Really I have no idea how I missed all the reviews for this place. Didn't even know Vallarta existed and worse yet - I drive by here on a regular basis. Shame on me.

With various knick knacks on the walls, dim lighting, a couple of long rows of tables parked and a window case, decor is obviously of little focus. Surely this means the food must be good.

The menuboard is a little comical, looking just like a fast food outlet. The choices however are not. Tortas, pupusas, tamales! Finally, no gringo crap. The menu is small and simple but decisions were difficult in which case the fellow there chimed in for suggestions. I knew I wanted a couple of pupusas and my girlfriend wanted the torta but I went with his suggestion of the beef burrito. The pupusas were fantastic. They were filled with a blended cheese, bean and pork mix. The thick tortilla was fluffy and just crispy enough on the outside. My girlfriend's torta took a while but was filled with seasoned pork which had crispy fatty pieces - flavour! It was served alongside a heaping of rice and beans. My beef burrito was a behemoth in itself - as big as my forearm and spanned the diameter of the plate. Filled with a ton of seasoned beef slices (not ground beef here), rice, beans, cheese and who knows what else. It was topped with salsa and cheese and served alongside a basic shredded lettuce and tomato salad. Even the horchata was a nice touch and different from the usual horchatas we've had locally - this one with a prominent yet mellow tamarind flavour over the usual cinammon zing we get. Excellent meal for cheap.

Service is more of less self serve but dine-in patrons will have their food served to them at their tables. Their english is a bit pedestrian but the smiles and friendliness are genuine. A brief chat with the fellow there mentioned that the old lady doing the cooking is El Salvadorian while he is Mexican. Isn't this what you want?

There is no "Texico", "texmex", etc here and without any pretension either. I wish I knew more about Mexican cuisine but still...you know you'll always get good food when an old woman with her vault of home-tuned recipes is making it. Recommend.

Stopped in for a quick lunch on a recommendation. We had: Tortilla soup ... thumbs way up ... lots of chicken with homemade tortillas loads of cilantro very good. Chicken toastadas and a tamale. The toastadas were fabulous, nicely spiced and presented. The tamale came wrapped in a banana leaf and was tasty. Overall *** stars.

Great authentic food at a good price. Their soft beef tacos "Asada Tacos" were amazing, filled with seasoned grilled beef and fresh veggies with homemade sauce on the side. My husband had the Enchilladas and loved them, they come with rice and salad and homemade refried beans. The tamales were huge and cheap, so if you order with a meal be prepared to be full. Two people can eat here for under $30 easily, however if you have drinks then that's going to go up. Great family restaurant and worth checking out. There is free parking in front and the ambiance is casual but worth checking out. They only take cash or debit.

We love Mexican food and found Vallarta's by accident. Very happy accident! Huge portions and very authentic cooking. Lots of Hispanic folks eating there so they're doing something right. Service was a bit slow but the wait was well worth it. The kindly old Mexican lady doing the cooking is obviously not a line cook but you can taste the love. Highly recommend.