My favorite local Salvadorian restaurant. This is their second branch and imo the best one! I love their unique platters and how they're named after places in El Salvador. The service is great, the food is fresh and there's good parking nearby. The staff is always friendly and they also have a kids menu for the little ones who aren't familiar Salvadorian cuisine. I love their El Tunco platter and it's great to share with 2-3. Their rice is always perfectly seasons and fluffed we always order extra. The daughter loves their yucca cob chicharrón. read more

We arrived too late for the pupusas (get there by 8pm to order them), so we scrambled to come up with a suitable substitute. The savory pastelitos were delicious as was the tamale, which featured potatoes, green beans and chicken. The whole fried plantain was flavorful and ripe. The beans came out cold, but our attentive waiter Jose quickly swapped them for a piping hot plate. The less than appetizing dish we ordered was the shrimp cocktail with "salsa Rosa" which turned out to be heaping with mayonnaise. It was a confoundingly creamy sauce. Spacious restaurant that could use a little decor update. Would return (before 8) to try the pupusas. read more

El Cuscatlan Restaurant - Salvadoran Near Me - Hercules, California

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I've been coming here since they've opened anout 3 or so years ago. The food is good, ive had their putacos and tamales very good. The grilled fish and shrimp are my favorite. The service is good as well they know me by now ans know my order so customer service is always pleasant. The store is nice spacious amd clean you don't ever sit too close to people so you're not feeling crowed when you eat. Would definitely recommend for lunch and dinner. Also just heads up no alcohol served here only beer I believe. read more

It's nice to have a place with pupusas nearby! This spot was previously known as Claws and Craws and hope that El Cuscatlan is here to stay. The food is made fresh upon ordering and I really enjoyed the cheesy pupusas, sweet plaintains, and beans. There is a good amount of seating inside and service is pretty friendly and attentive. Also free parking in the lot! read more

El Cuscatlan Restaurant - Desayuno hondureño - Salvadoran Near Me - Hercules, California

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Finally decided to try this place out for lunch & I'm glad it's a close by location for pupusas! I did order ahead & by the time i got there, the food was ready! The pupusas were still fresh and hot & I ended up getting an agua fresca which was so refreshing! The pupusas were tasty especially with the curtido & salsa combo! One thing I wish they did was separate the pupusas because I didn't know which one was which until I had sliced it open. The place was also so spacious & hoping they're getting some business! Will be coming back to try their huge menu :) read more

El Cuscatlan Restaurant - Cheese & Beans pupusa, Pork, Beans & Cheese Pupusa, Passion fruit mango fresca - Salvadoran Near Me - Hercules, California

I had a pupusa and plantain with cream and beans. The food was good. It wasn't too busy when we went. It's loud in there so it's hard to have a conversation. read more

Good wholesome food which is yummy and very flavorful!!! Great staff who are friendly and knowledgeable. Nice homely ambiance and clean bathrooms. read more

El Cuscatlan Restaurant - Tipico #2 - Salvadoran Near Me - Hercules, California

Went here for a work lunch. I had the Churrasco Salvadoreno. It had steak, chicken, chicharron, prawns and chorizo. Should have know from the start it was going to be disappointing. It came out on a sizzling plate and there was none of that good aroma. The meat was so dry. I don't know when that chicharron was fried but it couldn't have been from today. Everything just lacked seasoning. Then the service was terrible. After waiting over 10 minutes, we had to find the server to take our order. If they were busy I'd understand but there might have been 1 other person dining in. Never refilled our waters. Don't remember if he ever checked in on us. Had to go find him to get some Togo boxes. To top it off, it was over 75 degrees in there. Was just not a good experience overall. 2 stars just because portions were good for the price. read more

El Cuscatlan Restaurant - Salvadoran Near Me - Hercules, California

The food was good, the service was poor. The waitress never came to check if we wanted refills, nor did she come over when I waived at her to request what happened to the tortillas that were supposed to come with the order. I've never been to a restaurant where the waitress or waiters never came back to the table to see if everything is okay. I would have given a higher review, but the service was terrible read more

Pollo ranchero is damn good every single time even if you door dash it! The heats always good! And the pupusas are perfect every single time ive had them!!! I get this place any chance I can!!! read more

