El Rincon Peruano

After a broken foot waylaid my long-​awaited trip to Machu Picchu, I attempted to console myself by hitting up the best-​rated Peruvian restaurant in my neighborhood. And while being inside El Rincon Peruano wasn’t quiiiiite like scarfing down some spit-​roasted cuy in a roadside stall in Cuzco, I felt a little consoled by my meal here.
The restaurant is in a diverse jumble of restaurants near the 61^st Street subway station — walking down Roosevelt Avenue is like walking through a meeting of the UN General Assembly. El Rincon Peruano is in an unassuming storefront and the place has a slightly awkward layout. Once you’re inside, your eyes are aglow with the fluorescent lights and oodles of delightful Peruvian handicrafts (such llamas! such tapestry!). We were two of the only three people there on the evening we went, and they seem to have a robust delivery service. Our server was kind, attentive, and happy to explain things on the menu.
We devoured the giant corn nuts that were brought in a tiny appetizer bowl and proceeded to order a bunch of dishes, not understanding that the food we’d signed up for would equal approximately 3 full meals for the two of us. Our server seemed pretty amused every time she’d bring out a new dish (and the kitchen moved quickly!).
What we ordered:
–Anticuchos ($ 8.95): this beef heart appetizer is always a favorite of mine at Peruvian restaurants, and these were meaty and savory, though not especially memorable. 3.5÷5
–Ceviche de Pescado ($ 9.95): this was our favorite dish, mostly because we are fanatical ceviche lovers. The big chunks of white fish in a super-​tangy lime juice and onion dressing with some heat = perfect and fresh. Don’t miss this (or any of the other ceviche options); my mouth is literally watering right now thinking about it. ⁵⁄₅
–Combo Limeno ($ 21.75): we got a half chicken, and it comes with a giant plate of rice+beans, a huge salad with some underripe avocado, a platter of steak-​cut french fries with cut up hot dog (salchipapas), and green plantains (tostones) — the chicken was EXCELLENT: juicy, fatty, flavorful, tender, with a great balance between the crispness of the skin and the moistness of the meat. Definitely don’t miss the chicken, though I could have done without all of the sides, most of which were just «meh.» 4.5÷5
–Sangria ($ 6): this was… fine. It wasn’t really noteworthy and tasted like mostly juice, so I probably wouldn’t recommend it. ²⁄₅
Overall, you need to try their ceviche and chicken. For one thing, these are pretty classic Peruvian dishes, and for another, El Rincon Peruano really shines with those preparations. The food is fresh, the service is friendly, and for the price, it’s a real Queens bargain.

Small neighborhood hole in the wall. BUT don’t pass it by. Delicious food. Ordered Lomo salteado. Good portion and tasty. Better than most high end Peruvian resturants on Northern Blvd. A definite– will return.

The food was great. We ordered «Parillafa para 2 personas». It was very tasty but had to order rice and beans on the side. Recommend this place. We will definetely come back.

The food was great! The Caldo de gallina was to die for. The waitress was excellent she kept giving us canchita and was very attentive. We were served a small glass of wine, complementary! Just overall excellent and we listened to authentic Peruvian music, what else can you ask for?!

I randomly chose this place while walking around with a friend. Turned out to be a good decision. This is a fairly small restaurant with a few tables and a friendly attentive staff. We ended up having the pollo a la brasa and lomo salteado. The chicken was very juicy — well cooked with nice seasoning. To me, it was just as good as Pio Pio (a Peruvian place that I love). Lomo salteado was great too and the portion sizes were quite large. We left with two happy stomachs.

Great food. Great service. Huge portions. The causa de pollo was delicious. Coming back to try the ceviche soon!

Not bad. Had parihuela, and like it very much. The seafood is decently cooked and very fresh, and the broth is tasty.

I am so happy I found this place, its a small hole in the wall restaurant with top flavors. First off they are very attentive which is what I look for when dining. We started our meal with their calamari appetizer and I have to say it’s definitely top 5 best calamari I’ve ever had. It’s was so fresh and cooked perfectly a lot of places make it too chewy or too soft. We also ordered rotisserie chicken and my god we were shocked by how amazing it was. Overall this was a great dining experience will definitely be back.

