Restaurant that focuses on Salvadorian food and they use a wood fired hearth to do a lot of the cooking. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The space is vibrant and can get pretty packed (we came in on a Friday evening).[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service is friendly and helpful and they also serve fun cocktails here. I was in the area and decided to grab dinner here with some family, which was great since the dishes are designed to be shared. We started with the guaca- mol and tamal. We then ordered each of the three pupusas they had on the menu, the pollo en chicha, and some broccoli asado. We ended the meal with a tres leches cake. Without going into too much detail with each dish, I would just say that we loved everything we ordered. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Just the whole experience was a delight. The hospitality, the cultural aspect, and just the fun vibes.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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Food: Wings didnt live up to the hype. The braised lamb necks were crazy though, would order again Service: Staff and team were nice and attentive, willing to provide info about the menu. Ambiance: [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nicely lit and has a fine dining feel to it.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Popoca Oakland - wings - Salvadoran Near Me - Oakland, California

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Popoca was a fun fining experience! This did bring a fun elevated experience to El Savadorian food, but thought some of the execution and flavors fell a bit short and were not mind blowing. We tried each flavor of each pupusa offered, which were all delicious. I recommend you eat these ASAP, as they come out a bit crispy when freshly prepared, but get soggier quickly. The drinks were fine, but nothing too special or different. The trout was kind of salty, this entree was a bit disappointing. The mackerel appetizer was probably my favorite. It was smoked, so it tasted pretty fragrant and was a nice blend of flavors, but the crackers seemed a bit juvenile to pair it with. Overall it was good, but nothing is making me need to go back! read more

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Located across from Swan's Market and in the shadow of the Marriott in downtown Oakland, Popoca sits just around the corner from the beautiful Victorian Row in historic Old Oakland. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is stylishly designed with high ceilings and three distinct dining spaces. As you enter, the bar and a dining room are on the right--I especially loved the two window tables overlooking Washington Street. Another indoor dining room is on the left, and there is also a pleasant patio.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]On a Saturday evening, the restaurant was completely full.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was prompt and friendly, though the kitchen was somewhat slow. We weren't in a hurry, so it wasn't a major issue. We ordered one appetizer, two pupusas, and one main course, which was plenty for two people. YUCA CON ANCHOA This dish features fried yuca topped with marinated anchovy, pepescas, tarragon cream cheese, and macerated onions. I love both anchovies and yuca fries, so this sounded like a delicacy. Unfortunately, all I could taste was salt, which overwhelmed the other flavors. PUPUSA DE LOROCO A traditional Salvadoran masa dough filled with melted cheese and chopped loroco buds--an edible flower bud often described as tasting somewhere between squash and asparagus. PUPUSA DE BACALAO Y AJO VERDE Filled with salt cod, green garlic, potato, and cheese, this pupusa had a mild and delicate flavor. Eating the pupusas plain allowed me to appreciate the mildly sweet, earthy corn flavor of the masa, with its pillowy-soft interior and lightly toasted, crispy exterior. The fillings--whether loroco or salt cod--were intentionally subtle and paired beautifully with the gooey cheese. The balance of flavors and textures was outstanding. I've eaten quite a few pupusas over the years, and these were the best I've had. They were served with curtido, the traditional crunchy, tangy, lightly fermented cabbage slaw. I usually enjoy curtido, but this version was extremely salty, making it difficult to eat. GALLO EN CHICHA A Salvadoran chicken dish glazed in a rich fermented pineapple sauce flavored with spices and dried chiles, somewhat reminiscent of molé. It was beautifully presented. Unfortunately, the chicken was undercooked, just as another reviewer had noted. The sauce was also quite heavy on salt. The cocktails were tasty, although they seemed light on alcohol. Normally, I can only manage a few sips of a cocktail, but these barely registered. Next time, I may try one of the Salvadoran non-alcoholic drinks instead. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was relaxed, lively, and fun.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was warm and attentive, though the kitchen could use some improvement. I had been looking forward to dining at Popoca. I love this part of Oakland and hoped this would become one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants. Unfortunately, the kitchen didn't quite deliver on that expectation during this visit. Oakland and Berkeley are not short on Salvadoran eateries, but Popoca distinguishes itself as an upscale and beautifully designed dining destination. Now the food simply needs to rise to the same level. I'll give it another try and hope this experience was just a fluke. read more

