Highlights
- Great coffee
oChef » PupuserĂa Metapán – San Francisco
PupuserĂa Metapán - San Francisco
Photo from PupuserĂa Metapán
PupuserĂa Metapán at a glance
San Francisco Excelsior
- 🇸🇻 Salvadoran Restaurant
$$
Price per Person $21–$30
mentioned by 64 of the guests
#2311 out of 2403 places to eat in San Francisco
#16 Salvadoran Restaurant out of 17 in San Francisco
Average
4.9 out of 10
Food
Service
Ambience
Value
298
Reviews
39.6%
Satisfaction
Often praised
- Authentic Flavors
- Pleasant Setting
Frequently criticized
- Slow Service
- Parking Issues
The restaurant PupuserĂa Metapán invites you to discover authentic Salvadoran flavors right in the heart of San Francisco’s vibrant Excelsior neighborhood. You’ll find this cozy spot is renowned for its great coffee, making it a perfect stop any time of day.
Whether you’re craving a quick bite or a leisurely meal, this casual eatery offers a welcoming atmosphere where you can enjoy delicious food and excellent brews.
Overview: Introducting PupuserĂa Metapán
PupuserĂa Metapán offers a taste of traditional Salvadoran flavors, with many praising the authentic pupusas and comforting chicken soup. The atmosphere often feels welcoming and clean, contributing positively to the dining experience, making it a cozy spot for a meal.
However, the dining experience at PupuserĂa Metapán can be inconsistent, primarily due to significant issues with service. Guests frequently report long wait times and a lack of attentiveness, which can unfortunately overshadow the culinary highlights.
Average
4.9
out of 10
298
Reviews
39.6%
Satisfaction
159
negative
21
neutral
118
positive
PupuserĂa Metapán registers an overall Restaurant Score of 4.9, placing it in the average category. This is somewhat at odds with its Customer Satisfaction rate of 39.6%, which falls into the poor range.
This divergence suggests that while some aspects are acceptable, a significant portion of diners leave feeling dissatisfied, a sentiment echoed across 298 customer remarks, with 159 negative experiences outweighing 118 positive ones. Looking closer, the Food (6.5) and Ambience (6.8) topics stand out as relative strengths, indicating that the culinary offerings and setting generally resonate well with patrons.
However, the Service (2.9) score is notably low, pointing to a critical area for improvement. Value (5.3) hovers around average, suggesting that while prices aren’t a major deterrent, they don’t particularly impress either.
What people like
- Delicious Pupusas
- Comforting Soups
- Clean Atmosphere
What people don't like
- Poor Service
- Excessive Wait Times
- Parking Challenges
For those seeking authentic Salvadoran flavors, PupuserĂa Metapán might be worth a visit, particularly for its well-regarded pupusas and soups. However, be prepared for potential frustrations, as the experience is often marred by significant service delays and a lack of attentiveness from staff.
With a Recommendation Score of 5.1, it’s clear this establishment presents a mixed bag. If you prioritize delicious food and a clean setting over swift service and easy parking, you might find it acceptable.
Otherwise, you may want to consider other options for a smoother dining experience.
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Verdict: Our expert take on PupuserĂa Metapán
Food (6.5 out of 10)
mentioned by 82% of the guests
Many diners find the food quite enjoyable, especially the delicious pupusas and their incredible flavor, often highlighting the consistent food quality. With 79 positive observations out of 131 total, there's a strong appreciation for the authentic Salvadoran cuisine. The overall sentiment for food is generally positive, reflected in an average 6.5 score and a mixed 60.3% customer satisfaction.
However, not all experiences are glowing. Some customers have reported issues with pupusas being cold or undercooked, and others found certain dishes to be too salty. With 41 negative observations, concerns about stingy fillings, inconsistent flavor, and overall low quality food occasionally surface, suggesting areas for improvement.
Food
131
Reviews
60%
Satisfaction
41
negative
11
neutral
79
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
- Best pupusas
- Delicious flavor
- Consistent food quality
What people don't like
- Food served cold
- Dishes too salty
- Inconsistent food quality
Often praised
- foodThe only good thing was the food, but the service was very terrible. From my side, I will not go back to that place.
- pupusasEvery time I visit, I feel completely ignored. I have to wait at least 20 minutes just to be acknowledged, and then another 20 to 40 minutes or more for simple orders like 2 pupusas and 1 yuca. The total wait time for food is an hour or more.
- chicken soupI simply love it! I bought the chicken soup and it reminded me of my country. I would give it a thousand stars, but with the rating system, it's 5 stars.
