5411 Empanadas
Categories: Event Planning & Services Caterers Restaurants Argentine Food Street Vendors Caterers, Argentine, Street Vendors [Edit]
Chicago, IL 60602(312) 972-5411
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
92 reviews for 5411 Empanadas
Review Highlights
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"The bbq chicken is amazing, as is the ham and cheese." In 27 reviews -
"The sweet corn is excellent as well." In 14 reviews -
"Cant wait to find this truck on the street in my hood." In 44 reviews
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92 reviews in English
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Review from Nicole W.
5/9/2012
Holy yum.
If I knew I could order empanadas for delivery (minimum order and time restrictions, of course), I would probably look like an empanada. I had the pleasure of indulging in 5411's delicious empanadas via delivery and I.was.very.impressed.
To be frank, typically, I'm not a fan of the empanada. My past experiences have proven them to be either too dry/boring or too greasy/fried. But oh, no. Not 5411's empanadas. These little pockets of joy were a pleasure to dine upon. Pair the sizeable, handheld snacks with one or two of their tasty sauces, and you have a meal worthy raving about.
I tried the spinach and cheese as well as the ham and cheese. Honestly, I can't pick a clear winner...they were both fantastic. Slightly crispy on the edges (baked, not fried), with the right about of chew to the pastry. The filling in both options was great. Spinach was perfectly paired with shards of cheese while the ham and cheese was breakfast waiting to happen. Next time I need delivery in the city, I'm saying no thanks to pizza and ordering up some empanadas.Listed in: Chicago Cravings
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Review from Jamie J.
Los Angeles, CA
5/17/2012
#31
I was just walking by and I can never pass up a food truck. Checked it on yelp and voila. Good ratings.
So I went with the following empanadas:
Spinach and cheese : 4 stars as this turned out to be my favorite. Maybe cause it was the first try at this spot. The pastry was flaky and the filling was just down right superb. I bought the extra hot sauce and it was worth it as it blended perfectly with the empanada. I was surprised at how fresh it tasted as if it just came out of the oven
BBQ chicken : also good but 3 stars for me. Again the hot sauce was a nice accompaniment. I say the sauce is perfect for 3 empanadas.
Sweet Onion : I give it 3 1/2 stars. Not a big fan of onions but the owner recommended it and I never turn those down. She was right, it was delicious.
This was a nice find and I went late in afternoon with no lines. Highly recommend this place. -
Review from Andrea R.
5/16/2012
Pizza delivery? Sooo 2011...empanada delivery is the new thing to do. At least it's the new thing to do if you have enough people to devour 24 empanadas or perhaps you're just really hungry.
We ordered several boxes of empanadas for a recent event and everyone was a fan. I helped myself to one delicious spinach and cheese empanada and then realized I couldn't stop at just 1. It was hard enough to stop after 3!
I brought home a doggy bag for my husband because I wanted him to experience such empanada deliciousness. Sadly we had run out of spinach and cheese empanadas (perhaps cause I ate them all), but I grabbed a few bbq chicken empanadas. He took a few bites and declared they were absolutely awful. I tried it myself and have to admit I agree.
I still think empanada delivery is the thing to do, but perhaps stay away from the bbq chicken. Spinach and cheese empanadas is where it's at!Listed in: Delivery restaurants in…
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Review from Anthony M.
Chicago, IL
I recently attended an event where 5411 Empanadas dropped off there food.
At first I thought we were getting pizza because they were delivered in white pizza boxes but when the box was opened these amazing treats were all laid out nicely.
There were 4 different flavors to choose from: Beef, BBQ Chicken, Spinach and Ham/Cheese. The Empanadas were large, in fact, I knew I was going to have to choose wisely because there was no way I was going to be able to try all 4 of them.
I figured I would take a little poll among the other event attendees to see which ones they liked. This really did not help me because apparently all 4 were popular among our group. At this point, I knew I could do no wrong and went with the BBQ Chicken Empanada. It was very good...the BBQ sauce and the chicken were really tasty.
After a few minutes, I had to make another move because the Empanadas were starting to disappear. The spinach were completely gone so I decided to go traditional and grab a beef empanada. I thought that the quality of beef inside was really good.
