Casa Inka

Service horrible. But the server, definitely cute. I dig…
Aside from that, the food was great. I just think they need to work on their service. They weren’t very attentive forca place that wasn’t so busy. They also got our order wrong and took forever to give us our food.
I’LL still come back though

Understaffed. Service is beyond slow and food takes awhile. Other than that, it’s a hit or miss with the food. The meat can be tough for the lomo saltado sometimes. I enjoy the empanadas and some of the other appetizers. The desserts here are really really good.
There is not an abundance of choices of Peruvian restaurants to choose from in Orange County. This one is just convenient from home and just okay.

Hadn’t been here for about a year and they’ve changed chefs and have a new menu since. Not impressed.
They had less seafood selection but had Arroz con Marisol, which I ordered. No seafood flavor what so ever. Like as if the seafood was steamed or boiled along with all the flavor, then tossed with rice and other seasonings. Disappointed as I order a mixed seafood dish for the flavor of the seafood.
Hubby and daughter ordered tallarin al pesto with steak. Flavor was there but he pasta was over cooked and so was pasty. Steak was good. My other daughter ordered their number 1 seller, Lomo Saltado, which she enjoyed.

The was amazing and the portions are huge if you order the family meal be prepared to eat a lot of food. Everything was cooked pefect

I just love South American cuisine, Argentinian, Brazilian and especially Peruvian because of the blending of Chinese wok cooking to their already amazing BBQ style. I had tried every Cuban and South American restaurants in Miami Beach on my recent vacation but none was as good as what I can get right here at home at Casa Inka. I had come here since their grand opening many years ago.
For a while, they were not doing great and I was worried they might close but then, they introduced a happy hour daily Monday to Friday with every appetizer half priced, that was a brilliant move that put them ahead of their competitors as many only had ½ priced for SELECTED appetizers. At first I was not so interested because they did not have a liquor license and the margaritas made with wine just just completely tasteless to me. Then once they got their liquor license, we were regulars.
Here is the tip: request fresh lime for the margarita, Andrew, the talented bartender would be happy to comply, he made the best margarita in the US, I still could not believe it tasted as good as what I had in Acapulco, Huatulco, actually better than in Cabo San Lucas, Cabo was too Americanized, they used the nasty mix that left a terrible after taste just to save time as the Mexican lime was dirt cheap to use.
Yesterday was the 1^st time I ordered a mojito, nobody made it better than Casa Inka, I was in Little Havana and I was so disappointed I got ripped off, $ 15 + outrageous socialist taxes and it was horrible, it sure looked good with the delicious sugar cane stick perching on the top of the glass but I could not drink it.
OK, enough with the booze, here are the delicious apps and entrees:
1) Antecuchos del mar, 2 kebab sticks of perfectly grilled shrimp, fish, onions and peppers with 2 heavenly tasting sauces.
2) Empanadas, I chose 1 with beef and 1 with chicken, both were yummy.
3) Papa relleno, a huge stuffed potato.
4) Jalea, at ½ price, it was cheap $ 7.50, a huge plate of fried seafood with fresh vinaigrette onions.
What distinguished Peruvian from other South American cuisine was that they had the tasty spicy green sauce and the hotter orange sauce. Each of their app also came with their own special sauce. The Argentinian and Brazilian only had chimichurri sauce that I did not like it too much.
We usually had the entrée, specialty of the house, the famous lomo saltado or the last time we had the TALLARIN SALTADO, same taste as the Lomo saltado but with spaghetti instead of rice. The phenomenal flavor of the Lomo saltado came from the wok fired cooking, the flame licking the food in the wok giving it the flambé taste that was uniquely associated with Chinese cooking but now incorporated into the Peruvian cuisine. They also used soy sauce and a lot of onion, you could smell the flambé heavenly smell drifting from the kitchen.
On other occasion, I ordered their Arroz con Mariscos, which is their Peruvian version of Paella Valenciana, it was a huge entrée, you better be hungry to order this, in fact I cannot wait to go back there to have this amazing paella.
I had to cancel my South American trip this year because of the earthquake in Chile and the Zika danger, my previous trip there did not include Peru but now with Casa Inka getting much better, there is no more yearning to go anywhere, it’s right here at home!
If you want a phenomenal dinner that would knock your socks off, come to Casa Inka and you will have the time of your life! It’s a perfect 5 stars restaurant, I will go a step further, this is a MICHELIN RESTAURANT!

