4. Restaurants

La Limena

765 Rockville Pike,Ste A, Rockville, MD, 20852
  • (301) 424-8066
  • Store is closed

La Limena Menu

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Visit below restaurant in Rockville for healthy meals suggestion.

Chili’s ( 11428 Rockville Pike )

Visit below restaurant in Rockville for healthy meals suggestion.

Chili’s ( 11428 Rockville Pike )

  • J E.

    Found this place on Yelp and decided to give it a try based on the reviews. Turns out, once again, the Yelp reviewers were spot-on and we will definitely be back. I gave it 5-stars because, for this category of restaurant, the are at the top of the class!! The staff was great (Melvin was our server) and the manager (Arturo) took great pride in his restaurant. And well he should. It is a local place, simply designed and not very big. But, when you make good food, people will come regardless of size or decor. We ordered Bisteck Encebollado, Lomo Saltado, their rotisserie chicken with a side of Platanos Fritos. Everything was great - even the black beans served on the side, often a throw away dish that many local restaurants don't put much effort into. Not here. The black beans were so good, I actually finished mine. In fact, we all finished everything on our plates. The plantains were perfectly cooked and the onions and peppers served with the Bisteck were expertly prepared (not undercooked, not mushy or flavorless) and really made the beef sing. For dessert we tried their guava pastry, Leche Asada and the alfajores. All were good, but now I'm starting to sound like a broken record. The food here isn't fancy or exotic, it's the basics done very, very well: quality ingredients and simple recipes made with skill and a little bit of love. I can't wait for our next visit!!

    (5)

  • Swatee G.

    **3.5 stars** Walked in here on a Saturday night to a very busy place. Most of the people seemed to be Latin American, which was a good sign - if they loved the food, I'm assuming it was authentic! We started off with the Mojito which was amazing and the pisco sour, which wasn't my thing, but my friend loved it. Next we shared the potatoes with hununcaina sauce. For those who don't know, it's a spicy cheese based sauce. The dish was Delish and the presentation was great too. For the main course, we shared 2 entrees - the tilapia with the tomato sauce, and the pollo saltado. Both were super awesome! The chicken was moist and well cooked, tr sauce it came with was amazing and the fish was super yummy! Finally, we finished off with the Lucumo ice cream, that is from a traditional Peruvian fruit. Very different, and oh sooooo goooooddd!! Te cookie on top of it was super yum too! If you are now wondering why I give this place 3.5 Stars when te food was so good - the service was atrocious! The servers themselves were supr nice, but they kept forgetting we existed!! Took my server 15 min to get water with ice, wen I had clearly asked for water no ice! She forgot to give us tr little tray with dual sauces which should come to every table, the hostess came and gave it to us at one point. Finally, we were so so tired of trying to flag down our server, we aske another server to get us the check. We had ordered the Corn on cob as well, it never came out, except on the check. Took another 10 min to take it off!! I may be back here, if I'm In the mood to ignore their service, the foo is defiantly authentic and yum, and the place is super close to where I live.. Also - they have no menus for drinks and dessert, make sure u ask the server, he will rattle off a list.. I found that funny! :p

    (3)

  • Alicia G.

    We decided to come here based on smell. Let me clarify... The roommate and I had gone to Jumbo Jumbo a few times for bubble tea and popcorn chicken. Each time, we walked past La Limena and it smelled SO GOOD that we knew we had to come in. Didn't even bother reading any reviews (a first for me). Well our noses were spot on; it was awesome. There was a bit of a line for a table- and rightly so. But the wait wasn't too long and before we knew it, we were chomping down on some chicharrons and fried yucca. For my entree, I had the "pescado a lo macho" which was tilapia with a seafood sauce over rice and crispy potatoes. The fish was perfectly cooked and the sauce was creamy but not too heavy. There was a nice mix of seafood in the sauce - calamari rings, shrimp, bay scallops. Unfortunately we did not save room for dessert. But based on what we saw being delivered to the multitude of birthday celebrations going on around us, we knew we were missing out. The service here is also something worth noting- it's great. Our server, despite being very busy, was always readily available to refill a drink or clear a plate. The manager even made an appearance to thank us for coming and made sure we were being taken care of. Bottom line: Don't let the line for a table scare you away. It's worth the wait.

    (4)

  • Christopher S.

    5/24/13 12:48 My co-workers took me here to share their discovery of Limena's Friday-only lunch special ($9.95) arroz con pollo verde + soup appetizer; the special entails a house side soup, green cilantro rice, and a quarter piece of ¿microwaved? chicken. The first time I ate it, I was pretty amazed with the flavor profile of the rice and sauces my co-workers were using. However, I wanted to wait until at least my second visit to make judgment about this establishment. After my third Friday visit, I have now decided to post my review for the meal. Please note: this review is solely based on the Friday lunch special. The soup is always lukewarm, borderline cold, when served. (-1 star) The chicken is very bland with little or no seasoning and really DRY. (-1.5 star) I get really sleepy and super thirsty after the meal (which probably means they use a boat load of monosodium glutamate). (-1 star) The way they handle their checks and itemizing is a bit weird. (-0.5 star) Judging by the temperature of the rice, chicken, and soup, it makes me wonder if more than 50% of the menu items are pre-prepared and re-heated upon ordering.

    (2)

  • Jonny W.

    First rate. Followed Yelp and it was spot on. The place is in an interesting tucked away foodie corner of Rockville. Firstly it's spotless...the place gleams, the staff are (I'm a Brit we don't do 'is' ...it's plain daft) great. Our waitress was a lovely and explained a whole load of specials and anything non familiar on the menu. The portions are monster and incredible value. My wife had the rear end of a small steer masquerading as osso buco...it fell of the bone and was heavenly and I had the chicken special...I won't/need to say more..it's that good trust me... and it has the best Mojito anywhere in the area..minty, light iced, sweet as a baby's bum and packing heat. Just go.

    (5)

  • Paul M.

    Friday night I am sitting watching Anthony Bourdain's travel show on CNN. He and Eric Rippert are in Peru on some hare-brained scheme to find a white chocolate bean, but en route the food they are eating is amazing. Oh my God, I think to myself, I have to go to Peru. It's a good job my new-year-no-alcohol-resolution was still in force or I would have booked a ticket on the spot. Instead, my brain started working and I thought - wait a minute - I live in the DC metro area, there must be a truly amazing, phenomenal, authentic, good value Peruvian restaurant in the DC metro area? Oh yes there is - and this is it. Immediately came here for lunch the next day. Thing 1 was able to come with me. It was fantastic. He had the lomo saltado and loved it - I had the ceviche and a fish entree ( see, my no-charred-flesh-new-year-resolution was still in force). Fortunately, my no-alcohol-resolution takes weekends off and I also had a pisco sour - I saw on the cocktail list they have many more that I have never heard off - so I will definitely be back to go down the menu. You are doing yourself a disservice if you don'try this place. When we walked in -about 2.45 pm Saturday - the place was absolutely jammed, and a couple ahead of us were waiting for a table. It was a 5 or 10 minute wait - no big deal. " Look around " I said to Thing 1 " pretty much everybody here is hispanic - this place must be good " " Dad" said Thing 1 " you and Mom ALWAYS say that! It sounds wrong!"

    (5)

  • Brittany S.

    We were looking for a quick, delicious lunch while in town for a conference and la lemeña really delivered! The chicken was great and the plantains were out of this world. The service was very attentive. Everyone should also try their desserts, they were outstanding! It was 15 dollars for two people.

    (5)

  • Gumercindo A.

    If you're looking for solid bang for your buck hispanic food, this is your place. This place advertises itself as Peruvian-Cuban cuisine. The "Cuban" part is a stretch, but it did not diminish my overall experience here. The minute you walk in, you are overwhelmed by the delicious rotiserie chickens being cooked. It makes your mouth water as you sit there waiting for a table. The staff/service is also very attentive and quickly turn tables around. Be warned - if you go at peak times, you will always have a wait to be seated. It's a very warm place - you constatnly see families going there for meals (reminds me a lot of the cuban restaurants in Miami growing up). The food itself is quite good. I haven't had it but they are known for their lomo saltado. I've had their paella style dish, ceviche, 2 fish dishes, etc. Make sure you order their special green garlic rice - out of this world! For dessert, we tried the orange passion fruit mousse - very tasty!

    (4)

  • Thomas P.

    I started off with the Fish Ceviche which was delicious! Also ordered the Beef Tripe; I think it's called Rachi. The presentation of these two dishes was good but i learned beef tripe ain't my thang ;) I ordered the Lomo Saltado and it was pretty good but still not better than the Vietnamese dish, Bo Luc Lac. I fried yuca, yuca frita, was friend well but not seasoned well. The Bistek a la Parilla did not seem any different than if you were to get it at some cheaper place. The fries and Bistek were pretty bland. Overall, the place was Okay due to a mixture of great dishes and boring dishes.

    (3)

  • Karen R.

    Love their food! I would have given it 5 stars, but unfortunately the staff is not that friendly and always charge for extra sauce. Super stingy!

    (2)

  • Carmen S.

    Great food but small place. Three Latin restaurants right next to each other: Peruvian, Mexican, and Uruguayan/Argentinian food therefore plenty of options to choose from but stick to La Limeña as it's the best out of the three. The servers do their best to keep up with the crazy amount of clients coming in and out of this place. Tried the ceviche and it was outstanding but a little spicy for me as I don't eat spicy food at all. The Lomo saltado was great, my family loved the bistec a la Limeña and some Cordero dish. Not a big fan of the mil hojas but the dulce de leche was great! Would definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Elizabeth W.

    Had dinner with a friend, but when we showed up to Pho 95, they were closed!!!! So we both had never been to La Limena, and decided to try it out. We were a little confused when we came in about whether we sat ourselves, but the waiters sorted us out pretty quickly. It was pretty early on, so the place was pretty empty but it was a good experience. I'd give it an overall 4/5 stars. Food: I got Arroz Chaufa de Pollo (Peruvian Chicken Fried Rice, $12), and my friend got the 1/4 dark pollo a la brasa (Rotisserie Chicken, $7). The fried rice was pretty good, but what really made it great was the chicken. It was DELICIOUS!!!! My friend's chicken was basically fall off the bone. She enjoyed it. There really wasn't anything to complain about for our dishes. I wish we had taken a look at the prices first though because we got a little bit of sticker shock in the beginning seeing the big prices. If you're looking for a cheaper dinner, come for the chicken or don't come at all. Service: Service was a little slow in the beginning, but towards the end, especially when there was a manager looking person at the front, the service got a lot better. We didn't seem to have one server, they all kind of looked after us. Which was ok and they were pretty attentive so I was ok with it. The music was a little loud though. I would totally come back here.

    (4)

  • B J.

    Amazing! The service is incredible. Yes, you may have to wait and yes, it will be worth it. Our wait time was maybe 15 minutes, so not bad at all. The place is small and intimate. Our server was very thoughtful and we were asked several times whether or not this was our first time there and if there was anything they could do for us. The manager/owner also came by frequently and was very nice and he gave us cookies (complimentary!). The food was really good - the kind of really good that you sit there, while you eat, and say to one another "This is good. Like really freaking good..." and how good the food is dominates the conversation. My Cuban style steak was thin and seasoned perfectly and the platanos? Sweet and fried just right. The beans had the right amount of smokiness. The Peruvian rotisserie chicken? Holy crunchy delicious skin this was good. The portions are HUGE and the prices are great, too. For three people and plenty enough for leftovers the bill was $55. Now that is awesome. One last observation - lots of people drinking whiskey sours. I don't really drink, but there must be a reason it was so popular... Will absolutely be visiting again.

    (5)

  • Tomas H.

    We went there by friend's recommendation so our expectations we re pretty high. And disappointed we were not....The place offer fast and good service even in the time of high traffic such was the case during our visit. Meals - we had rotisserie chicken with fried rice, ceviche and ensalada de camarone - were good and as we red about on the internet (it was our first time we had Peruvian food). Chicken was tender. Only Ceviche could use perhaps less vinegar I guess. But it was also very good. My drink of Pisco sour was very good and I think it could compete on International Pisco Sour Day competition and would not put La Limena in shame. We finished with Lucama ice cream which made curious whether it can be bought somewhere to have it at home. The place is definitely not anywhere near to luxurious, just OK for the area where it is located with shops and malls around. But it is certainly a good experience and I recommend it.

    (4)

  • Brittany S.

    Not sure if I could actually pick out a favorite restaurant before trying this place. This is now my new favorite restaurant!!! The mojito was really good, fresh, of course had the mint leaves and sugar cane. My friends and I ordered the empanadas as an appetizer. I don't remember if they had different options or they were all beef, either way they were the best empanadas I've ever had and I love me some empanadas! The crust was b-a-n-a-n-a-s good! I wish they were more full though :( It seemed like there was a lot of empty space inside the empanada. The dipping sauces are crazy good too. I ordered the lomo saltado. It was hands down, melt in your mouth, perfectly cooked steak! Words can't even justify. The rice and beans were really good too! The rice was cooked perfect as well. It was a big portion and I know I could have ate it all but I really wanted leftovers for the next day. It was so good I had to just sit there in silence for a minute and stare at my plate. The service was above and beyond most places today. The manager came over and made sure everything was good twice, I love that! He wasn't just worried about the food but he started a small convo, really nice. Since it was our first time we even got a small little caramel cookie dessert for free! I'll be in the gym for hours every day for this place!

    (5)

  • Dee B.

    It'd bee a while since my last visit to La Limena, but I was able to rectify that on a recent Friday night. We arrived around 6pm, and luckily the restaurant was still on the emptier side. As probably some other Yelpers have noted, they've upgraded a bit, and no longer use disposable dishes. Yay! Service was friendly and on the ball, and my ropa vieja was delicious. Plus, it was presented very nicely -- super cute basket constructed of plantains held the meat. Price was maybe higher than I remember and than I'd prefer. My friend enjoyed his cubano sandwich, as well.

    (4)

  • Mike B.

    This place is a little like Sardi's, but just a bit fancier. While we normally get take-out from Sardi's, we are much more likely to sit down inside here with the family. Both have amazing chicken. Besides that, the main reason that we come here is for the great ceviche.

    (4)

  • Melissa A.

    This is my favorite restaurant in Rockville. We just moved here, but we've visited several times already because we've been deprived of good Hispanic food in Upstate NY. I can vouch for the ceviche mixto, lomo saltado, lengua (beef tongue) and chaufa de pollo. We generally have the same server who is excellent; the service here is as good as the food--absolutely top notch. Don't overlook the rotisserie chicken, which is absolutely delicious! If I could eat here every day, I would. Can't wait to try so many things on this menu!

    (5)

  • Arelis V.

    This place was delicious! My friends and I went on a Sunday morning and thought we would have to wait forever to get seated. It is a small place and it was packed, but the wait went by quickly and service was great. The food, oh the food! I wish I lived in MD just so I could eat here more often! We ordered the ceviche de pescado, papa a la huancaina, and a couple other beef dishes. The food was fresh, flavorful and just overall some of the best peruvian food I've had. Come here, you will not be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Rachit A.

    Made me spend $3 extra on some disgusting plantains just to use my credit card.. Also took a good 20 minutes to make because of the plaintains, I asked that I get my money back because I don't need them, and they made me get them.. I guess the chicken was all right.

    (2)

  • Tim S.

    Amazing Peruvian food. The pollo a la brasa is incredible, the ropa vieja is incredible, and the ceviche is the best I've ever had. You really can't go wrong with anything you get here. It's worth the drive even if you live a little ways away. It's the best Peruvian food in the area. The service can feel a little pushy at times, but I don't even care.

    (5)

  • Alaina P.

    Came here for lunch with my boyfriend. We were seated immediately and the waitress was very attentive. We ordered the tamales as an appetizer and the ensalada de camerones and the lunch special (house made sopa de carne y arroz con pollo). All the dishes were really filling and tasty- especially with the aromatic sauces on the side. At the end of our meal we received specialty cookies with a caramel filling and a dusting of powdered sugar from the friendly manager.

    (5)

  • Jennifer V.

    The ceviche is soo good! Mind you, I am not a seafood lover but this is one ceviche I can actually eat and it doesn't have an overwhelming fishy taste. I have yet to try the rest if their food but the ceviche is definitely a hit!

    (4)

  • V B.

    The heart, a rarely found dish, is very good. The lomo saltado is amazing. And the flan is to die for. Oh, and did I mention you'll get the best alfajores ever here? La Limena is one of the best restaurants in the DC area.

    (5)

  • Zara K.

    Arroz cos maricos : recommended and super average , and why wouldn't it be? Not against the cooking technique or the flavours or the sauces , but Peruvian good solely relies on the seafood and meat! And this place will obviously have average quality meat like your Chinese spots?! But Chinese food covers it well enough. They give free tiny biscuits that taste like they have cumin in it and are nice ! It was sweet of them. Three stars for the service and fun ambience everyone was having a good time ! But food is seriously average' will always go to a higher class place for Peruvian the seafood was terrible ! And now my tummy hurts! :'(

    (3)

  • John L.

    After reading the Yelp reviews, we ordered the ceviche mixto, ropa vieja, paella, and lomo saltado. The ceviche had good flavor, but it was poorly put together (the fish slices were too large, the onion wasn't diced) making it hard to eat all the ingredients in one bite. Ropa vieja: just average, reminded us of the meat you get at Chipotle. The plantain cup that it comes in was very hard. Paella: a bit too much sauce. Lomo saltado: couldn't understand why you would put all the beef and onions + sauce over the french fries, creating a soggy mess. In the end, the meal didn't live up to its price or high reviews. Don't go in expecting too much.

    (3)

  • Cat P.

    This is going in my "Why Rockville is awesome" list (or whatever I call it). La Limena is nothing like I've experienced stateside. This may point to my naivete or inexperience. [insert sad face] Peruvian food in an elegant, rather fancy setting? How about Peruvian in a fancy setting with a still predominantly Latin clientele? Come on now, the wait staff start placing candles on the tables at 5 pm. They wear slacks and button-down shirts. Everyone gets cloth napkins. Spotless restroom. (Yay!) The manager personally greets you... I'm not complaining. I loved it, every minute of it. I usually associate Southern and some Latin cuisines with hole-in-the-walls or super casual family restaurants. Please forgive me for perpetuating the stereotypes... La Limena is, if you'll allow me to say so, a Latin American Four Sisters--family-owned and operated with impeccable service and cleanliness. However, some of Four Sister's Vietnamese-American diners have complained to me before that they feel like they don't get the same level of courtesy as the Caucasian-American patrons. I have never personally experienced this for myself... Returning to La Limena, as upscale as they are, they treat everyone the same. My server stopped by two or three times to see how I was doing, and he did the same for the Spanish-speaking people who were dining next to me. I have to say that many restaurants are notorious for having different customer service standards for their different clients. La Limena thankfully does not. Bravo! (Sad how this is something so worthy of note.) Decor, ambiance and service aside, La Limena is also a culinary delight, though the food is super rich and not meant for regular consumption. I enjoyed my shrimp and rice soup very much. Good portion size, and not too salty. (That tends to be the issue with many soups.) It came with this giant corn cob with kernels the size of garlic cloves! First time ever--the paler, giant kernels were meaty and satisfying. Tom N got aji da gallina, a famous Peruvian chicken dish. He liked the unique, mustard-like sauce. We also shared the quenelle, a football-shaped fritter with a crabby and starchy stuffing. It was very good, but you literally get two pieces...Not sure if it is is worth 9.95, even with the crabby. Many more interesting and unusual menu options, which I will explore soon. No complaints and only praise makes this place a clear winner and a must-try spot in my book.

    (5)

  • Miguel P.

    Great food... loved the chupe and our waitress was very pleasant and helpful with our requests

    (4)

  • A A.

    Sorry, Virginia Bailey's Crossroads. This gem just gave the Rockville Pike a big fat point and now Maryland has taken the lead. I love how this restaurant is just sittin' around minding its own business in that quiet parking lot, corner spot. One thing I've noticed is that every time I've ever been here, all other restaurants near it are quiet or not busy and La Limena is packed or has a small wait. This was a serious find for the boo and me. The Ropa Vieja was off the chain. There was something slightly sweet to it (plainain?) - enough to make you go, "wow. That's nice. Really nice." The lomo saltado is good too. I really don't know if you can go wrong here. I'd like to recommend for you to try something different every time but I keep going back to that nice ropa vieja. It makes me smile.

    (5)

  • Crystal H.

    I chose La Limena because my best friend was in town from Tampa and wanted some latin food! I chose this place because of the reviews! We totally enjoyed our food! The restaurant is located in a strip mall and it is set at the end of the strip! There was plenty of parking when I got there for lunch. It is a small establishment where you can order from a case of you choose to. We were seated right away by a nice waitress. We started off with empanadas! They were very good! Tasty with a very good chicken mixture inside. We were told that they didn't have chicken, so we ordered beef. We were surprised when there was chicken inside! They were delicious either way, I ordered Tallarin Saltado con Pollo which was basically lomein with different spices! It was good, just not what I expected. My friend ordered Pollo Saltado. He enjoyed it as well! And we ordered some Peruvian chicken and french fries for my daughter! The Peruvian chicken was awesome!! All in all we had a wonderful experience and a great time!

    (4)

  • Adabel M.

    I've been going to this location since it's opened. The food is great, but the service is horrible. As much as I love the food I can't stand some of the staff there. They're not attentive, they only come around to take your order and give you your food, if you need anything you have to flag them down.

    (2)

  • Michael L.

    This is one of my top lunch spots on Rockville Pike. They have the bomb chicken... just make sure you get extra sauce. You also need to try the Anticuchos (Beef Heart)... and really any other appetizer on the menu.

    (5)

  • Erin F.

    Superb chicken for any price, and the price was wonderfully low. We also enjoyed the dipping sauces for the yucca. We weren't fans of the empanadas (lack of flavor and lukewarm) and the yakuma ice cream was nothing special. The place was packed for Sunday lunch, with people waiting perhaps 20-30 min. for a table. We'll be back.

    (4)

  • Mary S.

    Wonderful food, attentive service. A real gem ! I can't wait to return to try something else. A neighborhood place that's wonderful ! Leave room for the homemade desserts.

    (5)

  • Susan C.

    Outstanding restaurant experience! This is what service should be! Attentive, concerned, prompt, delightful. Sometimes restaurant forget the service part. From the ceviche mixto to the cookies with coffee a wonderful dining experience. This is the best review I can give. I will return

    (5)

  • Lucy X.

    I was recommended this Peruvian restaurant by a Peruvian friend so you know this had to be authentic Peruvian cuisine. It was honestly my first time having Peruvian food (ashamed) and I loved it! The ceviche was really fresh. The lomo saltado (beef dish) was juicy and went well with the rice. My favorite part of the meal though, was the lucuma ice cream-it was insanely good! Like almost up to par with my love for green tea. Not too sweet and had this very unique flavor that I can't describe... I enjoyed my dinner here so much I had to take another foodie friend to try!

    (5)

  • Roberto I.

    Ceviche was not fresh... Papa la huancaina was weak compared. Lamb shank had no meat and lacking flavor. Only thing that was good was the rotisserie chicken which you can not mess up. Used to love this place but since they've gotten really busy everything has gone down hill.

    (1)

  • Sarah K.

    The desserts were amazing!! Dinner was good too, but the desserts really were amazing. For dessert, we had the Lucuma Ice Cream, the Guava filled pastries, and some cookies with caramel in the middle.

    (5)

  • Ruth R.

    One of my favorite go to places for AWESOME lomo saltado in Rockville! I have tried other dishes but this place is worth coming to simply for that. That's not a bad thing, trust me! The only downside to this place is their lack of side sauces, you cannot have lomo without it and for some reason they totally skimp out on the sauce. But my boyfriend and I do enjoy it and we go there maybe too often.

    (4)

  • Rosanna W.

    great service, food tasted awesome. friend chose this place to meet and i was satisfied with my meal; lomo saltado as suggested by everyone else on yelp! friends got the ceviche pescado appetizer, was tangy, had a lil spice kick which i liked. didnt try the peruvian chicken but my friebds who suggested it loves the peruvian chicken!

    (5)

  • Alex K.

    Great food and service. We ordered a whole chicken with two sides. The meat was so juicy and tasty. Also the price was very reasonable. Despite the long waiting line, we enjoyed the experience

    (5)

  • Gale S.

    Love this place!! It reminds me of a number of the family friendly restaurants I went to in Lima. The cerviche is a winner!!! It's listed as an appetizer but is ample enough to be a dinner with maybe a small salad. The entree was yum and the desserts are homemade... the flan and caramel sandwich cookies were great. Staff made sure everyone in this busy restaurant was well attended... we WILL be back!!!

    (4)

  • Diana V.

    I absolutely LOVE this place. The food is great! I always get the pollo saltado.

    (5)

  • Frank V.

    Everything about our dining experience was excellent! The service, the food, the atmosphere. Arturo, the manager, made sure the long line of waiting customers moved quickly and then also took the time to make us feel welcome. Jaime, our waiter, was eager to share recommendations and explain the flavors and origins of the food. We had seafood paella and tacu tacu. Everything was fresh and flavorful! Very impressed.

    (5)

  • Monica P.

    16 Sep 12: I had lunch here yesterday with a friend that I had not seen in about two years. This place is located in a shopping strip on Rockville Pike. I've been to this shopping strip but have only eaten at Pho 95. As you enter the place, the kitchen is on the left and you can see the golden brown roasted chicken and other foods on display. Looks good! I expected a hole-in-the-wall type place but found a pleasant atmosphere, although nothing fancy. On the table are two small dishes of sauces that you add to your food. One is a green spicy sauce and the other a mild creamy sauce. I did a quick Google search to see what the ingredients were. One recipe I found (there are many) for the green sauce is Aji de Huacatay, which includes rocoto pepper, Peruvian aji chilies, huacatay leaves, salt, and olive oil. I found the menu to have a nice selection of Peruvian dishes along with some Cuban dishes. It's an unusual combination but I also love Cuban food. Some items were inexpensive while others were pricier (hence, not a hole-in-the-wall place). One of the specialties of the house, and a very typical Peruvian dish, is the Pollo Brasa - chicken that's marinated in spices (I would guess for several hours) and then roasted. You can order the chicken with two sides for $6.95, but for just $2 more order the 1/2 chicken, which is what we both did. I figure I would have leftovers. In fact I'm enjoying my leftovers as I write this review. Yum! We also ordered a non-alcoholic drink, which was home-made, called Chicha morada. We were told it was made of purple corn, pineapple, sugar, cinnamon and other ingredients. It was refreshing (perfect summer drink) and quite tasty. With my meal, I had the rice, Cuban black beans, and fried plantains. The menu needs to be updated because the plantains were listed for an extra buck but the owner who took our order said it was a mis-print. I told him I wanted the plantains anyway. Later, when looking at the bill, I saw I was charged $2.95. The owner should have told me what I was going to be charged. I would have ordered it anyway, but hey, tell your customers up front. The food was first-rate. With the green Aji and other sauce, I enjoyed the chicken, which was quite tender. The black beans were some of the best I've had in a while. The plantains: fried, sweet, delicious. My friend had the black beans and a salad with her chicken. Service was very good. In fact, a couple of waiters would come by to re-fill the small sauce dishes. Another would check to see how we were doing. The place filled as we ate our food, almost all with (if I may assume) Peruvians, which is a sign of a good restaurant. I really liked the food and service and would definitely return here to try some of the other dishes they have to offer.

    (4)

  • Jeff H.

    In my opinion, the one standout dish here is the LOMO SALTADO. It's just so flavorful and satisfying everytime. The meat is well seasoned and the rice is nice and buttery. The seasoned strips of steak lay on a bed of french fries. The juice from the meat drenches the fries and youre left with not only flavorful meat and rice but flavorful fries. Their portion is enough to fill you up and lets not forget ... inexpensive. A five star dish all the way!!! There are few foods that taste THIS good. The Chupe de Camaron is a nice alternative. The soup is creamy and the little cheese bits have a great texture. The big chunk of corn is not really my style though. A four star dish I've had the pollo a la brasa here and it's not bad. There are definitely better places a short drive away. Try washing it all down with something different like a Chi Cha morada. All in all, I highly recommend this place for some great and authentic Peruvian cuisine.

    (5)

  • Trevor M.

    Growing up in a Peruvian home....I just have to say one thing, "Sorry Mami, but this is better than your cooking!" So, I'm out of her will, but I can always come here for the food. After years of walking by, thinking that it was just another Peruvian pollo la brasa, I made my way in and i'm so glad that I did. The set up is simple and the light touches on the wall just acts as a simple canvas for how wonderful their food truly is. You enter to see the ovens roasting the chickens and the display full of ceviche and pastries. There is no better advertising than that to see and smell the food as you prepare for the gluttony before you. Started with the Ceviche Mixto appetizer, a combination of fish, shrimp, squid, and baby octopus marinated with corn, onions, and sweet potato on the side. How, they are able to carmelize the sweet potato to taste like pumpkin is unbelievable and deserves to be a plate unto itself. There is no skimping of any of the seafood and can be eaten as a meal in itself. The acids from the lemons/limes is done perfectly and allows me to really enjoy the seafood at it's best and better than my Mami's. Then I moved onto the Chupe de Camarones. It is basically a stew/chowder served in a huge bowl piping hot and it just seems like a milky broth, but there ends the deception and it is filled with shrimp, rice, peas, corn and poached egg. But what made the soup so fun was the melted droplets of cheese. Like getting gooey pearls of cheese bathed in this scumptious broth and better than my Mami's. At a Peruvian place, one must try the chicken. It was seasoned wonderfully and falling off the bones ever so moist and tender. And it was better than my Mami's. Finally, got the Arroz con Mariscos. Basically, a variation of the seafood paella and a wonderful dish with a presentation that was beautiful. Shrimp, scallops, octopus, fish, mussles and clam made this a great dish. The saffron in the rice gave it a beautiful color and the fish was cooked where it was light and flaky. The only proplem I had was that the mussels were too small and broke down in the dish. But, it was still brillant and better than my Mami's. It was a lovely meal and the service was fantastic, attentive, but still leaving you to enjoy your meal in comfort and conversation. The pricing is moderate for what I had and cheaper than my Mami's. It is an amazing Peruvian restaurant and I will definitely be back...my Mami won't let me in the house now.

    (4)

  • Fran D.

    One of my favorite places in Rockville, MD! I go there very often. Since I am from Brazil, I love latin food, and this place has the best around here. I would really recommend the "bistek a La Limena". It's my fave.

    (4)

  • Mitch M.

    Delicious meal across the board for our group of six, including drinks and appetizers. Staff is incredibly knowledgeable and helpful with suggestions. Highlights were ceviche, the seafood special, and pollo saltado. We will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Mike B.

    I really love the appetizers here and they give you very heart portions. The ceviche is a must and the beef heart is really tasty. If you like chicharron you should order it here as it's very solid and comes with a big helping of yucca. I don't really love the main courses here but with all the great small plates, I come here often. This is a great bang for your buck spot.

    (4)

  • Faride S.

    I have been to la limeÑa a few times and tried different dishes each time. I have to say that most of their dishes are pretty good. I am peruvian myself and lived in Peru for quiet some time so I know the real taste of peruvian food. This restaurant is pretty similar, although of course not the same. Their tallarin saltado de pollo is great! My boyfriend is in love with their tacu tacu !! We have also tried ceviche and it is also good. My last visit though, was not so great (it was peruvian independence day, so pretty busy). I ordered pan con chicharron which was horrible. They buttered the bread... you dont do that to a peruvian pan con chicharron!! the pork was dry and did not have a good taste. We had causa as an appetizer but I was not a fan of it either (I can make it better at home). My boyfriend was dissapointed as well because his tacu tacu (he orders that everytime) was not as yummy as other times. I have to get over this bad experience because I have had great experiences in the past at this restaurant and I will deffinately be back. The only thing that made my lunch this last time was the helado de lucuma!! OMG you MUST have helado de lucuma at la limena.. and it comes with a cute/yummy alfajor (the free cookie everyone talks about on their reviews). Service is great. The manager is always making sure you are being taken care of. The decoration makes me feel like im in barranco (a district in lima Peru).

    (4)

  • Jennifer A.

    This place is pretty good with reasonable prices but the paella is a bit pricy. A few of my friends went here for dinner tonight. The service wasn't overly friendly and the place was crowded, but people move through fast. I wouldn't describe this restaurant as a place you would hangout at for awhile. We were seated fast but it took a half hour for the food to be delivered and part of my paella was cold. It still tasted good though but I was hungry and didn't want to wait forever to reheat. My friends said their dishes were warm so maybe it was just me. We didn't get bread or anything before our main dish. I'm not sure if others did. I'd say the food is good and I'd come back but it's an in-and-out atmosphere like a diner and I wasn't crazy about my dish being cold. Overall rating: 3.5 stars

    (3)

  • R Q.

    I liked it a lot. They give you a LOT of food, everything tastes pretty great, and the prices are very reasonable. The ceviche is the best I've ever had and it comes with dipping sauces which are delicious. The desserts are really good too.

    (4)

  • C C.

    Awesome meal! I enjoyed everything we ordered. This is definitely going to be a regular stop. Make sure to try the tostones with ropa vieja, the papa relleno, and the guava pastry. All amazing. The ice cream with caramel cookies was good as well but I almost liked the cookies better than the ice cream itself. The caramel was excellent.

    (5)

  • D B.

    This restaurant is very good, food is delicious only reason not to give five starts is the service, they tend to talk with each other and forget about the tables but the owner is always there to straighten them up. The place is also a little pricey, so come prepare for that, a meal for four people with 2 appetizers to share and and 4 main dishes would end up at about $40 p/person and this is without any alcoholic beverages. Overall a great place to go, we will keep coming back.

    (4)

  • Luis B.

    I came here for lunch and I was expecting more. The lunch special was bad. They had sopa de pollo (that was good), asado de lechon (really bad and not well cooked), pure de papa (they made the mashed potatoes from the box instead of homemade, really bad), and white rice. Overall Im not coming for lunch here again

    (2)

  • Fabio L.

    La Limena provides extremely tasty food and it is truly a hidden gem in Rockville. It is by far my favorite Peruvian restaurant in the DC metro area. I have tried the empanadas, the churrasco a la parilla, the fried rice (I do not remember the dish name at the moment), the bistec encebolado, and (of course) the Peruvian style chicken. They were all delicious and I don't know what to get when I return to La Limena since I want to order them all. I wish they brought back the bistec empanado which was my favorite dish. Everyone I bring to this restaurant fall in love with the salad. And I love their Cuban beans. I am removing one star because I wish they served their sides (yuka, fries, etc.) a little warmer. But this restaurant is delicious and scratch my itch for a home cooking taste that is hard to find in this area.

    (4)

  • Mike M.

    First visit, went with my buddy, the same guy that introduced me to Cuban Corner. He said this is his favorite place for Peruvian chicken. Interesting place, tucked back into the corner of a shopping center on Rockville Pike, across from an Indian buffet. Unexpectedly, the waiters were top notch, dressed in all black, and very professional. My wife and I ordered chicken with rice and beans. The chicken was simply outstanding. It's hard to believe they can get the chicken that well done and the skin that crispy without drying out the chicken. The rice and beans were flavorful and the sauce served with the dish was addictive. Not sure what it was but wow, I want a big bottle of it. Prices are very reasonable but entrees do vary from about $5 to over $20. Another member of our group got a steak with onions which he said was very good. It looked good. I'm really looking forward to going back and trying more dishes. Yummy.

    (4)

  • James Y.

    Stopped by for lunch on a Friday before noon and really enjoyed the Lomo Saltado (stir fry steak with red onions and tomatoes). I passed on the fries in the dish and got a side salad instead...my apologies to the Chifa purists. Still, the somewhat healthier version tasted great and was my first foray into Peruvian-Chinese cuisine. Their side sauces were delicious, too, and complemented the Lomo Saltado very well. The entree was $14.95, which was a bit more than I had anticipated since the restaurant was voted as a top "Cheap Eat." The portion was satisfying but considering how good it tasted, I would've liked more! Overall, though, I can't complain--the food was delicious and the staff was very attentive. I look forward to my next visit to try their other dishes.

    (4)

  • J P.

    This place never fails. One time we went there and they had lengua for their specials and it was amazing!

    (5)

  • Barry S.

    Tom Tom Tom ... you say this is in your Top 40 (ok, your highly personal Top 40) in DC? I wouldn't even put this in my Top 3 in MoCo for Peruvian! First, expensive as hell for the portion size ... and if you factor in the vibe it's off the charts expensive. Ropa Vieja? Good not great (well presented though) Lomo Saltado? Good not great ... almost tapas sized The creamy chicken dish that is basically pot pie filling? Ok, I actually liked it and it was only $13.95 ... worth a try Overall, I'd like to say "A-OK" but I wouldn't want to steer folks towards this ... in fact, I'd like to give them some armor to defend against Tom's super strong recommendation!! FOOTNOTE: Go to La Brasa, Sardi's and even Al Carbon before you go here. You can send me private messages thanking me after you go.

    (2)

  • Kimberly C.

    Ambiance: bakery/ a la carte cafe on one side, dining area on the other. Really no ambiance to comment on, it's nice with linen napkins and all that but no special decorations/ attributes to comment on. Price: expect to pay about $8-15/ appetizer and &16-25/ entree. They give two delicious Peruvian cookies at the end for dessert for free though! Shortbread sandwich cookie with caramel filling and dusted with powder sugar. Food: Ceviche was amazing- comes with toasted corn nuts, corn, and roasted sweet potatoes. Friend ordered their beef special and I got an empanada. Mixed review on the beef- was tough and chewy. Empanada was great with a light, flaky crust. Service: excellent. Professional, attentive, and friendly.

    (4)

  • Roy S.

    Nice people and pretty good food. I will have to go back and check out the Pollo a la Brasa. Great plantains but their green sauce was to salty for my taste. The chicken saltado was uninspired. Not a cheap place, but I will be back...

    (3)

  • Amanda G.

    Great Peruvian establishment with some Cuban dishes as well! My boyfriend and I have been here twice and each time we've enjoyed every bite! I've had the paella (which is absolutely DELICIOUS..and you get huge portions of fish for $18!) and the beef skewers, which are extremely tender and delicious when dipped into the Peruvian sauces they leave on the table! For drinks we had some sort of Peruvian beer (can't remember the name) and Pisco sours! The beer is comparable to Corona or Dos Equis and is pretty good! The Pisco Sours are DELICIOUS! We've tried the alfajores for dessert (thin, round, biscuit-like cookies with dulce de leche in the middle) and some sort of orange-colored ice cream that tastes almost caramel-like. Both were delicious! The staff is always very nice and helpful, and although it is a bit pricy, the quality is well worth the money you pay! My boyfriend also brought his mother here (who grew up in Peru) and even SHE was impressed with the quality of the food! I definitely recommend giving this place a shot! You won't be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Max W.