Amazing peruvian food at a GREAT price. I have ordered delivery twice and each time, they have delivered consistently delicious food at a great price. Both orders coming in at around $ 20 or less.
The Hen Soup — Caldo de Gallina — is the most delicious chicken soup I have ever had. I was so incredibly hungover, this thing was a soupy, rich, classic pick me up. They made it in a classic style with a golden chicken broth with noodles, whole bone in chicken breast, cilantro, scallions, noodles, whole egg, whole potato and bits of squash. See you never hangover.
I also ordered the Tacu Tacu — leftover rice and beans with half a rotisserie chicken. The chicken was perfectly seasoned, a bit salty but juicy, and the rice and beans were hearty and delicious. Of course, consistent with peruvian tradition — topped with cilantro and scallions.
Lastly, who doesn’t go to a peruvian place and not order the Lomo Saltado — fries, soft pieces of steak, veggies and rice — topped with the addictive green sauce — Aji Verde. This was so freakin good (a bit salty) but before I knew it, the entire plate was gone.
Definitely check this place out — would so pop in but with this cold weather, I’m happy staying inside having this brought to me.

This place has the best Peruvian food I have had. The Sangria is awesome! The green sauce is great. And the food is delicious.

I was feeling a bit under the weather and I was in the mood for some soothing soup and that I did get! Very tasty and hade some rice with beef stew, potatoes and carrots and a drink of horchata. Feeling better already.

Oh no I’m not coming back to this place, worst chicharron I ever tried, not made the proper way, hard, it was no slow cooked, we Peruvians know the difference, the sweet potato in a pool of oil, not properly dry after frying it, the caldo de gallina was a joke, my husband looked at it and laughed, he knows peruvian food from carretillas kind of food trucks to fancy restaurants I ll give them 2 stars for decoration, and service they were nice, I appreciate their attention. but the food. Pricey and not worth it.

Love the chicken here. If u want to stuff your face for super cheap gotta come here. Friendly service great food and a cozy environment.

I was raised in Miami in a Peruvian household. Miami is FULL of Peruvian restaurants. And my grandmother went to a culinary school in Peru. So, I know my Peruvian dishes. I ordered the Papa La Huancaina, a very typical and popular Peruvian appetizer/​salad. DON’T order it. The potatoes were cold. You can tell it came out of a fridge and it has been there for a few hours– making the flavor of the potato as something cold and hard. The huancaina sauce lacks salt and flavor. The sauce is a bit watery instead of the thick consistency it is supposed to have. The sauce is supposed to be a little «spicy» (from the yellow peppers) — and there is nooo «spicy» whatsoever. It just feels like all they did with this sauce is add some milk, eggs, and cheese and stuck in a blender to serve. (There are more ingredients to the sauce, in particularly the «yellow spicy pepper!)
I also ordered the Tallarine Verdes (green spaghettis). This one I regret the most. DON’T order it. It’s bland, minty, and it lacks flavor. You cant even taste salt in the sauce. First of all, the green spagetti is supposed to taste like pesto. Not oily pesto, but a thick creamy pesto. The sauce is a little creamy, but tastes nothing like pesto. It feels like I am chewing a mint leafy with spaghetti texture. The sauce lacks the bit of garlic and sauteed onions it was supposed to be made with. Once again, it lacks salt, making it taste boring and plain. If you DO order this, add the «green hot sauce» and it may taste a little better (and that’s because you are getting the salt and flavor it really needs).

Decided to try this place since its a block away from my home… the chicken is very good! Excellent spiced and nice crisp. The rice and beAns are normal but prob the best chicken around here so far. With the white. garlic and green sauce a++++. Also tried the jalea and it was nicey fried crispy outside and perfext inside. Great prices !! Chicken rice and beAns 6 $. Cant be that!

Ordered a «Tigre de Leche» which is soup like dish and almost broke my tooth biting into a plastic piece that found its way inside. Asked the server to bring me a new one, she brought it 1 minute later, only for me to find the same exact piece of plastic in my dish. That did it for me, this is not the kind of professionalism you would expect from a restaurant with a grand opening sign, trying to make a good first impression in the neighborhood. Stay away from this one! Really.

Might be the best chicken I’ve ever had. The skin has an amazing blend of spices and the meat is beyond juicy. Add that I was met with a small glass of wine and some fried Peruvian corn (flaky and crunchy outside, creamy inside, well seasoned) while I waited for my TAKE OUT order — an incredible half chicken with a heap of solid rice and beans for $ 8 — and I’ll definitely be going back. Do yourself a favor and go.

Really good chicken, marinated and cooked with an intense mix of spices. Ordered take out and it took 5 minutes. Green sauce was more chunky than creamy. $ 17 for a whole chicken and a large side. Looks like a nice cozy place to eat in also.

Open only 11 days, this is the best rotisserie chicken in the neighborhood. Best green sauce too. Definitely a wise move to check it out.