The Lemon Tree

Peruvian restaurant · Briar Forest

The Lemon Tree

Peruvian restaurant · Briar Forest

3

12591 Whittington Dr, Houston, TX 77077

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The Lemon Tree by Quit Nguyen
The Lemon Tree by Quit Nguyen
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The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
The Lemon Tree by null
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Highlights

Peruvian classics, ceviches, paellas, and tallarin saltado.  

Featured in The Infatuation
Featured in Eater

12591 Whittington Dr, Houston, TX 77077 Get directions

lemontreerestauranttx.com
@thelemontreehouston

$20–30 · Menu

Information

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12591 Whittington Dr, Houston, TX 77077 Get directions

+1 281 556 0690
lemontreerestauranttx.com
@thelemontreehouston

$20–30 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 19, 2025

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@infatuation

The 8 Best Peruvian Restaurants In Houston

"This cozy Briar Forest restaurant decorated like, well, a lemon tree, serves Peruvian food faster than you can eye up the daily sweets in the dessert display. Pop in here specifically for the incredible tallarin saltado. The noodles come bathed in citrus with tender beef and enough roasted tomatoes so that you get some in every forkful. It doesn’t really matter if you order to-go or eat inside—sitting down with your food will take about the same amount of time as takeout, anyway." - gianni greene, chelsea thomas, julie takahashi

https://www.theinfatuation.com/houston/guides/best-peruvian-restaurants-houston
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@eater

Where to Find The Best Paella in Houston | Eater Houston

"The influences of Spain are front and center at this cozy Peruvian restaurant. Here, you’ll find Peruvian classics like lomo saltado and various ceviches, but the paellas are equally as popular. The seafood-focused arroz con mariscos is perfect for those who love mussels, while the arroz con camarones is loaded with large, flavorful shrimp."

https://houston.eater.com/maps/houston-paella-rice-dishes
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@infatuation

The Lemon Tree - Review - Energy Corridor - Houston - The Infatuation

"This cozy Briar Forest restaurant decorated like, well, a lemon tree, serves Peruvian food faster than you can eye up the daily sweets in the dessert display. Pop in here specifically for the incredible tallarin saltado. The noodles come bathed in citrus with tender beef and enough roasted tomatoes so that you get some in every forkful. It doesn’t really matter if you order to-go or eat inside—sitting down with your food will take about the same amount of time as takeout, anyway. photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen" - Gianni Greene

https://www.theinfatuation.com/houston/reviews/the-lemon-tree
View Postcard for The Lemon Tree

Cesar Montero

Google
I recently had the pleasure of dining at Lemon Tree a Peruvian restaurant that truly impressed me not only with its food but with its incredible service under what could have been overwhelming circumstances. Despite a surprisingly large crowd and just one server managing the floor the staff worked seamlessly to make every guest feel cared for The food was outstanding fresh flavorful and authentically Peruvian. Every dish was served with attention to detail and a warmth that made us feel like family. The employee who assisted us went above and beyond balancing efficiency with genuine hospitality This visit was extra special for my family because it brought back memories of when we first visited Lemon Tree eight years ago. Back then we left happy and satisfied and I am thrilled to say nothing has changed. If anything their dedication to quality and service has only grown stronger Lemon Tree is not just a restaurant it is an experience. Whether you are a first time visitor or returning after years away you will not be disappointed

michael gouch

Google
This is our local Peruvian restaurant wifey is from Peru so she always enjoys our visit. Ceviche was yummy and my seafood rice reminded me of Peru. Wife had the beef and mushrooms a favorite . They have her favorite Alafores....

Brandee Carrera

Google
Stopped in for lunch on a Saturday- I was the only one there so the staff took good care of me. I was disappointed in the ceviche. Seemed like low quality fish and there were only 3 small sweet potatoes. The chicha morada was delicious!

Cat G

Google
Food was all amazing!!! Loved the music and salsa dancing.

