Delicious Salvadoran pupusas! We had bean and cheese, and pork. The best part is the crunchy bean and cheese that seeps out while cooking. We got four pupusas to go since the restaurant is tiny. This is not fast food; the wait was about 15 min., but this homemade food was more reasonably priced. read more

Sabor Especial - Menu - Latin American Near Me - Chelsea, Massachusetts

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This place is a hidden gem and I'm a little hesitant about writing this review because I want to keep it all to myself. I have dined-in about 6 times and I have no complaints. The place is small but the food is too good to even notice. I have tried a few things in the menu. My favorite by far is the fried chicken, it's seasoned deliciously and cooked perfect. The rice and beans are always a hit which comes with most of the dinner plates. The pupusas are very big and stuffed as much as possible which is great!! If you like them well done just ask them, they will take personal request within reason. Chicken tacos are awesome and their chicken fingers are great too. They also bring along homemade coleslaw with the fries As for the staff, it's normally 2/4 women working and they're just great. They get the job done nice and fast, and are very professional. The kitchen is the main view when you eat and I must say, one of the cleanest kitchens I've ever seen in a restaurant. Sadly I have only one picture of my experience but I will definitely post more next time I go. Thank you for your awesome food and service!! read more

Sabor Especial - Fried chicken with rice, beans and two types of salad - Latin American Near Me - Chelsea, Massachusetts

Note: Cash only Note: There is limited outdoor seating (3 tables) with shade and they do offer takeaway. My family and I ordered 2 enchiladas, a quesadilla, four pupusas, and two side orders of rice. It came out under $30 for four people and we ended up having plenty of leftovers. Prices were good, especially for side orders. Enchiladas - so delicious, lots of toppings, would definitely get again (I think they were $2 each) Pupusas - got good reviews from the whole fam, although I would have liked a little bit more filling. $2 each for queso // jalapeño // beans // or revueltas. Quesadilla - tasty but had sweet peppers in it, which I hate and will remember for the future (not docking any points for this, dw I know it's personal preference). Rice - family was split on this one. I liked it but some thought it was a little weird, might just be that we're too used to arroz con gandules lol Overall, I will probably come back for lunch and grab a pupusa, an enchilada, and maybe try out their horchata. If I ever remember to get to an atm, that is. read more

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Holy moly I love this place! I have been to El Salvador twice and I have to say the pupusas here are better than any I have had there, and I have eaten a lot of pupusas! These pupusas border on gigantic, they are made fresh (so don't expect your food to be ready instantly) and the slaw and salsa are absolutely delicious. The people who work there are more comfortable speaking Spanish but their English is perfectly fine and they are very friendly and accommodating. There are a few tables outside, one or two small tables inside, and a counter with about six or eight stools to sit at. They do a brisk takeout business as well. This is a completely unpretentious lovely little place with delicious, fabulous food. Unbelievable value for money. Cash only, by the way. We will be back! read more

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so this place is very popular with the Spanish community. there are a lot of Spanish food options and also the regular breakfast food. not fancy at all. its like being in mexico on a side street diner. but the food is pretty good read more

Sabor Especial - Western omelette - Latin American Near Me - Chelsea, Massachusetts

you might think "under the freeway" is a terrible location for a restaurant, but this place is the FIRST thing you see when you take the Chelsea exit. that got my taste buds itching right away. After a few hours of walking around in the heat we needed something cold and refreshing. I ordered Agua Fresca and was pleasantly surprised to get Cantaloupe, definitely home made and definitely delicious. My friend's Horchata was also clearly made fresh, rather than the typical kind from a carton that you get at most latin places. There are tables and umbrella's outside, but on a hot day you can escape to the tiny inside space. There is one table and a few stools at the counter. The counter is no more than a sandwich counter, it even has a big metal gate to pull down at night. The awesome thing about sitting at the counter was that we got to watch Abuela press our tortillas right there. so good. I don't know what nationality the food is, but it was very good. My vegetarian quesadilla was stuff with veggies and served with a side salad and fresh salsa. My friend enjoyed her pupusa and taco quite a bit. read more

Sabor Especial - Sabor Especial - Latin American Near Me - Chelsea, Massachusetts

Small as all hell but as authentic as it gets. One of my favorite places to get pupusas. Last time I went I ordered the Churrasco - a plate with chicken, steak and it came loaded with Shrimp, rice, and fries. Very cheap food and it is almost a steal for the quality of the food. It was so good I had to go back 2x this past weekend! I'd give it 5 stars except this isn't exactly a sit down experience for a group of people. read more

