Pepper Lunch

Very authentic Japanese food. The food was served sizzling hot, fresh, and beautifully presented. Everything tasted high quality, from the proteins to the rice and vegetables. I’m from Okinawa, Japan, and the curry had a true Japanese flavor—comforting and just right. The restaurant and kitchen were very clean, the ordering system is easy, and the staff were kind and attentive. Highly recommend if you’re looking for Japanese comfort food. 🍛🇯🇵

Was alright. Food tasted good but nothing extraordinary for me. Prices were a little high IMHO. $1.99 for addons with an already $15+ dish. Me personally, I'd rather go for a sushi bowl at that price. Service was good and place was clean. Worth a try.

I enjoy Pepper Lunch and their food selections. I usually get the beef or beef and chicken. For me the portion sizes are a good size for me to have leftovers for the next day. The facility itself has plenty of seating and is clean. The ordering process is easy. There is a kiosk when you walk in to order for dine in or takeout. You usually didn’t have to wait a long time for your food to be served. It’s cool that your food is served on a sizzling plate. Be sure not to touch it, though! It’s very hot! There is free parking on site. This location is perfect because it is close to US 19 and the highway. Faith is very helpful and friendly. Great customer service from her!

Enjoyed a delicious lunch with my mini me at Pepper Lunch Tampa Bay. It was so nice 😊 Food was amazing and meet some amazing people with their awesome Labubu’s. Thanks for hosting the event! We will definitely be back again soon!

My friend really wanted to try this place and I am so glad she recommended we go there. The food was absolutely delicious. I wasn't sure what to order because it was my first time there, so I asked the guy at the counter what his favorite dish was and he recommended the Hamburg steak curry. I decided that I wanted to also try some of the other options so I got the panko fried shrimp and karaage chicken. I also added beef to the curry to try. The food was delicious, it came out incredibly fast. I kind of enjoyed the aspect of having the food come mostly cooked and then you finish it up at your table. For me, that ensures that your meal is fresh and delicious. We actually were struggling to wait for it cool down in order to eat! The decor inside was cutesy yet minimal, and it was very comfortable. I highly recommend stopping by and trying this place! My friend also noted that this would be a great meal to have before going out for the night.

This is a very interesting concept. You walk in and pick your meal on the computer, then hey bring it to you. The decor and furniture is like a fast food restaurant, but the ingredients of the dishes and prices are of a higher quality. We tried the curry and the pepper steak. This was our first time trying this type of Japanese meal. The skillets were cool and interesting. The rice cooks on the skillet and is crunchy and delicious. I found the overall flavor palette to be on the bland side. I probably should have added more toppings to it but at $1.99 each, it seemed excessive. I probably would have preferred a higher price with unlimited toppings, kind of like Poke Island. The beef pepper rice we got has extra rice and beef. The chicken karaage is little pieces of fried chicken thighs. I added siracca to it.

Drove all the way from Jacksonville just to eat here! Pepper Lunch is popular place to eat in Japan, so it was incredibly nostalgic to experience the same authentic flavors and presentation—it felt just like being back there. We started with the karaage, which was really tasty, and I had the Beef Pepper rice—absolutely delicious! I just wish it was closer to my house. Can’t believe this is the only location in Florida—really hope they open more soon!

I was excited to see Pepper Lunch pop up in Pinellas Park—of all places! I’ve seen them online for a while and was surprised to see them here. Safe to say, it did not disappoint. Right when you walk in, you’re greeted with a responsive tablet ordering system that makes things easy and efficient. The menu has a ton of variety. On my first visit, I went with the chicken curry and kimchi pepper lunch bowl, which came with a hamburger patty. Everything arrived sizzling hot on a cast iron plate, just like the photos—and it tasted great. We also got a side of onion rings, and they were perfectly crispy and flavorful. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. It’s a great, convenient lunch option, especially since it’s near my workplace. I’m really hoping they add delivery soon—I could see myself ordering this regularly. There’s a decent amount of seating, and it’s a fun dine-in experience with the sizzling plates. Overall, this spot is a great addition to the area. If you haven’t been, give it a try—you’ll probably be back for more, just like I will.