I thought that this was a great idea to have a food truck cater an event. I am now going to keep my eyes open for there truck on the streets of Chicago or find out there Twitter account for location updates. I can hardly wait to try them again! -
Review from Colleen C.
Chicago, IL
5/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Review for Delivery/Catering Services by 5411 Empanadas!
Ok, now that we've established that I've never even seen their food truck...I can tell you a bit about my experience with the catering/delivery division of this rockin' little truck.
*Checked website, clear instructions for delivery.
*Minimum of 24 for FREE delivery. (score!)
*4 varieties available: beef, spinach/cheese, bbq chicken, ham/cheese
*Placed order via email about a week out.
*Nicolas (owner) replied promptly with details on pricing, payment, etc.
*I called the next day to secure with credit card.
*He emailed me a receipt right away for my records.
*They delivered 150 empanadas to my event at exactly the right time.
Zero complaints, and in fact...RAVES! They exceeded expectations, were the perfect snack for people to have with happy hour, no silverware required, minimal clean-up, locally-made, small business. They brought napkins and small plates, and of course they were packaged in really easy pizza-like boxes for easy serving. The only thing better would've been to roll the food truck right in!
Many people at the event commented on how great the empanadas were. I felt very happy that they were all happy and I owe it all to 5411 Empanadas! The most popular was the spinach & cheese, but perhaps because it was the only veggie option. Also, order the sauces! Definitely worth it. They are 50 cents/piece.
*they do not have a physical location or store, but the ordering process above is easy via phone or email. Would be great for a corporate lunch or meeting, etc.
So for 150 empanadas, 20 sauces, delivery + tip it came in at just about $325. For the quality and delight...well worth it.Listed in: Throwing a Party!
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Review from Amaliya L.
Chicago, IL
5/8/2012
I was treated to 5411 empanadas at a Yelp Town Hall meeting. I wanted to try them all...but I was in a hurry and did not want to be "That girl who took appetizers with her in a doggy bag." I snuck out with 1 BBQ chicken empanada. Upon taking a bite outside, I literally wanted to cry. Food this good should be illegal. I'm not joking.
AND.....I have a confession to make. I searched for this place on Yelp while in my car. I loved them so much that I wanted to drive over and pick some up for some friends that were watching my son. I literally wanted to cry again when I saw that they did not have an address listed and no one was answering the phone.
5411 Empanada...I think that you should be renamed 911 Empanada, because there was an emergency that needed to be addressed in my mouth! -
Review from Bri A.
5/16/2012 1 photo
When I saw that this truck was with Soups in the Loop today, I knew it was a sign to finally try their empanadas! I ordered three: beef, spinach and cheese and ham and cheese. The spinach was my favorite, followed by the ham & cheese. The beef was okay. They are kind of pricey at $2 each but most food truck items are. I may try them again but the empanadas at El Mercado Food Mart on Southport will always be my favorite!
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Review from Kudo Z.
4/23/2012
They have one of a kind BAKED Empanadas in the entire city! 'ough said
the Empanadas are in perfect petite size as well. Not too stuffing like a colossal Calzone.
LOVE the onion flavored one. Wish they could provide more variety for veggie lovers. Also, wish they could branch out into other Argentinian goodiness. -
Review from January C.
Chicago, IL
I just inhaled 4 of the most amazing empanadas ever!
I missed this truck when it was parked outside my office last week so I was quite pleased when I found it outside the office today. There were 8 savory varieties with and without meat, and one dessert. I chose the beef; caramelized onion with parmesan; mushroom, thyme, and blue cheese; and the sweet corn. I also ordered both sauce options of hot and chimichurri.
The beef was nicely spiced including green olives and was well paired with the chimichurri sauce. The caramelized onion was much sweeter than I was expecting but I decided was also well paired with the chimichurri sauce. The mushroom and blue cheese had a lot of flavor going on and was quite rich so I opted for no sauce. The sweet corn was kind of like creamed corn in a pastry and teamed well with both sauces. I couldn't have been happier with my choices but kind of wish they had all been twice as big.
Be forewarned of the very liberal use of garlic in both sauces as well as in the mushroom blue cheese emapanada. I happen to be a huge fan of garlic so this was no problem for me, but I'm not sure how my co-workers are going to feel about talking to me later... -
Review from Joyce C.
