I've heard many good things about Aji, and I was glad to finally try them! They were pretty empty…read morefor Sunday lunch (which I don't mind at all!), so service was quick and kind. We tried their lomito saltado and arrocito norteno. They didn't provide any aji sauce for the lomito (surprising) but were quick to bring some when we requested it. The beef was very tender! So although definitely more expensive than more casual Peruvian spots, we could taste the quality. I also loved the arrocito norteno, as I love seafood paella, and this was basically that. The scallops and octopus were so good! This place is a bit more luxe than the other Peruvian places I've tried before, which is reflected in their price. Although we were there in the day, I could imagine this place being a cute date spot at night. Glad to try this main stay in Long Beach and would recommend for a bit more upscale meal (although no pressure to dress nice at all, just seems like that vibe).

A serendipitous turn in fortunes found my Wife & I travelling towards "Home Sweet Home" after the…read moreoriginal Peruvian restaurant we had chosen to have dinner at was closed for a private party. Aji on 4th Streets Retro Row delivered the goods as my Wife & I had journeyed down to Peru in 2024 and from Lima, Cusco and Puno. The flavours encompassed in the dishes we'd ordered which were the Lomito Saltado and the Aji De Gallina were as authentic here as what we dined on back in 2024 which certifies them as premier purveyors of Peruvian cuisine. Drinks wise, they had Maracuya juice which is their local version of passionfruit in that region as well as Chicha Morada which is their Purple Corn beverage composed of cinnamon, cloves, fresh lime juice and when in Peru, they'll utilize pineapple husks for flavouring. It apparently is more popular in Peru than Coca-Cola and after a few sips you'll inevitably see why. Next up when I return will be the Causa trio, in the meanwhile this establishment comes heavily recommended from someone who has traveled to Peru as they hit the nail on the head with their offerings.

This is easily the best restaurant in Long Beach. The food is all fresh, flavorful and ample in…read moreportion size. There is a diverse selection and you cannot go wrong. The dishes are radically inventive and make a diner feel like they are transported to a high-end New Mexico ranch with their thorough authenticity. The service was great, our waitress walked us through the menu and was fast to refill water. The spot gets a little loud but you shouldn't talk with food in your mouth anyway and the food here you will be stuffing your face with start to finish.

Tried Panxa in Long Beach for Mother's Day and had a decent brunch. Luckily we made a reservation…read moresince it was pretty busy. Service was a miss -- we never had a dedicated server so they didn't check in as often. For the food, we tried the stacked enchiladas and posole. I ordered my enchiladas with both roja and verde sauces, or Christmas style. Flavors were good but not memorable. The dish itself was on the smaller side for the price. The posole was pretty tasty and had a huge portion! Came with lots of vegetables and bread on the side. Overall, we were satisfied with our meal but don't need to come back.

I'm so sad, I've live in Long Beach all my life and always wanted to try this place since it was…read moreclose to home. I didn't realize how huge inside was, don't let the corner door fool you. It was beautiful inside, I was excited to try their food. We went for Happy hours, their margaritas was buy one get one free. For the price it was good amount. When we got seated it was just the two of us and another couple. The server took our orders right away. Ordered the chicken, beef and shrimp empanadas and shrimp ceviche. WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT! At this point it was just the two of us and the server. Waited roughly 45 minutes for our food because it looks like the server decided to take a lunch while we wait for our food. The server did not check on us or apologize to us that it was taking a while for the food to come out until she saw the frustration on our face and inform us the food is almost ready! 45 minutes later, she brought out the empanadas and I received two chicken and one shrimp... it was OK with the help of the sauces that was given. The shrimp ceviche was actually good, the shrimp was cooked perfectly. Here's the thing, the menu does not have prices on it and when we received the bill, the ceviche was $22! For the amount and for what it was, it was not worth it. The whole experience was horrible.

In both English and Spanish (please excuse my errors):…read more Two stars is a gift for this place, but it's friendly and family-owned, so I will be as gentle as possible. The empanadas were just OK. The shell pastry was good, but the filling was pureed chicken and/or beef, which felt like baby food. Where is the real meat with textures and vegetables that are customary in Colombia? The other things, like the chicharron and platanos, were ordinary at best by Colombian standards. I have been to numerous small cafes all over Colombia, in cities and Villages, and have had much better (and fresher) food for less money, which, to be fair, is not their fault on that point. BUT you should really cook what are relatively simple foods much better and use quality ingredients. Colombian food is delicious when done right. El Paisa will have my respect for the prices they charge if they raise their quality. Dos estrellas es un regalo para este lugar, pero es amigable y de propiedad familiar, así que seré lo más amable posible. Las empanadas estaban bien. El pastel de conchas estaba bueno, pero el relleno era puré de pollo y/o ternera, que parecía comida para bebés. ¿Dónde está la verdadera carne con texturas y verduras habituales en Colombia? Las otras cosas, como el chicharrón y los plátanos, eran ordinarias en el mejor de los casos para los estándares colombianos. He estado en numerosos cafés pequeños en toda Colombia, en ciudades y pueblos, y he tenido comida mucho mejor (y más fresca) por menos dinero, lo que, para ser justos, no es su culpa en ese punto. PERO realmente deberías cocinar alimentos relativamente simples, mucho mejor, y usar ingredientes de calidad. La comida colombiana es deliciosa cuando se prepara bien. El Paisa tendrá mi respeto por los precios que cobran si aumentan su calidad.

