Rio Chico

We had the best time this week celebrating my friend’s 70th birthday at Rio Chico on James Island. They did an amazing job accommodating our party of 26. Everyone remarked on the delicious food and how fast it came out. Antonio and his whole staff went way over and above to make sure everyone had a great time (including singing happy birthday and lighting the cake.) Thank you so much for making our day so memorable!!

Went there for lunch with a group and the food was good. Mostly vegetarians in the group so it is always nice to see a separate vegetarian section in the menu. I ordered two options combo a veggie burrito, bean Tostada and it came with beans in rice. Our server was great, checked on us several times Food came out quickly and was flavorful. The place looks good from inside. It is easy to get in and out of the place. Lots of parking.

I’m a Charleston native and with all the Mexican restaurants around Rio Chico is the best! They are and always have been consistent. Phenomenal service and staff. Outstanding menu options. The Rio Chio on James island is especially our favorite conveniently located in the Merchants Village shopping center. Ask for Anastasia and or Antonio!! I have known the 2 of them for 12 years and they are amazing it makes all the difference when you love what you do!!

Best Mexican restaurant on James Island! Everyone is friendly, quick to take our order and bring out our food and accommodating for our 3 year old. We don’t typically go anywhere else any more :)

Great and consistent for a texmex option, inexpensive large portions including the cocktails. Is a go to for a easy option that is super casual, can get busy on a Friday evening like any place in Charleston while the wait time are normally less than 15 minutes

We had a very pleasant dining experience at Rio Chico recently. Our waitress was very conversant, guiding us on our possible entree choices. She checked on us frequently and provided exceptional service. Our food was very good. My burrito was expertly done and quite tasty, as well as the enchiladas enjoyed by my partner. We would certainly return to Rio Chico during our next visit to Charleston.

The food was delicious, and at an affordable price. I got the lunch special, a chimichanga that had steam escaping from just being cooked, a chalupa, rice, and beans for $9.75. The food also came with a side of chips. I think I over-ate, but it was so good. The service is always good. The staff is so friendly.

My wife and 3 boys “11 and younger” randomly stopped for dinner after driving Holiday Festival of Lights nearby. The food was fresh, and delicious. The staff were attentive and helped with suggestions for us to select. Great place and very happy with the place overall. When we are back in the area Rio Chico will have us stopping by again.

Rio Chico has quickly become our new go-to spot for Mexican food. It is quick, delicious, and the prices are really reasonable. Service is always a pleasure and the interior is well themed. My usual is the shredded chicken nachos with no beans. My husband is a fan of the chimichangas. Plenty of parking available as well and tables turn quickly. They also have outdoor seating!

My friends said that they have never had such slow service at this restaurant. We got here at 6:26 and weren't served our food for an hour. There wasn't enough people working tonight for the Fourth of July weekend. I ordered a shrimp taco and a fish taco. No sauce came with the fish tacos and it took another ten minutes to get a waiter to bring me something so that they weren't so dry. I've never had a whole piece of tilapia put inside my taco before, the fish tacos I'm used to have the fish all diced up inside. The tacos were mot very flavorful. I ordered flour tortillas, and I was served corn tortillas. There's no way I was going to ask for something else because we already waited an hour. Inside was pleasantly decorated. There is a really nice outside patio. I like the star metal light fixtures inside. The workers were running frantic trying to keep up with the amount of people that decided to come here and eat tonight. So I would give this place a try just because my friend recommended it, and we were here on a busy Fourth of July weekend. It might be better if you came during the week. They did have some huge margaritas that they were serving, and if you're not driving, you might want to try one of those.

I was craving Mexican and wanted to check out a new spot. Neighbors suggested Rio Chico. This place was very mediocre with American Mexican cuisine, not the traditional, authentic Mexican i was looking for. Basic burritos with a big higher than average prices. The service was good, the restaurant packed and bright,, but the guacamole, sauces and veggies were something I could make better at home.

