I LOVE Peruvian food and am always looking to try new spots in SD. The reviews I've read praised the authenticity of this restaurant, so my expectations were high going into this meal. I really enjoyed my food and will definitely be back. The Peruvian Spot is located in a small strip mall, 3 shops down from the bustling Homestyle Hawaiian. As a result, parking was rather difficult but I got lucky and snagged a spot. The shop is spacious and clean, with plenty of seating. This is a very family friendly restaurant, with a small children's play area featuring a Peruvian Restaurant mainstay, a large llama figurine. There is a shelf near the front that sells Peruvian snacks and sauces, as well as a cooler with drinks and desserts. The owner and his wife were working and both were super super friendly! I ordered the aji de gallina and also tried a bite of my friend's tallarin a la huancaina. The portions are large and both dishes were scrumptious. I had enough leftovers for a second filling meal the next day. My aji de gallina came with both rice and thick potato slices, we love a double carb moment. Both starches were perfectly cooked and not mushy. The golden stew itself is savory, packed with tender, shredded chicken, and creamy but not too cheesy. It tastes nostalgic, familiar, and homey despite this dish being something I have only had once before. It is super soothing with a slight tingle of spice that swells with each spoonful. I did like mine with a bit more black pepper, but it was very good regardless. The sprinkling of walnuts on top added a good crunch to contrast the very soft dish. The tallarin was perfectly al dente and the sauce was also super rich. It paired fantastically with the steak and sauce that it came with. After we finished eating, we sprung for ice cream. It is read more

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Download app to get points. We got so much food and you can't add points afterwards. Receipt says add app to get points but we did that and it didn't give us the points unfortunately. So ask for app before ordering and maybe that's how you can get points. Anyways just wanted to add that. Now for my review: When I say I crave this chicken sandwich... I know many places have chicken sandwiches, sure, but THIS place has THE chicken sandwich!!!! I highly recommend asking if you can add sweet potato to your chicken sandwich. They did mine for 50¢. The sandwich is delicious as is but adding that sweet potato.... Ridiculously delicious!!!!! I did a little dance in my chair after each bite. Seriously. Happily went to do my taxes knowing this place was near and I could finally get this sandwich again. Trust. It's not JUST a sandwich, the bread is fresh! Airy and crunchy and great on its own. The chicken in the US just is not good, but these ladies cooked it and shredded it and added Peruvian Mayo (which is better) and yummy tiny crispy potatoes (fries) and it's just oh so good. My husband's cousin makes these sandwiches in Peru and his was best I'd tasted but his bread isnt made in house, and his restaurant is alllllll the way in Peru. Peruvian Spot is right here!!!! Yay! Sad they aren't open on Mondays but every one needs a time off, so understandably. Bummer all the Peruvian restaurants choose Mondays to take off. Anyways seriously I'll come here JUST for the chicken sandwich. Kids got Salchipapas and enjoyed them. Hubby got lomo saltado on tallarines verdes. Not a lot of lomo salado but I tried it and the pasta was yummy on its own. The steak was prepared nicely. Hubby adding a few fries from kids Salchipapas and that made the dish take off. Meaning it was even better. Usually when one gets lomo salado with pasta then fries are omitted so that's normal but trust, ask for a side order of fries and add them. Takes it up a level. Their ice cream is great but they were out. Well makes sense cause it's really delectable. Try it when they have more. Passion fruit drink was yummy. I get the heathy drink, I think it's the barley one. Soooo goooood. I wish I got more for the price, but it's like coffee cup amount. I still get it each time cause it's very tasty. Price point is painful. That's kinda how it is everywhere unfortunately. I noticed menu prices were different on the bill once I got home. Not sure the reasoning. Like a dollar each item. Prices are high everywhere, so if you are gonna pay, get quality items. For me the chicken sandwich is so worth it. Can't do it often, I live far away so that helps with the temptation lol. But yay finished taxes, that's a hurdle so let's celebrate with my craving. Oh and the restaurant is so clean! White n red for Peru! Fun Peruvian decor. Don't leave without popping into the bathroom, I don't take my phone inside bathrooms unless I'm alone, so sorry no photos. But they were intentionally fun in choosing their bathroom decor. Gotta be the BEST Peruvian bathroom easy! They definitely had fun designing their restaurant. And service... they take care of their restaurant and customers. Love the alfajores earrings! So fun!!!!!! Speaking of alfajores, my son got one. I tasted it, yummy. We lived in Acarí so there they make them huge and more flaky. I've yet to find those anywhere. But here they are made the more traditional way. The way I made them. They actually tasted like mine. And I'm picky lol and I approve. I especially like I didn't have to make them lol because it takes time and you gotta work fast when making a lot. I made over 100 for an event for free so I'm burned out. Nice to know where I can get them. Heads up, they are over $3 for one or $9 for 12. Didn't realize that price difference so go for the 12. These ladies seem to enjoy their restaurant and several repeat customers came in. Oh and they have a play area. My kids are older but this place is kid friendly! So bring the whole fam. Well until next Dr visit down this way, I guess I'll have to deal with my craving with patience. Oh as them to half your sandwich. They are huge. I forgot to ask and ate the whole thing lol. Well hubby had a few bites. But I was sooooo full. My own fault. lol. I usually have them half it so I have half then and the other for dinner. So full today I skipped dinner, seriously. So yes it's expensive but think of it as two meals. read more

