Ruben’s Empanadas

THIS LOCATION IS CLOSED :-(
We used to have Ruben’s Empanadas every Monday, but today I discovered them closed. I have been unable to determine if the other locations are still open or if they are closed as well. Perhaps they still exist in Elizabeth NJ?

Empanadas are okay. I’ve had better and with the empanadas in the name of this lunch spot, you would think that they would be amazing. The staff here is very friendly, and the food was simply ok.

Sweet baby Jesus… no!
If you happen to search «empanadas + soho» on Google, but realize you’re actually in the mood for dinner rolls stuffed with various meats or cheese or whatever, then by all means come here!
You’ll pay about 4 bucks for each stuffed dinner roll! (side-​eye)

I was debating on giving this a 3 or 4 star review. So instead let’s just say this is a solid 3.5 star establishment.
Quick Friday lunch: the place is relatively empty. Empanadas are lined up in the front behind glass — a little disturbing they’re all sitting out there for who knows how long. This made me skeptical, but I ordered the Argentine Sausage Empanada ($ 4) anyway, and a beer ($ 5) just in case it was terrible.
The empanada isn’t that bad: tad oily beef, but the crust kept everything in with every bite. My IPA was a great compliment and I saw myself finishing the meal in 8 minutes.
As per previous reviews, the fact that it’s microwaved once ordered takes away any pretense of freshness. However, that also means the food comes out FAST; plus the service was friendly. Will go back for a quick walk around meal.

I have only written one other review besides this and thought about writing this one. My boyfriend loves argentine empanadas so we were in the area and drove by this one on broome. I have NEVER tasted a more unpleasant empanada than this. Way too much dough, chewy, and could tell just by looking at it that this dough was raw!!! Chicken one was bland. The mushroom one was edible with the chimichurri but deff not what’s expected of an Argentine empanada. Empanadas normally are not size of a calzone. And last over priced. Wouldn’t mind paying this amount for a great empanada but this was just unacceptable. I paid 30 something $ for empanadas that I couldn’t eat.

I work close by and it always smells delicious every time I walked past so one day for lunch I decided to give a try. The 1 star is for the price $ 4 for one big empanada is great. i just wish the empanadas were as good as the price! I did not enjoy either of the two empanadas that I bought and felt sick after eating them. Not a fan at all.

I came here for the first time a couple of days ago and will definitely be coming back!
There are so many tasty looking choices and I honestly want to try everyone of them. I got the Argentinian sausage based off another Unilocal review and it was DYNA-​MITE!!! the potato was a little bland but together they make a solid combo. I’ll be back for the spinach, or the beef, or the spicy chicken, or the chili…

Alright, so don’t take my word on this because I know jack about empanadas, but I thought these were pretty tasty. I don’t eat meat, so there has not been much empanada love coming my way over the years. Ruben’s got me though because he has at least 6 different vegetarian empanadas daily and I noticed 2 fish empanadas that I’ll try next time. Two of these definitely make a filling lunch, or the salad and one empanada lunch special would do it too. They recommended the potato as their best veggie empanada and I also tried the mushroom. Both were really good, the potato in particular went well with the hot sauce on the side. The mushroom was pretty good and creamy, but not a good candidate for hot sauce smothering. The hot sauce is amazing. I also loved that they take credit cards with no minimum.

Ahhhh… my go to Empanada place in SOHO. $ 4+ is not bad once you see their empanadas.
I have been going here since 2009. I started just having their coffee before work and a glass of red wine after work. And then discovered all their delicious empanadas shortly after. Love love love.
My favorites are:
Argentinian sausage
Ham and cheese
Spicy chicken

Not in love. However! The price is good for how much your get and the service is good as well.
As far as the food, they have a sandwich cookie thing covered in chocolate that is great, but the actual empanadas are just okay.

warning: the spicy chicken is pretty dank but ruben’s ‘tude is mad bogus. dude is a hater. i went in there with the homies and he was straight h8ing. he snatched a hot sauce from my homie cause he was snacking on one of the empanadas he got in house before we dipped. ruben didn’t know if we was going to bounce midway, how you gunna swipe a damn hot sauce out of a dude’s hands with no respect like that.
also, i didn’t see a bathroom in there and i hate to take a hot fire piss. i’m a paying customer, at least yall could have a bucket i could fill up. damn, it’s the summer time.

Hands down the worst empanada I have ever had in my life. I slam dunked it after the first bite into a trashcan like a 1991 Chicago Bulls All star.
After watching it come out of a microwave, I already knew I was in trouble. I ordered a cheese empanada and it was the doughiest, with ricotta cheese inside that tasted like plain yogurt. I felt as if I was eating a rejected calzone.
I will say that the cashier guy was really nice — so if you need change for the bus, this is the only reason to come here.
Step it up Ruben’s!!!

These empanadas were terrible. They are dry on the inside and doughy on the outside.
Avoid.

Huge empanadas!
Pretty tasty too.
I bought two but forgot which ones since my trip was a few months ago.
:(

The empanadas I tried here were pretty bland and tasteless. Their very doughy and big. They seem healthier then the normal empanada but their not exciting at all. The place is nice and cozy inside and feels like a warm little café.

I got stuck in traffic heading Towards Holland Tunnel
One block to another takes about 20 minutes.
Stopped by Ruben’s Empanadas while my Friend who was driving got Stuck in traffic
Ordered Beef, Spicy Chicken, Mushroom, Ham and Cheese Empanadas to go.
Each one Cost about $ 4.25
Size of the empanadas were pretty big (6 inches long and pretty thick)
This are Baked, not Fried
Within 5 Minutes I walked back to the car and continue the traffic. Other people who was stuck in traffic was heading to Ruben’s Empanadas.

Ruben’s is literally a hole in the wall. The address is technically Broome Street but with the ways the streets intertwine, it’s kind of not. But once you find it, you walk inside and notice the huge list of empanadas posted on the wall. There is literally an empanada for everyone. They have tofu, veggie, beef, ham, chicken, spinach, cheese… you name it, they probably have it. They also offer some pastries and have a huge selection of drinks to choose from, including some alcoholic beverages.
For $ 11 you can get chorizo, rice, one empanada, and a drink. Not too shabby, if you ask me. The empanadas are filled to capacity and extremely filling. I had the shrimp and there were literally 20 shrimp packed in there. Excellent.

Ruben’s is perfect for a hit-​and-​run lunch: run in, place your order, then run out. Don’t worry, service isn’t mean or anything (quite the opposite), but seating’s limited, so you don’t want to linger.
An empanada is big enough to hold you over until a light snack later. Add hot sauce for flavor and enjoy. (I’ve had more flavorful empanadas, but they’ll do the job.) Hungry? Go for two; they’re not expensive (credit cards accepted).

After being lost in the bone-​chilling winter cold to meet up with an out-​of-​town friend who is accompanied with another friend, our party of three gathered here for lunch. The Argentine Sausage was entirely dry and bland but the hot sauce added flavor. The hot sauce was mild, which is perfect for me as a non-​spicy food gal. I was greatly baffled with disappoint of the size of the Empanadas as it was microscopic small and extremely dry. Thereby not worth a return visit.
Seating is very limited and there are two built-​in corner tables fit for one person possibly two persons. Ruben’s is good for the on-​the-​go lunch in New York fashion.

No.