Great Road Trip Stop on the Way Back to Charlotte 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. read more

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Absolutely wonderful food , margaritas were perfect, service was outstanding! Give them a try ! read more

Papa's & Beer - Enough for 2-3 people ! - Mexican Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

Great restaurant! Lots of vegetables and salsa. They serve my favorite fajitas salad too. I never had California Mexican food, but this place food is amazing! I wish I tried other items on the menus but this dish was so filling. read more

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Food is amazing every time, salsa is delicious, service is fast recommend chimichanga or the sizzling enchiladas

Ate here this evening and enjoyed myself. The margarita and food were both good (fajitas), as was the service. This was a weeknight, so they weren't busy at all. I recommend trying this place when in Shelby... read more

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Great shrimp nachos and veggie options! The drinks are good too. Hope more folks stop in

I love this place but will never order another drink here. First if you order a really expensive drink they make no substitutions and then you have to request salt. So we went there and I got a house margarita and an extra shot of tequila. Charged me like 16.00 and no liquor in it. Seriously? I do like the food but they can serve me water from now on. I hate being robbed read more

I wasn't wowed by the name of this place, it evoked thoughts of potatoes and a bar. Neither of these sounds particularly appetizing but push past that. This place is actually good. The restaurant itself is a fun space. Lots of murals and eye candy for gazing while you wait. They also offer a salsa bar with about a dozen different choices. They bring a bean dip to the table with your chips. I love it! Spicy and warm, it is a perfect foil for the cold, fresh salsa. The tacos here are also incredible. The meat has been braised in beer which gives it amazing depth of flavor. The portions are huge, so you'll likely need a go box. Great spot I visit every time I'm in Shelby! read more

Papa's & Beer - Chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

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The food was decent. Service was okay. They have lots of drink specials. They have a salsa bar. We didn't love the taste of anything we ate. The chicken fajitas I had were the best. Everything else had a weird flavor to it. Even the chips they brought out to begin with just didn't taste great. Cleanliness would get 3 stars at best. Everything felt...sticky. Our server talked too quietly. She was also quick to run away. With a half dozen Mexican food restaurants in Shelby I doubt we'll be back to this one. ‍ read more

Papa's & Beer - Chicken Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

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Delicious one of my favorite restaurants love the sauce bar the service there is great and fast definitely recommend

Some of the best Mexican food! Drinks and food both came quickly and large portions. Five stars!

Came here for lunch on a Tuesday. At first I was hesitant to come in because they were not many people inside. But we thought we would try it. We were pleasantly surprised. First the restaurant was very clean inside and the bathroom was very clean. The waitress was very nice and attentive. The menu had a lot of authentic Mexican choices. The food came out fresh and hot. A good amount of portion. The rice although it's typical small portion to Mexican restaurants. The price was standard. I will definitely come here again. Oh by the way the avocado salsa was delicious! The have a self serve salsa bar! read more

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My new favorite spot. The food was super good. Had the pineapple fajita with fish. Love the salsa bar and the chips they bring out with beans. My friend ordered the "LARGE" margarita and just to warn you it's large. We all shared it. The pineapple coconut Margarita was delicious. Service was great. Food came out in a timely manner. Our server was attentive. I can't wait to go back. This place is in a not so great strip mall but don't let that deter you from going in. The decor and ambiance is very festive. Lots to look at at, art on all the walls and ceiling. read more

Came back here day 3 of opening and the Enchiladas Locas was fantastic. The margaritas were perfectly strong and definitely worth getting! Don't forget the check the salsa bar out!! read more

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Food and service were okay but not exceptional. I was charged $2.00 per meal more than stated in the printed and online menus. When I brought it to the manager's attention he stated the menu was printed before Covid and the prices have increased but they haven't printed new menus. He referred to some fine print on the menu which no one ever notices when looking at hundreds of items on a lengthy multi-page menu. Helluva of a business plan to charge more than listed and not telling the customer in advance. When we ordered the waitress should have said something. There are many good Mexican restaurants so these repeat customers won't be back. Pretty stupid to lose customers over $4.00. read more

Worst Mexican restaurant I have ever ate at. The food was horrible. The service was horrible. And the restaurant appeared not to be very clean. I tried to discuss the issue at hand with the waitress and then the manager but both didn't want to make the customer happy with a simple request to put queso on a blanco enchilada that they did not even put ANY queso on. The told us that we would have to pay extra because it had queso on it and it had soaked into the enchilada. The picture on the menu you couldn't even see the enchilada because it was covered with white cheese sauce. Guess they think customers are stupid. The short little "manager" who apparently thinks being a manager there is an important enough job to lose customers over a couple spoon fulls of cheese has an attitude problem and told me that he didn't care if I came back. This was the worst dining experience that I've had in years! I really don't know how this place is open. Shelby, sit this place down!!!! read more

