I got a chance to visit this (El) Salvadorian restaurant today as I was in the neighborhood of…read moreGreen Valley Ranch midafternoon for a business matter I needed to take care of and here is how it went. I'll admit; I am still new to this cuisine and yet I've been to a really good restaurant that boasts this type of food in the central Denver. Having that memory still fresh in mind, when I discovered this place accidentally today, there was no need for me to waste time to second guess about the food. The restaurant is easy to spot; its restaurant name is clearly on the front of the building with big letters. Its boastful existence to let people know about it is something I can appreciate. My anticipation was high due to its current ratings of near-perfect 5 stars. Whereas I've been to places where I truly thought they were simply overrated, I was under the impression that this place was an exception. Upon entering the eatery, a bright pastel colored mural (or wall painting I should say) with restaurant name on it was right in front of me. Its vividness - as if to say that it depicts the colorfulness of the dishes they serve - was a sure indication that it is a diverse restaurant with flavorful cooking. This also enhanced my anticipation. While I was taking some photos at the reception that was unmanned, a young lady eventually came to me with a welcoming voice. She then immediately asked me if I was there for a dine in or to go to which I said to go. The menu is a good size. Colored pictures with easy-to-understand dish name and the description, no person gets confused with what they have to offer. My intent was to get me a few small side dishes and yet as soon as I saw the "Paradise Plate" ($31.95 as of June 14, 2025), I was like, "why not?" even though I wasn't there to buy a huge plate to be shared with someone else. If you visit this place for the first time, this dish is recommended as it has everything. And the portion is huge (this can be easily split between two people.) The plate contains 3 traditional pupusas (which you'll be asked to choose from the traditional pupusa section), 1 chicken or pork tamale, 1 corn tamale, 1 savory empanada, fried yucca (2 pieces) and fried plantain (2 pieces) are all in 1 plate. On top of that, coleslaw type salad/veggie and red sauce accompanied the whole thing so when the young lady handed me my food, the plastic bag was quite the weight. Oh my goodness, what did I just get??? As a tradition of mine, as soon as I got to my car, I immediately opened the bag and then I was like oola la, I realized that I simply got waaaaaay too much food for one person. Sound like I was complaining and yet I was filled with unexplainable joy that filled my heart and mind. Some were deep-fried, some were pan-fried or oven-baked. However they were cooked, their rich and oily flavors with all kinds of spices and ingredients were all over my mouth. I ate some of it in 2 separate sittings and yet the container still had plenty of food left for me to morsel the next day. No wonder this place has 4.5 stars by people who experienced the goodness they offer. Let's not forget. The restaurant is a good size. It was clean. It's got some bar seating perfect for solo diners. I wonder how crowded it gets on a peak lunch or dinner time. Anyway, I am not sure how many (El) Salvadorian cuisine restaurants that exist in the greater Denver area and yet, this must be ranked one of the top 5 for sure. I may still like the one on Colorado Boulevard as it's a lot closer to my house (for a convenience reason), this place checks for great food and service. Whereas I thought some of the foods were a bit too oily to my liking, its overall food quality speaks for itself as to why people fancy this restaurant. For those who live in the Green Valley Ranch neighborhood, lucky them!

Been craving pupusas and these were fantastic and freshly made. Small, clean location in a fairly…read morequiet strip mall the SE corner of Hampden and Chambers with a friendly staff. We tried the Serrano & cheese and the Pork, Bean & Cheese pupusas. Served with a house sauces and slaw, these were hot crisp and tasty with fresh Serranos throughout. I suggest sharing 2-3 to try the flavors for two people. We could got three and had leftovers. We will be back to explore the menu.

What a nice discovery! I stumbled upon a family-owned Colombian empanada restaurant today and I…read morecouldn't be more excited. Their location is a bit of a disadvantage as it's in a small strip mall that looks quite rundown. I am not sure if anyone would notice it unless otherwise told by someone. The time was a little before 9am on a Monday. When I stepped in to the store it appeared that I was the first customer for the morning. And when I saw the surprise look on the lady's face upfront it looked like I was someone who was least expected (LOL! Was that a good thing or bad thing??) The glass showcase upfront only had three different kinds of empanadas. The tags were all written in Spanish so I asked for assistance from the lady which one was what etc. to which her husband stepped in to correct what she said for a few items. LOL. Right next to the lady stood a young girl who appeared to be her daughter. And the man who was in the open kitchen appeared to be the husband to the lady. They were all there to assist me. They were very warm, appreciating my business. The husband even asked me what my ethnic background was to get to know me. I really appreciated this element of being personable. To be frank, I like baked empanadas. At this restaurant, they make them deep-fried (deep-fried ones are, of course, a bit greasier than baked ones.) And yet I didn't want my assumption to deter me from trying them. As I have already mentioned the selection is/was quite small. I wasn't certain however that they make more where I was in the store too early when they hadn't started the day with their full lineup. At the time of arrival, they only had three kinds: Pollo, Pollo and Huevo and Beef. My thinking wasn't sharp enough so I went with Pollo and Pollo and Huevo (I later regretted of not getting me the beef in place of the Pollo). Each empanada is $7 as of ealy June 2026. And they are a good size. After they carefully packed my two empanadas in two separate containers the husband asked if I wanted to some drink to go home with. Their freshly made juices looked really tasty and yet I politely said no to his kind gesture. Once home and settled in, I finally had a moment to take a closer look at the beautiful empanadas. I carefully cut them in half to investigate what the inside looked like. They were (fortunately) packed with the ingredients described by their item names: Pollo (chicken) with only chicken and Pollo and Huevo (chicken and egg) with only chicken and (hard boiled) egg with much generosity. Very simple and yet sometime too complicated confuse people's taste buds so I found them well-crafted with simplicity. These packed/dense empanadas are protein rich with all sorts of goodness. And to my surprise, they weren't greasy at all. And their accompanying two sauces became a hint of something to add to the already flavor-rich empanadas. Family-owned, friendly and personable service, authentic flavors to name a few, this is a small business that I can appreciate so much. I remember the husband telling me that the restaurant opened about a year ago. This humble business is now one of my favorites.

