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My favorite pupusas spot in Orange County! Ordered the vegan, beans and cheese, shrimp and cheese, and pork pupusas with a side of sour cream. Flavorful! You can taste the cinnamon in the horchata drink. Delicious! The chicken was savory. French fries were crispy and fresh. Hole in the wall restaurant in Santa Ana is worth a visit! Staff are super friendly :)
I was excited to find a pupusa place near work. I loved them when i was in El Salvador. We came the first day but were told the wait would be 45 min. We came back earlier the second day and it wasn't too crowded. We each ordered two pupusas. My favorite was chorizo. The price was reasonable. I'd come back again.
What a great find! Located off Chapman in the back of a little strip mall, it is very plain and easy to miss. Parking is plentiful but the poor night lighting gives you a weird vibe. The restaurant makes up for it by being very well lit inside- bright and welcoming! You seat yourself for table service. There is no outdoor dining. The wait staff is very kind and accommodating and you can tell they want you to be happy with your food. We got pupusas and I got the Jamaica agua Fresca. It was the best I've ever had- strong hibiscus flavor with a touch of sweetness. I'd go back just for that! Our pupusas take a bit to cook and we were told to give them 20 mins, but I think they came out a bit faster. We got the calabaza (squash) with cheese and the ruevelta (mix of pork and beans and cheese). They were perfect- served piping hot and not greasy with a light masa well cooked and very tasty. The Curtido (pickled cabbage) was spicy and finely chopped and the red sauce served warm. A real treat and a great find. We can't wait to go back!
My coworker and I decided to get some food from here during our lunch break. We got there a little after it opened on a Monday morning and it was totally empty. We ordered a few things and it took almost 25 minutes before getting our food which seemed like a long time. Last minute we changed our mind and decided to get our food to go and eat at local park because it was extremely hot and stuff in here and it was really uncomfortable to stay in. The food was really good. Especially for the price. I wouldn't mind coming back in the future.
Looked for local restaurants in the area to try out. I've always been a huge fan of pupusas and wanted to try someplace different. As I entered, there were quite a few groups already eating. The servers were very helpful in deciding what to get. They said a fresh order would take 20-25min so I took them to go to eat at home. They came out very fresh and delicious. The pickled cabbages and sauce added a nice acidity. If I am ever in the area again I will come back for another order.
El Pulgarcito is definitely worth a visit once you actually find it! My Apple Maps couldn't even locate the place, so I had to switch over to Google Maps. Even then, I circled around for a good 10 minutes because it's hidden in the back in a little plaza. So just a heads up: don't give up, it's there! I even bought some snacks while I was there, but of course the main event was the pupusas. I ordered the jalapeno & cheese and the regular cheese pupusa. Portions are no joke these things are filling! I was only able to finish one and took the other to go. Everything was hot, cheesy, and super comforting. The curtido and salsa on the side tied it all together perfectly. Prices are very reasonable too, especially considering how generous the portions are. The atmosphere is unpretentious with that true hole in the wall vibe, which makes it feel even more authentic. I went with my YE gf who's Salvadoran, and she gave this place her stamp of approval. Our server, Ayli, was so sweet and really on top of everything, making sure we were well taken care of the entire time. This place gets busy, and with food being made to order, patience is key. But if you're craving authentic Salvadoran pupusas, this is the place. Just plan ahead for parking and navigation, it's a hidden gem in more ways than one!
Terrible service, I takes 45 minutes to get 3 pupusas! Why... The has no notion of service and have no staff to handle a room if 4 tables. I keep hoping that they change but unfortunately after 4 visits thaybare still the same - slow and poor services. The food is average but traditional and since their are limited Salvadoran restaurants - we keep coming - hopeful.
When you're craving scrumptious Salvadoran food that delivers on flavor and value, come to El Pulgarcito. This unassuming spot in an oddly spacious strip mall is well worth the visit. My first impression when I stepped into the shop: This place is hella clean! Usually, hole-in-the-wall spots are a bit rough around the edges (which gives them character and, to be fair, ain't nobody got time to clean in this economy), but this place is the exception. Even the restroom was immaculate in terms of cleanliness. The service is great, too! Prompt, friendly, and efficient. And my server came to check on me after dropping off my food. I ordered a Coke Zero and two pupusas: 1) the jalapeño and cheese, and 2) the cheese, bean, and pork. The former actually had a kick to it, and the cheese pulls were impressive, and the latter was bean forward, but I was more than okay with that. I think it could've used a pinch of more salt, though. These came with a container of curtido and salsa roja. The accouterments were a bit too mildly seasoned for my taste, but they still provided a welcome touch of acidity and crunch. And all this came out to $11 (which includes tax but before tipping)!! This is the best meal deal I've encountered all year.