The sizzling sounds to the video matches the smell and the taste of the yummy pepper lunch steak! I love this place so much. I am so happy that they opened one in Pinellas park which is a go to when I visit home. The service is fairly quick. The dinning area was also really clean. As a socially awkward girly, I like that I can order from self service. Their menu is big as well and you can get your sizzling plate with different toppings.

Food is just an assembly cook by itself skillet plate. The most important is to assemble the food with good ingredients and sauce. Nothing special. We have noodle, beef and chicken. The sauce just ok. The quantity is good for single person. If you like it more crispy let it sit longer. Overall the price is kind of high in comparison to most of the food. It is good for lunch but for dinner may be not.

At the restaurant they had a kiosk for easy ordering and options for add ons or to remove ingredients if necessary; it was nice to visually see images of what the food would be like. The Pepper Beef rice came out very hot and sizzly, with a paper strip around the plate to prevent sauces from splattering while it was still hot. Though it was peppered beef, it was kind of hard for me to eat since they added a bit too much black pepper in comparison to the amount of beef added. But overall its a very solid nostalgic dish to have, and I'm glad to see Pepper Lunch having a location in florida!

Got the beef sizzling curry and the beef kimchi pepper rice. Both dishes were fresh and sizzling which was nice, you have to move quick and mix it so it doesn't burn at the bottom though. But a pro to that is the rice gets crispy! The curry one was simple, I recommend adding some more sauce. Overall, flavor and ingredients were fresh. The service was so good!!!! The workers were so attentive and sweet :) Ambiance was simple, the area was clean which is always a plus.

I enjoy Pepper Lunch and their food selections. I usually get the beef or beef and chicken. For me the portion sizes are a good size for me to have leftovers for the next day. The facility itself has plenty of seating and is clean. The ordering process is easy. There is a kiosk when you walk in to order for dine in or takeout. You usually didn't have to wait a long time for your food to be served. It's cool that your food is served on a sizzling plate. Be sure not to touch it, though! It's very hot! There is free parking on site. This location is perfect because it is close to US 19 and the highway. Faith is very helpful and friendly. Great customer service from her!

Pepper Lunch has got to be one of my favorite places to eat at any time of day, whether or not I'm looking to fill my belly, or enjoy some really amazing fast casual food. I'm so happy they finally opened up in Florida, being that I have had them in Hong Kong, and also California, my dreams came true when they opened! My only issues is that the add on items, like extra rice, mushrooms, onions, garlic chips, carrots, green beans and more all for $1.99 each!! Come on guys....$2 for some onions? That's ludicrious to say the least. And not worth it at all. Other than that, this is probably one of the best places to enjoy some really good quick food.

I was curious to try the sizzling curry plate, and I substituted rice with the pasta. For the protein I had salmon and beef. The curry came in separate bowl, and I added it on plate. The salmon was raw. I had to mixed them on the hot plate to get it cook a bit. The curry flavor was mild, not strong and not spicy. The black papper on the top was OK. To prevent the food stick on the hot plate, a lot of cooking oil was sit at the bottom. It was kind of greasy. The plate itself was not cheap and the add on charge for example egg, mushroom, onion, corn, carrot was 1.99 extra each. Such pricing is ridiculous. The dining environment and the service were decent.

Have been wanting to try pepper lunch since they opened a few months ago! You order on a little machine, super easy and someone is standing there if you need assistance. Super fast service and the dishes were good! A little too much pepper on mine. Restaurant was super clean!

