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

I was completely blown away by this place! We ordered the potato jalapeño popper, bean jalapeño popper, chicken República, pernil, guava cheesecake, and guava fresa cream cheese. My favorite was the potato jalapeño popper although I wish they had a meat and cream cheese mixture because the cream cheese is amazing with the savory part. They do have a ham one and I'm not a huge fan of ham so beef or chicken would be amazing. Inside the place is really cute and the art on the walls are beautiful. The ambiance was super chill on a Monday night and very inviting. Our server was super sweet, friendly and attentive, I wish I remember her name. The empanadas came out very quickly, hot and fresh! The guava margarita was very refreshing and the guava cheesecake was to die for. The cheesecake had a fruity glaze and it was incredible! We can't wait to go back and try more. read more

See all

This is a GEM. Cute restaurant with great service and delicious Latin American food. I came and dined alone on Saturday for lunch. The waitresses were all friendly and happy to make recommendations. I ordered the empanada plate which came with 2 empanadas, salad, rice, and beans. It comes with some sour cream but you can also get green sauce on the side. Def a filling meal. The two savories I got were chicken and spinach/mushroom/artichoke. I'm not vegetarian but LOVED the second one. Flavorful and left me wanting more. The chicken was OK - not amazing but not bad. I will try pernil next time! I *think* the empanadas are fried but it didn't feel greasy or heavy at all. Maybe they're baked lol. For sweets, I tried the guava cheese and banana cream. As a banana lover it was perfect. Not too sweet. The guava cheese was interesting - enjoyed the cheese but guava part was a bit too sweet for me. Even though everything wasn't perfect, still a 5 star spot for me and I'll return to try other items. Service and uniqueness of food can't be beat. Also, had no idea Guy Fieri came here lol read more

See all

First customer of the day! I had to check this place out after tasting my mom's Empanadas yesterday--they were so good I needed more. Tried the lunch special and was amazed. Two Empanadas and I was completely full. Delicious!! read more

See all

Second visit in four days. Yep, this visit was as good as the first. Emma was our server and was great! She made us feel welcomed and chatted with us for a couple minutes. The empanadas were as good as our first visit. We had the lunch special that came with choice of two empanadas and a bowl of rice and beans and cabbage salad. For dessert we had the bourbon apple empanadas that came with vanilla ice cream. Very good!!! We even took four empanadas to enjoy on our flight home. Good flavorful food that is done right. You have to visit at least once. We will be back on our next visit. read more

See all

Wow, the food is amazing. We did know what to order so we asked for recommendations and we were hooked up! Restaurant is small but it works! read more

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

We had dinner after a show at the Mesa Center for the Arts - it's only 2 blocks from the Center. It's a small place with a nice outdoor patio for when the weather is nice. It took a few minutes for us to be greeted at the the front desk, but once we were seated everything was great. Their entire menu is all online - you have to scan a barcode, which can be tricky. But once you get to the menu, you see how many different options there are. I had 3 different enchiladas, and my husband had a pork tortas. Everything was really delicious. Our waiter was really nice and the vibe is very casual. I really recommend it for the whole family! read more

It's good but.... The price for the food and the drinks were NOT worth it. We asked the waitress there how big were their margaritas and she showed a hand sign for it. Based off of what she described, it looked like it would be an average sized drink that you can imagine right now in your head but nope! They give you a VERY tiny portion size for it for over $10+! Just between the three of us (my brother, friend and I) it was over $80 including tip. You can go to a AYCE Japanese or Korean BBQ for that price AND get more portion out of it. Or you can go to another authentic place that sells Empanadas at a much cheaper price. This place is NOT worth it. The food and drinks are good - there's nothing wrong with it but this will be the last time coming here cause again: NOT worth the price at all. Don't be fooled by the food plating shown on yelp it's MUCH smaller than what I expected. read more

Republica Empanada - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

See all

I've only had the empanadas but they are delicious. I live far but every time I'm in Mesa I try and go.

