Gridskipper

Choosy Salvadorans drive all the way to this Virginia strip mall for the most spectacular pupusas ever. What makes 'em numero uno? Perfect consistency (crisp on the outside and gooey on the inside), super fresh… ingredients, and a sizzling grill that never quits. If you're looking for the best, your path to cheesy deliciousness ends here. For those riding metro, La Doña has another location in Silver Spring, MD. [link]

I've never met Ercilia, but I like the way she runs her kitchen. This Mt. Pleasant favorite is always sparkling clean, and the staff are genuinely warm and friendly. With killer grilled shrimp pupusas and nonstop… Salvadoran futbol on the TV, you get that happy Latin feeling that's otherwise missing in this country. [link]

Irene's was discovered long, long ago, but popularity has yet to affect quality. The shop in Wheaton is open the latest and feels the most Salvadoran, but all four locations serve top notch pupusas. Irene goes the… extra mile by offering less common fillings (like chicken) and delivering right to your doorstep. [link]

Gringos find "Paradise" the most comfortable establishment of those listed in which to have a sit-down meal. Still, the clientele is about 95% Salvadoran, and the indoor and outdoor murals add to the authentic air… of the place. Pupusas are treated as a side dish so you have to wait a tad longer. Also, at a whopping $1.75, these are the priciest pupusas in town but most definitely worth that extra quarter. (photo) [link]

The last of the great dives on this block, Judy's is an old-school urban cantina that promises Mexican soaps by day and bloody bar fights at night. A seasoned TV set designer couldn't invent a bar this dingy, but… my oh my, the pupusas are incredible and always so fresh. Also, if you like Mexican liquor, this ain't a bad pick. [link]

Marleny's is all too easily overlooked, as it's tucked away at the north end of Mt. Pleasant between liquor stores. Step inside and you'll find a convivial atmosphere, great Salvadoran food, and a high standard… of hygiene. From breakfast onwards, you can hear the pat-pat sound of someone making rounds of fresh pupusas. Not a bad place for pupusa virgins to take their first bite. [link]

Don Juan feels a little bit scary because it's fairly obvious that criminals like to eat here. The cops do too, and both law enforcement and lawbreakers order the pupusas as a way to lighten the tension. If you… long for the seedy bodegas south of the border, come to Don Juan's. (photo) [link]

The "party house" is an apt description for Tenleytown's tinsel-bedecked Mexican cafe. Filter out the loud music and imagine away all the AU students, and it becomes easier to focus on the pupusas. They're surprisingly… good and wholesome if you're centered enough. [link]

This underground restaurant is the epicenter of Mt. Pleasant's Salvadoran community and a great place to eat great pupusas while people-watching. Families and construction workers mingle over lunch and dinner and… they've got the awesomest Salvadoran jukebox you've ever seen. (photo) [link]

Crammed at the back of a narrow basement convenience store on the most skid-row street in DC, Don Julio sells pupusas like they were unsubscribed bottles of Vicodin. It's all on the sly, served in styrofoam and… with money slid across the table. Frankly, Julio's pupusas are a little heavy on the cornmeal and light on filling, but still worth mentioning because of the wonderfully authentic grit and squalor of the place. [link]