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I've come here several times and I have always liked it. It is kind of a fast food place because you order with the cashier, pay and when the food is ready, they call you to pick it up. You sit at any available table, the place is nice, modern and comfortable, specially during hot days because their air conditioning is very good. We have ordered: - Lomito Sandwich.- very good, they make their own bread and it is very good, the sauce is a little sour for my taste, I wish it would be less sour. - Chicharron Sandwich.- if you like pork it is really good and they add sweet potatoe in it and it combines very well. - Lomo Saltado Beef.- it is like the sandwich but with rice, it was good but I think the sandwich was better. - Aji de Gallina.- good option too. - Salchipapa.- basically fries with sausage, I think it is too expensive for what you get and is good but nothing special. I would not order again. - We also tried a Ceviche once but it was too sour, it wasn't balanced. read more

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stopped by for a quick bite on saturday afternoon. ordered the Tallarines Verdes (Peruvian Pesto) since it came highly recommended. i am a big fan of pesto and this was my first time having peruvian pesto. it was very rich, flavorful and savory. the sauce had a smooth and silky texture. i liked the beef and veggies, although i do wish it was cut into smaller pieces. overall, it was really good! it's more self-service by ordering and picking up at the counter. the restaurant is spacious, bright and airy. read more

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Located in a small business lot across the street from 7 eleven near San Diego Mesa College, this small unassuming casual restaurant serves up some pretty tasty Peruvian food. Parking can be limited but there is some street parking. You order at the counter and pick one of 6 tables to sit at. The decor is culturally appropriate and minimal. The server is friendly and the food comes out fairly quickly except when they get a lot of mobile orders. We went here twice and ordered a ton of food each time. The food is yummy and tastes more like Asian food than you would think. Every dish was flavorful and unique, but our favorite was definitely the chicharron sandwich. Our least favorite was the donut dessert. It is a bit on the pricier side for casual dining, but definitely recommend this spot if you're in the mood for Peruvian food. read more

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I got the ceviche here, and wow it was beautiful! I mean, it reminded me of some of my favorite Peruvian ceviche. Rich in color, full of all the things you would expect. Some sweet potato, some starchy corn, and best of all some heat drizzled on top. All that being said, I felt like I was a bit sad to feel like it didn't quite hit. I personally, prefer a more richly seasoned ceviche, but I won't fault it, because I think others prefer a more light and clean ceviche which actually makes more sense haha. But if I were craving it, I would totally make the trip to pick this up, because the ceviche was very well done. And it's hard to find a place serving ceviche with leche de tigre. read more

The Peruvian Spot - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

There's not many places in SD that I've found with authentic Peruvian food, but this place is legit. The chicharron sandwich was amazing with a soft bread, and fatty chicharron. Their aji de gallina was also amazing and filling. Portion sizes are big and fairly priced. There are no waiters, you order at the front and grab your tray when called, food finishes cooking quickly. The interior is clean and the restrooms are clean as well. When I went it wasn't too busy and there were many tables to sit at. Overall, I would highly recommend if you are craving authentic Peruvian food! read more