    We recently returned from Peru, and finally decided to try out La Limena, which had been on our list. Though Limena does not have the variety of ingredients and flavorings you would find in Peru, the dishes bear a good family resemblance to the sense of the cooking. Pisco sour was very good--and it was served without ice, a big plus. We shared ceviche pescado, which was very good. We then had two appetizers: a very lightly fried potato-crab croquette-like dish; grilled beef hearts, both of which were quite good; trout as the main was good but we should have gotten something with a sauce. We passed on lucuma ice cream for dessert, though we lived on lucuma yogurt for breakfast in Peru. Very friendly place, as the owner comes around to every table to chat. Reasonably priced. Definitely would go back.

    (4)

  • Ina C.

    How foolish I've been not knowing anything about the depth and breadth of the treasures of Peruvian cuisine outside of pollo a la brasa. We weren't sure how we'd fare an hour before La Limena's 10pm closing on a Saturday night. This far north on the Pike must be a wasteland this late, we thought. But no, the restaurant was buzzing with birthday celebrations and family gatherings with people of all backgrounds. We got the last empty table. We ordered the ceviche pescado which was pretty much how I've had it at other restaurants, except for the addition of a side of I think it was roasted raw corn?? I have no idea how to describe it. It was nutty, crunchy and the absolute perfect complement to the beautifully acidic ceviche. I love all things potato, so I had no choice but to order the papa rellena. It's a potato-sized mound of mashed potato filled with highly seasoned beef chunks and cooked until beautifully golden-brown all around. Our favorite dish of the evening, though, was definitely the aji de gallina: tender shredded chicken in a creamy dark yellow sauce, reminiscent of curry in a way, but definitely with rich, Latin flavors, and served with rice. What a beautiful and wonderful dish. It seems as though most of these dishes are meant to be shared, so there were about five things on the menu that I made a mental note to try next time. Particularly the traditional seafood stew at the top of the seafood page on the menu. And for a mere $32 (before tip), the two of us were full and content. And a word about the atmosphere. It won't win any awards for its decor, but the atmosphere here is made up of the people. A lot of our fellow diners seemed to have relationships with the servers and made for a really warm and welcoming environment that's lacking in a lot of our more typically "beautiful" restaurants. So bring your parents, your kids, your coworkers or your date and get ready for a great time with beautiful Peruvian food!

    (4)

  • Natalie K.

    I LOVE this place!! Everything is absolutely delicious. I've had the lomo saltado, the aji de gallina, a pisco sour with passion fruit, and the lucuma ice cream. The prices are generally 20-30, but definitely worth every bite. Lomo saltado was perfectly cooked with a great tasty sauce and the aji de gallina was also great, but needed just a hint of salt (for which i added some of the spicy sauce on the table). I could drink gallons of the pisco sour! perfectly passion-fruity and frothy (made with egg whites!). The lucuma was a new thing to me, so it was very interesting and i want to try more of it! great palette cleanser and not too heavy of a dessert.

    (5)

  • Emily P.

    This is one of my favorite restaurants. I give it four stars because the service is poor. BUT of course I'd still go back because the food and prices are excellent! Generally it is pretty crowded, but almost always the wait is brief. One time I arrived with a party of nine, and they ended up clearing space for us within 10-15 minutes, even though the place was almost filled. I almost always get the ceviche (pescado), because it's filling enough as a meal. I'm not quite sure what the fish is, but it's topped with raw onions and a piece of lettuce. On the side are two sweet potatoes, a mini corn on the cob, and some corn kernels (not sure what that is called). Other tasty entrees/sides: potages de frijoles, plantains (sweet, juicy, and tender..mmm..), Bifsteak (limena), Lamb shank (so tender it falls off the bone). I think next time I'm going to start branching off from the ceviche and try other things!

    (4)

  • Eric J.

    I could not quite give this a 5 from our lone visit recently, but it certainly gets a 4.5. The entrees we had -- both meat and fish -- were generous and quite tasty. My wife's Pisco sour was good. The dessert we shared -- a Peruvian version of the Napoleon, was good but not special. Looking at other tables, however, it seems as if the popular desserts are Passionfruit ice cream and a flan or custard. On top of the food, the place was really friendly, especially the owner/manager -- who came over to chat and sent us some caramel cookies when he lerned this was our first time. The setting is a little bit utilitarian and slightly cramped, so not really a place for a romantic date. If you go on a Saturday night, come early. they were already mostly full when we arrived a little before 6:00 pm, and soon there was a line. Not quite a destination place, and perhaps not somehwere we would drive the 40 minutes from our house on a regular basis, but an excellent place where I would be happy to return next time we are in the area.

    (4)

  • Mark N.

    Great Peruvian and Cuban (a combination I had not seen) place in a random strip mall which is actually quite cool because it is host to a wide variety of international restaurants and stores. We came for Sunday lunch , I went with two non-Spanish speaking Russian friends, the place was very busy so we had to wait a bit the waitress and host were very cordial. Feels a bit fancy for a strip mall place. Ceviche was awesome. Rotisseries chicken was good, but well it was just chicken, I mean I could make it at home .. I would recommend dishes that allow the distinctively Peruvian cooking style to show itself, like ceviche or papas a la huancaina, which was also quite good. they have some great pastries and desserts.. we didn't try any of the Cuban food.. we were plenty stuffed after eating here.. try the chicha morada (a corn drink), good stuff.. I have been to Ecuador, not Peru, but the cuisines are somewhat similar.. Having tried many Peruvian restaurants all around the US and in Brasil also this one stacks up quite well, a bit of a surprise given the somewhat anonymous suburban strip mall location.. Many customers looked like they might be Peruvian and were coming here dressed up from church, a positive sign that so many Peruvians choose to dine here..

    (4)

  • Tina L.

    Always amazing food and great service. I'm not an expert on Peruvian food but I'm told that the ceviche is completely authentic. It's my favorite dish there. The serving size still amazes me, even for my husband. You can definitely share the dishes and come away stuffed and satisfied. This was an awesome find in Rockville.

    (5)

  • Miriam M.

    I don't like the food. I had an allergic reaction to the limena salad. What the hell? How does one have an allergic reaction to that? The service was good, but the owner is the biggest and most fake b***** you will ever meet. I don't understand how her employees stick around. I feel bad for them.

    (1)

  • Eric B.

    You can find great Latin food in Rockville these days. I really like this place. Reliable, unpretentious, great food. And the owner was so nice. Service was good. We had a great app. Can't remember what it was called, but it was like a bit of ropa vieja in a shell of tostones. I had one of the flank steak entrees and it was delicious. My wife had the paella, but thought it was not as good as the paella she had in Spain for four years. I would have never guessed. Anyway, we liked the place. Haven't had the chicken, but I'd probly go to La Brasa. Casual, kid-friendly, and yummy.

    (4)

  • Caroline G.

    Decided to visit La Limeña, the place is OKAY. In my opinion, you can fresher, hotter and tastier Peruvian-style chicken from Crisp & Juicy, and pay less $$. For our table, service was very slow, it took almost 40 minutes just to receive our chicken. Unless they were out back killing the chicken, roasting it and then plating it, I don't understand why it took so long. However, I will say that the ceviche here is very fresh, delicious and I highly recommend this dish.

    (3)

  • Ajay A.

    I have been here twice for lunch in the past couple of months, and have not been disappointed. The first time was with a group of co-workers (7 of us), the second time just two of us. The service was prompt and friendly, and the food good. The ceviche is a must-have!

    (4)

  • M D.

    I was here for something you can't find just anywhere--anticuchos. Anticuchos are brochettes of marinated cow hearts, skewered and grilled. Anticuchos were a popular food during Inca times, but when the Spaniards came, they deemed offal to be fit only for their slaves. Then those snooty conquistadors tried them, and decided that anticuchos were in fact, pretty damn good. Today, anticuchos are a popular street food in Peru and Bolivia. Sometimes you'll find an Americanized version made with non-organ meat. Yeah, it's called a shish kebab. La Limeña's anticuchos are the real thing, and arrive three per skewer, juicy, hot and seared to perfection. Savory, smoky and bold, they're tender like veal, tacky like liver. For dessert, try the lúcuma ice cream. Lúcuma is a round green-yellow fruit found in Peru, referred to as the Gold of the Incas for its bright yellow flesh. The ice cream is visually stunning in a bright butternut squash-orange color. Cold, rich, and creamy, it has a slight starchiness to it. The flavor is hard to pinpoint, though. I would say it's a cross between maple and vanilla--very sweet. (But I like things that way.) It's served with an alfajore, an anise-spiced shortbread cookie with a dark, caramel cream. La Limeña is a casual family restaurant that serves food on Styrofoam plates and doilies, on top of laminated placemats that protect against baby drool, so don't expect ambiance. However, the food more than makes up for it. Generous portions of satisfying comfort food, which, according to those who know, are a little slice of Peru in the nation's capital.

    (3)

  • Adriana L.

    We love La Limena. We are long time customers, from the time they served food with disposable plasticware. Since then they upgraded the ambiance but luckily did not loose any of their great quality food. It's comfort food, home food, delicious food, really. I love their choclo, the seafood ceviche (with no onions if, like me, you dislike raw onions), and of course, their charcoal chicken, which to me is the best one around (plus only $7 bucks for a quarter chicken and two sides). Their salad is also very good, always fresh and tasty. BTW - try the meat empanadas. According to my son, they are the best thing in the world!

    (5)

  • paul l.

    I don't know what the deal is with this place. Why the 5 stars. It isn't THAT great. It's good. but it's not the best ever or anything. and what's with the 5 star ceviche? it's not 5 star... The lomo saltado wasn't anything special either. The best thing by far is the Paella. I don't know. I guess there aren't that many peruvians around these parts. But this place wasn't 5 star. Also... the service pissed me off. I was trying to have an enjoyable dinner with my wife, and every 3 minutes (no joke) a waiter would come by and say "are you finished with that?" I mean FRAK... is there a dish monster in the back that demands constant sacrifices of dishes or goes on a killer rampage? NO I'M NOT DONE... thank you. I know you guys want to go home. BUT LET ME FRAKKIN EAT FIRST! damn. Anyway. this place is no more than a 3. Oh, ambiance is important to me. This place charges a midrange price, but the interior looks like a taqueria. no... nope... not doin' that. So for what you're getting it's kinda a rip off as far as ambiance. But I gotta say, that the paella was a good value. so it even's out. i mean, where else are you going to get paella for under 20 bucks?

    (3)

  • Sara L.

    La Limenia is a small, friendly Peruvian restaurant that serves traditional good food with a Cuban twist. The staff is very helpful - always ensuring your glasses are filled and you have everything you need. Our waitress, Elena, was especially sweet and attentive. We shared some appetizers including the Anticuchos (beef hearts) and ceviche de pescado, which were both great. The ceviche was fresh and bright, and anticuchos were nice and flavorful (but a tad overcooked). Their green sauce is delicious and a bit spicy! I got Ossobuco for my main course which was nicely cooked and tender, falling off the bone, and laid in a wonderful rich sauce. It came with an interesting sort of rice/white bean fried "cake" that was a nice starch element for the dish. Finished off the meal with some alfajores and coffee - you HAVE to eat those sweet petite cookies after your meal or you might as well have not come in at all. Overall a great place, hence the long line I walked past as I was exiting. Buen trabajo La Limenia!

    (4)

  • Silvia A.

    I would give it 3.5 stars but it wont let me. Let me start by saying that it has a nice ambiance and very courteous staff, but the Aji de Gallina was very bland and the rice was pretty dry, the ceviche was ok not great, the wait was good for a sit down restaurant but also wasn't full, i would give it another chance just cuz the staff were so nice.

    (3)

  • Tu-van L.

    Food is the same though may be a teeny bit pricier. The big thing is they changed the format of this restaurant. Now it's a full sit-down restaurant with cloth napkins, silverware and full wait service.

    (4)

  • Christie W.

    My friend has been begging me to come to lunch here with her to try out the ceviche, and I wish I hadn't waited so long.......... The ceviche is amazing! The fish was fresh, and had a nice texture. The marinade is mouth watering. Its the perfect combination of salty, sour, spicy, tangy!! It awakens all of your taste buds in a good way! In fact its so good my friend and I contemplated licking our plates, thankfully we managed to refrain. It comes with sweet potato, red onion, and toasted corn kernels. The red onion really adds to the flavor of the fish, and the toasted corn gives it a nice crunch. All of the flavors blend magically together to create the perfect dish. The staff is friendly and polite. The atmosphere is casual. The place is very clean which is another plus! This is definitely a nice little place tucked away and I am glad I gave it a try. I can't wait until I can go back for more ceviche! Yum!

    (5)

  • Cynthia L.

    Since the last time, the quality of food has gone down tremendously. Nicer tableware, place settings, and ambiance, but food portions are smaller and costlier....I don't even know if that's a word. No more complimentary cookies at the end of your meal (they are really good btw). The waiters also seem more comfortable, so less of a hurry to get food to tables. It's more of a commercial feel and less of a home-y that it once had. Food is still relatively consistent with what they used to serve, but again, just smaller in portion.

    (3)

  • Ani P.

    **3.25 Stars** This is more of a sit-down, yet not exactly fancy schmancy, Peruvian restaurant. I'm really struggling on how to rate this place. Rockville, MD is kinda far! I mean, the food was good, but would I revisit La Limena? Would I take out of town guests to La Limena? I don't think so, but I still liked it. La Limena f8ked with my head. The paella was yummy and a good value. Not exactly what I think of as paella. But tasty and fresh. The lomo saltado wasn't mindblowing. I expected it to be. It was just strips of beef with french fries. We had lúcuma mousse -- the flavor was sweet and for some reason reminded me a bit of orange blossom (maybe more maple-y). It was cold, creamy and bursting with flavor. I feel very confused. Anyhow, check this place out if you're in the hood.

    (3)

  • ASW A.

    I Stopped in to avoid rush hour traffic and I had the best rush hour experience. the service is warm and the food was tasty very tasty, surprising sauces spices that I have not had before. The high-quality tender beef and meat is remarkable. The price is right, although this restaurant to charge a lot more money and be well worth it

    (5)

  • Shelby H.

    This was recommended by friends, and what a great find! Growing up in Miami, I was immersed in Cuban and other Latin American cuisine; I was thoroughly impressed with La Limena. In fact, even though Peruvian is their mainstay, I have to say the ropa vieja was better here than at Cuban Corner down the pike -- very rich. The ceviche thrilled my wife and I as a perfect middle ground between the traditional tang of limey ceviche and the more subtle, sweet ceviche of Costa Rica. And dessert, holy crap, some angelic mousse of a fruit we can't pronounce in flaky pastry, awesome. Ask the waiter for suggestions and be adventurous.

    (5)

  • Debbie S.

    In searching for a Peruvian restaurant in the area, I stumbled on La Limena on Yelp. How I did not know of this restaurant, I have no idea as I have lived nearby for 15 years or so! My husband and I tried this restaurant on a Saturday evening. We got there pretty early for dinner (5pm or so) and it was already pretty busy, which I found to be a good sign! The food did not disappoint. The rotisserie chicken was amazing. I had a shrimp dish with a cream sauce, and it was delicious. The portions were just right, too! We will be back!

    (4)

  • David B.

    My wife and I have been going here for some time. They used to use paper plates and plastic utensils, but now have nice dishes, etc. First the food. The food is just wonderful. The fish is the best. Each and every plate is a masterpiece from the Kitchen. Second is the employees. The employees are so nice and professional. Finally, the facility. Don't be fooled by the strip-mall location, this place is clean and big inside. There is plenty of free parking. They even have whole Chickens you can take out that are the best in Maryland. This place is the BEST KEPT SECRET IN ROCKVILLE.

    (5)

  • Alicia H.

    I have been to this restaurant many times. This review stands for everytime I've gone. The food is always delicious. The Lomo Saltado, AMAZING. The service is always great. Inviting and friendly staff. A small, but cozy environment. Definitely one of my favorites in the area.

    (5)

  • Tathi D.

    Great Peruvian food. Being a Peruvian, this is our choice when we want a taste from home. You can't go wrong with the Lomo Saltado o Tallarines Verdes con Bisteck Apanado. Every Thursday they also offer "Picarones", a light and crispy doughnut-like fried treat, served with chancaca syrup...a very yummy dessert!!!

    (4)

  • Reggie N.

    I went here after reading such good reviews on yelp. Hate to say this (as it's a small place and I wish them well)...but it's not that great. I went for lunch and they had 2 specials: some sort of soup and tripe (cow stomach)...everything else on the menu was about $12-15 bucks not exactly appealing to the lunch crowd. Ended up ordering cuban sandwiches--meh. Cuban Corner down the street is better for that. The service was good. Decent decor for something in a stripmall (it's next to El Mariachi btw). I'll go again for dinner one day and will update the rating. As far as lunch--definite no.

    (3)

  • Estela D.

    I really enjoy their lomo saltado although sometimes the meat has no flavor. I am rating the restaurant a 3 because of a few bad experiences I have had while dining there. The first time the owner asked me to move from my table so she could sit a larger party. So I said no problem. The second time I went during lunch time and the service was slow. The waiter took my order and it took him 15m to bring my drink. I kept seeing him bringing out food for those who arrived after I did. So I waited another 15m until I finally asked for the ceviche appetizer. The waiter said it should be out soon. I waited another 15m and I still had no food, but he kept serving people who arrived after I did. Finally I decided to leave and the waiter seemed pissed off. I told the owner and she apologized but that didn't fix anything for me. So since then I haven't return.

    (3)

  • Ben P.

    This was a great treat that is tucked away at the end of a shopping center. I went there for a family birthday dinner and everyone was able to find something unique for themselves on the menu. I ordered a chicken dish and sampled some of all the other meals. Everything that I tried was savory and delicious. The entrees came out quickly and the wait staff was prompt and attentive. The restaurant was filled for the dinner rush, but it was quiet enough that I could carry on a conversation with my family member's at the other end of the extended table. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys authentic South American dishes.

    (4)

  • Rebecca N.

    Delicious food for reasonable prices! I loved the ceviche de pescado- it was the best ceviche I've tried yet! Not too over powering with citrus, just right. Also, the tostones with beef were delicious. I liked the flavor of the pulled beef in the shell of plantain. After reading other reviews, I saved room for dessert! The lucuma ice cream was tasty, along with the guava pastry. I liked the sweet flavor of guava in a pastry, something I hadn't tried before. I also bought some of the little caramel sandwich cookies para llevar. Very tasty as well with the creamy center :) Overall this place was great! Good service, good prices and yummy food!

    (4)

  • Pete D.

    Haven't had a chance to write an update about this hidden place, so here it goes. Since my last review, we've visited this place a handful of times and we finally got to sit down and eat. The wife and I are fans here because of their food and value. Recently, I ordered something that wasn't on the menu, which was their seafood paella. Honestly, I only had paella a few times in my life, but this one to me was pretty darn good. Tons of seafood, from tender/moist squid (which I was shocked it wasn't overcooked like most spots), bay scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels, and chunks of fish fillets. The rice was tender and cooked just right, not underdone where it left hard pieces in your teeth. It was well presented and I couldn't really ask for a better dish. It's a lot of food, so you might want to share it, unless you're really hungry and selfish. I started off with their anticuchos skewers, beef hearts. These were delicious here. Very well marinated and grilled just right. When I took the first cut with my plastic knife (wish they just went with real utensils, but oh well), the goodness juice was oozing out. A bite of this and a fork tip of their sarsa criolla is awesome. I recommend this, and again, you get a total of six pieces and they're pretty large cuts. Another few items I wanted to bring up was the lomo saltado . Beef strips, tossed with red onions, peppers, and best of all, french fries. This is all served with their wonderful garlic rice. When in doubt, I go with this dish, so if it's your first time here, I recommend this one. Wifey went with the breaded steak which was pretty tender. Seems like they beat the heck out of the meat, but all worth it. We've also had the pork and pollo chicharrones. This is kind of dry, but I've got hit or miss with the pork, as some pieces had nice chunks of fat in it. The chicken was a tad on the salty side. Their empenadas are decent, not the best I've had. A great cheap eats spots if you're in the Rockville area. It gets pretty crowded their on weekends, for dinner. On Sundays they have other special items. The owner is very friendly and gets creative with her specials. Make sure the servers go over their specials of the day, since they tend to change daily.

    (4)

  • Adam F.

    Unfortunately DC area has disappointed me yet again with its mere lack of quality ethnic foods. Arroz con mariscos (paella) was a-okay. Some of the rice was burnt, and much of the seafood had little flavor. Nothing was bad, just certainly didn't excite my palate or catch my eye in any other aspect. Also a far trek from the city if you're not driving (like myself).

    (3)

  • Karen H.

    Went here last night at 6:00 pm for dinner. The service was terrible. They took a really long time to take our order and bring water to the table. Long after we ordered our meals I realized that they had forgotten us. Our meals had been sitting in the kitchen getting cold until I asked for why we hadn't been served. No apologies, no refilling of the sauces that we had run out of, no refilling of our waters. I won't be back.

    (1)

  • Melissa K.

    I was craving some Peruvian food because I haven't had it in so long. I also noticed that they also had some Cuban items on the menu....so I was totally down to go here. I tried the bisteak encebollado. The steak was tender with the right amount of onions, green peppers and tomatoes on top. My side items were black beans and rice and they were perfectly cooked. I'm greedy and ended up getting a side order of fries to start. Even the fries were excellent hot and crispy. If you're in Rockville this place is a must try! It's hidden in a strip mall where an IHOP is located.

    (4)

  • Hung L.

    Beef heart is a must try.

    (4)

  • Gabi L.

    This is another hot spot my best friend and I hit up. The ceviche IS BOMB.COM! There is always a long wait for a table, but i'm telling you--IT'S WORTH IT. I have yet to see or smell any bad plates from other tables. I can't wait to go back and try their pollo and soups!

    (5)

  • Chris N.

    Ceviche kicks ass and so does the Ropa Vieja. Probably one of the better restaurants in all of Rockville if you enjoy home-made cuisine and good value.

    (5)

  • Miryan M.

    I discovered this place a couple of years back when I started working in Rockville. I myself am Peruvian and I find the food here to be very good. My absolute favorite dish is the Ceviche and I seem to get it every time I go. I love their daily lunch special which give you a lot of variety to choose from everyday. The service is Ok but the food makes up for it. The staff is primarily Spanish speaking but they are overall friendly. On one occasion when I went the Ceviche was a bit on the salty side but they quickly gave me another plate no charge and added a dessert for the table. The atmosphere is casual and can be kid friendly.

    (4)

  • N. J.

    As others before have said on this site, the food is very flavorful, very good. I have been coming here for a few years now. And, since I've been coming here, the experience has been getting worse and worse. I have a couple of serious complaints about this place. My favorite dish here is the Ropa Vieja - a great dish. However, La Limena changed the presentation on this dish a while ago. And, sadly, to say, it was a TERRIBLE idea. Seems like someone thought they should fancy it up and serve the dish in a "fried plantain basket" rather than just serving it simply (rice, ropa vieja, fried/sauteed plantains on a plate WITHOUT THE BASKET MADE OUT OF FRIED PLANTAINS). For some of us, fried plantains are THE BEST PART of this dish! Taking that away seriously compromised the quality of this dish, in my humble opinion. I called to place my order to go, and the server who answered the phone rudely hung up on me because I asked her if they could just serve the plantains fried/sauteed (not as a basket). Even after I called right back and reexplained my order, she still got my order wrong. So after I got there, I had to wait another ten minutes while they corrected their mistake. My other complaint is that the staff don't have the best English-speaking/listening skills. So, just warning you. If you try to place an order over the phone, and they don't understand you, they may just hang up on you like they did me. I didn't appreciate it, rude server at La Limena. I'm seriously thinking about not patronizing this business anymore. Plenty of other places to spend my hard-earned money!

    (2)

  • Ramon N.

    Today was my first dinner at La Limena. I was blown away by the freshness ad quality of the food and The Pisco sours were awesome. Most importantly, the service was spot on! Friendly, sincere, efficient and engaging. I wish I could say the same about many other high end restaurants that I normally visit. A Peruvian friend recommended La Limena and he was right. I not only highly recommend it, but will become a regular with may family and friends!

    (5)

  • Homer J.

    What a delightful place this turned out to be. They offer a mix of Peruvian and Cuban flavors in their dish and the decor was just as elegant. It's hidden in the corner of Ritchie plaza right across from India Grill. We got the seafood paella, seafood cerviche, and the peruvian chicken. The layout and presentation itself was wonderful, they could've added some tomatoes to give it more color but what do I know. I did visit Peru a year ago and I remember the cerviche having a much more bold flavor. The Peruvian chicken.. I would recommend not getting here. There was very little of the cumin flavor that separates the slow roasted peruvian chicken from any other Chicken Out joint. The Crisp and Juicy close by or Sardis is by far much more succulent. Great environment but when it comes to bringing the best from Peru, it's aiiight.

    (3)

  • Camilo D.

    The food is ok but the waiters are not friendly it all and keep forgetting what you asking for.

    (2)

  • Geoff C.

    Very good! Less formal and cost than La Canela, which is also very good. Friendly staff. I'll be back.

    (4)

  • Pedro i.

    The 2 stars are not based on the food (it is actually very good) but on the baaadd service we got on a Sunday when my friends and I went there. Sunday was busy, so we had to wait for about 20 minutes to have lunch (which is fine) but once we got seated, we felt we were being hurried up because there were more diners waiting in line too. I work in the hospitality industry, and I knew there was not enough staff that day. Servers seemed not to being able to do their work due to the high # of diners coming in. The first time I came here everything was wonderful, and my server was the best I have ever encountered in so many years of dinning out. But I think that if they want to keep their business up or expand they have to focus more on hospitality skills. There was s supervisor (or owner) that was very unpolite. This guy was going across a server when he was trying to take a picture of us. I was like WTF!#. Our server got mad when we asked him if could split the check in different amounts based on what each couple ate. I could not believe it! The server seemed to be on the end of his shift, 'cause he looked very unwary of us. I will be coming back, but not anymore on a weekend. Update: After i came back 3 months later, Went there on a weekday, everything seemed better, quieter and better service, I updated my rating but kept 1 star for lack of better decor.

    (4)

  • Felix C.

    This is my favorite Peruvian restaurant by far!!! The food is just cooked perfectly. Peruvian food is all about the seasoning and La Limena has somehow gotten a hold of my mom's seasoning. Everything here reminds me of home and I had never found that in a Peruvian restaurant before. To start try the anticuchos or the papa a la huancayina, they are off the chain!!! The shrimp bisque is also pretty awesome, especially if you like your bisque a little on the spicy side! If you want to be hardcore go for the ceviche, oh man it is so good!!! For the main course you can't go wrong with the Peruvian chicken rotisserie option but get the Lomo Saltado that so many here review, it is simply delicious! Today I had the special which was the Seco de Res, WOW!!! Get it with the Chica, which is a Peruvian drink made from dried purple corn. So sweet so good, it is definitely the drink of the Incan gods!!! They now also have the Peruvian breakfast option on weekends, this isn't done anywhere that I have seen in this area. Fried sweet potatoes, chicharron, cafe con leche, tamal, hot crusty bread, YIKES this place is out of control!!! I spoke with the owner today and she tells me that the plasticware is out in 10 days and that she is going to be expanding the menu, I am truly excited!!! I live in the Virginia side and this place is definitely worth the drive!!! Make sure you end your meal with some Lucuma ice cream, another Peruvian specialty done well here!!! Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Patrick H.

    Just a quick update, we were in last night and had a chance to speak with Senora Amy, the owner. A new menu will debut in a couple of weeks, and La Limena is approved for a liquor license. Additionally, the plastic plates are going away soon. They've purchased a dishwasher so china, glass and silverware will be added, as well. On a side note, at the owners suggestion, we tried the Pastelitos de Gauyaba (Guava Turnovers) and her homemade lucuma ice cream. Lucuma is a fruit only available in Peru. I have no idea what it is, but the ice cream was incredible and reminded me of pumpkin pie.

    (5)

  • G M.

    Great food and reasonable prices. I ordered the lomo saltado and it was just about perfect. The restaurant had a quiet, laid back atmosphere and the service was quick. I'd definitely recommend it.

    (4)

  • Melissa Y.

    My east coast peeps took us to this seriously family friendly Peruvian food in Rockville. They also have some Cuban food on the menu but I recommend sticking with the Peruvian dishes. I ordered the pollo saltado and really enjoyed the mix of chicken, fresh veggies, and french fries. The rice was a bit al dente but for a dish that has french fries built into it, the rice is sort of starch overkill. Speaking of starch overkill... One of my dinner PIC's ordered the rotisserie chicken with sides of fried yucca and french fries. Dipped in the huaciana (sp?) sauce, this was just pure heaven. The chicken was really good too. I tried their palomilla (cuban steak and onions) and it was good, but not authentic cuban style. The maduros (sweet plantains), however, were spot on. Despite the environmental problems, I really didn't mind the plastic plates. Only minus was that they didn't have a baby changing station in the bathroom and we were visiting people with a diaper-clad baby so they had to change her in the car.

    (4)

  • Vanessa P.

    Food is delish! I had the Lomo Saltado - it was probably the best I've had so far. The meat is tender. The actual setting is not fancy or anything, but if what you look for is quality peruvian food, I definitely recommend this little gem.

    (4)

  • Irina K.

    It's got unique dishes and a pleasant ambiance, but I can't say the food was all that delicious. It was A-OK, indeed.

    (3)

  • Laura C.

    Great peruvian food

    (5)

  • T N.

    Had the fried yucca and the ice cream. Both the items were good. The most impressive aspect was the service. Our server was really helpful and brought samples and advised on what to avoid if you are naive at Peruvian cuisine.

    (4)

  • Floyd P.

    Peruvian beef stroganoff for a lunch special was delicious. Included was a portion of rice, a scoop of mashed potatoes and a cup of tasty chicken soup. Though not such a deal at $9.50 for lunch and no non starch veggie available. At dinner the spaghetti & beef dinner was excellent and plenty to eat. Several other dishes were well made and delicious even if not as satisfying for my pals. (Honestly we avoid French restaurants because after dinner we don't want to be hungry.) But usually any Latin/Spanish serves meals that do not send you home scrounging for snacks. The Peruvian chicken is very good as is typical of this type of restaurant. The atmosphere here is warm, simple and fresh. The staff and management is much warmer, caring and friendly than any of this type of restaurant I have been to. Wow-- the powdered sugar coated cookies -2 sizes-filled like Oreos with creme de leche. And try the empanadas they are tasty.

    (4)

  • Gerardo L.

    I love, love this place! I came here tonight with my family for dinner and had the Seco de Cordero and ceviche, soooo yummy! Also had the homemade lucuma ice cream, which is to die for! I can't wait to go back again next weekend, wish this place had a location in California, where I am from!

    (5)

  • Ranjini I.

    Great Peruvian restaurant hidden in Rockville. The food was really good. The Mixed Ceviche is delicious! The seafood tasted fresh and the presentation was very nice. I had one of their pork appetizers for my meal (it was a meal sized app) but this was just ok. I can't remember the name of the dish but is was fried cubed pork with yucca fries on the side. The pork was a bit too fried and some pieces were quite crispy (I couldn't stab it with the fork). But the flavor was excellent. I tried a grilled chicken dish someone else at the table ordered and that was very tasty. It looked like deboned half a chicken, seasoned beautifully and grilled. The meat was quite moist. Definitely try the Peruvian juice drink (sorry can't remember the name, but it's a deep purple color). The staff is great and the prices are reasonable. I will definitely be going back here.

    (4)

  • Lisa P.

    I have only been here a few times but I love their lomo saltado!!

    (4)

  • sarah s.

    Really closer to 3 1/2 stars, but I'll give it 4. This place is definitely above average, but it didn't knock my socks off. I had the tostones for an app (those were great!) and then the pollo saltado, hubby had the lomo saltado. The flavors were great, but they need more sauce- some of my chicken pieces had almost no sauce on them. If this place was in my 'hood, I'd definitely be going back. But, since it's all the way up in Rockville, it'd have to be a lomo saltado emergency craving for me to drive back up there. Check it out if it's in your neck of the woods!

    (4)

  • Paola L.

    Great Peruvian food. Have not found better South American food in the area. I have been at this place a few times and I always find friendly service even when they are super busy. Expect a little wait during the weekend evenings but it will be worth your while. I highly recommend the tiradito: thinly cut fish pieces marinated in a citrus sauce. I also like the ceviche and stuffed potato. The lomo saltado and beef fried rice are my favorite main courses. For dessert, I never miss the lucuma ice cream (flavor you will never forget) and flan. I take the alfajores to go and share with coworkers.

    (5)

  • Justin G.

    I'm afraid I had a terrible experience with this restaurant last night. I ordered the chicken and egg dish, I think it was called aji di gallina, and got horrible food poisoning. I was up and nauseous all night and have been out of commission today. My wife had one bite and got similarly sick, though less acute.

    (1)

  • Ashley K.

    La Limena offers delicious food (I especially recommend the chicken and, of course, the ceviche), the sauvignon blanc is pretty good for the price, and the service is very attentive and friendly. The plates and utensils are plastic, but the food is of the highest quality :-) It is, by far, the best Peruvian cuisine I have ever tried.

    (5)

  • PIstachio B.

    Ropa Vieja is my favorite here! Tostones are delicious too. I can't remember the name of the ice cream they serve here, but I haven't found it anywhere else and I recommend that too. Another plus is the service--they are friendly and helpful. The only downsides: The food here can be salty at times and the time I ordered the paella, the shrimp wasn't marinated quite right to get that seafood-y taste out.

    (3)

  • A A.

    I've been here once and ordered a skirt steak with white wine and onions. The flavor of the steak was good since the seasonings are very ethnic, however the quality of the actual steak could improve a little, hence why I gave them 4/5 stars. You must order FLAN for dessert. Best Flan i've had in awhile. The people working are very friendly and eager to help or answer any questions. Overall the food seems to be very authentic to Peruvian and Cuban cusine.

    (4)

  • Ana B.

    By far the best Peruvian restaurant in DC metro area, food is fresh, tasty and just plain delicious! I guess the owner felt the pressure to upgrade paper plates/cups to formal dishes, so the prices were a bit up, and the portions down, but the quality and taste of the food remain up high! Some of my favorite dishes are fried trout with garlic, lomo saltado, the green spaghettis, the shrimp soup, paella is to die for, overall, the only reason I don't visit La Limena more often is b/c my trainer forbids me to do so, but like I said b/4 I have never order something I didn't love, their tostones, ceviche, stuffed potato, yucca frita with the green/white sauce scrumptious! Please don't forget to leave room for dessert and order the pastelitos de guayaba, you'll thank me for it! Although I'm not Peruvian but I have visited the best of the best in Lima Peru in more than one occasion, and I have driven to Virginia, DC and Maryland looking, searching for good Peruvian, I can freely say that, La Limena is the best of the best! Warning: finding a parking space is not always easy, but be patient is well worth it!

    (5)

  • Tuan T.

    Our 18-day vacation in Peru opened our eyes to the variety of Peruvian cuisine making it one of our favorites. It is so much more than ceviche and rotisserie chicken. The influences are vast: not just Incan and Spanish, but also African, Moorish, Japanese and Chinese--making it a true melting pot. Unfortunately, La Limena is only one restaurant so their scope has to be narrower, but what they do serve is first rate. We have been there several times, trying out many dishes and we have never been disappointed. Below are some of the highlights: You must try the anticuchos made from beef hearts, even if you don't like organ meat. Marinated and grilled, the morsels are surprisingly tender and tasty. I wish they also had it as a main course. The tiradito (thin slices of raw white fish) is exceptional. For dessert, we love both the lucuma and passion fruit mousse. The only room for improvement is the music. Although the volume is properly low, they play the most dreadful selection of elevator music. Peru has a rich tradition of music, it shouldn't be hard to find something suitable. But back to the food. The menu is varied, delicious and reasonably priced too. Visit soon and return often. Buen provecho.

    (5)

  • Peter W.

    Sunday night dinner and the place was packed. The food was plentiful and good, but not memorable. The price was very reasonable. As others have said, everyone who worked there was welcoming and friendly, but, as others have also said, it took too long to get more water and more of the sauces. And, while not offensively noisy, it was too loud for four of us to have much of a conversation. Bottom line: I wouldn't go out of my way to go here, but, if I were in the neighborhood on a weekday night ....

    (3)

  • Henry W.

    great food and service, really big portions!!!

    (5)

  • Carolyn H.

    Thanks to prior reviewers, I tried and loved the ropa vieja (in plaintain shells), the guava pastry, and lucuma ice cream. What a culinary treat! The tenderness and savoriness of the beef in the ropa vieja provided a nice contrast to the crunchy, nutty flavor of the plaintain shells. The guava oozed out of a flaky, delicate shell. The lucuma ice cream had the texture of Persian ice cream (rich, creamy), with a flavor that I could not quite place (and I agree, it was similar to pumpkin puree). I also had an amazing fruit drink - I believe was fresh-squeezed passion fruit juice (maracuya). Yum. My guy had a chicken dish with fried yucca. I can't remember the name of the dish, but it was bone-in pieces of chicken that were perfectly cooked, with a crispy honey glaze that had hints of ginger. The yucca was perfectly cooked, crispy and substantial. My only disappointment was the fried sweet potatoes. They looked like they would be crispy, but they were soggy. I'm not quite sure what happened, since they definitely had been freshly fried. Perhaps that is how they are meant to be, but I had expected them to be crispy like the yucca wedges. I probably won't order the sweet potatoes again, but I definitely will be back to La Limena. It is wonderful.

    (5)

  • Sarah K.

    So so good! Terrific food at reasonable prices. And absolutely stellar service. If I could give this 4.5 stars instead, I would. I'd never had Peruvian food but we met up with friends who'd been to Peru and to this restaurant. What a treat!! I had the flank steak shredded in a wine sauce with plaintains. Mmmn.

    (4)

  • Jim K.

    Delicious! Food was very fresh and tasty, purple drink was a new taste for me, made of purple corn, apple, pineapple, cinnamon!

