Upstate Counters, Coastal Trucks
South Carolina's Mexican food followed construction, farm and hospitality work into the Upstate and the coast, and much of it still operates out of tiendas and trucks rather than restaurants.
South Carolina: 568 taco venues on record across 123 cities, 147 dedicated taquerias, trucks and stands, 72% independent.
South Carolina city by city
Greenville, Spartanburg, Columbia and Charleston lead; Myrtle Beach has a seasonal scene.
- Greenville66 places
- Columbia32 places
- North Charleston22 places
- Charleston19 places
- Summerville19 places
- Myrtle Beach17 places
- Rock Hill17 places
- West Columbia16 places
- Anderson15 places
- Spartanburg13 places
- Lexington12 places
- Fort Mill10 places
- Florence10 places
- Bluffton10 places
- Goose Creek9 places
- Easley9 places
- Aiken9 places
- Greer8 places
- Hanahan8 places
- Hilton Head Island8 places
- Ladson7 places
- Mount Pleasant7 places
- Simpsonville7 places
- Boiling Springs7 places
- Beaufort7 places
- North Myrtle Beach7 places
- North Augusta6 places
- Conway6 places
- Moncks Corner5 places
- Lancaster5 places
Showing the 30 busiest of 123 South Carolina cities on record.
What South Carolina does differently
Tienda counters in the Upstate; trucks near the coastal resort work.
Styles with venues documented in South Carolina, most-recorded first:
South Carolina is independent country
South Carolina is independent-leaning — 72% of the venues on record are not part of a national chain, which is high by national standards.
- 72% independent (410 of 568)
- 70% close at 11pm or later (39 of the 56 with hours on record)
- 4 have a drive-through
- 3 are tagged vegetarian- or vegan-friendly
- 7 have outdoor seating
The 20 highest-ranked taco spots in South Carolina
Ranked by how taco-focused each place is and how complete its listing is, not by who paid. How we rank.
- 1Bonfire TaqueriaSee hoursCallDirections
- 2La Promesa Taqueria Y PupuseriaSee hoursCallDirections
- 3Taqueria el ManhattanSee hoursCallDirections
- 4Taqueria GuanajuatoSee hoursCallDirections
- 5CHIDO TACOSee hoursCallDirections
- 6Ru Ru's Tacos and TequilaSee hoursCallDirections
- 7Sabor Latin Street GrillSee hoursCallDirections
- 8Taco BellSee hoursCallDirections
- 9Taco BoySee hoursCallDirections
- 10Taco MolinoSee hoursCallDirections
- 11Tipsy TacoSee hoursCallDirections
- 12Tu TacoSee hoursCallDirections
- 13Birrieria 101Hours not recordedCallDirections
- 14Bruno's TaqueriaHours not recordedCallDirections
- 15Carniceria Y Taqueria El Gallo GiroHours not recordedCallDirections
- 16El Alteno TaqueriaHours not recordedCallDirections
- 17El Charrito TaqueriaHours not recordedCallDirections
- 18El Chepo TaqueriaHours not recordedCallDirections
- 19El Valedor Mexican TaqueriaHours not recordedCallDirections
- 20Jalisco Taqueria & TequilaHours not recordedCallDirections
Tacos in South Carolina: common questions
Which South Carolina city has the most taco spots?
Greenville leads South Carolina with 66 venues on record, followed by Columbia and North Charleston. That is a count of places, not a quality ranking — the ranked list above orders by taco focus.
Are most tacos in South Carolina from chains or independents?
28% of the 568 South Carolina venues on record belong to a national chain, leaving 410 independents. 147 of them are dedicated taquerias, trucks, stands or birrierías.
Where can I get tacos late at night in South Carolina?
Of the 56 South Carolina venues with opening hours on record, 39 (70%) close at 11pm or later. Hours change often, so check the individual listing before driving over.
What kind of tacos is South Carolina known for?
Tienda counters in the Upstate; trucks near the coastal resort work.
Which taco styles are documented in South Carolina?
Carne Asada (1). These are counts of venues where the style is on record, so they undercount rather than overcount.
Last updated September 29, 2026. Venue details refresh with each data import.