El Salvadoreño

We took a friend here for the last meal they had in town and it was a great decision! The food was flavorful and rich, and the service was impeccable. There was one gentleman who seemed to be doing most of the customer facing work himself and he was doing a fantastic job. It wasn't nearly as busy as it deserved to be! Check it out if you're nearby.

Music was great, papusas, tamales, and elite were great. The Salvadorian corn drink is good, too. My wife is gluten free and it was all safe for her, no stomach pain after. Loved the staff, so friendly and fun

Don't sleep on this amazing place! Food was fresh and delicious. I was very pleasantly surprised when they said the could make their guacamole with no onions, which says they do small batches and do it up fresh. The staff was so friendly and quick and very helpful. I can not believe I have lived in this area for so long and have only just tried it. Everything was sooo good and I can't wait to come back and try more things!

We had a wonderful experience here for breakfast. The food was so delicious and we had great service and atmosphere! The waiter was very friendly and gave us some great recommendations. It was our first time trying El Salvadorean breakfast and it did not disappoint! We had a plate called "El Guanaco" and "Desayuno Tradicional" and they were savory and delicious. We also ordered coffee and an horchata to drink. The chorizo and beans and rice on the Guanaco plate were very tasty and it came with a stuffed pupusa (we like the spicy cabbage slaw on top which you can ask for as a condiment). The slice of fresh and briny, and a little crumbly queso fresco was also so flavorful and unique. We also had to get the Desayuno Tradicional because it comes with the fried bananas which were so perfectly cooked they were crispy on the edges and soft and dense inside. They give you a mild or spicy sauce too for the pupusas/tortillas so you can control the heat. We liked to put the refried beans on top of the thick tortilla and slaw and crema and salsa on top like a tostada. I think you can put the crema on the plantains too. The coffee was nice and strong and horchata was perfectly spiced with lots of cinnamon. It was all so delicious and we will be going back again for breakfast and to try the lunch and dinner entrees too. For a few bucks more than the price of McDonald's breakfast, it was way better tasting with fresh and hearty food.

My wife and I love coming here. They have very authentic food! I just had a steak with fresh tortillas, it was excellent. My wife and I love their pupusas. And our daughter got the chicken finger platter from the kids menu. Highly recommend. My wife is from Guatemala - and the food is very similar. We will be back!

The staff was great and the meal was amazing! We had the guac (so him), yuca fritas, papusas, and one of the fish dishes: mojara rellena. Very impressed with all of this! Everything was delicious! Very clean and the staff was attentive.

I've never had Salvadorian food so this was my first time trying this new cuisine I found this place in Kansas City and thought that I would stop by and take a chance on a brand new restaurant and food. I was not surprised at how tasty and similar a lot of these dishes are to Mexican food but it is not Mexican food so don't go expecting spicy or beans and rice that you're used to with traditional Mexican cuisine. This food was good it was interesting it was new it is something I will try again once I find a location closer to where I live but this review is about El salvadoreno which is out of Kansas City and I liked it. I tried their pupusas and their yuca fried with a nice helping of pork. Everything was seasoned well everything tasted good there was nothing wrong with the food The cocktails were also available you can have traditional pina coladas margaritas I'm not sure what the traditional cocktail of Salvador is but they did have Salvadorian beer available if that's what you'd like to drink I would visit again or find a similar like restaurant in Chicago to explore some additional dishes from El Salvador. Take a chance if you're in Kansas City and try something new.

This was my first visit to El Salvadoreno. From the very beginning our server was fantastic greeted with a smile very knowledgeable really quick with service. We ordered the chicken and steak kabobs with rice and beans and it was amazing. You can tell that this family takes pride in their food. Highly recommended!

We came here for pupusas and left really disappointed. The restaurant wasn't busy (less than 10 people total), but service was very slow. Our server was kind and seemed new, so I don't blame him, but it still took a while to get food. The pupusas were mostly masa with hardly any filling, and several were burnt so badly my kids had trouble chewing them definitely not safe for little ones. I even had a pile of masa left over after eating. To make things worse, I overheard another table complain about their food, and while the server was fixing the issue, the chef came out and just stared at them in a really uncomfortable way. Prices have also gone up a lot.. over $5 for a horchata with no refills and $4 for a soda with only one refill. For the quality we got, it just doesn't feel worth it. Nice server, he was attentive and kind but overall poor food quality and high prices mean I won't be coming back.

I was pleasantly surprised at the additional ingredient in the guacamole. I got the El Salvadoreno sampler and my friend got pupusas. Make sure you get the spicy slaw for your pupusas. I enjoyed my sampler so much I went back the following week and got it for lunch.

