El Poblano Mexican Restaurant

2nd time and a screwed up order again. I literally showed the order to the guy and he literally…read morewrote them down...still screwed it up. How do you do that twice? So another trip to pick up what they obviously couldn't handle. Keeps going downhill

Chapin main Mexican restaurant is here, behind the corner gas station…read more There is decent parking but when busy the overflow goes into neighboring business lots. Each day of the week there is a special, you get a hefty portion at least 2 servings worth. My wife likes the fish taco especially because includes side of rice not always included at other restaurants. I picked the special the two visits had, it's not necessarily the best quality ingredients but works. The initial chip and salsa get two salsa spicy & mild. Fast service, good quality, low price.

The Carnitas are spot on

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Mi Casa Grande

4.5(10 reviews)

21.2 mi

My husband comes all the time when he works. He brought me here to "show them off." My food was…read morehot, well seasoned, & delicious. I had the Pollo Loco. When my husband got his it wasn't as hot/fresh as he wanted. They immediately addressed the problem & his Birria tacos were delicious as well. It was really nice, festive, & very clean inside. I appreciate them addressing the problem and fixing. Customer service was 10/10 as well. I would definitely recommend & come again.

I stopped in for a quick lunch. I was seated right away. The complimentary salsa was good. After…read morelooking over menu, I decided to order the lunch chimichangas with chicken. Food was hot and flavorful. Good portion for lunch.

Caldo De Res

Chimichanga

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Cheese dip and great salsa and quesadilla Texana. Great

Na'cho Margarita

4.3(26 reviews)

11.2 mi

Updating for a picture of the tuna! It was made with watermelon and avocado. The fish was a touch…read more'fishy', but overall delicious!

Na'cho Margarita was a great Mexican place by Lake Murray. My family was staying in the area for…read morethe week and we are fans of Mexican so we gave this place a try. The view from the deck was beautiful with a sunset. The chips were well seasoned and the salsa had the right amount of spice. The Texas fajitas were a hit for the table. Our server made sure we never had an empty margarita glass. The prices weren't bad for the portions of food. Definitely check this out if you're in the lake Murray area!

Margarita on the deck

Texas fajitas

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Margaritas: na'cho margarita and mango margarita

La Fogata

4.1(39 reviews)

2.5 mi

Great Mexican food! Every location I've been to is amazing!!…read more Everything is fresh, the service is great, and it's a nice family friendly place to eat. They have great daily specials

Greasy, rude staff, watered down fajitas that didn't even taste like fajitas. Tacos were broken by…read morethe time they came to the table because they were so greasy. Tea was not sweet and the chips tasted old.

Salsa Mexicano

Bar area

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Nice mural

El Charro

4.7(56 reviews)

4.1 mi•Irmo

Oh my goodness, y'all!! This was the BEST Mexican I have had…read morein so long! & I eat a lot of Mexican!! We both had the fajitas nachos but I always substitute chips for rice. I cannot express myself enough how great this was! Our server was Luis C & he made sure that we were taken care of! Great server!! Very spacious in seating & of course it's family oriented. The bathrooms were super clean!! Plenty of parking & handicap spaces & handicap accessible seating. We live about 30 minutes from here & will definitely drive that again to come back. Also most reasonable in pricing that I've seen in a while.

Chose El Charro for its high Yelp ratings. It did not disappoint. Casual ambience like other local…read moreMexican restaurants. What makes El Charro better is the excellent service, big portions and reasonable prices. Started with a Margarita. Beware of going with the large size. It was served with a tiny plastic fish on top of the ice, mainly because the glass was the size of a fishbowl. Enough for 4 drinkers and well worth the $20. Entrees included the Fried Chimichangas, 3 item platter. Food was wonderful. Don't forget some Queso dip, also excellent.

