Kudos to the empanada maker in their brand new location next to the UPS Store on Marguerite for having a fantastic selection in the morning upon opening. The interior was clean and the customer service was fantastic as the employee provided recommendations on what to order. I purchased the Steak and Cheese breakfast as well as the chicken florentine which appeared to be their most popular. Both crusts were perfectly cooked and tasty, however I definitely preferred the chicken florentine. I forgot to purchase sauce and the employee was kind enough to comp me the flavorful avocado cilantro dipping sauce that went well with both empanadas. I also appreciated the convenience of the employee circling the item on the back of the individual empanada wrapper to identify what it is read more

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Found this gem of a store! Love the empanadas here! Walked in and got amazed by the different flavors: pizza, spinach and cheese, Philly steak, chili verde, pot roast with potatoes, spicy beef,etc.. our favorites are: Philly steak, pot roast , spicy beef and chili verde are a winner! Love it all , honestly! Service was fast and friendly and sh definitely know what she's talking about! Deal is 6 pieces or a dozen. Chimichurri dip is off the chart and avocado dip was good too!The place was decorative and stimulating a truly say good job for this branch. I would definitely recommend this place when in the area. read more

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Well the order was not ready when I showed up at the time alotted. The individual working just saw the ticket when he finally came up front. Then he proceeds to tell me that he doesnt have some of the order we ordered. While making my late order he proceeded to help other who walked in, therefore delaying my order more. No offer of extras or compensation for any of the above. First time visitor, not sure ill be back. Young man behind the counter was nice and polite and... young therefore inexperienced im sure...but not a great 1st experience read more

This is not a place for traditional empanadas but it is for awesome empanadas! We used to visit their old location a lot before we moved out of state. The fact that we wanted to come back here when in town should tell you all you need to know why it's 5 stars. New location but same old flavors and quality of food. I came here twice and it was off hours so chatted with staff a bit. They were really nice bith times. Their grab and go fridge did not uave any Florentine boxes so they made one up for me to take. Next time I'm in town, i will definitely be visiting again. read more

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Amazing empanadas and the quality service was top notch. Definitely coming back. Would recommend anyone in the area to catch them out if craving empanadas. read more

This place used to be so good but the last two or three orders were lacking. The pastry dough is still good but the size of the empanada is smaller and the fillings are sparse. For example, the beef pot roast used to have chunks of beef but now it's gravy with veggies and mashed potatoes maybe on tiny pieces of beef. I really wish the food products wouldn't shrink as prices rise. I ate three with a side salad and wasn't full. I hope they read my feedback and consider the increasing the amount of filling. read more

We think they have the best cinnamon apple empanadas because they are usually full of very tasty apple filling. The apple filling is excellent. The crust is excellent. We tried some of the other exceelent empanadas and highly recommend them as well. read more

Heard a bunch of raving reviews so I had to try it! Unfortunately, I can't say that they're worth all the hype though. There were a few good ones and a few that were just mid. Plus paying extra for a small sauce just didn't make sense when I was already spending about 5-6 per empanada. Diablo was okay. Not really spicy. Had a lot more sweetness than anything. Beef was just okay. Not too much going on there. Chicken was much better than the beef. Lots of flavor in there. (Both original chicken and the other chicken). Spinach one is pretty spot on if you like a spinach dip kind of flavor. Sauce, id recommend chimichurri and chipotle. Both were very good. read more

The Empanada Maker - New American Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Outstanding empanadas. They're all tasty, and there is always a variety of new flavors to go with the standards. The fries and rice are also very tasty and a great compliment to the main course. Parking is abundant but the lot is pretty busy so it can be a pain. Service has always been great and we've met the owner several times and conversed with him, he's super cool. It's a small shop but people cycle through quickly and we've never had a problem getting a seat. Overall it's a great place for lunch, especially if you like good empanadas. Outstanding empanadas. They're all tasty, and there is always a variety of new flavors to go with the standards. The fries and rice are also very tasty and a great compliment to the main course. Parking is abundant but the lot is pretty busy so it can be a pain. Service has always been great and we've met the owner several times and conversed with him, he's super cool. It's a small shop but people cycle through quickly and we've never had a problem getting a seat. Overall it's a great place for lunch, especially if you like good empanadas. read more

