Mr R made an order in person to go, and lunch was BLISS. I could see out-of-towners getting frustrated at accessing the location, especially in rush hour. I had a tamal salvadoreña, which reminded me of a Sunday roast dinner with pork instead of beef and wrapped in steamed masa instead of rolls on the table. So tender, delectable. I ordered more but this dish alone can get you through the day, my goodness. My plantain plate was educational comfort food. The plantains were sweet, beans were salty, and the crema just the right hint of sour. Again, this plate alone would make a great meal. Mr R tried three vegetarian pupusas, all of which include cheese--spinach, mushroom, and jalapeño. There was also squash and squash blossom available (I think, menu says loroco) which I REALLY want to try. That lovely curtido/slaw on the side was much appreciated. This was one of those times where I felt I had to remind him more than once to chew, he was shoveling it down so fast in glee. In case you crave some heat, they included a few red and green salsas lovingly packaged in their own bags which I seldom see. Both the red and green were pretty warm, we agreed on that. Start cautiously and increase if needed. Also grabbed a lime jarritos (we're adjusting to Mr R's diagnosis forbidding high fructose corn syrup and fruit juice, so are extra grateful for the choice) which was the exact right flavor to have alongside this table. Definitely want to come try more of this menu. read more

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Some of the best ethnic food you will find in SM. Authentic food, made to order. The owner was running the till and kept checking on us to make sure we enjoyed our meal and to offer extra crudo. These are some of the best pupusas I have ever had. And the tamales are top notch. read more

El Arco Pupusas Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

My spouse said that we should eat here, and she recommended that I get one or two of the vegetarian pupusas. I got three: the jalapeño and cheese, the spinach and cheese, and the mushroom and cheese. The pupusas -- masa flour tortillas with filling -- were so large that the three made up my lunch and dinner. The pupusas themselves came incredibly hot right out of the kitchen, and were amazingly tasty, with gooey melted cheese blending with the fillings. But then, there was also the sauce. There's both red and green, and both have a very nice burn, which is more intense than one might be used to from, say, a Tex-Mex restaurant. It likewise comes with a lovely curtido (shredded cabbage, jalapeño, and onion), and when put on the pupusa with the sauce, the effect is *sublime.* My spouse shared her fried plantains with crema, which were likewise delicious. Topped everything of with a Jarritos lime soda that was a great accompaniment to a perfect meal. This is quite good, and I'd highly recommend it if you like any sort of Latin American cuisine. read more

Great spot for pupusas! Also the plantains and the empanadas all were good! Been back already since this pic haha read more

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Loved this place! Have wanted to try for a while now. I love all the sauces and condiments that they have on the table. Very friendly staff. Will come back to try more food. read more

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Been to this establishment twice the food is great. Qualities is good. My favorite thing from there is there plantains with beans and sour cream for pupusa are tasty. The service is always good as well. It's tucked in a little shopping center next to a gas station. they have a little Area where they sell el Salvador goods. I will be back read more

I have seen this place driving to HEB but never tried it until today. Glad I did. I had the pupusas and they were great. Homemade tortillas were flavorful, oozing cheese. The sauces added nice punch. Can't wait to return. read more

Great service! Great taste! The flavor is great, the place has his own touch of El Salvador. Really nice, Calm music. read more

El Arco Pupusas Restaurant - Babys cheese pupusa - Latin American Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

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I love their food and the Curtido. This place is awesome! Very friendly - the way things used to be.

I've been coming to this wee gem of a place for months now, and it is consistently excellent. The staff are all lovely, the food is homemade awesome,& there is always parking available. I crave the cheese& squash pupusa when I've gone a week or two without one. The baleadas are like turbo-tacos, absolutely divine. Plantains, crema, hone baked desserts all on point. Best pastelitos in Texas. They even offer free English classes on Tuesday and Wednesday nights read more

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Amazing fresh food, cooked to order and served hot. Relaxed atmosphere. Menu is written in English and Spanish.

The food and the service are amazing! I get 2 Pupusas both jalapeño con queso!!! It's a great price for homemade food :) Definitely a San Marcos favorite read more

The food is authentic. The platanos and pupusas are so good. Order is made fresh so it is nice and hot. Definitely a must try.