Dining room

Enchiladas, rice and beans

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Al pastor tacos are my go to

Real Mexico Restaurant Y Tienda

4.5(886 reviews)

11.9 mi

Our Romeo lunch group went here for the first time today. We had seven of us, arrived at 11:15 and…read morewere immediately seated in a table for 8. The waitress took our order as soon as we walked in. She brought out chips and individual cups of salsa for each of us (the salsa was excellent with just the right amount of heat). Three of us ordered the #3 special (taco, enchilada and burrito), 1 ordered Fajitas, 1 order for #2 Lunch special(Taco and enchilada, one order the huge Cubana Torta. Service was very good. Food was great and authentic. The Cubana Torta is another thing in itself! Huge, with hot dogs sticking out the side and the kitchen sink ingredients on the inside. Freddie got half of it down and packed up the other half to take home to his wife. It's a cultural experience trying to eat the whole thing yourself. Since the last time I was here they have added a very nice outdoor covered area to the left of the restaurant...nicely decorated and a perfect place to enjoy Mexican food weather permitting!!! We'll definitely go back.

Real Mexico is a staple of the community and been solid throughout the years. The atmosphere is…read morefun, energetic and definitely busy with customers. Families, dates or just team gatherings fill the room along with the beautiful bright murals on the walls. The staff is super attentive and the service is absolutely exceptional. The pork belly chicharones were definitely the star of my meal. Fried perfectly and a good ratio of fat to lean meat, it was a 10/10. Hit it with some fresh lime juice and it sets it off! The esquites and carne asada taco were a miss for me. The esquites lacked depth of flavor, tasted like they just had canned corn that was warmed up and topped with condiments. Not terrible but again, nothing special. The carne asada taco was tough, literally and figuratively. It wasn't seasoned and tasted like it had been sitting for a while. This is still a go to spot...not pictured are the AMAZING soups they make.

Wall mural

Fajitas Monterrey

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New sign same great spot!

San Jose And Marina

4.6(17 reviews)

12.2 mi

First food is delicious, what makes me sad is he service is horrible, counter lady had no…read moremanners... what do you want is just rude, so much nicer to say how can I help you or what sounds good to you today! We also needed space for 6 people and was told we couldn't move a table when we asked, I asked is a table available for us and he walked away... so.we had to grab a chair and high chair and squeeze in a table meant for 4.... should have just left but we had already ordered and payed at the counter.

Always a pleasure to spend our time here. I love the food and service. The views great too.read more

So festive!

Combo #1

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Front of San Jose on Lake Murray and Marina!

El Sorullo

4.5(11 reviews)

22.4 mi

Awesome restaurants are sometimes hidden gems in unsuspecting buildings. This place is awesome,…read moreit's authentic Mexican and made with heart! Even has a few pool tables. Local best kept secret. Salsa and chips, delicious and made fresh, Chilaquilies was delicious, my husband had this and the flavor was dynamic and bright. I had Tacos Al pastor, was fresh, spicy and full of flavor. Waitress was sweet and another guy who brought our good very attentive. The server said it was her uncle cooking in the back. The ambience is creative, and somewhat of a dive, which we loved.

My GOD LAY OFF A PLATE FULL OF JALEPENOS. Horrible Coviche and Pico. All peppers so hot sent my…read morefriend to urgent care. Inedible!!!!

The salsa and chips

Not what I thought I was ordering. The burrito was filled with rice, beans and steak. It was ok.

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Steak burrito

Zorba's Restaurant & Sports Bar

3.4(96 reviews)

4.2 mi

Our family orders here often, they are open late which if a huge bonus for sure. Personally never…read moreeat inside but it's always clean when we go in for pic up. The pizza is a hit with a salad as well. Parking is sometimes a challenge but not too bad. Great place in town!

Recently ordered delivery from Zorba's. Food was on time, delicious and portions HUGE!…read more The Moussaka was Clearly homemade with love - real potatoes and eggplant, tasty house made sauce. Gyro platter came with pita bread, Greek salad, Greek potatoes (like two whole potatoes!) and soup ... only sadness was that I ordered she crab, and got chili ... but it was so much food I just saved it for lunch! Pepperoni pizza met our picky teenagers approval. Quality value.

Baklava Cheesecake

Coconut cake minus a bite or two

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Chocolate cake with chocolate and regular cheesecake on top.

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12 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Chris S.

