I usually come for the papusas (which are very yummy!) but wanted to try something new. I love love love tacos de tripa so I was really excited to try theirs. It was crispy how I like and well seasoned. The quesadilla gus were delicious and I'd definitely get them again. The shell was crispy and flavorful and completely loaded with potato, cheese, and lettuce. Staff here are friendly and had good service. Space was clean and had ample seating inside. The menu is large so it may be overwhelming but now with my 4th visit (with no repeat items) I feel as though any dish would be good to try. read more

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I've been wanting to try Chalateco for their papusas for a long time now. This weekend was the perfect chance. Parking was easy right in front and there was plenty of places to sit. We sat facing one of their big TVs playing football . Our eyes were DEFINITELY bigger than our stomachs but the leftovers the next day were delicious. We order the large platter to share, a HUGE michelada with a 32 oz modelo in it, a pastor papusa and the birria papusas. The server was encouraging us despite knowing we'd ordered way too much. She was super attentive always offering more chips or extras sauces. As we sat more and more people started to grab and table. So it was lively but not loud. We'll definitely be back to try more. read more

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Came here for dinner to catch up with a friend. She loves this place, and vouched for this, while this was my first time. I had a chalafajita, which was very filling and fresh, and a great source of protein with beef and shrimp. Great hole in the wall for delicious Salvadoran and Mexican food. read more

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Food is good however service is left to be desired. Every time I come to pick up my order they're always seems to be unnecessary way time. Gossiping among the staff seams to be more important instead of handing out the orders once they're out instead of having to wait for 15 minutes until they finish gossiping. This is the only disappointing part about this location read more

Chalateco is always a great meal and this location is no exception. It is on the smaller size for the indoor seating, but the service was fast and friendly. Definitely worth the visit when you have a craving! read more

I have been to their Mountain View location and absolutely love the taco Tuesday deal. You can order five tacos for $10! That's an insanely great deal and so hard to find nowadays in the South Bay. I love the fact that there's a location which closer to me that I can dig in right off Camden Avenue. They offer 10 different protein options and if you don't know the names of the meats, you can just ask the staff and they can tell you which one is which. My favorites are the carne asada which is the steak and the al pastor which is the marinated pork. Both comes loaded with lots of meat, onions, cilantro and some limes. They also bring out chips and different salsas to dip. It's a no frills place and that even offer a $10 burrito deal on Mondays which I haven't tried yet. I will definitely be coming back for their Taco Tuesday deals and I absolutely love tacos! read more

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My go to meals here are the Ceviches, Papusas & Tacos... Always flavorful and served with great presentation which is always appreciated! It's not just for looks, the food tastes fantastic and I feel like it gets better and better every time we dine here. On this day I had the shrimp ceviche and it was made perfectly! Lots of flavor, topped with fresh avacado with a side of lime, chips and crackers make it perfect! Everything fresh, fresh, fresh! If you're on this side of town (Camden & Union in San Jose) stop in for a great meal and friendly service! We will be back! read more

Chalateco - Shrimp Ceviche - Salvadoran Near Me - San Jose, California

Empanadas were dry and no flavor. I also ordered flautas which seemed refried over and over.

I love the pupusas here--they're easily some of the best I've ever had! Fresh, flavorful, and made just right every time. I'm addicted to this place and find myself coming back at least once a week. It's that good. Service is always friendly, and the food comes out hot and fast. Definitely one of my go-to spots! read more

How sad this place has a great food but the service is terrible chips and salsa is leaking out of cup Manager of this place need to training their employees how to take a care of their customers 7-21-25 10:40 am I was trying to order hot chocolate and burrito I ask nicely question how is your hot chocolate ? And burrito what kind meat is good here ? She was like I don't know ‍ Seems like a she not familiar with the restaurant what she's selling read more

Chalateco - Salvadoran Near Me - San Jose, California

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Small hole in the wall, staff is always friendly. My go to is their torta with carne asada. I've been on a mission to find the best torta in San Jose; and so far I haven't found any place that beats this! It's so big and the bread is soft and it always has the right amount of spice and flavor. I haven't tried anything else; but for tortas- they can't be beat read more

Chalateco - Torta (carne asada) small - Salvadoran Near Me - San Jose, California

We ordered the carne asada, tripa, pollo, and chorizo. My favorite was the tripe, then the carne asada, then chorizo and chicken, in that order. The tripe was so good! Next time I'd love to try the lengua and cabeza and al pastor. The tacos are 5 for $10 on Tuesdays so I recommend you come on Tuesday if you want tacos. There is indoor seating and a couple outdoor tables as well. They also currently have someone cooking outside. The food come with complimentary chips and salsa. The tacos came with onion and cilantro on top, and the sides of grilled onion, lime, cucumber, and radish. My only gripe was that the floor was pretty dirty with trash on the floor - napkins, water bottles, wrappers, etc, and was not being cleaned. The menus also were a little sticky/worn and have no prices on them, so it's difficult to order if I don't know how much stuff is. read more

