El Sitio – Grill & Café

El Sitio has an identity crisis. They are unsure whether they are Italian or Hispanic inspired. First impression of service was very poor. We were seated without menus, and still were not brought over after we ordered drinks. I ended up going to the front to grab menus myself. Throughout the night, the servers had a very lackadaisical pace. My GF and I shared the empanadas that had the consistency and texture of being frozen. She had the Seco de Pollo. Essentially, stewed chicken with spices and tomato, but did not have the authentic flavor you would expect. I had the traditional steak and peppers dish, which I was sorely disappointed. It tasted like sweet pepper steak. Imagine going to your favorite Chinese place and putting dumpling sauce on your pepper steak.

Nice and quaint inside. Most of the food we ordered was pretty good with a few exceptions. We started with empanadas and yes I would order them again. Next was the ceviche sampler, nice preparation and very tasty. Appetizer sampler was nothing special with fried calamari, mini empanadas and a few other items.
The menu had a chefs special of shrimp lightly fried with a passion fruit sauce. Now it sounded like something that is a slam dunk. What we got was far from it. Don’t expect any «passion fruit dressing the plate and where do rectangular shrimp come from? Yes rectangular! They looked more like mozzarella sticks then shrimp. I notice a fellow diner taking a first bite and a strange look appeared on her face. As she pulled the shrimp from her mouth a string or thread appeared inside the shrimp! After making our server aware, she never offered to take it off the bill but instead said I will show the chef and when she returned said they were making a new one… I felt that the option at that point would have been to offer either to remove it from the bill or ask if a replacement would be acceptable.
I will say the Lomo Manchego was tasty and cooked correctly (a bit pricey). The grilled skirt was also perfectly favored and cooked as ordered.
Service for the most part was timely and polite.
I would like to go back and give it another shot. Hopefully I can bump the rating up a bit…

Came here back in April and got there just in time to try the burgers which are only served til 4pm. Had to rush a but since I was coming from a disappointing earlier lunch experience at indeblue. So needed something to redeem myself and saw a list with the mushroom burger as one to try in south jersey. The place as other reviewers stated has a weird setup feel to it but that was easily overlooked. We started with the salad. N prior to that we were given bread and a nice dip. The burgers came and it was cheesy just how I needed it. Very juicy and good flavor, this was a good mushroom burger. Thank you for salvaging a much needed good lunch experience that day.

I went here on a whim on Friday night because I wanted something different. From our arrival I knew it was going to be a good night. Olivia was our server and she was so attentive and she paced our food which really added to the whole dining experience. Every morsel of food was unbelievably delicious starting with the complimentary bread and mushrooms. We stuck to the seafood entrees and feasted on octopus that was so tender and perfectly seasoned, followed by the Parmesan Scallops (so tasty that I had to refrain from licking the shells) then the mussels in a white wine garlic broth. For dessert we had the Dulche de leche cake with homemade whipped cream and caramel sauce. The night was pure PERFECTION. I cannot wait to go again real soon!

I attended El Sitio for the first time last night. The décor, staff, and locale were very welcoming. As part of a larger group, I was given two options, chicken or fish. I chose the chicken and was very pleased. Prior to the entrée, I partook in their unique mushroom and bread offering and fried yucca w/​plantain chips. The yucca and plantain chips came with some guacamole and another orange colored sauce that was fantastic. I highly recommend El Sitio.

I was really excited to try this place, but was extremely disappointed first and foremost by the service. For having worked in hospitality for 10 plus years of my working career I’ve seen it all. The place was busy when we first sat, and I am completely understanding of waiting especially when a place is packed. But after 3 tables were sat after us and served dinner and had their check dropped and the table of 4 I was with had still not been served dinner (we waited an hour and 15 minutes for our entrees to be served) and our server hadn’t bothered to check on us at all this entire time, I got up to check. He explained we came at a bad time and they serve the food to order (well I hope so!) No apology and a brush off that our dinners would be out shortly.
We were offered a free dessert and an apology followed up afterward but honestly too little too late. The food was ok but didn’t make up for the bad service. Word to the wise — don’t go on a busy night.

