The Empanada Cookhouse

The food was rated 10/10 by my kids. They absolutely loved it. It is a small, typical, strip-center small dining room. It is fine but nothing special. But all savory and sweet empanadas were delicious, as well as the sides and drinks. We tried mango and horchata drink. There are NO keto options here, by the way. Just be aware if you are trying to eat low-carb. You shouldn't come here.

Quick and efficient ordering from a touch screen. You can pick up and eat in house or take it to go. Lots of flavors and salsa options. The tamarind pork is delicious and the al pastor is yummy. The spinach is a bit dry, but no bad. Everything came out fast and very hot.

Wow! These must be the best, freshest tasting, meatiest empanadas I've had, far exceeding the quality made by those innumerable shops in the Miami area. All pork flavors ( tamarind, BBQ, & al pastor) were great, even comes with spicy guacamole. Looking forward to trying other flavors.

First, their empanadas are excellent and the cilantro rice is delicious as well. They have a wide variety of flavors (my favorite is the chicken fajita) but I have tried other flavors and they’re all great. Second, their empanadas are baked, not fried, and they’re big and filling. Finally, the owner and staff are friendly and accommodating. I usually order for pickup because my office is close but they deliver as well. If you’re in the mood for a quick, tasty lunch in downtown Dallas, then The Empanada Cookhouse is the place to go.

When you are in the West End and have an Enpanda emergency 🚨 The Empanada Cookhouse is your ER!!! Great food and service. The combos of flavors are amazing. 😋

My empanadas were flaky and delicious. The salsa verde sauce was quite tasty. The tator tots were also very good.

Very nice empanada eatery off Ross Ave. Offers a variety of options and custom fruit drinks🍹. Friendly staff. Nice seating.

OMG - go here if you can! Empanadas are baked not fried - AS THEY SHOULD BE! All fresh made to order. Service was very friendly!! Easy to order. Clear menu with pics if you're unfamiliar with empanadas. Sauces were deeeelish. We tried one in house and got a variety to go. Each one was clearly marked for easy dining later at the hotel. Would definitely recommend and will definitely go again when in Dallas!!

Amazing! We had the pork, El Pastore and Dulce de Leche. So flavorful juicy and with a crispy crust. The pastry was firm, but soft, and the flavors inside burst in your mouth! We ordered a party pack and loved it Can't wait to come back

Was really excited for this place, but the empanadas were definitely a hit or miss. From favorite to least favorite, we got Beef & Chimichurri (added more chimichurri to it and it was absolutely delicious!), Chicken Fajita (added the salsa verde fresh to it and it really improved the flavor), Dulce de Leche (not much filling and tasted like too much breading), and Spinach & Portobello (very wet inside. No sauces helped make it more enjoyable). Cute inside decor, but empanadas themselves were okay. I would 100% come back just for the beef & chimichurri though. Don't know if I would even bother trying others.

I did a Google Search of breakfast spots around my hotel. The Empanada CookHouse was one of the few restaurants that were opened early, and it was perfect since I wanted something light to eat. I stopped by The Empanada CookHouse for breakfast around 9:30am on a Tuesday. Small but cute restaurant. They made ordering really quick and easy. I used the automated kiosk to place my dine-in order and a server looked for me around the restaurant to deliver my empanada. I also appreciated how affordable this place was. A single empanada was less than $4, and you can choose whatever salsa to go with your empanada. The empanada was a good size, and it was just the right amount of food for me. I got a beef and potato empanada with a side of chimichurri sauce. They use ground beef for the empanada, and the potatoes were finely diced. The flavor of the empanada was amazing, and I made a great choice with the chimichurri sauce. The spiciness of the chimichurri sauce is not for the faint of heart, but I loved how spicy it was. My only complaint about the empanada was that it was warmed up all the way through, hence the 4-star instead of 5. When I split the empanada in half, the filling in the center was definitely cold.

Not the best I've had, but on the way on one of my frequent drives and pretty good! First time: Bbq pork and beef & potatoes with spicy roja. Second time: Beef chimichurri & chorizo, egg and jack with spicy roja. Environment: I've only done take out, but it seems pretty clean and there's a good amount of seats for a quick bite Service: Always friendly and quick!

