Nuvia’s Restaurant & Pupuseria

Such a good spot. Pupusas are generally great, and this place knows its pupusas. Grab a Tecate (the beer is cheap) and if you’re lucky, get treated to some of the best karaōke you’ll ever witness (whether or not you speak spanish). This place is an experience.

This place used to be scary for the regular diner, but after the interior make-​over last year I utilize ‘em for take-​out (ready consistently in 10 – 15 minutes) and for eat-​in at least two-​four times a month. The burrito is my new diamond in the ruff and the pulpusas are always delicious and come with a giant helping of the pickled side. Also, the bar is basic with no frills, but drinks are stiff with Ron Abuelo!
Best thing is when asked (en Espanol) what time they close at the waitress said, «When people stop coming in!» I’ve witnessed this place open well past 2:30am :-)

This place was so great… very relaxed atmosphere, spacious and comfortable booth seating, friendly staff, excellent food at a great price. OMG the horchata– amazing!

Came here for my boyfriend’s buddy’s birthday dinner. The friend’s been here a few times since he lives up the street and claims that the pupusas are pretty good and the heat from the fajitas is legendary. Wow, must’ve caught them on an off-​day but this bad? Come on.
The pupusas are very good, like all the other reviews state, but this was entirely NOT ENOUGH to make up for all the other snafus of the night.
When I first walked in, the entire restaurant was sweltering hot. Seriously. It felt like an oven, and I felt like Gretel. Was I going to be the main ingredient in the pupusas? Okay, it could be the body heat, but there is obviously not enough ventilation in the restaurant and the two ceiling fans just aren’t cutting it. There was also very poor lighting and the restaurant was essentially dark. I have really bad night vision so adjusting to the lack of light really killed me. I think it took at least a good 15 minutes to adjust, but even then my eyes were straining.
The table already had a gang of people sitting and my boyfriend and I were two of the last to be seated. Um, back up. We didn’t get to sit down YET because the waiter who was busy trying to write down people’s orders that he did not know/​disregarded the fact that two additional guests had come in and couldn’t take a seat because his leg was in the way. We were standing right next to him. I was smiling the whole time, but I doubt he noticed because he didn’t look up once. He needed undivided attention to write down the orders because half the time he couldn’t understand what each individual was saying.
Waters came a few minutes after we finally sat down and the water HAD NO ICE. No ice in an already stuffy hot box. So one of the guys at the table asked for ice, and the waiter says that the ice machine is broken. Send your slow ass to the nearest 7 – 11 and get some! It’s 80 degrees outside, it’s 105 degrees inside, and you’re out of ice! Guy finally comes back with a little metal pitcher of ice. There were 12 of us at the table. Okay, folks. Ration out ONE piece of ice per person. Take two and die.
Seriously, this is getting ridiculous. At least we are about to get our food. Or so I thought. This night just kept getting better and better. In any banquet or restaurant setting, Emily Post would say serve women at the table first, then men. Whatever happened to this time-​honored courtesy gesture? My boyfriend who ordered last (mind you, remember we were only just walking in as the others were giving their orders) received his food first. Huh? And then the rest of the guys got their food. There were only two ladies, myself and another friend. We sat hungrily awaiting our food while the guys tried their best to be polite and wait for our food to come. They can only wait for so long. Five minutes passed. No pupusas. Ten. None yet. Fifteen. Nope. Right around the 30 minute mark after the guys had gotten their food, the two women were finally served. By then, all the meager ice had melted into the water which had turned warm again, and all the guys at the table had finished their food. But we were so hungry, we delved into the food as if we had been served first. My coctel de camaron (shrimp cocktail) would have been excellent if it had been cold. Everything about this place was lukewarm.
Awful service, awful problem resolution, awful ambiance. Bless our buddy for choosing this place for his birthday, but I won’t be back.

