Monterrey Mexican Restaurant

This is authentic as it gets and it's just awesome food…read more Great tasting food and comes out hot, fresh and cooked perfectly. Chicken isn't over cooked and dry. And my shrimp was juicy and flavorful. Service is great. Servers all work together and are always checking on us. Friendly and always smiling. The Eating area is off the side of a grocery store area. When busy, there might be a wait. But it's worth it!! Can get loud but not obnoxiously do, just boisterous sounding. If you're in the area and want Mexican food. This is a must stop. You will not be disappointed.

If you like spicy, get the red sauce. Make sure you are hungry, the burritos are large…read more There was a long line at the food truck but it went quick. If you pay cash, you get a discount. The food was delicious.

Wall art

Shrimp quesadilla

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Updated menu 11/22

El Jimador Mexican Restaurante

3.5(60 reviews)

0.2 mi

Is this place under new management or something? Went several years ago it was great. Went back…read moretonight and it was just basic and barely not awful. 1- we got 5 plain beef tacos, 3 small drinks and it was $85.00!!!! Absolutely insane given the quality of the meal. 2- food was just plain and bland. Margaritas were minimum alcohol in them. 3- only reason it is getting 2 stars is the waiter. He was kind and courteous and very helpful. Too bad the food, drinks and prices weren't as great as he was. So disappointed.

I love my Mexican cuisine truly. This spot did not disappoint. Most of the time, on quick trips…read morelike this one, I keep it pretty simple. The dining area is nice and spacious. There's indoor and outdoor seating. Everyone was nice and welcoming upon entry. I sat at the bar. The margarita was just okay. I can tell it was that sweet and sour mix. It wasn't strong at all, but it was fairly cheap. The steak quesadilla was cooked really well. The steak was flavorful, and the cheese had a lovely cheese pull. The salsa was delicious too. It had a kick but wasn't too spicy. I will definitely be back!

Bathroom

La tabla donde le dieron comida a mi amiga era una tabla donde se ve claramente que la usan para picar comida

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Tacos Nayarit

4.6(499 reviews)

8.2 mi

Food was delicious! Our order consisted of two bowls, street tacos, chips and queso, and a torta…read more Our proteins were a mix of chicken, steak, and shrimp. You order on the far right side of the counter. And then you walk down the line and add whatever toppings you want on your entree. Some items come with a small side of chips, some don't. The line was long but moved quickly. The tables inside were mostly full and better suited for parties of 4 or less. We had 5 in our group, so we sat outside at one of the picnic tables and had plenty of room. There's also outdoor seating on a second level deck that we didn't notice until we were halfway done eating. We will definitely be back when we're in the area!

A great taco out of nowhere. I stumbled on this spot while driving down I-77 passing through…read moreColumbia. Got out Exit 15 and there it is. The parking lot was jammed packed and there was along line to order your food. Great services and the dining area has plenty of seats. Love the grilled pepper that had a great kick. Next time I will ask them for more. This place will be my favorite spot if I am on I-77 again.

Chicken street taco on flour tortilla

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Horchata, Birria tacos , refried beans

La Cienega Mexican Grill and Seafood

4.5(178 reviews)

4.0 mi

Really good. Pastor is great. Salsa bar is great and I recommend the pineapple ranch waterread more

This Mexican restaurant is my favorite in Columbia. In some ways it is like San Jose but the food…read moreis consistently better. The interior of the restaurant looks brand new. Service is good. The servers all wear the same thing. On busy nights there are overseers walking around both dining rooms checking tables. Every dish is presented well. The menu is remarkable. You can get the typical Mexican restaurant fare but there are a lot of other items you might not expect. They serve good quality seafood. There are fancy dishes served like a whole fish upright on a platter. Good margaritas and fancy variations.

Complimentary salsa bar

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Paloma

Real Mexico Restaurant Y Tienda

4.5(886 reviews)

5.2 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!

El Charro Express Mexican Restaurant

4.9(11 reviews)

5.8 mi

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.

Outside entrance.

Beef Taco. Chili Rellano, rice and black beans. Very tasty.

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Strawberry Margarita. Yummy!

