Don Sol

I've been here many times and it's always so good! I love their street tacos and jamaica agua…read morefresca.

The food and service was really good. The server…read morerecommended the frozen mango margarita and it was tasty. They offer a number fruit options. My entree was good and it was so much meat. The shrimp was one of favs but all of it was flavorful. I would go back if I'm in Carbondale.

Paisano Fajita

Our food was fresh and delicious.

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Chips, salsa and the most delicious guacamole!

Doña Camila

4.9(24 reviews)

1.8 mi

An unassuming little eatery at the back of a Mexican grocery store. Dona Camila means showings of…read morerespect to the owner Camila. She took care of the entire store and restaurant all by herself. The restaurant is very tiny, but the food is delish. The restaurant was empty when I arrived at 1pm. She put on the Mexican music when I arrive. Service is fast. The owner explained the menu and provided good recommendations. I tried 4 tacos of different meat: birria, lengua, steak and carnitas. All are served with onions and lime. I love birria and lengua the most, followed by carnitas. I picked an authentic Mexican soda from their fridge. I love all the drink options available.

Checked out this Mexican cafe and grocery store in Carbondale. Dona Camila looks like it wouldn't…read morebe a good place to eat to be honest. It looks like a simple family owned grocery store. However in the back there's a dining area. They make tacos and tortas. After looking around a bit we found where to order at. It's got a window in the back. There's a small menu of a few authentic Mexican items and the choices of protein. Mostly it's tacos of course. These are pretty easy to make. It's $4 each. Protein choices include beef, chicken, or get beans and vegetables. Got us a couple of tacos with the beans. These were topped with cilantro and onions. Small but full of flavor. The store has drinks such as Jarritos, and you can get big ass cans of beans so you can make tacos for later. Good place to get authentic Mexican food. It's located on West Jackson Street at Illinois Avenue in a building that looks unassuming from outside. There's taqueria is located in the back, and you order at the window.

Menu Board

Sooo juicy it's falling apart! Yummmmm

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Menu (July 2026)

Sergios Cantina

3.5(29 reviews)

0.7 mi

This is a huge blue building that is very easy to see. This place has a gigantic parking lot with…read moreoutside seating under a tent. The food is very affordable and tasty. The service was great. Came here a couple of times to watch NBA games. All the food is great quality and tasty. The drinks are amazing. I want to live here.

BEWARE HIDDEN BACON! I ordered a Hawaiian quesadilla, described on the menu as: Grilled chicken,…read moresteak, pineapple, and cheese. Cooked with bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Served with lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and guacamole, with cheese sauce on top. Nowhere did it mention pieces of bacon in the meat mix. I asked the server if I'd misread the menu. After consulting a guy in Spanish, she said "sorry" and sent it to be fixed. The "new" plate looked no different. I spent a few minutes weeding out more chunks of bacon. She stopped to ask us (4 in party) if everything was good. I told her NO! Still have bacon in my dish! Pointed out that 2 of the others asked for changes; no sour cream on the taco salad & no mushrooms on the veggie quesadilla. Neither request was honored. I eat KOSHER, so no pork! To have it HIDDEN in the dish is offensive. She asked if I'd like something different. I told her I don't trust you anymore. No one item on their menu lists bacon. What about someone with ALLERGIES? Other than saying "sorry" repeatedly, she did nothing to improve the situation. No apologies to the others for her mistakes. No discounts. She did remove my dish from the bill. I still paid for my Pepsi. I should have taken pictures of the pork-fest and asked for the manager but didn't think of that until later. I did leave her a tip 2 cents!

This is the Birra Pizza!

Does it look like a margarita?

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Papa's Special - Full, (cheesy chicken and rice)

El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant

4.0(1 review)

3.5 mi

By far the cleanest Mexican restaurant I've been to in Carbondale. Margaritas for a dollar that are…read moreactually good. Very friendly service. This will be my go to Mexican restaurant from now on. I've been to all of them in town and this is the cleanest, friendliest, and best priced. Keep in mind this is typical tex-mex, americanized Mexican food. It gets a four instead of a five because in my opinion a five is reserved for legendary destinations.

Chimichanga!!