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I seek out Peruvian restaurants. San Diego has several, but none have truly blown me away--until I discovered The Peruvian Spot near Mesa College (close to Mira Mesa). It's only been open about a year, and since I hadn't been in the area, I somehow missed it. I'm so glad I finally tried it! I ordered the Lomo Saltado and their Inka Asada Fries. The Lomo Saltado was spot-on--perfectly balanced, with that just-right touch of vinegar that so many places get slightly off. The Inka Asada Fries were a revelation: a salty, flavorful twist on carne asada fries, loaded with steak, crispy elements, and a vibrant green Peruvian sauce that made every bite pop. And of course, no Peruvian meal is complete without a cold can of Inca Kola (or Inca Coca-Cola, as some call it)! read more

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I've been searching for authentic Peruvian food in San Diego for years, and The Peruvian Spot has completely blown me away. From the moment we walked in, the warm, vibrant atmosphere made us feel like we'd been transported straight to Lima -- cozy lighting, lively energy, and a staff that genuinely makes you feel welcome. The food is absolutely the star of the show. Tamales, pan con chicharron, emoliente, etc. Service was attentive without being overbearing. Our server walked us through the menu with obvious pride and passion, which made the whole experience even more special. For the quality and portion sizes, the prices are beyond reasonable. This is the kind of place where you leave full, happy, and already planning your next visit. Easily one of the best restaurants in San Diego, Peruvian or otherwise. Highly recommend! read more

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Well. I only tried the lomo saltado. And I am not fully convinced. Meat was good. Veggies were good. Rice was good. Potatoes were good. It was the sauce for me, it didn't feel like it brought all the ingredients together. Sauce for me was just salt and sour. It didn't really enhance the experience of each ingredient. Well. I am not Peruvian so maybe it's me who is not understanding lomo saltado. read more

We came here for breakfast. I ordered the Lomo Saltado, Maracuya - Passion Fruit drink and we shared an Alfajor and Picarones. The highlight for me at this place was the Alfajor and the Picarones. The Picarones were the best I've ever had! We ordered at the counter and all of our food came out quickly. They were nice enough to fry up the Picarones once we were nearing the end of our meal and it was delicious and fresh! We ordered the Alfajor to go and devoured it later in the day. This location had easy parking, was clean and had cute Peruvian decoration inside. read more

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What we ordered: * Pan con chicharron - recently won the world cup of breakfasts. Give it a try, but it may be worth splitting as it is heavy. 8/10 * Lomo saldado - classic peruvian dish. Good flavor and quality of meat. 8/10 * Picarones - I am not usually crazy about these, but we received ours freshly fried and had AMAZING flavor. The best I've ever had. 10/10 Service * You order at the counter and then they call your name to pick up your food * Informal, but the cashier was very friendly Ambience * Some nice peruvian decor, paintings, and of course, Sami the llama. * It feels like a local family spot. Classic home style feel with oeruvian music playing. read more

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We came here twice for dinner. It's a wonderful casual restaurant where you order at the counter. Both times we came the owner and his wife were working and they are so friendly and helpful. When we went we ordered a cerviche, Aji De Galina, Chicken Causa, and Lomo Salgado Beef. They were all very good and tasty. Good portion sizes. The two of us shared everything and it enough. The parking can get challenging especially during dinner time. But we will back! read more

Wow!! I had such an amazing experience dining at The Peruvian Spot. We were greeted by a super kind lady at the register, who explained the menu items to us and answered all of our questions. I would highly recommend the lomo saltado and chicharron sandwich. I was literally in awe when I saw how huge their sandwich was, and in even more awe when I took that first bite! read more

The Peruvian Spot - Lomo Saltado Beef - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food is good but a few things to point out: we got the empanada and it wasn't completely heated (cold in the middle) so we had to ask to reheat. Aside from that, the empanada was really good. My group ordered a total of 5 dishes, they were a bit stingy with the hot sauce which was low key annoying... server had a bit of an attitude when we asked for it stating each dish comes with one hot sauce- but we had only gotten 2 when we had 5 dishes.. so the math wasn't mathing. And we don't mind paying for it, just don't get what the problem is when we asked for more hot sauce lol read more

