LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE! I can't say it enough. It is the closest CLT restaurant I have found…read moreauthentic to Peruvian food and close to my mother's cooking. Service is great, they are so attentive and accommodating. Restaurant is cozy and has a homey feel that just makes you want to come back again and again.

We were really hoping Bitute would finally be the authentic Peruvian spot we've been searching for…read morein North Carolina. Being from Miami, we've been spoiled with excellent Peruvian food everywhere, so we know what authentic and high-quality Peruvian cuisine should taste like. After living here for 8 years, we still haven't found a place that truly meets that standard. At first, things looked promising. The aroma when we walked in felt very authentic, they served cancha (which is rare around here), and they even had Chicha Morada -- all great signs that made us excited. Unfortunately, everything went downhill when we ordered the Lomo Saltado. In our opinion, the quality and cut of beef is what separates a good Peruvian restaurant from a bad one, and here the meat was very tough and chewy, clearly not good quality. The fries also seemed undercooked and not freshly prepared, which was disappointing. At $20 per plate, we expected a much better execution of such a classic Peruvian dish. Sadly, this experience did not meet the standards we're used to, and we won't be returning.

My family and I visited El Puro Cuban Restaurant in Charlotte, NC, on our way home to Boston. We…read morewere impressed by the beautiful place, delicious drinks, and exquisite food. We're glad we found a piece of Cuba in North Carolina. Our servers were immaculate. P.S. Rabo Encendido & Margarita Buena Vista are a MUST-TRY!!!!!!

LOVED EL PURO!!! We had a variety of dishes from ceviche to short rib, empanadas, and skirt steak…read more Our food was BEYOND flavorful and the portions were generous for sharing and still some to take home. The ambiance was giving Cuban nightclub! It was dim lit, live music, dancefloor was jumping, drinks flowing...it was all a vibe. Definitely the place for a date, or a family gathering with adults and/or hanging out with a group of friends. I would not recommend trying to bring children (if that's even allowed). The service was also nice! Food came out in a timely manner after ordering and we were tended to at convenient times for drink refills and ensuring everything was ok with the table.

Anna absolutely killed it on the recommendation on the Kao Soy. I went with the level 4, but could…read morehave done the level 5 - I enjoy spice, but if you're a mayonnaise girlie opt for the lower levels. Also got himachi jalepeno to start, some of the freshest fish I've had in a long time. Thick pieces of yellowtail and the ponzu was great. The music was one of my favorite parts of my meal: Conspiracy (Paramore), Glycerine (Bush), and I Miss You (Blink-182) just to name a few. Ask for Anna because she was the best person to take care of you! Amazing recommendations, cool chick all the way around, and top tier. This will be a new haunt of mine!

Everything. Our server was Anna and she was so sweet and so amazing and took such good care of us…read more We love their promo if you spent $40 right now you get a little extra item of your choice. We chose the seaweed salad and it was beautiful. We also got the lemongrass pork bowl and it was delicious. I like spice *#4 and it felt really good on the front end, I could taste all the flavors! Fantastic meal beautiful drinks nice atmosphere when we're back in town. We're coming back here.

Let me start off by saying that this place is so unassuming. Like how delightful can sandwiches…read morereally be? Extremely. My husband and I have been to this restaurant about five times now. We always order the same two sandwiches and we share a half each, so we get the best of both worlds. The steak is perfectly cooked to a delicious and tender medium, the chunks of meet are so tender and delicious and the sauce just sends it over the edge! I love the chicken sandwich as well the slaw really brightens up the chicken and the sauce also sets it off! We also got a house made juice it was green and the name is escaping me-- either way don't forget yours! The dragonfruit one is also delicious and very refreshing! This place will have you full off of there very generous portions. It looks like it's not a lot but you'll be walking away with a full belly wondering how a Peruvian sandwich could be so GOOD?!

