Mochica Peruvian Kitchen & Bar Reviews

RECOMMENDED: This is a neighbor place, high on Potero Hill and only a few minutes drive if you're staying in the city. It's a small street with various local restaurants, mostly all good and a good variety as well. It's local. Mochica focuses on authentic Peruvian, so all the classic dishes, sometimes with a bit of California twist, but make no mistake, the staff knows how Peruvian should be served. It's a friendly, bright environment, perhaps a bit too noisy for a quiet dinner and a lively bar scene. There are 2 dining areas and bar. Week days is modestly busy. Single dinner? Easy enough to eat at the bar and feel part of the scene. Take a stroll afterwards and you can take in the cityscape. I am a regular visitor and have yet to have anything bad on the menu. Prices are moderate. Monday they have a longer happy hour and lower priced shareable bar dishes (all good). Service is friendly and the customers are mostly nicely attired with a mixed scene of young and older.

I don't live in Potrero Hill, but if I did, this would be a great neighborhood spot. I went here for lunch the other day (and ordered off the breakfast menu) - the food is good and the staff is very friendly. Prices are typical SF but I can imagine happy hour here would be a great deal. Definitely worth a try!

Traveling to the SF Bay Area with my Peruvian Husband we are always searching for good Peruvian food. On a recent trip, we opted to celebrate a family member's birthday at Mochica Restaurant. It is a short Lyft ride from downtown (about $10.00) and the food is a decent approximation from delicious Peruvian food I have eaten in Peru and I liked it better than another Peruvian Restaurant I have eaten at previously. I had the Aji de Gallina, which is usually my benchmark for the quality of the Peruvian food I am eating. It was very traditionally flavored, not skimping on the Aji Amarillo. Delicious! The absence of olives was the only thing that stood out to me as missing. We also tried the Papas Juancaina which again were missing the black olives, but the flavor of the sauce was yummy. 2 things that were a bit off was the addition of cinnamon rather than bitters to the Pisco Sour and the chiccharones were spare ribs in a BBQ sauce?! There were specials listed on the blackboard we were informed they were out of, which was a bit puzzling because we were eating early in the evening 5:00-6:00ish, too early to be sold out. Change the specials or remove them from the board if they are not available. Overall, we enjoyed our meal, and the ambiance of the restaurant and although we did not try everything on the menu, we enjoyed most of the dishes we tried!

Having just arrived in town we were very lucky to happen upon this lovely restaurant. Having never had Perevian food before we'd don't have a reference point but if this is what it is like then we are impressed! Very tasty, well cooked and a good atmosphere. The cerviche tasting selection and chorizo stuffed calamari were the highlights.

My wife and I enjoyed a meal here. It was really great. We picked a variety of five dishes from all over the menu. The food had amazing taste and arrived super quick.

This is a Peruvian restaurant that has excellent food and good service. We went there for lunch and had the Seafood Paella and the Beef Stir Fry (Peruvian style) and Fried Yucca. They served these fried garbanzo beans that were out of this world. The waiter was kind enough to tell me how it was made (as I wanted to make these at home)....very pleasant service. The prices were up to par for the area. A small place and atmosphere was okay;......checked out the bathroom and it was spotless (a relief). A bit out of the way but worth it.....will go again.

First time having Peruvian food and we were pleasantly surprised by the myriad of flavours that it offers! Service was fantastic. The waiter explained the dishes to us and helped us in our choices. He was patient as we order a couple of dishes at at time ... The second and third visits were easier as we just ordered our favourite from the first visit and choose something else that we would like to try. Highly recommended!

We truly enjoyed our first Peruvian experience. A quant little restaurant that does it right. The Aji de Gallina and Seafood Paella were wonderful! Loved the unique flavors! Great service too!

The food here was excellent! Every dish that we ordered from the small plates section of the menu - definitely surprised us. Must orders - octopus, beef heart, peruvian cookies and plantain

I was about to give 4 stars just because of the desert, but I think they deserve the 5. I love peruvian food and this place is great! We had ceviche and they Aji de galina, both tasted fantastic! The drinks - pisco sour and the other pisco - were delicious as well. But the desert was not good. I ordered the Lava Cake, pretty sure that it was like a petit gateau (at least the explanation I got from the waiter gave me this impression). But the cake seemed a little bit overcooked. The icre cream, in other hand, was great. It is a nice place to go, in the lovey neighborhood of Potrero Hill!