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So so so good. We rolled up on Saturday and had reservations at 5PM. The non res line was very long but it looked like they worked through it. [[HIGHLIGHT]]They have a nice outdoor patio.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] They have a tasting menu for 80/pp but we just kind of picked through a few options and enjoyed it all family style. One of my favorite dishes was the mackerel, and tbh I usually hate mackerel so I was blown away when it was one of my favorites. All the cocktails we tried were delicious too. All four people in our party decided we would be back. Do yourself a favor and try it before they get a Michelin nod and you can't get a res. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]This was such a memorable date night spot for us![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Vibes were chill and relaxed, food was bursting with flavor, and service was on point.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We really enjoyed the guaca-mol, the fried shrimp, and the lengua pupusa. We had such a fun time ordering a variety of small dishes. Would definitely come back! read more

Popoca Oakland - Lengua pupusa, pollo campero - Salvadoran Near Me - Oakland, California

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Such a great spot! The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. Everything we tried was delicious, and the service was warm and welcoming. I'd definitely come back. read more

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I was looking for a place to eat for dinner near my hotel. Popoca popped up as the top recommendation on my Yelp search. Having never had Salvadoran food before, I was eager to give it a try. As a single diner, it was immediately seated. I asked my server for suggestions, and I went with three dishes. The food came out in about 10 minutes: - Pupusa de bacalao y ajo verde: Good. A very homely dish, but still plenty of sharp flavours. - Yuca con hagos: Good. Probably the dish where I didn't know most of the ingredients, but still made great bite. - Pollo "Campero": Very good. The one dish that would be most familiar with most diners - it was very crispy, and had a surprising sweetness, which was really nice. Service was attentive and friendly. Very good. Overall a nice dinner. For me, it was nice introduction to Salvadoran cuisine. I look forward to trying it again. read more

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Came across this restaurant on Yelp with some great reviews, so we decided to give it a try. I've always loved pupusas and was excited to try their version. We started with a few michelada cocktails, which were pretty tasty. Based on our server's recommendations, we ordered the chicken wings, a cheese pupusa, some clam dishes, and a seafood soup. As expected, the pupusas were my favorite. The other items were just okay--especially the seafood soup, which had a thin broth and lacked flavor. The highlight of the experience, though, was the service. Our server was friendly and attentive, which made the visit more enjoyable. read more

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Been wanting to check out the brick-and-mortar since trying the popup at Classic Cars West pre-pandemic. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Overall a lovely, aesthetic experience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 2 of us shared 5 small plates, 2 beers, and a dessert for ~$100 plus tip. Friendly, helpful server. Highlights for me were the summer squash and queso pupusa, chicken wings w/ escabeche (pickled veg), and beet salad. Salt cod pupusa was not too flavorful. Portions are on the smaller side. read more

Popoca Oakland - Guacamole w/ smoked yolk and sugar snap peas, chicken wings w/ escabeche, beet salad w/ trout roe - Salvadoran Near Me - Oakland, California

