la macarena pupuseria & latin cafe

very nice surprise. on a recommendation from a friend, i did not know what to expect when i went tolamacarena. though i had grown up eating latin food of several influences at my friend's homes, i had never eaten pupusas before, and therefore decided to go with an open mind. my friend suggested that i bring my own alcohol, so i prepared accordingly with our staple whites.
the striking décor and vibrant artwork immediately set the tone for the evening. if color truly can influence mood, the decoration heightened our expectations for something eventful. the second thing i noticed was the intimacy we had with the kitchen. though it was on a dais above the small dining room, i could see into the kitchen with ease; which emanated the comfort of being at a friend's home and knew that what took place in the kitchen was for anyone to see. the platform also served as a stage for the gregarious host, manny, who monitored both the kitchen and the dining room like he was performing theatre in the round. food good or bad was worth spending an evening dining with manny again. the food was good, and the server was knowledgeable about all items on the menu and how each was prepared.
my wife, our two guests, and i ordered the traditional latin starters: yucca, plantains, and guacamole; but ventured into the featured niche cuisine for the main course. the sampler platter of pupusas, salvadoran filet, brisket, and the garlic shrimp knocked our socks off. everything was shared among us as we shared conversations with the other diners in the restaurant. overall, the value was excellent because we ate great food at a reasonable price and didn't pay for alcohol that had been marked up from retail cost. we definitely will be back. michael v

i wish it weren't so. i put this place off until my last night in town with great expectations. the reviews on here have been nothing but good. the service was very friendly. the menu looked promising. the presentation was beautiful. the food: not so much.

i grew up on latin food, and i have to say that i was very dissappointed. the fried yucca appetizer was decent. the chicharrones looked like they came out of one of those bags at the gas station marked "pork rinds," but i was willing to let that slide.

we waited a long time for our entrees, but that was entirely our fault. i had ropa vieja. my grandmother cooks it for me for special occasions since it takes so long to make. i have never found any better than abuela's, but it is fun to try.lamacarena's was nothing short of awful!

my mother had the sea bass special which sounded incredible when we were told about it. i tried it and it was also awful. it came with two gulf shrimp which were beautifully displayed on top of the fish. both were overcooked and had a really indescribably bad taste.

the rice was cooked to the consistency of mush and very bland. the "fried sweet plantains," or platanos maduros were no where near ripe enough to be called such. they would have made great tostones.

finally, on a positive note, one of my brothers had the papusas. he loved them and even ordered another plate to go. but, he's a starving college student and will eat anything. i didn't try them.

consistency would make this place better. the first time i went tolamacarena, the food was pretty outstanding. the sweet corn tamale was definitely my favorite. it was so moist and so sweet. the service was really good and the only downside was my watery juice drink. the second time i went things were quite different. even though we were one of two tables in this tiny restaurant, the waiter seemed to take his time in getting everything. we ordered the sweet corn tamale as an appetizer and when we got it it was noticeably smaller than the last time we ordered it. it was dry and crumbly and tasted more like wet cornmeal than a tamale. i ordered the vegetarian tortas as my entree. being a vegan i requested them to not put any cheese or dairy products on it. when i got it it was covered in a creamy looking sauce (actually kind of unappetizing). i asked the waiter what it was and he nearly rolled his eyes at me and told me "its just dressing". seriously? so i just scraped it off as best i could seeing as i wouldn't be able to get a straight answer out of him wether or not there was cream in the "dressing." overall it was okay but i would definitely hesitate before going back.

wonderful place to get breakfast/brunch! tiny so can feel a bit crowded when all tables are full; there are a few tables outside. get the pupusas! doesn't matter which kind they are all good (and i mean come on, where else can you get perfect little stuffed tortilla pillows?!) i adore the americano breakfast burrito but the nola special has hot sausage and i can't refuse a nibble when my sister orders it. the agua frescas are cool and refreshing as well. to all the refried beans connoisseurs: i have no idea what kind of spiceslamacarena works with in the kitchen but the beans are magical.

i wanted to just hang out with the family around audubon park so we came to eat here i saw the prices and i saw that they where pricey but i was thinking hey, maybe their proportions will make up for the price. but i was wrong! ,,,,with what i paid i could have went to a better place like the pupuseria across the river (divino corazon) the food is amazing and the portions leaves enough for a good lunch at work!!!! trust me do not eat atlamacarena!!!!!!!

this was our first time atlamacarena and we loved it!!! the guacamole was the best i've ever had anywhere. the tomale and pupusa dinner was out of this world. the black bean soup was very fresh. this sweet place does not get enough praise and we can tell all the food was made with care and they love what they do. you've got to try this place!

