As someone who absolutely loves Peruvian food, I was so excited when El Aji Peruano opened in Banning. Being from Los Angeles, I was spoiled with so many amazing Peruvian restaurants, so after moving to the Inland Empire, it was hard to find that same authentic flavor. Thankfully, El Aji Peruano changed that! Every dish I've tried has been fresh, flavorful, and reminds me of the Peruvian food I grew up enjoying. My absolute favorites are the Lomo Saltado and the Tallarín Verde--both are packed with authentic flavor and cooked to perfection. I absolutely cannot forget about the tigers milk ceviche, it will send your taste buds to another place, absolutely!! If you're looking for comfort food, don't skip the Aguadito soup. It's incredibly delicious, full of flavor, and one of my favorite things to order. I'm so happy to finally have authentic Peruvian cuisine close to home. If you've been searching for genuine Peruvian flavors in the Inland Empire, this is definitely the place to visit. I'll definitely be coming back again and again! read more

This was my first visit here and found it by mistake when I was dining next door for the super yummy breakfasts at El Lindo. Ordered spaghetti saltado chicken ($18.85). Service was rather slow, as it appeared as though there were a lot of to go orders being processed, as there were only 4 tables in use in the modest dining room. What I got was a rather greasy dish of extra wide Fettuccine, with overcooked chicken, bits of tomato and lots of purple onion pieces. Did not seem at all Peruvian to me, as I have been to both Lima and Cuzco. Where was the guinea pig on the menu?....LOL read more

A favorite of mine in banning Had the Arroz Chaufa again it is a huge portion Great authentic home cooked food read more

See all

The food is so colorful and vibrant, it's almost like it's not supposed to be eaten. With the color comes the flavor. It's helpful that the service is incredibly friendly, too. Casual spot with a Peruvian vibe. I love this place. Had the saltado and papa rellena today. I can't wait to come back already. read more

See all

I love this spot! It's so delicious! They're relatively new, but it's been a few months since opening now and I can't believe I waited so long when I love Peruvian food so much. The food exceeded my expectations though. Even the kids fried chicken was delicious. Every single thing we ate was so flavorful. Some of the items we ordered, I was so excited to eat, that I didn't even get pictures of it, hehe. read more

See all

Great service and wonderful food every time I'm here. Come and enjoy this little gem in Banning. read more

El Aji Peruano - Ceviche Mixto - Peruvian Near Me - Banning, California

Unfortunately, they lost a customer today. We enjoy their food, but when you refuse to accommodate a simple request to have 2 more sauces (1 for ea. Plate purchased) you failed in the hospitality industry. I asked what the cost for an individual sauce was and she said she didn't know, because it's not in the system. I could only purchase a 5oz or an 8oz bottle. Mistake #1 you want to charge extra, but you don't even have a set price. Second mistake? You start making excuses. She was having dinner with kids (while running the business) and she continues to tell me, "my daughter goes to school and she says I'm under charging." So your 12 yr. Old daughter knows how to run a restaurant? She kept talking trying to make excuses. I kept on saying, "don't worry about it" you lost a customer for a 1 oz. Sauce. Just remember, you can dine in and they put the 8oz bottle on the table and only then, you can have as much sauce as you'd like at no extra cost! LOL... make it make sense. read more

El Aji Peruano - This is the sauce that lost you hundreds in revenue. What a shame. - Peruvian Near Me - Banning, California

Well I'm never disappointed with the service and delicious food here. The owners are very nice people. Tina and I enjoyed a rock fish dinner and a rib eye steak with rice dinner. They are adding live music entertainment on August 30th 2025 6PM read more

See all

Service and food were amazing. I have nothing bad to say about the food. We loved it. We got everything pretty quick but there was only 1 other table occupied. Only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because it's sooo expensive. The appetizer we got with the two papa relleno was over $17. For two of us that included a 2 drinks , 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, and 1 dessert in the $100 range. read more

