Chef Paz Restaurant
9039 W National Ave, West Allis, WI, 53227
Chef Paz Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in West Allis for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in West Allis for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in West Allis for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
9039 W National Ave
West Allis, WI, 53227 - Phone (414) 327-1600
- Website https://www.chefpazrestaurant.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 8:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Abby R.
I've left the area and I miss the ceviche and sangria. Especially that giant corn. Why is giant corn, onions, and fish swimming in lime juice so good? And that green sauce. I put it on everything. What is this place even doing in the middle of residential West Allis? I hope they continue to do well; I loved having this place in my old neighborhood.
(5)Janet D.
Awesome food and excellent service. Lots of terrific menu choices all prepared fresh to-order. Food is presented as a work of art, which it truly is! Did you know that Chef Paz has an AYCE buffet one a month? Yep, it's true. Try all sorts of new dishes for just $12.99. Next date is April 21st; call for reservations.
(5)Joe S.
Walking in, there is bit of confusion as no signs direct you to seat yourself, which is what you ultimately do. The staff was better than average. Service was fast. And the atmosphere, well it IS West Allis. THE FOOD: green tamal and beef empanada with a house made cilantro, jalapeño, lime, and mayo sauce (which is awesome) for an appetizer. Highly recommended. Entrées were Tacu Tacu and Beef stew with a cilantro sauce. The Tacu Tacu had a pile of tasteless bean and rice mixture reminiscent of baby food. The meat was decent. The beef stew (chunks of beef with beans and rice on the side) was super salty, but the beef was okay. Overall, I'd return to try again, and I hope my appetizer isn't the highlight of my meal like tonight.
(2)L. D.
Actual visit 6/3/13. I was able to try the Lomo saltado and the Tacu Tacu - rice y canary bean pancake with strips of tenderloin sauteed with tomatoes, onion and wine topped with fried egg. Yuquitas Cuzco - yucca boiled and fried stuffed with cheese and sirloin with Andean cream. Out of the 3 items I liked the Tacu Tacu the best. This was my first time having Tacu Tacu, so I don't have a comparison. The Servers were great and very friendly. They even let me try the purple corn drink (which I didn't like). I would go back for the Tacu Tacu.
(3)Wisco V.
I had no idea what to expect, but I loved what I ate! (Though I can't remember what it was called - and am not entirely sure what it was.) I'm a vegetarian, but they were really accommodating and made a version of one of their most popular dishes for me. I'm excited to return.
(5)Joshua P.
An old George Webbs turned to a Peruvian joint. Worth a try for sure. The Muzak needs to go.
(3)B H.
This is a great little restaurant, that you could easily drive by and wonder but not stop in....but do stop in! Peruvian fare, the server is on top of everything, quick to make recommendations as well as refill your water glass. The food was fantastic, we had the dinner trio special which consisted of the nightly ceviche, paella and fried/more tempura seafood which was fantastic, and the dipping sauce, oh my goodness that was a fresh wonderfulness! We started with some empanadas, could have easily gone without the apps, but they were tasty and we were hungry. We also couldn't resist and got the trio dessert which had a choice of two mousse and the lemon pie, all fantastic. My only complaint would be it was chilly in the place, granted it is small and it was a chilly and windy night, but sitting through dinner with your jacket on does get annoying. I would go back in a heartbeat, can't wait to try their brunch!
(4)Blu M.
A friend and I tried this restaurant because of the rave reviews in the Journal.I live in Tosa and like great food.....so my usual favorite restaurants are Il Mito, Le Reve, Eddie Martini's, Bartalotta's, and Meritage. Gotta say, Chef Paz is every bit as good. We sampled appetizers, entrees, and even desserts...tried a nice variety so we could bring some home. Without exception everything was exceptional....fresh, perfectly seasoned, beautifully cooked, and nicely presented. The neighborhood is "basic West Allis", and the prices very reasonable......so we did not expect this level of cuisine. I will return often and tell my friends about this new restaurant.
(5)German L.
I usually travel around the country for work. Occasionally you find a great surprise like Chef Paz restaurant. My expectations coming to Milwaukee were just to find good beer and brats in some decent dive bar after work. I was greatly amazed to find a Peruvian place of the quality of this establishment. So far I went two days. The first day I tried the Tamal verde. She got it right! Tasty and a sweet mass, flirting between a Amazon tamal and a Andes humita. The flavors brought me all the way back to my childhood traveling from Tarma to Chanchamayo. Glorious start! I asked for a Sangria. Which was at right place and the right time. Fresh, very South American (nothing against the Spanish one) rich in frutty flavors with some chopped apple and ice. Lovely for the evening! Then the Pescado a la Chorrillana. It is very difficult to season right a frozen Tilapia... sorry we are not close to Callao, Paita or Chimbote so the fish is... frozen. Again, very good, tasty, lots of flavor. The next day was a causa trio and and aji de gallina. The causa trio was accompanied with huancaina sauce, wolf salsa and huancaina sauce with 3 grilled shrimps on top. Perfect combination! Very tasty and flavorish. The aji de gallina was a great surprise! It was gratinado y an little iron saucepan with cheese on top (we are in Country! You gotta pays your dues!), again hit a home run!!! Out of the ballpark. Today, I am going again and asked for a Torta Helada to take home to my mother in Chicago. I did not decide what I will eat but I will keep you posted. Yes! Peruvians think about food all the time so it is 9am and I am already thinking about dinner.
(5)Olianna P.
Our Favorite new place. Food was amazing and the service is great. We love going to local places and we will be back!
(5)Dan B.
Everything I've ever had here the 8 or so times I've dined here is delicious, and the atmosphere now matches the wonderful food with the interior recently having a nice "facelift". Especially love the inka paella, they definitely don't skimp on the seafood! Everyone who works here is so nice and friendly. I can't say enough good things about all my experiences here. Looking forward to their amazing Sunday brunch in a couple days! P.S. -- they have the most wonderful sorbet-like light whipped dessert served in mini-glasses (about 3x size of a shotglass) in a few different flavors. They are explode subtly with flavor --- even ones I didn't think I would like judging by their description were DELICIOUS!!!
(5)Juan Carlos R.
i can start by saying that I have no words to describe the fantastic food that Chef Paz provides for you. I have ordered something different every time I went there, I have brought in my friends and work meetings and over and over I get praises and thank yous for introducing them to this fantastic place. The food is fresh cooked, Chef Paz makes dishes to your order, portions are of a very good size and the prizes are super affordable. You can just arrive to the place and mention to Chef Paz what you are looking to have and she will go out of her way to provide you with what you asked for. vegetarian dishes available, meet, chicken, duck, pork and more combinations in one plate that will send you to travel Peru while you still setting in West Allis.
(5)Gary E.
Another event with catered food by Chef Paz, and another group of satisfied customers. The papa Huancaina - potatoes in a spicy, creamy cheese sauce, served at room temp was awesome. The ceviche - outstanding. Fried rice with grilled chicken breast - a nice Peruvian version of a Chinese dish - very tasty! Everyone's favorite is lomo saltado -pieces of filet mignon stir-fried with tomato, onion and french fries - you can't imagine how good this is. If you have not tried Peruvian food you need to know two things - first, it is comfort food and will take what you thought you knew about some familiar ingredients and take you to a new place. Second - this is authentic and as good as any high-end restaurant in downtown Lima.
(5)Andrew M.
Absolutely fantastic experience! Incredible food (my wife had the Inka Paella, and I had the Arroz Chaufa de Mariscos--both were amazing!), friendly and prompt service, and quite reasonably priced. Try the Chicha Morada. It's a Peruvian drink that I found refreshing, delicious, and totally unique.
(5)Rachel G.