Another trip to El Cuscatlan and hard as I tried I couldn't get myself to order any other dish instead of their Pescado Frito. Order this fried whole Tilapia with shrimp and you will be treating yourself to an amazing dinner. As like the Tilapia the shrimp comes whole from the tip of its whiskers to the tail. And like the Tilapia it was cooked just right. The right doneness and the right flavor. Two other items are worth mentioning, the beans and their sauce. As this was my second round of having this dish I am starting to taste more of the flavors that makes this dish so good. The beans are made and tasted like no other Latin style beans I've ever had before. Normally I prefer my bean not totally mashed. I like a bit of small chucks and skin but El Cuscatlan was anything but that. It is totally mashed and smooth and so good. Their house hot sauce was equally flavor full. Just the right spiciness (very spicy) with a well rounded savory character. Next time? Not sure I can resist not ordering their Pescado Frito but if I can and I am in the mood for a lot of meat I'll order their Churrasco plate. read more

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Food is over priced and lacking flavor service is very bad the serves always look mad and seem to be more attentive to male only tables ! We didn't get refills no napkins waited for our utensils and the pupusas are not good the beans are to watery and their to thick and ambiance is way to loud it's more like a club versus a family restaurant. read more

Finally visited El cuscatlan in Hercules, CA was pleasantly surprised. Great experience. Staff was very friendly knowledgeable and helpful l. Large menu, they had multiple lunch specials. We came in before lunch and they were kind said they could fix us any lunch item. Sprung for the pupusas. My boss and i both got Jalapeño and cheese and pork pupusas black beans and rice. Portions were a little small, but flavors fantastic with the hot sauce, black beans and rice had a hint of jasmine. See photos. Will definitely return read more

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I will say, the pupusas de maíz were good and the sopa de gallina (ES DE POLLO, not sure why they say rooster when it's cheap chicken) is seasoned well. The pupusas de arroz that I got were okay, not the best I have had. The service is slow and I had to ask for cutlery, napkins, curtido y salsa. Not offered any curtesy water. The outside courtyard is beautiful and good parking lot. Very safe neighborhood. Just overpriced, $4.5 for a pupusa compared to the San Pablo and San Rafael location of $3.25 and better quality of food overall. Never coming here to this location ever again read more

El Cuscatlan Restaurant - Pupusa de arroz con queso, loroco, y frijoles - Salvadoran Near Me - Hercules, California

Nice place. Good pupusas. Fresh food. Friendly service. Clean. Definitely will be back.

I've been here a few times before and every time I've come it's never failed me. The food is delicious and I love the traditional options that they have. I would definitely recommend come again. read more

This restaurant is Amazingly delicious!! Everything they made so fresh and delicious.. my husband had try almost everything on their menu . I go just for the pupusas .. they are PERFECT!! The curtido ( (coleslaw) is perfect ! The flavors are on point .. they sell beer as well and Horchata super delicious too.. this place reminds me of Los planes de Renderos ! I'm glad I leave far from them otherwise I'll be eating there every day read more

Love this local joint. The grilled shrimp was very spicy, just the way I like it! The yuca frita was well seasoned and very crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. Will definitely return to try more dishes! read more

El Cuscatlan Restaurant - Yuca Frita Con Chicharron - Salvadoran Near Me - Hercules, California

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The best Salvadorian food in the bay! La mejor comida salvadoreña en la bahia . 10/10

I finally stopped by to try this gem. Ordered 3 pupusas 2 cheese one beans and cheese. Also platanos beans and crema. All was so tasty salsa was delicious the curtido was so good. read more

Food: 2/5 The chicken pupusa was worth trying, although it lacked flavor. The ratio of filling to the corn was decent. The sauce it was served with tasted like jarred Marina sauce which was disappointing. I have had other pupusas in the Bay Area, which are hit or miss, sometimes less filling and cheese but more flavor or vice versa. If the salsa/sauce was better this dish would be worth a recommendation. The chicken nachos were incredibly salty, got soggy very quickly, the guacamole tasted premade/prepackaged, and overall was not a dish I would recommend. The whole entree was salty, but after taking a few bites I realized this was mainly due the chips, possibly being store bought/prepackaged. The spiciest salsa available was relatively mild/medium. The Tapatio labeled "hot" on the table was spicier than the "spicy salsa". Service: 3/5 The host/server was friendly but did not seem knowledgeable about the menu when questions were asked. She also waited till the entrees came out to bring salsa instead of with the pupusa which was the starter when I requested it. Ambiance: 4/5 The restaurant has a good music choice and decor. It started to get busier a few minutes into my dining experience. There is plenty of seating available and comfortable booths. The women's bathroom is not available for use due to the door being broken, the men's bathroom door is also broken but with some force you may be able to get it closed, with caution to avoid getting locked in. No liquor license/drinks served was a little disappointing but there is a liquor store a few stores down in the area. read more

