Julia's Empanadas

Julia’s empanadas is one of the Mecca’s of culture in DC. Julius empanadas is very delicious, and very good. Very juicy. Very cultured. I don’t know how to say it any other way, just plain old great.

I tried one of their three best-selling empanadas (the Chilean: ground beef, hard-boiled egg, olives and raisins) and was disappointed. While the crust was decent and not doughy, the filling was bland. And at $8 (tax included), it seemed overpriced.

Tried the chicken salteña and Jamaican empanada - and both were disappointing. They were very dry inside and outside. Salteñas should be a mix of sweet and savory and this one was neither sweet nor savory. Very overpriced ($7.30 each!) for what it is. We went on a Sunday around noon… maybe that has something to do with it. Unfortunately they just weren’t good

Visited this place because I heard great things! I got the vegan empanada and peach + guava. The vegan one was very bland. The dough was good was the filling was SO flavorless. I had to take it home and add some salt. The peach and guava was also just okay. It definitely would have been better if it was warm. Besides the taste, vibes were great inside and the cashier was so nice. Only downside is that they didn’t have a card reader when I visited.

My friend & I have been looking forward to trying their empanadas after seeing them on TikTok. We finally went there last night for dinner. We had two empanadas, one blueberry one and a vegan one. Both were dry, hard, unflavorful & extremely cold. Which was disappointing. After asking the cashier to heat up the food empanadas it was somehow still cold. Overall, I had high expectations for this place considering they had good reviews. Maybe they had an off night, but unfortunately I would not recommend this place.

The flavors are very different. I went for Chipotle, Jamaican, and Apple. They were delicious for fast food. I would go back and get another. I think the place can be a little cleaner, and better in the details of the place.

I come to DC a couple of times a year on business and stay at a hotel within walking distance of Julia's. I make it my business to get there at least twice per visit. Don't let the tiny, unassuming, kinda dark, rather bare-bones storefront appearance fool you. While it might not look like anything to write home about, the empanadas will make you want to shout from the rooftops. I can really only speak on the sweet ones as I had a savory one just once. (It was the chicken, and it was quite good, large, and generously filled.) However, the fruit-filled ones are amazing! The pastry is a beautiful deep golden with a good helping of filling. It is sturdy enough to stand up to the weight of the fruit-filling but not chewy or doughy. It is a perfect hand pie! My hands-down favorite is the strawberry and cream. It is not to be missed, and the apple is a close second. There is no real ambiance, but the service is fast and friendly in this right-priced gem, and if you walk in without the money necessary for this cash-only purchase, they've got you covered with an in-store ATM. To avoid the $3.00 fee, I advise a stop-in for a withdrawal at your own banking institution first. My only wish is that I could experience them warm from the oven---or even warmed up. That is the drawback of stumbling upon such a great find while traveling & and staying at a hotel. Regardless of that, whatever you do, don't skip Julia's!

This used to be one of my favorite lunchtime spots when I worked downtown DC. No joke, I was there at least one day each week. I'd take that 30 minute round trip walk from my office regularly. There weren't too many places in downtown DC where you could eat for under $10 and healthy at that. For about $6.50 you can cop the special of an empanada, a soup and a salad. My typical trip to Julia's would be to get a Jamaican style empanada (ground & chopped beef, onion, potato, curry, spices), a black bean soup and tomato, cucumber & celery salad. After a while I started adding another $2 to that special and getting one of the dessert empanadas. They have varieties like strawberry, pineapple coconut and apple. But my 'off the chains gotta have it knock em out the box' favorite dessert empanada is the peach/guava. It is slamm-min!!!! I discovered Julia's Empanadas back in like '96. Every Wednesday I was up in the Adams Morgan area & would hit up the location on 18th. I was thrilled to see the guy who worked at that location become the manager of the Dupont Circle location. I couldn't honestly tell you his real name, but I always called him Ray. Real cool dude. Julia's has me as a lifelong customer. Believe that.