My trip to Peru in 2011 was full of wonderful memories- seeing Machu Picchu at dawn sitting upon a bed of fog, meeting the kind and welcoming locals and the food, the glorious food. Chef Paz's food matches my memories of the food in Peru. I stopped here for lunch during a business trip and am so glad that I did. When deciding between the Chicken Pot Gratin and the Tacu Tacu "Chef Paz" I took the server's recommendation and opted for the later, though my lunch companion ordered the Chicken Pot Gratin and said it was great. The Tacu Tacu was truly fabulous. The rice and canary bean pancake (though not really a pancake, more like a helping of rice and beans shaped into a nice pyramid) was a great side that complemented the tenderloin and veggies wonderfully. The steak was grilled to perfection and the dish certainly brought back memories of the phenomenal food from my visit to Peru. The restaurant makes it easy to re-live past Peruvian adventures by offering beverage options such as pisco sours, chicha marada and even Inka Kola. Trying Inka Kola is not among my favorite memories of Peru. It is a soda pop that tastes like liquefied bubble gum and in my opinion is just awful. That being said, it is super popular there so my opinion must be in the minority. Give it a try at Chef Paz and decide for yourself. For me, I went for my favorite, chicha marada and was not disappointed. Chef Paz succeeded in bringing back all of the great memories of Peru and delivered on the super tasty food I remember. The only difference? Unlike in Peru, you can drink the water at Chef Paz without worrying about coming down with the Inca Two-step.
(5)Suzanne P.
Me and my friend were debating on where to eat just this past Saturday. We had decided on Cempazuchi but at the last second, I told her about Chef Paz. I've driven past this place numerous times and always thought that it was a French place. I ran across Chef Paz on Yelp one night and saw that they had excellent reviews - I wanted to check it out for myself. So I convinced my friend to come with me instead of our initial restaurant choice. I'm really glad we did :-) At first menu glance, we were overwhelmed. (In a good way :-) Neither one of us have ever tried Peruvian cuisine before). We ordered the tamal, beef empanada and papa rellena to start. ALL amazing. Thay house made jalapeno cilantro sauce is BOMB. It is a great addition to anything that you could eat there. (Not sure about dessert, but I wouldn't be surprised! Ha...) My friend ordered the beef stew and I ordered the Inka paella. She was very pleased with her dish. I, on the other hand, wasn't blown away. My paella was pretty bland and missing a little oomph. However, I did not let that discourage me. I know that everyone has their own special way of preparing the same dish - I just know not to order that again :-) For dessert, we tried the lemon pie and it was delightful! A perfect ending to a tasty meal. I can't wait to come back and try other dishes! To top it off, service was pleasant. Our server was adorable. He made sure that we didn't have to ask for anything. Service was very prompt, my coffee was constantly filled and he checked on us often. Looks like I found a new place to frequent in Stallis :-)
(4)Deanna H.
Unbelievable. First time ordering and my mom and I are in love! Unbelievable flavor sensation. I want to put their green sauce on everything. They really need to bottle it. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. Do not hesitate going.
(5)Kathy B.
Wonderful Peruvian food. Enjoyed the outdoor patio. Just skip dessert, tried to order the trio of mousses. They ran out. Ordered the mango mousse and one of my favorites, Flan. Instead I received a frozen mousse that was a solid lump of frozen mass that could not even get a spoon into. The flan was also not what I expected it was actually a slice of cake with whipped topping then soaked in milk. Again not what I expected.
(4)Mark M.
This is a place that you could easily drive past since it's on a relatively unremarkable stretch of road and the front of the building doesn't hold any great appeal. In fact the inside is a throwback to a simpler time when diners were the norm. Then the food comes. If you haven't experienced Peruvian food then you need to set aside your notion of the common Mexican food we often find around here. The menu may be unfamiliar to you but there is not a single bad dish on the menu. Close your eyes and point. Try the specials. Order a Pisco Sour or some Chicha. And don't forget a simple alfajor with your coffee. Last bit of disclosure. My wife is actually from Peru and, despite a good number of other Peruvian restaurants that we've sampled - some have come and gone - we keep coming back here and are glad Chef Paz continues to create stellar dishes.
(4)Pamela M.
Chef Paz Restaurant definitely deserves a nod and a recommendation. I have to caveat by saying while living in Chicago one of my favorite restaurants was Aye Aye Picante. So, I have some Peruvian experience and one of the best at that. With the bar set high, I appreciate Chef Paz dwelling in the sweet, yet dirty West Allis. It's not an easy location to put a restaurant such as this. My night consisted of the fish ceviche, yucca fries and chupa de camarones. All were tasty. The fish ceviche was different from previous experience, yet still quite tasty (they will ask how spicy you would like it). Yucca is a must try! We had an appetizer. It is usually served steamed or fried (I've had them both ways at other places) but opted for the fried version as I was with someone new to this style of food and this was the better choice for that situation. (because it's more like French fries and who doesn't like French fries?!?!) The Chupa de Camarones soup was also very good. Peruvians always add a little cream to their broth - this I like! And it also had cheese chunks and an egg! Diggin' it! Go ahead and give them a try! I'd bet $ you will not be disappointed for trying Chef Paz out! :)
(4)Scott W.
Stopped in for lunch today and glad I did! This is truly a hidden gem. The menu features several authentic Peruvian dishes, moderately priced but interesting, tasty, and nicely plated. I enjoyed every bite of the Arroz con Pollo. Great service. Only criticism I have is the website menu is out of date.
(4)Diamond T.
The food was awesome. Their sauces and authentic with a flair mix with Mexican style. The restaurant seems popular with the Latino community so that's a good sign of it being good food. The portion size for the price is fair. If I was in the mood for Perivian food I would come here again
(5)Toni F.
We were in the area on a business trip and love Peruvian food so after seeing this listing on yelp, my co-worker and I were excited to go to Chef Paz. West Allis looked like a dicey area to me and because we are from out of town - I'm always a little apprehensive to venture into unknown territory. We ended up having to park in a lot adjacent to the restaurant and walked very quickly to the door. The restaurant looks like a coffee shop redone with bright, florescent green walls and vibrant artwork. You'll see booths/tables on the perimeter and a large oval counter with stools in the middle of the restaurant. The service was friendly and helpful and we landed on a few main dishes and tried a few appetizers to start. The green tamal and empanadas were the highlight of our visit and what would likely bring us back to Chef Paz when we return to Waukesha. They were fresh and the empanada had a light crust, filled with tasty meat and the sauce we dipped both of them in was amazing!! The other dishes we tried were some sort of fish dish and a chicken dish - both were ok but nothing special. We also tried their sangria and enjoyed that very much. I would have given Chef Paz four stars for the appetizers, drinks and service alone but the main courses were a disappointment. Next time we go - we'll likely have the waiter make a suggestion and try their most popular dish but we absolutely would return to this place.
(3)Keaunis G.
So I came to this restaurant as part of the Yelp Supper Club recently. I usually try to attend these events because we always try new Ethnic Foods and I really enjoy hanging out with my fellow Yelpers. This was my first time trying Peruvian Food and all I can say is that I really enjoyed the dishes that I ordered. My fellow Yelpers were also pleased with their selections as well. So, I tried the Chica Morada which a drink made with fermented Purple Maize. Now, I started with this description because recently I discovered that I had already tried this drink when I was reading about it in class. I did not make the connection until after the fact! My professor assigned us to watch the movie The Gift of Pachamama and to take notes while watching the movie. The following class period we were going to dicuss different topics that were present in the movie. We also had to post a discussion post in order to créate dialogue with the other students in class. Before going to class, I had done some research on a what appeared to be an alcoholic drink called chica. I was researching and researching and then it hit me that I had just tried chica morada several weeks prior. I was so excited about this that I told everyone in my class about my experience! The other foods that I tried were Crispy Yucca with cheese sauce and Lomo Saltado with House Sauce made with mayo, cilantro, jalepeño, olive oil, and Peruvian Spices. The Green Sauce was so good on everything! I had to take some home with me along with a side of white rice. To drink, I had a traditional Peruvian Soda, Inka Kola. I thought that it tasted like cream soda, but my friends thought it tasted like bubble gum. Of course I had to order a can of Inka Kola to take home with me! I will definitely be back sometime in the near future!
(5)Evan K.
This place is incredible. Everything was delicioua. Best tamale I've ever had. Lomo saltado was delicious. Stew was very good. Empanada was a delight. Wow. Service was excellent. Feels like a family establishment.
(5)Carrie G.
