The food was very good IMO but my Peruvian friends said some liberties were taken with the condiments, general preparation, and ingredient substitutions. At the end of the meal everyone was satisfied so I imagine this is due to people wanting their meals like mom or grandma used to prepare them. Of note, the meat used was of great quality and there was no excess fat on my Bisteck a la Plancha. The chicha was very good and they did have staple soft drinks like Inka Cola. For dessert, try the Lucuma ice cream. It's my favorite but some people claim it tastes like dirt. I've had a taste of all their desserts by now and they are all worth a try. read more

This was my first time visiting this spot in downtown Sunnyvale for lunch. This one is larger than San Carlos location if my memory is right. I have visited the ine in San Carlos couplecyears a go.The interior is simple and features a full bar. We were the only customers in the restaurant when we arrived, which initially made us wonder if we had made the right choice. ​The menu offers plenty of variety. For appetizers, we tried the yucca, as well as the chicken and veggie empanadas. These were definitely the highlight--very tasty and well-prepared. ​Unfortunately, the main courses didn't quite live up to our expectation. While the presentation was nice, the flavor was just "so-so" and didn't leave a lasting impression. Because the entrees were hit-or-miss, I'm not sure I'll be returning. read more

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We love Emelina's #3 on El Camino, and we take everyone there, but for a special occasion, we needed to be able to have a big table, which is really hard at that location, enter this location. Emelina's in sunnyvale (Emelina's Plus on google and on doordash) is on Murphy st in Sunnyvale downtown. Keep walking past the nightclub, it's at the end of the block. It gets crowded in that area on the weekends, so I recommend parking in the bigger lot that is down the street, near the Whole Foods. This restaurant is more elevated than our usual location, they have white tablecloths, and small fake flowers on the tables. They also take reservations. There's alot more dining tables and overall space in the dining room, so they can accommodate more people. However, they only had two servers while we were there, and one of them was also working the bar. The menu experience from location to location is similar, except this one is understandably more expensive. The portions and quality is on par and we spotted only a few menu differences in offerings. We got 4 types of ceviche, and they were mostly all the same dressing, with different ingredients (only fish, vs fish and shrimp, vs fish and shrimp and octopus). It was all delicious and four plates was enough for appetizers for 10 people. We had a person with corn allergy at the table, and the kitchen was able to put the corn on the side. We also got a papa rellena, and I think one can be shared for four people for just a taste. If you want to share your entree, most of them are easily shareable. It took a little while to flag a server down to request plates though. My sisters and I shared a paella, steak with pesto pasta, and seafood stew. It was all delicious. read more

Had a late lunch here on Memorial Day. Restaurant wasn't busy so we were seated right away. We ordered some drinks and studied the menu. Our waiter gave us some good recommendations and we went for the lomo saltado and the ajia de gallina. They were out of plantain chips. Food arrived after a bit and we both really enjoyed our meal. The sauce for the ajia de gallina was very reach and creamy and the hen was braised nicely so that the meat was very tender. The lomo was also cooked perfectly and the dish had some great bites together with the fried. Staff were very friendly and attentive. Would definitely come back here and try some more dishes. read more

Emelina’s Peruvian Restaurant - Lomo saltado - Peruvian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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I came here on a Wednesday afternoon for a team dinner. We booked a reservation online beforehand for 8. We got seated down quickly, however the wait was SUPER long. There was only one guy working the floor doing the seating, ordering, delivering, making drinks. etc. The poor waiter was doing his best... but there really should have been someone else workin with him. The food was delicious. I think everyone enjoyed their food. The wait was just way too long.... It took 1.5 hours for us to get our food. read more

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Can't fully review the entrees since my partner and I just stopped by for a quick empanada snack and drinks. Empanada: 7/10. The mini platter gave you a sampler of each flavor and my faves are definitely the beef and mushroom! But it's a little up there for a $20 dish Pisco Sour Flight (blueberry, original and muracay): 6/10. Lowkey shareable with someone else. Chicha Morada: 10/10! Refreshing and sweet. Reminds me of a non alcoholic sangria. read more

