I ordered my food 45 minutes ago and they still haven't made anything! This is very disappointing when I'm trying to support these small business... the attitude I got is cherry on top. I wouldn't recommend this place if you want to eat! read more

Love everything about this place. Great hospitality. Ask for the spicy green sauce to kick it up a notch. Also, upgrade to green rice, it's worth it. Don't forget to get your Inka Cola, and the steak is delicious and cooked to perfection. read more

The food here is excellent! They give you bread and this amazing spicy green sauce as soon as you sit down! They are well known for that green sauce and I can see why. The lomo saltado and the arroz con marisco (seafood paella) are amazing! Those are the two we usually get when we go here! I have definitely been here many times and plan to keep coming back! read more

Came here based on recommendations, but will stick to other Peruvian in the O.C. Ordered the tallarin Saltado and it was extremely salty, like the salt shaker cap fell off when somebody salted it. My order came incorrect, had requested rice instead of salad. They took my plate back and brought it back with spring mix, no apology for getting it wrong. Also asked for more bread, never got it, place wasn't super busy, restaurant was 40% filled. Got into the salad and half of the leaves were withered and going south. Would not recommend it, aside from the withering salad and super salty entree, overall ok, service was not so great, I'll stick to the other Peruvian choices in the area. read more

The food here is amazing with so much flavour and quantity! The staff at Inka Mama's is also so kind and very personable. I've recommended Inka's to all my friends and it's easily my favourite restaurant. read more

Perfect casual date restaurant. Tried a new meal that popped with flavor! Estofado- celantro and garlic based chicken, small vegetables and rice. It was recommended by Evangelo the Owners Son. A-mazing! And of course my husband had the all time favorite beef lomo. Great welcoming atmosphere. Just love this place! read more

Inka Mama's - Perfect casual date restaurant. Tried a new meal- popped with flavor! Estofado- celantro garlic based chicken- thanks- Evangelo Amazing - Peruvian Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

Came with a small group last night and the service is top notch, the food amazing, the prices just about as good as you can ask for the area and the quality. My husband stole my leftovers for himself today because I raved so much about it last night. I know he'll love it, although I'm regretting being so generous myself because now I want it for my lunch... read more

This place is great! We went there yesterday for lunch, and I really enjoyed the food here. They serve complimentary bread with their house spicy pea sauce? I'm not sure, but it's green and spicy, goes really well with the bread. I ordered their Peruvian seafood paella and it did not let me down! The rice was darker than the usual Spanish Paella's, but it was very flavorful. They're really generous with their seafood portions as well, there were plenty of fish and calamari, 2 mussels, and 2 shrimps. Overall, i would say that their food is great! This entree was $17. read more

Inka Mama's was a very enjoyable dinner, filled with some new tastes and great service. Hubby and I went on a Saturday night and by the time we were seated and eating our complimentary bread/butter and freshly mowed grass (not really), the place was packed, with people waiting and clamoring to get in! We got some drinks, plain ole iced tea for me and hubby tried the Maracuya, a passion fruit drink that looks like oj. Our wonderful and knowledgable server Ashley even brought a complimentary taste of the other specialty drink for us both, Appetizer: Chichar Pollo, chicken deep fried, with garlic, cilantro and lots of onion. Tasty, but I only like chicken breast so for me it was only 3 stars Soup: on-the-house Aguadito de Pollo, cilantro chicken with rice, veggies and potatoes, absolutely delicious and 4 + stars for me. For whatever reason, our main courses did not come out at same time, so this was management's apology. Main Courses: Lomo Saltado and Asado Evangelo, both main courses and specialtys, both red meat. Mixed bag rating wise and taste wise. Lomo Saltado didn't have enough meat, I didn't like the fries in it, soggy, and the Asado Evangelo was pricier, but more meat, a type of pot roast, served with rice and mashed potatoees and veggies. The 2 completely different types of meat were both very tasty and tender, rice was fine, not a standout, but the mashed potatoes were soupy and might have been highly buttered Potato Buds. Overall, 3-4 stars for both dishes. Tables/chairs are a bit cozy, I prefer a bit more space between me and my fellow diners, but it is what it is and they are trying to make sure everybody can taste their fine food. Shout-out and Thanks to fellow Yelpers Ingrid V., Kelley U., and Jonathan Z., it was your reviews that had me say yes to the Groupon for Inka Mama's. Groupon came thru, which is a real rarity. Hubby and I will be coming back to taste some more specialties from the distant lands of Peru. read more

