course I want to stop by is compared to porto bakery LOL.... Anyway it's a tiny shop with bar seating and outdoor seating (very tiny) this time we decided to Take our food to go. While driving, I couldn't wait to try so I tried the beef empanada. I was very disappointed no flavor whatsoever.on social media I did see you do pair it with some kind of sauce, which I didn't get of course. Not sure if you have to ask for it. I thought it was an automatic, but I guess maybe that's why it didn't have any flavor very bland. My son got a chicken empanada and the flavor was better. My tres leches coffee was a little too sweet for my taste.... Another lack of flavor not sweetness. We also ordered some desserts. I haven't tried those so I can't comment on those yet. I also ordered some beef balls. Those were flavorful. Would I be back? Probably not.....glad we came in, service was great. (It's the next day and the dessert here was good. It was a pumpkin cheesecake) read more

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The bakery store is located in a shared plaza with quite a few other merchants, with plenty parking available. it's a great place for breakfast and lunch or anytime for light bites. I've like their beef empanada, and strawberry cheesecake, and also would recommend their signature drink tres leches latte. read more

Located in a small strip mall on PCH is one of the best empanadas and baked goods in the area. Their pure selection of empanadas is top tier. They have other options such as the potato balls that have one of the best cheese pulls Ive had. If you've had portos bakery then these easily compare or could even be said to be better. Now for the location details: easy parking, fast moving service, great staffing, and plenty of places to eat inside or outside. read more

OBRA HandBakery - Mix & Match *Your 14 Choices* Baked BBQ Pork Empanada Baked Beef Empanada Baked Chicken Empanada Baked Jalapeo Empanada Potato Ball - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

OBRA is definitely worth giving a try! Parking is free in a lot. I ordered a tres leche latte & it was so good! It was the perfect amount of sweetness. I also tried the sausage empanada. It was good, but it was dry and not fresh (arrived around 11 am). I wouldn't get their empanada again but would come back for their coffee! They also have a lot of other pastries that looked really good! read more

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My girlfriend found this place on Instagram and wanted to give it a try, so we stopped by one afternoon. It's a small shop, but the display case is filled with a wide variety of pastries and baked goods that all look great -- definitely the kind of place that makes it hard to pick just one thing. Service was solid. The staff were friendly and offered helpful recommendations when we asked about a few of the items. Everything came out quickly and felt fresh. We ordered the potato balls and empanadas, both of which were really good -- flavorful, nicely baked, and satisfying without being too heavy. We've actually come back a few times since to try other menu items, and it's been consistently good each visit. Prices are fair, and they often have nice promo deals that make it even better value. Overall, OBRA Hand Bakery is a great little spot for quick bites or snacks. Friendly service, tasty food, and a solid selection that keeps you wanting to try more. read more

OBRA HandBakery - Potato Ball, Baked Beef Empanada - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

Nice places with nice selection of empanadas. I haven't tried their sweets but wow.... they look good! Maybe next time I'll get so.ething sweet. Strong coffee... as it should be. They have two sauces which are ok. A sweet and spicy mayo or a green salsa. I always just get stuff to go so there might be more variety of sauces if you eat there. This is a good local spot for some baked goods. I would recommend you stop by of you are un the area. read more

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Potato balls are great! It's a small little bakery place and this has good food for what it's worth

I've had this on my to do list and came to visit family out in HB so we decided to finally stop by. It's a tiny little place with 2 tables with stools out front. There's tons of pastry, empanadas and potato ball options right in the case as you walk in. There's so many options for empanadas it was hard to make a decision. In the end we chose to share a ropa vieja. It was so good by itself but with the 2 sauces it came with it was even better. One sauce was like a sweet chili aioli and the other was a green salsa. Yum! We also ordered a Cuban sandwich to share which is one of the popular menu items. Ugh, it was so good! I'm super glad I finally made it in and look forward to coming back. read more

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OBRA HandBakery is a classic LB spot known for their delicious Cuban empanadas! This spot is located in a plaza with a good amount of parking spots. They have limited seating inside, but have a nice outdoor patio with a couple tables for seating. For their menu, they have a great selection of coffee, tea, cakes, cookies, burritos, empanadas, and more! Wifey and I ended up getting a spread consisting of the Beef Ball, Ropa Vieja, BBQ Pork, Cuban, Chicken Curry, and Jalapeño empanadas. Overall, these are hands down some of the best empanadas you can get in LB and beyond! All of the staff here are very friendly and welcoming. We always make sure to stop by to support their business and grab some delicious bites every time we are in the area. There is definitely a reason why this spot has over 1,000+ positive reviews! read more

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I wasn't impressed. Had the chicken empanada and it's ok, not great. I honestly wouldn't order it again. Also got the tres leche latte and again, it's ok. What was awesome was the chicken Obra ball. This was super tasty. Would come back for this and I'd try some actual meals. read more

