I was recommended to try Pepo's and it wasn't bad. However, compared to other joints I've tried, this one lacked a little flavor. I'll try it again because I loved the service they offered to me on my first visit. I would still be ok sending someone here, and will try them again in the future. read more

This is based on their Cafe con leche. I wanted to get a coffee besides Starbucks and I had Cuban coffee in Key West which was amazing. This coffee was nasty, it didn't even taste like coffee. It smelt like grease and tasted like sweet milk, I didn't taste any coffee what so ever. I wont be back here. read more

Ive have had most items on the menu, Ive never had bad food and the portions are always very generous. One of my favorite places for good cuban food. Get full on something tastey for a good price! read more

Very good cafe style restaurant. The ladies serving the food were friendly and helpful.

We had a huge get together there. When ordering food for the 30 people that we had their biggest concern was the money they were going to make and zero customer service my shrimp and yellow rice was just a giant plate of yellow rice with one shrimp and they didn't care customer service is out the window all they care about is making sure to charge you and could care less whether you eat or don't eat all they want to do is charge you charge you charge you . read more

So far since I have moved here, this was the best meal I've had so far. There were so many items on the menu that we wanted to try, but we stuck with our standard Cuban sandwich as a gauge for whether we would be back in the future. 2 large sandwiches were about $10. We got it with everything. Their version came with some kind of shredded pork, which was a twist I haven't had before. It was tasty, but I think next time I will ask for it in the side so my sandwich wouldn't get soggy. We will definitely be back here again. My MIL tried to convince me to go 2 days in a row! read more

Pepo's Cafe - Cuban - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Pepo's is a great little neighborhood Cuban / Latin restaurant in the northern Carrollwood / Northdale part of town. You'll find this café along Northdale Blvd, past Whole Foods, and in the next shopping center beyond Thai Sweet Basil. If you're a local in the area then you'll know to look for Pepo's in the same little strip mall as the Cornerstone Pub. I would describe Pepo's as a steam table buffet kinda place, which is accurate, but that is doing a disservice to their vast menu. Many people walk into Pepo's, pick up a tray, and then look over the selection of daily entrée specials, sides, soups, and desserts that are sitting on the buffet. If your Spanish is shaky you can just point, smile, nod, and pay for your meal while the ladies load up your plate. These folks specialize in roast pork, boliche, picadillo, and many of your other favorite Latin dishes. http://peposcafe.com/daily%20special.html Other people walk into Pepo's and they order off the full menu board behind the counter. This includes the ubiquitous Cuban sandwich along with other sandwiches and dozens of entrée choices. The kitchen makes everything fresh, so you just pay for your meal and wait for them to bring it out to you. Pepo's is also open for breakfast which is great if you're an early riser and working out at the Northdale YMCA just down the street. You can plan to enjoy eggs with bacon, ham, sausage, or chorizo along with home fries and Cuban toast. Fried eggs or omelets, and breakfast sandwiches are all on the menu along with your favorite Cuban coffee. I was there for dinner and enjoyed a cup of Spanish Bean soup (Garbanzo bean), along with a steam table special of bistec salteado, yellow rice, black beans, and a healthy splash of hot sauce. Dinner plus my drink was about $15. Delicious food, and well worth a visit if you happen to live or work in this part of town! You can dine in, carry out, or have them cater for an office party. read more

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Cubans were Amazing!!! I've been in the neighborhood for 3 years and have always wanted to try! So glad I finally did! Will be back!

We love to stop in here when in Tampa, tasty portions and the staff is so kind. I love the yellow rice with the bbq pork.