I love Peruvian food. It's up there with Indian and Cajun as my favorite cuisine. Makes me want to don a Scottish accent and say "GET IN MY BELLY!!!" in true Fat Bastard style. Everything is so rich and flavorful. I'd heard a lot of good things about Inka Mama's, so I took my girl there today for lunch. It's in a strip mall by Staples. Very clean. Nice decor. We had the Empanadas, Lomo Saltado, Arroz con Pollo and a small bowl of Aquadito de Pollo soup. They gave us some bread and the green aji sauce. If you don't know what aji sauce is, let me explain; it's liquid crack. Dip your bread in it. Put it on your rice. Take it home and bathe in it. This is the best Peruvian place I've been to yet. The Arroz con Pollo was incredible. The chicken was so tender and that beer sauce... mmmm. I said this in a review of another Peruvian joint, but aguadito is the best chicken soup in the world. It's got rice, cilantro, lime juice and a bit of a kick. Oh... make sure you ask for some plantains, too; I'm not sure if they're on the menu, but they're so good. I'll definitely be back. read more

I'm in heaven with their Ceviche. Highly recommend this. Also service is fast and my waitress who happened to be the owner was wonderful, attentive and with always a smile. read more

Inka Mama's - Peruvian Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

Check you out Foothill Ranch! I didn't think you had it in you! You're like twins with Irvine, except you're starting to become that sister desperately trying to separate yourself from her by showing some skin with this spot Inka Mama's. Service: 4.5 STARS We ordered: Bread/Green Aji Sauce= 3.5 STARS Lomo Saltado 4 STARS Ceviche 4 STARS =============== Total $24 after tax before tip I hung out with a buddy of mine who lives in Foothill Ranch, and when he told me there's a Peruvian spot in Foothill Ranch worth checking out, I didn't even bother Yelping it since I had 0 faith in him. To my surprise, the food actually held up and I was pleasantly surprised. Comparing this to Casa Inka in F.V., I do like the location and service of Inka Mama's a lot more. While I favor Casa Inka in F.V. (their orange sauce, garlic bread, and their Tacu Tacu is enough to win me over), Inka Mama definitely holds its own ground. Even though I'm highlighting the fact that there's actually a good restaurant in Foothill such as this, the 4 stars above definitely isn't being graded on a curve. Give this a shot if you're anywhere in the 949 for that's for sure. read more

The food is amazing! This coming from a guy that doesn't eat at new places very often. This is absolutely amazing Peruvian food, it's a smaller family-owned restaurant. The wait staff is friendly and helpful, our waitress recommend the Lomo Saltado and it was really good and flavorful. Give it a try next time you don't want the same old food... read more

Yum to the nth factor! This place is super delicious. I had the traditional Lomo Saltado (gluten free) and it was pretty good. The meat was a little overcooked but the flavor of it all was very savory and delicious. The wine selection is much to be desired but overall, the staff was awesome and it's a great atmosphere. It's definitely a must on your list for Peruvian food. read more

Inka Mama's - Beef Lomo Saltado with fried eggs over rice. Very flavorful. - Peruvian Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

Okay if you've tried Peruvian, have you heard of Estofado? No? Well let me tell you...if you think the green sauce is really good, the spicy Estofado sauce is what the kids call "fire". Not the spicy kind but it is delicious! You have the option of a ribeye steak or a chicken. My wife and I shared the ribeye one because we weren't really hungry and after trying it, it left us wanting more. It's a little pricey but you definitely....DEFINITELY... won't be disappointed. Most of the typical Peruvian foods such as saltados were pretty good and even better with that spicy cilantro sauce they have on their tables. You're gonna want to take some home... read more

