Stella’s Empanadas

My first time eating Stella’s empanadas we order three to try it, they were good and then we order more but they give us cold empanadas. I asked if they could heat them up for me, but they refused because they didn’t have space.

The staff is very friendly. There was ample parking near the location. There was a large selection of different types of empandas. They offer the traditional, breakfast and dessert empandas. The staff obviously makes their empandas with love. All the empandas are very delicious. There was not one empandas that was not tasty.

Always my favorite empenadas. Ate here today after a trip to the zoo. My three year old daughter ate three beef empenadas! My husband and I had chicken milenese sandwiches with a side of fries. This is our favorite sandwich it’s so easy and simple but so delicious. The bread they have here is excellent for it. Fries are crispy and as always a million different flavors of empenadas.

I stopped by with a friend and we picked up a selection of empanadas to bring home for lunch. They were all delicious! I had the spicy chicken and spicy beef, they had a great flavor and a great kick from the spice. I also tried the bbq pulled pork and that was amazing. For dessert I had the apple filled empanada and it was tasty, not too sweet. This was the only one that felt a little greasy. I will definitely put this on my list of yummy lunch places.

I had no idea there was a ‘National Empanada Day’ nor that there was a hidden gem in K-​Town devoted to these fried goodies until an article on
where Stella’s made a Top 10 list.
Wow. The place itself is easy to overlook — wedged between some other stores on a side street — but this is a seriously legit place. For a family of four — a dozen mixed empanadas to go with tip — just over $ 20… what’s not to love?
Mac and cheese… spicy chicken… beef and cheddar — the best of our assortment
Philly cheesesteak… a swing and a miss
The cheesecake and baked apple dessert ones… off the charts
Can’t wait to make my way back there.

It’s taking so long on this line to get an empanada I’ll probably be dead before I get the chance to write this review, so this is it. Why is there only one person working here? Stella, u could sell 3x the empanadas.
I will curse u Stella if the empanadas on the board are all sold out too.

After having Stellas Book marked on my Unilocal list for awhile, i finally made the treck over here. The empanadas here are not skimp at all! They deff pack them to the rim and they are big. Not to mention, at $ 2 each thats a steal. However, they do have deals such as 6 for $ 8.50.
The dessert Argentine Cheesecake was my fave. Ive never had a cheesecake empanada but this opened my eyes to a whole new world! The second favorite was the Calabrese. A little bit of italian flavor thrown into ths mix was a great idea. If youre not a fan of cheese, i wouldnt suggest getting this one… because it is cheesey to the max. Speaking of cheese, i even tried the mac n cheese. Now at first thought, youd think this would have been my fave however, it didnt deliver. Not sure if its their rue, or the cheese they use. but i just was not a fan of the flavor of the cheese sauce and mix in it.
I liked that theres deals, theyre big, you can sit and eat, and they even have a whole menu for vegetarians ! I would reccomend this place to anyone, its a great spot for a quick snack!

They messed up my order and they food taste weird to me, I’m not sure if I was unlucky but me and my mom aren’t eating their again

As good as it was to meet Jim Lee and to get a great Ferro Lad sketch from Rodney Ramos at the NJ Comics Expo, the real surprise was discovering Stella’s Empanadas! We had a great lunch and took home a dozen assorted flavors for later treats! Thanks!!! Do you guys ship? I wonder if they could surive the transit?

No question this is the best place in New Jersey. The empanadas is absolutely delicious. The owners wife and husband are the sweetest couple you can ever meet. You truly feel you are visiting with your sweetest sister and family. Guys keep it up. We love you and we will be back.
I recommend this place very very strongly with no reservation. Make it 6 STARS!

A little local Kearny treasure with Phenomenal Empanadas! Price, Service, & Quality cannot be beat.

I cannot believe that this place has been here for years and I’ve never heard of it! There are a few words that describe this place: UNBELIEVABLE, AMAZING and DELICIOUS! This place is somewhat hidden in Kearny, and I stumbled upon it while driving thru, it’s easy to miss if you’re not looking for it! I tried the chicken & cheese, corn, and beef and potato empanadas, and brought my friends the apple ones. They are generously filled as seen in the pics, crispy and not greasy. I loved them all, but the corn one stood out with mozzarella cheese, corn and peppers, it was different but in a great way. There are a TON of combos to try. The apple empanadas were delicious too, if they had a little bit of cinnamon in them they would be even better, but even without they are definitely worth it!
The place itself is a small store with a few booths and a table, it’s obvious when you walk in that they are a very busy place because they’re making empanadas by the dozen. The girl working the counter was really pleasant, which to me is a huge part of your dining experience, if the staff isn’t nice your meal isn’t as good! The pictures speak volumes of the food and its a recommended stop for lunch, dinner, or even a snack.

I’ve tried these at the Grove Street Farmer’s Market. Very good fillings. I’ve had the spinach & mushrooms; the chicken and cheddar and the mac and cheese. My favorite has been the chicken, super good flavors and they fill them pretty well. The empanadas are in trays since they’re at a farmers market so they’re sometimes a little soft but nonetheless they’re good! I want to try more flavors!

