My wife is Salvadorean and absolutely loves and craves pupusas from time to time. When it is that time, this is the place to go. Their pupusas are cheap and delicious and usually keep good if you don't finish them in one sitting. The reason for the loss of a star is the service. The lady handling to go orders has no customer service skills. She stands there, and stares at you while you make your order. She doesn't try to engage and seems like she hates being there. The phones take a while to answer or they don't answer at all. The hours are also very short, with days closing at 7pm. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The interior could be clean, but overall is decent enough and doesn't instill any ideas of being dirty.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Some restaurants around this area are much less well kept than here! The little mini-market has plenty of little Salvadorean and Honduran treats! They have services to send money back home, a staple you'd see in any Central American store. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Overall a great little restaurant, but it could be a little nicer and more welcoming, but delicious food makes up for it.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

I cannot say that I am not disappointed. I was excited to visit this restaurant with the expectation to have some flavorful food that I am familiar with. Unfortunately the food fell short and the service didn't meet the mark. The most surprising thing was how unseasoned the food was. The pork chop was basically the only item that popped with some flavor from seasoning. Everything tastes as if it was just cooked or boiled with in plain water with no seasoning or spices added. The pupusas were extremely bland. The service missed the mark as well. Staff seemed as if they really didn't want you to be there. And there was absolutely no urgency for anything. Dishes came out periodically with having to ask for an update on them. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It seems like it could be a lively place but as I looked around most of the patrons were just waiting around the same for their food.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Maybe the kitchen staff was having a bad day. Either way I was disappointed because I really had been looking forward to coming to this place but not sure if I'd be back anytime soon. Also the parking situation was a bit hectic. read more

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Found this place while randomly traveling in San Antonio. I really had a craving for Salvadoran food and it popped up on yelp like a possibility. What I didn't expect was very authentic food reasonably priced, and also the little mini store by the register that some of the most legit places have. You can find medicine, snacks, and genuine Salvadoran food there to take home. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place was very busy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The cleanliness was OK, could have been better.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service was spot on my drinks were refilled. We were served very quickly and seated very quickly. There's plenty of parking outside so there shouldn't be an issue, but it is tight and it is also weird getting out of there. Otherwise whenever I'm in the area, I'm definitely coming back. read more

I was iffy about trying this place out with reading the reviews, right across the street from Chase Bank. I decided to walk over and try it out for myself. I'm a fan of pupusa's but a little on the picky side. I tried one of each, and to my surprise I loved them. They had plenty of flavor, plenty of meat and stuffing inside. I normally can put away for, but here I had to and couldn't finish the second of course I added a Baleada - Burrito looking entrée, which is well portion thick tortilla absolutely fabulous. I found another place to hang out. I can see where people say. The woman taking orders has no personality, which I did not experience personally, but watched no smile no greeting just stare at people. Thank goodness, my waitress MICHELLE was a little intimidated by me speaking English, but my Spanish was good enough to have a decent conversation and have a great smile welcome. MICHELLE did great. The others need a little work that aside the food was pretty darn good. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I saw no flies. The place was clean.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I came before lunch, but that probably helped. I will definitely be back being that it's not too far from one of my projects that's great. read more

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Terrible service. Nobody greets you or is welcoming. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Flies everywhere[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and they charge if you need a to go box.

Pupusas are savory and very well stuffed. Our favorite are loroco con queso , frijol con queso and chicharrón. Staff is always welcoming and [[HIGHLIGHT]]is usually pretty quiet when we go.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Poor customer service, got our order wrong and ignored us when we tried to get the waitress attention. I've had better tasting pupusas, something with the cheese had a weird taste. When it was time to pay I was standing for a while by the restaurant's register and then the waitress told me to go pay at the store register. I had to stand on a long line of people buying groceries to finally make my payment. read more

I can always count with this store. I usually stop by when in San Antonio... If I have enough time, I will sit and eat some pupusas, or a traditional breakfast or dinner will do the trick! They have all the food I crave and miss from my homeland: Tamales, queso fresco, crema, churros,etc. Best prices and freshness. read more

La pero experiences en este restaurante. Ahora se porque esta locacion no tiene negocio.

