La Fiesta Cafecito - Winnipeg

Ordered to go and food was ready when I arrived. Puposas made a nice appetizer. Chicken quesadillas were packed with cheese, chicken and veggies (red onion, red pepper, zucchini). Chicken burrito poderosa was jam packed and flavourful. Accompanying salad and sour cream added to the flavours. We used our own hot sauce to liven up the flavours.

We came here because we love to try authentic ethnic restaurants that aren 't part of a massive chain. In that respect, La Fiesta is the real deal. Everything is hand made, and the unique dishes of El Salvador are different than your typical fare. That said, the dishes we had were fairly bland. A lot of rice, corn, and grilled breads on the outside, with fillings that didn 't have much other flavor. The meats and other fillings didn 't seem like they had much seasoning on them maybe that is the genuine way El Salvadorean food tastes? Apart from the main dishes, we found the much anticipated jalapeno salad to be simply chopped up pieces of iceberg lettuce, with a few scattered veggies, one jalapeno on top, and a generic balsamic dressing. Similarly, the drinks we had were hit and miss. The mojito seemed fresh made, but the margarita tasted like a pre made lime mix from the supermarket. Beers were, of course, a safe choice but fairly expensive for a bottle taken from the fridge. As others have said, if it is busy you should expect to wait a long time at each step of the meal. Even getting our initial drinks took more than 15 minutes. I get it; this is a mom and pop place, where everyone does every part of the process. Everyone is super friendly, and lovely to deal with. Just don 't expect to be in and out of here in less than 2 hours.

If you're looking for run of the mill Tex-Mex, keep looking. But if you want authentic cooking, and a unique dining experience, La Fiesta is for you. Family owned and operated, chef Sonia has reproduced a corner of her native country, El Salvador, right here in Winnipeg. If your food takes a while (ours didn't) as some reviewers have said, it's because this is the real thing, cuisine from El Salvador cooked with love and care and a meticulous eye for every detail. The pupusas are out of this world. The tamales as well, and the burritos are a pleasant surprise if you've tried them somewhere else. We started off with a terrific lime margarita, then an appetizer of fried yuca. All fantastic.. the staff is warm and friendly, the atmosphere festive and the cleanliness impeccable. La Fiesta is more than just a fun night out, it's a journey to discover another country and culture. I just can't say enough about this place... you just have to try it.

I have frequented this restaurant several times pre-pandemic and have always had to wait over an hour for my food to arrive. Hoping things would be different when ordering for pickup but no such luck. I phoned right at 4pm and was told to pick up at 5:45pm.....I had to wait around until 6:25pm for my food to be ready. The food is amazing but the wait is a huge turn off.

Restaurant had been closed due to the pandemic but has recently opened for a few evenings a week (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) for take out. Everything sanitized between pick ups and only one person at a time. Pick up times are staggered to ensure this. Loved all of our food. We enjoyed the pupusa platter, chicken burritos, beef burrito and chicken quesadillas. Reasonable prices, generous servings and lots of flavour. The people who have this restaurant are so genuine and kind. Give them your support!