Still a Jersey Mike's guy, but I'm a sucker for the mushroom sauce here...! And Pepper Jax is closer to where I live in Clive... I keep coming back to Pepper Jax. One of these days I'm going to find something I love here. The cheesesteaks are solid and the onion rings are a great addition to the menu...! Still a Jersey Mike's guy though... But Pepper Jax will do when I don't want I drive quite as far. read more

See all

There is always room for tasty loaded nachos with a blend of your favorite fresh toppings. As you walk in -- a friendly voice ask "what would you like?" The order is filled quickly with you calling out the extra fresh ingredients to take your loaded nachos over the top. As you sit and enjoy your scrumptious and very tasty nachos -- your mood relaxes as you savor every bite in the peaceful environment. read more

See all

Have wanted to stop to eat here for some time and finally took the opportunity. I went with the server's recommendation and ordered the Signature Steak Philly (see pictures) and oh, was it delicious! Although it is essentially a fast food setup...go through the line, order and wait for your food at a table - the food was delicious. If you like Philly sandwiches, you will definitely want to stop here. The only thing I was a little disappointed with was the cleanliness of the floor in the dining area (see pictures). The grease film on the floor near the beverage area left it feeling slippery and a cause for caution. I did ask a lady who appeared to be a shift leader about it and she said that they were busy and hadn't had a chance to clean the floor yet. Food: 5 Atmosphere: 3 Value: 4 Service: 3 If you found this review helpful, please click to show your support. For a list of great Happy Hour food and drink specials in the Des Moines area, visit: www.happyhourdesmoines.com read more

See all

The food was good but 2 of the 3 workers were grumpy and unfriendly. I don't care how good a sandwich tastes if the service is bad. I won't be going back. I will say that the third employee we interacted with was friendly and also took a few moments to clean up the lobby while the other two disappeared as soon as they could. read more

Not enough food for the money I left hungry after spending ~$25. While the food was ok, I do wish they gave more as I could as I could have easily eaten double what they gave me. read more

went in on Sunday for lunch. the menu board was down, they had paper menus at the front. I'm sure that's where everyone dumps them.i wish I could have been perusing a menu as I'm not a frequent flyer there. staff was efficient and were working hard. I had the nachos with steak.they were good, hubby had the chicken Philly sandwich. I love that you can customize the veggies and see it cooked right in front of you. read more

Delivery order writing in. The food was amazing quality (we ordered loaded nachos, fries, and a burrito via ubereats). The pulled pork was excellent, and the steak was cut very thin. The veggies were less than I expected, but still prepped very nicely and their flavors popped in my mouth. Portion sizes are very generous. A burrito is about 10-12 inches (I'm eyeballing it), and the other items matched this size. Downside: The loaded nachos (we ordered two) came without nachos, as an FYI. I don't know if this was a mistake in the restaurant or we were supposed to order nachos on the side (the menu doesn't say anything about including nachos and there are nachos to order). Loaded fries do come with fries, however. read more

When placing the order the staff messed it up twice. We ordered one cheese fry..they dropped two. It was supposed to be cheese fries. They only gave us regular and charged only for regular. When we asked for the cheese to be put on it, they wanted to charge us an additional $3.49. I said um no, you should only charge me the difference between regular and cheese fries. They refused and handed us regular fries. Keeping the cheese fries. The manager's name was Nick and he refused to only charge me the difference. He and the gal were very indignant and rude. We go there alot but will no longer be a patron. read more

Love the Philly!!!!!!! Auju soooo good will go back again and again!!$!!!!!!!!$$!!! We try to go once a week

The hot part of your food is put on the grill when you order. Best representation of a Philly outside of Philadelphia. Wi-Fi wasn't working. I recommend if you want a fast food alternative. I would probably go occasionally if my home was nearby. read more

I mean... the food isn't bad but the space isn't the cleanest and the service is not great. Everyone seems pretty put out and annoyed every time I go in. read more

Walked in and after 5 minutes with no customers in the place I had to yell to the back and when they came up (Iowa managers are 90% of the issues in the area) the food was cooked as if they were making concrete. This is the worst PepperJax grill I have ever been to and they wont make it much longer if they dont change. read more

Pepperjax is hit or miss for me. Sometimes I come here and the steak burrito is super juicy and meat is tender and well seasoned and the ingredients mix well and the fries with cheese sauce all over them hits well although if you're going to get the fries with cheese on them you should really eat them right away before they get soggy. Sometimes the meat taste off to me like they either don't store it properly or it's old. This rarely happens and any other time its pretty good. Service is always consistently fine. I typically go in when it is pretty quiet and not many people are in there. If you are going to eat here I would consider eating inside since the steak juices can pretty quickly eat though a cheese steak or burrito and make it a mess. Solid place for the price. read more

Wish I could give it a zero. Worst pepper jax I've ever been too. Save your time and drive to jersey mikes down the road.

