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Stopped by the location because it was around the area where we were picking snacks and food from. Ordered the chicken adobo empanada just to try. Flavor and sauce was a great combination. However price and size not so good. It was fairly tiny for $6. The location is very pretty with an open area but it lacked a spot where we would cash out as the bar was really high for a spot to be rung up at. The bar had lots of black ants and server placed my plate on it like it was nothing. I'm one who doesn't like animals especially those with fur to be around the location I'm eating at however there was a cat roaming and it felt weird to see such a thing in a food area that's a cute enclosed restaurant
We have driven by this place many times and finally made time to stop by. Online said open at 4(on a Saturday night) but found out didn't open till 5. Beautiful interior was raining so wasn't able to sit in their outside area but that was fine maybe next time. Had a great jazz band from 6-8 my only complaint would be they were pretty loud so was difficult to talk to our friends, if it hadn't been raining I'm sure if we could have sat in the unroofed area away from the band that would have helped, next time. We were seated quickly and got our drinks quickly. Ordered our food quickly, waiter was helpful and answered any questions we had. I got the pork, was a 30 min wait or so to get our food but that gave us time to relax and listen to the band. The food was excellent.
Very good food. If you're looking for a little different island flair while on Maui this is it. Empanadas are crispy. With the trio you can taste a few different ones. We had the beef, pork and mushroom and they were all fantastic. The curry was tasty. Not on the sweet side. Added chicken for the protein. It was tender breast pieces. Served with the black bean coconut rice. Great combo.
Amazing restaurant! The flavor in each dish was absolutely phenomenal! Not only is the food to die for, but the ambiance is awesome! Kudos to the amazing wait staff and owners who made our experience so welcoming! Mahalo!
So I popped in on a whim. Was about dinner time so I figured let's go for it. The verdict? So so I had 1 beef it was solid beef not much else. Im used to the ones with spices and other items raisins, egg or even olives. This was just beef Chicken. So greasy not a fan And the veggies. The veggies actually was unappetizing. Didn't eat it. What I did like was the banana empanda. And the service was quick and friendly
The Empandas with the Chimichuri sauce, come on! Ono! The Jerk Chicken was amazing. Pork Tacos are also super good. Friendly staff aims to please. Love the remodel. The weekly events held here adds a much needed element of fun & culture for any date night. Wednesday's open Mic night is must see. Hilarious & beautiful.
This particular restaurant is a little of everything from Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban, and a variety of other meals from other countries. I ordered fried plantation (tostones) and Empanada Trio. The price is very reasonable. If you are located in Maui or visiting, make your way to this location. I promise you will not regret it.
Always a great time at the Empanada Lady. Good music Good food, Good people and a Great atmosphere Saturday's Jazz night
So glad we found this little place. Lunch after visiting Saturday market. What a treat...so much flavor. No complaints!!
My sister and I have been wanting to visit for so long! We came on a friday evening and as directed by the sign at the host station, sat ourselves at the cleanest table (they all had dirty dishes from previous customers). We then waited over 10 minutes for the server, and when he made his way over we placed our drink and food order at the same time. My drink came quick, the food took another 45 minutes. I'd have understood if it was busy, but the outside patio was only 1/3 full. The food came out cold. For a $28 fish plate and $16 for 2 tacos it left lots to be desired. :(
The empanada Lady is very deceptive from the outside. When u see it from the outside I thought it was going to be a walk up and order small store. NOT THE CASE, walking in you hear salsa music playing bright Cuban style colors and art work. To the right it opens up to a beautiful open air seating with partial coverings and umbrellas over the exposed tables. The green plants in abundance feels like you are in CUBA, and they sell way more than JUST empanadas, so with that let's get to the food. food : I had an off menu item, I had the Jamaican jerk chicken. LORD HAVE MERCY!!!!! Absolutely delectable whoo! The chicken made with oblivious love for food with flavors uncommon on the island, made my fat butt stand and dance, I DANCED!! and not figuratively I danced my happy dance, that food was packed with flavor jahMON, jamaican me dance it's so good! I asked if the can replace the salad with beans, because pfft who wants salad right!?!, they were very nice and accommodating and made the swap. BOOM BABY!!! The beans tasted like there were cooked on an open wood fire. I asked the empanada Lady herself Sara if that was the case, she smiled and said no but there is a way to cook it to achieve that flavor. I also had the side of Puerto Rican guandules rice. (Guandules is the bean AKA pigeon peas). Man ! Delicious tremendously good flavor rice fluffy and well flavored Because we were at "The Empanada Lady" restaurant of course we tried the empanadas we had 3 out the 4 types, because the 4th was vegetarian and again, "who wants that righ!?!?" the beef and chicken were our favorites the pork was also good but those 2 were especially good. 4real make time for this place, it's an absolute fabulous restaurant, if I could, I would give the 10 stars. The price point is amazingly as low, $5-16 absolutely a great deal and fun place to be. Come and enjoy. And bring yo dancing shoes !!!! BOOM BABY!!
