Pepita Cantina

We visited for weekday late lunch; there were few other folks there. So your experience may differ. Upon entry we were each handed a compact 3 ring binder, the menu.
Most places have a few drinks in front followed by the longer menu. Here it’s the opposite. Our experience confirms: this is a drinking establishment that serves some food.
We were there for lunch so the 100+ bottles of tequila and other spirits were not a factor, but you may enjoy them. There are two margarita machines too. We asked whether my daughter could get a non alcoholic frozen drink, and the first answer was no; but then our waiter (probably a bartender just waiting tables for lunch) made her a very nice pomegranate-​lime freeze that was terrific, no charge.
Food: we ordered ceviche, two chopped salads, and five tacos. They were beautifully prepared: fish was succulent and fresh tasting, salads were really fresh and interesting, and tacos were all pretty spicy but two out of three of us loved that. Really well done food, freshly and thoughtfully prepared.
Bottom line: have you wished your favorite bar served really good food? Try this place anyway. I can’t speak for the evening hours but we did enjoy our meal.

Met some friends here after work for dinner and drinks. They have a great atmosphere and a good variety of choices to choose from. Close to the metro too. I’ll definitely be going back soon!

Finally got a chance to check this place out. Came here with a big group of ladies, on a a very cold holiday, MLK day; the place wasn’t busy at all. Caipirinha and margaritas were tasty $ 7 for hh prices so not cheap. The food was really good: guacamole and salsa made fresh. We all ordered tacos and enchiladas to share and it worked out. I recommend the shrimp tacos. The place is tiny and prob has a max capacity of 40.

I finally made it to Pepita last night and… HUGE disappointment. The food is OK. Nothing great by any means, but mainly just overpriced for «Mexican».
My biggest complaint though– the service. We went for an early dinner, a little after 530. We stood there for a few minutes, no host, the bartenders just looked at us. Cool… The host finally came over and tried to put us at a high-​top table, and when we said we’d rather have the one open half-​booth table, he responded with: «I just need it open by 7» … WHO says that to paying customers?! I was instantly turned off. The server was pretty much absent the whole time, didn’t tell us anything about the place or menu. We had 4 people– our meals literally came out 1 by 1, with a few minutes in between each dish. Anyone who has ever dined at a restaurant knows entrees should all be brought at once. So that was annoying.
When we finished, the server asked if we would like anything else– we said no, and I assumed he would bring the check. NOPE. We waited AGAIN for 15 minutes or so before I had to ask for the check. I just gave him a card because I didn’t want to wait around any longer. And the place was not at all busy. Finally, walking out, the little asshole host was just looking down at his phone as we were walking out. I won’t be returning. Don Tito has way better tacos anyway!

I really liked the chicken mole very tender an juicy… oh and lot of it too! Fun place to hang out and meet friends.

Ballston is just exploding with good food. It’s hard to ignore all the great places that seem to be popping up on the other side of town. Earlier this week a gang got together and hit up Mike Isabella’s new place, Pepita, a Mexican Cantina.
It was small, but felt spacious, and we were lucky enough to get the large booth near the window. This place is all about the drank. Their menu, literally called ‘Biblioteca’, can be a little overwhelming. There are so many types of drinks offered here that the menu has 23 pages, and a table of contents. When you come make sure you know your flavor, and just stick with that to make it easy — and to keep from getting sick.
I was feeling a little adventerous and got three tacos: Cabra Diabla (barbecued goat, candied habanero, and lemon cucumber), Smoked Carnitas (roast pork, carrot, cilantro, and onion) and the Taco de Lengua (beef tongue, radish, onion, charred tomatillo, cilantro). All three tacos were delicious, but I have to say I was blown away by the beef tongue taco (Taco de Lingua). The meat was perfectly cooked, the sauce mild but nuanced — I would definitely recommend it.
BEWARE THE GOAT.
The goat taco may have been my favorite taco, but beware — the candied habanero is not evenly divided in the taco. The spice can strike at any moment. Some bights were so hot my eyes watered, while others took away the heat. It was perfection.
The Pepita Margarita is the best I’ve had in a long time, but I might recommend stopping somewhere around four them. We may have had a little too much fun, and I woke up with a reminder of all their deliciousness.
If you’re looking for a great after work hot spot to hit up with friends and coworkers, somewhere with killer drinks and small plates, I would definitely recommend Pepita Cantina.

