El Tio Pepe Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in O’Fallon

Went on a Wednesday night, gor there right before 5 and the place was completely packed. We had about a 15 minute wait which was no bad all in all.

The food is very good. The salsa for the chips has black pepper in it which having lived in TX and NM for 13 years and my wife growing up there neither of us had seen before. Gave a unique flavor which while not unpleseant wasn't exactly for us. Good salsa just not our style.

I got pollo con mole and was quite happy with the seasoning on the chicken and the mole was very good. My wife got chicken fajitas as was very sad we had errands to run and she couldn't take it with her.

Rice is solid and the beans have a good flavor and consistency. They are served with yellow cheese which again isn't bad just not our precefence which runs to white cheese on the beans.

Finished dinner with a superb custard. Perfect texture and flavor.

Now let's talk service. I want to call out our waitress Lauren for superb service. She really was great. My wife's fajitas got yoinked for another table and she came to tell us what happened rather tham leaving us sitting. When the fajitas arrived she had fresh beans and rice brought with which was a nice touch. Also we had a mix up about my order for a tamale (I asked she didn't hear so no tamale) and brought me one to make up for tha fajita being late.

Now why didn't I mention the tamale in the food, well because the gesture counts for more in this case. I love a good tamale. My wife's family and friends make them from scratch and I dream about those tamales. This tamale was nothing to dream about. My big issue is they put pork gravy (guisada perhaps) over it and now I have a soggy tamale. Not appetizing.

So over all the food is good. Couple things that we really liked, some that were different but not bad, and one sad soggy roll of massa all taken care of by really attentive and honest service....

This was the worst restaurant I've ever been to. There was no social distancing whatsoever; the tables were back to back and they weren't even a foot apart. The food was absolutely disgusting. If my boyfriend and I weren't starving, we would have sent back every single plate we ordered. The chips and salsa were literally the best part of the meal, and that's sad. The queso fundido was CLEARLY not chihuahua cheese, it was mozzarella barely heated up in a microwave, sprinkled with a little bit of chorizo, and a layer of grease on top. Not to mention that it cooled in one big piece (so you couldnt eat it if it wasn't hot); We were able to lift the whole plate of cheese up in one piece with a fork. Disgusting... My boyfriend ordered the combination plate with chicken. I ordered the chicken flautas and the waitress told me they were out of the chicken flautas which made it OBVIOUS that the flautas were not home-made. Both plates looked unappetizing, but we tried the food anyways. His enchilada, beans, and a la carte items came sprinkled with yellow cheese. What mexican restaurant uses cheddar cheese????? My boyfriend could only stomach the taco and left the burrito, enchilada, and beans untouched. All of my flautas came out burnt on both ends and the beef inside was dry and tasteless. It was like eating cardboard. We payed for our meal anyways and left that god awful restaurant hungry. We literally left the restaurant and went somewhere else to get food. I don't know why this place has such good reviews because this was the worst restaurant experience I've had in my life. You can click on my reviews - photos link under my name to see the photos of the unappetizing food...

No surprise, how very successful El Tio Pepe has been for over 30 years. I've know the family who lovingly carefully and thoughtfully greet Customers with smiles, respect, and courtesy.

🌞 Fabulous Menu(Taco Salad with fried shell ❤️❤️ my favorite for 20 years!)

🌞 Affordable heaping servings, not skimpy

🌞 Authentic Hispanic managed, owned, Hispanic Music always plays, never any other. Music and art in restaurant gives me the ambience and feeling they are really Hispanic and proud of their heritage, which I love.

🌞 Deserts: Fried Ice cream and Hispanic Flan

🌞 Very clean restaurant and food. I have NEVER been even slightly sick from the food.

🌞 Service has, is, and will be, which is great to rely and depend on, considering other places.

🌞 Every seat in house is perfect and inviting.

🌞 The bar is inviting, service and Bar Tenders wonderful! The bar is beautifully decorated.

🌞 Business is always crowded and very busy with is great sign for a restaurant that means it is recognized by the whole area how great an experience it is AND since the food is shipped into and sold so fast, it will be much more fresh and higher quality than a slow struggling restaurant that keeps food lingering longer.

Walking into this place is always like a family reunion to me since we've known each other for so many years. It is always a fabulous wonderful dining pleasure!!

Thank You, El Tio Pepe Family!! I'm so proud of your great...