El Pulgarcito offers great food in a humble setting with friendly service. I went with the pupusas and they were pretty amazing all in all. If you are in the Madison, Tennessee area, I definitely recommend El Pulgarcito. read more

See all

Love this Restaurant from El Salvador! I love that I can get breakfast at any time of the day here. The Desayuno Pulgarcito (Pulgarcito breakfast) has to be my favorite dish. It includes two eggs (whatever style you want), plantains, rice with beans, fresh cheese, avocado, two fresh tortillas, and a piece of steak all for only like $12!!! The soups they have are all so comforting too, a must grab for a cold day or a hangover. The customer service is quick and very friendly. read more

El Pulgarcito - Desayuno pulgarcito - Salvadoran Near Me - Madison, Tennessee

Can't go wrong with their queso con loroco pupusas, great taste, made from scratch on order

We go here for their fried whole tilapia. Well seasoned, deep fried. Sides are also good, but the fish is the star. We like both their locations. read more

Tried the pupusa...they were made from scratch. Good but not great. Also, the servers did not speak English, and we waited too long for food to arrive in a nearly empty restaurant. read more

PUPUSAS ARE SO GOOD HERE !! WENT LAST FOR BREAKFAST SUCH A TREAT !! Everyone was so nice even though they didn't speak much English they still accommodated and took my order ! Food was so fresh and well seasoned! I will be back !! read more

Wow. My first time trying a pupusa! I got two revueltas. They were large, filling, and the combo of pork, beans, cheese was really delicious. Came with slaw, hot sauce and tomato sauce. Only like $5! Will definitely return!! read more

See all

We ate for the first time and were taken back by the flavors. We eat Mexican often, but this restaurant blows all the Mexican away. My wife had the shrimp and I had fajitas. The restaurant was clean and the staff was friendly. If in Goodlettsville it's a must stop. read more

I would honestly want to give this place more stars but I couldn't. We literally almost passed out from waiting so long for our food. We had just played 18 holes of golf on a Sunday morning, it was 1:20 p.m., we were starving and dehydrated...sat in our seats and could hardly move an arm, much less converse with our parched mouths. Kitchen was sooooo slow! The server was very sweet and kind. She was very helpful in explaining what every dish was, however back in the kitchen, they only had one person hand patting every single pupusa made to order. There were quite a bit of people patiently waiting sitting at their tables, but we were feeling toooo ravenous. It took at least 10 minutes to get a drink and then about 40 minutes to receive our food. I thought my intestines were going to stick to each other by the time I got the first bite. Now in regards to the food, well, it's Salvadorian cuisine, not Mexican. Don't get me wrong, I love Salvadorian people, but the food is very different from what I am used to...no hot sauce, no pico, no spice. It's more on the plain side of taste. The food is well made, but just didn't have any 'umph' to it. The popular topping in Salvadorian foods is a cabbage cured in vinegar ...I'd describe it as 'the raw saurkraut.' It is what really adds some taste and texture to the pupusas. Unfortunately, my 'curtido,' as they call it, felt griddy as I chewed it...and well...that was my last bite. I couldn't eat anymore after that. :( I def recommend this place if you want to check off of your list of international food experiences, however, I wouldn't sing home about it. :( read more

See all

Nice clean place great customer service but the pupusas we're not tasty . Their ok if you don't eat them often.

Lack of dedication or perhaps short on staff.? Called in an order for five around 12:45 p.m. repeated the order three times to make sure we were getting our moneys worth. Anyway, they rush you to take the order and hang up with out letting you know the damage lol. At the end of the day three out of five were incorrect, as I asked for all vegetables on a chicken dish for my coworker who is diabetic and can not consume either rice or yuca. The other one did not get the home made tortillas he asked for his tacos, and the last plate was just a chicken breast and a bottom full of rice. On this last plate we asked for plantains and salad. It is what it is at the end of the day, we mixed and matched our food and made it work. One thing tho, you might want to bring your own straws, napkins and utensils as they're not provided. read more

