Pepin
7363 E Scottsdale Mall, Scottsdale, AZ, 85251
Pepin Menu
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Address :
7363 E Scottsdale Mall
Scottsdale, AZ, 85251 - Phone (480) 990-9026
- Website https://www.pepinrestaurant.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Garage
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Loud
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Bill B.
Wine menu full of interesting, dry reds. The tapas are flavorful enough to slap you upside the head. The prices are rather pricey, but it includes a show: You come here for flamenco guitar and dancing. It also makes a good date place located as it is near the strolling- and people-watching grounds of Scottsdale Civic Center. Architecture and interior design could probably use a freshening. Looks like it hasn't changed in 22 years. But then a lot of Spanish restaurants in Spain haven't changed in 200 years. So . . .
(4)James R.
Well, that's the last night that this restaurant will be opened. Yes. They closing after 22 years! This restaurant didn't get the best reviews, but it was definitely different than all the other restaurants in town. I miss this place already but I guess that nothing last forever...
(5)Kimberly M.
This review is solely on the bartender here since my friends and I only came here for drinks and salsa night tonight. She was phenomenal. The kind of bartender you wish was at every bar you visited because she took care of us, made us feel at home, and started our night off right. I wish I had gotten her name so I could give her a shout out here, but she had a cool hairstyle, if that helps. Oh yeah, the dancing/ music was also very fun, and management was on top of the situation when someone bumped me so hard I dropped (and broke) my margarita glass on the dance floor. Thanks for a memorable night Pepin!!!
(5)Greg J.
This place brought me back to my Spanish travels. The owner is amazing and there's free live music/dancing. Definitely coming back
(5)J B.
Recommend the Champiñones Al Jerez (Mushrooms cooked in Spanish Sherry, garlic and pimenon picante) Hot Tapas Appetizer while you wait for your paella. Also recommend the Ensalada Pepin. The house made balsamic vinaigrette was delicious. After devouring the mushrooms, my dinner companion and I dipped the bread in the sauce. The Paella Valenciana was worth the wait. Saffon rice, chicken, chorizo, shrimp, clams, calamari, and mussels. The calamari was a bit chewy but then that's not completely unexpected. We saw both Flamenco performances on Saturday night. If you're there on your birthday, don't be surprised if you are called to the stage and given a flamenco lesson.
(4)Adrian D.
Three simple reasons for each pros and cons: Pros- Great show, great people, and main dishes are great. Cons- side dishes like vegatables tasted like it came from frozen bag, a bit pricey, and their atmosphere isn't that bad, except for their painting job and need to tune up the place.
(3)Kimo K.
To begin with, search for a Groupon coupon before you go here. For what you get, it is rather pricey unless you use a groupon. But with a groupon for two or four, it is an OK deal. All the food offerings are OK -- nothing spectacular or special, but not bad. We had 5 of us and ordered 3 apps -- 2 cold (smoked salmon with capers and the cured meats and cheese plate) and one hot (shrimps with garlic and olive oil). The cold ones were 4 stars, and hot one maybe 3 stars. We had paella (2) and chicken over pasta with a creamy cheese sauce....sorta like a Spanish version of chicken alfredo. Both types of dishes were pretty good. Flan for dessert. We were all full and satisfied. But again, you gotta have a groupon or you will be dissatisfied.
(3)Age D.
We originally only went because of a coupon we got but were pleasantly surprised with the authentic Spanish dishes....Paella was amazing, perfectly cooked and even the creme fraiche for the free bread was delicious We got a nice window view of the mall park If they just spruced up the decor I would give them five stars
(4)Ana H.
Outstanding food with authentic environment. We loved the sangria! You can tell that the server had 20+ years of experience. It is also the best spot for salsa dancing in Phoenix. If you are interested in having a unique experience in Phoenix, I would recommend this restaurant. You can't beat the location and the salsa music. Gotta try it!
(5)Jen M.
I TRIED to make a reservation for valentines night, bec I purchased a Groupon so I could finally try this place. Whomever answered the phone was EXTREMELY rude and said that Groupons were not allowed on that day. No where in the groupon rules did it state this and I was given a refund for this. Due to the extreme rudeness of whomever answered the phone, I will probably never try Pepin. Dishonestly and attitudes don't make me want to spend $ at your establishment.
(1)Marcy G.
I ordered a Caesar Salad with grilled/roasted chicken. It was mediocre, not bad but not great either. The service was poor but friendly. I don't think I will go back.
(2)Rolando R.
Went for the Latin/Salsa nights advertised on the website. I think the DJ played maybe 6 Latin songs, one salsa, a few merenge, some reggaeton and then it all went to hell. I think some of the patrons requested some not so "Latin" music and next thing you know, it was time for "let me take a selfie". I can see why the crowd was so small since they likely do not stick to the advertised music. I wrote the DJ a note, "It is Latin/Salsa night, you should play that sh** meng" with an unhappy face. I doubt I'll be back. Although for those few songs, it was fun.
(1)Pamela Z.
Purchased a Groupon to try the restaurant. Seemed like a great way to try out a new restaurant at a good price. The decor was outdated. Its very old and has no dining atmosphere..The service and food was ok. The problem came when we received the bill. It seems that the wait staff decides what amount to tip. The waiter took it upon himself to give himself a $30 tip which was the full 20%. He brought the check with the tip added into the bill before I had a chance to decided for myself. I am NOT opposed to tipping, I am opposed to someone deciding the amount for me. I realize that Groupon encourages the tip based on the full amount before the discount. Tipping is not mandatory nor requirement when you go out to eat. It is to show whether or not you've received excellent service and food based on the amount of tip you leave.It's a courtesy. I know we are all aware of the basics in tipping. I do resent having a waiter decide what amount of tip he's going to receive. Since when does a waiter decide ? That decision is based on the customer and the experience he received while dining. It's not the wait staffs place to decide what I'm going to tip !! The food was not that great, and over priced !!Next time I'm in the area, I will walk around the corner and go to the Mission.. Much nicer restaurant, food is better, and the waiters do not decided their tips and tell you what your going to give as a tip.. Will not be back to Pepin because of what the waiter did!! Very distasteful!!!!
(2)Saundra A.
The food is good, not great. For the price, I would even say so-so. We shared the seafood paella and the salmon. They did not use the right kind of rice for paella and they skimped on the seafood. Also the saffron flavor was weak. The salmon was decent on its own, but it was sitting in a "goopy" sauce that lacked flavor. Sadly, the sangria was dull also. It didn't taste like much at all and there was no fruit in it. Overall the food lacked the Spanish flavors I expected. It was not horrible, but I would not eat here again as it is way overpriced for the quality.
(3)Allen W.
Too bad can't indicate zero. Used a Groupon. Food was poor, service indifferent. Decor takes you back to the 80s but not in a good way (like a banquet hall of a Holiday Inn in Muncie Indiana). Had fun surprise of additional charges on my credit card which I had to dispute. If you want good tapas / Spanish food, go to Tapas Papas Fritas.
(1)susan c.
Totally agreed with the reviewer that mentioned that this place had a distinct foreign flavor. Barcelona without the plane ticket, I'd say. Stopped in on the way to SMOCA for a drink and stumbled upon happy hour. Yummy tapas, futbol on the telly, and the owner served us himself at the bar. Lovely, wonderful man who takes great pride in his heritage and food. The sweetbreads are simply not to be missed. Very friendly staff, and deserves to be recognized as "the real thing".
(4)J D.
Found this place via Living Social and have been here several times since. It's a classic Spanish Tapas joint. It gets busy on the weekends when they have live entertainment and Flamenco dancers on the stage. When that happens, it can get loud and crowded in the lower seating area next to the stage. We sat there once and didn't like it....it was uncomfortable and The Better Half and I couldn't have a conversation because it was too loud. It's worth checking out at least once though. Over our visits, we've tried the following menu items: Pan con Tomate, $9 Empanada Gallega, $9 Croquetas, $11 Spanish Sausage, $9 Peppers & Goat Cheese, $12 Spanish Fritatta, $8 Out of the bunch, my favorites are the Peppers and Goat Cheese, Empanada, and the Spanish Sausage. The others are just OK. The service here is hit/miss and the Wine selection is not very good. There are a lot of Spanish Wines on the menu, but they didn't taste good...I've sampled many of them and ended up disappointed every time. Overall, it's just an OK joint. Return Factor - 50%
(2)Angela A.
Last time we were there it was Valentine's Day. We enjoyed the home-style atmosphere. The interior is a little dated and worn, but it reminds me of my travels to Central American Spanish restaurants. The service was fine. The owner was available and checked-in on guests. (Which may have been because of the poor reviews of late) The reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because of the scrumptious Paella that we had and the delicious Red Sangria. We are returning tomorrow evening with the Groupon deal. I will let you know!
(4)Stellz L.
I want to love this place. Really, I do. It would be a perfect restaurant for one of those "please update our business for us" 911 renovation shows. The dusty fake plants and ultra old decor don't support the more expensive menu. The dancing was cool but VERY LOUD. We had to yell to talk to each other, there were only 4 of us. The paella is good, but if we order wine and tapas and a paella to share and the bill is pretty substantial...I would love for it to be in a place where I don't have to yell and doesn't look like a 24 hour burrito shop in south Phoenix inside. Our waiter pushed an appetizer on us because we mentioned we were pretty hungry and the paella "takes a while". He didn't mention that they bring out complementary bread. There was also a random employee, maybe a busboy?, kind of standing behind a post across from us just watching. Maybe he gets into trouble for not immediately filling up waters or taking plates? I don't know.. but it was kind of creepy.
(2)Farren N.
My boyfriend and I purchased a Groupon that provided one appetizer, two entrées and a small pitcher of sangria. We got to choose between red and white sangria so we picked the red which was delicious. We each ordered the "pollo pepin" which was a dish consisting of chicken strips in a type of tobasco sauce. I also ordered vegetable soup which tasted good, but seemed very similar to something made by campbells. To be honest, I could cook a home meal that is much better than the one we ate there. However, the meal is really not what you're paying for at Pepin. we went for the atmosphere and the live dancing entertainment and had a great evening. The service was also quick and our waitress was highly attentive. If the food had been more impressive than it would have been worth returning without the Groupon deal.
(3)Suz E.
We also went on the Groupon deal..the food was ok, I wasn't blow away. I've had better tapas in the Valley. We tried the surf and turf meal and the negro paella. The bathroom was akin to a gas station's...sketch. The entertainment was a little loud for my preference and we were probably at the farthest table from the stage. I liked the Red Sangria :).
(3)Megan F.
Interesting place. I used to study in Spain and thought some of the food was pretty good...rest was bland. Sangria had one little orange slice. Water waitress wouldn't leave us alone. She must have come to our table 15 times to fill up our water glasses, even if they were still full. Another waiter was trying to clear everything off of our table at rapid speed. I felt rushed even though it was empty on a Saturday night. I had an expired Groupon that I was going to use paid value for. My aunt had a coupon from entertainment book for one free entrée, however we weren't allowed to use coupon. My aunt tried to explain to manager that the groupon wasn't a coupon since it expired. We were just using it as cash value. However, he failed to understand and was rude. Oh, and food was overpriced in relation to decor and service.
(2)Mirko M.
wrote a review earlier. just want to update it. i filed a formal complaint with Maricopa County Environmental Services. i got so sick from their food that i had to do it. the plate was the : Zarzuela De Marisco lobster, shrimp, mussels, clams, calamari and fresh fish with an herbed tomato sauce served over pasta. please avoid this place if you value your health . thank you
(1)Paul H.
Had dinner here with my wife recently. The food and service were good. I had the chicken and chorizo paella which was good. The flan was excellent. The entertainment was decent. We thought the restaurant was kind of homey and similar to restaurants in Northern Spain. We used a groupon but will definitely return because many of their dishes looked very good.
(4)Andrew G.
This place sucked! Bland food and horrible service. For the amount of money we paid, I would think that we would have been treated much better. In addition the waitress over charged us, and she added a 20% gratuity for a party of two. I would avoid this location at all cost.
(1)Beth P.
I have only good things to say about Pepin. My friend and I used a Living Social deal and we had a great time. The waiter Xavier was so good to explain the menu. I had the paella and my friend has steak. We love love loved the food. We had more than we could eat and the leftovers made an excellent meal the day after. The place is a bit hidden. It looks out over the Scottsdale Mall, a grassy area that is next to the Scottsdale Center for the Arts and the iconic LOVE sculpture. Give them a try.
(5)Nicki E.
One of my favorite things to do in Spain is to go see flamenco dancing. I love the fashion, the grace, the emotion and the passion, and Pepin right here in Old Town Scottsdale offers up great flamenco performances that brought me right back to Madrid when I saw them last weekend. Every Friday and Saturday night for no cover charge, the Spanish restaurant hosts talented dancers strutting their stuff right in front of your table. They wear the long swaying dresses and are deft at the dance moves, and it's really delightful to see them get down. The food is great, too, and I think it's a very classy spot, especially for a date. The spot serves up really good Spanish food and sangria-get a pitcher to share with friends for $32, which yields eight glasses. We tried a ton of stuff, including toast topped with goat cheese and red peppers, and if you're into paella, there's a wide variety. There are lots of other options as well, including pastas and seafood. I'd go back for the flamenco alone, though-muy bonito!
(4)Michael C.
I would like to preface this review by stating that I haven't been to Pepin's in over 11 years, but at one time, it was my go-to place. My most recent experience will undoubtedly make it my last time going there! Upon arrival, we were seated and my credit card was taken, to charge me $60.00 to cover my party of six. I was told we would have to order an "entree" to get the $60.00 refunded to us. As we had eaten earlier, we decided to get four "hot" appetizers, several drinks and a pitcher of sangria. In addition, four persons ordered drinks, totaling $50.00, from the bar. We were sat at a table for four and our appetizers arrived, cold, overpriced and without adequate room to sit and enjoy. Imagine my disappointment, when I received MY tab, $67.00 and was told that I would not be getting my "cover" charge refunded, however, we spent, with tip, $132.00, for 10 cold shrimp, cold calamari and a couple of beers and drinks and a pitcher of sour sangria! All in all, $200.00 and we were seated where we were unable to see the dance floor, so no entertainment, either! I was VERY disappointed and to add insult to injury, we were offered ONE glass of soured sangria, as a consolation!
(1)Katie M.
Went on a groupon plus two others...very expensive...food plentiful but average, service average..never refilled water. Made us get three checks because of groupon...automatic 20 percent tip...very loud..not many customers on a friday night. This is the second time i have been there with a groupon. First time was fun, friendly, full, lively...this time crappy. Wont go back.
(2)Nadia C.
I barely remember what I ate, but the atmosphere and the service was awesome! It was a while back and I don't even know if htey still do this but they have salsa and dance lessons going on WHILE you eat, with the diners. It was truly awesome and so much fun. Of course, it's on a volunteer basis, it's not like your soup gets dropped off at your table and you are forced to salsa dance with you server while the soup gets cold. I should head back and see what it is like these days. I am surprised there are not more reviews. It's by AZ 88. PEPIN is fun and the food was decent and the service was great!
(4)Nubia M.
The food is ok but the entertainment is bad. It has average service but probably not a place I'd be coming back to.
(3)Jennifer V.
