Pupuseria Doña Azucena
71 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA, 22203
Pupuseria Doña Azucena Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Arlington for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Arlington for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Arlington for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
71 N Glebe Rd
Arlington, VA, 22203 - Phone (703) 248-0332
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Elina T.
Just came back from another outing there - delicious and dirt cheap! Probably the best pupusas I've had in the DC area. There was another place we used to go to in Chirilagua that had really good ones, but then we were told there were shady things going on there, so we stopped going there. I love the bean and cheese pupusas - crispy and melty, beans and delicious and just the right amount of cheese. The curtido (cabbage salad + spicy tomato sauce) is also very good. For drinks, horchata and tamarindo are good as well. Don't get the melon con pina drink, it's a bit artificial tasting. We got 5 pupusas and 2 drinks and the bill was $11. Can't beat it. The waitresses are very nice also.
(5)Emma D.
Delicious food and excellent way to practice your Spanish. (Or bring a Spanish-speaking friend). Food is cheap and greasy, you can bring friends and sample the whole menu. We tried to get dessert but couldn't commnicate with the waitress and ended up disappointed with what we were served. That being said--you don't come here for dessert, you come here for the AMAZING pupusas! Parking is in a small-ish lot and even when it's crowded you'll find somewhere to park. This is a little gem in Arlington!
(5)Greg W.
really good! A little greasy, but the bean and cheese are really good!
(4)Bechego E.
I came here for the pupusas, that's it, and I was not disappointed. They had quite a few choices of pupusas, which was good, and we ordered a couple of different types. What I liked most about the pupusas was that they were "fat", I mean, there were full of the good stuff. The "ayote" (zucchini) pupusa was very good, with a lot of cheese and well cooked ayote. The cheese, chicharon and cheese and frijol and cheese pupusas were also very good. The "curtido" (pickled cabbage) was very fresh and well made, although it was not as pickled as it could have been. The salsa was also very good. These two complimented the pupusas very well. The service was friendly and prompt. On the way out we took a slice of "quesadilla" (cheese bread, loosely translated) to go and it was GREAT. I gave it four stars, and not five, because I have had these in El Salvador and, well, they are not exactly the same, but probably as good as they get this far north. It was a good exerience overall.
(4)Ricardo E.
Went for lunch, service qwas quick, staff was friendly (all in spanish) Food was pretty good, authentic, definitely greasy and taste was good. Favorite papusa was the squash - as I am not into pork, etc. next time will try the steak one; as I had my red meat for the week previous to my visit. Will come again.
(3)Sammy S.
I came and brought a co-worker here to taste some Salvadorian food.... mainly the Popusas ( flour patties with cheese, meat or refried beans). We had been hearing great things about them and I'm glad we weren't let down. This isn't a fine dining place but you will get authentic food here. We ordered 5 popusas, and order of Yuca con Chicharon and a side of carnitas. Just so we can taste a little bit of everything. It was all really good and tasteful. The Curtido ( concoction of carrots, onion, oil, vinegar and cabbage) was very good and the sauce added the final touch. The plates that were brought within a good time frame, and every time we asked for something we were able to get quick service.
(4)Jenna P.
Delicious chicken tamales - their masa is really tasty and not greasy like some tamales. I also really like the pupusas which also aren't as greasy as some pupusas (except next time I will avoid ones with pork - I didn't like the taste of the pork). The fried plantains were okay, but the beans and cream they come with were both really watery. Overall though good food at a great price ($1 pastel de carne, $1.50 tamales, $1.50 pupusas). Top recommendation: tamales.
(3)Nanette S.
Fried bananas are great. Comes with retried beans and a sweet cream sauce. Adicting. The eggs and chorizo are also amazing. Inexpensive and unpretentious.
(5)Stefannie T.
I can't argue with the pricing at all that's one thing I love about this place, but a couple of times I ended up waiting 20 minutes just for the bill. I really didn't like that. Also the Food was todo for its pricing & id definatly return.
(3)Sera C.
3.5 stars. Went here the other day for the first time and it was definitely a different experience. First of all, no one speaks English and the server didn't even attempt to....she just kept on speaking Spanish, but luckily my 'date' knew wtf to order! My first ever pupusa experience was unmemorable and I wasn't enthusiastic to try it again, but I'm sure glad I did! The pupusa here was delicious! Came out super hot. The crunchiness of the slaw they gave us on the side went along perfectly. Oh yeah, and if you're a chick, be prepared to have every guy in the room stare you down like they want to eat you like a little pupusa! =X
(3)Jeffrey K.
Pupusas are fat and filling, topped with an absolutely delicious coleslaw/sauce mixture. Order a lot and take some home; its good stuff. Actual restaurant is pretty meh, but you shouldnt be here for the atmosphere.
(4)Margaux H.
Dona Azucena is at the end of a strip mall that also happens to include: a pawn shop, a counter take-out Chinese restaurant, two family-owned Latin American restaurants (one of which doubles as a "sports bar"), and a Latin American mini-mart. So obviously, our expectations were high. :) The staff was very friendly and took our orders right away. Although everything I read said they were fast, I think we came in right after the rush--every table was full and no one had any food yet. So we ended up waiting ~30 min for our order. The menu is tiny, and heaven help you if you want a vegetable. We decided to pass on the Nuegados con Chilate (deep fried ground cassava bites served with sugar cane syrup on top and a bowl of corn flour porridge) because neither of us was in the mood for a diabetic coma. Instead, we went with 4 pupusas (one cheese; one combination pork, cheese, and beans; one loroco con queso (edible flower); and one cheese with zucchini and squash) and a chicken tamale. These came with a pickled cabbage salad and red sauce, both packed in knotted plastic baggies. By the time we got home I probably would have eaten just about anything, but I'm happy to report that the pupusas were, for the most part, delish! My favorites were the combo and the loroco; my boyfriend preferred the cheese. The squash one was not so great...way too much butter used to cook the squash. And the tamale was uninspired...it was moist, but perhaps a little too much so, and seemed to be to be their way to use up left overs--I found a random smattering of: chicken, potato, green olive, and chickpea, but only a small bit of each. Considering that pretty much everything from the restaurant is fried, the pupusas were surprisingly un-greasy...I dabbed them with a paper towel first and it came up dry. Two pupusas and a half a tamale each later, we were finally fed and surprisingly full. And less than $8 poorer! This is a great place for a quick and cheap pupusa fix. Although I would recommend supplementing with some veggies from home. (portions x-posted from blog)
(4)Lilian H.
I love coming here! I would give them 5 stars but they are always full and its really hard to get a seat especially on the weekends. My favorite is the steak dish and on Thursdays Carne Guisada (but get there early or they run out). Also try the pupusas. NOM NOM NOM.
(4)Jelli F.
Pupusas are good, better than others I've had in the area. Everything else I've had is ok, but not worth going out of your way for. I understand the steak dishes are good, but I've not had them.
(3)Luis G.
Doña Azucena definitely knows to make a good pupusa. It's not like at some places where the filling to maso ration is ridiculously low...the pupusa is bursting with the quesillo and other fillings. I love their crispy yucca and tamales de gallina. The curtido has a vinegary base that is tangy and has a subtle hint of spiciness that balances with the crisp texture and flavor of the cabbage.
(4)N S.
When you are starving and the rent is due, yes you can afford to eat out. It is called... the Pupusa. I don't know how I would have made it through college at the Univ. of Maryland without this handy standby at the Flower Avenue location. Plus, I know of no other pupuseria in town that offers the bean/cheese combo as does Dona Azucena's. To me Dona Azucena's is an unofficial Washington area landmark, it introduced the pupusa to many a gringo such as myself and it was and remains cheap. Viva Dona Azucena's!!!
(4)Steven L.
Now this is a real deal Holyfield pupuseria! This place gets deservedly packed at night and with good reason: $1.50 delicious pupusas! The carne asada platter is nothing to sneeze at either. I always thought of myself as a taco guy, but I may be converting...
(5)Jonathan M.
Great place, good pupusas, my family has been coming here for years, get the cheese pupusas and the revueltas (cheese, pork, and beans). Also order a side of chicharon as an appetizer, you'll thank me later
(5)Jamie S.
Since when did pupusas become so popular with the gringos? I remember like five years ago trying to explain what they are to my american friends, now everyone is hooked. Anyway this place has THE BEST pupusas, which is why it is ALWAYS packed with salvadoreños. Parking is a nightmare, be prepared to park across the street and have to run across Glebe Rd, which is part of the true central american experience. It's a bit of a drive for us but we go when my fiance or his family/friends are homesick, they always say it feels like home. If you are prepared for the experience you won't be disappointed!!
(5)Super H.
Mi compañero y yo comimos aquà para el almuerzo de esta semana y fue la bomba. Me alegro de que la camarera habla Inglés o de lo que estarÃa hasta el arroyo sin remos. La carne asada es un acto difÃcil de seguir, pero la horchata realmente sacó un conejo de la chistera. Y no se rompa el banco! El hueso único que tuve que recoger estaba con la falta de opciones de menú. No estaban a la altura de otros restaurantes de El Salvador. Por supuesto, yo no sabÃa que la papusas fueron la comidilla de la ciudad. Lástima que estaban contra el reloj o habrÃa ordenado algunos de comida para llevar. Nada de andarse por las ramas sentido, yo no hablo español.
(3)Alison M.
I went the other day for the first time. We got a bunch of pupusas-- cheese, cheese with loroco, combination, and pork with cheese. I have had many pupusas in my lifetime, and these were among the best. I wasn't that into their curtido, which had little flavor, but the pupusas themselves were awesome. I especially liked the combination (revuelta) ones. The guy behind the counter didn't seem to speak much English but the waitress/hostess noticed us on our way in and made sure we were taken care of (and that I didn't have to use my rusty high school Spanish). I will definitely be back.
(5)Hannah B.
What an interesting and filling breakfast. Definitely know what you are getting in to before you go. The service is slow but the food is good and hot. Breakfast comes with rice/beans or a french baguette (random?). The papusas are good.
(3)Joe Nam D.
Pupusas are extraordinary. Crispy on outside and cheesy/beany/meaty/whatever you ordered inside. Packed and no gringos in sight. The real deal although parking is a hassle.
(4)Karen V.
Ok so, we are talking pupusas right? not empanadas, not tacos, not burritos or any other latin american dish ... Correct? We are talking hardcore, Salvadorian-Supercharged-American-Version-of-the-ÂPupusa, that I LOVE??? Well in Northern VA, Dona Azucena is Queen Pupusa. You will have other good ones, but hers have reigned supreme around these parts. I have eaten at the Arlington and Woodbridge restaurants, and I LOVE everything. They also have this Chile Relleno that I wanted to Marry it was so good... can you marry food? =) The Pupusa is normally accompanied by a pickled shredded cabbage called: "Curtido" (kooorrr-teee-dow) and a special red tomato based sauce, I prefer sans sauce, extra curtido, for beginners, try it without, then try it with. OH!!! YOU GOTTA EAT'em FRESH, not room temp or cold. HOT.
(5)Ross S.
They serve now Pupusas de Pollo (chicken pupusas). I highly suggest that. The Melon Con Pina is very good. Pupusas and the drinks are $1.50. You can get full with 2 pupusas. Very cheap but it gets really really busy.
(4)Ting W.
Yes Please!! How can you go wrong with pupusas at $1.50 each or pasteles for $1 each. Deliciously stuffed with pork and cheese...mmmmm....two or three things here can actually fill me and for under $5!!!! Get out of class at 9PM and don't want to start the late night process of cooking dinner? Get a pupusa! Feeling too lazy to cook yourself lunch? Get a pupusa!! Stumbling home after one too many beers? Get a pupusa!! I tend to rate food based on the price I'm paying. Yes, that rack of lamb was amazing, but was it $30 amazing? In the DC area, there is definitely a shortage of value for what you're paying. Food is usually very overpriced, but not amazingly incredible. Or (and this is what I usually hit) great, but still on the pricier side. Here, it would not take much for a pupusa to be worth the $1 that it costs. But it's great!! I would even pay $1.50....maybe $2 for one. That means you're getting at least double value for a pupusa!! You could get 3 pasteles here for the price of a Starbucks frappuchino! Say yes to pupusas and say yes to Pupuseria Dona Azucena!
(5)Paul W.
I don't give out 5 star ratings often, check out my ratings distribution as proof. But as far as pupusas go, this place is the best. Stay away from everything else, just go and order the chicharron con queso. You have no idea. Sauce is perfect also... even if its in a bag. Pour it in my hands, I don't care. And did I mention they're only $1.50 each? This place is special. Trust. Go now.
(5)Joe J.
the best 16 dollars I have spent in a long long time. My cousin brought me here only because I told him, the best salvadorean food is the food ones family makes...I have officially annexed the Pupuseria Dona Azucena staff as part of my family. I ordered 1 tamale de pollo, 1 pan con pollo, 3 pasteles, and 3 pupusas's de queso. Between 2 we could not finish all the food presented before us, it was a small feast. The chicken in the pan was seasoned to perfection and so tender it was like a mothers love. The pawn shop on the corner and the "sports" bar next to it should step their games up before this place buys the whole strip. I enjoyed the food here and it really is a small piece of El Salvador in Arlington, VA.
