"Marcel Vizcarra's 28-seat Peruvian room won OpenTable's 2023 Top-100 — book weeks ahead to propose over grouper patarashca and pisco."
About Llama
Llama is a 28-seat dining room on Anastasia Boulevard at 415 Anastasia Blvd, and getting in is the hard part — it is reservation-only, dinner most evenings, brunch on Sundays. Chef-owner Marcel Vizcarra cooks Peruvian with a Japanese and Cordon Bleu accent: the Patarashca, a magically seasoned grouper wrapped in plantain leaves and cooked over coals, lands at $47, while the Ceviche Lima opens the menu at $19. OpenTable named it to America's Top Restaurants in 2023, after a 2022 Diners' Choice. Our seven signs of a great restaurant explain why a room this small ranks this high.
The Kitchen
Marcel Vizcarra is a Peruvian native who trained in the Japanese kitchen tradition and at Le Cordon Bleu before opening Llama, and the cooking shows both lineages. He sources local Florida seafood and produce and bends it toward Lima: the leche de tigre is sharp and floral with limo peppers, the nikkei plates lean on soy and ponzu, and the open-fire dishes carry real smoke.
The signature is the Patarashca ($47) — grouper sealed in plantain leaves over hot coals with yucca, plantains, hearts of palm, sweet jungle peppers and a passion fruit-cilantro sauce. Around it the menu runs deep: Ceviche Lima ($19) with Peruvian giant corn and glazed sweet potato, Anticuchos ($21) of chargrilled beef-heart skewers, the Cordero Cusqueño ($57), an Andean-style roasted rack of lamb with garlic double cream and huacatay salsa verde, and a full vegan ceviche of mango and palmito ($16). The OpenTable 2023 Top-100 listing is the dated proof, but the better tell is the 4.8 diner average across nearly 3,000 reviews. It also belongs on our best Peruvian restaurants and seafood guides.
The Room
Twenty-eight seats, low light, and a kitchen that plates with intent — Llama is intimate by design rather than accident, which is why the booking calendar fills weeks out. The mood is casual-elegant, not stiff: there is no jacket rule, the service is warm and unhurried, and the small footprint means the room never roars. Tables are close, so it reads romantic rather than businesslike. Sunday adds a brunch service, but dinner is the main event, and the limited capacity makes a confirmed reservation non-negotiable.
Best for a Proposal or First Date
Book Llama for a proposal or an early date because 28 seats and low light do the romantic work without anyone having to perform it, and the shared-plate Peruvian menu keeps the evening moving from ceviche to patarashca to pisco. It is intimate enough to talk across the table and special enough to mark the moment. See the best restaurants to propose, the first-date tables, and the wider fine-dining guide for the field.
Not for
Not for a big group or a walk-in — 28 reservation-only seats mean no spontaneous tables, and the close quarters make it wrong for a loud celebration of eight.
Frequently Asked
Is Llama in St. Augustine worth it?
Yes — it is the best Peruvian table in northeast Florida and an OpenTable America's Top Restaurants pick for 2023. Chef Marcel Vizcarra's 28-seat room plates grouper patarashca ($47) and a deep ceviche list with real precision, and the 4.8 diner average is earned. Book ahead through the St. Augustine guide and treat it as the evening out.
What should I order at Llama?
Start with the Ceviche Lima ($19) or the Ceviche Nikkei, then the Patarashca ($47) — grouper cooked over coals in plantain leaves — or the Cordero Cusqueño rack of lamb ($57). The Anticuchos beef-heart skewers are the move for the adventurous. The kitchen is built for sharing, so order across the menu rather than one plate each.
Do you need a reservation at Llama?
Yes. Llama is reservation-only with just 28 seats, so walk-ins are rarely accommodated and weekend tables go weeks ahead. Book directly through OpenTable, and aim for an early or off-peak sitting if your dates are tight. Brunch on Sundays is a little easier to land than a Friday or Saturday dinner.
How expensive is Llama?
Entrees run roughly $41 to $57 — the Patarashca grouper is $47 and the rack of lamb $57 — with ceviche and small plates from $16 to $26. Figure on $60 to $90 a head for several courses before drinks, which is fair for cooking this careful in a room this small. It sits firmly in the special-occasion bracket.
Is Llama good for a date?
Very — 28 seats, low light and a shared-plate menu make it one of the most romantic rooms in St. Augustine, which is why it shows up on our proposal and first-date guides. It is intimate without being fussy, and the bill never ambushes you. Book the earliest table you can for the quietest service.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Llama
Via OpenTable · reservation-only, 28 seats
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address415 Anastasia Blvd, St. Augustine, FL 32080
NeighbourhoodAnastasia Boulevard
CuisinePeruvian
Entrees~$41–$57 · ceviche from $16
Signature dishPatarashca (grouper, $47)
Chef-ownerMarcel Vizcarra
ReservationOpenTable · 28 seats, book ahead
RecognitionOpenTable America's Top Restaurants 2023
Good forProposals, first dates, birthdays
