the valèncian paella was delicious and it came out to be around 26 euros per person for a lot of food. the valencian salad was excellent. highly recommend but make sure you have a reservation. only negative was the crying babies in the restaurant but what can you do! read more

worst waiter in valencia. he was so rude to my partner and me. On my receipt, it says his name is: maría. We tried being nice to him from moment one but i suspect he didn't like English-speaking people. We could see he was polite & all smiles to other Spanish customers. But to us, he couldn't have given us the time of day. He was condescending, dismissive & brought the wrong entrée when I specifically asked for a fish paella; he insisted it had ONLY fish....with no calamari. but he brought us the seafood one which has nothing but shrimp and EXTRA calamari. if it was a kitchen mistake, that's fine. But it was his attitude that ruined the entire meal from start to finish! By this time, I was so done with his rude behavior we kept the wrong entrée. My partner, who speaks some Spanish, did his best to order everything in Spanish and I was polite, smiled, and tried my best to engage with him as our hotel highly recommended this restaurant. but there was nothing we could do to make this man even pretend he gave a damn about our table. I will never return to this restaurant and highly recommend that others seek out a restaurant along this stretch of beach in which their servers treat them better than this man. He was short, had slick back black hair, 40-ish and his attitude was as dark as his soul. never again. shame on him! read more

La Pepica - Does THIS look like "Fish" paella to you?!!! RUDE waiter brought wrong paella & could't have cared less. talking about YOU, María! - Spanish Near Me - Valencia, V

When I found out our cruise was going to stop in Valencia, Spain I knew that we had to have paella. I love paella, and to have it in the birthplace of the original paella was a dream come true. But how do we know where to get the best paella... Ask the best driver, of course. On our way into town I was able to strike up a conversation with our bus driver who, once I asked him about the best paella, immediately pointed us in the direction of La Pepica. It was a no-brainer once we got there. We had to order a very traditional recipe with a rabbit, of course. But before the payer came out, I had to try some of their oysters. Six raw oysters on the half shell... They were quite large at that... Were a fantastic way to start the meal. And once the paella arrived, we were not disappointed. I make paella at home. I just can't do it the way they do it here. In addition to being a fantastic place to have paella, this restaurant sits along a walkway that borders the beach and Mediterranean Sea. It was a picture perfect place to eat and have great food. read more

See all

Very disappointing experience. Waited two hours for the table, then another one hour for waiter to tell me they burned the paella and will remake it. I was one of 3 tables left. It arrived and was the wrong paella. What a waste of time. Waiter was nice but I was still charged for the wrong order!! Also, they still charged me the minimum 30 euro even though they "took the wine off Bill" the paella is 18 euro so overall, it is a tourist trap and a scam. read more

In Valencia, this stop should be added to your list of restaurants to try. With over 120 years of service and view of the beach, this was a great location for paella. Without reservations on Sunday evening, we were able to get table right away. Were ordered a couple traditional appetizers and the traditional paella for two. There was plenty of food with some left over. The service wasn't the quickest, after some time we had to flag down our waiter for drink refills. To wrap up dinner, we ordered the warm chocolate cake with orange mousse. Tasty! Make sure you give them a try. Enjoy! read more

La Pepica - Spanish Near Me - Valencia, V

See all

Wow! Great location, great wine and paella! Our expat friends who live in Valencia said it was the best in Valencia. Three styles of Bobal wine, rose, white and red. Get them all and try it. They have a unique bottle for the wine which is half the fun. They do a large amount of business but keep the attention to the table. We loved the paella, Valencia was the type we ordered. Yes, we will return. read more

See all

Upon our original order all was fine with 1st round of drinks then while awaiting second round of drinks took 25 minutes, with begging for it then our steak that wondered the floor on a cutting board for 14 minutes while the server was seeking for the carving knife...under ridiculousness! read more

La Pepica - Cold steak after it wondered around the room for 15 minutes - Spanish Near Me - Valencia, V

Great service, views of the beach and board walk, cocktails and food. What more can I say? We had cocktails, gambas, salad and Paella Valenciana. We will return next time we are visiting. read more

See all

Service was horrible. We came right when they opened on a Thursday night. Prawns were great. Paella was sub par. We had the traditional. I saw reviews but wanted to see for ourselves. On a good note it took 15 minutes to flag down our waiter to get wine but it was delicious! read more

