This Porteño location is the best. Fresh tasty food . Good service. Not busy and the noise level is fine. read more

El Porteño - Pisco Sour is the best in town. In this location. - Peruvian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Too Expensive Now Ordered the beef Lomo Saltado and it cost me $29.03 in total which wasn't worth it since the meat portion was small and beef was stuff. Not worth coming back. I would rather learn to cook this dish myself than ever waste my money again. They should decrease the price to $18. read more

What great food this place has. The simple ambience of being somewhere else in this low-key restaurant that delivers sumptuous food from the Yucca fries, the fried rice, and the beef Saltado. The waitress was staffed and you can order in Spanish or English and the menu is provided in Spanish in English. Has this common in Peru it's a mix of Asian and Peruvian cuisine and there are a lot of items to choose from. It may seem a little bit different, but the flavors are unique the food, fresh and well worth the trip to this oasis of Peruvian excellence. read more

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The Korean fusion idea works and the place really buzzes. Staff is welcoming, but we waited a long time for food and the noise made conversations tough. Works well for grabbing drinks with friends, but honestly, it was too hectic for a chill dinner. read more

Ordered the Lomo Saltado with fried rice upgrade via phone and it was a very tedious process if Spanish isn't you native tongue maybe order via door dash for pickup. The dish scratched the craving but was really salty probably needed more fried rice or french fries to balance it out. The beef was well cooked and the flavors were nice. Pick up was efficient and food was ready at the estimated time. The restaurant was clean and well lit. Kinda pricey for the amount of food given. read more

Eventhough the flavor is okay, be aware of high prices and small plate size. I order a pasta ($27). It was supposed to be a seafood pasta, Instead, the plate was full of onions and tomatoes. 2 tiny octopus, 2 shrimp and two oysters and a few ring calamares is what you will get alone with the noddles. The to go contianer was not even fill half way, about s third of the container was full of mainly tomate, noddles and onions. I liked this place, but, plates size have gone significantly down and prices are way to high for what is being served. Won't order form it again. read more

El Porteño - Peruvian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I have been craving Peruvian food, and I have had this place in mind for a while. Finally got the chance to try it today with my family, and it was delicious! The Lomo Saltado was delectable and the beef was cooked perfectly, along with the onions. The Tallarin Verde was great as well, especially if you're craving pasta with some fresh grilled protein. Yuca fries were perfect, if you want something similar to potato fries but also want to try something different this is the side dish for you. Arguably, I like Yuca over potatoes hehe. Super yummy, 100% would recommend to all! Also I recommend ordering in person or dining in for an easier experience with deciding what to get as staff is mostly Spanish speaking but as long as you share the same kindness and patience as they do it'll make the trip to give this place a try worthwhile! read more

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While in San Francisco for a conference, I took a walk along the Embarcadero to stretch my legs. I found the local market with many different food and gift options. I stumbled upon this place and saw how busy it was (long line of people). Everyone seemed to order the same 2 things: lamb empanada and banana empanada. So I did the same. The lamb one was so so so tasty and delicious! I wanted to go back for another one because of how good it tasted, but couldn't do it after eating the banana empanada (was very rich and sweet). Both were great. It's a cute little place in the market across from the Hyatt. Highly recommended. read more

El Porteño - Peruvian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Stopped by with some friends for dinner on a Saturday night! Parking was pretty hard to find around this area. There's so much on the menu; we asked our server for some popular dishes and she gave us a lot of recommendations! We ended up ordering the lomo saltado, arroz con mariscos, anticuchos, and chicken empanadas. Came in with no expectations and everything was delicious. The lomo saltado was a classic and what we originally came here for. My friends thought the anticuchos were a bit tough, but I thought they were fine. Our favorite dish was the arroz con mariscos. Super, super flavorful and they don't skimp on the seafood! read more

