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Atlacatl Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Latin American Latin American [Edit]
301 N Berendo StLos Angeles, CA 90004
Neighborhood: Wilshire Center
(323) 663-1404
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 10 pm
Sat-Sun 10 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
186 reviews for Atlacatl Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Also don't forget to top your pupusas w." In 139 reviews -
"The platanos con crema y frijoles was delicious." In 8 reviews -
"Overall, great family, salvadorean restaurant in LA." In 35 reviews
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186 reviews in English
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Review from Jessie S.
5/13/2012
My inner fatty loved this place. My inner Bob Harper loved this place.
I'd never had the pleasure to enjoy Salvadoran food before and my fellow Yelpers guided me to this little gem!
My delicious meal consisted of:
1. Asking the nice waitress tons of questions and recommendations. I may add that the service is really slow but it's a really busy mom and pop type of restaurant.
2. A bean, cheese and meat pupusa complete with a grip of curtido on top! The pupusa was a nice size, about the size of a medium size plate. It was tasty and reminded me of Mexican chorizo but I think my taste buds were still hungover.
3. A pork tamale wrapped in a banana leaf. It was really tender (almost kind of mushy) and tasty. It was really good and my favorite part of my meal.
4. Okay, I lied. The ensalada drink was my favorite part of my meal. It consisted of various fruits chopped up resulting in a bright yellow drink with about two inches of fruit pieces settling at the bottom of the cup. Delicioso!
5. This place has ridiculous prices. By ridiculous prices I mean that I had a delicious and satisfying meal for less than two drinks at the Edison. WIN!
(Cash only as well. Wah, I know.)
The actual restaurant itself looks like a converted house which I found added to the charm of this mom and pop restaurant! -
Review from Lisa B.
Los Angeles, CA
4/25/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I LOVEEE this place! My friend introduced me to this little ghetto restaurant, and I've been coming back since. I always get the bean and cheese pupusa and an ensalada.
Pupusas are like $2 and usually takes a minute to arrive but they make it fresh and it's absolutely worth the wait. It's so filling that I only need one! If I'm feeling ambitious or extra hungry, I'll order plantains with beans and crema.
If you haven't been, go. They have a tiny parking lot that usually gets packed on weekend nights but the Metro stops at Beverly and Vermont, which is like two blocks from this place. Bon Apetit! -
Review from Melissa G.
Pasadena, CA
3/16/2012
Ok, so I'm not exactly the go-to expert on Salvadorean food so I'm not going to talk about how incredibly authentic and whatnot this place is. What I do know is what my taste buds like...and boy, did they like Atlacatl (though that tongue is having a not-so-easy time saying the name of the restaurant).
Our lovely friends, one who is Salvadorean, brought us here, hearing that it was one of the best places to snag some pupusas. I'm so glad we were a part of this adventure. Went on a weekday evening and found parking quite easily. We also got seated immediately, even though it was smack dab in the middle of dinnertime. I've read reviews of the long wait...so,clearly, weekdays are the way to go here. I think this place was an old house converted into a restaurant. The decor is simple and cozy and the restaurant is quite spacious.
We all decided to split some dishes. Our friend insisted that whatever pupusa we got, we had to add loroco in. What's loroco, you ask? Heck if I know. Atlacatl's menu claims it's akin to asparagus and while I love me some asparagus, it doesn't exactly taste similar. What I can tell you about loroco is that it is quite delicious added to your pupusas. We also ordered a tamal di pollo, Platano Frito Con Frijoles Y Crema, and fried Yuca (or cassava). Everything was absolutely delicious and filling. The pupusas and tamale were quite large. My friends also ordered the ensalada drink which was all sorts of yummy.
Everything was lovely, from the food to the service, and I can't wait to go back. -
Review from Linda T.
5/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great food, prices and service!
Quaint little place...you'd miss it if you weren't looking out for it. Looks like a small home on the outside, cute little clean restaurant on the inside. The service was quick and friendly. We had horchata, frijole y queso (bean and cheese pupusa) and frijoles con crema y platanos (beans, sour cream and fried platain). Love it all, almost all...the Salvadorean horchata, in my opinion was just ok...I guess I'm just use to the Mexican horchata and the chocolate was interfering with its deliciousness rather than helping it. The food was great and cheap ($2.35 for pupusa) and so filling, I ordered two but one would have sufficed. Great spot, will definitely come again! -
Review from Richard K.
