Here's a cIf I'm being honest, the only thing on their menu that lives up to any of the hype is the pupusas. Everything else falls pretty flat. Even then, the pupusas are hit or miss. I'd give them about a 3.5 out of 5. On a good day, they come out with that perfect golden-brown finish. On a bad day, they look and taste undercooked to the point where I've had to throw them back on the stove at home just to make them edible. The ambiance doesn't do much to help. It's your typical Mission-style Latin restaurant, kind of sticky and worn-in, but in a way where you can't quite tell if it's part of the aesthetic or just a lack of upkeep. Now, let's get into why this leans closer to a one-star experience. The staff consistently come off like they'd rather be anywhere else. They don't smile and often come across as rude. Timing is basically a suggestion here. If you place a takeout order, plan well ahead, at least 45 to 60 minutes before pickup. Every single time I've called, I've been told 25 to 30 minutes, only to arrive and wait another 15 to 20 minutes. Without fail. And in a neighborhood where parking is already a headache, with limited meters and tight timing, you'll feel that delay. Your patience will absolutely be tested. Don't say I didn't warn you. Update: Today's order included a hit inside the cheese mixture of the Pupusas. Disgusting. read more

Balompie Cafe No 3 - Found a thick strand of hair in the Pupusa. - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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One of the best spots in the city for pupusas, hands down. I'm not listening to the naysayers--these pupusas hit the perfect balance of cheese, beans, and pork. Other spots I'm eating masa. Unlike many places that serve greasy pupusas, these are nicely made and not greasy. We usually order takeout since the dining area is small unless you go early. Parking can be a headache, but I've always managed to snag a spot (knock on wood). The staff are friendly, and we always leave full and happy! read more

Balompie Cafe No 3 - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Sometimes you just want something comforting, simple, and real, you know? Balompié Cafe No. 3 on Mission does exactly that. Food: 8/10 Service: 9/10 Ambiance: No rating, I ordered to go FOOD: 8/10 I ordered 6 "RF pupusas" (Pork, Beans, Cheese), and honestly, they hit the spot. They weren't the most stuffed or loaded I've had. I've definitely had more over-the-top pupusas elsewhere, but for what you pay, they feel totally fair. The dough is soft but has a nice chew, and the fillings are solid. You get that classic Salvadoran flavor with curtido (cabbage pickled salad) and their tomato sauce, which I always appreciate. Looking at their menu, they don't just sell Pupusas! They also sell tamales, yuca, combo plates, and more. SERVICE: 9/10 Super friendly staff. Since I was doing a to-go order, things were pretty smooth. Extra notes: - Prices are pretty reasonable, especially considering the quality is solid and the portions are good. - Location-wise, it's on Mission Street, so allow time for parking. Balompié Cafe No. 3 is a really solid go-to for Salvadoran comfort food on the run. The pupusas are reliable and tasty enough. Not a destination for "fancy Salvadoran," but absolutely a dependable spot when you want something hearty, cheap-ish, and homey. read more

Balompie Cafe No 3 - RF (Copy) with the complimentary fixings - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Something about this corner restaurant makes me smile ;') Brunch time here is lively, comforting, and full of warm welcomes from employees and customers. At other Pupusa restaurants I've had in the city, sometimes the fillings all taste the same. At Balompie you can really differentiate each as the fillings are flavorful & fresh, sandwiched alongside crispy flour tortillas. Recommend: Pork, Beans, & Cheese and Loroco & Cheese (earthy vegetal flower bud!). Beef soup with veggies was such a nice pairing for breakfast with the cheesy Pupusas! Definitely want to come back to try their other plates. read more

Balompie Cafe No 3 - Carne & Cheese, Loroco, Zuchinni, & Cheese, and Pork, Beans, & Cheede - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My girlfriend and I came here around 2:20 pm on a Friday. Not too packed. We got sat and the menu was pretty vast, but we came here specifically for the pupusas. We got bean and cheese, chicharron, pork beans and cheese, carne asada, and chorizo. All of them were so delicious it was insane. They are all cooked to perfection and the ratio was amazing. Such a great vibe to sit down and eat with some friends. read more

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The best pupusas in the city. Nice cozy restaurant but we chose to do some takeout this go round since there wasn't any parking close by. Quite a wait even though it wasn't too busy, but overall great value for some grubbin' food. read more

Balompie Cafe No 3 - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Hey all, allow me to say that I was only in the restaurant to pick up a phone order I made w Lizeth! I was very stern with her about identifying the specific orders. Gracias Lizeth for doing what is expected!! The ambiance was very welcoming and decorative! Service is Splendid, Now the food 4 orders of pupusas for a company luncheon Spot On!! The moment I tried the pickled cabbage I knew the cooks and recipes had to be Great! Thank you all and as individuals for your service and product.. I am the hit at my company for where the amazing places to eat are!! read more