Tasty food, beautiful space and great service! I highly recommend The Empanada Lady! The cocktails were also good!
After hearing about this place for years, I finally ventured out from Kihei to Wailuki to check it out. I ordered the vegetable curry and rice, which comes with a simple yet tasty salad. Everything was very yummy! The ambiance was the icing on the cake. We sat outside and it was gorgeous. I ordered a vegan empanada to go and it was delicious! I'll be back.
Their empanadas and other items are top-tier and a perfect representation of The Empanada Lady bringing her home culture's cuisine to the culinary scene of Maui. The restaurant is beautiful and has many decorations. The owner and staff are super friendly and always love to chat with customers. You can catch them both at the Sunday Market with a vendor stall, or at their main location in Wailuku Town - Miguel Morales Photography read more
We've enjoyed their empanadas at Friday Town Parties but hadn't stopped in to The Empanada Lady restaurant before. We were planning to meet a group for a party at 5pm. We saw from their website that they open at 4pm on Saturdays, so we planned to arrive a few minutes early. Unfortunately, they don't really open until 5pm on Saturdays. We stood outside, in the rain, and waited. Eventually, we were allowed inside to wait. We were greeted by the house cat, who had to inspect our laps and found them to be acceptable, as well as our petting abilities. We waited for our friends in the bar area but apparently, the bar is closed. It has a sign for "order pickup", but they don't do take-out on Saturdays. You would think that would be explained on their website. It simply directs you to email your take-out order. We saw a couple of customers who were disappointed when they arrived and their food order wasn't ready. So, you might want to keep that in mind. The decor is interesting. Lots of nice paintings and other wall hangings. You could spend a lot of time admiring their artworks. I wanted to explore the garden area but the falling rain and lack of a roof kept me in the main dining room. Judging from the pictures on Yelp, the dining area has been upgraded with more tables and chairs. I also saw that one of the early 5 star reviews was made by Sara P., The Empanada Lady herself. Oh-kay. Lots of her pictures that would look good on their website, too. Matthew served our party of 10 and did a great job. He kept our glasses full and was very nice. He answered our questions and took our dinner orders. I asked for the Chicken Coconut Curry, with Papaya Seed Salad and Coconut Black Bean Rice. We knew to expect a rather long wait, and we were entertained by their jazz band that played from 6 to 8. They switched off 3 different singers to give us a little variety. The band sounded very good but a little loud for the size of the restaurant. The food arrived after about 45 minutes and it was delicious. The Chicken Coconut Curry was very creamy with just the right amount of curry. I'm glad it was served in a bowl. The price was a surprise, though. The website showed $18 but the actual price was $24. Could some please update the website? Otherwise, I would have gladly given 5 stars. I am looking forward to returning and trying other menu items. read more
Foods very good. It is Caribbean food. The slow pork was a favorite. They had a avariety of empanada. I liked the Chimuri sauce. I had the jerk chicken. They warned us it was very spicy as if they didn't want to order it. I suggest they tone it down a tad so more people can enjoy it instead of warning people. I eat lots of spicy food so it was fine. The snapper looked yummy. The salad was sliced Lettuce not torn and a bit hard to eat. The bar options looked great. I had the organic mint lemonade. It was refreshing. No desserts were offered. I loved the decor with all the artwork and the live jazz music was marvelous. We had a big crowd of 10 people. I would say smaller crowd would be best as they are short staffed. The vibe is cool and hip. The owner and her daughter make it work. read more
Stopped by the location because it was around the area where we were picking snacks and food from. Ordered the chicken adobo empanada just to try. Flavor and sauce was a great combination. However price and size not so good. It was fairly tiny for $6. The location is very pretty with an open area but it lacked a spot where we would cash out as the bar was really high for a spot to be rung up at. The bar had lots of black ants and server placed my plate on it like it was nothing. I'm one who doesn't like animals especially those with fur to be around the location I'm eating at however there was a cat roaming and it felt weird to see such a thing in a food area that's a cute enclosed restaurant read more
We have driven by this place many times and finally made time to stop by. Online said open at 4(on a Saturday night) but found out didn't open till 5. Beautiful interior was raining so wasn't able to sit in their outside area but that was fine maybe next time. Had a great jazz band from 6-8 my only complaint would be they were pretty loud so was difficult to talk to our friends, if it hadn't been raining I'm sure if we could have sat in the unroofed area away from the band that would have helped, next time. We were seated quickly and got our drinks quickly. Ordered our food quickly, waiter was helpful and answered any questions we had. I got the pork, was a 30 min wait or so to get our food but that gave us time to relax and listen to the band. The food was excellent. read more
Business owner information
Sara K.
