This is an awesome small spot in Union Square. I have to say I come for the ceviche and the ceviche alone. It's good. It's great. Probably my favorite in the Boston area at the moment. I am NOT a pisco person, but my Peruvian pal loves their pisco sours there. Great for a date spot. Not great for large groups (imo) - though the patio does have more space. In fact, of my favorite things to do during the summer is pop by and grab a spot on the patio for a beer and some ceviche - solo or with a buddy. Then off I go. read more

Overall: quaint space tucked away in Somervilles union square. Come for a cute date night or stay for many delicious options. Food: the lomo saltado was cooked exactly medium with the tender juiciness being highlighted. The aroma of the onions really bring out the fragrance but the overall dish was lacking in flavor. It felt like stir fry beef and veggies (which it is) but the sauce could've been incorporated perhaps better. The Tacutacu is where it's at though. The "risotto" was basically mixed rice but the intense seafood flavors and the juicy tender fish really highlight the Peruvian flavor. It isn't exactly traditional but still yummy nonetheless. Ambience/Service/Decor: we sat at the bar and were served fairly quickly by the bartender. Cute little restaurant reminding me of a European Esq experience. read more

Very average and way too overhyped. For food, The ceviche is okay, what u would expect from the price range of 20something dollar at a Peruvian restaurant. The entree we ordered (Peruvian fish stew) is simply not worth it, 0/5. Flavorless. We complained the the waiter who told us this is how it's meant to be? Without apologizing or tying to give us any spices or ways to make up for it. And with that, the service is very mid given the lack of consideration for customer experience. The overall atmosphere is good for a small intimate date given the small restaurant, but I have to say I will not be going back just because food is too mid. There are far better Peruvian restaurants in Boston. read more

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The people are so nice! From the moment you walk in you know this restaurant is a labor of love. The food is amazing and inventive, and beautifully presented. And I love the homey space, like being in the kitchen of the Peruvian aunt you wish you had. read more

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Discovered this restaurant through OpenTable icons. Cute place but small so make sure you have reservations ahead! Service is quick and efficient as well. Their martini was strong but unique. We had shrimp ceviche and tuna tartare for apps and the flavors were very balanced and spot-on. The shrimp was cooked beautifully and the sauce is something else. We ordered lamb stew and tacu tacu (seafood risotto). Oh my god - if you love seafood you need to try the risotto. It is soulful and just filled with depths of flavors. All the seafood was cooked perfectly too. We also added pescado frito on top which complements the textures well. The lamb was also very tender. The stew can get a bit heavy and I wish there was more lightness to balance it. Overall a 8.5/10. read more

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A quick meal but delicious! The staff was really great with accommodating allergies and I loved my slightly altered maracuya sour (they offered to make me another drink in case I didn't like this altered version to accommodate my allergies). For the food, while I enjoyed the lomo saltado, eating it felt awkward. It was served in a bowl which made it difficult to cut the meat to bite size which was also a bit tough. I also missed the more traditional fries. However the flavor of everything was great. My husband loved his scallops and had no notes. The space itself is a bit small and may be tight depending on how much food you order. Overall we were pretty satisfied with our meal. read more

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a cute, chic small restaurant in somerville! I walked passed this many times but wasn't even aware it was a restaurant. I came in a group of 4 with a reservation and the place was small and intimate, definitely a place to go for catching up and good conversations. We got the ceviche, scallop squid ink, and risotto. Everything was good, but my favorite was the scallop squid ink. It is on the heavier side, but the sauce was so rich, creamy, notes of white wine and it was just delectable. The seafood risotto was good but it was kind of basic to me. the staff was super friendly and gave recommendations and the food came out in a timely manner too. Would definitely come back to try the other things! read more

