I truly enjoyed how fresh and flavorful everything was. The chunky salsa is delicious and I wanted more. Papuans 10/10 best ive ever had and mad that I only got one. I wish I would have gotten more over the shrimp tacos however the tacos weren't bad but didn't live up to other things. The shrimp were pretty big and grilled. Hands down going back for papusas. Best meal I've had locally in a min. The restaurant is very relaxed but it was also lunch time. No one greeted me. Had to walk to the bar for service and seat myself. Aside from the that the server was really nice. It's just an old school hole in the wall joint. read more

El Pope - Pupusa and shrimp tacos - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Amazing Latin American restaurant! Walking in you could feel the love radiating from every corner. It felt like the staff really cared for customers greeting everyone and making sure our food was good, even offering recommendations we wouldn't think of. My partner and I both got their steak offerings with myself getting a steak chimichanga and him getting a steak burrito. They were both oozing with flavor, we both made audible "yum" sounds as we took our first bites and then laughed at how this food made us have a cartoon moment. The fries and beans sides were also good although the fries were our favorite, the menu doesn't offer this as a side for meals but our server was able to make the substitution. We left feeling super lucky that lovely family restaurants like this exist and that we got to experience their food. Can't reccomend this spot enough, they truly care about what they are putting out and it shows. If thats not enough to convince you they also give you free chips and salsa! read more

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El Pope is one of those improbable Richmond gems: a true hole-in-the-wall that looks like absolutely nothing fancy inside (the booths feel like they haven't been replaced in at least a decade) but the kitchen turns out food that's flat-out delicious. Start with the sopapillas stuffed with seafood. The crab and shrimp are nicely seared without being overcooked, and they've never had that "held too long" odor you sometimes catch with steam-table seafood. Obviously at $13 per sopapilla the shrimp and crab aren't coming in live, but these cooks know how to work with frozen seafood and bring it back to life; the sauces and salsa are first-rate and do a lot of the heavy lifting. El Pope also specializes in pupusas, and they do them in a bunch of combinations. As of this writing you can get three pupusas for $12, which is a great lunch deal. Ours came out fast and were perfectly crisped on both sides, with fillings that actually tasted like something instead of just melted cheese, which is exactly what you want from a Salvadoran spot. Service is very hands-off and can be slow, but the chips and chunky fresh salsa they drop on the table soften the wait. This is a no-frills, family-run place that cares about flavor more than decor, and I'm grateful to have it not far from home. read more

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Probably my favorite place to get pupusas in Richmond! The avocado egg rolls are pretty good as well. The chips and salsa were really great. Chips were stale, and the salsa was watery. read more

El Pope - Pupusas (3) - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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We shared zucchini papusas, house salad, fried plantains and shrimp fajita with rice and beans. This was plenty for three. Each dish was better than the last. The papusas were toasty on the outside and creamy on the inside. Very reasonably priced. Staff really made us feel at home. Will definitely come here again. read more

I finally tried El Pope and I was pleasantly surprised! I hadn't heard good things but wanted to check it out. They give you free chips and salsa (more like salsa juice lol). For appetizers we got pupusas and they were good. For entrees, I got 2 tacos - 1 beef and 1 al pastor and they were delicious!! My BF got a chimichanga/burrito and said it was good. I also order yuca as a side because I love yuca and it was good. We also ordered drinks and they were fairly cheap. I definitely want to come back and try more items! read more

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Absolutely must check this place out!!! Food was phenomenal and service was incredible. Such a cute little restaurant that could easily be missed if you aren't looking for it. 10/10, pictures don't do it justice, & will definitely be back! A new favorite for sure. read more

El Pope - Pork burrito - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Hidden gem in Richmond! We went on a weekday evening and were the only ones dining in for dinner. The food is amazing and very reasonable priced! We got a cheese and potato pupusa, chicken taco, steak taco, and steak chimichanga. The portions were perfect! The chips and salsa were a great free appetizer while waiting for our main dish. The service was attentive and the ambiance very comfortable. Will definitely be coming back! read more

El Pope - Pupusas (3)Chicken Taco - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Pinto bean booty, however, on the contrary, in addition to this fact of a particular occurrence of eating, the salsa was very very good and food was also good but I got grande burrito and didn't realize it had gross wilted hot spinach in it. Ew. The taco was very yummy. Waiter very nonchalant. Also very very cheap good for monkeys read more