First time here, INCREDIBLE is an understatement. Empanadas are so nostalgic to me and I haven't had one in so long. These are so phenomenal!! I got the Original Chicken and Ham & Cheese. Aundrey is so nice and gave us great recommendations! Music isn't too loud, so it's easy to have a conversation. 10/10, going to make the drive again for this place! read more

The Empanada Maker - #1 - Original Chicken - New American Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

It's finally open! Food is good as before the move Service is great as usual The place is new and is open! read more

Some of the best empanadas I've ever had super great service friendly staff we've been here several times and every time they get better and better I would highly recommend for something different to eat. Great ingredients fresh quality. I am going back my family loves them. I think you should love him as well. read more

We ordered a dozen... they taste pretty good, however we shared the box between the two of us, and none of them are marked as to what kind they are.... So we just kind of have to play Russian roulette here on what is read more

The Empanada Maker - New American Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

They are totally disorganized and can't operate a simple business effectively. I placed an order 48 hours in advance and they didn't start making it until I arrived to pick up the items. There were many angry customers waiting for their orders which were hopelessly late and screwed up. read more

I decided to mobile order a Starbucks on my way to work when I remembered The Empanada Maker was right next door. I decided to pop in to give them a try since it's been years since I've last had them. When I walked in I saw two employees which looked to be the chefs. There was another behind the counter who ended up helping me. It was a simple and easy order/exchange which is always nice! I remember their cheese and spinach empanada was good so I ordered that one along with the seasonal veggie. Together they cost around $10 and some change which isn't bad considering how amazing they tasted. I really enjoyed the cheese and spinach one cause it had a ton of flavor and a flaky crust. The seasonal veggies one was alright and had a little less flavor than I was expecting. Overall I'm happy I stopped by and will be back to try out some of the other fillings! read more

The Empanada Maker - Quick bite before work - New American Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Lots of different empanada flavors to choose from - 10+. This makes it exciting as you have flavors for whatever you are feeling for the day. The seasonal veggie empanada was my favorite, super flavorful. The star however are their sauces. The empanadas were good but the chipotle sauce and the chimichurri were to die for! read more

The Empanada Maker - New American Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

These are the best empanadas in Orange County! The Beef Pot Roast Empanada is amazing and is nothing like you have ever tasted before. So glad they brought it back for the new location! read more

The best Empanadas in SoCal and it's not even close! Do yourself a favor and stop by and grab yourself a Philly cheesesteak and thank me later. The sauces that they offer are incredible and they also have great dessert empanada selections double thumbs up and I will be coming back for sure. read more

We got their family pack of empanadas, which enabled us to try quite a few. They all tasted good, from the non-meat ones, meat, and desert types. Each one has a number baked into the edge so you can tell them apart. This was a fun, relatively inexpensive way to feed 3 people for dinner. The variety you can choose from is nice and we've never had one we didn't like. read more

The Empanada Maker - Family pack of empanadas - New American Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Title: Pocket-Sized Flavor Bombs That Ruined My Diet and My Life (In the Best Way Possible) The creators who invented these empanadas I'm 97% sure they were trying to bribe the gods with flavor. And honestly? It worked. I would follow those empanada into battle. I would let one hold my dog. I would vote for an empanada for president. and the SAUCE WOW slapped harder than my grandma when I talked back. It was zesty, spicy, and made my taste buds throw a fiesta and call in sick the next day. 10/10 recommended my work orders them every week and there gone in seconds read more

MJ S. Recommended this place to me and it was not disappointing st all. The best empanadas Ive had so far, and it's not even close! Do yourself a favor and stop by The Empanada Maker, you won't regret it at all. Everything is fresh, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. The sauces they offer, especially the chimichurri, are next level, and their dessert empanadas are just as good. Double thumbs up from me, and I'll definitely be coming back for more! Service was fantastic and Ambiance was pretty great! I vibe! read more

