Aji Peruvian Cuisine

We have been to Ajil five times. The happy hour deal is super. Happy hour meal portions and half price drinks Tuesday thru Thursday make for a great change of pace. The beer selection is awesome. The menu is quite unique with shrimp dishes, steak, fish and chicken.

The ahi tuna ceviche was delicious. The waitress suggested the Aji de gallina, which I was a little hesitant about, but ended up being very pleased! It was like a curry type dish which was not spicy at all. Will def be back!

I had the steak skirt and the tuna casuas. The food was so so. It was well presented but the taste was okay. The food was too oily for my taste, not spicy for the tuna, and not flavorful. 3 stars for presentation the presentation of the food. Service was good and place was clean.

Amazing food and excellent service! The Ceviche Nikkei is so fresh and so incredible, and you can’t go wrong with the Jalea. Honestly, everything on the menu is phenomenal. High quality and fresh ingredients and amazing service make for a phenomenal meal. Make sure you go!

Good food. A little on the lighter site spiced. But pretty authentic. Not very kids friendly. But for a nice dinner for two very recommendable.

Decided to try this place on a whim. It was a great choice for a Friday night dinner.
We were seated within a couple minutes of walking in and greeted by one of the most helpful waitresses we’ve ever had. She explained the dishes in great detail as the menu can be slightly confusing. The food was good quality overall, I can’t complain. We had a spicy ceviche, this mashed potato empanada thing, and a plate of fried seafood. They have different names obviously.
The atmosphere was nice, the food was good, and the price was right. Definitely worth checking out.

Great food and drinks. Fantastic atmosphere. Found the place after spending the day at the LB Aquarium. Wonderful place to unwind after a day with the family.

Great place! Loved the food, good service and prices were not too bad. I had the Causas Plater, which was one each of the four Causas they offer. A Causa is a chilled mash potato ball with something on top of it, like Ahi Tuna, Octopus, etc. the sampler was great! I had a Peruvian beer, Crystal, and finished of with a Picaron, which was very good (see description in photos.) I will return to try their other dishes. My only con was that you couldn’t hear any music, so I felt like I was taking a test…

Decided to try the happy hour yesterday. It’s a good Way of testing out the restaurant to see how good the quality of the food is, service and everything else without busting the bank.
The happy hour menu was disappointing. It didn’t give me a chance to figure out Aji Peruvian experience without needing to go to the regular menu. If your just looking to get a cold beer 50% off or glass of wine. It’s fine but I recommend other places for happy hour. We were the only customers for the happy hour. That’s always an indication that others had the same feeling about the experience.
We enjoyed the Peruvian food it was delicious. The unique taste of spices and sauces was really refreshing. The 3 stars isn’t about the food.

Fantastic. Love the dark, earthy ambiance, the friendly owner and best of all the food.
The chicha morada is a deliciously refreshing blue corn drink with cinnamon and cloves. The papa rellena de camarones was an appetizer made of mashed potatoes and shrimp, toasted and crispy on the outside with red onions and a silky smooth aji sauce, the steak a lo pobre was a skirt steak on rice with a fried egg on top and flanked by plantains and potatoes and there was a paella special that night with chicken, chorizo and seafood. Every single thing they put on our table — down to the free chips in the beginning — was awesome.
There’s a few parking spots in the back, but those fill up pretty fast.
Not a huge fan of Long Beach, but I would totally come back for this.

Hands down one of my new favorite spots in the LBC!
We finally tried Aji out last night and were blown away by the atmosphere, food, drinks, and service. If I could give 6 stars I would.
Great price, authentic Peruvian food, great flavors, you can’t go wrong! I wonder if it would be ok for me to go back today without looking like a stalker! :-)

With family visiting from overseas, we decided to try something different for the evening. We had heard from many friends that Aji had the best Peruvian dishes around… so we jumped into our car and arrived at this ‘nicer’ area of Long Beach…
Parking was plentiful on the street, and we got even luckier when we found a spot right behind the restaurant. Yay!
The restaurant was quite busy despite being a weeknight, and we were greeted by our hostess of the evening. Found out that they had Pilsner (my in-law’s favorite), IPA (my beer of choice at the moment), and sangria (for my wife) — we’re all set to review the menu… Our hostess Rosita explained the menu extensively, as some of us had never tried Peruvian food before — we decided to order a bunch of food and do everyting ‘family style’
WOW — that’s all I can say two hours later when we were eating our desserts.
It was certainly a culinary adventure — at times I felt like I was eating a perfectly-​prepared Japanese dish, then next dish I felt like I was eating a Michelin-​star Chinese-​fusion plate in Taipei.
We were introduced to Mitto, the owner/​chef of the restaurant, who took the time to explain the origins of each dish, with its influence from the Asian immigrant population in Peru.
I’ve been to quite a few ‘high-​end’ restaurants around the world, but I would never imagine that I’d find a gem like Aji in Long Beach. Marking it down in my short list of must-​visit restaurants in Hong Kong, New York, Tokyo, and Taipei!

