The food is rock solid, about on par with the other Thai restaurants in town. Can tell it is fresh and made to order. The problem I have is the place is too small and very understaffed. We waited for a long time just to see a waiter and put in an order. Probably 30-40 minutes. read more

This place is bomb and I'm pretty sad with the Lubbockians that it doesn't at least have 4 stars. Just get the Pad Thai with extra shrimp and you can thank me later. It's incredible. read more

Food is good, but their customer service is terrible. They don't answer the phone (or they'll cancel your call) and aren't very diligent with tables. Update: Carry out has gotten much better read more

Have had lots of Thai food all over the country and nothing compares to the food I receive at Thai Pepper! Consistently the best! Only complaints I have is when they run out of the crispy complimentary chips so early at lunch and when they close down for weeks at a time! (Selfish I know). Best order on the menu? Kool special on fried rice with an extra egg! read more

Pad Thai is my absolute favorite, and fried rice is a close second! Some of the best food in Lubbock!

Great food, decent prices and overall friendly staff. Would recommend the pad Thai or the koon special. Call ahead and be prepared to stand in line. read more

The best pad Thai I have eaten in a loooong time. My daughter and I make it a habit of picking out a Thai place wherever we go when traveling. Always ask for pad Thai "spicy". 99.9% of the places have no clue at all‍ However, this place was on point. Exact texture, flavor, and heat we have searched for, for many years. Will go back again when in Lubbock. read more

Staple Thai food - It isn't that extraordinary, but isn't that bad either. It's in Lubbock, so we're not too spoiled for choice when it comes to diverse cuisines. In such an environment, Thai Pepper deservedly thrives. I usually get the Chicken Chow Mein, I think that's the best dish. Also worth tring - the Pad Thai and Pad See Ew. I also like getting the cheese wontons, they're pretty great. I've tried the green, red, and panang curries before, but I feel like they're too diluted and watery. read more

Excellent food! Always crowded when we go in! So worth the wait if it is busy. Tried the Mango Sticky Rice, good stuff!!

The pad thai was as good as the last time I had. It's a small, but friendly place and I wonder how it took so long to revisit. Give it a try, you will like it too. read more

BEST Thai food ever !! The service and food is awesome. You can not get this flavor everywhere... there are many layers of flavor and customization. You will need to check the hours of operation before you head over. read more

The best Thai place in Lubbock, period. Keywords, "in Lubbock". I've definitely had better elsewhere but not in Lubbock. I will say, it definitely depends on what you order though. I've only ever had the fried rice, Pad Thai or Spicy Seafood since I'm a pescatarian and those three dishes are amazing. read more

I came here and got the fish and gravy. I asked for it spicy and without certain vegetables, when I received the food it wasn't spicy and still had some of the veggies I had asked to be taken out. The cook was so sweet and nice about it and she happily came out to talk to me and see what vegetables I wanted on the dish. The food was hot, fresh and delicious when it came out the second time! Great establishment here in lubbock ! read more

I am not an expert of Thai food. However I have tried in many Thai restaurants (across multiple states in US) and this is my take on Thai Pepper. Cons: 1. The restaurants is busy always and that will be reflected in their service. Don't have any expectation with the service. Just be happy if you get a seat and get your food. 2. Their tables are too small. This could be their strategy to force people not stay long and have their food and leave early 3. Ambience may not be very pleasing. Pros: 1. So far the best Thai food in Lubbock. 2. I love their fried rice, pad Thai and tofu fry and fried ice cream. 3. Vegetarians can try their veg fried rice ( make sure to tell them NOT to add egg if you don't eat egg) Though I have tasted better Thai food in New York, in Lubbock this is the best !!!! They are usually busy (very busy) and I always call in and order and pick it up. Works well for me. They will provide free Thai chips (until the run out) and it's a must try( try it with the chili paste) P.S: Don't forget to taste their Chilli Paste and Hot oil (fried peppers in oil) which will be near cashier counter. I add them in almost all food that I eat here. read more

