Fuel Charleston

What an eclectic little find. Outside is so deceiving because it looks like an old gas station, inside is a WOW. What a beautiful patio and outdoor space, the greenery adds such a peaceful and summer vibe. The lunch selection was great. I wish that you could give half stars because food does deserve a 4.5. I was just a tad disappointed with the avacado and corn salad. It lacked a bit of flavor and could use some arugula and cilantro to make it pop! Of note I did not get the cheese so that may have added a flavor that would have completed it. There was nothing but rave reviews from my friends with their food and the atmosphere as well. A gem of a find.

Cool little Caribbean-influenced place that used to be a gas/service station. The jerk chicken sandwich and the mahi tacos are amazingly good. The sweet potato fries are different from what you usually get, but good in their own way. The service was great, but it wasn’t busy when we visited, so your mileage may vary. We would certainly go back.

The nachos were great, don’t forget to add the jerk chicken. The smash burger, shrimp tacos and the fries are delicious. The roasted corn chowder was good, make sure you have plenty of water cause it’s spicy! Plenty of seating indoors with outdoor seating as well.

Fuel Cantina is a cool little reclaimed and transformed art Deco style service station it's now just a great little Cafe. With a fun service station combined with beach vibe. We tried the BEACH and ISLAND bowls with grilled Mahi and grouper respectively . They've got a fair selection of food on the menu including a burger and a jerk chicken that I would probably try if I were able to go back, and some mixed drinks & beer, of course. There's a great covered patio in the back with lots of fans for Comfort on those warm days . There's just about enough parking around the building for the restaurant patrons. You might occasionally have to park on the street.. Not sure how that would be...but we've been there twice on this trip and were able to park in the Cafe parking lot .Great service, fun decor , and a very very tasty lunch!

Food was unique and really good. A little toasty inside during the summer but a really cute vibe!

Food was good. Pineapple salsa a bit too spicy, and server unable to refill drinks for us thanks to a large party.

Most bizarre expireince I have ever had at a resturant. This is not a resturant - its a hang out for all of the employees. They were all hanging out at the bar and there was barely any space for customers - yes - they were sitting on the bar stools. I went by myself to eat dinner and sat at the bar. On a Saturday night - the staff was not at all worried about the customers and only worried about socializng. The menus and food was just as bad as the staff. One of the waitresses sat at the bar next to me the entire time I was there and never moved...I wanted to believe that some of them werent working but when it picked up a bit - I saw a couple of them grab their notepads to go take orders. I also saw a group of the guy workers go over and take more bar seats when they became avaiabile. All I could do was laugh. Cant believe this place is still in business...severly undermanaged.

I usually love going to Fuel I was SO disappointed. I'm usually the biggest fan of their chips and dip. However, the guacamole was absolutely disgusting. It was sweet and tasted more like a sweet potato dish ( it was topped with pumpkin seeds). I understand that some restaurants try to be different for creativity, However, this was just not guacamole. I won’t be returning :/

Excellent service! As you walk in, you're greeted with a smile. The decor bring a classic gas station into the present. It brings you surf culture. It's a classy fell with Endless Summer vibe! The food is amazing! The nachos and street corn are gluten free. There are a variety of mixed drinks. The price is right!

Delicious burgers! Came here for trivia night which was so fun! It gets really busy on trivia nights so it's best to get there early if you are planning on playing. The outdoor seating is perfect but recommend bug spray as this is Charleston and I left with a few mosquito bites. But overall such a nice restaurant in a very convenient area of downtown Charleston.

This restaurant is a regular meet up place for MUSC people. Again I came with a large group- there were about 15 of us. We were able to get a big table outside and the service was pretty good! We had nachos and jerk chicken wings- it was all good. I really love the atmosphere- sort of layed-back-garden-party.

Great place for a patio meal, margaritas, and outdoor games. Kid and dog friendly! My son loves the kids burger and fries. The guacamole and chicken nachos are my favorite menu items. The margarita on tap is delicious. Sometimes they host events like DJ night and drag bingo - always fun! Also a plus that it has its own parking lot, as most downtown places don't. Highly recommend!

Not sure if it's a mistake to get takeout from here but the portion size of my $20 salad was disheartening to say the least (can clearly see to the bottom of my takeout box). Tasted good, and service was fine... just expected a bit more.

My first time here & as of NOW on my repeat list. Dropped in for a quick Sunday snack and beverages. I arrived a little late so snack orders were already placed. Some good choices were made. Great service. We had loaded nachos & Street corn!! Pretty darn good. So many more options. Love the DECOR! So much interesting memorabilia and signs/pics! Great place to hang out and enjoy with friends. Neighborhood has def been improved! Love it! Looking forward to some warmer patio nights.