Inka Mama's is a small, sit down Peruvian restaurant in the Foothill Towne Shopping Center. The atmosphere is very warm and inviting, and the waiters were great. Attentive and quick with the witty remarks. My favorite Peruvian dish to order is Lomo Saltado, and while this wasn't the best I've had, it was still good. The beef, onions, and potato fries all had that great meaty juiciness and it tasted perfect with my spoonful of white rice. I've had the Tallarin Verde Con Pollo (noodles in creamy spinach with breaded chicken breast), but to see my boyfriend try it for the first time was a classic moment. The moment you taste something that you will crave again and again; the look on your face is priceless. The Tallarin Verde Con Pollo is on my list of ultimate comfort foods. The sweet francesca was just ok for me. I love fried banana, but the wrapping I hoped would be a little crispy. That's my own personal taste bud. But I loved the caramel and homemade ice cream that accompanied it. Overall, a good experience. read more

Another one of those "appearances/location can be deceiving" joints. Inka Mama's is located in a shopping center, in a Subway/Baskin Robbins type of slot. Step inside the restaurant, however, and it's a totally different atmosphere. Cozy, art on the walls, and definitely more of a restaurant than a "fastaurant." Had the Arroz con Mariscos (Peruvian Seafood Paella). Spectacular dish if you love seafood. The shrimp were large and perfectly cooked, as was the bass. Huge portions, intense seasonings, and a great texture on the rice. My only gripe was that the calamari was a bit under-cooked. The dish was so big, however, that I had to bring more than half of it home, and the calamari redeemed itself in the microwave later. The green aji sauce is nice and spicy - the best green sauce I've had of any Peruvian restaurant. Shared a Coconut Flan for dessert because I found a mobile coupon through their website (1/2 off dessert with the purchase of 2 entrees). Think of a basic flan infused with coconut flakes. I LOVE flan but I wasn't really a fan of this one - something about the texture of the coconut in the soft flan was kind of off-putting for me. read more

This place excels in authenticity, flavor, and the friendliness of the staff. If you're looking for ambiance or anything fancy shmancy date worthy, this probably won't rate as high for you. First off - the wait staff are so genuinely happy to be welcoming you into their restaurant. I very much believed they wanted to share their food with us. What a difference it makes when hospitality is genuine and not feigned. The food - I studied abroad in Peru and my first bite of ajiaco de carne made me so nostalgic, I was instantly transported back to our hostel's dining hall where the cooks made us hearty soups to warm us up at the start of every meal. The broth was rich and dotted with little bursts of cilantro. If I knew more about seasoning I could tell you why it tasted so good, but I don't - so it was yummy. The boyfriend had Cabrito Norteno to fulfill his monthly lamb quota and reported that the meat was falling off the bone. He loved his white beans that were served along side it as well, so I'm not going to tell him that they tasted so good because of some sort of ham hock and lard. This is THE BEST place to go if you've never had Peruvian but have been curious to try it. read more

I rarely eat Peruvian food but after eating here, I feel like I've just become a new fan of it. I came here to eat lunch with a couple of friends since they worked in the area. We decided to eat Inka Mama's because of the reviews that we saw on Yelp. When we got there we were immediately greeted by the friendly staff and seated promptly. We proceeded to order the lunch specials, which comes with a side of soup or salad at about $8-9 depending on what you get. The waitress was incredibly nice and brought us out an extra bowl of soup just so we could try it. I had the salad, which was okay, as it wasn't anything special. The soup however was great. It was a green soup with rice and vegetables in it and I wish I knew what it was called. I forgot the name of the dish I had, as I am terrible with Spanish, but it was a chicken potato dish that was delicious. Just the right amount of food to make sure that you're full and you don't get a food coma when you get back to work. The dish itself was really light and the taste was just incredible. All in all, friendly staff and great food. Great lunch specials so it's a nice place to drop by if you work in the area. I wish I could've been more useful by remembering the names of the dishes but sadly my Spanish just sucks :P read more

