Looing for a good Peruvian restaurant after moving from Virginia we were happy to find this spot really near our new residence. Looked at the menu and called in an order. The chicken leg with fried rice was a large portion and so were the French fries. Just a note of caution. The leg price on the menu says $8 but if you ask for dark (which is normally customary when ordering ¼ lb.) with rice it jumps to $14. So if just a few of you, the rice quantity is enough to share around and so are the fries. Picked up from inside and the restaurant looked very nice to try out read more

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My wife's Uber driver recommended this place to us! We typically don't eat Peruvian food, but the menu looked like there were things I'd be able to eat, so we gave it a try. They are known for their rotisserie chicken, which I ordered, and liked very much. My dish also included fried hot dogs over french fries, which was an interesting combination, and I liked that as well. My wife ordered the Peruvian version of the paella that we normally eat at Spanish restaurants, and she liked that as well. The service was extremely friendly and helpful. The menu was huge, so whenever we go back, we'll probably go for something different. They have some Chinese fusion dishes which sounded very appetizing, but there's just so much food you can order for one meal! read more

Don Pepe - My wife's paella before she dug in. The fried hot dogs over french fries are in the foreground. - Peruvian Near Me - Jamesburg, New Jersey

Don Pepe is one of Middlesex County's best kept secrets! This restaurant serves authentic Peruvian cuisine, expertly prepared, in a quiet, clean environment. They have off-street parking behind the restaurant. The service is excellent, friendly and professional. Their bartenders are literally artists. Go sit and watch them prepare some of those drinks ! Their attention to detail, use of garnishes etc. just really shows a pride of ownership! I'm Peruvian, live locally, and I approve this message! read more

Im giving it 3 stars purely due to service. Our waitress took our drink order. One person was still deciding. She brought our drinks, she took our appetizer order and the one additional drink. After 10 minutes my husband went to the bartender, waitress never put the drink in. Bartender was super apologetic and delivered the drink himself. She finally showed and took our dinner order. I will say I was impressed the food all came out at the same time and it was right. No issues or complaints on the food. The portions are huge and always very tasty. The fruit in the sangria was cut so small it continued to get stuck in the straw. I ended up scooping it out. The waitress never came back. The place is losing out, we could've used a second drink but by the time she showed up we asked for to go containers and the check. Place was nicely decorated for the 4th of July and they had a singer singing good ol American tunes. They would be a lot busier if they can get better service. read more

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We had an amazing time celebrating my friend's birthday. The food was delicious. We ordered a large submarino Don Pepe which was a mix of fried shrimp, causa, variety of rices and ceviches and that was plenty for four people. We were surprised when they brought out the cake and sang happy birthday to her. It was great overall and one of the best Peruvian restaurants in the area. read more

When we arrived place was very pleasant to see. We ordered a few items. Long wait for the food at 9pm. Presentation and taste of the shrimp and octopus was great! Would definitely go back for that! Waitress was very nice when we arrived but, she was so involved in sweeping the rug and cleaning while guests were sitting at tables around her. That was a bit of a surprise to see someone cleaning around the tables in a manner that dust etc can fly up on to tables. I would recommend cleaning where tables aren't in use. Half roasted chicken was nice but nothing exciting. Black beans and rice had no flavor whatsoever. read more

This place is so cute! The people are so friendly and the place while small still has about 20 tables and a full bar area. The food was good and the menu has so many options. I ordered the skirt steak with the fried egg, rice and fries. I also tried the stuffed avocado for an appetizer. Everything was delicious. I can't wait to come back and try more items. read more

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Was very disappointed. The portions were large but the steak was tough and fatty. The calamari was over cooked and rubbery. The music was so loud it was hard to have a conversation. Our server was very nice, but never offered us water while all the other tables were brought water right away. Won't be going back and can't recommend it. read more

