El Nopal

Lo mejor deli salvadoreño en Patchogue.
Great selection of food. It’s a typical Salvadoran deli in which you get a plate, and choose what you want until your plate or box is full. Very good prices. The pupusas and steak tacos are great as well. Highly recommend.

In town today fir work. Always on the lookout for local eateries. No one seems to be speaking English today and, unfortunately, my Spanish is limited. However, that did nit stop me from looking at the hot table and pointing. I got some very red rice, beans, and 2 pieces of roughly chopped chicken that was somewhat fried. This was accompanied by 2 vey delicious homemade corn tortillas — fragrant and VERY corny! everything was very tasty and flavorful. Next time I come this way, I’ll try something else. Perhaps I’ll bone up on my Espanol so that i may ask «mas preguntas!“They seem to have a variety of soups, salads, and vegetables. I also saw whole fried fish — probably Talapia. This restaurant is located in a strip mall after turning off Main Street.

So basically, if you blink when you drive by, you will miss this place. It is a hole in the wall but its good food so enjoy! The place is clean and thats the most important thing to me. Prices are cheap so you just can’t go wrong. Enjoy!

Came to get lunch for a friend who said i must try a pupusa. I ordered a cheese pupusa for myself. It was great. Cecilia took my order. She was really pleasant. Oh and the best part was the price! ! 3 bucks for a pup usa and a large fresh pineapple juice. I will be returning again.

Still have yet to try the hot food because every time i go i have to get a burrito they are just so goddamned good. Everything is insanely fresh. Red salsa, tomatillo salsa, lime, radish, the whole nine. Steak, chicken anything it doesn’t matter they are incredible highly highly recommended anytime i’m in the area it’s a must.

***One Puposa Downed and I’m Already Hooked***
Walking into the small store in this strip mall instantaneously brought me back to my time studying abroad in Costa Rica. Soccer was on the TV (en espanol, of course) and I was pretty certain I was the only native English speaker inside. I got the sense that this place served a specific clientele and that it was a bit of an event when a gringo walked through the door, perplexed at all the deliciously appetizing food in front of him. I had actually just eaten but everything looked so good I decided to order 3 things:
Pupusa ($ 1.50): I admit, I had never had a pupusa before coming here, but the cheese one I had was really damn good. Fried with a lot of oil but it hit just the right spot. Good enough that I have started searching for other places that make pupusas on the Island… unfortunately not many on the Northern half of Suffolk. Oh well, might have to make the drive.
Chicken Taco ($ 2): As good as I’ve ever had. Authentic and absolutely delicious, made to order. Grilled chicken was very tasty, corn tortilla was warm, onions were fresh.
Chicken Tamale ($ 2): Very wet but also delicious.
I left hungry not because I didn’t get a ton of food for 5.50 but that the food was that good and I don’t know of anywhere on the North Shore I can get something this authentic. I got some sort of rice cake sweet for $ 3 and gave it to a friend… we had it later and it was very good, sweet and a little oily with a crumby texture. I think it was made in Brentwood, so there must be a local Salvadorian bakery there that does distribution to the other Salvadorian restaurants in LI.
The woman behind the counter spoke english (although there was a bit of a language barrier) and was very friendly, explaining to me that they have more substantial dishes and plates, which it seemed most of the people there got. They also looked amazingly delicious. I don’t think you can really go wrong with your order here.
Final Verdict: If you want authentic Salvadorian food or simply just to push your comfort zone with a great cheap food experience, this is the place. Highly recommend giving it a try.

Lately I’ve been on a taqueria kick. Ever since discovering the best taqueria food in Houston, TX, I’ve been trying to recreate my experience here on Long Island. Thanks to Unilocal,I found El Nopal a few months ago and decided to try it. (I was actually sitting in the Colombian restaurant across the lot, Mi Tierrita, when I looked over and saw El Nopal and knew THAT’s where I needed to be).
The small place is usually packed with diners which is a good sign. The service is fast and friendly and the food hits the spot. Three tacos cost $ 6 and pupusas are $ 1.50. I’ve been back many times since I first found this place and will continue to come back.

«Hit the spot by for a quick breakfast. High marks for both food and staff.»

This is my favorite place to go for el salvadorian food in patchogue (where there are more el salvadorian food places than laundromats!). The pupusas (which iPhone keeps changing to pupils) are perfect and they make the best carnita tacos. I always take my order to go as its not really a dine in place but that’s ok because being as I’m the only native long islander to ever enter nopal, I always get strange stares when I’m there. I also caused mass chaos when I phoned in an order because I speak English but the order was perfect, as was the food!
I’m going back again and again… me paiz es el Salvador!!!