Have been exploring Peruvian food lately. This place was the best so far. Delicious beet and corn salad to start; great mixed cerviche, and a lamb shank to die for. The place is a little hard to find and out of the way, but worth it. Small and intimate with very good wine also.

We went here twice on our short stay in SF. The food was fabulous! The staff is friendly and efficient. We had short ribs, quinoa encrusted shrimp, paella and bouillabaisse, all so flavorful!

One of our party had spent a student year in Lima and very much enjoyed the flavors, dishes, sauces and nostalgia and sharing her love of Peruvian cuisine. We started with three shared tapas: the ceviche was fresh and complex, sumptuous purple mashed potatoes seemed odd with the octopus but paired fabulously and papas a la huancaina introduced a traditional family comfort food not quite like any US equivalent. For the main dishes, the Bouillabaisse was superb and the coconut rice a brilliant complement. The rotisserie chicken was average but was a bit dry compared to the saucy complex dishes that could have been chosen, the Lomo saltado worth trying as a tastey introduction to the Chinese influence and aji de gallina the better chicken dish. Service was attentive and helpful.

It's a restaurant that's easy to miss and somewhat obscured along a gritty stretch of Harrison but well worth the visit. Fascinating food, unobtrusive service, understated elegance and good value make it suitable both for business entertaining and romancing. I plan on returning often.

Good selection of dishes, including the usual Peruvian favorites. The Ensalada Nuovo Andino makes for a lovely start that can be shared. Of course, Yucca Fries are always a good choice. The King Salmon, qkuinoa risotto and either of the pork or chicken dishes are the way to go.

MoChica is a fantastic place for Cocktails and has a great menu. Staff are always very friendly. The Ribs are amazing!

This place totally rocks. I've been there probably two dozen times in the last 3 years. Everytime a friend comes to visit, or if a group of people need a great place to eat that is not going to break the bank, I either take them or recommend this place. Just the free apetizer--some type of toasted peruvian corn and almost tempura-style garbanzo beans mixed with onions and cheese--is worth the visit. Then the tapas-style first dishes are amazing. My favorites are the Hojas de Cerdo (like a carpacio with delicious yuca puree) and the Ceviche de Pescado. As for the main dishes--I think I've had all of them and you can't go wrong regardless of the choice. My favorites: the Pollo con Mani (Chicken in a delicious peanut sauce) and Carapulcra con Chancho (pork stew cooked in beer). The wine list is sparse but adequate (I recommend the Malbecs). And the service is usually awesome, unless the place gets full, in which case just order an extra pitcher of sangria and enjoy a relaxing evening. You won't leave here disappointed.

Lived in Peru for three years, so needless to say I had high expectations. Wasn't disappointed. Ceviche is fresh and served properly with camote and corn. Anticuchos were tasty and cooked well without being dry. Lomo saltado served with proper arroz peruano and the pisco sour cocktail was especially tart, the way it should be. Look forward to my next visit when in town. No doubt I have already spread the word to all my friends in Asia.

This place makes almost makes me wish I had to go back for a second day of jury duty! Almost, but let's just say that the one good thing about spending the day at the Hall of Injustice doing jury duty, is that I get to go to Mochicha for lunch a block and a half away. I love Peruvian food, and Mochica is probably the best there is. Well, up there with La Mar, except in a different way, and much cheaper than La Mar. Every time I go, I want to try everything on the menu, because it all sounds so inventive, and I know from past experience that the results actually live up to the description. It's best to come here with a bunch of other people, because on my own I have to narrow it down to two small plates -any more and I'm stuffed. Today it was the halibut tiradito -just perfect, not too spicy; and a corn fritter -but to call it a corn fritter doesn't do it justice. The execution was incredibly complex and the preparation was beautiful. Normally I wouldn't order something like a corn fritter, but based on past experience here, I pretty much know that you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. It's just a shame that there are always about a dozen other things I want to try. And the best part about it... one sangria really packs a punch! I've had sangria that's about equal to this on the deliciousness scale, but none that is both that delicious and that strong. Makes the rest of the day in jury duty that much more tolerable! The only bad thing about Mochica is the location. Unless you're doing something else in the area, it's pretty far from everything else. I was the only person at lunch, though I've seen them more full. I hope they stay in business!

It's good peruvian food as you expect with cheerful staff. They've taken a few modern twists here and there, like: dash of cinnamon on top of pisco sour, puff pastry shell for empanadas... I felt all the twists were improvements. Would happily go again.