Honestly really disappointed. Paid $2.50 for this deviled crab that was a bread ball of chopped onions you would see on your mc Donald's hamburger.... there wasn't one piece of crab meat in it. And I got the shredded beef and it was super dry tasting . Paid $16.47 in total for food that just wasn't good .... read more

Pepo's Cafe - Deviled crab - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tampa, Florida

FYI we tried to get take out but they were renovating this location and the nearby alternate location we closed on Sun. It would have been great to see this info on Yelp when planning it. We also saw 3 other cars come up to note on door as we figured out plan B. read more

Bought 4 devil crabs to go and I wouldn't call them devil crabs. They were over cooked and no better than the ones you find under a heat light at a convenient store. They should get in touch with ybor city and get some real devil crabs. Sorry read more

I absolutely love this place. The food is never disappointing. I love that you can get your Cuban made anyway you want, unlike a lot of places that only serve them one way. I am usually afraid to try new items from a restaurant when I Find something I really like, but every time I try something new I love it. The staff is always friendly and you can tell it is good, genuine, Spanish food. read more

Amazing food, sweet employees, fast. You can do Dine in or to go also can sit down and eat at restaurant amidst everything going on. Been going to this place for years and even though I live out of state now I still make this my first stop! Food is always fresh & delicious and good pricing. I recommend getting the Cuban coffee with sugar, the ropa Vieja & roasted pork with black beans & yellow rice , mashed potatoes, green beans. HANDS DOWN BEST FOOD!! read more

Decided to choose the nearest Cuban spot near me, and it was exactly as great as I expected. The waitress had broken English, she almost screwed up my order, but I would not hold that against her or the restaurant. I assume she still learning English. The food however was great. I had the Steak sandwich with 2 ham croquettes, 2 empanadas, and a large coffee.. Everything was fantastic!!! Definitely recommend to anyone in the area!! Thanks Pepo's Cafe!!!! read more

Pepo's Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Casual Cuban spot with lots of seating. Staff was very friendly. Cafe con leche was huge! Food was great. No complaints.

If you've ever had Cuban food, you know that it's pretty hard to get it wrong, and this place doesn't. Been coming here off and on for years and I can report that its definitely gone down hill. Look, I know the server babe is not there for entertainment purposes, but her unfriendliness was off the charts. She needs to move on to something else, cuz she ruins the experience. I would have given 3 stars if I hadn't used the bathroom before leaving.....but I did. Nasty. Urinal 'out of order'; no towels and the trash can was overflowing. Go somewhere else. read more

We have been getting food from Pepo's every time we visit family in Florida. The people are very friendly, and the food is good. I really like their pork and the plantains. read more

Not very good! The tostones were soaked in old oil. The people behind the counter are more occupied in their conversation than waiting on the customers. By the time they show up with the bread and the tostones the food was cold. Their prices are not cheap either! . read more

Food is ok but the service sucks! Better service might make it better! But they have lost our service after today! We won't be coming back here! We rather go to Tierra del Sur café! So much Class and way better Service and the food is exquisite!Go check them out! read more

I've been eating here for a few years. The food Quality seems to be going down the past few Months. The people Are great, But the food Is barely ever hot. read more

I'm very disappointed in you guys as I've been going there for years. Today I went in and watched your cook pack up my meal with his mask pulled down under his chin. When I signaled he gave a nasty look and when I said something to a front lady she acted as if I was over reacting as she said " I'll let him know". I expected so much better from you guys. Think I won't be going back wasted $13.00 as I tossed out the food to be safe. read more

Wow wow wow! I thought the giant best Cuban sandwich size was talking a big game so I pulled up with an appetite. Ordered two of them jones'... wow! Did not disappoint best I've had. Followed it up with the cafecito, it had ESPUMITA ladies and gentlemen. I will absolutely be coming back! read more

The best Cubans in town is what everyone says but this place can claim. They are simple but good. But what sets this cafeteria like / restaurant apart is the tamales. They are worth three times their price. Staff is friendly and helpful and the seats are comfy. read more

Pepo's Cafe - Simple menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tampa, Florida

We walked in for the a quick breakfast and chose this place based on the reviews. After asking the associate behind the counter how are we suppose to order she said if you are ordering in you should sit down and we will serve you. We sat down for 15 minutes nothing happened and we weren't acknowledged. Then we decided to go up there and order ourselves. We ended up ordering an Spanish omelette and tamales and we didn't get our omelettes for 30 minutes. And the interesting fact is it wasn't even busy. So long story short, eggs wasn't anything special. I have had better. But the tamales were very good. One star for service, everybody looks like they just started working here today and three stars for the tamale. Will I come back? Probably not. read more