Clara Coutinho

Google
The food was delicious, but there is always natural juices and they are delicious. This time there wasn't ONE natural juice. Anyways the food was great and the staff was really nice.

Fabian Hoyos (Fab)

Google
Delicious! Try the Tacu Tacu lemon tree and ceviche sample platter. It's the best peruvian restaurant in Houston!

Coraline

Google
I have been visiting this restaurant since it opened in approx 2006. The food is authentic, delicious and always consistent!! A great place to introduce people to if you're looking for something different that will be a pleasant surprise.

M R

Google
I have been eating at this restaurant for over 10 years, roughly once a month, but the last time I was here, July 7th was a total disappointment. I ordered an entrée, fried yucca, was ok, the only down was the main vain was not removed making the yucca a little chewy, main dish I got the llomo with mushrooms sauce, Lomo con salsa de champignon, and it was too salty and no flavor, the rice that came with tue plate was dry and flavorless. I will let this go for now because I know this place is excellent, maybe it was just my bad luck that day. See for yourself, try this place, and remember to always tip good!!!
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Karla D.

Yelp
The Food here is Excellent it's just Deliciously Good and you will definitely want to eat here more and more. The price is average and the food presentation is more rewording by mouth then what you see! The Peruvian Cusinie here is the ver best! Try the Tiradito 3 Sabores
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Arturo C.

Yelp
After years of going every so often to The Lemon Tree, our last visit was extremely disappointing. We are not Peruvian, but enjoy the foods of Peru. Last Saturday my wife and I had a craving for the usually excellent food served at this restaurant. Unfortunately this time it wasn't the case. The fish in the Ceviche was not the same we've had in the past, the Lomo Saltado was salty, very salty and to finish, the dessert of Merengado de lúcuma was chewy. It was not a dinner as good as it has been in the past. I know, we could have returned the food to the kitchen, but instead we eat it trying to get as little of the salty sauce on every bite. It's sad to find out that a once superb restaurant has lost its bearings. The poor waitress was overwhelmed with the number of diners she had to take care of!
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Daniela L.

Yelp
The food is ok, the service is terrible. We tried calling the ladies multiple times to order and then to get the bill, wasted about an hour waiting for each thing. The ambiance is private and cozy, they need to work on their service, we asked them 4 times for a cup of ice and we never received it but they added it to the bill.

Janie S.

Yelp
Good food but they only have one person to do multiple jobs she does an outstanding job. Would benefit to add one more server.
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Luis D.

Yelp
I took me wife to a pre Valentine's dinner at Lemon Tree and I'm glad I did it. The seafood was amazingly fresh and tasty, the staff was attentive and knowledgeable of the menu and the ambient was warm and cozy. Lemon Tree is a hidden gem, we'll be back soon with the rest of the family.
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James K.

Yelp
Yummy Ceviche that reminds me of when I lived in South America. Great service and a comfy atmosphere that is nice but not stuffy. We will be back, I recommend you try it to.
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Michelle Y.

Yelp
Great food and good music and cute dancing people. Lots of salsa, merengue, and cumbia music. If it's like this every time it's pretty amazing. This was my first time here.
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Riley F.

Yelp
We just moved down the street from this restaurant so I was excited to try it. I got what the waitress recommended, which was some beef tenderloin dish. It was just okay. For the price I don't think it was worth it. I probably won't be back.
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David R.

Yelp
Nice little place looks like a lot of regulars come here, had many Peruvian dishes before have to say the best thing we had was the civicie. You can bring your own alcohol which was kind of nice they even had live music . Would like to keep looking for others to try.

Mercedes R.

Yelp
Yummy!!! Ceviche in yellow pepper sauce is soooooo good !!! Also love the green sauce for the chips ! Had two of the passion fruit desserts! Highly recommend. Lovely lady who runs the place !

Mary Anne S.