(5)Fuzz H.
The food took forever to arrive, we got everything in reverse order (dessert first), and the queso/queso con frijoles were extremely soggy. Wish I liked this place more as the prices are about the same as McDonalds.
(1)Fatima P.
i always wanted to try the pupusas. A friend took me to this place and it was delicious and very cheap...
(5)Felix C.
Look I was going to give it 4 stars since it isn't the best restaurant out there but in it's realm there isn't a pupeseria that can beat Doña Azuceña in this area. I have visited the place quite a few times and I am pretty familiar with most of the menu and it's all good. The pupusas are freshly made and the kitchen ladies are the nicest women out there, they always say hi to my kids! If you are not too full try the bread pudding or better yet take a piece home, it is pretty awesome!
(5)Kradak T.
Ballston lunches become boring--too cookie cutter, too corporate. Viva North Glebe Road! The menu is simple and mostly a la carte. Our party of three found it easiest to order a pile of food and just graze from the selection. All good, all cheap. Be mindful, the prices are so cheap that you can very easily over-order and not be able to eat everything and roll away from your table. We'll be back
(3)Andrew L.
Great papusas. I found the carne asada okay but not spectacular. It definitely had a lot of flavor, but next time I'll stick to the papusas. Be aware: this is authentic Salvadorian. A lot of the staff and customers speak English as their second language. If you're the type of person who tends to condescendingly speak more slowly and loudly to try to make yourself understood, maybe you should eat someplace else.
(4)AC A.
This is joint is pretty much like a tapas restaurant. There are only a couple of entree platters (the carne asada rocks), and the rest are small dishes. If you just want to nibble on something or want a full meal, you can mix and match here. The fried pork was over-fried, but the plantains were great. The pupusas come with a good salsa and slaw.
(3)Catherine P.
I visited Dona Azucena about 2 weeks ago on a recommendation from a co-worker. Living in Northern VA, you can always find great ethnic, authentic restaurants and this one doesn't disappoint! Don't let the exterior fool you, the staff are inside working hard at making these fantastic popusas. Each Popusa is about 4 inches in diameter, so 3 are more than filling. I tried the Revueltas, per my co-workers suggestion, and these little bean, shredded pork and cheese wonders are melt-in-your-mouth amazing! I also ordered the Plantains and Pasteles and both were great sides. In total, we ordered the plantains, pasteles, and 8 popusas for 2 (and it was wayyyy too much food) and we spent $22 with tip. You can easily get a great, Salvadorian meal for under $20 for 2 at this place and it's right in Arlington. They also opened a location in Springfield, although I don't know where that location was. The only difficult part was that the staff spoke little English, but they were more than gracious in being patient with us to let us place our order and our order came out exactly as placed!
(5)Lindley E.
Worth the drive for delicious Pupusas (thick corn masa cakes that are usually stuffed with cheese, meats, bean, or a combination of all three) and other Salvadoran treats. We went at lunch time on a Saturday and had a 10 minute wait for the table. The menu is small -- pupusas, tripe stew on the weekend, Salvadoran-style Tamales, a few beef dishes and sides like fried plantains with crema and beans and tortillas. The open kitchen allows you to see the legion of women who are making up large batches of masa dough and forming perfect pupusas to order. The cheese and bean-filled Pupusa that I ordered was fresh, delicious, and very flavorful. At the table we were served had a bowl of Salvadoran-style salsa, which is a very mild and thin tomato-based condiment that pairs well with the Pupusas, and another bowl of a simple cabbage salad that resembled 'asian' slaw without the acidic bite. For fans of Mexican tamales, Salvadoran Tamales are a surprise. Here at Pupuseria Dona Azucena the tamales are light and almost fluffy and filled with a mildly seasoned chicken and potato combination. They were very tasty and completely irresistable. If you are a food adventurer, enlist your friends for a drive to Dona Azucena -- your stomach will leave happy. Don't worry about not speaking Spanish -- your server will likely speak English, or at least enough English to take your order.
(4)Ana O.
I've never eaten better pupusas, not even in El Salvador! This place is 100% authentic, from the way they're served to the curtido and salsa. It will be a huge culture shock if you've never had it before, but just pile on the curtido (cabbage) and red sauce on top of your pupusas and dig in. My favorites are the Revuelta (Cheese, Pork and Beans) and the queso pupusas. If you want to try something really different go for the queso con loroco (loroco is an edible flower from Central America). If you are feeling adventurous for something different, or nostalgic for something Salvadorean this is a great place.
(5)Tom S.
My wife and I tried it tonight. We thought the pupusas were a little greasy. They were busy so service was a little lacking. Not sure we will be back.
(3)Cynthia P.
Went there two days ago and absolutely loved it! My favorite pupupsa is the chicharron con frijoles... YUMM! My boyfriend liked the the chicharron con queso. You can't beat the price $1.50 per pupusa. Will definitely come back...
(5)Joey H.
absolutely awesome. By far the best pupusas in town. Fresh, yumy!
(5)Ladan S.
I love this place!! My boyfriend is from El Salvador so hes the one who has introduced me to this restuarant. Pupusas are $1.50 each and tastes great! I normally just get cheese pupusas. I also like to get chicken tamales with them. Last night I got two cheese pupusas and two chicken tamales..normally I would get full after two chicken tamales..but the only problem with Dona Azucena is that they make the tamales sort of small..when my boyfriend's mom or best friend's mom makes it its always made big so two would get you full. Still I love coming here! The food tastes great! Try the Horchata, it tastes good. I'm also a fan of the Cola Champagne but not everybody likes it so it just depends on you, but I would reccomend trying it too!
(5)Emily B.
A friend of mine and I visited on a Saturday night around 8:30, and it was pretty crowded, but we were seated immediately. Food came out hot and fast. This place is really casual, and when I say that, I mean that they serve some of their food on paper plates and provide you with plastic forks and knives. I ordered the plantains with black beans and crema, and it was very good. We also ordered a meat pie (pretty good) and several pork and cheese pupusas, and they were pure crisp-on-the-outside-well-seasoned-melty-on-the-Âinside deliciousness. Finally, the curtido (vinegary cabbage slaw) served with the pupusas was very crisp and tasty. Our server was courteous and attentive, and the tab was only $20. I felt like I was getting away with something and used my savings to overtip her. Atmosphere was a little loud with the music they were playing and all the people, but the food and the service were so good that I'll overlook all that and give them a solid 5 star rating.
(5)Sam M.
In a word: tasty. And freshly prepared: a handful of women work the pupusa production line, kneading and hand-slapping the dough into round disks before stuffing them with the goods--chicharron (fried pork), beans and cheese, and loroco (edible flower bud)--and then frying them to golden perfection. The pupusas come with a thick tomato sauce and a delicious vinegar-infused slaw, the crunchiness of which offers a really nice contrast to the soft, chewy dough. Oddly, the loroco reminded me of Polish pierogi--but flatter and with more flair. Be prepared to wait for a seat if you go on the weekend: the place was packed when I arrived on Saturday around 1 p.m. Take-out was quick; only a 10-minute wait. Don't expect the most pristine place--the floor is on the dirty side--and you may have to jockey for parking. But if you're looking for a simple, satisfying, flavorful Salvadoran meal at a tremendous value (one pupusa costs $1.50!), you won't be sorry you stopped by.
(4)Kathleen P.
Super fast preparation. Excellent food. Great service. Clean and super cheap! Location great, Parking was fine. We suggest backing in your space. On our go to list now. Try it!
(5)Dani P.
My family has been coming here since I was a kid, and it's remained the same throughout the entire time. It's no frills; your water comes in a plastic cup and pupusas are served on a tray with paper. The food is quick, delicious, and incredibly cheap. My husband and I can come here, stuff ourselves, and pay less than $20 including tip. I do agree with other reviews that say service isn't amazing. They're quick to seat you and get you your food, but you'll be waiting awhile to flag someone down for the check. Also, the parking lot is awful; it's tiny and compact and you're lucky to even find a spot when it gets busy.
(4)Riley S.
The pupusas really are so good, but it takes so long to get them that anything edible would taste really good by the time they arrive. I kid you not- the last time we went here, it took 51 minutes for my order to arrive. I ordered three cheese pupusas, and they really were great, but the almost hour-long wait has kept me from going back. Bring a good book to read and come at least an hour before you plan on eating.
(2)Michael O.
I had the Pork and Beans pupusa and it was great. The texture and flavor seemed like corned beef, which I also like. I had 2 pupusas and they hit the spot. We ordered a side of fried plantains and they hit the spot. Then we had some dessert . . . I forgot the name but they are like deep fried hush puppies. You dip the "hush puppies" into a molasses type mixture and eat. Overall, this is a good place, if you are super hungry. Some negatives is that this location is on Glebe road and there's some U-turn traps and it's almost impossible to find parking in the parking lot.
(3)Javier P.
I arrived at 9:25 and they are ready close when the website says they close at 10:00 I drive 45 minutes for nothing
(2)Jenn M.
Pupusas are great here! This place could use a facelift inside though. Service was a bit slow and getting our food was even slower. We wanted horchata and our waitress said "uhh...no" and then proceeded to tell us what drinks they had. We opted for just water instead. While we waited for our food I saw behind the counter that they were out of horchata. She could have at least explained to us why she couldn't give us some instead of just telling us no. This was actually at 10:30am so it tells me that horchata is popular at this joint. Better come super early if you want some. As for food, I ordered pupusas (revueltas and frijoles con queso) and my bf ordered chicharron con queso and frijoles con queso. He wanted a third one (revueltas) and the waitress again said "no." We didn't even question her why but our faces were like "wtf?!" What a huge turn off. After a long 20 min wait we got our food. We really enjoyed it. I liked frijoles con queso more than revueltas. Same with my bf. The plates were cheap and plastic, it had the pattern of like a tennis racquet and the pupusas sat on top of paper. I much preferred a decent plate so it makes slicing into the pupusas easier. Overall I spent a total of $10 (tip included). I probably would get take-out from here if I ever come back because I don't want to be told "no" again by that lady. Good pupusas though!
(3)Cat V.
Ummmm what can I say about this place that hasn't been said- for $15, two people can eat a fresh, warm, delicious dinner. Their plantains are awesome! A great hole in the wall.
(5)Erick M.
Le doy 5 estrellas solo por la comida. El servicio de las meseras es totalmente malo estube alli anoche y cuando tomaron mi orden ordene algo para llevar cuando pague nunca regresaron con el cambio y estaba sentado en la mesa por 14 minutos hasta que me levante y fui a preguntar por lo que habia ordenado lo tenia esperando como si hubiera ordenado por telefono. me seras yo se que cuesta trabajo pero si quiera lleven las ordenes a la mesa cuando el cliente paga. Y asi como ami a saber a cuantos les ha pasado meseras yo se que es trabajoso pero para eso uno paga y hasta con propina terrible.
(5)Dan H.
I'm new to pupusas and it's disappointing it's taken me so long to befriend them. Because they are delicious! Pupusas require a bit of waiting I learned also, but that gave me a chance to peruse the rest of the menu and now there are a ton of other things I need to go back and try. Definitely worth a stop!
(4)Hannah H.
The Pupuseria Dona Azucena is literally next door to another pupuseria (Pupuseria Dona Bessy), so make sure you enter the right one! I came in here wanting to try out their famous pupusas, as this joint is supposedly famous in making the best ones in the Arlington area. I ordered up at the cashier, who was very straightforward and no-nonsense. I tried their cheese, chicarron with cheese, a tamal de carne, and a cup of horchata. The cheese was very cheesy and didn't need the cabbage slaw or the hot sauce it came with - it had a nice amount of saltiness from the cheese and it had a slight crispy exterior which I liked. The chicharron with cheese was also okay, which was more like minced/pulled pork, although I do just prefer the simple cheese one. I wasn't a fan of the cornmeal 'empanada'-like snack, filled with meat, as it was just underseasoned for me, and I just wasn't a fan of the potato/meat filling. The horchata seemed to contain a lot of sesame oil of some sort, as that had a very strong sesame taste, rather than it being milky and cinnamon-y. A lot of locals were dining in, and it was a cute hole-in-the-wall type of an eatery. I would probably just stick to their cheese pupusas! I loved watching the ladies in the open kitchen, making the pupusas, and slapping them on the grill to cook them. :D Just a note: they are opening up a new location off of Richmond Highway (notice was on their entryway door). +cheese pupusa
(3)Noemi A.
The pupusas are made right on front of you! They were delicious. You definitely have to try the steak.
(5)Jenny T.
Everyone comes here for the pupusas but you must realize that they're open for breakfast too on the weekends. There isn't a menu as far as I know... But you can just ask for the typical breakfast, which is huevos rancheros-- comes with egg and tomatoes, a chunk of white cheese, avocado, and rice and beans. And also 2 tortillas.. which were pretty thick and doughy. Yum! Everything is cooked well and tasty. Good service, regular horchata, good stuff. Now I need to come back for the pupusas mmm
(4)Lia M.
I've not been impressed with anything I've had here (yucca, pupusas, and tamales). The yucca was served lukewarm and was not crisp. The pupusas were bland and so were the tamales. You can definitely get better pupusas in Arlington.