It's been a LONG time since my first review of this place so here are a few tid-bits of background info: - I was born and raised in Peru - I have been coming to this restaurant since 2006 - I signed up for Yelp JUST so I could write Inka Mamma's a review (in 2008) - I have eaten at just about every single Peruvian restaurant in OC / LA area - I live further away and work in a different company since my first review in 2008, but I still try to eat here once every 6-8 weeks. 6 years later, I still think that overall, this restaurant serves the best Peruvian food in the OC / LA area. If you go to Inka Mamma's, I suggest you stick to the "specialty" section in their menu. I have had ALL of those dishes and I can honestly say that they are from above average to exceptional. We even ordered catering from here for one of our work functions and everyone at work was impressed with the food. The pricing is a little bit higher than most places around here but it's worth the extra couple of $ you'll spend. In the 6 years I have been eating here, I have brought about 100 different people (friends & coworkers) and only 1 person thought the food was "just ok". Everyone else was enjoyed the food. If you come here with a group, do not be shy. Order a bunch of dishes and share family style. I've done this several times and the waiters will put the entrees in the middle of the table and bring you smaller dishes so you can share. It can get a little bit cramped in terms of room (the tables are not very big) but this way you can try several dishes. I highly recommend the following: Soup / Appetizers: Ceviche - I prefer de Pescado / fish only Empanadas - a little pricey but good Chupe de Camarones - very good soup, if you like Clam Chowder, try this. Soup base is not thick but it has a lot of flavor & seafood Aguadito de Pollo - very good soup, like Peruvian version of Chicken Noodle soup but with rice instead of noodles Entrees: Arroz con Mariscos - don't bother with the fried rice, this one is like a seafood fried rice but way better Cabrito Norteño - my favorite. Lamb does not taste gamey. I always ask for more "salsa criolla" (the onions) Lomo Saltado - very good entree. You can order this at every Peruvian restaurant and Inka Mamma's version is top 3 for OC/LA area that I have eaten. You can also order this with chicken or seafood instead of beef. I always prefer beef. Bistec Apanado con Tacu Tacu - not on the menu, but Señora Kishijara (one of the owners) has offered to make it for me and when they have the ingredients to make it. Tallarin Verde con Pollo Apanado - the chicken breast is really good and the pesto-like noodles are A+. These dishes are the ones I consider exceptional. There are a lot of other really good dishes offered here, but these are the ones that I order for my friends & coworkers who have never been here or have never tried Peruvian food. read more

"I laughed...I cried...I ate mass quantities of bread." Inka Mama's is the real deal. This meal will erupt with flavors in your mouth like Mount Ubinas coming alive, waking taste buds you never knew you even had. Wonderful food, obviously prepared with a combination of history, pride and love. My company moved to Foothill Ranch in 2005. Shortly afterward, I made the sojourn to Inka Mama's, and it's been a religious experience ever since. I've seen them grow from one location to four, and I can probably point to a few chairs at each restaurant and proudly say I helped fund them. For health reasons, I severely altered my diet and exercise routine shortly after my company moved to Foothill Ranch. I survived a very intense regimen only because Inka Mama's was my monthly treat. It was enough to make everything worthwhile. (Oh...combined with a much lighter, much healthier me!) BREAD & AJI SAUCE We must start there. You'll walk in and sit down, then you'll be confronted with a basket of carbs and the BEST darn thing to put on bread you've ever encountered. DO NOT SKIMP. Eat...eat, young Jedi. You are preparing your soul for an encounter with Peruvian Bliss...The Inca's answer to Nirvana. Let it happen. Save your "OMG, I can't eat BREAD" snobbish civility for another day. Dip and grub, dip and grub. Demand more bread. Dip and Grub some more. This is the best Aji sauce you'll ever have the honor of enjoying, so do enjoy. While you're at it, prepare yourself to squirt that sh** on EVERYTHING. (Except your clothes.) APPETIZERS Calamari Frito, Ceviche, the Mussels, their Empanadas......they're all out of this world. Me? I prefer the bread, so I've only had each of these once. Not because they aren't great, but because the bread is FREE. THAT'S RIGHT, I said it...don't shake that head at me. I have NO GUILT. I'm a believer in the "three F's"...Food, Flavor and FREE. MAIN DISHES OMG, oh......MY.........GOD. Where do I start? I could write a BOOK on this topic, but you'd miss your meal reading it. You came to Yelp looking for a good meal, and I have no right encroaching on that with an 18-page dissertation on this. So, I'll just give the highlights. - Asado Estilo Evangelous -- OMG, yes. I met the dude who "the mamas" named this dish after. A relative. So yummy. (The dish, not the dude.) - Lomo Saltado -- Flavortown, baby. One of the most popular dishes in Peru and man, do they do it RIGHT. - Bistec Apanado -- uh-huh. Yup. - Inka Special -- Yellow goodness. - Saltado de Pollo -- Like the Lomo, but cluckin' incredible. DESSERT Who the heck has room for dessert?? Not this guy. DO NOT show up at 11:30 am or noon unless you want to wait a spell. If you're in a hurry, turn around and go to some fastfoodheatlampfoodwrappedinpaperkidsplayingonhabitrailsserverswearinguniformsorderthespecialgetatoykindapeasantplace. They'll bring you your food quick at a place like that, no? Well, they'll bring you sumpin', but it ain't food. Yeah...no thanks. DO take a look at their seafood dishes. I don't, even though I'm a seafood lover...mainly because I've been to flavortown at IM, and it didn't involve the sea for me. DO...absolutely DO...talk it up with your server. Twice EACH, a buddy and I told our servers "Surprise me", and man, did they. We've had some of the best meals at Inka Mama's brought to us completely on the sly...had no clue what we were getting until it arrived. Livin' on the edge & feelin' SPICY. Most of all, ENJOY. It doesn't get any better than this up and around Foothill Ranch. I don't care what ANYONE says, this place ROCKS. Consider this a special occasion and savor the moment. Once again, I share with you the line from above: Wonderful food, obviously prepared with a combination of history, pride and love. :-) read more

