Went with my church group on the way back from a long road trip starving, and it absolutely hit the spot. The environment was kind and very authentic, and they had many options. I'm new to Guatemalan food and tried the bistec encebollado, also ordered a fresca Jamaica. It was absolutely great and would definitely come back read more

My recommendation, get the 'Plato Típico Chapin'. It offers a mix of various Guatemalan specialties like Garnachas, pastelitos de papa and a stuffed poblano pepper. I like grabbing it for the stuffed poblano, but the Garnachas are wonderful too. The entire plate is FILLING and it pairs so nicely with what they offer at their salsa bar. Speaking of their salsa bar... The orange sauce is legendary, the grilled jalapeños are delicious and the pickled vegetables are tasty! That was so nice to have! Ambience is a mix between store and restaurant, so you can even take some Guatemalan treats to-go. Service is solid. Definitely worth a stop. read more

El Chapin - Menu 7/2025 - Latin American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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We live near by and have never tried so we stopped by today at lunch time and grabbed a few different dishes mostly appetizers. My favorite was the garnaches, the tortillas were so crispy and the ground sirloin was juicy and flavorful. All the veggies were super fresh and amazing. Some of the best taquitos I've had in a while. The Ceviche was our overall favorite just full of flavor and tastes very fresh. The inside is like a mini bodega and there is a dinning room with seating. They have a sauce and toppings bar. So many drink options as well. A hidden gem must try for sure. Our cashier said they have been here over 10 years and told us to come back to dine in for dinner one night and we most definitely will be. read more

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One of my favorite go-to spots here in the triangle :) super authentic, service is always amazing, great ambiance. When you walk in, there's a little grocery store/bakery embedded in the restaurant, you can purchase some produce and bakery items alongside authentic candies and others, and there are plenty of tables for you to sit at. I love their food so much, they have a very robust menu and they are very affordable. I never leave feeling hungry, I always leave feeling satisfied. This time, I got their pollo en crema or chicken in cream and it was so delicious, the chicken was super tender, I loved the veggies in the soup/sauce base, and the rice is super flavorful. Getting the shrimp arepa was also an incredible decision, it's so delicious and the sauce it comes with is divine. I can't rave enough about this place- delicious and you have to come! read more

El Chapin - Shrimp Arepa (arepa de camerón) - Latin American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Visited El Chapin towards the end of the lunch rush. It was pretty full when I arrived but empty when I was paying my bill. I was sat by the window. I wasn't able to get a sense of beverage options so I just got a water and then ordered the Hot Dog Mi Tierra. I was excited to try a Guatemalan hot dog. The food came out relatively quickly. It was two hot dogs with fries as the side which was a pleasant surprise. This hot dog was fried, the bun interior covered with guacamole and the dog topped with cabbage, ketchup, mayo, mustard, and a cheese (crumbly, cotija-like). The hot dogs were good. Loaded with the toppings, a good bite, and a slightly toasted bun. The fries weren't seasoned which was disappointing because I bet they could come up with an awesome spice blend for the fries. The biggest let down was probably the service. Even as I sat alone in the dining area at the end of my meal with my empty plate at the edge of the table, it still look 8-10 minutes for anyone to bring my check. I know they were focused on cleaning up after lunch, just wish someone had checked on me sooner. All in all, pretty good. I'd definitely return to try more of their menu. read more

El Chapin - Hot Dog Mi Tierra - Latin American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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La comida deliciosa, el servicio más que excelente, es la segunda vez que voy a el chapin y el sabor es exquisito read more

El Chapin - Mojarra Asada - Latin American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

We were killing time and the incredible flowers and plants out front caught our eye as we drove by. We had to take a second look and saw people sitting inside happily eating. We knew they took such great care of their flowers so the food was likely going to be great as well. There are lots of authentic Guatemalan items on the wall and for sale. The employees are friendly. The food was delicious, the service a bit slow, and cleanliness could be improved. But all in all I highly recommend this place. read more

