Regarding hitting up a place multiple times, you’ll need to cut me some slack. For me, reviewing restaurants is a hobby. Many of the places are review are places I’m familiar with and have been to a few times. Others, I’ve only visited once. If I hit up a place 3 times before I posted a review…then I wouldn’t have too many reviews!

That said, the review is still not that far off. Not bad for someone who only got a pizza and salad then whipped up a review for the entire restaurant.

I first went to ‘Pep’s about a month after they opened. My first impression was that the restaurant was so large, but everything is separated. On one end, you have a family-oriented section with tables and booths, the other end is a hip(per) section that includes the bar and some more risque decor. I think the owner is trying to combine a family style restaurant with a youthful bar scene. Imagine karaoke and shotskis at Olive Garden.

The menu, like the layout of the restaurant, is also radical. They try to specialize in salads, pizzas, burgers and of course pasta (they have a pasta bar). Instead of trying to build their menu around one really great dish, they inundate you with mediocre everything.

If you want to eat a great burger, salad, pasta or pizza, you’re not going to to here. You’re going to go to a place that specializes in one of these dishes.

If you have a group of friends, and everyone wants something different, and you’re not concerned about top quality dishes, this place will work.

My first time eating there, my wife and I were seated in a pub style table that had stools that were too short for the table. They weren’t even stools with backs, they were just stools, so I had nowhere to put our jackets. I asked our waiter if there was a coat hook somewhere, and he said no. I was puzzled that he didn’t try to accommodate our needs, so I left my jacket on during the meal while my wife sat on hers and put her purse on the floor.

The only person who could eat pasta at one of those tables would be Manute Bol. Maybe Shaq. The stools are so low that the table was above my nipples. Having to use silverware for anything at that height would be embarrassingly difficult (as my wife would discover). I wanted to try a pasta, but ended up getting pizza because of this handicap.

When I tasted the pizza, the first thing I thought was – Tony’s. It tastes just like a plain boxed pizza from the grocery store. Nothing special about the sauce, cheese or dough. I was happy with my salad as they used spring mix rather than cheap iceberg.

I got wings which you have to order in odd quantities – 8, 20 and 50. I got eight. Note to owner: Change to the 1/2 doz, doz, 2xdoz, etc quantities. There is a reason 95% of other restaurants do it this way. Your way is not better. If I want a small portion of wings (1/2 doz) at your restaurant, I cannot be pleased. If I want a decent number of wings (like a doz), I have to be under satisfied and go with eight or gluttonous and go with 20.

The waiter we had the first time there was clumsy. I can put about 50% of his incompetence on it being a new place, but he’s going to have to take credit for some. Note to my waiter: While I’m impressed by servers who memorize orders, it’s not necessary at Stone Pepper’s Grille. We’re not eating at the Moulin de la Vierge in Paris. This is Mars. Adams Twp., specifically. Any credibility you had as a top-notch server was thrown out the door when I saw your fingernails. If you want to memorize my order, fine, but don’t come back two minutes later to ask what kind of salad dressing I wanted, then still bring my wife ranch when she asked for balsamic.

As for the prices – meh. Not really worth what you get. Decent selection of beer, but as the reviewer said – nothing special.

We have gone back a couple more times, and while the service was a lot better, the food quality was about the same. I got a grilled chicken pasta that tasted mushy, kinda like a Stouffers or Michelina’s. We also went back for a happy hour night where they had karaoke at the bar and some food specials. This was actually worth it because they had 1/2 off appetizers and like $4 pizzas. This is a pretty good deal if you have a small group of friends to go hang out with.

Regarding Azzeria, I’m still meaning to check out them out one of these days. I’ve heard more than a few positive comments on this site and elsewhere.

As luck would have it, I had just set up a lunch-time trip to Yama Sushi for next week. I’ll be sure to report back once I’ve checked them out. I actually work up in Cranberry, so it’s pretty easy for me to check out both places.

Keep the suggestions coming!

As I said in my Urbanspoon review of this place, if you’re up Mars/Cranberry way again, go to Yama Sushi. Good service, good sushi by Pittsburgh standards, and what we’ve had of the entrees are also well prepared.

Azzeria in Wexford in the new Village at Pine plaza is also good if you’re dining up this way.

Post-Gazette: “Brothers catering to restaurant crowd”

The restaurant is “Good To Go” in Finleyville.