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    Pepper Lunch

    4.4 (35 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    Rob J.

    Dec '25 - Recommend: Yes, but sticker prices may surprise you. Presentation: 5/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Efficiency: 5/5 Customer Service: 5/5 Price: 3/5 Having lived in Tokyo for four years, this is a staple restaurant there! Doing it on par here, with what you would see overseas; critical to success... Upon walking in, we met Emily who graciously assisted us with perusing the very colorful, fully sized, digital touch menus; 2 stations are located right as you walk in. The store was justly cleaned, and decor was simple, appealing, light and spacious. We learned speaking with the brother of the owner that there are to be 10 franchises in total coming to the AZ territory and I can only hope they bring one to Tucson because this would be a hit!! Meal choices are accompanied by large, colorful pictures to help with your appetite! This place delivers various meals, all on a hot plate and side portions that come in a cute metal basket of sorts. I had the common Beef Pepper Rice with a side of Chicken Karagi. My daughter had the same but with chicken and a side of Kimchi. All was delish! The hot plate comes with a warning ribbon - warning you, as you should KNOW, that the cast iron plate is HOT. But alas, we are in America... The meals were quick and again, excellent customer service on top. The restaurant is located in an area that is close to ASU and will hopefully grow clientele quickly but getting support from ASU to share notification in surrounding restaurants/businesses, especially for the new students to know the area, is always a challenge so hopefully this review reaches out amongst the foodies in the area. In summary, it is a win for a restaurant but, unfortunately, the pricing for me is just too high... $50.00+ for two SIMPLE rice meals and two waters is absolutely not a winning combo. $50.00!!? I get it, it's around ASU but the pricing is just too high so I think they missed this out of the gate, and even coming down $4.00 on the meals would bring more in and repeatable customers. You don't even pay these prices in Japan. I would return, and will, but the pricing is more than I think people would want to pay, especially being around a college campus. Time will tell, but it was a nice visit and I wish them all the success as a new entry into the local area!

    Salmon rice.
    Jeff W.

    I was so excited when I heard Pepper Lunch opened in town as I loved it on my travels in China. Sadly what I got was this appetizer sized rice bowl for $15, no sizzling platter that literally makes Pepper lunch so good. You also lose a star for having mandatory automated ordering without passing on some of those savings to the customer. Do better.

    Junsheng X.

    I tend to like Pepper lunch as a Chain elsewhere, but not sure if the quality of the beef at this location didn't feel the same? Service was good and it's a nice area, but felt I got less beef than usual and they were less tasty than I remember. I'd still return when back in the area again, since it's nice to have the option around ASU campus

    JUMBO Beef Pepper Rice
    Alanis S.

    Food is a bit pricey but very tasty! The staff here was very friendly and the place was very clean. Food came out very quickly! I got a side of teriyaki sauce and it was the right amount of sweetness that the dish needed. They also offer a garlic soy and sweet brown sauce for free. Will be back!

    Beef Pepper Rice with Sliced Onions
    Audrey T.

    Super friendly staff. Interior was nice and not super overwhelming. ASU students get a discount. 2 stars from me due to the flavor, as it just wasn't there. The sauces didn't do much either. Maybe I will try it again and add different toppings, however, extra toppings are charged separately and are quite expensive for the amount you get. If you are craving pepper lunch, I would recommend trying some place else. At least for now.

    Anne N.

    Been waiting for Pepper Lunch to make its Arizona appearance! The restaurant is located on Mill near ASU campus, so parking can be difficult. The nearest parking garage is the Mill Ave one, but you have to pay. The restaurant itself is clean and a decent size. All employees I interacted with were so sweet and helpful. There are two screens for self-ordering and it's super easy to navigate. You've got choices of rice/protein, pasta, and curry rice. The bowls are pretty customizable. My favorite is the kimchi beef, which already comes with toppings such as corn and cheese. You can add additional toppings for an extra cost per topping. It does have a good kick, but the sweet brown sauce provided at the table helps mellow out the spice. I also really enjoyed the sweet potato fries--they have a nice crisp. The yuzu cheesecake was okay for me. The consistency wasn't really fluffy but more mousse-like imo.

    Christa M.

