We loooove el mono. We decided to do a trip to the east bay today and decided to stop by our favorite Peruvian spot. I was greeted by Andres who was friendly and we asked to sit outside with our puppy. Andres stopped by many times to ask if we needed anything. Our server was Marlene who was very sweet and helpful. The paella takes a bit of time to come out but didn't notice that bc we were munching on some nice toasted corn and green sauce. We also ordered the pollo del buen Chico for the puppy who loved it. They also gave him his own water bowl. It was fresh and tasty. Our paella was tasty as usual. The outdoor seating area is nice and private and quiet and clean. Gotta come back the next time we're here! I wonder if they still have the live music on Fridays/saturday nights which was very nice. read more

El Mono - Pollo del Buen Chico - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Service, food., music, ambience Consistent and no complaints. Been coming here since they opened and I have not been disappointed. read more

Food was delicious Service was quick Ambiance was nice We had a friend visiting from Palm springs. He loved the dishes we ordered and his classic margarita without salt was tasty. I had a chimmiuri steak sandwich, he had the covered rice dish. I can't remember the name. And my wife had lomo saltado beef. We love this place and will continue supporting them. Our server Karina was super helpful , friendly and pleasant. read more

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Great portions, food was excellent, and waiters (Criss and Karina) checked in on us a good amount, would come back again! read more

El Mono - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Super good Pervian food. Decent sized portions - good for family style meal. I just wished for the amount of dishes we (our group of 4 adults and 1 toddler) ordered, the server had recommended we go with the shareable paella instead of the family size paella. He recommended the family size, and we had way too much leftover. It was yummy though. Good service from Kris otherwise. read more

El Mono - Aji de gallina and lomo saltado. Aji de gallina could have used a little more meat, but the flavor was excellent - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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El Mono is a family-owned Peruvian restaurant located near Richmond. This is the flagship location with a second location in Berkeley. [Parking]: There is a small free parking lot for the plaza and I was able to find few available spots on Saturday night. [Atmosphere]: Casual dining atmosphere with few TVs inside the restaurant. No wait on Saturday night. [Menu]: The restaurant serves complimentary roasted corn. The menu highlights popular items with red boxes. Yelp's top highlighted items are Lomo Saltado (under Beef & Steaks), Aji de Gallina (under Poultry & Rotisserie), and Chupe de Camarones (under Seafood). *** Lomo Saltado (a Peruvian classic with tender Certified Angus beef, onions, tomatoes, crispy fries, and cilantro tossed in savory soy sauce. Served with garlic jasmine rice - $26.99): Super crispy French fries so a big thumbs-up. The sauce was a tad salty but flavorful. The steak was cooked on point. The portion was big enough to split between two adults. I also sampled the green sauce from the bottle on the table and it tasted alright (a bit too vinegary for my taste). *** Overall a solid comfort-food spot in town. read more

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El Mono food is always good. This location used to be an Italian restaurant called 'Strings'. Their food was so good and thankfully El Mono continues that tradition. The photos show what was ordered on the menu and what it looks like. The carb heavy sampler is good only if you can eat that much. It was hot and tasty. The fish with rice was hot and very delicious. It was a good sized piece of fish. The rotisserie chicken looked good, but it was dry :( The service was okay. Thank you read more

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El Mono is a family favorite! My favorite dishes to get are the Lomo Saltado, pescado a la macho and the Cau Cau! Portions are generous, flavorful, and definitely authentic. The staff are always so kind and attentive. Our servers, Marlen, Karina and Dani made sure we had everything we needed. Very relaxing restaurant with great music! Whenever anyone asks us where to get great and authentic Peruvian food, we only refer them to El Mono! read more

El Mono - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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In a small strip mall with limited parking.I haven't been to the new location and they had a couple of guys playing music. It was nice to have live music.It is small but bigger than the old location. We started off with some fruity drinks and a sangria. Next was the Seafood ceviche and then I had paella. I liked the seafood paella but some of the other dishes the fish with shrimp wasn't what he thought it would be and thought it was ok. But the other dishes were good. We will be back for the full fried fish they didn't have it on the menu that day. read more

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Lunch was a good price and delicious! Had the pollo a la brasa. Service was great. Shout out to Taya! Thanks!