El Chapin - Pretty plants - Latin American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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The carne guiasa , which is a Guatemalan beef stew was delicious. The chicken on skewers was also delicious. Authentic Central American vibe with store where you can purchase meat , food , pastries and other items .Generous portions. Will be back to try other dishes . read more

Wonderful rustic Guatemalan food located in SW Durham. This restaurant located in unassuming strip mall. Inside is a store/ restaurant with non-perishable goods and marinated meats to purchase to take home and grill. While it would be helpful if you spoke Spanish, there were plenty of Anglo speakers for monolingual customers. While I don't normally bring this up... I'll just say that one becomes extra thirsty when eating at the restaurant if you get my drift. The male and female staff were trim and lovely, respectively. Appetizer was 3 pupusas; loroco, Queso and revueltas. They were wonderful, I do wish the curtido was a bit more crunchy, but there's a salsa bar for some additional texture. Came out pipping hot and not too oily. Entrees: Carne Guisado & Churrasquito Chapin. The Guisado was lovely this time of year and warmed me up. More of a soup than stew, it had an interesting cereal undertone which I think is corn? It felt hearty without being overly thick. The Churrasquito grilled beef was tasty, comes with some tortillas if you want carbs, but otherwise very keto friendly. The grilled onion was a nice touch. The extra Longaniza were a bit salty for our preference. While I have consumed Central American food before, I'm not too familiar with Guatemalan. That being said, I'm very pleased to say this place is worth a visit. read more

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I am not well-traveled enough to know what is/is not "authentic Guatemalan food". What I do know is the following: 1) The food here is super tasty. I've only tried their various appetizers so far - I think it's more fun to have a little of lots of things rather than just one big plate - and they've all been flavorful. Even the cooked cabbage side that came with my papusa was delicious. 2) I've been here a couple of times at random off peak hours (e.g. 4 pm), and there's always several Latine folks eating and enjoying themselves. I'd call this place low key/unassuming rather than a "hole in the wall". The service has always been friendly, and the ladies room has a changing table in it, so I'd consider them super family friendly as well. read more

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I love El Chapin. I have been there a few times and never been disappointed. This time we ordered, tacos dorados yum! Papas Locas, french fries with some sauce really good and Bean Pupusa that comes with some sauce and cabagge, really good! Their staff are very nice and great service. They place nice latin music and sell things from Guatemala. So it is a restaurant / market. 100% recommended read more

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TLDR: You want mostly authentic Guatemalan food with friendly service and lots of options stop here. It frustrates me a little when I see reviews from so-called Elites talking about all Latin American food with a blanket description of "Mexican Food". They both use many of the same base ingredients because that was what was available however Mexican leans more towards Spanish inspirations and Guatemalan has a bit more Mayan influence. Guatemalan foods are those like "Pollo En Pepian" which El Chapin offers and makes correctly and well. I recommend trying this with a side of plantains and pupusas. Technically pupusa is a bit more El Salvadorian (and I've had authentic ones from an older generation of El Salvadorian immigrants which were amazing) but in the triangle area this is about as good as it gets for pupusas if you're going out. Staff is always nice and are used to dealing with the ignorance of not pronouncing the menu options properly or in one case a couple next to me ordered and then later had no idea what they ordered then asked to see the menu while complaining one of their dishes wasn't up to temp. The staff was very nice and accommodating but there's little worse than people looking dumb when they think they are right about something. If you don't even know what food you chosen for yourself (even though you just told someone 10 minutes ago) how do you know if it is at the correct temperature? Some people I'm convinced you could throw any random plate of food down and if it was plated well or looked exotic enough to them they wouldn't know the difference. Anyway, I digress... If there's any real criticism of this place in my opinion is that the menu is too large and they need to do away with some of the hotdog and hamburger offerings that don't really go with the theme of the restaurant and muddy up the menu. Overall a great go-to place when I'm looking for some comfort food! read more

El Chapin - Latin American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Was in the area, read the reviews and we ran over here. Overall it's a very informal dining area within a small market. The food was good and the service as well. The prices I think were a little steep. We ordered caldo de res and was asked if we wanted it with rice and avocado, my mistake was assuming it came with it, at the end we paid like $20.50 each per soup, rice and quarter avocado which in my opinion was steep. The avocado alone was like 3.25 for not a whole one. In NY they're 1.25 for a whole one so to me that was a lot. Anyways, would I return, yes. I just know better for next time. read more