The ambience was great. The food was amazing. I had the side tacos and my boyfriend had the arroz con pollo with shrimp. The restaurant was clean and the service was good read more

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My second time eating here, both times have been fabulous! The decor is beautiful, the food is always fresh and comes out in a timely manner. The staff is super friendly. The restrooms are very clean. The drinks are awesome as well. If I could give more stars I would. I could go on about how great this place is as a whole, but I think I've made my point clear. read more

Papa's & Beer - Patron margarita and sizzling enchiladas. - Mexican Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

Here on opening day! Went to the bar to try their margaritas and see what beer is on tap---my favorite Corona Light rolling in on draft. Their chips and bean dip are a nice change from the salsa. However they do have a great salsa bar if your looking for the usual. Still trying to decide what entree to have as the menu is rather extensive and hard to choose with so many great choices!! Had the enchiladas and my husband had a burrito which both were excellent. Finished off a fried ice cream which I love to see on the menu. It was one of the best. Definitely a nice add Cleveland county. Definitely going to be my after work go to. read more

Papa's & Beer - Mexican Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

What a disappointment.My husband and I intentionally went to Papas and beer because we've ate at the one in Boiling Springs, SC and also the one in Hendersonville, NC. Both of those restaurants serve very good food if you're ever in that area. If you're in Shelby, just keep driving on by, don't bother to stop and eat. When my husband mentioned the quality of the food to the waitress, she mentioned well it's because they're different cooks and owners. Does that mean they don't have good cooks in Shelby? don't they have a corporate menu to follow? This particular Papa's and Beer is not the same quality as the other restaurants. Is there one owner or separate owners for each one? The owner of this particular Papas and beer needs to spend more time at this restaurant. read more

I called in 30 minutes before they opened, clocked out for lunch at 11 (their opening time) and picked up my food, it was ready and warm right when I got there. Food was good and Staff was kind and I'm impressed so far read more

Papa's & Beer - Warm Fajita Salad - Mexican Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

If you're looking for a real authentic Mexican restaurant this is the place to go to. You can never go wrong with ordering ANYthing in the menu. They are all good. If you've never been to one you need to. You'll never stop going. They also have happy hours. Their margaritas are awesome. I definitely recommend this to anyone! Check it out!! read more

Papa's & Beer - Inside - Mexican Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

We came here for the first time bad both got Arroz con pollo. When it first came out it had a bad smell. I ate a couple of bites and noticed my daughter wasn't really eating either. She kind of pushed it around her plate. I asked to speak to the manager who said my daughter had eaten a couple of bites so we had to pay full price for it but she would discount mine 50%. She didn't care that something was obviously wrong with the food. She said that is the policy , if you order it you pay for it per the owner. she even told me one time her daughter got a quesadilla with a hair in it and the owner made her pay for it! I asked what if it made me sick if I ate it and was told I would have to show them a bill from the emergency room stating food poisoning in order to get a refund! DON'T GO HERE! This was 6:30 on a Friday night and we were one of 4 tables. That should have told me something. read more

This play is FESTIVE with MAJOR visual affirmation of their love of their culture! (can you say colorful and?! ) Everyone was friendly and pleasant...we were well attended. Nachos and bean dip were bland, mehhh We skipped any appetizers and got right to business with the sizzling fajita platter with shrimp, beef, and chicken..salt and (perhaps, pepper) seasoned ..no sazin or Adobe as far as my tongue could tell. Two sweet teas and full meal...$31 + $5 tip...with an entire meal left.. It was nevertheless quite tasty and satisfying. Overall, no complaints...won't be racing to come back, but will keep them in mind for a quick hot homemade style meal... Definitely BEATS Micky D's read more

My experience here was thoroughly "meh". Imagine a big block of meh - now start slicing it - each slice was pure meh. I've been to two other Papas and Beer locations and they were okay. I was excited to see a new restaurant invest in and take over this notoriously high turnover space in Shelby. The Parking lot: shared with Sushi Dojo and other businesses - based on how full the lot was I expected there to be more people inside... Not that busy when we went. Seated right away and provided chips and average tasting bean dip. Our server was decent "personality wise" but faltered big time when he forgot silverware. My hungry family members were waiting around staring at each other until a different server came by minutes later. Ironically my dish came last a few minutes later than that, AND IT WAS ROOM TEMPERATURE. Barely warm - like did they try to reheat pre prepped food portions because this was far from made to order. Or did they just forget it and it was cold by the time someone remembered to bring it to the table. Double irony, this was a dish recommended by the waiter. The salsa bar - very watery salsas and the spiciest one wasn't all that hot. Pretty lame experience overall. Just because you have a "restaurant formula" that has worked successfully in other spots doesn't mean you can set it on automatic and good things will come anyway. That's how this meal felt - like the "autopilot" was on but no one was home checking quality control. read more

