Best restaurant in Mattoon!! The food and service are always consistently great and I'm very picky about restaurants.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised! I can't wait to come back. The ambience is great. Very festive from the music to the decor. Staff were great! Christian was my server and he had the best recommendations. The food....oh my God it was soooo sooo good! Everything we had was nice and flavorful! We also got complimentary chips and salsa before our meal. Santos came to check on us regularly and was grey accommodating. Customer service was top tier. We will be returning! read more

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I have eaten at Don Sol for years. The service is always amazing. I love the fact that when I order my food, I know exactly what I am getting. No worries that it is going to be different or have been changed. They are always willing to do protein substitutes or sub out more rice for the beans! Love this place! read more

We just love the service and the food here. Price is about what you'd expect. Not cheap, but definitely not out of line. There are so many good foods here that o cannot list them all. Not everything is good, but I cannot remember a bad dish. My favorite is not on the menu. However the staff knows us. Wifey gets her dish. It's different and not on the menu Same for me. We've been coming here for years. I get the Pollo y Camaròn. It's not on the menu, but they make it great. Love all the servers. Never had a bad experience there. read more

Don Sol Mexican Grill - Refried beans and Mexican rice. Just great flavor on these standard items. - Mexican Near Me - Mattoon, Illinois

Aways great service and food when we go inside. We have ordered to go a couple times and the last time will be the last. No matter how many meals you order, they will send one small bag of chips and one small side salsa. If you want extra you have to order it and it costs more. We ordered Mexican Guacamole last time which came with no extra chips. We ordered extra grilled chicken with the kids meal and they did not do it and charged 6 extra dollars. Very disappointed with the TO GO. read more

Always hospitable! Fast service(sometimes faster than McDonald's)! And wonderful food! They have been my favorite Mexican restaurant for a long time. read more

This was probably the worst Mexican place I have been to food wise. My beef nachos had beef hardening on them, the chips tasted like they came out of a bag from the grocery store and were stale tasting, the guacamole was thin and awful, and my kids chicken fingers were so tiny. read more

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Went here with some friends that were visiting Mattoon from out of town. Needless to say we showed up a little before 7pm and they seemed mad we had come in from the beginning. The treatment made us look at what time they closed because maybe they were mad we came in but it was over TWO hours before they closed. The waiter we had seemed to have a very dismissive/angry/attitude the entire time we were there. Around 8pm or so they were severely rushing us, bring the bills, saying the kitchen was shutting down, etc. I have seen bad attitudes like this before but not two over hours before closing time, like we had come in last minute. The staff upfront were drinking beers and everything else on top of this. We stuck around and took our time simply because staff and the main rude waiter was rushing us. All this is wasn't the final call. The waiter started cleaning a table behind us that was already clearly and SLAMMED the table up against the booth causing it slam pretty hard up on my partner. Needless to say we left shortly after. I would NOT recommend at all, the service was HORRID and the food wasn't all that great. THE ONLY REASON WE GAVE THEM ONE STAR IS SO WE COULD POST THE REVIEW. read more

This is our favorite restaurant, not just our favorite Mexican restaurant! We dine here regularly and all have our favorite dishes. The seafood dishes are always fresh, the meat is high quality, and the food is consistently delicious. They get us through quickly and the service is fast and friendly. You get great food for the cost. Their margaritas are the best around. I love the shrimp dishes. My tween son gets the chicken chimichanga every single visit and cleans his plate. This is no small feat because he is a very picky eater. You can also get lots of spice/heat or less spice and great flavor. read more

BEST AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FOOD IN ILLINOIS (and this is a reserved statement!) Fall apart moist pork, chicken,steak...best hot homemade salsa....very reasonable prices...Huge Portions...fresh...made per order...great service...brand new remodel...squeaky clean restrooms I tend to order Chile Relleno often...this is by far the freshest & best I have experienced yet...crisp rellenos filled with rich white quesa fresco cheese rolled in a fresh egg omelet shell....BEST BEST BEST! The Meat Sampler (my apologies, I did not catch platter name) is fork flaky tender and so flavorful... *side note - I only YELP best finds by opinion of my tastebuds in the moment....hope you enjoy our finds as much as we do read more

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Always so dang tasty! I really wish they would bring back the buffet. My queso & marg is amazing read more

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Food is always good and service is great. Today I had the chicken fajita quesadilla. I will definitely have again!

