Tried the Pepper yesterday for the first time in a while, about 1.5 hours before closing. Ordered drinks, appetizer, entrées. Received the drinks and poorly made appetizer, waited on entrées that never came. Turns out they closed the kitchen without making them. Received a weak apology with no offer to comp the drinks or appetizer. I won't be back. read more

Very colorful decor, quaint Main Street type storefront. Came in for lunch as they opened. Service was wonderful considering the waiter had 6 tables to serve (and was the bartender, and answered the phones). Crispy Chips and red salsa to start (not heavy on the cilantro-a big plus). Had the queso dip appetizer with shrimp and chorizo quesadilla. Delicious! My wife had chicken tacos with rice and pinto beans-also delicious. Will definitely be stopping by there again the next time we are in Plattsburgh! read more

Food was excellent with surprising choices, waiter was personable and attentive. We highly recommend

Solid food, friendly staff, outdoor seating, what's not to like? Also- plenty of parking nearby, as well as a park if you prefer to picnic a bit further away from street noise. read more

This place offers Mexican cuisine. In my opinion Taco Bell tastes much better than what is offered here for a fraction of the price. The staff is rude and act like they're doing you a favor. I saw them turn away a lady who wanted take out. She was told they were too busy at the time to do take out. WHAT? After the woman left, the staff talked about how she was dressed.... read more

Horrible service. We waited twenty minutes for drinks and then over an hour for our food. Food is just okay. I wouldn't eat here again even if the service was incredible. Save your money and go to Chipotle read more

I wasn't sure how good Mexican food would be in Plattsburgh. Maybe it would not be authentic, but at least edible. I definitely did not expect box rice, canned Mole sauce, weirdly seasoned beef, and a chicken dish with Indian flavor/spices. The Queso was Velveeta or maybe something worse, and started to curd once it cooled. It was a complete waste of money and I would not recommend this place. Yes, the service was nice, but the food was not edible. I would give less than one star if I could. read more

Review only based on drinks and great bar service from Luke and Chelsea. The crowd was fun too. Didn't eat but the food looked good, well presented and the portions were huge. I asked about some tequilas and Luke was informative. Just moved from Miami and it's so nice to see how drinks are way cheaper hahaha amen to that. Will be back to try the food and check out weekly specials. read more

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So we went in on October 22, 2022 at about 3pm. My wife and I sat at a table and ordered 2 Cadillac margs with Milagro Silver. The owner is bartender and I watch her make our drinks with barstock tequila. She brings them to our table and I ask her is this Milagro Silver and she says yes. I say no it's barstock and then she says oh wait, shit your right. She takes them away, then comes back and says we are out of Milagro Silver, so I order Patron instead, drinks come made with Patron but weak and all mix. Order food , wife got a taco plate I ordered Chicken ,asparagus enchilada. Taco is ok, the enchilada has no real taste and is ice cold in the middle. Order 2 more margs, you guessed it wrong again. This was a really decent place to go, new owner has run it into the dumpster. Avoid at all cost. read more

Food is crap. They prove that white people definitely should not be running a Mexican restaurant. Literally nasty food, but the margaritas are good if you're trying to get wasted! ¡la comida aquí sabe a cartón y todavía te hacen pagar el culo! read more

This is my first time ordering here and I'm having a hard time deciding if I'll order again. I got the Chimichanga with chicken and we ordered for takeout, which was probably the problem. The Chimichanga was overly soggy, and the rice was dry. I don't know why I always expect more from these restaurants, but I'm convinced their high rating is due to drunk people going there and giving them 5-stars because they're too drunk to taste the difference. Being from Florida I'm used to Mexican food, and I can honestly say that Taco Bell has better rice and beans than what I just got. And while I don't regularly get Chimichanga's, I definitely will not be ordering this soggy, pepper filled mess again which only had a little bit of chicken in it and a mediocre flavor. The Conqueso was flavorless and just tasted like melted Mozarella and instead of cutting up bit sized peppers to get on your chip, they threw in slices of peppers that you can't pick up. So that was stupid. Their homemade salsa is also flavorless and is just a bunch of watery tomatoes and veggies mixed together. Store bought Tostito's salsa tastes MUCH better. And their Tortilla soup actually did taste like store bought salsa, topped with cheese that wasn't melted and a bits of chicken. My girlfriends fish tacos were soggy as well. They told us 30 minutes for pick up and I was there 5 minutes early and you'd think this was all sitting under a heat lamp or something for 15 minutes. It's just disappointing. I really wanted to like this place because so many other restaurants in Plattsburgh also aren't worth the money, and now this is one is added to the list. People can rant and rave about their drinks all they want, but I didn't go there for the bar. And I guess it's my fault that I didn't eat in. All I know is that if you are considering ordering food to go, I suggest you save a bunch of money and just go to Taco Bell. Our meal was not worth the $50 we paid for it and they should be ashamed to sell people food like that. We wanted to splurge and eat out one night and we picked a bad restaurant, and that money could have gone towards 2 great home-cooked meals instead. And I'm by far a much better cook than they are. I at least know how to follow recipes that have worked time after time. I'd invite The Pepper to prove to us that this may have just been a fluke and that we didn't just throw our money out the window, but I won't hold my breath. read more

