Celebrated my partners bday here and the food and service were spectacular! Thank you to Marlen, Dani and Karina for hosting us with so much care and for making this event so memorable! read more

I wish I would have taken pictures of the food but it looked so good and delicious I couldn't help but dig in right away. Marlene served us today and she was so sweet and attentive. She made us amazing drinks and helped us when we had questions. The restaurant showcased new pictures of Peru which added to the ambiance. We really loved this place and will definitely be back again to try more dishes because everything that came out of the kitchen looked incredible. read more

El Mono - Miti Miti Inca Kola (12oz) - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

I have been to El Mono several times, but Taya just made my recent visit the best one yet. She is a gem with the warmest energy, great menu recommendations, and her kindness absolutely made my day. As always, the food and cocktails were phenomenal. Good vibes all around. Thank you Taya! read more

Christian was a very nice server! He helped us choose some dishes since it was our first time trying Peruvian food. We got the arroz con pollo and Antonio's Pescado Al achiote.. both were amazing ! Definitely coming back here. read more

I came in for the lunch. I had the Vaintas Saltadas and a drink called Maracuya. It was quite delicious and the drink made me think I was having a alcoholic beverage. read more

My sister and I are on vacation in the Bay Area and really wanted to try Peruvian food. So glad I tried this place! The Peruvian paella was really good and a nice portion of food. Our servers Marlen and Nivrka were very helpful. read more

El Mono - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

The food is good. The servers are nice and knowledgeable and give good suggestions. Very welcoming environment and food taste like home

I really enjoy coming to El Mono. The food is always fresh and delicious. I like the variety of different food options they offer. My favorite dish is the Lomo Saltado, it is very flavorful. For drinks, Miti Miti is always a good option. Love dining here with both family and friends. Would definitely recommend to others. read more

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The food is outta this world ! It's my favorite Peruvian food restaurant in all the Bay Area . Service is brilliant and the atmosphere is def Peru . Thank you to my server today , she is very pleasant and professional . Thank you Bella read more

El Mono - Peruvian stew - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Taya was amazing as our server and the food was awesome! This was the first time I ate in the restaurant - definitely worth the food presentation and experience. read more

El Mono - Saltado de pollo - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

I recommended to my girlfriends to try El Mono in El Cerrito in East Bay. We all love Peruvian food. I made a reservation at 12:30 pm for 5 people. We all drove from San Francisco. Daniella, the owner, was so helpful since it was my friends' first time dining at the restaurant. I ordered Mati Mati & my friends' got Peruvian Beer. My drink was refreshing. We started with Calamari & Ceviche. We enjoyed eating them with the sauce provided. So appetizing. We shared like a family style the Lomo Saltado & Super Mariscos. My friends were impressed seeing the whole Branzino fish on top of the Seafood Paella. They enjoyed both meals that I recommended. We did not have dessert as we were full. The service was great. The food were delicious. The ambiance was simple as a Peruvian restaurant. It was nice they have a big screen TV on the wall showing the greatest visits around the world including Peru. My other friend said she will bring her husband & her sons to dine at El Mono. I don't mind returning and I believe this was my 5th visit to El Mono. read more

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Give this place its roses, I wish I found this place sooner. I use to go all the way to Pacifica and Half Moon Bay for decent Peruvian when I should have stuck to my gut and known that the best Peruvian place to eat at is in the East Bay. El Mono is clean, spacious, and its interior is absolutely charming. I love the decor, everything is so thoughtful and the Nazca Line artworks were just amazing to look at. Not too sure why this place was empty on a Saturday lunch? Because the food is absolutely amazing. We ordered the Cerviche Mixto, and Lomo Saltado. It was the perfect amount. I was taught that the measurement of a Peruvian Cerviche's integrity, is that you have to be able to drink the juices that the seafood ferments in. While most of the time my flavor profile biasly leans more sour, the Cerviche at El Mono was made to perfection. I drank the little shot that came with the plate and I drank the remaining liquids right out of the bowl. There has only been two times in my life that I was willing to down the entire thing and it had to be good for me to even consider it. El Mono, you hit the damn spot and you were the second. Last but not least the Lomo Saltado. Oh my God, IT COMES WITH A LITTLE RICE PYRAMID. Like how amazing is the attention to detail?! Not only was the presentation amazing but the rice itself was delicious?? Its definitely not your ordinary rice. As for the beef, onions, tomatoes, and fries, each too were beautifully plated and cooked so well. I will definitely be returning and what a wonderful first impression. Highly recommend. read more

