La Union Restaurant

I was looking forward to a traditional Salvadoran tasting breakfast and was disappointed to say the least in the quality. The pupusa was thick and lumpy (dry in texture) the refried beans and rice were not fresh. The eggs were not made the Salvadoran way (if you know you know) the cheese was NOT queso duro. I was not given the jar or enough curtido and the splash of tomatoe sauce was (both) NOT flavored enough therefore I ate the plantains and pupusa only because it was tolerable. I sat on this experience for a few weeks because I love my fellow Salvadorans however it’s fair to post this in hopes that it may get to the owners and perhaps consider who is cooking and provide a better representation of traditional Salvadoran food. PS the tortillas were so thin and dry. They are not worth posting a picture of them once again not a good representation of my beloved El Salvador cuisine.

I've had the pleasure to dine here multiple times. The food is always a hit! I've tried other places in the area, but this place brings the flavor and the right amount of spice. The "El Tipico" medium is the only way to go! Don't get me started on the pork and cheese pupusas in this place. A MUST TRY!

Best beef soup in the area… Red snapper & pupusas…. A neighborhood gem! I visited this place before COVID… quality is still very good! Congrats! Maybe offer a “soup n something “ lunch could be nice… all dishes are very good!

. I don't care What anybody says about this restaurant?It is the best restaurant in virginia in my opinion. I Highly. Recommend this restaurant to anybody who's just looking for some good food to eat. Personally, I think that la union makes the best beans ever. All the waiters are so kind and will treat you so well. The atmosphere in this restaurant is so good. I would highly recommend it to anybody.

It's in a small plaza off the road. The server was very nice and took our temperature when we got there. She got us chips and salsa on the house. We got horchata and it tasted good. I ordered pupusas and 1 taco to try out their food. I liked it. The pupusas was at a good price of $2 each. The place is clean and laid-back ambiance. I think this is a nice place to enjoy Hispanic food at a reasonable price.

My wife and I have been fans of La Union for a while, and decided to use them to cater a college graduation party for 60 people for two of our children. We couldn't be happier with the result! The owner Joey was extremely easy to work with, the variety of options was great, the food was delivered right on time, and it was delicious! We did a taco station with steak and chicken and all the sides, as well as a variety of papusas with curtido. Very very pleased we went with La Union for our party... a solid 5-star review!

Very awesome hole in the wall. Waiter told us about an off menu margarita. Was the perfect touch for Cinco De Mayo. Even better it came in a glass with a catus stem (see image). Highly recommend the chicken enchiladas, and cheese papusa. Incredibly filling, well priced and great service. :)

I visited La Union Restaurant on Mothers day. I had a great time with my mother and sisters total of 6. The place is small but cozy. Decorations are cute. Bathrooms are clean. Staff was very accommodating and friendly. Food was delicious 😋 I had El Tipico the steak was tender cooked to my liking. Everyone enjoyed their meal. Overall service was great and prices are very reasonable. I will definitely visit again.

Been here before always good. But today's Chicken Fajita seemed like chicken and vegetables were boiled- no sign of being grilled. Disappointing. Rice was good though.

I've been coming to this restaurant for over 15yrs. The food here is amazing. We've always keep it simple but the the following is a must try: Pupusas, El Tipico, Pollo a La Crema, Carne Fajitas, Sopa de Res (great when sick or hungover..don't ask..I just know.) are just a few to name. For drinks, the Horchata is very good along with the Ensalada de Fruta. For alcoholic drinks, the Madator, which one of their margaritas. If I have 3, then it's a guarantee I will be back the next day for that Sopa de Res. I will say we have cheated on them when it comes to pupusas. Every place we have tried them at never compared to La Union. So we have given up trying new places. Now that the food is out of the way, I will say the staff is very friendly. When we walk in, we feel like family. They're also very accommodating especially after I had weight loss surgery. I can't eat a lot so they always had a recommendation for something that wasn't a large portion and they've never let me down. I promise you that they will not let you down if you give them a try.

I have been to this restaurant many times, it is amazing! They have a decently sized menu with many options. I will admit it that this place is kind of pricey but it is well worth it for the good vibe--soccer games and party lights--quick service and traditional, Scrumptious and flavorful El Salvadorian food

Great papusas. Quick service. Cute small restaurant. The yuca is very good but they don't have a sauce to go with it (work on that y'all). I ordered the beef chimichangas. Crispy exterior and tasty cheesy filling.

