Salvadoreño Restaurant
8911 N Central Ave,Ste 101, Phoenix, AZ, 85020
Salvadoreño Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Phoenix for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Phoenix for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Phoenix for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
8911 N Central Ave,Ste 101
Phoenix, AZ, 85020 - Phone (602) 870-2955
- Website https://www.salvadorenorestaurant.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 8:00pm
Specialities
- Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Quiet
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Monet E.
Perfecto! Sabroso! Barato!- Perfect, Delicious, Cheap! I cannot believe I found another gem in Phoenix where the food is overflowing, delicious, cheap in price, and just plain perfect. I never give 5 stars and this is my first 5 star review! I went after church earlier because I was seeking something delicious, ethnic, and relatively cheap. I came across some of the reviews of this place as I sat in front of Squash Blossom debating on going in. The reviews for Squash Blossom were horrid, so I sat put and then this restaurant came up as a place I might like to try as well. I read the reviews and decided to take a walk on the wild side and head out to this pretty area in Phoenix. I also got to practice my Spanish. The Sopa De Pata- Beef Tripe Soul, Pupusa with beans/cheese, and the Pupusa with squash/cheese, a side of fresh Salvadorian style salsa and fresh shredded cabbage delighted my taste buds with every bite. The waitress answered all of my questions that I had about the food, being that I have never has Salvadorian food before even though there are more restaurants like this back East where I am from; Shame on Me!! I will be back here with my East Coast Foodies group and so should You!! Cheers
(5)David L.
Pupusas are typical El Salvadorian food. They are thick tortillas stuffed with minced pork meat, beans, cheese or vegetables and I got one of each. I can hear the cook patting at the tortillas after she filled them. I say this could be your mother in the kitchen quietly taking care of you like she has done all her life. My dinner is served hot and fresh off the grill. My plate is simple but nice. My very kind server brings a bowl of red sauce and a bowl of curtido, which is pickled cabbage and carrots. I used both per bite of pupusas, so good. Also came with rice and beans. 8. Unquestionably this was an excellent meal.
(3)Christina P.
See what happens when you wait too long to write your review!? Phoenix Magazine beats you to the punch and lists one of your favorite finds as one of the Valley's best dishes! Oh well, I guess I should just feel "validated." Here's my take on this place: For $12.50 you get a platter full of diced shrimp ceviche bordered by at least a dozen grilled regular sized shrimp and no less that a whole avocado's worth of wedges. It's served with crisp, flat, tostada chips and is plenty to share! A real value!! If I'm dining alone, I generally get a couple of pupusas. Pupusas are like thick corn tortillas stuffed with cheese, beans or meat - your pick! They even offer a version stuffed with the loroco flower, which I understand is similar to a squash blossom. Myself? I'm a bean and cheese girl most of the time. And, I prefer them straight up: skip the tomato sauce and slaw topping. The chicken soup is flavorful and the portion size is significant, served with a couple of handmade tortillas. Salvadoreno recently got a beer and wine license, and, a I can't think of a better beverage to wash down a pupusa than an ice cold beer! Oh! I guess this can be my "scoop" - Salvadoreno is going to start offering a $7.95 lunch buffet from 11 - 3. Buffet items will vary depending on the day of the week. I'm feelin' a pupusa eating contest as a lunchtime UYE!
(5)Yanira S.
I'm half Salvadorean so I'm glad I finally got around to checking out this restaurant. I like to keep it simple and just order pupusas-so yummy! You can order some with just cheese, cheese and beans, and also cheese, beans and and meat. Just so you know they make them with cornmeal (masa) or rice but they charge a little more for rice (40 cents extra). It's funny because in El Salvador pupusas only cost about 35 cents, here they cost over 2 bucks each! Oh well, it makes me feel like I'm home every time I try one of these. :) The place is small but clean and the staff is friendly. It's fun to order the "Combinacion Tipico" because that way you get to try a little bit of everything.
(4)Scott C.
Great experience at this quaint restaurant. The pricing is terrific and the food is absolutely delicious. I have three of the fuego pupusas (cheese, chirrichuro, shrimp), and it was so filling I only finished one on-site. (ate one for breakfast with an egg over the top- mmm). My wife had the carna asada and raved about it, she too took most of it home and can't wait to finish it. The pupusas come with a choice of sides, I had the rice and beans and both were excellent, much better than your typical "rice and beans" from Carlos O'Briens or Los Olivos (I enjoy those but these were much better- although not as good as Chino Banditos black bean but I digress). We went with another couple who have sailed all over the world and gave Salvadoreno two thumbs up as well. The place is very clean, the service was attentive, and the pricing was very reasonable. Can't wait to go back.