9

8

0

12 years ago

We have eaten at this restaurant over 100 times over the past few years. The owner is very friendly and makes you feel at home. However tonight we sat down and ordered just like we have many times before. After a few minutes the waiter returns and states he can not accommodate my order. I had asked to exchange one item only on the plate for another item on the menu. This has been done more than 20 times over the years. He did not ask if I would pay more ALL HE SAID was NO! I told him I would pass on any meal from them and let the rest of my party order. After a few minutes I thought about it and asked to speak to the owner. He had sat us at our table earlier so I knew he was there. The waiter said, he would be right over. A few minutes later, another gentlemen shows up and introduces himself as the manager. The portable phone he is carrying rings and he doesn't say a word and walks away to answer it! Okay? He then returns after his brief conversation. I stated my case and told him I was not happy. He then wanted to know, when and who accommodated my request in the past! At that point this was not going to go well!! He was very confrontational and obviously did not care if he lost a customer!!Since I had not been keeping score of dates and times, obviously I could not answer him. I did ask him if he knew anything about customer service. Then catching myself before I embarrassed my party I told him forget it. The food is good but the HELP doesn't care about you. Try one of the other 4 Mexican restaurants in Chapin if you want good service!!! They have lost my business and I think they don't care. read more

Michael J.

0

1

0

8 years ago

Fast service at lunch and I had the fajitas. Salsa is great, which is a huge factor for me in deciding the authenticity. They served the Pico de gallo separate from the sauce, which aloud for a choice of thickness in salsa. I ordered the Texas Fajitas- that's the steak, shrimp and chicken combo and to be honest I didn't read the description and expected just steak, so it was a test of tastes; not a chicken fan. It was good, but to be fair I wished there was less chicken than steak. I mentioned it at first to the waiter that I'd only wanted steak because like I said I simply didn't read the description, and without any fuss, to make it right, the waiter gave me a free dessert. Very cool. In short... Good service- Good Salsa- Great atmosphere- I cant give a reliable food review because of the lack of interest in chicken, but that fact that the server made it right without me having to make a fuss makes up for it. Plus it truly was my mistake. read more

Cathy O.

60

13

0

5 years ago

Parents beware! 7.30.21 An employee sexually assaulted an 11 year old girl, after following her to the ladies restroom. 18 year old Manuel Cuim followed the child into the restroom and touched her inappropriately. The child called her parent who rushed into the restroom. There is video surveillance of the employee following the child into the bathroom. The employee was arrested and charged with 1st degree criminal sexual misconduct with a minor under the age of 11. https://www.wistv.com/2021/08/02/employee-accused-sexually-assaulting-girl-restaurant-bathroom/ read more

Joe M.

0

2

0

12 years ago

There's a reason that they're busier than all the other Mexican restaurants around. They're the best. Thanks for years of great food. My wife and I both love their food. Hey Nacho, how about the recipe for that frozen margarita? Oh, and seriously a 1 star review for asking you to make room for new customers when they're busy. Not a 3 star or a 4 star review, but 1 star. Sounds like someone from another restaurant might be writing reviews of their competition. read more

Stacey H.

12

8

0

11 years ago

With so many people writing good reviews, hubby and I wanted to try it out. We were not so impressed. Sure, the prices are low, but the food quality isn't too great. Also, upon walking in, we stood there for a good 5 minutes before being acknowledged. After being seated it took another 5 minutes for the server to arrive. When you're hungry that feels like a pretty long time! I did give it three stars, because the drinks where good, and we didn't break the bank. read more

Katie B.

0

1

0

10 years ago

Last time coming here. My waiter decided to deny us service, and he shook his head "no" when we asked him to come to our table because my order was wrong and I needed it to be fixed. Then, we were passed on to a different waiter. Do not come to this place. I recommend La Fagota. read more

Liz L.

0

3

2

14 years ago

As far as food goes, it's your typical Mexican fare. Fajitas, combo meals, etc. It's good though. Margaritas are good too, especially the peach and mango. Drink prices are reasonable. Service has always been good. Servers are very attentive without being overyly so. read more

James S.

5

6

0

11 years ago

Can't go wrong with prices this low. Nothing that has an incredible wow factor, but a great place to stop in for a cheap bite to eat. We stop by every once in a while when we get the craving for some chips, salsa and mexican grub! read more

Edgar C.

