THE BEST PERUVIAN RESTAURANT, consistently the best! Lived in Peru years, husband is Peruvian, kids are too. We have been to every Peruvian restaurant in all of San Diego county. This is the most authentic and the most consistently delicious Peruvian food in all the county. Handicap parking, as well as regular parking around back. Street parking in front. This restaurant is nestled in and brings a huge smile to my face. Eli will welcome you like family and feed you like family. Oh how I wish I lived closer. Eli wanna move to Oceanside? : ) Was craving this restaurant's seco de carne. Not only did it not disappoint, it was even better than I remembered! Anytime we are in the area and they are open this is where we eat. I'm so excited they will be open longer hours. I actually schedule my Dr appts on days they are open so I can enjoy lunch here afterwards. It is truly THAT good. Service is efficient and friendly. Super clean! I've seen behind the scenes since I needed to cut through side door because I'm unable to walk inclines. Not the kitchen, the side door break room area. So clean. But you can see in kitchen by register, also so clean! They are so respectful of the Peruvian cuisine. Why mess with the country who gets top culinary awards?! They keep it authentic. Thank you! Took another seco home for my husband and lomo salado for my daughter and arroz con leche for me for dinner snack after my leftover seco. They both devoured their plates. Was hard to not order more items like her causa and ceviche and Yuka, but next time we will. My husband loves the sampler too. It's all great. read more

Eli's Peruvian Kitchen - Home. Tastes like I'm in Peru. When food makes you emotional... it's beyond good. Seco de carne. Chicha. Perfecto - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

What a find in San Diego. Ordered ceviche causa, seco, and aji pollo. Perfectly seasoned, not too salty like many other Peruvian food. Will come back read more

As a Peruvian (and not many Peruvian restaurants in SD), Eli's is the closest restaurant where you can get authentic and amazing Peruvian food. All the dishes are delicious and well priced. The restaurant also gives a familiar Peruvian vibe and the staff is wonderful! Definitely need to go to Eli's if you want authentic Peruvian. read more

Been on the hunt for a Pan de Chicharron similar to what I had in Lima last month. Stopped here today but they didn't have it on offer today. I heard theirs is really good to so I guess I'll have to come back when they have it. We tried 3 dishes and all were good. The ceviche de Pescado was a nice size serving. Just wish they served it with a side of chips to cut the tartness. This was some of the most tart ceviche I've ever had. It was good and fresh but some type of chips or plantain chip would go nicely. Lomo Saltado was tasty however the beef was just a tad tough. Seemed to be the most popular choice this afternoon as everyone we saw had ordered it. The highlight was the suggested Seco con Frijoles. This is a braised beef rib in a cilantro stew with carrots and peas with beans. Meat was tender. Beans and sauce was soooop good! The house made Chiche Morada was BOMB!! So refreshing and tasty. This offering has a little bit more cinnamon than some of the ones I had throughout Peru but I thought this one was the best! Do yourself a favor and get the pitcher!! Yum!!! Overall I highly recommend stopping in and sharing a couple dishes for a little taste of Lima! read more

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Finally got to experience eli's and i am so glad that i did. I'm a huge fan of Qero in Encinitas but it's just too far to drive up there from la mesa often and they do not have pollo a la brasa. Eli's is close to home and gives me all the delicious peruvian food I am craving. Our server was awesome. She even offered to let us try the different sauces and the white wine before committing. We ordered the 1/2 pollo with a side of sarza criolla and the beef stew with beans. Everything was delicious!! The chicken came with a side salad with a tasty dressing on the side. The chicken was so moist and flavorful with the sauces on it. Do I prefer my fries crispier? yes. but these were so yummy when dipped in the sauce. The sarza criolla was the best I have had in San diego. The beef stew was delicious and the portion was quite generous Eli's is a cute restaurant with reasonable prices, wonderful food abs awesome service. Be aware that there are no outdoor tables. Will we be back? You bet!! read more

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I was trying to place my order for pickup over the phone, and they left me waiting for 30 minutes... Very unprofessional. Terrible customer service. read more

This place is a hidden gem. Like, seriously hidden. It's in city heights and parking is best from a side street. I passed it up, but turned around and found parking. The food is very vibey and indigenous. The taste is very authentic and flavorful. I love the spices and sauces. I would lean towards beef but the ceviche fish was spectacular. I brought the wife and she thoroughly enjoyed everything. You gotta try the original arroz con Leche. So bomb! Wife said it was the best she's ever had. The service was amazing and the waitress was very attentive. I love how the restaurant looks like a little house. read more

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The food and service were outstanding. The ambiance was calm with light music in the background.

