Ruben’s Empanadas

If you are in the financial district and in need of a quick bite, don’t hesitate to stop by at Ruben’s Empanadas. I never get tired of their spicy chicken or spinach empanadas. Their empanadas are tasty, delicious, yet affordable. I enjoy going in the summer/​fall/​spring season and take advantage of their outdoor seating.
There is an indoor seating as well, but can definitely get crowded. Most of my colleagues usually grab a bite after happy hour at the famous stone street. The folks working there are well manner and quickly serve you.

These empanadas aren’t bad. My favorite is the cod fish. They have vegetarian ones which are pretty good too. This place might have one table so don’t expect to sit and relax while you eat.

Horrible. Maybe there are many different types of empanadas depending on country, but I know I don’t like these. Taste like they were baked pretzels. Too doughy and thick. I had the beef, dry and bland, and spicy chicken (not spicy at all).

Hard, unmistakeably microwave reheated and, no matter which filling you choose, there is little variation in flavor; stale oil. There isn’t much inside of these things, and they aren’t cheap. Not one of my favorite lunch destinations.

I want to like Ruben’s, but just can’t.
The empanada dough is really thick and tastes like cardboard. I usually end up tearing off the crimped crust and throwing it away — it’s not worth the calories. The fillings are kind of stingy and not all that tasty. I’ve had the so-​called «Argentine sausage,» spinach and ham and cheese empanadas. At the recommendation of a co-​worker, I tried the gazpacho soup, which was really a mistake.

A lack luster version of an ARGENTINIAN empanada! Meh, is an adecuate description.

Are you people crazy? These are not empanadas. I don’t know what they are, but they are NOT empanadas. They are horrible. You’d get lynched if you were trying to sell these in a Spanish neighborhood. What is with the half raw, dough? Baked and then reheated in the microwave? Are you insane, $ 4 for a nuked raw dough and pulverized beef pocket? Even the hot sauce is watered down, for heaven’s sake, how much does hot sauce cost, do they have to dilute it? Blech. Disgusting.

The chili empanada. Even though, yeah, it’s served re-​heated, and it’s messy to eat unless you’re really focusing, you know, it’s tasty.
I’m happy to send my regards to their hot sauce, which seems like it could have a distant familial relationship to Cholula and Tabasco. I tend pour it all in there, even though the chili empanada has little green peppers in it already, commingling with the ground beef and beans.
I like the soft crust.

You know what? I like the Empanadas here. Sure, they aren’t as stellar as one would hope, but they have a ton of vegetarian options as well as wholewheat crusts (which appeals to the post-​Thanksgiving me).
The prices aren’t bad compared to the rest of the overpriced dining options you have in this area.
I think I’m going to try some Spicy Tofu the next time I hanker for an Empanada and I don’t want to make one.

I enjoyed my spinach empanada in a smelly cab as I prayed not to die as a result of the insane driver. It was good and all, but they heated it in a microwave! So lame.

Ruben’s hit the spot the day I stopped in here, but then again, after tromping around the city all morning I could’ve eaten anything and it would’ve tasted good. In retrospect though, it was, at best, an average meal and probably the worst meal that I ate during my week in New York.
I had an Argentinean Sausage empanada and a potato empanada and they were OK. The crust was soft but it was super thick and kind of dry. I expected a lot more out of the fillings because of their flowery, colorful descriptions but essentially they were filled with either ground sausage or mashed potatoes and nothing more.
If I worked in the area, I would eat here occasionally as a change of pace, but if you are a tourist with a Lonely Planet in hand looking for a quick bite, don’t believe what they say and find yourself something better.

Located a block from the W/​R (Whitehall) and 2 blocks from the ⁴⁄₅ (Bowling Green) trains. it’s not that hard to get to the Ruben’s in downtown. The prices are a little more than the other locations due to it’s rent off the space, the new post office opened at it’s corner so it’s not hard to miss if you’re from downtown like me. It’s better than getting a power bar, have two and it’s already a meal. I frequent the place at least once every 2 weeks.