Service is soo friendly and attentive. The restaurant is very open and spacious. Chill vibe people talking and laughing having a good time with great food and energy. Also they have bachata playing in the background which is a nice touch. I will definitely be back and will recommend this place to all my friends.
Whether dine-in or take out, El Pulgarcito always delivers! Aside from Balompie in San Francisco, if you find yourself in this area and craving true authentic El Salvadorean food, there's no need to look elsewhere. I made that one mistake in Antioch, Ca (1-Star review on Yelp & Google) so trust me- this trip made up for it 110%! As for food experience, we usually order chicharron con queso or just plain loroco but this time, we opted for a couple of new items on the menu: Rigua con crema and a breakfast plate. A large Horchata order can be shared for two. Friendly and attentive staff even though at the time of visit there were a couple of large parties (6+) she made sure we were good! The overall set-up of the restaurant is almost like cafeteria style :)
A hidden gem in Orange. I have passed by this restaurant so many times I didn't even know it was there! Popped in for dinner with a friend and it didn't disappoint the cravings for pupusas! They were delicious. And I loved the pina ensalada drink, it tastes really authentic. The service was quick, fresh, and the server was kind and attentive. Check it out!
Very good and convenient location, place is very big, clean and organized, they do have a stand for snacks which is great, we didn't order much but enough to try, we like it very much, cheese was great but the beans that they used are not exactly Salvadorian beans, drinks flavors also were a little too sweet for my taste but like I said, the cheese is really good. Also the service was amazing the girl was very nice she explained everything to us and the food came very fast.
2 months ago
4 days ago
4 months ago
100% good flavor Ther services is great They explained exactly what the plates has I recomend this restaurant I have to admit it's the best one so far Customer service is good this is maybe the only one due to most slavadorian waitress are rude but this place is still wininn read more
My favorite pupusas spot in Orange County! Ordered the vegan, beans and cheese, shrimp and cheese, and pork pupusas with a side of sour cream. Flavorful! You can taste the cinnamon in the horchata drink. Delicious! The chicken was savory. French fries were crispy and fresh. Hole in the wall restaurant in Santa Ana is worth a visit! Staff are super friendly :) read more
I was excited to find a pupusa place near work. I loved them when i was in El Salvador. We came the first day but were told the wait would be 45 min. We came back earlier the second day and it wasn't too crowded. We each ordered two pupusas. My favorite was chorizo. The price was reasonable. I'd come back again. read more
5 days ago
What a great find! Located off Chapman in the back of a little strip mall, it is very plain and easy to miss. Parking is plentiful but the poor night lighting gives you a weird vibe. The restaurant makes up for it by being very well lit inside- bright and welcoming! You seat yourself for table service. There is no outdoor dining. The wait staff is very kind and accommodating and you can tell they want you to be happy with your food. We got pupusas and I got the Jamaica agua Fresca. It was the best I've ever had- strong hibiscus flavor with a touch of sweetness. I'd go back just for that! Our pupusas take a bit to cook and we were told to give them 20 mins, but I think they came out a bit faster. We got the calabaza (squash) with cheese and the ruevelta (mix of pork and beans and cheese). They were perfect- served piping hot and not greasy with a light masa well cooked and very tasty. The Curtido (pickled cabbage) was spicy and finely chopped and the red sauce served warm. A real treat and a great find. We can't wait to go back! read more
5 months ago
My coworker and I decided to get some food from here during our lunch break. We got there a little after it opened on a Monday morning and it was totally empty. We ordered a few things and it took almost 25 minutes before getting our food which seemed like a long time. Last minute we changed our mind and decided to get our food to go and eat at local park because it was extremely hot and stuff in here and it was really uncomfortable to stay in. The food was really good. Especially for the price. I wouldn't mind coming back in the future. read more
Looked for local restaurants in the area to try out. I've always been a huge fan of pupusas and wanted to try someplace different. As I entered, there were quite a few groups already eating. The servers were very helpful in deciding what to get. They said a fresh order would take 20-25min so I took them to go to eat at home. They came out very fresh and delicious. The pickled cabbages and sauce added a nice acidity. If I am ever in the area again I will come back for another order. read more
El Pulgarcito is definitely worth a visit once you actually find it! My Apple Maps couldn't even locate the place, so I had to switch over to Google Maps. Even then, I circled around for a good 10 minutes because it's hidden in the back in a little plaza. So just a heads up: don't give up, it's there! I even bought some snacks while I was there, but of course the main event was the pupusas. I ordered the jalapeno & cheese and the regular cheese pupusa. Portions are no joke these things are filling! I was only able to finish one and took the other to go. Everything was hot, cheesy, and super comforting. The curtido and salsa on the side tied it all together perfectly. Prices are very reasonable too, especially considering how generous the portions are. The atmosphere is unpretentious with that true hole in the wall vibe, which makes it feel even more authentic. I went with my YE gf who's Salvadoran, and she gave this place her stamp of approval. Our server, Ayli, was so sweet and really on top of everything, making sure we were well taken care of the entire time. This place gets busy, and with food being made to order, patience is key. But if you're craving authentic Salvadoran pupusas, this is the place. Just plan ahead for parking and navigation, it's a hidden gem in more ways than one! read more
