Behind Japanese food, Salvadorian cuisine is my second favorite. Yes, ahead of Mexican. A pupusa with that mildly salty cheese oozing out the sides become crispy is a thing of beauty. Guanaquito is definitely one of the best Salvadorian restaurants I've been to in the valley. Pupusa size and cheese are spot on, my only complaint is that they are a little greasy. Menu is extensive and also other Salvadorian treats read more

My favorite place for pupusas always hits the spot I drive across town for them and I pass by three Salvadorian restaurants on the way the people working at this spot are so welcoming and loving definitely my favorite is the chicharrón con queso and also get a ensalada drink and thank me later read more

Came in for a small munchie craving. Walked in and got seated immediately. There is music playing softly and the walls are painted with warm colors and gives off a cozy vibe. I got a chicken tamale and two pupusas. To drink I got a large ensalada agua Fresca. Everything was delicious. One thing I noticed is how fast and attentive everyone is to everyone eating as well as cleaning up parties that left. I'll be coming back to try a plate. read more

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My first time trying Salvadorian food, it had a unique layout and cute restaurant, the staff was friendly and helped us with the menu with any questions. I ordered Queso con jalapeños Pupusas and a Chicharron y queso Pupusas, food arrived fairly quick and it came out hot and fresh, the cheese tasted delicious, and the dough was soft and flavorful. Adding the red salsa and the Curtido was to die for!! The curtido was a bit tangy, slighty sweet it added the perfect crunch. My bf & I shared a Tamarindo & Ensalada drink. The Ensalada tasted fresh, fruity, it was my favorite. I also love how there's small chunks of fruit in it. Tamarindo was better than most I've tried with a perfect sweetness. Everything had good portions. Very delicious, would love to dine in next time! read more

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Great quality food! Very authentic. It was a group of us and a baby - service was nice and accommodating for the baby! We really enjoyed all the food and Ate EVERYTHING! Def worth a try! Small cute place - decorated We will be back. read more

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Took my friend to El Guanaquito and it did not disappoint! The food was spot on- authentic, flavorful, and a perfect representation of the Salvadoran culture. From the pupusas to the curtido, everything tasted just like home. The atmosphere and service made our experience even better. Thank you for bringing true Salvadoran flavors to the table and making our visit so enjoyable!" Llevé a mi amiga y no nos decepcionó. La comida estuvo espectacular, con un sabor auténtico y una representación perfecta de nuestra cultura salvadoreña. Desde las pupusas hasta el curtido, todo tenía ese toque casero que tanto nos gusta. Además, el ambiente y el servicio hicieron que la experiencia fuera aún mejor. ¡Gracias por brindarnos una experiencia increíble y auténtica read more

if you want some authentic amazing quality Salvadoran food this Is the place. Everything on the menu is fantastic but The carne guisado plate is my favorite , thick tender pieces of pot roast style beef that falls apart in your mouth in this beautiful tomato like sauce , with the home made rice and salad to compliment the flavors, it's fantastic. The green onion pupusa is my personal fav it's cheesy and flavorful !! The kolashampan drink tastes like bubblegum soda my fav Salvadoran soda, servers are super nice every time I come in read more

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This is a hidden gem, the food is amazing, service friendly, portions huge. My brother and I came here and ordered a lot of different items -- several pupusas, tamales, pasteles, platanos. Everything was amazing. I took leftovers home, and my dad wants to come back here with us. There were several things we were not able to try, but are on the list to try next time. I can't say which was my favorite. Everything was great. Next time, maybe we'll try a dessert. But I'm definitely coming back. read more

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Day after thanksgiving, running errands in downtown Phoenix. What's better than a lunch stop for pupusas? The staff here is super friendly, nothing but smiles and excellent service. The food came out hot and fresh. I loved the loroco pupusa! The beans and pork was excellent as well. They came out with a nice fried cheese skirt and the curtido topped it off nicely. The restaurant offers to go and sit down. The dining area is bright and cheerful, with El Salvador themed tapestries on the walls. If you have never tried a pupusa, please do and you will always be on the hook for them when you see them. read more