It’s got some positive riffs on Andes cuisine, more Peruvian/​Ecuadorian to be specific. I think they succeed with Mountain type food, the seafood usually disappoints.
I wish they trusted their instincts, and stayed with grilled meats and stews. Emphasis on those spices and techniques would help them provide a more piquant and unique experience.
Could be cleaner, and service is desultory and collegiate. Management seem sincere, but not trained in food service best practices or creating a fun, vibrant atmosphere.

My experience at El Sitio was very good that is until my date and I received our food. Don’t come here expecting large portions unless you plan on ordering several entrées. I ordered chicken arepas which were overpriced and not very flavorful. My date had the grilled chicken with a salad. The grilled chicken was no more than 3oz which left a lot to be desired. The best thing at el sitio had to be their appetizer. This included slices of bread with mushroom in a chimichurri sauce. Unless you feel the need to burn a hole in your wallet don’t come here as you’re paying more for the ambiance than the actual food.

Dropped into El Sitio for dinner yesterday evening and was not impressed with the food. I love latin american cuisine and really wanted to like this place. My boyfriend ordered the chicken breast in chimichurri sauce served with plantain chips and sautéed vegetables and I ordered the chicken arepas dish. My dish was disappointing from first view. The arepas are not served in the traditional sandwich style — the dish comes with three mini corn cakes and a pile of shredded chicken and refried beans in the center. This wouldn’t be so bad if the chicken and bean mixture was good. The menu states that the meat is in a slightly spicy sauce — there was absolutely no spice in this dish and it was very bland. It wasn’t awful, but I definitely was expecting more of the latin american or any flavor to shine through. His chicken tasted as if it was cooked earlier and reheated. The vegetables and plantain chips were okay — nothing to really rave about. The service was good and our waitress was very friendly.
Maybe the steak and empanadas at El Sitio are really great, but I don’t feel compelled to come back here to try anything else out.

We came down to the Collingswood area specifically for lunch and eventually decided to eat here. We had the sampler plate for an appetizer that consisted of two types of ceviche and octopus. It was interesting. The two ceviches were too similar to us though. We then tried the lunch box special and a chicken and a beef empanada. Overall the meal was good but nothing overly memorable. It would rate another visit for a dinner service though.

I have been here multiple times. I always take my parents when they visit me. Absolutely delicious and authentic. The ceviche is amazing and so is the ravioli. I love how they have so many varied items to choose from. There is something for everyone. I can’t wait until summer when i can sit outside there again. I live down the street and I am so glad I do.

I decided to give this place a try for a Valentine’s Day dinner. The stakes are always raised and expectations are higher for those «special occasion» nights out. El Sitio definitely delivered.
I was looking online for a new place to try and this place caught my eye. I’m always trying to find new and different restaurants to try outside of the usual Italian/​American/​Mexican choices. They say variety is the spice of life and El Sitio has those spices in the form of its South American fare. It’s also a BYOB which you can’t go wrong there!
In addition to their creative menu, for half the week of Valentine’s Day they were offering a 3 course menu for a very reasonable $ 32.50. The best part? Besides from the price, you weren’t mandated to order off the special menu if you saw something else on the menu. I’ve been to some restaurants where they’ll do that and only give customers limited options.
The first course I had was a fried yucca and plantain chips appetizer that was served with aji sauce and guacamole. I’ve never heard of aji sauce, but it’s amazing. It’s a slightly spicy sauce made mostly from peppers with other vegetables. It wasn’t too small of a portion, but I could’ve definitely had a second order.
The second course was a salad. There was two options and I went with their «Love salad.» What’s a love salad you ask? It was simply mixed greens with feta, and strawberries. I love fruit in salads as it adds a little extra to it. Their «housemade» dressing was a thick, very tasty balsamic that well with the sweet strawberries and cheese.
The entrée course options were steak, chicken, and fish. One thing I do know is you’ve ever been to a Brazilian steakhouse, South America knows steak so it was an easy choice for me. The steak was a grilled flat iron steak that was cooked and seasoned to perfection. I’m not sure how many ounces it was, but it was more than enough. As soon as I saw it, I knew the 3 course meal was a great deal. To go along with the delicious steak, it came with vegetables and more yucca chips. I would’ve preferred them cooked this time as that’s always a staple in any South American dish.
The entire meal at El Sitio was great and I’ll certainly be coming back to sample more of their menu.

