El Jefe Texican Cantina

I usually love coming to this place as a CofC student, and me and my friends have always raved about it, but something has truly changed here. I don’t know what’s wrong, but they’ve tanked. We got seated pretty quickly, but our server (named Bella) was completely rude off the bat. She got our drinks and then when taking our order, seemed as if she had better things to do and didn’t want to stand there a second longer. When asking about the food, because my friend was a little confused and needed some guidance on what to get, Bella used a rude tone and seemingly mocked her with pet names. We thought “ok, maybe she’s just having a bad day”, I mean I get it, I’m a server myself. But, it was still rude. However, when I opened my utensils, it was dirty (picture included). A visible food stain on it. When I got the attention of our server to ask for new utensils, she acted very irritated. She gave me a new one, and that one was ALSO dirty. I decided to not even say anything because I was honestly done with feeling like I was a nuisance right off the bat. We got our food, it was okay, sat for a while waiting for our check after we finished. When we told our server we were using the new OCMP that’s now available , she rolled her eyes and left and AUDIBLY said “oh my god!”. Alright… now you’re really just digging yourself a hole.. I don’t really want to come back to this place ever again honestly, the food isn’t good enough to come back and the atmosphere and service has seriously tanked. That’s really what makes a restaurant, and El Jefe has failed. Maybe if I was an uncle coming to drink my face off I wouldn’t care, but sadly I’m not. Rude to me, rude to my friends, and not up to standard. No thanks!

Came here on a whim as I was walking by. I was shocked to find during dinner time I was the only one in the restaurant. Throughout the entire time I was there, no one came. I thought this was a bit odd for 6:30PM. I was seated promptly and served quickly. It wasn’t anything spectacular but it was okay. The server was really nice. Very expensive for Tacos. The price was higher than the menus posted online. $25 is a lot for three tacos and a coke. it’s a bit jarring to go to a Mexican restaurant, even a texmex place, that has a mechanical bull and plays country music. It’s pretty loud.

Our server Gracie was AMAZING! She was very attentive and sweet. However, the reason for the 3 stars was due to who I am assuming was the manager constantly coming over to me and my group to tell us to move or to wait at the bar and then told us we can’t be at the bar. It was honestly kind of ridiculous.

Margarita was refreshing. But missing the tequila for $16. Elote corn dip was a let down. Cheese quesdailla was Ok

With so many restaurants on King Street it is hard to decide. We picked El Jefe Cantina and were very pleased. The frozen margaritas were very good. The atmosphere is definitely Tex Mex and very lively. Our server was extremely pleasant and did a great job explaining the menu. A very good experience.

Went last Friday for dinner and there were only two other tables there. Food has always been amazing but this time is was just ok. Hyped it up to a friend I took with me so I was disappointed. The internet had gone down but had come back up and the same song played on repeat the entire time we were there, no biggie but annoying. Later that night I checked my bank and had two pending charges so I called the next day and was brushed off and told to call my bank. Sunday I had yet a third charge on my account so I called again and spoke with the mgr. who took my info and said he would talk to the owner and call me back but I didn’t get a call back so I called again the next day and was told he wasn’t sure if the owner even saw his message and to call my bank. I filed a dispute with my bank and it should be resolved in a few days. Not impressed with management or the owner and the lack of concern or help and the food and service were lacking. The servers were too busy socializing to even check on the table. Definitely will not be going back and hate that because this use to be our favorite spot when we went downtown for lunch.

I never had Mexican food before, so I decided to try some here. I'm happy I did. The food was amazing. I got a Texican shrimp taco with avocado, and it was so delicious. I also had chips and guacamole. This is the best guacamole I've ever had. I also had one of the best mango margarita ever. Our server, Andria, was amazing. She was so sweet and attentive. I'll definitely visit again.

In for spring break and stopped here with the family for dinner. Very good food and skinny margaritas! Helene was a FANTASTIC server! Check them out when you’re in the area! Added Bonus - they have a mechanical bull

First time customer! Helene was amazing! Very kind exuding great customer service! The Cadillac RX was pretty good! Great atmosphere! Great music selection! I'll definitely return!

