I was there a week ago. Honestly, the food was super delicious, but the waiters weren't friendly at all. I think they saw us as Latinos the moment we walked in. The girl at customer service gave us a really unfriendly look, and the waiter didn't even come over to offer us anything else to drink. He just served us the food and left us there as if our money wasn't worth the same as in other places. We felt unwelcome, and to top it all off, the glass they served my water in had red lipstick on it.
Conor Casey
Amazing place - love it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Vince Damico (Vince’s Personal Email)
Tio Pepe is the best and always has been.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ashley Tillery
Where do I even start? My husband made a reservation for 3 people on 12/27 to celebrate my birthday. After a little bit of a wait we were seated at a table in the corner while another staff member rushed to put plates and napkins down. About 5-10 minutes later someone, not a server, came and dropped off ONE glass of water… for 3 people. We joked that we would share it but for the next 10 minutes we actually did have to share it because no one came back. Finally a server came and took our drink order. My husband ordered a CLUB SODA and I said I was fine with just water. Since it took so long for a server to even come to us we decided to put some appetizers in also. We ordered 3 appetizers. After about another 10 minutes his drink was dropped off, but it wasn’t club soda. It was a vodka soda. Imagine if he was an alcoholic who no longer drank, imagine if our 8 year old daughter who regularly drinks club soda had grabbed it and took a drink. After confirming it was vodka soda, we got the servers attention and let him know. He seemed very confused as to what we were saying even after repeatedly saying “No vodka. Just club soda. Soda water. No alcohol.” A bit later someone dropped off bread and butter, but we had no silverware so unless we wanted to grab the butter with our bare hands, we weren’t eating that. Finally a server comes back and asks if we are ready to order. Of course the one thing my husband wanted to eat, veal, was not available. Okay, no problem. I ordered the crab cakes that were on the specials menu. After that the server asks if we wanted to order any appetizers. Umm, what? We put those in already, no? I let him know we already ordered those and again, pure confusion and he just started looking around the room. We were over it. Our reservation was at 7. It was now 8pm. We said we were leaving, got up, grabbed our things and headed out. We let the woman behind the bar know we had terrible service. She was very apologetic but it was getting late and we had our two daughters with us so we needed to find food and be done with it. We ended up going to a restaurant in Little Italy, where we had great service. Wouldn’t recommend. Won’t be trying again.
Latiasha Broadway
I went to Tio Pepe for lunch with my coworkers on December 16, 2025, and as someone who has lived in Baltimore my entire life, I was surprised to realize I had never heard of this restaurant before.
Let’s start with the pros, because there were many. The ambiance is absolutely lovely. From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted warmly and professionally. They take your coats (checked at the front), seat you immediately, and the dim lighting creates a cozy, elegant, family-style atmosphere. It felt welcoming and classic, and I truly loved everything about the environment.
The service was also excellent. Our servers were attentive, kind, and efficient. We didn’t wait long for our food, and the staff overall was very pleasant and professional.
The menu had an impressive variety of options, all of which looked amazing. One of my coworkers and I both ordered the Pollo y Langosta Catalina — chicken and lobster tail sautéed in a sherry-infused seafood sauce. Flavor-wise, it was outstanding. The sauce was creamy, rich, and absolutely delicious, truly the highlight of the meal.
Unfortunately, this is where the experience took a disappointing turn.
When the entrées arrived, the other plates were placed directly on the table. However, the server removed both my plate and one of my coworker’s plates from the table to prepare our dish on a table directly behind us. I did not turn around to observe whether the entrée was divided or exactly what was done; however, after a few minutes, both plates were returned with food on them. By the time the dish was served, the portions we received were extremely small. Each plate contained only a small scoop of rice and very minimal amounts of chicken and lobster in sauce. I am unsure whether this is standard practice, but the portion size was disappointing given the price. The rice itself also lacked flavor.
For a $50 entrée, there is absolutely no reason it should be split between two plates unless it is clearly intended to be shared (which seems to be what may have happened). Everyone else at the table received generous, appropriate servings, which made the discrepancy very noticeable. This was both surprising and disappointing.