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I've been to this place twice before and had an average experience. The service isn't great, but I decided to give it another try and placed a to-go order. I spoke with Carlos and ordered two pork and cheese pupusas along with a shrimp plate with rice and beans. After picking up my order on my way home--which is over 45 minutes away--I realized that my pupusas were cheese-only. I called back to inform Carlos about the mistake, but instead of addressing the issue, he argued with me, insisting that my order was prepared correctly. Having been there before, I know exactly what the pork and cheese pupusas should look and taste like, and this was not it. Carlos said he would check with the cooks, and if they confirmed they made it correctly, then there was nothing he could do. After putting me on hold, he came back and claimed the cooks said they had made it as ordered. That was simply untrue--I was looking at my food and eating it, and it was clearly incorrect. Beyond the mistake, Carlos was extremely rude and dismissive. He claimed to be the manager but refused to let me speak with the owner, saying they weren't available. This is a terrible way to run a business. I regularly spend over $50 per visit, but after this experience, they've lost a customer. Unacceptable. read more

El Cuscatlan Restaurant - Salvadoran Near Me - Hercules, California

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Really 4.5 for me. The pupusas are pretty tasty although a little smaller in diameter than I am used to. I had the pork, bean and cheese one, but I couldn't really taste the pork. The curtido and red sauce had flavor, so that is a big plus for me! I also tried their putaco, and I think I prefer it to the pupusas! Literally a pupusa with taco meat, lettuce, radish, onions and cilantro on it. Genius! I've only ordered to-go, so I'm not sure what their indoor service is like. But picking up orders is usually easy and the cashiers are nice. The place feels like a fancy bar when you first go in. There are some vending machines with toys for kids. It's never busy when I go for lunch, so I suppose the wait shouldn't be too long if you do dine in during those times. Parking lot is spacious, but could get busy. read more

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What a cute little restaurant! I've tried other restaurants in this plaza but we finally tried this one after someone recommended it. Overall it was a good experience and both food and service were good. There's a cute wall of plants that is IG worthy... my daughter and I took some pictures there while we waited for food. We ordered 3 items plus a pupusa and my favorite was the Churrasco Salvadoreno Chef Special. The kids really enjoyed the steak and chicken. I like the variety of flavors available on the menu. Every dish we ordered were flavorful, well prepared, and nearly displayed. The ceviche was beautiful and I love that there was avocados and tostadas that came with, but it was more sour and liquidy than ceviches I am used to. My husband loved the pupusas but I thought they were just okay. There was a party going on near the entrance side. This surely seems like a great place to host a party! read more

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I compliment this place I am going to say that I almost ate Burger King but coming into El Cuscatlan's it was worth it. I had the Cheeseburger...a burger that was different compare to eating at Nation's, D Burger, or The Habit. It had a good taste and was juicy. My server was fantastic! I manage to give me time to decide what to order. It is the first restaurant that had wireless payment that allowed us to pay with our card instead of the server going to their register. I will come back here again read more

El Cuscatlan Restaurant - Cheeseburger with fries - Salvadoran Near Me - Hercules, California

Have to write an expanded version of this review, but the short version for now is, for knowingly trying Salvadoran food for the first time, 10/10 for me. I tasted the quality in each bite. For what I got, I do wish it included rice. read more

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It was nice to have a new restaurant in the area, especially Salvadoran food! The restaurant was clean, modern and nice decor and spacious. Service was a bit slow from being greeted to when you walk in, to coming by to take our order, for the waitress to come to refill our drinks or check on us and to get the bill. It wasn't that busy so didn't understand why it took a while for her to come by. The Yuca Frita was a nice portion but on the bland side. The jalapeño & cheese and the pork and cheese pupusas were good. Chicken & cheese pupusas were bland. I don't cook Salvadorian food but it tasted like all the pupusas were could use more filling. The curtido, beans and rice were delicious. Nice presentation for each dish. Prices weren't that surprising. Nice place for a family meal or for date night. read more

El Cuscatlan Restaurant - Jalapeño pupusas and pork and cheese pupusas with rice and beans - yummy! - Salvadoran Near Me - Hercules, California

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O know Salvadoreña food is really good but this restaurant has nothing yo do with the real taste of Salvadoreña food no flavor my cousin order a encebollado steak ,they brought the steal with no onions full of bellpeppers tomatoes and no flavor and no onions this is my second time there's and last tey need really Salvadorian chef. read more