Service was outstanding food was great, and my margarita was delicious! Looks like a great place for fun with the bull.

Came in for a quick drink as we were making our way down the street. The bull drew us in. Roy, the GM/owner, made the whole experience horrible. The ID checkers at the door warned us their boss was in tonight but we didn't understand what that really meant. Roy came out of the back and immediately started yelling at us. The tone and delivery was off the bat loud, demeaning, and disrespectful. He came in HOT! There are crazy rules of where you can hold your drink, drinks must be on the table at all times, where you can stand, etc.. You're not able to stand and watch your friends on the bull. You essentially need to be in the bar area by the front door. All workers voiced their opinions on their boss. I would stay away.

We enjoyed our meal at El Jefe. The food was excellent. We enjoyed the free salsa and chips although the salsa very very runny. The place is cute and colorful but the floors were filthy. The service was efficient.

Stopped in for Taco Tuesday/Happy Hour and grabbed an early dinner. The free chips and salsa, plus $5 margaritas are an immediate plus, making this a great spot if you're just looking for a quick stop or somewhere to hang. Our server was pleasant, greeted us quickly and knew all of the specials. We both ordered quesadillas, which were very minimal and left a little to be desired. There's a lot of other offerings though, tacos are more their thing. If you're coming at night there's definitely a bar vibe with the mechanical bull, and spacious bar area! Plus some outdoor seating options when it's nice.

We made a reservation here for my friend's bachelorette party for dinner specifically for their mechanical bull shenanigans after. Unfortunately for us, it was not running that whole weekend. As my friend said, "I'm not mad, just disappointed." Their Texas mule said it was served with Tito's vodka, but it tasted so much like tequila I was left very confused. The protein bowl was good, but very dry so I had to add the salsa that came with the chips on top. A side of guac was a steep $4 so not worth it. Overall, fun vibes, nice service (they gave a free tequila shot to our bride) but mediocre food.

Absolutely Disgusting Experience - Avoid at All Costs! If I could give this place zero stars, I would. The only decent thing at El Hefe was the salsa--everything else was an absolute nightmare. The queso was inedible, the texture and taste were awful, and my boyfriend found a hair in his tacos, which already looked completely unappetizing. I ordered a chicken quesadilla and was given steak instead--and not just any steak, but purple, questionable-looking meat that I wouldn't feed to my worst enemy. To make matters worse, my straw was handed to me with no wrapper, making it feel completely unsanitary, and my boyfriend's water had something floating in it--TWICE! He asked for a new glass, and they brought another one with more unidentified debris in it. The whole experience was disgusting. I don't know how this place is even passing health inspections. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere that actually cares about food safety and cleanliness. Never again.

Helene was great! Amazing service, knew the menu, and even gave us recommendations for places to go since we are vacationing! SHE WAS THE BEST

Helene was amazing!!! Great experience here. Def recommend. It was our first restaurant of the night and it was amazing! Amazing food, service and ambiance!!!

Helene!!! She was amazing! Had a great time here and the food and service was amazing!! First time in the area so fun

Helene was the best server!!!! 100% recommend. Food was great and on time. The ambiance was amazing!

Arrived in Charleston late Thursday and only two places were open on long street with this being one of them! Checked out the menu and gave it a go. Never had Texan pho before and it was soooo yummy! Even the drinks were delicious. I traveled with two friends who don't normally drink and they took a sip of mine and ordered one each for themselves! It wasn't crowded Thursday night. Service was alright as I had to ask twice for a water and we also had to ask for napkins and utensils (this was even after they brought out the food). But that being said the crowd and music was fine and the food was yummy.

Had an amazing experience ! Helene gave us amazing service!! She was the best. Enchiladas were amazing and the strawberry marg pitcher!

It's a happening place on a Friday night when we went. Great and fun atmosphere where you can eat and drink and watch patrons ride the mechanical bull. Complimentary chips and salsa given. Cheese enchiladas reminded me of a quesadilla texture... thick cheese. Queso was good. Margs were delicious. Really liked the tropical storm one that I got.

A great place for a late dinner and our server Helene was fantastic! Chips were addicting and location was easy.