While the food itself tasted wonderful, the portion issue significantly impacted the experience. Sadly, because of this, I don’t think I’ll be returning. It’s unfortunate, because Tio Pepe has so much going for it, ambiance, service, and flavor, but portion value matters, especially at that price point.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Andrew Pak
What happened to the food here? Bread came out with frozen middle. Then the chicken/shrimp/lobster in the $70 paella was drier than the Sahara. I ordered the suckling pug & 20 min later I am told they ran out, they have soft shell crab on the specials menu & it is out of season. Only decent thing was the sangria.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 4
N. MT
I have been dining at this restaurant for over 30 years and have many fond memories here, which made this experience especially disappointing. I brought a business associate who was visiting for the first time, and what we encountered was nothing like the restaurant I once knew.
The place was nearly empty, yet service was inexplicably slow. I ordered longtime favorites—shrimp in house garlic sauce and red snapper in green sauce—and both were completely unacceptable. The fish was chewy, bland, and utterly flavorless, as if no seasoning had been used at all. Horrible taste!
The martinis were just as bad: weak, poorly made, and clearly not prepared with Tito’s vodka as ordered. Overall, the food, drinks, and service reflected a restaurant that has lost its standards. It was embarrassing to share this experience with a first-time guest, and sadly, this visit erased decades of goodwill after driving for 2 hours!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 2
Maryjo Harry
The food is excellent! We have been going to this restaurant since my22nd birthday and I am now 75. My absolutely favorite!! Yes, it can be expensive but it is worth every penny!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Captain Enrique
One of my father's, family and my favorite places for dinning!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Desiree Wallace
This is quite literally the worst place to visit in Baltimore for food and good service. I tried to be nice enough to give them a second chance tonight. For reference, I am a (BW). People like to say it doesn't matter, but I put on my best customer service voice and dressed fine (as if I don't do already). My first experience, especially since I'm single and new to Baltimore, I was ignored 90% of the night and talked to like I am dumb. I was asked 8 times that night was I stood up as if I didn't say I just moved here and took myself out. I went tonight to sit at the bar and order food (and honestly take it to go). The girl employee brought me water and walked away without saying anything. I am not drunk! I didn't even drink tonight yet. I'm naturally nervous and talkative because I'm freaking autistic. I am overly polite and tone myself down because I know how I would be perceived anyway (I already know because I tried already with them). To ignore my food and drink requests, throw me water, and walk away without saying anything is outrageous. I hate to say it, but they don't want us there. Save your time and money if you're a BW. I live across the street; I can definitely afford to eat there. As a foodie who just moved to Baltimore, this place isn't worth it in either department. It is overpriced and not good, and I have videos to prove my point.
The shrimp in garlic sauce was not the same. They were over cooked. Oysters with crab and champagne sauce was lacking crab and sauce was not so good and they were under cooked. Sangria was great like normal. My steak was over cooked on the edges. The dessert was a disaster. I have been going to Tio Pepe's for 50 years and I will not go back. It makes me sad
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Nicole Gwynn
Service was very very slow with 3 tables. We waited at least 45 mins for cold rice. I had the rice chicken and suppose to have been lobster tail but it was cut up lobster parts that taste stale and lazy chicken parts and a spot of sauce. Will not be returning or recommending.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
Lola Young-Manley
My husband took me there for our anniversary last month. The way the hostess greeted us was rude. She was looking at us like we were beneath her. Like we were lost. Her attitude changed when my husband said we have reservations. So that set the tone from the start. It's too dark in there; like a cave. We could barely read the menu. You can tell the menu hasn't changed in decades. My husband liked the food. But he also will eat a shoe. However, I didn't like it. The crabcake was okay. A little bit too salt, but it was huge. I had steak with some kind of sauce. The sauce was cold and the steak had no flavor or seasoning. I had a side of green beans which was delicious. The saffron rice tasted old. Our waiter was excellent and provided great service. I was disappointed because we had high hopes for this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 5
amir taheri
We ordered paella. The food was tasteless, without texture, different with real paella ( it had sussage and green been), soaking in water. This terrible dish cost about 80 dollors. I couldn't touch it after 2 spoons. It was a terrible experience. I never pass that neighbourhood!
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Kei P
This place is legendary. Im now 48 and my mom said she came here while pregnant with me. Food is very tasty, service and smiles excellent! I really enjoyed the garlic shrimp appetizer and stuffed rockfish. I can definitely see why local folks keep coming back. I believe I'd feel a bit more comfortable if the restaurant was in a location unburdened by underground moisture smell and those elements that go along with an older establishment. Overall, very nice experience celebrating my mom's 73rd bday.