Had driven by La Union many times before going up and down Wilson and this was the first time we pulled the trigger and decided to get take out and was definitely not disappointed The pupusas were really delicious. The texture was tender and the flavor really came through, there was also a side of tomato salsa that complimented them perfectly. We dabbed a bit of hot sauce on em for a kick which just brought it up to another level. Im sure they have hot sauce in the restaurant as well. For entrees we got 2 different versions of steak (El Tipico and Bistec Ranchero). Both were cooked well to the temperature we ordered and kept well despite a 15 min drive home. The sides were also good accompaniments. We had a tres leches to finish. I've never been a dessert person but my wife is and she REALLY enjoyed dessert. Only small knock is the prices are a bit higher than what I was expecting. Could be a recent change cause of inflation, but regardless we'll definitely be back to try out other things on the menu and if this quality and flavor persists through all their items, then they'll have earned an updated 5 star review and a couple regulars.

This was genuinely one of the best meals I've ever had in my life. Completely unexpected. I ordered the elote tamales. The elote tomales were an out of body experience. What I imagine it's like for a woman to genuinely climax. Next I got the papusas, I don't remember what type of meat, but they were gas. Next, the steak and eggs (unorthodox), the steak looked like shit, it tasted fucking incredible. Lastly I had the tres leches. I've made love to some beautiful women, incredible sexual experiences. None of them compare to the tres leches. Paired all that with a spicy marg and a Diet Coke with a slice of lemon. Excellent. 10/10 recommend.

My boyfriend and I are visiting Arlington from Virginia Beach, and we saw a video about this restaurant on Instagram. The service was amazing! Our server was very attentive and friendly. The food was also great. Highly recommend the 2 entrees we got, the El Tipico and supreme burrito! 10/10 for La Union!

Amazing, tasteful and quick preparation, some of the great things I can say about this restaurant and its food, great music, very comfortable place to eat, very convenient with parking on the spot, wonderful customer service, the servers will always be smiling no matter what, worth the one hour drive 100% recommend. Definitely coming back soon.

Best Mexican food I've had in DMV. It was authentic and full of the flavors I've been missing. I'm from out west with a large Latino influence and have been disappointed by the other places is the area. Incredible enchiladas!

La Union is a true gem right off Wilson Boulevard a little bit outside Ballston toward Falls Church. Fast service, always delicious food, great portions, and lots of dishes to choose from. The menu is Mexican-Salvadoran and includes things like pupusas, tamales, and various combo platters. I usually go for El Tipico, which is a rib eye steak with sweet plantains, refried beans, rice, pico de gallo, avocado, and queso fresco. I've eaten here many times and will keep coming back. I usually call the restaurant directly to order takeout. During the pandemic they require masks (of course!). The location has a small parking lot in the front, or there is street parking in the area. Go to the back of the restaurant to grab your takeout food, or call and ask them to bring it out. I prefer ordering directly, but they are also on major food delivery services.

Ordered at 620 this evening - carry out. Their site said our order would be ready at 701. Got their just past that. Waited and waited while several other orders were made (whether people were there waiting for it or not). Got out of there at 735, half the order was lukewarm/cold. Asked for a discount - was offered some extra chips. Enchiladas were tasteless. Have loved this place over the years. Trying to make me feel bad that their kitchen is slow was just not their best night (and not the best Friday night family dinner for my family).

I wanted to support La Union since they recently were burglarized. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on some items since I ordered take-out, but I was still disappointed. The steak inside the burrito had a nice char to it and the horchata was nicely flavored, but it was all downhill from there. Everything was stale and sad tasting. The chimichanga was stodgy in the mouth lacked any flavor, even when topped with sour cream and guacamole. The chips were stale and weren't helped by the watered-down queso. The flavor of the pork and bean pupusa was alright, but was a soggy mess and served with a watery, flavorless dip. I had not been to La Union in a few years, and have no need to go back since El Paso Cafe scratches the same itch, but much much better.

I have to admit that pulling up to this restaurant I want too sure about it but let me tell you the food is great and so is the customer service. I would definitely travel from Maryland again to eat here!!

Absolutely delicious. Tamales were perfect, enchiladas were delicious. People were friendly, service was great. Not a single complaint.

Maybe it was our mistake.. went here on Super Bowl night. Restaurant was empty. Food was OK, nothing very memorable. I used to live in Texas, this isn't even close. If you're from the Southwest and looking for a replacement, keep looking. Best part of meal was the appetizers (forgot the name, patty things from Honduras). And they closed earlier than advertised, we couldn't even finish watching the game!

Loved it! I had been waiting to try this place and now I have hit it up a few times. Great food and great service! Prices are really good.

Ordered out a massive amount of food for lunch. Everything was tasty!! I got the two tacos (steak and chicken), the pork and cheese papusa, the bean papusa, guacamole , and queso dip. The large quantity of chips that came with the dips were awesome. Perfect crispness. None went to waste! The guacamole was good and the portion generous. I liked the queso too. The steak taco flour shell came apart despite it being double. Thee was a lot of chicken in the chicken taco. My friend got the Marisco enchilada lunch platter and enjoyed it. To order for pickup was incredibly easy. The order was packaged with loving care.

