The perfect meal. I ordered the chicken pepper rice which sizzled to perfection. I was amazed by the abundance of flavors. The pepper is surprisingly not too overwhelming where it ruins the whole meal, it adds a balance burst of flavor. I add the garlic and vinegar (?) sauces as well. Quick service. Smaller restaurant. Not too crowded on a weeknight. The perfect savory experience. Friends of mine replaced the rice for noodles in the past but they have unfortunately discontinued this. 10/10 recommend this delicious meal! read more

Pepper Lunch - Classic Chicken Pepper Rice and Sweet Potato Wedges - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

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The food was good the curry was a little bland missing some flavor however a random homeless man enter the restaurant not noticing that employees at the front the homeless pass by with them and enter the bathroom soo it was odd and weird that they didn't know if he was a customer and suddenly ignored the fact I don't know what the homeless contain in the bathroom it was weird but overall the fries was great and crispy overall everything is okay service needs to be updated with menu's. read more

The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating. If you checkin on yelp you can get a free side so I tried the seaweed shake salad along with the chicken karage curry and beef pepper rice. The salad wasn't what I expected. I thought it would be a seaweed salad but it's an actual salad and then with some seaweed. The dressing they gave for it was great tho. The sizzling plates were ok to me. It was rice, corn and meat. I did like that the sizzling plate kept the food nice and hot but the food didn't realy stand out too different. Staff was nice. They do provide water if you don't want to order a drink. Plenty of seating. We didn't have to wait to be seated. read more

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POGIBALLS REVIEW (5 Star Rating) [Pepper Lunch] 6 W Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801 https://www.pepperlunchrestaurants.com/ Food - 4 1/2 Stars Ambiance - bright and lively 4 Stars Cleanliness - 4 Stars Service - 5 Stars Restroom Cleanliness - 4 Stars (Single) Order: Kimchi Chicken Pepper Rice / Beef Pepper Rice The Kimchi Chicken Pepper dish was very hearty. As the cheese touched my tongue it exploded in a savory sensation of a gooey melted river that engulfed the chicken and rice with a uforia of flavor. Topping it off with the zesty flavor of the kimchi combined to form a well fulfilling dish. I would dine here again. read more

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pepper lunch is that reliable, grounded friend who you can meet up with once every several months and feel like no time has passed at all. this establishment continually, consistently satisfies my craving for something savory and SUBSTANTIAL. i am a big eater, but i am never left wanting for more after dining here. the portion of meat for their beef pepper rice (my go-to order) is perfect, but you are more than welcome to opt for more meat by ordering their beef pepper rice JUMBO or adding double meat. i was introduced to pepper lunch by a friend who was familiar with the branch in irvine, and i just kept returning. i have brought my family, my partner, and my friends on four completely separate occasions. i enjoy pepper lunch so much that i have dined here in the comfort of my own company twice already. i love me a teppan!!! the space is quite casual and not one in which you would necessarily linger in. you pay first at the counter, and you are served your sizzling order as soon as it is ready. since it is located on main street in alhambra, parking is easy and plentiful! today (4/26/2025), i was disheartened to discover that it is currently closed until further notice. :( read more

Pepper Lunch - Classic Beef Pepper Rice - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

This review is based solely on the food quality. I absolutely loved my first visit and had been craving pepper lunch ever since. On my second visit today, I decided to upgrade to the jumbo portion for more protein since the regular size felt small. Unfortunately, the photos were misleading, the portion looked nearly identical to the regular pepper lunch when I got it. I paid $24 including tip and felt disappointed with the value. If I knew it would cost that much, I would've gone to Boiling Point instead. I even drove from the IE to satisfy my craving, which made it more frustrating. Please update the menu photos so future customers aren't misled. Sadly, this will be my last visit. On a positive note, the staff was friendly and the restaurant was clean. read more

Pepper Lunch - "Jumbo" pepper lunch for reference - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

Love, love, love Pepper Lunch! You can always count on them for a warm hearty meal, but due to today's visit we were left with a surprise. The place is currently closes until further notice \(°^°\) read more

