Loading...
Limon
524 Valencia St
(between 16th St & 17th St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 252-0918
- Hours:
Mon. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Tue-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Tue-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
791 reviews for Limon
Review Highlights
Loading...
Rolled in on a bustling Friday night w/ no res, so we were seated at the bar, which I'm not usually into, but we managed to have a wonderfully leisurely meal, despite the fact that people kept throwing money at me (which is no new phenomenon, let's be serious) in an attempt to reach the bartender--nice scene, lower hipster quotient that most Mission haunts, more gays and double date nights than anything--place is loud, sleek and sultry, so I was a happy kid.
Started w/ the sangria, which they are just pumping out there--sweet, cinnamony goodness, only compaint is excessive ice and fruit that's a bit small, but the flavor of the beverage is quite yum.
Had beasted a huge brunch at Half-Day earlier so we weren't starving--my lovely Julia went for sweet potato friend (thin but delicious) and the wok friend veggies (not exactly straight from Mama Peru, but both excellent nevertheless), and I hit the tres tiempos--ono, snapper, and ahi w/ three sauces--it was supper excellent--fish has great textures and the sauces were "eat this a spoon when no more fish is present" good. Also had the vegan ceviche, mushrooms, red onion, greenbeans (though it says asparagus on the menu), and hearts of palm in a super spicy, but 100% delectable, lime marinade.
Bartender was a lovely waitress, very helpful, and overall, for being at the bar on a slammin Friday night, we had great service. The entrees looked delicious, but you can easily make a meal just sticking the ceviches, sides, and starters.
For 4 starters and a 1/2 carafe of the red stuff, it was $52 pre tip.
I stumbled upon this restaurant with some friends who were in town and couldn't have had a nicer meal. It was my first experience at a Peruvian restaurant so instead of ordering a single entree, I went for a combination of a couple appetizers and side dishes (that's my excuse for ordering in excess, and I'm sticking to it)....
Sangria is delicious, half a carafe gives you about 1.5 glasses for 2 people.
Limon cebiche; very fresh, simple, delicious taste. I'm going to go ahead and assume many of the other cebiche dishes are equally fresh and tasty.
Crispy yucca & chimi churri: I admittedly didn't know what yucca even was before this (a root?) and oh my goodness...I need to learn how to prepare this at home!
Pollo al Meringue (braised sliced chicken breast in adreso-picante sauce): Simple preparation of chicken, the sauce is what makes it great.
Truffled mac n cheese: A grown up twist on a childhood favorite. Yum.
Sweet potato fries: I honestly don't know why more restaurants don't serve this version of fries...they make typical french fries seem so boring and flavorless! Sweet potato fries at Limon give ketchup the finger...no condiments needed.
The best part of the meal is when I *thought* I was flagging down a waiter to ask for more bread and it turned out to be Emmanuel Piquera, one of the head chefs! He was insanely kind and friendly, bringing out a complimentary dish of lobster cebiche that wasn't on the menu for us to sample. He clearly took pride in his work and his extra effort to spend time with us didn't go unnoticed...it's why Limon gets 5 stars from me.
Finally made it to Limon tonight and enjoyed a nice dinner. The decor is inviting, yet simple. Lots of pistachio green which I liked.
We began with the cebiche- very fresh and well presented. I had the red snapper which was deboned, removed from the skin and cooked only to be served in the skin. It was surprisingly tasty. The wine by the glass list was lacking, and I was underwhelmed in that category. Dessert included profiteroles like tiny cream puffs and drizzled chocolate that were delicious.
Servers were attentive and not intrusive. The cafe tables are small, yet adequate. My biggest complaint is the fact that there were a very limited amount of entrees (maybe 6)? offered.
Stick with the cebiche and you'll do fine.
We came here at around 3pm for some early dinner. The restaurant is very small, with about 12 tables or so, a bar area. We were given a "brunch" menu which doesn't have that many choices. The dishes are VERY small!! We ended up having to order 4 dishes and weren't that filled! We the shrimp ceviche, empanada, & grilled chicken in skewer (dont' remember what it's called in spanish). When all these "brunch" dishes arrived, we were still hungry so we asked for the menu and thent hey gave us a dinner menu. We ordered the quinoa veggie dish.
This place looks nice and trendy. But dishes are too scant, seems like finger food. I was recommended this restaurant by a Pervuvian friend, b ut then i realized we went to the wrong location! There is another one on s. Van Ness but I'm not sure if they're under the same mgmt. so i give this restaruant a 3.5 stars. The food is good, but just portion too meager.
Great service, contemporary, clean decor, and yummy peruvian goodness!
My gf and I had the sangria (really refreshing and tasty), cebiche limon, and the red snapper. The red snapper -- what a beautiful presentation! It was definitely fried to perfection!
On top of the excellent service and great food? The price!! Definitely affordable and worth every penny. I can't wait to go back with more girlfriends and try everything else on the menu.
Limon is one of our favorite restaurants in SF and we had our first visit since the fire last night. The food is still excellent although the ceviche was not the stand out it once was. Good but no longer great. The steak and whole fried fish were superb. Now the problem - the service is why the restaurant moved down from 4 stars to 3 stars. When we arrived, there was no record of the reservation I made over the phone since they are not on Open Table. It was early and not busy but we had long waits for drinks, more sauces and the check. It was decidedly mediocre and a let down. Still worth trying for the food (great tasting/ good presentation) and atmosphere.
