As someone who LOVES Peruvian food, I've been wanting to try this place, even with the mixed reviews. Unfortunately, my experience ended up being a bit disappointing. The atmosphere and location are great - it's a beautiful space and feels lively. The cocktails were delicious and authentic. And the butter cake... WOW. I would absolutely come back for that alone. That said, the main courses didn't quite do it for me. The octopus was overcooked, the sweet potato had a strange aftertaste, and the ceviche didn't feel very Peruvian in flavor or delivery. Overall, I really wanted to love it. There are definitely highlights, but the mains need some refinement to match the rest. read more

One word to describe the food here: sad. My husband and I went for Dine Downtown and tried one of each item on the pre-fixe menu. Land and sea chowder: tasted good but the portion was tiny. We ate the whole serving in no joke, 2-3 spoonfuls. Smoky bluefin tostada: again, tasted good but portion was so small. 3 very large tortilla chip-looking chips with a very tiny slice of tuna on each chip. On a very large plate. The whole thing looked so sad. Sea bass à la huancaina: soooo sad looking. 2 tiny pieces of sea bass, both overcooked, one under seasoned and one so over seasoned and salty that it was hard to eat. Had one singular olive on top that tasted and looked random on the plate. One singular piece of wilty looking lettuce that made the whole thing feel depressing. The only thing good tasting on it were the 2 small pieces of potato and the sauce. Lomo Saltado plate: my husband got this one, but the pieces of steak I tried were over cooked and salty. There was a tiny pile of sad rice on the plate. He said he didn't really like the dish either. Desserts: at first the waiter told us we could only have 1 dessert to share for every 2 people (lol)! That was different from other pre fixe menus where each person gets one dessert! We were wondering, were the desserts larger sized so it makes sense for it to be shared? Nope, it was a regular sized dessert. The waiter was nice enough to sneak a second one to us, and honestly the desserts were probably the best tasting things of the whole meal. Butter cake was flavored well and had a very nice texture, and rice pudding was good too. Hats off to our waiter who snuck us that extra dessert, made the whole meal a little less sad lol. Side note, we spoke to some friends who went to this place earlier in January for Dine Downtown and they said they each got a dessert as a regular part of the meal. Not sure if they were running out of supply at the end or what, but c'mon, should be better prepared than that as a restaurant with your supplies so you're not jipping paying customers out of food we paid for. Seriously would not come here again. The food we got was not worth over $100. The whole experience felt stingy and sad, and food wasn't good. Sad representation of Peruvian food. read more

My friends and I decided to try this for dine downtown. The land & sea chowder was underwhelming, lacking flavor and it wasn't hot when it came out. The NY strip plate was also underwhelming. I was expecting it to look like the photo shown on the menu/yelp, but it didn't look like that at all. The steak looked like there was too much liquid, looked steam, and no sear to it whatsoever. The rice had no flavor and fries were undercooked and had no flavor. However, the tuna tostada was delicious! The combination of the flavors went very well together, you got savory, smokey, and acidic. The four course menu is a bit misleading, as we had a party of 4 but when it came to dessert time, they told us it was 1 dessert between 2 people. So we only got 2 desserts for our table. We tried one of each, the butter cake was delicious - the arroz w/leche was eh. My drink was delicious tho (guava affair). We also got the Peruvian Octopus - nothing special about it. read more

the dine downtown menu doesn't start until 5:00pm--- which is a bummer because i called the previously day and they said no exact time. we just got 4 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 2 drinks so total for all with tip included was $180. we all agreed the empanadas was our favorites. they also got a great collection of tequilas. read more

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Got seated easily on a Friday Night. Our server was really nice and helpful. Interior is spacious with two room. I personally really liked the cup texture. My first time eating peruvian food. We ate: All three ceviches - favorite was the mango ceviche. Ceviche negro was spicy but grew on me. Octopus- really soft and delicious. Would have again Lomo saltado- the meat was overcooked and tough. I don't recommend Mermaid - scallops were good. There's fish slices that were really slimy -texture warning! Butter cake- absolutely worth and we ended up ordering two. read more

