My GF and I went for lunch today. For the price, this restaurant's lunch buffet is very good. Good variety and pretty tasty dishes. Our favorites are the spicy cream chicken with veggies, pad Thai noodles, Thai char siu, deep fried tofu with green beans, and spicy fish fillets with veggies. They got other dishes too that are good, but there is too much to eat all of it. Although I did have a little serving of chicken panang curry.
(4)
Max A.
I love this place - forgot to review it. Excellent, reliable Thai food. We enjoyed every dish, and felt good about it afterward. This place is nice inside and clean. The owner is very sweet, and the staff is nice. They deliver. I really can't think of a downside to this place (other than I spend too much money here). Portions are generous, so two people could share an entree as long as you got a good amount of sides. The dishes are a good amount of food for one person though on their own. We ordered sides and two entrees and there were some leftovers. It all came with a huge helping of white rice - I sort of prefer a stickier rice, but that's gonna be up to individual preference. It was cooked well and was tasty. We don't live too far from here, so we'll be back.
(5)
Gilbert B.
Omgosh om*#%?! So here it is in a nut shell I don't really write these but horror was tonight So I'll eat anything as for Marines don't care My wife and I waited 30 mins for our soup then an other ten mins but with in that time our plates were given to someone else and the picked at it and ate it till they noticed that it was not there's. So as I'm watching it they took the plates back. So then with in a min or so we got ours. My wife's has been replayed and mines was just the same with some pork picked from it. The spoon on my wife's was still in from were she had scooped from. So we left didn't pay nasty. They lied to us saying they recooked it but didn't ! DO NOT GO THERE DANGER DANGER
(1)
Ashe A.
WARNING!! When you receive bland items, missing items, and other items that are rotten/under or overcooked and state that you won't pay for the items that are a health hazard, you too can join the "blacklisted" club. Apparently, there's a lot of us. My first strike was advising that one of my items was missing from my delivery order. I apologize that I'm not going to pay for an item I did not receive, I must have been raised in a barn. Apparently I owe another apology for not paying for rotten food that would make me and my family sick. Silly me. And since that included all of my order, I was blacklisted. Don't waste your time or money. Just head over to the Mekong Plaza & get real, quality food. You can just pick one of the restaurants there at random.
(1)
Alyssa R.
This is a great spot for Thai food. It is so delicious and the portions are a good size. It is priced very fairly. The Cashews and Vegetables dish with tofu is incredible - ever since I tried this dish I can't get enough of it. The Pad Thai is good too, but the Cashews and Vegetables definitely kills that dish. The service here is great. My water never gets low as the lady who always helps us is extremely attentive - but not annoying attentive. It is just right. Sometimes they bring out the dishes one at a time which I don't like (I'd rather have everyone's plate come out at the same time), but I will live with it in exchange for the service, prices, and food quality I receive every time I go there. Definitely recommend this spot for anyone craving Thai!!
(4)
Sophie S.
Went for lunch. The buffet was ok, could be fantastic if food was added regularly and not left sitting. This made the dishes loukwarm and dryer out. Our waiter wasn't happy to be there, he was courteous but not happy. They need to remodel desperately! I tried it it was ok but I don't think I'll be back.
(3)
Rand H.
= = = MONDAY THRU SATURDAY LUNCH BUFFET! = = = Made it back around to this excellent restaurant for lunch today, this time joined by Robyn N. Nothing has changed much since my last Update 9 months ago. There were about 30 items on the Buffet today, counti
(4)
Michael G.
Went for the buffet, which used to be pretty darn good. Half of the containers were empty. The remainders containing called, bland, terrible food. I hesitate to call it food though.The inside of the restaurant was dirty. I can't imagine what the kitchen looks like. Save yourself the trouble.
(1)
Heather G.
We are rarely in this neighborhood but needed a dinner spot. We enjoy Thai so why not. I read the reviews after we sat down & we were nervous but we ordered nevertheless. We were pleasantly surprised with the dishes - quick, tasty, good spice level, nice size portions. The music is romantic & relaxed. Many people disliked the buffet, but come on, who eats at a buffet? Try a curry dish or traditional pad Thai - cant go wrong.
(4)
Brandi T.
Ok. I don't usually post scathing reviews because every establishment has bad days. But this place is NOT worth the time or money. It took forever to get the food and when we did it was either cold or swimming in grease. Horrible food I'm sad to say. Won't be back.
(1)
Connor U.
Came here for a dinner event with about 14 people without a reservation, but we got here when it wasn't busy at all and no trouble being seated. Amazing food! The only problem we had was that we accidentally ordered two dishes of each plate, but I'll place that blame squarely on us for trying to shout each other's orders at our amazing waitress. She was good about it and even recommended some good dishes for some of our guests who had never had Thai food before. Unfortunately that meant we had to keep the level of spice down, but we figured the newbies were better safe than sorry. We ended up with 7 different dishes ranging from the typical pad thai to an awesome coconut curry shrimp dish that I couldn't pronounce. My favorite had to be the crispy chicken with cream sauce; it was a deep fried concoction with a creamy orange sauce drizzled on top of fried strips of chicken and vegetables. On top of that, the Thai tea was perfect and our waitress came out with at least 8 or 9 bowls of rice for us to scoop out. Speaking of our waitress, she was amazing. There were probably only 2 other tables being served when we came in late on a Sunday night, but she made sure to keep our drinks topped off and bring a sense of humor to our table. She even went above and beyond when a couple friends showed up 40 minutes late and missed out on some of the dishes we had already devoured; she went into the back and pulled out two more dishes of our favorite, the crispy chicken with cream sauce, for each of them at no extra charge. 5 stars for our lovely waitress, and I definitely would like to come back and try this lunch buffet that I keep reading about.
(5)
Raymond F.
So here's 1 for the books. Had to laugh on our way out the door at this place the pink pepper. We ordered takeout and to our surprise the food was out pretty fast. we read complaints on some of the other ones and had to laugh though we have a story for you. We went in having ordered 2 seperate orders because we had a restaurant.com cert. The owners had a time of arguing with us over the fact that it was done in only, but that was not specified in the web site. We decided to skip the place due to all the flack over $5 cert. Mind you the place was EMPTY. As we left they decided it didn't matter and would honor the cert. We still did not want the food and as we opened the car doors, 2 bags of food come flying at us. They chukt it at us then yelled at us "what comes around goes around". Never had that happened to us. We had to laugh our asses off. So steer clear of this place. You may end up with food in your face.
(1)
Joshua D.
Food was ready quickly. Red Curry was nothing too excite. Not much flavor. Portion size was good. Spice level accurate
(2)
David R.
Pink Pepper is mad at me for refusing an order 90 minutes after it was ordered.. Then they black list me. After multiple satisfactory orders? Good luck. Yeah, I'm the problem.. Not the fact that you can't deliver food within a timeline you set.. Bye.
(1)
Eloy W.
We stopped here just at the end of the Buffet...Having said that, there were not many people still in the restaurant, and it seemed as if they were pushing the buffet onto us. For the price they had some pretty good Pad Thai that I kept going back for more. All the usual suspects you would see at Chinese buffet were there and we took advantage of. I think I would like to order off the menu next time and see what they are really made of.
(3)
Mark R.
Came here for the Buffet with Rand H., Robyn N., Norm R., Jackie C. & Mike C. It is always fun getting together with this crew. They are a blast! Been to the other location on Bell before it closed and this restaurant is somewhat smaller and a little cramped inside. We got there when it opened at 11:00 and had to wait a bit for the door to unlock itself. Once inside I noticed several of the food items on the buffet were not there yet as well as most the lights in the place were still in the off position. Hmmm? The food was pretty tasty once it arrived but a bit Americanized. Nice variety of styles and proteins so that everyone can pick a favorite or more and enjoy. They even have some without meat for those veggie lovers. Would liked to have seen more ways to spice things up a notch since I am a SPICY kind of FREAK. Fresh Thai Peppers in some Fish Sauce with some Lime juice and a little Sugar works well. This review was for the buffet only. They also have a full menu that you can order from if you wish. Enjoy! 3.5 STARS
(3)
V C.
Came for lunch but very disappointed ... Buffet barely had food and for $8.95 it's not worth it. The food had no taste... Kind of blah... It is not really Thai because Thai spice is really great but here there's not even a spicy dish. Boring place ... The waiter who is also the brother of the owner is nice and all but zero personality to be in this business... They need help OH LORD... Or maybe it's time to close doors ... Food not fresh and uninviting buffet.. I guess I won't be coming here again as it keeps going down unless a miracle happens .. They need restaurant impossible team to come in and make it happen...
(1)
Teighlor D.
I love the lunch buffet here. Great food for a great price!
(5)
lindsey h.
mediocre to bad food. so bland! boyfriend said his red curry chicken just tasted like "spicy" and nothing else, and that it wasn't good. my tofu dish had barely any sauce and tasted like nothing but old oil. how could thai food taste so boring? we ordered delivery which took over an hour even though we're not really far away, yet the food was cold when it arrived. do yourself a favor and skip this place. Thai Basil is a far better choice even though they only do carry-out, not delivery
(1)
Stefan W.
I was here and had great thai food back in 2008 and was eager to go back on my 2013 summer vacation. I dont know if i was unlucky this evening and they had some kitchen problems but the food was not as good as i remembered. I had the beef panang wich was ok but maybe a little bland. The chicken with green curry was not only bland but had an odd taste that we never had before in thaifood. All in all the food was not bad but a step down from what i consider "ok" and far from the last time i was there when i had 4 star thai food with fresh ingredients and lots of that famous chili punch.
(2)
Pratik N.
Ordered an item and they forgot to make it in an hour when we arrived. Instead the lady said "It's okay you're causing too much trouble" so we just left. WORST service ever. And also it was a Friday night and there was no one else in the restaurant, wonder why.
(1)
Joann M.
I'm sorry I can not give an accurate review of the food. The filth after just stepping a few inches inside the door was so overwhelming I had to leave immediately. I have been here many years before and never remember it being this bad. But this was bad! The menus were sticky and dirty. Everything was old and filthy. I can usually eat at most any dive but this was assaulting! Pink pepper! You are in serious need of an overhaul.
(1)
Jason C.
Just wanted something quick and not expensive, found it. Very good service and food.
(5)
Gabriel W.
So I finally did it. Thanks to a groupon deal that my parents got for me, I was able to try dinner service at the Pepper not once, but twice. Both times, I have to say, the food was excellent. It really is a very different experience going from the lunch buffet to dinner...its like they're two different restaurants that just happen to share the same space. But yes, the food was awesome. The first time, the service was a little slow, but I really didn't fault them too much for this as the place was fairly busy. The second night, it was a prompt service. I will say though, that despite all that, it will probably be a long time before I go back for dinner service again. Not for any thing at fault with the restaurant, but just because that lunch buffet is SOOO SOOOOOOOO good. I pretty much can't go to phoenix any more without stopping there at least once. Also, I just want to say that the soup of the day they've been doing recently during the lunch buffet is one of the most delicious things Ive ever eaten. Its some sort of Thai roasted corn curry soup that literally tastes like a roasted corn cob just doused in butter and awesome sauce. Its fantastic.
(5)
Melissa F.
Ordered delivery food from here for the first time and it is great! We ordered chicken curry, beef pad Thai, dumplings, and two Thai ices coffees. Our food arrived right on time and was delicious.
(5)
Daniel E.
Ordered some Pad Thai... except they apparently "make it different". The woman claimed they mellow it down a bit because they're clients prefer it that way... I like Thai food for the heat, spices and flavor. This was extremely bland had no sauce on it, no heat whatsoever. It was very disappointing. After a bit of a discussion the woman agreed to refund the entree after I told her I didnt want credit for a restaurant I surely will not be visiting again. If you want good authentic Thai food look elsewhere.
(2)
Phisit P.
One of my buddies was craving thai food so I suggested this spot. They seemed to like it. Let me see, I ordered the crispy chicken with spicy sauce. My friends got the yellow curry. It was all pretty delicious. The thai tea is also really good here. At the end of our meal they convinced us to get the mango with sticky rice and that was alright. Overall, pretty nice place all around besides the bathroom.
(4)
Whitney T.
Ate there for lunch buffet. There was about 4 choices. Food was cold and very gross. I'll never go back to this place.
(1)
Robyn N.
Today is the second time I've been to their lunch buffet and it was pretty good. They are a little slow getting the food out at opening time, but everything was fresh and tasty and a good variety. The already dressed salad had a great sweet dressing, pineapple something or other and it was a great start to the meal. One of the things I like best about this buffet is the variety of foods they offer - chicken, veggie, pork, beef as well as rice and noodle dishes. I'd prefer more of the items to have a little heat; the only spicy thing I tried was the panang chicken. The food is good, they serve real iced tea with the buffet as well. Service was good and the company was better! I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)
Joyce W.
Pink Pepper is definitely a favorite place of mine to order from that's around the house. From mouth-watering curry to crispy Thai toast, Pink Pepper has always hit the spot when it comes to a spice-craving. I've never actually dined in, I always place my orders to-go, but the ambiance is quite nice. Portions could be bigger but the quality usually makes up for the average prices and smaller portions. They make a mean yellow curry!
(4)
Ramona A.
I've only eaten there twice and both times the serve was horrible. There are only three people. One waitress, one bartender and I think one is the cook which no matter what you can't understand him. When we sat down at 6pm, it took 10 mins for them to get our drink order. Our appetizer came out pretty fast but it took another 1/2 for our food to come out. There was three people in the whole place. Now the tea I got was excellent, my food was ok tasting until I bit into spoiled chicken. I spit it out and it smelt rancid. They wanted to make me a new dish but I refused. I about had it with this place. We waited another 1/2 an hour for our bill but never got it so we went to front to pay. All and all it took us 1-1/2 hour to finish and get out. Will not ever go back.
(1)
N H.
I don't even know how this place is in business. Terrible.
(1)
Christina N.
So my boyfriend and I could not decide what to eat for dinner. So we came up w/the 'drive around until we see something different' plan. Sounds like a fun spontaneous idea, right?! We spotted this place while driving by and just popped in! When you first walk in, it is a bit quite. Its got a very quaint authentic feel to it. The few staff members who work there are very humble and genuinely kind. Gave us plenty of time to look over their menu. We finally made our dinner decisions. I chose the roasted duck and he chose the grilled chicken with the fresh spinach and thai peanut sauce. First, I must say that I am pretty hard to please when it comes to well prepared duck. But I must say it was absolutely delicious! And my boyfriend's thai peanut chicken was pretty tasty as well. I am not sure why this place is not busier. The food is authentic and completely amazing!! And the prices are low so the value of this place is unbelievable. I will be returning for sure! This place is a diamond in the rough!!
(4)
Ainee B.
This place quite old but very nice chair setting. The prices very affortable. Both of us just had $18 for lunch buffet. The service was great! Always come back for the water. The food and the buffet was good such as the crispy chicken creamy sauce, sour soup, and spicy beef. Actually all the foods that I had on lunch buffet was great. Try the snacks, mee krob (fried rice noodle)! It was yummy! My sit was faced the windows on a sunny day so I can tell whether the glass was clean (and clear) or not. Therefore, make sure that your glass is clean before the waiter pour your water. I had to use my tissue and wiped the glass infront of the waiter so he understand that the glass is not clean at all. I believed it must be the dishwasher machine didn't work very well or it might be not quite clean. I would like to go back to this place for the food and the price!
(4)
Troy C.
The Thai Iced tea wasn't that good. Spring rolls and dumplings were tasty. After a long wait, the crispy chicken with cream sauce arrived, it was a disappointment.
(2)
Navid A.
This restaurant was where I was first exposed to Thai food over ten years ago and because of that wil always have a dear place in my heart! The service is spectacular here and it is a nice atmosphere to bring people. The portions are good and the food is very tasty, their pad thai is my favorite but the curry noodles are another must-try dish. Thai food just about everywhere I have been has been spicy, and I have pretty Americanized tastes, but if you have similar tastebuds make sure to always order mild and get a Thai Ice Tea on the side just in case.
(5)
Olivera D.
I went there for dinner with my husband--we had been wanting to try the place for a while since it's right up the street from our house. The staff was friendly...but service was very slow. My pad thai was very bland. Unfortunately we were not impressed. I don't think we will go back. 2 star s because yhey were friendly.
(2)
Scott P.
Yeah, I dug this place. It looks like they've been here for awhile, and the quality of the food leads one to believe that they'll be here for awhile longer. The menu had a lot of really nice looking offerings, and I look forward to eating here again. I haven't encountered a lot of Thai food in the area which rocked my socks, so this place seems to have promise.
(4)
Bruce L.
Really mixed on this one, because I'm not a fan of their full menu, but the lunch buffet is filled with dishes I like. There's a chicken in a cream sauce that's delicious, same with the BBQ pork. Hot and sour soup is HOT and so good. Music choices always amuse me too, nothing like Christmas carols in the summer. Haven't tried delivery. Buffet is where it's at.
(4)
William H.
This place is awesome!! I have ate Thai food Everywhere! I love Thai food! Every place I travel I always go and Thai food. Nobody comes close to this place!!!
(5)
Emma D.
Our first experience was last night, we ordered delivery actually through grub hub.com only I did it wrong and actually ordered through the restaurant and I think they were a little confused, they forgot to ask my phone number and were very late delivering, I felt bad for them really because once the guy got my number from grub hub.com after I contacted them, he was all stressed when he got here. The reason for the five stars? Because when the food got here it was absolutely to die for. I've never has such good food. Worth every waiting second. I will definitely eat here again, might even go into the restaurant and would highly recommend to everyone.
(5)
Jenna L.
I was excited to come back to Pink Pepper after they finally opened up again. I've been there plenty of times and have never had any problems. I was enjoying my dinner until I found something absolutely horrifying IN my food that is a major safety hazard - glass. A piece of glass was in the plum chicken - I would have swallowed it if it hadn't clanked against my teeth at the last second. What is going on in that kitchen of theirs that they can't detect a not-so-small piece of glass in the food they're cooking? Not only is it extremely dangerous, but it signifies how unsanitary that restaurant really is. I know they had a kitchen fire a bit of time before I went there, but if they're still dirty in the kitchen and have broken glass everywhere then why are they in service? They also had the nerve to also insist that I keep eating and pay for the meal - obviously I didn't. To all previous reviewers who praise this restaurant: your food may have tasted great, but is was probably handled with filthy and almost non-exsistent safety measures. To potential eaters: please go somewhere else, lest you find something even worse in your meal. ((This review is actually a few months old, I just didn't officially post it because my email never got confirmed because I only made an account to warn others.))
(1)
Jon C.
Had some family in town, so we had planned to go to Inka Fest as I'd been meaning to try it for awhile. Unfortunately Inka Fest closed by the Health Department (crazy)! This place was next door, so we ended up here instead. Overall, I'd say the food here was pretty average but the service was very good. I ordered the beef Pad Gra Prao, the server asked me for how hot on a scale of 1-10, I asked for a 7. Several of our party ordered a curry and asked for a heat level of 4. My dish was ok and spicy, but not as spicy as that curry, theirs was definitely a lot hotter than mine. Nothing really stands out here, since I don't live nearby, I probably won't be back.
(3)
Kevin W.
I came in by myself around 6pm on a Saturday night, practically empty. Greeted warmly by Thai hostess/waitress Ana who thoughtfully sat me in a quiet area after seeing I had brought a book to read. The ambiance was pleasant with some indistinct music softly playing in the background. I ordered the beef Massaman at level 7 out of 10 spice level and it came out reasonably fast with the standard accompanying pot of white rice. The flavor was robust and had enough kick to it to cause my eyes and nose to run a little. The portion size was sufficiently satisfying.. Although I admit I was in the mood for a Thai buffet that didn't exist during Dinner hours ;) Overall a good experience, although unsure how a packed house would have affected the service.
(4)
rick w.
I'm not sure if the delivery issues are with Pink Pepper or Grubhub...it was if no one who got the order read it. Veggie Curry had little veggies in it. My duck dish simply ...wasn't. From now on we'll just drive to "Mint Thai" in the future.
(1)
Rebecca P.
Have grown to love the Buffet, just wish it was open on the weekends because I don't often have a weekday that I can make it to the Pepper for lunch. I love the Thai Omelet - has always been my favorite on the buffet.
(5)
Majken B.
Ordered via grub hub. Super courteous delivery and the best thai in the area hands down!
(4)
Katie K.
pretty good Thai food for a strip mall. Will def go back.
(4)
Lorenzo R.
4th time here. The Moo satae is the best! Chicken and spicy plum sauce was very good
(5)
Ronney K.
yum! I love their food, their lunch buffet does not taste like buffet food. The tables are kind of "sticky" but its the finish on them, and if htey would just put like a coat or 2 of polyeurothane on it, that would make the difference in the world. But the food was really excellent. Service was good, which is always the #1 priority in my book. So over all a pleasant experience. That creamy chicken stuff was soooo good (sorry dont remember what it was called) and I had this other kind of chicken stir fry stuff that was REALLY super excellent, It was called "pan something" The pork dish was good too, it had greenbeans in it, and their veggies are cooked just right! Really good and worth a trip! YUMMIE!
(4)
Neha S.
I absolutely love this place. The food is delicious and nothing can beat the variety for the price. And the lunch buffet includes iced tea as well. The only reason I took away a star is the so-so decor. The place could really use some renovation. Other than that, Best Thai buffet there is !!
(4)
Adam B.
Great service and awesome food! The staff was very attentive to us while we were dining. I've tried a handful of Thai restaurants and this one is definitely the best in AZ. Way to go Pink Pepper!
(5)
Bobby B.
Yuck!!! OK, I'll let you have it.. It starts off with placing an order to go. I called in my order of 2 red curry 's and 2 spring rolls. I had to repeat my order 4 times, oh my God!!!! And they still got my order wrong. I showed up to pick up my order, and they only had I red curry and 2 spring rolls ready, remember! this is after repeating my order 4 times... The waitress told me to wait 5 minutes and that she will have the other curry ready.. 15 minutes pass, finally our order is complete.. We get home, excited to eat our red curry, it's watered down!!!! Flavored water!!! And two different color's if red curry. We ended up driving back and asked for a refund.. I give this place 2 stars, one because the manager gave us our refund without a hassle. and another star because I felt bad, because they looked like they were understaffed.
(2)
Alan L.
After driving by this place forever, two co-workers and I finally tried it out yesterday to see how the Pink Pepper stacks up against other Thai restaraunts in town. The first thing that we noticed right away was the very small number of people dining here (as compared to their competitors). Service was good - they were very friendly, but when we asked for a menu they immediately pushed us towards the buffet special, saying that the food on the buffet line contained the best items off of their menu. So, we went ahead and gave it a try. After we were done, we all pretty much came to the same conclusion - mediocre. Nothing really stood out. One of the rice dishes had some kick to it, but otherwise the food was pretty bland for Thai. The quality of the meat/chicken was so-so. In all fairness, we did not try ordering anything off their menu, so maybe they deserve another shot there. If Thai food is your thing, there are other places in town that run circles around this place (Swaddee Thai & Yupha's Thai).
(2)
Emily M.
So I returned here for a quick lunch today after probably 8 years and have to say I was sadly disappointed... I remember this being "the Place" to get amazing Thai food and it is clear to see that the owners are running themselves ragged trying to manage this place today.. The restaurant is dated, not clean and disorganized, giving an unwelcome feel. To top that off, the Masuman I had was blah and the chicken was dry and overcooked.. Buffet wasn't looking great either. I hope they get the help they need to make this place what is use to be.
(2)
Clifford B.
I went on a June Thursday evening; there was only one customer couple while I was there. Service was prompt but not pushy. I asked for the food at a 7 out of 10 heat. It was spicy but not overwhelming. I enjoyed a spring roll and Mus-Sa-Mun, chicken, potato slices, carrots, onions and bell peppers in a spicy curry sauce. The main dish was served with sticky rice. The portion was right sized, not stingy but not so much you need a take-out container. Prices were reasonable for the quality and quantity.
(4)
Aileen B.