Yelp
We really enjoyed our first experience with Peruvian food. Light, healthy, tasty. Festive atmosphere with live music and dancing. Parking is tricky as the lot is small. Make a reservation and BYOB
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Yasser H.

Yelp
I didn't realize that this restaurant is closed on Monday's, so me and my BFF came here on a Tuesday for an early lunch. The restaurant had plenty of seating available and spread out well, as we arrived shortly after it had opened. Nonetheless, there were folks already dining. I had come here once before, and really liked the food. We were asked to be seated anywhere and presented with complimentary chips n salsa. This time around I went with a Beef Saltado sandwich with French fries. It was a generous portion of beef chunks and cheese and good size of French fries, which were golden brown and crisp. They also served me a green creamy dip along with the sandwich. It was absolutely delicious and flavorful. We also ordered a chicken saltado that was served over gravy and French fries, garnished with parsley, and accompanied with a cup of rice. Again this dish was very good and tasty. I believe its a very popular dish in the Peruvian cuisine. We enjoyed our meal and service was up to standards. Since everything went great, I have given them a full 5 star! (woohoo, as good as it gets).
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Angel C.

Yelp
La comida en el restaurante es una delicia culinaria. Desde que me mudé de Nueva York a Texas no había encontrado aún un buen restaurante de comida peruana, hasta que vine a lemon tree. Le doy un diez de diez.
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Dorothy N.

Yelp
Lomo Saltado to die for. So good. Cute restaurant w a bit of a fancy gourmet vibe. The server was SO NICE and their chips and green sauce omg. They give you so much food too!!!!! I'm coming back
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Lorena R.

Yelp
Want to get treated like shit after spending over $50 on a pick up order for lunch? Head over to Lemon Tree! WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER! Been a loyal customer for years & the owner refused to talk to me, exchange or refund me about a mistake made in my order, smh. Coward.
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Jessica B.

Yelp
I heard about this place from a friend, as a foodie & lover of Peruvian cuisine I had to check it out. Stopped by Saturday night, I called ahead to reserve a table because the place seemed busy from the reviews & photos on Yelp. Upon entering we were greeted by a friendly waitress & immediately noticed a strong smoke smell (there's a cigar bar next door) tbh it was a huge turn off as the cigar smoke overpowered anything else & one would expect the smell of food at any restaurant. The place was quiet & nearly empty which was surprising since it was 7pm on a Saturday. I asked the waitress about empanadas since I didn't see them on their menu and she responded that they don't serve them which was a little disappointing since it's my favorite appetizer to order at a Peruvian spot. From the looks of the dishes at the table closest to us I could tell that the portions were large so I decided to skip on the appetizers all together. I ordered the lomo saltado, I was told that was their specialty & since it also happens to be one of my favorite dishes it was a no-brainer. we waited well over half an hour for the food to come out, mind you there were only a handful of guests in the entire restaurant. Once the food arrived I couldn't wait to dig in, I'll admit I had high expectations but the meat was tough & lacked flavor, my fries were cold & the rest of my food was barely warm so I can only assume my dish sat out for a while before the waitress brought it out? All in all the waitress was nice & the food was decent at best but I will stick to my regular Peruvian restaurant.

Yolanda D.

Yelp
Chips and salsa delicious. Paella not really a paella. Service and ambience excellent
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Alexander W.

