Cuenelli’s Peruvian Restaurant
4801 W Hillsborough Ave, Tampa, FL, 33614
Cuenelli’s Peruvian Restaurant Menu
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Address :
4801 W Hillsborough Ave
Tampa, FL, 33614 - Phone (813) 888-8790
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 4:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Tammi G.
THIS PLACE IS AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS!! Seriously, this is the best rotisserie chicken I have ever had in my life. My husband and I love to come here and get a full family meal with a whole chicken, cilantro rice, black beans, and plantains. We eat half and take half home for later. I brought my mom here, who lives out of town, and she absolutely loved it. She even ended up bringing a friend all the way to Tampa just to eat here for lunch! The restaurant is comfortable, the staff are seriously great, and the food is so freaking good. Everyone who works here is genuinely nice and helpful. The fact that everyone who works here is also super attractive is just a plus! This is probably one of my favorite, if not my very favorite, restaurant in Tampa. Would highly recommend!!!!
(5)Stacy Z.
Cuenelli's was my first experience With Peruvian roasted chicken. For not having tried it sooner, Myself, I'm now kickin! I can't decide which sauce I favor The yellow one or the green. I know that I wanna pour it All over my everything. I get it with a side of spicy beans Served over cilantro rice. So far, I've only tried their chicken But I've only been here twice. The service is fast and friendly When I call in my order Togo. And now I'm craving that chicken! I know where I must go!
(4)Boon C.
Base on the affordable price, great food, and good service, this is considering 5 stars restaurant. We have yelp group enjoy our time and food here. Since we have 7 in the group, we have ordered the Family Dinner. It is a whole chicken with salad, fried yuca, and cilantro rice. The salad is fresh with vinaigrette dressing. I like the cilantro rice with spice in rice. The chicken is marinated and slowly roasted with the skin is crispy outside. We have added the tostones - the flatten fried green plantain for other member to experience the food. We also ordered the Cuenellis Special - Palomilla Steak with fried egg. The steak is well season and tasty, however, the steak may need to be tenderizing for better chewing. The dish also come with fried yuca, 1/4 chicken and fried sweet plantain. A lot food for affordable meal.
(5)Bo W.
This was not only a great dining experience, but a learning experience also. The Peruvian cuisine is derived from a multi culture influence from all over the world, using local ingredients (from Peru) while creating a unique taste. The result is a delicious blend of spices flavoring different excellently prepared meats, vegetables, and rice. My favorites of the evening were the Pollo, tostones, and the cilantro rice; Mmmm, good! Everything else was delicious also, but those three dishes stand out in my mind. This restaurant is nice inside and out, and conveniently located with plenty of parking. The food came out really fast, and like I mentioned before, all great! We were served two sauces, and both were outstanding. The thing that pushed this place over the 4 star mark was the stellar service. Okay, the food would still get this place a 5 star rating, but great service is the "chrey on top". The only complaint I can think of is, I wish the menu was bigger. Not bigger physically, or bigger lettering... bigger as in more delicious foods to try.
(5)Grace H.
Their grill chicken and side dishes were all very tasty. The steak got room for improvement. I tried the dessert flan. It's also yummy. The whole place is cozy and comfortable. Good services, good price and good quality and quantity of food. Overall, I have no complain.
(4)Nick S.
A group us went to check it out and the service and the food was good. The two sauces were very tasty. We got the family meal and shared. The flan dessert was also tasty. The steak dish we had was a lil tough and a lil more variety in sauces and offerings would be cool. The empanadas were good too. No major complaints and would be happy to go back. :)
(4)Tokuda B.
Everytime I go to this place, the ladies are always friendly and smiling and I can apprecieate that fully. I also like that it is a family owned place and the people that work there take pride in great customer service. The food has NEVER been bad, I mean the famous saying of how can you mess chicken up is definetly a phrase for them. The chicken is always juicey, the rice is never grainy or crunchy (under cooked or over cooked) The place is always clean. The best is that for the price, you get quite a bit of food. You can never go wrong with that. I look forward to my lunch hour with coworkers....LOL
(5)Christina R.
Food is good. Good portion of food. It is a fusion restaurant so do not expect a distinct taste.
(3)Zao Z.
The food was amazing. I ordered the chicken and the meat was falling off the bones but still intact. It was cooked perfectly. Their cilantro rice is also amazing. The sauces are really unique and tasty. It is great place to pick up a quick dinner for friends or family. It is very affordable as well. The decor was nothing to rave about but nothing to complain about either. It was very clean. Service was very attentive and warm. I will back. Only complaint is location is in the middle of nowhere.
(5)JP F.
Love this place. The green rice and the green sauce are great. Yuca a la huancaina has one of the best pepper/cheese sauces in a Peruvian place in Tampa. Their chicken is very tasty as well.
(4)Kara S.
I was first attracted to this place from a Yelp search promising great local cuisine at good prices and boy did it deliver. First of all, super easy to find and great parking. You can smell that chicken roasting from the outside and it pulls you right in. Our waitress Yvette was absolutely wonderful and answered all our detailed questions, as none of us knew what Peruvian food was. Basically it's rotisserie chicken-- succulent and delish chicken. Choose either dark or white meat and it comes with spicy beans, cilantro rice (AMAZING), salad with a cilantro sauce (surprisingly tasty house salad) or french fries (don't be lame, people). The dipping sauce that accompanied the chicken was some type of spicy mustard and I slathered it on everything. For a sit down restaurant they were very quick, we were in and out in easily 30 minutes. We even got a military discount. Pro tip: Please note, your credit card purchase must be over $8 or bring cash.
(5)Mel R.
Food is very good here. Not sure it's the best in Tampa, but that doesn't matter, it's worth visiting. Ideal for lunch, if you find yourself starving to the max, go for the Cuenelli Special consisting of a Palomilla Steak, Rotisserie Chicken, Fried Yuca, Plantains, your choice of white rice or cilantro with a side of beans a salad and of course a fried egg on top. Needless to say, this dish should surely satisfy. You may need a nap afterwards. The sauces are a nice bonus, don't think you can go wrong with most of the items on the menu. Prices are reasonable. Check em out.
(4)Paul M.
I can honestly say that the food and service here is always exceptional! The food is so amazing!! Try the rotisserie chicken and the cilantro rice. You will not be disappointed!! The service is absolutely wonderful. The staff is very polite and accommodating. This is definitely one of my favorite places in Tampa.
(5)Gaz H.
Super nice place and friendly staff. Competent chicken, but not the best I've had - by a long shot. That said, the whole package: fries, sauce, homemade dessert was worthwhile.
(4)Anna M.
I have been patronizing Cuenelli's since their prior location in Riverview. Their rotisserie chicken is so moist! I am usually hesitant about ordering chicken anywhere because it is normally so dry! I swear they must inject some sort of crack into the chicken because it is so delicious and addicting! The Cilantro Rice and the dipping sauces that accompany the chicken are very tasty, too. Other than the rice, there are different sides to choose from, but I normally order the house salad. The house dressing is very flavorful! The Salchipapas (chunks of hot dogs served with French Fries) are great too, especially if you are not watching your diet. The staff here is very friendly and efficient. I will definitely be back again to try some of their house specials.
(5)Erica M.