So we finally went to Popoca! Overall it's nice, is it very nice? No! Is the food good? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely Not! Read of for more details! [[HIGHLIGHT]]First of all about the ambience of the restaurant: it sounds fancy (music choice wise but very loud), visually - not bad but no one wants to see open electric fuse box in a fine-dining restaurant![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The space is very tight but I can understand that![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 8 out of 10. Service: the waiter is great, service is great although a lot of waiting (I mean really a lot), the menu size is very small and the change menu items so not sure what's the long wait for! We spent an hour and half there with 60% of time waiting (I am a mathematician by training so it's not an exaggeration) Food: we sampled the entire sound (may sound a lot but it's just 1 main dish, 1 side, two appetizers, two dessert items and 1 alcoholic and 1 non-alcoholic drink)! We ordered the pupusa (with cod), Guaca mol (this is great honestly). Both of them are good with Guaca Mol is very very good! In main dish we had chow Mein with shrimp, mussels and calamari. The sauce and the noodles and great, come with veggies too. The quantity is tiny!! I didn't like a mussels (it's overdone), calamari is good! Overall the main dish is good too! We ordered rice and bean on the side. Our first bite feels so salty! (Over seasoned to the max). But the beans are very smooth and good! Rice is a bit underdone but not a big deal! We ordered flan and tres leches for dessert! The flan was a bit more sweet than my tastebud, tres leches was egg-cellent (writing this review on Easter's so couldn't resist)! We ordered martini colada and Puchica (NA drink), both are good! Although I need to warn you folks, martini colada is strong AF! So be careful, don't drink and drive back home! I tried a sip as I don't really like very hard drink and I needed to drive us back home! Overall it's a nice restaurant, if you are going here to sample, it's a great place! If you are going here on the way to McDonald's - it's great too! But if you are going there for dinner and coming back home - maybe you need to eat a snack before bed! Quantity is small (often the case in a fancy place but that doesn't mean it's justified), price is high, but the taste is good! Overall is it worth visiting again - absolutely not! I am giving 4 stars mainly based on taste! read more

Popoca Oakland - Flan - Salvadoran Near Me - Oakland, California

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Definitely an experience! First off, place looks great, loved the vibes and the staff was super nice. We ordered a little bit of everything just to give it a shot and mainly because I wouldnt try similar dishes at another salvadoran restaurant. Everything was quite good, the pupusas are really my only gripe. Only having 3 options and none of them chicharon was a slight problem for me. While I forced me to try the other ones, when you are craving a simple chicharon con queso, it just feels missing. My favorite was the Pollo campero and the sauce it came with. Overall, unique restuarant and an upscale for the foodies style restaurant. read more

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Beautifully presented and delicious food & cocktails. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The interior is cheerful, and I especially loved their dishware, which matched the menu so well.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was really friendly. Will def be back! read more

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What an incredible introduction to Salvadoran cuisine. My new favorite thing is a pupusa, El Salvador's national dish. Popoca's version was made with homemade masa, filled with squash and cheese, and accompanied by flavorful sauces. The beet and new potato salad, with crème fraiche, trout roe, and mint, was from the gods. My most favorite of the evening. The braised chicken was just okay, delicious, but it didn't match the flavor bombs of the above two dishes. If I could do it again, I'd skip an entree, order another appetizer (the grill-charred broccoli rabe looked divine) and a dessert. The space is in Old Oakland in a proud and restored historical building with good bones and lofty, airy ceilings. We sat in the back courtyard, near the grill. Inside or out, there seems not to be a bad seat in the house. read more

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Came in last night for an impromptu dinner with my sister. No reservation, but we were seated right away. We didn't get a traditional table and ended up with seats near the bar, which we actually loved. Right from the start, the hospitality stood out. The hostess was incredibly warm, and one small detail completely won me over: lactaid pills at the hostess stand. That alone deserves major praise. It allowed me to enjoy the full menu instead of limiting myself to dairy-free options. Whoever thought of that needs a raise! Now onto the food -- absolutely divine. We ordered the guacamole, pupusas de lengua, pupusas de hongos, pollo en chicha, and the Salvi side plate. Everything was packed with flavor. The pupusas were perfectly made, the salsa was delicious, and the curtido was so good we asked for more. I'd never had lengua in a pupusa before and will definitely be ordering it again. We also had the pleasure of meeting the chef and owner, Anthony, who recommended a sparkling Riesling that paired beautifully with our meal. Between the food, hospitality, and thoughtful touches, this place has officially earned a repeat customer. read more

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Excellent experience!! Food was exquisite, and sizable portions. Only train we didn't order dessert Service was great too. We will be back! read more

