Our go-to Mexican spot in Shelby. The fajitas are always good, portions are generous, and the chips…read moreand salsa keep coming without having to ask. Service is consistently friendly. Nothing fancy, just solid food at a fair price every single time.

I eat here once a week. It is always so good! I've tried numerous dishes and all have been…read moredelicious. They are very accurate, polite, and consistent. LOVE this place!

Decent Mexican food for an ok price. There are many mexican options in Shelby, but I like to give…read moreeveryone a try. I wasn't wowed by the meal but it was like the rating says, 3 star. The Birria tacos were one of the better options in town for sure though! Maybe it was just the day we went that it wasn't vibing for us. I'll have to come back as there are many 5 star reviews for El Sol.

Some of the most authentic food around. Great flavors (and everything doesn't taste the same) and…read moreselection! Atmosphere is fun and comfortable. Staff is friendly but you'll be waiting for refills.

We had another great meal at Don Ramon Mexican Restaurant. The chips came out warm and crispy and…read morepaired perfectly with the cold salsa and the delicious bean and cheese dip. We ordered the Texas Don Ramon and the portion was huge--definitely big enough to share. The margaritas are always perfectly mixed and the perfect way to finish the meal. This has become one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in the area. It's not our first visit and it definitely won't be our last!

Then going to this place over 10 years. The best Mexican food in town, my favorite go to Mexican…read moreplace. They have the best salsa I have ever had and the best chorizo I have ever had. But what I like the most are the friendly staff who have become friends over the years.

Visiting from NJ and this place was amazing. The refried beans as a dip, the fresh salsa bar, the…read morehuge portions, the fresh homemade flavors, the delicious pina coladas, and the excellent and attentive service made our visit so special. I will return the next time I'm visiting SC. Well done and thank you!

Great Road Trip Stop on the Way Back to Charlotte…read more After an epic day exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains, I found myself rolling through Shelby on the scenic route back to Charlotte. Traffic through town was moving slower than expected thanks to the endless stoplights, but in this case, it worked out in my favor because Papa's & Beer appeared on my right just as my stomach started demanding attention. The restaurant itself is bright, colorful, and festive. The dining room is filled with vibrant Mexican décor, colorful tile accents, booths and tables, and plenty of personality. They had a FIFA soccer match on the TVs, which was fun to watch while I ate. The volume was low, captions were on, and it added energy to the room without becoming distracting. One thing worth mentioning: it was pretty warm inside during my visit. There were fans running throughout the restaurant, but the air conditioning seemed to be struggling. It wasn't unbearable, but on a hot North Carolina afternoon, a cooler dining room would have made the experience more comfortable. The menu is huge. Tacos, quesadillas, seafood, combination plates, house specialties--you could visit several times and still have plenty left to try. I settled on the Carne Asada Combination, which came with grilled steak, Mexican rice, refried beans, salad, and a cheese enchilada. Before my meal arrived, my server brought complimentary chips and a warm bean dip that was downright addictive. One of the highlights was discovering their salsa bar. Nobody mentioned it to me, but curiosity paid off when I saw other guests gathered around it. The selection was excellent, with everything from tomatillo salsa and creamy sauces to chile de árbol varieties that brought some serious heat. As someone who loves spicy food, I was in heaven. My only criticism was that the salsa bar temperature seemed off. One container had a large chunk of ice floating in it, and a few of the salsas were colder than they should have been, which diluted the flavor a bit. The entrée arrived quickly. Portions were generous, and there was no way I was finishing it all after attacking the chips, bean dip, and salsa bar. The standout was the cheese enchilada. Loaded with melted cheese and packed with flavor, it was easily my favorite part of the plate. The carne asada was also generously portioned and cooked well. The rice was the weakest link for me. It needed seasoning and lacked the rich tomato flavor I expect from Mexican rice. The salad was also overdressed, although mixing some of it with the rice actually improved both. One small annoyance: I requested a side of white onions and later discovered there was a $1.50 charge. Not the end of the world, but I would have appreciated a heads-up before it was added to the bill. Service was friendly and efficient throughout, and when I left with a very full takeout box, the cashier happily provided a bag for the road. If you're passing through Shelby, stuck in traffic, or heading back from the mountains, this is a solid place to pull over, grab a cold beer, enjoy some chips and salsa, and recharge before the drive home. Life is too short to eat mediocre food. Keep exploring and find the places that surprise you.

This little restaurant is a hole in the wall in Cherryville, NC, is wonderful. The music was…read moreamazing reminded me of Nicaragua worship music. My meal was spot on, I didn't expect it to be so delicious. The waiters were all waiting on us, our drinks were always filled. I would recommend this little place, they also have a food truck.

Our server hector was extremely attentive and fast, as soon as our drinks were empty he appeared…read morewith refills immediately, even with almost every table full he was very efficient. (Thank you Hector!) The lemonade is amazing and so is the sweet tea Both of our dishes were still steaming and the cast iron was sizzling when brought to the table, as well as our tortillas coming out of the foil hot, fresh, and also steaming! and both dishes were absolutely delicious, we paid about $40 plus about $10 for a tip and I would say it is 110% worth the trip and the money. Along with so many menu options, I feel like there is something for everyone of every palate. very small yet nice restaurant, the decor and condition of the booths were very nice, there were also tables for seating, very clean and calm environment with music at a nice volume (enough to hear but not to override conversation volume). Very satisfied with this trip, thank you guys!

Got the family meal (Chkn Fajitss) for Cinco de Mayo and it was enough food for 4 to eat and My…read morewife and I ate it again the next day. The service before the lockdown is great. Treat you like family. Thursday night trivia there also and its a blast!!!

Friendly staff and food was made fresh for our takeout order. Cali burrito is huge and the fajita…read morequesadilla was good, stuffed with large pieces of steak.

The food is excellent, the prices are fair and the customer service is really good. It's hard to…read morepick a favorite dish because everything I've tried has been so good. Highly recommend the chicken & steak quesadilla.

Family friendly, great food, waiter treated us like family, will definitely be back. My grandkids…read morehad a great time as well.

Never been here before but I was surprised rises with the food and service. I got there around 5…read moreand was greeted immediately by a host. Got my table and ordered after a few minutes. I ordered chicken, beef and shrimp with peppers over rice. It was served with warm tortillas and it came out hot and very good. They also served you with chips and dip. The thing that I really liked was the salsa bar they had. There were probably six choices of salsas from mild to hot. I tried several the they were really good. The stall kept walking around to fill your beverage and also to see if you needed anything. The atmosphere was great and not too many people at this time. The restaurant as clean and nicely decorated. I have noticed that there always seems to be a crowd there during mealtime, so I wanted to try. I will be back another time. Great meal and service.