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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Tamale...great. They even put extra pork inside once you order. Croquetas...delicious. Yellow rice, black beans, roast pork...yum, yum, yum. Both of us were totally stuffed and spent less than $20 for our late lunch. This is cafeteria-style, so you enter, grab a tray, and tell the lady behind the counter what you'd like from the steam trays. Several appetizers, types of rice, meat entrees, soups, including "American" favorites like mashed potatoes and green beans. Restaurant was clean inside although decor is a bit outdated. read more

I love Cuban food, and thus is good in a pinch. Nothing stands out about the food. Kind of run of the mill. The service is good, and I would say their lunch is better than their breakfast. I could do without the rap music in the morning though. Good Cafe con Leche. read more

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

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Ropa vieja was very salty. Aesthetics of place below average. Green beans looked as if poured out of can. My associate and I did not enjoy.

My first visit recently was on an early Sunday afternoon to this Cuban cafeteria style restaurant. Over the years I have enjoyed many of Tampa's Cuban restaurants. Some better than others. I remember the good and superior Cuban cooking which was my anticipation at Pepos due to the reviews. My baked chicken was cut with a fork tender and my companion's shredded beef was fresh and tender too. My beef, pardon the pun, with Pepo's is with the side dishes. I ordered Caldo Gallego (turnip green) soup. What I got was a passable bean soup without a lot of flavor. Missing were the turnips, chorizo sausage, and ham. Granted this isn't the Columbia however they may want to visit their recipe or call it white bean soup. The Tostones I ordered were full of oil and over cooked. Yellow Rice is very bland and could use some added flavor as well as more vegetables. I could see there was steady business here offering a variety on their menu including "trout" ala Rusa which the server said was actually Talapia and a Paella which I didn't try. They also have the Cuban standby's: crab cake, stuffed potatoes and empanadas as well as deserts like Flan. Espresso and Cafe con leche were authentic. Since it's cafeteria style, if you need something, you have to go back in line and try to get somebody's attention which I was unable to do. I'd rate Pepo's good but not great. For two entrees, two sides, soup for one and dos coffee's bill came to $26. which I felt was a bit high. read more

Breakfast sandwich was great. I gave a 4?because Mambos's is the 5. Lots more bacon on it. I will be back though. I loved it!

Horrible customer service We arrived around 3 p.m. and the restaurant was empty. When I ordered my food the food was lukewarm and shortly after sitting down the employee started mopping the floor with a strong bleach in an empty restaurant she had to mop our area. When we asked her to please stop until we finished she said she had put off up in that area long enough and needed to get it done I will not be eating there again it's overpriced and horrible customer service read more

Love coming here for good home cooked food!! Fried plaintains, rice, beans, roast pork... And love the cafe con leche! read more

My fav Latino restaurant in north tampa. Place is very clean and all the employees are very nice. Prices for most of the main meals are around $9. The food is awesome. I love the pork which is very tender. The rice beans plantains etc are also very good. I don't have any complaints about this restaurant. read more

Probably one of the best Cuban restaurants I've been to here in Tampa. I had the Pepper Steak with Rice and Beans, it taste great. It was so good that I had to order more items off the menu just to see if everything else was just as good. It was! I wasn't let down at all. I ordered a bit more then I probably should have, but I couldn't have helped it. I am definitely happy that I did though. If you haven't been eaten here, I recommend you do. If you have been here, I'm sure you'll be back. I for sure will! read more

Love this place. I come here for lunch all the time when I'm on break. Staff is always friendly and always greet me when I enter.

Love this place great food and always acknowledged unlike Ricky's cafe needs to close on Hutchinson and Ehrlich never got acknowledge when there for 15 'minutes waiting to order. read more

Best Cuban sandwich north of Waters! Empanadas were also AMAZING! Lucky I found this hidden treasure!

This place is amazing. Not only their food but also their service. The owner is giving and generous. They donated a big order to a local hospital to thank nurses and doctors. That speaks tons of the owner's character and giving heart! Thank you so much Pepo's cafe! read more

