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    Pepper Lunch

    3.9 (1.6k reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Order Pepper Lunch Takeout or Delivery

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    PEPPER LUNCH ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Pepper Lunch

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    Side Dishes
    Cates D.

    Dropped by for a quick lunch because I've always wanted to try this place. I ordered the bibimbap, and my husband got the Spaghetti Pork Cutlet. I have to say, comfort food is always the best. I was pleasantly surprised by the spaghetti--it was way better than I expected and really hit the spot. The bibimbap didn't disappoint either. It's always my go-to rice dish, and this one was fresh and flavorful. The lady who served us was also very nice and attentive. She checked on us a few times and made sure we had everything we needed.

    Melissa B.

    I had no idea what "hot plate teppanyaki" was, but now that I have been introduced to this exceptional Japanese cooking style, I will never be the same! There aren't enough words to describe how utterly fantastic this place is. While the dishes are a bit pricey ($17.89 for my Two Meat Sizzling Curry), it's worth the cost. Each plate comes with a warning label around it, to remind you of how hot it is. On the plate is a fluffy rice patty with a divot you can fill with corn, but I ordered an egg instead. Next is your protein. I chose beef and shrimp. Then you add your veggies, and for me that was onions and carrots. While the rice is cooked, everything else is raw. Once at your table, you do the cooking to your liking! Then you top it all off with their rich and creamy curry. There's a bit of spice to the sauce, but if you're a fan of curry, it's nothing you can't handle. There is seating both inside and out, and seats fill up fast. If you live in the area, you can benefit from the stamp card they offer, which gives great benefits once complete. Service was quick, and our server very helpful. This was my first time here, but I would go back in a heart beat. A great dining experience that felt like an adventure.

    The portions does not live up the the picture
    Jacob J.

    Workers are amazing but the food portions is so disappointing!!! Barely any meat or rice. The floors are extremely oily so watch your steps. You can slide across the floor. Won't be coming back !!!!!!! False advertisement!!!!!!!!!!!

    Cream Teppan Pasta
    Kyra L.

    This is one of the two restaurants that I think are worth the parking situation at diamond jamboree because of how good it is. Although it is a simple dish, the preparation and speed of the service make it worth coming back. With that said, it is quite pricey for a simple dish, but I think it coming out on a stone plate speaks for itself. There usually isn't really a wait here as it's an order first table side service. there's always room and it's clean inside.

    Half Classic beef half hamburg curry
    Felix Y.

    steak with curry sauce, and I was seriously impressed. The patty came out hot, juicy, and full of flavor. The curry sauce was rich and delicious, with a nice little kick that stayed with you after every bite. So satisfying. This is definitely a new favorite on my list of sizzling curry dishes. If you're a curry fan, I highly recommend giving it a try. The service was okay, it's more of a grab-and-go type of place, but the staff were friendly and helpful. If you're looking for a quick lunch that's packed with flavor, this spot won't disappoint.

    Sizzling Curry - Hamburg and Shrimp
    Sydney M.

    One of my favorite spots for lunch out in the Diamond Jamboree. By far my favorite is the Sizzling Curry! Such good flavor and a great portion. I love the option to eat inside or outside to pick an ambiance and the staff offered great suggestions! If you get a side, the sweet potato wedges dipped in the curry are next level!

    Matthew P.

    Pepper Lunch is always such a yummy and filling meal! I love how big the portion is and how many toppings there are that you can choose from. I love to add corn because it adds that extra crunch to the plate. Everything is always quick and fresh, as when they bring the plate out to you it's still sizzling. I also love the garlic soy sauce they have at the table. Only thing is that the Diamond Jamboree plaza can be crazy in terms of parking but imo it's worth it for this spot!

    Steak and salmon
    Kimberly F.

    It was my first time trying Pepper Lunch, and highly recommend trying it out! We waited about 30 minutes to get seated, but it's totally worth the wait. Highly recommend trying their most popular pepper beef meal or one of their curries. I love that the food is on a sizzling plate, and the serving portions are huge. I can't wait to go back!