we recently went to el sitio to celebrate my husbands birthday. it was not very crowded on a thursday evening. we really liked the food and the service.
we enjoyed the el sitio sampler for an appetizer and the chicken arepas and the peruvian picante for our meals. i highly recommend the peruvian picante — wonderful flavors and delicious seafood. the tres leches for dessert was also very tasty.
i wish it was a little bit cheaper or that the portions were larger. regardless, we will return for another meal here, as the cuisine is top notch.

Decided to try it for a different choice of cuisine. Nice atmosphere, good service. Ordered the lunch box specials. Good flavor, not an overwhelming amount of food, but enough to be full. Very pleasant experience, will definitely return, when in the area.

We ate tapas style! Everything we ordered was amazing! We ordered ceviche sampler, scallops Au gratin, octopus, mussels and clams, and crab and avocado on plantains. Daniel was our server and he was super friendly and helpful! Prices were amazing and we can’t wait to go back!

Don’t come hungry and make sure you have a big wallet and don’t hope for food that has some soul.
Empanadas blahh, filet is about 3oz and they only give you 6 pieces of spinach, no dinner rolls but tiny sliced bread but the mushroom and oil is good. My sis had the scallops and linguine (she said it was just ok) and it was about a cup full and no flavor. 2 filets, 1 scallop dinner, 2 orders of empanadas, 2 lemonade, 3 water, and french fries was $ 133.

Our opening act appetizer were the empanadas. Most empanadas I’ve had were always much more doughy and crispy. El Sitio served a lighter version and I really liked their variation. The plate also accompanied with a sauce drizzled underneath. Pretty good combo. The complimentary bread was enough for a bite that it’s generally meant to be. I really liked their step away from the same old oil and seasoning seen in standard dining. Instead, a slight switch up was a mushroom oil dipping.
I regret living so close to El Sitio (BYOB) and never visiting for a meal. Surprisingly, when I ordered the Aji de Gallina it was better than initially expected. There was shredded chicken along with a spicy nutty/​cheesy curry styled sauce on top of potatoes. Oddly, the top garnish was a hard boiled egg and a few olives. It was certainly an acquired taste but one I really find myself craving later. The menu does have salads, burgers and seafood as well.
My date had the chicken arepa. Traditional corn cakes served with a mixture of shredded chicken, fried beans, and lettuce in a slightly spicy sauce. Prices can be from 10 to 30 for entrees. Overall we spent $ 40.
Inside, the restaurant is open and decorated nice for a date or casual get together. They do have outdoor seating as well. Service was polite and always aware of when we needed anything.

My girlfriend and I hd a great meal here! Our waitress was Sara and she was very sweet and accommodating! We got the grilled octopus and the Maduro con Queso y Chorizo, both were very tasty but large so we probably only needed one. For our entrees we ordered the skirt steak and the stuffed shrimp. Everything was very flavorful but I found the crab stuffing to be a bit rich. All in all a great experience!

