Cuban Gypsy Pantry - North Charleston

Went for lunch with my family this past weekend. Was immediately blown away by the beautiful art work and bright colors on one half of the restaurant, with the natural lighting and assortment of plants I was already in love with the atmosphere! We were greeted warmly by a hostess. There seemed to be plenty of comfortable seating. We ordered plantains for our toddler. Empanadas to try - one pork one beef. Kids chicken & fries for the big kid. And Cubans with green fries for us. The highlight of the meal was most definitely the green fries! Bursting with flavor, every bite was so delicious. I could come back and order green fries as an entree but I’m dying to try the other menu items. The Cubans were also really good! Perfect crisp on the bread and flavor on point. Meaty and cheesy. The empanadas were good with crispy pastry and packed full of meat and yummy sauces on the side for dipping. You can tell the food is made with love! The food came out fast which was nice (especially with toddler in tow)! I highly recommend this spot and can’t wait for cooler weather to sit out on the patio!

I was excited to try a Cuban restaurant here. I must say it was good, just needs to refine the flavors. The Green Fried were really good and the Cuban sandwich too. The beans needed some more time to cook out the seasoning but overall good food. The service was really good too. I look forward to trying this restaurant later when they get better.

Omg, this place is a hidden gem. We were on a road trip from Florida and we did not know where to go and we did not want to try the brand/franchise places. We found this place on Google maps and decided to try. We are so glad we did. The beef empanadas are amazing. I had the ropa vieja and it was delicious, my husband had the pan roasted chicken and it was devine. The little one had the chicken tenders and fries. The ladies were super attentive. They checked on us multiple times and gave me a tres leche dessert to take with me. Please check this place out. You will not regret.

The food was nothing short of amazing! Even though I had started eating I had to post pictures. Very tasty! I had pan roasted chicken, green fries, and a Cuban cigar. Fair warning, the Cuban cigar is way more subtle in flavor than an egg roll (kinda looks like one though).

I have a deep love of Cuban sandwiches, and have been wanting to try this place for some time. After a night of partying hearty, I decided today was the day. Their Famous Green Fries have been touted as a hangover cure, so they were necessary. They just added the world's biggest Cuban sandwich to the menu: the Tiburon. That means "shark", a car commercial years ago taught me. Unable to refuse a ridiculously giant sandwich, I ordered the Tiburon, the Green Fries, the Gypsy Sampler Platter, gnocci, black bean and cheese dip, and for dessert Guava and Cheese Cigars. Hubby wasn't up yet and I wanted to be sure I had a few things he would like, is my excuse for unabashed gluttony. I called the restaurant directly to order and they were bustling in the background but it sounded pleasantly busy, not stressed and grumpy. The girl who took my order was friendly and efficient, and the driver who brought my food was very cheerful and friendly as well. The Sampler Platter is a great way to explore some new foods, and safe enough for children. I wondered why the potato croquettes were the most popular until I had the ham. The very smooth texture is odd for meat, and I can see where potato would better fit the bill. The pork cigar is like a miniature pulled pork sandwich, complete with coleslaw. The chicken empanada is huge and I am saving it for hubby. I loved the plantains, hubby didn't. More for me! The gnocci is AMAZING! So pillowy yet firm, springy not chewy. It is heavenly. The garlicky sauce and sprinkles of cheese are perfection. This is a MUST! I foresee craving it on a regular basis. The Black Bean and Cheese Dip explodes with flavor! It's so savory and pungent, I can't stop eating it. The super-fresh flatbread is a dream. We finished that and poached the bread from the Sampler and still have dip left! It's uniquely yummy and I will be dipping everything in the kitchen in it. Another on the must-order list. The Tiburon got cold while we were pigging out, so I reheated it in the oven and it is exactly what you expect from a Cuban, and enormous. The meats are sweet, salty, tender, smoky perfection. The pickles are bread-and-butter, which was different. If you don't like that I am sure you can request dill. I haven't decided if I prefer one over the other yet, but I think dill next time. Oh, pickles! I almost forget about the Famous Green Fries! They are as advertised, the ideal hangover cure. If you like pickles. Hubby does not. All for me! It is crazy craveable, I recommend to every hungover or pregnant person, everyone who likes pickles and French fries, and people who like interesting flavor profiles. You gotta try it to get it. This may be my new favorite restaurant! I already have three favorite items that I'll be back for, and I still have to try the other half of the menu. But first, dessert!