Not much to update now. Waitresses are still rude, they like to serve your food with a side of RBF if you know what I mean. They still like to stay in the back and gossip vs helping clean down tables when new customers come in. I went a couple of days ago and just ordered 4 baleadas & waited over 30 minutes and had to clean my own table. But anyway, food is still good. I definitely recommend this place as it has savory plates I just had to give it one less star since manager seems not to give a dingo about POSITIVE customer service. aka my grandmother said "viejas mulas que no sonríen" read more

every time we come here Place is always dirty Lots of flys over your food.. feel like they could do better. read more

Tienda Centro America - an orange liquid in a white cup - Salvadoran Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Pupusas are delicious and came out HOT!!! I recommend you try out the limonadas also. Service was great & prompt! read more

Tienda Centro America - Pupusas - Salvadoran Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Loved the pupusas. You can't find pupusas made with arroz masa anywhere else in SA. You'll need to speak Spanish. The cost was higher than expected. read more

My kids and I love Honduran food. We know all the good spots in Austin , we were excited to try it here. This was my sons and I second time. I love their pupusas. Super good and ooey gooey cheesiness goodness and I absolutely loved their taquitos hondureños. So the pollo con tajadas , was a little different. I've never quite had it like all separate, I'm not sure if y'all get it. Usually , it's all mixed ? I don't know how to explain it. We were a little skeptical but we really liked it. The waitress was super sweet and friendly. Very attentive as well. Can't wait to go back and try the rest read more

Tienda Centro America - Pollo con tajadas and pupusas - Salvadoran Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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If you want delicious and a wide range of pupusas, this is the place to go! They have delicious pupusas at a fair price ($2.50 each). My favorites are the bean & cheese and the chicken and cheese. They also have a wide range of other El Salvadorian dishes. I also suggest to visit their mini market which is located in the restaurant. Very authentic restaurant and I love going here for pupusas! read more

In San Antonio there is only Tex-Mex Food and all other Latin American Cuisines that coexist with it. The thinking is by proxy all other Central American, South American dishes are one in the same. This could not be further from the truth. For example you wouldn't order chips and salsa from a Honduran Restaurant like you would from one, say in the Westside. No more than you could find carne guisada with cheese(yuck btw) on a Salvadoran menu. As a result small pockets around town, in strip malls become an oasis serving comfort food; particularly for citizens who associate dishes with a sense of "home." Tienda Centro America recognizes this simple truth with a Salvadoran, Honduran-centric menu. Firstly I must point out its biggest drawback is in the parking situation. It leaves a lot to be desired. It's very precarious to say the least. Once inside I could sense my experience would be unique. Latin/Central American flags are hanging as decor. It's pretty spacious with lots of tables, and booth seating. A waitress came by and brought a menu then asking, " Que quieres tomar?" So I had to have the Honduran banana cola, I'm not sure what the name is. As others have alluded to it's helpful to know some Spanish. This isn't a taqueria where you point to a picture on the menu. Nor is this the place Spanglish is used like, "Quieres un Coca-Cola little ice." It's more or less a semi- authentic experience. I came here to try their pupusas, as I have never had one. Whilst waiting for the order I surveyed the menu again. There are lots of different food items not your typical huevos rancheros, puffy tacos fare. So I had a pollo con queso pupusa served with cortido, a Salvadoran pickled coleslaw. Basically it is like a gordito but not so voluminous. It looks like someone smashed it down on a comal. It's also not as greasy or messy. The acidity of the cortido mixes well with the crema, both used as a topper; rich in flavor. In addition I had a serving of fried plantains to accompany it. When they came out I noticed they were cut lengthwise. I'm used to them cut into slices. They seemed not to be completely fried nor caramelized like Puerto Rican dishes do. I point this out while to a degree all cuisines share similarities, even within a subgroup there can be subtle differences. As far as the service was concerned it was adequate. The waitress was singing along and jamming to some crazy Latin American artists I've never heard before. I'm used to taco joints blaring Michael Salgado or Los Bukis overhead. I guess my point is that I really liked being in a milieu that is not somehow familiar. Tex-Mex is all about spices and sauces. Salavdoran dishes seem more about natural flavor. At that capacity the pupusa, fried plantains were good. I'm just wondering if a palate fixed to a certain style of food will be able to break away from its comfort zone? Tienda Centro America is a small glimmer of culinary diversity peeking out in a sea of Tex-Mex. I can only recommend it to those ready to try something out of the ordinary. Definitely try the pupusa and fried plantains. The prices are really inexpensive. The service is adequate. In my opinion when we open our palate to another culture aren't we opening our community to them as well? read more

Guy working there was rude to me, one of my cards didn't go through, he said in a horrible tone "doesn't work" then proceeded to throw my card and as I handed him another one and asked him how much it was he told me in a rude tone my total. After that I just wanted to get my stuff and leave. WOULD NOT recommend coming here, unless you want your credit cards thrown at you. read more