I was there a week ago. Honestly, the food was super delicious, but the waiters weren't friendly at all. I think they saw us as Latinos the moment we walked in. The girl at customer service gave us a really unfriendly look, and the waiter didn't even come over to offer us anything else to drink. He just served us the food and left us there as if our money wasn't worth the same as in other places. We felt unwelcome, and to top it all off, the glass they served my water in had red lipstick on it.
Amazing place - love it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tio Pepe is the best and always has been.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Where do I even start? My husband made a reservation for 3 people on 12/27 to celebrate my birthday. After a little bit of a wait we were seated at a table in the corner while another staff member rushed to put plates and napkins down. About 5-10 minutes later someone, not a server, came and dropped off ONE glass of water… for 3 people. We joked that we would share it but for the next 10 minutes we actually did have to share it because no one came back. Finally a server came and took our drink order. My husband ordered a CLUB SODA and I said I was fine with just water. Since it took so long for a server to even come to us we decided to put some appetizers in also. We ordered 3 appetizers. After about another 10 minutes his drink was dropped off, but it wasn’t club soda. It was a vodka soda. Imagine if he was an alcoholic who no longer drank, imagine if our 8 year old daughter who regularly drinks club soda had grabbed it and took a drink. After confirming it was vodka soda, we got the servers attention and let him know. He seemed very confused as to what we were saying even after repeatedly saying “No vodka. Just club soda. Soda water. No alcohol.” A bit later someone dropped off bread and butter, but we had no silverware so unless we wanted to grab the butter with our bare hands, we weren’t eating that. Finally a server comes back and asks if we are ready to order. Of course the one thing my husband wanted to eat, veal, was not available. Okay, no problem. I ordered the crab cakes that were on the specials menu. After that the server asks if we wanted to order any appetizers. Umm, what? We put those in already, no? I let him know we already ordered those and again, pure confusion and he just started looking around the room. We were over it. Our reservation was at 7. It was now 8pm. We said we were leaving, got up, grabbed our things and headed out. We let the woman behind the bar know we had terrible service. She was very apologetic but it was getting late and we had our two daughters with us so we needed to find food and be done with it. We ended up going to a restaurant in Little Italy, where we had great service. Wouldn’t recommend. Won’t be trying again.
I went to Tio Pepe for lunch with my coworkers on December 16, 2025, and as someone who has lived in Baltimore my entire life, I was surprised to realize I had never heard of this restaurant before.
Let’s start with the pros, because there were many. The ambiance is absolutely lovely. From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted warmly and professionally. They take your coats (checked at the front), seat you immediately, and the dim lighting creates a cozy, elegant, family-style atmosphere. It felt welcoming and classic, and I truly loved everything about the environment.
The service was also excellent. Our servers were attentive, kind, and efficient. We didn’t wait long for our food, and the staff overall was very pleasant and professional.
The menu had an impressive variety of options, all of which looked amazing. One of my coworkers and I both ordered the Pollo y Langosta Catalina — chicken and lobster tail sautéed in a sherry-infused seafood sauce. Flavor-wise, it was outstanding. The sauce was creamy, rich, and absolutely delicious, truly the highlight of the meal.
Unfortunately, this is where the experience took a disappointing turn.
When the entrées arrived, the other plates were placed directly on the table. However, the server removed both my plate and one of my coworker’s plates from the table to prepare our dish on a table directly behind us. I did not turn around to observe whether the entrée was divided or exactly what was done; however, after a few minutes, both plates were returned with food on them. By the time the dish was served, the portions we received were extremely small. Each plate contained only a small scoop of rice and very minimal amounts of chicken and lobster in sauce. I am unsure whether this is standard practice, but the portion size was disappointing given the price. The rice itself also lacked flavor.
For a $50 entrée, there is absolutely no reason it should be split between two plates unless it is clearly intended to be shared (which seems to be what may have happened). Everyone else at the table received generous, appropriate servings, which made the discrepancy very noticeable. This was both surprising and disappointing.
