I hadn't been in a while. The food is good. I had shrimp. It had rice and a creamy sauce. It was busy. I think the interior could use some revamping to modernize. Different furniture to fit people better. Maybe some bars with stools on edges. I believe the owner is the waitress. It can get busy but I think she's the only waitress. read more

El Chalán Restaurant - Peruvian Near Me - El Sobrante, California

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The food tasted great but it wasn't prepared correctly, I got food poisoning not long after eating at this establishment.

Absolutely delicious! So authentic and the service is always friendly. I've tried various dishes from the menu but one of my favorites is pollo à la brasa (as pictured). Family and locally owned business, definitely stop by and support! read more

El Chalán Restaurant - Pollo à la brasa - Peruvian Near Me - El Sobrante, California

Excellent pollo à la brasa and wonderful customer service - definitely recommend giving this place a try.

The food and service were great. The place is nice, and the staff was friendly and attentive. I'd definitely come back read more

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Best Peruvian food I've had outside of Peruvian home cooking. I recommend the aji de gallina, pollo saltado, and suprema de pollo.

We ordered from the Peruvian side of the menu. I was delighted with my aguadito de mariscos! The delectable seafood tidbits (shrimp, scallops, mussels, fish) just kept coming! There was hominy the size of scallops, (or scallops the size of hominy?) and mostly what I thought was hominy turned out to be scallops! Hubby enjoyed his seco de cordero (lamb) and the Son ordered pescado a la chorrillana from the specials board and loved it. He gave me a bite of the fish which was so well seasoned, I almost wanted to swap dishes. We'll definitely come back when we're back in town! Muchas gracias! read more

Pretty delicious. Some of the best Lomo I've had. The lady was really nice and the food service was fast. The deserts were good too. We also ordered the aji de gallina was tasty as well. It was clean and not crowded. read more

El Chalán Restaurant - Lomo saltado & aji de gallina - Peruvian Near Me - El Sobrante, California

A buddy of mine had been raving about a tiny Peruvian restaurant near his home in El Sobrante called El Chalan. Last night we stopped in to get a quick dinner. Located on San Pablo Dam road the restaurant is a "hole in the wall". No decorations, basic table and chairs, and chalk board. But don't go for the ambiance, go for the food. We ordered the following items: (2) Lomo Saltado 4 stars lots of tomatoes and onions, good flavor, small portions of beef Lomo with green beans instead of fries Chicken empanada 4 stars tiny portions of chicken. Mixto Ceviche 4 stars good portions of fish, shrimp and squid. The squid however was pre blanched Extra bread $1.50 Service was good. parking lot on the side of the restaurant. The food is good. $82 before tip. read more

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This was my go to spot but the other week we ordered a few items. Mix seafood ceviche - was not like it used to be not as flavorful and less seafood more onions. Lomo Saltado - it was dry like no sauce and a few strips of beef and mostly fries. Jalea - generic seafood like it was frozen and they just deep fried it AND found a long hair. And no more bread with your order it's now extra even spending $67- read more

El Chalán Restaurant - Hair in between some type of potatoe that was added on to make the jalea plate looking full - Peruvian Near Me - El Sobrante, California

Omg! Haven't been here in years and it still is just as delicious as last time. The aji chile and chicha morada are top tier! Absolutely delicious.. I lived in Cusco, Pero for a summer and let me tell you.. it is authentic here! Plates: Butternut squash ravioli- yummy homemade tomato sauce, sweet butternut squash filled ravioli, and I think even the pasta itself was squash flavored. Vainita salata- fresh vegetables, delicious, woulda liked more fries in it haha but that's just cause I love carbs Also ordered a pork tamale- great portion and very different from Mexican tamales.. super delicious and will def come back for the chicken! Caprese salad- basic, used cilantro instead of basil and small fresh mozzarella balls instead of thick slices that I'm used to.. wouldn't order again. Over all everything is delicious and worth a visit! This mom & pops place has been around for over a decade and deserves more recognition! read more