10/16 Stumbled upon Pink Pepper as I was heading towards a second Thai option when my first option, owned by a coworker and his children, was rented out for a reception Friday evening. I've wanted to visit PP for years, but never had a chance. Darol (RIP), an ex-coworker, and I would exchange foodie stories of our fave places, and PP was the only place he'd go when he had a craving for Thai. (He resided in Thailand for a few years and considered himself well-versed in the cuisine.) So, en route to my second choice, I spotted the Pink Pepper logo in the distance and said, "Why the hell not?" "Today's the day!" It was very dead in there. (Ya, not just dead. VERY dead! LOL.) Besides me, I spotted my server, who must've been the owner, and an elderly woman rolling up silverware in cloth napkins. Granted, it was around 3, 330'ish in the afternoon, and lunch had just ended at 2:30p. (The buffet pans were still emitting heat as they cooled down.) But I'm not one to let empty rooms sway me away, so I asked for a table. I liked the ambience- warm, inviting, w/ lovely colors. Loved the floral salad plates that sat at the table, which I've spotted at Sur La Table before. Made me wish I'd splurged and bought them then. Apparently, these plates are only used for show, bec. they were removed moments after I sat down. Chose to skip the app course and ordered green curry w/ chicken (came w/ rice). At $9.50, I thought that this entree better be good! While I waited, I checked out the rest of the menu and liked what I saw. If the dish turned out great, I'll be coming back to check the rest out soon enough. I also spotted a cocktails menu on the table that had quite a few good-tasting options to choose from. My entree arrived after about 10 to 15 minutes. The portion was smaller than I'm used to seeing for the price, so I was really hoping that I was getting a very tasty meal. I shouldn't have worried! Pink Pepper's green curry has placed Pink Pepper Thai pretty high on my list of places for green curry!! (Try that for a tongue-twister!) The coconut curry sauce was thick and super-creamy, and medium heat was just perfect for me! I also loved the variety of veggies used- there was an extra item there that wasn't listed on the menu. (Thank goodness I did not have any adverse reactions.) It took all of my will AND the thought of ordering dessert to keep me from finishing the entire order! Looking back, I could've squeezed three decent servings out of that meal, especially knowing what I know now... that Pink Pepper's homemade coconut ice cream is freaking AMAZING! Those w/ a peanut allergy should know to alert the server of this fact, bec. this not overly-sweet sweet comes w/ a generous topping of peanuts. Ohhh... I just got the shivers up and down my spine (the good kind!) recalling how great my meal ended! Service was friendly and efficient, if a little lonely. I'm going to assume it was bec. he was by himself in the front. Perhaps w/ busier hours it'll be easier to flag someone down. One low point was the restroom visit- the temperature was significantly warmer at that part of the building. Consider yourself warned.
(4)
Jason B.
My wife and I went here last night at about 7pm. The place was eerily dead. There were probably 4 other people in the entire place. I know the saying, "nobody likes to eat in an empty restaurant", but we didn't care and decided to give this place a try. For many reasons, I really really really do not enjoy giving sub-par reviews so I will try to be gentle and concentrate on what I liked sprinkled with a few things that could be improved upon. If I had to rate a place only on decor, bathrooms and stickiness of my table; this place would not do very well. Good thing I was here for the food. Our waiter was very fast and friendly. He was a very soft spoken gentlemen and it was difficult to understand him at times. He was fast to refill waters and diet cokes so I really can't complain. Here is what we ordered: *Thai Spring Rolls - these were excellent as was the dipping sauce which had a nice kick to it. I would order these again. *Tom Yum Goong - this had a nice kick and a nice flavor. However, I would have liked more "stuff" in it. It came with some mushrooms and shrimp, but could have used a bit more. I would order this again but some of their other soups looked good as well. *Steak & Chicken with Spicy Thai Lemon Garlic Sauce - this was ok. It was just some strips of cheap beef and chicken with some sauce. The chicken was good but the beef was just eh. I probably wouldn't order this again. *Garlic and Peppers - this was just ok too. My wife ordered it with tofu instead of chicken, but we got the chicken anyway. We didn't send it back because I don't like doing that and maybe this was a "sign" to try the chicken because it is amazing. Anyway, the dish had good flavor but it was eh. My wife would probably order this again, but I wouldn't. For the heath conscious, each of our entrees were not covered in tons of sauce so that's a plus. However, the menu said they had brown rice, but we were told they didn't have any so that was a negative. I haven't had much Thai food in my day, but I think this place is more Chinese than Thai. Perhaps we just didn't order the right things? Judging by the reviews on here it looks like I should have done my homework before my visit to be sure I ordered properly. I wouldn't rush back here but I won't cross it off my list just yet because I don't think I ordered what I should have. However, as far as Thai food goes in my book, it is Thai Basil all the way.
(3)
Valentina L.
The buffet is amazing and the people are so nice!!! Don't let one person's opinion of vomit throw you off. It's just plain rude and distasteful. My friends and I have been coming here for years and love it! I finally have some week days off and get to come back. Now I don't have to take a sick day to come eat at their buffet. =)
(5)
Rosie M.
I have had my share of authentic Thai cuisine... This place was REALLY bad. And no im not a very picky person lol Out of all the items on there buffet maybe 2 were decent. Actually only the noodles were OK everything else was notgood at all, not even my kids liked ANY of it... Make the trip and go to the mint thai cafe on Gilbert rd.
(2)
Angy B.
Thankfully I had previously purchased a restaurant.com voucher for this place (pay $2 for $25 or something). While the food was alright... nothing spectacular by any means, I thought it was over-priced and really not worth going back to.
(2)
Dave B.
Really, I'd give this place 3.49 stars... almost 3 1/2, but I wouldn't round to 4. Pros: Quiet dining environment Not crowded for dinner My favorite place for Panang Beef (and thai curry in general) They will raise or lower the heat of any dish based on a scale of 1-10. (10 is awesome, by the way) Love the flambe bananas for dessert, also the coconut icecream is fantastic. sweet, a slight hint of salt and crushed peanuts on top. Mmmmm. Only been there for the lunch buffet once, but it was pretty good and at a fair price. Cons: While the waiter is friendly, he can be a bit difficult to understand (very soft spoken, mumbles somewhat) Sticky table tops. They all seem to be this way. They're not dirty, though... just sticky. Like glue residue or something. Cloth napkins have smelled a bit "off" and could probably use a good washing. The lettuce wraps were a bit disappointing as the lettuce was a bit wilted. I like it when the lettuce has a bit more crunch to it. Quiet to the point of being empty. Has an almost ghost-town feel to it when it's 6:00pm and you're the only people there for dinner. My friends and I have wondered sometimes how they stay in business. Summary: Even though I rated this place three stars, this is still one of my favorite Thai restaurants and I will keep coming back again and again. Most of the deductions are for things un-related to the food. If you're just going for take-out, then I'd kick it up to 4 or 4 1/2 stars.
(3)
Tom C.
I traveled to Phoenix often for work from the early 90's to the late 00's and the first thing I'd do leaving the airport was to hit the Pink Pepper lunch buffet, hence I've never ordered from the menu or had their dinner service, but their lunch buffet was awesome! Very reasonably priced, including an iced tea. It may not necessarily be the most authentic Thai food as I think they reduce the heat a bit but the flavors were excellent and the variety was good. Loved their eggplant dish (can't recall the name) and their crispy chicken with the creamy sauce, and of course the usual curry sauce dishes. If I'm ever back in Phoenix again the Pink Pepper will be one of the first places I go.
(5)
Beth S.
First timer and man did we have a good time! We were a walk-in party of 10 and we were quickly and easily accomodated. Our server was one of the owners and she was very helpful with our choices as well as providing quick service with piping hot food. Our group sampled a wide variety of dishes including combo appetizer, the ma tar bah, the thai fried wontons, Chicken Pad Thai, Spicy Thai Wrap with chicken and shrimp, the BBQ chicken, Gai Ping, Grilled Pork with Spicy Pineapple, and Crispy Chicken in Spicy Thai sauce. Every last dish was excellent and served hot. Can't wait to go back again...even if it is an hour away from my house!
(4)
Shannon B.
Best. Thai food. Ever. My boyfriend and I discovered this place on Christmas (it was the only place nearby that was open). I think we went back 5 times in the next month after that! The food is THAT good and I am not a huge fan of thai. I recommend to anyone in the mood for thai food, novice to experienced!
(5)
Steve M.
By far, The Pink Pepper is the best Thai food in the East Valley. Their buffet is reasonably priced and delicious!
(5)
Arizona T.
This is a quality Thai Buffet I have been going to for many years. Only downside is the best dishes they only bring to the buffet in small quantity and it gets picked over completely if you aren't the first 3 people there. They should make the crunchy chicken in large quantity. People could be more talkative also. All in all, quality Thai for $10. Is it as good as Thai Buffet on Dobson? Probably not simply due to the fact the people at the other place are way more personable and will make you whatever you want.
(4)
Mandy M.
I was soooo looking forward to this place. It's got great curb appeal. But I had a horrible experience. ....IT STARTED AND ENDED WITH THE COCKROACH IN MY FOOD. I'm not lying. Makes me question their best practices in the kitchen... I gave it 2 stars because the food wasn't particularly bad (what they replaced it with)... and things happen. I know, but. Still...
(2)
Patrick F.
This place is an absolute gem and rare find, and I'm lucky to live so close by since I know I'll be coming back repeatedly. It's a nice, quiet and beautifully decorated place, and the wait staff are very considerate and soft-spoken and quite attentive. I went out of my comfort range and ordered the Drunken Noodles, and ended up eating 3/4 of the entree myself - which surprised me - and left me knowing I'm going to like almost anything I order here. The next time I come here, I'd like to try out the lunch buffet, since this is what they're "known" for, and some Thai coffee. Speaking of beverages, ordering the Thai iced tea is definitely suggested.
I finally got the guts to try the Thai place by my home after being skeptical from bad experiences at other Thai places looking for the one that served Hot & Sour Seafood soup like Thai Dishes in California. I was sooo happy to taste the same soup! I found it (even though it wasn't on the menu)! And not that bad of a price for a bowl! The restaurant is nice and private-ish, the male waiter is the best, he has a huge heart and only wants the customers to be satisfied. Every time we go we have a great experience and come out with satisfied tummies.
(5)
Theresa N.
It was my first time coming here and my entire experience was absolutely terrible. It was pretty empty for 12pm. My husband and I ordered the thai salad wrap as an appetizer. Not only was the meat overpowered with too much peanut sauce, the lettuce wasn't fresh. I ordered the pad kee Mao that comes with a side of jasmine rice. The rice was very dry, the beef was chewy, veggies were soggy, and the sauce was quite bland. My husband ordered the spicy thai pasta that also lacked in flavor. The server also forgot that I ordered the tom gati soup and I had to remind him two times to bring it out. It came out 30 mins after eating our main entrees. That as well, failed in flavor. The mushrooms were over cooked and the broth did not go down well. We are not picky eaters, but we are able to differ between great food and completely tasteless food. Our overall experience was not pleasant due to the service, the restaurant looking like it hasn't been updated since 1940s, and every dish not being good. Sorry, but wouldn't come back a second time or recommend this place to others.
(1)
Pete T.
Pretty good, little slow at the end of the night. Would visit again!
(4)
Courtney M.
I'm not a fan of buffets at all, but for Pink Pepper I always make an exception. The food is amazing and even worth the lunch price if you only get one plate! Dinner is a little expensive but the food is still just as wonderful. The service is nice and the family always recognizes us. Big fan :} Give them your business!!
(5)
Autum P.
My husband and I took his mother out for her birthday lunch and our first impression was not good. Because it never dawned on us that we could just turn around and walk right out, we proceeded on to the buffet. To put it bluntly, it was gross. It was the smallest, greasiest Chinese Buffet we had ever seen.....and it was equally confusing to us because we thought we were at a Thai restaurant!!! No one in our party enjoyed the food. My husband powered down his one and only plate, my mother-in-law politely ate all her food but enjoyed little, and I sat back and enjoyed my Thai Iced Tea and waited for it all to be over. The worst $30 I have ever spent. I will never return.
(1)
J'en H.
I only recently discovered that I do not hate Thai, having never tried it, so this place was right up my alley. It's literally 1 mile away from our home and has a pretty extensive menu. The atmosphere is nothing to write home about, but if you're a fan of pastels and the early 90s, you'll love it here. You may even want to move in. Our service was a little slow, but the friendliness of our servers (yes, multiple) made me feel ok about waiting a little bit for a third beer. Overall, I'd say this gets a thumbs up from me and my other half.
(4)
Norm R.
I enjoyed the lunch buffet at Pink Pepper on Bell Rd. in Phoenix, so I had to try this location in Mesa for the lunch buffet too. I really enjoyed my meal, from the crispy tempura veggies (not Thai, I know, but darn good) to the salt and pepper chicken, to the savory beef and chicken dishes - especially that delightful crispy chicken in creamy sauce. And they had two tofu dishes, both good - a plus for me, since not too many buffets serve tofu, which I love. The fried rice and the pad thai were just OK, and dessert was limited to cubed fresh fruit, sweet fried noodles, orange slices, and those small doughnuts found in most Asian buffets. The buffet dishes were on big portable buffet carts in a very dimly lit area of the restaurant, suggesting that perhaps the restaurant had not originally planned to offer buffet when it was being conceived. I wish that they had at least put lamps in there to light up the dishes being served. Nevertheless, I found the food to be good and the service attentive, though more businesslike than friendly. A pleasant buffet dining experience overall.
(4)
Another Y.
Came here for dinner, not the buffet. Some of the best spring rolls I have ever had! Service was excellent, even though we got there minurtes before closing time. Only gripe: The massaman curry had jalapenos in it, something I have never experienced, and didn't like.
(4)
Robin L.
Service was great but both my boyfriend and I ended up with a touch of food poisoning. I think it was from the chicken on a stick appetizer. We both ate that and it was the only common thing we ate. I will not be going back to the Pink Pepper:(
(2)
Erigan A.
Great food and phenomenal service, but please clean. Our table was sticky and the menus had dried food on them. We were sitting by a corner full of junk that looked like it was also being used as an office. It was literally right out in the open. Why? It did provide us with quite a few laughs, but I don't know if I would return just for this reason. If they cleaned up, I would be there multiple times a month. The food is good and it's not too far from our home.
(3)
Zach H.
Food was GREAT! Loved the appetizers, and the main dishes. Service was friendly and let my co-workers & I enjoy a nice quiet meal. We had the drunken noodles, Gai Pan & Cashew & Chicken...all of which exceeded expectations. The ONLY part that lacked (besides the decor), was the wine menu. The wine menu was small & everything we asked for they were out of. Finally, the gentleman brought over a wine he thought we might like, and we agreed. All in all, great experience, and the best (and only) Thai food I've had in Arizona! : )
(3)
Kelly J.
This place follows under the 'bomb.com' search! I've had other thai and I must admit there normally isn't a huge difference (in what I order anyway) but the difference w/Pink Pepper is spice level efficiency (their right on da money) but the meal size/portion. The restaurant is large, open and clean. If you're looking to go out or order in some Thai, CHOOSE THIS PLACE! I guarantee you won't be disappointed!
(4)
Reylynne W.
I am not sure if I want to review this place or not. I mean, the other reviews made this place sound great. Was that during Happy Hour or something? I wasn't at all impressed with the restaurant decor. My sister Cher T and I came here because I was wanting Thai food and She heard that this place had good reviews. The buffet looked skimpy and looked like it's been out for a while. We sat by the window that appeared to have a couple of bullet holes in them. I was facing east and noticed the pile of stuff in the corner and my first thought was that is a potential fire hazard. Our waiter was invisible during the entire meal, what should have been an hour was more like 2 hour lunch. I don't even think the waiter asked for our drinks, so we both had water. I ordered Green Curry. Since I was in the mood to try something different. It tasted good, however the rice noodles were clumpy and stuck together. I had to cut into the noodles to eat it. The spring rolls Cher got were good along with that peanut sauce. I don't think I will return in the future. Sorry!
(2)
Cassy H.
Awful! Worst dining experience I have had in a long time. I wish I could give negative stars. -I wanted to look at a menu but the waiter/front of house guy kept pushing the buffet. So we reluctantly gave it a try - I wish we had just left the restaurant. -food was mediocre at best once you got past the fact that it was dry cold and tasteless -the ambiance was dreary and the incense was nauseating. -there is also no place to change a diaper in addition to the fact that the bathroom was not stocked with toilet paper or paper towels and the floors were grimy and sticky GROSS -when it came time to pay I WAS CHARGED $100- no joke!!!! When I brought it to his attention he acted like I was the one inconveniencing HIM! Then, after completely screwing my finances for the day he had the nerve to get on to me about my card declining when he tried to charge it for the correct $9 amount. Fully embarrassed and infuriated I had to ask my friend to cover me. I will NEVER return to this establishment. There are so many other better Thai restaurants in the area I don't even know how or why these people are still in business! DO NOT go here!
(1)
Tony S.
I really liked this place! Good service, friendly, and the food was quite tasty. Appetizers, main dishes, the works. All good. I highly recommend Pink Pepper, and I know that I and my family will be back!
(4)
Lizzie F.
The curry is good, and the food is decent for a buffet and the price, not AMAZING, there were a few delicious items here and there. Definitely would consider going back.
(3)
Becky M.
I went to the Pink Pepper today with two friends for the lunch buffet. I've been here once before (also for the buffet) and the food is great. Wonderful curries, great tofu dishes, and equally delicious pad-thai. I especially liked the curried veggies today - I love coconut red curry! The meal comes with iced tea, and for about $9, it's worth it.
(4)
Michael T.
Newly remodeled, the Pink Pepper in Mesa has long been one of our favorite lunch time destinations. Serving both menu items and a diverse if somewhat "Americanized" Thai buffuet. However the quality of the food has suffered at The Pink Pepper over the previous year, with more gristle on the chicken and less pork and beef present in those dishes on the buffet line. The food recently was disappointing, not having the usual "kick" one expects Thai food to have. When we asked the owner if there had perhaps been a chef change his replay was "No, no changes, all the same". But it wasn't the same and that is a shame. We will try Pink Pepper again of course, after all we have been going for years and a few off days should not deter us. But I must say that we were a bit dissappointed.
(3)
Tom P.
As we walked through the door, we were greeted with a "it'll be about 10mins" by the hostess. She never asked how many were in our party or if it was dine in. She then came back 5 mins later and asked us those questions, and then proceeded to seat us. After seated, the service was slow. Our first greeting by our server didn't come till 10 mins later. The restaurant didn't seem that busy though, two servers to about 8 tables. We ordered the beef panang and the Arizona fried rice. We didn't get asked how spicy we wanted these dishes. Maybe they don't do heat levels, who knows. The panang was average. The beef was dry and the portion sizes were small, especially for the price. The fried rice was a good tasting dish though. Also note that I am of Southeast Asian descent, so I grew up on these types of foods. Also, earlier I wanted to order a dish with duck in it and the server said that they were out of duck. However, as we were about to leave, the table next to us ordered duck with no issues. Strange...
(2)
Jason K.
The food is good and reasonably priced, but the service is slow. Worth the wait though.
(4)
Phillyman p.
No flavor Thai food ... Yes we found long black hair in our chicken dish , we informed the waiter , he didn't even care .... Our last time ...... where is the food inspector ?
(1)
Monica S.
Yikes! This place was not what I expected after reviewing the previous Yelps. My mom and I went there for the lunch buffet for $9.99. Perhaps that was the mistake? The buffet runs until 2:00 and we arrived around 1:00. We should have turned around and left immediately when we noted only four people in the entire restaurant. The food on the line was obviously the same stuff they put out at 11am. The pad thai was forgettable which is what I had my mouth set on and the chicken panang had no chicken that I could find. The wonton salad was good except for the limp, soggy, saturated wonton strips....so- I guess just the salad was good. The chicken wings were great except there were only a couple of lonely wings to sample and they were not refilled even when a few new brave people straggled in. The service was near non-existant. It was their lunch time too, I guess because they were all sitting in a booth off to the side eating. We received our drinks when we were seated, and after that only once more when we asked when they finally provided the bill. We used another non-bussed table to put our used dishes on after realizing that they were more than happy to let the dirty dishes sit on our table during our meal. I don't know, maybe it's worth going there for dinner? I won't be finding out.
(1)
S L.
It was a weeknight around 8:30pm and I guess the chef had left for the evening and the owner had to fill in because the food came out very slowly and horribly, with 3 tables present. The soup seemed to be reheated with barely any color to the veges, chicken dish was awful with a weird taste we did not touch again after one bite (we are not picky eaters), and a plain curry dish. Dinner that night reminded me of having to sit through an experimental dinner made by my brother. Actually, worse because in the end the bill still came for the slop we couldn't eat. Next time I'm in an unfamiliar city, I'll just stick to the chains instead.
(1)
Mike C.
well by now you probably read Rand H. rant about the way this place is laid out. Well i feel all the ranting should have been aimed at how great the food was.I would have been happy sitting out on the curb with a plate of this food.Everything i tried was good even the cream of wheat soup.There BBQ pork and creamy chicken dish left you wanting more. the only thing missing from this buffet was a seafood entree.no shrimp, fish, crab balls nothing!!! and a limited selection of sweets which i love. They had small chinese donuts, some fruit salad and these candied noodles that looked like shreaded carrots they were real crispy but not bad.Anyway if you ever pop in the Pink Pepper for a buffet i am sure you will leave happy and full.
(4)
Charee M.
More food for your money than Thai Bail, Lemongrass or other Thai places of that caliber. I had #71 or #72 (which should tell you how extensive their menu is), which was beef with green beans and carrots. I ordered 10 hot on a 10-point scale, and it was hot, but not unbearable. Like I said, it's about the same as the others. The service was so slow, but the woman was nice and offered dessert because one of our members is a long-time customer. Put it on your list if you haven't tried it.
(3)
K D.
Don't go here! The food tasted okay at the time, but there were bullet holes in the window behind me, a random lounge chair near our table piled with crap and their health report is enough to make anyone queasy. The whole place is very dirty as well.
(1)
Jay L.
My husband and I ate here for dinner. We had pad Thai, spring rolls, crab rolls, and the teriyaki chicken. All of it was good. Someone that we were with had the spicy BBQ chicken and that too was good. Everyone was nice. The only reason why I didn't give it five stars is because for some reason they didn't have ac in the bathroom. Its summer so I got hot while waiting. It may have been just the day or who knows it may be the slow economic times. I will return for dinner. :)
(4)
M J.
My favorite Thai restaurant in AZ. The Thom Kah Gai is the best I have had in the States. And I have had it in Thailand a number of times. Green Curry is also a favorite of mine at Pink Pepper. The food here is great and the prices are reasonable!
(5)
Todd A.
I've eaten at the Dobson & Guadalupe Pink Pepper for 21 years. I average going about twice a week. The buffet is a fantastic deal for the price, even though has gone up 50% in the last decade. That just indicates what a terrific deal it was in the 90's, because it's still a great deal! The buffet has a couple of my favorite dishes, so I rarely go there for dinner (literary less than 10 times out of my 2,000+ visits). The Chicken Panang, Garlic Pork and Chicken Gra Pow are my main dishes. I have taken many people there over the years, and they all have found something they really like (the Crispy Chicken seems to be a favorite). The only downside is the dishes are not nearly as spicy as they were 10 to 20 years ago. BTW, they do offer their dinner menu at lunch. All the time I see people ordering dishes during lunch instead of partaking in the buffet. Not sure why though, the buffet is cheaper than just about every dinner dish. With the buffet you get soup, salad, fruit, chips, wings, an array of rice and noodles, plus all 9 dinner dishes. Plus it's ready to eat! They start bringing out the lunch buffet a little after 11:00. It's best to wait until they have brought out every item, that's usually by 11:15. A few negative comments. They seems to have a tough time refilling empty food trays, though if you simply ask them to make more, then they will. You then get it fresh and hot in about 5 minutes. Another issue, I rarely go after 1:00, the food doesn't seem as fresh, and the trays are not getting refilled because the crowd has thinned out. As good as this place is, and it is very good, I prefer to go to another Thai restaurant for dinner. It's 2 miles away from the PP, and a hole in the wall, but damn it's good!
(4)
Doug P.
I haven't tried their buffet yet because I always over eat then end up feeling uncomfortable all day. The beef salad (yam neua) was exceptional. Thin slices of rare sirloin in a huge serving all hot and spicy Thai peppers, cilantro, fish sauce, romaine lettuce, shallots, garlic, and some crisp cabbage to put the fire out, just the way I like it. Very authentic.
(4)
Natalie W.
The food here is superb. Try the Tom Yum Gai, Beef Panang or the eggplant salad. The service may not always be as good as it could be, (slow, sulrly even at times) but the excellent food and reasonable prices make it forgiveable. The buffet lunch is a MUST. For about $7 you can eat all you'd like of a wide range of Thai dishes that alternate daily. This is a great place for heat-lovers. Order any dish with a chile next to it and tell your server how spicy you want it, on a scale from 1 to 10. Less than 5 is for sissys. The 6 and 7 range is about right. Anything 8 or above may incinerate your mouth.
(4)
Austin C.
Hi- new to yelp and to Phoenix- but wanted to put a plug in for Pink Pepper. While relocating here and living out of hotels, I found myself going back to this place at least twice a week- both for the food and the friendly people. The service is great, the prices are reasonable, and the food is fresh and very authentic. Of course, being new to the area, I haven't really checked out many other places! But I have been to Thailand and Pink Pepper's food is very authentic. If you're looking for trendy decor or a place to be seen, this is probably not the place for you. But if you want good Thai- go here, ask for the seafood salad- and if you like it really hot, say "pet mahk mahk!" and be prepared!
(4)
Georgia R.
Inexpensive Thai food in Mesa. Pink Pepper is located in an older building, and the place reflects this, but it doesn't also reflect on the food. Everything is clean, and ingredients in each dish are fresh and flavorful. I love the Asian salad, but my friend swears by the pad thai. They have quite a few different items for you to choose from, but the best part of this restaurant is their ability to spice anything up- as hot as you can possibly stand it. Be careful if you go for the max, my guess is you won't be able to eat more than a few bites!
(4)
S L.
It was a weeknight around 8:30pm and I guess the chef had left for the evening and the owner had to fill in because the food came out very slowly and horribly, with 3 tables present. The soup seemed to be reheated with barely any color to the veges, chicken dish was awful with a weird taste we did not touch again after one bite (we are not picky eaters), and a plain curry dish. Dinner that night reminded me of having to sit through an experimental dinner made by my brother. Actually, worse because in the end the bill still came for the slop we couldn't eat. Next time I'm in an unfamiliar city, I'll just stick to the chains instead.
