Located in the heart of downtown, this bright and cheery spot captures the soul of the French Quarter. While the **Charleston** is a solid choice, the menu truly shines with the **Long Duck Dong** and the **Stage Five Clinger**. Both are fantastic, but the Clinger is an absolute essential--it hits a home run with a flavor balance that truly delivers the goods. To round out the experience, their tequila margaritas are as profound as the food. Whether you're a traveler or a local, make your way to what is clearly a hometown favorite. ### **Highlights at a Glance** * **Vibe:** Vibrant, welcoming, and quintessentially "downtown." * **The Must-Order:** The **Stage Five Clinger** (Masterful flavor balance). * **Drink of Choice:** Tequila Margaritas. * **The Verdict:** A neighborhood staple that lives up to the hype. read more

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They only serve soft tacos Tacos were ok. My friend had the lt dan salad. She said it was fine. However, her credit card has been overcharged by this establishment. Attempts at reaching them are met with an automated system and full voicemails. Bill was doubled on her credit card. Until this is resolved, the rating remains a 2 read more

Everything was good. Strong margaritas, they only carry a Corona non-alcoholic beer which is not very desirable. The triple dip was good, but the queso dip needed some flavor like jalapeño or spice and they don't serve enough chips for the dips ratio. The tacos were good but the side come in plastic ramekins which were tiny. The cilantro lime rice was crunchy and did not taste of lime. Our server was super friendly and attentive though, she was just great! read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Great, strong margarita! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Nice place with large booths and tables. Bar area is also large. Customer service is great, everyone was nice and helpful. Ordered the Fat Guy in a Little Coat. The steak was well- marinated and seasoned. There was a great amount of steak, but pieces were inconsistent when it came to tenderness. The menu says avocado aioli comes on top, but this was just a sauce that only tasted and looked like mayonnaise. read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Fat Guy In A Little Coat - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

We went to RuRus with a family group. We didn't have to wait long for indoor seating but the outdoor patio is small and was packed when we went. The bar is located at the front with large booths surrounding it, making the noise level about average for this type of scene. We ordered the Skinny Mike Margharitas and tacos, bowls and other items. The waiter was really nice. The drinks were really good, but some of the food items were eh. The spicy tacos were really good along with the chips and guacamole. The main issue for a 4/5 was the chicken was good but dry and some of the avocado slices were brown. Overall, it was a good time and good food. read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Skinny Mike Margherita - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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What's not to love? The food was really good and portions are quite large. We ordered the dip trio appetizer - salsa, queso, and guacamole. All of them were tremendous. The salsa was chunky and flavorful, queso was thick and creamy, and the guacamole was delicious. Chips are crunchy, but light. For our meals, we ordered tacos, quesadilla, and bowls. The quesadilla was packed full of steak and veggies - and I mean packed. The bowls were so good - quite large - neither of us could finish them. It probably did not help that we loaded up on chips and dip! My son also enjoyed his tacos - they have a nice variety to choose from. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. We got our bill promptly, I would recommend to anyone looking for a good Mexican stop in downtown Charleston. read more

Passing through Charleston we were craving Mexican food. We had high hopes as RuRu's was in a fantastic location in downtown. Outside seating, which we love, but on this day it was extremely hot and so humid, so we opted for indoors. We were greeted and seated promptly when we arrived and our waitress was friendly and very attentive. Now, the 3 stars go to the service, zero for food and drinks. Our tacos were just meh. The meat was dry and our drinks, I probably could have made them better, and I'm no mixologist. Now, they do have fresh chips and delicious salsa, nothing spicy but very flavorful. We definitely would not stop here again, especially being from California we know good Mexican food. Cheers! read more

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Love the tacos and margaritas. Inviting location with friendly, happy employees. Adi seems to be able to remember the names of all of the customers. My favorite is the seared ahi tuna with sesame crust, pickled cabbage, Wasabi cream, avocado and cilantro (Run Forrest Run). My guy likes the taco with seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, Pico de Gallo and lime crema (Why So Serious). The salsa, queso and quacamole and tortilla chips (Three Amigos) are delicious also. The establishment is fun, clean and you can be seated outside too. One of our fav place in town. read more

