Mola

2438 18th St NW, Washington
(301) 318-6010

Recent Reviews Order Online Reserve

Customers' Favorites

Green Apple Cucumber Celery Ginger
Beef Steak and Chicken Empanada
Watermelon Mint Lime Juice
Picadillo Beef Empanadas
Chickpea Curry Empanada
Chicken Curry Empanada
Curry Chicken Empanada
Pineapple-Ginger Juice
Ceviche and Yuca Fries
Empanadas Y Patacones

Menu

Featured items
Curry Chicken Empanada
Tender and braised chicken thighs, in-house curry spice with sautéed red bell peppers, wrapped in in-house signature dough. One empanada per order.
Picadillo Beef Empanada
Ground beef with a hint of cinnamon, spices, bell peppers, onions, diced olives, and raisins, wrapped in signature handmade dough. One empanada per order.
Spiced Vegan
Spiced chickpeas, carrots, cilantro, in-house curry sauce with coconut milk, with a hint of honey wrapped in house-made signature vegan dough. One empanada per order.
Yuca Bites
Crispy yuca dusted with salt, served with your choice of ají (sauce).
Patacones
Twice-fried plantains, dusted with salt, served with your choice of ají (sauce).
Saril
Jamaican Hibiscus Tea: ginger, cinnamon, pressed orange juice steeped overnight.

Empanada
Curry Chicken Empanada
Tender and braised chicken thighs, in-house curry spice with sautéed red bell peppers, wrapped in in-house signature dough. One empanada per order.
Picadillo Beef Empanada
Ground beef with a hint of cinnamon, spices, bell peppers, onions, diced olives, and raisins, wrapped in signature handmade dough. One empanada per order.
Spiced Vegan
Spiced chickpeas, carrots, cilantro, in-house curry sauce with coconut milk, with a hint of honey wrapped in house-made signature vegan dough. One empanada per order.
Pepper Steak Empanada
Braised steak, green bell pepper, garlic, ginger, wrapped in masa de maíz. One empanada per order.
Mañana Empanada
Scrambled eggs, onion & cilantro wrapped in masa de maíz. One empanada per order.

Plates
Ceviche de pargo
Red snapper ceviche in ginger-lime marinade with red onion, red bell pepper, avocado and cilantro, served with housemade patacones. Dairy-free.
Ropa Nueva
Braised beef dressed in sauce, with bell peppers & onion, served with coconut rice, and pigeon peas.

Sides
Yuca Bites
Crispy yuca dusted with salt, served with your choice of ají (sauce).
Patacones
Twice-fried plantains, dusted with salt, served with your choice of ají (sauce).
Hojaldra
Panamanian flat bread.
Arroz con coco y guandú
Side rice with coconut milk & pigeon peas.

Ají
Ají Verde (Spicy)
Cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, and spices. In-house sauce.
Ají Rojo (Mild)
Roasted red bell pepper, garlic, and spices. In house sauce.

Drinks
Saril
Jamaican Hibiscus Tea: ginger, cinnamon, pressed orange juice steeped overnight.
Coca Cola
Ginger Ale (Schweppes)

Other Bites
Hojaldra Dulce
"Panamanian donut." Fried bread dusted with cinnamon sugar

Photos

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Recent Reviews

This is a nice spot! Takeout and small seating area inside. The owner is so kind and hospitable. Knowing nothing about Panamanian (inspired) food coming in, I loved the curry chicken empanada. The spice was incredible and I’d absolutely get the curry chicken again. The fried yuca was pretty good, but kinda overpriced (I imagine this is just because of the cost of yuca, so I get it haha), and could have been a little more browned. Not really a must-order.
Come for some...
June 2025
Great empanadas!! Cripsy, flaky, great flavors. Made to order. Note, 2 empanadas to-go were $19.50 including tax and tip. Not sure if I was auto charged 25% or accidentally pressed it.
June 2025
Honestly, I’m never disappointed. The owner personally called me to let me know they were out of steak—such a thoughtful gesture—and even offered her own recommendations. I took her advice and went with the chicken empanada. I called back just to say it was a 10 out of 10… but I lied—it was a 15 out of 10!

The space is always a pleasure to be in. A friend introduced me to this gem when it first opened, and watching how much they’ve grown in just...
May 2025

More Reviews

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Mola

2438 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
(301) 318-6010