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Service 5 stars Food 4 stars Arrived around 7pm and ordered take out. I just wanted a quick snack so I ordered the 4 empanada appetizer. They were crispy and had a good amount of filling. I did order it to go, so it was a tad cold when I got home. I bet they would have been even better warm. I will be back to try more. Service was great, the gentleman that helped me was very friendly! read more

I'm very disappointed with the restaurant today. First, the table presentation was terrible -- the tablecloths were wrinkled and looked very unprofessional. The service was also extremely slow because they only had one server and one bartender. We also noticed they must have changed the chef, because both the flavor and presentation of the dishes were very different and disappointing. I definitely won't be coming back, and even the people at the table next to us were complaining about the same issues. read more

Emelina’s Peruvian Restaurant - Peruvian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

Food: was delicious! Every entree me and my two friends ordered was delicious. I enjoyed my lomo saltado a lot. Their alcoholic drinks were strong and worth the money. My friend enjoyed her seafood dish. INSIDE: was simple and nice. Brick walls. SERVICE was great. The guy server was polite. I would totally come back here. It's located at the end of the plaza. It's right next to Fuego night club. read more

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This place is so cozy, I was surprised to not see many people inside. Most likely was because i went during dinner time on a weekday. I would definitely come back here again the service was great and the food was awesome! The portions are pretty big. Would definitely recommend trying it out! read more

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My boyfriend and I were looking forward to trying Peruvian food but unfortunately we were a little disappointed. We ordered the pulpo appetizer, one of each of the empanadas (chicken, beef, mushroom, spinach & cheese), and the aji de gallina chicken dish. We did really enjoy pulpo; the octopus was tender and we liked the sauce, which was kind of citrusy and complemented well with the avocado. We really liked the chicken empanada as well, as it was very savory and stuffed! I didn't think there was much flavor to the beef, mushroom or spinach empanadas, and regretted not getting more of the chicken. We shared the aji de gallina, which was OK -- I just thought it was a little bland, and I felt like there was more potato than there was chicken. However, we enjoyed sitting outside on Murphy Street and the staff was very hospitable. We'd still come back to try some other items on the menu like the ceviche, which seems to be one of their specialties. read more

Emelina’s Peruvian Restaurant - Aji de gallina - Peruvian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

3.5 STARS Came in less than an hour before closing and was still greeted warmly -- service here is honestly excellent. Started with the pisco sour flight (classic, chicha, and maracuyá) and loved all of them--my 3 favorite flavors. For dinner, I ordered the bisteck a la plancha medium rare. Unfortunately, when it first arrived it was cooked well done. They were quick to take it back and brought me a perfectly medium-rare replacement, which I appreciate. That said, the quality of the steak itself was disappointing -- tough, with a flavor that even the soy sauce from their lomo saltado couldn't mask. It's the priciest dish on the menu, so I expected better. This was the worst quality steak I've had in a minute and I strongly suspect they served me the oldest one this could find. That being said... the salad that came with it? One of the best I've ever had. Crisp, fresh, and perfectly dressed. Service was so good I still tipped big. If you're here, I'd recommend the cocktails, the salad, and maybe exploring dishes other than the steak. read more

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Enjoyed a nice lunch with friends at Emelina. It's a bit dark inside the restaurant. We were promptly seated and ordered: Polo a la plancha: friend enjoy this and sad the salad dressing was excellent and very lemony. Lomo saltaldo: I had a taste of the steak. Not as salty as other places which is good. Not a big fan of the flavor though. Friend enjoyed her dish. Bistec à Lo pobre: 5/5 this was mine. Steak was very tasty and cooked med rare. Plantain was good and fries were ok. Rice was buttery. I recommend this one. Glad I tried this place! read more

