El Mono is a family favorite! My favorite dishes to get are the Lomo Saltado, pescado a la macho and the Cau Cau! Portions are generous, flavorful, and definitely authentic. The staff are always so kind and attentive. Our servers, Marlen, Karina and Dani made sure we had everything we needed. Very relaxing restaurant with great music! Whenever anyone asks us where to get great and authentic Peruvian food, we only refer them to El Mono! read more

El Mono - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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El Mono food is always good. This location used to be an Italian restaurant called 'Strings'. Their food was so good and thankfully El Mono continues that tradition. The photos show what was ordered on the menu and what it looks like. The carb heavy sampler is good only if you can eat that much. It was hot and tasty. The fish with rice was hot and very delicious. It was a good sized piece of fish. The rotisserie chicken looked good, but it was dry :( The service was okay. Thank you read more

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El Mono is a family-owned Peruvian restaurant located near Richmond. This is the flagship location with a second location in Berkeley. [Parking]: There is a small free parking lot for the plaza and I was able to find few available spots on Saturday night. [Atmosphere]: Casual dining atmosphere with few TVs inside the restaurant. No wait on Saturday night. [Menu]: The restaurant serves complimentary roasted corn. The menu highlights popular items with red boxes. Yelp's top highlighted items are Lomo Saltado (under Beef & Steaks), Aji de Gallina (under Poultry & Rotisserie), and Chupe de Camarones (under Seafood). *** Lomo Saltado (a Peruvian classic with tender Certified Angus beef, onions, tomatoes, crispy fries, and cilantro tossed in savory soy sauce. Served with garlic jasmine rice - $26.99): Super crispy French fries so a big thumbs-up. The sauce was a tad salty but flavorful. The steak was cooked on point. The portion was big enough to split between two adults. I also sampled the green sauce from the bottle on the table and it tasted alright (a bit too vinegary for my taste). *** Overall a solid comfort-food spot in town. read more

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In a small strip mall with limited parking.I haven't been to the new location and they had a couple of guys playing music. It was nice to have live music.It is small but bigger than the old location. We started off with some fruity drinks and a sangria. Next was the Seafood ceviche and then I had paella. I liked the seafood paella but some of the other dishes the fish with shrimp wasn't what he thought it would be and thought it was ok. But the other dishes were good. We will be back for the full fried fish they didn't have it on the menu that day. read more

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Marlene was our server and very attentive. The ceviche was fresh and tasty. The crema volteada was a dream! read more

El Mono - My husband trying the crema volteada. - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Really good lomo saltado and ceviche. Amazing crema volteada for dessert! The service was great - shout out to Marlene! read more

El Mono - Lomo saltado - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Food: 5/5 | drinks/ coffee: N/A | Service: 5/5 | ambiance: 5/5 Casual lunch on the weekend and it was all perfect to share with a group of 3. We ordered the lomo saltado and the ceviche mixto. Both super great. The only thing I would have wanted more of is more leche de tigre, because it was so good. Taya and Marlene were both great! Service was perfect and they were so kind. Sorry no pic of the ceviche. read more

El Mono - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

I haven't been here in over 6 years. The last time I visited the El Cerrito location was when they were at a different spot. One thing that was nice about this restaurant is there were things I've never sampled before. I had a. Miti Miti beverage, colorful in nature that was sweet and good. I also had an Inca Kola a popular Peruvian soda made by the folks at Coca Cola. Also good. The Frito Sampler was our appetizer. Three different fried items with two dipping sauces. A nice change. I had the Aji de Gallina, a Peruvian stew with chicken. Something totally different. Our server Isabella was extremely accommodating. I wish more servers were like her. No dessert was had but the dinner was a success! There are so many dishes to try. I have to go back and do so. We sat at a booth. read more

