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    El Paisano Restaurant

    3.8 (270 reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Salvadoran
    Open 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    EL PAISANO RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Kelly N.

    I love pupusas. I see this place has a habanero pupusa that I will be back to try soon! Today I had the cheese and the zucchini version and they were just perfect. I appreciate that my children (super picky) will eat a cheese pupuasa and rice. This place is authentic and well priced. Someday I will adventure out to try other menu items. I like their toppings bar which allows you to pile on ample of what you like. The cashier was friendly and helpful when I asked questions about what some of the words on the menu meant. My kids liked the rice, but I prefer mine a bit fluffier/moist. The nice people around me interpreted for me when my number was called in Spanish and I couldn't figure out #79 in Spanish. I love this location, by Costco and right off the freeway. We will consistently come back again and again.

    Jennifer B.

    WOW!!! I have said it time and time.again! the fish tacos here are the best I have had.... Ever! In my life..... And Ive been a lot of places!!! The menu has changed but the food is the same! When you come in,.some.might be thinking...... What did I get myself into, because its a big place with the chairs.ans booths spread out.... And a Tiny kitchen! Don't let let this fool you! Everything is made to order As fresh as it can come! Beautiful self.serve salsa and spice bar. now, if you're looking for someplace bougie that has tables side service or that is fancy for friends this is not that place! this is the place that you keep to yourself that you don't want your friends and family to find out about because then I'll know your secret when you pick up the to go food and bring it to their house lol! We will continue to come here again and again because the flavors are on points. The staff is extremely helpful and always willing to explain the ingredients and the details that come with each item. I do want to caution you... This is not Mexican food. This is Salvadoran so the flavors are going to be different. The spices in your red rice are going to be different and the refried beans are going to taste different. Believe me when I say it's definitely worth it! And do not forget to get the fish tacos!! you're gonna love them as much as I did!!!!

    Pozole
    Sharon H.

    We got a flat tier and was getting the tires replaced at Costco. We had time to kill and needed some food, so we walked across the parking lot to this place. I am so glad we did. I got the bean and cheese pupusa and it was amazing. Great flavor, great texture, perfectly cooked. It is a quaint place in a strip mall. You head up to the counter, place your order, and they call your number. There is also a salsa bar. The service was fine because it only includes taking your order. My one complaint was that even though it was more than 90 minutes before closing time, they were already cleaning up, removing the salsa bar, and stacking chairs on the tables. The prep would have been fine, except for the bleach smell from the cleaning solution...it is hard to eat food, even delicious food, when everything smells like cleaning solution. Next time, I will go for lunch.

    Pupusas
    Rachel Z.

    Their pupusas are the best in town. I come here often and am never disappointed. Also, did you know pupusas taste even better for breakfast? You're welcome.

    This is what I used to get.

    Hard to find good chicken fajitas in Reno. I loved El Paisano. The portions were big, the salsa bar was good. They had grilled jalapeños and onions. Prices went up and it was still ok for the food you got. Last few visits. No grilled jalapeños or onions and the last 2 visit. I am now getting literally half the food that I used to get. I will include photos. You will see what I used to get. Compared to what I've been given my last 2 visits. Sucks, because I can't find decent chicken fajitas in this town.

    Spanish rice
    Christiane W.

    I ordered food to go. Food was ready pretty quick. Overall, nothing fancy about this spot, very chill location. Customer Service was pretty basic, employees were friendly. I tried the Pupusas, all very good. Very authentic tasting. Served with their curtido and salsa roja, which were delicious too. I recommend the Chicken and Cheese, Pork and Cheese, Zucchini and Cheese. I ordered a side of rice which was just your basic Spanish rice, nothing special or extra added to the dish. It was okay, it fulfilled my taste for Spanish rice. I also ordered a side of french fries. They were pretty good and crispy. I was so surprised to see that they actually put a bunch of ketchup on my fries, which I thought was really odd. So if you don't want ketchup put on your fries, be sure to let them know when you order.

    Menu
    Zuly R.

    My go to spot when I am craving a good Salvadoran dish. I usually order pupusas revueltas, made from pork, cheese and beans. This place is usually busy and their staff is great and friendly.

    On the door shows their hours are 9am to 9pm and open 7 days a week.
    Shannon J.

    Came here on a Sunday at noon. They were closed. Please update your day and hours to reflect your business hours. Two other groups were amazed to see they were closed too.

    Angela P.

    Delicious pupusas! Salsa bar was kept clean and they helped me order food that wasn't too spicy for my son and I. Pupusas were served warm and the cabbage slaw was available in the salsa bar so I went back for seconds. I'll definitely be back for more pupusas!!

    Man... this burrito made my entire day. Big ol breakfast burrito so delicious! Thank you!!!! 5 stars all the way!!!
    Dalila B.