This place will forever have a special place in my heart. I have never eaten so many empanadas in a week. I was in the area for a conference, and I got empanadas daily while in town. The food was excellent. The service was exceptional, and the ambiance was friendly. I recommend this place to those who love empanadas like I do.

Yum! Had Chillean Beef. Nice flavor, good meat to dough ratio, juicy & flavorful. $8 well spent.

Meh. Empanadas are hard, not boosting with flavor and expensive. I Had better. It's not worth the trip.

Delish empanadas. DC staple with savory and sweet treats. No outdoor seating not good to grab and go.

Julia's Empanadas is a DC institution that must be protected at all costs. The return to office has been rough in so many ways but the deepest cut is my daily $16 salad bowl. Thanks to Julia's Empanadas I am able to get a hearty, hot, and fresh meal for a decent price. A lunch special will get you one sweet and one savory empanada + drink for about ten dollars. All of their empanadas are freshly baked and come packed with fillings like spinach and cheese, chorizo, saltena (chicken, egg, peas, potatoes, olives), Jamaican style (beef, potatoes, curry) and more. It's a small shop but the counter people are very kind and the line is always moving. I used to think of them as a late night snack but they have now been added to my lunch rotation.

Cash only! Open late! Came to check this place out after a night out. Got to try different flavors like Chorizo and Jamaican beef. I thought the empanadas were pretty good! Flavorful meat and soft crispy empanada breading/crust. My only criticism is that it's going to take about 3 to fill you up, about $8 a piece is a little bit of a high price point, BUT definitely EAT THE COST, it's worth a try!

Homemade empanadas, savory and sweet. I'm sorry that my pictures got deleted. This is a small business. If you are not careful, you will miss the entrance as there are several businesses back to back, but when you enter, the smell of fresh dough and spices fills the place. They do their best to honor different cultures by creating their version of Jamaican beef patty, salteña, Chilean empanadas, spinach and cheese, and many more. Their sweet assortment was decent as well. Be aware these are large empanadas, one or two at most, and you will be full. There was an older gentleman behind the counter; he was friendly and answered my questions without any issues. There are no tables or chairs here, strictly carry out.

We took a bit of a detour to try the Chilean empanadas out. My partner is Chilean, and outside of the empanadas his Tita made and the ones we actually had in Chile, these are legit! The baked crust and the pino filling are spot on!

Not the best empanadas for absolutely not the best price. I adore hidden holes in the wall but this one felt unwelcoming and bitter. Not worth the stop for sure.

Empanadas were fresh and tasty. Crust wasn't too thick and there was lots of tasty filling. I thought they were pricey at 7-7.50 each.

I really enjoyed the empanadas I purchased from here. It was my first time and I plan to go back soon. The service was great. The young guy gave us waters because it was a hot day and it was also a hot day in the store because the air wasn't working. That didn't stop folks from coming in.

DO NOT GO TO THE CONNECTICUT AVE LOCATION. Ordered two empanadas and one tasted absolutely vile ( the green chile one) and the other was super dry and almost looked blue. I took a few bites before I realized this wasn't right. I'm hoping I don't get sick. I will be making a report

We grabbed the salteña and Chilean beef empanadas as a quick snack after happy hour. While this location is more conveniently located for me than the one in Adams Morgan, I don't think they're quite as tasty; less spices and a little over cooked. That said, I still like them and probably will be back. Good, quick service!

