Don Pedro Mexican Restaurant   

Colorful drinks in neon hues, Mexican tile accents and charmingly garish fake flower arrangements make Don Pedro Mexican Restaurant a standout in Charlotte's Latin-American social scene. The chain restaurants offer community as well as popular Mexican dining. With an interior painted an eye-popping shade of orange, Don Pedro's also offers a vibe as cheery and energetic as mariachi music.Popular South-of-the Border fare includes homestyle Mexican favorites such as carne asada (flame-broiled skirt steak), camarones Mexicano (sauteed shrimp on a bed of rice and Monterey Jack) and sopa Azteca (a traditional Mexican seafood soup in a tomato base). Less-traditional favorites include a gargantuan sampler of super nachos, pork carnitas, shrimp, chicken flautas and potato skins. Prices are moderate; just ask the regulars.