Appreciate the beautiful photos and you sharing your experience with…
3 years ago
Very good food. If you're looking for a little different island flair while on Maui this is it. Empanadas are crispy. With the trio you can taste a few different ones. We had the beef, pork and mushroom and they were all fantastic. The curry was tasty. Not on the sweet side. Added chicken for the protein. It was tender breast pieces. Served with the black bean coconut rice. Great combo. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
Amazing restaurant! The flavor in each dish was absolutely phenomenal! Not only is the food to die for, but the ambiance is awesome! Kudos to the amazing wait staff and owners who made our experience so welcoming! Mahalo! read more
Business owner information
Sara K.
Anthony, we appreciate you and want you to know that your review…
So I popped in on a whim. Was about dinner time so I figured let's go for it. The verdict? So so I had 1 beef it was solid beef not much else. Im used to the ones with spices and other items raisins, egg or even olives. This was just beef Chicken. So greasy not a fan And the veggies. The veggies actually was unappetizing. Didn't eat it. What I did like was the banana empanda. And the service was quick and friendly read more
4 years ago
The Empandas with the Chimichuri sauce, come on! Ono! The Jerk Chicken was amazing. Pork Tacos are also super good. Friendly staff aims to please. Love the remodel. The weekly events held here adds a much needed element of fun & culture for any date night. Wednesday's open Mic night is must see. Hilarious & beautiful. read more
2 years ago
This particular restaurant is a little of everything from Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban, and a variety of other meals from other countries. I ordered fried plantation (tostones) and Empanada Trio. The price is very reasonable. If you are located in Maui or visiting, make your way to this location. I promise you will not regret it. read more
3 years ago
Always a great time at the Empanada Lady. Good music Good food, Good people and a Great atmosphere Saturday's Jazz night read more
3 years ago
So glad we found this little place. Lunch after visiting Saturday market. What a treat...so much flavor. No complaints!! read more
3 years ago
My sister and I have been wanting to visit for so long! We came on a friday evening and as directed by the sign at the host station, sat ourselves at the cleanest table (they all had dirty dishes from previous customers). We then waited over 10 minutes for the server, and when he made his way over we placed our drink and food order at the same time. My drink came quick, the food took another 45 minutes. I'd have understood if it was busy, but the outside patio was only 1/3 full. The food came out cold. For a $28 fish plate and $16 for 2 tacos it left lots to be desired. :( read more
The empanada Lady is very deceptive from the outside. When u see it from the outside I thought it was going to be a walk up and order small store. NOT THE CASE, walking in you hear salsa music playing bright Cuban style colors and art work. To the right it opens up to a beautiful open air seating with partial coverings and umbrellas over the exposed tables. The green plants in abundance feels like you are in CUBA, and they sell way more than JUST empanadas, so with that let's get to the food. food : I had an off menu item, I had the Jamaican jerk chicken. LORD HAVE MERCY!!!!! Absolutely delectable whoo! The chicken made with oblivious love for food with flavors uncommon on the island, made my fat butt