Restaurante El Guanaquito - Pupusa! - Salvadoran Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I had a friend bring me carry out soup from this place when I was at Banner University hospital right up the street. Therefore, I can't speak to any of the rest of the food on the menu, or the restaurant or ambience, but my sopa de res was AMAZING (cry emoji)!! The beef on the bone was so flavorful and tender. The broth (most important when you're not feeling well) was seasoned so well. It had yuca, zucchini, carrot, and chayote in it. It tasted like home. The service over the phone when I was ordering was also nice- I asked if I could have a lot of broth since I wasn't feeling well and she delivered! It comes with homemade fresh tortillas. Naturally, it was a massive styrofoam cup, minimum two servings of soup. A great pit stop to get your loved one some homemade goodness if they're in hospital. Because hospital food itself will put you in an early grave.. read more

This hidden Phoenix gem is my favorite place to get pupusas! Their menu consists of authentic dishes and a staff that truly goes above and beyond. This place is also great for takeout! read more

Restaurante El Guanaquito - Pupusa time :)) - Salvadoran Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Everything on the menu is great but the pupusas are excellent and the staff are so kind. Everyone should go immediately

We order a little bit of everything-pork, bean/cheese, chicken tamale and corn tamale. All of the papusas were delicious expect next time I'd stick with the pork and cheese. Warm, crispy and filling! Probably my favorite cabbage/slaw topping. It gave a hint of spice which I've never tasted before. Will definitely come back! read more

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It really is a test of patience whenever I decide to eat pupusas. Never go too hungry, because you'll be waiting quite a while no matter the establishment. This place is good for small or larger family groups, I went on a Saturday morning and it didn't seem super busy at the time so I'm grateful for that. The server was very kind. Their menu is long so it might take a while to decide what to eat :) To speak the unfortunate, one person in my group ordered something and they didn't tell her that they ran out until everyone else in the group had already gotten their food, so she had to wait even longer to get a menu again, order for the second time, and then wait for the food to arrive. It would be nice to receive this information while ordering! I ate the pupusas with chicharron and cheese; they were pretty tasty but again, the wait does takes a toll on me. read more

Restaurante El Guanaquito - Pupusas (chicharron con queso) - Salvadoran Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This spot is one of my family and I's favorite to get pupusas. If you are to dine-in, be aware that there is a long wait on the food. But that is a sacrifice we don't mind making because we know everything will come out fresh. If you can see the kitchen from your seat, you will catch glimpses of the women behind the counter hard at work preparing the food. This place has been here for years, you can see its wear throughout the restaurant, but it lends itself to be a cozy environment. The blue walls have portraits of El Salvador. Most of the waitresses are kind, and in our case, are especially charismatic toward our toddler. This place sees families of all shapes and sizes. What I personally love about this restaurant is that they don't skimp on the cheese. As a cheese lover, this place is my haven. I get the pupusa con chicharron and queso. A nice soft toast on the outside, with a gooey, cheesy filling. As you pull on the pupusa, strands of warm cheese pour out. This place gets comfort food. I also like to order a plate of the fried plantain, sweet and oily, with a side of crema and frijoles. To wash down the meal I get an Ensalada, a refreshing juice with bits and pieces of fresh fruit. Wether you dine-in or take-out, just know you're about to have one of the best traditional Salvadoran dishes in the city. And it will no longer be a mystery to you why this place has held its popularity for as many years as it has. read more

Restaurante El Guanaquito - Pupusas, Plátano Frito, Yucca frita - Salvadoran Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This place is the best we have ever had when it comes to Pupusas. If you want authentic food you need to come here! Now I will be honest. I have only had pupusas here. It is the only reason I come!! My husband has tried and few different items and we was very pleased! We love hidden gems and this is a great one to give a try! read more