Friday night for dinner. Pretty empty. Sat at bar. Good margarita and really good steak tacos. Good service from bartenders.

Place was great to catch a football game- Helene was amazing and provided the best service to our big party. Will definitely be back, the food was amazing.

Please please please don't step foot into this unwelcoming establishment. The experience was unpleasant as soon as we stepped foot in the door. While checking our IDs the 2 guys warned us that the "BOSS" was here that and anything he says just listen to him. Hmmmmm...? Me and my party went to go use the restrooms and stood at the bar to get some water after a long night downtown. The waiter was ABSOLUTELY nice and kind to us and gave us water. We were about to sit down maybe and have a bite to eat until the owner was in the corner looking very disturbed that we were only receiving water. IT'S just water!!!!!! He then called the bartender over and started talking to her about us as if we were doing something wrong. I'm sorry sir but we are not in segregated times. He is so racist and obviously does not like black ppl. It's so sad what this world is coming to. We hope you heal ROY! Because this is not how you run a business to invite willing to pay customers. We hope you heal...

The host was great , forgot her name but she wears glasses , sweet lady . First time in Charleston and this place , the food is horrible . Quesadilla tasted like swiss cheese , completely ruined my stomach . the cocktail i order was also horrible . The salsa tasted straight out of a bottle , nothing tasted organic , everything tasted like a cheap grocery purchase .

I ordered take out from the bar. I have never eaten at this restaurant before, so I asked the bartender for suggestions. I decided on the burrito. The menu gave an option for chicken or steak. I chose steak. When the bill arrived there was a $5.00 extra charge for the steak. I asked why there was a five dollar charge for the steak when it was a choice of chicken or steak and the bartender said oh well we are now charging an additional five dollars if you order steak. It wasn't listed on the menu like that I said "kind of deceptive advertising". They did have other extras down at the bottom of the menu that did Require an up charge but not the chicken or steak. I didn't really want to argue anymore, so I agreed to pay it. I had asked to not have the sour cream on the burrito put on the side since I was heating it up later. I also got charged for that. Including a take out charge of $3.40 when I was sitting at the bar. This $19.95 take out burrito with an extra order of queso cost me $30.95. I did leave a $3.00 tip. Wouldn't you know it I go to heat up my burrito later and there's no steak on it. It's chicken. Ridiculous .

We stopped here for a late lunch since everything was either closed or closing. My husband ordered the super tacos and I got the ribeye sandwich with fries. The food was ok but the drinks were 13/10. The frozen peach margarita and paloma were soo good.

El Jefe King st. Downtown Charleston SC is packed with restaurants catering to every appetite. We chose Tex-mex on this Thursday night around 8:30 pm. The place wasn't crowded or playing music so loud it's impossible to carry on a conversation or do some close-up magic. Unfortunately, as good as the he location or ambience was the place didn't have one porter or stout to drink. The darkest beer they served was a modello negro with slice of lime. Matty our bartender was distractingly beautiful which was a good thing. I ordered the 3 tacos platter and the Texican wrap and fries. The wrap was definitely something I would order again, but I will have to pass on the tacos. The Street style Rib eye taco had good sauce but the meat was dry and hard. The American and Texican were edible for sure but nothing special. I chose to skip the sides of rice and beans that come with the 3 tacos though on second thought I probably should have tried them. The Texican wrap came with a good portion of waffle cut fries. My friend ordered the quesadilla plate that looked good but had to ask for sour cream and optional spicy sauce. My meal didn't arrive until after my friend had actually finished his large quesadilla. Irregardless we both took the time to entertain the staff and patrons with some sleight of hand which was highly appreciated. If you are looking for Tex mex cuisine in the heart of the south, one could find better and worse for sure. But few have mechanical bulls.

The food was absolutely delicious, especially the Texicana Ribeye Taco and our server, Reid, was wonderful!

The food was amazing and our server Reid was amazing! Had an amazing experience, will definitely be coming back!