    (5)

  • Mike L.

    Growing up in Peru, the culinary capital of the Americas, I was delighted to find excellent, authentic Peruvian food near my home. The food is well presented, delicious and fresh. The flavors are original and compares to the best restaurants in Lima. The service is great and the ambience is just authentic. I can eat at this place every weekend. No need to try other places. The usually have specials with original dishes from Peru. I love it!!!!!

    (5)

  • Daniel C.

    I have been coming to La Limena for almost four years, and every time the food and the service have proven to be phenomenal! Having tried authentic Peruvian food this is certainly one of the best I have ever had. I generally always go for the Lomo Saltado - what can I say creature of habit. Although their rotisserie chicken is also great. They also offer Cuban cuisine - being from Miami, this is pretty good - however, for Peruvian food this tops my list.

    (5)

  • Frank W.

    Food and service are great here but it has the charm of a (clean) fast food place + features plastic dishes. Never the less the food makes you forget the fast food / plastic approach. We had the Ceviche, Cuban style plantains, grilled trout and a flan for dessert. All the food was very tasty, of great quality + quantity.

    (4)

  • D. L.

    One of the worst restaurant experiences I've ever had. I ducked-in for a quick lunch on a rainy weekday afternoon. Shortly after I placed my order, I noticed that the the noise level was atrocious. Maybe this was due to a combination of my seat in the corner of the room and a table extending the length of the front of the room full of school children and their teachers, and perhaps not typical? It didn't help, though, that the restaurant was obviously too understaffed to have accepted such a large group. I had to sit and sit and sit before my order came. Unfortunately, my lunch did not make up for the unpleasant ambiance. My chicken dish was so salty that it must have been beyond unhealthy to eat. Finished, I waited and waited for the waitress, then the bill, then the return of my credit card (I'm simplifying here, there was more to getting out than this). I so wished I had gone home for lunch! On my way out, I reminded myself to be careful not to slip on the slick, wet floor.

    (1)

  • Phil F.

    Some of the best Peruvian food I have ever eaten. The Lomo Saltado is incredible, the Bistec al Pobre is amazing, great Pisco Sours to drink - what else can I say - oh yeah - all at a great value. Your tastebuds will thank you. For Quality and Value - I give it 5 stars!!!

    (5)

  • Steve G.

    Good things can come on a plastic plate and be carried from plate to mouth with plastic cutlery----when dining at La Limena (tilde removed for your safety). This place lives in a non-descript strip mall, has a non-descript front facing, but that's where the boring ends. The menu contains some staple south american dishes: lomo saltado and pollo saltado. But, after that, things get creative. I had a delightfully seasoned thin steak cooked with onion hunks, tomatoes and red pepper; a colleague had thin steak with a light batter coating, served with pesto pasta! Definitely a departure from the usual tex-mex food that is nearly as plentiful in DC as Starbucks and dry cleaners. The "Piece de I-can't-Resistance" are the fried Yucca, which can be substituted for honkey fries. Incredible! More flavor than a french fry with a unique texture. Add to all the culinary delights: good service. And, we were a party of 12! They also have great "cookies" for dessert that are not to be missed.

    (4)

  • Ellen L.

    We went for lunch on Saturday and were very, very pleased with the food, presentation, the size of each serving and the service. We ordered several starters to share instead of two main dishes. The papas a la huancaina were very good, generously sauced and nicely presented. The sauce has a little heat and could maybe use just a touch more. The garlic shrimp were also very good, but some bread to sop up the sauce would be a nice addition. The anticuchos were my favorite. The heart was perfectly cooked and full of delicious beefy flavor. I really regretted having to share that one. The mixed ceviche was also very good - fresh and clean tasting. The chancho (pork) serving was generous. The pork was on the dry side, but the yucca more than made up for that. The restaurant was packed but our order came promptly and our server was helpful and attentive. I can hardly wait to go again!

    (4)

  • jo d.

    A friend and I went for the first time to this restaurant for dinner. The food is fresh, tasty, unique (first time for me for Peruvian food), and reasonably priced. We had the yucca fries, corn with mozzarella cheese, one of the steak dishes, the tripe, and lucuma ice cream. We liked all of the food ordered and especially liked the dipping sauce they gave us. They have this very interesting hot and mild sauce, that we are guessing are made from jalapeno pepper and ??? They are used like ketchup for fries, or as hot sauce for the food. They taste freshly made and refreshing. I will definitely go back again and try their other items. PS: They still serve on plastic plates with plastic cutlery. Service is average but the servers were friendly. We stayed past their closing time yet felt not rushed at all. Enjoyed it thoroughly.

    (4)

  • bruce b.

    Lovely, small familyowned restaurant. Shrimp soup with an egg, large peruvian corn and shrimp is a great meal; great value is the 1/4 white chicken with 2 sides, yucca or white rice/black beans and salad, with a side order of sweet plantains; nice lfan and good homemade cookies. can't be beat..

    (4)

  • Douglas W.

    Had dinner here with family Sunday night. It was our second time trying La Limena and I suspect it will be our last. Don't get me wrong, the food here is not bad, it is just not anything special either. As others have noted this is a crowded dining room in a strip mall. That does not bother me in the least, but both times we have gone here we have had average food and sub-par service. From my observations it does seem that if you are a 'regular' you will get better service, so if you live in the area you may feel differently, but otherwise I would suggest trying the other Peruvian places in the DC area if you are looking for Peruvian Food. we have tried a variety of their dishes including an average Lomo Saltado, Cordero, below average Bistek Apanado, and more. The one dish I found to be above average was the Papa Rellena, but beyond that it was a disappointing experience in both visits.

    (2)

  • Lisa L.

    Went here the other night for dinner. We had ceviche, steak w/egg and a cubano sandwich. Food was good but I didn't think it had enough flavor. It just felt like it needed more salt/pepper or seasoning. The place is very clean (smells like Mr. Clean in there) but our waitress never checked up on us. She only came to take our order and give us the bill. Portions are a good-size though cutting a steak with a plastic knife took some elbow grease...Also, they don't ask you how you want your steak done, I guess well-done is the standard.

    (3)

  • Julie P.

    Dependably good food and service. We've had dinner here twice and have been pleasantly surprised both times. Definitely try to the cerviche mixto--it's the best cerviche I've had in a long time.

    (4)

  • Nami C.

    Good price, good chicken, and clean. What more can ones say?

    (4)

  • Rok L.

    Great tasting Peruvian food, good prices, and a wait staff that is very friendly. Our favorite dishes are the ceviche, fish, boneless chicken breast, and the Peruvian fruit drinks. YUM!

    (5)

  • Gianni P.

    DC has been lacking good Peruvian fare since La Flor de la Canela in Gaithersburg shut down about two years ago. I'd heard about La Limeña but was hesitant to try it because my experience with Peruvian food outside of Peru just hasn't been that great. Anyway, this place definitely caught my taste buds. The papa a la Huancaina, the choros a la Chalaca and the anticuchos were very well seasoned. The tallarines verdes were delicious -- they were al dente and you could really taste the homemade basil pesto. It's a fantastic Ligurian-Peruvian fusion! The seco norteño was also very tasty. This is a real hearty dish made with white canario beans, a green cilantro sauce and lamb shank served with rice. My dish was good but my least favorite. I wanted to stick with the basics and ordered the lomo saltado. It was tasty enough but it was missing something. I think it may have been lacking a little more garlic and soy sauce and that smoky flavor that makes lomo saltado a favorite of Peruvian cuisine. The cocktails were very well made. We had delicious pico sours, maracuya sours, and algarrobina cocktails -- all were outstanding. The service is very attentive and friendly. The restaurant itself is nothing fancy and could be considered a hole in the wall type place. Overall, the best place in the DC area for Peruvian food.

    (4)

  • Marco C.

    I've brought so many friends to this place and they have all loved it. I tell them all that this is delicious food minus the fancy. Good food doesn't need to be dressed up. Their ceviches are amazing. I also love their ropa vieja. You will not be disappointed.

    (4)

  • Martin B.

    I have been to Limena 5 times in the last few months and I have been pleased every visit. The fish ceviche is the best I've had in the Rockville area - so fresh tasting. The portions is big enough to share as an appetizer. I am also a huge fan of the Chupe de Cameron (shrimp stew). The stew is a complete meal and at $9 a total steal. I've also had the fried trout with garlic and the Lomo Saltado which are both Peruvian staples and excellently preparred here at Limena. In closing, the staff is also excelent and the owners will make a point to stop by and check on your experience.

    (5)

  • John B.

    My friend and I came her wondering what Peruvian food was. We heard from all the Peruvians we know that their food is great. We finally were adventurous to come. We started off with the fried plantains, which were surprisingly delicious. For the main course my friend had the seafood paella, while I had the Lomo Saltado beef. The beef was tender, and delicious, and the paella was very good as well. For dessert we had the guava pastry which was delicious. This place is a very well kept secret in Rockville, and is delicious.

    (5)

  • Victor S.

    Ironically I would've given this place 5 stars a few months ago. Most complained about their paper plates and silverware but in reality it is what kept this place comfortable. In it's attempt to compete with upscale peruvian restaurants like La Canela, Limena has alienated this customer. It's kind of hard to be a fancy peruvian restaurant when you got the pollo a la brasa on display right when you walk in.

    (3)

  • Cristina B.

    I worked in Peru for 4 months and this is as authentic as it gets. The ceviche is amazing and its a really good size. The lomo saltado is also amazing. Last night our friends ordered the lucuma icecream which was really good as well!

    (4)

  • Lynda L.

    I love love love the food here. The best lomo saltado I've had yet! I use to like this dish in Lauriol Plaza but no more. I can save my trek down to DC, this is a lot closer to home. Of course, the atmosphere is totally different between the two. I still like Lauriol Plaza for their margarita swirls, sangrias, and the lively city vibe. Hmmm..I don't think La Limena serves alcohol (so no Pisco Sour here) but I could be mistaken... Oh, I like La Limena simply for the food. I went in for a quick lunch with my boyfriend. Service was so so but they were super busy. Food comes out on paper plates so not a place to take your date if you are trying to impress. I don't know how I didn't know about this place before because I've eaten at the Vietnamese place in the same shopping strip before. For sure I would have tried it out, I've been looking for a good Peruvian place. I saw it listed on Washingtonian Cheap Eats recently and had to try it. I would dare say the Lomo saltado here tasted better than ones I've tried when visiting Peru last year. I was not the only one impress with the food. My boyfriend order this fried chicken dish. He liked it alot. According to him, it's crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. We will definately frequent this place from now on. Oh yeah, they also serve Cuban dishes too. I haven't tried them yet.

    (5)

  • David G.

    If you are claustrophobic, do not eat at La Limena. It is small, justly popular, and about as crowded as a dining room can be. But I have decided to take that as "ambiance" and not a drawback, and once past that, La Limena is near perfect. The service is friendly and helpful, the menu varied and interesting, and all of the food our party ordered was well-prepared and very tasty. I won't go into details of the menu, but will just mention one standout item - the whole fried flounder. I think anything you order will please, even the drinks.

    (5)

  • Kat T.

    It's hard to write a review when the food is good. Just remember that the service is the worst . The managers are terrible . One day I went when I was 35 weeks pregnant and they made me longer and sat others it was terrible . Another experience , we were about five eating and they stopped us to separate out tables ? Really. Last they are cheap with the food but they charge a lot. One side order of yo a is about $4.00 and u get only 10-12 pieces of yuca! So if u go, remember they have no common sense of customer service !

    (2)

  • Jonathan S.

    Great service and food is unique and extremely authentic. A good selection of fruit juices and their foods are flavorful. What really stood out though was how attentive their service was even though the restaurant was packed full. Make sure and show up early to get a seat as it's quite popular and can fill up fast. Not super friendly for vegetarians but the service was great and found foods that my vegetarian friends could eat but most of their dishes are meat based dishes.

    (5)

  • Eddy K.

    Solid, solid place to eat. Ceviche is awesome too. All the plates I've had are pretty good.

    (4)

  • Ashley A.

    Exceptional Peruvian food and exceptional service. The host was attentive to the experience of every diner in his establishment and the waitstaff were skilled and attentive to a degree that far surpasses the price point and formality of this establishment. I am very familiar with authentic Peruvian cuisine and this is exactly that. It is worth traveling out of your way to eat here.

    (5)

  • Sophie F.

    Great place, excellent service. The server whipped up an excellent dish for this vegan. They are very attentive. I went two times, once on a Sunday afternoon and I waited about 30 minutes in line. Second time was on a Friday night at about 8pm and there was no wait. The margaritas are strong! I highly recommend!

    (4)

  • Diaz M.

    I wanted to go to Cuban Corner but its closed so I found this spot behind IHOP. I love this place. The staff was kind and checked on me often and the place is packed. I got the tuca tuca steak and eggs and it was just like my favorite restaurant in Miami. I also got the papaya juice and it was very refreshing. I ordered 2 empanadas to go... They look good so we'll. I'll def be back.

    (4)

  • Perla A.

    Loved this place!!!:) I came in here with no idea what peruvian food was like....the staff gave me a few ideas and we went from there! My date and I had aji de gallo,it was a 10...arroz con mixto and it was also a 10...then we had the lucuma icecream with the cookies...the whole meal was a 10. The manager Arturo was super nice amd so were the waiters!:) Hope to go back

    (5)

  • Hannah H.

    I've been meaning to try out La Limena for a while now, a small Peruvian/Cuban restaurant, tucked away in the Jumbo Jumbo tea plaza off of Rockville Pike. The menu is pretty extensive, offering appetizers, salads, soups, sandwiches, beef/poultry/seafood entrees, Peruvian chicken, side orders, as well as cocktails/beer/wine/house specialties. A good friend and I decided to check this place out for an early dinner - the place was still packed! We were served right away a cute little steel bowl with handles of roasted corn kernels and thinly-sliced banana chips (it reminded me of the days where I gorged on these while in Peru!) :D For appetizers, we started off with: an Empanada (just came as 1 piece (thought it should at least come as 2 pieces?), stuffed with ground top sirloin, olives, raisins, and cooked eggs; it came piping hot and had a thin crispy exterior; I was surprised that the filling was more ground beef rather than potatoes/veggies; I wished there were more olives/raisins, though!); a Papa Rellena (mashed potatoes 'dough' stuffed with ground beef, olives, raisins, cooked eggs, and then deep-fried; this came with a small dish of sarsa criolla (a South American version of salsa with sliced red onions and cilantro); this was a slightly on the bland side, and not as 'mashed potato-like' as I thought it would be); Antichuchos (marinated thin slices of beef hearts, grilled on a skewer, accompanied by a thick-cut crispy potato and sarsa criolla; this was my least favorite of the night, as I was just not a fan of the hearts - they seemed to be extremely tough and overcooked); and, a Chicharron de Chancho (boneless pork meat cooked and fried in its own juices; served with fried yucca and sarsa criolla; I thought these would be pork belly, but they were literally boneless pork; very meaty and seasoned, which I appreciated, and the yucca was okay). What I loved is that they gave a little tiny tray of the green and the yellow aji sauces; don't be shy in asking for multiple refills (they only fill the tray up, but can't bring out another tray; however, I asked them to squeeze a big amount on my plate AHAHAHAHA) - the sauce was so creamy and flavorful (crack sauce!!!), and for sauce lovers (like myself), it was a great complement for the appetizers :D For the entree, we shared the 1/2 Chicken Pollo a la Brasa - charcoal roasted, this chicken was really juicy and cooked perfectly; the skin was crispy and flavorful and just right! You get to choose 2 sides, and we opted for the white rice and the french fries - both came freshly-fried and made. Our server, Javier, was such a sweetheart, and he made sure our waters were refilled and cleared any empty plates away. The manager also came around to make sure that everything was satisfying. At the end, we received two mini Alfajores de Maicena, light cookies filled with dulce de leche :D Definitely a little gem in Rockville, check them out! +Pollo a la Brasa :D +aji sauce!!! +Empanada +mini Alfajores de Maicena cookies +ask for Javier :D +tail end (west) of Jumbo Jumbo +plenty of parking

    (4)

  • Erika E.

    A gem! I only wish I could A. spell and B. Pronounce the names of the dishes I enjoyed tonight! So, I'll do my best to give you my Anglo version of the food! Grilled trout - a whole grilled trout served with rice, limes and cake. A simple dishe executed with perfection Saltado (beef) - I watched my boss devour and enjoy this dish - carbs and all. Fried rice (chicken) - dubbed the rice helmet by the table. This was delish - I'd suggest it as a shareable for your table vs a stand alone dish. Very good Plantains - yum - again a great shareable for your table The service is patient and kind, warm and hospitable. Located at the back of the shopping center behind the ihop.

    (5)

  • Mike B.

    Seamless warm service in a clean contemporary atmosphere punctuated by nearly perfectly cooked proteins and fresh sides. Pollo Alla Brasa is fall of the bone tender and is as equally flavorful. Skin is crispy, lacking the heavy handed cumin onslaught of many restaurantes peruanos. Now La Limeña is actually Cuban, but Pollo Alla Brasa is like a box of chocolates in the MD Burbs. The rice is of perfect, impeccable, 10 out of 10, flawless consistency. I want to run back into the kitchen to investigate cooking methods. Green sauce is spicy without being overbearing and yellow sauce is a classic version of the widespread favorite. The small green salad I ordered as my other side (1/4 chicken + 2 sides) is common, but has a pointedly vinegary bright yellow dressing that inflates the ordinary looking iceberg, carrot, tomato slices, and cucumber to new levels. The impulse coffee at the end of my meal is well worth it. The mild bean reminds me of lighter version of a Balduccis favorite. All in all an easily given 5 stars.

    (5)

  • Connie Y.

    Granted I came here on Father's Day for a birthday party, this was evidently one of the busiest restaurants ever! While we were waiting and dining, we could see that La Limena had a steady flow of regular diners and a customer base who came just for carry-out. And that's always a plus in my yelp book. Located on Rockville Pike in the corner near Pho 95, Jumbo Jumbo, and Ihop, people who love Peruvian food, should probably come try this. The one disappointment I experienced was their lack of reservations. When I had called earlier in the day, the lady on the phone had said they would set aside a table for 10 at 7pm, however when we arrived, there was no table waiting for us. Had we known that, we would never have chosen this place as a birthday venue for such a large crowd. After waiting 40 more minutes, we were finally seated. Afterwards, everything ran smoothly. Now in terms of the food, everything but the ceviche and seafood paella felt like home-cooked comfort food. I ordered the Lomo Saltado, which had marinated strips of stir-fried beef, with onions, peppers, and french fries on the bottom of the dish. Not bad. I wasn't crazy about soggy fries soaked in sauce, but you may! On the other hand, I did enjoy the flavor of the rice, which had garlic and oil combined. My friend had ordered the ceviche and I thought that was delicious! All the seafood was fresh, the marination was on point, nothing tasted soggy nor raw, and it was cold! Just the way I like it. It was a combination of shrimp, squid, scallop, and fish, all cured in lemon juice, making it taste extremely refreshing. Despite the pricey dish, I'd still order it again. And last but not least, my other friend ordered fried rice. All I can say for this dish is, "Who orders fried rice?!!" :p

    (3)

  • Phi N.

    Came back here after 5 years. Went with some of my friends' recommendations and got half a chicken (dark meat of course), some kind of ropa vieja on plantain appetizer, and the shrimp soup. Soup was bomb, chicken was good as long as you use the green sauce they provide, and the appetizer meat was good. I thought that the plantain was too thick and therefore, I just ate the meat by itself, lol. As sides for my chicken, I went with fries and fried rice. The fried rice is worth the extra dollar. The restaurant is pretty crowded during dinner, you might have to wait a little bit. Our service was excellent.

    (4)

  • Chris C.

    3.5 Stars. La Limena is a homestyle Peruvian restaurant that offers authentic peruvian cuisine. There is a small dining room that seats probably 60 and don't take reservations. We arrived on Sunday night for a friend's birthday and waiting approximately 20 minutes for a party of 10. Given how small the restuarant was, I'm glad we didn't wait longer since there was a long list of people waiting. As for the food, it was decent, but given the reviews I was expecting something spectacular. I know I'm probably hyping this place up, but I love Super Chicken in Tysons Corner, VA. I was expecting something just as good, if not better since this was a formal sitdown. Unfortnately, not every dish was a winner. I would say my favorite dish was the Seafood Paella ($20). It was flavorful, a perfect blend of spices, and plentiful of seafood and rice. I wish the rice was a little bit more crispy like a traditional paella, but I would still recommend it. A dish I wish coudl be improved would be the pollo a la brasa or rotisserie chicken. The chicken was crispy and juicy but I wish it had more flavor. I know they have the yellow and green sauce on the side, but I wish they had more flavor on the chicken itself. Honestly, it could use some more salt/pepper because it was a little bland. The Lomo Saltado and Pollo Saltado were decent as well, but nothing spectaular from other Peruvian restuarants. Service was fantastic and very friendly. Our waitress was very patient and friendly. Overall, I would try this place again for the Seafood Paella and maybe some other dishes I haven't had before.

    (3)

  • Kathryn L.

    Although there was slim Pickens for me to choose from, I'm giving 4 stars due to the great service of accommodations & ambience. Walked in & there was a line of people waiting to be seated. It's a small dining area with tables situated pretty close but the turnover process had a good flow. Had a 10 minute wait before being seated in the corner at a 2-top. People's tables were colorful with the dishes and beverages...seems like this place offers a few specialities of alcohol drinks as many people were drinking them. This is the perfect place for the carnivores who craves authentic & by design recipes of Cuban inspired chicken & beef. I settled for the fried whole fish, no sides & besides dealing with the bones, it was OK. If I had some bread & mustard, I could have made an old school fish sandwich LOL! I appreciate the unasked effort of my server who spoke to the Chef about my order & coming back with the "other" options...only ended up being 2, but hey, I made it work. The manager made his rounds by stopping at tables to see what people were ordering and how they liked their food. Prices seemed very reasonable for the portions. I did have a glass of their red "dry" wine as the server put it & was a good taste & pour. I'll only be back for the wine & Yucca pieces to be a good dinner companion for my friends.

    (4)

  • Kojo B.

    I ordered lunch to go since i was tired of my go-to options. I ordered the Lomo Saltado and an empanada. The empanada was alright wont get it again. The lomo saltado i just got bored eating it, then again its that type of dish that all the elements are kind of a stand alone. You have your beef, rice, fries, onions and tomatoes.. Its a dish that i have come to a conclusion really doesnt do much for me, its okay, but i didnt particularly care for this one. I will go there again and take up on their lunch special, regular menu prices are expensive. I will also order a sandwich a subsequent time. If update improves will update, if not.. then i have experienced better.

    (2)

  • Priscilla Y.

    My friends and I had a wonderful time here at La Limena. Excellent Peruvian food and the staff were awesome! Located in a corner in a shopping center with IHOP, Pho 95, and the popular Jumbo Jumbo, La Limena is a hidden gem. It is a little pricey, but worth it for the quality and service. For drinks, they have the Passion Fruit juice and the Chicha Morada, which is fruit juice with a hint of cinnamon. I liked it. It was refreshing. We started off with the Ceviche de Pescado, which was just fish. It was good, but also a little too acidic and spicy for me. It comes with corn and sweet potato. The Arroz Con Mariscos (Seafood Paella) was delicious! It had a good amount of calamari, shrimp, mussels, and fish. It would have been perfect with a little bit more salt and the addition of scallops. The Lomo Saltado was great too. The steak was cooked perfectly and was great paired with the rice and fries. Although, I much prefer the Lomo Saltado at La Brasca Latin Cuisine over at Parklawn. I had a bite of the Bistek a la Limena, which was basically steak and eggs. The steak was a little too cooked for my taste, but my friend really liked it. I wouldn't come here for the rotisserie chicken. There are better options elsewhere. The chicken here is too salty. Dessert: They gave us a plate of mini Alfajores on the house, which were a delicious chocolate nutty goodness. The Vanilla Flan and Lucuma Ice Cream were really good too! I didn't care too much for the mousse. The Lucuma mousse had an aftertaste that reminded me of some Chinese herbal medicine while the Passion Fruit tasted like crayons. The restaurant isn't big and they do not take reservations so the wait can take a while if you come during busy lunch/dinner hours. I'd definitely come back to try their other items.

    (4)

  • Joy B.

    I love La Limena! When you arrive at a restaurant and the line is filled with people waiting for a seat you know that the food must be very good. It was a real treat ! We started off with the Papa Rellena. It was mashed potato filled with diced beef,olives,raisins, and cooked eggs. It was fried into a perfect golden brown. It was a pillow of heavenly goodness. Then, we each had a half of chicken. The chicken was crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. The great taste sent quivers of delight to the tastebuds in my mouth. The yucca was perfectly cooked with a crunchy outside and delicious potato taste in the inside. The salad was crisp and fresh with a tangy creamy dressing that had me aching for more. But, the best was yet to come! The Alfajores or caramel filled cookie was orgasmic! My dinner partner and I agreed the pastry chef should be given an award. By far one of the best desserts I have ever eaten. So, rush over to La Limena for the best Peruvian meal in Maryland!

    (5)

  • Nisha B.

    Enjoyed this new found Peruvian gem in Rockville! The fried ceviche was great but heavy. We shared the paella which was probably a good decision since we were pretty full after that! But that didn't stop us from ordering dessert! The flan was fantastic! And the cookies were really really good!! Will be coming back but maybe not for the paella. However the service was exceptional. No arguing that!

    (4)

  • Emma W.

    Really?!?!? How have I not tried this place before???? It's a mystery... I loved the food that I order but upon trying some things other people ordered... I think you just have to be careful what you order. I had the rotisserie chicken. Dark meat. 1/4. Meat falling off the bone. Tug a little and BAM. Comes right off. And so moist. So tender. Skin flavored so nicely!!! Mmmmm.... juicy!!! Paired it with yucca. Crisp on the outside. Soft and tender inside. Love the texture. Also had a side salad. Great tangy dressing. They also provide great sauces on the side . A green spicy one and milder white one. Great for dipping. Smearing. Yum! Had to try the desserts. The donuts made from squash and and sweet potato. Very much fried. But awesome caramel sauce. It reminds me a slightly burnt caramel sauce used for flan.... also had the cookie with caramel filling. A must! And the guava pastry. So good. Flakey dough. Just the right sweetness filling. Its like a guava pop over All in all. I will return!! Love it!

    (5)

  • Elsa G.

    My daughter and I have visited this place several times since it opened; the food was always good although pricey (lomo saltado is $17). We usually order lomo saltado, pollo a la brasa or ropa vieja. In the past there was always more than enough food in our plates that we would end up taking leftovers home. Over the last 2 months however, we've noticed that the portions look much smaller and we have left hungry after spending close to $50 for 2 small dishes and a chicha morada. We felt ripped off. During our last experience, the waiters seemed more attentive to larger parties, so much that I didn't have my water refilled until I waved at our server several times. We also had to ask another waiter for more sauce. We then had to wait a good 15 minutes for our check to arrive, after, again, having to call our waiter who was standing near a larger party and had apparently forgotten he had other patrons to assist. He never apologized when he came over with our check although he had a smile on his face. Nice but service is more than a smiley face. We won't be going back to La Limena.

    (2)

  • Michael J.

    I have been here three times (I believe) and with the exception of one main course that was merely very good, the food has been spectacular. For appetizers, the Ceviche Mixto, Tiraditos de Pescado (sashimi style fish) and Anticuchos (beef hearts) were all wonderful. For mains courses, the Ossobuco was great, and a beef tongue special was terrific. The Tacu Tacu a la Lamena was the only dish I thought was just very good. The service was friendly and attentive. I highly recommend this place.

    (5)

  • WILLIAM P.

    First sign this was a good choice was the number of Peruvian clients! Got in at 11:30 AM on a Sat with a table for 8! By 12:30 the line was out the door, Great service and fantastic food and drinks! The Arroz con Mariscos is the Peruvian version of Paella! Best we've had in a long time. I also highly recommend the Ceviche Mixto, chicken croquets and Camarones Enchilados. We enjoyed 10 different dishes and several desserts and all were fantastic. Will return when in the area!

    (4)

  • Jennifer N.

    La Limena is on point (and, actually, it reminded me of two other restaurants I like - La Canela, in Rockville, and Samantha's in Silver Spring). As with many restaurants in Rockville, do not be fooled by the strip mall exterior. On a Friday night, there was not an empty seat in the house, and after sampling the pescado a lo mocho, I can see why. The description is unusual - fish topped with, well, seafood. It's a fried piece of tilapia topped with shrimp, calamari, and a crispy half potato, served in "our special sauce" and it is truly amazing. The "special sauce" is rich, but not overpoweringly so, and has hints of a nutty flavor. The bistec encebollado, which my dining companion sampled, is a very large, flat piece of beef, topped with green and red peppers, onions, and tomatoes, and served with a large bowl of black beans. Extra points for incredibly courteous service - the manager was going from table to table asking everyone how the food was, and if it was their first time at the restaurant. Dinner for 2 (no alcohol) came to $36 before tip, and with ample leftovers.

    (4)

  • Kevin F.

    La Limena This started weird. I went on my Moto all over Rockville looking for breakfast. I went to 3 different breakfast places and each was nutso-busy. No counters at any of them, bummer. After #3 I decided to try something different. La Limena is right behind an IHOP and I had no idea what it was beyond the neon "Open" sign. I walked up and read "Peruvian" and walked in. I've had the food in SF at Limon and loved it. I was the only one and the staff of many was very busy getting the place ready. The staff is Peruvian (I have a tough time with some of the accent) and very nice. They offered the entire menu but the focus was on a small tamale, a sandwich and fresh juices (papaya, piña and strawberry). The tamale came with two sauces, a very mild mustard and the other a little spicier but delicious. The tamale will not fill you up. It comes w a teeny bowl of pickled onions and everybody gets a little bowl of peanuts and tostones. So, I ordered the sandwich. It was very filling and simple, slices of a moist pork w thin slices of sweet potato and perhaps a cheese. I used my tamale sauces to make it moist. Not super tasty, but probably traditional. Although the restaurant took on 4 more parties after I walked in, there was plenty of staff. Weirdly, I felt my original waitress was blowing me off after she explained the breakfast options. No idea why. I would definitely warn you all to not be surprised if your service was spotty. The coffee was very good and strong, but nothing special. The place was very clean and had plenty of room and the parking lot was huge. It's not visible from the Pike, pull in when you see the IHOP and keep going. I really wanted to love it but I kept getting ignored and the place had only 10 parties and over 11 workers having a good time and getting ready for dinner or lunch or something. It went from 0% to 50% capacity while I was there. Getting blown off is too much for me. Especially when I'm by myself. Also, it took about 10 minutes for my change to come back. I think it's nice, but pretty badly managed. At least this Sunday morning

    (3)

  • Maria C.

    There's not that many great Peruvian places around the area, so I'm glad that there's one that is reasonably priced and has a private lot (within a shopping center)! We got tequenos as our appetizer, which were delicious. For our entree, my boyfriend got the chicken saltado, which was super tender, while I got some kind of baked tilapia plus other seafood, which was good and also very generous in terms of the amount of seafood given. The overall portions were also huge for the price we paid! The only thing that wasn't excellent was the flan, which I'm used to being more soft but this was a little too stiff. Service was very friendly as well, happily providing suggestions when we weren't sure what we should get. It is a pretty popular place so you might have to wait a bit for a table, but they'll find a way to squeeze you in!

    (4)

  • Katy B.

    Service was outstanding and the food is AMAZING!! Will make this a regular spot for Peruvian food :)

    (5)

  • Meggie C.

    I came to this place since a lot of yelpers recommended it and friends as well. I love Peruvian food so I decided to give this place a try. I ordered what looks like seafood paella (I don't know the name) and I was sooooo excited for it. My boyfriend ordered the ropa veja and my other friend ordered the lomo soltado. Now my paella was just bland. Looked beautiful but no taste and no flavor. The ropa veja was good and my friends lomo soltado he said was nothing spectacular either. Needless to say I was disappointed this place didn't live up to the hype. Now I will say I've had better food at la brasa which is literally five minutes down the street. One thing I will say is the staff is very attentive and nice. The owner went around all the tables. Restaurant was clean and a good size.

    (3)

  • Vina Y.

    I've been coming to this shopping center for years; after seeing lines for La Limena, I finally decided to give it a try. Overall it was really great. Service was a little slow but friendly and helpful with the menu. The manager came by twice to check on us. The portions are huge - even the appetizers are big. There was easily a small fish's worth of meat in the ceviche we ordered. I got one of the specials of the night - a beef tongue in tomato sauce. Usually I'll get need tongue at Korean and Japanese places and you get 5-6 thin slices for at least $10. At La Limena, I got two 1-inch steaks about 6 inches long. At $18 it was a great deal for the amount of beef tongue you get. If you've never had this cut of meat - try it, it's very flavorful and extremely tender. My partner got the lamb shank and it was a huge piece of meat with a generous helping of rice and beans. The meat was well seasoned and tender. I will definitely be back to try some of their other dishes.

    (4)

  • Tiffany L.

    Came here at 330. Packed! Ordered osso buco which was hugeeee!! And I ordered the limo saltado. The Saltado was very good. A staple of the restaurant. I saw a lot of ppl order this dish. A few ppl ordered the osso buco too. This was a little tough.. Not as tender as we would have wanted. The portion was huge though! And it was priced at 18$~~ which isn't bad for the size. I'd love to come back often but my BF isn't fond of peruvian food like I am. I loved their ropa vieja when I had it! And I'd love me some aji de gallina * the bf thinks this dish is strange.

    (4)

  • Jess C.

    I finally tried La Limena to see what all the hype was about, but I wasn't that impressed. I didn't think the atmosphere was that nice, just an ordinary strip mall restaurant. The service was nice, but the food was just OK. I tried the regular ceviche, and the fish (tilapia I suppose) was... hard. It did not taste fresh. I usually really like ceviche, but i felt like they focused more on quantity than quality here. The fish was tough and it was hard to eat. I had the yellow chicken dish aji de gallina and it reminded me of a peruvian version of chicken curry except not flavorful, and tasted really heavy, and it got boring after a few bites. The Lomo Saltado was ok, but it tasted boring to me too. I had Lomo Saltado and it tasted really good because it felt like it was freshly sauteed and very flavorful, but this time, it tasted pretty bland. Ropa Vieja was the better one of the dishes, more flavorful, but still boring after a few bites. They presented us with free alfajores for a birthday treat, which was nice, but I wasn't the biggest fan of what tasted like a light sugar cookie w. chocolate. Despite my mediocre feelings about this place, it was super busy on a weeknight. Perhaps I'll have to give Peruvian/Cuban food a break for awhile. In the meantime, I'll just go next door to Jumbo Jumbo and order some popcorn chicken and bubble tea instead. If La Limena didn't work out for you like for me, there are tons of ethnic restaurant in the same shopping center. I was amazed to see how the selection has grown over the years. There is Indian, Mexican, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, etc all in the same shopping center!

    (3)

  • Muzhou L.

    It's always fully packed but somehow we managed to get seated right away every time. The food is great but slightly overpriced. However, they do make that up with good service and free bite of dessert for newcomers.

    (4)

  • Reza A.

    Last night was my first time at La Limena. Wednesday night and it was packed. 3 restaurants next door were all empty. It immediately told us they must be serving very good food here. We were not disappoints. We tried to go for a few appetizers as opposed to one main dish to try different things. Peruvian appetizers were just out of this world. Were were not as crazy about Cuban food. It was a bit heavy for us. But, still very fresh and tasty. I will stick to Peruvian dishes next time and will leave room for appetizers. They also looked very tasty. B

    (4)

  • N R.

    Pros: Real food, Yellow sauce, Tasty white rice, Free corn nuts on table Cons: Chicken is dry (both white and dark), Mediocre service, Elevator music It's nice having Peruvian chicken with table service and real utensils. Too bad the chicken isn't as good as the places with plasticware. Nevertheless, the yellow sauce is phenomenal. I'll come back and try some other dishes.

    (4)

  • Tuan N.

    I've been here before and liked their food. But today... My coworkers took me here for a birthday lunch and our waiter wouldn't let the table order all water. We had to order a beverage ... What kind of service is that?!

    (3)

  • Lillian C.

    Great food at an affordable price? COUNT ME IN! Awesome: 1. booze. it is so hard to find booze, and good booze in this county. Pisco sours- try it. Not the best I've had but at only about 9 dollars a pop you'd be a fool not to try. Vegans and those with sensitive bellies beware - it has egg whites. I had the passion fruit one (maracuya sour). Very boozy, maybe even a tad too much but then why am I complaining?? 2. ceviche: best ceviche I've had in the DC area. I actually only started my Peruvian kick this summer due to a trip to Argentina (not including Peruvian chicken). Peruvian food is the Chinese food of Argentina- it's everywhere, bountiful, cheap, and GOOD. I could weep just thinking about all the fresh, bountiful, amazing ceviche I could get for about 8 dollars. You're not going to find 8 dollar ceviche here, but at 12-13 dollars (depending on what you get) this is not a bad deal. You couldn't get this much fish at a sushi restaurant for the price (and sushi in MoCo tends to be pretty mediocre!) Even the cancha and sweet potato is outstanding and most other places treat them as afterthoughts. A drink and ceviche alone was enough to fill me up and I'm not a dainty eater but of course this is subjective. 3. Tacu Tacu!! This is something I didn't try until I got it here and there's nothing I can pick about it. I'd actually stick to the "jugoso" version of the dish because you don't get much more for the "steak" (thin breaded steak). Both are delicious nevertheless but the jugoso version is essentially a lomo saltado without the fries with the tacu tacu (rice and canary cake- think an interesting tamale and rice and beans hybrid.) 4. last but not least, their pollo huancaina is to DIE FOR! You'd think it sucks because it's one of the cheaper dishes but suck it does not! I thought they used boiled shredded chicken at first so I had low expectations but they use their Peruvian (rotisserie) chicken in this dish which is flavorful and tender and pairs wonderfully with their huancaina sauce. Not so awesome: 1. Very small space so you might have to wait in line on a Friday night. However the service is impeccable and even the owners are on the floor making sure everyone is alright so the line moves relatively quickly. 2. Not veg friendly. This is not pertinent to most people but if you had a vegetarian / vegan in your life you might want to look elsewhere because even the rice has butter. I would feel guilty making a vegan eat only yucca and a salad while everyone else is dining on dairy and seafood galore. It's not quite as good as eating in South America but still delectable it is.

