Kausa — Restaurant in New York

short: I'm usually very generous with the stars, but this place truly has earned & deserves all 5 stars. I didn't want to leave.

long: My friend's birthday is tomorrow so I planned to take her out for dinner. She wanted to go to a chicken place, so I started asking around for recommendations. There's this lady at the gym that I take classes with that all she talks about is having chicken for dinner, so her recommendation was the most valuable to me. She recommended two places on 9th Avenue. The first one she recommended is down the block, has many more reviews, but if you sort by recent reviews... not looking good, so I chose this place. I seriously don't remember the last time I enjoyed my experience at a restaurant so much. From the very beginning, I was greeted by the owner Teodoro, the hostess, and our waitress Maria, with such warmth that even if the food was just okay I was going to leave a good review for them anyway. I mentioned to the owner that I felt like I was in a museum with so much beautiful artwork. He informed me that a Colombian artist hand painted everything because they want to share their rich culture along with the food. Well, the food was amazing. This is my first time at a real Peruvian restaurant, Pio Pio in Queens is overrated trash, food & service straight-up trash, so this is the first authentic actually good Peruvian restaurant that I have been to. Much of the menu had names we are unfamiliar with so Maria did excellent job of explaining to us, and even did Google searches on her phone to show us the Peruvian vegetables that the sauces are made with. Based on her recommendations, we had the following: Parilla, which serves 3 people, basically a sampler bit of all the meats on there. The steak, chicken, and pork chop, which had a very nice smoky flavor like it was made in a bbq, all tasted fresh, well seasoned, and tender. We didn't eat the beef heart; the empanadas: beef, chicken, cheese: all perfectly crisp and fresh; the toasted corn with the delicious green sauce made with a Peruvian vegetable; the Pisco Punch...yummy & smooth. My friend had asked for hot sauce, and mistakenly, I thought it was the ketchup, and I found out how hot that thing was, but on a good note, it did taste natural, not artificial. Then they brought out an orange sherbert ice cream with a sparkler for my friend. The handwriting with the chocolate sauce was very nice, and the orange ice cream complemented the flavors of the food and the Pisco Punch. I didn't want to leave. I was thinking to myself, do I order more food? Should I order ice cream? We had such a great time. I used to work in a restaurant before, so I'm a generous tipper, but I broke my personal record this time: 45% cash tip. That's how happy I am with everything. Next time I go, I might break my personal record again. I highly...

I have been planning to go to this restaurant for a while. I live in Hell's Kitchen, and this place is right across from my barbershop, and I have been eying this restaurant for a long time. Last week I finally decided to go to Kausa for dinner with my partner. I'm a big fan of Peruvian cuisine, and I was so excited to go there. The atmosphere in the restaurant was cozy, homey, and authentic. I liked the details in the interior, and I have to give credit to the person who designed the restaurant—especially the restroom area: nice, cute, and unusual. Peruvian music complemented the entire atmosphere. They also have outdoor seating, but in my opinion, the indoor area looks much better. The restaurant is small and well organized, and even though it was a Saturday night and fully booked, it didn’t feel like it was too crowded. The menu had a lot of options like ceviche, Lomo Saltado, and other Peruvian signature dishes. We started with a dozen of fresh and tasty oysters. We were also served a complimentary Rocoto sauce, “Peruvian spicy mayo,” which tasted surprisingly well with the oysters. For the entree, we ordered a seafood ceviche and a chicken breast with a salad. Both of the dishes were delicious. In my opinion, the sauces would look more appealing if they were served in ceramic dishes instead of plastic cups, and it would also make the restaurant more eco-friendly. We were not in the mood for desserts, but the dessert menu looked great and tempting. To sum it up, I recommend this place mainly because of the excellent and friendly service and delicious food. This restaurant is also friendly to your wallet.

I will definitely come back again to try all of the ceviche options.

Thank...

Kausa is an absolute gem of a Peruvian restaurant in New York City, where competition is fierce, but this spot truly stands out. The food alone is worthy of five stars—every dish was incredibly fresh, well-seasoned, and bursting with authentic flavors. From the perfectly cooked ceviche to the rich and comforting lomo saltado, every bite was a testament to quality and tradition.

But what truly made our experience exceptional was the service—beyond five stars. Our server, Jennifer, was outstanding. She anticipated our needs before we even had to ask, whether it was a water refill or an extra plate. She was warm, patient, and made us feel completely at home, never rushing us even though we lingered for nearly four hours. We were a party of three at a table for six, yet we never once felt pressured to move.

The hospitality didn’t stop there. The entire staff exuded kindness and generosity, and the manager personally came over to introduce himself, even treating us to a complimentary shot of pisco. It felt like stepping into a place where everyone truly enjoys working together—a rare find in NYC. The staff smiled at each other, joked around, and created an atmosphere that felt more like visiting a close friend’s home than dining at a restaurant.

Kausa is not just another Peruvian restaurant—it’s a place you’ll want to come back to again and again. For a first-time visit, we already felt like regulars. There’s nothing better than the perfect combination of incredible food and impeccable service, and Kausa delivers on both. Can’t...