Lima Criolla Peruvian Restaurant Reviews

I went here a month ago wanting to try something different. Peruvian food. Good sized restaurant located in Lincoln Village Shopping Center -near Men's Wearhouse store. Good food, fair prices. I ordered the Arroz Con Pollo -very flavorful with nice blend of herbs (different than Mexican rice). On top of the rice was a nice chicken leg/thigh that was nicely seasoned and roasted- the meat was falling off the bone. NICE. We chose soup as a side dish, I tried Aguadito, a chicken soup with rice flavored with cilantro. Very good. For dessert my friend and I ordered the Alfajores cookies (1 cookie for each of us) -nice melt-in-your mouth texture with caramel in the middle. From what I understand, they make these cookies here at the restaurant. Very good service, clean restaurant. Would highly recommend Lima Criolla!

We could not wait to try Lima Criolla, and it did not disappoint. We started with a chicha morada which brought back memories of our travels in Peru. We both chose the Lomo Saltado that was so delicious. The Papa a la Huancaína appetizer could have been a meal itself. The prices were good and the service was outstanding.

My daughter had been to this restaurant in its previous location and recommended it. She was spot on. I had the Jalea cerviche and loved it. The others had rice dishes (chaufa limeno and chaufa mariscos), both delicious. The prices are very reasonable and the service was good. We plan to come back again.

My family and I have been coming and eating here for a few years. We loved coming and eating when it was La Chaparita at the food court. They definitely have authentic Peruvian food. I highly recommend the arroz chaufa, lomo saltado and the seco de res. However, I have noticed since they moved they are a little stingier with the meat, at least with the lomo saltado. Regardless, I still love them and will come again and again!

My friend and I eat here at least once a month. Great food. Great Service. My friend orders a chicken dish. I usually get the potato salad stuffed with shredded chicken plus the vegetarian platter.

First let me say, we didn't eat. My wife and I had date night last night. I chose this place because we've been to Peru and had tripas, alpaca, cuy and pisco sours. The reviews of the food are very good so I surprised her by taking her there. My goal is not to be negative or give any sort of negative rating. I just want anyone reading this to know in advance that the restaurant inside is open, bright and noisy, like a sports bar. If you're local, think Plucker's but with only a couple of big screens. We were hoping for a more subdued and romantic evening. Perhaps we'll go back one night when we're looking for a more energetic night of food and drink.

Food was quickly made and delivered to our hotel. Ceviche and paella were awesome and plenty. Would definitely recommend.

Today was the first time i went here and the food was amaing. I had the lomo saltado for lunch and it was great. Then had the fried rice for dinner and that was great too. I just wish the portions for the rice was larger. Hope this place never closes, so i can visit the next time Im in Austin.

Let me start by saying that my husband is Peruvian and our family loves Peruvian food. The food here was delicious and tasted great. Nevertheless, the restaurant needs a lot of work to become better. Peruvian food is reknown for great presentation. Ours was presented like how someoen would serve food in their own home. The service was poor. Our horderve for 3 people was plopped on the table without a word. I tried for sometime to get the attention of staff to no avail- they were all gathered around the cash register, talking to one another. I finally had to get up and go to the kitchen window to request plates for the horderves. The cook did not hand me the plates but rang the bell. At least 3 minutes later, the waiter pulled himself away from the conversation and put the plates on the table without a word. A few minutes later, a waitress puts 2 disposable and tiny containers on the table, says "hot sauce" and walks away. The hot sauce is "ricotto" and lacked the cream that ricotto should have. It was simply ground ricotta and did not service to Peruvian cuisine. The aji de gallina was good, but a little soupier than normal, lacking the creaminess that the dish is known for. The tallarin saltado was very good. The cau cau was superb. It should also be noted that the bathrooms did not have toilet paper. Peruvian food is exquisite and has won many international awards. The staff should learn to appeal to the customer and be attentive. I suggest that they offer fountain drinks as offered by most American drinks with free refills. A $3.50 can of soda does not give a classy appearance. The restaurant has great food and could really help acquaint Americans with the famous Peruvian cuisine, but the lack of attention will not bring customers back nor will they tell their friends about the food nor will they bring their friends because without an improvement in service.

I was not a fan of the spinach and cheese empanada, it needed more filling. The estofado de pollo had a good flavor, but the portion of one small chicken quarter was not worth $9. I would prefer my chicken stew with more chicken and less gravy. Overall it was my first and last time going. I was not impressed at all.