Ay, qué rico. A cornucopia of Colombian temptations has recently sprung up in the…read moreMississippi/Peoria stripmall also containing Zula, Takero Mucho, and Diverse Culture Market among others. Let's do a bit of "exploración" at La Empanada. The business (whose full name is in fact La Empanada - Antojos Colombianos) offers a true taste of Colombia, from snacks, to main courses, to beverages. On that latter note, why not try a cup of caramel-kissed oatmeal (Avena con Arequipe) or even some fermented cassava drink (Masato) before planning your next move? After all, you'll need plenty of energy to choose between Papas Rellenas (mashed potatoes stuffed with beef and eggs), Buñuelos (springy, cheesy donuts), Pasteles (chicken/cheese pies), and - of course - Empanadas in a variety of flavors. If you still have a bit of space, don't despair, as larger dishes are on offer here too. The variety depends a bit on when you visit, but nevertheless you might get to try Pepitoria (goat-offal stew), Costillas (pork ribs), or even chicken with a yellow passionfruit (Maracuyá)-based sauce. And there's even more beyond all this, so stop by and get to snacking.

Excellent place. I still have to try many other entrées, but so far; great!…read more Easy menu, good flavors, great ambiance and easy free parking lot.

Delicious chicken and plantains. White rice was undercooked and hard, or just dried out..read more

We found this spot in Hoffman Heights. So glad we stopped in--fresh squeezed lemonade, large soft…read moresteak & eggs taco in a corn tortilla & deep fried enchilada--$20. Everything was great tasting and made fresh. Friendly family run eatery. No English menu but good pictures to help with my rusty Spanish. Try this place out!!

if you like extra protein this is the place to go!…read more si quiere extra proteina en su comida este es el lugar indicado!

This place is the definition of hole in the wall BUT for all the right reasons. Small, authentic…read moreand amazing pupusas. Pupusas are thick, stuffed corn masa filled with things like cheese, beans, pork, fish and grilled. We started with the curtido, which is the traditional Salvadoran pickled cabbage slaw. Tangy, crunchy relish made from finely shredded cabbage, carrots, pickled in vinegar. Our party of two decided to share the mixto. This hit the right spot because it had everything from savory to sweet and more. Two pupusas, fried yuca, banana leaf tamale, sweet corn tamale, fried plantain, plantain empanada, savory empanada, sour cream and cheese. For those looking for a little spice in their lives, you can pick your poison. Watch for this salsas, you've been warned. Stop in and experience the taste of El Salvador!

This was an absolute amazing find during my trip to Colorado. These are legit, homemade pupusas and…read moreman was I happier than a bug in a rug Located in a packed small plaza, Pupusas Lover delivers on flavor and authenticity! The place is small but definitely cozy and inviting. The staff are kind and treat you like family. The food was absolutely amazing and some of the best I've had in a long time. The pupusa was perfectly balanced, it wasn't under or over stuffed. The tamal was perfectly sweet and was balanced out by the saltiness of the crema it was served with. The maracuya tastes just like back in Miami. Next time I'm in Colorado I'm making it my mission to stop by here again.

4 stars for friendly servers! But the 2 stars is for the food and speed of the food. We had a group…read moreof 6 and unfortunately only half of our meals were really good and the other half weren't even close. The ceviche had bad fish and the tamale had nothing but pork fat. It was expensive for lunch and what we got. I enjoyed my lunch but I don't think that I'll be going back.

CHEWED GUM FOUND IN FOOD. We were given a small dish of…read moreroasted nuts and decided to try them. One of my friends stopped chewing and looked in horror at what she pulled out of her mouth. Someone had stuck their chewed gum in the peanut dish. I signaled the waiter at the bar and let him and another guy standing there know what had just happened. The other man standing there actually said, "Yeah, that happens a lot. . .but usually people stick their gum under the table." There was no attempt by anyone to come over and apologize nor to see what could be done to help rectify our experience. My other friend who had gone to the bathroom while all of this was going on, said that the bathroom was left very sloppily- a trash bag left in the sink, wet floor that someone could have slipped on.... not a good first experience, to say the least.

The tacos here were pretty good and made fresh to order which I always appreciate. I got the Al…read morepastor, steak and chorizo. All of them were flavorful and delicious, I think for me the tortilla tasted a bit off and not the kind I'm use to. I also got their ceviche and it was kind of dry and not very flavorful, so I think I will not get that if I come here the next time. I'm gonna probably stick with my taco spot since it's cheaper than here and tastes better.

I have seldom been disappointed by a tiny taqueria- this was no exception! We had asada and pastor…read moretacos, both were excellent, served FULL with cucumbers and radishes. The storefront is small but they give you a pager so you can wait in your vehicle if you want. It was very quick. We also had horchata which was huge, well spiced, and sweet.

Comida SÚPER rica!!!! Recomiendo 10/10!!! Recomiendo una Baleada, las popusas, pasteles, y plato de…read morecarne asada! Food is AMAZING! Recommend 10/10!! I recommend a baleada, popusas, pasteles, and carne asada plate!

This place is a hidden gem! Authentic Honduran food we went here for my birthday lunch and it was…read moreso delicious. Highly recommend anything on the menu. Especially the baleadas and pupusas! Friendly staff and fast service. Go there now!