17 days ago
I took my pupupas to go I was on my first pupusa which was delicious and halfway through I chewed on something not edible,it was a piece of wire, not foil or zip tied but wire, really grossed me out ,now i can't eat the eat of my food read more
5 days ago
2 months ago
Terrible service, I takes 45 minutes to get 3 pupusas! Why... The has no notion of service and have no staff to handle a room if 4 tables. I keep hoping that they change but unfortunately after 4 visits thaybare still the same - slow and poor services. The food is average but traditional and since their are limited Salvadoran restaurants - we keep coming - hopeful. read more
1 year ago
When you're craving scrumptious Salvadoran food that delivers on flavor and value, come to El Pulgarcito. This unassuming spot in an oddly spacious strip mall is well worth the visit. My first impression when I stepped into the shop: This place is hella clean! Usually, hole-in-the-wall spots are a bit rough around the edges (which gives them character and, to be fair, ain't nobody got time to clean in this economy), but this place is the exception. Even the restroom was immaculate in terms of cleanliness. The service is great, too! Prompt, friendly, and efficient. And my server came to check on me after dropping off my food. I ordered a Coke Zero and two pupusas: 1) the jalapeño and cheese, and 2) the cheese, bean, and pork. The former actually had a kick to it, and the cheese pulls were impressive, and the latter was bean forward, but I was more than okay with that. I think it could've used a pinch of more salt, though. These came with a container of curtido and salsa roja. The accouterments were a bit too mildly seasoned for my taste, but they still provided a welcome touch of acidity and crunch. And all this came out to $11 (which includes tax but before tipping)!! This is the best meal deal I've encountered all year. read more
Service is soo friendly and attentive. The restaurant is very open and spacious. Chill vibe people talking and laughing having a good time with great food and energy. Also they have bachata playing in the background which is a nice touch. I will definitely be back and will recommend this place to all my friends. read more
Whether dine-in or take out, El Pulgarcito always delivers! Aside from Balompie in San Francisco, if you find yourself in this area and craving true authentic El Salvadorean food, there's no need to look elsewhere. I made that one mistake in Antioch, Ca (1-Star review on Yelp & Google) so trust me- this trip made up for it 110%! As for food experience, we usually order chicharron con queso or just plain loroco but this time, we opted for a couple of new items on the menu: Rigua con crema and a breakfast plate. A large Horchata order can be shared for two. Friendly and attentive staff even though at the time of visit there were a couple of large parties (6+) she made sure we were good! The overall set-up of the restaurant is almost like cafeteria style :) read more
1 month ago
4 months ago
A hidden gem in Orange. I have passed by this restaurant so many times I didn't even know it was there! Popped in for dinner with a friend and it didn't disappoint the cravings for pupusas! They were delicious. And I loved the pina ensalada drink, it tastes really authentic. The service was quick, fresh, and the server was kind and attentive. Check it out! read more
1 year ago
Very good and convenient location, place is very big, clean and organized, they do have a stand for snacks which is great, we didn't order much but enough to try, we like it very much, cheese was great but the beans that they used are not exactly Salvadorian beans, drinks flavors also were a little too sweet for my taste but like I said, the cheese is really good. Also the service was amazing the girl was very nice she explained everything to us and the food came very fast. read more
2 months ago
I've been craving pupusas but they don't have many options in north OC. I'm glad I found El Pulgarcito because the reviews are on point when they say this is one of the best spots to get pupusas. We got the pork and cheese, jalapeño and cheese, and chorizo pupusas. They make them fresh to order and came out piping hot. Still crispy like it was right off the grill. They were delicious and pretty big. I like that you got a good amount filling and not too much masa (unlike a few other places I've visited). We also ordered Yuca fritas and chicharron, which were okay. The pupusas were definitely the star of our meal. Plenty of curtido and salsa on the table to add to your plates which was much appreciated. I love adding a good amount curtido to my pupusas. The pina drink was so good!! I ordered a medium but definitely ordering a large next time. We came around 6pm on Saturday and it wasn't crowded. Our server came over to us quickly to get us started and was attentive the whole time we were there. They have a lot of tables and the restaurant looked clean. read more
3 months ago
3 months ago