(1)
Kelly J.
This place follows under the 'bomb.com' search! I've had other thai and I must admit there normally isn't a huge difference (in what I order anyway) but the difference w/Pink Pepper is spice level efficiency (their right on da money) but the meal size/portion. The restaurant is large, open and clean. If you're looking to go out or order in some Thai, CHOOSE THIS PLACE! I guarantee you won't be disappointed!
(4)
Reylynne W.
I am not sure if I want to review this place or not. I mean, the other reviews made this place sound great. Was that during Happy Hour or something? I wasn't at all impressed with the restaurant decor. My sister Cher T and I came here because I was wanting Thai food and She heard that this place had good reviews. The buffet looked skimpy and looked like it's been out for a while. We sat by the window that appeared to have a couple of bullet holes in them. I was facing east and noticed the pile of stuff in the corner and my first thought was that is a potential fire hazard. Our waiter was invisible during the entire meal, what should have been an hour was more like 2 hour lunch. I don't even think the waiter asked for our drinks, so we both had water. I ordered Green Curry. Since I was in the mood to try something different. It tasted good, however the rice noodles were clumpy and stuck together. I had to cut into the noodles to eat it. The spring rolls Cher got were good along with that peanut sauce. I don't think I will return in the future. Sorry!
(2)
Cassy H.
Awful! Worst dining experience I have had in a long time. I wish I could give negative stars. -I wanted to look at a menu but the waiter/front of house guy kept pushing the buffet. So we reluctantly gave it a try - I wish we had just left the restaurant. -food was mediocre at best once you got past the fact that it was dry cold and tasteless -the ambiance was dreary and the incense was nauseating. -there is also no place to change a diaper in addition to the fact that the bathroom was not stocked with toilet paper or paper towels and the floors were grimy and sticky GROSS -when it came time to pay I WAS CHARGED $100- no joke!!!! When I brought it to his attention he acted like I was the one inconveniencing HIM! Then, after completely screwing my finances for the day he had the nerve to get on to me about my card declining when he tried to charge it for the correct $9 amount. Fully embarrassed and infuriated I had to ask my friend to cover me. I will NEVER return to this establishment. There are so many other better Thai restaurants in the area I don't even know how or why these people are still in business! DO NOT go here!
(1)
Tony S.
I really liked this place! Good service, friendly, and the food was quite tasty. Appetizers, main dishes, the works. All good. I highly recommend Pink Pepper, and I know that I and my family will be back!
(4)
Lizzie F.
The curry is good, and the food is decent for a buffet and the price, not AMAZING, there were a few delicious items here and there. Definitely would consider going back.
(3)
Becky M.
I went to the Pink Pepper today with two friends for the lunch buffet. I've been here once before (also for the buffet) and the food is great. Wonderful curries, great tofu dishes, and equally delicious pad-thai. I especially liked the curried veggies today - I love coconut red curry! The meal comes with iced tea, and for about $9, it's worth it.
(4)
Michael T.
Newly remodeled, the Pink Pepper in Mesa has long been one of our favorite lunch time destinations. Serving both menu items and a diverse if somewhat "Americanized" Thai buffuet. However the quality of the food has suffered at The Pink Pepper over the previous year, with more gristle on the chicken and less pork and beef present in those dishes on the buffet line. The food recently was disappointing, not having the usual "kick" one expects Thai food to have. When we asked the owner if there had perhaps been a chef change his replay was "No, no changes, all the same". But it wasn't the same and that is a shame. We will try Pink Pepper again of course, after all we have been going for years and a few off days should not deter us. But I must say that we were a bit dissappointed.
(3)
Tom P.
As we walked through the door, we were greeted with a "it'll be about 10mins" by the hostess. She never asked how many were in our party or if it was dine in. She then came back 5 mins later and asked us those questions, and then proceeded to seat us. After seated, the service was slow. Our first greeting by our server didn't come till 10 mins later. The restaurant didn't seem that busy though, two servers to about 8 tables. We ordered the beef panang and the Arizona fried rice. We didn't get asked how spicy we wanted these dishes. Maybe they don't do heat levels, who knows. The panang was average. The beef was dry and the portion sizes were small, especially for the price. The fried rice was a good tasting dish though. Also note that I am of Southeast Asian descent, so I grew up on these types of foods. Also, earlier I wanted to order a dish with duck in it and the server said that they were out of duck. However, as we were about to leave, the table next to us ordered duck with no issues. Strange...
(2)
Jason K.
The food is good and reasonably priced, but the service is slow. Worth the wait though.
(4)
Phillyman p.
No flavor Thai food ... Yes we found long black hair in our chicken dish , we informed the waiter , he didn't even care .... Our last time ...... where is the food inspector ?
(1)
Monica S.
Yikes! This place was not what I expected after reviewing the previous Yelps. My mom and I went there for the lunch buffet for $9.99. Perhaps that was the mistake? The buffet runs until 2:00 and we arrived around 1:00. We should have turned around and left immediately when we noted only four people in the entire restaurant. The food on the line was obviously the same stuff they put out at 11am. The pad thai was forgettable which is what I had my mouth set on and the chicken panang had no chicken that I could find. The wonton salad was good except for the limp, soggy, saturated wonton strips....so- I guess just the salad was good. The chicken wings were great except there were only a couple of lonely wings to sample and they were not refilled even when a few new brave people straggled in. The service was near non-existant. It was their lunch time too, I guess because they were all sitting in a booth off to the side eating. We received our drinks when we were seated, and after that only once more when we asked when they finally provided the bill. We used another non-bussed table to put our used dishes on after realizing that they were more than happy to let the dirty dishes sit on our table during our meal. I don't know, maybe it's worth going there for dinner? I won't be finding out.
(1)
Priscilla S.
I finally got the guts to try the Thai place by my home after being skeptical from bad experiences at other Thai places looking for the one that served Hot & Sour Seafood soup like Thai Dishes in California. I was sooo happy to taste the same soup! I found it (even though it wasn't on the menu)! And not that bad of a price for a bowl! The restaurant is nice and private-ish, the male waiter is the best, he has a huge heart and only wants the customers to be satisfied. Every time we go we have a great experience and come out with satisfied tummies.
(5)
N H.
I don't even know how this place is in business. Terrible.
(1)
Kimo K.
My GF and I went for lunch today. For the price, this restaurant's lunch buffet is very good. Good variety and pretty tasty dishes. Our favorites are the spicy cream chicken with veggies, pad Thai noodles, Thai char siu, deep fried tofu with green beans, and spicy fish fillets with veggies. They got other dishes too that are good, but there is too much to eat all of it. Although I did have a little serving of chicken panang curry.
(4)
Max A.
I love this place - forgot to review it. Excellent, reliable Thai food. We enjoyed every dish, and felt good about it afterward. This place is nice inside and clean. The owner is very sweet, and the staff is nice. They deliver. I really can't think of a downside to this place (other than I spend too much money here). Portions are generous, so two people could share an entree as long as you got a good amount of sides. The dishes are a good amount of food for one person though on their own. We ordered sides and two entrees and there were some leftovers. It all came with a huge helping of white rice - I sort of prefer a stickier rice, but that's gonna be up to individual preference. It was cooked well and was tasty. We don't live too far from here, so we'll be back.
(5)
Gilbert B.
Omgosh om*#%?! So here it is in a nut shell I don't really write these but horror was tonight So I'll eat anything as for Marines don't care My wife and I waited 30 mins for our soup then an other ten mins but with in that time our plates were given to someone else and the picked at it and ate it till they noticed that it was not there's. So as I'm watching it they took the plates back. So then with in a min or so we got ours. My wife's has been replayed and mines was just the same with some pork picked from it. The spoon on my wife's was still in from were she had scooped from. So we left didn't pay nasty. They lied to us saying they recooked it but didn't ! DO NOT GO THERE DANGER DANGER
(1)
Ashe A.
WARNING!! When you receive bland items, missing items, and other items that are rotten/under or overcooked and state that you won't pay for the items that are a health hazard, you too can join the "blacklisted" club. Apparently, there's a lot of us. My first strike was advising that one of my items was missing from my delivery order. I apologize that I'm not going to pay for an item I did not receive, I must have been raised in a barn. Apparently I owe another apology for not paying for rotten food that would make me and my family sick. Silly me. And since that included all of my order, I was blacklisted. Don't waste your time or money. Just head over to the Mekong Plaza & get real, quality food. You can just pick one of the restaurants there at random.
(1)
Alyssa R.
This is a great spot for Thai food. It is so delicious and the portions are a good size. It is priced very fairly. The Cashews and Vegetables dish with tofu is incredible - ever since I tried this dish I can't get enough of it. The Pad Thai is good too, but the Cashews and Vegetables definitely kills that dish. The service here is great. My water never gets low as the lady who always helps us is extremely attentive - but not annoying attentive. It is just right. Sometimes they bring out the dishes one at a time which I don't like (I'd rather have everyone's plate come out at the same time), but I will live with it in exchange for the service, prices, and food quality I receive every time I go there. Definitely recommend this spot for anyone craving Thai!!
(4)
Sophie S.
Went for lunch. The buffet was ok, could be fantastic if food was added regularly and not left sitting. This made the dishes loukwarm and dryer out. Our waiter wasn't happy to be there, he was courteous but not happy. They need to remodel desperately! I tried it it was ok but I don't think I'll be back.
(3)
Rand H.
= = = MONDAY THRU SATURDAY LUNCH BUFFET! = = = Made it back around to this excellent restaurant for lunch today, this time joined by Robyn N. Nothing has changed much since my last Update 9 months ago. There were about 30 items on the Buffet today, counti
(4)
Connor U.
Came here for a dinner event with about 14 people without a reservation, but we got here when it wasn't busy at all and no trouble being seated. Amazing food! The only problem we had was that we accidentally ordered two dishes of each plate, but I'll place that blame squarely on us for trying to shout each other's orders at our amazing waitress. She was good about it and even recommended some good dishes for some of our guests who had never had Thai food before. Unfortunately that meant we had to keep the level of spice down, but we figured the newbies were better safe than sorry. We ended up with 7 different dishes ranging from the typical pad thai to an awesome coconut curry shrimp dish that I couldn't pronounce. My favorite had to be the crispy chicken with cream sauce; it was a deep fried concoction with a creamy orange sauce drizzled on top of fried strips of chicken and vegetables. On top of that, the Thai tea was perfect and our waitress came out with at least 8 or 9 bowls of rice for us to scoop out. Speaking of our waitress, she was amazing. There were probably only 2 other tables being served when we came in late on a Sunday night, but she made sure to keep our drinks topped off and bring a sense of humor to our table. She even went above and beyond when a couple friends showed up 40 minutes late and missed out on some of the dishes we had already devoured; she went into the back and pulled out two more dishes of our favorite, the crispy chicken with cream sauce, for each of them at no extra charge. 5 stars for our lovely waitress, and I definitely would like to come back and try this lunch buffet that I keep reading about.
(5)
Raymond F.
So here's 1 for the books. Had to laugh on our way out the door at this place the pink pepper. We ordered takeout and to our surprise the food was out pretty fast. we read complaints on some of the other ones and had to laugh though we have a story for you. We went in having ordered 2 seperate orders because we had a restaurant.com cert. The owners had a time of arguing with us over the fact that it was done in only, but that was not specified in the web site. We decided to skip the place due to all the flack over $5 cert. Mind you the place was EMPTY. As we left they decided it didn't matter and would honor the cert. We still did not want the food and as we opened the car doors, 2 bags of food come flying at us. They chukt it at us then yelled at us "what comes around goes around". Never had that happened to us. We had to laugh our asses off. So steer clear of this place. You may end up with food in your face.
(1)
Joshua D.
Food was ready quickly. Red Curry was nothing too excite. Not much flavor. Portion size was good. Spice level accurate
(2)
David R.
Pink Pepper is mad at me for refusing an order 90 minutes after it was ordered.. Then they black list me. After multiple satisfactory orders? Good luck. Yeah, I'm the problem.. Not the fact that you can't deliver food within a timeline you set.. Bye.
(1)
Eloy W.
We stopped here just at the end of the Buffet...Having said that, there were not many people still in the restaurant, and it seemed as if they were pushing the buffet onto us. For the price they had some pretty good Pad Thai that I kept going back for more. All the usual suspects you would see at Chinese buffet were there and we took advantage of. I think I would like to order off the menu next time and see what they are really made of.
(3)
Michael G.
Went for the buffet, which used to be pretty darn good. Half of the containers were empty. The remainders containing called, bland, terrible food. I hesitate to call it food though.The inside of the restaurant was dirty. I can't imagine what the kitchen looks like. Save yourself the trouble.
(1)
Heather G.
We are rarely in this neighborhood but needed a dinner spot. We enjoy Thai so why not. I read the reviews after we sat down & we were nervous but we ordered nevertheless. We were pleasantly surprised with the dishes - quick, tasty, good spice level, nice size portions. The music is romantic & relaxed. Many people disliked the buffet, but come on, who eats at a buffet? Try a curry dish or traditional pad Thai - cant go wrong.
(4)
Brandi T.
Ok. I don't usually post scathing reviews because every establishment has bad days. But this place is NOT worth the time or money. It took forever to get the food and when we did it was either cold or swimming in grease. Horrible food I'm sad to say. Won't be back.
(1)
Mark R.
Came here for the Buffet with Rand H., Robyn N., Norm R., Jackie C. & Mike C. It is always fun getting together with this crew. They are a blast! Been to the other location on Bell before it closed and this restaurant is somewhat smaller and a little cramped inside. We got there when it opened at 11:00 and had to wait a bit for the door to unlock itself. Once inside I noticed several of the food items on the buffet were not there yet as well as most the lights in the place were still in the off position. Hmmm? The food was pretty tasty once it arrived but a bit Americanized. Nice variety of styles and proteins so that everyone can pick a favorite or more and enjoy. They even have some without meat for those veggie lovers. Would liked to have seen more ways to spice things up a notch since I am a SPICY kind of FREAK. Fresh Thai Peppers in some Fish Sauce with some Lime juice and a little Sugar works well. This review was for the buffet only. They also have a full menu that you can order from if you wish. Enjoy! 3.5 STARS
(3)
V C.
Came for lunch but very disappointed ... Buffet barely had food and for $8.95 it's not worth it. The food had no taste... Kind of blah... It is not really Thai because Thai spice is really great but here there's not even a spicy dish. Boring place ... The waiter who is also the brother of the owner is nice and all but zero personality to be in this business... They need help OH LORD... Or maybe it's time to close doors ... Food not fresh and uninviting buffet.. I guess I won't be coming here again as it keeps going down unless a miracle happens .. They need restaurant impossible team to come in and make it happen...
(1)
Teighlor D.
I love the lunch buffet here. Great food for a great price!
(5)
lindsey h.
mediocre to bad food. so bland! boyfriend said his red curry chicken just tasted like "spicy" and nothing else, and that it wasn't good. my tofu dish had barely any sauce and tasted like nothing but old oil. how could thai food taste so boring? we ordered delivery which took over an hour even though we're not really far away, yet the food was cold when it arrived. do yourself a favor and skip this place. Thai Basil is a far better choice even though they only do carry-out, not delivery
(1)
Stefan W.
I was here and had great thai food back in 2008 and was eager to go back on my 2013 summer vacation. I dont know if i was unlucky this evening and they had some kitchen problems but the food was not as good as i remembered. I had the beef panang wich was ok but maybe a little bland. The chicken with green curry was not only bland but had an odd taste that we never had before in thaifood. All in all the food was not bad but a step down from what i consider "ok" and far from the last time i was there when i had 4 star thai food with fresh ingredients and lots of that famous chili punch.
(2)
Pratik N.
Ordered an item and they forgot to make it in an hour when we arrived. Instead the lady said "It's okay you're causing too much trouble" so we just left. WORST service ever. And also it was a Friday night and there was no one else in the restaurant, wonder why.
(1)
Joann M.
I'm sorry I can not give an accurate review of the food. The filth after just stepping a few inches inside the door was so overwhelming I had to leave immediately. I have been here many years before and never remember it being this bad. But this was bad! The menus were sticky and dirty. Everything was old and filthy. I can usually eat at most any dive but this was assaulting! Pink pepper! You are in serious need of an overhaul.
(1)
Jason C.
Just wanted something quick and not expensive, found it. Very good service and food.
(5)
Gabriel W.
So I finally did it. Thanks to a groupon deal that my parents got for me, I was able to try dinner service at the Pepper not once, but twice. Both times, I have to say, the food was excellent. It really is a very different experience going from the lunch buffet to dinner...its like they're two different restaurants that just happen to share the same space. But yes, the food was awesome. The first time, the service was a little slow, but I really didn't fault them too much for this as the place was fairly busy. The second night, it was a prompt service. I will say though, that despite all that, it will probably be a long time before I go back for dinner service again. Not for any thing at fault with the restaurant, but just because that lunch buffet is SOOO SOOOOOOOO good. I pretty much can't go to phoenix any more without stopping there at least once. Also, I just want to say that the soup of the day they've been doing recently during the lunch buffet is one of the most delicious things Ive ever eaten. Its some sort of Thai roasted corn curry soup that literally tastes like a roasted corn cob just doused in butter and awesome sauce. Its fantastic.
(5)
Melissa F.
Ordered delivery food from here for the first time and it is great! We ordered chicken curry, beef pad Thai, dumplings, and two Thai ices coffees. Our food arrived right on time and was delicious.
(5)
Daniel E.
Ordered some Pad Thai... except they apparently "make it different". The woman claimed they mellow it down a bit because they're clients prefer it that way... I like Thai food for the heat, spices and flavor. This was extremely bland had no sauce on it, no heat whatsoever. It was very disappointing. After a bit of a discussion the woman agreed to refund the entree after I told her I didnt want credit for a restaurant I surely will not be visiting again. If you want good authentic Thai food look elsewhere.
(2)
Phisit P.
One of my buddies was craving thai food so I suggested this spot. They seemed to like it. Let me see, I ordered the crispy chicken with spicy sauce. My friends got the yellow curry. It was all pretty delicious. The thai tea is also really good here. At the end of our meal they convinced us to get the mango with sticky rice and that was alright. Overall, pretty nice place all around besides the bathroom.
(4)
Whitney T.
Ate there for lunch buffet. There was about 4 choices. Food was cold and very gross. I'll never go back to this place.
(1)
Robyn N.
Today is the second time I've been to their lunch buffet and it was pretty good. They are a little slow getting the food out at opening time, but everything was fresh and tasty and a good variety. The already dressed salad had a great sweet dressing, pineapple something or other and it was a great start to the meal. One of the things I like best about this buffet is the variety of foods they offer - chicken, veggie, pork, beef as well as rice and noodle dishes. I'd prefer more of the items to have a little heat; the only spicy thing I tried was the panang chicken. The food is good, they serve real iced tea with the buffet as well. Service was good and the company was better! I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)
Joyce W.
Pink Pepper is definitely a favorite place of mine to order from that's around the house. From mouth-watering curry to crispy Thai toast, Pink Pepper has always hit the spot when it comes to a spice-craving. I've never actually dined in, I always place my orders to-go, but the ambiance is quite nice. Portions could be bigger but the quality usually makes up for the average prices and smaller portions. They make a mean yellow curry!
(4)
Ramona A.
I've only eaten there twice and both times the serve was horrible. There are only three people. One waitress, one bartender and I think one is the cook which no matter what you can't understand him. When we sat down at 6pm, it took 10 mins for them to get our drink order. Our appetizer came out pretty fast but it took another 1/2 for our food to come out. There was three people in the whole place. Now the tea I got was excellent, my food was ok tasting until I bit into spoiled chicken. I spit it out and it smelt rancid. They wanted to make me a new dish but I refused. I about had it with this place. We waited another 1/2 an hour for our bill but never got it so we went to front to pay. All and all it took us 1-1/2 hour to finish and get out. Will not ever go back.
(1)
Christina N.
So my boyfriend and I could not decide what to eat for dinner. So we came up w/the 'drive around until we see something different' plan. Sounds like a fun spontaneous idea, right?! We spotted this place while driving by and just popped in! When you first walk in, it is a bit quite. Its got a very quaint authentic feel to it. The few staff members who work there are very humble and genuinely kind. Gave us plenty of time to look over their menu. We finally made our dinner decisions. I chose the roasted duck and he chose the grilled chicken with the fresh spinach and thai peanut sauce. First, I must say that I am pretty hard to please when it comes to well prepared duck. But I must say it was absolutely delicious! And my boyfriend's thai peanut chicken was pretty tasty as well. I am not sure why this place is not busier. The food is authentic and completely amazing!! And the prices are low so the value of this place is unbelievable. I will be returning for sure! This place is a diamond in the rough!!
(4)
Ainee B.
This place quite old but very nice chair setting. The prices very affortable. Both of us just had $18 for lunch buffet. The service was great! Always come back for the water. The food and the buffet was good such as the crispy chicken creamy sauce, sour soup, and spicy beef. Actually all the foods that I had on lunch buffet was great. Try the snacks, mee krob (fried rice noodle)! It was yummy! My sit was faced the windows on a sunny day so I can tell whether the glass was clean (and clear) or not. Therefore, make sure that your glass is clean before the waiter pour your water. I had to use my tissue and wiped the glass infront of the waiter so he understand that the glass is not clean at all. I believed it must be the dishwasher machine didn't work very well or it might be not quite clean. I would like to go back to this place for the food and the price!
(4)
Troy C.
The Thai Iced tea wasn't that good. Spring rolls and dumplings were tasty. After a long wait, the crispy chicken with cream sauce arrived, it was a disappointment.
(2)
Navid A.
This restaurant was where I was first exposed to Thai food over ten years ago and because of that wil always have a dear place in my heart! The service is spectacular here and it is a nice atmosphere to bring people. The portions are good and the food is very tasty, their pad thai is my favorite but the curry noodles are another must-try dish. Thai food just about everywhere I have been has been spicy, and I have pretty Americanized tastes, but if you have similar tastebuds make sure to always order mild and get a Thai Ice Tea on the side just in case.
(5)
Olivera D.
I went there for dinner with my husband--we had been wanting to try the place for a while since it's right up the street from our house. The staff was friendly...but service was very slow. My pad thai was very bland. Unfortunately we were not impressed. I don't think we will go back. 2 star s because yhey were friendly.
(2)
Scott P.
Yeah, I dug this place. It looks like they've been here for awhile, and the quality of the food leads one to believe that they'll be here for awhile longer. The menu had a lot of really nice looking offerings, and I look forward to eating here again. I haven't encountered a lot of Thai food in the area which rocked my socks, so this place seems to have promise.
(4)
Bruce L.
Really mixed on this one, because I'm not a fan of their full menu, but the lunch buffet is filled with dishes I like. There's a chicken in a cream sauce that's delicious, same with the BBQ pork. Hot and sour soup is HOT and so good. Music choices always amuse me too, nothing like Christmas carols in the summer. Haven't tried delivery. Buffet is where it's at.
(4)
William H.
This place is awesome!! I have ate Thai food Everywhere! I love Thai food! Every place I travel I always go and Thai food. Nobody comes close to this place!!!
(5)
Emma D.
Our first experience was last night, we ordered delivery actually through grub hub.com only I did it wrong and actually ordered through the restaurant and I think they were a little confused, they forgot to ask my phone number and were very late delivering, I felt bad for them really because once the guy got my number from grub hub.com after I contacted them, he was all stressed when he got here. The reason for the five stars? Because when the food got here it was absolutely to die for. I've never has such good food. Worth every waiting second. I will definitely eat here again, might even go into the restaurant and would highly recommend to everyone.
(5)
Jenna L.
I was excited to come back to Pink Pepper after they finally opened up again. I've been there plenty of times and have never had any problems. I was enjoying my dinner until I found something absolutely horrifying IN my food that is a major safety hazard - glass. A piece of glass was in the plum chicken - I would have swallowed it if it hadn't clanked against my teeth at the last second. What is going on in that kitchen of theirs that they can't detect a not-so-small piece of glass in the food they're cooking? Not only is it extremely dangerous, but it signifies how unsanitary that restaurant really is. I know they had a kitchen fire a bit of time before I went there, but if they're still dirty in the kitchen and have broken glass everywhere then why are they in service? They also had the nerve to also insist that I keep eating and pay for the meal - obviously I didn't. To all previous reviewers who praise this restaurant: your food may have tasted great, but is was probably handled with filthy and almost non-exsistent safety measures. To potential eaters: please go somewhere else, lest you find something even worse in your meal. ((This review is actually a few months old, I just didn't officially post it because my email never got confirmed because I only made an account to warn others.))
(1)
Kevin W.
I came in by myself around 6pm on a Saturday night, practically empty. Greeted warmly by Thai hostess/waitress Ana who thoughtfully sat me in a quiet area after seeing I had brought a book to read. The ambiance was pleasant with some indistinct music softly playing in the background. I ordered the beef Massaman at level 7 out of 10 spice level and it came out reasonably fast with the standard accompanying pot of white rice. The flavor was robust and had enough kick to it to cause my eyes and nose to run a little. The portion size was sufficiently satisfying.. Although I admit I was in the mood for a Thai buffet that didn't exist during Dinner hours ;) Overall a good experience, although unsure how a packed house would have affected the service.
