Very much enjoyed the food and service here - not pretentious and delivering squarely on flavor. They do it right! You order at the counter and then take a seat, indoors or outdoors. We tried a few empanadas and the mushroom, spinach and artichoke; potato; elote; and guava with cheese were all good. They had the right amount of filling to crust ratio. The sopa verde (flavorful and had depth) and arroz Colombiano (lots of ingredients that all worked together) were also great. It was quiet on a weekday afternoon. Everyone was very friendly when answering questions and taking our orders. The space is casual and there's a small parking lot. Would be happy to return for takeout or dine in! read more

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This amazing spot is right around the corner from the theater in downtown Mesa, so if you want a bite before or after, this is your place. This is a slice of Latin America right here in the East Valley. The owners are really friendly, ready to explain all the dishes in the menu, and will make recommendations based on your taste. The cost is, very reasonable, and about an hour before curtain time, there were few other patrons. They do a huge carry-out business and the reason is obvious. The food is amazing! So ext time you're in downtown Mesa, and are getting hungry, go visit República Empañada. You'll be glad you did. read more

Republican empanada gets a lot of love. I really like if it would empanada, although I don't know that I can say I love it. I definitely love the aesthetic. It's in an old building tucked away in downtown Mesa off the beaten path. There's a long seating in the middle that can either be communal or you can just take one little section for party. They're also tables and chairs and an outdoor patio. I do love all of the great colors and fun art. I've seen some of the same artists work at the museum that is on their back patio. You order the counter here and then I'll bring your food to you. The empanadas come in little bags that are stamped with the kind of filling that your empanada has. That is a really cool feature because they all look alike from the outside. There's no fountain so you have to choose either bottles or cans of soda. I'm kind of 50/50 about the food here. The bean and cheese empanada is like heaven. So delicious as well as their black beans. But I don't like the chicken empanada in which the chicken was very dry. I will definitely come back, but I will stick to the things I know I like. That being a g's empanada is definitely something I could eat often. read more

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Sat outside this time and enjoyed the graffiti walls and bird sounds. The fans helped relieve too early hot temps. Service good as usual. We enjoyed our empanada ( mushroom ) plate and side of yucca fries. read more

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Their high reviews do not lie. This is one of those hidden local neighborhood gems. The pricing is great. I got a plate and an extra empanada and the whole meal is only $26. That is rare these days. I got the veggie empanadas, rice, beans, plantines, and salad. They are all really good. The green salsa is great, not too spicy. Just right. All the people there are super friendly. Chill vibes. Go check them out. read more

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Republica Empanada in PHX, Arizona makes delicious empanadas. Located in a chill little restaurant you order your food and you get a number and then they bring your food to your table. Not a dedicated server to order your food. This place is great for lunch with your coworkers. They had a decent amount of tables inside the restaurant and a lot of cute and funky urban artwork for sale that also adorns the walls for decor by local artists. Came here with some coworkers to grab lunch before our meeting and I'm happy we decided to come here. My favorite empanadas were the Chicken, Picadillo and Cubana. They also were featured on Guy Fieri's popular show - Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. read more

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Haven't been in a while but was in the neighborhood for a work event so decided to bring dinner home. We love this place! Small and cozy and family owned with a big community table along with lots of separate seating as well. And they have an awesome outside patio area as well. Menus are via QR code and the staff is amazingly helpful answering questions and helping you choose your meal. Their Arroz con Pollo is hands down the best in town! The way they prepare this dish is beyond words, LOL! They add olives and capers which brings such a salty, briny flavor to the tender chicken and veggies and their rice is perfection! And their empanadas? The dough they make and use is perfection, tender, and holds the fillings of your choice. Wife is hooked on their Anchiote Potato, which is full of flavor and soft, tender potatoes. We also had the Pernil, which is pork that is tender and flavorful. The filling to crust ratio is perfect and warms the belly! I also got a couple of sweet empanadas, the banana cream (my favorite) and wife loves the Dizzy Fig. Service was quick and efficient...I also was there around 4:00. They get busy so you may have a wait but oh so worth it!!! Sorry no photos this time around. read more