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I would suggest to come here only if you have a lot of free time on your hands. Our party came for a Wednesday lunch at noon, and didn't receive our food until 1.5 hours in. Granted, we were a large party, but we witnessed other parties having similar waiting times. There was only one server who was doing his very best, shoutout to him for his great hospitality -- I think more waiting staff would be very beneficial though. Food was great overall, and mocktails were yummy! Would recommend to give it a try, if you're free and around the area. read more

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I don't remember the last time I was so disappointed after visiting a restaurant. I hate giving low ratings because I can only imagine how much hard work goes into running a place. We booked lunch today for four adults and two kids. It was Mother's Day, and while we were glad to get a reservation promptly, that's where the happiness ended, unfortunately. TLDR: the drinks were good, the food was average, and the service was a disaster - or non-existent. We had the Pisco Sour and another Pepper-Basil based cocktail. Both were really good. For apps, we had the Papa A La Huancaina and the miniempanadas (mushroom + spinach & cheese). The empanadas had good flavor but were underbaked. The other app was basically boiled potatoes with an under-seasoned yellow sauce - quite disappointing. Even our kids didn't like it. For the main course, we had the Squid Ink Paella and the Chauffa De Pollo (Peruvian style fried rice). The only novelty about the paella was its black color. Flavor-wise, it was flat - not the usual richness, umami, or seafood taste you expect from paella. The fried rice tasted much better, but in both dishes, the chicken was overcooked - dry and chewy. None of us could eat it. For dessert, we ordered the flan and the ice cream. The flan was stodgy, and the ice cream had ice crystals - and even a piece of wrapper in it! That was the last straw. But it was the service - or lack thereof - that disappointed us the most. The restaurant was severely understaffed. I think just three people were managing everything. And although there were only three or four tables occupied when we ordered, it took more than 45 minutes for the food to arrive. I ordered a beer that never came, so I eventually canceled it. When I mentioned the wrapper in the ice cream, the response wasn't apologetic or thoughtful. Throughout the service, it felt like no one really cared, honestly. And we paid $240 for this meal! I don't think we'll be returning after such an experience. It's especially sad because this location used to be home to Sweet Sicily, a restaurant we loved and frequented for several years. I hope the management takes steps to address this. read more

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So excited to have Peruvian restaurant at the downtown of Sunnyvale. Delicious appetizers-- mini empanada ( a variety of options chicken, beef, mushroom and spinach). The main dish is rich flavors of Peruvian Seafood Stew - A tantalizing blend of shrimp, squid, and scallops immersed in a vibrant sauce crafted with Peruvian Yellow Chili Paste, Quebranta Pisco, and white wine. Served with white rice on the side. Friendly services! read more

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Came during midday so it wasn't super packed, but service was a bit slow. Although they did keep checking in on us and refilling our waters. Personally I thought our appetizer dishes (jalea and leche de tigre) were very good and much better than the mains (lomo saltado and salmon w/ pesto pasta). Definitely nowhere near close to my favorite peruvian spot, but it's not bad. read more

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Mr. M and I shared the Lomo Saltado and the Filet Emelina. Both of them were very good with unique savory sauces. The cut of beef on the filet was out of this world. So tender, and cooked perfectly. We'll definitely come back after one of our pool league nights at Lucky Shot Billiards. read more

FIVE STARS FOR SERVICE! Liliana and Maria did an amazing job considering that the restaurant was very busy and they were the only two front of the house staff. They took orders, made drinks, and served with smiles on their faces. Other than that, the ambiance is uninviting, and the food is average. read more

We stopped by here for an early dinner around 5pm and had the place to ourselves. The staff was very friendly. We started with some empanadas and a classic ceviche, followed by pulpo a la parrilla (octopus). We also got the pisco sour flight to drink. The food and drinks were absolutely delicious. Of the drinks, the passionfruit pisco was my favorite. I also loved the empanadas and the ceviche portion was quite large. Great quality food and friendly service. Would definitely be back here. read more

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They have delicious food, wide selection of shared plates, and great service. Casual vibe. Definitely worth visiting.