First time dining in a restaurant and my party chose this restaurant. The restaurant is nice, clean and the music was lovely. Appetizer was pulled pork in a bread bowl with cheese, onions and cilantro. We had chips and salsa with that. Amazing! My other party had the Cubans , which they loved and my order was a burger with slaw and I was not pleased. However, I say give them a try to see if anything fits your pallet.

5 stars for food AND service for both times that we were there. Cuban sandwich is one of the best that we had. Cafe con leche? Step over, Starbucks or general local coffee joints. Steak? Let's say it's on par with general steak house;Outback or alike, if not better. Breakfast? Forget greasy spoon local diners. Have you been to First Watch? This is better. Flan? Not the texture that we're used to but still very good as a dessert. We're lucky to have this place in the area.

This place was delicious! We sat outside. The waitress was very nice and prompt. We ordered the green fries, ropa vieja, pernil & carne asada. Everything was yummy. I wish they would’ve had white rice instead of red, but it’s ok. Also, the Mojito was yummy, but it could’ve used more mint leaves. A little pricey for my liking: $5.25 for one empanada and $16 for an entree, but overall, we’ll be back and I recommend this place!

My friends and I ordered off the specials and did a family style meal. The food was good, the rice was a bit different from the rice we normally get from spanish restaurants but I guess that is the fusion part. The portions were good and filling. My only complaint would be that the sweet tea was more of a northern sweet tea where they probably poured sugar in after the tea is already cooled. I would definitely skip then sweet tea if you are expecting a southern sweet tea. The staff was friendly and sweet. They gave us pitchers of our drinks for refills so we didn't have to wait for them. Our waitress was also able to split the check evenly between us without a fuss. Overall it was an enjoyable experience and I would recommend for the food.

Some first impressions are unforgettable. This spot looks cute and has an extensive menu of food that sounds great -- but the service is very off putting. 1. Operations. The establishment opens at 11am and has decorative bar with a variety of Latin drinks -- yet no bartender at 430pm. The server (male) took my order and THEN states it will be awhile. How long is "awhile"? He says maybe 15 min just for the other nonchalant server (female) to later (10 min) say they would be there MAYBE in 30 min (in an open ended "question-like" manner. No initial disclaimers. No apology. Jpust a smug look from the male server. 2. Food. Showing grace to the fact you gave me a drink menu knowing you can't sell drinks because no one on duty knows how to make them...I proceed to order food. Another fail. So I was handed a handful of menus, one advertising their new ribeye and mushrooms dish. I wanted a steak so this is great right? Nope. Guess what? They don't have any ribeyes. The male server found this to be hilarious. So immediately it's a situation where you want to ask -- what do you have today? There is nothing like checking out a new restaurant based on their own hyped advertising and you get there and they make rookie mistakes. 3. Customer Service. The establishment was empty. Three servers. No dine-in business. (Hey, I wasn't judging -- initially.) In trying to discuss the extensive menu, there was a language barrier to where the server couldn't answer questions pertaining to menu items . This is a concern because some of us have food allergies/restriction. I was not comfortable ordering food when something as simple as asking to eliminate something equivalent to a garnishment could not be understood. I am not shocked this spot was empty. ---- There are not many alternatives for dining out in this area, to drive the distance and they have similar issues -- again -- not a chance I'm willing to take. You're a business. If you have issues with your operations that day, lead with empathy. Don't laugh at the disappointment of the customer. I do not recommend this spot. There is a New Mexican spot off Dorchester and Riverbluff that has amazing food and exceptional customer service.