We love our Empanadas and have had our fair share of them throughout the years of food exploration. These Empanadas did not disappoint!!! Empanada shell is not flakey and has the perfect chew to it! Here is what we ordered: - Republica chicken: 4.5/5 flavorful shredded chicken in every bite! - Pernil: 4.5/5 the pork was so moist and delicious with each bite! - Boricua: 5/5 WOWZA!! The blend of the pork with rice was amazing! I would love to just get a plate of the Boricua stuffing! - Cubana: 5/5 OMGGG!! The cheese mixed in with the ham, pork slice, and pickle was so delicious! I will come back to get the Cubana sandwich next time! - El Capitan: 4.5/5 good blend of beef, potatoes, sweetness from raisins, and a salty kick from the Kalamata olives - Guava cheese: 4/5 this is a pretty standard guava cheese empanada. Can't go wrong with ordering this for a nice warm dessert treat. - Dizzy fig: 4/5 my family enjoyed the abundance of fig filling in each bite. We got the food to-go so service was fast in preparation. Empanadas stayed warm until we were ready to eat them. Ambiance / vibe had a bar-like atmosphere. It would be a great date night spot. read more

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This place is so good that it is one of those "must go" places we take out-of-town guests. Then we need only send them a picture of the empanadas to make them a little jealous and have them wish they were with us. Today was a rarity in that my wife and I went out for lunch and this is where we landed. Still love the food and the atmosphere. read more

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Had to make a stop bc Diners, drive-ins and dives did a feature. Artsy little place for a quick empanada. They were delicious. Service was so pleasant and the menu was right to the point. read more

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This is a restaurant I've craved since we moved from Arizona. Every time we visit, we bring someone new with us; we took family this time, and did not disappoint (as usual). Arroz con pollo was fantastic. We had leftovers the next day, and it was still soooo good! The outdoor area is perfect to bring your pets; they will take reservations, and the service was perfect. Sad I have to wait until we visit again -- I tried to talk them into shipping some to us out of state, but no luck! read more

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I enjoy going to unique places where you can customize your meal just the way you like it. República allows you to decide: do you want a platter like arroz con pollo? Or an empanada platter with rice, beans, cabbage salad and maduros? My favorite approach is to order empañadas a la carte. Choose whatever you like. My favorite thus far is the Jalapeño Bean Popper. (Black beans, cream cheese, seeded jalapeños.) Tonight I also had the Ham and Cheese. In the past, my husband and I have split one of the dessert options - Ruiz's Pieces (Nutella and peanut butter) and it was very good. Two empañadas is just about perfect for my appetite but they come out quickly if you want more. Service here is always friendly. I like how they've decorated the interior and exterior with beautiful murals and art to give the place a great vibe. read more

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Their savory empanadas are so delicious! We pretty much ordered one of every kind. My favorite was el Capitan. Their sweet empanadas are also delicious, specially the banana Nutella one. I could eat here every day. read more

When I am craving empanadas, this is the place I think of. It's been around for years and is a quaint place with unique decor. This last visit, the service was subpar. We walked in with one couple who was ahead of us at the hostess stand. They waited for several minutes before being helped. The place was quite empty, so there was no excuse for customers standing there without getting staff attention immediately. When they were seated, it still took another 5 minutes for my party to be seated. It was quite peculiar since the restaurant was not busy. They only have QR codes for menus, so have your phone ready to view the menu. It took much longer than you would expect for the waitress to take our drink orders and about 10 minutes for her to serve the sodas we ordered. They finally delivered our food which is the only saving grace for why we come. There are unique menu items and flavor combinations. I would like them to serve more chimichurri sauce with the empanadas considering that is their namesake. You only get a small little cup of it per person, regardless of how many empanadas you order. It seems a little cheap considering the sauce is not an expensive item to make and the empanadas are the claim to their fame. I think their price point is a little bit high for the quality of the food and stinginess of portions. However, the food does taste delicious. Hopefully, their management improves the service in the future. Don't try to come here if you are in a rush because every step will take a bit longer than is the norm. read more