    I gave this place a try last night for dinner with my friends. We were quickly greeted as we walked in and the worker gave us a quick rundown of how it worked. I ordered a chicken and beef bowl and added mushrooms and onions as it already came with garlic, pepper, and corn. My total with a drink was $28. Toppings are added and are about $1.99 each. My food came out superr fast. I had just sat down when the worker was already bringing me my hot sizzling plate. I waited a few minutes for it to continue to sizzle and I then gave it a good mix. Everything cooked well and it smelled so good. I added the two sauces that were on the table for some extra flavor and asked for some hot sauce as well. I do wish they had soy sauce available as that would've made the bowl more flavorful. The staff was friendly and it was clean and well lit inside. Will be back!

    Hamburg sizzling currry
    Kat V.

    I came during the soft opening. The Hamburg with curry and onions is tasty. I need to go back to try other dishes. The hot sizzling plate can cook sliced onions quickly. The plate did not stay hot the whole time so no need to be worried. The rice is fluffy and tasty. I wish there are more vegetables. The two sauces (garlic soy and sweet brown) on the table are tasty additions to the meal. No spicy chili here.

    Chicken karaage
    Naomi N.

    I've been to the Vegas Pepper Lunch, so I was excited to try the one that opened up in Tempe at ASU! My family and I came for lunch and shared a regular beef Pepper Lunch as well as a side of chicken karaage. Major shoutout to the staff, who greeted us immediately upon entry and were very kind throughout the visit, asking us if we needed anything/were always willing to help. The facility was clean and I even saw the staff busy cleaning the glass windows, where you could see into the kitchen. First, the side of chicken karaage was actually one of the best I have had! It was $4.50 and came with around 5-6 pieces of perfectly fried chicken. The classic beef pepper lunch had beef that was pretty bland, but tasted better with the added sauces. I also liked the corn and rice seasoning. My only wish is that it came with a better, less fattier cut of meat as well as more meat. I suppose you can pay an extra $4 for the Jumbo version of the Beef Pepper Lunch for extra meat... Overall, a great place to eat. Just expect to pay for parking or shark for street parking since it is on campus and they do not have parking validation.

    Beef Pepper Rice
    Karla G.

    Food was surprisingly very yummy despite seeming so simple. To me it is a bit pricey considering it is just beef rice and corn, and each added topping is about $2 each. I do appreciate that it is tasty and filling. You order through a touch screen and can sit down inside to eat.

    Alex L.

    Been awaiting for Pepper Lunch to open up in the valley for a long time now and it's finally here. I first had it in California almost a decade ago along with Vegas and it hits every time. They're located on the ASU campus so expect paid garage parking and a walk. Open space and large seating is great for big parties and self order kiosk. I ordered my usual sliced beef with rice and it tasted as expected. *written during 1st day of soft opening, experiences may vary

    cream chicken with bacon (requested no mushrooms or onions)
    Betty J.

    I've been here a few times already & i've decided that the cream chicken noodle is probably my favorite. Would recommend to anyone looking for an alternative to the rice. The service has been surprisingly very good & consistent too each time i've come here. Only negative thing is parking but that's not really their fault. ASU is really dedicated to giving out parking tickets so don't park somewhere where you shouldn't be :( lol. You have the choice of the limited (but free) togo parking or the $4/hour parking structure.

    Francis C.

    Staff were so friendly here!! The guy at the counter even offered an ASU student discount before I asked. He was very informative as well. I've had pepper lunch a few times, and this holds up to be just as good as the other times! Highly recommend using a lot of sauce on the beef pepper rice. My friend said that the kimchi beef was amazing; she added an egg. The restaurant was PRISTINE and had a lot of seating available. Also, when I left the restaurant I forgot my wallet, and let me tell you, the server SPRINTED to me to give it back. Hot, fresh, and quick, highly recommend and I will be coming back soon.

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    6 months ago

    The food was so peak, the restaurant was calm and the lady at the cashier was so kind ! She also liked my bag. :)

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    5 months ago

    It was great I really like it vegetarian and it tasted so delicious. I will be back The lady was so nice to

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    8 months ago

    Excited Pepper Lunch is in AZ! Easy to order and pay from kiosk, quick and friendly service, and food was delicious.

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