Q'ero Restaurant in Encinitas - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

My wife and I just had one of the best meals of our lifetime. The short rib special was wonderful. Superb. The ambiance was very comfortable and the service was outstanding. This is at the top of our list of favorite restaurants.

This is one of our favorite restaurants in the San Diego region. The staff are friendly and helpful, the menu selections are interesting and varied, and the food is outstanding.

Empanadas( chicken and queso) , plantain chips , steak and chicken dish..delicious and authentic. Cozy South American feel inside ..so enjoyed sitting out and experiencing this wonderful Peruvian spot.

The food was good, particularly the tuna ceviche special and the chicken empanadas. The service was efficient. the sangria was tasty but with relatively little wine.

My daughter and son-in-law took us there with their 3 month old baby. We were there at 2pm........I am learning you eat when baby says you can ! We were the only guests when we arrived in this delightfully decorated , Peruvian native art, masks and religious works of art , establishment. It's quite small and you can feel the pride of ownership throughout. It is a fairly small menu but offers a lot.....the appetizer plates are like tapas plates for sharing. Empinadas..delicious, yuca with a tany lime sauce, delightfully fresh, the best..I really mean it.......the best calamari dish I have ever had...and trust me I have travelled the world. Go there just for the calamari............cooked to perfection then dipped in the lime sauce..to die for! The beef dish that I had (Lomo Saltado) was juicy, ample pieces of beef combined with peppers, onions and potatoes and delightfully pleasing herbs and spices. We had sangria, a red wine sangria and unlike most they do not cheat by filling the pitcher with ice, 1 pitcher is plenty for four thirsty adults . The SERVICE was charming and warm and very attentive and the service was well timed. Could not have been more enjoyable...will go back every time I visit my daughter in Oceanside.

During the covid shutdown, their tables and chairs were along the sidewalk on Encinitas' main strip. We snagged a good location as they opened at 4 pm and other tables soon filled. The food was excellent in taste, presentation and price. We especially liked the ceviche served with sweet potato and toasted corn kernels, the empanada filled with cheese and carmelized onion, and the fried candied plantaines with sour cream. The price for a tasty filling meal for two was $48. I wish it werre closer to home because we would visit frequently.

I enjoyed a lovely lunch with friends in this little place on Highway 101. Try the tasty Sangria. The beet salad was delish, but the star of the table was clearly the chicken empanada. We ordered seconds and maybe thirds, but don't tell. The service was friendly and efficient. Excellent coffee to go with the mandatory chocolate cake (only because we were celebrating a birthday;)

Very tasty food. This place has been around forever. Small family-run restaurant. Monica is a wonderful host.

It’s not a surprise that this place is a local favorite, the food is delicious, the service warm and friendly and the prices are proper. The menu is based on Peruvian dishes that do not shy on the flavor and that are well executed. We had the meat empanadas that we loved specially with the hot sauce. The ceviche was fresh and well balanced but it could had use a little more acidity and a pinch of salt. The lomo saltado was delicious and we fought over the spicy calamari. We really enjoyed our time at this restaurant. I highly recommend making reservations.

I never had even an average meal here, always outstanding! Food is unique, unusual, be open to new possibilities. To say it’s cozy, is an understatement and you basically smell like the meals when leaving the tight quarters, but worth it. Unfortunately, they’re no longer serving my favorite, the wonderful Qero salad. Wonderful empanadas, ceviche and lamb. Suggest reservations.

We thoroughly enjoyed this cozy little place. The food was excellent, as was the sangria. Our server was very attentive and friendly. Get the empanadas! Yum.

I made it clear that I both disliked and was allergic to garlic. I was assured that there was none in the main course I ordered. It was some sort of steak, and I was asked how I wanted it cooked. I specified medium rare. The dish included fries, and asked for them to be extra crisp. What I got was meat that was well done plus, the potatoes were not at all fried, but were soggy and actually mushy. The dish came with rice, which was cooked with a big dose of garlic. One bite, and I started to feel queezy. Rule of thumb: when your food allergies and preparation requests are totally ignored, you should wonder what else is happening in the kitchen. My advice is to avoid this place. We brought a couple of bottles of wine. They said the corkage was $25. The going rate for corkage in this area (we dine out frequently) is between $10 and $20, for the most upscale places. We did open our wine, and didn't want what they had on their list. My wife had a glass of Sangria, which was cloyingly sweet.

