Muscatine is blessed with some better than average Mexican restaurants. Before this visit, I ranked them in descending order; El Olmito, El Allende, Las Lomas, La Guadalajara. I finally made it to Izalco and after reading the three reviews, concur, this is the best in Muscatine. El Olmito is very good authentic food, but there is a more complete package here at Izalco. What I found was very authentic food and a surprisingly extensive menu. Since it is that time of the year, when I arrived at the nearly abandoned western mall it was dark. I was not sure they were open. If you follow my footsteps to eat at Izalco, don't be deterred by the appearance. Keep going. Yes the place is open and yes it is a good place to eat. I was surprised at the extent of the menu and ordered three things, which was way, way more than I could eat. I asked for a small posole, a carnitas dinner and one pupusa queso. The carnitas arrived first and I knew I was in trouble (too much food). The serving was huge and came with soft corn tortillas. The meat was delicious, well roasted with perfect salt. It was juicy and tender. The frijoles and rice were pretty normal, but good. The carnitas were accompanied by a generous serving of salsa verde. This was excellent, with a little heat and was really great with the pork. While I was attacking the pile of pork, the pupusa arrived. I enjoyed it with some of the red salsa that is served with the chips. This salsa may be more Salvadoran influenced, it is very simple and not exciting. I improved that with some lime juice, salt and bottled Tapatio. This was perfect with the pupusa. They have a list of fillings for the pupusas, I just wanted to keep it to simple queso since I had ordered so much. Then the "small" posole came. I know how big the macho orders of soups can be in Mexican restaurants. The small is still more than enough. As is the norm, I doctored the posole with lime, salt and some of the salsa verde. The posole did not come with the usual condiments; cabbage, radish, onion, crushed dry chile. Perhaps it does when you order the grande bowl as a meal. I used some of the Salvadoran cabbage salad as a substitute for shredded cabbage and it worked fine. The hominy was clearly not canned, although that would be OK. It was cooked from fresh elote kernals. Like I said, homemade food. I took enough pork and posole home for two more meals! This a great place for straight forward home cooked Mexican and Salvadoran food. I can't wait to return for some lengua en salsa verde. read more

Restaurant Izalco - Posole Chica - Mexican Near Me - Muscatine, Iowa

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Very rude server we ate there a out 2wks ago Sunday sept 26. The server was very rude when i asked if they had Salvadoran quesadillas she said NO and walked away then i asked if they had empanadas she said yes and walked away again we order through the phone and ate there but she didn't even offer us a drink! Will definitely not come back. read more

Good authentic Mexican food. Friendly staff. Cold drinks and good prices. Warm welcoming inviting enviroment

They have both Mexican and El Salvadorian food, has a split menu. Carnitas were the best taco here, very good flavor to them, the asada was very good as well, and pastor was on point! I did try a Papusa, it was okay, nothing too special about these ones. Would try them again though. They do a great job here, has the authentic taste to their food. If you're near by this is a great option. read more

Carnitas, Enchiladas, Pastor and Asada Tacos all are pretty spectacular. Good portion, reasonable price read more

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Okay, all the other reviewers are right on. Excellent food, humble owner, a hole on the wall type decor, and I will definitely eat here again. Horchata was perfect! Memey shake not the best we have had. Lovely Acai berry hot tea. Really felt this would be roaring place if the owner found three or four solid investors & relocated/redid the restaurant. read more

The food here was very tasty. I had some kind of a dish with beef strips and fresh jalapenos. It was "pica" (spicy) and I wolfed it down using the corn tortillas provided. I kind of get a kick out of it when a restaurant does not offer flour tortillas.. It tells me they are a little more authentic. (My Mexican friends all tell me they prefer corn) The salsa was tasty and the chips were fresh. As good as the entree was, I would have to give that aspect four stars. Unfortunately, the restaurant was unclean on the inside with food littering the floor of the lobby. Normally I overlook a little mess, but this was pretty unappetizing. Nonetheless, the food was excellent. I would go back there again. If you like pupusas, they have them. If you don't know what a pupusa is, well... Google it. I will definitely go back... The food was very good. I just won't look at the floor. read more

First time my family got food from Izalco. Had heard good things, and we were very satisfied. Food was excellent, as was the value, and staff pleasant. Definitely coming back! read more

This spot is definitely a diamond in the rough. The prices are not easy to beat and the soupes are the best I've ever had. They also have many other meals that you should try that are new to your tastebuds ! read more

The very best Mexican food in town, as well as some amazing Salvadorian dishes! Everything is made to order. The atmosphere is cozy and the prices are very reasonable for the quality and quantity of the food you get. I would definitely recommend the steak tacos, also the papusas, and the empanadas. read more

This place is a little scary from the outside, and so I knew it must be authentic! Hey the place isn't beautiful, but the food was very legit, food came out moderately quick, and staff was friendly. Authentic as it gets. read more

The pupusas r the best here! Mixed is what I prefer this place is s lil tucked away gem!

I gotta tell ya, Izalco is hands down my favorite restaurant in Muscatine. I have more memories here than any other restaurant in Muscatine, and IMHO, Izalco makes the best damn food in the entire city. I was introduced to Spanish cuisine when I became friends with my best-friend as he is from El Salvador. Located in the nearly forgotten "Western Mall," not a whole lot of people have heard of this place, and I would honestly love it to stay that way. Izalco makes the best Horchata in town, not watery like El Allende, creamy and sweet just the way I like it. They also make some of the best damn Papusas I have ever had, besides my friends mom's. If your eating here for the first time I recommend you get a nice tall glass of Horchata and 4 Papusas Revueltas (that's pork and bean filled), you will not be disappointed! Also, Sundays they usually make Birria which is basically a goat stew. Definitely worth the week-long wait! read more