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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!
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.
La comida deliciosa, el servicio más que excelente, es la segunda vez que voy a el chapin y el sabor es exquisito
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.
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.
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.
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
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!
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
7 years ago
Very satisfying! Never tried garnachas before, and these were so good, more than expected! And the customer service was exceptional! read more
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Passing through town and was staying at LaQuinta down the street. Looked at the Yelp reviews and gave it a shot. We were glad we did. I had the 4 item sampler- Garnachas, Enchiladas, Chicken Salad Tostada, and refried black beans. All excellent. Service was great as well. read more
9 years ago
9 years ago
Home cooking, comfort food. Great service, entire restaurant staff was friendly & attentive. Loved the beef soup & rice. Loved the tostadas. Loved the homemade salsa/condiments bar. Didn't care for the tortillas (too thick & tough). We had the grilled meat platter, pork & beef were too cooked so they were really tough to chew. I'll still return to try something else. The service was definitely worth another chance. read more
7 years ago
I was really surprised when I stumbled across this Guatemalan restaurant tucked away in a little unsuspecting strip mall off 15-501. I'd never had Guatemalan food or even seen a Guatemalan restaurant anywhere, so how could I possibly not eat here? You gotta love Durham...what can I say, there really is no other place like it. Case in point, El Chapin! I don't know if it's authentic or not, but every time I've eaten here it's been a experience filled with great food and Guatemalan exposure to the nth degree. I had no idea what to expect from here, and so far have been pleasantly surprised every time, and have also become extremely intrigued by the distinctly unique cuisine of Guatemala. For those of you who believe Latin American cuisine is all the same, I challenge you to eat here and still tell me that's true. it's pretty much a given your gonna come here and see many things you've never even heard of. Well luckily they have a ton of inexpensive appetizers you can sample to get a feel for the place. I'd recommend trying a Garnacha for sure and possibly a Pastelito de Papa, a Chuchito, or a Guatemalan Enchilada. The Garnachas are similar to Sopes or Chalupas but distinctly different, you can't go wrong trying them. The Pastalitos de Papa are kinda like a fried mashed potato cake topped with cabbage and great tomato sauce, my second favorite for sure. The Guatemalan Enchiladas, which are more similar to a Tostada than a Enchilada, are another must try! They have beef with diced cabbage, beets, carrots, and cilantro all piled on a Tostada shell topped with sliced onion and a hard boiled egg. That is one of the most unique things I've had here and it's a winner. The Chuchitos are very similar to Tamales except that they are more oval shaped and more like a meatball coated with masa. They taste about the same as Tamales, except the ones here come with a cabbage salad and are covered in tomato sauce and white cheese. Most of their entrees come with a full on lettuce side salad, , refried black beans, and white rice with veggies mixed in. Aside from their many grilled meat dishes they have a ton of soups and stews. My brother tried the Seafood soup here and said the broth was phenomenal. Fair warning it not only has whole shell on shrimp but also has a tilapia fish head in the bowl. You wouldn't think so but some of the best meat is on the fish head, especially the collar. Just keep in mind that there is a lot of work involved deboning the fish and peeling the shrimp to take this dish down. I decided to go with Pork Carne Adobada my last visit cause I love pork. The dish was huge and the pork had great flavor and wasn't dry even though it was thin and had good char to it. Entrees come out with really thick tortillas that are a bit smaller in diameter than most corn tortillas but taste great and look like they are definitely made in house. I haven't had a chance to try this yet, but most of the people dining here seem to be pretty fond of the Beef Churrasquito Chapin, just saying it does look pretty tasty and will probably try that next time. If your at all into Latin American food you got to go here! The food is fresh, the dishes are unique, and the service is always fast and solid. It's definitely a family run restaurant, and there are so many dishes here I've just never seen anywhere. If your in the mood for a exploratory dining experience you will have a field day here. How often do you see a Guatemalan place anyway, that alone should get you interested enough to try this place out, I doubt you'll regret it. read more
11 years ago
Delicious food! And the service is excellent!!! Please try garnachas!!! Soo good . I'm definitely returning to this place awesome food! read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
Have really been looking forward to eating here. Was torn between 3 and 4 stars. The garnachas as an appetizer was a 5. Let's just say, if I go back, I will just order about 6 of these for my meal - you order them individually for $1.99. They are really tasty. The rest of the meal was okay. Everything was pretty bland which was surprising - no spice really - you needed to add salt, pepper and hot sauce if you wanted. I was looking forward to the carne guisada - figured it would be some version of the mexican type that I love - this was more like soup - 3 pieces of meat, 1 piece of potato and one piece of carrot. I know the tortillas are homemade and authentic, but didn't really care for them - just not my taste - bland thick corn tortilla - couldn't use it to wrap around meat or dip in sauce since it wouldn't soak up anything. The churrasquito chapin - steak - was just okay. All the side dishes like beet salad and rice were really bland. Might or might not try again. read more
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One of the best authentic Guatemalan restaurants I have been to and the portion sizes are decent. 10/10 recommend read more
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Amazing food at a great price, and different enough from the standard fare you see around town. We had the plato tipico, which was incredible, and a plate of tamales, elote (street-style corn on the cob), and pupusa. The chile relleno was especially good. And delicious guacamole! It all tasted very homemade, fresh, with great ingredients. Service was very friendly too, and a casual environment. We'll definitely be back! read more
7 years ago
5 years ago
This was our first visit to Gautemalan restaurant. Fellow yelpers had good thing to say about this restaurant. It is near to the place we were staying. The restaurant is one of the shopping plaza. Enough parking spaces. When I entered I noticed one the left side extended place for sit-down customers. On the right side, in a shelves there was lot of snacks, dry foods. We were not sure if we need to place order upfront and wait for food or waited to be seated. Since we were hungry we went up to ask for menu and order. The staff told us to be seated and gave us menu. We order Chicken tamales and Pollo A La plancha. The chicken tamales were good and different than I have had before. But I loved my chicken dish. It was grilled chicken with refried beans( the best one I ever had), green salad and salsa and tortilla. They also have an option for ranch or homemade salsas. I usually can handle spices but these were so so spicy. The one served with fish was really mild and the ones and the ones in displays were so spicy and on point. Unlike Mexican restaurants they do not serve chips and salsa. I would recommend this place. read more
10 years ago
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This neighborhood joint has expanded but the food is still just as amazing! The homemade tortillas are my goodness not even comparable to anything you can buy! So good for the best price! Glad they're not going anywhere. read more
7 years ago
6 years ago
More info about El Chapin
4600 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd
Ste 38
Durham, NC 27707
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(919) 908-7975
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http://elchapintogo.com
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