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Tres Hombres

2.9(82 reviews)

1.8 mi

My partner and I did a little tour of Carbondale to relive our our college days and we were excited…read moreto go tres. We were shocked when we looked at the menu and there was just fajitas and nacho chips with cheese dip and guacamole, but we're told this place is no longer a Mexican restaurant.. I don't know what to say about that considering the history, the name, and now it's a sports bar? I don't know. I think they're having an identity crisis. We're really sad and ended up going to quatras for pizza to at least get a little bit of food and added nostalgia.

While the food in the old Tres was pretty mediocre, both the food and the menu are significantly…read morebetter. The service is excellent. It still looks like the old Tres, so I didn't really notice any ambiance.

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Catfish sandwich with crispy seasoned fries.

Tequila's

3.3(47 reviews)

3.0 mi

Hole in the wall kind of place. Best Mexican food I've had in a long time! Every bite was packed…read morewith fresh, authentic flavor. We shared the fajitas, which were more than enough for two people, along with a huge burrito. Unlike many Mexican restaurants where every dish seems to taste the same with a different presentation, each item here had its own distinct, delicious flavor. The pitcher of margaritas was excellent, and the service was exceptional from start to finish. If you're looking for authentic Mexican food with generous portions and outstanding hospitality, this place is absolutely worth a visit!

Food is so good here! Ive never dined into the restaurant but the inside looks very aesthetically…read morepleasing.

Burrito

Tequilas en La Playa

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Chango's Bar & Grill

3.9(43 reviews)

1.9 mi

The nachos are to die for! All the toppings you want mango salsa, black olives, Queso, jalapeños…read moreand more. Open late, affordable, right down from SIU. Would definitely return to this joint.

Beard hair INSIDE the burrito and the loser at the register wants to argue instead of refunding me…read more Never eat here unless you like hair in your food. Insane way to run a restaurant.

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Don Taco

3.3(80 reviews)

1.7 mi

Checked out this fast food Mexican restaurant in Carbondale. Don Taco is better than it looks. It…read morecertainly is better than Taco Bell and that kind of shit. Has a lot of good values in the combo meals. They of course have tacos, along with burritos and nachos. Basically this is order at the counter fast food. It's got a pretty good size dining area so there's plenty of seating. This also boasts of being the only fast food restaurant with outdoor seating in town. Either way it's pretty good for the cost. This gives you a lot for not a lot. It's about $12 for the Tacos Combo. This also includes the vegetarian tacos. Comes with a drink and tortilla chips. The hot salsas gave it most of the flavor to be honest. Good place if looking for some basic Mexican American food. It's located on East Grand Avenue at Wall Street. There's plenty of choices for both meat eaters and vegetarians.

Ordered five tacos and it was over $20. That's ridiculous. They fell apart and broke just like any…read morehard taco does.

I won't come to there never again

Chicken Nachos

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Chicken Nachos

PK's

4.1(43 reviews)

1.9 mi

The food is awesome and the ambiance is even better. Excellent and attentive staff and fun…read morecommunity vibe.

For sure this is one of the legendary places in Carbondale. It has been a long time favorite for…read morecheap drinks, food, and music. PK's is popular with both locals and students. A surprisingly good amount of stuff on the menu including plant based. This place may be a dive, but it's better than it looks. A lot of history in this bar. It's known for the cheap ass happy hours. There's also the cheap ass weekly specials. Be sure to check out the list in the bathroom. It's $2 for whiskey on Wednesdays. Among the many cheap drinks. Burgers are most popular among the food options. The food menu also has a lot for vegans. It's $6 for the Impossible Chicken. This comes on a bun topped with lettuce, onions, and pickles. Has to be one of the places you go to when visiting this college town to check out the local flavor. It's on Illinois Avenue at Walnut Street. There's lots to get for meat eaters such as burgers, and there's also healthier options, including many things for vegans and vegetarians.

Whiskey And The Impossible Chicken

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Quatro's Deep Pan Pizza

4.3(379 reviews)

2.0 mi

Great pizza, crispy edge deep pan pizzas, the sausage and beef are premium tasting, along with the…read morecheese and crust/sauce, one of my favorite places to go. Service is always quick and friendly, remodel of the gift shop is really cute and the extra seating is nice.