Los Angeles, CA
Ever since I was a kid I had always wondered what a pupusa was and it wasn't until recently that I discovered the awesomeness of this delectable El Salvadoran treat from Atlacacaca... Atlacataco... Atlahakunamtata... Atlacatl! So fucking hard to pronounce. Since discovering the pupusa, I've tried other places like Texis and Los Molcajetes, but in my opinion, Atlacatl just can't be beat.
Just saying the name pupusa brings a smile to my face because it sounds so funny, especially when you gringonize it. Being Korean, the wife and I have taken it to another level my using Konglish (the use of English words in Korean context) to refer to them. You see when I want pupusas I ask her, "Do you want to poo-poo ssa?" where "poo-poo" refers to shit and "ssa" means to take a dump. But all kidding aside, pupusas are the fucking shit!
So what is a pupusa? You see a pupusa is a thick and puffy, grilled corn tortilla that is filled with either cheese, chicharron (cooked pork meat ground to a paste), beans, loroco (Salvadoran flower bud), or some combination of the aforementioned ingredients. At Atlacatl, each pupusa is hand-made fresh to order by nice-looking mujeres so expect to wait at least 10 to 15 minutes before you get to bite into your oblong-shaped disc, which from a distance resembles Mr. Koo's Ho-tteoks (Korean sweet rice pancakes).
Fortunately, the pupusas are definitely worth the wait and from the moment you pierce your fork past the slightly crisp crust, you will notice all the yummilicious filling, especially the Salvadoran creamy white cheese, just oozing out of it. Just do not over order because in my opinion two pupusas are just right, especially if you decide to get a Modelo or a Samuel Adams to wash down your greasy Salvadoran pancake.
But let me tell you the real reason why I choose to eat at Atlacatl over other pupuserias. It's all about the fucking curtido. Curtido is basically El Salvador's cole slaw/sauerkraut/kimchi. It's pickled cabbage with onions, carrots, and herbs that are chopped and brined in vinegar. Not at all spicy, the flavor is so crisp and tangy that I think I end up eating more curtido than pupusa.
Also, one thing I definitely recommend that you order is the ensalada drink. I don't know why it's called that though because this drink has no resemblance to a salad. In fact, this refreshingly sweet drink consists of crumbled ice with generous chunks of pineapple, apples, and herbs that really helps you digest all that maize in your belly. Yea, the ensalada is fucking a-maize-ing! I would say that ordering ensalada is a must in the same way that it's a must to order Inca Cola at a Peruvian joint or horchata at a Mexican place.
Among the pupusas that Atlacatl has to offer, my favorite pupusa has to be the revuelta con todo which is a combination of cheese, pork, and beans. It makes me want to sing that one Timbaland song featuring Magoo where he says "... pork and beans, ha-hah, do you know what that means, it's 12 o'clock and the party just don't stop." Except in the case of Atlacatl, 12 o'clock refers to noon and the party is the one in my mouth.
*Warning, pupusas are really greasy so if you are health conscious... go eat a carrot, buddy.
**Atlacatl is cash only. So if you must insist on using a credit card, go to Jaragua restaurant down the street. Not only do they serve the same pupusas, they accept credit cards and it's owned by the same owner as Atlacatl.
***If you order take out, call at least 25 minutes in advance or you will have to wait.
****Fun fact - originally a residential dwelling that was constructed in 1919, the building where Atlacatl is located at was once an inn, a Peruvian restaurant and a strip club. Atlacatl has been around since the 1990s.
Store Front Picture:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...Listed in: Best of the Best!, Mexi-Can and Mexi-Can'ts
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Review from Cris D.
Wilshire Center, Los Angeles, CA
5/13/2012
Been here 3 times once when I was young with my family, another time a few years ago and never liked it. Read so many good reviews so decided to give it another try since I moved back in the area. I took my daughter who is just as salvadorian as I am and loves pupusas as much as I do. They suck. Not to be rude but the pupusas are really wack. And if you say that it's good you are not a real salvadorian or don't know what your talking about. Sorry but it's that simple. There used to be a pupuseria down the street called papaturro that was the best place ever. Dont know what happened to it though. El jaragua sucks just as bad if not worse. El baron stomps on both of these and they have real big booty salvadorian waitresses too. Lol. Also el pulgarcito in the valley and don lenchos in south la is pretty good , sorry but just being honest. Some of the worst pupusas I've ever had and I am 100 % salvadorian . Been eating salvadorian food since I was born so I know what I'm saying
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Review from Susan P.