Oh man was this place good! My bf and I were real hungry after a massage and saw El Jefe right across the street. I've seen really good pics of their food ok Instagram so I wanted to try it! We were greeted and seated right away on an early Thursday evening. You're food already comes with chips and salsa but we also ordered queso! The queso was delicious, we could not stop eating until it was all gone! It was happy hour during this time as well. I believe certain apps, all tacos and drinks were $5! I got the standard frozen margarita and it was really good! For my tacos I got the ribeye and beef. You can choose different styles/toppings for your tacos and I choose mine to be topped with red cabbage slaw, cilantro aioli, and cotija cheese. It was so good! They were both juicy tacos with a lot of flavor, but I liked the ribeye the most! My boyfriend got the taco platter with ribeye, surf n turf, and beef with different toppings. His favorite was also the ribeye. I then finished my meal with a mango margarita and it was amazing! They have perfected their frozen margaritas mix for sure! We loved our food and service here! Will be back!

A good, quick, casual Mexican spot. Went on a Tuesday night, so service was fast and food was hot! Super cool atmosphere to sit and people watch on King Street. Husband and I both got the super tacos and tried both American style and Texican style. The tacos may look small at first glance, but don't be fooled because they stuff them to the top! The chicken was by far the best tasting meat! Would go back!

I have not posted a review in years but traveling now to new places so we are not in the same familiar area any longer so trying many new restaurants. El Jefe Texican Cantina is a spot we stumbled upon while driving through Charleston SC. The downtown area was so active with people, restaurants and activity which we love to begin with. We saw El Jefe and we are so happy we had lunch here. The tacos were really delicious and the Margarita was made perfectly. The waitress was so friendly. We will definitely visit again when we are not just passing through to get to another destination. Definitely recommend.

The server was ok it was like she couldn't hear the orders. my party wanted to ride the bull at first we were told wait until after we ate which was odd and then when we were done was told 10-15 mins because staff was doing something else then we were told they weren't letting anyone ride it! The food was ok. I definitely won't patronize them again the guy was very rude about the bull riding.

Hard pass DON'T eat here!! Food was worst than Taco Bell and service horrendous staff doesn't care. Ordered a beer gave me a can with a lime wedge on top no chilled glass!! lol avoid it walk somewhere else even subway would have been better!!!

It's a no for me after being charged $28 for two tequila shots. I could have bought a bottle instead. Service was awesome but not worth going because of the cost of alcohol.

My partner and I didn't intend to eat here for dinner on Saturday night. The restaurant we wanted was closed and our second option had a long wait. Before going inside, we were given a wait band to determine whether we were drinking or not. That should've been a sign that it would be more like a bar scene rather than a nice sit down. It's really loud in here so you won't be able to have conversations. It's a staple I think for college students to come here. We ordered the guacamole which was okay. Then we shared a Texan sizzler. That was $39 and it had steak, chicken, and shrimp. The steak had a sweet taste to it and that wasn't very good. I don't like sweet steak. The chicken and the shrimp was pretty good for the most part. They do have a mechanical bull that you can get on after you sign all the paperwork. The record for the longest time on the bull is 45 seconds. I got 17. The service was pretty slow, but it is what it is. I don't think I'd ever go back for dinner, but if I wanted to get drunk and ride that bull, I may be back.

Food was bad, service was mid at best probably worse, ambiance was poor aswell. I left no tip on my receipt yet the charged me for 5 extra dollars. I have a picture for proof of my receipt and I now have negative 62 cents in my bank account. I then called the restaurant and the lady was extremely rude and cursed at me. The lady called me poor and said this is too much for just 5 dollars. BUT it is not just about 5 dollars but it is the principle of the situation and trying to take advantage of me and possibly others. Would never recommend this place.

holy duck this place is overpriced, undercooked, and ASSS. who can mess up beans and rice ???

Awesome place. Prices are reasonable. Bull riding and good drinks what more could you ask for.

Only stopped in for a quick drink with friends so we sat at the bar. The bartender was friendly and served us a great margarita. The atmosphere is very laid back and the space is large and roomy. It was very loud, but not too much to draw me away. The food menu looked nice so I may have to come back again to try a dish or two.