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Came hungry, left emotionally committed to the butter cake with ice cream because it was officially better than my entire adulthood. The cake was warm, gooey, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth. Each bite had the perfect balance of sweetness allowing the buttery flavor to truly shine. Tiradito, ceviche, and plated causa looked fancy enough to be on Instagram, but I ate it anyway. Staff are so ridiculously friendly I almost moved in. The colorful and lively ambiance made me feel like I accidentally stumbled into a mini festival. Totally worth it. read more

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Octopus Peru is exceptional! We received a friendly welcome the moment we arrived, walking to our table taking in the traditional Peruvian vibe. Music filled the room; murals on the wall were a feast to the eyes. So much intricate detail went into designing this restaurant and I just love it so much. The attentive staff were amazing. Cocktails arrived quickly along with each course of our meal. As others have stated, the Aji Dip & Plantains are a must for a starter. I also added on the beef empanadas which has a delectable flavor. Our waitress recommended Guava Affair, a sweet and exotic hand-crafted cocktail which was surprisingly strong. Very pretty and Instagram worthy too. I perused the menus beforehand and knew I must try the Scallop Tiradito Maracaya. These were tender and delicious seared scallops in a spicy citrus leche de tigre aji base. We finished our meal with the decadent butter cake and vanilla ice cream. The cake was warm and so buttery, almost reminded me of the butter cake from Mastros. I'd come back just for dessert! I really enjoyed my meal and the company was great! Looking forward to my next visit, hopefully soon. read more

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Dine in Sacramento! The drinks were good, the corn chowder was tasty. The ahi tuna tostada was simple but tasty! The seabass and steak were good. The meat was a little tough but had a good flavor. The dessert was butter cake and oh my delicious!!! The service was attentive and good. The restaurant was clean, nice and had nice decor. Nice way to try a new restaurant. read more

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Octopus Peru - A One-Time Dive with a Sweet Finale.... We tried Octopus Peru for a Dine Downtown dinner, and it was quite a rollercoaster of an evening. We were seated promptly, but we ended up waiting about 20 minutes for anyone to check on us and around 40 minutes for our orders to be taken. The whole atmosphere felt rushed and disorganized, and we actually had to repeat our order three different times to two different people, which made it clear there was little communication or execution going on. One particularly uncomfortable moment was when the manager--whom I initially thought was just a food runner--abruptly took my plate without any greeting or question, right in the middle of our conversation. She seemed more focused on rushing and cleaning than on hospitality, and it left me feeling quite out of place. Food-wise, the chowder was good, but the tostada was messy and felt like an afterthought. The fried yucca was greasy, the ceviche just okay, and the lomo saltado overcooked. On the bright side, Fernando the bartender was a hero. He sincerely apologized, made fantastic lychee sours, and even got me a cup of coffee when they said they didn't have any. The butter cake at the end was a sweet highlight. In the end, thanks to Fernando and that dessert, there were some redeeming moments, but overall, it's probably a one-time visit for me. read more

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This hidden gem punches way above it's weight class. Beautifully decorated, the place exudes happy vibes and the staff do their best in making you feel welcome. The kitchen is open to view and is spotless. I was particularly impressed with their excellent price points. Even with drinks (Pisco Sour is delicious, don't miss it) I felt the final bill was half of what I would have expected to pay. read more

Octopus Peru - Seafood Near Me - Sacramento, California

A weeknight review: Excellent, strong drinks! Bartender was very attentive. Delicious food, the Peruvian Octopus was perfectly presented, which I paired with the Yuca Frita! Simply satisfying. So many options, it was tough to narrow down! The restaurant's decor and art displays added to the vibes of what you would expect at this caliber of an establishment. Great ambiance music too! I'll have to check this place out on the weekends! read more