Yelp
This restaurant is located in a strip mall and truthfully, is slightly pricey for a strip mall place. The inside is basic in decor, but that is never really a deal breaker for me. I come to eat, not give decorating advice. This is another place found because of Groupon. You get complimentary chips with spicy green sauce when they seat you. I give kudos to the green sauce, because that was tasty. I really like that friendliness of the staff...yet, I must admit, they need some pep in their step! This friendly staff truly has slow service. I sat ten minutes with finished chips, green sauce and water before I reminded them I was there and they never took my order. After gazing over the menu, I realized appetizers cost more than entrees sometimes! I decided to try: Aji de gallina Shredded chicken Brady mixed in social spicy sauce made with parmesan cheese, cream and walnuts $12.50 I opted for this based on the waitress suggestion. I was informed that this is a traditional dish of Peru. I liked the taste of the dish. The taste reminded me of the filling of the shredded chicken burrito at Taco Bell. Tasty enough to get again. I was curious to try their desserts and found that thanks to my Groupon, I still had money to burn. All desserts were $7, so I opted for the Passion fruit cheesecake. I will say that overall, the cheesecake had an interesting texture and taste. Because of the way I like my sugar intake, I would not run to get this again, but I definitely feel this was worth the try. All in all, decent place to experience. Price to portion ratio is off to me, but my frugal meter is always sensitive when gas prices rises.
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Carlos I.

Yelp
Always a treat to come to this place with the best ceviche outside of Peru, and amazing Lomo Saltado, Pescado a lo Macho, the list goes on...we love the family run aspect too, this is a true gem in Houston. The Pastel de Lucuma is Houston's best dessert....no questions asked, this is right up there with Churrascos Tres Leches, Ruggles White Chocolate Pudding and Tony's Soufflé...

Nicole P.

Yelp
The food was really good and service was super friendly. We enjoyed the live music. It's been a long time since we have been here but we will be back again soon!!
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Denis P.

Yelp
My girlfriend and I have come here before and even though I left satisfied, my girlfriend did not like the food. It took me months to persuade her to come back to give it a chance, but finally it happened. We ordered (mine) Lomo a la Pimienta and (hers) a Fish with Shrimp sauce. The Lomo a la Pimienta was delicious! The sauce is so so good if you love caramelized pepper in your food (which my girlfriend hates). I devoured my whole plate and even then, I still wish I had more sauce. The potatoes were crunchy on the outside and were also very delicious; though I wish I had received more. The rice had no seasoning, though I'm almost sure this was on purpose because otherwise it would be overpowering (the sauce + seasoned rice). The rice plus the sauce was good! The fish with shrimp sauce finally made my girlfriend change her opinion about this restaurant and she actually said she'd come back for it! She liked both the fish and the shrimp. She also LOVED the lemonade that we got, even considering getting a second one if she's able to finish the first one (she gets full fast!). Our server was also very kind and friendly. She described a couple of the dishes that we were interested in, offered her recommendations and cleared the plates in a timely manner. Now, you may be wondering why I rate this place four stars instead of five considering that we liked the food, the service and the ambiance. Well, there's a couple of minor problems: 1) The parking for a lunch is somewhat full, and we've been here for dinner as well; you have to park on the other side of the street! 2) I feel as though the meats (the steak, the fish, and the shrimp) was not independently seasoned and wholly depended on the sauce that it came with. This is fine with fish and even the shrimp; however, with the steak, the sauce is gone before you're done chewing. This of course leads to me eating (after the sauce is gone) an unseasoned piece of steak, which is a no-go. 3) The price for the plates is a bit high compared to what I would pay for the quality of the food; however, there is a Groupon for it ($14.50 for $20.00) which saves a bit on money. Overall: a nice, home-looking restaurant that you can come to to eat good food. A bit expensive, but there is a Groupon available to save some cash. Note: Most (at least that we've tasted) of the foods here have STRONG flavors (i.e: if you order a mushroom sauce plate, it will have a powerful mushroom taste).

Romina O.

Yelp
This restaurant only uses frozen Swai fish for all of its fish dishes, including the ceviche. Go ahead and google Swai fish and you will see its a nasty, cheap catfish that is mass produced and many folks adviced never to eat! To charge 16 bucks for a plate of ceviche made with Swai is a travesty, especially when you have the option of traveling to the gulf and getting something local, fresh, and much better. It tells you that the owners are just looking to make the most money they can. I feel disgusted upon learning this was the fish used. I did not try rest of food, seems legit. Though if they are cutting corners on the fish, the star dish in Peruvian cuisine, then you can expect they may do the same with everything else.

