I came across this place on TikTok after seeing a local creator review and decided to give it a…read moretry. Unfortunately, from the moment we arrived, things felt off. After driving around for over 30 minutes trying to find parking in a notoriously difficult area in Newark to find parking, we finally parked about seven blocks away. When we arrived around 6 p.m., the restaurant was completely empty. The hostess and waitstaff were all sitting on their phones at the hostess stand, and the rest of the staff was seated in the kitchen. It took a few minutes before anyone acknowledged us. We were seated in the floral themed area that feels like you're outdoors but aren't. The chairs were uncomfortable and kept sliding against the door. From the start, our waitress seemed annoyed by us and made us feel like we were not welcomed. We ordered the mussel appetizer, which came with corn, tomato, and a cilantro vinaigrette and it was delicious. For our main dishes, we decided to share the seafood soup and get the Pobre Steak, which included steak, white rice, sweet plantains, and fries. I wanted to order the Tallarine pasta with steak as well, but when I started ordering, the waitress abruptly took the menu and walked away before I could finish. She seemed irritated when I asked to upgrade the white rice to Chaufa rice as shown on the TikTok and other photos, but she said that wasn't an option. I decided to not to order the pasta for myself when she decided to come back because I already knew it was time to go. When the food arrived, the soup came without rice, which struck me as odd since most Spanish style soups include it. When I asked, the waitress said the rice was extra, so I ordered a side. The soup arrived about 15-20 minutes before the other entree. The flavor was decent, but the seasoning had an off, almost stale taste, and the yuca was undercooked. The Pobre Steak was taken to go because we were uncomfortable and the eggs on top were partially raw, and the fries were undercooked. The steak itself was well seasoned and tasty, though. Which shocked me honestly even though it needed a little char. The only other customers who came in during our visit were American and another waitress seemed equally annoyed but did have a better attuitude than ours. When the bill came, the server said, "I'll wait for your card," as if we were about to leave without paying, despite not having complain once. Also, the restaurant adds an automatic 18% gratuity regardless of party size. While I usually tip generously, I find mandatory gratuity for small groups frustrating especially when the service was bad and made us feel unwelcome. We had planned a relaxed date night, but instead, we left and went to our original choice for drinks, apps, and dessert. Overall, it was not a great experience, and I won't be returning.

This place is cute for a casual dine in experience. I went in on a Saturday evening and sat in the…read moreoutside patio area. They had a live band and it was LOUD (just a warning for those who do not prefer that; I didn't mind it at all). The food was fresh and delicious. They also provide good portions which is always a big deal to me. The service was...questionable. I had a server who seemed like she just didn't want to be there. Overall, I'd go back with friends!

The women who runs this place reminds me of my grandma... she's so nice!…read more Came here for lunch and the meal was great. They have 9$ lunch specials on weekday's, which I got, while my friend got the ceviche. Both our meals were fantastic- you can tell the corvina was super fresh while my soup and pork chop was cooked to perfection. Make sure to get the emoliente- it's freshly brewed and very unique. It kind of reminds me of sweetened herbal tea with barley and fruit overtones.

They hung up on me twice for not speaking spanish (i do know enough to place an order, they just…read moredidnt give me the chance), before i was able to place an order for take away. A modest restaurant, that seems to be run by family/close friends, which turned out to be some of the best peruvian food ive had in New Jersey so far. I really was craving ceviche and peruvian fried rice when I stumbled on this local store on Yelp. I did have difficulty placing an order at first, but once the man realized i speak some spanish and wanted to order food, he seemed to try to apologize and took my order. When i came in for pickup i was greeted by two workers who did indeed only speak Spanish. I think they forgot to cook my order because when i asked them about my pickup, the man was startled and asked me to wait an addition 10 minutes. After waiting, i received my order and paid (cash only). As a side note, they do have two small tables set outside for those who want to dine in. Despite the issues I had with getting my food, i have to say I am very impressed with the amount and quality of food. It really took me back to food in Peru and I was so happy to have found a good local shop. We asked for the spicy ceviche mixto and arroz chaufa mixto as well. The ceviche had a very good kick and was the best Ive had in NJ. Arroz chaufa was served in a large tray and was an unbelievable portion size. It looked and tasted very home-made and definitely could serve at least 2-3 people. For the price, taste, and quality of food, i dont think you could find better in NJ. It definitely adds fierce competition to larger peruvian restaurants. I know I had difficulty ordering but I do appreciate the hustle of a family serving its community. If you speak spanish or are willing to pick up google translate Id definitely recommend coming here. Will be back!

I've been here 3 times now and I must say this place is amazing. Normally I've had the lunch…read morespecials which comes with a soup and drink but this time me and my wife split a ceviche mixto and Lomo saltado. If you love Peruvian food just put down the phone and go, no serious go. Amazing spot that you will not be disappointed in. The ceviche was light and super filling and honestly perfect. The Lomo was the opposite, hardy and filling the meat was super tender and the sauce was just right. Don't pass up this opportunity. Salud!

We had lunch there on our way to the airport. We tried pollo a la braza, Anticuchos mixto con rachi…read morey pancitas, Red Snapper and fried Yucas. The food was very tasty however the service can use a great improvement. The waitress was not attentive and I had to ask several times for items needed to complete my meal.