WHAT A LET DOWN! I've eaten inside the restaurant before. This time it was To Go order. Pupusas were HORRIBLE. Dry, no cheese, more masa than anything and burnt not fluffy at all! Even my El Salvadoran wife was disappointed. NO BUENO!! I called and the girl on the phone NEVER tried to make it right. HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. read more
Loved this place! It's was so cute. I felt like the pupusa's were very tasty, made fresh, and reasonably priced. Everyone was super sweet and helpful here, and the restaurant was very clean. My only complaint would have to be the corn tamale, probably one of the driest tamales I've ever had. They didn't necessarily have it on the menu, I had to ask if they had it. So if you don't see something on the menu, it's not always good to ask for it I suppose. read more
4 months ago
3 months ago
This is place is Fire. It's my go to spot in City of Orange service is on point very clean inside read more
4 months ago
I am so happy that we were recommended to try this spot! We came around 7pm for dinner and this spot did not disappoint. It is very small and the tables were pretty full but we sat down right away. The food was amazing and honestly some of the best pupusas I have had! I ordered the squash and the shrimp and cheese pupusas and although I did inhale them I don't think I would order the shrimp ones again. It just didn't hit but the squash were very good!! My husband ordered the chicharrón and beans and cheese and he loved them both! I loved the size of the pupusas! The ones I've had at other spots are much too big and I can never finish more than one! I prefer to get different flavors so I'm very appreciative of the size of these because I can have more! The curtido and salsa were also spot on! We also had the platano and beans with crema and the fried Yuka without the chicharrón. Hands down the beans were some of the best I've had. I don't know what they did to them but they were absolutely delicious! The yuka was also fried really well and I like dipping them into the beans it was very satisfying. The service was great and the girls were very sweet but the ONLY downside I would say is that they did take a very long time to make the meals. I'm assuming because they are made fresh to order so with that in mind I don't mind the wait. I can see this being an issue if you were ordering to go. I did unfortunately come in starving so the wait time felt worse but either way I love this little spot! read more
1 year ago
So good I forgot to take a Pre-photo so I will take a midway one lol. Best Pupusa place in OC hands down my husband and I love it I will never go back to that one other place I went last night,. I love the customer service how they check on you to see if you are good and how kind and respectful they are if I could give 10 stars overall I would read more
11 months ago
These are really good pupusas, they're a good size and have a good amount of filling. I got the revueltas and was satisfied with the flavor. The horchata also tastes authentic! They were still nice and hot by the time I got home while sitting in 45 minute traffic. The only thing I wished was they had an option for non-spicy salsa and curtido so my toddler could eat it. Besides that everything was amazing and authentic. read more
4 months ago
1 year ago
Best pupusas in the OC! Everything tasted made to order. Try the chicharron and revueltas. Super friendly service. read more
10 months ago
3 months ago
If you're craving for some delicious savory pupusas, then this is one of the places that will satisfy them cravings. There are wide variety of choices to select from. And on top of that, there are other options other than fhe pupusas as well, such as the pescado plate that comes loaded with stir fried carrots and jicama on top of a fully filetted fish along with a heapful of crispy fries. The service staffs were very friendly and helpful with the menu. The place is clean, well-lit and spacious. The location can easily be missed as it is in a somewhat darkened plaza with no big signs. But overall, this place is a definite try if you're ever in Orange and wanting to try some Honduran/El Salvadoran food. read more
Boy oh boy oh boy! Pupusas can't get better than this! Fresh and piping hot with a heaping serving of fresh and crunchy curtido and warm red salsa. At first we were getting a little frustrated by what seemed to be a very long wait but all that changed when the food arrived and we were blown away by how good everything was including the carne asada platter. Check out dine_n_dish_socal on IG for a detailed video of our experience here. read more
1 year ago
The pupusa with pork and cheese was delicious! Only $3.95 each pupusa. The Tamale $4.25 wasn't that good but that's my opinion people might like it but it wasn't for me. The people working there are very nice. The Horchata was good! I would come back here again. read more
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More info about El Pulgarcito
1738 W Chapman Ave
Orange, CA 92868
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(714) 602-9707
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Ask the Community - El Pulgarcito
I just called and it was 4:19pm I was told they do not take any orders over the phone during dinner time even if I call ahead since I was on my way to eat there that they only take orders for and during lunch time. When did this change?
Hi Virnie, we changed this about 6 months ago. The reason being is because, we would have a lot of problems with customers who were already waiting for their food at the…
Is a pupusa the same as a gordita?
Almost but not quite. Pupusas are stuffed with filling prior to cooking.…
Can I order takeout from this place?
Yes, we do all the time, we call in our orders ☺️
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