Pepper Lunch - Kimchi Beef with Cheese Pepper Rice - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

Nice option for fast Japanese food as you have a choice of proteins (beef is best) and can even choose pasta options. And there's really no other similar restaurants that serve food in sizzle bowls. Been coming here for awhile and they are very consistent with food but the protein portions seem to be less now? Check out my pics. read more

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Fun experience with decent food. Self service at the cashier and they bring your food. Ambiance fits the motif. Food is decent and fills you up. read more

While the food was good and there was no issues, Im simply displeased with how poor of a value the food was. It was the 1st time trying, service was good restaurant was clean, you order in the front. It came out to be $40 for 2 plates which seemed confusingly high. Also, its a seemingly simple plate for the price, "extra" beef, rice, and corn. If you want a topping added its $2.00?!? Onions $2, mushrooms $2 (btw we didnt add anything extra and it was $40 still) for the price it should come with a topping of choice, maybe it could be $1 for extra toppings?? The food itself had good flavor, but again, the lack of value took away so much from it. It wasnt amazing either, good still but not worth the price again. Mediocre portion of rice, and not a lot of beef despite it being the jumbo. And thats all there is to it, rice and beef. $20. Corn I dont even count. Was not full leaving the restaurant. We felt kind of ripped off in the sense that we couldve spent $40 on a nice filling meal elsewhere. read more

Pepper Lunch - Jumbo Beef Pepper Rice - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

Pepper Lunch is a popular Japanese fast casual chain restaurant (established in 1994) serving a do-it-yourself teppanyaki (sizzling hot plate). Currently there are three locations in Southern California (Alhambra, Artesia, and Irvine). but recently Pepper Lunch's Director of Franchise Sales signed a five-store Southern California deal over the next three years in early August 2024. I remember there used to be a long waiting line at this Alhambra location when it first opened in December 2018, but the hype has faded and there was no waiting line when I stopped by a month ago. [Parking]: Plenty of free parking in Downtown Alhambra, but please note that public parking structures can get packed during busy weekends. [Ordering]: Customers can go through the entire menu via the LED kiosk display and placed an order at the cashier counter. After I placed my order, I took a number and grabbed an nearby available table. The staff honored the Yelp check-in offer (one free side with two entree orders). [Menu]: The menu has a similar idea as another Japanese chain restaurant Coco Ichibanya with one curry for all - Pepper Lunch offers multiple variations of teppanyaki and nothing else other than salads. *** Beef Pepper Rice ($13.99): This is the classic dish at Pepper Lunch. Customers will need to cook raw meat themselves just like grilling meats in Korean BBQ restaurants. Overall the sizzling plate was pretty underwhelming given somewhat expensive price point. I mean the plate only had three major ingredients: rice, corn, and meat in a sizzling grill. Sure food didn't taste too bad, but it didn't feel like a bang for your buck meal. Sweet Potato Wedges (free with Yelp check-in offer with two entree orders): I actually like these wedges a lot better than sizzling plate I had. Curry: I sampled the curry sauce and it tasted slightly too sweet for my preference. *** This feels like one of those gimmicky restaurants that mostly focuses on dining experience rather than providing good values. It is hard to see myself re-visiting here on a more frequent basis. read more

