Service was fantastic, but food wasn't memorable. The chips were stale the salsa bland. I ended up getting the "Fiesta" plate which had a little of everything. (A beef soft taco, pork tamale, beef tostada, and beef enchilada.)
(2)
Heather H.
I met a group of friends here this weekend, and it was pretty much what I expected authenticity-wise based on their descriptors, beginning with it's mall location. The portions were large but meh over all. We were served watery mild salsa, and after asking for hot salsa were given more of the same. Whatever. I was pleased that some jalapeño was mixed in my chili relleno, at least. Atmospherically it wasn't our vibe, with the 9 zillion birthday-sombrero clapping annoyances. I also caught a manager, who was hanging around a nearby table chatting, giving one of my friends a major stink eye for reasons that elude me. I can't imagine I'll want to eat there again, but for that night it served its purpose as a place catch up. Shrug.
(3)
Jesse B.
If your looking for a place to grab some drinks or flavored margaritas...then I could see going to Pepe's. If your looking for good food....look elsewhere! For sure, it is not authentic but it's more than that. Anytime I ordered their fajita's, no matter if I ordered chicken, steak, or other...the meat was always so tough and dry while the onions and peppers looked as if they had not been cooked yet? Most of their food is like that. I've seen servers eat a little off of someones plate before giving the customer their food. I have also seen a server rearrange a plate she had almost dropped with her hands. Seems like anytime I've been there, I always see the same manger yelling at the or one of the, employees in front of customers. The same manager I have also overheard being very loud, making fun of a table of women sitting only tables away. I know they had to have heard some of it. This place needs some help!
(2)
Juan A.
Not the best mexican food around but if you want some tex-mex cheap option it's not too bad. Good service, decent food, fair price, and open until latter than most mexican places in town.
(3)
Susie C.
Wow! I used to be a fan of Pepe's. This was 6-8 years ago though and it was at Valpo, IN. My friend live in this area so my husband and I wanted to eat at Pepe's. We didn't think it would go wrong since it's Mexican food and we had good experience at Pepe's in the past. Boy we were mistaken. Our hostess took us around the restaurant passing all the open tables to seat us at the table right next to the kitchen. We didnt like that since it was smelly and noisy, so we asked to be moved. Not sure why it was necessary to walk us through the entire restaurant to be sitting so far away (it's as if we got a tour of the restaurant that we didnt ask for). Our waitress was corky - it seems like she may be trying to be funny...or she could just be awkward. Anyway we started out with their gourmet guacamole salad to share as appetizer. It wasnt tasty, sadly. Not gourmet, and other places that serve guacamole does a much better job. We also ordered 4 pork tamales to share. All four of us did not like the tamales. The neat part of this restaurant is that we each got our own bowl of salsa! yay! but too bad the salsa was watery and bland..we had to add our own hot sauce to make the flavor kick in. Sad. My main dish was a pork taco dinner. I only ate one. The pork was mincely cut, and very watery. I did not enjoy it. My husband had a steak burrito dinner..I thought it was beef burrito since the steak was so chopped up. It tastes like beef too! Pretty bad. I'm not sure how my other two friends liked their food..but I heard the fish taco was okay..so I guess if you want to eat anything safe try the fish taco there. Overall, the food is really bad. Service is funny. Probably won't come back to this Pepe again..and I really hope this didn't ruin the reputation of the other Pepe's we've been to.
(1)
Eric W.
Wednesday November 26,2014...Chicken was raw and looked be be warmed up in a microwave,Manger gave us another option and we went witht the steak,this was not much better. The manger never even checked back with us....and still charged us for a very bad meal. STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE....
(1)
Jacob D.
I love Mexican food, however Pepe's is not really Mexican food. Some of the other food that my party was okay, but I got the stuffed tacos were awful. The chips were awful and there salsa wasn't that good either. I would never recommend this place to anyone.
(2)
Jenene L.
This was an okay place to eat. Queso was delish. Salsa was bland. Meal was just okay. Some spice would be nice.
(3)
Dana A.
This place is mediocre at best. If you want good authentic Mexican food hit up one of the many local places in town.
(2)
Tom M.