El Chapin - Caldo de Res - Latin American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I had the $20 seafood soup special on a Sunday. The shrimp were overcooked and the soup included a fish head and bones with very little meat on it. The broth was good but there wasn't much else in the soup and it came with no rice or tortillas or toppings/salad. Other plates looked generous though so I probably just ordered the wrong thing. We were seated near the kitchen. The place was busy and the service was slow but not terrible. The staff were friendly and helpful despite the wait and food issues. Maybe just skip the seafood soup. read more

Our group of friends, made up of both Black and White guests, felt noticeably unwelcome during our visit. Prior to us arriving, we got the phone hung up on us, and once we arrived, we waited almost 25 minutes for someone to come to us. There were only four other people in at the time. While other tables were greeted warmly, some of the Hispanic staff seemed distant and rushed with us. We heard them discussing, saying words like "negro" and "blanca" you don't need to speak Spanish to know that we weren't welcome making the whole experience awkward. We couldn't ignore the difference in treatment. The food was fine, but the service left us feeling uncomfortable and disappointed. Just a fair warning to anyone that isn't 100% of Hispanic origin. read more

El Chapin ya no es el gran restaurante que era antes. Hace un par de semanas fui y ordene comida con mi pareja, se tardaron pero fue entendible, aparte que yo misma tuve que levantarme a traer mis utensilios. Al terminar, ordenamos unos chuchitos para llevar y se supone que deberían estar echos, listos para empacar pero no. Se tardaron mas en darme los chuchitos que lo que me tarde yo en comer. Y aparte de eso, me dieron un chuchitos todos viejos, hasta tiesos estaban, ni me los pude comer! Y el servicio al cliente ni digamos. Necesitan contratar a personas con mas chispa porque no es aceptable que se tarden mas de 10 minutos en cobrar. Pésimo servicio. read more

The food we had from El Chapin Guatemala Grill & Catering was good, but a little pricey for the quality and the amount of food received. Also, the prices on the PDF menu and the online order menu were different (prices on the latter were more expensive). Service was great. I give this place 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. It's worth trying. El Chapin is located in the Oak Creek Village shopping center off of 15-501, not far from I-40 exit 270. You can't miss it as you enter the shopping center. In addition to the restaurant and catering, El Chapin has a market too. About half the space is used for the market and the other half is used for the dining room. This is a humble, no-frills place with a casual, warm atmosphere. Outdoor seating is available, but limited to a few tables just outside the entrance on the shopping center walkway (covered). During my Wednesday night visit, the restaurant and market were nice and busy. Both dine-in and takeout business seemed to be doing well. I ordered online following the link at the top of El Chapin's website (http://el-chapin.com/). For online ordering, they used MenuPages powered by Grubhub. I was able to pay online so all I had to do when I got to El Chapin was pick up my order. It was ready on time. Here's what I ordered for my wife and me: * La Parrillada para Dos ($29.99) - churrasquito, carne adobada, pollo asado, grilled tomato & jalapeno, salad, rice, and beans, plus add-ons: Guatemalan chorizo and longaniza sausages * Elote Loco (2 at $2.99 each) * Caldo de Res with rice ($15.74) - beef rib soup, slow-cooked with fresh mixed vegetables La Parrillada para Dos is a special barbecue platter for two people. It comes with several different types of grilled meat: beef (I think skirt steak), pork in red chili sauce, and bone-in grilled chicken (leg and thigh). The sausages I added on were optional at $3.50 each - I recommend it because the sausages were the best part. Also included with the meats were the grilled tomato and jalapeno mentioned above as well as grilled whole spring onion (yum). Since the platter is made for two, there were two servings of salad, rice, and beans plus four tortillas. The sausages were spectacular. Two short, but plump links were included of each type, chorizo and longaniza. I think my wife and I both preferred the longaniza over the chorizo, but they were both super tasty. Longaniza is similar to chorizo, but is spicier and has more complex flavor. The chorizo was smoky and succulent. It had a stronger, saltier flavor. The standard meats that came with the platter (steak, pork, chicken) were OK to good. Perhaps a tad dry for some bites, but overall, not bad. The pork had the best flavor (marinade) and the steak was as good as one could expect for a cheap cut. I liked the addition of the grilled veggies. Good portion sizes on the salads, but they could have used some sort of dressing. The salads consisted of fresh iceberg lettuce, sliced radish, tomato, and white onion, chopped cilantro, and a couple lime wedges. The rice was delectable; they must put butter in it. The beans (dark, almost black, paste) were A-OK, satisfying. I recommend the Elote Loco, El Chapin's colorful take on Central American street corn (on the cob). It's not the best elote we've had, but it's still pretty good and worth ordering. El Chapin tops their corn with ketchup, mayo, queso fresco, and a savory green sauce that was a mystery to us. Whatever it was, it yummy and went well with the corn and other toppings. I also recommend the Caldo de Res. If you like soups, especially hearty beef soups, this one is fantastic to get. The chunks of beef rib were tender and flavorful. The broth was excellent; robust and delicious. Vegetables in the soup included big, thick slices of cabbage and carrots, as well as a piece of corn on the cob. The soup was served with that mouthwatering, buttered rice, a small cup of finely chopped cilantro and onion, a couple lime wedges, and two tortillas. El Chapin's tortillas were grilled and served warm. They were corn tortillas and relatively thick. My wife liked them, but I wasn't as big of a fan. They just weren't all that appetizing to me. Bland and dense. The restaurant has a fairly extensive menu featuring everything from Guatemalan-style Pupusas (grilled corn cakes, $2.25 each) to Chuchitas de Pollo (Guatemalan mini chicken tamales, $2.25 each). On Saturday and Sunday, they offer a special seafood soup made with shrimp, calamari, and tilapia ($13.99). El Chapin opened in 2015. They have a small fleet of marked catering vans parked outside the restaurant. read more