I'm a big fan of Limon Rotisserie, probably been there at least 5-6 times since they opened, but until recently had never tried the original Limon. Not that I have I keep asking myself "What took you so long?!?"
We ate the following:
Oyster shooters - so good we ordered another round after the first
Tres Tiempos - aka three types (how's my Spanish coming along?) of sashimi. While I knew Limon did cebiche well, I had no idea the sashimi would be this great
Cebiche Pescado - not so fast, my friend. This was fine but not nearly as good as the Tres Tiempos
Lomo Saltado - now we're getting serious. Holy tower of steak and fries, Batman! The presentation was awesome, the meat super juicy though I got to admit, I prefer the fries mixed in with the beef (ala Limon Rotisserie) instead of served atop.
Truffle Mac n Cheese - it's macaroni and cheese with truffle oil. Duh.
We also had some pretty great dessert (think sorbet trio and molten chocolate cake) and a pitcher of tasty sangria. Grand total for all this food and drink? Under $100, including tax and tip. No wonder there was a steady buzz in the restaurant on a Monday night. I'm definitely adding Limon into my Mission rotation and will be back soon!
We showed up on time with 4 out of 5 people for a 7:30 Saturday night reservation. We were given the fairly standard "wait for your whole party before we seat you" when it was pretty obvious that they didn't have a table for us anyway. So we grabbed a spot at the bar.
15 minutes later when our fifth person showed, they gave us an option to put us in the "lounge" around a coffee table or wait for a table that was finishing up. We had a pregnant women in our group so the coffee table lounge thing wasn't going to work.
At 8:30 (we'd now been waiting an hour for a table - with a reservation) we talked to the hostess again to see what was up. Because the table we had been waiting for (I'll admit the table was camping) wasn't free they tried to again put us in the upstairs lounge at a 8 person high-top. The thing is the upstairs lounge was roasting. So we asked if we could wait for a regular table. After an hour how much longer could it be?
So finally between 8:45 and 9 we were finally sat for a 7:30 reservation. From there the service was "meh", a bit slow - the food was delicious. But at that point there was no saving it.
I am giving it two stars because I did not pay. Not only was service so-so you might want to CALL to see if they actually have what you want.
They were out at 730pm of Red snapper ceviche and the octopus.
Ceviche fix fulfilled.
Ceviche Limon
Ceviche with mango and camarones
Sweet potato fries
Oyster shooters in Leche de Tigre
I want to bathe in the Leche de Tigre. Super good, like lip smackin' bangin' good!
Not a full 5 stars, because both ceviches were over salted.
But it didnt' really matter, because what helped it all go down was the crunked up, hooch-ified, soju mojito.
This is what my friend and I ate:
- Cebiche Limon
- Sangria (half pitcher)
- Anticuchos de Pollo
- Lomo Saltado
- Truffled mac n' cheese
The truffled mac n' cheese was one of the best I've ever had. The Sangria was forgettable. I was too full to really take in the flavors of the Lomo Saltado. In my food comatose state, I vaguely remember the lomo saltado so I don't know if that's good or bad. I think it was good.
Overall a good place to eat. I regret ordering so much. If you have a small stomach, definitely get 3 dishes max and split the food with someone.
I came here with a small group for the sole purpose of ordering a variety of items and sharing, great approach were beginning to use to taste the city. Limón was the first stop on our taste testing excursions.
We got:
Starters
Limón Cebicheria-Mixed Seafood/Fish, Calamari, Shrimp & Octopus
Empanadas de Carne- Crispy Pastry filled with Beef, Raisins, Egg & Onion, Huaucaina Sauce
Baskets of bread for the awesome sauces on the table and left on the plates!
Entrees:
Lomo Saltado-Wok-Tossed Sirloin Fingers with Red Onion, Tomato & Soy, French Fries
Pargo Rojo-Whole Crispy Red Snapper, Coconut Fried Rice, Rocoto-Curry Sauce
Sides:
Truffled mac'n cheese
Crispy yucca & chimi-churri
Dessert:
Chocolate Bandit
First thing, when we went to order we weren't able to place our order in segments, it was order everything you want at once, and the place wasn't even crowded at this point. Doesn't make a lot of sense since the food arrived at the table at different times, that's the main reason a star is missing.
The food though was great. I hadn't really had Peruvian food before, the spices and sauces were bold and flavorful. The chimi-churri sauce was the amazing on everything, we ate that up with all the free bread. The fish and meat were both nice, tender, and simple, went well with the spices and sauces provided. My favorite was the cebiche, it had a perfect mixture. All of the seafood in the dish was fresh enough to stand alone and not need to be drenched in citrus.
I thought the mac'n cheese was really good, but was really just a super rich and thick pasta, the shape of the noodle was the only resemblance to what mom makes. With all the stuff on the menu, let Kraft make your mac n cheese for you.
We got sangria which was tasty, not too sweet and sugary like others I have had. When you put sangria in a wine glass though you're never able to get the fruit from the bottom of the glass, what a shame.
Fiancé's 30th birthday turned into ceviche gorge-fest thanks to Limon! Our party of six ordered about half the menu and had an absolute feast. We were devouring everything so fast we had to make a conscience effort to slow down and enjoy the experience.
