Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in Charleston: King and Meeting

Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. Refreshed every three months.

Mexican and Tex-Mex food in Charleston is concentrated on the peninsula. Three of the nine places on this list are on upper King Street, two are on Meeting Street and two are on Huger and Spring streets, and the other two are chain counters in West Ashley on Savannah Highway and Sam Rittenberg Boulevard.

How we made this list. The places come from OpenStreetMap records inside Charleston, the same data behind our local directory, checked against each place’s own website on Oct. 16, 2026. We left out places we could not confirm: Barberitos on Maybank Highway, whose site blocked us; Ru Ru’s Tacos and Tequila, whose site gives no Charleston address; Portside Galley, whose site says it is coming soon; and Blanca Estrada Taqueria, Chido Taco, Jalisco Taqueria, La Carreta and Mex 1, which have no website of their own for us to check. La Rivera and Restaurante La Costa are on Rivers Avenue in North Charleston. The list is alphabetical. It is not a ranking or a recommendation, and nobody paid to be on it. Run one of these places? Write to us to correct your entry.

The list

The places

Azul Mexicano on Meeting Street is a downtown Mexican restaurant open every day from lunch through dinner.

Chipotle on Savannah Highway in West Ashley is the burrito and bowl chain’s Charleston location, with pickup and delivery during store hours.

El Jefe Texican Cantina on King Street is a Tex-Mex restaurant with a weekday happy hour and a large LED wall for watch parties. Its heated and covered outdoor patio, The Ranch, seats more than 100 and can be booked for events.

Juanita Greenberg’s Nacho Royale on King Street is a Mexican restaurant with a second location in Mount Pleasant. Its site says it is dog friendly and that smoking is allowed on the patio.

Matador on Meeting Street is a Mexican restaurant and bar with a daily happy hour. It is all ages until 9 p.m., and its event spaces include a private bar and an outdoor patio.

Mesu on upper King Street describes itself as Mexican and sushi fusion. The bar stays open to 2 a.m. while the kitchen closes at 10 or 11 p.m.

Moe’s Southwest Grill near Westwood Plaza in West Ashley serves burritos, quesadillas and tacos built from more than 20 ingredients, with free chips and salsa, curbside pickup and catering.

Taco Bell on Spring Street has a dining room and a drive-thru with longer hours, both listed on its location page.

Taco Boy on Huger Street is a Mexican taqueria with a weekday lunch special and a happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. in the bar area. It takes reservations and caters off site.

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Frequently asked questions

Where are the Mexican restaurants in Charleston?

This list has nine. El Jefe, Juanita Greenberg’s and Mesu are on upper King Street, Azul Mexicano and Matador are on Meeting Street, Taco Boy is on Huger Street and Taco Bell is on Spring Street, with Chipotle and Moe’s Southwest Grill in West Ashley.

Which Charleston Mexican restaurants are open late?

Juanita Greenberg’s on King Street is open to 2 a.m. daily, Mesu’s bar is open to 2 a.m. daily, El Jefe is open to midnight Sunday to Thursday and 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and Matador is open to midnight daily.

Where is there outdoor seating at a Charleston Mexican restaurant?

El Jefe has a heated and covered patio called The Ranch that seats more than 100, Juanita Greenberg’s has a dog-friendly patio, and Matador lists an outdoor patio among its event spaces.

Where can I get Mexican food in West Ashley?

Chipotle is at 975 Savannah Highway and Moe’s Southwest Grill is at 1812 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. Both are open into the late evening daily.