    Limited Time Brisket Pepper Rice $15
    Julia S.

    The food was amazing, the pepper rice definitely met my expectations. I loved the style of food they offered and the meat was perfectly tender. I ordered the new Brisket Pepper Rice which I would definitely order again. The food was really oily and a touch too salty especially if you added their sauces. I personally thought the entrees were better without sauce. The presentation was also underwhelming because I pictured meat piled on and surrounding the rice. In reality, there is only a few pieces of meat scattered around the rice. It's not to say they did not portion correctly; after mixing, there was a perfect combination of rice and meat. Just a warning that the food does not look like the menu pictures is all. Service was amazing. Tip your servers! Though kiosks are used to pay, workers brought out the food, checked in frequently, and cleaned all the tables in a timely manner. All in all, great experience, 9/10!

    Classic Beef Pepper Rice
    Austin S.

    Tried this place out for the first time at the location in Diamond Jamboree and got the Classic Beef Pepper Rice. For $15, I'd say it's definitely worth stopping by for a quick lunch.

    Steak
    Rebecca T.

    Have heard lots about Pepper Lunch and was looking forward to trying when I was in Irvine but it was underwhelming, especially for the price. Both the steak my husband got and my combo with beef and salmon were underseasoned, lacked any flavor besides butter, and was overall very bland. We did see a cart of some sauces that we could add ourselves about halfway into the meal but it was still nothing memorable. We ordered a side of fries which were very crispy that were great. Tables were also really sticky and the sauce bottles on the table were dirty. Located in Diamond Jamboree so parking is always hard to find. For the price, portion, and flavor, we probably would not come back.

    Jared K.

    I had Pepper Lunch for the first time and can't believe I was missing out on it this whole time! Pepper Lunch is a good restaurant, with ample seating located in Diamond Jamboree. I came on a Friday night, so if you know this area - parking was a mad house! The food was delicious; I ordered the Jumbo Beef Pepper Rice and boy was it good. It came out sizzling on a hot plate and the taste was amazing! The experience reminded me of Benihana just with my own plate lol. The food plate is basic (meat, corn, rice), but you have the options to spice it up more with add-ons like egg, cheese, kimchi, etc. Yes, the ingredients are basic but the flavor is still yummy! I especially liked when I let the rice crispen a little on the plate! The tables are also set with a sweet brown sauce and a garlic soy sauce, just in case you want extra flava. Service was relatively quick after ordering and the servers are nice! The restaurant is self-seating with self-serve drinks so you can stay and leave as you please. I will say they also have some tasty tea's that I enjoyed! I will definitely will be coming back.

    Sizzling Curry - Chicken Karaage
    Jackie B.

    Pepper Lunch is not about fancy decor--it is all about hot, fresh, flavorful food with fast service. The real star is the signature sizzling hot plate, arriving at your table steaming and crackling with an aroma so strong it could turn heads from miles away. I ordered the sizzling curry with shrimp, and it was such a fun experience because the shrimp arrived raw and cooked right on the hot plate. The rich curry gravy was the perfect finishing touch, especially poured over the rice for every savory bite. We often come here when we drive up from San Diego to visit our uncle.

    Classic Beef Pepper Rice

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    6 months ago

    Paid $19 and the entree only came with 2 small bites of meat. Not even joking. The stinginess of this place is actually remarkable.

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    1 year ago

    Perfect food, amazing service lovely atmosphere everything was just right the food is fresh

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    1 year ago

    Food was delicious. Service was amazing. Thank yiy Nate for being attentive. You exceeded our customer expectations.

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    Pepper Lunch Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Pepper Lunch

    Do they take cash here?

    Yes, when I was there they accepted cash and cards.

    Is this restaurant dog-friendly?

    Not inside as usual, but there are plenty of tables available outside and they can serve you there too.

    Do any of their food contains nuts?

    Is the meat you guys serve is halal?