First time here and service was great and food was delicious. Friendly staff- they were all happy to be here and food came out in a timely manner. We will be back soon!! Pics of food are a must!

If you're looking for authentic Latin cuisine in the Charleston area GO HERE !!!! to describe it in one word. phenomenal

We came here on Saturday during lunch hour and the place were not that busy. The restaurant was clean and I really like the decor. I came eat at this restaurant before they changed their name and menu so I was curious on how the new owner came up with newer menus and food gonna be this time. .. Our waiter was friendly and helpful. We had empanadas and Nikkei as our appetizer and they were so good! I can totally come and just eat on their delish empanadas as I always on a hunt for good empanadas. The kids ordered burgers and fries and the fries were so crispy and seasoned well. We ordered their tacos and we enjoyed our meals! Come and check out this place if you are in Dorchester area.

Yum yum yum!! Me and a few of my Yelp friends took a place on this joint. While it may misleading since this restaurant is in a strip mall, don't let it deter you. I tried the beef and pork empanadas. I only ordered one at first and it was so good I ordered another one. The empanadas are served with some delectable sauces that'll leave you wanting to lick the plate. I also split the green fries with my group and they were topped with the same sauce- so obviously we devoured them. We also ordered margaritas, but those were subpar and just tasted like sour mix. We also ate our meal on the patio, which would've been fantastic but they allow smoking which was a nuisance during our meal.

This is MY neighborhood gem. I freakin' love this place. First, the basics. Service is excellent. Atmosphere is outstanding--they have an indoor/outdoor bar situation that is perfect Charleston. There's a patio as well--covered with fans and TV. They frequently have live music ... and did I mention they're adding a sushi bar? (If you've been here and had the Nikkei options, then you know the Asian-Cuban fusion is REAL!) They also have family-style meal options and frequently have steak specials. (My spouse swears by the ribeye with mushroom sauce, and he's a ribeye snob.) I often see folks disparaging the dining options here in North Chuck, but I'm here to tell you that some of y'all need to consider spending your $$ where you live. For those of you who "just can't fine quality restaurants in N.Chs.," well...consider venturing beyond Mt P and the peninsula, but don't come over here messing up our vibes! 'Cause we speak all the languages, have all the ethnicities, and happily serve suits and hardhats just the same.

I had no idea that this place closed down and new owners took over. I loved my empanada and the different sauces you can choose from so colorfully displayed. I ordered a cuban sandwich with tostones. The sandwich was really delicious and flavorful. The tostones were a little dry but the butter helped. My margarita wasn't my favorite. I think the sour mix was off. The pina colada was good but also very sweet. I will be back because I live cuban food!

DELICIOUS. I can't believe I haven't been here sooner! First of all -- the vibes are on point. Second of all -- friendly customer service. Third of all -- the musicaaaaa (I need to come here at night too!) Fourth of all -- LA COMIDA. Fantástica. We shared the green fries and I had to get the mixed ceviche for myself. I'll just have to keep coming back until I try every item on the menu!

Went to the very popular El Callao Latin Fusion for some amazing food. They are in the old Cuban Gypsy Pantry location, and I believe the head chef is the same. We started off with some tasty margaritas with my wife getting a frozen jalapeno and i tried the iced original. They were very tasty and offered either a salt, sugar or tajin rim. It is a large drink and very inexpensive! Of course, we had to have their empanadas which were large and crispy. We enjoyed the beef empanada which was loaded with spicy beef and not the least bit greasy. We discovered they had a shrimp empanada as well which we had to have. It had a wonderful cheesy filling mixed with shrimp which just worked! I highly recommend it. I tried the Barros Luco sandwich with steak and American cheese on a roll. The best way to describe this sandwich is it's a steak quesadilla on a bun. Both the meat and cheese tasted just like one. When you go here though you must get the El Callao Cubano sandwich as it is pure perfection. Tender ham with minced pickles, cheese, mustard, green sauce and a very generous portion of pulled pork. If you love a good Cubano this one has your name on it. Be sure to get the green fires as a side! They are crispy fries with cilantro aioli, house made mustard, covered in fresh cilantro, scallions, pickles and parmesan cheese. My daughter in law swears by these. The service was quick, friendly and efficient and the vibe relaxed. Go get your Cuban on!!