Pepe's is an established favorite in the area. Always busy and usually packed during the dinner hour. The decor and ambience is excellent. Interesting side note: Pepe's was located on the other side of the mall when a Mexican restaurant opened at this location. The new restaurant didn't attract much business and folded, so Pepe's moved here, obviously had to do zero remodeling, and Pepe's is even more popular than before. Oh, and the food is good too. Try the chimichangas, and the margaritas are the best around.
(4)
James B.
A quick review: Good margaritas, get Cuervo Gold on the rocks - skip the frozen stuff. Tacos are pretty good though they are not "Mexican." In general this is basically Mexican-American. Pepe's is a great meeting spot for big groups with food to appeal to all tastes but for real Mexican food, go to one of the locally-owned taquerias such as Mi Cabañita or Taco Rico.
(3)
Lia L.
So maybe it's not "authentic" Mexican food, but the portions were large and the flavors were fresh. The prices were excellent too, and later I enjoyed my to-go box seconds!
(4)
Casey R.
Yeah Pepe's isn't authentic, few Mexican places are in Indiana...does that make it any less good? Hell no! The food is tasty and the service is pretty good! They have a killer pork tamale. I am rarely in Layfayette anymore but if I get the chance, I go to Pepe's!
(4)
Craig I.
Nothing screams customer service like forcing two families with children under 3 years old to stand in a lobby for 30 minutes while everyone else eats. The blatant disregard for families with young children is what sets Pepe's mexican cantina apart from highly sought after, authentic, Mexican restaurants such as Taco Bell. Unable to rate the flavor of the food, I can only assume that it competes with the likes of Mi Abuela. But the greatest experience for us all was the constant, how should I say, "Bitch Face" of the young lady seating people, for lack of a better name, we'll call Janice. Young Janice could not have portrayed a hatred for any job like she did for her employment at Pepe's. If federal minimum wage is increased to $15.00/hr, little Janice might crack a shit eating grin a couple times an hour just to make the proverbial "Cheddar".
(1)
Hanna N.
I love Pepes and I am a loyal customer I would say I come here at least 4 times a month. Nearly once a week. I love the salsa and chips. And I am a huge fan of the queso blanco it is extremely delicious. When I dine in I usually have an enjoyable experience however the last few times I have had to do carry out. The carry out is always ready on time but my last two visits have been incorrect despite it the receipt reading the correct order. It is definitely frustrating but I will most likely return
(4)
Olivia T.
I had no idea it was possible to remove all possible flavor from food. Terrible service. Our waitress toke her sweet time getting my dad's diet coke. The only positive thing was that the food was fast but it was overly priced especially for how bland our food was. I will never come here again.
(1)
Dustin B.
Wow! Really? All I can say is this: What the hell? This place is definitely not authentic by any means of Mexican cuisine. I grew up in Lafayette eating at this place during the '90s and now as of today, I could not remember food I ate actually tasting this bland and and pathetic since the last time I ate here (A year ago). At first, I thought it was my experience with better tasting and more authentic flavored Mexican foods in Tucson, where I live; but NOPE. This place has NO flavor whatsoever. The first thing I had was the chips and salsa. The salsa... BLAND, WATERY, AND NO SPICINESS AT ALL. The chips... BLAND, STALE (AS 5 MONTH OLD CHIPS FOUND IN THE BACK OF THE KITCHEN CABINET). I ordered the Chile Relleno for the entree. THIS was freaking disgusting! When the plate arrived at the table, the first thing I noticed was how stale looking and unappetizing the stuffed poblano pepper was. I tried to keep an open mind by going ahead and trying it... The first bite... *GAG* The taste of the pepper was horrible. It tasted like it was not even washed at all. It wasn't even roasted.. PERIOD. I then chose to order something else, which was the Burrito Suiza. When this arrived... this didn't even look much better than the first entree. After the first couple bites, I was disappointed... AGAIN! The freaking beef is so damn plain, flavorless, and watery. There was not one hint of spiciness to the beef. I struggled to figure out how to make this plate more palatable by adding some of the con queso cheese dip, the bland salsa, refried beans... NO IMPROVEMENT. What the hell is wrong with this picture? One would naturally think or assume the cooks, manager, or ANYONE who works in this restaurant's kitchen would know the flavor or lack thereof in the food they serve. I guess, it's the ignorance and absent-minded folks who were there actually "enjoying" the food that prevails as if they think they are eating the world's greatest Mexican food. ON THE BORDER, which is a chain of Mexican restaurants... have a hell of a lot better tasting food. This is pretty embarrassing for Lafayette, Indiana. Then again... this company is based in Chicago. The only positive thing I have to say about this restaurant is I actually appreciate the decor... It's interesting to say the least. Other than that... THE FOOD TASTES LIKE SHIT! Will never return... ever... again.