The fall season has arrived and sweaters are brought out as easily as flip-​flops in this time of coolness. Cold nips gently at the earlobes and a deep craving for filling meals are yearned by the belly. The season welcomes the luxury of getting fat and this being California, getting fat means multi-​cultural feasting. Located near the beach but fitting the vibe of Retro Row in Long Beach is a brick-​and-​mortar restaurant filled with the spice of citrus and seafood in the air. This place is Aji Peruvian Cuisine.
Deco: 5 stars
Walking into Aji Peruvian Cuisine is walking into a festive summer night. The brick building holds large wooden tables stained in deep browns. The ceiling is vaulted high and the juxtaposition of wood and brick with industrial style lighting brings a feeling of shelter to this open dining hall. When night falls the house lights hush and the warm glow of dropped lighting coo each diner into a sense of comfort and it’s with this setting in place intimate mastication is ready to begin.
Service: 4 stars
The service is a classy affair with each server coming with a brilliant smile. Once seated they will speak of the menu as a warm friend would welcome another. There is love for the place and a pride of the food being created. Whether it’s recommendations for beginning bites or the finishing touches for a fantastic meal the servers got you covered.
Food: 4 stars
Peruvian cuisine is a great collection of the regional tastes most people associate with Latin flavors but with an Asian twist. With a strong influence by Chinese cultures in Peru, it isn’t strange to see fried rice along ceviche on the table. It is the spice of variation before fusion was a culinary movement and that’s why the use of the word «aji» (spicy sauce) shouldn’t be surprising when used to describe most Peruvian cuisine. Take the ceviche for example. Ceviche is one of those signature recipes almost all Latin countries have, each with their own take. Peruvian ceviche is perhaps one of the best. With some of the freshest ingredients, both in seafood and in citrus notes, Aji Peruvian Cuisine’s take on it is like a steakhouse’s take on the filet mignon: the quality takes precedence over the quantity. Though the amount might not seem enough, when you bite into it and slowly appreciate each bite you come to an understanding that there is such a thing as too much good stuff. The ceviche is a great starter for both solo dining and company. The lomo saltado is another popular dish well associated with Peru. Combining the deliciousness of fat cut fries and the mouth watering savoriness of sauteed onions, bell peppers, and beef means you fill up on another multicultural creation. Of course, going to a place with the word «aji» in it means you have to have their aji sauce they create in house. It is a mix between rich spices of peppers and a creaminess that is hard to describe. It comes in both a colorful green and orange but regardless of the tint it is a great addition to any dish.
Conclusion
As the trees transition to their autumn shades and the weather cools down it’s great to know Southern California still has the feel of an endless summer in the fall. It is a great time to let your tummy start taking over your diet and let your wanderlust travel through by senses. Though we can’t all afford to travel the world to dine at some of the best restaurants it’s great to know sometimes the best places are right at home. Whether you wandered in through your stroll down 4^th Street or you planned on having a nice evening together Aji Peruvian Cuisine is a fantastic place to dine.

First time visiting this restaurant. Food was delicious. We order the sampler (see pics), civiche and fish dish. Great customer service. I will be coming back and try the rest of the menu items.

My fiancé and I came here for our 5 year anniversary and were both very pleased.
This place is awesome! Support your local LB businesses and try Aji — you won’t be disappointed! The skirt steak was amazing!

My boyfriend surprised me with a romantic little dinner here last night. Everything was fabulous! Our waitress really knew what she was talking about. We had a few questions just because everything looked so good and we weren’t sure what to get. My boyfriend settled on the lomo saltado and I got seco de res. Both dishes were AMAZING. We also had the picarones for dessert. I HIGHLY recommend these. So yummy! I can’t wait to go back!