We had a family-style feast and ordered a bunch of appetizers and only two entrees. I can highly recommend the following:
Ceviche Limón-Mixed Seafood/Fish (the favorite dish of the group)
Red snapper ceviche
Atun al Tausi (my personal favorite, if you love tuna, this is the dish for you)
Saltado de Vegetables (simple healthy vegetables in an amazing vinaigrette sauce!)
Inca Style Quinoa Tabouli (pour the leftover ceviche sauce on this and yum!)
Empanadas de Carne (super spicy and delicious)
Truffle Mac-and-Cheese (need I say more!?!)
Lomo Saltado
Churrasco a la Parrilla (most tender rib-eye ever! amazing)
Unfortunately, dessert was not an option at the end of the meal, we were stuffed! The final bill was super reasonable at $50 a head including alcohol. It was the perfect birthday dinner for my fiance, and he is already begging to return to enjoy another helping of the ceviche limon.
I've heard many good things about Limon, but meh...it's okaaaaay, just not my favorite. My handsome took me here on a Friday night and boy, was it busy...there was not an empty table in sight with several parties still waiting for their table. Recession? Apparently not!
The decor was subtle, modern and simple. The hint of lime green and orange colors throughout the restaurant as well as in the food was a nice "red thread" touch.
The service overall was pleasant as well, although I have to say...sitting next to two tables who knew the chef and the waiter kind of made me feel unimportant. However, it didn't prevent them from paying their other patrons attention...But I'm just sayin'...
The menu was not extensive, but balanced and full of flavors. We started off with the Limon Cebiche. It had perfect portions of shrimp, calamari and tuna (at least I think that's what it was...). However, the squid was a bit chewy...bleh. I wish I tried the Cebiche shooters...they looked delish! The Empanadas de Carne was also good. A bit on the salty side, but it had a crispy pastry crust that made my mouth water.
Finally, our entrees came. I had the Pargo Rojo (Fried Whole Red Snapper) but I made the mistake of trying his Lomo Saltado first. Medium rare steak, fries and onions...Wow, a salty punch, but delicious! Therefore causing my snapper to taste pretty bland. I also didn't like how my fish was staring right at me, cheezin' his teeth at me. My handsome had to discard his head for me...he gave me the heebeegeebees. I was expecting the snapper to be a bit more salty, since everything else seemed to be drenched in it! Oh well...
Alas, Limon's saving grace: Dessert! The Mango Pie, light, fluffy and whipped was quite tasty. So pretty. So precious. We also ordered the Cream Puffs, which were my personal favorite. Not too sweet, but oh so yummy!
Overall...I can do without...but glad to have had the experience.
The management here is terrible. Limon ruined my birthday night!
I reserved a table for 14 at 8:30pm at least a month ago for my birthday. And I had specifically asked Antonio, who apparently is the manager of Limon, if it was mandatory to have a prefixed menu for the size of my group because I know that is the general rule for a big group at this type of restaurant. But he kept saying, "No it is only an option". So then I decided to book the reservation under the impression that each person would not have to pay 39.95 for a prefixed meal.
So it is finally my birthday night, and I am so excited. Then I get a call at 4pm from the hostess, confirming my reservation. And that is when she tells me that there is a prefixed menu for a group of 10 or more. I am obviously frustrated and ask her if there is anything that can be done because I was told specifically that it was only an option! And there is no way that I can find another last minute restaurant for a group of 14 on a Saturday night!! So she says she will talk to the manager. I get a call back from her, saying she can waive the fee per person but that my reservation would be pushed back to 9pm. And I tell her that it is fine. Should be OK.
So when we get there. We wait and wait...9:15, 9:30, 9:45 etc We don't get seated til 10:15 to 10:30 pm! How does a reservation made a month ago turn from 8:30pm to 10:30pm?? And the whole time when I would ask when we would be seated, the hostess kept saying, "All these people have made reservations too...the group here has already waited an hour and a half!". Well you know what, lady, what is the point of a reservation if you have to wait 1 to 2 hours to be seated!! That is BS, I tell ya!!!
The food was the only redeeming factor, but waiting 1:30 to 2 hrs is not worth it. Overall, the service is terrible, they got our orders wrong, the manager did not even have the decency to apologize for the wait and the false information given to me at the time of making a reservation,etc. That is not how a 4 to 5 star restaurant operates.
This place is awful, one star!
The worker who answered the phone asked me if he was being "Punk'd" when I changed my reservation, which was a little dramatic of him. ( I had changed my RSVP from 9pm to 5pm because it fit my itinerary better).
Ordered the Cebiche Limon, which was good. The only thing that was unusual was the bonus yam that was included in it. ( I love yams, so no complaint from me...but still a bit odd)
The whole red snapper was more visually appealing than savory. Their sangria was one of the better tasting I've had in the city.
Great decor and an extremely polite waiter. The quality of food is definitely worth the prices charged.
Parking wasn't easy peasy, but we were able to utilized the parking garage which was only a short walk away.
I'm so impressed with this place. My brother/wife and I came in a "hurry." We were running late for a show at the Red Poppy House and found this place on Yelp based on its close location. I groaned as I walked in and the entire place looked packed (we didn't have reservations). To my surprise - the hostess asked us to come in right away for seating - We went to the downstairs which I found cozy and intimate and more quiet. We ordered and it came in like 5 minutes - just what we need when rushing. To make the place even more perfect the tri tips/chicken soup and cerviche was great!! The waiters were also phenomenal and efficient. My only regret was not having time to eat and enjoy the dinner at a more leisurely pace. Kudos - I am definitely coming again to this gem I found in the Mission.