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We noticed the dishes have changed significantly. The beef in my dish was so chewy that it was like chewing gum, so it was tiring to eat in addition to not having any flavor except for abundant salt. The spicy pasta dish was super bland, the mussels were also bland with the exception of a quarter cup of chopped raw onions to top each mussel off. What used to be some of the best alfajores is now a crumbly liquidy mess of a thing in your mouth missing the stellar texture that was there before. We're sad for the loss of this restaurant in our go-to list. read more

Friday evening dinner with boo thang. It was my first time having Peruvian food. Raised Mexican we love our seafood & I've always loved ceviche so I needed to try home made Peruvian ceviche. It did not disappoint. The fish was perfectly sauté in lime juice with red onions, fried corn seeds and side of sweet potato. My partner got well done fried trout with rice and side of salad and it was delicious, I helped with with some. Our waiter was welcoming since we arrived and service was 10/10. Very calming ambience for a late evening dinner & not crowded at all. Partner choice wisely! We got our food within 20 minutes and it was lovely looking out their wide windows on a Friday evening. Cute for date nights or simply hanging out with friends for brunch. Did I mention they also have tasty lagers from Peru! Definitely coming back! read more

El Chalán Restaurant - Peruano beer - Peruvian Near Me - El Sobrante, California

One of my absolute favorites for many years. You can't go wrong but the Papa Rellena and the Lomo Saltado are outstanding. And the half a chicken dinner for 2 is an amazing deal. read more

Decent spot. I usually shy away from places that try to do more than one type of cuisine, but my friend had a Peruvian dish and I had an Italian and they were both good. There was a guy singing to karaoke track on Friday night which made it harder to have convo. Prices are fair, large portions. The alfajores were delicious. read more

El Chalán Restaurant - Butternut ravioli and yucca fries - Peruvian Near Me - El Sobrante, California

Although the building appears to show it's age, the food here is outstanding! The staff is very polite and they make you feel like your at someone's home. We were returning from being out of town for New Years Eve. So it was early afternoon, I think there were 3 people inside already. I make it a point not to judge a place by the building...which is really ok but has that dated look! Good food, good people! read more

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I ordered 2 trays of Tallarines Verdes and it was amazing!!! The potato slices are a great touch and the meat was very flavorful. The staff is very nice and friendly as well as made sure the food was exactly how i wanted it! Definitely one of the best places I have tried and will be returning as their lomo saltado is also very juicy and packs a punch with very good flavors! Small location and a little hidden however a Definite hidden gem in the bay area! read more

El Chalán Restaurant - Tallarines Verdes - Peruvian Near Me - El Sobrante, California

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I come to this place off and on when I'm in town. I recommend the lomo saltado. Súper good. I also recommend their alfajores. They are the best. The service is good. The ambiance is welcoming. read more

Good and bad. Had the mixed ceviche, fish and shrimp- $15 and it was really really good. I want another one! But the Lomo Saltado ($16.50) was very disappointing- the meat was dry and flavorless, in all honesty. I picked up so the service was just ok, the women in the front were nice. Take it for what it is. read more

El Chalán Restaurant - really good fish and shrimp ceviche! loved it! $15 - Peruvian Near Me - El Sobrante, California

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The restaurant serves both Peruvian and Italian food.I and my friends all opted for the Peruvian food. The restaurant is older with very basic furnishings and appears to cater to local families. They have their own parking lot. The meals are large. We started with a shared potato appetizer with glasses of sangria. The main courses were filling with enough food to request a box for leftovers. Every thing was tasty and well prepared. There was only one waitress but she was patient about answering questions about the unfamiliar items on the menu. We chose this restaurant because it was quiet allowing us to discuss a book on Peru we all had recently read. All in all it was an enjoyable experience. read more

Unfortunately this restaurant is horrible! Not service at all and the food is terrible, they don't care about customer service and the cook doesn't understand what is the concept of Peruvian food, it's not the first time, I always try to support small restaurants but at least they need to respect the customers! Food is not free and we paid for, but it's required to provide great customer service and amazing food! read more

