The food was good, but the "nachos" were not what I expected at all. The beans, rice, and accessories were put into a bowl with guacamole and cheese, but the chips were in a brown bag separately. It was bizarre and messy and nothing I had ever seen before. The cheesesteak sandwich was pretty good and the burrito was good too. read more

Well this will be 2 nights in a row of ordering from here. We have not ordered the Philly. We had a bowl, the steak had the best flavor, better than anything I've ordered at Pancheros. Ordering pick up, the service is what you'd usually expect. The app is awful. read more

Stopped in on a Saturday around 12:30 and just beat a moderate rush of customers. Our food was prepared quickly and was tasty. The employees were doing all they could to keep things moving, but there were only 2 of them, which I'm guessing is the result of the current labor shortage. Even with that, they were keeping up OK. There were plenty of tables available in the dining room, with small stacks from previous diners still on the table (they clear for you), so not really a problem. Our food was very hot and fresh, and they add seasoning that is very tasty. I'd just had a similar sandwich a few days prior at a full-service bar, and this one was leaps and bounds better. read more

food was good worker was a bitch for no reason i was being polite saying thank you and such and all i got back was attitude

we had a great experiance the maneger was amazing and the person who checked us out was great shout out to Brittany and Tommy

Looking for something different and found this place but was disappointed. Burgers were recommended and sounded great from the menu but were not as advertised and way overcooked unless you like hockey pucks for dinner. read more

Better than Subway, but nowhere near authentic cheese steak. The first time I went there I had no idea that the spices they put on the meat would be so overpowering. It's as if they decided to serve salt on a bun. Just horrible to the point where I didn't ever want to go back. But I did, because I thought the sandwich could be something better. Second visit, requested NO SPICE - BUN NOT TOASTED - CHEESE ON MEAT PRIOR TO FINISHING COOKING - and DON'T COOK IT SOOOOOOO LONG. I firmly believe this is the only way to get a "near-ish" authentic cheese steak (but the bread - yuck - whole other story) as you would from Philadelphia. Tried the fries - eh - thick cut, again, a bit salty. Fries really don't go with cheese steaks in my opinion. So best to just do the sandwich. I mean if you have had authentic cheese steaks from the east coast (Philly, Jersey, NY) then you know how difficult it is to duplicate that experience. Try as they might, Pepper Jax Grill doesn't quite hit the mark. Does it work for Iowa? Sure. But just like taking a Mexican to Carlos O'Kelly, an east coast cheese steak loving American would find many flaws in Pepper Jax Grill. read more

I've been long awaiting the opening of PepperJax Grill in cedar falls. I can't say I was overblown by the food. I'm left feeling full but not like "that was amazing". This location opened not even a week ago. They were still really busy for it being 9 pm. The restaurant itself was pretty cool. There were really old 1920s and 30s sports team photos on the wall and when I read the caption under the photos and they are vintage photos of university of northern iowa sports. Great way to connect with the community. There were several employees on the cooking line. One slicing buns and prepping meat, a second taking the orders and putting the veggies and meat on the grill, a third working the meat on the grill, a fourth assembling the sandwiches, a fifth and a sixth adding condiments and finishes and a seventh working the register. It became increasingly inefficient when they had to keep repeating and verifying the order with me to every employee down the line. I was only second in line to order when I walked up. But the guy ahead of me was taking out several orders and held up the line for awhile. They cook all the meat to order and only put out the ingredients for one sandwich on the grill at a time. Seems really slow. I ordered two steak phillies, loaded steak nachos and an order of fries. It came to $25. The phillies were really large. The meat is fried up with onions, peppers, jalapeños and mushrooms unless you specify differently. It's highly spiced with a spice that reminds me of lowelrys seasoning. The bread was really good and the sandwich and veggies were okay. But I kept wishing there was more cheese. They melted cheese slices on the meat but doesn't a phillie normally have a cheese sauce. You could add queso to it if you wanted but the queso was just like tostitos queso from a jar. The meat was tender but really salty. The loaded nachos were topped with the same meat and veggies that a sandwich has on it and the queso. They do have rice and beans and salsa as well. They also have a sauce bar. It had au jus, a mushroom sauce, some salad dressings and a couple other sauces. I tried the mushroom sauce, tasted like gravy. The service wasn't terrible the cashier was very friendly. I just was let down by the food. There was so much hype. It's supposed to be the best phillie in America. I haven't eaten many phillies but I bet that could be proved wrong. I will probably go again. But I'm going to try something else. They do have burritos and bowls but I can get that at pancheros and I like their queso better. I may try the chicken phillie. I hate to give them a three star, I really wanted to love them and I'm sad I didn't. UPDATE: I tried it again tonight as my husband enjoys pepperjax. The service was again very disorganized. Not sure who was in charge. I got the chicken phillie sandwich. Again dry and really salty. I want to love this place but it's just not happening. They raised their prices too. There are replacement stickers over all the menu prices. It was $34 for two sandwiches, two fries, a rice bowl and chips and queso. My son got a shrimp bowl. Five tiny shrimp and a few veggies on a huge bowl of rice. All for $7.59. Crappy deal. read more