(4)
rick w.
I'm not sure if the delivery issues are with Pink Pepper or Grubhub...it was if no one who got the order read it. Veggie Curry had little veggies in it. My duck dish simply ...wasn't. From now on we'll just drive to "Mint Thai" in the future.
(1)
Rebecca P.
Have grown to love the Buffet, just wish it was open on the weekends because I don't often have a weekday that I can make it to the Pepper for lunch. I love the Thai Omelet - has always been my favorite on the buffet.
(5)
Majken B.
Ordered via grub hub. Super courteous delivery and the best thai in the area hands down!
(4)
Katie K.
pretty good Thai food for a strip mall. Will def go back.
(4)
Lorenzo R.
4th time here. The Moo satae is the best! Chicken and spicy plum sauce was very good
(5)
Ronney K.
yum! I love their food, their lunch buffet does not taste like buffet food. The tables are kind of "sticky" but its the finish on them, and if htey would just put like a coat or 2 of polyeurothane on it, that would make the difference in the world. But the food was really excellent. Service was good, which is always the #1 priority in my book. So over all a pleasant experience. That creamy chicken stuff was soooo good (sorry dont remember what it was called) and I had this other kind of chicken stir fry stuff that was REALLY super excellent, It was called "pan something" The pork dish was good too, it had greenbeans in it, and their veggies are cooked just right! Really good and worth a trip! YUMMIE!
(4)
Neha S.
I absolutely love this place. The food is delicious and nothing can beat the variety for the price. And the lunch buffet includes iced tea as well. The only reason I took away a star is the so-so decor. The place could really use some renovation. Other than that, Best Thai buffet there is !!
(4)
Jon C.
Had some family in town, so we had planned to go to Inka Fest as I'd been meaning to try it for awhile. Unfortunately Inka Fest closed by the Health Department (crazy)! This place was next door, so we ended up here instead. Overall, I'd say the food here was pretty average but the service was very good. I ordered the beef Pad Gra Prao, the server asked me for how hot on a scale of 1-10, I asked for a 7. Several of our party ordered a curry and asked for a heat level of 4. My dish was ok and spicy, but not as spicy as that curry, theirs was definitely a lot hotter than mine. Nothing really stands out here, since I don't live nearby, I probably won't be back.
(3)
Adam B.
Great service and awesome food! The staff was very attentive to us while we were dining. I've tried a handful of Thai restaurants and this one is definitely the best in AZ. Way to go Pink Pepper!
(5)
Bobby B.
Yuck!!! OK, I'll let you have it.. It starts off with placing an order to go. I called in my order of 2 red curry 's and 2 spring rolls. I had to repeat my order 4 times, oh my God!!!! And they still got my order wrong. I showed up to pick up my order, and they only had I red curry and 2 spring rolls ready, remember! this is after repeating my order 4 times... The waitress told me to wait 5 minutes and that she will have the other curry ready.. 15 minutes pass, finally our order is complete.. We get home, excited to eat our red curry, it's watered down!!!! Flavored water!!! And two different color's if red curry. We ended up driving back and asked for a refund.. I give this place 2 stars, one because the manager gave us our refund without a hassle. and another star because I felt bad, because they looked like they were understaffed.
(2)
Alan L.
After driving by this place forever, two co-workers and I finally tried it out yesterday to see how the Pink Pepper stacks up against other Thai restaraunts in town. The first thing that we noticed right away was the very small number of people dining here (as compared to their competitors). Service was good - they were very friendly, but when we asked for a menu they immediately pushed us towards the buffet special, saying that the food on the buffet line contained the best items off of their menu. So, we went ahead and gave it a try. After we were done, we all pretty much came to the same conclusion - mediocre. Nothing really stood out. One of the rice dishes had some kick to it, but otherwise the food was pretty bland for Thai. The quality of the meat/chicken was so-so. In all fairness, we did not try ordering anything off their menu, so maybe they deserve another shot there. If Thai food is your thing, there are other places in town that run circles around this place (Swaddee Thai & Yupha's Thai).
(2)
Emily M.
So I returned here for a quick lunch today after probably 8 years and have to say I was sadly disappointed... I remember this being "the Place" to get amazing Thai food and it is clear to see that the owners are running themselves ragged trying to manage this place today.. The restaurant is dated, not clean and disorganized, giving an unwelcome feel. To top that off, the Masuman I had was blah and the chicken was dry and overcooked.. Buffet wasn't looking great either. I hope they get the help they need to make this place what is use to be.
(2)
Clifford B.
I went on a June Thursday evening; there was only one customer couple while I was there. Service was prompt but not pushy. I asked for the food at a 7 out of 10 heat. It was spicy but not overwhelming. I enjoyed a spring roll and Mus-Sa-Mun, chicken, potato slices, carrots, onions and bell peppers in a spicy curry sauce. The main dish was served with sticky rice. The portion was right sized, not stingy but not so much you need a take-out container. Prices were reasonable for the quality and quantity.
(4)
Aileen B.
10/16 Stumbled upon Pink Pepper as I was heading towards a second Thai option when my first option, owned by a coworker and his children, was rented out for a reception Friday evening. I've wanted to visit PP for years, but never had a chance. Darol (RIP), an ex-coworker, and I would exchange foodie stories of our fave places, and PP was the only place he'd go when he had a craving for Thai. (He resided in Thailand for a few years and considered himself well-versed in the cuisine.) So, en route to my second choice, I spotted the Pink Pepper logo in the distance and said, "Why the hell not?" "Today's the day!" It was very dead in there. (Ya, not just dead. VERY dead! LOL.) Besides me, I spotted my server, who must've been the owner, and an elderly woman rolling up silverware in cloth napkins. Granted, it was around 3, 330'ish in the afternoon, and lunch had just ended at 2:30p. (The buffet pans were still emitting heat as they cooled down.) But I'm not one to let empty rooms sway me away, so I asked for a table. I liked the ambience- warm, inviting, w/ lovely colors. Loved the floral salad plates that sat at the table, which I've spotted at Sur La Table before. Made me wish I'd splurged and bought them then. Apparently, these plates are only used for show, bec. they were removed moments after I sat down. Chose to skip the app course and ordered green curry w/ chicken (came w/ rice). At $9.50, I thought that this entree better be good! While I waited, I checked out the rest of the menu and liked what I saw. If the dish turned out great, I'll be coming back to check the rest out soon enough. I also spotted a cocktails menu on the table that had quite a few good-tasting options to choose from. My entree arrived after about 10 to 15 minutes. The portion was smaller than I'm used to seeing for the price, so I was really hoping that I was getting a very tasty meal. I shouldn't have worried! Pink Pepper's green curry has placed Pink Pepper Thai pretty high on my list of places for green curry!! (Try that for a tongue-twister!) The coconut curry sauce was thick and super-creamy, and medium heat was just perfect for me! I also loved the variety of veggies used- there was an extra item there that wasn't listed on the menu. (Thank goodness I did not have any adverse reactions.) It took all of my will AND the thought of ordering dessert to keep me from finishing the entire order! Looking back, I could've squeezed three decent servings out of that meal, especially knowing what I know now... that Pink Pepper's homemade coconut ice cream is freaking AMAZING! Those w/ a peanut allergy should know to alert the server of this fact, bec. this not overly-sweet sweet comes w/ a generous topping of peanuts. Ohhh... I just got the shivers up and down my spine (the good kind!) recalling how great my meal ended! Service was friendly and efficient, if a little lonely. I'm going to assume it was bec. he was by himself in the front. Perhaps w/ busier hours it'll be easier to flag someone down. One low point was the restroom visit- the temperature was significantly warmer at that part of the building. Consider yourself warned.
(4)
Jason B.
My wife and I went here last night at about 7pm. The place was eerily dead. There were probably 4 other people in the entire place. I know the saying, "nobody likes to eat in an empty restaurant", but we didn't care and decided to give this place a try. For many reasons, I really really really do not enjoy giving sub-par reviews so I will try to be gentle and concentrate on what I liked sprinkled with a few things that could be improved upon. If I had to rate a place only on decor, bathrooms and stickiness of my table; this place would not do very well. Good thing I was here for the food. Our waiter was very fast and friendly. He was a very soft spoken gentlemen and it was difficult to understand him at times. He was fast to refill waters and diet cokes so I really can't complain. Here is what we ordered: *Thai Spring Rolls - these were excellent as was the dipping sauce which had a nice kick to it. I would order these again. *Tom Yum Goong - this had a nice kick and a nice flavor. However, I would have liked more "stuff" in it. It came with some mushrooms and shrimp, but could have used a bit more. I would order this again but some of their other soups looked good as well. *Steak & Chicken with Spicy Thai Lemon Garlic Sauce - this was ok. It was just some strips of cheap beef and chicken with some sauce. The chicken was good but the beef was just eh. I probably wouldn't order this again. *Garlic and Peppers - this was just ok too. My wife ordered it with tofu instead of chicken, but we got the chicken anyway. We didn't send it back because I don't like doing that and maybe this was a "sign" to try the chicken because it is amazing. Anyway, the dish had good flavor but it was eh. My wife would probably order this again, but I wouldn't. For the heath conscious, each of our entrees were not covered in tons of sauce so that's a plus. However, the menu said they had brown rice, but we were told they didn't have any so that was a negative. I haven't had much Thai food in my day, but I think this place is more Chinese than Thai. Perhaps we just didn't order the right things? Judging by the reviews on here it looks like I should have done my homework before my visit to be sure I ordered properly. I wouldn't rush back here but I won't cross it off my list just yet because I don't think I ordered what I should have. However, as far as Thai food goes in my book, it is Thai Basil all the way.
(3)
Valentina L.
The buffet is amazing and the people are so nice!!! Don't let one person's opinion of vomit throw you off. It's just plain rude and distasteful. My friends and I have been coming here for years and love it! I finally have some week days off and get to come back. Now I don't have to take a sick day to come eat at their buffet. =)
(5)
Rosie M.
I have had my share of authentic Thai cuisine... This place was REALLY bad. And no im not a very picky person lol Out of all the items on there buffet maybe 2 were decent. Actually only the noodles were OK everything else was notgood at all, not even my kids liked ANY of it... Make the trip and go to the mint thai cafe on Gilbert rd.
(2)
Angy B.
Thankfully I had previously purchased a restaurant.com voucher for this place (pay $2 for $25 or something). While the food was alright... nothing spectacular by any means, I thought it was over-priced and really not worth going back to.
(2)
Dave B.
Really, I'd give this place 3.49 stars... almost 3 1/2, but I wouldn't round to 4. Pros: Quiet dining environment Not crowded for dinner My favorite place for Panang Beef (and thai curry in general) They will raise or lower the heat of any dish based on a scale of 1-10. (10 is awesome, by the way) Love the flambe bananas for dessert, also the coconut icecream is fantastic. sweet, a slight hint of salt and crushed peanuts on top. Mmmmm. Only been there for the lunch buffet once, but it was pretty good and at a fair price. Cons: While the waiter is friendly, he can be a bit difficult to understand (very soft spoken, mumbles somewhat) Sticky table tops. They all seem to be this way. They're not dirty, though... just sticky. Like glue residue or something. Cloth napkins have smelled a bit "off" and could probably use a good washing. The lettuce wraps were a bit disappointing as the lettuce was a bit wilted. I like it when the lettuce has a bit more crunch to it. Quiet to the point of being empty. Has an almost ghost-town feel to it when it's 6:00pm and you're the only people there for dinner. My friends and I have wondered sometimes how they stay in business. Summary: Even though I rated this place three stars, this is still one of my favorite Thai restaurants and I will keep coming back again and again. Most of the deductions are for things un-related to the food. If you're just going for take-out, then I'd kick it up to 4 or 4 1/2 stars.
(3)
Tom C.
I traveled to Phoenix often for work from the early 90's to the late 00's and the first thing I'd do leaving the airport was to hit the Pink Pepper lunch buffet, hence I've never ordered from the menu or had their dinner service, but their lunch buffet was awesome! Very reasonably priced, including an iced tea. It may not necessarily be the most authentic Thai food as I think they reduce the heat a bit but the flavors were excellent and the variety was good. Loved their eggplant dish (can't recall the name) and their crispy chicken with the creamy sauce, and of course the usual curry sauce dishes. If I'm ever back in Phoenix again the Pink Pepper will be one of the first places I go.
(5)
Beth S.
First timer and man did we have a good time! We were a walk-in party of 10 and we were quickly and easily accomodated. Our server was one of the owners and she was very helpful with our choices as well as providing quick service with piping hot food. Our group sampled a wide variety of dishes including combo appetizer, the ma tar bah, the thai fried wontons, Chicken Pad Thai, Spicy Thai Wrap with chicken and shrimp, the BBQ chicken, Gai Ping, Grilled Pork with Spicy Pineapple, and Crispy Chicken in Spicy Thai sauce. Every last dish was excellent and served hot. Can't wait to go back again...even if it is an hour away from my house!
(4)
Shannon B.
Best. Thai food. Ever. My boyfriend and I discovered this place on Christmas (it was the only place nearby that was open). I think we went back 5 times in the next month after that! The food is THAT good and I am not a huge fan of thai. I recommend to anyone in the mood for thai food, novice to experienced!
(5)
Steve M.
By far, The Pink Pepper is the best Thai food in the East Valley. Their buffet is reasonably priced and delicious!
(5)
Arizona T.
This is a quality Thai Buffet I have been going to for many years. Only downside is the best dishes they only bring to the buffet in small quantity and it gets picked over completely if you aren't the first 3 people there. They should make the crunchy chicken in large quantity. People could be more talkative also. All in all, quality Thai for $10. Is it as good as Thai Buffet on Dobson? Probably not simply due to the fact the people at the other place are way more personable and will make you whatever you want.
(4)
Mandy M.
I was soooo looking forward to this place. It's got great curb appeal. But I had a horrible experience. ....IT STARTED AND ENDED WITH THE COCKROACH IN MY FOOD. I'm not lying. Makes me question their best practices in the kitchen... I gave it 2 stars because the food wasn't particularly bad (what they replaced it with)... and things happen. I know, but. Still...
(2)
Patrick F.
This place is an absolute gem and rare find, and I'm lucky to live so close by since I know I'll be coming back repeatedly. It's a nice, quiet and beautifully decorated place, and the wait staff are very considerate and soft-spoken and quite attentive. I went out of my comfort range and ordered the Drunken Noodles, and ended up eating 3/4 of the entree myself - which surprised me - and left me knowing I'm going to like almost anything I order here. The next time I come here, I'd like to try out the lunch buffet, since this is what they're "known" for, and some Thai coffee. Speaking of beverages, ordering the Thai iced tea is definitely suggested.
It was my first time coming here and my entire experience was absolutely terrible. It was pretty empty for 12pm. My husband and I ordered the thai salad wrap as an appetizer. Not only was the meat overpowered with too much peanut sauce, the lettuce wasn't fresh. I ordered the pad kee Mao that comes with a side of jasmine rice. The rice was very dry, the beef was chewy, veggies were soggy, and the sauce was quite bland. My husband ordered the spicy thai pasta that also lacked in flavor. The server also forgot that I ordered the tom gati soup and I had to remind him two times to bring it out. It came out 30 mins after eating our main entrees. That as well, failed in flavor. The mushrooms were over cooked and the broth did not go down well. We are not picky eaters, but we are able to differ between great food and completely tasteless food. Our overall experience was not pleasant due to the service, the restaurant looking like it hasn't been updated since 1940s, and every dish not being good. Sorry, but wouldn't come back a second time or recommend this place to others.
(1)
Pete T.
Pretty good, little slow at the end of the night. Would visit again!
(4)
Courtney M.
I'm not a fan of buffets at all, but for Pink Pepper I always make an exception. The food is amazing and even worth the lunch price if you only get one plate! Dinner is a little expensive but the food is still just as wonderful. The service is nice and the family always recognizes us. Big fan :} Give them your business!!
(5)
Autum P.
My husband and I took his mother out for her birthday lunch and our first impression was not good. Because it never dawned on us that we could just turn around and walk right out, we proceeded on to the buffet. To put it bluntly, it was gross. It was the smallest, greasiest Chinese Buffet we had ever seen.....and it was equally confusing to us because we thought we were at a Thai restaurant!!! No one in our party enjoyed the food. My husband powered down his one and only plate, my mother-in-law politely ate all her food but enjoyed little, and I sat back and enjoyed my Thai Iced Tea and waited for it all to be over. The worst $30 I have ever spent. I will never return.
(1)
J'en H.
I only recently discovered that I do not hate Thai, having never tried it, so this place was right up my alley. It's literally 1 mile away from our home and has a pretty extensive menu. The atmosphere is nothing to write home about, but if you're a fan of pastels and the early 90s, you'll love it here. You may even want to move in. Our service was a little slow, but the friendliness of our servers (yes, multiple) made me feel ok about waiting a little bit for a third beer. Overall, I'd say this gets a thumbs up from me and my other half.
(4)
Norm R.
I enjoyed the lunch buffet at Pink Pepper on Bell Rd. in Phoenix, so I had to try this location in Mesa for the lunch buffet too. I really enjoyed my meal, from the crispy tempura veggies (not Thai, I know, but darn good) to the salt and pepper chicken, to the savory beef and chicken dishes - especially that delightful crispy chicken in creamy sauce. And they had two tofu dishes, both good - a plus for me, since not too many buffets serve tofu, which I love. The fried rice and the pad thai were just OK, and dessert was limited to cubed fresh fruit, sweet fried noodles, orange slices, and those small doughnuts found in most Asian buffets. The buffet dishes were on big portable buffet carts in a very dimly lit area of the restaurant, suggesting that perhaps the restaurant had not originally planned to offer buffet when it was being conceived. I wish that they had at least put lamps in there to light up the dishes being served. Nevertheless, I found the food to be good and the service attentive, though more businesslike than friendly. A pleasant buffet dining experience overall.
(4)
Another Y.
Came here for dinner, not the buffet. Some of the best spring rolls I have ever had! Service was excellent, even though we got there minurtes before closing time. Only gripe: The massaman curry had jalapenos in it, something I have never experienced, and didn't like.
(4)
Robin L.
Service was great but both my boyfriend and I ended up with a touch of food poisoning. I think it was from the chicken on a stick appetizer. We both ate that and it was the only common thing we ate. I will not be going back to the Pink Pepper:(
(2)
Erigan A.
Great food and phenomenal service, but please clean. Our table was sticky and the menus had dried food on them. We were sitting by a corner full of junk that looked like it was also being used as an office. It was literally right out in the open. Why? It did provide us with quite a few laughs, but I don't know if I would return just for this reason. If they cleaned up, I would be there multiple times a month. The food is good and it's not too far from our home.
(3)
Zach H.
Food was GREAT! Loved the appetizers, and the main dishes. Service was friendly and let my co-workers & I enjoy a nice quiet meal. We had the drunken noodles, Gai Pan & Cashew & Chicken...all of which exceeded expectations. The ONLY part that lacked (besides the decor), was the wine menu. The wine menu was small & everything we asked for they were out of. Finally, the gentleman brought over a wine he thought we might like, and we agreed. All in all, great experience, and the best (and only) Thai food I've had in Arizona! : )
(3)
Mike C.
well by now you probably read Rand H. rant about the way this place is laid out. Well i feel all the ranting should have been aimed at how great the food was.I would have been happy sitting out on the curb with a plate of this food.Everything i tried was good even the cream of wheat soup.There BBQ pork and creamy chicken dish left you wanting more. the only thing missing from this buffet was a seafood entree.no shrimp, fish, crab balls nothing!!! and a limited selection of sweets which i love. They had small chinese donuts, some fruit salad and these candied noodles that looked like shreaded carrots they were real crispy but not bad.Anyway if you ever pop in the Pink Pepper for a buffet i am sure you will leave happy and full.
(4)
Charee M.
More food for your money than Thai Bail, Lemongrass or other Thai places of that caliber. I had #71 or #72 (which should tell you how extensive their menu is), which was beef with green beans and carrots. I ordered 10 hot on a 10-point scale, and it was hot, but not unbearable. Like I said, it's about the same as the others. The service was so slow, but the woman was nice and offered dessert because one of our members is a long-time customer. Put it on your list if you haven't tried it.
(3)
Todd A.
I've eaten at the Dobson & Guadalupe Pink Pepper for 21 years. I average going about twice a week. The buffet is a fantastic deal for the price, even though has gone up 50% in the last decade. That just indicates what a terrific deal it was in the 90's, because it's still a great deal! The buffet has a couple of my favorite dishes, so I rarely go there for dinner (literary less than 10 times out of my 2,000+ visits). The Chicken Panang, Garlic Pork and Chicken Gra Pow are my main dishes. I have taken many people there over the years, and they all have found something they really like (the Crispy Chicken seems to be a favorite). The only downside is the dishes are not nearly as spicy as they were 10 to 20 years ago. BTW, they do offer their dinner menu at lunch. All the time I see people ordering dishes during lunch instead of partaking in the buffet. Not sure why though, the buffet is cheaper than just about every dinner dish. With the buffet you get soup, salad, fruit, chips, wings, an array of rice and noodles, plus all 9 dinner dishes. Plus it's ready to eat! They start bringing out the lunch buffet a little after 11:00. It's best to wait until they have brought out every item, that's usually by 11:15. A few negative comments. They seems to have a tough time refilling empty food trays, though if you simply ask them to make more, then they will. You then get it fresh and hot in about 5 minutes. Another issue, I rarely go after 1:00, the food doesn't seem as fresh, and the trays are not getting refilled because the crowd has thinned out. As good as this place is, and it is very good, I prefer to go to another Thai restaurant for dinner. It's 2 miles away from the PP, and a hole in the wall, but damn it's good!
(4)
Doug P.
I haven't tried their buffet yet because I always over eat then end up feeling uncomfortable all day. The beef salad (yam neua) was exceptional. Thin slices of rare sirloin in a huge serving all hot and spicy Thai peppers, cilantro, fish sauce, romaine lettuce, shallots, garlic, and some crisp cabbage to put the fire out, just the way I like it. Very authentic.
(4)
Natalie W.
The food here is superb. Try the Tom Yum Gai, Beef Panang or the eggplant salad. The service may not always be as good as it could be, (slow, sulrly even at times) but the excellent food and reasonable prices make it forgiveable. The buffet lunch is a MUST. For about $7 you can eat all you'd like of a wide range of Thai dishes that alternate daily. This is a great place for heat-lovers. Order any dish with a chile next to it and tell your server how spicy you want it, on a scale from 1 to 10. Less than 5 is for sissys. The 6 and 7 range is about right. Anything 8 or above may incinerate your mouth.
(4)
Austin C.
Hi- new to yelp and to Phoenix- but wanted to put a plug in for Pink Pepper. While relocating here and living out of hotels, I found myself going back to this place at least twice a week- both for the food and the friendly people. The service is great, the prices are reasonable, and the food is fresh and very authentic. Of course, being new to the area, I haven't really checked out many other places! But I have been to Thailand and Pink Pepper's food is very authentic. If you're looking for trendy decor or a place to be seen, this is probably not the place for you. But if you want good Thai- go here, ask for the seafood salad- and if you like it really hot, say "pet mahk mahk!" and be prepared!
(4)
K D.
Don't go here! The food tasted okay at the time, but there were bullet holes in the window behind me, a random lounge chair near our table piled with crap and their health report is enough to make anyone queasy. The whole place is very dirty as well.
(1)
Jay L.
My husband and I ate here for dinner. We had pad Thai, spring rolls, crab rolls, and the teriyaki chicken. All of it was good. Someone that we were with had the spicy BBQ chicken and that too was good. Everyone was nice. The only reason why I didn't give it five stars is because for some reason they didn't have ac in the bathroom. Its summer so I got hot while waiting. It may have been just the day or who knows it may be the slow economic times. I will return for dinner. :)
(4)
M J.
My favorite Thai restaurant in AZ. The Thom Kah Gai is the best I have had in the States. And I have had it in Thailand a number of times. Green Curry is also a favorite of mine at Pink Pepper. The food here is great and the prices are reasonable!
(5)
Georgia R.
Inexpensive Thai food in Mesa. Pink Pepper is located in an older building, and the place reflects this, but it doesn't also reflect on the food. Everything is clean, and ingredients in each dish are fresh and flavorful. I love the Asian salad, but my friend swears by the pad thai. They have quite a few different items for you to choose from, but the best part of this restaurant is their ability to spice anything up- as hot as you can possibly stand it. Be careful if you go for the max, my guess is you won't be able to eat more than a few bites!
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Kimo K.
My GF and I went for lunch today. For the price, this restaurant's lunch buffet is very good. Good variety and pretty tasty dishes. Our favorites are the spicy cream chicken with veggies, pad Thai noodles, Thai char siu, deep fried tofu with green beans, and spicy fish fillets with veggies. They got other dishes too that are good, but there is too much to eat all of it. Although I did have a little serving of chicken panang curry.
(4)Max A.
I love this place - forgot to review it. Excellent, reliable Thai food. We enjoyed every dish, and felt good about it afterward. This place is nice inside and clean. The owner is very sweet, and the staff is nice. They deliver. I really can't think of a downside to this place (other than I spend too much money here). Portions are generous, so two people could share an entree as long as you got a good amount of sides. The dishes are a good amount of food for one person though on their own. We ordered sides and two entrees and there were some leftovers. It all came with a huge helping of white rice - I sort of prefer a stickier rice, but that's gonna be up to individual preference. It was cooked well and was tasty. We don't live too far from here, so we'll be back.