See all

By far, the best place to eat. Must make reservations or plan on waiting for hours. The place is great and has been there since the late 1800's. Almost right on the beach. Service was amazing. Everyone helped each other out. Food was amazing!! Everything was delicious and I mean everything on the menu is delicious!!! You can't go wrong!!! Traditional place where the locals go!! Highly recommend!!! Not sure why it has low ratings on Yelp! read more

The paella was soo huge it's was good portion however the fishy taste was just too much for me. read more

La Pepica - Seafood paella - Spanish Near Me - Valencia, V

Probably most overrated place I've been to. Famous paella was average, but a couple side dishes were not bad. Service was pretty good, but a place 125 years old with famous paella? Pass read more

Great view by the sea. Great paella, great fideua. Serving sizes are generous, and tastes are fairly balanced - aromatic and not too greasy. read more

See all

I cannot believe I just had my worst Paella of my life in the top Paella place in Valencia! The food was really bad! Rice was undercooked and tasteless I wish I could give this place a Zero star because not only food was bad but service was even worst!!!! They literally forced me to delete my photos from the place and were so rude! I never felt such violated in Spain! The lady at the door was so arrogant The ambience was OK but the same as any other restaurant around here! This place is extremely overrated. read more

La Pepica - Menu - Spanish Near Me - Valencia, V

in regards to service the other reviews are entirely correct. its super slow at best. line to host stand to tell them you have a reservation (at all times of day). we ordered the patatas bravas & bread while we waited for our seafood paella. they never brought the bread however it was on the check TWICE. considering it took an hour from when we finished eating to when we finally got the check we didnt even bother with asking to take off the never received bread. the patatas are good. served with mayo & a sweet chili sauce which is diff but good! seafood paella was good but not worth the price/experience. glad i tried it but wont be coming back. read more

See all

Upon first impression, I really enjoyed witnessing the works and behind the scenes of what a large paella kitchen looks like. The open kitchen concept by the beach was something I've never quite seen and it was impressive observing how the chefs and servers were able to work despite the scorching heat of the kitchen as well as the summer heat. Additionally, I found the collection of famous bullfighters and other celebrities really impressive. Food wise, we tried the de-shelled paella and it was delicious. The little bits of fish were so tender and flavorful. There wasn't much of a crunchy rice component but it was still so good. Other than that, we got a pitcher of sangria because it was hot and a very strong and delightful cafe con leche to finish the meal. The customer service was kind of a miss given how that they were extremely busy. Otherwise, I highly recommend stopping here if you're visiting--it's clear this is a place the locals trust to offer authentic paella. read more