Pepita Cantina is a solid option for happy hour drinks and a snack with friends or coworkers, but don’t expect a hearty meal or a bustling, lively atmosphere on a weeknight.
I stopped by with some friends for happy hour, and was happy to see that they still have deals after 7pm on weeknights ($ 7 margaritas and caipirinhas, and I think $ 3 tecates). The pomegranate margarita, which is made with mescal, was pretty tasty, and I liked that you had three options for your salt rim: regular, harissa, and smoked. We had some guacamole, which was neither exceptional nor bad, and I tried the veggie taco. Crispy caulifower, pickled cabbage, and avocado made for a tangy and surprisingly spicy snack – definitely the best thing I tried all night! At $ 4 a pop, the tacos probably aren’t economical if you’re trying to put together a full meal, but it held me over through happy hour, so I was happy.
Otherwise, the menu is limited, with a handful of other taco options and a few appetizers and larger courses.

Let me begin by saying this isn’t a Mexican restaurant, it’s a cocktail bar. If you want Chi Chi’s or Chevys, go there. So to the twat in November who began his review by typing «THIS REVIEW IS SOLID,» you’re a moron and I’m glad you won’t be returning.
Back to the review, and ignoring the Taco Bell aficionados, this is an awesome cocktail bar with a Mexican tilt. Great margaritas, great tiki cocktails, really solid frozen cocktails (something I never thought I would type). Seriously, they had a colada when they opened that was out of this world. I say «when they opened» because they actually change their cocktail menu. Because again, it’s a cocktail bar, not Chi Chi’s.
Hey! That means they use real citrus! Real ingredients! They spend TIME making a cocktail! Certainly that comes as a shock to the knuckle-​draggers who puked their way down from A-​Town. Go back to A-​Town. This place is for adults.
The food (clearly not their focus) is actually quite good. The torta is amazing. The nachos are great. The boracha beans are delicious. I’m guessing the meat cooked in the big kitchen in Kapnos and walked over. Yes, they charge for chips and salsa. You know why? Because they’re not giant bags of Tostitos from Costco, or salsa made from prison-​grade canned tomatoes. They actually TASTE good. Plus, if a few bucks for properly-​made salsa keeps out the riff raff, this place is brilliant.
This is the kind of bar that Ballston is desperately in need of: a bar for adults. A bar that places an emphasis on quality. not churning out shitty drinks to drunk dicks. If you’re a shithead who enjoys margarita mix out of a giant plastic jug, go elsewhere. If you enjoy a properly made cocktail with atmosphere that doesn’t require bleach to cover up the stench, go here.

Pepita is a great spot to stop in with a few friends for a margaritas and small tapas style dishes. I would not recommend this if you are out on the town in need of a large hearty meal. Their simple menu consisting of a few types of tacos (some are a bit off the wall like goat) coupled with the choice of a handful of salsas makes for an easy night out. The bartenders have a heavy hand and make a great margarita. It’s worth the drive to Arlington during the summer months to sit out on the patio as the couches and tables offer an open air environment. there is a decent amount of street parking out front, but may erode now that Yona had opened and shares the parking.
I have to take away 1star for service as it was a bit slow at times.
FYI — they do not allow dogs outside on the patio (bummer)

THIS REVIEW IS SOLID
I’ll start by saying — I have a unique ability in life to distinguish between one thing and the next… I know the difference between quality and average. I am very observant and notice subtle things. I stand-​by the below review.
In summary — huge disappointment. I came with 3 friends this evening.
I’m a huge fan of Mike Isabella so I was VERY excited to eat at Pepita. I’ll be specific as to why this wasn’t a great experience. Service. Food. Experience. Go —
SERVICE — Completely subpar. Completely unsatisfactory. From the time we were seated, it took over 7 minutes for our server to show her face. She did OK by offering us the specials for the evening. The hostess actually was the food runner for the entire restaurant that evening. When she dropped off our tacos, she had no idea what was what. She claimed that the pork tacos were beef tongue — when I corrected her on it, she insisted the pork was beef. This is important to me because I don’t eat pork. After biting into it, we confirmed that it was 100% the pork. Her menu knowledge was horrible. They also delivered us another table’s food — they made up for that mistake by giving it to us for free, but it was a huge disaster and inconvenience.
FOOD — The guacamole was BLAND — not the end of the earth because avocados can’t taste bad, but it was really, really bland. It needed significantly more salt, lime juice, jalapeños and cilantro. The chopped salad can best be described as — a bunch of salad toppings on a plate with dressing. There was no lettuce, but a bunch of toppings like corn and shaved carrots. It was totally lacking. The Tuna Ceviche was pretty damn good. Really fresh fish and delicious coconut crème accompaniment. The Tacos were DELICIOUS — beef tongue was exceptional. Goat was also. Chicken was «eh»… nothing special.
EXPERIENCE– Ambiance and vibe were good. I can also see how this place could be even better in the summertime, as they have a nice patio. I appreciated the décor and lightening — that was great. The men’s bathroom was a wreck though. There was literally speckled shit stains inside the toilet and also all over the top of the seat. Paper towels on the floor too.
Ridiculous that they charge for chips and salsa too — it’s a Mexican restaurant. That’s just stupid. Especially if the service is going to be so bad — at least give us something to shove in our faces to keep the focus off of how long everything is taking.
I only write such a thorough review because I HOPE that Mike reads this and fixes his restaurant — a place that has SO MUCH potential, but is currently failing to deliver. If he does, I will update this post to reflect positive changes. I haven’t given up on Pepita. I’ll give it a month or so and try again.