Curry is amazing, I come at least once a week and probably won't ever quit coming here. The only thing that sucks is if you want it to-go, they rarely answer the phone due to the continuous incoming calls which is nice the business is booming but is a constant inconvenience. read more

My favorite Thai food in Lubbock! So easy to order out and nice to sit and eat there as well. It can get super busy, but I've never had a problem with the service. Pad Thai is great and so is pad see ew! read more

Thai food good staff but they are now closed for furnishing the store do not go now. Wait 2 weeks or so. Good luck

Really enjoy this place. Wish they could make things a bit spicier. I always ask for extra spicy and it falls a bit short. But I have a height spice tolerance. read more

I am not sure why this restaurant is rated 4-star. I ordered Massaman curry and Tom Kha Gai. It's actually quite interesting to see how the curry AND the soup having the same texture - watery. Curry, based on my experience from Thailand, is not supposed to be this watery. It's supposed to be more paste like so that it will mix with the rice well. I have no idea why they serve this kind of curry. Another interesting thing is that many people ordered pan fried noodles (e.g. Pad Thai) rather than curry. Maybe their noodles are better? Not sure but I don't care, because I won't be visiting again. It's just hard to convince me that they serve good, authentic Thai food. Another Thai restaurant in town is much better. (Click into my profile to see it.) read more

The Pad Thai is really good . They get extremely busy too . I just wish they didn't have weird working hours.

This is by far one of my favorite restaurants in town. I am a sucker for the pad Thai and usually get it 99.9% of the time. I will also brag on their cheese wontons they are the best I have ever had!!! Service is always great and super friendly... If you call for carry out be aware you will have to call a couple 40 times before they pick up!!! read more

Was not happy with all the great reviews, I guess a want more from it. I order Thia style and hot. And lack any heat for me. Throwing in extra chilies does NOT make it hotter. Rice was not good seemed old. I will try it again but.... read more

To find authentic and delicious Thai food in Lubbock, TX is probably no easy feat. So, after a quick and easy lunch at Thai Pepper - I was quickly reminded that I was wrong and Lubbock has got more cuisine than meets the eye. Though not necessarily a fine dining spot, the Pad Thai was flavorful. I just usually enjoy my pad Thai with less of a sticky table or dirty floor. The place does, however, deliver on a fast meal with super nice service and generously portioned meals. I do wish I could've taken my pad Thai home. It was tasty, not overly greasy and just the right amount of spice. read more

When I landed and reconnected with some old friends, they suggested Thai Pepper, and boy, was I glad they did. It's an unassuming strip-mall corner restaurant, and the casual inside decor did little to tip me off to the goodies to come. I started things off with the rather unconventionally presented but tasty egg drop soup, and eventually gave way to a chicken veggie dish that was terrific: full of well, chicken, snap peas, assorted other vegetables and bathed in thai seasoning. Service was friendly and regular. I'm not in town particularly often, but I know I'll be back here when I am. read more

5 fucking stars. Highly recommend. Order in advance this place is typically busy and for good reason.

Thai Pepper has pretty decent Thai food, and it scores even higher on my thai-o-meter because it's in such an unexpected place: Lubbock. I wasn't expecting it to be quite so packed on a Saturday night, but the line was out the door last weekend. Their "hot" is actually pretty darn toasty, and everything that I tried was good. If you're planning to go there, be aware that you won't get a check-- just get in line at the cash register, and be prepared to describe where you were seated. Also, if you're looking for this place, it's in the back of the plaza (facing away from 19th)-- just follow the other cars. I'm sure they're headed in the right direction. One star off for so-so service (they forgot to bring us part of our dinner, but they were also really busy), on the whole, this was a good experience. I'll be back. read more