There are not enough Central and South American Cuisine based restaurants in our city. But Chef Paz does a great job of filling the Peruvian void we had for quite some time. In a very assuming restaurant (formerly a George Webb-style coffee shop) and a rather unlikely location (90th and National) sits this great place well worth checking out. We started with the Ceviche, which originated in ancient Peru and is prepared in the traditional style. It may differ a bit in taste and appearance from the Mexican style preparations that most are accustomed to. The most noticeable variation is in the spices themselves. The Chef Paz version has very little cilantro and is mostly seasoned with salt, pepper and lime and a few red onions. This allows the predominant flavor of the dish to actually be the fish, which is a welcome change. My entree was the Jalea, which is a mixture of seafood and fish. Fish, shrimp, mussels and calamari were all breaded in seasoned battered and lightly fried. The whitefish was the same as that in the ceviche and remained tender and flavorful. There were a handful of quarter-size shrimp and those were also tasty, as were the ample serving of calamari. The challenge for me was the mussels. They were sparse and still in the shell. Dipping the shell on mussel in the batter and frying made for extracting them rather awkward. The taste would clearly have been better had they first bee removed from their shells. The dish was served with a side yucca which was a bit bland in flavor. The service was excellent and overall many in our group really enjoyed our dishes and agreed we would return.
(4)Martin A.
Not a bad dish on the menu. Have been here multiple times. Best Ceviche I've had out of any restaurant across the US....yes right in West Allis! Peruvian home cooking at its best. I try to make it in every time I am in town.
(5)Jennifer R.
Sometimes when you try something out of your comfort zone it's a great experience. This is how I feel about my visit to Chef Paz. I recently went for dinner with a group of Yelpers. As we perused the menu we discussed Peruvian cuisine and what makes it different. As a first-timer, it wasn't easy to put my finger on what made it different, but it was easy to declare it delicious. I think it's the spices. There's warmth without overpowering heat sometimes dominant in Mexican chile. Smoky. Garlicky. Hint of lime. My mouth is salivating now. We ordered some appetizers - Green Tamal, a handmade stone ground corn tamale filled with cheese. It came with a house made green sauce that was positively addicting. I've done some research on that sauce because I want to recreate it. Our efficient and friendly waitress said it was cilantro, garlic, lime, jalapenos, olive oil and mayonnaise, salt, pepper and some secret spices. We all tried everything dipped in it, including yucca fries and ceviche. The cheese sauce on the side of the yucca fries also had some subtle seasoning. I had the Pollo Anticucho, chicken marinated in Peruvian spices and grilled to perfection served atop a bed of fries with a side of salad. Not to be outdone, I dumped my container of house sauce on the top and asked for more to dunk my veggies in. Very satisfying. I saved room for dessert and ordered the lemon pie. It was adorable. A miniature lemon meringue pie topped with so much meringue I first thought I had a sundae. Inside it was like an igloo of deliciousness. Creamy lemon zing with sweet fluffy meringue. Yum! If you've never had Peruvian cuisine I urge you to get out of your comfort zone and give it a try. You are in for a culinary adventure!
(4)Valerie C.
The food is awesome!!! Took it to go but went inside for the first time. I always drove by and wondered about it...I had Tacu Tacu chef paz, it was amazing! Authentic Peruvian food, relaxed atmosphere, and great service. Definitely a good place for dinner out with friends or a date. Inside and outside seating..Nice wrap around counter if you just want to stop in for lunch on your own or pick up food to go. Local art on the wall..loved that! Atmosphere is one you would find in an area like Bay View or Wauwatosa. Definitely will be back and bring my fiance or friends!! Glad I decided to go in:-)
(5)Chris A.
I give the food a 3 stars, but the service. Yikes! 1 star. Only because she smiled when she finally seated us. After standing at the door for 3 minutes, I realize the people in the back right corner are staring at us, aren't eating, and must be employees. We wind our way thru the people in the buffet line and finally get someone to make eye contact with us so we can tell her we have a reservation. After receiving our sangria we were given no further service. Not even to clear the plastic plates and bowls between trips to the buffet of good but not amazing food. Will I return? Probably, but not for the buffet.
(3)Lisa A.
Out of the blue, I think Peruvian cuisine is suddenly my favorite type of food. Back in May, I got dragged what felt like 5000 blocks from the nearest subway stop to try a Peruvian place in midtown (man, was I cranky and hungry when I got there); and as luck would have it, I wound up eating it again for the supper club. No joke, after giving it more thought I'm thinking "I could eat this food every day." There's seafood, a little bit of heat but not too much, and it has just the right amount of starch (yucca, corn, rice) to be sort of a comfort food The building: unassuming little spot off National in stallis sharing the building and parking lot with a corner bar. It has its own little umbrella tabled patio out front. Inside there's a big bar in the middle and tables around the sides. They have specials for dinner and lunch that vary. We ordered several appetizers all pretty good...I especially liked the ceviche. The jalapeno cilantro cream sauce is really good. For dinner I was torn between the chicken au gratin and tacu tacu. I got the tacu tacu in the end. Its presentation is what gets you -- with the pyramid of rice, river of gravy, it felt like I was looking at a little model of ancient Egypt (hard to explain-look at my pic) The lomo saltado (sp?) and the fried seafood platter also looked really good. I tried the much discussed purple corn drink - good - interesting, with many flavors going on in each sip - or to quote my fellow yelper (when I said it tasted familiar): "I have never drunk anything that tasted like that before :)" The inka cola, like a mountain dew with a bubble gum flavor was also good - I'd probably go with that next time. Our server was really nice - accommodating with our requests and food came out quickly and everything was well timed. If I had two minus' it would be 1) the air con in the building was a little drafty depending on where you sit. 2) several of the dishes were good but for my circulatory system just a bit too salty. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to keep chowing down (it tasted great) but I felt it was a little too salty. But overall a really great experience - a great example of a not so common type of cuisine in Milwaukee.
(4)Tom K.
Usually Yelp does not steer me wrong, but this time it did. Why people are giving this a near perfect rating, I will never know. I am starting to wonder if people in Milwaukee actually know what good food is. Let's start with the service (or rather, lack thereof). I had to ask to get my drink from the hostess/ waitress after she did not bring it and I saw her fiddling with her cell phone. I had the Jalea, not realizing it would be COMPLETELY deep fried, with the exception of the garnish (which seemed to be a guilty reaction to the fact that the dish had absolutely no color). Don't get me wrong... I'm not completely against deep fried things (after all, I am from Milwaukee, where bar food reigns supreme). However, there is a limit to what I deem appropriate. My girlfriend had the Mar y Tierra. And in its defense, it was good. But you could have gotten pretty much the same thing at any Asian restaurant. I don't think I will come here again. There are so many better options the Milwaukee area, granted not in West Allis. I'd give it 2 1/2 stars (and that's being generous) simply because my girlfriends dish was decent.
(2)Johanna L.
I've had the Peruvian-spiced chicken here, and it was quite good. The cilantro-jalepeno sauce is great. I feel like I taste avocado in it too, but can't figure out how they make it. Very tasty on everything! Others have had the steak and I sampled that - juicy and flavorful. They are generous with their sides here, too. You'll be full, no doubt about it! The prices are also very reasonable. The cinnamon soft drink that they have is very interesting. It almost tasted like mulled wine, without the alcohol content. The atmosphere is bright, cute and casual. Others have described it well. It's a bit like a diner, a bit like an Italian family restaurant, except not Italian of course. The variety of seating options is nice. I was so tempted by the desserts menu, which sounds really unique and adorable and I'd like to come back here just for that. Cookies filled with dulce de leche? Meringues galore? Yes please! I could see some of them in the kitchen and I wish I had room for them. Four stars only because it took quite a while for our food to come out after we'd ordered, but the food was so good that we didn't really mind.
(4)Tiffany S.
I can not get enough of this place! They have so many tasty dishes. Daily lunch specials are cheap and the chicken stew they have on special a lot of soooo good!! The flavors are so bold and I can not stop telling friends about this place. I went 3 times in a week.
(5)Tee K.
I never liked Tamals till this place. Everything you eat here is a tastebud party in your mouth. My favorite dish is the Tacu Tacu but today had the chicken au gratin and it was delicious and can so good it can be put down on your list of top comfort foods.
(5)Sara F.
This was my first time here for brunch! Ah! mazing is an understatement. We started out with the green tamal and the chicken empanada. Both were delicious! I wanted to order another round. I ordered the happy potato for my entree. You can get the eggs any way you like. I got mine sunny side up. My dish came out like a smiley face with bacon for hair and the ground beef filled potato was the smile. The large plate was drizzled with their signature green sauce. Delicious unique perfection.