Five years ago, I discovered at least proving kitchen on El Cajon Blvd. I was so so happy to see that not only did this Restaurant survive. It looks like it has thrived over the years. And in my long quest for Peruvian food anywhere in San Diego Diego I was so happy to revisit this place. I was lucky enough to travel to Peru last October so I've been really craving some more Peruvian food. I had Arroz Chaufa with shrimp! Delicious my son had Pollo à la Brasa, which I couldn't stop picking off his plate! And we also shared a Lomo Saltado, which was done to perfection. The menu is a little limited, but you get the basics that you would want in a Peruvian restaurant. I wish they were open more often but you get what you can get parking may be lacking so be aware you might have to park around the corner! If you're looking for Peruvian food, make sure you check out their website for times and availability. The staff was very friendly and made the experience that much more fun. And let's not forget the ice cream Lucuma is a an acquired taste, but it's delicious. As we left, I forgot to take my leftovers and our waitress chased us down the street to make sure we had food for later, which was very thoughtful . So if you're craving proving food look no further than Ellie's Peruvian kitchen ! read more

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Came for lunch on a Sunday and was charmed by the whole experience. I had been looking for aji de gallina and theirs hit the spot. We also tried the yucca fries, empanada de pollo, causa with ceviche, tallarin saltado, and several drinks: the emoliente, maracuya, chicha morada. The passion fruit one was my favorite. The yucca fries were the best I've had with a creamy and tender interior and perfect crispy exterior. The empanada was full of chicken but also sliced egg and olive. It was very flavorful and the quality was great. The meat in the saltado was very nice with no gristle and again, very flavorful. We finished the meal with plenty of leftovers and of course tried the alfajores and rice pudding. The alfajores melted in mouth and broke easily in the hand and were not too sweet. I admit these are actually the first I've had, or at least the first like that. I expected a dense shortbread, not the light meltaway texture of these which was delightful. The pudding was thin, warm, and delicious-very comforting. The portions were generous and the prices were very reasonable. We got a ton of food for $95 before tax and tip. Our server was super sweet and helpful and the food came out quickly. My only complaint about this place is the limited hours. I have had it bookmarked for years and have only made it out recently because it closes so early (4 or 5 PM!) and we usually don't have occasion to go out for lunch. I'm so glad we made the effort because now we know, we will be back! And tell our friends =) read more

Hubby has been searching for a Peruvian restaurant in San Diego that serves the best Lomo Saltado, and I think he may have just found it! Located in the College area right on El Cajon Blvd, parking is a tricky situation as there is no designated parking lot. We circled around 5 times, but finally, just when I was about to tell the hubby to abort the mission, we found a parking spot on a street nearby. The building itself is pretty old and intimidating, but once inside, we were greeted and welcomed so warmly. It was like walking into your grandma's house, and everyone is waiting for you to arrive to eat. It was bright, clean and decorated with all things Peru - including alpacas. Our waitress was super friendly and made us feel so welcome - she exuded some great energy! Actually, everyone there, including the customers, all seemed to be in an awesome mood. Now let me get to the food! We ordered hubby's Lomo Saltado (Beef, onions, tomatoes, aji and fries with white rice), and I had the Pollo Estilo a La Brasa (1/4 Peruvian rotisserie chicken served with a side of house salad and fries, but I substituted the fries with white rice), my son ordered the Arroz Chaufa Shrimp (Peruvian style fried rice). We also tried their fried snack appetizer platter, which came with fried calamari, shrimp, yucca, fries and a trio of their sauces. Hubby and son finished their plates and decided they would definitely come back. I, on the other hand, could not finish because the chicken did not seem like a quarter piece, but more like a half a chicken! I am not complaining! The sauces they provided were flavorful with a nice kick to it. The green sauce was muy caliente! We did not leave without trying a couple desserts that our waitress recommended - the Helado de Lucuma ( ice cream made with an Andean Peruvian fruit) and the Clasico, which is Mazamorra and arroz con leche. I looked up Mazamorra and found that it is a Peruvian purple corn pudding. I was surprised that it was served piping hot! A must try! Now the Helado de Lucuma was DELICIOUS and CREAMY! I don't think I have ever tasted anything like it. Highly recommended! Please come and try this place. I honestly sat down and just felt that the people here are extremely proud of their dishes, they are super friendly, welcoming and attentive. You feel like their food is made with love. Many families were here on this day, and some celebrating special occasions, so I felt like this place was super special. read more