Thirteen different empanada varieties plus three dessert empanadas, which one you pickin'? Finally got to stop by the Empanada Maker which I had bookmarked for years. It's a fast food looking setup and you can get hot and ready empanadas or you can take home unbaked dozens for your freezer. A dozen empanadas will run you $39.99 but with Yelp check-in you get $5 off. I went with Combo #3 for $15.99 which comes with three empanadas of my choice, one side and a fountain drink. I got fries for my side and added extra side of chimichurri rice for $3.99. Original Chicken Empanada (chicken breast, bell peppers, peas, potatos) - I liked the taste of this one, all the vegetables were very soft in this one. That means they cook the filling pretty long before putting it in the shell. Based on personal preference that could be a good or bad thing. Taste wise was great, I personally would have liked it a little firmer inside. Original Beef Empanada (ground beef, onions, potatoes, black olives, egg) - I like black olives and loved this one because the black olive was definitely noticeable but not overwhelming. Ultra savory and all the ingredients just go well together. Spinach and Cheese Empanada (spinach, garlic, onions, mozzarella and parmesan) - Since I had two meat empanadas, this one was a good one to balance it out with some veggies. It's mainly spinach and cheese taste with just a hint of garlic. Seasoned Fries - They give a generous portion of long fries, hot and crispy! Chimichurri Rice - It looked great but it was a little short on chimichurri flavor. Maybe I was hoping for it being a little more sour with a little more garlic and parsley bite? Or maybe I was hoping for too much? Anyhow, the portion size for the regular at $3.99 is kind of small. I would pass on this next time. Cilantro Avocado Sauce ($.50) - This had no taste to me. I would not get this again. Chimichurri Sauce ($.50) - This chimichurri sauce was a lot of finely ground parsley from what I could see but it didn't have any bite or that much flavor. I love chimichurri sauce but would have to pass on this sauce too. Some items here are hits and others are misses. If you are coming here, you are coming for the empanadas and they are all very tasty. The empanada crust is on the thinner side so they are good when fresh but the sauce might seep through if you keep it in your fridge a couple of days so eat them fresh or freeze them. The side sauces were small in size and disappointing but thankfully the empanadas don't need the extra sauce. The fries were great. Empanadas are mid-sized and $3.79 each so it can add up if you order a few of them. But hey, where else can you find this many different empanada flavors in South County? read more

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I love the new restaurant! These are the best empanadas I've ever tasted! I was so excited for the restaurant to open at the new location and they didn't disappoint! Beautifully decorated interior and super friendly staff! I recommend the pot roast and the chicken florentine ones. Delicious! read more

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Great food, great service. We were close by for a baseball tournament and had to feed a crowd. So many types to choose from: our favorites were the Beef Pot Roast, Original chicken, Spinach and all the breakfast empanadas. Pastry is flaky, and fillings are flavorful. Surprisingly, the Pepperoni Pizza one wasn't as popular with the kids as the more "exotic" flavors. read more

The Empanada Makers came to our place of business for an event we were holding. The staff was so friendly and answered all the questions I had. I had 3 empanadas and they were all delicious. My favorite was the spinach and cheese. I would like to make a suggestion for a new flavor: Hatch Chili Chicken and Cheese. You can name it after me read more

Such a great hole in the whole place. The staff are friendly and helpful. We did 12 empanadas,large rice and small rice pudding. So delicious!! Every time we're Mission Viejo we stop here. read more

The Empanada Maker - Diablo.is my favorite - New American Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

I've been coming to the Empanada Maker for over 10 years & I continue to come back often. Their empanadas are so fresh and tasty! The crust is perfect and there is plenty of filling in each delicious one. My favorites are the Chicken Florentine & the Diablo. Their salads & sides are all yummy too. I encourage anyone that hasn't been in to try them out, I promise you will be hooked too! read more

The service was great and the shop has a good warm and inviting feel to it. I got 4 empanadas (Seasonal Veggie, Four Cheese, Beef, and one I can't remember but it seemed like Cheddar?) and a large side of chimichurri rice. All of the empanadas were made very well. I loved the Seasonal Veggie one. The Four Cheese and Cheddar were good but not great for me, which is understandable because they are pretty plain. I didn't like the Beef empanada but that's on me because I didn't realize it had olives. If you like olives, it's great. I just don't. The rice was excellent! I'm looking forward to going back and trying some more empanadas! read more

