El Chinaco Restaurant

The Best taco's in Costa Mesa. I absolutely love El Chinaco. Super Friendly service. Fresh ingredients. My go to Spot for lunch when I am in the Coast.

Ordered the pork papusa and the bean and cheese papusa, both came out piping hot having been made fresh. The cooks were singing over the grill as food cooked, atmosphere was welcoming, friendly, familial. Food was absolutely delicious, and worth the wait. Will definitely be back.

My FAVORITE torta spot!! I may be basic but their ham and cheese tortas are hard to beat, they’re so good!! 😋 Can’t go wrong with the pupusas too, they’re delicious!!! Just know you going to have to wait 20min for them because they come out fresh 👌

I’ve never had El Salvadoran food before but one of the waiters was kind enough to walk me through the menu during a busy time.

Chandler Dodge

Ordered the pork papusa and the bean and cheese papusa, both came out piping hot having been made fresh. The cooks were singing over the grill as food cooked, atmosphere was welcoming, friendly, familial. Food was absolutely delicious, and worth the wait. Will definitely be back.

Jackii

My FAVORITE torta spot!! I may be basic but their ham and cheese tortas are hard to beat, they’re so good!! 😋 Can’t go wrong with the pupusas too, they’re delicious!!! Just know you going to have to wait 20min for them because they come out fresh 👌

Joseph Graden

I’ve never had El Salvadoran food before but one of the waiters was kind enough to walk me through the menu during a busy time.

Food is good good size very well-made. It just takes long to get your food but it’s understandable. It’s done fresh and by hand so if you cannot wait go to your regular local fast food location of choice.

Compared to other restaurants in the area that also sell Pupusas (Salvadorean food) this location has a big advantage in the layout and provides a better, more comfortable customer experience (vs. feeling cramped and in the way!). Plus, the free Salsa Bar also gives more options to try different flavors with each dish! Loved it!

They make really great papusas. They are huge and very tasty. I will definitely be back.

Have been eating here more than 30 years because they are consistently the best in every food. The pupusas here are beyond comparison. Even with squash blossoms. Every one is handmade while you wait. The nicest touches such as roasted jalapenos and different salsas are so delicious. Try everything. The carnival is magnificent. And the soup is so tasty and spiced perfectly. I enjoy eating here so often I bring anyone visiting town here for the delicious authenticity and everyone raves and thanks me. It's goooood!

This place has the best food!!! The pupusas were the best I've had and the chorizo burrito is the best!! My gf loves Menudo and she tries it everywhere we go She said this is #2 on her top menudo list and believe me, we have gone to many menudo spots! We will definitely come back.

The pupusas may take awhile sometimes, but they are definitely worth the wait. Filling and cheap too, with a delicious selection of salsas to choose from. Definitely my go-to spot. Call ahead to put in your order, and then you don't even have to wait for your pupusas :)

Gilbert Sandoval

They make really great papusas. They are huge and very tasty. I will definitely be back.

Lorenzo Porricelli

Have been eating here more than 30 years because they are consistently the best in every food. The pupusas here are beyond comparison. Even with squash blossoms. Every one is handmade while you wait. The nicest touches such as roasted jalapenos and different salsas are so delicious. Try everything. The carnival is magnificent. And the soup is so tasty and spiced perfectly. I enjoy eating here so often I bring anyone visiting town here for the delicious authenticity and everyone raves and thanks me. It's goooood!

Edgar sanchez

Food is good good size very well-made. It just takes long to get your food but it’s understandable. It’s done fresh and by hand so if you cannot wait go to your regular local fast food location of choice.

Stephanie Cooper-Phife

The pupusas may take awhile sometimes, but they are definitely worth the wait. Filling and cheap too, with a delicious selection of salsas to choose from. Definitely my go-to spot. Call ahead to put in your order, and then you don't even have to wait for your pupusas :)

Adriana Chavarria

This place has the best food!!! The pupusas were the best I've had and the chorizo burrito is the best!! My gf loves Menudo and she tries it everywhere we go She said this is #2 on her top menudo list and believe me, we have gone to many menudo spots! We will definitely come back.

Eva Ordaz

Compared to other restaurants in the area that also sell Pupusas (Salvadorean food) this location has a big advantage in the layout and provides a better, more comfortable customer experience (vs. feeling cramped and in the way!). Plus, the free Salsa Bar also gives more options to try different flavors with each dish! Loved it!

Takes I ordinately long to get orders here, I got bkfst burritos and it took close to 25 minutes for them to hand them to me, they were ok, no complaints.

Tried their Pupusas and I must say they were actually pretty good and the service was great from the cashier to the two ladies in the kitchen preparing the food👍🏻 I'd recommend this place to anyone looking for some delicious pupusas.

Pupusas where really good! Cheese and loroco are the bomb! And the fried plantains are the best! With sour cream and the fresh brewed coffee, yummm! The service was excellent, friendly and a little slow but I think it was because they where making the food fresh and had really a long line of orders to go, a lot of customers where coming and getting their to go order. The bathrooms where clean and dine-in the men's bathroom smelled clean and fresh ( yes, I went to use the men's room also lol) they have a lot of clientele so it says a lot. I recommend this place and still probably come back to try some breakfast plates.