Republica Empanada - Entrance - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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Very cute building next to a community garden. Surrounded by wonderful colorful paintings. We traveled from Michigan and wanted to go to places that Guy Fieri recommended. I had the bean and cheese empanadas, and the chicken empanada, rice, beans and slaw. Delicious ! Fast and friendly service from Emma. Outside and inside seating areas. Thank you read more

Republica Empanada - Empanadas rice beans and slaw - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

For yeaarrrsss I've been wanting to try Republica Empanada. Yesterday I was in the area, and I finally had the chance! My order included a mix of empanaditas, sides and a super tasty and tart blackberry limeade. Incredible empanadas with such authentic flavors (felt like I was back in Costa Rica! ). Looking forward to returning soon read more

Amazing food great value. Best casual sit down meal we have had in a while. Tried a variety of empanadas and they were all great perfect.

After years of driving by, I finally stopped and tried this unique little restaurant. The lunch menu is very small, but honestly just perfect. The empanadas were delicious as was the rice, bean and cabbage salad. The employee that helped us was extremely pleasant and helpful with her suggestions. The restaurant is small, but clean, cutely decorated. read more

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Great food! Friendly service. Clean and comfortable seating. Reasonable pricing. Will. Will definitely come back. read more

Republica Empanada - Arroz Colombian and Banana Cream pie empanada - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Keith Lee was right. Delicious food in a wonderful atmosphere. The Pernil and Republica Chicken were both super flavorful. Definitely want to come back for a date night to try some cocktails. read more

Republica Empanada - Papas Fritas. Definitely 8 dollars worth. Delicious. The white sauce is awesome. - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

I finally had the chance to visit Republica Empanada back in July! I arrived for a late weekday lunch after the lunch rush had died down. My friend and I received a warm welcome at the counter. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed, with plenty of seating indoors and additional seating in their outdoor space on the covered patio. We ordered the following: Combo Caribe Elote empanada Hearty Artichoke empanada Dizzy Fig empanada Guava & Cheese empanada The Combo Caribe is an appetizer platter featuring yuca frita, daduros, and tostones served with a side of their cilantro jalapeño ranch and crema. It's perfect for sharing and sampling different items. We loved the dipping sauces, especially the cilantro jalapeño ranch. For my empanadas, I selected the elote and hearty artichoke. Both were delicious and generously filled, with the hearty artichoke being my favorite. The dessert empanadas were enjoyable, but I'm not sure I would order them again. However, I would love to try other dessert options! Overall, we had a great experience and would return! read more

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Looking for some tasty food??? This is the spot! Monday - Friday from 11-2pm they have a lunch special which includes 2 empanadas and a side for $12. I ordered a chicken and cubana empanada with the side being black beans, rice and salad. I also got a bottled coke and maduros with crema and the total was $28. I definitely think the lunch special is a good deal! The taste of everything was delicious and something I have been wanting, something different finally but a good different :) the service was great and the inside is a nice small area. As for parking, it is pretty small and limited spots but infront of the restaurant there is also some more parking spots which is on the actual street. I definitely recommend stopping by and giving this spot a try! Very tasty! read more

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We tried these baked empanadas while in vacation. They had so many different choices - we got about a dozen different fillings to try including: Cuban, cheeseburger, pernil, chicken, vegan. The little place was hopping for take out and dine in. It was authentic with cool decor. Highly recommend giving this speciality shop a try! read more

I didn't know I lived down the street from this place almost 2 years...I know but when my brother visiting from Chicago said he wanted to try...OMG boy was I so delighted by what my taste buds tasted! We had these empanadas: chicken mushroom, jalapeño and ham , a desert empanada with Nutella so Amazing!!! I ordered to go and the staff nice. Its little cafe style and botanical landscape made me want to stay and eat!! read more

Republica Empanada - Entrance sign - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