Food here is delicious !!! I can say authentic Peruvian food!!! My favorites : ceviche and jalea…read more!!! Super recommend it and the service top notch . Jacky is friendly and knowledgeable :).

Myrna Peruvian is a solid spot with good portion sizes and a menu worth exploring. I ordered the…read moremariscos fried rice and the fish ceviche. The ceviche was good overall, fresh and enjoyable, but a few bites were noticeably too salty. The corn was a nice touch and added some balance to the dish. The fried rice was decent but leaned a little bland and could've used more spice or depth to really stand out. Overall, I'd come back and try other dishes. There's enough here to make it worth another visit.

Iris is the best, her ceviche was too die for, her leche tigre spot on, and they serve alot…read more Anticuchos amazing...

Everyone talks about this place at work and praises it. Being the yelp addict that I am, I search…read morehigh and low looking for reviews but nothing. Decided to trust my co-workers and boy was I glad! The rotisserie chicken is simply amazing!!!! Tender, moist and well seasoned. It comes with white rice, French fries and salad. We got three whole chicken and two pans of their chicken fried rice. So much food, we had left overs at the office. Yes the chicken is great and so is the fried rice but the main event is the green sauce which is a blend of fresh jalapenos and cream. Not too spicy, just right. I loved it so much, I went there to order for my family. The only downside is only two people speak English, so it is a little difficult to communicate with them but as long as the food is good, who cares, right. Definitely coming back!

This is a lovely restaurant. The decor is beautiful. Green fronds adorned the ceiling. There were…read moreseveral tasteful light fixtures. The ceiling over the bar featured artfully placed corn husks. They had two mocktail options. I had the chicha morada. It was sweet, but light. To start, we had the maitake ceviche. The mushrooms were perfectly firm and complemented nicely by the corn and carrots. The sauce was savory and tangy. Delicious enough to drink! They don't have any vegetarian entrees so I opted for the gnocchi with a side of the brussel sprouts sans bacon. The gnocchi had a rich cheese and melted in your mouth. The brussel sprouts were nicely roasted with a slightly sweet glaze. Two people joined our table late and they let us move to a larger one without issue. Portion sizes were small, especially given the price point, but otherwise, it was great for a splurge.

Fantastic dinner and service. My favorite dish was the hamachi tiradito. We then shared truffle…read moreyucca fries, octopus, the pork anticucho, and the night's special, veal heart anticucho. The portions were larger than we expected, so there were leftovers to take home. Everything was delicious.

Finally I could come to try this restaurant and I was gladly surprised, the hype is not fake…read more From the beginning, the attention from the personnel was super polite and respectful. I made a reservation and they've respected my request to be seated inside. The atmosphere inside is very vivid, like the name of the restaurant... it feels like you are in a party. My only wish is that they would play Peruvian music so the experience would be more immersive with the food. The menu is big and one of the things that I've liked was to see a lot of dishes that are not common in a Peruvian Restaurant outside Perú... like Aji de Gallina, Anticuchos and Picarones. Now the most important, the food... the quality was very good, since the plates arrived to our table, the smell and the presentation was a temptation to go all the way in. The ingredients used felt fresh and made to order. Every plate had its own characteristic and flavour... good size too. The "choco lucuma" cake for dessert was a great finish... moisty and the intensity of the chocolate and lucuma flavor to a good ratio. If you have the chance to try it... go for it, you'll not regret.

We came to Jarana with high expectations. As fans of Peruvian cuisine, we were excited to try a…read morerestaurant associated with such a well-known Peruvian chef. We left with the impression that this is probably the kind of restaurant someone should visit for their very first introduction to Peruvian food--not because it represents the best of Peru, but because it offers a simplified version of its flavors. The restaurant itself is beautiful. It's clear that a significant investment was made in the design, atmosphere, and overall experience. The service was friendly, and we noticed that many of the servers were Colombian, which isn't surprising since Colombians are well known for providing excellent hospitality. However, there were moments when it seemed that some of the traditional Peruvian flavors and drinks weren't fully understood. For example, the Pisco Sour we ordered was much sweeter than it should have been. We decided to start with the jalea, hoping it would set the tone for the meal. Unfortunately, it did the opposite. The dish was overly salty and lacked the balance and excitement that a great Peruvian jalea should have. Instead of reminding us of the vibrant seafood flavors found in Peru, it tasted more like generic fried seafood than an authentic Peruvian recipe. After that dish, we chose not to continue with the rest of the menu. To make matters worse, both of us experienced stomach pain afterward, which confirmed our decision to leave. One thing that also caught my attention is the restaurant's description of its food as "approachable Peruvian cuisine." Making Peruvian food approachable should never mean lowering the quality or authenticity of its flavors. Simplicity and accessibility can absolutely coexist with exceptional taste. The beautiful atmosphere should be matched by food that delivers the same level of excellence. Considering the premium prices, the culinary experience simply didn't justify the cost. If someone has never tried Peruvian food before, Jarana may serve... again: may serve as an introduction. However, for anyone looking to experience what Peruvian cuisine is truly capable of, there are several outstanding Peruvian restaurants within just a few miles that offer more authentic flavors, a better overall dining experience, and often at a lower price. I genuinely wanted to love this restaurant because the concept and ambiance are impressive. Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to the setting or the reputation behind the name.