(5)Amber L.
My date and I had the tacu tacu. The steak was good but the bland bean and rice pyramid was umimpressive. I wanted to like this place but they had scarce alcoholic beverage options. The sangria pitcher we had did not taste like sangria-mostly white foam, almost like a rum chata. They at least had outdoor seating as the inside looked lifeless. Probably won't return.
(3)Ashley Z.
Very unexpected to find an authentic Peruvian restaurant in 'Stallis!
(4)Lauren L.
The waitress was very attentive and even interacted a lot with my curious toddler. The food was amazing. Fresh from the kitchen and HOT! I took my mother with me and she's one who doesn't like to try many foods, but she loved everything we tried. Tierra del mar, papa relleno. I even ordered Tierra del Mar to go. The rice was so flavorful and perfectly cooked! Definitely will visit again!
(5)Lacey A.
I have only been here once so far, but I dream of the ceviche. I love Mexican ceviche, but had never had Peruvian style before. Instead of being garnished with pico-like ingredients, this is garnished with a big pile of mild red onion, fat Peruvian corn kernels, and a thick slice of sweet potato. There's plenty of 'juice' on the plate, and you should definitely use the spoon that comes on the plate to get as much with every bite as possible. This was the favorite thing I ate here. Also tried the empanadas, of which the chicken was our favorite. The filling was shredded chicken in a thick, flavorful sauce. The green sauce that comes with the empanadas and some other dishes is fantastic. It's like a creamy cilantro petso, and I ended up using some on my ceviche as well. Our server noticed we like it so much that she brought out another cup with our entrees. The beef in the tacu tacu was very tender, and the sauce was very savory. The pyramid of rice and beans (helllllo 90s) was tasty but a little but overcooked and mushy. The fried egg was cooked over easy. Seafood paella was a little bit disappointing. There was a ton of rice, but not a ton else. The only vegetable of note was peas, and I was hoping for more seafood. While it tasted good, it got a little boring about halfway through. I would have like more different vegetables or even meat to bring a little more interest. The mussels were the biggest I've ever seen, though. Overall it was pretty great though and worthy of another visit. I WILL be back for you, ceviche.
(4)May B.
I found my way here on a Friday date night with the hubby after agonizing over what we wanted to try out. I've heard plenty of good things about this place and decided that it was time we tried it out. I started with a beef empanada which was quite good - i really enjoyed the signature cilantro sauce. My husband ordered the Tacu Tacu and I tried the Seafood Paella. I very much enjoyed the seafood paella - tons of seafood and tasty and piping hot when it came out. The only thing i missed was the crispy parts thatt you'd normally have when you bake a paella and serve it in the pan. My husband enjoyed his tacu tacu, but found that it was just a little less adventurous, although he thought it was tasty. I would definitely go again. Our service was very friendly, the only negative was that the food seemed to take a while to come out, but I think they only had a couple of chefs in the back and only two waitresses and nearly every table was full, so I gave them a pass on the timing.
(4)Rose H.
Wonderful. Delicious. Do yourself a favor a go to Chef Paz! Went for the first time this weekend, and I can easily say this is my new favorite restaurant in West Allis. If you're new to peruvian food like we were, the waitstaff is an excellent guide to explaining what everything is and making recommendations. I am now the biggest fan of chicha morada, the sweet drink made from purple corn, cinnamon and cloves. We ordered the fried yucca appetizer which was excellent! Each came with a different filling and we're plated nicely in three different sauces. For the main course we ordered the fried seafood dish (which is no joke when they say you should share this dish - it could feed about 3 people) and the lomo saltado which was absolutely delicious! I only wish I had room for dessert! Bonus! They had an excellent variety of oldies played on pan flute serenading us throughout the meal. A win indeed!
(5)Joe K.
After starting off at Joey's on 93rd, we decided to Check out Chef Paz. I did not recall ever eating Peruvian food before so I was pretty excited. Overall a pretty exciting menu. Nothing special in the drink department. Food was excellent though. They have a Cilantro Salsa Verde blended that makes a totally awesomesauce. I had the seafood and rice dish like Ana J. It was pretty fantastic. I went on a date and thought it was a great sleeper restaurant. Off 90th and NATL it is not really close to anything, but you can get there fast from anywhere. The décor is what you would expect from a Peruvian restaurant on 90th and Natl. rather uninteresting but sufficient. It makes me want to go to Peru and learn more. I guess I have been to Peru, Illinois for a baseball game when I was younger, but that is a whole other story of its own. It was probably like the country. Oh yeah before I forget. Julie had the cookies with some coconuts in them. She said it was the best dessert she had in ten years. Maybe it was nine years??? Take that for what it is worth. Y'all know me- I say nothing beats a good Cherries Jubilee. Here is why I recommend it- Great food. Different. Not going to break the bank. Not a bad location.
(4)Anna C.
Really enjoyed the food. Empanadas were great! Ceviche was amazing. Will be back in the future
(5)Lesley W.
I'm already thinking that I need to go back to Chef Paz. I went a few weeks ago with a group of friends as part of an ongoing attempt to keep trying new types of food. We had a great time figuring out what to try and sharing appetizers. The atmosphere is bright and cheerful and very casual. It looks like an old George Webb or something. It doesn't look like much from the outside (or the inside), but get past that, because the food is fantastic. We shared a few of the potato/yuka appetizers and I had the tamale, which was so good I didn't share. For dinner, I had the seafood paella, which was delicious. The seafood seemed really fresh and the saffron flavors of the rice and sauce brought it all together. My friends all liked their dishes as well, but I was so preoccupied with my paella, I don't remember what they got. Oh, and the green sauce! We loved the green sauce so much that people asked for extra to take home with their leftovers. This place really feels like a family establishment, and our server was very nice, patient (we took forever to decide), and knowledgeable. Overall, I highly recommend it.
(4)Erin L.
Ummmm wow. Yes please! I will be back here if not just for the ceviche alone. I got the fish one and it was suburb I even brought some less adventurous friends along, they tried the ceviche and raved on how good it was even if it was weird. The fried rice pyramid that came with my chicken entree was my next favorite part.
(5)Gina D.
My husband and I had an excellent dinner at Chef Paz tonight. We tried the fried sweet plantains, which were wonderful. He had the lomo saltado, which was delicious, and I had the arroz con pollo, which was also good. Both dishes were flavorful and well-presented. We also had dessert, which we don't typically order when we are out--we couldn't resist the gorgeous lemon meringue pies that they had! They were amazing!
(5)Kay D.
I wanted to love this placed based on all the positive reviews, but found it to be just ok. We tried 4 different entrees and three out of the four were bland Will possibly come back and try again, but it's not on the top of the list.
(3)Maya G.
The food is AMAZING. Peruvian food is my favorite kind of food, so I'm picky, but I was still impressed with this place. I ordered the beef stew, which was delicious, and my husband ordered the tacu tacu, which he also enjoyed. We also ordered the chicha morada (drink) which was not our thing. I wanted to order a pisco sour, but you have to order it as a pitcher. The only downside is that we wanted to order dessert, but they had run out. We definitely want to go back soon - if it wasn't so far from us, I'd go back every weekend. Also, it's too bad they don't do deliveries, because if not I would be ordering in from them every night haha. We definitely recommend this place - great authentic Peruvian food at great prices.
(5)Kyle K.
Just moved to the area and was looking to try new restaurants. I stumbled across Chef Paz and was delighted. I had the Inca Paella and my girlfriend had the Tacu Tacu. Both were delicious and well priced. We look forward to coming back and trying more items on the menu.
(5)Marco P.
Love this place. Great simple food. Beef and vegetables are cooked perfectly, chicken is nice and chard, everything is well seasoned and has great flavor. I've seen 3 different types of rices in different dishes. Food comes out very quickly, don't know how they get such great quality out so fast, but they do. Definitely my new favorite restaurant.
(5)Gary S.