We stopped by looking for someplace to eat before going to the aquarium. We got the following and it was great Chicken Fajita Chicken Melt Pork BBQ Pork Al Pastor Beef Chimichurri Will be back again

We planned to check this place out while doing different museums and sites downtown. While it is a relatively small restaurant, the food is worth checking it out. We liked how you could order different empanada fillings rather than place an order with only one kind. I got the platter with 2 and my husband did the option with 3. In total we tried the Buffalo Chicken Jalapeño, Park BBQ, Pork Al Pastor, Beef Chimichurri, and Roasted Vegetables. While we enjoyed them all, our absolute favorites were the Buffalo Chicken Jalapeño and Beef Chimichurri. Another thing we liked about this restaurant was how one of the options for the sides was a kale slaw salad. It was great to have an option like that (although they have some other sides we will also try next time we visit).

Food was so good and the plantains excellent!! Great service !! Nice place downtown Dallas !!

Empanadas are one of my favorite things to eat.... Nothing special about these. Not a fan of being served lukewarm food

Chicken Fajita, Pork Al Pastor, Beef Chimichurri with Salsa Verde Sauce, Chips & Guac Was not that impressed with the empanadas. The filling wasn't bad, but the Pastry was unappetizing. The chips and guac were solid though! They sprinkle some seasoning on the chips, which really elevates it

Impromptu lunch date with my family in town for a Robotics competition. My sis can't eat cheese so it was great that the empanadas are made fresh and you can tailor ingredients! The chimichurra sauce was AMAZING! I wish they would jar it and sell it! Pass on the rice, it had ZERO flavor. That was the only thing we didn't like, had to doctor it up with sauce which should never be the case. Service was fast and just be aware the place is small but it's delicious.

STOP!!!! Don't even THINK about scrolling. You wanna go HERE!!!! Wow!!! $13 bucks. And I got 3 AMAZING empanadas, an amazing side. Sorry forgot the name. 4 Toquitoes? Sorry don't kill the messenger. lol. And sauce! Ample seating, fast and friendly service and just all around heavenly goodness!!! This is a noooo brainer, I'll be back!!!

Popped in here for a quick light lunch, and am glad I did. Parking here isn't great, as it's right off of Ross so unless you're walking, I'd be prepared to look for parking or pop in and out using the meters right in front. Space: The space was very clean, although small. Cute sign on the wall and some pictures and stories about the owner/chef Food: I chose the chicken fajita and beef chimichurri in my pick 2 plate (which includes a salsa and side as well). I chose the Salsa Verde and plantains as my side. The empanadas were nice and flakey when I bit into them and had some really good flavor, the salsa was nice and creamy and the plantains were fresh and hot off the stove. I enjoyed them all. You get 5 plantains with the side order. Pricing: Each empanada individually is like $3.79 I believe and they have some meal deals for $10+ The plantains side item is normally $3.99 on its own. So really the meal deal is the way to go. Overall I definitely would come back for a quick snack or light mid day meal, but I don't know it's the best option for a more satisfying and filling lunch.

Excellent place for some good Mexican food, I would gladly come back again Natasha provided excellent service and I would recommend the calm environment to anyone! I loved the food and highly recommend the hot sauces

Thank you for the delicious empanadas on our first family visit. We tried several empanadas: the beef and potatoes, beef chimichurri, and chicken melt for our daughter. The chimichurri sauce, the ranch salsa and the chips and guacamole were delightful. Thank you for your welcoming service and for the additional suggestions of family favorite recipes. We enjoyed the warm restaurant space and the vibrant colors of the beautiful tapestries on the wall and look forward to our next visit in town!

Their empanadas are great and at a great price. Service is polite and welcoming. I have been many times but never gave them a review which is way overdue. The restaurant has inside seating for maybe 12-15 people and so I generally get my orders to go. You will not be disappointed y the quality of the food.

Solid choice for empanadas. They have a decent variety, including sweet ones. The sweet ones have a different dough thats more buttery and additional sugar (which I enjoyed immensely). I got the beef chimicuri and a dulce de leche. The meat is flavorful and not overcooked. The chimichurri was the workhorse for the flavor, and they definitely make it in house. I was surprised to see any type of indoor seating, but they have a few tables and a high top. The bathrooms are rightfully locked with a keypad. You can actually find the code on your receipt.

