So simple yet so delicious! This new location has tablets at the entrance and they require you to order first before getting seated. You grab a table number which has a QR code that you scan in order to begin the ordering process. The classic beef pepper rice is my no frills go-to and it's under $10! They have a mix of communal tables, booths, bar seating and regular table seating. In just a few minutes, they bring your dish piping hot and sizzling - a round piece of paper prevents any splatters while your meat continues to sizzle on your personal pan. You just mix all the ingredients (rice, meat, corn, green onions, and pepper) and you essentially get your own personal fried rice. So delicious but piping hot so make sure to wait a bit before taking a bite. I could've probably added more meat which is an option since I was still a bit hungry afterwards but it was a satisfying meal nonetheless. We went next door to Jollibee afterwards and got some peach mango pies for dessert so thanks for strategically placing your location next to Jollibee! I'm already plotting my next trip back before I head home to Portland! read more

Pepper Lunch - Classic Beef Pepper Rice mixed together on a sizzling personal pan - Seafood Near Me - Artesia, California

This place is now open for dine-in. The food was very good. If you want to try any pepper plates(they have a lot of pepper, just FYI) it's kind of spicy. Pricing is fair. We ordered the beef pepper rice, hamburger curry, the New York steak, sweet potato fries(my favorite thing here) and the onion rings +4 drinks all for 79$. Parking is kind of limited Bc it's in a shopping center that has other popular restaurants. Enjoy some of these pics! read more

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First time trying this spot, hubby been wanting to go since forever. Get there and we were so confused on what to do and how to order. No one greeted us or offered help. Mind you this was like 12pm on Monday 8/29. So it wasn't busy or anything. We eventually figured it out on our own. I ordered pasta with shrimp and hubby told me to add egg. Weird combo but I did it and it wasn't bad. Next time would add cheese and other stuff to it. Hubby got the beef with rice . Food was delicious and would definitely come back for it again. But the customer service is why I knocked off the point. read more

Pepper Lunch - Pasta with shrimp and egg. Also the pepper beef rice - Seafood Near Me - Artesia, California

I saw they were opening a new Pepper Lunch in Cerritos/Artesia a few months back and boy I was super excited! The fact that I don't have to drive to Irvine for it is everything. This location was interesting because instead of ordering at the counter there were tablets at the door. I was there with friends and shared a table without having to venmo each other. They give you a table number to scan and share for the group. I love their pepper rice. Their rice comes with a flavor bomb of butter and pepper. I usually get the classic beef pepper rice. I added cheese to mine. If you haven't been to pepper lunch, their entrees come out on sizzling hot plates. Their classic beef is rare when it comes out. I like letting it sizzle for a little bit before mixing everything so I get crispy edges on the beef and crispy bits of the rice. Last time I came here, I added cheese... like a true Korean lol... and I loved it. It melts into everything and some bits get crispy on the hot plate. Yum! I'll be back here to get my Pepper Lunch fix! read more

I love pepper so I didn't think the taste was too strong (I thought everything tasted 10/10 great), but I will agree that the amount of meat that comes with the classic $9.95 plate is a little underwhelming /: At this location you order off iPads and grab a number then seat yourself. This is cool if it's not crowded (thank goodness it wasn't when I visited) but I could only imagine my anxious self feeling flustered if there were people waiting behind me haha. That said, you should look over the menu and have an idea of what you want ahead of time - or you can order at the register! The service is super fast though and everything is clean and they have everything you'd need by the soda machine. I'll have to come back to try other things! read more

the food was amazing! served with a scoop of rice and some beef. don't be afraid, the beef comes out raw but will cook on the plate. there's also a garlic sauce on the table that can be added, which was very good read more

Pepper Lunch - Classic Beef Pepper Rice - Seafood Near Me - Artesia, California

This place has been on my bookmarks for a while. Hot stone + beef, Kim Chee l, cheese and rice was delicious. Next time I will get the surf and turf or the ribeye. Order at the counter and then find a seat. read more

Pepper Lunch - Kim Chee pepper steak w rice - Seafood Near Me - Artesia, California

Over priced Lunch !! After they open for a while , I went to tried. TOO Expensive for a steak and beef rice . 18 dollar and the size is not big at all . And I don't like them that you have to paid a head before they serve you. And ask for Tips !!! It is a fast food restaurant, customer little uncomfortable. Is japan and Hong Kong the price is reasonable. There in LA ...... Way too much ..... And the pan is too HOT ....... dangerous No good to go with Kids read more

Pepper Lunch - 17 dollar and the meat is ok ! Curry beef and steak. - Seafood Near Me - Artesia, California