‼ Opening 10 locations in Florida ‼ I checked out this Japanese-based restaurant chain, with over 30 years of history, for you in Japan to get the scoop. Yes friends, there is tons of Tampa Bay chatter about Majestic Restaurant Group already purchasing licenses to open 10 Florida locations, and Tampa Bay's Pinellas Park location is the 1st in Florida! When I posted over a year ago about this spot opening, I never thought it would be this good. But, other than reposting news from the Pepper Lunch website, those reporters/bloggers don't go to the original restaurant in Japan or the US to give you the scoop, like I do for comparison. As a culinary product developer, please let me nerd out for a moment: Started in 1994 by chef and inventor Kunio Ichinose, Pepper Lunch ペッパーランチ is similar to many steak griddle restaurants found in Japan, where the customer receives the food sizzling on a hot platter in order to cook the steak to their customizable doneness. Pepper Lunch is considered fast food in Japan, so many customers work nearby locally and visit for a fast, inexpensive, hot meal. The cast iron plates are quickly induction heated to 500f. Yes, it's just as good as in Japan, just costs 3x more because we are in the US and everything here is more expensive.

First Pepper Lunch in the Southeast US - in Tampa - say no more! Lots of half booth and high top seating available and busy at lunch time! You order from the screen and the staff there bring you drinks, silverware, and the food from the window. Vibe inside was small, warm, and modern. I've loved Pepper Lunch since I had it in Taiwan for a quick international chain sizzle plate meal. The takeaway for me were the beef plates - each of these rocked. We had some without curry and some with curry, with hamburger. They have a little protective paper as well warning people to not touch the hot plate. The rice can get crispy on the hot plate and the beef cooks quickly on it which makes it taste even better. I love the dish with curry to bring all the different elements together into one. We also got the salmon plate, which was okay, but paled to the beef plates. Lots of options are available for everyone and can't beat the price to good food ratio! Onion rings were tasty and worth as well. Ms. Tina here was a gem - she put the service in customer service especially for a fast-casual restaurant.

Love it! So glad Pepper Lunch decided to set up shop in the area :) Service is always quick and friendly, and I love the cheery ambiance of the place. My go to has to be the curry! Love the added spice and flavors that it brings to the dish. Whether it is hamburger steak or crispy chicken, the added curry sauce takes it up one level. And as that curry sears on the metal plate, it gets crusty and even more delicious. Will definitely be back to try more items next time! :)

I've been to Pepper Lunch in Las Vegas, so I was curious to see how it would differ from there to Pinellas Park. Concept is what you pay for! If you're getting the food to go in my opinion it's not worth it. You come for the experience! You pick your protein, toppings and rice. Then it comes out on a hot skillet where it cooks in the dish right before you eat it. Please remember to mix the food or else it will burn on the bottom and the top will still be raw. They just opened but the staff is amazing. Cooks were clean and did a great job considering the place was completely packed. The store manager was bussing tables and moving chairs and the servers were doing a great job at bringing people their food and accommodating for everyone. The food was good, but each dish was missing something. If I were to eat the beef pepper lunch on its own I don't think I'd like it. It lacked seasoning, but there's sauce on the tables which made the dish taste a lot better. I also got a curry sauce as well which was pretty good. My only real issue is that the sides and additional toppings were just too expensive. Besides that I like the place, the concept and the workers.

This place has such a cool and unique concept and I was really excited to try it out! You order at a kiosk but the food comes out super quickly and is sizzling (you can even see the steam in my picture!) I ordered the shrimp curry and the sauce was delicious! My only problem was that the shrimp got a bit overcooked, but it was still tasty especially mixed in with the rice, onions, corn, and sauce. This was such a fun experience and a perfect portion so I'll definitely be back to try another option!

