29 Best Mexican Restaurants in Columbia

“Consistently the best, freshest more traditional food geared more to go, but there is plenty of seating. Staff is always friendly, and even though there is always a line out the door anytime near supper, they keep it moving. They DO A MILITARY DISCOUNT AS WELL!“

“Had my first visit. The staff was great and the food was incredible. The most fresh and satisfying meal I have had in a while.“

“It's been a long while since I've been here, but as always, I'm never disappointed!! There's a reason they're always packed! The food is some of the best Mexican food you can get in our area and the menu prices make it even better! Also, I've never been there and felt like I wanted to hurry up and leave because the people who come and eat they're are just as great! Highly recommended if you're looking for AUTHENTIC Mexican food!!!!!!!Parking: It's a very small lot so parking can definitely be a challenge. We can usually get pretty lucky and catch someone leaving though.“

“Just do yourself a favor and get an order of three birria tacos and a cup of horchata. The line is usually wrapped around inside the building, for a reason. Well worth the wait, and they work pretty quickly to get the orders out. I'm getting hungry again just thinking about it.“

“Nice mom & pop Mexican restaurant with dishes one would get in Mexico City such as Huaraches, Birria and Tortas. Great little hidden gem near the Whole Foods - Not fancy and very reasonably priced. Easy to order a bunch of different things to try them all. We really liked the Torta sandwich and the Barbacoa and Al Pastor. Agua Frescas were the real deal ~ Melon and Horchata were both good.“

“Went here for lunch. I just can't resist a good taco and they were good! The atmosphere was just right to relax a bit before heading back to work. I sat down to take the load off, ordered my food, and then I quickly knocked down 3 tacos like bowling pins! BAM!!! I can't lie I thought about getting more. Can you say gluttony? Lol ??. They make it hard on you but I resist the urge and came back to the office. So in short... Everything was so lovely. Try them out.“

“Everything was Outstanding! Delicious flavors, Steak Dobladitas was amazing - added the mushrooms as well and it was the best I've ever had, mango margaritas were fantastic! Really good service, too. I'll definitely go back when I'm in Columbia SC!“

“Have only done take out but the food is excellent. Highly recommend this restaurant.“

“Very authentic and super affordable Mexican restaurant right next to the freeway. Had their chicken fajita for 2 for lunch. It was delicious and the quantity was just perfect! They have amazing drinks on the menu too. Their chips and salsa were amazing too! I personally loved their hot sauce served on the side with chips and salsa.Parking: Many parking spots in the complexKid-friendliness: Kid friendly menu“

“We love Monterrey's‼ we have been eating at this Mexican restaurant since they were on Knox Abbott Drove in Cayce‼ they are VERY quick to get fresh, hot dishes to your table and the food is always hot & delicious‼ Wish there was still a Lexington location‼“

“Excellent service. Excellent food. The menu is extensive with delicious options we've never seen before. Plenty of reasons to go back again and again. By the way, they have the best fish tacos I've ever had...by far! And a great selection of drinks and beers. Make sure you try the sangria margarita. It's amazing!“

“My wife and I found this place a few weekends ago and decided to go again. I have to say that this food is incredible and the presentation of the food is beautiful. The staff is really friendly and they brought the food out really quick. The amount of food you get for the money is pretty solid. We will for sure return!“

“Best Hispanic food I have ever had. Absolutely amazing food. And I'm from South Florida, we had tons of Hispanic restaurants. Parking is horrible; they have a small parking lot and a ton of customers. But it is definitely worth every bit of it. The owner or mgr. likes to interact with his customers. They make your food in front of you and ask what you want so you never get anything that you don't want. I highly recommend this place!!!Vegetarian options: They make it in front of you so you can ask them to put anything you want in it. If it's veggies you want then they do it.Kid-friendliness: You can dine in or sit out side. Authentic setting. The owner likes to interact with the kids a bit and gives them treats, and it was NOT in a weird way. Each time we showed up he did the same thing.“

“YESS the best SALSA and Fresh chips the food is so good, my go to now form good mexican food“

“Always a pleasant night at San Jose. Attentive service, good food, and fun atmosphere - solid restaurant experience for the past 4 years. Great place to take the family.Vegetarian options: Spinach enchiladas are delicious and the chunky guacamole is amazing.Parking: It's a very popular restaurant so their parking lot is usually busy, but we can usually find a space or twoKid-friendliness: We see a few large groups and a good number of families dining together.Wheelchair accessibility: No steps and plenty of tables.“

“This is my new favorite spot in Columbia!! Every this is delicious, made fresh, and I couldn't get enough. Best birria tacos, "street corn", and churros I've ever had. Thank you! I will be back over and over. The service was great too, so nice and fun. I could tell the guy serving us and cooking was so excited to have us.“

“Good authentic Mexican food in Columbia is hard to find, but Moctezumas comes really close to it. I recommend the chile colorado if you love spicy food but be warned your mouth will be on fire so get water. They have plenty of seafood choices as well which is surprising. You can't go wrong here. The service is also friendly and pretty fast.Parking: There is plenty of parking, no issues with it at all.“