i bought the $15 for $30 groupon for this place and im so glad i did.. tried their jalea for $24 and tallarin saltado de mariscos for $14 (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/inka-mamas-foothill-ranch-2?select=PZ8dWa32vWWHnvakahjGag#pl-WhFzAgllum_YXwVKsxA) : - jalea - all the fried stuffs are here, starting from fried calamari, shrimps, cod fillet, yucca, and potatoes. it can be eaten as appetizers as well and can easily be shared betweenr 4-5 people. the portion is big which isnt surprising for what it cost. i wish they'd give more than 2-3 pieces of fried yucca though.. the food is good but i dont know if its worth the price. $24 is quite steep for this fried stuffs and i may not get this again unless i come in a big group of people. - tallarin saltado de mariscos - this one is basically a sauteed noodle pasta with cod fillet, shrimp, squid, cabbage, and some peppers. not bad, taste like chinese chow mein except that they use pasta noodle instead of egg noodle. complimentary bread is being served after we ordered our food (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/inka-mamas-foothill-ranch-2?select=PZ8dWa32vWWHnvakahjGag#PZ8dWa32vWWHnvakahjGag). the bread was stale, hard and doesnt taste fresh.. well its free so cant really say much service is pretty good and attentive. pricing wise are more on the expensive side and i'd be back more often if only they'd make it cheaper.. like less than $10/dish or something.. or maybe ill just wait til another groupon. read more

Inka Mama's - complimentary bread - cold and stale.. - Peruvian Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

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I came here because it was close to my hotel and previously I had gone to other Ink Mama locations and I had always been satisfied. I decided to get the Loma Saltado and on the menu it says you can request ribeye meat for an additional three dollars. I upgraded it hoping that it would be phenomenal. Needless to say it was the toughest meat I've had in a very very long time. The Lina Saltado had no flavor whatsoever and I was extremely disappointed. I should've sent it back but frankly I didn't want to deal with the hassle. On a brighter note the server was extremely courteous and I received fantastic service. However, the food is way below par and I was extremely disappointed. The decor is sub par as well. I guess I'm used to the other locations and their good quality. Sorry Inka but it was really almost inedible. read more

O.M.G. What is in that green sauce that I put on my empanadas? Oh man... Anywho, for my brother's baby shower, he ordered 2 trays of empanadas of various meats, but the beef one was clearly the best! Top it off with the green sauce (no, seriously, what is in that sauce, crack?!) and I was in heaven. My picky eater of a 9-year of niece even ate 3 herself (she must have the appetite of her auntie). My brother has used their catering for quite a few events, from graduations to parties at his place....they're detailed and label all catering items and am professional and prompt with me with the 3 times I've had to go pick up all the food and placed in my car from the staff so my car won't be spilled of that oh so delicious green sauce. Oh, did I mention their green sauce is divine? read more