I am so torn, in one respect this place gets five stars. In another it gets none.
The service here was over-​zealous at first, and then sorts of not there as it got busier. I guess i can’t argue with that so much. The food is like Kapnos, insanely overpriced, and a let down.
Nachos, with chicken or veggies, was a pile of chips about 8 inches arund with perhaps a layer of chips, DRENCHED in a couple of sauces that rendered the chips mushy, and somehow that was a twelve dollar plate of nachos??? Get the F out of here.
The quesadilla was tasty but again overpriced for what you get.
Now lets talk Drinks… The Menu is awesome. Awesome. So many options, both new fangled, Latin inspired, old timey, just so many things to choose from. And yet every, I mean EVERY drink I had was unbalanced. and unpleasant. The I sent back the Frozen mexican coffee, which was somehow able to destroy my face with earthy, pungent nastiness, and every other drink I tried if it said it had citrus, just tasted of citrus, the mai tai in particular was just lime juice… forget the orgeat, what orgeat…
Anyway. I had high hopes, but another place to skip next time I want beverages. Sadness.

Finally I got some time to go check out Mike Isabella’s new spot!
We picked a perfect night to go and we were able to sit outside underneath the lights they had setup. The entire place is actually a really nice setup, both inside and outside. Bright colors everywhere and a nice chill atmosphere.
There are over 50 drink options on their menu so there is a pretty big variety if you’re looking for rum drinks, margaritas, or some other original cocktail they make at Pepita.
We ordered the Nachitos, three different tacos, and the crazy corn. All were really good!
The Nachitos we ordered were covered with hanger steak, cheese, beans, and peppers. Also drizzled with sour cream. They were fantastic. So much steak and we split them among four people and it was a perfect appetizer. ⁴⁄₅
We got the chicken taco, the carnitas, and the lamb. They were all fantastic. Also everything that we ordered had some kick to it so I’d expect that. 4.5÷5
Another thing we ordered was the crazy corn. It was probably one of the weirdest things I’ve ever eaten but really delicious. The corn was on the cob and covered with a sort of powdered cheese on the outside. I’m not even really sure how to explain it but I’d order it again. ⁴⁄₅
I got a few cocktails but my favorite was probably the Pomegranate margarita. It didn’t really taste like pomegranate at all and it had a little spice to it which I always enjoy in a drink.
I’ve seen reviews for Pepita saying that the service is awful or super slow but I didn’t really find that to be the case at all. The service is pretty low-​key and they do take their time a little bit but Pepita Cantina doesn’t seem like a place you would go to have a rushed meal anyway so I was fine just relaxing outside waiting for some good drinks and good food.
If you’re in the mood for some fun cocktails and some small plates with a Hispanic influence, Pepita Cantina will be a great place to try!