I love this small Salvadoran neighborhood restaurant. Excellent food - Burritos California my fave. Service is friendly and quick. Prices are fine. Highly recommended.

Really good food at decent prices. We walked in and we're immediately taken care of and seated. Very friendly staff Service was great. Salsa was average, but the rest of the food was very good. My wife had the enchiladas rancheras and liked it a lot. I had the chicken California burritos, which were very good and for a great price.

This is a neighborhood treasure. It is a nice casual place to frop into. Service is excellent and friendly.

Stodgy, bland food in a strip mall. There are many much better alternatives in Arlington and the surrounding area.

Very good pupusas!! They had a good amount of filling and were cooked to perfection.

This is a favorite among locals. The pupusas, enchiladas, chili rellenos, plantains, and chips and salsa are all delicious. Try it!

This restaurant is nice, and the food tastes good. The only thing I did not like was that the table-sauces, the ones that come in bottles, have artificial dyes in them if you look at the ingredients. Otherwise, everything else I had was good. The pupusas were very good, the tortilla chips were good, and the horchata and maranon drinks were good. The restaurant itself had some cute decor as well, and the service was good.

The food is very good. The people are sooo nice. Skip Tex Mex and try this restaurant.

La Union has such yummy food! I especially love their cheese pupusas. They also have great salsa and chips and delicious, reasonably priced margaritas. Only thing I would change is their takeout containers (styrofoam containers should be illegal by now.) Thank you, La Union, for serving wonderful food at fair prices.

Went to La Union for take out lunch. I was surprised to find it crowed on an easly Sunday afternoon. I ordered several papusas, Tamal de elote, a QUESADILLAS, and a few burritos. The food was plentiful and authentic.

The food, the beer, the service was perrrrrfect we loved everything about it and will definitely recommend it

I adore this place: Good food, easy-going place, nice service. I just moved back and happy to see friendly faces and enjoy a great dinner. I love the fajitas and so will you. What are you waiting for?

One of the best places, price is not crazy. Service is good. Food is great. It has a feeling of homemade an authentic.

La Union Restaurant was okay! I chose this place because of the convenience to the location we were around. The parking was good. There weren't a lot of people at the restaurant so we got a space right at the front. The parking lot is small so I can see on busier days it being a hassle. The restaurant is very small on the inside which wasn't bad. They had plenty of seating and ample amount of space. Our server was nice. He kind of confused me a little but overall, great server. We ordered the enchiladas with rice and my husband had the burrito. The food was just okay. Definitely very different from what I am use to eating. The restaurant's bathroom was clean and well kept which was great because I have a small son and he likes to touch things. Overall okay restaurant.

Probably 3.5 stars, but I would go back Ambiance & service: Can't judge - I got delivery Food: A little up and down. I got the shrimp fajita. The portion size was large with a generous amount of shrimp and 4 tortillas. But the shrimp were unseasoned so the taste was pretty bland. It came with a small side of guacamole (okay, nothing special), and rice (good flavor) refried beans (again, simply average). But the saving grace for the order was a side of plantains Beautifully cooked with a lovely velvety flavor. Price; A little on the high side - I would expect better for this. I might try again, but only after I have tried more of the places in my neighborhood first.

We picked up takeout and it was absolutely amazing. We've been going here for years as a family and I finally got to show it to my boyfriend. The horchata is the BEST. Pupusas, carne, the beans, everything is phenomenal. 10/10 recommend

This has become our "go to" neighborhood restaurant! The beverages (read margaritas) are great. That is particularly true for their El Matador, a margarita that contains Grand Marnier and must be ordered with a wave of your hand for emphasis. The Supreme Nachos are delicious and sometimes all the two of us need for dinner in addition to a few of the aforementioned drinks. (Don't judge). If we're really hungry we'll get an order of fajitas knowing they, along with everything else we might order, will be wonderful as well. The staff is always pleasant and the service is surprisingly prompt. As for ambiance, there really isn't any. That is, except for soccer games that may be playing on one of their two TVs. Parking can sometimes be a problem and if we can't find a space in front there is always something a block or two away in the neighborhood behind the restaurant. La Union is a no nonsense place to go for a nice meal at a (don't tell them this) reasonable price. It's a place we bring our friends (don't tell them either) and don't see that changing anytime soon.

Good Family restaurant in the neighborhood. Central American and Mexican style items done fresh and with care. Full service -beer, wine - Liquor (Margarita with choices of Tequila) Shrimp dishes are my current favorite. Carry-out Take away available. But catch a football match and you will be glad you did.