Stopped in for takeout and got a half chicken and lomo saltado. The lomo saltado was delicious. My husband saved the white meat chicken for me (it's usually my favorite) and unfortunately, it was inedibly dry. Hubs said the dark meat was amazing though, so hopefully my white meat dryness was a fluke. I would definitely go back for both the chicken and lomo saltado.
(4)John P.
This place is great, I've only been here once but I can see myself going again over and over again whenever I'm craving Peruvian food! The price is very reasonable, I ordered the Half chicken (1/4 dark and 1/4 white) which came with two sides (rice, beans, or salad) for $9.99! The chicken was super tasty as well as the dipping sauces. I had one of their ice cream truffles which was the PERFECT top off. 5 stars for reasonable prices and great food.
(5)Tracy G.
I stopped by for a quick lunch while in the area and had some of the best rotisserie chicken I have ever had. Service was prompt and excellent. Menu offers a variety of classic Peruvian dishes such as Lomo Saltado which is one of my favorites. I will definately be back to enjoy a sit-down dinner the next time I am in the area.
(5)Kendra P.
The BEST chicken I've ever tasted! Great sides, clean atmosphere and friendly staff!!!
(5)Edna C.
While foraging via Yelp for a tasty and inexpensive dinner, we were initially disappointed in being bombarded by all the sandwich places that came up in our search. We were excited to try Cuenelli's because the photos divulged food that looked far more satisfying and dinner-like than sandwiches. We started off with the ceviche ($13) that was highlighted in several reviews. There was a good balance of fish and lime surpassing n00by ceviche that almost exclusively tastes like lime. The crunchy shreds of red onion added a nice texture to complement the soft chunks of sashimi. The portions were surprisingly generous, along with traditional Latin American sides of roasted corn nuts and yam (be warned that the yam is chilled! I was not expecting that). Overall the ceviche at this almost-fast-food-like place turned out to be better in quality and quantity than the ceviche that we got at a classy Japanese restaurant. I got the 1/2 roast chicken ($9), which is a lot of meat but at just $1 more from the 1/4 roast chicken, who can say no? The rotisserie chicken was quite good, well roasted with spices to make it quite flavorful--while not mind-blowing, you can definitely taste the difference compared to grocery market roast chicken. It comes with 2 sides, and I chose the cilantro rice and black beans. Nothing special about the black beans, but the cilantro rice was tasty and went well with the chicken. In fact, I would recommend the cilantro rice especially for Asian people who are used to eating meat with rice. Although the name of the restaurant features rotisserie chicken, I tried a bit of the steak with fried egg and it was delicious, though it does seem like it would induce massive food coma. Located in a plaza, the storefront is admittedly mundane. The BBQ themed interior, punctuated by the classic red checkered tablecloth, if fun and casual but in my opinion a Latin theme would have enhanced the South American-ness of Peruvian style rotisserie chicken.
(4)Sam Q.
I keep coming back because the food is good. But I need to knock off one star because there just a couple of things that irk me. They can fix it, but they need to pay attention. When you order a sandwich. It comes with fries. Many people don't like fries. But I can't substitute with fried yucca. Even though the fries and the fries yucca a re priced the same as sides. Makes no sense. I hate things that make no sense. Then there's the 50 cent charge for a tiny little side of sauce. It's tiny. And I can't help but feel they're nickel and diming me. If someone just ordered two full meals and needs a little extra sauce, seems to me they shouldn't charge. And if they are going to charge, use a little larger container please. It's my pet peeves. But I'm my opinion, it's things like these what's holding this place back from being just good to being great. Good tastes great though. Come check it out. Hope you like fries.
(3)Marc K.
Good value restaurant! We had dinner there for business. This is not an upscale restaurant by any means, but the food is still pretty good. I had the chicken, which was delicious. I also had the ceviche which I really enjoy it a lot. My friend had steak and rice and beans and french fries. If you want Peruvian food that's not really expensive and still decent, this is the place.
(4)J Z.
Can't go wrong with this chicken. Maybe the best chicken I've ever had and consistently good. The price is reasonable for the amount of food although maybe it was just the last few times I ordered but it seems like they're getting smaller with the portions of rice and beans. But wow is it all good. My go to order is : 1/4 chicken, black beans, cilantro rice, and extra green sauce!! Winner winner.
(5)Justin L.
Second time coming here.and I have to say, exceeded my expectations. This time I ordered the Cuenelli's Special, which included steak (with fried egg on top and sitting on bed of rice and beans), dark chicken (thigh), two fried plantains, a salad and a root vegetable (forgot name) that tasted like coke laced french fries. The steak was very tasty and had very little fat. The salad dressing (guessing) tasted like an Italian vinaigrette with a hint of something spectacular. Everything else was on point and the service was great, food presentation was noteworthy and took minimal time. Will be coming here again and again!
(5)Frank N.
Updating and upgrading to 5 stars. Cuenelli's continually serves up some of the most flavorful moist chicken in town. Wonderful sides and the waitresses here are the best. Worth a visit no matter where you live in this area.
(5)Fulano D.
Excellent chicken, taste was fantastic with the meat falling off the bone. They know how to cook here. Pollo Tropical look out! The cilantro rice was also tasty and plentiful. The two sauces the green and yellow were flavorful and not spicy. The salad with the house dressing was a perfect compliment. Lunch was as 11.00, well worth it.
(4)Bunny N.
Wow, this place exceeded my expectations for sure. I came in for lunch to grab a quick bite to eat. It is a sit down restaurant but you can also order things to-go. There are a lot of delicious options such as rotisserie chicken with sides for a very decent price. Choose between quarter, half or whole chicken. I had beans with cilantro ride as my sides. The meal came with some sort of yellow curry sauce which was so yum! Service was great- the lady was attentive to our group of 6 and was very polite and friendly. I hope I get a chance to go here again before I leave Tampa.
(5)Ziyad L.
This place is amazing. First time here. Spicy beans and 1/4 chicken white. Will return
(5)Arthur F.
This time I had the rice and beans, as opposed to a double order of beans. The cilantro rice is great. The black beans delicious. The chicken yummy. Can't wait to return. PS the service is great
(5)Skippy M.
Cute place, good service, fair prices. Not too Peruvian for most Americans, probably not too American for Peruvians. Better-than-average food, too.
(3)Deb C.
White Rice and black beans - SO GOOD! Deep fried hot dogs and fries - how could this be bad? It wasn't ... It was good! Rotisserie chicken - descent. But I'll come back to try the beef! Very clean inside and nice wait staff.
(4)Brett N.
Why 4 stars? Because this is another solid Latin eatery in West Tampa. --- --- --- Cuenelli's was on my list for quite a while, but I was finally able to make it out. I normally order steak over chicken, but I wanted to try both since the name of the business includes "Peruvian Style Rotisserie Chicken" in it. I enjoyed my meal. It wasn't the best I've had in Tampa Bay, but it was a job well done. I thoroughly enjoy anytime I have the chance to gobble up some South or Central American goodness, and this was no exception.
(4)Chaitanya K.
My previous chicken rotisserie eating experience was at Pico Rojo in the clearwater area and I absolutely enjoyed it. Was in the west tampa area, driving past Cuenellis and decided to stop by and I am glad I did. Had to order the chicken and got a side of the fried green plantain and cilantro rice. The chicken was flavorful and moist which is a very difficult combination to maintain. Finished off my meal with a very well made flan. Will definitely be back to try out the ceviche.