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I honestly don't know why this place has 3.9 stars because everytime I've been here, I've been shocked at how good it is. Quality is the same everytime and the pesto pasta is surprisingly so cheesy and basily. I LOVE the lomo soltado and the ceviche. It's so fresh and soooo addictive. I dip the remaining rice from the soltado into it and I don't waste a drop. The food comes very quick as well. definitely coming back over and over! read more

I was hankering for Peruvian and decided to try El Porteno. It was easy to order through GrubHub and my food arrived earlier than the estimated time. Lomo Saltado ($22.98) This dish was tasty, yet a bit disappointing due to the tough & overcooked beef. I also felt there wasn't much beef in the dish. The fries were on the soggy side. Otherwise, the flavor of this dish was very good. Yuca Frita ($9.98) These Yuca fries come with a huancaina sauce. The fries are good with or without the dip. Ceviche Mixto ($19.98) Decent size portion of ceviche mixto ; I've had smaller servings at other restaurants. So this is good bang for your buck. It contained a good variety of seafood. I would order this again. Arroz con Mariscos ($22.98) This dish is full of flavor, and maybe a tad on the salty side, but it was delicious. I would order this dish again. My first experience with this restaurant was positive. I would not hesitate ordering from here again, so I can try some other items on their menu. read more

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I tried calling to place an order, and the lady on the phone kept trying to rush me. I was new to the menu, so I did my best to pronounce the items, but she kept acting annoyed and kept trying to rush me. She then asked if that was all, and I said I wanted empanadas as well (this was only the second item I ordered). She made a long sigh and then hung up the phone on me. I live across the street and could have been a regular customer if I had been treated with even basic respect. Oh, well, they won't be getting my business. read more

This is a review for food ordered via a delivery service. I love ceviche and lomo saltado, and was really looking forward to these dishes at this place. Unfortunately, I was incredibly disappointed by the portion size of the meat in the lomo saltado--there were only 5 thin/small pieces in a sea of rice, fries, and onions (see photos). Horrible value for a $24 entree. The ceviche mixto was decent though, but not the best I've had. Never going to order the lomo saltado on DoorDash again. I'm willing to give their lomo saltado another chance in person though. read more

El Porteño - Lomo saltado - Peruvian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Recently my boyfriend and I ordered lomo saltado from 3 different locations and both agreed the flavor, price, and portion from El Porteno was the winner! We typically order from Limon but their prices went up and portion size went down, so we wanted to see if we could find our new favorite place I felt like the price was fair for the portion size, we paid $22.8 via Doordash. The meat had a very nice char and smokeyness to it, I loved the flavor of everything and the rice was nice. We got plain white rice and not the fried rice, so unsure if that would have made a big difference. I LOVED their plantains, the perfect way of cooking them and perfect ripeness We 100% will order again read more

The lady was really unprofessional, when I called to order the food she was rude when I went there to pickup the food was even worse. Not coming back ever again read more

Ah, so this is the original El Porteño. I don't find myself in the Crocker-Amazon neighborhood very often, but I randomly took the M line all the way to the end at Balboa Park and found myself sauntering up Geneva to Mission. When I saw the red candy stripe front and the name emblazoned right next to the Billiard Palacade, I decided to peek inside to see if it was empty enough to brave dining inside. Since this was just before omicron exploded, I threw caution to the wind just a smidge when I concluded it was safe enough with the only other diners a father and his son. I was here on Sunday, so I lucked out with the availability of their weekend special, the $18.98 Pollo a la Brasa, which is basically Peru's national dish, a half-rotisserie chicken blackened to a nice char and presented with a steak knife to avoid manual gnawing. I think the chicken was surely brined in some type of lime juice because the meat was impossibly tender with a hint of citrus tartness. I even finished the white meat which is such a rare occurrence for me. The large platter came with a creamy mustard dipping sauce, a pile of crispy fries, and a house salad slathered in a creamy dressing (photo: https://bit.ly/3KbPVeR). I'm definitely coming back once the next variant is under control, whenever that happens. OK, maybe I'll do delivery. FOOD - 5 stars...a pollo a la brasa to love AMBIANCE - 4 stars...pretty spartan but clean and well spaced SERVICE - 5 stars...very friendly and attentive TOTAL - 5 stars...still dreaming of that chicken RELATED - Exploring the Outer Mission? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/37B1acE read more