I came here because the location in Freehold had great food, so I was excited to try this one. Unfortunately, my experience was extremely disappointing. I stood at the counter for over five minutes while at least five employees looked directly at me and then looked away without acknowledging me. Not a single person said hello, offered assistance, smiled, or asked if I needed help. I was ready to place an order, but I was completely ignored and made to feel invisible. What made the experience even more upsetting was that I couldn't help but wonder if I was being treated differently because I didn't look like many of the other customers. Whether that was the reason or not, being repeatedly ignored by multiple employees made me feel unwelcome and excluded. As a paying customer, this was one of the most disrespectful experiences I've had. Basic courtesy costs nothing, and unfortunately, it was completely absent during my visit. I will not be returning to this location. read more

Don Pepe is truly a delicious and amazing Peruvian restaurant right in Central Jersey with wonderful service and even better food! I ordered the whole chicken with rice and beans and papa rellena and it was delicious! I was recommended this restaurant by my student and she told me I needed to try Peruvian food ASAP, and I'm so glad she recommended this spot to me. Though I didn't dine in, I went in to pick up the food and it's a cute, clean restaurant and also has a nice outdoor seating/ patio area too! I can't wait to come back soon! read more

Don Pepe - Pollo la bras Pollo - Peruvian Near Me - Jamesburg, New Jersey

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Theses days Its not easy to feed a family of four adults for $35 and still have quality food. Ordered a weekday dinner for takeout and not only was the food very good but there were leftovers. They have a rotisserie chicken special called the Matador combo which comes with a whole chicken, yellow rice and black beans, salad, and fried hot dogs over French fries. Peruvian rotisserie chicken is the best in my opinion. Especially when paired with that delicious green sauce which they do at Don Pepe. Rice and beans were delicious. Salad was fresh and came with a creamy dressing. Definitely worth a revisit. read more

I would really give it a 3.5 for today's experience . The food 1/2 chicken and rice came out freezing . I asked them to warm it up and they did but had to wait another 15 min and didn't say sorry , no discount, nothing. After that they didn't clean up the plates or anything. They charged us for the freezing huancaina sauce $7 and when i asked them to warm it up they said they couldn't . The place is pretty and pisco punch was good. The music also was really good for those who like Latin music. Waitress didn't have an attitude but customer service was below average after the cold rice and chicken incident. Also no bus boy/person. The thing with Spanish restaurants and some restaurants that they treat the non-Latin customers better than their own. When are trying to do is support. Also when there's a big table they then forget about the small tables. Other than that the vibe music and drink was good. Food was very good too, just was cold like had been sitting ac for a long time. No wonder food took a while to come out read more

Don Pepe - 1/2 COMBO DON PEPE - Peruvian Near Me - Jamesburg, New Jersey

The food was really good and price was good to for portions we got the service was great place in nice and neat but the music was a bit loud for a Sunday afternoon read more

Holy crap, I can't believe this place is in tiny little Jamesburg. I wanted to treat my parents for a nice meal, and was mixed about this place but we figured we'd try Peruvian. The service was great, the free app generous (fried plantains and fried corn), and the food was amazing (we had the seafood paella, ceviche, and roasted veggies + fish). I was surprised to find this really good restaurant in such a small town. We'll definitely be back! read more

Don Pepe has been in my bookmarks for years and I finally got the chance to dine here and it did not disappoint. The decor when you walk in is dark with beautiful bright Peruvian paintings. It really shows off the artwork. We were seated by a bartender and I chose the Passionfruit sangria. It was a pretty drink and had the sweet sour passionfruit flavor. I enjoyed every sip. For our app we had the papa rellena. Great app to share. Mashed potato filled with a stewed beef. We both got salads with the lunch special. Nice fresh green salad. For my entree I had the pork chop. It came with a side of rice and French fries. I would say one of the starches should be swapped for a veggie. Everything was delicious but I felt super full right away. I am adding it to my short list for work lunches. Looking forward to going back. read more

Don Pepe - Chuleta - Peruvian Near Me - Jamesburg, New Jersey

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They advertise happy hour. Only seating was at bar. Hard to get anyone's attention. Beer tap hasn't working well here had to top off galas three times before serving. Hard to get anyone to talk with me about something to eat. The wings were average. read more

Just basic pizza. If your looking for a regular bar pixie basic pizza this fills the bill not bad just regular