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El Mono (the monkey) is located in a small strip mall off busy San Pablo. They have a small parking lot and we were able to get a spot. We were the first to arrive at noon on a Friday. Funny, I had a craving for a fish sandwich but didn't see it on their lunch menus online, and it was just my luck that they had it! It came with some crispy fries and was very good. To start you can choose soup or salad, and I chose their traditional chicken and rice soup. My friend got the vegan veggie stir-fry with rice. My homemade drink that I paid $2 extra for with the lunch special was a mixture of purple corn with cinnamon, and passionfruit. Very refreshing, I wished it was a little larger. We sat in a big comfortable booth. Service was good. I'm looking forward to trying their other location in Berkeley. read more

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Karina our server was awesome! And kind. I got the saltido sandwich, and it was excellent, bread was crunchy and fresh, meat was perfectly seasoned. Delicious. read more

Taya was great! so was the food the place was super clean and I had an amazing time great eats

Soooo.... they need to get their inventory together, big time. For example, I came in and looked at their wine by the glass list and requested a sav blanc. The server told me she didn't have any chilled ones but could put it on ice for me. Spoke with somebody and apparently they didn't have any sav blanc at all but directed me to the list where I could purchase a bottle. For one person? No thanks Time to order drinks. I asked about sangria and she gave me three options. Ordered sangria and then she came back and told me they actually weren't selling it. And then ordered the special for the night. She put the order in and about 10 minutes later I was informed they didn't have that either. You think they would have prepared for a dinner weekend rush? My reservation was for 1800 on a SATURDAY night. Three strikes and this place sucks. Actually four strikes.... I was just informed they were out of another dish I tried to order in place of the special. read more

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Wonderful dinner, thanked to our server, Taya who helped us to choose some of the dishes that we haven't tried before, and it turned out delicious, will definitely return to El Mono. read more

Incredible good clean food. Worth the wait. Every time. Always busy, and perfect place to sit and connect with people. Nice ambiance, music, and usually easy enough to find parking right in the lot. Get anything seafood here. read more

Some of my best friends and I decided to indulge and try out El Mono for lunch a few weeks back and we were content with what we experienced! Staff were very nice and attentive while working with our extensive order. We already anticipated that parking would be a hit or miss since we frequent another restaurant in this area, so be aware that the lot can get packed fast. Inside the restaurant we were welcomed and seated at a both with some adequate lighting. After contemplating our orders we got: - Peruvian Paella (4/5): SHARE THIS. The plate might be small but the proportion between the rice and the seafood is a bit imbalanced. You'll get too full eating this solo. Seafood was delicious though! - Lomo Saltado (3/5): Pretty good and very filling! The meat is more on the saltier side compared to other places that sell lomo saltado. - Platano Frito (4/5): Delicious start to the meal that comes with a yummy aioli. - Miti Miti 16 oz (5/5): Ordered this and loved the refreshing taste (and sense of healthiness) while drinking it! - Maracuya 16 oz (4/5): I was able to try my friend's drink and appreciated the sweetness of it! - Chicken cilantro soup (10/5): OUR ENTIRE GROUP LOVED THIS. We downed the soup without a single word spoken. It was so good with the green sauce they have here as well and we can't wait to have this soup again. For a first time, we liked the vibes and the food. Something we're eager for in the near future is trying the cocktails and food on the dinner menu! read more

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Update! Revisiting on Tuesday Night, everything was great as it always is. Poor Man's Steak, Seco de Res and Mojitos were FIRE. Shout out to Kaya our server, kept the drinks & food flowing with friendly, positive energy. Can't wait to check out the Berkeley location. read more

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The food and service is great! They have a bug menu and the atmosphere is relaxing. I highly recommend to try this place!

Delicious. Great menu. Nice to see Peruvian in the East Bay. Dani and Karina were awesome. Highly recommend.