The hand made pupas were wonderful. The black bean and the bean and cheese make me want to come back and try more combo!

Since moving to Overland Park 4 years ago, my family and I have been faithful customers. Despite the continuous DISGUSTING attitude from the front of house girl and the increasing prices, we've decided to continue consuming here. However, today was the absolute worst and frankly horrifying experience I've ever had. This place is infested with cockroaches. As someone who has been in food business for over 10 years, I'm definitely one to know once a customer has found cockroaches in their food, the kitchen is INFESTED. I should have known our time as customers would come to an end sooner or later but not like this. The health department absolutely should be called and my fellow OP neighbors should absolutely avoid this place...

Very authentic Salvaorian food, great service, and good atmosphere. My wife is Salvadorian, and we love the Pupusas, Yucatan with Chicarones.

This is my kind of place. I was thrilled with the platter getting samples of all of their best food. I love the flavor of this kind of food so I am biased. I went for lunch and my two friends were also very happy with what they ordered. I had enough food for an entire other meal which I liked so much. I ate it for dinner. Great place.

I can't say I've ever had this type of food and it was amazing! It felt like a home cooked meal. So much flavor. Lots of choices. It's so great to have a small business restaurant in a sea of chains in Johnson County. It got somewhat busy during dinner but they kept the service flowing.

The pupusas are SO good- had the bean and cheese, and the shrimp and cheese. Enjoyed them with a glass of the Jamica (hibiscus) juice which was refreshing- tropical, and not too sweet. My partner enjoyed the breakfast of scrambled eggs with chorizo (El Guanaco). The staff is great. My only suggestion would be that they pick one soundtrack- the music is loud, and there's the sound from a aTv program playing over it, which sort of set my ears on edge/ might opt for takeout next time.

I've been learning more about the culture and food of El Salvador and my boyfriend said he would rate this place 4.8/5 compared to food back in his country! I was shown the proper way to eat pupusas, which is tearing a piece of the pupusa, scooping some of the pickled cabbage with it, then dipping it in the red sauce! Our favorite was the fried tilapia. My goodness we did a number on that one. It was crispy and seasoned really well while still moist inside. I am not sure what kind of rice came along with it but it was really good! Least favorite was prob the shrimp cocktail. Had this weird mayonnaise taste to it? No idea but I was not impressed. I just picked out and ate the shrimp only.

The meal and service wr had wad wonderful! I've never had enchiladas like this. The egg and beets on top made a perfect bite.

Delicious food! My favorites are the "enchiladas" and the shrimp cocktail (ceviche?) "Coctel de Camarones." Yum! When I go in to order takeout I feel the service is extremely slow and not very friendly, even though I always tip well. I don't really get it. I feel judged by the servers in a weird way but the food is worth it. Maybe it's just me.

I had the carne guisada. It was good. Service was prompt and the restaurant was cleanly. I will be returning!

Sooooo good. We had the sampler and a beef dish. Shared both, and every bite was delicious. Be sure to get some plantains! !

I first visited El Salvadoreno when they were located in Downtown OP and have returned a number of times since then for both dine-in and carry-out. The pupusas are my favorite thing on the menu- I love the cheese, bean and cheese, and chicken and cheese pupusas. I would recommend the sampler on your first visit so you can try a few different things. They have recently added street tacos and quesadillas, which aren't necessarily "traditional", but are tasty. Prices are reasonable too!

This is the first time I have had breakfast here. I had a dish called the Guanaco and it had a variety of different portions of food. It was good but it wasn't great, the dish as a whole was not seasoned properly, some of it was either a bit salty and some was bland. I also had a pork tamale which also lacked flavor. The presentation was all there, but unfortunately it didn't hit home for me. I do plan on returning and trying something else from their menu, maybe that particular dish just wasn't one of their best. I have had their pupusas and they're good, so, I'll give it another try.

I would STRONGLY recommend this restaurant improve its health standards! I noticed after my visit that it's had 4 violations -- with the most recent 4 weeks ago!

Food was great!! Didn't notice they slapped a gratuity and a service fee on my check though, which is odd because it was just my wife and I. I will definitely check on this before I eat there again.

I was very happy with my experience there. 4 because the plantains were off.... and the food a little salty. I'll go back though! Very quiet spot. Food took just enough time to know they were prepping it and NOT warming it. Got busy quick. Menus had plenty of options and they are GF (everything is corn based)

Great food but the services always suck and it feels like you're at a club. The music is way too loud to enjoy my food in peace.

