"José Andrés's three-cuisine Peruvian collision in Penn Quarter — book the big sharing table for a team dinner nobody dreads."
About China Chilcano
Book this one when you have six to twelve people and no patience for a stiff dinner. China Chilcano is the Penn Quarter restaurant José Andrés opened in 2015 to run Peru's three culinary worlds on one menu — indigenous Criollo, Chinese-Peruvian Chifa, and Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei — and it is built end to end for sharing. It sits at 418 7th St NW, a few doors from his flagship Jaleo, and carried a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand from 2017 through 2020. The kitchen runs ceviche bars, a dim-sum steamer and a wok line at once; entrées sit under $22 and a real spread lands around $50 to $90 a head. Reserve for any group or weekend; the ceviche bar takes walk-ins for two.
The Kitchen
Order like an operator and the table runs itself. Open with the Clásico la Mar ceviche and the causa nigiri — puréed Peruvian potato under nigiri, the house calling card — then pull lamb pot-stickers and shrimp dumplings off the dim-sum line. The centrepiece is lomo saltado: beef stir-fried in the wok with soy, onion and fries, the single dish that captures the Chinese-Peruvian Chifa idea. The papa a la huancaína, baby potatoes under a chilli-cheese sauce, is the no-think opener while everyone settles.
Pisco runs the bar — a serious list of Peru's grape brandy in sours and punches — and dessert is the suspiro limeña, meringue and caramel. Round the plates for the table; the bill scales with how many you order, not a fixed price. For the wider city read the Washington DC dining guide, the best Peruvian restaurants worldwide, and the best fine-dining rooms, or compare the modern Peruvian tasting at Causa.
The Room
The room is theatrical in the José Andrés way — bold colour, Peruvian street-art murals, a long ceviche bar, and a buzz that builds through the night. It runs loud, which is the point for a group and a problem for a quiet talk. For numbers, ask for a booth or the big table along the back when you book; for two with energy, take stools at the ceviche counter and watch the line work. Dress is smart-casual and nobody overdresses; a blazer is plenty if you are bringing clients.
Best for a Team Dinner
Book this for a team dinner because the format does the work: every plate is shared, so there is no per-head ordering to police and no awkward menu silence — ceviche, dim sum and wok dishes land in the middle and the pisco bar keeps the table loose. The noise covers the lulls a work group always has. Reserve a booth or the back table a week out for weeknights, more for Friday and Saturday; put a spread of ceviches and dumplings down first, a few lomo saltado for the centre, and a round of pisco sours to start. For more options read the top restaurants in Washington DC, or compare the honey-led tasting at Bresca.
Not for
Not for a quiet proposal or a one-on-one deal you need to hear — the room runs loud and bright, the menu is built for grazing across a big table, and there is no hushed corner to close anything in.
Frequently Asked
What is China Chilcano known for?
China Chilcano is known for telling the story of Peru's three cuisines on one menu: indigenous Criollo, Chinese-Peruvian Chifa and Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei. From José Andrés, it runs ceviche bars, a dim-sum steamer and a wok line, with signatures like lomo saltado, ceviche, lamb pot-stickers and papa a la huancaina. It held a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand from 2017 to 2020.
Where is China Chilcano and who is the chef?
China Chilcano is at 418 7th St NW in Penn Quarter, Washington DC, a few doors from José Andrés's flagship Jaleo. It is part of the José Andrés restaurant group and opened in 2015 to explore Peruvian cuisine through its Chinese and Japanese influences.
How much does dinner at China Chilcano cost?
Expect roughly $50 to $90 per person for a spread of shared plates. Because the menu is built for sharing across ceviches, dim sum and wok dishes, the bill scales with how many plates and pisco cocktails you order rather than a fixed-price tasting.
Is China Chilcano good for groups?
Yes. The whole menu is designed for sharing across three cuisines, and the loud, colourful room blends a group right in. Order a spread of ceviches and dumplings, a few lomo saltado for the centre, and a round of pisco sours. It is one of our DC group picks.
What should I order at China Chilcano?
Open with papa a la huancaina and a ceviche clásico, add lamb pot-stickers and shrimp dumplings from the dim-sum line, then a lomo saltado as the centrepiece. Drink pisco sours and finish with the suspiro limeña. See the top restaurants in Washington DC for more.