I was hoping to do a more thorough review, but when i got home yesterday, I opened my bag and found two dessert empanadas were missing (Chocolate Crème Brûlée and Berry Cheesecake). I didn't want to drive back because I was borderline hangry. I sent a message through their website under "Feedback," and hope to hear back soon so I can update my review. But, here's what I know so far... THE FOODS | Delicious South American inspired and speciality (i.e., breakfast chorizo, Philly cheesesteak, pepperoni pizza) empanadas. If you don't know which empanada you're eating, look for a number stamped on the crust edge and that will correspond to the number on the menu. They also have salads, beautifully made side dishes, and really tasty dipping sauces. I ordered... - #5 Spinach | Creamy spinach with melted cheese. The empanada is softly crunchy with a flaky crust edge. It seems simple, but complexly savory with subtle notes of sweetness from the pastry dough. - #10 The Diablo | Tender BBQ spicy pulled pork, slightly crunchy onions, cheddar cheese, and cilantro. Intensely flavorful and perfectly saucy without it gushing out the empanada. The spice lingers, but doesn't numb your taste buds. - #5D Chocolate Crème Brûlée | Chocolate custard and crème brûlée. Can't review because it was missing from my order. - #3D Berry Cheesecake | Cheesecake with berry compote and powdered sugar on top. Can't review because it was missing from my order. - Deviled Egg Potato Salad | Chopped egg whites with mayonnaise, chunks of potatoes, diced celery & red bell pepper. Creamy and rich with contrasting crunchiness from the celery. Insanely good. THE PARKING SITUATION | Free parking near and around the restaurant. There's enough parking spaces so you won't be doing that thing of circling around trying to look for a spot to open up. read more

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Doordash order! Did not go into the shop so I can not comment on it. But the order that we made through the Doordash was fulfilled very quickly! The empanadas was really good. I love the sweet coconut empanada and the breakfast bacon empanada. Those are definitely my two favorite ones. The other ones also good though! They were still nice and warm when we got them. Very recommended! Thank you. read more

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This place is perfect for a quick bite as all the empanadas are already made in advance. I'd definitely come back when I'm not in the mood for a whole meal as 2-3 empanadas here is pretty filling for a snack. I've tried their their Pot Roast which is delicious and full of flavor, and I really enjoyed how there was a mini layer of mashed potatoes on it. Their Pepperoni one is also delicious and a very safe choice, it tastes just like the pizza Hot Pocket. I was pleasantly surprised by the Breakfast Steak one too as it comes with scrambled eggs and cheese. I thought the steak would be tough but it was good for the price point! I believe these were $3.79/each since they were all part of their specialty menu. My sister and I also enjoy their Crème Brûlée one when it's refrigerated- it's a sweet little treat! I prefer and would recommend eating their savory empanadas hot and their dessert ones cold. I love that The Empanada Maker has both sweet and salty menu items- it's super convenient and I can see this place being perfect for either a quick bite or even to bring to a pot luck/party! read more

The Empanada Maker - 1B Breakfast Steak - New American Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Glad I finally got to try this. I ordered 1 of everything. The empanadas had a nice thin crust. My least favorite was the famous cheese everyone keeps raving about. I know it's several cheese mixed together, but I thought the cheese didn't have much flavor and was pretty basic. It also hardened up pretty quickly too. Definitely something you should eat right away after ordering. I enjoyed the other empanadas, very good. I enjoyed the side of chimichurri sauce. I ordered one of their available dessert that day. Some type of fruit cookie. It was delicious. I was however disappointed to find out in the end that they had a nice deal if you buy certain amount. The girl working the register didn't mention it or suggest the deal so I missed out on paying a little less. But I love to support small business so I will be back to order. read more

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Love there empanada. They moved closer to me so this is great. I take mine home. Service was efficient. Would go back for sure!