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Food was okay. We ordered the Lomo saltado and the salt n jalapeño pepper pork chops. Portions were not as large as before. Prices were moderate to high. Server was pleasant. Flavors were good. read more

El Porteño - Lomo saltado and salt n pepper pork chops. - Peruvian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Mostrito, ceviche, papa de reina y chaufa is the best Chill place, nice service I really like it but a lil expensive but Peruvian food is read more

Stumbled upon this spot. Love me some good Peruvian food so I was excited to check it out. My friend and I ordered: Papa a la huancaína-was under seasoned and the potatoes were raw. Would not order again. Lomo Saltado-had fantastic flavor! The meat, however, was tough and chewy. Would order again just for the sauce. Tallarin Verde con Pollo a La Parrilla was the star! The chicken was seasoned perfectly and was so juicy and tender. The pasta was delicate, but had so much flavor. Recommend with gusto! Service was meh. They were also out ( or didn't feel like brewing) any coffee....meh meh. They also have a massive menu so there is something for everyone. Go support this local business! read more

El Porteño - Lomo Saltado and Tallarin Verde con Pollo a La Parrilla - Peruvian Near Me - San Francisco, California

El pollo a la brasa ya no lo preparan como antes asta el saber es diferente ,esta mejor el pollo del cosco y la salsa no es fresco esta agrio y estan malogrado Les recomiendo el pollo supremo,fresco y mejor sabor ,y economico. read more

I really loved this place but was so disappointed when I ordered food for pick up. I ordered the honey walnut shrimp and for almost $18 I received the smallest portion ever. When I asked to speak with the manager the owner came out of the kitchen and said "what do you expect shrimp is expensive" in the most condescending voice. I asked for a refund and he said he couldn't do it. I was honestly baffled. I understand food prices are higher now but I don't think that's a reason to take advantage of customers. See pictures for reference. I wouldn't recommend paying these outrageous prices with such small portions. read more

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Their food is soooo good. You can never go wrong with the fried rice - it just taste like a little bit of Peru. Please pay the extra 5$ or whatever they charge and get the fried rice. You will not be disappointed. The food is oh so good here. I have also tried the pesto w the steak, yum! Which is a Peruvian staple. I know the restaurant doesn't seem like much, but quiet honestly, it is the best Peruvian food you'll have around the city. Highly recommend. read more

El Porteño - Lomo Saltado con arroz chaufa (fried rice) - Peruvian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I just ordered a chicken soup from this place for the first time to my surprise there's was a fly swimming in the soup. I don't even want to imagine how disgusting their kitchen is. On top of that there was something in the soup that tasted nothing like chicken, my stomach literally tumbled. NEVER ORDERING FROM THIS PLACE, EVER AGAIN! Will definitely report it to the health department, this is just disgusting! read more

El Porteño - Peruvian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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What a hidden gem in the SF neighborhood. I don't remember the last time I had Peruvian cuisine because they're pretty rare in the city, but I know where to go for authentic Peruvian food now. Got the Paella and it was AMAZING...and at a very reasonable price! Food was prepared pretty quickly and it was piping hot when it arrived. Beware that street parking can be hard to find in the area though. read more

El Porteño - Peruvian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Everything is so good!! My favorites were the ceviche mixto & lomo saltado. If you wanna try Peruvian food this is definitely the place to go. If you don't feel like going out they also deliver on doordash! read more

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Quite possibly the most amazing empanadas we've ever eaten. Totally worth the visit. The carne and pollo empanadas were savory and delicious, and for a vegetarian option (because I am in love with mushrooms) we got the champinones empanada. First time ever having an empanada with mushrooms, but it worked so well! Delicious. read more