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I went here for dine downtown as the first of 3 places for the week. Everything was underwhelming, and I was a bit disappointed with the food. I met a group here since we all wanted to try the place here for dine downtown. The appetizer was good, and one of the better items from the night. We also ordered the ceviche from the happy hour menu, which was okay. The fish taste was a bit strong for us. The empanadas were great and probably my favorite dish of the night. We also got a soup, which wasn't listed on the DD menu, but a welcome addition. The entree was okay as well. I got the plate with the meat cooked medium, but the rest of the table got well done. My entree also came out 10 minutes after everyone got theirs. But the rice was really dry and had a lot of the crusty dry pieces. This really turned me off. No one likes dry crunchy rice in their meal. They did run out of dessert so we ended up getting a corn pudding. Customer service was good, but it was slow service from the kitchen since we waited a while to get our food. When we got to the restaurant, there were only 2 other tables filled. After we finished eating, about half the tables were filled. Overall, I don't think I will be back. read more

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A great find in downtown! I have wanted to try this small restaurant and bar for a long time. Very cute and tucked into the building on 9th, west side of Chávez park. Easy street parking in the evening. Service was outstanding, fast and professional, and a welcome contrast to parts of mid-town. Beverages were great. A wide range of cocktails with a focus on sours. The tequila and mescal choices were great, and the tap beers were varied (and fresh). Loved the empanadas, and the smoky tuna tostada. These flew off the table. I liked the ahi dip and plantains, very traditional. The plantains were even color and cooking, a touch sweeter than starchy. We had the Mermaid Crown, which I think is really the most singular dish as it has the rockfish and the scallops and was perfectly prepared. Great plating, balanced portions, and classic flavors. We have the rockfish tradito as a plate, and the ceviche. Both were fresh tasting and good portions. I really like what they have done with the location and the food. The Plaza is really coming together. read more

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Vibe/ambiance - this place has a very classy, intimate vibe. Lights are dim (at night) and there are lots of dark blues and velvets. Party of 4 seems to be the largest tables, although I'm sure could be moved together. Great date spot or business meal (as it was quiet enough to have a real conversation). Food - rating 4/5 for this because a lot of the dishes had the exact same ingredients, just with a few things added/subtracted. Kind of like at a Mexican restaurant you can get chicken in a taco, enchilada or quesadilla but it's all basically the same basic food groups but with melted vs non melted cheese. The ceviches are nice and fresh. The aguachile had raw shrimp (cooked in lime only, not also cooked with heat)! I don't prefer this style, and wish I had known. The majority of dishes have a squash cut into cubes and cooked well. The waiter suggested all octopus is boiled first and then seared etc. Will try one of those dishes next time. Drinks were nice, had a margarita with some habanero, had a kick. Waiter was a nice young man, though he was not a fresh fish connoisseur or foodie so we went with our own preferences over his (he admitted he was new to eating seafood). He was nice and pleasant though. Restaurant was empty midweek, so definitely go! You'll have hands on service and all the food you want. There aren't that many high quality places downtown, so I hope this one sticks around! read more

Octopus Peru - Menu - Seafood Near Me - Sacramento, California

Server was exceptionally kind. Answered all our questions. Was so friendly without being too much. Ambiance is very chill with a strong vibe. Best Peruvian food in the area. The braised octopus and ceviche were exceptional. The cocktails were sublimely tasty and perfectly made. Can't wait to get back soon. read more

Octopus Peru - Seafood Near Me - Sacramento, California

This restaurant is easy to miss but it's across the street from La Cosecha (same owner). It is in the old Starbucks coffee. Small venue but great set up and bar. Worried this is all oysters and seafood ...don't they have other options. I had the steak sandwich and man was it flavorful. I'm definitely coming back but it's going to be hard trying something else because that sandwich was delicious. read more

