La Frontera — Restaurant in Gaithersburg

2018….First time coming. It was recommended to me by one of my students who loves their pupusas and regularly has them delivered to school for lunch. Parking was hard but they do offer garage parking and road parking if the lot is full, which it seemed that it usually is. The restaurant itself was nice, wooden chairs, tables, etc. We came in and were promptly greeted by several servers, which was nice. The food was quite good. The pupusas were big and what I liked was that they had lots of cheese in them! The curtido (cabbage) was decent, I’ve had better, but the salsa made up for it. The horchata was on point, and not made with milk. I like them both ways, with and without but it can’t be too sugary. I also ordered the mariscada which I have to say was the best part of the whole meal. It come with or without crema (cream) I chose with. It didn’t disappoint! It had enough seafood in it and vegetables, and was totally satisfying! Came with 2 tortillas. Of course you can’t go without dessert! We got empanadas de leche. They were all right. I think the ones that our church lady makes are better, but this are fine. Overall this restaurant has good food and good service. And yes I would recommend it to you.

October 2022 Customer service has change so much! I brought in my friends to eat only to find that as soon as we walked into the door there are 5 female servers who are on their phones and unwilling to help us. They shout to one another “it’s your turn!” There is one named Nohemi sitting at a table who has such a sour face that I’m wondering why she’s even in CS. Then there another one just flirting with two guys. Out of Al of them two of them (Lily & Ruti) try their hardest to keep up with everyone that has walked in. Would I recommend it again? Do you like to be ignored? See arguments break out between employees? Then this place is for you. Don’t come for dinner since you won’t be able to have a conversation because of...

Great family run business that cares about their food, family, and guest experience. But this isn't a Michelin star restaurant people, so ignore all of those reviews treating it like one.

I used to come here quite a bit but moved away for years. The food was always great, and the staff was friendly and had no major complaints. Are they a bit slow at times? Yeah, but it's because they're busy. Do they have a server or 2 that could do better? Yup, but ask to speak to the manager before blasting them on here. Trust me, the owners will do everything in their power to make it right.

Years later I've returned and it's the same great food and friendly owners providing a great experience. It's a small, local hole in the wall. During the evenings and on weekends, they crank up the music and have a good time, so don't be surprised.

The pupusas are a staple here. Get them any chance you get. The lomo saltado, bistec encebollado, and beef steak a caballo are my favorite. Always try the "Ensalada de fruta" drink. It's made in-house and loaded with fruit. Always request to try their homemade spicy yellow sauce. It's amazing.

They may not be the best at marketing lol but they're trying and still holding on after the building they're in unfortunately caught on fire. Give them a try, give yourself some time if ordering during rush hour, and say hello to the owners. Trust me, they're there every day, and they'll make sure your needs are met. I also forgot to take pictures of the tacos I ordered and only had one left to take a...

I recently visited La Frontera restaurant, and unfortunately, it was a disappointing experience from start to finish. While the food was decent, the management's behavior completely overshadowed it. The staff seemed disorganized, and it was evident that there was a lack of professionalism in how they handled customers. It’s clear that the management team doesn’t prioritize customer satisfaction or hospitality. This really impacts the overall experience, as you can’t enjoy a meal when you’re met with poor service and a disregard for basic customer care. It’s not worth wasting your money at a place where management doesn’t have the traits needed to run a successful, customer-focused restaurant. I won’t be returning...