Restaurante El Guanaquito - Pupusa and Ensalada drink - Salvadoran Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Love love love there pupusas here!! Yo ordeno las Pupusas con jalapeño y queso. I have had other pupusas from other places but they make them the best here! So if you love your pupusas I recommend you to try them out! The waitresses are nice, as well as the cooks :) . read more

Pupusas and plantains I am in! Customer service was super friendly and attentive. It does get busy for late breakfast/lunch. We ordered some pupusas, breakfast plate and plantains with cream and beans. The pupusas are a good size and tasty. They have the cabbage that goes in top that was so good too! Breakfast came with fresh made tortillas, you can't beat that. I ordered a drink they have called "ensalada" which translate to salad, I was curious and it's like a punch. It was actually pretty good. It has bits of fruit in it. Overall a good experience, will be coming back to try more! If you are on that side of town for sure stop for some pupusas. read more

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I went back to Central America.. If you want to know what it feels like to be in a local eatery outside of the country without leaving the country, then you found the place. They do have a bit better service than you'd find traditionally in other places, and the food is great. Las pupusas, which is what they are known for are great, don't miss out on other traditional dishes, plátano, (plantains) are also delicious. I do feel it might be a bit overpriced in regards to portion size and current venue conditions, but that speaks more to management than their food. Still worthwhile. read more

I am salvadorian and this is my favorite spot for pupusas. I might be a little biased since it's close to work so that probably influences me but overall I feel pupusas are good. I have always ordered takeout so not sure who dining service is but overall friendly service when I pick up my food. Panes con pollo and tamales are also good. I would skip the nuegados. read more

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Whenever we want pupusas, we come here! We'll either get pupusas or plato tipico and sometimes the yuca with chicharron! I got the mojarra frita this time when we dined in and it was the best. I love fried whole fish so this was amazing. The horchata is made the Salvadoran way with morrow seeds and I like it a lot more than the horchata made out of rice. read more

Restaurante El Guanaquito - Fried Fish Mojarra Frita - Salvadoran Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Authentic Salvadoran food. Lots of flavor. Much try their drinks. All made fresh and with authentic ingredients. Service was a bit slow but that's common - as the pupusas are made when you order. So tasty! The restaurant is very clean and service is as pleasant. Drove 30mins to Phoenix to enjoy this spot and it was so worth it!! read more

I work ten minutes away from this restaurant. I'm Salvadorian, yes I spell it and pronounce it this way! lol. Anyway I love this place for my pupusas or yuca con chicharon fix. I have never actually sat down to eat here, I always order pick up but the service is great. Prompt and friendly when I place my order over the phone and when I pick up. I would recommend it for sure. read more

Best pupusas in the Phoenix Valley. Period. Las mejores que hay. Disclaimer: I'm from Central America. And I've had enough pupusas to lay them from end to end and WALK to El Salvador. Why are these so good? Well, they are fresh as can be. Like as fresh as you'll find. They are made to order (you won't get them in 5 minutes) and they are hot, and slightly greasy (like they're supposed to be), and fluffy and sooooo tasty. Their masa is super fine, and its flavor is just right. Not too salty or too dull or too dry or too sticky. The pupusas are served hot and fresh. Second, the fillings are unmatched. Generous portions, great ingredients, amazing cheese, huge variety. You just can't say enough. So many pupusas are barely filled (to save money) and use inferior ingredients. But here they stay true to the dish. They make top-notch pupusas for people who expect them just like back home. Third: their encurtido and red sauce are fresh and flavorful. The encurtido provides the sharp coolness that contrasts with the more dull hit of the pupusa itself. And the red sauce is just slightly piquant, sending your taste buds to the stratosphere. It's a heavenly combination. Pupusas are a street food. It's fresh masa that's thicker than a tortilla, stuffed with various combinations (try the jalapeño and cheese or the chicharrón) and fried on a cast iron griddle. It's served with a pickled cabbage concoction and you can drizzle it with a slightly spicy tomato-based, thin red sauce. They are often served from stands in Salvadoran cities and small towns. These are the best you'll find in The Valley for the reason I wrote. If you're hankerin' for a great pupusa, this place is amazing. Oh, and their ensalada (a refreshing fruit drink) is to die for on a hot day. Que deliciosas su pupusas! read more