Definitely a great find! The service was excellent, the waitress made sure to check on me while I waited until my food was ready. I seen reviews about the pupusas and decided to place an order for 1. I'm happy that I did! This was my first time trying pupusas and it won't be the last! I love fried fish so it was only right that I ordered the fish off the menu. I had a tough decision to make between the Tilapia Frita or Mojarra Rellena. I opt in for the Mojarra Rellena. The meal portion was very generous, this fish was large and seasoned well. The flavors meshed extremely well in my mouth.I posted photos of my meal on social media and had several people ask where did I get the food from. One thing I would have asked was to have the shrimp w/ cream sauce on the side.

If you want something different, flavorful and delicious stop here. I tried the Salvadoreno Sampler. I am not sure exactly how to pronounce the items or their ingredients but it was great. I know there was some fried yuca pieces (like potatoes), with some oregano spiced Cole slaw and pork carnitas on top, so good. The chicken tamal was outstanding, very flavorful compared to most. A fried burger and potatoes empanada, comfort food And two other items, one like a quesadilla with meat, beans and cheese but better. The last one had chicken and was gone to fast to describe. Thanks for a great meal.

Only giving a one star because food was good. Service was the worst! Girl didn't ask for refills on drinks once! And when we got our bill it had an 18% gratuity when we were a party of 4! They charged a $2.75 service charge for non cash paying customers! Never going back since luckily there are more salvadoreño restaurants out here!

I ordered a Pupusa of chicken and cheese. It was fabulous. These are made of a thick corn tortilla with chicken and cheese stuffed in it. Very flavorful and piping hot out of the kitchen. I highly recommend that if you come to this place you order one of these. They are priced at $2.50 each. The empanada was also very flavorful, but it sure is really tiny; it is about the size of a large thumb so it seems kinda price for such a small appetizer. The main dish I ordered was the chicken with cream, peppers and onions. It was $13 and was great value because it came with rice and a thick corn tortilla. I split the meal with a companion and had to ask for a to go box for left overs. The breakfast items on the menu look really tasty too. The only reason I did not give this 5 stars is because the wait time for the order was 20+ minutes and the service was pretty lousy. I appreciate that they cook everything up fresh, but still, the wait is too long. I asked if we could bring in our own wine and pay a cork fee. They said yes, but it would be $50 per bottle. YIKES. So I can only imagine how pricey their wine or beer is. So I recommend coming for the food, but be prepared to wait.

I can't believe it's taken me this long to rate this amazing place. I was too happy that it finally opened up after being in downtown OP forever, and it's been well worth the wait: the space is much larger, the parking is easier, and the seating is better. (Also, multiple TVs to watch any given game!) The dishes are still amazing; the Albondigas (meatballs) are my go-to, as I only tend to make it through half of the meal because it's so rich and flavorful. The sauce on the meatballs complement the entire dish, and the meatballs are juicy and BIG. If you're looking for a smaller dish though, you can easily get away with having a pupusa, as it comes with a spicy and delicious slaw (bean and cheese is what I'd recommend). Many times, that alone is a meal for me, and it's less than $5. There's nothing like venturing out in food and becoming a die-hard fan, which this place has made me.

Yes please, to more authentic, regionally specific Latin American cuisine! (though that's not to say I don't love my Tex-Mex & Mission-style burritos, when done right) They have plenty of tasty appetizers here: Tamales & pupusas are quite good, their enchiladas (not the standard Mexican enchiladas you're expecting) very good, and their fried plantains come with this yummy sour cream dipping sauce, which I'd never had paired with plantains before. The panes rellenos (a Salvadoran stuffed sandwich) is so delicious; I always order it with the escabeche (a pickled vegetable mix), which goes on top, but that's an optional add-on. Very interested in trying out their breakfast, as well as the many other menu items (including some delicious-looking stews and fish dishes) I've yet to try.

Great service and good food! Large menu with pictures of everything which is helpful. Can't go wrong with Pupusas and the ones here are very tasty. If you have never had fried plantains, get a small and give them a try. Unique flavor with the sweetness of the plantain and a sour cream dipping sauce. The Pollo Guisada red sauce didn't have a ton of flavor to it, was hoping for something a little more flavorful but still a good portion and good food. The Pollo Encrema tasted like a deconstructed enchilada, this was great. Overall a good experience if you want to try something different outside typical American restaurants. Would recommend!

I still love El Salvadoreno. I went at lunch this time, so it was busy & took a while. I ordered a few Pupusas including one with chicken & cheese, but it seems I was accidentally given the flower or loroco instead. Also, I prefer more Curtido, so I usually ask for extra. I love that they offer a plain bean Pupusa for Vegans. I brought a friend, and he liked the Pupusas too!