Quatro's is a Carbondale staple. Very well known for amazing pizza, but don't sleep on the…read moresandwiches and salads too! Their ranch dressing has to be homemade, and it's to die for. On the most recent visit we stopped in for lunch, after a golf tournament. They were busy, but you are always seated quickly, and receive fast, friendly service. Most of the employees are students, and they do a great job. We had salads, and split some garlic cheese bread with red sauce. Everything was delicious!

Dining area

Cheese pull

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The lobby has a retro vibe (opened in the 1970's)

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5 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Para D.

111

9 years ago

This is your standard fast food (but sit down) Mexican restaurant. Free chips and salsa. Food prepared so fast you wonder how they could have cooked it fresh. I've eaten here twice. The service is great. The food is mediocre. I ordered fajitas both times and both times it came out on a heated platter but not the sizzling cast iron like most places do it - which is kind of the draw for fajitas... I was provided two tortillas. A TINY portion of sour cream and guacamole. And they give you no space or plate to actually eat your fajita. I'd recommend Moes next door instead or Dona Camilla if you want something more authentic (and amazing). read more

Lelie B.

8 years ago

We had no clue where to eat and Googled and found this little gem. It was delicious. Our waiter was attentive and quick. The food arrived hot, fresh and delicious. Our waiter checked by often to make sure we did not need or want anything additional. Restaurant was very clean and organized. The prices were very reasonable. Highly recommend if you are in the Carbondale area read more

Sarah H.

292

10 years ago

Ate here one time. Average Mexican place. I'd go back but wouldn't make a special trip for it

Jackson S.

3 years ago

Great job! Great job! Great job! Great job! Great job! Great job! Great job! Great job! read more

Giselle M.

5 years ago

has amazing food! everyone is very friendly and you get amazing and fast service.

Don Sol - mexican - Updated October 2026

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Food is so good here! Ive never dined into the restaurant but the inside looks very aesthetically…read morepleasing.

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We stopped at this restaurant in Marion for lunch and had a really good meal. We'd never seen the…read moredish that was Mexican rice bowl with roasted veg and cheese sauce before. It was really good! Also had the chips with a great salsa. All the people we encountered were super kind and friendly. It was clean and enjoyable to be there. Fast and friendly A little note. This dish would have been fine with no cheese sauce and a sprinkle of shredded cheese instead Just an idea for the place. The cheese sauce was indeed delicious!

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Have been there several times,, always take my 91 year old mother,, the staff is very helpful,…read morehelping me to get her from the car inside, and then helping back out. Food is some of the best I've had of any Mexican restaurants.

Absolutely delicious Mexican food in Murphysboro. Loved it. Previous visits to the area we have…read moregone to a Mexican restaurant in Carbondale with a liquor license - thinking that that El Jalisco did not have the same. Glad to know we were wrong. Delicious margaritas - and - the quesabirria tacos? Oh my goodness - I can't get enough. SOOOO delicious. We were there with three adults and one toddler. Two of us devoured the quesabirria and could not stop raving about how delicious they were. Rick enjoyed a burrito - and the chips and salsa kept the ten month old in our party very happy. Will definitely be back on our next trip to Murphysboro. And while I love to try different dishes - the memory of that quesabirria taco has me salivating. Ohhhh - so good!

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I've been coming here for nearly 30 years for their tamales all the way from Benton, IL. These are…read moreamazing

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We have eaten here for years and have no complaints. Food was good. Service was good.read more

Most days I pass by, I never see any cars parked out so I'd been unsure if it was worth a shot. On…read morea Friday evening, there was only one person dining in. There are only two seats at the bar and I was able to choose one. I was greeted upon arrival. There is a full bar w/top shelf options and the margarita is super duper tasty!! Extensive menu, not expensive but also not cheap. It's slow enough to have only one waitress/bar tender...a Mexican lady who understood and spoke clear English. I loved the chips as they weren't extremely crunchy, standard salsa. The serving size was smaller than I'm used to but filling. Food was hot, didn't taste significantly authentic 6/10.

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