Pepper Tavern in San Gabriel is an absolute gem! The food is delicious, with bold flavors and a creative twist that keeps every dish exciting. The cozy, welcoming atmosphere makes it perfect for both a casual night out and a fun gathering with friends. What truly sets this place apart is the owner's dedication and passion. They go above and beyond to ensure every guest feels at home, taking the time to engage and share their love for great food and hospitality. Their attention to detail and genuine care for the community make Pepper Tavern a standout spot. Highly recommend!

Flavor. Bomb. Here. The mini hot pot filled with various meat, seafood, and vegetables first seems like a daunting task to finish .. and it remains daunting because there seems to be an endless amount of stuff in it where it never goes empty. The heat first invites you into a nice little kick but it slowly builds over time to the point where you start crying and sniffling because the heat has just stacked up. But the flavor is there: deep umami, chili flavor that's almost on the borderline of being a little to salty but the seafood, vegetables and meat still retain its flavor to give different tastes with each bite despite it all sitting in the same bowl. And the string beans! While it sits at a double digit price, it's pretty darn good. Crunch? Check. Garlic? Check. Subtle chili nuance? Check. If you need some sort of a vegetable with your dish, this is the one to get. Service was pretty much non-existent until you ask for the check and ask for to go boxes for leftovers. They actually pack everything for you (albeit a little awkwardly) so that made up for everything. Other than that, order on your phone via QR code. Ambiance is pretty good too; interior is very bright and you can still hear people in your table despite being a lot of people inside the restaurant. Overall, this is a place that I'll be coming back to when I'm craving for Sichuan food. Definitely recommend.

I always have a blast coming to eat at Pepper Tavern with a group of friends. The outside patio is adorned with gorgeous hanging lanterns & there's heat lamps. Inside is also a whole vibe with LED light signs, but the party is definitely outdoors with occasional live performances. The service has been nothing short of spectacular from Wilson, Ethan, and Jason. They have blankets for the outside when it gets chilly, help bring extra tables when I overorder (which happens a lot). We actually caught an endearing moment where the owner celebrated one of their birthdays & I hardly witness such care and passion from a business owner for their employees. Now onto the main point: food. There's actually a huge variety of spicy foods on the menu and nothing has disappointed yet. My favorites that I'd recommend are the garlic crawfish if you have a big group (excellent flavor & huge portion), smoked tea duck (the hours spent smoking this really transcends), and the large intestine pot if you're brave enough. Another personal favorite is the frog legs because it's so easy to under/over-cook but it was perfect in the sour stew here. All in all, great spot to drop by. Definitely also look for their ongoing promotions too! There's always a fun different deal going on

Open late and serve pretty decent food and drinks. Rare to find a tavern that serves both alcohol and decent food. Been back three times. The servers do go above and beyond each time I been with friends or family. The food does take a little bit to come out if they are busy but thats because they make the dishes fresh instead of pumping it out like a fast food joint. Crawfish (5/5) this is by far my favorite here. They have two favors: garlic and spicy. Garlic is better. Intestine dry pot (4/5) its good and goes well with beer but wish it was more crispy. Mapo tofu (3/5) average Beef/lamb skewer (5/5) tender and flavorful Pork belly skewer (3/5) too crunchy and hard for me. My friends loved it. Boiled beef & tofu in chili served in pot over fire (4/5) i did like this. Brown sugar rice cake (5/5) mmm love this. Like how they cook the brown sugar sauce inside so it burst and leak out. White sugar cake (4/5) was good but more my sister fave. Tea smoked duck (5/5) meat was not tough and favor was just right. Like Mongolian lamb on bone. Pork belly with salted vegetables (5/5) not a pork fan but this melts. Watermelon breeze (5/5) watermelon juice with soju and something else. It was refreshing and yummy. White rabbit drink with soju- i didn't have this. I hate the white rabbit candy but my friend loved this. It wasn't too overpowering. Wonton tossed in chili oil (4/5) definitely get it more spicy if you can handle Beef with green chili (4/5) definitely get it more spicy if you can handle The patio is cute with the lanterns and reminds me of my visit in Shanghai Overall my new favorite tavern and the prices are decent compared to other asian taverns. One of the server Jason is also wonderful and takes care of you.

I went here for the grand opening and it was really awesome! I'm so glad there is such a chill place to friends to hangout at. The food is also very authentic and delicious. We ordered a ton of items from them but notable mentions are eggplant century egg, lotus root chips, and stinky tofu! Parking is on the street and there is some parking in the back. Service is very efficient and you can just use a QR code.

Chill restaurant with a weekend vibe, after a long day this restaurant is great to have dinner at they offer good Sichuan cuisine, their service is great and food came out fast and live music! The must order on the menu is their shrimp, it's all well prepared like skewers style and very flavorful. Great hang out spot and drinking spot with friends and coworkers.

If you're looking for chill vibes, shareable plates and friendly service with Szechuan dishes, I'd recommend this place! They have indoor and outdoor seating in a private patio (which I also noticed has a karaoke setup, but it wasn't in use at the time). Park behind the restaurant in their small private lot or along the neighborhood next door. Staff was friendly and you order via QR code. Tried the: Tea Smoked Duck - crispy skin and didn't taste gamey, served with a chili powder and overall I enjoyed this dish. Green Peppercorn Fish - got mild for a slight kick and the fish was really tasty. It also comes with lotus root and some enoki mushroom. I only wish they had some more veggies like napa cooked with it. Jianghu Crispy Chili Chicken - so tasty! Chicken was crispy and juicy. The fries mixed in were so flavorful. Cross Leg Beef - okay the name sounds odd, but its actually a mini hotpot of beef, cabbage and tripe served with this chili powder. Meat was tender and I liked eating the cabbage out of this. Overall, a neat place to hangout. Saw tables for all group sizes and they have a private room.

Must start with just saying that the service itself deserves 5/5 stars! The owners frequently help staff and make sure that guests are happy in their restaurant. Honey walnut shrimp- my family and I find that sometimes that dish is over-mayo-ed so we asked for less mayo. This was perfect as you can still taste the crispiness of the shrimp. Spicy boiled beef- not sure what dish was called, it was new and the owner said it wasn't on the menu yet. But this is one of my favorite dishes! Beef was tender, and bean sprouts were crunchy to balance the texture. Looks spicy, but was not spicy at all. Super tasty, make sure to ask for rice. Pickled vegetables with fish- could use a bit more pickled /vinegar flavor but still a good dish. Beef cubes- not pictured. Solid, like all Chinese restaurants! Tender meat. Chicken salad- loaded with shredded chicken and a dash of sesame oil. Refreshing dish to pair with the others. Smoked duck- the duck is so lean and not too fatty, which my family and I prefer. There is a hint of smoky flavor which makes this dish unique. This restaurant is still experimenting with their menu and I love trying their new things!