Restaurante Tio Pepe

This is an Experience, not like any other restaurant. MUST try if you are in the Baltimore area. It is wonderful to chat with the staff, some who have been there for over 30+ years. Sangria was very tasteful and fresh! For sure going to be going back for more, maybe on an anniversary or special occasion. PS, they have a secret menu, must try the chocolate soufflé (make sure to order with entree for preparation time)

The ambience is what goes so well for this restaurant. A very vintage look with paintings on the wall, other decorative things like china plates etc add to the ambience. Food is good. But we had a weird experience with service. We ordered two appetizers. They never came. The wait staff clearly wrote it down - we even enquired what those appetizers were. When entree came after a considerable wait we enquired about the appetizers. Instead of an apology we got a "did you order them". Does not go well for a restaurant of this class. I completely understand wait staff making mistakes. Quickly the wait staff changed. This itself tells something, that the original wait staff was trying to recover the situation. We did not escalate and let it go. My wife could not finish the Salmon dish she ordered which came with a very nice bearnaise sauce. When they packed the salmon into the box they just dunked the salmon and took away the sauce on the plate. Clearly some kind of training issue. Overall a mixed experience.

I recently visited Restaurante Tío Pepe in the downtown area of Baltimore with a group of friends and colleagues, and I must say that it was a wonderful experience. This family-owned and operated business has been around for 55 years and is the only local restaurant to offer authentic, homemade Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine in the Baltimore area. From the outside, the restaurant may not seem too eye-catching, but as soon as you step inside, you are transported to a Spanish-style setting with many tables draped in white cloth. Our waiter and waitress were very friendly and attentive, adding to the warm atmosphere. We ordered several appetizers, but the one that stood out to me was the Jamón Serrano Español con Melón. This Spanish ham (aka Jamón in Spanish) is best eaten by wrapping cantaloupe around it, creating a unique and delicious combination. One of the worth noting desserts we ordered was the Brazo de Gitano a las Nueces, which translates to “Gypsy Arm with Walnuts”. This roll of biscuit with cream and fruits was topped with fresh walnuts, creating a fragrant aroma and taste that was simply outstanding. I strongly recommend it. For my entrée, I ordered the Zarzuela de Mariscos Costa Brava, which is the Spanish equivalent of French Bouillabaisse or Italian Cioppino. This ensemble of Mediterranean shellfish in sherry-infused seafood sauce was delectable. Unlike Bouillabaisse or Cioppino, however, its sauce had a sweet and homemade corn-like flavor that made it quite distinctive. To accompany our meal, we enjoyed two white wines: Fillaboa Albariño 2021, Rías Baixas, and Mantel Blanco Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Rueda. Both were great choices selected by my good friend Dr. JP. The Fillaboa Albariño tasted crispy with a slight lemon flavor, whereas the Mantel Blanco was thicker, smoother, and a bit sweeter than the Fillaboa Albarino. Although the prices are a bit on the high side, the quality of the food, service, and atmosphere make it all worth it, especially when enjoying a wonderful dinner and having great conversations with good and long-time friends. Overall, I highly recommend Restaurante Tío Pepe for anyone looking for an authentic Spanish and Mediterranean dining experience in Baltimore.

Appetizers Bread was fine, came out cold with cold butter. Warming it would be a nice touch! Snails were great, especially with bread to dip in the leftover butter Garlic shrimp was excellent Prosciutto melon was classic and well done Mushroom toast was also good We shared the paella for our main course, which was enough for two meals, and overall very tasty. Some of the protein was just a tad overcooked. For dessert we got flan and pine nut cake. The flan was excellent, but the pine nut cake was seriously out of this world. Wish I had room to order a second one. Absolutely incredible. Their red sangria was also good. Service was a bit rough. Service was slow, it took about 30 minutes for our order to be taken. The bill also had a couple mistakes, which isn’t a big deal but did take a bit of time to fix. All in all would come back, especially for that cake. It’s more a 4.5/5 if i could.

First visit July 2021 was quite disappointing especially for $40 a plate. Went with friends who have been many times, they said this visit was disappointing. I had the restaurant week paella and it was terrible. The pork and chicken in the rice was overcooked and dry. They threw on top two muscles and a clam. Two of the three were not open so they were bad before they were cooked. Paella is supposed to be cooked with the shellfish in it not thrown on top as an afterthought. My vegetarian wife called a couple days ahead and coordinated exactly what she could eat, they were going to make a special plate for her. The waiter did not understand what she said, so he just brought her the regular vegetarian dish and even after she spoke with the hostess in person they still brought the wrong vegetables. And despite looking pretty in the picture, they were flavorless, no butter no pepper no salt. The gazpacho soup and my friends stuffed lobster we're pretty good. Margaritas were good but they were the smallest glass Margarita I've ever had yet it was $9.