We've been here twice now and have good experiences both time We came here on a Thursday night and what really drew us to it was the outdoor seating as there are not a lot of places along King St that offer this. My boyfriend and I enjoyed two rounds of drinks, and bean queso dip, and a side of beans. They offer chips and salsa for free We next came here on a Friday night and enjoyed people watching. It's got a great location. We had the elote and while it was tasty, was disappointed in it being on the smaller side We had great service both nights and the great location and overall good food

Terrible service. They required food delivery to be sent through door dash, which is fine, but did not complete the entire order. Once it was delivered missing food, when we called they took no accountability at all. They tried to blame door dash for not putting the food on the order but then they read my the receipt and the food was on it. Then they stated they couldn't do anything about it to call DoorDash even though it was a problem on their end. Terrible customer service. Food was not even that great for the price and inconvenience.

This is just your average Tex-Mex restaurant in downtown Charleston! The food, drinks and service we had were good!

Seems this place may have changed since some of the earlier reviews or I just happened upon an off night. Went on a Friday night for a friend's birthday hoping to get some Happy Hour margaritas. Not sure if we ordered incorrectly as we went during the posted Happy Hours, but were disappointed to get our bills and find we'd been charged $14-15/margarita. Tacos were mediocre and overpriced. And our table of 5 already had gratuity included. Don't think we'll be coming back

My server Jon made my el jefe experience unforgettable. His recommendations for the surf and turf tacos and large spicy margarita were phenomenal. Go to el jefe on King St in Charleston and ask for Jon you won't regret it!

Big spacious place with a huge bar. The drinks were ok, and the service was decent. The food was strictly ok.

The food lacked seasoning, the service was mediocre, and the owner/manager is a major jerk. I would not recommend this establishment for African-Americans because the owner/manager obviously has an issue.

The host, the security guard, and every other worker Except Roy (the owner) was great. Even an employee apologized to us and said "that's how he is". We're waiting for the bull and rudely tells us to get out of the way and get a drink. Which we understand, and we're gonna do if he didn't tell us in a loudly, aggressively, and dismissive tone. It was our first time there as my little 15yr old sister wanted to ride the bull, but will definitely not return and will warn people know about Roy, the owner if they say they're going to el Jefé :)

Here's the thing. I'm from Chicago and can hit a taqueria anytime. I love Mexican food and Tex Mex. This was neither. Terribly bland and salty AF. If your agenda is to check it out, come for drinks and getting your group to hop that bull. Those alone can equate to a fun/funny hang. Though, a very young 20-something vibe. If it's late, you're a tourist and unsure where to find late night eats. Wally's Gyros. Your welcome. It's Mediterranean and so good. Get it spicy. Personally, judging from the look of the place I knew better but my company was eager to see people ride that bull. For the dinero spent, no bueno.

Don't stop, run away!! They don't have a theme, poor excuse for Mexican food and a mechanical Bull?? Poor College Girl server did not have a clue what she was doing but tried really hard! $14 Quesadilla, add some kind of marinated beef for extra $5 $21 for cheese and crappy meat! I think we could have done better at Taco Hell Sorry I call it as I experienced it

My family and I are visiting the Charleston area and decided to try out El Jefe. Our server KB made our experience amazing! She tended to all of our needs and made great reccomendations. The food was good and we will definitely be going back next time we visit.

Honestly, this place doesn't strike me as being able to pay the rent very long on King Street. Came in expecting some bang up Texican style tacos . My sister lives in San Antonio sooo I know Texans know how to rock a taco . Everything about this place seems disingenuous down to their weak and watery salsa . Kinda like the fast food burger chain Hardee's serving up tacos! They've got a mechanical bull that I think they hope will distract you from the mediocre food. We ordered six different tacos between the two of us and a trio of dips for an appetizer. It just seemed like I was ordering tacos from Applebee's or some corporate chain (maybe they are). There was no flavor , the meat was bland and overcooked , the shrimp rubbery . I didn't finish any of the tacos . The service was good , which is what earned the two stars but I was disappointed for wasting the calories on basic tacos .

Great Mexican food and very nice staff who gave me great info on the area. Get outdoor seating with tvs and sometimes with live music. Also allows people under 21 in with a wrist band on weekends (a lot of places on kings st don't).

Run by a bunch a bratty children. The food has gone down hill over the years and the service to follow. Would not recommend.