(4)Jennifer C.
This place is pretty good. I don't usually eat the skin of the chicken because it's typically not crispy enough for me and slimy, but here, you could literally give me a whole plate of it! (I am gross, I know). It was just that good. The chicken was fall-off-the-bone and their plantains were perfectly caramelized and sweet. I ended up using their delicious home made sauces for my fries, which were also very tasty. This place is pretty cheap for a sit-down, and you will leave feeling stuffed without breaking the bank.
(5)Clarence E.
Our go-to Peruvian polla a la brasa. It took us some time before finding this place and the food and laid back atmosphere keeps us coming back. Good but my bar is set high from our favorite DC haunt that had smoke billowing out of the brasa always in full tilt pumping out hot, juicy pollo. What we like. Well the family enjoys the chicken dinner with lots of sides. The fries are good especially with the yellow sauce. The fried yuca is always a favorite. A bowl of black beans. Cilantro rice can be awesome but tonight was ok (not that hot and a bit dry). Chicken is good but sometimes the white meat gets dry. And they seem to be getting smaller. So this starts my few pet peeves...pollo a la brasa to me is hot and juicy chicken. And the for the sauces...charging 50 cents each is steep. I'd rather it be included in the price. Sorry but we haven't tried the other dishes but the bistec with egg sounds good. Service is attentive and always pleasant. We usually get the churros. Good but not knock your socks off. In summary, it is always a good meal despite the little things.
(4)SH K.
Really good value for money, for excellent food! 1 whole grilled chicken + 3 sides for just USD23... feeds a family of 4 with medium appetites. Can't be beat!
(5)Grace C.
Totally understand what it is people love about this place. Reasonable prices? Check Delicious food? Check Efficient wait staff? Check The atmosphere is casual but servers come to you to take your order. We ordered the Special Plate with both steak topped with an egg and chicken, 1/2 order of chicken with beans and cilantro rice, and a chicken sandwich with fries. I really loved the thick fried pieces of yuca and plantains were perfectly done. The standout was definitely the chicken because it was super flavorful and moist. I really liked the green sauce that it was served with that reminded me of a spicy chimichurri yet it was creamier than regular chimichurri sauce. If you want an extra serving of sauce, you need to pay 50 cents for it. I thought that was a tad odd because they don't give you much of it to begin with. I'd understand if I had asked for a lot more and wasted it. I thought the egg was a little too well done for my liking on top of my steak. The steak, while seasoned well, was tough and dry. My brother ordered a passion fruit natural juice and I took a small sip. I could tell it came from real fruit and wasn't too sugary - perfect! I'm so glad I finally visited and can't wait for my next visit. I'll probably stick to the chicken this time though :)
(4)Janet M.
Excellent dipping sauce with Cilantro rice . Chicken was tasty Good value .. Wish they would stay open just a little later . They close at 8:00pm
(4)Ms D.
First off the totones are sooo good. Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Love them. Had the tilapia salad which was "OK". It would be excellent if the fish was seasoned before it was fried. It kinda taste too "fresh"for lack of a better word. Tastes like the tank where it came from. Other than that the greens were fresh and crispy
(3)Arnita C.
OK, so I found this place on yelp and boy am I glad I tried it out! Yummmmmyyyy! I got my food to go and they were quick and efficient. The service was great! Very friendly and on point with the recommendations. The chicken was seasoned well and very tender and not dry. The cilantro rice was mild and the spicy beans had just enough kick and good flavor. The two sauces--yellow and green--were both awesome compliments to my food. The yellow sauce is my fave and I felt like I could just drink it! I also got an order of plantains and let me tell you that they were well worth it. I encourage anyone to go and try it out. The only reason for four stars versus five is that I wanted an empanada after I ordered and couldn't pay by card because of the price (you have to charge a minimum of $8 to use your card and that was frustrating), so I didn't get one. However, I will be back!
(4)Karen F.
3.5 Stars We visited on a Sunday for lunch, and were the first patrons of the day at noon. I had the ceviche appetizer as my meal, and it was very good. Nice and fresh tasting, with a hint of lime and hint of spice, and the red onions were not too sharp. Served with the roasted salted corn kernels I love so much. My BF had the 1/2 chicken with cilantro rice and spicy beans. He loved the flavor of the chicken, although it was a bit greasy, but thought the beans were very 'boring'. He said next time - he'll just have the chicken and be very happy. Servers were very friendly, food came out quickly, and the Inca diet kola was a nice treat.
(3)Charles P.
Being half peruvian.I know what good food is suppose to taste like.this is it get the dam Lomo saltado or the pollo.please don't forget the green and yellow sauce.
(5)Gigi S.
Ok, I've tried this place three times now, so I'm ready to call it. It's another Latin spot that specializes in rotisserie chicken that I feel would be at home on the Colombian Corridor, Armenia. My favorite is the cilantro rice with the chicken. The service is friendly even if they insist on speaking Spanish to everyone. Watching your sodium? You'll probably wanna skip this then. It seems that a lot of the flavor is derived from seasonings unlike the Colombian folks who rely on cooking style a bit more. It's flavorful, juicy, and addictive. The dipping sauces add punch, as if it needs it! There's ample seating, and clean restrooms, so bring a crowd if you wanna. All this salt is perfectly washed down with one of he many soda offerings. mmm..
(4)Jerry L.
This place features superior rotisserie chicken and other Latin specialities. Great service and good prices complete the story. Recommended on all counts.
(5)Yvonne L.
The restaurant has all the Peruvian greatest hits, and the average dish is a carb lover's dream. Salchipapas, bistec with rice and beans, maduros, and of course french fries, all of these things are ready and willing to increase your pants size at Cuenelli's. The restaurant can comfortably seat a medium sized party and the booths can fit up to 6 people of average size. In terms of service, they could have used some more servers on the Sunday that I was there. One party of about 15 came in, my table was 5, add to that the multiple other tables, and you ended up with hungry patrons and a frantic couple of waitresses.
(3)Juan A.
If you want to try the best rotisserie chicken in Tampa, this is the place to go. The sauces that come with the fries are amazing. The green one, the salsa huacatay is incredibly good if you are into mildly spicy sauces. If you don't like spicy food, then you will enjoy the yellow one. The green rice is a great side, and a must have if you are ordering the chicken. The other Peruvian plates range between "ok" and "good". The chicken is the star.
(5)Rob G.