Delicious Cuban food. Their famous beef dish (pictured below) reminded me of the Vietnamese shaken beef. The mahi fish dish was full of flavor and spices. Their two bread dips were also very good as well.

It’s interesting how I stumbled upon this place and it happened by pure chance. Originally, my brother and I were headed out to get Italian, but when we arrived to the restaurant and saw it, we walked right out. It wasn’t the vibe that we were feeling, so a quick search on Unilocal lead us to Casa Inka.
We were seated within minutes and we settled on some drinks ahead of ordering. The passion fruit whiskey sour made with Makers Mark, muddled lime, orange & homemade sour mix and passion fruit syrup was a recommendation per the server. It tasted amazing and something I would come back for! My brother went with the Peruvian Mule, which was simple with Pisco Porton, lime juice and ginger beer.
Since my brother has been to Peru before, he wanted to get the Anticuchos de Corazon to start. Skewered and grilled to a nice char with Anticuchera sauce, the dish was served with Peruvian corn, yellow potato and rocoto aioli. I’m addicted to the rocoto aioli sauce, which delivered a nice heat to the beef heart. Also native to Peru is Cusquena beer, which the bro ordered out of nostalgia for round 2 on drinks.
Since I was unable to satisfy my craving for pasta, Peruvian pasta will do. Got the Fettucine a la Huancaina and Lomo Saltado. The noodles were tossed in the papa a la huancaina sauce and then topped with lomo saltado. Literally, the best of both worlds. The beef was a tad on the overcooked/​dry side, but the dish was incredibly filling and I took a bit more than half home. So much food for me!
Bro went rogue and got the Aji de Gallina, which comprised of shredded chicken tossed in yellow pepper, cheese, garlic and a walnut cream reduction. Served with white rice, a hard boiled egg and olives. He said it basically tasted like cheesy chicken and rice, but he cleared the plate. Well, I guess it was more than okay.
There were a few favorites that I would return for, such as that lovely rocoto aioli sauce to put on everything and the Passion Fruit Whiskey Sour. As for food, the anticuchos would be a great starter, but haven’t found an entrée to return for. That just means I have to come back soon. :)

Service is slow but the food here is amazing.
I’ve only heard great things about Lomo Saltado and I’m glad that I had my first try of Peruvian food here.
Friends ordered the Lomo Saltado with a fried egg on top which looked bomb. I prefer pasta over rice so I got the fettuccini huancaina Lomo Saltado. The huancaina sauce on my dish was the same as the orange dipping sauce for the bread, but without the kick. It was bomb! I honestly think you can order anything on the menu here and enjoy it.
Try this place out! Just keep in mind you might be here for 2 hours due to slow service.
Review #11 of 2016

Everything about this place was the bomb. They start you off with the most delicious bread. Lightly brushed with garlic and oil with the flakiest crust. So fresh, it must be made in house. I had the tacu tacu with beef. The bean rice mixture was very good and my meat was cooked perfectly. Tried the ice cream and brought home a dozen cookies as well as an empenada for my mother. Opened the box when I got home and it smelled devine. Can’t wait until she wakes up so I can try it. The staff were very friendly. It seemed like there were only three of them but they did a great job. Our waitress even offered to split our bill. Most restaurants give you a hard time if you ask to split the bill. From all of the great reviews I was surprised that the place want packed! I would definitely go back again.