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I last visited Pepper Lunch yesterday, 5/31/2024 at around 6:40 PM to celebrate my friend's belated birthday! This was my second visit and the last time I was here was back in 2019. My husband and I ordered the following (Price as of May 2024): ++Premium Steak - Rib Eye Steak 8oz - $33.49 - The rib-ey steak came medium rare with a little bit of flavored butter, some carrots, corn, and string beans on a sizzling plate. The steak wasn't too flavorful (in my honest opinion), but the cut was good - juicy, not dry. The veggies weren't really flavored either so I'm pretty sure you need to add your own sauce lol. I enjoyed this dish but I wasn't particularly wowed by it. ++Signature - Jumbo Beef Pepper Rice $18.49 (Price as of May 2024) - This dish was good and comes with beef around rice with corn and green onions on a sizzling plate. I feel like I like the idea of pepper lunch, but the flavor is just decent. The meat is like a lean brisket and not that fatty. The flavor was on the mild side, but you can add extra sauce (which they provide on your table). You do have to mix it up real well and it's fun to eat from a sizzling plate haha. ++Onion Rings - $4.20 (free with our Yelp check-in) - The onion rings were okay, not that good. They weren't that crunchy and they're the type where they fry whole rings of onions lol. I didn't care for them and I would opt for another side next time. ++ Drink. They have a soda fountain towards the back along with three other drinks: mandarin cardamom, unsweet green tea, and strawberry dragonfruit. I highly recommend the strawberry dragonfruit, which also includes pomegranate juice since it was so yummy! My husband and I kept going back to refill since it was so delicious and refreshing. Tip: Don't forget to check-in on Yelp for a free regular or premium side (with purchase of 2 main meals)! They allowed my party to check-in twice, since we had a party of 4 so that was kind of them! Not sure how long they will be having this promotion, but utilize it while you can! Although I enjoyed my meal, I did think it was a little pricey overall. The food was still enjoyable, I just don't think it was too special. I'll still consider coming back. read more

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Went here with my friends & the server Tiff was amazing to us. She made sure to keep checking in on us if we ever needed anything, super nice & great customer service. Good food too read more

I stopped by Pepper Lunch a few days ago with a group of coworkers for lunch. It was my first time there and and I was intrigued by the concept. I ended up ordering the chicken and beef pepper rice. The food was pretty good. The meat and the rice were very flavorful. I like how they brought the food out on a hot skillet. They also had a sweet sauce at the table that was really good. The service was my issue. The staff was generally rude and unpleasant, which made for an uncomfortable experience. As a result, I would more than likely not return. read more

Pepper Lunch - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

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Pretty good overall for the food but the hype has definitely gone down. I have enjoyed the chicken and salmon teriyaki rice dishes a they were flavourful and the rice was really good actually. My main thing was that the service is sometimes hit or miss but I would definitely come back. The ambiance is also pretty chill. read more

We have a Pepper Lunch in the Bay Area, but I don't think it's the same. Over the years it's gotten worse. I'm fairly certain the Pepper Lunches in SoCal and Vegas follow the same brand from Japan, but the Bay Area one looks different IMO. SoCal Pepper Lunches are way better. First time in downtown Alhambra, and couldn't pass up Pepper Lunch when I saw it. Not much to say other than it's fantastic. One small complaint is that the deluxe size doesn't seem that much bigger than the regular size, but I order it anyways. read more

Pepper Lunch - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

Pepper Lunch is a Japanese "fast-steak" restaurant franchise and it is popular in the Tokyo area. This Pepper Lunch has been there for years. It's at the corner of Garfield and Main Street in Alhambra. I parked my car at the nearby parking structure. We saw a line there when we just got in. It was on Sunday around 1 p.m. But then we got our table within 10 minutes because they had a table for 2. We felt like we beat the crowd. We ordered the classic Beef Pepper rice and the combo with chicken and salmon. The portion was not big for classic Beef Pepper Rice. It was a bit salty but I always like beef. The chicken and salmon were delicious and juicy. We also used the check-in offer on Yelp so we got one side for free. We chose fries and they were seasoned fries. They were crunchy and flavorful. It was not bad but could be better. read more

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I used to look forward to days when I would be around Alhambra and I could stop by pepper lunch. A few years ago when I brought my parents here, I noticed a slight decline in the quality and portion sizes. I visited again last night after long hiatus and was disappointed. I got a jumbo to split with my mom and my fiancé got her own regular size. Both portions were surprisingly skimpy. The rice was oversauced and tasted extremely salty. It was quite a departure from what we were used to. I understand inflation and rising costs but isn't that what raising prices is for? We noticed a very minimal difference between the jumbo and regular size unfortunately. read more

