Pepe's Mexican Restaurant & Market — Restaurant in Florida

Let me start with this: If I could rate them more than five stars, I would. The food, the staff, the prices...amazing. This was our lunch on a multi-stop day trip and I was REALLY impressed. We live about an hour and a half away from here, but I can tell you with full certainty, we WILL be returning. From the moment we walked in, we felt welcome and well-attended. Our waitress was the sweetest thing on Earth. She was so friendly and her service was A+. Despite the place being almost full, we barely had to wait for our food. It might have taken 20 minutes to bring out three meals, from the time we ordered. I don't even think it took that long. But everything was still hot and fresh, and OMG delicious. My fiance is from Southern California and I just moved back from Texas, so we're well-versed on good, authentic Mexican food. This was GOOD, AUTHENTIC Mexican food. Even my two extra-picky toddlers finished every bite on their plate. THAT NEVER HAPPENS. As I said, we ordered three meals; one being a kids meal that my boys were able to share and there was plenty there to fill their bellies. On top of that, we ordered two margaritas, a soda, a bottle of juice, a slice of Tres Leches, and flan....we paid $45. I was floored. We're almost never able to feed our family for less than $50+ (at least not at a real restaurant). My recommendation: Order the taco salad...

Update: 3/3/2025- Consistently Incredible Every Time!

I’ve returned to this establishment about six times since my first visit, and each experience has been nothing short of fantastic. I've sampled a variety of dishes from their menu, and I'm continually impressed by the freshness and quality of everything they offer. Whether it’s a classic favorite or something new, they never disappoint. I highly recommend Pepe's to anyone looking for a delicious meal!

A Hidden Gem for Tamale Lovers!

I had a serious craving for tamales and searched high and low among the food trucks in the Ocala area, but no luck. Then I stumbled upon this restaurant and decided to make the drive from Belleview—and I'm so glad I did!

From the moment we arrived, the staff was wonderfully friendly and helpful. Their smiles and positive attitudes were truly infectious, and it was clear they love what they do.

We picked up some desserts and breads before getting to the main event: the tamales. At just $1.99 each or six for only $9, the prices were unbelievable, especially for such delicious chicken tamales. I ended up ordering half a dozen and wow, they did not disappoint!

I'm already planning my next visit, even if it means a longer drive. This place is incredible, and I can’t wait to come back and try more...

We had visited Pepe's years back, however we just left there and were extremely disappointed. Food quality wasn't as wonderful as before. A Mexican store that has no mexican feel to it. We walked in and the music was love music. The restaurant tho decorated with a mexican decor the waitress had her Bluetooth phone connected so we were listening to Taylor Swift while eating. But at the same time the kicthen staff had their radio blasting to reggaton. So we had a combination of taylor swift and reggeton at the same time. It was overly stimulating. American owned restaurants even play mexian music to give you the right ambiance. To top it off, you couldn't order tacos because the meat wasn't cooked. So why even open? Your dinners experience is what will bring them back. We had to ask the waitress to play some mexican music. She did, she played peso pluma..smh and once that ONE song stopped TAYLOR SWIFT came back. We will try this again just to see if it improves. If not we will definitely speak...