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Overall: Doubt we'll be back again, but a somewhat decent option if you're in a pinch in the high-traffic area. The good: Prime location with lots of seating, including several outdoor tables. Pretty large menu, including drinks. Reasonably priced. The not-so-good: Service was extremely slow on all fronts, from getting our order, to getting our food, to getting our receipt. With a 2 year old, it was even more of an eternity. Tacos were average, not great but not terrible. The amount they charge chips and salsa or the other dips is absurd. Food/drink: 5/10 Atmosphere: 6/10 Service: 3/10 read more

The food was a delicious! The tacos and queso were on point! My server was super friendly and attentive. The margarita was pretty good too! Nice place for some yummy Mexican food! read more

Coming from California it's always a challenge finding "good" Mexican food. This place was alright - lacked flavor in my opinion and wasn't all that right in terms of flavors either. They do recommend getting a pitcher for margs but the pitcher has SOOO much ice in it. The service was fine - our server was nice. The place overall is fairly casual and people just stop by with friends and family. read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Good food, reasonably priced, slower service so be ready to have a slow down in your day. Had lunch on a Tuesday so maybe that is why service was slower? Looks like Happy Hour is a good deal! Would eat here again. read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Happy hour deals! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Stopped by to grab drinks before dinner at another restaurant and we weren't disappointed! Yummy drinks, laid back vibes, and friendly staff! The food smelled and looked amazing and I wish I could have tried some, but will do that next time I'm in Charleston! read more

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Disappointing. Food quality was below average. If I had had several shots of tequila, the food might've tasted better. Too many other good restaurants in CHS. read more

Pretty grossed out sitting at the bar watching staff members, including the bartender and what seems to be the manager, chat with their friend (who appears to be an off shift employee) as they sit there and VAPE openly at the bar while people are eating right next to them. And then watch him as he reloads his vape. Pretty disgusting. Turned me off from ever wanting to come back. read more

Came here with a friend while visiting Charleston. We came during happy hours and ordered the margaritas and chips and queso dip to munch on. Sat at the tables street side, and enjoyed the view of the city. Staff was friendly and was a nice time. Thanks for having us. read more

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Fun place to go. Good was food. Staff were very attentive. Tacos are a good size and very tasty. Love the drink options. I would uber if you don't live close by cause parking is hard to come by. read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Food was just fine, could have been more flavorful, needed more heat. Nothing to write home about. Service was lacking. They concentrated more on the people who sat outside. The vibe of the restaurant was awesome, loved the artwork. read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Tacos - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

We ordered tacos last night for pick up. They were huge for the price. Much larger than we're accustomed to. The tacos were just okay. Some better than others. The chicken was so bland and chunky it was hard to eat. The mahi tacos were just okay, but we did enjoy the shrimp. Where things went wrong were pickup. Having worked in the restaurant business, I understand that when it's dinner time, it's chaos. However, when we went to go pickup our food after already waiting 25 mins, the hostess acted like the order had never put in and it would be 15 more. When I questioned her, there was no apology but rather, "well we shouldn't even be taking online orders"... I'm sorry not my problem. There were open tables and many open seats at the bar. This is NOT how you provide good customer service. read more

Food was very good and in good portions. It's a bit dirty and service a bit slow. People kept coming in so it looked like a favorite. Would go back. read more

The tacos are the bomb.com! Our bartender was awesome and the Olympics were played on the TV. We sat here and enjoyed our lunch for hours. I definitely recommend stopping here while in the French Quarter. read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Cheers! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

The queso was great but this was the most white taco place I've ever been to. I enjoyed everything I ate but there wasn't that spicy Mexican taste you get at most taco places. The service was nice but they kept forgetting the things we asked for, although we had slightly complex orders with a few alterations. I liked the decor but the music felt a little out of place, it was like 2015 pop music. read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Burrito - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

