- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
El Caracol Café
Categories: Restaurants Mexican Restaurants Latin American Mexican, Latin American [Edit]
5190 Victoria DrVancouver, BC V5P 3V2
Neighbourhood: Kensington-Cedar Cottage
(604) 325-3461
- Hours:
Mon-Fri, Sun 12 pm - 11 pm
Sat 12 pm - 12 am
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
11 reviews for El Caracol Café
11 reviews in English
-
Review from Trina L.
Vancouver, BC
3/30/2011
Was craving pupusas late - and the place I usually go to was closed...so I looked to Yelp for other locations. Called one more and no answer....then called El Caracol Cafe, as saw they are open til 11. Pupusas are literally one of my top 3 favorite foods - and I must say that I think these are the best ones I have ever had! LOTS of filling!
I see why they are $3 each - you get what you pay for. When they are cheaper, they are smaller...less filling. These are Absolutely delicious! And if anyone is going to complain about $9 to be full - where can you eat for that price anymore?!
Next time I crave pupusas - there is no doubt where I will be going...plus they stay open late during the week which is awesome. Don't let the hole-in-the-wall appearance throw you off - it is very cute inside and the staff are nice. These types of places are the ones you know you will get good authentic food.
Thank you El Caracol! I will be having them for breakfast too lol -
Review from Trish R.
3/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Probably the most traditional South American meal I've had in Vancouver, at super economical prices!
I had their chicken fajitas and it was more food than I could eat. Stir-fried chicken with sweet peppers and onions, a large portion of wonderful boiled rice, perfect refritos (frijoles), pickled veggies, great salsa, and a stack of warm tortillas. And, the horchata was super fresh and not too sweet.
Heaven!Listed in: Quick dinners
-
Review from Meg B.
Vancouver, BC
3/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
You know that expression, don't judge a book by its cover....Well that applies to this joint. I was apprehensive at first about going in, but I'm so glad I did!
I had the Queso Pupusas and they were very good. I'd never had a Pupusa before. I certainly plan on going back again to try a different offering.
Pretty sure the place was cash only. -
Review from GirlintheCity A.
Montréal, QC
4/26/2011
This is THE biggest Yelp fail ever. I was in the mood for Mexican so I went here because of the good reviews.
What a joke, I had enchiladas and my friend had tostadas and it seriously sucked. It tasted and looked like I could have made this in a jiffy at my house. Our food was not fresh! It was half cold and I'm pretty sure it was made earlier in the day and just warmed up because our food was soggy, and the chicken was just bleh. As well, walking to use the bathroom in the back I saw that they use packaged tortilla and taco shells bought from the store.
For my meal, they really skimped on the side things like sour cream, they give you like a thin slice of avocado instead of guac, and 2 tbl of chopped tomatoes instead of salsa.
THE SERVICE WAS SOOO Terrible as well! This tiny restaurant was empty and it still took forever for the server to tend to us. Didn't even ask if we wanted water.
Lastly, the prices aren't even cheap comparative to other Mexican restaurants in Vancouver. It was like 10$ a dish. I know this is supposed to be a homemade style restaurant.. but I didn't know they meant food comparable to yourself making it at your home. What a waste of calories. PS - this place is Cash only. -
Review from Roanna Z.
4/10/2009
Coming back from another treasure hunt into our storage locker (that we could not have picked a farther away one from where we live now...... but that's another story...) Heading North up Victoria drive and getting the grumps on from hunger I spotted this little treasure out of the corner of my eye. I alarmed the big guy with an "OH ! Honduran food ! "
Practically screeching to a halt and scoring a spot right at the corner we scrambled past the little (patio) and into El Caracol. What a find. Such a friendly, home cookin' kind of place. I think we ordered every Honduran item on the menu. More than we could consume in one sitting for sure. Our mood improved and we added this little gem to our list of secret places. But in this economy, we have to support small business right ? So, even though it may be out of your way. GO HERE - and order everything you want without breaking the bank! -
Review from Kelley R.
Vancouver, BC
6/22/2009
If you're looking for cheap Latin food, you can't go wrong with El Caracol, or its neighbouring little brother - a taco stand of sorts with a more limited menu.
