Aji Peruvian Cuisine — Restaurant in Long Beach

This is my story, and I am definitely sticking to it. After many crash and burn scenarios regarding Peruvian food, and the cash associated with each case, we all had given up in finding a great place to eat this type of food outside of Peru. We, as a family, dismayed 😩 of the ups and downs, one day a great meal, the next an utter disappointment. To add insult to mediocre, the high prices that Peruvian establishments are famous, or infamously known to charge. Enter Aji Peruvian Cuisine, which had crossed my radar for some time. Plenty of glowing reviews, picture perfect photos, I could not disregard the opportunity to eat there. I knew it was expensive, but what if it was truly good? Finally on a Monday, we went there a party of four. They advertise Monday’s as being buy one entree, and get another for 50% off. The rest of their very limited menu, regular prices. We arrived at 5:15 PM after driving 60 miles plus. Place had limited parking, but early bird gets the worm and we found a nice place to park. Inside it looks kind of big with high ceilings, bathrooms clean, wooden tables and soon enough we ordered our food at the hands of the capable female staff. No drinks, just water. Water had, besides a film in the glass, the most distasteful taste. For a place that charges an eye and a tooth, this water was not an auspicious beginning. One sip, and no more, thank you. Their beautifully photographed home made chips arrived, on the house, with only very few pieces, a cheap display of their mentality. Dishes ordered: Causa Sampler, a whooping $16 for this traditional Peruvian appetizer, but in miniature size, that joking 🙃 aside, was 🍋 lemon fused, and a little like a fraud. This place seems to truly believe they are a culinary upscale, but do not let the high high prices fool anyone. 1.5 Stars. Ceviche Mercado, $16 a pop, two were asked for. Expensively average, not grandiose by any stretch of the imagination. 3 Stars. Papa Rellena con Camarones (potatoes filled with shrimps), $11. Please let me clarify, only one served, and the shrimp 🍤 had missed the memo. Overpriced and underserved, with its own twist on a very delicious appetizer, that tasted way different and significantly less than what it is supposed to taste. 2 Stars. Grilled Asparagus, $5. Over grilled, thin. 2 Stars. Fried Rice with chicken, $7.50 (amigo Monday rate). Plenty of pieces of chicken, easy to eat at that price, average. 3.5 Stars. Fried Rice Norteño, $11 (amigo Monday discount). This version arrived wet, somewhat bitter, overwhelmed with soy sauce flavor, and all of the seafood that supposedly was to be included, did not make it to the table. A truly stay away from kind of dish. 1 Star. Pescado a lo macho, $26. The fish grouper? Some chunky shrimp, squid and whatever else, which was not much, with a sauce that was lemon 🍋 induced (since when?), white rice which lacked the Peruvian white rice characteristics. For that price, gullible me, I expected an above average showing. Instead, it finally dawned on me, that this place is way less than the enthusiastic reviews had led us to believe. At our expense. 2.5 Stars. Steak a lo pobre, $26. A lo pobre means a la poor in spanish, but from what they charged, and what arrived, the only pobre about, was the poor fool who decided to order it. One egg, two tiny potatoes, two even tinier pieces of plantain, a hanger steak? white rice. 2.5 Stars. Picarones, $8. Peruvian type donuts made with squash and pumpkin. 3 pieces, very small. Too classy must be. Decent but steep price. 3 Stars. Lucuma Ice Cream, $5. Two very small scoops, not as good as really good lucuma ice creams tried before. 3 Stars. This place pretends what it is not, and like most Peruvian restaurants in California they love to charge a pretty decent amount of money. Word to the wise: do not believe the hype. Bill was $162.31, tip $20, even though there was no motivation to tip all that much for what turned out to be mediocre fare, greedy prices and absolutely terrible drinking...

Worst ownership I've encountered in years!!!

Just to start off, the young man who was our waiter was a pleasure and did the best that he could under the circumstances and the owners of the restaurant that employs him.

While bringing my family to the restaurant for a birthday, we also brought our dog since the patio is dog friendly. When we ordered drinks, the beers were served to us 3/4 full. Instead of an I'm sorry this'll be corrected we had the pleasure of being told by the owner herself that we should be "appreciative" of the fact that 1/4 head was served because that's how's they do it in Munich, Germany and that if we had ever been we'd know the difference.. And, while I appreciate authenticity, I do prefer my beer glass full as they serve in any other bar/restaurant in the world.

The food is generally good with some great flavors, especially the ceviche which is why we came back for her birthday. Upon ordering a Caesar salad, it was served as a half stalk of charred romaine lettuce . When we asked if it could be cut for her, we were brought the plate to handle our own satisfaction and told we could cut it ourselves.

The last time we dined at the restaurant, the chef (who also happens to be the owners husband) he has always been amazingly gracious and has made our dog a small bowl of chicken and rice to accompany our dinner. When we asked for the owner for this during our current trip, we didn't receive it and upon asking about the dog's dinner, we were told that we "probably won't get it" unless we order something and pay for it. This is exactly what I thought I had done previously with not only our waiter but also the owner.

To be honest, the food is decent and the hired waiter was a pleasure. When I asked to speak with the owner of the establishment, she told me that the waiter was new and blamed everything on him.. whaaa??

After a little discussion about being pretty disappointed about being regulars since the place opened and being treated this way, instead of any sort of apology, it came down to the owner herself coming to the table where my wife and mother in law were seated and saying that I was "horrible" for voicing my concern and displeasure. That in itself is reason enough to never return, in addition to poor management of service that Long Beach patrons are in for if their in the mood for Peruvian food at this restaurant.

All this being said, we will sadly never return to this restaurant and we encourage all future guests to weigh the service against average quality of food.

• Rated 1 star because 0 isn't an...

I went with my wife and son to Aji last weekend for dinner. I follow them on TikTok and the food looked really good on the photos so I decided to make the 1 hour and 10 minute drive to eat Peruvian food which we love and have had in many occasions at other restaurants in Southern California. We found parking in the back of the building and were greeted with big smiles as soon as we came in. Salsa music was popping! We started with Ceviche Mercado and it was good, not great but good. Before the ceviche came to our table our waitress brought some home made potato chips with a yellow spicy sauce and it was excellent! For drinks we ordered Inka Cola which is our favorite. I like the fact that they bring you a glass with ice for your drink even if the can was cold. For our main course we ordered two Lomito Saltado for my son and I and a seafood fried rice that I can remember what is called. These two dishes I'm sorry to say were not good at all. We know how is supposed to taste because of our experience with Peruvian food. My wife didn't even finish her fried rice and my Lomito was incredibly salty. I must say that the meat was tender but everything was salty and the rice was mushy. My son didn't finish his plate either but I did. I figured that I should since the plate was like $36. I decided to have the whole experience and ordered dessert. I went for the donuts and they were spectacular! I ordered 4 of them and we basically had to fight for the last one. Of course I got it. When we got the check I was surprised not for the total because I knew it was gonna be on the expensive. I was super disappointed that the main courses were terrible and we ended up with a $176 check for a meal that was truly not worth the money or our long drive. All and all super disappointed and for sure won't come back. It's too bad because the chips and ceviche were good and dessert was amazing but also the service and atmosphere were great and that the reason...