We had heard a lot about this place before we moved to Lubbock, as we asked around for great Thai food. But don't be fooled by the fact that it's always packed. That does not necessarily mean the food is amazing. It's mediocre. I've had better Thai food in a city with less people (Syracuse, NY of ALL places...) so I expected more form Thai Pepper. We ordered the Pad Thai mild since I was sharing with a 4-year old, pad kee mow (also known as drunken noodles), and yellow curry. The pad thai, definitely not the worst I've had but I definitely can make better at home. Drunken noodles, mediocre at best. Yellow curry, something was missing. Now I am not an expert of Thai cuisine, but the food was lacking in many areas. Maybe they were having an off day? read more

You cannot go wrong with Thai Pepper! It is delicious, authentic Thai cuisine. The restaurant is family owned and operated...the service is fast and friendly! It is always packed around lunch time so go a few minutes before 12 to get a seat or go after 1pm. They close between 3:30-5pm. If I remember right, they are closed on Mondays. It's a small restaurant and when you walk in you seat yourself. The Pad Thai is probably the most often ordered dish because it is so delicious! The yellow curry special and fried rice with an egg on top is fantastic too. They can make any dish vegetarian as well. The prices range from $5-$7 a dish...you can't beat that! read more

I just visiting Lubbock for a few days and I thought I would pop in to Thai Pepper because it seems to have a bit of a following. I found it quite tasty! I had the "Kool Special" which I think was in honor of the restaurant's 10th anniversary. It was beef, onion, green bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, and a fried egg over steamed white rice. The 'spicy scale' was mild, medium, and hot so I went with medium to test the waters. If you like spicy food, definitely go with hot and add some chili paste or something because my lips were not burning at all... I also tried the sweet sticky rice with custard (my favorite dessert ever) and I would give it a 3.5 out of 5. The custard was good but did not hold together well and the rice tasted fine but could have been taken off the stove a bit earlier (crispy edges). To drink: the Thai iced tea. They're doing the classic right! Finally, because I had takeout, I was not given much attention. Granted, the restaurant was full with people waiting for tables but I could have used a menu before I got to the counter to order. I don't like people who hold up a line and I certainly do not want to be that person. I'll probably go back again tomorrow to see if anything changes. Perhaps some second chance soup? read more

The thing with the Lubbock Thai restaurants is that each one has its strengths and weaknesses. None is perfect; none is the best. Especially when you look at individual dishes. Take beef noodle soup for example. For beef noodle I go to either Thai Thai, or Bangkok. For Pad See Ew, I go to Choochai. For a select few dishes It's Thai Pepper. First off, it's damn near impossible to find week day, lunch time parking, since the place is located in a medical/university district strip mall that contains other lunch time hot spots. That's frustrating. Then, you finally park a city block away, and the tiny restaurant is packed - like violation of fire safety ordinance packed. There's a stickiness coating everything (greasiness as someone else commented) that is caused by the chips & dip others have raved about. It's okay, but I'd rather not have sticky menus, sticky tables, sticky backs of chairs where you grab to pull it away from the table, than munch on fried wonton chips and sticky sauce while I wait for my food. Those are my complaints. Other than that, I've not really been {that} impressed with many of the dishes I've tried. Pad see ew (one of my favorites, thanks to Choochai) was dry, bland, and boring; broccoli was like, old tasting, not nice and firm and bright colored. I once got a shrimp-pineapple curry, and it had canned pineapple and was just generally unimpressive. I'd take any of these over like, McDonalds or something, but - - - meh. But the select few great dishes that I mentioned above are (in no particular order): -The Kool Special - De-freaking-licious beef stirfry with vegetables and sauce. The best part for me is that there are like, carmelized green onions in there that just perfect the dish. Highly recommended. -The Tilapia - This is great for a lite, yet satisfying lunch or dinner. It's a whole, lightly fried (beautifully cripsy) fish from head to tail, smothered with mixed vegetables and a nice light sauce. Even if you're not big on fish, tilapia is nice and light. It's not hard to eat because they make a few slices down the sides that allow you to peel off chunks with your fork. This one's probably my favorite. Thai Thai is the only other Thai place that has this, but its not as good and more expensive. -I can't remember what the other dish is called, but it's #thirty-something (32 or 33 maybe) and its wide noodles with chicken and vegetables (stirfry). So good!!! This is more like how their pad see ew should be. Place is family owned and operated; staff is friendly, but always extremely busy - if you need it you'd better ask for it, that may be your last chance for a while. Its not a bad restaurant at all. read more