(2)Diana S.
You know what would be really good right now? Pupusas. I can utter this phrase without guilt or locking myself into spending way too much money or driving somewhere super far. Pupuseria Doña Azucena has the best pupusas in the area--located right near the intersection of Glebe Rd & 50 in Arlington. AND I will be full, happy girl with 2 pupusas for less than $5. Totally sweet deal. The server was quick and attentive and you do not break out those few Spanish phrases you remember from high school to get friendly service here. I'm not sure about the other dishes here--the pasteles and chicharron lacked flavor and were overcooked. I would recommend the pork and cheese pupusa but the plain cheese one is probably my fave. Complimentary curtido (cabbage slaw) and tomato sauce included so you can eat tons of it with your pupusa.
(4)Sydney L.
My boyfriend spent the whole morning wanting tacos and he found this place on Yelp. Definitely not your expected tacos, but oh so tasty! This is an El Salvadorian restaurant, not Mexican, so don't go in expecting your traditional Americanized Mexican. This place is incredibly authentic (we were the only non-Hispanics in the place until a family walked in as we were leaving). Food is delicious and the staff was incredibly friendly and assisted us as we stumbled through the menu. We tried several of the pupusas, but chicken was our favorite. My boyfriend had the steak platter and it was very flavorful for a non-steak house. I had the chicken toastadas which were made on cornmeal tortillas and had a fantastic pickled cabbage slaw/salsa on top. Will definitely be going back to try more!
(4)Antonio P.
Ate here on El Salvador's independence day. Got two Revuelta pupusas to go. Everything was neatly packed and remained fresh until I got home to indulge, and indulge I did. The tri-fecta of ingredients surrounded by a perfectly cooked pupusa was transcendental! Took me halfway to San Salvador! Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, I eat here all the time and the food is always EXACTLY what I wanted. The wait was short, the people friendly, and the price is right on point. Opa!
(5)Shara W.
I had three pupusas -- beans with cheese, squash with cheese, and "mixed" -- which I think has chicharones, beans, and cheese -- and horchata. The bill came to $7.04 with tax. The beans ones had more beans than at the other places I've tried -- the squash and cheese one was especially delicious. Not all the staff members speak English. Most people were either getting Salvadoran-style steak ("carne asada") which looked good, or pupusas, although the menu had a number of things on it. It was somewhat crowded with families -- all Spanish-speakers. They good-humoredly put up with me. I speak little Spanish. The place is a hole in the wall, and could use some fixing up. The service was prompt to bring the food, but it was hard to find someone to bring me my check.
(4)Christina H.
My family loves this joint. We can recommend all of the pupusas, but especially love the simple ones stuffed with cheese, the ones with squash and cheese, and the ones -- well, in truth, we love all of them! (You can also get some thick, handmade, freshly cooked tortillas plain at a cost of 35 cents each here. It's the closest we've come to finding tortillas that actually taste and have the same texture as real tortillas do in Central America...) We really love the chicken tamales, which are carefully stuffed with moist chicken breast, potato, chickpeas, and a green olive as a nice touch. You can also order the whole fried tilapia if you are looking for something even more substantial. Order yuca and some fried plantains on the side to round out your meal. There are many other things on the menu that we look forward to trying on future trips. We have found that Dona Azucena is especially great for take out, with everything carefully packed, although we have also eaten in and found the staff to be friendly and attentive. Another plus: the final tab will be ridiculously cheap, which makes this one of the best deals nearby our neighborhood.
(5)lilibet m.
Love the cheese pupusas. The fried beans, yucca, fried plantain and chicharon are fantastic.
(4)Jolie B.
I had bean and cheese pupusas and yucca fries for dinner at the smaller of the two side by side Dona establishments. I've been eating pupusas once a week lately and these are excellent. This was my first time tasting yucca fries and I found them to be extra crunchy, tough to chew through the outer layer but the inside was tender and tasted somewhat like a potato. I used the hot sauce provided. The cost of my dinner was $3.80. There were families and groups of young people. American pop music was playing and I liked the atmosphere.
(4)Brad P.
I was in Washington for a weekend of sight seeing and eating. One of the things we were searching for was a pupuseria. After some searching we came across Dona Azucena. There were two pupuserias next to each other and Azucena was more full. I am really glad we went right instead of left. Food 4.5 - We got a little bit of everything. The beans were fabulous, the tamales were soft and flavorful, the pastilitas were great as well. Our yucca and plantains were a little under cooked but I think that was just because it was crowded and they were rushing. Service 5 - Our waitress was attentive and very friendly. Value 7 - We ate until we were close to exploding because the food was so good and still brought leftovers back to the room all for under $30 with tax and tip. Ambience 4 - It is fairly standard strip mall décor but what makes up for it is the open kitchen. There is something special about being able to see and hear your pupusas being made. On the whole this place was cheap and delicious. I am not sure there is much more you can ask for.
(5)Syed S.
Papusas were great and prices are dirt cheap. Had chicken, bean, herb and squash papusas. Most of the crowd at this place was Hispanic/Latino, clear indicator about an authentic ethnic place. Only giving 4 stars because waitress started sweeping while we were sitting there and they were out of tamales, though they had them on the menu. Good, cheap and authentic place. Will definitely come back.
(4)Victoria L.
Ay dios mios! Pupusa galore!! Thank god my boyfriend is Salvadoran and he speaks spanish because I usually tell him what I want and he orders it for me. It's worth the drive and wait for the delicious and satisfying foods here. The pupusas are cheap, filling and crazy good. Most places are skimp with their cheese and meat inside but here they stuff the whole thing. The horchata is great also, I can drink these all day long. Service is fast and employees are friendly. This place has authenthic salvadoran food that everyone should try at least once!
(4)Johnny A.
What can I say, these are the best pupusas you can ever have in DC area! They probably don't make them as delicious in El Salvador! Service is great and the place is as local as local gets, so bring a Salvadorian friend if you're not familiar with this awesome food. Next visit, fried Tilapia!
(5)Rosie M.
I'm going to say this place is hands down the best pupuseria around town (Atown that is). Cheesy, hot goodness right here! Some places are stingy with their cheese, but Doña Azucena delivers. Went here on a recommendation from my MOMMA and she is queen pupusera too, just not for money. Not to mention I have to beg her to make them for me - she is too independent now. There's a place next door called Bessy's something or the other - it is NOT the same place, nor the same pupusas. I read some really bad reviews about bugs and cleanliness but I can't attest to any of that. The place looked clean to me, and even the bathroom was clean. Definitely eat them there or take them to go but rush home with them cuz luke warm pupusas are NOT the business.
(5)Christian B.
"Authentic Salvadorian food at great prices set in a dumpy strip mall with dirty interior" Food: 4/5 Service: 3/5 (Counter Service) Atmosphere: 1/5 Parking: 2/5 Cleanliness: 2/5 Papuseria Dona Azucena is a local stable and favorite for many Salvadorian immigrants and families who want to sit down (or carry out) and enjoy some very authentic flavors from their native El Salvador. Food here is good, well seasoned, and served at an unbeatable price point. Unlike many yelpers have claimed, I wouldn't say these are the "best papusas in the area" but they are good. The cheese ones are filling and don't skimp the cheese at all. I didn't personally like the flavor of the pork one and couldn't see too much cheese in it at all but that flavor/spice combination might just be something I didn't like personally. Carne asada was OK, fairly well seasoned but very salty and the rice was also ok, nothing to write home about. Interior here is pretty badly in need of a thorough cleaning, replacement of many parts, and redesign. There are visible stains on the ceilings from leaking pipes, dirty walls, and dusty "decorations" which look to be yard sale generic sculptures of Aztec gods, the dreaded (and common) usage of 1980's motivational poster-style printouts of famous spots in El Salvador that so many ethnic restaurants are guilty of employing, and the table settings, bar area, and bathroom are all very divey, dirty, and outdated. Parking here is surprisingly limited for a strip mall but the tiny, poorly-maintained lot services all the other businesses in the stalls here so come early. Enjoy!
(3)Debi N.
The pupusas here are good, very cheap, and very filling. If you are looking for a quick bite and tired of fast food, this is your place. Any and all pupusas are good. They range from just cheese, cheese bean and pork, chicken and cheese, a few others and they even have one with everything. They come with a semi-pickled slaw and what tasted like a watered down tomato-ey sauce which some people called 'hot sauce' but it wasn't spicy at all, but did add good flavor to the whole dish. I think two pupusas could easily fill you up and they are less than $2 for 1, you can't beat that price. I also tried the pastel de carne which is a deep fried pastry filled with vegetables and beef, almost like an empanada, but I wasn't a fan of it. The filling was a little bland and the outer shell/crust didn't do much for me. But it was only $1! I also tried the chicken tamale and was just okay. Considering it was only $1.50 you can't expect much. This place was very busy and saw a lot of El Salvadorian families here to dine. Our waitress was very nice in trying to explain the different pupusas and menu options and knew we had walked in randomly but was very kind. They will be patient with you if you are patient with them. I also have to point out when I dined here a bug (medium size beetle) flew onto my friend's shirt and it freaked me out... I'm probably personally just come back here for the pupusas if I want an inexpensive quick hunger fix. They also have a steak type dish that might be worthy of trying out next time. Otherwise, just get the pupusa!
(3)John H.
I went there with my parents on a Sunday evening the ladies were so hot and beautiful especially one that I saw I'm definitely going back not just for that lady I'm going back For the delicious they have
(5)Pilar S.
It's plain, simple, cheap, authentic food that hits the spot! Lots of places are hit or miss depending on the day. If I can't think of anything else, I can always rely on DA to give me exactly what I'm looking for. The cooks grew up on this food, so they know what they're doing -- and they do it well. I am holding the fifth star hostage until something is done about the parking.
(4)Donna P.
I came here yesterday with my roommate and we ordered 6 papusas (cheese, cheese & pork, and cheese & beans) and they were ALL delicious. Quick tip - if you get the cheese papusa, eat it first because in time the cheese will harden a bit and it is SO much better when the cheese is freshly cooked and gooey. Of the three that I ordered, the cheese and beans were my favorite. $11 dollars fed two people. Can't beat that. And they play spanish music nonstop - everything from romantic sounding slow songs that I don't understand to Pitbull. Either way, we were crying and jammin the whole time we were there.
(4)X-Tian A.
One of, if not the best, pupuseria, in the DMV. The food here pretty much speaks for itself ( in a good way ), which is why this Yelper can't really say much about the food, except that it's o so tasty, and reasonably priced. The only drawback about this place isn't the food, but the service. The service staff could be a tad bit more attentive, but hey, what do you expect from a 'divey' place. All and all, regardless of the ' B ' rated service, I'd recommend this place.
(4)Alan G.
QUICK REVIEW: Fast service, friendly staff, quality and authentic el salvadorian food. Would definitely go again. Cheese, cheese & squash, and cheese and pork papusas, carne asada, beef empanadas, horchata, and melon con pina. Don't sleep! DETAILED REVIEW: Visited on a saturday night and it was busy. There was only one available table for my group of four. This place seems to be very authentic. The first thing I noticed was the tables of old hispanic women. I figure if the women who are responsible for your friend's homemade cooking eat here, it must be good. We ordered cheese, squash, and pork papusas, carne asada, and beef empanadas. The food came out quickly even with the packed house. I like these papusas more than others I've had because while papusas aren't supposed to be completely stuffed with filling, these have just the right amount for you to really taste the ingredients inside. Carne asada was very tender and full of flavor. Another highlight was the drink selection. I recently had horchata at the taco truck inside Revel in Atlantic City and contemplated my purpose on this planet. It was good to have authentic horchata again. The Melon Con Pina was very good as well. It tasted of fresh fruit, lots of pulp if you're into that. Overall, I give this five stars because I couldn't find anything wrong with the place. i've been told that there are a couple other locations around NoVa, so I can't speak for those, but this one off Glebe is legit.
(5)David H.
Pupusas were good, and cheap I also tried the pasteles de carne, which were ok, not much meat. And the chicken tamale, which I probably wouldn't get again.
(3)Kate D.
Delicious tamales and pupusas! Such a great value for delicious made from scratch food!
(5)Orquidea R.
Pupusas are great...Loroco con queso, chicharrones, refritos y solo queso..... I am addicted and the price is just right!!! The menu is very limited but it is very authentic to the Salvadorean roots and food. Cozy atmosphere, there serve the tamarindo juice as well as the famous salvadorean Horchata drink. Dont leave this place without have the plate of carne asada..nice piece of flank grilled steak with rice and salad!
(4)Eric N.
Cheap deliciousness! I always drive by this place daily and was finally able to stop and try out their pupusas. Had the Revuelto pupusa, cheese, and chicarron. All for only $1.50 each and comes with hot sauce and a side of coleslaw (to give it that crunch.) All good and filling. Also tried their tamale, which I thought was a bit bland. I do love their yucca here, which is fried perfectly. Theres a wait on the weekends during peak hours so expect to stand in line to get in. The restaurant itself is very small but turnaround time is quick. Recommended!
(4)Chiyon Y.
Cheesy deliciousness & they're only $1.50 each! cheese pupusa = must! chicharron pupusa - on the dry side revuelto pupusa (chicharron, beans & cheese) - yum!