I know this place because I been here with my sister and the first time, I went I got the creamy mushroom pasta, and it was really good, so I decided to go a second time. The second time around I got the beef teriyaki sizzling plate, and this is so flavorful and good. They have sauces on the table that you can adds to your rice and if you know how to combine them it ends up tasting like hibachi rice which I love. I would definitely come back again and something I recommend you guys to try. read more

Pepper Lunch - Beef Terriyaki sizzling plate - Seafood Near Me - Artesia, California

4 Stars. 3 for the food, but the customer service earned it another star. ATMOSPHERE It's really nice inside. Very clean, very modern, lots of seating... Unfortunately though, although the seating is plentiful, I felt like the tables were kinda too close together. I didn't enjoy their process. When you first walk in, there are tablets where you order your food. Nobody's there to help you or make suggestions on what dishes are popular. You're kinda just placed there and you have to figure it out yourself. It's no wonder the line gets backed up. People, especially those that are new to the restaurant, have to stay there a while just to figure out what they want. CUSTOMER SERVICE Aside from getting zero help at the ordering kiosks, interaction with the staff afterwards was stellar. TATIANA and MJ went above and beyond for me and my friends. They were nice, welcoming, and answered any questions we had. Even offered us some onion rings that were made on accident. Thanks, guys! FOOD I got the regular beef plate. It comes with a few slices of beef, a ton of rice, with some corn on top. The rice overpowered the dish. I added an egg to mine too. Everything's better with an egg on top! I have to admit... The dish was very bland. It would be nice if they added some kind of seasoning to the beef or even better, the rice. I added my own salt and pepper, and because I wasn't a fan of the sauces on the table (too salty), that was all I could add. Maybe next time, I'll try something different. We ordered the SWEET POTATO FRIES. Those were delicious! They're actually wedges and they're cooked perfectly. They have this really good crunch to them which most restaurants fail to achieve with the sweet potato fries. We received that free order of ONION RINGS and those were really good. Tempura battered so they're nice and light. Pretty oily... But, the good onion rings always are. OVERALL I'd be back to try some other things. read more

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Visited the newly opened restaurant today. A lot of people I know are talking about how wonderful this place was I was incredibly disappointed with the food. It was bland and looked unappetizing. The only redeeming grace is that since it is served on a sizzling plate, the food comes out hot as it should. Other than that, the service was mediocre, wait time long, I am not a fan of self ordering and the smell of the food sticks on your clothes afterwards. It was an utter disappointment and didn't level to up to the hype it generated. I will not return to this restaurant and sadly do not recommend it. read more

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My brother came here to pick up dinner for us. He paid for his meal and mine. Total was around $32 for both of us. Unfortunately, when I got my food it was only a small hamburger steak, that just tasted like pepper. I know the name of this place is called pepper lunch. But I was hoping for something with more flavor. And the rice that they gave me was only a little lump, and they gave me what looked like frozen veggies: corn, peas, and carrots. It wasn't good, and for the amount that we paid I would have expected more! Not coming here again... read more

Great quick bite. The curry udon or curry with rice are both excellent. I love that the plate is searing hot and your food doesn't get cold.

This was delicious! The food comes out on blazing hot iron plates and you cook the beef while it's in front of you. The rice gets that perfect crisp in spots. Imagine a cross between Benihana & Korean bbq with black pepper seasoning. I added green beans and I can't wait to go back again. read more

I really think Pepper Lunch is just OK. This is not my first time having Pepper Lunch- actually my first time was eating at one of their bay area (SF) locations and I recall having a better experience. The food is relatively salty. I'd strongly recommend picking the no salt option! Price-wise this is on the pricer side and the portion size is not too very filling for me personally. I'm not a heavy eater but this was just enough for me to be content, volume wise. Again, this is on the pricey side.. Also, I'm also not a huge fan of the flavor. I know there's a couple sauces on the table (a magic one and/or the brown one), but having tried a dab of both in my plate I still don't think it really brings out any impressive flavor. I feel like there should be better signs at the front that point towards the tablet/iPad menus. I might be an oblivious person and didn't notice at first, but I think many people who aren't used to self-ordering restaurants may also run into this minor inconvenience. (Not to stress that this is a huge problem, but just a suggestion!) Personally I don't think Pepper Lunch is amazing and I might have random cravings to have a sizzling plate that would entice me to come. I may be coming back to give it another shot but based on first impressions I'm not starstruck. read more

I've always wanted to try this place for the longest time so I was happy to find out this place was open back for dine in during quarantine. I got the kimchi cheese rice version and my other friend got the original beef. I love how the rice gets super crispy on the bottom because the bowl is super hot. It's a good portion and you'll definitely get full after it. read more

