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Sarah's Empanadas

4.6

5410 NC-55
Durham, NC 27713
Phone: (919) 544-2441
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Google Reviews

Photo of Alicia Green Alicia Green
Sep 25, 2024 5

Love this place! Great food, friendly people! I just wish they'd prepare online orders when they get them, rather than when you arrive - I'm immunocompromised, so I don't dine indoors anymore, and love being able to order online and quickly pick up my order once I arrive. Granted, it doesn't take them long to prepare the order after I arrive, but I still wish it was ready when I got there so I could be on my way a little faster. still giving them 5 stars though - LOVE their food!!!!!!!!

Photo of John Kroetch John Kroetch
Sep 25, 2024 5

An unassuming place from the outside, but a pretty cool place on the inside. We went here for lunch. You order and they bring the order to your table. I got the combo of 2 empanadas and a side for just under $10. I had the beef & cheese and Cubano empanadas with a side of green beans. They were all very tasty. There was a slight pickle taste in the Cubano, which made me happy. They came with a sauce but a spicy sauce was offered and I took it. It added just that little bit more to an already tasty meal. I saw they offered a dozen frozen empanadas for $38 or something. If I lived here I'd definitely take them up on that!

Photo of Manisit Das Manisit Das
Aug 9, 2024 5

This is a beautifully decorated restaurant in a small space— you can get a wide assortment of empanadas, arepas, and pupusas. Everything tasted so well, and the person in the restaurant was very polite too! Loved our first time here. We ordered 3 empanadas, 1 arepa, and 1 pupusa, and it was just enough food for two of us.

Photo of james bundy james bundy
Jul 25, 2024 5

First time eating here and it was a pleasant experience. The food is filling and reasonably priced. The service was family-oriented and fast and efficient. I was not impressed with the Cubano but it was still a bargain and a lot for the money. The Mexicana I couldn't taste the jalapeño but still tasty!

Photo of Avery Benzinger Avery Benzinger
Jun 5, 2024 5

I’ve been on the hunt for good empanadas lately - haven’t had a lot of luck… until ordering from here! These empanadas were so so so juicy, hot, and fresh. The shells are cooked to perfection. I mean perfect crisp- perfect amount of flake. I got the beef and cheese and the broccoli and cheese. Both of them were spot on. The beef and cheese was incredible and my personal favorite. The pulled beef was so juicy and seasoned just right. My wife got the Colombian beef and potato and the corn and cheese and she raved about the corn and cheese. We also ordered fried plantains. I will agree with other reviews on the rice being sort of bland, however it was still good and I scarfed it down. The empanadas are probably the best I’ve ever had in my life. And to touch on what I think is the best part of all of this… the pricing?! This was incredibly affordable high quality food. To get two empanadas, and a side for $10 is unheard of in just about every restaurant currently. We plan to order from here again, and again… and again. Highly recommend to anyone looking at these reviews wondering if they should eat here.

Photo of Christina McQueary Christina McQueary
Apr 15, 2024 5

Delicious lunch! Staff was very nice! Loved all the beautiful decorations - so much to look at!

Photo of Meg Bollmann Meg Bollmann
Mar 26, 2024 5

This place is fantastic! Definitely go if you're craving authentic empanadas, arepas, pupusas with ALL the sides ♥️ They do a lot of take out business. It's worth it to eat there & enjoy the artwork in the dining room. They make you feel like you're visiting a friend.

Photo of Taylor Rivers Taylor Rivers
Dec 15, 2023 5

Went there today. I had the Jerk empanada, rice and beans with salad. It was wonderful! The Chipotle dressing on my salad was so good. My daughter had the steak empanadas which she also enjoyed. The food was served hot and fresh. Definitely will go back.

Photo of Jennifer Gronskei Jennifer Gronskei
Dec 2, 2023 5

Ate here for the first time today around 2pm. I had the spicy cheese empanada with rice and the soup if the day, which was chicken and I loved every bit of it. The crust was crispy and crunchy but soft on the inside and so flaky, it was delicious! My daughter already had her a lunch so she had the churros and she said they were the best she ever had. My husband had the beef and cheese and the jerk chicken empanadas with 1/2 beans and 1/2 rice. He loved it and thought it was amazing! All the flavors were spoton, nothing tasted the same like food tends to andwe were very pleased. The staff was so kind and she checked on us about 1/2 way through and was very nice. The restaurant is very cool looking, a lot of cool trinkets and things from their country and everything was very eye catching. Next time we will sit in the larger room and play Eye Spy. There was only one other couple there and that suprised me, with their food and service they should have lines out the door! Thank you for a great late lunch, we will be back.

Photo of Chuck Peterson Chuck Peterson
Dec 1, 2023 5

Have you ever been "off the beaten path", hungry, and looking for a place to eat? If you're a bit like me, you'd really like to find that gem of a place - NOT the cookie-cutter, National restaurant chain kind of place, but a place that when you're finished eating, you say to yourself, "I have to remember this place next time I'm in the area". Well, Sarah's Empanadas IS that place. Having stopped there about 1.5 years ago while on business, I found myself in the Durham area on business once again. I knew where the restaurant was but honestly, didn't remember the name. Nevertheless, I drove to this little "strip mall" at the corner of 55 and Sedwick in south Durham hoping it was still there. To my delight, it was. I've had empanadas before but NEVER like the ones Sarah serves. Obviously, these are hand-crafted (you can tell by the fork marks used to seal them), crispy, light burn marks on the pastry outer shell and full of hot chicken, pork, potatoes, cheese and other good stuff. Please see the pic of the menu. The interior decor is so unique and comfortable. It's as if I've been invited into a cook's personal kitchen and dining room. It's the first time I've ever had Chipotle dressing on a salad. If you're in the area, you've got to try it.

Photo of Kerry Bartlett Kerry Bartlett
Nov 25, 2023 5

Had the chicken and cheese empanada today. Big, fat, fresh and flaky. Coming from Southern California, this is the best Bolivian style I have had on the East coast. Spicy barbecue sauce was fantastic too.