El Sol Cantina — Restaurant in Hampden Township

Got there at 4 pm opening and took a couple seats at the bar. Ordered a margarita and a Budweiser but found out they had no Budweiser. Another lager fit the bill. Ordered the standard guacamole which was excellent. Some nachos and some salsa came and the salsa was quite tasty. The taste I had of the margarita was good as well. Ordered the carne asada and the chicken fiesta salad. The salad was average as well as the carne asada. Minimum latin influence in the staff. The decor was very nice and the tequila selection looked inviting. The restaurant filled up quickly and the service reflected the rush. Very clean overall including the restroom. Again we were lost in the rush and had to leave the cash in the bill when it arrived. The card would have taken more time. The menu looks good so we will give it another go sometime, only after I go across the river to the other guys. Hey , I want to give an update to this review because we went back! What a difference. The bartender, the one in the pic was fantastic! Tip that man! We had a shrimp borrito , and the mahi mahi with the rice .... Good plate of food. A couple cervasas and a mixed drink for my lady. Perfect! Packing em in! Had to park behind the restaurant....

El Sol Cantina offers a lively atmosphere and solid Mexican fare, but our experience with the food left a little to be desired. We ordered the steak fajitas, and while the portion of vegetables was generous and impressively fresh, the steak-to-veggie ratio was noticeably off. There just wasn’t a lot of steak per serving, which made the dish feel a bit lacking, especially for the price. Flavor-wise, the fajitas were on the bland side, missing the bold seasoning and sizzle we were hoping for. A bit more spice or a richer marinade could have elevated the dish significantly.

On the other hand, the drinks were a highlight. The bartender, who also served as our waiter, was fantastic—attentive, friendly, and clearly a skilled mixologist. The cocktails were well-balanced, creative, and expertly crafted, making up for some of the shortcomings in the food.

Overall, El Sol Cantina has great service and a strong drink program, but the food could use a bit more seasoning and better protein portions. We’d come back for the drinks and the atmosphere, but we might try a different...

We have been dining at El Sol in Harrisburg for years and have really enjoyed it. Met a friend for dinner tonight and got very spotty quality meal. Margaritas were good but filled with so much ice the drink was minimal. Ordered ceviche with shrimp and there was minimal shrimp to be found but a lot of veggies. I asked the waitress for sliced cucumbers due to dietary restrictions with chips and was told by waitress that the kitchen might not have time to do that(they did however, thanks to the kitchen staff). Also had guacamoole which was good but not nearly as good as Harrisburg’s. Entres were just OK…mole was red with no hint of chocolate, not good. There was a specials menu with a special dessert described abd when we tried it, it bore no resemblance to what was on the menu but was a cheesy chunk of bad cheesecake sitting on a plate of pink partially thickened sauce(?). Waitress tried to rush our party but we did not play that game. Will not come back…if this place wants to be a loud hectic bar with no reservations then so be it. Sad, could have been a...