Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Charleston, South Carolina area by diners

Just like cuisine from any country, Mexican food is not monolithic. It isn't just combo plates and tacos. (Not that there's anything wrong with that style of food; it's delicious and is responsible for popularizing Mexican food in the United States.) But Mexican food means more than that.

It reflects Mexico's diverse population—shaped by waves of immigration—and has proliferated throughout the U.S., showcasing the cuisine in all its complexity and regionality. Mexico has 32 distinct regional styles of cooking, and thanks to immigrant chefs and the rise of promising culinarians of Mexican descent looking to share their signature dishes, Indigenous foodways, and ingredients from various regions, diners are reframing their idea of "Mexican food."

According to a 2024 Pew Research Center analysis of SafeGraph data, 1 in 10 restaurants in the U.S. serve Mexican food, and nearly 9 out of 10 U.S. counties have at least one Mexican restaurant. The analysis also reveals that California and Texas are home to a majority of the Mexican American population and together host 2 out of 5 Mexican restaurants in the country.

These findings serve as a testament to the influence Mexican cuisine has had and continues to have in America. Which begs the question: Where does one go for the best old-school Mexican restaurants, loncheras slinging tacos out of a half-window, and innovative modern Mexican food pushing culinary boundaries?

To help you out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Charleston area based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of February 2025. Restaurants with at least 20 reviews tagged as "Mexican" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of Charleston were included. As a result, some restaurants featured may serve other food items besides Mexican food. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 50 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.

Keep reading to see if your favorite Mexican spot made the list or to discover a new restaurant to try!

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#30. Minero Mexican Grill & Cantina

- Rating: 4.0/5 (134 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3140 Maybank Hwy Johns Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#29. Bartaco

- Rating: 4.0/5 (103 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 304 King St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#28. Dog and Duck

- Rating: 4.0/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1937 Clements Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pubs, American, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#27. Casa Fiesta Mexican Grill

- Rating: 4.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 808 Folly Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#26. Locals Sushi & Sports Pub - West Ashley

- Rating: 4.1/5 (191 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1680 Old Towne Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Pubs, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#25. Mex 1 Coastal Cantina

- Rating: 4.1/5 (278 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2205 Middle St. Sullivan's Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican, Cocktail Bars, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. San Miguel Mexican Grill and Bar

- Rating: 4.1/5 (194 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1711 Shoremeade Road Ste 110 Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#23. Bodega Todo

- Rating: 4.1/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 218 President St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican, Burgers, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#22. Rancho Lewis

- Rating: 4.1/5 (259 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1503 King St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: New Mexican Cuisine, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#21. California Tortilla

- Rating: 4.1/5 (62 reviews)
- Address: 1405 Folly Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. El PinchoTaco

- Rating: 4.3/5 (159 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 616 Meeting St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Tacos, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Las Lupitas

- Rating: 4.3/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1745 Remount Road North Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. MESU

- Rating: 4.3/5 (353 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 570 King St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican, Sushi Bars, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Pollo Loko

- Rating: 4.3/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5335 Dorchester Road North Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican, Peruvian, Caribbean
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. Matador Charleston

- Rating: 4.4/5 (116 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 235 Meeting St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican, Cocktail Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Semilla Food Truck

- Rating: 4.4/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 218 President St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican, Food Delivery Services
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. Sissy Bar

- Rating: 4.4/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 1067 East Montague Ave. North Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Tacos, Burgers, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. El Pollo Guapo

- Rating: 4.4/5 (66 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1130 Folly Road James Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Chicken Shop, Salad, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Rebel Taqueria

- Rating: 4.4/5 (164 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1809 Reynolds Ave. N. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. Chico Feo

- Rating: 4.4/5 (384 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 122 East Ashley Ave. Folly Beach, South Carolina
- Categories: Caribbean, Mexican, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Locals Sushi & Sports Pub - James Island

- Rating: 4.5/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 798 Folly Road Ste A Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Sports Bars, Sushi Bars, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Dave's Smoke & Tacos

- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 3555 Dorchester Road North Charleston , South Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. El Molino Supermarket

- Rating: 4.6/5 (141 reviews)
- Address: 1610 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. Ste 301 Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: International Grocery, Desserts, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Tacos El Pariente

- Rating: 4.7/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 2410 Clements Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Taco Kitchen

- Rating: 4.7/5 (106 reviews)
- Address: 2065 Savannah Hwy Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Cachita's Kitchen

- Rating: 4.7/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1340 Chuck Dawley Blvd. Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Rico's Taco Cafe

- Rating: 4.8/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: North Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Juan Luis

- Rating: 4.8/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 464 North Nassau St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Palomar Fish Tacos

- Rating: 5.0/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 5117 Dorchester Road North Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Specialty Food, Seafood, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Maya del Sol Kitchen

- Rating: 5.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 1813 Reynolds Ave. Ste b North Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cynthia Rebolledo, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 326 metros.