Remarkably good little gem in West Allis. An earlier reviewer said this was a bad neighborhood and they felt nervous walking into the restaurant. All I can say is they must've come from Hooterville, because this is still a nice Milwaukee neighborhood. The food is great and authentic Peruvian. Some of the best empanadas to be found anywhere and they have that hint of honey sweetness that you always find in street empanadas in Peru. We had the empanadas, the green tamale, a beef entrée and a fish entrée and two desserts, everyone of them was excellent and the service is attentive, friendly and casual. Also, the sangria is a standout. I'll be coming back to sit outside in the summer and slug that down by the liter.
(5)Kim T.
This place is the hidden gem of Stallis! The food was excellent. I highly recommend starting out with sangria and empanadas. You can't go wrong with any menu items and if you can't decide just ask for their recommendations. The service was great and the establishment was clean! I will definitely be returning!
(5)Jeff A.
We wanted to try some empanadas and heard some great yelp reviews for this place so we ordered some for carry out tonight. We tried a couple of each kind, chicken, beef and cheese. My wife and I both liked the chicken and our daughter liked the cheese. The green house sauce was delicious. We were very impressed and are excited to come back and try a full meal at this establishment.
(4)Dylani H.
Yet to find the great food everyone is raving about. The food is always good but nothing greta!
(3)Diana J.
I'll be that person. Hubs and I went here with high expectations due to all the great yelp reviews. Sadly, we were significantly underwhelmed. Our apps were boring and also just not very good, and our meals were bland. I know we ordered the trio caustias and were surprised to find it was like potato salad. We weren't fans. I had the lomo Saltado and it was okay. Nothing to write home about. I would try it again in case we had a bad experience, though. I want to like this place.
(3)Chantelle H.
Since I have eaten at Chef Paz about half a dozen times now, I feel that I can accurately review this Peruvian gem and give it 5 stars for "as good as it gets!" I have enjoyed my food always--it is just fantastic. My only tip would be to make sure to have reservations for the Sunday buffet. And don't be alarmed when asked to pay first for the buffet before being seated. And then there is payment that is due after you dine for drinks. I'm not sure of the reasoning for this. It is crowded on Sunday and snaking your way back to the register to pay again is inconvenient. But there must be a good reason they do this. And it is a minor inconvenience in light of how great the food is. Keep up the great work Cafe Paz. I will continue to send my friends and family your way.
(5)Molly W.
Their cilantro- jalapeño sauce is to die for. I have had such a variety of dishes here and always loved them -- though their steak dishes are especially good. Have the lemon pie for dessert. Love the family business atmosphere and the unique cuisine.
(5)Milena H.
I'm usually pretty fair when it comes to reviews, but after today I'm extremely disappointed with Chef Paz and the fact that the owner decided to add a 18% gratitude to the bill on the weekends, regardless of how your experience was there you are now force to pay tip. I'm a firm believer that you get a tip base on service not because and this was the statement the server gave me "Well we need those tips so we can survive". So after today I'm pretty sure that we won't be coming back to Chef Paz.
(1)Bridget C.
The Fish Ceviche was amazing! Served with sweet potato, corn, and red onions, it was perfectly tangy, spicy, and fresh. I ordered the Beef Stew in Cilantro Sauce, which was delicious and tender. I didn't love the pinto beans that came on the side. They were just kind of bland, and I'd probably try to substitute one of the other yummy-sounding sides next time. My husband had the Tacu Tacu Chef Paz. The beef and veggies were tasty and egg was perfectly fried. The canary beans and rice were served in a pyramid shape and not actually pancakes. They were a bit bland but filling and perfect for soaking up the sauce. We also had Sweet Fried Plantains and Chicha Morada, which completed an awesome meal. I would definitely recommend Chef Paz!
(4)Janni V.
If this place doesn't get 5 stars, I don't know what does. When we walked in, we were greeted warmly by our server, who told us to sit anywhere we liked. Since we came in toward the beginning of lunch, only one other table was occupied. (Several other diners came after we had already started eating.) The server was super-friendly, and very enthusiastically told us about items on the menu, including that day's lunch specials. Lunch specials are downsized versions of the normal menu items -- which is great, because this is one of the few times I've ever actually had room for 3 courses during a meal. Also, the lunch specials are all $5. Lest you think you're getting shortchanged for your $5, though -- no, no, you're not. I'll upload some photos shortly, but frankly, our tiny little minds were blown. The food was beautifully prepared. I'm not just talking looks -- flavor, too. My SO and I started with the ceviche mixto as our appetizer. It's a mixed seafood ceviche (as the name would imply), which also comes with sweet potato and some giant Peruvian corn kernels. Interestingly, the corn isn't super sweet like the corn we're used to. It was nice. We washed that down with some glasses of freshly made chicha morada (Peruvian purple corn drink with cinnamon and other spices that sort of tastes like a non-alcoholic sangria), which was delightful. (They also serve Inca Kola and a Peruvian beer, if you're interested; we didn't try those, however. Maybe next time.) Next, our lunch specials. I had arroz con pollo a la Peruana, and my SO had a linguine with shrimp and huancaina sauce. Both were delightful -- in fact, I'm going to have to learn to make that rice, because it was SO GOOD. (Side note: I may say something is "SO GOOD" a lot, if you read several of my reviews -- but I honestly always mean it. Take that as you will.) The lunch specials were very tasty -- that chicken was charred perfectly and very juicy and flavorful. But amazingly, we actually had room to split a dessert! We got a potpurri mousse platter, which had four house-made mousses on it: mango, lucuma, guanabana, and prickly pear. OH DEAR GOD. Perfect end to a perfect meal. And then the check came. ...waitwaitwait, it was $35 for a three-course meal for two, and that was seriously some of the best food I've ever tasted? Are you kidding me? Are you seriously kidding me? I've eaten at a lot of different types of places. Some of them have been crazy fancy. Many of them have had good -- if not great -- food. This easily ranks with the best of them, and I still can't believe it was priced so unbelievably well. It may be 100 miles away from my house, but I'll be back. And I'll bring friends. Long live Chef Paz!
(5)Ilana O.
The place: unassuming, easy to miss off of national, but nice looking on the inside. It was a little cold, due to a draft from an air vent, but we had the restaurant to ourselves from 7pm until 7:30 pm on a Saturday night. The taste: fish cevice was delicious. Not for someone who can't tolerate salt, but delicious. Not a lot of options for pure vegetarians, but pescetarians can do alright. The cinnamon drink was decent but very sweet. My face: bill for two around $30. Pretty happy to have found this tasty place in west allis.
(4)Rachel F.
Much ado had been made about this here restaurant on Yelp by MKE elites and folks who get their review on on the regular. Since I happen to trust said folks' opinions, Chef Paz had been on my radar for a little while now. That said, if it weren't for @VisitMKEMeg's suggestion to lunch there this past Tuesday, I'm not sure how quickly I would've gotten to try this place out! First impressions: The interior is minimal, unassuming, and modest: bright lime green walls create a stark contrast to red light fixtures; seating is varied (counter, table, and booth-ish), and the vibe? Diner meets Latin America a la 1995. Don't let this unassuming nature fool you, however... Chef Paz is the real Peruvian deal. Of the two experiences I've had w/ Peruvian food in MKE, this one definitely reigned superior. Some context, first: Service was sweet and attentive from the get-go. It remained so throughout the duration of the meal, and culminated with Meg and I chatting w/ Chef Paz herself for at least a good forty-five minutes. For folks not so familiar with Peruvian eats, servers rock an iPad in the hopes that showing as well as telling will help the diner chose the right dish. Cute idea, as well as innovative and a testament to the fact that the folks at Chef Paz are not just trying to create and serve killer ethnic eats, but also trying to educate Milwaukeeans about said Peruvian food. To the food (and please forgive me for not remembering dish names exactly; I was so preoccupied chatting w/ Meg, Chef Paz, and our server that I completely forgot to write anything down insofar as dish names. That said, I can't find their menu on the world wide interwebs, either): Appetizer: We split a small green tamale that was stuffed with cheese and flavored extremely well. Just a touch of spice rounded out the offering, and it was cooked perfectly, to boot. Lunch special numero uno: Beef stew (all beef served here is tenderloin) that seemed less stew-like and more like chunks of tender tenderloin accompanied by rice, pinto beans, and red onions. A cilantro-based sauce containing finely chopped jalapenos accompanied the dish, and was a great compliment to the rice. (I put it on the tamale, too.) Overall this dish was solid but not so much jam, although... Lunch special numero dos: So damn sinful... I can only assume this one was laden with about a gajillion calories, but it was so very good. Chunks of tender chicken in a creamy sauce topped with cheese, then baked in a crock and served with rice. I don't know what it was called, but gah! Drool. Super good. Willpower be damned, friends. Order this one knowing you won't be able to resist its evil goodness. Overall, I give Chef Paz four stars with the caveat that I look forward to going back and sampling more. If you give it a go knowing that the interior and vibe are modest, the service is solid, and the food is Peruvian authentic (and delightful!), you won't be disappointed.