While the food itself tasted wonderful, the portion issue significantly impacted the experience. Sadly, because of this, I don’t think I’ll be returning. It’s unfortunate, because Tio Pepe has so much going for it, ambiance, service, and flavor, but portion value matters, especially at that price point.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
What happened to the food here? Bread came out with frozen middle. Then the chicken/shrimp/lobster in the $70 paella was drier than the Sahara. I ordered the suckling pug & 20 min later I am told they ran out, they have soft shell crab on the specials menu & it is out of season. Only decent thing was the sangria.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 4
I have been dining at this restaurant for over 30 years and have many fond memories here, which made this experience especially disappointing. I brought a business associate who was visiting for the first time, and what we encountered was nothing like the restaurant I once knew.
The place was nearly empty, yet service was inexplicably slow. I ordered longtime favorites—shrimp in house garlic sauce and red snapper in green sauce—and both were completely unacceptable. The fish was chewy, bland, and utterly flavorless, as if no seasoning had been used at all. Horrible taste!
The martinis were just as bad: weak, poorly made, and clearly not prepared with Tito’s vodka as ordered. Overall, the food, drinks, and service reflected a restaurant that has lost its standards. It was embarrassing to share this experience with a first-time guest, and sadly, this visit erased decades of goodwill after driving for 2 hours!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 2
The food is excellent! We have been going to this restaurant since my22nd birthday and I am now 75. My absolutely favorite!! Yes, it can be expensive but it is worth every penny!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of my father's, family and my favorite places for dinning!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is quite literally the worst place to visit in Baltimore for food and good service. I tried to be nice enough to give them a second chance tonight.
For reference, I am a (BW). People like to say it doesn't matter, but I put on my best customer service voice and dressed fine (as if I don't do already). My first experience, especially since I'm single and new to Baltimore, I was ignored 90% of the night and talked to like I am dumb. I was asked 8 times that night was I stood up as if I didn't say I just moved here and took myself out.
I went tonight to sit at the bar and order food (and honestly take it to go). The girl employee brought me water and walked away without saying anything. I am not drunk! I didn't even drink tonight yet. I'm naturally nervous and talkative because I'm freaking autistic. I am overly polite and tone myself down because I know how I would be perceived anyway (I already know because I tried already with them). To ignore my food and drink requests, throw me water, and walk away without saying anything is outrageous.
I hate to say it, but they don't want us there. Save your time and money if you're a BW. I live across the street; I can definitely afford to eat there. As a foodie who just moved to Baltimore, this place isn't worth it in either department. It is overpriced and not good, and I have videos to prove my point.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
The shrimp in garlic sauce was not the same. They were over cooked. Oysters with crab and champagne sauce was lacking crab and sauce was not so good and they were under cooked. Sangria was great like normal. My steak was over cooked on the edges. The dessert was a disaster. I have been going to Tio Pepe's for 50 years and I will not go back. It makes me sad
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Service was very very slow with 3 tables. We waited at least 45 mins for cold rice. I had the rice chicken and suppose to have been lobster tail but it was cut up lobster parts that taste stale and lazy chicken parts and a spot of sauce. Will not be returning or recommending.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
My husband took me there for our anniversary last month. The way the hostess greeted us was rude. She was looking at us like we were beneath her. Like we were lost. Her attitude changed when my husband said we have reservations. So that set the tone from the start. It's too dark in there; like a cave. We could barely read the menu. You can tell the menu hasn't changed in decades. My husband liked the food. But he also will eat a shoe. However, I didn't like it. The crabcake was okay. A little bit too salt, but it was huge. I had steak with some kind of sauce. The sauce was cold and the steak had no flavor or seasoning. I had a side of green beans which was delicious. The saffron rice tasted old. Our waiter was excellent and provided great service. I was disappointed because we had high hopes for this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 5
We ordered paella. The food was tasteless, without texture, different with real paella ( it had sussage and green been), soaking in water. This terrible dish cost about 80 dollors. I couldn't touch it after 2 spoons. It was a terrible experience. I never pass that neighbourhood!
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
This place is legendary. Im now 48 and my mom said she came here while pregnant with me. Food is very tasty, service and smiles excellent! I really enjoyed the garlic shrimp appetizer and stuffed rockfish. I can definitely see why local folks keep coming back. I believe I'd feel a bit more comfortable if the restaurant was in a location unburdened by underground moisture smell and those elements that go along with an older establishment. Overall, very nice experience celebrating my mom's 73rd bday.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
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