Could it be? Someplace where I love the papusas AND the tamales?!…read more I was craving chicken tamales and stumbled across La Familiar...and wished that it could've been sooner. They put a generous amount of chicken that had this delicious red sauce on it. Not sure what it's called but I loved it. They were thick, hot, and spiced beautifully. The elote tamales were, in a word, impeccable. They offered a fried option which was surprisingly delicious. The steamed ones set the bar pretty high yet here we are. Meeting and exceeding. You have the option of w/wo crema. The papusas were fluffy, filled just enough, and came with interesting fillings. I'm used to seeing pork, bean, and cheese. They offered squash (a touch of sweetness), bean and mint (literally blown away with how much I love this), and chipilin (adore). For context, Chipilin tastes like spinach and watercress had a baby. I noticed the cheese having a slight tang, but it wasn't off putting. Just different than other places I've tried. My only "gripe" (if you even want to call it that) was the curtido. It tasted good but something was off. Not off enough where I would avoid it, but it just wasn't the same. This is coming from someone who is extremely picky about that condiment. Not too fond of cabbage so maybe that's why. Now, the best for last...PASTELITOS! These amazing little pockets of happiness are stuffed with either chicken or beef and OMG OMG OMG. Every bite was pure happiness. It kinda reminded me of kibbeh. The handmade tortillas were amazing the next morning with some eggs and ricotta salata. So, if you're deciding on where to eat today, tomorrow, or next week...come here. I promise there will be something you love :D

We go here when our other Pupuseria is packed or closed. I will say this location is harder to get…read morehere and slightly more expensive which is why we tend towards our Pupuseria in Baltimore Avenue. That said, the service here is WAY better- not slow at all, they actually check on you and still use real plates (our place has gone to those paper baskets that they serve like burgers and fries in, which is fine but ...yeah!). In any event, the portion sizes are good and the slaw is awesome, we never have issues with the service but parking can be tight when they're packed. Overall solid and affordable pupusa option.

Food was delicious and service was spot on! Had chicken enchiladas. Warm salsa and chips was a nice…read moresurprise.

Came in for dinner today after a long day walking the national mall and Smithsonian museums. We had…read moredeveloped quite the appetite and the huge portions we had heard about at Samantha's were calling to us. The staff were friendly and quickly seated our party of five in one of the corners where we could easily talk. The complimentary chips and salsa were a welcome starter and then we ordered tamales, a children's chicken tender meal, chicken enchiladas and beef chile rellenos. All the food came out at the same time and it was reasonably quick too. The portions were generous and full of flavor. I really enjoyed the beef in the chile rellenos and the mild spice throughout. The enchiladas were well cooked and the chicken was tender and moist. While not the cheapest food around, it was certainly filling and a good value. I would definitely come back here.

The mojito and the food were soooo good. The steak was juicy, the rice is like butter. They grill…read moreoutside, and the extra effort to make our time in the restaurant meaningful was amazing. You need to try it!

I think this was the first time (and hopefully not the last time) visiting a Tex-Mex AND…read moreSalvadorian restaurant. While folks at my table went with Tex-Mex options, I decided to go with a Salvadorian option. In particular, I went with the Sopa de Marisocos, which was served with fish, a whole crab, mussels, shrimps, clams, and eggs. I thought the 20 dollar price tag as pretty fair considering how much seafood was in the bowl of soup. Although I thought the soup should have come with rice, I did not realize that the soup was served with tortillas. I guess the tortillas were the rice substitute. Overall, I thought the soup was very delicious and seasoned very well. I'm glad that I followed the waitress' advice and went with the addition of cream to the soup because it elevated the soup's flavor. Besides the soup, I had my fair share of margaritas. I thought the margaritas were mixed well because they were not too sweet or acidic for me. Also, the restaurant has happy hour most days until 6 pm (or was it 7 pm?). I have to say that I must visit again, because there are a lot of things on the menu that I would like to try during my next visitS. Overall, I thought the service was impeccable. Our bartender, who later became our waitress, was very helpful in making recommendations and suggestions regarding the menu. Also, she was very patient because it took us a while to finally order food - although we did order plenty of margaritas while deciding on what to eat. The restaurant is a decent size with both indoor and outdoor seating. From the way the tables are arranged, El Gavilan looks like it is very accommodating for medium sized groups. The restaurant does have parking; however, the parking lot is a bit tight.

Don't come hungry when it's busy. It took about an hour and twenty minutes to get our food after…read moreordering. We waited another twenty mins to order. We're still waiting to pay and we gave up on getting any drink refills. The food was fine but definitely not the best Salvadoran/Tex mex in the area. And it's a bit pricey, especially for items with beef or the tacos which apparently don't come with rice and beans. I often hear of the community support this place has and I really appreciate that. Still, we came to have dinner and with kids in tow, this sort of wait is untenable.

