El Mono

I’m so proud to see how far El Mono has come along! The business owners are extremely caring and really makes sure all customers leave with a smile on their food with amazing delicious Peruvian food, as well as stellar customer service! The vibes inside is very cozy greeted with warm welcomes from the family owned business. You gotta check out this new location in Berkeley, it has a more modern feel to it. My favorite dishes were EVERYTHING: Papa a la huancaina, the Trio De Antojitos, Super Mariscos (Peruvian Paella), and their Mono Burger is by far the BEST burger I’ve ever had! Sooooooo juicy 😍

I order Lomo saltado lunch soup and fresh water called maracuya drink because they are so good I like lomo saltado and maracuya is good! 😊 Pablo is a real boy like Pinocchio he’s a good boy!

Got the trio de Mar and the lemon tasting spices they used were fresh and on point, tasted great. My lomo Saltado also tasted fresh and the spices/seasoning were in point. Decent portions on both and it was very tasty. Paella was also had a delicious tomato seasoning and was good with a generous amount.

Bryan R

Awesome lunch at the new west Berkeley location. Our server Christian was great and provided solid recommendations on their extensive menu. Ceviche was bomb, citrus forward with a little spice. Antonio's pescado al achiote was legit and cooked perfectly. The fries with the nina's meals were some of the best we've had in a long time. Will def come back next time I'm out here.

Bruce Moore

We’ve been regulars at El Mono in El Cerrito for years, and on our last visit, the owner’s daughter told us about their new Berkeley location on 4th Street (opened this past May). We decided to check it out—and we’re so glad we did. The Berkeley space is much more stylishly decorated than El Cerrito, bright and airy with lots of sunshine. We started with the aguadito de pollo—absolutely stunning, with a bold hit of cilantro and a perfectly balanced broth. For our main course, we couldn’t resist our usual favorite, the Super Mariscos: a whole fried seabass served over a nest of seafood paella. The bass was so fresh it tasted like it had just been caught that morning, and the paella was loaded with shrimp, clams, squid, and mussels—spice, heat, and salt in perfect harmony. At the staff's suggestion, we finished with the Crema Volteada—a silky flan infused with brandy, a spicy red wine reduction, and a toffee base. Literally cherries on top! Service was warm and charming, and the location—away from the main 4th Street hub—means there’s parking and none of the usual crowds. El Mono Berkeley is a fantastic addition to the neighborhood. We’ll definitely be back.

Clinton Tran

El Mono Fresh Flavors of Peru has opened this new location in Berkeley on fourth street. The food was great and the aji de gallina was prepared just perfect. Inside the restaurant is clean, fresh and also has a cozy feel. There is also a patio for outdoor seating for sunny days.

Green

Food was very good and the portions are good. They have outdoor seating so our dog was happy to come with us. The staff was very friendly. Totally would be coming back here again. Oh they also have propane gas tanks at the outdoor seating area so you are comfortable while eating if it's cold outside 😊 Also lots of parking 🅿️

Pablo Alexander Vazquez Camargo

I order Lomo saltado lunch soup and fresh water called maracuya drink because they are so good I like lomo saltado and maracuya is good! 😊 Pablo is a real boy like Pinocchio he’s a good boy!

Big poppa

Got the trio de Mar and the lemon tasting spices they used were fresh and on point, tasted great. My lomo Saltado also tasted fresh and the spices/seasoning were in point. Decent portions on both and it was very tasty. Paella was also had a delicious tomato seasoning and was good with a generous amount.

Erika Hardy

Had a great time at El Mono. Love their new location! Had an excellent Aji de Gallina and their drinks were delicious. Can't wait to try more of their menu.

Khris Sanchez

I’m so proud to see how far El Mono has come along! The business owners are extremely caring and really makes sure all customers leave with a smile on their food with amazing delicious Peruvian food, as well as stellar customer service! The vibes inside is very cozy greeted with warm welcomes from the family owned business. You gotta check out this new location in Berkeley, it has a more modern feel to it. My favorite dishes were EVERYTHING: Papa a la huancaina, the Trio De Antojitos, Super Mariscos (Peruvian Paella), and their Mono Burger is by far the BEST burger I’ve ever had! Sooooooo juicy 😍

alba mariño

Just visited the new location of El Mono in Berkeley and I’m so glad they’re here! The space is cozy and welcoming, and the food is just as amazing as ever. I had the lomo saltado and a ceviche mixto—both packed with flavor and super fresh. The staff were friendly and attentive, and you can tell they care about creating a great experience. If you’re craving authentic Peruvian food, this spot is a must-try! Welcome to Berkeley, El Mono—I’ll definitely be back soon!