This place just opened in Pinellas Park 3 days ago. We were interested in trying so I had the day off and we ventured out. They are located on the corner of a plaza. You walk in and either order at the kiosk or the register. They are having BOGO right now for their curry dishes. It's not advertised anywhere but the staff member advised as we walked in. I wanted the shrimp however they didn't have any shrimp or chicken today. I opted for the tofu vegetable bowl. Which the price on the menu states $13 however it actually ended up costing me $25. I'm not sure if the staff member didn't know the menu or if this is indeed how it works but I was advised that even though it's a vegetable bowl I have to pay for each individual vegetable which was $1.99 each. But then when I got my food I had vegetables that I didn't order. I'm certain and this is what I asked him too is that it comes with standard vegetables and you pay extra for other vegetables or extra vegetables but I was advised no. So whatever I went with it. However I had mushrooms and corn and carrots which I didn't pay or want. I'm confused. You could definitely tell they were working out the kinks. You find a table and they'll bring your food to you according to the number they gave you. We had been waiting for probably 15 minutes and a new couple walked in and ordered. They sat next to us. The cashier goes over to the food counter and takes the steak bowl and delivers to their table. I immediately know that this is not theirs and it's my hubs. But we go along and don't say anything. That couple then started questioning where their kimchi is and some other ingredients. He staff looks confused. All while hubs still doesn't have his food. We finally speak up and let the staff and couple know that they probably got our food which they agreed since it was lacking the ingredients that they paid extra for. Kitchen and staff remain confused except for the 1 lady working. She had to literally go back to the kitchen and have them make his bowl. She had to have them remake the whole thing. Overall food was good. Lacked flavor. But they have sauce and salt and pepper at the table which helped. I don't think it was $25 worth.

Such a great place to grab a quick and delicious meal! Self service ordering counter and quick food delivery to your table. Staff was friendly and efficient with drink refills throughout meal. Casual inside with plenty of parking.

This place had a huge hype so i definitely expected more! To me it was mediocre I ordered the regular portion pepper steak and the meat was very skimpy - being that it was my first time I didn't know I should have ordered Jumbo. I didn't feel like my meat or rice got super crispy and I when I visited last night they were out of a lot of things - the famous curry sauce and the sweet potato fries. My daughter ordered a miso soup and it came way after our actual meal. Seemed a little unorganized. Would probably be back to give them a 2nd chance but definitely not in a rush to do so.

This new restaurant offers sizzle plate that comes to your table. We had to go check it out since they just opened recently. Order your food at the kiosk and then take a pager to your table. The restaurant isn't that big, maybe 6 tables/booths to dine in so they will get busy quick. Once the food was ready, one of the staff members will bring the sizzle plate to your table. Just watch it sizzle, then you can add your sauce, and eat. I ordered the chicken Alfredo and sauce came on the side, it was good. My daughter ordered the beef and kimchi over rice, she liked her food as well.

Food is typical hot asian plate . Service is good , place is clean . Not busy that time of the day

Food was good, the portion was huge! Service was also pretty quick. The menu had a lot of options but i dont think this location has the curry option (yet maybe?) which i was kind of looking forward to trying. The price for this added up pretty quickly with the add ons so i dont know how often id come back unless i was really craving it.

The restaurant had a spotless interior, and the staff was incredibly welcoming. Since it was our first visit, they took the time to explain everything to us, which we really appreciated. The food was enjoyable, though not particularly outstanding in my opinion. I ordered the chicken pepper rice with kimchi--the chicken was a bit bland, so I'd recommend adding one of their two complimentary sauces or opting for an additional sauce for extra flavor. My boyfriend had the salmon and beef pepper rice and felt the same way. Overall, it was a good experience with great service, but the food could use a bit more seasoning.

We went to this place for the second time, still trying it out. We both got the curry beef plate. After you order the main dish from a tourist screen, you scroll through a bunch of add on veggies which all cost $1.99. I got a couple added on and when the dish came out, the add one were small portions. I think they should cut back on the price for the add one for the amount of the product they give you. Other then that the food was very good along with the experience

We were on that side of town and decided to give it a try. Took us a while to order because everything looked pretty good but once we decided we sat down and we're giving utensils and or offered ice water. We were greeted by the staff as soon as we came in and also offered to help on navigating through the menu. The food came out pretty quick and tasted really good what an excellent concept. We ordered a teriyaki dish two of the curry dishes and another combo dish. We added a few extras and for four of us it came out to about $70 The food tasted fresh and portion sizes were good definitely worth the try next time we're in this area. The only negative would be that the air conditioning didn't seem to be working to good so it was a little bit warm in the restaurant.