I had the pleasure of discovering Inka Mama's during a business trip I recently took to Lake Forest. In a way I feel guilty for having gone, since my sister and father had just recently discovered Peruvian food and wanted to take me. However, a man must eat, so I did what I had to. Which brings us to our point.......... I went pretty late in the evening, so there was no difficulty parking, nor was the restaurant too busy. I was promptly greeted and seated by a pleasant gentleman who kindly introduced himself as Evangelo. After making our introduction, I notified Evangelo that it was my first time eating Peruvian food, and that I would like to try one of the staple dishes. He threw out a few recommendations, and I chose the Lomo Saltado, plus egg, and sub ribeye (+3$, but that's how I roll). During the acquaintance process, a plate with bread and a bottle of green sauce was brought to the table. My friends and family know that I like food with my sauce, and this turned out to be the case here. It is liquid crack. If I didn't know better (it would burn like hell), I would have snorted this stuff. But I know better, so I doused the bread and probably used like 1/2 the bottle. Yum Yum Yum. Seriously, pour it in your eyes! After a short and reasonable wait, my Lomo Saltado came out. To the eyes, simple but beautiful. To the mouth, a wonderful pleasure. The fries were good, the meat was great, the gravy/sauce was delicious and unique. I am not an onion fan, so I tried some with trepidation. I found them to be cooked down to perfection, so I ate all the rest as well. I enjoyed this dish very much and would highly recommend it. Honestly, between the bread, sauce, and Lomo Saltado, I had become full. I haven't mentioned it yet, but at some point, a dessert had caught my eye. Her name: Sweet Francesca. Due to my residence in Arizona, I knew that my romance with Inka Mama would be fleeting. Therefore, it was my duty to take Sweet Francesca for a spin. With great resolve (lol not really), I let Evangelo know what I had to do. He understood and obliged. Once again, the wait was reasonable, and my patience was again rewarded. Sweet Francesca was everything I dreamed her to be. Crepey, Carmely, Ice Creamy goodness tickled and delighted my taste buds. As I write this now, I am sad that it is over. So I finished and paid and that was it.......or was it???? Oh heck no. Perhaps from yelp or some other way, I became aware of the Chupe De Camarones (Shrimp Soup). During my dinner, I knew I had to have this as well, but there was just no way. So I decided to let fate decide if I would return. Fast forward to a few days later and I was feeling a little under the weather. I told myself that it was a sign. A big neon sign that flashed "CHUPE DE CAMARONES!" I summoned the energy and made my way back down to Inka's. Once again, late, so not that busy. Ordered the soup, and it came out after a little while. Really the only bad part of my Inka's experience occurred at this point. The soup was HOT. Not spicy - almost boiling!!!!. If I recall correctly, it took so long to cool that I ended up eating 2 plates of bread with delicious green meth sauce. So at the point of cooling enough to eat, I was pretty full. I didn't get much Chupe down the gullet, but what Chupe I did eat was delicious. Couldn't finish, so into the hotel fridge it went. The good news is, the Chupe accompanied me on my trip back to AZ and got gobbled hungrily at a gas station in Quartzsite! So that is the Inka Mama's story. Unfortunately, I will likely never go back, but the only reason for this is that I will likely not be doing any more training in Lake Forest. But that doesn't mean you can't go! And if you have read this far and do go, please be kind and tell Evangelo that Big B from AZ sent you!!!! read more

It's not until I stepped inside Inka Mama's, that I've had my taste of authentic Peruvian food. And I'm glad this is my first place to taste Peruvian flavors at this family-owned establishment. It's a little restaurant with a rich yet warm inviting decor. I guess you can say it's to remind the locals of home. Anyway, Inka Mama's has managed to make me crave their food. The flavors are rich and aromatic. Portions are big yet prices are very reasonable. Plus, there's the free bread you can eat. Oh, and of course...the green stuff. I ordered the Inka Mama Special and it's very good. It tastes like curry but with a touch of spices that makes it unique. The scampi noodles are good too. The lamb shanks I tried were a bit tough to bite into, but nonetheless still rich and flavorful. Then there's dessert, of which I tried the Peruvian cookie with caramel and ice cream. Quite an interesting taste, but still very enjoyable. Inka Mama's is a great place to try out if you're feeling something different. The staff is friendly and you can't help but feel at ease when you know that it is family-owned and operated. You can really taste the care and attention they put into making the food. Just remember to show up early as this place gets packed around lunch time and equally so at dinner. read more

