Honestly, best Peruvian food I've had in a while. Everything was so fresh and seasoned perfectly…read more You can get a family meal even if you're dining in which is nice. We had whole chicken, white rice, white beans, tostones and the chicken soup. Everything was AMAZING. Service was great. Very attentive! Ambiance was nice. Nice large back area if you did not want to sit in the front which was nice. Very reasonably priced! I would highly recommend!

(Dined 09/17/2025 WE @ 6:30pm): I'm ready to savor a little taste of Peru!…read more In my quest to explore the various cuisine scenes and things to do throughout Jersey City and specifically the Heights, my friend and I met some friends of hers as we dined at Sabor A Peru. I've passed this place on several occasions over the course of four years since my friend moved here, and my attention was always caught by the plush llama in the front window. Plus, this was going to be my first Peruvian cuisine experience in Jersey City. Was the sabor a Peru to my liking!? PURCHASE(S) Corn Kernel Snack (COMP): A seasoned crunchy snack when we first sat down, these were enjoyable and my first time ever having them! Ceviche De Camarones ($19.50): A tidy shrimp ceviche appetizer for all to try, the medium shrimp (8 pieces) were plump and tender in a citrusy juice, with an assortment of carrot, lettuce, red onion, and white beans, this was a nice way to start our respective meals. Pollo A Lo Pobre ($20.95): Translated to "poor man's chicken", this truly hearty entree came with a large grilled lightly seasoned tender piece of chicken, two runny sunny-side up eggs, a heaping cup of puffy steamed white rice, a bed of crisp golden fries, and several pieces of sweet plantains. I loved this dish and it happily filled me up! Side Salad (INCLUDED): A nice simple palate cleanser, it didn't come with any dressing, so it was a bit "dry". 8pc Alfajores Minis Box ($8.00): A nice dessert that was shared among the four of us, these crumbly somewhat powdery sandwich cookies of sorts with a dulce de leche filling simply dissolved in your mouth while the powdered sugar marked you as a potential cocaine user. Credit Card Fee 3.50% ($1.7): This was just the direction businesses were going to pass along expenses... SERVICE We made reservations and were quickly seated at a window seat once we all arrived. Our friendly young hostess gave us glasses of water, menus, and a rundown of the evening's specials. Minutes later, we collectively placed our orders, she provided a tasty corn snack, and about ten minutes later, everything came out in a procession. We were checked on regularly even though the place got busier, and once it was time for the check, we settled that with no issues. Plus, because they didn't sell alcohol, they allowed diners to bring their own booze... which we did! Everything and everyone was friendly and nice - salud! PARKING (FREE; N/A this instance): This was a moot point since we walked the flat 10-minute distance. No parking lots in sight, there seemed to be plenty of spots along the main drag of Central Ave. and all surrounding side streets - 'nuff said. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE A clean modern elongated floorplan with a backyard coffee shop modern museum feel and multiple tables that lined the walls, I was hoping for a more authentic feel. A decent amount of natural lighting filtered through the front glass doors and windows while an assortment of electric recessed and twinkle ceiling lights filled in the rest. There were a few muted TV monitors while soft music played in the background. ATTIRE Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops. OVERALL Sabor A Peru was a pleasurable evening out with friends, and I was impressed enough to try more of their menu. I felt they were a good representation of Peruvian cuisine, the food was yummy and flavorful, the prices were comparable, the service was efficient and friendly, and again you were allowed to bring your own alcohol without any fees. Plus, I always preferred to support small mom & pop businesses. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $53.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 4.0 STARS

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.

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.

Updating my review (don't worry, it's still 5 stars) because El Gordo is single handedly getting me…read morethrough the worst cold I have had in a very long time. If you are like me, and you also crave nothing but delicious, homemade chicken soup when you are sick, look no further. When my mom is too far away to bring me her soup, I get the Caldo De Gallina from here. Its delicious and warm and so nourishing. It has a rich broth, veggies, potatoes, and a chicken leg. Perfect for when all I want is broth with some bites of chicken and veggies in between. I also got an order of the steamed veggies as an add on and was really wonderfully surprised by them. They were so much more delicious than I anticipated. Perfectly steamed, heavily seasoned and a good dose of veggies. Thanks for keeping me sane and fed during a nasty cold, El Gordo!

amazinggggg food! the service was very fast and cool and the ambiance was perfect! I ordered a very…read morecool dish and the taste was splendid and the food was perfectly cooked!

Overall: 5 stars…read more Located in American dream, Jarana is a Peruvian restaurant with an expansive menu featuring classics of ceviche and roast chicken to everything beyond such as fried rice and pasta. The restaurant was aside live acoustic guitar covers and quite the vibe to complete the quality food that was served impressively quick. Octopus Skewer - deliciously tender, paired magically by the herbaceous green sauce with a kick; the fried plantains add a tart sweetness, and the maize is fascinatingly large. Food: +1 Presentation: +1 Price: E Atmosphere: +1 Service: E Menu: +1 Insta/Yelp/Beli: @amei_eats Insta/TikTok: @ameizing.race

We stopped by Jarana at American Dream after a full afternoon at the mall, and it turned out to be…read moresuch a fun dinner. The restaurant is colorful, lively, and has a great atmosphere without feeling too formal. We started with the Tuna Wantacos. Our server warned us that they were spicy, and he was right -- definitely a little kick, but very flavorful. The white fish ceviche was bright and refreshing, with that tangy, salty leche de tigre that really wakes up your appetite. The Lomo Saltado was hearty and satisfying, but my favorite dish of the night was the Seafood Arroz Chaufa. It came topped with an omelet and had squid, fried shrimp, and plenty of seafood throughout. Really comforting, savory, and filling -- I would absolutely order this again. We also had chicha morada and a passion fruit drink. I've always liked purple corn drinks, so the chicha morada was an easy favorite. We finished with a chocolate dessert, which was a nice ending after such a big meal. Overall, a very enjoyable Peruvian dinner with fun décor, good flavors, and plenty of variety. I'd definitely come back, especially for the seafood fried rice.