This place gets 5 stars hands down!
The customer service here is amazing. You will fall in love with Stella the minute you walk in. You could tell she is passionate about what she does and truly cooks with love.
Now, for the empanadas… OMG…DELICIOUS! I love that They offer a variety of empanadas… from vegetarian to meat lovers! I ordered the spicy chicken, calabrese, spinach and mushroom. All were amazing! Stella also indicated that she could bake them if ordered in advance! How could you not love this place???
I didn’t see any of the dessert empanadas on the menu, but perhaps I just missed them.
I will deipfinitely be coming back for more!

I find the empanadas flavor to be hit or miss here. The crust is nice as well. I love the selection, pricing and awesome customer service at Stella’s! I suggest you get a dozen or ½ dozen to see what flavors your taste buds like. It will only set ya back $ 9-​$ 18 greenbacks.
I last stopped in a few months back around lunch time. I tend to prefer their beef and dessert empanadas. They’re consistent and packed with flavor!
Here’s what I ordered like clockwork to give them a fair shot:
— Spicy chicken
— Broccoli and corn
— Beef and potato
— Bbq pulled pork
— Calabrese
— Cheesecake caramel
My favorite of the above were the beef and potato and the cheesecake caramel. These two empanadas were awesome and didn’t disappoint. The rest on the list were spotty. One day good, next time so so… The fillings are good for the price and if you don’t mind some fried food, then you’ll enjoy good food for a good price. I believe they can also bake the empanadas, so call ahead they take more time to prepare.
I will return if I’m in the mood for an empanada or if I’m going to an event and need to bring some cool finger food. My taste buds might be off, so I say give em a try and see for yourself. You can dine in, but I wouldn’t suggest coming in groups. Enjoy folks

I have only had these at the downtown Jersey City Farmer’s Market. The product may be different at the store.
Service was extremely friendly at the Stella’s Empenadas stand.
The flavor was very good and I thought the fillings were just right. HOWEVER, the empenadas were all soft. I assume this is a result of being in the steam trays at the market, rather than perhaps under heat lamps or freshly made.
But, personally I like crispy, flaky empenadas and not limp ones. If this is irrelevant to you, you’d probably have no problem with these. I’d be happy to try out the store in hopes that they’re crispy since, like i said, the flavors were very good. But, I cannot really see myself getting these at the farmer’s market again.

Great spot for quick empanadas. A huge fan of the spicy chicken and the chicken and cheese empanada. The place is clean and the service is great. I heard great things about the italian empanada with ham and cheese and the beef and potato empanada.

Great empanadas! My boyfriend and I enjoyed them. Lots of vegetarian options for me and meat options for him. I had the broccoli and corn, spinach and cheese, and Mac and cheese. He had the spicy chicken, chicken and cheese, and beef and cheese. All delicious and huge servings. Pricing is decent as well. The ladies working were friendly and hard working. I’m definitely coming back.

Finally had a chance to try Stella’s and was pleasantly surprised! We ordered a mix of empanadas and enjoyed most of them. The beef and potato was delicious and the chicken and rice as well as the chicken and cheese were flavorful and had a bit of heat to them. I also liked the spicy beef which had just the right amount of spice. However, the mac n cheese and the italiano were a little disappointing. The mac n cheese was bland and somewhat dry. The italiano just tasted like ham and cheese with some pepperoni thrown in, just was not my favorite.
Overall I will definitely order from here again. I’m excited to try more flavors and find my favorites.

Bought a dozen to try a variety of these empanadas and honestly I’m not impressed. I was very psyched that I saw an expanada place so close I just had to try them. But this place is not for me. However this review should not stop you for trying this place out. My taste buds are different than yours and we maybe looking for different flavor profiles.
Try this place out and give it your honest review.

I’ve been looking to try Stella’s Empanadas for a while now and finally got my chance. They offer over 20 types of empanadas from veggie ones, to meat filled ones to sweet ones. My husband and I decided to order a half dozen which was only $ 8.50 + tax. We ended up getting 2 more since 3 each was not enough for lunch, at least for me. Comments on each:
–Beef and potato — My favorite one. Ground beef is a bit on the salty side but it had good flavor and the mashed potato complemented well.
–Beef — just the beef as described above plus an olive. It could use some additional ingredients like onions, peppers, and some heat.
–Chicken — decent but not memorable
–Ham/​Egg/​Cheese — good as a breakfast item
–Calebrese — contains roasted peppers, tomato, and moz cheese with a garlic sauce. Just ok
–Italiano — Ham, pepperoni, moz, and tomato sauce — it was too heavy on the diced ham, with a couple slices of pepperoni. This was my least favorite.
–Corn — also had peppers and moz cheese. Just ok.
Overall, I found the crust to be the best part but the fillings in general could use some more spices, heat and less salt. I did like how the empanadas were served straight from the fryer. So they are fresh and not just sitting around on a heating tray.
I read they can be found at certain farmer’s markets and street fairs and I think these would make great street food snacks. However as a meal for lunch, it was too much fried food for me. I mean, I had 4 so it was a bit much, but ideally I would rather just have 2 plus a non-​fried side. The service is friendly and they do have a few tables if you wish to dine in.