    I don't think so since they are originally from Japan

    Is there a outdoor area for lunch?

    Yes, there is outdoor seating. During the weekends sometimes these tables could be taken up by big parties.

    Is indoor dining available?

    Yes indoor dining is available as well as outdoor. About a week ago it seemed liked 50 percent capacity indoor.

    Are the phones not working?

    Phones ARE working. Got my phone call order for lunch today. :D

    Are they open for indoor dine-in?

    No, only outdoor seating for now.

    How will a pepper rice plate be packaged and prepared for a to go order?

    It will be cooked by the servers in the front on the counter. Then you will get the food along with both the garlic and sweet sauce and plastic utensils in a bag.

    Halal or kosher?

    I doubt that eel is kosher

    View All 14 Questions

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    Tabi-Ji Japanese Cuisine

    4.6(1.3k reviews)
    7.6 mi
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    48 years in business

    HIDDEN GEM. Always impressed with the service, food and…read moreexperience. Tonight we sat at the teppanyaki grill & celebrated our anniversary. Once the whole party was seated & our order was taken, we received our delicious ginger salad and miso soup quickly. When our chef arrived he was ready to put on a show! He was so fun, engaging and very genuine. All of the food was amazing. I got the filet mignon steak w/ fried rice and my husband gets the sumo steak. The filet mignon is definitely worth it but if you prefer more meat, the sumo steak is the way to go. The drinks are affordable and compared to other teppanyaki places, the food is affordable and absolutely worth it. They also offer a happy hour in the dining room only - does not include the teppanyaki grill area. Truly one of our favorite places!!

    3.5/5 Stars - Nice Experience, But Some Service and Timing Issues…read more We visited Tabi-Ji Teppanyaki for my husband's birthday and had an overall decent experience, though there were a few things that would make us think twice before returning. We chose the dining room seating rather than the teppanyaki tables. The staff did offer us the teppanyaki experience, but since we don't eat red meat or chicken from certain places and weren't sure how the food preparation process worked with mixed ingredients, we opted for a regular table instead. One downside was the seating arrangement. We were seated away from most of the other guests, and it often felt like the staff forgot we were there. Our original host/server was attentive and friendly, but once they were busy with other tasks, it became difficult to get assistance. It was also not busy for a Tuesday evening. We found ourselves waiting for long periods or having to wave someone down, which wasn't ideal, especially for a birthday dinner. As for the food: * Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll (4/5): Fresh, good quality fish, and a generous portion. A solid sushi roll. * Garlic Edamame (4/5): Flavorful and exactly what you'd expect from a good appetizer. * Lobster Duo with Miso Soup, Salad, and Fried Rice (3/5): Unfortunately, the lobster was quite chewy and seemed overcooked. The miso soup and fried rice were both enjoyable and helped make up for it. * Unagi Donburi (4/5): My husband's meal came with white rice, miso soup, salad, and fried rice. It was his first time trying eel, and he really enjoyed the soft texture and flavor. He said he'd definitely order it again. Our biggest disappointment was the timing of the food. The Unagi Donburi arrived significantly later than everything else. By the time it came out, we had already eaten most of the appetizers and other dishes and were pretty full. It's unfortunate because it seemed like a dish that would have been much better enjoyed fresh, but we ended up taking most of it home. Overall, the food ranged from good to very good, and being able to reserve through Resy and use our Amex dining benefit definitely helped offset the cost. However, considering the price point, we expected more attentive service and better pacing of the meal.

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    Teppanyaki Grill Supreme Buffet - Crab legs

    Teppanyaki Grill Supreme Buffet

    3.1(907 reviews)
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    We finally made it to the restaurant to try Teppanyaki Grill Buffet…read more We were all surprised with the selection and variety of dishes. Unfortunately, they do not serve crab legs on the buffet stations. I called to confirm before we came so were aware of it and not expecting it. Foods were tasty and plentiful. I would say 4.5/5 because no crab legs, but everything was great. Of course, I didn't try the Mongolian grill nor the sushi station but all the cooked food was fine and my sisters and their husbands loved it. The place was super busy on the weekend and table spaces are tight.