A cramped noisy space with very little elbow room. The cocktail's are a mere side show to the actual Peruvian design. The price point of the cocktails brings it to the ridiculous. The food was tasty but we were rushed. There are better spots for the cash.

Mochica is my default great restaurant. When out of towners visit, I take them to this little gem of a place. Not only is the food is unusual -- great Peruvian San Francisco -- but the restaurant is pleasant and quiet. The complimentary appetizer of fried garbanzo beans and Peruvian corn nuts is always a delicious surprise. The ceviches plate with sauces is always delicious. Fun to share little plates of shrimp and mozzarello rellenos, grilled baby octopus, chicken epanada, garlic mushrooms, potato ball stuffed with chicken, yucca balls stuffed with pork. The Peruvian corn salad is delicious, as is the trout salad. The same people also own Piqueos in Bernal Heights and the relatively new La Costanera in Montara Beach, which got a Michelin Star.

Had Pescado a lo Macho, excellent, as were dishes had by my companions. Never done Peruvian before (duh) but if this is what it is I'm going down. Prices reasonable and service excellent.

I've been to Peru. Twice. And while US restaurants don't quite capture the essence of any food eaten in its country of origin, this place comes close. I used to eat here often while I was dating a Peruvian in SF. We went to many Peruvian and Peruvian-Chinese restaurants, but Mochicas was always my go-to. The presentation is beautiful, dishes are flavorful, ambience is classy, yet relaxed. Be aware that Peruvian food is quite pricey, so I didn't eat here as often as I would've liked. The popular dishes of Peru are very good here - ceviche, lomo saltado, papas huacaina, chiche morada, . . . I didn't ever try antecuchos there - I don't even know if they offer it - because once you've eaten it BBQed, there's just no going back. My favorite is the ceviche sampler platter. It runs about $18 -$23 but is an appetizer for 2 or 3 (or in my case, 1, unless you want to get stabbed by my fork), and contained 3 fist-sized mounds of ceviche, each with a different lime-Chile based flavor - rocoto, jabanero or serrano, red pepper, aji amarillo. A green, yellow, and orange mound, basically. Very, very good. I'm not ashamed to say I'd drink the juice after inhaling every piece of fish, pepper, Chile, red onion, hominy, yam, and sweet potato chip from the dish. In Peru, the dishes are quite mild. They generally prefer rich sauce-based dishes, rather than strong chile. But in Mochicos in SF, this plate had a kick. The flavor of the ceviche mounds varied - mild, medium, and hot. Yum. PS: Limon is more well-known as a popular Peruvian restaurant, but I found the food there to be much more subtle, almost on the bland side, and much more expensive. Very popular for business luncheons and evenings out with friends. **However, Limón in Fresno, CA is a whole different animal. Absolutely horrible! There is a miniscule Peruvian population here, and none of them work at Limón. Mexican cooks prepare "Peruvian food" at Limon in Fresno; thus, you pay a lot of money for Mexican food. If you've read my reviews, then you know I just spent 6 weeks in Mexico and I ate my through 5 states, so I LOVE Mexican food. But if I'm paying to eat Peruvian cuisine, I want Peruvian cuisine ** In conclusion, I always loved going to Mochicas and was never disappointed with anything I ordered. I can't wait to go back to SF for more! Hope that helps! Happy eating!

Love the food and the setting was very intimate and romantic.

Good ceviche dishes, also fish and palatanas. Quiet dining room, so easy to have a conversation at the table. Also very good pisco sours! Service was efficient but not rushed.

Very affordable and great tasting food. The service was great and the servers were very frlendly.

I've been a resident of Potrero Hill for 15 years and love this new addition. They have updated the layout with lots of window space and an open feeling. The bar is a great place I've eaten solo and met friends there for great food.

Never been to a Peruvian restaurant before so had no idea what to expect With help from my son we made sense of the menu I had pork belly as a starter, it was fantastic but enough for 4 people. A lovely steak followed again huge. A quinoa risotto was not appreciated by my wife. Not the most stylistic of restaurants, a rough and ready in reality. Not one to return to

This little off the beaten track restaurant was amazing. It was the first time for my partner and I trying Peruvian food and we were very impressed. We orders the beef heart on skewers and the Paella to share. They were both wonderful. The service was excellent. So happy we tried it.