We are visiting friends in San Diego and begged them to drive us to Encintas so we could eat again at this restaurant. It is a small family place and it is outstanding. Every item of food was delicious and different from what we find at other restaurants. The family members are warm and eager to explain the menu. Prices are very reasonable.

If you are in the mood for something different that will delight you from the time you step in the door, look no further than Q’ero. This little gem of a restaurant serves up tasty empanadas, tangy ceviche, amazing plantains and other Peruvian favorites is a charming setting. Don’t forget to try the chicha morada - a fruity drink that’s like the best sangria ever but without alcohol. And if you want alcohol, try a pisco sour - you won’t be disappointed!

I had been wanting to go to this restaurant for a long time, but never did. Oh my goodness! it's so good! you have to order their specialty drinks and sangria. I started with the green salad that was so fresh with a unique dressing. Then I got the ceviche and my husband got the steak dish. Both were good. And make sure you order the fried, caramelized plantain (bannas): they are so yummy. Makes a great desert.

For 3 of us, we had an empanada and and one of the ceviches for an appetizer- very good. Then we had 2 calamari orders and one flat steak. Beef was very salty ( and I usually like salt), and the calamari was quite greasy....

After walking through the beach area we decided to eat here. My wife wanted ceviche but didn’t realize we saw all the dinner choices and most aren’t available at lunch time. So we had a few sides that were well prepared, an arepa for my...

This restaurant strikes us as a place you could easily visit again and again and again and again. Very different, delicious cuisine. We could have easily had the Tres Leche cake for dessert and an appetizer - it was sooooo good. All our food -...

Our party of 4 ate here last night for the first time and Q'ero is a standout. All the dishes we had we so flavourful with spices used in such a clever way. I'm new to Peruvian food and am now a big fan. Service...

A cute and quaint restaurant with delicious Peruvian dishes. The seafood ceviche, plantain & Yukon potato, chicken empanada, shrinks skewers we’re so delicious.

Lovely small and very charming Peruvian place located in Encinitas near the water. The service was fantastic and the food was even better. I love that they sell some of their special house sauces by the jar. I am almost out of the citrus one...

They have the most flavorful, mouthwatering dishes here. And the purple corn Sangria is in a class By itself. This is my favorite restaurant in San Diego and I highly recommend. It’s location is great in downtown Encinitas waking distance to the beach. Don’t miss...

We've just discovered this delightful small restaurant in the charming old town of Encinitas near the ocean. Though it's been there for 18 years it is well designed with just enough colorful South American decor to give it a great authentic feel but still be...

Gross just gross. If you want to be treated like you are in a third world country, you should visit. If you want to be appreciated as a customer, go elsewhere.

My husband is Peruvian, so whenever possible we seek out Peruvian dining opportunities. In my opinion this is one of THE BEST Peruvian restaurants in the state! There is a modern take on all of the classics, the wine and Sangria are excellent and although...

What a shame, we came from San Diego especially to have dinner. The whost/waiter let us stand at the door for a good 5 minutes before approaching us to tell us that the owner decided to close rarlesince it was a slow night. We will probably not return to this place. Too bad.

A bit cramped and loud when the house is full, but some unique dishes make this place wonderful for dinner. Not a quiet romantic place to talk over a glass of wine, unless you go during some off hours.

We have been to Casa del Q-ero several times and have never been disappointed. Most recently, we visited twice in two weeks. The waiter was helpful, thoughtful, attentive, and a joy to talk with. If you are looking for a good meal, or an interesting...

If you have not tried this place before, you absolutely need to do so. The food is incredible and the staff is awesome. The owner, Monica, is the best ever!