See all

My mom, daughter and I ventured to Banning just to try El Aji Peruano. Where there is Peruvian food, I will travel to it! The inside is clean and decorated with Peruvian decor. It has a family restaurant vibe with an elevated menu. We loved the selection of dishes to choose from. Not all Peruvian places offer dishes like Seco and Escabeche. We ordered both the beef and shrimp saltados. Both had delicious flavors. I just always prefer a little more jugo. We also had the Seco and it was incredible. 5 stars for tender and flavorful meat with the perfect accompaniments, rice, beans, pickled onions. The Tallarines was delicious with the right amount of sauce. The steak was cooked perfectly. The escabeche pescado was not our favorite, it could have used some more flavor. We also tried the alfajores and lucuma ice cream for dessert. The Ice cream was of course delicious but the cookies were to die for. The cookies melt in your mouth and had the right amount of caramel. The service was friendly and attentive. The chef even came out to meet us. We're so glad to have found this place. We can't wait to come back and try everything they have to offer. read more

See all

First, I loved the lady and the cook. The server was so pleasant, made us feel at home. The cook came out and greeted us also. It was such a warm and cozy experience. It was delicious and portion sizes were generous. We ordered a bistec a lo pobre and arroz chaufa pollo and chicha morada to drink. The food tasted great and made to order. The steak wasn't heavily seasoned but it was cooked perfectly, nice steak flavor and tender. The arroz chaufa was a flavorful, cooked perfectly, not too soft, not too al dente. The aji verde sauce was the star for me. It gave it enough spice to enjoy the food with overpowering it. I put it on everything. If you haven't tried the chicha morada, it's a must try. Such a nice meal on the way back from Palm Spring read more

This cozy Peruvian spot feels like walking into someone's home-- Let's talk about the food! It's legit Peruvian comfort: bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and that unmistakable homemade touch. The Saltado is tender and seasoned well, and the Ceviche is bright, citrusy, and loaded with chunks of fish. Portions? Fair--you'll leave full and happy (and maybe with leftovers). There's also lots of food to choose from, whether you're into seafood, grilled meats, or vegetarian plates. Pair your meal with one of their pisco cocktails or a traditional chicha morada This place isn't about flash. It's about soul. If you're craving a hearty, homemade flavorful meal in a spot that feels like your friend's kitchen (if your friend happened to be a fantastic Peruvian chef), you'll want to keep this one in your regular rotation. Gracias for a delicious birthday dinner! read more

See all

Finally checked out this place and never had Peruvian food before and wow it's really good and flavorful, also smells really delicious, got the Tallerin Verde with ribeye, Tallerin Saltado with chicken and had to try the beans. Ribeye was very tender that had a good marinade taste, pesto noodles were a good match. Chicken was tasty as well and the beans were just how I like them, also had a Peruvian Pilsner while I waited for my takeout order, will be going back for the 2 for 1 beers happy hour. Aldo is a great chef and his wife and crew were great hosts. read more

See all

New Peruvian restaurant in banning. A lot of people were talking about this place on Facebook so we decided to give it a try. They happened to be getting their sign in front of the restaurant which is great so that they won't be confused with the former owners. It's pretty small inside about eight tables, but they offer wait service. The service was OK, lacked warmth. There were a lot of great sauces but very small containers. I enjoyed the sauces that I tried. I liked the Peruvian empanada, and I thought the Lomo Saltado was very flavorful with a good quality of meat however, there was very little meat. I would the food 4 stars. Sodas are canned or you can try the inka cola. Some of the drinks weren't available. I will say this, at the end, she comes up to the table and says our total, but doesn't provide a paper check only tells us the price and to scan the card on an iPad. You can't customize the tip so you have to choose between 15, 18 and 20% (or nothing). I entered my phone number to get a receipt by text. Check your receipt. They double charged us tax. read more

See all

Came here to try the food And had the best experience ever ! Norma, our server was the most sweetest lady ever and i bought every dish she recommended. The location and inside made me feel like i was at their home. it was so good definitely coming back 10/10 no complaints ! read more

