Authentic Peruvian Comfort at El Mono I stopped in at El Mono and was seriously impressed. I ordered the lomo saltado, and it was one of the best I've had outside Peru: tender beef, sweet red onions, ripe tomatoes, and a flavorful soy-based sauce with just the right vinegar kick -- all served over fries with a side of fluffy rice to soak everything up. The kitchen clearly knows what it's doing. Service was attentive and patient; they walked me through a few other dishes I want to try next time (ají de gallina and ceviche are on my list). Casual atmosphere, generous portions, and great value. Highly recommended thank you Mayra for you service read more

Great food, great service (our server's name was Christian). Will definitely come back

Excellent, attentive, friendly service. We were even remembered from our visits to El Mono in El Cerrito; our patronage is appreciated! The restaurant is clean, comfortable, and welcoming, and they provide cushions for seating! The food is perfection: flavorful, fresh, well-prepared, and served hot. The really unique and creative aspect of the dish my sister-in-law and I ordered (Lomo Salado) was the use of a cast-iron skillet (I usually make a mess, ha, ha). It worked great, very clever, and the food was contained. Thanks to Matt, our server, for treating us with such courtesy and enjoyable conversation! read more

Really bad service. They made a mistake with my order and basically told me it was my fault. Not coming back.

We came for dinner and everything that we ordered was so delicious and fresh. From the drinks to the apps. You can't go wrong!

We had an exceptional dining experience at El Mono this evening! It's a cozy yet open space, with clean and thoughtful design elements. Our server, Taya (hopefully spelling that correctly), was amazing! She was very friendly and welcoming, offering menu suggestions as well as giving us prompt service on a busy night. I am also a server elsewhere, and would come back just because of her! The food was incredibly delicious - it certainly impressed us foodies! The portions are generous, and the flavors are bold and exciting. The owner was also kind and helpful. We are very much looking forward to supporting this restaurant again. Thank you!! read more

Excellent ceviche, sauces especially for the yucca fries, & the seafood saltado was fantastic! The homemade juices were delicious. We loved the vibe & service as well. read more

Friendly environment! Desiree served us with a smile and provided good service! We tried the lomo saltado, yuca frita, arroz chaufa! Everything was tasty and of good quality!! Will come back! read more

Cristian was a great server. The food was very good and decor was lovely. A bonus is a parking lot! Highly recommend

Delicious food and a nice environment. We celebrated a baby shower during lunchtime and the team at El Mono was very accommodating. Everyone ordered different dishes, and they were all great. read more

Everything we tried was delicious! Ceviche was seasoned perfectly, even the sweet potato fries were incredible. Can't wait to go again

Best Peruvian restaurant in the Bay Area by far. Both locations are delicious. Service and ambiance are wonderful too. From: a Peruvian

This restaurant exceeded expectations! The food is flavorful and there are meany options for various dietary needs. The ceviche is excellent and I also enjoyed the fried squid. I'll be back, with friends, to try more menu options. El Mono is a true benefit to the neighborhood. read more

One of the best meals I've had in the Bay. Amazing Peruvian food, extensive menu, and stellar service. I ordered the mixed seafood ceviche and the poor man's steak w/ chimichurri, and I highly recommend both. Will try the lamb special next time. Everything was truly chef's kiss. Thanks Christian for the great service and recommendations, and Matt for bringing this great establishment to Berkeley. Looking forward to trying their el Cerrito location, too. read more

Great food. Wonderful flavors. Lots of vegan and vegetarian options. Super service. And most importantly a really great dessert selection.

Unexpected gem!!! Incredible food, very fresh, well-prepared, delicious! Christian, our waiter, gave wonderful suggestions and service. Definitely Merits returns visits. read more

Went here after randomly seeing it on Yelp and thought "Why not?", I'm so glad I came here! This service was amazing and so were the food and drinks. I didn't get any photos of the Miti Miti because it was so delicious I just drank all of it, so refreshing, so flavorful. After looking over the menu I decided on the Pesto n' Steak which was phenomenal. The pasta was the creamiest pesto pasta I had! I couldn't put the fork down, and the steak was perfectly cooked to my liking with a great balance of fat (my favorite). Once I was done I ordered the Peruvian flan and it was so rich and creamy, it practically melted in my mouth! Overall my experience was fantastic, this is a little intimate dining experience and I look forward to coming back here again read more

El Mono - Miti Miti, Pesto N' Steak, and Chaufa de Carne! - Peruvian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Desiree was an amazing waitress - honestly made the whole meal and experience worthwhile. Thank you Desiree!