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Love the ambiance, friendly and expedient service, and food was delicious. Would definitely return. Parked in residential areas which was easy. read more

Eli's Peruvian Kitchen - Lomitos, empanada, and lomo Saltado. The lomitos was better with the beans - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

I haven't seen too many places that serve Peruvian food and was excited to try Eli's Peruvian Kitchen. Cherry soda was sweet and had a nice cherry flavor. Tallarin saltado had noodles with a mild flavor and a nice snap.  Beef was plentiful and delicious.  I added shrimp and it had a nice snap and fresh flavor.  Loved the flavor of the fresh tomatoes.  Among the best tallarin saltado dishes I've had. Passion fruit juice was sweet and full of fresh fruit flavor. Lomo Saltado featured fries with a tasty fried potato flavor.  Rice was soft and had a mild flavor.  Loved the brown sauce which gave the rice a delicious flavor.  Beef was nice marinated and tender.  Fresh tomatoes were tasty and went well with the beef.  Great tasting lomo saltado! 3rd visit I tried the pollo a la brasa.  Skin was crispy and full of flavors from the spices rubbed on.  Chicken was tender and juicy.  One of my favorite rotisserie chickens.  Fries were crispy and I liked the fried potato flavor.  Rice was moist and had a nice mild flavor. Server was very nice and remembered me each subsequent visit.  Excellent hospitality. read more

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OMG!! I am so thankful that my husband found this hole in the wall place! Inside everything was decked out in Peruvian decor and it felt I was in somebody's house, which made it cozy and hospitable. The staff was very nice; the waitress made sure we were well taken care of and she was super sweet to us. We started off with the Peruvian sampler, which was a nice especially since I was very hungry. The ceviche was very tasty and I loved the fried yuccas. The main dish that I ordered was the seco frijoles- it was so so delicious and I left my plate dry; it was so worth coming here because of this very scrumptious dish. It was my favorite item that I ordered here at Eli's. The third dessert was the Helado De Lucuma; it was so unique and it tasted like butterscotch. What my husband and I thought was fascinating is that it is made from a fruit called Lucuma. This was the best dessert to end our delicious meal at Eli's. Overall Eli's Peruvian Kitchen did not disappoint and we will definitely be coming back! read more

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Stopped in here for lunch and the service was friendly and food was delicious. It's a nice neighborhood spot. I tried the sampler platter and everything on it was great to try. The ceviche is definitely a winner. The Peruvian lager beer is perfect with the sampler. read more

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Amazing authentic Peruvian food! Our waitress was very sweet and friendly. Do yourself a favor and try the ceviche! You will not regret it! read more

Eli's Peruvian Kitchen - Ceviche - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

First time trying lomo soltado and I can positively say that this will not my last lomo soltado that I'll have!! I love the soft tender fries, however the beef was a bit dry and tough. Sauce was flavorful though. We also got the Peruvian sampler, which has fried yucas and ceviche - they were amazing! Our waitress was very friendly and served our food quickly. The food was a bit overpriced but would highly recommend if you're interested in trying Peruvian food! read more

Eli's Peruvian Kitchen - Lomo Soltado - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

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The food and service was amazingggg!! I got the seco con frijoles and ceviche which were 10/10. I definitely will be coming back! read more

