Pupuseria La Chicana

Reviews

• Greg D.

  star star star star star 10 June 2026

  This has to be the best Salvadorian food in Woodland because it is the only Salvadorian food in Woodland.   This is good for takeout if you can overlook the down sides which I am about to detail.  
  
  1)  Trying to find it.   The address will give you a strip center location and this is hidden off at the end of the parking lot, behind a construction site on Main street.  Look for a very old looking building that looks like it used to be be a Taco Bell about 30 years ago, with a sign so faded that you can no longer read it.   That's this.  It's good for take-out.  
  
  2) Slowness.  If you order at the counter be prepared to wait at least 30-45 minutes even for a simple small order.  We ordered (2) Tacos and (2) Papusa and it took over 30 minutes.  That is because they are preparing a huge amount of take out orders that people placed on the phone before we got there.   It's good for take-out.  
  
  3) Seating.   There's room for 10 people to sit inside in pairs of 2.  There's only 1 table for 4 people.   There are picnic tables outside which are on uneven ground and they do not clean them.   They are rancid level filthy with rice all down in the cracks.  All of this food everywhere has attracted a huge amount of flies.   It's gross.   It's good for take-out.  
  
  4) No AC.   This building does not have air conditioning so it's at present in summer of 2019 hot as Satan's left ass cheek in here.   That has caused the flies eating all the food on the tables and ground outside to multiply and they will fly in the hot restaurant and try to get in your mouth.  It's good for take-out.  
  
  5) The #1 most filthy front door I have seen in years.  This place is down for an award for the filth on the front door.   Aside from not cleaning tables here the staff does not appear to have ever cleaned the front door probably since this was a Taco Bell about 30 years ago.   I would bet money that there is DNA from well over 5000 different people on this glass door.   The door where they accidentally put the restaurant name on the inside of the door instead of the outside.  That one.   If sharing germs with thousands and thousands of other people bothers you, just bring latex gloves and you should be all good to go.   Maybe bring a surgical mask as well to prevent flies from getting in your mouth.  It's good for take-out.  
  
  The Pupusas were some of the best I have ever tasted.
  
  I will order from here again and just order take out and bring some latex gloves to touch the door.  
  
  It's good for take-out.

• Nick E.

  star star star star star 9 June 2026

  Don't come here for the seating, comfort, or some misconceived notion that you're going to a Ruth's for fine dining, this is a hole in the wall Mexican / Salvadoran food restaurant at it's finest.
  
  The topper are the beans, which could be eaten like a stew on their own. Everything is fresh and like Guy says, Welcome to Flavortown.

• Denielle A.

  star star star star_border star_border 28 May 2026

  In summary, food was great and wait for food was long and seating could use improvement.
  
  Food:
   - Made fresh to order.
   - Fresh ingredients.
   - Many options from pupusas to burritos to quesadillas to combo rice plates.
   - Pupusas (had cheese and bean/cheese) were tasty and crispy at the bottom.
   - Sadly there were no chips available so we couldn't order chips and salsa.
  
  Seating:
   - Mostly outdoor seating for any group more than 4.
   - Flies were in abundance and were a bother both to the kids and adults.
  
  Service:
   - Gals taking orders behind the counter were nice and helpful.
   - The wait was horrible. It took 45 minutes for the kids meal (quesadillas and fries).

• Brian G.

  star star star star star_border 28 May 2026

  First time trying pupusas, which are thick cornmeal flat bread stuffed with cheese and other ingredients. Its pretty rare to find Mexican restaurants that make it. I tried one beef, one carnitas, and one squash.
  
  The carnitas pupusa is definitely the tastiest so I'd have to recommend that one. The beef was also pretty good, but the squash one was lacking in flavor. They have a bunch of choices for fillings though so pick whatever sounds good. The pupusas are really heavy and honestly two of them would have been enough for me to eat.
  
  They serve some complimentary refried pinto beans with chips and they are amazingly delicious. Wouldn't want to know what they put it in!
  
  Friendly service but it takes awhile for food to come out. Prices are pretty cheap. If you're in woodland and want to try the pupusas then definitely stop by!
  
  Food: 4/5
  Value: 4/5
  Service: 3.5/5
  Overall: 4/5

• Joselyne T.

  star star star star star 21 May 2026

  This is by far my favorite pupuseria after having it for the first time. I'm half salvadorian so I'm pretty picky and critical when it comes to eating out at salvadorian restaurants. I would say majority of the time I'm not impressed or it's just average.
  
  I just transferred to Davis this year with of course no Central American food spots close by. But a friend told me about this place, so about a 15 minute drive out my way and I'm here. I have to say the way the make their pupusas, curtido and tomato salsa is authentic and spot on. Perfect taste and texture. Everything tasted fresh to me and of course the crispy cheese/crust of the pupusa was everything omg. So glad I found this place and they also serve Mexican food!
  
  Will be coming back for more soon.