Good stable food source if you're walking around near the Dallas Aquarium and want some food! Great service, they're pretty fast at bringing you your food. Ambiance is good as well, the place gives a hippy vibe. Slightly overpriced for what you get but still good! You definitely can get the cheeseburger one (despite it saying kids next to it, in case you were not aware like me). I think the chicken fajita one was my favorite compared to the cheese burger and the Al pastor.

The servers were friendly, fast and the empanadas were delicious. Cozy, chill atmosphere.

I visited this place with a friend and it was amazing. The empanadas had so much flavor you can tell they were authentic!! There was a perfect ratio of filling to dough (these empanadas were STUFFED)!! For about $13 you can get 3 empanadas of your choice and one side which is a hell of a deal! My only complaint was my friend got a raw piece of bacon in her one empanada. Other than that, I highly recommend this place if you are looking for good empanadas!!

Came here for breakfast on sunday. Me and the wife wanted something different than traditional american breakfast. Although the place was casual in terms of seating and ordering ( there is a touch screen where you place the order) the quality did not disappoint. The empanadas were made fresh and were the perfect temp when they came to purchase table. The empanadas were crispy. It tasted kind of like a well baked pizza dough. I think they might be using pizza ovens. 4 tried a couple of different empanadas and they were all good. The tater tots were excellent. I liked the parsley and cotiga cheese seasoning on them. The sweet plantains were perfect and had a good flavor to it. The guava and cheesecake empanada was on the more semi sweet side but delicious. We will definitely be back.

We ordered the 6 Empanada meal for my wife and I. Flavors were El Pastor, Beef and Potato's, and Chicken Fajitas. The food was amazing. My favorite was the el Pastor the pineapple was a fantastic flavor. The Salsa Verda was the bomb and wasn't spicy but very flavorful. I love the seating. They make good use of the small space. The service was really good and the food came out really quickly! The only recommendation I would make would be complementary lemon or cucumber water in the front so people can grab it themselves. Besides that 5 Stars

The seating area was very clean with a welcoming ambiance. The empanadas were delicious! My husband and I shared 4 different flavors - the breakfast chorizo was our favorite! We are at the end of our Dallas visit, otherwise I'd go back! It would be a great option for workplace catering - handheld, multiple options AND delicious.

Service with a smile! Empanadas on fire! The ambiance is pleasant with high tops and chairs for groups.

Visiting from Ohio, we enjoyed a variety of savory & sweet empanadas after our visit to the Aquarium. The service was fabulous, the food was delicious & the restaurant & washrooms were both clean and inviting. Thank you for a great first empanada experience!

Yummy and cute stop for my family! Very clean place. We got a variety to share and all were good. The chicken jalapeño and chicken melt were the best for us on the savory end. The Nutella and dulce de leches were also good choices for dessert. Would recommend!

I guess the store hours are just a suggestion. I went at 5:20 and they were closed. Not the easiest place to park, either.

Delicious and Fresh! The food is so so good! We had guacamole and chips as a start, so fresh and tasty! I had the beef and potato empanada and the Dulce de Leche empanada, it was better than I anticipated! My husband had the buffalo jalapeño and pork Al Pastor and loved them both! Great eating for some travelers walking around Dallas!

The first bite into the beef & Potato empanada. OMG it's so great, the taste, the accuracy & consistency in each bite. Will recommend others to partake!

More of a fast food ambiance but choices are great and food is amazing, really liked all the different empanadas we tried. The pork ones were our favorite. Order came out quickly to the table and the sauce was fun.

Found this gem on our walk towards the 6th floor museum and so glad we stopped. The Pork al Pastor was flavorful and their salsa verde... yummmmm-meeeee. The beef cheeseburger empanada was perfect for my picky 15yo son and, with a side of the mini Tequeños, it hit the spot. Will definitely return if we're ever in the area. Also, Happy to report the woman's (and the men's per my son) restroom was clean

Ordered the three Empanada Meal which comes with any three empanadas, salsa, and a side of your choice. I decided to get three different empanadas: Chicken Fajita, Beef Chimichurri, and Pork Al Pastor. I got Salsa Verde and for my side, got Cilantro Rice. All three empanadas were pretty good, but the Beef Chimichurri was definitely my favorite. The cilantro rice was full of flavor, so that was nice. I was super happy with the salsa I chose, it went perfectly with the empanadas. Also tried the mango Latin drink and it was delicious!