Food was amazingly delicious. The plantains had an outer crunch that stayed throughout the meal. The calamari wasn't covered in thick breading and was delicious. Rice dish is a must we had to take home leftovers. Pro-Tip- check in on Yelp and get a free Fresca. Unfortunately I checked in and just gave my card at the end and realized that they charged me for it. No biggie it was my fault. But I will say the service did lag a little for me. I came with a friend in the middle of the afternoon and she only had two tables. I had to ask for more water, soda for my friend, our boxes and the check. I don't mind asking, but simple check ins would show the attentiveness to the customers. I would come back and would love to try other dishes. This parking lot is small for all the businesses so keep that in mind for when you come during peak meal times. read more

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Amazing service! Taya and Marlene were very knowledgeable of gluten allergies. Having celiac I didn't have any issues. The food was great and I highly recommended eating here. read more

The food was amazing, particularly the lomo saltado, the ahi de gallina, and the steak with pesto pasta. The miti miti drink was also very good. The service was good - they were efficient and very friendly. I'm so happy this restaurant opened in our neighborhood. I think it's now become my favorite and we'll definitely be back to try all the other dishes! read more

They keep changing the plating, but the Trio Del Mar is still one of my favorite things to get when I come here. I have been coming here on and off for about 4 years now, still love the food as much as the first time. I highly recommend the fried fish in sauce and the Trio Del Mar. Did you hear about the new location in Berkeley? I cannot wait to go check it out! read more

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Karina, was very welcoming, noticed us right away and set us down. Overall the food was good and our experience was pleasant. We are definitely coming back read more

Our server Marlene was amazing! The food was really good! Will be back soon. Thank you again!

All I can say, you get what you pay for! Great service and amazing food! Seafood Pealla 2 thumbs up.

Food and Service is excellent! Taya is super nice!! Highly recommended!! It's our fave Peruvian restaurant! read more

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As always a great place for catching up with friends. The food and service are always top notch. I went with the steak sandwich today. Meat was tender,chimmicuri sauce amazing side of crispy fries. On point appetizers are always good for he casuca tuna.delicious. server Marlene was friendly, helpful and very attentive. read more

We were seated immediately in a cozy booth. The miti miti drink is delicious: truly cinnamon and passion fruit! Taya was very helpful with assisting us through the menu. There are many delicious sounding options! We had the calamari, the meat skewers and the paella. The paella was divine!! The lucuma ice cream to finish was delicious: it really does taste like caramel coffee. Highly recommend! A refreshing and flavorful meal. read more

El Mono - Lucuma Ice Cream - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Solid Peruvian spot with tasty food, although a little on the pricy side. Came here on a Friday evening on the way back from wine tasting. Arriving at around 6 pm, there were about 3-4 tables occupied and plenty of seating. We chose a table and then scanned the QR code for the menu. For a group of 4 we tried: - Mixed ceviche: Honestly just ok, I felt like there could have been a lot more flavors and also, a little more protein for the price. I would skip this if I came back. - Lomo Saltado: Solid lomo but not my favorite ever. I probably would go 50-50 on ordering this again, - Aji de gallina: My first time trying this dish, I really enjoyed it! I don't have other ones to compare it to but I loved the flavor in the stew and would eat it again. - Tapado a lo pobre: This was also my first time trying this dish and I thought it was tasty! But I would order the chicken stew over this. We also got the following desserts: - alfajores & cream: the alfajores were standard but I loved the lucuma ice cream! Super creamy and flavorful - yuquitas dulces: skip this, it was basically fries with powdered sugar and chocolate syrup. Very underwhelming. The servers were friendly and kind, and when we were there they had a live performer too. Seems like a nice local spot, but I personally wouldn't go too far out of my way to try it again. read more

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We've been coming to this place for some delicious Peruvian food for 8 years now (even when they were at their old location) and it still holds up! Cocktail prices are very reasonable. Marlene, Bella and Andres were great and friendly servers and we highly recommend that you check this place out! read more

