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Julia's Empanadas
Category: Restaurants Latin American Latin American [Edit]
1221 Connecticut Ave NW(between N 18th St & N Jefferson Pl)
Washington, DC 20036
Neighborhood: Dupont Circle
(202) 861-8828
- Nearest Transit:
-
Farragut North Metro Station (Red)
Dupont Circle Metro Station (Red)
Farragut West Metro Station (Blue, Orange)
- Hours:
Mon 10 am - 11:30 pm
Tue-Sat 10 am - 2 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
346 reviews for Julia's Empanadas
Review Highlights
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345 reviews in English
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Review from Samuel H.
Washington, DC
Baked or Fried? More filling, less filling? I had a bit of trouble when thinking about how to review Julia's Empanadas. Though I don't have any empirical data, I'm going to venture to guess that Julia's gets more business late-night than lunch or dinner. In this context, the absolute craze for a baked empanada that either needs half the dough or twice the filling makes sense.
I've had Julia's Empanadas sober and I've had it drunk. And it tasted a lot better when I was drunk. The thick doughy exterior helps soak up the alcohol and there isn't a lot of filling to irritate your stomach further than the 5 shots of Jack that is already churning inside you.
I've had it for lunch. The best way to improve the taste of the empanada is to take the empanada in both hands and squeeze one side of the empanada toward the center as you would a tube of toothpaste. Now, break the empanada in half. Eat the half with all the filling for lunch and save the other half for later tonight when you're drunk. Now, you have the best of both worlds.
And perhaps after a long night of drinking, after your wallet has been depleted of $100+ and your ego has been bruised and battered by just one too many rejections from the opposite sex, there is nothing quite like the comfort of being able to eat a large, pillowy $3.50 empanada on which to rest your weary soul. Love will have to wait another day, but the empanada is yours to eat as long as you didn't spend your last $5 on that money-sucking skeeball machine at Buffalo. -
Review from Anthony N.
Washington, DC
I never again need to eat fast food because I have discovered Julia's Empanadas.
When you need a tasty, cheap bite that you can eat on the go, you can't beat them. Every pie is delicious, but I'm particularly partial to the saltena, which has a satistying potato, beef, and egg mix, with some raisins to sweeten it up a bit. At less then $4 for a filling meal that's ready in two seconds, you can't beat it.
If you have a second, the beet salad is pretty nice as well. -
Review from Michel R.
Baltimore, MD
I went to this place to see what all the hype was about. I was beyond myself thinking I was going to have an unforgettable experience, but I was sadly mistaken.
Whenever an empanada can remind me of Mrs. Lovett's meatpies from the Sweeney Todd movie, it's never a good thing. I ordered the Chilean beef empanada, partly because I love beef, and I love empanadas!
Mrs. Lovetts meat pies! Run away! -
Review from Danielle M.
Washington, DC
Julia's Empanadas was always on my to-do list, but I never had the chance to go until...
Last Sunday, Bestie and I were walking around DC for hours! WE WERE STARVED! We saw Julia's Empanadas across the street, and ran towards it with excitement. Once we got to the front of the restaurant, we second guessed our choice to eat- since we had plans to devour some delicious burgers from Bobby's Burger Palace just a couple hours later. So, we walked away.... :-(
But don't worry, we changed our minds again and found ourselves inside Julia's just 30 minutes later :-). If you're hungry and you want a warm, delicious, and satisfying quick and cheap meal.... THIS IS WHERE YOU WANT TO BE!
I chose the Chilean Style Beef empanada. A big and delicious warm empanada with ground and chopped beef, raisins, hard-boiled egg, onion, and ripe olive all piled inside. I started chomping down on my empanada the second it was handed to me. DELICIOUS! SATISFYING! WARM AND HEARTY!
I will DEFINITELY be back... MULTIPLE TIMES!! I loved my Chilean Style Beef so much, that I might need to stick with that option AGAIN!! But, in addition to that... I will also try one of their delicious dessert empanadas! AND, this place is open really late! So for anyone looking for a yummy indulgent meal at 3am- Julia's is the way to go!! -
Review from Kat S.