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ceviche mixed seafood 4.5/5 lomo saltado 4.5/5 seco de cordero con frijoles 3/5 causa de tuna tartare 3/5 ceviche de shrimp y mango 3/5 scallops con pasta 1/5 pisco sour 3.5/5 maracuuya sour 3/5 tamarindo sour 3.5/5 I'll be honest and say I was a bit disappointed in the food at this place. Service was great, but wasn't the biggest fan of the dishes there. If I were to come back it would be for the ceviche mixed seafood and the lomo saltado. Those were both really great. The other items we tried on the menu were so-so. The lamb stew we had wasn't bad, but the lamb was dry and overcooked. I also thought the scallops con pasta was pretty bad. The scallops were cooked so-so, but the pasta was so overcooked to the point where the noodles were sticking together and turning to starchy clumps. As for the drinks, I thought they were decent. Would recommend the tamarindo sour if you like sweet and sour. I also think the price for the amount of food and quality of the dishes is quite pricey. In terms of the place itself, the space is pretty small and has a minimalistic vibe. There's room to seat ~25 people if I had to guess. read more

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I recently visited Celeste again and tried one of their specials, I forget the name of the dish, but it was a seafood stew loaded with seafood - muscles, shrimp, calamari, and fish. The dish came with a side of seasoned rice which paired so nicely! The wait staff were also amazing - they constantly refilled our glasses with water, checked in on us multiple times to see how the food was, and they packed our leftovers so nicely, even giving me a fresh batch of rice! Everything was delicious! Grateful for another amazing experience :) read more

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This place is incredible from the food to the service to what they are able to do in such a tiny setting. Celeste is intimate. Very small space with everyone packed in together but it makes the experience very cozy. You can get to know the staff and your fellow diners. We were the problem in all of this and Celeste's staff were fabulous. We were running a half hour late and just came to see if maybe they could still accommodate our reservation. They some how found space for us and squeezed us in which we were grateful for. The food was incredible and came out quickly. My partner is not a cilantro guy and his dish came out with cilantro on it. He is also not one to say anything but staff were so attentive that when they saw his face they offered to remake his food for him multiple times. Can't recommend this place enough! Everything was fantastic!! read more

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Good drinks and AMAZINGGG ceviche! But the entrees we ordered were lacking, unfortunately. Nothing stood out, and a lot was left to be desired flavor-wise, especially for how expensive they were. For entrees, we got the Tacu Tacu a lo Macho, Scallops Con Pasta, and Camarón al Ajillo (which was a Peruvian style of shrimp scampi with rice instead of pasta). If I end up going back to Celeste, I will probably just get drinks + ceviche for a little snack. read more

Finally made it to this small but mighty spot! Union square is a small hub for Peruvian food and Celeste had been on my radar for Ceviche and more. The place is very small with an open kitchen concept- bar seating about 8 and maybe 5-6 small tables. Reservations seem to fill up quick so both times I have been there are right at opening at 5pm, which also seems to be your best chance as a walk in. The food and drinks were great. For mains the Lomo Saltado (Asian-Peruvian sautéed beef and vegetables) and scallops a la pasta huancaina (squid ink pasta in creamy garlic cream sauce) were standouts and Ceviche with shrimp/mango was delectable. Lamb stew with Cilantro and beans another win. We tried mixed seafood Ceviche and I appreciated the ample assortment, though was a tad too fishy for me. The pisco and special cocktails were fresh and pretty, one featured Chicha which is like a purple corn used to make various alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Celeste is a great place to experience the uniqueness of Peruvian food in a casual fine-dining way. Great for a couple of friends to catch up or a date, small groups with reservations. Great spot! read more

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Awesome little spot for Peruvian food in Somerville. Celeste offers some Peruvian standards like ceviche and lomo saltado, but goes beyond that as well. For cocktails, they have a variety of Pisco drinks as well as some mezcal - the spicy Pisco sour was perfect. I had the tacu tacu a lo macho (seafood risotto with beans), and my father had the carapulcra (Incan stew). Both were packed with flavor and a bit spicy - great on a cold New England night. You might want to ask the waitstaff if spice isn't up your alley. The only room for improvement was the seating - it felt a bit cramped, and I'm not a big dude. Service was prompt and friendly. read more

