Sarah's Empanadas

Give this place 4 stars! First time empanada tasting with client who recommended. Great food. Salsa needs to be bottled. Had the soup of the day with one chicken and cheese empanada. Came out in less than a few minutes hot and delicious.\r \r While paying (cheap cheap lunch) noticed inspection rating was 100% Very well done.\r Will be back again - client's request. If my clients are happy, I'm happy. Only suggestion: get the landlord of the shopping strip to clean your sign - they need to keep you happy - you bring in a ton of business it appears. Good luck and keep on cooking delicious food! more

IF YOU WANT: 1-Great latin food with no indigestion later to remind you that you had spicy food; 2-Quick service and fresh, healthy latin food made with all natural ingredients (I asked cause I care about what goes in my body); 3-A FANTASTIC LUNCH TREAT with food that is very different from eating tacos, or a simple sandwich at a very reasonable price (don't tell them they could go up on price without a problem!) 4-Take a client or a friend to a unique restaurant that is anything but typical THEN SARAHs Empanadas is the place to visit!! BUT, IF YOU ARE LOOKING MORE for: -1. A waitress that spends a ton of time catering to your every whim, and regardless of the food you feel obligated to tip her a LOT; -2. Special treatment if you are of latin descent, or you think you are someone more special (VIP) than anyone else (the waitstaff and owner treat everyone the same--like you are there to eat fast and fresh food...no better. no worse) -3. EXPENSIVE lunch......indigestion...... Then this is NOT the place for YOU.....(ha! ha!) SERIOUSLY FOLKS: Go and Enjoy While You Can--who knows when the owners, who have been the ONLY restaurant that has survived these tough economic times and has been in this shopping center for over 20 years, or as long as I've been working in this area, will decide to close up shop and retire! more

This restaurant has been the only restaurant that has remained in this small shopping strip where she is located-- Greenwood commons towards Apex for over 21 years! Sarah's baked, 1/2 moon-shaped pastries filled with chicken, beef, veggies and/or cheese are incredible! I take frozen empanadas home to my family when I can and they NEVER get tired of them! Her bottled salsa is fantastic, and I have used it to cook soups, salads, baked potatoes-meats. With that salsa--all the fresh ingredients, who needs a rack of spices to cook with? You're instantly a chef! Health benefits--I know her food is extremely fresh tasting and obviously healthy--because you aren't left with that typical 'heartburn' that may come from eating spicy (mexican?) foods. Always leave feeling GREAT! Her staff, although not chatty, are very efficient, as the objective in this location is to get the RTP lunch crowd quicky in and out-so they can enjoy their lunch and get back to work under their allotted lunch time. Pricing--it is cheaper than making your own lunch (unless you're eating a pack of crackers or ramen noodles)! I do not know how she has been able to do it. Maybe this is why during the economy downturn, you do not see a big change in the # of people that are packed at her restaurant on a daily basis! The only negative thing I can say is that she does not cater or that her hours are still only for lunch goers. Come on Sarah's empanadas! It's a great time to make more EMPANADAS and share it with MORE FOLKS! Thanks for making such a great quality food product! more

you are unlikely to have a return service from your server after your food is delivered. Make sure you order enough extra waters so that you can cool off after eating the spicy salsa. Remember, you are a low priority to the staff there - they don't have much time for you so please don't bother them. Pros: pastries and salsa Cons: service more

I think you are better off to get the Jamaican beef patties at any Jamaican restaurant. I came here because friends raved about it and I found the food boring and overpriced for what you get. Service is not good - the atmosphere is negative. Why would I go back? Pros: The only place that specialized in Empanadas Cons: boring food, boring atmosphere, boorish attitude more

I was not impressed the first time I went there as I ordered a couple empanadas to take out and they made me wait for over 20 minutes and they had ran out of the meat empanadas at 12:30pm. I gave it another shot months later and service was worse, disorganized. The cashier told me to wait for the order in the back near the kitchen and then an old lady, not sure if she was even a waitress, came by almost pushing me out telling me to move away. I tried to explain I ordered take out and the cashier told me to wait there but she would not listen and kept being rude and just took my order slip from my hand. I was completely turned off. Beyond that, I am Latin and had higher expectations for the food, which lacked flavor and authenticity. more

The Empandas and Salsa is great. The service is okay, the service personnel tend to have way too many tables to realistically offer good service, so it really isn't their fault, the fault lies with the owners. Sarah is just not a nice person, I have been going to Sarahs for 7 years, and I have never seen her be social or nice in any way. Her ex-husband (whom still works there) is a bit better, but also doesn't seem to care so much. My wife is a Kindergarten teacher for a dual immersion program (she teaches kindergarten in spanish to native and non-native spanish students), she asked if she could bring her class there (early before they opened so they wouldn't disturb their normal business) and Sarah refused. Again, the food is good, service is overworked and they owners just don't care. Pros: Good Empanadas and Salsa Cons: Overworker Servers and Owners that don't care about the business. more

