Pepe's Mexican Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Duluth

Steppingw into Pepe’s Mexican Bar and Grill is like being enveloped in a warm hug from an old friend. The vibrant colors of the walls, adorned with traditional Mexican art, and the cheerful mariachi tunes setting the mood instantly transport you to a lively fiesta. Located in the heart of downtown, this gem shines not just for its ambiance but for its unique feature: a stunning outdoor patio that’s perfect for those breezy evenings. Whether you're catching up with friends or enjoying a cozy dinner date, the atmosphere here is simply infectious.

Now, let’s dive into the true stars of the show: the food. I couldn't resist the temptation of their signature dish—the “Make Your Own Combo.” I opted for a chili relleno, a beef burrito, and a chicken tamale, served with a generous side of rice and beans. Each dish was a masterpiece in its own right. The chili relleno was perfectly battered and fried, a golden crown encasing a tender poblano pepper stuffed with cheese that oozed out with the first bite. The beef burrito, hefty and bursting at the seams, was smothered in a rich, savory sauce that had just the right kick to keep my taste buds dancing. The only hiccup was the chicken tamale; while it had a lovely corn flavor, the chicken inside was a tad dry. But honestly, with everything else on my plate, it was easy to overlook.

The welcoming nature of the restaurant only heightened my dining experience. As soon as I entered, I was greeted with friendly smiles and the cheerful banter of the staff, making me feel right at home. It’s these little touches that evoke fond memories, reminding me of family gatherings around a dinner table, filled with laughter and good food.

Speaking of the staff, their attentiveness was remarkable. My server was a delight, checking in just the right amount—enough to make sure I had everything I needed without hovering. When I mentioned that I was torn between desserts, she passionately recommended the fried ice cream, and boy, was she spot on! The crispy shell and the creamy ice cream inside were a match made in heaven, drizzled with chocolate and caramel that made each spoonful feel like a celebration.

What can I say? Pepe’s serves really good Mexican food at reasonable prices. The portions are massive, making it a fantastic spot for sharing with friends or family—perfect for those who love to indulge in a little bit of everything.

So, if you’re in the mood for a hearty meal that doesn’t break the bank, I wholeheartedly recommend stopping by Pepe’s Mexican Bar and Grill. Whether you're dining with your partner, gathering the family, or even just grabbing a bite with friends, you won’t leave disappointed. Trust me, you’ll be planning your next visit before you even...

A delicious and somewhat hidden Mexican restaurant. I have been going to Sugarloaf Mills for many years but never knew about this restaurant or how good it would be. Seeing how I noticed many people of Latin descent enjoy their food during my visit here, as much as I did, you can definitely consider this a good Mexican restaurant. I find the main dish ingredients were very delicious and good quality. The quality of the side ingredients like the rice and beans can be debatable but overall quite delicious. The menu is quite extensive and contains many different types of Mexican fare for any lover of Mexican food to enjoy, so much that I had a hard time choosing what to order. There are many more seemingly delicious options like the parilladas that I did not get a chance to try but seemed appetizing. I can’t wait to go back and try some other delicious Mexican dishes in the future! This is now one of my favorite Mexican restaurants and definitely a good option for anyone in the area looking for delicious Mexican food that is not fast-food per se.

Tacos de Carne Asada 10/10- The flavor on the carne asada was very tasty and juicy, unlike many other small Mexican restaurants no matter how authentic they are. They had a good amount of carne asada and paired well with the traditional Mexican rice and beans. They are a very solid choice for tacos around. I can’t comment too much on the tomatillo sauce. I personally prefer refried beans over charro beans too but that is just preference. Though I can’t compare to the ever so many tacos at Mexican restaurants around Georgia and that are out there, I can say that they are at least very delicious, well portioned, well priced, and well-seasoned.

Super burrito 10/10- I don’t often get burritos but this burrito definitely beat all the others I have tried. It has a delicious mix of fajita steak, onions, mushroom and cheese that most other restaurants don’t do. Most fill it up with rice and beans mainly but this super burrito had a great amount of steak and flavorful filling. The salsa and cheese mix that is drizzled on top also added quite nicely to its texture. Adding rice, lettuce, guac, and pico de gallo on the side enhanced the overall dish. It was really enjoyable and delicious. I highly recommend it, even if you are not a big burrito fan. It will likely be the best burrito you have eaten...

The problem with Mexican restaurants is that once you find one that you really like for whatever that reason is (variety, pricing, salsa, etc.), every Mexican restaurant that follows is held to that invisible standard. For me, La Botana in Chamblee is that standard, so Pepe's had an uphill climb for me.

The problem with judging one place to the next is the huge variations of preparation styles of Mexican food leaves a huge pendulum of acceptability. This was pretty decent and within that acceptable realm. Price wise is a little on the higher end settling in around $8-$12 as their normal range.

The service is fantastic. The waiter seemed young, but he was there to quickly refill drinks and salsa, take away finished dishes and be attentive. The food got there super quick. Seen a couple reviews here to the contrary, but no idea what happened there. Party of four and we all had our orders in front of us in under 10 minutes and the place was fairly busy.

Its called Pepe's Bar and Grill, but way more grill than bar. It's no more a "bar" than Chili's is a bar. It's more restaurant. But it still caters to the bar crowd with a nice drink menu and plenty of TVs everywhere which makes it a pretty good place to catch a game if your forced away for a night out for dinner when you want to watch. And the interior design was very pleasant and semi-modern which was refreshing.

They have a lot of standard fare and some signature dishes as well and many that are cilantro heavy. The selection for the kiddos was lacking though. The chips are a little thicker than I prefer and didn't seem fresh. They weren't stale, but when chips are thicker, it doesn't seem light and crisp.

The salsa was also a tad tame for my taste and definitely could have used some more heat. Even their Chipotle tacos lacked good heat. The wife also noted that the ground beef wasn't anything spectacular. But there seemed to be enough dishes to choose from that I can't give it less stars.

This location on the back corner of the parking lot of Sugarloaf Mills Mall is not forgiving and has killed many a restaurant. All in all, good Mexican food, but they should pay more attention to food detail and work on the seasoning of their meats to define their place in a county packed full of Mexican...