Mochica is a good sized, family style restaurant, with a bar in a separate room, serving apparently authentic Peruvian meals. For dinner, we started with a delicious salad (Ensalada Nuovo Andino). This was followed by the Aji de Gallina (chicken breast, shredded, braised in aji amarillo sauce with steamed Jasmine rice) and Salmon Bandido (King Salmon, grilled, blue mashed potato, and escabeche) with a nice bottle of white wine. Both main courses were very good but the Salmon was the best. For dessert, we had an interesting and tasty caramel, egg yoke, and whipped cream custard. The service was very good and the noise level was not bad.

We visited this nice little restaurant on the top of potrero hill few days ago. The waiters are very kind and the service is pretty fast. To begin with I recommend to take a cocktail, they are awesome. Then, in the 2 times we went, every meal was tasty and spicy. I think the ceviche and the squids were my favorite ! We'll definitely go again

I am not very familiar with Peruvian cuisine, but I heard it praised, so I decided to give it a try. The restaurant is surely not located in the trendiest part of the city, but the decor is perfect. Friendly and efficient service throughout. The cevice was excellent as the main course of fish. I really enjoyed the experience.

Food was really good but you need to be careful of the picante sauces; some of them will ignite ! Great dessert dishes as well and the ambiance is really cool. Definitely a must stop place next time I am in San Fran.

We didn't dine in, just wanted some chicken dish "to go" , to supplement some leftovers that needed to be finished off. They were happy to oblige. We were staying in the nearby area and this restaurant was always doing good trade. The locals reommended to us, and i reommend it to you.

Mochica, in San Francisco, is a wonderful experience for those who value expertly prepared food that is based in Latin America but made with classic and timeless technique. The interior is cool and calm; the service attentive and responsive. Questions get thoughtful, useful answers, not the stereotypical fawning so often found in many restaurants today. Mochica, while not located in a garden spot, is easily accessible from SOMA, the Financial District, the Theatre District and the Castro District by public transportation and, of course, by cab from anywhere in SF. We had several dishes and each one was unique in flavor, textures, contrasts and sauces. The food was the main focus but the wine list was broad and not overly pricy. Worth it if you see yourself as a person who values high end food preparation and presentation at reasonable prices.

I was very impressed with the food at this restaurant. The ceviche's were just amazing, the beet salad to die for, and the squid was fabulous. Although I didn't see anything come out of the kitchen that didn't look amazing. The waiter was very helpful and made some great suggestions. It is a quaint little restaurant that is big and bold on flavors. It is definitely on my list for when I'm back in the area.

We ventured here to try something different and so glad we did. All of us loved everything we tried even a couple of mix ups. Had my first ceviche and it was wonderful!

Excellent service. Spectacular food. Vanda the host gave us excellent attention. I recommend the place to anyone who wants to eat tasty.

We were a group of 5 friends and it was a wonderful experience. Everything we had was amazing. The two winners on the menu for us were the octopus starter and the seafood bouillabaisse served with cocunut rice. Just delicious.

This Peruvian Restaurant, located on Harrison Ave. serves an array of cultural dishes. Breno, my waiter, was very helpful with walking me through favorites. The given appetizer is chick peas deep fried with cilantro, onions, feta, and tomato - tasty. I also had a glass of sangria with green apple and grapes in it. The next thing that I ordered, per Breno, was baby octopus served with mashed potato, chimichurri, and mixed greens with tomatoes and red onion. This is considered a small plate. It was delicious. For the main dish, I chose picante de mariscos, with calamari, fresh fish, mussels, and shrimp stewed in mild aji rocato base w potatoes and a side of rice. I put the rice in the stew and had everything blended together. It had a kick to it and was very good. I also ordered peruvian seafood paella style, with fresh fish, mussels, clams, and shrimp in saffron sauce pimento sauce. I told Breno that I liked the other meal better and that the Spanish style paella was what I was used to. I had him pack this meal to go. It was very good also.

Joined family and friends for a pre theatre dinner. The staff very helpful in selecting from the menu. Many dishes I had never heard of but managed to select a magnificent pork shoulder dish served with a "to die" for sauce served with asparagus spears and potato. One of our party orders what looked like Mac and Cheese with Shrimp. He said he had never had such good Mac and Cheese. Will definitely be seeking out Peruvian cuisine in the future. A good selection of wine and beers plus a Sangria that complimented the meal.