It was my first time trying Peruvian food, and I think it might become one of my new favorite cuisines! The server was super friendly and took the time to recommend dishes since it was our first visit. Pescado a lo Macho: One of their recommended dishes--this one came with about six different kinds of seafood! The side of rice was fragrant and paired really well with the rich sauce. Salmón a la Parrilla: The grilled salmon had a nice smoky flavor, and the pasta was chewy and delicious. From the outside, the place looked a bit dark, but inside it was spacious and calm, creating a really relaxing atmosphere. I'd definitely love to come back! read more

Emelina’s Peruvian Restaurant - Pescado a lo macho - Peruvian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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Food: 4.25 out 5 Ordered the squid ink paella and the papas rellena. Both were flavorful and delicious. The paella portion was large and you could definitely share this order. Environment: 5 out 5 Casual to business casual environment. Full bar and plenty of seating. They even do a flight of pisco if you're down!! Great place for a date night. Service: N/A Ordered to go. Overall: 4.5 out 5 You'll be pleasantly surprised and will not leave with an empty stomach! read more

Emelina’s Peruvian Restaurant - Squid ink paella - Peruvian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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There were only two other tables full when we got there. The servers seemed like they were going in slow mo... it took them a while to greet us and seat the two of us. I've only gone to Peruvian restaurants in Southern California and every single place I went they had a bottle of aji verde on the table and they gave us bread and butter, so I was looking forward to that. But this place had NO AJI VERDE!! I don't know if that's normal up here but I was pretty disappointed especially since the food took a while to get out. I ordered tallarin verde con pollo and my friend Lomo saltado. The chicken was cooked perfect and the noodles were fine. It just didn't taste like I was expecting (could be because it wasn't drowned in aji verde like I usually do lol) but it tasted good. My friend liked her food. I tried the meat and it was cooked nicely but it was too salty for me. The chicha morada was delicious. Oh when we asked for aji verde they said they ran out and brought out maybe two tsps of it in a tiny sauce cup. It was not the color I expected... but I guess it was better than nothing. They didn't really come and check on us much either. I guess when they put a bottle of water on your table so you can fill your own cups, they don't really need a reason to come and check on you. The food wasn't bad but the experience was underwhelming. I wouldn't go back if I'm craving Peruvian. read more

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The service - waiter is on top of it even though by himself. The Paella is really good . Fried Chicken is ok a bit chewy not crispy . Love the ambiance . Quiet and feels more authentic food . Thank you for the good service read more

I went here for the first time today and I was really impressed!! It's a very nice place, with incredibly professional service and delicious food. I got the Pescado a lo Macho (a seafood stew similar to Chioppino, but a bit more rich) and it really knocked my socks off, I have to say. My companion got the lamb shank and let me try a bit and it was also done to perfection. The decor and the vibe of the servers and everything give you a sense of upscale-ness, but I found the prices to be reasonable considering the quality. 5/5 will go back soon. read more

We came here on a late Sunday afternoon for early dinner. There were a few other parties there, but there was no wait. Our server was very nice and friendly and great about giving us more info or recommendations! We ended up sharing the piqueos with the 2 fish and 1 shrimp ceviche, a lomo saltado, and some drinks. The piqueos was really good! The portions were surprisingly generous. Loved the balance of citrus and heat. The seafood itself tasted fresh. The Lomo Saltado was great. Loved that there was a good ratio with rice and fries. The sauce was amazing and the beef was cooked well. So glad a Peruvian place opened up nearby and will definitely be back again! read more

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Overall I enjoyed the food and experience, it just wasn't amazing for me. I would give it 3, as I don't think I would come back again soon. Food: Fish with quinoa risotto: quinoa risotto was nice and tasted like an Italian American fusion dish. I have never had anything like it so that was unique but it was a little bland. Fish was a little undercooked for my liking but was flaky just not super white flaky. I think the spice on the fish was supposed to add more flavor to the risotto but the cheese in the risotto kind of overwhelmed the spice. Lomo saltado: this is a standard Peruvian dish that we've enjoyed many times at other places. Here it was decently executed, however we found the beef a little chewy. Service: it was a little slow, as the drinks and food took a little longer than other places but we enjoyed sitting outside. Ambiance: all the restaurants with outdoor dining on Murphy have great vibes and this one is no exception. We loved sitting outside and enjoying our meal. The plates were also excellently styled and garnished and that added some extra flair to the experience. read more

