Just okay - every time, overtime.
We have lived very close to Mr. Pepe's for years and have given it a shot a few times, due to convenience usually. The food is fine, I'd call it more "okay" than "delicious". Last time the carnitas were not anywhere near the tender, juicy carnitas I'm used to trying at most any other restaurant and the general impression on all the other parts of our meal were similarly, just "okay". The place itself is nice enough, it's always clean. I've never had any sort of a cheerful or even smiling server, it's always more a basic "What can we get you...". The food runners tend to be very friendly and energetic however so it might be a much better idea to alternate those guys with the waitresses to at least give folks a sense of "Nice to see you. We're glad you're here." which is something missing from this more recent and all previous experiences. It must be a culture thing if no one's smiling and the customer-facing staff aren't outwardly friendly. Value for money is also just "okay", though with a little more scrutiny it's also easy to think the menu is a little over-priced if you consider the "meh" flavors and overall experience.
In the end, if you're hungry, they feed you. If you're looking for something delicious, I'd suggest you keep looking... read more