Cabañas

4.4(54 reviews)

1.2 mi

The food was really good, the staff was friendly and nice, it was our first time there and have…read morestruggled in the past to find the good Mexican food places. I had carne asada tacos and carnitas taco with a side of beans. The chips were good and the salsa was good. I asked for hot sauce for my tacos and I really liked the green. Flavorful. The service was good and I look forward to my visit.

La comida estaba para chuparse los dedos. Hfhsjsjssj…read more This is legit some of the best Honduran/Mexican mix I've had in forever and it was PACKED in the restaurant (for good reason yall!) The cheese and pork pupusas were steaming and FILLED to the brim (listen here white people - pupusas are SO GOOD, I promise you need to try them), the curtido was tangy and delectable, and the burrito fajita fue una bendición. The way I'm about to be a regular? Insanity. The vibe was immaculate and I'm thankful for my beautiful purple haired diva of a server. Gracias por todo, mis amigas!

Two rooms like this

Baleadas

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House Margarita

Tex-Mex Columbia

4.6(14 reviews)

1.1 mi

This place is a hidden gem The owners are super kind and the prices are reasonable. Everything…read moreI've had here has been amazing so far and I crave it weekly. You can dine in or take out and the wait is not very long most days. It's more on the casual side and there is lots of parking!

I stopped in for lunch after a taste of some good authentic Mexican food. I'm so glad I stumbled…read moreupon this place and decided to stop in. Easy and clear directions. Parking was great. The inside was clean. The customer service was good. Their menu has a wide variety of options. The prices were kind of up there for me initially. However, once I got my food, I was completely satisfied. The salsa was amazing; I mean, the flavor was beyond delicious. I ordered the birra tacos; they were small, but they were delicious. I was truly impressed with my lunch and am happy to have a new place to dine.

1.3 mi•Gervais Street Corridor

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Coa Agaveria Y Cocina

4.3(254 reviews)

Coa was definitely a fun restaurant! I went during happy hour, and I'd say that the major thing…read morethat stuck out to me was the awesome customer service. Although I don't remember the bartender's name, he was such a cool guy and did a great job of introducing me to the restaurant. I got a margarita to drink, which was a little more expensive than most other margaritas I've gotten, but the quality easily made up for the price. To eat, I simply got three (3) cheese quesadillas, as the rest of the menu was a little too complicated for me. Although they're a simple dish, they were still really good! As for the ambiance, Coa was also a really cool, upscale, and atypical Mexican place! I think it nailed the vibe it was going for, and there are few, if any, comparable places in the surrounding area (that I've been to at least!) Overall, Coa was an awesome upscale Mexican restaurant. I loved stopping in, and I will be back in the future. As such, I'd recommend it to anybody looking for the same vibe!

We were really looking forward to celebrating our 44th wedding anniversary at COA, but…read moreunfortunately we never made it past the seating experience. I made our reservation about two weeks in advance and specifically noted that we were celebrating our anniversary--44 years on September 11. We arrived at 4:15 for our 4:30 reservation, and the restaurant was nearly empty. At the hostess stand, we initially seemed to be treated as walk-ins until I mentioned that we had a reservation. That didn't seem to make any difference. We were led past three booths occupied by parties of four, two, and three. The fourth booth was empty. Instead, we were seated at a very small two-top with other two-tops about two feet away on either side--not exactly the setting we had hoped for on our anniversary, and barely enough room for dinner plates and drinks. I asked whether we could have the empty booth and was told it was reserved for a party of four. Fair enough, so I asked whether there was another table available. The hostess said she would check, despite the restaurant being almost completely empty. Our server then came over and began pouring water. I had to say "wait a minute" twice so we could find out whether we were changing tables. She then told us they were completely booked and there was nowhere else they could seat us. Perhaps every one of those empty tables really was committed to later reservations, but at 4:15 in an almost empty restaurant, it was disappointing that no effort seemed to be made to accommodate a couple who had reserved well in advance and specifically told the restaurant they were celebrating their 44th anniversary. So we left. We walked across the street to Blue Marlin, where we were warmly welcomed and had an excellent anniversary dinner. The contrast in hospitality could not have been greater. We never had the opportunity to try COA's food, so I can't comment on it. But restaurants are about more than food. Hospitality begins the moment a guest walks through the door, and on a special occasion we had planned weeks in advance, COA simply made us feel like they didn't particularly care whether we stayed or left. We left.