Delicious meal at the most hidden gem I can describe.

Accurate to the high end Peruvian dining experience, but in America. Wonderful. They do a good job of delivering Peruvian flavors

An awesome unique restaurant! Don't let its odd location (sandwiched between a gas station and a storage center) scare you off! The food is awesome, as is the sangria! I would recommend having the empanadas appetizer. I have had it several times and it never disappoints. Definitely make a reservation here, especially if you plan to dine on the weekend.

Unique food and great atmosphere. They have two locations. The one in downtown Encinitas is very small and offers limited seating. The location off Birmingham is off the beaten track but a much better experience. Make sure to try their home made hot sauce and I've never had a bad plate here.

I've spent a lot of time in Peru, and a few of their dishes definitely harken back to the Plaza de Armas in Cusco. The ceviche Don Cucho is a peruvian standard and should not be missed. Dip the bits of sweet potato in the...

I just like the food and the Sangria. Ambiance is a plus.

First visit, such a good location, great service & food!! Looking forward to returning.

The original Qero is an A Plus -- great food, service, and ambiance. We tried the second Qero in Cardif, but what a disappointment. The food was OK, although my shredded chicken looked like rations you would get in the army - while chicken with...

We lunched at Q'ero during a weekend street festival. Remarkably, it was as though the restaurant was unprepared for business. Our order of empanadas took 40 minutes to arrive, even though the restaurant was barely occupied. Our waiter brought us snacks, then an extra beer...

Extraordinary food with unusual tastes. It is my favorite place to dine

High quality service, taste and atmosphere. Nicole was great.

I'm a huge fan of this place. The food is fantastic, it's run by a family and they belong to passport so it's an outstanding value. They also have two locations. The one in Encinitas doesn't have as extensive a menu but it's a quaint place. The Birmingham location in Cardiff has a bigger menu and much more seating. I recommend reservations or calling to see how busy they are. Try the Papa Rellenas. Fantastic!

Wow, this place is fantastic. What a find in an odd spot. I cannot recommend the food highly enough. And when you walk in, the energy is so lovely, too! The mashed potatoes and mushrooms are particularly good. I wish I was there right now.

Amazing food. Highly recommend. Perfect blend of spices.

Wonderful place once you've found it behind the Chevron station. Excellent Pisco Sours and S. American wine list, quality Peruvian cuisine. I should have ordered two Pappa Rellanas (meatloaf in mashed potato shell) appy's, as everbody wanted some. The Quinoa Salad was unique: tart apples,...

I have been searching for delicious Peruvian food an this place fit the bill! The restaurant is quaint with a very friendly staff, I even interacted with the very sweet owner. I started off a beef empanada which was accompanied by a delightful spicy sauce....

Amazing food, amazing environment, love this place.

Just a spectacular meal in a wonderful setting-- prepared and served with enthusiasm for excellence. This was my first visit. I arrived from the east coast today and wow what a wonderful surprise: great food great service and a well designed restaurant. The inspiration for...

I have been here twice now - Cardiff location and it’s been fabulous! Most recently on 9/14/17. This is my new fav in San Diego! The food is so good and the smells are incredible. Most of the menu items require days of sauce making,...

Fantastic atmosphere. Calamari was spectacular and the sangria is amazing.

A hidden gem. Good food and great service. Fun place to go when you're in the mood for something a little different.

Very charming atmosphere, and delicious food. Will dine again.

Solid Peruvian food. From a guy who spent a lot of time eating in Peru. The classics are covered, they have Cusquena, aji amarillo in jars you can buy, need I say more?

Everything was amazing during our visit. We had a great family time with delicious food and a very tasty sangria. Learned about kiwicha, a Peruvian super food high in protein, anti-aging and anti-carcinogenic, which besides its amazing properties is delicious and perfectly matched with the aji de hongos (mushrooms). As a vegetarian I was impressed. My family also enjoyed the rest of the menu specially the chicken with quinoa and the lomo. The place is very cozy and inviting, service was really good. We will definitely be back when visiting the San Diego area.