Excellent Latin bakery - a must visit place in Long beach area. This small but mighty modern Latin bakery with traditional empanadas, potato balls and so many great pastries, cookies and cakes! Tres leches, Dulce , guava, etc. Plus sandwiches and soups! There potato balls in beef & chicken are way better than Porto's, and other Cuban/latin restaurants. Plenty of parking in a large lot - coffee, matcha and espresso to go along with the delicious food. Super friendly family service. Frozen empanadas available to bake at home. Happy hour after 3pm. read more

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Came in early sat morning (3/21) and came across this place close by CSULB campus. The lady helping was so nice i wish i remembered her name but hopefully the date will help! It was empty so i was in and out quickly. Everything tasted great and the curry empanada was my fav! Some reviews said stuff wasn't seasoned well, but everything i got was seasoned and packed with meat/fillings. Very yummy overall and filling, will be back read more

OBRA HandBakery - Baked Chicken CURRY Empanada, Baked Beef Empanada, Potato Ball - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

What's sad is how long it took me to come here after years of wanting to try it, yet passing it by... all because of impatience lol. I heard about there being a line or possibly a wait at certain times and let that stop me from visiting. What's even more sad is when I finally visited, I didn't encounter a single person in front of me because I placed an online order on a Friday afternoon. To be fair, I didn't know I could order online, but still... a brief wait isn't going to kill me. Lol Here's the order (of someone wanting to try all the things, also sharing with others, but still wanting to try it all lol): 1 Baked Chicken Empanada 1 Baked Beef Empanada 1 Baked Cuban Empanada 1 OBRA Ball *Beef* 1 OBRA Ball *Chicken* 1 House Chimichurri 1 Spicy Mayo 1oz 1 Chocolate Chip Cookie 1 Dulce de Leche Brownie Obviously I didn't try it all, but here's verdict on the items I did try: 1. I prefer their savory options over sweet/or desserts. 2. The menu said the beef empanada is a customer favorite, but DO NOT sleep on the Cuban. Hands down my favorite. Reminds me of empanadas I used to get at this spot in Yonkers. So good! 3. Now the beef ball? My favorite ball. Lol I paid for extra sauces but the very kind lady that helped me gave me many extras. 4. My favorite sauce is definitely the spicy mayo. This is a small establishment without seating. I understand why there may be a line at times, but I also understand why it's worth waiting for now. Now that I have a couple favs, I'll definitely be back to try other items. I have a sweet tooth and was hopeful about the desserts, but I didn't love the brownie or cookie. So I'll definitely be back to try others - they have so many options. read more

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Not chinichurri its just green salsa Chicken are good but needs real chimichurr sause read more

OBRA HandBakery - The empanadas are good! But that is not chimichuri its green salsa!!! - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

The food is so delicious! They have the best chocolate chip cookie I've ever had! Also their chicken ball was to die for! I can't wait to try more of their foods! read more

OBRA HandBakery has been recommended by friends and social media for their potato balls and empanadas so we have been meaning to check it out. Came here with family on a Saturday during the day and it was not crowded. It is located in a plaza with other stores and food spots. Parking is easy and plentiful. The store itself is small and does not have any seats inside, but there are a couple of tables in front. Staff are friendly and helpful with explaining popular flavors and items. We got a variety of empanadas (Cuban, Beef and Potato, Ropa Vieja, and BBQ Pork) and two of each of the potato balls (Chicken and Beef). The empanadas were solid. The filling of the Cuban was flavorful and had good texture with the beans, plantains, and pork. The Beef and Potato was not as flavorful as the others, but the addition of onions and potato makes it hearty. The Ropa Vieja was a little dry, but flavor was good. The sauce in the BBQ Pork was good. The pineapples added a nice sweetness to it. The potato balls were definitely the highlight of our order. They were warm, crispy, and cheesy with a good amount of filling in them. The Beef and chicken were tender and flavorful. Overall, giving OBRA HandBakery a 4/5. Staff are friendly, service is quick, and the potato balls are amazing. The empanadas are okay, but we liked the variety in fillings and flavors. Would recommend to others looking for a good spot for potato balls and would come back to get them again. read more

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Oh man. Everything i ate was so delicious. Food came out fast. Music was fantastic. But man oh man, that was delicious. I had a square chicken thing and a rope vieja burrito. The fries are amazing here too . read more

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I've been seeing this on IG and noticed it's not too far from the farmers market. I came by on a Saturday morning. It was quite busy. It's a cute little spot, not a lot of seating which is okay. I got 3 potato balls. Omg so freaking good. I love that they added cheese to it. You get that nice cheese pull. So flavorful. I also got 3 baked beef empenadas. I noticed that they had potatoes and onions. I loved that. I can't wait to go again and try the sweets and drinks. read more

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I decided to check out this place after seeing all the social media debates about who's better Obra or Porto's. This spot is definitely smaller than Porto's, and the selection of food and pastries is much more limited. I went in hoping to try the Guava Cheese Pastry and a couple of different empanadas, but they were already sold out -- and it was only 11:00 a.m.! I did manage to try the beef and chicken potato balls. The beef one had good flavor, but the potato-to-meat ratio was off, with too much potato overpowering the filling. The chicken potato ball and chicken empanada, unfortunately, lacked flavor overall. I did enjoy the jalapeño and onion empanada -- it had a nice kick -- but it still felt like it was missing something, maybe a bit of cheese to tie it all together. All in all, I'd say Porto's takes the win on this one. I like going somewhere knowing I'll be able to get what I came for. On the bright side, this location is in a shopping center with plenty of parking, which is always a plus. I will revisit this place and hopefully have a better review in the near future. read more

