El Caracol Cafe

Always great, friendly service.
Yuka frita's are a MUST! But it is only available on Saturday & Sunday
Most importantly, they only ACCEPT CASH.

The food here is the bomb. I had two and a half dishes. They were very filling. The place was packed with Spanish speakers, so you know it's authentic. The only thing that totally sucks is they have no washroom, so if you don't live in this area, it's kind of brutal. I found the service to be good, they have a bell you can ring if no one is at the till. The lady explained about the various dishes, as I'd never been there before. I think it had had no dine in for an extremely long time, but it was available when I went there last weekend. I know this review sucks, but this place already has a lot of good reviews.

Take it from me, a Hispanic from Los Angeles, California that was on vacation. This is as close to the real thing that you can get here in Vancouver. The staff and cooks here were great and the food was absolutely delicious. If you're looking for the taste of home away from home, El Caracol Cafe is where you need to go.

Food was amazing! So much flavour and big portions. I will definitely be going back. Staff was nice and friendly as well

The food here, especially for the price, blows the usual suspects (taqueria, tacofino, etc.) out of the water. The space and decor is simple, but that is not what you are here for. This is as real deal as it gets in Vancouver for this kind of food, instagram attention seekers need not apply. It is cash only but there is an ATM in the gas station across the street which you can go to while you wait for your food. Friendly and genuine family style staff. Stop reading this and go get yourself some tacos, pupusas, soup, or whatever you desire now!

Wowww I’m so upset I didn’t come to this place sooner! These were the best pupusas I’ve had in the city. So fresh and filling… I savoured every bite. And the woman who helped me was super friendly. Thanks for great experience:)

My brother is Salvadoran and was visiting with my nieces for Easter. My eldest niece’s only request was that she get pupusas while she was here, so we drove from horseshoe bay to this adorable little spot to fulfill her request. Excitedly I ordered almost one of everything. Chorizo, chicharon, frijoles, and the revueltas.

These were exceptional. My brother was so stunned by how good they were, how big they were, and how they transported him home to El Salvador. Easter miracle. Thank you.

Cute little hole-in-the-wall type establishment, definitely has a charm to it. They make it very clear that they are cash only, so bring your money. Parking is limited (as expected in Vancouver tbh) but there is free street parking out front.

They offer authentic and traditional Mexican, Honduran, and Salvadoran street food, as well as more modern/fusion options. The space is small but clean and well kept. Everything is served in take out containers (which makes sense, considering they specialize in street food) but you have the option of dining in. You order at the counter but table service is provided if you dine in. Seating is limited however, so I wouldn't recommend a party of 6+ to dine in.

I dined here with a friend and we had ceviche, pupusa revuelta, and pupusa chorizo and cheese. We also ordered horchata and hot chocolate (with milk). The staff was friendly, the ceviche was fresh and vibrant, the pupusas were piping hot and served with pickled cabbage, red sauce, and a spicy green sauce. Everything paired together perfectly and was absolutely delicious. My friend enjoyed his horchata, and my hot chocolate was amazing and everything hot chocolate should be - rich and chocolatey.

All in all, our experience at this cafe was wonderful. The service is good, food is fantastic, and prices are reasonable. 100% I would come back, either by myself or with friends.

Worst experience of a cafe. Made me wait 45mins for my food, when there was literally no one else. In the end I went exasperated to the counter and there was my food just sitting there wrapped up. Horrible service. Even after giving a 20% tip before hand. Will never visit again.

Bring your cash to one of my favorite restaurants in the city. I love to get the pupusas and the yuca con chicharon (boiled during the week, fried on the weekend). It's amazing to get this much incredibly delicious food for the price! The atmosphere is warm and tropical with nice music, perfect for rainy days.

Este lugar es genial!

This is the first place I mention when people ask about hidden gems in the east side. Staff are lovely and the food is incredible. Hands down my favourite burrito in the city. Like everyone else in these reviews, I recommend pupusas and horchata. Bring cash and your appetite; the servings are generous.

Elated to have stumbled upon this mom n pop joint for the tastiest burritos in 604. They don't skimp on the cheese either which was the best part. Owner was friendly and welcoming as well. Will be returning without a doubt.

I highly recommend this place. It is very clean, the service is excellent and, as a Central American, I can guarantee that the ingredients and the flavor are wonderful. We recently bought beef soup and pupusas. The soup had no excess fat and the taste is authentic. The pupusas the same, delicious. We liked Loroco's better. Without a doubt, we will return.

The papusas and tamales are SOOO good!
It is a cash only joint which is a little inconvenient but doesn't stop me from eating from there!

Always wanted to try exotic food. I saw the shop had really good reviews and went to try it. I'm satisfied with everything I ordered. Probably will visit again