Lee N.

Yelp
Always enjoy the food here. Was there recently and they had live music. Service was pleasant and wee were not rushed. All tables occupied by the time we finished
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Derek D.

Yelp
This a hidden gem in Houston! I have been coming here for years! This is by far the best Peruvian food in Houston!
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Maggie G.

Yelp
One of my favorites Peruvian restaurant! Food is always on point, you can always expect fresh dishes delicious the flavor is just amazing and the portion size is extremely great !! Their desserts are also amazing !
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Miri T.

Yelp
We eat here at least 1x/month. The food is great. The staff wears masks. Love this place
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Elizabeth E.

Yelp
AMAZING PERUVIAN CEVICHE. Love this place and food is great however the decor is quite odd and doesn't fit well or very alluring. The food doesn't disappoint and the lady who seems like the owner is so nice. I can't wait to try more food here

Steph L.

Yelp
I love coming here, although it's usually full when I go it's always worth the wait, they have one of the best chicha morada I have ever had!!!
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Anel A.

Yelp
Delicious, had lunch there Today and the whole family loved it. Service was very good, our waitress was very nice and attentive. Food was great, big Menu. We had a couple of appetizers and 3 Entrees and loved all of it. Will go back soon to try more of the Menu, the place is BYOB if you are a person that likes that.
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Ashley Y.

Yelp
I can't say it's not a good restaurant.. However, maybe they are only nice to regular customers. I can't find some Peruvian food there.. But I do like their food. I ordered an mix appetizer and all 4 of them are pretty yummy. I also ordered the paella..( I tho it's is from Spain?? Lol) it's was pretty delicious too! Except the waitress asked us if we want spicy or not and we said yes. But it was not spicy at all. It a little loud cos there was a guy singing Spanish songs.. The service was not attentive cuz no one come fill the water for us. You can bring your own bottle. And the only part I did not like was the waitress wanted to clean our table while we still have half of the food left! Meh!

Wensu C.

Yelp
Best lucuma cake, we ordered a whole cake for birthdays for many years... authentic, friendly, reasonable priced and great food. BYOB.
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Leo K.

Yelp
My second stab at Peruvian cuisine, at the recommendation of co-workers. The plaza for Lemon Tree looked a bit ghetto, but inside was blazing with bright vibrant colors. Not a lot of business during a weekday lunch, but getting the attention of the only waitress there was still a bit difficult. My coworkers started off with a ceviche appetizer, which I decided to try even though I'm not a seafood person. The ceviche mix was split into tiny portions served on their own individual spoons, which was kinda neat. But each spoonful was SOAKED in lemon juice, and my tongue literally had spasms due to the intensely pure sourness. Luckily for my Mexican co-workers this was normal for them, so they quite enjoyed it. I went with the standard Lomo Saltado for my entrée, the same dish I had ordered at the other Peruvian restaurant I had visited. The flavor wasn't quite as delightful as I had hoped, and the beef wasn't as tender either. The second time I returned I ordered the Se me Cayo el Arroz de Lomo, which was basically a different version of the Lomo Saltado. The rice was mixed in with the sauce, meat, and veggies, and instead of fries, they throw two fried eggs on top. This choice was a mistake because I did not like my food to be drenched in sauce. Not to mention the meat was over-seasoned and I had nothing to balance out the flavor with. #196
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Carmen O.

Yelp
The food here is delicious and is priced well. Being from Peru and having had my share, I can say that it's truly the best in Houston. There is pricier and fancier in town, but the overall taste and cost doesn't sway me to go elsewhere. It's also BYOB so a win win.
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R P.