Pepper Lunch - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

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Came here today for the very first time with a friend. We got the Beef Pepper Rice Jumbo (which was really not THAT jumbo at all!), the Hamburg & Chicken Sizzling Curry Rice, a side of regular fries and a side of sweet potato fries. Loved the fries and dipped them in our curry. The food was pretty good (4.25/5) but the quantity of the Beef was lacking in the Jumbo. Thought that it was a child's portion. I agree that the portions may seem small for the prices they charge and therefore, one might think that it was not enough bang for the buck! However, this would not deter me from returning and trying other menu items. The lunch experience here was nice and quite enjoyable. I am glad that I came here to try it out. I would definitely return with my niece and nephew when they come up for a visit. They love pepper and curry! So, it would be a win-win for us. read more

Pepper Lunch - Hamburg & Chicken Sizzling Curry Rice (Curry is provided separately which we poured over the meats after the sizzling had stopped) - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

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Food was sizzlin' delicious! I had the Hamburg curry and asked for mushrooms to be added. We ate outside and it was perfect because we didn't end up smelling like food. Service was fast. The only bummer on the day we visited was they only accepted cash and nothing over $20. Their register system must have been down, but it didn't stop us. We shall be back. read more

This place is a fast casual spot to get some Japanese teppan dishes. Everything is served on a sizzling hot plate and they have dishes from protein with rice or noodles to steaks. You order at the counter and sit down at your table to wait for your food. There are sauces on the table that you can add to season your dish. We got the jumbo beef with rice to get that extra protein because there's really not that much sliced beef. My fiancé got the curry plate with beef and hamburger. Overall an easy meal but it can be a bit oily. Kinda expensive for what you're getting for but still delicious. read more

Pepper Lunch - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

Pepper Lunch is easily one of my favorite go-to spots for something quick & easy. You can really never go wrong here. I used to order the beef pepper rice but recently I've been ordering the beef yaki udon (I'm a noodles girly) and it's SO much better. The way the noodles are bouncy and it isn't too filling like the rice. There's not too much service here besides the workers bringing you your hot plate.. but that's to be expected. TIP: with a Yelp check in you can get a free drink. Ordered: - beef pepper rice - beef yaki udon read more

Pepper Lunch - beef yaki udon - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

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My husband found this spot over the weekend and we decided to give it a try for lunch. We went right when they opened and there were already 3 other groups inside. This was a sign that this place gets pretty busy or is pretty popular. The staff was very patient and helped us right away. They guided us to see the menu and then took our orders. I got the beef pepper rice and my husband got the curry beef and hamburg combo. Both were very tasty. We really enjoyed it. Our daughter loved the beef pepper rice as well and she kept asking for more. read more

Pepper Lunch - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

Ordering & service was fine. No issues. Food: Angus Diced Cut Steak w/ Egg Add-On 4/5 Happy with the meal overall and egg add-on, but the steak was a bit tough. The steak is salty enough, but adding the sweet sauce gives it a different flavor. Both by itself (salty) or with sweet sauce are good. Like that it comes with veggies. Used to think Pepper Lunch is not cheap, but with inflation, the price now is actually acceptable. Beef & Chicken Combo is decent. Chicken is mediocre. Could skip it, but the beef is fine/would order again. It comes with corn, but no other veggies. Water is self served. read more

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Came here to stop by and try this place. Simon was delicious. Overall the photos was really good. Service was okay! read more

Pepper Lunch - Salmon Pepper Rice - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

Even though the signs say otherwise, you seat yourself. Go up to counter to order, get your own stuff. Looking about $20 a person without drinks. Beef was good, get sauce on side to dip. Not that much meat and tons of rice. Fork easier than chop sticks. Curry is ok, hamburger is ok. Probably wouldn't get either in the future. Fries aren't that good, guess I should have know lol. Has outdoor seating. Ambiance is pretty fast food feel. read more