(2)
Dave H.
Pepe's is a spot to go for mexican food for those who don't like mexican food. Its pretty bland and devoid of any authenticity, but the chow is decent. My wife doesn't like mexican food, but she will eat here. She doesn't like spicy food, but she will eat here. Its pretty much the only way I can get my family around a "mexican" meal at once. I'm still a tad bit flabbergasted that you get cheddar cheese on mexican food, but it somehow works well for this menu. The price is a tad steep for what it is, but the service is decent and you get a fairly good size portion - we always have a to-go box when we leave. All-in-all, this is a fairly decent place to eat and the total value is on an even keel with what you might expect from an average American joint. It's unlikely to be your favorite spot, but it might make your roster for places to take the family.
(3)
Doug S.
Always great food. The best Margaritas in town.
(4)
Jenna W.
I really enjoyed this place, although its not "authentic" like I like...it succeeds in getting good quality food and flavors out to you in a timely fashion! I love getting the big plates with like a tamale, tostada, and enchilada on them! MMMMMMM their tamales are simply to die for, LOVE IT
(4)
Michael B.
The atmosphere was good, clean place for the family to have an enjoyable dinner.... Until we got our food that looked and tasted tried up , like the plates were sitting under the warmer lights for a while...Salsa and chips not bad but the salsa tasted like vinegar. I will stick with EL Rodeo or Moe's
(2)
Justin W.
Pepe's is by far the place I miss the most now that i have left Purdue. I loved their queso, even though it was super expensive and they had the best burritos and tamales in town. I am getting hungry just thinking about it. I think I have a mexican food addiction.
(4)
Barb P.
Awefull good service just barely edible food dont waste your money
(1)
Tamera C.
This is my favorite place to eat! Inexpensive and YUMMY! We eat here about once a week. They have become increasingly popular over the years. Really sad that they closed the location in WL.
(5)
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Address :2525 Sagamore Pkwy S
Lafayette, IN, 47905
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Patricia N.
Service was fantastic, but food wasn't memorable. The chips were stale the salsa bland. I ended up getting the "Fiesta" plate which had a little of everything. (A beef soft taco, pork tamale, beef tostada, and beef enchilada.)
(2)Heather H.
I met a group of friends here this weekend, and it was pretty much what I expected authenticity-wise based on their descriptors, beginning with it's mall location. The portions were large but meh over all. We were served watery mild salsa, and after asking for hot salsa were given more of the same. Whatever. I was pleased that some jalapeño was mixed in my chili relleno, at least. Atmospherically it wasn't our vibe, with the 9 zillion birthday-sombrero clapping annoyances. I also caught a manager, who was hanging around a nearby table chatting, giving one of my friends a major stink eye for reasons that elude me. I can't imagine I'll want to eat there again, but for that night it served its purpose as a place catch up. Shrug.
(3)Jesse B.
If your looking for a place to grab some drinks or flavored margaritas...then I could see going to Pepe's. If your looking for good food....look elsewhere! For sure, it is not authentic but it's more than that. Anytime I ordered their fajita's, no matter if I ordered chicken, steak, or other...the meat was always so tough and dry while the onions and peppers looked as if they had not been cooked yet? Most of their food is like that. I've seen servers eat a little off of someones plate before giving the customer their food. I have also seen a server rearrange a plate she had almost dropped with her hands. Seems like anytime I've been there, I always see the same manger yelling at the or one of the, employees in front of customers. The same manager I have also overheard being very loud, making fun of a table of women sitting only tables away. I know they had to have heard some of it. This place needs some help!
(2)Juan A.
Not the best mexican food around but if you want some tex-mex cheap option it's not too bad. Good service, decent food, fair price, and open until latter than most mexican places in town.
(3)Susie C.