Outrageously good! Matt got us seated right away and provided excellent service throughout the meal. We had the frito sampler appetizer and Poor Man’s steak- which was anything but poor. Both were phenomenal. We didn’t get dessert because we were too full but I haven’t eye on the alfajor for next time. it was an amazing culinary experience with Great ambiance. somehow they balance quality without being pretentious. Im excited to come back!

I love this restaurant! Matt has always been wonderful when we have dine here. My personal favorite dish is the Lomo Saltado with the Chicha drink. We've had more dishes and they have all been wonderful. Cute ambiance. Outdoor dining. Great location. Highly recommend 👌

Carter Lee-Millstein

Went to El Mono the other day and had a wonderful time. My server Bella was amazing, gave us great recommendations and was highly knowledgeable about the menu, how refreshing nowadays! As someone who hasn’t had a lot of peruvian food i wasn’t sure to expect but it was wonderful.

Margaret Pagaduan

I have not had Peruvian food this good since I went to Peru a few years back. The mixed ceviche is a must get. The flavors take me back to that time I spent in Lima and Cuzco. I usually come for lunch and share a ceviche with a friend in addition to our own lunch special- an entree with a soup or salad. Great deal! Good food, super warm and friendly staff!

Randall Dunevant

This location is a larger bright and beautiful space right off the freeway in Berkeley. Lots of parking and the service along with the food where excellent. The lamb shank dish was amazing!!! We'll definitely be coming back and I would recommend checking this place out for delicious Peruvian food. Great for kids or a date night.

Marjorie Cabrera

We had such a wonderful dining experience thanks to our waitress Desiree! She was warm, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed without ever feeling rushed. Her timing was perfect, she offered great recommendations, and her positive attitude made the whole meal even more enjoyable. It’s rare to get such genuine, thoughtful service, and Desiree truly went above and beyond. We’ll definitely be coming back, and hope to be seated in her section again!

We went to Peru over the summer so trying out local Peruvian restaurants and happy to have lunch here today. Still very new and a nice vibe. A great selection on their menu. I want to try more things on the menu, but the Paella was burnt on the bottom and had a strong smokey taste. Ceviche seemed to be in chunks and not easier to eat bite size pieces of fish that we are used to gettir. The yucca fries and the calamari were great. Excited to go back and try more options.

Naomi Renbarger

We went to Peru over the summer so trying out local Peruvian restaurants and happy to have lunch here today. Still very new and a nice vibe. A great selection on their menu. I want to try more things on the menu, but the Paella was burnt on the bottom and had a strong smokey taste. Ceviche seemed to be in chunks and not easier to eat bite size pieces of fish that we are used to gettir. The yucca fries and the calamari were great. Excited to go back and try more options.

Madelyn Clair

Mono is a beautiful restaurant in the industrial part of Gilman street … Close to the freeway. But they have decorated the inside very beautifully We ordered the chicken and string beans stirfry, Yucca fries, and a salad. The salad and the fries were excellent and fresh. The chicken was extremely overcooked… Hard… Dry. My partner usually settles for whatever the food is but even he only was able to choke down a few pieces. Because I had seen mixed reviews, I decided to help this place out and tell them the truth when they asked me how my meal was. Both my partner and gently, clearly and kindly said that the chicken was way overcooked… Too overcooked to eat…. S evidence by all the chicken leftover on our plate after bit of the rest of the meal have been consumed. He responded “thank you for telling me I really appreciate that“. The really odd part is that he never did anything about it. Did not even offer to replace the hard dry pieces of chicken still on our plate with moist and edible chicken. Instead, he said “we are a new restaurant. We are getting some things worked out.” we left hungry… Not understanding why he wouldn’t simply replace the dry chicken with some edible chicken. Oddly, as we walked out the door,, he said, see you again soon. (Why would he think we are going to come back When he didn’t even try to make the situation better?) Very odd

Food was great, hard to find peruvian food sometimes. The Yuca Frita appetizer came out with crispy fried cassava and servied with zesty rocoto chili aioli. The yuca fries were definitely double fried and came in thinner cuts/slices than I normally see. It was hot and fresh, went well with their aioli. The Lomo Saltado had a decent amount of tender meat and side of fries. It is a classic stir fry tender with angus beef, onions, tomatoes, crispy fries, and cilantro, tossed in a savory soy sauce served with garlic jasmine rice. Recommend passing on the Arroz Con Pool which has cilantro rice served with 1/4 pound rotiserrie chicken, marinated in herbs, spices, and zesty lime before wing roasted. The chicken was dry and wish it had more flavor to it. The herbs and spices seemed lacking on this dish and we ended up barely touching it. The paella was the best dish here. Looked like everyone was ordering the paella and for good reason. Highly recommend trying the selection of paella here and it's large so easy to share in groups of 2 or 4+! 1 dish per person seemed way more than enough for the table and not including the appetizer.