I have been going to Sarahs since they opened and have never had a bad lunch!!! The service is always friendly and prompt. Food is great and I regularly get frozen ones to take home for my kids to fix before their sports practice. I honestly have never had a bad experience there except when they stopped getting the South American chocolate. :-) It is awesome for a quick, hot lunch that will satisfy you all day. Pros: Fast, Great taste Cons: Not open for dinner more

Used to be terrific, and a good value. Now they are getting cheap on condiments and won't give you salsa unless you tackle them in the dining room. I won't be back. Pros: Unique food Cons: Chincy management, terrible service more

I've been a customer of this establishment for the past 8 years, visiting the joint at least once per month on average. Sometimes in the summer, we would visit every Tuesday when they have a ""special."" more

Being someone who's lived in South America for a good part of my life, I'm always looking for places that serves authentic South American good. Sarah's is one of the few places that hits home. The beef empanda tastes just like what you would get had you bought them in South America, even the ingredient is exactly the same. Highly, higly recommended. Also try out Guarana (soda) when you visit. Pros: Authentic flavor, Inexpensive, fast service more

I was intrigued enough to drive from Chapel Hill, mainly because I LOVE empanadas. I got the mushroom & cheese, and sadly, the mushrooms made the filling way too watery. The beans and rice were excellent, though - better than the empanada itself. I'll go back and try the chicken and cheese, since my husband thoroughly enjoyed his meal and I think mine was bad only because of the mushrooms. Pros: cheap, filling, healthy food Cons: slow service, drab decor more

The empanadas are tasty ... everyone who goes develops their favorites; mine are corn and cheese & spicy cheese. And here's a tip for ya -- the Gazpacho is *terrific*, so if they happen to have it the day you come in, give it a try (their version of gazpacho is thick, and exactly as spicy as it should be). You can get in and out very quickly (if you get the right waitperson -- watch out for the young lady we call ""the serializer"", who deals with exactly one table at a time ... takes their order, and will not take anyone else's order until she's given that table their food). Your biggest wait will probably be to pay -- it seems the owner won't let anyone else touch the cash register. All in all, a good quick, simple lunch. Pros: Empanadas, Gazpacho more

I've had ""empanadas"" in D.C., New York, and Spain, but Sarah's Empanadas makes them best. Great prices, great service, and more important... homemade salsa! It's the perfect place for a quick lunch. Pros: unique, fast service, inexpensive more

The empanadas are tasty. I guess they have to be considering that is pretty much all that is on the menu. You have around 10 different fillings to choose from and a handful of sides (rice, beans, rice&beans, salad etc...). I think the culinary highlight has to be either the salsa which is tasty and actually has a little kick or the fact that they serve up the bizarre peruvian soda, Inca Cola. I haven't seen that stuff since I was fighting off altitude sickness in Cusco when that unnaturally colored, heavily caffeinated, sugar laden fuel saved me. The interior feels like a a crappy mall with some random Bolivian craft pieces scattered around. The wait staff is fine. The service is certainly as fast as I've ever seen. Pros: fast, cheap, tasty more

Once upon a time you could walk away from Sarah's for $6 but these days you end up spending $7 or $8. the food is still excellent and the speed is amazing. Most of the empanadas are served to your table in less than 5 minutes. The specials don't feel that special anymore either as they seem not to have changed in 5 years. Overall this is a fun place and good for groups with the fast sevice and good food. Pros: food, service, speed Cons: , mini mall more

Not enough people know about Sarah's Empanadas, but more seem to be finding out every day. For a special treat, or to impress an out-of-town associate, take them to this unassuming-looking bistro in Greenwood Commons. Though it's very busy during the rush, Sarah's consistently has great food, very fast sit-down table service, and something for everyone. Try all of the empanadas in time. They say Chicken with Cheese is the most popular, but the hidden gems are the Mushroom with Cheese and Corn with Cheese. The soups are always fantastic, changing daily, and the specials are good if you can pull yourself away from your favorite empanada for a day. Highly recommended. Pros: Great food, Inexpensive, Different more

I recently discovered this place and have been back several times since. The empanadas are fabulous--order one with a side of rice and you have the perfect lunch. It gets unbearably crowded during the lunch rush, so don't expect much in the way of service, but the upside is that you can get in and out without a long wait. Pros: Inexpensive Cons: Crowded more