We tried this restaurant twice and will not be going back because of our last experience. The first time we went the food was good. We ordered the shrimp and octopus ceviche which was very tasty. The second time we went my wife ordered the seafood ceviche mixta which she did not like and I ordered a fried fish which was dried out. Both times that we visited the place was very crowded and very noisy. Although it seems to be very popular with the local Hispanics I would not recommend this place. read more

Food was good, but the drinks were a bit overpriced. The main issue was the cold draft from the front door--every time it opened, a strong breeze came in and the food cooled quickly. Most people were eating with their jackets on. Staff mentioned this has been raised with ownership before. A simple entry enclosure, like many NYC restaurants use, would really improve the experience in winter. read more

Wish I could tell you if the food was any good. I tried calling ahead to place a pick up order. However, I would call and it would ring an infinite amount of times with no answer. I would call back and got a busy signal, call back and no answer. This went back and forth numerous times until I finally gave up. Walks-tay in Woodbridge is very good Peruvian food and they answer the phone. Al Toque in sometset is also good and they answer as well. read more

I've been to Don Pepe several times already as it's near my home town and it never disappoints. We usually get the causa de pollo as our appetizer and it's mouth watering. We typically get the whole chicken with rice and beans as our main dish the whole family. We've tried the lomo saltado and it's really delicious. The drinks are also great. I typically get the pisco sour, however, we've tried the sangria and caipirinha and they're really good. Most recently, we tried the chicken soup and it was a bit bland. The service is always great and the overall ambiance is nice as well. read more

Food is still good, however new management and service has improved. It appears that they are reading the review they changed some employees and they have shown that service and good food should be a good balance. Kudos to you on your improvements. read more

Ambiance: It was very welcoming and fancy, it made you feel at home. It was family oriented place that would be great for any group of people. Service: The service was good and the waiters were attentive to our needs. It was a busy night but they still checked on us. Food: The plantains and kernels they gave us were very tasty and worked well with the sauces. As an appetizer the fried hotdogs and breaded chicken over fries was excellent. The hotdogs and chicken were both he right texture while also having a savory and salty flavor that was perfectly balanced. The fries were good if you like steak fries and were cooked better than most restaurants. I ordered the Filet Mignon with yellow potatoes and sweet plantains. The Filet Mignon was perfectly cooked being crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The sweet plantains were also crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with the sweetness being a nice complement to the salty and savoriness of the steak. The yellow potatoes were savory but if they had a little more salt they would've been elevated from good to great, yet the steak and sweet plantains more than make up for this. There white sangria was good if you like a strong drink with some sweetness. read more

Had a reservation and they weren't able to find it. I been here several times , however, I don't like how I have been treated. I was with a friend and was asked to leave because I was there too long. I was there only 2 hours. They are not friendly at all. I don't want to spend my money in a restaurant that doesn't have any good customer service . read more

Lomo saltado-- if you love beef.. this is the meal to eat. Drooling as I write, lomo saltado is beef tenderloin gently sautéed to a beaming softness with slightly charred crisp and pink interior. Sweetened with onions, tomatoes and oyster-soy sauce-- this meal will melt in your mouth. Served with fries. So yummy. My girl got the seafood mix (mariscos) with ceviche and she can't have enough of it. But the portions are huge. Finally, my personal favorite, are the papa huancainas.. it's just a classic read more

Delicious food and plenty of it. Lively atmosphere with great paintings and music. (Music could be a little lower.) Friendly and accommodating waitstaff. Service was good. Loved the food and will go back. We'll have enough food left over for at least another dinner. Prices very reasonable. They get my recommendation. read more

Food was excellent. The Salsa music was entertaining. It was nice to know there was available parking...

I'm a big fan of Ceviche and this joint does multiple Peruvian styles that's excellent. Portions are pretty big. Their chicken has that distinct Peruvian taste...I love the dark meat. My only problem is their menu is too expansive, making it difficult to choose. This is why I always go for the same items. The last time I ordered from here, it was the seafood fried rice and I was very disappointed. Consistency is not something they strive for. read more

Chicken fried rice and the fried Yuka amazing must try the green sauce amazing overall amazing

Food was incredible. I have lived in monroe forever and have never tried Don Pepe's. I was blown away by the food, the service, the bar all were 5 star!!! The amount of food per plate will feed me for 2 more meal's definitely! read more

Don Pepe - Peruvian Near Me - Jamesburg, New Jersey

Great food and great big portions. Had the rotisserie chicken but there is so much on the menu to choose from. I will be back.