Andrew Suh

Food was great, hard to find peruvian food sometimes. The Yuca Frita appetizer came out with crispy fried cassava and servied with zesty rocoto chili aioli. The yuca fries were definitely double fried and came in thinner cuts/slices than I normally see. It was hot and fresh, went well with their aioli. The Lomo Saltado had a decent amount of tender meat and side of fries. It is a classic stir fry tender with angus beef, onions, tomatoes, crispy fries, and cilantro, tossed in a savory soy sauce served with garlic jasmine rice. Recommend passing on the Arroz Con Pool which has cilantro rice served with 1/4 pound rotiserrie chicken, marinated in herbs, spices, and zesty lime before wing roasted. The chicken was dry and wish it had more flavor to it. The herbs and spices seemed lacking on this dish and we ended up barely touching it. The paella was the best dish here. Looked like everyone was ordering the paella and for good reason. Highly recommend trying the selection of paella here and it's large so easy to share in groups of 2 or 4+! 1 dish per person seemed way more than enough for the table and not including the appetizer.

York Videos

I've been going to El Mono since opening day in El Cerrito. I since moved and am happy there is a Berkeley location. From day one, their internet presence seems upscale but almost every time I try to order, a timing problem occurs. Today, I couldn't order online because it was pushing orders to the next day. And since you close after lunch, it makes it hard to get an order for shortly after the 5pm opening. In the past, the orders always gave unreal timeframes and I would wait to leave for the pickup and then the order would pop up as ready 20 min early. Since I am 20 min from Berk and 30 min from El Cerrito, the estimates don't allow for an efficient pick up time. So while the website is nice, the background processing is not always best. Thant said, I love their paella and other dishes. The staff are always nice and courteous so no complaint there. I like the atmosphere at the newer Berkeley place. Much improvement over the old Gilman Grill.

Unfortunately, my first visit to El Mono was very disappointing. The octopus was extremely tough and tasted like it had been frozen for a long time. The meat dish was also very chewy and lacked freshness, it felt like previously frozen or low-quality cuts. Even the salad was underwhelming, not fresh and honestly less enjoyable than something store bought. The water served had an oily layer on top, which made me uncomfortable drinking it. I left feeling slightly sick afterward and regret trying it. I don’t know how this place got such high ratings…this experience was far from it.

The website and menu are very impressive and beautifully done! With that said, the staff was friendly but the service wasn't great. The wait times were long for everything. We sat at the table for 15-20 minutes before we were even offered water, and that pretty much set the pace for the rest of the experience. Everything from water to take out containers and finally paying the check we had to flag down the staff to get help for. We got the calamari as an appetizer, and to be honest, it was overcooked and rubbery, and we barely ate it. My fiancé ordered the Saltado de Camarones, which he really liked and finished his plate. I ordered the Peruvian Paella. It was a beautiful presentation, and the flavors were good, but again, the seafood was overcooked and rubbery. My stomach was upset once i got home and for the rest of the night. Maybe this isn't the greatest place to order sea food from. This restaurant is newly opened, so they may just be trying to find their flow still. I really wanted to love this place.

Vicky Wang

Unfortunately, my first visit to El Mono was very disappointing. The octopus was extremely tough and tasted like it had been frozen for a long time. The meat dish was also very chewy and lacked freshness, it felt like previously frozen or low-quality cuts. Even the salad was underwhelming, not fresh and honestly less enjoyable than something store bought. The water served had an oily layer on top, which made me uncomfortable drinking it. I left feeling slightly sick afterward and regret trying it. I don’t know how this place got such high ratings…this experience was far from it.

Brianna

The website and menu are very impressive and beautifully done! With that said, the staff was friendly but the service wasn't great. The wait times were long for everything. We sat at the table for 15-20 minutes before we were even offered water, and that pretty much set the pace for the rest of the experience. Everything from water to take out containers and finally paying the check we had to flag down the staff to get help for. We got the calamari as an appetizer, and to be honest, it was overcooked and rubbery, and we barely ate it. My fiancé ordered the Saltado de Camarones, which he really liked and finished his plate. I ordered the Peruvian Paella. It was a beautiful presentation, and the flavors were good, but again, the seafood was overcooked and rubbery. My stomach was upset once i got home and for the rest of the night. Maybe this isn't the greatest place to order sea food from. This restaurant is newly opened, so they may just be trying to find their flow still. I really wanted to love this place.

Expensive and bland. Not worth the price for quality and location. 26 dlls for a tiny piece of octopus with a very generic BBQ-like sauce, come on. We also waited more than usual for somebody to take our order. Honestly, you are better off at other places in the Bay Area.

Pedro Vicente

Expensive and bland. Not worth the price for quality and location. 26 dlls for a tiny piece of octopus with a very generic BBQ-like sauce, come on. We also waited more than usual for somebody to take our order. Honestly, you are better off at other places in the Bay Area.