This was our first Salvadorian experience. We went here with the whole family and bought quite an array of foods. Our favorites were the papusas ($2), tacos dorados and the sopes. The kids taco looked good. The refried beans were tasty. The service was friendly and attentive. They took care to explain the process of cooking in a helpful way. I look forward to this place as a lunch destination in the future. read more

See all

Our group of 4 really loved this place. Some of the staff is working on English so kudos to them. Our waiter knew when to bring in someone who had a darn good grasp of English. Some of the dishes had some similar names to Mexican dishes, but they were different. Look at the pictures on the menu. They are helpful. Be kind. This is a good place with good food and wonderful people. Don't miss it! We plan to bring all of our friends to this great restaurant. read more

We were driving around aimlessly looking for somewhere to eat when we decided on this place. What a great discovery and find! The food was very good, very reasonable, and the service was great. What else do you want?! read more

El Pulgarcito - Salvadoran Near Me - Madison, Tennessee

For what it is, this is a nice place to stop for a little lunch. Salvadorean cuisine, one of the servers told us, is similar to Mexican, but without the chilli-style heat. But it appears to be more than that. Their breads and tacos are thicker, lusher and very tasty. The shop is neat, clean-ish, and there are both tables and chairs, and a counter with stools. We sat at the counter and ordered a selection of tacos and empanadas. The lady who served us was very concerned that we should enjoy the movie on the big TV above the counter. She talked and kept us entertained throughout the meal. She is obviously proud of her heritage and was keen to ensure that we had an enjoyable stay. Make no mistake; this is a corner cafe, not a restaurant. It is basic and pleasant. The food is quite obviously authentic, that is if the presence of South Americans tucking in to great bowls of steaming soups is any gauge. It's out of the way for us and it's not the style of place we would go to for an evening meal. But for lunch, if you're in the area, I highly recommend El Pulgarcito. read more

As I was driving down Gallatin Rd near Rivergate the other day, my head did a double take at a sign that I saw in the Home Depot shopping strip... Pupuseria Y Taqueria!! Oh Joy!! I love Salvadorian cuisine and the fact that we now have one on this side of town just shows that I'm living life right. Thank you, Lord! The Pupusas were AMAZING!! The owner and staff were so hospitable and truly appreciative of every customer that comes there. Their hours are great 9-9 M-Th; 9-10 F-S; 9-8 Sun. Yep, 9am...be sure to try the breakfast selection too. A must do short drive for the Inglewood and East Nashville Hipsters. You can thank me later :0) read more

I LOVED THE FOOD! I wanted to try something new, and had never had Salvadorian food before. I left completely pleased and fulfilled, already wanting to go back for more. We got a few different pupusas, some tamales, and taquitos to share. Everything was excellent! A warning though, the tamales were basically cornbread and not your typical tamale. Live and learn! The service was excellent, as the kid who waited on us helped with the menu and explain everything, and was generally concerned that we enjoyed our food and had everything we needed. He was the best service I've had in quite some time. The menu is pretty confusing. Everything is listed as an "appetizer" and quantities and descriptions are a little vague. Pictures are not near their descriptions. The server was good to explain everything - but it could all be fixed with some fine-tuned menus. Be sure to take time to ask what you are getting, or (like me) if you seem unsure when you order, he might go ahead and clarify what you'll actually be getting. The eating area is nothing fancy, but is clean. The bathrooms are pretty disgusting. Needs a good pick-up, and a nice fresh coat of bleach and it'd be just fine. Parking was very simple with a huge lot and lots of spaces. The confusing menu and dirty bathrooms are the only things keeping it from 5 stars. I know why there seemed to be so many to-go orders being picked up while we ate, now! read more

Delicious! A wonderful new addition to Rivergate, an area that is short on local establishments. Service is friendly and efficient, but can be a little slow when busy. My server came to my table three times to tell me my food would be right out. I wasn't too concerned but it did take a bit longer than it has in the past. I highly recommend the bean and cheese pupusa, it's fantastic. Most of the beverages are bottled, but the horchata is deliciously creamy and just the right amount of sweet. read more

