Photo via Google, Doña Carmen's PupuseriaDoña Carmen's Pupuseria
- Hours
- Today: 11:30 AM – 8:30 PM
- Getting there
- On NE Sandy Boulevard, one of Portland's diagonal arterial streets, a short drive northeast of downtown
Why it’s in the log
Doña Carmen's Pupuseria is a small, family-run counter on Sandy Boulevard making pupusas the traditional way — thick masa cakes stuffed and griddled to order, served with curtido and a thin tomato salsa. It hasn't built much of an online footprint, which tracks with a review count still under thirty.
What reviews exist are close to unanimous, and the pupusas are the reason: made from a family recipe rather than a shortcut mix, with fillings like beans, cheese, and pork done properly rather than sparingly.
A straightforward, inexpensive meal — go hungry enough for a few pupusas, since that's really the whole menu worth focusing on.
What people said recently
From Google reviews · see all 31 ↗
“I had high expectations seeing the 4.8 review but is a little disappointed. I got the Pepian (Guatemala stew). I like the taste, but it’s definitely more of a soup than a stew. There’s a small chicken drumstick on the drier side, 3 green…”
“I’ve gone to the Hollywood Q a couple times since it opened and despite the many food options here I’ve only eaten at Doña Carmen’s. 😂 Their pupusas are straight-up comfort food, perfectly prepared. The bean & cheese one has been a…”
“The pupusas were amazing, and the owner was very kind. We will definitely come back again!”