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Today was my 3rd time visiting this restaurant since it has opened its doors, so I feel I have a good grasp on what it's about. Immediately upon arrival you notice it is set up similar to subway, in the sense of the assembly line and what not. PepperJacks is unlike any restaurant of this style in the area. They are known for their Philly sandwiches but also have burritos, rice bowls, and salads. Each time I have been here I have had the Philly and I have liked it each visit! The ingredients tasted great and the meat was cooked to my liking. I truly believe they have the best meat sandwiches in town. I did order a side of fries the first time and they were rather soggy. My next visits I just stuck to the sandwich only. I haven't ordered a burrito because there are many other great burrito joints around and why not get a Philly if I'm here! Side note- They cook your meat as you order it, also adding vegetables and whatever you like. Many people have complained about it being slow. Personally I would rather wait a few minutes longer and have just cooked meat and vegetables rather than having them thrown on from sitting in a steam table for hours. The restaurant is very neat inside. The walls are lined with photos of Cedar Falls related things from the mid 1950's. A nice added touch to relate to our town. They also pick up all your garbage from your tables and do not have trash cans in the dining area. I like the concept, but a small garbage can somewhere would be nice to throw other things away. I'm happy PepperJacks has made it over here to Cedar Falls. I'm giving it a 4/5 because they certainly could make a few improvements/nor was I blown away. The Philly is definitely the item to get here! If you're craving a Philly and can't make it out to Philadelphia for lunch, I would certainly give it a try! read more

PepperJax Grill - Philly Steak w/green pepper and onion - Sandwiches Near Me - Cedar Falls, Iowa

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I'd stopped in before with a buddy but didn't actually get anything. I made sure to order something this time! The Philly cheesesteak certainly exceeded my expectations: I was especially impressed with the cheese. It didn't look like much, and I came in with the initial intention of doing the queso sauce, but they were quick to attend to my request of cooking the cheese in with the steak. This ensured that it was nice and warm and melted; this was one of my better ideas. It waved me 1.29 for queso, and the flavor of the cheese was excellent. The jalapeño juice added a nice kick too! Beware, they bus your table for you, which is convenient. But, since I set my water bottle down upon entering to ensure a spot, they took my bottle away, assuming I was done. However, they brought me a new water bottle quickly upon request. I thought this place provided good, quick service, and they deliver a great product. I can't do overlooked meat, and I felt it came pretty tender. 5 star review for sure. Service was quick, and read more

PepperJax Grill - Philly cheesesteak with cheese cooked in (requested) and a side of au jus sauce - Sandwiches Near Me - Cedar Falls, Iowa

I really enjoyed the whole experience. It's all cooked to order as you walk through the line, think Panchero's except they cook their meat and vegetables fresh as you walk through, but same basic setup. The quality and value were certainly present. I dined with two other people who enjoyed what they ordered. We will definitely return. read more

PepperJax Grill - Sandwiches Near Me - Cedar Falls, Iowa

I do believe this is the best steak sandwich in the area... then again this is Waterloo and there is not much selection. The setup is a Subway /Pita Pit type ordering line. You order what you want and request toppings as you move down the line.. I've started to ask for the cheese melted in and cooked with my steak, for a more authentic Philly taste. I do wish they had hoagie options and could add mayonaise, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles more coveniently. They do not carry pickles. They have mayo in the sauce bar, but it is difficult to do the squeeze mayo once your bread is loaded with toppings. Also, they are not very well setup for take out. They do not have to go mayo or ketchup packets, nor a single trash can available. I want to be able to throw my straw wrapper away if I am getting take out. Or be able to throw my old starbucks cup upon arrival. I would recommend you try Pepper Jax if you are craving a steak sandwich. read more

PepperJax Grill - Sandwiches Near Me - Cedar Falls, Iowa

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Just finished a very late lunch, I was the only guy in there, and there was some old reviews. I was expecting over seasoned/salty food, which I don't eat any longer. However, it was not too much, and I could have asked for less seasoning as well. The philly I got with peppers, onions, and mushrooms was excellent. I don't like the bread getting soggy at the end of the sandwich, but to get the same juicy taste you cant avoid it. Just have to eat faster! I got queso and chips, which was pretty good, but I was surprised the hot salsa I got was really good as well, though it wasn't really hot. I'll definitely be back. read more