Julia's Empanadas in Connecticut Ave. is delish. Our favorite Chilean beef. We love the regular size but often order for parties the cocktail or "small" size. We also love the sweet empanadas. The jewel of that store is the employees Don Luis and another gentleman with white hair they are kind and provide great customer service. The only setback is no parking it can be a headache to drive there if you don't find a meter close by.

tl;dr: Local chain, no frills, hole in the wall eatery with empanadas on demand that are made fresh daily and served hot. Obviously made with love when you see the empanadas. Warm, delicious, and perfect after a night out or a quick bite. I wanted the Chilean empanada, but they were out, and I will be back to try that one! Jamaica Empanada - 4/5: This empanada was not bursting with flavor as I was expecting, but it was pretty good! I think I would compare it to the beef in a Shepard's pie. The Pastry itself was delicious. I can't imagine how they taste out of the oven, because just from the warmers, it was so crispy, warm, and comforting. Chorizo Empanada- 5/5: the chorizo was amazing, and the flavor blast I was looking for. Especially compounded with the salsa verde they gave us, it was amazing! This empanada also had art on its pastry, just to demonstrate the love that goes into these. Papaya Guava Empanada - 3/5: The empanada was yummy, but after the other two, this was sort of disappointing. The guava jelly was fine, but I can tell it's definitely not homemade.

Chorizo empanada was not that great. More rice and beans than meat. Also, the ambiance was terrible since the cashier was on a video call with someone, cursing every few sentences. Not a pleasant visit!

Came here on a a late night. I was wondering why it was so empty in between two clubs. It's because it's disgusting unfortunately these empanadas are so dry. Just go to &pizza next door.

The best empanadas ever. If you having try it go for it. Service good ambiance ok Very small area to eat maybe four tall chairs.

Sorry, no. I've had many empanadas, and these were just so so. The crust was too thick, and the fillings were not very flaverful. There was only one employee when we got there, and he was so nonchalant... didn't seem to care that we were there and was not very welcoming (we were the only customers there). The prices are also way too high. We paid $60 for 12 empanadas... not worth it.

This place is awesome! The empanadas are must when you are in that area. Good price and filling as an appetizer while in the area. It quicks, cool and great vibes!

Best Chilean version of empanadas that I have had in the US. If I lived in DC, I'd definitely would be going back!!! So tasty.

You want to eat something quick before or after a bar or club visit in the area? Pick this place - preferably before the club so you don't deal with drunk people. Been going here for years when I'm in the area and stopped by again tonight. Despite being 20F and colder, this place is where the good food is at. No line either so that was a plus. Got 1 Jamaican and 1 Chilean to go. Below is a pic of one of them. The other I ate in my car.

It was very hot on the inside, no AC at all and the empanadas were bland, they were crispy but just lacking more flavor

Small place, nowhere to sit inside, but tasty empanadas. We had a veggie, a chipotle steak, and a Spanish chorizo. The steak was the best, probably because the onion kept the dough from drying out. Oh, and the Apple cinnamon dessert empanada was quite good. All that and a water for $18. There's a small park across the street with some tables.

Walked past a very simple store front around lunch time. The "empanadas" sign caught my eye. Large, tasty empanadas with crispy (non-greasy) dough. Really reasonably priced for the size. We tried the sáltena (chicken), chorizo and Chilean (beef). So big. All good! It's take out only. Simple, fast, fresh.

The empanadas were hot and fresh. We tried the spinach, veggie, and the Chilean. Took a huge bite and almost burned our mouths. They're about $7 each and I suspect 2 will be more than enough. The spinach was fresh with good cheese mixture. The veggie was potato mushy mix with light spice. Chilean reminded me of taco seasoning. The spinach was our fav.

Popped by on a Friday night. Nice option if you want a tasty bite in seconds. Spinach - 4/5. Good combo of spinach, garlic and onion. Flaky pie crust. Simple but effective. Guava - 2.5/5. Guava paste feels pretty processed so in a cold shell it didn't work so much.

I am a huge fan of baked empanadas. So coming here was a no-brainer. The chorizo and chipotle steak were my favorites. The Apple empanada is also very good. The Jamaican one had too much of a curry kick for me, more of a Indian influence. The coconut pineapple empanada is also very good, it reminded me of a coconut cream pie. I would probably stop here again, but I'd also want to try some other options in the area first.

Decent size empanadas. Note, no inside seating. Cash only for an order $10 or more. Spinach mozzarella was pretty tasty.