I regret living so close to El Sitio (BYOB) and never visiting for a meal. Whenever I browsed their menu I’d thought, «I bet they’re just so-​so and skipped to the next option.» Surprisingly, when I ordered the Aji de Gallina it was better than initially expected. There was shredded chicken along with a spicy nutty/​cheesy curry styled sauce on top of potatoes. Oddly, the top garnish was a hard boiled egg and a few olives. It was certainly an acquired taste but one I can’t say I didn’t like. The sautéed spinach was a bit too salty as well as the olives but other than that I found a winner. If you typically like Indian food, this entrée is for you. The menu does have salads, burgers and seafood as well.
Our opening act appetizer were the empanadas. Most empanadas I’ve had were always much more doughy and crispy. El Sitio served a lighter version and I really liked their variation. The plate also accompanied with a sauce drizzled underneath. Pretty good combo. The complimentary bread was enough for a bite that it’s generally meant to be. I really liked their step away from the same old oil and seasoning seen in standard dining. Instead, a slight switch up was a mushroom oil dipping.
My date had the chicken arepa. Traditional corn cakes served with a mixture of shredded chicken, fried beans, and lettuce in a slightly spicy sauce. Prices can be from 10 to 30 for entrees. Overall we spent $ 40.
Inside, the restaurant is open and decorated nice for a date or casual get together. They do have outdoor seating as well. Service was polite and always aware of when we needed anything.

Tried this local place during restaurant week. Had an excellent meal. Corvina was one of if not the best fish dishes I’ve ever had. Would repeat.

We needed a place for lunch during the recent Arts Festival and stopped at El Sitio because of the look of the place.
The menu ran from «Those Not as Adventurous», meaning Burgers, Chicken Sandwiches, etc., to various tempting sounding items from Ecuador, Peru & Argentina. We chose from the latter.
We asked if the Starters were big enough to share and were told they were. We tried the Peruvian Ceviche, which was very good and the even more flavorful Octopus in Black Olive Aioli. They both were delicious and enough for us to share for lunch.
The room itself is very open and lively with a South American theme that was tastefully done. Our particular server did her job, meaning taking our order and delivering it but that was about it. We were never asked how our lunches were or if we needed anything at any point during our visit. It was not like the staff was overwhelmed by the crowd because it was not ever more than half full during our visit.
That said, we will return because the various items on the menu sound like the makings of an exciting dinner.
With 2 Iced Teas, before tip, the bill came to around $ 28.00. We feel we made the right choice for lunch.

Had a late lunch here on a Sunday afternoon. The 5 of us were greeted and seated promptly in a mostly empty restaurant. The restaurant was clean and the atmosphere/​noise level was good for conversing. The lunch menu had a wide variety of options (including many non-​spicy options for the less adventurous eaters in our party). The food took a little while to prepare but nothing extreme… the pace was a leisurely lunch. We all had sandwiches. The food was very good and the fries were delicious. The server was very friendly and attentive — refilling waters throughout the meal and offering more bread when we ran out. I will return in the future.

Very nice option in Collingswood for South American cuisine. We enjoyed lunch outdoors on a rainy Saturday under a canopy. Best black bean veggie burger we have had. I also Ecuadorean seco de pollo which was awesome. great service

Been here several times. The food is always good. Haven’t been disappointed yet. I don’t even like mushrooms but I actually like the mushroom/​bread they serve while waiting.
Accommodating manager, helpful and friendly staff.

El Sitio is unique in giving diners in Collingswood a BYO option for South American cuisine. I wasn’t entirely sure what South American cuisine involves and I can see how the menu may be intimidating for someone who isn’t familiar with the cuisine. Overall the service was slow, but our waiter said they just weren’t used to or staffed for the rush they had on Sunday night. The inside of the restaurant in nice and clean, but a little awkward how the restaurant is just one big room with tables. Some dividing curtains or accent walls would really add to the atmosphere here and make it more intimate or romantic. It looks like there is an outdoor patio which would be a nice option in the warmer months. The food options are interesting and tend to be starch heavy with ingredients like yucca and plantains. With most of the dining options being fried or heavier side for a meal I wouldn’t suggest this spot for a date unless you are looking for the flair of South American food.

