The food is very good and you have a wide selection of Salvadoran and Mexican cuisines. I also very much liked the service. They speak both English and spanish too :) read more

Had the worst breakfast ever! Eggs with bell pepper chorizo and onions. It was dry and tasteless!. The pupusas are not good either. The rice and beans were also nasty. The plate tasted as nasty as it looked. I had previously gone to this place and it wasn't this bad. Looks like I'm never going back. read more

I've been here at least three times in the past 12 months and the service has been going doooown hill :( This past time I took my whole family for lunch and there were more flies than in downtown Tijuana. The food is still decent, but the servers didn't look like they wanted to be there and dragged their feet around.... No smiles what so ever..., I felt like they were going for Grumpy Cat look. It will be a very long time before I give them another try. read more

For the most part, the food and drinks that I did receive was really good and up to par. I gave this restaurant two stars because the service was horrible. They made a typical restaurant rookie mistake and that's not having full staff available on a Friday night. As a result, one of my orders never made it to my table. I was unable to flag the server down as he was swamped manning the whole restaurant. I eventually walked up to him and informed him that my order was missing. When I got my order it was incorrect. When the server took my order back to get it corrected, I overheard the cook state, "well now she has to wait" as if it was my fault. At this point I no longer wanted to stay and told them to keep my order. The restaurant really needs to amp their customer service. I would come back if they fix their service. read more

Called in a phone order and the young girl on the line seemed like I was annoying her. When she answered the phone she just answered, "Hello?"...didn't even say the restaurant name. As I ordered, she still seemed annoyed that I continued to order more food. I said thank you in the end and she responded with, "Mmhm". Food was okay. Not the best pupusas, as everyone is raving about on here. Must be family or friends...or people who have never had great pupusas before. Rice is really dry, beans lack flavor. Plantains were burnt and didn't even taste like plantains. The food seems well presented on the photos posted on here, unfortunately the food doesn't taste as good as they look on the photos. I should've cancelled my order after speaking to Miss Sunshine on the phone. read more

The pupusas are great BUT the customer service is AWFUL. The servers hardly speak english and have a hard time understanding what you want. Even when they are not busy it takes forever for them to bring your order to you and even longer to get the check. They also never offer to refill drinks or chips and salsa. I think I'm going to stick to take out orders with them only. In fact if I could find another place that has great pupusas that is close to where I live I would never come back to this place. read more

I don't know why there where any positive reviews for this restaurant. Had lunch there for the first time today. The papusas were almost tasteless, the tamale some strange flavor - I barely ate a bite of it, and the plantados just some plantains fried, almost burned. And the waiter never came back to re-fill my water glass or see if I wanted anything - he was with his back turned in a corner having his own lunch. I had to ask for the check. Would never go to Kaliente again. read more

Took a good friend here yesterday cause I was craving 'pusas. Doesn't look like much from the outside but pretty clean inside. Not crowded, pusas kinda expensive then other places I've been but still good though, as always. Got some plantain desert with custard inside..ehh. I'll prolly end up here again when I need a pusa fix, pusa fix? ya a pusa fix! Oh ya they have happy hour for beer. read more

We came here at the recommendation of some local friends. We are always looking for local places to eat and we love Peruvian/Salvadorian food. It is located along San Pablo Dam Rd. It is a pretty spartan place but the seating is adequate and they have two screens to watch sporting events (the Giant's happened to be on the night we went). We ordered the fried yucca with pork chunks. The pork was flavorful, the yucca had a cabbage salad slaw that added a nice acidity to the yucca and the yucca was perfectly cooked. Some of the best fried yucca we have had. I had the bistec salvadorian style. The steak was a tiny bit tough (why the four stars) but the casamiento and sauce the steak came in was fantastic!! My wife had the filet of tilapia with another great sauce (sorry, I can't remember which one but I think was the steak sauce). The fish was moist, flavorful and was overall fantastic. Other than the steak being tough, the service was a bit slow and took a good amount of time for the food to come out, but the wait was worth it. We will definitely be back to sample other items!!!! read more

See all

Outside is not the cutest place but inside is very clean and artsy. Great cheap tasty pupusas. Definitely a good place to eat when we want to stay local. read more

Great huevos rancheros (fried eggs, over beans, cheese and tortillas). Tried a salad (the "Mexican"?) and it was great, too. I am a regular, pretty fussy about my food and I like this place. I don't care for papusas in general, so I am not basing my ratings on them read more

Their pupusas are delicious and the kids meal is a great deal. Yes, the service can be painfully slow, but they are nice and the food is always tasty and not super pricey. read more

The food is good takes a Lil long to get it... the service is wack maybe because I'm not Spanish.... I see the waitress attending to the Spanish ppl, but not not attending/checking on me or these white ppl that sat across from me... I literally had to get up & walk to the wait staff for service!!!! read more