ONE STAR DINNER - I wish I could give this a higher rating. The 2nd star is ONLY for the flamenco show, which was fun, and a little 3-yr-old flamenco dancer stole the show. We used the Entertainment coupon, 2-for-1 dinner up to $20. "Greeted" at door by a sour-faced older white guy who made it VERY clear we were late for our reservation & he didn't approve. We noticed, however, that the seating was very empty, and even at the end of dinner, there was no one waiting for tables. Friendly waiter, but got busy and never asked if we wanted another round of drinks even though my glass sat empty perched at the edge of the table. The sangria... Meh. I ordered it here about 5 years ago, it was better that night. Tonight it tasted like red wine, a little fruit juice, and water, as if it used to be iced down, but it melted. My husband agreed. I was going to order a different drink, but the waiter never asked. The meal - we didn't want paella, which is supposedly something they make decently. We got a steak and a chicken breast dish. The steak was "fine,' not good flavor but edible. My 2 boneless chicken breasts were perfectly uniform under a mushroom sauce. The mushrooms were sadly just canned, button mushrooms - I expected savory sauteed mushrooms, I got a weird pickled twang. The chicken was WEIRD. Reminded me of institutional cafeteria food, couldn't place it. After two bites, I quit. My husband tried it - they were so "uniform" because they were like large un-breaded McNuggets - like pressed chicken, we think. GROSS. The cookedveggies were actually fresh, but sadly doused in so much garlic powder I couldn't do more than a few bites. Even though I didn't eat the chicken dinner, no point in asking for a refund, since it was the $20 of the 2-for-1 (although the coupon does charge 18% gratuity on full price before discount, so the waiter got a couple of extra pity bucks. it's gotta suck to serve such bad food). SUMMARY: I cringe to say this, but that was the worst dinner I've had in a LONG time. ONLY GO FOR THE SHOW!
(2)Jennifer M.
We walked in on a Saturday night and were shocked to see a relatively empty house. There were basically two large groups and us. By the end of our dinner, however, the place was fairly full. Great location once you can find it. Pretty outdoors - I bet fall/spring dining on the patio is nice. We had a coupon and I did review the prices and menu prior to us going there. Based on previous experiences with these types of coupons, it's safe to say that restaurants offer them because they need to. Décor - It IS dated but it's not as "gross" as some people posting here make it out to be. We didn't notice any odors other than that of the food. Service - Rafael, the owner, greeted and seated us. Yes, he's dour but talk to the guy a little and you find he's quite friendly. As for our waitress, she was welcoming, helpful, quick and attendtive. There was another woman who served our food and she was equally warm and helpful. Food - I admit I expected a little more because of the prices we were paying. We got one of the shrimp tapas that was very tasty along with crusty bread and aolli. My husband thought his paella was a little dry - indeed when it was being served, it was almost scraped out of the paella pan. It had a nice flavor though and he enjoyed it other than it being dry. I had the pork leg dinner which was very nicely done. I was afraid the "sour orange" would be the only flavor coming through but was pleasantly surprised to find the dish had a wonderul, well-rounded flavor with sour orange in the background. The meat was tender. The rice was flavorful and moist. The fresh veggies were expertly done and still had a snap to them. I hate it when restaurants overcook fresh veggies. Sangria - We liked it but we don't have much to compare it to. I could taste the fresh mint in the background. It wasn't too wine-y and wasn't too juice-y. Atmosphere - We were there on a Saturday which meant live music and flamenco dancing. We were expecting a guy with a guitar and a girl dancing. What we got was an education on flamenco! I learned a lot from the head dancer's explanations. We'll return.
(4)Chris C.
Pepin has been around forever and the novelty of the flamenco dancing isn't enough to eclipse the otherwise only-okay food, high prices, and sometimes dodgy service. (Not to mention they're randomly-being-closed). The paella is really quite expensive, and unless they're dumping entire handfuls of saffron into each pan (they're not), it's pretty well over-priced. It's also essentially impossible to share, since it's a per-person charge, which is frustrating. The crab and black rice croquettes were a pleasant surprise, I'll give them that, but service is typically slow, paella is typically only just decent, and overall, it's not really worth it beyond the initial novelty. (It's really dated inside, to boot.) I prefer Tapas Papas Fritas up the road a bit, though they don't offer flamenco, but their food quality and service is generally much better.
(2)Christina S.
Atmosphere: old and run down, very loud flamenco dancing. Service: nothing special and she overcharged us by double. Still waiting on the manager to correct this mistake two months later. Food: meh. Bland, and waaaay overpriced. The mushroom appetizer has a nice sauce though. We will definitely NOT be back. I agree with the other commenters that this place needs an overhaul not more Groupons! PS This review has been in my drafts for a while. Went to Pepin in the summer of '12.
(1)Scott B.
Valenciana Paella is great
(4)Aileen B.
Happy hour, over a week ago, consisted of the calamari w/ aioli, a glass of Rene Barbier red, and brandy-flambeed flan. Had more of those terrific dinner rolls! First thing I noticed when presented w/ the plate of calamari was the lovely color! Was it saffron, I asked? Why, yes! These calamari rings were dipped in saffron-infused batter... These rings were beautiful and tasty! I really like the simple aioli here. And the flan? Xavier made a deal w/ me that if I didn't think it the best I've ever tasted, then he wouldn't charge me the $7 price tag. While it WASN'T the best I'd ever had (my Mom makes the best flan! Heck, even I can make a killer flan- she says so modestly), it was still very, very good and I didn't see the need to be cunning about it, so I paid. Willingly. Next visit- frog legs and a sangria (or two)!
(3)Fiona M.
If it was not for the coupons we would not have gone, bland food, overpriced and poor service!
(1)Lily Y.
Went on flamenco night, which was a nice touch. Not so great for dinner conversation, though. The food was OK, but the service was awful. We literally waited an hour to get our check after asking our waitress for it. Finally we ended walking to the front just so we could leave. Because we used a discount, they automatically add a 20% gratuity before discount. I might have given that much anyway, but after waiting so long for the check, it felt slightly exploitative. So don't go on flamenco night if you're looking to catch up with a friend over dinner (it's impossible to hear over the music), and personally, I wouldn't go again on a discount. Their automatic gratuity policy seems to give them carte blanche to ignore their guests.
(2)Lauren C.
Went in a long time ago. Don't remember much except the place was dead at dinner time (I think there was one other couple) and the place looked pretty seedy. Dad wasn't impressed with the paella. BUT. I had the veal tenera casera. I don't remember the exact taste--all I remember was that it was extraordinarily delicious. Must return for this.
(3)Ray R.
This place is so hidden! The food was pretty good, but not for the price. If the prices were cut in half, I would say it would be more on par for the atmosphere and food quality. We tried the calamari and empanada to start, followed by a seafood paella, seafood pasta and cheesy chicken. The seafood was all bland and a little chewy. The rice was good, I think if we got a paella with chorizo it would have been better.
(3)Sergio A.
The food was good. The service was horrible. The waitress spoke 10 words if at all to us. She was not happy being there. Manager was walking around but never checked in with us to see how was the food. I ordered an ice tea and got one glass of it. no refill even after owner/manager passed by table saw the empty glass at the edge of the table 2 times. Waitress brought food, served over empty glass and did not asks us for a refill. The busser passed the table 3 times and saw the empty glass and did not offer more. I had to ask her for some more after that. I had a coupon for dinner and it stipulated that we had to leave 20% tip.. waitress ended up with a tip of around $17.00 for the worst service ever.. very disappointing and vouched not to go back. the restaurant needs a new decor also.. very dated. Save your hard earned money and go somewhere else..
(1)Josette S.
I had purchased a coupon from groupon for a dinner for 2, (appetizer, 2 entrees and a pitcher of sangria for $50). So during the week of our anniversary we decided to try it out. We decided on Tuesday, it was a slow night so the place only had a hand full of patrons which was fine with us. We had choice of seating and picked a table near the window. Our waiter came over right away and we advised him of our groupon deal. He explained how the deal worked which turned out much better than we thought as we had a choice of any entree on the menu regardless of price. We ordered water and our sangria of course. He suggested the salpicon de mariscos as our appetizer which was delicious. I ordered the zarzuela de mariscos and my husband ordered one of their shrimp dishes. Their dinner rolls are fantastic and served with a very tasty house sauce. Our food arrived promptly and needless to say that it was delicious. The portions are very large and contained plenty of seafood. Wish I could have tried their desserts but was too full. Next time we may order one to go! Overall, we had a great experience, our waiter was fantastic, knowledgable, helpful and very nice. We will absolutely be back!
(5)Yvonne G.
I bought a coupon for this place BEFORE I checked the ratings. Tried it on Friday because there is "Flamenco" show. At about 7:35PM, a guitarist takes his place on a chair and begins to strum. Hmmm, not bad I thought. Then a woman with dancing shoes emerges wearing a frilly, nylon, pink dress which could have easily been a nightgown. (not trying to be mean, just telling the truth). She did two dances and during the rest of her time, she sat down and clapped along while the guitarist played. When I presented the coupon, the waiter told me that I had to order two entrees. Having read from other Yelpers that they had been told the same, I quickly corrected the waiter and told him that the coupon said, $40 worth of FOOD not necessarily entrees. They acquiesced. They served us hot rolls, no butter. Instead, a garlicky ranch type dressing. I put up with it. cost saving measure I guess. My friend ordered the Chicken Al Jerez, a chicken cutlet in sherry sauce. He didn't want rice so he got vegetables. On the menu in the restaurant, it doesn't specify that dishes come with soup or salad as it does on the internet. I told the waiter and he added a salad. The chicken was overdone, but the taste of the sauce was good. Mushrooms on the chicken were out of a can. Salad was fresh I had two appetizers. Empanadas & Shrimp wrapped in bacon. Empanadas should be meat filled turnovers. Not here. It was made with pizza dough stuffed with tomato sauce and slivers of chicken so small that I had to closely check it to be sure what it was. I set it aside because it was not worth eating. The waiter saw this and offered to get me another appetizer. Nice guy. Ordered Tortilla Espanola, a traditional fritata containing sliced potatoes, in its place. It was good. You can't hurt a frittata. Just dump stuff in the eggs and you're done. I enjoyed the shrimp and bacon appetizer (I think Trader Joe's sells these frozen) until I awoke last night with heartburn. I remember eating them and thinking that the bacon was not totally crisped up (needed more time in the oven). My fault for not telling them. The saving grace of this evening was the server who waited on us and really tried to please us. The one star is for him. The owner who had greeted us initially at the door was busy setting tables with tablecloths (another cost-cutting measure?) instead of checking in on his patrons. I for one do not recommend this place to anyone.
(1)Alek V.
I bought a Groupon dinner for two as a Christmas gift for my mother. Bad move! Mom was upset enough to write her own bad review of the restaurant. (I didn't even know she had a Yelp account!) The deal sounds great... $49 for a dinner for two, valued at up to $104. This includes two entrees, a pitcher of sangria, and an appetizer. ("This must be some fancy restaurant," I thought. "What a nice gift for my Mom!") Well, she ended up not taking her boyfriend, but instead took her sister and sister's husband. Therefore, instead of two, there were three at the table. Unfortunately, Pepin could not handle this change gracefully, and when placing the order everybody became confused with the Groupon deal. I wish they just told my mother... "Your order for three is going to exceed the value of this coupon, which is for a dinner for two. The coupon is for any two dinners, one appetizer, and one pitcher of sangria. Since you're ordering more, we'll give you the maximum credit for your coupon, which is worth up to $104." That would have been simple. Instead, they made billing seem complicated, causing the customer to have to think too much about the bill. They didn't give the full value of the Groupon and they added a mandatory 20% gratuity on the bill (for three people). Looking back at the deal... They gave her most of the value of the coupon. The meal cost a lot more than she calculated partially because she didn't calculate the value of each item they ordered, partially because the mandatory 20% gratuity was a large, unexpected change, and partially because the prices are over-inflated ($32 for a pitcher of sangria?). I paid $49 for the deal, and Mom paid $86 in excess. For a total of $135 (supposedly 50% off), my Mom and her two guests received one entree each. They shared a single appetizer, a single dessert, and a single pitcher of sangria. That's pretty spendy, and for that much money, you'd think everyone would leave feeling satisfied with the experience of the food and the service. Instead, my Mom thought it was a rip off, and I'm left regretting my purchase.
(1)Jim W.
It's all about the package. 3.5 stars. At the restaurant Pepin, of course. I would not give them 4 stars based solely on the food. 3 stars for the food. It was for the most part very good but not good enough to merit say $37 bucks that I spent on a seafood stew over noodles that my daughter and I shared. By the way, first time I've eaten octopus, is it supposed to be textured like steak on the inside, soft on the outside and a little slippery on the surface? But I digress. The food was overpriced for the quality. But when you throw in Flamenco dancing, live Spanish guitar, free dancing lessons and getting pictures of my kids on stage dancing flamenco, much more worth it. The sangria was nice as well. We shared a pitcher. Well, the kids didn't actually have any . Did you know Sangria helps you dance?
(4)Monica S.
I dont even know what to say, the only reason I gave it one star was because you cant rate lower! the service was horrible! the food was low quality, the atmosphere horrible. Im sure this place may have been nice MAYBE in the 80's buut... that was a long time ago. if you want to pay 100 bucks for a meal your better off getting at applebees be my guest. (or should I say THEIR guest)
(1)Eric P.
Terrible in every way, worse place I have eaten in recent memory and it is expensive. This must be a front to launder money because I don't know how else they stay in business.
(1)Andy M.
This is a difficult review to write as so many things went wrong but most were made good by the end. A friend and I had tickets for the Bruce Hornsby concert right next door at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. We had planned on eating dinner at AZ88 before, but didn't count on the Scottsdale Arts Festival being held that afternoon. We weren't able to do the 40 minute wait at AZ88. We looked around and saw Pepin next door, almost empty. Usually a bad sign. But we didn't really have many choices so we went in. The hostess looked all of 15, and spoke so softly and with such a heavy accent, we had no idea of what she was saying and just followed her to the table. Our waiter eventually came and took a drink order. He is the saving grace of this review and the restaurant. If not for him, this review would be 1 star with no chance of ever going back. After we received our drinks and had ordered dinner (Pollo Don Quixote and one of the paella specialties), it was probably 6:50, concert starts at 8. In comes a rowdy, OBNOXIOUS, drunk bridal party of about 18 girls. I knew we were in trouble as there was no other waiter to take the table. Fast forward to 7:45. Still no food and empty drinks. The waiter assured us it would be out quickly. We asked for the check along with the food as we were going to have to eat a few bites and leave. The food came out and he informed us that there would be no charge for any of the food or drinks and apologized profusely. We scarfed down a bit of the food (which was VERY good) and left him a tip and left. We stopped to thank him for his professionalism and told we would come back on another night, which we will. The owner/manager seems to be a bit clueless. The table next to us sat and after about 15 minutes with no service of any kind, got up and left. It took him almost a half hour to realize the table had left. He seems to be more interested in chatting with what looked like regulars than making sure the restaurant was running smoothly.
(3)Tina T.
After last night at CMYE Phoenix City Grille, the husband and I weren't in ANY condition to cook dinner tonight. We started flipping through the Entertainment book to see where we might go for dinner. It has been a long time since we have been and paella sounded damn good for my hangover. We got there around 6pm and was maybe the fourth table there. I ordered a pina colada and the husband had wine. I really liked the pina colada and the fried calamari that was very tender. No one likes overly chewy calamari. For dinner, I had the paella Valenciana (the typical paella dish, $28) and my husband had the paella Negra (black rice with lobster, calamari, shrimp, chicken, etc, $32). Both dishes were delicious and each were more than enough to split between two people. The next time we go, we would probably split one paella. We were using a BOGO deal, so it made sense to get the two and have dinner for another night. As we were wrapping up dinner, the band began playing and shortly thereafter, the flamenco dancer came on. The music and flamenco performance was so great and really added to the experience. By this time, the restaurant was packed and our 3 year old was having a blast trying to dance like the flamenco dancer. After they played their set (30 minutes), the singers and dancer walked around to talk with the patrons. Very cool. Overall, the drinks were good, food was good, service was good, and so were the musicians. Really great time and looking forward to the next!