See all

About two weeks ago I went to Aji with my girlfriend, we sat down and I asked the waitress to get me something very Peruvian. When the food came I expected something unique. What I received was simply a plate of rice with beef cherry tomatoes and green veggies. I tasted fine but I didn't seem like anything I couldn't make with the recipe available. Honestly for restaurant food it was quite lackluster. The atmosphere was humble and the service was fine, but I don't see myself returning. I'll just go to Santiago's down the street next time. read more

Excellent homemade food!! Food was fresh. Loved the green hot sauce! Good service as well. read more

This place is one of the BEST Peruvian restaurants I've ever tried! I've tried several in my foodie adventure and never one was good enough for me to write a review. Their chicken is definitely marinated to perfect as it soaks up all the flavors but still remain juicy! Their empanadas are so unique the shell the use stays crispy and never gets soggy! Don't even mention the aji sauce, it is soooo addictive!!! I am drooling as I'm writing this.. read more

El Aji Peruano - Saltado Beef Empanada single Arroz Con Pollo - Peruvian Near Me - Banning, California

Overpriced and mid tasting. My shrimp saltado literally had 5 small shrimp and 10 shoe string fries.

So happy to find a good Peruvian spot close to home. We got the ceviche, beef empanadas and arroz con pollo. They only had grilled chicken but even that was not lacking flavor. Will be coming back for sure! read more

El Aji Peruano - Ceviche Mix Shrimp & Fish - Peruvian Near Me - Banning, California

I had no idea this restaurant was even here Found out they've been open since February I got a email from Yelp on this local Peruvian restaurant and I'm so happy I love Peruvian food I ordered a to go order Please be patient as they do prepare food fresh Great customer service and the food was delicious Cute little restaurant and ambiance inside I definitely will be back So glad I found this little hidden gem in banning read more

El Aji Peruano - Pollo Saltados - Peruvian Near Me - Banning, California

See all

This is our 3rd time here we absolutely love it the food is fresh and so good & the service has always been great. Definitely recommend & will definitely keep coming back. read more

El Aji Peruano - Chicken plate - Peruvian Near Me - Banning, California

See all

* Customer service was good * Ceviche was delicious * my chicken with fries and salad was delicious * My husband ordered the steak lomo saltado and although he reports it was good, they didn't put much steak as in other places. Overall, I would say I will definitely come back here when I return to Cabazon. We were too hungry, that we forgot to take a picture. read more

Todo muy Rico Chicha mora Todo con mucho sabor Estoy emocionada de volver Todo excelente read more

food was great! although our order got mixed up, it was fine all of the food was great! One of the better restaurants in banning!

The restaurant has a warm, homey atmosphere that truly feels like a hidden local gem. Although the space is small, it was exceptionally clean and welcoming. Having visited Peruvian restaurants for decades, I can honestly say the Papa a la Huancaína stood out -- fresh, creamy, and perfectly seasoned, with crisp lettuce that added great texture. I also ordered the Lomo Saltado. It was my first time having it prepared with thin fries, and it worked surprisingly well. The steak, onions, and tomatoes were all seasoned perfectly, and the sauce was balanced just right, keeping the fries crispy instead of soggy. You can definitely tell the chef has strong culinary training -- I believe I heard they were trained at Le Cordon Bleu. My only minor criticism would be that I would have liked a larger portion of steak. Aside from that, the experience was excellent overall. I would gladly return anytime I'm in the area. read more

Just a clarification. We tried another Peruvian place and realized El Aji was good but definitely not one of the top restaurants we've tried BUT it's definitely one of the better restaurants in the area. read more

We had Peruvian food for the first time here and keep coming back for more! We love the tallarin saltado and saltado (vegan options!) , and the yuca fritas which came with spicy aji sauce and delicious vinaigrette side salad. The food is made FRESH and served right away. The service is always warm and friendly, we appreciate how we are treated like welcomed guests. This is a very special restaurant with incredible food and a lot of heart! read more

