Chalateco — Restaurant in San Jose

Run from this place unless you want to pay $11 for ONE pupusa First off, their in person menu doesn't have prices on it. When the cashier rang up two pupusas, each one was charged at $6.75 base + $4.5 for meat making ONE meat pupusa $11.25. The workers don't understand the restaurant system, and told me they didn't know the prices, so it seemed right to them. Eventually an off duty manager or someone understood that I was being overcharged, but still didn't know the right price to charge. He ended up giving me $2 off and offering me a free drink for my troubles. After all that, my price was still wrong but I wasn't willing to hold the staff hostage anymore.

Receipts and menu prices are attached. They skimped on meat and beans after all that too. Run from this place, don't eat here unless you know what you're being charged and even then, their food is just okay.

There are two ways to look up prices: The qr code you can scan in restaurant doesn't match the price they charged. The doordash/online order system prices didn't match either the cashier nor the website (in person is actually the most expensive). The workers don't understand how their system charges things, so it's very easy to get mischarged, and it's inconsistent between workers

They didn't give me salad and sauce for my pupusas. I had to ask, and they still forgot, so I had to go back again.

I would be willing to revisit this review if management reaches out and...

I usually get my pupusas from this chain. They make a nice tomato sauce and excellent curtido (fermented slaw) to go along with. Their Salvadoran tamales are ok.

The reason I'm giving this location 2 stars was the horrible caldo de res I ordered from delivery. Had I been there in person I would have sent it back—something I never do. The problem? Take a look at the photo.

Front and center there is, yup, a giant hunk of fat. The beef in this soup was all bone, fat, and tendon; the stuff you use to make the broth, not what you serve to customers. Unacceptable. (I only like tendon when I order it with pho, which is seldom. Surprise castoffs like this are thoroughly unappetizing.)

Another factor in my low rating was the haphazard service when I did go in person. Inattentive and thoughtless. An employee mopped the dining room with a pungent cleanser while diners were eating and it was nowhere near closing time....

The food is reasonable and I must say good, however I don't like I feel bad when I asked for something. It's like they don't want to spend money on the customer. I asked for water and when asked If I want IcE 🧊 I got 3 baby cubes, like what's the point of asking me. I ordered street tacos, it came with no lemon/lime and wasn't offered, tacos with lemon that's a must, had barely any cilantro or onion, I must as well just ordered chicken only. When asked for more salsa, felt guilty for asking for more. I didn't even bother asking for alittle more chips. My last visit I wasn't even offered napkins or water. I know the economy is going through it right now, but when a customer chooses your establishment to spend money , don't show your pinching the penny, make them feel guilty asking for things that should just be offered 🤔 😉. Just saying. Improve quality...