(4)Jennifer S.
Just ok...the atmosphere was extremely dated, but the happy hour prices were good enough to give this place 3 stars!
(3)Olivia S.
Terrible. I brought my boyfriend here a while ago for a romantic date out. I thought it would be great because they had vegetarian paella for me and plenty of fish and meat for him to try. (He doesn't normally get to do that too much since we go to mostly vegetarian places). We got an appetizer, two entrees, and some sangria, and even with a $25 gift card, the bill was still over $90 with tip. Now, this would not have been an issue had the food been worth that. However, the food was terrible. It was stuck in the 80's. The beau's chicken looked like something you would get on an airplane, and my paella could have been shown up by something in a box... mushy rice with frozen veg. The server also charged us for 2 salads that she just brought out. I don't mind paying for a salad, but at least ask me! At one point in our meal, my man got up and went to the restroom. When he returned, he told me that I HAD to go look at it. It was awful. It was worse than any drive bars I have been to. The paint was falling off the walls, one of the stalls didn't have a door and the other barely locked, the toilets were filthy, and the sink was disgusting. If you charge $20-$40 a plate, you need to have the ambiance to back it up. Never go here.
(1)Renee B.
Bought the Groupon. I dragged my husband there just so we could use it. We were the only ones in there and the run down restaurant smelled - not appetizing I must say. We were the only people in there the entire time on a weekend while the restaurant we could look at was packed. A sure sign we were in trouble. Only 1 appetizer included although the Groupon claimed Appetizers, Entree and Sangria for 2 - deceiving. The food was not good and when the bill came there was an extra 14.95 charge for I don't know what plus and automatic 20% gratuity that the horrid waiter didn't deserve. My husband was right - don't buy Groupons! Oh and my husband had the runs by the evening - Nice! I felt off myself but didn't get what he did.
(1)Chris S.
I just got back from "eating" at Pepin and had to immediately write a review. We had a table of 12 reserved and were seated promptly on a packed Sat night. We sat and waited for 15min before anyone took a drink order. The sangria was pretty bad and only had a piece of orange in terms of fruit. Most of us ordered paella valencia which we were told feeds about 1 1/2 people which I immediately thought odd. Is it not obvious that it should either serve one or two?!? Regardless we ordered four for six people. A hour later the food appeared. No salads and the bread was served with Ranch dressing (no butter). Our drinks remained empty for most of the night including the water. The food was pretty poor and the portions were horrible. I got one clam, one shrimp, and a few pieces of chicken in my plate. The mussel I had on my plate had a cracked shell so I did not eat it. I was actually embarrassed. On a high note the singer/guitar player/dancer were pretty darn good. They kept us entertained while we waited forever. Unfortunately they were quite loud for the small space with low ceilings so it was near impossible to talk at the table. If you do go, DO NOT sit in front of the stage unless you just want to hear them and not each other. The good entertainment soon left my mind when we got the bill. My son had a $7 hamburger, my daughter split a crab cake, and my wife and I had the paella valencia. One glass of sangria each and the bill was $110. The also automatically added the gratuity. Great trick when your service sucks!
(1)Steven K.
Gordon Ramsey please visit this place! * Food little better than a TV dinner, yet competed with some of the best restaurants in town...ON PRICE * They served us rancid wine. * Service was terrible Owner/manager hung out in lobby socializing with friends rather than helping clients that were waiting an absurd amount of time for food. Gristle laden beef jerky floating in oil served as a dish Flamenco was ok...this place should give up trying to serve food and being a high end restaurant and Just become a bar/ night club and serve a few simple fresh dishes if anything at all. Or get a restaurant consultant in there and totally revamp the menu. I almost always try a place twice, but, not thinking so in this case.
(1)Peter R.
I purchased a Groupon for Pepin, without reading the reviews, so naturally my wife and I were apprehensive about going here. I had to persuade her to at least join me for appetizers, just so we could use the deal I had bought. So we went here on a Saturday evening around 8 a couple of weeks back. It can be a little tricky to find as it's behind the parking garage (which btw was completely full while we found easy parking in the street and lots). The restaurant is quite unique: Vaulted ceilings, somewhat dark, and with live entertainment: flamenco, of course. Two guitar players, a male singer (with an amazing, rusty voice singing in Spanish) and of course the dancing, tapping and castanets. Very entertaining, great-sounding and perfect for this atmosphere. We ordered appetizers: the empanada (stuffed with meat) and calamari. Bread with aioli mayonaise came first. Service was good, not fake or overly-friendly, but real. It was clear that the staff had their hands full (restaurant was almost at capacity), but they didn't seem stressed. Food was great - in fact, we ordered another empanada and the portions were big! We wanted to have tried the paella, but had no room. Next time... Overall, very impressed. I can imagine some will leave disappointed if they expect pretentious, swanky Scottsdale-style restaurant, but this feels authentic, tasted great, treated us well and left us very positively surprised. Will definitely return some day. Maybe stay for the salsa dancing starting at 10 pm. Good job, Pepin.
(4)Stacy R.
I really like Pepin. The food is good, the atmosphere is great and I love going on Fri or Sat for the music and dancing. Both times I've been here I have had the same server and he is amazing! I would recommend this place based on his service alone. Lots of fun and great food, what could be better?
(4)Jason L.
We went with Groupon, I was not excited because of bad reviews...but was pleasantly surprised. The Food was very good, excellent service and a good overall experience. Worth a try.
(4)Jason T.
The food was decent and their Sangria was really good. The experience was better than we expected since we were not planning on going to Pepin that night. We noticed there wasn't any music playing. Not sure if this is normal or is just that way on slow nights. Perhaps there is only music on Friday and Saturday nights.
(3)Julia R.
Go for the ambiance and the flamenco, maybe a cocktail or two. The food is pretty much what everyone else is saying. It's nothing special, just Sysco quality restaurant food but the flamenco is BITCHIN'!
(3)Jesse J.
Well I can honestly see why this place is all over Groupon these days. Upon arrival there was 2 people inside at 7pm on a Thursday yes 2 people. That actually started to scare me but whatever my Groupon was going to expire so I had to use it. So I grabbed a window seat and was greated by a server who was very nice and asked if I was using the Groupon which I stated yes and he quickly brought out the pitcher of Sangria. The Sangria was very different then others I've had before as it had peppermint schnapps in it odd but it worked and was tasty. I then ordered the Cordero Asado which is lamb and sun dried tomato's in olive oil. It was just ok not bad but not great either. I also ordered a paella de pescado y marisco which was very bland and the seafood tasted previously frozen and essentially flavorless. I was pretty disappointed as the regular price on this dish was $32 I can't imagine paying that for what I got. So on to the last entree which was a dry aged steak and shrimp. The steak had been frozen and also was flavorless and the shrimp were as well. During the meal I was just looking around inside and just kept thinking what if Gordon Ramsey could come here on Kitchen Nightmares and fix this place. Maybe the owner will try that to revitalize the place instead of getting people in the door with Groupon. Cliff Note: Don't buy the Groupon you will regret it. Just go to Tapas Papa Frita instead :)
(2)Nick B.
The service was good other than the owner/manager being grouchy. The bread was terrible and it served with Mayo to dip it in. Gross. I wanted to treat my girlfriend to a congratulations for completing 7 years at the school she works at. Instead I got to watch her pick through the horrible chicken. The chicken looked like it was from another country, not one that you would want to eat chicken in. The chorizo looked like it was one of those tubes of meat at a gas station and they cut it into pieces. The rice and vegetables were like something out of the box at a grocery store. The meal was terrible and we should of left but we felt bad for the place. It is as if the restaurant is going to go under and the last thing they did was cut ingredient cost. On top of a terrible meal we were charged 20% gratuity, I prefer 15%. Especially for a party of two that only got an entree. I honestly would pay $20 for a burrito at chipotle or rubios before I paid $20 for that paella again.
(1)Alexandra K.
So we met a girl from Peru, she took us here after 10PM when it turns into a SALSA BAR! They turn the lights down low, play the music a little too loud, keep the full bar open, have Latin American music videos projected on the walls, and people get all sweaty going at it full force. I learned the merengue from a gentlemen who asked me to dance. They'll always ask you to dance. Nobody does that weird let-me-dance-on-you thing here. Also, nobody cares if you don't really know how, they'll spin you and you throw your head back and laugh at your bad feet work. Then they spin you some more. Pepin after hours are a one of a kind experience. A hearty slice of culture! I didn't even need to get on a plane. There is a $10 cover. If you don't have cash they just take you back to the bar and you can pay with your card there. I've never been to Pepin for the food. From reading the previous reviews I guess I really shouldn't. But I sure am going to go again to dance.
(3)K Z.
Went to Pepin's last night. The waitress was really nice. We saw the bad reviews on Yelp so just ordered a bunch of appetizers: snails, black bean croquettes, clams, garlic shrimp, and lamb (cold appetizer). They were all good, except the lamb was nothing special. However, the portions were extremely small and the prices not so much. 5 appetizers between two people, and I was still pretty hungry. The bread was good and good for dipping in the sauces of the appetizers. The wine was pretty awful for a $30 bottle of Spanish wine. The Flamenco is entertaining, though I've also been to another Spanish tapas place in Scottsdale called Papas Fritas, and their live Flamenco was much much better. Pepin is an interesting place. I was pretty surprised at the state of the estasblishment, I guess I expected more at least based on the location. The inside is pretty basic and could use a little renovation, and the women's bathroom is a joke. You'd think you were in a total dive bar. There's only one working toilet, and the stall door has no lock and barely even closes. But anyway, my conclusion: Appetizers - good but too small Price - too high (based on the portions) Service - great Flamenco - cool but a little ghetto State of the establishment - a little ghetto PS: Don't be fooled by the Living Social shennanigans. The voucher does not say you have to buy entrees. Our waitress started to say we had to order entrees, but when I told her it's not written that way and showed it to her, she said we could order what we wanted.
(3)N R.
Food is ok - service is reliable, but isn't excellent, just speak up for yourself if you need something and they're happy to get it! I love the Shrimp with Ajo and the croquetas for appetizers - my husband always get Paella, which I don't love - but he does. Great sangria... And, when dinner is all said and done - DJ Salsa ... comes out and plays his tunes. Great salsa, merengue, bachata and cumbia music - fun place after dinnertime. Been going here a few times each year since 1997 and we'll be back!
(4)Michael B.
I see this restaurant has poor reviews. This was my first visit. It was a Thursday night and the place was dead. It made me sad. The music was on too low and the ambiance was a little eerie. The service, however was fantastic. I believe our service was from Spain and was knowledgable, friendly, and attentive. Our meals were AWESOME!!! I ordered the Don Quixote (sp)? It was a chicken and cheese tortellini covered in Manchego sauce. Amazing. My date had the Paella with Chicken and Chorizo. Very tasty. Both portions were very good size. I was overall very pleased and hope to check out the dancing on Fridays and Saturdays in the future.
(4)Patricia R.
I'm from South America, and I heard about this place from a friend, who told me they have latin music also on Saturdays. We went on Saturday, the place wasn't too busy, they have live show with a flamenco dancer, it was good. We order two appetizers, the chorizo and the empanada, I liked both, and the bread, omg, I'm not a white bread lover, but this bread was soft and warm, and they give you a yummy dressing to eat with. For dinner I order the Pata de puerco... it was ok, I won't order that again, my husband order shrimp, and he liked it. I would prefer to order only appetizers and share, but because we had a living social deal, we have to order entrees, but for me the appetizers are better. The service was good, the waiter very friendly. After 10 pm, they moved some tables, and DJ started playing latin music and you can also watch in a screen some videos. Unfortunately we had to leave before people started dancing, because I'm pregnant and my back was killing me. Definitely I will be back, but only for appetizers and dance.
(3)Sarah C.
The food was really exceptional. The bad reviews here are ridiculous; I swear, some people go into things just looking for something negative. Cheer up people. You'll know a real bad experience when you have one. The food here is outstanding. Service great. Underrated in my opinion
(4)Damian C.
News Flash! Pepins is a far cry from traditional Spanish cuisine and somehow, someone thought that they would classify it as "Basque Cuisine" also. I guess it sounds good to throw that in. Me thinks not! The cuisine has nothing to do with Basque cuisine. The Spanish cuisine is very much Americanized. Since most people on this planet have not traveled to Pais Basco (Basque Country, located in the most northern, central region of Spain and partly in France) the owners of Pepins must think that the consumer will take their word for it. Pepins food is not "terrible", but it's not Spanish, and it's definitely not Basque! The service was atrocious when we went. The Paella, was hardly a paella. The garlic shrimp was pretty good though. And what's up with the Salsa dancing in a "Spanish" restaurant. Weird. i'm giving it an extra star because I'm nice guy. If I told actually thought, Yelp would have to come up with a separate rating scale.
(2)Erigan A.
We've been to Pepin many times and have always experienced great food, friendly staff and a wonderful show. Because of this, when I saw a Groupon for Pepin, I purchased it - maybe this was our first mistake. We made our reservation and showed up early last night, 7/13, and it wasn't very busy, but that's Arizona in July. The server was very nice and the tapas were okay, but the paella was not good at all. Let's be clear, I've had the paella here many, many times and it's one of my favorites. Not the case last night. It was the Paella De Pescado y Marisco, normally my favorite, tasted old, not fresh. My husband made the comment "maybe that's the paella you get with the Groupon". Since Pepin offers the Groupon, you should receive the same quality of food. I didn't ask them for a discounted meal, they offered it on Groupon. We left and didn't feel good the rest of the night, woke up this morning not feeling well either. My husband and I split 3 tapas and the paella, so we both had the same food. I know it's not food poisoning, the sick feeling kicked in too fast. I think it was just not fresh, or sitting out a bit too long, who knows. I do know that I'm extremely disappointed because I've loved this place for so long. I don't know if we'll be back, which is very sad.
(2)Danielle E.
My bf bought a Groupon here and took me for my birthday. Let's just say it really ruined my special day. We arrived Saturday afternoon around 1:30. First of all it took us almost 30 minutes to find the place. GPS wasn't too helpful and the directions the restaurant gave us when we called were just plain wrong. Ok, we finally arrived. There was not another soul in the place. We sat down and showed the waiter our Groupon. At first he told us it was just for dinner (although it doesn't say that) but then he decided it was ok to use for lunch. He gives us our "pitcher" of Sangria and that's a joke. It only holds 3 small glasses worth of liquid and costs $18! We ordered an empenada which was ok tasting.......Meanwhile we realized that the meal will be either the same price or even cheaper than using our Groupon. So we told him that we won't be using it. I ordered the Pepin Salad and he got a chicken dish. My salad came and was missing a major ingredient: pine nuts. Sweety's dish came and there was no salad or bread with it which was supposed to come with it. So that's four major problems already. Bill comes: $4 for a salad missing half the ingredients $11 for a chicken and spaghetti dish that's missing the accompanying salad and bread $9 for a ok empenada $18 for a rip-of "pitcher" of sangria Total: $42 for an incomplete mediocre meal. I've emailed Groupon and for the first time have requested a refund.
(1)Shon P.
High price for only so-so food. I didn't bother staying for the Flamenco dancer... the poor atmosphere was a turn off (large empty room, shabby decor). One positive: the service was friendly and responsive.
(1)John T.