Amazing Peruvian dishes. The chef makes so many creative dishes. This restaurant is very authentic, I love their clean fresh ingredients. The staff is always smiling and they provide excellent service. They work so hard to make everything perfect. I highly recommend the Lomo Saltado. Their prices are very reasonable for the excellent quality they provide. read more

This place was so delicious! Great service & Authentic food. It was very tasty. This was money well spent read more

The Peruvian Spot - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

If your feeling for something warm and cozy order the Aji De Gallina. It melts in your mouth and will satisfy you. Th chicken and beef empanadas are definitely worth trying. So fluffy and warm. Perfect and with the green sauce its 10x better. Chocolate cake and Alfajor cookies for desert to top it off. Beautiful and Delicious. read more

The Peruvian Spot - Aji De Gallina - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

I was excited to try this place for a while since there are not many Peruvian places in San Diego. I am daughter of a Peruvian and have eaten the best Peruvian food in Peru and Miami. Finally made it here. Service left a lot to desire. It seemed that they didn't want to take your order. Usually Peruvians are super friendly, but this place lacked so much of it. We were four of us, all peruvians. We ordered two types of ceviche, a Sandwich, Chicken Cause, Fried Yuca and Dessert Picarones. The ceviches were super salty unfortunately. The sandwich ok. The Chicken Causa, the chicken was not shredded but by chunks, so it was so difficult to chew and swallow. Definitely not an enjoyable thing to eat. Picarones should be this fluffly doughnut made with sweet potato. These picarones were so thick in dough that it lost its fluffliness. Definitely may be good for people that have never eaten Peruvian food with no reference but for culinary experts and Peruvians this place is not an option. read more

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Different cash and card prices, meh. Nothing was great. I can't seem to find decent peruvian here. read more

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Suddenly was surprised to see Milk Tea Lab gone and replaced with a Peruvian restaurant. Never had salchipapas and had no idea it was fries with sausage. Was pleasantly surprised by how simple and tasty it was. Love the egg and extra protein from shredded chicken. Definitely something you can share. I've had a loma saltado, but never as a sandwich. Definitely get your money's worth for the amount of food you get. Love how you can buy sauces and other items as well. Definitely a great addition to the plaza. Love the interior and what they've done to decorate the space. Still feels like I'm in Milk Tea Lab, but with more decoration and better use of space. They also drew a llama on my bag, loved it. read more

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Cute little spot that opened up serving Peruvian food. Good parking. Staff was very friendly in recommending items on the menu. If you come here get the ceviche limendo read more

The Peruvian Spot - Ceviche Limeo - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

The Peruvian Spot has moved into a corner suite that used to house a bubble tea shop next door to a Salvadorean cuisine restaurant. The grand opening was earlier this week, and the current operating hours only cover breakfast and lunch. The inside had a lot of unused space as five tables and some chairs covered less than half of the floor. Two menu screens hung behind the service counter offering beverages and baked goods on the left with entrees, sides, and sandwiches on the right. I arrived at the beginning of a weekday lunch hour with one other customer present. My choices were a Chicken Empanada and the Lomo Saltado. The beef variety of the pastry was unavailable as well as white rice for the entree. I found the latter to be surprising because rice is a staple of Lomo Saltado and not to have some already cooked was disappointing. I ended up selecting a combination of sweet potatoes and french fries as the carb component. While waiting for my food, the cashier handed me a complimentary cup of a hot beverage which was Quinoa Fruit. It was mild in flavor but soothing to my hoarse throat. The empanada was provided in a plastic basket with a lime wedge. No sauce was included which I think needs to be reconsidered as most places offer chimichurri on the side. The pastry was heated up in an oven, however some of the filling inside was lukewarm. The Lomo Saltado was served in a takeout container. When I got home to eat it, I noticed the pieces of beef wasn't as tender as I had hoped. More sauce was needed too as that acidic component is essential in this classic Peruvian dish. Overall, there are kinks to be worked out at The Peruvian Spot. The chef is talented, but preparation of the kitchen is key such as having all ingredients on hand and ready to go. read more