Kind of an upscale blue plate special place, whick is just fine with me. HOWEVER, the sign out fron said "Happy Hour until 7:00 pm Monday through Friday. We came in about 6:45 and were not allowed the discount price, was told that Friday was regular price. My wife order a class of wine. After way to lond, her 16 ounce wine glass arrived with 4 ounces of wine in it (but what should I expect for only $9.00). I will assure you that I will not go back for more abuse.

I've been wanting Peruvian Food and I really enjoyed it T Lima Criolla! We started with a Pisco Sour Drink and it was delicious. We had a couple of ceviche dishes that were delicious. We had a few other dishes and they were all very good. I would definitely go back. The service was very good.

The restaurant was busy, but they had tables available when I got there (a bit after 5pm). I asked the waiter for a recommendation (I told her that I would like to eat something spicy) and she suggested Escabeche de Pollo. The food was great and I would definitely visit again if I had the chance.

Wow this was my first time having Peruvian food and it was amazing. I GOT THE Jalea with Quinoa salad, WOW it was amazing.

Lima Crillola is an amazing little Peruvian restaurant. We've had many dishes there & all have been incredible. Service is great, food served quickly and very reasonably priced. Fabulous Chaufa!!!

The food at Lima Criolla was absolutely delicious. I spent nearly a year living in Peru and I was so happy to taste those familiar flavors again. Lima Criolla had all of the classics, Lomo Saltado, Aji de Gallina, Chaufa, Pisco Sours, Picarones, and more! If I lived near this restaurant I would eat there every week!

I would give them negative points if possible. I have traveled many places in the US and around the world and always tried the local Peruvian restaurants including in Peru itself. This place is the absolute worst of all the Peruvian restaurants I’ve been to and all restaurants I’ve ever been to. The ambiance inside is horrible, dark, dirty, meek and you can definitely smell the toilet from anywhere inside the dinning room. The bathrooms are definitely a mess, so you can only imagine the state of places where you cannot see, like the kitchen. On top of that the food is mediocre, a far cry from the real good quality and great tasting Peruvian food of other Peruvian restaurants. If that wasn’t enough negative points, the staff is horrible, rude and extremely unprofessional and inattentive. All in all, the bad food, the unsanitary conditions and the horrible wait staff make this the absolute worst restaurant I’ve visited in the world and the worst experience I’ve ever had in any restaurant in my culinary life. Do not make the mistake of visiting this place. Do not support places like this. Skip it! Spend your money and your vacation elsewhere in Austin. The city has a lot of much better options.

Never had Peruvian food before so we thought we would give it a try. The server was very nice and helped us with the menu. My husband and I both had the Carapulcra, braised pork with rice. They ran out of Shiner. That is why I gave them a 4!

Great variety of Peruvian dishes, some of them you won't find anywhere else in Austin, or even Texas. Dishes are well-cooked, affordable, some close to the real deal (Aji de gallina, Lomo saltado, Causa rellena, Arroz con leche) and some not very much (Jalea). If you are craving Peruvian food, you will not be disappointed, but this will not be the 'high-cuisine experience' you probably had already somewhere else. If I'd live in Austin, I would still visit pretty often. I will recommend this place to my friends.

I loved the food and the Pisco Sour here is amazing. My favorite meals are the ceviche, the Causa, and the Tiradito de pescado. The service is very good and the owners truly love what they do. They also cater parties. We have been very pleased with the quality and price of their services.

Whenever we get a chance we have to goto a Peruvian restaurant. We love Peruvian food. Been to the country many times, my wife is Peruvian. This place was very good. I have had better but in Peru and NJ. Around this area this was the best Peruvian food I have had. We would definitely go back if we are ever in Austin again.

My Wife, Son and I ate there at lunch. My wife ordered (ala carte) the Tallarines a la Huancaina (Noodles in Huancaina sauce topped with Lomo Saltado) and my son and I ordered the lunch special(s) Aji de Gallina Limeño (Shredded chicken breast in a Parmesan cheese, pecan and yellow pepper sauce, Served with potatoes, an olive, a slice of a hard-boiled egg and rice) and Arroz con Pollo (Chicken and rice plate made in a cilantro and red peppers sauce) with Aguadito (Chicken soup with rice and cilantro) and Sopa a la Minuta (Ground beef soup with Angel Hair noodles). All the dishes were wonderful. Service was Great! We haven't had good peruvian food since we lived in Washington DC.

Lima Criolla feels like (and is, apparently) a family-run Peruvian restaurant near Highland Mall. I started with maracuya to drink and the hefty bowl of aguadito, then moved on to the estofado de pollo for the main course. The aguadito was almost a meal in itself - these aren't small portions. My friend had the passion fruit juice and the ground beef empanada to start, followed by the adobo limeno for the main course. For dessert, he had the crema volteada, a Peruvian-style caramel, while I chose the mazamorra morada, an excellent purple corn pudding with pineapples and prunes which tasted almost like blackberries! Service was very good, and the atmosphere was very comfortable. For something different in a great atmosphere, give the Lima Criolla a try.

