La Perla Peruvian Cuisine

Four of us ate here last week and we all loved our meal. Service was excellent and prices reasonable. Don’t be put off by the plain décor… it is worth every penny!

Good Idea, Good Food, Horrendous Wait Time (from seating to leaving it was 3 hours for 2 appetizers, 1 salad and 2 entrees)!
Although the food was excellent and they were SUPER helpful with accommodating my son’s allergy to egg yolk, it took close to 2 hours to get our entrees! Thank goodness we ordered appetizers and a salad! We got the appetizers 30 minutes after we placed the order and the salad another 30 minutes later and all the entrees had arrived another hour later! There were a handful of other diners all waiting for their meals too. They claimed to have only ONE person in the kitchen at the time we dinned there (vs. 2) but it’s still unacceptable to only have 2 people to fix the dinners for a restaurant. They are cooking them one at a time. We know this because they brought us one plate at a time with at least a 10 minute wait between plates so if we had waited for everyone to get their meals all our food would have been cold! Thankfully we ordered two plates and shared otherwise we could have been waiting up to another 40 minutes for everyone to get their food to eat. Even with two people in the kitchen it would have been an hour from ordering to eating! They are literally hurting themselves not having sufficient staff to prepare the meals. They should have some sort of snack on the table to entertain our taste buds as we wait hours to taste what they are preparing in the kitchen! They had nothing! No plantains, chips, or pretzels, or nuts, or fried won ton… nothing! To top this all off, they were out of their most popular item, fried plantain chips and plantain fries. For the amount of time we waited, we could have gone out and bought them more plantains!
We were there with an 8 and 11 year old who literally had their heads on the table ready to fall asleep by the time the food came! We had talked as much as we could with them and they had colored all over the butcher paper table cloth but then there was literally nothing left to do! We are not the sort to bring electronics to restaurants nor allow our children to play or watch them as it is rude to the other diners so sitting was all we could do as we didn’t come prepared with books to read or coloring materials other then the table cloth paper. At 1.5 hours they asked us for the 3^rd time if we’d like more to drink (my husband had already drunk 2 beers, I had a cocktail, the kids had juice and we had all been slowing sipping our drinks… you’d think they’d offer us a free refill in apology for the wait, but they were working us to spend MORE money as we waited) so we ordered water! The drinks took no time at all to arrive so I can see they make their money on this since they make you wait so long to eat! At more then 2 hours (we arrived at 5:30 and walked out at 8:30!!!) we were finally done and they brought us a coupon to return and get a minor amount of money off our next meal. We had spent over $ 80 for the little that we ordered and felt robbed as we walked out of there. This will NEVER happen again. Too bad they didn’t offer to discount our meal at the time or cover the cost of our drinks, I might have been willing to return but I don’t see this business lasting much longer.
We really should have just walked out of there at 1.5 hours! To be in a restaurant that long and only have eaten one salad and one appetizer is preposterous! Never again and lesson learned!

This restaurant is in a good area but the food is not good. I have been there twice the first time I got very sick in the stomach. I am from Peru, I know the taste of my food. The food here tasted like it was saved from days before. Their purple corn drink Chicha Morada tasted like it was going bad. I came back another time with some co workers, and again I got so sick in the stomach. I am not coming back. My relatives and friends have said the same thing to me, they have gotten sick. They need to be careful with their food and the way they cook.
La comida no Es Buena. Me enferme dos veces del estomago, mi familia y yo. Amigos y conocidos han dicho lo mismo últimamente. Espero mejoren su comida si no van a perder clientela. El lugar es bonito, pero la comida necesita ayuda.

I wonder if some of the people writing reviews have actually had Peruvian food before. Compared to what I’ve had in the various San Francisco Peruvian restaurants, Sazon also in Santa Rosa and in Peru I think this stands up to any comparison. The sauce on the Yukon gold potatoes and the ceviche were simply outstanding and the Lomo Saltado was terrific. Yes, the room is a little dead and there weren’t many people in there but once the food arrived no one cared if anyone else was around. This place should be packed, it’s very, very good.

Love this restaurant. Great food great service and polite and playful service. Jack is a great server and the owner and his son are very nice. This is our favorite place to go.
The food is the closest we have found to home (Peru)
The Lucuma cheesecake is addictive and amazing.
My family is Peruvian and normally we want to go to San Francisco to get close to Peruvian home cooking in restaurants.
We will be back soon !!!

I loved this place. Our waiter was pleasant and happy to answer any questions I had about the menu and the food. I bought an awesome Groupon ($ 12 for $ 20 of food), which didn’t cover a meal for 4, but would’ve made a sizeable dent in a huge meal for two.
The food was incredible. I happen to like pretty zippy vinaigrettes, so I thought the acidity level of the ceviche was delicious, though I could see how it might be a lot to handle for most. The corn nuts were a surprising and delightful addition. The beef was well cooked and heartily seasoned, awesome with the tacu-​tacu (rice and beans). The menu had a good variety of light and heavier dishes.
This is a great place for date night, as it is fairly formal in atmosphere. If you’re looking for a quick bite, this may not be the place for you.
Overall a lovely experience. I’d definitely go back.