El Porteño - Carne Empanada - Peruvian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great authentic Peruvian cuisine. What more can you say? You want some real Peruvian food? Come here. The ceviche is great, the jalea is perfect, the pisco is on point. Very great flavors and always hits the spot whenever we get a craving for Peruvian food. This place is the place to get good Peruvian food. There is an El Porteño 2 down the road in Mission district which is equally good. Definitely a hidden gem in the city. read more

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I am Peruvian-born and the authenticity of the food served by Peruvian restaurants is very important to me. El Porteño is one of the most authentic I have found so far in SF. Usually Peruvian restaurants around here will dilute the menu with items that cater to those that order dishes based on their familiarity with other cuisines (e.g. mac and cheese at Limón, or the instances of Mexican influence in terms of ingredients, menu items, and flavors at other Peruvian restaurants). Not so at El Porteño. When you open the physical menu, you might as well be sitting down at a restaurant in Perú. I have ordered delivery from here many times, but recently I went in person for the first time. We had: ají de gallina, anticucho de corazón, arroz con mariscos, and yuca frita con salsa huancaína. They were all excellent and of authentic Peruvian flavor. I will be returning and ordering from them again and again. This place is now my Peruvian joint in SF. The outdoor patio was unexpectedly nice, with a gas heater. read more

El Porteño - Outdoor patio - Peruvian Near Me - San Francisco, California

We just walk by pass due to heavy rains and ran across El Porteño, the food was delicious. Loma Saltado, empanada, fried platanos. Everything was so good I will come back read more

El Porteño - Peruvian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food is mid, not much flavor or sazón in the dishes. Service is slow, non attending and will only come towards the end to give you the bill. You have to flag them down to get something and even can be forgetful about items ordered. My husbands dish came out first and mines didn't come out 15 minutes later. Since they were just talking in the back the majority of the time we were there I'm sure that's part of it. Isn't very clean and could use some maintenance, better staff and care. read more

Ok I've eaten here before the food was good. Now I got take out the food taste like crap. The papa a la huancaina had no sauce on my potato's and the sauce was not the right sauce. I am half Peruvian grew up eating this. This was crap not even what it was supposed to be. Also the chaufa fried rice taste like it was just thrown together with anything they could find in the kitchen. Sorry but the food was awful. Never going there again. read more

A solid authentic Peruvian joint, no frills & reasonable prices! I got the lomo saltado & the ceviche, both were reasonable portion sizes & had the signature flavors of each dish. I enjoyed the fried potatoes, nice & crispy & perfect to scoop up the juices of the lomo saltado with along with the rice. The rice in the ceviche was full of that seafood flavor & there were a good amount of clams & some squid on it as well. I'd recommend coming here if you're looking for a low key place to eat some authentic Peruvian food! read more

I was in the area so I decided to revisit. I tried the anticuchos and they were tender and flavorful. Overall good quality good. A little pricy($17) for two skewers but its SF inflated read more

I asked for napkins like 3 times. They never brought them. I didn't like the service. However. The waiting time was reasonable

We had a horrible experience. They charged us for the hot sauce and for using a credit card without asking us first. Then when we left they did not even bother to say goodbye or thank you. The waiter was inattentive, even though I tipped anyways. The overall feel was disregard for tables of 2 people. I will not be coming back here ever again. read more

El Porteño - The receit - Peruvian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great food. Please it..you'll love it. The Peruvian dishes are so close home and the prices are reasonable. They are very polite Great customers service. Try Pescado a lo Macho, or ceviche, or lomo saltado, or arroz, con mariscos, or pollo a la brass..papa a la huancaina or causa a la criolla. Everything Soo delicious . read more