(4)Donald P.
I just recently found out about the pupusa and the pastel de carne. This was my first time trying them, and I prepared myself by reading up on the reviews. I'm so disappointed though. I really wanted to like this place. I had difficulty placing my order with the lady, who didn't seem to understand what I was saying and vice versa, compound that with the fact that I have no idea how to order. I wasn't sure if the filling had 3 ingredients or I had to pick from 3 fillings. So I said, just give me the most popular one. The thing that killed it for me was the roach I saw crawling on the counter as I was waiting for my food. I stood there shocked like deer in headlights. It was taking its time strolling across the counter, and not like scurrying along like it was scared of light. I took a plastic plate holder and flicked it off the counter onto the floor (last thing I want is for it to be a part of someone's food, especially mine) and I did the thing I hate most....STEPPED ON IT. The crunching noise was deafening. Well not really but when I play it back in my mind it gets louder and louder. Not a great start to this experience. So I stood there waiting and waiting and waiting for my order. This is definitely not fast-food, but at least the food is made-to-order and not sitting out under heat lamps or something....thankfully. My order was takeout and so when I got back to the office I saw a bag of some type of coleslaw and a bag of tomato sauce or juice. I didn't know what it was or how to eat it, and quite frankly didn't feel like eating anything that wasn't cooked thoroughly. As for the taste...I had erroneously thought they might be similar to empanadas, but nothing like it at all. Not like a burrito or a taco either. If you've never had one, this is something definitely worth trying.
(2)Chris A.
Best papusas in in arlington! the are cheap and are filled to the brim. the dinner crowd is always busy during the week and the lunch crowd is busy during the weekend. so head here for lunch during the week. the waitresses are very nice and helped us pick what extras we wanted. if you don't speak Spanish you can still get by saying "4 chicken papusas".
(4)Kevin K.
HOLY CRAP!!!! $1.50 pupusas. The revueltas are so good here. Sorry got a little ahead of myself there. This place is definitely in one of those places where you really don't want to hang out because in the same mall you have a laundry place, a Chinese take out and I think like a bar? But Dona Azucena is really a good place to indulge for you masa and meat fix. The pupusas are extremely well rounded....the perfect mix to masa and filling. The cabbage and tomato sauce is really fresh and bright and makes the pupusa almost light(if that's possible). I have to say on the cheap eats scale this is like a full blown 10 out of 10! You will get an entire feast for under 20 bucks. When you get a chance try the tamales as well, but my money will be on the pupusas. Cheers and Happy eats!
(4)Kristi G.
The pupusas are good and you can get a meal here for ridiculously cheap. My husband and I went and ate dinner for $11 plus tip. Crazy. The service is ok (language may have been a slight barrier since I don't speak Spanish) and for some reason at the end of our meal, we saw the waitress bring checks to three other tables while we sat waiting for ours for 20 minutes. We finally had to go up to the counter to get the check. But the food is so cheap and the waitress was nice enough that I didn't get too upset.
(4)Sheri G.
Holy Pupusas! I've never been totally crazy over pupusas, but woah, these were really good. Better than El Charrito Caminante if you ask me. We got 5 of them - pork & cheese, pork & beans, cheese & beans, cheese & zucchini, and cheese & loroco. (The woman at the counter said loroco is a flower. I looked it up, and it is indeed an edible flower that grows in El Salvador). Anyhow, I thought the pork ones were the best, but all of them were good. We also got plantains and beans. They were not as good. El Charitto is definitely better in that department. $13 bucks in total makes this a dirt cheap and very tasty dinner. And we were the only white people in there, so you know this place is legit.
(4)Paul D.
Overall, not as good as El Charrito Caminante. The Papusa's here are HUGE! But not as tasty as El Charrito. Most of what makes the Papusas here so attractive is the large amounts of filling inside them. It's easily 2-3x as much as most places. In this case more doesn't equate to better. They fall apart because there is less masa than filling. The cheese in my Revueltas Papusa hadn't melted fully. I dare say it was under cooked. I felt like I was eating tuna salad. There are four locations of Pupuseria Doña Azucena in the area. Despite a language barrier, I had no problem ordering. In fact, for $9.81, I got three Papusas, two Pasteles de Carne, and two Chicken Tamales. The Chicken Tamale was Outstanding, and easily the best thing I had! The Pasteles de Carne we no good. They were dry. The outer shell was made of corn masa that tasted like deep fried cornbread. I had to drench mine in the watery red sauce that comes in a bag, just to get it down. Lastly, the Papusas, though they're the biggest I've ever seen, were not as tasty as I expect. Five stars for value, two stars for taste. I give it three stars overall because some places do one thing better than most, and ironically, this Pupuseria has some of the biggest/best Chicken Tamales I've ever tasted. Although, beware of the pit in the little green olives, lest you crack a tooth on one.
(3)Isabelle S.
Pretty good papusas. These reminded my husband who lived next to a couple from El Salvador of the ones they made. The cabbage salad wasn't add vinegary as we would have liked but the consistency of the outside was crunchy and don't at the same time.
(4)Laura L.
I took a trip with one of my BFFs to L.A. a little while ago to visit a friend and he told me that his neighborhood was a haven for Salvadorean food. Before that, I hadn't ever had it-- but now, I'm HOOKED. (Needless to say, my friend and I ate Salvadorean food everyday while we were in L.A.). When I came back to Va, I scoured the area for a pupuseria/ Salvadorean joint to get my pupusa fix and found Dona Azucena. I took my travel buddy here and we gorged ourselves on carne asada, yucca, pupusas and horchata galore! It was awesome. The other good thing about this place was that it was cheap. We were seated quickly, our orders taken with all due swiftness and the feasting began. It was like we were in L.A. again, stuffing our faces with pupusas. I am partial to the cheese pupusa-- it was crispy on the outside with just enough cheese on the inside to get a small bit of cheese with every bite. Yumzzz. Worth a try if you like quick service and cheap eats!
(4)Mike M.
Took my wife here tonight and it was a wonderful experience. I suggest the Revueltas Papusas. I lived in Southern California and knew a lot of El Salvadorian families who would made us papusas. I didn't love the type of Horchata but that's pretty subjective. Objectively is was an amazing meal for two that cost us $13 for 6 papusas and drinks. Fast service and everyone spoke to us in spanish. I'm taking my in-laws this Thursday. It'll be good for them.
(5)Robert P.
I asked a Salvadoran contact where he gets good Salvadoran food and he mentioned Dona Azuncenca. I had fried pork, plantains, and cheese and pork and cheese and squash papusas. All delicious, and the price was more than reasonable.
(4)Sarah S.
Nothing screams outstanding food like authentic, hole-in-the-wall joints. Dona Azucena may be the epitome of hole-in-the-wall goodness and of how pupusas and El Salvadoran cuisine should taste. I really can't do this place justice with my words, but I will sure as hell try. This rather small eatery is nestled in a run-down strip mall, but don't let the exterior deter you. Walk in, and you will be transported to El Salvador. English is rarely spoken, save for a few words here and there with regards to the menu items. It's a come-as-you-are and eat-your-heart-out sort of establishment...and I loved every minute of it. From the bar stools you can watch the magic happen: women making the pupusas from scratch, men stirring the large pots of beans, and huge slabs of pork sizzling on the grills. The food took a while to arrive, but it was worth the wait! Amongst the two of us, we ordered 3 pupusas con queso, 2 pupusas con queso & frijoles, and 1 pupusa con queso & pork. The minimally fried corn tortillas (which were beyond delicious and actually tasted of corn) were stuffed with a generous portion of melted cheese, the freshest refried beans, and the tastiest pork. They were warm, gooey, and when topped with the cabbage and spicy sauce, they were extra phenomenal. In addition to the pupusas, we ordered fried yucca and pork shoulder. I have never tasted more delicious yucca, and the pork was incredibly seasoned and juicy. It literally melted on the tongue. I was floored to be honest. Never did I expect Dona Azucena's pork to be so amazing. Overall, these eatery blew my expectations out of the water... Do yourself a favor and eat here! Oh, and did I mention that for all of the food we ordered, for 2 people, our tab was...wait for it...$15.95. I have a feeling I will become a regular here.
(5)Andrew K.
Very, very hard to top the deliciousness of these pupusas with their price. If you like all the choices you have on the menu and don't know which kind to get, order them all - it will only cost you around $9. * Also had chicken tamales and a side of maduros. Both were very tasty. Service was great, too. To be clear, the food isn't magical - there's not a standout, "this is the most amazing thing ever" dish I've had there yet - it is very good. Having very good food at excellent prices is an almost impossible combination to top. If you know of another place that can match Doña Azucena, let me know, because I can't seem to get enough of those things. *don't actually order them all. that's a lot of food.
(5)Brigette R.
For $8.00 we got 4 pupusas, 1 yucky shrimp tasteless watery soup, 1 horchata , can't forget the cabbage side salad for the pupusas. Walked in and it was super busy with families. Bummer on the soup, in my opinion just stick to the pupusas.
(3)Damaris A.
Hey toda mi gente! The food is awesome, specially pupusas. Is a good place to go eat and let me tell you is so cheap!!! thats the key! CHEAP! . However, this place is so small, and wowwww that one night I walked in with my boyfriend, the entire place was sooooooooooo stinky. I felt like i was back at home, but it's okay you can take to go if you don't want to stay.
(3)Luis B.
Place is absolutely amazing. Authentic, great value and friendly
(5)Tucker H.
I wanted to like this place a lot more than I did, but I'm going to give it another shot one of these days in case they were just having a bad day. I liked the chicken tamales a lot; the corn around the chicken was tasty, there was a lot of it, and they came really quickly. The chicharron con queso was decent as far as pupusas go, but I wasn't wowed, and they completely neglected to bring me either sauce or curtido, so there wasn't anything to spice it up with. I probably should have just asked for it, but I didn't feel like being the demanding gringo today. The other reviews are generally pretty positive though, so I'm definitely going to have to give them another shot sometime.
(3)Steve L.
This place is crazy cheap and the food comes out very quickly and way beyond hot. I burned my fingers, mouth, and tongue in my inexperienced drunkeness before I learned this. The pupusas were crispy on the outside but very moist inside. The Pan Con Pollo was pretty disgusting. In fact, I thought all the food here generally sucked. If I came back, it might only be for the chicharron that burned me, but even that was annoyingly tough to chew through in many pieces. But, I figure that El Salvadorean cuisine is really just this bland, as evidenced by their tomato paste and water sauce provided to us in a huge bowl, as well as the A1 steak sauce on every table. And so I'll give it a 3 as they do succeed extremely well in being bland, but quick with their scorching hot bland food.
(3)Rick G.
Pupusas! I have had pupusas all over the Northern VA area, but none compare to Azucena's... guaranteed to satisfy! Worth the visit to eat or take out!
(4)Elizabeth V.
I love all food that's in the menu speciality pupusas de chicharron queso frijoles and the horchata drink and tamarindo juice are so delicious. The carne asada are the best steak and juice and the soup beef tripe are good too, also try the mariscada is a seafood soup is delicious a all that I love is the cheap price
(5)Jason S.
Not that great. Salvadorian food was not as authentic as the reviews made it seem. Not that great of a taste to the salsa. Food took forever to make 5 pupusas. Edges of the borders on the moldings of the restaurant were filled with dust and dirt. Definitely not the best place. I had pupusas out of stand at DC United game that blew this place away!
(2)Tri J.
I've been on a pupusa kick recently and am interested in finding the best place in Arlington. I really like Dona Azucena's for several reasons and I feel that they are better than El Charrito's when it comes to the pupusas. For one is it is incredibly affordable. My husband and I spent about $20 and left stuffed to the gills. We each got 3 pupusas and split some beans and plaintains. I found the pupusas (we got the cheese, pork and beans) to be big and well seasoned. The pupusas was less greasy than I thought they would be even though the cheese was oozing out of it. I also really liked the curtido (cabbage and tomato sauce) that they serve with it. They give you generous portions of each, which El Charrito does not. The restaurant has a few additional plates and choices, but for the most part it is a pupuseria. And they excel at that. Parking was a little annoying but we were able to get a spot in the lot after waiting a bit. The place does take credit cards, which we weren't sure of at first. I'm pretty happy we found this place and plan on going back a lot for my pupusa cravings.
(4)Walk A.
My favorite spot for papusas but I've also had the carne asada, chicken tamales, sweet tamales, plantains and other stuff I'm forgetting. Everything is good.
(5)Kiran P.
I have been coming to this restaurant since 2002. I really love the papusas here, that's all that I have ever tried! If you aren't planning on sitting inside, a good tip is to call ahead so you don't have to wait.
(5)Christopher T.
So, still no orange Fanta, but, they now have Sunkist orange. Why is it that all Central American food tastes better with orange soda? We branched out a bit from pupusas last night and tried some sort of ground beef meat pockets, solid choice. One thing, try to avoid Friday nights, this place was slammed, big groups, lots of kids. Our server was apologetic and what could we say, the place was slammed. Almost an hour wait for food, but, when it arrives it is so worth it, and when you get the $9 check for 2 people you just have to laugh, and leave $16 on the table and walk out satisfied and stuffed. We'll be back again, we just can't seem to get the timing right, or this place is just always packed solid.