This was my 2nd time visiting Obra and the food is excellent and delicious. I tried an iced latte and it was smooth and tasted refreshing. The lady that helped me wasn't the most helpful in making suggestions or describing things to me, but I was happy with what I got. The Ropa Vieja Empanada and would order that again in a heartbeat. The inside of the bakery is bright and clean, and has a few places to sit and eat right outside. read more

OBRA HandBakery - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

The empanadas here are so good!! They're open early, so I love spontaneously treating myself to breakfast empanadas and a coffee on the way to work. You can also crush the office potluck by picking up empanadas for the office on the way to work. I haven't tried all the empanadas (yet!), but so far the ones I'd definitely reorder are: Breakfast Empanada, Chicken Curry, Beef, and Chicken. Their Iced Tres Leches Latte is really good, but it's also on the sweeter side, which makes it pair perfectly with a savory empanada. They actually do happy hour, but I haven't stopped by for it yet. Friendly service! They have a parking lot available (woo!). Best for grab-and-go! read more

Suggested by a friend and empanadas were yummy! Cappuccino was good too, can taste quality of the coffee beans. Little outdoor patio and some indoor bar type seating. Selection of desserts from cookies to macaroons to cakes. Friendly service and quick. Located in the marina center. Big breakfast menu too, but only tried the vegan empanada which was flavorful and tasty. Definitely will come back and try other items. read more

OBRA HandBakery - Baked Vegan Empanada with delicious sauce - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

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I'm a big fan of Obra Bakery for lunch! Their oven-baked empanadas are amazing, and the variety of flavors they offer is so fun to try. They also have frozen empanadas for take-home or party packs, which is perfect if you're craving them later. I've tried a bunch of different ones--BBQ pork, chicken curry, beef, cuban, and of course, ropa vieja (which is my favorite). The staff recommended the ropa vieja, which was packed with flavor! While all the empanadas are delicious, I did find the beef one to be a little more mild compared to the others, but that's totally understandable with how bold the other options are. They also have a great bakery selection! Next on my list to try is the giant cookie cake. And lastly, I always grab an iced matcha latte topped with cinnamon! Overall, it's just a really awesome spot to enjoy lunch. read more

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Came in midday on a Saturday with my spouse and little one to grab a picnic-y snack. We tried: - The Obra Ball w/ Chicken: (see: papa rellena but make it a pollo pyramid). All joking aside, this was delicious and easily the star of our experience. The potato was smooth, the breadcrumb was perfect, and the chicken was SO deliciously tender and very slightly spicy. All the melty cheese settled in the bottom of the pyramid and made for a little cheese bomb at the end, it was so good. - Baked BBQ Pork Empanada: my husband's choice, he really enjoyed it. Sweet, smoky, and savory. The pork filling was very juicy, and the crust was able to keep it all together perfectly. - Nutella and Banana Cigar: yes, it's $7. no, you will have no regrets. If it calls to you, embrace the carpe diem and just indulge. -Tres Leches Latte, Iced: Sweet and strong, just as a cafecito should be. Their espresso packed a nice punch, with the flavor mellowed out by the creaminess of the milk(s). read more

OBRA HandBakery - Tres leches latte, iced - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

Was in the plaza and decided to give this bakery a try. Inside is small with a display case and there is a high top counter against the back wall for around d 4-5 people to sit at. They have two outdoor tables that seat 4 each. They were pretty busy. I ordered a lentil soups and a seafood empanada( this looks like it was a specialty item that was made for the Easter weekend). I will say that I y took a little longer than I thought it would for a empanada and a soup order (over 10 minutes ). The empanada was good and the lentil soup was a heart he with bits of chopped potatoes. Ample parking since it is in a strip plaza. read more

OBRA HandBakery - Inside - Latin American Near Me - Long Beach, California

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A refreshing find while working in Long Beach. A perfect stop for lunch and/or coffee and a sweet treat. Service is prompt and friendly. Prices are right on the money for the quality and freshness. A small walk up and order spot full of Cuban bakery authenticity. read more

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I was in the area and needed to grab some pastries to bring for a game night, so I came across this place based on top reviews. Based on the number of reviews and their star ratings, I came in with pretty high hopes, but ended up a bit disappointed at my purchase as I'd spent quite a lot here. I went for their dozen deal, which comes with 2 free empanadas. I mixed and matched flavors, asking them to keep the meat ones separate, as there are some vegetarians in the group. A vegetarian friend grabbed the jalapeño and, after closer examination, noticed there was meat in there. I tried it myself and confirmed it was either chicken or pork in it, not just the pepper and cheese as advertised. As for the rest of the empanadas themselves, the dough leaned on the drier side, and the fillings weren't as saucy or flavorful as I had hoped. Overall, they came off a bit bland and dry. read more