    (5)

  • Ronald I.

    What a gem in Rockville. I started coming here with an old girlfriend and now frequent the place as much as possible. First, the Pisco sours are incredible. Then I normally get the Aji de gallina, the tacu tacu with an egg, and the lomo saltado. All are excellent! What a treat!

    (5)

  • Eduardo A.

    Most of their dishes are good, but it could be better. Unfortunately I don't come often because their service is below average and they make you wait for a long time instead making phone reservations.

    (4)

  • David C.

    Someone told me about a nice lamb dish in this restaurant. I traveled all the way here just to heard that they run out of lamb. I ended up having lamb at the Indian restaurant next door. Their getting my stars instead.

    (1)

  • Lauren A.

    I've eaten at La Limena multiple times, maybe 5 or 6 times. I've gone with different people. The food is always very good, the decor pretty basic. The restaurant is hidden in a strip mall filled with restaurants, but always packed. I think prices are good and the service is friendly. My kids have had the Pollo a La Brasa. I've never tried it, but they like it. I've had a few different things from the menu, the ropa vieja, bistec a la limena, the empanadas, the yuca. A few people have ordered ropa vieja, although I haven't gotten it myself. Overall, this is a great place, though usually crowded and I have always had to wait for a table. I think La Canela in Rockville Town Center is a bit better and more elegant, but La Canela is also more expensive. I have been choosing La Limena for that reason.

    (4)

  • Caleb J.

    This place is all around great. We had the ceviche mixto which was perfect. Our waiter recommended the sliced beef heart as an app and it too was delicious. I had the whole flounder and loved it. My kids had the Classic Peruvian chicken and they loved it too. I highly recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Minda M.

    Wow is this place surprising. On the outside it's a bare bones, strip mall facade. I walked in and they asked if I were getting take out or eating in. The place was packed on a Monday afternoon, but I decided to eat in even though it was busy. The menu looked delicious, but pricey. Mostly large dinners, and it was a bit intimidating for a quick lunch. I saw they offered chicken with sides and thought this would be a good lunch. I got 1/2 a chicken, a large bowl of beans and fried yucca with dipping sauce all for under $10. It was waaaaaay too much food, but delicious. I totally could have gotten the 1/4 chicken and have been full, which I believe is only $7. This place puts the other chicken places to shame. It's nice, cheap (for chicken) and delicious. I haven't tried anything else on the menu, but I will be back!

    (4)

  • Ulas B.

    The best beef ever ! I strongly suggest this place to anyone..ordinary but warm climate... the best part is the foods...they are all delicious..particularly the OSSO BUCO

    (5)

  • Glo L.

    Best Peruvian food in the DC/ DMV area. Everything is amazing. The people are great and friendly. The place is a bit small and lines are long but so worth the wait. You must try the dessert helado de lucuma it's an exotic fruit only found in Peru that's an ice cream so worth the travel and price.

    (5)

  • B S.

    Only $44 for two, we were stuffed. Chicha Moradas, Tamales de maiz, papa huancaina, lomo saltado, y chupe de camarones ALL delicious, authentic, service very good, friendly and we look forward to the next visit!!!

    (5)

  • Cynthia C.

    The lomo saltado was ok because the meat was hard to chew. My husband chicken grill was too fatty des gusting ... The tables too close each other. And the waitress rude I didn't like do much I rather go to La Canela the serve small portions but do much delicious than these plaze ... They also hurry you up to leave No Way !!! If I came back again maybe can be for the deserts that's all...

    (2)

  • Angela P.

    One of my FAVORITE restaurants in Rockville (and I've been naughty up and down that Pike). Very similar to La Canela (YUMMY!) without the hefty price tag. Here are their best hits: 1) Ceviche Mixto: They get it right EVERYs single time. Perfect portions of fish, shellfish, and delicious picked onions. Not to mention that palette cleansing yam and crunchy corn kernels on the side that are very addicting. 2) Ropa Vieja: Super flavorful pulled beef in a tostones basket and side of rice. I always end up getting this each time I come here! 3) Anticucho (sp?): Grilled beef heart kabob. I can't tell you how delicious and meaty this is. Forget that it's a cow heart; the heart is a muscle just like any other beef you try. Chewier than normal beef, but the flavor is outstanding and drawn out by the sear over charcoal. Also very good are the arroz con mariscos (wet paella) and alfajor (tea cookies). The tea cookies come in small or large; definitely worth a try. I would not order the osso buco again; not very flavorful in comparison to their other dishes. Overall an excellent restaurant and a nice place to take the significant other or family. Decent selection of wines and some S. American beers by the bottle. Decor has nice touches and you can actually see the menu! Service is friendly; had my favorite waiter there for awhile, but I think he may have moved on now.

    (5)

  • Mark R.

    A great Peruvian place. I wouldn't go here for the chicken, although excellent, but instead for the dishes you can't get elsewhere. You know that one dish you find at a great place that you always go back for? For me, try the Anticuchos, a skewer of marinated beef heart and that addictive aji verde dipping sauce. For a drink try a Pisco Sour (Alcoholic), or a Chicha Morada, a clear purple sweet drink that is somehow made from corn, but tastes like a light fruity drink. You can't go wrong with any thing from the menu, though. Come on a slow night, or bear witness to the lines out the door to wait patiently for one of the 30-40 seats, and authentically warm service.

    (4)

  • Nishat K.

    Delicious. Peruvian. Food. La Limeña is this quaint little place on the corner of a little strip with a couple restaurants. The ambience isn't the fanciest ever but I wouldn't expect frou-frou restaurants in this little center. It is however pretty clean and the service seems to be good but don't take my word on that aspect because I've only done take out here for a solid amount of years. The manager's been the same ever since I started coming here so that's a good sign. The food ~especially the rotisserie chicken (pollo a la brasa)~ is finger lickin good!! Bf got the lomo saltado and was happy with it, especially with it being a couple bucks less than other places! I got my staple, the chicken and it's perfect every time. Juicy, flavorful, and crispy skin! It comes with two sides, but you do have the option of buying a whole chicken w/o sides. I've yet to wander around the menu but I'll be damned if it isn't good cause it all smells heavenly ~drool~ And it's affordable! Love. Love. Love. OH! PS, if you don't wanna dine with bunches of HS kids or wait forever, go after about 11:25 AM. The HS nearby has open lunch and a good amount of them come here to pick up lunch!

    (4)

  • Alex W.

    A trip to a Peruvian eatery usually is not without an order of their famous appetizer - Ceviche. Here, I went for the whole package, Ceviche Mixto, which arrived with pieces of shrimp, squid, and fish, accompanied by some fresh corn, fried corn kernels, and pieces of sweet potato. This rendition of the semi-cooked seafood was quite different from the version I wrote about a few blogs ago. The pieces of shrimp were parboiled judging by their firm quality, the squid rings and tentacles similarly cooked but pliable and non-rubbery, and the pieces of fish were acid-cooked and had a bit firmer bounce than the other place, partly due to the thinner slices compared to the thick cubes in the aforementioned place. Aside from the textural differences, the marinade was a creamier looking liquid with its strong lime juice and a good chili hit that added the necessary acidic and spice to the whole mix that made the whole dish delectable and completely irresistible. The side accompaniments adequately provided the sweet and crunch as a foil to the soft tart seafood. I could see why many customers were ordering this large appetizer as their main course as I satisfyingly finished my dish off. To read rest of review and view photos, check out my blog at Wongeats.

    (4)

  • Sarah C.

    I almost hate to share, because the place is still a little hidden. But they deserve it. Been here many times, never disappointed! It's small and almost always packed. So you may need to wait, but even the wait seems to move along. Everything is perfect from the service to the food. My favorite traditional Peruvian in the area. Chupe is my fav and the best Pollo a la brasa and perfect rice! Followed by the Causa de Pollo, ceviche, papas a la huancaina, pisco sours -- everything! Others have raved about the lomo saltado. The manager (owner?) is always there and always checking on you. Deserts are delish. 5 stars!

    (5)

  • Kaylee P.

    Went here for dinner after watching a Christmas play with some friends (6 of us). At entering, the place was pleasantly cozy, the staff members were polite, attentive and quick in helping us to our seats. We had just barely missed the crowd because after 2mins I noticed a line of 20people waiting to be seated. After ordering our dishes I can understand why! Everything came out superb. We had various appetizers and desserts as well and portions were huge (two people could honestly share an entrée). I will definitely be back to try other things on their menu. I don't think they can go wrong here :) make a note to make reservations especially on a weekend. Update: went for the holiday group luncheon for work and everyone (12 of us) left happy and full :)

    (4)

  • Lizzie P.

    Heaping portions of delicious, authentic Peruvian food. The wait on Fridays and Saturdays can be quite long, but it is absolutley worth it (maybe plan to arrive before 6pm or after 8pm). There are tons of meal options, including seafood, beef, and chicken, but the cerviche options are fresh, and the arroz chaufa con mariscos, chupe de camerones, and choclo Peruano are absolute heaven. And get some dessert, too!

    (5)

  • Samantha L.

    Absolutely wonderful service. The food is delicious. I ordered the duck special, the meat was tender and the rice was to die for. Highly recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Farrah S.

    La limeña is a really sweet restaurant, but it's definitely become pricier over the years- probably because of the rave reviews. I loved their selector of fresh juices and their desserts. My entree of rice and beef was great- again, definitely overpriced for the portion size. My boyfriend had one of the Peruvian pork sandwiches available on Sundays and said it was very different than what he was served in Peru. The service is pretty good considering how busy it is on Sundays. There was a line almost out the door waiting to be seated. I will be back, but will probably be a little smarter about what I order.

    (4)

  • Walt W.

    The ceviche mix is pretty damn tasty. Even though it's under the appetizers section, you can easily get this as a meal and be full. I always get the chicha morada (purple corn juice) that's made fresh in-house! The table service is good. However pickup service is pretty bad since they focus all their attention on the tables and forget about you.

    (4)

  • Maria-Elena T.

    The 5 of us had an outstanding meal from Pisco sours to ceviche ( the first 3 on the menu) to the main meals. The wait sucked on a Friday night but was worth it. Tip: they always say 10-15 min wait. But know that it could be longer- like 35 min. Another tip: don't order the Alfajores. Yes I know they are delicious but they give you mini ones complimentary at the end of the meal!

    (5)

  • Margaret D.

    This place makes me want to stowaway in my friend's suitcase the next time she visits home in Peru. Luckily before going through all that pain (I am very tall) I can get my Peruvian food fix by driving a few miles to La Limena. It sounds like this place has had a makeover since it first opened, and it's certainly paid off. The tables were marble-style and the restaurant was clean. Enough rambling about decor - what we're really here for is the food! The delicious, flavorful, Peruvian food. It wasn't hard to stay in the Clean Plate Club when we went to La Limena. We ordered the green tamale special, which was -no joke- the best tamale I've ever had. The outside was soft with sweet tones, perfectly complimented by the savory filling and the pickled onions on the side. For our main dishes we ordered the aji de gallina and the tacu tacu con lomo al jugo. That would be a saucy, creamy chicken with rice, and a stewed salty beef with rice and beans. Both were excellent but I'd pick the tacu tacu above the chicken. It may be that i'm not used to eating the traditional chicken dish, but it was just a tad too creamy to eat a lot of. The beef was tender and flavorful, and you wanted to mop up all the juices with extra rice and beans! The one thing I would say personally is to add a little more undertone of sweetness to the beef dish, so that the savoriness would shine even more. My boyfriend found it perfect as is. Unfortunately by the time we plowed through the appetizer and entrees, we were just too stuffed to try the dessert. That just means we'll have to go back for more!

    (4)

  • Priscilla A.

    This place is the best peruvian spot in the area. By far the best Lomo Saltado and Aji de Gallina I've ever had. Their service is excellent and the owner always comes around to personally ask how everything is. I've been here multiple times with my family and friends and every single time it was a great experience. Very reasonable prices and excellent food. If you haven't stopped by definitely try this place out so worth it.

    (5)

  • Laisa U.

    OK the food is great I have been eating here for a couple months now.... Its too pricey to me for the quality. But What I seen today OMGEEEE I will not ever eat there again! As I waited for my food to finish cooking, I seen the waitress go toward the kitchen, Which there was a plate sitting on the counter ready to be served, I seen her put her finger in the food and pick it out and eat it. I thought to my self "maybe its something of hers that she had the cook make" She looked back at me and smirked and walked to the other waitresses and started speaking and laughing..... NASTY ASS ! If this is how they are in front of customers I can only imagine what they do in the back kitchen... I am a loyal customer but I will not go there again!

    (1)

  • gil g.

    Excellent food. The spicy sauce is the best I had great service I will come back for sure

    (5)

  • Dan P.

    This place rocks. Great food and atmosphere. Non-corporate restaurant! Long line to get in Saturday night but worth waiting. Original Cuban and Peruvian cuisine and tastes homemade. Drinks from bar where also very good!!!!

    (5)

  • Melanie C.

    I can't find any fault in the food I had here - everything was delicious. I wouldn't necessarily order everything I had again (details below), but that's just a matter of personal preference, and nothing against the restaurant or its cooking. We started with a delicious ceviche de pescado, which just had fish (they have an option with other kinds of seafood as well, but I prefer just fish). It was a perfect amount for two to share as an appetizer, and still be able to eat entrees and desserts (and you MUST make it to dessert!). For my entree, I had the tacu tacu con lomo al jugo, which was basically a lomo saltado minus the french fries, with tacu tacu instead. This was my first time trying tacu tacu, and while I enjoyed it, it was very large and would have been too filling if I'd tried to eat all of it - I made it through about half, and that was plenty. (I'd probably get the lomo saltado instead of this dish.) I also ordered a chicha morada with my meal - I didn't see it on the menu, but I'd seen it mentioned here so I asked, and they had it. Very yummy! Dessert was a special - I forget what it was called, but it was basically little donuts with a dipping sauce. Highly recommend! The food here is on the pricy side, so I probably wouldn't come here on a regular basis (even though I'd really like to!). One exception is their pollo a la brasa - you can get 1/4 chicken with two sides for about $7. That's what we ordered for the kid (so at least I didn't feel bad about dragging him here with us!). The dessert menu is surprisingly extensive, and they have a glass case at the front where you can gawk at (most of) the offerings and decide if you want to save room for later. But I think you should. :) I'm already looking forward to my next trip here, whenever that may be.

    (5)

  • L D.

    Best ceviche in Maryland. Made in house as opposed to a warehouse. Rotisserie chicken and Cuban sandwich terrific too. Most Peruvian places are dirty and only take cash. This is definitely a step up and worth checking out.

    (4)

  • Yolit Y.

    after traveling for 6 month in south america and falling in love with the local food i am always looking for authentic places that can do the same job,i know it is really hard but i find this place as one of the warm and authentic place in the area,after eating there more than 10 times without falling even one time i can easily give them this 5 star review,they also serving limca cola which is the local cola in peru

    (5)

  • Mark L.

    One of the best Peruvian restaurants I've been to. I've been coming to La Limeña for years and their food, service and prices are amazing! I always get the ceviche to start and get either the lomo saltado for the main course. The staff is always warm and welcoming, and the owner always comes to see how your meal was. If it's your first time, they give you some mini alfajores for dessert. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone!

    (5)

  • Karena J.

    Come here for the food, not the ambience. Excellent rotisserie chicken - some of the BEST I've ever tasted because of the fact that they use charcoal grilling. Savory, charcoal smoked juicy morsels of chicken taste so good, it is actually finguh lickin' good! You just can't get that flavor without charcoal. $11.95 for whole chicken is a steal for that flavor. Black beans are the real deal, tastes like it's been cooked for hours in real pork stock. Salad with the dressing has a delicious tangy dressing. Fried yucca is amazingly crisp. Service is very good and attentive. The restaurant is more of a lunch or take out place since ambience is a bit tired and casual But they do serve bottled cerveza's, mixed drinks and wine.

    (4)

  • Paola E.

    My first time in Rockville, I was surprised to see multiple Peruvian restaurant options. My family had bee there once before, I hadn't. Being Peruvian I navigated the menu easily, and since I eat gluten-free, they had yummy dishes I couldn't have but many others that I could. I'm small but I can eat a lot throughout the day. Since it was late I decided to order small plates. I ordered the pork chicharron with fried yucca which comes with the simple but perfect complimentary onion salad, only a little bit but good. I also couldn't help myself and I ordered a side of Peruvian corn which is white with big kernels. The appetizer was a good size and along with the corn, I was almost uncomfortably full. My mom and aunt had the cau cau, a stew made with beef tripe an potatoes, served with rice. My mom shared some of her food with me (and vice versa) and that was another well-made dish. My uncle had the lomo saltado which is a very simple, well rounded dish made with beef loin, lots of onions and tomatoes sautéed with a vinaigrette. I didn't taste it but his plate was almost licked clean. It was utterly delightful and authentic food. It was also packed with people, mostly Americans, so you know they are doing something right. If ever back in Rockville, I'd definitely go back.

    (5)

  • Yamileth H.

    Excellent environment, friendly service, and great menu choices. I had a wonderful dinner with my friends that was perfectly served by our waiter, Dustin. We definetly loved the "Lomo Saltado," it was delicious!!! for dessert we tried the "helado lucuma" which by the way now it is my favorite dessert. We love this place!!!!!!!

    (5)

  • Roll T.

    3.50 stars. You know La Limena is a win when I can walk right by Jumbo Jumbo Chicken and not question my sanity for eschewing Taiwanese chicken in favor of Peruvian/Cuban cuisine. For starters, I ordered a delicious seafood soup in a creamy broth studded with corn, potatoes, and shrimp, and it quite easily would have served as a meal. The Cubano wasn't my favorite, but the pork was delicious. I wish some of the accompanying notes (mustard, pickles) had a more prominent flavor and I prefer the bread at Mi Cuba Cafe, but overall, it was pretty good. I'd say 4 stars for service, 4 stars for the soup, and 3 stars for the sandwich. Even though I don't live in Rockville, I'd like to try it a few more times.

    (4)

  • Debbie G.

    There lomo saltado is amazing. Definatly the best in moco. The chicken was also really flavorful. Prices are good food is good. Service was excellant

    (5)

  • Carlos A.

    One of the best peruvian restaurant of the metropolitan area, lomo saltado or pollo a la brasa if is the first time you want to enjoy peruvian food, but everything else is great in this restaurant. What I like most is the quality is always great, also great service.

    (5)

  • Roxsana S.

    Came her with some friends and came back with my husband. We like the Cuban Peruvian selections.

    (4)

  • Dana J.

    STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE AS FAR AS POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!! Visited this place so many times before and always was happy with the service and the food. Today I invited my friend for lunch. We were waiting for over 10 minutes before the waitress came to take the order. Later it took them 30 min before they brought empanadas. The New York Stake was full of fat and it wasn't even close to any type of meet. Its name should be "PURA GRASA". Had to go to the counter and ask them to prepare the check. The restaurant was only half full. STAY AWAY FROM IT. DO NOT RECOMMED IT AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!

    (1)

  • Alejandro M.

    Well since my last review, my friends and family have been going a lot to this restaurant. Since two months ago I understand why, I have became an addict to this place too. Food quality has improve surprisingly. Also service and customer service is very professional. This restaurant has improve and now is in my top list. Some friends have told me there are smaller and better restaurants than this one (which I will have to explore) but so far this is my top one. Oh, by the way prices are ok.

    (4)

  • Cristine C.

    Simply A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I don't know why I don't go to this restaurant more often, I have loved everything I have tried but it seldom comes to mind when I'm hungry. Weird...Maybe, it's because I haven't figured out how I feel about the prices. They throw you off at first but when the plate comes to your table you realize it's definitely worth it. I am making a commitment to think of it more often. Love the fact that there are always people to greet you with a smile when you walk in. It's like they are saying, "Welcome and thank you for coming to spend your money here" (LOL). The best dish in my opinion: LOMO SALTADO - you just can't go wrong with this one, besides the fact that it can feed two people...in my case anyways, but let me tell you about the Ossobuco...Ohhhhh myyyyy! Died and gone to heaven! I can certainly go on, but no need. Any dish you choose is just simply great.

    (5)

  • A M.

    Sadly I'm scoring La Limena lower not because it's bad but because you can do much better, both on taste and on quality. El Chalan, for example, in DC is a better bet for ceviche and lomo saltado. But La Limena's not bad. First, I think it's over-priced by $1 - $2 per order. I say this because it's in Rockville, in a plaza with plenty of latin food (mexican, argentine-uruguayan, etc) and not in DC, yet DC Peruvian restaurants cost a lot lest for their ceviche, lomo saltado, etc. Take that for what it's worth! Second, in terms of taste, food tastes pretty good here. We got a Lomo Saltado and a Ceviche, two staples of Peruvian food here in the States. I thought the fish used for ceviche should have been different (it wasn't bad, but it costs a lot and should have tasted a bit better) and the lomo saltado was good overall. Not the best I've had here in DC, but very decent. Third, they seem to have a lot of great deserts. They are very beautiful and you may want to skip lunch or dinner and just do desert. Finally, they are very, very nice. We went to four different restaurants on our trip in the same plaza and the Peruvian/Cuban restaurant (this is both Peruvian and Cuban) had by far the nicest, best service.

    (3)

  • Katie C.

    2nd time coming here and we loved it just as much as the first time. My mother in law and her husband come here pretty often and rave about the food. It was super busy when we visited this time, but once we were seated, there was always a waiter near by to help if we needed something. The Papa Huancaina was delicious and the Tamale was to die for. I highly recommend the Yuca Fries. My husband got Choros a la Chalaca and they were devoured within seconds. The Anticuchos was very flavorful and cooked perfectly - very tender. My new favorite is the Tacu Tacu...so delicious! Of course for dessert, the Alfajores and Lucuma ice cream. I could probably eat a million of those cookies. The prices aren't cheap, but it is totally worth it. If you want a taste of Peru, this is the place to go!

    (5)

  • Kevin J.

    Great great service!!! Everyone was very polite. the waiter seemed to come right on time for empty plates and refills. The ambiance was nice and cozy family like yet the food presentation was fancy not to mention delicious!!

    (4)

  • Tanner K.

    Very fresh with an authenticate taste. You can tell it's family or privately owned because the hospitality is outstanding!

    (5)

  • Jeffrey B.

    Okay overall. Kind of expensive compared to other peruvian restaurants. Cuts of chicken used in the arroz chaufa and pollo al la parrilla a little questionable. I guess us gringos like pechuga and do not know how to really like the grasa y otra cosas...it is off my list now. Prefer other chicken places and for real quality, la canela in rockville is number one by far. Still looking for a place thats sells Pilsen Callao or Pilsen Trujillo.

    (2)

  • Fianu G.

    La Limena is a first rate restaurant. Ate lunch on Friday with my business partner and we were totally blown away by the authenticity of this place. If you want authentic Peruvian this is it. Too many so called Peruvian eateries in MC with Taco Bell type food and this is not one if them. Love the lamb shanks and Ceviche! I will be back with my wife and kids next week for sure.

    (5)

  • Rima R.

    Great place for good food. I love the Peruvian steak with a sunny side egg on top. The restaurant is small, so if you are going during peak hours, you might experience a short wait time. They don't take reservations either. This place is a solid food choice in Rockville.

    (5)

  • Alex S.

    I was super excited to check out this place after reading all the reviews. It does seem the place has changed a bit though. From first glance it was clear they definitely don't serve food on styrofoam plates anymore, which was the impression I had from Yelp. Getting a seat was fast and our server was helpful. Restaurant interior is very nice and clean. It wasn't very noisy and I liked the instrumental background music. I had the Pisco Sour, Ceviche Mixto, and Lomo Saltado. The Pisco Sour was great. They don't have a drink menu, so our server just went off on the beers and stuff they had. Pisco Sour was about $8. The ceviche was VERY FLAVORFUL and had lots of meat. The glazed sweet potatoes were yummy as was the corn. Ceviche was $13. The lomo saltado was great but not particularly outstanding for me. I would have preferred some more meat and more sauce. Towards the end there was no sauce left so I just ate bland rice. I definitely want to try this place again, including their pollo a la brasa. The prices seemed decent, but I ate a lot so the final bill was unexpectedly high.

    (4)

  • Maya C.

    All I have to say is that I need to get my butt there again and soon! Middle of the week, I called my parents and my dad was home alone and I was STARVING to death. So I asked my dad if he would like to come with me to La Limena, a Peruvian restaurant I had heard great reviews. So I picked up my daddy from his house..and we arrived at La Limena, the place was packed, people that arrived after us had to wait a few minutes for a table to clear. Yup, that kind of place. When people are willing to wait is because its good! My drink was Maracuya..passion fruit that was awesoooome. Our appetizer was ceviche mixto...marinated pieces of fish in lime juice served with corn and sweet potatoes...wow was it good! My dad doesn't eat much, so we split the entree Pescado a lo macho...fillet of fish with a delicious sauce loaded with seafood and served with rice. Absolutely the best!!..we HAVE to come back (with my mom of course!)...The service was excellent, the food was delicious and in the company of my dad, dinner could not get better than this! (I did not miss La flor de la Canela....La Limena is it for my Peruvian fix in Maryland!

    (5)

  • Katherine L.

    Since my last visit I was obliged to go back a couple of months ago by the birthday person's choice. I decided to update my review because my bad experience was a one time thing and the food was still pretty good. So I added some stars and won't totally cross this place off my list.

    (3)

  • Yelpowitz E.

    Wow. I didn't expect this quality out of a strip mall restaurant... but they do have great food. The ceviche was amazing... I ate trout and it was delicious too. I might come back if I visit the area again.

    (5)

  • Jorge N.

    I was kind of skeptical about this place since I just can't lump Peruvian and Cuban food together in my head. It's like saying Brad Pitt and Susan Boyle would make a good couple. I came here either way, and left with a happy stomach and with happy taste buds. I tried the anticuchos and tacu tacu con lomo. The anticuchos can't compare with the ones you get from a street vendor in Peru, but that's to be expected I guess. They're not bad for Rockville, MD ;-). The tacu tacu with lomo was excellent. The restaurant itself was nice too. They've done the best they could with what they had (very small space in a strip mall). And the service was the best. From the moment we stepped in, every staff member had a smile on his/her face and was very cordial. I highly recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Rachel P.

    the food was absolutely delicious. i would have given this 5 stars had the waiters/waitresses not repeatedly tried to remove my plate while i was eating :) i will go back.

    (4)

  • Adam G.

    This chicken. I could live here and my stomach (and nose) would never be sad. I don't know how they retain so much flavor. Even if I somehow managed to find a life loophole and could be paid to eat here, I'd still give them all my money. As I'm writing this review, I must keep my hands from dialing their sweet delicious digits and ordering some right now for pick-up. Too late.

    (5)

  • A. S.

    Have been frequenting La Limena for several years. Always liked their food, but their service and customer orientation has declined to the point that I no longer will go back. Went for dinner with a party of 7. They said wait was 30 minutes. A bit long, but we decided to wait. After 45 minutes, they said we would have to split up to sit. Are you serious?!? How incompetent do you have to be not to be able to manage freeing up two adjacent tables? We went next door to a Mexican restaurant instead. On another occasion, they wanted to charge me for extra green chili sauce. Charging for CONDIMENTS? You know an establishment is getting petty and desperate to start charging for condiments. Have to wonder what other short cuts they are taking in the kitchen. Not going back again.

    (1)

  • Sunshine M.

    Everything is great! We ordered 4 different dishes (chicken, Cuban steak etc) it all rocked! And the place is super clean! I really appreciate that! A lot!

    (5)

  • Paul T.

    Never coming back....no communication, lack of service, slow. Food was pretty good, but not worth the long wait.

    (1)

  • Nroop B.

    First try with Peruvian cuisine. And I liked it! Tried just one dish (so little biased towards good review) with yellow creamy dill pepper sauce. It was impressive! Can't recall the name... :-( Tiny place and packed always! Heads up...

    (4)

  • Steph S.

    This is where we go when we want authentic, inexpensive Peruvian food. There's often a bit of a line, and for good reason. Delicious food at reasonable prices. If it gets us to leave DC, it must be good. So far I've had the chaufa and the aji de gallina - both delicious!

    (4)

  • Rachele S.

    Ate a late lunch on a weekday with mom. The space is nicely decorated, with simple decor. We shared the tiradito, papa a la huancaina & a lomo sandwich. The first to were delicious. The tiradito tasted fresh and the papa was great. The sandwich was OK. I would not order again. I wished I would have ordered the aji de pollo - our neighboring table had it and it looked fantastic, my stomach growls just thinking of it. I was surprised that the restaurant began to get busy around 3:30. The desserts on display looked great. I will make sure to visit La Limena again and try more items on the menu.

    (4)

  • Sandy Y.

    This is by far, one of the best Peruvian restaurant I have tried. Every dish we ordered was marvelously delicious and made to near perfection. The service was great too. Since it was my first time at the restaurant, the waiter brought dessert as a welcoming dish. Loved it!

    (4)

  • Eileen K.

    Not really sure why La Limena is rated as high as it is on Yelp. We Went there this evening with a group & tried a variety of the dishes. The beverage was the best part of the meal. That and the white sauce served with the chicken. That's sad. The roasted chicken itself was dry, stringy, overcooked & tasteless. Both the tamale and empanada appetizers were cold & needed to be sent back & reheated. Prices were much higher than expected. El Mariachi which is right next door is a much better choice for a meal. That place has never disappointed and we keep going back. We won't be back to La Limena again because there are too many other great spots in MoCo.

    (1)

  • Irene F.

    My peruvian friend prefers this to La Canela. She always gets Inca Cola and Lomo Saltado. ALWAYS. I always get Tallarin Verde- which is yummy (but I think its better at La Canela) but its several dollars cheaper here. Anyway, good place to get a quick fix. La Canela is better for a date, this place is better for the every day.

    (4)

  • Chris D.

    It was ok; they were packed with tons of large parties.

    (3)

  • Nai L.

    I really like the food here. Everything is so good. The service is very friendly and helpful. They are quite flexible with their menu and always allow you to make substitutions in regards to side dishes like beans, plantains, yuca, rice, and etc. The beef dish I got (ropa something...) was so good.

    (5)

  • Mariano L.

    Best aji de gallina, ceviche and pisco sour in DC area

    (4)

  • C L.

    Good food, lots of flavor, excellent mojito, great service - deserves all 4 stars. Must order: Ropa vieja

    (4)

  • Delaware F.

    This time had half a roast chicken with sides of yucca, rice, and beans. Very fine, on par with the roast chicken from similar places. Also had the mixed cerviche. I think it's been long enough since I've had cerviche that I might not be able to competently compare la limena's cerviche, but it struck us as kind of one note and overpoweringly acidic. It was hard to taste the seafood.

    (5)

  • Bailey L.

    There's a reason that this place is a Washington Post Editors Pick. It is very, very good. I stick with the basics like Ceviche, Lomo Saltado and the Pollo a la Brasa. Service is excellent although you can feel rushed at times as they're looking to turn tables due to the line of people waiting to be seated.

    (4)

  • Anna P.

    This restaurant came recommended by a Peruvian and it was just as wonderful as they said it was. Its a sit down restaurant- different from the other Peruvian chicken places in the area. We came here with my in-laws and started the evening with a round of Pisco Sours. You have to try them- they are very refreshing. We ended up ordering several of the appetizers to make it a sort of tapas type night. Everything was to die for. Each appetizer outdid the other. I should also mention that the waitress was very helpful in making recommendations.

    (5)

  • fp c.

    Was running late for lunch in the middle of the week. I had wanted to try this place but worried that they might not be open for lunch at 2:30 in the afternoon. Apparently I am the only person in Rockville not eating lunch regularly at 2:30. We were lucky to snag a table for two, as no others were available and it did not look like anyone there would be leaving soon. At least a few tables had regulars who ordered with out menus and chatted with the staff. Ceviche and empanadas were very good. Cuban sandwich was fab (menu is half Cuban). Not very generous portions for the price, but quality trumps quantity. The absolute best: THE PISCO SOURS. I will definitely be back for more of those!

    (4)

  • Angela C.

    Writing this review based on my limited Peruvian dining experience. My boyfriend and I were actually going to Pho 95 on a Saturday for lunch and saw the line for La Limena was out the door! Is this a Rockville secret that I don't know about?! We decided to try it and waited in line for about half an hour. Everyone's food looked delicious but I really had no idea what to order. We played it safe and got Peruvian chicken. Meat was so moist and delicious. With the two sides, I was stuffed. Now that I've got some rec's from fellow yelpers, I'm definitely coming back and trying other dishes.

    (4)

  • Scott S.

    What a gem. I concur about the Ropa Vjela, it was very good. Attentive service from our server Victor, and management. I'd knock off one star for ambiance, but it's consistent with the pricing. Extra credit for the divine Alfajor dessert cookies! flaky shortbread with Dolce de Leche filling...

    (4)

  • Bob D.

    Disaster strikes... I know it has happened to all of us. The restaurant meal where nothing works out! My wife and I started with appetizers of empanadas, salad of shrimp, and a tamal (tamale). The empanadas were ok, heated on the outside but cold inside. The tamal was nicely presented but was fridge cold, and had half a bite of the advertised pork and none of the peanuts which would have made it interesting (and why we ordered it). The shrimp was nice but the shrimp were dry/overcooked, and the app is overpriced at $10 for five small shrimp. We split a seafood soup ($16), which had a nice broth but many totally closed mussels, which have us both concerned about whether or not we will be ill later tonight (we left them on the saucer). I will be taking a preemptive Pepto Bismal shot. I had a glass of red wine with dinner... At the bottom of the glass was bigchunk of another glass. Nothing was ingested but... jeez. We pointed out the glass, and later the unopened shellfish. The restaurant did buy us dessert. Unfortunately at that point it did not matter. In closing, I really wanted to love this place but the food was really off. None of the pride that you usually find in a family place. The manager did come by but you got the feel it was Bennigan's style customer service where words dont really mean much. So I have to give it 1 star rating. I hope others fare better. Needless to say we won't be giving La Limema a second chance.

    (1)

  • Sina E.

    La Limena is located in the corner of the shopping center, so don't get alarmed when you see the ihop; I think beside the ihop this shopping center has lots of different ethnic/cultural stores. Anyway, La Limena looks to be family owned/operated. As we walked in, we were greeted, and seated. The waiter was very friendly, maybe too friendly, but I won't penalize for that. The place was very clean, and kept together. I ordered the Ropa Veja and my friend ordered the Lomo Saltado. The Ropa Veja had an appealing appearance, but it was kind of sweet. It wasn't bad, because it was similar to an Iranian dish that I've had, but I guess I expected a little more out of it. I found myself having to code it with lots of hot sauce. My friend liked the Lomo Saltado though. It probably could have used a little more sauce, but was still a good choice. I wasn't blown away, but it was still a good experience. I'd probably be back to try some of the other dishes here.

    (3)

  • Jueli L.

    I've come on several occasions and have never had anything below amazing. Neither have any of my friends who've delighted in the food here. First, order the "purple drink". It is purple in appearance, but it has a light sweet, refreshing taste. I think of summer each time I sip it down. Second, order anything and you will not be disappointed. I've tried their whole chicken, fried rice, steak and noodles, steak with fries, and god knows what else, and they've all been packed with intense flavors and large portion sizes. Third, try their desserts. They have a specialty ice cream made from a Peruvian fruit that is not only unique, but soothing after a meal such as this. You should also try an alfajore if you have an absolute sweet sweet tooth. It is large and packed with sugar. Fourth, you will love the friendliness and helpfulness of the servers. Thank them for their suggestions and their great service. Fifth, come back again and repeat.

    (5)

  • Claudio R.

    Great Peruvian food in the area

    (4)

  • Michael W.

    This is a revision of an old review. The place is kindda hidden. It took me sometime to find it but once you get to the strip mall where it is located (behind Llewellyn Realtors) it is very easy ;-) In a way the place reminds me a lot of the restaurants I used to go in Brazi. In my opinion this restaurant is much better than all the other Latino restaurants in the region. My wife and I go there for lunch often and the place is usually full of couples and families (some with small children). One time we had a stroller and had no problem finding a table that would fit little Sophia. The food is Peruvian/Cuban and is excellent. We have tried all the different Ceviches and they were all delicious. So far, as entree we had shrimp, chicken, fried fish and it was all very good. I highly recommend the passion fruit juice (if you don't mind something sweet) which was very refreshing. The service is very friendly and the lady that owns the place came to our table a couple of times to play with our daughter.

    (4)

  • R H.

    Great food, super friendly service eventhough it is packed and people wait in line for a table. all the waiters, managers and owner come to check on you especially if it's your first time at la limenas. the tables are well cleaned all the time it has a familial ambience with good mood and great food. we had rotisserie chicken with fried plantanes, yucca (like potato fries) and my brother got the slow coocked beef with rice cake. All were super tasty. The beef melts in your mouth and the rice cake had beans in it as well and I find it yummy! they bring you two kinds of peruvian sauces: the green colored one is very good and spicy while the other one is pretty much mayonnaise, not my favorite. but both go very well with the chicken... we tried their lucuma ice cream wich is an exotic fruit that has some coffee flavor or praline it is absolutely fantastic especially with the little cookies they bring you with the check. Before we left we noticed they had something called inka cola, which is funny. i'm definitely trying it next time. It is nice to have in the dc area a place that has courteous humble staff, great food and ambience for a change! plus it is not too pricy. will definitely come back!

    (5)

  • Phoebe D.

    Hands down the most excellent Peruvian food in all of Montgomery County. I can't even think of anything wrong with the place. I've been going here since way back when they still served everything on styrofoam plates and had plastic utensils, up until now, with the fancy table decor and nice china. La Limena's food is top notch; it's no wonder that the little restaurant is normally quite busy. The ceviche, the tamales, the chupe de camarones (I find myself craving this soup frequently), the camarones al ajillo, their fish entrees... I honestly cannot find anything wrong with this place. Excellent service and excellent food.

    (5)

  • Kathleen K.

    Yum. Yum. Yum. Our table ordered both Lomo & pollo Saltado & roasted chicken with rice & the most delicious creamy seafood soup to ever pass my lips. Waitress was very nice & even went out of her way to be sweet to my kids. Purple drink (whatever the heck it is) is delicious & was enjoyed by all. Dessert is next. Still yum! UPDATE: Purple drink is stewed purple corn blended with cinnamon, pineapple, and apple juice. probably something else, but either way, whoda' thunk purple corn?? Delish! Lines were long starting about 7pm Sunday nite. But def worth the wait for this (gasp!) strip-mall gem.