(4)Darlene G.
There are a lot of things I miss about SoCal and one of those things is the rich and ever present multicultural food experiences. So I've been on a mission lately and I am quite the happy camper now that we've found legit pupusas here in Phoenix. Salvadoreno is a neat hole in the wall joint that just screams authenticity with a family run affair and kitschy decor on the wall. We arrived early for the dinner hour on a weekday so there wasn't any other customers in there at the time. A little disconcerting at first had I not read the other Yelp reviews. The service was pleasant but the food out a little slow. Not a big deal since everything came out so freshly hot and just prepared. With the four of us in our party we managed to try the pupusas in carne asada, revueltas (pork, beans and cheese) and the loroco flower (a squash/okra like veggie) with cheese. The pupusa dough was perfect and perfectly fried as well. The accompanying rice was buttery and delicious. The homemade tortilla chips were sinfully satisfying and the fried plantains (a separate order) added a fabulous twist to each bite of pupusa. All in all we were pleased with our meal and I was even more pleased that Salvadoreno is fairly close to home. We will surely be headed back. Note to self: the horchata here is not the typical rice and cinnamon drink you're used to from the Mexican joints like Albertos. Here, The menu described it as a morrow seed drink. Since it was not what I was expecting I had a hard time drinking it but it WAS good...just in a different way that's going to take some getting used to.
(4)Donna R.
I decided to stop in for lunch here just the other day. I was curious about the food and invited a friend to join me. When we got there we were the only ones in the resteraunt. They seemed to have many options as far as entrees. We decied to try the Pupusa combos. I also placed a to go order for some co workers. After waiting 30 minutes, our food finally arrived. I waited another 15 minutes for the to go food. The pupusas were rather bland. Having ordered the chicken, pork and steak. The chicken was the only one to have any real flavor. We also found the rice to be really boring. My co worker did really enjoy her chicken soup. Having only an hour for lunch, and the food taking as long as it did, I only really had about 7 minutes to eat. I'd like to give this place another chance maybe for dinner sometime. Lunch is definetly not a good option if you're on a time crunch.
(2)Dottsy Z.
Pupusa. Say that word 5 times fast. Then go get one from Salvadoreno! I am a big fan of Salvadoreno. Especially when it comes to their pupusas. Pupusas are cornmeal patties filled with meat and/or cheese, veggies, or even cactus flower. They are super delicious and filling to say the least. I have had Salvadoreno create "mini pupusas" for several parties that I have hosted and they have been a HIT with my friends. I know a lot of my friends are now pupusa fans because of Salvadoreno! Try a pupusa with a side of crema...yes, it will change your life! I have had a meal at their restaurant a few times as well and have not been disappointed once. The restaurant is more of a "quick meal" or cafe type of setting rather than a nice sit-down restaurant. I will keep this review nice and short because how else can you say how delicious something is? I look forward to more pupusas in my life!
(4)Dan E.
Truly amazing!!! And a great value. I wish I lived nextdoor to this place!! I would go every day.
(5)Suz E.
This place is off the chain! Everytime I go, I want to go back the next day. I don't even like beans, but I like their beans. I've gotten the combo platter and it usually lasts me 2 meals. Very reasonably priced. Great service! Very clean. If you're looking for Latin food outside the box, check this place out :)
(5)NICOLAE S.
Just tried the place. Mom and pop feel, the ladies really have that "family" feel. Nice to see them eating their own food, so figure it has to be good. Pupusa were really good, warm, nicely done. Very good, 2 to 3 are enough. Definitively, stay away from the tamales though. Not sure what it was, very soggy. I liked the rice and the beans were black, pasty like but was very tasty. I would go back and try some more things.
(4)Vern G.
I was invited to @SalvadorenoAZ for a special preview tasting of their Fuego #pupusa, with jalepenos and queso. It was AMAZING!!! Muy delicioso!! I decided I wanted more, so I ordered a fuego carne asada pupusa. It is now the only thing I will be ordering!!! Thank you, @SalvadoreñoAZ!!!
(5)Barb C.
Everything we have had here is wonderful. I ove all flavors of the pupusas but especially the lloroco ( did I spell that right?) My son likes the rice and the fried plaintains. Their version of tamales are wrapped in banana leaves and are a little creamy but muy delicioso! Their salsa has a mild smoky flavor. I like the herbs they always stick on the side, I don't know what they are but they add a little green crunchy that cuts through the oiliness. Yes, lots of things are fried here. It is not diet food. Usually we seem to be the only non-Salvadorenos in the house, but are always welcomed with a smile.
(4)Amy D.