I've heard amazing things about this place and was excited to try! We came on a Friday right when they opened and there were plenty of tables and parking was easy to find in the plaza. I loved their paella, that was my favorite - they have 2 sizes and the individual was MASSIVE. Prices are very reasonable and they also have great drinks! Highly recommend! Delicious bites, quick and fast for the food to come out and flavors are bold and yummy! read more

I was in the area of el cerrito today and decided to try this place out for lunch with my son Walked in and was greeted real quick. They brought us roasted corn and it was so good. I ordered a cup soup and it was the bomb. The pesto pasta with chicken was delicious. Overall it was very good and I would definitely come back again. The service was excellent and the restaurant was clean. Affordable rates in their menu Definitely a good place for lunch or dinner read more

El Mono - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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My first experience of Peruvian food. Service 5 stars, Food 5 stars, Atmosphere and Vibe 5 stars. I went with some friends who were able to show me the ropes and soon our table was groaning with food -- Lomo Saltado, Ceviche, Chaufa, etc etc. The interior is cozy and not fussy -- perfect for meals of two or bigger parties. The dishes containing seafood were all super fresh and the whole meal was bursting with flavor. I was really surprised, in particular, by how well prepared all the meat was (tender and flavorful). An honorable mention goes out to the Miti Miti -- a combination of chicha morada and maracuya (sweet and tart). The drink was the perfect refreshing beverage to pair with the already delightful meal. read more

really solid food and great service :) i always get the lomo saltado with a fried egg, their chicha morada-maracuya drink, and split a ceviche with the table. the gravy on their lomo saltado is excellent!! and i've really never had a bad experience here. read more

El Mono is a gem! My boyfriend and I ate here tonight, and I must say--the food is ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. We ordered the Lomo Saltado, Chaufa de Pollo, and the Poor Man's Steak. The Lomo Saltado is a flavorful classic Peruvian dish that truly sparked my taste buds--it was so yummy! My boyfriend loved the Poor Man's Steak with the chimichurri sauce. Even the side of white rice was delicious! The ambiance at El Mono is cozy and warm. The walls are painted a rich orange and beautifully decorated with Peruvian art, which made the space feel inviting and authentic. The service was exceptional. Taya, Karina, and Dani were incredibly warm and welcoming. Special shout-out to Dani and Taya for taking extra time to chat with us and make us feel right at home. We also appreciated Dani sharing tips on what to do when we visit Peru! We absolutely loved this place and will definitely be returning very soon! read more

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El mono, my first time trying Peruvian food, didn't disappoint. Every bite was incredibly good. I couldn't stop raving to my husband, saying, "Wow!" The customer service was top-notch, and the owner, Dani, was very friendly. The cozy ambiance, complemented by the pleasant music, created a great atmosphere.We're definitely going back. read more

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Marlene at El Mono provided amazing service, so friendly and attentive! The food was incredible, and I highly recommend the Lomo Saltado. Can't wait to come back! read more

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

We came in for lunch and had an amazing experience! Tuty, our waiter, was absolutely fantastic--super friendly, attentive, and made us feel so welcome. We ordered the Causa de Pollo and the Ceviche de Pescado--both were extremely delicious and fresh. I also had the Tallarines con Lomo, which was a perfect choice--got to enjoy the best of both worlds with tender lomo and flavorful tallarines. The ambiance was just right--warm, inviting, and you can actually talk ! It created the perfect setting to enjoy our meal and relax. The margaritas were a solid 10/10. Everything from the service to the food was top-notch. Can't wait to come back! read more

El Mono - Cauza & ceviche - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Everything was very good loved the fish and ceviche. Paella was good and service was nice.

Taya was a fantastic server and gave us great recommendations for our first time here. We will definitely be back! read more

El Mono - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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The food here was delicious, but the service was not great. It took a long time before someone came to take our order and an equally long time for our drinks to arrive (and then we didn't get everything we'd ordered). At no point did anyone check in with us during the meal and we had to try to get someone's attention just to get a refill on our drinks. This was maybe in part because our original waitress (or hostess?) switched to working in the kitchen after taking our order. When desert came, the waitress placed it right in between all of the empty dishes on the table without clearing anything. At the end, I had to go up to the bar just to get our check because there was no one on the floor anywhere. Dinner took 2 hours. Also, there is a huge TV on one side of the restaurant that rotated through ads for the restaurant, generic trivia, and mini documentaries. It was uncomfortably bright and took away from the nice lighting they had. read more