Food is definitely authentic Salvadoran. They do serve large portions, good for sharing. It was dissapointing that they don't serve enough sauce and curtido (cabbage salad). This is served with the pupusas. While we were there, everyone requested extra, and they have a notice stating they charge extra if you request more. Dine-in is allowed and there's parking in the back. Prices are a bit higher than other Salvadoran restaurants I've visited. But overall food taste great.

It was good, if I could it would be 3.5 stars, pupusa dough tasted more like a tortilla than pupusa, my Birria was dry, needed more sauce, horchata and fried plantains were delicious and hit the spot, it was hit and miss for me I guess.

Homemade Pupusas. They are great, hot, soft, homemade goodness. I usually grab a few and when you reheat them at home they are almost as good. It takes a good 15-20 mins for them to make it. They are made to order and for them to cook to perfection it does take time. They have a salsa bar and for the record they make a really killer breakfast burrito and it's sold all day. If you want to save some time call ahead and your order will be ready when you arrive :D

I've been coming back to this restaurant over 15 years. I stopped coming here for awhile then I came back with different co-workers whenever we crave for some pupusas. I grew up in the Salvadorian neighborhood in LA so I was exposed to some good pupusas growing up. I usually get their pork and cheese pupusas along with half fried yacca and half plantines. Pupusas take awhile to prepare but they are worth the wait.

I liked the atmosphere. It looked like what I'd expect in terms of fanciness. Im glad they had a salsa bar. The pupusas revueltas were pretty good. Not the best, but good nonetheless. Im upset they didn't have Horchata Salvadoreña, only Horchata Mexicana.

Delicious pupusa and curtido there. I kept asking for more curtido and they are happy to do it. Will be back.

My friends swear by the breakfast burrito here, but I decided to go with the huevos rancheros and was not disappointed. That thing will fill you up. Nice salsa bar and selection of Mexican beers. They also have Salvadoran food like pupusas, which I'll have to try next time because I was already stuffed.

M.

Delicious pupusa and curtido there. I kept asking for more curtido and they are happy to do it. Will be back.

Dan Broadhead

My friends swear by the breakfast burrito here, but I decided to go with the huevos rancheros and was not disappointed. That thing will fill you up. Nice salsa bar and selection of Mexican beers. They also have Salvadoran food like pupusas, which I'll have to try next time because I was already stuffed.

I stopped by to get oupusas here and must say they were sizeable. Since I ordered to go, they do pack a good bunch of curtido and two salsas (they have 3 levels of spiceness) . They offer good srink variety. They have 4 aguas frescas (pineapple, cucumber, horchata, and hibiscus), along with bottled sodas and beers. Big bright menu displays that flash some pictures of their food offerings.

The pupusas are the only thing I would buy here. They are very good and fairly priced. I tried the tacos once and was disappointed. Definitely not Mexican tacos, felt more like American tacos. The drinks are also a bit higher price than other places. Get the pupusas and skip the rest of the menu.

Moi Go

I stopped by to get oupusas here and must say they were sizeable. Since I ordered to go, they do pack a good bunch of curtido and two salsas (they have 3 levels of spiceness) . They offer good srink variety. They have 4 aguas frescas (pineapple, cucumber, horchata, and hibiscus), along with bottled sodas and beers. Big bright menu displays that flash some pictures of their food offerings.

Josue Batalla Garcia

The pupusas are the only thing I would buy here. They are very good and fairly priced. I tried the tacos once and was disappointed. Definitely not Mexican tacos, felt more like American tacos. The drinks are also a bit higher price than other places. Get the pupusas and skip the rest of the menu.

Well, sadly, I will have to find a new pupuseria. For many years, this one had my business without fail until recently. The pupusas have suffered a drastic change along with the salsas and the curtido. I thank them for the good times, for I believe they can turn it around back to the way it was. But until that happens, I won't be coming back.

pupusas are huge and stuffed. Only thing that I didn't like- they didn't have the sauce. And they give a very small amount of curtido. $3.50 each is not bad. You get what you get.

pupusas we’re great but nachos were below average

josue Antonio

pupusas we’re great but nachos were below average

Unfortunately the pupusas and the fried plantains were very greasy. The carnitas meat in one of my tacos was watery and bland, and the other taco meat, which was supposed to be carne asada, was super crispy and all the flavor was cooked out... Very disappointing, especially with the reviews from Google and Yelp which lead us here.

The quality of the food has declined over the past few years, which is disappointing because it used to be good. At this point, there are way better options in the area.

I stopped buying food. I paid in cash and my change was given to me short. This is not the first time.

cesar cosmo

I stopped buying food. I paid in cash and my change was given to me short. This is not the first time.

Humberto Cabada

The quality of the food has declined over the past few years, which is disappointing because it used to be good. At this point, there are way better options in the area.

Very disappointed, because I order a simple nachos for 10.50 as show in your escreen, and I paid 11.50, I asked the cashier because I feel confuesed, she givime excuses about it , but why you have one price and pay more?