So, I finally had a pupusa! I was at Art Walk in the 'Slope tonight and arrived starving. I knew I was going to come here for a pupusa. The food is cheap! I got a bean and cheese pupusa and a bean tamale and spent I think $6. My tamale wasn't quite heated up. It wasn't fridge-cold, but nearly. The pupusa was really rich and loaded with filling. I was really full by the time I finished my meal. I'll be back again because Dottsy got a shrimp one and I had a bite and it was yummy! It was nice talking to the owner. They're from El Salvador and I spent time in Central America going to college. It was nice hearing the Central American accent, since I'm surrounded by the Mexican dialect here. Made me miss the warm sandy beaches of Costa Rica.
(4)Athena Y.
I have never had Salvarodreno food before and decided to let my taste bud explore. My friend and I shared an appetizer and each ordered an entree. The appetizer was big enough for the whole meal for both of us. it was packed with pupusas, deep fried enpenada, fried chips, tamale, and fried yuca. I wasn't big on the pupusas, but my friend loved them. I would personally prefer the enpenada better. I got pollo asado for entree. It was nice in portion and decent in flavor. Even I ate them cold as my lunch the day after since I was too full to try them on the night of the visit. Over all, good experience. Always fun to try something new~
(4)Brian T.
We were staying at Squaw Pee Hilton for the weekend and decided to check this place out. I will say that we sat in the parking lot for a minute or two deciding if that's what we wanted to eat. Not that it was uninviting or dirty, just not what we expected I guess? Nevertheless, super glad we decided to stay. I was completely amazed at how good our meal was. We started with the ceviche, which was some of the best I've ever had. I'm usually not a ceviche guy but this place managed to keep the citrus in check. I decided to order the Churrasco Salvadoreno, which is a combo plate of Carne Asada, grilled Shrimp, Chorizo, plantains and black rice and beans. I wasn't a huge fan of the chorizo (too much vinegar for my taste, but that may be normal for El Salvadorean food). The Carne Asada and Shrimp were great, and the plantains cooked to pure perfection. Wifey had this combo appetizer with empanadas, pupusa, plantain chips, Fried Yucca and a few other things. What a great plate. My son ordered the carne asada plate and my daughter had a kids meal with a cheese pupusa and rice. Overall, great great great meal. I felt like I was back in Puerto Rico or Miami.
(5)Bacon B.
What a delightful break from the norm. Papusas are the main attraction here, and they do them so well. I had the pork and one with loroco flower--both were wonderful. This was the second time I've had papusas (the first being at a papusa festival last year) and they were just as great as I remember them. We started off with the shrimp salad which included grilled shrimp on cucumber slices, topped with avocado and surrounding a bed of mini-shrimp. Served on tostada or just on a fork, it was lovely. I'll definitely be coming back here when I'm jonesing for papusas. Note: A cursory understanding of Spanish is helpful, as our server spoke limited English.
(4)Kirstin E.
So after tasting this place at the Yelp Science Center party I KNEW I had to go check this place out! I had never even heard of a Pupusas until that fateful Yelp night. The hubs and I rolled in about 7:30ish. We were the only ones in the place aside from the waiter and the cook. We took a seat and the waiter came on over with menus in hand. He was really helpful, I told him I didn't know what I had at the yelp party but I wanted it again. I had the shredded beef, bean and cheese pupusas. So tasty. The hubs and I also split an order of the potato and cheese puff things. It was like a deep fried mashed potato missile! So crunchy on the out side yet so fluffy on the inside. Hubs got 3 pupusas, two shrimp and a steak. I sampled the steak and it was pretty bomb! He went nuts over the shrimp, but I skipped trying it out, wasn't in the shrimp frame of mind. The one thing I wasn't a total fan of was the coleslaw, it has a very vinegary, dill, I don't know what kind of taste. I am VERY finicky with my coleslaw though, hubs said he liked it. The restaurant itself is nothing to write home about. Its olllllld. The tables and chairs are from the late 80's and worn. There was some rad gangsta rap playing over the speakers and Bones reruns on the tv, but when I noticed the time and asked if they could switch the tv to american idol (yes I am a nerd) He gladly did so and turned down the rap. Pretty rad. So for an iced tea, a total of four pupusas and some tasty deep fried potato puff guys, the bill was only $13.99 (with the coupon they gave out at the yelp event). We left very full.
(4)Wes N.