Last Friday some friends from work were in town (airline industry- we're scattered everywhere) and we decided to start our evening at Pepin for a bite to eat and some dancing. I have been dancing there several times, but I had never tried the food. The Food: The service was great- very attentive and accommodating. We had a bilingual group, and our waitress took orders in both English and Spanish with no problem. I ordered Pollo Al Jerez, which was chicken, steamed veggies and mushrooms. The best part was the mushrooms, which had a great texture and tasted delicious with the sauce. The chicken was a little dry, but still good. The Dancing: There were no lessons that night, but there was a live DJ and a good mix. They played mostly salsa, merengue and bachata in sets of two or three, with a cha cha thrown in now and then. We left early, but later in the evening they usually include some reggaeton and Latin hip hop when the crowd gets younger. The floor started to fill up between 9:30 and 10:00. There was an open atmosphere on the dance floor: very inviting for beginners. There were a few experts too, who were fun to watch when eating or taking a break. Over all it was a great night out for food and dancing. Pepin remains on of my favorite places for dancing, and is now a new favorite for food!
(4)Karri G.
My friends and I wanted to see the Flamenco show. We had already been to Happy Hour so were not interested in dinner. We ordered a small appetizer so as not to seem like freeloaders. The appetizer was extremely poor quality for the price and was presented to us without one of the key ingredients. The service was terribly slow, given the fact that the restaurant was nearly empty (another clue). The Flamenco dancing was good but not worth spending the evening here.
(1)Natalie D.
I couldn't have said it better Josh (1st review)! The authenticity of the dishes is deflated by the mediocre tasting food and service. However!! The salsa dancing on Friday and Saturday nights is soooo fun! Tip: $10 cover (if you haven't eaten dinner before 10pm).
(2)Mike S.
Phenomenal food (make sure you try the paella), but the place was in serious need of a facelift. The mildewy smell when we walked in was a bit offputting, but the great pancetta wrapped shrimp we had for an appetizer more than made up for it. We split our two entrees, and a big thumps up to the chicken and sausage paella! Ended the meal on a recommendation from a regular who said we had to try the flan. It was really good - best I've had. We'll be back, but would be a much more regular stop if they would update the place a bit.
(4)Mark W.
Don't go to Pepin for the food, and I'm not saying that because of a lack of Spanish authenticity; it just doesn't taste good, ever ... usually. This time wasn't bad and last time they didn't have my first three choices, not exaggerating. But that doesn't explain the previous two visits. Also, the prices are high, especially given my first comment. If you can hurdle both of those comments, there are lots of reasons to go to Pepin. You can order sangria by the liter, my wife keeps wanting to go, they have live flamenco dancing, my wife likes the good, the ambience feels Spanish, and they play upbeat flamenco music in the background.
(2)Stephanie E.
Oh Pepin, I was not impressed with you being closed on Tuesday even though your restaurant's sign said clearly that you were supposed to be open for business. After hearing from other people that there were supposed to be salsa dancing lessons on Tuesdays I was excited to check the place out, but when my dance partner and I arrived the doors were locked. There were no signs indicating that the restaurant would be closed so we decided to venture elsewhere.
(1)Beth K.
The dancers are awesome, the food is horrible. My friend had a living social/groupon type thingy for this place....what a scam. They make you order entrees instead of tapas. There was no fine print about minimum entree orders. It was a nightmare. Honestly I thought the food was gross & just plain blah. I can usually find something nice to say about a place...in this case its only that the dancer was great.
(1)Luke J.
The Flamenco dancer and guitarist did a fine job. The service was slow, which is fine if you just want to relax and enjoy a glass of wine. The food was good, but not worth the price. Supposedly, you need a reservation on a Friday or Saturday night, but the restaurant was not very busy. Par for the course in Scottsdale.
(3)Torrence W.
I had to come on here to recommend that people NOT visit this place. Pepin needs to be on Restaurant: Impossible immediately! They have it all wrong. The decor is depressing and dingy, so much so that I couldn't help but think that the kitchen in the back was disgusting. The service was pretty slow at responding to us, even though there were only 3 tables seated in the restaurant, one of which was only drinking (I now know why). Most of the servers were gathered behind the bar hanging out, while we waited for water refills and additional sauces to mask their nasty food. My girlfriend and I ordered sangria, several appetizers, and I had the paella. The appetizers were some of the worst I've had in Phoenix. Nasty overcooked sausage, stale bread, flat cheap cheeses -- just plain gross. The sangria wasn't really all that tasty either (in my opinion), however my girlfriend liked it. The one saving grace of my meal was the paella that I ordered. It was not the best I've had in PHX, but definitely tasty and there was plenty of seafood inside for me to enjoy (I now realize just how brave I was to order seafood in this place -- it honestly scares me to think back on it). The prices here are WAY TOO HIGH for what you get. I used a $50 gift certificate and our dinner for the two of us was still nearly $100!! Please spare yourself the disappointment and skip out on this place. The only thing saving me from giving it 1 star is that the guitar player was excellent and music is worth a bonus star to me! The flamenco wasn't bad, especially for being this far from Spain, but it did make it quite loud in there during the show.
(2)Thomas K.
I went here recently with my girlfriend and was overall underwhelmed. The food was hit or miss - the crab croquettes were amazing, but the seafood paella was mediocre. The sangria was decent but nothing to write home about. The atmosphere overall was poor (full disclosure - it was a Wednesday night and the place was empty), but the service was very good. Also - we used a Living Social deal and didn't find out until afterward that they won't apply it towards "shared dishes" - kinda strange for a place that serves tapas and paella. The manager agreed to give as a break but definitely be aware of this caveat before you order...
(3)Anne P.
Went to Pepin with visitors and our Groupon. The food was fabulous and abundant. We started with a sampling of 4 tapas: mushrooms, mussels, calamari and one other which I can't remember. All came out hot and deliciously flavored. Then came the seafood paella. Loaded with shrimp, mussels,and other fish on a bed of fluffy saffron seasoned rice. We went on a Thursday nite and sorry to say the restaurant was empty. Our waiter was friendly and gave us excellent advice on what dishes to order. The only negative and it has nothing to do with Pepin is the loud music coming from a bar a half a block south it the restaurant. This is a Scottsdale treasure to be savor end and enjoyed.
(4)Justine C.
I bought the Groupon because I couldn't pass up sangria and flamenco. My boyfriend and I love Spanish food and have passed this place up because of the terrible yelp reviews. I was surprisingly shocked that the service was great, the food was good (if not a bit salty), and the sangria was delicious. The flamenco is very loud and I recommend not sitting near the stage. Even though I was pleasantly surprised, I don't think I would pay full price to go here again.
(4)Julie E.
The stars in my review are based on tasting just one dish of jamón, which was serrano--not jabugo as I ordered. (If you know something about jamón, it's impossible to pass off the inferior product for the sublime jabugo). Yet I was charged as if it were de bellota. Other reviewers have written their take on other dishes. It's hard not to be tough on an expatriate Spanish restaurant after you've lived in Spain for a good chunk of time (more than a year in my case). If not for my flamenco dancing colleague, I doubt I would have sought out Pepin's. Her flamenco was good and if you go just for that, you should have a good time. I ducked out before the salsa dancing started. (It seems obvious to me that they rely on dances to attract the night crowd and make up for low numbers during the day).
(2)Stephanie M.
Flamenco dancers and incredible guitar makes this place awesome. Sure there's room for improvement on the lighting and sometimes food - but you'll still fall in love with this place.
(4)Robert B.
I have eaten at Pepin 3-4 times and the food is decent, the wine is good, and it is fun to watch the dancing. Its usually a little warm in there also. I am writing this review to conplain about terrible and inhospitable service. I went there recently with a date and another couple to eat and drink and watch salsa. We were very dressed up and ready to start the night out. When I got there, I said 'four for dinner' and asked when the dancing started. The moron that was apparently hosting and completely devoid of social skills asked if we were eating. I said yes, and drinking. And he then asked how much we were going to order. I was confused and then asked why? He said because there is a cover charge if you don't order that much. After again saying that we were there to eat and drink and jokingly inquiring if I was doing something wrong, I was again admonished about the cover charge if we don't order enough. I then took my group elsewhere. I would have paid a charge hapily if it was on the bill. I do not like the inquisition at the host area. In this case it was insulting and embarressing and I took my business elsewhere, for a $280+ dinner at Cowboy Ciao. I hope someone in charge at Pepin reads this and educates the ignorant host on common courtesy and customer service.
(2)Kara B.
Delicious, traditional Spanish food and tapas and good prices. Great dinner show some nights of the week. And, we can't forget the Sangria-strong and delicious! Four stars because the Sangria needs more fruit and my table didn't have the best view of the stage. Service was okay, but seriously, viva Espana on the comida and beverage.
(4)Alfonsina G.
Very friendly environment! Excellent Flamenco show! Great food selection :)
(4)Frank E.
Second time I've been to Pepins over the last five years. On the way, I asked my wife, if I I metioned anything about the food after our first visit, because there must be a reason we haven't come back in so long. We went for the dancing and the Flamenco show. The dance floor wasn't crowded, which I like since Salsa dancing is tough in over crowded dance floors. The Flamenco show is awesome and the performers all seem friendly. Sangria was the best I've had out in the local area, but I've had better in other restaurants outside of greater Phoenix. However, the food was a bit bland. If you google "Spanish Food" and "bland" you'll find that this combination comes up quite a bit. So the blandness is likely a combination of Spanish food being inherently bland and American food tends to be so rich. The service was excellent. My drink refilled regularly and evey request was treated with given prompt attention with a smile.
(3)j b.
3 thumbs way down! I was visiting AZ, my sister brought us to El Pepin, she had been there before and enjoyed a couple of good meals. But, not this time. The good: 3 Tapas were very good, Shrimp ajillo, Veg. croquette, red pepper w/ goat cheese. The bad: The waiter didn't understand English, one order of Paella, was really 3 separate orders for 3 times the money. Our order for Shrimp with the Paella became Squid. Our order for a small Sangria carafe became a large carafe for $18. When we complained about the Squid the chef said he wouldn't charge us for the extra squid. And, when we told we wanted one Paella order split 3 ways, he charged us for one order but took away our take home bag of extra Paella. In the end, we were overcharged for the paella and sangria, we didn't want Calamari in the Paella, the service was awful, food moderately good, Sangria average. We felt like tourists in a strange place getting ripped off at every chance.
(1)Lori D.
I like Pepin's ..a favorite of me and my boyfriend. His family is form Argentina and the food is very good. Obviously every dish is a little different we have been in at least 7 or 8 times and never disappointed. We have had good consistent service..no issues if we share an app or desert..they are great about doggie bags and are attentive and have a passion for their food. Here is the deal..there is always the purist out there that the food will not live up to ..that's okay..just do not rule this place out...
(4)Peter H.
Have been here a few times. Food is just OK - I really feel you could make better at home - I know I can. Service was excellent tonight. I can't believe what they charge for Paella - $32. C'mon, its rice, chicken and a few pieces of seafood. Flamenco music was nice and dancer was great!
(3)Xurri R.
I"m just reviewing the Salsa as I have not eaten here yet. But it wasn't bad. The music was a mix of popular salsa, merengue, bachata, cumbia. I enjoyed myself and its known as one of the salsa spots in town. Sooooo I'm ok with that :)
(3)Madalyn G.
This review is solely based off of the the dancing at Pepins. I have not gone to eat there but as someone who has spent the majority of my life living in Baja California as well as spending many of my weekends in Tijuana, Mexico I'd like to think I am a good critic. It was very difficult to find a Salsa club in a good area that I would feel comfortable to leave my car in. After a friend of my mothers recommended Pepins. At first I was skeptical about it with all the terrible reviews and not many pictures or youtube videos on the club. I took the plunge and decided to spend my 22nd Birthday there. When I got there it looked a descent size it was the smallest salsa club I have ever been to and there weren't very many people but the music was great and the people there were great dancers. My friends are usually into the hip hop scene but they were willing to try it out. They were great sports and now they all want to take Salsa lessons. I had an absolute blast!!! If you are planning on going out to any club at all my advice is to chose the right people because even the fanciest places can be terrible with the wrong company.
(4)Lisa A.
Pepin...not sure what to say except I'm NOT impressed. In fact I'm giving this place the extra star only because the Flamenco Dancer was good not amazing but good. That's its. The service sucked! The food had no flavor and the sangria was a joke! I was looking forward to having dinner here. I was here on vacation and my friend said that a few years back she'd go every weekend and loved it. Clearly time has not be kind to this place. Thanks but no thanks..not going back again..EVER!
(2)Mr K.
Pepin is a strange place. It reminded me more of a Mexican cantina than a Spanish restaurant. Food there was so-so - the scallops were pretty good but simple dishes like the tortilla were disappointing (not to mention the portion size was miniscule). Gypsy King flamenco band & dancers for your entertainment, until, behold! They disappear and a DJ appears out of nowhere, and starts playing reggeton and ranchero music, and the place turns into some bizzarre west Glendale nightclub within the span of 5 minutes! Um, yeah. No.
(2)Carlos M.
we went here late 2010 and had a buy 1 get 1 free coupon. the wait time was terrible and the entertainers were amateurish. we ordred appetizers and drinks and then our 2 entrees came. they came in small plates(lunch portions) . we complained and they said they split the dinner entree to make two. we complained but the manager wouldn't budge. well, we didn't either. we paid for our drinks and appetizers and left, but not before yelling out "this place is a fraud !" i am of spanish descent and this place is a disgrace to my heritage.
(1)Josh D.
Let's start with a couple redeeming qualities first... the entertainment, if you dine during it, creates a fun atmosphere and the energy in the place is high. We had a Spanish waiter who was attentive and quick. On the other hand, the food leaves much to be desired. I lived in Seville, Spain for 6 months and have eaten at many Tapas restaurants in the states... so, I have enough experience with Spanish food to judge. The food here is uninspired, bland, and borderline gross. We kept ordering more (tortilla, caricoles, pepin salad, pimientos, empanada, salmon) hoping maybe we just made a bad choice. Nothing was even decent! This place has potential but the owner should seriously consider hiring a new chef and completely revamping the menu. I'll be back to try it if that happens, but I won't return nor will I recommend if everything is status quo.
(2)Dave J.
The service was absolutely horrid. The waitress disappears for ludicrous periods of time. It took us almost an hour just to get water. When we finally got food, it was average at best and way over priced. On top of insult to injury, our group was charged 18% gratuity for the awful service. Our group got there around 7pm, and we didn't get to leave until 1030. We finally had to go track down the waitress to get our bill. I don't recommend going there. Typical overrated Scottsdale eatery.
(1)Vijay T.
Haven't really tried the menu, so I am limiting my review to the salsa scene. For people who like salsa/merengue etc. this is the place to go, especially on Saturday nights. Nice, friendly atmosphere. You will find people of all levels dancing, so its not really intimidating for new comers. Awesome music.
(4)Stephen P.
OFGS - Lighten up people. The food was really good. This is like an old school restaurant. Flavors were well balanced and the food was cooked just right. The main idea here is keep your expectations inline and enjoy. Oh, and the salsa dancing etc. is great. Go and live a bit of a past.
(3)Pierre Trudeau I.
I'm surprised at the dismal reviews El Pepin has gotten so far. It may not magically transport you to the streets of Barcelona, but all in all it's a good effort at a Spanish dining experience. The food is pretty good. There is a flamenco stage in the middle of the restaurant where local dancers provide lively entertainment (call ahead for times). Plenty of regulars seem to dine here, so when the dancing starts the crowd gets into it, which adds to the festive atmosphere. I've been here on dates and even celebrated New Year's Eve here one year, and never had a bad experience.
(4)Hara D.
We came for Lunch and it was wonderful. The food was delicious. The wait staff was very friendly and very good.
(5)Lady J.
I really liked this place. Not only is the atmosphere great, so was the paella! Plus they had flamenco dancers shakin' their hips through the place at random moments...how fun is that? Later on they actually performed on a little stage. The best part was when they ask who was having a birthday, and I pointed out my whitebread, farm-boy Minnesota-born husband. They pulled him right up there so he could shake his groove thang. Highlight of the evening.