Emelina’s Peruvian Restaurant - Fish and quinoa risotto - Peruvian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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This Peruvian restaurant opened fairly recently on Old Murphy street in downtown sunnyvale. It replaced the Italian restaurant, and the interior looks pretty similar. Plenty of seating on a Friday night. Vibe is a little bit casual but stiff, neither fun/vibrant or romantic I enjoyed the Initpalka Malbec red wine that the waitress recommended. I appreciated that the Empanadas come in a variety of flavors (beef, chicken, mushroom, or spinach and cheese). We got the chicken ones and it came with a set of 4. I also liked that the crust feels more baked and fluffy, and not a deep-fried crust. We also got the Black Paella (squid ink) which was okay. The chicken in it was a bit overcooked, and there was a few mussels and calamari. Because it's all stirred together it's kind of hard to find the seafood (vs. a Spanish paella where the seafood is more scattered on top as display). Food came out quickly since it was pretty empty when we got there at 5:30 PM, but then it took 20 plus minutes to get my check paid once there were a few more customers. read more

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I haven't had Peruvian food in a while and have never seen a vegetarian paella offered with tofu before. I was excited to try it with some extra protein but unfortunately the dish was quite bland except for the occasional breath of smokiness in the roasted vegetables :/ Logistics: - walking distance from Sunnyvale Caltrain station, also many paid public garages nearby but parking is tight at peak times - indoor seating only read more

Emelina’s Peruvian Restaurant - Paella vegetariana - Peruvian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

This place is nice. It's in Downtown Sunnyvale. Great location. We sat outside to enjoy the day. We started off with Emiliana's Ceviche. We got 2 to share and it was very tasty. We also got 2 Papa Rellena (Stuffed potato with ground beef) and it was delicious. For our entrees I got the Pescado a lo Macho which is a fish fillet with shrimp and Calamari in a red broth with Jasmine rice. We also got a Lomo Saltado and the Salmon con Tallarines Verde. All our entrees were delicious and the service was top notch. read more

My favorite spot, came in to celebrate my stepfather birthday and honestly the food was amazing, I have never tried Peruvian food before and it was such a great choice, I will be back to try other dishes, the service was amazing everyone was very attentive, friendly and welcoming,, fair prices and great portions , I have the sweet plantains for dessert :) like I said I'll be back to try their ceviche. Thank you for such a great experience. read more

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food and service here were great. the ambiance left a little to be desired. it was pretty quiet and i might dine outside next time for a more lively experience. the lomo saltado was delicious - piping hot and flavorful with tender beef and succulent potatoes. we also got some drinks that were very tasty. everyone who worked there was incredibly friendly and attentive. read more

Emelina’s Peruvian Restaurant - lomo saltado - Peruvian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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We were excited that a Peruvian restaurant pop up in Downtown Sunnyvale. We love Peruvian food. We also tried Emelina's #2 in Santa Clara, and we had a great experience. We popped in on a Friday night. We were seated immediately and decided to sit outside. Our server was friendly. Although the restaurant was notbusy, service was a little slow. However, the server was pleasant. We ordered a piqueos with the fish and shrimp. It was good and had nice heat. In comparison with Emelina's #2, the fish did not seem as fresh. The fish was a little chewy, but the flavor was great and serving was plentiful. The grilled octopus was also good! We also ordered the lomo saltado. We appreciated that the appropriate cut of meat was specified on the menu. The meat was tender and cooked as requested. However, there was not much flavor, and we felt it was too saucy. The sauce was almost like a gravy. Way different from the flavor and consistency of the one at #2. I also got the seafood paella which I enjoyed. I definitely got more seafood at their #2 location. Also, they topped the paella with cheese, which I do not remember having at the other place. Overall, service was good. The food and their flavors just did not do it for us. Maybe if we did not have the comparison of Emelina's #2, the rating may have been different. However, I specifically asked the server if they are sister companies and if the recipes are the same. He confirmed that the recipes are the same, but the food just did not taste the same or had the same caliber. We are open to trying their main restaurant in San Carlos. read more