If I could give it a zero I would... I ordered two chicken phillys online to-go with all the vegetable fixings and I had none on there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wtf!!! The chicken in the philly steak was also barely chopped up and DRY. The fry quantity was slim to none and we ordered loaded fries. Not to mention there were 4 people on the clock sitting at the tables and I guess none of them could do their jobs properly. read more

We had a carry out order for 25-30. Food was good however would have expected all things to be in disposable things rather than having to bring items back. That was the whole purpose of pick up catering. Aside from that food as good. They were a bit light on the peppers and onions for catering of 25. read more

PepperJax Grill - Sandwiches Near Me - Clive, Iowa

Stopped by for my first ever PepperJax experience and they had the doors locked. We knocked and made ourselves known. People inside even said to the person/s working to let us in. I contacted HR to see what was up. They responded and asked a couple questions but I never heard an answer as to why they closed early. The heck with this place. read more

Love this place......steak philly with all the veggies & a splash of jalapeno juice(fireball?) is the BOMB! Different from a traditional philly, but I think it's even better. read more

Pepperjax is the bomb, people. Being from the Midwest, I have no idea of course what a standard Philly-style pepper steak is supposed to taste like, but if it's as good as what they have here then I'm def missing out on the action out east!!! The steak itself was delicious and I asked for a cheddar cheese sauce on top. That set that sandwich ablaze for me. Yum, yum, yum. I ordered fries with the sandwich, but unless you're an NFL linebacker, you really only need the sandwich. It's more than enough. I only ate half of everything because it was just too much food. Lesson learned. Sandwich only! read more

PepperJax Grill - Ermagerd - Sandwiches Near Me - Clive, Iowa

Great idea, but just too salty. Prices aren't bad and portions are generous, but just way too salty.

It's been a hot minute since I've been here. Everything is served in to-go containers. I ordered nachos. More like expensive chips and dip. Everything is dumped into the container. All the melted cheese is on the bottom. Very hard to scoop onto the chip. If I wanted a side of cheese to make my nachos, that was extra. read more

Hello.My name is kinley. it was incredible slow. we have waited here for 35 minutes. I'm writing a complaint because I don't have any time to waist. read more

I NEVER write reviews, but I stopped in tonight (Friday, November 19th) as it was very busy, people non stop coming in with ONLY two employees working... if it were me I would've quit, they need more help.. but these two didn't complain once, played a team effort and kept pushing through the rush and they both were very kind. Had to write a review and say thank you because these two don't receive enough credit!! Also food was BOMBBB as always! read more

The sandwiches here definitely lived up to the hype, but the service was pretty bad. There was one guy behind the counter who managed to do a great job, but everyone else was tough to deal with. I asked for the extra cheese sauce twice and they still didn't put on on. When I asked for an extra order of fries when we were getting ready to pay you would have thought I stompedbon someone's puppy considering the reaction I got from behind the counter. read more

PepperJax Grill - Sandwiches Near Me - Clive, Iowa

This is a darn good Philly sandwich. Plenty of food, cooked to order, choice of steak or chicken, and a selection of toppings. Good spice to the sandwich, and you can add one of many sauces, and there is a 'fireball' option where they add jalapeno juice into the sandwich as it's cooking. I've also had salads and bowls, and they are good as well. They have seasoned rice for the bowls, and it would be nice if there was a brown rice option, but they're still pretty good. If you get a salad or bowl you have lots of additional topping options, and you're assured to get what you want as you watch them make everything while you stand in line. If you're looking for a casual meal that's tasty and cooked as you like it, this is a great option. read more

This stupid ass that works there charged me 4$ for 2 pieces of shrimp. He messed up our order, had terrible customer service and I felt so bad for the girl she wast so nice she knew he was being awful, I will never go again! read more

Been here twice now and enjoyed it! We always have a coupon to use so it makes the 8$ burrito with it! I had a shrimp burrito which was ok but only a few pieces of shrimp. It wasn't fresh or anything but we didn't expect that and it tasted fine after they cooked it. Really nice employees and pretty fast service. My boyfriend always gets the Philly cheesesteak sandwich and it's really good. I like how they have sides you can help yourself to such as ranch, honey mustard and croutons. read more

PepperJax Grill - Sandwiches Near Me - Clive, Iowa

I just finished my free Birthday Philly! The fries were fresh and hot, my sandwich tasted great, and the service was awesome. Thank you so much for reminding me of you in my e-mail. I will make sure to come back soon! read more