This was a very delicious and authentic el Salvadoran restaurant! I loved how everything tasted fresh. We started with the "platos tipico" which consisted of two pupusas, two empanadas, tamales, yuca fries and added chicharones. SO GOOD. It was easily a whole meal just splitting between two people. I also ordered another entree to try, the chuleta which was grilled pork with rice and beans. It came with two plain pupusas and platanos and side salad. Very delicious. My favorite was the pupusas with pork and cheese filling. Amazing. Server was very friendly as well. read more

Restaurante El Guanaquito - Salvadoran Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Authentic is the best word to describe the dishes they are preparing! A full Salvadorian menu and the ambiance to match. I have tried most of the menu, but always return to the traditional favorites read more

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First time trying authentic Salvadoran papusas, I definitely wasn't disappointed. It was pretty busy but they service was still great. It feels like you're eating in El Salvador, lots of textile art hanging around the restaurant. I got the pork and cheese papusas with plantains and cream on the side, which you need to try because they're awesome. I'll definitely come back and try more read more

Restaurante El Guanaquito - Papusas - Salvadoran Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Papusa - If you have never had a Papusa, but you like tamales and fry bread....this is your place. A papusa is like an open face, fried tamale. But instead of the filled husk, the papusa has the fillings built into the batter and then fried up. I had the papusa with beans on it like a tostada and it was pretty incredible. Right off of McDowell, this little place is not just my papusa headquarters, but the ambiance is super chill and you forget you are in midtown Phoenix. I will go back another day to try more menu items, but for now, I appreciate the papusa on demand at my favorite papusa spot in central Phoenix. I have a problem with finding special treats at each restaurant I visit but only get those same items over and over. read more

Boy am I late to the party! Turns out this place has been around for c. 20 years, next door, but 5 years at present location. A welcoming woman gave a warm "buenos dias" and I repeated it back to her and looked over the menu, wanting to get something with the most variety, so I picked the Plato Tipico which included two pupusas (like a gordita I had at a street fair)--I think made with a flour/cornmeal blend or cornmeal flour--it was smoother than the grittier empanada and stuffed with bean and cheese, two empanadas/pasteles(corn tortilla-like pastry with potato and beef--I think--maybe a few peas or peppers--something green and soft), one fluffy filling with chicken tamale wrapped not in corn husk but banana leaf, yuca fries (very starchy and if you pull them apart they have a layered papery bread-like texture, and added chicharrones (pork rinds: I'd never had fresh ones before and they had some meat attached and just melted in my mouth, not at all hard and super crunchy crisp like the stuff in a bag). The curtido (spicy fermented slaw with some mysterious seasonings--am thinking oregano may have been one) and salsa roja were put in plastic bags and knotted but I couldn't open the knot on the salsa, mind you this is not chunky salsa, more like just thin tomato sauce, so when I got home and tried to gently clip the corner of the bag away, it slipped and the sauce went everywhere. Yikes! Still enough to taste though and it was mild and very tomatoey, so be forewarned for a salsa explosion if you're not more careful than I was. Too bad they use styrofoam--a paper alternative would add to the traditional homey food vibe, and a non-recyclable fork and knife (which I didn't need since I was taking it home--places should ask if needed). Next time I'm going to dine in and get the full El Guanaquito experience! read more

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If you don't take credit/debit card let your customer know. I've waited 25 minutes for my order and then you to tell me to go get cash. That's not ok. read more

It was so good I wanted to cry lol A taste of childhood and home, made with love. Inviting atmosphere, incredibly kind staff, and an authentic bite of Salvadoran cuisine. I had just came from out of state nervous to try Salvadoran food in Arizona, I was delighted and surprised by how delicious this restaurant was. It was better than a lot of spots I've tried in Washington state and even California. El pan con pollo was delicious, the pupusas were delicious and the empanadas de plátano y leche were addictive. I recommend coming here. read more