I went using a living social deal, 4-​course pre-​fixe meal. I started with the El Sitito Salad, the dressing was delicious. Then our bread came out that was olive oil with mushrooms in it. We got an appetizer to share and chose the chips and dip with yucca and plantains chips and guacamole and aji sauce (cheesy). I wish there was a little more dips bc it was so delicious :) Then for the entrée we both got lomo saltado (steak strips with bell peppers, onions, rice, and french fries) and we loved that too! It was very saucy and yummy. Our dessert was tres leches which was a perfect finish.
Eric, our server, was pretty much running the whole show. Since we went on a tuesday it wasnt very busy but had a nice crowd. He did a great job and brought everything out in perfect timing! He didnt rush us out of our seats which was awesome. It is also a BYOB :)

My wife and I had met the owner on a walk through town, and were surprised and excited to learn of a restaurant here owned by Ecuadorans and featuring that country’s cuisine. Ecuador holds a special place in our family experience, but it’s a tiny, poor, and distant country, so it was unexpected enough to meet an Ecuadoran here at all, let alone find an Ecuadoran restaurant. Moreover, the proprietor, Cecilia, seemed to be a lovely woman.
Unfortunately, the dining experience was an utter disappointment from every perspective.
We came late on a weeknight, about 9pm, unplanned, but we were tired and hungry while passing through town and remembered we had wanted to eat here.
Cecilia was not there that night, but the restaurant was open. I asked our waitress about some menu items, but she knew nothing at all, had only been there a week and could not even pronounce the items. My wife, nevertheless, felt confident about what she/​we would want, so she went ahead and ordered an appetizer and two meals; for me a fish stew, $ 30, the most expensive item on the menu.
It had been a very long day for us, and it was a beautiful evening, so we went out for a brief walk while waiting for the food.
We came back after ten minutes later, to find a loud family seated right next to us, not twelve inches away, even though the restaurant was empty. They weren’t obnoxious, but we wanted quiet. So we changed seats. I didn’t like doing that; th family may well have been perceived it as an insult, or at least being rude. We were left, however, with this poor choice of action or inaction by a hostess/​waitress who was apparently untrained and in over her head.
Ok, next item: The appetizer comes out and it’s covered with cheese. I don’t digest dairy well, so I can only eat cheese in small quantities and that only with lactose tablets, and even then it’s something of an assault on my system. I told the waitress and asked if there was also cheese inside; after returning from the kitchen, she said «yes,» which by now we already knew because my wife began eating. This isn’t the way it had been prepared in Ecuador, but well, it’s not that small a country. I just waited for my meal.
And wait we did. I asked a few times; she said it would be right out. But all in all it took 50 minutes! which wouldn’t be that long, perhaps, if it wasn’t already so late, if we could have a drink (it’s byob), if I’d been able to eat the appetizer, if we’d been informed it would take that long, preferably when ordering, but even subsequently when I asked. (And the restaurant was practically empty. I’d hate to see this place on a busy night.)
When our meal does come, the fish stew is covered with cheese! Before I could say a word, the server, who we hadn’t seen before, says dismissively, rudely, «The meal is described on the menu.»
It was too late to eat anywhere else, and now I’m starving, and we’ll need to get up early the next day, so I pick away the cheese the best I can, and aided by a few tablets, reluctantly subject my system to what remains. It’s not very good. But we’re past expectations now. Aside from the lactose issue, what could one expect from a restaurant that covers a $ 30 fish stew with cheese? This isn’t a McLeather GMO-​corn-​fed petroleum burger that needs cheese cover, is it? I do ask to see the menu again. Getting that takes awhile. I mean like 10 minutes. As it turns out, the paragraph long description makes no mention at all of cheese.
I come back to pay, and tell them what the menu says and doesnt say. The server, who as it turns out, is the restaurant manager and Cecilia’s daughter, Carolina, says «yes, I’ve already seen that… I texted my mother.»
As if that resolves anything! She offers no refund, no credit, not even an apology … just instructs me to tell them in advance next time that I don’t want cheese.
As if there conceivably could be a next time! For the first time in memory, I leave no tip at all. That is, aside from this review … if management cares enough to read and accept it.