We were very excited to try the restaurant, especially since it moved to this new location. The server was very kind, but the food was not as great at we had been told. We had bean pupusas--dry in and out, chicharrón pupusas--little seasoning/flavor & sauce was watered down. The pastelito was tasteful and a good size and the plátano frito was sweet and greasy.

This is such a hidden gem especially now that they are on 87th street. The margaritas are amazing. We always start with some papusas. You can't go wrong with any of them. The steak is incredibly tender. I usually get the sampler as my meal. I have yet to try anything I didn't like. Update: every time I come here it amazing. Once again my margarita was so smooth. I wanted to fill up on papusas before my meals came because they were so delicious. Then my main course was again, delicious. I will continue to come and try new main courses. I have yet to try something I wouldn't order again.

The pupusas here always always sooo good. They do take a while on being made and to be truthful the staff aren't so welcoming. I had one of the waitresses run into me instead of excusing herself.

Food was delicious and taste "home made". It does take a little longer to come out, but other than that all was well. The atmosphere was very relaxing, clean, and good music. The customer service was fair.

El Salvadoreño has been one of our favorite hidden gems in KC for a few years now! We have been loyal customers throughout their big move to their newer location, and the food and service has stayed just as wonderful as it was in the old Downtown OP location! The food is always incredible, even if you are just getting items off the appetizers menu. They offer a great selection of Latin beers, and they also have wine and cocktails. My personal favorite is the "Super Michelada". There is definitely a little something here for everyone, and whatever you try it won't disappoint!

We ordered Salpicon & Mar y Tierra. The steak was cooked a little more than I'd asked for, but it was still really delicious. You better like garlic if you order this (I do!). It was really yummy. I would have preferred a little bigger size shrimp, but still tasty. Mom had Salpicon which they explained to her is served kind of room temperature, which she was fine with. It was very tasty too. I'm not a fan of black beans, but I really enjoyed the taste of her beans. We had good service and enjoyed the comfortable seating. It was nice to have music that wasn't blasting; just enough for background noise.

I've been coming here for years. Ordered a to go order tonight and they're adding 18% gratuity on all to go orders now without notification.

My wife and I stopped here for lunch and have found a new favorite to add to our top 5 restaurants in the area. For an appetizer we had the Fried Tortillas and Guacamol and was a great first impression. The tortillas were extremely hot and fresh, and the guacamole had a great flavor profile. The diced hard boiled egg was a surprisingly welcome addition. I had the Carne Guisado and it was extremely succulent. As all good roasts should, this one fell apart at the slightest touch of my fork, and was accompanied by an amazing tomato based sauce that was flavorful but not too spicy. My wife had the Costilla Entomatada. These pork spare ribs were fried with peppers and, according to my wife, it was "savory and scrumptious." Service was friendly and attentive. As others have mentioned, the interior is spacious with good lighting. We are looking forward to eating here again.

My El Salvadoreño Sampler ($11.99) was served with a smile in just 11 minutes. The chicken and beef were very tasty, and the foods had a wide variety of textures. Two sauces were available (hot or mild). This new location had a patio, and a bar. The dining area was clean and new, with Salvadoran background music and two TVs (off). Overall, very nice.

I'm thrilled and excited to be writing the very first review for El Salvadoreno's new location. As someone who lives near Downtown OP, it was heartbreaking to see their Downtown location close and I was so pleased to visit their new location in the strip mall across the street from the 87th Street branch of the JoCo Public Library. As far as I can tell, their menu is the same as at their previous restaurant which I heartily applaud. They certainly have some outstanding menu items. I think I could write an essay on my favorites, but I will limit it to a few outstanding items. First, the guacamole is really amazing. It's a hearty and huge portion with big chunks of avocado along with tomato, onion and egg. It's paired with house-made chips. Pupusas have always been a standout at El Salvadoreno, and although I did not have them at this visit, I would be remiss if I didn't recommend them. I feel 100% confident that they're still the best in town. I'm always down for their platanos fritas and they remain near the top of my list of favorites. For entrees, you can't go wrong with El Salpicon which is minced rump roast with minced radishes and a lovely finish of mint. I've also been a fan of their breakfast choices and I'm looking forward to coming back soon to check those out. The new location is a big upgrade in terms of space. There are lots of windows bringing in just the right amount of natural light. They do have outdoor seating for nice days. It was nice to see some familiar friendly faces from their previous location. A couple of quick notes that will only be applicable for a short period of time: They are not currently serving alcohol as they're waiting on their liquor license. Also, signage is not good yet, but I know they're working on it. In the meantime, look for the building in the SW corner of the strip mall across from the library on 87th Street.