Selva was a great dinner experience! I came in for date…read morenight with my boyfriend and we loved everything. My family is Colombian so I was happy to see that they had refrajo on the drink menu. ( it's Colombian beer mixed with Colombian soda - it's amazing!) We ordered the arepas with chicharron, steak, and ceviche. Everything was super flavorful and delicious. The butter that came with the steak has sooo much flavor, I put that on everything. Our server Jake ( I believe that was his name) was super friendly and informative. Overall great experience, and will be back.

Selva has a very cool vibe you can feel upon entering, with its checkered floor, teal bar chairs,…read moredark wood, and alternative rock playing in the background. It also smells like amazing meat which is a huge plus for me. We didn't have reservations so had to sit in the bar area which did include high top booths thankfully. It was our first time and happened to dine during one of their collab nights. We were disappointed at first because we were craving Colombian food. But the limited menu looked promising so we gave it a go. It turned out that everything was delicious. The spare rib was fall off the bone tender and had great smoky flavor. The beans were surprisingly tasty too. (I always find beans an unnecessary and bland accompaniment). I absolutely loved the brisket stir fry. The flavors blended well and it had a nice kick. The meat was so tender and I appreciated the meat to noodle ratio. The chicken inside the empanada was deliciously smoky but not overly so and the crust was the right consistency and crisp. It came with 3 sauces which were good but would have like a more spicier option. I tried two cocktails that were in the collab menu. The black old fashioned was too strong for me. I definitely preferred the buffalo soldier which was tasty and refreshing. My favorite dessert was the Natilla. It was like a flan mousse and so good. The toasted coconut flakes added a nice texture. The oblea was fun to eat. That cream and jam were a great combo. Overall a worthwhile experience. I hope to come back to try their regular menu items.

Came to fuego located at Hotel Maya. Sat outside by the heaters for dinner, nice view of the water…read moreand lights, food was good definitely the portion for ceviche was larger than I expected. I asked for a half order of the fuego guacamole so they got me a side and 3 Skirt steak tacos. I was beyond stuffed. Just came off a 5hr flight and I acted like I have never eaten. I cannot complain about the food the past pictures made me worried but it looks like they've stepped up their game since some of the previous pictures I saw in the yelp reviews. Ceviche was yummy ate it all with no Chips. Food service was quick, food was good, prices are not cheap but it's the convenience of getting to your hotel and knowing you don't have to drive, catch a cab or find a restaurant after a long day. Walked the back of the hotel to my room and took in more of the site. Next day ordered room service by Fuego. Generous sized burrito with lots of condiment choices, juicy cantaloupe was the perfect pairing and a nice size glass of orange juice for the price.

This restaurant racially discriminated against my sister…read more In a half-empty restaurant, she and her partner were ignored for over 20 minutes just to receive a menu. They were told there were no heaters available while heaters were visibly sitting next to them. Two minutes later, a white couple arrived and was immediately greeted, given a heater, appetizers, and attentive service. The contrast was blatant. The message was clear.

This place was a nice little, hole-in-the-wall cafe for a quick bite. Seating is limited. There is…read morea small bar area inside, but nobody was sitting inside, because the line to order was kind of taking up that area. There are also three tables outside that seat four, four, and two for a maximum of ten. The place fills up fast, but empties just as quick. And their baked goods go quick, so grab them while you can! I ordered the Cuban Empanada as an appetizer. The savory rice and bean filling was a perfect compliment to the sweet ripe plantain filling and hint of sweetness in the dough. They are baked and the dough is thick and chewy, so if you're not a fan of that type of Empanada, be warned... I ordered the Cuban Sandwich as the main course. It was DELICIOUS and I would recommend it to everyone! If you're a purist, like a few of my friends and family though, be warned. Their take on the Cuban is made with Ciabatta not Cuban Bread, Mozzarella not Swiss, and is toasted not pressed... I ordered a Vanilla & Dulce De Leche Cookie for Dessert. It was AMAZING! Soft chewy on the inside, a little crunch on the outside. The taste of a sugar cookie with little sugar bombs of Dulce De Leche throughout. Perfect. And I washed it all down with a Tres Leches Latte (Hot). It was DIVINE! Very much on the sweet side, which I absolutely enjoyed to the last drop. But, if you do not like it too sweet, you can ask them to lower the sweetness level. Also, they will give you an option of dairy milk (2%), almond milk, or oat milk when you order. Overall it was an excellent experience, for me. I will recommend it to all my friends, and will definitely be back!

