This is definitely a place to try out when in Springfield! The food is reasonably priced and the portions are big! I had the spinach-basil pasta and was pleasantly surprised with the taste! I tried the other dish pictured as well and both dishes were bursting with flavor! Went during a dinner time and the service was still quick and food came out within a good time frame, never did I feel I was waiting for too long for anything! read more

Cafe Cusco - Spinach-Basil Pasta - Peruvian Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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First time trying Peruvian and this place was exceptional: from the décor to the music, it was a great travel-without-flying type of lunch. Our awesome server helped us pick some Peruvian faves. The mulled wine was perfect for a chilly rainy morning. The fried cotija-in-wonton appetizer was as good as fried cheese can be. The beet and agave vegetarian dish -- Puca Picante -- had great depth of flavor. But my chicken para rayos was the winner with it's creamy yellow pepper cheese sauce. That is... it was... Until the Lucuma Cheesecake. Amazon Lucuma fruit cheesecake with caramel rum sauce, whipped cream and pecans with gluten free Cheerio crust. read more

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Such a great first impression! Went here over lunch with 3 co-workers for my birthday, & the restaurant was almost full. We didn't mind waiting a few minutes for a table as we enjoyed taking in the beautiful Peruvian decor. It almost felt like we had traveled to Peru for our meal! Based off other Yelp recommendations, 3 of us ordered the chicken ahi verde and 1 ordered fried rice with chicken. (Waitress subbed chicken for pork in the fried rice for no extra cost.) The food was delicious! Midway though our meal, we noticed the bottle of red sauce next to the salt and pepper. Adding the red sauce gave a nice sweet and a little spicy kick to our dishes! One thing to note - waters come with lime wedges instead of lemon. (Lime is my preference, so I was pleasantly surprised!) I would definitely return as the lunch specials are ~$10 for a good amount of food and the atmosphere is fun and exotic! read more

Cafe Cusco - Peruvian Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

What a unique find! This place came highly recommended and it certainly lives up to the hype. The ambiance, service and food were all amazing. I had the wings and the trout and has very happy with my choices. read more

The smells walking into the establishment were amazing and mouthwatering! We waited several minutes to be seated then several more minutes before our waitress came to take our order. She was super sweet and was also our bartender so it seems they were terribly understaffed! Husband and I both ordered rabbit and it was so dry and salty along with potatoes that were over seasoned. The El Captain drink was really good tho! read more

Cafe Cusco - Fryer Rabbit - Peruvian Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

Moving one of my kids across the country and our first leg ended in Springfield, Missouri. I searched "best places to eat in Springfield," and Cafe Cusco rightly came up. Located in the charming historic commercial district, the restaurant is beautiful and there's the smell of great food as soon as you walk in. Everyone was masked. We ordered takeout and our food was ready promptly. I had the chicharron sandwich -- fried pork and sweet potato fries served with salad, tomato and golf sauce in between slices of focaccia bread. My daughter had the trucha - a crispy trout sandwich featuring basil aioli, lettuce and marinated red onions. We each had salad as our side (more delicious marinated red onions!) with a chunky sweet onion dressing. She had the mojito and I had the margarita -- both were great and generous, as were our sandwiches. This was a good treat after a long day in the car. read more

Cafe Cusco - Chicharron sandwich and salad. - Peruvian Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

Overnight stop in Springfield and expecting to eat fast food when our motel recommended Cafe Cusco. What a treat! Peruvian food in Springfield and it was delicious, fresh, and reasonably priced. Started with a banana-leaf wrapped tamale which was delicious. I can't remember the names of the main courses that followed but they were wonderful. Service was top notch and the setting in the old restored building was great. read more

I had heard nothing but good things about this place. Left very disappointed. I don't know if my waiter was the bus boy but he was pretty much non existant the whole time. Margarita Cubana was bad tasted like sunny D and cheap vodka. Food was OK at best. read more

My favorite restaurant in all the Ozarks. Every time I'm in the area I come have dinner. Best cocktails to plate pairing

My husband and I came here for happy hour. Which was 3-5:30 and there were a number of drinks and apps that were a good deal. All the drinks were pretty and delicious. The margarita was my favorite and the nachos were so good we ended up getting a full order. The atmosphere is really pretty and private. It looked like they had a nice shaded patio too. read more

Cafe Cusco - Drinks at Cusco - Peruvian Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

Visiting from Tulsa with friends that know a good restaurant. Chicken Aqi Verde! Lunch was great, service great and nice atmosphere. Bravo!