(4)Claudia B.
We moved to the Milwaukee area two weeks ago and this was one of our first stops. We ordered the trio causitas and an empanada for appetizers, the chicken anticucho and aji gratin for entrées, and alfajores and lucuma mousse for dessert. Everything was delicious, with all the flavors from home that I missed. Our bill came to $41 for everything above and Inca Kola for each of us. We'll definitely be back!
(5)Marc R.
I like this place. It is good, and could be better but with few other options for Peruvian food this is a must stop for anyone spending time in Milwaukee. We had a great meal, but as I have heard from regulars you need to go when they have lunch specials and dinner specials and Chef Paz herself is cooking. I have to say I have had better Peruvian down in Chicago, but hey, West Allis is closer to my mom's house. Parking was easy on a busy night. Service was ok.
(3)Annemarie D.
I have been wanting to try this place because of all the positive Yelp press. Luckily, I went to a Sunday buffet here a few months ago. The buffet was a fantastic way to sample numerous Peruvian dishes. The buffet will start up again in January 2014 and I can't wait. The restaurant itself is a small former diner. There are decorative items from Peru around the place to dress it up a bit. The owner, Chef Maritza Paz makes sure each plate is a delight to all your senses. Check out her Facebook page and see the photos she posts of her creations. I have been here three times and each time was a treat. When I had the buffet there were so many items I really should have made a list. I recall that the yucca strips and plantains were great. I especially like dipping the yucca into the cilantro sauce. The sauce has a mild cilantro flavor with a pepper kick at the end. I tried a lot of different meat dishes on the buffet and they were all delicious but I don't remember the names. Sorry! On my second visit, I had the arroz con pollo, which is chicken with rice for you kids who skipped Spanish class. It's just a boneless chicken breast with cilantro rice. Check out my photo of it and see how Chef Paz dressed it up. The breast was seasoned perfectly and was easily one of my favorite chicken dishes ever. On my third visit, I had the beef stew. Very flavorful but I wish I would have received more beef. But maybe I am just greedy. I was able to share some of Pam B's Chicken Pot Gratin. Picture chicken pot pie without the pastry. It has a delicious cheese sauce with potatoes and chicken throughout. I highly recommend this place. Go!!!
(5)Jay j.
If you haven't tried Peruvian food then you should go here and order yourself some empanadas and the lomo saltado. The jalapeño cilantro sauce is amazing. But seriously, if you love Mexican food, Peruvian food is a welcome change of pace, and this restaurant delivers the goods. The Yelpers that have been adventurous enough to try Chef Paz are not wrong on this place.
(5)Katie M.
Seriously, a gem! My boyfriend and I have been going to Chef Paz for over a year now and we have yet to have something we didn't love. My personal favorites is the Tacu Tacu and the Chicha Morada. We brought a foodie friend of ours, and he absolutely loved it too. He even told our waitress that he wanted to bathe in the sauce. ;) The service has always been super friendly and knowledgeable. I try to get my boyfriend to go with me any chance we get!
(5)Jared G.
1) get the chicha morada to drink. Phenomenal. 2) chicken empadas are tasty. I'll definitely try more things here. Lomo Saltado was good, could use maybe a bit more seasoning. The smoked pork fried rice was pretty good, guessing beef fried rice is even better. Pacu Pacu was better than the Lomo Saltado.
(4)Rick R.
Once upon a time, there was a Peruvian restaurant in Milwaukee called El Tondero. I'd heard good things, but never made it in for a visit. Then they closed and there was a void for many years until La Parihuela opened on 90th & National. I stopped in there with a couple of friends and liked the food, but they struggled to bring in business. Soon after, Mr Sebass, another Peruvian restaurant opened at 35th & National. The food there was good but inconsistent due to changing chefs. La Parihuela closed after a few months. Their sign advertised Mexican Food, which maybe they thought was clever, but if people don't like your "Mexican Food" because it's not like the Mexican Food they've had (BECAUSE IT'S NOT MEXICAN FOOD!), then your strategy will backfire. One day, a Peruvian friend of mine told me about a chef in Madison that was going to showcase her skills with a Peruvian buffet. So we ventured to Madison and attended said buffet. We ate lots and loved everything. A rumor floated around that this particular chef might be taking over the space previously held by La Parihuela. I was excited about the idea. Fast forward to present day...that chef, Maritza Paz, has a restaurant in the space previously occupied by La Parihuela. The sign reads "Chef Paz" and doesn't tell you what kind of food they serve so you cannot have any preconceived notions. The sign also tells you that there are daily lunch specials for $4.95 and dinner specials for $6.99. Smart and very smart! Now for the food. How would I describe Peruvian cuisine to you? Well, you have some basic staples like white rice, pinto beans, yucca, plantains for sides, similar to what you would find in a Cuban, Puerto Rican or Jamaican restaurant. If you haven't tried those cuisines, get out from under your rock and do it! Then beef, chicken and fish prepared different ways for entrees. It's what she does with the beef, chicken, and fish that will amaze you. The combination of flavors from the spices and sauces create flavor explosions! On my visit tonight, I opted for the Beef Stew. The roux was dark and rich and extremely flavorful. The chunks of beef were tender and equally delicious. The dish is served with a side of white rice and pinto beans. The beans stood out to me more than the rice. If that's not enough, they also provide you with a small container of house-made cilantro sauce to dip the beef in. Really? Really. The restaurant is small and was full tonight. At times, the kitchen seemed to struggle a bit with a few appetizers, but I only had to wait 15 minutes for my entree, so it seemed the entrees were going out faster than the appetizers. Good news, they take reservations. More good news, Chef Paz offers a buffet once a month to showcase the menu. The next one is this Sunday. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. The restaurant is high tech, too. The servers enter the orders with an app on an IPad. When the customer is ready to pay, they push a button to print the ticket and the cash register drawer opens. Impressive. Chef Paz also features Peruvian beer, wine, soda (I believe it's called Inca Cola) and a purple non-alcoholic beverage made from corn called Chicha Morada. It's tasty. You must try it. They also have Pepsi products for the rest of you. Unlike it's predecessor, I think Chef Paz is going to last a while. I certainly hope so anyway. I know I'm going back. This really is as good as it gets!
(5)Joe P.
Descriptive phrase: homemade feel, 5-star food. Chef Paz drew me and my family in for dinner thanks to the glowing online reviews. You'd be forgiven for missing it while driving down the street; pull into the parking lot nearby and walk over. You can tell it used to be a diner, with the classic tables, booths, and counter still present. They have done a nice job of decorating, though, to make it feel more Peruvian. And there we are: how often do you get to go to a traditional Peruvian joint? Especially in Milwaukee? I loved how just about everything on the menu was a Peruvian dish. Too often these "ethnic" restaurants offer one or two true choices then the rest are Americanized. Not here. Service was fine, and you know it's fresh when as soon as you order Chef Paz herself gets up from the counter and goes in back. I had a Peruvian beer to start, which I enjoyed (simple lager). The appetizer for the four of us (plenty to go around) was the Crispy Yucca ($5.75). They were more potato wedge-y than I expected, but a great and unique starter. There were so many delicious-sounding options I was torn. I settled on the Tacu Tacu "Chef Paz" ($13). You would never expect it from such a place, but the food that was served was plated like a downtown 5-star restaurant. I don't normally care one way or the other about presentation, but each plate was downright attractive. And it had the taste to back up the appearance! A mound of rice and beans formed and topped with a fried egg, with plenty of tenderloin strips, onions, tomatoes, and peppers swimming in a wine sauce on either side. One of the tastiest dishes I've been served in Milwaukee yet. I couldn't help myself; I had to eat it all right there. Perfectly grilled (which many can fail on with vegetables, tomatoes especially), unique but approachable rice/bean combo, sweet but not overpowering wine sauce. My family loved all of their dishes as well. Highly recommended that Milwaukeeans venture out to this hidden gem. I'm excited that Milwaukee still has new places this good popping up.