Had to come for the Keith Lee rec! Nice and clean location with super friendly staff. Enjoy all options but preferred the chicken. Wish there was cheese involved although that's less authentic. So glad I stopped in and think it's a great lunch spot! read more

See all

It's like a food truck had a baby and it became a restaurant! Wow! Such a cool vibe. Best empanadas I've ever had! Not only was the shell not over done (usually more crust than fillings) but the feelings were full and soooo good. And so many options. And $5 each?! They have lots of other options outside of empanadas too. read more

See all

Little slow on service (getting to the table and taking orders) but absolutely worth the wait! For being a small place I was expecting the margaritas to not be as good as they were. A little too good if you know what I'm saying ;) read more

Republica Empanada - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

See all

Ordered on their website today for lunch (Saturday) and it was ready in 15-20 minutes as promised. The empanadas were fresh and crispy. We tried pernil, Cubana, cheeseburger, and guava Fresca cheesecake empanadas and the yucca fries. Everything was so delicious. The fillings were a little lacking in the savory empanadas, especially the cheeseburger one, but the flavor of all of them was delicious and the green sauce on the side was so good you could drink it. Yucca fries had herbs on top and yummy ranch to dip. Nothing blew me away, but I'm glad we tried it. read more

See all

It's a quaint little place that just happens to serve the best empanadas I've ever tasted. I had the lunch special, two empanadas and a side. I chose the República Chicken and the Pernil (slow cooked pork) and the papas fritas. I added the Cubana empanada and washed it all down with a Topo Chico. The salsa was excellent as well as the service. I will definitely be back. read more

Was craving empanadas and saw this place got great reviews here on Yelp. So glad we stopped in! The restaurant itself is quaint, but has a good vibe. Service was decent. The empanadas were delicious! My sweet tooth really enjoyed the dessert empanadas. I got the Nutella and peanut butter and my husband got the fig empanada for dessert. I was pleasantly surprised by the fig empanada, and absolutely loved the PB and Nutella one. Will definitely be back to try more! read more

See all

Stopped here after seeing it featured on a TV show --- Everything was delicious and staff was very kind - thank you for last minute corn and cheese empanadas! Empanada dough was thin and crispy and not oily. My favorite one was the chicken empanada and fried plantains :)- Order: Tamarind Margarita ; refreshing! Corn and cheese - I didn't like the corn as it tasted bland :(. Boricua- good and not as flavorful as chicken. Mushroom chicken: : Good Chicken Republic: My favorite- delicious! Fried Plantain : delicious - sweet ! Fried Yucca: not my favorite at all as it was not sweet and too dry :) ( first time trying yuca ) . I will be back soon! read more

Republica Empanada - Republica Chicken was my favorite - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

See all

Happened upon this business for lunch passing through Mesa. Staff was courteous and knowledgeable of my plant based lifestyle. Recommendations made and very tasty. Had a chance to meet (I believe) the Owner's Father and we great convo about the business whose wife created all the dishes. Ambiance and decor nice; outside seating with misters (if needed) plenty of space. read more

We stopped by with some out of state friends and everyone loved this place! The meat in the chicken empanadas was tender and seasoned nicely. The Sonoran dog- vegan, wow, it's served as an Empanada with vegan bacon and a roasted hatch pepper on the side. I know the place is Guy Fieri famous but they still offer outstanding service and tons of options! read more

Republica Empanada - Sonoran dog vegan - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

See all

The interior is super cute, a pretty small interior with a lot of character. There are colorful murals around too. There's also an outdoor seating area. Service was good, it took about 30 mins for us to get seated. We went on a Saturday around 6pm. I got the empanada platter with the Pernil and Mushroom Chicken empanadas. I thought the beans well-seasoned, and the plantains were firm, not mushy. However, I thought the empanadas were a bit disappointing. They didn't have too much flavor, were small, and kind of dry. The green salsa it is served with CARRIED. It was really good, a lot of garlic flavor and tastes like they make it in-house. I think I enjoyed the sides and the salsa more than the empanadas themselves. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant, but for a place that specializes in empanadas, I was a bit disappointed. read more

Republica Empanada - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

I wanted to try this place once I saw it on Diners, drive-ins and dives. Well, if you're a fan of the show or not? Stop in and try the food, as its amazing and worth a try. My wife and I each got the empanada entrée, as its your choice of two empanadas, white rice, black beans and fried plantains. Also was given the green salsa to try with our meals. I ordered the el captain (traditional), and the republica chicken empanada and they were both delicious! A very nice selection of choices and a banna cream pie, their own creation in an empanada. Its in mesa not Phoenix proper and that's a win for me. Give it a try the next time you're in downtown Mesa, you'll be pleasantly surprised. Btw, the staff are friendly and professional! read more