- salsaWe always order more papusas than we plan to eat so we can have them for the next day. Ask for extra salsa and cabbage slaw.
- Churrasco Salvadorenotried the Churrasco Salvadoreno and Sopa de Gallina India, and both were delicious
- El Salvador version of horchataEl Salvador version of horchata tastes pretty good
- Pastelitos and PupusasRecommended dishes:Pastelitos and Pupusas
- PupusasPupusas are the star
- PupuseriaI was visiting from Las Vegas and I loved this Pupuseria! My server was very friendly and provided suggestions on the menu.
- Sopa de Gallina Indiatried the Churrasco Salvadoreno and Sopa de Gallina India, and both were delicious
Frequently criticized
- pupusasMy experience at this restaurant was disappointing due to a significant issue with my order and the subsequent customer service. I ordered two pupusas, and while they called to confirm "the flavor" of both, I only received one pupusa upon delivery. The restaurant never corrected the mistake or attempted to remedy my bad experience.
- cevicheVenia en un conteiner de los más. Pequeños y lo peor a la mitad
- chicharronthe chicharron was burnt
- foodthe food was super ugly
- soupThe service was the worst I've ever encountered. We waited 40 minutes for 3 pupusas and a staggering 1 hour for a soup. The waitress was disinterested and did not pay attention, making for a worse experience than ever before.
- Salvadoran beerMy food was delicious! I was disappointed that they don’t have Salvadoran beer. I’ll be back!
- beans in the pupusasthe beans in the pupusas taste completely different
- cheeseWhile I understand that everything is expensive, they were incredibly stingy with the fillings. They should put more chicharron and more cheese. It felt like they were being miserable and stingy.
- chicken soupafuerza queria que pidiera sopa de gallina se molesto y me ablo bien feo
- cold foodThey gave cold food
If youre craving authentic Salvadoran pupusas and dont mind a potentially mixed experience, this spot might be worth a try. Be prepared for the possibility of inconsistent food quality, but many find the highlights worth it.
Service (2.9 out of 10)
mentioned by 74% of the guests
It seems the service here is quite a mixed bag, leaning heavily towards the negative, with a low score of 2.9 and customer satisfaction at just 15.7%. However, a few of the 21 positive comments did highlight friendly servers and excellent service, with some appreciating good attention and polite cashiers. Unfortunately, the vast majority of feedback, with 108 negative opinions out of 134 total, points to significant issues.
Many customers reported rude staff, long waiting times, and feeling ignored. There's a clear pattern of poor customer service and a need for better staff training.
Service
134
Reviews
15%
Satisfaction
108
negative
5
neutral
21
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
- Friendly servers
- Good attention
What people don't like
- Rude staff
- Long waits
- Ignored customers
Often praised
- servicetheir service is excellent
- waithad to wait about 30 minutes, but it was absolutely worth the wait
- ServiceService:4
- attentionA great attention
- customer servicegood customer service
- excellent serviceMy server was very friendly and provided suggestions on the menu. Thank you all for the excellent service!
- first-class attentionfirst class attention
- order accuracytodo estuvo bien con la orden
- polite cashiervery polite cashier
- serverMy server was very friendly
Frequently criticized
- serviceWe wanted to exchange them, even if we paid the difference, but they insisted on charging us for the drinks, claiming they were fine and no one else had returned them. The waitress was also terrible; she got upset because we didn't like the drink and took a long time to bring the replacements, which we ultimately didn't receive due to this injustice. The attitude was very bad, leaving much to be desired.
- waiting timeHowever, the service was a significant letdown. I had to wait a lot of time to eat, and even when there were no customers around, they took an excessive amount of time to bring the food to the table. The promised time for food preparation seemed to double the actual waiting time.
- waitressWe wanted to exchange them, even if we paid the difference, but they insisted on charging us for the drinks, claiming they were fine and no one else had returned them. The waitress was also terrible; she got upset because we didn't like the drink and took a long time to bring the replacements, which we ultimately didn't receive due to this injustice. The attitude was very bad, leaving much to be desired.
- customer servicethe girl was rude since she answer the phone just saying Aja bad customer service
- staffHonestly, the pupusas were not good, and the customer service was also bad. They need to hire friendly and kind staff. I do not recommend it for now.
- waitressesthe waitresses were super pedantic
- attentionTheir attention even kills your appetite
- wait timeHowever, the service was disappointing. The waitresses tended to ignore customers, and it took about 5 minutes before they would pay attention. Additionally, napkins were not provided, and there was a charge of 25 cents for a bag, yet still no napkins.