    (5)

  • Perla A.

    Loved this place!!!:) I came in here with no idea what peruvian food was like....the staff gave me a few ideas and we went from there! My date and I had aji de gallo,it was a 10...arroz con mixto and it was also a 10...then we had the lucuma icecream with the cookies...the whole meal was a 10. The manager Arturo was super nice amd so were the waiters!:) Hope to go back

    (5)

  • Sophie F.

    Great place, excellent service. The server whipped up an excellent dish for this vegan. They are very attentive. I went two times, once on a Sunday afternoon and I waited about 30 minutes in line. Second time was on a Friday night at about 8pm and there was no wait. The margaritas are strong! I highly recommend!

    (4)

  • Mike B.

    Seamless warm service in a clean contemporary atmosphere punctuated by nearly perfectly cooked proteins and fresh sides. Pollo Alla Brasa is fall of the bone tender and is as equally flavorful. Skin is crispy, lacking the heavy handed cumin onslaught of many restaurantes peruanos. Now La Limeña is actually Cuban, but Pollo Alla Brasa is like a box of chocolates in the MD Burbs. The rice is of perfect, impeccable, 10 out of 10, flawless consistency. I want to run back into the kitchen to investigate cooking methods. Green sauce is spicy without being overbearing and yellow sauce is a classic version of the widespread favorite. The small green salad I ordered as my other side (1/4 chicken + 2 sides) is common, but has a pointedly vinegary bright yellow dressing that inflates the ordinary looking iceberg, carrot, tomato slices, and cucumber to new levels. The impulse coffee at the end of my meal is well worth it. The mild bean reminds me of lighter version of a Balduccis favorite. All in all an easily given 5 stars.

    (5)

  • Connie Y.

    Granted I came here on Father's Day for a birthday party, this was evidently one of the busiest restaurants ever! While we were waiting and dining, we could see that La Limena had a steady flow of regular diners and a customer base who came just for carry-out. And that's always a plus in my yelp book. Located on Rockville Pike in the corner near Pho 95, Jumbo Jumbo, and Ihop, people who love Peruvian food, should probably come try this. The one disappointment I experienced was their lack of reservations. When I had called earlier in the day, the lady on the phone had said they would set aside a table for 10 at 7pm, however when we arrived, there was no table waiting for us. Had we known that, we would never have chosen this place as a birthday venue for such a large crowd. After waiting 40 more minutes, we were finally seated. Afterwards, everything ran smoothly. Now in terms of the food, everything but the ceviche and seafood paella felt like home-cooked comfort food. I ordered the Lomo Saltado, which had marinated strips of stir-fried beef, with onions, peppers, and french fries on the bottom of the dish. Not bad. I wasn't crazy about soggy fries soaked in sauce, but you may! On the other hand, I did enjoy the flavor of the rice, which had garlic and oil combined. My friend had ordered the ceviche and I thought that was delicious! All the seafood was fresh, the marination was on point, nothing tasted soggy nor raw, and it was cold! Just the way I like it. It was a combination of shrimp, squid, scallop, and fish, all cured in lemon juice, making it taste extremely refreshing. Despite the pricey dish, I'd still order it again. And last but not least, my other friend ordered fried rice. All I can say for this dish is, "Who orders fried rice?!!" :p

    (3)

  • Hannah H.

    I've been meaning to try out La Limena for a while now, a small Peruvian/Cuban restaurant, tucked away in the Jumbo Jumbo tea plaza off of Rockville Pike. The menu is pretty extensive, offering appetizers, salads, soups, sandwiches, beef/poultry/seafood entrees, Peruvian chicken, side orders, as well as cocktails/beer/wine/house specialties. A good friend and I decided to check this place out for an early dinner - the place was still packed! We were served right away a cute little steel bowl with handles of roasted corn kernels and thinly-sliced banana chips (it reminded me of the days where I gorged on these while in Peru!) :D For appetizers, we started off with: an Empanada (just came as 1 piece (thought it should at least come as 2 pieces?), stuffed with ground top sirloin, olives, raisins, and cooked eggs; it came piping hot and had a thin crispy exterior; I was surprised that the filling was more ground beef rather than potatoes/veggies; I wished there were more olives/raisins, though!); a Papa Rellena (mashed potatoes 'dough' stuffed with ground beef, olives, raisins, cooked eggs, and then deep-fried; this came with a small dish of sarsa criolla (a South American version of salsa with sliced red onions and cilantro); this was a slightly on the bland side, and not as 'mashed potato-like' as I thought it would be); Antichuchos (marinated thin slices of beef hearts, grilled on a skewer, accompanied by a thick-cut crispy potato and sarsa criolla; this was my least favorite of the night, as I was just not a fan of the hearts - they seemed to be extremely tough and overcooked); and, a Chicharron de Chancho (boneless pork meat cooked and fried in its own juices; served with fried yucca and sarsa criolla; I thought these would be pork belly, but they were literally boneless pork; very meaty and seasoned, which I appreciated, and the yucca was okay). What I loved is that they gave a little tiny tray of the green and the yellow aji sauces; don't be shy in asking for multiple refills (they only fill the tray up, but can't bring out another tray; however, I asked them to squeeze a big amount on my plate AHAHAHAHA) - the sauce was so creamy and flavorful (crack sauce!!!), and for sauce lovers (like myself), it was a great complement for the appetizers :D For the entree, we shared the 1/2 Chicken Pollo a la Brasa - charcoal roasted, this chicken was really juicy and cooked perfectly; the skin was crispy and flavorful and just right! You get to choose 2 sides, and we opted for the white rice and the french fries - both came freshly-fried and made. Our server, Javier, was such a sweetheart, and he made sure our waters were refilled and cleared any empty plates away. The manager also came around to make sure that everything was satisfying. At the end, we received two mini Alfajores de Maicena, light cookies filled with dulce de leche :D Definitely a little gem in Rockville, check them out! +Pollo a la Brasa :D +aji sauce!!! +Empanada +mini Alfajores de Maicena cookies +ask for Javier :D +tail end (west) of Jumbo Jumbo +plenty of parking

    (4)

  • Phi N.

    Came back here after 5 years. Went with some of my friends' recommendations and got half a chicken (dark meat of course), some kind of ropa vieja on plantain appetizer, and the shrimp soup. Soup was bomb, chicken was good as long as you use the green sauce they provide, and the appetizer meat was good. I thought that the plantain was too thick and therefore, I just ate the meat by itself, lol. As sides for my chicken, I went with fries and fried rice. The fried rice is worth the extra dollar. The restaurant is pretty crowded during dinner, you might have to wait a little bit. Our service was excellent.

    (4)

  • Chris C.

    3.5 Stars. La Limena is a homestyle Peruvian restaurant that offers authentic peruvian cuisine. There is a small dining room that seats probably 60 and don't take reservations. We arrived on Sunday night for a friend's birthday and waiting approximately 20 minutes for a party of 10. Given how small the restuarant was, I'm glad we didn't wait longer since there was a long list of people waiting. As for the food, it was decent, but given the reviews I was expecting something spectacular. I know I'm probably hyping this place up, but I love Super Chicken in Tysons Corner, VA. I was expecting something just as good, if not better since this was a formal sitdown. Unfortnately, not every dish was a winner. I would say my favorite dish was the Seafood Paella ($20). It was flavorful, a perfect blend of spices, and plentiful of seafood and rice. I wish the rice was a little bit more crispy like a traditional paella, but I would still recommend it. A dish I wish coudl be improved would be the pollo a la brasa or rotisserie chicken. The chicken was crispy and juicy but I wish it had more flavor. I know they have the yellow and green sauce on the side, but I wish they had more flavor on the chicken itself. Honestly, it could use some more salt/pepper because it was a little bland. The Lomo Saltado and Pollo Saltado were decent as well, but nothing spectaular from other Peruvian restuarants. Service was fantastic and very friendly. Our waitress was very patient and friendly. Overall, I would try this place again for the Seafood Paella and maybe some other dishes I haven't had before.

    (3)

  • Kathryn L.

    Although there was slim Pickens for me to choose from, I'm giving 4 stars due to the great service of accommodations & ambience. Walked in & there was a line of people waiting to be seated. It's a small dining area with tables situated pretty close but the turnover process had a good flow. Had a 10 minute wait before being seated in the corner at a 2-top. People's tables were colorful with the dishes and beverages...seems like this place offers a few specialities of alcohol drinks as many people were drinking them. This is the perfect place for the carnivores who craves authentic & by design recipes of Cuban inspired chicken & beef. I settled for the fried whole fish, no sides & besides dealing with the bones, it was OK. If I had some bread & mustard, I could have made an old school fish sandwich LOL! I appreciate the unasked effort of my server who spoke to the Chef about my order & coming back with the "other" options...only ended up being 2, but hey, I made it work. The manager made his rounds by stopping at tables to see what people were ordering and how they liked their food. Prices seemed very reasonable for the portions. I did have a glass of their red "dry" wine as the server put it & was a good taste & pour. I'll only be back for the wine & Yucca pieces to be a good dinner companion for my friends.

    (4)

  • Kojo B.

    I ordered lunch to go since i was tired of my go-to options. I ordered the Lomo Saltado and an empanada. The empanada was alright wont get it again. The lomo saltado i just got bored eating it, then again its that type of dish that all the elements are kind of a stand alone. You have your beef, rice, fries, onions and tomatoes.. Its a dish that i have come to a conclusion really doesnt do much for me, its okay, but i didnt particularly care for this one. I will go there again and take up on their lunch special, regular menu prices are expensive. I will also order a sandwich a subsequent time. If update improves will update, if not.. then i have experienced better.

    (2)

  • Priscilla Y.

    My friends and I had a wonderful time here at La Limena. Excellent Peruvian food and the staff were awesome! Located in a corner in a shopping center with IHOP, Pho 95, and the popular Jumbo Jumbo, La Limena is a hidden gem. It is a little pricey, but worth it for the quality and service. For drinks, they have the Passion Fruit juice and the Chicha Morada, which is fruit juice with a hint of cinnamon. I liked it. It was refreshing. We started off with the Ceviche de Pescado, which was just fish. It was good, but also a little too acidic and spicy for me. It comes with corn and sweet potato. The Arroz Con Mariscos (Seafood Paella) was delicious! It had a good amount of calamari, shrimp, mussels, and fish. It would have been perfect with a little bit more salt and the addition of scallops. The Lomo Saltado was great too. The steak was cooked perfectly and was great paired with the rice and fries. Although, I much prefer the Lomo Saltado at La Brasca Latin Cuisine over at Parklawn. I had a bite of the Bistek a la Limena, which was basically steak and eggs. The steak was a little too cooked for my taste, but my friend really liked it. I wouldn't come here for the rotisserie chicken. There are better options elsewhere. The chicken here is too salty. Dessert: They gave us a plate of mini Alfajores on the house, which were a delicious chocolate nutty goodness. The Vanilla Flan and Lucuma Ice Cream were really good too! I didn't care too much for the mousse. The Lucuma mousse had an aftertaste that reminded me of some Chinese herbal medicine while the Passion Fruit tasted like crayons. The restaurant isn't big and they do not take reservations so the wait can take a while if you come during busy lunch/dinner hours. I'd definitely come back to try their other items.

    (4)

  • Joy B.

    I love La Limena! When you arrive at a restaurant and the line is filled with people waiting for a seat you know that the food must be very good. It was a real treat ! We started off with the Papa Rellena. It was mashed potato filled with diced beef,olives,raisins, and cooked eggs. It was fried into a perfect golden brown. It was a pillow of heavenly goodness. Then, we each had a half of chicken. The chicken was crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. The great taste sent quivers of delight to the tastebuds in my mouth. The yucca was perfectly cooked with a crunchy outside and delicious potato taste in the inside. The salad was crisp and fresh with a tangy creamy dressing that had me aching for more. But, the best was yet to come! The Alfajores or caramel filled cookie was orgasmic! My dinner partner and I agreed the pastry chef should be given an award. By far one of the best desserts I have ever eaten. So, rush over to La Limena for the best Peruvian meal in Maryland!

    (5)

  • Nisha B.

    Enjoyed this new found Peruvian gem in Rockville! The fried ceviche was great but heavy. We shared the paella which was probably a good decision since we were pretty full after that! But that didn't stop us from ordering dessert! The flan was fantastic! And the cookies were really really good!! Will be coming back but maybe not for the paella. However the service was exceptional. No arguing that!

    (4)

  • Emma W.

    Really?!?!? How have I not tried this place before???? It's a mystery... I loved the food that I order but upon trying some things other people ordered... I think you just have to be careful what you order. I had the rotisserie chicken. Dark meat. 1/4. Meat falling off the bone. Tug a little and BAM. Comes right off. And so moist. So tender. Skin flavored so nicely!!! Mmmmm.... juicy!!! Paired it with yucca. Crisp on the outside. Soft and tender inside. Love the texture. Also had a side salad. Great tangy dressing. They also provide great sauces on the side . A green spicy one and milder white one. Great for dipping. Smearing. Yum! Had to try the desserts. The donuts made from squash and and sweet potato. Very much fried. But awesome caramel sauce. It reminds me a slightly burnt caramel sauce used for flan.... also had the cookie with caramel filling. A must! And the guava pastry. So good. Flakey dough. Just the right sweetness filling. Its like a guava pop over All in all. I will return!! Love it!

    (5)

  • Elsa G.

    My daughter and I have visited this place several times since it opened; the food was always good although pricey (lomo saltado is $17). We usually order lomo saltado, pollo a la brasa or ropa vieja. In the past there was always more than enough food in our plates that we would end up taking leftovers home. Over the last 2 months however, we've noticed that the portions look much smaller and we have left hungry after spending close to $50 for 2 small dishes and a chicha morada. We felt ripped off. During our last experience, the waiters seemed more attentive to larger parties, so much that I didn't have my water refilled until I waved at our server several times. We also had to ask another waiter for more sauce. We then had to wait a good 15 minutes for our check to arrive, after, again, having to call our waiter who was standing near a larger party and had apparently forgotten he had other patrons to assist. He never apologized when he came over with our check although he had a smile on his face. Nice but service is more than a smiley face. We won't be going back to La Limena.

    (2)

  • Michael J.

    I have been here three times (I believe) and with the exception of one main course that was merely very good, the food has been spectacular. For appetizers, the Ceviche Mixto, Tiraditos de Pescado (sashimi style fish) and Anticuchos (beef hearts) were all wonderful. For mains courses, the Ossobuco was great, and a beef tongue special was terrific. The Tacu Tacu a la Lamena was the only dish I thought was just very good. The service was friendly and attentive. I highly recommend this place.

    (5)

  • WILLIAM P.

    First sign this was a good choice was the number of Peruvian clients! Got in at 11:30 AM on a Sat with a table for 8! By 12:30 the line was out the door, Great service and fantastic food and drinks! The Arroz con Mariscos is the Peruvian version of Paella! Best we've had in a long time. I also highly recommend the Ceviche Mixto, chicken croquets and Camarones Enchilados. We enjoyed 10 different dishes and several desserts and all were fantastic. Will return when in the area!

    (4)

  • Diaz M.

    I wanted to go to Cuban Corner but its closed so I found this spot behind IHOP. I love this place. The staff was kind and checked on me often and the place is packed. I got the tuca tuca steak and eggs and it was just like my favorite restaurant in Miami. I also got the papaya juice and it was very refreshing. I ordered 2 empanadas to go... They look good so we'll. I'll def be back.

    (4)

  • Erika E.

    A gem! I only wish I could A. spell and B. Pronounce the names of the dishes I enjoyed tonight! So, I'll do my best to give you my Anglo version of the food! Grilled trout - a whole grilled trout served with rice, limes and cake. A simple dishe executed with perfection Saltado (beef) - I watched my boss devour and enjoy this dish - carbs and all. Fried rice (chicken) - dubbed the rice helmet by the table. This was delish - I'd suggest it as a shareable for your table vs a stand alone dish. Very good Plantains - yum - again a great shareable for your table The service is patient and kind, warm and hospitable. Located at the back of the shopping center behind the ihop.

    (5)

  • Kat T.

    It's hard to write a review when the food is good. Just remember that the service is the worst . The managers are terrible . One day I went when I was 35 weeks pregnant and they made me longer and sat others it was terrible . Another experience , we were about five eating and they stopped us to separate out tables ? Really. Last they are cheap with the food but they charge a lot. One side order of yo a is about $4.00 and u get only 10-12 pieces of yuca! So if u go, remember they have no common sense of customer service !

    (2)

  • David G.

    If you are claustrophobic, do not eat at La Limena. It is small, justly popular, and about as crowded as a dining room can be. But I have decided to take that as "ambiance" and not a drawback, and once past that, La Limena is near perfect. The service is friendly and helpful, the menu varied and interesting, and all of the food our party ordered was well-prepared and very tasty. I won't go into details of the menu, but will just mention one standout item - the whole fried flounder. I think anything you order will please, even the drinks.

    (5)

  • Jennifer N.

    La Limena is on point (and, actually, it reminded me of two other restaurants I like - La Canela, in Rockville, and Samantha's in Silver Spring). As with many restaurants in Rockville, do not be fooled by the strip mall exterior. On a Friday night, there was not an empty seat in the house, and after sampling the pescado a lo mocho, I can see why. The description is unusual - fish topped with, well, seafood. It's a fried piece of tilapia topped with shrimp, calamari, and a crispy half potato, served in "our special sauce" and it is truly amazing. The "special sauce" is rich, but not overpoweringly so, and has hints of a nutty flavor. The bistec encebollado, which my dining companion sampled, is a very large, flat piece of beef, topped with green and red peppers, onions, and tomatoes, and served with a large bowl of black beans. Extra points for incredibly courteous service - the manager was going from table to table asking everyone how the food was, and if it was their first time at the restaurant. Dinner for 2 (no alcohol) came to $36 before tip, and with ample leftovers.

    (4)

  • Kevin F.

    La Limena This started weird. I went on my Moto all over Rockville looking for breakfast. I went to 3 different breakfast places and each was nutso-busy. No counters at any of them, bummer. After #3 I decided to try something different. La Limena is right behind an IHOP and I had no idea what it was beyond the neon "Open" sign. I walked up and read "Peruvian" and walked in. I've had the food in SF at Limon and loved it. I was the only one and the staff of many was very busy getting the place ready. The staff is Peruvian (I have a tough time with some of the accent) and very nice. They offered the entire menu but the focus was on a small tamale, a sandwich and fresh juices (papaya, piña and strawberry). The tamale came with two sauces, a very mild mustard and the other a little spicier but delicious. The tamale will not fill you up. It comes w a teeny bowl of pickled onions and everybody gets a little bowl of peanuts and tostones. So, I ordered the sandwich. It was very filling and simple, slices of a moist pork w thin slices of sweet potato and perhaps a cheese. I used my tamale sauces to make it moist. Not super tasty, but probably traditional. Although the restaurant took on 4 more parties after I walked in, there was plenty of staff. Weirdly, I felt my original waitress was blowing me off after she explained the breakfast options. No idea why. I would definitely warn you all to not be surprised if your service was spotty. The coffee was very good and strong, but nothing special. The place was very clean and had plenty of room and the parking lot was huge. It's not visible from the Pike, pull in when you see the IHOP and keep going. I really wanted to love it but I kept getting ignored and the place had only 10 parties and over 11 workers having a good time and getting ready for dinner or lunch or something. It went from 0% to 50% capacity while I was there. Getting blown off is too much for me. Especially when I'm by myself. Also, it took about 10 minutes for my change to come back. I think it's nice, but pretty badly managed. At least this Sunday morning

    (3)

  • Maria C.

    There's not that many great Peruvian places around the area, so I'm glad that there's one that is reasonably priced and has a private lot (within a shopping center)! We got tequenos as our appetizer, which were delicious. For our entree, my boyfriend got the chicken saltado, which was super tender, while I got some kind of baked tilapia plus other seafood, which was good and also very generous in terms of the amount of seafood given. The overall portions were also huge for the price we paid! The only thing that wasn't excellent was the flan, which I'm used to being more soft but this was a little too stiff. Service was very friendly as well, happily providing suggestions when we weren't sure what we should get. It is a pretty popular place so you might have to wait a bit for a table, but they'll find a way to squeeze you in!

    (4)

  • Katy B.

    Service was outstanding and the food is AMAZING!! Will make this a regular spot for Peruvian food :)

    (5)

  • Meggie C.

    I came to this place since a lot of yelpers recommended it and friends as well. I love Peruvian food so I decided to give this place a try. I ordered what looks like seafood paella (I don't know the name) and I was sooooo excited for it. My boyfriend ordered the ropa veja and my other friend ordered the lomo soltado. Now my paella was just bland. Looked beautiful but no taste and no flavor. The ropa veja was good and my friends lomo soltado he said was nothing spectacular either. Needless to say I was disappointed this place didn't live up to the hype. Now I will say I've had better food at la brasa which is literally five minutes down the street. One thing I will say is the staff is very attentive and nice. The owner went around all the tables. Restaurant was clean and a good size.

    (3)

  • Vina Y.

    I've been coming to this shopping center for years; after seeing lines for La Limena, I finally decided to give it a try. Overall it was really great. Service was a little slow but friendly and helpful with the menu. The manager came by twice to check on us. The portions are huge - even the appetizers are big. There was easily a small fish's worth of meat in the ceviche we ordered. I got one of the specials of the night - a beef tongue in tomato sauce. Usually I'll get need tongue at Korean and Japanese places and you get 5-6 thin slices for at least $10. At La Limena, I got two 1-inch steaks about 6 inches long. At $18 it was a great deal for the amount of beef tongue you get. If you've never had this cut of meat - try it, it's very flavorful and extremely tender. My partner got the lamb shank and it was a huge piece of meat with a generous helping of rice and beans. The meat was well seasoned and tender. I will definitely be back to try some of their other dishes.

    (4)

  • Tiffany L.

    Came here at 330. Packed! Ordered osso buco which was hugeeee!! And I ordered the limo saltado. The Saltado was very good. A staple of the restaurant. I saw a lot of ppl order this dish. A few ppl ordered the osso buco too. This was a little tough.. Not as tender as we would have wanted. The portion was huge though! And it was priced at 18$~~ which isn't bad for the size. I'd love to come back often but my BF isn't fond of peruvian food like I am. I loved their ropa vieja when I had it! And I'd love me some aji de gallina * the bf thinks this dish is strange.

    (4)

  • Muzhou L.

    It's always fully packed but somehow we managed to get seated right away every time. The food is great but slightly overpriced. However, they do make that up with good service and free bite of dessert for newcomers.

    (4)

  • Reza A.

    Last night was my first time at La Limena. Wednesday night and it was packed. 3 restaurants next door were all empty. It immediately told us they must be serving very good food here. We were not disappoints. We tried to go for a few appetizers as opposed to one main dish to try different things. Peruvian appetizers were just out of this world. Were were not as crazy about Cuban food. It was a bit heavy for us. But, still very fresh and tasty. I will stick to Peruvian dishes next time and will leave room for appetizers. They also looked very tasty. B

    (4)

  • Jess C.

    I finally tried La Limena to see what all the hype was about, but I wasn't that impressed. I didn't think the atmosphere was that nice, just an ordinary strip mall restaurant. The service was nice, but the food was just OK. I tried the regular ceviche, and the fish (tilapia I suppose) was... hard. It did not taste fresh. I usually really like ceviche, but i felt like they focused more on quantity than quality here. The fish was tough and it was hard to eat. I had the yellow chicken dish aji de gallina and it reminded me of a peruvian version of chicken curry except not flavorful, and tasted really heavy, and it got boring after a few bites. The Lomo Saltado was ok, but it tasted boring to me too. I had Lomo Saltado and it tasted really good because it felt like it was freshly sauteed and very flavorful, but this time, it tasted pretty bland. Ropa Vieja was the better one of the dishes, more flavorful, but still boring after a few bites. They presented us with free alfajores for a birthday treat, which was nice, but I wasn't the biggest fan of what tasted like a light sugar cookie w. chocolate. Despite my mediocre feelings about this place, it was super busy on a weeknight. Perhaps I'll have to give Peruvian/Cuban food a break for awhile. In the meantime, I'll just go next door to Jumbo Jumbo and order some popcorn chicken and bubble tea instead. If La Limena didn't work out for you like for me, there are tons of ethnic restaurant in the same shopping center. I was amazed to see how the selection has grown over the years. There is Indian, Mexican, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, etc all in the same shopping center!

    (3)

  • N R.

    Pros: Real food, Yellow sauce, Tasty white rice, Free corn nuts on table Cons: Chicken is dry (both white and dark), Mediocre service, Elevator music It's nice having Peruvian chicken with table service and real utensils. Too bad the chicken isn't as good as the places with plasticware. Nevertheless, the yellow sauce is phenomenal. I'll come back and try some other dishes.

    (4)

  • Tuan N.

    I've been here before and liked their food. But today... My coworkers took me here for a birthday lunch and our waiter wouldn't let the table order all water. We had to order a beverage ... What kind of service is that?!

    (3)

  • Jonathan S.

    Great service and food is unique and extremely authentic. A good selection of fruit juices and their foods are flavorful. What really stood out though was how attentive their service was even though the restaurant was packed full. Make sure and show up early to get a seat as it's quite popular and can fill up fast. Not super friendly for vegetarians but the service was great and found foods that my vegetarian friends could eat but most of their dishes are meat based dishes.

    (5)

  • Glo L.

    Best Peruvian food in the DC/ DMV area. Everything is amazing. The people are great and friendly. The place is a bit small and lines are long but so worth the wait. You must try the dessert helado de lucuma it's an exotic fruit only found in Peru that's an ice cream so worth the travel and price.

    (5)

  • B S.

    Only $44 for two, we were stuffed. Chicha Moradas, Tamales de maiz, papa huancaina, lomo saltado, y chupe de camarones ALL delicious, authentic, service very good, friendly and we look forward to the next visit!!!

    (5)

  • Lillian C.

    Great food at an affordable price? COUNT ME IN! Awesome: 1. booze. it is so hard to find booze, and good booze in this county. Pisco sours- try it. Not the best I've had but at only about 9 dollars a pop you'd be a fool not to try. Vegans and those with sensitive bellies beware - it has egg whites. I had the passion fruit one (maracuya sour). Very boozy, maybe even a tad too much but then why am I complaining?? 2. ceviche: best ceviche I've had in the DC area. I actually only started my Peruvian kick this summer due to a trip to Argentina (not including Peruvian chicken). Peruvian food is the Chinese food of Argentina- it's everywhere, bountiful, cheap, and GOOD. I could weep just thinking about all the fresh, bountiful, amazing ceviche I could get for about 8 dollars. You're not going to find 8 dollar ceviche here, but at 12-13 dollars (depending on what you get) this is not a bad deal. You couldn't get this much fish at a sushi restaurant for the price (and sushi in MoCo tends to be pretty mediocre!) Even the cancha and sweet potato is outstanding and most other places treat them as afterthoughts. A drink and ceviche alone was enough to fill me up and I'm not a dainty eater but of course this is subjective. 3. Tacu Tacu!! This is something I didn't try until I got it here and there's nothing I can pick about it. I'd actually stick to the "jugoso" version of the dish because you don't get much more for the "steak" (thin breaded steak). Both are delicious nevertheless but the jugoso version is essentially a lomo saltado without the fries with the tacu tacu (rice and canary cake- think an interesting tamale and rice and beans hybrid.) 4. last but not least, their pollo huancaina is to DIE FOR! You'd think it sucks because it's one of the cheaper dishes but suck it does not! I thought they used boiled shredded chicken at first so I had low expectations but they use their Peruvian (rotisserie) chicken in this dish which is flavorful and tender and pairs wonderfully with their huancaina sauce. Not so awesome: 1. Very small space so you might have to wait in line on a Friday night. However the service is impeccable and even the owners are on the floor making sure everyone is alright so the line moves relatively quickly. 2. Not veg friendly. This is not pertinent to most people but if you had a vegetarian / vegan in your life you might want to look elsewhere because even the rice has butter. I would feel guilty making a vegan eat only yucca and a salad while everyone else is dining on dairy and seafood galore. It's not quite as good as eating in South America but still delectable it is.

    (5)

  • Ronald I.

    What a gem in Rockville. I started coming here with an old girlfriend and now frequent the place as much as possible. First, the Pisco sours are incredible. Then I normally get the Aji de gallina, the tacu tacu with an egg, and the lomo saltado. All are excellent! What a treat!

    (5)

  • Eduardo A.

    Most of their dishes are good, but it could be better. Unfortunately I don't come often because their service is below average and they make you wait for a long time instead making phone reservations.

    (4)

  • David C.

    Someone told me about a nice lamb dish in this restaurant. I traveled all the way here just to heard that they run out of lamb. I ended up having lamb at the Indian restaurant next door. Their getting my stars instead.

    (1)

  • Lauren A.

    I've eaten at La Limena multiple times, maybe 5 or 6 times. I've gone with different people. The food is always very good, the decor pretty basic. The restaurant is hidden in a strip mall filled with restaurants, but always packed. I think prices are good and the service is friendly. My kids have had the Pollo a La Brasa. I've never tried it, but they like it. I've had a few different things from the menu, the ropa vieja, bistec a la limena, the empanadas, the yuca. A few people have ordered ropa vieja, although I haven't gotten it myself. Overall, this is a great place, though usually crowded and I have always had to wait for a table. I think La Canela in Rockville Town Center is a bit better and more elegant, but La Canela is also more expensive. I have been choosing La Limena for that reason.

    (4)

  • Caleb J.

    This place is all around great. We had the ceviche mixto which was perfect. Our waiter recommended the sliced beef heart as an app and it too was delicious. I had the whole flounder and loved it. My kids had the Classic Peruvian chicken and they loved it too. I highly recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Minda M.

    Wow is this place surprising. On the outside it's a bare bones, strip mall facade. I walked in and they asked if I were getting take out or eating in. The place was packed on a Monday afternoon, but I decided to eat in even though it was busy. The menu looked delicious, but pricey. Mostly large dinners, and it was a bit intimidating for a quick lunch. I saw they offered chicken with sides and thought this would be a good lunch. I got 1/2 a chicken, a large bowl of beans and fried yucca with dipping sauce all for under $10. It was waaaaaay too much food, but delicious. I totally could have gotten the 1/4 chicken and have been full, which I believe is only $7. This place puts the other chicken places to shame. It's nice, cheap (for chicken) and delicious. I haven't tried anything else on the menu, but I will be back!

    (4)

  • Ulas B.

    The best beef ever ! I strongly suggest this place to anyone..ordinary but warm climate... the best part is the foods...they are all delicious..particularly the OSSO BUCO

    (5)

  • Cynthia C.

    The lomo saltado was ok because the meat was hard to chew. My husband chicken grill was too fatty des gusting ... The tables too close each other. And the waitress rude I didn't like do much I rather go to La Canela the serve small portions but do much delicious than these plaze ... They also hurry you up to leave No Way !!! If I came back again maybe can be for the deserts that's all...

    (2)

  • Eddy K.

    Solid, solid place to eat. Ceviche is awesome too. All the plates I've had are pretty good.

    (4)

  • Ashley A.

    Exceptional Peruvian food and exceptional service. The host was attentive to the experience of every diner in his establishment and the waitstaff were skilled and attentive to a degree that far surpasses the price point and formality of this establishment. I am very familiar with authentic Peruvian cuisine and this is exactly that. It is worth traveling out of your way to eat here.

    (5)

  • Angela P.

    One of my FAVORITE restaurants in Rockville (and I've been naughty up and down that Pike). Very similar to La Canela (YUMMY!) without the hefty price tag. Here are their best hits: 1) Ceviche Mixto: They get it right EVERYs single time. Perfect portions of fish, shellfish, and delicious picked onions. Not to mention that palette cleansing yam and crunchy corn kernels on the side that are very addicting. 2) Ropa Vieja: Super flavorful pulled beef in a tostones basket and side of rice. I always end up getting this each time I come here! 3) Anticucho (sp?): Grilled beef heart kabob. I can't tell you how delicious and meaty this is. Forget that it's a cow heart; the heart is a muscle just like any other beef you try. Chewier than normal beef, but the flavor is outstanding and drawn out by the sear over charcoal. Also very good are the arroz con mariscos (wet paella) and alfajor (tea cookies). The tea cookies come in small or large; definitely worth a try. I would not order the osso buco again; not very flavorful in comparison to their other dishes. Overall an excellent restaurant and a nice place to take the significant other or family. Decent selection of wines and some S. American beers by the bottle. Decor has nice touches and you can actually see the menu! Service is friendly; had my favorite waiter there for awhile, but I think he may have moved on now.

    (5)

  • Mark R.

    A great Peruvian place. I wouldn't go here for the chicken, although excellent, but instead for the dishes you can't get elsewhere. You know that one dish you find at a great place that you always go back for? For me, try the Anticuchos, a skewer of marinated beef heart and that addictive aji verde dipping sauce. For a drink try a Pisco Sour (Alcoholic), or a Chicha Morada, a clear purple sweet drink that is somehow made from corn, but tastes like a light fruity drink. You can't go wrong with any thing from the menu, though. Come on a slow night, or bear witness to the lines out the door to wait patiently for one of the 30-40 seats, and authentically warm service.

    (4)

  • Nishat K.

    Delicious. Peruvian. Food. La Limeña is this quaint little place on the corner of a little strip with a couple restaurants. The ambience isn't the fanciest ever but I wouldn't expect frou-frou restaurants in this little center. It is however pretty clean and the service seems to be good but don't take my word on that aspect because I've only done take out here for a solid amount of years. The manager's been the same ever since I started coming here so that's a good sign. The food ~especially the rotisserie chicken (pollo a la brasa)~ is finger lickin good!! Bf got the lomo saltado and was happy with it, especially with it being a couple bucks less than other places! I got my staple, the chicken and it's perfect every time. Juicy, flavorful, and crispy skin! It comes with two sides, but you do have the option of buying a whole chicken w/o sides. I've yet to wander around the menu but I'll be damned if it isn't good cause it all smells heavenly ~drool~ And it's affordable! Love. Love. Love. OH! PS, if you don't wanna dine with bunches of HS kids or wait forever, go after about 11:25 AM. The HS nearby has open lunch and a good amount of them come here to pick up lunch!

    (4)

  • Alex W.

    A trip to a Peruvian eatery usually is not without an order of their famous appetizer - Ceviche. Here, I went for the whole package, Ceviche Mixto, which arrived with pieces of shrimp, squid, and fish, accompanied by some fresh corn, fried corn kernels, and pieces of sweet potato. This rendition of the semi-cooked seafood was quite different from the version I wrote about a few blogs ago. The pieces of shrimp were parboiled judging by their firm quality, the squid rings and tentacles similarly cooked but pliable and non-rubbery, and the pieces of fish were acid-cooked and had a bit firmer bounce than the other place, partly due to the thinner slices compared to the thick cubes in the aforementioned place. Aside from the textural differences, the marinade was a creamier looking liquid with its strong lime juice and a good chili hit that added the necessary acidic and spice to the whole mix that made the whole dish delectable and completely irresistible. The side accompaniments adequately provided the sweet and crunch as a foil to the soft tart seafood. I could see why many customers were ordering this large appetizer as their main course as I satisfyingly finished my dish off. To read rest of review and view photos, check out my blog at Wongeats.

    (4)

  • Sarah C.

    I almost hate to share, because the place is still a little hidden. But they deserve it. Been here many times, never disappointed! It's small and almost always packed. So you may need to wait, but even the wait seems to move along. Everything is perfect from the service to the food. My favorite traditional Peruvian in the area. Chupe is my fav and the best Pollo a la brasa and perfect rice! Followed by the Causa de Pollo, ceviche, papas a la huancaina, pisco sours -- everything! Others have raved about the lomo saltado. The manager (owner?) is always there and always checking on you. Deserts are delish. 5 stars!

    (5)

  • Kaylee P.

    Went here for dinner after watching a Christmas play with some friends (6 of us). At entering, the place was pleasantly cozy, the staff members were polite, attentive and quick in helping us to our seats. We had just barely missed the crowd because after 2mins I noticed a line of 20people waiting to be seated. After ordering our dishes I can understand why! Everything came out superb. We had various appetizers and desserts as well and portions were huge (two people could honestly share an entrée). I will definitely be back to try other things on their menu. I don't think they can go wrong here :) make a note to make reservations especially on a weekend. Update: went for the holiday group luncheon for work and everyone (12 of us) left happy and full :)

    (4)

  • Lizzie P.

    Heaping portions of delicious, authentic Peruvian food. The wait on Fridays and Saturdays can be quite long, but it is absolutley worth it (maybe plan to arrive before 6pm or after 8pm). There are tons of meal options, including seafood, beef, and chicken, but the cerviche options are fresh, and the arroz chaufa con mariscos, chupe de camerones, and choclo Peruano are absolute heaven. And get some dessert, too!

    (5)

  • Samantha L.

    Absolutely wonderful service. The food is delicious. I ordered the duck special, the meat was tender and the rice was to die for. Highly recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Farrah S.

    La limeña is a really sweet restaurant, but it's definitely become pricier over the years- probably because of the rave reviews. I loved their selector of fresh juices and their desserts. My entree of rice and beef was great- again, definitely overpriced for the portion size. My boyfriend had one of the Peruvian pork sandwiches available on Sundays and said it was very different than what he was served in Peru. The service is pretty good considering how busy it is on Sundays. There was a line almost out the door waiting to be seated. I will be back, but will probably be a little smarter about what I order.

    (4)

  • Walt W.

    The ceviche mix is pretty damn tasty. Even though it's under the appetizers section, you can easily get this as a meal and be full. I always get the chicha morada (purple corn juice) that's made fresh in-house! The table service is good. However pickup service is pretty bad since they focus all their attention on the tables and forget about you.

    (4)

  • Maria-Elena T.

    The 5 of us had an outstanding meal from Pisco sours to ceviche ( the first 3 on the menu) to the main meals. The wait sucked on a Friday night but was worth it. Tip: they always say 10-15 min wait. But know that it could be longer- like 35 min. Another tip: don't order the Alfajores. Yes I know they are delicious but they give you mini ones complimentary at the end of the meal!

    (5)

  • Margaret D.