I remember it like it was yesterday. It was a dark, gloomy Saturday morning marked by a sense of an indescribable, melancholic mood. Lethargic and hungover from the night before, my friends were in dire need of salvation. It was in that fateful moment my friend turned to me and asked if I wanted to try Pupusas. "Pupusas?" I asked naively. The word at the time was foreign to me. I initially thought it was a bad word in Spanish in all honesty. "Can't we just get some breakfast tacos," I remarked foolishly. They egged me on about how delicious they were and I reluctantly surrendered the fate of my most important meal of the day to my fellow brothers. Thus began my departure into uncharted territory. The long and winding journey towards either a satisfying cessation of my crippling hunger or a puke inducing experience made my palms sweat, heart palpate, and eyes twitch. I was practically shaking in anticipation for the so-called Pupusa. Upon entry of the restaurant, my hesitations and fears were immediately disarmed as I was greeted by a symphony of smells that quickly pervaded my nostrils. The rich aroma of spices and herbs, the sizzling sound of food being cooked to perfection, and the heartfelt, welcoming smile on the owner's face melted away most of my worries and concerns. Soon after, though, I was bewildered and rendered speechless at the menu items. La Revuelta? La Calabaza con Queso? I thought I was reading a list of wizard spells. With the guidance of my friend Steven who'd have been here on multiple occasions, he suggested I order the Chicarron con Queso Pupusa to start. I assented to his recommendation and sat anxiously awaiting my meal. When my food arrived, I was promptly struck by the artistry of the presentation. The dish was arranged with a messy precision, steam rising from the food, and the colors and textures complemented each other beautifully. As I took my first bite, my taste buds were overwhelmed with a burst of flavors that I had never experienced before. As I slowly savored each glorious morsel, I found myself feeling grateful for simply being alive. Basking in the glory of this Salvadoran dish, my anxieties melted, preconceived notions shattered, spirits lifted, my will to live with passion and drive resurrected. I was no longer simply operating on a primal instinct to feed my hunger. I was now feeding my soul. Being that this restaurant is a five hour drive from my hometown, any time I'm in San Marcos, this restaurant is an unconditional stop of mine. The memories of that first experience lingered long after the meal ended, reminding me of the beauty and joy that life has to offer. It was an experience that left an indelible mark on my soul, and one that I would cherish for a lifetime. 5/5 read more

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Pupusas made to order, super fresh and delicious, friendly service! Take the family - they have something for everyone!

My wife and I have been wanting to try this place out for a while but things didn't align until this Sunday after church. Of course my wife called them first to make sure they're open. Upon arrival, we noticed mainly Spanish signs with its English translation below. I don't think diners come here for ambience. We looked at their somewhat confusing menu and it took us a while figure it out. We were helped by a friendly guy behind the counter who struggled with his English as I struggled to muster up as much Spanish as I could. I ordered the Bistek Encebollado, Tajadas, Arroz y enselada (Steak with onions, plantain slices, rice and salad) and my wife ordered the Paisano plate with Pupusas, Gordita (carnitas), and Baleadas (puerco). We also ordered a couple of canned sodas and a plate of fried sweet plantains. Before our entrees were served, three types of sauces were provided as were two small bowls of cabbage salad. Service was friendly and attentive. Our meals were served with no frills, which reminded us about a lunch we recently had at Boquillas del Carmen, across the border from Big Bend National Park. My steak, even if it's not quite the best cut - skirt steak I think, had good flavors and was tender enough. The rice was quite good as were the fried plantains. My wife liked sampler plate, with the carnitas gordita, with savory cubes of pork, being her favorite. The fried sweet plantains were served with condensed milk (hadn't seen that before) and were quite good. Lunch for 2 came out to just under $39 with tip. We'll be back. read more

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Delightful and very well priced. The cheese and spinach pupusa was delightful. Will be back and totally recommend!

Really great food prepared fresh an authentic. Clean establishment and friendly staff.

This was my first time trying El Salvadorian food. This restaurant did not disappoint! The staff was very friendly and helpful. The restaurant has a very low key feel. I ordered the chicken with cheese pupusa, pork Salvadorian tamale, and the corn tamale with cream. The pupusa was amazing! It was hot, fresh, flavorful, and delicious! The pork tamale was delicious and had a great texture. I was a bit disappointed by the corn tamale. It was very savory and tasted a lot like dried out cornbread. The food was also very reasonably priced. I'm glad to have El Salvadorian food off my bucket list. If you have an open mind and like delicious food, give this place a try! read more

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The pupusas at El Arco are delicious and large . I enjoyed the restaurant atmosphere.

The food was incredible! We just happened to be in the area around lunch time and lucked out finding it. One of the best meals i've had in a while. We got the Amanecer and the Paisano plate- different platters all together but both fantastic. I'd get my Paisano plate every time - YUM! Everyone was very kind and hospitable. read more

Only pupusa around but it is the BEST. Their sauces and curtido are amazing and their pupusas have the perfect ratio of filling and masa. and they make the best empanadas de plátano read more