See all

Not unpleasant. This is one of the most famous traditional restaurants of Valencia. It dates back to 1898. Hemingway ate there often, loved it, and wrote about it. The walls show visits from bullfighters and kings. La Pepica is on the beach. It is the very first establishment you find on the beach - after the Hotel Neptune. This is not unlike being on Mediterranean Avenue if you are playing Monopoly. (Hotel Neptune would be GO.) The place gets tourists - and Spaniards - in large numbers. It is not a tourist trap. It is a lazy historic institution resting on its laurels. * * * You can see what is going on if you compare its "historic" paellas with newer versions. The new dishes are not as carefully thought out as the old. In most of the world, paella is a disappointing dish. I have never seen why people make a fuss over it. We ordered a paella de verduras - which was just okay. Paella is a "cook-this-all-at-once" dish. So cooking times are essential - both to getting a crust and for each of the ingredients being cooked just to the peak point of taste. This is legitimately hard to do, which is why a lot of paellas fail. At the other tables, where people were eating traditional paellas a) all of the shellfish had shells on it. Most had very big very large shells. This is a key flavoring ingredient. b) every item was of a standard size. All through the room, the chicken thighs were exactly the same size. All through the room, the lobsters were exactly the same size. So the cook knows exactly when to add what and how long each item had to cook. Thus everything will be perfectly done at the moment the rice is just starting to burn, which is when you want to take the paella off the fire. * Our veggie paella had veggies cut at different sizes. The sizes were utterly inconsistent with good cooking times. We got no shell flavor. We got no protein flavor. The cooking time was absolutely perfect for our mushrooms. Everything else was ho hum. The paella rice had a good burn and was better than the paellas I get in the States. But, there was no big treat here. I think however, had I gone traditional - and particularly if I had gone heavy duty lobster - Things would have been much better. * * * Non-paella got better attention. I had what was called a bouillabaisse soup that was nothing like the Marseilles version. It was flavored heavily with saffron. In the U.S., saffron is expensive yellow paint. It does nothing. This was a bona fide saffron soup. I could see for once in my life what saffron is trying to do. The seafood was all cut into identical sized pieces. Everything was at the perfect stage of doneness when it came to my table. This is a kitchen that can really cook when it wants to. * * * The salad that came before was 40% really wonderful. Tomatoes were supermarket tomatoes and lettuce was supermarket lettuce. Tuna was out of the supermarket can. But the salad had amazing olives, and amazing huge capers with the stems on them. I have had lots of olives on this trip but these were stand up and take notice special. The restaurant stinted on the cheap ingredients - And loaded our salad up with the more expensive rare ingredients - Just the opposite of what a tourist rip-off joint does. Even if they get a deal on olives and capers in bulk, We were getting a salad with elements of distinction. Elements. Not the totality. * * * Dessert was another "touch of greatness" but only a touch. We had Valencia oranges, sliced with honey and cinnamon on top. It makes sense to eat Valencia oranges in Valencia. These were absolutely superior oranges. Honey and cinnamon were dumped on randomly. A more thoughtful tasting would have produced a better mix. * * * Coffee was absolutely superior. * * * You see the deal. Touches of greatness. Touches of coasting. A not unpleasant place. There is better in Valencia. read more

Well, this place was our favorite for my family. I used to come with my grandparents and my parents . Yesterday, we went for lunch . 5 of us. We ordered Paella Valenciana and Paella Pepica( seafood) and terrible! hardly any green beans, hardly any meat and the rice was Raw! the Seafood same of the same. No bread was offered even!!! Definitely, we will not come back ... all our memories were shattered! Please , make the Regional Dish better. ! read more

La Pepica is unfortunately a tourist trap now. Playing off the lore of their age and a favorite of Hemingway to then turnaround and serve frozen calamari and bland paella. Had high standards and every dish outside of the croquettes and grilled shrimp were beyond tasteless. read more

See all

Paella originates from the city of Valencia, and it may come as a surprise that the original Paella Valenciana doesn't come with seafood! Rather, this rice dish is cooked in a saffron and seafood broth along with chicken drumsticks, rabbit, and two types of beans. La Pepica, a spacious, historic restaurant located right by the beach (and visited by Ernest Hemingway), was a great place to try out this original paella, which was made to order in about 30 minutes. Along with the deeply flavorful paella, we also got the Ensalada Valenciana, a simple salad made of lettuce, tomatoes, shredded carrots, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and tuna. There was nothing spectacular about the salad, but the greens made for a nice side to go along with the heavier flavors of the paella. In addition to the tasty food, the army of old-school, uniformed waiters here were quick and attentive, and the historic dining room was definitely atmospheric. read more

See all

I really wanted to try paella while I was in Valencia, but since I am traveling with my sister who doesn't want to try traditional paella I had to find a place that sells vegetable paella (the idea of eating rabbit is too much). This restaurant offers vegetarian friendly paella so it is perfect. The paella was good, it is a little salty but very enjoyable. We also got desserts. I recommend the torta de mango. We also got drinks to go with our dinner, which I recommend. Make a reservation on the website beforehand to easily get a table. read more

See all

An insult to the birthplace of Paella. Flavor profile of a TV dinner. Dry meats, mushy vegetables apathetic service, all at a premium price.