The low rating is more on the management /​staff of the establishment. I hope Mike Isabella find this review well.
I’ve been to this place for 3 times already and on my third visit would probably my last. The first visit was great. It was around when Pepita just opened. Every staff was very attentive to their customers.
Place: The restaurant itself is tiny. They expanded the seating outside. The second time we went there was when it was raining. The place was packed and of course you can’t seat outside. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to dine/​drink that day.
Drinks: The drinks are amazing! Our favorite bartender from Kapnos (Raul?) was working at Pepita on our first visit. He can make great drinks. We tried multiple drinks, from Tiki’s to bourbon, to tequilas. Everything was great! It was worth every penny.
Staff: When we came back on our third visit, no one was at the front door. It was a Tuesday night. It wasn’t busy inside, the patio is not full. No one was there. We waited for 5 minutes but still no person in sight. The waiters and bartenders seem not to care that we were standing by the door. So, we decided to seat by the bar. At the bar, the two bartenders that night was just talking in front of us. The only person that was paying attention was the guy who was refilling water. It took 10 minutes for a bartender to ask for drinks. The drinks came in pre made. It was in the pitcher. Maybe they don’t have enough good bartenders? It was still good.
Food: The tacos are good. The only thing I can say on the tacos is that the meat is too heavy for the tacos. Maybe lower down the amount of meat and then maybe lower the price? You can’t hold the soft shell tacos with the meat properly because it keeps breaking. Or, maybe double down the soft shell tacos? The Torta was a complete waste. It was served to me very hot. I waited for 5 minutes for it to cool off but when I bit on it, I have to embarrassingly spit it out because it was still hot. I literally have to split the torta so it will cool off. A good restaurant never serves food that is not ready to be eaten.
Summary: Food is not up to par for the price you are paying.

Went to check this out earlier in the summer with a friend who lives down the street.
Everything we had here was good… but I have mixed feelings about it overall.
The drinks were good — and strong — but PRICEY
The food was good — but the portions were small — and also PRICEY.
I see Peptia as a place to go grab a drink with a friend. I dont think i would recommend it for dinner.
One additional plus when the weather is nice — is their patio! We happened to pick a beautiful summer afternoon — and got to sip our drinks in the sunshine!

Haters gonna hate. I’ve been to Pepita three times now (including opening night) and I love it. It’s the perfect spot to have a summer drink on the patio and eat some snacks. If you want a full meal head over to Kapnos. As far as I’m concerned Pepita is primarily a cocktail bar and the food is simply meant to supplement the drinks.
If you go do yourself a favor and try the quesadillas. I’ve had the beef and pork and both were out of this world at only $ 7. The pork in particular tasted like it had been marinated for hours in an amazing stew adorned with golden raisins.
The drinks — simply fantastic. I’ve had «the Truth» which is gin, carrot, beet, and ginger. It basically tastes like a cold press juice with alcohol on it. It’s incredible, I felt like I was detoxing and retoxing at the same time. On another occasion I had the mango margarita (the charming skull pitcher) and it was lovely. Sweet and spicy and just strong enough to make it worth your money. The pitcher was about 6 drinks (a lot).
As for the service which has gotten a lot of flack here… I have no complaints. I found our servers attentive, thoughtful, and approachable.
Thanks to Mike Isabella for investing in the Ballston/​VA square area. We need more places like Pepita and Kapnos around here.

I had high hopes for this place. I really wanted to like. I ordered several things off the menu to give everything a shot. Here is a breakdown of what we got.
The place itself is small and intimate. It is cute spot. There are not many tables, but there is an outdoor patio. The wait staff was kinda all over the place. We have to ask several times for times. They did fill our water as we needed it.
Salsa Roja and chips — Beware, they charge you for chips and salsa! Seriously?! Who does that, it is a Mexican place! I was extremely disappointed and unhappy with that. Especially at $ 4.50! The salsa was delicious; it had a chipotle Smokey flavor. The chips were eh, not warm and tasted out of the bag. We ordered a second thinking it was free, nope. We got charge another $ 4.50. The servers need to tell their guests that.
The nachos were so disappointing. They were cold by the time we got them. We ordered the ones with «crispy» skirt steak. It was chunks of fat steak. I did not even eat it. There was hardly any cheese/​sour cream. At $ 11 a pop, it was a joke.
The corn on the cob was ok. They dip it in the nuts they give you as an app. The corn was a little cold though.
The chicken taco had good flavor. The pork taco had no flavor and was extremely dry.
The tuna tare tare was decent, the flavor was good. It was sitting in this white sauce which made it look not appetizing.
We did not get the guac based on one thing, the size of it! The table next to use got an order and it was a very small serving. They charge $ 11 for it as well.
This place is extremely over priced for the quality and quantity of food you get.