I haven't been here in over 6 years. The last time I visited the El Cerrito location was when they were at a different spot. One thing that was nice about this restaurant is there were things I've never sampled before. I had a. Miti Miti beverage, colorful in nature that was sweet and good. I also had an Inca Kola a popular Peruvian soda made by the folks at Coca Cola. Also good. The Frito Sampler was our appetizer. Three different fried items with two dipping sauces. A nice change. I had the Aji de Gallina, a Peruvian stew with chicken. Something totally different. Our server Isabella was extremely accommodating. I wish more servers were like her. No dessert was had but the dinner was a success! There are so many dishes to try. I have to go back and do so. We sat at a booth. read more

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El Mono (the monkey) is located in a small strip mall off busy San Pablo. They have a small parking lot and we were able to get a spot. We were the first to arrive at noon on a Friday. Funny, I had a craving for a fish sandwich but didn't see it on their lunch menus online, and it was just my luck that they had it! It came with some crispy fries and was very good. To start you can choose soup or salad, and I chose their traditional chicken and rice soup. My friend got the vegan veggie stir-fry with rice. My homemade drink that I paid $2 extra for with the lunch special was a mixture of purple corn with cinnamon, and passionfruit. Very refreshing, I wished it was a little larger. We sat in a big comfortable booth. Service was good. I'm looking forward to trying their other location in Berkeley. read more

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Food: 5/5 | drinks/ coffee: N/A | Service: 5/5 | ambiance: 5/5 Casual lunch on the weekend and it was all perfect to share with a group of 3. We ordered the lomo saltado and the ceviche mixto. Both super great. The only thing I would have wanted more of is more leche de tigre, because it was so good. Taya and Marlene were both great! Service was perfect and they were so kind. Sorry no pic of the ceviche. read more

El Mono - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Soooo.... they need to get their inventory together, big time. For example, I came in and looked at their wine by the glass list and requested a sav blanc. The server told me she didn't have any chilled ones but could put it on ice for me. Spoke with somebody and apparently they didn't have any sav blanc at all but directed me to the list where I could purchase a bottle. For one person? No thanks Time to order drinks. I asked about sangria and she gave me three options. Ordered sangria and then she came back and told me they actually weren't selling it. And then ordered the special for the night. She put the order in and about 10 minutes later I was informed they didn't have that either. You think they would have prepared for a dinner weekend rush? My reservation was for 1800 on a SATURDAY night. Three strikes and this place sucks. Actually four strikes.... I was just informed they were out of another dish I tried to order in place of the special. read more

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After my mom's doctor's appointment in San Pablo, I took my mom, sister, brother & his wife to El Mono for lunch today. I had a reservation at 12:45 pm but we arrived at 12:10 pm. We were the first customers who arrived. We had the reservation sign on our table. We had been at this restaurant a few times but I wanted my brother & his wife tasted the Peruvian food for the first time. Our server Marixa remembered my mom dining at the restaurant. We ordered the lunch special Pescado Frito with Aguadito soup for mom. For family sharing we ordered the Super Mariscos and Lomo Saltado. The lunch special came first so mom got to eat first. I asked for the crunchy, toasted or fried corn snack and our server said they served it at dinner only. I remember they used to served it at lunch. But Marixa was nicely provided us the corn snack. Later the meal was brought to the table. My brother & wife were surprised seeing the presentation of the Super Mariscos. We all enjoyed the flavorful seafood paella and the brandzino fish. The fish was crunchy and freshly made. I had them ate the Lomo Saltado and my brother & wife said it was delicious. Loved the crunchiness of the fries. We finished the plate and we were full. Then later I asked for the dessert for our sister's birthday. Marixa came with a small bowl of ice cream with a candle. My sister was surprised and shared it with our mom. Our server Marixa was incredibly warm and attentive. She was alone and really busy. She said today Monday they had many customers compared to last Monday. All around I highly recommend and will come back again with friends from San Francisco! read more

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This place went beyond expectations. Was just browsing for a decent spot to have dinner at, and I found this hidden gem in the El Cerrito area. Wonderful hospitality from Marlen, Karina, and Andres. They were very attentive and made sure that everything with our food was well, and boy it was. I got the chicken Chaufa, with the Mint Limade. Absolutely delicious and a must try. read more

