Café Cusco was one of the biggest surprises of our time in Springfield! This Peruvian-inspired restaurant serves flavors that are definitely different from your typical Mexican spot. We started with the queso, which came out bright yellow and almost mustard-colored--not what we expected, but it was incredible! The salsa was super fresh, and we shared the steak fajitas with flavorful sauces, rice, and beans that were all unique and delicious. We also loved the atmosphere, with plants and colorful artwork throughout the restaurant. Definitely a Springfield spot worth trying! read more

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First time here and it was amazing! Our friends made reservations for a Friday night and requested a covered booth. Loved the historic building and decor. Very charming. Our server was very helpful and took time to answer all our questions. We started with Andean tamales with pork. Ahhh-mazing! The best thing we ate all night. For our entrees we had Blackfish and Lomo Saltado with steak. The fish was delicious and generous. However, the Lomo Saltado was a bit underwhelming compared to everything else. Overall, highly recommend! read more

Cafe Cusco - Lomo Saltado with Steak - Peruvian Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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My second trip to Springfield, Mo for work. This little area (literally this 1/4 mile of street) has some amazing restaurants! Unknowingly, I started "scrolling" to find a place to eat and was sucked in by pics of the food and ambiance! So I mapped directions to Cafe Cusco only to find it was next to another great restaurant I had been to during my last trip. Walked in and the hostess, with a welcoming greeting and smile directed my single person party to a four top. Turns out she ended up also being my server and bartender!!! Lilly was her name and she was on top of it all. I believe there was at least one other server. I shied away from apps as I was not sure about the serving sizes as I was not famished... I started with a Pisco Sour that Lilly recommended and she also recommended the Lomo Saltado for an entree. I chose to also have the Ginger Caipirinha. For dessert I had the Quinoa Pudding and a cup of coffee. Beverages were well balanced with lime tartness, great cinnamon presence and over all flavor was refreshing! The Lomo Saltado was very flavorful- def get your salt intake for the day, but it works so well! There was a house hot sauce at each table. I taste tested the hot sauce and decided to liberally add to the dish! A symphony of flavors! The slices of tomato in that Saltado sauce was ... mmmmmmmmm GOOD!! Naturally the tenderloin was packed with Saltado flavor too! I ordered up the Ginger Caipirinha (which did not disappoint either!). Both beverages stand on their own merits and I cannot choose which was better... maybe the sour?? So... then there was dessert... I cannot recall the last time I ordered dessert... quinoa pudding???? I mean... I like quinoa... but do I ever go out of my way to eat it?? No... but add some sweet coconut cream, cinnamon and... wait for it... Black cherry COMPOTE?!?????!!!! Damn! Am I glad I got that dessert! You MUST save room for this! Such a great amalgamation of flavor and textures! Cheers Cafe Cusco!! You've got a great gem here for great prices to boot! Lilly was very busy, what may have lacked in some attentiveness (due to how busy it was) she made up for in her awesome personality, pleasant disposition and great suggestions! Chillin' in haute Springfield?? Check this place out! Cheers! read more

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We had a large group of 8 people, arriving at 6:15. Interior was rustic farmhouse meets Manhattan mob, kind of a weird mix of visual elements. Our service was somewhat slow. The first round of drinks took 30 minutes to arrive, and when it did, an entire drink (a beer) was missing. The restaurant does not have a bartender, so the server has to make drinks, take orders, and bring out food. Our server had tables inside and outside, which seemed odd because it spread them out all over the store. I ordered the El Capitan, which was a sort of sweet, pisco manhattan. It was good, but on the sweet side. Then I tried the ginger caipirinha, which was also quite good, but very sweet. The Brazillian with me thought it was weird that they topped it with a pineapple slice. For dinner I had the Aji de Gallina, which was shredded chicken with a creamy, cheesy gravy, over potatoes and served with rice. The dish didn't have much color, and the flavor was very mild. It had a sort of comfort food feeling, but was just ok. Others were very satisifed with their meals. read more

As a Peruvian, I will say this was a Mexican fusion mix. The lomo saltado doesn't taste like traditional lomo saltado. I got more fajita than lomo saltado taste. Nevertheless, it was good. I loved the blend. Service was friendly and fast. I had two lomo saltados and two inka colas, all in total of 58$ not including tip. It's probably the best healthy option out here and I appreciate that. read more