Los Angeles, CA
1/22/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Pupusas are very good.
I wish servers don't give a weird look, when I can not speak Spanish. -
Review from Roberta R.
North Hollywood, CA
4/3/2012
I've had Salvadoran food in El Salvador, at other Salvadoran restaurants, and home cooked meals (that's why the restaurant is getting 4 stars). The pupusas (revuelta) are delicious very filling and not oily like at a lot of other places. You could eat one and have a good meal, the curtido is perfect. I've also had the pan con pavo (Turkey sandwich) and that was super filling I took half home. The empanadas are very good. I tried a little of the meat and cannot recall the name, but it is similar to pot roast so it's super tender and flavorful.
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Review from Chela L.
Los Angeles, CA
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Cash only! They do have an ATM machine in the front, but I'm not too happy about paying an extra fee to pay for my food.
Place gets busy and food does take a while. I had to get up and pay since they even took too long to pick up the check.
Pupusas were good. I've had better platano frito, beans, and crema at other places.
I probably will only come back if I'm in the area...with cash...without kids since they take a while serving food...and I have time to spare. -
Review from Michelle K.
Los Angeles, CA
12/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm going to first start of by saying... I am a Salvadorian-mexican american LA Chica . I've been to the motherland of where my dad was born (El Salvador) 2x's and seriously people... I have not had pupusas this delicious since then. Lol so lets get a few things straight...
You don't come here for the ambiance ( um hello it is in LAPD Ramparts area)
Unless of course your a true Foodie slash or Latino who knows that any typical AUTHENTIC restaurant will have "kids running around" everyone knows us Latinos don't leave our kids at home lol ... (I frequented this place for years and never was it like that but I'm being sarcastic because of some review I read on here)
Secondly yes it's a house converted into a restaurant , but let it be known that this is to get you ready for the salvi experience of what home made authentic salvi cooking is all about. You will walk in and hear some kind of Spanish song or if ur really lucky Rockin Español ... But never will u forget the experience that you will be left with. Lol
I will say parking sucks .. The meters on the streets never work and you probably feel intimidated by the location, but it's worth having to walk a few blocks to have a pupusa that looks like its on steroids. Lol they (the pupusa) are seriously the size of a average pancake from ihop. Let's get something straight for u non salvi Americans who are about to have ur pupusa Cherry popped. Pupusas are not typically that big lol.
Things I order most ... Since everything is good to me
* Pupusas con queso y loroco
* Casimento (beans and rice)
* Sopa de Res (Veggie soup in beef broth)
Oh yeah and dont forget you cant complete it without a cola champagne (the famous orange colored soda) or a salvi horchata (yes salvi horchata is supposed to be that brownish color) lol -
Review from Miguel R.
11/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
$2.25 for the BEST pupusa revuelta in Los Angeles!!!! My quest is over!!!!
The pupusas revueltas (cheese and pork rind or chicharron) are not greasy and they are very cheesy and have a great chicharron flavor too! You can tell the cheese is very high quality cheese too. The masa of the pupusa is really tasty too! These pupusas are really fresh!!!! The curtido is also fresh and really tasty! The pupusas are pretty big too!
I tried some of my BF's pan con pavo and the turkey was very moist and flavorful.
I love the decor. They have classy paintings of macaws and tropical fruits. This is not your average Salvadoran restaurant.
Service is good and they don't take too long with your pupusa and this is saying a lot since a good quality pupusa can take up to 15 minutes under ideal conditions.
Only drawback is the fact they do not take cards.Listed in: Best and Worst Pupusas
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Review from Gilda M.
Sun Valley, CA
8/19/2011 3 Check-ins Here
BEST pupusas ever! They are in a league of their own. They are the Coco, the Kim Kardashian, etc. of the pupusa world. Think fat, juicy, ozzie, meaty circles of heaven!
Do yourself a favor and don't ever, ever go for more then 2! They are so filling you will hate life if you go for more. Do try the rice flour. They are not commonly found and this place knows how to work these puppies.
The drinks are amazeballs! The Horchata is rich, cinnamony& chocolaty.
The fresco de ensalada is sweet, fruity, refreshing, crunchy goodness. The tamarindo is tart, yet sweet, real yummy and last but not least if you're in a bubbly mood try the "cola chanpan" the official Salvadorian soda pop.