Some of my best friends and I decided to indulge and try out El Mono for lunch a few weeks back and we were content with what we experienced! Staff were very nice and attentive while working with our extensive order. We already anticipated that parking would be a hit or miss since we frequent another restaurant in this area, so be aware that the lot can get packed fast. Inside the restaurant we were welcomed and seated at a both with some adequate lighting. After contemplating our orders we got: - Peruvian Paella (4/5): SHARE THIS. The plate might be small but the proportion between the rice and the seafood is a bit imbalanced. You'll get too full eating this solo. Seafood was delicious though! - Lomo Saltado (3/5): Pretty good and very filling! The meat is more on the saltier side compared to other places that sell lomo saltado. - Platano Frito (4/5): Delicious start to the meal that comes with a yummy aioli. - Miti Miti 16 oz (5/5): Ordered this and loved the refreshing taste (and sense of healthiness) while drinking it! - Maracuya 16 oz (4/5): I was able to try my friend's drink and appreciated the sweetness of it! - Chicken cilantro soup (10/5): OUR ENTIRE GROUP LOVED THIS. We downed the soup without a single word spoken. It was so good with the green sauce they have here as well and we can't wait to have this soup again. For a first time, we liked the vibes and the food. Something we're eager for in the near future is trying the cocktails and food on the dinner menu! read more

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Update! Revisiting on Tuesday Night, everything was great as it always is. Poor Man's Steak, Seco de Res and Mojitos were FIRE. Shout out to Kaya our server, kept the drinks & food flowing with friendly, positive energy. Can't wait to check out the Berkeley location. read more

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Food was amazingly delicious. The plantains had an outer crunch that stayed throughout the meal. The calamari wasn't covered in thick breading and was delicious. Rice dish is a must we had to take home leftovers. Pro-Tip- check in on Yelp and get a free Fresca. Unfortunately I checked in and just gave my card at the end and realized that they charged me for it. No biggie it was my fault. But I will say the service did lag a little for me. I came with a friend in the middle of the afternoon and she only had two tables. I had to ask for more water, soda for my friend, our boxes and the check. I don't mind asking, but simple check ins would show the attentiveness to the customers. I would come back and would love to try other dishes. This parking lot is small for all the businesses so keep that in mind for when you come during peak meal times. read more

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Taya and Marlena were amazing taking care of us! Great food and atmosphere. Thank you!

They keep changing the plating, but the Trio Del Mar is still one of my favorite things to get when I come here. I have been coming here on and off for about 4 years now, still love the food as much as the first time. I highly recommend the fried fish in sauce and the Trio Del Mar. Did you hear about the new location in Berkeley? I cannot wait to go check it out! read more

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Karina our server was awesome! And kind. I got the saltido sandwich, and it was excellent, bread was crunchy and fresh, meat was perfectly seasoned. Delicious. read more

We've been coming to this place for some delicious Peruvian food for 8 years now (even when they were at their old location) and it still holds up! Cocktail prices are very reasonable. Marlene, Bella and Andres were great and friendly servers and we highly recommend that you check this place out! read more

Solid Peruvian spot with tasty food, although a little on the pricy side. Came here on a Friday evening on the way back from wine tasting. Arriving at around 6 pm, there were about 3-4 tables occupied and plenty of seating. We chose a table and then scanned the QR code for the menu. For a group of 4 we tried: - Mixed ceviche: Honestly just ok, I felt like there could have been a lot more flavors and also, a little more protein for the price. I would skip this if I came back. - Lomo Saltado: Solid lomo but not my favorite ever. I probably would go 50-50 on ordering this again, - Aji de gallina: My first time trying this dish, I really enjoyed it! I don't have other ones to compare it to but I loved the flavor in the stew and would eat it again. - Tapado a lo pobre: This was also my first time trying this dish and I thought it was tasty! But I would order the chicken stew over this. We also got the following desserts: - alfajores & cream: the alfajores were standard but I loved the lucuma ice cream! Super creamy and flavorful - yuquitas dulces: skip this, it was basically fries with powdered sugar and chocolate syrup. Very underwhelming. The servers were friendly and kind, and when we were there they had a live performer too. Seems like a nice local spot, but I personally wouldn't go too far out of my way to try it again. read more

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Food and Service is excellent! Taya is super nice!! Highly recommended!! It's our fave Peruvian restaurant! read more

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Came for lunch and a few drinks. I had the 1/4 rotisserie chicken garlic rice and salad. Really good with just the right amount of lime. My next meal will be the paella! Thank you Bella for your excellent service! read more