This place was nicer than I expected considering the other surrounding restaurants/bars in the area. I mean come on a block away from delirium? It was surprisingly empty the night we came, which I guess is a good thing based on these past reviews claiming the wait is long even with reservations. Parking was a bit of a pain, as expected.
It's nice that they actually actually offer vegetarian (one item in the entree list), unlike Limon Rotisserie, the other Peruvian restaurant with a similar name. Sangria was yummy minus the lemons. Sides (cocnut rice and sweet potato fries) were good, but are those really particular to Peruvian cuisine...? I guess this review is a little (okay, a lot) biased since I'm not able to taste the full spectrum of meaty options they offer, but overall it was fine but nothing spectacular.
I love Limon. They have the best ceviche ever! I can't wait to go back!
Love this place! I've been several times, and enjoyed each visit. Love the ceviches! It is a little crowded and noisy and the service varies on your server, but I gotta give them 5 stars! Still love this place!
Truth be told, this restaurant used to knock my socks off when my husband took me a few years ago on a date. The service was efficient, friendly, and the food was authentic Peruvian cuisine.
This past November, I decided to take my husband there for his birthday. We had a group of about 12, and I made a reservation weeks in advance. I was assured a few times on the phone that I would get an upstairs table, with enough room to sit 12 guests comfortably.
We got there, and some of our party was waiting at the bar already.
I was told by the underage hostess that it would be about 20 minutes. I was annoyed but could deal with that and stall. Another 20 minutes pass and I track down the restaurant manager, who looks like Chef Gordon Ramsey from "Hell's Kitchen". He confesses they screwed up our reservation and double-booked. Now I'm beyond upset, and trying to remain calm in front of guests. Apparently they forgot they were dealing with a New Yorker, not some hipster from the Mission.
And what did I get for getting screwed over? A round of free sangrias.
Thanks management -- for the cheap "shut up" mocktails.
We were eventually seated, ended up getting an efficient waitress, so at least that wasn't another slap in the face. Food was okay but not as good as before.
I still enjoy their traditional ceviche, and would stop by just for that, but their full menu needs some revamping. Or maybe the chefs needs to get better with multi-tasking.
Salud!
For the most part, I enjoy when chefs change up their menus. I think it shows a depth of skill and an understanding of the restaurant. But I DON'T like when all of a sudden, ALL of my favorite dishes are gone! Such was my recent experience at Limon: most of the standard Peruvian comfort foods are either spruced up in cool-kid gear (rendering them overly complicated) or relegated to side-line dish wall-flowers, where you have to really know what you're looking for in order to find them.
Fortunately, my very favorite sauce is still available, though now presented last on the list of side dishes: oh yeah, you know I'm talking about the chicken breast in Adreso-Picante sauce. Let me just tell you a little something about this sauce:
This is a sauce for which one orders extra bread for sopping up every last drop.
This is the sauce over which one makes a disgusting pig of oneself.
This is licking-the-bottom-of-the-bowl gooooood sauce!
This. Is. The. Sauce.
So, they still have the crack sauce. That's good. They've done away with my favorite dessert involving chocolate cake and cayenne pepper. That's bad. Although their new chocolate dessert does pose a strong runner up: molten chocolate cake with passion fruit mousse - delicious and decadent, good for sharing.
The wine list is great, and they boast some impressive ceviche options, but for some reason, I actually had trouble finding an entree that sounded good to me. I ended up ordering two appetizers as a meal instead.
There are some amazing highs to be had at this restaurant, if you navigate the menu properly. However, for the averageness of the rest of the fare, and the semi-high prices, and the hard to come by reservations, I find I now have to give this restaurant a mid-range rating.
I went to dinner there a few nights ago... the server overcharged my card by $60 putting my bill from $40 to $100!!!! The only reason I found out was because my account said it was overdrawn (I'm a very poor grad student) :/
Luckily, I kept my receipt and the charge will be reversed. Jesus M (our server) was trying to commit fraud. The food was fine but I will absolutely never be back there again!! Shady!!!
I came here for dinner a few weeks ago after walking around the Disney museum and building up my appetite. Our reservations were at 6:00, so it wasn't too busy yet. We were seated upstairs, so I got a good view of the restaurant.
Our dinner consisted of the following:
~Sangria( http://static.px.yelp.... )
~Tres Tiempos( http://static.px.yelp.... )
~Empanadas de Carne( http://static.px.yelp.... )
~Chuleton Don Carlitos( http://static.px.yelp.... )
~Lomo Saltado( http://static.px.yelp.... )
All of the food was really good. The sauces for the Tres Tiempos had a nice, tangy citrus flavor. I really liked my Lomo Saltado. The meat was cooked perfectly and the fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I was too full after the main course, so we decided to skip dessert.
The service here is good. They're very attentive and make sure to check on you every now and then. Parking in the area is a bit tough, so leave yourself enough time to circle around.
I like Limon--the food and atmosphere are lovely. And I know there are cockroaches in the city and that they appear even in the nicest restaurants.
BUT WHEN YOU POINT OUT THE COCKROACH ON THE WALL NEXT TO YOUR HEAD AND THE HOSTESS IGNORES IT FOR TEN MINUTES BEFORE FINALLY COMING OVER AND SQUISHING IT WITH A NAPKIN....!?!?!?