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This is a great addition to San Diego, this new Peruvian restaurant in Mesa College Drive, not so many Peruvians around here, and i'm glad this opened up, even better it is a close drive from home. This restaurant is family-owned by TV award-winning Chef Silvana Carranza, aka Silvana Pastry Chef. And they just opened to the public yesterday January 10 , 2025 Lomo Saltado is always our first pick when visiting any Peruvian restaurant and then the Tallarin Saltado, so my wife and I got those. Love the sauce on our Beef Saltado, meats are tender and nicely seasoned. Our Tallarin Saltado had nice aldente noodles, and very tasty sauce on them. We came back the same day to order to-go and got Pan Con Lomo Saltado. This sandwich is actually pretty good. Very Friendly staff and the owner is present when we visit,she's very entertaining. Parking is not that big of a space. But this is a very good spot because it's next to Kearny Mesa High School . read more

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I love the food, service and ambiance! We felt relaxed and so welcomed to celebrate my birthday here. The beef in lomo Saltado was so so tender and the taste is fresh and good quality. This place feels like being immersed to feel that culture without having to fly to Peru. We truly enjoyed the sample of alfajores ice cream, and the picarones doughnut! It's a Healthy doughtnut and can be addictive because of the crunch, but it is not too sweet, which is actually good. We also got the Tamal -chicken and Wow it is totally different in a good way because I had never had it with this kind of texture and the garnish from what I am used to- it is not dry and the chicken is good chunk piece and it is tender juicy as well. The Alfajores is yummy! Will definitely come back for more to try the other dishes in the menu! We forgot to try the empanada but we will be back! The Peruvian spot is amazing! Please continue the quality and the care and love for the food being served. Thank you for celebrating my birthday ! read more

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Right when I walked in here, I could smell the flavors of Peru. It was me and my buddies and my buddy recommended this spot to me. I got the lomo saltado. Stir fried steak with red onion, tomatoes, homemade fries and rice so bomb ! My buddy got the Peruvian pesto with lomo saltado on top he loved it ! The stir fried steak here is so amazing ! My other buddy got the inka asada fries which is like carne asada fries but with the stir fried steak and hot dog ! My friend got double steak instead of hot dog. We shared the dessert the Peruvian donuts are a must ! I wanted to order more ! Also the alfajores were so amazing as well ! Lots of seating inside the staff was super nice and the restaurant was clean which is always a plus !! I'll be back soon read more

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Nice Peruvian spot with friendly service and festive and cheerful look. I would stop there again read more

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Love going here! The best Lomo Saltado. They have a great atmosphere inside and awesome customer service.

OMG finally a good Peruvian restaurant that's not all the way in north county!! I'm Peruvian, so I'm a tough critic lol and although I only tried 3 things, they were all on point and hit the spot!! You can taste the high quality of the ingredients and freshness. We got be Ceviche Limeño, Tallarín Saltado with chicken, and the Picarones. We dined in on Saturday evening and I also felt the warmth and hospitality from the young woman working at the front. I'm glad the service was just as great as the food! Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu! My only note would be to perhaps get warmer lighting for the ambience? But I really loved the authentic Peruvian paintings throughout, especially the guinea pig. read more

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I ordered the aji de gallina and lomo saltado tallarines. The service was good but unfortunately the food didn't meet my expectations. They gave us the regular lomo saltado instead of lomo saltado tallarines, the rice in ají de gallina bowl was going stale/very grainy and cold, the lomo saltado lacked flavor but was also just really salty. Lastly, their maracuya was watered down. I loved the ambiance and I really wanted to love this place as I'm Peruvian and have had authentic Peruvian food all my life back in my hometown but it's been tough finding good Peruvian food here in San Diego. However, their picarones were good! read more

The Peruvian Spot - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

Overall, it was just okay. Pros: The atmosphere is definitely a highlight--new, clean, and nicely decorated. They also have a cute little kids' play area with a play kitchen, pretend food, and other toys, which is great if you're dining with little ones. Cons: The food felt overpriced for what we got. Each entrée was $18, and we tried the lomo saltado (chicken version) and the lomo tallarín. Unfortunately, neither dish stood out--just average in flavor, and the meat was a bit tough. Edible, but nothing I'd go out of my way for again. Also, this is more of a counter-service setup than a full-service restaurant. You order at the counter, pick up your food, and bus your own table at the end--not the experience you'd expect for that price point. read more