One of my favourite restaurants in San Francisco! I’ve been on four separate occasions now and tried so many dishes, everything is fantastic and excellent service!

We went here with groupon ad. It's right by the 101 and there's plenty of parking unlike other SF neighborhoods. Had potatos huaciana, a filled calamari dish, and my wife had red snapper. They started the meal with roasted garbanzos - very tasty. The papas huaciana was very tasty but could have used more cheese sauce. My calamari dish was delicious - filled calamari shells with sausage and raisin on a bed of salads. The red snapper was tasty as well - filled with potato. Washed down with two Cusquena beers. Service was okay - only complaint was that the portions were very small for price per entree (between $15 and $21 each). Would return again but would definitely check for coupons.

Parking can be difficult. Intersection a hub for restaurant Cheviche is very good, as was the crispy pork ribs that came with a dressing. One section is restaurant, other door has bar, view of kitchen more seating. Drink specials

I wish I had tried more plates in this place. I only tried the Lomo Saltado and the Chancho adobado. Both were amazing. Rich, juicy, just pure flavor. I dont givebit a higher rate just because my “Chicha morada” was not fresh, and therefore was too sour. Just a little recommendation, if you will order chicha morada, make sure to ask if it was prepared the same day.

We ate a late lunch here that was excellent. We started with Cebiche Mixto and Cebiche Pescado. The fish was fresh and not fishy tasting at all - I am very picky. We ordered the fried chicken sandwich - it was not deep fried, it was pan fried. We also ordered the Lomo Saltado which was fresh and flavorful.

We were visiting friends in SFO area and had late lunch on a Saturday. The Peruvian food menu appeared to be authentic. Between us we had yucca balls, pork shoulder and ceviche chino (ahi tuna). For drinks I had the Chicharita and my husband had the Pisco sour. (Chicha is blue corn liquor). We thought the food values were great for SFO area. Small space but very friendly staff. It started to fill up as we were leaving around 1:30 - 2:00. Lunch goes until 3:00 p.m. They are also open for dinner.

Majority of Peruvian restaurants in SF are good. Get the ceviche, great portion and taste, spicy tho.

So our Friday night dining group hopped down to soma for this wonderful find. We started with the beet salad, potatoes and two of the ceviche dishes which were excellent and the portion was generous. Between the fife of us we were able to get the salmon, shredded chicken, lamb shank, beef, and the paella, the were all great. Save room for dessert, we had one of everything but the alfajores were by far the best. We can't wait to return, amazing in every way.

We received a groupon as a gift. We had just returned from Peru and loved the food there. We were excited to try Mochica. We were seated at barstools that face the street, so you cannot see the restaurant or take in the ambiance. We ordered drinks. I had a glass of Malbec that was $9. The glass was maybe 1/8 full, so I wasn't too happy to start. My husband had the $8 sangria, which came in a very small glass. The free garbanzo bean appetizer was very good. My husband ordered cebiche, which was tasty, but small. I chose 2 small plates, the palta rellena ($7), which was pretty good (definitely not similar to any I had in Peru) and 3 small fried yucca balls ($9), which were supposedly filled with ham and cheese (which I couldn't find). Both dishes had the same two sauces, which I found strange since the dishes were nothing alike. My husband and I are not large people and enjoy small plate restaurants, but when we had to run to Blondie's to grab a slice of pizza after eating at a restaurant where we spent a $40 groupon plus another $25 with tax and tip, we probably wouldn't return.

Previously I went to Mochica to meet and old friend fro happy hour. The experience was so great I came Friday , the next day with my wife. She's a foodie when it comes to latin food. She's visited Argentina, Peru, Chile and all over Mexico. The dishes were as good as the previous visit. She gushed over the freshness of the oysters, the tastiness of the tuna verdita, and was blown away by the heart skewers. She said the only missing link is the guinea pig, which I did not agree on... This is our go to place if you want an excellent experience for happy hour without breaking the bank..

the calamari is very good and the waitress is nice

Delicious- the avocado and beet salad ( forget the official name) was fantastic. Even the blue chips they gave for free were delicious! And the bartender- part of the family that owns the restaurant ( and. 13 others!) was so chatty and friendly- he was just great.

We had great night at this stylish restaurant. Attentive Service, clean facilities and restrooms and an amazing atmosphere. Our Starter with Vheese wontons was delicious, salad and steak were as great. Everything well prepared and seasoned, warm and tasty. Always a good choice

Lucky us. Mochica moved to Potrero Hill. Service was great, food was delicious, and the classic Pisco Sour was as good as any I had in Peru.