(5)Isabelle S.
Pretty good papusas. These reminded my husband who lived next to a couple from El Salvador of the ones they made. The cabbage salad wasn't add vinegary as we would have liked but the consistency of the outside was crunchy and don't at the same time.
(4)Laura L.
I took a trip with one of my BFFs to L.A. a little while ago to visit a friend and he told me that his neighborhood was a haven for Salvadorean food. Before that, I hadn't ever had it-- but now, I'm HOOKED. (Needless to say, my friend and I ate Salvadorean food everyday while we were in L.A.). When I came back to Va, I scoured the area for a pupuseria/ Salvadorean joint to get my pupusa fix and found Dona Azucena. I took my travel buddy here and we gorged ourselves on carne asada, yucca, pupusas and horchata galore! It was awesome. The other good thing about this place was that it was cheap. We were seated quickly, our orders taken with all due swiftness and the feasting began. It was like we were in L.A. again, stuffing our faces with pupusas. I am partial to the cheese pupusa-- it was crispy on the outside with just enough cheese on the inside to get a small bit of cheese with every bite. Yumzzz. Worth a try if you like quick service and cheap eats!
(4)Mike M.
Took my wife here tonight and it was a wonderful experience. I suggest the Revueltas Papusas. I lived in Southern California and knew a lot of El Salvadorian families who would made us papusas. I didn't love the type of Horchata but that's pretty subjective. Objectively is was an amazing meal for two that cost us $13 for 6 papusas and drinks. Fast service and everyone spoke to us in spanish. I'm taking my in-laws this Thursday. It'll be good for them.
(5)Robert P.
I asked a Salvadoran contact where he gets good Salvadoran food and he mentioned Dona Azuncenca. I had fried pork, plantains, and cheese and pork and cheese and squash papusas. All delicious, and the price was more than reasonable.
(4)Sera C.
3.5 stars. Went here the other day for the first time and it was definitely a different experience. First of all, no one speaks English and the server didn't even attempt to....she just kept on speaking Spanish, but luckily my 'date' knew wtf to order! My first ever pupusa experience was unmemorable and I wasn't enthusiastic to try it again, but I'm sure glad I did! The pupusa here was delicious! Came out super hot. The crunchiness of the slaw they gave us on the side went along perfectly. Oh yeah, and if you're a chick, be prepared to have every guy in the room stare you down like they want to eat you like a little pupusa! =X
(3)Jeffrey K.
Pupusas are fat and filling, topped with an absolutely delicious coleslaw/sauce mixture. Order a lot and take some home; its good stuff. Actual restaurant is pretty meh, but you shouldnt be here for the atmosphere.
(4)Sarah S.
Nothing screams outstanding food like authentic, hole-in-the-wall joints. Dona Azucena may be the epitome of hole-in-the-wall goodness and of how pupusas and El Salvadoran cuisine should taste. I really can't do this place justice with my words, but I will sure as hell try. This rather small eatery is nestled in a run-down strip mall, but don't let the exterior deter you. Walk in, and you will be transported to El Salvador. English is rarely spoken, save for a few words here and there with regards to the menu items. It's a come-as-you-are and eat-your-heart-out sort of establishment...and I loved every minute of it. From the bar stools you can watch the magic happen: women making the pupusas from scratch, men stirring the large pots of beans, and huge slabs of pork sizzling on the grills. The food took a while to arrive, but it was worth the wait! Amongst the two of us, we ordered 3 pupusas con queso, 2 pupusas con queso & frijoles, and 1 pupusa con queso & pork. The minimally fried corn tortillas (which were beyond delicious and actually tasted of corn) were stuffed with a generous portion of melted cheese, the freshest refried beans, and the tastiest pork. They were warm, gooey, and when topped with the cabbage and spicy sauce, they were extra phenomenal. In addition to the pupusas, we ordered fried yucca and pork shoulder. I have never tasted more delicious yucca, and the pork was incredibly seasoned and juicy. It literally melted on the tongue. I was floored to be honest. Never did I expect Dona Azucena's pork to be so amazing. Overall, these eatery blew my expectations out of the water... Do yourself a favor and eat here! Oh, and did I mention that for all of the food we ordered, for 2 people, our tab was...wait for it...$15.95. I have a feeling I will become a regular here.
(5)Andrew K.
Very, very hard to top the deliciousness of these pupusas with their price. If you like all the choices you have on the menu and don't know which kind to get, order them all - it will only cost you around $9. * Also had chicken tamales and a side of maduros. Both were very tasty. Service was great, too. To be clear, the food isn't magical - there's not a standout, "this is the most amazing thing ever" dish I've had there yet - it is very good. Having very good food at excellent prices is an almost impossible combination to top. If you know of another place that can match Doña Azucena, let me know, because I can't seem to get enough of those things. *don't actually order them all. that's a lot of food.
(5)Brigette R.
For $8.00 we got 4 pupusas, 1 yucky shrimp tasteless watery soup, 1 horchata , can't forget the cabbage side salad for the pupusas. Walked in and it was super busy with families. Bummer on the soup, in my opinion just stick to the pupusas.
(3)Damaris A.
Hey toda mi gente! The food is awesome, specially pupusas. Is a good place to go eat and let me tell you is so cheap!!! thats the key! CHEAP! . However, this place is so small, and wowwww that one night I walked in with my boyfriend, the entire place was sooooooooooo stinky. I felt like i was back at home, but it's okay you can take to go if you don't want to stay.
(3)Luis B.
Place is absolutely amazing. Authentic, great value and friendly
(5)Tucker H.
I wanted to like this place a lot more than I did, but I'm going to give it another shot one of these days in case they were just having a bad day. I liked the chicken tamales a lot; the corn around the chicken was tasty, there was a lot of it, and they came really quickly. The chicharron con queso was decent as far as pupusas go, but I wasn't wowed, and they completely neglected to bring me either sauce or curtido, so there wasn't anything to spice it up with. I probably should have just asked for it, but I didn't feel like being the demanding gringo today. The other reviews are generally pretty positive though, so I'm definitely going to have to give them another shot sometime.
(3)Steve L.
This place is crazy cheap and the food comes out very quickly and way beyond hot. I burned my fingers, mouth, and tongue in my inexperienced drunkeness before I learned this. The pupusas were crispy on the outside but very moist inside. The Pan Con Pollo was pretty disgusting. In fact, I thought all the food here generally sucked. If I came back, it might only be for the chicharron that burned me, but even that was annoyingly tough to chew through in many pieces. But, I figure that El Salvadorean cuisine is really just this bland, as evidenced by their tomato paste and water sauce provided to us in a huge bowl, as well as the A1 steak sauce on every table. And so I'll give it a 3 as they do succeed extremely well in being bland, but quick with their scorching hot bland food.
(3)Rick G.
Pupusas! I have had pupusas all over the Northern VA area, but none compare to Azucena's... guaranteed to satisfy! Worth the visit to eat or take out!
(4)Elizabeth V.
I love all food that's in the menu speciality pupusas de chicharron queso frijoles and the horchata drink and tamarindo juice are so delicious. The carne asada are the best steak and juice and the soup beef tripe are good too, also try the mariscada is a seafood soup is delicious a all that I love is the cheap price
(5)Jason S.
Not that great. Salvadorian food was not as authentic as the reviews made it seem. Not that great of a taste to the salsa. Food took forever to make 5 pupusas. Edges of the borders on the moldings of the restaurant were filled with dust and dirt. Definitely not the best place. I had pupusas out of stand at DC United game that blew this place away!
(2)Emma D.
Delicious food and excellent way to practice your Spanish. (Or bring a Spanish-speaking friend). Food is cheap and greasy, you can bring friends and sample the whole menu. We tried to get dessert but couldn't commnicate with the waitress and ended up disappointed with what we were served. That being said--you don't come here for dessert, you come here for the AMAZING pupusas! Parking is in a small-ish lot and even when it's crowded you'll find somewhere to park. This is a little gem in Arlington!
(5)Greg W.
really good! A little greasy, but the bean and cheese are really good!
(4)Tri J.
I've been on a pupusa kick recently and am interested in finding the best place in Arlington. I really like Dona Azucena's for several reasons and I feel that they are better than El Charrito's when it comes to the pupusas. For one is it is incredibly affordable. My husband and I spent about $20 and left stuffed to the gills. We each got 3 pupusas and split some beans and plaintains. I found the pupusas (we got the cheese, pork and beans) to be big and well seasoned. The pupusas was less greasy than I thought they would be even though the cheese was oozing out of it. I also really liked the curtido (cabbage and tomato sauce) that they serve with it. They give you generous portions of each, which El Charrito does not. The restaurant has a few additional plates and choices, but for the most part it is a pupuseria. And they excel at that. Parking was a little annoying but we were able to get a spot in the lot after waiting a bit. The place does take credit cards, which we weren't sure of at first. I'm pretty happy we found this place and plan on going back a lot for my pupusa cravings.
(4)Walk A.
My favorite spot for papusas but I've also had the carne asada, chicken tamales, sweet tamales, plantains and other stuff I'm forgetting. Everything is good.
(5)Kiran P.
I have been coming to this restaurant since 2002. I really love the papusas here, that's all that I have ever tried! If you aren't planning on sitting inside, a good tip is to call ahead so you don't have to wait.
(5)Christopher T.
So, still no orange Fanta, but, they now have Sunkist orange. Why is it that all Central American food tastes better with orange soda? We branched out a bit from pupusas last night and tried some sort of ground beef meat pockets, solid choice. One thing, try to avoid Friday nights, this place was slammed, big groups, lots of kids. Our server was apologetic and what could we say, the place was slammed. Almost an hour wait for food, but, when it arrives it is so worth it, and when you get the $9 check for 2 people you just have to laugh, and leave $16 on the table and walk out satisfied and stuffed. We'll be back again, we just can't seem to get the timing right, or this place is just always packed solid.
(5)Elina T.
Just came back from another outing there - delicious and dirt cheap! Probably the best pupusas I've had in the DC area. There was another place we used to go to in Chirilagua that had really good ones, but then we were told there were shady things going on there, so we stopped going there. I love the bean and cheese pupusas - crispy and melty, beans and delicious and just the right amount of cheese. The curtido (cabbage salad + spicy tomato sauce) is also very good. For drinks, horchata and tamarindo are good as well. Don't get the melon con pina drink, it's a bit artificial tasting. We got 5 pupusas and 2 drinks and the bill was $11. Can't beat it. The waitresses are very nice also.
(5)Bechego E.
I came here for the pupusas, that's it, and I was not disappointed. They had quite a few choices of pupusas, which was good, and we ordered a couple of different types. What I liked most about the pupusas was that they were "fat", I mean, there were full of the good stuff. The "ayote" (zucchini) pupusa was very good, with a lot of cheese and well cooked ayote. The cheese, chicharon and cheese and frijol and cheese pupusas were also very good. The "curtido" (pickled cabbage) was very fresh and well made, although it was not as pickled as it could have been. The salsa was also very good. These two complimented the pupusas very well. The service was friendly and prompt. On the way out we took a slice of "quesadilla" (cheese bread, loosely translated) to go and it was GREAT. I gave it four stars, and not five, because I have had these in El Salvador and, well, they are not exactly the same, but probably as good as they get this far north. It was a good exerience overall.
(4)Ricardo E.
Went for lunch, service qwas quick, staff was friendly (all in spanish) Food was pretty good, authentic, definitely greasy and taste was good. Favorite papusa was the squash - as I am not into pork, etc. next time will try the steak one; as I had my red meat for the week previous to my visit. Will come again.
(3)Sammy S.
I came and brought a co-worker here to taste some Salvadorian food.... mainly the Popusas ( flour patties with cheese, meat or refried beans). We had been hearing great things about them and I'm glad we weren't let down. This isn't a fine dining place but you will get authentic food here. We ordered 5 popusas, and order of Yuca con Chicharon and a side of carnitas. Just so we can taste a little bit of everything. It was all really good and tasteful. The Curtido ( concoction of carrots, onion, oil, vinegar and cabbage) was very good and the sauce added the final touch. The plates that were brought within a good time frame, and every time we asked for something we were able to get quick service.
(4)Jenna P.
Delicious chicken tamales - their masa is really tasty and not greasy like some tamales. I also really like the pupusas which also aren't as greasy as some pupusas (except next time I will avoid ones with pork - I didn't like the taste of the pork). The fried plantains were okay, but the beans and cream they come with were both really watery. Overall though good food at a great price ($1 pastel de carne, $1.50 tamales, $1.50 pupusas). Top recommendation: tamales.
(3)Kradak T.
Ballston lunches become boring--too cookie cutter, too corporate. Viva North Glebe Road! The menu is simple and mostly a la carte. Our party of three found it easiest to order a pile of food and just graze from the selection. All good, all cheap. Be mindful, the prices are so cheap that you can very easily over-order and not be able to eat everything and roll away from your table. We'll be back
(3)Andrew L.
Great papusas. I found the carne asada okay but not spectacular. It definitely had a lot of flavor, but next time I'll stick to the papusas. Be aware: this is authentic Salvadorian. A lot of the staff and customers speak English as their second language. If you're the type of person who tends to condescendingly speak more slowly and loudly to try to make yourself understood, maybe you should eat someplace else.
