Eqeko Peruvian Tapas

Very good Peruvian cuisine! Makes me feel like I’m back in Peru. Delicious food, good drinks, and great service. I would definitely suggest coming here to anyone interested in trying Peruvian food. As well as anyone who is Peruvian wanting to try some great food from home.

I went to this restaurant last night for the first time. All I have to say is «Wow! What a Gem «. Loved the restaurant décor, loved the ambiance & the music. The food was absolutely amazing & so were the drinks. The staff was super nice and the service was excellent. I’m definitely going back there again & telling my friends about it. I highly recommend this place. 5 Stars all the way.

Took my girl here and I must say it was a really nice place. Very cozy, romantic restaurant to definitely take someone you care about or anyone in general if you would like.
My rating is broken down in two. This was my first time having Peruvian food. The lomo saltado was soooo good. It is basically steak sautéed in a pan with tomatoes and onions and soy sauce served with rice. The chicken fried rice was really good too. Also had the ocopa which is sliced potatoes topped with a Peruvian green sauce made with aji Amarillo, peanuts, shrimp, Andean huacatay, and cheese served with a boiled egg. The food I would give 5 stars.
The sangria I would give 4 stars. Pretty good but not the greatest.
Overall really great food and romantic environment… had a really great time taking my girl here!

What a wonderful Find! For a Peruvian (born and raised) to find a good Peruvian restaurant is like finding a needle on a haystack… Eqeko is the haystack :) the only Peruvian Restaurants that have made it to my list are Paiche (Marina delRey), Picca (West LA), La Mar (San Francisco) and now Eqeko…
Ceviche de pescado: tasted like Peruvian ceviche, the authentic ceviche from Lima…
Lomo Saltado: I liked it and that’s a compliment :)

Came here on a Friday night with the bf. We didnt have a reservtion but they were able to seat us right away.
We started off with the sangria (tasty!) and a peruvian beer (meh).
We ended up ordering cebiche mixto, quinoa salad, empanadas, and lomo saltado.
I really liked the cebiche mixto (although bf thought it was too acidic) and quinoa salad. The empanadas were good too; they are smaller and less oily than most ive had.
The lomo saltado was disappointing. This is the dish i order at every peruvian restaurant and this did not come up to par. The beef was overcooked and chewy and the sauce was like soy sauce almost. The whole dish didn’t feel cohesive; i felt like the tomatoes were cooked separate from the onions, which were cooked separate from the beef, etc. Its disappointing that this staple dish was not a highlight. The «fries» were good tho.
The service was great and the atmosphete was nice. Good for a date night.
Mindy says: will come back but will not order the lomo saltado.

Great food! I really enjoyed everything we ate.
However, they wouldn’t give my vegetarian girlfriend a side of rice, let alone make any sort of accommodations for her diet. I’m over that kind of pretentious nonsense.
Also, live music in such a small place is torture.

Through the brick outside and the dark black door, you’re put into a nice dark intimate atmosphere. One thing that I disliked about the Eqeko was the seating arrangement. Benches along the wall and the square stools were uncomfortable.
With the food, it was a hit and miss. My girlfriend and I decided to go away from the staples and pick what was unique. The unique dishes (fried rice, breaded seafood) just didn’t hit the spot. What did were the potatoes & potato croquette with meat. If I were to bet on it, the empanadas and skirt steak would probably be a knock out as well.
So while the small menu may make you want to try something new, I’d highly suggest against it, especially for the size & price. 4 dishes for 2 people small tapas style added up quickly. Brunch skyrocketed to dinner pricing.

Great little tapas Peruvian place. Cool vibes. Great service. Amazing fresh ceviche and tummy empanadas. The potatoes were so good. Limo Soltado so good, just a bit on salty side but the French fries in it were a perfect crisp consistency. The fries were best I’ve ever had in that dish anywhere.
With the open door plan I want to try lunch here on a pretty day

I came to this little gem in Downtown Santa Ana for one or their closed private dinners. Being very familiar with Peruvian food, I would really define their menu more as Peruvian «New Age.»
The décor, the ambiance and the food was amazing, nothing really to complain here. The only reason why I do not give them 5 starts is because their staff, even though they were really nice, were extremely slow. 15 min to get a glass of water, 30 min to get our dinner. We were about to walk out when finally, after 20 min, they brought our dessert. But once again, in spite of the slow service, we had a great time.
If you love classic Peruvian food but you are looking for that new twist to it, you should definitely try this place.