    This place makes me want to stowaway in my friend's suitcase the next time she visits home in Peru. Luckily before going through all that pain (I am very tall) I can get my Peruvian food fix by driving a few miles to La Limena. It sounds like this place has had a makeover since it first opened, and it's certainly paid off. The tables were marble-style and the restaurant was clean. Enough rambling about decor - what we're really here for is the food! The delicious, flavorful, Peruvian food. It wasn't hard to stay in the Clean Plate Club when we went to La Limena. We ordered the green tamale special, which was -no joke- the best tamale I've ever had. The outside was soft with sweet tones, perfectly complimented by the savory filling and the pickled onions on the side. For our main dishes we ordered the aji de gallina and the tacu tacu con lomo al jugo. That would be a saucy, creamy chicken with rice, and a stewed salty beef with rice and beans. Both were excellent but I'd pick the tacu tacu above the chicken. It may be that i'm not used to eating the traditional chicken dish, but it was just a tad too creamy to eat a lot of. The beef was tender and flavorful, and you wanted to mop up all the juices with extra rice and beans! The one thing I would say personally is to add a little more undertone of sweetness to the beef dish, so that the savoriness would shine even more. My boyfriend found it perfect as is. Unfortunately by the time we plowed through the appetizer and entrees, we were just too stuffed to try the dessert. That just means we'll have to go back for more!

    (4)

  • Priscilla A.

    This place is the best peruvian spot in the area. By far the best Lomo Saltado and Aji de Gallina I've ever had. Their service is excellent and the owner always comes around to personally ask how everything is. I've been here multiple times with my family and friends and every single time it was a great experience. Very reasonable prices and excellent food. If you haven't stopped by definitely try this place out so worth it.

    (5)

  • Laisa U.

    OK the food is great I have been eating here for a couple months now.... Its too pricey to me for the quality. But What I seen today OMGEEEE I will not ever eat there again! As I waited for my food to finish cooking, I seen the waitress go toward the kitchen, Which there was a plate sitting on the counter ready to be served, I seen her put her finger in the food and pick it out and eat it. I thought to my self "maybe its something of hers that she had the cook make" She looked back at me and smirked and walked to the other waitresses and started speaking and laughing..... NASTY ASS ! If this is how they are in front of customers I can only imagine what they do in the back kitchen... I am a loyal customer but I will not go there again!

    (1)

  • gil g.

    Excellent food. The spicy sauce is the best I had great service I will come back for sure

    (5)

  • Dan P.

    This place rocks. Great food and atmosphere. Non-corporate restaurant! Long line to get in Saturday night but worth waiting. Original Cuban and Peruvian cuisine and tastes homemade. Drinks from bar where also very good!!!!

    (5)

  • Melanie C.

    I can't find any fault in the food I had here - everything was delicious. I wouldn't necessarily order everything I had again (details below), but that's just a matter of personal preference, and nothing against the restaurant or its cooking. We started with a delicious ceviche de pescado, which just had fish (they have an option with other kinds of seafood as well, but I prefer just fish). It was a perfect amount for two to share as an appetizer, and still be able to eat entrees and desserts (and you MUST make it to dessert!). For my entree, I had the tacu tacu con lomo al jugo, which was basically a lomo saltado minus the french fries, with tacu tacu instead. This was my first time trying tacu tacu, and while I enjoyed it, it was very large and would have been too filling if I'd tried to eat all of it - I made it through about half, and that was plenty. (I'd probably get the lomo saltado instead of this dish.) I also ordered a chicha morada with my meal - I didn't see it on the menu, but I'd seen it mentioned here so I asked, and they had it. Very yummy! Dessert was a special - I forget what it was called, but it was basically little donuts with a dipping sauce. Highly recommend! The food here is on the pricy side, so I probably wouldn't come here on a regular basis (even though I'd really like to!). One exception is their pollo a la brasa - you can get 1/4 chicken with two sides for about $7. That's what we ordered for the kid (so at least I didn't feel bad about dragging him here with us!). The dessert menu is surprisingly extensive, and they have a glass case at the front where you can gawk at (most of) the offerings and decide if you want to save room for later. But I think you should. :) I'm already looking forward to my next trip here, whenever that may be.

    (5)

  • L D.

    Best ceviche in Maryland. Made in house as opposed to a warehouse. Rotisserie chicken and Cuban sandwich terrific too. Most Peruvian places are dirty and only take cash. This is definitely a step up and worth checking out.

    (4)

  • Yolit Y.

    after traveling for 6 month in south america and falling in love with the local food i am always looking for authentic places that can do the same job,i know it is really hard but i find this place as one of the warm and authentic place in the area,after eating there more than 10 times without falling even one time i can easily give them this 5 star review,they also serving limca cola which is the local cola in peru

    (5)

  • Mark L.

    One of the best Peruvian restaurants I've been to. I've been coming to La Limeña for years and their food, service and prices are amazing! I always get the ceviche to start and get either the lomo saltado for the main course. The staff is always warm and welcoming, and the owner always comes to see how your meal was. If it's your first time, they give you some mini alfajores for dessert. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone!

    (5)

  • Karena J.

    Come here for the food, not the ambience. Excellent rotisserie chicken - some of the BEST I've ever tasted because of the fact that they use charcoal grilling. Savory, charcoal smoked juicy morsels of chicken taste so good, it is actually finguh lickin' good! You just can't get that flavor without charcoal. $11.95 for whole chicken is a steal for that flavor. Black beans are the real deal, tastes like it's been cooked for hours in real pork stock. Salad with the dressing has a delicious tangy dressing. Fried yucca is amazingly crisp. Service is very good and attentive. The restaurant is more of a lunch or take out place since ambience is a bit tired and casual But they do serve bottled cerveza's, mixed drinks and wine.

    (4)

  • Paola E.

    My first time in Rockville, I was surprised to see multiple Peruvian restaurant options. My family had bee there once before, I hadn't. Being Peruvian I navigated the menu easily, and since I eat gluten-free, they had yummy dishes I couldn't have but many others that I could. I'm small but I can eat a lot throughout the day. Since it was late I decided to order small plates. I ordered the pork chicharron with fried yucca which comes with the simple but perfect complimentary onion salad, only a little bit but good. I also couldn't help myself and I ordered a side of Peruvian corn which is white with big kernels. The appetizer was a good size and along with the corn, I was almost uncomfortably full. My mom and aunt had the cau cau, a stew made with beef tripe an potatoes, served with rice. My mom shared some of her food with me (and vice versa) and that was another well-made dish. My uncle had the lomo saltado which is a very simple, well rounded dish made with beef loin, lots of onions and tomatoes sautéed with a vinaigrette. I didn't taste it but his plate was almost licked clean. It was utterly delightful and authentic food. It was also packed with people, mostly Americans, so you know they are doing something right. If ever back in Rockville, I'd definitely go back.

    (5)

  • Yamileth H.

    Excellent environment, friendly service, and great menu choices. I had a wonderful dinner with my friends that was perfectly served by our waiter, Dustin. We definetly loved the "Lomo Saltado," it was delicious!!! for dessert we tried the "helado lucuma" which by the way now it is my favorite dessert. We love this place!!!!!!!

    (5)

  • Roll T.

    3.50 stars. You know La Limena is a win when I can walk right by Jumbo Jumbo Chicken and not question my sanity for eschewing Taiwanese chicken in favor of Peruvian/Cuban cuisine. For starters, I ordered a delicious seafood soup in a creamy broth studded with corn, potatoes, and shrimp, and it quite easily would have served as a meal. The Cubano wasn't my favorite, but the pork was delicious. I wish some of the accompanying notes (mustard, pickles) had a more prominent flavor and I prefer the bread at Mi Cuba Cafe, but overall, it was pretty good. I'd say 4 stars for service, 4 stars for the soup, and 3 stars for the sandwich. Even though I don't live in Rockville, I'd like to try it a few more times.

    (4)

  • Debbie G.

    There lomo saltado is amazing. Definatly the best in moco. The chicken was also really flavorful. Prices are good food is good. Service was excellant

    (5)

  • Carlos A.

    One of the best peruvian restaurant of the metropolitan area, lomo saltado or pollo a la brasa if is the first time you want to enjoy peruvian food, but everything else is great in this restaurant. What I like most is the quality is always great, also great service.

    (5)

  • Roxsana S.

    Came her with some friends and came back with my husband. We like the Cuban Peruvian selections.

    (4)

  • J E.

    Found this place on Yelp and decided to give it a try based on the reviews. Turns out, once again, the Yelp reviewers were spot-on and we will definitely be back. I gave it 5-stars because, for this category of restaurant, the are at the top of the class!! The staff was great (Melvin was our server) and the manager (Arturo) took great pride in his restaurant. And well he should. It is a local place, simply designed and not very big. But, when you make good food, people will come regardless of size or decor. We ordered Bisteck Encebollado, Lomo Saltado, their rotisserie chicken with a side of Platanos Fritos. Everything was great - even the black beans served on the side, often a throw away dish that many local restaurants don't put much effort into. Not here. The black beans were so good, I actually finished mine. In fact, we all finished everything on our plates. The plantains were perfectly cooked and the onions and peppers served with the Bisteck were expertly prepared (not undercooked, not mushy or flavorless) and really made the beef sing. For dessert we tried their guava pastry, Leche Asada and the alfajores. All were good, but now I'm starting to sound like a broken record. The food here isn't fancy or exotic, it's the basics done very, very well: quality ingredients and simple recipes made with skill and a little bit of love. I can't wait for our next visit!!

    (5)

  • Swatee G.

    **3.5 stars** Walked in here on a Saturday night to a very busy place. Most of the people seemed to be Latin American, which was a good sign - if they loved the food, I'm assuming it was authentic! We started off with the Mojito which was amazing and the pisco sour, which wasn't my thing, but my friend loved it. Next we shared the potatoes with hununcaina sauce. For those who don't know, it's a spicy cheese based sauce. The dish was Delish and the presentation was great too. For the main course, we shared 2 entrees - the tilapia with the tomato sauce, and the pollo saltado. Both were super awesome! The chicken was moist and well cooked, tr sauce it came with was amazing and the fish was super yummy! Finally, we finished off with the Lucumo ice cream, that is from a traditional Peruvian fruit. Very different, and oh sooooo goooooddd!! Te cookie on top of it was super yum too! If you are now wondering why I give this place 3.5 Stars when te food was so good - the service was atrocious! The servers themselves were supr nice, but they kept forgetting we existed!! Took my server 15 min to get water with ice, wen I had clearly asked for water no ice! She forgot to give us tr little tray with dual sauces which should come to every table, the hostess came and gave it to us at one point. Finally, we were so so tired of trying to flag down our server, we aske another server to get us the check. We had ordered the Corn on cob as well, it never came out, except on the check. Took another 10 min to take it off!! I may be back here, if I'm In the mood to ignore their service, the foo is defiantly authentic and yum, and the place is super close to where I live.. Also - they have no menus for drinks and dessert, make sure u ask the server, he will rattle off a list.. I found that funny! :p

    (3)

  • Alicia G.

    We decided to come here based on smell. Let me clarify... The roommate and I had gone to Jumbo Jumbo a few times for bubble tea and popcorn chicken. Each time, we walked past La Limena and it smelled SO GOOD that we knew we had to come in. Didn't even bother reading any reviews (a first for me). Well our noses were spot on; it was awesome. There was a bit of a line for a table- and rightly so. But the wait wasn't too long and before we knew it, we were chomping down on some chicharrons and fried yucca. For my entree, I had the "pescado a lo macho" which was tilapia with a seafood sauce over rice and crispy potatoes. The fish was perfectly cooked and the sauce was creamy but not too heavy. There was a nice mix of seafood in the sauce - calamari rings, shrimp, bay scallops. Unfortunately we did not save room for dessert. But based on what we saw being delivered to the multitude of birthday celebrations going on around us, we knew we were missing out. The service here is also something worth noting- it's great. Our server, despite being very busy, was always readily available to refill a drink or clear a plate. The manager even made an appearance to thank us for coming and made sure we were being taken care of. Bottom line: Don't let the line for a table scare you away. It's worth the wait.

    (4)

  • Christopher S.

    5/24/13 12:48 My co-workers took me here to share their discovery of Limena's Friday-only lunch special ($9.95) arroz con pollo verde + soup appetizer; the special entails a house side soup, green cilantro rice, and a quarter piece of ¿microwaved? chicken. The first time I ate it, I was pretty amazed with the flavor profile of the rice and sauces my co-workers were using. However, I wanted to wait until at least my second visit to make judgment about this establishment. After my third Friday visit, I have now decided to post my review for the meal. Please note: this review is solely based on the Friday lunch special. The soup is always lukewarm, borderline cold, when served. (-1 star) The chicken is very bland with little or no seasoning and really DRY. (-1.5 star) I get really sleepy and super thirsty after the meal (which probably means they use a boat load of monosodium glutamate). (-1 star) The way they handle their checks and itemizing is a bit weird. (-0.5 star) Judging by the temperature of the rice, chicken, and soup, it makes me wonder if more than 50% of the menu items are pre-prepared and re-heated upon ordering.

    (2)

  • Jonny W.

    First rate. Followed Yelp and it was spot on. The place is in an interesting tucked away foodie corner of Rockville. Firstly it's spotless...the place gleams, the staff are (I'm a Brit we don't do 'is' ...it's plain daft) great. Our waitress was a lovely and explained a whole load of specials and anything non familiar on the menu. The portions are monster and incredible value. My wife had the rear end of a small steer masquerading as osso buco...it fell of the bone and was heavenly and I had the chicken special...I won't/need to say more..it's that good trust me... and it has the best Mojito anywhere in the area..minty, light iced, sweet as a baby's bum and packing heat. Just go.

    (5)

  • Paul M.

    Friday night I am sitting watching Anthony Bourdain's travel show on CNN. He and Eric Rippert are in Peru on some hare-brained scheme to find a white chocolate bean, but en route the food they are eating is amazing. Oh my God, I think to myself, I have to go to Peru. It's a good job my new-year-no-alcohol-resolution was still in force or I would have booked a ticket on the spot. Instead, my brain started working and I thought - wait a minute - I live in the DC metro area, there must be a truly amazing, phenomenal, authentic, good value Peruvian restaurant in the DC metro area? Oh yes there is - and this is it. Immediately came here for lunch the next day. Thing 1 was able to come with me. It was fantastic. He had the lomo saltado and loved it - I had the ceviche and a fish entree ( see, my no-charred-flesh-new-year-resolution was still in force). Fortunately, my no-alcohol-resolution takes weekends off and I also had a pisco sour - I saw on the cocktail list they have many more that I have never heard off - so I will definitely be back to go down the menu. You are doing yourself a disservice if you don'try this place. When we walked in -about 2.45 pm Saturday - the place was absolutely jammed, and a couple ahead of us were waiting for a table. It was a 5 or 10 minute wait - no big deal. " Look around " I said to Thing 1 " pretty much everybody here is hispanic - this place must be good " " Dad" said Thing 1 " you and Mom ALWAYS say that! It sounds wrong!"

    (5)

  • Brittany S.

    We were looking for a quick, delicious lunch while in town for a conference and la lemeña really delivered! The chicken was great and the plantains were out of this world. The service was very attentive. Everyone should also try their desserts, they were outstanding! It was 15 dollars for two people.

    (5)

  • Gumercindo A.

    If you're looking for solid bang for your buck hispanic food, this is your place. This place advertises itself as Peruvian-Cuban cuisine. The "Cuban" part is a stretch, but it did not diminish my overall experience here. The minute you walk in, you are overwhelmed by the delicious rotiserie chickens being cooked. It makes your mouth water as you sit there waiting for a table. The staff/service is also very attentive and quickly turn tables around. Be warned - if you go at peak times, you will always have a wait to be seated. It's a very warm place - you constatnly see families going there for meals (reminds me a lot of the cuban restaurants in Miami growing up). The food itself is quite good. I haven't had it but they are known for their lomo saltado. I've had their paella style dish, ceviche, 2 fish dishes, etc. Make sure you order their special green garlic rice - out of this world! For dessert, we tried the orange passion fruit mousse - very tasty!

    (4)

  • Thomas P.

    I started off with the Fish Ceviche which was delicious! Also ordered the Beef Tripe; I think it's called Rachi. The presentation of these two dishes was good but i learned beef tripe ain't my thang ;) I ordered the Lomo Saltado and it was pretty good but still not better than the Vietnamese dish, Bo Luc Lac. I fried yuca, yuca frita, was friend well but not seasoned well. The Bistek a la Parilla did not seem any different than if you were to get it at some cheaper place. The fries and Bistek were pretty bland. Overall, the place was Okay due to a mixture of great dishes and boring dishes.

    (3)

  • Karen R.

    Love their food! I would have given it 5 stars, but unfortunately the staff is not that friendly and always charge for extra sauce. Super stingy!

    (2)

  • Carmen S.

    Great food but small place. Three Latin restaurants right next to each other: Peruvian, Mexican, and Uruguayan/Argentinian food therefore plenty of options to choose from but stick to La Limeña as it's the best out of the three. The servers do their best to keep up with the crazy amount of clients coming in and out of this place. Tried the ceviche and it was outstanding but a little spicy for me as I don't eat spicy food at all. The Lomo saltado was great, my family loved the bistec a la Limeña and some Cordero dish. Not a big fan of the mil hojas but the dulce de leche was great! Would definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Elizabeth W.

    Had dinner with a friend, but when we showed up to Pho 95, they were closed!!!! So we both had never been to La Limena, and decided to try it out. We were a little confused when we came in about whether we sat ourselves, but the waiters sorted us out pretty quickly. It was pretty early on, so the place was pretty empty but it was a good experience. I'd give it an overall 4/5 stars. Food: I got Arroz Chaufa de Pollo (Peruvian Chicken Fried Rice, $12), and my friend got the 1/4 dark pollo a la brasa (Rotisserie Chicken, $7). The fried rice was pretty good, but what really made it great was the chicken. It was DELICIOUS!!!! My friend's chicken was basically fall off the bone. She enjoyed it. There really wasn't anything to complain about for our dishes. I wish we had taken a look at the prices first though because we got a little bit of sticker shock in the beginning seeing the big prices. If you're looking for a cheaper dinner, come for the chicken or don't come at all. Service: Service was a little slow in the beginning, but towards the end, especially when there was a manager looking person at the front, the service got a lot better. We didn't seem to have one server, they all kind of looked after us. Which was ok and they were pretty attentive so I was ok with it. The music was a little loud though. I would totally come back here.

    (4)

  • B J.

    Amazing! The service is incredible. Yes, you may have to wait and yes, it will be worth it. Our wait time was maybe 15 minutes, so not bad at all. The place is small and intimate. Our server was very thoughtful and we were asked several times whether or not this was our first time there and if there was anything they could do for us. The manager/owner also came by frequently and was very nice and he gave us cookies (complimentary!). The food was really good - the kind of really good that you sit there, while you eat, and say to one another "This is good. Like really freaking good..." and how good the food is dominates the conversation. My Cuban style steak was thin and seasoned perfectly and the platanos? Sweet and fried just right. The beans had the right amount of smokiness. The Peruvian rotisserie chicken? Holy crunchy delicious skin this was good. The portions are HUGE and the prices are great, too. For three people and plenty enough for leftovers the bill was $55. Now that is awesome. One last observation - lots of people drinking whiskey sours. I don't really drink, but there must be a reason it was so popular... Will absolutely be visiting again.

    (5)

  • Tomas H.

    We went there by friend's recommendation so our expectations we re pretty high. And disappointed we were not....The place offer fast and good service even in the time of high traffic such was the case during our visit. Meals - we had rotisserie chicken with fried rice, ceviche and ensalada de camarone - were good and as we red about on the internet (it was our first time we had Peruvian food). Chicken was tender. Only Ceviche could use perhaps less vinegar I guess. But it was also very good. My drink of Pisco sour was very good and I think it could compete on International Pisco Sour Day competition and would not put La Limena in shame. We finished with Lucama ice cream which made curious whether it can be bought somewhere to have it at home. The place is definitely not anywhere near to luxurious, just OK for the area where it is located with shops and malls around. But it is certainly a good experience and I recommend it.

    (4)

  • Brittany S.

    Not sure if I could actually pick out a favorite restaurant before trying this place. This is now my new favorite restaurant!!! The mojito was really good, fresh, of course had the mint leaves and sugar cane. My friends and I ordered the empanadas as an appetizer. I don't remember if they had different options or they were all beef, either way they were the best empanadas I've ever had and I love me some empanadas! The crust was b-a-n-a-n-a-s good! I wish they were more full though :( It seemed like there was a lot of empty space inside the empanada. The dipping sauces are crazy good too. I ordered the lomo saltado. It was hands down, melt in your mouth, perfectly cooked steak! Words can't even justify. The rice and beans were really good too! The rice was cooked perfect as well. It was a big portion and I know I could have ate it all but I really wanted leftovers for the next day. It was so good I had to just sit there in silence for a minute and stare at my plate. The service was above and beyond most places today. The manager came over and made sure everything was good twice, I love that! He wasn't just worried about the food but he started a small convo, really nice. Since it was our first time we even got a small little caramel cookie dessert for free! I'll be in the gym for hours every day for this place!

    (5)

  • Dee B.

    It'd bee a while since my last visit to La Limena, but I was able to rectify that on a recent Friday night. We arrived around 6pm, and luckily the restaurant was still on the emptier side. As probably some other Yelpers have noted, they've upgraded a bit, and no longer use disposable dishes. Yay! Service was friendly and on the ball, and my ropa vieja was delicious. Plus, it was presented very nicely -- super cute basket constructed of plantains held the meat. Price was maybe higher than I remember and than I'd prefer. My friend enjoyed his cubano sandwich, as well.

    (4)

  • Mike B.

    This place is a little like Sardi's, but just a bit fancier. While we normally get take-out from Sardi's, we are much more likely to sit down inside here with the family. Both have amazing chicken. Besides that, the main reason that we come here is for the great ceviche.

    (4)

  • Melissa A.

    This is my favorite restaurant in Rockville. We just moved here, but we've visited several times already because we've been deprived of good Hispanic food in Upstate NY. I can vouch for the ceviche mixto, lomo saltado, lengua (beef tongue) and chaufa de pollo. We generally have the same server who is excellent; the service here is as good as the food--absolutely top notch. Don't overlook the rotisserie chicken, which is absolutely delicious! If I could eat here every day, I would. Can't wait to try so many things on this menu!

    (5)

  • Arelis V.

    This place was delicious! My friends and I went on a Sunday morning and thought we would have to wait forever to get seated. It is a small place and it was packed, but the wait went by quickly and service was great. The food, oh the food! I wish I lived in MD just so I could eat here more often! We ordered the ceviche de pescado, papa a la huancaina, and a couple other beef dishes. The food was fresh, flavorful and just overall some of the best peruvian food I've had. Come here, you will not be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Rachit A.

    Made me spend $3 extra on some disgusting plantains just to use my credit card.. Also took a good 20 minutes to make because of the plaintains, I asked that I get my money back because I don't need them, and they made me get them.. I guess the chicken was all right.

    (2)

  • Tim S.

    Amazing Peruvian food. The pollo a la brasa is incredible, the ropa vieja is incredible, and the ceviche is the best I've ever had. You really can't go wrong with anything you get here. It's worth the drive even if you live a little ways away. It's the best Peruvian food in the area. The service can feel a little pushy at times, but I don't even care.

    (5)

  • Alaina P.

    Came here for lunch with my boyfriend. We were seated immediately and the waitress was very attentive. We ordered the tamales as an appetizer and the ensalada de camerones and the lunch special (house made sopa de carne y arroz con pollo). All the dishes were really filling and tasty- especially with the aromatic sauces on the side. At the end of our meal we received specialty cookies with a caramel filling and a dusting of powdered sugar from the friendly manager.

    (5)

  • Jennifer V.

    The ceviche is soo good! Mind you, I am not a seafood lover but this is one ceviche I can actually eat and it doesn't have an overwhelming fishy taste. I have yet to try the rest if their food but the ceviche is definitely a hit!

    (4)

  • V B.

    The heart, a rarely found dish, is very good. The lomo saltado is amazing. And the flan is to die for. Oh, and did I mention you'll get the best alfajores ever here? La Limena is one of the best restaurants in the DC area.

    (5)

  • Zara K.

    Arroz cos maricos : recommended and super average , and why wouldn't it be? Not against the cooking technique or the flavours or the sauces , but Peruvian good solely relies on the seafood and meat! And this place will obviously have average quality meat like your Chinese spots?! But Chinese food covers it well enough. They give free tiny biscuits that taste like they have cumin in it and are nice ! It was sweet of them. Three stars for the service and fun ambience everyone was having a good time ! But food is seriously average' will always go to a higher class place for Peruvian the seafood was terrible ! And now my tummy hurts! :'(

    (3)

  • John L.

    After reading the Yelp reviews, we ordered the ceviche mixto, ropa vieja, paella, and lomo saltado. The ceviche had good flavor, but it was poorly put together (the fish slices were too large, the onion wasn't diced) making it hard to eat all the ingredients in one bite. Ropa vieja: just average, reminded us of the meat you get at Chipotle. The plantain cup that it comes in was very hard. Paella: a bit too much sauce. Lomo saltado: couldn't understand why you would put all the beef and onions + sauce over the french fries, creating a soggy mess. In the end, the meal didn't live up to its price or high reviews. Don't go in expecting too much.

    (3)

  • Cat P.

    This is going in my "Why Rockville is awesome" list (or whatever I call it). La Limena is nothing like I've experienced stateside. This may point to my naivete or inexperience. [insert sad face] Peruvian food in an elegant, rather fancy setting? How about Peruvian in a fancy setting with a still predominantly Latin clientele? Come on now, the wait staff start placing candles on the tables at 5 pm. They wear slacks and button-down shirts. Everyone gets cloth napkins. Spotless restroom. (Yay!) The manager personally greets you... I'm not complaining. I loved it, every minute of it. I usually associate Southern and some Latin cuisines with hole-in-the-walls or super casual family restaurants. Please forgive me for perpetuating the stereotypes... La Limena is, if you'll allow me to say so, a Latin American Four Sisters--family-owned and operated with impeccable service and cleanliness. However, some of Four Sister's Vietnamese-American diners have complained to me before that they feel like they don't get the same level of courtesy as the Caucasian-American patrons. I have never personally experienced this for myself... Returning to La Limena, as upscale as they are, they treat everyone the same. My server stopped by two or three times to see how I was doing, and he did the same for the Spanish-speaking people who were dining next to me. I have to say that many restaurants are notorious for having different customer service standards for their different clients. La Limena thankfully does not. Bravo! (Sad how this is something so worthy of note.) Decor, ambiance and service aside, La Limena is also a culinary delight, though the food is super rich and not meant for regular consumption. I enjoyed my shrimp and rice soup very much. Good portion size, and not too salty. (That tends to be the issue with many soups.) It came with this giant corn cob with kernels the size of garlic cloves! First time ever--the paler, giant kernels were meaty and satisfying. Tom N got aji da gallina, a famous Peruvian chicken dish. He liked the unique, mustard-like sauce. We also shared the quenelle, a football-shaped fritter with a crabby and starchy stuffing. It was very good, but you literally get two pieces...Not sure if it is is worth 9.95, even with the crabby. Many more interesting and unusual menu options, which I will explore soon. No complaints and only praise makes this place a clear winner and a must-try spot in my book.

    (5)

  • Miguel P.

    Great food... loved the chupe and our waitress was very pleasant and helpful with our requests

    (4)

  • A A.

    Sorry, Virginia Bailey's Crossroads. This gem just gave the Rockville Pike a big fat point and now Maryland has taken the lead. I love how this restaurant is just sittin' around minding its own business in that quiet parking lot, corner spot. One thing I've noticed is that every time I've ever been here, all other restaurants near it are quiet or not busy and La Limena is packed or has a small wait. This was a serious find for the boo and me. The Ropa Vieja was off the chain. There was something slightly sweet to it (plainain?) - enough to make you go, "wow. That's nice. Really nice." The lomo saltado is good too. I really don't know if you can go wrong here. I'd like to recommend for you to try something different every time but I keep going back to that nice ropa vieja. It makes me smile.

    (5)

  • Crystal H.

    I chose La Limena because my best friend was in town from Tampa and wanted some latin food! I chose this place because of the reviews! We totally enjoyed our food! The restaurant is located in a strip mall and it is set at the end of the strip! There was plenty of parking when I got there for lunch. It is a small establishment where you can order from a case of you choose to. We were seated right away by a nice waitress. We started off with empanadas! They were very good! Tasty with a very good chicken mixture inside. We were told that they didn't have chicken, so we ordered beef. We were surprised when there was chicken inside! They were delicious either way, I ordered Tallarin Saltado con Pollo which was basically lomein with different spices! It was good, just not what I expected. My friend ordered Pollo Saltado. He enjoyed it as well! And we ordered some Peruvian chicken and french fries for my daughter! The Peruvian chicken was awesome!! All in all we had a wonderful experience and a great time!

    (4)

  • Adabel M.

    I've been going to this location since it's opened. The food is great, but the service is horrible. As much as I love the food I can't stand some of the staff there. They're not attentive, they only come around to take your order and give you your food, if you need anything you have to flag them down.

    (2)

  • Michael L.

    This is one of my top lunch spots on Rockville Pike. They have the bomb chicken... just make sure you get extra sauce. You also need to try the Anticuchos (Beef Heart)... and really any other appetizer on the menu.

    (5)

  • Erin F.

    Superb chicken for any price, and the price was wonderfully low. We also enjoyed the dipping sauces for the yucca. We weren't fans of the empanadas (lack of flavor and lukewarm) and the yakuma ice cream was nothing special. The place was packed for Sunday lunch, with people waiting perhaps 20-30 min. for a table. We'll be back.

    (4)

  • Mary S.

    Wonderful food, attentive service. A real gem ! I can't wait to return to try something else. A neighborhood place that's wonderful ! Leave room for the homemade desserts.

    (5)

  • Susan C.

    Outstanding restaurant experience! This is what service should be! Attentive, concerned, prompt, delightful. Sometimes restaurant forget the service part. From the ceviche mixto to the cookies with coffee a wonderful dining experience. This is the best review I can give. I will return

    (5)

  • Lucy X.

    I was recommended this Peruvian restaurant by a Peruvian friend so you know this had to be authentic Peruvian cuisine. It was honestly my first time having Peruvian food (ashamed) and I loved it! The ceviche was really fresh. The lomo saltado (beef dish) was juicy and went well with the rice. My favorite part of the meal though, was the lucuma ice cream-it was insanely good! Like almost up to par with my love for green tea. Not too sweet and had this very unique flavor that I can't describe... I enjoyed my dinner here so much I had to take another foodie friend to try!

    (5)

  • Roberto I.

    Ceviche was not fresh... Papa la huancaina was weak compared. Lamb shank had no meat and lacking flavor. Only thing that was good was the rotisserie chicken which you can not mess up. Used to love this place but since they've gotten really busy everything has gone down hill.

    (1)

  • Sarah K.

    The desserts were amazing!! Dinner was good too, but the desserts really were amazing. For dessert, we had the Lucuma Ice Cream, the Guava filled pastries, and some cookies with caramel in the middle.

    (5)

  • Ruth R.

    One of my favorite go to places for AWESOME lomo saltado in Rockville! I have tried other dishes but this place is worth coming to simply for that. That's not a bad thing, trust me! The only downside to this place is their lack of side sauces, you cannot have lomo without it and for some reason they totally skimp out on the sauce. But my boyfriend and I do enjoy it and we go there maybe too often.

    (4)

  • Rosanna W.

    great service, food tasted awesome. friend chose this place to meet and i was satisfied with my meal; lomo saltado as suggested by everyone else on yelp! friends got the ceviche pescado appetizer, was tangy, had a lil spice kick which i liked. didnt try the peruvian chicken but my friebds who suggested it loves the peruvian chicken!

    (5)

  • Alex K.

    Great food and service. We ordered a whole chicken with two sides. The meat was so juicy and tasty. Also the price was very reasonable. Despite the long waiting line, we enjoyed the experience

    (5)

  • Gale S.

    Love this place!! It reminds me of a number of the family friendly restaurants I went to in Lima. The cerviche is a winner!!! It's listed as an appetizer but is ample enough to be a dinner with maybe a small salad. The entree was yum and the desserts are homemade... the flan and caramel sandwich cookies were great. Staff made sure everyone in this busy restaurant was well attended... we WILL be back!!!

    (4)

  • Diana V.

    I absolutely LOVE this place. The food is great! I always get the pollo saltado.

    (5)

  • Frank V.

    Everything about our dining experience was excellent! The service, the food, the atmosphere. Arturo, the manager, made sure the long line of waiting customers moved quickly and then also took the time to make us feel welcome. Jaime, our waiter, was eager to share recommendations and explain the flavors and origins of the food. We had seafood paella and tacu tacu. Everything was fresh and flavorful! Very impressed.

    (5)

  • Monica P.

    16 Sep 12: I had lunch here yesterday with a friend that I had not seen in about two years. This place is located in a shopping strip on Rockville Pike. I've been to this shopping strip but have only eaten at Pho 95. As you enter the place, the kitchen is on the left and you can see the golden brown roasted chicken and other foods on display. Looks good! I expected a hole-in-the-wall type place but found a pleasant atmosphere, although nothing fancy. On the table are two small dishes of sauces that you add to your food. One is a green spicy sauce and the other a mild creamy sauce. I did a quick Google search to see what the ingredients were. One recipe I found (there are many) for the green sauce is Aji de Huacatay, which includes rocoto pepper, Peruvian aji chilies, huacatay leaves, salt, and olive oil. I found the menu to have a nice selection of Peruvian dishes along with some Cuban dishes. It's an unusual combination but I also love Cuban food. Some items were inexpensive while others were pricier (hence, not a hole-in-the-wall place). One of the specialties of the house, and a very typical Peruvian dish, is the Pollo Brasa - chicken that's marinated in spices (I would guess for several hours) and then roasted. You can order the chicken with two sides for $6.95, but for just $2 more order the 1/2 chicken, which is what we both did. I figure I would have leftovers. In fact I'm enjoying my leftovers as I write this review. Yum! We also ordered a non-alcoholic drink, which was home-made, called Chicha morada. We were told it was made of purple corn, pineapple, sugar, cinnamon and other ingredients. It was refreshing (perfect summer drink) and quite tasty. With my meal, I had the rice, Cuban black beans, and fried plantains. The menu needs to be updated because the plantains were listed for an extra buck but the owner who took our order said it was a mis-print. I told him I wanted the plantains anyway. Later, when looking at the bill, I saw I was charged $2.95. The owner should have told me what I was going to be charged. I would have ordered it anyway, but hey, tell your customers up front. The food was first-rate. With the green Aji and other sauce, I enjoyed the chicken, which was quite tender. The black beans were some of the best I've had in a while. The plantains: fried, sweet, delicious. My friend had the black beans and a salad with her chicken. Service was very good. In fact, a couple of waiters would come by to re-fill the small sauce dishes. Another would check to see how we were doing. The place filled as we ate our food, almost all with (if I may assume) Peruvians, which is a sign of a good restaurant. I really liked the food and service and would definitely return here to try some of the other dishes they have to offer.

    (4)

  • Jeff H.

    In my opinion, the one standout dish here is the LOMO SALTADO. It's just so flavorful and satisfying everytime. The meat is well seasoned and the rice is nice and buttery. The seasoned strips of steak lay on a bed of french fries. The juice from the meat drenches the fries and youre left with not only flavorful meat and rice but flavorful fries. Their portion is enough to fill you up and lets not forget ... inexpensive. A five star dish all the way!!! There are few foods that taste THIS good. The Chupe de Camaron is a nice alternative. The soup is creamy and the little cheese bits have a great texture. The big chunk of corn is not really my style though. A four star dish I've had the pollo a la brasa here and it's not bad. There are definitely better places a short drive away. Try washing it all down with something different like a Chi Cha morada. All in all, I highly recommend this place for some great and authentic Peruvian cuisine.

    (5)

  • Trevor M.

    Growing up in a Peruvian home....I just have to say one thing, "Sorry Mami, but this is better than your cooking!" So, I'm out of her will, but I can always come here for the food. After years of walking by, thinking that it was just another Peruvian pollo la brasa, I made my way in and i'm so glad that I did. The set up is simple and the light touches on the wall just acts as a simple canvas for how wonderful their food truly is. You enter to see the ovens roasting the chickens and the display full of ceviche and pastries. There is no better advertising than that to see and smell the food as you prepare for the gluttony before you. Started with the Ceviche Mixto appetizer, a combination of fish, shrimp, squid, and baby octopus marinated with corn, onions, and sweet potato on the side. How, they are able to carmelize the sweet potato to taste like pumpkin is unbelievable and deserves to be a plate unto itself. There is no skimping of any of the seafood and can be eaten as a meal in itself. The acids from the lemons/limes is done perfectly and allows me to really enjoy the seafood at it's best and better than my Mami's. Then I moved onto the Chupe de Camarones. It is basically a stew/chowder served in a huge bowl piping hot and it just seems like a milky broth, but there ends the deception and it is filled with shrimp, rice, peas, corn and poached egg. But what made the soup so fun was the melted droplets of cheese. Like getting gooey pearls of cheese bathed in this scumptious broth and better than my Mami's. At a Peruvian place, one must try the chicken. It was seasoned wonderfully and falling off the bones ever so moist and tender. And it was better than my Mami's. Finally, got the Arroz con Mariscos. Basically, a variation of the seafood paella and a wonderful dish with a presentation that was beautiful. Shrimp, scallops, octopus, fish, mussles and clam made this a great dish. The saffron in the rice gave it a beautiful color and the fish was cooked where it was light and flaky. The only proplem I had was that the mussels were too small and broke down in the dish. But, it was still brillant and better than my Mami's. It was a lovely meal and the service was fantastic, attentive, but still leaving you to enjoy your meal in comfort and conversation. The pricing is moderate for what I had and cheaper than my Mami's. It is an amazing Peruvian restaurant and I will definitely be back...my Mami won't let me in the house now.

    (4)

  • Fran D.

    One of my favorite places in Rockville, MD! I go there very often. Since I am from Brazil, I love latin food, and this place has the best around here. I would really recommend the "bistek a La Limena". It's my fave.

    (4)

  • Mitch M.

    Delicious meal across the board for our group of six, including drinks and appetizers. Staff is incredibly knowledgeable and helpful with suggestions. Highlights were ceviche, the seafood special, and pollo saltado. We will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Mike B.

