Tio Pepe

I came here for dinner with a friend and it was quite nice: Spacious yet cozy, dim lighting but not too dark and lovely overall feel. It took me awhile to decide what to order. I finally chose the prix fixe meal option, which I thought was a decent deal.
We were served both chips + salsa, as well as sourdough bread. I always enjoy complimentary sides. I really liked the chips!
For the appetizer, I chose the chorizo and my friend got the shrimp. The size of the appetizer was great! They definitely gave me many pieces of chorizo, with onion on top. The meat was pretty good, with nice flavor and juiciness. The shrimp was also yummy, with really wonderful tasting sauce.
I selected the paella with shrimp, chorizo and chicken for my entrée, and I got to try the salmon from my friend. The salmon was salmon fillet brushed with honey mustard, served over brussel sprouts. It tasted amazing– Slightly crispy on the side, cooked and sauteed to perfection, tender, full of great seasoning. I almost wish I had ordered that instead. My paella came in a huge cast iron skillet and there was a lot of it. The paella was made with saffron rice, green peas, slices of red peppers, cilantro, along with shrimp and chorizo on the side, as well as chicken (with bones) in the center. I wasn’t expecting that… I expected the chicken to be cut into small pieces and distributed throughout the rice. Besides that, it was pretty tasty. There was plenty of nice spices within the rice, which was also moist and worked well with the rest of the ingredients. I enjoyed the shrimp, chorizo and vegetables very much! I thought the chicken was just okay though. But overall, a solid choice!
Dessert was tres leches cake and it was delicious! The cake was plated beautifully on top of a latticework of chocolate sauce. The piece of cake had a nice layer of white frosting that was not too sweet and there was a pretty dab of whipped cream, as well as a mint leaf on top. This cake was incredibly moist, yet not soggy at all, velvety smooth, sweet and rich but light at the same time. I enjoyed every single bite!
The service was okay. The waitress gave some suggestions about the menu. She was attentive and efficient. I would consider coming back to try other menu options.

If you’re into Spanish Cuisine, great service and lively atmosphere, Tio Pepe has it all!!!
Always fresh and deliciously prepared, you will be well taken care of at any time of the day!
This is a vintage West Village restaurant, established in 1970 and still going strong! :)
Bring your appetite and enjoy the warmth and hospitality! You won’t be sorry…

A friend and I were looking for a quick bite to eat and we stumbled upon Tio Pepe after discovering that Las Ramblas next door was so small. We requested a seat by the window and quickly joined in on cheering for Real Madrid, the energy was great!
We split the Ibérica Coca (Spanish flatbread with Serrano ham, Manchester cheese, asparagus, and baby arugula) and the Paella arroz con pollo. Delicious! (If you order the paella, keep in mind that it takes 20 minutes to prepare.)
Overall, we had a great experience.

The one star of for the ease with which you can get a reservation — was easy to get a reservation for 6 people on Saturday night…
But there is a reason for that… the food is terrible– really tasteless and lack luster… AND it’s been less than an hour since I left and i have SEVERE abdominal cramps … Not just me but two others in my party…
Also as if bad food was not enough the service was non existant… Three times I had to go find the waiter and the food took over an 1.5 hrs to come… And then was a terrible let down…
Never coming back… Never ever!

Wow. Had the best friggin Guacamole there last night. I mean I make a mean guac, but this table side was really good. Better than even Rosa Mexicano’s. I was licking the bowl, it was so good. Shrimp Empanadas were also excellent. Great spot.

We had lunch yesterday after a morning walking around the City. We had eaten here a year ago and thought the food was just ok, so we decided to give it a second try. We were disappointed because we had hoped it was better. The only things that were good and worth mentioning were the table side guacamole, caldo gallego and the chorizo appetizer. Everything we ordered from the paella, arroz con pollo, sopa de mariscos was bland that we needed to add salt, I never add salt to anything. The margarita pitcher we had was also weak with little alcohol. We were a party of five and had hoped there were would have been improvement from a year ago.

The brunch was unbelievable!!! My mom and boyfriend came here after my brother’s recital. It was a random decision but we peeked the menu and thought it sounded good. WOW! We walked in and the restaurant was firstly, absolutely beautiful. It was pretty empty but it was only like noon. Se saw there was an unlimited drink option so the three of us got that and each got our individual entrée. The huevos con chorizo, chilaquiles, and the torta de pollo. All were pretty tasty!
Oh, and the mimosas were delicious too. The server, I believe his name was Matt, was okay. He seemed to be very worried all the time and when the restaurant filled up some more he forgot about us for a little. But, other than that, it was wonderful! We’re actually on your way back today!!!

Brunch:
This place was just okay. Unfortunately the options were a little limited for what I can have so I went with the scrambled egg quesadilla. Nothing to complain about there. The frozen margaritas were average… couldn’t taste much alcohol so we just switched to mimosas.
Our waiter (didn’t get his name but he was the bald fella) was very attentive and was patient. We were slow to order and pay because we were talking so much. He never seemed annoyed. I think the bottomless is offered at 12 dollars. Cheap, but average all around.