Hey! They've got vegan bean pupusas! What's a pupusa? A breaded pocket, kinda like a really really thick doughy tortilla, with a filling inside. The 2 papusa combo comes with rice (made with no animal products), a little cup of beans, salsa and a spicy coleslaw that is delish. Their menu says "ask about our vegan & vegetarian options", but when I told our server we were vegan, she suggested a bunch of cheese items, so apparently she didn't know what vegan means, but I explained. Even so, it's nice that they have options for those of the vegan persuasion. I am bummed that they only have ONE papusa option for us and that is beans. There are a few other veggie+cheese types, but they told us that the fillings are premade and they can't remove the cheese, so that's lame. We also asked if they could make us a potato papusa and they said no. Wish they would offer a few more vegan options, especially some additional vegan pupusa types!
(3)Mike S.
There was an elephant in the room, and it was on the table across from me. Having attended last years' Pupusa Festival I was stoked to find Salvadoreno #3 about five minutes away from my office. I decided to grab a quick lunch one day, but sadly Salvadoreno had other plans in mind. I walked in to a completely empty restaurant. As I took a seat I noticed a needs-to-be-cleaned table across from me. A half eaten pupusa taunted me from a dirty plate. The lunch menu was reasonably priced, with several choices. I chose the Pollo Catracho, fried chicken with plantain chips and various other goodies. An iced tea sounded good so that was ordered as well. The tea was brought out. It was tasty but there were only three tiny ice cubes in it. Lukewarm tea is not that appealing. Then I waited... and waited... and waited... As I sat there in a completely empty restaurant I wondered if anyone would notice me grabbing the half eaten pupusa off of the unclean table. I also wondered why no one had cleaned the table. After more than 30 minutes my food arrived. It was freshly made and delicious. Still, I had to slam it down in order to get back to work. And that damn pupusa was STILL there! To sum up: -Great food -Great prices -Really slow service -Clean tables! I'll definitely go back to Salvadoreno based on the food alone, though I'd be hesitant to go during my lunch hour.
(3)Lauren E.
Enjoyed this food at the Sunnyslope Art Walk. Very delicious! It was fun to try food that we have never tried before. Loved the pupusas!! Our favorite was the pork (with cheese and beans I believe). We usually are not pork people, but the flavor was great!
(4)Aletheia W.
i think this is my fave place in the valley for pupusas. out of 2. super satisfying - i highly recommend ponying up an extra $1 to try the carne asada and shrimp pupusas. they are superb. the 2 pupusa combo was MORE than enough for me! the husband ordered the chile relleno, and it was really good as well (filled with meat and cheese). the service is super friendly and they CARE; our waitress was eager to explain the menu to us, and when 2 pupusas were switched onto the wrong combo plates, they were more than happy to remake the pupusas and deliver them to their rightful eaters.
(4)Christina W.
Can you say tummy homemade goodness??? The food takes a little rime to come but it's made to order. The server was extremely helpful and personable ... Remember when people liked their jobs and it shows! I had the two Pupusa platter... Yum! Going to go back and explore the menu. Only downside is canned sodas so no refills but the food more then makes up for it. Small hole in the wall very relaxed atmosphere.
(4)Scott W.
Last evening was my second time eating here. Both times I was there for the Sunnyslope art walk. The first rime I had papusas and this time I had onion chicken and a horchata. The chicken was fork tender. I thought they were pretty good with service considering the crowds. I have had the pleasure of sitting with several Yelpers each time and I don't think any one of them ever complained about the taste of the food which is pretty good as Salvadoran food is not near as common as Mexican.
(4)Jesus M.
Taste like trashy! Unbelieve when I ate tamales and found excessive salt, not fresh and oily. I refuse to come to this lousy restaurant again.
(1)Dan L.
After frequenting Salvadoreno #1 in Mesa quite a few times, I was pleasantly surprised to see that they had a branch located up near where I work in No Pho. The food was nearly identical - which is a huge plus! Like others have mentioned on here - the Pupusas are super cheap and are one of my new favorite food items. The restaurant itself is a step up from the Mesa location though. While not quite as cozy, it is spacious and really well lit. As someone who is planning on heading back to school for some Spanish courses (but definitely not remotely fluent yet), it was a little easier to communicate as well. Now quit reading this and go try some Pupusas!
(4)Tina T.
I rarely give 5 stars but lord, this place was good and brought me back to my latina roots. We stayed at the Squaw Peak Resort and used a coupon from the Entertainment book. Despite this, we managed to shell out $70 including tip but that was because we wanted to try everything. We had the shrimp ceviche salad (delicious), combo appetizer platter that had some fried pork that tasted just like pernil (Puerto-Rican marinated pork roast), fried yucca, fried plantain strips (my absolute favorite) and a number of other goodies. They have kids meals so we ordered a pupusa plate filld with chicken and a side of rice and beans. Their rice is delicious, I had to order a side. Hubby ordered a combo that he thoroughly enjoyed and son ordered a carne asada plate. Everything was delicious and the server was just so friendly and quick to tell us all about the food. She was awesome. The restaurant is very non-descript and in an equally non-descript, virtually deserted shopping plaza at Central and Dunlap. It is just past Bombero's so you can come here for dinner and then drinks at Bombero's. I can't wait to come back to this restaurant!