Cafe Cusco - Lomo Saltado - Peruvian Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

We came out to celebrate our anniversary and were so happy with our choice. The food was amazing. My husband said the steak was some of the best steak he's ever had. They have an amazing selection of gluten free and vegan options as well! The salsa was on the sweet side but was still delicious and the fried guacamole was fantastic with a very well rounded flavor/texture combo. The ambiance was phenomenal. Our server was so kind and friendly, we'll definitely be back! read more

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My favorite place to eat in SGF. Yucca fries and the awesome accompanying sauces! Any trout dish but the ones with capers are really good. Always attentive service and great food. Atmosphere and decor are fun and beautiful. read more

Ceviche was amazing (a bit on a salty side but that is to be expected to ensure safety). Server was quick and friendly. Cozy seating read more

Cafe Cusco - Wahoo Ceviche - Peruvian Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

A must stop ! Located in a beautiful historical downtown area . They offer 2 separate menus here , one regular and one entirely vegan . Robust flavor , portions weren't outta control . Prices were on the higher end but well worth it. read more

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It was SO nice finally eating a hot meal in Missouri after spending an entire week in Branson with no gluten-free options as someone with celiac disease. Almost the entire menu is gluten-free and they have a dedicated fryer. Thank GOD. My husband and I ordered: - Fried Guacamole / Palta Fritas. $9.99 (Appetizer) - Lomo Saltado. $18.99 (Main) - Amazon Fried Rice. $15.99 (Main) - Lúcuma Cheesecake. $10 (Dessert) - Bottle of hot sauce to take home. $10 While the fried rice was a tad oversalted and I didn't like the Cheerio crust on the cheesecake, the food was so good and the salsa... Omg. I could have taken a case home of that stuff. It is hot but complex and flavorful. The salsa alone is worth another visit. They have a menu with foods you might not see anywhere else in town such as deep fried rabbit with basil lime aioli, BBQ jackfruit with Peruvian panca peppers or blackened cobia on a bed of ahi amarillo mashed potatoes. The restaurant is in an old building from the 1800's with tables, booths and even a dining room upstairs. The bathrooms are individual rooms with a sink and changing table, so they are unisex. Service was great. Overall, I would definitely return. Visited December 2024 read more

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Dogs are welcomed here which is really awesome. We had good service even though clearly there was one server covering inside and out. Was surprisingly attentive. The trout salad was phenomenal and check out the size of that fish!! I had the salsa verde salad and regretted it. The verde salsa was like a gross smoothie and smothered the entire salad. Really just ate the chicken. Mango was slimy and overly ripe but ‍ maybe that's how Peruvian people like them. Really liked this place though just a bad choice on my part. read more

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What great ambience (think cozy, warm, slightly dimmed lighting, and the sound of sizzling platters, with the aromatic spices which are somehow both comforting and stimulating)! The food was very good; I tried the rabbit (sweet, bit chewier than chicken, and darker meat). It was interesting! We also ordered sweet potato noodles with peas and spinach and added shrimp; that was delicious. Overall, pleased. The service (provided by both Caden and Leigh) was stellar. I'll be back when in Springfield. read more

Love this restaurant! I had ordered takeout before and loved the food, so decided to eat inside. I loved that they had an entire vegan menu with several options. The decor was so cute, and the service was great. I can't wait to return and try another menu option. read more

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The best food in the world! But the service is going down over the last year. Most of the good servers have gone next door to the new place. One of the best servers is a guy but haven't seen him here in a little bit but idk. Sad to see such a amazing place have terrible service read more

Wonderful food and experience. We ordered a couple of appetizers and shared the red trout. The trout was excellent and so large, we could have shared the half size. The appetizers were excellent as well. read more

It's been a while when we went to Cafe Cusco. It's off Commercial Street, an area I enjoy visiting. Great atmosphere, feels like you're in a foreign town. The food was amazing! We got the slow cooked rabbit, which was delicious. My husband talks about it to this day. The drinks were pretty good sized. The service was great. The owner came and introduced himself, which was nice. We can't wait to return! read more