El Pope - See above... gross Pinto Beans and removed spinach from said grande burrito. - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Amazing food. We came here after visiting Williamsburg / Virginia Beach and glad we did. It has an older/vintage to it, but I dig the ambiance. There was one dude who was serving us, friendly but a bit quiet. We got the sopapilla (crab / shrimp) and also the chicken torta. Both were very good, but the sopapilla tasted absolutely amazing. The shrimp was very well seasoned and cooked. The chicken torta was big and we got a full serving. I loved the freshness of the torta as well, and it was accompanied by a red sauce that add some flavor/oomph to the dish. If I lived nearby I'd eat it all the time. Great place and would recommend. read more

El Pope - Chicken Torta, with mayo on the side 5/5 - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I loved loved loved the tacos here. I ordered Shrimp Tacos. They tasted so good, water was amazing lol, even the chips/salsa were very tasty. The service here was phenomenal!! 100/100. Ambiance was great as well too. Good place! Nice environment! read more

El Pope - Shrimp Tacos - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Visited again with friends, and I just had to post another review with pics, such a blast! Our server was the same server we had as the last time we visited, which is always so much fun. The restaurant wasn't that busy, so I didn't even have to say I had a reservation, which was so nice. The vibes were amazing, and the place was buzzing! Our orders arrived and we were practically shaking we were so excited, my buddy got a steak quesadilla, I got chicken and my other friend got a burrito, absolutely delicious. Well made, and filling. What a treat! read more

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El Pope has always been a go-to for some delicious authentic Mexican and Salvadoran food. This was the first time I got the torta al pastor, and it definitely won't be the last. The bread was thick and fluffy with a hint of sweetness that perfectly balanced with the flavors of the al pastor. I loved the addition of the spicy sauce to add a kick to each bite. Every ingredient tasted so fresh! The service was also amazing with the cashiers helping us make decisions and guided us throughout the menu. This was my friend's first time visiting RVA, and since he left he can't stop thinking about his wonderful experience here. read more

El Pope - Torta Al Pastor - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Thought the menu was very texmex. But got fast service and the carnitas tacos were very good read more

El Pope - tacos de carnitas - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

The #1 spot to get cheap eats in Richmond. Get a bang for your buck at El Pope. If you want authentic and tasty pupusas, this is the place for you. They're so yummy and they offer a great selection of proteins you can choose from. If you prefer something else, they have everything from tacos to burritos to fajitas, soups, and more. I'm not sure if they still do it, but a waiter will try to convince you to try their brunch, don't. The brunch isn't great. But their lunch and dinner menu is pretty good. My friends love coming here. You really get what you pay for. Things can be hit or miss. Like the yuca fries are too dry and stringy, but (in case you missed it) the pupusas are incredible. A great spot for a great deal. read more

El Pope - Fried Yuca - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

First time trying Cuban food and it was fantastic! Loved the this fries (they are addictive) and the chicken with veggies and Spanish rice was very refreshing. read more

El Pope - Chicken dish (don't remember exact name) - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Went for lunch with my parents (in their 80s) on a Monday. It was around 1pm when we arrived and it was nearly empty. Cute place and comfy vibe for sure. Only encountered one staff member and she was lovely. Loved the pupusas and various sauces. Plantains were too soft for my liking. My mom loved her chicken quesadilla with peppers. Would def go again! read more

I've always driven past this place and wasn't sure what to make of it. It doesn't look like much from the outside but the food was amazing. See below for pros and cons. Pros: -amazing food all around. Best pinto beans I've ever had. Ask for the spicy salsa - it's legit spicy but won't kill too, it's really good -price - $11 for a steak burrito, can't beat that -best pinto beans I've ever had -complimentary chips & salsa Cons: -the tortilla chips were stale -not the best service experience (server sat at a booth with headphones in and on his phone; the bartender also and headphones in) - we had to go out of our way to request a refill for chips & salsa -dirty floors and the back of one of the booths had something dark or brown splashed on it Despite the drawbacks I'd definitely suggest this place because of how good the food is! read more