This review is mainly chicken talk as Cuenelli's Peruvian Style Rotisserie Chicken brings to the table. Pollo a la brasa.... Rotisserie chicken.... Whatever you wanna call it.... I call it a technique done here with love and pride. Lets be clear, you will find no comparison coming from your grocer deli section or at the checkout isle. Why do I think this chicken have some TLC put into it? On biting down of this chicken you can note seasoning flavors down to the bone. This is an inclination that prior to even getting into the rotisserie oven, these birds spend some time in some form of marinating process. Building flavor, the chicken also has a seasoning rub all over the skin. Lets go to this rotisserie oven. Another unique element is this oven has a charcoal or grill like component. This gives the chicken a smoky element in the flavor build. As these birds turn in this oven, they keep moist from the natural drippings dropping from bird to bird as they rotate through this oven. In turn, this a reason why some people may note some pieces the skin end up dry and crispy and others get moist or soggy skin on their chicken In the end, you end up with this tender, smoky, well seasoned, fall off the bone goodness. Wait.... how can they add more flavor? Cuenelli's serves it with two dipping sauces, a chimichurri which gives a herbaceous and slightly spicy flavor, and an aioli which has a garlicky - lemony element. Round out this meal with some solid sides. Must haves for me would be the cilantro rice. Another herbaceous addition that works well with this meal. I got to use the word herbaceous a few times in this review, it has reflects such great imagery for food talk:) Must have beans with rice no? I pick the spicy pinto beans over the black beans at this establishment but lets be clear these beans are pretty spicy. I also love the maduros here. These sweet plantatains are cooked to perfection where the outsides has this caramelization from the natural sugar of the sweet plantain, leaving you with this toffee-like, stick to your tooth exterior and soft and sweet interior. Wash all down with Inca cola or a bottle of chicha limena. Inca cola is almost like a cola champagne or a cream soda type of drink. Chicha Limena I say is Christmas in a bottle. This juice has a floral base blended with cinnamon and cloves. Though Cuenelli's Peruvian Style Rotisserie Chicken have many other notable Latin dishes, the one thing that comes to mind to me is this chicken made with love. This chicken gives new meaning to all who thought they knew what rotisserie chicken is. I say, go to Cuenelli's and taste again for the very first time.
(4)Steven C.
Had the family special which consisted of a whole rotisserie chicken quartered, three sides (we chose rice, fries and fried sweet plantains) with green and yellow sauces. Fries were hot and crispy. But the chicken was a bit dry. I poured the mildly spicy green sauce all over the rice and then shredded my chicken in it. That made it better. The chicken is very similar to the mojo chicken at say a pollo tropical. The waitresses did a great job, friendly and attentive. Next time I'll try the bistec.
(4)Victor R.
Great service, place was packed & I had to make my order to go because there were no seats available. The chicken was fantastic & so were the sides. I will go back here another time & hopefully eat in for full experience.
(4)Jen N.
They are very friendly here. The food is absolutely delicious. Very fresh, hot and good flavor.
(5)Steve E.
OK, repeat after me..... Kelleigh was right Kelleigh was right Kelleigh was right Kelleigh was right Kelleigh was right..... Whew, I think that should serve as enough penance for one review! I admit it, I have driven past Cuenelli's Peruvian Style Rotisserie Chicken on Hillsborough Avenue for months thinking that it was just another fast-food chicken joint.....and yes, I was wr-wr-wr-wrong. Cuenelli's sits in a dinky little strip mall at the intersection of Hillsborough and Andersen Road. From the outside there's not much to see, but inside the place is spotlessly clean and decorated with a lot of Peruvian culture and pride. The waiter was super friendly, and gave me a lot of suggestions. The menu is small, but packed with a lot of flavorful choices. In addition to the charcoal rotisserie chicken, they also have several appetizers, steak options, seafood, sandwiches, and vegetarian specials. My server recommended an outstanding House Special called Lomo Saltado which was tender grilled sirloin, sliced on the diagonal and served with grilled onions and tomatoes, and on top of French fries. Amazing flavors, and it came with cilantro rice and a bowl of black beans. He suggested that I try their two homemade sauces so that I'd know about them for next time. The first was made with cilantro, and it was perfect on the rice & beans. The spicy yellow sauce is designed to go with the grilled chicken, but it also tasted great with the sirloin. I'm anxious to go back and try the rotisserie chicken on my next visit. Thanks Kelleigh for the suggestion!
(5)Kelleigh M.
Omg! Why haven't I been here before? What took me so long?!?! This place is incredible. Moist, flavorful rotisserie chicken full of flavor. I do like YaYas but I'd take Cuenelli's any day. And the spicy yellow sauce served with it? Out of this world. This restaurant is extremely clean and brightly decorated inside. The waitress was extremely helpful and gave me some guidance when ordering. I appreciate that I was allowed to sub my French fries for the cilantro rice. Now I know what all the yelp hype is regarding this place....I've experienced it and will def be back.
(5)Diana N.
Good food, ok service. Not bad for lunch
(3)Natalie B.
Excellent chicken and Peruvian drinks! You WILL NOT be dissappointed. And the fried plantains are to die for. Even after I had eaten my fill and ordered a meal to go for a friend, I once again salivated when she cracked open her box. Heavenly!
(5)Joshua S.
Delicious food and great friendly staff. Had the half rotisserie with cilantro rice and spicy beans--got the half so I would have leftovers! Everything was delicious and flavorful! Meat was spiced perfectly and was moist, almost smoked. Skin was tender and not tough. The beans (pintos) were full of flavor with a little kick and the cilantro in the rice added a great little fresh note. Everything came with 2 difference sauces... One was a garlic mustard sauce (called simply "yellow" by the waitress) and the other was like a bright green chimchurri. I could drink both by themselves, but each was amazing with pretty much everything on the plate... including just my spoon. :-) They gave me extra for my leftovers as well for free, which was nice. Look forward to coming back here! Great for a quick lunch.
(5)Tam D.
I want to give this place a better review, because the food is actually pretty good. Unfortunately, two things have stood out on my visits there: 1) The food is overpriced. Most recently, I ordered a sandwich over the phone; when I arrived, the bill came out to over $10. I didn't ask for fries. No one told me it was coming with fries, even though I asked what it came with. 2) Not enough care is put into food prep. I got a (pulled) chicken sandwich, and bit into a bone. No big deal, I thought. By the time I was done, I had bitten into seven more for a total of EIGHT BONES. This is a bit much, don't you think? My advice: don't order the chicken sandwich.
(2)michelle l.
I'm so sorry that I didn't try this place out sooner. I lost two years of good chicken. I love pollo a la brasa. Having it in Pucallpa, Peru was one of the brightest spots during my Peruvian trip (and that includes visiting Machu Picchu). Living in Tampa, I figured I'd have to make it myself, but lacking a rotisserie left me with subpar attempts. Thankfully, now I can go to Cuenelli's. The chicken is moist and flavorful. The aji sauce is addictive. I really like the salad dressing on the salad, and the fries aren't bad, especially with a little aji and ketchup. After reading the other reviews, I'm looking forward to returning and trying the steak with the egg dripping into the black beans and rice. I just ate a few hours ago, and just thinking about bistek has my stomach growling.
(5)Sarah A.
I love this place! The chicken is moist and delicious! I also love the sides! The cilantro rice, the salad, and the spicy beans are all delicious with the chicken! I also loved the fried plantains! Amazing!
(5)Andrew M.
Cuenelli's was very good for Friday-night take-out. I got a half chicken with spicy beans and cilantro rice, an order of lomo saltado, and flan for dessert. The total came to just under $30 and was a ton of delicious food. Only complaint was that the white meat chicken was super dry. Like...inedibly dry. It was unfortunate because the dark meat was so juicy (too bad hubs ate it all and left me with the breast, which is normally my favorite)! I would definitely go back...I just hope the dry white meat was a fluke and not the norm.
