Tunupa Restaurant — Restaurant in Distrito de Cusco

Tunupa is not a restaurant. It's a supper club, or a banquet hall, or dinner and a show. It is not a functioning business because it serves excellent food. The business model here is to expeditiously serve and entertain large groups. The quality of the food is what you might expect at a budget wedding or high school athletic awards banquet circa 1985.

So - If you are looking for a restaurant serving excellent food in Cusco, and you are reading this review, you can stop reading and look elsewhere.

If, on the other hand, you find yourself as I was - scheduled by your tour operator to eat at this restaurant - please allow me to offer some suggestions on how to proceed.

Cusco sits at over 11k feet. You are tired after your day of touring, and you'll meet up with the group after dinner. Proceed to Garabaldi, which serves some of the best cocktails I've ever had, and I've had plenty. They serve drinks inspired by Cusco. They will offer you excellent hospitality, and even some popcorn. Their namesake drink is outstanding, and the lucama negroni is a masterpiece. Maybe you have a friend on the tour who needs more rest as well. Have a drink - Now that they've earned your trust, ask them where to eat. Or go to one of the many pollo brasa joints, and stuff yourself on crisp skin and fries. Los Toldos is excellent.

You are on a family tour. They know you well, and they'll sniff out your hollow, shallow lies. And all things considered, you'd rather keep the peace. Here's what your in for.

If you've already submitted your food choices to the tour guide, the illusion of choice passed you by hours ago. Order what it is you like to drink from the competent servers (a Pina colada always tastes like vacation), and enjoy the music and large groups of different nationalities coming together on vacation in a beautiful space. All these joys are available to you. Fixate on them, and rally a cocktail crew to establish a position at Garabaldi after dessert service.

Dinner starts with warm crusty bread and a dip that is advertised as aoili, but American palates will read as ranch. It's good. Not good enough to forget the rest, but good enough to remember and enjoy. Steal a second one if your guide is irksome. Ours was great - Thanks, JC!

The Creole soup is beautifully bowled and barely spiced, with overcooked noodles, custom made to engage an Italian. Don't check the 'most overcooked pasta' box on your bingo card just yet - There are more disappointments to be had. Drink your drink.

The other starting courses are better, which says little, but gives you enough guidance to trade with your sister in law when she insists that they ordered the soup.

On to dinner. If you got the chicken Nikkei, some of it will be pretty good. A generous portion of well fried (and brined?) karrage like chicken chunk. The grains and sauce aren't bad. Three fourths of the potato quenelles go back thru the kitchen door they came out of. Take a bite to discover why.

The grilled trout must be pretty good, as my partners portion disappeared. Assuming that the shell pasta's survival was due to carb avoidance was an error. A most disappointing bite of pasta. Overcooked, gummy, bad enough to spit into a cloth napkin.

I've got no feedback on the other mains, so roll the dice.

Dessert's decisions are straightforward. Diners with creme fraiche or lemon cheesecake returned empty plates. Chocolate and carrot cakes were only picked at.

All of this is ok, as long as you know what you're in for. Cusco needs restaurants like this, because tour groups need to eat, and people need to visit beautiful Cusco. The music and dancing is nice enough (although a table up front might be a bit much). There's nice things on the walls. Just know that diners hungry for the pleasures of Peruvian food won't...

We really wanted to like Tunupa, especially since it came recommended by our tour guide, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to the expectations. We were looking forward to the Caesar salad and the Tallarín Saltado, but the salad came with overly ripe tomatoes that threw off the balance, and the noodles in the saltado had an unappetizing texture. That said, the beef itself was cooked a nice medium-rare and was definitely the highlight of the meal.

The Papa a la Huancaína was also underwhelming — the texture reminded us of a deviled egg, and we ended up leaving about half the plate untouched. We felt a little vindicated when we saw another table send back their Caesar salad — it made us feel a bit less guilty about our own critique.

On the bright side, the location is central and convenient, the space was very clean, and the atmosphere felt intimate and modern — those details alone helped earn it a couple stars.

Still, given the quality of the food and the price point, we couldn’t help but feel that staying in for dinner at our hotel, the Belmond Monasterio, would’ve been a...

We went to the dinner and show as part of the tour with a large group of people, and everything was exceptional. From the time we arrived and sat down at the reserved tables, watching some amazing looking dishes of food going past I was excited. It's on the second floor looking over the square in a central location and close to hotels and shops. There was a set 3 course menu with lots of different options, we were also allowed to mix up the options to suit ourselves which was appreciated. The waiters were very helpful and friendly, the service was fantastic and all the correct food arrived at all the individuals in our group. A major highlight of the night was the live show performed by locals with instruments, and dancing 🕺, also including guests to get up and join them. Highly recommended for anyone who wants a great night out. Please feel free to follow me and ask any questions you have...