You can't place an order by phone because they only have one phone line. SO FRUSTRATING!!!

I was there several times, and most of the people you see there are from Covenant. Special at lunch time it's packed, so avoid these times. The food is good, if you know what to order. The price is great, this might be the reason why so many staff from Covenant goes there. read more

Just a joint, but the food is great. The Volcano soup is my fav, but the combo Fried Rice is a close second. The most reliable Thai food in town. It gets really busy and most times it's hard to get a table. I usually get take-out. Across the street from large hospital and medical district. read more

Still a fan of this place. Also consider trying the pork Larb- very tasty and not too heavy. The owners of this place go to Thailand for a month EVERY year- so you definitely know that they understand what true thai is- although they do adapt some things for the american palate. There are a number of native Thai people here in Lubbock(Resident Physicians at UMC) who say that the food at Thai Pepper is decent. As I read some of the reviews here on Yelp, it is clear that some reviewers have no clue as to what authentic Thai is. If your're going to a Thai restaurant and ordering/reviewing cream cheese wontons, yup I'm talking to you. Portion sizes are fair- I have no doubts as to why Texas is one of the most obese states in the nation if people are complaining about the portion sizes here. Previous Post (9/29/2008): I have lived in the San francisco Bay Area for most of my life so I've had my fair share of good asian food. Thai Pepper is a solid place to eat Thai food- especially for the price. It definitely should satisfy your craving for Pad Thai, Curry, or Thai fried rice and most of the menu items taste great. The person who said that this place is spicy definitely has NOT been to truly authentic Thai restaurants. True "Thai Hot" is on a completely different scale than what the "spicy" level at Thai Pepper is. While when you order "spicy" at thai pepper it gives you a good amount of flavor with a decent kick, it pales in comparison to what "Thai Hot" is. This was obviously done to cater to the typical customer at Lubbock who probably can't tolerate traditional levels of Thai spice. Either way, definitely one of the top places to eat thai in Lubbock. read more

Unable to order by phone. Unable to order on site. Staff rude. Not a good place to do business. Place will probably be shut down soon,

restaurant is very busy during a weekday dinner (during summer) though the food is not like expected. Noodles are over cooked and seasoning is way too sweet. Food serves are definitely not Thai. read more

Dear Thai Pepper, Why do you have to be so hit and miss?! When you're a hit, you taste like glory glory hallelujah!! But when you miss, it really gives me trust issues. You know? Your crispy appetizers are always perfect and make me so happy. Sure, the wait staff can be distracted sometimes, but who can blame them? The crowds only confirm that you're the best!! But then... sometimes my noodles taste burnt. And that's not cool. Still, I got a Thai food sized hole in my heart and Thai pepper, you're the best fit. read more

Food is amazing but they keep their phone line open when they get busy which is very annoying. Hire more people or just say it's going to be a long wait. read more

Best Thom Ka Gai soup I've ever had. Flavor was amazing spot on. I've eaten this soup all over the country and this was my favorite. My wife said her Yellow Curry was good also. read more

Love this place. Great pad thai and the sticky rice is fantastic. Location is convenient but it's kind of a hole in the wall with no scenery, bland atmosphere, etc. I would only go during off-peak hours as it gets quite busy. Use caution with the how hot you order your food. The hotter the better in my book and this place delivers. Great prices and fantastic service (at least when they aren't busy)! read more