This is a review for lunch only
It was my first time in Collingswood and wasn’t quite sure where to stop for lunch. I had already planned on stopping for dessert at the Pop Shop but I wasn’t completely sure where to go for lunch. While walking towards Pop Shop, we walked past El Sito and saw the sign outside for a lunch special. I am fond of South American food, especially with the World Cup going on, so it was decided. We walked in and decided to sit inside but there was also outdoor seating. The insidebwas nicely decorated and had a subtle amount of South American touches without being too much. We ordered some special South American colas, mine was Incan and it was pretty good. For my entrée I got the chicken arepas and my wife got the ceviche. When it came it was more than we expected. We were expecting a plate of food not plated food. It was nice looking and came on a 4 compartment plate, like a bento box. Mine came with the chicken, arepas, a salad and a soup. The soup was a creamy peanut soup and it was amazing. It had depth that I didn’t expect. The salad was good and came with a mustard dressing. The arepas were nice and crispy, the chicken was good but could have used a tiny bit more flavor. My wife’s ceviche was amazing, very bright and flavorful.
The lunch was great and we will be back. I want to try for dinner as well

I hate to do this but I took Yvette, here, trying to convince here how cool my new home town is, we entered at about 12 in the afternoon on a Saturday and we could not find a single employee. We saw 3 tables with a few ladies and each enjoying there food and BYOB wine, we sat for about 10 minutes but it felt like an hour we were so hungry and disappointed that we felt isolated.
This is my new home town so I hope I get another chance to try this place out and BYOB it, how I love BYOB. Anyways you have to have someone to man the place.

Had the Mediterranean salad with grilled shrimp, crabmeat & fried plantain. This salad was mouthwatering just looking at it and once I took a bite it was fresh, with crispy mixed greens. The crabmeat and grilled shrimp were outstanding. The salad had a white creamy based dressing (can’t remember the name) but I think it would have been complimented better with a vinaigertte dressing with a hint of a citrus flavor. The plantain was crisp and semi-​sweet and worked with well the salad as a bread alternative.
All in all I was pleased with my choice and would definitley order this again for a light lunch or dinner item.

My lovely wife and I headed to Collingswood for an afternoon together during an East Coast visit with Mom. Before exploring the shops, lunch was in order and we thought it might be cool to scarf a grilled cheese at The Pop Shop. On entering, we saw that the ratio of kids to adults was about 3:1, with a noise level to accompany that mix and a healthy wait to boot.
We quickly retreated next door to El Sitio and entered to muted Spanish music and the sound of lively conversation, also in Spanish, from a table of three older couples enjoying their meals. We were sold.
Our waitress seated us by the front window and immediately filled our water glasses, to be followed in short order by two glasses of delicious lemonade. El Sitio is a BYOB establishment. A small bowl of marinated mushrooms with spinach, garlic and olive oil appeared along with some warm and crusty bread and was promptly dispatched. Yummy.
My wife chose the special of Lobster and Crab Ravioli in a garlic seafood sauce the included shrimp, mussels and calamari rings. The ravioli seemed freshly home made and appeared to have been slightly grilled which gave them great flavor and an interesting texture. The only downside was the calamari which was a bit too chewy for my wife’s liking.
I had the Carolina Sandwich of grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, provolone, lettuce, tomatoes and a brandy spinach sauce and a side of sweet potato fries. The fries were TO DIE FOR, and the red peppers were the star of the sandwich. The chicken, while nicely grilled, had a little too much bite required for the soft roll. It was a messy sandwich but delicious.
We enjoyed our lunch at El Sitio and will happily return.