Vista Peru — Restaurant in Philadelphia

Vista Peru checks off all the boxes for a night out in Old City Philadelphia while extending a truly authentic Peruvian culinary experience to its patrons. My wife and I attended the grand opening party, and even with the limited menu, it was quite obvious that the owners have done their homework. The ceviche was tasty and neither overdone nor undercooked, which can be difficult to do with domestically sourced lemons and limes. The anticuchos (grilled skewered beef hearts) were juicy and spicy. I also ate the Parihuela (seafood gumbo style soup) and tried the Lomo Saltado (Peruvian style beef stir fry) which were both very well prepared and presented. The Parihuela was slightly thick and VERY flavorful. It was also overflowing with seafood, which is what we like to see! In terms of cocktails, the upstairs Pisco bar has top shelf Pisco and other spirits. The head bartender Nathan has done a great job fusing the classic Peruvian cocktail recipes with a more accessible local flare. The Pisco Sours were well prepared, and is certainly a safe bet. However, if you want to try something different and extraordinary, order one of their Chilcano cocktails. Served in a tall glass with ice, it's a lighter more refreshing version of the famous Pisco Sour, but with a strong ginger kick which gives it a fantastic spicy boost that is refreshing and delicious. Finally, I found the service to be attentive and friendly, even while they were trying to work out the 1st night kinks. The owners were vigilant to ensure that their customers are enjoying themselves and that everything is to their liking. I will definitely be back to Vista Peru to eat from their full menu and enjoy the great atmosphere in both the downstairs restaurant and the upstairs Pisco bar! You can't go wrong...

I dined on 4/09/2021. At first, I was apprehensive because of the mixed reviews and my lack of knowledge on Peruvian Cuisine but the entrees we had were delicious and the service was excellent! To start, we had the 1/4 chicken entree as an appetizer. It was quite delish (only $10) and it came with fries and a salad. Next time I visit, I will try their ceviche. It looks yummy but my bf is not a fan. We always share entrees and I must confess when he ordered Seco Norteno (goat) I did an internal ugh. But I had a total misconception of goat meat. I thought it would taste gamey and it didn’t. It was lovely. The meat fell right off the bone...I’m a converted goat-eater! Also, we had the Paella Marinera. Whenever I order Paella and the waitress tells me it’s going to take about 30 minutes, I get excited because I know I’m in for a treat. The Paella Marinera did not disappoint! The waitress asked me if I wanted it wet, dry or in the middle. I asked for in the middle and it was perfectly cooked. The seafood was fresh and abundant. I highly recommend this unique spot. Side note: I read a review stating their draft beer is expensive and served in a small glass? This is simply not true. I ordered a lagunitas IPA for $6. The beer came in a bottle. The glass is a good size, served frosty and the waitress poured the beer table side. Also, she came back to top my glass off with what remained in the beer bottle. And when I ordered a 2nd beer, she brought me a 2nd frosty glass. I do love an...

Very disappointing as this was my first Peruvian restaurant experience. To start, the drink glasses a very skinny, maybe a mouthful at the most. We ordered calamari as an appetizer, and our entree’s came out before hand. We had to remind one of the servers (yes servers, we had 3 different servers/bartenders coming by our table) that we had ordered calamari, which was subsequently brought out cold and tough. I was also served the wrong entree. When I asked the server was this the right item (because it didn’t appear to match the description) he said yes this is what you ordered and he quickly went back to his station. The dish I received definitely was not what I had ordered. It was missing items that were included in the description. I tried to enjoy the steak, but it was rather bland and tasteless. I asked for it medium-rare, however some slices were well done, others medium and others rare. After I finished my soda, a waitress came by and took the glass, never asked if I wanted a refill, just took the glass and disappeared. The total bill was close to $100. Way too expensive for and appetizer, 2 entrees and 2 drinks. It appears that the people in charge of this place have no idea how to run a restaurant. I think the menu is confusing to the staff as well as the customer, and the wait staff is inattentive. The decor was nice though. I suggest that this place be avoided, if you are in the area and want Latin cuisine, I recommend Cuba libre which is in the...