Yummy! Short staffed during our visit so slow and food didn't all come out together. If you're people who won't feel right eating until everyone has their plate, this is a bit irritating. The food was delicious though, and they were trying their best. Green fries are a must! That burrito was humongous! Get it fried! Definitely a shareable item. Not pictured was a burger which we wouldn't order again, and a carne taco which was melt in your mouth! I could eat a whole plate of that steak! Not sure if it's the same owners but used to frequent Gypsy Pantry downtown. Same green fries! A worthwhile stop if you're that way!

I love what they have done with this place. Loved it when it was Cuban Gypsy Pantry and love it just as much under new ownership. I'm this most recent visit we shared the famous green fries avid they were DELISH!! I ordered the Nikkei Crab & Shrimp Burrito which was presented beautifully!! Quite tasty and different. It was sushi with a flair. The addition of the outside dining patio is great. We enjoyed watching a game while catching up. The staff and bartenders were fun and very helpful. Will, the bartender on our second trip of the day there, kept us in stitches with his witty comments!! He also made us Caipirinhas, which you don't find too often here in Charleston and they were GREAT!! Cannot wait to go back. Will definitely go back!!

Food: The food was very different. We got tacos de carne asada (the meat was definitely not carne asada it was more of a beef stew which was a little sad), carne de jugo (it was a large portion, little bland in my opinion and better dinner plate than lunch plate), beef empanadas (They were nice and crunchy and the beef was seasoned nicely. Probably best thing we got out of all), tostones con carne de puerco (it was AMAZING. the meat was amazing!) and lastly, the chicken tender with fries kids meals (the fries were above average and the chicken was pretty good) Service: The service was very very slow. They lady taking our order was very slow and only came to take our order and drop it off. It got to the point where my husband was just going to go fill up his own water haha. Maybe she was having a bad day but it ruined a lot of the experience for us. Atmosphere: The music they had playing was nice. The decorations were super cute but the lighting is very weird . If you are sensitive to lights and the dark to light thing then your eyes might hurt while in there.

Found out that the owners of Cuban Gypsy Pantry are the owners of this establishment and I had to stop in and give them a try. Celebrating a friends birthday and we all enjoyed it. The food was great! We shared a basket of green fries and some empanadas. I ordered a lime Margarita and I friends had pineapple margaritas. They were okay. Could use a little more bite and it seemed a little watered down. Still went nicely with the food. We ate on the patio because it was a beautiful evening. Lower humidity and very spacious area. However we did have to battle with the flies, but it did not ruin our evening. Wait staff was nice. I believe our waitress was fairly new and she seemed a little nervous, but she was very nice. I would have liked for her to have come around a little bit more to check on us because we had to wait a little while for different things, but it wasn't many people working and we were patient. We'll definitely be back again soon especially for those fries.