Queso

Elote

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Kate D.

0

2

0

2 years ago

This is my favorite Mexican restaurant, not just in Columbia, but anywhere. They have the BEST shredded chicken tacos, the BEST tortillas, and the BEST chips. I'm not even a huge fan of Mexican food, but I crave this place. The service is always super fast too. Love it. read more

Amanda B.

0

13

0

16 years ago

Definitely a favorite among my college friends and me. The waiters at Monterrey are all really nice. The food is decent and even better the prices are as cheap as you can get for a sit down Mexican meal. I usually go here at least 2-3 times a month! read more

Brad J.

0

5

0

5 years ago

Always consistently good - food and service. Not as much of a value as it used to be.

Monterrey Mexican Restaurant - mexican - Updated October 2026

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El Jimador Mexican Restaurante

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(84 reviews)

Massive taco salad. Great service. Nachos were amazing as well. Will return when in the area againread more

Went in for lunch, had an interesting experience. The waitress, was not attentive nor efficient…read more She only came to our table once, never asked if our food was okay. And secondly, when the time to pay came not only did we have to wait over 15 mins to receive our change back but before we could tip anything she had automatically tipped herself with no disclosure of a gratuity fee ( it was only me and my wife ) .

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My husband and I share Fajitas for one and even have some leftovers for the next day. The servers…read moreare always friendly and quick to get you seated. This is a good place to go with a group as there are tables beyond the booths that can be arranged for small or large groups. The food is always good and hot. We usually get the regular salsa which is pretty spicy and request a mild salsa for me. The only problem we have had the last 2 times we have been there is that extra money (no more than a dollar) was added to the tip.

The food was flavorless and the place smelled old. I don't think I've ever had worse Mexican food…read more Giving it an extra star bc the bathrooms were clean and the service was decent.

San Jose

3.7

(110 reviews)

We stopped in for dinner on a Saturday and left very satisfied. My husband ordered the Birria Tacos…read morewhile I went with the Nacho Fajitas and a margarita made with Cuervo tequila. The complimentary chips and salsa were solid, nothing fancy, just the regular version you expect. The Cuervo margarita was better than I expected, really well-balanced, refreshing, and easily one of the highlights of the meal. My Nacho Fajitas tasted great too mixed with large amount of beef and chicken. The Birria Tacos were interesting. The seasoning is bold and may not be for everyone, but they were worth trying and I kept the consommé of this dish hoping to figure out the ingredients of it. Overall we both enjoyed the food and drinks and would happily come back.

San Jose on Hard Scrabble has been a part of my family's life for as long as I can remember. Every…read moremajor milestone has been celebrated here--birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, new jobs, and everything in between. It's always the first restaurant we recommend to friends and family visiting Columbia. One of the things that makes this location so special is that it's family owned and operated. Every time you visit, you're likely to see a member of the family working, whether they're serving tables, bartending, or greeting guests at the register. That personal touch is something you don't find everywhere, and it's one of the reasons we keep coming back. Most recently, my boyfriend and I celebrated both of us starting new jobs here, just like my family has done for so many other milestones over the years. It felt like the perfect place to mark another exciting chapter. As for the food, you really can't go wrong. The fajitas are always a favorite, especially with the chunky guacamole and queso. If you're looking for a huge sandwich, the Tony's Torta definitely lives up to its reputation. And of course, the margaritas are always a must. Great food, friendly people, generous portions, and a welcoming atmosphere keep us coming back year after year. If you're looking for authentic Mexican food in Columbia, this is the place I always recommend.

Cocos and Beer

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This is a local gem! I love going home to Columbia and trying new restaurants in the area. This one…read morewas new to me. Service was pretty quick and attentive until later in the evening when they got busy. They have some of the freshest restaurant salsa! It's chunky and delicious. The food and drinks came out so fast! The restaurant is cute, spacious, welcoming.