This spot is located on the main avenue with its own parking lot behind the restaurant. It has a good size bar to the left of the entrance with a mid size dining area setup with tables and chairs. Food ordered in restaurant did take time to prepare as it was made to order, one may choose to order take out or eat in. The servers were very attentive, organized and made sure the areas were cleaned and welcoming. We had arroz chaufa con vegetales (vegetable fried rice and tallarín de canario (shrimp with spaghetti). The food was large portions and very flavorful. Definitely will return. read more

Amazing Peruvian cuisine. The food tastes better when you dine in! They make great sangria. We did take out twice - Was not a pleasant experience. The Ahi sauce was too salty. read more

Very noisy. Our party of seven placed our order, but only six were delivered. The server said the seventh was coming. 15 minutes after everyone else had been served, I canceled my order. The server apologized, but that was insufficient. Won't be going back. read more

Have been going to this restaurant since it opened and loved it. Gigi the manager was amazing and very accodomating. When I recently went I found out she was not working there anymore and boom things changed. I ordered my food to find out that there are no substitutes. I wanted vegetables instead of french fries and was told they can't do that anymore. Are you kidding me! After a discussion they said they would accodomate me this time but no more. Are you kidding me again! The chicken breast I ordered was all dried out but the veggies were good. Bottom Line - I won't be going back anymore and highly suggest that you think twice before going because they will NOT substitute anything. BTW - this new rule came from the owner! NOT SMART!!!!! read more

We were beyond delighted with our lunch. Great service. Fresh, delicious chicken and sides. And really tasty sauces to kick everything up a notch. Plus the homemade tres leches cake topped it all off. read more

Service is okay, could be better. I told the waitress that my food was very salty, her response was "What a shame!" No further comment. Waiters could informe more about how food and drinks are served. We ordered lomo saltado and escabeche de pescado. Both very salty, especially the saltado. The atmosphere is fine. Bathrooms need cleaning. Be aware that you will be charge with "service charge" about 20% of total consumption. read more

let me start bu saying although the food was delicious the service was horrible! I ordered a pork chop never got a steak jnife. they beought us our food and never came back to ask if we needed anything or wanted anything else. when we finally got ohr check they added a 20% service charge to the bill whwn I asked why ??? they took it off the bill!! for these reasons I wont return to the restaurant! new management sucks!a d it was very cold in the restaurant!!! read more

Very glad I had to use the bathroom. My boyfriend and I were out for a surprise birthday trip for me today and were pleasantly surprised that the Dunkin didn't have open bathrooms because of Covid. We went into this place and were going to grab a piece of cake or an empanada. Ended up going with the empanada and boy was that an excellent choice. Excellent seasoned beef inside, plus a hidden hard boiled egg! Sauces were great as we're the roasted corn pieces (or whatever they actually are besides yummy!) read more

Don Pepe - Some sort of roasted salted corn pieces. Not like overcooked popcorn at all! Yummy! - Peruvian Near Me - Jamesburg, New Jersey

The food is very good. My friend had shrimp and he said it was the best shrimp dish he'd ever had. My husband had the lobster paella, it was excellent. Everything else was really high quality too. The one thing that was really bad was the ribeye. It was fatty and there was a lot of connective tissue, it was very hard to eat. The mashed potatoes that came with it were some of the best I've ever had. The vegetables were cooked very well. Not overcooked like mosy places do. The portions are really large. For two or three people don't get an appetizer. You will have enough to eat. We have been there twice, the first time had great service the second time it was really slow. The decor is very nice but not overly fancy. The servers have been very nice even the time they were slow. They did not rush us on either occasion. The menu is probably the biggest menu I've ever seen. We will go back but the next time I'm ordering chicken. read more