This tiny Peruvian cafe is tucked in a nondescript strip mall, which means plenty of parking. However, the place seats only roughly a dozen people, so perhaps parking really should not be an issue. I came here for lunch on a Saturday, and there were a couple tables empty; from what I saw during my visit, this is more popular as a takeout place than a sit-down restaurant. I ordered ceviche de pescado, and it was great. The flavors were bright and acidic, and the fish was, very importantly, very fresh. The fish was well-marinaded in the lime juice and topped with thin slivers of onion and a sprinkling of herbs. It is served with a side container of a thin spicy sauce, and a little goes a long way because the heat sneaks up slowly. It also comes with a side of corn that I was not a huge fan of. When I ordered, I was skeptical that a fish dish would adequately fill me up, but I was completely wrong; the portion was very generous, and I was full until dinnertime. I finished the meal with a cup of cappuccino. It was not a skillfully constructed cup: just some espresso with some foam dumped on top, but it tasted good enough. The service here is very friendly, but those who are fond of eating in the comfort of their own homes would not miss much in terms of ambiance and dining experience. read more

Living in Round Rock, Tx I would gladly drive a few hours to Houston just to have their food again. We had the ceviche (mouth watering) the Lomo Saltado and the empanadas. This hole on the wall makes me smile. Great service, feels like your with family. read more

Peru Cafe Express - Lomo saltado - Peruvian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Great little place. Loved the Lomo Saltado, it was tasty and fresh. But I wish it was more special, it seemed particularly tame and yes they put fries with everything! Still it was good and so was the chicha, Maybe I will come back and try something else! read more

I am so glad I found this place in the West U area. Such friendly service! I ordered the special of the day, which was grilled chicken, rice, and plantains. Flavor was awesome. It tasted like grandma's cooking. I also ordered a tasty cup of chicken soup. It's a very affordable price and they have a rewards program for frequent customers. They stay open later on Thurs, Fri and Sat. Highly recommended! read more

We came here for my birthday after noticing it from the freeway a few times and seeing that it has such great Yelp reviews. Well here's another one. When we arrived with a party of seven full size humans, we were somewhat dismayed to discover that there was no room for seven people to sit together. It's quite a small spot and there were already a few patrons within. We decided to just get it to go but the owner insisted that we stay and politely asked some of the customers to move around so as to accommodate our party. They were happy to do so and we were even happier at the prospect of enjoying the food we had seen come out while all this transpired. As it turned out, we were far from disappointed as we went from appetizer (empanadas) to main courses (we had various pork, beef and chicken entrees) to dessert (flan, dulce de leche crepes and some kind of cookie). Seriously, it was all so good and we left full and content. I will definitely be returning and can't say enough about this place, the friendly and accommodating owner and their scrumptious Peruvian fare. read more

I've been wanting to eat here since I noticed it opened and my only regret is that I didn't eat here sooner. The restaurant is very small and only has 6 small tables my only hope is that whenever I come back in the future there's a table available because this place is a hidden gem. On my first visit I are chicken and rice (my college go-to survival meal). The rice I had was very good and since I really love cilantro I enjoyed that it tastes so much like it. The portion was just perfect for the cost. The chicken was delicious too and cooked just right. I highly recommend this place and I know I will be coming here more often. read more

We dropped in on a lark, thinking about an old Peruvian friend. Clean and friendly place, our nice waitress Mariana guided us through the menu and her favorites. The mixed seafood dish (Pescada a Lo Macho) was a delicious blend of flavors in good portions at a good price with prompt service. Added some fab fried plantains for $2.50 and told Mariana thanks for her service and that we'll be back. My kind of place in the heart of the city. Check it out. read more

Nice intro to top 40 Peruvian cuisine items. Most taste good. I think the Papa a la Huancaina could use more queso fresco and aji amarillo. read more

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Only locals know about this special place where you can find authentic Peruvian food. The ceviche was fantastic as was the chicken entree. Very crowded at lunch time so get here early. Excellent service. read more

I love this restaurant. The food is very good and tasty. The girls were very friendly and fast service. I recommend it. Will go back soon to taste other plates. read more