Been coming here for a few years now. But it's been a good two years since I came back. I was craving their Salvadoran tamales. They menu has changed and this was not on it anymore. But they were able to make it happen. Pro: pupusa still hit! Con: tamales got smaller :( read more

Balompie Cafe No 3 - This wasn't on the menu anymore:( I usually get one pupusa and their Salvadoran tamales. - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Still amazing food and service, I love how this place is always tasty & usually friendly! Plus they get my order correct. The food takes a min but its fresh and great quality! I love this establishment! read more

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They weren't very friendly but the food is good, it could have been better if they are welcoming to their customers. If I'm in the area I may stop, but I definitely wouldn't go out of my way. read more

Staple for my pupusas, my go to when it comes to eating with pops. Love the salvi women in the back smacking the masa , hard working people just trying to satisfy everybody and their needs. Great food! read more

Balompie Cafe No. 3 is my favorite neighborhood pupusaria. The owner and all the staff are kind and very helpful. Even when the restaurant and outside seating is packed, the wait time is not that long and the food is always delicious!! read more

Came here on a Friday ordered so many pupusas. The service was so nice and the passion fruit water we got was delicious. read more

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This review is long overdue. The pupusas here are always made to order and you can choose white or rice flour--the rice flour is especially crispy and delicious. Our go-to every time: bean and cheese pupusas, plus sides of plantains, refried beans, and sour cream. Simple, comforting, and perfect together. Consistently tasty and one of my favorite spots for pupusas in San Francisco. read more

I had the pork and cheese, chorizo, and the pork and beans pupusas. Super good portions and it came with a tasty sauce. The filling felt like it had a good portion too. They were pretty crispy and didn't feel too oily. If you're not a cheese fan, maybe go for the non cheese option as they do pack it with cheese. Very solid 3 that filled me up. Pretty cheap too read more

Balompie Cafe No 3 - Pupusa - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

The two pupusas I ordered to go were piping hot and they give you a good sized baggie of a nice and tangy cabbage slaw and a container of salsa that complemented the pupusas perfectly. The price is very reasonable for the pupusas; each one being under $5. One was really filling, so the other one will be saved for another meal. Everything was delicious and well worth a stop. The only slight downside was that the woman who took my order wasn't very friendly. It was my first time there and I wasn't sure what to order; her impatience made me feel rushed. read more

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Hands down the best pupusas in the city! I've had pupusas my whole life being Salvadoran in the city lol and I promise these are the ones!!!!! read more

I pre ordered their pupusas (2 of each) and they were yummy delicious!! My favorite was the pork!! Service and the ambiance was excellent!! It's a MUST GO TO if you want the best pupusas!! Thank you! read more

We rarely go into San Francisco, but every single time we go, we have to have a meal at one of the Balompie Cafe's. These are by far the best pupusas I've had, and we have tried many. Hope to visit soon! read more

Really enjoyed my meal! Overall, I would give this place a 9.2/10! 1. Taste: 9.4 I ordered the pupusas with cheese and Loroco. Both of the pupusas were evenly cooked. The soft comforting doughy masses went well with the salsa and curtido. The salsa could have been a little bit more flavorful (I mostly only tasted tomatoes) but overall, i can't ask more from the pupusas themselves! I got mine with rice and beans. The rice was nothing too special, but did the job. The beans, on the other hand, were super flavorful and added a creamy texture to the chewiness of the pupusas. 1. Customer service: 10/10 The customer service was great! I was sat immediately and had a glass full of water before I even ordered. The preparation did take about 25 minutes, but I think it was well worth it considering how good they were. 1. Appearance: 9/10 The restaurant is a cute little place. It's somewhere that feels local and welcoming. It's a great place for a casual lunch or get together. 1. Value: 8.5 Everything was well priced. With just the two pupusas and side of rice and beans, I felt pretty full. I definitely think it's worth the money. read more

Balompie Cafe No 3 - #15 TWO PUPUSAS CON ARROZ Y FRIJOLES - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very authentic, reminds me of my Moms cooking. I go with my family every time we go to SF read more

Balompie Cafe No 3 - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

I love this place (mornings) so my mom and me were hungry and decided to go there tonight and the food was delicious as always, BUT, the service was terrible! The girl ( server) was very rude and mad, the servers at morning are way better than night servers ! Siempre vamos con mis papás a este lugar, y decidimos ir por qué andábamos cerca con mi mamá, la comida como siempre súper rica pero el servio horrible Quisiera saber cómo se llamaba la mesera de hoy domingo 15 de septiembre en la noche fue súper grosera y pedante, nos tomó la orden de mala gana y gracias a Dios el mesero hombre nos llevó la comida por que si no quizás nos la tira por la cara! ( no volvemos a ir por la noche jamás !!!!!) read more