    I really love the appetizers here and they give you very heart portions. The ceviche is a must and the beef heart is really tasty. If you like chicharron you should order it here as it's very solid and comes with a big helping of yucca. I don't really love the main courses here but with all the great small plates, I come here often. This is a great bang for your buck spot.

    (4)

  • Faride S.

    I have been to la limeÑa a few times and tried different dishes each time. I have to say that most of their dishes are pretty good. I am peruvian myself and lived in Peru for quiet some time so I know the real taste of peruvian food. This restaurant is pretty similar, although of course not the same. Their tallarin saltado de pollo is great! My boyfriend is in love with their tacu tacu !! We have also tried ceviche and it is also good. My last visit though, was not so great (it was peruvian independence day, so pretty busy). I ordered pan con chicharron which was horrible. They buttered the bread... you dont do that to a peruvian pan con chicharron!! the pork was dry and did not have a good taste. We had causa as an appetizer but I was not a fan of it either (I can make it better at home). My boyfriend was dissapointed as well because his tacu tacu (he orders that everytime) was not as yummy as other times. I have to get over this bad experience because I have had great experiences in the past at this restaurant and I will deffinately be back. The only thing that made my lunch this last time was the helado de lucuma!! OMG you MUST have helado de lucuma at la limena.. and it comes with a cute/yummy alfajor (the free cookie everyone talks about on their reviews). Service is great. The manager is always making sure you are being taken care of. The decoration makes me feel like im in barranco (a district in lima Peru).

    (4)

  • Jennifer A.

    This place is pretty good with reasonable prices but the paella is a bit pricy. A few of my friends went here for dinner tonight. The service wasn't overly friendly and the place was crowded, but people move through fast. I wouldn't describe this restaurant as a place you would hangout at for awhile. We were seated fast but it took a half hour for the food to be delivered and part of my paella was cold. It still tasted good though but I was hungry and didn't want to wait forever to reheat. My friends said their dishes were warm so maybe it was just me. We didn't get bread or anything before our main dish. I'm not sure if others did. I'd say the food is good and I'd come back but it's an in-and-out atmosphere like a diner and I wasn't crazy about my dish being cold. Overall rating: 3.5 stars

    (3)

  • R Q.

    I liked it a lot. They give you a LOT of food, everything tastes pretty great, and the prices are very reasonable. The ceviche is the best I've ever had and it comes with dipping sauces which are delicious. The desserts are really good too.

    (4)

  • C C.

    Awesome meal! I enjoyed everything we ordered. This is definitely going to be a regular stop. Make sure to try the tostones with ropa vieja, the papa relleno, and the guava pastry. All amazing. The ice cream with caramel cookies was good as well but I almost liked the cookies better than the ice cream itself. The caramel was excellent.

    (5)

  • D B.

    This restaurant is very good, food is delicious only reason not to give five starts is the service, they tend to talk with each other and forget about the tables but the owner is always there to straighten them up. The place is also a little pricey, so come prepare for that, a meal for four people with 2 appetizers to share and and 4 main dishes would end up at about $40 p/person and this is without any alcoholic beverages. Overall a great place to go, we will keep coming back.

    (4)

  • Luis B.

    I came here for lunch and I was expecting more. The lunch special was bad. They had sopa de pollo (that was good), asado de lechon (really bad and not well cooked), pure de papa (they made the mashed potatoes from the box instead of homemade, really bad), and white rice. Overall Im not coming for lunch here again

    (2)

  • Fabio L.

    La Limena provides extremely tasty food and it is truly a hidden gem in Rockville. It is by far my favorite Peruvian restaurant in the DC metro area. I have tried the empanadas, the churrasco a la parilla, the fried rice (I do not remember the dish name at the moment), the bistec encebolado, and (of course) the Peruvian style chicken. They were all delicious and I don't know what to get when I return to La Limena since I want to order them all. I wish they brought back the bistec empanado which was my favorite dish. Everyone I bring to this restaurant fall in love with the salad. And I love their Cuban beans. I am removing one star because I wish they served their sides (yuka, fries, etc.) a little warmer. But this restaurant is delicious and scratch my itch for a home cooking taste that is hard to find in this area.

    (4)

  • Mike M.

    First visit, went with my buddy, the same guy that introduced me to Cuban Corner. He said this is his favorite place for Peruvian chicken. Interesting place, tucked back into the corner of a shopping center on Rockville Pike, across from an Indian buffet. Unexpectedly, the waiters were top notch, dressed in all black, and very professional. My wife and I ordered chicken with rice and beans. The chicken was simply outstanding. It's hard to believe they can get the chicken that well done and the skin that crispy without drying out the chicken. The rice and beans were flavorful and the sauce served with the dish was addictive. Not sure what it was but wow, I want a big bottle of it. Prices are very reasonable but entrees do vary from about $5 to over $20. Another member of our group got a steak with onions which he said was very good. It looked good. I'm really looking forward to going back and trying more dishes. Yummy.

    (4)

  • James Y.

    Stopped by for lunch on a Friday before noon and really enjoyed the Lomo Saltado (stir fry steak with red onions and tomatoes). I passed on the fries in the dish and got a side salad instead...my apologies to the Chifa purists. Still, the somewhat healthier version tasted great and was my first foray into Peruvian-Chinese cuisine. Their side sauces were delicious, too, and complemented the Lomo Saltado very well. The entree was $14.95, which was a bit more than I had anticipated since the restaurant was voted as a top "Cheap Eat." The portion was satisfying but considering how good it tasted, I would've liked more! Overall, though, I can't complain--the food was delicious and the staff was very attentive. I look forward to my next visit to try their other dishes.

    (4)

  • J P.

    This place never fails. One time we went there and they had lengua for their specials and it was amazing!

    (5)

  • Barry S.

    Tom Tom Tom ... you say this is in your Top 40 (ok, your highly personal Top 40) in DC? I wouldn't even put this in my Top 3 in MoCo for Peruvian! First, expensive as hell for the portion size ... and if you factor in the vibe it's off the charts expensive. Ropa Vieja? Good not great (well presented though) Lomo Saltado? Good not great ... almost tapas sized The creamy chicken dish that is basically pot pie filling? Ok, I actually liked it and it was only $13.95 ... worth a try Overall, I'd like to say "A-OK" but I wouldn't want to steer folks towards this ... in fact, I'd like to give them some armor to defend against Tom's super strong recommendation!! FOOTNOTE: Go to La Brasa, Sardi's and even Al Carbon before you go here. You can send me private messages thanking me after you go.

    (2)

  • Kimberly C.

    Ambiance: bakery/ a la carte cafe on one side, dining area on the other. Really no ambiance to comment on, it's nice with linen napkins and all that but no special decorations/ attributes to comment on. Price: expect to pay about $8-15/ appetizer and &16-25/ entree. They give two delicious Peruvian cookies at the end for dessert for free though! Shortbread sandwich cookie with caramel filling and dusted with powder sugar. Food: Ceviche was amazing- comes with toasted corn nuts, corn, and roasted sweet potatoes. Friend ordered their beef special and I got an empanada. Mixed review on the beef- was tough and chewy. Empanada was great with a light, flaky crust. Service: excellent. Professional, attentive, and friendly.

    (4)

  • Roy S.

    Nice people and pretty good food. I will have to go back and check out the Pollo a la Brasa. Great plantains but their green sauce was to salty for my taste. The chicken saltado was uninspired. Not a cheap place, but I will be back...

    (3)

  • Amanda G.

    Great Peruvian establishment with some Cuban dishes as well! My boyfriend and I have been here twice and each time we've enjoyed every bite! I've had the paella (which is absolutely DELICIOUS..and you get huge portions of fish for $18!) and the beef skewers, which are extremely tender and delicious when dipped into the Peruvian sauces they leave on the table! For drinks we had some sort of Peruvian beer (can't remember the name) and Pisco sours! The beer is comparable to Corona or Dos Equis and is pretty good! The Pisco Sours are DELICIOUS! We've tried the alfajores for dessert (thin, round, biscuit-like cookies with dulce de leche in the middle) and some sort of orange-colored ice cream that tastes almost caramel-like. Both were delicious! The staff is always very nice and helpful, and although it is a bit pricy, the quality is well worth the money you pay! My boyfriend also brought his mother here (who grew up in Peru) and even SHE was impressed with the quality of the food! I definitely recommend giving this place a shot! You won't be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Max W.

    We recently returned from Peru, and finally decided to try out La Limena, which had been on our list. Though Limena does not have the variety of ingredients and flavorings you would find in Peru, the dishes bear a good family resemblance to the sense of the cooking. Pisco sour was very good--and it was served without ice, a big plus. We shared ceviche pescado, which was very good. We then had two appetizers: a very lightly fried potato-crab croquette-like dish; grilled beef hearts, both of which were quite good; trout as the main was good but we should have gotten something with a sauce. We passed on lucuma ice cream for dessert, though we lived on lucuma yogurt for breakfast in Peru. Very friendly place, as the owner comes around to every table to chat. Reasonably priced. Definitely would go back.

    (4)

  • Ina C.

    How foolish I've been not knowing anything about the depth and breadth of the treasures of Peruvian cuisine outside of pollo a la brasa. We weren't sure how we'd fare an hour before La Limena's 10pm closing on a Saturday night. This far north on the Pike must be a wasteland this late, we thought. But no, the restaurant was buzzing with birthday celebrations and family gatherings with people of all backgrounds. We got the last empty table. We ordered the ceviche pescado which was pretty much how I've had it at other restaurants, except for the addition of a side of I think it was roasted raw corn?? I have no idea how to describe it. It was nutty, crunchy and the absolute perfect complement to the beautifully acidic ceviche. I love all things potato, so I had no choice but to order the papa rellena. It's a potato-sized mound of mashed potato filled with highly seasoned beef chunks and cooked until beautifully golden-brown all around. Our favorite dish of the evening, though, was definitely the aji de gallina: tender shredded chicken in a creamy dark yellow sauce, reminiscent of curry in a way, but definitely with rich, Latin flavors, and served with rice. What a beautiful and wonderful dish. It seems as though most of these dishes are meant to be shared, so there were about five things on the menu that I made a mental note to try next time. Particularly the traditional seafood stew at the top of the seafood page on the menu. And for a mere $32 (before tip), the two of us were full and content. And a word about the atmosphere. It won't win any awards for its decor, but the atmosphere here is made up of the people. A lot of our fellow diners seemed to have relationships with the servers and made for a really warm and welcoming environment that's lacking in a lot of our more typically "beautiful" restaurants. So bring your parents, your kids, your coworkers or your date and get ready for a great time with beautiful Peruvian food!

    (4)

  • Natalie K.

    I LOVE this place!! Everything is absolutely delicious. I've had the lomo saltado, the aji de gallina, a pisco sour with passion fruit, and the lucuma ice cream. The prices are generally 20-30, but definitely worth every bite. Lomo saltado was perfectly cooked with a great tasty sauce and the aji de gallina was also great, but needed just a hint of salt (for which i added some of the spicy sauce on the table). I could drink gallons of the pisco sour! perfectly passion-fruity and frothy (made with egg whites!). The lucuma was a new thing to me, so it was very interesting and i want to try more of it! great palette cleanser and not too heavy of a dessert.

    (5)

  • Claudio R.

    Great Peruvian food in the area

    (4)

  • Emily P.

    This is one of my favorite restaurants. I give it four stars because the service is poor. BUT of course I'd still go back because the food and prices are excellent! Generally it is pretty crowded, but almost always the wait is brief. One time I arrived with a party of nine, and they ended up clearing space for us within 10-15 minutes, even though the place was almost filled. I almost always get the ceviche (pescado), because it's filling enough as a meal. I'm not quite sure what the fish is, but it's topped with raw onions and a piece of lettuce. On the side are two sweet potatoes, a mini corn on the cob, and some corn kernels (not sure what that is called). Other tasty entrees/sides: potages de frijoles, plantains (sweet, juicy, and tender..mmm..), Bifsteak (limena), Lamb shank (so tender it falls off the bone). I think next time I'm going to start branching off from the ceviche and try other things!

    (4)

  • Eric J.

    I could not quite give this a 5 from our lone visit recently, but it certainly gets a 4.5. The entrees we had -- both meat and fish -- were generous and quite tasty. My wife's Pisco sour was good. The dessert we shared -- a Peruvian version of the Napoleon, was good but not special. Looking at other tables, however, it seems as if the popular desserts are Passionfruit ice cream and a flan or custard. On top of the food, the place was really friendly, especially the owner/manager -- who came over to chat and sent us some caramel cookies when he lerned this was our first time. The setting is a little bit utilitarian and slightly cramped, so not really a place for a romantic date. If you go on a Saturday night, come early. they were already mostly full when we arrived a little before 6:00 pm, and soon there was a line. Not quite a destination place, and perhaps not somehwere we would drive the 40 minutes from our house on a regular basis, but an excellent place where I would be happy to return next time we are in the area.

    (4)

  • Dana J.

    STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE AS FAR AS POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!! Visited this place so many times before and always was happy with the service and the food. Today I invited my friend for lunch. We were waiting for over 10 minutes before the waitress came to take the order. Later it took them 30 min before they brought empanadas. The New York Stake was full of fat and it wasn't even close to any type of meet. Its name should be "PURA GRASA". Had to go to the counter and ask them to prepare the check. The restaurant was only half full. STAY AWAY FROM IT. DO NOT RECOMMED IT AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!

    (1)

  • Alejandro M.

    Well since my last review, my friends and family have been going a lot to this restaurant. Since two months ago I understand why, I have became an addict to this place too. Food quality has improve surprisingly. Also service and customer service is very professional. This restaurant has improve and now is in my top list. Some friends have told me there are smaller and better restaurants than this one (which I will have to explore) but so far this is my top one. Oh, by the way prices are ok.

    (4)

  • Cristine C.

    Simply A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I don't know why I don't go to this restaurant more often, I have loved everything I have tried but it seldom comes to mind when I'm hungry. Weird...Maybe, it's because I haven't figured out how I feel about the prices. They throw you off at first but when the plate comes to your table you realize it's definitely worth it. I am making a commitment to think of it more often. Love the fact that there are always people to greet you with a smile when you walk in. It's like they are saying, "Welcome and thank you for coming to spend your money here" (LOL). The best dish in my opinion: LOMO SALTADO - you just can't go wrong with this one, besides the fact that it can feed two people...in my case anyways, but let me tell you about the Ossobuco...Ohhhhh myyyyy! Died and gone to heaven! I can certainly go on, but no need. Any dish you choose is just simply great.

    (5)

  • A M.

    Sadly I'm scoring La Limena lower not because it's bad but because you can do much better, both on taste and on quality. El Chalan, for example, in DC is a better bet for ceviche and lomo saltado. But La Limena's not bad. First, I think it's over-priced by $1 - $2 per order. I say this because it's in Rockville, in a plaza with plenty of latin food (mexican, argentine-uruguayan, etc) and not in DC, yet DC Peruvian restaurants cost a lot lest for their ceviche, lomo saltado, etc. Take that for what it's worth! Second, in terms of taste, food tastes pretty good here. We got a Lomo Saltado and a Ceviche, two staples of Peruvian food here in the States. I thought the fish used for ceviche should have been different (it wasn't bad, but it costs a lot and should have tasted a bit better) and the lomo saltado was good overall. Not the best I've had here in DC, but very decent. Third, they seem to have a lot of great deserts. They are very beautiful and you may want to skip lunch or dinner and just do desert. Finally, they are very, very nice. We went to four different restaurants on our trip in the same plaza and the Peruvian/Cuban restaurant (this is both Peruvian and Cuban) had by far the nicest, best service.

    (3)

  • Katie C.

    2nd time coming here and we loved it just as much as the first time. My mother in law and her husband come here pretty often and rave about the food. It was super busy when we visited this time, but once we were seated, there was always a waiter near by to help if we needed something. The Papa Huancaina was delicious and the Tamale was to die for. I highly recommend the Yuca Fries. My husband got Choros a la Chalaca and they were devoured within seconds. The Anticuchos was very flavorful and cooked perfectly - very tender. My new favorite is the Tacu Tacu...so delicious! Of course for dessert, the Alfajores and Lucuma ice cream. I could probably eat a million of those cookies. The prices aren't cheap, but it is totally worth it. If you want a taste of Peru, this is the place to go!

    (5)

  • Kevin J.

    Great great service!!! Everyone was very polite. the waiter seemed to come right on time for empty plates and refills. The ambiance was nice and cozy family like yet the food presentation was fancy not to mention delicious!!

    (4)

  • Tanner K.

    Very fresh with an authenticate taste. You can tell it's family or privately owned because the hospitality is outstanding!

    (5)

  • Jeffrey B.

    Okay overall. Kind of expensive compared to other peruvian restaurants. Cuts of chicken used in the arroz chaufa and pollo al la parrilla a little questionable. I guess us gringos like pechuga and do not know how to really like the grasa y otra cosas...it is off my list now. Prefer other chicken places and for real quality, la canela in rockville is number one by far. Still looking for a place thats sells Pilsen Callao or Pilsen Trujillo.

    (2)

  • Fianu G.

    La Limena is a first rate restaurant. Ate lunch on Friday with my business partner and we were totally blown away by the authenticity of this place. If you want authentic Peruvian this is it. Too many so called Peruvian eateries in MC with Taco Bell type food and this is not one if them. Love the lamb shanks and Ceviche! I will be back with my wife and kids next week for sure.

    (5)

  • Rima R.

    Great place for good food. I love the Peruvian steak with a sunny side egg on top. The restaurant is small, so if you are going during peak hours, you might experience a short wait time. They don't take reservations either. This place is a solid food choice in Rockville.

    (5)

  • Alex S.

    I was super excited to check out this place after reading all the reviews. It does seem the place has changed a bit though. From first glance it was clear they definitely don't serve food on styrofoam plates anymore, which was the impression I had from Yelp. Getting a seat was fast and our server was helpful. Restaurant interior is very nice and clean. It wasn't very noisy and I liked the instrumental background music. I had the Pisco Sour, Ceviche Mixto, and Lomo Saltado. The Pisco Sour was great. They don't have a drink menu, so our server just went off on the beers and stuff they had. Pisco Sour was about $8. The ceviche was VERY FLAVORFUL and had lots of meat. The glazed sweet potatoes were yummy as was the corn. Ceviche was $13. The lomo saltado was great but not particularly outstanding for me. I would have preferred some more meat and more sauce. Towards the end there was no sauce left so I just ate bland rice. I definitely want to try this place again, including their pollo a la brasa. The prices seemed decent, but I ate a lot so the final bill was unexpectedly high.

    (4)

  • Maya C.

    All I have to say is that I need to get my butt there again and soon! Middle of the week, I called my parents and my dad was home alone and I was STARVING to death. So I asked my dad if he would like to come with me to La Limena, a Peruvian restaurant I had heard great reviews. So I picked up my daddy from his house..and we arrived at La Limena, the place was packed, people that arrived after us had to wait a few minutes for a table to clear. Yup, that kind of place. When people are willing to wait is because its good! My drink was Maracuya..passion fruit that was awesoooome. Our appetizer was ceviche mixto...marinated pieces of fish in lime juice served with corn and sweet potatoes...wow was it good! My dad doesn't eat much, so we split the entree Pescado a lo macho...fillet of fish with a delicious sauce loaded with seafood and served with rice. Absolutely the best!!..we HAVE to come back (with my mom of course!)...The service was excellent, the food was delicious and in the company of my dad, dinner could not get better than this! (I did not miss La flor de la Canela....La Limena is it for my Peruvian fix in Maryland!

    (5)

  • Katherine L.

    Since my last visit I was obliged to go back a couple of months ago by the birthday person's choice. I decided to update my review because my bad experience was a one time thing and the food was still pretty good. So I added some stars and won't totally cross this place off my list.

    (3)

  • Yelpowitz E.

    Wow. I didn't expect this quality out of a strip mall restaurant... but they do have great food. The ceviche was amazing... I ate trout and it was delicious too. I might come back if I visit the area again.

    (5)

  • Jorge N.

    I was kind of skeptical about this place since I just can't lump Peruvian and Cuban food together in my head. It's like saying Brad Pitt and Susan Boyle would make a good couple. I came here either way, and left with a happy stomach and with happy taste buds. I tried the anticuchos and tacu tacu con lomo. The anticuchos can't compare with the ones you get from a street vendor in Peru, but that's to be expected I guess. They're not bad for Rockville, MD ;-). The tacu tacu with lomo was excellent. The restaurant itself was nice too. They've done the best they could with what they had (very small space in a strip mall). And the service was the best. From the moment we stepped in, every staff member had a smile on his/her face and was very cordial. I highly recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Rachel P.

    the food was absolutely delicious. i would have given this 5 stars had the waiters/waitresses not repeatedly tried to remove my plate while i was eating :) i will go back.

    (4)

  • Adam G.

    This chicken. I could live here and my stomach (and nose) would never be sad. I don't know how they retain so much flavor. Even if I somehow managed to find a life loophole and could be paid to eat here, I'd still give them all my money. As I'm writing this review, I must keep my hands from dialing their sweet delicious digits and ordering some right now for pick-up. Too late.

    (5)

  • A. S.

    Have been frequenting La Limena for several years. Always liked their food, but their service and customer orientation has declined to the point that I no longer will go back. Went for dinner with a party of 7. They said wait was 30 minutes. A bit long, but we decided to wait. After 45 minutes, they said we would have to split up to sit. Are you serious?!? How incompetent do you have to be not to be able to manage freeing up two adjacent tables? We went next door to a Mexican restaurant instead. On another occasion, they wanted to charge me for extra green chili sauce. Charging for CONDIMENTS? You know an establishment is getting petty and desperate to start charging for condiments. Have to wonder what other short cuts they are taking in the kitchen. Not going back again.

    (1)

  • Sunshine M.

    Everything is great! We ordered 4 different dishes (chicken, Cuban steak etc) it all rocked! And the place is super clean! I really appreciate that! A lot!

    (5)

  • Paul T.

    Never coming back....no communication, lack of service, slow. Food was pretty good, but not worth the long wait.

    (1)

  • Nroop B.

    First try with Peruvian cuisine. And I liked it! Tried just one dish (so little biased towards good review) with yellow creamy dill pepper sauce. It was impressive! Can't recall the name... :-( Tiny place and packed always! Heads up...

    (4)

  • Steph S.

    This is where we go when we want authentic, inexpensive Peruvian food. There's often a bit of a line, and for good reason. Delicious food at reasonable prices. If it gets us to leave DC, it must be good. So far I've had the chaufa and the aji de gallina - both delicious!

    (4)

  • Rachele S.

    Ate a late lunch on a weekday with mom. The space is nicely decorated, with simple decor. We shared the tiradito, papa a la huancaina & a lomo sandwich. The first to were delicious. The tiradito tasted fresh and the papa was great. The sandwich was OK. I would not order again. I wished I would have ordered the aji de pollo - our neighboring table had it and it looked fantastic, my stomach growls just thinking of it. I was surprised that the restaurant began to get busy around 3:30. The desserts on display looked great. I will make sure to visit La Limena again and try more items on the menu.

    (4)

  • Sandy Y.

    This is by far, one of the best Peruvian restaurant I have tried. Every dish we ordered was marvelously delicious and made to near perfection. The service was great too. Since it was my first time at the restaurant, the waiter brought dessert as a welcoming dish. Loved it!

    (4)

  • Eileen K.

    Not really sure why La Limena is rated as high as it is on Yelp. We Went there this evening with a group & tried a variety of the dishes. The beverage was the best part of the meal. That and the white sauce served with the chicken. That's sad. The roasted chicken itself was dry, stringy, overcooked & tasteless. Both the tamale and empanada appetizers were cold & needed to be sent back & reheated. Prices were much higher than expected. El Mariachi which is right next door is a much better choice for a meal. That place has never disappointed and we keep going back. We won't be back to La Limena again because there are too many other great spots in MoCo.

    (1)

  • Irene F.

    My peruvian friend prefers this to La Canela. She always gets Inca Cola and Lomo Saltado. ALWAYS. I always get Tallarin Verde- which is yummy (but I think its better at La Canela) but its several dollars cheaper here. Anyway, good place to get a quick fix. La Canela is better for a date, this place is better for the every day.

    (4)

  • Chris D.

    It was ok; they were packed with tons of large parties.

    (3)

  • Nai L.

    I really like the food here. Everything is so good. The service is very friendly and helpful. They are quite flexible with their menu and always allow you to make substitutions in regards to side dishes like beans, plantains, yuca, rice, and etc. The beef dish I got (ropa something...) was so good.

    (5)

  • Mariano L.

    Best aji de gallina, ceviche and pisco sour in DC area

    (4)

  • C L.

    Good food, lots of flavor, excellent mojito, great service - deserves all 4 stars. Must order: Ropa vieja

    (4)

  • Delaware F.

    This time had half a roast chicken with sides of yucca, rice, and beans. Very fine, on par with the roast chicken from similar places. Also had the mixed cerviche. I think it's been long enough since I've had cerviche that I might not be able to competently compare la limena's cerviche, but it struck us as kind of one note and overpoweringly acidic. It was hard to taste the seafood.

    (5)

  • Bailey L.

    There's a reason that this place is a Washington Post Editors Pick. It is very, very good. I stick with the basics like Ceviche, Lomo Saltado and the Pollo a la Brasa. Service is excellent although you can feel rushed at times as they're looking to turn tables due to the line of people waiting to be seated.

    (4)

  • Anna P.

    This restaurant came recommended by a Peruvian and it was just as wonderful as they said it was. Its a sit down restaurant- different from the other Peruvian chicken places in the area. We came here with my in-laws and started the evening with a round of Pisco Sours. You have to try them- they are very refreshing. We ended up ordering several of the appetizers to make it a sort of tapas type night. Everything was to die for. Each appetizer outdid the other. I should also mention that the waitress was very helpful in making recommendations.

    (5)

  • fp c.

    Was running late for lunch in the middle of the week. I had wanted to try this place but worried that they might not be open for lunch at 2:30 in the afternoon. Apparently I am the only person in Rockville not eating lunch regularly at 2:30. We were lucky to snag a table for two, as no others were available and it did not look like anyone there would be leaving soon. At least a few tables had regulars who ordered with out menus and chatted with the staff. Ceviche and empanadas were very good. Cuban sandwich was fab (menu is half Cuban). Not very generous portions for the price, but quality trumps quantity. The absolute best: THE PISCO SOURS. I will definitely be back for more of those!

    (4)

  • Scott S.

    What a gem. I concur about the Ropa Vjela, it was very good. Attentive service from our server Victor, and management. I'd knock off one star for ambiance, but it's consistent with the pricing. Extra credit for the divine Alfajor dessert cookies! flaky shortbread with Dolce de Leche filling...

    (4)

  • Kathleen K.

    Yum. Yum. Yum. Our table ordered both Lomo & pollo Saltado & roasted chicken with rice & the most delicious creamy seafood soup to ever pass my lips. Waitress was very nice & even went out of her way to be sweet to my kids. Purple drink (whatever the heck it is) is delicious & was enjoyed by all. Dessert is next. Still yum! UPDATE: Purple drink is stewed purple corn blended with cinnamon, pineapple, and apple juice. probably something else, but either way, whoda' thunk purple corn?? Delish! Lines were long starting about 7pm Sunday nite. But def worth the wait for this (gasp!) strip-mall gem.

    (5)

  • Bob D.

    Disaster strikes... I know it has happened to all of us. The restaurant meal where nothing works out! My wife and I started with appetizers of empanadas, salad of shrimp, and a tamal (tamale). The empanadas were ok, heated on the outside but cold inside. The tamal was nicely presented but was fridge cold, and had half a bite of the advertised pork and none of the peanuts which would have made it interesting (and why we ordered it). The shrimp was nice but the shrimp were dry/overcooked, and the app is overpriced at $10 for five small shrimp. We split a seafood soup ($16), which had a nice broth but many totally closed mussels, which have us both concerned about whether or not we will be ill later tonight (we left them on the saucer). I will be taking a preemptive Pepto Bismal shot. I had a glass of red wine with dinner... At the bottom of the glass was bigchunk of another glass. Nothing was ingested but... jeez. We pointed out the glass, and later the unopened shellfish. The restaurant did buy us dessert. Unfortunately at that point it did not matter. In closing, I really wanted to love this place but the food was really off. None of the pride that you usually find in a family place. The manager did come by but you got the feel it was Bennigan's style customer service where words dont really mean much. So I have to give it 1 star rating. I hope others fare better. Needless to say we won't be giving La Limema a second chance.

    (1)

  • Sina E.

    La Limena is located in the corner of the shopping center, so don't get alarmed when you see the ihop; I think beside the ihop this shopping center has lots of different ethnic/cultural stores. Anyway, La Limena looks to be family owned/operated. As we walked in, we were greeted, and seated. The waiter was very friendly, maybe too friendly, but I won't penalize for that. The place was very clean, and kept together. I ordered the Ropa Veja and my friend ordered the Lomo Saltado. The Ropa Veja had an appealing appearance, but it was kind of sweet. It wasn't bad, because it was similar to an Iranian dish that I've had, but I guess I expected a little more out of it. I found myself having to code it with lots of hot sauce. My friend liked the Lomo Saltado though. It probably could have used a little more sauce, but was still a good choice. I wasn't blown away, but it was still a good experience. I'd probably be back to try some of the other dishes here.

    (3)

  • Jueli L.

    I've come on several occasions and have never had anything below amazing. Neither have any of my friends who've delighted in the food here. First, order the "purple drink". It is purple in appearance, but it has a light sweet, refreshing taste. I think of summer each time I sip it down. Second, order anything and you will not be disappointed. I've tried their whole chicken, fried rice, steak and noodles, steak with fries, and god knows what else, and they've all been packed with intense flavors and large portion sizes. Third, try their desserts. They have a specialty ice cream made from a Peruvian fruit that is not only unique, but soothing after a meal such as this. You should also try an alfajore if you have an absolute sweet sweet tooth. It is large and packed with sugar. Fourth, you will love the friendliness and helpfulness of the servers. Thank them for their suggestions and their great service. Fifth, come back again and repeat.

    (5)

  • Michael W.

    This is a revision of an old review. The place is kindda hidden. It took me sometime to find it but once you get to the strip mall where it is located (behind Llewellyn Realtors) it is very easy ;-) In a way the place reminds me a lot of the restaurants I used to go in Brazi. In my opinion this restaurant is much better than all the other Latino restaurants in the region. My wife and I go there for lunch often and the place is usually full of couples and families (some with small children). One time we had a stroller and had no problem finding a table that would fit little Sophia. The food is Peruvian/Cuban and is excellent. We have tried all the different Ceviches and they were all delicious. So far, as entree we had shrimp, chicken, fried fish and it was all very good. I highly recommend the passion fruit juice (if you don't mind something sweet) which was very refreshing. The service is very friendly and the lady that owns the place came to our table a couple of times to play with our daughter.

    (4)

  • R H.

    Great food, super friendly service eventhough it is packed and people wait in line for a table. all the waiters, managers and owner come to check on you especially if it's your first time at la limenas. the tables are well cleaned all the time it has a familial ambience with good mood and great food. we had rotisserie chicken with fried plantanes, yucca (like potato fries) and my brother got the slow coocked beef with rice cake. All were super tasty. The beef melts in your mouth and the rice cake had beans in it as well and I find it yummy! they bring you two kinds of peruvian sauces: the green colored one is very good and spicy while the other one is pretty much mayonnaise, not my favorite. but both go very well with the chicken... we tried their lucuma ice cream wich is an exotic fruit that has some coffee flavor or praline it is absolutely fantastic especially with the little cookies they bring you with the check. Before we left we noticed they had something called inka cola, which is funny. i'm definitely trying it next time. It is nice to have in the dc area a place that has courteous humble staff, great food and ambience for a change! plus it is not too pricy. will definitely come back!

    (5)

  • Phoebe D.

    Hands down the most excellent Peruvian food in all of Montgomery County. I can't even think of anything wrong with the place. I've been going here since way back when they still served everything on styrofoam plates and had plastic utensils, up until now, with the fancy table decor and nice china. La Limena's food is top notch; it's no wonder that the little restaurant is normally quite busy. The ceviche, the tamales, the chupe de camarones (I find myself craving this soup frequently), the camarones al ajillo, their fish entrees... I honestly cannot find anything wrong with this place. Excellent service and excellent food.

    (5)

  • Angela C.

    Writing this review based on my limited Peruvian dining experience. My boyfriend and I were actually going to Pho 95 on a Saturday for lunch and saw the line for La Limena was out the door! Is this a Rockville secret that I don't know about?! We decided to try it and waited in line for about half an hour. Everyone's food looked delicious but I really had no idea what to order. We played it safe and got Peruvian chicken. Meat was so moist and delicious. With the two sides, I was stuffed. Now that I've got some rec's from fellow yelpers, I'm definitely coming back and trying other dishes.

    (4)

  • Mark N.

    Great Peruvian and Cuban (a combination I had not seen) place in a random strip mall which is actually quite cool because it is host to a wide variety of international restaurants and stores. We came for Sunday lunch , I went with two non-Spanish speaking Russian friends, the place was very busy so we had to wait a bit the waitress and host were very cordial. Feels a bit fancy for a strip mall place. Ceviche was awesome. Rotisseries chicken was good, but well it was just chicken, I mean I could make it at home .. I would recommend dishes that allow the distinctively Peruvian cooking style to show itself, like ceviche or papas a la huancaina, which was also quite good. they have some great pastries and desserts.. we didn't try any of the Cuban food.. we were plenty stuffed after eating here.. try the chicha morada (a corn drink), good stuff.. I have been to Ecuador, not Peru, but the cuisines are somewhat similar.. Having tried many Peruvian restaurants all around the US and in Brasil also this one stacks up quite well, a bit of a surprise given the somewhat anonymous suburban strip mall location.. Many customers looked like they might be Peruvian and were coming here dressed up from church, a positive sign that so many Peruvians choose to dine here..

    (4)

  • Tina L.

    Always amazing food and great service. I'm not an expert on Peruvian food but I'm told that the ceviche is completely authentic. It's my favorite dish there. The serving size still amazes me, even for my husband. You can definitely share the dishes and come away stuffed and satisfied. This was an awesome find in Rockville.

    (5)

  • Miriam M.

    I don't like the food. I had an allergic reaction to the limena salad. What the hell? How does one have an allergic reaction to that? The service was good, but the owner is the biggest and most fake b***** you will ever meet. I don't understand how her employees stick around. I feel bad for them.

    (1)

  • Eric B.

    You can find great Latin food in Rockville these days. I really like this place. Reliable, unpretentious, great food. And the owner was so nice. Service was good. We had a great app. Can't remember what it was called, but it was like a bit of ropa vieja in a shell of tostones. I had one of the flank steak entrees and it was delicious. My wife had the paella, but thought it was not as good as the paella she had in Spain for four years. I would have never guessed. Anyway, we liked the place. Haven't had the chicken, but I'd probly go to La Brasa. Casual, kid-friendly, and yummy.

    (4)

  • Caroline G.

    Decided to visit La Limeña, the place is OKAY. In my opinion, you can fresher, hotter and tastier Peruvian-style chicken from Crisp & Juicy, and pay less $$. For our table, service was very slow, it took almost 40 minutes just to receive our chicken. Unless they were out back killing the chicken, roasting it and then plating it, I don't understand why it took so long. However, I will say that the ceviche here is very fresh, delicious and I highly recommend this dish.

    (3)

  • Ajay A.

    I have been here twice for lunch in the past couple of months, and have not been disappointed. The first time was with a group of co-workers (7 of us), the second time just two of us. The service was prompt and friendly, and the food good. The ceviche is a must-have!

    (4)

  • M D.

    I was here for something you can't find just anywhere--anticuchos. Anticuchos are brochettes of marinated cow hearts, skewered and grilled. Anticuchos were a popular food during Inca times, but when the Spaniards came, they deemed offal to be fit only for their slaves. Then those snooty conquistadors tried them, and decided that anticuchos were in fact, pretty damn good. Today, anticuchos are a popular street food in Peru and Bolivia. Sometimes you'll find an Americanized version made with non-organ meat. Yeah, it's called a shish kebab. La Limeña's anticuchos are the real thing, and arrive three per skewer, juicy, hot and seared to perfection. Savory, smoky and bold, they're tender like veal, tacky like liver. For dessert, try the lúcuma ice cream. Lúcuma is a round green-yellow fruit found in Peru, referred to as the Gold of the Incas for its bright yellow flesh. The ice cream is visually stunning in a bright butternut squash-orange color. Cold, rich, and creamy, it has a slight starchiness to it. The flavor is hard to pinpoint, though. I would say it's a cross between maple and vanilla--very sweet. (But I like things that way.) It's served with an alfajore, an anise-spiced shortbread cookie with a dark, caramel cream. La Limeña is a casual family restaurant that serves food on Styrofoam plates and doilies, on top of laminated placemats that protect against baby drool, so don't expect ambiance. However, the food more than makes up for it. Generous portions of satisfying comfort food, which, according to those who know, are a little slice of Peru in the nation's capital.

    (3)

  • Adriana L.

    We love La Limena. We are long time customers, from the time they served food with disposable plasticware. Since then they upgraded the ambiance but luckily did not loose any of their great quality food. It's comfort food, home food, delicious food, really. I love their choclo, the seafood ceviche (with no onions if, like me, you dislike raw onions), and of course, their charcoal chicken, which to me is the best one around (plus only $7 bucks for a quarter chicken and two sides). Their salad is also very good, always fresh and tasty. BTW - try the meat empanadas. According to my son, they are the best thing in the world!

    (5)

  • paul l.

    I don't know what the deal is with this place. Why the 5 stars. It isn't THAT great. It's good. but it's not the best ever or anything. and what's with the 5 star ceviche? it's not 5 star... The lomo saltado wasn't anything special either. The best thing by far is the Paella. I don't know. I guess there aren't that many peruvians around these parts. But this place wasn't 5 star. Also... the service pissed me off. I was trying to have an enjoyable dinner with my wife, and every 3 minutes (no joke) a waiter would come by and say "are you finished with that?" I mean FRAK... is there a dish monster in the back that demands constant sacrifices of dishes or goes on a killer rampage? NO I'M NOT DONE... thank you. I know you guys want to go home. BUT LET ME FRAKKIN EAT FIRST! damn. Anyway. this place is no more than a 3. Oh, ambiance is important to me. This place charges a midrange price, but the interior looks like a taqueria. no... nope... not doin' that. So for what you're getting it's kinda a rip off as far as ambiance. But I gotta say, that the paella was a good value. so it even's out. i mean, where else are you going to get paella for under 20 bucks?