(5)Adriana B.
It's surprising to me the reviews this got. I wasn't super impressed at the flavors of each plate. I do think the price is good for the serving sizes and it's open pretty late. There really isn't another place with this type of food around the area.
(3)Cathryn H.
Dinner at Salvadoreno is a real treat. It's all so perfectly wonderful, exciting, delicious "to die for" food.
(5)Ioana C.
Don't waste ur time and money here !!! The food is very greasy and nothing so fresh . You may end up with a bad indigestion so be careful whaf u order. The sides taste outta of a old can so nothing even close to "home-made"; first tried salvadorian cuisine in phx and probably last .
(1)Danny H.
I had the Cevichi, which was good, but the shrimp was a little dry. The pork pupusas was very good, as was the Salvadoran soda.
(3)Stephanie E.
LOVE this restaurant. Bean and cheese pupusas, with a side of rice and beans.... and an extra large side of curtido. If you don't know... curtido is marinated cabbage and thinly sliced green peppers with a hint of vinegar and a hint of spice. It's like a crunchy cole slaw sans mayonaise with a Salvadoranian flare. Put a bit of hot cheesy pupusa, with some extra beans and a huge pile of curtido and it is heavnely. We *think* it is gluten free although the addition of rice flour based pupusas on the menu has confused us greatly. My hubby who can't do gluten always feels fine though after the regular ones. If you've never had pupusas - you must. They are inexpensive, gf, can be vegetarian or even dairy free (ask for just beans). When you call they might answer in Spanish, but if you just start speaking English they will instantly switch over :)
(5)Deb L.
When it comes to Central American food, This is the place. If you are like me you spell Yummy , P-U-P-U-S-A-s. Love, Love, Love the Cheese pupusas. Come with your appetite, you are in for a treat Pupusas come with a side of coleslaw that makes it extra lovely and of course there is Salvadorean salsa. Whenever I can I stop here to get my favorite treat from Central America. I like Cheese but they make other flavors as well. Be sure to have plantanos frito as well. A tasty sweet fried Plantain with crema and side of beans, I adore this as well. This is an excellent hole in the wall place, clean and neat and authentic. Stop in watch some futbol and have a real meal . ( The family that runs it has several locations)
(5)Alberto B.
Thanks yelp! Found this gem of a spot and had a great meal. Plenty to choose from and you won't be disappointed. Plenty different pupusas to pick. Or try the sampler with a little bit of everything. Me and my son had a great filling meal for less than $20
(4)Jorge R.
The tamales de eleto and crema were sooo delicious!! The platano frito was not good- platano was very hard, beans were too watery. The pupusas were ok, big, but I had better, the "curtido" was the best.
(3)B M.
Love this place! Great popusas! Loroco are my favorite and typically revueltas too! But since I'm not eating meat Loroco is my top pic!
(5)Carlos G.
Servicio, servicio y servicio. La chica dorada esta muy ocupada con su vida personal para atender a los clientes.
(1)Nydia A.
You know how some people say that those little mom & pops "hole-in-the-wall" restaurants make the best food? Well, this is THAT place. Seriously, words can't express how much I love pupusas, and choices are limited here in Phoenix, but this place does it right. For those of you who have never had one, it's like a thick homeade tortilla stuffed with cheese and pork- or whatever you choose as the filling, then topped with this pickled cabbage/onion/carrot mixture. Amazing. Pupusas are only around 2 bucks each, and you only need 2 or 3 to fill you up. Come check this place out- I know I'll be back soon.
(5)Bill J.
Recently took a trip here with some friends and I have to say, this place definitely lived up to the hype! I had high expectations going in, based on the good reviews and mouth-watering photos people have uploaded of the food, and I was not disappointed! As you can probably tell, the place is small and somewhat low key, nestled in a back corner of a shopping center and not quite visible from the road. The decor is basic but authentic, and while you definitely get the hole-in-the-wall vibe, it's not at all in a negative sense. The place is clean well kept, but it's also bare bones and very much down to earth, with very few frills. One clearly comes here for the food and not much else, but there's nothing inherently wrong with that! As for the food itself, we sampled a wide variety on our visit and everything was fantastic. We started out with the appetizer sampler and from the tamale to the yucca to the bits of pork and the pupusas, all of it was absolutely delicious. For entrees, I tried the tres pupusas combo, while my fellow diners went with the beef tongue and the fried tilapia. The pupusas were beef, chicken and cheese, and all three were every bit as good as they looked, freshly made with lots of flavor. My friends rated the tongue and tilapia very highly, and several of them ended up taking food back home with them, which I always consider a good sign. As for me, I was unable to take anything home because I devoured the entire plate and had nothing left, it was just that good! I will definitely be back to this place for another taste of those delicious pupusas!