Love this place!!!! Food is great I especially appreciate the Peruvian breakfast. My husband and I bring our coffee and enjoy it! can't wait to go back again :) read more

This place used to be good back in the day used to get packed now its declined alot ... its a rundown place needs a upgrade needs a new menu needs a new chef needs a new owner .. the lady in the counter just gives you straight attitude .... Food was not as good as I remember have not gone back .... And will never be back .... Way better peruvian places like el porteño in sf , aji in sf , el mono is ok inka grill concord read more

In the small city known as "left overs" lies a Peruvian restaurant. After all these years driving passed this mom & pop eatery, I finally decided to give it a try with some friends. Not the best location I might say as you can miss it while driving. Upon the entrance, not your 5 star dining area but comfy for the owners. Greeted right away and offered complimentary bread & butter. While examining the menu, I see Italian food listed? #weird but my eyes were drawn to their Lomo saltado. For those of you who do not know what that is-grilled steak, red onions, diced tomatoes, french fries served with garlic rice. My friends ordered the crispy Pollo saltado-chicken, garlic rice and french fries and the Chupe de camarones-corn chowder soup with shrimp. Results-Lomo saltado-filling and delicious Pollo saltado-satisfying Chupe de camarones-perfect for the cold weather & soothes the soul. For dessert we had Peruvian cookies aka Alfajor--its been a long time since I had one but they consists of- two round sweet biscuits joined together with dulce de leche and covered with powdered sugar. Totally worth every bite!! Back to working out!! LOL read more

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I decided to take advantage of a deal they recently had going on to celebrate Peru's independence which included free dessert (follow them on IG for similar deals). I had just watched a show that featured picarones (doughnuts) so I thought I'd give this place another try as it was one of the dessert options. I had been here before (pre-COVID) and I remember the food being okay. Truth be told, I was comparing this spot to another Peruvian restaurant in nearby El Cerrito. After some more experiences, I've come to the conclusion that I prefer the way that this spot cooks their onions and their aji (hot sauce). The onions here aren't as raw as they are at other places and if you're not keen on onions this could make a difference since Peruvian cuisine tends to use a lot of onions, and red onions at that. This spot's aji definitely had a kick and I loved it (in fact, I wish I had asked for more). Their picarones came with a honey like dipping sauce that was less viscous that I expected. Also the overall doughnuts with and without the dip were less sweet than I anticipated. I enjoyed them but don't think I'll ever crave them. I have yet to try their Italian dishes as this doesn't strike me like the place for that but I've heard good things so maybe I'll give it a try next time. Their set up allows for social distancing between you and the staff member taking your order and/or payment. However, the space is tight so I encourage you to order via phone and wait in your car. read more

El Chalán Restaurant - Lomo saltado con camarones - Peruvian Near Me - El Sobrante, California

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K and I came here on a Sunday night as I insisted we had Peruvian cuisine since I couldn't remember the last time I had one -- probably about a year, if not more. We started with the ceviche which I thought was pretty good but we both agreed we would have preferred it to be smaller cuts. Sometimes the "chewiness" of bigger chunks took away from my ceviche experience --- K gave up after her first serving. I thought the fried corns went pretty well with the fish. I really enjoyed my Pollo Soltado though I must say I missed the spicy sauce at my erstwhile favourite in the Marin County -- the one here was good but not *as* good. , The portion size was pretty big that I saved about half of it. K had the spaghetti version of the "pollo saltado" and it looked like she didn't really care all that much for it. I would come back if there was someone else who would like to eat Peruvian food but not on my own. Since she wasn't a fan of it, chances are less likely I'd drop by again. I found the service decent and nowhere near atrocious as was mentioned in some of the other reviews. read more

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My tummy hurted bad right after I had the chicken empanisado. I had to drive to my nearest restroom. The sauce was very good. I would get something else off the menu if you have a more sensitive stomach. read more