Maybe a hidden gem in Springfield. We had never had Peruvian food before, but we are sold now. Perfect service by Rheanna! She made the evening fun and had great recommendations. Great ambiance, although a little small. We enjoyed the private booths. My wife loved the Margarita Cubano! We began with the Tequenos. A Peruvian take on fried cheese sticks. These were delicious and the marina like sauce was very good. We loved both entrees. My wife had the Checken Para Rayos and thought pretty good, although very rich cream sauce, but we felt like the Chicken Saltado was the better of the two with a unique and delicious flavor. It was also the lighter of the two. We had to try dessert and Rheanna recommended the cheesecake. I loved the Lucuma Cheesecake and definitely recommend it. Very different, but delicious. read more

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We came in for a late dinner shortly before the kitchen closed and they got us in and out without an issue. We basically got a bunch of apps (ceviche, tamal, fried avocado, soup, etc..) and we finished it off with the surprisingly good quinoa dessert. Highly recommended. read more

The jack fruit nachos are so yummy- words just can't describe how good they are. The verde chicken salad has just the right amount of heat- so refreshing! The waitress was delightful-such amazing service & recommendations! read more

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Awesome find. Seriously good food and most items are naturally gluten free. In fact the non- gluten free items are marked NGF. Love it! Great patio - we took our dog. Inside is dark but inviting. Finally the service was outstanding. Shout out to Trevor for making great recommendations making us feel welcome. read more

So super tasty, with great service despite us being a group of 10. The restaurant vibe and ambiance is very beautiful--with stained glass, fun lighting fixtures, and intimate booth setups. Can be a good fit for all crowd types! The house made hot sauce at the table was so good. I regret not remembering to buy a bottle on our way out. read more

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Intimate and trendy neighborhood restaurant on historic Commercial street that has a great vibe. Excellent service that is always attentive to your needs. Oh, also the food is amazing!!! My go to's are the fryer rabbit and the chicken para rayos. A must try place read more

Very very good food outside dining as well I do recommend this place I love there goat burger

Our food was absolutely amazing. We got the Chicken Saltado and the Chicken Para Rayos and they were both so delicious. We also loved the ambiance here, the interior is decorated so beautifully and really gets you excited for good food! The intoxicating smell of the food when you walk in is also a bonus! We also got two cocktails that were perfectly crafted. Despite all of this we had some pretty bad service. We waited for over 20 minutes before our waiter showed up to the table in a slow restaurant. When he arrived, he did not apologize and instead bluntly asked what we wanted. Throughout our dining he did not check in with us at all and was not personable. We were disappointed at the level of service compared to the amazing restaurant we were sat in, but we will definitely return to try again as it was probably just a bad day. read more

Cafe Cusco - Peruvian Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

My fiance and I arrived to celebrate our anniversary and immediately felt invisible. These dinner plans were a surprise for me, but my fiance had a great experience here in the past. Not only did the staff not greet us, there was also no eye contact or any acknowledgement that we were waiting to check in. Yes, things get busy and stressful in the restaurant work environment, but this was past your ordinary rush experience. After about 10 minutes of awkwardness and a lack of greeting (not even a rushed "welcome"), we were checked in for our reservation and seated at the very front in the waiting space next to the host stand... everyone waiting to be seated felt like they could join our conversation at any time. It took a while for the waiter to come to the table, and we were worried we'd be forgotten about due to being so separated from the rest of the restaurant. When the waiter eventually came, he set down waters and he'd "be back in a little bit". Needless to say, it wasn't a place we were excited to spend our money at anymore. Though we were excited to try the food here, we ended up leaving to take our business elsewhere. read more

get the lomo saltado its the best meal ive ever had in my life!!!!!!! i come in monthly and get steak lomo saltado, it's fast hot yummy and good price just trust me! read more

Another Springfield establishment worth your patronage. The atmosphere is casual and another great date night location. The service is prompt and attentive and knowledgeable. We started our meal with their Yucca Fries; fried and seasoned yucca root served with three delicious dipping sauces basil lime aioli, yellow pepper mayo and gulf sauce. Great starter app but save room for dessert. $10.99 with the price. For my main I ordered Chicken Saltado; tender juicy chicken sautéed with onion, tomato in aji amarillo, garlic and white wine. Tossed over rice then topped with cilantro and served with a side of garlic rice. This dish was OMG delish. The chicken was incredibly tender and flavorful. Def recommend this dish. $15.99 it was priced right IMO. Finally for dessert when I see a one of a kind opportunity it's a sure bet I'll say yes please. Mazzamora Morada is a must try. I would dine at Cafe Cusco again just to order this amazing dessert. Served warm, not overly sweet but the favor is OMG HEAVENLY. $4.99, Is pay double that for this sweet treat. I will most definitely return to Cafe Cusco next time I visit Springfield. read more

Food was great, service even better and great location! Caught lunch on way to airport and it did not disappoint.