If my spanish teachers were grading me on my use of conversational spanish...then I would get a C+. Whelp. English is not a strong point for a majority of these workers (but they are the nicest and patient workers ever), so knowing a enough spanish would help alot and impress the workers, or just simple pointing would work too! Let me give you a few phrases that might help you! ¿Que Eso? (while pointing): What is that? (while pointing) Pollo: Chicken Bisteak: Beef Cerdo: Pork Pescado: Fish Arroz Amarillo: Yellow Rice Arroz Blanco: White Rice Frijoles (free-ho-lezzz) negro: Black Beans Patatas: Potatoes Yo Quiero ________ Por Favor: I want __________ please We came here for lunch and there are two ways you can order. You can order from the buffet or a la carte. What makes a la carte different from the buffet is that it includes the various sandwiches they have. If you order buffet make sure you get your utensils first then ask the worker behind the buffet table what you want from the buffet (with the spanish I just taught you! :)..or point!). You get a choice of one protein, and two sides. The proteins range from chicken, fish, beef, and pork while the sides range from latin to americanized (green beans and mashed potatoes). Lots of variety for the picky eater. For two lunch dishes it was cheap (~$20). And know they have lunch specials on the weekdays..a plate for $6! Pretty sure you could ask for more with additional charge; but the standard will make you full as they literally fill up the plate! Literally. After you finish paying, just pick a seat and dig in! And once you are done with your meal, just leave the dishes there. I was very happy and full in the end...and I eat alot! I chose the chicken dish with the sides of yellow rice and black beans on top. The chicken was very moist and flavorful (with the meat falling off the bone good!). Highly recommended! Yellow rice was good too as it wasn't dry and lack of flavor; while the black beans complimented both the chicken and rice well (black beans compliment everything well in Latin food!). Can't wait to go back next time to redeem myself in my spanish conversational skills and of course eat more of the yummy food! Apparently roast pork is well known there so I need to try it out! read more

The smell coming from this restaurant is wonderful and can be sniffed across the street at the playground which is how I decided to try this joint. And I'm so glad I did. I took the very friendly ladies recommendation, after saying I had never been there before and she told me what everything was and what the lunch specials were. She said they were known for their pork. Growing up on a pig for Farm I'm kind of snobby about my pork but this was fantastic the best work I've had since I was little. Juicy and tender and well-seasoned but it tasted obviously of pork not like other stuff thrown on top of it. We had the lunch so it was $10 and change after tax and came with a huge (like two people could share it) serving of their roast pork a copious amount of rice and beans which was one of the sides I picked and we also had as our other side their chicken and vegetable soup. The soup is satisfying kind of reminds me of Lipton but definitely something I'll order again especially when sick. And my toddler and I were gobbling up the rice and beans. Nothing was bland, everything was satisfying and the staff was so kind. I definitely intend to go back and try some of their other dishes. My toddler enjoyed the pork as well, grabbing it by the fistful and chewing on the long shredded pieces. the cat also found it fantabulous as he was steeling it from our to-go box. The three of us, myself the toddler and the cat, are now full end there is still enough left over for one more small meal... Except the soup that's all gone. read more

Last weekend we stopped in here as my friend knew my love of Latin food. I'm sorry , but it was new to me and you can never go wrong with Boliche. I had the Boliche, fried plantains, black beans and rice. Wow another great Latin restaurant in Tampa and not on Latin row. This little jewel is hidden away in the nieghborhood of Northdale, north of Carrollwood. My Boliche was fork tender, delicious flavors on everything and it was a great dinner for very little cash. I sure was a happy camper as I was right in my comfort zone. My friend was not thst familiar with Latin cuisine and opted for the Cuban sandwich. The sandwich was respectable, but by Tampa's high standards it was average. We each nibbled on the others dishes to check them out. My friend was floored by the Boliche and wanted to know why I did not say that it was delicious pot roast. I explained I couldn't lump it in with pot roast, not sure he understood, but he loved the dish. With that being said, he was not ready to try the black beans or plantains, LOL. It was an enjoyable meal and evening at an off the beaten track eatery. What's a girl to do? Eat what she enjoys and enjoy the company she is in. read more

Good authentic Cuban food. I always get the cafe con leche to go!! Prices are reasonable. I come here every year while on vacation!

Ropa Veija is amazing. Good size portion, great flavor, very nice staff and not to expensive. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you live in the North Dale area it's a great must try. read more

Pepo's Café is great and has been for many years. The restaurant is set up in a cafeteria style where you go down the line and pick what you would like. Dishes run around $10 for meat with 2 sides and Cuban bread. They have some of the best roast pork I have ever had and there portions are huge. Each dinner is easily 2 meals. I usually go with the pork and black beans and yellow rice. Make sure to get onions on top and you are set for a great meal. Each meal comes with Cuban bread. If Pepo's were closer to my house I would frequent it because it is superior to similar restaurants nearby. read more

As a Miami native, I was extremely disappointed by this place. My husband and I were looking for a place to eat on Sunday and we stopped by here since we are both hispanic and wanted some cuban food. We ordered churrasco,rice,and plantains and we literally had to wait over 30 minutes to get our food...mind you, people that came after us were dispatched right away. To top things off the prices are entirely too high we spent about $30. read more

Delicious Cuban food! I grew up in Miami and this is one of the most authentic places in Tampa (even more so than some places in ybor). Reasonable prices, good food, and great for families and kids or take out. Definitely worth a try! read more

Pepos has one of the best cuban sandwiches in town, which is served up by some very pleasant employees. I'm looking forward to going back for another one soon! read more

I've been here numerous times since I came across it, great food at a very affordable price. The staff is always very welcoming and friendly! I really enjoy their Cuban sandwich and cafe espresso, if you haven't tried I highly recommend you stop in, I'm never disappointed! read more