IF YOU WERE BORN w. A SWEET TOOTH LIKE YOURS TRULY, Do, DO yourself the favor of trying the platanos con crema y frijoles! (look @ the pictures and TRY to resist!) and of course the empanadas, filled w. Smooth, creamy custard and topped w. a lite coating of sugar.
Also don't forget to top your pupusas w. their yummy one of a kind CURTIDO (our version of a pickled slaw) it's crunchy &tangy. And finally drizzle some of that "salsa" found in the RED plastic ketchup bottle, it rounds out your pupusa experience! It saucy, tangy and slightly spicy.
As far as atmosphere, this is the least ghetto pupuseria joint in all of LA. You walk up to the white house w. a front lawn surrounded by banana and fig trees and go up the brick walkway lined w. over head star pierced lanterns and walk into the house w. a small waiting area and go up 2steps to the cashiers desk who always has a huge floral display(CASH ONLY!!) and wait to be seated into a big dining room/living room type area. Feels like your @ a family members house. Bathrooms sucks, I strongly suggest you go before coming to this place. They are placed smack in the middle side of the room where everyone seems to take notice and once inside there's only 1 toilet per gender. Other then that make sure to take notice of the cool brightly colored art work on display.
So say "ba bye" to your diet for the day and hello to the yummyness of Atlacal. (keep the tums close by, not the most heartburn friendly place). -
Review from Karla G.
1/6/2012
I've been going to this restaurant since I was a kid. Hadn't been there for a few years but I went back recently and its still as good as always. We got pupusas de queso con loroco (thick corn tortilla stuffed w/ cheese & a green herb), empanadas de leche (plantain pastry stuffed w/ milk & sugar), nuegados con chilate (yucca, plantains, & sweet potatoes cooked in a sweet syrup and served w/ a bland corn drink), & horchata (rice drink). Oh my goooooodness, everything was soooooo goooooood! The pupusas weren't greasy at all and were so big that I was able to eat only one. The nuegados were the best I've had so far, they were perfect. The chilate helped offset the sweetness, because this dish is very sweet & I don't like stuff that's too sweet. The empanadas were also exquisite. I love spicy food so the curtido (cabbage) was perfect for me but a little too spicy for my mom. A salvadorean restaurant's salsa makes or breaks the deal for me when it comes to pupusas, and I can seriously drink their salsa, it's that good. I mean, my pupusa was swimming in it, lol--LOOOOOOVED it! The horchata was great as well, they serve the original stuff, not the watered-down generic stuff.
Yes, this restaurant is pricier in comparison to other salvadorean restaurants, but honestly, we had all that food for approx $22 & fed 3 people! Definitely a good deal for authentic salvadorean food.
So the next time you're in the mood for ethnic food, you definitely have to check this place out. Happy eating! :)Listed in: A little Latin flavor for you…
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Review from Rene R.
Huntington Beach, CA
11/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is as good as it gets and I know my car is relatively safe on their parking across the street. I no longer live or wonder into Los Angeles County so I really don't know if there is any better places but this place does for the Salvadorean cravings.
Pupusas great..Fresco de ensalada great great....pastelitos.....great great great....and even greater the curtido is not too spicy as so many others that have become too mexican and you can't taste the food cause it's too spicy hot.
When the craving hit...this is the only reason I drive into Los Angeles County. Other than that you will only find me in Huntington Beach.
Buen Provecho.... -
Review from Samantha B.
Los Angeles, CA
8/18/2011
I love these guys! They have insanely cheap and delicious pupusas, served with a massive jar of curtido. I didn't realize until looking at others that I am a silly gringa, eating them with a fork and knife.
They have a very small lot, so parking can be a bit of a pain - the street parking isn't too bad, though. The waitresses will quickly take your order, but it can take a bit to actually get your food.
I also love their horchatas- a lot of cinnamon and super refreshing.
The beans and plantains are great, but the rice is meh. But who goes to a restaurant for just the rice, anyway? Pupusas alone keep me coming back. -
Review from Ciara G.
Oh Dios mío!
Atlacatl mi amor, you are the end of my waistline as I knew it.
I scored me a sweet new pad literally right across the street and what better place to celebrate than at a long time bookmarked place in my new city!