This was our 2^nd time here. The first time we came here, they had just opened and quite busy! We ordered the paella, sliders and empanadas. The food was amazing, the service was great and we were quite impressed! They’re located in DTSA (downtown Santa Ana), but not on one of the main streets. They have a beautiful outside brick set-​up. Inside, it’s slightly dark and cozy. Music is a bit loud and could be turned down to have better conversations.
The 2^nd time we came here, we were one of the first ones there at 5pm on a Friday night. Our 1^st waitress was not very good. There was only one other group there, and she was extremely slow and not very customer-​service oriented. I can’t imagine how she’d respond to a busy restaurant! She left shortly after we arrived, and we got a new waitress who was much more responsive and customer service oriented. The food came out in a timely fashion, and she made sure that our glasses were filled and our food was good.
Note: happy hour is for drinks only. $ 5 glass of wine and $ 3 beer from 3−7pm. The wine was excellent and the pours were generous. There are no discounts for food. On our 2^nd visit, we ordered the paella and the lomo saltado. The paella was very tasty, just as we had remembered it, although a bit smaller in portion from the first time we went. The lomo saltado was different in that there were no French fries or potatoes in it. It was also served separately from the rice. It was very tasty though.
Parking is hard to find. Street parking or the parking garage nearby, which is reasonable in cost — $ 1 per hour.
Overall, I’d come back again but it’s not a place that I would regularly frequent. I’d give it 3.5 stars but since I can’t give half stars, I’ll round it up to 4 stars just based on the flavor/​food.

Overall, great experience. Smaller, intimate space so there was a 20 minute wait on a Friday night. The seating was a bit awkward — I was sitting on a giant ottoman. They had small portions of everything and everything but the chicken skin sliders were good. Nothing really stood out to me though. Their sangria was a bit watered down as well.
By the way, an Eqeko is a small traveling man in Peru.

So glad to have found this gem. Came here for lunch yesterday. It was rather quiet for a weekend. We decided to sit outside, even though it was a little chilly. They have a cute back patio area with just a few tables.
Arroz con Mariscos a la Nortena (seafood paella): I loved this dish. Great flavor and decent amount of seafood. I really liked the fish they used in this dish. Very tender and added great flavor to the paella.
Lomo Saltado (steak and fries): Your typical peruvian dish. The beef they used was tender and juicy. A little salty for my taste, but they give you a small scoop of rice to eat with it. Overall, a good dish.
Pollo Sliders: Served on weekends only! Chicken sliders had a nice mix of flavors. I loved their green sauce that they use for the sliders. The boyfriend really liked this dish. Probably his favorite of the three.
Prices range from around $ 7-​$ 15 a plate. They are smaller portions, but are meant to be shared. I love tapas for this reason! You can try so many different plates instead of eating just one entrée for the night.
Definitely would recommend this place to friends and will be going back soon!

