la macarena pupuseria & latin cafe

very nice surprise. on a recommendation from a friend, i did not know what to expect when i went to la macarena. 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 withmannyagain. 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

fantastic meal. i had brunch at la macerena 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 alwaysmannywas 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 at la macarena 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 mentioningmanny(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!!!

great find on a budget. this place is tiny, colorful, and full of life. the dishes range from $8 to $18 and the food is plentiful. as a law student on a budget, this is one of the greatest place to go. the dishes taste like home cooked food made with love. it is central american food - they make their signature "papusas" which are homemade blue corn tortillas filled with cheese and meat (pork cracklins--- amazing. a must). the food is wholesome and full of love.mannywill likely greet you and make you feel like home. go, it feels nice to be a part of such a happy place. - also, weekend brunch is a total deal - coffee with any brunch is $1 and free refills. today i had the el salvadorean breakfast with huevos rancheros, tamale, plantains (with fresh cream), homemade salsa with a papusa, and delicious spanish bread and black beans. definitely give this place a try - a must in nola.

...and i would walk 500 miles..... tonight i had the pleasure of dining at la macarena, and had the even had the greater pleasure of seeingmannyhimself. 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 recommend la macarena 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.

one of those 1 time voters.. i am one of those "people" who created an account just to give la macarena 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. la macarena 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 enjoyed la macarena so much that it inspired me to get on urban spoon and tell everyone just how good la macarena is.


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

i most amazing beef i have ever eaten.mannyand la macarena 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 whichmannysaid he gets from argentina. it was so tender, almost like butter. added to this was the cozy atmosphere and the wonderful service.mannyand 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.

best salvadorean/honduran food in new orleans!. i like "la pupusería macarena" very much because of its comfortable atmosphere, friendly staff, and good food. the colorful decor and cozy size of the restaurant makes one feel as though he or she was actually having a meal in a restaurant in latin america. all of the staff is very friendly, and even the owner "mr. manny", who is a tulane alumnus, is likely to come to your table and tell you about how his salvadorean mother, who is in the kitchen helping prepare food, makes the traditional salvadorean and honduran dishes like pupusas and horchata that you will encounter on the menu. the food is very delicious, authentic, and completely homemade, especially for one experiencing central american food for the first time.
i am the house manager for a sorority at tulane. a couple of weeks ago i asked la macarena to cater our weekly sunday chapter meeting dinner. i ordered about 100 of the traditional pupusa platters, and everyone i have talked to loved it. while eating at la macarena with my family last week, i was told that several of my "sisters" had come to eat there because they had enjoyed the chapter dinner so much. plus, after dinner with my family, my stepmother said la macarena had some of the best food she had ever had, and we go out to eat a lot.
i definitely recommend that you try la macarena! and, mr.mannymakes a mean sangria, if you byob.

asmannywould say. blah blah blah. taco trucks are superior. i am not believing all these 1 post reviewers are not employees/owners of the restaurant.

brings back memories. the papusas here bring back memories to my time in honduras, and the platanos fritos are even better than i remember them being in panama. friendly management and waitstaff, plus free sangria on wednesday make this a place worth returning to time after time, and the menu will never get old! try the shrimp and portabello yucca dumplings. asmannywould say, "divine!"

wow! amazing food; try the shrimp and guacamole fritatas. andmanny- the owner - is too great. he'll be around, making you feel at home, thoughout the meal. 5 out of 5 stars.

yes, i joined just to post this review.. manny's menu is fresh and accessibly exotic. if you love light, high-end ingredients, made-by-mama authenticity, and an ebullient atmosphere you will find a welcome haven here. if you have an adventurous pallet, then you will be beyond pleased with la macarena. bring your friends - vegans, the unadventurous, and those just craving meat and potatoes will also find the right dish in this menu.

quality takes time, and the staff can experience the occasional log jam. however, if you call ahead the staff will gladly update you. ifmannyis there, when you arrive you will be attended to like a guest in his home.

if you like greasy food and heavy sauces stay away. many of the negative reviews are likely from chubby folks who should have waddled over to jacques-imo's to plop down twice the money for food made with half the skill. thick tongued and vindictive reviewers be gone! i hope your addiction to oil-based foodstuffs and your eagerness to pan a fledgling business don't bode as poorly for your lifespan as i suspect they might. what is this "shill" garbage? doesn't anyone referee this web sight?

ps - the mayan chicken stew is best. (see photo)
pps - sorry, jacques-imo's. you have your drunken and over buttered place in the scheme of things.

sumptuous latin cuisine. everything was fantastic! thanks tomannyfor making our visit such a memorable one. the food is delectable, savory and tempting...........just like latin food should be!

does somebody have a grudge?. we have been here several times and always find the food excellent and have friends that feel the same way. last week we ate here and were not sure what to order thus we askedmannyto just do what he thinks would be good. we had the yuca appetizer , a shrimp and quacamole salad, and split the filet entree. it was all excellent and service was good and we were able to relax and enjoy the wine we brought. i really question some of these negative reviews that seem very personal.


-----27 may, 2009-----

great central american. we ate at macarena last night. it was our second trip there and the food was even better. the fried yucca appetizer was wonderful and really enough for a meal. my wife had the latin chicken soup which she loved because it was tasty but light. hopefully they will keep up the standard which they have set. you can bring your own alcohol and they only take cash.

yummy. oh how yummy la macarena is. every time i visit my boyfriend in new orleans this restaurant is always on my list of things to do. i love their pupusa's and the corn tamale that is served in the traditional corn husk. i highly recommend this place and tellmannyhi for me. he is super nice.

very satisfied, but puzzled by the posts. i'm puzzled by the posts. we've eaten at restaruants operated bymannyand his mother for a long time in metairie, kenner, and now new orleans. we've always been treated well and have been very satisfied. we've taken quite a few friends there, too, and they've all been pleased with the food. while service can be a little slow, that's ok because of the food and atmosphere. the prices are reasonable for the quality of food and they are a bargin when you recognize it's byob. restaurants that serve alcohol often use alcohol revenues to help offset other costs.