Had Brunch here on a Saturday after a 9 mile run. So I needed a good carb overload and what better than a breakfast pizza. Yes folks I had a breakfast pizza. I’m a savory girl so I was not looking for some dough mash up with sweet crap, I wanted something hearty and this place hit the spot!
I ordered the brunch Coca which has goat cheese and arugula and meat all fresh made ina brick oven that is heated by wood. The kicker was the sunny side egg that comes on top! Best was that this is technically a perfect dish to share with someone, but I ate all 6 pieces myself. I would have liked to order this to share and have my own brunch plate as I am such a fatty. The bloody mary was strong and I liked that it was made with fresh tomato juice, not some canned crap.
Coming back again because I want to try the other items and do the unlimited drinks for te extra $ 10

My fiancée and I decided to go out last minute for New Year’s Day and enjoy a brunch. We stumbled upon this establishment while strolling in the city and were pleasantly surprised. The service as soon as we came inside was pleasant and welcoming.
We had decided before entering not to be a pain in the _​_​_​to any servers basically respecting that they probably worked the night before. We started with sharing some shrimp and chorizo empanadas that were really good. You get two in each appetizer order along with a vinegar based sauce on the side… delicious.
The Mrs. had Paella with mussels shrimp and chicken that she enjoyed. I ended up ordering the flank steak chimichangas. Came with two mid sized chimichangas with a side of rice and beans along with guacamole and sour cream. The dish was a good sized portion and I ended up taking half home. The steak had good flavor and did not have fatty pieces. It also was a great texture and not tough to chew as is the case in other places. The guacamole complimented the meal and made for a flavor explosion on my plate.
In the end we were offered dessert which sounded like a good idea but when compared to the margaritas I had prior I opted to keep the buzz going (I had four to start 2016 on the right foot)!
If you are ever in the area please pass by!!!

OK. First off let me say, Agustin, our waiter ruined our experience. He wasn’t attentive and helpful at all. When I asked if I could make a dish vegetarian, he said no and wasn’t even trying to work with me. My boyfriend asked for a side of bacon and Agustin also said no. The thing that really ticked me off, besides the fact that my water cup was never full, was when my friend asked where his beer was, Agustin told him to relax.
Also, they put the 20 percent tip is included in the bill.
Besides that, Victor, the one that made our guac was on point and very helpful.
The only way we would come back would be if I was assured that Agustin wasn’t working there that day. Hopefully he was having a bad day and that’s not how he really is.

A friend and I came in for brunch on a Sunday at around 12:30. We had a Travelzoo deal, which included one entrée each, and unlimited mimosas or bloody Marys. The place wasn’t completely packed but starts filling up when we left around 2ish.
For my entrée, I went with the Torta de Pollo (pulled chicken, avocado, black beans and cheese sandwich served with Spanish chips). It wasn’t bad. The chicken wasn’t dry but it did have this weird microwaved after taste to it. My friend ordered the Bistec con Huevos (grilled sirloin steak with poached eggs and Tío Pepe potatoes). It should really have been called Bistec con Huevo because it only came with one egg and the portion was small overall. Plus, the steak was super salty. I tried one bite and was glad I didn’t order that.
Overall, the food is meh so if I was judging solely on that, Tio Pepe would probably get two stars. So why the 3? The bloodies were surprisingly good. Every time I order a Bloody Mary at a brunch place, it tastes weird — whether it’s too much vodka or too much horseradish, something is just off. But I actually enjoyed the ones here. Might even come back for another brunch session, even without a deal (unlimited drinks is only an extra $ 10 on top of your entrée). Next time, I’ll stay away from the steak and egg, and chicken sammie.

Tío Pepe is a Spanish and Mexican restaurant in the West Village with such a romantic ambiance.
As an appetizer, the waiter recommended us to have the special coca, which is like a Spanish pizza, and we were blown away by how delicious it was.
Then we order arroz con pollo and the entrecôte, some glasses of red wine, and everything was delightful.
For dessert we shared una crema catalana (crème brûlée). For me, who heard so much about this dessert, I expected something more… it was like a blunt flan, but I don’t know anything about crème brûlés, anyway.
At the end, the waiter brought us complimentary drinks after the coffee, so we felt really appreciated as customers, well done!
I fully recommend this place. I usually like the Mediterranean and Mexican combination, and this restaurant hits the spot. Congrats.

I had a travelzoo voucher for a Sunday brunch for 2 which consisted of 2 hour bottomless mimosas/​bloody mary’s and 2 entrees. Not a bad deal at all. I didn’t know what to expect since the reviews varied but I wasn’t satisfied with my experience at all. My friend and I both ordered the steak and poached egg & potatoes. When my food arrived there was a long hair in my eggs. I was pretty turned off at that point but they brought me out a new plate quickly. The food was fine but the cut of meat was really fatty and lacked flavor. Our server was great though about keeping our mimosas topped off so that kept us happy. After we left we ended up eating somewhere else not too soon after to make up for our bad brunch.