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Pepper lunch definitely sells on the experience and aesthetic of a sizzling iron plate and watching your food cook before your eyes. The iron plate creates an nice sear on the meat and provides a crunch to some pieces of the rice. I love my food piping hot so this is right up my alley. The rice plates are the most worth it in my opinion, because the portion size to price is the most reasonable. Starting at 9-11 bucks, you can customize your dish by adding and removing toppings for more or less money. I enjoyed that when I removed the cheese from the kimchi beef rice, it deducted 1 dollar! The service was quick around 1130 on a Tuesday. There were also staff ready on hand to help with the self service kiosk questions. I also enjoy that you pay first and can leave when you're ready to go, instead of waiting for a check and etc. I would recommend against getting the steaks, they're pricey and you're better off going to a real steak restaurant. read more

Pepper Lunch - Kimchi beef with added egg and pepper - Seafood Near Me - Artesia, California

| PROS | + Food comes out SO quick! + Ordering on the kiosk is very easy to use. + Staff was friendly. + I tried the original beef with rice and it was really good. I personally really like the taste of black pepper, and you can definitely taste it. | CONS | - Parking is NO good here, especially on weekends and peak hours. - There are lines here, so you'll have to wait. read more

I have fond memories of the Irvine location and was happy to discover this location in Cerritos, as the parking situation is much better and they have designated outdoor seating, which is always a plus nowadays. The jumbo classic beef pepper rice and hamburg/sliced beef curry plate are still my two favorite dishes. Both are really satisfying, tasty and flavorful. As someone who really appreciates eating food when it's fresh and hot (quite frankly, I almost like food to the point where it burns your tongue!), the concept of sizzling plates where the cooking process is completed right before your very eyes is a dream come true! The only downfall of this place is the pricing, as every entree is well over $16, so it definitely adds up, especially if you add any extras, upgrade meat, etc...but it's definitely worth it! read more

The food was delicious and the service was good, but I was disappointed with the portions. For what I paid, I'd expect a little more. I ordered the beef pasta and my friend ordered the beef pepper rice dish. Both were quite tasty. The place is low key and very casual. read more

The food came out sizzling hot and was delicious!! I ate the food so fast I didn't have time for pictures. We ordered the classic beef pepper rice and added mushrooms, egg, and garlic chips. I think the trick is to mix it up quickly and press the rice down and then leave it to sizzle and get crispy on the pan. We poured on the sweet sauce and garlic sauce afterwards. All the sides are also delicious... french fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, seaweed salad. Some of the best french fries I ever had which is saying a lot. Portions are large. The staff was super friendly and helpful. read more

Pepper Lunch - It's worth the wait!! - Seafood Near Me - Artesia, California

I love pepper lunch! It's a neat concept and the food is always reliable. It can get a little pricey if you want to load up on the veggies, but if you go with the basic set meals, it's not too bad. I like that this location has the self ordering, seems pretty efficient, especially if there's a lunch crowd. Staff was really friendly, as well. Great experience overall. read more

paid 14$ for a couple pieces of meat and rice SAVE UR MONEY,we arrived last week for a little gathering and was craving pepper lunch,not worth ur time or money read more

Pepper Lunch - fricken embarrassing - Seafood Near Me - Artesia, California

Rude staff!!! We will never come back again! I hate to give out low ratings when restaurants are suffering now, but isn't that a reason to provide a better customer service? That guy probably doesn't care about his job and just want to go home early by refusing service and lock the door with customers still inside the restaurant. They have broken fire code and OSHA regulation by locking the doors with customers still dining in the establishment. Regulation: Doors must remain unlocked during business for the safety of customers and employees. Here is what happened: We came in on Friday night(Memorial weekend) just before 9 PM with our 10-months-old baby. There were people in front of us who walked in almost the same time as us and they were taking a while to order. After 10 minutes or so ,this waiter/cashier with tattoos on his forearm supposedly named Ben impatiently taking orders from this group of 4 blurred out something like "Just so you guys know, last call is 9PM" . We did not know who he was talking to because he was not looking at us nor did he walk over to inform us now of a line of people that is almost out of the door. (It's Memorial weekend, people want to go out. Restaurants are busy.) Another few minutes went by, finally our turn. He said to us with his hands in the air "Sorry, last call was 9 PM" We were furious, so we told him that we waited 15 minutes already. He just looked at us with no response like "too bad." I asked him why he did not tell us earlier when we started to wait in line when we came in before 9 PM. No response again. My god. So rude!! The seven of us from the line started to walk out and this guy "Ben" followed, clicked, and locked the doors behind us. Right after we walked out, a guy was trying to get in the restaurant to pick up a takeout order or something and he had to knock on the doors a few times and show his phone before Ben unlocked the doors for him. I have never seen anything like this ever. First, the last-call is an hour before you close. Then you should just say you close at 9:30 and alert people who come in around 8:45 that your last call is at 9:00. Second, a restaurant locks the doors during business hours to stop people using the entrance/exit. read more