Celeste - Tacu tacu a lo macho (seafood risotto & beans) - Peruvian Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

One of the supposed top Peruvian spots in Boston. Small and cute place with good service. Unfortunately, the food did not come close to the food I had in Peru (which was some of the best of my life). The prices are steep and didn't feel worth it. * Blue cod ceviche: fresh & a big portion, recommend! * Shrimp causa: I usually love the slight sweetness of causas, but this was weirdly sour and off-putting. Also missing avocado. * Scallops + squid ink fettucine: I don't like scallops but the pasta in aji cream sauce was delicious. My surprise favorite! * Lomo saltado: beef was too chewy, not impressed. Basically a Chinese stir-fry dish at 2x the price. read more

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This place unfortunately did not meet my expectations. Our meal started off strong-- we got a bottle of the chicha morada ($12) which had a beautiful purple-red color and a warm, spiced taste. We also started with the ceviche de blue cod ($21). I loved the flavor profile in the ceviche marinade and the fish was fresh and tender. This ended up setting my expectations a little bit too high for the mains... We shared the seco de cordero con frijoles ($32) and scallops con pasta a la huancaina ($30). Both dishes had a heavy, rich taste to them, but did not have too many flavors aside from saltiness. I thought that the beans could have been seasoned more, and the pasta was missing acidity from some lemon or lime. The lamb in the stew was a little dry. read more

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Really excellent squid ink pasta. Service was efficient, food came very fast. The outdoor patio is nice, though a bit casual for a nice place like this. Also tried the seafood risotto which was fine, but the squid ink pasta with scallops was heads and shoulders better--if you go here it's a must get! read more

Celeste - pasta con scallop a la huancaina (d) - Peruvian Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Came on a Monday around 6 and got a seat no problem, but by 8 it was packed. Tried the tamarind drink which was great, as well as the mango ceviche and I got the locro with fish. The ceviche was very good, but the locro was pretty plain and the fish was a pretty pungent (which isn't the best sign of freshness). My partner got the lamb stew which he really liked, and the service was very kind, so overall a pretty decent experience. read more

Celeste - Mango ceviche - Peruvian Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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This restaurant is small and cozy. Not many seats inside they do have outdoor seating. Service was quick and efficient. Food for the presentation was a bit pricey but excellent. Presentation was disappointing. Cocktail menu certainly need some work. Average at best. read more

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I'm rounding this up to 4 stars but think it's more of a 3.5. That's because although the ceviche and service were outstanding, the entrees and dessert were a bit disappointing. Starting with the highlight - the mixed seafood ceviche was incredible. The blue cod was our favorite, and the marinade was so good we were basically drinking it with the spoon. Although mostly limited to piscos, the cocktails were also very good. I recommend getting the spicy version. As for the entrees, they certainly weren't bad. They just didn't feel like anything particularly special or worth the price. The scallop squid ink pasta was very flavorful and something I'd order again, but only if I were sharing it since it's so rich. And the locro was our least favorite. Although the fried fish we added was cooked perfectly, the stew itself was lackluster without much flavor. The dessert was actually disappointing. Although it tasted good, it was much too rich and more of a caramel sauce than a mousse. Overall, I've been hearing rave reviews of Celeste for years now and am happy I finally made it in. But I'd likely only go back for drinks and ceviche. read more

Celeste - Peruvian Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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When you're in Boston for less than 72 hours and it was last minute, glad I have a foodie family that can point me in the direction of Celeste in Somerville before my flight out. Having available street parking without having to find a place to park in Boston itself when you're in a time crunch was so important. We arrived right when they opened and was immediately seated since we thankfully made a reservation. Before long the place was packed and I can see why. We started with the super flavorful Camaron pupusa which I was so happy to have all to myself, it was that good, followed by tomato avocado Causa that made me a fan of causa, and the classic lomo saltado. This was way better than any airport food and it was only 15 minutes from Logan. read more