I came here with a group of friends to support another friend throwing a fundraiser for her daughter's cancer treatment. The restaurant was accommodating to our group since we all came at different times. They gave us chips and salsa to munch on as we waited, two trays of chips per one salsa bowl. I ordered the taco salad. The salsa on the taco salad had jalapeños in it so I had to take that out but everything else in it was good, though towards the end, it all started to taste too salty and I couldn't finish it. My boyfriends dish, however was really good. I don't even know the name of the dish. He asked the server what their most popular dish was and ordered what she said. His dish came with shrimp, steak, two pieces of papusa, and refried beans. Overall, it was a great fundraiser and a great way to try new places. Thanks Kaliente Restaurant for your hospitality. read more

This place is located my hometown and on the main drag situated next to a gas station and the sheriff's office. The atmosphere is low key, the decoration is just right, the food is awesome and the bathrooms are clean. I found this place through a friend because El Sobrante isn't know for its restaurants. I ordered pupusas- cheese and bean, cheese and some plantanos with crema... yum yum.. Everything was just as it is supposed to be robust flavors and greasy!! And if it isn't hot enough for you.. they offer a wide selection of hot sauces to spice it right up. I make a point of stopping in when I am in town to get my pupusa and plantanos fix. PS. There is a fish tank so small kids can torture the fish inside by thumping on the glass to entertain themselves while they wait for the food to arrive. read more

The food at Kaliente is hot, good, and cheap! They make very good red enchiladas and the pupusas are good too. The one thing I didn't really care for was the grilled chicken. It kinda had a gasoline taste. It was weird. Also the pickeled salad they put on the pupusas was not that great, but everything else is good. read more

Came here because I was starving and it was the closest place to eat. I guess there is a dire need of another waiter/waitress because there is only 1 person serving, taking orders, etc. He doesn't seem like he's in a good mood. read more

My first el salvadorian joint so no expert on this particular place, we did have a decent cheap meal though, my first papusas were good if a little oily, tasty but. The mixed meat grill was hit n miss- some items tasty, others tough and dull. Nice plantain action though! read more

I LOVE this place and try to visit whenever I'm in the area. The pupusas are very tasty and not as greasy as some other places. They don't have the more authentic corn masa texture and taste, but I actually prefer that. The classic is the revuelta, on which I will dump an entire bowl of curtido and plenty of tomato sauce. Now THAT is Salvadorian comfort food. I have many happy memories of pigging out at Kaliente. read more

The food was generous. they give you a lot of chips to start off when you enter. They are the thicker kind of chips but tasted kinda stale to me. I ordered the burrito with steak. It arrive and the tortilla was store bought but the meat and the filling were pretty good. I'd give the filling a 3.5. The chips probably got a 1. The service was pleasant enough so that gets a 3.5. We were looked at funny for not knowing we were suppose to sit down but nobody told us how it worked when we entered. After that though the service was professional. So overall with the stale chips I'd give this place a 3 for average. read more

My 2nd visit dropped the AVERAGE rating from 5 stars to three. Clearly this visit (late one Friday evening) was nothing like the first (on a weekday afternoon). The service was horrid, the chips were stale, the salsa was watery, and the entrees were mediocre at best. I tried a pupusa since the get such great reviews here, and was highly disappointed. I'll try another afternoon someday and see what happens. read more

Ok, just ok. This place is hits the spot when you need your pupusa fix and don't feel like going to SF. Their rice pupusas are pretty good with beans. I typically go on Friday and the Sopa de Patas is good as long as its made that day. The handmade tortillas are awesome and the platanos with sour cream and beans are another fav. This place is kinda pricey but if you need the fix probably the best option around. read more

I've gone to this place a few times, my buddy Mike is a fan and he originally recommended it to me. I just had lunch here today and the food was as always..delicious! I ordered the Lunch Special, 2 veggie pupusas and a veggie tamale for $7, the pupusas taste fresh and not too greasy like you get sometimes, the tamale was also great, the customer service was excellent. My friends ordered pupusas and one ordered a turkey sandwich and he couldn't stop raving about it. They have daily specials as well and a happy hour. Definitely check this place out if you are in the area and even if you're not. read more

We had a delicious, solid meal at Kaliente. I had a chicken taco and veggie pupusa. Both were delicious and it was a nice touch that the taco came with a side salad. My boys both had nachos and the waiter was very accommodating to put many of the toppings on the side. My husband loves the turkey sandwich. We have another Salvadoran place we frequent, but Kaliente may move to the top of our list for a casual and tasty meal out. read more

If you like papusas this is a great place to eat. It's family owned and the staff are very nice. It had the distinct feel of a neighborhood restaurant. Also you can get a glass of Sangria while you wait for your to go order. read more

Terrible! I came in to eat with my daughters and the place was packed with only two waitresses, I sat for 15 minutes without even as much as " I'm sorry we are busy I will be right with you" I had to flag someone down to say we were ready to order and then I waited another 20 minutes for someone to even come up to our table at that point I said screw it, a waste of 35 minutes I will never come back read more