It was after 2;00 PM and a slow day in this large restaurant with colorful painted Mexican scenes on the wall. Impressive decor noted in this, my first visit. A fairly quick wait staff appeared with a basket of chips and tomato salsa. After a while, a waitress came up for MY drink order, a TECATE. $4.99 in the can, with a lime slice. When it arrived, I popped the tab and the beer spewed out of the cold can. The beer was cold and thus I'm unable to determine what caused that spewing and overflowing of the cold beer unless someone shook it up right before I received it. Thankfully, my booth had a dispenser of napkins so I could wipe up the beer on the table and on the floor, with the latter ensuring that no one would trip or Slide. When the waitress returned, I ordered 3 tacos, oncorn tortillas with ground beef for the great price of $9. Shredded lettuce and white cheddar topped off all 3 tacos. As I ate the large tacos, it was unusual that there frankly was a lack of taste, as the ground beef had no discernable spice. A fairly generous splash of hot sauce gave some taste. My standard tip is 20% and I would leave. Not 100% certain about returning, but I probably will but will not get the ground beef tacos. The tacos were large and quite filling.

Food was delicious and generous portions. It was a bit chilly in the restaurant with a few fans going. I mentioned up on arrival that we were celebrating a birthday. I love that they automatically came out with a birthday song and shot at the end of our dinner without requesting. I took one star off because the waitress spilled 1/3 of the salsa container on my son's pants and didn't apologize.

Haven't had mexican food in a while. Decided to give Rio Chico a try. I visited the location over on Folly road. When we arrived, we were welcomed in and were seated immediately. The restaurant was about half full, but it was early on a Friday. Collage football was playing on the big screen TVs. The staff was friendly and the service was great. The restaurant was clean and inviting. There's a full bar with amazing magaritas. For the main course, I decided on the chicken fajitas. Service was fast and the chicken fajitas were cooked to perfection. The chicken serving size was exceptionally large with 4 corn or flower tortillas. The meal also came with beans, rice and toppings for the fajitas. Everything was very tasty. Another bright spot about this place is that the prices are extremely reasonable. I'll definitely be back for a second visit. I would recommend this place.

We have enjoyed the food every time we have been here. The service is quick and average price. The queso is really good. The fajitas are a good size, but id love a little more favoring. We have never had a poor waiter or waitress. They have always been helpful and prompt. The food also comes out very fast. We love the outdoor seating.

It is Friday night date night, and we are trying Rio Chico Mexican Restaurant on James Island. They have outdoor and indoor seating and plenty of room to park because they are in a plaza with other businesses. When you enter, you will see twinkling lights on the ceiling and hear festive mariachi music. We were seated quickly by a friendly host, and our server stopped by just a few minutes later to take drink orders while we looked at the menu. The restaurant was starting to fill up, and there was a varied crowd of couples, friends, and families. The atmosphere was casual and festive. I ordered the Fiesta Taco Salad with chicken. It was a fried tortilla bowl, and I side was chicken, fried onions and peppers and mushrooms with lettuce, cheese, beans, tomatoes, onions and guacamole. The food was incredibly fresh and delicious. The prices were very reasonable and the quantity of food was just right. Our server was friendly and checked back several times to make sure everything was right and for drink refills. All orders come with a basket of freshly made tortilla chips and the most delicious, Spicy salsa I have ever tasted. Y'all- I loved it so much I could have just ate the salsa. So good! This was such a nice evening with the food and the ambiance. We will be back to explore more of this delicious menu.

Great service, huge portions, watch out for the 32 oz. Dos Exis. The 12" burrito is really too much to eat, even for a big guy like me!! Tasty for sure.

I love it here. Food is delicious and a great value, staff is always so friendly and polite. I usually sit outside and bring my dog, definitely love the vibe out there compared to inside but seems fun indoors at the bar and great for groups!

Went here with friends. Large menu. Mexican food is usually a good choice for someone with celiac. I had shrimp with a cheese sauce. The grilled shrimp were the best part. The corn tortillas served with it looked and tasted like cardboard. I'm ready to try another Mexican restaurant.

Great food, fast service, amazing portion sizes and everything came out correctly. Server made sure drinks were full and was very welcoming and nice! Salsa came out immediately and everyone got their own salsa bowl!

went in got seated and got us chips pretty fast. we then didn't get served or asked about drinks for 25 minutes. The server finally came up and acted pissed off that she had to serve us (it was 8:30 when we came in) the service was absolutely terrible. save your time don't come here.

This is our favorite Mexican restaurant on James Island. The food and drinks are great, especially the fajitas and margaritas. Our servers have always been kind and there is a good amount of outside seating if you want to be outdoors.