    (3)

  • Sara L.

    La Limenia is a small, friendly Peruvian restaurant that serves traditional good food with a Cuban twist. The staff is very helpful - always ensuring your glasses are filled and you have everything you need. Our waitress, Elena, was especially sweet and attentive. We shared some appetizers including the Anticuchos (beef hearts) and ceviche de pescado, which were both great. The ceviche was fresh and bright, and anticuchos were nice and flavorful (but a tad overcooked). Their green sauce is delicious and a bit spicy! I got Ossobuco for my main course which was nicely cooked and tender, falling off the bone, and laid in a wonderful rich sauce. It came with an interesting sort of rice/white bean fried "cake" that was a nice starch element for the dish. Finished off the meal with some alfajores and coffee - you HAVE to eat those sweet petite cookies after your meal or you might as well have not come in at all. Overall a great place, hence the long line I walked past as I was exiting. Buen trabajo La Limenia!

    (4)

  • Silvia A.

    I would give it 3.5 stars but it wont let me. Let me start by saying that it has a nice ambiance and very courteous staff, but the Aji de Gallina was very bland and the rice was pretty dry, the ceviche was ok not great, the wait was good for a sit down restaurant but also wasn't full, i would give it another chance just cuz the staff were so nice.

    (3)

  • Tu-van L.

    Food is the same though may be a teeny bit pricier. The big thing is they changed the format of this restaurant. Now it's a full sit-down restaurant with cloth napkins, silverware and full wait service.

    (4)

  • Christie W.

    My friend has been begging me to come to lunch here with her to try out the ceviche, and I wish I hadn't waited so long.......... The ceviche is amazing! The fish was fresh, and had a nice texture. The marinade is mouth watering. Its the perfect combination of salty, sour, spicy, tangy!! It awakens all of your taste buds in a good way! In fact its so good my friend and I contemplated licking our plates, thankfully we managed to refrain. It comes with sweet potato, red onion, and toasted corn kernels. The red onion really adds to the flavor of the fish, and the toasted corn gives it a nice crunch. All of the flavors blend magically together to create the perfect dish. The staff is friendly and polite. The atmosphere is casual. The place is very clean which is another plus! This is definitely a nice little place tucked away and I am glad I gave it a try. I can't wait until I can go back for more ceviche! Yum!

    (5)

  • Cynthia L.

    Since the last time, the quality of food has gone down tremendously. Nicer tableware, place settings, and ambiance, but food portions are smaller and costlier....I don't even know if that's a word. No more complimentary cookies at the end of your meal (they are really good btw). The waiters also seem more comfortable, so less of a hurry to get food to tables. It's more of a commercial feel and less of a home-y that it once had. Food is still relatively consistent with what they used to serve, but again, just smaller in portion.

    (3)

  • Ani P.

    **3.25 Stars** This is more of a sit-down, yet not exactly fancy schmancy, Peruvian restaurant. I'm really struggling on how to rate this place. Rockville, MD is kinda far! I mean, the food was good, but would I revisit La Limena? Would I take out of town guests to La Limena? I don't think so, but I still liked it. La Limena f8ked with my head. The paella was yummy and a good value. Not exactly what I think of as paella. But tasty and fresh. The lomo saltado wasn't mindblowing. I expected it to be. It was just strips of beef with french fries. We had lúcuma mousse -- the flavor was sweet and for some reason reminded me a bit of orange blossom (maybe more maple-y). It was cold, creamy and bursting with flavor. I feel very confused. Anyhow, check this place out if you're in the hood.

    (3)

  • ASW A.

    I Stopped in to avoid rush hour traffic and I had the best rush hour experience. the service is warm and the food was tasty very tasty, surprising sauces spices that I have not had before. The high-quality tender beef and meat is remarkable. The price is right, although this restaurant to charge a lot more money and be well worth it

    (5)

  • Shelby H.

    This was recommended by friends, and what a great find! Growing up in Miami, I was immersed in Cuban and other Latin American cuisine; I was thoroughly impressed with La Limena. In fact, even though Peruvian is their mainstay, I have to say the ropa vieja was better here than at Cuban Corner down the pike -- very rich. The ceviche thrilled my wife and I as a perfect middle ground between the traditional tang of limey ceviche and the more subtle, sweet ceviche of Costa Rica. And dessert, holy crap, some angelic mousse of a fruit we can't pronounce in flaky pastry, awesome. Ask the waiter for suggestions and be adventurous.

    (5)

  • Debbie S.

    In searching for a Peruvian restaurant in the area, I stumbled on La Limena on Yelp. How I did not know of this restaurant, I have no idea as I have lived nearby for 15 years or so! My husband and I tried this restaurant on a Saturday evening. We got there pretty early for dinner (5pm or so) and it was already pretty busy, which I found to be a good sign! The food did not disappoint. The rotisserie chicken was amazing. I had a shrimp dish with a cream sauce, and it was delicious. The portions were just right, too! We will be back!

    (4)

  • David B.

    My wife and I have been going here for some time. They used to use paper plates and plastic utensils, but now have nice dishes, etc. First the food. The food is just wonderful. The fish is the best. Each and every plate is a masterpiece from the Kitchen. Second is the employees. The employees are so nice and professional. Finally, the facility. Don't be fooled by the strip-mall location, this place is clean and big inside. There is plenty of free parking. They even have whole Chickens you can take out that are the best in Maryland. This place is the BEST KEPT SECRET IN ROCKVILLE.

    (5)

  • Alicia H.

    I have been to this restaurant many times. This review stands for everytime I've gone. The food is always delicious. The Lomo Saltado, AMAZING. The service is always great. Inviting and friendly staff. A small, but cozy environment. Definitely one of my favorites in the area.

    (5)

  • Tathi D.

    Great Peruvian food. Being a Peruvian, this is our choice when we want a taste from home. You can't go wrong with the Lomo Saltado o Tallarines Verdes con Bisteck Apanado. Every Thursday they also offer "Picarones", a light and crispy doughnut-like fried treat, served with chancaca syrup...a very yummy dessert!!!

    (4)

  • Reggie N.

    I went here after reading such good reviews on yelp. Hate to say this (as it's a small place and I wish them well)...but it's not that great. I went for lunch and they had 2 specials: some sort of soup and tripe (cow stomach)...everything else on the menu was about $12-15 bucks not exactly appealing to the lunch crowd. Ended up ordering cuban sandwiches--meh. Cuban Corner down the street is better for that. The service was good. Decent decor for something in a stripmall (it's next to El Mariachi btw). I'll go again for dinner one day and will update the rating. As far as lunch--definite no.

    (3)

  • Estela D.

    I really enjoy their lomo saltado although sometimes the meat has no flavor. I am rating the restaurant a 3 because of a few bad experiences I have had while dining there. The first time the owner asked me to move from my table so she could sit a larger party. So I said no problem. The second time I went during lunch time and the service was slow. The waiter took my order and it took him 15m to bring my drink. I kept seeing him bringing out food for those who arrived after I did. So I waited another 15m until I finally asked for the ceviche appetizer. The waiter said it should be out soon. I waited another 15m and I still had no food, but he kept serving people who arrived after I did. Finally I decided to leave and the waiter seemed pissed off. I told the owner and she apologized but that didn't fix anything for me. So since then I haven't return.

    (3)

  • Ben P.

    This was a great treat that is tucked away at the end of a shopping center. I went there for a family birthday dinner and everyone was able to find something unique for themselves on the menu. I ordered a chicken dish and sampled some of all the other meals. Everything that I tried was savory and delicious. The entrees came out quickly and the wait staff was prompt and attentive. The restaurant was filled for the dinner rush, but it was quiet enough that I could carry on a conversation with my family member's at the other end of the extended table. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys authentic South American dishes.

    (4)

  • Rebecca N.

    Delicious food for reasonable prices! I loved the ceviche de pescado- it was the best ceviche I've tried yet! Not too over powering with citrus, just right. Also, the tostones with beef were delicious. I liked the flavor of the pulled beef in the shell of plantain. After reading other reviews, I saved room for dessert! The lucuma ice cream was tasty, along with the guava pastry. I liked the sweet flavor of guava in a pastry, something I hadn't tried before. I also bought some of the little caramel sandwich cookies para llevar. Very tasty as well with the creamy center :) Overall this place was great! Good service, good prices and yummy food!

    (4)

  • Pete D.

    Haven't had a chance to write an update about this hidden place, so here it goes. Since my last review, we've visited this place a handful of times and we finally got to sit down and eat. The wife and I are fans here because of their food and value. Recently, I ordered something that wasn't on the menu, which was their seafood paella. Honestly, I only had paella a few times in my life, but this one to me was pretty darn good. Tons of seafood, from tender/moist squid (which I was shocked it wasn't overcooked like most spots), bay scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels, and chunks of fish fillets. The rice was tender and cooked just right, not underdone where it left hard pieces in your teeth. It was well presented and I couldn't really ask for a better dish. It's a lot of food, so you might want to share it, unless you're really hungry and selfish. I started off with their anticuchos skewers, beef hearts. These were delicious here. Very well marinated and grilled just right. When I took the first cut with my plastic knife (wish they just went with real utensils, but oh well), the goodness juice was oozing out. A bite of this and a fork tip of their sarsa criolla is awesome. I recommend this, and again, you get a total of six pieces and they're pretty large cuts. Another few items I wanted to bring up was the lomo saltado . Beef strips, tossed with red onions, peppers, and best of all, french fries. This is all served with their wonderful garlic rice. When in doubt, I go with this dish, so if it's your first time here, I recommend this one. Wifey went with the breaded steak which was pretty tender. Seems like they beat the heck out of the meat, but all worth it. We've also had the pork and pollo chicharrones. This is kind of dry, but I've got hit or miss with the pork, as some pieces had nice chunks of fat in it. The chicken was a tad on the salty side. Their empenadas are decent, not the best I've had. A great cheap eats spots if you're in the Rockville area. It gets pretty crowded their on weekends, for dinner. On Sundays they have other special items. The owner is very friendly and gets creative with her specials. Make sure the servers go over their specials of the day, since they tend to change daily.

    (4)

  • Adam F.

    Unfortunately DC area has disappointed me yet again with its mere lack of quality ethnic foods. Arroz con mariscos (paella) was a-okay. Some of the rice was burnt, and much of the seafood had little flavor. Nothing was bad, just certainly didn't excite my palate or catch my eye in any other aspect. Also a far trek from the city if you're not driving (like myself).

    (3)

  • Karen H.

    Went here last night at 6:00 pm for dinner. The service was terrible. They took a really long time to take our order and bring water to the table. Long after we ordered our meals I realized that they had forgotten us. Our meals had been sitting in the kitchen getting cold until I asked for why we hadn't been served. No apologies, no refilling of the sauces that we had run out of, no refilling of our waters. I won't be back.

    (1)

  • Melissa K.

    I was craving some Peruvian food because I haven't had it in so long. I also noticed that they also had some Cuban items on the menu....so I was totally down to go here. I tried the bisteak encebollado. The steak was tender with the right amount of onions, green peppers and tomatoes on top. My side items were black beans and rice and they were perfectly cooked. I'm greedy and ended up getting a side order of fries to start. Even the fries were excellent hot and crispy. If you're in Rockville this place is a must try! It's hidden in a strip mall where an IHOP is located.

    (4)

  • Hung L.

    Beef heart is a must try.

    (4)

  • Gabi L.

    This is another hot spot my best friend and I hit up. The ceviche IS BOMB.COM! There is always a long wait for a table, but i'm telling you--IT'S WORTH IT. I have yet to see or smell any bad plates from other tables. I can't wait to go back and try their pollo and soups!

    (5)

  • Chris N.

    Ceviche kicks ass and so does the Ropa Vieja. Probably one of the better restaurants in all of Rockville if you enjoy home-made cuisine and good value.

    (5)

  • Miryan M.

    I discovered this place a couple of years back when I started working in Rockville. I myself am Peruvian and I find the food here to be very good. My absolute favorite dish is the Ceviche and I seem to get it every time I go. I love their daily lunch special which give you a lot of variety to choose from everyday. The service is Ok but the food makes up for it. The staff is primarily Spanish speaking but they are overall friendly. On one occasion when I went the Ceviche was a bit on the salty side but they quickly gave me another plate no charge and added a dessert for the table. The atmosphere is casual and can be kid friendly.

    (4)

  • N. J.

    As others before have said on this site, the food is very flavorful, very good. I have been coming here for a few years now. And, since I've been coming here, the experience has been getting worse and worse. I have a couple of serious complaints about this place. My favorite dish here is the Ropa Vieja - a great dish. However, La Limena changed the presentation on this dish a while ago. And, sadly, to say, it was a TERRIBLE idea. Seems like someone thought they should fancy it up and serve the dish in a "fried plantain basket" rather than just serving it simply (rice, ropa vieja, fried/sauteed plantains on a plate WITHOUT THE BASKET MADE OUT OF FRIED PLANTAINS). For some of us, fried plantains are THE BEST PART of this dish! Taking that away seriously compromised the quality of this dish, in my humble opinion. I called to place my order to go, and the server who answered the phone rudely hung up on me because I asked her if they could just serve the plantains fried/sauteed (not as a basket). Even after I called right back and reexplained my order, she still got my order wrong. So after I got there, I had to wait another ten minutes while they corrected their mistake. My other complaint is that the staff don't have the best English-speaking/listening skills. So, just warning you. If you try to place an order over the phone, and they don't understand you, they may just hang up on you like they did me. I didn't appreciate it, rude server at La Limena. I'm seriously thinking about not patronizing this business anymore. Plenty of other places to spend my hard-earned money!

    (2)

  • Ramon N.

    Today was my first dinner at La Limena. I was blown away by the freshness ad quality of the food and The Pisco sours were awesome. Most importantly, the service was spot on! Friendly, sincere, efficient and engaging. I wish I could say the same about many other high end restaurants that I normally visit. A Peruvian friend recommended La Limena and he was right. I not only highly recommend it, but will become a regular with may family and friends!

    (5)

  • Homer J.

    What a delightful place this turned out to be. They offer a mix of Peruvian and Cuban flavors in their dish and the decor was just as elegant. It's hidden in the corner of Ritchie plaza right across from India Grill. We got the seafood paella, seafood cerviche, and the peruvian chicken. The layout and presentation itself was wonderful, they could've added some tomatoes to give it more color but what do I know. I did visit Peru a year ago and I remember the cerviche having a much more bold flavor. The Peruvian chicken.. I would recommend not getting here. There was very little of the cumin flavor that separates the slow roasted peruvian chicken from any other Chicken Out joint. The Crisp and Juicy close by or Sardis is by far much more succulent. Great environment but when it comes to bringing the best from Peru, it's aiiight.

    (3)

  • Camilo D.

    The food is ok but the waiters are not friendly it all and keep forgetting what you asking for.

    (2)

  • Geoff C.

    Very good! Less formal and cost than La Canela, which is also very good. Friendly staff. I'll be back.

    (4)

  • Pedro i.

    The 2 stars are not based on the food (it is actually very good) but on the baaadd service we got on a Sunday when my friends and I went there. Sunday was busy, so we had to wait for about 20 minutes to have lunch (which is fine) but once we got seated, we felt we were being hurried up because there were more diners waiting in line too. I work in the hospitality industry, and I knew there was not enough staff that day. Servers seemed not to being able to do their work due to the high # of diners coming in. The first time I came here everything was wonderful, and my server was the best I have ever encountered in so many years of dinning out. But I think that if they want to keep their business up or expand they have to focus more on hospitality skills. There was s supervisor (or owner) that was very unpolite. This guy was going across a server when he was trying to take a picture of us. I was like WTF!#. Our server got mad when we asked him if could split the check in different amounts based on what each couple ate. I could not believe it! The server seemed to be on the end of his shift, 'cause he looked very unwary of us. I will be coming back, but not anymore on a weekend. Update: After i came back 3 months later, Went there on a weekday, everything seemed better, quieter and better service, I updated my rating but kept 1 star for lack of better decor.

    (4)

  • Felix C.

    This is my favorite Peruvian restaurant by far!!! The food is just cooked perfectly. Peruvian food is all about the seasoning and La Limena has somehow gotten a hold of my mom's seasoning. Everything here reminds me of home and I had never found that in a Peruvian restaurant before. To start try the anticuchos or the papa a la huancayina, they are off the chain!!! The shrimp bisque is also pretty awesome, especially if you like your bisque a little on the spicy side! If you want to be hardcore go for the ceviche, oh man it is so good!!! For the main course you can't go wrong with the Peruvian chicken rotisserie option but get the Lomo Saltado that so many here review, it is simply delicious! Today I had the special which was the Seco de Res, WOW!!! Get it with the Chica, which is a Peruvian drink made from dried purple corn. So sweet so good, it is definitely the drink of the Incan gods!!! They now also have the Peruvian breakfast option on weekends, this isn't done anywhere that I have seen in this area. Fried sweet potatoes, chicharron, cafe con leche, tamal, hot crusty bread, YIKES this place is out of control!!! I spoke with the owner today and she tells me that the plasticware is out in 10 days and that she is going to be expanding the menu, I am truly excited!!! I live in the Virginia side and this place is definitely worth the drive!!! Make sure you end your meal with some Lucuma ice cream, another Peruvian specialty done well here!!! Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Patrick H.

    Just a quick update, we were in last night and had a chance to speak with Senora Amy, the owner. A new menu will debut in a couple of weeks, and La Limena is approved for a liquor license. Additionally, the plastic plates are going away soon. They've purchased a dishwasher so china, glass and silverware will be added, as well. On a side note, at the owners suggestion, we tried the Pastelitos de Gauyaba (Guava Turnovers) and her homemade lucuma ice cream. Lucuma is a fruit only available in Peru. I have no idea what it is, but the ice cream was incredible and reminded me of pumpkin pie.

    (5)

  • G M.

    Great food and reasonable prices. I ordered the lomo saltado and it was just about perfect. The restaurant had a quiet, laid back atmosphere and the service was quick. I'd definitely recommend it.

    (4)

  • Melissa Y.

    My east coast peeps took us to this seriously family friendly Peruvian food in Rockville. They also have some Cuban food on the menu but I recommend sticking with the Peruvian dishes. I ordered the pollo saltado and really enjoyed the mix of chicken, fresh veggies, and french fries. The rice was a bit al dente but for a dish that has french fries built into it, the rice is sort of starch overkill. Speaking of starch overkill... One of my dinner PIC's ordered the rotisserie chicken with sides of fried yucca and french fries. Dipped in the huaciana (sp?) sauce, this was just pure heaven. The chicken was really good too. I tried their palomilla (cuban steak and onions) and it was good, but not authentic cuban style. The maduros (sweet plantains), however, were spot on. Despite the environmental problems, I really didn't mind the plastic plates. Only minus was that they didn't have a baby changing station in the bathroom and we were visiting people with a diaper-clad baby so they had to change her in the car.

    (4)

  • Vanessa P.

    Food is delish! I had the Lomo Saltado - it was probably the best I've had so far. The meat is tender. The actual setting is not fancy or anything, but if what you look for is quality peruvian food, I definitely recommend this little gem.

    (4)

  • Irina K.

    It's got unique dishes and a pleasant ambiance, but I can't say the food was all that delicious. It was A-OK, indeed.

    (3)

  • Laura C.

    Great peruvian food

    (5)

  • T N.

    Had the fried yucca and the ice cream. Both the items were good. The most impressive aspect was the service. Our server was really helpful and brought samples and advised on what to avoid if you are naive at Peruvian cuisine.

    (4)

  • Floyd P.

    Peruvian beef stroganoff for a lunch special was delicious. Included was a portion of rice, a scoop of mashed potatoes and a cup of tasty chicken soup. Though not such a deal at $9.50 for lunch and no non starch veggie available. At dinner the spaghetti & beef dinner was excellent and plenty to eat. Several other dishes were well made and delicious even if not as satisfying for my pals. (Honestly we avoid French restaurants because after dinner we don't want to be hungry.) But usually any Latin/Spanish serves meals that do not send you home scrounging for snacks. The Peruvian chicken is very good as is typical of this type of restaurant. The atmosphere here is warm, simple and fresh. The staff and management is much warmer, caring and friendly than any of this type of restaurant I have been to. Wow-- the powdered sugar coated cookies -2 sizes-filled like Oreos with creme de leche. And try the empanadas they are tasty.

    (4)

  • Gerardo L.

    I love, love this place! I came here tonight with my family for dinner and had the Seco de Cordero and ceviche, soooo yummy! Also had the homemade lucuma ice cream, which is to die for! I can't wait to go back again next weekend, wish this place had a location in California, where I am from!

    (5)

  • Ranjini I.

    Great Peruvian restaurant hidden in Rockville. The food was really good. The Mixed Ceviche is delicious! The seafood tasted fresh and the presentation was very nice. I had one of their pork appetizers for my meal (it was a meal sized app) but this was just ok. I can't remember the name of the dish but is was fried cubed pork with yucca fries on the side. The pork was a bit too fried and some pieces were quite crispy (I couldn't stab it with the fork). But the flavor was excellent. I tried a grilled chicken dish someone else at the table ordered and that was very tasty. It looked like deboned half a chicken, seasoned beautifully and grilled. The meat was quite moist. Definitely try the Peruvian juice drink (sorry can't remember the name, but it's a deep purple color). The staff is great and the prices are reasonable. I will definitely be going back here.

    (4)

  • Lisa P.

    I have only been here a few times but I love their lomo saltado!!

    (4)

  • sarah s.

    Really closer to 3 1/2 stars, but I'll give it 4. This place is definitely above average, but it didn't knock my socks off. I had the tostones for an app (those were great!) and then the pollo saltado, hubby had the lomo saltado. The flavors were great, but they need more sauce- some of my chicken pieces had almost no sauce on them. If this place was in my 'hood, I'd definitely be going back. But, since it's all the way up in Rockville, it'd have to be a lomo saltado emergency craving for me to drive back up there. Check it out if it's in your neck of the woods!

    (4)

  • Paola L.

    Great Peruvian food. Have not found better South American food in the area. I have been at this place a few times and I always find friendly service even when they are super busy. Expect a little wait during the weekend evenings but it will be worth your while. I highly recommend the tiradito: thinly cut fish pieces marinated in a citrus sauce. I also like the ceviche and stuffed potato. The lomo saltado and beef fried rice are my favorite main courses. For dessert, I never miss the lucuma ice cream (flavor you will never forget) and flan. I take the alfajores to go and share with coworkers.

    (5)

  • Justin G.

    I'm afraid I had a terrible experience with this restaurant last night. I ordered the chicken and egg dish, I think it was called aji di gallina, and got horrible food poisoning. I was up and nauseous all night and have been out of commission today. My wife had one bite and got similarly sick, though less acute.

    (1)

  • Ashley K.

    La Limena offers delicious food (I especially recommend the chicken and, of course, the ceviche), the sauvignon blanc is pretty good for the price, and the service is very attentive and friendly. The plates and utensils are plastic, but the food is of the highest quality :-) It is, by far, the best Peruvian cuisine I have ever tried.

    (5)

  • PIstachio B.

    Ropa Vieja is my favorite here! Tostones are delicious too. I can't remember the name of the ice cream they serve here, but I haven't found it anywhere else and I recommend that too. Another plus is the service--they are friendly and helpful. The only downsides: The food here can be salty at times and the time I ordered the paella, the shrimp wasn't marinated quite right to get that seafood-y taste out.

    (3)

  • A A.

    I've been here once and ordered a skirt steak with white wine and onions. The flavor of the steak was good since the seasonings are very ethnic, however the quality of the actual steak could improve a little, hence why I gave them 4/5 stars. You must order FLAN for dessert. Best Flan i've had in awhile. The people working are very friendly and eager to help or answer any questions. Overall the food seems to be very authentic to Peruvian and Cuban cusine.

    (4)

  • Ana B.

    By far the best Peruvian restaurant in DC metro area, food is fresh, tasty and just plain delicious! I guess the owner felt the pressure to upgrade paper plates/cups to formal dishes, so the prices were a bit up, and the portions down, but the quality and taste of the food remain up high! Some of my favorite dishes are fried trout with garlic, lomo saltado, the green spaghettis, the shrimp soup, paella is to die for, overall, the only reason I don't visit La Limena more often is b/c my trainer forbids me to do so, but like I said b/4 I have never order something I didn't love, their tostones, ceviche, stuffed potato, yucca frita with the green/white sauce scrumptious! Please don't forget to leave room for dessert and order the pastelitos de guayaba, you'll thank me for it! Although I'm not Peruvian but I have visited the best of the best in Lima Peru in more than one occasion, and I have driven to Virginia, DC and Maryland looking, searching for good Peruvian, I can freely say that, La Limena is the best of the best! Warning: finding a parking space is not always easy, but be patient is well worth it!

    (5)

  • Tuan T.

    Our 18-day vacation in Peru opened our eyes to the variety of Peruvian cuisine making it one of our favorites. It is so much more than ceviche and rotisserie chicken. The influences are vast: not just Incan and Spanish, but also African, Moorish, Japanese and Chinese--making it a true melting pot. Unfortunately, La Limena is only one restaurant so their scope has to be narrower, but what they do serve is first rate. We have been there several times, trying out many dishes and we have never been disappointed. Below are some of the highlights: You must try the anticuchos made from beef hearts, even if you don't like organ meat. Marinated and grilled, the morsels are surprisingly tender and tasty. I wish they also had it as a main course. The tiradito (thin slices of raw white fish) is exceptional. For dessert, we love both the lucuma and passion fruit mousse. The only room for improvement is the music. Although the volume is properly low, they play the most dreadful selection of elevator music. Peru has a rich tradition of music, it shouldn't be hard to find something suitable. But back to the food. The menu is varied, delicious and reasonably priced too. Visit soon and return often. Buen provecho.

    (5)

  • Peter W.

    Sunday night dinner and the place was packed. The food was plentiful and good, but not memorable. The price was very reasonable. As others have said, everyone who worked there was welcoming and friendly, but, as others have also said, it took too long to get more water and more of the sauces. And, while not offensively noisy, it was too loud for four of us to have much of a conversation. Bottom line: I wouldn't go out of my way to go here, but, if I were in the neighborhood on a weekday night ....

    (3)

  • Henry W.

    great food and service, really big portions!!!

    (5)

  • Carolyn H.

    Thanks to prior reviewers, I tried and loved the ropa vieja (in plaintain shells), the guava pastry, and lucuma ice cream. What a culinary treat! The tenderness and savoriness of the beef in the ropa vieja provided a nice contrast to the crunchy, nutty flavor of the plaintain shells. The guava oozed out of a flaky, delicate shell. The lucuma ice cream had the texture of Persian ice cream (rich, creamy), with a flavor that I could not quite place (and I agree, it was similar to pumpkin puree). I also had an amazing fruit drink - I believe was fresh-squeezed passion fruit juice (maracuya). Yum. My guy had a chicken dish with fried yucca. I can't remember the name of the dish, but it was bone-in pieces of chicken that were perfectly cooked, with a crispy honey glaze that had hints of ginger. The yucca was perfectly cooked, crispy and substantial. My only disappointment was the fried sweet potatoes. They looked like they would be crispy, but they were soggy. I'm not quite sure what happened, since they definitely had been freshly fried. Perhaps that is how they are meant to be, but I had expected them to be crispy like the yucca wedges. I probably won't order the sweet potatoes again, but I definitely will be back to La Limena. It is wonderful.

    (5)

  • Sarah K.

    So so good! Terrific food at reasonable prices. And absolutely stellar service. If I could give this 4.5 stars instead, I would. I'd never had Peruvian food but we met up with friends who'd been to Peru and to this restaurant. What a treat!! I had the flank steak shredded in a wine sauce with plaintains. Mmmn.

    (4)

  • Jim K.

    Delicious! Food was very fresh and tasty, purple drink was a new taste for me, made of purple corn, apple, pineapple, cinnamon!

    (5)

  • Mike L.

    Growing up in Peru, the culinary capital of the Americas, I was delighted to find excellent, authentic Peruvian food near my home. The food is well presented, delicious and fresh. The flavors are original and compares to the best restaurants in Lima. The service is great and the ambience is just authentic. I can eat at this place every weekend. No need to try other places. The usually have specials with original dishes from Peru. I love it!!!!!

    (5)

  • Daniel C.

    I have been coming to La Limena for almost four years, and every time the food and the service have proven to be phenomenal! Having tried authentic Peruvian food this is certainly one of the best I have ever had. I generally always go for the Lomo Saltado - what can I say creature of habit. Although their rotisserie chicken is also great. They also offer Cuban cuisine - being from Miami, this is pretty good - however, for Peruvian food this tops my list.

    (5)

  • Frank W.

    Food and service are great here but it has the charm of a (clean) fast food place + features plastic dishes. Never the less the food makes you forget the fast food / plastic approach. We had the Ceviche, Cuban style plantains, grilled trout and a flan for dessert. All the food was very tasty, of great quality + quantity.

    (4)

  • D. L.

    One of the worst restaurant experiences I've ever had. I ducked-in for a quick lunch on a rainy weekday afternoon. Shortly after I placed my order, I noticed that the the noise level was atrocious. Maybe this was due to a combination of my seat in the corner of the room and a table extending the length of the front of the room full of school children and their teachers, and perhaps not typical? It didn't help, though, that the restaurant was obviously too understaffed to have accepted such a large group. I had to sit and sit and sit before my order came. Unfortunately, my lunch did not make up for the unpleasant ambiance. My chicken dish was so salty that it must have been beyond unhealthy to eat. Finished, I waited and waited for the waitress, then the bill, then the return of my credit card (I'm simplifying here, there was more to getting out than this). I so wished I had gone home for lunch! On my way out, I reminded myself to be careful not to slip on the slick, wet floor.

    (1)

  • Phil F.

    Some of the best Peruvian food I have ever eaten. The Lomo Saltado is incredible, the Bistec al Pobre is amazing, great Pisco Sours to drink - what else can I say - oh yeah - all at a great value. Your tastebuds will thank you. For Quality and Value - I give it 5 stars!!!

    (5)

  • Steve G.

    Good things can come on a plastic plate and be carried from plate to mouth with plastic cutlery----when dining at La Limena (tilde removed for your safety). This place lives in a non-descript strip mall, has a non-descript front facing, but that's where the boring ends. The menu contains some staple south american dishes: lomo saltado and pollo saltado. But, after that, things get creative. I had a delightfully seasoned thin steak cooked with onion hunks, tomatoes and red pepper; a colleague had thin steak with a light batter coating, served with pesto pasta! Definitely a departure from the usual tex-mex food that is nearly as plentiful in DC as Starbucks and dry cleaners. The "Piece de I-can't-Resistance" are the fried Yucca, which can be substituted for honkey fries. Incredible! More flavor than a french fry with a unique texture. Add to all the culinary delights: good service. And, we were a party of 12! They also have great "cookies" for dessert that are not to be missed.

    (4)

  • Ellen L.

    We went for lunch on Saturday and were very, very pleased with the food, presentation, the size of each serving and the service. We ordered several starters to share instead of two main dishes. The papas a la huancaina were very good, generously sauced and nicely presented. The sauce has a little heat and could maybe use just a touch more. The garlic shrimp were also very good, but some bread to sop up the sauce would be a nice addition. The anticuchos were my favorite. The heart was perfectly cooked and full of delicious beefy flavor. I really regretted having to share that one. The mixed ceviche was also very good - fresh and clean tasting. The chancho (pork) serving was generous. The pork was on the dry side, but the yucca more than made up for that. The restaurant was packed but our order came promptly and our server was helpful and attentive. I can hardly wait to go again!

    (4)

  • jo d.

    A friend and I went for the first time to this restaurant for dinner. The food is fresh, tasty, unique (first time for me for Peruvian food), and reasonably priced. We had the yucca fries, corn with mozzarella cheese, one of the steak dishes, the tripe, and lucuma ice cream. We liked all of the food ordered and especially liked the dipping sauce they gave us. They have this very interesting hot and mild sauce, that we are guessing are made from jalapeno pepper and ??? They are used like ketchup for fries, or as hot sauce for the food. They taste freshly made and refreshing. I will definitely go back again and try their other items. PS: They still serve on plastic plates with plastic cutlery. Service is average but the servers were friendly. We stayed past their closing time yet felt not rushed at all. Enjoyed it thoroughly.

    (4)

  • bruce b.

    Lovely, small familyowned restaurant. Shrimp soup with an egg, large peruvian corn and shrimp is a great meal; great value is the 1/4 white chicken with 2 sides, yucca or white rice/black beans and salad, with a side order of sweet plantains; nice lfan and good homemade cookies. can't be beat..

    (4)

  • Douglas W.

    Had dinner here with family Sunday night. It was our second time trying La Limena and I suspect it will be our last. Don't get me wrong, the food here is not bad, it is just not anything special either. As others have noted this is a crowded dining room in a strip mall. That does not bother me in the least, but both times we have gone here we have had average food and sub-par service. From my observations it does seem that if you are a 'regular' you will get better service, so if you live in the area you may feel differently, but otherwise I would suggest trying the other Peruvian places in the DC area if you are looking for Peruvian Food. we have tried a variety of their dishes including an average Lomo Saltado, Cordero, below average Bistek Apanado, and more. The one dish I found to be above average was the Papa Rellena, but beyond that it was a disappointing experience in both visits.

    (2)

  • Lisa L.

    Went here the other night for dinner. We had ceviche, steak w/egg and a cubano sandwich. Food was good but I didn't think it had enough flavor. It just felt like it needed more salt/pepper or seasoning. The place is very clean (smells like Mr. Clean in there) but our waitress never checked up on us. She only came to take our order and give us the bill. Portions are a good-size though cutting a steak with a plastic knife took some elbow grease...Also, they don't ask you how you want your steak done, I guess well-done is the standard.

    (3)

  • Julie P.

    Dependably good food and service. We've had dinner here twice and have been pleasantly surprised both times. Definitely try to the cerviche mixto--it's the best cerviche I've had in a long time.

    (4)

  • Nami C.

    Good price, good chicken, and clean. What more can ones say?

    (4)

  • Rok L.

    Great tasting Peruvian food, good prices, and a wait staff that is very friendly. Our favorite dishes are the ceviche, fish, boneless chicken breast, and the Peruvian fruit drinks. YUM!

    (5)

  • Gianni P.

    DC has been lacking good Peruvian fare since La Flor de la Canela in Gaithersburg shut down about two years ago. I'd heard about La Limeña but was hesitant to try it because my experience with Peruvian food outside of Peru just hasn't been that great. Anyway, this place definitely caught my taste buds. The papa a la Huancaina, the choros a la Chalaca and the anticuchos were very well seasoned. The tallarines verdes were delicious -- they were al dente and you could really taste the homemade basil pesto. It's a fantastic Ligurian-Peruvian fusion! The seco norteño was also very tasty. This is a real hearty dish made with white canario beans, a green cilantro sauce and lamb shank served with rice. My dish was good but my least favorite. I wanted to stick with the basics and ordered the lomo saltado. It was tasty enough but it was missing something. I think it may have been lacking a little more garlic and soy sauce and that smoky flavor that makes lomo saltado a favorite of Peruvian cuisine. The cocktails were very well made. We had delicious pico sours, maracuya sours, and algarrobina cocktails -- all were outstanding. The service is very attentive and friendly. The restaurant itself is nothing fancy and could be considered a hole in the wall type place. Overall, the best place in the DC area for Peruvian food.

    (4)

  • Marco C.

    I've brought so many friends to this place and they have all loved it. I tell them all that this is delicious food minus the fancy. Good food doesn't need to be dressed up. Their ceviches are amazing. I also love their ropa vieja. You will not be disappointed.

    (4)

  • Martin B.

    I have been to Limena 5 times in the last few months and I have been pleased every visit. The fish ceviche is the best I've had in the Rockville area - so fresh tasting. The portions is big enough to share as an appetizer. I am also a huge fan of the Chupe de Cameron (shrimp stew). The stew is a complete meal and at $9 a total steal. I've also had the fried trout with garlic and the Lomo Saltado which are both Peruvian staples and excellently preparred here at Limena. In closing, the staff is also excelent and the owners will make a point to stop by and check on your experience.

    (5)

  • John B.

    My friend and I came her wondering what Peruvian food was. We heard from all the Peruvians we know that their food is great. We finally were adventurous to come. We started off with the fried plantains, which were surprisingly delicious. For the main course my friend had the seafood paella, while I had the Lomo Saltado beef. The beef was tender, and delicious, and the paella was very good as well. For dessert we had the guava pastry which was delicious. This place is a very well kept secret in Rockville, and is delicious.

    (5)

  • Victor S.

    Ironically I would've given this place 5 stars a few months ago. Most complained about their paper plates and silverware but in reality it is what kept this place comfortable. In it's attempt to compete with upscale peruvian restaurants like La Canela, Limena has alienated this customer. It's kind of hard to be a fancy peruvian restaurant when you got the pollo a la brasa on display right when you walk in.

    (3)

  • Cristina B.

    I worked in Peru for 4 months and this is as authentic as it gets. The ceviche is amazing and its a really good size. The lomo saltado is also amazing. Last night our friends ordered the lucuma icecream which was really good as well!

    (4)

  • Lynda L.

    I love love love the food here. The best lomo saltado I've had yet! I use to like this dish in Lauriol Plaza but no more. I can save my trek down to DC, this is a lot closer to home. Of course, the atmosphere is totally different between the two. I still like Lauriol Plaza for their margarita swirls, sangrias, and the lively city vibe. Hmmm..I don't think La Limena serves alcohol (so no Pisco Sour here) but I could be mistaken... Oh, I like La Limena simply for the food. I went in for a quick lunch with my boyfriend. Service was so so but they were super busy. Food comes out on paper plates so not a place to take your date if you are trying to impress. I don't know how I didn't know about this place before because I've eaten at the Vietnamese place in the same shopping strip before. For sure I would have tried it out, I've been looking for a good Peruvian place. I saw it listed on Washingtonian Cheap Eats recently and had to try it. I would dare say the Lomo saltado here tasted better than ones I've tried when visiting Peru last year. I was not the only one impress with the food. My boyfriend order this fried chicken dish. He liked it alot. According to him, it's crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. We will definately frequent this place from now on. Oh yeah, they also serve Cuban dishes too. I haven't tried them yet.

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
  • Mon : 11:00 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch, Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

La Limena

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