Last week EW and her daughter and I met at the relatively newish Latin fusion restaurant in N. Charleston. We arrived around noon on a Tuesday. We went on a Tuesday on purpose to get their Tuesday taco special. We were greeted and seated inside at a large booth towards the kitchen. The first thing we noticed was the cool wall art (sorry EW took all the pics!). The second thing we noticed was how loud the music was. It was so loud I thought we had mistakenly walked into a night club. I really don't want to yell at my friend when enjoying an afternoon lunch. Our server was nice and humorous. EW ordered the green fries app $7 and two tacos for $5. Our server let us know that they had another lunch special besides the tacos, so I went with the $10 lunch special Nikkei Burrito with salmon and tuna and the roll deep fried. The green fries are loaded with cilantro aioli, mustard, fresh cilantro, scallions, pickles and Parmesan cheese. It might sound like a weird combination but if you've never tried them, do so. These fries here are excellent and stay crispy even with the top layer of fries covered in the toppings. My Nikkei Burrito came out and looked amazing. Check out the photo if you haven't already!! Instagram worthy for sure!! It was good and tasty but unfortunately it was missing a lot of the items listed on the menu. If you look at the picture of the roll cut in half you can see what was inside. From the menu listing my burrito was missing asparagus, avocado, cream cheese, cilantro, and pickled jalapeños. Spring mix was listed and might have been the arugula/lettuce on the plate. Kimchi wasabi was also listed and I didn't detect either of those flavors in or on the roll. Don't get me wrong, a deep fried sushi roll is a delicious creation, I was just expecting so many other flavors that were listed but not included. If you find yourself in N Charleston craving a little fusion flare be sure to check this place out.

Food is great and well priced! Service is accommodating. Atmosphere is clean and refreshing. The bar is inside and outside.

The Havana Vieja Sandwich and the plantains were so good! Perfect texture. Perfect flavors. I would eat here everyday if I lived closer....seriously! The paloma hit the spot too. Service from the host & waitress was A+. They were very friendly, attentive and checked on me at the right times. I'll be back for sure. I may have to hit up Salsa night at some point too!

I did a quick take-out. The staff was really nice and accommodating. The atmosphere was casual and theme oriented. Even though it's in a busy shopping centre, it was not very busy. I got chicken empanadas and green fries. They were both amazing and I highly recommend

Been wanting to go for quite a while and it absolutely did not disappoint!! I had the Coconut Curry Shrimp and a side of the Green Fries! Both were phenomenal!! Highly recommend

Had to try this place to see what was all about the "fusion" and my first impression looking at the decor that they had done a good job presenting a clean place, little dark for my taste but that is just me. 3.5 in general but to be fair I give 4 because I want to go back and try other dishes knowing that anything I order is the owners version and not necessarily they way that dish is made in it's country of origen. In regards to the foo, looking at the menu there is really a collage of dishes from Latin America including Cuba. Being a fan of Lomo Saltado and when I saw the description I was sold to order one. They claim they use tenderloin and I have my doubts about tenderloin for 16.50 so asked the person that brought the water and she said she didn't know, actually didn't seem too familiar with the menu but she said she would ask, then the server came and he didn't seem to know either but went to ask and came back with an affirmative. Hard to believe but if they say so their profit margin after the rice and fries plus overhead must be nil or they are giving me teres major that has more fat than tenderloin but tastes about the same for much less than tenderloin. In regards to flavor this version was a disappointment because of the mustard the owner dresses it with, never had I been to a place where they use mustard so basically this tells me that is not only fusion but it is the owners version and you may not get the original version of the dish which is totally fine but it should be noted somewhere in the menu. Portion size was good and never expected black beans to be served with th The server was soft spoken and not really familiar with how dishes are made or presented. Next time will try the Cuban sandwich or the chorrillana chilena that I am not familiar with

The Cuban sandwiches are to die for. Make sure to get a side of green sauce (cilantro aioli) with it! Couldn't recommend more!

Just tried this place for the first time and it's become my favorite restaurant in North Charleston! The food is amazing and the drinks are great too. You have to try the green fries. We got some empanadas as well and they were great. Can't wait to come back

We arrived right at 11 this morning and the doors were promptly opened. The service was amazing! I ordered the coconut jalapeño margarita, it was probably one of the best margaritas I have ever had! It wasn't overpowering with coconut and it had just the right amount of spice from the fresh jalapeños. They offer daily lunch specials which are $10 each. We had the Cuban sandwich , green fries , sushi burrito and plantains. Everything was delicious! I just can't get over all the flavors of the garlic and cilantro and mustard on the green fries. The sushi burrito was amazing and humongous. We will definitely be back in the very near future.Great lunch!