I stopped by Pepita Cantina, Mike Isabella’s newest installment, in Ballston on their opening night. They have a small cute and casual interior with a standing bar as well as a fairly generous patio alongside the restaurant. The restaurant is bright, colorful, and inviting!
Since it was opening night, it was pretty busy right after work. Dinner began in a confusing way. Upon arrival, there was a hostess who was not a hostess, who was clicking away at an ipad, and letting everyone know there is no seating list. So how do I get a table if there is no reservation or list to put my name on it? Well, it’s pretty much a free for all when tables are turned. You just kind of hover and then slide in when someone gets out. Makes it a little confusing when several people are hawking tables. Not too big of a deal after the opening hype settles down but a little odd during the very busy opening night.
Once we managed to jump a table, dinner continued on uneventfully. I started with the watermelon juice which was fairly nice but maybe not worth the $ 5 sized glass it came in. For food we started with the chicharrones. I was kind of excited for some deep fried pork pieces and was a little disappointed when it came out instead as the pork flavored puffs with seasoning on it.
For my meal, I ate the carnitas and the chicken tacos. I thought each, while passable, was quite forgettable. The carnitas were on the dried-​out side and the pickled pineapple overwhelmed the entire taco. The chicken in the chicken taco was juicy and very generous but the whole taco was on the bland side.
Surprisingly, I found the chicharrones, while not what I was expecting to be the highlight of the meal. They were quite addicting with the lime and pork flavor.
Service was great for opening night and food arrived in a timely fashion. The restaurant is nearly deafening though and I couldn’t hear a word our waiter said the entire night.
I’d be willing to come by again for happy hour. The place is cute and their drink menu is interesting and extensive but i’ll skip on the noms.

Cute, smaller size bar that has a bonus of great food. Let me describe the nachos in one word — special. Every component was delicious on its own and combined with one another they made the best nachos I’ve ever had. I opted for steak on them and was not disappointed. The steak literally melted in my mouth. I had a watermelon drink that was on special at happy hour for $ 7 instead of $ 9. It was served in a chilled glass with a spring of mint. It was not too sweet and had a slightly smokey flavor (in a good way) from the tequila. My dining companion had a ginger beer and it was fabulous. It was made with fresh ginger and had a great zing to it.
The service was a little bit off, but it was opening day so I’m sure they will work on that. I received my drink and we had to ask for my friend’s drink to be delivered twice. Also, when the nachos came they didn’t bring us plates until we were almost done. Like I said, just a few things to work on but I’ll definitely be back to try more from the menu.

Great food, fun ambiance and attentive service. The smoked carnita taco with pickled tangy pineapple was right up my alley, and the roasted corn was a tasty and smart dish choice. The carrot ginger cinnamon juice made my top 3 favorite juice drinks on the first sip. I would have given it 5 except for one really uncommon trait, and that is the serving plates.
I was curious of the material and under the plate it’s marked «100% melamine» and «do not microwave». Much was learned after googling «melamine.» It’s probably nothing to most but a huge turn off personally and slightly discounted my overall experience even though the food was excellent. If you care enough to use bpa free bottles, not microwave in plastic and etc, you won’t like melamine either.

I knew I was going to like Pepita Cantina as soon as I walked in. Why? An excellent hip-​hop soundtrack was the very first thing to greet my ears. Of course, then I noticed the amazingly stocked bar, and I was done.
Since I dined solo, I sat at the bar. The bartender was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. I sadly couldn’t drink, since this was during lunch. They have $ 15 lunch special of a torta with chips, salsa, and a soda, but I went for some individual dishes. Chips and salsa roja, a carnitas taco, a green chili chicken taco, and tuna ceviche.
Are the chips and salsa worth $ 6.50? Probably not. If you are starving, or sharing with a bigger group, go for it. Or you love chips and salsa, like me. The salsa has a great flavor from the charred tomatoes. The tacos were fantastic. I loved them both, and can’t choose between the smoked carnitas or the mama’s green chili chicken. Carnitas were well-​sauced and I’m a fan of the pineapple salsa. The chicken taco doesn’t look as good, but don’t be fooled. It’s nicely seasoned and delicious. Tuna ceviche is fresh and the addition of tortilla strips adds texture. I could do without the coconut purée on the bottom. Nothing particularly wrong with it, but I prefer a savory ceviche, and this adds a bit of sweetness.
Service from all of the staff was great. They seemed genuinely excited to welcome customers. Pepita is small, and since it’s going to be popular, arriving early is wise. There’s some good natural lighting, and it has a hip, modern vibe.
You couldn’t pay me to live in Ballston (though you can obviously pay me to work there), but the addition of Pepita Cantina makes me excited to eat and drink there.