Octopus Peru - Salmon - Seafood Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Belated review but I had an amazing lunch here this month! The fish is so fresh, the sauces are flavorful and the perfect amount of tang and spice, the service was fast and friendly, and it was clean and nicely decorated inside. My favorites were the tuna tostada, aji amarillo, and rockfish tiradito. I highly recommend a pisco sour as well. I'll be back! read more

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Great food, yummy drink. Fun spot for a night out. Love the murals and decor. Service was great! I would come back and try a few more dishes. read more

Octopus Peru - Guava Affair. Super bomb. Love the mural, dope spot. Great service. Would definitely come back! - Seafood Near Me - Sacramento, California

Absolutely loved the vibe of this place. Cool, relaxing, and very on theme decor. And it was across the street from my hotel and only a few blocks from the convention center. I came here twice. Once with conference folks for cocktails and later for dinner. We all loved the pisco sours. My favorite was the guava. For dinner I got the signature cocktail and the tuna tostada for my appetizer. There were three big chips and it had a kick! For dinner, I couldn't decide between the Rockfish tiradito or sea bass a la huancaina. I asked about spice level since the tostados were spicy. But both were to be too spicy so I opted for the rainbow mountain dish and have no regrets! It was sweet and came with plantain chips. Very yummy! For dessert I got the tres leches. Presentation was beautiful but not sweet enough for me. Bathroom was interesting because it is in a big building (as is the restaurant) and you need a code. Would definitely return here!! read more

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Up in Sacramento for work and was craving octopus. So naturally searched in Yelp and found Octopus Peru. Caught my eye immediately so I figured get out for a ten minute walk from Holiday Inn Downtown. Worth the walk. Nice little restaurant with a view of park across the street. Cool murals inside and nice restaurant and bar seating. Ordered octopus obviously and corn and shrimp chowder. Both were incredible and octopus nice portion. Enjoyed a nice IPA on draft. Wish I had room for dessert but was full. Dessert menu looked great and I had read about the butter cake. I will be back and will save room for that dessert. read more

Octopus Peru - Octopus yum! - Seafood Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Came in for dine in dt, and I was pretty excited. Having been to peru, I am familar with some of the dishes. Sadly the waiter who was also bartending didn't even know what was part of the menu. They ran out of chicken, and fish for ceviche. One of the cocktail we ordered was the wrong order. Wait time was slow too. Food was meh. The lomo saltado was disappointing. The steak was tough. Decor was nice. I liked the murals, but aside from that I probably won't be returning anytime soon. read more

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I would officially like to add this restaurant to the "Picky Parents List". This is an excellent restaurant and a place where you can take those picky family members! There is so much variety on the menu for a wonderful price. The ambience of the restaurant is lovely, and the art vibrant and beautiful. The owner came and spoke to us about the places and you can always tell the passion owners carry when they're doing something they love. The food was incredible and we will definitely be back for more. read more

Octopus Peru - Seafood Near Me - Sacramento, California

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I loved the whole experience at Octopus Peru! It was our first time in. We came in on a Saturday evening and had a reservation, but surprisingly it wasn't busy. We were immediately greeted by an amazing staff member (I forgot her name). Let me just say, the ambiance is romantic and vibrant. I absolutely loved the colors and the art in this restaurant. They have mostly seafood on their menu, but do offer meals with chicken and beef as well. Their food selection ranges from tostadas, salads, soups, sandwiches, plates, and dessert. We ordered the Aji dip & plantain chips, ceviche tostada, and pollo a la brasa. Oof! Best ceviche I ever had. Each bite bursted with flavor and you could really taste each ingredient in every bite. The pollo a la brasa, I won't forget the look on my dates face when he took a bite! The chicken so tender and the aji.. mm mm! This meal came with two big pieces of chicken, rice, and fries. The aji dip with plantain chips was delicious as well and the garlic was not overwhelming- it's a must try and must order again whenever I come back. My date also ordered two piscos though I don't remember the exact ones, but both were yummy! The customer service was great! Our server was kind and sociable. She checked in on us frequently and when I asked to use the restroom she walked me over (it's not inside the restaurant) and even offered to wait for me so I wouldn't get lost walking back. read more