Eli's Peruvian Kitchen - Ceviche - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Mari es la muchacha más linda para atender es muy sencilla y humilde y siempre está contenta 10 de 10 de puntuación muchas gracias Mari por tu atención y por tu forma de ser bendiciones read more

DO NOT EAT HERE!!!!! You already know why, because this place is for me and only me! Eli's she's family to me! When we come here to eat it's like you just sat down at your grandmothers house! This place has a very clean and cozy vibe with lots of culture on the walls. The food is the best Peruvian food in San Diego and last time i checked it's the ONLY Peruvian food in sand Diego (if I'm wrong someone please let me know) That being said I've been to two other Peruvians spots in Orange County/LA and this place still beats all of them... with a small to the point menu that hits all the important signature dishes Eli's stands apart from the others. I would give any suggestions on what to eat but I will say this FRIED RICE!!! Eli's makes friend rice better than 80 of Chinese restaurants I've been to and I've been to everyone on earth hahah Also get and Inca Coke (taste like bubble gum) and the passion fruit drink to rinse everything down mmmhumm!!! Your Welcome!!!! read more

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Great flavor, the best ceviche and seco I tried in this part of California (San Diego). Small hidden gem, check their hours before you go read more

Eli's Peruvian Kitchen - The ceviche was so good that my granddaughter decided to drink all the juices (leche de tigre) with a straw!!! - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

For those who want to enjoy authentic Peruvian food, Eis's is the place to go. Enjoy the delicious Peruvian food.

This place is super adorable, the food is fresh tasty and authentic. The staff is so nice. If you're looking for a charming unassuming hole in the wall that is well run this is the place for you. read more

Great food We love their bread Lobster ravioli Peruvian fried rice We will definitely come back for more read more

If you want authentic Peruvian food, this is the place to go. Home made food, made with love, authentic flavors, and huge portions. 5 star restaurant. Very clean, and super cute. read more

We had an amazing time enjoying some delicious food! The owner was super welcoming and made us feel right at home. Plus, the place is beautifully decorated and the music was fantastic--just a great vibe all around! read more

Eli's Peruvian Kitchen - Ceviche de pescado - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

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So authentic and delicious! Everything tasted just a good as it did in Lima. I will recommend Eli's to everyone I know. read more

Eli's Peruvian Kitchen - Sampler plate - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

We've been meaning to check Eli's out for so long, but haven't been able to due to their limited hours. We finally made it here and it was so great. We did have to park a little bit away, but it was worth it. The interior was cute, and the tables fairly empty around lunchtime on a Sunday. We had the marayuca and emoliente to drink, and both were great. The marayuca was a nice balance between sweet and tart. The emoliente was definitely thicker than I realized, but my boyfriend really enjoyed it. For eats, we opted for the ceviche de pescado, the causa rellena with chicken, and the aji de gallina. All of them were absolutely delicious, though I think the causa shined a little bit brighter for me personally than the other two dishes. We can't wait to return and try everything else! read more

Eli's Peruvian Kitchen - Aji Gallina - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Incredible authentic cuisine! I had the regular lomo saltado and tofu as well as yucca fries. The food was impeccable, reasonably priced and so favorable. I seriously can't wait to try more menu items. The interior was decorated with Peruvian imagery and was beautiful and very clean and the staff, specifically the lady taking orders was so sweet and friendly! I literally can't wait to return, and the only minor issue was I didn't see parking. read more

Great little Peruvian restaurant in the heart of San Diego - try the Papas a lá Huancaina appetizer and the Rice Chaufa with shrimp - excellent - fast service with friendly wait staff and nice decor - parking is a challenge and so are their hours, but all is worth it read more

I've been several times and Eli's is a hidden gem. The service is always wonderful, food is always fresh and delicious. It's one of the few places to eat out that makes you feel as though you're eating a home cooked meal. read more

Server was great and attentive. Also food comes out really quick too, ordered food and the appetizers (sampler and empanada) came out quick and then the food came not too long after that. Food was really good. I liked the chicken empanada and the Peruvian sampler was good too, I like everything that was in it. The Lomo was also very good. Had nice big chunks of steak and a good ratio of tomatoes, onion, and fries. Probably the best Peruvian food you can get in this county. I want to definitely go back and try some of the other options because they all looked really good as well. read more