Staff takes your order quickly and prepares your order in the moment. This place was a bit busy during my visit and was a bit louder than usual. Chicken Kaarage- 4/10 Pieces of chicken were a bit hard. They got tougher as they cooked on my plate. Don't think I'll order this again as it felt a bit over priced for a few 5-6 popcorn chicken pieces. read more

Pepper Lunch - Angus Hamburg Steak - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

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Hamburg steak was AWFUL! A solid block of processed meat that looks more like a dehydrated patty from an emergency earthquake food ration kit. WTH?! Prices are decent, but the quality's awful. Corn is definitely canned corn, green beans and carrots were previously frozen. Seasoned butter to top of steak was bland and not good. Their sweet potato fries were the only thing I liked & they reheated up really weak the next day in my air fryer. This is good for college or high school kids celebrating the end of Finals or something. Definitely not for adults who like steaks & decent food. Service was good, cashier was very sweet. Staff was all working hard. Unfortunately, I will NEVER go again. read more

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I'm a big fan of Pepper Lunch and have always enjoyed dining here. However, I've noticed some changes recently that were a bit disappointing. The portion sizes seem smaller. We ordered the jumbo beef, but it felt more like a regular size. The meat quality also isn't what it used to be; it's noticeably declined. On top of that, the signature sauces that used to come with the dish are no longer offered, which really took away from the overall flavor. I hope the quality and portions can go back to what they used to be. read more

I enjoyed my meal here - how could you go wrong with having a cast iron plate of sizzling beef and rice delivered to your table in short order? Also, prices are not bad for what you get - there are some very affordable and high-value options here. If I'm being completely honest, the beef *may* have been on the ... "less-marinated" side? But hey, that's why the restaurant makes plenty of sauce available to customers! :D The dining format is as follows: 1) place order at cash register, 2) pay for order, 3) sit at a table, and 4) your food will be brought to your table. Extra sauces (salad dressing, ketchup, etc.) are available from a self-serve condiment bar in the dining area. Soft drinks are self serve from a machine - I am particularly pleased to report that they offer Agave Vanilla Cream Soda from said machine! The staff seems to radiate what is probably most accurately described as numbness, but is as helpful as one can reasonably expect non-full service restaurant staff to be (I suppose). They have both indoor and outdoor seating - I prefer their indoor seating due to the cushioned seats. Free parking can be obtained in the public multi-story parking structure just south of the restaurant. read more

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Pepper Lunch at the Alhambra location is so good! I have been multiple times and each time left content with my meal! The vibe of the restaurant is casual dining and there's also outdoor seating. The workers are pretty efficient with their service and the food is always delivered sizzling. Pepper Lunch is perfect for a quick meal. I always get the beef pepper rice and sometimes add cheese! I tried the combination of rice and cheese at Pepper Lunch for the first time and instantly loved it. The tables also have garlic sauce that you can add. The only minor downside are the serving sizes. For the price I pay, I expect a bit more meat/ serving size in general. Parking: I usually park at the Alhambra Place Plaza that's across from Pepper Lunch and there's ample parking! read more

Pepper Lunch - Classic Beef Pepper Rice - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

Food is ok. I expected more for the price. Location is really clean and staff friendly. read more

Pepper Lunch - Jumbo Beef Pepper Rice - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

Very good place to get some lunch! I Always order online and my food is always ready and still hot! The waiters/servers here also very nice and welcoming! read more

I had dinner here for the first time tonight, from a recommendation from a friend and was a bit disappointed. I ordered a combo plate (Hamburg/beef) with rice and sprouts. I ended up leaving hungry. My meal was mostly rice with a small amount of meat. I ate really slow to savor my meal, but wished there was more on my plate. I liked that it was served on a hot plate, but I could grab Korean bbq, within walking distance for a better bang for my buck. Not great. Not bad. But not memorable. read more

Pepper Lunch - Combo plate - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