Excelente paella de setas y pato, le recomiendo a los que gustan de paellas y en mi familia somos fanáticos, mi tío Ralph dice la de su mujer es la mejor pero yo después de probar esta lo pongo en duda ... los cubanos de Miami read more

Supposedly the birthplace of the Paella, it's not worth the hype. It's salty and quite flavorless imo. I've had much better versions of this dish. If you've only had bland food all your life, this paella might impress you. Not me. Will I ever visit this place again. The answer is "NO". I wouldn't recommend it too. read more

We got mussels and two paellas. The mussels were nice and fresh and I recommend the paella Valenciana. read more

See all

I ordered the Paella de langosta. Pretty good stuff. A little salty. Good view. Decent price. read more

La Pepica - Spanish Near Me - Valencia, V

Be very careful at this restaurant you may get charged more than you asked for. We just had ro pay 60 euro more then we expected. We ordered meat that was 60 euro for 2 people and they came with 2 very big pieces of meat. We then indicated that we ordered 1 forn2 people and it was indicated that it was for 2 people. Each piece of meat was eaten only half as it was too much and then when the bill came they said we had ordered 2 so we had to pay 120 instead of 60. We went to claim this and the waitress said she made a mistake and even then the manager did not want to give us our money back. Very disrespectful. I would not recommend this place. Too bad out expectations were high. read more

Service is spotty if any at all. Line to get in is long and crowded even with reservations. Food is a average at best. I am not sure why it is popular other than the location. Atmosphere is extremely loud. I would look elsewhere for a good dining experience. There are better choices in the beach. read more

This place specializes in crappy burned rice with tiny, cheap crumbs of some kind of " seafood " There was a Burger King nearby and I wish I had gone there. Pepica is some kind of paella place. I hate to say, but eating from a trash can sounds tastier. The service is rude, maybe racist, as my wife is Asian, and they were worse than rude to her. She is better natured than me, as I would have left the place. Save time and euros. Avoid pepica. read more

Worst service I have ever had in my entire life. We sat 5 people at a round table and after we finished eating the waitress piled up ALL the dirty dishes in a paella dish and left them there for at least 1/2 before I complained. Food just ok. Ambience = meh! Tourist trap! read more

This place they brag they are the best for paellas and that they have years since they opened . The paella is only rice very little seafood in general very disappointed . I thought this was going to be a very good dinner but it was the worst experience ever . DO NOT COME !! read more

La Pepica - Sea food paella the worst - Spanish Near Me - Valencia, V

Bummer, after hotel clerk recommended but noted it didn't open until 8:00 pm, I walked by at 7:00 pm and asked the host, he said they would open at 7:30 pm and I wouldn't need a reservation for inside. I returned a little after 7:30 pm, but a different host said they wouldn't seat a party of 1, each table had a 2 person minimum. The previous host said I was welcome to come back and didn't mention the '2 person' rule. They asked who that previous host was, but I didn't have a name. So, they wouldn't seat me. read more

Didn't even make it to dinner. Sat down after a 30 min cab ride from Valencia proper, my teenage kids asked why the tablecloth was dirty. It was legitimately dirty, black streaks across the surface. I joked it was a squid ink cloth. We sat for a half hour before a server arrived, then waited another 15 minutes before we got waters and a couple of beers to the table. We were excited to try the original paella and also the lobster paella. The menu said it was a minimum of two people per paella. We thought we could order two different ones for the four of us. There is fine print on the online menu saying only one paella per table (I'd encourage you to try and find it), so not holding this against them, but we couldn't get two paella dishes to the same table. We couldn't even order any other dish with rice, because apparently that is the interpretation of the owners who were only there by virtue of their ancestors success. The restaurant feels like a sad banquet hall, with no disrespect to the banquet halls as they aren't out traipsing as a fine dining establishment. An all around terrible experience, and again, thankful we didn't make it past the waters. read more

I had a fun morning at the beach and have been looking forward to having lunch at La Pepica. They were supposed to open by 1pm so I was there but the doors were still closed. The chef was still taking a smoke break. I'm on vacation...in Valencia...on a beach - so no worries since the best paella in the world comes from Valencia. This was one of Hemingway's favorite restaurants. Sure enough I was the first diner of the day and one of the servers was singing to me as he was opening the door to let me in. It smelled delicious already as soon as I walked in. Every single person that works here is very friendly. My server was great! I had a table with a very nice view of the beach. They'll give you some bread and a cup of garlic butter. It was very garlicky and I loved it. I got a pitcher of Sangria and paella. It had shrimps, langoustine and chicken. It was well-seasoned, flavorful and wasn't too fishy. Delicious! Make sure you scrape the burnt rice at the bottom for some crispy goodness. It was one of my favorite meals while I was in Spain. Also, the bathroom was clean. You'll see pictures and newspaper articles of Hemingway and other important people all over the restaurant. read more