Its was almost TS2, but certainly lunes mediocre (Mediocre Mon)!!!
I saw several yf’s reviews of this new Peruvian place in DT Santa Ana, so I suggested to my pal Van D that we come here (don’t listen to me next time, Van! — LOL). The last time we went to a place neither of us had been to (Submarine Crab), it was a disasTSTer. We were due for a good place. Equeko is on 3^rd and Broadway in DTSA, diagonally across from previously reviewed, Chapter One.
We ordered the cebiche mixto ($ 11), empanadas ($ 7), Peruvian paella ($ 11), tacu tacu ($ 11 | bean and rice patty topped w/​fried egg), lomo saltado ($ 11), and flan ($ 4.50).
First of all, the cebiche was really sour. I have had this dish at numerous places, and this was the most sour version: 2 Stars. On the other hand, the empanadas were good. They had nice flavor in the fillings, and weren’t greasy. However, they were not as good as Puerto Madero in SA, or Empanadas Place in CM: 3 Stars. Unfortunately, the next set of dishes (paella, tacu tacu & lomo saltado), were too salty. They were so salty that we told the waitress when she asked how we were doing: All 2 Stars. Lastly, the flan was very good. It was a little denser compared to most Latin flans. I prefer a denser flan because that is how my late Mother used to make it: 4 Stars.
Our waitress Marina was very nice. However, when she brought the check there were three items on the check we did not receive. The manager/​owner did comp all our food because of the flavor issues, although we insisted upon paying. Nonetheless, he did question whether we know Peruvian food (not cool). In addition, he asked us why we ordered so much. Doh, we wanted to try your food! But werd: You are a new restaurant. Take the feedback constructively, and don’t be defensive about your cuisine: 4 Stars for Marina, 1 Star for manager/​owner. The ambiance is quaint and looks like a Latin American tavern. However, typical Peruvian apps were absent from the menu like anticuchos, or an octopus dish: 3 Stars.
Despite us being comped on the food, I would not return. This place would have been an TS2 w/​o the comp. Most of the food wasn’t good, the manager/​owner was rude (I have been to Peru, and eaten locally at Picca, Mo Chica, El Rocoto, Marios, Los Balcones, Inka Cantina, and Casa Inka). I’m prolly not a Peruvian food expert, but IMHO I know good food when I taste it. I did not taste good food at Eqeko. I was so unsatisfied gastronomically, I stopped by Wienerschnitzel on the way home.

No Makonnen here: Eqeko was deserted at 6:30 on a Tuesday. I really like the layout of the restaurant, and it would make for a really warm and cozy environment if anyone at all were also dining there, but such was not the case when I went. Service was appropriately attentive and helpful in guiding us through the menu, but the dishes left quite a bit to be desired. We split four dishes and had the HH sangria.
–Cebiche: you gotta start asking questions when a cebiche is this acidic. Freshness concerns aside, it was pretty one-​note in flavor.
–Empanadas: solid empanadas, but they don’t keep me up at night wanting more.
–Arroz con mariscos: rice was flavorful, but the shrimp were very nondescript.
–Lomo saltado: who doesn’t like their beef overcooked?
–Sangria: they add cinnamon, which, if you like cinnamon, you’ll like it. I did, but the amount of ice here both diluted the drink quickly and made it hard to drink without borrowing a straw from our water cups.
I had high hopes for the food, especially since we had the kitchen’s undivided attention, but when I’m putting work in on a weekend, I won’t be looking back on this and think how we had Eqeko going up.

Came with rezzies around 6:30 on a Tuesday (turnin up on a Tuesday) but it was quite empty! The friendly waitress, Marina gave us the rundown of the popular dishes and we ended up picking most of them:
–cebiche mixto
–arroz con mariscos
–empanadas
–lomo saltado
–sangria
I was so, so, so disappointed with everything. The cebiche was far from fresh and we ended up leaving half of it. The arroz con mariscos was flavorful, but it’s something that can easily be made and there was nothing mouthwatering about it. The lomo saltado beef was WAY overdone and the fries were pathetic.
Empanadas were wonderful, however, and I could have eaten those all day. That’s the only reason for the 2 stars; otherwise this place is a total bust. Even the sangria was difficult to finish. Little tip-​easy on the ice.

3.5
Prepare to share or go somewhere else… you’ll find yourself miserable at Eqeko if you pull a Joey from Friends here.
Ranked from most favorite to least:
— jalea (weekend only) — reasonably priced and tasty app, who can object with fried food
— paella /​tacu tacu (tie) — these ended up being similar to me, just one had more of a mushy texture
— lomo saltado — good
— flan-​like dessert that isn’t flan; I don’t like flan, but this was good
— mussels — too many flavors, too many textures going on in this… I just wanted to taste the mussel
— chicharon sliders (weekend only) — super dry… wah
Small, intimate place… though I was in a party of 7 and the other table a party of 12… the rest of the joint were pairs of guests so reservations are definitely recommended.
I understand that when you make reservations, likely a party will be coming in after you. What I would have appreciated was a gentle reminder that a table was on its way in about 10 – 15 minutes before they arrive… otherwise, we would be able to cut out the «you’re going to leave… like right now» awkwardness.
Super sad they didn’t have Cusquena available that night (ran out)… that might have brightened up my entire visit here.

