They say don't judge a book by its cover, that is certainly the case at El Cuscatleco. The pupusas here are simply delicious. They are not too small and stuffed with just the right amount filling. The plantains are fresh and cooked till tender. On one occasion we were given plantains that were visibly a bit on the older side. Upon notifying our waitress we received a fresh batch at no extra cost. Quick service, friendly staff, drink specials, and delicious food all for a low price! read more

Visited the restaurant with a colleague for lunch, as the portion was to large for me I took the rest to go. While I was eating the leftovers the next day I bit something strange. It was the leg of a roach!! The restaurant didn't look that clean in the first place but I never expected it to be this disgusting.... read more

We were excited to try this place while we were shopping for tile across the street. Reviews seemed good and we are adventurous eaters! I ordered the chicken fajitas and he ordered a burrito. Trying to order on the healthy side-i was disappointed by how much oil they used in the fajitas... his dish was delicious-but not what I wanted. read more

El Cuscatleco - Salvadoran Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Serves both Mexican and salvadoran food. I'm excited to see a salvadoran place in Cary but I was craving enchiladas so I didn't try any if the salvadoran offerings this time around. The enchiladas were very good- tender fresh tasting chicken and lots if cheese. The enchilada sauce could've had more flavor but overall it was solid. The portions are very generous too! I'll be back to try some papusas! The service here isn't the best. I got my food quickly but was ignored for awhile after that. I was going to deduct a star until I got my bill and saw how cheap the food was! After that I was happy enough to make this four stars. read more

This place is as good as it gets. I have yet to try anything other than the El Salvadorian menu, but my friends have and they love it just as much. The pupusas and tamales are some of the best I have ever had. Great food, great drink specials. read more

El Cuscatleco - My favorite combo, pupusa and tamal - Salvadoran Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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I am so glad that I was here eating food. I needed a quick to-go lunch near Durham and I yelped latin american food and this cafe came up. I went there and ordered a triple sample dish to go. It took like 10 minutes and the food was awesome. I love the yuca fries and plantain which tasted exactly the same when I had my food in latin american! I will revisit this place for more delicious food! P.S They have weekday lunch special! read more

Plantains? Good. Pupusas?? Delicious! Overall, very pleased with my experience and would go back again. Arrived with a group of eight total, and the staff were able to get a table together for us. They aren't set up for groups of that size, but it didn't prove to be a problem. We were given fresh nachos and salsa to snack on while we made our orders. We ordered an assortment of dishes, to sample as many items from El Salvador. I had the "Plato Tipico", which included pupusas, yucca, tamale, pastelito, and grilled chicken. It was all delicious, except for the pastelito, which was a bit overcooked. Everyone else enjoyed their food, and we ate in silence for a while (hallmark of a good meal). We also ordered come of the ceviche de mariscos to try it out. I wasn't a fan, but I did wait until I had eaten everything else, so was pretty full. I do feel that it was a bit bland, but take that with a grain of salt *wink*. So, other reviews are accurate; some items are much better than others. The trick is to know which to order and which to avoid. The prices were good and the atmosphere was friendly. Were I not moving, I'd have to go back for a few more pupusas! Maybe when I'm in the area again. read more

This place is legit! Having moved into the triangle area less than 4 months ago -this is exactly what I was looking for - cheap, authentic and delicious food with friendly service. I'm pretty sure that the only reason this place doesn't get really packed is because it looks very dated on the outside. I'm here to tell you let other people's ignorance be your bliss. I'll definitely be a regular here. read more

I had the pupuas and the Mariscos al Mojo de Ajo, both were very good. The pork and cheese pupuas is by far the best in flavor. There were two things that brought my rating down; the hostess is not the mostess... Flat out rude and the seafood was overcooked. Flavor was good and I'd try one more time because food was pretty good. read more

El Cuscatleco - All the pics of inside and out are old... They are no longer at this location. - Salvadoran Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Tried this place a few weeks ago for the first time. A friend had recommended several months ago, saying he'd randomly tried it and was blown away. HUGE portions, even for their reasonable prices. Had enough for leftovers the next day. I ate for lunch and was the only non-Hispanic person there. Usually a good sign for ethnic food! The staff was friendly and prompt, so I made sure to leave a good tip considering how cheap the food was. read more