This is a great date night place. I love the old architecture and cozy atmosphere. The menu is really different. I got a chicken skewer dish and it was delicious! I will definitely go back and try more dishes! read more

The food was very good. It was my first time trying Peruvian food and I loved it. I had the Chicken para Rayos as recommended by our server. The service was very good. Our server provided detailed descriptions on multiple entrees and appetizers. The decor was nicely done with interesting furnishings I definitely would recommend this place and hope to return soon read more

Wait and kitchen staff were wearing masks. Tables were spaced out well. Cocktails were delicious! I had the Ginger Caiparinha and their version of a Mule. Food was absolutely FANTASTIC! Somebody ordered, and then shared, the Fried Guacamole which was heavenly! I ordered the Spicy Pork Tacos and there were so many flavors and textures going on that I may be looked like a starving person while shoving the food in my mouth... And THEN, somebody ordered the Torta de Askinosie! OH. MY. WORD!!! Eyes rolling into the back of your HEAD good! This place made me wish I lived in Springfield!!! read more

Cafe Cusco - Ginger Caipirinha - Peruvian Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

Oh my gosh!!! I could've licked the cream pepper sauce off of the chicken/shrimp dish. It had a scoop of rice and a grilled slice of pineapple. The sister restaurant (Van Gogh's) is amazing too!!! The decor was warm and so quaint!!! A Peruvian delight!!! Our waitress was so knowledgeable and sweet!!! I wanted to go there again this evening. We will DEFINITELY be back!!!! read more

Excellent lunch. Nothing could have made the experience better. Service was fast and efficient. Food was fresh and very well prepared. Decor was fantastic. Every request was met with a smile. Had a mixed salad and the trout entree with lunch. Lots of kalamata olives and mango on both. They even stocked Heineken 0.0. Could not have been better. Wish I lived less than 8 hours away so I can go back. read more

Cafe Cusco has been on my list of restaurants to try for ages. I was in the area and hungry for lunch, so I finally decided to try it! I was not disappointed. The restaurant itself is fairly small and narrow. I sat by myself. It took quite a while for the server to take my drink order (just water) but she was the only server and host. Once I ordered my food, it didn't take long at all for it to come out. I ordered the ceviche tacos which were delightfully acidic & citrusy. It came with a yellow sauce that was okay. I wasn't sure specifically what the sauce was. It also came with rice which was good. I would definitely recommend this place. The prices are great for the quality of food! And they had many other dishes I am interested in trying. read more

While we sat outside on the quaint patio, the architecture of the interior was phenomenal. Staff was friendly and offered great food suggestions since we were first timers. Full menu of vegan, vegetarian options- many GF options as well. We had the Chicken Mojo, Chicken Aji Verde and the Torta de Askinosie- SO GOOD! Forgot to take pictures read more

Based on all the Yelp reviews - u know this place is already good. However, for me it isn't exactly authentic Peruvian food. You judge a Peruvian restaurant by a few main items: Lomo Saltado (Beef with Fries/Potatoes), ceviche, some chifa offerings (Chinese Peruvian food - b/c this is a natural fusion, Wong's Supermarket is the best CHAIN in Peru ever!), lots of corn/quinoa dishes, and a really good pisco sour or chica morada (purple corn drink). This is a nice Americanized take on Peruvian since I've missed it so much since I've lived there. Been here for dinner and lunch, always busy either way and maybe more so at lunch. Think about reservations! Things to Note: 1) Lomo Saltado is not the Best 2) Love love the Trout Dish 3) Vegan offerings w/ delicious quinoa soups 4) Amazing Lunch specials 5) no roasted Peruvian chicken but plenty or other alternative chicken dishes 6) Vegan Monday night buffet 7) Decent ceviche but made w/ tilapia, ask for more heat 8) Hot sauce made in-house and u can buy it! 9) Service is always wonderful And I haven't had dessert yet - but it looks large and tasty to share, so I'll be back again! read more