We spent about $50 on our order and we ordered 1 pork bbq empanada 1 pork Al pastor empanada 1 dulce de leche de empanada 1 guava empanada and 8 beef w/chimi (not potato) . A total of 12 empanadas . The first bite it was some ham and cheese! I try another one: it's chicken! Another one: chicken again! We drove like 50+ minutes to go here looking for empanadas! The staff are friendly but don't go here if you're looking to eat what you ordered. This is my first time in Dallas and my first time writing a review. What a great impression. :(

If you've never had an empanada, you gotta try this place! If you've had empanadas before, you should try this place! They are excellent!! All the empanadas are baked. So I was staying near this place and decided to try it for lunch. The staff was very nice, the selection of empanadas is great! I had the cheese burger and the meat and potatoes empanadas. Yummy!! You also need to try the fresh guac - oh so good! A few hours later I returned for a snack. I had the chicken fajita empanada and these little cheese filled rolls - both were very yummy!! This place is a walking distance from the Dallas, TX convention center and the Dallas Aquarium. If anywhere in downtown Dallas, check it out. Looking forward to returning and having more empanadas!! Ef Out!!

Delicious empanadas! My fav was the beef chimichurri and the guava cheesecake. Place is really clean and the staff is very friendly. Good to know this place is in downtown when I'm in the area.

There's something here for everyone. I'm currently visiting Dallas and looked up a brunch spot close to the West End tram station. This was about a 5-minute walk. I ordered the 3 empanada meal, which also comes with a side. I chose fried plantains. I ordered the portobello/spinach, chorizo breakfast and the pork Al pastor. I can't decide on a favorite - all 3 were tasty. The restaurant is really cute, clean and neat, and the service was friendly and fast. I'm considering stopping by again before I leave to try a few more. Prices were also very reasonable.

Very, very good food. Clean. Nice people, delivering quick service. I'm a beef and potatoes guy, so I assumed that I would like the "Beef & Potato" empanada the best, nope. While the beef and potato empanada was very, very good, I was surprised to find that I actually liked the "Roasted Veggies" empanada the best out of the variety that I tried. Who knew? The service was very quick and both the counter and floor staff were pleasant and efficient. The kitchen appeared to be noticeably and significantly cleaner than the vast majority of restaurant kitchens (even just the visible portions) in Dallas, so they get major points for that in my book. Pricing also very reasonable for the amount/quality of food provided. See you soon!

Wish there were more places like this. Who doesn't love a hand held meat or veg pie? The cheese chicken one was boring. Best for kids. But the beef was awesome! Order ahead. Though the prices and menu items differed online and in store. At least the last time I went. But go. Good stuff.

Tried the empanadas for the first time as a quick lunch. Ordered online. The food was ready when I arrived about 15 minutes later. I had the chicken fajita, pork al pastor, and beef chimichurri. They were just okay. The beef was the best out of the 3 having the most flavor. The chicken was a bit bland and dry. The pork al pastor needed more flavor. The crust was very soft. I was expecting it to be more crispy. Like another review stated, they reminded me of a hot pocket. The 3 stars came from the sauces. They are great! I got the salsa Blanca (reminded me of ranch with cliantro) with my meal and paid for a salsa chimichurri. Both were very good, but the salsa chimichurri was excellent! Like I just want to dip everything I eat in it. Don't think I'll return, but I will dream about that sauce.

These were the freshest, best empanadas I've had! I wish I could go back for more, but sadly am not local. We had the BBQ pork and the egg and roasted peppers, both with salsa roja- delicious! We also got one Nutella and one pineapple. I probably could have eaten 10 of them. Will definitely go back if I'm in the area! We were there around 1pm so service was pretty quick.