(5)Gilbert B.
Omgosh om*#%?! So here it is in a nut shell I don't really write these but horror was tonight So I'll eat anything as for Marines don't care My wife and I waited 30 mins for our soup then an other ten mins but with in that time our plates were given to someone else and the picked at it and ate it till they noticed that it was not there's. So as I'm watching it they took the plates back. So then with in a min or so we got ours. My wife's has been replayed and mines was just the same with some pork picked from it. The spoon on my wife's was still in from were she had scooped from. So we left didn't pay nasty. They lied to us saying they recooked it but didn't ! DO NOT GO THERE DANGER DANGER
(1)Ashe A.
WARNING!! When you receive bland items, missing items, and other items that are rotten/under or overcooked and state that you won't pay for the items that are a health hazard, you too can join the "blacklisted" club. Apparently, there's a lot of us. My first strike was advising that one of my items was missing from my delivery order. I apologize that I'm not going to pay for an item I did not receive, I must have been raised in a barn. Apparently I owe another apology for not paying for rotten food that would make me and my family sick. Silly me. And since that included all of my order, I was blacklisted. Don't waste your time or money. Just head over to the Mekong Plaza & get real, quality food. You can just pick one of the restaurants there at random.
(1)Alyssa R.
This is a great spot for Thai food. It is so delicious and the portions are a good size. It is priced very fairly. The Cashews and Vegetables dish with tofu is incredible - ever since I tried this dish I can't get enough of it. The Pad Thai is good too, but the Cashews and Vegetables definitely kills that dish. The service here is great. My water never gets low as the lady who always helps us is extremely attentive - but not annoying attentive. It is just right. Sometimes they bring out the dishes one at a time which I don't like (I'd rather have everyone's plate come out at the same time), but I will live with it in exchange for the service, prices, and food quality I receive every time I go there. Definitely recommend this spot for anyone craving Thai!!
(4)Sophie S.
Went for lunch. The buffet was ok, could be fantastic if food was added regularly and not left sitting. This made the dishes loukwarm and dryer out. Our waiter wasn't happy to be there, he was courteous but not happy. They need to remodel desperately! I tried it it was ok but I don't think I'll be back.
(3)Rand H.
= = = MONDAY THRU SATURDAY LUNCH BUFFET! = = = Made it back around to this excellent restaurant for lunch today, this time joined by Robyn N. Nothing has changed much since my last Update 9 months ago. There were about 30 items on the Buffet today, counti
(4)Michael G.
Went for the buffet, which used to be pretty darn good. Half of the containers were empty. The remainders containing called, bland, terrible food. I hesitate to call it food though.The inside of the restaurant was dirty. I can't imagine what the kitchen looks like. Save yourself the trouble.
(1)Heather G.
We are rarely in this neighborhood but needed a dinner spot. We enjoy Thai so why not. I read the reviews after we sat down & we were nervous but we ordered nevertheless. We were pleasantly surprised with the dishes - quick, tasty, good spice level, nice size portions. The music is romantic & relaxed. Many people disliked the buffet, but come on, who eats at a buffet? Try a curry dish or traditional pad Thai - cant go wrong.
(4)Brandi T.
Ok. I don't usually post scathing reviews because every establishment has bad days. But this place is NOT worth the time or money. It took forever to get the food and when we did it was either cold or swimming in grease. Horrible food I'm sad to say. Won't be back.
(1)Connor U.
Came here for a dinner event with about 14 people without a reservation, but we got here when it wasn't busy at all and no trouble being seated. Amazing food! The only problem we had was that we accidentally ordered two dishes of each plate, but I'll place that blame squarely on us for trying to shout each other's orders at our amazing waitress. She was good about it and even recommended some good dishes for some of our guests who had never had Thai food before. Unfortunately that meant we had to keep the level of spice down, but we figured the newbies were better safe than sorry. We ended up with 7 different dishes ranging from the typical pad thai to an awesome coconut curry shrimp dish that I couldn't pronounce. My favorite had to be the crispy chicken with cream sauce; it was a deep fried concoction with a creamy orange sauce drizzled on top of fried strips of chicken and vegetables. On top of that, the Thai tea was perfect and our waitress came out with at least 8 or 9 bowls of rice for us to scoop out. Speaking of our waitress, she was amazing. There were probably only 2 other tables being served when we came in late on a Sunday night, but she made sure to keep our drinks topped off and bring a sense of humor to our table. She even went above and beyond when a couple friends showed up 40 minutes late and missed out on some of the dishes we had already devoured; she went into the back and pulled out two more dishes of our favorite, the crispy chicken with cream sauce, for each of them at no extra charge. 5 stars for our lovely waitress, and I definitely would like to come back and try this lunch buffet that I keep reading about.
(5)Raymond F.
So here's 1 for the books. Had to laugh on our way out the door at this place the pink pepper. We ordered takeout and to our surprise the food was out pretty fast. we read complaints on some of the other ones and had to laugh though we have a story for you. We went in having ordered 2 seperate orders because we had a restaurant.com cert. The owners had a time of arguing with us over the fact that it was done in only, but that was not specified in the web site. We decided to skip the place due to all the flack over $5 cert. Mind you the place was EMPTY. As we left they decided it didn't matter and would honor the cert. We still did not want the food and as we opened the car doors, 2 bags of food come flying at us. They chukt it at us then yelled at us "what comes around goes around". Never had that happened to us. We had to laugh our asses off. So steer clear of this place. You may end up with food in your face.
(1)Joshua D.
Food was ready quickly. Red Curry was nothing too excite. Not much flavor. Portion size was good. Spice level accurate
(2)David R.
Pink Pepper is mad at me for refusing an order 90 minutes after it was ordered.. Then they black list me. After multiple satisfactory orders? Good luck. Yeah, I'm the problem.. Not the fact that you can't deliver food within a timeline you set.. Bye.
(1)Eloy W.
We stopped here just at the end of the Buffet...Having said that, there were not many people still in the restaurant, and it seemed as if they were pushing the buffet onto us. For the price they had some pretty good Pad Thai that I kept going back for more. All the usual suspects you would see at Chinese buffet were there and we took advantage of. I think I would like to order off the menu next time and see what they are really made of.
(3)Mark R.
Came here for the Buffet with Rand H., Robyn N., Norm R., Jackie C. & Mike C. It is always fun getting together with this crew. They are a blast! Been to the other location on Bell before it closed and this restaurant is somewhat smaller and a little cramped inside. We got there when it opened at 11:00 and had to wait a bit for the door to unlock itself. Once inside I noticed several of the food items on the buffet were not there yet as well as most the lights in the place were still in the off position. Hmmm? The food was pretty tasty once it arrived but a bit Americanized. Nice variety of styles and proteins so that everyone can pick a favorite or more and enjoy. They even have some without meat for those veggie lovers. Would liked to have seen more ways to spice things up a notch since I am a SPICY kind of FREAK. Fresh Thai Peppers in some Fish Sauce with some Lime juice and a little Sugar works well. This review was for the buffet only. They also have a full menu that you can order from if you wish. Enjoy! 3.5 STARS
(3)V C.
Came for lunch but very disappointed ... Buffet barely had food and for $8.95 it's not worth it. The food had no taste... Kind of blah... It is not really Thai because Thai spice is really great but here there's not even a spicy dish. Boring place ... The waiter who is also the brother of the owner is nice and all but zero personality to be in this business... They need help OH LORD... Or maybe it's time to close doors ... Food not fresh and uninviting buffet.. I guess I won't be coming here again as it keeps going down unless a miracle happens .. They need restaurant impossible team to come in and make it happen...
(1)Teighlor D.
I love the lunch buffet here. Great food for a great price!
(5)lindsey h.
mediocre to bad food. so bland! boyfriend said his red curry chicken just tasted like "spicy" and nothing else, and that it wasn't good. my tofu dish had barely any sauce and tasted like nothing but old oil. how could thai food taste so boring? we ordered delivery which took over an hour even though we're not really far away, yet the food was cold when it arrived. do yourself a favor and skip this place. Thai Basil is a far better choice even though they only do carry-out, not delivery
(1)Stefan W.
I was here and had great thai food back in 2008 and was eager to go back on my 2013 summer vacation. I dont know if i was unlucky this evening and they had some kitchen problems but the food was not as good as i remembered. I had the beef panang wich was ok but maybe a little bland. The chicken with green curry was not only bland but had an odd taste that we never had before in thaifood. All in all the food was not bad but a step down from what i consider "ok" and far from the last time i was there when i had 4 star thai food with fresh ingredients and lots of that famous chili punch.
(2)Pratik N.
Ordered an item and they forgot to make it in an hour when we arrived. Instead the lady said "It's okay you're causing too much trouble" so we just left. WORST service ever. And also it was a Friday night and there was no one else in the restaurant, wonder why.
(1)Joann M.
I'm sorry I can not give an accurate review of the food. The filth after just stepping a few inches inside the door was so overwhelming I had to leave immediately. I have been here many years before and never remember it being this bad. But this was bad! The menus were sticky and dirty. Everything was old and filthy. I can usually eat at most any dive but this was assaulting! Pink pepper! You are in serious need of an overhaul.
(1)Jason C.
Just wanted something quick and not expensive, found it. Very good service and food.
(5)Gabriel W.
So I finally did it. Thanks to a groupon deal that my parents got for me, I was able to try dinner service at the Pepper not once, but twice. Both times, I have to say, the food was excellent. It really is a very different experience going from the lunch buffet to dinner...its like they're two different restaurants that just happen to share the same space. But yes, the food was awesome. The first time, the service was a little slow, but I really didn't fault them too much for this as the place was fairly busy. The second night, it was a prompt service. I will say though, that despite all that, it will probably be a long time before I go back for dinner service again. Not for any thing at fault with the restaurant, but just because that lunch buffet is SOOO SOOOOOOOO good. I pretty much can't go to phoenix any more without stopping there at least once. Also, I just want to say that the soup of the day they've been doing recently during the lunch buffet is one of the most delicious things Ive ever eaten. Its some sort of Thai roasted corn curry soup that literally tastes like a roasted corn cob just doused in butter and awesome sauce. Its fantastic.
(5)Melissa F.
Ordered delivery food from here for the first time and it is great! We ordered chicken curry, beef pad Thai, dumplings, and two Thai ices coffees. Our food arrived right on time and was delicious.
(5)Daniel E.
Ordered some Pad Thai... except they apparently "make it different". The woman claimed they mellow it down a bit because they're clients prefer it that way... I like Thai food for the heat, spices and flavor. This was extremely bland had no sauce on it, no heat whatsoever. It was very disappointing. After a bit of a discussion the woman agreed to refund the entree after I told her I didnt want credit for a restaurant I surely will not be visiting again. If you want good authentic Thai food look elsewhere.
(2)Phisit P.
One of my buddies was craving thai food so I suggested this spot. They seemed to like it. Let me see, I ordered the crispy chicken with spicy sauce. My friends got the yellow curry. It was all pretty delicious. The thai tea is also really good here. At the end of our meal they convinced us to get the mango with sticky rice and that was alright. Overall, pretty nice place all around besides the bathroom.
(4)Whitney T.
Ate there for lunch buffet. There was about 4 choices. Food was cold and very gross. I'll never go back to this place.
(1)Robyn N.
Today is the second time I've been to their lunch buffet and it was pretty good. They are a little slow getting the food out at opening time, but everything was fresh and tasty and a good variety. The already dressed salad had a great sweet dressing, pineapple something or other and it was a great start to the meal. One of the things I like best about this buffet is the variety of foods they offer - chicken, veggie, pork, beef as well as rice and noodle dishes. I'd prefer more of the items to have a little heat; the only spicy thing I tried was the panang chicken. The food is good, they serve real iced tea with the buffet as well. Service was good and the company was better! I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)Joyce W.
Pink Pepper is definitely a favorite place of mine to order from that's around the house. From mouth-watering curry to crispy Thai toast, Pink Pepper has always hit the spot when it comes to a spice-craving. I've never actually dined in, I always place my orders to-go, but the ambiance is quite nice. Portions could be bigger but the quality usually makes up for the average prices and smaller portions. They make a mean yellow curry!
(4)Ramona A.
I've only eaten there twice and both times the serve was horrible. There are only three people. One waitress, one bartender and I think one is the cook which no matter what you can't understand him. When we sat down at 6pm, it took 10 mins for them to get our drink order. Our appetizer came out pretty fast but it took another 1/2 for our food to come out. There was three people in the whole place. Now the tea I got was excellent, my food was ok tasting until I bit into spoiled chicken. I spit it out and it smelt rancid. They wanted to make me a new dish but I refused. I about had it with this place. We waited another 1/2 an hour for our bill but never got it so we went to front to pay. All and all it took us 1-1/2 hour to finish and get out. Will not ever go back.
(1)N H.
I don't even know how this place is in business. Terrible.
(1)Christina N.
So my boyfriend and I could not decide what to eat for dinner. So we came up w/the 'drive around until we see something different' plan. Sounds like a fun spontaneous idea, right?! We spotted this place while driving by and just popped in! When you first walk in, it is a bit quite. Its got a very quaint authentic feel to it. The few staff members who work there are very humble and genuinely kind. Gave us plenty of time to look over their menu. We finally made our dinner decisions. I chose the roasted duck and he chose the grilled chicken with the fresh spinach and thai peanut sauce. First, I must say that I am pretty hard to please when it comes to well prepared duck. But I must say it was absolutely delicious! And my boyfriend's thai peanut chicken was pretty tasty as well. I am not sure why this place is not busier. The food is authentic and completely amazing!! And the prices are low so the value of this place is unbelievable. I will be returning for sure! This place is a diamond in the rough!!
(4)Ainee B.
This place quite old but very nice chair setting. The prices very affortable. Both of us just had $18 for lunch buffet. The service was great! Always come back for the water. The food and the buffet was good such as the crispy chicken creamy sauce, sour soup, and spicy beef. Actually all the foods that I had on lunch buffet was great. Try the snacks, mee krob (fried rice noodle)! It was yummy! My sit was faced the windows on a sunny day so I can tell whether the glass was clean (and clear) or not. Therefore, make sure that your glass is clean before the waiter pour your water. I had to use my tissue and wiped the glass infront of the waiter so he understand that the glass is not clean at all. I believed it must be the dishwasher machine didn't work very well or it might be not quite clean. I would like to go back to this place for the food and the price!
(4)Troy C.
The Thai Iced tea wasn't that good. Spring rolls and dumplings were tasty. After a long wait, the crispy chicken with cream sauce arrived, it was a disappointment.
(2)Navid A.
This restaurant was where I was first exposed to Thai food over ten years ago and because of that wil always have a dear place in my heart! The service is spectacular here and it is a nice atmosphere to bring people. The portions are good and the food is very tasty, their pad thai is my favorite but the curry noodles are another must-try dish. Thai food just about everywhere I have been has been spicy, and I have pretty Americanized tastes, but if you have similar tastebuds make sure to always order mild and get a Thai Ice Tea on the side just in case.
(5)Olivera D.
I went there for dinner with my husband--we had been wanting to try the place for a while since it's right up the street from our house. The staff was friendly...but service was very slow. My pad thai was very bland. Unfortunately we were not impressed. I don't think we will go back. 2 star s because yhey were friendly.
(2)Scott P.
Yeah, I dug this place. It looks like they've been here for awhile, and the quality of the food leads one to believe that they'll be here for awhile longer. The menu had a lot of really nice looking offerings, and I look forward to eating here again. I haven't encountered a lot of Thai food in the area which rocked my socks, so this place seems to have promise.
(4)Bruce L.
Really mixed on this one, because I'm not a fan of their full menu, but the lunch buffet is filled with dishes I like. There's a chicken in a cream sauce that's delicious, same with the BBQ pork. Hot and sour soup is HOT and so good. Music choices always amuse me too, nothing like Christmas carols in the summer. Haven't tried delivery. Buffet is where it's at.
(4)William H.
This place is awesome!! I have ate Thai food Everywhere! I love Thai food! Every place I travel I always go and Thai food. Nobody comes close to this place!!!
(5)Emma D.
Our first experience was last night, we ordered delivery actually through grub hub.com only I did it wrong and actually ordered through the restaurant and I think they were a little confused, they forgot to ask my phone number and were very late delivering, I felt bad for them really because once the guy got my number from grub hub.com after I contacted them, he was all stressed when he got here. The reason for the five stars? Because when the food got here it was absolutely to die for. I've never has such good food. Worth every waiting second. I will definitely eat here again, might even go into the restaurant and would highly recommend to everyone.
(5)Jenna L.
I was excited to come back to Pink Pepper after they finally opened up again. I've been there plenty of times and have never had any problems. I was enjoying my dinner until I found something absolutely horrifying IN my food that is a major safety hazard - glass. A piece of glass was in the plum chicken - I would have swallowed it if it hadn't clanked against my teeth at the last second. What is going on in that kitchen of theirs that they can't detect a not-so-small piece of glass in the food they're cooking? Not only is it extremely dangerous, but it signifies how unsanitary that restaurant really is. I know they had a kitchen fire a bit of time before I went there, but if they're still dirty in the kitchen and have broken glass everywhere then why are they in service? They also had the nerve to also insist that I keep eating and pay for the meal - obviously I didn't. To all previous reviewers who praise this restaurant: your food may have tasted great, but is was probably handled with filthy and almost non-exsistent safety measures. To potential eaters: please go somewhere else, lest you find something even worse in your meal. ((This review is actually a few months old, I just didn't officially post it because my email never got confirmed because I only made an account to warn others.))
(1)Jon C.
Had some family in town, so we had planned to go to Inka Fest as I'd been meaning to try it for awhile. Unfortunately Inka Fest closed by the Health Department (crazy)! This place was next door, so we ended up here instead. Overall, I'd say the food here was pretty average but the service was very good. I ordered the beef Pad Gra Prao, the server asked me for how hot on a scale of 1-10, I asked for a 7. Several of our party ordered a curry and asked for a heat level of 4. My dish was ok and spicy, but not as spicy as that curry, theirs was definitely a lot hotter than mine. Nothing really stands out here, since I don't live nearby, I probably won't be back.
(3)Kevin W.
I came in by myself around 6pm on a Saturday night, practically empty. Greeted warmly by Thai hostess/waitress Ana who thoughtfully sat me in a quiet area after seeing I had brought a book to read. The ambiance was pleasant with some indistinct music softly playing in the background. I ordered the beef Massaman at level 7 out of 10 spice level and it came out reasonably fast with the standard accompanying pot of white rice. The flavor was robust and had enough kick to it to cause my eyes and nose to run a little. The portion size was sufficiently satisfying.. Although I admit I was in the mood for a Thai buffet that didn't exist during Dinner hours ;) Overall a good experience, although unsure how a packed house would have affected the service.
(4)rick w.
I'm not sure if the delivery issues are with Pink Pepper or Grubhub...it was if no one who got the order read it. Veggie Curry had little veggies in it. My duck dish simply ...wasn't. From now on we'll just drive to "Mint Thai" in the future.
(1)Rebecca P.
Have grown to love the Buffet, just wish it was open on the weekends because I don't often have a weekday that I can make it to the Pepper for lunch. I love the Thai Omelet - has always been my favorite on the buffet.
(5)Majken B.
Ordered via grub hub. Super courteous delivery and the best thai in the area hands down!
(4)Katie K.
pretty good Thai food for a strip mall. Will def go back.
(4)Lorenzo R.
4th time here. The Moo satae is the best! Chicken and spicy plum sauce was very good
(5)Ronney K.
yum! I love their food, their lunch buffet does not taste like buffet food. The tables are kind of "sticky" but its the finish on them, and if htey would just put like a coat or 2 of polyeurothane on it, that would make the difference in the world. But the food was really excellent. Service was good, which is always the #1 priority in my book. So over all a pleasant experience. That creamy chicken stuff was soooo good (sorry dont remember what it was called) and I had this other kind of chicken stir fry stuff that was REALLY super excellent, It was called "pan something" The pork dish was good too, it had greenbeans in it, and their veggies are cooked just right! Really good and worth a trip! YUMMIE!
(4)Neha S.
I absolutely love this place. The food is delicious and nothing can beat the variety for the price. And the lunch buffet includes iced tea as well. The only reason I took away a star is the so-so decor. The place could really use some renovation. Other than that, Best Thai buffet there is !!
(4)Adam B.
Great service and awesome food! The staff was very attentive to us while we were dining. I've tried a handful of Thai restaurants and this one is definitely the best in AZ. Way to go Pink Pepper!
(5)Bobby B.
Yuck!!! OK, I'll let you have it.. It starts off with placing an order to go. I called in my order of 2 red curry 's and 2 spring rolls. I had to repeat my order 4 times, oh my God!!!! And they still got my order wrong. I showed up to pick up my order, and they only had I red curry and 2 spring rolls ready, remember! this is after repeating my order 4 times... The waitress told me to wait 5 minutes and that she will have the other curry ready.. 15 minutes pass, finally our order is complete.. We get home, excited to eat our red curry, it's watered down!!!! Flavored water!!! And two different color's if red curry. We ended up driving back and asked for a refund.. I give this place 2 stars, one because the manager gave us our refund without a hassle. and another star because I felt bad, because they looked like they were understaffed.
(2)Alan L.
After driving by this place forever, two co-workers and I finally tried it out yesterday to see how the Pink Pepper stacks up against other Thai restaraunts in town. The first thing that we noticed right away was the very small number of people dining here (as compared to their competitors). Service was good - they were very friendly, but when we asked for a menu they immediately pushed us towards the buffet special, saying that the food on the buffet line contained the best items off of their menu. So, we went ahead and gave it a try. After we were done, we all pretty much came to the same conclusion - mediocre. Nothing really stood out. One of the rice dishes had some kick to it, but otherwise the food was pretty bland for Thai. The quality of the meat/chicken was so-so. In all fairness, we did not try ordering anything off their menu, so maybe they deserve another shot there. If Thai food is your thing, there are other places in town that run circles around this place (Swaddee Thai & Yupha's Thai).
(2)Emily M.
So I returned here for a quick lunch today after probably 8 years and have to say I was sadly disappointed... I remember this being "the Place" to get amazing Thai food and it is clear to see that the owners are running themselves ragged trying to manage this place today.. The restaurant is dated, not clean and disorganized, giving an unwelcome feel. To top that off, the Masuman I had was blah and the chicken was dry and overcooked.. Buffet wasn't looking great either. I hope they get the help they need to make this place what is use to be.
(2)Clifford B.
I went on a June Thursday evening; there was only one customer couple while I was there. Service was prompt but not pushy. I asked for the food at a 7 out of 10 heat. It was spicy but not overwhelming. I enjoyed a spring roll and Mus-Sa-Mun, chicken, potato slices, carrots, onions and bell peppers in a spicy curry sauce. The main dish was served with sticky rice. The portion was right sized, not stingy but not so much you need a take-out container. Prices were reasonable for the quality and quantity.
(4)Aileen B.
10/16 Stumbled upon Pink Pepper as I was heading towards a second Thai option when my first option, owned by a coworker and his children, was rented out for a reception Friday evening. I've wanted to visit PP for years, but never had a chance. Darol (RIP), an ex-coworker, and I would exchange foodie stories of our fave places, and PP was the only place he'd go when he had a craving for Thai. (He resided in Thailand for a few years and considered himself well-versed in the cuisine.) So, en route to my second choice, I spotted the Pink Pepper logo in the distance and said, "Why the hell not?" "Today's the day!" It was very dead in there. (Ya, not just dead. VERY dead! LOL.) Besides me, I spotted my server, who must've been the owner, and an elderly woman rolling up silverware in cloth napkins. Granted, it was around 3, 330'ish in the afternoon, and lunch had just ended at 2:30p. (The buffet pans were still emitting heat as they cooled down.) But I'm not one to let empty rooms sway me away, so I asked for a table. I liked the ambience- warm, inviting, w/ lovely colors. Loved the floral salad plates that sat at the table, which I've spotted at Sur La Table before. Made me wish I'd splurged and bought them then. Apparently, these plates are only used for show, bec. they were removed moments after I sat down. Chose to skip the app course and ordered green curry w/ chicken (came w/ rice). At $9.50, I thought that this entree better be good! While I waited, I checked out the rest of the menu and liked what I saw. If the dish turned out great, I'll be coming back to check the rest out soon enough. I also spotted a cocktails menu on the table that had quite a few good-tasting options to choose from. My entree arrived after about 10 to 15 minutes. The portion was smaller than I'm used to seeing for the price, so I was really hoping that I was getting a very tasty meal. I shouldn't have worried! Pink Pepper's green curry has placed Pink Pepper Thai pretty high on my list of places for green curry!! (Try that for a tongue-twister!) The coconut curry sauce was thick and super-creamy, and medium heat was just perfect for me! I also loved the variety of veggies used- there was an extra item there that wasn't listed on the menu. (Thank goodness I did not have any adverse reactions.) It took all of my will AND the thought of ordering dessert to keep me from finishing the entire order! Looking back, I could've squeezed three decent servings out of that meal, especially knowing what I know now... that Pink Pepper's homemade coconut ice cream is freaking AMAZING! Those w/ a peanut allergy should know to alert the server of this fact, bec. this not overly-sweet sweet comes w/ a generous topping of peanuts. Ohhh... I just got the shivers up and down my spine (the good kind!) recalling how great my meal ended! Service was friendly and efficient, if a little lonely. I'm going to assume it was bec. he was by himself in the front. Perhaps w/ busier hours it'll be easier to flag someone down. One low point was the restroom visit- the temperature was significantly warmer at that part of the building. Consider yourself warned.