Morton Grove, IL
3/22/2012
So I'm heading out in search of a chicken sandwich for lunch and lo and behold, the empanada truck. YES!
I'm loving how the South Loop is finally getting some trucks around here.
Ordered the beef, the bbq chicken and a spinach and cheese. The fillings were all pretty good. The beef was a good picadillo with lots of brininess from the olives, the sauce in the bbq chicken was sweet and smoky and not too overpowering, and the spinach and cheese was their version of a spanakopita. Only problem are the somewhat soggy-ish crusts.
I walked downstairs, ordered my food, came back to my desk and lunch was done in less than 10 minutes. These were way better than a chicken sandwich!! -
Review from Kate M.
2/16/2012
When I'm in the office my first choice for lunch is Food Truck Row (as I've affectionately named the block of Dearborn just north of Monroe). This week I've had a lot of conference calls and not a lot of time for lunch. A quick walk over to Dearborn yesterday and I was lucky enough to find the legendary 5411 Empanadas truck.
The chalk board menu lists the 10 or so options and says they are $1.99 (+tax) each. I spent my time in line wondering how big each empanada would be and how many I should attempt to eat. I decided on the bbq chicken, mushroom with thyme and blue cheese, and the banana nutella. The two savory ones were good, I'd definitely get both again. The banana nutella was delicious. I spent most of the afternoon thinking about it, mmmmmm'ing, and wishing it had been bigger (get your mind out of the gutter, I'm still talking about the empanada).
Hopefully I'll catch the 5411 Empanadas truck again and get a chance to try a couple more of these tasty little pastries filled with deliciousness.Listed in: Food Trucks!
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Review from Meghan P.
Chicago, IL
3/9/2012
Delicious cheap and sometimes right outside the office!? WHAT.
No seriously though it is the most delicious deal around as far as the food trucks go. And the only downside really is the line that ensues wherever it may go. There's not a lot of time at lunch where do these people work that they can stand in line that long? -
Review from Rachel G.
Chicago, IL
4/18/2012
If you work in the Loop you have to try these empanadas!! They're cheap at 2 bucks each, and every kind I've tried is delish. Ham and cheese, spinach and cheese, bbq chicken, and sweet corn are my favs, and their dessert banana and nutella one is divine. They're small so I'd suggest getting at least 3 for lunch. Nothin better than siting outside in Chase plaza getting some sun during lunch, while munching on these tiny pockets of heaven.
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Review from John R.
Chicago, IL
2/9/2012
Emanada limonada camarada jornalada I wananadda!
Seriously, I want another. Cause they're kinda chicitito. But at $2, I can afford to get another. And I WILL.
These are some tasty little suckers, and I think I ate one of each. Spinach and cheese - not a snoozefest! Ham cheese? Amazingly interesting and good. And the beef. Oh, the beef...actually, a small beef about the beef - they could be clearer here. Its actually picadillo, which is ground beef with boiled eggs, olives, sometimes raisins, sometimes capers, sometimes carrots, often potatoes. But its still mainly beef, so I might be nitpicking. I dunno. Its good.
Chimichurri is dead on and best with the savory offerings. The carmelized onion one was sweet but not gross, which is often an issue with sugar parading as food. This one works out alright.
So get one, get two, get three and still have cab fare. Gotta love it.
Wannanada? Me too! -
Review from Troy B.
Chicago, IL
2/10/2012
Excellent food truck. I always get 3 empanadas and the chips. I always think I should have bought more. Each one is different and great in its own way. My favorite is the ham and cheese.
My only complaint is that they rarely come around the AON center any more. -
Review from Brett K.
3/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Hit or miss. They pull up almost every nice day across from the chase tower and Dearborn and Monroe. The desert ones are pretty good and I liked the ham and cheese best. Not bad for pre-cooked truck food but something about these little empanada nuggets makes me picture them sitting happily in the truck all morning/afternoon and takes away some excitement and crunchiness.
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Review from Moe f.
Chicago, IL
3/9/2012
Empanada's rock and a good value.
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Review from John N.
