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    Al Carbon

    3.4 (82 reviews)
    ModeratePeruvian
    Closed 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Al Carbon Takeout or Delivery

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    AL CARBON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Al Carbon

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    Quarter Chicken

    Over the years, this establishment has elevated not only its service, food options, and aesthetic, but most of all the quality of food. The chicken is delicious, and I am obsessed with it. The variety of sides are a great addition to your chicken. And if you like it a little spicy, they have sauces that elevate the flavor even more. The servings are also great; I usually always end up taking the remainder of my meal to go. The breakfast is also amazing. It reminds me of being back in my country Peru. The pork chicharrón just melts in your mouth; you can tell it's cooked with care because it just shreds off seamlessly. If you want a heartwarming meal, choose the Caldo de Gallina; this chicken soup is not just any chicken soup. I definitely recommend anyone to come here by yourself or with a group.

    Gonzalo D.

    We went to eat breakfast, we ordered botifarra, my wife wanted mustard and this is what happened. It seems that they do not provide maintenance to the equipment. And the person who assisted us did not even apologize. what a bad experience

    Awards for the rotisserie chicken
    Andy N.

    Peruvian cuisine reflects local practices and ingredients including influences mainly from the indigenous population. Al Carbon which literally translates to "to cook over coal" offers authentic Peruvian cuisine in Downtown San Mateo. They are not a fancy restaurant but a hole in the wall style casual eatery. They are famous for their roast chicken and it has won several awards. We ordered: Drinks: Marucaya Aguas Fresca - Passion Fruit drink Chicha Morada Aguas Fresca - Purple Corn drink. Food: Pollos a la Brasa - Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken - so yummy so juicy. Even the breast meat was soft & tender. Salchipapas - Traditional Peruvian dish with thin cut sausage, potatoes and eggs. This was really good. Empanadas - the meat inside had so much flavor and the pastry was flaky. They didn't have ceviche or tamales so those will be for another time. We also ordered traditional fries, sweet potato fries, yucca fries and fried plantain on the side. All the fried stuff was so good. The fried plantain was the best. Dessert: Alfajores - Shortbread sandwich cookies with Dulce de Leche - we have had these before, they are so yummy we got a box Arroz Con Leche - rice pudding with raisins - wasn't my favorite, maybe we were expecting something better. Overall Peruvian food is good. We still have to try a few other dishes so will definitely give this place another try.

    Here for lunch today
    Julio F.

    Great food I love the taste I will be back again for sure . Service was great nothing to complain about . Chill spot small but good is great that's what counts.

    Salchipapa Ricky Ricon

    Great food and service. The Ambiance was nice, and the sauces they gave really complemented the food. Is a good thing I don't live close by or I would be there more often.

    David K.

    3.5 stars In all of my time in Peru, I didn't get the chance to visit a single one of the ubiquitous Pollo a la Brasa (rotisserie chicken) restaurants. Turns out there's one sitting right down the street from me right here in San Mateo! Al Carbon specializes in roast chicken, of course, along with a small selection of other Peruvian plates. I started with the butifarra, a Peruvian sandwich filled with pieces of pollo a la brasa, along with salsa criolla (marinated red onions) and a Peruvian sauce, all in a soft, chewy, yet pillowy roll! The chicken meat was juicy and moist and went really well with the slightly spicy, mustard-like sauce in the bread. There was also a yellow aji amarillo sauce that came on the side, but it was rather watery and bland. Next, I had two skewers of anticuchos, a Peruvian delicacy that I also never got to try on my recent visit there! Anticuchos are basically pieces of grilled cow heart, but aside from a slightly funky flavor, you'd never be able to tell that this was an unusual cut of beef, and the skewers went so well with the spicy, herby garlic sauce (like chimichurri) that came on the side! The anticuchos plate came with two sides--I picked the quinoa salad (with cucumber and bell pepper) and the beans, but neither one was particularly memorable. My favorite dish was the Peruvian chicken tamal from the breakfast menu. This steamed corn cake was wrapped in banana leaf and had a grainy texture very different from Mexican tamales. It contained peanuts, strips of chicken, and even pieces of dried chili, which added a really nice spice! It was served with more of the salsa criolla (marinated onions) on top, which added a refreshing, acidic crunch!

    Bloody undercooked Quarter Chicken

    We have ordered from this restaurant several times with no issues. Today, we placed an order through DoorDash which was confirmed and a pick up time given. We ran about 7 minutes late and the door was closed and locked upon arrival. I looked through the window and saw a lady in the kitchen. I knocked twice and was ignored. The third time, I knocked really hard and she shook her head no. I yelled DoorDash. She called a young man to help her. After some time of them looking at their register, the young man unlocked the door to let me in. I attempted to tell the staff that they could refund my money but speak limited English. For about 15 minutes, I watched 3 people frantically move around the kitchen to get my order ready. I took the food and left. Well, when we sat down to eat, we noticed the mashed potatoes were super runny. I then stuck a fork in the chicken and thought it didn't seem right. Since I stuck the fork in a leg quarter, I separated the thigh from the drumstick. Doing this revealed under cooked chicken that was bloody. Although I've enjoyed the chicken from this place in the past, I will not return. Bloody chicken is lethal!!!