excellent dinner. wonderful place to try something new. my wife and i have been tolamacarena many times. we always love it and the staff is so friendly

fantastic experience!lamacarena is my new favorite restaurant in new orleans. everything that i athee as exceptional from the fresh guacamole to the filet bites as well as the wait staff was extremely kind and gracious. our family loved the relaxed atmosphere, cash only policy and tasty tapas. will recommend to friends and make a regular stop when i am in town. thanks for a something a little different from the norm!

fantastic meal. i had brunch atlamacerena yesterday with my boyfriend. we brought a btl of champagne and had amazing mimosas with the diff fresh squeezed juices. the food was amazing, service was great, and as always manny was warm, funny, and made us feel right at home. we will be back very soon and definetly recommend the restaurant to all our friends.

central american done right. i eat atlamacarena whenever i can get across the river. i love this restaurant!!! the food is always excellent, and it is always fresh and obviously made from fresh and local ingrediants. it's not the place to go if you are in a hurry but if you have time to enjoy a leisurely meal it's a great option. as for mentioning manny (the owner) by name, it's no surprise that many people do as he takes the time to introduce himself and to make you feel special. last night we tried chicken soup filled with vegetables. along with the guacamole, homemade chips and the tilapia with garlic shrimp. the staff is friendly and helpful. definately worth the time and money!!!

something different and very nice. my family was in a long line to get into camilla's grill because we read about it in the trip guide books. while they were waiting in line, i walked around the area to find another alternative and found this great restaurant just around the corner -lamacarena. what a pleasant surprise! something different - i had never eaten central american cuisine before and it was very good and a nice change of pace. the decor, staff, and atmosphere were great also. i was very glad i made this choice and so was my family. sometimes the best parts of vacation trips are the surprises.

...and i would walk 500 miles..... tonight i had the pleasure of dining atlamacarena, and had the even had the greater pleasure of seeing manny himself. my boyfriend and i walked from our apartment- clocking in at over 3.5 miles, just to get these delicious vegan tamales. yes, we could have driven, or taken the street car-- but walking let's you work up a bigger appetite for more pupusas and tamales!

the staff was helpful and friendly, the service was exceptional, and the food was fantastic. every time we eat here my boyfriend and i always leave saying "why don't we come here more?". i highly recommendlamacarena to anyone- they feature a diverse menu with something for omnivores, vegetarians and vegans alike. just bring your appetite (and byob) and prepare to be very full.

great food and fun atmosphere. my husband and i recently visitedlamacarena pupuseria and we had just a wonderful experience! the food was great and the folks who run the restaurant were friendly and fun!

we were there on saturday about lunch and ordered the special. it was wonderful!

pupusas are a staple dish in el salvador, andlamacarena pupuseria whips up vegan and vegetarian fare from el salvador that highlights this central american classic. pupusas are a less famous cousin of the arepa . it's more of a dumpling or pancake than an arepa, which has more in common with a sandwich than a dumpling. there sometimes are subtle differences in the corn flour used to prepare arepas and pupusas. it's safe to say that if you like one, you'd probably like the other. the staff atlamacarena is fun and friendly like the decor. the menu offers tons of vegetarian and vegan options, and the daily specials often include a meatless option. the guacamole tostadita showcased fresh avocados and cilantro. the crushed red pepper adds an interesting spicy touch to a fantastic starter. there were a few different vegetarian combo plates. i sampled one with a tamale, plantains, black beans, cheese pupusas and curtido, a mexican/salvadoran cole slaw. the tamale was soft. the plantains w

one of those 1 time voters.. i am one of those "people" who created an account just to givelamacarena a review and you know what, i'd do it all over again. i don't hand out reviews for every joint i visit. i only write reviews for exceptionally good places.lamacarena is one of those places! i still stand by my review i wrote back in 09' this place still has one of the best steaks i've ever had and that says a lot for a midwest farmer's daughter whose dad raises registered angus beef. so lay off these one time voters cause they may be just like me and enjoyedlamacarena so much that it inspired me to get on urban spoon and tell everyone just how goodlamacarena is.


-----04 sep, 2009-----

i most amazing beef i have ever eaten. manny andlamacarena just served me the best beef i have even eaten. that's saying a lot considering i'm a midwest farmer's daughter who has had some sort of beef with every meal since birth. i had the filet mignon which manny said he gets from argentina. it was so tender, almost like butter. added to this was the cozy atmosphere and the wonderful service. manny and his staff treated every person who walked through that door as if he/she was their own personal close friend. i will be back again and again to this jem of a restaurant. plus it was so affordable how could i not love this place.