This is not your typical fast business lunch place. Expect to take a 1.5 hour lunch when going here. It is ALWAYS packed at lunch, if you get there at 12:30 - expect to wait. The service is great, bread and the green sauce (don't know what it's called) is dropped off right away. It's basically a family joint. The two sisters run the place and their boys are waiters, an uncle is the busser. I don't know of a dish that I don't like. The cabrito norteno is awesome, the meat just falls right off the bone. I love the Inca Special, it's spicy and has chicken, peas, french fries all in a spicy yellow sauce, served with white rice. The Arroz con Mariscos is high on my list, but it's around $14, so I don't get it too often. The Mon-Thurs lunch specials are a heck of a bargain. It comes with soup or salad. I don't care is it's 100 degrees outside, I always get the soup. The cilantro chicken soup is great. I could order just a large bowl of it alone. read more

I have been coming here for about 4 years and every dish here is incredible! I have never had a bad meal. Everyone in Inka Mamas is just soo nice. read more

Inka Mama's - Pollo apanado con arroz de chaufa - Peruvian Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

Had the fish ceviche ($12.25 at dinner). Nice big pieces of fish and red onion swimming in salty, lemony goodness. Note that they dont give you any chips or tostada.... I know this is a Mexican thing, but they dont provide any crispy plantain chips either... That's the one thing I felt was lacking. I like a bit of a crunch. Note: The place is small and fills up fast on a weekend night., so come early or just be prepared to wait a little bit. Also, one thing I found a little odd - our bill came and ended in 51 cents.... the server said they didnt have any change (coins). Seriously?! What kind of business doesnt have change?? All in all, the ceviche was delicious and I would totally order it again. read more

Ordered the combination chaufa (aka fried rice) and lomo saltado for take-out dinner... I LOVE Peruvian food and this place did not disappoint. The aji (green) sauce was a little thicker than I'm used to but it was still amazingly good, especially when drizzled all over the lomo saltado. My mouth is watering as I write this! Thanks to a $10 for $20 dollar value Groupon, it was a steal. But I woudn't mind paying full price for Peruvian food any day. read more

My friend introduced me to this place and I'm glad he did. I don't eat Peruvian food very often, but from what I tasted I loved it. You get a basket of bread before ordering and it comes with this green sauce. I really wish I knew what it was, but it had a kick to it and it was delicious. The owner and the staff was very polite, and if we needed something refilled it was done in seconds. Well not really, but they were fast! I enjoyed the beef empanadas and the bistec apanado. Somehow I managed to finish it all. As for desert, I would definitely recommend the Alfajor Helado which is the ice cream on top of a Peruvian cookie filled with caramel. read more

I love this place. You can stop reading my review if this is all you need to know from a random stranger on the internet. I've been coming to Inka Mama's for a long time. I've come here for lunches and dinners and it's always good. I've come here for business meetings and took my wife on a date here when I was courting her. Sometimes I get recognized by the family members who run the shop (which is always nice, but tells me I come too often). Food - Good Peruvian food. Ceviche is good, empanada's are fun, and the lomo saltado is great. The one item that I generally order that is unique to me with Peruvian food is the estafado. Most of the time, I see it as a stew, but here, they use a cilantro sauce (gravy consistency), beef, potato and rice. I enjoy the estafado immensely and was recommended by one of the managers. Service - Pretty dang good. I've always gotten prompt service, a smile, and a basket of bread. Atmosphere - it's bright inside, but a bit crowded during rush time. On a nice day, it's fantastic to sit outside and see the mountain (hills) of the Limestone Canyon Regional Park (Whiting Ranch); I pretend I'm at the foothill of the Andes. I love, of all things, to come here on a summer's evening (preferably June and July) and to sit outside. You can't see the sunset, but the sky dims with multiple colors of the coming evening. With a glass of sangria and the excellent Peruvian food, it is beautiful moment that keeps me coming back. I love this place. read more