I had such high hopes for this place considering the reviews but it wasn't as good as anticipated. I got the beef empanadas which were good. The chicken empanadas I loved the fact it was stuffed with shredded chicken but it needed major seasoning. The green sauce served with it was bitter and very unpleasant. The yuca fries were unfortunately overcooked. The plantains weren't ripe which effected the level of sweetness. My partner said the tamales were ok but needed more meat, and I concur. This place could be awesome but needs to fine tune some of their recipes. read more

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I'm from peru and the food was terrible I ordered a "causa" and this was hot , never in my life I ate a cause hot , this is a restaurant that try to be Peruvian restaurant with lack of knowledge of the Peruvians dishes. read more

Superb....first time ever to a Peruvian restaurant...not only was the meal spectacular, it was one of the best meals I have had in recent memory anywhere. I had a beef empanada and a cheese empanada as well. Both were delicious, light and fluffy with tasty fillings. My main course was a chicken and potato stew that was fall off the bone delicious...perfectly seasoned with beans and rice...place is very humble and the service was quick and friendly...wish I had this place near my house....ABSOLUTE WINNER !! read more

The best casual eatery for true Peruvian home cuisine in the heart of Greenway. Period read more

Peru Cafe Express - Lomo Salteado. The signature dish of this unasuming, cozy Peruvian hotspot - Peruvian Near Me - Houston, Texas

I'm a big fan of this place. Food is flavorful and the staff is very nice. I love the home-cooked feel of their food. I'm Peruvian and always come here when I get homesick for Peruvian cooking read more

Peru Cafe Express - Peruvian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Was at the popcorn bar and saw this place next door. Wanted to try their food since my husband loves ceviche. Bought these to go. mixed seafood ceviche - decent and prepared the way we liked - dressed in limes and onions bistec a lo pobre - bland and nothing special, i was expecting better marinade beef empanada - why is the filling sweet? causa chicken - was so disappointed with the other dishes, we didn't eat this and it went into the fridge read more

I really enjoy this place. It is very close to Rice Village serves up amazing homemade food. There isn't much space inside to sit and is mostly busy so doing takeout is recommended. The food is flavorful and the portions are large. I highly recommend this place for quick, delicious meals. read more

Great service and food. The purple corn drink taste refreshing! I'd recommend the mix ceviche. read more

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The Empanadas and Flan are Sabrosisimas!! Friendly and quick service. Note that this place is really small so no good for big parties. They do delivery within 5 miles :) read more

I am very disappointed in the customer service at this restaurant from the manager (yes, you read that correctly, the manager). My mother and I have ordered from here all the time for the past 5 years. We're Peruvian and always on the look-out for good Peruvian restaurants in Houston, however this one misses the mark on customer service. Yesterday I ordered a Bisteck a lo Pobre, took a big bite of the beans and spit them out almost immediately, they tasted sour and spoiled. I've had them so many times before and they tasted expired. I let my mom taste them too just to be sure it wasn't my taste buds and it wasn't, she also immediately spit them out. We called them right after and asked if we could get a refund for the meal, the employee on the phone said to bring the food uneaten tomorrow along with the receipt and they'd refund it (they said tomorrow because it was close to closing time). Okay, so flash forward to today, we did just as he said, we brought the uneaten meal with the receipt, but there was a different employee working- she was unsure of what to do so she called the manager on her cell phone. My mother talked on the phone with the manager and he flat out refused to refund the meal. Instead he kept blaming it on Postmates. And yes we did order through Postmates, however, we were the ones to pick up our food- NOT a Postmates employee, so essentially he was blaming us. So just so you know, if Peru Café Express messes up your order or serves you spoiled food it's the customers fault, there will be no refund, and that is coming straight from the manager of the entire establishment. That is not how you treat customers, let alone loyal customers! We'll be taking our business to other Peruvian restaurants such as Peru Gourmet off of S Post Oak (the manager is always wonderful there!), Latin Bites, and other various locations. read more

My husband loved his lomo saltado, I loved my chicha drink with the freah fruit chunks but not my seafood platter. It's just seafood with a bunch of batter. I guess that's my fault for choosing that. They need to expand the seating because we hate counter seating when eating as a couple and it was uncomfortable. Friendly staff. read more