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I stopped by Popoca on a whim without a reservation, and I am so glad I did. From the moment I walked in, the service was incredible. The person at the front desk was so sweet, she managed to get us a table within a very reasonable wait time and was incredibly helpful with the menu. I asked for her personal recommendations, and she steered me toward the Puchica cocktail, which was crisp and refreshing. Per her suggestion, I also ordered the Pollo Campero wings, and they were easily the highlight of the meal. They were perfectly crispy with a slight sweetness from the panela that balanced beautifully with the hot sauce and escabeche. We also tried: * Ensalada Rusa: The combination of potatoes and beets was delicious. * Pupusa de Loroco: Perfectly cheesy and authentic. * Quesadilla & Horchata de Morro: For dessert, this pairing was the perfect finish. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The entire restaurant smells like home, filled with the most amazing aromas.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] As someone who grew up with these flavors, this meal genuinely took me back to my childhood. Thank you, Popoca, for embracing Salvadoran cuisine and culture so beautifully. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The environment is warm, the staff is wonderful, and the food is soulful.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I can't wait to come back! read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Good food and a good ambiance in Old Oakland.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was good as well. Overall a good experience especially with the chase sapphire dining credits. read more

Popoca Oakland - ALMEJAS EN ALGUASHTE - Salvadoran Near Me - Oakland, California

It's been a while since I've eaten in downtown Oakland but my friends wanted to meet up for dinner and we had a good experience at Popoca. There were four of us and when we saw that they offered a tasting menu, it made ordering easy. The tasting menu came with three appetizers, the pupusas, a main entree and a dessert. The three appetizers that night were the guaca-mol, ensalada rusa (beets, potatos, cabbage, trout roe) and yuca con hongos (yuca, mushrooms). All three were good but the yuca con hongos was my favorite. Next, they served three kinds of pupusas - veggie, mushroom and beef tongue. I really like the beef tongue pupusa. Pollo con chicha was our entree and I really liked the sauce. For dessert, they gave us a chocolate horchata drink with some cheese bread. It was nice way to end the meal and we were all stuffed in the end. The restaurant is "business casual" but with high ceilings and a great outdoor space. It gets loud and busy. Service was on the slow side. The price for the tasting menu is $80 per person but with tax, tip and drink, this ended up being $120 per person. It's a great spot for dinner after work if you are in the area. read more

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Popoca is a poppin Salvadorian restaurant in Oakland. We came for a nice dinner on a warm night. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were sat in the back patio which was gorgeous! It was so welcoming, there was an outdoor grill station for some of the dishes, it was super fun to watch the chef in action![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] They have a great menu, a little something for everyone. We are family style. We started with 2 N.A. beverages, the Mima: Chicha, tamarind, agave, chamomille, lemon, orange bitters, tonic water which was so refreshing and light, and the Michelada N.A. which was so good, very tamarind/sour note forward which was savory. The drinks were so good, well thought out for the flavors. We started with Yuca con Hongos which was very good. The yuca was so crispy, but there were not too many mushrooms on the plate. We got some pupusas, bacalao y ajo verde and the pupusa con lengua. Both were fantastic, my favorite was the pupusa con lengua, the meat was incredibly juicy, flavorful. We got the chancho con yuca, which was a big juicy pork chop! It was very good, the yuca was more of a mashed potato consistency. The sauce was super good on the pork chop. For dessert we got the tres leches which was the best sweet treat! It came with brown butter crema, candied pistachios, and strawberries. It was stunning. I highly recommend trying Popoca! read more

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Came here with a friend this place came highly recommended. This place is very busy so reservations are really recommended. I saw a bunch of people walking in with a packed bar and walked away due to the wait. This place service was really great. Everybody was very friendly and engaging ambience busy not too loud and good Vibing music playlist can' change so don't hold me to that. In addition, we got a good amount of food to share. We got all three pupusa's, which are good. Seems like the menu does change on the starters and one of the pupusa's so be mindful and don't come with expectations besides leaving with a happy belly. Also got the Pollo Campero wings and the phone did not eat first since I wasn't able to grab a picture. Definitely would come again. With a rezo to enjoy everything a bit better. read more

