Armando’s Place

One of the best pupusas I ever had, there is a wait because they are made fresh, don’t let the appearance fool you the place looks like a low end bar but the pupusas make up for the whole experience I will definitely be returning

This place was so bad I’m only giving them one star because the salad I order came with lime and I made it taste good. Other than that the chicken was red, the mondogo soup was gross and if I got into more detail this place would go out of business… Don’t recommend !!!

This restaurant’s Unilocal profile is misleading — Armando’s Place is actually a Salvadoran restaurant, not Mexican. I tried to change its cuisine in the profile settings to reflect this, but «Latin American» is the closest match I could find, unfortunately.
Note to Unilocal tech dudes: please add «Salvadoran» as a cuisine option for restaurant listings!
Anyway, I tried this place recently and found the pupusas to be on point, just as Hank J. had mentioned. Definitely the best ones I’ve eaten thus far in NJ and among the best in the Greater NYC area. They’re made to order (be patient, as it takes 15 – 20 minutes) and emerge from the kitchen hot, fresh, non-​greasy, and surprisingly light. This was a pleasant contrast to most of the other pupusas I’ve eaten in the NYC area, which have been rubbery, greasy, and heavy.
I didn’t get to try anything else on their menu, but would like to come back for their breakfast or lunch/​dinner entrees. It seems that they have a happy hour from 7−9pm, so maybe I’ll stop by during that time.
One huge caveat:
This place definitely isn’t user friendly for the average gringo. First of all, it’s located on a random side street in a very obscure, out-​of-​the-​way neighborhood of Elizabeth. The exterior windows are tinted dark, so the place looks very sketchy from the outside, as if it’s a front for an illegal business. And then once you enter, everyone stops what they’re doing and stares at you momentarily if you’re an obvious outsider like myself.
The waitresses only speak Spanish, so if you don’t speak the language, you’ll have to do a lot of pointing and gesturing at the menu. And the interior is extremely bare-​bones and divey, adding to the potential discomfort. There’s a TV playing Latin programs and a jukebox with Spanish music tunes, which is nice if only because it gives you something to look at while you sit there uncomfortably.
But no worries — if you’re an adventurous eater like myself who enjoys checking out authentic ethnic restaurants, things like these come with the territory. Come with an open mind, and you’ll probably agree with me that this place is a real find.