We came here for the soft opening. You order on a touch screen and that took us awhile, just because we didn't know what we were doing. Service was great and the food came out quickly. Although they were quite busy, they checked in with us several times. There was a delay on some missing sides but they got it sorted out, with no issues. In our party, we ordered the wild angus combo, and original pepper beef, along with miso soup, onion rings, and sweet potato fries. Everything came out steaming hot on their signature sizzling plates. Don't sit too close, or you may get a little of the sizzle on you. Everything was tasty and consistent with the other locations. Pepper lunch always hits the spot! read more

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When I first visited this restaurant I was confused on how to order or how the sizzling plates work. A little warning for pregnant women - a majority of the food is served raw and it is cooked by mixing it in the hot sauce. If you are a little weary and not sure if the food is cooked all the way I would skip this place for now. The way that the main dishes are, all the items are served raw from the meats, vegetables, and the egg (it is served sunny side up). They are placed on these cast iron type plates where you eat the food straight from them. For each entree there are sauces served with them either gravy or some sort of curry sauce which then you pour over the entree. These sauces are what cooks the meat as you pour them straight into the hot sizzling plate. The instant you pour the sauce you have to quickly mix all the ingredients thoroughly to cook the meat and seafood. Besides the steak and chicken they also have seafood options as in salmon or shrimp and they also serve salads which you also pour the dressing on top. When ordering a plate, the size is good for one person as you get a little bit of rice and meat and the sauce is just enough to pour over the plate. They also serve appetizers that include French fries, onion rings, or sweet potato fries which taste great as they are crispy and serve hot. The setup of the restaurant is that the menu is set up on the wall right when you enter and after deciding what you want you then walk up to the counter and order your food. The worker gives you a number to place on your table and they then deliver your food to you. If you want additional items after they have served all your food you have to go to the ordering counter again to order which is fine but if there is a long line it can be a bit of a hassle as the wait can be long. read more

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Rude, lazy and obnoxious staff!!! They want to go home early by refusing service and lock the door with customers still inside the restaurant. They have broken fire code and OSHA regulation by locking the doors with customers still dining in the establishment. Regulation: Doors must remain unlocked during business hours for the safety of customers and employees. Here is what happened: We came in on Friday night(Memorial weekend) just before 9 PM with our 10-months-old baby. There were people in front of us and they were taking a while to order. After 10 minutes or so ,this waiter/cashier with tattoos on his forearm supposedly named Ben impatiently taking orders from this group of 4 blurred out something like "Just so you guys know, last call is 9PM" . We did not know who he was talking to because he was not looking at us nor did he walk over to inform us now of a line of people that is almost out of the door. (It's Memorial weekend, people want to go out. Restaurants are busy.) Another few minutes went by, finally our turn. He said to us with his hands in the air "Sorry, last call was 9 PM" We were furious, so we told him that we waited 15 minutes already. He just looked at us with no response like "too bad." My wife asked him why he did not tell us earlier when we started to wait in line when we came in before 9 PM. No response again. My god. So rude!! The seven of us from the line started to walk out and this guy "Ben" followed, clicked, and locked the doors behind us. Right after we walked out, a guy was trying to get in the restaurant to pick up a takeout order or something and he had to knock on the doors a few times and show his phone before Ben unlocked the doors for him. I have never seen anything like this ever. First, the last-call is an hour before close. Second, a restaurant locks the doors during business hours to stop people using the entrance/exit. I think this should be reported to the fire department and the city. read more

I got the jumbo classic beef pepper rice while my boyfriend got the curry beef pepper rice. Both tasted absolutely delicious, and I particularly enjoyed the hot stone bowl/skillet that it comes in. The beef comes raw and slowly cooks on your skillet in front of you. I must say though, everything takes a while. When I came, there was a short line inside to place an order. However, there was only one cashier who was also doing a variety of other small jobs. There were several tables with empty skillets and cups lying around because they haven't been cleaned yet, and customers waiting to be seated. Try to come at an off time when there wouldn't be too much of a wait! read more

Just order a classic beef pepper rice for $15 and come with a tiny little bowl. This is ridiculous. The rice is no taste and the beef are like jerky. Definitely not ordering again from this restaurant in my life time. read more