I am visiting from California, and if I ever come to North Carolina, I am definitely making a stop…read moreat this restaurant again. The restaurant is clean, bright, and beautifully designed. I've had many yucca fries and these are the best. They're crispy and the sauce it comes with is perfection. I prefer the bowls over the sandwiches to minimize carbs. You can't go wrong with any of them. Key lime pie: I'm ordering this again. This Keylime pie beats any Keylime pie in the Key West. I like that the custard has some lime shavings for texture. I also appreciate that they use meringue instead of whipped cream. The dessert is perfectly tangy. Chocolate cake: it's a really good chocolate cake. It's such a simple dessert yet not everyone gets it right. I personally prefer the Keylime pie, but for the chocolate lovers, this might be the best chocolate cake. Santiago cake: a high protein cake with almond and eggs. I actually make this at home often but I wanted to compare mine with the restaurants. The texture was good, but it had a refrigerator taste to it which I didn't like.

Lola is a hidden gem! If you're looking for an authentic experience eating Peruvian food then you…read moreneed to stop by here. The flavors are rich and vibrant, and you can tell everything is made with care. The staff is warm and welcoming, making the whole experience feel even more special. If I lived closer I would definitely visit more frequently!

I recently visited with a group of six, and we had a really enjoyable experience overall. The food…read moreand cocktails were good across the board --I especially loved the passion fruit pisco sour cocktail, which was refreshing and well-balanced. One thing that pleasantly surprised us was how reasonable the prices were, even for dishes like steak. It made it easy for everyone in our group to try a variety of items without feeling like we were overspending. The restaurant itself has a charming Peruvian-inspired decor that adds to the atmosphere and gives it a unique, welcoming vibe. Although we were the only customers during the two and a half hours we were there on a Thursday night, it didn't negatively impact our experience at all. If anything, it made for a relaxed and unhurried evening. That said, it does make me wonder if the shopping plaza location might be limiting their visibility, because the restaurant definitely deserves more attention. The service was great--our waitress was very kind and attentive throughout the evening. As a nice touch, one of our friends received a complimentary birthday dessert complete with a candle, which made the night feel extra special. Overall, I'd recommend Lola to anyone looking for flavorful food and cocktails, and a cozy dining experience.

We recently celebrated my husband David's birthday at Mizu in Charlotte, and it was an incredible…read moreexperience from start to finish. One of the most thoughtful touches was arriving to find personalized menus printed with his name and a birthday message. It was such a small detail, but it made the evening feel truly special and set the tone for a memorable celebration. We chose the Curated Family Style Tour of Mizu for Two, and every course was beautifully prepared. The seared tuna was easily our favorite dish of the evening--absolutely outstanding and something we'll be talking about for a long time. The ambiance was perfect. Between the music, the energy of the restaurant, and the spectacular views, Mizu created an atmosphere that made the evening feel both elegant and welcoming. We absolutely plan to return. The only suggestion we would make is to consider adding a sweet Riesling bottle option to the wine selection, as it would be a wonderful complement to the dining experience. Thank you, Mizu, for helping make David's birthday so special. We can't wait to visit again!