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    4 years ago

    Best Pollo a La Brasa near South Bay Area. Wish the sides that came with the whole chicken were a little bigger.

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    5 years ago

    The test of the chicken is really good. Is not dry. Very tasty. And with salad and good fries a perfect combination.

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    La Ronda Restaurant - La Ronda Plate; is a combination of our three most popular dishes, Fried Calamari, Ceviche Traditional seafood rice.

    La Ronda Restaurant

    4.3(183 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    La Ronda in San Mateo is a great find! The service was genuinely friendly and attentive from start…read moreto finish, and the menu is impressively diverse with something for everyone (though vegetarians may have fairly limited options). The restaurant was a little more than half full when we had dinner there on a Friday night and the ambiance is lively but not loud. We ordered a variety of dishes and everything was delicious, with very generous portion sizes that left us so full (with leftovers to spare). The ceviches were bright, limey, and tart in the best way, the chicken wings were crispy and juicy, the papa rellena was especially interesting (almost like an inside-out, deep-fried baked potato) with olives and raisins that were a pleasant surprise, and the lomo saltado was as comforting and dependable as it usually is. To top it all off, they even offer Peruvian beers, which was the perfect way to wash everything down. The location is a little bit odd but easy enough to find and park (there is plenty of parking across the main street in front of the BevMo if there isn't any directly in front of the restaurant).

    I was skeptical when my coworker mentioned Peruvian food because I've BEEN to Peru for two…read moreweeks,and didn't like the food there. This place really changed my mind. If this place was in the Mall it would dominate. This place is a couple blocks away, kind of hidden on a main row. Coworker got the Tallarin Salteado which was basically a steak spaghetti and she liked it a lot. They give you complimentary bread, just beware the green avocado one is spicy! It does NOT look spicy, but it is! I got the La Ronda Plate which had 3 items: combination plate of fried calamari, fish ceviche and seafood rice or seafood fried rice....everything was really good and fresh. It had flavor and really was cooked well, unlike the seafood and rice I had in Peru where my complaint was no flavor. Heck, go here and it will save you the plane fare! Got their Chicha Morada, pricey at $6.95 with purple corn pineapple & spices, I would probably not get this again because it was kind of like a bland drink to me...instead I would get their passionfruit drink next time. Both of us got their homemade flan which was a 5/5! Would definitely come back to try more dishes in the future.

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    La Ronda Restaurant - Palta Rellena, (Chicken Salad, mixed vegetables served on Avocado)

    Palta Rellena, (Chicken Salad, mixed vegetables served on Avocado)

    La Ronda Restaurant - Ceviche Mixto (seafood mixed, Red snapper, prawns, mussel and calamari. Served lime juice, sweet potato, corn and Fresh onion on top)

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    Estampas Peruanas Restaurant - Helado de Lucuma

    Estampas Peruanas Restaurant

    3.9(394 reviews)
    7.1 mi
    $$

    I've been coming here since I was about 5 years old, and it's still one of my favorite Peruvian…read morerestaurants to this day. My family and I would always come here for birthday dinners or stop by on our way back to San Jose from San Francisco. Walking in always feels warm and welcoming with all the Peruvian paintings and decor throughout the restaurant. One of my favorite things is introducing my friends to this place because they always end up loving it too! The food here has always been consistently delicious and never disappoints and the customer service is great as well! If you're looking for authentic Peruvian food with a welcoming atmosphere, this place is definitely worth visiting.

    Peruvians will travel for this place- my cousins who live deep in the South Bay wanted to meet…read morehere, and I can see why. You can count on the lomo saltado to be delicious. We were laughing when I took the picture of the lomo because where else do you get to have fries, rice AND bread? The lomo was juicy and easy to eat, the onions were on point- not evenly cooked with a bite, and the fries were bomb. The portion is very generous- two can share or you can indulge. For health reasons one cousin chose the chicken, and she was sad because it wasn't as good. The table next to us had the duck and rice, and they reported that it was delicious. The cousins will be getting that next time. That plate looked like it could have fed four girls easily. The staff is very attentive. The owner was there, and he was very friendly to chat with. The old school restaurant interior is decorated with lots of Peruvian things. They have the TV going on along with music, but you can hold a conversation easily. It's on a meter free block with maybe a 1-2 hour limit, and the rest of the area has meters.

    Photos
    Estampas Peruanas Restaurant - Dining room December '25

    Dining room December '25

    Estampas Peruanas Restaurant - Arroz chaufa con mariscos

    Arroz chaufa con mariscos

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    Al Carbon - peruvian - Updated May 2026

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