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4 stars for food -- 4 stars for service -- 5 stars for ambiance Tried Emelina's on a Saturday night during Sunnyvale's Jazz & Beyond. Service lagged due to the limited number of servers, but they were friendly and welcoming. Food wasn't hot, but flavors delivered. Food highlights: * Bisteck a la Plancha -- marinated steak with pesto on top, served with salad and rice. Overcooked but flavorful and satisfying. * Pescado a la Plancha -- grilled fish over lots of pesto pasta; good but a bit heavy. *Pescado a lo Macho -- standout seafood stew, rich and full of flavor. Our favorite of the night. * Lucuma ice cream -- homemade and a must-try. Unique fruit from Peru that tastes like a mix of caramel, toffee, and coffee. Bottom line: The food--especially the seafood stew and lucuma ice cream--makes it worth returning. Hopefully, we will be able to give this place 5 stars when we do. read more

Absolutely delicious! Ceviche was top notch, cucumber pisco sour was perfect without being too sweet, empanadas were yummy and service was great. I think this is the best place on S. Murphy's read more

Emelina’s Peruvian Restaurant - Peruvian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

New spot Emelinas plus not just normal one apparently the plus means the chef has over 25 yrs of Peruvian cooking experience and I tell ya it shows the food is awesome went there for our first time and I must say very impressed.the service was excellent and the place is well cleaned up they took care of us very good . read more

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Everywhere I travel I always seek out a Peruvian restaurant. Emelina's is one of the most authentic restaurants I have ever been to. Their cocktails are perfection the Lomo Saltado is the best I've ever had and it has to do with the beef cut that they use. Do yourself a favor and please come to this restaurant.... you won't regret it. read more

Tremendous food, great service. Ambience is pretty basic. The food selections were authentic and tasty.

I don't enjoy leaving a 1-star review, and maybe it was an off night, but my experience at this place sucked. Won't be back. And I wanted to like it going in. Probably would've given this a 3/5, but with my food (see below) it's -1 and with the service (see below) it's also a -1. Food: Food was extremely mid overall for everyone at my table. My dish in particular was rough. I got pesto pasta with pan seared halibut (menu said it would be grilled, but fine, ok). I'm not expecting pasta to be freshly made but for $30 if the pasta isn't fresh everything else must be amazing, and it was far from it. Pasta was cooked well enough, but there was not nearly enough pesto. The main problem though was the fish. It was cooked to hell and back, you could see it was slightly charred on the bottom (which shouldn't happen if you're pan searing it). The exterior was like jerky and the inside was dry and required a knife to cut. (We're talking about halibut here btw, should be 140 degrees F internal and this was definitely cooked up to 200 F +.) Service: Seemed they only had 1 waiter, 1 bartender, and 1-2 people in the kitchen. Took forever to get our orders in. When the food finally arrived one person at our table didn't get theirs until 5 minutes after the rest of us got ours. It was impossible to get the waitress' attention to get more drinks or anything. When we were finally able to get her attention to ask for the check we had to wait over 15 minutes before reminding her again. All in all we spent about 2 hours here when it should have been 45 minutes. Ambiance: Kinda old inside. Not dirty. Not bad. Not the problem though. I know I ordered something that is closer to an Italian dish at a Peruvian restaurant, but if you're going to put it on the menu at least execute it better than I can make at home. (Plus they specifically label themselves as a seafood restaurant and they can't even cook halibut correctly?) read more