Came here with my boyfriend while we were in St Pete's for vacation, and we were not disappointed! We were on the hunt for a good Cuban, and we found it at Pepo's. The owners and staff are so nice, and they provided exceptional service. We were generously served some of the best cafe con leche we have ever had. I had about 3 cups! We will definitely make another stop here in the near future. Thank you Pepo's for a great experience! read more

I've had the food from Pepo's at various events so I knew the food was good. This is the first time I actually stoped in. I wasn't expecting it to be so much like a cafeteria. You walk in grab a tray and silverware and look at your options. If you can't decide they let you try a sample. I got the paella I do have to say I for split second was torn between the lamb shanks and baked chicken. I will try them next time. The paella had a lot of seafood and honestly I wasn't expecting such a large portion. It had calamari, mussels, clams, shrimp, krab, sausage, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something. The kid got roasted pork, yellow rice, black beans, and plantains. I have to say the beans rice and plantains were quite good. The also have a container next to the register with Cuban bread and butter. read more

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Where do I start? First off, let me say that I'm not really sure what's happened over the years with the Pipo's-Pipo's Jr.-Pepo's family saga, so I'll just claim ignorance. What I can tell you is that the Northdale location still has one of the best restaurant Cuban sandwiches in the Tampa Bay Area. Once upon a time, they actually used real baked ham (not boiled lunch meat), but those days are long gone. Regardless, this is still my preferred spot to grab a Cuban sandwich. I recently saw Aguila's on MVF Nation, and that place has been on my hit list for a long time. I'll say that I was disappointed to see they do not include salami on their Cuban and douse their pork in mojo, so I've removed them from the hit list. Pipo's on Northdale cooks up a traditional roast pork made with garlic, olive oil and au jus and that's what separates their sandwich from the rest. It is placed on the sandwich shredded, as if ordering a roast pork meal. This makes the sandwich wet, juicy and freaking delicious! Go get one of those bad boys today! PS - I know the PIPO'S on Hillsborough is the original location where it all began, but I find that spot to be kind of dirty and the staff is less than friendly to anyone who is not Hispanic. Northdale is clean and the staff is friendly to ALL. CUBAN SANDWICH REPORT CARD: Bread: Fresh, bakery unknown. Ham: Lunch meat Pork: Pernil Al Horno Salami: Yes, but no peppercorns Swiss: Yes Mustard: Yes Pickles: Yes Pressed: Upon request Lettuce/Tomato/Mayo: Upon request Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 read more

Ordered catering for a party (cubans, empanadas, arozo con pollo) and everyone loved it. The empanadas are the best in Tampa, great size and flavorful. The chicken was moist and they did not skip on portions with the rice. Cubans were decent enough. Will definitely come back again. read more

Always good. Thanks for doing the cooking when I'm out of ideas. Taking to Homosassa and they love it.

My family celebrates Noche Buena every year and as we age we look for the easiest way to celebrate this very important holiday. THis year we ordered the pork(s), platanos, yuca, and empanadas from Pepo's. What a treat! The food was delicious, the organization when we arrived to pick up our order and the exactness was incredible. My family (some of whom are very particular) raved about the success of the meal. We will definitely be ordering our Christmas Eve meal from Pepo's again in 2018. Try it, you will not be disappointed. read more

Pretty good little restaurant! I stopped in one day for lunch, since I was in that area... and starving! I ordered what I usually order for a first time in a new Cuban / Latin restaurant: Lechon Asado, Arroz Amarillo y Frijoles Negro, y Platanos Maduros. (Cuban Roast Pork, Yellow Rice, and Black Beans, with a side of fried Plantains) It was all good, nothing to to complain about! Portions were pretty healthy also... customer service was friendly, and the place was clean and neat. I will have to try something else on my next visit! read more