Casa Inka, why do you continue to disappoint me? It’s been a while since I’ve last dined here since my previous experience was less than agreeable. This past weekend, my sister and I thought «well, it’s been awhile, let’s give them another shot». I really want to like this place because I have to admit that the food was good. It’s just hard to be a patron at a restaurant that obviously doesn’t strive to give service excellence.
My family and I walked in at just after 1PM on a Sunday, and the restaurant was half empty. We were told that we’d still have to wait 15 – 20 minutes for a table, so I put my name down and patiently waited in their lobby. I just assumed that they were understaffed and that was why they couldn’t seat us right away. No big deal. However, another group comes in with a party size exactly the same as ours, signs their name in and the hostess tells them the same thing, there’s a wait. No one is mad, it’s no big deal really. But 15 minutes passed, then 20, then someone comes and seats the other party (who came in after us and were quoted the same wait time). We’re still sitting there, so finally we ask «um…why did that table get seated before us and we’re the same party size?» The hostess looks confused and just walks off. No apologies, nothing. We’re left standing there with no explanation of what happened. After about 5 minutes we realize that this is ridiculous and we leave.
The restaurant was half empty, and they have no concept of what good customer service should be. If you make a mistake, I’m not going to be mad if you offer an apology and a good explanation. Like I said before, it’s no big deal. But the lack of customer service is what really irks me. There are better places with equally good food and far better service. On my previous post, the manager had commented and asked me to give them a second chance (but it looks like that comment is gone) I did, and nothing has changed. Sorry, but we won’t be dining here anymore.

If you want terrible service, come here. The first time I came here was almost 2 years ago. It was for my sister’s bf’s birthday, and she made a reservation. She even called the day before to confirm the reservation. We get there and it’s a hot mess. Half of us are seated, and half of us are awkwardly standing around as they seated a different party at one of our tables.
We decided to try this place again yesterday, as the food was pretty dang good the 1^st time. We walk in at around 1pm on a Sunday, and the restaurant is half empty, but are told that there will be about a 15 minute wait. Maybe they were understaffed, who knows. So we wait, and wait, and another group comes in and are told to wait as well. Then all of a sudden, they get seated before us, and the group is just as large as ours! what the heck!
So we go up and ask the hostess why they were seated first, and she didn’t have an answer, just seemed confused like «oh, you’re a party of 6 too?» why, yes we are! It didn’t seem like they had a reservation or anything. They even wrote our name and party size down! Way to keep track of things! After that, we just left. Bad service, ²⁄₂ times, we’re done. After, we just went to Inka Cantina on Brookhurst. The service was great and the food was amazing!

They have good lunch special.
We love love their fried rice here and Papa Rellena is my favorite appetizer.

I have been looking for a bueno Peruvian restaurant in OC. This is the only spot that I’ve tried. Very few and limited in my area. I stumbled on this location on my drive to work. Located on Warner Ave a ½ mile from Beach Blvd. They are open for lunch!
The hostess is always friendly. The lighting inside makes it feel welcoming and cozy. I like the ethnic décor when you walk through the door.
The food was good. I had the Lomo Saltado. Yes, it’s very typical. But, they are known for this dish. The beef was very tender and full of flavor. It had the perfect ratio of meat and potatoes. Must add the green sauce. Kinda spicy but so delicious with any entrée. Especially as a dip for the complimentary bread.
I would definitely come back to try other dishes. Fist pump for yummy food and great service!

GREAT GREAT service as usual. Irene our server was more than accommodating and was always aware of all our needs. The aji verde sauce (green) here is second to none and has a nice fierce kick. The drinks and bread basket kept filling themselves.
The Lomo Saltado carried its weight with tons of delicious flavors. My only complaint would be that the steak was a little tougher than usual.
I have been coming here for years and will continue to, because of the great people and service.
Añay Ah-​nyahy!!!

If Casa Inka stopped serving everything on the menu and only offered their Tacu-​Tacu, it would be enough reason to keep me coming back. Considered a Peruvian side-​dish, Tacu-​Tacu is filling enough to be a meal in itself. It’s made out of a mixture of beans and rice, which is fried to develop a crisp, browned crust and served in the shape of a pancake. It’s typically topped with meat (chicken or beef) and a fried egg. It sounds so simple, but it’s so delicious! Definitely a must-​try! I usually go with the Lomo Saltado for the meat topping. It’s tender, juicy and flavorful.
While waiting for my entrée, the complementary garlic bread and two Aji dipping sauces (orange & green) are nice treat. I believe they bake their own bread because it tastes fresh, but don’t quote me ’cause I haven’t confirmed. The empanadas (both chicken & beef) are good for starters!
The restaurant has a full bar with some interesting mixed drink options to choose from. They offer a Happy Hour Mon-​Fri from 4:00pm-7:00pm, which includes ½ off appetizers and $ 2.00 beers. On a few occasions during dinner time, they’ve had a live band playing Peruvian music.
Service is friendly and attentive and most (if not all) of the servers know the menu really well, so if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask, as they’re always willing and happy to give suggestions. The restaurant is spacious with plenty of tables for both small and big parties – we’ve never had to wait for a table. They share a parking lot with neighboring businesses, but there’s plenty of spaces so it’s never been an issue. Overall, I recommend Casa Inka if you’re in the mood for Peruvian cuisine.