Yummy and fresh! We did (COVID-safe) takeout from here tonight - husband popped inside to pick up order, inside no longer than 30 seconds. The order was spot-on and very homemade-tasting. It is very mild food - NOT spicy, so do not worry if you are a less than adventurous when it comes to heat. We ordered the food to be ready for pickup at 6PM. Got a text immediately upon placing our takeout order (ordered via GrubHub - but we picked it up ourselves, did not do delivery). Immediately upon placing the order I got a text saying food would be ready between 6PM-6:15PM. Great - no worries. My husband went out to run errands until 6PM. Then, at 5:30PM, I got a text saying the food was ready. 30 minutes early? Kinda weird. But luckily he was relatively nearby and could get the food while it was still hot. Guacamole is really great. Amount of food is very generous. Chips are super crispy. Pupusas were not as good this time as they were back at our last visit in May 2020, but still good.

My sister was craving Latin food, so we decided to try a restaurant we've never been to before. The restaurant we choose initially is closed on Mondays. Next stop La Union. We were greeted by a friendly young man and seated immediately and served chips and salsa. My sister loves the salsa, me not too much because of low tolerance to anything spicy. Nonetheless, the salsa was good. For starters, I ordered pork and cheese pupusa. Listen, when I tell you this pupusa was the bomb, I was dancing in my chair each time I take a bite. For my main dish I had, carne asada served with salad and rice. After the chips & pupusa, I thought I would not be able to eat my main dish. However, that was not the case; I devoured my food is less than 5 4 3 2 1. My sister had a quesadilla, but I was so busy eating my carne asada that I didn't bother asking her about her food. Through observation, it seems as of most of the customers are regular -- overall great service and delicious food a win in my book.

We enjoyed this restaurant. Food was really good and the staff was very attentive. Yuca frita and pork appetizer was delicious.

I wanted to really give this Ma and Pa restaurant a higher rating, but I found the food to generic. The parking lot is alway full, but there are better restaurants of this type of cuisine elsewhere in the area.

Our waiter was so nice and the food was great! Definitely recommend supporting this small business.

Unassuming and delicious! Enchiladas are incredible. They didn't skip on the quality of the rice and beans either. So happy we gave this place a shot. Definitely will be coming here in the future.

I lived about a block from this place for about 5 years and drove by it a million times before I stepped inside of a bite to eat. Let me tell you - i'm kicking myself in the backside now for taking so long to stop in. As someone else mentioned - this place really is a gem. It's a simple, no-sense restaurant. You great Hispanic food and a neighborhood restaurant price point. I have had the pupasas, the steak, and the enchiladas. All three were great. The place is friendly and simple - don't come here expecting somethings upscale and fancy. This is the place you come for a quick lunch, after the softball game, or when you just don't feel like cooking. In fact - I think I'll swing by later today

I love this place. Great service and tasty, consistent food. Try the El Tipico. The wife likes the Tierra y Mar, which is also great. The tres leches and margaritas were great too. I lived in arlington for years before trying this place. Sadly, those are years that I'll never get back.

I ordered delivery from this restaurant and it was the worst Mexican and El Salvadoran food I've tasted. Pupusas were bland, overcooked, and the beans were not fresh; queso was old, watery, and out of a can; while the flan dessert tasted and smelled like eggs and was not cooked thoroughly.

Can you name a better non-chain El Salvadoreña restaurant? I've been going since I was 12 and moved to the area and have always gotten the same dish- las fajitas de carne. The ambience is casual and very pleasant. I love the margaritas as well.

SO GOOD. Clearly too good to stop & take a picture. Such a great spot for pupusas, they were hot, super fresh & delicious (bean & cheese is my fav). Also some of the best priced Mexican/Salvadorian food around in dc/Arlington.

Food was fresh and good. I'll enjoy my steak and rice. I will be back! I really don't have much else to say yelp!

Another amazing dinner from LA Union! Went in this time and was welcomed with so much positivity from the staff. Literally felt like i was walking into my bestfriends house. Pork and cheese pupusas be hitting on a thousand.

Goodbye high price non authentic chain restaurants. This is now MY place. Even in the pandemic my food was fresh, made to order and the staff friendly. My burrito platter was amazing. I won't stop until I've had the entire menu. I'm looking forward to an in restaurant experience.

La Union is a favorite of mine for Mexican/Salvadoran, though I tend to stick to the Mexican food here, with the exception of the pupusas. La Union has been on my radar since Áine raved about it in 2010. It's usually quiet and the service is always friendly and warm. Chips and salsa are automatically offered as a tasty start to the meal. The pupusas are good--perhaps not the best I've had, but definitely high up on the list. I'm an enchilada girl. I love, love, love enchiladas and I urge you to consider ordering them here. The chicken is tender and red sauce flavorful. I usually add one of the table salsas for some heat. Plus, you can't go wrong with their rice and refried beans. The guacamole is fresh and I do not think it is oversalted, as other reviewers have mentioned. Chicken chimichangas are fried to perfection and I used the guacamole and a table salsa as a sauce. I must get back for one of their specialty dishes, fried ice cream, and a margarita.