This place is so damn good. Tonight's my second night here and I came for tacos. The homemade soft tacos are fantastic and the prices here are amazing . Today is 2 sangria day so awesome! read more

The service was excellent and prompt. I've been coming on the weekends for several months and they never disappoint. Every time I go I have tried something new and equally as delicious as the last. Sunday funday at Kaliente is the best place for a good breakfast in the area. It is tastier and faster service than Cafe Soleil. See you next weekend! read more

Since I started working around the area. My co-workers recommended this place because of their pupusas. I would have to say that this was the first time I've had them and I really enjoyed it. I ordered their pork and cheese and also has their steak tacos. I was satisfied and kept coming here regularly. This seemed like once a week and usually go on a Tuesday because I get their chicken soup (served with vegetables and I ask for extra rice). It is the served with their chicken broth. It just hits the spot. I recommend this place if your in the area and want some authentic food. The service here of the staff are very friendly and since we've become a regular they usually know what our order is and they individually give us our own salsa for their free homemade chips. Yum! read more

I really like this restaurant in terms of good. The wait, however can be excruciating! I had to knock off a star for that. I appreciate that they cook everything fresh, but if you order pupusas to go you will wait 30 minutes so be prepared!!! read more

Our favorite restaurant in this area! Everything is made fresh and is delicious. Yes the food takes awhile, but that's because it's made fresh to order! It's great to come here to relax and eat lots of food. Our favorite dishes are the daily soups. Love their salsa as well. It's a family run business and we've always had good service. Highly recommend it! read more

We come every so often when in the mood for pupusas. But I have to say that the casimiento is the best that I've tested in the Bay Area. The 5 stars are for the casimiento. read more

Oh my god, after coming to this place, leaving tips even though I don't stay to eat. The owner called my place of business to inform everyone, that she will no longer serve me food. I have complained about the green looking pork in the kids burritos, the chunk of fat they put in my beef soup. If I'm paying for beef, I would like at least 2/3 beef not fat. In various occasions I have return the food I find old or not the right color that it should be. I couldn't believe the owner didn't gave me a chance to tell my side of the story, before she very unprofetionaly told my co-workers she would no longer serve me anything . Because I send my food back 4 times..... I wasn't aware the place have been shot down twice for rodents . GROSS!!! Be careful if you take your child to eat there and he complains of a stomach ache believe it , it is the food!!! I would give this restaurant no stars if I could! read more

This is not the place to go when you are looking for fancy California cuisine. But, if you want a nice family-run place to bring your family, and you want to eat delicious papusas, Kaliente is the place! I don't vere off too far away from the papusas -- honestly the rest has been OK, but a letdown. We go FOR papusas and plantains, and are never disappointed. read more

I have been to this restaurant several times and I keep bringing friends with me to try it. The food has never disappointed. I love the roasted vegetable salad and tropical fruit salad as well as the pupusas and platanos. The service is a little inconsistent, but acceptable . I will keep coming back. read more

I tried this restaurant recently looking for good local Mexican food. I liked the causal atmosphere and friendly wait staff. I had the huevos rancheros which has eggs as part of the dish. Other than the eggs yolks being over cooked, which I did not ask for or typically they should be, the plate was good and prepared well. I would go Back and try some of the other dishes. read more

Great service and great food! It may sometimes take a while to get your food, so preorder if you are planning on picking it up. Worth the wait, regardless. The pupas and sopa de res hit the spot! read more

Kaliente is such a hidden gem, I tend to forget it's even there. Kaliente is my FAVORITE restaurant for my Mexican food spot to go to. The food is always consistently good and the have a pretty straight forward menu and everything (yes, EVERYTHING) is delicious! I love that they offer daily specials as well. I forget what they offer on other days, but Tuesdays are tamales and Wednesdays are $2 tacos and those are usually the days I come in. Oh! They also offer $5 margaritas too! Yummmmm! The staff are cool. Can't really say they are real friendly as far as greeting you with a smile or trying to actually converse with you but they speak when spoken to and they don't seem mad when you ask for things. Guess I'll take that over a rude person that seems to hate their job. Overall I really love the food here. read more

Please do not eat in Kaliente, if you don't eat the complementary chips and salsa, they serve it to the next costumer, the cabbage for pupupas is prepared in the same sink were they wash the dishes. The tamales are in the refrigerator for weeks, they don't rotate the food. Department of sanitation should be aware of this. NASTY PLACE read more

This place is the best mexican food you would get in El Sobrante. I just found about this place and it doesn't get better than this. The food is great, if you don't mind spicy food. Well you have to know which one are spicy, i think some are not spicy at all, soo its great for anyone wanting to eat mild to spicy. I highly recommend this place, the service is great, it has a affluent menu. Its a nice restaurant that teens can afford when they want to eat out. read more