(4)Jason B.
My wife and I went here last night at about 7pm. The place was eerily dead. There were probably 4 other people in the entire place. I know the saying, "nobody likes to eat in an empty restaurant", but we didn't care and decided to give this place a try. For many reasons, I really really really do not enjoy giving sub-par reviews so I will try to be gentle and concentrate on what I liked sprinkled with a few things that could be improved upon. If I had to rate a place only on decor, bathrooms and stickiness of my table; this place would not do very well. Good thing I was here for the food. Our waiter was very fast and friendly. He was a very soft spoken gentlemen and it was difficult to understand him at times. He was fast to refill waters and diet cokes so I really can't complain. Here is what we ordered: *Thai Spring Rolls - these were excellent as was the dipping sauce which had a nice kick to it. I would order these again. *Tom Yum Goong - this had a nice kick and a nice flavor. However, I would have liked more "stuff" in it. It came with some mushrooms and shrimp, but could have used a bit more. I would order this again but some of their other soups looked good as well. *Steak & Chicken with Spicy Thai Lemon Garlic Sauce - this was ok. It was just some strips of cheap beef and chicken with some sauce. The chicken was good but the beef was just eh. I probably wouldn't order this again. *Garlic and Peppers - this was just ok too. My wife ordered it with tofu instead of chicken, but we got the chicken anyway. We didn't send it back because I don't like doing that and maybe this was a "sign" to try the chicken because it is amazing. Anyway, the dish had good flavor but it was eh. My wife would probably order this again, but I wouldn't. For the heath conscious, each of our entrees were not covered in tons of sauce so that's a plus. However, the menu said they had brown rice, but we were told they didn't have any so that was a negative. I haven't had much Thai food in my day, but I think this place is more Chinese than Thai. Perhaps we just didn't order the right things? Judging by the reviews on here it looks like I should have done my homework before my visit to be sure I ordered properly. I wouldn't rush back here but I won't cross it off my list just yet because I don't think I ordered what I should have. However, as far as Thai food goes in my book, it is Thai Basil all the way.
(3)Valentina L.
The buffet is amazing and the people are so nice!!! Don't let one person's opinion of vomit throw you off. It's just plain rude and distasteful. My friends and I have been coming here for years and love it! I finally have some week days off and get to come back. Now I don't have to take a sick day to come eat at their buffet. =)
(5)Rosie M.
I have had my share of authentic Thai cuisine... This place was REALLY bad. And no im not a very picky person lol Out of all the items on there buffet maybe 2 were decent. Actually only the noodles were OK everything else was notgood at all, not even my kids liked ANY of it... Make the trip and go to the mint thai cafe on Gilbert rd.
(2)Angy B.
Thankfully I had previously purchased a restaurant.com voucher for this place (pay $2 for $25 or something). While the food was alright... nothing spectacular by any means, I thought it was over-priced and really not worth going back to.
(2)Dave B.
Really, I'd give this place 3.49 stars... almost 3 1/2, but I wouldn't round to 4. Pros: Quiet dining environment Not crowded for dinner My favorite place for Panang Beef (and thai curry in general) They will raise or lower the heat of any dish based on a scale of 1-10. (10 is awesome, by the way) Love the flambe bananas for dessert, also the coconut icecream is fantastic. sweet, a slight hint of salt and crushed peanuts on top. Mmmmm. Only been there for the lunch buffet once, but it was pretty good and at a fair price. Cons: While the waiter is friendly, he can be a bit difficult to understand (very soft spoken, mumbles somewhat) Sticky table tops. They all seem to be this way. They're not dirty, though... just sticky. Like glue residue or something. Cloth napkins have smelled a bit "off" and could probably use a good washing. The lettuce wraps were a bit disappointing as the lettuce was a bit wilted. I like it when the lettuce has a bit more crunch to it. Quiet to the point of being empty. Has an almost ghost-town feel to it when it's 6:00pm and you're the only people there for dinner. My friends and I have wondered sometimes how they stay in business. Summary: Even though I rated this place three stars, this is still one of my favorite Thai restaurants and I will keep coming back again and again. Most of the deductions are for things un-related to the food. If you're just going for take-out, then I'd kick it up to 4 or 4 1/2 stars.
(3)Tom C.
I traveled to Phoenix often for work from the early 90's to the late 00's and the first thing I'd do leaving the airport was to hit the Pink Pepper lunch buffet, hence I've never ordered from the menu or had their dinner service, but their lunch buffet was awesome! Very reasonably priced, including an iced tea. It may not necessarily be the most authentic Thai food as I think they reduce the heat a bit but the flavors were excellent and the variety was good. Loved their eggplant dish (can't recall the name) and their crispy chicken with the creamy sauce, and of course the usual curry sauce dishes. If I'm ever back in Phoenix again the Pink Pepper will be one of the first places I go.
(5)Beth S.
First timer and man did we have a good time! We were a walk-in party of 10 and we were quickly and easily accomodated. Our server was one of the owners and she was very helpful with our choices as well as providing quick service with piping hot food. Our group sampled a wide variety of dishes including combo appetizer, the ma tar bah, the thai fried wontons, Chicken Pad Thai, Spicy Thai Wrap with chicken and shrimp, the BBQ chicken, Gai Ping, Grilled Pork with Spicy Pineapple, and Crispy Chicken in Spicy Thai sauce. Every last dish was excellent and served hot. Can't wait to go back again...even if it is an hour away from my house!
(4)Shannon B.
Best. Thai food. Ever. My boyfriend and I discovered this place on Christmas (it was the only place nearby that was open). I think we went back 5 times in the next month after that! The food is THAT good and I am not a huge fan of thai. I recommend to anyone in the mood for thai food, novice to experienced!
(5)Steve M.
By far, The Pink Pepper is the best Thai food in the East Valley. Their buffet is reasonably priced and delicious!
(5)Arizona T.
This is a quality Thai Buffet I have been going to for many years. Only downside is the best dishes they only bring to the buffet in small quantity and it gets picked over completely if you aren't the first 3 people there. They should make the crunchy chicken in large quantity. People could be more talkative also. All in all, quality Thai for $10. Is it as good as Thai Buffet on Dobson? Probably not simply due to the fact the people at the other place are way more personable and will make you whatever you want.
(4)Mandy M.
I was soooo looking forward to this place. It's got great curb appeal. But I had a horrible experience. ....IT STARTED AND ENDED WITH THE COCKROACH IN MY FOOD. I'm not lying. Makes me question their best practices in the kitchen... I gave it 2 stars because the food wasn't particularly bad (what they replaced it with)... and things happen. I know, but. Still...
(2)Patrick F.
This place is an absolute gem and rare find, and I'm lucky to live so close by since I know I'll be coming back repeatedly. It's a nice, quiet and beautifully decorated place, and the wait staff are very considerate and soft-spoken and quite attentive. I went out of my comfort range and ordered the Drunken Noodles, and ended up eating 3/4 of the entree myself - which surprised me - and left me knowing I'm going to like almost anything I order here. The next time I come here, I'd like to try out the lunch buffet, since this is what they're "known" for, and some Thai coffee. Speaking of beverages, ordering the Thai iced tea is definitely suggested.
(4)Anthony L. Z.
Yesterday was my third visit to Pink Pepper and while it deserves praise in many respects, there is definite room for improvement. My first impression of the restaurant was a dinner experience that went off with out a hitch. The second time I went, we ended up choosing to go somewhere else. Despite arriving at 5:15p for dinner, the doors remained locked with no one to be found (advertised open for dinner at 4:30p). I've noticed this seems to be a perpetual problem here, because when I arrived for lunch at 11:00a yesterday, the doors were similarly locked. I decided to wait to see how long it would take and sadly, no one appeared at the doors until almost 11:20a. I was perhaps more disappointed by the discovery that the buffet is the only option for lunch. Even if you want to order an entrée from the menu, you cannot. That said, there is no denying the quality of the food. The buffet was fantastic and the crispy chicken in cream sauce (the dish I would have ordered, given the opportunity) is nothing short of "to die for". Coupled with the fantastic service I can always expect once I'm actually seated, I am certain I will be back.
(4)Priscilla S.
I finally got the guts to try the Thai place by my home after being skeptical from bad experiences at other Thai places looking for the one that served Hot & Sour Seafood soup like Thai Dishes in California. I was sooo happy to taste the same soup! I found it (even though it wasn't on the menu)! And not that bad of a price for a bowl! The restaurant is nice and private-ish, the male waiter is the best, he has a huge heart and only wants the customers to be satisfied. Every time we go we have a great experience and come out with satisfied tummies.
(5)Theresa N.
It was my first time coming here and my entire experience was absolutely terrible. It was pretty empty for 12pm. My husband and I ordered the thai salad wrap as an appetizer. Not only was the meat overpowered with too much peanut sauce, the lettuce wasn't fresh. I ordered the pad kee Mao that comes with a side of jasmine rice. The rice was very dry, the beef was chewy, veggies were soggy, and the sauce was quite bland. My husband ordered the spicy thai pasta that also lacked in flavor. The server also forgot that I ordered the tom gati soup and I had to remind him two times to bring it out. It came out 30 mins after eating our main entrees. That as well, failed in flavor. The mushrooms were over cooked and the broth did not go down well. We are not picky eaters, but we are able to differ between great food and completely tasteless food. Our overall experience was not pleasant due to the service, the restaurant looking like it hasn't been updated since 1940s, and every dish not being good. Sorry, but wouldn't come back a second time or recommend this place to others.
(1)Pete T.
Pretty good, little slow at the end of the night. Would visit again!
(4)Courtney M.
I'm not a fan of buffets at all, but for Pink Pepper I always make an exception. The food is amazing and even worth the lunch price if you only get one plate! Dinner is a little expensive but the food is still just as wonderful. The service is nice and the family always recognizes us. Big fan :} Give them your business!!
(5)Autum P.
My husband and I took his mother out for her birthday lunch and our first impression was not good. Because it never dawned on us that we could just turn around and walk right out, we proceeded on to the buffet. To put it bluntly, it was gross. It was the smallest, greasiest Chinese Buffet we had ever seen.....and it was equally confusing to us because we thought we were at a Thai restaurant!!! No one in our party enjoyed the food. My husband powered down his one and only plate, my mother-in-law politely ate all her food but enjoyed little, and I sat back and enjoyed my Thai Iced Tea and waited for it all to be over. The worst $30 I have ever spent. I will never return.
(1)J'en H.
I only recently discovered that I do not hate Thai, having never tried it, so this place was right up my alley. It's literally 1 mile away from our home and has a pretty extensive menu. The atmosphere is nothing to write home about, but if you're a fan of pastels and the early 90s, you'll love it here. You may even want to move in. Our service was a little slow, but the friendliness of our servers (yes, multiple) made me feel ok about waiting a little bit for a third beer. Overall, I'd say this gets a thumbs up from me and my other half.
(4)Norm R.
I enjoyed the lunch buffet at Pink Pepper on Bell Rd. in Phoenix, so I had to try this location in Mesa for the lunch buffet too. I really enjoyed my meal, from the crispy tempura veggies (not Thai, I know, but darn good) to the salt and pepper chicken, to the savory beef and chicken dishes - especially that delightful crispy chicken in creamy sauce. And they had two tofu dishes, both good - a plus for me, since not too many buffets serve tofu, which I love. The fried rice and the pad thai were just OK, and dessert was limited to cubed fresh fruit, sweet fried noodles, orange slices, and those small doughnuts found in most Asian buffets. The buffet dishes were on big portable buffet carts in a very dimly lit area of the restaurant, suggesting that perhaps the restaurant had not originally planned to offer buffet when it was being conceived. I wish that they had at least put lamps in there to light up the dishes being served. Nevertheless, I found the food to be good and the service attentive, though more businesslike than friendly. A pleasant buffet dining experience overall.
(4)Another Y.
Came here for dinner, not the buffet. Some of the best spring rolls I have ever had! Service was excellent, even though we got there minurtes before closing time. Only gripe: The massaman curry had jalapenos in it, something I have never experienced, and didn't like.
(4)Robin L.
Service was great but both my boyfriend and I ended up with a touch of food poisoning. I think it was from the chicken on a stick appetizer. We both ate that and it was the only common thing we ate. I will not be going back to the Pink Pepper:(
(2)Erigan A.
Great food and phenomenal service, but please clean. Our table was sticky and the menus had dried food on them. We were sitting by a corner full of junk that looked like it was also being used as an office. It was literally right out in the open. Why? It did provide us with quite a few laughs, but I don't know if I would return just for this reason. If they cleaned up, I would be there multiple times a month. The food is good and it's not too far from our home.
(3)Zach H.
Food was GREAT! Loved the appetizers, and the main dishes. Service was friendly and let my co-workers & I enjoy a nice quiet meal. We had the drunken noodles, Gai Pan & Cashew & Chicken...all of which exceeded expectations. The ONLY part that lacked (besides the decor), was the wine menu. The wine menu was small & everything we asked for they were out of. Finally, the gentleman brought over a wine he thought we might like, and we agreed. All in all, great experience, and the best (and only) Thai food I've had in Arizona! : )
(3)Kelly J.
This place follows under the 'bomb.com' search! I've had other thai and I must admit there normally isn't a huge difference (in what I order anyway) but the difference w/Pink Pepper is spice level efficiency (their right on da money) but the meal size/portion. The restaurant is large, open and clean. If you're looking to go out or order in some Thai, CHOOSE THIS PLACE! I guarantee you won't be disappointed!
(4)Reylynne W.
I am not sure if I want to review this place or not. I mean, the other reviews made this place sound great. Was that during Happy Hour or something? I wasn't at all impressed with the restaurant decor. My sister Cher T and I came here because I was wanting Thai food and She heard that this place had good reviews. The buffet looked skimpy and looked like it's been out for a while. We sat by the window that appeared to have a couple of bullet holes in them. I was facing east and noticed the pile of stuff in the corner and my first thought was that is a potential fire hazard. Our waiter was invisible during the entire meal, what should have been an hour was more like 2 hour lunch. I don't even think the waiter asked for our drinks, so we both had water. I ordered Green Curry. Since I was in the mood to try something different. It tasted good, however the rice noodles were clumpy and stuck together. I had to cut into the noodles to eat it. The spring rolls Cher got were good along with that peanut sauce. I don't think I will return in the future. Sorry!
(2)Cassy H.
Awful! Worst dining experience I have had in a long time. I wish I could give negative stars. -I wanted to look at a menu but the waiter/front of house guy kept pushing the buffet. So we reluctantly gave it a try - I wish we had just left the restaurant. -food was mediocre at best once you got past the fact that it was dry cold and tasteless -the ambiance was dreary and the incense was nauseating. -there is also no place to change a diaper in addition to the fact that the bathroom was not stocked with toilet paper or paper towels and the floors were grimy and sticky GROSS -when it came time to pay I WAS CHARGED $100- no joke!!!! When I brought it to his attention he acted like I was the one inconveniencing HIM! Then, after completely screwing my finances for the day he had the nerve to get on to me about my card declining when he tried to charge it for the correct $9 amount. Fully embarrassed and infuriated I had to ask my friend to cover me. I will NEVER return to this establishment. There are so many other better Thai restaurants in the area I don't even know how or why these people are still in business! DO NOT go here!
(1)Tony S.
I really liked this place! Good service, friendly, and the food was quite tasty. Appetizers, main dishes, the works. All good. I highly recommend Pink Pepper, and I know that I and my family will be back!
(4)Lizzie F.
The curry is good, and the food is decent for a buffet and the price, not AMAZING, there were a few delicious items here and there. Definitely would consider going back.
(3)Becky M.
I went to the Pink Pepper today with two friends for the lunch buffet. I've been here once before (also for the buffet) and the food is great. Wonderful curries, great tofu dishes, and equally delicious pad-thai. I especially liked the curried veggies today - I love coconut red curry! The meal comes with iced tea, and for about $9, it's worth it.
(4)Michael T.
Newly remodeled, the Pink Pepper in Mesa has long been one of our favorite lunch time destinations. Serving both menu items and a diverse if somewhat "Americanized" Thai buffuet. However the quality of the food has suffered at The Pink Pepper over the previous year, with more gristle on the chicken and less pork and beef present in those dishes on the buffet line. The food recently was disappointing, not having the usual "kick" one expects Thai food to have. When we asked the owner if there had perhaps been a chef change his replay was "No, no changes, all the same". But it wasn't the same and that is a shame. We will try Pink Pepper again of course, after all we have been going for years and a few off days should not deter us. But I must say that we were a bit dissappointed.
(3)Tom P.
As we walked through the door, we were greeted with a "it'll be about 10mins" by the hostess. She never asked how many were in our party or if it was dine in. She then came back 5 mins later and asked us those questions, and then proceeded to seat us. After seated, the service was slow. Our first greeting by our server didn't come till 10 mins later. The restaurant didn't seem that busy though, two servers to about 8 tables. We ordered the beef panang and the Arizona fried rice. We didn't get asked how spicy we wanted these dishes. Maybe they don't do heat levels, who knows. The panang was average. The beef was dry and the portion sizes were small, especially for the price. The fried rice was a good tasting dish though. Also note that I am of Southeast Asian descent, so I grew up on these types of foods. Also, earlier I wanted to order a dish with duck in it and the server said that they were out of duck. However, as we were about to leave, the table next to us ordered duck with no issues. Strange...
(2)Jason K.
The food is good and reasonably priced, but the service is slow. Worth the wait though.
(4)Phillyman p.
No flavor Thai food ... Yes we found long black hair in our chicken dish , we informed the waiter , he didn't even care .... Our last time ...... where is the food inspector ?
(1)Monica S.
Yikes! This place was not what I expected after reviewing the previous Yelps. My mom and I went there for the lunch buffet for $9.99. Perhaps that was the mistake? The buffet runs until 2:00 and we arrived around 1:00. We should have turned around and left immediately when we noted only four people in the entire restaurant. The food on the line was obviously the same stuff they put out at 11am. The pad thai was forgettable which is what I had my mouth set on and the chicken panang had no chicken that I could find. The wonton salad was good except for the limp, soggy, saturated wonton strips....so- I guess just the salad was good. The chicken wings were great except there were only a couple of lonely wings to sample and they were not refilled even when a few new brave people straggled in. The service was near non-existant. It was their lunch time too, I guess because they were all sitting in a booth off to the side eating. We received our drinks when we were seated, and after that only once more when we asked when they finally provided the bill. We used another non-bussed table to put our used dishes on after realizing that they were more than happy to let the dirty dishes sit on our table during our meal. I don't know, maybe it's worth going there for dinner? I won't be finding out.
(1)S L.
It was a weeknight around 8:30pm and I guess the chef had left for the evening and the owner had to fill in because the food came out very slowly and horribly, with 3 tables present. The soup seemed to be reheated with barely any color to the veges, chicken dish was awful with a weird taste we did not touch again after one bite (we are not picky eaters), and a plain curry dish. Dinner that night reminded me of having to sit through an experimental dinner made by my brother. Actually, worse because in the end the bill still came for the slop we couldn't eat. Next time I'm in an unfamiliar city, I'll just stick to the chains instead.
(1)Mike C.
well by now you probably read Rand H. rant about the way this place is laid out. Well i feel all the ranting should have been aimed at how great the food was.I would have been happy sitting out on the curb with a plate of this food.Everything i tried was good even the cream of wheat soup.There BBQ pork and creamy chicken dish left you wanting more. the only thing missing from this buffet was a seafood entree.no shrimp, fish, crab balls nothing!!! and a limited selection of sweets which i love. They had small chinese donuts, some fruit salad and these candied noodles that looked like shreaded carrots they were real crispy but not bad.Anyway if you ever pop in the Pink Pepper for a buffet i am sure you will leave happy and full.
(4)Charee M.
More food for your money than Thai Bail, Lemongrass or other Thai places of that caliber. I had #71 or #72 (which should tell you how extensive their menu is), which was beef with green beans and carrots. I ordered 10 hot on a 10-point scale, and it was hot, but not unbearable. Like I said, it's about the same as the others. The service was so slow, but the woman was nice and offered dessert because one of our members is a long-time customer. Put it on your list if you haven't tried it.
(3)K D.
Don't go here! The food tasted okay at the time, but there were bullet holes in the window behind me, a random lounge chair near our table piled with crap and their health report is enough to make anyone queasy. The whole place is very dirty as well.
(1)Jay L.
My husband and I ate here for dinner. We had pad Thai, spring rolls, crab rolls, and the teriyaki chicken. All of it was good. Someone that we were with had the spicy BBQ chicken and that too was good. Everyone was nice. The only reason why I didn't give it five stars is because for some reason they didn't have ac in the bathroom. Its summer so I got hot while waiting. It may have been just the day or who knows it may be the slow economic times. I will return for dinner. :)
(4)M J.
My favorite Thai restaurant in AZ. The Thom Kah Gai is the best I have had in the States. And I have had it in Thailand a number of times. Green Curry is also a favorite of mine at Pink Pepper. The food here is great and the prices are reasonable!
(5)Todd A.
I've eaten at the Dobson & Guadalupe Pink Pepper for 21 years. I average going about twice a week. The buffet is a fantastic deal for the price, even though has gone up 50% in the last decade. That just indicates what a terrific deal it was in the 90's, because it's still a great deal! The buffet has a couple of my favorite dishes, so I rarely go there for dinner (literary less than 10 times out of my 2,000+ visits). The Chicken Panang, Garlic Pork and Chicken Gra Pow are my main dishes. I have taken many people there over the years, and they all have found something they really like (the Crispy Chicken seems to be a favorite). The only downside is the dishes are not nearly as spicy as they were 10 to 20 years ago. BTW, they do offer their dinner menu at lunch. All the time I see people ordering dishes during lunch instead of partaking in the buffet. Not sure why though, the buffet is cheaper than just about every dinner dish. With the buffet you get soup, salad, fruit, chips, wings, an array of rice and noodles, plus all 9 dinner dishes. Plus it's ready to eat! They start bringing out the lunch buffet a little after 11:00. It's best to wait until they have brought out every item, that's usually by 11:15. A few negative comments. They seems to have a tough time refilling empty food trays, though if you simply ask them to make more, then they will. You then get it fresh and hot in about 5 minutes. Another issue, I rarely go after 1:00, the food doesn't seem as fresh, and the trays are not getting refilled because the crowd has thinned out. As good as this place is, and it is very good, I prefer to go to another Thai restaurant for dinner. It's 2 miles away from the PP, and a hole in the wall, but damn it's good!
(4)Doug P.
I haven't tried their buffet yet because I always over eat then end up feeling uncomfortable all day. The beef salad (yam neua) was exceptional. Thin slices of rare sirloin in a huge serving all hot and spicy Thai peppers, cilantro, fish sauce, romaine lettuce, shallots, garlic, and some crisp cabbage to put the fire out, just the way I like it. Very authentic.
(4)Natalie W.
The food here is superb. Try the Tom Yum Gai, Beef Panang or the eggplant salad. The service may not always be as good as it could be, (slow, sulrly even at times) but the excellent food and reasonable prices make it forgiveable. The buffet lunch is a MUST. For about $7 you can eat all you'd like of a wide range of Thai dishes that alternate daily. This is a great place for heat-lovers. Order any dish with a chile next to it and tell your server how spicy you want it, on a scale from 1 to 10. Less than 5 is for sissys. The 6 and 7 range is about right. Anything 8 or above may incinerate your mouth.
(4)Austin C.
Hi- new to yelp and to Phoenix- but wanted to put a plug in for Pink Pepper. While relocating here and living out of hotels, I found myself going back to this place at least twice a week- both for the food and the friendly people. The service is great, the prices are reasonable, and the food is fresh and very authentic. Of course, being new to the area, I haven't really checked out many other places! But I have been to Thailand and Pink Pepper's food is very authentic. If you're looking for trendy decor or a place to be seen, this is probably not the place for you. But if you want good Thai- go here, ask for the seafood salad- and if you like it really hot, say "pet mahk mahk!" and be prepared!
(4)Georgia R.
Inexpensive Thai food in Mesa. Pink Pepper is located in an older building, and the place reflects this, but it doesn't also reflect on the food. Everything is clean, and ingredients in each dish are fresh and flavorful. I love the Asian salad, but my friend swears by the pad thai. They have quite a few different items for you to choose from, but the best part of this restaurant is their ability to spice anything up- as hot as you can possibly stand it. Be careful if you go for the max, my guess is you won't be able to eat more than a few bites!
(4)S L.
It was a weeknight around 8:30pm and I guess the chef had left for the evening and the owner had to fill in because the food came out very slowly and horribly, with 3 tables present. The soup seemed to be reheated with barely any color to the veges, chicken dish was awful with a weird taste we did not touch again after one bite (we are not picky eaters), and a plain curry dish. Dinner that night reminded me of having to sit through an experimental dinner made by my brother. Actually, worse because in the end the bill still came for the slop we couldn't eat. Next time I'm in an unfamiliar city, I'll just stick to the chains instead.