(4)Zach H.
I love Latin food and Peruvian food is no exception. I came in with a friend for lunch and only one other table was occupied which had me a bit concerned. The overall feel of place was fast-food-esque but it was far from anything I've ever had at a fast-food joint. We ordered the Tilapia Ceviche and Cuenelli's Special (Palomilla Steak, Rotisserie Chicken, Fried Yuca, Fried Plantains, Fried Egg, Rice & Black Beans with a Side Salad). The Ceviche had a great balance of acidity, spicy heat, and freshness. I felt that it was slightly overloaded with red onions, but still very good. The Special certainly was special. Both the steak and the chicken were tender and exploding with flavor. The yuca and plantains were fried perfectly. The egg's yolk was runny deliciousness and the salad had a uniquely tasty greenish dressing. The only small criticism I have is that the rice was a little on the dry side. Otherwise, the service was great and it was an overall great experience with food that I'll definitely be back for.
(4)Jeffrey F.
No visible signage that they don't take American Express. No happy at all about telling me as I'm trying to pay. Heads up. Food was okay, over seasoned. Portions on the chicken are small. They try to fill you up with sides.
(3)Erick R.
The chicken was spiced and cooked very well. The cilantro rice was cooked well and pairs well with the sauces they have. I had the spicy beans and they were on point A great lunch spot. I would recommend if you're looking for a step up from fast food and a great price.
(4)Carlos H.
They have not lost their touch. I was invited to Cuenelli's on Friday by the owner after running into her at the grocery store for a complimentary dinner for my food blog. I wasn't disappointed. I started with the Papa a la Huancaina ($5.99). Normally I skip appetizers at restaurants and dive right into my meal, but this appetizer is hard to resist. The eggs and potatoes go well with the spicy yellow sauce. Normally my friend and I destroy it while we wait for dinner (which normally comes pretty quick at this restaurant). The tough decision one always makes at Cuenelli's is: chicken or steak? Both are excellent and have their own, unique taste. My friend and I, being the smart two university students we are decided to order both and then mix and match. The chicken sandwich ($6.99) being well worth the cost. If Cuenelli's sandwiches were available to me - I would certainly want one every week because they are just that good. I searched the streets of Seoul looking for some decent Peruvian food for four months without anything hinting to some of the great Spanish cuisine we have here in Florida. The Bistec a lo Pobre ($11.99) was a delicious treat as well. The over-easy egg yolk went excellent with the rice, beans, and plantains. Cuenelli's homemade french fries are always a great hit to have on the side. The last entree we had was the Peruvian ceviche which was both spicy and tangy. It hit the right palate and was enjoyable. Packed in my favorite vegetable: onions. The pumpkin and corn on the side was a nice addition and it was my first time trying this dish. I consider ceviche to be more of an appetizer than an entree, but this portion was certainly an entree size. Overall, great food is still to be had at Cuenelli's. If you haven't tried this Peruvian restaurant, you owe it to yourself to take some time and drive down Hillsborough for some delicious Peruvian cuisine.
(5)Kevin F.
It's hard to believe it's taken me so long to write a review... I go here at least once every couple weeks. I used to recommend people try the steak sandwich, but there were a couple complaints from friends/co-workers about the toughness of it. So now I recommend the chicken sandwich, since it's consistently good. Recently, I've been getting the chicken salad. It's a MASSIVE bowl of salad with the rotisserie chicken on top. Very tasty. Last but not least, I think everyone should try drinking Chicha at least once. It's such a good drink! Not only does it taste good, but unlike with soft drinks -- where I'm lucky if I can even pronounce some of the ingredients -- the handful of ingredients are both easy to recognize and say. I usually drink a bit with my meal and then save the rest in the bottle for later.
(4)Mathew G.
Never had this kind of food. It was really good food. They have these two different sauces they bring out with your chicken. I didn't like it at first, however it quickly grew on me. Big fan. I'll go back for sure.
(4)Tim P.
Great place for a lunch break. Speedy service, good prices, and really really really good chicken. Oh, and those sauces?? Omg haha
(4)F P.
Chicken was great! Excellent seasonings on the rotisserie. They have cilantro rice which was pretty yummy too. Ice cream truffles for dessert was a nice surprise. We ate lunch with our 6 month old daughter. It was not too loud, easy to put her car seat in a booth. This place is on our lunch rotation now :)
(4)Eddie N.
My friend and I were craving something new... we have Yelped across Tampa and St Pete, so now that we were about to go separate ways because our contract out here was ending and we have to go back to our main HQ of business operations, we wanted to try some local food fare that most likely wasn't available from our home cities. He was craving chicken, and so here we are. We pulled up and there was one car leaving. They were closing in an hour so we skimmed through the compact menu. What they lack in variations are found to be a key focus. We both ordered the half chicken meal... and a ceviche appetizer to share. *The ceviche will take 15 minutes to prepare. So the rotisserie chicken come with 2 sides, and I chose the fries and cilantro rice. Yeah I know, "double carbs"?! I wanted fried if the rice sucked. It didn't, the rice was good and even better with the house sauce. There are 2 house sauces and let me tell you, they were both wonderful I mean, I could have eaten the sauce by itself it was so good. There was a jalepeno and cilantro one, OMG, this was the winner. So when you see the sauces, there is a green one and a creme looking one (mustard based). The chicken was sooooooooo good. We both hardly spoke in the beginning and that's a sign of good food. The chicken was moist and seasoned perfectly. I don't know if I can remember a better rotisserie than this one. I may even come here for lunch before I fly out. WOW. You know what? I don't even want to finish this review, I can't say how awesome the chicken was with the cilantro rice and green sauce. If there was a microphone to drop, it'd be on the floor, and no i wouldn't drop the chicken drumstick in its place, and if i did, i'd set in place the "5 second rule" which would be enforced in 1 second. Go to Cuenelli's and have the half chicken combo!
(5)Khanh L.
This place is near Fox Rent a Car which is how we stumbled on it the first time. We just flew in to TB and after picking up our rental car we needed food ASAP! Service was friendly and fast. The rotisserie chicken was so good and had so much more flavor than our Peruvian restaurant up here. The fries were nice and crisp but the rice was a bit underdone. The tres leches dessert was nothing to write home about but the chicken made us come back again before we dropped off our rental car and headed to the airport.
(4)Bonita B.
I enjoy the sides (rice, black beans, and plantains) since I don't eat chicken. However, I've heard that the chicken is yummy -- I can't vouch for it.
(4)Carlos M.
The customer service is terrible. It is so bad that they make u feel uncomfortable instead of welcome. Rude servers. Food is ok but service is terrible. Terra sur is not so different but the food is better.
(1)Brian B.
This a great local place I like to stop for lunch. The food is great and the wait staff is very friendly. It's easy to get in and out quickly when you are on limited time.
(5)Mark H.