When I got here Zak was in the back blowing and picking his nose. He did NOT wash his hands, then proceeded to make a chicken rice bowl and sneezed five times whilst doing so. He politely turned his head, but the snot rocket hanging out of his nose which he then wiped on his shirt was enough to ensure I didn't eat my meal. Guess as soon as I leave here it's off to get dinner. Call in sick if you're sick, dude. That is nasty. read more

We arrived 10 minutes after they opened and the place was not clean by any standards. Floors were greasy, tables were not clean, carpet had food and trash. The barrier at the grill had a layer of grease. Had we not already put our orders in, we'd have left. I'm not entirely sure where the concept of cleaning at closing time the night prior went, but the lack of everything is at an all time high. Do better to keep a business running people! read more

Tried their Philly Cheesesteak, which is supposedly their big item. The portion size was extremely small for the price, and the meat was dry as if it had been sitting out all day. Staff was friendly, but definitely not enough to substitute the quality of the food. read more

Our teenage son recommended this place to us when it first opened. One word- slop. If you don't like philly cheese steaks it might not be the place for you. The things we ordered were just mushy & had a whole bunch of sloppy crap poured over it. I ordered nachos &'they were just nasty. The staff was friendly enough & fast so that's why I gave a 2 instead of a 1 read more

Looking for a great Philly this is the place. A little messy and the potential for the sandwich to fall apart its high. Hasn't happened yet but once you pick up the Philly you don't really put it back down because of this. Rice bowls and burritos are not that great but the nachos are pretty good. read more

PepperJax Grill - Nachos! - Sandwiches Near Me - Cedar Falls, Iowa

Tasty enough for fast food. The sandwiches are good sized and will fill most anyone up. It is a good Philly for the area. The meat is seasoned as it is put on the grill. The fries have the same seasoning put in them and where nice and hot when I got them. They aren't the thin type, so they were a bit softer than your standard fast food restaurant. This place is a bit more expensive than most fast food. The portions are a bit bigger than most fast food. The seating area has been nice and clean the times I have been there. read more

The best burrito bowls in town!!! Can't go wrong with the chips & queso either! Staff is always in the best mood with smiles on their faces.

So today was my first day going here, and I was absolutely blown out the water! The food was delicious the fries were good too, loved the ranch. The guy who was helping us used to work at panch and he's super cool and he laughed at our jokes and was very very nice.! Definitely will be eating here again read more

There was a huge line at Subway, so we went here. The place was empty. Order at the counter. They were fast and it was good. All 9 of us were happy. Way better than Subway. It's my new favorite in Cedar Falls. read more

Friendly staff, clean nice environment, the food was good and decently priced, I would definitely go back!

So, our second time here (the first was opening week) for a Saturday around 8:00 I was surprised at the lack of customers, only two tables seated. I ordered a Philly cheese (gunnar & fireball) of course. She had the steak burrito. The food was good, more then ample servings for the price paid (very good dollar to bite ratio) What I found more problematic were the "signature sauces", which we had figured out to be Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce, Heinz 57, and A-1 steak sauce. A couple other bothersome issues included our beers (Corona) being served to us with the caps still on (first: not a twist off; second:if you are serving bottled beer, open the beer before giving it to the customer, some bottles are not twist off. All told, I'll go back again. The food is good, I just hope, judging on the lack of business this evening, I'll have the chance. read more

GREAT service and food! We stopped by for our first time at any Pepperjax. I asked for a veggie sandwich and they immediately offered to clean the grill for me-SUCH a treat to not have to ask and feel annoying. We grabbed a to-go burrito for ultra-picky son and he loved it! We will be back!!! read more

The Philly sandwich was ok. It is different than what other restaurants offer. Nice to have something that other places don't offer. But nothing too exciting. The rest of the people in my party didn't think much of the rice bowls or burritos. read more

I have eaten here twice now. My boyfriend loves it and comes once a week with work buddies. I have enjoyed the shrimp rice bowl but I feel they need some work in their service. The staff are nasty to each other and could really use some people skills. The last time we were in there were too many people working the line. This time when we came in there was one guy and he was sarcastically saying our order to himself because there was no other staff out there to help him. read more

The food here is over priced and terrible. I ordered the chicken Philly which tasted overwhelming salty. My husband ordered a side of fries that were served cold and they charged $2.49. A three ounce serving of queso is $1.29. My husband said he did like his steak Philly. I don't see us ever coming back. read more

We ordered through Eat Streets. Delivered quickly and the taste of the food we got was great. However, I ordered a chicken rice bowl with black beans and sour cream. No beans or sour cream :( read more

I love this place, wonderful salads and philly steak sandwiches.. A little spicy and so good! Very nice employees

My first time eating here. I ordered a cheesesteak. Not the greatest. I won't be trying this place again.