Small comfortable restaurant, I got a really good vibe when I walked in, upbeat music and plenty of genuine smiles from the staff. Food was really really good too! I had the Plato Tipico. It was a great assortment of everything from pupusas to tamales an.fried plantains. Price was reasonable. Now I have a new "go to" place in southwest Durham. Mm good read more

El Cuscatleco - Loved the Plato Tipico. - Salvadoran Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Very affordable and delicious Mexican place I went there with my friends for four straight weeks! read more

I enjoyed it. My husband hated it. Don't go for Mexican food. Get the pupusas. Omg SO GOOD. But 3 stars for Mexican being crappy, tvs being so loud my spouse couldn't even hear me across the table and wait staff wasn't friendly. Also chips don't come out hot... they were pretty stale. Rice and beans suck. No flavor at all. BUT the salsa was great and the pupusas were delicious. read more

El Cuscatleco - So so good. Get the pupusas- bean and cheese - Salvadoran Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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You can't beat the price of the food here, and the only thing I wish is that the food was less greasy. My kids love this restaurant, and their pupusas are the best I've had that weren't made at home. The staff here is always very pleasant and helpful, as well. Edited*** I realized I didn't make any mention of how authentic the food is here. It's great...the ingredients used and the flavors are really close to what I've had cooked in a Salvadoranian home. There is nothing on the menu that I do not recommend...the only reason I do not list it as 5-stars is because of the greasiness of the food, especially when doing take-out. read more

El Cuscatleco used to be a weekly thing for me. After a yearslong break, I went there for lunch last weekend. The decor has been updated somewhat, but no so much as to lose the authentic feel of the place. My husband had the mojarra frita. As usual it was very good. He lovingly shared several bites with me, then devoured it. He even checked to see if the eyeball is edible. He decided that it is not. I had the plato tipico, substituting the tamal de elote for the tamal de pollo. I ate my fill, then took the rest home for lunch the next day. I must say, it reheats well. Service was fine, and the resturant was busy, especially for lunch at 2:30 on a Saturday. El Cuscatleco remains a favorite. read more

Went to this place because we had a $5 off coupon and wanted to try somewhere new. It's a smaller restaurant than we thought but the waitress was very nice. The table we sat at was fairly dirty, as though it never was wiped down. My menu was also very sticky. I ordered a margarita, which tasted like it was made straight from a mixer. The chips and salsa were very good. The menu did not have as much American style Mexican food, this place serves food fairly identical to authentic Mexican, they also have a section for popular foods in El Salvador. I ordered fajitas which were very good. My boyfriend had tacos which were also good. The food was decent but if you are looking for more American Mexican food it would not recommend this place. read more

Cuscalteleco has been a favorite of mine for many years , friendly, great food. The seafood soup is full of everything you could want, and plenty of it, enough for 2 people, Personal favorite ...the snapper plate .....I've found it very hard find a place that serves red snapper authentic Salvadorian style .... or snapper period. daily drink specials ...:) $1.50 margaritas on Mondays. read more

Good and authentic salvadoran food.. I liked the quite loacation and their service was also not bad. I would love to come back to this place. On a lighter note I still don't know how to pronounce the name of this place read more

As Bety mentioned below "Don't judge a book by its cover", I would like to second her on the same. Good food. They prepare everything fresh so please expect some delay but that's justified and logical if you want to eat good fresh non frozen food. Our group of 7 thoroughly enjoyed the different meals we ordered. Charming ladies serving food. Excellent experience. read more

El Cuscatleco - Mojarra Frita - Fried Tilapia Fish in different seasoning - Salvadoran Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

I was searching for a mexican restaurant as we were craving some good mexican food and I came across this little place. I noticed it said Salvadorian/mexican and since I jusy came back from El Salvador I was curious to see if they had any papusas and sure enough they did! Restaurant is a little hole in the wall place but the food was good. we ordered the papusa and el creama pollo and beef enchiladas. The papusas def was pretty close to the ones I had in El salvador. The chicken was good. Lots of flavor. The beef enchiladas were also good but nothing spectacular. read more