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This place was great. I went with 2 friends from work for a moment away from the office and was pleasantly surprised by the Peruvian flavor. The complimentarychips were really crispy and salted just enough, and they came with what seemed like an extremely watery salsa to dip them in. At first, it seemed like it wouldn't be good, but the taste quickly won me over. It seemed that papusas were a specialty, so we tried them. You can mix and match what filling you want, so I tried 3 different options: potato & cheese, shrimp & cheese, and bean & cheese. They were really good although I couldn't tell them apart because they were all so good. I also had a side or rice and beans that were flavored pretty nicely. There aren't a lot of drink choices, so we went with the jarritos punch. It's like a dark, almost grape tasting juice that grows on you with each sip. I would absolutely go back to try something else. read more

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Cute spot in the fan for a quick bite to eat. It seems like they only have one person running the lunch shift, so service can be slow. Food was great. I've never had a pupusa before, and they were delicious. 2 pupusas and a drink for $10 - happily! read more

El Pope - Pupusas (2) - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Food 5 stars Service 2-3 stars First off- food is bomb. Tacos, pupusas- all absolutely delicious. I want to swim in the sauce that comes with the pupusas. They serve the popular birria tacos which are also amazing!! Cocktails are cheap and also super quality. I love the margaritas. It's a family-owned business that I'm so happy to support. I think where El Pope gets.... weird... is the service. I've just had such awkward experiences each time with a certain server. The server is super pushy with making sure you order an alcoholic drink- to the point where every person in our party was very uncomfortable after one person said they didn't want a drink and he wouldn't take no for an answer. Will i come back? Yes because the food is amazing!!! but I just wish the servers had better boundaries with its customers. read more

El Pope - Pupusas (3) - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Amazing food, some of the best Latin American food I have ever had. Very authentic. Amazing service and great prices. One of my favorite spots to take my friends. Gotta try the pupusas if you go. read more

THIS PLACE ROCKSS vibe! fresh! intimate! tasteful! best nachos I've ever had in all my 20 years! HIGHLY recommend read more

El Pope - Chicken Jalapenos Nachos - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Good and cheap! Love this place. Definitely get some pupusas. Great location too, I highly recommend

EVERYTHING WAS SO GOOD! service, food, ambience it was lovely, have been coming back often! read more

El Pope - Pupusas (3) and steak torta were amazing!!! - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I don't know. It was just missing...something. I got the burrito grande, and it was almost mildly sweet. An unexpected and disappointing sweet sauce or something. The pupusas, however, are amazing. And the (takeout) portions are very generous! read more

El Pope - Burrito grande. There was a sweet-flavored sauce or something to it and it wasn't the best. But the steak was great! - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Amazing! I've come here a couple of times, and have even brought my Salvi dad too (which he approved of). I was looking for a nearby pupuseria, and I'm so glad I found el Pope. There's a variety of pupusa options, my favorites are the revueltas (pork, beans, and cheese), and they're all equally good. Their drink options are great too. From horchata, jamaica, marrón, etc. I personally love their refresco de marrón, it has a sweet and sour flavor. The service is great too, your local mom and pop shop. The owners are very kind, and I feel a sense of home every time I'm here. Definitely recommend checking it out! read more

We have been to El Pope a few times now and we have always left satisfied. As you sit down to order your food, you're greeted with some warm tortilla chips with lovely homemade salsa. The pupusas are the best we've ever had (our favourite is Zucchini & Cheese). Their brunch menu is also great with the Huevos Rancheros stealing the show. Combined with a friendly staff, this place is a must visit if you're craving El Salvadorian food in RVA. read more

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This is the spot to go to for great food and amazing drinks. I have gone several times and have not been disappointed once. Their drink menu is fantastic. My friends usually go there to pre-game when we go out. I've had a few of their cocktails, but I mostly go for the food. Tortas are my absolute favorite and El Pope not only has several torta options, but they have half-servings of tortas for $5 which means I can get one of each of the tortas and not feel like a glutton, haha. Their tacos are decent. I had a taco de res and I didn't mind it. Their appetizers are filling and I truly recommend the nachos. As for the service, the guys that work there seem really chill and they're young so they sometimes joke around with us when we go in. It's just a very relaxing environment. I can't wait to go back! read more

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This is my go-to spot for pupusas. The torta sandwiches are also amazing!! Whoever's in the kitchen knows that they're doing Also for the price, it can't be beat. I've been here several times and the server is always so high energy and friendly. I 100% recommend this place read more