So tasty and unique! From appetizers to dessert, every course was delicious and beautifully presented. We had a lovely time at this classy, family owned restaurant. Our waiter was the chef’s brother and he patiently answered our many questions about the unfamiliar Peruvian ingredients. Delightful!

Yuck! Expensive, Food took forever, tasted like vomit after a night drinking and the service was subpar. They have one older man working who is the hostess, waiter, bartender and food runner. I felt bad for him. The food finally arrived after 40 minutes, even though there were only 3 tables in the whole place. The food is disgusting and inedible. I ordered the ahi ceviche which smelled and tasted like vomit. Also ordered a «crab meat» appetizer which was about the same quality and taste as the vomit. Don’t waste your time or money on this place! Gross!

I enjoyed the service & food was pretty good for the price! Clean place… There was only two people in the restaurant when we got there. When they left, we were alone. It was pretty relaxing & I actually enjoyed it. just the two of us! #romantic

Went here by surprise on a Monday night visiting my boyfriend Who has relocated there. We both are San Francisco foodies and this place fit the bill perfectly for our taste! Edwin was a wonderful host, and gave great information about the cuisine and made our overall dining experience exquisite. We had ordered the empanadas to start with and was been offered the two-​for-​one Pisco sours. Chris could not resist ordering another round, so we have the other two while I sit down my wine all night with water. We then shared an avocado salad which was delicious and had a cilantro lime dressing. After that we shared the Aji Gallina that took the cake! We are both lovers of curry and so the sauce over the chicken that came with the rice was perfect for us! Not to mention that I was pulling Chris away from the opening of Monday night football and the Niners are playing… So we decided to sit at the bar and they put the game on! Couldn’t of been better for the both of our tastes! We both like exquisite dining, great cocktails, good company, and… The Niners (well he does at least…)
I’ll definitely be frequenting this place as it suits my style… I recommend it to anybody looking for an intimate and fine dining experience yet it can low brow enough on a Monday night football night as well! HAPPY BELLIES :)

I have been here a couple times and found it very good, although not quite as great as Sazon. The aji de gallina and lomo saltado were great but not quite up to Sazon. My main complaint is the lack of vegetables with meat dishes, especially given the price, and lack of inexpensive vegetable sides or salads to go with them. I really prefer to have a meaningful amount of vegetable matter with my meals but unless I’m out for a big get together, special meal or the like, I am not generally willing to buy an $ 8 salad on top of the main course. They should get some simple vegetable sides.

No need for reservations there is hardly ever anyone there. I only went there because of the groupon I bought. The restaurant is very nice looking, and the waiter is pleasant and friendly. They need to have an English and Spanish menu for those of us that don’t speak Spanish. I thought I did a good job ordering, I got an order to go, and when they handed me the bag I thought it was a joke it felt like an empty bag, it was a large paper bag like from Safeway, inside were two large containers I was so exited I couldn’t wait to open them and enjoy the food. When I opened the box I thought they forgot to put the whole meal in, same thing with the other box, so I called and asked the waiter, I had just left five minutes before, there was no one else there getting take out they were closing in 15 minutes, the waiter acted like he didn’t remember me, I had to explain who I was, he said that’s what you ordered I said well the description I read sounded like more. He said I could talk to the cook and put me on hold for ever, I got tired of waiting so I hung up. Bottom line IF you go there have them explain the menu to you so your not disappointed like I was, I have never had problems ordering before, I didn’t think I need I translator to order for me but I guess I do, this was the second time I went there and the last I won’t be going back, the empanadas are good but not what Americans call an appetizer it’s more of a sample, and the cold wet potato tiny bowls of crab taste like a million grams of sodium you only get 3 tiny ones for 15 bucks they could have tossed in some fries and made it more appealing but oh well they have only been open for a little over a year and we all know restaurants have a low success rate, the owner cook had no experience he’s only 22, I’m guessing mommy and daddy said what do you want to do? It seams like he does not have a clue, I don’t know how he stays open. Good luck on your next business.

Wonderfully seasoned and fresh flavors! The mango ginger ceviche was perfectly balanced with heat and sweetness. Fried calamari cooked just right. Enough crunch but not over cooked.
Loved the unique offering of grilled heart. It had the taste and chewiness to keep me eating even though it was an enormous portion for a starter.
The waiter was charming and informative. I’m going back as soon as possible.

First time to this place. I love this style of cuisine, very close to the Caribbean flavor. The restaurant was stylish and clean, The waiter was very pleasant and attentive.
The food was presented very well and the taste was superb.
I will be returning soon as I was very satisfied with all aspects of the experience.