The food was wonderful! The Roasted Chicken & the warm & comforting Stew we had were perfectly seasoned and the green sauce w/ it was delicious! Taya was amazing, so welcoming & got us all set up with our Border Collie's first 'doggy' dinner from a restaurant! She & Chris were both so gracious! read more

Food was absolutely delightful! Merlene and Taya were very helpful on food suggestions. Will come back again for sure, great for family gatherings read more

Amazing food as always!!! Our favorites are the fish ceviche, platanos fritos, anticuchos , aguadito soup, and steak. Taya & Marlene were so helpful! We love this place read more

One of my favorite restaurants in El Cerrito! El Mono has delicious Peruvian cuisine with amazing flavors! The pescado frito is one of my favorite dishes and it was perfect as always. I had a coupon for the fish cevichito so I tried it, but unfortunately it was not for me. So far, it's the only thing that I've had that I didn't like and I've tried almost everything! Service is always good even on busy days. read more

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We were seated immediately in a cozy booth. The miti miti drink is delicious: truly cinnamon and passion fruit! Taya was very helpful with assisting us through the menu. There are many delicious sounding options! We had the calamari, the meat skewers and the paella. The paella was divine!! The lucuma ice cream to finish was delicious: it really does taste like caramel coffee. Highly recommend! A refreshing and flavorful meal. read more

El Mono - Lucuma Ice Cream - Peruvian Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Taya at El Mono made our first Peruvian food experience unforgettable. She was so friendly and personable, which made us feel welcome right away. The food was fantastic. We shared the frito sampler--those sweet potato fries were perfect, and we loved all the sauces. I had the Tallarín Verde con Camarones and the portion was huge and super flavorful. My partner got the Lomo Saltado, and we really liked the French fries it came with. To top it off, we finished with the Miti Miti--absolutely delicious, especially the subtle cinnamon aftertaste. Can't wait to come back and bring my parents. I know they'll love it! I recommend making a reservation it does get busy. read more

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We received quick and kind service from Andres and Daniela. Delicious food and chill ambiance

still one of our absolute favorites in the Bay area. Anytime we're even remotely near we stop in. Had new servers today. Karina and Andreas and they took as good of care of us as we are used to and expect I'm excited. Looking forward to checking out the Berkeley location read more

We had a reservation for a casual dinner at El Mono. We arrived on time but unfortunately weren't greeted when we walked in. After a few minutes, a staff member finally acknowledged us with a quick "I'll be right with you" before disappearing again. When he returned, he said, "just a moment," then proceeded to take another table's order. Eventually, he told us our table would be ready shortly because it needed to be cleaned. More waiting followed. We overheard him tell another server a table number "for two," and noticed that while there were several empty tables in the front, he was setting one up for us in the very back--near the restroom. At that point, the vibe felt off, and we honestly began to feel like our presence wasn't welcome. That's disappointing, especially since we've enjoyed dining here in the past. We politely let them know we were leaving, and only then did the same staff member say, "Oh, your table is almost ready"--but it clearly wasn't. It wasn't the wait that bothered us--it was the lack of courtesy and regard. We hope this was just an off night, but it left a sour impression. read more

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Love the food here. The ceviche is always a hit. Love the lomo saltado and the rotisserie chicken. Can't leave without having a miti miti.

Finally tried El Mono and it was a very tasty experience! Parents, baby and I decided to do dinner there and we def feasted! Fried calamari, seafood paella, lomo saltado, plaintains were fire! The calamari was super tender, flavorful and big enough for 4-5 ppl. The prices are kinda high but the portions are pretty hefty and more importantly, delicious. Vibe is intimate for couples with dim lighting and candles, but also fam friendly with vibrant colors and booths on the other side. Loved the Peruvian culture nods too. Service was top notch! Our girl was very attentive and gave great food recs. Will be back! read more

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We've been here before and service was spectacular, no need to ask for anything more than once. This time around, we didn't get the corn nuts despite asking. I ordered a drink and it never came, we had to ask for it again. Not sure if they were off their game. The food quality is what made this time around a good experience. read more

I ordered the Seco De Res and I must say it was one of the most satisfying meals I've ever had. The owner told me it was her grandmother's recipes and it did not disappoint! I would definitely describe this as comfort food. I can't wait to come back and try other dishes as everything that came out of the kitchen looked amazing from the Birds Eye view I had at the bar top. read more

Food was delicious and good service. Waiter's Karina and Marlen were real attentivea and friendly.