Peru Cafe Express - Lomo saltado - Peruvian Near Me - Houston, Texas

I just love this place good food, great atmosphere and very kind owners I recommend this place to all my friends and co-workers :) read more

Peru Cafe Express - This place is so nice and the costumer service is excellent. I just love it - Peruvian Near Me - Houston, Texas

I'm going to give this restaurant a generous three stars. I've wanted to stop and try the Peru Cafe Express for quite sometime, but could never find the time. Today I was determined to try something new and so I did. The cafe is small, simple and clean. The staff was quite friendly and anxious to serve. I prefer restaurants that play music that go along with he theme of the restaurant and that's exactly what they did. So far things were looking great! Unfortunately, the part where the restaurant failed, is the most important part of all; the eating part! We ordered a chicken empanada, a mashed potato type dish with what appeared to be chicken salad layered inside of it, and the grilled chicken. The grilled chicken was accompanied with Peruvian corn and fried yucca. The keyword here is "bland". Had I not smothered the food with hot sauce or bathed the yucca and chicken in chimichurri sauce, there would have been no flavor at all. I love supporting small local businesses, but I don't see how a restaurant can keep its doors open with food this tasteless. The owners of Peru Cafe Express should walk down to 100% Taquito and take some lessons on what it is to have "sabor". Happy eating. read more

My daughter discovered this place before her semester in Peru. We tried the top yelp recommends of empanadas, plantains, lomo salted and aji de gallina. It all tasted very good and fresh. Our favorite was the beef empanada. I look forward to another visit. read more

It's a very simple place with a required table service. Then they charge a hefty fee for using a credit card, which is outrageous. So if I prefer to pay cash but don't have it on me I am forced to pay their fee? I have never ever seen anyone charge that in the US. It's a shame because the food wasn't bad but I won't be back because of that attitude: required table service in a canteen type place plus an extortion of money for using CC. read more

Love this place so much that I looked up recipes myself so I could make it at home. We always get the ceviche and beef hearts are delicious! read more

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Their food was great! The service was excellent. This place only has 5 tables and 2 bar stools for seating. There was a lot of people picking up catering and to go orders. The empanadas were delicious and the shrimp plate was awesome. My husband had the steak and loved it. We will be back :) read more

We got there at noon and it was empty. When we left at 1:30 it was packed. There are only a few small tables so don't bring groups. My friend comes here on a regular basis and knows the owner so she gave me some great recommendations. The beef empanada was delicious, crust was very flaky and fresh. I tried the lomo saltado which was good. I couldn't eat it all but did make sure I ate all the meat. They also do take out so when it gets busy that would probably be a better option. read more

Went there for the first time. I had the aji de gallina and was not disappointed. It's hard to describe it but it's a creamy dish with shredded chicken served with white rice. My girlfriend had the grilled fish which was also very good. It seemed to have a thin batter but the taste was good. Definitely want to try the ceviche, bisteak a lo pobre, and the lomo saltado next! read more

This was excellent. My wife and I stopped in for something different. It was fresh and generous portions. We will definitely be back. Wine and beer. Yum read more

It was my first time trying Peruvian food. And it was amazing. The dishes tasted like home cooked meal, they really warmed the stomach and the foodie in me. I had Pesto Fettuccine with Flat Steak, and my friend ordered Aji de Gallina which I got a taste of and both were delicious! The waitress did not ask me how I wanted my steak, but it came out medium which is just the way I like it. The seasoning was perfectly too! Salt, pepper, and some other spices that really kicked up that grilled flavor. The dish costs about 12.99 without tax, and it was absolutely filling so I think it was worth the price. My friend's Aji de Gallina was great, the yellow slightly-spicy-fresh-cheese-and -shredded-chicken sauce on top of white rice was the kick of the entire dish. Overall, will definitely come again, and next I'll probably try their Peruvian imported beer. If you love homestyle dishes with reasonable price then this will be a perfect fit for your appetite! read more