I had not tried Peruvian food before, as we ordered, they brought out roasted corn with this yummy secret sauce, that has a bit of spicy goodness to it, we could not stop eating it, it was so good, we ordered a small to go. We ordered and the waitress was kind, attentive, and informative on their plates. I opted for the chupe de camarones, it's a creamy sauce with a bit of spice, topped with jasmine rice and a poached egg, I could not stop eating it, it was delicious. I will definitely be returning to El Mono to try some of their other plates. read more

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HONEY!!! The food was great, friendly service, great menu and vibes. My service from Karina and Marlen was great, they recommended good choices. I ended up getting the lomo Saltado!! The savory meat, rice and added the green beans was a perfect combo! Thank you for the great experience! read more

Taya was excellent and so was Karina best service, food delicious!!!! Appetizers and main dishes are so worth it!! Fresh and made when you order. read more

WOW FACTOR? Yes. Outstanding chicken rice soup. A bowl of this would be wonderful! HAVE AGAIN: I love the Maracuya - so good. Have the larger glass next time. Saltado de Pollo is delicious. Vainitas de Pollo is also really good, but is not available as a lunch option. Owner's attention is much appreciated. NOT HAVE AGAIN: Chica is good, but why have this when I can have Maracuya? read more

Taya was super sweet and attentive! The food was delicious! And the ambiance was a vibe! They play good music and have beautiful artwork inside. read more

El Mono - El Tallarin Verde con Camarones - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

What an amazing experience! Came here for dinner and Desiree and the rest of the staff were so welcoming and helpful. They were able to seat us immediately without reservations. Big space indoor and outdoor. Come hungry!!! Every dish was amazing! To start we got the calamari and ceviche... both amazing a huge portions! Paella... yummmmmm! The steak and chicken dishes were equally as amazing along with the pesto pasta with more steak! The pesto pasta was so rich and could taste the fresh basil. We will definitely be back. Thank you, Desiree and staff for a wonderful meal. read more

It was a bit of a reach coming to El Mono but with these many reviews, we really made the effort to taste the fresh flavors of Peru. Located at San Pablo Ave. just off the Cutting Blvd. exit on I-80, we were able to get a parking spot in the private lot that is shared with other businesses. We came for an early dinner so we were able to be seated promptly. The place was spacious with plenty of tables and bar seating to boot. Frito Sampler (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Uq3u_kbGVGLjEDVU45WLog?select=pmO6Dmjr6mkhAPAel7CmTg) - These are fried starchy goodness - sweet potato fries, cassava, and plantain! The creamy cheese sauce was also superb. Lomo Saltado (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Uq3u_kbGVGLjEDVU45WLog?select=GMwqYAfuAjfUnFOEqW_2yg) - The classic Peruvian beef recipe! Taking it up a few notches, they use Certified Angus Beef here. The meat was perfectly stir-fried with the rest of the ingredients and was very tender. Best Chifa dish ever! Chupe de Camarones (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Uq3u_kbGVGLjEDVU45WLog?select=lkF4fQRmzxHI-JRynBt33Q) - Creamy red chowder with succulent shrimps... If it's not creamy enough, how about we add a poached egg on top of the rice? It was our first time having this and it did not disappoint at all. Jalea (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Uq3u_kbGVGLjEDVU45WLog?select=LqDqUDgKe1pInXK1k-gOHA) - Fried... check! Seafood... check! This was an easy choice and an excellent one at that! Shrimps, mussels, clams, fish, calamari, and some more yucca for the win - they were lightly battered, well-seasoned, and came with pickled red onions and a dipping sauce. Peruvian Paella (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Uq3u_kbGVGLjEDVU45WLog?select=HVv63_petUFL7vrPqrkNYQ) - Also known as Arroz con Mariscos, this had seafood for days - squid, clams, mussels, and shrimps! Visually, the main difference between its Spanish counterpart was the rice - this had long-grain jasmine rice instead of bomba. Served on a sizzling platter, we let the bottom part sit for a bit so we could get the socarrat to form. This was cooked with housemade aji panca chili sauce and their special white wine which gave the distinctive flavor. Rice was precooked before everything else was added because we spotted some lumps of white rice that did not get mixed well. Despite this flaw, it still came out tasty. We just had to break down the clusters and mix it some more. There were plenty of interesting items on the menu so we really need to make another concerted effort to visit. We had a fantastic time back then so the next one needs to happen really soon. It's so long overdue that my photos got taken out in my review draft... another one sitting around that I have forgotten to post. =( We usually get the rotisserie chicken when we go to a Peruvian restaurant, but we had to pass because other options were available. We have to try it next time along with one of their noodle selections. read more

First time coming here! Love the food and drinks as the environment as very peaceful! The employees were very friendly and helpful giving suggestions as asking if we had Peruvian food before. The Anticuchos mixed plate was a hit and shared for 3 people as it was delicious with every bite! The owner suggested as a new opening in Berkeley as can't wait to try it as near by my area. As gave us two bar chips whenever we come back for the free bar bite ! read more

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I love El Mono! The flavors of the food are incredible and varied and delicious. The wait staff and cooks do a great job of making us feel welcome. I recommend it whole heartedly. read more

great and knowledgeable service, will definitely be returning soon! thank you karina and dani!