I imagine Julia's Empanadas are delicious after about three too many beers, but in the cold, hard daylight of sobriety the empanadas are really just okay.
They do provide a sufficiently hearty snack or small meal at the cheap price of $3.50. The Jamaican empanada sounds enticing but really falls short on flavor and spiciness as well as the filling (it seems like about a third of the pastry is filled with air). My favorite was the Salentas, filled with chicken and a number of vegetables, which felt like an eclectic chicken pot pie and was the right fit for a chilly December night.
The shop itself is tiny with a hole-in-the-wall feel and no seating - best to grab and go. It's a cash only shop, though there's an ATM inside. -
Review from Ling S.
Gainesville, FL
Yum!! Heard about this place when visiting D.C. and thought I'd give it a try. So glad I did! Julia's Empanadas are great! For $3.50 a piece, the empanadas are fresh, a decent size, and delicious. I tried the Jamaican style and the saltena. The Jamaican style had a strong curry flavor for any of you curry lovers out there. The saltena was my favorite though! With pieces of potato and egg. There's some raisins thrown in there too to add some sweetness to the empanada. I want to try the Turkey with Spring onions, if I ever get a chance to go back to Julia's. The skin just looks so beautifully folded!
I bought a couple for my aunt to try when visiting her house in Virginia. It was the hardest thing not to gobble the empanadas down on the long metro ride there! Gah!
And like everyone else has already stated....CASH ONLY!!!Listed in: Travel Destinations
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Review from Adelina Z.
Beltsville, MD
I considered how the area around here is laden with night spots where I'm sure many have "stumbled" into this conveniently open late establishment. Therefore, I can understand the general appeal over a warm starchy turnover full of savory and salty goodness to sate one's boozy cravings.
However, that was not the case for me when I went in on an empty stomach and pockets that almost equally matched.
I ordered the Chilean beef empanada which is comparable to the Dominican empanada (ground beef and hard boiled egg). But sadly, the flavors and texture came no where near and fell flat. Way too much dough for me and the only stand out flavors came from a bit of kick from the meat and the briny punch you get when you bite into the olive.
In all honesty, I think my opinion is biased because I was raised surrounded by the immaculate Dominican style empanada. ("What?! Did she just say immaculate?") Why yes. Yes I did. Kudos on the price though. Who knows. Maybe another location does it better....? -
Review from Kimberly K.
Manhattan, NY
$3.50 for an Empanada.
The menu here is simple. They offer sweet (ie. Apple, Strawberry, Pineapple, Coconut ) and savory (ie. Spinach, Chorizo , Turkey) Empanadas.
The Jamaican Style was my favorite. The pastry is fresh, warm, slightly crisp yet soft. Filled with lots of spiced beef, onions, potatoes, and curry. My taste buds were happy.
Note: There is no seating here. Cash only. -
Review from joel r.
San Juan Antiguo, PR
I don't care that there are already 335 reviews! i just wanted to say that I love this place! Whenever I am in DC I make sure to stop by 1 or 2 to get empanadas. This place never disappoints. My girl loves the spinach and feta, but I love the Jamaican. Either way they are all good!!! However, I have never had a sweet one. Something about a sweet empanada doesn't appeal to me.
Stop by! OH! CASH ONLY! -
Review from Justin O.
Urbana, IL
Empanadas a bit on the greasy side. Good but nothing to wow you if you're sober. The black bean salad was good. Nice hours too.
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Review from Anand M.
Manhattan, NY
Julia Empenada's are incredibly reasonable and more scrumptious. They have changing empanadas and I was incredibly surprised by the vegetarian options of these less greasy empanada.
After an excruciating bus ride from NYC and a bad experience with DC public transport, I got off at DuPont famished. This little shop tucked in a sea of bars filled with drunk patrons is right at home. I can only imagine how great it would be after a long night drinking and dancing. The empanadas are stuffed with a pretty diverse set of stuffings ranging from italian style (cheese and spinach), indian, and authentic mexican. Everything is premade and baked rather than fried as is typical.