A lot of food. Big drinks. Food is tasty, spiced. Had chicken fajitas, forgot the wraps. Bar needed full time person. No greeting at the door. My stomach was hurting alter, spices? Not sure if I'd go back. Frank G

Service was horrible along w the food! Received the wrong order then when replaced it was like a bowl of soup instead of a burrito! Was given and charged for a huge drink when asked for a small skinny margarita. Asked for bill and waited 10 min bf finally going up to counter. Everyone else seemed to be nice except our waitress.

Rio Chico is a favorite Mexican restaurant of mine. Me and my boyfriend love getting to chorizo queso. Service is always quick and the margaritas are good too!

Get the rio burrito it is huge and bomb as f !! Service is great! All the other food is very good as well, carnitas, shrimp amazing! Fast service, chips and salsa free as well

An absolute joke. The most unauthentic Mexican food in all the south. The place location and access is ok; but the flavors are muted and the cleanliness is not there. Don't recommend .

This was our first time to Rio Chico, we've lived on the island for 10 years and never tried this place out. We are kicking ourselves because the food, service and atmosphere was great. Our waitress, Maria was very efficient and excellent. Looking forward to our next visit back.

Food was mediocre. Taco meat had grease dripping off it. The hostess handed me a menu and a silver ware roll and pointed to the direction to go. Bartender finally came over. I ordered a beer. She slammed it down. No smile or anything about the menu. Beef Enchiladas I ordered my food she asked me to hand her the menu. That was the only thing she said to me. I had to ask for water. Also my nose was burning from the smell of fabulouso. YUK? The TV was on very quiet. The employees seem miserable. Maybe they are stoned on Fabulouso.

Salsa tasted like tomato paste, guac had no flavor and cheese (well hard to mess up), margaritas had no tequila; however waitress was awesome. One of my FAVs just disappointed big time ! No flavor - no fun

Haven't eaten here at all yet. But... I just called to see if I can make reservations for a party of three on Cinco de mayo... The "manager" kept saying "nowadays we don't take reservations" and "on Cinco its so crazy". So I said ..can you accommodate a diabetic? To which he said No. Then I said well what if she faints? He's only response was.."well you can try to come by around that time (6-7pm) and if a table is available... Ok so I get it..its Cinco de mayo...but you should still be accommodating to those with low blood sugar. Just saying.

This place is your typical Mexican lunch special spot but elevated food! Very inexpensive for what you get. I have had many dishes here, and none have disappointed. I have even had the seafood and have zero regrets. The place itself isn't a super nice and fancy place, but it's typical! The chips are always warm and salsa is always flowing!

Let's just say my belly is full! Great small Mexican restaurant with a good size menu. Get the queso you'll be happy-o. Salsa is nice and fresh food was hate and oh so yummy. Clean restrooms. Full bar. It's bueno. Try it out....

I went here with my husband for lunch since we were craving Mexican food. I was very pleased with everything. The staff was great and very attentive. The food was exactly what we were craving. The portions were gigantic! I got the burrito supremo and only ate half. I was very satisfied. My husband got the fajita quesadilla, and he said the flavor was great. The prices on the lunch menu are super affordable. This is a great little spot!

There are many options for Mexican Food on James Island and throughout the area. Many try to get fancy or create outrageous decor, but Rio Chico is a little different. It is simple and the food is quality. You never feel rushed, but you get your food quickly. They offer great happy hour options They have a quick lunch buffet for the professional on a tight timeframe They offer outdoor seating Their grilled shrimp is amazing. This is just a good solid simple Mexican restaurant.

Been to this place many times , food and service is always on point however this evening was .... The plan was for my boyfriend and I to take his daughter for a nice family dinner out and to our surprise they had live karaoke outside (on a Wednesday was an interesting choice) I'm a huge music lover and thought it was a cool concept until.... We got closer. When I say the volume of the music was loud, I'm talking blue angle jet engines loud. We got one foot in the door and realized the sound inside didn't get any better and immediately walked away. I'm trying to understand how the glass on the windows didn't break or how the cops weren't called. It was THAT INSANE. Who in the hell is in charge of this?!?! We then all sat in silence in the car in shell shock of what we just experienced. Decided to go to casa fiesta down the street instead and had a wonderful , calm, audibly un-assaulted dinner. Great place , just not on wacky weird Al Wednesdays

