We're so happy to see El Mono open a location in Berkeley! We can here for my mother-in-law's birthday (who's from Lima!) and Christian and the staff treated us very well. He even brought us a lucuma ice cream to celebrate. Definitely recommend to anyone craving Peruvian food! read more

Excellent service. Walked in and was greeted with warmth by Christian. We were on time at 7 pm for our reservation.We had been invited by our real estate client. Christian seated us .I told him we would be waiting to order food until our client who was soon to arrive came.He was right there to take our orders. It was such an enjoyable time.Christian was our main server but we were also attended by a nice gentleman in a blue and white shirt. The gentleman that brought the drinks and waters was also outstanding,My client had a fruit drink and he inquired if she needed ice .He was back with the ice like magic. It may seem like a small thing. The staff is very professional. The food was delicious .I had fish and onions. I will return. Gwendolyn Kilpatrick read more

Excellent Ceviche! The leche de tigre was on point, just the right amount of spice and the fish was incredible, fresh and cooked by the lime to perfection. The aji à la gallina was the best I've ever had, so warm and comforting. I can't wait to come back and try the anticuchos! Our server Christian was great, he had good suggestions and was very attentive. Highly recommend! read more

Amazing food! Just like the other location with better parking! lol. Come and visit Christian and the team and the Berkeley location!

2nd time eating at a Peruvian restaurant and I must say the food was great! Christian the server was really great at what he does and he also promoted the restaurant and the food well. Thank you for a great experience, we will be back for sure. read more

El Mono - Peruvian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Good service and tasty and generous meals. I recommend the family meals like paella, etc for larger groups

experience I had at this restaurant was great. The food was excellent. The service was good. I recommend to go and have some food there.

What a wonderful find! We decided we wanted something a little different and found this delightful spot. Christian, our server, was so good, knowledgeable, and friendly. The food was out of this world. It was difficult to choose which dish to order. I ordered the Dirty Tuna sandwich (the olives made it "dirtyA") and it was so yummy. Others at my table ordered the Salgado de Champinones, the Aji De Gallina, and Chufa de Camarones --all were delicious. We will definitely be back. Thank you Christian for a wonderful meal and experience. read more

This was my first time trying El Mono. Bella was our server and is fantastic. The food was amazing! I'll definitely be back.

Christian, our server was great and the food was fantastic. This new restaurant, is a branch from the original in El Cerrito, and tucked in a quiet corner of West Berkeley. Its music lively, but not drowning, and it's 3 sided interior let's in a lot of natural lighting. The food was great and the portions were a good size, especially for the bay area. The steaks were very tender, chimmichurri fragrant, and lots of very fresh seafood. The trio de mar is a great choice to sample 3 of the Peruvian seafood appetizers. Definitely try their alfajores and lucuma ice cream dessert. That's a must get to finish the meal, with hints of maple, caramel, creamy, and decadent-lusciousness of a rich egg-yolk. read more

Been to El Mono almost a dozen times. Unique flavors abound. Had a few steaks now, excellent every one. Their Huancaina sauce is a winner. Christian has helped me deveral times, making sure my experience was flawless. Great location on Gilman where the Gliman Grill was for decades. Easy access and parking, clean bathrooms. Making this place my Saturday favorite. read more

Great lomo saltado and calamari! And awesome service. I will be back! Their chimichurri is good with the lomo saltado as well.

The service, food and overall ambiance was great. we tried the aguadito, yuca fries, and tallarín de carne. The aguadito was flavorful! The yuca fries were on point and the tallarín de carne was the hit. Can't wait for their liquor license to enjoy some pisco sours. read more

El Mono - Peruvian Near Me - Berkeley, California

The steak and onion meal was beyond delicious and our waiter, Cristian was so kind and amazing!

I was excited to find out that El Mono was opening a new location in Berkeley. The flavorful food as well as the excellent service definitely carried over. I can tell the cooks love their craft, and that the wait staff is really attentive. Our waiter, Desiree, really showed us what great hospitality in the food industry looks like. She checked in on us often, was always happy to be there, and made sure we were taken care of the whole time. They have indoor as well as out door seating. It's a very clean warm atmosphere, which I loved. I had chicken and shrimp anticuchos and loved how well seasoned they both were. The chicken was grilled to perfection. It tasted really good and was also very tender. I definitely need to come back to try some other dishes and desserts I was eyeing. read more

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Nice local Resturant for date night. I like the remodel. Service was cool, took about 30 min are so to get food but it was close to when they opened. About 25-30 dollars an item. I would go back for special occasions. read more

Was craving some good quality lomo saltado and this just hit the spot! 10/10 vibes food experience

We came on a whim and we had a wonderful dinner. Christian was our waiter and he was so friendly and gave us some great recs. We ended up going with the house specials, Lomo Saltado and Paella. Both were delicious. The woman that seated us recommended their house made mix drink (NA) which I can't remember the name of, but it was tasty! The restaurant is brightly lit, music was fun and everyone was super nice. Couldn't recommend this place enough! read more

El Mono - Peruvian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Best causa acevichada I have tried so far in the Bay Area! Christian our server was extremely professional and informative about the Ingredients. Check the place out as it will surprise you and delight you! read more

Christian was amazing, we will be back! We loved it and are so happy a place like this is open nearby!

Great food and service! Nice change of pace from ordinary. We can't wait to try more dishes.

Great food. Awesome paella! Warm and welcoming and attentive staff. Thank you, Taya, Lauren, and Andres--we feel well fed and taken care of!