My first time to have Peruvian food but love food I have tried from South and Central America. I really enjoyed the Peruvian dishes I tried and Lima Criolla's offerings taste like an Abuelita is either the chef or the folks in the kitchen are using family recipes with Abuelita's blessings. I ordered PAPA A LA HUANCAINA (perfect! hot & crisp yucca served with a couple flavorful sauces), AGUADITO (a chicken soup w/rice & cilantro...Lovely start, this is what made me think if an Abuelita was in the kitchen!), & ADOBE LIMENO (a hearty stew ... citrus marinated pork stew with sweet potato). Finished my meal off with HELLO DE LUCUMA (Lucuma is a fruit found in Peru...tastes subtly nutty & not overly sweet; a lovely finish) one of their several Peruvian desserts.

Excellent Peruvian food! Our group had the traditional Peruvian dish of Lomo Saltado. The beef was tender, the sauce was excellent, and it was just like what I remembered from our trips to Peru. We sat out on the patio. Our waitress did a great job of taking care of our drinks and answering questions about items on the menu. It was a wonderful evening and we will be back again!

As a first generation American with strong roots in Cuzco, Lima, and Huancayo, I miss long ago childhood days of home cooked Peruvian food. Lima Criolla restaurant does a superb job of bringing back those memories. There is good variety in their menu, and from seeing what others ordered, I will surely try them all in future visits. On a busy night the wait is not bad if one is in no hurry and relaxing with a Pisco sour. Each plate is well prepared, presented, and delicious. Highly recommend this restaurant for anyone wishing to savor true flavors of Peru.

The place was not fancy and the music was a little loud (which is why I only gave it a 4), but the food and service was a 5 all the way. Great flavors and presentation. Highly recommend it if you are staying North of Austin at a hotel around Hwy 35 or you don't mind a little drive. Well worth it!!

We wanted to go somewhere close to our hotel and found this within walking distance. We had never had Peruvian food, so wanted to give it a try. This is a casual, neighborhood cafe. The most tasty part of the food was the sauces. we had fried yucca for an appetizer. If you love potatoes, this is for you - very starchy, but it was good. I had Adobo Limeno which was a citrus-marinated pork. It was tender and tasty. My husband had Cau-Cau - beef tripe stew seasoned with yellow pepper. Presentation on both was basic. My Sauvignon Blanc was served with a good chill in a tall glass wine glass. That is important to me.

Great choice, super friendly. I asked for seafood and the lady taking the order zuggested sea bass grilled. I added shrimp too. Then made a real tasty salad. The fillet was super tasty, flaky and big. All for $19.50, $13 without shrimp. I had never been before but when I am back at the Holiday Inn for work I am eating here. Only negative is dining room and outside was noisy due to music. Outstanding choice.

To be fair, I only noticed this restaurant on the way to breakfast around the corner. It's been a while since I deviated from "my usual" spots so I returned to this area for lunch. Sunny weather with a light breeze made the patio seating a must. The sign says to alert staff for seating, so our small group went in and mentioned to the young woman who greeted us that our preference was outdoors. Her response was puzzling: "Is there seating open?" Well... it's not that large a restaurant, perhaps half the outdoor tables were occupied, there was only one couple inside, and you'd think staff would have a general sense of seating if they're regularly checking on diners. We sat and it became clear that the service is casual or inattentive enough to explain the initial interaction. After the initial water was brought out, our water glasses remained empty until after our meals. The food wasn't quick about arriving, and the order process was slow, making a noticeable delay in hydrating. When we were asked about our empty glasses, a bottle of still water was brought out and placed near me, so I poured it for the parched three of our party. I will say the server took her time to explain the menu options and apologized profusely when the first two items on of our group requested were out-of-stock. I enjoyed her humor and she interacted nicely--when she showed up. Two other women and one man came out at various points, and they seemed very focused on singular tasks so a lack of teamwork was evident as delays became more apparent throughout the visit. I really enjoyed the food. Solid flavors and pretty fresh tasting. Filling portions and distinct dishes will see me visiting again. I'll be sure it's on another day without a schedule so I can patiently wait; I'll also ask for a bottle of water for the table at the beginning of our meal.