(4)Kimberly M.
This review is solely on the bartender here since my friends and I only came here for drinks and salsa night tonight. She was phenomenal. The kind of bartender you wish was at every bar you visited because she took care of us, made us feel at home, and started our night off right. I wish I had gotten her name so I could give her a shout out here, but she had a cool hairstyle, if that helps. Oh yeah, the dancing/ music was also very fun, and management was on top of the situation when someone bumped me so hard I dropped (and broke) my margarita glass on the dance floor. Thanks for a memorable night Pepin!!!
(5)James R.
Well, that's the last night that this restaurant will be opened. Yes. They closing after 22 years! This restaurant didn't get the best reviews, but it was definitely different than all the other restaurants in town. I miss this place already but I guess that nothing last forever...
(5)Greg J.
This place brought me back to my Spanish travels. The owner is amazing and there's free live music/dancing. Definitely coming back
(5)Bill B.
Wine menu full of interesting, dry reds. The tapas are flavorful enough to slap you upside the head. The prices are rather pricey, but it includes a show: You come here for flamenco guitar and dancing. It also makes a good date place located as it is near the strolling- and people-watching grounds of Scottsdale Civic Center. Architecture and interior design could probably use a freshening. Looks like it hasn't changed in 22 years. But then a lot of Spanish restaurants in Spain haven't changed in 200 years. So . . .
(4)J B.
Recommend the Champiñones Al Jerez (Mushrooms cooked in Spanish Sherry, garlic and pimenon picante) Hot Tapas Appetizer while you wait for your paella. Also recommend the Ensalada Pepin. The house made balsamic vinaigrette was delicious. After devouring the mushrooms, my dinner companion and I dipped the bread in the sauce. The Paella Valenciana was worth the wait. Saffon rice, chicken, chorizo, shrimp, clams, calamari, and mussels. The calamari was a bit chewy but then that's not completely unexpected. We saw both Flamenco performances on Saturday night. If you're there on your birthday, don't be surprised if you are called to the stage and given a flamenco lesson.
(4)Adrian D.
Three simple reasons for each pros and cons: Pros- Great show, great people, and main dishes are great. Cons- side dishes like vegatables tasted like it came from frozen bag, a bit pricey, and their atmosphere isn't that bad, except for their painting job and need to tune up the place.
(3)Kimo K.
To begin with, search for a Groupon coupon before you go here. For what you get, it is rather pricey unless you use a groupon. But with a groupon for two or four, it is an OK deal. All the food offerings are OK -- nothing spectacular or special, but not bad. We had 5 of us and ordered 3 apps -- 2 cold (smoked salmon with capers and the cured meats and cheese plate) and one hot (shrimps with garlic and olive oil). The cold ones were 4 stars, and hot one maybe 3 stars. We had paella (2) and chicken over pasta with a creamy cheese sauce....sorta like a Spanish version of chicken alfredo. Both types of dishes were pretty good. Flan for dessert. We were all full and satisfied. But again, you gotta have a groupon or you will be dissatisfied.
(3)Age D.
We originally only went because of a coupon we got but were pleasantly surprised with the authentic Spanish dishes....Paella was amazing, perfectly cooked and even the creme fraiche for the free bread was delicious We got a nice window view of the mall park If they just spruced up the decor I would give them five stars
(4)Ana H.
Outstanding food with authentic environment. We loved the sangria! You can tell that the server had 20+ years of experience. It is also the best spot for salsa dancing in Phoenix. If you are interested in having a unique experience in Phoenix, I would recommend this restaurant. You can't beat the location and the salsa music. Gotta try it!
(5)Jen M.
I TRIED to make a reservation for valentines night, bec I purchased a Groupon so I could finally try this place. Whomever answered the phone was EXTREMELY rude and said that Groupons were not allowed on that day. No where in the groupon rules did it state this and I was given a refund for this. Due to the extreme rudeness of whomever answered the phone, I will probably never try Pepin. Dishonestly and attitudes don't make me want to spend $ at your establishment.
(1)Marcy G.
I ordered a Caesar Salad with grilled/roasted chicken. It was mediocre, not bad but not great either. The service was poor but friendly. I don't think I will go back.
(2)Rolando R.
Went for the Latin/Salsa nights advertised on the website. I think the DJ played maybe 6 Latin songs, one salsa, a few merenge, some reggaeton and then it all went to hell. I think some of the patrons requested some not so "Latin" music and next thing you know, it was time for "let me take a selfie". I can see why the crowd was so small since they likely do not stick to the advertised music. I wrote the DJ a note, "It is Latin/Salsa night, you should play that sh** meng" with an unhappy face. I doubt I'll be back. Although for those few songs, it was fun.
(1)Pamela Z.
Purchased a Groupon to try the restaurant. Seemed like a great way to try out a new restaurant at a good price. The decor was outdated. Its very old and has no dining atmosphere..The service and food was ok. The problem came when we received the bill. It seems that the wait staff decides what amount to tip. The waiter took it upon himself to give himself a $30 tip which was the full 20%. He brought the check with the tip added into the bill before I had a chance to decided for myself. I am NOT opposed to tipping, I am opposed to someone deciding the amount for me. I realize that Groupon encourages the tip based on the full amount before the discount. Tipping is not mandatory nor requirement when you go out to eat. It is to show whether or not you've received excellent service and food based on the amount of tip you leave.It's a courtesy. I know we are all aware of the basics in tipping. I do resent having a waiter decide what amount of tip he's going to receive. Since when does a waiter decide ? That decision is based on the customer and the experience he received while dining. It's not the wait staffs place to decide what I'm going to tip !! The food was not that great, and over priced !!Next time I'm in the area, I will walk around the corner and go to the Mission.. Much nicer restaurant, food is better, and the waiters do not decided their tips and tell you what your going to give as a tip.. Will not be back to Pepin because of what the waiter did!! Very distasteful!!!!
(2)Saundra A.
The food is good, not great. For the price, I would even say so-so. We shared the seafood paella and the salmon. They did not use the right kind of rice for paella and they skimped on the seafood. Also the saffron flavor was weak. The salmon was decent on its own, but it was sitting in a "goopy" sauce that lacked flavor. Sadly, the sangria was dull also. It didn't taste like much at all and there was no fruit in it. Overall the food lacked the Spanish flavors I expected. It was not horrible, but I would not eat here again as it is way overpriced for the quality.
(3)Allen W.
Too bad can't indicate zero. Used a Groupon. Food was poor, service indifferent. Decor takes you back to the 80s but not in a good way (like a banquet hall of a Holiday Inn in Muncie Indiana). Had fun surprise of additional charges on my credit card which I had to dispute. If you want good tapas / Spanish food, go to Tapas Papas Fritas.
(1)susan c.
Totally agreed with the reviewer that mentioned that this place had a distinct foreign flavor. Barcelona without the plane ticket, I'd say. Stopped in on the way to SMOCA for a drink and stumbled upon happy hour. Yummy tapas, futbol on the telly, and the owner served us himself at the bar. Lovely, wonderful man who takes great pride in his heritage and food. The sweetbreads are simply not to be missed. Very friendly staff, and deserves to be recognized as "the real thing".
(4)J D.
Found this place via Living Social and have been here several times since. It's a classic Spanish Tapas joint. It gets busy on the weekends when they have live entertainment and Flamenco dancers on the stage. When that happens, it can get loud and crowded in the lower seating area next to the stage. We sat there once and didn't like it....it was uncomfortable and The Better Half and I couldn't have a conversation because it was too loud. It's worth checking out at least once though. Over our visits, we've tried the following menu items: Pan con Tomate, $9 Empanada Gallega, $9 Croquetas, $11 Spanish Sausage, $9 Peppers & Goat Cheese, $12 Spanish Fritatta, $8 Out of the bunch, my favorites are the Peppers and Goat Cheese, Empanada, and the Spanish Sausage. The others are just OK. The service here is hit/miss and the Wine selection is not very good. There are a lot of Spanish Wines on the menu, but they didn't taste good...I've sampled many of them and ended up disappointed every time. Overall, it's just an OK joint. Return Factor - 50%
(2)Angela A.
Last time we were there it was Valentine's Day. We enjoyed the home-style atmosphere. The interior is a little dated and worn, but it reminds me of my travels to Central American Spanish restaurants. The service was fine. The owner was available and checked-in on guests. (Which may have been because of the poor reviews of late) The reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because of the scrumptious Paella that we had and the delicious Red Sangria. We are returning tomorrow evening with the Groupon deal. I will let you know!
(4)Stellz L.
I want to love this place. Really, I do. It would be a perfect restaurant for one of those "please update our business for us" 911 renovation shows. The dusty fake plants and ultra old decor don't support the more expensive menu. The dancing was cool but VERY LOUD. We had to yell to talk to each other, there were only 4 of us. The paella is good, but if we order wine and tapas and a paella to share and the bill is pretty substantial...I would love for it to be in a place where I don't have to yell and doesn't look like a 24 hour burrito shop in south Phoenix inside. Our waiter pushed an appetizer on us because we mentioned we were pretty hungry and the paella "takes a while". He didn't mention that they bring out complementary bread. There was also a random employee, maybe a busboy?, kind of standing behind a post across from us just watching. Maybe he gets into trouble for not immediately filling up waters or taking plates? I don't know.. but it was kind of creepy.
(2)Farren N.
My boyfriend and I purchased a Groupon that provided one appetizer, two entrées and a small pitcher of sangria. We got to choose between red and white sangria so we picked the red which was delicious. We each ordered the "pollo pepin" which was a dish consisting of chicken strips in a type of tobasco sauce. I also ordered vegetable soup which tasted good, but seemed very similar to something made by campbells. To be honest, I could cook a home meal that is much better than the one we ate there. However, the meal is really not what you're paying for at Pepin. we went for the atmosphere and the live dancing entertainment and had a great evening. The service was also quick and our waitress was highly attentive. If the food had been more impressive than it would have been worth returning without the Groupon deal.
(3)Suz E.
We also went on the Groupon deal..the food was ok, I wasn't blow away. I've had better tapas in the Valley. We tried the surf and turf meal and the negro paella. The bathroom was akin to a gas station's...sketch. The entertainment was a little loud for my preference and we were probably at the farthest table from the stage. I liked the Red Sangria :).
(3)Megan F.
Interesting place. I used to study in Spain and thought some of the food was pretty good...rest was bland. Sangria had one little orange slice. Water waitress wouldn't leave us alone. She must have come to our table 15 times to fill up our water glasses, even if they were still full. Another waiter was trying to clear everything off of our table at rapid speed. I felt rushed even though it was empty on a Saturday night. I had an expired Groupon that I was going to use paid value for. My aunt had a coupon from entertainment book for one free entrée, however we weren't allowed to use coupon. My aunt tried to explain to manager that the groupon wasn't a coupon since it expired. We were just using it as cash value. However, he failed to understand and was rude. Oh, and food was overpriced in relation to decor and service.
(2)Mirko M.
wrote a review earlier. just want to update it. i filed a formal complaint with Maricopa County Environmental Services. i got so sick from their food that i had to do it. the plate was the : Zarzuela De Marisco lobster, shrimp, mussels, clams, calamari and fresh fish with an herbed tomato sauce served over pasta. please avoid this place if you value your health . thank you
(1)Paul H.
Had dinner here with my wife recently. The food and service were good. I had the chicken and chorizo paella which was good. The flan was excellent. The entertainment was decent. We thought the restaurant was kind of homey and similar to restaurants in Northern Spain. We used a groupon but will definitely return because many of their dishes looked very good.
(4)Andrew G.
This place sucked! Bland food and horrible service. For the amount of money we paid, I would think that we would have been treated much better. In addition the waitress over charged us, and she added a 20% gratuity for a party of two. I would avoid this location at all cost.
(1)Scott B.
Valenciana Paella is great
(4)Beth P.
I have only good things to say about Pepin. My friend and I used a Living Social deal and we had a great time. The waiter Xavier was so good to explain the menu. I had the paella and my friend has steak. We love love loved the food. We had more than we could eat and the leftovers made an excellent meal the day after. The place is a bit hidden. It looks out over the Scottsdale Mall, a grassy area that is next to the Scottsdale Center for the Arts and the iconic LOVE sculpture. Give them a try.
(5)Nicki E.
One of my favorite things to do in Spain is to go see flamenco dancing. I love the fashion, the grace, the emotion and the passion, and Pepin right here in Old Town Scottsdale offers up great flamenco performances that brought me right back to Madrid when I saw them last weekend. Every Friday and Saturday night for no cover charge, the Spanish restaurant hosts talented dancers strutting their stuff right in front of your table. They wear the long swaying dresses and are deft at the dance moves, and it's really delightful to see them get down. The food is great, too, and I think it's a very classy spot, especially for a date. The spot serves up really good Spanish food and sangria-get a pitcher to share with friends for $32, which yields eight glasses. We tried a ton of stuff, including toast topped with goat cheese and red peppers, and if you're into paella, there's a wide variety. There are lots of other options as well, including pastas and seafood. I'd go back for the flamenco alone, though-muy bonito!
(4)Michael C.
I would like to preface this review by stating that I haven't been to Pepin's in over 11 years, but at one time, it was my go-to place. My most recent experience will undoubtedly make it my last time going there! Upon arrival, we were seated and my credit card was taken, to charge me $60.00 to cover my party of six. I was told we would have to order an "entree" to get the $60.00 refunded to us. As we had eaten earlier, we decided to get four "hot" appetizers, several drinks and a pitcher of sangria. In addition, four persons ordered drinks, totaling $50.00, from the bar. We were sat at a table for four and our appetizers arrived, cold, overpriced and without adequate room to sit and enjoy. Imagine my disappointment, when I received MY tab, $67.00 and was told that I would not be getting my "cover" charge refunded, however, we spent, with tip, $132.00, for 10 cold shrimp, cold calamari and a couple of beers and drinks and a pitcher of sour sangria! All in all, $200.00 and we were seated where we were unable to see the dance floor, so no entertainment, either! I was VERY disappointed and to add insult to injury, we were offered ONE glass of soured sangria, as a consolation!
(1)Monica S.
I dont even know what to say, the only reason I gave it one star was because you cant rate lower! the service was horrible! the food was low quality, the atmosphere horrible. Im sure this place may have been nice MAYBE in the 80's buut... that was a long time ago. if you want to pay 100 bucks for a meal your better off getting at applebees be my guest. (or should I say THEIR guest)
(1)Eric P.
Terrible in every way, worse place I have eaten in recent memory and it is expensive. This must be a front to launder money because I don't know how else they stay in business.
(1)Jennifer V.
ONE STAR DINNER - I wish I could give this a higher rating. The 2nd star is ONLY for the flamenco show, which was fun, and a little 3-yr-old flamenco dancer stole the show. We used the Entertainment coupon, 2-for-1 dinner up to $20. "Greeted" at door by a sour-faced older white guy who made it VERY clear we were late for our reservation & he didn't approve. We noticed, however, that the seating was very empty, and even at the end of dinner, there was no one waiting for tables. Friendly waiter, but got busy and never asked if we wanted another round of drinks even though my glass sat empty perched at the edge of the table. The sangria... Meh. I ordered it here about 5 years ago, it was better that night. Tonight it tasted like red wine, a little fruit juice, and water, as if it used to be iced down, but it melted. My husband agreed. I was going to order a different drink, but the waiter never asked. The meal - we didn't want paella, which is supposedly something they make decently. We got a steak and a chicken breast dish. The steak was "fine,' not good flavor but edible. My 2 boneless chicken breasts were perfectly uniform under a mushroom sauce. The mushrooms were sadly just canned, button mushrooms - I expected savory sauteed mushrooms, I got a weird pickled twang. The chicken was WEIRD. Reminded me of institutional cafeteria food, couldn't place it. After two bites, I quit. My husband tried it - they were so "uniform" because they were like large un-breaded McNuggets - like pressed chicken, we think. GROSS. The cookedveggies were actually fresh, but sadly doused in so much garlic powder I couldn't do more than a few bites. Even though I didn't eat the chicken dinner, no point in asking for a refund, since it was the $20 of the 2-for-1 (although the coupon does charge 18% gratuity on full price before discount, so the waiter got a couple of extra pity bucks. it's gotta suck to serve such bad food). SUMMARY: I cringe to say this, but that was the worst dinner I've had in a LONG time. ONLY GO FOR THE SHOW!