We came here on trip advisors recommendation and we were not disappointed. We had 5 tapas like dishes to share between 2 people and they were all delicious, especially the mushroom dish and the spare ribs. The staff were friendly even if they filled our water glass a little too much. Brilliant restaurant. Would definitely recommend a visit regardless of the location.

pleasantly surprised on our visit to the city of San Francisco after visiting the area of the piers and the golden gate, incredibly found on the menu of this restaurant every dish representative of the Peruvian northern coast of traditional Creole food rich Peruvian National and sea food, flavor, aroma, texture, color, exceptional , which accompanied whit Peruvian beer Cusco and Peruvian Pisco, the service is fast ,friendly and the restuarant is immaculate, we had a nice meeting with a very good Peruvian food, I recommend it

This is such a great restaurant and easy to get to and park: what a great alternative to the difficult to get to restaurants in the Mission. We had the ceviche and calamari starters, both were excellent but the ceviche was remarkable. We then had the octopus, scallops and chicken main dishes. Again, the scallops were excellent (amazing sauce) but the octopus was remarkable. I can't wait to return. And the real hidden gem: sit at the bar and meet Maria, who knows everything and isn't shy to tell you when asked. She also made an amazing cocktail that included egg whites. Delicious...and the white wine from Portugal was so refreshing. REALLY A SUPERB EXPERIENCE.

Looked up Peruvian food, and saw "Mochica." Thought it might be the same as the (now closed) incredibly fantastic "Mochica" in downtown LA, but not so. The food was good - ceviche mixto was really good - but the rest was average. I would probably have had a better overall impression of the food if my eardrums weren't bursting from the excessive noise. It was a Friday night, so it was busy. My friend and I sat in the dining room that is not attached to the bar, and it was so loud that everyone was yelling to simply have a conversation. My friend and I couldn't hear each other across the table for all the "conversations" (yelling) going on around us. We ended up eating only half our meal, in silence, before we requested the check and fled. My advice: Order ahead and take it home.

The food here is really interesting. We enjoyed sharing a number of small plates and really liked all of them. The only negative was the fact that the varnish on the table had not properly cured and so our glasses kept sticking to the table, despite cleaning the table several times. Truth is, we didn't care because the rest of the dining experience was great.

I found this restaurant by searching the area for restaurants with good reviews, this Peruvian venue came up. I had the aguadita cilantro soup, it was so delicious. I had never had this soup before. My entree was just okay, I had the Snake River pork shoulder. The best things served was the soup, and ginger lemonade. If you are in the neighborhood of Potrero go here, if not go check out the other restaurants in the beautiful City.

Coming from outside the city this place is convenient as it's just a half a block off the highway. It's actually quite near downtown but in a really ugly area. However the dining room is so small they couldn't handle much foot traffic. I'd guess that seating capacity is around 50. The food we tried - including ceviche, a few tapas (chicken and beet stuffed avocado, a delicious mushroom dish) and several main courses (the tuna was especially memorable) - was uniformly fresh, creative and really delicious. We shared four main dishes and three smaller ones among the six of us and were all satisfied. Although we did have room to share three desserts - all very good but the highlight was the lucuma cheesecake. The service was friendly. We are Spanish speakers and had relatives in from Latin America so we were really happy that our waitress spoke some Spanish. She also knew the menu well and made some helpful recommendations. Even though there's lots of competition - Peruvian restaurants are all over the city - I suspect this place will soon outgrow its small somewhat out of the way location. Wherever it is located, we will surely be back!!

The ceviche is a must! Owner comes and greets you to make sure service is up to your standards. Highly recommend!

Mochica is located in a strange part of the city, but don't let that stop you from going there. My husband and I ate here for the second time and decided it is one of our favorite restaurants. The dishes are creatively prepared offering some traditional dishes. I started with their wonderful sangria and my husband (a cabernet lover) had the Malbec, which he enjoyed. We couldn't resist ordering the bolitas de yucca, which is absolutely wonderful. For main dishes I had a lovely seafood stew (recommended by our waiter) which had a rich and slightly spicy sauce. My husband had the well prepared and tasty lomo saltado. The service was thoughtful and the restaurant itself was fresh and modern.