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Do Guatemalan's eat good or what? Tried food here couple weeks ago and it's the only thing we (hub & I) can think about so I came back again and will come back bringing every family members and friends or make any excuse to be back. Great for family and friend. Small tiny market inside to keep you interested. Food: as I mentioned above, the food is out of this world. The Garnachas: I can't Bragg enough about this food. Small thick fried tortillas that are crispy yet chewy topped with ground meat and veggies that's bursting with flavor. I can eat 10 of them. I've tried many dishes here but one other food that stood out is Tamales. Yes. Fresh out of the steamer. They are bigger than Mexican tamales. Softer dough and filled with tender and juicy pork (or you can order it with chicken). Plenty varieties of drinks to choose from. The sauces and condiments are just perfect addition to their scrumptious menu. Proudly traditional which I always admire. Service: friendly, informative and eager to make your experience wonderful. Price: Average. Someone said they think it was a little pricey but heck, I'll trade my kidney for them garnachas. My overall experience here has been amazing. Will come back soon for another. read more

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I'm surprised (and have been neglectful) that I haven't written a review yet for here, because we have eaten here for the past 3 years! This place is typically packed (pre-covid) and currently practicing covid-precautions (distancing, masks, sanitizers). It is located at a busy shopping plaza, making parking sometimes tricky. But you don't want to miss this place--authentically delicious food and good sized portions! The staff are all very friendly and great with suggestions. We picked up our usual -- Tierra De Mar (marinated and deliciously grilled ribeye and shrimp) and the whole fried tilapia (crunchy and moist). read more

El Chapin - Whole fried tilapia---soooo good! - Latin American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I visited this place like two years ago and didn't like it at all, one of my friends wanted to go so I decided to give it a try again, this time my experience was much better then the first one. I had two garnachas and they were really good, and for the main course chile relleno and it was good too, not the best chapin food i ever had but not bad. read more

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Always a good quick and inexpensive meal - the food is fresh. Anything you order is pretty authentic to the cuisine. BUT the best part in my opinion, is the condiment bar!! Load up on everything to elevate your meal. Can't go wrong! read more