(2)Jennifer M.
We walked in on a Saturday night and were shocked to see a relatively empty house. There were basically two large groups and us. By the end of our dinner, however, the place was fairly full. Great location once you can find it. Pretty outdoors - I bet fall/spring dining on the patio is nice. We had a coupon and I did review the prices and menu prior to us going there. Based on previous experiences with these types of coupons, it's safe to say that restaurants offer them because they need to. Décor - It IS dated but it's not as "gross" as some people posting here make it out to be. We didn't notice any odors other than that of the food. Service - Rafael, the owner, greeted and seated us. Yes, he's dour but talk to the guy a little and you find he's quite friendly. As for our waitress, she was welcoming, helpful, quick and attendtive. There was another woman who served our food and she was equally warm and helpful. Food - I admit I expected a little more because of the prices we were paying. We got one of the shrimp tapas that was very tasty along with crusty bread and aolli. My husband thought his paella was a little dry - indeed when it was being served, it was almost scraped out of the paella pan. It had a nice flavor though and he enjoyed it other than it being dry. I had the pork leg dinner which was very nicely done. I was afraid the "sour orange" would be the only flavor coming through but was pleasantly surprised to find the dish had a wonderul, well-rounded flavor with sour orange in the background. The meat was tender. The rice was flavorful and moist. The fresh veggies were expertly done and still had a snap to them. I hate it when restaurants overcook fresh veggies. Sangria - We liked it but we don't have much to compare it to. I could taste the fresh mint in the background. It wasn't too wine-y and wasn't too juice-y. Atmosphere - We were there on a Saturday which meant live music and flamenco dancing. We were expecting a guy with a guitar and a girl dancing. What we got was an education on flamenco! I learned a lot from the head dancer's explanations. We'll return.
(4)Chris C.
Pepin has been around forever and the novelty of the flamenco dancing isn't enough to eclipse the otherwise only-okay food, high prices, and sometimes dodgy service. (Not to mention they're randomly-being-closed). The paella is really quite expensive, and unless they're dumping entire handfuls of saffron into each pan (they're not), it's pretty well over-priced. It's also essentially impossible to share, since it's a per-person charge, which is frustrating. The crab and black rice croquettes were a pleasant surprise, I'll give them that, but service is typically slow, paella is typically only just decent, and overall, it's not really worth it beyond the initial novelty. (It's really dated inside, to boot.) I prefer Tapas Papas Fritas up the road a bit, though they don't offer flamenco, but their food quality and service is generally much better.
(2)Christina S.
Atmosphere: old and run down, very loud flamenco dancing. Service: nothing special and she overcharged us by double. Still waiting on the manager to correct this mistake two months later. Food: meh. Bland, and waaaay overpriced. The mushroom appetizer has a nice sauce though. We will definitely NOT be back. I agree with the other commenters that this place needs an overhaul not more Groupons! PS This review has been in my drafts for a while. Went to Pepin in the summer of '12.
(1)Aileen B.
Happy hour, over a week ago, consisted of the calamari w/ aioli, a glass of Rene Barbier red, and brandy-flambeed flan. Had more of those terrific dinner rolls! First thing I noticed when presented w/ the plate of calamari was the lovely color! Was it saffron, I asked? Why, yes! These calamari rings were dipped in saffron-infused batter... These rings were beautiful and tasty! I really like the simple aioli here. And the flan? Xavier made a deal w/ me that if I didn't think it the best I've ever tasted, then he wouldn't charge me the $7 price tag. While it WASN'T the best I'd ever had (my Mom makes the best flan! Heck, even I can make a killer flan- she says so modestly), it was still very, very good and I didn't see the need to be cunning about it, so I paid. Willingly. Next visit- frog legs and a sangria (or two)!
(3)Fiona M.
If it was not for the coupons we would not have gone, bland food, overpriced and poor service!
(1)Lily Y.
Went on flamenco night, which was a nice touch. Not so great for dinner conversation, though. The food was OK, but the service was awful. We literally waited an hour to get our check after asking our waitress for it. Finally we ended walking to the front just so we could leave. Because we used a discount, they automatically add a 20% gratuity before discount. I might have given that much anyway, but after waiting so long for the check, it felt slightly exploitative. So don't go on flamenco night if you're looking to catch up with a friend over dinner (it's impossible to hear over the music), and personally, I wouldn't go again on a discount. Their automatic gratuity policy seems to give them carte blanche to ignore their guests.
(2)Lauren C.
Went in a long time ago. Don't remember much except the place was dead at dinner time (I think there was one other couple) and the place looked pretty seedy. Dad wasn't impressed with the paella. BUT. I had the veal tenera casera. I don't remember the exact taste--all I remember was that it was extraordinarily delicious. Must return for this.
(3)Ray R.
This place is so hidden! The food was pretty good, but not for the price. If the prices were cut in half, I would say it would be more on par for the atmosphere and food quality. We tried the calamari and empanada to start, followed by a seafood paella, seafood pasta and cheesy chicken. The seafood was all bland and a little chewy. The rice was good, I think if we got a paella with chorizo it would have been better.
(3)Sergio A.
The food was good. The service was horrible. The waitress spoke 10 words if at all to us. She was not happy being there. Manager was walking around but never checked in with us to see how was the food. I ordered an ice tea and got one glass of it. no refill even after owner/manager passed by table saw the empty glass at the edge of the table 2 times. Waitress brought food, served over empty glass and did not asks us for a refill. The busser passed the table 3 times and saw the empty glass and did not offer more. I had to ask her for some more after that. I had a coupon for dinner and it stipulated that we had to leave 20% tip.. waitress ended up with a tip of around $17.00 for the worst service ever.. very disappointing and vouched not to go back. the restaurant needs a new decor also.. very dated. Save your hard earned money and go somewhere else..
(1)Josette S.
I had purchased a coupon from groupon for a dinner for 2, (appetizer, 2 entrees and a pitcher of sangria for $50). So during the week of our anniversary we decided to try it out. We decided on Tuesday, it was a slow night so the place only had a hand full of patrons which was fine with us. We had choice of seating and picked a table near the window. Our waiter came over right away and we advised him of our groupon deal. He explained how the deal worked which turned out much better than we thought as we had a choice of any entree on the menu regardless of price. We ordered water and our sangria of course. He suggested the salpicon de mariscos as our appetizer which was delicious. I ordered the zarzuela de mariscos and my husband ordered one of their shrimp dishes. Their dinner rolls are fantastic and served with a very tasty house sauce. Our food arrived promptly and needless to say that it was delicious. The portions are very large and contained plenty of seafood. Wish I could have tried their desserts but was too full. Next time we may order one to go! Overall, we had a great experience, our waiter was fantastic, knowledgable, helpful and very nice. We will absolutely be back!
(5)Yvonne G.
I bought a coupon for this place BEFORE I checked the ratings. Tried it on Friday because there is "Flamenco" show. At about 7:35PM, a guitarist takes his place on a chair and begins to strum. Hmmm, not bad I thought. Then a woman with dancing shoes emerges wearing a frilly, nylon, pink dress which could have easily been a nightgown. (not trying to be mean, just telling the truth). She did two dances and during the rest of her time, she sat down and clapped along while the guitarist played. When I presented the coupon, the waiter told me that I had to order two entrees. Having read from other Yelpers that they had been told the same, I quickly corrected the waiter and told him that the coupon said, $40 worth of FOOD not necessarily entrees. They acquiesced. They served us hot rolls, no butter. Instead, a garlicky ranch type dressing. I put up with it. cost saving measure I guess. My friend ordered the Chicken Al Jerez, a chicken cutlet in sherry sauce. He didn't want rice so he got vegetables. On the menu in the restaurant, it doesn't specify that dishes come with soup or salad as it does on the internet. I told the waiter and he added a salad. The chicken was overdone, but the taste of the sauce was good. Mushrooms on the chicken were out of a can. Salad was fresh I had two appetizers. Empanadas & Shrimp wrapped in bacon. Empanadas should be meat filled turnovers. Not here. It was made with pizza dough stuffed with tomato sauce and slivers of chicken so small that I had to closely check it to be sure what it was. I set it aside because it was not worth eating. The waiter saw this and offered to get me another appetizer. Nice guy. Ordered Tortilla Espanola, a traditional fritata containing sliced potatoes, in its place. It was good. You can't hurt a frittata. Just dump stuff in the eggs and you're done. I enjoyed the shrimp and bacon appetizer (I think Trader Joe's sells these frozen) until I awoke last night with heartburn. I remember eating them and thinking that the bacon was not totally crisped up (needed more time in the oven). My fault for not telling them. The saving grace of this evening was the server who waited on us and really tried to please us. The one star is for him. The owner who had greeted us initially at the door was busy setting tables with tablecloths (another cost-cutting measure?) instead of checking in on his patrons. I for one do not recommend this place to anyone.
(1)Alek V.
I bought a Groupon dinner for two as a Christmas gift for my mother. Bad move! Mom was upset enough to write her own bad review of the restaurant. (I didn't even know she had a Yelp account!) The deal sounds great... $49 for a dinner for two, valued at up to $104. This includes two entrees, a pitcher of sangria, and an appetizer. ("This must be some fancy restaurant," I thought. "What a nice gift for my Mom!") Well, she ended up not taking her boyfriend, but instead took her sister and sister's husband. Therefore, instead of two, there were three at the table. Unfortunately, Pepin could not handle this change gracefully, and when placing the order everybody became confused with the Groupon deal. I wish they just told my mother... "Your order for three is going to exceed the value of this coupon, which is for a dinner for two. The coupon is for any two dinners, one appetizer, and one pitcher of sangria. Since you're ordering more, we'll give you the maximum credit for your coupon, which is worth up to $104." That would have been simple. Instead, they made billing seem complicated, causing the customer to have to think too much about the bill. They didn't give the full value of the Groupon and they added a mandatory 20% gratuity on the bill (for three people). Looking back at the deal... They gave her most of the value of the coupon. The meal cost a lot more than she calculated partially because she didn't calculate the value of each item they ordered, partially because the mandatory 20% gratuity was a large, unexpected change, and partially because the prices are over-inflated ($32 for a pitcher of sangria?). I paid $49 for the deal, and Mom paid $86 in excess. For a total of $135 (supposedly 50% off), my Mom and her two guests received one entree each. They shared a single appetizer, a single dessert, and a single pitcher of sangria. That's pretty spendy, and for that much money, you'd think everyone would leave feeling satisfied with the experience of the food and the service. Instead, my Mom thought it was a rip off, and I'm left regretting my purchase.
(1)Jim W.
It's all about the package. 3.5 stars. At the restaurant Pepin, of course. I would not give them 4 stars based solely on the food. 3 stars for the food. It was for the most part very good but not good enough to merit say $37 bucks that I spent on a seafood stew over noodles that my daughter and I shared. By the way, first time I've eaten octopus, is it supposed to be textured like steak on the inside, soft on the outside and a little slippery on the surface? But I digress. The food was overpriced for the quality. But when you throw in Flamenco dancing, live Spanish guitar, free dancing lessons and getting pictures of my kids on stage dancing flamenco, much more worth it. The sangria was nice as well. We shared a pitcher. Well, the kids didn't actually have any . Did you know Sangria helps you dance?
(4)Katie M.
Went on a groupon plus two others...very expensive...food plentiful but average, service average..never refilled water. Made us get three checks because of groupon...automatic 20 percent tip...very loud..not many customers on a friday night. This is the second time i have been there with a groupon. First time was fun, friendly, full, lively...this time crappy. Wont go back.
(2)Andy M.
This is a difficult review to write as so many things went wrong but most were made good by the end. A friend and I had tickets for the Bruce Hornsby concert right next door at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. We had planned on eating dinner at AZ88 before, but didn't count on the Scottsdale Arts Festival being held that afternoon. We weren't able to do the 40 minute wait at AZ88. We looked around and saw Pepin next door, almost empty. Usually a bad sign. But we didn't really have many choices so we went in. The hostess looked all of 15, and spoke so softly and with such a heavy accent, we had no idea of what she was saying and just followed her to the table. Our waiter eventually came and took a drink order. He is the saving grace of this review and the restaurant. If not for him, this review would be 1 star with no chance of ever going back. After we received our drinks and had ordered dinner (Pollo Don Quixote and one of the paella specialties), it was probably 6:50, concert starts at 8. In comes a rowdy, OBNOXIOUS, drunk bridal party of about 18 girls. I knew we were in trouble as there was no other waiter to take the table. Fast forward to 7:45. Still no food and empty drinks. The waiter assured us it would be out quickly. We asked for the check along with the food as we were going to have to eat a few bites and leave. The food came out and he informed us that there would be no charge for any of the food or drinks and apologized profusely. We scarfed down a bit of the food (which was VERY good) and left him a tip and left. We stopped to thank him for his professionalism and told we would come back on another night, which we will. The owner/manager seems to be a bit clueless. The table next to us sat and after about 15 minutes with no service of any kind, got up and left. It took him almost a half hour to realize the table had left. He seems to be more interested in chatting with what looked like regulars than making sure the restaurant was running smoothly.
(3)Tina T.
After last night at CMYE Phoenix City Grille, the husband and I weren't in ANY condition to cook dinner tonight. We started flipping through the Entertainment book to see where we might go for dinner. It has been a long time since we have been and paella sounded damn good for my hangover. We got there around 6pm and was maybe the fourth table there. I ordered a pina colada and the husband had wine. I really liked the pina colada and the fried calamari that was very tender. No one likes overly chewy calamari. For dinner, I had the paella Valenciana (the typical paella dish, $28) and my husband had the paella Negra (black rice with lobster, calamari, shrimp, chicken, etc, $32). Both dishes were delicious and each were more than enough to split between two people. The next time we go, we would probably split one paella. We were using a BOGO deal, so it made sense to get the two and have dinner for another night. As we were wrapping up dinner, the band began playing and shortly thereafter, the flamenco dancer came on. The music and flamenco performance was so great and really added to the experience. By this time, the restaurant was packed and our 3 year old was having a blast trying to dance like the flamenco dancer. After they played their set (30 minutes), the singers and dancer walked around to talk with the patrons. Very cool. Overall, the drinks were good, food was good, service was good, and so were the musicians. Really great time and looking forward to the next!
(4)Jennifer S.
Just ok...the atmosphere was extremely dated, but the happy hour prices were good enough to give this place 3 stars!
(3)Olivia S.
Terrible. I brought my boyfriend here a while ago for a romantic date out. I thought it would be great because they had vegetarian paella for me and plenty of fish and meat for him to try. (He doesn't normally get to do that too much since we go to mostly vegetarian places). We got an appetizer, two entrees, and some sangria, and even with a $25 gift card, the bill was still over $90 with tip. Now, this would not have been an issue had the food been worth that. However, the food was terrible. It was stuck in the 80's. The beau's chicken looked like something you would get on an airplane, and my paella could have been shown up by something in a box... mushy rice with frozen veg. The server also charged us for 2 salads that she just brought out. I don't mind paying for a salad, but at least ask me! At one point in our meal, my man got up and went to the restroom. When he returned, he told me that I HAD to go look at it. It was awful. It was worse than any drive bars I have been to. The paint was falling off the walls, one of the stalls didn't have a door and the other barely locked, the toilets were filthy, and the sink was disgusting. If you charge $20-$40 a plate, you need to have the ambiance to back it up. Never go here.