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Had dinner tonight with the family (2 adults and 2 children) Decor was fine and the proper precautions were taken for COVID, using plastic dividers to separate the booths, and sanitizer on the tables. We were seated immediately and the server came fairly quickly with house-made tortilla chips and salsa. The tortillas were lightly spiced, but the salsa tasted old. There was a decent amount of chopped cilantro, but it didn't taste fresh at all and it threw the whole salsa off. We waited about 10 minutes for our drinks. I had a Pacifico with lime which was perfect. Wife had a blue margarita which was made with house sour mix and it was ok, but not great. We ordered a chicken and cheese quesadilla, Oaxacan steak fajitas, taco plate (2 tacos with rice and beans) and a kids chicken tenders with fries. I think the consensus was the food was good (I really enjoyed the Oaxacan fajitas, although there were only 3 tortillas and probably could have done with 3 more) The problem was the glacial service. We would frequent an authentic Mexican restaurant often in our hometown in MA and we would be out in 25 minutes to half and hour. The menu isn't overly complicated so I'm not sure why it took so long to get food out. Despite the good food, I don't think we will be back. read more

Ordered chicken tacos with rice and beans, had to be some of the best tacos I've ever had, nice inside and the waiter was a good guy.

Unfortunately due to staff changeover because of poor ownership many of the familiar faces we have come to know and love are no longer with the business .....you can't put small minded people in charge of a business and expect to succeed.... you treat everyone as expendable and eventually you will have no one left to work.... the walkers are truly some of the worst owners and people you will find in Plattsburgh..... read more

While the service was phenomenal, the food was overly salty. They do have a good assortment of vegetarian/vegan options!

Fabulous special this weekend! The kitchen is back! And service is back as well. Susan Walker and company make it an enjoyable experience once again! Loving the vibe! read more

Can I leave no stars?!? The furthest thing from "authentic Mexican." Save your money and go to Taco Bell.

If it wasn't for the margaritas I would give it one star. This place claims to be a "Mexican" restaurant which is an assault to traditional Mexican food. I ordered a Chimichanga with Chorizo as my protein and when my food finally arrived the Chimichanga was soggy with a red sauce lacking flavor, if this was fried as it should have been any Chef worth their salt would know you don't put sauce on the Chimichanga, just sour cream and avocado or Guacamole or you get what I got- a wet diaper! The protein was supposed to be Chorizo a common Mexican sausage meat but what I got was a flavorless pulled pork version of what I would guess was chili verde. The rice was over cooked and dry as the Sahara due to a poor recipe of adding all your spices at the end and creating a gumbo of some sort instead of working in your spices to create an even flavor. A word of advice- try putting some love and passion into your food cause that's the Mexican way, the roots of Mexican food stems from Italian backgrounds and is seen through Italian, Peruvian, Argentinian and Brazilian culture and if your going to represent this culture at least put some effort into it. Oh and one last thing if you mess up an entire plate at least show the customer some respect and don't charge them for YOUR mistake! read more

We had dinner at The Pepper the last Saturday night of July before moving away from Plattsburgh. Excellent service and great atmosphere. The shredded Neff natcho platter was positivly-absolutely the best natchos I've ever had. Real cheese and actual shredded beef, not the cheese wiz-hamburg type that some places throw at you. I've eaten Natchos in the 4-corners of the U.S. and in Mexico. Way to go Pepper! Don't miss this one. I'm Joe T. read more

Good authentic-ish Mexican food. Good mixed drinks. Service decent. Won't spend too long waiting. Only downside is it was kind of crowded where I was nearly elbow to elbow with the next table over's school age kid, while I was trying to have a date with my girlfriend. read more