(5)Justin L.
This is a hole-in-the-wall Peruvian place. It was pretty packed for a small place like this and had only one server, which was probably why it took awhile. The food was just okay in my opinion. I have had way better Peruvian I must say. We had...(excuse my lack of names since this was a little while ago) Shrimp with mashed sweet potato cakes served with three different aioli. The aioli sauces weren't anything spectacular, which is the thing that should be making this appetizer...the shrimp was just cooked and topped on a little crab meat topped onto potato cakes shaped into cylinders. Tacu-tacu...I like the rice and beans and sadly, that might have been my favorite part, aside from the presentation. The beef was not the most tender and the sauce was just okay... It reminded me of teriyaki. why? Lomo Saltado...The same kind of beef/tomato/onion mixture in the Tacu-tacu just on top of thick wedged french fries and served with white rice. The beef was lacking in flavor and the french fries, you can tell, were the type that you buy from frozen wholesale... We didn't even finish this plate. Chica Morada... I see reviews about it being good here, but maybe we came late and it was watered down? I really wanted to like this place. I support mom and pops...but this just didn't do it for me. :(
(2)Don W.
I've heard a lot of people raving about this little place, including the mayor of West Allis so when the wife and I had a weekday off, we tried it for lunch. It' didn't disappoint. I ordered the Steak LOMO which was beef with tomatoes, onions and cilantro on top of French fries in a light brown gravy and a side of white rice. It came with a spicy cilantro sauce that I passed on. It was delicious. My wife had the Chicken Pot Gratin which is a casserole-style dish. It was good although it lacked a little in the potato department according to her. Overall, this was excellent food and everything on the menu sounded great. We will definitely be back. There was one waiter and service was a tad slow but the waiter was very attentive. Due to the time to make the casserole, we did spend over an hour there for lunch so save some time when you visit.
(4)Emily S.
Interesting place that I never new would have existed had it not been for a little word of mouth advertising from friends. The food here was great! I ordered a vegetarian dish that they made for me (rice and vegetables), which had some great flavor. The yucca fries were also pretty good, but lacked flavor, which could have been made up for my a more powerful/spicy sauce. The staff was knowledgable and helpful in helping us choose entrees and drinks - the Inka Cola is a must try! The only complaints I have about this place was the noise level and uncomfortability of the place due to its size and seating. We sat by the window in a corner seat, but it felt a bit cramped. The chairs were very uncomfortable and felt like cheap patio furniture (although they were super cute). It was also so noisy in there that I couldn't hear the people across the table talking, so we had to resort to screaming. Maybe this was due to the party of 10 that was in the restaurant, but I don't think this place is conducive to much conversation. All in all, cute place and great food, but not great for comfortability and noise.
(4)Connie L.
I have never had Peruvian food so I had no expectations going into Chef Paz. However, I am very glad I decided to be adventurous--the food came out quickly and the food was delicious. I had the fish ceviche (tilapia with corn and baked sweet potato on the side), while the boyfriend had the tacu tacu (comes with a side of rice). If you would like to substitute/add another side dish, you have the option of doing so for an additional $1.99. They have lunch specials for around $5 and dinner specials for $7.
(5)Jeff R.
I got hooked on Peruvian at Acuario in Port Chester, NY, during a business trip and immediately sought out the same flavor upon my return home. Several years later, I am pleased to see the reviews of Chef Paz and noting that so many others are enjoying this hidden and unsung gem of our foodie city. This has truly masterpiece plates and presentation. Don't let the ambience fool you. Enjoy!
(5)Laura M.
Yum yum. Best house sauce on earth. Grab a green tamal and more green tamales and be sure to get lemon meringue for dessert. A small piece of heaven in West Allis. Who knew??
(5)Leigh A.
Amazing experience. The server was awesome. She took time to explain all the dishes and even showed us photos on an iPad. Everything was delicious. The sangria was fresh and light. The tacu tacu was outstanding and cooked to perfection. I had the three flavor custard sampler for dessert. My favorite is the tropical flavor. Definitely will be back next Sunday for their $12.99 buffet. They will have over 25 different dishes to choose from.
(5)Dave F.
My wife and I wanted to try something different and we'd never had Peruvian food. The staff here couldn't have been nicer or more eager to please, but the food was nothing spectacular. We started with sangria to drink which the waitress described as wonderful. It was bland and had very little fruit, none of it fresh. We had two appetizers, a green tamale which came with a delicious sauce and fried yucca which were like French fries, only with less flavor. For entrees we tried the Paella and a shrimp seafood stir fry. The stir fry was good. The Paella was disappointing. The shrimp were minuscule and the calamari was rubbery. The lemon dessert was nothing special. Nothing terrible about this place, but nothing to go out of your way for.
(3)Dan M.
I didn't even know this place existed! the lady and I went here on a whim for lunch and we were both wonderfully surprised. There menus has plenty, and it reminds me of all the best things that Latin cuisine offers. We both had a dish of grilled flank steak with tomatoes. I also had shrimp. Both of us almost licked our plates clean. Along with this you get fries and rice. And to top it off, a jalepeño aioli for the dippings. NOM NOM NOM! And for dessert: The cutest tiny lemon meringue pie ever. It was delicious! Please do yourself a favor and come on by. Don't expect anything like Mexican food or you will be confused. Also don't wear a belt.
(4)Tina D.
Good food and very friendly service from the waitress. Only con is that its very small, I can see it getting packed easily and overcrowded. Also there's not much drinks to choose from, but the food makes up for it!
(4)Marissa K.
Food is so good. LOVE the Lomo steak ad chicken pot gratin. Service is always good. The chef made a special dish to try at no charge while we waited, not sure what I was called, it was basically a broccoli quiche (spelling?) My 2 year old gobbled it down. We live down the street so it's a nice place to walk to. Great food, great service...keep it up!
(5)Chemi D.
Would definitely come back. Service was awesome, food was amazing and presentation of food is very colorful and eye drooling. Place is clean and alot of natural light and is close by my house! :) Chef Paz can really cook it up! Get the empanadas! And Chica!
(5)Eddie G.
Good little spot to get your fill! GO! you will thank me later. Civiche, peruvian beer, Steak Lomo, and for desert, try the freshly baked lemon meringue pie! dam this is little hotspot is definitely one to add to the list!
(5)Tom M.
We didn't have a reservation, so we sat at the counter. Colorful decor and ethnic music. Enjoyed the beef stew.
(4)Jim M.
Chef Maritza Paz is amazing. This little Peruvian woman has talent that other Chefs can only dream of. Foodies will be doing a culinary happy dance when their plates arrive. It is no shock that all of the newspapers love this diner. The sauces are spectacular. We originally went here on a friends recommendation. It's 25 minutes away from my house so I nearly had to drag my wife to it the first time. Now she goes there more often than I do. The shrimp stew is amazing. It is just a seafood delight. If you order it you can expect spectacular and you won't be disappointed. I don't recall whether they call it a soup or a stew but if you order the large one you won't need to order anything else. Ceviche is one of their specialties and one of my favorites. The perfect blend of seafood, lime and thinly cut red onion make this a delight. Order this with a side of boiled sweet potatoes and include a little bit of the sweet potato in every amazing spoonful and you will be in heaven. Their generous serving size makes this a great hearty dinner and if you're eating healthy, this is the perfect choice. Their mixed seafood with rice is stick-to-your-ribs yummy. If you order any of the fried items you'll be treated to their zesty cilantro-jalapeno sauce. I've never had anything like it. It is wonderful. They occasionally have buffets which they advertise on facebook. These well attended events give you the opportunity to try different things. Still, I prefer to just order from the menu. If you would like to know what your food will look like they will show you photos right on an iPad that the server uses when taking your order. When you order you need to be smart. If you order something with french fries, it's going to taste like something with french fries. If you order something with white rice, expect it to taste like white rice. If you do either of these things you are selling yourself short. Get something here that you can't get at other places if you want the WOW factor. There is a reason we are willing to hop in the car for the nearly hour long round trip and that is because we love good food served and prepared by friendly people. You'll get both of those here.