Excellent food, Great atmosphere, perfect service. Highly recommend this place for Peruvian food.

First time at their new location as before always dined at the original location in downtown Encinitas. This new location is so much larger than the old one but the setting is very cool in a repurposed building that has been there quite some time. The food here is awesome and unique for San Diego as few Peruvian restaurants here in our area. Everything they make is terrific, I had the chicken dish this time and loved it.

Great customer service, tastefully dinner and; quaint enviroment....

San Diego Magazine Critics and Reader's choice for best Peruvian Restaurant.

Flavors are fantastic. A modern take on authentic Peruvian flavors. When busy it can take a while for food to arrive since everything is freshly prepared. The lady who has worked here a long time can be quite rude at times. Last visit she did...

Recently went with friends and was delighted. Our server was very friendly and accommodating with recommendations. Started with a calamari appetizer that was more flavorful than any calamari I've had before and a ceviche dish that was quite good too. For my entree, I had...

We were there last week for happy hour. Loved the Sangria. The appetizer calimari is fantastic and I will order it every time I go. Guaranteed! Also good ceviche! We really enjoyed chatting with the fun, yet professional wait-staff! I highly recommend this slightly out...

I have eaten at the company's other restaurant in Encinitas but this one is far nicer and better. As was the service by Antonio. This is a romantic restaurant where you feel like you are in a different country. I recommend reservations on the weekend.

Monica Szepesy and her team are serving the most intriguing gluten-free cuisine in Southern California. We enjoyed our first visit so much, Q'ero was selected for my surprise 40th birthday. Course after course of gluten-free Peruvian delicacies graced our table for over 2.5 hours. Casa del Q'ero is not to be missed.

My friend lives nearby and her neighbors recommended this restaurant, so we thought we'd give it a try. I wanted to celebrate my birthday in a nicer restaurant than the great local pizza / beer joint, but perhaps I chose wrongly. The layout of the...

This restaurant came highly recommended, but I must admit I did not find it in any way special. I had a mushroom amaranth dish and my husband had the fish and we both said it was ok, but nothing special.

Good food, slow service, nice menu

Food is amazing. Only reason for four stars and not give is that it is a bit pricey. But really creative dishes.

Unbelievably good food and great ambiance!

We were feeling low key so the bar option at Casa Del Q'ero worked! The bartender was a doll, helping us work through the wine selection and navigate our meal! The beef empanadas were outstanding as were the potato appetizer with beef (so sorry I...

Very good Peruvian cuisine in Downtown Encinitas! The empanada with meat was quite memorable and the service, ambiance and presentation were all quite nice. Good call if you want something different to eat in Encinitas.

We really enjoyed this restaurant and the food here. The service was also very good. Short Ribs were the best.

"Kero is not a Peruvian restaurant since it has deviated from the way how the food tastes and its dish presentation leaves a lot room for imagination. Black beans, maduros, and arepas are part of the side menu whose recipes are found in Cuban, Colombian...

Seco de cordero (lamb) amazing!!!! The chocolate tart very nice too!! The staff friendly and we didn't wait too much either.

This is one of the coolest and most uniquely decorated restaurants I have been to. And the food is amazing!

The good: great food! It was different than we normally get, with a Peruvian ethnic style to it. We loved the variety and quality. Definitely unique in a good way. Beautiful and authentic decour, and friendly staff. The bad: we could not hold a conversation....

This family owned restaurant has some of the best food anywhere in San Diego. Wonderful selection of Peruvian dishes, which means great ingredients (meat, chicken or fish) with great spices and sauces. Empanadas are the best I've ever had. Should not be missed if you...

We were looking forward to a new adventure in dining with our friends. First impression, It was the noisiest one large room ever encountered! We ordered appetizers which were a long time coming, but delicious. Finally, our waiter returned to take our dinner order. An...

Loved the atmosphere, great hostess with great recommendations. Highly recommend the empanadas - perfectly spiced! Highlight of the weekend

Amazing food, and really friendly staff. We loved the ceviche, calamari, desserts, and everything that we ordered. Everything was classic Peruvian food, and it was all homemade. We will recommend this to family and friends, and we will for sure be back!