The crust is crispy and crunchy but gives way to a chewy layer. Though already pre-made, nothing was soggy and the insides were at a perfect temperature - there must be a quick turnaround. I am not sure you can go wrong but I personally liked the mixed veges one over the spinach and cheese. -
Review from Kristine M.
Centreville, VA
4 stars?! WHAAAAT. I feel like this is another example of desensitized judgement or glazedoverness due to a) drunkenness b) location, i.e. DC where it seems like food is either expensive and satisfactory "meh"/good or good because it's cheap.
Went to Julia's Empanadas because they seemed charming, small, and local and I like empanadas. I do NOT like these empanadas. Got the chorizo and my sister got the vegetarian and they were severely underwhelming.
The dough was thin and crunchy/chewy like overkneaded attempts at thin crust pizza dough. The filling wasn't flavorful. When I think of chorizo I think some nice zesty beef sausage but it was just like... somewhat spicy ground beef. The filling for the vegetarian made me ache for a samosa--it was just underseasoned boiled potatoes, cabbage, blah.
The outside should be fresh! hot! crispy! (Merla's Kitchen, Chicago) or fresh! hot! thick and chewy! (my neighborhood Park 'n' Shop, Centreville, VA). The inside should be the snazzy inside of the wrapper! Sadly, Julia's Empanadas were none of those for me.
I don't know, maybe it's because I'm Filipino. *shrug* -
Review from Gertrudis S.
Los Angeles, CA
After having a very disappointing dinner at another restaurant in the area we ran into this place while walking around the neighborhood. We decided to give it a try and were not disappointed. If you are looking for a yummy late night bite this is it. The empanadas are a good size and very tasty. These are baked empanadas not fried ones. I really liked the Jamaican empanada and my husband thought the spinach and cheese one was the best. The spinach and cheese had great flavor but was a bit soggy for my taste. The saltena is very good although a bit odd because of the egg and raisin combination. Not a destination spot but definitely worth the visit if you happen to be in the area!
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Review from Chrystina Z.
Washington, DC
Perfect for catering. I ordered 150 cocktail-sized empanadas for a party at my house. I was expecting some leftovers; not a chance. These were gobbled up so fast that as hostess, I didn't even try them. But everyone raved and asked where they were from.
Sucks that it's cash only, but there's an ATM inside. -
Review from Samuel S.
Alexandria, VA
Yum! Delicious and cheap. They have a good selection. I had the spinach one and it was sweet. The bread is soft and fresh. The price, very affordable ($3.49). I highly recommend to stop by if you are visiting DC.
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Review from Shubs K.
Palo Alto, CA
To be entirely honest, the emapanadas here aren't amazing, but they're filling, satisfactory, and cheap. When you're drunk though, these are probably the tastiest things you will ever eat. The savory and sweet ones are equally good, and I've definitely taken home a bag of couple of each. The chorizo are my favorite and the apple for dessert. If you're in the area and low on cash, this is probably your best bet. It's a tiny place without a real sit-down area, so it's usually pretty crowded on weekends when the nearby bar scene is really happening. I wouldn't expect great things (unless you've just come back from bar hopping), but given how pricey other options in the Dupont Circle area are, these little snacks are a steal.
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Review from Yaka H.
Tried the saltena (chicken one) and the jamaican beef one. The chicken one is really nice since it has some green olives, egg, and raisins in it, so there's a myriad of flavors going on in just one empanada. I've had the spinach empanada and chilean beef (similar to the chicken, but with beef) before and it's also just as tasty. These are quite large sized empanadas and delicious, quick service, and easy to eat on the go.
Cash only!! -
Review from KaMIAH M.
Washington, DC
definitely not what i expected.
it could be i may have ordered the wrong empanada but i somehow thought that going with the "turkey" one would be safe, however it didnt satisfy my need and the taste was a bit acquaired.
the prices are reasonable tho for what you get, especailly if you order the combo.
what i hated most was the fact that the sweet empananda (i ordered strawberry) was ruined by them using that fruit flavored artificial glaze...yuk!!! -
Review from Fina A.
