Since it opened about a year ago, the Papas & Beer restaurant at 17 Tunnel Road seems to have never wanted for customers. This restaurant, the second Papas & Beer in Asheville, has been very popular. I eat there from time to time and have always enjoyed my meals at the Tunnel Road location. The menu offers a variety of California-style Mexican food. Most people I know enjoy the restaurant and its menu. The menu has a few vegetarian offerings, but only a few; a vegetarian who eats here with any regularity will likely tire of the limited offerings before long - this is my only significant criticism of the menu. The fare is, for the most part, Mexican comfort food and the restaurant offers large portions at a reasonable price. It's been my experience that visitors are somewhat perplexed by the "beany" dip provided as a standard accompaniment to the chips. Be aware, the restaurant offers a salsa bar, often overlooked, where more common accompaniments for one's chips can be found. It seems some visitors aren't aware of the existence of this salsa bar and the staff does not seem to promote it. At dinner, be prepared for a wait for a table but, once seated, you can generally expect polite and friendly service.
Papas & Beer has another location at 1000 Brevard Road, the original Asheville location. Although I have never had a bad meal at the Tunnel Road location, I had been disappointed at the Brevard Road location. Last time I visited it with a friend, neither one of us enjoyed and finished our meal. It is my understanding, from discussion with an employee, that the two restaurants are under different ownership. Another location, which I have not visited, is located at 1821 Asheville Highway, in Hendersonville.
Papas & Beer - a Mexican restaurant worth visiting when
Living in Asheville, North Carolina.