(5)Richard S.
My first experience with Peruvian Cuisine is my first review of 2013! I went with a friend and we tried a bit of everything! We started with the Trio De Causitas. Towers of golden mashed potatoes filled with flavorful shrimp and crab salad and a Green Tamale. The Tamale was one of the best I've ever had. My main course was the "Tacu Tacu", which was tender Beef , Tomatoes, Red Onion and Red Pepper in a fantastic, dark, reduced sauce served over a pyramid of Yellow Rice and Canary Beans topped with a perfectly soft fried egg. This was perfect comfort food. Warm and rich and filling! My friends beef stew was good, but my dish was the clear winner! For Dessert we had the Combination plate. four different small treats that included three mousse preparations and a flan. Our favorite was the Guanabana Mousse, which had a slightly sour note. I also really enjoyed my Chica Morada. A drink made from Purple Corn Juice, Cinnamon and Cloves. Our server was extremely helpful and friendly and they are wheelchair accessible.
(5)Ana J.
It's been a long time since I've been to a restaurant were the food blew me away. Such an incredible mix of flavors! Try the sea food rice dish.....amazing!
(5)Kathleen S.
Really amazing food - highly recommend the paella and the ceviche. Each time my husband and I have gone, the server is very friendly and incredibly informative. We always try something different on the menu, and thus far have no complaints - we keep coming back for more. The decor is almost garrish bright colors, and I wish the tables/chairs were of better quality, but frankly, that's just a side note. The food and excellent service completely override any complaints about decor. Just wish there were more people there - each time we've gone there haven't been many others in the restaurant.
(5)Carlo L.
The best Peruvian Cousine in Wisconsin. 100 % Peruvian food. 100% good service.
(5)Jen M.
Excellent food. Just plain excellent. The chef/owner asked if I I wanted recommendations and they did not disappoint - I had the chupa de camarones (I'm sure that's spelled wrong) and some chicken special that was simple but perfectly cooked (and delicious). So why no 5 star rating? Well, I saw the waitress but wasn't actually waited in unless you could setting my food down in front of me (I never ordered, just let the chef decide for me). Had to actually get up to get her attention because I needed silverware - I actually looked around first to make sure Peruvian food wasn't eaten with your fingers (stop laughing, I'm new at this!), tried to get her attention a few times, said "excuse me, ma'am but.." oh never mind, you didn't hear/see me..again. Water would have been nice but hey, if silverware took that much effort... Now, I know I sound like a bratty kid but I have been in the food service industry since I was old enough to work. I'm not unreasonable (some servers/bartenders/managers etc seem to find flaw in every encounter) and know that sometimes you just get busy and can't show every patron your full attention. I get it, I've been there, but I got NO attention in a 12 table restaurant that wasn't half full. Even had my check delivered by a guy eating there that apparently used to work there. So in conclusion, the food was epic enough to keep this rating at 4 stars, that should tell you everything you need to know about the food here.
(4)Ian M.
My boyfriend and I were in need of Sunday brunch. We ended up trying something new and different, something that wasn't your typical omelette or crazy delicious benedict creation. Chef Paz was something that was nearby and piqued our interest. Though the space was small and you could tell that the restaurant was a diner in a past life, Chef Paz didn't need too much to prove that we were in a Peruvian restaurant; it all was shown in the food. Our server was attentive and friendly. Our appetizers and entrees were served pretty quickly, maybe a little too close together. Presentation was nice though we barely had enough space for our appetizers and two entrees on our table. Should a renovation ever take place, the tables should be the first to be updated. The shrimp in the ceviche was in a tasty sauce, while my chicken pot gratin was surprisingly filling. My boyfriend got the pasta with (more shrimp). Both entrees would be great for a first-timer. Should I come back for another visit, I'd be inclined to try a beef of pork dish. You can tell that Martiza Paz, owner of Chef Paz takes pride in her culture, her cuisine, and her restaurant. The menu is easy to understand without being intimidating. You can see how Paz makes traditional dishes a little bit extra special to attract any diner. I'm looking forward to stopping by again during a weekend evening sometime.
(3)Valerie S.
The food is absolutely delicious! So authentic, mouthwatering! The staff is super friendly, and very polite. They do specialty buffets one a month or so (you can find info on their fb page, i think) and they are awesome! Definitely the best Peruvian restaurant in Milwaukee
(5)Unicorn L.
LOVE this place. Everything I have tried (quite a lot) is delicious! The staff is friendly and the food is just killer. When people find out about this gem and how good it is, they might have to expand for more room! If it's your first time get the Lomo Saltado and the beef empanadas!
(5)Priscilla C.
Wow food was amazing and very flavorful! The food was presented very well and was very colorful. I will be returning!
(5)Jennifer W.
I keep hearing about this great little place so I decided to give it a whirl. It was my monthly outing with a bestie and he always lets (expects? demands?) that I pick the place. I've made a habit of selecting a place neither of us have ever been for said occasion. Chef Paz has a bright, cheery decor and a nice little bar in the middle of the room. On a Tuesday night, it was pretty slow but we kind of liked that...more attention for us. Our waitress was a total dollface and we both might have fallen in love with her. She guided us through the menu with her iPad, which I found very helpful. Me likey the pretty pictures! We started with a couple of appetizers - fried yucca chips (just okay in my book) and empanadas which were outstanding. For entrees, my friend had a talapia dish and I went for the paella. It was good, fresh, piping hot...and reminded me that I still hate mussels. Which isn't the restaurant's fault, but even my friend said they weren't high quality mussels. All in all, it was good to try something new. As a side note, my friend and I stayed for hours laughing and talking and philosophizing and this was not a problem.
(4)Judy O.
If you love great food and unassuming neighborhood gems go to Chef Paz. I had brunch here recently and loved it! I don't know what most of the Peruvian dishes were by name on the buffet, but they were all delicious and filled with flavor. The selection was outstanding and the owners and wait staff were warm and welcoming. Our table shared a pitcher of sangria that perfectly complimented the dishes. I think brunch is offered on a limited number of Sundays, so I'd recommend calling ahead for reservations.
(4)Karrie M.
Yeaaaaaah! Peruvian place is back! Chef Paz has replaced a former favorite restaurant (La Perihuela), and I was *super* excited when I saw the sign (like, did-a-little-happy-dance-in-my-car-excited :) ), and it did not disappoint! First, the food (after all, that's really what I wanted!) - Very, very good. We started with a couple appetizers - tamal verde (the menu at Chef Paz told me it would be an unforgettable experience, or something of that sort...). It was amazing. Loved it. Wish I had a stash of them to eat whenever I pleased. Served with a yummy green spicy house sauce that I could honestly eat on almost everything. Also had a beef empanada which was also quite tasty. For my entree, Taku taku, which was very good. The meat was well-cooked, and the rice/bean/pancake thingie came out in a cute little pyramid shape, which I quickly destroyed :) The food came out fairly quickly. The menu is somewhat limited, but I don't think you need many options when you are eating here, as the ones they have are different enough to give a variety. The service was great. Our waitress was very nice, explained everything, and was very attentive. Ambience is pretty good - again, it is a fairly small space, but cute enough. It was quite cold outside when we went, but they did have a heater near the door to help with the cold draft when it opened. In the end, I think everyone should give Chef Paz a try (If only to keep it open so I can go there more! :) )
(5)Michael G.
Not anymore. Terrible service and bad attitudes.
(1)Jason K.
A new Peruvian restaurant in West Allis that replaced the previous one. The place is quite small, with only about 10 tables or so along with a bar. It was quite empty for a Friday night at 8, we thought we were going to have to wait for a table, but our party of 4 was seated right away. Very good customer service, we were greeted with a warm welcome and a warning of new servers, apologizing for our non-existent wait. I appreciated the thought and warning tho. They had reasonable priced beverages, with a great sangria. The food came out very quickly, we hardly even had enough time to eat our appetizer. The ceviche was brilliant by the bye. I had the lomo saltado, which was quite tasty and just the right amount of food. The beef stew is also very good, I would recommend either of them if you are looking for something to try. You could tell our waitress was new as she kept trying to take our appetizer plate when we said we were still working on it. She also never asked if we would like a refill on our drinks. Over all we had a great experience and would recommend you check it out.
(4)