First, the joint is CASH ONLY!!!! Cash Only!!! $$$~CASH ONLY~$$$
We cheersed to my new digs with an Horchata and a what I like to now call a Bevida de crack aka Ensalada. The Horchata (new Horchata list inspired by Michelle T's idea for me to put one together) was cinnamony, light yet thickly rich and nutty. It was OUTSTANDING!
Bevida de crack was inspired by Corey M's review as he flat out said there must be crack in this drink. I pretty much agree as once I was given the ok that no mangos are used in it (allergy) I was shooting it into my veins and sipping and scooping out every last bit of fruit out with my slurpeeEsque straw they provided me.
I have been eating my fare share of pupusas these days and have become somewhat of a snob, and i can officially say these are the BEST damn pupusas I now have had. The bar has been set.
Plump is the one word that comes to mind. They were so puffy and plump and when I cut into it cheese just oozed out. It was a beautiful sight to see. The curtido had to also be the best. Pickled to perfection and still crunchy.
Don't even get me started on the Tamales De Elote Con Cremas. They had a steamed or fried option, we went fried of course and they were pretty much crispy corn cakes of heaven. I have never had them before and now want to have them again and again alongside all my pupusa meals to come. They are amazeballs and should always be ordered.
The Pastelitos De Carne were crispy as ever and stuffed with potato, veggies and pork goodness.
Seriously this was the best Salvadorian meal I have had yet!Listed in: Ay Papi, I'm blushing.....Ciara G…, Pass the Pupusa Please
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Review from Odaliz R.
Los Angeles, CA
8/30/2011
In one week I must have heard Atlacatl mentioned at least four times, so I figured, "hot dayum -- I need to get over there ASAP"!
I get there to find it's a house converted into a restaurant??!? I walk inside and the setup was horrendous and the place was LOUD due to all the patrons and the jukebox! Did I mention the place was crawling with kids running all over the place --- YUK!
With this said, I decided to order my food to go and let me just say that the 'waitress' was not friendly and it took 30 minutes for TWO pupusas! When I arrived home, the pupusas were way to thick and had hardly any chicharron! I ate one pupusa and felt like I was going to explode!
Definitely wont be going back there again.....not worth the time or money!
Pass on this joint and head over to Los Molcajetes on 7th and Hoover, that's where the real business is at --- YUM!!! -
Review from Susan B.
Los Angeles, CA
1/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Omg!!!!! Came ten minutes before closing....due to pregnancy cravings..they totally let us sit in and eat and did not rush us. I love the service. Ok now onto the food...... OMGEEEEE!!!!!! The pupusas are perfect!!! Perfect! I mean the portion is just perfect. The cheese, beans and chicharon are so good. So tasty!!!! They are not tight with their filling for their pupusas. Every bite is full of flavor! I just love it there. Must try! Every time I am down in LA I will be here for sure!!!! It is so reasonable too! I got 6 pupusas and a tamale and 3 drinks for 21 bucks! I love this place. Just don't expect a beautiful restaurant.. It looks like a home that was converted into a restaurant. Very spacious though.
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Review from Andrea L.
North Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA
2/20/2012
I've been here multiple times and tried pan con Pavo, carne guisada, empanadas, and of course the pupusas. Everything was delicious and well worth the price. It has become my favorite Salvadorian restaurant and I'll keep coming here till I find something closer to home.
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Review from Laila R.
Burbank, CA
10/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is truely as good as it gets, don't waste your time with other pupuserias. I've been saying it for years, This is the place for all salvadorian food, the pupusas, Bistec encebollado, empanadas, yuca frita, chilate, platanos fritos. you can't go wrong.
Pupusas anywhere else are a joke! -
Review from R P.
Los Angeles, CA
8/27/2011
Not the best pupusa place! They are probably the 2nd best on my list of places to eat pupusas. I know, because the best place is Molcajetes on Hoover and 7th. Yes, I admit some bias(I have been going to Molcajetes for years now), but when you compare each pupusas objectively, Molcajetes wins.
But going back to Atlacatl, I think what makes this place great or the best(for some) is that, this place just looks nice, unlike other Latin American restaurants. It's not a hole-in-the-wall.
What makes these pupusas good are the size, and the amount of cheese used in them. Some places don't have a good ratio of masa(the stuff tortilla/pupusas are made out of) to cheese. Some are all masa, some are just to small, this place has got it just right. What doesn't make this the best pupusas for me is that they kind of taste too healthy. I don't know what it is, but imagine if you were to eat chili-cheese fries or anything that is greasy/fattening, the last thing you would want those chili-cheese fries to taste like are too healthy. -
Review from jeff l.