“I had always heard from the techs at my old job (who see behind the scenes) that salsaritas was a clean, well kempt regularly maintained place when i worked local pest control which is funny enough why i started coming here.the food is really good. fresher and better than chipotle imo. i come here instead. friendly staff always willing to help and suggesting good menu items. the chips are rly crispy and the mango salsa and queso is great. the plant based chorizo is very good and what i always get!! i love the bowls and chip combo. will come here as long as i live in columbia.calm and chill dining area with good AC. i like the non carbonated beverage options as well they go awesome w the bowl.thanks salsaritas!!(ignore all the chips being gone in the pic i ate them)Vegetarian options: Plant based chorizo ?“

“I went to Chapala’s Mexican Restaurant this week for national margarita day. I didn’t quite like the tacos that I ordered, I might’ve ordered the wrong kind . However I really enjoyed the frosted margarita and my waiter! I will be back to try something “

“I visited this restaurant during their Cinco de Mayo celebration and found a mix of highs and lows in the experience. The bean dip served as a unique and tasty alternative to the usual table salsa, which was a pleasant surprise. However, the salsa available from the bar at the entrance was quite disappointing—watery and lacking in flavor.On a brighter note, the ribeye steak I ordered was exceptionally tender, possibly the softest steak I've ever enjoyed. Despite these culinary highs, the service left much to be desired. The restaurant was packed, which understandably slowed things down, but we found ourselves constantly asking for drink refills and additional chips and bean dip as they were not proactively offered.Overall, while there were positive aspects to the dining experience, the service issues were a significant drawback. I might give this establishment another try, but I'll steer clear of busy holidays like Cinco de Mayo in the future.Parking: Nothing fancy“

“This place has good, fresh, food for all palates! They even have gluten free and vegetarian options. I had a small veggie burrito that was outstanding and my son had delicious pork carnitas on corn tortillas. It was fast and the staff was very courteous. I look forward to going again. I wish there was one in Rock Hill!!“

“Cantina is one of our favorite places to eat, chill, bring friends, and just have a good time. Sis in love is in town so we decided to take everyone there. It was super busy because it's cinco de mayo weekend and uofsc students were graduating so it was about a 35-40 minute wait which isn't too bad for a Friday night. They had a list of really good drink specials but the one that caught my eye was a strawberry coconut margarita so of course I had to get it. I think it was a great choice. I chose Luna azul for my liquor and the drink was strong but not too strong. I could definitely taste the strawberry but just a hint of coconut. It does have a sugar rim so that also helped with the aesthetic of the drink. I also got a grilled fish taco and a chicken pesto taco. The grilled fish taco comes with jalapeños but I chose without. It was a smidge salty but the flavor was really good. You can definitely taste the fish but the sauce is really the star of the show. Hint of spice with a little tang to cut the fish flavor. Definitely always a go to. I tried the chicken pesto cuz I don't think I've seen it on their menu before. I got it without pico cuz I don't like it and honestly it was perfect. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the seasoning was really flavorful, not too salty. The lettuce gave it a nice texture and gave the taco some freshness. The pesto sauce was so good, it really was what made the taco come together. It was a 10/10. I would definitely try that one if you come.“

“The menudo and the bandeja paisa are my top choices! The vibes in this establishment made me feel comfortable especially with owner who’s always there to greet and attend to customers. The decorations were beautiful especially the painting. I also recommend the agua de horchata which was very refreshing, as well as the flan which was a great dessert. Would definitely recommend and I will definitely come back.“

“Great albeit small Mexican establishment. Great varied menu. If you want excellent food seasoned well...this is your spot. It is small and in a storefront next to a gas station, but elegance is not what they are going for. We ate at a table and had an excellent service. If you want endless chips and salsa and cheese over everything---keep moving. If you want an authentic fantastic Mexican meal....this is your spot. My only regret is not getting the shrimp cocktail the place is named for as they looked fabulous. Just go!“

“Who knew plant based eating would taste so good!? Absolutely delicious, convenient, fresh and healthy food! The granola is to die for, it tastes like dessert! The salads and bowls are very generous portions. My favorites are the chocolate protein bowl, chia seed pudding and Jennifer Aniston salad.“

“I ordered the chicken mole with rice & beans and a piece of Mexican Street corn. I had the Blue Lagoon margarita, which was very good. Also got churros which were disappointing. Filled with some kind of sauce that I didn't care for. I expected traditional churros. The chicken mole was good. The beans and street corn were good but I thought the rice was a little undercooked. The service was good. I was surprised to see a $1.55 fee on the check. The waitress said it was for a credit card transaction fee. I didn't mind paying it but I've never seen that at a restaurant before. I assume most include it in their prices.“

“Went around 2, it was surprisingly not busy but it’s very spacious and I was greeted with a smile. Food came out pretty quick, and everything looked and tasted fresh. Food was amazing! Our server was amazing and the pricing wasn’t bad, definitely going to be coming back soon!“

“This my go to! If you want the real this is where you can get it. I do have my preference on server but they all do they best but the one older lady on the weekdays takes care. Like reallymakes sure the order is what you ordered. Not what they used to making.“

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. It was family friendly fairly priced. Service was amazing, we ordered and our food was brought out in record time. The food tased amazing as well. It has been agreed by my family to become our go to place, fyi we are a family of 6 ages ranging from 2 to 14 for children and all found something they liked.“