It was good. I think the chicken empanadas was really good the cheeseburger ones were kind of bland tasting like no seasonings. The fries tasted like there was seasonings on but I really think it needed some salt. The dipping sauce was also probably the best part. Other then that for how much all of it cost was sort of expensive.i paid around 40 dollars for 4 empanadas,1 sweet empanada some fries and a drink. read more

Republica Empanada - Sorry about the bite - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Our first time at Republica and definitely not our last. We both ordered the empanada plate which came with rice, beans, plantains, salad, crema and 2 savory empanadas. Our personal favorites were bean and cheese + chicken. The empanada shell exterior is so delectable and soft but crisp at the same time. The sides were all amazing too and I appreciate the plantains as a sweet accompaniment. The passionfruit agua Fresca was nice, tart and refreshing. Service is great as well, you order at the front and pick seats. The place is artsy and colorful. I can't believe it took me this long to try it. I'll be back! read more

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I've been here 3x now. The empanada platter where you choose (2) savory empanadas (I got the ham & mozzarella cheese & the creamy mushroom, spinach, artichoke & achiote potato) served with rice, beans, cabbage salad, maduros & crema Mexicana. The empanadas are golden crispy gifts of flavor! The crema sauce is another addiction in itself. Ordered their smokey jalapeno margarita (I may be wrong with the title but remember the yummy taste!) which in itself was delicious. I can't wait to return to this Mesa gem! read more

Republica Empanada - Inside dining area with beautiful Mexican art! - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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The empanadas are pretty good the restaurant is nice and the service is ok. The prices are also ok.

A-ma-zing! Great food, drinks, and service. A cute little joint but nice for a date night or a quick bite. Will be back whenever I'm in the area. read more

This place is seriously one of the best spots we've eaten at in Arizona. Republica Empanada is such a great place to eat and an amazing vibe. For myself they absolutely know how to cater to vegans. The vegan options are so good, my wife had a couple vegetarian options and loved them. She said it reminded her of food from back home. We both got the platter and it was amazing. Vegan options available which was nice. My wife ordered the Jalapeño Popper Potato Empanada and Elote Empanada . I went with the Pura Vida and Potato Empanada. The green sauce was perfect ! Eating the PB&J Empanada as I type and it's addicting to say the least. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and made with care. The crazy part? We got it to-go, and it was still amazing once we got home. The staff was super nice and handled the Monday rush like pros, which made the whole experience even better. We love this place and want everyone to know about it. If you're looking for great food, whether you're vegan or not, Republica Empanada is a must-try. It's that good! read more

Republica Empanada - Potato Empanada, Vegan Platter, Pura Vida, Papas Fritas - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

I've had this spot bookmarked for years and finally visited recently. It helped that I had seen Keith Lee's review and was going to be in Mesa. We arrived around 7 on Friday night and it was busy - folks dining in, waiting to order, and hanging out on the patio with the DJ. We ordered a variety of empanadas: el capitán, elote (2), jalapeño potato popper (2), mushroom & chicken, republica chicken, and two dessert ones: dizzy fig and Nutella & banana. We were quoted a wait time of 40 minutes so we walked around the area, but our food was prepared in less time. I love that they were in labeled bags and hot and fresh. They come with a green salsa that's pretty tasty. Our favorites were the elote and Jalapeño popper - lots of flavor. I liked the addition of olives to the mushroom & chicken and the El Capitán but I wish there was more than one in each. The dizzy fig was too sweet for our liking but I'm glad we tried it. And the Nutella & banana was solid but could've used another flavor like cinnamon. Overall this place has great vibes, friendly staff, and a strong love for the city of Mesa. I would come back to support them! read more

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Another fantastic dinner at Republica Empanada! Went for dinner this time. It was a bit more busy than lunch and our server forgot the salsa that we requested but another server brought it to us promptly. We sat outside on the back patio and enjoyed the nice weather and beautiful mural. read more