Well, when I lived in New York, you'd get your desert for free for that.
Came out here with a friend on a Saturday night. It wasn't too crowded when we got there (6pm) but we were asked to sit at the bar since there were 2 of us, which was no problem. The bartender was friendly and helpful-- in fact, all of the service that we received was quite attentive.
My friend and I ordered a dish to split, and didn't receive any snide comments from the waiter, which was nice. While we were waiting, they brought out bread with 2 very delicious dipping sauces. The bartender also served us up some complimentary oyster shooters which was very unique-- citrusy and full of flavor.
Next they brought out our entree, which was chicken breast served with stuffed peppers and mac&cheese. The portions were surprisingly large, and the 2 of us couldn't finish the whole meal. The chicken breast was tender, but with a tasty crispy skin. The flavor was amazing and somewhat reminiscent of crispy duck. We also had a side of the Yucca fries, which I would highly recommend. They were awesome in the side sauces (that had come out w/ the bread).
After our meal, the waitstaff made us feel like we were welcome to hang out as long as we wanted, although we saw the people waiting at the door and made sure to get on our way. We appreciated the phenomenal service, delicious food, and great atmosphere. I'm already planning to revisit this place soon.
Last night, Mari C. and I embarked on one hell of a date night.
Prior to being her +1 at the Eat, Drink and be Gamey Yelp Elite night (because i'm not elite- NUDGE NUDGE, HINT HINT), MC had the brilliant foresight to swing by Limon for a small bite (because apparently acquiring food at these said events is a feat in itself)
Let's just say, MC's a cheap ass date. $9 later, we had split a quarter of the most succulent roasted chicken I've ever had along with 2 side dishes of a salad and some amazing yam fries with dipping sauce.
Service was fast, attentive, and friendly- they didn't at all seem to mind we were hoggin a 2-top for $9 worth of grub. (Granted it was 5:30pm and there were about 3 people total in the place)
I would have given 3 stars for the sake of coming back and adding some more, but the hostess' gorgeous Latina Farah Fawcett hair at the front is worth a star alone. Makes me miss my long locks...
Cannot wait to come back for more!
There are some places that can treat you like shit and you'll keep going back because they are otherwise amazing. This is not the case with Limon.
I like to believe that reservations mean that a table will be ready and waiting for your party at or near the time of the reservation. Apparently, my definition is wrong wrong wrong.
We had reservations for 7pm for a group of 7. At 7pm, we had all arrived and were sitting in the "lounge" area, chatting away and giving well-wishes to the birthday girl. We realize we've been waiting a while, and look at the clock. It's 7:36. We are still in the lounge. And there are people walking right in and being seated. If they all had reservations, the restaurant must have been backed up since 1pm with the number of people they sat in front of us. We had finally, after over 30 minutes, been offered drinks. Great. Lovely. Please, bring us drinks and then forget the birthday girl's drink. You will? Oh thank you. Just what she wanted.
At 7:50, we ask if we could just eat in the lounge. They allow us this small convenience, and we push together a few of the tiny tables and all hunker down to look at the menus. We are offered water. We say yes please to the water. Many minutes later, the waitress comes back and tells us that they're "working on our water." Excuse me? What does that even mean? Where in the universe is this water coming from that it has to be worked on and we still don't receive it for another few minutes after that clever announcement? Is there only one person that can pour water? A few minutes after we receive water, we receive BREAD! Yes! We have now been at the restaurant for over an hour and we have gotten in 1 drink order, bread, and water.
Shortly before we receive our food almost 2 hours after our slated reservation, we are offered to sit at a table. Considering this is a staff that has to work on things such as water, we did not want to confuse them as we were hungry and close to having this birthday party Donner party style. So, we suffered at the cramped tables. I have back problems. Thank you, Limon, for adding on to my chiropractic bills.
The sangria was delicious. The chicken was tasty, but chicken all the same. And, the truffle-infused macaroni and cheese was divine. Not technically divine. I think if the truffles were plucked from the Elysian fields by the gods themselves, the mac n cheese still would not have made up for the horrible service.
After we had food, we waited far too long for the check. I considered faking a seizure, but I doubted it would get us any attention.
It was now 9:30. We are late for the second half of the birthday celebration. The manager brings out two desserts which are flour-based (we'd made it clear that the birthday girl and another in our party could not have gluten) and 7 spoons. Are you fucking kidding me?
Thanks Limon, for giving me more reason to hate.
Went there with a party of 11 on a Saturday night with a reservation. When we arrived, they were extremely busy and very disorganized. It took 15 minutes just to get a hold of the hostess and we didn't get seated for another hour and half. Now,that's a long wait with a reservation! The manager finally aplogized and sent over a few apps.
The food was okay... nothing spectacular. We had the Ceviche Limon, Grilled Ocotopus and a Peruvian Sashimi combo with Ahi, Snapper and Ono. The grilled chicken with sweet potato fries (complimentary) were good, but also not extraordinary.
Given the long wait and the chaos for just okay food, I don't think I will be back anytime soon.
Oh sigh, what a dump. I had really high hopes for it, but I guess I'm just a spoiled bitchy birthday princess who thinks reservations count for something. I'm just silly like that.