(4)AC A.
This is joint is pretty much like a tapas restaurant. There are only a couple of entree platters (the carne asada rocks), and the rest are small dishes. If you just want to nibble on something or want a full meal, you can mix and match here. The fried pork was over-fried, but the plantains were great. The pupusas come with a good salsa and slaw.
(3)Catherine P.
I visited Dona Azucena about 2 weeks ago on a recommendation from a co-worker. Living in Northern VA, you can always find great ethnic, authentic restaurants and this one doesn't disappoint! Don't let the exterior fool you, the staff are inside working hard at making these fantastic popusas. Each Popusa is about 4 inches in diameter, so 3 are more than filling. I tried the Revueltas, per my co-workers suggestion, and these little bean, shredded pork and cheese wonders are melt-in-your-mouth amazing! I also ordered the Plantains and Pasteles and both were great sides. In total, we ordered the plantains, pasteles, and 8 popusas for 2 (and it was wayyyy too much food) and we spent $22 with tip. You can easily get a great, Salvadorian meal for under $20 for 2 at this place and it's right in Arlington. They also opened a location in Springfield, although I don't know where that location was. The only difficult part was that the staff spoke little English, but they were more than gracious in being patient with us to let us place our order and our order came out exactly as placed!
(5)Lindley E.
Worth the drive for delicious Pupusas (thick corn masa cakes that are usually stuffed with cheese, meats, bean, or a combination of all three) and other Salvadoran treats. We went at lunch time on a Saturday and had a 10 minute wait for the table. The menu is small -- pupusas, tripe stew on the weekend, Salvadoran-style Tamales, a few beef dishes and sides like fried plantains with crema and beans and tortillas. The open kitchen allows you to see the legion of women who are making up large batches of masa dough and forming perfect pupusas to order. The cheese and bean-filled Pupusa that I ordered was fresh, delicious, and very flavorful. At the table we were served had a bowl of Salvadoran-style salsa, which is a very mild and thin tomato-based condiment that pairs well with the Pupusas, and another bowl of a simple cabbage salad that resembled 'asian' slaw without the acidic bite. For fans of Mexican tamales, Salvadoran Tamales are a surprise. Here at Pupuseria Dona Azucena the tamales are light and almost fluffy and filled with a mildly seasoned chicken and potato combination. They were very tasty and completely irresistable. If you are a food adventurer, enlist your friends for a drive to Dona Azucena -- your stomach will leave happy. Don't worry about not speaking Spanish -- your server will likely speak English, or at least enough English to take your order.
(4)Ana O.
I've never eaten better pupusas, not even in El Salvador! This place is 100% authentic, from the way they're served to the curtido and salsa. It will be a huge culture shock if you've never had it before, but just pile on the curtido (cabbage) and red sauce on top of your pupusas and dig in. My favorites are the Revuelta (Cheese, Pork and Beans) and the queso pupusas. If you want to try something really different go for the queso con loroco (loroco is an edible flower from Central America). If you are feeling adventurous for something different, or nostalgic for something Salvadorean this is a great place.
(5)Tom S.
My wife and I tried it tonight. We thought the pupusas were a little greasy. They were busy so service was a little lacking. Not sure we will be back.
(3)Cynthia P.
Went there two days ago and absolutely loved it! My favorite pupupsa is the chicharron con frijoles... YUMM! My boyfriend liked the the chicharron con queso. You can't beat the price $1.50 per pupusa. Will definitely come back...
(5)Joey H.
absolutely awesome. By far the best pupusas in town. Fresh, yumy!
(5)Ladan S.
I love this place!! My boyfriend is from El Salvador so hes the one who has introduced me to this restuarant. Pupusas are $1.50 each and tastes great! I normally just get cheese pupusas. I also like to get chicken tamales with them. Last night I got two cheese pupusas and two chicken tamales..normally I would get full after two chicken tamales..but the only problem with Dona Azucena is that they make the tamales sort of small..when my boyfriend's mom or best friend's mom makes it its always made big so two would get you full. Still I love coming here! The food tastes great! Try the Horchata, it tastes good. I'm also a fan of the Cola Champagne but not everybody likes it so it just depends on you, but I would reccomend trying it too!
(5)Emily B.
A friend of mine and I visited on a Saturday night around 8:30, and it was pretty crowded, but we were seated immediately. Food came out hot and fast. This place is really casual, and when I say that, I mean that they serve some of their food on paper plates and provide you with plastic forks and knives. I ordered the plantains with black beans and crema, and it was very good. We also ordered a meat pie (pretty good) and several pork and cheese pupusas, and they were pure crisp-on-the-outside-well-seasoned-melty-on-the-Âinside deliciousness. Finally, the curtido (vinegary cabbage slaw) served with the pupusas was very crisp and tasty. Our server was courteous and attentive, and the tab was only $20. I felt like I was getting away with something and used my savings to overtip her. Atmosphere was a little loud with the music they were playing and all the people, but the food and the service were so good that I'll overlook all that and give them a solid 5 star rating.
(5)Sam M.
In a word: tasty. And freshly prepared: a handful of women work the pupusa production line, kneading and hand-slapping the dough into round disks before stuffing them with the goods--chicharron (fried pork), beans and cheese, and loroco (edible flower bud)--and then frying them to golden perfection. The pupusas come with a thick tomato sauce and a delicious vinegar-infused slaw, the crunchiness of which offers a really nice contrast to the soft, chewy dough. Oddly, the loroco reminded me of Polish pierogi--but flatter and with more flair. Be prepared to wait for a seat if you go on the weekend: the place was packed when I arrived on Saturday around 1 p.m. Take-out was quick; only a 10-minute wait. Don't expect the most pristine place--the floor is on the dirty side--and you may have to jockey for parking. But if you're looking for a simple, satisfying, flavorful Salvadoran meal at a tremendous value (one pupusa costs $1.50!), you won't be sorry you stopped by.
(4)Nanette S.
Fried bananas are great. Comes with retried beans and a sweet cream sauce. Adicting. The eggs and chorizo are also amazing. Inexpensive and unpretentious.
(5)Stefannie T.
I can't argue with the pricing at all that's one thing I love about this place, but a couple of times I ended up waiting 20 minutes just for the bill. I really didn't like that. Also the Food was todo for its pricing & id definatly return.
(3)Margaux H.
Dona Azucena is at the end of a strip mall that also happens to include: a pawn shop, a counter take-out Chinese restaurant, two family-owned Latin American restaurants (one of which doubles as a "sports bar"), and a Latin American mini-mart. So obviously, our expectations were high. :) The staff was very friendly and took our orders right away. Although everything I read said they were fast, I think we came in right after the rush--every table was full and no one had any food yet. So we ended up waiting ~30 min for our order. The menu is tiny, and heaven help you if you want a vegetable. We decided to pass on the Nuegados con Chilate (deep fried ground cassava bites served with sugar cane syrup on top and a bowl of corn flour porridge) because neither of us was in the mood for a diabetic coma. Instead, we went with 4 pupusas (one cheese; one combination pork, cheese, and beans; one loroco con queso (edible flower); and one cheese with zucchini and squash) and a chicken tamale. These came with a pickled cabbage salad and red sauce, both packed in knotted plastic baggies. By the time we got home I probably would have eaten just about anything, but I'm happy to report that the pupusas were, for the most part, delish! My favorites were the combo and the loroco; my boyfriend preferred the cheese. The squash one was not so great...way too much butter used to cook the squash. And the tamale was uninspired...it was moist, but perhaps a little too much so, and seemed to be to be their way to use up left overs--I found a random smattering of: chicken, potato, green olive, and chickpea, but only a small bit of each. Considering that pretty much everything from the restaurant is fried, the pupusas were surprisingly un-greasy...I dabbed them with a paper towel first and it came up dry. Two pupusas and a half a tamale each later, we were finally fed and surprisingly full. And less than $8 poorer! This is a great place for a quick and cheap pupusa fix. Although I would recommend supplementing with some veggies from home. (portions x-posted from blog)
(4)Lilian H.
I love coming here! I would give them 5 stars but they are always full and its really hard to get a seat especially on the weekends. My favorite is the steak dish and on Thursdays Carne Guisada (but get there early or they run out). Also try the pupusas. NOM NOM NOM.
(4)Jelli F.
Pupusas are good, better than others I've had in the area. Everything else I've had is ok, but not worth going out of your way for. I understand the steak dishes are good, but I've not had them.
(3)Luis G.
Doña Azucena definitely knows to make a good pupusa. It's not like at some places where the filling to maso ration is ridiculously low...the pupusa is bursting with the quesillo and other fillings. I love their crispy yucca and tamales de gallina. The curtido has a vinegary base that is tangy and has a subtle hint of spiciness that balances with the crisp texture and flavor of the cabbage.
(4)N S.
When you are starving and the rent is due, yes you can afford to eat out. It is called... the Pupusa. I don't know how I would have made it through college at the Univ. of Maryland without this handy standby at the Flower Avenue location. Plus, I know of no other pupuseria in town that offers the bean/cheese combo as does Dona Azucena's. To me Dona Azucena's is an unofficial Washington area landmark, it introduced the pupusa to many a gringo such as myself and it was and remains cheap. Viva Dona Azucena's!!!
(4)Steven L.
Now this is a real deal Holyfield pupuseria! This place gets deservedly packed at night and with good reason: $1.50 delicious pupusas! The carne asada platter is nothing to sneeze at either. I always thought of myself as a taco guy, but I may be converting...
(5)Jonathan M.
Great place, good pupusas, my family has been coming here for years, get the cheese pupusas and the revueltas (cheese, pork, and beans). Also order a side of chicharon as an appetizer, you'll thank me later
(5)Jamie S.
Since when did pupusas become so popular with the gringos? I remember like five years ago trying to explain what they are to my american friends, now everyone is hooked. Anyway this place has THE BEST pupusas, which is why it is ALWAYS packed with salvadoreños. Parking is a nightmare, be prepared to park across the street and have to run across Glebe Rd, which is part of the true central american experience. It's a bit of a drive for us but we go when my fiance or his family/friends are homesick, they always say it feels like home. If you are prepared for the experience you won't be disappointed!!
(5)Super H.
Mi compañero y yo comimos aquà para el almuerzo de esta semana y fue la bomba. Me alegro de que la camarera habla Inglés o de lo que estarÃa hasta el arroyo sin remos. La carne asada es un acto difÃcil de seguir, pero la horchata realmente sacó un conejo de la chistera. Y no se rompa el banco! El hueso único que tuve que recoger estaba con la falta de opciones de menú. No estaban a la altura de otros restaurantes de El Salvador. Por supuesto, yo no sabÃa que la papusas fueron la comidilla de la ciudad. Lástima que estaban contra el reloj o habrÃa ordenado algunos de comida para llevar. Nada de andarse por las ramas sentido, yo no hablo español.
(3)Alison M.
I went the other day for the first time. We got a bunch of pupusas-- cheese, cheese with loroco, combination, and pork with cheese. I have had many pupusas in my lifetime, and these were among the best. I wasn't that into their curtido, which had little flavor, but the pupusas themselves were awesome. I especially liked the combination (revuelta) ones. The guy behind the counter didn't seem to speak much English but the waitress/hostess noticed us on our way in and made sure we were taken care of (and that I didn't have to use my rusty high school Spanish). I will definitely be back.
(5)Hannah B.
What an interesting and filling breakfast. Definitely know what you are getting in to before you go. The service is slow but the food is good and hot. Breakfast comes with rice/beans or a french baguette (random?). The papusas are good.
(3)Joe Nam D.
Pupusas are extraordinary. Crispy on outside and cheesy/beany/meaty/whatever you ordered inside. Packed and no gringos in sight. The real deal although parking is a hassle.
(4)Karen V.
Ok so, we are talking pupusas right? not empanadas, not tacos, not burritos or any other latin american dish ... Correct? We are talking hardcore, Salvadorian-Supercharged-American-Version-of-the-ÂPupusa, that I LOVE??? Well in Northern VA, Dona Azucena is Queen Pupusa. You will have other good ones, but hers have reigned supreme around these parts. I have eaten at the Arlington and Woodbridge restaurants, and I LOVE everything. They also have this Chile Relleno that I wanted to Marry it was so good... can you marry food? =) The Pupusa is normally accompanied by a pickled shredded cabbage called: "Curtido" (kooorrr-teee-dow) and a special red tomato based sauce, I prefer sans sauce, extra curtido, for beginners, try it without, then try it with. OH!!! YOU GOTTA EAT'em FRESH, not room temp or cold. HOT.
(5)Ross S.
They serve now Pupusas de Pollo (chicken pupusas). I highly suggest that. The Melon Con Pina is very good. Pupusas and the drinks are $1.50. You can get full with 2 pupusas. Very cheap but it gets really really busy.
(4)Ting W.