Chicago, IL
10/6/2011 1 photo
Most food trucks are overrated. 5411 Empanadas isn't. Basically serving up South American mini-calzones, they don't offer a lot of choices, just six different varieties of empanadas, all of them excellent. Unlike a lot of food truck fare, empanadas have a relatively long temperature half-life, meaning you won't have to reheat them when you return to your office. Also unlike many other food trucks, the doughy casing isn't prone to over saturation, and they're not messy if you decide to eat them outside.
Fast becoming the Hot Doug's of food trucks, expect a long line even before they open. -
Review from Matt T.
12/1/2011
5411 rarely comes to Streeterville so when I spot them I have to stop. I tried a spinach & cheese empanada a month ago and really really liked it. For a $1.99, I think it's worth it. The empanada somehow stays crispy and flaky throughout the day and the flavor itself is pretty great.
Just a few mins ago I spotted 5411 outside my office on my way back from the gym. Deciding to skip my weak sandwich from home I got a ham & cheese and a spinach, tyme and blue cheese. The ham & cheese lived up to the hype as it was extremely tasty. A nice flaky crust with nice chunks of ham and swiss cheese.
The mushroom empanada was a different story. Flavor was decent but not great. But what gets a star removed from my rating is the use of canned mushrooms. They just flat out gross me out and shouldn't be used in fresh daily cooking. When I go to a food truck I expect pretty decent ingredients for the price I pay. Canned mushrooms must serve some purpose but it's not in food trucks, on pizza or in good restaurants. Canned mushrooms have an awful pungent taste and are extremely rubbery. It's very easy to spot these culprits as they are usually an off grey in color, rigidly cut and are rubbery.
Seeing that canned mushrooms are used in their empanadas I am now wondering how fresh the other ingredients that are used.
5411 has a wide variety of other empanadas that I'll try next time including, beef, sweet corn, BBQ chicken and the bananas and nutella. Hopefully, I'll enjoy those and the owner of 5411 will read this and start using fresh mushrooms. It makes all the difference.Comment from Andres A. of 5411 Empanadas 12/6/2011
Hello Matt, thanks for your review. We just want you to know… More » -
Review from Jessie B.
Chicago, IL
9/26/2011
OMFG.
I've died & gone to Food Truck heaven.
Follow them on twitter to find out where they will be serving little pastry pockets of loveliness--you won't be disappointed you did.
BIG LOVE. -
Review from LeeRyan S.
The Loop, Chicago, IL
3/14/2012
Tried it for the first time because it was a beautiful day in Chicago. stumbled upon the 5411 truck bought four of them beef, chicken BBQ, banana nutella and some veggie one. Pretty darn good, I am a 5411 EMPANADAS FAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Review from Mickey A.
8/20/2011
After hearing such good things about this food truck, I decided to keep tabs on them so I could try at least one empanada. I finally caught up with it at one of the Wednesday nights food truck meet-ups downtown.
Then, of course, I couldn't decide what to get.
One of the employees suggested the beef one. It seemed like a popular choice from other customers. I ordered a beef empanada and decided to also try the spinach and cheese. I didn't order any of the sauces but wish I did to use with the spinach and cheese. It just tasted sort of bland to me. The beef, at least to me, was quite tasty without any. I'm taking notes for next time. Duly noted for next visit: get one of the sauces.
At $3/each, I had a cheap quick dinner that I hope to try again. -
Review from Eric V.
Chicago, IL
2/15/2012
I can't say I was blown away by 5411's empanadas, but they're definitely decent. They're also a good value at roughly $2 a pop. 3 or 4 would make for a filling lunch, but don't feel guilty if you have a couple more since these little hot pockets are baked instead of fried. The best of the bunch were the Spinach & Cheese, as well as the Beef with a side of Chimichurri for dipping. Just make sure you don't have any meetings the rest of the day cause the chimichurri comes with a guaranteed case of garlic breath.
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Review from Dodd V.
Mount Prospect, IL
10/27/2011
Now that I am working down town, I have a whole new world to explore and review. Lucky me! :)
So over the past few weeks, I have spent a lot of lunch hours trying the different food trucks to see what the buzz is all about. I most certainly have found trucks that are worthy of the buzz, unfortunately this one is not one of them.