I gotta give @theempanadacookhouse a quick shout out because I recently visited Dallas TX and this place is still on my mind!!! I'm not exaggerating when I tell you this... they have one of the best flavored empanadas, tequeños along with their SALSA BLANCA RANCH, which is a combination of ranch, cilantro and honey. Let me tell you, it is GOLD!! This explains why they handed me the food with a smile on their face... they knew what was about to happen Maybe one day if we behave with our food and get lucky, they'll think about opening one up in GA?? Dallas has so many food options, it's ridiculous!! #rolieats #goodeats #goodfood #rolitravels #Texas #dallas #theempanadacookhouse #empanadas #tequeños #platanos #cococola #dietcoke #Iwassadwhenitwasover #ineedmore #dontjudgeme

The ambience = 7/10 The service = 10/10, fast and with a huge smile Food = 7/10; I would recommend. The empanadas are a bit small, prices are a lil high but not too bad. I ended up having two breakfast empanadas for about $8. Chorizo, Eggs, Jack Empanada is the breakfast empanada I got. They were good, like I said a bit small. Next time I come I'm gonna get the beef empanadas. Would recommend 7/10.

Amazing food and very friendly service! We tried the breakfast and regular empanadas. My favorite hands down was the breakfast ham and cheese, perfection!!! Beef and potato was my second favorite. Highly recommend!

Stopped here for a light lunch, and man these are some good empanadas! Pretty unassuming spot downtown, I have passed it multiple times and always see it active with patrons. Today I decided to stop in, and glad I did. Decided to grab 3 empanadas as a light lunch to share, and selected pork BBQ, pork el pastor and beef chimichurri along with the ranch and chimichurri sauces. Everything we ate was very tasty! Best bite was tied between the two pork empanadas, both saucy and teeming with flavor. Only heightened by the (ranch) sauce. The beef chimichurri didn't have as much flavor initially, but once I added the chimichurri sauce it started to sing. I felt pretty full after 1.5 empanadas, and thought the price of $11 for 3 empanadas is great since it can feed two people. Will definitely be back!

After our excursion at the Dallas Aquarium, my friends and I happened upon the Empanada Cookhouse. Upon entering, we were welcomed to a cozy interior with cute decorations. To my dismay, on the day we visited, the kitchen had run out of pork. My order took a bit longer than I'd like, but I observed that there was a small team working on everything. Despite the wait, the staff members were extremely friendly. On to the food - I decided to try the 2 empanada meal: chicken fajita and beef chimichurri empanada with a side of tater tots and salsa verde. The chicken fajita was my favorite out of the two! On the other hand, the beef chimichurri was okay. The tater tots are just like any other tater tots, so in hindsight, I would've selected a different side. I tasted all the salsas, except the chimichurri, and the salsa blanca ranch was my favorite. I also had the the Rosa de Jamaica drink, which had a slight resemblance to cranberry juice. In conclusion, I would visit again the next time I'm in the area.

These were delicious! I tried buffalo chicken 8/10, the pork one with pineapple 6/10 and a beef one 8/10. You could easily add 1 to each of my ratings but I like to leave room for growth lol. Enjoy!

Came to Dallas for the first time with the family. Have a shellfish allergy so eating gets pretty limited for me. However, for a quick lunch, I found this gem! Food was delicious. The cashier was nice! The place is small and cute! Love this place! Will definitely come back if and when we come back to Dallas!

I found this modern little hole in the wall eatery by accident just wandering around the West End, and my stomach wanted something different the Texas BBQ and alcohol. The Empanadas here are delightful! I got 3 empanada combo for $11 and went with the pork al pastor, beef chimichurri, and chicken fajita...all three were great, with the beef one being the very best! The warm flaky crust made a perfect vessel to transport the tasty morsels within into my mouth and into my tummy. The empanadas may seem small...but they somehow expand in your stomach and fill you up nicely. The side of Guacamole mole and chips was awesome too.

November 2021 - COVID Review: Located on one end of the downtown strip (and honestly a little sketchy), but it was definitely a great find! My friend and I got there about 1.5 hours before closing (they close at 8pm) but since we were the last customers to dine in, they decided to close early (around 7ish?). I appreciated that they didn't rush us to leave despite the early closing time though. The empanada deal was a great value and it comes with a side and sauce of your choice! The al pastor empanada was good but a little too saucy on the inside for me. But overall it was a great meal!

If I could give this place 10 stars I would! Super cute aesthetic inside. The staff was really friendly and helpful! And they greeted you with a smile from the moment you walked in. And the food was amazing! Traveling here for work, but I'll be back again before I leave!