2

1

0

14 years ago

Friendly atmosphere, very good food, great service, plenty of TVs for anyone interested in Sports. Large Bar area with fresh Dos Equis Mexican Beer on Tap. I recommend you visit if you have not already. Edgar C. read more

Eleanor E.

0

2

0

7 years ago

Local and close to us. Food always good and very friendly staff. Hope things go well with pickup during this trying time. We are supporting our favorite local restaurants. read more

Sam H.

1

12

0

11 years ago

THE hot spot for Mexican in Chapin. If you can find parking you'll have a great meal with great service.

Daniel B.

125

54

10

10 years ago

Excellent food, service and atmosphere. Definitely worth the visit.

El Poblano Mexican Restaurant - mexican - Updated October 2026

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La Fogata

4.1

(39 reviews)

Great Mexican food! Every location I've been to is amazing!!…read more Everything is fresh, the service is great, and it's a nice family friendly place to eat. They have great daily specials

Greasy, rude staff, watered down fajitas that didn't even taste like fajitas. Tacos were broken by…read morethe time they came to the table because they were so greasy. Tea was not sweet and the chips tasted old.

La Fogata Mexican Restaurant

3.8

(69 reviews)

2nd time and a screwed up order again. I literally showed the order to the guy and he literally…read morewrote them down...still screwed it up. How do you do that twice? So another trip to pick up what they obviously couldn't handle. Keeps going downhill

Chapin main Mexican restaurant is here, behind the corner gas station…read more There is decent parking but when busy the overflow goes into neighboring business lots. Each day of the week there is a special, you get a hefty portion at least 2 servings worth. My wife likes the fish taco especially because includes side of rice not always included at other restaurants. I picked the special the two visits had, it's not necessarily the best quality ingredients but works. The initial chip and salsa get two salsa spicy & mild. Fast service, good quality, low price.

TacoTime

4.0

(76 reviews)

Well, today we decided to try out Taco Time once again, and I will say it tasted fantastic. I…read morepurchased the Enchiladas Suizas. It was filled with 3 enchiladas with spinach, cheese, beans, topped with the usual lettuce, tomatoes, cheese along with sour cream and salsa. It was very fulfilling. My husband ordered Taquitos. He raved about the chicken. He stated it was prepared nicely, and the chicken was very juicy. Also purchased was the Los Compadres. He stated it was well seasoned, well-prepared with a delicious taste. We were both pleased with our meal:) The service was great. We were greeted upon arriving and the restaurant had a welcoming atmosphere.

I ordered 24 tacos for my team today and was quoted $65.88. When I picked the tacos up the lady who…read morewas running the cash register told me it was 15 tacos. I went back and forth with her and she called a manager over. He assured me and her that there were 24 tacos in the bags. I came back to work and realized they only gave me 18 tacos. I called and spoke with the manager and he told me I was given the wrong price and he could not do anything about it. Meanwhile, I didn't have enough tacos for my team and he didn't seem to care. He said I could come pick up 6 more and he would charge me more. However,t that is not what we agreed upon. Talk about a bait and switch! I will never go there again! Nor will I take my team there often like we do after work and I will let everyone know what this restaurant does. Horrible customer service!

Real Mexico Restaurant Y Tienda

4.5

(886 reviews)

Our Romeo lunch group went here for the first time today. We had seven of us, arrived at 11:15 and…read morewere immediately seated in a table for 8. The waitress took our order as soon as we walked in. She brought out chips and individual cups of salsa for each of us (the salsa was excellent with just the right amount of heat). Three of us ordered the #3 special (taco, enchilada and burrito), 1 ordered Fajitas, 1 order for #2 Lunch special(Taco and enchilada, one order the huge Cubana Torta. Service was very good. Food was great and authentic. The Cubana Torta is another thing in itself! Huge, with hot dogs sticking out the side and the kitchen sink ingredients on the inside. Freddie got half of it down and packed up the other half to take home to his wife. It's a cultural experience trying to eat the whole thing yourself. Since the last time I was here they have added a very nice outdoor covered area to the left of the restaurant...nicely decorated and a perfect place to enjoy Mexican food weather permitting!!! We'll definitely go back.