We like to try new eateries. Last night, I was trying to think of someplace unique to grub down at, and I saw the review for Cuenelli's. We have driven past this spot 5 or 6 times, but never when we are actually hungry, so I made sure we were hungry tonight. We can throw my knowledge of authentic Peruvian recipes out the window. Other than knowing that the potato originated in the geographical region of Inca Empire, I don't know Jack crap about the food, and have never had it. That being said, what I can tell you is that the food was magical. We throw down at a lot of Latin spots, but this was completely different. The flavors were not what you'd get from a Caribbean Latin restaurant at all, and that was a pleasant change. I had the LOMO SALTADO, which I believe roughly translates to "this dish will make you wanna slap ur momma." (I've added a pic for visual assistance.) This was a sirloin or flank-type steak cut into thin strips and stir fried in a soy-vinegar sauce with tomatoes and onions. It was served on a bed of french fries and with what seemed like an endless supply of white rice. (I thought only Puerto Ricans served dishes on top of fries.) La Chica had the BISTEC A LO POBRE, which roughly translates to "poor people's steak." This was a palomilla steak served with fries, white rice, black beans, amarillos and topped with a fried egg. This dish is actually pretty common in Latin America. Hell, you can get the American version at IHOP. The whole world probably eats some variation of this dish. Either way, it was really good. We did order some chicken since that's their staple item, and it was really good. It came with CILANTRO RICE (a-freaking-mazing) and SPICY BEANS. The chicken was moist, tender and cooked to perfection. It came with 2 dipping sauces that accented the flavor of the chicken beautifully. We will definitely go back.
(5)Ashley B.
I didn't know rotisserie chicken could taste so good!! I ordered the 1/4 chicken (dark meat) with rice and added a side of plantains. The chicken and cilantro rice both have amazing flavor! I mix them together and add the sauce they give you and it's perfect! The restaurant is modern and well decorated and the staff is always friendly.
(5)Gary H.
I came here with my Peruvian girlfriend. I have been to a Peruvian restaurant in New York with her. and it was delicious. So I figured I'd give it a shot again .I ordered the half chicken cilantro meal and my sides .it was very good very tasty and a lot of food. however I felt as if I was being somehow overlooked by the wait staff .personally. I don't know its just that when you're looking at someone in the eyes and asking them to come over and they turn around and do something else its just like they are ignoring .so I don't know maybe it's just me. but the food is excellent
(3)Jackie P.
Food is FANTASTIC but service is not that great. If dinning in, you might have to repeat yourself more than once you want ketchup, lemons slices, etc. If you order pick up make sure you specify you need utensils, sauces and napkins!!! Oh, and make sure they repeat the order to you before you pay because if they messed up and they charged you already, for example I ordered two meals and TWO drinks and only charge me for one drink they can't charge you again (credit card, low amount) and won't accommodate them messing up. They just give you attitude and say "sorry, you can pay in cash" if I had cash I wouldn't have paid with a credit card, right? Or maybe the person taking the orders on the phone needs training.
(3)Sarah R.
Delicious food at great price! We tried the family chicken meal and lomo with rice and fries. The lomo plate was my favorite. Atmosphere and service were great. Just at the end she was awkwardly hasty in clearing out table. We were about to leave and the place was half empty. We enjoyed it anyway!
(5)Melissa R.
I loved their ceviche.... I can't lie, it was awesome. Everyone has their own taste when it comes to ceviche. For me, this one was perfect. The fish was great, nice little chunks, well marinated. The amount of onion, lime etc was great. We also tried the palomilla steak. The steak was well seasoned and tender. I was more impressed with the black beans. Often times not enough attention is given to them since every spot in town seems to serve them. These beans were great. They had a very nice flavor and a great consistency. I also had the platanos maduros and some yuca frita. They were both delicious but I'd rather save my room for the main dishes. The service was good and the restaurant was very clean. The owner came over and introduced herself (since we were taking pics of the food) and she was extremely polite, funny and sincere. She really knew how to handle her customers rather than some owners who automatically get defensive or paranoid at the site of a camera. This place was a delight. I will definitely be back.
(5)Chris H.
If you haven't tried Peruvian food, then this is a great place to start. Try the Peruvian style rotisserie chicken. It is absolutely delicious! The service is fantastic with a smile. It never hurts to have beautiful Peruvian servers to add to the experience. This place is cheap and not far from Tampa's airport. Buen Provecho!
(4)Nunya B.
We always hit this place up for the family dinner...the cilantro rice and green and yellow dipping sauces perfectly complement the moist chicken. I don't mind eating the breast meat because it is *that* good. My two year old son absolutely loves the chicken and rice. If you're around the way and haven't tried this spot yet, shame on you...this place is a no brainer!
(5)C C.
If you like rotisserie chicken, GO HERE! Seriously, don't bother with the supermarket variety or any of the few chains in Tampa. Cuenelli's is simple, quick, inexpensive, and absolutely delicious. I ordered a half chicken, spicy beans, and cilantro rice since all the other yelpers raved about it. It's more than enough food for 2 people and about $10. This is now going to be my favorite take-out spot during work hours.
(4)Paul V.
I stopped by Cuenelli's earlier this afternoon for a quick afternoon lunch. I work late, so I generally take my break around 6:00 or so. Cuenelli's usually closes at 5:00, though. I decided to take an early break and made a special trip down Hillsborough to try this place out, since I'd seen the great Yelp reviews. The place was mostly deserted. The only sound was a futbol game on Univision. I was getting a little nervous, but a lady came to give me a glossy menu, and a couple of minutes later, I was delivered a tasty, juicy leg and thigh served hot off the rotisserie, a steaming hot cup of spicy beans, and a bowl of cilantro-infused rice with little bits of vegetables mixed in. All piping hot and all delicious. I washed it down with an Inca Kola, which I highly recommend to you international soda connoisseurs out there. Grand total: slightly over $8.00. I can whine about their hours, but I can't complain about the food or the price. The location looks like a chain restaurant from the outside, but don't let that deter you. Cuenelli's is worth your time.
(4)Jenifer D.
I love this place! I frequently travel to Tampa for work, saw this place on Yelp and decided to check it out. I was hooked! When I travel, I don't want to eat at your national chains or even eat food that I can get at home...I need the culinary adventure! I try and make it a point to eat the local cuisines and try things that I can't at home. Peruvian is not something that I can get at home which is why I like this place so much more! Every time I am in town for work, this place is always on the list. Their rotisserie chicken is so good...put it on a sandwich and it's really good...but add some of the sauce on top and it is AMAZING! I have not dined in so I cannot comment about the service but I have always had pleasant counter service and great food!
(4)Edwin M.
WOW! What can I say. I haven't had Peruvian food in such a long time. I think the last time I had it was when I was 12. We ordered the family combo which came with a rotisserie chicken, a salad, French fries, and some rice. What can I say, it bought back childhood memories back to when my closest friend that lived next door, who's family was Peruvian, invited me over for dinner just about every night. The chicken was on point! So juicy! Ordered chicha, a Peruvian drink, and it was just as I remember it. The fries were amazing, so crispy and golden an not greasy at all. The rice was amazing! This is truly a must go place to eat. The staff is pretty friendly too. I will most definitely be coming back here more often!
(5)Michael P.
Family place with taste We drove up from St. Pete just to give Peruvian food a try. I'm glad we did. The fish was wonderful, the steak was good as well as the chicken! We samples a variety of items, shared, savored and snuck bites and we all agreed it was a very nice meal. I want to sample more and see what else the Peruvian palate has to offer. So far, so good!
(4)Priscilla S.