12/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place was just OK. The service was lacking, it took almost half an hour to get our pupusas. And I have had better pupusas, one of them was really greasy! The positives are that you only really need one to get full and at $2.50 thats a pretty good deal. And their cabbage topping is just right.
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Review from Jeanette L.
Bay Area
8/31/2011 5 photos
atmosphere [3 stars]
Very authentic. Almost everyone there was Hispanic so I guess that says something about their food!
service [3 stars]
price [4 stars]
Cheapest (quality) pupusas I've ever had!
food [4.5 stars]
SO GOOD. I absolutely love pupusas, and these have topped all the ones I've tried thus far. Pupusas are like thick tortillas filled with amazing goodness like cheese, beans, and meat. You top them with this tasty Salvadorean coleslaw (curtido) that they bring in a big jar. Their empanadas were also good, fried just right with the perfect amount of sweet and salty. The tamales were a good supplement, but I just can't get over the pupusas! Oh, and try their drinks! We got fresco de ensalada that was delicious, horchata, and their champagne soda, which gave us a refreshing break from the amazing food. -
Review from Corey M.
My lil' vicha, Jenji T, felt compelled to give me a taste of her Salvadorian roots, and quote, "pop my pupusa cherry". And boy, did she ever. We crawled into the restaurant at the crack of 11:45am. Both of us had exclusively long evenings, so it was a serious struggle salvi style to get to our seats. Somehow, we pressed on.
I've passed Atlacatl many times on my way to the red line, and the inside turned out to be exactly what I was not picturing. The decor reminded me of a 24 hour diner. Like exactly -- there's even an old school jukebox at the entrance. It was strangely cozy and familiar.
Coffee. Ahorita. I nursed this baby until I was a shade more personable, and could withstand the natural daylight that flooded the dining area.
And then I ordered a drink that made all of my woes just disappear: an ensalada. I wish I could stand on soap box in the marketplace to push this miracle elixir. It's a sweet juice based drink FILLED with chopped apples, oranges, pineapples, and crack. Sike on the last bit, but it may have well been! It comes with an open-ended spoon-esqe straw to savor that which should be savored. Shit's delish.
Upon Jenji T's suggestion, I ordered a bean and cheese pupusa, as well as a cheese and loroco. Wow. These pockets of sinful treasures didn't just hit the spot, they nuked the god damn place. It's the perfect cure after a long night. I'm infatuated with the tangy slaw given to top your better-than-your-average hot pocket.
AND CHEAP. Good lord it's cheap! I could barely finish one of my pupusas and they come around $2 a pop.
Obviously a seasoned Salvi gourmand, Jenji T knew to only order one, but her mouth fiesta didn't stop there; she ordered some empanadas for a sweet ass treat to a bomb ass meal. They're beautifully served golden brown, topped with powdered sugar. They're stuffed with plantains and cream filling that meld like they were meant to be together.
***IMPORTANTE: They serve gluten-free pupusas made with rice flour! To my understanding, they're not easy to find.
I had leftovers. I warmed up the pupusa, but I devoured the empanada cold. No regrets. I actually might prefer the empanada refrigerated.
Seriously an awesome first time Salvadorian expedition. I would have given Atlacatl 5 stars, but the service is pretty slow. Super friendly, though.
No doubt I'll be back. -
Review from Daisy P.
Westminster, CA
8/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Really good! But it looks like there are a lot of other pupuserias in the area so I don't know how this compares to the other ones. I had a Loroco and Chicharron pupusa and it was yummy! I think loroco is my favorite though.
I can't say this is the best i've ever tasted but I enjoyed it. Highly recommend ;-D -
Review from Yi Z.
7/12/2011
This is one of the less ghetto pupuserias in the area so I took my friend there last night. Maybe because it was Monday, the place was pretty empty and there were several parking spaces available.
The service was better than I expected. I've just had really bad experiences at almost every pupuseria with female servers but the ladies here were very nice.
We ordered 2 revueltas (de arroz), pastelitos de puerco, and 1 pan con pavo. Unfortunately. I forget to bring my pupusa home so I didn't even get to taste it. The pastelitos were just ok and the pan con pavo was disappointing. The turkey wasn't tender and the bread was perhaps a little too big. It certainly didn't taste like the delicious pan con pavo my ex-bf's family used to make. -
Review from Greg E.