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Came here as my niece wanted pupusas. This place was the old donut shop pre pandemic. The restaurant is bright (yellow and orange), with a handful of tables for dining in. A few TVs as well. Service is friendly. There was only one woman up front helping to take orders, serve the food and ring up the bills. She was BUSY! While there were 2 tables when we arrived, more folks came in for dine in and to go orders. The woman was go go go the entire time. The menu is large with a huge variety. I think they have something for everyone. The food is good, portions are generous. The pupusas were all tasty - chorizo and cheese, pork and cheese, asada, etc. There is a side of slaw that is tangy and bright to help cut through the richness of the cheese. Will come back for taco tuesday! read more

Excellent food here. Very authentic. We had the molcajete, which is very hard to find. It was excellent, the green sauce was very savory. We've had takeout here several times and most recently dined in. It was really nice. The owner and staff are really friendly too. read more

Walked in for a late lunch yesterday around 4pm. They had menu's stacked on the counter and the first thing I noticed was their menu was very large. The second thing I noticed was that their menu's had no prices. It took quite a long time to decide what to have for lunch. I finally pulled the trigger on their Quesabirria taco's. I sat in their dining room which was very clean and was brought chips, salsa, and a water while I waited. The food was so delicious. If You have never had these, they are cheese fried tacos with a generous amount of cheese and meat in each taco. The dipping sauce along with the orange-colored sauce provided was delicious. I would highly recommend this dish and will plan to go back soon. 5 stars for presentation & staff. Thank you ... read more

Chalateco - Quesabirria Tacos so Yummy - Salvadoran Near Me - San Jose, California

First time here and food was really good, flavor very tasty, friendly service and nice location. They have a big variety of food options. read more

The up the prices differ from what they have online when we order. Food not to great although pupusas are delicious.

Food was good, my daughter loved her camarones empalizados! The fries had some kind of Cajun seasoning which were good. The pupusas were delicious but I really liked the asada one. The appetizer plate was a great way to try a little bit of everything. The food took a while to come out but that meant it was freshly made. The ambiance was clean and servers were great. They checked in on us often. read more

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Amazing Al pastor! The beer and dessert were a little pricier than I expected but I'd def go back for taco Tuesday!

This review is for the Chalateco location at Unions and Camden Ave in west San Jose. FANTASTIC!! An experience that completely "hit-the-spot". One bean and cheese pupusa, a burrito, ships and salsa. All were great! Service was friendly, attentive and professional. Excellent!! read more

Green wet Burrito has red sauce on the inside. Very off putting since it isn't mentioned on the menu. Thankfully taco was ok

Delicious food! Friendly service and good music. I haven't had eaten anything that I haven't liked. Chalateco is known for their "agua de fruta" and pupusas. They never fail. Micheladas are great too! read more

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Ordered a horchata from this place, and it was good. Service was fast. And ambiance was relaxed. read more

Chalateco - Horchata - Salvadoran Near Me - San Jose, California

If I am in the area and not looking for Asian food, I come for their chicken soup. Fresh ingredients, usually pretty busy on the weekends, more quiet during weeknights and very much a to-go type spot for fast Latin American style food. read more

Their food is great. The Quesadillas Gus are awesome. So why 1 star? Here goes, I hand ordered to go the times and each I get home and my order is wrong. Simple order, tacos with no onions and no cilantro. Today when I got home my order was wrong. This was the third time. I am not one to open the food in front of the staff but if I ever order from them again I definitely will. read more

It's nice to see another place that sells pupusas. When we arrived around 11am and there were only two tables occupied. By the time we left an hour later the tables were nearly all occupied, which demonstrates that this is a popular place. As soon as we were seated, they provided chips and spicy salsa. The printed menu did not have prices on it, which seems strange. There was a QR code on the table that connected with an online menu with the prices. I seems that this system allows them to raise prices without the overhead of printing new menus. My wife and I had 3 pupusas (queso y loroco, $4.50 each) between the two of us for an early lunch today. By themselves, they were good, but not great. The curtido that comes with the pupusas was very good and tasty. The combination of pupusa, curtido, and the mild salsa for the pupusas, was very good. We also had an Horchata ($5.25) which had a nice cinnamon taste. The service was very attentive and friendly (especially if you speak Spanish, since some of the staff did not understand English). read more

Chalateco - Tortilla Chips with spicy Salsa for the chips. Plus, curtido and mild salsa for the pupusas. - Salvadoran Near Me - San Jose, California

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I was fortunate to eat in this fine establishment last night. I order take out for 6 people. We all had pupusas , tacos , and wet burritos . Let me tell you that not everyone had the TROMPO (pastor meat). This place has it and their tacos were delicious. I also had the green salsa wet burrito of carne asada and tongue. Huge size and great taste. The place looks very clean and love the bright that let you know that a Chalateco restaurant from a distance. read more