I tried the beef, BBQ Chicken and sweet corn and all were just ok. The price is right at $1.99 each which allows you to try a variety without going broke, but unfortunately none of the ones I tried really excited me. Would buy here again? Sure I would. Would I be disapointed if they never parked outside my office again and replaced by another truck? Not at all.
The variety of the food trucks is really nice, and I do like to mix it up a bit, but I also have my favorites (coming in following reviews). I had high hopes for 5411 Empandas but there was no "wow" factor. -
Review from Ben R.
Chicago, IL
8/18/2011
I just finished lunch from their food truck on Van Buren and Wacker. It was the fourth time I've had it. It was amazing as usual!!! The line was really long this time. It took about 20 minutes to get to the front. But it was worth it.
My favorite is the ham and cheese. I also like the beef and banana/nutella. The hot sauce has a little too much garlic, so I ended up using my own.
I will definitely be there next Thursday, but I will arrive a little earlier to beat the line. -
Review from Irene G.
1/19/2012
Another food truck that makes its occasional stop outside my work building. It's becoming a quick obsession trying out all these food trucks! There's something about empanadas that gets me super excited, but after I eat it, I feel nothing. I've had the spinach and cheese empanada as well as the beef and I have to say both are just okay. The beef one had bits of boiled egg in it which kind of grossed me out... Anyway, for $1.99 it's a good apetizer. Definitely go elsewhere if you are looking for a filling and satisfying meal.
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Review from Sabrina G.
Chicago, IL
7/11/2011
This is a tough review to write. However, as an Argentinian who ate empanadas on an almost weekly basis (Saturday night empanadas and pizza isn't just a family tradition, it's a city-wide obsession in Buenos Aires) for the first 13 years of my life, I feel I am adequately qualified to be critical here.
As far as authenticity, the dough is just like you would find in many a Buenos Aires bakery: thin, savory without overpowering, oh-so-delightfully-NOT-greasy. The traditional empanada fillings I had (spinach & cheese, sweet corn) were very similar to many I've had back in the motherland. My mom (who ate empanadas on an almost weekly basis for 25 years longer than me) tried the ham & cheese and gave that her stamp of approval as well -- she did say hers was lots of cheese and little ham, but that's a minor offense.
A lot of the items on their menu might induce hard-core Argie purists to spit at it (i.e.: BBQ chicken, Nutella & banana, hot sauce!!). From what I've heard though, they're tasty to American paletes so I offer my kudos to 5411 for being creative and adaptive.
Also, I can guarantee you'll want to put Argentinian chimichurri on everything once you taste it, but us Argies aren't in the habit of putting sauces on much of anything (integrity of the ingredients and simplicity being key tenets of our cooking), especially empanadas. If you don't believe that this is a foreign interpretation/blend of things that don't typically got together, google: "empanadas con chimichurri" and let me know how many hits you get in Spanish (and how many of those aren't from Mexican/Central American websites). Generally, I did think the idea of empanadas with chimichurri was nicely played, if not particularly inventive -- Tango Sur does this, too.
The addition of sauces makes even more sense after reading some reviews that found the empanadas bland. I've come across this view of Argentine food very often. It's just a different perspective on flavor. It's a good compromise.
On the baked Vs. fried debate, there's no contest. 5411 knows this, which is why they only sell baked empanadas. If you ask me, empanadas are like ravioli in that it's all about what's inside. The job of the empanada dough or ravioli pasta is to be pleasant without calling too much attention to itself. With fried empanadas, that just doesn't happen. The dough also tends to be much thicker. A little pointless IMO.
I would give them an extra star for having a kick-ass food truck, but then I'd have to subtract one because they don't have a store-front yet and their truck comes nowhere near my neighborhood. I was able to catch them outside the Aon Center one time I happened to be downtown at lunchtime and was impressed with the truck. Their prices are totally reasonable, though I wouldn't call them cheap. I would definitely call in for delivery for a special occasion (they do have a minimum of 24 for delivery orders, which is why the truck is such a nice idea).
IN SHORT, You could find comparable empanadas in many shops in Argentina. But you won't find an overall better lineup of Argentine empanadas in Chicago (although the spinach empanada at Tango Sur may win in the solo category). They'll get 4 stars once they open up a store. -
Review from Angela P.