(5)Rick G.
The food is very good. It is cooked very well, served hot, and super tasty. Music is playing. I was greeted by a friendly and smiling server. She was very concerned with making sure everything was right. The place is very casual, slightly festive, clean, and cozy with Salvadoreño food cooking sounds and scents filling the dining area
(5)Ann R.
Yummy, great little place with a family run environment. Happy little Nana's laughing and cooking in the kitchen while the kids work the counter and keep the place clean. Try the Pupusa's they are so good, sort of like empanada.
(5)C. M.
Came here while visiting from SF with family and was looking to have a descent salvadorean meal. This place is ok. The Pupusas were ok, they were a bit too soggy for me. Curtido could have been a bit mor flavorful. I do love the decor and the staff were very friendly. I wish I could have like the food a bit more. Maybe next time I'm in town visiting, I'll give these guys another chance.
(3)Brandy P.
They may have made me change my fav food from Mexican to Salvadoreno!! The food was delicious and I'm already wondering when I can make an excuse to need to eat here again!! Lol The combination plate came with everything I wanted without needing to sacrifice!! Highly recommended!!
(5)Carmen L.
Awesome Pupusas at very reasonable prices. The staff is friendly and the cooks are always working. It's not fast food, so don't expect to be in an out within the hour. As fresh as it gets.
(4)Emilie P.
Wow! I am sooo glad I stumbled across this place! Words cannot describe the excitement. I would have loved to try every single thing, but limited myself to a takeout order of three pupusas (revueltas, loroco, y espinacas y queso), three tamales of mixed variety, and "Salvadoran" guacamole---all for under $20. (No, it was not all for me. And, yes, I do in fact have leftovers from the generous portions!) I see some other reviews referencing the wait time--it took about 15 minutes for my to-go order and everything was made completely FRESH! I am impressed that they can make such amazing food in that amount of time! Each pupusa was delicious and flavorful and the tamales were so very unique, contrasting the traditional Mexican variety we get used to here in Phoenix . Even my husband, who doesn't even care for tamales, said these were the best he ever had! The masa, wrapped in banana leaves, is pillow-ey--like polenta meets mashed potatoes meets heaven. I'm in love. Plus, I could slurp those black beans smoothie-style all day long. This restaurant is definitely a hidden gem, not too far from Central Phoenix, and though there was a little bit of a language barrier for the novice, the staff was beyond friendly and welcoming-- like being invited into a family's home, with smiles from every corner. In fact, while waiting for my order after paying, I began asking the gal her favorites that I should try next time. My Spanish and her English were broken and definitely not grammatically correct as we struck up the most genuine conversation I've had in a long time. In her own generosity, she brought me a small sampling of her favorite snack--it was delicious. I can't wait to return. P.S. I picked up a couple palatas (pina y sandia). Though I haven't tried them yet, they look scrumptious for $1 each. Yum, yum, yum!
(5)Kenda V.
Gave it a try and will be back! Ordered the Pupusas even though I really wasn't sure what I was getting. YUM - its like a thick homemade corn tortilla that they somehow magically filled with good stuff! Wonderfully fresh, perfectly spicy yet vinegary coleslaw and a red sauce on the side - eaten together its a DELIGHT! My companion had something healthy - pumpkin chicken and squash? Fresh, not over-cooked, and a plate of fresh made corn tortillas! Don't go for the ambiance and don't try out your fake-pidgeon Spanish on this staff - just eat what they bring you and you will be happy!
(4)Kelly V.
Once again, thanks to Yelp, we checked out this place Saturday evening. If you go, definitely try the pupusas. They are essentially a savory pancake with a filling of your choice. They were delicious. We also had the fried yucca which was fabulous as well. Their pupusa plates are a steal - 3 of them for about $10. They're large and extremely filling. The only downside is that the service is very slow. This very much feels like a family place and if I feel like I'm getting family recipes, I'm okay with the wait.
(4)Andrew V.