One of my favorite restaurants in El Cerrito! El Mono has delicious Peruvian cuisine with amazing flavors! The pescado frito is one of my favorite dishes and it was perfect as always. I had a coupon for the fish cevichito so I tried it, but unfortunately it was not for me. So far, it's the only thing that I've had that I didn't like and I've tried almost everything! Service is always good even on busy days. read more

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Taya at El Mono made our first Peruvian food experience unforgettable. She was so friendly and personable, which made us feel welcome right away. The food was fantastic. We shared the frito sampler--those sweet potato fries were perfect, and we loved all the sauces. I had the Tallarín Verde con Camarones and the portion was huge and super flavorful. My partner got the Lomo Saltado, and we really liked the French fries it came with. To top it off, we finished with the Miti Miti--absolutely delicious, especially the subtle cinnamon aftertaste. Can't wait to come back and bring my parents. I know they'll love it! I recommend making a reservation it does get busy. read more

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We had a reservation for a casual dinner at El Mono. We arrived on time but unfortunately weren't greeted when we walked in. After a few minutes, a staff member finally acknowledged us with a quick "I'll be right with you" before disappearing again. When he returned, he said, "just a moment," then proceeded to take another table's order. Eventually, he told us our table would be ready shortly because it needed to be cleaned. More waiting followed. We overheard him tell another server a table number "for two," and noticed that while there were several empty tables in the front, he was setting one up for us in the very back--near the restroom. At that point, the vibe felt off, and we honestly began to feel like our presence wasn't welcome. That's disappointing, especially since we've enjoyed dining here in the past. We politely let them know we were leaving, and only then did the same staff member say, "Oh, your table is almost ready"--but it clearly wasn't. It wasn't the wait that bothered us--it was the lack of courtesy and regard. We hope this was just an off night, but it left a sour impression. read more

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Dani and Karina were amazing! They always are! I have been here a million times and it gets better every time.

What a neat spot! I stopped by after delivering something to a customer in El Cerrito. Marle, Karina, & Dani were all AMAZING! I love Peruvian food, but there aren't that many places that I know of. So I decided to stop by and give it a try. The yucca fries are my favorite appetizers of course I got those! And they were excellent, non-greasy. The green salad I got was also fresh and flavorful with a light vinaigrette dressing. The seafood paella was the best! The seafood was really fresh and the rice was perfectly cooked...not too soggy and with a nice crunchy bottom from the pan. The service of course was top notch...really friendly and inviting. Definitely recommend this cozy place to hangout and eat flavors of Peru. read more

El Mono - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

The food was very good and a good portion size! We enjoyed our experience here and would recommend stopping by. We will return

Finally tried El Mono and it was a very tasty experience! Parents, baby and I decided to do dinner there and we def feasted! Fried calamari, seafood paella, lomo saltado, plaintains were fire! The calamari was super tender, flavorful and big enough for 4-5 ppl. The prices are kinda high but the portions are pretty hefty and more importantly, delicious. Vibe is intimate for couples with dim lighting and candles, but also fam friendly with vibrant colors and booths on the other side. Loved the Peruvian culture nods too. Service was top notch! Our girl was very attentive and gave great food recs. Will be back! read more

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Our food at El Mono was absolutely delicious. 10/10! The food was full of authentic Peruvian flavor, and both dishes were excellent. Dani and Karina were incredibly friendly, attentive, and provided great service, even with how busy the restaurant was. If you're looking for authentic Peruvian cuisine, I highly recommend El Mono. We'll definitely be back! Ambiance was cute too. read more

Excellent food and great service. Marlene and Karina were on top of everything. We'll be back for more! read more

Steak was cooked medium, It wasn't overcook, or under. The flavor was good. I also added a side of four shrimp they weren't over cooked. My wife's beef heart was pretty good, but I think the chimichurri was a little oiler than I'm used to, it tasted good with the heart. My wife's drink was good a little sweet for my taste.. when I go back, yes I will be going again. I'd like to try something else maybe the paella or come on the weekend when they have lamb shank. read more

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