Apparently this is a late night (for us middle age folk) hotspot, we got here around 9pm on a Saturday and they were packed out, we got the last table. I ordered the chicken enchiladas, a meat pie and a side of refried beans; hubby got two pupusas - bean/cheese and pork/bean. We also got refrescas, I got the melon/pina and he got tamarindo. The melon one was delish, mostly canteloupe flavor. The tamarindo was a little tart for me but still good. Important to know (and I did) but enchiladas at a Salvadoran place are not the same as Mexican or Tex-Mex enchiladas; they're what Mexican cuisines would call tostadas. Chicken, cabbage, cheese, a tomato slice, and a slice of hard boiled egg on a deep fried corn tortilla. These were delicious and the favorite part of my meal. I was worried that pickled cabbage would over power the other flavors but it didn't. They were great. The refried beans were so-so, I probably would skip them next time and the side portion is tiny. The meat pie was great though, I would get that again too. I had a bite of one of my husband's pupusas and it was good but I liked my enchiladas better. The prices here are extremely inexpensive. Our whole dinner was like $20 plus tax/tip I think. That's almost unheard of. The main issue is that they brought my food out very fast and then another 20 minutes til my husband got his. They could work a bit on timing orders a bit better. I shared, fear not, but orders should come out together. It's not a huge deal but an area for improvement. read more

My partner and I love coming here for the pupusas!! The price is super reasonable, and they are fresh and authentic. I love the tomato juice and little sides that come with them too. We got them to go and I wish I took pictures - but I probably didn't because I was too focused on how delicious they are. By the time we got home they were still super hot, fresh, and yummy! Service has always been smooth and fast for to-go orders; it's always ready when I arrive so I just walk in and walk out. Will continue to come here regularly! read more

See all

I came here because I was craving pupusas. My friend ordered for me in Spanish but they speak english also. we ordered 8 in total and it took about 15-20 minutes, like they said it would. I used the other side of the to go box to pour the tomato juice and cabbage mixed and it went well with the pupusas! I ordered 3 but was full after the second, so they are really filling. It was so good my favorite piece is when i get to the cheese so maybe next time I will get the cheese ones only. the horchata was also good but i did not need a large. When you walk in you can just tell the food is going to be good. This is based off the people already eating in their and the way their menu looks. They have a bunch of other items too not just pupusas! Overall a good place that not a lot of people know about. read more

Pupuseria Doña Azucena - pupusa- beef, beans and cheese - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

A hidden gem that you don't want to miss! Stop in for some of the best Salvadorian food in the area! Not to mention, affordable. You truly get bang for your buck here. I mean where can you go in the DMV and have a delicious meal for less than $15 bucks? Today I ordered (2) bean and cheese pupusas and a tamarindo drink. Lunch time is typically busy so you may not get to snag a table, but you can always order over the phone for carry out. If you want to travel to El Salvador without catching a flight, venture to Arlington, VA where the pupusas are made fresh to order and the locals indulge in a taste of home away from home! read more

See all

Ambiance: (4/5) It is spacious and has a home style feel. Price: (5/5) You can feed 3 people for $30 with pupusas. Price is amazing for this area. Food: (5/5) The pupusas are amazing. I have tried pretty much all of them. The Pupusa loca is very heavy but very good. Definitely try the pupusa on pollo. They aren't spicy at all, but the flavors with the cheese are very good. Make sure to eat them with the two toppings they give. The horchata has a peanut butter and cinnamon flavor which is different than anything else I've tried. Service: (3/5) Food does come out very slow (dine in or take out) In conclusion, this is a must try place. It is the only place left in Arlington for these amazing pupusas that I know of. read more

Pupuseria Doña Azucena - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Saw this place because I was craving pupusas. Let me tell you it was amazing! You can tell they make them as ordered so they come out hot and fresh! It was also a really good price of slightly more than $2 a pupusa. My favorite would have to be the cheese with the el Salvadoran herbs. It was extremely flavorful and had a fabulous cheese pull. read more

Pupuseria Doña Azucena - Cheese and el Salvadoran, chicken and cheese, pork and cheese - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

They are slow. Outside smells so bad of this place. It's crowded inside.! Can barley sit at the tables they have pushed up in the corners. I'm not even sure about the food yet because I been waiting long time to get it. read more