With several entrees on the menu for just $5, including their gigantic burritos, even your wallet will be smiling when you leave. The nachos are delicious and the chips are obviously freshly made. Chunks of chopped avocado are a nice change from a blob of guacamole. The beans that are used in most dishes are nicely re-fried and if they are from a can, you could have fooled me! I also recommend the steak tacos. Three generous tacos served traditionally with just onion and cilantro. A veggie friend, enjoyed the vegetarian burrito with chunks of roasted carrot, zucchini mixed with the traditional peppers and onions.
but the real star of the show are the hot sauces and salsa. With a handful to choose from, there is a flavor for every taste. My personal recommendation is the bright green cilantro based hot sauce. Great jalapeno flavor with a nice kick that really made the flavors of my entree dance around in my mouth. The chipotle was a nice smokey sauce with a medium heat that my husband preferred with his nachos. The sauces aren't labeled, so you'll just have to taste your way to your favorite. -
Review from Shawn T.
Vancouver, BC
7/15/2011
Authentic Latin America cuisine (and decor). Great food and prices all around.
-
Review from Sheila W.
BC
1/20/2009 1 photo
I came here with my friend from El Salvador because he wanted to introduce me to traditional cuisine from his homeland. According to my friend, this cozy place has the best pupusas (a thick tortilla filled with either pork, bean, cheese or all three). You get three per order for $7.50. See, what you're looking for in a good pupusas is an equal amount of dough to filling. It's all about the ratio.
It's rich, heavy food and the order of three will fill up most people. The Carne Asada ($10) was good too. It's pretty much Latin American BBQ beef seasoned with salt, pepper and maybe some lemon. It's thick meat cuts, served with rice, beans and a bit of salad. It's a lot of food for the price.
The downside? No beer. But you can go for a Horchata ($2). It's a milky mixture of cocoa, seeds, and spices and it's hard to come by good Horchata this far North.
It's a family-owned and homey. It makes you feel like you're eating in your Latino-auntie's kitchen. -
Review from Dave M.
Vancouver, BC
5/2/2011
Very impressed! We were looking for an unassuming homey feel. We found it here.
The staff was accommodating without hesitation to prepare vegetarian dishes.
While the theme is Mexican, we felt the warmth and friendliness that reminded us of home cooked meals in Havana, Cuba.
We will be back for sure and recommend this to friends. -
Review from Rachel P.
Vancouver, BC
8/23/2010
An unassuming little hole in the wall, relaxed decor that feels more like eating at someones house than a cafe.
The food is totally legit and really cheap! The homemade salsas are to die for - so fresh and jam-packed with flavor. I love that different dishes have their own types of salsa served with them. There are numerous menu items for $5 or under, including a basic bean and cheese badea/burrito for $2, which my friends had and couldn't believe how filling it was for the price. The nachos have fresh fried tortilla chips and the sour cream they use is on a whole new level to anything you buy in a supermarket. The pork pupusas definitely trump the El Salvadorean joint on the drive I usually head to. Their soft chicken tacos are delicious and are served with their own salsa and pickled cabbage. My boy had the tostada and it was a thumbs up. The place isn't licensed so it's a shame we couldn't enjoy a Corona or Margarita with our meal, but they do have a selection of imported Mexican sodas, and the mandarin one is great. All in all, this place has super cheap authentic Mexican& El Savadorean food at really reasonable prices. It is great for a relaxed meal with friends when you're looking for good food in a non-fussy dining environment. -
Review from Oscar C.
Vancouver, BC
7/31/2010
The food is great. it is however quite small. A single, couple, three tops, is a comfortable visit. More than that you would feel cramped. The food however is delicious.
We ordered pupusas, yuca frita, burritos, tostadas and it was all mighty tasty. I'm from el salvador and went with my family and we all give this place a thumbs up for flavour and home feel. As a critic of the pupusas, it would have been nice to use a little less masa (flour) so they are a little thinner, just a tad thinner. The staff is friendly and welcoming and make great hosts. I read a review on here and it is why we went and they mentioned that its like going to your aunt's place and it most definitely is. The pupusas are a little expensive but you must be a big eater if you can eat more than three. The damage is 3 for 9$. The yuca frita is damn good!!! 5$ I had horchata and that was ok. I've had better. I'm curious about their soups. Maybe next time.
The bathroom is through the kitchen.