Delicious Peruvian food in a quaint food plaza. With a bar, happy hour, choice Peruvian colorful lemonades, and live music on Fridays (this I wanna experience), El Mono will have you coming back. The lomo saltado and Peruvian corn finger food were very tasty. The resto is small but fun with beautiful traditional Peruvian decor which I appreciated. The servers were very attentive and even informed me they're opening up another location in Berkeley next month! Yesss. read more

El Mono - Lomo saltado and salty corn bar finger food - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

As a native Peruvian, I am a little jaded when it comes to my food in a restaurant and El Mono did not disappoint. From the beautiful smile and great customer service rendered by Isabella to the quaint atmosphere, the experience was wonderful. Their Lomo Saltado sandwich that followed after a hearty aguadito was finger-licking good. Their choice of wines was also a highlight. Muchas gracias Isabella read more

El Mono - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

I wish I had a picture of my food, but it's GONE. I was in the mood for lobster bisque. There was not lobster bisque but they had something that was (in my opinion) even better! The dish was chupe de camarones! IT WAS SOOOO YUMMY!! I wish I had a bigger appetite because everything looked so yummy. We also tried their fried plantains (delicious) and their jugo de maracuyá which was AMAZING. Miguel and team were incredibly attentive and I felt like we were being highly catered to. I will come back and support this business. read more

This is my first time here and I have had only limited experience eating Peruvian food. The parking lot is small but we were able to find the restaurant with GPS. It is located on San Pablo Avenue, in El Cerrito, right after Knott Avenue, located in the Del Norte Norte Plaza, across from the Honda Dealership. There is outdoor dining but my friend and I decided to eat inside. I made Yelp reservations for 12:30 pm on a Saturday afternoon but there was no problem as it wasn't crowded at the time. We sat in cozy booth near the door after Mayra guided us to the table. After several minutes, we were wondering where the menus were and then noticed that there was a QR code on the table to look at the menu. But then we were wondering if we had to order online but when I started looking at the menu, it was for ordering take out or delivery. So we went up to the counter and asked and Mayra said she would take our order. It was our first time here, so we had no idea whether anyone was going to take our order as 1) no menus were given, 2) no one came to ask us if we were ready to order. I checked in and got a free Chicha drink and it was very tasty! The menu says organic made from scratch, Inca Purple Corn Drink with a hint of cinnamon - believed to have healing powers and super rich in Antioxidants! It was very refreshing! My friend ordered a coffee and we also order Fried Calamari or Calamar Frito and it was a very big and delicious portion! For entrees, my friend and I had basically the same kind of meal except hers had noodles and mine had rice and potatoes. I had the Saltado de Pollo, and she had the Tallarin de Pollo. Both were hearty portions and tasty and we had to take home the leftovers! Great company, good food and service needed to be more attentive. read more

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This is one of the best restaurants in the Bay Area! The food tastes amazing, and the customer service is top-notch. Tuty is incredible--she really made experience special!" Thanks a lot read more

El Mono - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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I've been to El Mono twice and ordered takeout another time and have found the food to be consistently delicious. The calamari is cooked perfectly, lightly breaded with a delicious sauce. Ceviche is tasty and the paella with fried fish is so good, and presented with a sizzling flourish. We also had the saltado veggies, tuna causa and a lamb shank dish. We shared everything family style. Portions are plentiful and they have a delicious cilantro sauce that goes with everything, as well as house made hot sauce. I have yet to try the desserts because I'm always so full from the delicious food, but do look forward to trying them at some point. The juice drinks are very refreshing, service is friendly and helpful. Overall I think El Mono is a gem, I would not hesitate to go back and bring friends (so we can try more dishes!!) read more

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One of the best Peruvian restaurants we tried in the Bay Area. We came here for lunch on a whim and were we pleasantly surprised! Food was amazing and our host Marlene was super friendly and helpful! The place is new and clean. We are definitely coming back. read more

El Mono - Lomo Saltado, Aji de Gallina and Pescado Frito - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California