Fun vibe!! Super cute decor and outdoor space. It was hard to decide on just 1 thing for dinner, so many yummy-looking options on the menu. I ended up getting the Island Rice Bowl with grilled mahi; satisfying and flavorful. Recommend to anyone looking for a fun twist on typical taco selections and flavors!

A hidden gem in historic downtown Charleston . Clearly the locals know they constantly have great food, good service, and fair prices. They feature both bar and patio seating (to include outside games )! Casual atmosphere, excellent "happy hour"! The plantains served with ice cream are one of our favorites !

It has been a long time since I've been to Fuel! I used to live on Cannon street and loved stopping by here at the end of the day for some apps and a beer or mixed drink with my husband or friends. Back then, the food was quite "bar food" centric, and now the menu is updated with more of a Caribbean emphasis. I opted for tacos today, going with the mahi and pork. They were both great!! The mahi taco did have a lot of liquid come out when I went to take a bite- but the food itself wasn't soggy. Just an odd thing I wanted to mention. Historically I've gotten the chorizo nachos and love those as well. It was easy to be sat today, with no wait and great service. It's a very relaxed atmosphere, with a fun patio with lots of "activities" like a fire pit and a putting green. Very dog friendly, as well!

The outdoor seating was nice and enjoyable. The drinks were good, however the food was really salty. So much salt that we were unable to finish the nachos and shrimp tacos. Otherwise if you are looking for a place for decent drinks and outdoor vibes, not a bad place.

This was our first food stop when arriving in Charleston and it was so lovely to be able to sit outside. My husband got the nachos and I got the mahi wrap! Both were excellent and we were just happy to be able to enjoy the time in the courtyard for our little guy to play bocce and our dog say hi to everyone he could see.

Service was great but the food was even better! Extreme flavors that dance in your mouth. My table ordered a variety of items since so many things looked on the menu. EVERYTHING as a hit-flavorful from the 1st to the last bite. Loved the full-service bar and how they transformed this gas station to a warming environment!

Fantastic food. Some of the best I've had in Charleston. I highly recommend the crispy shrimp taco. The quesadilla was amazing too and so was my spicy margarita. The inside and outside of the restaurant is fun and lively. I only rated four stars because the hostess just stared at us when we walked in rather than even saying "hi." But other than her, great restaurant and great dining experience!

The food was good. However it took us two hours just to get a simple dinner. Soup salad sandwiches! Also there was a trivia game going on and a woman was talking with her mouth right up against a deafeningly loud microphone the whole time reading a long list of rules and questions/answers. (Couldn't even understand what she was saying) Something was wrong with the system because there was loud scratchy feedback the whole time. We sat on the patio for ambience but it was loud and unnerving and we had to shout at each other. After two hours of that, I was totally exhausted!! I would NEVER go back.

Great ambience and fun vibe! This is one of my favorite places! Food is amazing with a lot of different options. Great tastes and portion sizes. Staff is so attentive and very nice and friendly! Go on tuesdays for trivia it was so fun!

Price: can't beat it Crispy shrimp taco: delicious and portion was giant. I'd order 2 tacos for lunch and 3 for dinner. Street corn: sauce has a bite! So tasty tho, could eat one a day for life. Nachos: delicious- loved the half portion- makes it easy for a "tapas" style dinner. Parking: very difficult. Small lot with room for like 12 cars. There also is not street parking anywhere near by. If you can walk or Uber there, do it. Ambiance: loved the indoor outdoor style. I'd absolutely go here again, and recommend it!! Check out their happy hour items as well.

The food was cold and this was next to my seat in the back booth. Felt dirty. We came for the DDD rating but my least favorite ever.

I felt like some of the food was mediocre. Like you almost had cross your fingers that what you picked on the menu would satisfy or be good.

What a great place to go and have some fellowship with friends and good food to boot. The bartenders always have a smile and are eager to assist you in any kind of selection for any kind of crazy concoction that you can come up with!

Emma K absolutely slayed and ate. She has been and forever will be the best! Absolutely amazing service with a friendly face and quick respond times. Such a slay.

Fuel Cantina is an island inspired restaurant so don't expect your everyday Mexican fare here. The authentic jerk chicken, fish tacos, burgers and hand cut fries~ as well as fresh salads and an Island Rice Bowl are all very delightful and all are a nice twist on the ordinary! Tacos combinations are several including Crispy Shrimp, Roasted Chicken, Braised Pork and Grilled Mahi. Next time my pick will be the Roasted Cauliflower Taco. There are some great starter items including Roasted Corn Chowder, Nachos, Guacamole and Crispy Jumbo Chicken Wings. Indoor and outdoor seating and tables are available and the large outdoor patio is a great place and sip and play! There's even a Bocce Court.....and Fuel Cantina is Pet Friendly!! The original structure was an old gasoline filling station which the owners have not compromised so the original light fixtures and functioning garage doors remain. Fuel opened in 2008 so nice long run for them! Rare. Lots of memorabilia to look at around the restaurant for those who have an interest in historic restorations. Featured drinks and the popular liquor brands abound so no worries. You'll have trouble making a decision as the drink list is impressive. Service is swift and courteous ~ and we had a nice booth in the front of the restaurant. Parking- which is a plus --is onsite. Great location on the corner of Rutledge Avenue and Cannon Street.