This place is absolutely amazing. The food was fenomenal, the service was outstanding and the place looks super charming. Def recommend this place. I had the ceviche and I couldn't stop eating it because was too good. Then I ordered the blacked fish and was just perfectly cooked. The Pisco sour was delicious. Cannot wait to come back and taste some of the other dishes. I'll Give them 10 read more

I am not sure where to start, so here goes: asked Chatgpt where would be a great place to eat neat the Route 66 Car Museum (BTW, that is a must do! Amazing collection of vintage cars, not your everyday American made vehicles). Cafe Cusco came up at the top of the list. We drove into a wonderfully historic section of Springfield that is slowly but surely revitalizing itself with eclectic shops and eateries. (Keep it up, Springfield! ) walked into a beautiful Cafe with stained glass, woodwork which in itself was jawdropping. Sierra our server/"tour guide" into the venue was outstanding, introducing us to Peruvian inspired cuisine. Hubby had the Chorizo Burger, said it was the best tasting Chorizo he has ever had. I had the Jalea Mixta for my meal...and wow, it was wonderfully prepared with delicious sauces to explore. Both dishes had a side of mixed greens salad dressed with an amazing basil lime aoili...it was the first time I have ever seen my husband enjoy mixed greens! And the pickled red onions were awesome! We will definitely drive the 2 hours to come back. Fyi, everything was made in house, so fresh. read more

I have heard great things about Cafe Cusco and it has been on my list for awhile. Today I finally was able to dine here! The food did not disappoint at all from appetizers to the truly delicious drink. I'm ready to go back for more. We shared most of the food the main plate we shared was the arroz con pollo which was the only one we couldn't wait to eat. We were to hungry to wait for a photo but so worth trying!!! Service was good and the ambiance is another level on the inside. It's a small spot but the building is unique with a cute patio on the side of the building. The highlight is their tables inside such a unique experience in the booths. A must try! The food is very fairly priced & can't wait to try more yummy food!! read more

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Ate at happy hour.Food and drinks were amazing! Our waiter was very knowledgeable and helpful.We tried food we have never had before and loved it. Sat outside on a beautiful day but inside decor was impressive read more

Came here with my girlfriend after a long day, looking for something new to try. Cusco Cafe definitely delivered on the unique menu - we spotted Fryer Rabbit and Sweet Potato Noodles! Fryer Rabbit: Interesting choice, but fell a bit short. The rabbit itself was tough and heavily lime-flavored.While it had decent taste, I've had much better rabbit in the past. (Next time, I'll try the Lomo Saltado!) Sweet Potato Noodles with Shrimp: My girlfriend really liked this dish! The noodles themselves were surprisingly subtle on the sweet potato flavor, and the overall taste was excellent. Tres Leches: A bit of a miss. Way too much cinnamon on top completely overpowered the other flavors. We had to scrape some off to enjoy the actual cake, which was good underneath. Despite the mixed experience with the food, I have to give a shoutout to the ambiance and staff. The restaurant has a great atmosphere, and the service was friendly and attentive. This bumped them up to a 4-star experience overall. Would I come here again? Yes. It's definitely worth a try. read more

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Bad. $76 for chicken &rice that was no better than hamburger helper and fish that seemed like it was microwaved. Not to mention the staff was talking loud and cleaning furiously an hour before end of service. read more

Great find in Springfield, Historic C Street area. Everything was great starting with the Pisco Sour drink (unique, not too sweet), followed by seafood mixta and sashimi tuna. Next we had the pork and the blackfish and both were tasty. Finally had the chocolate torta. All great recommendations from our attentive server, Christina. Highly recommend this place if you are in the area. read more