See all

I visited Arizona for Spring Break and stayed at a nearby hotel. Using Yelp I came across this place and had to try! I had also recently seen a Tim Tok Review from Keith Lee and was afraid there would be a long line. Thankfully, I arrived and the wait time was not long. I asked for a few recommendations and went with the Cubano, mushroom chicken and elote. I saw a guava strawberry on the menu and had to have that! I requested the order to go as I was planning to eat some at the airport as I awaited my flight home. I mentioned I would be eating some there and the graciously provided me with a plate and silverware. The savory ones were all delicious and stuffed! The guava one was a little overwhelming for me. The place is super cute and service was great. I did bring some home and they reheated up beautifully! I'll be back! read more

See all

I was visiting a friend who lives near Republica Empanada and let me tell you... It was so good I wish I could bring this place home with me. The interior is very artsy with nice paintings hung up and stickers being sold at the counter. We ate out on the patio which was clean and had a classic AZ aesthetic with cacti. The Republica Chicken, Elote, and Jalapeno Potato Popper empanadas were all oh so delicious! Each empanada was made very fresh and had a good amount of filling. The green sauce they gave was really good it had a fresh cilantro taste. The guava marg was refreshing, the chamoy rim was ok though it was more sour than sweet. Overall, a great spot to stop by because the service was friendly & quick, food was fresh & tasty, and space is clean & aesthetic. The food is very comforting like if I lived near here it would forsure be one of my go-tos. read more

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

See all

Really nice place in mesa for food. It's a small.place so would either take out or come early. We went for an early dinner and got one of the last spots. They have a bunch of soda, lemonade, beer, ans cocktails to drink. For the appetizer they had yucca and different types of plantains. We got a platter of the three types and it was really delicious. I was a bit underwhelmed by the size though. For food they have rice dishes and empanadas. I was shocked that the empanadas were not gluten free like they are traditionally. The empanada platter came with rice and beans and was nice but not overly impressed with the empanada as it was quite thick. read more

One of the best family owned locations in AZ! Delicious food, fun staff, and the perfect encapsulation of true passion for culture! Love it!

Yes, the food is amazing and a favorite of mine to take people visiting Phoenix. But, every time I have gone, the service has been the absolute best and I never feel as welcomed any other restaurant I go to. It really fills like they care about you read more

A hidden gem in Phoenix! The empanadas were so good! We got the pernil, chicken, and boricua. They stuffed it with meat and stamped the bags with each type. The little green sauce was bustin too! The atmosphere was chill. Good music and vibes. They had an outdoor section where it looks like throw events. Very colorful and vibrant! Will return back if ever in the area again! read more

Republica Empanada - Boricua, Chicken, Pernil - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Food was delicious. Yucca frita and patacones (tostones), the empanadas were big and full of flavor. We got 4 and could share.

The food in this restaurant is so tasty. I love the empanada. Service is always detail oriented abd the ambiance is perfect for mem Well lit, clean and great vibes. The black beans were so tasty. read more

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

See all

Empanadas were the best we've ever had. We had 7 different flavors in our group, top was the penil! After that is was toss up! So good! read more

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

Met up with a friend for dinner and was pleasantly surprised! Sign on the wall said max capacity of 49 and it was filling up quickly. Several tables throughout, along with a high-top thru the center of the restaurant. Decided on the pernil empanada and the jalapeno ham popper empanada. Somewhat disappointed by the pernil--it was ok, but literally just meat. Needs some sauce or some...something/anything else in there! The ham jalapeno was delish, with the soft/warm cream cheese. The outside of the empanada was crispy, but soft on the inside--cooked perfectly. Salsa was chunky, avocado-y, and had some kick. Definitely helped with the pernil. Rice and beans were good, but nothing stood out about them. Plantains were well cooked and had great flavor. Went with the guava margarita--wow! Could definitely suck down a couple of those pretty easily! Seemed to be one server and one busser, so they were hustlin. Food came out in a timely manner and both were nice. Small parking lot behind an unassuming building, but lots of parking surrounding the restaurant. For the two of us, it was a total of $50--kind of steep. However, several more on the menu that sounded good, so will likely head back to try em out. read more

See all

Service and ambiance was amazing. The food was pretty good. I had the aroz colombiana which was tasty and had a lot of fresh shrimp. Their empanadas are pretty good but they did have some misses. I would get the cubana and jalapeño popper. The elote was not that great to be honest because the corn isn't crunchy but more mushy which isn't that pleasant read more