i love this place… the pupusas are fantastic, and while i love them too much to have ventured very far into the rest of the menu, what i have checked out has also been stellar (platanos, sweet corn tamale, etc.). also, the juices are great and super fresh. get the vampiro – blood red from the beets and tastes like an entire garden and orchard in a glass.
small downsides: they recently re-​did the place entirely yet somehow the booths are still too low for the tables. it makes you feel like a little kid again, but is a bit awkward. also, nine times out of ten the music is way too loud – like, nightclub loud at 2pm. the last time i was there (first time post-​renovation) i had really terrible service – the guy forgot what i ordered three times, and though i only got pupusas, a juice and coffee, each item came about fifteen minutes apart, and i waited forever to pay. but it looked like he was the only person working so i’m hoping it’s a fluke and not related to any changes that came with the remodel; every other time i’ve been here they’ve been very attentive.
and the pupusas are amazing…

the only good thing about this place is that it’s open late. the waiter barely understood english and didnt understand our simple order. i had to ask the hostess to turn the loud blaring music down so i could have a conversation. then listen to her scream at a drunk homeless man for walking into the restaurant. on to the food… pupusas, rice and beans were very bland and the curtido just tasted like onions and vinegar. i was very disappointed in the food and my experience here. i am a food lover and not a hater, but i have to call it like i see it and taste it.
if you want tasty pupusas with great service go to el buen gusto in atwater village… not this dive of a place.

Echo Parks Best Bean and Cheese Burrito by far. Yes If they are playing music from the jukebox on the wall it does get a little loud. They now Have beer and wine and two or three flat screens to watch the game. Lakers Dodgers etc. Very Friend and inexpensive for what you get… I will be back 100 more times Again The bean and Cheese with everything in it… Wow! They do Now look more Echo park friendly Purple and Blue walls… Cool.

Everyone keeps talking about the pupusas…
Bitches you need to recognize…$ 4.50 for «desayuno especial» !! before 11am that is. Don’t bother looking at the menu just ask for «the especial».
This is a solid breakfast with good vibes. The two ladies that run this place are positive and you can taste the love. Plus they now serve beer and wine!

I tried this modest Mexicanos/​Salvadorenos restaurant because it is located right next door to the best hair salon in Echo Park. The people that work here are super nice, humble and sweet. The décor is minimal modest. I only ordered a vegetarian burrito which contains beans, tasty rice, avocado, queso, sour cream. The burrito has an excellent price of only four dollars, it was fresh, tasty, and very large. When you are hungry and low on funds, size counts! They also serve pupusas, salpicon, tacos, huaraches, burritos, cockteles, bisteck encebollado. *(I don’t speak spanish, I have no idea what I am talking about) ** haha They have extra large cokes in a bottle, huge beers. Sweet!

Pupusas delicious. Service, on the forgetful side. The location, convenient to a number of hipster-​y establishments, art galleries, bars, etc.
I find it odd that people are complaining about paying $ 2.25 for a pupusa when yes, normally, a standard pupusa goes for about $ 2. It’s a only a quarter! Jesus! I bet you could find exactly 25 extra pennies bouncing around in your little handbag. You can’t put them in parking meters so you might as well spend them on pupusas.

Food is ok. I had the carne guisada. The two beers that I had made the ordeal tolerable. Too much yucca very little meat. Ratio was 4:1.

I came by Nuvia’s to pick up some pupusas for my girlfriend’s mother. The place was decent for its location but when I had to pay for my food I found out that 6 pupusas cost $ 15. I was a little outraged but I was not paying for them so I didnt complain. When I got back to the house I found out that two of the pupusas were for me. =) I got the bean and cheese. Their pupusas needed to have less masa and more cheese. It almost felt as if there were no cheese at all.
Overall I wouldn’t go there on my own will. If pupusas were bought from that place and given to me I would thank the person buying them not the restaurant making them.