Yes Please!! How can you go wrong with pupusas at $1.50 each or pasteles for $1 each. Deliciously stuffed with pork and cheese...mmmmm....two or three things here can actually fill me and for under $5!!!! Get out of class at 9PM and don't want to start the late night process of cooking dinner? Get a pupusa! Feeling too lazy to cook yourself lunch? Get a pupusa!! Stumbling home after one too many beers? Get a pupusa!! I tend to rate food based on the price I'm paying. Yes, that rack of lamb was amazing, but was it $30 amazing? In the DC area, there is definitely a shortage of value for what you're paying. Food is usually very overpriced, but not amazingly incredible. Or (and this is what I usually hit) great, but still on the pricier side. Here, it would not take much for a pupusa to be worth the $1 that it costs. But it's great!! I would even pay $1.50....maybe $2 for one. That means you're getting at least double value for a pupusa!! You could get 3 pasteles here for the price of a Starbucks frappuchino! Say yes to pupusas and say yes to Pupuseria Dona Azucena!
(5)Paul W.
I don't give out 5 star ratings often, check out my ratings distribution as proof. But as far as pupusas go, this place is the best. Stay away from everything else, just go and order the chicharron con queso. You have no idea. Sauce is perfect also... even if its in a bag. Pour it in my hands, I don't care. And did I mention they're only $1.50 each? This place is special. Trust. Go now.
(5)Joe J.
the best 16 dollars I have spent in a long long time. My cousin brought me here only because I told him, the best salvadorean food is the food ones family makes...I have officially annexed the Pupuseria Dona Azucena staff as part of my family. I ordered 1 tamale de pollo, 1 pan con pollo, 3 pasteles, and 3 pupusas's de queso. Between 2 we could not finish all the food presented before us, it was a small feast. The chicken in the pan was seasoned to perfection and so tender it was like a mothers love. The pawn shop on the corner and the "sports" bar next to it should step their games up before this place buys the whole strip. I enjoyed the food here and it really is a small piece of El Salvador in Arlington, VA.
(5)Fuzz H.
The food took forever to arrive, we got everything in reverse order (dessert first), and the queso/queso con frijoles were extremely soggy. Wish I liked this place more as the prices are about the same as McDonalds.
(1)Fatima P.
i always wanted to try the pupusas. A friend took me to this place and it was delicious and very cheap...
(5)Felix C.
Look I was going to give it 4 stars since it isn't the best restaurant out there but in it's realm there isn't a pupeseria that can beat Doña Azuceña in this area. I have visited the place quite a few times and I am pretty familiar with most of the menu and it's all good. The pupusas are freshly made and the kitchen ladies are the nicest women out there, they always say hi to my kids! If you are not too full try the bread pudding or better yet take a piece home, it is pretty awesome!
(5)Kathleen P.
Super fast preparation. Excellent food. Great service. Clean and super cheap! Location great, Parking was fine. We suggest backing in your space. On our go to list now. Try it!
(5)Dani P.
My family has been coming here since I was a kid, and it's remained the same throughout the entire time. It's no frills; your water comes in a plastic cup and pupusas are served on a tray with paper. The food is quick, delicious, and incredibly cheap. My husband and I can come here, stuff ourselves, and pay less than $20 including tip. I do agree with other reviews that say service isn't amazing. They're quick to seat you and get you your food, but you'll be waiting awhile to flag someone down for the check. Also, the parking lot is awful; it's tiny and compact and you're lucky to even find a spot when it gets busy.
(4)Riley S.
The pupusas really are so good, but it takes so long to get them that anything edible would taste really good by the time they arrive. I kid you not- the last time we went here, it took 51 minutes for my order to arrive. I ordered three cheese pupusas, and they really were great, but the almost hour-long wait has kept me from going back. Bring a good book to read and come at least an hour before you plan on eating.
(2)Michael O.
I had the Pork and Beans pupusa and it was great. The texture and flavor seemed like corned beef, which I also like. I had 2 pupusas and they hit the spot. We ordered a side of fried plantains and they hit the spot. Then we had some dessert . . . I forgot the name but they are like deep fried hush puppies. You dip the "hush puppies" into a molasses type mixture and eat. Overall, this is a good place, if you are super hungry. Some negatives is that this location is on Glebe road and there's some U-turn traps and it's almost impossible to find parking in the parking lot.
(3)Javier P.
I arrived at 9:25 and they are ready close when the website says they close at 10:00 I drive 45 minutes for nothing
(2)Jenn M.
Pupusas are great here! This place could use a facelift inside though. Service was a bit slow and getting our food was even slower. We wanted horchata and our waitress said "uhh...no" and then proceeded to tell us what drinks they had. We opted for just water instead. While we waited for our food I saw behind the counter that they were out of horchata. She could have at least explained to us why she couldn't give us some instead of just telling us no. This was actually at 10:30am so it tells me that horchata is popular at this joint. Better come super early if you want some. As for food, I ordered pupusas (revueltas and frijoles con queso) and my bf ordered chicharron con queso and frijoles con queso. He wanted a third one (revueltas) and the waitress again said "no." We didn't even question her why but our faces were like "wtf?!" What a huge turn off. After a long 20 min wait we got our food. We really enjoyed it. I liked frijoles con queso more than revueltas. Same with my bf. The plates were cheap and plastic, it had the pattern of like a tennis racquet and the pupusas sat on top of paper. I much preferred a decent plate so it makes slicing into the pupusas easier. Overall I spent a total of $10 (tip included). I probably would get take-out from here if I ever come back because I don't want to be told "no" again by that lady. Good pupusas though!
(3)Cat V.
Ummmm what can I say about this place that hasn't been said- for $15, two people can eat a fresh, warm, delicious dinner. Their plantains are awesome! A great hole in the wall.
(5)Hannah H.
The Pupuseria Dona Azucena is literally next door to another pupuseria (Pupuseria Dona Bessy), so make sure you enter the right one! I came in here wanting to try out their famous pupusas, as this joint is supposedly famous in making the best ones in the Arlington area. I ordered up at the cashier, who was very straightforward and no-nonsense. I tried their cheese, chicarron with cheese, a tamal de carne, and a cup of horchata. The cheese was very cheesy and didn't need the cabbage slaw or the hot sauce it came with - it had a nice amount of saltiness from the cheese and it had a slight crispy exterior which I liked. The chicharron with cheese was also okay, which was more like minced/pulled pork, although I do just prefer the simple cheese one. I wasn't a fan of the cornmeal 'empanada'-like snack, filled with meat, as it was just underseasoned for me, and I just wasn't a fan of the potato/meat filling. The horchata seemed to contain a lot of sesame oil of some sort, as that had a very strong sesame taste, rather than it being milky and cinnamon-y. A lot of locals were dining in, and it was a cute hole-in-the-wall type of an eatery. I would probably just stick to their cheese pupusas! I loved watching the ladies in the open kitchen, making the pupusas, and slapping them on the grill to cook them. :D Just a note: they are opening up a new location off of Richmond Highway (notice was on their entryway door). +cheese pupusa
(3)Noemi A.
The pupusas are made right on front of you! They were delicious. You definitely have to try the steak.
(5)Jenny T.
Everyone comes here for the pupusas but you must realize that they're open for breakfast too on the weekends. There isn't a menu as far as I know... But you can just ask for the typical breakfast, which is huevos rancheros-- comes with egg and tomatoes, a chunk of white cheese, avocado, and rice and beans. And also 2 tortillas.. which were pretty thick and doughy. Yum! Everything is cooked well and tasty. Good service, regular horchata, good stuff. Now I need to come back for the pupusas mmm
(4)Lia M.
I've not been impressed with anything I've had here (yucca, pupusas, and tamales). The yucca was served lukewarm and was not crisp. The pupusas were bland and so were the tamales. You can definitely get better pupusas in Arlington.
(2)Pilar S.
It's plain, simple, cheap, authentic food that hits the spot! Lots of places are hit or miss depending on the day. If I can't think of anything else, I can always rely on DA to give me exactly what I'm looking for. The cooks grew up on this food, so they know what they're doing -- and they do it well. I am holding the fifth star hostage until something is done about the parking.
(4)Diana S.
You know what would be really good right now? Pupusas. I can utter this phrase without guilt or locking myself into spending way too much money or driving somewhere super far. Pupuseria Doña Azucena has the best pupusas in the area--located right near the intersection of Glebe Rd & 50 in Arlington. AND I will be full, happy girl with 2 pupusas for less than $5. Totally sweet deal. The server was quick and attentive and you do not break out those few Spanish phrases you remember from high school to get friendly service here. I'm not sure about the other dishes here--the pasteles and chicharron lacked flavor and were overcooked. I would recommend the pork and cheese pupusa but the plain cheese one is probably my fave. Complimentary curtido (cabbage slaw) and tomato sauce included so you can eat tons of it with your pupusa.
(4)Sydney L.
My boyfriend spent the whole morning wanting tacos and he found this place on Yelp. Definitely not your expected tacos, but oh so tasty! This is an El Salvadorian restaurant, not Mexican, so don't go in expecting your traditional Americanized Mexican. This place is incredibly authentic (we were the only non-Hispanics in the place until a family walked in as we were leaving). Food is delicious and the staff was incredibly friendly and assisted us as we stumbled through the menu. We tried several of the pupusas, but chicken was our favorite. My boyfriend had the steak platter and it was very flavorful for a non-steak house. I had the chicken toastadas which were made on cornmeal tortillas and had a fantastic pickled cabbage slaw/salsa on top. Will definitely be going back to try more!
(4)Antonio P.
Ate here on El Salvador's independence day. Got two Revuelta pupusas to go. Everything was neatly packed and remained fresh until I got home to indulge, and indulge I did. The tri-fecta of ingredients surrounded by a perfectly cooked pupusa was transcendental! Took me halfway to San Salvador! Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, I eat here all the time and the food is always EXACTLY what I wanted. The wait was short, the people friendly, and the price is right on point. Opa!
(5)Shara W.
I had three pupusas -- beans with cheese, squash with cheese, and "mixed" -- which I think has chicharones, beans, and cheese -- and horchata. The bill came to $7.04 with tax. The beans ones had more beans than at the other places I've tried -- the squash and cheese one was especially delicious. Not all the staff members speak English. Most people were either getting Salvadoran-style steak ("carne asada") which looked good, or pupusas, although the menu had a number of things on it. It was somewhat crowded with families -- all Spanish-speakers. They good-humoredly put up with me. I speak little Spanish. The place is a hole in the wall, and could use some fixing up. The service was prompt to bring the food, but it was hard to find someone to bring me my check.
(4)Christina H.
My family loves this joint. We can recommend all of the pupusas, but especially love the simple ones stuffed with cheese, the ones with squash and cheese, and the ones -- well, in truth, we love all of them! (You can also get some thick, handmade, freshly cooked tortillas plain at a cost of 35 cents each here. It's the closest we've come to finding tortillas that actually taste and have the same texture as real tortillas do in Central America...) We really love the chicken tamales, which are carefully stuffed with moist chicken breast, potato, chickpeas, and a green olive as a nice touch. You can also order the whole fried tilapia if you are looking for something even more substantial. Order yuca and some fried plantains on the side to round out your meal. There are many other things on the menu that we look forward to trying on future trips. We have found that Dona Azucena is especially great for take out, with everything carefully packed, although we have also eaten in and found the staff to be friendly and attentive. Another plus: the final tab will be ridiculously cheap, which makes this one of the best deals nearby our neighborhood.
(5)Erick M.
Le doy 5 estrellas solo por la comida. El servicio de las meseras es totalmente malo estube alli anoche y cuando tomaron mi orden ordene algo para llevar cuando pague nunca regresaron con el cambio y estaba sentado en la mesa por 14 minutos hasta que me levante y fui a preguntar por lo que habia ordenado lo tenia esperando como si hubiera ordenado por telefono. me seras yo se que cuesta trabajo pero si quiera lleven las ordenes a la mesa cuando el cliente paga. Y asi como ami a saber a cuantos les ha pasado meseras yo se que es trabajoso pero para eso uno paga y hasta con propina terrible.
(5)Dan H.
I'm new to pupusas and it's disappointing it's taken me so long to befriend them. Because they are delicious! Pupusas require a bit of waiting I learned also, but that gave me a chance to peruse the rest of the menu and now there are a ton of other things I need to go back and try. Definitely worth a stop!
(4)lilibet m.
Love the cheese pupusas. The fried beans, yucca, fried plantain and chicharon are fantastic.
(4)Jolie B.
I had bean and cheese pupusas and yucca fries for dinner at the smaller of the two side by side Dona establishments. I've been eating pupusas once a week lately and these are excellent. This was my first time tasting yucca fries and I found them to be extra crunchy, tough to chew through the outer layer but the inside was tender and tasted somewhat like a potato. I used the hot sauce provided. The cost of my dinner was $3.80. There were families and groups of young people. American pop music was playing and I liked the atmosphere.
(4)Brad P.
I was in Washington for a weekend of sight seeing and eating. One of the things we were searching for was a pupuseria. After some searching we came across Dona Azucena. There were two pupuserias next to each other and Azucena was more full. I am really glad we went right instead of left. Food 4.5 - We got a little bit of everything. The beans were fabulous, the tamales were soft and flavorful, the pastilitas were great as well. Our yucca and plantains were a little under cooked but I think that was just because it was crowded and they were rushing. Service 5 - Our waitress was attentive and very friendly. Value 7 - We ate until we were close to exploding because the food was so good and still brought leftovers back to the room all for under $30 with tax and tip. Ambience 4 - It is fairly standard strip mall décor but what makes up for it is the open kitchen. There is something special about being able to see and hear your pupusas being made. On the whole this place was cheap and delicious. I am not sure there is much more you can ask for.