Yelp
I have come here plenty of times and love the food but I am so upset by the way I was treated as a customer! I made a order via phone for pick up. When my husband went to pick up the order, he noticed they gave us a wrong plate of yuca instead of the yuca cheese filled balls, he immediately went back inside to advise the worker where she stated they can not exchange it & I would have to pay again for the yuca. Unbelievable! I spoke to her and explained there must have been a miscommunication because I did say the balls of yuca and she stated that's not what she heard. I asked to speak to the owner of the restaurant and the owner refused to speak to me and said I need to pay if I want to get what I ordered. I have NEVER felt so disrespected by an establishment and I have always spoke so highly of this place!!! I will never go back or recommend this place to anyone by the way they treat their customers!!!
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Justin P.

Yelp
This was so good. Ceviche was insane. Tacu Tacu Lemon Tree so much flavor. I loved it.
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Ed M.

Yelp
The staff and crew at Lemon Tree treated me and my wife like shit. Now we are not Peruvian or anywhere near South American, and the hostess would not seat us in the primary dining room, which was about one quarter full in a Saturday early. She sat us in the sandwich shop next doir, with no other customers. Service was rather crappy. Food was tasty, but this experience left us with the clear impression that white folks are not welcome here.
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Ashley E.

Yelp
This is our favorite place to go on the weekend! Service is great and the food is even better. Best Peruvian food in Houston. I suggest the ceviche or lomo saltado.
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Tanya N.

Yelp
Been coming here for years and food still tastes great! And still I'll always have the per usual, Lomo Sataldo con huevos medium and spicy please. My favorite Peruvian restaurant in Houston! The Inca Kola pairs well with the meal, if you're true Peruvian you don't really need ice. (; Service and staff here is always great, and nothing beats their salsa. I literally ate an entire basket of chips and salsa to myself before I devoured my dish. Who told my sister to take so long to get here. No complaints here! Also still recommend their ceviche! Oh! And you know when you go to regular restaurants and they ask you how you like your meat cooked? And you say medium or medium rare but it gets cooked well done anyways like every other place? And you just suck it up cause it's just a casual place and you can't really complain... because well it would be pointless? Wellllllll, they cooked my beef tenderloin perfectly! It was dead on at medium! That's some brownie points right there.
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Jonathan C.

Yelp
This place has the best food every ... of course if you love Peruvian food this is wanna be the best place for you !! Really love it .... we get lomo saltado, salchipapa and ceviche ... really recommend this place.
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Julia S.

Yelp
Ceviche rocks!! Came here with a group of friends one Friday night and ordered both ceviches (mixto and pescado) as an appetizer. OMG, we wiped both plates before anyone could blink, it was THAT good! I'm no Peruvian food expert but my taste buds say those were some authentic ceviches. Everything else after that kinda paled in comparison. I had the Tacu Tacu Lemon Tree which I shared with a friend (it's a hearty meal). Others had Picante de Mariscos, Pescado en Salsa de Alcaparras and a seafood soup. My faves were definitely the Tacu Tacu and the fish dish. However, next time I should just order the Lomo Saltado instead of Tacu Tacu, since the rice and beans were a bit on the salty side for me. It was interesting that we ordered everything spicy but none of the dishes came close to tingling our taste buds. But, spicy is relative... Service was pretty good. It took a while to flag them to order our appetizer, but in their defense, not everyone in our group arrived at the same time. Once everyone was there, the service became more attentive. We also had a birthday in our group. The waitstaff was kind enough to put a candle on the dessert we ordered (merengado de lucuma, which was amazing!). They have a guy on keyboards entertaining diners every Friday and Saturday night. I'm sorry to say but he was not very good. The upside to this, they did clear up some space in front of him so we were able to dance a bit in between meals. As other's have noted, restaurant is BYOW with no corkage fee.
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Claudia L.

Yelp
Delicious food and amazing service. The staff treat you like family and are so good. Over the years we have tried many of their menu items but their ceviches are definitely the best.
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Patricia P.