We came in three ladies strong to try their empanadas and were very happy we did. The seating area is small, maybe 4-5 booths along a sunny windowed wall and then a few tables. The lunch crowd packed the place, always a good sign . I chose the pura vida platter with rice and beans and it was delicious! There is a creamy cilantro sauce in a little cup that serves perfectly as a dipping sauce. The beans and rice were well seasoned and the rice perfectly cooked. Ahhh the devil is in the details and the details are tasty! They were out of cider that day so I had a modèlo which was fine. There are muraled walls which add to the over all flavor. I recommend this spot for a lunch brunch or quick stop to quell those longings for great food . read more

This place has been a family favorite since it opened. Great food in a pleasant place. Had dinner there recently. The pappas fritas and empanadas were yummy. Love the chicken, pork, and vegetarian ones. The kiddo pronounced the cheeseburger empanada "even better than McDonald's." High praise! The margaritas hit the spot, too. My big complaint? The service. We had to wait for a table because no one seemed to be around. We even went looking for someone to seat us. Service was rushed. We never received glasses of water despite asking twice. Our check was delivered before we were even asked if we wanted another drink or one of those tasty dessert empanadas. I mean, they certainly didn't need our table as there were only four tables occupied when we were there. Eating out is a special treat for us. And I relish the opportunity to not have to prepare, serve, and clean up after dinner. As a consumer, I also have expectations when it comes to the service industry. I know it's tough work. However, after our recent visit, we left a minimal tip (a first for us since hubby and I have previously worked in restaurants). And then we went for dessert elsewhere. read more

After leaving the movies, the other night, my Wife suggested we stop by here for a quick bite of Dinner... It was my first time, and she'd been several times with her work Cohort ...but BoY HoWDy ~ absolutely loved this place! The food was delicious, and so were the whiskey infused drinks we had. The music playing overhead was great, too! It is my understanding that they also bring in a live DJ from time to time so I'm looking forward to getting back there to get some dance moves in with the grooves! read more

Republica Empanada - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

So we were watching diner's, drive in's and dives on food network this evening on t.v. Being half Mexican I've honestly never tried an empanada because honestly they looked disgusting so I just never wanted to try them until tonight. Since we live in the city of Mesa I talked my boyfriend into taking us here to try what everyone is saying is the best empanada's in the East Valley. We came in during dinner time and the place was super packed so we decided to wait. The inside dining room is very small this place only holds 49 people inside so I do recommend making a reservation for dinner hours. I got the two empanada combo with black beans and rice. My empanadas of choice was the chicken, olive and mushrooms and all I could say in just one bite was I'm in heaven the entire meal was out of this world! The empanadas had a very lite and flaky crust like a slice of pie it wasn't thick like pot pies or anything of that nature. The chicken was super tender followed by earthy mushrooms and the saltyness of the olives really complemented the filling very well. The black beans were cooked to perfection and they went very well with the rice. The dipping sauce for the empanadas should be bottled and sold here it was to die for I could've put it on ice cream. The staff here was really friendly I'm sure glad that my first time at 52 years old trying an empanada was here because they really changed my opinion on this bite size food. I highly recommend coming in for your empanadas craving again reservations are recommended. read more

See all

The savory and the sweet empanadas I had were amazing. They were well worth the drive. The crust was flaky and the chicken was moist. The Nutella banana was a favorite dessert empanada. We will definitely come back. read more

A friend had this on her list to check out. Who doesn't love a good empanada. We got seated right away and the food came our fairly quick. I was hungry. We ordered 4 empanada and an arroz con pollo. The empanada were decent size but was was most impressive is the amount of meat/stuffing they filled into them. My favorite was the the boricua. It had pork, peas, and rice. 3/4 of our empanada were pork. There is just something about the way they make their pork. It was juicy and delicious. Perfectly salted and cooked. The arroz was also good. I should have asked for no olives. I had to dig through the rice and picked them out. It wasn't mixed evenly. I didn't get much chicken on the side I was eating. I loved the artwork they had on the wall. The restaurant is guy fieri approved so you'll see his picture on the wall as you walk in. read more

Republica Empanada - Arroz Con Pollo - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

See all

Fantastic empanadas. Great atmosphere and setting. Very kind and helpful staff. This may be a spot I come to every time I'm in Mesa or near Phoenix. read more

Saw this on tiktok and tried it out with my friend! It was a long wait and we got the republica chicken, elote, mushroom chicken, and banana cream pie empanadas. We also got yucca fries. The vibe was chill and cozy. I like how crunchy the empanada was. I don't really know what they're supposed to taste like but it was a little bland? But the sauce that came with them was really good. And the sauce with the yucca fries tasted good too, very refreshing tasting. read more

Republica Empanada - Republica Chicken Mushroom Chicken Yucca e - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona