Pepe's — Restaurant in Cambridge

I ordered a full chicken, specifically asked for half extreme/half hot. Staff took the order and i asked, how long it would take. He advised 10-15 minutes (which is a typical time to wait with Pepe’s), i dont consider it unreasonable.

I waited, 25+ passed by and i went over and asked how long was remaining. They said another 4-5 minutes. They then called my order. I went and it was 1 half extreme, 1 half extra hot. I specifically requested hot and not extra hot because i had the same elsewhere the day before i really didn't want anything overly spicy, there hot usually isn’t. Anyway, was i pretty annoyed, waited 30 minutes+ my order was made wrong. I did consider holding my ground and saying this aint what i ordered but i don’t like the idea of food going to waste. I pointed out the error and said just dont worry about itx ill eat it but just give me an additional sauce, its a 50p sauce. Hardly asking for much considering the compounded issues.(late + wrong order) The worker refused and wanted to call a manager over to argue the toss. I’m not looking for freebies, i would typically pay for the sauce. And as soon as i saw that this guy had no reasoning within him, i said just charge me for the sauce im not going to argue over 50p. I paid, i ate, i swept up after me and left.

I was raised with manners and i consider myself a pretty fair/reasonable person. The cashier needs further training. 1.don’t treat your customer like he is a liar without reasonable cause. 2. In light of the 2 issues would it really hurt you to lose...

Over the past few months, I have dined at this location on six separate occasions, and each time I experienced severe stomach pain and diarrhea shortly after consuming their chicken dishes. Initially, I assumed it might be an isolated issue or a personal sensitivity. However, after checking public reviews, I found that multiple other customers have reported similar symptoms, suggesting this is not an isolated incident but part of a broader, systemic problem.

As someone with years of experience in the restaurant industry, I understand the pressure kitchens can face. However, no amount of stress or cost-cutting can justify compromising food safety. It seems the food is not always cooked or handled properly, and there may be hygiene or procedural lapses behind the scenes.

Although this location currently holds a 5-star Food Hygiene Rating, I urge those responsible to consider that serious issues may be going unnoticed during routine inspections. The food appears fine, but based on repeated illness, it clearly poses a health risk.

I’m not seeking compensation or a generic response. I believe this warrants a thorough, unannounced investigation by qualified environmental health officers. This is not just for my well-being, but to protect the health of all customers who trust that their food is safe to eat.

This review is not intended to harm the business, but to raise awareness and prompt necessary improvements. I hope it serves as a wake-up call — health must always come...

I visited Pepe this afternoon with my partner and, unfortunately, found hair in the rice served to us. This is not the first time this has happened; we experienced the same issue a few months ago and brought it to the attention of the manager at the time.

Despite sharing our concerns previously, it seems no meaningful steps have been taken to address the kitchen’s hygiene standards. While the manager offered to replace the dish, this approach only addresses the symptom, not the root cause of the problem.

I believe the kitchen’s hygiene practices need urgent improvement to prevent these kinds of incidents in the future. It’s disappointing because we otherwise enjoy the ambiance and food here, but hygiene is non-negotiable when it comes to dining out.

I hope this feedback is taken seriously and that the restaurant invests in better hygiene standards...