Las Pupusas están riquísimas!! 10/10 ordene las revueltas:) The Pupusas are super delicious! 10/10 I ordered the mixed ones :) read more

Amazing pupusas! Imagine a puffed, fried, (corn or rice) tortilla stuffed with cheese, beans, pork, jalapeños or zucchini. I chose the cheese and jalapeño filling in a corn tortilla, the cheese and beans filling in a corn tortilla, and a cheese and zucchini filling in a rice tortilla! I loved each one! Definitely prefer the rice tortillas but the corn ones are good too! And incredible prices! Around $2.25 each. And they're filling! With the complimentary salsa, and curtido (cabbage relish, it's like cole slaw but better) I could only finish one pupusa. Had to take the rest to go. It's a restaurant so the service is very relaxed. You're not going to get a quick lunch here. I had tried to get lunch here but barely managed to get back to work on time. Definitely come here for dinner when you have time to relax, maybe for a World Cup game? Yes, they have the 2018 games here! Yay! read more

Restaurante El Guanaquito - My delicious pupusas! A cheese and beans one, a cheese and jalapeños one, and a cheese and zucchini one (in a rice tortilla). - Salvadoran Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This place is great, but you have to follow a Golden Rule when you come here: only order the Pupusas. You can order other stuff, but the minute you try the Pupusas you will regret everything else. It's like going back to banana after you just had chocolate. You can't even taste it. My only complaint is that I wish that they sauces offered were hotter. I don't know what it is, but I love my sauces hot. Besides that it is hard to find anything wrong with this place. If you're a first time visitor don't make my mistake. Just order the Pupusas and you will thank me later. They are the best I've had yet! There's no need to try anything else. read more

Restaurante El Guanaquito - A wide assortment of Stuff! - Salvadoran Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This place has me craving pupusas and platanos con crema on a weekly basis. I am not from El Salvador, but I do love El Salvadorian food. The cheese and bean pupusas are cooked just right. The platanos con crema y frijol are my favorite. There is a reason I keep coming back to this family owned establishment because the food is delicious. I even love the ensalada (drink). Just perfect. If you are looking for authentic Salvadorian food, I highly recommend this place. read more

Our favorite place for pupusas. They are lighter than other places and the curtido is the best.

I give this place a 4 star rating simply because they are made on the spot very fresh Pupusas. They taste good , I feel like a little less beans on the bean and cheese pupusas would be better. The Curtido is flavorful and the tomato sauce is tasty as well. I have a Salvadorian lady who I buy pupusas from on the weekends and sometimes she can't take orders since she's too busy so I'll be sure to stop by this restaurant when that happens. The staff was nice as well they greeted me in Spanish and it was a fairly easy check out process. read more

Restaurante El Guanaquito - Pupusa de queso con frijol. - Salvadoran Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Very easy to miss if your not paying attention! The outside looks very sketchy and also deserted but it's definitely there! There is more then enough parking in the back so no need to worry. Stopped in for dinner tonight and the place was rather empty. The waitress was very friendly and put in our food orders right away. We had an order of two pupusas which were filled with pork and cheese, a pupusa plate, (three pupusas, rice, and beans) and a bowl of the chicken soup. We waited about 20mins and the food came out piping hott. The pupusas were very flavorful and the red salsa and cabbage to go with them was very tasty. The chicken soup was delicious, and the rice, cucumber salad, and tortillas it came with was the cherry on top! We also had order of the fried plantains with beans and sour cream but unfortunately the plantains had no flavor at all.. the tamarind drink though was the best I've had! The exterior of this place is not at all pretty. The table we sat at was wobbly and a lot of the booths looked run down and just old. The place has a dirty feel and look to it but hey the food was good.. Lol. Prices are cheap. We spent about $35. read more

Restaurante El Guanaquito - Salvadoran Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Authentic Salvadorian delicious food PastellitosPupusa Revuelta PupusaQueso Con Loroco read more

The service was great and the portions are big! I recommend the pupusa platter and the agua de jamaica. The revueltas are my go to