Kiko Peruvian Cuisine & Pisco Bar — Restaurant in San Luis Obispo

Downtown SLO is privileged to be the location for this new Peruvian restaurant. In the heart of downtown, off of Higuera St, the restaurant has a lovely atmosphere. With an intimate ceviche bar, main dining room, and stream-view patio, Kiko offers a vibe for any mood. The owners did a fabulous job of designing an open bar flow that is trendy, clean, and interesting. All of the employees seem to be in a great mood, and the energy of the entire restaurant is that of enthusiasm. The owners work as servers, and offer passionate suggestions and ensure that all of the details of their well crafted menu are just as they should be. I never felt rushed, the explanation of the dishes were captivating, and as a professional chef myself, I was very impressed with their quality ingredients, plating techniques, creative fusions of traditional Peruvian with other cuisines, and overall execution of every dish an cocktail I ordered. I started with a Pisco Sour which I hope to be indulging in again as soon as possible. For an appetizer I went with the Ceviche Classico. The fish was top quality, and sauce left me craving more as soon as I finished the dish. I wrapped up the meal with Vegetable Chaupa. It was a satisfying portion that didn't leave room for dessert, but I knew I wanted to try something, so I got the Peruvian Alfajore. Even after waiting several hours, this dessert was so technically well executed and the flavor palette left me wanting more, more, more! I will be recommending Kiko's restaurant to everyone I know and, I hope they become a pillar in the SLO restaurant community for many years to come. Thank you for such a amazing meal, Kiko and Desiree have done an amazing job at curating the perfect Californian...

Summary: Get drinks and ceviche and you'll be happy and have a reasonably priced dinner. Do anything else and well... you can read the review.

This is a place I will love once things are tightened up and prices go down. The food is simply too expensive for the portions, quality, and service. I'll be back in probably 6 months to see if that's happened.

The best items are the appetizers which are actually the most reasonably priced too. Ceviche is amazing. Anticuchos quite good. Scallops I could pass on, they simply tasted of cheese.

The problem is that the entrees are higher priced than most restaurants even in SLO and only taste fine. I cannot believe fried rice starts at $30 for veggie and goes up to almost $40. My parents would be furious (they run a Chinese restaurant). Ossobuco was really dry...

The atmosphere is acceptable, but has a sort of unfinished vibe on the inside. Again, not helping with the pricing.

The service could have been better. Although there are a lot of bus staff and the water people were very attentive, the "main" waiter seemed to be spread too thin. I think if some of the responsibility for serving the food was spread out it'd help balance out the service a lot more.

The kitchen seems to be a bit disorganized too. Mains took a long time and even when they did we had half of our table's mains come out about 20 minutes after the others. A disjointed experience but that's ok. The appetizers come out fast though so another sign to just get apps.

Drinks tasted great, although I only had a sip.

I really like Kiko and love what he's trying to do. I just have a hard time giving this a 5 star review when I have so many reservations about so much of the...

ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME.

Take our money—take it all! From the moment we discovered Kiko Peruvian Restaurant last night (or maybe it discovered us?), we finally understood why people want to gatekeep something this extraordinary. But honestly, once you meet Kiko and Desiree, you’ll see—some secrets are just too magical to keep locked away. Bursting at the seams soon? Oh, absolutely. Get your reservations now before it’s too late!

This is way more than just Peruvian cuisine; it’s an all-out celebration of culture, passion, and flavors that will ruin you for anything else. I dare you—order something that’s not absolutely jaw-dropping. The ceviche? We’re ruined forever—forever! Nothing else will ever compare (we seriously mean that). The Pisco Sours? Don’t ask, just order. Trust us. The energy? Electric. The vibe? Pure enchantment. The hospitality? Beyond flawless. It’s like being adopted into the most wonderful family, we didn't want to leave (we didn't... we closed it down). And let’s not even get us started on the location—it’s exactly what you imagine when dreaming of SLO, with creekside restaurants springing back to life.

I could go on, and on, but why listen to us rave when you could be stuffing your face with perfection right now? Just go. Experience Kiko’s Peruvian Wonderland, and you’ll find yourself writing your own love letter disguised as a review. Five stars? Please. We need more! #ObsessedAndWeKnowIt #fansforlife

Gregory and Andie Gallup - Slightly...