(1)Kelly J.
This place follows under the 'bomb.com' search! I've had other thai and I must admit there normally isn't a huge difference (in what I order anyway) but the difference w/Pink Pepper is spice level efficiency (their right on da money) but the meal size/portion. The restaurant is large, open and clean. If you're looking to go out or order in some Thai, CHOOSE THIS PLACE! I guarantee you won't be disappointed!
(4)Reylynne W.
I am not sure if I want to review this place or not. I mean, the other reviews made this place sound great. Was that during Happy Hour or something? I wasn't at all impressed with the restaurant decor. My sister Cher T and I came here because I was wanting Thai food and She heard that this place had good reviews. The buffet looked skimpy and looked like it's been out for a while. We sat by the window that appeared to have a couple of bullet holes in them. I was facing east and noticed the pile of stuff in the corner and my first thought was that is a potential fire hazard. Our waiter was invisible during the entire meal, what should have been an hour was more like 2 hour lunch. I don't even think the waiter asked for our drinks, so we both had water. I ordered Green Curry. Since I was in the mood to try something different. It tasted good, however the rice noodles were clumpy and stuck together. I had to cut into the noodles to eat it. The spring rolls Cher got were good along with that peanut sauce. I don't think I will return in the future. Sorry!
(2)Cassy H.
Awful! Worst dining experience I have had in a long time. I wish I could give negative stars. -I wanted to look at a menu but the waiter/front of house guy kept pushing the buffet. So we reluctantly gave it a try - I wish we had just left the restaurant. -food was mediocre at best once you got past the fact that it was dry cold and tasteless -the ambiance was dreary and the incense was nauseating. -there is also no place to change a diaper in addition to the fact that the bathroom was not stocked with toilet paper or paper towels and the floors were grimy and sticky GROSS -when it came time to pay I WAS CHARGED $100- no joke!!!! When I brought it to his attention he acted like I was the one inconveniencing HIM! Then, after completely screwing my finances for the day he had the nerve to get on to me about my card declining when he tried to charge it for the correct $9 amount. Fully embarrassed and infuriated I had to ask my friend to cover me. I will NEVER return to this establishment. There are so many other better Thai restaurants in the area I don't even know how or why these people are still in business! DO NOT go here!
(1)Tony S.
I really liked this place! Good service, friendly, and the food was quite tasty. Appetizers, main dishes, the works. All good. I highly recommend Pink Pepper, and I know that I and my family will be back!
(4)Lizzie F.
The curry is good, and the food is decent for a buffet and the price, not AMAZING, there were a few delicious items here and there. Definitely would consider going back.
(3)Becky M.
I went to the Pink Pepper today with two friends for the lunch buffet. I've been here once before (also for the buffet) and the food is great. Wonderful curries, great tofu dishes, and equally delicious pad-thai. I especially liked the curried veggies today - I love coconut red curry! The meal comes with iced tea, and for about $9, it's worth it.
(4)Michael T.
Newly remodeled, the Pink Pepper in Mesa has long been one of our favorite lunch time destinations. Serving both menu items and a diverse if somewhat "Americanized" Thai buffuet. However the quality of the food has suffered at The Pink Pepper over the previous year, with more gristle on the chicken and less pork and beef present in those dishes on the buffet line. The food recently was disappointing, not having the usual "kick" one expects Thai food to have. When we asked the owner if there had perhaps been a chef change his replay was "No, no changes, all the same". But it wasn't the same and that is a shame. We will try Pink Pepper again of course, after all we have been going for years and a few off days should not deter us. But I must say that we were a bit dissappointed.
(3)Tom P.
As we walked through the door, we were greeted with a "it'll be about 10mins" by the hostess. She never asked how many were in our party or if it was dine in. She then came back 5 mins later and asked us those questions, and then proceeded to seat us. After seated, the service was slow. Our first greeting by our server didn't come till 10 mins later. The restaurant didn't seem that busy though, two servers to about 8 tables. We ordered the beef panang and the Arizona fried rice. We didn't get asked how spicy we wanted these dishes. Maybe they don't do heat levels, who knows. The panang was average. The beef was dry and the portion sizes were small, especially for the price. The fried rice was a good tasting dish though. Also note that I am of Southeast Asian descent, so I grew up on these types of foods. Also, earlier I wanted to order a dish with duck in it and the server said that they were out of duck. However, as we were about to leave, the table next to us ordered duck with no issues. Strange...
(2)Jason K.
The food is good and reasonably priced, but the service is slow. Worth the wait though.
(4)Phillyman p.
No flavor Thai food ... Yes we found long black hair in our chicken dish , we informed the waiter , he didn't even care .... Our last time ...... where is the food inspector ?
(1)Monica S.
Yikes! This place was not what I expected after reviewing the previous Yelps. My mom and I went there for the lunch buffet for $9.99. Perhaps that was the mistake? The buffet runs until 2:00 and we arrived around 1:00. We should have turned around and left immediately when we noted only four people in the entire restaurant. The food on the line was obviously the same stuff they put out at 11am. The pad thai was forgettable which is what I had my mouth set on and the chicken panang had no chicken that I could find. The wonton salad was good except for the limp, soggy, saturated wonton strips....so- I guess just the salad was good. The chicken wings were great except there were only a couple of lonely wings to sample and they were not refilled even when a few new brave people straggled in. The service was near non-existant. It was their lunch time too, I guess because they were all sitting in a booth off to the side eating. We received our drinks when we were seated, and after that only once more when we asked when they finally provided the bill. We used another non-bussed table to put our used dishes on after realizing that they were more than happy to let the dirty dishes sit on our table during our meal. I don't know, maybe it's worth going there for dinner? I won't be finding out.
(1)Priscilla S.
I finally got the guts to try the Thai place by my home after being skeptical from bad experiences at other Thai places looking for the one that served Hot & Sour Seafood soup like Thai Dishes in California. I was sooo happy to taste the same soup! I found it (even though it wasn't on the menu)! And not that bad of a price for a bowl! The restaurant is nice and private-ish, the male waiter is the best, he has a huge heart and only wants the customers to be satisfied. Every time we go we have a great experience and come out with satisfied tummies.
(5)N H.
I don't even know how this place is in business. Terrible.
(1)Kimo K.
My GF and I went for lunch today. For the price, this restaurant's lunch buffet is very good. Good variety and pretty tasty dishes. Our favorites are the spicy cream chicken with veggies, pad Thai noodles, Thai char siu, deep fried tofu with green beans, and spicy fish fillets with veggies. They got other dishes too that are good, but there is too much to eat all of it. Although I did have a little serving of chicken panang curry.
(4)Max A.
I love this place - forgot to review it. Excellent, reliable Thai food. We enjoyed every dish, and felt good about it afterward. This place is nice inside and clean. The owner is very sweet, and the staff is nice. They deliver. I really can't think of a downside to this place (other than I spend too much money here). Portions are generous, so two people could share an entree as long as you got a good amount of sides. The dishes are a good amount of food for one person though on their own. We ordered sides and two entrees and there were some leftovers. It all came with a huge helping of white rice - I sort of prefer a stickier rice, but that's gonna be up to individual preference. It was cooked well and was tasty. We don't live too far from here, so we'll be back.
(5)Gilbert B.
Omgosh om*#%?! So here it is in a nut shell I don't really write these but horror was tonight So I'll eat anything as for Marines don't care My wife and I waited 30 mins for our soup then an other ten mins but with in that time our plates were given to someone else and the picked at it and ate it till they noticed that it was not there's. So as I'm watching it they took the plates back. So then with in a min or so we got ours. My wife's has been replayed and mines was just the same with some pork picked from it. The spoon on my wife's was still in from were she had scooped from. So we left didn't pay nasty. They lied to us saying they recooked it but didn't ! DO NOT GO THERE DANGER DANGER
(1)Ashe A.
WARNING!! When you receive bland items, missing items, and other items that are rotten/under or overcooked and state that you won't pay for the items that are a health hazard, you too can join the "blacklisted" club. Apparently, there's a lot of us. My first strike was advising that one of my items was missing from my delivery order. I apologize that I'm not going to pay for an item I did not receive, I must have been raised in a barn. Apparently I owe another apology for not paying for rotten food that would make me and my family sick. Silly me. And since that included all of my order, I was blacklisted. Don't waste your time or money. Just head over to the Mekong Plaza & get real, quality food. You can just pick one of the restaurants there at random.
(1)Alyssa R.
This is a great spot for Thai food. It is so delicious and the portions are a good size. It is priced very fairly. The Cashews and Vegetables dish with tofu is incredible - ever since I tried this dish I can't get enough of it. The Pad Thai is good too, but the Cashews and Vegetables definitely kills that dish. The service here is great. My water never gets low as the lady who always helps us is extremely attentive - but not annoying attentive. It is just right. Sometimes they bring out the dishes one at a time which I don't like (I'd rather have everyone's plate come out at the same time), but I will live with it in exchange for the service, prices, and food quality I receive every time I go there. Definitely recommend this spot for anyone craving Thai!!
(4)Sophie S.
Went for lunch. The buffet was ok, could be fantastic if food was added regularly and not left sitting. This made the dishes loukwarm and dryer out. Our waiter wasn't happy to be there, he was courteous but not happy. They need to remodel desperately! I tried it it was ok but I don't think I'll be back.
(3)Rand H.
= = = MONDAY THRU SATURDAY LUNCH BUFFET! = = = Made it back around to this excellent restaurant for lunch today, this time joined by Robyn N. Nothing has changed much since my last Update 9 months ago. There were about 30 items on the Buffet today, counti
(4)Connor U.
Came here for a dinner event with about 14 people without a reservation, but we got here when it wasn't busy at all and no trouble being seated. Amazing food! The only problem we had was that we accidentally ordered two dishes of each plate, but I'll place that blame squarely on us for trying to shout each other's orders at our amazing waitress. She was good about it and even recommended some good dishes for some of our guests who had never had Thai food before. Unfortunately that meant we had to keep the level of spice down, but we figured the newbies were better safe than sorry. We ended up with 7 different dishes ranging from the typical pad thai to an awesome coconut curry shrimp dish that I couldn't pronounce. My favorite had to be the crispy chicken with cream sauce; it was a deep fried concoction with a creamy orange sauce drizzled on top of fried strips of chicken and vegetables. On top of that, the Thai tea was perfect and our waitress came out with at least 8 or 9 bowls of rice for us to scoop out. Speaking of our waitress, she was amazing. There were probably only 2 other tables being served when we came in late on a Sunday night, but she made sure to keep our drinks topped off and bring a sense of humor to our table. She even went above and beyond when a couple friends showed up 40 minutes late and missed out on some of the dishes we had already devoured; she went into the back and pulled out two more dishes of our favorite, the crispy chicken with cream sauce, for each of them at no extra charge. 5 stars for our lovely waitress, and I definitely would like to come back and try this lunch buffet that I keep reading about.
(5)Raymond F.
So here's 1 for the books. Had to laugh on our way out the door at this place the pink pepper. We ordered takeout and to our surprise the food was out pretty fast. we read complaints on some of the other ones and had to laugh though we have a story for you. We went in having ordered 2 seperate orders because we had a restaurant.com cert. The owners had a time of arguing with us over the fact that it was done in only, but that was not specified in the web site. We decided to skip the place due to all the flack over $5 cert. Mind you the place was EMPTY. As we left they decided it didn't matter and would honor the cert. We still did not want the food and as we opened the car doors, 2 bags of food come flying at us. They chukt it at us then yelled at us "what comes around goes around". Never had that happened to us. We had to laugh our asses off. So steer clear of this place. You may end up with food in your face.
(1)Joshua D.
Food was ready quickly. Red Curry was nothing too excite. Not much flavor. Portion size was good. Spice level accurate
(2)David R.
Pink Pepper is mad at me for refusing an order 90 minutes after it was ordered.. Then they black list me. After multiple satisfactory orders? Good luck. Yeah, I'm the problem.. Not the fact that you can't deliver food within a timeline you set.. Bye.
(1)Eloy W.
We stopped here just at the end of the Buffet...Having said that, there were not many people still in the restaurant, and it seemed as if they were pushing the buffet onto us. For the price they had some pretty good Pad Thai that I kept going back for more. All the usual suspects you would see at Chinese buffet were there and we took advantage of. I think I would like to order off the menu next time and see what they are really made of.
(3)Michael G.
Went for the buffet, which used to be pretty darn good. Half of the containers were empty. The remainders containing called, bland, terrible food. I hesitate to call it food though.The inside of the restaurant was dirty. I can't imagine what the kitchen looks like. Save yourself the trouble.
(1)Heather G.
We are rarely in this neighborhood but needed a dinner spot. We enjoy Thai so why not. I read the reviews after we sat down & we were nervous but we ordered nevertheless. We were pleasantly surprised with the dishes - quick, tasty, good spice level, nice size portions. The music is romantic & relaxed. Many people disliked the buffet, but come on, who eats at a buffet? Try a curry dish or traditional pad Thai - cant go wrong.
(4)Brandi T.
Ok. I don't usually post scathing reviews because every establishment has bad days. But this place is NOT worth the time or money. It took forever to get the food and when we did it was either cold or swimming in grease. Horrible food I'm sad to say. Won't be back.
(1)Mark R.
Came here for the Buffet with Rand H., Robyn N., Norm R., Jackie C. & Mike C. It is always fun getting together with this crew. They are a blast! Been to the other location on Bell before it closed and this restaurant is somewhat smaller and a little cramped inside. We got there when it opened at 11:00 and had to wait a bit for the door to unlock itself. Once inside I noticed several of the food items on the buffet were not there yet as well as most the lights in the place were still in the off position. Hmmm? The food was pretty tasty once it arrived but a bit Americanized. Nice variety of styles and proteins so that everyone can pick a favorite or more and enjoy. They even have some without meat for those veggie lovers. Would liked to have seen more ways to spice things up a notch since I am a SPICY kind of FREAK. Fresh Thai Peppers in some Fish Sauce with some Lime juice and a little Sugar works well. This review was for the buffet only. They also have a full menu that you can order from if you wish. Enjoy! 3.5 STARS
(3)V C.
Came for lunch but very disappointed ... Buffet barely had food and for $8.95 it's not worth it. The food had no taste... Kind of blah... It is not really Thai because Thai spice is really great but here there's not even a spicy dish. Boring place ... The waiter who is also the brother of the owner is nice and all but zero personality to be in this business... They need help OH LORD... Or maybe it's time to close doors ... Food not fresh and uninviting buffet.. I guess I won't be coming here again as it keeps going down unless a miracle happens .. They need restaurant impossible team to come in and make it happen...
(1)Teighlor D.
I love the lunch buffet here. Great food for a great price!
(5)lindsey h.
mediocre to bad food. so bland! boyfriend said his red curry chicken just tasted like "spicy" and nothing else, and that it wasn't good. my tofu dish had barely any sauce and tasted like nothing but old oil. how could thai food taste so boring? we ordered delivery which took over an hour even though we're not really far away, yet the food was cold when it arrived. do yourself a favor and skip this place. Thai Basil is a far better choice even though they only do carry-out, not delivery
(1)Stefan W.
I was here and had great thai food back in 2008 and was eager to go back on my 2013 summer vacation. I dont know if i was unlucky this evening and they had some kitchen problems but the food was not as good as i remembered. I had the beef panang wich was ok but maybe a little bland. The chicken with green curry was not only bland but had an odd taste that we never had before in thaifood. All in all the food was not bad but a step down from what i consider "ok" and far from the last time i was there when i had 4 star thai food with fresh ingredients and lots of that famous chili punch.
(2)Pratik N.
Ordered an item and they forgot to make it in an hour when we arrived. Instead the lady said "It's okay you're causing too much trouble" so we just left. WORST service ever. And also it was a Friday night and there was no one else in the restaurant, wonder why.
(1)Joann M.
I'm sorry I can not give an accurate review of the food. The filth after just stepping a few inches inside the door was so overwhelming I had to leave immediately. I have been here many years before and never remember it being this bad. But this was bad! The menus were sticky and dirty. Everything was old and filthy. I can usually eat at most any dive but this was assaulting! Pink pepper! You are in serious need of an overhaul.
(1)Jason C.
Just wanted something quick and not expensive, found it. Very good service and food.
(5)Gabriel W.
So I finally did it. Thanks to a groupon deal that my parents got for me, I was able to try dinner service at the Pepper not once, but twice. Both times, I have to say, the food was excellent. It really is a very different experience going from the lunch buffet to dinner...its like they're two different restaurants that just happen to share the same space. But yes, the food was awesome. The first time, the service was a little slow, but I really didn't fault them too much for this as the place was fairly busy. The second night, it was a prompt service. I will say though, that despite all that, it will probably be a long time before I go back for dinner service again. Not for any thing at fault with the restaurant, but just because that lunch buffet is SOOO SOOOOOOOO good. I pretty much can't go to phoenix any more without stopping there at least once. Also, I just want to say that the soup of the day they've been doing recently during the lunch buffet is one of the most delicious things Ive ever eaten. Its some sort of Thai roasted corn curry soup that literally tastes like a roasted corn cob just doused in butter and awesome sauce. Its fantastic.
(5)Melissa F.
Ordered delivery food from here for the first time and it is great! We ordered chicken curry, beef pad Thai, dumplings, and two Thai ices coffees. Our food arrived right on time and was delicious.
(5)Daniel E.
Ordered some Pad Thai... except they apparently "make it different". The woman claimed they mellow it down a bit because they're clients prefer it that way... I like Thai food for the heat, spices and flavor. This was extremely bland had no sauce on it, no heat whatsoever. It was very disappointing. After a bit of a discussion the woman agreed to refund the entree after I told her I didnt want credit for a restaurant I surely will not be visiting again. If you want good authentic Thai food look elsewhere.
(2)Phisit P.
One of my buddies was craving thai food so I suggested this spot. They seemed to like it. Let me see, I ordered the crispy chicken with spicy sauce. My friends got the yellow curry. It was all pretty delicious. The thai tea is also really good here. At the end of our meal they convinced us to get the mango with sticky rice and that was alright. Overall, pretty nice place all around besides the bathroom.
(4)Whitney T.
Ate there for lunch buffet. There was about 4 choices. Food was cold and very gross. I'll never go back to this place.
(1)Robyn N.
Today is the second time I've been to their lunch buffet and it was pretty good. They are a little slow getting the food out at opening time, but everything was fresh and tasty and a good variety. The already dressed salad had a great sweet dressing, pineapple something or other and it was a great start to the meal. One of the things I like best about this buffet is the variety of foods they offer - chicken, veggie, pork, beef as well as rice and noodle dishes. I'd prefer more of the items to have a little heat; the only spicy thing I tried was the panang chicken. The food is good, they serve real iced tea with the buffet as well. Service was good and the company was better! I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)Joyce W.
Pink Pepper is definitely a favorite place of mine to order from that's around the house. From mouth-watering curry to crispy Thai toast, Pink Pepper has always hit the spot when it comes to a spice-craving. I've never actually dined in, I always place my orders to-go, but the ambiance is quite nice. Portions could be bigger but the quality usually makes up for the average prices and smaller portions. They make a mean yellow curry!
(4)Ramona A.
I've only eaten there twice and both times the serve was horrible. There are only three people. One waitress, one bartender and I think one is the cook which no matter what you can't understand him. When we sat down at 6pm, it took 10 mins for them to get our drink order. Our appetizer came out pretty fast but it took another 1/2 for our food to come out. There was three people in the whole place. Now the tea I got was excellent, my food was ok tasting until I bit into spoiled chicken. I spit it out and it smelt rancid. They wanted to make me a new dish but I refused. I about had it with this place. We waited another 1/2 an hour for our bill but never got it so we went to front to pay. All and all it took us 1-1/2 hour to finish and get out. Will not ever go back.
(1)Christina N.
So my boyfriend and I could not decide what to eat for dinner. So we came up w/the 'drive around until we see something different' plan. Sounds like a fun spontaneous idea, right?! We spotted this place while driving by and just popped in! When you first walk in, it is a bit quite. Its got a very quaint authentic feel to it. The few staff members who work there are very humble and genuinely kind. Gave us plenty of time to look over their menu. We finally made our dinner decisions. I chose the roasted duck and he chose the grilled chicken with the fresh spinach and thai peanut sauce. First, I must say that I am pretty hard to please when it comes to well prepared duck. But I must say it was absolutely delicious! And my boyfriend's thai peanut chicken was pretty tasty as well. I am not sure why this place is not busier. The food is authentic and completely amazing!! And the prices are low so the value of this place is unbelievable. I will be returning for sure! This place is a diamond in the rough!!
(4)Ainee B.
This place quite old but very nice chair setting. The prices very affortable. Both of us just had $18 for lunch buffet. The service was great! Always come back for the water. The food and the buffet was good such as the crispy chicken creamy sauce, sour soup, and spicy beef. Actually all the foods that I had on lunch buffet was great. Try the snacks, mee krob (fried rice noodle)! It was yummy! My sit was faced the windows on a sunny day so I can tell whether the glass was clean (and clear) or not. Therefore, make sure that your glass is clean before the waiter pour your water. I had to use my tissue and wiped the glass infront of the waiter so he understand that the glass is not clean at all. I believed it must be the dishwasher machine didn't work very well or it might be not quite clean. I would like to go back to this place for the food and the price!
(4)Troy C.
The Thai Iced tea wasn't that good. Spring rolls and dumplings were tasty. After a long wait, the crispy chicken with cream sauce arrived, it was a disappointment.
(2)Navid A.
This restaurant was where I was first exposed to Thai food over ten years ago and because of that wil always have a dear place in my heart! The service is spectacular here and it is a nice atmosphere to bring people. The portions are good and the food is very tasty, their pad thai is my favorite but the curry noodles are another must-try dish. Thai food just about everywhere I have been has been spicy, and I have pretty Americanized tastes, but if you have similar tastebuds make sure to always order mild and get a Thai Ice Tea on the side just in case.
(5)Olivera D.
I went there for dinner with my husband--we had been wanting to try the place for a while since it's right up the street from our house. The staff was friendly...but service was very slow. My pad thai was very bland. Unfortunately we were not impressed. I don't think we will go back. 2 star s because yhey were friendly.
(2)Scott P.
Yeah, I dug this place. It looks like they've been here for awhile, and the quality of the food leads one to believe that they'll be here for awhile longer. The menu had a lot of really nice looking offerings, and I look forward to eating here again. I haven't encountered a lot of Thai food in the area which rocked my socks, so this place seems to have promise.
(4)Bruce L.
Really mixed on this one, because I'm not a fan of their full menu, but the lunch buffet is filled with dishes I like. There's a chicken in a cream sauce that's delicious, same with the BBQ pork. Hot and sour soup is HOT and so good. Music choices always amuse me too, nothing like Christmas carols in the summer. Haven't tried delivery. Buffet is where it's at.
(4)William H.
This place is awesome!! I have ate Thai food Everywhere! I love Thai food! Every place I travel I always go and Thai food. Nobody comes close to this place!!!
(5)Emma D.
Our first experience was last night, we ordered delivery actually through grub hub.com only I did it wrong and actually ordered through the restaurant and I think they were a little confused, they forgot to ask my phone number and were very late delivering, I felt bad for them really because once the guy got my number from grub hub.com after I contacted them, he was all stressed when he got here. The reason for the five stars? Because when the food got here it was absolutely to die for. I've never has such good food. Worth every waiting second. I will definitely eat here again, might even go into the restaurant and would highly recommend to everyone.
(5)Jenna L.
I was excited to come back to Pink Pepper after they finally opened up again. I've been there plenty of times and have never had any problems. I was enjoying my dinner until I found something absolutely horrifying IN my food that is a major safety hazard - glass. A piece of glass was in the plum chicken - I would have swallowed it if it hadn't clanked against my teeth at the last second. What is going on in that kitchen of theirs that they can't detect a not-so-small piece of glass in the food they're cooking? Not only is it extremely dangerous, but it signifies how unsanitary that restaurant really is. I know they had a kitchen fire a bit of time before I went there, but if they're still dirty in the kitchen and have broken glass everywhere then why are they in service? They also had the nerve to also insist that I keep eating and pay for the meal - obviously I didn't. To all previous reviewers who praise this restaurant: your food may have tasted great, but is was probably handled with filthy and almost non-exsistent safety measures. To potential eaters: please go somewhere else, lest you find something even worse in your meal. ((This review is actually a few months old, I just didn't officially post it because my email never got confirmed because I only made an account to warn others.))
(1)Kevin W.
I came in by myself around 6pm on a Saturday night, practically empty. Greeted warmly by Thai hostess/waitress Ana who thoughtfully sat me in a quiet area after seeing I had brought a book to read. The ambiance was pleasant with some indistinct music softly playing in the background. I ordered the beef Massaman at level 7 out of 10 spice level and it came out reasonably fast with the standard accompanying pot of white rice. The flavor was robust and had enough kick to it to cause my eyes and nose to run a little. The portion size was sufficiently satisfying.. Although I admit I was in the mood for a Thai buffet that didn't exist during Dinner hours ;) Overall a good experience, although unsure how a packed house would have affected the service.
(4)rick w.