Really wanted to enjoy this place as much as I loved Cuban Gypsy Pantry. For starters, we were the only ones eating dinner as it was earlier on a Saturday night but one thing after the other made me question if they really wanted to serve us (so it wasn't crowded is my point). They don't have high chairs for children or kids menus. They brought us glass cups for the kids and then plastic cups that we could pour the water in the glass cups into the plastic ones instead of just bringing out kids cups to begin with. Several of our orders were wrong (asked for no cilantro, etc) and they forgot our dessert to go only to tell us that it actually hadn't been baked and they were starting it after the fact. I had the coconut shrimp which was a little rubbery in texture and old tasting. What saved the meal was: The Cuban and tostones were good and the margarita was good. Drinks are relatively cheap at $6. It wasn't crowded or overwhelming and they weren't short staffed...hopefully it was just an off night.

Service was fast and had no issues. The inside was nice but I don't believe any Latin music was playing which is surprising for a latin style restaurant. Food was pretty good. We got the empanada which came with multiple sauces to dip in. None of them had any spiciness which would have been nice to have. The fish ceviche came next which was really really good but could definitely use more chips next time.

I got the low carb bowl with steak, cole slaw on the side, without teriyaki. It tasted alright, except that the broccoli was very undercooked, and some of it had dark spots that show that it had started to go bad in places before cooking. I'm looking to maintain a ketogenic diet, and this dish might not have stayed within those boundaries, due to the high quantity of red bell peppers and onions, which were not disclosed ion the menu. So, if you're looking to stay in ketosis, this place probably doesn't have keto food for your diet. The men's restroom was clean, and the bartender was friendly. I will probably return with a guest but not by myself.

El Callao was great! Loved the food and the cocktails - especially the margaritas and palomas. We all enjoyed the dinner plates, Cuban sandwiches and the sushi burrito. The green fries were a hit - unique and delicious! Nice servers both times we visited.

The green fries app was divine. Big enough to share between 2-4 persons. Pollo saltado was perfect. Deliciously seasoned and great portions. I like that there was more protein on the dish than rice. Everything was very fresh too. My husband had the beef empanadas and the ropa vieja. He loved them. For dessert we had the jack danjels bread pudding. Delicious and big enough to share as well. I loved they had Mexican Coca Cola too. Service was excellent. Latin music playing which I loved.

Horrible guest service doesn't meet the expectations for the priced meal options rice was flavor less and HARD.. Mango & milk smoothie had a horrible taste; acidic.. Basically had Flies as appetizer it seemed like & all over our food; greasy looking manager horrible presentation saggy pants and sweaty underarms & shirt... yet drinking on the clock..

Green fries are back, y'all!! Same chef (previously Cuban Gypsy Pantry), new owner, so the menu still has some old CGP fan faves as well as new delicious menu items. AND the house sauces are the same too! I'm absolutely in love with the new outdoor space and bar window. It really opens up the inside. This new outdoor space would be a great small event/party venue, as it's pretty spacious. I am a dinglehopper and forgot to get pics of our entrees but I did get the rest. For the appetizer we got the green fries, obvi. And of course they were just like they were before at CGP, amazing. I also asked for the 4 house sauces (also just like before at CGP). For entrees we got the Chorrillana Chilena, which is a new menu item and it did not disappoint. The presentation was lovely too, and I'm sad I didn't get a picture. The other entree was a CGP classic, the Cuban Sandwich, which was yummo. Our desserts were the Jack Daniels bread pudding and the churros, and they both really hit the spot. I had to try their café con leche, and I definitely recommend pairing that with a dessert. Our servers, and really the whole El Callao crew, were fabulous, just as they were when CGP was there. El Callao, welcome back to the neighborhood!