TAPAS
(3.75 STARS)
Peruvian food in tapa portions.
One of my favorite types of food outside my own ethnic background would be Peruvian. Eqeko caught my attention when they added «tapas». If you’ve been to a very good Peruvian restaurant you know the portions are quite heavy and having tapa portions would be a great experience to taste several dishes in one sit serving. I’m a fan of tapa portions but I was not a fan of the price. They suggest 3 orders per person to feel full, I actually had 2 orders to fulfill my appetite.
CEBICHE MIXTRO ($ 11) — fresh fish, shrimp and calamari marinated in a fresh lime, aji rococo, garlic and ginger sauce. Topped with Julienned red onion, minced cilantro, choclo, sweet potato and cancha. I love Peruvian Cebiche, its infused with amazing flavor when marinated well. The seafood was fresh! I didn’t really enjoy the calamari as it was the huge cuttlefish they use instead of the smaller squid. After eating half of it the ahi rococo flavor was getting stronger towards the bottom and the acidity from the red onion and fresh lime was so strong i had to try and find ways to shack off the juices off of the seafood before eating it. Overall it was till good but a little strong with acidity.
LOMO SALTADO ($ 11) — Steak sautéed with red onion, tomatoes, seasoned with soy sauce and served with rice. I’ll be honest… it was decent. For those who haven’t had Peruvian or haven’t ate it enough to really know the ins and outs, you’d probably really love this dish. Usually when you eat this, all the flavors compliment each other and you can taste everything even if you are just eating the steak. At this place the steak felt separated from the other flavors. I didn’t taste the onions and tomatoes when i ate the steak, i had to incorporate a piece of onion and tomato with the steak to get that «lomo saltado» flavor that I know. There were barely any fries and this dish is known to have a good amount of fries. Yes, the portion is small but it was filling yet it was not worth the $ 11.
I love Peruvian food and want to come back to try the other dishes and compare it to what I know as good Peruvian food.
Until the next review…

A bunch of my gfs and I came here to start our GNO and it was a lovely experience. They were able to take our last minute dinner reservation no problem. There was live music and the ambiance was soft and romantic with a nice outdoor patio. We ordered a little of everything on the menu. My favorites were ceviche, lomo saltado, and arroz chaufa de mariscos.
I want to come back soon!

Cozy, not too crowded, restaurant right around the corner from the busier DTSA restaurants. Great atmosphere perfectly setup for a tapas style restaurant – music not too loud, lighting not too dim, and lots of open space.
Very reasonable $ 10 corking fee. Wine specials on Wednesday.
Use the cerviche juice on the paella-​like rice.

DTSA’ options keep getting better and better in the culinary arts and Eqeko Peruvian Tapas is yet another arrow in the quiver for Santa Ana’s food scene.
The interior of this restaurant is an absolutely perfect backdrop for the vibe of what the kitchen is doing. You would be forgiven for thinking you were actually in some old world gastropub in Líma, Peru. Barren and weathered walls, a vintage and heavy looking wooden door along with exposed conduit running up the brick and mortar to the light boxes really sets off the ambiance. The wait staff picks up where the environs leave off; warm, inviting and professional. This is a true Tapas bar, so expect small plates to be shared and 2 plates per person will be appropriate to get enough variety.
Let’s face it, when you think Peruvian you think Ceviche and if they cannot get that right nothing else matters. Eqeko may very well have the best in Orange County. Gorgeous chunks of fresh-​from-​the-​ocean fish, octopus and shrimp are tossed with a fiery, bright and summery lime juice concoction and served with fried corn kernels, gigantic pieces of Peruvian Corn and pieces of sweet potato in a (almost too) spicy dish that is both bold and subtle at the same time. I am not joking, this has to be the best Ceviche in OC if not all of SoCal.
Another inspired selection is the Choritos a la Chalaca. A simple but elegant number featuring four Green mussels topped with their «Salsa Chalaca»; a mixture of fresh tomato, red onion and more of that wonderful oversized corn. Perfectly executed.
I eyed no fewer than five other Tapas plates that I intend on exploring as soon as possible so you can count on a review update. Until then, Eqeko Peruvian Tapas is yet another fantastic option in the what is now becoming a world class restaurant arena here in the heart of OC.
Run out and tell a friend.