After my 10:30 meeting today, my coworkers rushed me out the door and shoved me into the car. I felt like I was getting kidnapped. I was like, what's going on... and their response was, "We need to beat the crowd." We arrived at Inka Mama's and no one was there... and the first thing that came to my mind was, "Crowd my @$$." Within 5 minutes, the place was packed, and there was a line out the door. Inka Mama's is my new favorite place in Irvine for Peruvian food. I ordered the lomo saltado, which is rice, beef strips, onions, french fries, and tomatoes. The dish was seasoned to perfection and the beef was extremely tender. My coworkers ordered shrimp fried rice and a chicken and rice dish called arroz con pollo. Both looked and smelled delicious! Service was impeccable, and all the food amazing and served in texas sized portions. Their aji (green cilantro sauce) was the best I've ever had. Be sure to check this place out. read more

Oh dear... So, the dinner here was not as exciting as I had hoped. I sought out this place based purely on Yelp reviews, and was expecting tastiness. I was disappointed. I went with 3 other people, all excited to eat Peruvian deliciousness. I ordered the Sangria, which tasted like grape juice. The two gents order Peruvian beers at the suggestion of the waitress...nobody liked them. Oh well, maybe the food is good, I thought to myself. Everything on the menu sounded delicious (and looked delicious in the pictures). So, enlisting the help of their online menu, I will relive each entree that was ordered at our table: I ordered the "ajiaco de pollo" which was chicken and veggies in a "spicy" garlic chili sauce served with rice. They rank everything on the menu by spiciness with 0, 1, or 2 chili peppers. This one had 2...it was super bland, not a spice I could taste. I was very disappointed. It tasted like fatty gravy sloshed all over some chicken. My boyfriend ordered "tallarin a lo victor" which was beef served with pasta in a "spicy" garlic and tomato sauce. According to him it "tasted exactly like spaghetti, and not in a good way." After his first bite, he spewed that green "spicy" sauce they gave us with the bread all over his pasta and mixed it in with the sauce. Again, spicy is in quotes because, though they use the word spicy a lot, everything was bland and...NOT spicy... My friend ordered "tallarin verde con pollo apanado" which was basil/spinach pesto spaghetti with fried chicken on top. She said it was good, but not amazing. Her husband ordered "combinado de carne" which was beef sauteed in onions and tomatoes with beans and rice. He gobbled it all down without complaint, but he is in the marines and just returned from SERE school the day before, so I'm pretty sure anything would have tasted amazing. The highlight of the meal was our dessert. We split the "Sweets Francesca", a fried banana crepe with caramel sauce and ice cream (helado de lucuma). This dessert was HEAVEN. YUM! The ice cream tasted like Thai iced tea (and was the same color...). The other good thing about this place was that the portions were enormous, but that means that I still have to eat the other half of my yucky gravy rice... read more

Wanted something usual for my take-home dinner. Called them up and in 15 minutes was on my home with some of the tastiest dishes ever! I really enjoyed their Causas (potato cakes with chicken salad) and their Cabrito Norteno (stewed lamb with rice, white beans, and sarza criolla). Can't wait to visit them and dine in their restaurant! read more

I usually visit during lunch, but last night I sat down for dinner. The portions are huge. I usually skip the appetizers here, because the bread and the spicy sauce they serve when you sit down is RIDICULOUSLY good!! Be warned though --- the sauce is hot. I love how casual this place is. The service is quick, attentive, and always sincere. It's very much a family run place, and you can tell they have a genuine interest in making authentic, rich, delicious Peruvian food that their guests will walk away 100% satisfied. On the more crowded nights or afternoons, you may have to wait a few minutes for a table, because the inside is pretty small. Try it, you won't be disappointed. read more

Wife and I come her regularly. The food is delicious. Now for a review on the green sauce. Delicious! We buy a bottle when we are there each time. They also give a discount if you return the old squeeze bottles. I have three waiting to be returned so I can stock up for us. read more

My husband and I dine here frequently because we LOVE the food! Thanks you guys......see you all soon!

I'm not being biased because I was Born in Peru when I say the food is amazing here. It actually really is good, trust me I've eaten at a lot of Peruvian Restaurants in Southern Ca. Plus the service is great here especially when Avanglo is working, he really makes you feel welcomed almost like you're a guest at his house. Tips- Papa a la huancaina read more

Haven't been back in Years and I don't miss it I used to go there once a month I think I have even got some of our staff to stay away Too expensive and they are rude read more