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Made reservations via Open Table for the Chase Sapphire Reserve dining experience and everything worked out perfectly with Chase! The dining credits reflected as soon as the charge was processed successfully, which was about 2 days~ just wanted to mention for anyone else who's interested in dining at Popoca using CSR! Onto the food and dining experience- we were seated immediately, but were quite surprised that we were taken to the back outdoors to be seated at a communal table with another couple, even with our reservation. It was not packed at all, hence our reservation was pretty late into the evening (9:15 PM). There were lamp heaters to keep us warm, but it would have been nice to experience the actual restaurant indoors. Either way, the service and food were just OK. We ordered quite a bit to share, but enjoyed the lengua pupusa the most. The chicken wings (pollo "campero") had a nice crunch and had a sweet glaze, and the beet potato salad (ensalada rusa) was interesting, but the mussel enchilada was our least favorite- the black bean butter kinda ruined it for us. I'd skip the mussels and perhaps try the clam dish. For the drinks, we attempted to order two different cocktails and were told both were sold out. It was kind of awkward for us to keep ordering drinks off the menu and constantly being told it was sold out. It would have been nice to provide us with some available alternatives instead. So of all things on the menu, don't skip on the pupusas- I would say that's their main star! read more

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We celebrated a dear friend's birthday at Popoca last Friday and it was perfect. The ambiance was inviting and cozy, the noise was lively without being too loud and the food was flavorful and easy to share. The servers were knowledgeable and offered suggestions. They were very cautious and aware of allergens and dietary restrictions. Parking was normal for the area - had to circle around once maybe for street parking. Overall highly recommend and will eat there again. read more

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Kiss to the chef for the delicious Mackrel. I've had it so many ways, and nothing comes close to this. I recommend asking for their hotest salsa right away to pair with their Popusa, Gucamole, or Mariscada. Thank you Andrew for taking care of us during such a busy time at the restaurant! read more

Popoca Oakland - Mackerel - Salvadoran Near Me - Oakland, California

We were here for a date night. We had to sit at the bar because we didn't make a reservation so I highly recommend making a reservation. But the bar was very beautiful and the bartender made us a really nice nonalcoholic cocktail. It was super flavorful and refreshing. We got the mushroom pasta and it was okay. The flavors were kind of bland. We got the pupusa and that was a highlight for me. Great flavors, textures and beautifully plated. The desert was really good and it was a generous portion. I would say overall I wasn't blown away. Our server was the bar tender. They were very kind, fun and attentive. That was the highlight of the experience for me. The food was well prepared, fresh and different. But it's been a couple of months and I have not yet had the desire to return. I would say I'm glad I went but that it didn't leave me wanting to go back. read more

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Not gonna lie, we originally came here to use up some Visa dining credits... but wow, I'm really glad we did. This place ended up being low-key amazing, and it's probably somewhere we wouldn't have tried otherwise. Everything we ordered was super fresh, and the vibe inside was perfect for a date night--dim lighting, cozy atmosphere, beautiful ceramics and glassware that made everything feel elevated. Service was also great throughout the night. One of the highlights was watching the pupusas being made fresh--you could literally see them grilling in the back, which was such a cool touch. And you could absolutely taste the difference. The pupusas were hands-down a standout, and honestly some of the freshest I've had. The pork shoulder dish was another favorite--so flavorful and well done. We definitely overordered (as usual) and had plenty of leftovers, but there wasn't a single dish we regretted ordering. Everything was genuinely delicious. This feels like an ideal spot for a date night or a smaller group. For larger groups, you'd probably end up ordering a lot of small plates, which may or may not be your thing--but for us, it worked perfectly. Overall, a really cute spot with great food and atmosphere. Would absolutely come back--and next time, it won't just be for the credits. read more

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Had a really good experience here! It was suuuuper packed and I don't think they had any walk-ins available so be sure to make a reservation, it seems to be quite popular. The food here is a mix of contemporary Spanish-inspired dishes. We ordered quite a few things off the menu, but they also have a chefs choice meal if you want a selection of everything on the menu. We got the scallop, chicken wings, lengua pupusa, lamb, pork chop, and the tres leches for dessert. We definitely ordered way too much food and had to take most of the entrees home, but everything was quite tasty. I think the standouts for me were the lamb, pork chop, and lengua pupusa. The flavors were complex, and each aspect of the dish was well-thought out and tasteful. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for a unique experience. read more