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Really, really great food. Menus are well marked for gluten free options and staff is super knowledgeable. We had chicken mojo, chicken verde, and the askinose chocolate torte. Everyone was happy. Don't miss the chocolate torte. One of the best gluten free desserts I've had. FYI... they have a lunch menu that is significantly less expensive than their dinner menu, and portions are great sizes. read more

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Passing thru on way from Dallas to St Louis and Cafe Cusco was within walking distance of the Airbnb. Having recently learned of Pisco and making my own Pisco sours at home, I wanted to see how theirs compare as well as combine them with some good Peruvian food. While the surrounding areas look a bit "suspect", this few block stretch seems to be creating a nice enclave. "The oldest tavern in Springfield" was a block away from the cafe which we checked out prior to dinner. The waitress described their food as "Peruvian fusion" and the website says "Peruvian inspired" which I assume means "modified so more folks from Springfield will like it". Not knowing authentic Peruvian food, I can't make that comparison; all I know is everything I had was really good and the atmosphere was fantastic. Service and suggestions from Jaqui were great! Loved the cinnamon on the Pisco sour. Adding that to my home recipe! Also learned from Jaqui that I've been pronouncing "Pisco" incorrectly! ;) Highly recommend. read more

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Our first visit to Cafe Cusco was back in the Fall of '13, several weeks after they first opened, enjoying it as a novelty. My wife has since been to Peru and, matter of fact, had her first Pisco Sour in the restaurant's namesake city, Cusco. She did not, however, have the roasted Guinea Pig which seems to be a Peruvian staple! Thankfully, we didn't see it on the menu or I may have been forced to sample it. We had two hours to kill tonight, were hungry enough to eat but not enough for a bounty so we decided to hit C-Street for a lighter, more unique meal. We got to CC before it started filling up & promptly seated in a sizeable booth near the kitchen. It was nice to watch them work, though a beautiful evening & setting to dine outside. Our waiter, Ryan, brought us two waters & menus when he first arrived at our table. He was pretty laid-back but highly attentive though not to the point of encroaching on our privacy - yet we never wanted for anything. Now, that's my kind of service! We told Ryan we were eating light, starting with two Pisco Sours, then the Jalea Mixta appetizer of calamari, shrimp, Wahoo & plantains to split, with a cup of their Chupe de Rio spicy crawfish stew for me. We also split the Colorado Chicken Skewers entree, served over aji amarillo mashed potatoes with agave chipotle sauce & pico de gallo atop all. Everything was very good: The drinks were well-prepared & tasty; the seafood appetizer was delicately fried to perfection; the Chupa was more soup than stew but delicious; and the skewers couldn't have been any more tender. The sauce had 'creeper heat' that snuck up & bit you but 2 refills of water plus half of my wife's tamed it. Ryan said that the heat was a matter of the day & peppers...I got the hotter day apparently but I could not stop eating it, it was that good on the pleasingly slightly-chunky, mashed potatoes! The tab was around $70 including Ryan's 18% tip. We had a delightful evening at CC which took no more than an hour, with plenty of time to make our next engagement at 8pm. There's no question that CC is still a novelty, serving unique, satisfying Peruvian cuisine in an eclectic ambiance with great service. It would be a great place to share with friends after you sample it first. read more

Soooo good ahhhh!!!!! Love this restaurant. The food, service, ambiance, live music by Jazzon... it's hard to top a restaurant that cares this much and has this great of dishes. read more

4.5* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 4* Service: 5* 09/12/2022 Came here while on a business trip as it was a favorite of one of our hosts - and boy was I impressed. On two subsequent trips, we returned to the same location for at least one of our meals. I've been to Peru on a mission trip with my Mom and son and have grown to really love their food. I've started each of my meals here with a Pisco Sour (see picture) - they are always tasty and Cafe Cusco does a great job making them. While I've had their Ceviche on previous visits, I don't have a picture of it - but do highly recommend it. Lastly, for my meal on two of the trips, I've enjoyed their Spicy Pork Tacos (see pictures). I just absolutely love them - so much food, so juicy and oh so flavorful! This time they were infused with beets to make the shells red and on a previous visit, they were blue resulting from the use of blue corn. We came here first on the recommendation of a local host who recommends this place as his favorite...and it quickly became my favorite also! You absolutely have to try this place - all of the dishes I've tasted are full of flavor and delicious! If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. read more

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