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!

Stopped in for dinner with family. Lomo saltado and sopa à la minuta very good. Milanesa de pollo…read morewas really good. Huge cutlet pounded thin with nice seasoning with fried yuca and plantains. The service was good. Family run business very friendly and welcoming. Clean inside with Peruvian decorations. Will go back for delicious food.

Rice was not my favorite but I think it is just how I ordered it - loved the Fish Saltado. bit loud…read morefor me personally but there was just a high number of people.

Came here for lunch. My friend suggested this spot. I'm a fan of Peruvian food and I usually get…read morethe roasted chicken. Once we entered, we were seated at our table; there is a good amount of seating inside. I ordered from the lunch menu, which consists of an appetizer, main and dessert. I started off with the empanada de queso which was very cheesy and tasty. For my main, I got the half rotisserie chicken which comes with two sides, I got the rice and salad. The chicken was solid and the green sauce and hot sauce mixed together made for a nice dip for the chicken. Also got a pitcher of this purple drink, forgot what it was called but it was good. For dessert I got the tres leches cake, which was the right amount after the big meal. The portion size is very big and for the price ($14.75), you cannot beat that. They give you so much and def worth the trip. If you're in the mood for Peruvian food, I highly recommend place. * Street parking * Good service

Absolutely amazing!!! Hands down my new go to Peruvian restaurant yet!! First off, it's BYOB!! How…read moregreat is that?! They provide glasses so bring whatever drink you desire. The establishment is clean and well kept up, the service was excellent, my server was so lovely and kind. The food came out so unbelievably fresh too! I ordered Lomo Saltado and it came out piping hot and flavorful! The chaufa was so well made, fresh, very well seasoned too. Their food portion sizes are great for the value, and well presented. They also serve house made bread, and provide roasted corn with green sauce and salsa (both of which were delicious). From the ambiance, to the service, and the food, 5 stars all the way around. I had a great night, I will be a regular customer, and so should you. Thankyou for having me!

Great causa! Nice staff and ambiance was very cool as well. Will come back for the anticuchosread more

9/22/25 We've driven…read moreby many times and kept saying we had to try, and finally made it in. 1st thing you see upon entering is the sign telling you to "Start with ceviche" Don't mind if I do Tasty little shot of soup? Cerviche Duo - Basa cerviche and Chicharron de Pescado, both are delicious Maracuya was a medium sized carafe Chicken Skewers were delicious Causa with Octopus was very good Seafood Aeropuerto Chaufa is delicious! I'll be back for more. We had no idea these plates were so big, we ordered for a whole family lol. I honestly thought the ceviche would be a small cup hehehe

The food is delicious and the seating area is always really clean. The service is really good!…read moreTry the chaufa!

Love, love, love!! The stuff is so sweet, so welcoming, and it really gives you like that home type…read morefeeling like I walked into my aunt's kitchen. And you know, auntie knows how to cook The food portions are so big for the price that you're paying it's insane. I ordered one meal and it turned it into two! Forget meal prepping. I'm just gonna order two meals at a time and be fed all week. My favorite is probably the stirfry rice with chicken and bunch of delicious flavors. Aka chauffa de pollo. I finally came in on the weekend so I could try their ceviche Mixto and it did not disappoint. I didn't get it this time but last time I came, I got the Lomo Salgado, which is basically like a sir, fry of veggies, french fries, and steak and that really hit the spot . So basically any food porn you want just come over here. It's not necessarily a hole in the wall because it's on the main Avenue but definitely one of the best Peruvian hidden gems!

I wasn't really hungry but my friend convinced me to stop by Papa San just to try the ceviche. I…read moresaw that it was recently featured in the Michelin Guide, so I had some expectations. We tried two ceviches and both were excellent -- especially the scallop ceviche. Honestly, one of the best I've ever had. Next we ordered the miso cod and bok choy salad. Unfortunately, we waited over 30 minutes after finishing the ceviche, which was disappointing. But our server noticed, checked with the kitchen and handled the situation really well. They even brought us another glass of the Gamay we were drinking on the house. Great recovery and genuinely good service. The food, atmosphere and service were all good enough that I'd definitely come back with my family next time. :)

Love the Japanese-Peruvian fusion concept! Our waitress was polite and pleasant and took the time…read moreto explain the menu to us. The blue crab and Wagyu maki rolls both had their own twists, making each unique in its own way. The eel pizza was also interesting which consisted of a thin flatbread topped with fish skin, eel sauce and scallions, and packed with umami. They also have a wide selection of wine, sake, and cocktails, which easily makes this a great spot for a night out.