Real Mexico is a staple of the community and been solid throughout the years. The atmosphere is…read morefun, energetic and definitely busy with customers. Families, dates or just team gatherings fill the room along with the beautiful bright murals on the walls. The staff is super attentive and the service is absolutely exceptional. The pork belly chicharones were definitely the star of my meal. Fried perfectly and a good ratio of fat to lean meat, it was a 10/10. Hit it with some fresh lime juice and it sets it off! The esquites and carne asada taco were a miss for me. The esquites lacked depth of flavor, tasted like they just had canned corn that was warmed up and topped with condiments. Not terrible but again, nothing special. The carne asada taco was tough, literally and figuratively. It wasn't seasoned and tasted like it had been sitting for a while. This is still a go to spot...not pictured are the AMAZING soups they make.

La Mesa

4.2

(28 reviews)

This little family run Mexican restaurant is still one of my favorites. The food is still amazing &…read moretop quality, & the owners remember their regulars & are very friendly. I've never had a bad experience with the dozens upon dozens of To-Go orders I've placed or when eating in. My son's go to meal is the cheese enchiladas with rice (with queso to go on to the rice) and fish tacos. My hubby typically goes for the grilled tilapia plate with a side of flour tortillas and a couple fish tacos, while I usually go for the pollo fundido (or beef enchiladas with rice, topped with queso, & a hard beef taco)... but I've yet to find anything on their menu that wasn't great, so it's all about what you're in there mood for. Currently they don't serve alcohol, but that will probably change within the next year or so... but don't let that deter you. Their to-go food is always hot & fresh, so I grab some Dos Eques (beer) for my hubby from the store in the way back home. We really are fortunate to have a great little restaurant so close to our Gilbert/Leesville home (where there's so few options)! Every local should make this their 1st choice for dining in or out.

Very good food ,great se, very great and nice inside would recommend. Service was very gay and they…read moreliked boys.

El Charro Express Mexican Restaurant

4.9

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This is a decent Mexican restaurant. The prices are not horrible or overpriced because you actually…read moreget quality tasting food. It looks like a hole in the wall, but the people that run this place are so nice. The service is excellent. The portions are huge. They have a nice variety of daily specials. The margaritas are on point. The guacamole is made fresh daily. The tomatoes are chopped fresh. It is great to have fresh ingredients from a Mexican restaurant. This is a nice place to have dinner out on the patio or to meet up with some friends on a Friday night.

This Mexican restaurant is the best around in my opinion. Doesn't look like much from the outside…read morebut the food and drinks are amazing! A must try in West Columbia. We live in the Irmo area and there's one in Ballantine but it's not as good so we drive here.

San Jose Mexican Restaurant

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(69 reviews)

Everything is great here. The food is delicious and the service is good. It's located near the…read moremovie theater so it's a convenient location to grab a bite to eat. The only thing I didn't like was they request you tip on the tax. Other than that, everything has always been great

Food was good. For the price. I opted for a healthier version tonight. I got the grilled chicken…read moresalad. It was exactly what I wanted. I don't know what they do to the chicken; but it never disappoints. The service was average. Not outstanding; but nothing to complain about either. The ambiance was like every San Jose restaurant.

San Jose Mexican Restaurant

3.1

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I gave San Jose another shot. Maybe steak is not its forte. So I decided to try the chicken tacos…read more They were delicious. I had two tacos that was approximately one chicken breast. It has shredded lettuce with cheese. Write a salsa to the tacos and ate one like that. The other I opted to take the contents out and use the complementary chips to dip the chicken. It was better that way. The service was fine. My only complaint is they really do not come check on you until they feel it is time for you to pay. So try to remember to get everything you want out of them when they are taking your order or delivering your food or you might not get what you want. The ambience was fine. Even when it's crowded, the way the booths are designed you can't tell how many people are really in the restaurant. The noise level is very minimum and it's easy to carry on a conversation.

Excellent customer service, ambiance is decent, the food was "meh" at best for me. I ordered the…read morebeef enchiladas that had a different taste for me, and my son ordered the chicken tenders which were ok.

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