Wow! I used to be a fan of Pepe's. This was 6-8 years ago though and it was at Valpo, IN. My friend live in this area so my husband and I wanted to eat at Pepe's. We didn't think it would go wrong since it's Mexican food and we had good experience at Pepe's in the past. Boy we were mistaken. Our hostess took us around the restaurant passing all the open tables to seat us at the table right next to the kitchen. We didnt like that since it was smelly and noisy, so we asked to be moved. Not sure why it was necessary to walk us through the entire restaurant to be sitting so far away (it's as if we got a tour of the restaurant that we didnt ask for). Our waitress was corky - it seems like she may be trying to be funny...or she could just be awkward. Anyway we started out with their gourmet guacamole salad to share as appetizer. It wasnt tasty, sadly. Not gourmet, and other places that serve guacamole does a much better job. We also ordered 4 pork tamales to share. All four of us did not like the tamales. The neat part of this restaurant is that we each got our own bowl of salsa! yay! but too bad the salsa was watery and bland..we had to add our own hot sauce to make the flavor kick in. Sad. My main dish was a pork taco dinner. I only ate one. The pork was mincely cut, and very watery. I did not enjoy it. My husband had a steak burrito dinner..I thought it was beef burrito since the steak was so chopped up. It tastes like beef too! Pretty bad. I'm not sure how my other two friends liked their food..but I heard the fish taco was okay..so I guess if you want to eat anything safe try the fish taco there. Overall, the food is really bad. Service is funny. Probably won't come back to this Pepe again..and I really hope this didn't ruin the reputation of the other Pepe's we've been to.
(1)Eric W.
Wednesday November 26,2014...Chicken was raw and looked be be warmed up in a microwave,Manger gave us another option and we went witht the steak,this was not much better. The manger never even checked back with us....and still charged us for a very bad meal. STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE....
(1)Jacob D.
I love Mexican food, however Pepe's is not really Mexican food. Some of the other food that my party was okay, but I got the stuffed tacos were awful. The chips were awful and there salsa wasn't that good either. I would never recommend this place to anyone.
(2)Jenene L.
This was an okay place to eat. Queso was delish. Salsa was bland. Meal was just okay. Some spice would be nice.
(3)Dana A.
This place is mediocre at best. If you want good authentic Mexican food hit up one of the many local places in town.
(2)Tom M.
Pepe's is an established favorite in the area. Always busy and usually packed during the dinner hour. The decor and ambience is excellent. Interesting side note: Pepe's was located on the other side of the mall when a Mexican restaurant opened at this location. The new restaurant didn't attract much business and folded, so Pepe's moved here, obviously had to do zero remodeling, and Pepe's is even more popular than before. Oh, and the food is good too. Try the chimichangas, and the margaritas are the best around.
(4)James B.
A quick review: Good margaritas, get Cuervo Gold on the rocks - skip the frozen stuff. Tacos are pretty good though they are not "Mexican." In general this is basically Mexican-American. Pepe's is a great meeting spot for big groups with food to appeal to all tastes but for real Mexican food, go to one of the locally-owned taquerias such as Mi Cabañita or Taco Rico.
(3)Lia L.
So maybe it's not "authentic" Mexican food, but the portions were large and the flavors were fresh. The prices were excellent too, and later I enjoyed my to-go box seconds!
(4)Casey R.
Yeah Pepe's isn't authentic, few Mexican places are in Indiana...does that make it any less good? Hell no! The food is tasty and the service is pretty good! They have a killer pork tamale. I am rarely in Layfayette anymore but if I get the chance, I go to Pepe's!
(4)Craig I.
Nothing screams customer service like forcing two families with children under 3 years old to stand in a lobby for 30 minutes while everyone else eats. The blatant disregard for families with young children is what sets Pepe's mexican cantina apart from highly sought after, authentic, Mexican restaurants such as Taco Bell. Unable to rate the flavor of the food, I can only assume that it competes with the likes of Mi Abuela. But the greatest experience for us all was the constant, how should I say, "Bitch Face" of the young lady seating people, for lack of a better name, we'll call Janice. Young Janice could not have portrayed a hatred for any job like she did for her employment at Pepe's. If federal minimum wage is increased to $15.00/hr, little Janice might crack a shit eating grin a couple times an hour just to make the proverbial "Cheddar".
(1)Hanna N.
I love Pepes and I am a loyal customer I would say I come here at least 4 times a month. Nearly once a week. I love the salsa and chips. And I am a huge fan of the queso blanco it is extremely delicious. When I dine in I usually have an enjoyable experience however the last few times I have had to do carry out. The carry out is always ready on time but my last two visits have been incorrect despite it the receipt reading the correct order. It is definitely frustrating but I will most likely return
(4)Olivia T.