I found this place through Yelp. I have been to this strip mall soooo many times and I've never noticed this place. (It's a crappy looking strip mall, so don't be deterred by that.) It was packed when we got there but we were still aBle tO get a table to isn't away. I need to do more research on Guatemalan food before I go again because they have so many choices. What we ordered was delicious and it was a large enough serving for us to make two meals out of it. The highlight though were the nachos (chips). They were hot! Just cooked and salty and not greasy! They were seriously amazing. The guacamole was very good also. They have a salsa bar with so many choices. We look forward to eating here again. read more

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Durham needs more places like El Chapin - affordable, upbeat, and no-frills. I'm not generally a fan of Central American food, but the Plato Típico Chapin won me over - I actually went back a week later and ordered the same thing again! It's enough food for two people if you add an appetizer (probably even if you don't) and just varied enough to keep you both interested. The folded potato cakes are a nice crispy alternative to fries, and a better vehicle for sauce should you choose to use them that way. I think this was my first time having garnachas - like a little crispy mini-hamburger. And the stuffed pepper was truly stuffed - oozing with meat, cheese, and ribbons of some kind of leafy green and maybe part of the pepper, too. I kind of wish it came with beans in addition to rice, but no problem - just order it with one of their incredibly moist bean tamales. My dining partner got the chicharrones, which were also excellent - crunchy without being tough and hay-like on the inside. I recommend their mango juice (not too sweet, very fresh-tasting) and their champurrado (also not excessively sweet, very cinnamony). read more

Great authentic Guatemalan food. Visited NC from Cali and found this gem. Food was great read more

El Chapin - Tostada de Frijole - Latin American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I've ordered takeout from El Chapin many times and have always received excellent food and service. Their menu is awesome and I'm glad they're here. read more

Great food! Excellent and speedy service. Perfect for a casual lunch or dinner. Cant wait to go back.

I can't believe I've lived down the street from this place for years and only recently discovered it. The first time we came here we got the la parillada para dos so we could try a variety of meats. Our favorite was the carne adobada, perfectly grilled and so flavorful! The pollo asado was probably our least favorite but even that was still pretty good. Portion sizes were generous and it came with lots of sides! I like that you can order just 1 of each type of appetizer so you can try more. We've had the pastelito, garnacha, and chuchito and they were all really tasty. We've also had the Tierra y mar which was great too. The shrimp were so plump and juicy! Service was prompt and very friendly. The menu had bebida frescas listed but not any of the flavors. We asked our server what other people in the restaurant were drinking and ended up getting the blackberry (mora) and soursop (guanabana) flavors because those seemed to be popular. The blackberry was slightly sweet for me but I loved the soursop since it had some tartness to balance out the sweetness. Perfect for washing down the meal! They also sell marinated raw meat by the pound and a variety of other foods. I was tempted to get some but we were too full from our meal. Next time! read more

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A little Guatemalan place. Food is good. Service could be better. I got a little nostalgic of Guatemala as they played music and the food flavors are great. You can buy bread but the last time I bought it, it was a bit burned. It is what they advertise to be. read more

El Chapin - Desayuno típico con carne - Latin American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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It was good just a little bit of fat in the meat but otherwise great. I will eat there again and recommend.

Great Guatemalan food in Durham, NC. Portions are extremely generous, food is authentic, great atmosphere. read more

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This place was great! It's a wonderful place if you're looking to try Guatemalan cuisine. Our waitress, Wendy, was super kind and helped walk us through the menu since it was our first time (I HIGHLY recommend asking for suggestions). I got the Plata Típica, which was a delicious combination plate. The rice had amazing flavor, as did the meat. The portions were HUGE too. I almost never take food to go because I'm a big eater, but I had to get a box for leftovers. The elote (corn drink) was also super great. Didn't know it would be heated up but it tasted fantastic (super sweet too). Loved the ambience, once you're done eating you can take a look at some of the market items they have. Overall, fantastic experience and I'll surely be back. read more