Got a reservation for 7 people at 7 p.m. on a Sunday. Sure, 7 is a weird number for a party, likely to require a specific seating arrangement that may require 2 tables near each other to vacate simultaneously so we could accommodate everyone. WHICH IS WHY WE MADE A RESERVATION. I feel like we did our part to make this arrangement work.
We arrived a bit early and waited in the lounge for the rest of the party. Now, when I arrive early, I have NO PROBLEM waiting for my reservation time. When the rest of my party isn't there yet, I have NO PROBLEM waiting for the rest of them before we sit down. I also have NO PROBLEM being offered a drink while I wait. Guess which of those things didn't happen? And if it had been, say, 10 minutes until we got a table, it wouldn't have been a big deal. But after 45 minutes elapsed and we hadn't even been offered beverages, it seemed like something was wrong.
A party of 3 was sharing the lounge with us. They also had a 7:00 res that was being ignored. At least they got drinks.
Multiple times during this wait, my friend asked the hostess and the manager on the floor when our table was going to be available. "Soon! Someone's leaving right about now!" Which means "if we tell you something, you'll eventually shut up."
FINALLY the extremely green server came by (no apology for ignoring us) to get our drink orders. We were finally offered drinks as we waited. After being there for 45 minutes. On my goddamn birthday. And the server FORGOT MY DRINK. ON MY GODDAMN BIRTHDAY.
It's 8:00 by now. We pulled the manager over and he gave some windy excuse about "well, there were *people* who showed up without, you know, reservations *on the actual books* and they *had to be* accommodated." So because we are the mere hoi polloi with one of those lowly "on the books" reservations, we don't get a table. OK then, we're eating in the lounge. They obliged: brought us dinner menus in the lounge, shoved all the little tables together, and we ate there.
We got water at 8:10 p.m. *fucking tap water* took 70 minutes to get to us. Perhaps they were waiting for the iceberg to melt.
We got our entrees at 8:50. I balanced by plate on my lap. On my - that's right - goddamn birthday.
How was the food? Completely delicious. Ceviche, octopus, porkchop - all great though a bit too salty. Which wouldn't have been a problem if my water glass had been refilled. My dining companions loved their snapper, chicken and mac & cheese. So yeah, the food's tasty.
The manager brought us two tiny desserts in a lame attempt to make amends. Wow, asshole, thanks for the cakes that I can't even eat. Thanks for 2 fucking desserts for 7 pissed-off people. Can I shove those up your tight ass? No? Then I'm sending your pitiful gesture back.
We had to ask for our bill 3 times. During this time, we thought quite seriously about a dine & dash. They don't want to take our orders, and it doesn't appear like they want us to pay, either. It was $300 for 7 people. They forgot to put a couple of our drinks on our bill, but that was an oversight and not a comp. Thanks, fuckers.
This is the only time in my life I haven't tipped waitstaff. It was abysmal service.
Lessons learned:
*awesome ceviche!
*I'm not important enough for Limon to honor my reservation!
*I should have brought my own booze! And gone across the street to La Cumbre and gotten my own food, too!
*I'm never coming back here EVER EVER AGAIN.
When will the hype die? Because this shithole ain't worth it.
Thanks for ruining my birthday, Limon!
out out out
Come on now, this isn't baseball.
Empanadas - Out
Fish - Out
Why bother - Out
Had to wait for a seat, but that fine and dandy as we had the option to wait at the bar or lounge area. Sangria accompanied us as we waiting to be seated. With company like that who would complain. Ok so what was ordered was the Mac and Cheese, thumbs up, Rissotto, good, and Rib Eye, cooked to perfection but a bit on the small side. Molten chocolate cake was the DH and didn't quite hit out of the park. Service was professional and prompt.
You had me at truffle mac&cheese.
Perfect night out at Limon! Came here last night with a group of 8 people celebrating a birthday. We had changed the reservation number the day of, and they accommodated it no problem. We were seated upstairs on the mezzanine, which is great because you have a birds eye view of all the food coming out of the kitchen. There was that usual uncomfortable silence at the table when nobody knows what to order or if it's going to be family style. A couple of us took the lead and ordered a feast for all: three cebiches (mixed seafood, mango&shrimp, and the tres tiempos). The classic mixed seafood was the best. They were out of the char grilled octopus (damn!), but we ordered the beef empanadas and the chicken skewers. Also a couple orders of the Lomo Saltado, which was cooked perfectly medium rare. I think this is the true test of any good peruvian place...if they can do the "everyman's local dish" well...then your home (just like a great italian restaurant better blow your socks off with spaghetti and meatballs...or I'm outta there!). We also had the stuffed chicken dish, which again was cooked perfectly moist. The truffle mac was awesome...maybe could have been a little more baked crunchy....but still great. Finished up with four chocolate cakes for the birthday girl (with candles). Our waitress was very personable and attentive. High marks here all around.
The one star is for the food. That is, this place would get negative stars for the service and management, but the food was excellent and that brings it up to one star.
Our birthday party/evening was seriously affected by the wait staff management here. Our 7pm reservation for 7 people was ignored, apparently the hostess just kept seating people in front of us and "forgot"? At 7:45 I asked what the situation looked like and she said that she was waiting for tables to turn over. I asked her, "multiple tables"? Apparently she hadn't even started the process of allocating two tables to be put together, but was still giving priority to other folks.
