El Ancla

Great, atmosphere and ambiance. Good music and spacious location. Has a seating area, a bar and a sushi station (not open at the moment). The food was great and authentic Peruvian food. We had fried calamari, grill seafood and Inca chaufa-delicious. Strong drinks, which si great, you get what you pay for. We had a sangria and a pisco sour flavor passion fruit-yum! Definitely recommend.

Stopped by on a Thursday night (we were just cruising Broadway to see what's around) without knowing anything about the place besides the fact that it's Peruvian and I'm glad we did! We were happily greeted by our lovely, jovial host/server Belen who seemed to be running the place with 2-3 other employees (it was a rather empty night, makes sense). We were seated in the "secret garden" (or, their backyard area) and I was immediately struck by how gorgeous the atmosphere was! Romantic, vibrant, and verdant! We have quite a few back areas in Astoria, and this is by far one of the more tastefully decorated spaces. Tables are a li'l small for the size of the food, but that's fine. Also, I love it when restaurants use real candles. More importantly, the food. We ordered: Pulpo Al Olivo (it's big, even for two, don't get anything else for appies if you're getting this. Deliciously seasoned octopus as well as the potatoes and onions. Even better with the picante. Tallarin Verde & Churrasco: I strongly preferred the Tallarin Verde, but both were excellent, large portions, and were absolutely delectable. The pasta and pesto combined well with the steak (ordered medium rare and it was cooked as such!). White Sangria: Fresh fruits, tasted great, visually pleasing. Lucuma Ice Cream: I've never had Lucuma before! It carries a complex flavor that I'd describe as a pleasant mix of citrus, caramel, and maybe a little cinnamon? Delicious. Belen also brought out some frozen passion fruit shots for us and invited us back to the anniversary this Sunday! We will definitely be back. I had quite a different experience from the strange 1-star review about the Happy Hour (homeboy really thought 7pm on a Saturday had an HH?! Also, it says M-F on the sign in front), and I recommend stoppin' by! The menu and drink menu isn't wildly extensive but what they have is good. I'm curious about the seafood though, it seems like their main thing.

This place is a blissful haven for seafood lovers. Everyone in my dinner party was impressed with the quality and quantity of the food. The seafood was fresh and perfectly cooked. The lomo saltado was savory, with juicy strips of sirloin. The Jalea is definitely a dish to share. The service was perfect. We ate indoors, but the garden area looked serene and beautiful. Next time.