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Me and my family went yesterday and we paid 68$ for the lomo soltado, ceviche, and the inka asada fries. This was our first time there we wanted to try something new. I have heard good things about Peruvian food so I wanted to give it a try. We also told the cashier it was our first time. Customer service was great, unfortunately I can't say the same about the food. The meat on the lomo soltado was dry and chewy , I heard it's suppose to be juicy and tender . I told my friend who is Peruvian and she said it must've not been made right because it's suppose to be tender and juicy with the juices. The ceviche tasted really strong like fishy. I liked the flavor but it just was too strong. It really sucked because I expected higher expectations due to the high rating on the restaurant. Again it was 68$ for 3 dishes. read more

The place is very clean, service is prompt. The pork sandwich was a bit dry, the ceviche was ok, portion was small.the pork sausage was not what I expected. I love Peruvian food, this place was just ok. I think it is overpriced for what is offered read more

Quant little shop, wasn't busy on Wednesday evening. I had been trying to go for a while but the hours were kind of restrictive. They had a decent sized menu, almost too large when combined with the summer specials. The ceviche was fine. The lomito sandwich had a good flavor but the meat was slightly overcooked and the bread more or less fell apart halfway through. The staff were very nice though - they brought us an extra drink, we're willing to walk through the menu with us and answer questions. The dining area was very cute - the giant llama was an amusing centerpiece. Everything was modern and clean, and there is plenty of parking. Probably wouldn't make the drive just for this again but I think low 4 star would be appropriate. There was enough to try that if I was in the area it might be worth it. read more

I've been searching for a good Peruvian spot in San Diego, and I think I found my spot...The Peruvian Spot! Went in for some ceviche, left with a smile and wanting some more of that leche de Tigre. Silvana and the crew are awesome as well. Will definitely be coming back for more soon! read more

My family is from Peru, and I grew up eating Peruvian food, so I'm very familiar with the flavors and what authentic dishes should taste like. I've been to this restaurant three times. The first time was when they had just opened for breakfast and lunch. I ordered a quinoa drink and a pork sandwich. The quinoa drink was okay, but the pork was overcooked and nothing special. For lunch I had ají de gallina, but unfortunately the rice was undercooked. Recently, I decided to give the place another try. I ordered lomo saltado and ceviche. It seems like they may be trying to create a fusion-style version of Peruvian cuisine, but the dishes didn't taste very authentic to me. The ceviche was okay, but not something I would order again. The service is good and the staff is friendly, which I appreciate. On a positive note, the desserts were very good, the alfajores and the torta de chocolate are both delicious. Overall, while the service is good, the food hasn't really stood out to me, especially compared to traditional Peruvian flavors. Because of that, I probably won't be returning. read more

Excellent food! Ordered the Arroz Tapaldo and it was fantastic. Great portion size, excellent flavors, etc. Really friendly staff too! Looking forward to going back in the future and trying out more of the menu. read more

Sorry to write this. But the food is no good in my opinion. I love Peruvian food and this was authentic for sure but it's just not good. The ceviche tasted old with stale corn, the fish was not fresh at all, the sweet potato was good, just the fish was no good. The noodles in the huacaina lomo was no good, it was like ramen noodles. Lacked flavor. I do want to say say the inside was super clean, and the girls there were very kind and friendly. Love the vibe inside. Very very clean!!! read more

The Peruvian Spot - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

I was born and raised in Peru so I'm very picky when it comes to our food. When I heard this location had "Pan con chicharrón" (a very popular dish amongst Peruvians for breakfast) , I HAD to try it. In one word : MIND BLOWING! It was delicious , the flavors were spot on and to my surprised they had Pan Francés , the signature bread used to build this sandwich. The owners are very friendly, welcoming and of course 100% Peruvian. The location was very easy to get to and the restaurant was very clean, organized and spacious. Friendly for all ages. There's a variety of drinks, desserts and food on the menu. I will definitely come back with my family to get this taste of home. Thank you!! read more

The Peruvian Spot - Pan con chicharrón en pan francés. - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Went yesterday to try the Peruvian spot and order a Lomo saltado. The fries were golden from the outside but raw from the inside. I also tried the Peruvian green sauce and tasted more as an avocado green salsa for tacos. I will not be coming back to this spot. read more