Yelp
It really hurts to write this review because I've been a patron of this establishment since the owner started the business from her home. They even catered my graduation 14 years ago. But I can't sit quiet when it's so obvious they couldn't care less about their patrons. It's no wonder they practically live off the Groupon sales. Our party of three was really caught off guard when the owner came out of the restaurant to make us move our car from the only parking space available in the whole lot because she was expecting a vendor delivery. Total priority fail. Who on earth would want to eat there when made to feel so unwelcome? The food has always been good, even enough to overlook the shabby and run-down restaurant. But with so many good places to dine in this city, I'd rather go spend my money where it's welcome.
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Iana I.

Yelp
I love, love, love this place! I came here twice so far and both times were incredible. I'd never had Peruvian food and I'm not even sure how I had found out about this restaurant, but it had been on my list of restaurants to try for a month or two before I finally got to come here. Here are their foods so far that I've tried: Appetizer chips with green sauce 4.5/5 Fried Yucca 5/5 Ceviche 3.5/5 Aji con Pollo 5/5 Tacu Tacu Lemon Tree 5/5 Pollo con Champignones 4.5/5 Caramel Roll dessert 4.5/5 Peruvian Fruit Merengue Cake 3/5 I had never heard of Tacu Tacu before but it was scrumptious! It's a mix of beef, rice and lentils/beans and a little bit of garlic I think? With two fried eggs on top. My grandmother used to make us this dish when we were younger and we used to be told it's Moroccan, but lo and behold, it made it out to Peru too. I've been trying to convince people to come out with me to it more often but it's a bit far out and it doesn't look too great from the outside. The strip mall looks sketchy and there is very limited parking space, but once you're inside and you eat the first bite, you'll realize how worth it the trip was.
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Xavier C.

Yelp
I have eaten at this place several times, and I cannot get enough of their ceviche. It is the freshest I have had in Houston. The food is flavors and quality is very consistent. The wait staff is always very friendly and attentive. My favorite dish is the traditional ceviche with Peruvian corn or choclo. I also like for starters the yuca and cheese balls with Huancaina sauce or the camarones al ajo. For the main course, I really enjoy the fish fillet in capers sauce, the seafood paella, or the rice dish with beef fillet and fried eggs on top, "se me cayo el arroz de lomo." I order everything spicy, the spicy peppers they use are extremely tasteful, besides the nice heat provided. Overall, I really like this place, it is very close to having a home cooked meal. On Friday nights they have live music, which sometimes makes the whole crowd get up and dance. Also, remember to BYOB.
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Linda T.

Yelp
I found this place through a very good friend of mine, and it just so happens I found a groupon for it too. When I first arrived there it was not what i imagined. the restaurant was a very small restaurant, but don't let the cover fool you my friends. This place is a hidden gem for authentic peruvian food. To start off the night we had an appetizer called Yucas Fritas Con Huancaina. I never really had Yuca before i would compare it to a potato. it was deep fried and it had cheese in the middle. There was also a dipping sauce that was quite tasty. I am not sure if it was a cheese dip or what kind of dip it was. They also brought out some chips and salsa. The salsa was very good. It was a creamy avacado type of dip I would compare it to a avacado ranch dip maybe?? For our entrees, I had a cerviche mixto. This was really good. If you never had cerviche before be prepared because it is served with raw fish and it is has lots of cirtus juice in it. My friend had the pollo saltado. I had a little taste of it and it was YUMMY! I would recoomend that too any one that wants to take the safe way and not order something that they may not like. It was served with white rice, and fries. The fries was sitting in the sauce so it was a little soggy but still very good. The chicken was almost charbroiled and had kind of a soy sauce maybe adobe taste to it. For dessert we had the Merengado de Lucuma, This was the best cake I have ever eaten. I tried to order a slice at the end of the night to take home with me but they ran out. The cake was had a crunch nutty taste to it. I think there was almost some sort of wafer layered into the cake. This is a must have when you visit. The service: Service was good. The waitress was very attentive and helpful in recommendations when I asked her what she would recommend. The last thing is that the restaurant is BYOB don't forget to bring your wine or beer.
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Thomas S.