College Park, MD
I got to try their vegetarian empanadas for free from a deal, mmmm.. yummy a.k.a I was satisfied.
Great snack to have with and close to my office too, so gonna visit and try the spinach one next time. -
Review from Maral T.
Los Angeles, CA
Oh Julia's, how I miss your straight-out-of-the-oven pastries filled with awesomeness! Alas, we have none like you in CA.
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Review from R S.
Martinsburg, WV
spinach! apple!! go now!
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Review from Cameron B.
Washington, DC
As someone with a good knowledge of Chilean empanadas (I lived there for a while) I gotta say this place fills a void in my heart. The empanadas de pino, the Chilean style ones, are just as good if not better than the ones I came to love when I was in Chile. The only differences I see is that they have a few raisins thrown in which I never saw when I was there (maybe it's a regional thing) and they use green olives when in Chile it's all black olives. But in my opinion who cares. The dough is great and the fillings are flavorful. It's the right price too.
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Review from Juliet S.
Baked, not fried.
Stuffed with goodness.
Not overly doughy (thankfully) with a hint of sweetness in the pastry.
A solid choice. The chorizo is a mighty tasty for something plain, but I like the Chilean beef with raisins and hardboiled egg which kicks it up a notch flavor wise.
Super cheap ($3.50 a pop) - served hot. Yummo.Listed in: District Eats
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Review from Chris V.
Arlington, VA
Had two different ones (can't remember now) but they were both great, and even better considering I was dragged here thinking I didn't like empanadas. I was proven wrong.
Worth checking out, good food and they are friendly! -
Review from Schuyler W.
Suitland, MD
This place really sucks. Empanadas are kept out like NYC pizza parlor and are as heavy as bricks. I ordered the vegan emp of the day and a strawberry cream cheese. The vegan empanada was packed solid with mushrooms, lentils, and like five other veggie things. Too much of nothing. The flavors were bland and I felt like I was eating what carnivores imagine vegan lives taste like: mulch. The strawberry cream cheese emp was terrible as well. Frozen strawberries swimming in a thick syrup and no cream cheese to be found. Dreadful and overpriced.
I'm done. -
Review from Maggie G.
Washington, DC
I finally tried these empanadas while sober (I don't drink and Yelp), and guess what, they're still awesome!
I got a chorizo empanada, and a spinach one yesterday (I was famished, don't judge!) before hopping in a cab home to Alexandria, and when I finally ate them 25 minutes later they were still amazing.
This would easily be a 5 star establishment if they'd take credit cards! -
Review from Alvina C.
These empanadas are huge!!!
$3.50 is a super awesome price---but be sure to bring cash--they do not accept credit cards. I tried the spinach and the turkey--great flavor, hot, and definitely filling! The dough was a nice consistency and not too dry or thick. Can't wait to go back and try some of the other great sounding flavors. -
Review from Brian C.
Bethesda, MD
I love this place!
We were walking by Dupont in the early afternoon, hadn't had lunch, wanted a quick, delicious, satisfying, and affordable bite (we are a picky bunch as you can tell) without ruining our appetite for dinner. Most definitely fit the bill. The skin is light and flaky, the filling is so savory. Much larger portion size than I expected -- lots of bang for the buck. Recommendations include the Chilean and the Saltena. The Chorizo is good too for something a little different texture-wise.
I wanted to try every variety they have! So yes, I will be back.
Heads up: cash only establishment. It's okay as ATM's are everywhere in the city. -
Review from Vishal S.
we stopped by Julia's the other night after a walk/run on the mall. Yes, empanadas after a workout!
It was close to 11 PM - closing time for Julia's but they had just made a fresh batch of empanadas. Generally, another place would be ready to shove the leftovers in to their trash cans. But Julia's had made a fresh batch! and it was a weekday evening to top that. This calls for up big star by itself :)
I had the chicken empanadas with no extra sauce. They taste pretty good for being baked! the filling was cooked well and everything looked good. Except that the filling was lacking some flavor that I was looking for - almost too bland for me. It was like I was wising for a Ferrari but had to settle for a Lexus instead. Not to say that Lexus is bad, but the taste of the filling fell short of my expectations.