(5)Syed S.
Papusas were great and prices are dirt cheap. Had chicken, bean, herb and squash papusas. Most of the crowd at this place was Hispanic/Latino, clear indicator about an authentic ethnic place. Only giving 4 stars because waitress started sweeping while we were sitting there and they were out of tamales, though they had them on the menu. Good, cheap and authentic place. Will definitely come back.
(4)Victoria L.
Ay dios mios! Pupusa galore!! Thank god my boyfriend is Salvadoran and he speaks spanish because I usually tell him what I want and he orders it for me. It's worth the drive and wait for the delicious and satisfying foods here. The pupusas are cheap, filling and crazy good. Most places are skimp with their cheese and meat inside but here they stuff the whole thing. The horchata is great also, I can drink these all day long. Service is fast and employees are friendly. This place has authenthic salvadoran food that everyone should try at least once!
(4)Johnny A.
What can I say, these are the best pupusas you can ever have in DC area! They probably don't make them as delicious in El Salvador! Service is great and the place is as local as local gets, so bring a Salvadorian friend if you're not familiar with this awesome food. Next visit, fried Tilapia!
(5)Rosie M.
I'm going to say this place is hands down the best pupuseria around town (Atown that is). Cheesy, hot goodness right here! Some places are stingy with their cheese, but Doña Azucena delivers. Went here on a recommendation from my MOMMA and she is queen pupusera too, just not for money. Not to mention I have to beg her to make them for me - she is too independent now. There's a place next door called Bessy's something or the other - it is NOT the same place, nor the same pupusas. I read some really bad reviews about bugs and cleanliness but I can't attest to any of that. The place looked clean to me, and even the bathroom was clean. Definitely eat them there or take them to go but rush home with them cuz luke warm pupusas are NOT the business.
(5)Christian B.
"Authentic Salvadorian food at great prices set in a dumpy strip mall with dirty interior" Food: 4/5 Service: 3/5 (Counter Service) Atmosphere: 1/5 Parking: 2/5 Cleanliness: 2/5 Papuseria Dona Azucena is a local stable and favorite for many Salvadorian immigrants and families who want to sit down (or carry out) and enjoy some very authentic flavors from their native El Salvador. Food here is good, well seasoned, and served at an unbeatable price point. Unlike many yelpers have claimed, I wouldn't say these are the "best papusas in the area" but they are good. The cheese ones are filling and don't skimp the cheese at all. I didn't personally like the flavor of the pork one and couldn't see too much cheese in it at all but that flavor/spice combination might just be something I didn't like personally. Carne asada was OK, fairly well seasoned but very salty and the rice was also ok, nothing to write home about. Interior here is pretty badly in need of a thorough cleaning, replacement of many parts, and redesign. There are visible stains on the ceilings from leaking pipes, dirty walls, and dusty "decorations" which look to be yard sale generic sculptures of Aztec gods, the dreaded (and common) usage of 1980's motivational poster-style printouts of famous spots in El Salvador that so many ethnic restaurants are guilty of employing, and the table settings, bar area, and bathroom are all very divey, dirty, and outdated. Parking here is surprisingly limited for a strip mall but the tiny, poorly-maintained lot services all the other businesses in the stalls here so come early. Enjoy!
(3)Debi N.
The pupusas here are good, very cheap, and very filling. If you are looking for a quick bite and tired of fast food, this is your place. Any and all pupusas are good. They range from just cheese, cheese bean and pork, chicken and cheese, a few others and they even have one with everything. They come with a semi-pickled slaw and what tasted like a watered down tomato-ey sauce which some people called 'hot sauce' but it wasn't spicy at all, but did add good flavor to the whole dish. I think two pupusas could easily fill you up and they are less than $2 for 1, you can't beat that price. I also tried the pastel de carne which is a deep fried pastry filled with vegetables and beef, almost like an empanada, but I wasn't a fan of it. The filling was a little bland and the outer shell/crust didn't do much for me. But it was only $1! I also tried the chicken tamale and was just okay. Considering it was only $1.50 you can't expect much. This place was very busy and saw a lot of El Salvadorian families here to dine. Our waitress was very nice in trying to explain the different pupusas and menu options and knew we had walked in randomly but was very kind. They will be patient with you if you are patient with them. I also have to point out when I dined here a bug (medium size beetle) flew onto my friend's shirt and it freaked me out... I'm probably personally just come back here for the pupusas if I want an inexpensive quick hunger fix. They also have a steak type dish that might be worthy of trying out next time. Otherwise, just get the pupusa!
(3)John H.
I went there with my parents on a Sunday evening the ladies were so hot and beautiful especially one that I saw I'm definitely going back not just for that lady I'm going back For the delicious they have
(5)Donna P.
I came here yesterday with my roommate and we ordered 6 papusas (cheese, cheese & pork, and cheese & beans) and they were ALL delicious. Quick tip - if you get the cheese papusa, eat it first because in time the cheese will harden a bit and it is SO much better when the cheese is freshly cooked and gooey. Of the three that I ordered, the cheese and beans were my favorite. $11 dollars fed two people. Can't beat that. And they play spanish music nonstop - everything from romantic sounding slow songs that I don't understand to Pitbull. Either way, we were crying and jammin the whole time we were there.
(4)X-Tian A.
One of, if not the best, pupuseria, in the DMV. The food here pretty much speaks for itself ( in a good way ), which is why this Yelper can't really say much about the food, except that it's o so tasty, and reasonably priced. The only drawback about this place isn't the food, but the service. The service staff could be a tad bit more attentive, but hey, what do you expect from a 'divey' place. All and all, regardless of the ' B ' rated service, I'd recommend this place.
(4)Alan G.
QUICK REVIEW: Fast service, friendly staff, quality and authentic el salvadorian food. Would definitely go again. Cheese, cheese & squash, and cheese and pork papusas, carne asada, beef empanadas, horchata, and melon con pina. Don't sleep! DETAILED REVIEW: Visited on a saturday night and it was busy. There was only one available table for my group of four. This place seems to be very authentic. The first thing I noticed was the tables of old hispanic women. I figure if the women who are responsible for your friend's homemade cooking eat here, it must be good. We ordered cheese, squash, and pork papusas, carne asada, and beef empanadas. The food came out quickly even with the packed house. I like these papusas more than others I've had because while papusas aren't supposed to be completely stuffed with filling, these have just the right amount for you to really taste the ingredients inside. Carne asada was very tender and full of flavor. Another highlight was the drink selection. I recently had horchata at the taco truck inside Revel in Atlantic City and contemplated my purpose on this planet. It was good to have authentic horchata again. The Melon Con Pina was very good as well. It tasted of fresh fruit, lots of pulp if you're into that. Overall, I give this five stars because I couldn't find anything wrong with the place. i've been told that there are a couple other locations around NoVa, so I can't speak for those, but this one off Glebe is legit.
(5)David H.
Pupusas were good, and cheap I also tried the pasteles de carne, which were ok, not much meat. And the chicken tamale, which I probably wouldn't get again.
(3)Kate D.
Delicious tamales and pupusas! Such a great value for delicious made from scratch food!
(5)Orquidea R.
Pupusas are great...Loroco con queso, chicharrones, refritos y solo queso..... I am addicted and the price is just right!!! The menu is very limited but it is very authentic to the Salvadorean roots and food. Cozy atmosphere, there serve the tamarindo juice as well as the famous salvadorean Horchata drink. Dont leave this place without have the plate of carne asada..nice piece of flank grilled steak with rice and salad!
(4)Eric N.
Cheap deliciousness! I always drive by this place daily and was finally able to stop and try out their pupusas. Had the Revuelto pupusa, cheese, and chicarron. All for only $1.50 each and comes with hot sauce and a side of coleslaw (to give it that crunch.) All good and filling. Also tried their tamale, which I thought was a bit bland. I do love their yucca here, which is fried perfectly. Theres a wait on the weekends during peak hours so expect to stand in line to get in. The restaurant itself is very small but turnaround time is quick. Recommended!
(4)Chiyon Y.
Cheesy deliciousness & they're only $1.50 each! cheese pupusa = must! chicharron pupusa - on the dry side revuelto pupusa (chicharron, beans & cheese) - yum!
(4)Donald P.
I just recently found out about the pupusa and the pastel de carne. This was my first time trying them, and I prepared myself by reading up on the reviews. I'm so disappointed though. I really wanted to like this place. I had difficulty placing my order with the lady, who didn't seem to understand what I was saying and vice versa, compound that with the fact that I have no idea how to order. I wasn't sure if the filling had 3 ingredients or I had to pick from 3 fillings. So I said, just give me the most popular one. The thing that killed it for me was the roach I saw crawling on the counter as I was waiting for my food. I stood there shocked like deer in headlights. It was taking its time strolling across the counter, and not like scurrying along like it was scared of light. I took a plastic plate holder and flicked it off the counter onto the floor (last thing I want is for it to be a part of someone's food, especially mine) and I did the thing I hate most....STEPPED ON IT. The crunching noise was deafening. Well not really but when I play it back in my mind it gets louder and louder. Not a great start to this experience. So I stood there waiting and waiting and waiting for my order. This is definitely not fast-food, but at least the food is made-to-order and not sitting out under heat lamps or something....thankfully. My order was takeout and so when I got back to the office I saw a bag of some type of coleslaw and a bag of tomato sauce or juice. I didn't know what it was or how to eat it, and quite frankly didn't feel like eating anything that wasn't cooked thoroughly. As for the taste...I had erroneously thought they might be similar to empanadas, but nothing like it at all. Not like a burrito or a taco either. If you've never had one, this is something definitely worth trying.
(2)Chris A.
Best papusas in in arlington! the are cheap and are filled to the brim. the dinner crowd is always busy during the week and the lunch crowd is busy during the weekend. so head here for lunch during the week. the waitresses are very nice and helped us pick what extras we wanted. if you don't speak Spanish you can still get by saying "4 chicken papusas".
(4)Kevin K.
HOLY CRAP!!!! $1.50 pupusas. The revueltas are so good here. Sorry got a little ahead of myself there. This place is definitely in one of those places where you really don't want to hang out because in the same mall you have a laundry place, a Chinese take out and I think like a bar? But Dona Azucena is really a good place to indulge for you masa and meat fix. The pupusas are extremely well rounded....the perfect mix to masa and filling. The cabbage and tomato sauce is really fresh and bright and makes the pupusa almost light(if that's possible). I have to say on the cheap eats scale this is like a full blown 10 out of 10! You will get an entire feast for under 20 bucks. When you get a chance try the tamales as well, but my money will be on the pupusas. Cheers and Happy eats!
(4)Kristi G.
The pupusas are good and you can get a meal here for ridiculously cheap. My husband and I went and ate dinner for $11 plus tip. Crazy. The service is ok (language may have been a slight barrier since I don't speak Spanish) and for some reason at the end of our meal, we saw the waitress bring checks to three other tables while we sat waiting for ours for 20 minutes. We finally had to go up to the counter to get the check. But the food is so cheap and the waitress was nice enough that I didn't get too upset.
(4)Sheri G.
Holy Pupusas! I've never been totally crazy over pupusas, but woah, these were really good. Better than El Charrito Caminante if you ask me. We got 5 of them - pork & cheese, pork & beans, cheese & beans, cheese & zucchini, and cheese & loroco. (The woman at the counter said loroco is a flower. I looked it up, and it is indeed an edible flower that grows in El Salvador). Anyhow, I thought the pork ones were the best, but all of them were good. We also got plantains and beans. They were not as good. El Charitto is definitely better in that department. $13 bucks in total makes this a dirt cheap and very tasty dinner. And we were the only white people in there, so you know this place is legit.
(4)Paul D.
Overall, not as good as El Charrito Caminante. The Papusa's here are HUGE! But not as tasty as El Charrito. Most of what makes the Papusas here so attractive is the large amounts of filling inside them. It's easily 2-3x as much as most places. In this case more doesn't equate to better. They fall apart because there is less masa than filling. The cheese in my Revueltas Papusa hadn't melted fully. I dare say it was under cooked. I felt like I was eating tuna salad. There are four locations of Pupuseria Doña Azucena in the area. Despite a language barrier, I had no problem ordering. In fact, for $9.81, I got three Papusas, two Pasteles de Carne, and two Chicken Tamales. The Chicken Tamale was Outstanding, and easily the best thing I had! The Pasteles de Carne we no good. They were dry. The outer shell was made of corn masa that tasted like deep fried cornbread. I had to drench mine in the watery red sauce that comes in a bag, just to get it down. Lastly, the Papusas, though they're the biggest I've ever seen, were not as tasty as I expect. Five stars for value, two stars for taste. I give it three stars overall because some places do one thing better than most, and ironically, this Pupuseria has some of the biggest/best Chicken Tamales I've ever tasted. Although, beware of the pit in the little green olives, lest you crack a tooth on one.
(3)