I asked for the bandeja paisa. The chicharrón was horrible just a fat peace of pork every thing else was great

We had lunch here today because I heard that the same chef from the late Cuban Gypsy Pantry is the same chef here....therefore we wanted a Cuban and green fries! Our meal was just as tasty as I remembered from CGP. We got here right around opening. Our server was awesome. Super friendly and attentive. The food came out SO FAST! One teeny tiny complaint was, the Cuban could have used more pickles, other than that, everything was fantastic! Normally I don't drink alcoholic beverages at 11-something in the morning, but they had a $6 strawberry margarita and I couldn't pass that up it was so good. I for sure want to come back

El Callao accommodated my business team of 75 after hours for a fixed menu dinner featuring dairy + flour free fried chicken, plantains, Latin rice and beans with a tossed house salad. Despite the hours, the staff had a positive attitude and gave us great memory to remember!

I was so happy to learn that some of the folks from Cuban Gypsy Pantry opened up a new location, and wasn't disappointed after finally making the trip to Callao. It's still one of the best Cubans you can get anywhere and the green fries are one of my favorite dishes in Charleston. Our kids love the food here as well and the atmosphere is very nice. I'll be back here to get my Cuban fix often. Oh yea, and try the taco! They're killer.

So delicious!! Had the tostones, and coconut shrimp. Heavenly! Great service and amazing food! I ate my food too fast to get a picture! So yummy! Run, don't walk... go today!

We pulled into the shopping center to have a quick lunch. First we walk into a bar that smell like fresh cigarettes. There were people sitting outside. After that the name of it. Then we went next door to the Greek restaurant. They had just opened and their computers weren't working well. So then we went to the sushi place next door. It was extremely hot like their air conditioners broke. And there was absolutely no one else in there. So now we're getting tired of walking. So we walk all the way to the end to this place. I like the layout it reminded me of a restaurant I was too in the Bahamas once. The menu look pretty good also. The waitress recommended the green fries so we went with that. Also ordered some cheese sticks which came with various sauces. Everything is pretty good and flavorful. I don't understand the half teaspoons of sauce they give you with the breadsticks so we had to ask for more. They obliged with no problem. All the sauces were pretty good and tasted homemade. I had an emergency call so I had to leave so I did not have time to take pictures of the entrees we ordered.. But we ordered three tacos. A chicken, a pork belly, and I forgot the other. They had absolutely no seasoning. Like absolutely not. I had a chicken that was cooked with coconut milk I believe with rice beans and plantains. I enjoyed it. And steak sandwich. They have a nice bar area with a open wall. Very island feel. I will be back. I want my daughter to try these green fries. They were excellent and different.

great food and good service. luv the empanadas and the cuban sandwiches are the best I've had since moving to charleston. prices are very reasonable as well.

I got the coconut curry shrimp ...Almost made me sick I bit into the shrimp very fowl was sour. And the sides was not in a separate bowl. The black beans was running into the shrimp and rice. And the plantain was mixed with it. Even when you're dining in the beans always be in a side bowl. I was served hog slop. My order was a take out Ive been dining here for a couple of years. Brought alot of family and friends here. But I won't be coming back. This is my 3rd bad experience but wanted to give them the benefit of doubt. I think it's under new management cause menu have changed and none of the friendly workers aren't there anymore. Get your old crew back because your servers and kitchen crew is awful . I wish had pictures of that mess. They did offer me something else but I declined I'm through this time

Amazing food! Service is hit or miss depending on the bartender working. But it's definitely worth checking out.

Once, while visiting Washington D.C., I found a Peruvian restaurant and fell in love with a specific dish, Lomo Saltado. It was like nothing I had ever had and wanted it again. Unfortunately I was only able to find it at one place in Charleston- and then they took it off the menu. So when looking at the menu of El Callao, I was super excited to see Lomo Saltado listed - and off my wife and I went. The ambiance is fantastic, to a point. The one negative of our whole evening was that there is a full bar right next to the dining tables. A couple patrons were a bit loud - and while it would have been acceptable in a bar, it clashed with the dinning room. My wife and I turned it into a positive by making fun of their "deep" conversation and even offered answers to some of the questions- even if they couldn't hear us. Speaking of the bar, they offer a really unique set of cocktails and I highly recommend the jalapeño margarita, which uses fresh jalapeño to spice that drink up. The menu has a great selection of food without being too much. For appetizers I got a beef empanadas, while my wife got the green fries. Both were fantastic - and while I do not normally like mustard or pickles - the way they were mixed for the green fries was crazy good. For the main dish we got the aforementioned Lomo Saltado (with steak) and the Pollo Saltado (with chicken) and it was as good as I remembered. The portion sizes were large for both and we not only had to take some home, we couldn't try anything off the dessert menu - so we will definitely be back.