See all

Soooo good! A quick stop for lunch on our road trip ended up being an unexpectedly delicious meal. It's a small unassuming casual spot but worth checking out. Try the beef heart skewers! read more

The food is delicious! Full of flavor. Great menu selections to choose from! The staff is just so friendly! My fav is their Aguadito de pollo and Pollo Saltado! We have returned several times! We will continue to go! Try it folks! You won't be disappointed! read more

Such a hidden gem - excellent pollo asado and ceviche. The place is owned by a husband and wife team. The husband is the chef and the wife is the server and it's a really unique, cozy delicious Mom and Pop sit down restaurant experience highly recommend. read more

Came in here one time to pick up an order for Uber Eats and the smell made me try it! It's nice inside but it's all about the food. It's a small mom and pop kind of shop so you know the food your getting is authentic and fresh. This isn't a place that makes the food fast because they are gonna make it right. The beef was perfectly tender and super tasty in the saltados beef. The server was attentive and kind. Excuse the picture but I had to dig in read more

El Aji Peruano - Saltados beef and Seco A La Nortea - Peruvian Near Me - Banning, California

See all

We were so happy to hear about this new Peruvian restaurant. The building itself is not new, yet the service and delicious cuisine is absolutely fresh and new! We were immediately greeted with a warm smile from Paula, who was our excellent server and I believe co owner with her husband Aldo. We shared 2 crisp, flavored packed empanadas and their shrimp ceviche dish, each were absolutely deeelicious! We shared 3 main meals, soltado, pobre and tallarin, we 3 devoured our "shared" meals and finished our lunch with a plate of perfectly fried plantains! The warm welcome, friendly service and delicious food is a win, win, win, we will visit again soon! read more

See all

This place was delicious. The tallarin verde with rotisserie chicken was so good. It was very hard to stop eating even when I was full. Lol The service was exceptional. They were fast, kind, and attentive. Peruvian food is unmatched. read more

El Aji Peruano - Tallarin verde - Peruvian Near Me - Banning, California

Welcoming. Unusual and delicious. Don't be thrown off by the casual dining vibe. Excellent quality food and seasoning.

The FOOD!!! Yum!!! So, so delicious and it's made to order so come with enough time. El lobo saltado, el bistec a lo pobre, el pescado frito, el ceviche de pescado. Delicia! The service is good, the waitress was very soft spoken and patient and helpful with our food choices. The ambience, it's humble, clean. I will be back at least once per month . No pictures I ate everything before it got cold. read more

Seated quickly, very nice staff in a small quaint eating area. Order taken and drinks came out as expected. I tried a Peruvian beer, only it's a 10.3 ounce one. Tasted pretty good, but at $7 I had one. The food came out hot & fresh, portions were so-so. The taste was Very Good, flavors (for me) popped. The servers came by several time's checking on us, making sure all was good. Glad I tried this place, and if I need Peruvian food, I would come back. read more

Ceviche platter was delicious! This is a very nice close to home restaurant that offers genuine Peruvian cuisine. The owners are kind and the staff is very welcoming and helpful. I highly recommend this place. We will be back for sure read more

El Aji Peruano - Ceviche plater - Peruvian Near Me - Banning, California

I went there shortly after it opened. The portions were very small and based on their prices, I expected a nicer place, nice plates and silverware instead of plastic. When I was in Peru I experienced lots of great food. I have been to several great Peruvian restaurants in Socal. This wasn't one of them. read more

New place in town with delicious food so it was crowded and service was a bit slow but it was worth the wait. They were busy running round but didn't take away from the experience. It's a small place but not bad. Please be patient with them. Portions are on the smaller side, but you'll be full if you try one of their amazing starters. Only thing that took away from the experience was the restroom. The restroom is outside (it was cold), so it could be a little inconvenient if you have little ones. read more

El Aji Peruano - Lomo saltado 4.5/5 - Peruvian Near Me - Banning, California

See all