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After a nice day at the beach wifey and I decided to stop in at Chalateco being that every time I drive by they seem busy. They have huge call to order signs at the. Entrance, a tV and plenty interior seating, Restrooms are under lock and key " not sure why as they're not in a heavy traffic area" Food you say? Gooood really really gooood. I ordered a Horchata and quesadillas Gus "choice of meat in 3 count them 3 fried tortillas sooo goood!! read more

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Came here on a whim and was pleasantly surprised. The portions are good. Ingredients taste fresh. I ordered the revueltas papusas comes with curtido and salsa. I also ordered a side of casamiento which came with fried plantains, cream and cheese. All was very delicious. I would definitely come here again, read more

I love this location and the entertainment they provide. TV's and light music in the restaurant. They always welcome you with a friendly hello and takes orders as expected. Tacos are one of my favorite go too foods and the quality of taco isn't quite up to my standards here. I'd expect a restaurant to provide more than 2 quarter pieces of lime for 6 tacos but that may just be me. I'd expect the food quality may have taken a bit of a hit as this is the 3rd chain of chalateco here in the Bay Area. I'll try again sometime and see if I can update my experience. read more

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Pupusas are amazing. As is their orange spicy salsa! Fast service for quick bites. Grab and go definitely an option!

My friends and I came here for our lunch break and we enjoyed the food so much! I ordered enchiladas and they were delicious. The service was great. The waitress who served us was such a sweet person. Definitely recommend! read more

Chalateco - Salvadoran Near Me - San Jose, California

We have passed this place many times and finally had the opportunity to try it. We got Cheese Pupusas, Bean and Cheese Pupusas, Chicken Flautitas and Molletes. This was our first time trying these dishes. Our girls (8 & 10) liked the Bean and Cheese Pupusas and the Chicken Flautitas (though they did not care for the lettuce and cheese on top). My wife and I really liked the Mollets. The people that worked there were really friendly and our takeout order was ready right on time. We would likely go there again and try some of their other dishes. read more

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I tried a wet burrito and three fish tacos. The food was pretty tasty and the sauces were good, especially the green sauce. The tortillas were soft and fresh. The amount of protein was a little less than what normally makes me happy. The fish was shredded and was somewhat messy to eat. Overall, not very filling. The parking is small and shared with other establishments. The menu did not have prices listed, but there were helpful photos. The cashier was nice. The restaurant had interesting orange chairs that weren't so comfortable. There were some waiting chairs outside. read more

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It has been a while since I've had pupusas. The last time I had them I was in San Francisco with friends in 2015. When I saw on the sign that this restaurant sells pupusas, I was quick to drive into the lot, park, and order. The pupusas were tasty. A bit oily yet very tasty. The beef and cheese were not in one pupusa. They came as separate fillings in two pupusas. The beef was seasoned well and the flavor was good. The cheese pupusa was as expected. The slaw that came on the side was light and crunchy. I put the sauce and slaw on the pupusa and ate it together. Yum! The service was good. They greeted me and asked if I'd like a menu. The cashier was nice and patient since I didn't know what pupusas I'd like. Overall, the experience was good. read more

Chalateco - Pupusa Menu - Salvadoran Near Me - San Jose, California

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good food, tasty and solid. Getting a little expensive though. Hopefully they'll quit raising the prices. Overall, I enjoy this place. I would recommend people try it. read more

First time here on opening day. Husband & I were driving past & saw that it's now open! Staff is energetic & were patient to answer our questions. Got pupusas revueltas and some tacos - carnitas & Al pastor. The tacos were tiny for $3 - it was not my favorite (also feel like it could've been $1). But the pupusas were a good size and delicious!! Masa & filling tasted great. Food came out quick too! As Arnold would say *I weel bee back* read more

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We had take out last night from here, the food was pretty good. The Guac was really good if you like it on the spicy side, but if you prefer your guac bland maybe taste a friend's order before getting your own. The pupusas are really good, but they were a little on the soggy side by the time we got them home. (but that's a pupusa thing, not really something they can control) Three complaints: I asked for no rice, but got given rice anyway. They have a very extensive menu, which is good, but the menu is really hard to read and confusingly laid out. I was happy with the portion size for my meal, (Carne Asada Plate), and the pupusas were big enough one could have been a whole meal, but BF was not happy with the size of his tacos and was still hungry after that and half of my pupusa. read more

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I noticed, on Friday and Saturday nights, they have Al Pastor on the Trumpo. I decided to give them a try. However, the Trumpo isn't spinning (cooking the Al Pastor). The gentleman working the cart simply slices the meat onto a flat top and sears it. It's then topped off with the smallest serving of pineapple possible. The Al Pastor taco was just alright. Nothing special. I would classify all their tacos to be "2 bite" tacos. You get 2 bites, then they're gone. Too small for me. I've tried this place 3 times. I wanted to like them. It wasn't meant to be. read more

Loved the food beautiful preparation and amazing costumer service, loved the ambiance of the place!!