El Cuscatleco - Papusas - Salvadoran Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

I wasn't impressed. I really wanted to like this place because it's so close to where I live and they also deliver but, alas, it is not to be. I probably ordered the wrong thing, but I guess I'll never know for sure because they didn't bring me what I ordered. They also messed up my friend's order... Both of us had ordered combination plates. They didn't just switch ours either. My other friend got the plato tipico and said it was good, but I wasn't too impressed anyway. Service was also kind of slow. The food I got wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. I'm from Southern California and have been to a bunch of hole-in-the-wall Mexican/South American restaurants that are great. This is, sadly, not one of those places. Food doesn't taste like it was fresh made. The horchata was yummy. Also, they do win points on price. My meal was absurdly cheap. read more

the food here is definitely some of the best Mexican food you'll find in Cary. Located in an unassuming strip, it's more of a hole in the wall kind of place. Not very big, only maybe 15 tables in the place! The food has been great every time we've eaten there! the combination fajitas are excellent! they get a great char on the meat without overcooking everything. Ny husband enjoyed the shrimp diablo and also the whole fried fish. Margaritas definitely taste like pre-mixed stuff. service is a little apathetic but decent enough to keep us going back. The place is almost always full and we're usually the only gringos. servings are extremely generous and priced well. read more

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Amazing pupusas! They were so tasty...I ordered the cheese and revueltas and they didn't disappoint. I had been looking for good pupusas in the Triangle area and so glad to have found these through their trusty Yelp reviews. They're serving deliciousness in this restaurant, the only thing they can step their game up with the curtido, they can do a little something to add a kick of flavor to it. Other than that the food is on point!!! read more

Delicious food straight from the old country. So good I wish I had two stomachs to eat more pupusas!! The chicharonnes were so good!! read more

El Cuscatleco - The plato tipico was very good and fulfilling!! The yuca was well done. - Salvadoran Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to lower my rating for El Cuscatleco. As much as we had enjoyed this place, the last two times we've eaten there, the Boy has ended up with serious stomach problems an hour later - that lasted 36 hours each time! I don't know if it's just a problem with the beef burrito in particular or what, but it's a serious enough problem that I don't think that he'll be back. I may still stop in from time to time just for a tamale for myself - yum! - but it concerns me that a dish that never bothered him before has suddenly - and, apparently, consistently - changed in such a way as to make him ill. :( Bummer! Also, they're ALWAYS out of watermelon juice. ALWAYS. Disappointing! This had really become our go-to place! read more

We love this restaurant and have been getting take-out regularly since Covid. They have excellent Salvadoran food and is the only place in Cary I know of that has this cuisine. Make sure you order the bean and cheese pupusas! My entire family loves them. read more

This is our favorite resturant of all time. The pricing are amazing, the food is beyond words, and everyone is super nice. There is no place like it. We order at least 1 time a week! Their beans and rice are to die for! read more

Atmosphere is like any other Mexican Restaurant, bright & festive with colored Christmas lights and TV's. Service was great, friendly and attentive. Food was amazing. I don't know what else to say other than my friends and I seriously enjoyed what we ate! read more

This place is great! I had papusas and rice. Their portions are really, really generous. A plate could easily be shared by two people, instead I took half home and saved it all for myself. The soup here is also delicious! Vegetarian friendly, for the most part. read more

This is a good spot for after a long day of working. The food is spot on delicious. The cheese used in the Quesadillas and Pupusas hit the spot. read more

Cheese dip and pupusas are the best. Try the Loroco pupusa- it's a native flower and it's delish. Great prices, great service.