Worst mexican food i have ever had. Rice and beans were cold and tasted like they were cooked days ago. Chimichanga was mushy with tough chicken inside. lost my appetite after a few bites. The waitress on the other hand was incredibly fast and single-handedly taking care of the entire lunch rush. Someone hire her and let her serve good food! read more

The food is semi-OK. The kitchen is absolutely disgusting. I had only ever eaten there before seeing the kitchen and not cents

Not only did the chips and salsa suck, the seafood stunk so bad, alcohol selection was poor as well, the staff was unfriendly and this place is not authentic whatsoever. read more

Best margaritas I've ever had are from this place. Food is great as well! I only rate it a 4/5 because I always seem to get terrible heartburn whenever I eat their food. Staff is always attentive and great service. read more

Amazing nachos! The restaurant is loud on a Friday night but the atmosphere is great!

I don't typically write restaurant reviews but felt compelled to do so after my experience at The Pepper. It took 5 minutes for the server to approach us after waiting 15 minutes. I ordered the taco salad with plain chicken but when it arrived after waiting another 25 minutes, it was in an extremely spicy sauce . There were caramelized, extremely spicy, onions in the salad as well. Sent the salad back and again asked for plain chicken which again arrived covered with pepper. Sent this back as well and left with an empty stomach. Our waitress was very accommodating and apologetic and did not charge me for my salad. The chef should be more attentive to the requests of the diner, especially when it comes to the amount of spices he uses in h read more

This place is awesome. Best margaritas north of Albany and Vermont. Everything on the menu is made fresh daily, and the atmosphere is fun. Would recommend. read more

Food is not authentic Mexican but THE DRINKS ARE! Lol I keep ending up here to enjoy the margaritas. I am sure people who haven't had actual Mexican food enjoy the food here but I don't... it is one of the better places for flavor in Plattsburgh, NY. Get the black margarita, it is worth it. read more

My friends and I have been going to this restaurant since the first week of it's opening and we have been regular then since then. They have an extensive menu and i can say so far i have experienced close to all of it and everything i sampled so far is worthy of many returns. from the various appetizers (for the brave i recommend Fire, very hot peppers stuffed with cheese) to the various Quesadillas (the sonoran quesadilla with pineapple salsa is sublime) , soups and salads. My favorite on the menu are the Mole-rojo Enchilada, (an enchilada with a chocolate sauce with cheese nicely melted on top) ... They also have special menu that change daily and offers also a full bar with daily margarita specials and a nice choice of dessert. Oh and Finally if you are in town on Sunday ; Go in for their Brunch. They will enchant you with a few mexicanised version of breakfast favorite. See you there ? read more

Awful. If you think this place is authentic or good Mexican food you've never actually eaten delicious Mexican. Service is fine and dandy but the food is barely notch above Taco Bell . Sour mix does not belong in a margarita, should of been the first red flag when they didn't have a single margarita without it. Not a complicated recipe for a margarita, Tequila, Cointreau or triple sec, lime juice, add a fruit juice to balance out the sour if that's your preference. Girlfriend ordered sangria which tasted like strait juice. Had a carnitas tacos but could only taste the massive amount of cheddar in the tacos. Would of given this place a one star but I guess they are playing to the taste buds in the area. If your passing through or visiting New York skip this place and just hit a safe Texas Roadhouse or something. read more

An adorable hole-in-the-wall type place that's makes a good sangria. We visited at 6 on a Saturday and didn't have to wait to be seated. Sitting outside, we got complimentary chips and salsa to start. The salsa was obviously fresh and tasty, but really only for chunky style lovers; some of the tomato and onion pieces were at least a square half inch in size. Service was prompt and friendly. My enchiladas came with a green sauce instead of the tomato-based one that I'm used to, but were delicious. Portion and price were appropriate. I would be very surprised if we ever found ourselves in Plattsburgh again, but if we do, we'll make another stop at The Pepper. read more

I really wanted to like this place, it's locally owned and a Chipotle restaurant is under construction nearby. The food was merely ok, however. Oddly, for a Mexican restaurant in a college town there's not much for a vegan here and an indifference to accommodate one. We were ignored at the door, eventually being motioned toward a table only an instant before we were going to give up and leave. We should have, a business that flubs greeting a customer can't be expected to do much else right. I rated it two stars only because I felt sorry for our server. She was incredibly overtasked, and had no help - not cool, given that she was expecting...and it was Mother's Day eve! Maybe the management will read this and avoid being extinguished when Chipotle opens. That would be tragic. read more

Food was average for the prices charged. Service was very sub par. Waitress was slow and not attentive. Still waiting for our Sour Cream..