Another spectacular day to have had my dinner at this place. Been awhile for a visit and wow new changes on the menu. They have revamped the menu and added new items. Looking forward to trying it, I had there fajitas mixtas with mango juice. What a great combo to end the night. Platanos are like Filipino que banana! Weekdays don't seem to busy but I'm sure it picks up on the weekends. Come stop by! read more

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I can only comment on the food, which was super good. I did a huge take out order for my family and everyone was very please. The pupusas were great and the sweet corn masa was also good. I would go again read more

I came back to Hercules visiting from Hawaii with some friends and I was craving pupusas. This did NOT disappoint. All four of us had the exact same dish and it was amazing. Craving satisfied, highly recommend! read more

El Cuscatlan Restaurant - Salvadoran Near Me - Hercules, California

First time trying Salvadoran cuisine. We were very impressed with their agua fresca. We had the tamarind and soursop. The tamarind was really nice. It had that nice sweet flavor with some sour notes. It was quite refreshing. We loved the soursop. The flavors were very vibrant with its sweetness and slight tang. Glad to have ordered this. For our meal, we ate the New York Steak and Lengua De Res En Salsa. The steak was pretty good. We opted for it to be cooked medium. The flavor was nice. Loved how the rice was shaped in a pyramid. Glad to have the salad with the steak. We also requested a steak sauce, which turned out to be Worcestershire sauce. Not too bad of a meal. The meal also came with some thick tortillas. The meat and rice paired well with that bread. Definitely loved the beef tongue. For the most part, it was very tender and juicy. Loved the salsa that came with it. The acidity was excellent to have with the beef tongue. The bread, beans, and rice along with the meat provided a nice blend of flavors. Our server was very nice. She made sure our visit was a pleasant one. She was very courteous and efficient. The ambiance was pretty chill. The music blasting and some very serene scenes from the TV created a nice atmosphere. The place was definitely well maintained and clean. Overall, a very pleasant experience. Nice food and good vibes. Definitely gonna come back and check out their many options on the menu. read more

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I've wanted to try this place for a while now as it's new to Hercules, and we needed a pupusa place in this area. My son and I had lunch here. I ordered #61 Tipico 1, two pupusas with beans, rice, and curtido. Choose any kind of pupusas, so we got one cheese and one pork & cheese to share. My son got a lemonade, and I got a passion fruit drink. Let me tell you! These pupusas were stuffed! There is so much cheese and a stretch! My son loved it! I'm not used to having so much filling in a pupusa! They were really good! I want to try the other ones now and some other dishes on the menu. The plate is $12.50, and the drinks are $3.99 each. I'm glad there's a Salvadoran restaurant in the area! read more

El Cuscatlan Restaurant - Curtido - Salvadoran Near Me - Hercules, California

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We've only had pupusa from here because everything else is pretty pricey, but the pupusa's are really good and very inexpensive

Muy mal servicio pides una cosa y te traen otra y los meseros nunca llegan a preguntar si nesecitas algo mas muy mal servicio. Desepcionado nada que ber con el cuscatlan de san pablo. read more

Tried a pu-taco. It was marketed as a pupusa and taco but turned out to be a pupusa with taco toppings. Not what we expected for 5.99 for one pupusa. It was tasty but definitely not what it was advertised as! read more

El Cuscatlan Restaurant - Pu-taco. It's 5.99 for taco meat on top of a pupusa. Pretty gimmicky because I thought I was getting a taco and a pupusa. - Salvadoran Near Me - Hercules, California

Nice restaurant. I got "el tipico" which was a plate with beans and pupusa and tamal. It was really yummy. Nice to have a place like this in the area. I will be back for sure. read more

El Cuscatlan Restaurant - Salvadoran Near Me - Hercules, California

I updated my review because they say they're a bar but have no alcohol. Food was just ok read more

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Flavors of El Salvador here in Hercules! We thoroughly enjoyed our meal here. Friendly and helpful staff. Nice range of choices on the menu with good range of prices as well. Platazo Dinner ($13.50) was delicious and fantastic flavors . Super Mar Y Tierra ($22.99) was grilled well and quite tasty, especially fries and rice. Hearty portion size, we we're definitely full when we left. Shared parking and we will definitely be back to this local gem. read more

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What a wonderful place. Honestly didn't know what to expect as it was Easter and we were rolling in from out of town. Can't wait to go back and try something new. read more

El Cuscatlan Restaurant - Papusa, tamal, beans and plantain.... Amazing flavor - Salvadoran Near Me - Hercules, California