This place has the most authentic and delicious Mexican and Salvadoran food I've ever tasted. It's cheap (most items under $10) and there's tons of options. They use this creamy, rich cheese on their dishes that is to die for. It's a small, almost hole in the wall place next to the DMV but it's got a great atmosphere. Even live music on Fridays! read more

El Cuscatleco - Salvadoran Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Let me first start by just advising you to cover your eyes before you go in. Just put your judgements aside and go in. I did. Thanks to my fellow yelpers and their rave reviews of this place, I was willing to put aside the judgements and go for it - TOTALLY worth it! I went for a Salvadorian and Jon tried Mexican. Both typical dishes but had a little extra umph for a more classic and authentic taste. i wish i could tell you more about my dish, but i was so hungry that i didn't give the proteins a chance to say their last prayers - it was set down and devoured in one swoop i think. The portions are generous, so you're not leaving hungry. The price is right on point. I think you get bit more taste than what you pay for, but I guess that's what they're trading for leaving your judgement at the door. I know that sometimes English speaking people's are also reluctant to go into foreign speaking restaurants. My waitress spoke perfect english. She answered me back in english when i spoke to her in spanish :/ I hope she doesn't think my spanish sucks! LOL! Another yelper advised me to check for coups before heading over to this place. He said they're always sending them out in valpaks, etc. So i will pass that along to you as well :) Good luck! I hope you enjoy this place as much as i did! read more

What a great find in Cary. I've had dinners now twice from El Cuscatleco- once as take out and one as dine in and we've enjoyed it all. I'm not super familiar w/ Salvadorean cuisine, but if pupusas are a part of it, I now know I dig them. I believe this place falls under the Mexican category and while they do have options that look very tex-mex, the pupusas, plantains, a crisy fried little fritter thing called a pastelito, and tamals w/ chicken and potato, are something a little different. You should order from the Salvadorean menu for a treat. read more

I will confess El Cuscatleco was just a hole in the wall place on Garrett Road in Durham to me that I passed by often. Not a place I would think of visiting, except for...Yelp reviews! And a lot of positive one's indeed. Andrew D. in particular seems to have a fervently positive opinion of this place. I joined a group on a Sunday afternoon, and was immediately impressed with the decor of the inside. Not white table cloth fine dining, but not what forbode based on the exterior. Once again, don't judge a book by its cover! The service was quick, friendly and efficient, especially considering I was with a large group. Chips and salsa were immediately served and I was impressed. Both the salsa and chips tasted home-made and were quite good. I can't remember exactly the name of the dish I ordered, but it was shrimp and scallops with onions and peppers in a tomato sauce with rice and beans. I also ordered a papusa for an appetizer. My dish was enjoyable. I liked the shrimp a lot more than the scallops which were of the bay variety (small) and were a bit too chewy for me. I am particular about scallops preferring the sea scallops seared, so I probably wouldn't order that same dish again. The rice and beans were very good as sides and I thought the corn tortillas that came with the dish were awesome. I was less impressed with the papusa which seemed redundant with my dish. I ordered a cheese and pork papusa and it didn't wow me like some other Yelpers have mentioned (At $1.75 it wasn't much of a splurge though). They actually presented us with a complementary dessert which I don't know what it was, but it was very good. Crispy fried chips drizzled with honey and whipped cream in the middle. Yumm! Overall I was impressed enough with El Cusatleco to visit again. They have a surprisingly large menu with the more traditional Mexican dishes and a hand-full of Salvadoran dishes. I would like to give something more traditional a try next time, like their tacos or burritos. Interesting place! read more

Had the pupusa pork & cheese was very good, glad I decided to try something different and the chicken tamale was the best

Pupusas!!! El Cuscatleco makes great pupusas and other Salvadorean specialties. I recommend the Carne Guizada (beef stew) or El Campesino plate with a side of cheese pupusa. This is hearty, filling, home-cooked food - nothing too spicy or rich. The waitresses are friendly, and bachata music is always playing. This would be a fun, inexpensive date spot if your date is adventurous and likes to travel. read more

Authentic Salvadorian family restaurant. Lots of people who are not white Americans which is always a good sign. We have been twice and the servings are large and tasty. Its a great place for group dinners and dining with kids. Great value too! read more

The amount of food you get for the price that you pay is what makes this place a-maz-ing. And the food is pretty gosh darn good too. I love their fresh salsa, and their shrimp dinner plate is quite yummy. I thought my stomach was going to explode half way in to my veggie burrito plate, even though I couldn't stop eating. read more

I absolutely love this place. Great food at incredible prices. Plus Margarita's are only $1.50 on Mondays. Yep, you heard me, $1.50! I have recommended this restaurant to lots of my friends and everyone of them has agreed it is hands down the best Mexican/Salvadorian food in the area. read more