El Cafetalito - Commerce

5300 E Washington Blvd, Commerce, CA 90040, United States
+1 323-268-2837
$$$ Salvadoran restaurant , Restaurant
(789 Reviews)
Price Range $10–20

El Cafetalito in Commerce offers a straightforward, no-frills dining experience centered on traditional Salvadoran cuisine. This is the kind of place where the focus is clearly on the food itself—dishes like their Pollo En Crema, various pupusas (including queso and revueltas), and hearty soups such as Sopa Salvadorena de Res or Sopa de Pata are prepared fresh to order, often with a bit of a wait that shows the kitchen isn’t cutting corners.

The atmosphere leans toward functional rather than leisurely. It’s not the spot where you linger over coffee or hang out for hours — instead, it caters especially to those who appreciate authentic Salvadoran flavors and home-style cooking. Diners often arrive with a clear appetite and leave satisfied, appreciating how the food feels like a comforting, familiar meal. It’s a place frequented by locals who’ve been coming for many years and recognize the family-run nature behind the counter, adding a quiet sense of community connection.

Given the modest pace of service and emphasis on freshly made dishes, El Cafetalito works best for a relaxed lunch or early dinner when you’re ready to slow down a bit and savor traditional plates. If you’re aiming for a quiet spot to enjoy pupusas or a grilled chicken salad without the fuss, this will fit the bill. Reservations are recommended if you’re considering a larger group, especially since the seating is straightforward and the vibe remains calm rather than festive.

With its location on E Washington Blvd, it feels tucked into Commerce’s local fabric rather than a destination for out-of-town visitors looking for a trendy scene. It’s a good fit for those who know Salvadoran food and want a reliable, genuine taste of home-style dishes, served with little fanfare but a lot of authenticity.

Highlights
Has fast service
Serves great coffee
Popular for
Popular for breakfast
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner
Good for solo dining
What they serve
Serves coffee
Serves comfort food
Serves healthy options
Quick bite
Serves small plates
Best for
Serves breakfast
Serves brunch
Serves lunch
Serves dinner
Serves dessert
Has seating
Accessibility
Has wheelchair-accessible car park
Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
Has wheelchair-accessible seating
Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
Parking
Free of charge street parking
Free parking lot
Plenty of parking

Openings Hours

Checking

Monday

08:00 AM - 09:00 PM

Tuesday

08:00 AM - 09:00 PM

Wednesday

08:00 AM - 09:00 PM

Thursday

08:00 AM - 09:00 PM

Friday

08:00 AM - 09:00 PM

Saturday

08:00 AM - 09:00 PM

Sunday

08:00 AM - 09:00 PM

789 Reviews
Manuel Ortiz Zaldana

01 Dec 2025

If you want Salvadorean food you can definitely find it here. Sometimes it takes some time to get your food but because they cook it after you order it. It's not a place to hang out but a nice place to eat, enjoy and go

Phillip Hernandez

30 Nov 2025

IF YOU WANT A QUITE PLACE TO GO ON DATES OR PRIVATE EVENT BOOK AHEAD FOR PARTIES BUT YOU GOTTA BE A LOCAL,HIDDEN GEM FOR "SALVADORIAN"FOOD

Monica Phers

28 Nov 2025

I’ve been coming here for about 15 years, The Family that owns this restaurant are hardworking and humble people, the food to me is great the prices are fair.

T E

19 Nov 2025

Was craving some pupusas while I was in the area and this place did not disappoint. Everything we ordered had good flavor.and was hot! The only negative thing I would say (and this is reaching for something) is that the pupusas need a little more filling in them. We ordered the revueltas (and even though they were still delicious) I just wish there was a little more meat in it. Overall everything we ordered was great and I will be back next time.

Sergio Zermeno

12 Nov 2025

We enjoy eating pupusa very much it's our favorite Salvadoran dishes of course there's others great Salvadoran dishes we also enjoy. Our favorite Salvadoran restaurant was closed then we decided to go our other favorite Salvadoran restaurant it just near our house. We know ever Salvadoran restaurants makes their pupusas different from other Salvadoran restaurants because of the taste and the ingredients and also region of El Salvador they came from. We decided order some pupusa to go but the restaurant was very busy people dining in and take out we waiting a wait to get our meal. Our meal was real then we took it home we were surprised how big the pupusa were. Other Salvadoran restaurants make their pupusa small or medium size. It also come wirh tomatoe sauce and shredded gabbage mixed. The Pupusa was big and very cheesy then I add the tomato sauce and Cabbage mixed combine together tasted so good great flavors I can't stop eating I enjoy eating pupusa even my wife enjoy it also . Next we need to try other Salvadoran cuisine.

Walter Escobar

28 Sep 2025

Great food , excellent service and friendly staff, recommend.

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