I went in on a Monday around 7pm. The place was empty. I was approached by my waiter Tom and I elected to set at the bar. They have a big flat screen tv and I was able to watch the Giants game. I ordered as an appetizer the papa la huanciana. It was a decent size plate and they added an olive sauce over the huanciana sauce which was something I have never seen but it was good. The huanciana sauce was creamy and it had a good spicy bite to it. The potatoes were done right. I ordered the traditional lomo saltado as my dinner entrée which was also a decent portion size. The meat was on top of the fries instead of mixed. The meat was cooked medium and was juicy too. The fries were crispy and the tomatoes and onions were just right. I ordered a chicha morado as my beverage, it was sweet but not overwhelming. I really enjoyed my meal here, Tom was very helpful (but I was the only person there) and he was very personable. I did not meet the cook but he did a good job. I would have given this place 5 stars but the prices are a bit high for the area, could be dropped down 10−15%. All in all I will be coming back with some friends who also enjoy Peruvian food. FYI my parents were from Peru.

One of our friends is Peruvian and recommended that we compare his «authentic» causa to La Perla’s. I’ll start off by saying that for $ 14, three helpings of dungeness crab causa isn’t a bad deal at all, and La Perla’s plating is impressive. Their triple causa combo, which substitutes two of the three servings with a fried shrimp and shredded chicken, is decent but given the ingredients seems slightly overpriced.
We also ordered the white fish ceviche as an appetizer. Some may be fond of the extreme acidity, but I found it difficult to eat without letting the ingredients dry out from the marinade soup. This could definitely be a cultural thing that I’m just used to a more mild form of Mexican ceviche, but the flavors I was expecting were overpowered by lemon/​lime marinade.
In terms of food quality and value I would rate 4 stars. The major shortcoming in our experience was speed. Our waitress was extremely pleasant, attentive and courteous, but the kitchen seemed like a one-​man show. We munched on the complimentary corn nuts for a good half before the ceviche arrived, and waited another 20 or so minutes thereafter for entrees. All told, the full meal took a little over an hour and a half with only two other couples there for dinner on a Thursday.
I hope they’re able to speed things up a bit in the future so that we can get excited to come back and try the rest of the menu.

This restaurant features unusual food beautifully prepared. Google the Press Democrat review, that says it all. The prices are reasonable and the presentation is fully professional. It is a real restaurant, not a neighborhood joint. Definitely worth looking for.
The long negative reviews on Unilocal are clearly the work of somebody with a grudge against this place. Ignore them and read the positive reviews, which is what you can expect.

I’ll begin by saying that the food was absolutely fine — for the food alone I would have happily given them 3 stars! And if a restaurant is going to disappoint — the fact the food was good — made the whole experience just fine.
I arranged for a small group from work to try out this new local restaurant (even after reading the not so positive Unilocal reviews — I thought we should give them a chance). It was, sadly, a disappointment — here are a few of the reasons why:
They gave us regular menus and I had to ask specifically for the ‘special lunch menu’ which was advertised outside. I felt like they were trying to avoid us being able to get the specials (but maybe I was just feeling that way).
You needed both the regular menu and the ‘special’ menu as you had to de-​code everything that was on the special menu which was a little frustrating.
We ordered drinks — I think they took about 20 mins to come. The ice tea didn’t contain any ice (but was cold enough, so no matter there) and the fruit juices, while contained some real fruit juice (with bits of actual fruit — maybe why they took so long to make) was extremely watered down.
The service was really slow and sadly not very good at all. It’s not as if the poor boy wasn’t trying though. I think he just needs some training.
When our orders came out — he didn’t know who had ordered what (and only knew the Spanish names for everything) so there was some confusion — added to by the fact that they brought stuff to our table that wasn’t ours. We had a party of 7, so I guess that’s larger than usual… but some help would have been good.
We were hoping to have a quick lunch but the whole thing took almost and hour and a half.
I bought the Unilocal deal and they told me that it couldn’t be used on the lunch specials — but they did change their mind on this — but just a warning to others.
This is all I can remember at the moment… just wanted to get this review posted.

This is a late review went for dinner with a party of 12 the place was empty. The flavor of the food is very good, my compliant is small portions and overpriced. I love Peruvian food and the location but hope they lower their prices to get people in the door.
Edwin you charged me $ 15 dollars for Chichimorada the day was dia de los Muertos um you stood at the counter and watched. Your waitress had no experience. I did complain then about the Chichimorada being charged to much our total bill was about $ 500 I do agree your quality of food is great. This is a constructive review. I wish the best and hope it works out for you is all why I am writing this so you say in business.

This must be a new restaurant with so few reviews. We went for lunch, and were the only guests in the restaurant. We didn’t have high expectations, but the food and service blew me away.
The fried Peruvian corn snack they give is very addictive. The Aji de Gallina was very flavorful, as were the empanadas. I forgot what it was called, but they had a Peruvian soft drink that was purple and delicious.
I hope this place gets discovered. They are doing good things.