Puerto 511 Cocina Peruana — Restaurant in Baltimore

Went to this place last night, and I think it might be the best meal I have ever had in Baltimore. The inside is nice and cozy. Be aware, it is not a big space, maybe 20 or 30 seats tops, so if you're planning on going on a weekend, I wouldn't take a chance of just walking in. The menu is also pre-fixed on Friday and Saturday, but honestly, after my experience, I would eat whatever Chef Alarcon cooks me. I don't care. It's BYOB, so be cognizant of that as well.

The service was very good. With a restaurant that small, they really don't have a dedicated server. The chef pretty much brought every plate directly to us, which was really nice.

The "mesero" brought out some fried platanos to the table as we were getting settled, and they were great. I used to eat them when I was young, but they were just chips from a bag, and these blew my childhood memories out of the water.

We had two appetizers. My girlfriend had the Ceviche Mixto Arocotado and loved it, and I had the Anticucho De Corazon, and it was amazing. The meat had a wonderful smoky taste that immediately made me miss having a backyard to grill food, and even the potato was grilled. The sauce was spicy and delicious. This was my first experience with Peruvian corn, and it was really great as well. A little more interesting than your run of the mill yellow corn.

We shared the Chaufa as an entree, and the quality and flavors were absolutely amazing. I don't think I've had a meal that was overall this good in years. You can definitely tell that the chef cares deeply about what comes out of his kitchen, and he has a personal stake in every dish that he makes. I've had some good dishes at other restaurants, but I loved everything Chef Alarcon put on our plates. I will 100% be back, hopefully to try the weekend fixed menu. Thank you very...

I recently dined at Puerto 511, a unique Peruvian restaurant that offers none traditional menu. Instead, they present "The Experience," a preset 6-course meal that truly lives up to its name. The restaurant is relatively small and unassuming in decor, but what it lacks in flashiness, it more than makes up for in culinary excellence and service.

The meal began with a veal skewer (well seasoned, but a tad overcooked for my normal preference). There was a delightful fish ceviche, a perfect balance of flavors ( Coconut milk ginger and other spices. One of my favorite dishes was the tamale, surprisingly paired with seared ahi tuna. The combination was unexpected but absolutely delicious.

There was lollipop lamb chop and a shrimp dish. The highlight of the the passion fruit ice cream coffee flan dessert was definitely the passion fruit ice cream. It was very refreshing.

The service was impeccable, with the servers being both friendly and attentive. One of my friends cannot eat shrimp and they gladly substitute it with a fish for one of the courses. We were asked up front if we had any allergies or dietary restrictions They paced the courses perfectly, allowing us to fully enjoy each dish without feeling rushed. Do plan to spend at least two hours dining, as this experience is meant to be savored.

Overall, dining at this restaurant was a memorable experience, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique and delicious culinary adventure. Be aware, it's a...

My wife and I made reservations online for 5:45pm on a Thursday night and received a confirmation email. We were in Baltimore to see a show and reviews for Puerto were great so it seemed like an easy choice. Unfortunately that was not our experience. We arrived 10 minutes early for our reservations and found the doors locked. We rang the doorbell and got no response. We saw people inside but nobody came to the door. We decided to call them and no one answered. The buildings around it were boarded up and vacant so we began to think we were at the wrong place. We finally decided to leave and find somewhere else to eat. Luckily we found a great place and across the street from the Hippodrome and had a great dinner. Still confused, we called the restaurant again around 7pm and finally got an answer. My wife spoke to the manager and explained the situation and his response was sorry, but we were too early for our reservations. He admitted to seeing us outside but said they were not open yet so he left us outside and did not answer the phone because we were 10 minutes early. We drove an hour away, walked several city blocks to stand outside a locked restaurant and boarded up buildings and they left us outside and ignored us because we were a few minutes early? Food is probably amazing, but I would prefer to spend my money with people who are...