Balompie Cafe No 3 - #40 CARNE ASADA - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

The "manager" is rude, condescending and has an inflated sense of self importance. I have experienced it myself but I have also watched how she treats others. She caters to large parties and to go orders. I have waited 1 1/2 just for a simple breakfast. Thankfully, there are MANY other Salvadoran restaurants in San Francisco. If this continues, I don't see that place surviving ! She needs to go ! " Fuera" ! read more

The food is excellent, great service, and great atmosphere. Can't ask for more! The pupusas is their signature meal. Yummy!! read more

I visited Balompie a few weeks ago and ordered vegetarian pupusas to go. The food was delicious and the folks working there were welcoming. But the standout part was that one of the cooks walked out of the restaurant to help an older woman out of her cab and walked her inside to a table, arm in arm. I think about the warmth of that experience often. Also, the tamarind agua Fresca makes my mouth water just thinking about it. read more

I've been craving pupusas for a while now, and saw this place pop up on both my Instagram and in a conversation with a friend. There are 2 locations from Balompie Cafe, but we opted for this one because I figured parking in the Mission would be a nightmare. For what seemed like a pretty random location, the place was packed at almost 2pm on a Saturday. Everyone was eating different things but most tables had pupusas. I'm curious to check out the other items now as the portions looked very generous. The ambience of the restaurant was pretty much like a cafeteria, you're there just for the eating. The pupusas are super generously stuffed with cheese! There was even delicious burnt cheese that had oozed out of the pupusa. Yum. It also went perfectly with the pickled cabbage and tomato sauce they serve with the pupusas on the side. You can ask for more of each one if you run low. Pupusas: - Steak & Cheese - this was my favorite! I liked the char on the steak paired with the generous oozy cheese - Shrimp & Cheese - Salvadorean Vegetable & Cheese - my second favorite, I really liked the vegetables with the cheese. I'm not entirely sure what vegetable it was but it was great. - Ground Pork, Jalapenos & Cheese Best part? Each pupusa only cost about $4!!! What a steal in the city considering how 2 pupusas make a pretty filling meal for one person. Price and food quality deserve a 5 stars, but I'm taking a star away for the incredibly slow service. It was ridiculous to wait almost 45 minutes for 4 pupusas at my table, so I would only go again when I've got lots of time! read more

Balompie Cafe No 3 - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The food is always delicious It's fresh and excellent quality... we love it!! Definitely will recommend the Pupusas made out of Arroz flour!!! read more

I liked Balompie. The ambiance was a mix of local Salvadorian diner mixed with football bar vibes. I got the Salvadorian Sampler which includes a pupusa, pastel, chicharrons, and fried yuca. The meat and cheese pupusa with beans was fantastic. It was soft and generously stuffed with filling and paired really well with their red salsa. You could taste the sweet corn in the pupusa which was fantastic. The pastel was also great. It came out piping hot and was so crunchy and savory. I also loved the yuca which was perfectly soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. I was a little impartial on the chicharron because it was a little salty for my taste. read more

Balompie Cafe No 3 - Salvadorian Sampler - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Top notch pupusas! They're pretty large and they have many different fillings to choose from. We've tried most of them over the years and all are delicious. They give an ample amounts of curtido and salsa too. We usually get takeout from here, but decided to try their outdoor dining this week. The outside section is a bit noisy from traffic as it's on a busy corner. We noticed that service is a bit on the slow side too, but I will say that their pupusas are worth the wait. Highly recommend trying this place out. read more

Balompie Cafe No 3 - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Amazing as the original location at 18th street. Staff were nice, food is and forever will be great! Love the ambiance too, sporty! read more

I go to this location often and this is my first time going since I have a service animal. My family and I sat down and ordered our food. After five or ten minutes the women came up to me and told me "we do not allow animals due to health codes." And I informed her that my dog is a service animal and I have the documentation to prove such. She did not bother to review the documents and told me I would need to leave. She stated that they do not accept any animals regardless of status.  Please note that my dog was not on the floor or the seating bench. He was in a sling carrier. He was not barking or crying, he was quiet and observing.  Unseen/invisible disabilities are just as serious as any other. read more

