Tony Lara and Abigail Valle opened Abi Azteca Grill in 1986. Named after Abigail, the business began when Mama Abi began making pupusas in her home for the Salvadoran community. The restaurant was the next step when her Arlington home-based business grew too big. After a very successful run of nearly 20 years, Abi and Tony decided to sell the restaurant, but they wanted to make sure it remained in good hands. So, they turned to three loyal employees — Sandra Claros, Carmen Mendoza, and Israel Treminio — who bought the restaurant in 1994. We have managed to retain all the qualities that made Abi a longtime Arlington favorite.

It was a natural fit, but sometimes still hard to believe. “Sometimes I feel like I’m dreaming, and don’t believe I own it. It’s a dream come true for me,” says Sandra, with the other two chorusing their agreement.

As some of our customers moved to nearby Maryland, they returned to Abi and lamented the lack of authentic and friendly Mexican-Salvadorean restaurants. Prompted by the requests to come to Maryland, the Abi team decided to open a second location in Germantown, which opened in 2013. Since then, we have been fortunate to find success and connect to a new community. We welcome you to come join our family — it’ll be like you’ve been coming for years.