6/27/2011
FINALLY got to try 5411 this weekend up in Evanston and the mini Food Truck Summit in a park up there. I'm not even going to get into the park...all I have to say is I was told "F*$& you mother f%$#@^" 10 too many times by a homeless woman (one of MANY hanging around in the park).
So anyways...the line immediately started forming the second they showed up, like always, so I've heard. So I was quick to get in line. I ordered bbq chicken, beef, onion, ham and cheese and banana nutella.
Let me just say the most delicious part of the whole experience was the hot ass guy working the truck...Mmmmm mmmm! Now the empanadas, the tastiest one was by far the ham and cheese, totally non-traditional but the best in my opinion! The onion was super sweet and delicious, but the filling was a little almost pureed tasting for me which threw me off, but I would get it again. The beef was dry and too plain for me, the bbq chicken was just ok and wasn't filled nearly as much as the others. And the banana nutella...sorry 5411...but YUCK! It was very slime-y for my taste so I couldn't have more than one bite. I would suggest mixing sliced bananas with the nutella and then stuffing and baking them. Just an idea. If I am around when 5411 lands again, I will def be ordering some ham and cheese and the onion, but I don't know that I would make a special trip again just to get one.Listed in: Foodie Trucks! Love...
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Review from Ian V.
8/29/2011
I tried this place out so that i could enjoy my lunch hour outside. It's a food truck and it is nicely done up. It's set up like an ice cream truck with the service window but since there was a line someone helped people out from the back of the truck so it was nice they moved people along. The menu was written on a chalkboard next to the truck but something along the side of it would be more convenient i think.
I tried the beef empanada and it was tasty and savory. I enjoyed the slight brine added by the olives inside as it cut the oiliness of the beef. I also trued the spinach and cheese. It was very oily but tasty nonetheless. The crusts on both empanadas were nice and flakey. Very good empanadas overall. my one gripe is that they are a bit small and i didn't feel full afterwards. -
Review from John Z.
Chicago, IL
10/28/2011
Really good empanadas! My only complaint is that it takes 5 of them to fill me up. At $1.99 a piece, that's a pretty expensive food truck lunch.
My favorite is the beef, and my favorite dessert one is the banana nutella. -
Review from Mary T.
5/27/2011
A co-worker has been hip to 5411 well before they had their truck. Having lived in Argentina for a time, he tried to convince us we needed to try them, but without a store front it fell on deaf ears - until they got the truck that is.
When I heard about 5411's truck a few months back, I started to stalk...er...track the truck. I was foiled by a long line and crappy weather on my first attempt. (shakes angry fist at drunk St. Paddy's Day revelers) By the time I made it around again, the turnout for empanadas dwarfed that of the Meatyballs Mobile (sorry Balls).
These empanadas are baked, not fried; it gives me the delusion that they're healthy, despite the flaky, buttery shell. They recommend 3-4 empanadas per person and they run $2 each, I say get three at a minimum. You can get a side of chimichurri or hot sauce on the side for a little extra; I highly recommend the chimichurri sauce, but be forewarned you will have some fierce garlic breath.
5411 sells six varieties of emapanadas; 3 meat and 3 veggie, differentiated by the way their pastry shell is formed. On my first visit to the truck, I tried the spinach and sweet onion empanadas and a grabbed some beef ones for two co-workers. My favorite of the two varieties was the spinach and cheese - packed with spinach it was so flavorful. The onion was good too, but quite sweet, almost dessert-like.
Our little empanada excursion caused such a stir that the office had 5411 cater a small internal event. I wasn't involved in the ordering process, but the empanadas arrived on time, were packaged nicely in chafing dishes, and a big hit. We ordered a little bit of everything, but the spinach and beef ones seemed to be the most popular of the six. I tried the sweet corn, but the spinach dipped in chimichurri remains my favorite.
If you're not tracking this truck, you should; it's a great, reasonably priced lunch option and unlike most of the Loop dining options. If you have an order of at least 24, they'll deliver them to you.
Fun fact: 5411's name comes the international dialing codes for Argentina (54) and Buenos Aires (11)Listed in: Hot Wheels
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Review from Jaimi T.