I love tacos. And I wanted to love Ruru's. The menu promised so many delicious options: birria, mahi mahi, firecracker shrimp, pork belly. Sadly, disappointment was the order of the day. They were out of mahi mahi. No corn tortillas-- only flour. Every taco was overly dressed in a mayo-based sauce. The birria was not bad, but a huge stream of liquid poured out when I tried to eat it. The promised mango and pineapple salsa was replaced with chopped tomatoes. And mostly, the flavor was just missing: no heat, no spice, no acid. Also, the service was apathetic at best. Our room temp food arrived with a careless "enjoy!" -- and I had to call the server back to explain that we had no utensils and no napkins. Drinks went unfilled. I know some restaurants are short-staffed these days, but I was annoyed that instead of filling our drinks or bringing us our check, the server was on his phone in the back and yukking it up with his friends. Ruru's promises a lot but failed to deliver today. read more

This is a great downtown restaurant is you are looking for some unique tacos with names from different movies. They have a pretty varying menu and their burritos are loaded with flavor and delicious. There is a ton of seating and we have never had to wait long to be served. It was pretty casual and a place you could meet with a larger group. read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Burrito - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Tacos are awesome! Delicious Margaritas!! Tacos are awesome! Delicious Margaritas!! Tacos are awesome! Delicious Margaritas!! Tacos are awesome! Delicious Margaritas!! read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Outside - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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We ate there in September. It was recommended by the concierge where we stayed. It was a Mexican restaurant, but then also a bit different. The food was seasoned differently so can't say if this was the portion of Mexico it represented or if this is a Charleston thing. Everyplace we ate served same food as elsewhere but seasoned differently. We enjoyed it and would go back again. The portions were generous for the area. Reading other reviews seems others felt the same. Same dishes but also different not as authentic (based on my experience) as other places. But don't be scared off this place. We really enjoyed the setting and food. We tried a couple of drinks and they were also good, prices just a little below other locations around here. We were there during September but it wasn't crowded we walked right in and there were tables to choose from. The bartender also was our server. read more

Amazing Mexican restaurant in Charleston, the best part is the service and promptness of the staff. We had a large group of 18 people which is 5 families, amazingly they were able to put us all together in a Private area. Our waitress helped out with the orders as we ordered different checks for each family. She was really composed and attentive Coming to the foo, it was delicious and every item was to crave for. I have ordered the tacos which are reasonably priced "Your going the wrong way" "Why so serious " "Fat guy in a little coat" and "It was the dukes " All of them were delicious, the side dishes and appetizers were also delicious. Make sure you try this place out when you are in the Charleston area. read more

Happy hour at RuRus was delightful. Tacos were delicious, and drinks were half off ! The menu has a great variety, with fun names for all of the menu items. Already thinking of the next time I go in and what I'll try then . Soo soo good read more

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The waitress was attentive and the menu was fun and full of movie quotes. Clever. The portion sizes were good. Unfortunately, the food itself was definitely a farcry from anything authentic. We should have seen it coming when the music was modern and there was not a Spanish speaker in the vicinity. Definitely tasted American. Not even Tex Mex. Flavor was limited on the burrito and quesadilla. The salsa and chips is an extra charge, which is nothing I've ever seen at any standard Mexican joint. It's good in a pinch, but we won't be back. Basically a sports bar with Mexican leanings. read more

A fun, quick, tasty stop! The menu is amusing, with movie reference names for menu items. The restaurant is a little loud, but since it wasn't too busy when we stopped by, there was no trouble hearing each other or the server. Really tempting cocktail menu and a great variety of tacos, quesadillas, and burritos. I only wish there were more veggie options, but the taco with the tofu was great - I love seeing menus that don't rely on fake meat for vegetarian options. read more