El Pulgarcito - Pupusa - Salvadoran Near Me - Madison, Tennessee

See all

We ordered a bunch of stuff. Everything was amazing. The service was a little slow but otherwise I highly recommend. read more

El Pulgarcito - Salvadoran Near Me - Madison, Tennessee

I solely went here because of all the HOT Yelp reviews. And you guys were right. Its good, affordable and tastes great. It's in the plaza with Monkey Joe's / Home Depot near Rivergate Area. The waitress was happy to answer our questions. The portions are big. The sauce you put on stuff is spicy. We got some Deserts that looked like donuts and tasted great. The interior is very basic and nothing fancy. TV on cartoons for the kids. The food came out in a timely manner but there was only 1 other couple there. I dont know much about Salvadoran Cuisine but I liked everything I ate and left full! Hooray! read more

El Pulgarcito (Spanish for Tom Thumb, in case anyone was wondering what the name meant) is pretty legit. The space itself leaves a lot to be desired, with sparse tables and chairs and bare walls. There was also no lighting when I went during the day around 4, just the sunlight coming in from the windows. Not having overhead lighting was weird, so the overall ambience gets like a 2. Service was mediocre, but the food itself is good enough to override that, too. The horchata was the best I've ever had - not too sweet or watery, with the perfect amount of spice. I also had the taco appetizers and couple papusas. Four small tacos came out on corn tortillas and tasted really fresh and flavorful, and the papusas were on point. I'd never had papusas before, so I have no frame of reference, but they tasted amazing. When Mas Tacos gets too crowded, head down to Madison and check this place out. It's super cheap too, as I got a drink, appetizer, and entree for about $10. read more

I give this my 5 star stamp of approval for a destination experience in food in the area. Not to say this is a fancy sit down romantic dining experience, this is a foodie experience all the way. Ordered the appetizer menu, and our server wasn't sure what we were doing, but she brought out everything two by two like Noah's ark. And we devoured it all! The names sound familiar but the food is not what you expect. Got the enchilada and it was more like a weird and tasty tostada concoction. Got tamales and they came with a sweet masa cake thing that was dipped in some kind of cream, but as odd as this sounds it was amazing. I would eat these as a treat just for the heck of it! They also have authentic menudo and I will return just for a big fat bowl of this. What's menudo you ask? If you don't know you don't want to, it's just very tasty! read more

Love this place, but stopped tonight and they were closed. There was no Out of Business sign, but I'm worried! It was 6 p.m., prime dinner time. read more

Lots of variety, good prices, clean, clean bathrooms, no alcohol. Chicken quesadilla, tacos, fried tilapia, rice, rice milk drinks, tamarind drink.. we had a small group of people go eat here and we were the only ones in the restaurant until the end of the meal.. Other diners began streaming in, a little later. Everything was cooked to order, fresh ingredients and we enjoyed dinner. The fried fish was especially good.. It was tilapia, yet, it wasn't bad! It's a good alternative, for that part of town. read more

Amazing food and very reasonably priced. All I can say is yuca con chicharron! So good! And the tamarindo juice. Took me back to NY!

A friend of mine talked me into going back to this restaurant, and I am glad I did! My first visit was thankfully just an off-day. I got the mixed pupusa, plantains, nuegados, and horchata. It was delicious! My friend had a chicken breast meal that was cooked very well...I took several bites because sharing is caring. The menu is pretty small, and the prices are cheap. It's a good restaurant if you want homemade food at a decent price. I go here when I go up Comix City Too! read more

The service is good. Food is subpar. I had the Yuca Salad with chicharron, the yuca was bland not seasoned at all. The chicharron made a guest appearance on the plate. Chicharrines should be fresh crunchy and flavorful. These were small, hard, and by the taste you could tell they were dropped in the frier again to be brought back to life. This was not Salvadoran cuisine at it's best. read more

