I love this place
DESCRIPTION: I found this place on a visit to D.C. I had never heard of an empanada before, but they had a vegan one so I stopped in. I can't get enough of them. I started looking up recipe's as soon as I got home.
DATE: 2003-06-28
FOODRATING : 8
SERVICERATING : 6
AMBIANCERATING : 6
OVERALLRATING : 8
RECOMMENDED DISHES : Anything!

Overpriced Puerto Rican Food
DESCRIPTION: My experience at Benny's started out ok. It's a Cuban cafeteria style small restaurant with pictures of Puerto Rico all over the walls. We were a party of 4. 2 adults, 2 children. We were given picture menus without prices...I thought it was a bit odd but could not imagine how overpriced these items were going to be. My husband ordered the typical arroz con gandules, pastel and lechon, I ordered a mofongo, and my children shared an adult plate of rice & beans , pork chops and plaintains. We all ordered Cokes. For dessert, I ordered a flan. When we received the bill I was shocked! It was exactly $64.00 dollars. I carefully reviewed the bill an saw that for 4 Cokes the total was $12.00 dollars. $3.00 per glass of Coke??!!I also saw that the bill was really $52.70 and the waitress had added her tip! I left $60.00 because as a person that dines out all the time I feel I should decide what to tip the server. She did not como to our table once to ask us if we needed anything and was not pleasant but I felt I left her a fair tip. As we were heading towards the car another waitress came outside screaming that we owed her $4.00 dollars. I told her that the bill was $52.70 and that I am not forced to leave a certain amount of tip.She then screamed and said that a party of 4 or more is automatically leave a tip. (I thought this is ridiculous!!) I said , well I refuse to pay that amount for the tip so we'll have to see the owner, that's when she said "oh but if you dont want to pay it that's ok".. I have never had such an experience in a restaurant!! Although the food was good , I felt I was overpriced and the whole tip scene was really what got me really upset. I will never return again!
DATE: 2003-06-18
FOODRATING : 6
SERVICERATING : 4
AMBIANCERATING : 6
OVERALLRATING : 2

IT'S A RIPOFF.
DESCRIPTION: I felt that I was robbed too. I had shrimp which was 15.00 and my fiance and mother both had chicken. Her son had chicken strips and fries. The chicken strips were brought to the table in a plastic take out dish. Also the chicken strips were hard. My fiance ordered a sprite and the glass tasted like clorox. All sides were charged separately. Can you believe you have to pay extra for rice or beans or plantains. The bill came out to 67.00. I was from out of town so I just paid it and left without putting up any aggravation. The place sucks. Do yourself a favor and don't even try it. Any recommendations you see for the place are probably from the stick up/con artist owners and waitress.
DATE: 2004-08-27
FOODRATING : 2
SERVICERATING : 4
AMBIANCERATING : 2
OVERALLRATING : 2
RECOMMENDED DISHES : NONE

Best Puertorrican food
DESCRIPTION: The place is cozy, clean, not noisy. The menu is in english & spanish & the prices are not high at all, especially with all the food they serve! I had the Mofongo with seafood, which is the most expensive dish in their extensive menu and @ $22.95 is not a bat deal, when you get a big Morter filled with smached plantain, mixed with garlic, pork grind & Olive Oil, then they topped this mixture whith 5 different kind of seafood like, Lobster, Shrimp, Octopus, Conch & Snapper Fish, MMMM!!! I had plenty leftover for next day! My husband had the bistec with arroz con gandules & maduros for $10.95, what a deal. To drink I had the best lemonade ever!, like a frape & my husband had the coquito WOW! how good is that! we were told that this is the puertorrican version of the american "eggnog" Oh but it taste SO MUCH BETTER! I guess becouse of the mixture of coconut milk, condensed milk, egg yolks, vainilla, cinnamon & the pinch of rum, YUM! We finished with a "Tembleque" with a sprinkel of cinnamon. what a hevenly dessert! all are home made. the total of our bill was $46.85 (taxes included) we left a $8.00 tip the total was $54.85. I though this was verry well worth every penny, the food was exelent, the service was superb, and the place was neat with great Puertorrican music. I will recomend this to all of my friends & family, I don't know what "princesa chiri" was drinking the day she visit this great Puertorrican restaurant. We even meet the ownwers and congratulated them for having being in business for the past 11 years and still have such great quality & service!
DATE: 2005-06-09
FOODRATING : 10
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 10
RECOMMENDED DISHES : Mofongo Marinero, Pasteles & Dessert

best value in town
DESCRIPTION: Julia's Empanadas is a small DC-based chain of 4 stores that do one thing brilliantly well. They make wonderful savory pastries and at $3.50 each, that's a meal. My favorite is the saltenaa; chicken, egg, vegetables in a very thick sauce all wrapped in a well-baked pastry. Ask for extra salsa. The Jamaican patty is food, and if you get a value meal ($6.50 for a pastry, a souip and a salad), the gazpacho soup is great.
DATE: 2005-09-05
FOODRATING : 8
SERVICERATING : 6
AMBIANCERATING : 6
OVERALLRATING : 8
RECOMMENDED DISHES : Saltena, Gazpacho

Baked with Rudeness
DESCRIPTION: My friends and I were rudely informed that we weren't allowed to sit and eat our empanadas at the window counter despite the empty stools. We were boorishly told that they are a "carry-out only" establishment only after paying. The neon sign outside may proclaim their empanadas are "Baked with Love" but should state Served with a Big Side of Rude.
DATE: 2005-10-13
SERVICERATING : 2
AMBIANCERATING : 2
OVERALLRATING : 2

Timing is Everything
DESCRIPTION: After hearing all the great reviews of Julia's, I stopped by her Connecticut Ave location. My empanadas did not live up to the reputation--the shell was overcooked and tough. Since I arrived at 5 on Saturday, I'm hoping it's just timing. She seemed to have a lot of inventory stacked up so I'm guessing they had been sitting under the heat lamp too long. I'll give them another chance though...
DATE: 2006-05-20
FOODRATING : 4
SERVICERATING : 6
AMBIANCERATING : 6
OVERALLRATING : 4

Chilean specialties make this a special place
DESCRIPTION: This is my first Chilean sandwich experience so saying that I had the best chacarero ever may not be saying much. Still, the tasty pan amasado (thick soft bun/roll) holding a generous amount of grilled beef and avacado has to qualify in the top 10 sandwiches I have ever had. The string beans are an interesting addition, being lightly cooked so that they are still a little crunchy but don't taste raw. As a crunchy green they could be looked upon as a lettuce replacement but it was more than that. I will definately be going back to try other items on the menu like cazuela de vacuno, described as chef's choice of meat stewed with potato, corn, yellow squash, green beans and rice.
DATE: 2002-05-30
FOODRATING : 8
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 6
OVERALLRATING : 8
RECOMMENDED DISHES : so far, chacarero