See all

After multiple disappointments tasting Paella at an assortment of touted restaurants in Valencia central, we decided to taxi out to the Marina to try the version at La Pepica. I pre-empted our visit by ordering Paella Negro, made with squid ink, ahead of our luncheon. The decor is old school Valencia in the cavernous space, but with a pleasant view of the beach. The Matre D acknowledged our reservation and graciously sat us at a nice table with view of the Mediterranean. Surrounded by local families all speaking Spanish, we were encouraged after reading that La Pepica might be a tourist trap. This was no tourist trap on a December 31st afternoon. It was fun watching Valencians of all ages celebrate the impending new year. After perusing the extensive menu in English, we ordered a white Ribera, salads and awaited the quintessential black pan of Paella. After a short wait, the Paella arrived with a flourish and we dove into the best Paella ever. I asked for the bill, and for approximately $70 for two including wine, salad, dessert and bread, paid with a smile. As we left, the charming Matre D thanked us for coming. Arm and arm, we strolled down the beach's promenade knowing we had experienced a taste of authentic Valencia. read more

La Pepica - Spanish Near Me - Valencia, V

Food: 4.0/5.0 Service: 2.0/5.0 Value: 3.0/5.0 Decor: 3.0/5.0 Overall: 3.5/5.0 I am kind of shocked that Pepica's average rating as of June 2016 is only 3.5 stars. Glancing at past bad reviews, my [admittedly arbitrary] guess is that those reviewers either caught the restaurants on really bad days, showed up completely uneducated about what to order/expect, or are literally talking about a different restaurant/making sh*t up as some other reviewers accused. First, there are usually 1-2 waiters who speak some amount of English, so yes you'll have trouble getting access to them if the restaurant is really busy (which unfortunately it constantly is outside of perhaps opening time). You're in Spain - you need to some serious inner reflection time if you think staff members' fluency of a non-local language should be key to your assessment of a restaurant. Second, the menu literally comes in 10 different languages. Order a starter or two and the paella marinera (seafood paella)... which is technically seafood rice and not a paella per se for you nit pickers. The stuff is also supposed to be a bit salty - get over it. The paella was quite good, but the quantity left a bit to be desired. We were a hungry group of four and felt like a pan for four contained a bit less than two pans for two -- we could have just tried two different paellas instead. Pepica feels like it could totally be tourist trappy, as it sits right on the beach and passersby will stop to glance at an open menu on the boardwalk. But a tourist trap this is not. A reservation is going to be important especially during peak times. The website asks you to book two days ahead, though I was able to book the day before by calling. read more

See all

We try to stay away from tourist trap like places, such as restaurants on the beach front, as most of them tend to be disappointing. La Pepica did not disappoint. We entered from the street side, and to get to the dining hall, you see huge pans of paella being made. The aroma of the food put us in a spell and we couldn't wait to feed our stomachs. We visited on a Sunday for lunch, which locals tell us is the traditional day to feast on this delight. It was only 1pm (opening time) and many of the patrons who had lined up already had reservations in the coveted areas outside overlooking the beachside. We didnt call ahead, but we were seated promptly and without hesitation. The menu offers a variety of seafood, but the prime star is the paella. They offer the traditional Valencia paella which consists of chicken and rabbit as well as other versions. We opted for the Paella pepica and as a recommendation from a local friend that we had, we asked for the bottom to be a little burnt. For starters, We ordered the mussels that were bathed in a lemon sauce that tasted wonderful with the toasted garlic bread. Paella can take anywhere from 30-40 min to prepare, so patience is key. The paella was so flavorful and the slightly burnt part of the bottom Of the pan was our favorite! It added more flavor. We were too full for any dessert but our dining experience here was fabulous. The inside decor is nice and this place is said to be about a century old. Look around at the various pictures posted as well as one of the walls dedicated to Ernest Hemingway, who is said to have come here quite I was skeptical of coming here because the reviews were very mixed, but I am glad we did. Our Service and food were amazing. Definitely recommend if you are in the beach area and wanting to try paella. read more

See all

great food. line to get seated with a reservation. only one host. chaos as far as service goes so that disappointed. ambiance is very big and bright, high ceilings. read more

