Rocoto Pesca Bar — Restaurant in Huntington Beach

WOWOW! OC has another hidden gem!

I recently had the chance to try out Rocoto Pesca Bar (more like I just visited for lunch today), a brand new spot that just opened near my workplace—and I AM HOOKED! From the moment I walked in, I was impressed by the clean, modern decor and the warm welcoming vibe.

I had the Lomo Saltado, and it was absolutely delicious. The steak was tender and flavorful, and the sauce was rich and savory—especially when mixed in with the rice. It was one of those dishes where every bite kept getting better.

Another major highlight (and what I was most excited for) was the bar program! I ordered an Old Fashioned and was seriously impressed by how well it was crafted. The presentation was just perfect: served in an elegant thin (and nicely weighted) rocks glass with a crystal-clear ice cube (none of that cloudy ice cube stuff) and a banana chip garnish. This easily ranks among the best Old Fashioneds I’ve ever had—and honestly, it might just be THE BEST OLD FASHIONED in all of Orange County right now. And trust me, I’ve tried a lot out here.

While dining, I had the chance to meet the owner, and it was clear how much passion and experience he brought to this space. I later found out he previously worked at Thunderbolt (Los Angeles, CA), which was ranked the #8 best bar in North America in 2024 and #24 best bars in North America in 2025. I’m also looking forward to trying more of their whiskey-based drinks and checking out their Happy Hour once it’s fully up and running.

Part of me doesn’t want to tell anyone about this hidden gem because I know once the word gets out, reservations are going to be booked and this place is going to blow up. But credit where credit’s due: Rocoto Pesca Bar is the real deal!

I’m not sure exactly what it was, but this dining experience brought me a lot of joy and excitement. Maybe it was the thrill of dining at a brand-new spot. Maybe it was the insanely good Lomo Saltado. Maybe it was the excitement of discovering a new really good craft cocktail bar in OC. Or maybe it was learning that the owner used to work at Thunderbolt—one of my all-time favorite bars. Whatever it was, this drink felt special!

Thank you Christian and your team for bringing this wonderful establishment to OC. Can't wait to come back to try out the rest of the whiskey-based cocktails and menu!

HIGHLY...

From welcoming to sitting and food service really good the guys were good, food quality overall good just a couple tips with the better vib and best wishes, el relleno on the croquettes ( papa rellena) and as really cold couple minutes would be perfectly hot inside and the sarza de cebolla needed a mix of herbs the onion cut was the appropriate ( Juliana sería y se vería mejor ) mix of mint, cilantro and parsley with a bit of Limo would of make it perfect. The Pome Sour taste weird didn’t taste the pisco aroma or taste and the crema volteada didn’t taste good the texture was too heavy and the caramel was light and probably would look and sell better if is made in a baking bowl with a hole in the middle. The pesto and huancaina pasta were good the steak also good and the chaufa de mariscos also good. Best...

We dined at Rocoto tonight and it delivered the best Peruvian food experience (food and drinks) in California so far. We chose to sit at the bar which was a great decision because the bartender Geab Carlo is from Lima, Peru (like my wife) and was trained at Rafael restaurant. He was incredible both in the description of the modern variations to Peruvian food Rocoto is attempting to deliver and the mixology happening at the bar. We had a full history behind each drink and each dish and his recommendations were great. The Crocante ceviche, the Tiradito and the Octopus were mouth watering and super fresh. For main courses we had the Chifa and Arroz Mariscos. You can see from the pictures how detailed the presentation is. Well, it tastes even better. Try the...