Half Moon Empanadas — Restaurant in Denver

I recently had a layover at Denver International Airport and, as luck would have it, stumbled upon Half Moon Empanadas. Being a bit of a sweet tooth, I decided to treat myself to the Dulce De Leche and Cream Cheese Empanada. Let me just say—it was heavenly.

The moment I took my first bite, I was transported. The empanada was perfectly golden and crispy on the outside, and the inside was a delightful explosion of flavors. The rich, caramel sweetness of the dulce de leche paired with the smooth, tangy cream cheese created a perfect balance. It wasn't too sweet, which made it even more enjoyable.

What made the experience even better was the friendly service. The staff were welcoming and quick, understanding that airport food often needs to be both good and efficient. They nailed it on both counts.

If you find yourself at Denver International Airport, do yourself a favor and stop by Half Moon Empanadas. Trust me, the Dulce De Leche and Cream Cheese Empanada is worth every calorie—and then some. It turned my layover into a memorable...

Empanadas are mediocre, which would be fine but the price, which isn’t unreasonable typically, is too high for what you pay (4 for $32).

More importantly, the service was horrid. I know it’s early, but I had to ask one of the workers multiple times whether or not they were open. She didn’t even look me in the eyes. Just kind of nodded and mumbled “u-huh” while looking at her phone the whole time. Instead of serving me herself, she yells to someone else, who comes up and takes my order, all the while this other worker is twiddling away on her phone. The person serving us is curt and to the point (which is fine, it’s 5 am and I also need efficiency), but she’s also coughing everywhere. Without covering her mouth. Onto the empanadas. And the coffee. Doesn’t even try, just full on coughs into our food. I had already paid at this point, so it’s not like I could return it, and I was running late to my flight, but I most definitely do NOT recommend coming here. You’d be better off at the Starbucks...

Just go elsewhere unless you want to make a donation to the business owners. Food is average not excellent, nor worth nearly $7 plus tax per empanada, which is totally ridiculous! IMHO, a single person takeout meal of 3 empanadas shouldn’t cost nearly $25 incl. tax. You could almost eat at Elway’s for that price. Ha!

We tried spicy beef, spicy chicken, and three cheese. Dough was simple, tasted okay but not crisp as they should be, nor particularly flavorful. Filings were no better than food service quality. Spicy had a small kick but not so spicy, maybe 4-5/10 in our books.

For reference, I’ve had lots of empanadas in Denver, Argentina, and other locales. On pricing, I am not complaining about inflation. I pay for good food; it’s the value that counts and value is poor here.

It is cute they brand them with the...