I'm just saying a bit of a kick would have helped :) -
Review from Danielle F.
Washington, DC
Could this place get any more delicious??? The Caribbean one with the curry spices was the best. The Chilean one was great too. Can't wait to go back. Yum.
Overall: 4
Taste: 4
Menu: Sufficient variety of empanadas. Two veggie-friendly options. Good variety of soups, salads, dessert empanadas.
Price/Value: $3.50/empanada, $6-7 for combo meals.
Service: Efficient but impersonal.
Freshness/Quality of Ingredients: Things could have been more fresh. Complaints of soggy ingredients.
Pros: Open 24 hours, empanadas are baked rather than fried, it is a DC institution, wide variety of side and dessert options.
Cons: Ran out of one flavor of veggie, not very filling (some were still hungry after two full empanadas), cash only, too doughy.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/3/2010
Could this place get any more delicious??? The Caribbean one with the curry spices was the best.… Read more »
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6/3/2010
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Review from David B.
You're in Dupont, it's late, the bars are closing, you're hungry. Where do you go? Julia's!
This place serves fantastic empandas at an inexpensive price. Caters to the late night crowd in Dupont, so that's a definite plus.
My two favorites are the Chilean Style Beef and Jamaican Style. -
Review from Janine G.
i guess my real issue with this place is the fact the empanadas are healthier than what i grew up on, we never baked them, always fried, sigh.
spinach empanadas?! can't stand em and much less at julia's.
i always steer clear of this place b/c it's just not what i'm used to. it may be a cult favorite for clubbers and non-clubbers alike and sadly i can't say that for myself. i will however go back and try the jamaican (not sure why i never did). -
Review from Kate W.
Philadelphia, PA
I was very happy with Julia's Empanadas. My boyfriend and I were looking for a quick cheap meal after shopping at Target in Columbia Heights. We were just walking around and stumbled across Julia's. It was awesome, the pricing was great - about $4 for each empanada. I loved that all of their empanadas are baked as opposed to fried to keep the fat content down. A great selection of veggie and meat options.
We got a total of 4 empanadas to split - the Veggie special which was sweet potatoe, collard greens, etc. - the jamaican, spinach, and chorizo. By far the chorizo was the best (I feel like that's not even a fair comparison though). Everything was great though - quality ingredients, great prices, clean inside - we'll be back! -
Review from Ayon J. R.
Baltimore, MD
Call them empanadas. Call them pasty. The fact is, they are very tasty (look ma, I can rhyme!).
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Review from Jee D.
Who's the Asian American chick with a hunger in her stomach late night?
Jee!
Ya dammnnn right.
Who is the chick that stands in line for a flaky empanada?
Jee!
Can ya dig it?
Who just watched some fools get kicked out of Midtown with some bloody eyes?
Jee!
Right on.
She just burned her tongue on a turkey & spring onion
(shut your mouth)
I'm talkin' about Julia's.
(then we can dig it)
She's a satisfied chick with no more hunger in her belly.
Jee D.Listed in: Meals on the Cheap
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Review from Joe K.
Washington, DC
Great late-night bite.
Perfect size and I love that they are baked.
The only complaints are that the line is LONG and DRUNK at night -- had to continuously push the guy in front of me to keep him from tipping over. The other negative is cash only -- be prepared. I would hate to wait in that line only to be surprised by that at the end.
Next time, I want to stop there for a meal and get more than one! -
Review from T Z.
Redondo Beach, CA
This is a must-stop for every visit to DC. Drop in to grab a savory empanada filled with chilean or jamaican style beef. Or try the tangy saltenas (with chicken). Leave some room for the desert empanadas.
Empanadas are amazingly fresh and steaming hot at all hours of the day. Service is always with a smile. It's simple food with minimal waste. -
Review from Katherine W.
