Loved It
TLDR: Llama San is a Good Time™. Whether you’re celebrating, impressing out of towners, or just going for kicks, Llama San can wow a crowd. Do yourself a favor and get lots of ceviches or go all in on the pre-fixe and try everything on the menu.
Image credit: ny.eater.com
Llama San is a damn good restaurant. While its sister restaurant, Llama Inn, in Williamsburg has probably gotten more fanfare, this one has the better menu and I think much better food overall. Building on the BK Peruvian theme, Llama San brings in a Japanese influence that takes the food to the next level with subtle and complex flavors.
Put simply, Llama San is the place to take people when you want to celebrate or impress someone. Quit your job? Llama San. Making new friends? Llama San. Boo got a huge bonus? Yup, still Llama San (and they’re paying). Of course, you can still go any time you please, and date night isn’t a bad reason either.
Not only is it a cute vibe both inside and outside (though I’ve regrettably never been able to sit inside), but the dining experience is just fun. Your table will stop mid conversation to say “wait, have you tried this??”. You might have a drink that weirdly tastes exactly like buttered popcorn. You’ll definitely have a group huddle to decide if you ought to order a second round of ceviche (the answer is yes).
Which brings us to the food. For me, the hands down winners are the ceviches. Llama San’s menu changes fairly often, but they always have a selection of three ceviches and you should always order all of them. Depending on your party size and hunger level, the baller move is to go ahead with the pre-fixe and make sure you all order different things so you get one of everything on the menu. I have done this maybe twice and never regretted it. While the follow ups to the ceviche aren’t quite as mind-blowingly good, they're all delicious and provide an interesting mix of flavors. Again, the menu changes so I can’t really recommend anything in particular, but get what speaks to you and you’re unlikely to be disappointed.
The best way to experience Llama San is with a group (4 is ideal) and getting that table does require thinking ahead. If you don’t mind outdoor seating, which is basically indoor seating on a slant in their case, you can actually walk in with two people on a weeknight. Either way I’m sure you’ll have a great time at Llama San.
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