This is our second time to this place because we liked it so much. This time around the service was not good at all but the food was still fabulous. We bought a Groupon and used it in this establishment. The waiter insisted that we get one sangria while the coupon was for two people and we were to get one drink a piece. This really irritated me becaue the waiter didn't speak much English and we just let it go. Although the sangria was pretty good, but it was a small glass and they were $8.00 a piece (not including tip on this) and was not worth it......we paid for it but were resentful with the attitude they took on this. If it was my restaurant, I would have just let it go. As far as the food goes, it was excellent. The seafood paella was the best I've ever had and the fried seafood misto was excellent as well.

Although because we were there before 5:30, only "Happy Hour" service at the bar was available, we nonetheless very much enjoyed our meals. The cebiche (ceviche) and my costillitas (pork ribs) were quite good. The French fries were made from "real" potatoes.

Not a big fan of the location but the food and service was amazing!!!!! small restaurant so get a reservation. Planning on going there again.

I went with my wife and friends and it was really good. The food had a great taste and well prepared. Some interesting combinations and the bar was also excellent. I highly recommend it.

Went here for dinner on a Friday night. The ceviche is a must- so fresh and good. We also got the yuca chips which were okay (some were dry), lomo saltado and the stuffed calamari. We could have gone with just the ceviche. We had wine too which was a bit pricey for SF.

I have traveled throughout Peru several times, and Peruvian cuisine is one of my favorites. Mochica is a step above most Peruvian restaurants. The dishes are based on traditional recipes, but there is always a modern twist thrown in. Mochica serves both Peruvian beer (Cristal, yes!) and chicha morada. The chicha was as good as I have had. The potato ball appetizer was fantastic. Unless you are allergic to potato, just order it and enjoy. I also had the Mochica paella entree. Not necessarily traditional, but the ingredients were top-notch and flavorful. I especially enjoyed that the paella was served with quinoa instead of rice, which was a grain used by the Incas. Quinoa is sort of a cross between rice and barley. Mochica is a little pricey, but the atmosphere is good and the food is the best I had during a week-long stay in San Francisco. The service was excellent.

We had a really lovely dinner at Mochica. We did not have a reservation so sat at a long shared table which wasn't a problem as we were early and the place wasn't full. We enjoyed a cocktail and some fruit juice and then had a delightful Calamari Relleno as as starter. The mains were great even if I cannot recall their names...risotto and a chicken dish.

They have a pretty standard Peruvian menu. They have always been pretty easy to get into, even on a Friday evening. Very family-friendly. You will often see bassinet strollers with newborn babies sleeping alongside a table! I have been several times since they opened, and will definitely return. In part, because it is one of the best local restaurants in our neighborhood. Yep - it is way up on Potrero Hill. Not really close to anything, but not all that far, either. Great views of SF from nearby streets, btw.

Tried Mochica on a groupon was pleasantly surprised had the stuffed calamari very good wonderful peruvian food. I really like the friend garbanzo free app. The stuffed avocado app was really good. We also had the Peruvian style Paella tasted good but really was not a paella no crispy bottom the fish in dish was cooked perfectly the rice a tad underdone and maybe a little salty. Atmosphere was good a little dark had trouble

Wanted to try something new, Peruvian food at Mochica was amazing. Loved both seafood and meat dishes. Sangria is great, all staff is very friendly and helpful.

Pisco Sours - the best I'vs had since visiting Peru The ceviche was beautiful, tart citrus and perfect spice accompany the fresh fish and traditional peruvian corn and sweet potato. Scallops Carlitos was rich and delicious with amazing seared scallops. Pollo A La Brasa was delicious, juicy chicken with great flavours. This was matched by my wife's Lomo Saltado - Yum.

The food was amazing, the service impeccable and the atmosphere very relaxing. But the cocktails omg!! The bartender knows her way around a bar. She was amazing!!

It's one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco!

Just like others, Chez Maman had too long of a wait, and a little farther up the strip on 18th Street was Mochica, a Peruvian restaurant. The lunch menu posted outside looked good, so my husband and I decided to try it. We decided to go with a salad and share a couple of the cebiche dishes. I tried the mixed green salad, and the ahi tuna cebiche, and my husband tried the beet salad and the pescado cebiche. I ordered a glass of wine (that was a little pricey, but it IS San Francisco...) The mixed green salad was fresh, with sprinklings of red onion, carrot, pepper, and dusted with quinoa and a light citrus dressing. It was also dotted with a little Peruvian corn, and it was delicious. The beet salad had a little heat and was spiced just perfectly. Now for the cebiches: big chunks of fresh raw marinated fish with more corn and a side sweet potato. They were were served with a bowl of plantain chips. Perfect portions for sharing! Service was great, but it was a quiet time. Not sure what the high dinner time would look like, but if you are in the Portrero Hill section of San Francisco, and looking for a different type of dining experience, this is definitely worth it!