(1)Renee B.
Bought the Groupon. I dragged my husband there just so we could use it. We were the only ones in there and the run down restaurant smelled - not appetizing I must say. We were the only people in there the entire time on a weekend while the restaurant we could look at was packed. A sure sign we were in trouble. Only 1 appetizer included although the Groupon claimed Appetizers, Entree and Sangria for 2 - deceiving. The food was not good and when the bill came there was an extra 14.95 charge for I don't know what plus and automatic 20% gratuity that the horrid waiter didn't deserve. My husband was right - don't buy Groupons! Oh and my husband had the runs by the evening - Nice! I felt off myself but didn't get what he did.
(1)Chris S.
I just got back from "eating" at Pepin and had to immediately write a review. We had a table of 12 reserved and were seated promptly on a packed Sat night. We sat and waited for 15min before anyone took a drink order. The sangria was pretty bad and only had a piece of orange in terms of fruit. Most of us ordered paella valencia which we were told feeds about 1 1/2 people which I immediately thought odd. Is it not obvious that it should either serve one or two?!? Regardless we ordered four for six people. A hour later the food appeared. No salads and the bread was served with Ranch dressing (no butter). Our drinks remained empty for most of the night including the water. The food was pretty poor and the portions were horrible. I got one clam, one shrimp, and a few pieces of chicken in my plate. The mussel I had on my plate had a cracked shell so I did not eat it. I was actually embarrassed. On a high note the singer/guitar player/dancer were pretty darn good. They kept us entertained while we waited forever. Unfortunately they were quite loud for the small space with low ceilings so it was near impossible to talk at the table. If you do go, DO NOT sit in front of the stage unless you just want to hear them and not each other. The good entertainment soon left my mind when we got the bill. My son had a $7 hamburger, my daughter split a crab cake, and my wife and I had the paella valencia. One glass of sangria each and the bill was $110. The also automatically added the gratuity. Great trick when your service sucks!
(1)Steven K.
Gordon Ramsey please visit this place! * Food little better than a TV dinner, yet competed with some of the best restaurants in town...ON PRICE * They served us rancid wine. * Service was terrible Owner/manager hung out in lobby socializing with friends rather than helping clients that were waiting an absurd amount of time for food. Gristle laden beef jerky floating in oil served as a dish Flamenco was ok...this place should give up trying to serve food and being a high end restaurant and Just become a bar/ night club and serve a few simple fresh dishes if anything at all. Or get a restaurant consultant in there and totally revamp the menu. I almost always try a place twice, but, not thinking so in this case.
(1)Peter R.
I purchased a Groupon for Pepin, without reading the reviews, so naturally my wife and I were apprehensive about going here. I had to persuade her to at least join me for appetizers, just so we could use the deal I had bought. So we went here on a Saturday evening around 8 a couple of weeks back. It can be a little tricky to find as it's behind the parking garage (which btw was completely full while we found easy parking in the street and lots). The restaurant is quite unique: Vaulted ceilings, somewhat dark, and with live entertainment: flamenco, of course. Two guitar players, a male singer (with an amazing, rusty voice singing in Spanish) and of course the dancing, tapping and castanets. Very entertaining, great-sounding and perfect for this atmosphere. We ordered appetizers: the empanada (stuffed with meat) and calamari. Bread with aioli mayonaise came first. Service was good, not fake or overly-friendly, but real. It was clear that the staff had their hands full (restaurant was almost at capacity), but they didn't seem stressed. Food was great - in fact, we ordered another empanada and the portions were big! We wanted to have tried the paella, but had no room. Next time... Overall, very impressed. I can imagine some will leave disappointed if they expect pretentious, swanky Scottsdale-style restaurant, but this feels authentic, tasted great, treated us well and left us very positively surprised. Will definitely return some day. Maybe stay for the salsa dancing starting at 10 pm. Good job, Pepin.
(4)Stacy R.
I really like Pepin. The food is good, the atmosphere is great and I love going on Fri or Sat for the music and dancing. Both times I've been here I have had the same server and he is amazing! I would recommend this place based on his service alone. Lots of fun and great food, what could be better?
(4)Jason L.
We went with Groupon, I was not excited because of bad reviews...but was pleasantly surprised. The Food was very good, excellent service and a good overall experience. Worth a try.
(4)Beth K.
The dancers are awesome, the food is horrible. My friend had a living social/groupon type thingy for this place....what a scam. They make you order entrees instead of tapas. There was no fine print about minimum entree orders. It was a nightmare. Honestly I thought the food was gross & just plain blah. I can usually find something nice to say about a place...in this case its only that the dancer was great.
(1)Jesse J.
Well I can honestly see why this place is all over Groupon these days. Upon arrival there was 2 people inside at 7pm on a Thursday yes 2 people. That actually started to scare me but whatever my Groupon was going to expire so I had to use it. So I grabbed a window seat and was greated by a server who was very nice and asked if I was using the Groupon which I stated yes and he quickly brought out the pitcher of Sangria. The Sangria was very different then others I've had before as it had peppermint schnapps in it odd but it worked and was tasty. I then ordered the Cordero Asado which is lamb and sun dried tomato's in olive oil. It was just ok not bad but not great either. I also ordered a paella de pescado y marisco which was very bland and the seafood tasted previously frozen and essentially flavorless. I was pretty disappointed as the regular price on this dish was $32 I can't imagine paying that for what I got. So on to the last entree which was a dry aged steak and shrimp. The steak had been frozen and also was flavorless and the shrimp were as well. During the meal I was just looking around inside and just kept thinking what if Gordon Ramsey could come here on Kitchen Nightmares and fix this place. Maybe the owner will try that to revitalize the place instead of getting people in the door with Groupon. Cliff Note: Don't buy the Groupon you will regret it. Just go to Tapas Papa Frita instead :)
(2)Nick B.
The service was good other than the owner/manager being grouchy. The bread was terrible and it served with Mayo to dip it in. Gross. I wanted to treat my girlfriend to a congratulations for completing 7 years at the school she works at. Instead I got to watch her pick through the horrible chicken. The chicken looked like it was from another country, not one that you would want to eat chicken in. The chorizo looked like it was one of those tubes of meat at a gas station and they cut it into pieces. The rice and vegetables were like something out of the box at a grocery store. The meal was terrible and we should of left but we felt bad for the place. It is as if the restaurant is going to go under and the last thing they did was cut ingredient cost. On top of a terrible meal we were charged 20% gratuity, I prefer 15%. Especially for a party of two that only got an entree. I honestly would pay $20 for a burrito at chipotle or rubios before I paid $20 for that paella again.
(1)Alexandra K.
So we met a girl from Peru, she took us here after 10PM when it turns into a SALSA BAR! They turn the lights down low, play the music a little too loud, keep the full bar open, have Latin American music videos projected on the walls, and people get all sweaty going at it full force. I learned the merengue from a gentlemen who asked me to dance. They'll always ask you to dance. Nobody does that weird let-me-dance-on-you thing here. Also, nobody cares if you don't really know how, they'll spin you and you throw your head back and laugh at your bad feet work. Then they spin you some more. Pepin after hours are a one of a kind experience. A hearty slice of culture! I didn't even need to get on a plane. There is a $10 cover. If you don't have cash they just take you back to the bar and you can pay with your card there. I've never been to Pepin for the food. From reading the previous reviews I guess I really shouldn't. But I sure am going to go again to dance.
(3)K Z.
Went to Pepin's last night. The waitress was really nice. We saw the bad reviews on Yelp so just ordered a bunch of appetizers: snails, black bean croquettes, clams, garlic shrimp, and lamb (cold appetizer). They were all good, except the lamb was nothing special. However, the portions were extremely small and the prices not so much. 5 appetizers between two people, and I was still pretty hungry. The bread was good and good for dipping in the sauces of the appetizers. The wine was pretty awful for a $30 bottle of Spanish wine. The Flamenco is entertaining, though I've also been to another Spanish tapas place in Scottsdale called Papas Fritas, and their live Flamenco was much much better. Pepin is an interesting place. I was pretty surprised at the state of the estasblishment, I guess I expected more at least based on the location. The inside is pretty basic and could use a little renovation, and the women's bathroom is a joke. You'd think you were in a total dive bar. There's only one working toilet, and the stall door has no lock and barely even closes. But anyway, my conclusion: Appetizers - good but too small Price - too high (based on the portions) Service - great Flamenco - cool but a little ghetto State of the establishment - a little ghetto PS: Don't be fooled by the Living Social shennanigans. The voucher does not say you have to buy entrees. Our waitress started to say we had to order entrees, but when I told her it's not written that way and showed it to her, she said we could order what we wanted.
(3)N R.
Food is ok - service is reliable, but isn't excellent, just speak up for yourself if you need something and they're happy to get it! I love the Shrimp with Ajo and the croquetas for appetizers - my husband always get Paella, which I don't love - but he does. Great sangria... And, when dinner is all said and done - DJ Salsa ... comes out and plays his tunes. Great salsa, merengue, bachata and cumbia music - fun place after dinnertime. Been going here a few times each year since 1997 and we'll be back!
(4)Michael B.
I see this restaurant has poor reviews. This was my first visit. It was a Thursday night and the place was dead. It made me sad. The music was on too low and the ambiance was a little eerie. The service, however was fantastic. I believe our service was from Spain and was knowledgable, friendly, and attentive. Our meals were AWESOME!!! I ordered the Don Quixote (sp)? It was a chicken and cheese tortellini covered in Manchego sauce. Amazing. My date had the Paella with Chicken and Chorizo. Very tasty. Both portions were very good size. I was overall very pleased and hope to check out the dancing on Fridays and Saturdays in the future.
(4)Jason T.
The food was decent and their Sangria was really good. The experience was better than we expected since we were not planning on going to Pepin that night. We noticed there wasn't any music playing. Not sure if this is normal or is just that way on slow nights. Perhaps there is only music on Friday and Saturday nights.
(3)Julia R.
Go for the ambiance and the flamenco, maybe a cocktail or two. The food is pretty much what everyone else is saying. It's nothing special, just Sysco quality restaurant food but the flamenco is BITCHIN'!
(3)Patricia R.
I'm from South America, and I heard about this place from a friend, who told me they have latin music also on Saturdays. We went on Saturday, the place wasn't too busy, they have live show with a flamenco dancer, it was good. We order two appetizers, the chorizo and the empanada, I liked both, and the bread, omg, I'm not a white bread lover, but this bread was soft and warm, and they give you a yummy dressing to eat with. For dinner I order the Pata de puerco... it was ok, I won't order that again, my husband order shrimp, and he liked it. I would prefer to order only appetizers and share, but because we had a living social deal, we have to order entrees, but for me the appetizers are better. The service was good, the waiter very friendly. After 10 pm, they moved some tables, and DJ started playing latin music and you can also watch in a screen some videos. Unfortunately we had to leave before people started dancing, because I'm pregnant and my back was killing me. Definitely I will be back, but only for appetizers and dance.
(3)Sarah C.
The food was really exceptional. The bad reviews here are ridiculous; I swear, some people go into things just looking for something negative. Cheer up people. You'll know a real bad experience when you have one. The food here is outstanding. Service great. Underrated in my opinion
(4)Damian C.
News Flash! Pepins is a far cry from traditional Spanish cuisine and somehow, someone thought that they would classify it as "Basque Cuisine" also. I guess it sounds good to throw that in. Me thinks not! The cuisine has nothing to do with Basque cuisine. The Spanish cuisine is very much Americanized. Since most people on this planet have not traveled to Pais Basco (Basque Country, located in the most northern, central region of Spain and partly in France) the owners of Pepins must think that the consumer will take their word for it. Pepins food is not "terrible", but it's not Spanish, and it's definitely not Basque! The service was atrocious when we went. The Paella, was hardly a paella. The garlic shrimp was pretty good though. And what's up with the Salsa dancing in a "Spanish" restaurant. Weird. i'm giving it an extra star because I'm nice guy. If I told actually thought, Yelp would have to come up with a separate rating scale.
(2)Erigan A.
We've been to Pepin many times and have always experienced great food, friendly staff and a wonderful show. Because of this, when I saw a Groupon for Pepin, I purchased it - maybe this was our first mistake. We made our reservation and showed up early last night, 7/13, and it wasn't very busy, but that's Arizona in July. The server was very nice and the tapas were okay, but the paella was not good at all. Let's be clear, I've had the paella here many, many times and it's one of my favorites. Not the case last night. It was the Paella De Pescado y Marisco, normally my favorite, tasted old, not fresh. My husband made the comment "maybe that's the paella you get with the Groupon". Since Pepin offers the Groupon, you should receive the same quality of food. I didn't ask them for a discounted meal, they offered it on Groupon. We left and didn't feel good the rest of the night, woke up this morning not feeling well either. My husband and I split 3 tapas and the paella, so we both had the same food. I know it's not food poisoning, the sick feeling kicked in too fast. I think it was just not fresh, or sitting out a bit too long, who knows. I do know that I'm extremely disappointed because I've loved this place for so long. I don't know if we'll be back, which is very sad.
(2)Danielle E.
My bf bought a Groupon here and took me for my birthday. Let's just say it really ruined my special day. We arrived Saturday afternoon around 1:30. First of all it took us almost 30 minutes to find the place. GPS wasn't too helpful and the directions the restaurant gave us when we called were just plain wrong. Ok, we finally arrived. There was not another soul in the place. We sat down and showed the waiter our Groupon. At first he told us it was just for dinner (although it doesn't say that) but then he decided it was ok to use for lunch. He gives us our "pitcher" of Sangria and that's a joke. It only holds 3 small glasses worth of liquid and costs $18! We ordered an empenada which was ok tasting.......Meanwhile we realized that the meal will be either the same price or even cheaper than using our Groupon. So we told him that we won't be using it. I ordered the Pepin Salad and he got a chicken dish. My salad came and was missing a major ingredient: pine nuts. Sweety's dish came and there was no salad or bread with it which was supposed to come with it. So that's four major problems already. Bill comes: $4 for a salad missing half the ingredients $11 for a chicken and spaghetti dish that's missing the accompanying salad and bread $9 for a ok empenada $18 for a rip-of "pitcher" of sangria Total: $42 for an incomplete mediocre meal. I've emailed Groupon and for the first time have requested a refund.
(1)Shon P.
High price for only so-so food. I didn't bother staying for the Flamenco dancer... the poor atmosphere was a turn off (large empty room, shabby decor). One positive: the service was friendly and responsive.
(1)Karri G.
My friends and I wanted to see the Flamenco show. We had already been to Happy Hour so were not interested in dinner. We ordered a small appetizer so as not to seem like freeloaders. The appetizer was extremely poor quality for the price and was presented to us without one of the key ingredients. The service was terribly slow, given the fact that the restaurant was nearly empty (another clue). The Flamenco dancing was good but not worth spending the evening here.
(1)Nadia C.
I barely remember what I ate, but the atmosphere and the service was awesome! It was a while back and I don't even know if htey still do this but they have salsa and dance lessons going on WHILE you eat, with the diners. It was truly awesome and so much fun. Of course, it's on a volunteer basis, it's not like your soup gets dropped off at your table and you are forced to salsa dance with you server while the soup gets cold. I should head back and see what it is like these days. I am surprised there are not more reviews. It's by AZ 88. PEPIN is fun and the food was decent and the service was great!