Tucked behind a very busy plaza in Northdale is this fantastic little place - found it by accident and really glad I did. Classic Cuban cuisine that is served up mostly cafeteria style - and it's very fresh and tasty. The portions are generous and an excellent value for the price. The service is good too - very friendly counter help. Looks smaller from the outside than it actually is. Fairly no frills but you come to a place like this for the food, not the fancy. The Palomilla steak was superb...as were the croquetas and the rice and beans. Went back a different day and got a Cuban sandwich which was excellent as well. Overall a great pick for lunch or dinner in this area! read more

Pepo's Cafe - Palomilla steak and black beans and rice. Deliciouso! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Went to lunch at Pepo's Cafe today. Their food is so delicious! My friend had the pecadillo with yellow rice and black beans and it is very tasty. I had the mojo pork with plaintans and yucca. The Mojo was so good. It was soft and yummy. The plaintans are excellent and the yucca is out of this world. It is so tasty and it comes with this super yummy green sauce that is indescribably delicious. This is not a fancy restaurant. It is counter service and the decor is nothing special. But, their food is amazing and the staff is always very friendly and helpful. This is one of my favorite Cuban restaurants and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Cuban food. read more

I've only been here for breakfasts but that's enough. Breakfast prices and food are excellent as is the cafe con leche. Service is always friendly and efficient. A good place to start the day or finish the evening. Looking over the lunch menu I saw the usual Cuban fare. After talking with several people who dine here regularly I was given the impression that they have a kitchen staff that makes the usual Cuban fare shine. I will return for lunch and report again. read more

I love this place! I am not Hispanic so I am not sure if this is "great" Hispanic food but, I do see many Hispanic people there all the time! The people are very nice and the drinks are self serve. There is many places to pretty much sit down. It's very diverse in there as well. read more

When you want delicious Cubano food, Pepo's is the place to go. We are talking authentic Cuban meats with incredible flavor. My wife (don't judge) got the Cuban Sandwich...It was delicious and well worth my chomp or two. I would say only Faedo's beats this one out. I had the Picadillo which was the best I ever had. The ground beef still had some side to it to hold the flavor. The sauce was amazing with the rice and beans that accompanied it. The staff at Pepo's is friendly, but I would recommend they take some time to clean out the soda dispenser. All of the ice machine and sodas tasted as if they were coming with dirty water or ice... Great food, good service, just a little dirty for a cafe of this caliber. read more

Great reasonable prices and home cook food. Cuban toast with warm margarine, good side portion of home fries. Fresh coffee to drink with your breakfast. This is one stop I'll repeat in next following weeks. For a simple inexpensive morning treat come here. read more

Ok..so I must admit I fully expected not to like the food here. I've passed it a few times and always said oh I don't think it would be as good as a few other Latin places. Today I was in the area so I decided to stop in. They had a lunch special $5.75 for 1/4 chicken and two sides. I ordered it with Moro Rice and Plantains. The menu isn't huge but you'll find typical Latin dishes on it. The Moro rice was seasoned well. The chicken was juicy (I didn't expect this because it was sitting on the hot bar). All in all I will be back. read more

Was dragged in here by Mark H. not knowing what exactly to expect. Inspected the line, and agreed to try a Cuban Sammich. So glad I did. I tried a piece of tamale, and admittedly I prefer huge meaty tamales wrapped in banana leaves, so these little corn husk corn meal deals slit open with pulled pork dumped inside was certainly not the best vehicle for such great pulled pork. Luckily, the Cuban Sandwich really was! Everything down to the strategically placed pickle seemed very well thought out. The bread was fresh, and the pork was juicy and delicious. I ordered a side cup of black bean juice-not soup, just in case I got into a dry sammich that needed dipping. I didn't seem to need it. I only got thru half of the sandwich as it was, and that was an amazing half. Can't wait to go back! read more

Pepo's Cafe - All about the pork - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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