Yelp
Complimentary chips and green salsa on every table when we walked in. The green salsa was so tasty and additive. The Mrs ordered baby squids and rice cooked in squid ink. The dish came out pipping hot and she declared it tasted excellent. There were plenty of tender squids and the ink sauce was really savory. I went with the beef tenderloin cooked with rice in a tomato and onion sauce. My dish came out pipping hot also and it was delicious. The beef was tender and the sauce was seasoned well. We split caramel filled roll cake for desert, not good. The cake was dry. Table service was attentive and friendly. The price point was on the high side, but still acceptable for such high quality food. We will return for sure.
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Sara G.

Yelp
As I'm posting this I am still in shock...I went to lunch with my mom yesterday, Saturday December 15, 2018...to the Peruvian restaurant, The Lemon Tree. I've been going there for 14-15 years since it opened...had parties there, dates there, taken several friends there to introduce them to Peruvian food or as close to it. Yesterday was different...I tried ordering 2 things on the menu, (Ocopa and Yuca mozzarella balls) they didn't have either to make. Then just settled with Chicharrón de pollo, chicken nuggets, I ordered it with french fries extra crispy. When I got them the fries were good but the chicken didn't have any salt, no seasoning...I couldn't eat them...i just ate my fries. My mom asked me what was wrong, i told her and she told me to return them. I wasn't going to return them. But finally I did. The waitress took them back and returned, nervously and said "Margarita, owner, says that she cooks delicious food and this is the 2nd time (15 years) I've return food (I haven't) and if I don't like their food to leave and DON'T COME BACK"! I was in shock my mom asked what did she say, in shock herself, I told her and we left. This is beyond what I thought was necessary, way beyond!!! I write this so that everyone knows how a LONG TIME CUSTOMER IS TREATED!!! At a restaurant that needs their customers to survive?!?!? #Shocked #Rude Como estoy publicando esto todavía estoy en shock... Fui a almorzar con mi mamá ayer, el sábado 15 de diciembre 2018...el restaurante peruano, The Lemon Tree. He estado yendo allí por 14-15 años desde que abrió... había fiestas allí, fechas allí, tomó varios amigos allí para introducirlos a la comida peruana o tan cerca de ella. Ayer fue diferente... Traté de pedir 2 cosas en el menú, (Ocopa y yuca bolas de mozzarella) que no tienen ni para hacer. Luego acaba de asentarse con chicharrón de pollo, nuggets de pollo, lo pedí con papas fritas extra crujiente. Cuando me dieron las patatas fritas eran buenas, pero el pollo no tienen sal, sin condimento... No podía comerlos... sólo me comí mis papas fritas. Mi mamá me preguntó qué pasaba, le dije y me dijo que los regresaba. No iba a devolverlos. Pero finalmente lo hice. La camarera los tomó de vuelta y regresó, nerviosamente y dijo "Margarita, propietario, dice que ella cocina deliciosa comida y esta es la 2ª vez (15 años) he regresado comida (no tengo) y si no me gusta su comida para salir y que no volve"! Yo estaba en shock mi mamá preguntó qué dijo ella, en shock ella misma, le dije y nos fuimos. Esto es más allá de lo que pensé que era necesario, mucho más allá de!!! Escribo esto para que todo el mundo sepa cómo un cliente de tiempo largo es tratado!!! En un restaurante que necesita sus clientes para sobrevivir ?!?!? #Shocked #Rude
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Maira B.

Yelp
Restaurant is on a strip mall, very secluded. Not very attractive but as long the food is good, I don't mind it. I went with a group as I love Peruvian food. Service was very good. They sat us down promptly. The food took a little while but then brought everything at once. Food was really good. The Lomo and chaufa were great. Got two ceviches. The ceviches were not as good as I expected but were good nevertheless. Overall very good experience.

Geo B.

Yelp
The best! Great authentic Peruvian food, best ceviches and chicken and rice dishes in Houston! Very kind staff and great food!