The worst service I have ever encountered! I bought an empanada at 7 pm and the guy literally said I should go outside to the cold in an empty store because eating the empanada that you just bought is illegal inside since they are "takeout only", no idea why they then have counters for people to eat in? I was forced to eat in the cold in 30 degree weather because one should not eat inside his store when he is alone. I have never in my life heard of any takeout handheld food with counters that does not allow you to eat what you purchase inside. The empanada itself was poorly done and not properly closed which made the beef dry out. Empamuchos or dmv empanadas are much better, better priced and even if they are street markets they let you eat in their tables next to the store like every other takeout place in DC. Save your time and energy and just go to any fast food joint especially in the winter. Sad because this is a locally owned place and it used to be good.

Julia's empanadas have healing powers (aka saving me from a horrendous hangover after feral rat Friday). All of their empanadas are packed with flavor and just freakin delicious. Giving this place anything less than a 5 feels wrong.

If you want an entire meal you can hold in the palm of your hand, this place is for you and they have several locations in the DC area. This place may be one of DC'a best kept secrets - tasty and amazing value. Several savory (as well as sweet flavors). I loved steak, chorizo and jerk. I have been back multiple times!

These empanadas are so good! Chilean and Jamaican are my favorites, there was one with steak that I tried that was also pretty good! I have never really tried jamaican food before so the only thing I could compare it to is it sort of reminded me of a samosa. Everything is so good and I can't wait to try more flavors!

After a night out in DuPont today, right as I stepped out I saw this empanadas place and immediately thought empanadas would hit the spot right now. May or may not have had one too many drinks and the empanada I got was so good I ate it before I could even think of taking a picture of it so that's when you know. I got the spinach empanada and it was just delicious. It was very warm and the spinach filling was so creamy, which was perfect comfort food on this chilly night. The outer layer of the empanada was also slightly crunchy and not soggy at all despite being set out for however long. Who knew this could be so filling and appetizing. I also think they were on the bigger side for an empanada so $6 to $7 was a fair price. Despite it being super late in the night and fairly busy, there was so many empanadas already ready to be served so I had 0 wait time for my order. I'm definitely going to be back here whenever I'm in DuPont next!

Amazing empanadas in DC. I tried this place 12 years ago and was always looking forward to coming back and checking them out. Same flavors and amazing crust; love this spot and will always frequent it when I'm in DC. Trust me on the Chilean and the Saltena! As for dessert, tried almost all of them but recently the pineapple coconut! Awesome!

Everyone already knows Julia's Empanadas are a tasty (and affordable) late night snack in DuPont after going out - the savory empanadas are delicious and also the sweet empanadas (I had a strawberry and cream cheese one) hit the spot too! But I wanted to write this review for the kindness of their employees as well. There was an unconscious inebriated stranger outside nearby on a bench that looked like he needed help. When I asked the cashier at Julia's Empanadas if they had a cup of water I could give him, they told me I could take a bottle of water on the house to help this stranger. They didn't have to do that and it really gained my respect/support for this business (even though I already loved the food to begin with)!

These empanadas have some of the best, if not the best, restaurant made Chilean empanadas I've tasted since moving back to the United States - other than the ones my uncle makes (he grew up in Argentina). I grew up in Chile, and an empanada is more than a treat - it's a meal in itself. Julia's gets it right and I'm sad when they don't have any. Please make more Julia's!

I ordered two empanadas (around $7 each). I paid with a $20 bill. The cashier took my cash, went to the back, and never gave me my change. Extremely disappointed and frustrated with this service and theft.

This is the Julia's on Connecticut Avenue in Northwest, DC. I was born and raised in DC, I ate at Julia's for years. But I moved to Georgia in 2019, and I've been craving saltenas, a Bolivian empanada, that this store used to be absolutely delicious. NOT ANY MORE! Disgusting! Not only were the saltenas not cooked all the way, which means the peas were crunchy, it didn't have all the ingredients: no olives, no raisins, no boiled egg, and even the dough wasn't cooked well! Such a big disappointment, and a waste of money--I bought 8 of those nasty things not knowing they were garbage!