Pupuseria Doña Azucena - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

Absolutely amazing! I can't stop thinking about it. The staff was very friendly and were very patient with me because my Spanish is not great. Everything tasted great, even the sauce which I am usually picky about. Best off all, all of this food was only like $8. Can't beat that for sure! read more

See all

I decided today must be the day that I finally find out what a Pupusa tastes like. Upon entering the waitress asked us if we wanted a table and we were seated immediately. If you're ordering to go, someone will take your order at the counter. The menu is limited, it seems pupusas are the highlight (it's in the name after all)! We tried an assortment of the while flour (de arroz) pupusas and they were all good. I also ordered a chicken tamale. I found it to be incredibly bland and would suggest passing on this item. The plantains were delicious and I definitely recommend. read more

Pupusería Doña Azucena wins the title of The Best Restaurant in Arlington, VA for the year 2019. I have visited Doña Azucena a number of times and have always been deeply impressed by the quality of the food, the value, and the service. Unsurprisingly, the pupusas are where this restaurant excels, but they have a number of other Salvadoran specialties. Even the fried yuca is good--it's moist and chewable, which isn't always the case in life. The food. Doña Azucena has a decently sized menu, with a number of pupusa options, as well as entrees. The pupusas revueltas are particularly flavorful, voluptuous, and filling. Two or three is enough for a meal, if you decide to make a meal out of them. The price and value. The pupusas are less than $2 each. Many of the entrees are very reasonably priced as well. I went here once for lunch with two friends and we ordered only pupusas--the total bill was $14 including tax and tip. The environment. Not really a factor here. It gets busy in the evenings, especially on the weekends. But this is a good sign. The service has never been an issue. Pupusería Doña Azucena is some of THE BEST food in the DC metro area (rivaled perhaps only by Super Pollo @ Ballston and Habesha Market @ Shaw). I would highly recommend it next time you find yourself nearby. read more

This place has awesome fresh papusas. It is a very casual authentic spot. The servers are pretty good. I came here with four people and a staff member td us to seat ourselves. Once we sat we were met by a server quickly. One of us order a tamarind juice drink. I did not love it, but everyone seemed to like. We then ordered papusas and chicharron. I ordered the bean and pork papusas. They came one per order. Three is more than enough for one. The food came out within 15 minutes. The pork in the chicharron was a little drier than I prefer, but the yuca fries were great. The papusas stole the show. They were large and delicious. The dough was tasty. The filling was flavorful and plentiful. The slaw and red sauce were perfect on top of the papusas. I was really impressed and would go back in a heartbeat! read more

See all

Fantastic pupusas at an unheard of price. We got the pork with cheese, chicken with cheese and everything pupusas. I probably could have eaten just those and been full... for literally $6. All were super cheesy and contained a fine amount of meat. I also got the pasteles de carne, yucca with chicharron and two chicken tamales. The pasteles was essentially a beef enchilada... quite good. The tamales and chicarron were the lowlights of the meal. The chicharron was a little too tough for my liking. The outer crust was hard to bite into, but we were able to shred the pork off the bone. Despite unideal texture, the meat was very well seasoned. As for the tamales, they were a little too soggy and didn't hold up very well. Not much chicken inside them, more so potatoes and olives and other bits. Probably wouldn't get them again. If you're coming for the first time, stick to the pupusas and ball out on a budget. I'd recommend trying other items on the menu one at a time. With that being said, I would return and continue exploring what else they offer here. read more

See all

The pupusas are fresh, authentic, and flavorful and i never had a bad experience here.

amazing, have tried both the tilapia and steak. Wonderful both times I went. Quick and easy to access.

I need to pupu. I'm not kidding, I'm seria. BRB. ... OK, back. What to get: Pupusa de Revuelta, probably Tamale, maybe not Horchata. Why not: Because horchata is none of your business, it's not nice to listen to people's conversations. I'm a huge fan of Salvadoran food, to the extent that I know it can also be called Salvadorean food and Salvadorian food and all three are correct. The focal point of this cuisine is the Pupusa, but what some don't know is that Salvadorans make by far the best and juiciest and softest and most delicious tamales in the world. I haven't tried the tamale here at Azucena though I will next time. Their Horchata is really not good at all, but Salvadoran horchata often isn't my thing. However, those Pupusas... Absolutely delicious! There are some good ones in DC (like next door at Bessy) and some truly great ones (liek Judy downtown), but this one may even be the best in the whole region. Service was pretty nice too, and the sauce and pickle-stuff that you put all over the pupusa is also excellent here. They are cheap (under $3 each) and filling. Get the Revuelta. Even if your name is not Dona, you will still enjoy this. I'm an expert on Salvadoran food, az-u-c-now. I thought I saw John Cena here. I was like, is that-u-cena? read more