Eli's Peruvian Kitchen - Lomo Saltado and Peruvian Sampler - Peruvian Near Me - San Diego, California

An incredible experience. While visiting San Diego, I went to five different Peruvian restaurants. None of them carry the same authenticity to a truly Peruvian experience as this one. Looking for an Inka Kola, a Cosquena beer, ceviche de piscado, lomo saltado to pollo a la brasa? This is your spot (if you're new to Peruvian food, start with those). The service was incredible, everyone who works there I beautiful. The atmosphere is filled with functional yet truly authentic Peruvian decor. Just an amazing experience all and all. Ive made several trips there during my stay. Highly recommended. read more

This is my second time visiting and it looks like they've made some improvements since I last visited and they're all good improvements! However, I still have some suggestions. At arrival, it was honestly a little strange for her to say she will be right with you and then you see her go to the phone, check on another table, bring out dishes and you're just kind of standing there awkwardly. I'm guessing they're short staff and could use more hands? I even wondered if she FORGOT us because literally got no additional acknowledgement until someone else came in and she notices the front door being active again. The first time I visited I had their Lomo Saltado and it was sooooo good (this was pre-covid). I am now back and saw that they've added Tallarines Saltado officially to the menu. I was very excited about this as I've had this previously in LA and it would be great if I didn't have to drive so far for it. And then I also went ahead and ordered one of their specialty non-alcoholic drinks - the chicha morada (purple corn juice made in-house with pineapple, green apple, and cinnamon). Tallarines Saltado - it was very salty and the quality of the beef was just ok, it could be juicier and more tender. I've definitely experienced better elsewhere for this dish. (this took awhile to come out) Chicha Morada - I really liked this drink. It looked like Jamaica; and it tasted like Jamaica and Horchata had a child together, which resulted in the Chicha Morada. (came out quickly) Also new and an improvement is they had 3 spicy sauce for you to use for your dish. They were of a creamy consistency and yellow, orange, or green. In past experience, yellow is usually the peruvian sauce I get very addicted to but i dunno, this one was nice and spicy but it's missing something. I'm not sure what, but it didn't make me want more like the other peruvians places I've been to. Overall, considering parking was also difficult and the price range this menu was at, I would rather try some alternative locations available in San Diego where at least it's by the coast. I know they did their best with service and was super polite, but in the end the awkward wait in the beginning set the mood for the whole experience and the food took a long time to come out. The music play list was great and I was jamming the whole time but I think if they could work on the long waits, it would really help improve my experience and encourage me to come back in the future. read more

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Food was excellent, delicious, very traditional, done with much care. service was good, lady that helped serving us was super attentive, and nice. Ambience right on spot for a good traditional peruvian taste read more

Great Peruvian food. Eli puts out delicious dishes. Be sure to check the restaurant's schedule before heading out. read more

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Food was really good and has the Peruvian feeling. The food reminds me of when i'd go visit my grandma and when she would cook for us. Brought some with us for my mom to taste too. read more

Im from Miami and am Peruvian. This place being in SD really blew my mind. Amazing food, better than most places ive been to on both coasts. Only down side is the limited hours, so gotta get in when you can. If you are Peruvian and live in SD, you already know about this spot. read more

Absolutely recommend this place! In SD, it can be a pain to find South American cuisine let alone a good one! We decided to give it a try. My husband, who has South American roots, didn't complain about the food, in fact he was impressed. We had: Humitas - which was heavenly Peruvian sample platter Arroz Chaufa with chicken Causa relleno with chicken For desserts, we decided to try almost all. Flan, alfajores, and the lucuma ice cream. The server was absolutely friendly and accommodating. She even gave us a Peruvian pudding for free! I will definitely come again. Great homemade food that shouldn't be missed. read more

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We were in the area, looking for an authentic but unique restaurant and we found it. Every dish was made with love. Lomo saltado was amazing! we almost skipped the alfajores and I'm so glad my husband ordered it anyways. It's so fresh and crumbles perfectly, please do not leave without it! Our server was extremely attentive and checked on us every few minutes. The ambiance was also very cozy and comforting. read more

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