La Bendición — Restaurant in Coralville

Good: Some dishes are OK such as the steak, but expensive for what you get. Thin strip of steak, some rice, lettuce, and beans-$14. Family owned.

Bad: Pupusas, the staple dish of a restaurant with Pupusa in the name, not that good at all. Incredibly bland and not much flavor inside, at least they are only $3, but honestly, still not worth it. Pupusas at other places I've had, have amazing flavor. Also, the ventilation does not work apparently in the kitchen, so be prepared to smell strongly of the restaurant after leaving. Smoke everywhere in the dining area due to poor ventilation. Service is slow, very slow, incredibly slow. I do not mind waiting for a bit, I enjoy sit-down restaurants and the ability to take time and enjoy conversation, BUT...Be prepared to wait, and wait, and wait.... Charge for water since only have bottled water.

All about diversity in restaurant options and variety where I live, but that is not a reason to give a business high ratings just because of this. There is much room for improvement across the board at this restaurant. Will try again in a year if still open, hopefully they can get it...

I was surprised to find a Pupuseria in Iowa City - this local place is a hidden gem! Fresh and authentic homemade comfort food. Employees spoke Spanish. The pupusas (which are only $2.25 each!) are light and crispy on the outside and are very delicious and filling. I recommend the bean and cheese one since the other vegetable flavors are pretty much just cheese (and it is a LOT of cheese, even for a cheese lover like me!). I thought I'd be able to eat all 4 of the pupusas I ordered but I was only able to make it through 2! I took the other two home with me. I also got the cantaloupe juice and was shocked at how much they gave me! It was like they squeezed an entire cantaloupe for my drink (and it was definitely real cantaloupe as I could taste some pulp/texture). It was very sweet so you might want to order some water (served bottled) to go with the cantaloupe juice. I am definitely planning to come back for more...

I've eaten a lot of pupusas in my life but I honestly have to say these were the best so far. They were tender and the masa was more flavorful than I am used to eating. I'm not sure how they do it but it tasted more like fresh corn.

I got loroco (a small flower bud that is very traditional) & cheese as well as spinach and cheese. Next time I'm in the area I will try the pork as well but I can only eat so many in one day. Both types had an excellent balance of fillings. They were piping hot and had a lovely crust from the hot grill. The accompanying curtido (a traditional fermented blend of cabbage and carrots with Mexican oregano) was good and the salsa was flavorful without being too hot.

I would definitely recommend...