El Mono | Fresh Flavors of Peru
| Address: | 10264 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito, CA 94530, USA |
| Phone: | +1 510-778-8884 |
| Site: | elmonofresh.com |
| Rating: | 4.2 |
| Working: | Closed 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 14
YI
Yinja Lin
I finally got the chance to check out El Mono and it was DELICIOUS! Ive only had Peruvian food a handful of times so I was super excited to give this place a try. The important part the food, my oh my is the food just so amazing! So many burts of flavors in your mouth! We ordered the Lomo Saltado (their most popular dish), Ceviche Mixto, Aji de Gallina, Arroz Con Marsicos, and the Chupe de Camarones. Honestly I cannot say which one was my absolute favorite because everything was so good! The Chupe de Camarones was recommended by our server and it did not disappoint. It was a creamy shrimp chowder, that wasnt super thick but just the perfect consistency so good so so so good! Every single dish was so flavorful! I would also recommend the Maracuya drink also its a house made passionfruit juice that is so refreshing perfect pairing to our meal. The portions are HUGE also so if youre coming with a group you can just order a few and share and it will be more than enough. Im so happy to have found such a delicious Peruvian restaurant in the East Bay! Ill definitely come back soon to taste more of what they have to offer! Also shoutout to our Server Sierra she was so sweet and always checked in on us! The service here is phenomenal!
KA
Kathleen Obrien
My daughter, Kelly OBrien and I had our 1st visit to El Mono in El Cerrito yesterday. Their culinary theme is Peruvian food. Neither of us had ever had Peruvian food so thought we would give it a try. It was spectacularly beyond our expectations. From our exotic, healthy and delish fruit based drinks to our entrées: Kelly had a so tender and flavorful beef and vege medley with a generous mound of wonderfully seasoned rice and I had a fabulous curried shrimp dish with a great perfumed mound of rice topped by a perfect poached egg.....to our shared dessert of carmel flan with strawberries....our lunch was perfect. Service was excellent. Our waitress, Sierra was absolutely delightful, very knowledgeable and generous with het time in her explanation of our menu and recommendations. She was assisted toward the end of our meal by Melissa who did not miss a step in continuing the excellent service. The ambiance belies the quality of food and service. Rustic, very casual, view from the outdoor seating is an asphalt parking lot and a busy street. But clearly the local lunch crowd knows where to get a great meal, Im so glad we followed them in.
MA
Manny Ngan
Food: The Pollo A La Brasa is a game changer - it is rotisserie chicken marinated in more than 8 herbs and spices. It is absolutely delicious. We also had the Arroz Tapado which was also good. A safe choice is the Lomo Saltado, which is a Peruvian classic! These are strips of succulent stir fried Black Angus beef, onions, tomatoes, and fried potatoes, made with cilantro and soy sauce, served with garlic white rice. Above all of this its all about the Green Sauce! I suggest you try it with everything and anything you order (well maybe not everything but you get the point). Ambiance: Its decorated very nicely with some rustic wood decor, peruvian-style images, and dim lighting. The only con I have here is that some of the seating is a little tight and I happen to be the lucky one of the group to sit in the tightest seat. They play background music, which is nice but when the place gets packed or has large parties it can get pretty loud.
AL
Allan Cerf
Excellent food, beautifully cooked with perfect presentation. Good service. Prices (moderate) but for this quality worth it. Interestingly, I have always had excellent food at Peruvian restaurants - in the past I ate at such establishments in Redwood City and (if I recall correctly) also either San Carlos or San Mateo. Excellent, appetizing food, but NOT friendly. My ex-boss married a Peruvian gal who was very nice but told me: "we are not the worlds friendliest people." I found the folks at El Mono - wherever theyre from - to be very nice! Try it. If youre adventurous and wondering "whats Peruvian Food like?" the answer at this place is: delicious.
AL
Alan W.
Ever since coming back from Peru last year I been craving some authentic Peruvian food. Found this little gem hidden in the shadow of Berkeley. Ordered the ceviche for appetizer. The portion was big and the taste reminded me of the ceviche that I had in Peru! The Lomo saltado and chifa de carne was huge and unless you are hungry, you will have a hard time finishing it. The Lomo saltado tasted great, but chifa de carne was decent at best. All in all, the food was good and the portion size are generous. So if you are in the mood of Peruvian food, look no further than El Mono!
MI
Michael Ditmore
Had my first meal at El Mono Feb 8th 16. An Amazing well seasoned, well prepared meal it was. Tried the highly recommend Lomo Saltado and found it more than met my expectations. It was aromatic and delicious. The staff was uniformly friendly and helpful, and even the menus were great, explaining this, new to me, cuisine in sufficient detail that I understood exactly what I was getting into. I will definitely come back.
KA
katleen jones
This is not my first time there , food is excellent the staff was really friendly and knowledgeable told us about their special for that day. I took my son over there he liked the food it was lunch special i received my soup we had to ask for his , he ordered coffee never received and last thing we were never offered the stamp on our card like previous time so we had to ask for it as well.
NO
Nouseth Contreras
Drinks and food great for Peruvian taste...but cant believe they were out of "Pollo a la brasa" one of their signature dishes on a weekend. They could use a bit more of better customers service, kitchen was also backed up for quite too long between dishes. We waited too long for 3 separate dishes, not a big crowd in restaurant! Need more cooks!!
CE
Cesar Gustavo Seminario Rios
Me parece una imprudencia de la cajera que me halla cobrado dos veces mi pedido y ahora a pasar el mal rato de ir a que me lo reintegren el dinero.
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REBECA q
I tried to give this place one more chance after 6 months, I was so disappointed! If you truly know about Peruvian food you will agree that this place is disgusting, the owner decided to change the way Peruvian food should be cooked. Never again and will not let my friends waste their money!!
JA
James King
Its a great find with two co-owners who care about their food and their customers. The cuisine resembles a fusion of some Peruvian dishes along with Mediterranean cuisine, and on Friday and Saturday nights they have a wine bar as well. If you are in the area its well worth a stop or two!
BH
Bharath Reddy
Its unfortunate that there are not many decent restaurants north of berkeley. So you could imagine my glee when I came across this awesome restaurant. Everything I tried here was simply amazing! Arroz Topado is my absolute favorite!! And the people who work here are very nice too!
GI
Giacomo C Guiulfo Knell
El "Aji de Gallina" y el "Lomo Saltado" estuvieron ricos. Sin embargo, el "Ceviche" no estuvo bueno porque tenia mucha pimienta.
MA
Marco Codato
My first Peruvian cuisine experience in a word: flavourful. I had Anticuchos de Corazon - beef heart skewers - and Bistec Encebollado. The flavors, using Guy Fieris own words, were out of this world! Thank you guys for the good comida and congratulations for your restaurant!
