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    El Chele

    4.5 (34 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

    El Chele Photos

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    Condiments...
    Jeff B.

    Great for Moses Lake to now have a Salvadoreño kitchen. Pupusas were big and filling, and all options had the right amount of cheesiness. They do not have plantains on the menu, but I enquired about fried bananas--and viola! If you love those like we do, just ask. Their tamale w/pollo was filled with big chunks of tender breast chicken, and the masa was creamy dreamy tasty. Everything was homestyle and fresh, but this is not fast food, so don't expect it to be. Our host/server Cody was great, and while we are very familiar with the cuisine, I watched him kindly explain everything about the menu to several tables of tenderfoots that came in after us. No alcohol is available, but honestly their offerings go better with the meal. The Tamarind tea could have been shared between 4 people, haha. Their menu was as delicious as we expected it to be, and a great new option for ML residents...

    Supreme tocos
    Yurka-Nadka U.

    To say we were disappointed is an understatement. We paid $60 for greasy and bland food. The tocos changed and aren't good anymore. We won't be going back.

    Aaron E.

    Pupusas were amazing. Highly recommended a visit. I ordered the steak and my wife ordered the chicken. Neither were disappointed. They make their own Horchata which was really good. Tasted creamy with a hint of bubble gum. Sounds weird but it works.

    Jess S.

    This place is amazing! The food is delicious, and the service is always excellent. I absolutely recommend the lobster!

    Puposa
    Diane P.

    If I could give them more then 5 stars I would it was that good. I googled what was the best place to eat in this area and this was the first choice. Glad we checked it out . We're from Portland OR and we will be making road trips to come back here. Food fresh and full of flavor. Good service.

    Current Menu. They said a new one coming soon.
    Karla P.

    Enjoyed our Pollo Encebollado today! We also tried a tamale - delicious! Seating was comfortable and the food plentiful. Our server did wear a mask. Shame on the reviewers who made their reviews about masks instead of the meal, quality of service and friendliness.

    Very clean looking and relaxing atmosphere.

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    3 years ago

    The food is exceptional. I have picky kids and even they loved it. I dream about the horchata.

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    4 years ago

    One of the most unique experiences in Moses Lake. Pupusas are so good ! If you've never tried them branch out !

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    4 years ago

    Great Salvadoran food in a small family run restaurant. Quiet and tucked away - great place to discover.

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    Ask the Community - El Chele

    Review Highlights - El Chele

    Definitely check out their take on tacos, papusas, and banana leaf wrapped tamales.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Salvadorean Pupusas Restaurant

    Salvadorean Pupusas Restaurant

    4.7
    (44 reviews)
    51.4 mi
    $

    The most delicious pupusas I've had in a long time! Each bite had so much flavor, the dough was…read moreperfect and the red sauce to complement was scrumptious. The service was a decent- the food is made fresh and worth the wait!! Casual eatery to get traditional pupusas will be the place to go when I come through town again!

    This was my first Pupusa experience. I work at the local ski hill so people ask for recommendations…read morefor places to eat in town. Someone was looking for pupusas and I was at a loss. So I decided to investigate. This place is in a transitional part of "downtown East Wenatchee". There isn't a ton of parking, but there is enough. The place is clean and minimal. Knowing Spanish is definitely helpful and there will always be a soccer match to watch. The service is friendly and helpful, even for us rookies. You can dine in, seat yo' self. Or order for take out. These are my first pupusa, so know I'm comparing it to non pupusas. They were piping hot off the grill 3/$12. I think I ordered chicken and cheese, another combo I can't remember. They were interesting. Sort of quesadilla like, but with more substance. The sauce they came with was very tasty, sweet and not spicy. The salsas were delicious and had more heat. I ordered a tropical aqua which was like a vacation in a glass. Overall it was a good experience. I'll keep trying so I have something to compare it to.

    Photos
    Chicken, pork, bean and cheese
    Chicken, pork, bean and cheese
    Salvadorean Pupusas Restaurant
    Salvadorean Pupusas Restaurant

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    Los Hernandez Tamales

    Los Hernandez Tamales

    4.5
    (305 reviews)
    69.3 mi
    $

    There's a reason this place is a destination, rather than a side quest. I live 92 miles and 2.5…read morehours away, and I make that pilgrimage a few times a year, much to my wife's consternation. "The freezer's full. Stop bringing home tamales." She's an infidel, a blasphemous Pharisee whose ignorance of the one true tamale is a point of ridicule. Tamale's are an art more than a science. My grandmother used to shut down her kitchen for two weeks each year to make tamales, which would fill a chest freezer for her husband to feast upon for lunch throughout the year. And when we went to visit, he'd share his hoard. To a point. They're both gone now, but I no longer have to wait for a family trip. Also, I can drive myself, so there's that. I make what I call The Tamale Run, a six hour drive that starts with a drive to lunch in Union Gap, a cooler filled with ice and a stack of frozen tamales, and ends with a saunter through Mt Rainier National Park. There are far worse ways to spend the day. And before you go and say, "Hey, you're spending half your day at a park," understand that part is the side quest, the icing on the cake if you will. A bonus I enjoy, but would gladly live without. So long as I get my tamales. Most tamales are dry. The masa tends to lose too much moisture when steamed. The result is typically a crumbly mess that lacks flavor and makes me wish I hadn't bothered. Los Hernandez tamales are moist, rich, and filled with consistent flavors that take me back to the trips of my youth, when my biggest concern was running out of AA batteries for my Walkman (I'm old). So do yourself a favor. Make the trek. Enjoy the journey. Savor the tamale. Ignore the other voices who tell you not to waste gas driving that far for something you could get closer, even if the nearby offerings are crap and unworthy. Tamales are more than just a food; they're a religion. Go, pray at the temple. Take your burnt offerings and some cash. Tell the priests and priestesses that you have come to kneel before Zod, or whatever your faith system commands of you.

    We drove from Tacoma to Spokane and willingly added about 75 miles to the trip just to stop in…read moreUnion Gap for Los Hernandez. That should tell you something right there. This isn't some trendy stop or overhyped roadside thing. It's just really, really good food made by people who clearly care about what they're doing. We ordered the lunch plates and ended up sitting next to Mr. Hernandez himself. We got to hear about how he started the place because he genuinely loved working with masa, and how that slowly turned into winning a James Beard America's Classics award. Nothing flashy about it -- just years of doing it right. Knowing that story while eating the food made it feel even more special. The rice was fluffy and deeply seasoned -- not an afterthought. The homemade pinto beans were tender but still held their shape, topped with pico that added exactly the right acidity and freshness to balance the plate. Then the tamales -- jalapeño & cheese and pork. He spoke highly of the masa, and you could immediately tell why. The texture was spot on: moist but structured, never dense. The filling-to-masa ratio was right where it should be. Every bite felt balanced. The salsas were bright and flavorful, but they enhanced rather than covered anything up. You didn't need to smother the tamales -- they stood on their own. The place itself is humble and unpretentious. Floral tablecloths, paper plates, simple seating. Exactly how it should be. You're there for the food and the people behind it. They sell fresh and frozen tamales at a few other locations too, which is honestly dangerous information to have. Absolutely worth the detour. Five stars without hesitation.

    Photos
    The ladies that work the main location! So friendly and lovely!!!
    The ladies that work the main location! So friendly and lovely!!!
    Asparagus/pepperjack + chicken
    Asparagus/pepperjack + chicken
    Sign outside store

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    Sign outside store

    El Chele - salvadoran - Updated August 2026

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