El Xolo — Restaurant in San Salvador

I wish there was a zero star to be given to this place. My review is lengthy, but the experience was just so bad.

I visited home and wanted to take my grandparents to a nice experience dinner, along with my cousins. We were a party of 6. My flight was cancelled due to weather and the first thing I said was “let’s go to Xolos”. I was overly excited to experience this, especially with the people I love.

We were greeted upon arrival and sat immediately, the server brought over TWO menus for a party of 6. Then the server just asked if we would like something to drink, to which I said yes, waters to start with please. Then he came back with a bottle of water and proceeded to fill only 4 glasses of water out of 6. Then I said, we would all like waters please, and he gave me a look and said “they’re paid, would you still like them” which I found incredibly offensive. There are many ways to communicate these things. this was all done in Spanish btw-

We proceeded to order some cocktails and then my grandfather wanted a soda- I asked the waiter what kind of soda they had. He replied with “no sodas, only San pellegrino aranciata rossa and aranciata” It was loud and dark in there, and I said I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re saying. Then he was incredibly annoyed because he even rolled his eyes and said- they’re just orange sodas. So I switched to English to express my frustration to my cousin so she could help me, and as soon as I did the waiters entire demeanor changed and he finally asked if we had been before. To which I said no. And only then, did he start explaining everything to the table and what kind of experience we should expect.

Across from us was a large group, being treated so nicely, servers explaining everything, and to my surprise, all of them with menus and waters.

I was offended by how this waiter made my grandparents feel unwelcome, uncomfortable and unseen.

This is supposed to be a top 50 restaurant in Central America. And what a shame that it holds such high title for the low class staff they have.

I went up to the bar and asked for my tab for our cocktails and our water (that the waiter was so worried about us not being able to pay).

The manager came over and tried to “fix” the issue. But the damage was already done.

Get people who care, get people who make guests feel welcomed and seen. Get people who will leave a great lasting impression that is worthy of “Top 50”.

Get people that will make guests want to come back for more. Even though I was so excited to try this place, out of principle, they do not deserve my patronage. I was greeted better at a restaurant around the corner, and my grandparents were so happy!

Sadly, much like the rest of the world, if you’re white- go try it! I’m sure you’ll love it. If you’re not white, try speaking in English only, might have better...

Last night, I had the pleasure of dining at El Xolo, and what an unforgettable first experience it was. As someone trying fine dining in El Salvador for the first time, I was especially excited to see how traditional Salvadoran flavors could be elevated and reimagined—and El Xolo absolutely delivered.

From the very first bite, I was blown away. We started with the Tiradito Balam, and it was to die for. The freshness of the fish paired perfectly with a creamy, citrus-forward sauce that was both elegant and bold. It set the tone for the evening beautifully.

Next came their freshly baked masa madre bread with black garlic butter. The crunch of the bread and that deep, nostalgic flavor of the butter instantly took me back to my childhood—it reminded me of leche de burra candy. A beautiful touch that showed how memories and food can intertwine.

The cerdito dish was another standout. It transported me straight to a Sunday evening in Salcoatitán , sitting in the town square enjoying yuca con chicharrón. The pork was crispy perfection, the arugula added freshness, and the kimchi twist brought a whole new dimension. It was Salvadoran soul food, redefined.

And then—The Amarre cocktail. One of the best drinks I’ve ever had. I could have had a dozen! Balanced, bold, and dangerously delicious.

We also had the Tartar de Res with a chorizo-infused hollandaise that was absolutely incredible. A rich, savory twist that elevated the dish beyond anything I expected.

Dessert? Simply amazing. Every sweet bite felt like a perfect ending to a journey through a modern Salvadoran culinary story.

Now, while the food was Michelin star-worthy, I will say that the service could use a little polish. Some small touches were missing—like more thoughtful menu explanations or suggestions—which could have made our evening truly perfect. But even with those details aside, the experience...

Logistics:

— We had sent the restaurant a message on Saturday requesting a table for two people on Tuesday evening, but never heard back. So we asked our hotel to make a reservation, which they were able to do the same day. As a result, we weren’t able to enjoy the full tasting menu.

Food & Drinks:

— Alfonso and his colleagues at the restaurant put together an excellent ad hoc tasting menu. All the food was very delicious and quite unique and original. The traditional cocktails were also excellent. Dessert was also fantastic. We enjoyed both a banana centric dish with ice cream as well as a strawberry dessert.

Service:

— El Xolo’s service is probably its weakest area. The service was friendly and the staff’s enthusiasm for their work shone brightly. But after the bottle of Sanpellegrino was on the table, no one refilled our glasses or offered more water when we finished the bottle. Likewise, we had to ask for additional cocktails after we finished the first round. There was also a sizable gap between both the second-to-last dinner course and the last dinner course as well as the last course and dessert. (Not unusual to have an intentional delay prior to dessert to allow ample time for digestion, but I don’t think this gap was attributable to this rationale).

Decor:

— Very well designed featuring low ambient lighting. Some dishes are custom clay, which is an especially nice touch.

Overall:

— The best dinner we had in our four days in San Salvador. Highly recommended for a fun and creative dinner, with the understanding that the service will be friendly but not as attentive as one may be...