I can't remember the last time I ate somewhere where every dish was a 10 -- oh, wait a minute. Astrid & Gaston -- another Peruvian restaurant. (In Peru!) What really rocked my socks were the sauces! I love that I have very little idea what's in them, and therefore can't duplicate them at home. Lovely service -- spoke to the owner -- he went above and beyond to make sure our first time was great. Lots of options here for GF or vegetarians, too. Just go. read more

Great food and even better service. We really enjoyed our paella and will be back thanks to Taya

This was my first time trying El Mono, and I only ordered for pick-up, but I was pleasantly surprised by how friendly and welcoming the staff were. You don't see that much anymore--great customer service and genuine kindness. The ambience inside is really cute too, which I loved. On top of that, the food was exceptional--fresh, flavorful, and truly delicious. I'll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend this place! read more

Admittedly, I have not been exposed to a lot of Peruvian food in my life, but what I always get (and what mom cooked at home when I was a kid) is Lomo Saltado so I am fairly particular when it comes to that dish. I must say, this is one of the finest examples of Lomo that I've had. The beef was tender and flavorful, the onions and the tomatoes were well prepared. The wonderful vinegar and soy sauce mix that is emblematic of good Lomo was present while not being overwhelming. The beef:vegetable ratio was sound and I feel like I got my money's worth. I also had the garlic jasmine rice which was a wonderful accompaniment to the Lomo and absorbed the flavors of the sauce. Just the right level of saltiness to blend with the aforementioned sauce. I also had a couple French fries, admittedly this is a take out order and so I am managing my expectations but if I may make a criticism, they could use more seasoning. Overall, a delightful meal that I look forward to having again. read more

Had an amazing dinner and I have to recognize Cristian for the incredible service. He was incredibly, friendly, and provided excellent recommendations that made my meal truly special - the Antonio's Pescado al Achiote and Sangria were incredible! It's rare to find such personalized service. Cristian is a huge asset to El Mono Restaurant, and he genuinely cares about customer satisfaction. The restaurant is lucky to have him - I highly recommend asking for Cristian. I will definitely be back! read more

My whole family loves this place! We've been going for years and so happy they opened in Berkeley. Chaufa de pollo and ajo verde are our favorites there. The owner, Matt, is easy to work with as we've done catering orders too! read more

Marlene was very nice and brought our food very fast. Lunch service was good. would recommend! read more

Loved this place! I got the classic lomo saltado and it was so good. Everything on the menu sounded great and I already want to come back to try other items. Staff is super friendly as well. Our server Christian was wonderful. read more

Our server, Christian, was delightful. Came here with a friend and had a wonderful time. The atmosphere feels upscale, but cozy and the food is quality. Great flavors in the food--just wish I could have tried more dishes. read more

Food - 1) ceviche - I would recommend it. It's pleasantly sour with a variety of textures. 5/5. 2) calamari - my wife and I weren't impressed. My wife would have preferred a crispier texture. I found the texture to be minimally rubbery. The flavor was enhanced by the lime and green sauce available at table. 4/5. 3) paella - it was quite salty. But, the saltiness became less noticeable eventually. I appreciated the crispy/burnt pieces of rice on the bottom of the place because these added texture to a typically mushy dish. Personally, paella eaten anywhere is not my favorite, so it was okay. 4/5. Service - they were pretty good. I would have liked if they had offered to fill my water without me prompting them. I was focused on enjoying my meal with my wife, so when they checked on our table, I said we were good, but I'd still suggest they ask if they could fill my water, especially if it is empty/near empty. 4/5. Ambiance - the ambience was okay. It would be nice if the noisy fan in the bathroom could be replaced, but I would guess this could be a costly repair for a newer business. 4/5. read more

The food and service were amazing! Bella was our server and she was super attentive. We ate the limo saltado, ceviche mix to and steak, everything was delicious. read more

The food was amazing! Drove from Oakland to check it out and it did not disappoint. The service was top tier. Our waiter Christian was very attentive to our needs. The music was very pleasant. Overall it was outstanding. Would definitely recommend. Great job El Mono team. read more

El Mono - Tallarín Verde con lomo was definitely delicious. - Peruvian Near Me - Berkeley, California

What an experience! Authentic, delicious, Peruvian cuisine executed perfectly and with lovely wait staff. Desiree was a delight! We went from my birthday and I cannot stop raving about this place. Yes, we are Peruvian, the menu is extensive and prepared exceptionally. 5 stars! Please consider dropping by. This is an excellent location right on 4th Street and there is plenty of parking. Highly recommend. read more

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This place is yummy with a unique (and expansive) menu. Seafood galore but also many beef and veggie/vegan options. I wasn't sure seeing combinations that are not together "normally" like soy sauce in Latin food. One dish even recognizes a Chinese influence. Ceviche appetizer was on top of a chicken/potatoes base w onions and a tangy lime marinade. Entrees include perfectly cooked shrimp/ fish dish and a stir fry like veggie meal. We substituted quinoa for rice. All very tasty. Highly recommend what I would call a Peruvian Arnol Palmer. Combo of a corn drink and passion fruit beverage. So yummy. I ate all of the complimentary corn nuts. read more

Enjoyed the truly authentic Peruvian experience. The lomo saltado steaks were so tender - cooked to perfection! read more

El Mono - Trio De Mar - Peruvian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Great service, my pasta and steak was so GOOD!!!! place is a vibe. You definitely have come and stop by. read more

El Mono - Peruvian Near Me - Berkeley, California

I can only speak to the The Aji de Gallina and the Saltado de Champinones, however if the rest of the food is similarly flavorful I would say the food gets a 4.5/5. The restaurant has a very family friendly vibe with friendly staff. Christian humored me as I attempted to order in Spanish for which I was grateful! The other staff, Andres and Matt were also lovely. I look forward to coming back for dessert! read more

Food was delicious and the service was wonderful. Thank you for taking care of our family, Christian. Your recommendations were spot on!