A little Gem in North Overland Park. The food is so yummy and fresh. The menu has several options. My favorite is the sampler platter. A little bit of everything. I want to try one of the steak dishes on our next visit. The staff is always friendly and helpful. So glad we decided to try this little place out. The Chicken Enchiladas are our favorite.

My daughter lives in Belize as a missionary most of the year but has been home since March due to covid. She was really craving papusas so we went to try those specifically. She ordered 3 of the pork, bean, cheese and loved them but 2 was plenty for a meal. I had the sampler platter and everything was delicious!

We come here about once a year. The pupusas and the tilapia are delicious. The tamales are moist. Great service. Family friendly.

We really enjoyed this restaurant. The service was great and it was very clean. They had unique, authentic menu offerings. The plain rains were probably our favorite! I also enjoyed the sangria.

Went here for lunch the other day and the papusas are delicious! The tamale I got was very delicious but just a tad to wet so all the masa fell apart. The meat inside was so tender and delicious. They were out of jamaica so I had the horchata which was ok. Will definitely be back!! I've had their plantains before and think they are tasty but many people say they should be thinner slices so they can get crispy.

Siempre hemos pedido este platillo..Mojarra rellena, trae crema , cebolla y camarones pequeños.. eso era muy rico..ha perdido su sabor y trae arroz, trae unas tortillitas cortadas en triangulos en un principio y hecha a mano muy ricas en su tiempo, ahora horribles parecen masamorra...que masa más fea sin sabor harina con agua. Sabor a NADA falta cariño. Deformadas... el.pescado seco y mucha cebolla los.camaroncitos pequeeeeños y cada vez menos....uff no vuelvo más, el dinero cuesta mucho ganárselo para botarlo asi, sorry pero hay q decir la verdad. Quizás falta incentivo para los cocineros para q hagan mejor las comidas...a trabajar y sacar la mano del.bolsillo ..a la.dueña!!!!

the papusas are AMAZING, however the service is pretty bad for never being busy at all.

They were super busy and food was amazing The papusas were amazing everything was so good, total hidden gem

My wife and I tried El Salvadoreno for the first time tonight. There were a lot good options to choose from but we narrowed it down to: El Slavadoreno Sampler Pollo Crema Both were delicious! Definitely would come back and recommend

This place is great! I work near the restaurant and have driven by numerous times and wondered about it. Today my beautiful wife and I decided to be adventurous. She was suspicious of the authenticity- she had previously lived in El Salvador - but she said that she was transported back to her time in that country. We tried the Sampler and Carne Guisada - everything had excellent flavor. Bottom line- Great food and service! I forgot to take pictures of the plates but they were matches for the pictures in the menu. If you want to know what it looked like when we finished take a look at a new plate.

OMG! Just finished our meal, it was delicious! We are first time diners at El Salvadoreno so we relied on our server's suggestions and he did not steer us wrong! We started with puposas (I probably spelled this wrong) and guacamole, so delicious! The guacamole has a lot of extras in it and is served with nice thick freshly fried tortillas, different than Mexican but marvelous in its own way. Then came entrees. The hubs had the sampler. Judging by his empty plate it was tasty. He didn't share with me so I have no first hand observations. I had the Tierra Y Mar. My steak was tender, zucchini was grilled to perfection and the rice was tasty. But oh my sweet Lord! Those shrimp on top were HEAVEN! They were in a green sauce that was a perfect balance of tart, salty, spicy and savory. It was so good! We'll be back for sure, so I can try out all the puposas and some different entrees. My advice to you is, come with an open mind and ask questions. If you think Taco Bell is the epitome of food from the Southern Hemisphere, this is probably not your place. But please do come, and come often. This is a gem that deserves to prosper. Support locally owned family businesses.

Tenía una bien recomendación en su página pero ya la borre porque la calidad en la comida ha cambiando demasiado. Y también el servicio antes eran muy amables y ahora ni se diga. La comida ya no es la misma! Y no importa si cambian de personal en la cocina, yo digo que las recetas y la comida debe de seguir igual. Mi familia éramos fanáticos de su restaurante pero ahora no regresaríamos. I had a good review on this page from years ago when they first opened. But I have since deleted that review because the quality of the food and service has changed completely and not in a good way. The food isn't the same anymore. In my opinion changing cooks shouldn't change the quality and taste of the food. The service was always so nice and welcoming and now it's the complete opposite. My family and I were huge fans of your restaurant the first couple years but now we will not return to this establishment. COVID really effected this business and it's sad to see.