I tried this location once before it went Peruvian. Anyhow, the place has improved since it looks busier. The location is a bit awkward on a busy through street. There are not many other restaurants near it. It's also next to a gas station. I understand that they mostly serve chicken, steak and one fish dish, but it was difficult to find much variety. But they do also serve side items like fried yuca ($3.89). I don't eat meat so I opted for the tilapia ceviche (Ceviche Peruano) ($11.99). It was really good but after awhile the citrus sauce became overpowering. Luckily, my friend ordered a combo platter that had 1/2 chicken, cilantro rice and spicy baked beans all for $8.99. I helped devour all the vegetarian sides. The cilantro rice was so tasty, especially when mixed with their curry dipping sauce. For dessert, I tried their fried plantains. It took awhile to come out, but it was so worth it because it was nice and hot. Overall, I liked everything that I tried. The only downside is that they don't allow you to substitute any sides. My tilapis ceviche was served as diced raw tilapia, red onions, cilantro, one sweet potato and lemon citrus sauce topped with fried large corn kernels. I wanted to substitute the corn for something else because it sounded odd. But they couldn't allow it. So when I tried them, it was like chewing crunchy chalky brittle. I also ordered their mango drink without milk. It tasted like an icy mango smoothie. It tasted pretty sweet. Overall, had a good experience in terms of food and service. Just wish there were more seafood and vegetarian options.
(4)Evan M.
Once again Cuenelli's delivered delicious mayhem! I had the Lomo Saltado for lunch and Flan for dessert.... Outstanding! Please if you read this review and you are looking for something other than traditional chain restaurant crap, do yourself a favor and stop by, the restaurant is family owned and all the employees are family and if you go there enough you may feel like family too! Like Jeff C. reported the owners are having a tough time at the present location and believe me this restaurant should be bustling with buisness! Dont be afraid! Try something new and DELICIOUS!!!!! CUENELLIS! CUENELLIS! CUENELLIS!
(5)Mike S.
We really like good ceviche and other Peruvian dishes, but skipped the ceviche here because not available in appetizer size and made with tilapia.....just not willing to have another dose of that ubiquitious farm critter. Opted for the family dinner, featuring a complete roasted/grilled chicken plus 3 sides and sauces. Their chicken rivals Colombia Pequena and Antoquena. Salad came with a fine cilantro-flavored house dressing that hit the spot...and we do not like heavy cilantro. Maduros were good and spicy pinto beans very nicely seasoned. Was able to get a bottle of chicha, unusual to find purple corn drink......sweet and vaguely fruity. No beer or wine, which is a pity with this kind of food. As others noted, the dining room has a fast-food feel and table-service service was fast for us on a slow Friday night. Value was excellent and next time I will try the sampler platter.
(3)Andee S.
Give this place three chances. Today I just left the place again with nothing to eat, for some reason every time we get there, there is no chicken EVER! Their excuse? Our oven is not big enough. Their way to fix the problem? Eat our appetizers or anything else in the menu while you wait. My answer? Uhhhh... I came for chicken, because everything else in your menu, including your desserts I can cook at home. Maybe it's a good place for people that never had Peruvian food, or just trying something different, that can't have Peruvian food in a regular basis. But for a true Peruvian, don't even waste your time. Eat whatever you cook at home, and go try something different. Or it's even better go to Miami and eat La Granja :) Shame On you Cuenellis ! Oh well
(1)Fadi A.
I can't get enough of their Rotisserie chicken... I eat here at least twice a week cause it's so close to my work...the cilantro rice is amazing as well. More than fair prices. You gotta try this spot it's on point every time.
(5)Nancy C.
I love Cuenelli's. On every trip to Tampa, I stop at Cuenelli's either when I land or when I leave. Very convenient to the airport and parking is always easy! Chicken is super juicy. I really like the yucca, cilantro rice and sauces, but the Ceviche is yummy and super healthy!! Lots of good choices and I will be back in Florida next week - can't wait to eat there!
(5)Hoda B.
I was looking for Peruvian rotisserie chicken like the one I used to have in Washington, D.C. I read positive reviews about this place, to my disappointment they didn't have the famous Peruvian chicken I was looking for, overall the is food is ok. and the service is pretty good.
(3)Jeff C.
Here's the new address: 4801 West Hillsborough Ave Tampa It's the corner of Hillsborough and Anderson, near the Airport (Northeast corner). The new place is bigger, but still sort of feels the same. And, Man, is their food good.
(5)Adam Y.
I am really pleased that a former colleague of mine mentioned this restaurant on her way out the door. She indicated that this was the last meal she was going to eat before moving away and that sure says something. And I love rotisserie chicken and am really sad that all the players from the 90's (kenny rogers, Boston Market, cluckers etc..) all went away. So to find out there is a place this wonderful only 25 minutes from our home is a big deal. I've eaten here 4 or 5 times and it is consistently excellent. I probably need to try some other things on the menu besides the half chicken dinner but it is so amazing that I haven't done so. We have eaten at another Peruvian themed restaurant and ordered more traditional meals there, so at Cuenelli's I most likely to stick with what is working. The french fries they have are amazing. I rarely eat fries anymore, but when I do break down and order them they need to be good and these are great. I've had a few other side items (a rice side was particularly good) but usually i just get a small salad. The two sauces that come with the meal (one green and more spicy, the other is yellow and sweeter) are good, but honestly I really don't use much of them because the chicken is that good. Enjoy.
(5)Justin R.
The service was really good and the good was excellent! I ordered the 1/2 chicken and it was superb and the dipping sauces were a good compliment as well! The only reason they aren't receiving 5 stars is because there were ants on the table!!
(4)Andrea B.
With all the outstanding reviews from my fellow Yelpers, I knew I had to try this place. I am huge fan of rotisserie chicken done right and WOW does this place do it right. The chicken has crisp, luscious skin and a mouthwatering blend of herbs and spices rubbed between skin and meat. I have no clue if it's 'authentic' or not, but it's so delicious my husband briefly accused me of being a pod person, having never, EVER seen me gleefully gnaw at chicken bones anywhere else. It used to be a running joke in my family that I left an entire 2nd meal still on the bone, but here? I was nibbling off every last bit of meat and seasoned skin. I've been a few times at lunch and done the 1/4 chicken (white) with the cilantro rice (delicious), but for the visit with the hubby we shared a 1/2 chicken and some of his Bistec a lo Pobre. Note - I said some. Frankly, I think the only reason I got any of his steak is that he cut off a portion for me before he tried it. Really flavorful steak that had an almost mojo-like marinade on top of a mountain of beans and rice with fries and ripe plantains on the side for those that need more starches. And that plate was shiny clean by the time he was done. His only complaint? His fried egg was completely solid - no runniness to the yolk at all. I have my eye on the pasta topped with steak for our next visit, whereas he is in line for the same thing again, but we are in absolute agreement - there will be a next time
(5)Beth D.
After driving by Cuenelli's several times each week, we finally stopped by for lunch today. At first I thought it was a little bit pricey for lunch, but then I realized you got a side dish with it and the portion size was quite large. I ordered one of the cheapest things on the menu, and for $6.99 I got a chicken sandwich and fries. The sandwich was huge and I ended up taking half of it home with me. We'll definitely be going back! As another reviewer said, the music was set to the perfect volume -- you could enjoy the music while still being able to carry on a conversation. All of the servers were friendly, they kept your drinks filled, and you get a little candy with the bill. :)
(4)Venessa D.