I have struggled to find Latin food I remotely enjoy in South Carolina. This did it! Delicious all the way around. I want to try everything. I shared the green fries as an appetizer with 2 other friends and it was more than plenty. An umami of flavors and delicious. I'm not even a pickle crazy person but they hit the nail on the head. For my meal, I ordered 1 garlic shrimp taco and 1 carne asada. I definitely preferred the shrimp, but both were good. The tortillas were soft and warm and taste like they're made in house. That's very important for me. I got a side of plantains as a must. Perfectly cooked and a decent portion for a single side. I was immediately greeted by the hostess, and the waitress never let us go long without checking in. I failed to get their names. The ambiance has a hip, modern vibe. It is an open space and not too crammed together. The outside area seems casual and decent with a TV on at least one end. I did not sit outside due to the weather. I forgot to try an agua fresca, but I'm definitely going back!

Went here once. They were out of a lot of items that were on menu. Which was disappointing. When we got something we liked food was good. Waitress was nice and tried to be helpful.

The food was absolutely outstanding! My wife and i have been waiting for another Cuban/Latin American restaurant to open nearby and we were so glad to see this spot open. We sat at the bar and initially had great service. We ordered drinks and food and everything was going great. The only reason we didn't give 5 stars is due to the bartender not being attentive to her bar guests. There was one woman at the bar and she was chatting with her the whole time we were there. Which isn't a bad thing, IF you can stay attentive to your bar guests. But we sat there with empty drinks and another couple sat there with empty drinks while she was holding a conversation with another bar guest. She never took away our dirty plates after we were done eating. Seemed as if she was too busy chatting. We overheard it was her first restaurant job, and she did not do a terrible job by any means, but she has to realize that you have a bar full of guests and you need to service all guests before standing idle and talking. This restaurant has great potential and we will absolutely be back, but that will turn certain people away and will eventually hurt business. As a bartender of 10+ years, I understand the talking/servicing bar guests dilemma. I hope this is addressed because the food here was absolutely delicious and this restaurant has great potential. We wish them the best of luck! Ps...Tip for the restaurant...juat an observation. DO NOT use bottled sour mix. A place like this should be making it from scratch. It makes the world of a difference

Pretty great food! Stopped in after the gym and loved the space! everyone was super friendly and nice. The outside seating is amazing!! We had the green fries and the low carb bowl with steak. It was enough to feed my husband and myself. So yummy!!

Delicious. I only wish the green fries had double the toppings. I got the fish tacos and would get again, fish was a little lacking though. Kids had the burger which was very good.

Opened in the old Gypsy Pantry, they have some similar items like green fries, Cuban sandwich and Big fish sandwich. Their lunch specials are a reasonable price and yummy!

I am so excited about El Callao opening! The food was delicious and the service was great as well. I really liked the ambiance and decor too! All around great spot. I got the mofongo special, short rib empanada special, and crab soup. Everything was so flavorful and tasted fresh. The food came out so quickly and the bartenders were on top of our refills. They only just got their liquor license so I'm hoping the recipe might change, but the margarita just tasted like sour mix so I might pass on that. The pina colada was pretty tasty though! Looking forward to making this a regular spot in our rotation

Great Latin food, especially like the Cuban sandwich with green fries. Nice atmosphere and good draft beers

Really enjoyed the fish ceviche. It was delicious. I thought I was back in Peru. Can't wait to go for more. Great portion for the price, too.