I'm not sure if the delivery issues are with Pink Pepper or Grubhub...it was if no one who got the order read it. Veggie Curry had little veggies in it. My duck dish simply ...wasn't. From now on we'll just drive to "Mint Thai" in the future.
(1)Rebecca P.
Have grown to love the Buffet, just wish it was open on the weekends because I don't often have a weekday that I can make it to the Pepper for lunch. I love the Thai Omelet - has always been my favorite on the buffet.
(5)Majken B.
Ordered via grub hub. Super courteous delivery and the best thai in the area hands down!
(4)Katie K.
pretty good Thai food for a strip mall. Will def go back.
(4)Lorenzo R.
4th time here. The Moo satae is the best! Chicken and spicy plum sauce was very good
(5)Ronney K.
yum! I love their food, their lunch buffet does not taste like buffet food. The tables are kind of "sticky" but its the finish on them, and if htey would just put like a coat or 2 of polyeurothane on it, that would make the difference in the world. But the food was really excellent. Service was good, which is always the #1 priority in my book. So over all a pleasant experience. That creamy chicken stuff was soooo good (sorry dont remember what it was called) and I had this other kind of chicken stir fry stuff that was REALLY super excellent, It was called "pan something" The pork dish was good too, it had greenbeans in it, and their veggies are cooked just right! Really good and worth a trip! YUMMIE!
(4)Neha S.
I absolutely love this place. The food is delicious and nothing can beat the variety for the price. And the lunch buffet includes iced tea as well. The only reason I took away a star is the so-so decor. The place could really use some renovation. Other than that, Best Thai buffet there is !!
(4)Jon C.
Had some family in town, so we had planned to go to Inka Fest as I'd been meaning to try it for awhile. Unfortunately Inka Fest closed by the Health Department (crazy)! This place was next door, so we ended up here instead. Overall, I'd say the food here was pretty average but the service was very good. I ordered the beef Pad Gra Prao, the server asked me for how hot on a scale of 1-10, I asked for a 7. Several of our party ordered a curry and asked for a heat level of 4. My dish was ok and spicy, but not as spicy as that curry, theirs was definitely a lot hotter than mine. Nothing really stands out here, since I don't live nearby, I probably won't be back.
(3)Adam B.
Great service and awesome food! The staff was very attentive to us while we were dining. I've tried a handful of Thai restaurants and this one is definitely the best in AZ. Way to go Pink Pepper!
(5)Bobby B.
Yuck!!! OK, I'll let you have it.. It starts off with placing an order to go. I called in my order of 2 red curry 's and 2 spring rolls. I had to repeat my order 4 times, oh my God!!!! And they still got my order wrong. I showed up to pick up my order, and they only had I red curry and 2 spring rolls ready, remember! this is after repeating my order 4 times... The waitress told me to wait 5 minutes and that she will have the other curry ready.. 15 minutes pass, finally our order is complete.. We get home, excited to eat our red curry, it's watered down!!!! Flavored water!!! And two different color's if red curry. We ended up driving back and asked for a refund.. I give this place 2 stars, one because the manager gave us our refund without a hassle. and another star because I felt bad, because they looked like they were understaffed.
(2)Alan L.
After driving by this place forever, two co-workers and I finally tried it out yesterday to see how the Pink Pepper stacks up against other Thai restaraunts in town. The first thing that we noticed right away was the very small number of people dining here (as compared to their competitors). Service was good - they were very friendly, but when we asked for a menu they immediately pushed us towards the buffet special, saying that the food on the buffet line contained the best items off of their menu. So, we went ahead and gave it a try. After we were done, we all pretty much came to the same conclusion - mediocre. Nothing really stood out. One of the rice dishes had some kick to it, but otherwise the food was pretty bland for Thai. The quality of the meat/chicken was so-so. In all fairness, we did not try ordering anything off their menu, so maybe they deserve another shot there. If Thai food is your thing, there are other places in town that run circles around this place (Swaddee Thai & Yupha's Thai).
(2)Emily M.
So I returned here for a quick lunch today after probably 8 years and have to say I was sadly disappointed... I remember this being "the Place" to get amazing Thai food and it is clear to see that the owners are running themselves ragged trying to manage this place today.. The restaurant is dated, not clean and disorganized, giving an unwelcome feel. To top that off, the Masuman I had was blah and the chicken was dry and overcooked.. Buffet wasn't looking great either. I hope they get the help they need to make this place what is use to be.
(2)Clifford B.
I went on a June Thursday evening; there was only one customer couple while I was there. Service was prompt but not pushy. I asked for the food at a 7 out of 10 heat. It was spicy but not overwhelming. I enjoyed a spring roll and Mus-Sa-Mun, chicken, potato slices, carrots, onions and bell peppers in a spicy curry sauce. The main dish was served with sticky rice. The portion was right sized, not stingy but not so much you need a take-out container. Prices were reasonable for the quality and quantity.
(4)Aileen B.
10/16 Stumbled upon Pink Pepper as I was heading towards a second Thai option when my first option, owned by a coworker and his children, was rented out for a reception Friday evening. I've wanted to visit PP for years, but never had a chance. Darol (RIP), an ex-coworker, and I would exchange foodie stories of our fave places, and PP was the only place he'd go when he had a craving for Thai. (He resided in Thailand for a few years and considered himself well-versed in the cuisine.) So, en route to my second choice, I spotted the Pink Pepper logo in the distance and said, "Why the hell not?" "Today's the day!" It was very dead in there. (Ya, not just dead. VERY dead! LOL.) Besides me, I spotted my server, who must've been the owner, and an elderly woman rolling up silverware in cloth napkins. Granted, it was around 3, 330'ish in the afternoon, and lunch had just ended at 2:30p. (The buffet pans were still emitting heat as they cooled down.) But I'm not one to let empty rooms sway me away, so I asked for a table. I liked the ambience- warm, inviting, w/ lovely colors. Loved the floral salad plates that sat at the table, which I've spotted at Sur La Table before. Made me wish I'd splurged and bought them then. Apparently, these plates are only used for show, bec. they were removed moments after I sat down. Chose to skip the app course and ordered green curry w/ chicken (came w/ rice). At $9.50, I thought that this entree better be good! While I waited, I checked out the rest of the menu and liked what I saw. If the dish turned out great, I'll be coming back to check the rest out soon enough. I also spotted a cocktails menu on the table that had quite a few good-tasting options to choose from. My entree arrived after about 10 to 15 minutes. The portion was smaller than I'm used to seeing for the price, so I was really hoping that I was getting a very tasty meal. I shouldn't have worried! Pink Pepper's green curry has placed Pink Pepper Thai pretty high on my list of places for green curry!! (Try that for a tongue-twister!) The coconut curry sauce was thick and super-creamy, and medium heat was just perfect for me! I also loved the variety of veggies used- there was an extra item there that wasn't listed on the menu. (Thank goodness I did not have any adverse reactions.) It took all of my will AND the thought of ordering dessert to keep me from finishing the entire order! Looking back, I could've squeezed three decent servings out of that meal, especially knowing what I know now... that Pink Pepper's homemade coconut ice cream is freaking AMAZING! Those w/ a peanut allergy should know to alert the server of this fact, bec. this not overly-sweet sweet comes w/ a generous topping of peanuts. Ohhh... I just got the shivers up and down my spine (the good kind!) recalling how great my meal ended! Service was friendly and efficient, if a little lonely. I'm going to assume it was bec. he was by himself in the front. Perhaps w/ busier hours it'll be easier to flag someone down. One low point was the restroom visit- the temperature was significantly warmer at that part of the building. Consider yourself warned.
(4)Jason B.
My wife and I went here last night at about 7pm. The place was eerily dead. There were probably 4 other people in the entire place. I know the saying, "nobody likes to eat in an empty restaurant", but we didn't care and decided to give this place a try. For many reasons, I really really really do not enjoy giving sub-par reviews so I will try to be gentle and concentrate on what I liked sprinkled with a few things that could be improved upon. If I had to rate a place only on decor, bathrooms and stickiness of my table; this place would not do very well. Good thing I was here for the food. Our waiter was very fast and friendly. He was a very soft spoken gentlemen and it was difficult to understand him at times. He was fast to refill waters and diet cokes so I really can't complain. Here is what we ordered: *Thai Spring Rolls - these were excellent as was the dipping sauce which had a nice kick to it. I would order these again. *Tom Yum Goong - this had a nice kick and a nice flavor. However, I would have liked more "stuff" in it. It came with some mushrooms and shrimp, but could have used a bit more. I would order this again but some of their other soups looked good as well. *Steak & Chicken with Spicy Thai Lemon Garlic Sauce - this was ok. It was just some strips of cheap beef and chicken with some sauce. The chicken was good but the beef was just eh. I probably wouldn't order this again. *Garlic and Peppers - this was just ok too. My wife ordered it with tofu instead of chicken, but we got the chicken anyway. We didn't send it back because I don't like doing that and maybe this was a "sign" to try the chicken because it is amazing. Anyway, the dish had good flavor but it was eh. My wife would probably order this again, but I wouldn't. For the heath conscious, each of our entrees were not covered in tons of sauce so that's a plus. However, the menu said they had brown rice, but we were told they didn't have any so that was a negative. I haven't had much Thai food in my day, but I think this place is more Chinese than Thai. Perhaps we just didn't order the right things? Judging by the reviews on here it looks like I should have done my homework before my visit to be sure I ordered properly. I wouldn't rush back here but I won't cross it off my list just yet because I don't think I ordered what I should have. However, as far as Thai food goes in my book, it is Thai Basil all the way.
(3)Valentina L.
The buffet is amazing and the people are so nice!!! Don't let one person's opinion of vomit throw you off. It's just plain rude and distasteful. My friends and I have been coming here for years and love it! I finally have some week days off and get to come back. Now I don't have to take a sick day to come eat at their buffet. =)
(5)Rosie M.
I have had my share of authentic Thai cuisine... This place was REALLY bad. And no im not a very picky person lol Out of all the items on there buffet maybe 2 were decent. Actually only the noodles were OK everything else was notgood at all, not even my kids liked ANY of it... Make the trip and go to the mint thai cafe on Gilbert rd.
(2)Angy B.
Thankfully I had previously purchased a restaurant.com voucher for this place (pay $2 for $25 or something). While the food was alright... nothing spectacular by any means, I thought it was over-priced and really not worth going back to.
(2)Dave B.
Really, I'd give this place 3.49 stars... almost 3 1/2, but I wouldn't round to 4. Pros: Quiet dining environment Not crowded for dinner My favorite place for Panang Beef (and thai curry in general) They will raise or lower the heat of any dish based on a scale of 1-10. (10 is awesome, by the way) Love the flambe bananas for dessert, also the coconut icecream is fantastic. sweet, a slight hint of salt and crushed peanuts on top. Mmmmm. Only been there for the lunch buffet once, but it was pretty good and at a fair price. Cons: While the waiter is friendly, he can be a bit difficult to understand (very soft spoken, mumbles somewhat) Sticky table tops. They all seem to be this way. They're not dirty, though... just sticky. Like glue residue or something. Cloth napkins have smelled a bit "off" and could probably use a good washing. The lettuce wraps were a bit disappointing as the lettuce was a bit wilted. I like it when the lettuce has a bit more crunch to it. Quiet to the point of being empty. Has an almost ghost-town feel to it when it's 6:00pm and you're the only people there for dinner. My friends and I have wondered sometimes how they stay in business. Summary: Even though I rated this place three stars, this is still one of my favorite Thai restaurants and I will keep coming back again and again. Most of the deductions are for things un-related to the food. If you're just going for take-out, then I'd kick it up to 4 or 4 1/2 stars.
(3)Tom C.
I traveled to Phoenix often for work from the early 90's to the late 00's and the first thing I'd do leaving the airport was to hit the Pink Pepper lunch buffet, hence I've never ordered from the menu or had their dinner service, but their lunch buffet was awesome! Very reasonably priced, including an iced tea. It may not necessarily be the most authentic Thai food as I think they reduce the heat a bit but the flavors were excellent and the variety was good. Loved their eggplant dish (can't recall the name) and their crispy chicken with the creamy sauce, and of course the usual curry sauce dishes. If I'm ever back in Phoenix again the Pink Pepper will be one of the first places I go.
(5)Beth S.
First timer and man did we have a good time! We were a walk-in party of 10 and we were quickly and easily accomodated. Our server was one of the owners and she was very helpful with our choices as well as providing quick service with piping hot food. Our group sampled a wide variety of dishes including combo appetizer, the ma tar bah, the thai fried wontons, Chicken Pad Thai, Spicy Thai Wrap with chicken and shrimp, the BBQ chicken, Gai Ping, Grilled Pork with Spicy Pineapple, and Crispy Chicken in Spicy Thai sauce. Every last dish was excellent and served hot. Can't wait to go back again...even if it is an hour away from my house!
(4)Shannon B.
Best. Thai food. Ever. My boyfriend and I discovered this place on Christmas (it was the only place nearby that was open). I think we went back 5 times in the next month after that! The food is THAT good and I am not a huge fan of thai. I recommend to anyone in the mood for thai food, novice to experienced!
(5)Steve M.
By far, The Pink Pepper is the best Thai food in the East Valley. Their buffet is reasonably priced and delicious!
(5)Arizona T.
This is a quality Thai Buffet I have been going to for many years. Only downside is the best dishes they only bring to the buffet in small quantity and it gets picked over completely if you aren't the first 3 people there. They should make the crunchy chicken in large quantity. People could be more talkative also. All in all, quality Thai for $10. Is it as good as Thai Buffet on Dobson? Probably not simply due to the fact the people at the other place are way more personable and will make you whatever you want.
(4)Mandy M.
I was soooo looking forward to this place. It's got great curb appeal. But I had a horrible experience. ....IT STARTED AND ENDED WITH THE COCKROACH IN MY FOOD. I'm not lying. Makes me question their best practices in the kitchen... I gave it 2 stars because the food wasn't particularly bad (what they replaced it with)... and things happen. I know, but. Still...
(2)Patrick F.
This place is an absolute gem and rare find, and I'm lucky to live so close by since I know I'll be coming back repeatedly. It's a nice, quiet and beautifully decorated place, and the wait staff are very considerate and soft-spoken and quite attentive. I went out of my comfort range and ordered the Drunken Noodles, and ended up eating 3/4 of the entree myself - which surprised me - and left me knowing I'm going to like almost anything I order here. The next time I come here, I'd like to try out the lunch buffet, since this is what they're "known" for, and some Thai coffee. Speaking of beverages, ordering the Thai iced tea is definitely suggested.
(4)Anthony L. Z.
Yesterday was my third visit to Pink Pepper and while it deserves praise in many respects, there is definite room for improvement. My first impression of the restaurant was a dinner experience that went off with out a hitch. The second time I went, we ended up choosing to go somewhere else. Despite arriving at 5:15p for dinner, the doors remained locked with no one to be found (advertised open for dinner at 4:30p). I've noticed this seems to be a perpetual problem here, because when I arrived for lunch at 11:00a yesterday, the doors were similarly locked. I decided to wait to see how long it would take and sadly, no one appeared at the doors until almost 11:20a. I was perhaps more disappointed by the discovery that the buffet is the only option for lunch. Even if you want to order an entrée from the menu, you cannot. That said, there is no denying the quality of the food. The buffet was fantastic and the crispy chicken in cream sauce (the dish I would have ordered, given the opportunity) is nothing short of "to die for". Coupled with the fantastic service I can always expect once I'm actually seated, I am certain I will be back.
(4)Theresa N.
It was my first time coming here and my entire experience was absolutely terrible. It was pretty empty for 12pm. My husband and I ordered the thai salad wrap as an appetizer. Not only was the meat overpowered with too much peanut sauce, the lettuce wasn't fresh. I ordered the pad kee Mao that comes with a side of jasmine rice. The rice was very dry, the beef was chewy, veggies were soggy, and the sauce was quite bland. My husband ordered the spicy thai pasta that also lacked in flavor. The server also forgot that I ordered the tom gati soup and I had to remind him two times to bring it out. It came out 30 mins after eating our main entrees. That as well, failed in flavor. The mushrooms were over cooked and the broth did not go down well. We are not picky eaters, but we are able to differ between great food and completely tasteless food. Our overall experience was not pleasant due to the service, the restaurant looking like it hasn't been updated since 1940s, and every dish not being good. Sorry, but wouldn't come back a second time or recommend this place to others.
(1)Pete T.
Pretty good, little slow at the end of the night. Would visit again!
(4)Courtney M.
I'm not a fan of buffets at all, but for Pink Pepper I always make an exception. The food is amazing and even worth the lunch price if you only get one plate! Dinner is a little expensive but the food is still just as wonderful. The service is nice and the family always recognizes us. Big fan :} Give them your business!!
(5)Autum P.
My husband and I took his mother out for her birthday lunch and our first impression was not good. Because it never dawned on us that we could just turn around and walk right out, we proceeded on to the buffet. To put it bluntly, it was gross. It was the smallest, greasiest Chinese Buffet we had ever seen.....and it was equally confusing to us because we thought we were at a Thai restaurant!!! No one in our party enjoyed the food. My husband powered down his one and only plate, my mother-in-law politely ate all her food but enjoyed little, and I sat back and enjoyed my Thai Iced Tea and waited for it all to be over. The worst $30 I have ever spent. I will never return.
(1)J'en H.
I only recently discovered that I do not hate Thai, having never tried it, so this place was right up my alley. It's literally 1 mile away from our home and has a pretty extensive menu. The atmosphere is nothing to write home about, but if you're a fan of pastels and the early 90s, you'll love it here. You may even want to move in. Our service was a little slow, but the friendliness of our servers (yes, multiple) made me feel ok about waiting a little bit for a third beer. Overall, I'd say this gets a thumbs up from me and my other half.
(4)Norm R.
I enjoyed the lunch buffet at Pink Pepper on Bell Rd. in Phoenix, so I had to try this location in Mesa for the lunch buffet too. I really enjoyed my meal, from the crispy tempura veggies (not Thai, I know, but darn good) to the salt and pepper chicken, to the savory beef and chicken dishes - especially that delightful crispy chicken in creamy sauce. And they had two tofu dishes, both good - a plus for me, since not too many buffets serve tofu, which I love. The fried rice and the pad thai were just OK, and dessert was limited to cubed fresh fruit, sweet fried noodles, orange slices, and those small doughnuts found in most Asian buffets. The buffet dishes were on big portable buffet carts in a very dimly lit area of the restaurant, suggesting that perhaps the restaurant had not originally planned to offer buffet when it was being conceived. I wish that they had at least put lamps in there to light up the dishes being served. Nevertheless, I found the food to be good and the service attentive, though more businesslike than friendly. A pleasant buffet dining experience overall.
(4)Another Y.
Came here for dinner, not the buffet. Some of the best spring rolls I have ever had! Service was excellent, even though we got there minurtes before closing time. Only gripe: The massaman curry had jalapenos in it, something I have never experienced, and didn't like.
(4)Robin L.
Service was great but both my boyfriend and I ended up with a touch of food poisoning. I think it was from the chicken on a stick appetizer. We both ate that and it was the only common thing we ate. I will not be going back to the Pink Pepper:(
(2)Erigan A.
Great food and phenomenal service, but please clean. Our table was sticky and the menus had dried food on them. We were sitting by a corner full of junk that looked like it was also being used as an office. It was literally right out in the open. Why? It did provide us with quite a few laughs, but I don't know if I would return just for this reason. If they cleaned up, I would be there multiple times a month. The food is good and it's not too far from our home.
(3)Zach H.
Food was GREAT! Loved the appetizers, and the main dishes. Service was friendly and let my co-workers & I enjoy a nice quiet meal. We had the drunken noodles, Gai Pan & Cashew & Chicken...all of which exceeded expectations. The ONLY part that lacked (besides the decor), was the wine menu. The wine menu was small & everything we asked for they were out of. Finally, the gentleman brought over a wine he thought we might like, and we agreed. All in all, great experience, and the best (and only) Thai food I've had in Arizona! : )
(3)Mike C.
well by now you probably read Rand H. rant about the way this place is laid out. Well i feel all the ranting should have been aimed at how great the food was.I would have been happy sitting out on the curb with a plate of this food.Everything i tried was good even the cream of wheat soup.There BBQ pork and creamy chicken dish left you wanting more. the only thing missing from this buffet was a seafood entree.no shrimp, fish, crab balls nothing!!! and a limited selection of sweets which i love. They had small chinese donuts, some fruit salad and these candied noodles that looked like shreaded carrots they were real crispy but not bad.Anyway if you ever pop in the Pink Pepper for a buffet i am sure you will leave happy and full.
(4)Charee M.
More food for your money than Thai Bail, Lemongrass or other Thai places of that caliber. I had #71 or #72 (which should tell you how extensive their menu is), which was beef with green beans and carrots. I ordered 10 hot on a 10-point scale, and it was hot, but not unbearable. Like I said, it's about the same as the others. The service was so slow, but the woman was nice and offered dessert because one of our members is a long-time customer. Put it on your list if you haven't tried it.
(3)Todd A.
I've eaten at the Dobson & Guadalupe Pink Pepper for 21 years. I average going about twice a week. The buffet is a fantastic deal for the price, even though has gone up 50% in the last decade. That just indicates what a terrific deal it was in the 90's, because it's still a great deal! The buffet has a couple of my favorite dishes, so I rarely go there for dinner (literary less than 10 times out of my 2,000+ visits). The Chicken Panang, Garlic Pork and Chicken Gra Pow are my main dishes. I have taken many people there over the years, and they all have found something they really like (the Crispy Chicken seems to be a favorite). The only downside is the dishes are not nearly as spicy as they were 10 to 20 years ago. BTW, they do offer their dinner menu at lunch. All the time I see people ordering dishes during lunch instead of partaking in the buffet. Not sure why though, the buffet is cheaper than just about every dinner dish. With the buffet you get soup, salad, fruit, chips, wings, an array of rice and noodles, plus all 9 dinner dishes. Plus it's ready to eat! They start bringing out the lunch buffet a little after 11:00. It's best to wait until they have brought out every item, that's usually by 11:15. A few negative comments. They seems to have a tough time refilling empty food trays, though if you simply ask them to make more, then they will. You then get it fresh and hot in about 5 minutes. Another issue, I rarely go after 1:00, the food doesn't seem as fresh, and the trays are not getting refilled because the crowd has thinned out. As good as this place is, and it is very good, I prefer to go to another Thai restaurant for dinner. It's 2 miles away from the PP, and a hole in the wall, but damn it's good!
(4)Doug P.
I haven't tried their buffet yet because I always over eat then end up feeling uncomfortable all day. The beef salad (yam neua) was exceptional. Thin slices of rare sirloin in a huge serving all hot and spicy Thai peppers, cilantro, fish sauce, romaine lettuce, shallots, garlic, and some crisp cabbage to put the fire out, just the way I like it. Very authentic.
(4)Natalie W.
The food here is superb. Try the Tom Yum Gai, Beef Panang or the eggplant salad. The service may not always be as good as it could be, (slow, sulrly even at times) but the excellent food and reasonable prices make it forgiveable. The buffet lunch is a MUST. For about $7 you can eat all you'd like of a wide range of Thai dishes that alternate daily. This is a great place for heat-lovers. Order any dish with a chile next to it and tell your server how spicy you want it, on a scale from 1 to 10. Less than 5 is for sissys. The 6 and 7 range is about right. Anything 8 or above may incinerate your mouth.
(4)Austin C.
Hi- new to yelp and to Phoenix- but wanted to put a plug in for Pink Pepper. While relocating here and living out of hotels, I found myself going back to this place at least twice a week- both for the food and the friendly people. The service is great, the prices are reasonable, and the food is fresh and very authentic. Of course, being new to the area, I haven't really checked out many other places! But I have been to Thailand and Pink Pepper's food is very authentic. If you're looking for trendy decor or a place to be seen, this is probably not the place for you. But if you want good Thai- go here, ask for the seafood salad- and if you like it really hot, say "pet mahk mahk!" and be prepared!
(4)K D.
Don't go here! The food tasted okay at the time, but there were bullet holes in the window behind me, a random lounge chair near our table piled with crap and their health report is enough to make anyone queasy. The whole place is very dirty as well.
(1)Jay L.
My husband and I ate here for dinner. We had pad Thai, spring rolls, crab rolls, and the teriyaki chicken. All of it was good. Someone that we were with had the spicy BBQ chicken and that too was good. Everyone was nice. The only reason why I didn't give it five stars is because for some reason they didn't have ac in the bathroom. Its summer so I got hot while waiting. It may have been just the day or who knows it may be the slow economic times. I will return for dinner. :)
(4)M J.
My favorite Thai restaurant in AZ. The Thom Kah Gai is the best I have had in the States. And I have had it in Thailand a number of times. Green Curry is also a favorite of mine at Pink Pepper. The food here is great and the prices are reasonable!
(5)Georgia R.
Inexpensive Thai food in Mesa. Pink Pepper is located in an older building, and the place reflects this, but it doesn't also reflect on the food. Everything is clean, and ingredients in each dish are fresh and flavorful. I love the Asian salad, but my friend swears by the pad thai. They have quite a few different items for you to choose from, but the best part of this restaurant is their ability to spice anything up- as hot as you can possibly stand it. Be careful if you go for the max, my guess is you won't be able to eat more than a few bites!
(4)