See all

Late night visit. Hard to get parking in the general lot. Theres two pupuserias in this small outlet center. Environment - Family owned. Several tables were filled with families or couples. Although in the kitchen area behind the register, there was a girl sitting on a stool while holding a small white dog. No one else flinched at this so i think it's maybe gotten too "family style-comfortable-lax" Pollo con queso (chicken & cheese) - size was good & the chicken was flavorful. Too much cheese though and the pupusa dough it self was lacking in salt. read more

Pupuseria Doña Azucena - Pupusa - chicken and cheese - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

I just recently found out about the pupusa and the pastel de carne. This was my first time trying them, and I prepared myself by reading up on the reviews. I'm so disappointed though. I really wanted to like this place. I had difficulty placing my order with the lady, who didn't seem to understand what I was saying and vice versa, compound that with the fact that I have no idea how to order. I wasn't sure if the filling had 3 ingredients or I had to pick from 3 fillings. So I said, just give me the most popular one. The thing that killed it for me was the roach I saw crawling on the counter as I was waiting for my food. I stood there shocked like deer in headlights. It was taking its time strolling across the counter, and not like scurrying along like it was scared of light. I took a plastic plate holder and flicked it off the counter onto the floor (last thing I want is for it to be a part of someone's food, especially mine) and I did the thing I hate most....STEPPED ON IT. The crunching noise was deafening. Well not really but when I play it back in my mind it gets louder and louder. Not a great start to this experience. So I stood there waiting and waiting and waiting for my order. This is definitely not fast-food, but at least the food is made-to-order and not sitting out under heat lamps or something....thankfully. My order was takeout and so when I got back to the office I saw a bag of some type of coleslaw and a bag of tomato sauce or juice. I didn't know what it was or how to eat it, and quite frankly didn't feel like eating anything that wasn't cooked thoroughly. As for the taste...I had erroneously thought they might be similar to empanadas, but nothing like it at all. Not like a burrito or a taco either. If you've never had one, this is something definitely worth trying. read more

See all

Everyone comes here for the pupusas but you must realize that they're open for breakfast too on the weekends. There isn't a menu as far as I know... But you can just ask for the typical breakfast, which is huevos rancheros-- comes with egg and tomatoes, a chunk of white cheese, avocado, and rice and beans. And also 2 tortillas.. which were pretty thick and doughy. Yum! Everything is cooked well and tasty. Good service, regular horchata, good stuff. Now I need to come back for the pupusas mmm read more

Pupuseria Doña Azucena - Huevo ranchero - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Oh the wonder that is the Pupusa - my favorite snack/lunch/dinner all rolled into one delicious stuffed tortilla. And the wonderful people at Doña Azucena possibly make the best kind you'll find in Northern VA. On a recent visit, my hubby and I ordered 5 revueltas - Pupusas stuffed with chicharron (Salvadoran-style shredded fried pork) and glorious melted cheese. Sitting at the bar, we had a lovely view of the women in the kitchen making these little pockets of goodness - rolling the masa into a ball, flattening it, slapping it onto the hot grill. What comes out of that kitchen is a perfect golden "pancake", lightly toasted and a little crunchy, that when cut into reveals a nice layer of shredded pork, expertly seasoned and packed with flavor. Oh, and of course...glorious cheese. Paired with the traditional pickled cabbage slaw and tomato sauce (served in separate bowls), and you have yourself the best meal you can have for less than $5. What's special about these Pupusas - other than being very well-made - is that the cooks at Doña Azucena are not stingy with the fillings. These things are chubby, making for a very filling meal, even if you only have 2 (which is typically my limit). Hands down my favorite pupuseria in the area. It may turn out to be yours too! read more

Pupuseria Doña Azucena - Pupusa revuelta - fresh, made to order, and bursting with flavor. - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

They charged me twice for the same order. When I called to ask that they cancel one of the two pending orders, there was a language barrier. I tried my best to communicate with them the issue in Spanish (not my first language, but I tried) but they were not helpful and they ended up allowing both transactions to go through. The food was good but not worth what I was charged for it. read more

Big fan of the loroco pupusas! Dona Azucena goes big on queso no matter which style you order, and serves up plenty of curtido and hot sauce. Takeout was quick and easy and the value can't be beat. read more

Las mejores pupusas que comido hoy fui a comer y me atiendieron súper bien las meseras nos dieron buena atiencion La mejor Pupuseria , un local pequeño comida rica y buena atiencion!! La recomiendo!!! read more

Authentic Salvadoran cuisine. Pork and cheese pupusa was good. The chicken tamal was small but flavorful.