This is my 2^nd experience at Tio Pepe. My first experience was here for a party 2 years ago, and I thought the food was rather bland. I really wanted to come back here to try their food a la carte. So my friend and I came here for brunch this afternoon. Restaurant opened at 12pm, and we were outside on the dot! Loll
We were greeted by a waitress. She was courteous. but her facial expression looked like she was unhappy to be there. Just an observation my friend made. loll They have a small brunch menu with about ten dishes, and a $ 10 for 2 hours of unlimited mimosa or bloody mary special. We didn’t feel like a boozy brunch. so we just opted for ice water.
Around 12:10pm, we started off with housemade guacamole made table side, from the lunch menu. I give credit where it’s due. That guacamole was F’ing DELICIOUS! And it was awesome that it was made table side. so you know it’s fresh! Came with some chips on the side. Absolutely delicious! An excellent appetizer!
Around 12:15pm, while we were enjoying our guacamole app, my friend ordered a Ensalada con Salmon & I had a Bistec con Huevos (medium rare) from the brunch menu. 20mins later. we had finished our first basket of chips and a waiter had brought us a 2^nd basket. At 12:45pm, our entrees were finally ready. First impressions… they both looked good. The poached egg on top of the steak was perfect.
However, when I cut into my steak, I found that it was not cooked medium rare as desired. but medium. Normally, I would send it back and ask for another. but due to time constraint, I didn’t. The flavor on the steak was there. Just the temperature was off. Yep. I waited 25+ mins for a steak that was overcooked. NOT happy. My friend’s salad… the salmon was nice and moist. Seasoned well too. The vegetables however, were soggy. There was way too much dressing. Again the flavor was there. Salmon, walnuts and dressing really paired well with the vegetables. But again, the execution wasn’t good.
In the end we didn’t stay for dessert. Well, now I have a feel of the food here. Guacamole was clearly the star of today’s brunch. But there’s many restaurants with excellent guacamole. Tio Pepe won’t be one of my go-​to spots for brunch.

Awesome overall experience! Came on a Sat night with a 10pm reservation. Restaurant was fairly empty and the host allowed us to grab a seat by the window.
Food: Had the guac and empanada appetizer. The empanada had shrimp & chorizo which was a mix that I had not had before but was very impressed. For entrees, we had the Paella with shrimp, chicken, chorizo, clams an mussels. It was really good. The white Sangria was also delicious!
Location: In the village, many great small restaurants and bars close. Not far from the PATH station and E train.
Décor/​Ambiance: Very intimate. The big windows provide great ventilation. It was very laid back. It seemed like there was an event going on in some so of back room.
Service: Amazing!!! They were very on top of everything. I wish I got names for shout outs but everyone gets credit.
Will def be returning and recommending to everyone.

We had an amazing dinner last night! We were seated by the opened window and were able to people watch and feel the cool evening summer breeze as we ate our meal.
We started off with the chicken, corn, and avocado salad and the homemade empanadas! These appetizers would have sufficed as a meal! The dressing for the salad was delicious. The empanadas were out of this world, and hands down the best I’ve ever had! Stuffed with shrimp and chorizo, they are lightly fried and will solely fill you up!
Our entrees — and we only barely ate half of it from being full during the appetizer round– consisted of the chuleta in the brown sauce and the salmon in honey Dijon sauce. While the chuleta was a little dry, it was huge and I found it tasty. The salmon was perfect! The accompanying sauce was very fine and the little fingerling potatoes with it were a great addition to the dish.
To top off a delicious meal, our waiter was very kind and patient and super helpful with the menu.

Make sure you request the chips, otherwise they will forget to bring them out. The seafood paella is excellent, it has a lot of flavor and a lot of seafood (shrimp, scallops, and mussels).
The cactus salad was not very impressive, as we didn’t taste much of the cactus.
The sangria was really good.
Dishes are a little overpriced, but since we went with an Amazon local deal it wasn’t too bad. Expect to spend around $ 100 for two people.

A lovely little spot that I should probably frequent more often. Stumbled in here on a rainy Tuesday night after a friend and I decided we were hungry and I recalled seeing an Amazon Local deal for a $ 25 discount. It was quiet inside but the service was excellent. Instead of main dishes we opted for tapas and a ½ pitcher of champagne sangria. The Sangria was really good, with huge chunks of fresh fruit. Definitely get the guacamole! Love the entertainment aspect of it being made tableside and it was soooo delicious. Doesn’t get any fresher and we got the exact spice level we wanted. Calamari was good, the sauce was tasty but made the batter soggy. Next time i’d request it on the side.
It was easy to use the amazon deal but I would go back anytime.

*** HAPPY HOUR ONLY ***
I think this is an excellent place for happy hour. While I can’t speak on the food other than the bar salsa & chips, having a good happy hour will entice me to revisit as a dine-​in.
The bartender whom I didn’t get the name of was very friendly. All of the drinks that I ordered (refer to my photos) were made well and carries a nice punch.
I could have probably sat their for the 2 hour duration of the happy hour but I did want to walk home and not crawl. And I also had a few more happy hour places to check out before I did that so I guess I will have to revisit to try out their many other margarita flavors & a few wines.
FAN.