I love this place! I have been on plenty of occasions to this restaurant and to date I have no complaints! The food is always fresh and quick. The staff is always polite and courteous. The restaurant itself is always very clean and well kept. My only reason for not giving it five stars is that soft drinks are sold by the can so if you drink a lot you can find yourself three cans in on your meal. That brings down the overall value of the cost.
(4)Nellie L.
Yum! I love Cuenelli's. As a staple in Washington DC cuisine, finding a Peruvian Chicken place in Florida was hard. We've been going to Cuenelli's since they were in Brandon. Turns out, they have family in DC who own one of the major Peruvian places! Chicken is always juicy, sauces excellent. Order Inca Cola with your meal, it completes it. The owner is such a nice woman and her family are the one's who help run the restaurant. They are always so nice to my 2 year old. Alfajor cookies... A MUST. I dream about them, so good!
(5)Juan M.
For the price of the ceviche I think it was very poorly served, it was pretty good but corn got soaked And only one slice of sweet potato. My wife ordered the bistec a lo pobre, beef was very tough and dry, I guess the cook or butcher needs a butchering class, the meat was cut with the grain instead of against it, impossible to cut even with the knife, the portion of beans was very small to the amount of rice. I was not happy with the service, I would have ordered another dish after my ceviche but instead I got the check.
(2)Danielle R.
My husband and I stumbled upon this place one weekend when we were looking for some lunch. We pulled up some reviews and decided to give it a try. We dined in and the service was very friendly and helpful and suggested some items to us. The chicken is amazing! It has such great flavor and it's delicious. We've since ordered take out for dinner at least five times! Def. check this place out!
(5)Tyler J.
The chicken sandwich was phenomenal. Great food for a very industrial area.
(4)Tim J.
First time I have actually had Peruvian food after I travelled there a couple years ago (not much Peruvian in Ohio), and I am glad I found it. From the moment I walked in I got a good vibe. The waiters were very friendly, and when I told them it was my first time there, they were even nicer, going over the menu and making suggestions. I tried the combo plate essentially, having steak with a fried egg on top, 1/4 chicken, fried yucca and plaintain over rice and beans. It was great. Reminded me of the food that I had when I was traveling, which is exactly what I was hoping for. There could be a bit more seasoning for my taste, but the sauces that the waiter brought out for me to try added just the right flavor. I will most definitely be back soon, and recommend you give it a try too.
(4)Brady S.
Had the basil cream pasta with a nice steak. Food was really good and worked wonders on my hangover. I only gave it a three star because the location is not so great and it didn't make the sort of impression that would make me want to go back regularly.
(3)Periwinks P.
Best chicken ever and cilantro rice!!!!! Side sauces are flavorful and delicious!!!! Spicy beans have a nice kick to them. I wish I could eat here everyday! My husband LOVES this place. Haven't tried anything else on the menu because I could eat the chicken and cilantro rice everyday!
(5)Lance C.
Was looking for something I hadn't tried in near my office and my fellow Yelpers have once again steered me in the right direction. (Thanks Kelleigh and Steve!) I got the half chicken with salad and fries ($8.99 - what a deal). Service was friendly and pretty fast for a full dining room (speaking of dining room, kind of fast foody, but not bad, and has table service). Salad was fresh and the dressing was delicious. Fries were cooked about right and came out piping hot. The chicken was read more » definitely the star of the show, spicy but not too hot, tender, juicy and absolutely wonderful. Highly recommend and will return.
(4)Ethan M.
The 2nd best Peruvian chicken I've ever had in the US - only other one was in Richmond. Seriously, run, don't walk, to this place and have some! Just as good as I've had in Lima. The fries were great, same with the rice & the dessert (Milhojas) were pretty good too! Definitely a re-do for us!
(5)EJ P.
Finally a local Tampa place that lives up to your expectations. Go to this place. You will love it. Order the chicken. I dare you to not eat the chicken w/ the sauces like it's some form of crack. YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(5)Walter P.
Nice little find via the Wheel of Lunch! Very clean restaurant with a very friendly wait staff. I was curious as to why I had to wait to be seated (it isn't that large of a place with just 15 tables) but if it works for them it works for me. I really like the fact that "background" music was in the background. I hate not being able to think or talk over a meal. If you are going to eat here bring your A game. I normally don't frequent chicken places so I was happy to see steak on the menu. I got the steak with rice, black beans, plantains and fries. WOW, either I am losing my ability to eat or these guys are over generous with their portions. The food is GREAT! The staff is GREAT! I am very happy I found a new regular for my lunch circuit!
(4)Daniel W.
Great chicken sandwich!
(4)Jeremy T.
After a recommendation from one of my Yelp friends I decided to give this place a try, for those of you who do not know the area it's right next to the Green Iguana. This place makes some of the best chicken I have ever had. The meat is tender and juicy while the outside is done with a crispy and well seasoned skin. The fries and perfect as well and their seasoning on the fries are perfect and compliment the chicken nicely, also when you get a chicken meal if you get fries as a side they also throw in a small salad which is perfectly dressed (the onion in the salad is thinly sliced so the onion does not overpower when you eat). I did also try their black beans which are little bland, but still does not detract me from going there again to try other items on the menu. Also I would be wrong if I did not mention the service, the service is top notch, ultra-courteous, and attentive to your needs. There is no reason with food and service like this for this place not to succeed. If you do not at least try this place out then you are truly missing something good.
(4)Angie L.
The family platter is perfect for 3 people to share. Very satisfying, delicious Peruvian food, we finished the entire meal in less than 20mins!
(4)Jesse T.
Cuenelli's food is great and their prices very afforable! This was my first taste of peruvina food and will definatly be back! Fresh food and clean(emaculate)location!
(5)Jimmy T.
Chicken is super delicious albeit a bit high on sodium. Sauces they serve goes quite well together with chicken or the cilantro rice. The Tres Leches desert is great, very yummy!
(4)Ronsheeka H.
I'm new to Tampa and love peruvian food so I decided to check out this spot. Price was ok, $7 and some change for a 1/4 white meat with two sides but the beans were a bit watery. Tasty beans but watery. Chicken was good, very tasty and loved the sauce. But ummm $4 for 5 pieces of frozen yuca that they fried, ridiculous, I'm not ordering that again. I'd go back but probably stick with chicken, fries and salad.
(3)Mike H.
The most tendor chicken in the world. Very nice!! They are moving near the airport, so Brandon people need to hit it up now.
(4)Denise P.
I was never really inspired to try Cuenelli's simply by walking past it, but I decided to try it after reading a very positive review on another site. Now I have a new habit! It is the best rotisserie chicken I have ever had, hands down...uber moist, slightly spicy and with perfect skin. It comes with a selection of creamy, zippy sauces that add SUCH a different and delicious taste. Sides include fries and salad for the less adventurous taste buds, but also Latin flavors like cilantro rice (which is muy rico) served with a choice of black or spicy beans, tostones, fried plantains (the best I've ever had) and yuca, among others. The food is really delicious...especially for the price. It's not upscale in the least, but it gets five stars for what it is.
(5)