La Pena Restaurante — Restaurant in Jefferson Township

I recently had the pleasure of dining at La Pena, an exceptional Ecuadorian restaurant that left me thoroughly impressed. From the moment we walked in, the warm and inviting atmosphere made us feel right at home. The staff was incredibly friendly and attentive, ensuring that our experience was top-notch from start to finish.

The food was absolutely delicious, showcasing the rich flavors and traditional ingredients of Ecuador. We started with empanadas, which were perfectly crispy on the outside and filled with a soft, cheesy center. For the main course, I had the ceviche de pulpo—a tangy, refreshing dish with plump octopus, citrusy marinated onions, and a hint of spice. My companion opted for the fritada, and it was melt-in-your-mouth tender, with crispy skin and a savory balance of flavors.

The drink selection was equally impressive. I highly recommend trying the canelazo, a warm, spiced drink that pairs beautifully with the Ecuadorian dishes.

The service was outstanding throughout the meal—attentive, knowledgeable, and passionate about the cuisine they were serving. My server Grace, she is a beutiful creature. Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking to experience authentic Ecuadorian flavors in a welcoming, comfortable setting. I’ll definitely be back for another...

When going with a large group be prepared to not be waited on. We saw our server 2 times, to order and to pay, someone else brought out the food. My sister noticed she only received 6 fries, and when asking the server for the missing fries (compared to my plate and another persons) the server said that was the correct amount that we (me and the other person) got extra. Finally, when asking for the check, the server said we could not split it. Later she did split it and she made sure to include gratuity. Which I understand, but the service did not merit the gratuity. I work at a restautant - the standard 18% is optional - when servers think they will not get a good tip they will include it, but sonetimes you can get better than 18% when you give great service. Our server was never available and never checked on our table. Our glass of water only got refilled 1 time, after we asked for it. All that was beside the fact that the food took over an hour to come out, including an app. And the drinks were not only sub par (mojito) but straight up disgusting (michelada - which was...

food was good , but no so much the service. long faces ladys at the door . there was not busy , but they did not bother to asked if we needed somenthing else , at least not for a while . any of the two ladys bother to pick up the plates , or offer anything else . we had to keep waiting and kind of making eye contact with them in order to get service . Ha but on our way out she , i asume it was the owner or her sister , she stop us and asked for extra tips , i had already leave about $15 dollars but she mention that was for taxes but the total was already there including the tips which was $15.00 . i am ok with leaving tips and i always do , but it seemed rude that she asked for more when in reality the subtotal was an amount , then i had left $15 extra but again she asked for more making it about $35 extra . it really seems shady and i gues that same lady does that often with other people according ...