This place is pretty good. Pupusa’s are pretty tasty.
Nice little lunch place.
its just a little over priced.
drinks are good just double the price that you would pay anywhere else.
but i guess we all need to pay our bills

I Love their Tamales! So delicious! Love Nuvia! She’s great. Homeade Salvadorean cooking. Don’t get tacos — get the delicious Pupusas & Amazing banana-​leaf-​wrapped tamales. So moist, plump and delicious. Sometimes the tamales have chicken bone bits, so careful; but you know they are making these puppies from scratch

As mentioned before, Pupusas are delicious. I hit up Nuvia’s Restaurant & Pupuseria this week for a quick dinner with friends.
I did some bean and cheese and mixed veggie pupusas. They were great. Not that greasy with a good flavor and texture. Definitely some of the best I’ve had. The only major draw back is that these discs cost around $ 2.25 per while most competitive places in the area only charge $ 1.80 — $ 2.00.
I will journey back soon because Pupusas remind me of Pogs. And I love Pogs.
Slammer

I thought i reviewed this place, but i guess not. I have some notes in a notebook somewhere. Here is what i remember…
Pupusas — pretty darn good (but i’m no expert. They were hot, cheesy and flavorful, which was just fine to me, especially with the num-​num sauce).
Salvadorian breakfast — turned me on to salvadorian chorizo and the crema from central america (which is saltier than mexican crema and my preference).
Now, I go to Superior and stock up on salty central american crema and thank Nuvia’s each and every time.
another plus is that they use organic, high-​quality ingredients (or so they say). Any restaurant that does that is good to go in my book.
Got the fruit cocktail drink, which was weird. But I finished it all, so it couldn’t be that bad. Oh, we got some soda that the owner told us was from El Salvador. That was tasty. It was call something Champagne???
I thought the service was fine. We chatted with the waitress and we joked that she’d pick me up one of their interesting frilly aprons next time she gets one.

Nuvia’s is most definitely a nice little Mexican/​El Salvadorian spot to get your quick eat on. I love taking people from out of town here who haven’t tried a pupusa on a Sunday afternoon after a night of getting trashed since it’s right across the street.
Its humble neighborhood appearance meshes well with the friendly service, as a few folks have already mentioned. The service is at a slower pace, but with the friendly ‘tudes, it’s all good. Alma, one of the employees there is super nice and always has a smile on. I kinda have a feeling she has a crush on me though. She seems to let out a school girl giggle when we talk and when I introduce her to girl friends, she tends to cut me off before I can mention their names haha.
The food is pretty tasty. You can’t go wrong with this place if you’re looking for a pretty cheap place to eat at with good food. The horchata is a touchy subject though. For those of you who like to order horchata, it is actually the homemade grainy style which some like and some don’t, so just be aware of that.

I’ve eaten at this place once a week for the last month! I usually get their vegetarian pupusas, which are delicous! Not greasy, the right amount of cheese, and yummy vegetable filling that changes everytime I go. The juices are tangy and very good. I usually get the Menel, which is pineaple, spinach, and lemon (I think). And you just can’t beat the prices! $ 2.25 for a pupusa and you only need two to hit the spot. Don’t expect to get in and out in 10 minutes — it takes time to make those heavenly, warm delights!
FYI — they are now selling beer!

Went here for the first time a few week ago with a friend. The service was terrible. Maybe because we aren’t of latin descent i don’t know. But both of us had stuff we ordered that they didnt bring us when the food came me a shake and her a taco. After i mentioned this the waitress she didnt correct it and bring us the stuff later. Also these things were on the final bill when i started looking at the bill she said she was sorry and gave us a correct bill. Our table was right in front of the cash register but she never came to get the paid bill. So when i got up and essentially turned around she was like oh sorry but she knew what was up she was just being lame for no reason.
Horrid service.
i still tipped a few bucks because I’m not Mr Pink but will never go there again.

Walking in I got some strange looks.
I was thinking hey! it’s either curiosity or. i’m going to have a hardtime/​unpleasant experience.
I asked the owner how much for a pupusa she said $ 2.
Personally, I think they’re pretty enormous! about 5 inches, stufffffed and a perfect blend of flavors/​texture. One will do the job, but i’m sure you’ll end up eating two.
The Jaimaica was poppin’