Republica Empanada - Empanada Platter - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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I was really excited to try Republica Empanada, especially after hearing so many good things. The service was excellent--10/10--super friendly staff, and the food came out fast. The menu has a variety, with plenty of empanadas, soups, and sandwiches to choose from. They also have some dessert empanadas, which sounded interesting. I decided to try three different empanadas hoping for bold & delicious flavors, but unfortunately they were underwhelming. The seasoning just wasn't there, and they lacked the flavor I was expecting. The plantains were perfectly cooked slightly caramelized, and had a great texture. However they were served with sour cream which felt like an odd pairing. Overall, while the service and speed were impressive the food itself didn't quite live up to my expectations. read more

We ordered five different empanadas, and all of them had something worth trying. They are all so freshly cooked, and the pastry was light and crispy on each one. The sauce really enhances the meal--I'd consider asking for an extra one. Our favorites were the potato and the bean and cheese. They were maybe a tad smaller than expected, and I would probably order 2 for a lunch and 3-4 for dinner. We got here at a pretty busy moment and had to wait about an hour for our order, but we were both warned before waiting in line and kept informed while we waited. I probably wouldn't wait that long again, but I appreciated the transparency. read more

Republica Empanada - Cubana empanada - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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Great food and service. A real asset to the downtown Mesa food scene. Great outdoor area as well as inside.

This is about the hostess service. I came from out of town for the Cubs Spring Training. Since I didn't know anyone from the area and not being familiar with the city of Mesa, the next natural thing to do was to search online for food recommendations. Republica Empanada came up, and given I like empanadas and liked what I saw from the photos, I decided to go for an early dinner. Too bad I never got seated. Besides a group at the community table and a few couples indoor dining was, at best, 1/3rd full. You'd think you'd get a seat in a jiffy, eh? Nope. Only two pick-ups were in front of me. A red flag was when there was no hostess to greet anyone at the entrance. One food courier was peering into the eating quarters to see if any worker was there. When it came to my turn the hostesses was friendly but I was soon left to sit and sit and sit. After 15+ minutes of waiting it dawned on me I was either forgotten or an unimportant matter left to wait as long as whoever deemed it acceptable. Perhaps it was a Mesa joke on out-of-towners? So I left. What a shame. I ate dinner at another food establishment a short walking distance from Republica. Perhaps the standards for the food service industry out West are different, akin to European standards, but waiting (or just forgotten) 15+ minutes as a single party is absolutely atrocious when there are clear, empty tables. If the wait was going to be an issue then there should be clear communication. Or, perhaps, hire more or schedule more people during dinner time, owners. I see past reviews also complained about the inconsistent if not down right bad service. If my experience is worth a grain of salt the issue has not been properly addressed. I still got empanadas, though, back in Chicago. They were good. read more

Love this spot! My mom and I have been coming here for years. It's funny, because when it first opened, I was so excited because the empanadas tasted just like the ones from Empanada Mama in NYC, one of my favorite spots that I'd go whenever I was visiting (before I moved to NYC). We mentioned it to the owner and he said he used to work there/be involved with Empanada Mama! So it's amazing to have that taste of NY here in Mesa. Love all the flavors. I often get a ham and cheese because it's a guilty pleasure, but the more authentic offerings are great also. I also love the platter that has fried plantains, yucca frita, etc. And don't sleep on the sweet, dessert empanadas! The service is always great, and overall this is one of my favorite spots in Mesa. read more

The empanadas are really delicious, savory or sweet! I love to stop by and get a couple to go. read more

Republica is great for a to-go or dine in order. The food is consistent. Every time I go in, I know I'm getting the same quality food. My faves are Combo Caribe to start, always. It comes with a little of everything, yucca fries and plantains. I get hearts of palm salad for a lighter lunch and the El Capitan and Boricua for my fave empanadas. Get a empanada platter to mix and match two empanadas with a side of rice and beans. RE has a good selection of beers and has upped the cocktail selection recently. Great local spot and a community building business. read more

Great place good food good service will definitely come back. Hidden gem behind Main Street in Mesa.