OK, keep in mind this is Plattsburgh, New York - not so many Hispanics here - BUT they do serve good food. Lots of cheese and beans on everything. The salsa and chips are good, the Margaritas are good, the food is good. Usually full, but what restaurant isn't in this town? read more

Why/When I tried it Visiting my girlfriend's family in town and we decided to stop in for some dinner with a few of her friends on our last day in town. Location/accessibility Plattsburgh, NY isn't really a big city, so parking and access were not issues at all. Atmosphere Nice. Menu/pricing I mean, it's Plattsburgh, NY. However, the menu covers all the essentials for Mexican restaurants--burritos, enchiladas, margaritas, etc. so I can't really complain. Plates hover at a little over $10 each. The delicious conqueso is $9. Food Definitely try the "conqueso!" It's really just queso dip, but something about it makes it a really tasty appetizer! Maybe it's the jalepenos they put in there... I also recommend the giant-sized "Border Burrito." Service We walked in and our party wasn't able to be seated until our fourth arrived. I get it. Some restaurants have that policy to avoid confusion, but I can tell you this: customers don't like to be told they can't sit down when they can see plenty of empty seats in the restaurant. Also the constantly forgotten refills of drinks and chips made me think the waitress was new (I hope). Grading Overall, the Pepper is good, but not great. Worth a shot if you're in town, though. Recommend. read more

I came here while visiting for the 4th of July. I have to admit I was a little skeptical eating Mexican in upstate NY. I was pleasantly surprised! We sat outside which was great. Our server was the bomb, I wish I remembered his name. Very friendly and totally on the ball. We had a party of 5 and he remembered everyone's orders and special requests without writing down a thing. Everything came out exactly as ordered. The chips and salsa were yummy and I had a margarita which was delicious. For dinner I ordered the scallop special. They were cooked perfectly. I tried all the other dishes and loved them all. I will definitely hit this place next time I'm up in the North Country! read more

This title could be confusing, because the eater is actually called the "smoked pepper", so don't get confused. The Smoked Pepper is a good (and the only) Mexican eatery in Plattsburgh. If you are really into Mexican food, you may be a little disappointed in the menu, but it is really comprehensive for the area. The Pepper also has drink specials weekly, which is a nice incentive to eat out and have some drinks. The restaurant itself is a bit small, so really large groups aren't ideal, and neither is the location when its fairly busy. However, this is also a nice benefit as there is a lovely cozy and intimate feel to the Pepper, especially for groups under 5 people. The interior is also well decorated and culturally festive. Good Mexican and friendly wait staff. read more

Very yummy margarita's. They're chicken with asparagus & cheese dinner is my fave. Small restaurant. Fun environment though. read more

I don't normally bother with reviews. This is something like the third that I've written in my life. But The Pepper earned this one. Last night, my wife and some friends ate here - it was ALL amazing. Given the prices, we were prepared for just ok. It's on a par with many a mediocre chain Mexican place. Instead, we were pleasantly surprised at how top-notch it was. I have lived in New Mexico, I have spent time in Texas and in Chihuahua, and this was as good as anything I've ever had in those places. If I have one quibble, it's that they don't have a wider range of choices, such as Al Pastor or Chorizo, or Lingua, but that's completely understandable given the location. I'm from the South. I adore hot food. I eat habaneros as a snack. Being stuck in the north has been hell, because people up here seem to think mayonnaise is spicy, and Taco Bell is authentic. I can't count the number of times I've gotten something advertised as "very hot" or "volcano" or whatever, and haven't even gotten a tingle out of it. I got the carnitas, which were *amazing*, and I asked for spicy. I was hoping to get a pleasant tingle, but instead I got spreading fire for the first time in months - and at no negative impact on flavor. They didn't just dump some red pepper or a hot sauce on it - it was *delicious*. My wife saw me crying and asked for a bite that she couldn't finish. It was that hot. I cannot recommend this place enough, and I will be back. read more

The food was really good. The carnitas were delicious, which was good since it took 45 minutes after ordering for us to get our food. We went in on a Saturday just after noon. There was one other occupied table in the place. There seemed to be at least 4 people working the front of the house. Our party had 2 adults and 2 kids. We got 1 small bowl of chips which were gone before we got our drinks and were never refilled. It took a lot of work to get our drinks refilled. Overall, the food is great, but don't go if you have antsy kids or you are very hungry as it's going to take a long time to get anything to eat. read more