I usually get the Karaage Curry which has never let me down but today I decided to try something different, today I got the Wild Angus and Rib eye. The Wild Angus was tough as a thick piece of leather and not edible at all. I asked one girl and showed her how tough it was and she basically brushed me off, I asked another employee who listed to me and walked out the door (I guess he was off), the 3rd employee was very helpful but seemed worried I was going to lose my temper, i didn't and the Manager seemed to busy to come out and talk to me. The meat was so tough i showed the employee how tough by holding one end in my mouth and pulling it away with a fork, the fork bent and the meat didn't split. I do understand people have bad days and food also has bad days but 1 out of 3 employees and a manager who didn't seem to care is not acceptable. HOWEVER the food here is very delicious and i only took 1 star because as i stated everyone has bad days but that meat toughness was unforgettable and they did replace it with something else. I will be back just not ordering what I ordered again. read more

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This place is literally the best. You order from an IPad , get seated and the food comes in skillet. Wait- There is always going to be wait since the restaurant is fairly small. I came here on a Sunday around 6:00pm and the wait was about ~10 minutes. The food came out pretty quick Parking- located inside a huge plaza that you share with other restaurants. However there is plenty of parking Food- food is delicious. Got the beef pepper classic + eggs. And it was worth it. Food was not too salty, it was jUst perfect. Even though food came out on a skillet it wasn't too hot. Their sides are just perfect. Cost- not cheap but not too pricey either. Due to the quality of food, I think the cost is worth it. read more

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I was visiting Orange County for the weekend and wanted something nice to eat and I was helped by Frances and oh boy was it a terrible experience. Her attitude and demeanor was so condescending and negative and I felt uncomfortable right away. I wanted to leave but I was hoping it was just a bad first interaction but it continued throughout the night and ruined my night and experience. Would not recommend here solely because of this person. read more

We came in after 9, still a few people eating inside. First time here and we ordered the Shrimp Pepper Rice and Ebi Rice Curry. So good! Food service staff were nice. I would give the place 5 Stars but they don't serve Coke, only Pepsi We would definitely come back and try the other dishes. read more

Pepper Lunch - Shrimp Curry Rice - Seafood Near Me - Artesia, California

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This was my first time at Pepper Lunch and I enjoyed it! The aesthetic is very cute and appetizing since your food comes out hot and continues sizzling on the stone plate. At times the portion may not look like it's a lot but you will definitely get full, if not satisfied at the very least. The meat and topping quality are really good! You can tell it's pretty fresh. My friend and I both ordered the trio meat combo, and the two different cuts of steak were definitely our favorite. If you like cheese, make sure you eat your meal with it! It makes a difference. We also liked the sides a lot--the fries and onion rings were great. They have condiment pouches on the side for you to use as well, and I think the thousand island pairs well with these two items. There's also a self serve soda machine, and tea/lemonade machine. The interior is somewhat small but quaint. Also I just wanted to give a thumbs up to the employees here because service is great!! For a hectic night, everyone remained composed and friendly and delivered the food in a timely manner. Special shoutout to Austin for helping my friend and I order off the iPads and telling us what he recommended, and then following up by coming over to check on us and make sure everything was okay. read more

New family favorite place. Nice seating, the portions were perfect and every dish was sooo delicious!

The menu pics are nice, but the food is less on the sizzling pan. The Price is far more than its food. read more

Awesome experience and great food! Never get sick of this place. I'll be coming back next week!

Sizzling ribeye! Bombdotcom! Sides of rice, corn, beans and carrots. The cream teppan pasta was pretty good too. We picked seafood for the meat. Has alfredo sauce you pour over noodles and some mushrooms. They didn't have a lot of options for drinks, most of them even regular water was OUT. I had to get sparkling water. Otherwise its not bad. Portions are decent. read more

Pepper Lunch - Sizzling Ribeye Steak - Seafood Near Me - Artesia, California

4 stars because it wasn't as tasty as I thought it would be and it wasn't as big as I thought it would be. With that being said, it's not bad. Try once at least. Sauce was bland so food tastes more greasy than savory. I paid extra for the larger size and shit looked like a normal size. I wonder how small their "regular" size looks like. I got their signature dish with rare steak. Wife's got the cream seafood pasta. I thought the pasta sauce was very Japanese as in the sauce is not thick and creamy, but more like milky. She said not to pour all the sauce in if you want it rather creamier. Otherwise, it tasted good. This place has a cool ambiance and I thought it's kind of a fun concept to serve on a piping hot skillet where you cook it yourself as you eat. Overall, I wish the food tastes better and costs less, then it'd be worth the money. read more

ZEROOOOOO STARS! It's so expensive with so little meat. And the customer service is horrible! read more