We went as a group of 4 and wow did we test the waitress! All 4 of us wanted to change something on our order or substitute something due to dietary requirements/preferences and she was so unbelievably patient with us, not at all making us feel like we were being a nuisance! In fact she was extremely helpful in offering suggestions. When the food came it was delicious and all 4 of us 'fussers' ended up enjoying our meals.

every dish was very tasty and we had a lot of dishes! From appetizers, to wine, to shared plates large and small, the flavors were exquisite, the wine enjoyed by all and the staff vwery nice and helpful.

My husband and I stopped by here early on Sunday evening before heading out of the city. We wanted to eat a light meal, as we coming off of a vacation. We decided before entering we were only ordering an entree each. My husband chose the pork shoulder (Chanco Adobado) and I chose the 1/2 chicken (Mary's Chicken). Both meats were cooked perfectly - moist and tasty. The sauces were great. He wanted to substitute a few fried yucca for his roasted potatoes but was told that would be an extra charge. That surprised us, as the restaurant was slow at this early time in the night and my meal was coming with yucca. In SF, these little accommodations make a difference. I would ask for my salad greens undressed as they were over dressed and a bit wetter than I like to eat them. My husband had a ginger lemonade that was terrific. A major drawback was the loud music. We enjoyed the sounds but not at the volume, but we didn't ask them to turn it down. I would probably give it Mochica another try as their menu had more tasty things to try.

One of our group had been here before, and as the remaining of us where from out of town and not had Peruvian before, it came highly recommended. The area it's located is a bit shady, but hey, there's worse places in SF you can get caught in! The restaurant it self is really nice; very stylish, somewhat funky (the good kind) with nice music and easy on the eye staff (for both sexes!). Our table server was very helpful in advising on his favourites on the dish, and explaining anything which wasn't clear. Was slightly disappointed not to see Cuy on the list though! As there was three of us we decided to Tapas the menu up, including the mains as well as small plates. This was probably our downfall as the price quickly adds up. But the food itself was perfect. I'll be honest, I can't remember what we ordered, but it was all spot on. For a started we did have the 3 shrimp dishes with a different stly of citrus and spice. The difference in hotness between medium and hot wasn't much, but they all tasted good. Also the seafood paella was outdone by the rice! Overall, slightly on the pricey side, but the feel of the place is great. Will definitely go back here when in SF next time

Came here for the second visit tonight. First time it was on a Friday and it was a remarkable experience. So fun that I decided to go back. Big mistake! It was like day and night. Nothing of the first time experience that I could identify today. Unfriendly, sloppy service and very unfriendly non-customer centric credit card policy. They do not take AMEX, I get it AMEX charged more but who cares. I am the customer and after my consumption it is my prerogative to pay with the card I want, even if you make $2 less per meal. Sorry but with all options in SF, no need to come back to this place.

It was too late for lunch and a bit early for dinner so we decided to sit at the bar and order some light plates. It was my first time here and sitting at the bar I expected some decent dishes to accompany my beverage. What a surprise! As soon as the first dish arrived we knew we were in for a culinary treat. The Cebiche De Pescado was incredibly fresh and perfectly seasoned with bright citrus flavors. My favorite dish though was the Calamari Relleno - a grilled octopus stuffed with chorizo and a robust aioli. We ordered a few other dishes but the names I can't recall. There was a lot of fresh ingredients including avocado and well-done sauces with lots of flavors. The memorable part of the cuisine was the complexity without any heavy feeling. A well balanced and executed delight.

Visited here on a busy Friday night, and had a great time with friends. We started with a few Pisco sours that were perfected. Then ordered practically the whole menu. Everything was great including the blue mash! The chicken and empanada were very good. The desserts were amazing with the pannacotta having the perfect form!

Very good food. Good size portions , they had choclo which is one of my favorite South American foods (it's like a corn). I got the tartare and also salmon.

Ceviche: Great. Baby squid: Delish. Pisco sour: Perfection. I love when they get it right and they really really do. This place is fantastic and romantic and the service is top notch. Well done.