I had no idea it was possible to remove all possible flavor from food. Terrible service. Our waitress toke her sweet time getting my dad's diet coke. The only positive thing was that the food was fast but it was overly priced especially for how bland our food was. I will never come here again.
(1)Dustin B.
Wow! Really? All I can say is this: What the hell? This place is definitely not authentic by any means of Mexican cuisine. I grew up in Lafayette eating at this place during the '90s and now as of today, I could not remember food I ate actually tasting this bland and and pathetic since the last time I ate here (A year ago). At first, I thought it was my experience with better tasting and more authentic flavored Mexican foods in Tucson, where I live; but NOPE. This place has NO flavor whatsoever. The first thing I had was the chips and salsa. The salsa... BLAND, WATERY, AND NO SPICINESS AT ALL. The chips... BLAND, STALE (AS 5 MONTH OLD CHIPS FOUND IN THE BACK OF THE KITCHEN CABINET). I ordered the Chile Relleno for the entree. THIS was freaking disgusting! When the plate arrived at the table, the first thing I noticed was how stale looking and unappetizing the stuffed poblano pepper was. I tried to keep an open mind by going ahead and trying it... The first bite... *GAG* The taste of the pepper was horrible. It tasted like it was not even washed at all. It wasn't even roasted.. PERIOD. I then chose to order something else, which was the Burrito Suiza. When this arrived... this didn't even look much better than the first entree. After the first couple bites, I was disappointed... AGAIN! The freaking beef is so damn plain, flavorless, and watery. There was not one hint of spiciness to the beef. I struggled to figure out how to make this plate more palatable by adding some of the con queso cheese dip, the bland salsa, refried beans... NO IMPROVEMENT. What the hell is wrong with this picture? One would naturally think or assume the cooks, manager, or ANYONE who works in this restaurant's kitchen would know the flavor or lack thereof in the food they serve. I guess, it's the ignorance and absent-minded folks who were there actually "enjoying" the food that prevails as if they think they are eating the world's greatest Mexican food. ON THE BORDER, which is a chain of Mexican restaurants... have a hell of a lot better tasting food. This is pretty embarrassing for Lafayette, Indiana. Then again... this company is based in Chicago. The only positive thing I have to say about this restaurant is I actually appreciate the decor... It's interesting to say the least. Other than that... THE FOOD TASTES LIKE SHIT! Will never return... ever... again.
(2)Dave H.
Pepe's is a spot to go for mexican food for those who don't like mexican food. Its pretty bland and devoid of any authenticity, but the chow is decent. My wife doesn't like mexican food, but she will eat here. She doesn't like spicy food, but she will eat here. Its pretty much the only way I can get my family around a "mexican" meal at once. I'm still a tad bit flabbergasted that you get cheddar cheese on mexican food, but it somehow works well for this menu. The price is a tad steep for what it is, but the service is decent and you get a fairly good size portion - we always have a to-go box when we leave. All-in-all, this is a fairly decent place to eat and the total value is on an even keel with what you might expect from an average American joint. It's unlikely to be your favorite spot, but it might make your roster for places to take the family.
(3)Doug S.
Always great food. The best Margaritas in town.
(4)Jenna W.
I really enjoyed this place, although its not "authentic" like I like...it succeeds in getting good quality food and flavors out to you in a timely fashion! I love getting the big plates with like a tamale, tostada, and enchilada on them! MMMMMMM their tamales are simply to die for, LOVE IT
(4)Michael B.
The atmosphere was good, clean place for the family to have an enjoyable dinner.... Until we got our food that looked and tasted tried up , like the plates were sitting under the warmer lights for a while...Salsa and chips not bad but the salsa tasted like vinegar. I will stick with EL Rodeo or Moe's
(2)Justin W.
Pepe's is by far the place I miss the most now that i have left Purdue. I loved their queso, even though it was super expensive and they had the best burritos and tamales in town. I am getting hungry just thinking about it. I think I have a mexican food addiction.
(4)Barb P.
Awefull good service just barely edible food dont waste your money
(1)Tamera C.
This is my favorite place to eat! Inexpensive and YUMMY! We eat here about once a week. They have become increasingly popular over the years. Really sad that they closed the location in WL.
(5)