At 8pm, they offered to serve us in the waiting area. At 8:50pm our food finally arrived, in the waiting area. By this point, the rest of the restaurant had largely emptied out, so you would expect that the service would get a little better. As our dinner was being served, and the restaurant was largely empty, they offered to move us to a regular table. At this point, given the delays in service, lost drink orders, lack of refills on things as simple as water, we respectfully declined, because we didn't want anything more to confuse them.
Our group ordered the whole fish, which was very good - 8/10.
The pork dish was very good - 8/10. The chicken dish--the chicken was unimpressive, the peppers were great. The mac and cheese that was served with the chicken dish was a 12 out of 10. Absolutely fantastic and to die for.
You would think that with the reservation screw up they would pay attention to making the rest of the experience good, but follow on service was absent, food was slow to arrive, drink service was nearly absent.
I have no idea how so many incompetent service experiences could happen at the same time. Mistakes happen in the business, and how someone reacts to those mistakes is the kind of thing that builds customer loyalty. In this case, the management's response was slow, poor, and did absolutely nothing to repair our faith in this establishment.
At the end, the manager offered us *two* cake based deserts for the seven people in our party -- which was amusing in itself, since two of our party, including the birthday girl, specifically asked which items on the menu were gluten free.
I have never been so disappointed with the service and callous inattention at a restaurant. The kitchen is excellent, but the management of this restaurant should be terminated with extreme prejudice. We will not return despite the heavenly mac and cheese.
Reading other yelp reviews, clearly this restaurant has a history of ignoring or screwing up reservations. The management simply doesn't care. There are other great places to go in the Mission.
Thanks Limon for screwing up our friend's birthday.
My lord, gotta love the q-mark heads hating on this place. I came here on a date seeking a change of pace in the Mission, and Limon really hit the spot. Let's do the run-through:
Ceviche - Outstanding and the best I've had. This is why you come here.
Chicken w/ Mac and Cheese - Good chicken, great MnC. Super creamy and rich with a slight stinkiness.
Porkchop - Very salty, but can't complain. The chopped cabbage and bacon underneath was a great complement.
Drinks - Mojito was tasty, mule not so much. Wish I were a wine drinker.
Desert - See pic. Tastes as good as it looks.
Atmosphere downstairs is great, so the bland upstairs is a little disappointing. The concrete walls and door that won't shut combine for an echoey sound, so not the best for a group of you want to clearly hear everyone else. Service was fine, but be forewarned there isn't much room here. Cruising in on a Thursday night around 8, we got the last table upstairs.
**Limon, you're now on my permanent Mi-ssi-on ro-ta-ti-on**
(Forgive me Yelpers, you have to get to know me. I'm just goofy)
Someone please kick me for not trying Limon before. Really. I used to walk by for years (before they closed) and wonder why it was so busy. I guess I always assumed that Peruvian food had no vegetarian options, as my San Francisco experience had always proven that to be the case.
Better late than never though...
Shitake mushroom ceviche alone had me hooked. It was all uphill from there. Quinoa (with veggies) was the most impressive quinoa I've ever tasted. It was so rich and I'm still trying trying to figure out how they cooked it. Last thing for me: Yuca fries. With chimmichurri. Need I say more?
I had to go for one of the more exotic desserts: coconut prepared three ways. A little too sweet for my taste, but can you really go wrong with coconut? Coconut maki was marvelous.
Factor in yummy sangria, a sleek and lively atmosphere, excellent service, and whaddya know...we arrive at a five-star review!
I stumbled upon this place with my roommate on a regular weekend day, and thank goddess we did. It was a delightful and unexpected experience.
Location: Great location in between 16th and 17th and Valencia. Trendy, diverse and tons to do. Tons of bars, shopping, sex shops, etc. Perfect for taking friends out to eat.
Space: Pretty nice space. Not great or particularly interesting, but pretty tasteful. I've seen it before. Kind of that modern, Thai feel... even though it's a Peruvian restaurant. Lot's of tables, which is good.
Ambient: Pretty bougie in there. But at least it's diverse bougie. Age range is 25-45. Nice, descent, crowd.
Service: Really nice, cordial and fun service. Our server was a bit cold and then warmed up to us and made great rapport.
Drink/Food: The food was quite delicious. The ceviche, las empanadas, everything was really good--EXCEPT the couscous. Don't order the couscous, it's boring and not up to par with the rest of the food. The Sangria is sublime. It's not sweet and it's more velvety. It hits you without you knowing it, and that, that is what it's all about.
Overall: Great place to have a nice descent, yet exquisite, not too pricey and diverse dinner. There's tons to eat here, needless to say that we made it through the whole dinner with just appetizers. Definitely a place to try out.
I've eaten here twice now and been impressed both times. The first time was on a Monday night for a business dinner and the second time was on a Sunday night with my fiancé. The cebiches are amazing. I've never liked octopus or calamari. Limon has me singing a different tune as I really like their cebiche with octopus and calamari. Tried Cebiche Limon last night - yum.
The Lomo Saltado is a must have. The first time I was there my colleagues ordered it (and thankfully shared). I ordered the Pork Chop. While the seasoning and garnish were wonderful, the chop itself was overcooked. Last night I ordered the Lomo Saltado and was not disappointed-medium rare wok tossed sirloin that melts in your mouth paired with onions, tomato, and French fries.
One side dish that's not to be missed is the sweet potato fries. Crispy outside for that satisfying crunch seasoned with sea salt while perfectly cooked on the inside.