My fiancé and I decided to stop by to try this place because we read some good reviews, but honestly the food is average, a little disappointed with the menu it needs an update especially the price. read more

I've been ordering pupusas here for years now. I now live in Quincy and drive back to Chelsea just for these pupusas. They always come out steaming and overflowing with meat. The ladies wrap them in foil paper so their still hot after a 20 minute car ride back home. They are pretty large and you can get filled with just two. They always come with a side of curtido and salsa. The restaurant is intimate so it's not the best for large groups, but they do have a decent amount of chairs in their outdoor seating area. Just be aware- this restaurant is cash only. I've never tried anything here I didn't like. Seriously! Their tacos, soups, and pupusas are authentic and flavorful. The women who work here are also hard working and friendly. This is the type of restaurant that makes you feel like your eating in your abuelas kitchen. This small restaurant under the Tobin bridge is truly a hidden gem! read more

Sabor Especial - Pupusas revueltas - Latin American Near Me - Chelsea, Massachusetts

Been going here for about a month awesome food cheap prices. Definitely a hidden gen.

Been coming here for years The pupusas here are the best hands down.. Been to a few places and there's absolutely NO competition!

Had lunch here for the first time today , Really good tacos and must try the grilled shrimp with veggies soooo good . I will definitely be back . read more

Sabor Especial - Chicken tacos combo and grilled shrimp combo - Latin American Near Me - Chelsea, Massachusetts

A real authentic Latin experience. It's mainly food from El Salvador but it has several typical Tex-Mex-American dishes as well. The prices for dishes were around $7 to $12 dollars and everything I saw come out of the kitchen was insanely generous in terms of portions. I ordered the plato mixto (mixed plate) and it was delicious: a large piece of steak, several fried chicken pieces, rice and beans, and a small salad. I left very satisfied. It's a very small place (7 or so stools and 1 small table) but seems to have an area outside for when it gets warmer. read more

I came here for pupusas one night when I was vaguely drunkish. A friend of mine teaches at a school nearby, and the parents of one of her students own this place so she took me here. They were so, so nice, and even offered us tiny cups of pineapple juice while we waited. The pupusa process is always slightly drawn out, because any pupusa place worth its salt makes them fresh by hand. The pupusas here were very good -- cheesy and warm and satisfying, packaged up with the slaw that comes with them. While not the best pupusas I've ever had (the cheese was stringier than soft and gooey) they definitely did the trick late on a Friday night! read more

WOW. in the past year this place has gone DOWNHILL!!! Prices on the menu are never what they charge. Food is horrible now. They sent me a piece of chicken that was all shredded. A SOUR MOLDY piece of cheese. HORRIBLE! After calling and talking to the owner I understand why this place has gone downhill. He was so RUDE & WAS NOT sorry at all. read more

Best of the best for food from El Salvador. Do not be fooled by its external appearance - the lack of seating is well made up by the fact that this is delicious food at very low prices. You must try the pork and cheese papusa! read more

Sabor Especial - Steak Taco -- fresh Avocado w/ all tacos except Lingua. - Latin American Near Me - Chelsea, Massachusetts

Had a wonderful lunch that satisfied. took and friend and he wholeheartedly agreed. the steak was flavorful, the pork crispy and the fried plantains were light. The horchata a Salvadorian blended beverage was also a soothing companion to this wonderful meal. read more

Sabor Especial - steak, pork, plantains, salad & rice - Latin American Near Me - Chelsea, Massachusetts

This food is amazing not only for the price but because the food is generally savory and well seasoned. The staff is always pleasant, largely spanish speaking but the staff is really accommodating. The place is really small and best for takeout. I've been a fan for the past 5 years. My favorite is carne asada with rice and beans and side of yucca. read more

The food here is delicious, and very much worth the trip. My fiance and I visited here on a whim during a recent trip to Boston and I'd go out of my way to go again. The pupusas were the main show, flavorful and made fresh to order. I got the frijol con queso (beans and cheese) and the revuelto (pork) for about $4. The masa was soft and pliable, with a crackly surface, and broke away easily to reveal the dense filling. The curtido was acidic and a little sweet, and balanced out the heaviness of the pupusa itself. Alongside the pupusas, we also shared a dish of yuca fries ($6), which were crispy on the outside and melted on the tongue. We washed down the meal with strong coffee and left content. The place itself is small, with some seating at the counter inside and a table along the wall. Would be tricky for larger groups but for us was perfect. The service was friendly and fast. Would highly recommend! read more