Delicious little empanadas! So many flavors to choose from and all quite tasty. I especially like the philly cheese flabored one and their 4 cheese one. Quite delicious. Staff is super friendly. I got a couple orders of empanadas to go as I was bringing food for a potluck. They were quite good and very popular among guests. read more

Specializes in empanadas you sure have high expectations that it will be amazing. This offers a great variety of both sweet and savory empanadas. Each empanada is about $3.80 each. It's a fair size and a dozen is about $40 I got to try their original chicken and original beef. Between the two probably the beef is slightly better. Overall it was tasty but not the greatest in the area. Would still support them if you're a local read more

They shorted me on my order. Once I realized I only got two empenada instead of the three I paid for, she said she would credit my credit card. NEVER HAPPENED. how hard is it to fulfill an order of three empenadas correctly? And then to not get my money back after calling? PATHETIC. read more

I visited around 6pm on New Year's Day 1/1/2022. I tried their empanadas for the first time. I have been hearing from a lot of people that their empanadas are really good. Not sure if Its because We came a little later in the day (around 6pm) but I just thought they were ok, not great. They still had everything available except for one type of empanada. I forgot which one but I asked the worker who rang me up. I ordered 3 to try: pot roast, the original chicken and a berry cheesecake. The pot roast was not that good, it was a little watery, too salty. The original chicken one had the best filling. The cheesecake one was just ok, it was just a berry jam with cheesecake filling. The breading for on all the empanadas need more flavor or a more buttery, non doughy texture. I'm not an expert on empanadas by any means but I've had way better so am able to compare. The breading for the empanadas were my least favorite part, it was just too bland for me. In addition, the fillings could be mixed better. For example: the meat filling would be at one end of the empanadas and the potatoes would be at the other end. Same with the berry cheesecake one. The shop seemed very clean. However, when I walked in, there was no one there other than 2 workers. There was no one at the front counter but there was one female worker standing to the side of the shop with a mop in her hand. She was standing right in view of me but didn't bother to look up, kept staring at her phone. At one point she looked right at me but then looked back at her phone. I had to say hello first. It was extremely awkward! She said hi and looks back at her phone. Then a second worker came to ring me up. She talked in a monotone voice and I had to say hi before she even greeted me. The whole encounter was so uncomfortable, like they didn't want me there. I understand it's not ideal to have to work on a holiday but don't take it out on your customer. However, based on other reviews regarding the service here, I feel like their bad customer service skills are a norm. I probably would come back to try different empanadas again but based on how uncomfortable the interaction was, I will not be coming back. There are many other places to get better empanadas with nicer customer service. read more

The Empanada Maker - Original chicken, pot roast - New American Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

My husband happened to be in the area and picked up some empanadas for me. I've always got room for empanadas! The philly cheesecake was my favorite; loaded with juicy slices of steak, peppers and onions. The cream cheese and provolone fused together and made a nice sauce to balance it out. Heavy on heavy somehow worked! I had high hopes for the pork chile verde but the flavor didn't shine through as I'd hoped. Would 100% try it again though to see if it was a fluke. The diablo was a let down. Spicy but not very flavorful or otherwise notably seasoned. All in all, very well made and the flavor options are abundant! If I'm in the area, I will definitely have to try some of the dessert ones. Be sure to check in in Yelp for $5 off a dozen! read more

The Empanada Maker - Menu: side dishes, family packs, & dozen - New American Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

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First time trying the Empanada Maker. When I first walked in I was greeted right away. Place is nice and clean They have a lot of empanadas to choose from even one with desserts. I ordered a combo with 2 empanadas, one chicken one beef, with the jalapeño beans. Diana was very sweet and gave me some suggestions to try. since it was my first time, I went with the basic chicken and beef. You can't go wrong with those 2 right??? Omg they were both tasty. I liked the chicken a little bit more than the beef. I loved the chimichurri sauce. Nom nom. The Jalapeño beans were good as well. Everyone knows I love spicy! The crust of the empanadas soft and flaky. I should've got more. I highly recommend and I'll definitely be back! Thank you Diana for your delicious empanadas and amazing customer services read more

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Food was amazing and the staff was super friendly and helpful. Standard ambiance and the place was very clean.