I like dining here. This is no frills cafeteria style food. They do a nice job with the chicken and the pork. I always like yellow rice, black beans and plantains as sides. The Cuban bread is always nice as well. read more

If you're looking for authentic Cuban cuisine, look no further! Nestled in a small strip plaza in beautiful Carrollwood, Pepo's Cafe is one of Tampa's hidden gems. Prepare to be welcomed with a warm "hola!". The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. I've only ever been for lunch but you have several Cuban delicacies to choose from, including pork, chicken and Cuban sandwiches. I generally get the pork as it melts in your mouth. The yellow rice is also to die for! If you choose to have soda, refills are free, as is the Cuban bread. The staff is very friendly and I'm guessing family owned and operated. The restaurant is very clean and inviting. The portions are very large for the average human being. Common sense will tell you stop and take the rest home but I dare you to stop! And dint forget to ask about their VIP loyalty program. Buy 10 lunch or dinners and get one free! read more

Used to be one of my favorite places to go for good cubans and great food. But lately cubans have had hard overcooked pork on them and the food is getting skimpy. Gave them one more shot last time, now im done. read more

Pepo's Cafe - Pretty sure I paid 9.99 for a chicken wing dinner. So mad you could of atleast gave me 2 pieces if their this tiny. It fits in the corner... - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Stopped in on a Sunday afternoon!! Received wonderful service!! The food was excellent! I love the pulled pork and yellow rice! I also got a Cuban to take home for lunch the next day! I love this place!! read more

Ordered the 'Pepo's Best' Pork sandwich and 2 tamales to go during lunch time. I was kindly told that there would be a 20 minute wait, which I was OK with. I just went to Target across to street and came back. Food was ready and still hot when I got home. The pork sandwich was decent, huge portion of pork which was super tender, and awesome crunch from the press. The tamales are what sold me. Fluffy tamale stuffed with chicken and sauce. The tamales I'm used to are dry and less saucy. Looking forward to trying out the other items on the menu, like the Cuban and oxtail. read more

Excellent food for the price. There are lots of Cuban cafeterias like this in the Tampa area, but this one is a notch above. I love the beans and rice. read more

If you were raised in Tampa and are part of a hispanic family, there is no doubt in my mind that you've been to Pepo's Cafe and as a matter of fact, I'd venture to guess that you are probably a frequent visitor. My family has been going to Pepo's for family gatherings and random lunches for a very, very long time. The service is always fantastic, the food is authentic and flavorful, and the prices are more than reasonable. My favorite menu items are the roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and palomilla steak. read more

Pepo's is a gem. Their food is delicious and changes every day. You can always find the traditional Cuban favorites. You can order cafeteria style or from the menu. The ladies who run the place are delightful and will make you feel at home. The roast pork, tamales, picante, plantains, flan, rice pudding, and roast chicken were perfect. read more

I may well have been the first chinese guy to stroll in, but it was worth it. There were large portions at a reasonable price and it doesn't hurt that the food is yummy. I can't speak to the authenticity, just that I was satisfied. I'm not sure, but I think I occasionally have dreams of the roast pork. read more

EXTREMELY overpriced Spanish food! At first, I thought it was kind of neat and convenience having a Spanish restaurant down the street. Especially for the days where my fiancé and I just don't feel like cooking. Having just payed $32 for pork and fajita chicken, I think I can muster up the energy to cook a real Spanish meal for my family! Oh yeah, and for 1/4 of that price. Advice: Lower your prices(especially with Pollo Tropical around the corner)! read more

Wow ! If you're looking for authentic and delicious Cuban food, look no further. Pepo's Cafe is amazing. I come here weekly for pork, rice and beans. Everything on the menu is great ! The environment is also very friendly as well as the staff. read more

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Was in the North Tampa area and not sure where to go for a simple breakfast and decided to check out Pepo's. I came in late morning (11 a.m.) and they still offered me the breakfast menu even though they were pretty much set to go with tier lunch buffet which looked rather good. I ordered an omelet and a cafe con leche and both were great. It's a no frills Cuban/Spanish restaurant that's worth the visit if you are in the area. read more

The food was Great and the prices are so reasonable. Definitely eating from Pepos again. The pork was cooked well and had lots of flavor not like other places that don't use enough seasoning or too much. The empanadas are one of the best I have ever tasted. read more

I usually pick up a Cuban sandwich and café con leche and I am never disappointed. The staff is great too. I go pretty often since they are just a couple of blocks away in Carrollwood. The restaurant, tables, chairs, floor and counters are always clean and same goes for the bathroom. read more

Service is always wonderful here just like they're Cuban sandwiches. I love the friendly and family oriented atmosphere.

My company had lunch brought in for some training and the food was awesome i highly recommend this place . The pork was great, deviled crab, Cuban sandwich all outstanding read more