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I visit RuRu's for a mid-afternoon lunch with my family. The service was quick but unfortunately we found the food very disappointing. I got the tofu & veggie rice bowl, they were out of tofu which is fine but none of the veggies were fresh and everything just had a bit of an odd taste. There was a ton of sauce in the bowl (three different kinds) and it just did not taste right - what did have flavor wasn't a very good one and I couldn't eat much of it even though I'm not normally a picky eater. Others in my party got burritos and tacos which they said were "ok". The others thought the sauce on the rice was weird as well and would've been better plain. I hate to leave a bad review but not the meal we were hoping for in Charleston. read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Rice bowl - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Went to this place while visiting the local area and literally ruined my night. I left hungry and paid for soggy food that tasted like they just threw cumin seasoning in the quesadillas i had. I hate being that person that complains about the food so i didn't say anything but was trying to eat it because i was hungry at that point. Food is not seasoned overall but the staff were really nice. Don't recommend if you like authentic Mexican food or even good fusion Mexican as well. read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Delicious! Also LOVE the names for the food options on the menu. Quick seating in an otherwise very busy area in regards to restaurants. Service was quick, waitress attentive. Queso is delicious- opt for the one with chorizo mixed in- sooooo good. read more

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I love coming here. The service is always quick and the food comes out quickly too. I swear this last time it took all of 30 seconds to come out. Their burritos are huge. I love their nachos and the individual tacos. You can easily mix and match if you can't decide on just one type of taco. The interior is cute and clean and the bar is usually busy. Street parking. read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Burrito - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Good tacos. We ordered as take out while visiting the area. Would recommend for a quick lunch or dinner.

When I heard about RuRus I was very excited about the idea of having Mexican food on the lower downtown and I really wanted to like it. Unfortunately I left a bit on the disappointed side. We arrived with a group of 4 on a Friday night without reservations. The restaurant was rather empty and there were a lot of tables available but we still had to wait about 15 minutes for someone to notice us and help us get a table while we waited on the host podium. Once we were seated, the menus had a weird smell that I can only associate with a not-so-clean rag which was probably used to clean them. We ordered margaritas , which were nothing phenomenal and on the extra sour side but at least they were strong. We had some chips and salsa to start, which were on the average side and probably not worth the $6 extra charge. My biggest disappointment were the tacos when they came out. As a Mexican, I have a pet peeve of eating tacos on cold tortillas and that was an immediate let down for me. The tortillas were straight out of a bag to your table without being heated or warmed . The fillings of the tacos (steak) were not great and one of them was just covered on a creamy overpowering sauce . I would probably not go back nor recommend it to anyone looking for decent food. read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Fish tacos - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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it's a local spot for sure. hidden gem. food was great! service was great! had live music and it was great. kudos to bartender Grace, waitress Lauren and trio playing (Dylan, Noah, Payton) wonderful experience. recommend the nachos- messy and delicious. read more

The atmosphere is great. The drinks are good. I'm sitting here on the front patio, which is very nice. The tacos was superb. I will be back Charleston, South Carolina. read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Good food - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Three stars is generous. We spent the afternoon in the park and hubs wanted a margarita so we stopped in and sat at the bar on our way back to our hotel. The bartender was disgruntled and spent the entire hour plus we were there complaining about his job and other customers - both to himself and the other bartender that was there. He was nice enough to us, but it was such a dampener on our visit to be subjected to his mouth and bad attitude the entire time. He also asked us to close out our tab because he was leaving and wanted his tip, which was off putting to say the least. The vibe in there was so bad - hubs literally downed his last cocktail so we could leave. We ordered the steak nachos (Sorry I'm Not a Loser) and hubs got a few margaritas. The nachos were mediocre at best. They came out of the kitchen in like 3 minutes which was troubling. They were barely warm which was also annoying. Cold chips, cold steak, clunky cheese and topped with a ton of cold condiments. I get most of this is prepared already, but idk it was a scary fast amount of time. Nothing was offensive about it yet I have had better nachos at countless other places. Hubs said the margaritas were good - but still couldn't wait to get out of there. Of all the beautiful places to dine in Charleston, it is pretty safe to say we won't be back to visit RuRu's. read more

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila - Sorry I Am Not A Loser ($10.99) with Steak ($5) - Tex-Mex Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Stopped in for an early dinner on a summer Saturday evening. We were seated right away and service was great! The lime margarita was great and cooling. The chips and salsa were a great snack while waiting fir our meals. I had the steak burrito with queso on top. It was very good and I would recommend it to anyone considering it! read more

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