This place is actually one of my favorite places to get Peruvian food in SF. Their food is so delicious, it is reasonably priced, and the servers are very friendly. The appetizer we ordered were the anticuchos. They give you about 3-4 pieces of beef heart on a skewer with some deliciously crispy and soft potatoes and a sauce that has a little kick to it. It is my favorite appetizer at any Peruvian restaurant and they make it so well here. The beef heart is not too chewy or tough at all. Whenever I come here, I always order the Tallarin Saltado with beef or chicken. It's just a noodle version of Lomo Saltado and let me tell you, the sauce just makes it that much better. We also order food to go, which is when I order the Lomo Saltado. It's definitely my favorite Peruvian dish. I really like the way they make it here. This restaurant is just good authentic Peruvian food. Please give this place a shot! read more

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My boyfriend's friends wanted to get Peruvian food and the first thought that went through my head when my boyfriend told me that was, "Uh, What's that?" Uh, bomb ass food, that's what it is. Located on Mission St., parking could be kind of tough depending on when you come here. My boyfriend and I came here for dinner on a Thursday night I think and we lucky to have found parking at the next block over. And since it was after 6pm, we didn't have to feed the meter. The inside of this place doesn't look like much, but trust me- it's good. The lady working that night was super friendly and patient with us as we took our time with the menu and even switched out our empty water jugs when it ran out. That's service. And she was the only one working that night servicing (from what I could see) so props to her for working so quick. Their menu actually has a good amount of options if you're not sure what you're craving exactly. They even have fried rice on the menu which is insane and I'll probably go for it next time I'm here just to try it out. What I did end up ordering from here was their seafood pesto pasta and holy shit, it was bomb. Their pesto sauce is definitely homemade and fresh. Like you can just taste it in each bite. What a difference from my usual pesto sauce from Costco, lol. Prices are somewhat high, but I get that it's the area you're in and I'm down to come back and splurge a little again when I can. read more

El Porteño - Peruvian Near Me - San Francisco, California

****Highly Recommend, Does Not Get More Authentic Than El Porteño!**** Service was great, food was authentic, not overwhelmed with spices, but just right. As someone who is a very picky eater, and will not eat something if I don't like it, I have to say I was highly impressed with El Porteño. I've been to the best restaurants in Peru by famous chefs which really don't impress me. I go to the better ones, where recipes have been handed down from generation to generation, & are made with a little TLC. Those are the places that I would take my friends that visit Lima with me, & that's exactly what I found today at El Porteño! So today I finally made the trek to give El Porteño a world. I ordered three of my favorite chifa dishes. First up, Camlu Wonton... food came out in about 10 mins, nice and hot. We went in for the first bite wontons were not over saturated with sauce, and crunchy. Veggies, although in sauce, still had some crunch to them which is how I like it. The pork perfect, the chicken also just right, and the shrimp on point. 9/10 (only because I'm used to bigger slices of pork, and chicken). Next up Pork arroz chaufa, not greasy and full of flavor. Wasn't overwhelmed with soy sauce, but one of those times where something just happens to be exactly as it should be. 10/10. Last but definitely not least the Chijaukay. Just enough soy sauce, sesame oil, scallions and crunch on the chicken. Once again 10/10. What's left? DESERT!! We said well we are 3 for 3 tonight, if they mess this up, I'm ok since the main course was damn near perfect! Picarones!! We were advised it would take a little longer, since they cook it apart from main course dishes in order to maintain that distinct flavor Picarones have. Maybe 14 mins later, which gave us some time to digest our dinner, they came out pippin hot with authentic miel. Not too thick where the center doesn't cook and is still doughy, and not too thin where they get overcooked quickly, damnit they were perfect! I am happy to say that we have found our new Peruvian spot that's worth the 45min drive. And maybe not just for Chifa, maybe for everything. Can't wait to visit again. Compliments to the chef, & Kimberly for her attention to detail when it comes to customer service. Thank you for a wonderful dinner experience. Yes, parking is a pain to find, but when you do, the wait will be worth it! Can't blame the business for that. I rate the food and the service, not the color of the building across the street or the double parked car on the corner. read more

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Empanada was good. Nothing super special. Was quite oily and a little dry. I wish there was more interesting tastes and seasoning. read more

El Porteño - Peruvian Near Me - San Francisco, California