The pic says it all. My chicken quesadilla was dry also. I was not impressed. My 1st it was good but not the 2nd visit. read more

Papa's & Beer - Old guacamole! - Mexican Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

Worst food I have ever had! Salsa bar that everyone has had their hands in! No tomato based salsa...all filled with cilantro, awful! We won't be back! Wasted $40 read more

Advertising three dollar margaritas and then when you get inside they tell you they don't have them they only have premium margaritas. All the sauces or miss labeled burn my mouth read more

My wife and I have gone here a lot. Food is really good. Although, a couple of weeks ago we went there for dinner. My wife ordered a salad and about a 1/3 of the way into the salad she found a hair. She immediately stopped eating and we call the server over. Well, at this point, my wife stomach had turned and she was not interested in something else. Normally a manger would happily take off the dinner, but not this time. It was an argument to get him took take it off as he said he couldn't be sure whose hair it was. It was a short black hair and neither my wife or I have short black hair. Finally the manger agreed to take it off but said this isn't normal. I said ok, but I will never go back. Like I said, food is great, service was inexcusable. read more

If I could give 0 stars I would. The service was horrendous. We asked for silverware 4 times and our food got cold while we were waiting. The bean dip was cold and there was no liquor in our drinks. Overall, just horrendous service. We were there for 2.5 hours. It took forever and the food was not worth the wait. If they want customers, they need better service. read more

The food was amazing, the service was great, the ambiance was very nice, and the prices were not bad. It was hard for me to decide what to get from the menu because everything sounded so good. I ended up grabbing tacos and an enchilada and my wife grabbed a plate with steak, chicken breast, tilapia, and shrimp, topped with Jose Cuervo tequila that they light up right in front of you. It had to be the best Mexican food I've ate. My wife loved her plate so much that she ordered another one to go. We went in not knowing what to expect but came out wanting more. I'd say the only downside is that there isn't a restaurant closer to my house! read more

Today i went to Papa's & Beer and there service is so horrible. I ran out of chips and salsa And they did not get more even though they came to my table 6 times. My drinks also needed to be refilled And they didn't even ask if i wanted one. The food is so disgusting it just doesn't taste right. If i were you i would not waste your money on there terrible food. read more

We eat here all the time. It's always great. The food is always hot and fresh. The service friendly. Big variety of food on menu. No problem with special requests. Love it!!! read more

First off... nothing like the Asheville location (travel one more hour and it would be more worth it)! The food was bland, my husband's fajitas had pink boiled shrimp on top of his plate, and it just wasn't good Mexican food! Sooooo disappointing because we loved the Asheville location, and know the owners are different but we're so hopeful! The only good thing was the bean dip. The margarita Cadillac was strong, but I came to eat! Got the crispy Yucatán flautas and it did not hit the spot. Not going back. This was a sad day for us. Was really hoping for a more satisfying experience. Oh and one guy walked around like a manager. My husband asked if he was getting guac and lettuce on the side with his fajitas. Guy said no but he would put in an order. A server brought that veggie plate out within a minute. Not sure who this guy was but he didn't know the menu and shouldn't ask people if everything's ok if he can't respond accurately! read more

Overall I think this is the best Mexican food in Shelby. Location isn't great if your coming from the east part of town, but is centrally located. Food was prepared quickly, and service was good. read more

This post is painful for me. For several months papas and Beer was my favorite place in town to dine. My family and I have dined here approximately 20 times since the grand opening. Over the time the service and quality has gotten worse and worse. Tonight beer was flat and full of head, food was cold and took a very long time with only a few of patrons in the restaurant. Then to top it all off my wife and I got the same thing read more

Meh. Nice people. Chips were stale. Both rounds. We asked if they were fresh made and they said yes. Still pretty bad. Menu is huge. WAAAY too many options. I needed 15 uninterrupted minutes just to read it all. Food was just average. Steak and carnitas good. Veggies not so much. read more

My burrito came out and the plate was wet and smelled really bad dirty dish water. It was so bad it made the burrito smell bad. I only went here the one time because of it. Never going back read more

Service was fast, atmosphere was nice, all wait staff was plesent and attentive. Food was delicious! I order tacos, and my wife had Taquitos. Both dishes were hot, and very tasty! With two other large competitive Mexican restaurants in the area, this one is sure to pull in a crowd! read more

If you're looking for good Mexican in Shelby this is NOT your place. Waited almost 15 minutes and was never seated. Lunch time on Sunday with only 2 tables of people in the whole place. Walked out and went straight to El Acapulco. Great food and great service every time. The only place to eat Mexican in Shelby. read more