It's our first time in Charleston so we stopped in, and we loved it! Ambiance was cool, restaurant and bathrooms were clean and the food was delicious! We also had the Crispy Shrimp Taco which is highly recommended! Enjoy!

Ambiance was great , the outdoor dining is Such a great vibe day and or night , server was really chill and accommodating to my pup , food was 10/10 great flavor and fast service I would 10/10 recommend this place Its a small old fashioned mini bar and Tex-mex restaurant there is also free parking around the restaurant and heaters for outside

Paige & Dev are awesome! Even though they were busy, they were so on top of it! Service was quick and the drinks were great. As a F&B member, they know what they're doing.

I was so excited to dine at fuel after a long day at court (custody battle...lol), and naturally I was a little high strung, however upon my arrival my mood instantly shifted being greeted by Winner (I think that was their name?). Their service was impeccable, and I enjoyed my time and my meal (i indulged in the jerk chicken rice bowl with a humble side of hot wings, and a Shirley temple to wash it all down) despite the smell of I suppose a very high tide. I WILL be returning!

What luck to find this great place near our rental. We loved it so much we had lunch there twice in 4 days. The staff gave great recommendations. Pork taco and the salad with deep fried goat cheese were exceptional

Went with a large party while in town for a sales meeting. Sasha did a great job of making sure we were taken care of and comfortable to hang out and unwind after a long day of meetings. Food was just what we needed and the service was great.

I have been to fuel a handful of times! I'd definitely recommend it for casual dinning, large group dinning or a group happy hour! It's a relaxed atmosphere with a large patio so it's usually pretty easy to find a spot to sit! My favorite dishes are the Mahi tacos, plantains and sweet potato fries! The Mahi tasted very fresh, the plantains were sweet and and the sweet potatoes fries were crispy and just right. I've also tried the shrimp tacos which were fine, the Mahi just tasted better in my opinion! For happy hour the pain killer is a must! I'd also recommend the Cadillac margarita and the nachos to share! Heads up parking is limited so you may need to park a few streets over and walk a little bit!

Went out to fuel again the other night with my friends and had a blast. Been there before as a quick stop but got the buds to tag along for a bite. Chill but smiling staff, Menu is tasty and interesting but honestly their simple stuff is where they excel. Braised pork on top of a plate of fries made me see heaven. Was pretty busy when we came by but our server ("Winter" i think?) was always nearby to check on us if needed. 9/10 great spot. Could use better parking situation though.

Paige was great for our group of 20 that came in for a happy hour event! Speed and service were great, and totally recommend all of their food, also. Fuel is a staple in downtown Charleston!

Interesting decor as it was once a gas station. Food was good. Would go back. Atmosphere was neighbor-hoody.

Definitely one of my worst experiences. We made a reservation for 2:45p. We waited to be seated for 15 minutes. There were several sections of the restaurant empty. Waitresses walked past us several times never speaking to us or even letting us know it would be a minute. After several more minutes we just ended up leaving.

Great place to get a cocktail and hang out in the outside area. Plenty of tvs to watch sports. Plenty of snacks to feed your cravings. Plenty of waitstaff to make sure you have a cocktail in your hand. Not open too late but a great place to start the night or finish.

Vibessssss vibes vibes. Absolutely lovely staff and great place to chill with a group, or come for a bite (quick or to chill). They have a lovely outdoor space where you order at the bar, and they'll bring the food to your table. Everything had a decent kick to it (jerk-type seasoning) so had solid flavor. There is apparently live music but we weren't there for that. Can't wait to return!

Visiting Charleston for the weekend and popped into Fuel for a quick bite. We were greeted by the very friendly hostess and sat outside on the patio. Madeline was our server and she was awesome! She recommended some delicious drinks and shots for us, she really helped make the experience special. We haven't been here for too long but one of the best experiences we have had so far all because of her service! Definitely will be returning to Fuel and hopefully will get to see madeline again! Highly recommend

We came here for a birthday dinner and had the best time! Madeline was our server and she had great food and drink recommendations. She recommended specialty shots, nachos, and the street corn. Ask for Madeline if you come here!!!

Arrived late into Charleston & after dropping luggage off at the Airbnb found Fuel to be one of the only restaurants with a late kitchen (untill 11 pm) . Everyone enjoyed their food: they modified a salad without complaint, the fish sandwich was very tasty, even the side salad was a decent portion, the poke bowls filling. The staff is friendly and attentive.