Excellent 5 Star - Dinner with a friend- Carne Asada tasted wonderful! The Salsa was fresh. Preparation of the dish for the customer was excellent. Margarita tasted great! Fun environment. Our server was excellent! Can't wait to come back! I've been to many Mexican restaurants, but this one definitely stands out! Keep up the good work! read more

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If you frequently read my reviews you surely know that I am basically a Mexican food connoisseur. I love everything about Mexican food. The salsa, the dairy, the tortilla, the liquor, the whole gambit. That said...how could this be wrong? Good news...it wasn't. If you ever make it to Mattoon, Illinois stop by Don Sol. The restaurant is one of the more popular in the city and for good reason. The food is solid and the value is impeccable. I started with chips and queso. Of course it was outstanding. How can you mess up chips and cheese?! For my entree I had the chimi. I'm a sucker for the chimichanga and I love refried beans and Mexican rice. This was what I had and it was great. This particular day there was a special on the margaritas. The special was so good that had I bought two regular drinks I could've had a whole pitcher. So, being the fiscally responsible individual that I am, I ordered the pitcher. That damn thing was strong. That bartender put heart in that drink and wanted me to feel it. This made me happy. Aside from the obvious buzz, I was pleased by the value and what I received. Not a bad word to say about this place. It missed the five star mark cause the facilities didn't leave much to be desired. Would definitely go back, but doubt that I'm ever back in Mattoon, Ill. read more

Don Sol Mexican Grill - Mexican Near Me - Mattoon, Illinois

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The wife was craving Mexican and this place was nearby. It was amazing. The food came out fast, fresh, and steaming hot. It was fantastic.

I have eaten here a few times. The restaurant is tucked back inside a shopping mall but parking is a breeze. During COVID they have indoor and outdoor seating with particle board dividers over the booths to aid in social distancing. The service is very quick. They have my soda and appetizer to me within 2-3 minutes of sitting down and the entrée another five minutes after that. Their lunch portions are plenty since they include both rice and beans. read more

Fair service with a decent time. The waiter seemed to almost forget about our table and neglected to take a drink order from someone without being prompted after walking away. Granted, this could've just been a really busy night. The food was good and served hot so no complaints there. More so in the order not being taken and part of another being left out until being reminded. read more

Not what I had hoped for. The steak did not have any flavor or seasoning that I could taste and it was just ok food. On top of it they had a free queso special running and they tried charging for it. Disappointing experience. read more

Highly underrated! I live in Florida, traveled to mexico more times than I can count and loved it here! Not sure what anyone has to complain about here; went off google review rather than yelp because its such a small town and was not disappointed! Come here, drink eat and be merry! read more

I come to Mattoon about 4 times a year and always make a point to go here. My favorite entrée is the Camarones de Sol. This dish consists of seared shrimp, roasted vegetables, rice and an avocado salad. Perfectly delicious and healthy. As soon as you are seated, the waiter brings you warm chips and fresh salsa. The salsa is SO good. And if you finish it they will bring you a refill....no charge or judgement. If I'm going to get a drink, I go with the classic margarita. It is delicious. Service is always friendly and attentive. Prices are reasonable. I like the fun and colorful atmosphere at Don Sol. read more

Don Sol Mexican Grill - Camarones don sol to go - Mexican Near Me - Mattoon, Illinois

We ordered Top Shelf Margaritas W/Patron. We ordered 3 mini- Chimichanga's. The Food exceeded all expectations!! The margaritas were perfect!! The service was Great and the Restaurant was spotless clean, inspection ready!!! Can't wait to come back!!! read more

This really is a hole in the wall. The food served at Don Sol was TO DIE FOR! After coming back from a Mexican vacation, this place really fit all my criteria of Mexican food. Every time I go here I order the enchiladas chipotle and boy are they delicious. I really enjoy their beans and rice as well. Sometimes certain restaurants that serve beans and rice don't always have fresh tasting beans and rice. These beans and rice just taste fresh and delish. 10/10 for Don Sol! read more