In San Antonio, it's kind of hard to get good Salvadoran food, and out of all the the places I've tried so far this one is my favorite. Don't get me wrong it has its flaws but it gets the job done! Service: Just imagine being in a Taqueria, and I mean a real one and you're there lol! Now I will say this the servers (mainly ladies) are a little short tempered at times but it's not a reflection of terrible service, it's just the way the dining culture is there so make sure to not get offended if your get a little sass. Quality/Taste: So here's why I'm knocking off a star. They used to make some delicious Pupusas but it seems that the quality has gone down a bit. But that bit kinda compromises the authenticity factor for me that had me coming to this place in the first place. But again it's still decent and worth trying out if you're in the area! And also make sure to try the carne asada and longaniza! Price: Its a steal! With $10 you can get a good meal and then some! And it's even better if you go with friends to share different dishes! read more

Tienda Centro America - Pupusas!!! @countdowncityconnoisseurs - Salvadoran Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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Pupusa was just ok nothing more, i will give them a second try. It was my first time trying Hondurian pupusa. They also have a market i found some sweet fruit. Kenep read more

Tienda Centro America - Salvadoran Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

We waited for over 15 minutes at the table and not a single waiter approached our table. The only reason we waited so long was because my son had to use the restroom. Worst service I've ever experienced. read more

Wow! Great flavor, freshness, and variety. I LOVE this place! The staff is extremely friendly and I believe that each plate is made fresh when ordered as the food was delivered when the food was available. My family and I had the El Salvadoran plates, only wish a tad more cheese in the mix pupusa. Just a warning, entire menu is in Spanish only. read more

Tienda Centro America - Lots of traditional El Salvadorian! - Salvadoran Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

These pupusas are very delicious, the empanadas are a hit or miss. This is the only place that we have found that is close to home. Three stars because the service is not the greatest. read more

Good food and stays busy! Enjoyed this little spot while visiting San Antonio this past weekend! Looking for Cuban food and this is where we ended up going! Loved the music too. read more

The pupusas here are delicious but other then that the staff can be rude at times it kinda depends on whose working that day. the aguas frescas aren't fresh at all, you can taste that it's old. read more

Wow this food is amazing. When I get a chest day off my keto I want to go here every time for pupusas. It is unique and amazing. Every dish taste good. As always the places I go, I'm the only white guy In there. Starting to think that's a sign it will be amazing. It usually is. Each and every pupusa is great. I tried the enchiladas. They are very unique and good. I liked them a lot too. If you get a chance. Go here !! It's amazing. read more

This place has horrible service, waiters are very slow and they hide behind the walls so they avoid any other requests you have. My waitress either did not like me or was having a bad morning. The food is very good, the breakfast I had here is excellent and very satisfying. I had the platanos con una pupusa de queso con frioles. No problem with the food, just service really sucks. Also placed an order to go and the presentation of it was terrible, my food looked like it was all smashed into the bag and she even forgot one of my orders. This is my second time here and I'm not sure if I'll drive all the way back here again. read more

DON'T DO IT. We ordered 3 papusas and waited for 40 minutes!!! It's so sad because I wanted to like this place so bad. But unfortunately they don't understand how to be in the food service industry. I honestly feel like the staff was very unwelcoming toward us. We showed nothing but patience and respect to them despite how they treated us. The papusas were meh. read more

I grew up going to church with several families from Central America. I tasted their food at pot lucks for the first time. My love for pupusas and other dishes grew since then. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes to taste new things. You have to walk in and head towards the back of the store. You'll see tables/chairs and hear the sound of clapping maza similar to "gorditas" that are hand made. I have tried everything on the menu. My favs are:. Pupusas-mixture of your choice chicharon, queso, loroco(minced flower with a spinach similarity) and beans. They're toasty, gooey and delicious. Tamal de pollo. Wrapped in banana leaves and filled with maza, chicken and vegetables . My parents eat here once a week. Definitely give it a try. read more

Tienda Centro America - "Pan con gallina" bread with chicken. - Salvadoran Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

The aguas frescas aren't fresh. The waitress was rude and didn't let me change my drink even after i told her it was extremely too sweet and it tasted like straight up sugar juice read more

Food was greasy. Not very tasty. Waitress was rude and slow. We ordered pupusas they were wi thin and greasy, we did not eat all of them. I was really dissatisfied and disappointed. The store attached did have a large selection of items. That is the reason fir rhr three stars. But save your $, dont bother going to the restaurant. read more

This place doesn't deserve the 4 stars if it's to be judged in general. However, i am judging this place by its culture simplicity and delicious food. It's definitely not the cleanest and the parking sucks ass. But i see the workers here working their asses off to get the job done. The Latino culture here is strong so if u wanna practice your spanish with friendly people and staff, this is the place to go. The four stars I'm giving this place isn't the ordinary four stars I'd give a restaurant in a richer area. I'm a happy customer here. read more

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The baleadas were amazing! We're always on the hunt for Honduran food and they definitely exceeded our expectations. The restaurant itself is a little rundown and not the cleanest but the food is great. There is also a little market inside which had stuff like zambos, queso, and crema (: read more

Delicioso! The Pupusas are delicious and the agua frescas are a must! Downside it's on a super busy street but big parking lot! Go NOW!