Service was fantastic-our water glasses were kept filled as were our wine glasses. We had a reservation on Monday and they were able to shift the time for us when we got stuck in traffic due to Market being closed due to a protest. We didn't have a reservation on Sunday-got there a little after 6-and were seated immediately. The main floor is a little loud. There's a booth/table for 5 that's insulated from mist of the noise and was great for our business dinner.
First of all, I want to express that I do feel bad for giving this place 2 stars after reading all the great reviews but the food was truly a big disappointment. But I must emphasize that the service was outstanding so on that alone I would give 5 stars! Everyone from the host, to the server, to the "self proclaimed" sommelier and every other title you can think of gave their 100% to make our dining experience a great one. And I must add that we were a group of 7 rowdy adults so patience was definitely a virtue!
Now onto the food and the drinks....
Ceviche - The mix of seafood was decent but the sauce was way to vinegary and too limey.
Chicken Skewers - SALTY!!
Grilled Octopus - The thickest tentacles I've ever seen...not quite tender enough, still on the tough chewy side.
Yucca - $5 for 6 giant french fries?!
Beef empanadas - Probably the best item we had on the menu.
Red Snapper - It was great presentation and texture of the fish was perfect...slight crisp on the outside but yet kept its moisture on the inside but unfortunately it was tasteless. I'm not so much of a fan when you need to constantly dip something in thick sauce.
Steak w/french fries - Flavor was good, meat was tender but lacked spark...nothing to rave about and at $22 you can get better else where.
Capriahana - $9 for sprite with lime juice and sugar?! Where's the alcohol?
Overall, I was really disappointed in the quality and the quantity of the food for the price you pay. For great Peruvian food and drinks, I will stick to La Mar...a bit pricey but never a let down!
Somehow I missed the fact that this is a Peruvian fusion place when I first looked it up. Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed when I saw the menu. There was hardly anything peruvian aside from the ceviche. Everything seemed to be more "asian" than peruvian. The restaurant is definitely out of place in the mission... it's very clean, modern and contemporary compared to the taquerias around the corner.
As for the food...I liked their spreads that came with the bread - a garlic aioli type and some kind of spinach aioli or something of that sort. The garlic (yellow) one was the favorite at the table. Although the menu wasn't very impressive, the dishes didn't disappoint too much. My friends got the chicken with mushroom stuffed pepper and truffle infused mac n cheese. The chicken was very flavorful and according to my friend, the stuffed pepper was really delicious! The mac n cheese was good, but nothing too impressive. I got the ribeye with potatoes and green beans. The steak was good, had some flavor, but didn't seem any different than any other steak... so, how was it peruvian fusion?? Another friend got the popular sirloin with rice and potatoes... This was a very asian dish. Very tasty, but I still don't see how it was peruvian other than the fries (yucca roots). Another friend got the fried snapper with curry sauce. By description on the menu, it sounded mouth watering... but by taste, it was not impressive. The presentation was very eye catching though! See the pictures for more visuals. The curry sauce didn't really go well with it... it was a bright orange curry sauce and i couldn't really pinpoint a good taste... it tasted... interesting. Overall, the fish was something I wish I had skipped.
Something not to skip is the ceviche. We got the red snapper ceviche, which was really good. My friend who hates sushi and anything raw even liked it! My only complaint about this is that it was hard to eat/share because it was in long thin strips instead of chunks.
Overall, my picks for you if you go would be:
- chicken with pepper and mac n cheese
- red snapper ceviche
- steak if you want steak...
I only wish it was more peruvian. I guess I will stick to Fresca =P
I'm just gonna get to the point because this place was amazing and I don't need to go on and on about it. Just try it yourself and you'll see.
What was eaten:
Oyster shooter (2) -- amazing! Lots of lime juice, onion, and other goodies. So good I had to get two just to make sure it was true.
Tres Tiempos -- Was a great combination of 3 different sashimi-style fish cuts, each with it's own tangy/zesty sauce. The red snapper was my favorite, but they were all incredible.
Cebiche pescado -- This one was ok. The red snapper was fresh and delicious, great portion but the fish didn't seem to be marinated long enough in the lime juice. From the ceviche experience I have, the fish takes on a more "cured" look and has a more lime-infused flavor than a fishy flavor. Regardless, there was nothing left on the plate when I was done.
Lomo Saltado -- Whoa. The meat was incredibly flavorful. I usually prefer red meat (the more raw, the better) and this one was cooked medium-well. It's wok-tossed sirloin with grilled onions, tomatoes and AMAZING french fries on top as a side dish/garnish. The french fries are lightly cooked in truffle oil, giving them a completely different twist on regular fries.
Truffle-infused Mac & Cheese -- I have no words. The leftovers of this dish were supposed to be for my lunch the next day but they didn't even make it to the fridge. I ate them as soon as I got home!
Dessert was delicious. We (Phil H. and I) ordered the Trio of Sorbets including a scoop of Coconut, Mango and Passion fruit. The best of those has to be the Passion fruit. Somehow we managed to get a second dessert on the house: Molten Chocolate Cake with Passion Fruit Mousse. OMG it was incredible. The best part was mixing the chocolate cake with a little bit of the Passion fruit sorbet.
I could live off their oyster shooters for the rest of my life if I had the choice. That, and the chocolate molten cake with passion fruit sorbet.