stand and dance, I DANCED!! and not figuratively I danced my happy dance, that food was packed with flavor jahMON, jamaican me dance it's so good! I asked if the can replace the salad with beans, because pfft who wants salad right!?!, they were very nice and accommodating and made the swap. BOOM BABY!!! The beans tasted like there were cooked on an open wood fire. I asked the empanada Lady herself Sara if that was the case, she smiled and said no but there is a way to cook it to achieve that flavor. I also had the side of Puerto Rican guandules rice. (Guandules is the bean AKA pigeon peas). Man ! Delicious tremendously good flavor rice fluffy and well flavored Because we were at "The Empanada Lady" restaurant of course we tried the empanadas we had 3 out the 4 types, because the 4th was vegetarian and again, "who wants that righ!?!?" the beef and chicken were our favorites the pork was also good but those 2 were especially good. 4real make time for this place, it's an absolute fabulous restaurant, if I could, I would give the 10 stars. The price point is amazingly as low, $5-16 absolutely a great deal and fun place to be. Come and enjoy. And bring yo dancing shoes !!!! BOOM BABY!! read more
3 years ago
Tasty food, beautiful space and great service! I highly recommend The Empanada Lady! The cocktails were also good! read more
3 years ago
After hearing about this place for years, I finally ventured out from Kihei to Wailuki to check it out. I ordered the vegetable curry and rice, which comes with a simple yet tasty salad. Everything was very yummy! The ambiance was the icing on the cake. We sat outside and it was gorgeous. I ordered a vegan empanada to go and it was delicious! I'll be back. read more
4 years ago
This review is for the booth at the Maui Swap Meet. I couldn't wait to try the empanadas. I got the beef (ground beef) empanada. The seasoning of the meat was good, however the dough was very hard and chewy. I ended up only eating the hamburger meat inside and throwing away the hard chewy dough portions. I was looking forward to eating an empanada with a savory inside and Tender, flaky crust on the outside. So Disappointed. read more
Business owner information
Sara K.
So sorry to hear that Kepi, we'd love to give you an empanada on the…
4 years ago
Wow!!! I had just recently heard about The Empanada Lady restaurant and I've been twice in the last week and I'm planning to dine again soon! First, the food is divine; a delectable journey for the palate! We had Cuban Piccadilly Beef and Chicken Adobo Empanadas, Jamaican Jerk Chicken, and Dominican Roast Pork, with sides of guandule and black bea coconut rice. Each bite was amazing. I gathered friends to join me for the Valentines Day Dinner and Concert featuring the beautiful and gifted artist Tanama, who did a tribute to singer Sade. She is a rising STAR!!!! We sipped on champagne, dined on a special menu prepared for the event. Empanadas, Lobster Ceviche, Pork Belly, Jumbo Coconut Curry Shrimp, Mojo Churrasco, and Tres Leches Bread Pudding for dessert. It was definitely a night of love and fun. The ambiance is beautiful and engaging. Amazing colors, art, lush vegetation, and music makes the perfect dining experience. And the service was great! Do yourself a favor and check it out! read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
THE FOOD WAS SO GOOD!!! I got the coconut curry with chicken and empanadas and it was incredible! The service was sooo great too! Andrade was very nice and helpful with explaining the dishes. I HIGHLY recommend read more
Business owner information
Sara K.