Ok so I was having a major craving for spaghetti and I saw this place. Ok first off, it's kinda small. Which is fine. But I'm here for food, not atmosphere. They give you complimentary bread and WOAHHHH it's a baguette but it's so soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. And I love the sauce they give on the side. It's spicy and I dig it. I ordered the tallarín saltado de carne and i know it's just spaghetti with steak and veggies but wow that was satisfying to eat! I got the yuka fritas as an appetizer and it's a different texture from regular fries which I like! Totally recommend coming here! read more

El Chalán Restaurant - Tallarín Saltado de Carne with Yuka Fritas as an appetizer - Peruvian Near Me - El Sobrante, California

Extraordinary flavors, great value. Good, hearty food with options that should please all comers. Never tried any Italian selections because the Peruvian food is so tasty. We usually 1-2 times a month. read more

My bf introduced me to Peruvian food here and I was a little nervous lol but I started enjoying it after coming here my second time! I live all the way in Union City and was sooo sad knowing there's not a single place near me :( every time he takes me to Richmond, this is gonna be our go-to spot. Their sauce is what I'm obsessed with, it reminds me of La Vics but way better. I've only tried their "lomo saltado" and "aji de gallina", left me with really good impressions! read more

Had a great lunch here! My husband and I had Peruvian empanadas; he had shrimp linguini a la vodka with a Peruvian beer and I had the chicken marsala with sangria. Good food, good value and great service. read more

On September 7, 2017 my friend and I had lunch at El Chalan. Although there were quite a few very favorable reviews on Yelp, I must admit I was apprehensive because of several "bad" reviews. Never the less I elected to give it a try. My experience was very good. The food was excellent. I had Pollo Saltado and my friend had the Quarter Chicken with fries. We both enjoyed our meals. Surprisingly, the restaurant did not look like a dingy, dirty hole in the wall. I found it to be clean, with attractive decorative pictures, and an overall pleasant ambience. Additionally, we found the waitress to be very friendly and attentive. I have enclosed some photos to illustrate my experience. read more

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Be carful withThis poor place Food is terrible and super pricey! Here is place we're you can see the service don't exist, you need to do everything by yourself, the only quick and amazing thing is when you order your check! $100 for two plates, two drinks and some picarones, don't wasted your time and money in places like this! read more

El mono was super busy so we come here. The lomo saltado was more rico. Better cut steak and more flavorful. Definitely will just come here now. read more

Horrible experience ! I've been going here for years and loved it up in tell I found a piece of plastic/glass in my rice buried! I would usually always get the lomo saltado and now I will never go there again! I'm a manager up the street at a dealership and have been eating there like I mentioned for a while usually we spend 100's at a time there add that up! Anyway the owner said sorry accidents happen? Really? If I buy this I would cut my mouth bad! And if I swallowed it I would have DIED!!! Stay away if there that careless with there food I want nothing to do with them! read more

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This place is yummy. My husband and I love their sauce that comes with the loaf of bread. It's a small mom-and-pop diner. I am not a huge fan of Peruvian food but this place is excellent. read more

Classic Hole-in-the-wall with satisfying food. We both liked our Peruvian lunches and left full.

So freaking good! This is one of my favorite lunch spots! Ceviche is fire! So is the chicken soup and beef Empanadas omg

Let me tell you this is the best affordable Peruvian food you will find in the bay! Not to flex but I am Peruvian, very well versed in Peruvian cooking and food, and this is quality Peruvian food. Flavors are all correct and this is so difficult to find in this area. You will not be sorry if you come to this restaurant, I recommend the Lomo Saltado, Empanadas, Ceviche and Pollo a la Brasa. I would recommend more but that's all I have tried so far! read more

I got food from here for a birthday dinner. As soon as walked into the restaurant I knew the food was going to be excellent, which it was. Great service and really friendly people. I really hope they survive COVID because I would definitely like to come back. As for food, I would recommend the rotisserie chicken and the cod. Also, try out all the sauces. They're very flavorful. read more