Update: 09/04/2026…read more Let me tell you how good this food was today! When I tell you I wasn't in a sharing mood, haha believe it! My husband made all the advances. I have dined here before but today the food was so delicious, there were no crumbs whatsoever:) I ordered the Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon. It's served with crispy potato, asparagus, steamed corn and white rice. The taste was heavenly! Everything was prepared perfectly. My husband ordered the Chicken Tacos. It was served with black beans, garnished with mixed greens and chipotle with cheese. He stated his food was full of flavor with an earthy crunch from the radish. He raved so much about the food while eating. I promise it was good in a short time! We loved our food so much and can't wait to try something different on the menu next time:) Customer service was great! Everything was amazing. We truly enjoyed it. See you soon Cocos and Beer!

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We stopped in to grab a late lunch and really enjoyed our time! Got to watch the USA world cup…read morematch. My enchilada was delicious!! Bean dip was great! Also got a regular margarita and it was perfect! Service is 10/10! Would definitely recommend! We will be back!

I'm not a huge fan of San Jose, but thought we'd give it a try again. The food is really…read moredisappointing. The cheese has an artificial taste. Nothing really tasted fresh. We left most of our meals untouched. My husband had the tri-tip chimichanga and I had the chicken asada. It was $42.00 with two soft drinks, not including gratuity. The photos are what we left.

El Charro

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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.

Masa Mexican Street Food

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Our first time dining here was wonderful. The quality of the food was superb and the service was…read moregenuinely friendly and courteous. The staff provided excellent menu guidance, helping us choose dishes that we thoroughly enjoyed. We ordered the Nachos and Salsa, Molotes Chicken, Corn Ribs, Tacos and Chicken Quesadilla, all of which were flavorful and beautifully prepared. Highly recommended. The restaurant had an excellent ambiance that creates a warm and inviting atmosphere. This spot is definitely worth a visit!!

Food and Service was really great. My husband and I were told about the place so we decided to…read morecheck it out. My husband is not a big Mexican food eater and he was impressed and that is really hard to do. We ordered a variety of items including Carne Asada Fries, Chicken Tamale in Salsa Verde w/ side of sour cream, Beef Chorizo Taco & Camaron Taco w/ side of cheese, Ques-Tacos Carne Asada, Quesa-Tacos Barbacoa, Queso y Chips y Salsa & Happy hour margaritas. Everything was flavorful , nice size portions. Menu items were ala carte items but everything is reasonably priced . All this was $85 w/ drinks . Our server was excellent. She was attentive without being intrusive to the dining experience. We sat a the community table top because the booths were full and we did not want to wait. Noise level was moderate and you could definitely talk and enjoy conversation with your party. We had no wait with an arrival time 6:30pm in a Friday. We will definitely be back .

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No idea why this place has good reviews on Google. This was by far the worst the worst fast food…read morestyle Mexico place I've ever eaten ate. They are extremely cheap with meat and those mini scoopers, the food is absolutely flavorless, nothing tastes/looks fresh, and for what you get it's ridiculously overpriced. The people who say this is better than Chipotle, Moe's, etc. have to be paid reviewers or friends/family. There's not a snowball chance in hell that anyone truly believes that or enjoy this food lol. We both hated our dishes; complete waste of $30 for a bowl and burrito combo. Live and learn.

Disgustingly overpriced for such little food. Pid $14 for One scoop of rice, 8 shrimp, a HANDFUL of…read moreshredded cheese(???)? In a burrito. I could make 20 of these for this price.

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We've been here a few times and each time the food has been fantastic. It tastes delicious and you…read moreget a good amount of food for a decent price. The service is great (I've not eaten in the restaurant, only have done take out). Each time we have ordered we waited about 15 minutes for our food. It comes with a ton of food and extra sauces etc. the restaurant itself is nice and clean, it's inviting and spacious. This is our favorite local restaurant.

I've now been here over 10 times since my last review. I cannot get over the authenticity of their…read morefood. I'm heavily addicted to their chicken tacos. I have business that brings me past this restaurant every Saturday and I never pass it up. Even if we aren't hungry, I'll order food to take home and eat later. (Yes it's that good!!) I spoke to the owner's brother and he was such an awesome person. (Go Steelers!) The young lady usually at the front counter is so wonderful to deal with. I'll be back again and again! If you haven't tried this place, you need to! They also have some of the spiciest red sauce ever!! And it's soooo delicious! Serving Pepsi is a major win as well!! Tacos deserve Pepsi!!

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