I wish I could review the food but we never got served. We asked the waiter to sit outside and after awhile he brought us menus and water. After a fairly long wait, I went in to use the restroom and asked him to take...

It's behind a gas station, but don't be deterred. Great savory food, but heads up the bill can add up quickly.

We went for dinner to this charming little spot - just our kind of place. Staff is friendly and helpful, decor is colorful and artsy, and the food is great! If you aren't quite sure what to order, the waiter will help, and the recommendations...

After giving up our table to customers who didn't have a reservation but were "frequent customers" and therefore more important, we were given 3 options: wait until another table was available, sit at a table that was STILL occupied by customers who went on a...

Had a great midweek afternoon meal. All dishes were flavorful and at the right temperature. The hostess/waitress/owner was friendly and engaging. Will return.

Sometimes the waiter speed reads the specials and you just sit there hoping to get the essence of the dish while being swamped in the flood of ingredients. Not so with Carman. Each dish is described in slow elaborate terms as if she were making...

If you are looking for Peruvian street food you are in the wrong place, Casa del Q'ero is about a delicate fusion of tradition and modern cuisine, the food is outstanding, flavorful, and very well presented, what you don't want to miss is the Pisco...

I have been a regular at the original Q'ero Restaurant in downtown Encinitas. Their second restaurant, the Casa de Q'ero is much more spacious and has a unique style, a mixture of Spanish and Peruvian influence. We ate recently on a Tuesday night and enjoyed...

Excellent food it a bit pricey but good I had the lomo saltado I highly recommend it. The sangria was also very good 0000000

If you only visit one restaurant in Encinitas, make this the one. Make reservations and do it. This is Peruvian food at its finest. The service is top notch and the food...let's just say I've eaten at Michelin and Zagat rated restaurants in over 50...

Delicious! Had the sangria, roasted beet salad, and the pork shank. Nice spice, good flavor, excellent service, and great ambiance.

This is related to the El Q'ero on Coast Hwy. It is a bit fancier and twice as large. The menu is pretty similar, and a bit more expensive. Everything is good. It is good to take tapas to share in a large group of...

The service was great and the staff were extremely friendly and the decor is beautiful and very authentic. However I was disappointed with the food quality it was good but not great and I felt it was overrated and not worth the high price I...

Classic Peruvian cuisine executed with flourish. The house made Empanadas are baked to perfection. The Aji de Gallina is prepared with a creamy delicious Amarillo sauce. The restaurant also features a superb selection of South American wines.

As we were exploring Encinitas, we happened across El Q'ero, a Peruvian restaurant. The ambiance was cozy, warm, and artistic, with interesting paintings to look at. Although it is a small space, it is very colorful and inviting. The service was excellent, and the mother-daughter...

I really like this place! I've had them cater evens at my house and its always a hit. The warm Q'ero salad is a must. They don't serve hard alcohol, but have beer and wine. Must try for something different!

We booked a Friday night table at El Q'ero whilst staying in Encinitas and we were impressed with the quality of the food. The squid starter was absolutely amazing and would highly recommend if you enjoy seafood. We had traditional Peruvian main courses which were...

Peruvian food is now near the top of my list of favorite foods. Family owned restaurant, the recipes are true recipes from Peru, the owners and staff are wonderful, welcoming and informative.

My wife and I are very fond of this restaurant. The food is remarkable and always well served by the competent and informed wait staff. The sea bass and lamb shank on this visit were excellent. The scallops appetizer was also excellent. But, just like...

New favorite place by the house. The pork shank was rediculous good

This is a marvelous experience and it is some of the most delicious and different food in the San Diego area. Each dish we had (we had 4 appetizers and three entree's) was a special treat and a feast for the eye and the mouth....

Incredibly delicious food and impeccable service. The only reason I can't give it a five star rating is that it is so noisy that it is difficult to hear the conversation of your table mates without having to having to talk loudly which takes away...