Atlanta, GA
Okaaay, but not impressed. I ended up eating a lot more raisins in one sitting than I really cared to.
First off - to be fair, Julia's empanadas are baked, not fried. And I'm pretty partial to the fried variety, since I had a lot of good ones when I was living in LA, and besides, who doesn't like fried food? So the disclaimer to my review is that maybe I couldn't have liked these all that much anyway. But I did WANT to like them - baked is so much healthier.
They got my order wrong, to begin with. I ordered a Jamaican empanada but was given a Chilean. That was kind of annoying in and of itself... I had purposely avoided ordering the Chilean since I'm not a big raisin fan. (The Chilean empanada is filled with beef, raisins, hard boiled egg, onion, and kalamata olive.) The empanada was a good size and cost only $3.49, so the cheapness/value is a plus. And the filling had a decent amount of flavor, and a very mild amount of heat. I did like the egg in it. Unfortunately the crust was tough and bland. And there was literally one single kalamata olive in the entire empanada - which made for a very uneven taste distribution, since kalamata olives have such strong flavor.
I also got rice pudding, which was $1.89. It was fine, and I bet some people would love this depending on their taste buds. But I wish I'd known it was swimming with raisins. Coming after the undesired raisins in my empanada, it was like a little salt in the wound. (I'm just being dramatic, it wasn't that bad.) Julia's rice pudding, while thick, is on the lighter side and its texture is more watery than creamy. It's very cinnamony. In fact, it reminded me a lot of horchata. But as much as I love horchata, when it comes to rice puddings I prefer the richer, creamier kind. Again, this is just my personal preference.
So my visit wasn't a total loss - it was cheap, and I'm full, and I feel like I had a relatively healthy lunch. Plus, I've been wanting to try Julia's, so that's a check off my list. I just won't go back, unless I get really curious about the fruit empanadas (which I must say, they at least look tasty, despite the relatively lukewarm comments about them on here). -
Review from Gregg M.
I'll be upfront and say that my knowledge and experience with empanadas was non-existent. Therefore, I was looking forward to my stop at Julia's Empanadas with great expectations especially due to the positive word of mouth given about the place. The girlfriend and I were meeting friends for drinks in Dupont Circle so we decided to grab some empanadas for our dinner (and to keep us from drinking on an empty stomach).
We ordered a Chilean Style Beef, a Jamaican Beef, and a Chorizo Sausage empanada. All three of our choices were interestingly-shaped and baked to a beautiful, golden brown. The bread shell was baked to perfection and tasted as good as it looked! Unfortunately, the fillings for all three of the empanadas left me wanting...wanting for a bit more flavor and spice. While the ground and chopped beef were obvious in the Chilean Style Beef, the flavor from other ingredients of the filling (i.e. raisins, hard-boiled egg, onion and ripe olive) were lost in the mix. The Jamaican Beef had a hint of curry, but the onion, potato, and other spices (whatever they were) were also rumored but not verifiable. Finally, Chorizo Sausage lacked all of the spicy characteristics I've come to expect from chorizo.
Perhaps my expectations were too high going into this. However, for the $3.49 price per empanada, it wasn't a bad place to pick up some decent street food. 2.5 star experience, rounding up to 3.Listed in: Swing...and a Miss!
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Review from Paul D.
I just grabbed some Empanadas on the way home, and I wish Julia's Empanadas was as prevalent as *rbucks. This is top quality fast food. $3.50 (cash only) gets you delicious hot food that's ready to eat, while walking down the street. It's good stuff! I like 'em all, but the Saltenas & Chilean Style Beef are my favorite. While this place may not be completely authentic, it beats anything else in this price range. On that note, Hot Pockets are a horrible mockery of empanadas.
ATM fee is $2.50, so I bought 6 empanadas to make it worth it. Now I got two more instant meals. Totally worth it. The key to reheating your empanadas is to nuke 'em for a little bit and then crisp them in the toaster oven. Good as new.
I want a franchise in Arlington!