El Golfo took our order on Uber Eats. They waited almost a half hour to decide they were too busy…read moreand cancelled our order! If you're gonna cancel, do it right away - but waiting a half hour?!?! JERKS.

I decided to order carry out from here & in all my 20 years of living in the DMV I did not know…read moreabout this hidden gem in Wheaton. I walked in and it felt like I was back at my grandma's house in El Salvador, I'm talking about the colorful decor on the walls, the charamuscas in the cooler at the front, Salvadoran chips, I mean it was giving Latino vibes for sure. Moving on to the food, I ordered a pan con pollo and boy I tell you their portions are generous, because it truly is. I had to cut the chicken with the knife because of how much they packed it! Beets, coleslaw, pickled onions, hardboiled egg, and the leafy greens are all included. I also got a Hisbiscus drink (jugo de Jamaica) and it was so refreshingly good.

We always enjoy the delicious pupusas hot sauce, and cabbage salad…read more Great choice if you're looking for a friendly family restaurant just outside the beltway.

I don't know how I have never reviewed this place. This is such a cute restaurant with really…read moreincredible Salvadoran food. They have ample seating so it would be great for a bit large parties. All of their food is always super fresh, they are plantains are the best ones I've ever had and you have to dip them in their yogurt sauce. Their coffee is incredible, get it with the Horcher latte. They have huge breakfast platters that are so filling. The staff is always so welcoming and so nice, definitely a great gem.

I stopped by here for an afternoon snack. Very nice pupuseria and pleasant service…read more They have a few other locations and this one is there most recent location. The restaurant was spacious and modestly decorated with beautiful plants and colorful art murals on the walls. Pupusas were pretty good. Cabbage- slaw and tomato salsa was good.

From the outside, I wasn't sure what to expect. Popped in at 9pm on a Saturday and was solidly…read moreimpressed! After tip, spent under $100 for steak nachos, 3 papusas, a steak burrito, chicken quesadilla, and carne guisada plate. The portions are large, the meat is well cooked, and the flavors are familiar + comforting, making the experience nostalgic. The papusas came piping hot with delicious crisp cabbage. The sour cream was the star of the show for the quesadilla. And the nachos? So simple yet absolutely mouthwatering. Service was fast and friendly. We were welcomed by a gentleman who confirmed we wanted to dine in vs take out. The music was loud, but the atmosphere is casual and welcoming. Our waitress primarily spoke Spanish but she was kind and patient with me (my Spanish is rough). If you're looking for a no frills experience and a filling, quick meal, I highly recommend stopping in!

Delicious pupusas! 1 pupusa is only $2.50, what a deal! I'm in DC for a quick work errand and saw a…read moresign for authentic pupusas. I ordered two of the bean and cheese (frijoles con queso) pupusas which came with slaw and hot sauce. YUM! It was surprisingly empty inside on a Sunday afternoon but that was no issue for me. Hot fresh food made quite quickly!

The venue is very spacious and the staff are friendly. We had the crab and shrimp enchiladas, beef…read morechimichanga and a pineapple mojito. The mojito was tasty and not too sweet. The beef was pretty good, moist and a good portion. The seafood was good bit had a bit of a strong fish flavor that mad me wonder about the quality of the crab meat. The beans are regular, no extra flavor like salt, garlic etc. The fried Yucca was dry, hard with no flavor.

Sadly I'll have to agree with most of the negative reviews here about service and prices! Visited…read moreon a Saturday night and stayed for drinks and dancing. We had a big group of 20-30 people and they set tables together that sat 20-22, then we had more tables nearby as more came. There was only 3 baskets of chips and salsa for the table of 20+ and by the time I got there, none was left and I was told they asked for water and more chips several times for the past 30 mins (there was maybe one or two other couples at the restaurant besides our party, so not busy). We never got more chips although we asked at least 3 times since I arrived. Drinks had no prices shown and they don't serve tap water, only bottled (still or sparkling). The large margaritas are gigantic (glass was as tall as the 16oz bottle of water) and we ordered pitchers of margaritas, but again no prices given, so we got a surprise when the bill came. As for the food, portions were big and everything smelled great. Flavors were average to good for Tex-Mex food, nothing special. Everything was plated nicely. I got the Lomo Saltado and asked for medium rare, but it was beyond well done, so very dry. The plates are huge and very heavy and the waitress dropped one behind my friend and her shirt and purse got all splattered on! Leather purses get stained with oils! They didn't offer her anything until she and a few of us kept asking (not even a discount on her food or a drink!). At the very end after we all paid and started dancing, they kept her waiting at the table to see what the manager will do while we were dancing. Ruined her night and she got a $25 GC in return - they could've voided her payment instead because she definitely does not want to return!