Peru Cafe Express - Pesto Fettuccine with Flat Steal medium done. With powdered cheese for that extra kick. 12.99 without tax! Looks as good as it tastes! - Peruvian Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place is so good!!! Lomo saltado and fresh mixed civiche!!! Everything I've tried here is amazing ... Literally you gotta try it read more

Peru Cafe Express - Peruvian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Thank you guys for still being open during the pandemic . The food still reserves it's fresh and delicious taste . Customer service is as wonderful as always . The ceviche and bistec a lo pobre was delicious! read more

I visited today for the first time, and we will definitely be back. Customer service: The man that attended us, Carlos, was extremely friendly and made us feel at home. He even shook our hands on our way out! Our food was out quickly, and he invited us to participate in the frequent customer program ($5 off after spending $100). I was glad to hear that they do catering and take-out. Crepes with Dulce de Leche: The crepe itself is thick and spongy and very flavorful. The dulce de leche is made in-house (as well as the crepe mix), and it is creamy and milky and soo delicious. Definitely not anything like store-bought caramel or cajeta. Do yourself a favor and try it yourself. Peruvian Chicha Morada: Definitely enjoyable; it is sweet, but not too sweet, and it has a warm flavor to it. Impressions: The few items I tried really piqued my interest of this place. I liked the few things I tried, but even if I hadn't liked the food, I would go back just because of the excellent service. Talking to Carlos was like talking to an old friend, and I'm super awkward around people. Although the place only seats about 10 people in bar stools, I'm excited to go back and try some entrees. Also, they only opened about 4 months ago (Sept. 2013?), so I want to support this small, independent, authentic gem. read more

Holy Varo the ceviche is sooooooo good here. And very consistent. I've had it a half dozen times and my wife has had it a few dozen times and it's always great. Lomo saltado is great too and so is the chicken saltado. Don't forget to get an empanada. read more

Peru Cafe Express - Peruvian Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place is small so no big groups! It's cute and located on the highway. The staff was super friendly and the food was delicious. I ordered the Lomo saltado, papa a la huancaina and a morada. Everything was fresh to order and the flavors fulfilled the cravings I've been having for Peruvian food! My boyfriend has never had Peruvian good before and now he's a fan. I will definitely come back to this place. The only reason I gave it a 4 instead of a 5 because one of the potatoes papa a la huancaina was not cooked all the way through. read more

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Great job yelp reviewers. This place was yummy!!! We went earlier for lunch around 1130 and luckily we only waited a few minutes. There's very limited seating. Service was great. The empanadas are flaky and delicious. Ask for the HOT sauce, it add a wonderful spiciness to the empanadas. Fried seafood were also good.. big portion and it was crispy. The lomo saltado is just like the Vietnamese bo luc lac. Since it's so similar to the other dish I have had, I was a bit disappointed but it was good, a bit salty, fries were nice to soak up the sauce. My sister got the Aji de Gallina and it wasn't exactly what we were expecting. It's more like a stew, covered in the yellow sauce, and I thought was not very flavorful. read more

Peru Cafe Express - Beef empanadas with the hot salsa - Peruvian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Let me start by saying the food is really good! We had the jalea, followed by ceviche, and for our main course we had the lomo saltado. All was great except the ceviche which did not appear to be as fresh as others we have tried before. What was subpar was the service. It took our waiter about 15 minutes to take our order and bring us our silverware. During our time there, I guess there must have been a shift change or something because we had a total of three waiters who stopped by our table for a total of about three times, one of which was because we had to ask for more water/ wine. Sad because the place wasn't even that packed. All in all we would come again because the food really was awesome even though they could work more on their service. read more

Tiny spot (literally 4 tables I think??) but very good, quick Peruvian home cooking. I went with my Peruvian friend who is close to the owner and he was very attentive and excited to learn that I [was a white girl who speaks Spanish] knew quite a bit about Peru. Ya sabes. read more

The lomo saltado I had was quite delicious. I believe it was moderately priced compared to other Peruvian spots around town. Paired with a Red Kola it was a very pleasant late lunch/early dinner experience. I'm looking forward to trying their other dishes. read more

Peru Cafe Express - The Lomo Saltado with a Kola Inglesa - Peruvian Near Me - Houston, Texas