I really enjoyed lunch here, I had the philly cheese steak sandwhich with peppers, onion, bacon, and mushrooms. On the side I had cheese fries. Both dishes had a very strong good flavor. The pepperjack cheese on my fries had a nice amount of heat to it. Cooked and served fairly quickly too. I give it a 4.9/5 stars. read more

It really wasn't worth the trip honestly. I got a traditional philly cheesesteak with a side of fries. The meat was decent, a little under seasoned but decent. The sauces were just "meh". The mushroom gravy was OK but was disappointed with the creole sauce. Like another reviewer said, it's way too loud around the grill when you go to order. You have to yell what you want at them and hope they get it right. Also we got our little daughter a kids meal which came with a small package of Teddy Grahams. She accidentally dropped them on the floor so I picked all of them up and went up to the front counter and asked nicely if we could get a new one just because I didn't want our daughter to get upset. I mean, those things probably only cost the company 5 cents yet when I asked for a new one the lady up front damn near rolled her eyes at me. I really wish I could have reached into the tip jar to get my money back I put in there after I had paid. read more

I really like PepperJax Grill, and I think you will too. When you walk in the door, you will notice it's a nicely appointed, clean restaurant. There's a wide variety of seating options, soft lighting, and I particularly enjoyed all the old photos of Des Moines where you line up. Take your time and look through the photos before ordering... they're a nice trip back. They have two very large menu boards along the queuing area, so you can learn about the menu items and prices before you step up to the grill. The menu boards are nice and big and explain all the options very well. As you reach the end of the queue, you'll step up to the grill, and you'll probably receive a hearty and friendly greeting from the staff. Now, I've noticed other reviews complaining about the noise at the grill. This is a commercial grill with the required exhaust hood and exhaust fans, as required by food safety and fire code. I would describe the noise as a constant moderate hum, but nothing terrible, and again -- REQUIRED by code. Like I mentioned before, the staff is extremely friendly and will give you a warm greeting as you step up to the grill. I've had no issues ordering at the grill, and neither have anyone else I've been there with. Make eye contact, speak loud and clear, and smile, and I promise the staff will get your order right. It's fun watching them grill your food right in front of you. I've had both the steak and chicken, and they're both excellent. The steak is well-seasoned and tender, and the chicken is juicy and succulent. The cheesesteaks are served on amazing warm, soft, and delicious rolls. The melty white cheese on top is amazing, and like many other folks have mentioned, there's an entire sauce bar of options! However, I think the cheesesteaks are so well seasoned, you won't need anything on it at all. In my opinion, the best kept secret of PepperJax are the gourmet rice bowls. They are absolutely enormous portions that easily last two full meals and could be stretched to a third for many. You get grilled meat, veggies, fluffy rice, beans, and all the fixings you could want. I don't know what they charge for them, but whatever it is, it's not enough. They're absolutely amazing. Think Chipotle, but double the food for less money. While I was dining, the staff came by and checked to make sure everything was satisfactory. On several occasions when I've ordered french fries, the staff has elected to fry up a fresh batch and bring the fries to my table, instead of serving the old ones to me. I like the attention to detail of making sure everything is fresh and the best possible quality. (Oh, and the fries are really good here, especially with spicy ranch.) What more could you want? Fast, friendly service, huge portions, low prices, and astoundingly delicious food! PepperJax is awesome. read more

I absolutely love this place! It's one of my favorite places to get a Philly steak sandwich. Plenty of meat and toppings on a perfectly toasted roll, really hits the spot. Each sandwich is made fresh to order, so nothing ever sits around and gets old. They don't even cook the meat until you order it. The sandwiches are pretty big. You won't leave here hungry. If you're looking for just a light lunch, you may want to share a sandwich with someone or choose a salad or rice bowl instead. The nachos are really good too. Quick service if you don't have much time. And the prices are very reasonable too. read more

I'm updating my review to 5 start from 4 because I did try the GIANT burrito this time and I have to say, I was blown away. They are super generous with their meat and toppings. Your Philly or Burrito will be hot and juicy, and it helps to add Queso, because that cheese sauce is a flavor bomb. After you order from the grill where they prepare to order their fresh food, you will pay, and then have a huge selection of other toppings and sauces. They have two types of chili, ranch, spicy ranch, teriyaki sauce, and a bunch of other items. I mean, you have everything you want. You can dip your fries in anything you like. I love ranch with my fries. I don't love paying extra for it or waiting for my waiter to bring it out to me. So I appreciate a place that has all those things sitting there waiting for me. Their nachos are amazing also. My coworkers got the nachos and seemed very happy with their order. Everything I have tried there is delicious. Now to break down the GIANT burrito for you... It's the size of a baby. A baby that's wrapped up in a blanket to stay warm. This thing was literally around 2 pounds. I didn't bring my scale that day (joke) but I brought my appetite. I felt like a king eating that thing. Perhaps a lion of a jungle that has been stalking his pray. Perhaps a small fat gazelle, that's sitting there eating beans, rice, cheese, salsa, some jalapeno, a little sour cream, and some Queso. Thank you lamb, now that you are stuffed with all these awesome items I like, I'm going to ask you to come to the checkout lane so I can pay for you and eat you. And after I'm done eating you, I'm going to eat your french-fry friends. And I'm going to dip them in ranch dressing. Now I'm starting to creep myself out typing this but that's ok, because I just ate a baby wrapped in a blanket that turned out to be a gazelle friends with French-fries. And you know what, I loved it. So to conclude my story, I loved my food. And I will love it again when I come back. Because not always, but sometimes, I want to feel like a king eating a gazelle. read more