I have ordered from El Cinaco for years. What we just had was the worst I've ever eaten. Fishy tasting. Watch out! I'd they don't change the oil. Wow! Digisting. Ask ahead of time.

The food was terrible. Very dry carnitas meat, the plantinos were dry and stale tasting. The chili releno looked deflated and seemed like it was 3 days old. Very disapointed in this place. The only reason I gave it one star (because I would have given them none) is their homemade tortillas.

Nothing about our food was accurate: - Chile relleno was made with green sauce that is usually used for bistec (stake), the chile was over cooked and dry, and the cheese filling was like... Pizza cheese. - Chilaquiles we're also with the bistec salsa verde, and was topped with wayyy to much sour cream and like bagged american "Mexican cheese" - The pupusas we're not fully cooked and had almost no filling. The pupusa sauce tasted like you just diluted tomato sauce with water and added oregano, there was no flavor. Overall, okay if you're just really hungry.. it didn't taste bad, but if you're looking to order at an authentic Mexican or Salvadoran food there are way better options. The employees were nice, but I come for the food. It was the most non-authentic, authentic Mexican and Salvadoran food. If you want bomb pupusas San Sivar is less than 5 minutes away and there's better Mexican food literally everywhere.

Not good. Carne asada plate was just taco meat with old rice. Nachos were tortilla chips with nacho cheese and jalapenos. We ordered pastelitos and they were spoiled. Garlic shrimp had no garlic. Honestly we felt gross eating here. Never again.

This place went down the drain. I noticed that the pupusas taste a little wierd. When I asked,, they were happy to say that they added tomato sauce to the chocharones🤦🏻‍♂️ SMH. If it's not broken, don't fix it.

Jesus, I've been eating here for a while, and they just keep lowering both quality and quantity. This is a yucca frita I paid almost $13 for 🤦(I'll upload a pic if it lets me, literally 3 little pieces of meat)

I've been eating at this restaurant for 25 yrs and the food and sevice was good. But on 11/12/20 a young lady(YAMIN) got my order wrong after I asked once before the food was cooked if my order was correct. It was wrong after I got home,so I called and was told sorry I can give you a 20% off if you wish to re-order. I said no thanks cause it was her fault then she hung up! Never going back again.

Just left this restaurant and felt very uncomfortable with this employee staring at me the whole time. Besides de very loud music playing, the employees need to yell so you can hear them. I could not eat and talk in peace.

This place use to be good. Wth happened? This is fake cheese and burnt meat. Straight from the microwave. Not worth $15 did not eat after 2 bites. 😡

WORST experience EVER. I’m very embarrassed on how they treated me and my friends. They never had pupusas so I recommended them to try it. These girls working were laughing & making fun of us. They blasted the music off a speaker they brought in. It was like a Club where we were yelling to hear each other & kept asking each other to repeat what the other said. It gave us a headache. Yo le pregunté a la muchacha si pudiera bajar la musica Porque no podía escuchar a los demas hablar. Me dijo que sí pero se rieron y le subieron más. Even though I asked them to turn the music down just a little, they laughed & turned it up even more. When we were leaving my friend told the girl in pink that we couldn’t hear each other talk over the music. She said, “It’s our restaurant. So you need to understand.” Then burst out laughing along with the other girls. Disappointed. First Pupusa experience ruined.

Suelen Campos

Just left this restaurant and felt very uncomfortable with this employee staring at me the whole time. Besides de very loud music playing, the employees need to yell so you can hear them. I could not eat and talk in peace.

Amanda Seif

This place use to be good. Wth happened? This is fake cheese and burnt meat. Straight from the microwave. Not worth $15 did not eat after 2 bites. 😡

Yvonne G

WORST experience EVER. I’m very embarrassed on how they treated me and my friends. They never had pupusas so I recommended them to try it. These girls working were laughing & making fun of us. They blasted the music off a speaker they brought in. It was like a Club where we were yelling to hear each other & kept asking each other to repeat what the other said. It gave us a headache. Yo le pregunté a la muchacha si pudiera bajar la musica Porque no podía escuchar a los demas hablar. Me dijo que sí pero se rieron y le subieron más. Even though I asked them to turn the music down just a little, they laughed & turned it up even more. When we were leaving my friend told the girl in pink that we couldn’t hear each other talk over the music. She said, “It’s our restaurant. So you need to understand.” Then burst out laughing along with the other girls. Disappointed. First Pupusa experience ruined.

A Mexican Salvadorian food! An empty restaurant should have been the first warning sign; the food appeared stale, and the plantain's flavor seemed almost spoiled. We didn't finish the pupusas, the fish, the tacos, or the fried bananas. Plus, they took about 40 minutes to get our food. I wish I had simply ignored this place altogether.

Bee M

A Mexican Salvadorian food! An empty restaurant should have been the first warning sign; the food appeared stale, and the plantain's flavor seemed almost spoiled. We didn't finish the pupusas, the fish, the tacos, or the fried bananas. Plus, they took about 40 minutes to get our food. I wish I had simply ignored this place altogether.