My family has been coming here since I was a kid, and it's remained the same throughout the entire time. It's no frills; your water comes in a plastic cup and pupusas are served on a tray with paper. The food is quick, delicious, and incredibly cheap. My husband and I can come here, stuff ourselves, and pay less than $20 including tip. I do agree with other reviews that say service isn't amazing. They're quick to seat you and get you your food, but you'll be waiting awhile to flag someone down for the check. Also, the parking lot is awful; it's tiny and compact and you're lucky to even find a spot when it gets busy. read more

Pupuseria Doña Azucena - pupusas revueltas, beans and cheese, and ayote con queso - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Pupusas are indeed a delicious quick food but, not at this "Pupuseria". I was under the impression that the pupusas here would be incomparable, they were, just not in the way I imagined. When I first walked in, I went up to the counter and placed my order for four pupusa locas (everything pupusas). The woman said it'd take 15 minutes for my order. It took over an hour! For pupusas? Now that is loca! I sat patiently at a table in eye sight of the counter in front for 30 minutes and watched a man who had called ahead say he had hungry children at home and ask the staff to check a bag to see if it was his. So ordering ahead doesn't help. About 40 minutes after I placed my order, 4 ladies came out to begin making the pupusas. Not cooking them, they actually had a big ball of maiz and were just making the pupusas to put on the griddle. Eventually, more customers came. So getting quite annoyed and tired of sitting I stood up. A man told me I had to move closer to the counter if I wanted my food, so the staff could see me. He seemed to be familiar with their untimely operations. After my long wait, the employee finally handed me my food. She didn't apologize for the wait or anything. I checked to see if I had 4 pupusas they were stuffed in a small white styrofoam container. I received hot sauce and cabbage. My boyfriend asked for salsa verde. A woman said 5 minutes. We waited and then I went and asked them. They didn't seem to understand English. The employee said oh we don't have that. That was very annoying. If you don't have salsa verde which is a Spanish term just say it. Don't say wait because your busy after the customer has waited an hour plus for a food that you said will only take 15 minutes. When I finally ate the pupusas, they did not seem to be the combo pupusas. I only tasted some dry meat, no creamy beans or ooey gooey cheese. I'm used to a cheesy delicious pupusa. I do not recommend this establishment. The wait is ridiculous and then the food is not to standard. Maybe wait and go to Columbia Heights for some good pupusas. read more

See all

The restaurant has the name "pupuseria" in it, so you would expect to get good top tier pupusas. Well this isn't the case. I ordered 5 pupusas and the beans that they used were canned beans instead of beans blended and cooked by hand. This really takes the flavor away from pupusas. Also the beans were gathered into chunks which shows that they weren't even recooked properly. There are also no refills which sucks because I've been to the same establishment located in different places and they have refills. As a Hispanic I'm ashamed at the fact that they can't properly make what their establishment advertises. PLEASE RECONSIDER YOUR OPTIONS. read more

They do not make authentic Salvadoran food the pupusas are a blob of masa the torrejas aren't even authentic they poured honey on quesadillas read more

Pupuseria Doña Azucena - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Pupusas are great...Loroco con queso, chicharrones, refritos y solo queso..... I am addicted and the price is just right!!! The menu is very limited but it is very authentic to the Salvadorean roots and food. Cozy atmosphere, there serve the tamarindo juice as well as the famous salvadorean Horchata drink. Dont leave this place without have the plate of carne asada..nice piece of flank grilled steak with rice and salad! read more

Pupuseria Doña Azucena - Pupusas with cortido and tamarindo juice - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

Can't get more authentic Salvadoran food anywhere else in the DMV than here, really good pupusas

Mannnnnn, Pupusa were bussin bussin, I ain't bout hold ya. Good people, good prices, good all around