    Man... this burrito made my entire day. Big ol breakfast burrito so delicious! Thank you!!!! 5 stars all the way!!!

    Cabeza, asada, and buche tacos. Best Cabeza in town
    Destiny P.

    I would like like to start this off by saying that El Paisano is ol' faithful. When I want a solid taco, I know that I can go to El Paisano for my taco fix. I have been going to El Paisano since they opened up this location. I went to their location off of Oddie before this one opened so I must've been coming here for at least 8 years! When you walk in, you will have to go up to the counter and order. I love that they have an extensive menu. You can get tacos, pupusas, tamales, the list goes on! They also have a good variety of meats for your choosing. My go to's are definitely Cabeza tacos, asada tacos, pork and cheese pupusas, and the Salvadorian tamal. My favorite tacos are Cabeza tacos and these are by far the best in town. I am usually let down by other places with their Cabeza so I have to come back here to get a proper taco fix. It is moist, tender, and flavorful. This can also be said about their asada. You can not go wrong with their asada. A cool thing about El Paisano is that they have Salvadorian dishes on their menu. Their pupusas are the best that I have had in Reno and Sparks. The pork and cheese pupusas are my favorite flavor combo but they also have beans, chicken, and zucchini. Another Salvadoran favorite of mine is the Salvadorian chicken tamal. Now be sure to not order the Mexican tamal because that is different. The Mexican tamal is wrapped in corn husk whereas the Salvadorian tamal is wrapped in banana leaves. I find that the Salvadoran tamal is more moist than Mexican tamales so I think that is my biggest draw to it. It is not spicy but there is still a lot of flavor with the pieces of chicken, potato, and cactus in it. If you have never tried a Salvadorian tamal, I highly suggest getting one from here! They are always friendly here and they bring your order right out to your table. The pupusas usually take a little longer to make so be patient if you ordered any, It is worth the wait! There is also a salsa bar where you can grab all the salsas that your heart desires!

    menus and prices

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    El Rincon Restaurant

    El Rincon Restaurant

    4.3
    (83 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $

    I've eaten food from here before because my friend did a lunch run for work one time, but this is…read morethe first time eating at the restaurant. The pupusas were excellent and they have a combo plate that includes 2 pupusas, rice, and beans with the usual curtido and salsa. They also include a hot salsa if you want more spice. I think they should have given me more curtido but I was told that you can ask for more and they'll happily give you more. The quesadilla was excellent! I should've bought another one for the mornings when I have my coffee. The employees are very friendly and the dining area was clean. I can't wait to come back again for some more pupusas and eventually try other things on their menu!

    The name of this place quite literally translates to "the corner." Which is where they are hidden…read morebut definitely a place to try if you're in the area. The dining area is a little smaller but the dishes/drinks are full of flavor. The service is great as well. The staff are very attentive and friendly. I tried the sopes combo with your choice of meat, served on a fluffy and crunchy piece of fried dough, beans, lettuce, tomato, Salvadoran sour cream, queso fresco w/salsa (Fair warning the salsa is super spicy) and rice & beans on the side. I also had a Fresco de Tamarindo and it was freshly made just like all of their drinks. Glad I gave this place a try and can't wait to try their Salvadoran tamales on a weekend!

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    Menudo
    Menudo
    This is the front of El Ricon Restaurant in Sparks, Nevada

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    This is the front of El Ricon Restaurant in Sparks, Nevada
    El Pulgarcito

    El Pulgarcito

    4.2
    (104 reviews)
    3.7 mi
    $

    When it comes to Salvadoran food, "El Pulgarcito" is definitely the real deal. Not only do they…read moreserve Salvadoran food but they also have a full-on Mexican food menu as well. Located at the McCarran Plaza directly on E. Prater Rd and adjacent to N. McCarran Blvd in the heart of Sparks, this has been one of the top rated spots for papusas in the northern Nevada area dating back to 2012. And if my family (that live north of here in Spanish Springs) didn't tell me about this hidden gem, I would have no idea it even existed. I came here with my lady during the afternoon on Saturday 6/20/2026 at around 3:00pm. Since this is an outdoor strip mall with lots of other businesses and eateries, parking was fairly easy to find; especially since we came in between lunch and dinner. The exterior showcases the business name while the interior actually has two separate dining areas. In fact, it is so spacious inside, there is ample room to accommodate a lot more tables and chairs. I do think the layout is also designed to where people can dance if they have hold private gatherings. Even though the decor looks a bit dated, this only adds to some of the charm and authenticity of this small business. As I mentioned, their menu consists of both Salvadoran food; papusas, sopas, pollo fritos, etc. as well as Mexican food; tacos, burritos, quesadillas, etc. All types of traditional Central American meats are prepared here as well as a variety of seafood options, a-la-carte items, soups, sodas, and juices. I ended up ordering one frijoles (bean) papusa and one fish taco while my lady ordered two frijoles (bean) papusas. Total price for everything after tax + tip only came out to around $20; not bad at all even with skyrocketing food prices. We were given complimentary chips & salsa, a number, and proceeded to sit at one of the booth tables. Both our orders arrived in less than 10 minutes by the same lady that took our order. We received the traditional cabbage slaw with our papusas (a.k.a. curtido) with the savory tomato salsa roja. One bite of my bean papusa and the flavor absolutely hits perfectly. The ratio of beans combined with the crispiness of the tortilla shell hit all the high notes for me. As for the fish taco, this was absolutely delicious as every single bite had an abundance of crispy fried (tilapia) fish. It also included amazing crema sauce, avocados, and other fillings to elevate the overall flavor. All in all, "El Pulgarcito" is the real deal and if you're looking for a place that serves up amazing Salvadoran food in the greater Reno-Sparks metropolitan area, this hits all the high notes. Prices are very competitive, service was top notch, and the food was a grand slam for me. Keep in mind that they are closed on Mondays but are open for business Tuesday through Sunday from 9am-7pm. My rating for this small family-owned business, a perfect five stars.