Items Selected: Toasted Bread with Tomatoes and Garlic Butter Jamon de Iberico Croquettas Paella Pepica with Shrimp, Mussels, Squid, Octopus and Cod Apple Pudding Cake with Sherry and Raisins Turron with Espresso Sauce, Whipped Cream and Raisin Known as the birthplace of Paella, every local or tourist in the region seemingly with an opinion regarding which Restaurant serves the best pan of Rice in town, it seemed only appropriate that even as a solo diner the dish should be sought out during a brief stay in Valencia, the hotel's concierge well-utilized in making a reservation nearly a month in advance for a sought after table on the outdoor patio of La Pepicia. Favored by the likes of royals, writers and artists for both the location as well as the history, a sprawling space of more than 400 seats looking onto Playa Malvarrosa since 1898, La Pepica serves diners from 13h00 until 17h00 seven days a week with dinner service added on Fridays and Saturdays, parking near Paseo Neptuno limited thanks to beach access and nearby competition, though an underground garage about two-hundred meters inland is available for just under €3.50/hr. Sprawling in its layout with servers buzzing about, patrons arriving from the beach frequently walk-ins and thus relegated to an indoor seat beneath sky-blue walls, old photographs and tile murals, those with the foresight to book in advance will typically approach La Pepica from the opposite side where doors are flanked by a bar adjacent the enormous open kitchen, more than a dozen cooks maneuvering pans of various sizes filled with no less than a dozen combinations of Saffron, Starch, Protein and Produce. No doubt a tourist-friendly sort of place, at least a quarter of the diners plainly heard speaking English to bow-tied waiters who are fluent, it is after seating that guests are invited to peruse a sizable carte of Starters, Entrees and Desserts in addition to the restaurant's signature, the €28.50 per person Tasting Menu a perfect choice with Bread, one Appetizer, one Dessert plus a pan of Rice typically meant for two easily accommodated for even single diners. Said to have adapted much of its menu based on the likes and dislikes of famous guests of the past, the eponymous Paella of peeled Seafood originally created as an alternative to tradition in order to prevent the rice from becoming "dirty," it was with a basket of toasted Bread paired to crushed Tomatoes and Garlic Aioli that the meal began, a follow-up of eight Croquettas filled with Bechamel and Iberico initially raising eyebrows as relates to portion sizes, though the crispy exterior and creamy insides quickly saw them made short work of as sounds of the tide rumbled in the distance. Arriving shortly after the restaurant's opening, the space subsequently filling to capacity over the course of perhaps 45-mintues, it was just past 13h35 that the first Paella emerged from the kitchen followed by a second, the third landing on a two top and nearly filling it to capacity with steam still rising and edges still sizzling, the first spoonful going from center to edge collecting Shrimp, Fish and Squid plus a generous bit of the crisp and salty Socarrat. No doubt a lot of food, the minimum portion for two still offered as a matter of feasibility despite only being charged for one tasting, it was with good speed that nearly all of the tender rice was enjoyed with a focus on the edges and fresh chunks of Seafood, a few spoonfuls sent back in order to preserve stomach capacity for later, though the two-sided Dessert card immediately rendered that idea moot, the more expensive Turron Sundae with Espresso Sauce, Whipped Cream and Raisin texturally wonderful and counted as part of the tasting with a €4.95 wedge of Apple Bread Pudding added on proving equally compelling beneath a warm sauce of Butter and reduced Sherry. read more

See all

This was a terrible restaurant - the whole experience. We were immediately asked what we wanted to drink, just as we were opening the menu. After giving the wide-eyed shrug you'd give to any unknowable answer, our waiter disappeared ... for a long time. We finally got his attention and ordered our drinks. There followed a long wait to order our food, which was apparently to prepare us for the rest. Long story short, we waited an hour and 45 minutes to receive an extremely salty, merely warm and not at all satisfying paella. I started feeling angry toward the waiter, but then started feeling sorry for him. He was constantly racing back and forth between the tables and the kitchen, which was far across this massive restaurant. I often saw him speaking intently to someone who seemed to be a manager. The couple next to us sent their food back after a tense conversation with the two of them. It just seemed like maybe the whole place was in crisis. The best moment was when we managed to get out the door. Ugh. read more