This is the kind of place that I end up wanting to try everything! We had the fried quacamole , which I liked more than the others. So we added some cheese wrapped in dough and fried. Everyone loved that. I got the Chicken Acopa...it was interesting and good, but I would have no trouble ordering something else next time. One soon for the steak and eggs, which was exceptionally delicious and the other got the fried rice. That was good, looked like Chinese and tasted...well, Peruvian, I guess. He really liked his too. I had a Pisco Sour, that was tasty and different. I really want to go back soon. read more

The ambiance is great, the food and service were ok. I was just a little dissatisfied with the taste of the food. I am by no means knocking the food down, but the lomo saltado had too much soy sauce and the yuca was not fried all the way through. I was surprised to find a Peruvian restaurant down here, perhaps the other dishes might be on point. read more

The service was good, food tasted amazing, love the ambiance but did not care for where we got sat, small 2 top table was not very cozy and the bar was right next to my head... read more

So, so happy we went here for dinner. Cinnamon in a Margarita works. It just does. I too the ceviche juice with a shrimp chaser. Excellent start. We followed it with a sting of dishes but the Colorado Kababs wet on another level. Luck the plate good. The vibe was awesome. The waitress clearly loved the food and gave strong descriptions of them. The music was great. Heard the chefs listening to Buena Vista Social Club in the back. That was a first and a good sign that the chefs have good taste. Another sign that lead us to eat here. read more

If there was 4.5 stars I would have given it. But as the staff was great and of course the food very good, it get 5 stars. I have the veggie fajitas and that was great. My wife had a soup that was good, but not outstanding. Maybe she was expecting something else. Anyhow, the menu is wonderful and they do cool things. So give them a try! read more

We were traveling back home to Roanoke, Texas, and we discovered this gem. This was our first experience with Peruvian food. The food is bursting with color and fresh flavors. This is an excellent choice for vegans and gluten-free eaters. Our server Jackie was friendly and professional. Incredible ambience inside, and the prices are reasonable given the quality and quantity of food. We will be back for sure! read more

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Food honestly didn't have a ton of flavor. I had the sweet potato noodles and the sesame oil made the dish too oily. Portions were large. Service was slow. Servers were spread between inside and outside tables. Plus they had to make all of their own cocktails and drinks for each table. We were a table of four, split on two checks sitting on two sides of the booth. She didn't get the meals on the correct checks and the drinks were billed incorrectly. But after a 1:35 minute eating experience, we just paid the bills and settled up later. Probably won't be back, food just isn't good enough to offset the clumsy service. read more

I've had to visit Springfield several times in the past few months, after moving away years ago. I've been pleasantly surprised during each visit to find wonderful new(ish) cafés and restaurants all around the Springfield area. Café Cusco is definitely on that list. I ordered the trout salad and my partner ordered the half olive trout; we started with the fried cheese. Each item was really delicious. I tried some of my brother's ceviche and it was some of the best I've ever had. I highly recommend Café Cusco. read more

Cafe Cusco - Trout salad - too large to finish - Peruvian Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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Our new favorite hidden gem! First time there and from appetizer to desert everything was absolutely wonderful. Fresh and flavorful, and nothing we expected to find hidden on commercial street. We had a very helpful and knowledgeable waitress as well. Recommend 10 out of 10! read more

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Beautiful place, wonderful food, such a special place in a historic building. Visiting from out of town and had a fast dinner (but amazing food) prior to flying out. It's a gem! Quality and such fair prices. read more

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Delicious Peruvian Food! If you enjoy exploring different ethnic foods, or are already a fan of South American cooking, this is a restaurant for you! This was our second visit to Café Cusco. It is located in a historic, long and narrow two story building in a revitalized district of old north Springfield. The area has several unique shops and restaurants. It is obvious the City is working to bring business to the area. As you walk up to the restaurant, you will notice the colorful, mosaic glass designs in the sidewalk. Also, the bright colorful decorations and signs on the building, and the outdoor dining area, stands out! The inside of the restaurant is even more beautiful. There are carved wood booths, copper ceiling tiles, stained glass and a beautiful carved wood bar. It is just a neat place! The food and service is very good! And, because of that, this is a popular restaurant! The parking at peak times can be a pain. There are a couple of public lots nearby and limited on street parking. We intentionally were there late to miss the lunch crowd. Start your meal with one of their many unusual appetizers. We had the Yucca Fritas: a portion of fried seasoned yucca root with three dipping sauces and a red onion relish. It was very tasty. This trip we enjoyed the Arrozs con Pollo (Sautéed chicken & rice in white wine, roasted garlic aji verde, corn, peas, carrots with fresh cilantro)., Arrozos con Mariscos (Sautéed calamari, shrimp and Wahoo with rice in white wine, garlic, aji amarillo, lime juice, corn, peas, onion and bell pepper topped with Bonita flakes and cilantro), and the Chicken Para Rayos (Sauteed chicken and shrimp smothered with creamy yellow pepper sauce with tomato and spinach over a bed of garlic rice with grilled pineapple wheels) Excellent meals all around! There is a house made hot sauce on the table that complements the Peruvian food perfectly. Be sure to try it! This is a very distinctive restaurant with great service! read more