Madeline T was the best server ever!!!:0 so personable and amazing at what she does! Food was awesome as well and drinks

Made it for happy hour - black bean burger with sweet potato fries - good food - great service. Place was bumping with a young crowd - looked like a spot folks would gather together after work. Cool place to sit outside in the back but it was a little cool so we stayed indoors.

Fuel is a surprisingly good restaurant. It doesn't look like much from the outside--like an old gas station. When you step inside, it doesn't look much better, but if you ask to be seated outside, you step into a pretty cool place. With shaded seating and outdoor games, it's a nice place to hang out. I got pork nachos and they were good not great. I would probably round my overall review to a 3.5. Our waitress was good, nachos were average.

What an incredible establishment! I brought my wife and kids here over the weekend and we could not have been more pleased with our experience. The food was amazing. I had a chorizo burger while my wife had a salad. The portion sizes were perfect, and our kids loved the tacos!! As amazing as the food was, the staff was what made the biggest impression during our dining experience. Everyone was so friendly and extremely attentive and efficient in caring for each tables' needs. The bartenders Hayden, Mercy and Warner were awesome and very knowledgeable about the drinks options they offered. If I could give this place 6 stars, I would. I HIGHLY recommend Fuel Charleston for your next meal whether it be for a family dinner or a quick lunch. Everything from the ambience to the food to the service was perfect!!!

Husband and I stopped by for a late dinner on our way to a night event. The food was worth the stop. There was no one at the front when we got there so we had to wait a few minutes before being seated. We were seated quickly once someone noticed customers waiting. We got our food fast. We ordered 2 chicken tacos, fries, and fried shrimp tacos

Food and Service at Fuel is top notch! The servers and bartenders are the best and always willing to offer food and drink suggestions. They're so nice to me and my dog, Snarf, whenever we visit. We love Fuel!

We came for lunch to this cute cantina looking restaurant. The decor is really nice however the food and service really need an improvement. The braised pork taco was so oily it was dripping all over the plate, it had no taste and so much additional sauce. The crispy shrimp taco was also a disappointment as it too was covered in exuberant amount of sauce instead of giving the shrimp room to shine. But the worst of it was the chicken wings, one bite and it tasted old and refried. Didn't touch it and the clueless waitress who also forgot our drinks twice didn't bother to ask if the food was ok since we didn't touch it. Will not go back for the food, maybe a beer in the backyard but even that is questionable.

Fuel is a restaurant in an old gas station. The ambiance is relaxed and casual, and the servers are friendly and attentive. They have indoor seating, outdoor seating in an open garden patio area out back, and a bar in the center that can be accessed from either side. There was no line, and we were seated quickly at an inside table near the bar. There were several TVs around showing mostly sports. They had a wide selection of beer, wine and mixed drinks and beers. We ordered some drinks and a chips and dip appetizer that included four different dips. The chips had an Interesting dry spice on them that left some heat on our lips. The dips were very good - queso, mango guacamole, pineapple habanero salsa & roasted tomato salsa. We ordered crispy shrimp tacos and grilled mahi tacos. Both were good, but the mahi could have used a little more flavor. I added some of the leftover salsas, and that helped. For sides we had sweet plantains and street corn. The plantains were good with an interesting sweetness yet still starchy like a plantain. The street corn was good - actually the corn itself was excellent, but the seasoning on the outside was just ok. Fuel is a fun place to eat and relax. The drinks and food are good. I give it and 8/10 rating.

This place is alright for happy hour drinks. The food is subpar and you're probably better off eating somewhere else. The queso isn't great and the chorizo is pretty bad. The jerk chicken sandwich was decent though

Had lunch today and ordered the jerk chicken sandwich. The first two bites were good. But when I went to take the third, the bun had crumbled so much that the entire thing fell apart. The GM was sitting next to me and I told him he should look into getting some new buns and showed him the mess on my plate which is attached. His response was, "Yea, they are a bit dry sometimes." And then went back to working on his computer. No offer to make it right, or fix it, or anything. However, the island rice was quite good. But for a $16.50 chicken sandwich, I did expect much better than what I received.

Adding a star as the GM followed up to my original review in a very professional manner. Hopeful our experience was a one off and feel as if my feedback to the GM will be taken into account.

Great lunch spot. I had the blackened mahi wrap and it was delicious. My husband had the Big Papi Quesadilla with chicken and same review. Was a beautiful fall Charleston day to sit outdoors. Definitely adding it to our places to come back to. Sasha our waitress was very attentive and a plus to the establishment.

Great seafood tacos. Tried both the shrimp & mahi. The shrimps were my favorite of the two. The Jerk wings were surprisingly VERY good. I only got a half order but I wish I would've got the full. Also the alcoholic slushee was really good even though I think it had nutmeg in it lol Very dope outdoor-ish seating and great servers and bartenders.