I came to this restaurant with high hopes. A friend and her husband had a great experience on a…read moreprevious visit and thought it would be right up my alley. We came on a Saturday evening and arrived just in time to catch the sunset before starting our meal, which felt like the perfect start to the night. We ordered our first round of drinks, and the ladies at the table opted for the Osusume while the gentlemen ordered directly from the menu (there were four of us total). The drinks took a little while to arrive, but nothing that raised any red flags yet. Service started to feel off once the food began coming out. One of the guys received his appetizer, entrée, and side of rice almost immediately--basically all at once--while the other received his entrée well before his appetizer. As for the Osusume, it started strong with the first three dishes coming out fairly quickly. Unfortunately, that momentum stopped completely. We then waited 45 minutes to an hour before the next dish appeared. Our server did acknowledge the delays, which we appreciated, but that was about the extent of it. At one point he stopped checking in altogether, likely because he had no updates for us. What was frustrating was that we never even had the opportunity to order another round of drinks while we waited. After a couple of hours, one person in our group had to leave. Meanwhile, my friend and I were still waiting on at least three more courses from the Osusume (we were told it would be 6-9 courses). My friend's husband eventually went to the host stand to ask for a manager. When the manager arrived, we were given conflicting explanations as to why our food still hadn't come out. By this point it had been over three hours, and we still had three courses left to receive. Another friend left because the wait had become so unreasonable. Unfortunately, the manager didn't offer anything to help make up for the experience--no drinks while we waited, no gesture for the delay, nothing beyond explanations that didn't quite line up. Walking past the kitchen, things appeared chaotic and disorganized. It honestly seemed like our order may have gotten lost in the shuffle more than anything else. Tables that were seated well after us were able to order, eat, and leave. At one point a group of about ten celebrating a birthday came in after us, enjoyed their entire meal, cut a cake, and left while we were still waiting. Even small touches fell through the cracks. We never received the lemon or water enhancements that were being brought to other tables, and getting a simple water refill often took 30+ minutes. Going that long without any drink--water included--is tough for a restaurant of this caliber. Eventually, because it had gotten so late, we asked to have the remaining courses packaged to go. Unfortunately, that experience wasn't much better. The food was poorly packaged and didn't seem intended to be shared between two people, which made it difficult to properly enjoy what should have been the remaining courses of the Osusume experience. In the end, we were offered a series of explanations but not much in the way of service recovery. We were patient throughout the entire experience and didn't make a scene, but the lack of communication and basic hospitality made the evening feel like a missed opportunity. Unfortunately, I can't recommend this place. Lack of service is one thing, but when concerns are raised to a manager and they seem to be brushed off, it makes the experience even more disappointing. I could maybe forgive slow service if it were a one-off situation, but the lack of ownership or effort to make things right makes it hard to suggest this spot to others. Come at your own risk and be ready for disappointment.

Delicious!! Large portions and amazing, authentic food. Sweet staff and the couple who own this…read morerestaurant really pour their hearts and culture into this food. Also this was unexpected, but do not sleep on THE MAC AND CHEESE. This is the best Mac and cheese I've had in Charlotte. What do they do to it to make is so good? I have no idea but it's incredible. So much so, that I now get a catering sized platter of Mac and cheese from here for every time I host friends at my house. Sadly I don't have a picture phone has not eaten first

my search for peruvian cuisine has ended, and i have chick-o-rico to thank for that. from the warm…read moreambiance, to the welcoming spirits of victoria and carlos to the food itself, finding a quality peruvian restaurant on my first attempt is truly a blessing. the pollo a la brasa with tostones, maduros, string beans and natural mango juice were magnifico. in one shot, chick-o-rico has made a customer out of me. i'm lookin' forward to your carne asada, pechuga and other dishes you have to offer. oh, by the way, my forgetting to take a pic of the food is a testament of how much i enjoyed it.

Everything about Pio Pio is a 10 out of 10! The service was beyond lovely - friendly, super…read moreattentive, and service was fast. Restaurant was beautifully decorated and clean. Everything we ate was incredibly delicious and so authentic. We ordered a ton of food for our table (most not pictured here because we ate so fast!). Notable the tostones, calamari, the chicken, and yuca...all absolutely amazing. We also ordered pollos soltado to go for a family member who raved it was the best they had since moving to this area.

Pio's restaurant has gotten a facelift and it's even better than it was in the past! The score has…read moreincreased to 99, the seating has been updated and the food is still delicious--maybe even better! We went on a Saturday afternoon and enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and attentive service. Our meal was excellent as it has consistently been, especially since the changes have been made to the restaurant. I want to make sure that I mention the cleanliness of the women's bathroom. This is the second time in a row that I've used it and it is very well maintained. It's large, clean and odorless. It gives me an overall positive feeling about the restaurant, which adds to my comfort when we eat here. We love coming here. The prices are reasonable, the portion sizes are just right, and the servers are attentive and friendly. A great experience!!