Pupusas are not overly greasy, and the horchata is "de morro" and reminds me of something I would have had in El Salvador. The little store had super good super fresh crema. The yucca was good and crispy though the chicharron was a little hard, still tasted pretty good. Will visit again soon! read more

Had a co worker tell me about this place and I'm so happy that he did! After looking at the menu online I figured I better have someone who knows fluent Spanish come with me. My Spanish isn't the best so I had my uncle come with me. I ordered the Pupusas and chicken tamal. The pupusas I ordered had cheese and chicken made out of corn and another had some type of flower. Let me tell ya it was awesome. The one with the flower is called loroco flower. It has an edamame/green bean flavor but nicely cooked into the pupusa. The chicken tamal reminded me somewhat of a chicken pot pie but with corn maz. It was different and interesting I'd defiantly come back!! read more

Tienda Centro America - Salvadoran Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Salvidorian nostalgia everywhere! From sweets, chips, cheese to flags, jerseys and medicines. The food and service was also amazing. Tables spaced out for everyone to not be in each others business and walk comfortably. read more

I'm visiting San Antonio and have tried several different restaurants, but this place has the best pollo guisada and papusas.

First Impression: "Why is there a grocery/convenience store in the middle of a restaurant?" This place is as quaint as they come. There is zero attempt to win you over with cute design or flashy decor. No one sits you at a table even. You walk in like you know them and sit where you want. And for you gringos who cannot "get by" with your conversational Spanish skills like me, bring a Spanish speaking friend or get ready to stumble through ordering by pointing to pictures and taking a shot in the dark b/c no one here really speaks English. Food: This place does many things SO good that if my mama isn't available, I'd be willing to come here to get my fix of Honduran food. Now let's talk about what to order here and why. If you wanna swing by for breakfast I'd highly recommend getting a baleada, which is essentially the Honduran (breakfast) cousin to a gordita for all you Mexicans out there. It is a thick, flour tortilla folded in half and filled with mashed fried red beans, crumbled cheese and a more flavorful liquidy version of sour cream called mantequilla. FYI, Gordon Ramsay ate baleadas last year and said that "baleadas are the best Latin American dish." BOOM. If you want something more appropriate for lunch/dinner and are not that hungry or would rather sample a few things, consider getting a pupusa. A pupusa is a small thick corn tortilla stuffed with bean and cheese, chicharron or various other things that you eat with curtido - a spicy cabbage slaw. Two of these would make most people happy so order different ones to try if you like. The tamales here are NOTHING like all the Mexican tamales you've had over the years. These ones are bigger and better in my opinion but clearly I'm biased so just take my word for it and give one a try. They do not dry out as easily as those other ones and normally the meat and other fillings are packed in there more to suffice a hungry person. The last couple things I'd recommend are The Chuletas con Tajadas which are the pork chops with fried plantains and a side salad. This dish is perfect for someone who does not want to eat something really heavy. They give 2 small pork chops which are seasoned perfectly and the tajadas could use some salt and pepper but otherwise are decent. And finally, I'd recommend getting the fried chicken platter. I know, I know. It sounds odd to order such a dish at a place like this but I kid you not, it's still one of the best places in town to get fried chicken. Don't expect it to look like the chicken you get at other places i.e. legs and thighs but expect it to taste just as good and be equally juicy. Service: This is where these guys drop the ball. Not due to poor customer service necessarily but they don't even bother trying to appeal to English speakers. They do so well just catering to Spanish speakers that most people would never even hear about a place like this. It's unfortunate that they are like this but again, brush up on your Spanish or just bring your best brown friend along for the ride and thank me later. Final Thoughts: This is truly a diamond in the rough. It's a few miles down San Pedro from Northstar Mall and you'd never know about it unless you were "in the know" but it's definitely a place to experience something other than just another taco stand. Kudos to them on the great food and for having such affordable prices. P.S. Parking sucks here (few spots) so be aware. read more

Still great food and great service! Food is always seasoned nicely and give very generous portions. Servers are always welcoming read more

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The pupusas were so good. And the fried banana. Workers were a little aggressive, but it might be the fast paced environment.