Thank you so much for the feedback! We loved having you, and are so…
2 years ago
I must say, this place was great! Family run restaurant where the recipes are all momma Sarah's The Interior = Nice Carribean feel and colorful. Spacious. The Service = Very friendly. Keep in mind there are portions that are cafeteria style and you may have to get up to get your food. It's ok though. It was worth it. The Food = Very good. On this trip I had the... Chicken Milanese = Two thin chicken breast fried perfectly crispy and well seasoned. With that the Puerto Rican rice. Both Very good. Curry chicken with black bean rice = A curry stew with tender chicken in a well balanced curry sauce. Very good. The black beans and rice could use a little more salt but that's on the table :) Empanadas were tasty but the only ding was the croquettes. There are many variations of croquettes. These had too much potato to meat ratio but I still ate them. Honorable mention = I had a bit of my friends fried chicken. It was fantastic! Crispy not oily and well seasoned. Don't be alarmed when you see some green under the breading. It's the herbs and spices. So dang tasty! All plates come with a side salad with a Maui onion dressing. Simple but very good :) Thanks Sarah for sharing your wonderful recipes! Welp! Onto the next! read more
2 years ago
Visited for lunch on a Saturday. Such a beautiful oasis in the middle of Wailuku town. Enjoyed the ceviche special and my friend loves their veggie empanadas and gandule rice. They're currently working on restoring their liquor license so call ahead if cocktails are a must have for you. I enjoyed the lilikoi ice tea. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Great food and great place to bring the family for a nice "puertorican/dominican" flavor meal. read more
4 years ago
OMG. Drove here from Lahaina for empanada. Best ever. Jazz band in the background as we dine on empanada, plantains, Kalua pork! Fabulous service. read more
3 years ago
Great food and fabulous outdoor, relaxed ambiance. We had the Mofoku w shrimp and Chicken Fricasé. Service was excellent, too. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
We went for lunch specially for the mofongo which is their Wednesday specialty. I had the pork belly mofongo which was so delicious. My friend had the Dominican roasted port entree which she also said it was delicious and the best guandule rice she had. I had their Dominican slow roast pork few times in the past at the Maui Sunday Market. Lastly, we had the lilikoi cocktail also so good. Everything was so onolicious. Service was friendly, quick, and professional. I will definitely comeback and try their other menu. read more
Business owner information
Sara K.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We are so joy you enjoyed your…
2 years ago
6 years ago
I went there with such excitement to love the place. I've read so much about it and was excited to support a local business struggling after a year of Covid. Pros: Small locally owned business. Nice atmosphere. Empanadas and croquet appetizer was great. Cons: They were shortstaffed so no drinks could be served. Waited 40 minutes between appetizer and entrée. Server had no idea what she was doing, literally running across the restaurant. (Not her fault) My friends entrée was inedible and they never asked what was wrong with it. Asked for sauce for appetizers it was brought to us with the check. The icing on the cake was their Cat (yes I said cat) that walked in and out of the kitchen freely. I really don't mean to be harsh but it was the opposite of what I was expecting. Should have been zero stars but hoping things can improve for her. read more
3 years ago
Highly recommend! Where do I start... first impressions of this place. It's eye catching blue outdoor storefront sets the tone to transport you into the ambiance of The Empanada Lady. As you enter you are met with an open air indoor/outdoor eating area with eye catching art that pops on its black walls. The service was great during the event and I believe with their attention to detail it would be the same at business hours. However, with all that put aside the food was the star of the show. Their in house empanadas really shut the event up, in a good way. No one spoke until after they were done eating. We also got to try their new rice balls, an item not on the menu... yet. Stay tuned. read more
4 years ago
Business owner information
Sara K.
Thank you so much David! We appreciate the love, and are so happy you…
3 years ago
4 years ago
5 stars is not enough! New place just opened. Needless to say the empanadas were the best ever. The food was very, very taste and the service was excellent. A little out of the way but well worth the extra few minutes to drive here! read more
4 years ago
We drove to Wailuku from Wailea to find yummy Puerto Rican food. I was lucky today; the special was gandule rice with Pastele stew. It was ono. I also got an order of tostones, one of my favs. There was much more on the menu I would have liked to try, but it was all I could do to handle what I got. I brought half of it home and will have it for dinner. Charming patio dining, with beautiful exotic plants and funky art work. Well worth the drive. read more
Business owner information
Sara K.
Mahalo nui Annette! We are so happy you enjoyed your time with us. We…
2 years ago
My friend recommended this spot and when I first walked in the ambiance was so lovely we sat under a beautiful pink tree outside. First of all the food wasn't only to die for but the service was great. Definitely recommend going there's easy parking and they have one of the best empanadas I've ever had!!!! read more
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More info about The Empanada Lady
2119 W Vineyard St
Wailuku, HI 96793
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(808) 868-4544
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http://theempanadaladymaui.com
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Ask the Community - The Empanada Lady
Do you allow dogs in your outdoor seating area?
Yes! We have a resident cat Lola, so as long as they can play nice we welcome any pets.
Do you serve alcohol?
We didn’t then, but we are now serving drinks with the new opening!