- order accuracyhalf the order (15 papusas) were missing
- Uber eats pick upsThey are too busy with Uber eats type pick ups.
If you're considering a visit, be prepared for potentially significant service issues, as the feedback is overwhelmingly negative. While some find the staff friendly, the high number of complaints about rude service and long waits suggests you might want to manage your expectations or look elsewhere if service is a priority.
Ambience (6.8 out of 10)
mentioned by 25% of the guests
The vibe here is a bit of a mixed bag, but there's definitely some good stuff going on! With a score of 6.8, the ambience leans towards good, and many folks appreciate the overall atmosphere. Out of 26 total opinions, 15 were positive, highlighting it as a cozy, relaxed spot with perfect music and notable cleanliness.
However, customer satisfaction sits at a more mixed 57.7%, indicating some areas for improvement. Six negative opinions frequently brought up the significant issue of no parking and how difficult to find a spot can be. There was also a notable complaint about a bathroom smelled really bad, which definitely detracts from the overall experience.
Ambience
26
Reviews
57%
Satisfaction
6
negative
5
neutral
15
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
- Cozy atmosphere
- Great music
- Clean environment
What people don't like
- No parking
- Smelly bathroom
Often praised
- atmosphereatmosphere was great as well
- cleanlinessThe place is very clean
- AtmosphereAtmosphere:4
- authentic spota bomb authentic spot
- clean placeIt's a family-owned and very clean place
- cozy, relaxed spotcozy, relaxed spot to enjoy a meal
- eateriesThe music was perfect with Julio Iglesias playing, and the TV showed soccer. I felt this was the homeliest and most relaxing of the Salvadoran eateries, and the basics were well done here.
- excellent placeIt was an excellent place to eat with very good food. The only downside is that there is no parking, which makes it difficult to find a spot.
- family-ownedIt's a family-owned and very clean place
- musicThe music is perfect Julio Iglesias
Frequently criticized
- atmosphereSe siente un ambiente como q no quisieran atender
- bathroom smelled really badThey need to be more honest with their customers about wait times; I wouldn't have been angry if they had informed me upfront about the hour-long wait. The bathroom smelled really bad, so much so that I didn't even want to go near it while waiting for my food. Additionally, the frijol con queso pupusa was too salty.
- difficult to findIt was an excellent place to eat with very good food. The only downside is that there is no parking, which makes it difficult to find a spot.
- no parkingno parking is difficult to find
- parkingThere is no parking at all
- placethis place used to be better now it’s not
If a cozy, clean spot with good music is your priority and you don't mind a potential parking hunt, this place might be worth a visit. Just be prepared for the parking challenge and hope the bathroom situation has improved, as that could be a real buzzkill.
Value (5.3 out of 10)
mentioned by 8% of the guests
When it comes to value, it's a bit of a mixed bag, with a score of 5.3 placing it in the average range. Some guests were pleasantly surprised, mentioning price and prices as pretty good or even amazing, feeling they only spent a fair amount. These positive sentiments were noted in 3 instances.
However, customer satisfaction for value sits at a mixed 42.9%, as 4 other remarks highlighted concerns. Many found things expensive, with the bill often feeling high. Some felt that certain items were very expensive or simply not worth the price, leading to disappointment.
Value
7
Reviews
42%
Satisfaction
4
negative
0
neutral
3
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
- Amazing prices
What people don't like
- Very expensive
- Poor value
Often praised
- pricesthe prices are pretty good
- priceonly gaste 25 dollars for mu esposa and yo
Frequently criticized
- Price per persona side of salpicĂłn 14$
- billOn top of that, everything was very expensive. For 2 adults and 1 child, the bill came to $70.
- expensiveeverything was very expensive
- priceThe pupusas are delicious and the other food too. However, the last time I ordered hĂgado encebollado, it was only a small sliver with maybe a whole onion over it, which was not worth the price. I was a little disappointed.
Value here is a bit of a gamble, so dont expect consistent bargains. While some find prices fair, be prepared for certain items to feel expensive or not quite worth the cost. Its worth trying if you're mindful of what you order.
How are the prices at PupuserĂa Metapán?
Expect to pay about 25 per person, based on 64 reviews. That places it in the $21–$30 category. For a Salvadoran Restaurant in San Francisco, it’s fair – not the cheapest, but reasonable for a good meal.
While the average hovers around 25, our data shows a good mix. Many diners spend between $11–$20, suggesting some great value options, but there are also choices for those looking to splurge a bit more, with prices going up to 101 $ and beyond.
This chart shows what people usually spend per person, using the 64 most recent reviews.