Omg, this place is so awesome! We came here for pupusas, but they have a lot more on their menu and it looks sooo good. The pupusas were the best I ever had, so many options on the menu, from typical ingredients like beans or ground pork to specialty items like the Mexicana (ground pork, jalapenos, and cheese) and Super Vegetarian (spinach, mushroom, carrots, and cheese). We ended up getting 5 to share -- ground pork and cheese, salvadorian vegetable and cheese, shrimp and cheese, steak and cheese, and just plain cheese. Can you tell we like cheese? Well they were all amazing, with the ground pork and cheese being the least impressive, and my faves being the shrimp and cheese and the salvadorian vegetable and cheese, surprisingly since I'm all about the meat. But the "loroco y queso" was just so special, had a very unique taste, aromatic flavors so satisfying for my taste buds. And all the pupusas arrived to the table like a platter of fresh hot pancakes, melty cheese oozing out onto the plate, perfect crispy char on the outside. That to me is perfect plating, no fancy sides needed.. besides the classic spiced cabbage mix and red salsa, which by the way were amazing as well. The service was great, and the atmosphere was very welcoming. Such a cute spot, some outdoor parklet seating, and about 7 small tables inside, kind of small but we easily got a table inside with no wait on a Sunday afternoon (easter Sunday). Also worth mentioning, they play the best classic old school 80's jams in the background (songs like Hands to Heaven by Breathe, and Kiss on My List by Hall and Oates), so that was a treat for my ears as well. If you're in the mood for these savory salvadorian treats, I highly recommend Balompie Cafe 3. read more

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Food is great is tastes, and the people are friendly. The pupusa's are not very big but filling.

Excellent pupusas, but very mediocre brunch dishes. Parking may be a challenge, though I felt like I lucked out find a spot a short block away. A surprisingly significant wait during Sunday peak brunch. They have high chairs and a lot of the clientele were families with babies or toddlers. THE WAIT 25 minutes at 12:15pm on a Sunday. We brought that down to about 15 when we were willing to take a smaller table outside (we had 2 kids and could squeeze). Even though the host said the food would be fast, under 10 minutes, it took a good 15-20 minutes to come out. THE COST $58 including tax/tip for a kid's pupusa, 2 brunch entrees, and 2 sides. THE FOOD * Pupusa Revuelta (ground pork & cheese) - 4.5 stars I've tried a lot of pupusas, and this really stood out to me for its texture and balance of filling to corncake! The corncake had a perfect crisp, as did the meat. #17 Chile Relleno w/ beef - 2 stars Not very flavorful, rice was dry. My partner described this as kind of a plate of mush. #24 Huevos Con Chorizo - 2.5 stars My eggs were over-scrambled and dry. The rice was dry and under-flavored. read more

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I love getting pupusas here! I came here for a second time this past Saturday, and got the following: 1. steak and cheese pupusa 2. ground pork, jalapeno, and cheese pupusa They were both delicious. Not to mention, they're big and super filling. I remember getting fried plantains on the first time I came here and those were really good too. Overall, I love coming to this place for pupusas. read more

Balompie Cafe No 3 - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Best pupusas in SF, IMO. Pork and cheese are amazing, but also great vegetarian ones, especially the loroco. Overall it's vegetarian friendly. Other things I love on the menu are the plantains plate (desayuno menu - w/ crema, beans and cheese) and the enchiladas salvadorena, which are different than Mexican enchiladas, more like a tostada but better. I wish they would bring back the pan con pavo sandwich. Sometimes tough to get a table but eating there is fun. The Super Bowl could be playing and the two TVs would be tuned to replays of some random La Liga soccer match. read more

Reviewing this place again! I love this place. Whenever I am in San Francisco, I always make it a point to come here. I've been coming to this location and the one on 16th street for over a decade. Staff members are friendly and service is great! Food is awesome and can't go wrong with whatever you order! I always get the chili rellenno, which is stuffed with minced/diced pork and dipped/breaded/fried in egg, served with rice, beans and good home made tortillas! Got the BF hooked on this restaurant, as well. Street parking is available, but difficult. Sometimes wait times can be long, but you won't regret it! Try this place today! read more

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Food was delicious. It's not fancy inside but the people who run it are really nice. We got take out and it was prepared reasonably quickly. read more

Love this place , food is ALWAYS great and everything is always fresh . These by far are the best Pupusas around and it isn't close . Anytime I have a chance to stop in I do. Service is excellent and the people are very friendly. read more

Balompie Cafe No 3 - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My aunt and my son went to had breakfast on a Saturday morning. It was busy; however, we waited at least five minutes for a table. The waiter was rude and got my aunt's order wrong. Another waiter brought our food, and we told her the other waiter had gotten my aunt's order incorrectly. She was very bothered, didn't apologize, and gave us no curtidos. We asked her four times, but she kept ignoring us. She was friendly and attentive to other customers when we finished eating. She took our table quickly. We felt like they were rushing us out of the restaurant. This is the first time we have been treated as if we are not welcome. read more