My new fave. Fair prices. Many offerings not available at other Latin American places in the area. Gotta try the fried plantains. Papusas are a must have. Sopes are crispy and chewy. The whole tilapia was tasty. The tamales are wrapped in banana leaf as is typical in Central America. The masa was soft and moist and flavourful. The staff is friendly and helpful. Food is made to order, so don't go there in a rush. Sit back and enjoy some antojitos. read more

El Pulgarcito - Salvadoran Near Me - Madison, Tennessee

See all

Such a hidden gem. Moving from LA to Nashville has left me in a great pupusa deficit. I hopped on Yelp and found El Pulgarcito and decided to give it a whirl. The pupusas are HEAVENLY. Just the right amount of chewy, puffy doughiness with a crunch from the grill. The cheese and squash was my favorite. The bean and cheese was a close second. We will be back for sure! read more

Great experience and nice service. The best thing here are the tacos (especially the chorizo ones) and the Yuca Frita con chicharron! The pork was slightly fried and was extremely good. Don't be afraid of the yuca...it's basically a potato. They come like huge French fries! Great food, people, and prices! Three people are here like kings....for $26! read more

El Pulgarcito - Yuca frita con chicharron (fried yuca with pork) - Salvadoran Near Me - Madison, Tennessee

We were super lucky to find this place today while visiting the Madison area. The flavors are SO good, and unlike other places, their pupusas are not greasy. I recommend the Loroco pupusas. They are delicious. We also tried the empanadas; nothing like the Mexican ones I am used to, but then again, this is a Salvadoran place! They were really good, just different. The special of the day today was "Costillas de res" (ribs). They were very tender and cooked in a super yummy tomato sauce. If you are not a vegetarian, that is definitely a dish to try. read more

The food was very good, but could not finish my meal due to roaches crawling in and out from under the trim above the booth. read more

El Pulgarcito - Roach on wall - Salvadoran Near Me - Madison, Tennessee

Absolutely fantastic. The homemade tortillas were beyond awesome, the meat skillfully seasoned. No complaints at all and will definitely be back. Staff very friendly as well. read more

The food here is amazing! Try the beef soup (not what it's called). It was a life changing experience. Such a secret gem! Definitely give this place a try. Also crazy great prices so literally nothing to lose. read more

It's been a few months since eating here, but everything that we tried was good. The main reason we went was for the pupusas. They were excellent and everything tasted fresh. read more

As a novice where Salvadoran is concerned, my only frame of reference is all the Mexican food I've had. This puts them all to shame. I ordered one papusa (beans, cheese, pork) and one order of the taco appetizer. Don't be fooled though, that appetizer is simply listed as "Tacos" on the menu, but for six bucks you get four street-style tacos, a very filling portion, even for a big guy like me. You can mix and match chicken, chichirrones, and chorizo for your protein. I skipped the chicken and went with two each of the other options. Amazing. Each taco is served on a double layer of fresh corn tortillas, and your meat is topped with generous portions of fresh cilantro and diced onions. Lime wedges are provided along with a big helping of grilled onions. The chorizo is the best I've ever had. Oh and I almost forgot, several of the soft drink options are Mexican made with cane sugar and served in the half liter glass bottle with a glass of ice. read more

See all

Good food, friendly service, affordable prices, and a welcome change from the fast food wasteland that is much of Gallatin Pike. Nothing fancy, but the pupusas were great, especially the chorizo one! read more

My wife and I love this new Salvadoran restaurant in the Rivergate area. Everything appeared to be fresh and handmade, which means you may wait a bit longer for your food. But its worth it! read more

I love this place! This place is perfectly surrounded near dealership with hungry people! I work at Toyota and I find my self here all the time!!! The food is great and the people are friendly! I know it's a family business and with a church background. I would bring my family here. read more

Great Salvadorian food!!! Las pupusas are handmade, the chicharron is perfect - especially with un platano frito. The staff is always friendly and talkative. The food is served hot and fresh. ---- A perfect start to any Saturday or Sunday morning is un Cafe con leche and unas pupusas d chicharron.... Yummy!! read more