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A Swing and a Miss - 2/5 I walked in expecting a culinary love letter to Peruvian cuisine, a five-course symphony of bold flavors and finesse. What I got? A series of half-hearted attempts that barely made it past the appetizer round. The shrimp corn chowder had promise--a rich, velvety texture with a sweetness that drowned the shrimp. Not bad, but not memorable. The beet salad? Acceptable. Fresh, yes, but ultimately just beets and cheese on a plate. The tuna dish? Now, that was something. A rare moment of redemption--fresh, delicate tuna playing nicely with avocado and purple yam. If only the meal had ended there. The main course was the true disappointment. Lomo Saltado should be a fire-kissed masterpiece, a marriage of soy, vinegar, and high-heat sear. Instead, I got a lifeless strip of beef bathed in soy sauce, no char, no soul. Just a sad, salty mess. And the cheesecake? If I wanted something off the supermarket shelf, I would've saved myself the trouble and gone to Safeway. Service? Let's just say the water had a better chance of evaporating than being refilled. Fifteen minutes before even being acknowledged. A restaurant that fancies itself high-end should know better. Would I come back? Not a chance. Some places seduce you, others remind you why skepticism is key. This was the latter. read more

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Our group of six dined at Octopus Peru during the Dine Downtown event. I was unaware and not notified of the event with the Prix Fixe menu when I called for a reservation. Ambiance and service was ok (very slow and inattentive). I made my way to the restroom and asked for directions; an employee stated she was "only there for the night and didn't know where the restroom was". The meat eating members of my party stated that the meat was extremely overdone and leathery. We were sadly unimpressed for a $500 meal. read more

Beverly was amazing at the bar and serving the dishes. I did the Dine about Sacramento menu and it was filling and delicious. The blue fin tostada was excellent. Next, they served corn chowder which I normally do not care for but this was very tasty. The Lomo Saltado plate was hearty. The rice and bell peppers had great seasoning. The streak could have used some seasoning or some authentic Peruvian flavor but it was not bad. The baked oysters were small but delicious!The drinks!! Wow! Amazing! The spicy margarita with Mezcal was AMAZING read more

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We came to visit Octopus Peru for 2 reasons,#1 the owner of this restaurant has some of sacramento's best eating establishments and #2 it was part of the "dine downtown " event going on with some of sacramento's fine dining establishments. It was also a new restaurant and we hadn't been there and it was our 3rd anniversary. We were promptly seated and greeted, the food was phenomenal, the drinks were to die for and the desert was amazing! Eddie ( the manager) was very courteous and attentive and we had a great experience and we'll definitely visit again! read more

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I had the steak sandwich with guacamole and it was delicious. Service was excellent and the ambiance was cool. read more

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Had the rockfish and it was fantastic. I was totally surprised. They also have IPA on draft, not just Mexican or South American beer. Highly recommend this place. Not cheap but really delicious food and the service was excellent as well. read more

The chicken sandwich that I ordered for lunch was so bland and I can tell it was straight from a can. The service was decent. Nothing memorable. I will not be returning. read more

Octopus Peru - Not sure how they managed to screw up a chicken sandwich but they did. It's canned chicken with no flavor at all. Sad. - Seafood Near Me - Sacramento, California

Apparently not an authentic Peruvian restaurant. More of a fusion Latin restaurant. Maybe the name thru me off. They do have other restaurants under the same octopus umbrella. I'm not from here so don't know Great service. Oscar the bartender can make amazing drinks from the menu or outside..especially mezcal based drinks Interior very nice..this place has potential. Should have some traditional/basic Peruvian dishes like the Classico ceviche. Maybe can charge more and have non imitation crab dishes. Thanks read more