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Phenomenal food, great service. Inventive and non-derivative. Highly recommend. excellent wine list. Creative cocktails. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice bar, small yet comfortable[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Popoca Oakland - Pork chop - Salvadoran Near Me - Oakland, California

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Great food. Service, while friendly, was spotty. A very long time to get drinks and place an order, followed by the hostess kicking us out of the table immediately after dinner because of another reservation. If they work out a few timing kinks this place will be stellar. read more

Went here with a party of 4 for a birthday. First of all, the service at this place is top notch. Our server was very attentive to our needs and even brought out complimentary alcoholic cocktails to help us get into the celebrating mood. That brings me to my next compliment which is that the drinks at this place looked attractive and also tasted great. The alcohol in each drink was definitely present. Now the only reason that this place is not 5 stars in my book was that we thought the food was alright. Dont get me wrong, it was still delicious because we were hungry but I dont think it would ever be food we would really crave again. The dishes were eye catching and look great in pics though. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Overall I think this place is definitely a great spot for catching up with friends over drinks and small bites.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Popoca Oakland - Salvadoran Near Me - Oakland, California

I went to Popoca for the first time for their Valentines Day pre-fixe menu ($150). The menu was very filling and had a nice variety. The starters were: oyters, mackerel salpicion, and a broccoli pupusa. For the mains, we got both the carne asada and the crab chowmein. Dessert was a chocolate-filled empanada. We loved all the food --- especially the pupusa, which we would not usually order a vegetable one as well, and both mains were hearty and cooked to perfection. We ordered a few drinks to go with our meal. We sampled a few recommended wines, but all were far too sweet for our taste and opted for some cocktails. However, those were still a bit of a miss for us. Overall, the food is so delicious, and the ambiance is nice. The outdoor patio also seems like it would be lovely on a nice day. I will definitely be back! read more

Oh la la, I loved going here! Me and my fellow celebrant came right at our reservation time which was right when they opened! It was a great time to be there as we had the opportunity to pick the seat that we wanted which was at the back patio. It was a great spot and lovely to see the whole space! The service was stellar and the food was delicious ! I enjoyed mixing the peppers, the guacamole and the papusa together! The drink with Jamaica and also the tamarind mezcal were the amazing refreshing liquids we had. I look forward to coming back again. Thanks also for the complimentary poca shot! Oh dessert the strawberry flan with roasted coconuts is a must! read more

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Insane flavors / [[HIGHLIGHT]]amazing vibes[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] / cute neighborhood. 10/10! Must try the green squash and guaca-mol if they are still on the menu :) read more

The only reason I'm giving 4 stars was because we did not get a chance to dine here but I did enjoy some delicious cocktails! Went here with friends and we didn't have a reservation on Friday night Super Bowl weekend. So I totally understand how they were booked solid and the wait was an hour and a half. So we opted for another restaurant down the street. We loved the ambience and vibes of Popoca so much that we decided to return after our dinner to have cocktails there. The bartenders, hostess and chefs are like family and treat you with a lot of respect and great hospitality. The food and aroma in this restaurant was amazing so I look forward to coming back here and trying some food. They have an outdoor grill and saw lots of food on the grill looking delicious. It is really hot back there near the fire and as I walked back, I admired all the delicious plates that were coming out. read more

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Food was very delicious! My favorites were the mussel enchilada with TRUFFLE, loroco and beef tongue pupusas, and the Manila clams dish. Fried chicken wings were super crispy & tasty as well. Restaurant was very cute and cozy. They also have a covered outdoor patio seating. It has been busy the two nights we've been there. However, our car was broken into in the street nearby. Luckily, nothing valuable was in the car to take. read more

Popoca Oakland - Pupusas, mussel enchilada, fried chicken wings, Manila clams, and yuca - Salvadoran Near Me - Oakland, California

The food was super salty but the service was great! The drinks we ordered were not reach our expectation. This is not the place for Asian.