Not bad! But I definitely think I've had better empanadas. I'd love to come back and try their…read moresandwiches or burritos next time! It was our first time here, so we wanted to try all the flavors! We got the beef, chicken, BBQ pork, Cuban, chicken curry, veggie, and ropa vieja empanadas. I LOVE the crispy exterior of the empanadas, although interestingly, the first bites always tasted slightly salty. The fillings all had decent flavor, but none of them were outstanding or impressed me enough to want more. I will say, the green salsa they included with the order SIGNIFICANTLY improved the taste and experience of the empanadas. By itself, I'd rate the empanadas 3/5, but with the salsa, it definitely goes up to at least 4/5. But I dislike that the empanadas can't hold their own without the addition of the salsa. The shop is located in a plaza with a decent amount of parking. I think there were a few tables outside to enjoy the food, but not much seating otherwise. The girl at the counter seemed sweet and helpful and immediately greeted us when we came into the store. While the empanadas here aren't for me, it does seem like many people like them!

Have only gotten pupusas but have gotten them many times. This is a cute restaurant operated by…read morepeople who care, and they make great food. We like to get several flavors and share. The standout is potato/cheese.

Best Pupusa's in Long Beach!!! I loved the curtido, it was a little spicy but the flavor was…read moreamazing!

10/10 love this spot! The food is so delicious and the portion sizes are big. The customer service…read moreis excellent. Our server was so friendly and very attentive. I love the vibes of this place!

Found out about this place from a Yelp event I was invited to. At the event I tried the Shrimp…read moreCeviche and and a few other items and drink samples they had. It left a good impression so I figured I'd go try the real deal out at some point. At the event the shrimp ceviche was served with plantain chips which if you're a central American, it's a nice touch. So for my dad's birthday I figure bring him here since we are central American something he would enjoy. Total bait and switch and it worked because based on what I got at the Yelp event I was expecting the same ingredients and presentation. I'll have images of what I had at the Yelp event vs what we were served. No plantain chips, we got tortilla chip strips, ceviche was more like a pico de gallo salsa with minimal shrimp chopped up so tiny you couldn't even taste it. Not worth the $24 or $25 that I paid for it. Even the ceviche de caracol looked like it had more protein in it than vegetables. Not sure if they're trying to save costs by making it more of a Salsa than ceviche. The waitress was attentive no complaints there and the location is pretty big inside. We were the only table there which I thought was a bit odd but figured maybe we came on an off day. They do have some TVs to watch sports, a small bar area and a little store front where you can buy items to take home. Parking in the area is pretty tough if you are driving since it's street parking. If you're a local walking then you're fine. Would we come back.. nope

Stopped at this location after our concert. No wait time to get seated. Sat down and ordered some…read morefood and beverages. Received our food in a timely manner. Food and Service was good. We really wanted to hear some latin music while we eat. We were dissapointed since the dj or live band was set to start late. It was already 1030pm, no music to vibe too. Just to give you a heads up, there are two locations. Long Beach and Costa Mesa. The one in Costa Mesa displays shows like Flocorica dancing and live latin bands. Long Beach, not so much Overall, the food, service and latin ambience was great. I would comeback and try again.

If you want good paella, do not come here…read more This was honestly the worst paella I've ever had, which was really disappointing because the restaurant itself had a nice atmosphere and live music. We ordered a half seafood and half meat paella, with added lobster and pork belly. Unfortunately, the actual food was terrible. Main issues: * The bottom of the seafood side was completely black and burnt instead of having a crispy socarrat. There's a huge difference between crispy rice and burnt rice. * The lobster was severely overcooked, burnt, and tasted terrible. * The pork belly was an extra charge, but there was barely any visible pork belly in the dish. It honestly just looked like tiny bacon pieces. * All of the meat throughout the paella was severely overcooked. Positives: * Our waiter was very nice. * The ambiance was good. * The live music added a fun vibe. * It was my birthday, so they gave me a complimentary ice cream dessert at the end, which I appreciated. Unfortunately, none of that made up for how bad the paella itself was.

I purchased a Groupon and used it here tonight. I had a really nice time. Good drinks and very…read moredecent food. My server Claudia was very friendly and on point. I really enjoyed my experience here!

If I could give zero stars, I would. This place has only two bathrooms, and the women's restroom is…read moreliterally a single stall. The line is so long it spills into the dance floor, with people bumping into each other and drinks constantly being spilled. The floor is sticky, dirty, and honestly unsafe. I had just paid the waitress for a drink when staff suddenly started yelling that they were closed and began pushing people out. When I tried to use the restroom before leaving, I was turned away by an extremely rude and unprofessional employee. The cover charge is $15, and it's absolutely not worth it. The environment felt chaotic and uncomfortable, and I witnessed multiple instances of people being touched inappropriately. Overall, this was a terrible experience and I would not recommend this place to anyone.