One of my top-5 restaurants in town! I first tried El Salvadoreno because I had a Restaurant.com card I needed to use. I felt like it was a pretty big risk, seeing as I've never had Pupusas before, and I didn't speak the same language as any of the workers. Fortunately for us, the menu has English subtitles, and better yet - Pictures! Let's cut to the chase... Pupusas are the specialty, and you'd be a fool if you didn't try one. I'd go with pork, cheese, beans, but why not get 2 or 3 and try something adventurous? Be careful, the food is filling and I can never finish my plate. My favorite dish is the Arroz ala Vallencia, which is basically rice with chicken, shrimp, onions, peppers, etc. It's served with their hot black bean mash type thing, 2 chips, and 2 home-made tortillas. Their fresh, hot tortillas are the best, especially dipped in the beans. And as with all my favorites, they serve Mexican Coke (the soda), as well as Jarritos and a few other bottles familiar to most Spanish-speakers. Plan to spend a while here. The service is great, but rushing is not part of the experience. Relax. Eat a pupusa (kind of like a stuffed, doughy tortilla pancake... with stuff inside it). Delcious restaurant, authentic and very reasonably priced. I first went to the Maryvale location, and they are both pretty much the same.
(5)Jane A.
Went here on Valentine's Day for their special. Food was great, and the service was perfect. We had the carne asada and the pollo onion dish. Both were really good. I will come back for sure to try some of the other dishes. The have a lunch special that looks good and very reasonably priced.
(4)Genny C.
I must admit, I think I've only eaten here during the Art Walks in Sunnyslope, but I LOVE their pupusas!! Tender little pockets filled with meat then fried and served with a tasty sauce. I highly recommend this little gem in Sunnyslope. And when you're done, you can saunter over to Grinders for some coffee....
(4)Heather C.
Finally made it to Salvadoreno the night of the Sunnyslope art walk! Although it had been only a few hours since lunch, I made the sacrifice to eat again. A sacrifice everyone should make. Since I wasn't too hungry, my husband and I shared the Salvadoran sampler. Well that backfired because the sampler was huge. Two different pupusas, fried yuca, chicharron, empanadas, a tamale, plantain chips, and dessert! I had never had yuca and was surprised to find it tasted similar to a big french fry! The pupusas and empanadas were fantastic. And I could eat the plantain chips and salsa all day. The only things I didn't care for were the tamale (I didn't like the masa-it's much creamier than the typical Mexican tamale) and the dessert (on the outside it looked liked a chocolate donut, but had a filling I didn't care for). But that's the beauty of a sampler. If you find something you don't like, move on to the next thing. Overall, I'm a big fan of Salvadoreno and would happily eat there again anytime!
(4)Kristen H.
Be prepared to wait even if you are the only customer, but it's worth it. The food is made to order and tastes homemade. I love the refried black beans. My husband and I usually share the sampler platter...we love the variety. The food is interesting. For instance, a pickled cabbage slaw is served with all dishes. The plantain chips, stuffed pepper, Papusas, and ceviche with fresh chips are also good. The only thing I haven't loved was the onion chicken. I definitely recommend if you are in the neighborhood!
(5)David C.
I'm a big fan of Latin American cuisine and I had to give this place a try. I was not disappointed. The restaurant is located near a strip mall on the southeast corner of Dunlap and Central. There is plenty of parking and it was not hard to find. The restaurant itself is simple, clean and welcoming and I was greeted as soon as I walked in with a friendly, smiling face. I asked for recommendations of what I should order to get a good taste of what defines El Salvadorian food. I ended up ordering the Pollo Encebollado as the main dish, a Tamale de Pollo and Chipilin con Queso as starters and, of course, a couple pupusas. Way too much food, but I love leftovers. The Tamales were fantastic. Way different than the typical Mexican tamales most Americans are used to. These were soft, tender, moist and very tasty. The pupusas came out next and I dug right into the Chicharron y queso pupusa and it was so good I wished I had just order a dozen of those. I could eat those little heavenly slabs of loveliness every day. When the chicken came out I was stuffed, but I insisted on trying it while it was freshly served. The chicken was really good, moist, tender and seasoned perfectly. It is served with rice and beans but not Mexican style. The beans are like a sweet black bean soup and the rice is more like seasoned white rice with some vegetables cooked in. The chicken dinner was also served with several of their small, fat tortillas which are kinda like the pupusas but without a filling. I really liked the food here and will definitely go back. The prices are a little high for a lunch place but about right for what you'd expect to pay for an average dinner. You get a lot of food for the money though.
(4)Angie A.
Was excited to try this place for awhile out but was thoroughly disappointed, I think it all stemmed from the hair baked into my pupusa and our water that tasted faintly like horchata. Or maybe it was the waitresses hand in our salsa. I have had good pupusas and these were pretty bad.
(1)Richard L.
The pupusas are excellent here! I order something slightly off the menu and it comes out great every time. I like the Pork and cheese which is just like their pork, bean and cheese and never once have they goofed it up. Attention to detail is so nice. :) I've not had anything else to eat at this location yet, but if it is like their other locations, it will be great when I do.