    I'm writing this review whilst driving in hopes that I die in a raging fire car accident because of…read morethe gut wrenching slob I had to put in me mouth. The crab legs were a lie. I'm typically a "whole pizza" type of guy, but my party and I each couldn't finished two plates before feeling sick. After leaving the establishment, I felt robbed. Not only was the crabs a lie, the establishment under a Japanese pseudo name, is actually ran by the Chinese. Fortunately, it was easy to locate the exit. The vibe was off, as the food was slowly ripping my two cheeks apart. If you decide to go here, go somewhere else. If you have the courage to ignore my warnings, you should still go some where else. However, If you do somehow get forced to eat here, go somewhere else. Unless, if you have no where else to go, go somewhere else.

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    Teppanyaki Grill Supreme Buffet - NOV. 2025

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    HONDA-YA Tustin - Outside

    HONDA-YA Tustin

    4.0(3.7k reviews)
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    My girlfriend and I are regulars at Hondaya, and honestly, everything about this place is…read moreincredible the food, the staff, the atmosphere, all of it. Coming from Hawaii, it's so special to find a restaurant that gives us that feeling of home. Hondaya really does. The food is consistently amazing, and the service is always attentive, quick, and genuinely helpful. There is honestly nothing bad I can say about this place. It's one of those restaurants where you leave already looking forward to coming back. We're so grateful to have a place like this nearby. Truly that good.

    This is a very popular Japanese place in Old Tustin. As you can see the menu is enormous. They have…read moresushi, skewers, ramen, udon... You name it. I had the salmon and avocado handroll as well as the crab handroll. Both were good. I also had the OC roll and grilled salmon -- also very good. Some Asian places tend to overcook their meat. The salmon was cooked well ... I would have preferred a tad more rare, but it was good and not dry. My son had the salmon sashimi as well as lamb chops. He wanted a little more seasoning in the lamb chops but says they were cooked well. I think Japanese food tends to be conservatively seasoned in general. Other dishes also looked good. I thought everything was good but didn't think anything was amazing. My wife particularly appreciated that just about all of the menu items had pictures! Service was good and friendly even though they all seemed a little harried.

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    Hanami Teppanyaki Grill

    Hanami Teppanyaki Grill

    4.3(422 reviews)
    21.1 mi
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    Free parking
    Casual dining

    I ordered the fillet and jumbo shrimp plate and upgraded with chicken fried rice and garlic…read morenoodles. I wanted to try a lot of things she did not want to waste of space for the veggies although they did look good. I ordered the chili oil and the garlic butter. The garlic butter easily was shared between the fillet and the shrimp adding a nice umami flavor. The garlic oil was smoky and not too hot. The chicken fried rice in my opinion was better than Benihana's or just as good. Although the garlic noodles were a little sweet from my liking, I was evil easily able to alter them to something. I enjoyed with some chili oil and soy sauce. It tone down the sweet. Simple, clean decor. Several ways to see the menu on the wall LCD or by the counter. The service was very good, quick and kind. The quality of the product was very good. The fillet almost melted in your mouth, and the shrimp was cooked well without being rubbery. I spent $52 here to upgrade two chicken fried rice and garlic noodles. They have plenty of parking a huge parking lot, limited seating, maybe eight tables or so, mostly four tops.

    This place is quite small but it can hold a group of 6,7 people if it is not busy…read more The service was ok. Just know it takes about 30-45 minutes to get your food. The food is actually really really flavorful the lobster I had was very tender and juicy and the jumbo shrimp were a good l size. I would have ordered the chowmein though instead of the rice because the chowmein was way better! After discussing with the family we enjoyed it but it is 4 stars since it does take quite a while to have your meal and the customer service could be better. The food itself carries this place but 5 stars if they can improve service!

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    Hanami Teppanyaki Grill
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    Pepper Lunch - teppanyaki - Updated September 2026

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