When I visited Austin late April, my son recommended Lima Criolla. We started with the yucca appetizer, which was served with a tasty sauce, and a type of lime margarita that was white (milk?), foamy and refreshing (don't recall the name). My entree was Adobo Limeno, citrus-marinated pork served with sweet potato and rice. The pork was fall-apart tender served in broth, much like stew - delicious! My son order the Jalea, which included pieces of breaded fried fish topped with calamari and shrimp over a bed of fried yucca, corn, and onion salad. We thought the servings were just the right size, but someone who likes really large portions might not agree. This is not a fancy place, but the food is well worth the visit. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Went for a Latish dinner with a friend. Pretty busy and okay service and great pisco sours and super steak dishes. I had a really nice experience and I’d go again.

This is a nice side trip for something different. Located in the abyss of a now pretty desolate strip mall, this place is actually worth the stop. I went in and all the tv's are on Spanish stations and he only people working counters or kitchens are women. he place is owned by a woman. The food is very traditional and simple. I had the raised pork with sweet potato. Although I would have wanted the stew on top to be a little warmer, it was still very good. The table next to me ordered ceviche among other dishes and all looked incredible and the woman even asked to compliment the chef and owner. The prices are very reasonable and the wait time is nothing unusual, about 10 minutes. They do deliver and have online ordering if you are in the area (either Habitat Suites or Holiday Inn nearby).

I am Peruvian and it is sad when our delicious food is not represented well. I have tried this restaurant in 4 different occasions and stop going at all. I even sent them an email to tell them how bad the food was. I am not happy to say that this restaurant needs a lot of changes in the way the food is prepared. Our family had tried empanadas (super soft outside like a paste and mushy inside), chicken tamales(ok), caucau (ok), but the Lomo Saltado (dry, very dry and dark, not even tasted like Lomo Saltado!), aji de gallina was bland, missing flavor , Tallarines verdes , not even close to the flavor, we also ordered picarones (uncooked and greasy) and the alfajores were so bad that I did not finish my second one and I love alfajores!. The prices are good but the quality and flavor needs to change for the better. The restaurant looks clean and has a good atmosphere.

As a person who lived in Peru, I was in heaven to accidentally discover this place. It made a terrible stay at Habitat Suites nearby, somewhat enjoyable thanks to the amazing dining experience.

I work in the area and I eat at Lima maybe every other week or so. They have a great lunch menu. I cant remember what the dishes are called off the top of my head but the staff knows what I like, haha. The fried rice is surprisingly good, and I usually get the Aji de Galiena (? i know thats spelled wrong) or the Estofado de Pollo. My husband loves them too and sometimes I have to get some to go for dinner for the both of us.

Ate with 2 other friends, and all of us were thrilled with the food. I ate a Peruvian version of Paella, and it was delicious. Service very attentive and helpful. I wanted to try the chocolate cake at the counter but thought better of it. In the interest of full disclosure - my daughter-in-law waits tables there, but she was off that day.

I cannot vouch for the authenticity of the dishes but I can vouch for its taste. I have left satisfied after many visits. My favorite is the chicken soup. It is as close to mama's, not Peruvian, as I have ever found. Do not pass on the Pisco sours. We will be back and more than once.

The Caldo de Gallina was amazing! It brought memories of eating at grandma's table. Clearly the cook was cooking with love! I will be back for more! This place should be on your list to try next!

You only go here for the atmosphere if you are Peruvian or you want to watch the futbol game. Some of my girl friends and I went for dinner to catch up. The food was incredible! There were only 2 people serving and quite a few people so the service was a bit slower, but the staff was very friendly. We didn't mind as we had nowhere to be and were having fun catching up. The Peru vs Spain game was on so it was a bit loud over the speakers. Other than that, we loved it and will be back again.

This restaurant is still very good. Great service, nice menu. Cerviche was actually very large, very tasty - filled a plate. The chef also made a plate of grilled vegetables - very flavorable. Dessert - - the marsipan and meriguine was unbelievably good. Oh so sweey and delicious. Nice coffee. Great choice. Super service, nice staff, great food.

The food has some flavor but they could add more Make sure u get the right address as there are 2 on the internet and one takes u 20 outside Austin with the same address but nothing is there

Very tasty and flavorsome dishes, plenty of choices, superb quality, with great service. The Anticuchos with fried yucca was exceptional, as was the Lomita saltado, both typical Peruvian fare.

...we took a chance and gave Lima Criolla a try, and were glad we did. Contrary to its outside appearance, the restaurant is more simple inside, almost like cafeteria style. Service was friendly and helpful, and our waiter's recommendation was spot on. The Pisco Sour was tasty, and the food in general was quite good. We had the sweet little cookies (alfajores) for dessert and they were awesome! We'll be back. Plenty of free parking.