Tucson, AZ
5/27/2011
Oh My God this place is CHEAP and DELICIOUS! Pupusas will fill you up, so try not to over order. I can't say enough about this place. It has cool jukebox music, great for families, friend staff, inexpensive and has great food (I really like the Yucca).
You MUST order the Ensalada!!!! (its a thin fruit drink) I had to order one to go after we were done :) -
Review from Kelly B.
Hollywood, CA
3/7/2011
Yelpers, you let me down on this one.
My true rating is a 2.5
For a salvi restaurant to have almost 5 stars out of over a hundred reviews, I thought for sure I'd be blown away.
Regardless of the food, this is by far the fanciest Salvadorian restaurant I've ever been to (hahaha!).
That being said, I much prefer the more hole in the wall places with plastic chairs. From my experience they have cheaper prices and better food.
Ok, on to the food..
I ordered:
1 pupusa revuelta (with everything: pork, beans, cheese)
1 pupusa de loroco (cheese and loroco: an indigenous blossom)
platanos con frijoles y crema
horchata
my man got:
1 pupusa revuelta
ensalada
some kind of dish with yucca frita y sweet potatoes with a honey sauce that came with an atole soup on the side..
we got this last mentioned dish, first:
I'd never had it before, so we weren't sure what to do with it. The atole soup was completely bland, leading me to believe that we had to mix the yucca/sweet potatoes into the soup for flavor.. however this did not help, causing us to eat the root veggies on their own.
plantains: hard to mess up.
they were fried properly. however the beans they were served with were a bit too runny, and... not. salty. enough. I have never encountered this problem before. even if the beans themselves aren't salty, they're usually topped with 'quajada' (a very salty salvi cheese).. these, sadly, were not. To add insult to injury, the cream did not taste like salvi cream, but more like watered down sour cream.
pupusas: these weren't bad.
to be fair I'm judging my love for pupusas based on the caliber to which the lil church ladies made them when I was a child.
the ones at Atlactl were a bit too thick/mealy, way too big, and not quite greasy/crunchy enough. That being said, they were still tasty enough to eat one of (any more than that I'd die of overindulgence).
horchata: delicious. no complaints
ensalada: ditto. remind me to mix it with tequila next time lol.
So overall folks..
I wouldn't say I was completely disappointed. My man and I had a lovely time enjoying some salvi, coma-inducing, comfort food.
However, for more bang for the buck there are definitely better places in Los Angeles.
I will not come back here. -
Review from Jane D.
Washington, DC
11/23/2011
The son of the owner runs Jaragua, also on Beverly, that serves the same food but he adds a contemporary twist. We're friends with the owner and we still get charged the full price! Doesn't matter, it's worth it. I don't even bother with other pupuserias because Atlacatl is pupusa heaven. As an honorary Salvi, I rate 5 out of 5 stars.
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Review from Jared T.
Simi Valley, CA
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
I felt like I was eating a great home cooked meal! The roast is incredible. Rice, beans, etc are great as well. Can't wait to go back.
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Review from Efmehar D.
Agoura Hills, CA
9/22/2011
Very Interesting place with great Pupusas. The overall experience is not that great though. I would go back, but not my first choice.
Ive only been one time, and sometimes a place like this can grow on me, so keep a look out for the bump in stars! -
Review from Selina G.
Whittier, CA
7/25/2011
My friend took me here once, after I heard great reviews from him and other friends.
The service was nice. The place was not crowded at all. The food was ok, but I remember eating and thinking, this is "ok"...but nothing super special about it.
I probably wouldnt reccomend it, but wouldn't trash talk it either. I have just had better I guess. -
Review from Deirdre M.
Los Angeles, CA
6/20/2011
Nearly everything here is either rice or corn based, especially the delicious pupusas, which makes this gluten free girl happy! The prices are decent, the food delicious, and the service is GrEAT.
Boy-oh-Boy, though-- what I would give for a photo of my guy's face when the waitress rolled up with his fish, head, eyes, fins intact!! That said, he just tossed the watercress salad on top of the eyes and went to town. Apparently, it was good stuff ;) Be sure to check out the paintings around you while waiting for your food. -
Review from Anna L.
1/17/2011
My Salvy family put me on to this joint... average dining facility, but off the hook greasy ass Pupusas...