This was my first time here! My friend and I were in the area and spontaneously wanted to try this place out.
Atmosphere: Very modern with a Latin touch. It is a casual place and good for parties of 2 – 5. They also have a bar in the back where you can order wine and cocktails.
Food: I had the Lomito Saltado, the meat was very tender and flavoring tide everything together. My friend had ordered the Aji del gallina, it looked very creamy with chicken, potatoes, and Parmesan cheese on top, two thumbs down. It was very bland, it needs some spice and maybe some vegetables to brightened up and give it some crunch. The entrees are pretty pricy ranging from 15 – 19 a plate.
Customer Service: Our server was a young gentleman, he seemed very (for a lack of words) «new»? He was very awkward and couldn’t answer our questions such as; «What would you recommend?», «What’s popular?» The waiters were not very attentive. We asked for salsa or hot sauce and needed a spoon, they never came back, we waited for someone to look at us but no one did so my friend had to get up and go up to find a waiter. The restaurant was not busy at the time it was 5:30 on a Sunday.
Although the Lomito Saltado was delicious I will not come back because of the price and portion, also because the lack of service was a turn off.

#100Reviews2015 — Review No. 33
Ahh, spectacular.
Came to celebrate Big Daddio’s birthday. Reservations recommended. We were seated right away at a nice table by the window.
Housemade chips and drinks were served — my chicha morada was sublimely good, and though the beer and wine selection looked awesome, I was driving.
Appetizers followed, Causa, which is a chilled potato and seafood dish, papa a la Huancaina, and a lightly dressed quinoa and hominy salad. Highly recommend everything!
Main dishes: tacu tacu — wok seared Peru beans and rice topped with salsa criolla for me, swordfish swimming in a lovely broth for two others, and arocito norteno, another rice dish wok fried with seafood for Papi.
We added picarones at the last moment, this hot gorgeous mess of a Peruvian donut made with yam and squash, served hot with a delicious sauce. A must try!
A few vegetarian options easily made vegan by eliminating any cream or cheese based sauces.
The groans of delight coming from this table should have made it incredibly obvious that all enjoyed their meals! Dinner menu has a few more selections than the lunch menu.
Service from Anthony was superb! Parking can be a little hard to find, but there are a few spaces behind the building. Lunch service currently runs 1130 to 3pm, and dinner service from 5 till 10pm.
Highly recommend for your Peruvian food fix.
You’re welcome.

Yum!
We were looking for a good restaurant on 4^th street, and came upon Aji on Unilocal.I can’t remember the last time I’ve had Peruvian, if at all, so it sounded like a good plan.
We ordered appetizers to share, and found that they were filling enough to constitute a light meal. The golden beet salad was light and delicious — balsamic vinegar, creamy goat cheese, arugula, and tender beets. The papa rellena de camarones was like a big, potato shaped heap of mashed potatoes with seafood inside and a creamy aioli — definitely our heartiest choice, and very filling. Loved it. Lastly, we had the causa limena, which was essentially a chilled ball of mashed potatoes, aioli, crab, and avocado. Not super filling, but tasty and beautifully prepared.
The presentation of every item was very nice, and service was friendly and attentive.
The beer list was great, and they also serve French press coffee. I needed a pick me up, so I ordered the coffee — really tasty!
The seating area is light and open, thanks to tall windows and high ceilings.
We really enjoyed our meal — give Aji a try!

Im really impressed with this restaurant, why i never came here before ???
Had this place bookmarked since they open and now i will be coming here very often.
I checked all their pictures and i had an idea of what i was gonna order cuz since im the Unilocaler, my family trust me on whatever i think will be good .
Well as alot of you know im Peruvian and the flavors are very authentic so hard to find a place who actually has that flavor and its a few restaurants in Los angeles who actually convince me to go back .
Restaurant opens at 5pm when you come for dinner so we walked in at that time and we were greeted inmediately, they served us chips with huancaina sauce and i asked for more sauce cuz it was that good.
Appetizers we had Causa sampler 4 kinds octopus, shrimp, crab and spicy tuna, 2 papa rellenas one beef and one shrimp i was really amazed cuz i thought i just had the best papa rellena couple weeks ago, i guess i was wrong cuz i just ate it :/​
Entrees: aji de gallina, pescado frito, shrimp chaufa my way, lomito saltado that was mine recommended by my lovely waitress, good thing i order that cuz the flavor was good and she served me with 3 diferent hot sauces .
I just found a new spot and now i wanna try everything yeah i know but for me its a must !! Thanks for excellent service too !