My wife and I decided to give this place a try tonight. It was easy to find and located in the former Gilman Grill site. Parking was ample, which was a nice surprise for a restaurant in Berkeley. The restaurant was busy, but we were immediately greeted by their friendly staff and seated after a small wait. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant which had a light and airy feel. We had a lot of fun reviewing the menu, the dishes seemed familiar but were nuanced with a lot of Peruvian spices and preparations that we are not accustomed to. We started with the Papa Huancaina, which is the Peruvian Version of boiled potatoes and gravy, However, instead of gravy these potatoes were topped with a creamy Aji Amarillo cheese sauce. It was so different and so good. I then had the Lomo Saltado topped with an egg. It seems to be the Peruvian version of steak and potatoes, but with completely different spices and served as a stir fry. I totally enjoyed it. My wife really liked the Super Mariscos that she ordered, which was a fried seabass served in a bed of Peruvian Paella. Once again, the seasoning made the dish a completely different experience. To finish it off we shared a passion fruit tropical mousse. Very unique and the perfect end to the meal. We look forward to coming back. read more

The food was good and the servers were nice. The restaurant could do with some rugs to keep the noise down; there was a large party seated one table over and we couldn't hear a thing over them. Also, the alcohol license has not been approved yet, so that would make for a better experience. But we will definitely be back. read more

Had the chicha morada and the arroz tapado and it was delicious. Would definitely recommend.

Amazing service and food! Don't miss it! Thanks Christian for the great time. Good flavors and cool plating. Come for a date or a family dinner! read more

Marlene was our server and she was so amazing. Very attentive. We got the Paella and a veggie plate (family style) and it was more than enough for our group of three. Tasted amazing. Highly recommend. read more

Great food! Lomo saltado or ceviche is a must try! Service was friendly and attentive. Well lit and comfy seating. Pretty outside seating area too. They have their own parking lot which is convenient. The flan is delicious and also the caramel ice cream is to die for! Will definitely come back. Been there a few times and it's consistently good! read more

I heard good things. First time customer at new location in Berkeley/pick up. My food was luke warm. My calamari was fried extra hard and was missing my add on shrimp, which I discovered after I got home (5 min away). I'm hopeful but definitely going to wait awhile to go back. read more

food was amazing!! Loved the ceviche! Taya was so sweet and amazing!! Will definitely be coming back :)

Amazing food & amazing service!! Isabella was super sweet and efficient. 10/10 will definitely come back.

Great food great service I dive an hour away just to eat here with the drive every time food is amazing

Food and service was exceptional. First time we eat here. Very dog friendlt and the outdoor patio was lean and comfortable.

We always loved the food and experience in the El Cerrito location; when they opened this Berkeley location, we are very excited. As always, the food are delicious, our waiter, Desiree was very attentive and sweet. Definitely will be back! read more

Best Bistec a lo Pobre I've ever had in my life. Even better than my favorite restaurant in LA. If you're looking for a good Peruvian restaurant, don't over think it and just go to El Mono read more

Great food, good service, and kind of unique. A very pleasant location and convenient.

Food, service, ambiance/music were all on point! Can honestly say food has sabor, chef knows what they're doing! We were instantly welcomed and seated. We shared a ceviche de pescado, seco de res and had an Inca Kola. Food was amazing, definitely plan on returning! read more

From the causa de tuna, to the maracuya and the saltado de mariscos, my tastebuds were screaming! Everything had the perfect amount of sazón! One of the best Peruvian restaurants I've dined at in a while--such a cute place and the service was excellent. Can't wait to come back! read more

excellent food, excellent service, we had some peruvian food yesterday that cost double the $$ and imo this surpassed that Christian did a great job as our server, amazing energy & very attentive & the manager was checking to make sure everything ran smoothly. definitely recommend!!! read more

El Mono - Tallarin de Carne - Peruvian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Spectacular food and amazing customer service. I will definitely frequent them again soon!

The food was amazing! I got the Vainitas de Pollo & added a fried egg on top. It was delicious! The service was great as well, our server Matt was very nice and thoughtful the entire time. It was also my partner's birthday and she got a Mousse de Maracuya, it was passion fruit. Overall the experience was 10/10. The ambiance was delightful. They played good music and their decorations were super cute! read more

We had excellent service from Desiree. She was so kind and patient with all our different needs (we had a big group with gluten free needs and kids). She was attentive and very friendly. The ambiance was fun for all different ages. The desserts were a huge success for our group too. :) read more

First time here. Place was really nice. As soon as we walked in staff was very welcoming we were greeted and walked to our table. I had the pollo saltado and omg it was so delicious . The maracuya beverage was also really good and refreshing. I definitely will be coming back. Also our waiter was really friendly and attentive. read more

A very spacious restaurant with plenty of comfortable seating, nice natural light and a welcoming environment. The food was really good, we ordered the lomito salad with beef, the beef was juicy and tender the sauce was really good as well. highly recommend this place. read more