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A unique place but with terrific food. The sauce on the wings is unique and delicious. The arroz con pato is delicious. Perhaps my favorite thing is the house made hot sauce, it's utterly amazing. Great place if you're looking for something different read more

Great food with lots of gluten free options or modifications to be gluten free to include dedicated fryer, sub rice for pasta, and a gluten free bun option. Fried avocado is an awesome appetizer, fried pork sandwich is amazing. read more

Delicious ceviche and fish tacos in the middle of Missouri is hard to believe but Cafe Cusco serves it up and more! A lovely spot in the cute Commercial Street district of downtown Springfield. The rustic feel of the all wood interior and authentic yet subtle decor truly makes this place feel like you are dining in a metropolitan like city. Absolutely recommend this place for a weekend lunch date with friends or when you have a huge appetite around dinner (aka when you want to stuff your face with some burritos). What a gem! read more

I would fight anyone barehanded for the blackfish recipe. It wasn't even my dish, my partner only gave me a few bites. 10/10 it's been 24 hours and I cannot stop thinking about this. read more

I LOVE this restaurant! I love going to C Street for a date night and ending it at this sweet little place. I prefer to eat outdoors at their location, but the atmosphere both inside and outside is great. Their food is amazing, and even someone with dietary restrictions has meal options on the menu. The flavors here are something very unique to Springfield, and I love having a local Peruvian restaurant to show out-of-town friends. I'm never disappointed coming to eat here! read more

Cafe Cusco - Fried calamari & shrimp - Peruvian Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

We had high hopes when coming to celebrate a friend's 24th birthday, and it did not deliver. Service was poor- we didn't get any water refills until the end, there was no communication about our wait time. Further, our table kept getting split on who got their items. We would receive 3 out of 7 items, then another 5-10 minutes would pass and we would get 3 more items, and then another 5 would pass before the last item came. This went for drinks and food. We also had a super long wait time to even place our order, so a 1 hour dinner plan turned into almost 2. It turns out that our final entree got sent to the wrong table (which totally happens!), but it meant that we received it when everyone else has almost finished their meal, and nothing was said until our server brought it out and no compensation was given for the blunder. Overall, our experience was a miss. If we had better service, we likely would've ordered another round of drinks and maybe even dessert, but we got plopped at the big table upstairs and ignored. It's fairly unlikely that they'll be getting my money again read more

The food was fantastic, not many people do rabbit right! The service was top notch I was never waiting as soon as I thought about needing something they were there! On top of that it had a cool feel to it! read more

Fantastic Great stop for an out of towner. Food was very flavorful and service was great(Trevor) We ordered based on his recommendation which was spot on read more

Cafe Cusco - Peruvian Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

This Peruvian restaurant food was so delicious, food looked and tasted amazing! They accommodated our large group close to closing, and made the overall experience enjoyable! read more

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Cafe Cusco is probably THE BEST GLUTEN FREE restaurant in Springfield. They are so in tune to Celiac disease and vegans as well. Only a few items on the menu are not GF, and the vegan menu is large. I seem to always gravitate to the black bean fajitas or the tamals. We Tried the trout and mussels tonight, both very tasty. My GF family is able to get fried appetizers here since they have a dedicated GF fryer. This makes them so happy. We have not eaten outside, but I love the sidewalk decorations and lights. The booths are a little private oasis and the decor is Peruvian. There is also an upstairs (no elevator and LOTS of stairs)with a bar and seating, as well as an area with a couch to relax. Unique. Delicious. Safe. We will continue come back. read more

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