See all

I began eating at the Pepperjax located in Omaha's Old Market area a few years ago and loved it, so I was very pleased when the company decided to open a location in DSM. The Des Moines location has been a regular haunt for me since it opened and I can attest that all the flavors, consistency, and excellent staff are intact. In all the times I've eaten at Pepperjax, I've never strayed from the Gunner - a double meat Philly that will produce a meat-induced coma but has never failed to satisfy. The meat is consistently flavorful and well-cooked, but as one reviewer noted it can be a bit on the salty side so I recommend ordering with half seasoning (ask your grill cook and they'll be happy to accommodate you). The cheese is another highlight - it's a processed white cheese but don't let that scare you - it's one of the most flavorful cheeses I've had and matches the flavor profile of the sandwich perfectly. It's also a big step up from the traditional method of squirting on some gross cheez whiz (Blasphemy, I know). Bread is exactly what it should be - soft, but sturdy enough to hold the sandwich together without being too bulky. Fries are excellent and they make them fresh very often. One small complaint here - the fry serving size has always varied wildly. I've been served everything from a half-empty basket that wasn't enough for one to a heaping basket that two couldn't finish - and all at the same price. In any event, you won't leave here hungry as the Philly sandwiches are meal themselves. A note on some of the complaints about noise and chaos: This is a fast casual restaurant. The point here is to be served a higher quality meal without the extra time and cost it takes to eat at a full service place. If you've got a problem with the format, don't fault the restaurant. It's a growing and popular restaurant format and is no different than what you'll find at a Chipotle. Also, I've never had a single error by the staff in making my food. They're very good about clarifying your order if they don't hear you the first time. Reading some of the complaints here, I would think having to repeat your order is like finding a hair in your food. Give this place a try if you haven't done so already. Peak hours can produce lines out the door so budget yourself a few extra minutes, especially at lunch. read more

My wife and I were craving some good sandwiches so we decided on pepperjax grill for lunch today. For some reason I always get the burrito though. My wife had the steak Philly sandwich and fries. I had the giant burrito with steak. I had it with everything on it except mushrooms. I also had the chips and queso. The burrito was perfect I just wish it was a bit spicier. The chips tasted fresh fried and the queso was good. The Philly was great with just the right amount of bread to meat and cheese ratio. There was what looked like a district manager just lingering around behind the employees making everyone working seam nervous and very unsure of themselves. Other then that it was great and I'm sure I will be back soon. I love getting to watch them cook my food right in front of me always makes me feel more involved. read more

See all

This place continues to impress. The meat is tender and juicy, the bread perfectly toasted, the veggies are fresh and delicious. The cheese melts into the bun keeping all that delicious juice in the sandwich where it belongs. I highly recommend fireballing it (they use jalapeno juice instead of water to keep things juicy as they cook on the flattop) and also adding extra veggies. It gives a better meat to veggie ratio and provides a downright heavenly Philly. If you want the best Phillies in Des Moines, look no further! read more

Delicious philly, you can't go wrong with the food. The big problem I have with this particular restaurant is cleanliness. I went on a Saturday at 6:30 pm and the place was a mess. Almost all the tables and booths were very dirty with nobody sitting at them anymore. Napkins and food scattered all over the floor. I loved my food but wanted to get out of there as soon as I could because it made me feel gross just being there! read more

Hesitant to write this review as Pepperjax has outstanding food when prepared properly. Last two times to this location have not gone well. This one was the last straw. Get up to the counter to order food and the cook takes his spatula and scrapes the remaining meat from the prior sandwich into his hand and eats it right in front of me. Doesn't bother to change his glove afterward. Disgusting and not to mention during a pandemic. read more

Got this yesterday on door dash it was horrible the food wa super salty.. Everything was cold like it was never hot the nacho chips were crushed beyond use the whole experience was mot good read more

Standard PepperJax but very helpful, nice staff. A great road-trip stop!