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Really enjoyed my dinner at Celeste. It was quite crowded on a warm night but luckily they were able to seat us on the patio. I ordered just a lemonade to drink which was good. They charged it as a mocktail which I was unsure about but that's ok. It was refreshing none the less. I ordered the Ceviche Mixed Seafood which was really good. Refreshing and fresh! I'm used to ceviche coming with chips which I guess I could've asked for but it was still good. My friend ordered the scallops con pasta a la huancaina which he really enjoyed as well. I tried a little and the sauce was so rich and creamy, I'd order that next time probably! This is a really cute spot right in Somerville which is perfect for a night out in the summertime! Check it out. read more

Celeste - Ceviche Mixed Seafood* - Peruvian Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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AMAZING FOOD! Every single dish was incredible here. We started with the ceviche de shrimp y mango with maracuya infusion. One of the best ceviches I've ever had! Lomo saltado is my favorite Peruvian dish so I had to try. They don't make it with fries but there are still potatoes in it. Although I love fries, this dish works perfectly with the potatoes they use because the sirloin is so tender and cooked to perfection. It does come with a side of rice as well. We also got the scallops con pasta a la huancaina, which is seared scallops with fresh squid ink fettuccine and huancaina and that was SO DELICIOUS. I could've had that dish all to myself. Might have been my favorite dish out of the three, which caught me by surprise. Writing this review is making me want to go back already! I had the most wonderful experience here. Parking was easy since there was a lot of street parking. read more

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The food was great, but somehow this restaurant didn't have "it" for me. Perhaps it was the space, which I did not find cozy or that welcoming. The limo Salgado was excellent, and the dessert very generous and decadent. The service was outstanding. read more

Celeste - Lomo Saltado - Peruvian Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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This restaurant came highly recommended by many of our friends. We were excited to try it, especially since we had to book a reservation far in advance. The seating area is very small and cannot fit many people, but service was great. The food was good, though not necessarily something that we would crave or want to go back for, especially given the difficulty in booking reservations. What we ordered: - Mixed seafood ceviche: This came with a nice variety of seafood. The corn had an interesting chewy texture that we enjoyed. - Lomo saltado (stir fried beef): Yummy flavors and the cook on the beef was pretty good. A solid dish overall. - Seared scallops with squid-ink pasta: This was probably our favorite dish of the night. The pasta was chewy and umami. - Sudado de pescado (steamed fish Peruvian-Chinese style): Although this dish was good, it was missing a spark and tasted like something that we could make ourselves at home. read more

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Came on a weekend and it is packed! I highly recommend a reservation since the place is also very small. Luckily, we got inside seating since the weather is starting to get cold. We got the shrimp mango ceviche (5/5), scallops with squid ink fettuccine (4/5; a little bit spicy but scallops cooked to perfection), lomo saltado (5/5). The food was really good and I got super full and couldn't finish the food read more

Celeste - Seared scallops with squid ink fettuccine - Peruvian Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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This is such a cute little restaurant in Somerville! And when I say little, I mean the space only holds a few tables and counter seats, creating an intimate, but not cramped vibe. The decor was also somewhat diner-esque, with a neon sign and bar seats that look directly into the kitchen so you can watch the chefs at work. For food, the star of the show was the ceviche. It was tender, evenly soaked in lime-y flavor, and great value for the amount of food we got ($22 for a decent amount of raw seafood). If I came back, I would probably just make a meal out of several ceviche dishes. This time though, we got the two fish dishes as our entrees (steamed fish Peruvian-chinese style and fish with fava beans), which were both cooked to a good tenderness. The flavors felt a bit watery to me though, so I probably would not get them again. read more