(4)Jen M.
Pupusas. I have no idea what these are, besides DELICIOUS! I have not been able to try anything else! You can order and get three different kinds in one meal! Not a fancy restaurant, but very nice people at the front willing to explain the food to you. I am so glad I drove around looking for lunch the other day! What a FIND!
(5)Justin R.
Prices were not bad but the food was somewhat bland. I got the largest Salvadoreno platter they had on the menu to try a little of everything. I have never had food from El Salvador before, so maybe thats just how it is, but I wasn't impressed. My GF also did not really like what she got (don't remember what it was though). I wouldn't return.
(3)Karla W.
While it may seem sketchy, this place is amazing. My boyfriend and I went here for a date after I had raved about it to him, and he loved it. Obviously you have to get the pupusas. They're so good, but I wouldn't go with the chicken. I had it twice and it just didn't compare to the steak. I always get the crema and beans on the side, but it's up to you. WARNING if you are lactose intolerant, like I am, don't eat too many of these bad boys. They are stuffed full of delicious gooey cheese and as delicious as it is, it doesn't sit well. Other than that, I would say the service is a bit slow, but only because they make they food to order, so it's always fresh. I seriously love this place though. Don't judge it by its cover! It's awesome!
(5)Jose C R.
The food is great but the staff could use some work on business ethics. I didn't feel appreciated to come in to try their restaurant when I visited this place. I told the waitress that I've never had this type of food and I wanted to try it because my girlfriend was insisting and she wasn't too willing to help me. Even at the end, when I paying for the check, she circled the tip area -- insinuating that I wasn't going to leave a tip. I'm very well educated and even my mailman gets a tip, and this was just plain disrespectful to me. I didn't leave a tip because she did a horrible job, but to be fair it was just we didn't click at all. The food is really good, but stay away from the tamales please!!!
(3)John G.
What to try that's different? How about Salvadoran cuisine? :-) Salvadoreño is tucked back in the corner, just west of the Walmart (where the Food City used to be - you know, the good one). Salvadoreño is a nice little place (and wow! CLEAN bathroom!). The lady working the front was very nice and helpful. I decided to try the Dos Pupusas combo - carne asada and chicharron with a side of rice and beans. The Pupusas kind of reminded me a bit of Venezuelan Arepas, but not as thick, and pre-stuffed. They were tasty. I'm not sure what the red sauce or slaw-like stuff is called, but both were really tasty. This is a cool place to try something different. Good pricing on the combo, too! Come on over and give them a try!!
(4)Sarabear B.
Salvadoreño makes delicious pupusas! Pick your filling, they are all delicious. I like to call ahead so that they are ready when I arrive. Cheese is my favorite. I'm also fond of Spinach and cheese. They have plenty of other options, and all are very nice. The place is quite inexpensive, and very casual.
(4)Alex M.
Best thing about this place is that every time I go here same great customer service no wavering in that and the food is amazing I don't go as often as I'd like to but when I do go I'm very happy with there service and the food . I do suggest this place there papusas are amazing as I've tried other places and they don't come close to the quality as this one. They also have a nice beer (brew)selection it's not a big selection but they do have a few favorites I'm sure anybody would find a liking to . ENJOY
(4)xtoz s.
Delicious! I love pupusas! I got several of them to go, and shared with friends. We cut them into small pieces so we could try all of the flavors. This was the first time I had loroco and it was surprisingly good. Tip: Call in your order because it takes a while to make everything fresh. Then, it will be ready or a short wait when you arrive.
(4)Lalalia A.
Only place I get my salvadorian fix of goodness! Very delicious food and great service. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Stellz L.
If you want some delicious pupusas, this is your first stop. Decently priced and yummy. My boyfriend and I tried the shrimp, steak, pork, and black bean. All good. Grab a green corn tamale for dessert. They are just sweet enough. Favs: shrimp pupusas & green corn tamale
(5)Nicole H.
Oh. my. gosh. The pupusas. I ate three of them and spent the rest of the evening in a food coma. Definitely try the carne asada and shrimp pupusas. The cheese one was fine, but the other two were out-of-this-world delicious. They come with a tasty salsa and some awesome veggies to toss on top. I also tried part of what appeared to be a meat platter, with shrimp, carne, sausage, jalapeno, salsa, beans, rice, fresh queso, and plantain, served with fresh-made corn tortillas (they taste identical to the ones cooked fresh for us daily by our house mother during our homestay in Honduras). Again, amazing. The fact that this place is family-run and has Mexican soap operas playing on a flat-screen tv in the dining area just adds to the awesomeness. 5 stars. I'll be back.
(5)