(4)Nubia M.
The food is ok but the entertainment is bad. It has average service but probably not a place I'd be coming back to.
(3)Torrence W.
I had to come on here to recommend that people NOT visit this place. Pepin needs to be on Restaurant: Impossible immediately! They have it all wrong. The decor is depressing and dingy, so much so that I couldn't help but think that the kitchen in the back was disgusting. The service was pretty slow at responding to us, even though there were only 3 tables seated in the restaurant, one of which was only drinking (I now know why). Most of the servers were gathered behind the bar hanging out, while we waited for water refills and additional sauces to mask their nasty food. My girlfriend and I ordered sangria, several appetizers, and I had the paella. The appetizers were some of the worst I've had in Phoenix. Nasty overcooked sausage, stale bread, flat cheap cheeses -- just plain gross. The sangria wasn't really all that tasty either (in my opinion), however my girlfriend liked it. The one saving grace of my meal was the paella that I ordered. It was not the best I've had in PHX, but definitely tasty and there was plenty of seafood inside for me to enjoy (I now realize just how brave I was to order seafood in this place -- it honestly scares me to think back on it). The prices here are WAY TOO HIGH for what you get. I used a $50 gift certificate and our dinner for the two of us was still nearly $100!! Please spare yourself the disappointment and skip out on this place. The only thing saving me from giving it 1 star is that the guitar player was excellent and music is worth a bonus star to me! The flamenco wasn't bad, especially for being this far from Spain, but it did make it quite loud in there during the show.
(2)Thomas K.
I went here recently with my girlfriend and was overall underwhelmed. The food was hit or miss - the crab croquettes were amazing, but the seafood paella was mediocre. The sangria was decent but nothing to write home about. The atmosphere overall was poor (full disclosure - it was a Wednesday night and the place was empty), but the service was very good. Also - we used a Living Social deal and didn't find out until afterward that they won't apply it towards "shared dishes" - kinda strange for a place that serves tapas and paella. The manager agreed to give as a break but definitely be aware of this caveat before you order...
(3)Anne P.
Went to Pepin with visitors and our Groupon. The food was fabulous and abundant. We started with a sampling of 4 tapas: mushrooms, mussels, calamari and one other which I can't remember. All came out hot and deliciously flavored. Then came the seafood paella. Loaded with shrimp, mussels,and other fish on a bed of fluffy saffron seasoned rice. We went on a Thursday nite and sorry to say the restaurant was empty. Our waiter was friendly and gave us excellent advice on what dishes to order. The only negative and it has nothing to do with Pepin is the loud music coming from a bar a half a block south it the restaurant. This is a Scottsdale treasure to be savor end and enjoyed.
(4)Justine C.
I bought the Groupon because I couldn't pass up sangria and flamenco. My boyfriend and I love Spanish food and have passed this place up because of the terrible yelp reviews. I was surprisingly shocked that the service was great, the food was good (if not a bit salty), and the sangria was delicious. The flamenco is very loud and I recommend not sitting near the stage. Even though I was pleasantly surprised, I don't think I would pay full price to go here again.
(4)Julie E.
The stars in my review are based on tasting just one dish of jamón, which was serrano--not jabugo as I ordered. (If you know something about jamón, it's impossible to pass off the inferior product for the sublime jabugo). Yet I was charged as if it were de bellota. Other reviewers have written their take on other dishes. It's hard not to be tough on an expatriate Spanish restaurant after you've lived in Spain for a good chunk of time (more than a year in my case). If not for my flamenco dancing colleague, I doubt I would have sought out Pepin's. Her flamenco was good and if you go just for that, you should have a good time. I ducked out before the salsa dancing started. (It seems obvious to me that they rely on dances to attract the night crowd and make up for low numbers during the day).
(2)Stephanie M.
Flamenco dancers and incredible guitar makes this place awesome. Sure there's room for improvement on the lighting and sometimes food - but you'll still fall in love with this place.
(4)Robert B.
I have eaten at Pepin 3-4 times and the food is decent, the wine is good, and it is fun to watch the dancing. Its usually a little warm in there also. I am writing this review to conplain about terrible and inhospitable service. I went there recently with a date and another couple to eat and drink and watch salsa. We were very dressed up and ready to start the night out. When I got there, I said 'four for dinner' and asked when the dancing started. The moron that was apparently hosting and completely devoid of social skills asked if we were eating. I said yes, and drinking. And he then asked how much we were going to order. I was confused and then asked why? He said because there is a cover charge if you don't order that much. After again saying that we were there to eat and drink and jokingly inquiring if I was doing something wrong, I was again admonished about the cover charge if we don't order enough. I then took my group elsewhere. I would have paid a charge hapily if it was on the bill. I do not like the inquisition at the host area. In this case it was insulting and embarressing and I took my business elsewhere, for a $280+ dinner at Cowboy Ciao. I hope someone in charge at Pepin reads this and educates the ignorant host on common courtesy and customer service.
(2)Kara B.
Delicious, traditional Spanish food and tapas and good prices. Great dinner show some nights of the week. And, we can't forget the Sangria-strong and delicious! Four stars because the Sangria needs more fruit and my table didn't have the best view of the stage. Service was okay, but seriously, viva Espana on the comida and beverage.
(4)Alfonsina G.
Very friendly environment! Excellent Flamenco show! Great food selection :)
(4)Mark W.
Don't go to Pepin for the food, and I'm not saying that because of a lack of Spanish authenticity; it just doesn't taste good, ever ... usually. This time wasn't bad and last time they didn't have my first three choices, not exaggerating. But that doesn't explain the previous two visits. Also, the prices are high, especially given my first comment. If you can hurdle both of those comments, there are lots of reasons to go to Pepin. You can order sangria by the liter, my wife keeps wanting to go, they have live flamenco dancing, my wife likes the good, the ambience feels Spanish, and they play upbeat flamenco music in the background.
(2)John T.
Last Friday some friends from work were in town (airline industry- we're scattered everywhere) and we decided to start our evening at Pepin for a bite to eat and some dancing. I have been dancing there several times, but I had never tried the food. The Food: The service was great- very attentive and accommodating. We had a bilingual group, and our waitress took orders in both English and Spanish with no problem. I ordered Pollo Al Jerez, which was chicken, steamed veggies and mushrooms. The best part was the mushrooms, which had a great texture and tasted delicious with the sauce. The chicken was a little dry, but still good. The Dancing: There were no lessons that night, but there was a live DJ and a good mix. They played mostly salsa, merengue and bachata in sets of two or three, with a cha cha thrown in now and then. We left early, but later in the evening they usually include some reggaeton and Latin hip hop when the crowd gets younger. The floor started to fill up between 9:30 and 10:00. There was an open atmosphere on the dance floor: very inviting for beginners. There were a few experts too, who were fun to watch when eating or taking a break. Over all it was a great night out for food and dancing. Pepin remains on of my favorite places for dancing, and is now a new favorite for food!
(4)Natalie D.
I couldn't have said it better Josh (1st review)! The authenticity of the dishes is deflated by the mediocre tasting food and service. However!! The salsa dancing on Friday and Saturday nights is soooo fun! Tip: $10 cover (if you haven't eaten dinner before 10pm).
(2)Mike S.
Phenomenal food (make sure you try the paella), but the place was in serious need of a facelift. The mildewy smell when we walked in was a bit offputting, but the great pancetta wrapped shrimp we had for an appetizer more than made up for it. We split our two entrees, and a big thumps up to the chicken and sausage paella! Ended the meal on a recommendation from a regular who said we had to try the flan. It was really good - best I've had. We'll be back, but would be a much more regular stop if they would update the place a bit.
(4)Stephanie E.
Oh Pepin, I was not impressed with you being closed on Tuesday even though your restaurant's sign said clearly that you were supposed to be open for business. After hearing from other people that there were supposed to be salsa dancing lessons on Tuesdays I was excited to check the place out, but when my dance partner and I arrived the doors were locked. There were no signs indicating that the restaurant would be closed so we decided to venture elsewhere.
(1)Luke J.
The Flamenco dancer and guitarist did a fine job. The service was slow, which is fine if you just want to relax and enjoy a glass of wine. The food was good, but not worth the price. Supposedly, you need a reservation on a Friday or Saturday night, but the restaurant was not very busy. Par for the course in Scottsdale.
(3)Frank E.
Second time I've been to Pepins over the last five years. On the way, I asked my wife, if I I metioned anything about the food after our first visit, because there must be a reason we haven't come back in so long. We went for the dancing and the Flamenco show. The dance floor wasn't crowded, which I like since Salsa dancing is tough in over crowded dance floors. The Flamenco show is awesome and the performers all seem friendly. Sangria was the best I've had out in the local area, but I've had better in other restaurants outside of greater Phoenix. However, the food was a bit bland. If you google "Spanish Food" and "bland" you'll find that this combination comes up quite a bit. So the blandness is likely a combination of Spanish food being inherently bland and American food tends to be so rich. The service was excellent. My drink refilled regularly and evey request was treated with given prompt attention with a smile.
(3)j b.
3 thumbs way down! I was visiting AZ, my sister brought us to El Pepin, she had been there before and enjoyed a couple of good meals. But, not this time. The good: 3 Tapas were very good, Shrimp ajillo, Veg. croquette, red pepper w/ goat cheese. The bad: The waiter didn't understand English, one order of Paella, was really 3 separate orders for 3 times the money. Our order for Shrimp with the Paella became Squid. Our order for a small Sangria carafe became a large carafe for $18. When we complained about the Squid the chef said he wouldn't charge us for the extra squid. And, when we told we wanted one Paella order split 3 ways, he charged us for one order but took away our take home bag of extra Paella. In the end, we were overcharged for the paella and sangria, we didn't want Calamari in the Paella, the service was awful, food moderately good, Sangria average. We felt like tourists in a strange place getting ripped off at every chance.
(1)Lori D.
I like Pepin's ..a favorite of me and my boyfriend. His family is form Argentina and the food is very good. Obviously every dish is a little different we have been in at least 7 or 8 times and never disappointed. We have had good consistent service..no issues if we share an app or desert..they are great about doggie bags and are attentive and have a passion for their food. Here is the deal..there is always the purist out there that the food will not live up to ..that's okay..just do not rule this place out...
(4)Peter H.
Have been here a few times. Food is just OK - I really feel you could make better at home - I know I can. Service was excellent tonight. I can't believe what they charge for Paella - $32. C'mon, its rice, chicken and a few pieces of seafood. Flamenco music was nice and dancer was great!
(3)Xurri R.
I"m just reviewing the Salsa as I have not eaten here yet. But it wasn't bad. The music was a mix of popular salsa, merengue, bachata, cumbia. I enjoyed myself and its known as one of the salsa spots in town. Sooooo I'm ok with that :)
(3)Madalyn G.
This review is solely based off of the the dancing at Pepins. I have not gone to eat there but as someone who has spent the majority of my life living in Baja California as well as spending many of my weekends in Tijuana, Mexico I'd like to think I am a good critic. It was very difficult to find a Salsa club in a good area that I would feel comfortable to leave my car in. After a friend of my mothers recommended Pepins. At first I was skeptical about it with all the terrible reviews and not many pictures or youtube videos on the club. I took the plunge and decided to spend my 22nd Birthday there. When I got there it looked a descent size it was the smallest salsa club I have ever been to and there weren't very many people but the music was great and the people there were great dancers. My friends are usually into the hip hop scene but they were willing to try it out. They were great sports and now they all want to take Salsa lessons. I had an absolute blast!!! If you are planning on going out to any club at all my advice is to chose the right people because even the fanciest places can be terrible with the wrong company.
(4)Lisa A.
Pepin...not sure what to say except I'm NOT impressed. In fact I'm giving this place the extra star only because the Flamenco Dancer was good not amazing but good. That's its. The service sucked! The food had no flavor and the sangria was a joke! I was looking forward to having dinner here. I was here on vacation and my friend said that a few years back she'd go every weekend and loved it. Clearly time has not be kind to this place. Thanks but no thanks..not going back again..EVER!
(2)Mr K.
Pepin is a strange place. It reminded me more of a Mexican cantina than a Spanish restaurant. Food there was so-so - the scallops were pretty good but simple dishes like the tortilla were disappointing (not to mention the portion size was miniscule). Gypsy King flamenco band & dancers for your entertainment, until, behold! They disappear and a DJ appears out of nowhere, and starts playing reggeton and ranchero music, and the place turns into some bizzarre west Glendale nightclub within the span of 5 minutes! Um, yeah. No.
(2)Carlos M.
we went here late 2010 and had a buy 1 get 1 free coupon. the wait time was terrible and the entertainers were amateurish. we ordred appetizers and drinks and then our 2 entrees came. they came in small plates(lunch portions) . we complained and they said they split the dinner entree to make two. we complained but the manager wouldn't budge. well, we didn't either. we paid for our drinks and appetizers and left, but not before yelling out "this place is a fraud !" i am of spanish descent and this place is a disgrace to my heritage.
(1)Josh D.
Let's start with a couple redeeming qualities first... the entertainment, if you dine during it, creates a fun atmosphere and the energy in the place is high. We had a Spanish waiter who was attentive and quick. On the other hand, the food leaves much to be desired. I lived in Seville, Spain for 6 months and have eaten at many Tapas restaurants in the states... so, I have enough experience with Spanish food to judge. The food here is uninspired, bland, and borderline gross. We kept ordering more (tortilla, caricoles, pepin salad, pimientos, empanada, salmon) hoping maybe we just made a bad choice. Nothing was even decent! This place has potential but the owner should seriously consider hiring a new chef and completely revamping the menu. I'll be back to try it if that happens, but I won't return nor will I recommend if everything is status quo.
(2)Dave J.
The service was absolutely horrid. The waitress disappears for ludicrous periods of time. It took us almost an hour just to get water. When we finally got food, it was average at best and way over priced. On top of insult to injury, our group was charged 18% gratuity for the awful service. Our group got there around 7pm, and we didn't get to leave until 1030. We finally had to go track down the waitress to get our bill. I don't recommend going there. Typical overrated Scottsdale eatery.
(1)Vijay T.
Haven't really tried the menu, so I am limiting my review to the salsa scene. For people who like salsa/merengue etc. this is the place to go, especially on Saturday nights. Nice, friendly atmosphere. You will find people of all levels dancing, so its not really intimidating for new comers. Awesome music.
(4)Stephen P.
OFGS - Lighten up people. The food was really good. This is like an old school restaurant. Flavors were well balanced and the food was cooked just right. The main idea here is keep your expectations inline and enjoy. Oh, and the salsa dancing etc. is great. Go and live a bit of a past.
(3)Pierre Trudeau I.
I'm surprised at the dismal reviews El Pepin has gotten so far. It may not magically transport you to the streets of Barcelona, but all in all it's a good effort at a Spanish dining experience. The food is pretty good. There is a flamenco stage in the middle of the restaurant where local dancers provide lively entertainment (call ahead for times). Plenty of regulars seem to dine here, so when the dancing starts the crowd gets into it, which adds to the festive atmosphere. I've been here on dates and even celebrated New Year's Eve here one year, and never had a bad experience.
(4)Hara D.
We came for Lunch and it was wonderful. The food was delicious. The wait staff was very friendly and very good.
(5)Lady J.
I really liked this place. Not only is the atmosphere great, so was the paella! Plus they had flamenco dancers shakin' their hips through the place at random moments...how fun is that? Later on they actually performed on a little stage. The best part was when they ask who was having a birthday, and I pointed out my whitebread, farm-boy Minnesota-born husband. They pulled him right up there so he could shake his groove thang. Highlight of the evening.
(4)