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Might have just found my favorite restaurant in all of Boston... came here on a friend's enthusiastic recommendation and man did Celeste exceed expectations. Celeste is a small intimate place, so come with a reservation. We were immediately seated once we arrived. I had perused the menu ahead of time and already had a good idea of what I wanted to try here. We started out with the mixed ceviche. It blew me away. Definitely the best ceviche's I've had in a long long time and maybe one of my favorite dishes period? Every component of this was delicious - from the fish to the squid to the shrimp to the corn to the delicious sour-and-sweet-yet-not-too-sour-sauce. I was shoveling spoonfuls of this into my mouth until it was all gone. Next, for entrees, we had the scallop fettuccine and the steak + rice dish. While the ceviche was still my favorite of the night, both were fantastic. The savoriness and sweetness of the steak cooked perfectly well paired with tomatoes and onions gave it an amazing umami flavor that complemented the other dishes we had. The scallops were cooked perfectly. If i had one critique for the scallop dish it would be that, as other reviews had mentioned, it did taste a bit too salty to me. Luckily paired with the other dishes we were able to balance everything else. Still excellent! We tried both desserts. While both were delicious, the sweet tooth in me favored the dulce de leche. We also tried two sours - the tamarind and the passionfruit - I liked the tamarind better but both were exceptional as well. Service was very prompt and fast. I loved my experience here. Will definitely come back when I'm in the area if not for the ceviche alone! Boston is not known for its food scene, but this is a must-try here. read more

Food: 3.5/5 Service 4.5/5 Ceviche mixed seafood: I think it could have been a tiny bit more acidic. The blue cod was okay - not the best tenderness but decent. Overall, pretty solid. Tacu Tacu a lo macho: The broth in this dish was AMAZING. Just a little bit spicy, and a ton of aromatic richness in every spoonful. I wanted to drink the whole thing. Other than that, I was a little disappointed. The risotto was average. The dish was a little off balance. It was a ton of squid and mussels, but absolutely no vegetables. My stomach felt a little weird after eating all that. I was super full, but not a comfortable kind of full. It was definitely an amazing portion size, though. Scallops con pasta: This dish was more lacking in my opinion. The scallops were tender but average in terms of flavor. The sauce was just... cream. And way too much wine flavor. I wish they had reduced the wine more. On the bright side, the squid ink fettuccine was fantastic! Definitely had the chew of fresh pasta. By the end of our meal, the heavily creamy sauce had coagulated into an unappetizing mess at the bottom. Seating is very limited, so make sure you reserve! To be honest, I don't see myself coming back. There were many bright spots, but also many weaknesses that don't justify the high price tag. read more

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Came here on a Saturday for dinner with reservations and we were seated quickly. The space is super cute and decorated in a way that led to a bright, trendy space. The seating was a bit tight though and definitely not to a ton of space where we were which was to the right of the entrance along the half-booth-half-seat area. The menu had a bunch of tasty and delicious sounding items, but we settled on three dishes which was a good amount of food for the two of us. The ceviche was well made and tasty - definitely no complaints there. I think seafood felt more of their specialty, but the meat we got also was quite flavorful. The mussels and calamari were delicious as well - everything was really nice! Overall, the price was a bit steeper than I think the quality and portion gave, however I enjoyed the experience overall and wouldn't mind coming back to try some of their other seafood dishes. I would definitely get the ceviche again and the mocktail was really nice as well - just a very tasty spot with nice aesthetics. Give a more booth space and I think the experience would've been a step closer to perfect, but regardless, thanks Celeste for a nice dinner! read more

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Had to come here when visiting Boston because I brought my friend . . . Celeste!!! We were not disappointed. Cute little place with outdoor seating and friendly service. Had a ceviche and the yucca fritter for appetizers - so yummy. For entrees had the scallops and another shrimp dish, also very delicious. A great little restaurant with delicious food. Highly recommend. read more

Celeste - Peruvian Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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TLDR: Small place with authentic food and good ambiance. Service is top notch, attentive, but not too attentive if you know what I mean. I counted 16 seats with a focus of mostly two seaters and maybe 5 bar seats overlooking the cook station. I think this makes it especially cozy and easy to get service when needed. The food overall was very well done. Clearly Peruvian in nature. The menu has a good selection but not overwhelming. I had the sirloin and sea bass ceviche, both well executed. Would return with pleasure. read more