What a great recommendation from my fellow Yelpers! I got here on a Friday evening just as the dinner rush was leaving, so getting seated was not an issue, but I'm guessing this place probably draws a good crowd so you may have to wait for a table. Upon entry the the decor is the standard Mexican look and feel. Roomy booths that offer a somewhat private feel, clean surroundings and, adequate lighting. The menu has a good offering of foods, a nice list of of appetizers, a variety of platters and I felt a larger than usual options for seafood. I was going to go with one of the Nacho items for an appetizer but my daughter said she was not that hungry... a big bummer for me on account as I observed some very tempting nachos as we were lead to our table. Certainly an item for next time. The waiter was very friendly and helpful with the menu items and very accommodating to my daughters various tweaks. We were only seated for just a few moments and our drinks came along with a basket of chips and a cup of salsa. The chips were good. To the point that I was wondering if they were made here at the restaurant on account they did not seem to be the typical out of a bag type of chip. For me, the salsa was fair. I like mine with a bit more cilantro and some kick, but it passed with flying colors from my daughters perspective. I ordered the Steak Tampico (see pic posted by me) which comes with some lettuce, tomatoes, raw onion, rice, beans and grilled vegetables which consisted of onions, red sweet peppers and zucchini and of course a few four tortillas. I also asked for a grilled jalapeño pepper just to add in some spice. The meal came out on a long rectangular metal platter which I thought was a nice touch. It was all presented very well and the wonderful smell urged me on to quickly cut in and start eating. The steak albeit a bit thin, was larger than it first appeared as it was covered by the grilled veggies and it was very tender and most importantly tasted fantastic. The first piece in fact felt as if it was simply melting in my mouth. Just wonderful ! The mixed veggies were really good as well. Not overly cooked, and with each bite you could clearly pick up the taste of the various veggies and I cut up the jalapeño to mix in which added a nice little kick. The salad was good and ohhh, I forgot to mentioned it above, but there was some avocado included and that was really fresh as well. The rice was good, and the beans were very good. The only disappointment with the beans however was there was not enough of them. Next time I come here, I'll see about getting an extra side of beans. The flower tortillas seemed very much to be made on premise and they did very well stuffed with the food combination, thus making my own little tacos. The best part was saving the last tortilla for mopping up the wonderful combined juices which remained on the platter. There are are number of Mexican restaurants in the Mattoon area but what led me here were my fellow Yelpers as most gave raving reviews. As I'm new in town, I do plan on visiting each Mexican restaurant in the Mattoon/Charleston area, so figured I'd start here and use it as the "local" bench mark. Thanks Fellow Yelpers !! read more

Don Sol Mexican Grill - Steak Tampico dinner. Which consisted of a ribeye steak, some lettuce, onion, tomato, rice, beans, and grilled veggies. - Mexican Near Me - Mattoon, Illinois

Clean, consistent, nice people, beautiful building GREAT food and wonderful drinks. Go as often as we can! read more

Another terrific visit to Don Sol with my family and friends-excellent meal(s), cocktails and great server. This visit I had the Pollo con Chorizo. If you are a fan of Chorizo, this is a MUST TRY. If you've not had Chorizo but are curious, this is the dish to have. Don Sol is a must visit each time I'm in the area. read more

Big fan of this particular Mexican Restaurant. Since there are a plethora of others scattered around Mattoon, I would rate this at #1. We kindly nickname Wednesday as "Margarita Madness" for their margarita special and there used to be a buffet on Sunday (sadly, no longer). The staff is extremely friendly and the food comes very quick. Very attentive waiters are not hesitant to bring plenty of chips and salsa for a large group or for a very hungry couple! read more

I always get the Don Sol fajitas, so I can't really comment on much else. The steak, chicken and shrimp is great. Add some cheese sauce and rice, I'm good to go! It's clean, friendly and has a nice feel inside. My wife loves Don Sol more than I do, she gives it 5 stars! Cons: They used to have fruity starlight mints at the counter, loved the strawberry! Now they're boring old peppermint. read more

The atmosphere is great, the wait staff is great, and despite what one reviewer here said, Don Sol is the cleanest Mexican restaurant in the area. Free chips and salsa. Sadly Don Sol ended their Sunday Buffet, Thus I'm dropping a star off my review. read more