Oh my god their fajitas were greaaaaat. As a Mexican in Boston I have a hard time finding food that tastes as good as home and these definitely fit the bill. However, I still wouldn't say that the rest of the plate was remarkable (I'm a fan of some well-done rice and beans and these were so-so). read more

This is like a neighborhood secret. It's the most unassuming little hut (almost) that serves up my favorite tostadas! Their tacos and Mango shakes are delicious as well! read more

I have lived 3 blocks away from this place for over year and was never intrigued to go in until I saw my neighbor eating their tacos and a Sopa de Res( Beef Soup). So far I've only had their tacos (3 times) they are the best tacos I've eaten..and I've eaten alot of tacos. They use bigger pieces of actual steak unlike the other restaurants that cut them into a hundred pieces. The avocado slice and the pico de gallo on the tacos are always fresh and delicious. My husband has also had one of their breakfast plates and the cheese pupusas and he loves them! I would def recommend this place :) read more

8:30pm - ish and I was starving - in a bad way. I was this close to stopping at a convenience store and just shoving a candy bar in my face just to get my head working again. But I was really wanting some real food, so I decided to make a beeline for home on the North Shore from town. When I hit unexpected traffic on Route one, I made a split-second decision and pulled off into Chelsea. I've never been to Chelsea, but I figured I'd find something to eat. And I was right...oh how right and lucky I was! Virtually the second I got off on the Beacon St (Chelsea) exit, there was Sabor Especial; like a beacon in the night (no pun intended:), calling to my rumbling stomach and dizzy head. The food was delicious. Excellent quality; authentic; carefully prepared. For about $7 I got a huge amount of food. These women do it right! And they are sweet and helpful too. I'm so happy I discovered this place. I will be going back very soon. read more

best taco plate in the world! i have travled around the world to know this! if you like steak tacos, this is a must have! best plate of food around! do not hesitate to come here. this is a hole on the wall place. i hate to review this on here because it is soo delicious. i do not want to have to wait in lines next time i eat here! read more

First off, this is Salvadoran cuisine. (Note the flag of El Salvador flying out front.) My boyfriend and I arrived here very hungry and left quite full and satisfied, at a very reasonable price. We ordered one "chuleta especial" (not sure if I remember the name correctly) plate for $10 and one plate of yuca frita with chicharrones for $6, and two horchata drinks. The chuleta plate had one medium-large-ish piece each of grilled steak, grilled chicken, and grilled pork chop, two large grilled shrimp, rice and beans, and a small portion of guacamole and chips. Wow, what a bargain. The meats were all juicy and tasty and perfectly seasoned. They seemed to be humble cuts, pounded to the thin side, as opposed to thick cuts left rare in the middle, and it wasn't the tenderest steak ever, but the flavor did not disappoint. The guacamole was fantastic: chunky and flavored with lots of fresh lime and cilantro---tasted like they made it five minutes ago. Rice and beans very authentic with pigeon peas in there too. Beans were whole beans not soupy refrieds. Note that meats are all grilled to order, so this is not fast food, but it wasn't really slow either. The yuca frita were great: fried crisp and not greasy at all, with a lime to squeeze over. I could have used some hot sauce too but I didn't ask. The chicharrones were sinfully good, although I must admit I'd never had chicharrones before. They were crisp and flavorful, mix of meat and large fat layer. The portions of yuca and chicharrones very generous for the price. The plate also came with some raw veggies which made a nice counter point: cucumber, watercress, iceberg lettuce, tomato, and the meal came with two fresh homemade corn tortillas. The thick kind that I love, toasted just right. The horchata was homemade and very good---not too sweet, interesting spices. I can't wait to go back and try more of the menu. An older, Hispanic couple were eating these large bowls of soup filled with meat and vegetables, including a half ear of corn, that looked fabulous. And I want to try the pupusas. It is under the Tobin Bridge and a bit loud but totally worth it!! I'm pretty sure they deliver but I don't want to say for sure. read more

the food is not what it was before , prices went up and they didn't bother on making new menu , that's false advertising, the owner is so rude , it is to bad because we really like that food but lately is been a horrible experience every time , we are NEVER ordering again !!!!!! read more