After hearing a bunch of radio ads for here, I decided to go with a friend. It was late in the night and didn't feel to stick around after hours since they close at 9pm, so we got orders both to go. She got the chicken philly minus shrooms and I got the steak philly with everything plus jalapeños and some mystery sauce called "fireball sauce." It resembled a yellow colored sauce so who knows what it actually contained. Nethertheless, after she ordered chips and queso with no drink (I passed on both), we walked out with a $18 bill. Before we left, the cashier told us about their sauce bar that we would have walked past if not we were told about it. They had a sweet chili sauce, Asian sauce, au juice, and mushroom sauce. We got a to-go cup of each and headed home. When we got home and feasted, I was disappointed that the mystery "fireball sauce" did not produce a fireball, let alone a spark. I did not taste any spiciness at all, even with the jalapeños. I figured that maybe the sweet chili sauce could save it, but it only tasted more sweet than anything else. She said that her chicken philly wasn't anything that screamed "OMG, we need to go here again." The mushroom sauce did taste more like actual gravy than anything related to mushroom. The Asian sauce did taste Asian like (AKA teraki sauce) and the au Juice did taste like it's supposed to. Since their bread is not toasted, it becomes very floppy once all of the ingredients is added and thus, becomes difficult holding it up and taking a bite without everything falling apart and into your lap/hands. I will say that their to-go boxes for their phillies are stable and are pretty resistant to not being crushed by other things sitting on top. The chips and queso are packed in a bag and it seems that they do not go lean on the chips, so you'll run out of queso before the chips so that's always good. The queso tasted like something you could get out of a jar at a store and nothing special. All-in-all, the phillies were nothing absolutely spectacular than anything else that you can get around here. If you are looking to spend around 10 bucks for a Philly without any drink or anything special, then this is for you. Otherwise, you'd be okay going elsewhere and getting the same thing for a little less with a drink and perhaps a side under 10 bucks, read more

What an amazing philly sandwich! Really flavorful and tasty. The fries are the natural cut that I really like and they add a seasoning to them that is really good. I highly recommend this place! read more

The food here was really good....I had the chicken tenders and I have to say...they were the best I ever had...lightly breaded, moist, really good break meat. I came at lunch and the place was pretty busy....wait staff was prompt and food came out correct and hot. I would come back next time I'm in town. read more

If I'm being honest the food is nothing to write home about, but if you are in the mood for a Philly cheesesteak Midwest-style, then it will do. I didn't have any issues when I went there. read more

I didn't know what to expect since I have never been to one but it's really good. I really like the whole package. the meat on the Philly seems kind of "sinewy" if that's a word. But overall, I will be going back. You don't really need fries but they try and peddle them anyway. read more

Horrible service for starters the food was so undercooked and when i said something about it they said too bad unless you want to pay for another one! Another thing is a young man maybe named bryce said a slick comment about how much spicy ranch i wanted on my rice bowl! I was appalled, never would recommend. Much better when the older manager was working there!! read more

Staff is friendly but, the food is average at best and easily worse the Pancheros only a few blocks over. The queso is just cheese goop but, veggies seemed fresh and were tasty. I appreciated it when the staff asked if I wanted the grill wiped down for my veggie burrito. I didn't need them to do that but, the willingness was greatly appreciated. I wouldn't be surprised if this is just growing pains and maybe I will be surprised when I revisit in a few months. read more

I went to PepperJax Grill when it first opened and have probably gone back there about 3 to 4 times. When you first walk in you are greeted by a some menus and a walkway straight in front of the grill. Depending on the time of day you may also have a line, although I've had no problem with long standing time. You choose what type of philly you want (they offer steak and chicken) and begin to cook it right in front of you. They then ask you what vegetables you want with the offerings being peppers, mushrooms, onions, and jalapenos. I got the steak philly with everything and a side of fries. Its easily one of the best steak phillies i've ever eaten. Everything is cooked really well and the bread is toasted perfectly. The fries are also really great as they are cooked to order so you know they are fresh. You can get your sandwich to go or you can sit down inside the restaurant and eat. They have a few small tvs around and tables kind of crammed together in a small space. They do bus the tables for you so that is one benefit to eating in. I should also mention that the staff is usually really friendly and they always try to start a conversation which I appreciate. I will definitely go back here and would recommend to anyone looking for a good steak philly. read more

Chicken nachos blech. Chicken and steak phillies ok. Very informal atmosphere. Plastic basket plates. That sort of ambiance.