    This business is my cup of tea for gorditas and popusas The…read morepopusas are the best in my opinion because I love plain bean ones. They do have other options but something about simplicity is what I love. The gorditas also have beans and the choice of meat you want. I get something different every time. They offer lots of other options they have a great menu with variety of different things. There is lots of seating . You seat yourself and order at the counter. But they do bring you the food once ordered. You pay before as well. Parking is easy because it's in a area with lots of other businesses. The service is great and if you dine in you get chips and salsa while you wait for your food. The food does come out quick as well not much wait time. Go and try the popusas you might enjoy the simplicity just as much as I do.

    Photos
    El Pulgarcito
    Pupusas Combo: Chicharon and Beans
    Pupusas Combo: Chicharon and Beans
    Pupusas Combo: Chicharon and Beans.

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    Pupusas Combo: Chicharon and Beans.
    El Salvador Restaurant 2

    El Salvador Restaurant 2

    3.5
    (2 reviews)
    2.2 mi

    This place took over Taqueria Superior. I guess they weren't so superior. This place has a…read moredrive-thru, but there does not appear to be any menu on the drive-thru board so I went inside. There are colored paper signs all over the windows indicating specials in what can only be described as perhaps elementary school posters. The interior is pretty sparse with a small TV playing Latin shows. They have beer here including two El Salvadoran beers. In case you were wondering, this restaurant is the sister to El Salvador Restaurant in Reno, and yes, "Restaurant" is part of their business name. I'm not too fond of the one in Reno, however, I haven't been there in several years. I ordered the steak and eggs breakfast, en empanada, a pastelito de carne, a pupusa, and fried plantain and it all came with a salad and what is like Latin cole slaw. I'm a bit of a pupusas and empanadas fiend. The way I like empanadas are Dominican style or at least Washington Heights style which is deep-fried, flakey, and crispy. The empanadas here are a bit small and soft and they had some gooey jelly inside. I like pastelitos too, but here it was a bit more like jalapeno popper crust instead of a more pie crust. The pupusa is pretty decent. The steak was a thin slice which is how a lot of Latin restaurants make them, sometimes called bistec or carne asada. The best empanadas in Reno are at Cantina at GSR. They also have pupusas there. I used to list all the places in Reno/Sparks you could get pupusas, but I think for whatever reason, there are enough El Salvadoran restaurants around that you can get them at lots of places. Oh what the hey, here's the list: Bistro Habanero, Cantina, Mi Querido Pulgarcito (SPX), Asi Es Mi Tierra, Speedy Burrito, Restaurante Yesenia, El Rincon, and Los Cuatro Vientos.

    This place is so amazing !! Defiantly a hidden gem ! (Mom and pop) place . Im very picky when it…read morecomes to Salvadoran food and this place is great ! Great costumer service ! Prices are very reasonable and the amount of food you get it's a steal! I brought lunch to my fiancé he was impressed !! Defiantly going to become regulars !

    Coco's Taqueria y Pupuseria

    Coco's Taqueria y Pupuseria

    4.2
    (72 reviews)
    22.8 mi

    Food absolutely delicious! We had the fish taco, carne asada, pork pupusa and jarritos. Staff so…read morefriendly as well. It's clean and we felt like the locals. Worth visiting if you are in the area and cost us less than $15 for two to eat. We loved their food and experience. Plenty of parking at back.