Comparing value for money against similar restaurants in San Francisco.
Considering the cuisine and location, we think the pricing here feels quite fair. It offers a good balance, with options for various budgets, making it a solid choice for a Salvadoran meal in San Francisco.
Customer Reviews: what people think about PupuserĂa Metapán
Visit Type
- Food Exploration
Service Type
- Dine-in
1
Terrible Parking and Service Experience
My experience was terrible. I didn't realize that the parking lot was essentially owned by the establishment. They bring their country's customs here, which was a disappointment.
As a Salvadoran, I was hoping to try something from my country, but instead, an employee, who I assume is an owner, yelled at me, 'Hey, hey, I'm going to park there because I'm coming to work. ' Such incapable people! I would never try to eat there again, whether they are an owner or an employee.
Give exclusivity to your customers! I can see why you have bad reviews and low ratings.
- parking1
- employee1
- customers1
Price per Person
- $11–$20
Visit Type
- Food Exploration
Service Type
- Dine-in
Wait Time
- Immediate (0–5 min.)
8
Best Pupusas, Tamales Okay
My experience at the restaurant was highlighted by the absolutely best pupusas I've ever had, especially the chicharrĂłn and queso con loroco. The tamales were just okay, and I found them to be stingy on the meat. Overall, the food was good, with the pupusas being a standout.
- pupusas10
- chicharrĂłn and queso con loroco9
- tamales6
- meat4
Visit Type
- Casual Outing
Group Type
- Family
Group Size
- Small Group
2
Pupusas Wrong, Twice!
I ordered rice pupusas, but they brought me corn ones. They also weren't the flavor I requested. They changed them, and again, they were corn.
I didn't want to insist further because my children and I were very hungry. A very bad experience.
- pupusas de Arroz2
- pupusas de maiz2
- flavor2
Visit Type
- Quick Meal
Service Type
- Dine-in
2
Terrible Service and Food Pushiness
My experience at the restaurant was very bad. The waitress was careless with the food, practically throwing it at me. When I was ordering, she insisted I order chicken soup, and when I didn't, she got upset and spoke to me very rudely.
- attention1
- food1
- chicken soup2
Visit Type
- Food Exploration
Service Type
- Dine-in
2
Pupusas Not Good, Bad Service
Honestly, the pupusas were not good, and the customer service was also bad. They need to hire friendly and kind staff. I do not recommend it for now.
- pupusas2
- customer service1
- staff1
What PupuserĂa Metapán offers
Planning
- Accepts reservations
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible seating
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
Crowd
- Family-friendly
- Tourists
- Groups
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
Children
- Good for kids
Popular for
- Dinner
- Lunch
- Breakfast
- Solo dining
Amenities
- Restroom
Offerings
- Healthy options
- Late-night food
- Quick bite
- Coffee
- Beer
- Small plates
- Vegetarian options
- Alcohol
Dining options
- Catering
- Breakfast
- Brunch
- Table service
- Dessert
- Dinner
- Lunch
Service Options
- Dine-in
- Takeout
- Delivery
Parking
- Free street parking
Atmosphere
- Cozy
- Casual
- Trendy
FAQs
What kind of dining experience can you expect at PupuserĂa Metapán?
You’ll find PupuserĂa Metapán offers a cozy, casual, and trendy atmosphere perfect for any meal. You can enjoy breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner with table service. They also provide healthy options, small plates, and vegetarian choices, ensuring there’s something delicious for everyone.
Does PupuserĂa Metapán offer accessible options and convenient services?
Yes, PupuserĂa Metapán is fully accessible with a wheelchair accessible entrance, seating, and restroom, ensuring comfort for all guests. For your convenience, you can choose from dine-in, takeout, or delivery services, and free street parking is available nearby.
What is the overall dining experience like at PupuserĂa Metapán?
PupuserĂa Metapán has an overall **Restaurant Score** of **4.9**, indicating an average experience. While **Food** (6.5) and **Ambience** (6.8) are generally well-received, **Service** (2.9) is a significant area for improvement, and **Value** (5.3) is considered average.
Are the pupusas and other dishes at PupuserĂa Metapán worth trying?
Many customers praise the **pupusas** and **chicken soup**, describing them as delicious and authentic. While some specific food items have received criticism, the overall **Food** score of (6.5) suggests a generally positive culinary offering.
What should I expect regarding service at PupuserĂa Metapán?
Customer feedback frequently highlights issues with **service**, which scores a low (2.9). Expect potential long **wait** times and occasional inattentiveness from staff, which can impact the overall dining experience.