Chicago, IL
10/3/2011
Oh em gee, these empanadas are delicious! I get really excited when the food trucks come to Aon Center so that I can get a Friday afternoon treat. 5411 is definitely the most successful in my opinion. I've tried the spinach and cheese, which hands down my favorite one. The sweet corn is excellent as well. The ham and cheese is a touch salty for some people, but it hits the spot for me.
My refined order is now 2 spinach, 1 ham and cheese, and I eat one spinach on either side of eating the ham one. Perfect combination. My one complaint is that they're on the smaller side - which only means sometimes I want to order 4...
Tried the dessert empy once, nutella and banana - shut your face that's a good treat, and I'm not even really a fan of chocolate that much. Insider tip on getting extras for later - use a toaster or a toaster oven to reheat them. The microwave doesn't do trick - the t.o. keeps it crispy without making them mushy. -
Review from Mikey J.
12/17/2011
I'm a fan! The empanadas are excellent (albeit on the smaller side). I usually go for my three peat (ham and cheese, beef, and caramelized onions). They occasionally frequent Streeterville, and I hit them up when I get a chance. On a side note, love the rise of the food trucks this year!
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Review from Caesar R.
Brooklyn, NY
7/25/2011
Super friendly and helpful food truck people are awesome! Especially the guy behind the window of the 5411 Empanadas mobile.
I tried the beef which did go really well with the chimichuri sauce and also tried the caramelized onion and the spinach & cheese.
These are really good empanadas. Quite awesome for $2 each and very filling even they appear to be on the small side. -
Review from Syngin A.
Chicago, IL
8/3/2011
Of all the food trucks, I wanted to try 5411 Empanadas most, but they didn't come near enough to LaSalle & Wacker for me...until this Tuesday. There was the truck sitting at Dearborn & Wacker in front of the Leo Burnett building at 1:15 p.m., and there was no one in line. After a quick look at the menu, I raced into the Burnett building to the Chase ATM to get $100.00. I then went back to the truck and ordered 10 beef empanadas and 5 each of the other assortments. I also got 5 containers of the chimichurra sauce. I know I am a glutton, but I took it all as a sign from God that I am not meant to be thin.
I have been eating empanadas for lunch and dinner for the last two days so I think I have a good idea of which ones I loved and which ones I just like. I love the beef, ham & cheese and banana & nutella. I like the spinach and cheese, but I could pass on thebbq chicken, sweet onion parmesan and the sweet corn. The chimchurra sauce is just OK. I like everything spicy so something this mild probably is undetectable to my heat damaged tongue.
For $2 each, anyone of them is a steal. Three empanadas fill me up, and let's just say that I am a Rubenesque girl with a healthy appetite. Anymore and I'm just asking to get comatosed at my desk. For being baked and not fried, I found them almost as good, but I feel better about myself after eating these than the fried versions at restaurants. At my next office potluck, I'm ordering these, as my contributions. If there are any leftover, I'm taking them home. Maybe, I'll just take them all home and have my own private potluck. -
Review from Emily Z.
5/10/2011
Wikapedia - Empanada (n): An empanada is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried in many countries of Latin America and the south of Europe... or a healthy homemade hot pocket!!
I LOVE food trucks and I am happy to say 5411 Empanadas might be my favorite food truck as of yet; So delicious and so affordable at $1.99 each.
The Chimichuri was super fresh and very garlicky, but I will probably pass on it next time. If you do decided to get it heed my warning: do not throw it away in a trash can right besides your desk because you will be smelling its garlicky goodness taunting you all day.
The Ham and Cheese was delicious, packed with thick slices of ham and gooey cheese. The Sweet corn was delicious to me but others in my office thought it was just okay. I didn't particularly like the caramelized onion but it seemed split 50/50 in our office, so you might have to try that one on your own, be forewarned its very sweet, like dessert!
My coworkers could not stop raving about the beef and the spinach & cheese though... so looks like I'll be going back next time they are at 600 W Chicago, which better be soon!
Not only does Empanada 5411 get an A+ for the delicious food but they also get an A+ for branding with there theme of baby blue traveling through their cute little menu cards! and I love that all the Empanadas are all different shapes too!
So what are you waiting for, add them to your Facebook or twitter feed and hunt them down, they do respond to twitter request/taunting/threats, they take credit cards and in the off chance that they sell out before you get your hands on one don't worry you will get a free coupon for next time! -
Review from Candyce P.