For anybody that knows what true Mexican food is, avoid this restaurant. We were in town for a weekend track meet and with the limited choices of restaurants, we gave Don Sol a try since it was one of the highest rated on Yelp. The service was horrible - took at least 30 minutes to receive our food, and our waiter couldn't be bothered with us. The food was only a slight upgrade from Taco Bell. I had a combo platter with a chili relleno, a flauta, refried beans, and a guac salad. The beans and salad were passable, the flauta was bleh.....chicken should be shredded and not in huge chunks.....the relleno was a complete joke and disgusting. It was more of a chili omelet, as the egg "batter" was strictly scrambled eggs - a complete turn-off and yuck. My husband had a combo platter of a quesadilla, chimichanga, burrito, and rice. The steak in all of the entrees had absolutely no seasoning and he had to add a ton of hot sauce to get any flavor. The residents of this town may think this is good Mexican food because they don't know any better, but anybody that has been outside of Mattoon, will know that this is very americanized and just a fancier taco bell. read more

It's average for a Mexican place. Great drink specials though. I wouldn't NOT come back but wouldn't make a special trip either.

The food is always delicious! Pollo local is my personal favorite. They are fast to get the food out. It is my daughter's top pick for food! Sometimes the forget to bring you the check... I usually just go to pay without it. read more

Good for the area but let me tell you this is not the best Mexican in the world. I have lived in California and lived Mexican food. It can get much better. Don Sol is one of the better restaurants in the area so do not forget that. I would choose Don Sol over almost any other resturant in the area. You will be full when you leave and you will be satisfied. read more

Don Sol's buffet has an odd choice of selection of fajitas, grilled meats, shrimps, french fries, chicken fingers, fried green beans, bacon, rice and beans. They are not quite Mexican but also not quite American. Most did not look appetizing, the steak was tough, chicken was burnt, and rice/beans looked old. The only thing I liked is the shrimp fajita, tomato salsa and ice cream. I also asked where the bathroom was but the server do not speak any English. He rudely pointed and directed me to another server instead. I am baffled as to how he even got a job in this country. read more

DO NOT GO HERE. Terrible service. Our idiot waiter was MIA for a half hour. We waited and waited for refills, more chips, taking our food order. Ridiculous. One of our food orders came 20 minutes after everyone else's. I had to go to the kitchen to see what was going on. Our waiter looked at me like I had 3 heads. This place sucks. read more

While I've always enjoyed the food here, today I placed a to-go lunch order. When I arrived, I was charged for a dinner. Glad I caught that, but then the cost was still higher than it should of been. I was told that there is now a "to-go" charge! It was further explained that it was for the chips and salsa...that are FREE when you eat in the restaurant. No where on the menu or online does it state that there is a to-go fee. I try to save a few pennies by not having something delivered, but it seems that they're trying to take advantage of the working people who only have 30 mins for lunch. I guess its time to look elsewhere for mexican food that doesn't charge extra to eat on the go. read more

My husband and I came here for a date night on Sunday night around 7:30. Usually the service is great but we had to wait to get a table (there were maybe 4 tables occupied, it was very slow). Everyone was in the back and not watching the front, but several workers saw us and we still waited. We were seated, and then a couple were seated 5 minutes later across from us. They got their food before we'd even had our drink order taken. Food took longer than usual for this place being so empty. I'm pretty sure our waiter was new and we weren't in a hurry, so we forgave him. The food was EXCELLENT as usual! Love their fajita quesadilla, I always have enough for lunch the next day. The food is really the only reason I give this particular review 4 stars. Hopefully that waiter learns to pick up the pace. read more

Love Don Sol! It is a staple in our date nights. The service is always quick and the waiters are very nice. The food is very tasty and always hot. They are very reasonably priced, also! read more

Being a connoisseur of Mexican restaurants, I make a point to eat at them when I travel. Many have come close, but none have been as good as Don Sol. This place is the pinnacle of Mexican cuisine. The staff is friendly and has an excellent work ethic. My favorite dish is the steak fajita quesadilla. read more

Pretty decent Mexican food. Not too much competition in the small town of Mattoon though. Their salsa was the highlight of the visit.

Love their Shrimp Fajita Nachos half order so much good fresh food...friendly waiters and waitress!