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We had an amazing meal here! The drinks (maracuya and prickly pear pisco sours) were refreshing and strong. The food was fresh (especially the fish!), beautiful and delicious. The presentation of our dishes was stunning and really elevated the experience. Definitely go out and support this place! Octopus Peru, keep doing what you're doing and don't change a thing! read more

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The restaurant is pretty inside and welcoming. Although, the food was very disappointing. Portions were very small and lacked a lot of flavor. The Chicha Morada was very good though since it wasn't too sweet nor bitter. read more

Looooove this new spot across from La Cosecha. It has a fun vibe with murals telling the story of their theme. The food was beautifully presented and delish! Fresh and light offerings with a delicious cocktail menu. Service was amazing, and Joe made the whole dining experience a 12 out of 10. So excited to come back! read more

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I work in the park tower and have visited octopus Peru a few times. Went to bar and met managers Eddie and Diego and server Cynthia great service very friendly, check it out food is amazing and very authentic! read more

Octopus Peru - Seafood Near Me - Sacramento, California

ceviche mixto was fresh and citrusy but needed a little more salt. service was friendly but a bit slow, place was packed. nice little peruvian spot, would go back for the pulpo. read more

This was my first time at Octopus Peru, and the thing that most enticed me was the ambiance! The colors are beautiful, the decore was amazing, and the bar stools were super comfy-looking. The food, though, I was not impressed with. Coming from Octopus Baja, I was expecting more. 3 stars to the plating, but the overall taste was lacking severely for me. Perhaps this is due to me not really eating Peruvian food, but I lend it more to the overall flavoring of this place in particular. Additionally they advertised as having ceviche, but only had an option of a ceviche tostada -- super disappointing, and the same goes for the ceviche options at Octopus Baja. Still, the service was beyond amazing and attentive. I loved the ambiance, but i'm not sure that warrants me circling back... read more

This place is solid! Some missteps, but they are so new that you have to give them some leeway. And I really want them to survive! Sacramento SOO needed a Peruvian restaurant. It is an incredible cuisine, and we had zero Peruvian-focused spots in Sac proper prior to this as far as I'm aware. I've been to Peru and also had Peruvian cuisine in big cities in the US, so somewhat experienced with the cuisine. What they serve here seems to have authentic roots while adding an innovative flair. Obviously the menu is very seafood-focused (which I love) and the dishes are, for the most part, fresh and decent portion sizes. We enjoyed the aguachile and mermaid crown tiradito. The sauces were complex, with bright flavors to complement the raw seafood. For the complaints: The raspberry dressing on the salad is WAY too sweet, and has an off taste to it (I'm skeptical whether it was made in house). I would love to see them use a housemade dressing made of fresh fruit and no added sweeteners (fruit is sweet enough on its own; there is absolutely no need to add more sugar to a salad dish). The crab tostada dish uses imitation crab... which is utterly ridiculous for a high-end seafood restaurant on the west coast!! They're gonna need to fix that real quick because that is a travesty lol. Get us some fresh dungy crab when it's in season! Overall the menu could use a tad more variety, and that's coming from someone who LOVES LOVES LOVES raw fish. Perhaps a few more vegetable dishes to round out your meal. Like their sister restaurant Octopus Baja, they don't seem to have a proper wine bottle list yet (only a few overpriced glasses). Hoping they will remedy that soon. FYI corkage is a reasonable $20. Service, ambiance, and decor are all great. We were there at a pretty quiet time, so not sure how it gets on weekend nights though. Finally, I hope they add a happy hour once they're in the groove of things. Perfect location and cuisine/drinks for an after work spot. So, it's overall good and I recommend it, especially once they've been open a bit longer and make the minor improvements mentioned. read more

ceviche mixto was so fresh and bright, the leche de tigre had just the right amount of citrus and heat. our server was super friendly, gave us great recs on the pisco sours. read more

Really creative food - the smoky tuna tostada was yummy! Maria is an outstanding host, and the ambiance is visually fascinating. Awesome place for a date night. read more