One of the few higher-end options for South American cuisines in Boston with well-executed dishes and memorable flavors served in a casual, comfortable space. Starter highlights include bright, flavorful ceviches and causas (Peruvian potato terrines), which are my personal favorites on the menu. Entree offerings include a good range of meats, seafood and vegetarian options. The stir-fried beef and lamb stew were both tasty - tender, well-seasoned and with a little spice. The steamed fish was good though with less forward and memorable flavors. They have a strong cocktail list, emphasizing topical and fruity flavors but with all the classics, in addition to beer and wine. Price is on the higher end. Overall a unique and enjoyable restaurant experience within the broader Boston dining scene that I have returned to several times over the years and would recommend to any foodie. read more

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Perhaps not the place to dine on a 90 degree July night. The inside is small with the door open for airflow. We sat outside at a dark table. Not even a candle for ambiance. The menu was disappointingly small, filed with heavy stews and meats. Not right for a humid Boston night. We ate a blue cod ceviches and the Peruvian Chinese stir fry with fish, and a scallop squid ink pasta. Perhaps winners in the fall, but I couldn't see past the dark outside with no lighting. read more

Had an excellent dinner here with a friend. Reservations are helpful given the intimate seating space. Service was efficient and friendly, the food and drinks were absolutely delicious, and we enjoyed watching the chefs work their magic in the kitchen. Will definitely be back again soon!! read more

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This is a really cute, but tiny restaurant. They offer outside seating which is always a plus. They give you complimentary roasted corn - it was so dry, I had to drink an entire cup of water to wash one kernel down. Besides that, everything else was delicious! We got the mixed seafood ceviche, it came with lots of shrimp, squid, and cod. For the entrees we got tacu tacu a lo macho - this was our favorite, you need to order this! The flavor of the sauce was so rich a creamy, almost like a tomato soup. I was dipping my other entree in here, that's how good it was. The other entree was scallops con pasta a la huancaina. The sauce was very wine-y, almost too much. The pasta and scallops were cooked perfectly, but just wasn't a fan of the sauce. Overall, it's cute date place with flavorful food. read more

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Very generous with the blue cod in the tasty, tangy ceviche. It was 3-5x more fish than I was expecting / have had at other places. I also liked the accompaniments of the XL hominy-looking kernels, crunchy corn pieces, and sweet potato. I also got the beautifully presented shrimp pupusa w/ XL camarone / shrimp on top. The pickled cabbage was nice too. Not 5 stars because the tomato salsa, pickled cabbage, and shrimp pupusa didn't quite seem to go together, though each element on its own was good. Also the seating feels cramped, even when I walked in. The open kitchen is cool. read more

Celeste - Shrimp pupusa & Ceviche de Blue Cod* - Peruvian Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Tiny restaurant but great friendly service and delicious food. Starting from fresh ceviche to classic Lomo Saltado, food was delicious.

The food here is wonderful. We sat at the bar the other night and had a very nice dinner. The Celeste team was very helpful in walking us through the menu as we were not familiar with traditional Peruvian cuisine. They recommended several dishes and we loved them all. A great experience and highly recommend! Extremely clean kitchen and a fantastic staff!! read more

Loved this place, they whole place was a vibe and the food is delicious. Loved the pisco sour and the chicha morada. So fun watching the chefs while sitting up at the bar. Really enjoyed the scallops con pasta a la huancaina. The sauce was truly plate licking worthy. The scallops were nice and big. read more

This review is primarily due to service. I'd been before and had excellent food and service. However this time, I'd booked outside and had to wait over 30 minutes before giving up and going to another restaurant. The guy handling reservations, didn't give us any time frame for when our table would be ready and could t have cared less. Poor service and would not recommend. read more