One of my favorite restaurants in Richmond! I mainly come here for their pupusas, but I don't think you could go wrong with anything else on their menu. Our favorite are their pork, bean, and cheese pupusas. If you dine in, they give you free chips and salsa. Their salsa is delicious and has a kick! Everything's reasonably priced, authentic, and so worth it! read more

El Pope - Pupusas (3) - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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This place is hidden in the fan -- i say hidden because I'd just heard of it and it's been around 2 years. So great location, small & cozy interior. The drinks are super cheap! Speciality cocktails like margaritas and mojitos are $5, and i think he said shots were $4 (not cheap stuff!). I ordered a pupusa and a steak taco. The taco was really good and flavorful. I think the pupusas could have had more flavor. But, so far best pupusas on this side of the river! The staff is excellent! Greeted us as soon as we came in, and was friendly throughout the night. read more

El Pope - Steak taco - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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I was attending a poetry event and saw this blue building on the corner and the word pupusa...I was bought in. The inside had several booths, bar seating and tables. There weren't many people in there and it makes me wonder how many folks know about this gem. I ordered 2 tacos and 2 pupusas. The pupusa was so good and cheesy. I ate the shrimp taco there... I feel it needed more flavor, maybe even some Cholula. All in all the food was good and I plan to return. read more

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Such a perfect spot to catch up with friends. Super cozy location and ambiance, and the food here is too die for! I got four pupusa but three would've been enough! (I did enjoy my leftovers the next day for lunch though!) The food here is super affordable too! I can't wait to my next visit! read more

El Pope - Cheese and bean pupusa Cheese pupusa Cheese and potato pupusa Cheese pork and beans pupusa - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Service was wonderful as well as the food thr only thing keeping it from a 5 was that it took ages to come out read more

El Pope - House salad wonderfully made but the wait felt like forever - Latin American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Stopped back in to El Pope for a second visit. This time I tried carnitas tacos, shrimp/crab sopapillas and the rockfish. The sopapillas were delicious! Even the beans and rice were drool-worthy! My date thought the sauce was too spicy, but I loved every bite. The rockfish was also delicious and presented well. The carnitas tacos were the miss of the night. Way overcooked and just dry and flavorless. Service was great. They remembered me from my first visit and told me, "Welcome back." And I'm sure I will be back! I just won't get the carnitas tacos or pupusas other than than the traditional next time. 3.5 stars rounded to 4. read more

Delicious!!! First time trying out El Pope because I was craving some pupusas and I had a great experience! I got the original cheese pupusas and it was super chewy and cheesy! Definitely hit all the right spots for a cheese-lover like me! I liked how it was slightly salted and not too oily/charred. It went well with the accompanying sauce. The shrimp and crab sopapilla was super bomb!! It was a tortilla filled with juicy shrimp and well-seasoned crab meat, topped with a creamy sauce and some green verde salsa. I loved how the seafood flavors really came out and creaminess of the white sauce along with the slight spicy taste from the verde salsa added extra flavors. I also used their habanero pepper sauce to give it an extra kick! The rice and beans were pretty solid. The rice was cooked nicely and not mushy (even when I got my order to go). The beans were salty enough and well-seasoned. The portion doesn't look that big but it was definitely filling! They also give you chips and salsa with your order ~ The server was really nice and offered me different salsa options. Only street parking is available but there are quite a lot of options around. read more

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My wife and I are Hispanic, these are not the best pupusas, tacos, nor tortas we've had. Service was not the best either. The waitress didn't even introduce herself, barely talked, just brought the menus and took the order. Not once did we get asked if we needed anything. The only good thing about this place is the affordable prices. Other than than, disappointed in the food taste. read more

Best restaurant in the Fan proper. Super delicious, affordable and approachable. Wish they'd replace that old awning, but that's my only gripe. This place is tremendous- shout out to Adrian because he's amazing too. Get the pork, bean, and cheese pupusas and thank the owner immediately after. Keep it up read more

A Hidden Authentic Gem Challenge yourself to like authentic Salvadorian food, and you'll be amazed at this cute little gem located a block from the hubbub of overrated bagel stores. The food is made to order and is fantastic. All of our breakfasts were $6, and the portions were, to put it lightly, generous. The chips and the salsa were both made in house. We enjoyed snacking on these before our meals. Once we got our meals, I enjoyed the crema Salvadoreña and sweet plantains. I recommend the Desayuno. Service was quick and attentive. Overall, you cannot possibly go wrong at this hidden gem in Richmond. read more

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