This has to be my most "favoritest" Pupuseria in town, hence the 5 stars. If you don't know what a Pupuseria is, please step out of the box you live in and go try this out-of-this-world Salvadoran dish: Pupusas! First of all, if you need to pray or do some cardio to release stress before driving to this place, do so! The parking situation makes you want to pull your hair out but you'll forget all about it after you leave this restaurant. From the moment you enter this place, you will see the smoke and 3 ladies working arduously by the huge grill to your left. There is no host to welcome you so just approach the cashier and let them know you'll be eating there, or place your order to go. Phone orders for pickup are accepted also. My nationality is Salvadoran so take it from me that I know Pupusas! I've tried a few spots in Arlington but so far, Doña Azucena has no competition. The melted cheese isn't burnt, they aren't extremely greasy, and they are just the right size to be able to eat 3 and be stuffed. Best Options: Cheese only Cheese and Beans Revueltas (Mixed): Cheese, Beans and Pork (all-time favorite!) Pupusas are normally eaten with cabbage or "curtido" (sort of like a cole slaw) and with tomato sauce, so delicious! If you catch people eating it with their hands, don't judge them because they'll probably judge you for using a fork and knife since the traditional way is with your hands. The only other thing I've tried on the menu is the empanada de plátano. Plátano is plantain, which is mushed, stuffed with milk custard and formed into a patty. It is then fried and covered in sugar. A very sweet dessert to enjoy after your Pupusas. Can't wait to return one day with more time and enjoy a bigger entree because as I looked around, it looks like this place aims to please! read more

Pupuseria Doña Azucena - Pupusa Revuelta covered in cabbage (curtido) and tomato sauce. What's wrong with this picture? My hubby using a fork and knife! ::facepalm:: - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

These pupusas were amazing. I ended up getting chicken and cheese, bean and cheese, then pork and cheese. Each was more delicious than the one before. I also got a steak but would've been happy with just the pupusas. It comes with slaw and salsa, all wrapped up. Everyone inside is wearing a mask. We got it to go but they have table set up six feet away from each other inside. read more

Okay I love everything about this place: a no-grills-hope-in-the-wall authentic Salvadoran spot. I tried the papusa with pork and cheese (bomb) and a chicken tamale (also bomb). Waitress was so sweet and gave me a chance to practice my Spanish while ordering :) Love places like this! read more

Favorite pupusa spot for the time being, it always changes. We got a Salvadoran m feast for the 15th. Pupusas (loroco, quest, quest y frijol, y tevuelta), platanos, horchata, tamales. Everything was pretty good. Wait was a little long, but expected read more

Pupuseria Doña Azucena - Latin American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

This is my go to place for Salvadorean food. The reason is because the food is made to order, inexpensive and fast.

The pupesas and the tamales were all excellent. We got an assortment for the four of us and had plenty leftover to enjoy for lunches the next day. We were very appreciative of the ample amount of the spicy slaw and salsa roja. Delicious, and a great value!! read more

Been coming here since February ever since my bf introduced me to pupusas! The flavor is amazing so every time we come here it does not disappoint! For the price and the flavor, you definitely need to try it out! read more

See all

This are literally the most horrible pupusas I had in awhile , I wouldn't recommend this place to a dog , NO MUY BUENO ! At all or what so ever , go to McDonald's and enjoy a mcchicken read more

A truly great local find, this place is teeming with locals either dining in or getting their Salvadorian fix. To start with, the staff here is incredible and kind. Besides being very attentive, the waitress realized we were discussing the drinks they had and brought us over a sample of each drink they have to let us try them all! It was above and beyond kind, and a great introduction for my dining partners who weren't as familiar with Latin American foods. I had the pupusas (of course), all in rice dough, with cheese, beans and cheese, and the "loco" - which pretty much has everything. The pupusas are surprisingly filling and I found myself full after eating only a single one, and a portion of the others. The cheese is delicious, and can ooze out of any of the pupusas that come with it. The beans are typical Latin American style and are delicious, and I actually didn't even mind the squash in the "loco" even though I'm not the biggest fan of squash. I also got the melon-pineapple juice drink, which was very fresh and a good value, but the pulp may throw off some people (the fibrous pineapple can be annoying to eat). read more

Food is great. Customer service is non existent. Waited over fifty minutes for an order. Then proceeded to tell me it was an additional 15 minutes. Never coming here again. read more