Chicago, IL
5/8/2011
Getting hot empanadas for lunch, from a truck, could be the best thing that ever happened to workers in the Loop.
I finally got to try the empanadas a week or so ago, and walked to their stop at Sears Tower in the cold and rain. The line was longggg, and we waited about 15-20mins. I already knew what I wanted - my fave empanadas are the jamon con queso, and I ordered 6 of them (2 for lunch, 4 for pregaming snacks later that day). I also got 1 caramelized onion and 1 spinach/cheese. As my order was almost complete, I saw out of the corner of my eye, that they also have chimichurri. If you've never had chimichurri, please google it now, then make it at home with ingredients you are likely to have in your fridge as I type this.
It is one of THE best marinades/dipping sauces ever known.
The pastry shell of the empanada is good. Hot, flaky, buttery. The ham was slightly on the salty side for me, but mellowed out with the cheese. Dip it into the chimichurri and it is one of the best bites.
The veggie options were equally as delicious and I'd gladly have them over the ham/cheese ... Ok, just kidding. But I will have them WITH the ham/cheese again.
The guys on the truck were friendly. You can use cash or card, which is awesome.
Overall, definitely get to this truck.
(I'm raving about 5411 but only gave it 4 stars because my fave empanadas are still from Tango Sur.) -
Review from Tiff W.
4/14/2011
The first time I decided to get food from 5411 Empanadas, I took a leisurely stroll to the truck, only to be stunned by the 40+ person line that had already formed on the sidewalk. I sadly left and walked back to my office.
This time, I was ready. Thank you, 5411 Empanadas, for arriving to your location 20 minutes early...stealthy! I arrived with about 15 people ahead of me, waited about 10 minutes, and finally got my empanadas.
The beef empanada was great! It was stuffed with flavorful ground beef...I could have eaten 3 of these. I loved the spinach & cheese as well. My third was the caramelized onion & parmesan. I can't say that I would get it again as it was a little too sweet for me. And the hot sauce...you must get it.
I'm definitely returning and trying some of the other empanadas. While three empanadas didn't LOOK to be much and I thought that I would still be hungry afterwards, they definitely are deceiving and will fill you up.
So get on Twitter and be sure to follow @5411empanadas so you can get to the truck as soon as they land...otherwise you will be one of the poor hungry folk waiting in a line 40+ deep!
VIVA LA EMPANADA!Listed in: Lunch in the Loop, Food Truckin'
-
Review from Lindsey A.
Chicago, IL
6/2/2011
A little before noon today, 5411 sent out a Tweet saying they'd be by Sears (Willisbarf) Tower soon. I'd been waiting for them, patiently planning the perfect day to snag a few empanadas and experience Chicago's food truck phenom.
Then, someone posted a TwitPic of the line and my heart shattered into 5,000 tiny empanadas - there was no way they'd have any left (or still be there) by the time I walked from Madison/Franklin to the truck.
My nearest maybe-somewhat-similar-cuisine-but-not-really-at-a ll fix? Chipotle. I sighed and checked my Twitter feed one last time. And there it was, "We're here WITHOUT A LINE. If you're perving on this hot truck from your office building COME DOWN TO US NOW!!"
I grabbed my wallet and ran.
The sweet onion and parmesan blew out the sides of my mouth with flavor. The sweet corn melted with gooey goodness atop my tongue. The spinach and cheese was a little soggy but OK and bbq chicken was exactly as it says - bbq.
A tasting of four plus an orange soda while I sat in the sun made for one happy Thursday. YUM. -
Review from Brooke B.
Chicago, IL
7/27/2011
Not typically a fan of empanadas, but I will STALK this truck from now on, for it's delicious and savory treats.
I'm not sure how traditional the outside is, as typically I've only had heavy pastry empanadas, but I appreciated the light, flaky exterior (almost like a light pretzel/crescent roll texture/flavor).
My favorite: hands down the sweet onion/parmesan. I wish I ordered a box of them.
Other tasty ones: sweet corn and spinach and cheese. Was bummed that the banana/nutella one was out.
For lunch, I recommend 4 if you're hungry!!