Ordered a beef pepper lunch, good presentation, come out fast, tastes acceptable; however, way too oily, my stomach felt hurt right after. Staff were friendly and very helpful. I have a reason to believe that this spot is only good to check-in and have an IG post.

I've tried this chain in CA, and I wanted to try this new location in FL. I ordered a meal to-go, and I found it super greasy and salty. I've tried other chain locations and I've never had this experience. Ordering it fresh might have been better, but it was still not as good compared to what I've tried at different locations. It was also a bit pricey with all the add-ons for the size that they give.

Good food presented in an unique fashion. Fast and efficient service. Place your order and finish the cooking at the table.

I enjoyed this place. If you're looking for something new to try this is the place, it's a different concept from any restaurant in the area. Food comes out quick and the service is good. Inside is kind of small so it doesn't take much for it to get busy. As for the food it's good, but greasy in my opinion. It is also on the pricey side, and they charge 2 dollars for each add on, it's not worth it and the jumbo is not worth it as well. You would think you get more protein but you don't just more rice/ pasta. lol

My new favorite place!!! Delicious options that are sizzling on the skillet. Service is great also ! I definitely will be back and most definitely recommend it if you are in the area!

Food was absolutely great!! The girl at the counter was very helpful and very kind and friendly. Service was quick and efficient. I'd definitely come back here again.

An interesting concept restaurant. Perhaps the Korean Hot-Pots are the closest to what you will experience here. The staff were friendly, helpful, and working hard to get things right. It is clear that they are still on a learning curve, but their commitment is admirable. The food was on the 'bland' side and I'm a pretty bland eater to begin with, so this is an issue. I see other reviewers commented as well. Perhaps I need more experience with what to get. I noted that one person complained about food being too salty - my experience was the exact opposite. All-in-all some work on the seasonings would be good. Do keep in mind that PEPPER is in the name of the place. One of my party had a huge chocking/coughing fit after their first bite from inhaling too much pepper that was on the food. Probably a better stir would have avoided that. However, another member of my party was complaining hours later about their mouth still burning from the pepper, so beware. In terms of ambiance, it seemed clean, but very basic, and almost more of a "to go" or "takeaway" type of place, but I don't see that as their core customer base as you miss the experience in my opinion as did someone else comment.

I loved my food here, very hot and good, HOWEVER takeout portions seem small. Also the price is pretty high but tbh in this economy everything seems high...this would be great in the winter.

I've been about 3 times. I like the concept and the food is good, service was better this last time but not good the first 2 times. They keep the refills behind an unmanned counter so you have to wait until the staff is walking around to get a refill. The sweet potato fries are cut too thick and undercooked in the center. The most significant thing is the booths are upholstered in this yellow fabric that shows every single stain that has ever existed and it looks disgusting. It's really off putting for a place I would eat at.

The service was great! Everyone was very friendly. The food was tasty, but I do wish the amount of meat you get was more for the price.

Great customer service. Tried the pepper steak rice and it was served very fast and good flavor. It would definitely hit better with some sort of yum yum sauce/spicy mayo but they do have their own two sauces to use there.

Food is amazing, service is great. Definitely coming back. I had the beef and shrimp teppanyaki

Picked up. Food was alright but something I could make at home. Portion was small. Tried ordering through the app, and paid for it in app as well but when trying to pick up, worker says it didn't go through so had to wait longer for them to make it. A week later we noticed we got charged twice. Called in to make them aware and hopefully the charge falls off. The gentleman I spoke to said he would send me a receipt of the return but I still haven't received any communication yet. But $15 for a small-ish plate of mediocre food??? Too many places in our area that do things well (from app, to pickup, etc.) for this to be my experience. I hope they smooth things out.

I went to a pepper lunch once before in the Philippines, and was excited when I heard that one was opening up locally. The service was great, and the food excellent as well. There's not many other places where I can get curry hamburg steak with rice around here, I'm definitely coming back.

Food is good, service is great. Definitely come back for another time. I like teriyaki Hamburg.