Whenever I eat a Pupusa, I think of that Michael Jackson song... Mama Say , Mama Sah, Mah Mah PUPUSA... (At least that is my version... )
Try some platano fritos with a pupusa or two... You will be stuffed for at least 7 hours in my opinion.Listed in: Mexi-CALI or Bust!
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Review from Ed R.
Los Angeles, CA
2/2/2011
Why is the category Latin American? It should be Salvadorean! because it is true home made Salvadorean food. Who can I contact to have that changed?
Atlacatl, is up there on my list of great Salvi restaurants (and I have had my share of Salvadorean restaurants, being Salvadorean).
I have been coming here for years with my family and every time that I have been, the food is great and although they do take a while getting the food to you, I am sure that it's made with love.
This is authentic Salvadorean food, they have pretty much anything that you can get from your mom's or aunt's kitchen. Pupusas, Sopa de Pata, Tamales, Panes con pollo o pavo, Salpicon, Platano frito con frijoles y crema, and to drink Kolashampan, Ensalada, Salvadorean horchata (it's different and much better than rice-based Mexican one), etc.
I highly recommend their pupusas, the Salvadorean traditional dish. I love revueltas, which has pork, cheese, and beans inside, all mixed to perfection! but they also can make a combination of whatever you want inside of those 3 and sometimes 4 ingredients, the 4th being Loroco, a small green plant vegetable, which they usually use for Cheese and Loroco pupusas.
and to drink you should try the Salvadorean cream soda, Kolashampan. It's great or a fresco of horchata, or an ensalada, all of which my non-Salvi friends liked alot.
Parking might be an issue, as they have a small parking lot, shared with the grocery store, so you have to try your luck at finding street parking, or you can always take transit, which is a block away from the Metro Red Line, Vermont/ Beverly station. Or you can also order to takeout.
I definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone that wants authentic Salvadorean food in a cozy and clean restaurant. Great food!
Buen Provecho!! -
Review from Megan F.
Claremont, CA
8/5/2011
Love love love the pupusas here. My favorite is the chicharron (pork) but the frijol ones are also delicious.
They're cash only, but when the pupusas are ~$2, even I usually have enough change rattling around in my purse to pay my bill. -
Review from Sheena K.
Los Angeles, CA
3/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This is the ideal place to go for pupusas period end of story.
This place literally has the thickest, most generously filled, delicious pupusas I have ever eaten. I can usually go to town eating pupusas, but at this place I could hardly finish one.
You want authentic, melt in yo mouth, cheesy pupuzers your search ends here :) -
Review from Marc D.
5/24/2011
I'd had a papusa before Atlacatl, but really... I had not.
This restaurant sent me on a mission to try papusas everywhere I see them, and still I haven't found any as good as I had here (luckily this is a brand new mission). Everything about the meal was authentic and fresh, service was great and the CURTIDO WAS INCREDIBLE.
I'm a sucker for any sort of cabbage condiment be it kraut, kimchi, or slaw, this curtido vaulted to top five all time in that category, enjoy it as soon as you can.. -
Review from Pepper M.
3/15/2011
I ate here last sunday, had a bean pupusa and a chicken tamale.
They were both delicious! the tamale was huge. The pupusa was delicious alone, but best with the curtido and tomato sauce.
The prices are incredible- for three pupusas, a tamale and orchata it was just about 10$.
This was my first time eating Salvadorean food, and I went with a Salvadorean family. They tell me it's very authentic, except that the only iguanas in the place are in amazingly awkward paintings on the wall, instead of on the menu!Listed in: My Favorite Things to Eat
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Review from claudie v.
Burbank, CA
6/26/2011
My coworker & I came in for lunch -- super excited to try a new place on our very official "pupusa day." I ordered 2 corn, and 1 rice pupusa. The corn were simply ok, not much flavor and it seemed like my pupusas had sat on the grill for too long as they were not juicy or oozing with cheesy ingredients.
The rice pupusa was really hard to eat, I actually ended up throwing it away and I neeeever thrash pupusas. I've had rice pupusas before so I know it wasn't my taste palette doing me wrong.
I expected to like this place a lot more because of all the amazing reviews --- perhaps we came on an off day.
All I know is it'll be a looooong while before I come here again. =(
I'd rather trek it to Inglewood/Hawthorne...there are tons of yummy pupuserias there!