Food - 4/5 - The food is always fresh and the seasoning is perfect. it's a good hearty meal that fills you up. My favorite is the pepper beef with curry. Price - $$ - This isn't a budget friendly place but it is fairly priced. You get a good portion for what you pay for. Service - 5/5 -The servers are very fun and positive. They make you feel welcome and not rushed to order. Ambiance - 4/5 - The vibe is super casual and great for friend groups or a casual date night. Location - 2/5 - it is located on Main in Alhambra so parking is not as available. There's plenty of street parking or parking in the structures/lots. Just be prepared to walk. __________ **Note: Location rating does not affect yelp review, this is just for informative purposes of other patrons only. read more

I have always enjoyed going to Pepper Lunch before the pandemic. However, I haven't been back since. I decided to visit again with my friend before Christmas because apparently, many restaurants on Main were closed on Tuesdays. I was pleased to see that one no longer have to order from the machine. Instead, you can order at the cashier and pay there. They have also added some udon dishes to the menu. Although tempting, I stuck with the two meats with curry sauce. I had never tried that before, as I almost ordered the classic beef pepper rice. My friend ordered the tofu and veggie rice. With the Yelp check-in, one could get a free size. I opted for the seaweed salad as I wanted something healthy. My friend chose the sweet potato rice, and we planned to share the sides. My mixed two-meat curry rice was excellent. I enjoyed the sizzling presentation in front of me, and the smell of the curry was heavenly. The seaweed salad added some greens to my meal, although it's nothing special. The sweet potato fries were not particularly crispy, as they were kind of a thick cut. Towards the end of the meal, we discovered they had some new drinks for people to try, displayed on a separate table along the wall at the back. We were welcome to try them and provide feedback. Excited, we sampled all four flavors, which were mainly some mixed organic fruit drinks. They were all pretty okay, and we left them our honest reviews on the notes provided. Overall, Pepper Lunch remains one of my favorite restaurants in Alhambra. Next time, I definitely want to try the udon dishes. read more

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This place would have hit, but unfortunately my S/O added a bunch of seasoning sauce without trying the dish first to find out it was already pretty seasoned. Regardless, it was delicious besides it being too salty (user error on our end). Would love to come back and try it again. Ambience was alright. We sat by the front door which was a bit cold and the tables weren't the cleanest. But it is between fast food so not surprising. Food: 8.4/10 Service: 8/10 Ambience: 4/10 read more

Pepper Lunch - a hot bowl of rice and vegetables - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

It was a good size portion and the food came out quickly. The hot plate was super hot as it should be but they put a guard around it to ensure you don't touch it! I got the beef teriyaki and it was delish! Will have to go back again soon! read more

Pepper Lunch - teriyaki beef was delicious! - Japanese Near Me - Alhambra, California

Love the variety!! Really filling portions with great flavors. And the staff are super nice too!

Located off Main Street in Alhambra, Pepper Lunch has a prime location with heavy foot traffic. The best option for parking would be the public parking garage behind them off 1st street. My boyfriend and I came here for lunch on 4th of July since they happened to be open, and we were looking for a quick bite before prepping for a glorious dinner. The restaurant was fairly busy when we came in. The self-serve kiosks were down, so we were told to review their menus and come to the register when we were ready to order. We both ordered the Beef Pepper Rice ($11.50/order) and I added an Egg ($1.75) with my pepper rice. Then we were assigned a table, where staff brought out the food once it was ready. Might not be a great spot for large groups because they bring it out one at a time, and his beef was pretty cooked by the time mine came out. Great pick for anyone who likes their rice a little crispy. You can leave it on extra long if you want it extra crispy. On the table they have some house sauce for you to mix into your rice. In addition to the rice and beef, there were some green onions on top and corn... I love corn! I ate a little more than half of my meal before tapping out and asking for a to go container. LOVE THEIR TOGO CONTAINER. Very sturdy, microwavable and reusable. So... ... somehow... ... I left my phone here... I didn't find out until a while later. We called the business and they were able to confirm they had my phone and they would hang onto it for me. *Phew* What a relief. I am so grateful. Overall no frills with ordering your food, a simple concept, decent price point and nice to go containers. I would definitely consider coming back if I was in the area. Extra star bump for saving my phone. read more

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