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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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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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

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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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

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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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

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

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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

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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

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

I've been going to Republica for almost 10 years and it has become a favorite spot among my family and friends! Can never go wrong with one of their empanadas! read more

This is one of the best restaurants in Arizona (this is coming from a 35 year Phoenix native). Just come experience it and you will thank me later. My family and I drive 30 minutes from our midtown home to feast on this magical food. read more

Republica Empanada - Latin American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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

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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

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

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

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

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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

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

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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

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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

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We tried 4 different empanadas pork, mushroom with chicken, the Cubano and the Elote. I had the limeade, fresh, sour a real treat. All were good but the Elote was exceptional. Friendly staff and lighting quick service. I don't get to Mesa very often but would definitely return. 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

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Everything was great, greeted with a smile, service and as excellent. The food was amazing.

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

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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

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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

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

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

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

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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

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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

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

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

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

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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

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

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

Cannot wait to go back and try more of the menu as everything we tasted was amazing. Been day dreaming about the tostones and maduros, could eat a mountain of both. Great staff and great food read more