    I've never had Salvadorian food before and a friend I was visiting suggested this place. It's…read morelocated out on East Carson past Airport road. Parking isn't bad, there's spots along back. Inside is very clean and modern, so it's not like going into a third world place like some places ... but sometimes those place have great food. You just put your order in with the guy at the cash register. The menu is up on the wall. My friend got some pupusas, sort of like grilled stuffed tortillas. I went for the super burrito and we shared some street tacos. Tacos were just $2.25 each and the burrito was $9.99. I got both with al pastor for my meat choice. The salsa bar has lots of different choice to choose from from mild to super hot ... all labeled. The cooks just call out your order, so you better listen for it. The street tacos had a ton of meat on them and I just put some salsa one all of them as well as adding onions and greens. Wow, these were some of the best tacos I ever had! Just pick them up and fold and shove in mouth! Tasty! The burrito was a little different than other burritos I've had. The tortilla shell wasn't as thick of doubled over in the folding so it wasn't as easy to get it to stand up to eat hand held from one end, but having less tortilla is better cause it's easier to bite into and the taste of the fillings come through better. I like this burrito! I'd come back here again if I'm in the area. Sometimes I have my crew with me for work out on East Carson sometimes, I'll bring them here.

    Photos
    Hwy 50 going east on right.
    Hwy 50 going east on right.
    Yummers burrito!
    Yummers burrito!
    Menu

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    Menu
    El Paisano Taqueria y Pupuseria

    El Paisano Taqueria y Pupuseria

    3.8
    (116 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $

    It's been a while since I've been here, but this is classic Taqueria. The salsa station everything…read moreis in Spanish. It's delightful. It's how you know when you walk in that food is about to be absolute Fuego. That said the pupusa's here are by far. My favorite thing on the menu doesn't matter which one you go with I've had them all I like being able to know whatever I get on the menu it's going to be good. There's plenty of space to sit down inside lots of tables and like I noted above there is a salsa station. My preference is still to get it to go and it doesn't matter whether you order ahead of time or you order right there. It's always quick. 10 out of 10 would recommend.

    RACIST EMPLOYEES!! The women behind the counter are rude…read moreand will talk about you in front of your face. I ordered a pupusa with beans and cheese and was served a pupusa with just cheese, so as Im walking up to the counter they are saying "looks shes coming to complain" (all in spanish thinking I cannot understand them). As i'm standing there explaining to them they are going back and forth making snide remarks. The woman I was speaking to even asked if I spoke spanish and then continued to talk out loud complaining about me. - I understood every word. How childish to complain and whine when its your mistake Just ugly behavior from ugly women.

    Photos
    Counter
    Counter
    Pupusas combo
    Pupusas combo
    Menu boards across the whole counter!

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    Menu boards across the whole counter!
    Bistro Habanero

    Bistro Habanero

    4.0
    (303 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $

    One question...where has BH been all my life? It's a great little hidden treasure, and I hope they…read moreget plenty of business since I just found them. They are on McCarran and Rock, behind the gas station on the corner. Huge inside, clean, and nice ambiance. Music would be nice, but not too loud. The menu is on the board, but I think there is more to the menu that just what's there. Seriously though, this is really good Mexican food at a great price. Fresh ingredients, and excellent selection. Fish and Shrimp tacos are on the menu, and you can have them grilled or breaded (grilled is my jam). I had a Habanero Bowl with steak and it was filled with yumminess. Steak in every bite, fresh guac, and the pico was next level. Heck even the chips were warm and fresh. It was ready to go in 5 minutes. I'm thinking of grabbing a bowl after work when I don't want to cook since it's close. My caveat is that Mexican food is my least favorite (I'm more into Asian/Indian flavors) So for me to be this excited and happy for Mexican food is a bit unusual. I'm looking forward to trying more. Well done!!

    Absolute 10/10!! Beyond excellent service. Always super nice and accommodating every time without…read morequestion. I am completely obsessed with the round tortilla chips and both green salsas. And it is an absolute must to put both green salsas on whichever you choose. It's just so good! The first thing I ever tried was the regular chicken quesadilla and I was instantly hooked. The chicken is perfect so flavorful, and has the right amount of cheese. Same thing with the stacked quesadilla which has a fried flour tortilla inside, genius! The only thing I haven't liked very much so far is the suizo burrito. The cheese sauce got cold very quick and the Carne Asada was a little too fatty for me. It's more of a personal preference and not anything at all wrong with the food. The flavor was still very good with everything else. I'm so excited to come back and try out the rest of the menu items, especially the items from the online menu (not listed in restaurant) such as the Carne Asada fries and nachos. Many thanks Bistro Hanbanero crew! Can't wait for the next visit.

    Photos
    YELP hours are WRONG! These are the hours from the website!
    YELP hours are WRONG! These are the hours from the website!
    Tacos my buddy got and the salsa's
    Tacos my buddy got and the salsa's
    Bistro Habanero

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    El Paisano Restaurant - mexican - Updated August 2026

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