My family and I spent a day in San Marcos las weekend and we wanted some home made food especially since our little one loves some very savory dishes. We found this place saw it had 5 stars on Google and we just had to try it. We went in, had to order food first at the counter then go take a seat at an available table. The customer service was great. The owner himself was helping out a lot with taking orders as well as making sure the customers that were seated had everything they needed and making sure they were ok. Very family friendly atmosphere. Food came and it was very very delicious! I ordered 2 Pupusas de Chicharrón con queso and one Pupusas de queso for my little man. And my husband ordered I believe the Bistek encebollado with salad and rice. Guys everything was super tasty. Both outside and inside is very clean. Def recommended to dine in and enjoy the flavors! Will be coming again when we visit San Marcos! read more

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I can't believe I just found this gem! I love pupusas and nombre están del uno recomendado read more

El Arco Pupusas Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

My friend came to visit and wanted a pupusa and I had never had one and loved it!! Could tell this was a friendly family owned business. Definitely suggest the green salsa. Soooo yummy read more

Amazing Amazing food! San Marcos do you even know how good you have it? This is the best food in San Marcos! Family owned bringing authentic food to you. The green sauce on the chicken Pupusas is simply amazing. read more

El Arco Pupusas Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

I love how just simple and authentic the restaurant is. The workers were so sweet and helpful! You can also see them making the food which just adds to the experience. I got puerco tamales (pork tamales) and chicherone con queso pupusas. They had so many option to chose from in a pupusa. The tamales were the best thing I've had in a while. So smooth and fresh with the most amazing sauces. The pupusa had such a nice cheese pull and the spicy cabbage and sauce was to die for. I will be going back once a week! read more

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Excellent food. Owner is wonderful and charming! Chicken empanadas are my go to. The Pupusas remind me of Los Planes de Rendero!

A delightful small business, the customer service was wonderful, the atmosphere was easygoing/casual, The food came quick. We got our kids (ages 3 and 6) each one bean and cheese pupusa which they loved- they can be picky and it was their first time trying pupusas but the flavors are similar to a bean and cheese taco and they didn't hesitate to dig in. Hubby and I got 5 different pupusas- We loved la revuelta with chicharrón the best. The surprise winner was the plate of Yuca and chicharrón we shared. They come mixed in a tomato sauce and the dish was DELICIOUS. I can't wait to try more of their specialty plates. My only complaint is that the pupusas were so big and filling that I couldn't finish my plate. You DEFINITELY get your money's worth! read more

I get 2 PUPUSAS 1 pork 1 beef mix And it's only 7-8$ and Feeds me for lunch very cheap very nice 100% would recommend. read more

Small business, SUPER friendly! I ordered chicharron, frijoles, and cheese & beef, frijoles, and cheese. My fav was the Carne(beef) with frijoles and cheese, YUM!! They were also bigger than I was expecting, I should have ordered 2 instead of 3...but now I have leftovers that I'm already looking forward to! This place DID NOT disappoint, try them out! read more

El Arco Pupusas Restaurant - Pupusas - Latin American Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

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Love this place!! Always saying he's hiring and if they had more staff he could open more because they're so popular and it's packed every time we walk in! read more

This is one of those "Joints". If you know what's up with that. But I can't wait to go back. I like the BEEF Pupusa's, I'm not feelin' the chicken so much. But I wanna get the Platano's too. And they have many things like breakfast etc, I wish I had now. But ooh wee, in the Pupusa's, you gotta put the Curtido they give in a lil' baggie (it's this cabbage strings with sauce kinda, and it gives the cool and crunch for extra textures) but that with the red sauce, that gives heat. Ahh. read more

If you are looking to experience a different but delicious kind of cuisine, this is one way to go. I've had a few different items if their menu and they never disappointed. Service is top notch as well. read more

Overall satisfied with this small place Went for breakfast and loved all the food I ordered The service is great. read more

Loved this place!! The food was delicious!! I just moved to SM and had been craving pupusas, El Arco came through. Also, their tamale de elote con crema is a must try! The owner was super friendly and it was a pleasure meeting him. It's so hard not to eat here everyday. I will be back read more

I ordered pupusas and then i got a flat tire. I was sure I wasn't gonna make it to pick up my order. But they called me and told me they were waiting for me to pick up my order even after they had closed. Such great food and great service. Nothing compares. read more

I rarely get this excited about a restaurant! The shrimp tacos are the reason..... Forced myself to order something different besides the AMAZING Pupusas and fried yucca with pork. The shrimp dish is like a grilled corn quesadilla filled with something a little like Shrimp Creole. Nothing I can say will due justice to how good it is so I'll just shut up now. read more

So freaking expensive. Food not that great. Not authentic pupusas and they still want a tip- come on. If I could post without giving a star I would but I have to add and it will be one star. No don't recommend. read more

This is a new place in San Marcos. We tried the pupusas de chicharrón y queso, tamales de pollo, y Patelitos de carne. Everything was pretty good and hot. The staff was friendly and nice. The place was nice and clean. Only set back they close at 6pm, we had been wanting to try it but every time we remembered it was pass 6 pm. Definitely, worth a try. read more