I can’t decide which is better the food, the drinks or the service.
The pisco sour is delicious. Even better then the ones I’ve had in Peru.
The menu has many of your Peruvian favorites and even more options on steroids. The recipes are magnificent!
Thank you Andrew for an amazing dining experience!

AMAZING!!! Everyone must eat here! If there’s a chili pepper next to the item on the menu, it really is spicy! Absolutely delicious!
Beyond the food, the service is great and the atmosphere really emphasizes the Peruvian culture.
This place is great for date night or lunch with friends. It’s a must try!

I came here for dinner with my girlfriends. This place was pretty big with lots of tables. Took some time for the hostess to acknowledge us even though they were not busy.
We ordered the following dishes:
*Tallarin al Pesto — The pesto and pasta was good but the steak was just a little bit dry.
*Tacu Tacu al Lomo Saltado — Very tasty!
*Arroz con Mariscos — Yummy paella! Big portions!
*Passion Fruit Crème Brulee — Recommended by the waiter and was really good too!
We also ordered drinks and the drinks were perfect and not too strong.
Free parking was easy to find in the plaza.

I dropped by here again, but this time w/​someone who didn’t mind if I took pics. Casa Inka is on Warner, West of Magnolia in Fountain Valley. They compete directly w/​previously reviewed Inka Cantina, also in Fountain Valley.
To start, we were given complimentary bread w/​aji verde and salsa huancaína. To drink, we ordered a 2013 Trivento Malbec from Argentina ($ 26).
For appetizers, my friend and I ordered the ceviche mixto ($ 15 — fish, calamari, shrimp, scallops & baby octopus), and the anticuchos de corazon ($ 4.50 — beef hearts on skewers [$ 2 off HH]). For our entrees, he ordered chaufa (fried rice) w/​beef & chicken ($ 14 — no pic), and I ordered arroz con mariscos ($ 20 — mussels, shrimp & calamari.
First of all, the bread was stale. However, the sauces were very good, and the huancaína was nice and spicy: 2 Stars on the bread and 4 Stars on the sauces. Secondarily, the wine paired well w/​the seafood & meat we ordered, and was priced nicely: 4 Stars.
Thirdly, the ceviche was very good. The seafood was fresh, and there was plenty of it. Nonetheless, it was not as good as previously reviewed El Rocoto in Gardena, because the sauce was not as good: 4 Stars. Unfortunately, the anticuchos were not as good as the ceviche. The meat was tough, and they were not seasoned well: 2 Stars. My friend liked his chaufa. However, he has not had much Peruvian food in the past, so I’ll rate this dish average: 3 Stars. Lastly, my dish was average. The flavor was good, but the mussels and shrimp were slightly overcooked: 3 Stars.
The service from Alanna our waitress was excellent. She was super nice, very patient (my friend has only had pollo asado at Peruvian restaurants, and he couldn’t decide), and she was very attentive: 5 Stars. Regarding the ambiance, its kinda cheesy, but it fits for HB: 3 Stars.
I might return here for beer (half off HH), and the ceviche. However, if I want an entrée, I’d rather go to Inka Cantina where the food is better IMHO.

Wow — it has been 5 years since I last wrote a review for this place. Well, I keep on going back here on and off and I can say that food quality is going up and up!
I had my usual lomo saltado and meat was so juicy, tender and flavorful! I did not want this bliss to end! seriously! My husband had seco (marinated beef braised & slow roasted in cilantro reduction) and it was sooo yummy, too!
Pre-​meal bread that they serve is little barlic bread that’s nice and crispy — comes with green and yellow sauce. We could not just have one basket :0 because it was sooo good!
For dessert, we got leche asada which is peruvian custard. This was sooo good!
They had a nice live music during our dinner time, too. Highly recommended place to satisfy your Peruvian food craving!