El Rayos Authentic Mexican

Such a hidden gem. The decor and food make this place a must visit in Calhoun. Everything is just simply spot on.

We visited from out of town and ate at ElRayos and we were very happy with our food and with the service. The food was very authentic I got the lunch # 4 the burrito supreme was excellent and it had the best Casio cheese. It was the better than any mexican food from home. If you get a chance and are craving mexican food hit up this place.

I have loved this place my entire life, and it's the best in town. They have amazing staff and amazing food.In beautiful weather, I love eating on the patio.

Still the best in Calhoun!!
The atmosphere is great! The service is always good as well as the food!! Always a great experience!!
El Rayos is the best!!

Great place for some delicious food! This place is a "hidden gem" in Calhoun. Down town, but off the beaten path. Very friendly staff and very tasty food. Ask to try the green sauce. Top some chips or top your meal, it adds a nice spice.

Great service and incredible food. Some of the best tamales I've had in a long time (they're my favorite, I get some at every Mexican restaurant I go to). Even the sides were exceptionally good, rice, beans-all of it! Definitely give this place a try if you haven't yet.

Amazing food! Would definitely eat here regularly.

Great fajitas!!! Chips and salsa very good as well. Best mexican food around here I've had!!! Will definitely be my family's goto restaurant.

Best Mexican food I've eaten in a very long time and the best guacamole. Everyone is very friendly and attentive. If you like Mexican food I highly recommend this place. The apology Acapulco is my favorite and the fajitas.

Really good food! Excellent service!!
The people are very nice and the have an outdoor area that is dog friendly. Overall an great experience

No one was here during lunch time when we went and I don't know why because yall are all missing out. This food was so good, and only $9.50 for 4 Mexican style tacos! Love their salsa and chips too.

El Rayos is my favorite! Ask for green sauce!

Fantastic food! Wonderful service! Family run. Great patio, and very dog friendly! Nice place to stop at post hiking!

The food was good. But we had a foamy emergency arise while we were there and we could not get the waitress to understand we had to leave in A hurry. It. Was a good thing we were in separate vehicles as had tosray behind to pay.

Excellent food— truly authentic. Well, as authentic as you'll find in Georgia. The service was lightening fast. Great atmosphere. Expect $10 a plate, but not much more (including drink).

Good food !! Great sweet tea 😍 Short staffed but still good service

Small family business with the best authentic Tex Mex around town. Open patio for all your margarita enjoyment. very friendly environment with the best hosts around. Parking is a bit crowded and so is the dining area.

Great food and service. Very pleased with the menu--better variety of vegetarian options than any other Mexican restaurant I've visited in the area so far. We'll be back!

I won't go anywhere else as far as Mexican food 😋 amazing!

Best Mexican restaurant I’ve been to in many years, possibly ever. What makes it great?

1.) Start with the food. I had the Tacos Carlos, one chicken, one steak. The meat itself was juicy (not hastily overcooked and sopping in sauce like so many “street taco” places). The cilantro and onions were fresh. The corn tortillas were perfect. I also had two tamales, happy I ordered two because they were outstanding. But again, simple. My wife ordered the Pollo Loco and the flavors were just fantastic. The table sauces were excellent. My wife had a margarita — perfection — and I had a Negra Modelo. Our toddler son in the high chair happily dined on anything we handed him; having a kid there worked out great. We finished with churros and sopapillas, probably carrying everything too far indulging ourselves, but so fun to go overboard. Simple, perfectly flavorful recipes built around authentic ingredients.

2.) Add atmosphere. Now, Mexican restaurants are an old idea in the United States. You will run the gamut from Taco Bell to some very fancy places that char the meat, put on a show, all amped up and every dish comes out like a fireworks display. But not El Rayos Authentic Mexican. This restaurant is HUMBLE. and so much the better for it. No one in charge at El Rayos is designing dishes because they look pretty and photograph well. The Pollo Loco in particular was not especially attractive. But it was essentially...homemade. It looked fine, it tasted WONDERFUL. If you want to make a splash on your first date or something like that, this is not your place. If you want to relax for an hour with loved ones or a good friend, come by.

So, back to ATMOSPHERE. We were among the first guests to arrive Saturday evening. The radio was on, playing Mexican pop music, and the senior waitress was quietly and unselfconsciously SINGING ALONG. I bet every Mexican restaurant manager in America wishes to God they could get their waitstaff to sing along to the music without affectation or fear. It was just one touch illustrating a hundred small ways that this clean, well-kept, simple place was so welcoming and so easy. You get the feeling you were in these people’s home and they were just being themselves.

3.) Value. Are you kidding me? I can’t remember the last time we each had a drink and desserts and the bill was (compared to other places with just as much service, care and attention to detail) so *low*. Go online and check out the prices yourself. What you want to pay is your business, For for my money, it was pretty unbeatable. Like a time machine back to the 90s.

Anyhow, that’s my take. I don’t have much reason to be in Calhoun GA often, but I am so so happy we stopped by. I recommend getting in there before it becomes a thing. Pretty awesome. And hats off to the people of Calhoun for supporting such an outstanding restaurant.