Popoca serves traditional Salvadoran cuisine with thoughtful innovation. The restaurant's design is stunning. The space is flooded with natural light through expansive windows, with verdant walls echoing the tropical plants throughout. All culminating in an atmosphere as vibrant as the food they serve. Service was equally excellent, the staff were knowledgable, attentive, and kind. The restaurant's culinary signature is their open flame, which lends char and smokiness to many of their items. Pupusa De Lengua: Absolutely incredible. I have had pupusa's before, but I never realized how good they could be. The masa is rich and bursting with corn flavor. The beef tongue is tender and has the perfect amount of umami to balance the queso, which is mouthwateringly good. Chancho Con Yuca: The sakura pork chop has been prepared beautifully here. A showcase of technical excellence, and the smokiness of Popoca's open flame is present as well. The meat's marbling ensures each bite delivers both lean satisfaction and unctuous richness. The yuca provides a creamy yet slightly fibrous bed to complement the chop. My only complaint, is the accompanying achiote sauce, vibrant and complex, appears too sparingly. A more generous usage would elevate the starchy yuca even further. Tres Leches: A stunner of a tres leches. The perfect amount of moistness. The pistachio crema also provides a solid backbone that helps maintain the structural integrity of the cake. Unfortunately, the pistachio was very subtly, and the more delicate notes were undetectable to me. I would also recommend having this with the single cup of coffee, which was a perfect pairing. read more

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I came to Popoca on 1/9/26, and I honestly can't say enough good things about this restaurant. Popoca focuses on Salvadoran inspired cuisine, and everything I ordered was absolutely delicious. I started with cocktails, and each one was memorable in its own way. My first drink was the Puchica, which was refreshing and well balanced a great way to ease into the night. My second drink was the Ixchel, and this one is dangerously delicious. It's floral, bright, and smooth in a way that makes you immediately want another. To end the night, I had the Martini Colada, which was savory, rich, and the perfect closer. The coconut fat wash really shines here and makes it a fantastic end of the evening drink. For food, I went all in (because we only live once), especially since I was wrapping up my vacation from Hong Kong. I ordered the Yuca con Hongos, which was an excellent recommendation crispy yuca paired with earthy mushrooms and deep, comforting flavors. I'm a sucker for a great salad style dish, and I definitely wanted more, but had to show some restraint knowing what else was coming. And yes... I ordered all three pupusas on the menu: * Pupusa de Loroco * Pupusa de Hongos * Pupusa de Lengua Every pupusa was fantastic, but the Loroco pupusa was hands down my favorite flavorful, comforting, and perfectly executed. The mushroom and lengua pupusas were also excellent, each bringing something unique to the table. The staff truly elevated the experience. Everyone was friendly, welcoming, and took the time to explain both the food and drinks. They were happy to offer suggestions, and I ended up going with staff favorites across the board which did not disappoint. The ambiance ties everything together beautifully: warm, romantic, earthy, and inviting. It's the kind of place where you want to linger, order another drink, and just enjoy the moment. Popoca is definitely a place you need to try out. I'll absolutely be back. read more

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Overall I'd give this place a 3.5 but going to round down to 3 stars bc the service was simply lacking and the food, while good, did not blow me away by any means. Came here last week for an office holiday get together. We got a preset chef's menu which i always appreciate bc i hate picking items at good restaurants! We had a number of interesting dishes - a guacamole, a beet salad, and of course pupusas. I kept waiting for a pupusa that had meat but unfortunately none game. We did however get a chicken dish which was really very good but i was practically full by the time i got to it. The meal finished off with a sweet cornbread and house made horchata - not super sweet, my kind of dessert! My favorites overall were the pupusa and the chicken. Very good but not mind blowing. read more

The food seems simple but the flavors are so complex and delicious!! First time I came, there was a dish served with tortillas and those tortillas were sooo good! I was hoping for more tortillas on my next visit but they'd switched up the menu--not disappointed at all! Just got more papusas :)) More people need to eat here. You're missing out if you haven't been. read more

Popoca Oakland - Salvadoran Near Me - Oakland, California

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