I am dropping my star count to 2.5 after eating these empanadas for several weeks since they sell them at a local farmers market. I have been hitting their stand for several weeks as my once a week family take out spot instead of pizza. A dozen will set you back $ 20 but sometimes they run a special where they are $ 18. They are also $ 18 if you call ahead to their restaurant and preorder.
The crust is really good and if weren’t so lame with dough and it weren’t so time consuming, I would like to make these myself.
The filling is where the breakdown and inconsistencies lie. Any variety filled with spinach is bland and under-​seasoned.
Last week I tried, for the first time, the frittata with egg, cheese and onion and it was also rather tasteless, very under-​seasoned.
On the flip side, the beef and cheese was overwhelmingly salty two weeks in a row, an indication that this is not a one-​time fluke.
The pulled pork which I originally liked has become cloyingly sweet. Too much sugar in the sauce. I can only eat one at a time but honestly after trying them a couple times, opt not to buy them anymore.
The broccoli and cheese uses frozen broccoli and it shows in the flavor and consistency. The cheese also doesn’t mix in with the broc but sits along the spine of the empanada, kind of in a separate lump and doesn’t fully melt so it is somewhat coagulated and unappealing.
Nice people with a convenient, reasonably priced alternative to pizza and Chinese but they could do so much better with the quality and variety of their fillings.

When I moved away from my hometown, I was quite sad that I wouldn’t be close to Stella’s, whose storefront is less than 10 minutes from my home.
Well, luck was on my side when I moved to Jersey City and saw that Stella’s is practically at every farmer’s market and outdoor fair/​festival that I attend. Thank goodness I can always count on Stella’s to be there with their deliciously portable empanadas.
I hardly stray away from my favorite — spicy beef. However, at only $ 2.50 a pop, I should probably make it my summer goal to try every empanada on this list.
Challenge accepted.

I have only tried these at the Historical Downtown Farmer’s Market in Jersey City, but they are great empanadas. Great price for the size and perfect for snacking. You can get 1 for $ 2.50, 2 for $ 4.50, or 12 for $ 20. The beef and potato one is great. Ground beef at the top, mashed potatoes at the bottom. Baked apple was a little skimpy on the apple filling, but both are encased in nice crispy pastry. Next time I’m going to buy the 12 for $ 20 to try more flavors.

This place has been on my to try list for a while. I was driving somewhere and was a but hungry and realized that this shop was probably in the same general area. My GPS let me know it was actually just 2 minutes away which was closer than I expected and I was even able to find a parking spot right out front. Things were already looking up.
I knew I wanted the Mac and cheese and pulled pork empanadas. I asked Stella for recommendations (she is awesome!) and she suggested a few; I ordered the beef and potato. I watched as someone meticulously made a bunch of empanadas while I waited. Mine were cooked to order and took about six or seven minutes. I got mine to go and when I opened the box, was surprised to see there was an extra one. Not sure what it was, potentially spicy chicken but not positive.
These things are amazing. The crust itself is 5 stars. So flaky and crispy and just perfect. Fillings are good too but the crust is the star. I actually found the Mac and cheese filling to be under seasoned. I really enjoyed the other 3 though. It’s really awesome how the inside can have a lot of sauce but not make the exterior soggy. These things are great and I know that I’ll be back soon.
Aside from empanadas they do sell some grilled steak and other Argentinian dishes. Highly recommend this place!

This place has been on my bookmark forever, and finally was in the area to give this place a shot. I had the beef and cheese and calabrese empanada. Both were pretty good.
The highlight was the tango burger. I enjoyed that more than the empanadas. It was well seasoned and beyond flavorful. I would definitely come back and try the other burgers. My only gripe is hamburger buns with seeds ugggggh!!! Like a bad hang nail. A burger has to be really good to ignore the annoyance of seeded bread. Nooo, I am not one of those people who picks them off, but I used to be lol. Anyway, excellent burger!!!
Lastly, I had the dulce de leche empanada for dessert. Yummers! Would go great with ice cream at home. I would definitely come back and test out more choices.

5 Stars… One for flavor, variety and overall crispy, flaky goodness. One for Stella — you’ll love her instantly. One for low prices but high quality. One for all those sides of homemade chimichurri or salsa sauce. One for homemade flan. Get some.
I had or shared the following empanadas: mac & cheese (hands down my favorite), banana rum raisin (my second favorite), broccoli & cheddar, calabrese, spinach & mushroom, spinach & cheddar.
I did not eat the following but feedback was that they were absolutely delicious:
spicy chicken, beef & cheese.
That’s about half the flavors that Stella’s actually offers. Which means I have to go back there again soon and have a little empanada eating contest with myself.