PUPUSERIA LA MACARENA — Restaurant in New Orleans

LOVE on every level. This little gem is bursting with charisma and flavor! Manny is so welcoming and took great care of us. We had a mixed group of vegetarians and carnivores and were able to sample A LOT, although I already have some picks for our next visit.

I don't know where they found beautiful avocados in January but that was The BEST guacamole I've ever had in this city. If fact the ingredients across the board were all the highest quality. Everything fresh and made from scratch from the chips to the delicious mint limeade.

I could live on the black bean soup for the rest of my life. The hints of cilantro, jalapeño with chunks of those beautiful avocados begs for another spoonful. So comforting on a cold day, I swear it has healing powers.

My husband got his go to dish, the Chili Relleno and again it was the best he ever had. I must agree. That poblano pepper was perfect and I love the roasted jalapeño pepper on the side. The attention to detail and presentation are exquisite.

I heard the word "incredible" uttered a few times from my friend between fervent bites of his vegan taco platter.

The flautas and pupusas were warmed up at home and we had a little picnic on the floor. It was another treat to sit together dipping them in the accompanying sauces. To die for! My favorite are the roaster pepper pupusas and I could have eating a dozen of the chicken flautas...that corn tortilla is so perfect.

Our last minute lunch date with friends turned into a beautiful afternoon with a lot of laughs. We truly felt like Manny had invited us into his home. We can wait to go back and share this special place with...

For my money, La Macarena is the kind of place I’m happy to choose for many reasons.

Near the intersection of Carrollton and St Charles, La Macarena is both conveniently located Uptown, but tucked away nicely. From the outside, the building is brightly colored, evoking the brilliance of Central America. This vibrant theme extends to the interior to create an immersive setting for an El Salvadoran meal.

These decisions and others are intentional from the owner Manny, who cares to foster a warm and personal experience for his guests. He himself exhibits natural hospitality and interacts with his guests with kindness and familiarity and generosity. In my most recent visit, even the mailman left La Macarena with a bottle of water in hand courtesy of Manny for the August heat.

The menu is ample and varied for a small establishment, featuring authentic El Salvadoran food with an elevated approach. I love that meals tend to come with a balanced assortment of traditional sides. Along with an agua fresca to drink, there’s a great variety of El Salvadoran flavors to taste, served in generous portions too.

Whenever I eat out, I consider what I’m getting for my money and where my money is going. Eating at La Macarena, I know that I’m not just paying for an ordinary meal. I’m paying for an exclusive international cuisine that prioritizes real ingredients over cheap unhealthy ones. I’m supporting good people in my community and the kind of charming eatery that contributes to the friendly, multicultural culinary landscape of...

Holy pupusa heaven!! We came here on a whim (and pupusa craving) while visiting NOLA from Baton Rouge. Absolutely exceptional experience. We were greeted by Manny (owner) and there was a large table already seated, but he made sure to be attentive to everyone. He let us know that the food would take a while because the other table had placed a massive order which would take a little while, but we had no problem because quality pupusas ALWAYS take time and love. So we ordered the yuca frita con chicarron appetizer and the flavors took my boyfriend back to his childhood in Costa Rica. We also ordered the horchata and were in heaven because it was freshly made. But the dish we were anticipating so much was the pupusa platter and it did not disappoint!! The platter came with three traditional pupusas, the typical curtido (kind of like pickled cabbage slaw & a perfect balance to every pupusa bite), freaking amazing black beans, a little salad, plantains, and sauces (red sauce & crema). The pupusas were amazing, the slaw was yummy, the plantains were cooked to perfection, and the black beans had some sort of magic in them!

Remember cash only, but there’s an ATM in the restaurant. We parked on the street, but I think there might be a small parking lot behind the building. I desperately want to live in NOLA for their $2 pupusa special on...