It seems a bit more out of place here than in Adams Morgan, but this is much the same takeout window with various sweet and savory stuffed pastries. They always have something vegetarian and vegan. The veggie one the day I dropped in was a tad disappointing, with some broccoli that wasn't listed on the menu board mixed in with a variety of other greens. The peach and almond dessert empanada was rather nice. This location had less of a drink selection than AdMo does for some reason, so I just ended up with bottled water. The whole combo was priced a bit higher than I remember too; was hot sauce extra? Anyway, the bottom line is it's just a takeout; not much to expect by way of service, but you can get something quickly, and that's the reason for stopping here.

OMG this is the first time I am trying empanadas this place hands down is definitely live up by its name I can't get enough of the texture and taste I gotta go back for some more thank you guys and it's now one of my favorites

Empanadas are not the best, and some flavors were decent compared to others. I was dissatisfied with my last visit. I purchased an empanada that apparently has a rope on it? It's actually stuck to the dough so I went back to the store to ask if this is supposed to be there. The girl says that the rope helps the filling stay. However, I explain to her that the rope is stuck and that I would like to exchange it because of this. She said no because that's how it's supposed to be and I already bought it. I think it's ridiculous and unsanitary to sell these to people, AND to dismiss a customer's concern. I'm definitely not coming back. Such a waste of 6 dollars!

DC quality, without the DC prices. Fresh, hot empanadas influenced by both Hispanic and Italian cultures. These are hot and ready to go and easy to eat walking down the street in DuPont. A small place with big flavor and great service.

The Chilean empanadas are great here. I haven't tried the other flavors but it was nice to see Jamaican-style empanadas and salteñas (Bolivian soup empanadas) as well. They're all of the baked dough empanada variety rather than the fried dough or corn ones that I'm more accustomed to. And the selection isn't as vast as what one would find in an Argentine empanada shop. But still, the Chilean empanada I had was flavorful and right on point - I enjoyed it enough to say I'll be back. :)

Delicious empanadas. The crust had an amazing crumb and crunch while the filling was complex and flavorful. I got the Chilean empanada!

+Great empanada institution that's been around for many years. +Not greasy at all. +Various flavors. +Multiple locations. -Hard to tell which empanada is which, due to no labels.

We used to come here a lot when my husband then boyfriend was working here on a work rotation. We were young and sort of stumbled upon this then hole in the wall. Now when we visit DC, we stock pile the empanadas from here and the secret sauce, freeze them, and bring them back home. That's how much we love these empanadas! Our favorites: 1.) Chicken empanada 2.) Turkey empanada 3.) Spinach and Mozzarella empanada 4.) Pineapple and coconut custard empanada Each empanada has a soft but hard empanada shell jam packed with savory or sweet filling. For a decent city price of $5, you are given a generously sized empanada. Note that the sweet empanadas are cheaper and smaller. Julia's also makes a green "secret sauce" that pairs well with the empanadas. Be sure to ask for this sauce when you go to pay otherwise you will not receive it complimentary! All in all Julia's empanadas is a great place to duck in for a quick snack/dessert treat or a late night/post drinking binge meal.

My goodness where can I start. I was near Dupont Circle for the night and I love going in hidden gems. So Julia's definitely caught my eye as soon as I got out of the car. It is a small mom and pop shop in the middle of a bunch of stores and restaurants, I walked in and was easily ready to buy all of the empanadas lol I don't eat red meat so that wasn't a thought.. I finally decided on getting the apple empanada. Let me just say this.... it would have been much better if I could have warmed it up, it was so good. The dough was soft and the apples were tender. I was upset that I didn't get 2. I will definitely be back when I am in DC..

I came here during the day and I would say the empanadas are a hit-or-miss. If your order a couple different types, it is harder to differentiate. The consistency from empanada to empanada can be pretty drastic. They are large and okay for the drunk munchies. I probably would not go again.