El Chapin - Latin American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Was in the area and based off of the positive reviews decided to give El Chapin a try. The atmosphere is casual with nice Latin American music playing in the background. When we arrived the restaurant wasn't too busy and we were seated right away. Our server was also very friendly and attentive. My boyfriend ordered the Brisket Ranchero and was surprised at how delicious and tender it was! For a $13 meal he said it ranked with some much more expensive steak meals he's had. I ordered the Pollo A La Plancha. The chicken was very juicy and flavorful. I also really liked the refried beans and the homemade tortillas. Overall, we really enjoyed our visit. If we're ever in the area again I would definitely go back. read more

WOW is an understatement!! I just visited Durham and this is the only place I've revisited and No Doubt I'd eat here a million more times!! The Food is DELICIOUS!! Appetizing and Mouth watering! You won't run out because it's enough and plenty. Took time to personally review the positive feedback to the owner. It's run by family; and their services are excellent. Great music as you eat and chit chat. They are very kind and warm and friendly! Great job El Chapin!! Great customer service!! Great food!!! Whatever you are doing ... Keep it up!!! I'll always recommend to anyone to eat here. I can't wait to be back!! read more

El Chapin - Main Meal - Latin American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Authentic Guatemala food, I imagine. We were the only Gringos in the restaurant at lunch. I had a cream chicken soup with a side of rice and tortillas. My wife had chicken Taquitos topped with avocado, tomato and lettuce salad. We will return and further explore the menu. read more

El Chapin - Menu - Latin American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Top notch service, tasty Guatemalan food. The pastelitos kept their structure and crunchy shell even though it was packed in a to-go box. The tamalitos were fragrant and had a wonderful and subdued savory flavor. These all came with a nice tomato sauce on the side. The salsa bar is great - I really liked the green salsas, although just a little bit is enough to give you a strong kick. They also have a cabinet of bread (small selection, but enough) that looks like the ones I get from La Superior if you feel like some baked goods. The place is also clean, with interesting stuff on the walls (from knick-knacks, to chips, and even to cold medicine) to browse as you are waiting for your food. I'm going to be back to try some other things! read more

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Food is excellent and always good. Guacamole is the best in town. And the service is on point. It's one of my top 2 favorites. Fried shrimp grilled ribeye You must experience El Chapin for yourself. read more

The whole experience was great, from service to to food. The food was delicious 10 out of 10

I have returned a few times. The space has been remodeled with more seating. Service is still on the slower side, but courteous. The food is still excellent. I took my vegan wife and children and they struggled to find things on the medu that they could eat. read more

I have driven by El Chapin daily and never thought to go in and try it until an errand brought me to that shopping center last night. While it looks like a small hole in the wall next to a Subway, a delicious Guatemalan culinary experience awaits inside. I had never tried Guatemalan food before so it's hard for me to say if it's authentic, but it was definitely flavorful, fresh, and unlike other Latin American cuisines I have tried. The place itself is fairly small. The decor is bright and there's lots of Latin American foods for sale such as cheeses, flour, and assorted snacks and candies. We were seated quickly and the place wasn't too full for a Wednesday night (there was soccer on tv if you're into that). My first thought was that I was impressed by the variety of the menu and I had no idea what to order. Our server gave us several recommendations, all of which were great. We started with the cuchito appetizer which was a Guatemalan-styale tamale, which is totally different from a Mexican tamale. I had the plato tipico which included potato pancakes, garnachas, and a stuffed poblano pepper. All of it was amazing and I took about half of it home because there was so much food (which at $10 is a deal). My friend got the pollo a la plancha which also looked delicious even if it was more familiar. Not only was the food great but the service was also outstanding. We had two servers who were friendly, polite, and seamlessly made conversation with regulars in both Spanish and English. After paying at the register I also noticed that they had a variety of desserts as well that included traditional Latin American dishes such as churros and atole as well as brownies and other sweets. I will be back and look forward to trying out the whole menu. Note that they are open for breakfast on the weekends which I look forward to trying! read more

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Pupusas are amazing, especially the queso one. We also tried the tamales and they are small but also great! For drinks you have to try the Atol de Elote - so creamy and sweet! read more

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