Not good at all, absolutely pitiful and I will never go back to this place! Well I have had decent meals in the past, mind you not good but only decent, my last visit last week was horrible! I ordered vegetarian lunch fajitas and the vegetables were all totally overcooked, brown and overly salted, absolutely inedible. If any of you have read my past reviews you know I'm not very harsh but this time I have to say that the food was just disgusting. The previous time I ordered black beans and they were not even cooked, they were so hard you could've put someone's eye out with one of them! My companion said they had diarrhea from eating the food and I feel quite certain had I eaten it, I would've had a similar fate. Our server was nice but when the person who I believe was one of the owners asked about our meal, I told him it was horrible. He said absolutely nothing in reply walked away and returned with a check. I never expect anything for free and I really didn't even care about an adjustment but I would've liked at least an apology because the food was disgusting and I will never go back there and if anybody ever asked me about this place I will definitely tell them go somewhere else as they don't care about the food or customer experience. I have been to Rio Chico 10 or more times and it started out OK but the last few visits were not good. So many other choices I suggest you avoid this one! La Hacienda on James Island, Lacaretta on James Island, taco boy on Folly Beach or downtown, all way better than Rio Chico. It's as if they just don't care what they send out of the kitchen:-( Edit: I don't know the whole story but they were mentioned in the news for dumping grease down a storm water sewer drain that contaminated a nearby pond, home to much wildlife. That was at the West Ashley location. I don't wanna slam anybody's business but it seems like this business needs to step up their game, come on guys you can turn this around, you can do this!

This place was a quick find. After puncturing my tire in Charleston and waiting 2 hours for a tow, followed by having to wait at Firestone for a new tire, I was ready for an adult beverage. Conveniently located next to Firestone was Rio Chico. It was roughly lunch time, so I decided to stop for a meal while waiting for a new tire. I sat at the bar and was greeted immediately. The bartender was welcoming, which helped after a long difficult morning. I had a beer and the enchiladas. Both were fantastic. Nothing like a cold beer and amazing Mexican food. This was a nice little find, which brightened my day! I'm glad I found it.

Woah, upon walking in I was immediately hit with a stench reminiscent of a port-a-potty. I thought it would go away when I got used to it but it honestly that smell bothered me the entire meal. I was completely repulsed. The bathrooms were not clean and the high chair had food caked on it. Would not return.

After having driven by here for a couple years, we finally stopped in for dinner this week. It's located in the Publix shopping center just to the left of the Publix. I liked the ambiance of the place and the staff was nice. I really liked their complimentary chips & salsa and their margarona drink was delicious too. Their enchiladas were also very good. We definitely will be back. I'm looking forward to also trying their Mexican lunch buffet one weekday between 11a and 2p. I've never been to an all you can eat Mexican buffet.

Food was ok nothing stood out about the chimichangas. Service was good and food came out fast. Cool place to sit down and eat.

Food n Service are excellent very friendly n clean environment when there for Cinco de Mayo n had a very good time

Garden salad w/ chicken: 5/5 Huge portions, got a ton of meat in my salad which is always great. Definitely super filling and appreciated that nothing was skimped out on. Enjoyed the flavor and cooking of the chicken itself, which was not over cooked compared to some Hispanic food joints. At the end of the day it's a salad from a Mexican restaurant- leans much closer to Mexican food than a traditional salad, but huge portions and flavorful meat what more could you want?

Me and my friend stopped in at this restaurant while her car was getting done next door and I had some shopping to do at Publix, and man I'm so glad we did! It was delicious! The restaurant was also very clean and the staff was attentive and friendly. We started off with some chips and queso which was amazing! The cheese was so creamy. We also had chips and salsa, this comes for free though! The salsa was delicious and had a little kick to it. For my meal I ordered the chicken fajita quesadilla and man oh man was it good! It was also a lot bigger than I expected, not mad about it though lol! I got it without beans just because personally I don't like them. The dish also comes with rice, guacamole, and sour cream. If you try out this restaurant definitely try the chicken fajita quesadilla.

Upon entry the sewage smell was overwhelming. We tried to muster up the courage to eat food after a drink, but the smell was unappetizing. In addition, we witnessed a review from 11 months ago mentioning the same concern.

Rio Chico is one of my "go to" Mexican joints on James Island. They are everything you would expect in a South Carolina Mexican spot. Chips and salsa almost immediately after you sit down, and a large menu to choose from. You'll find booths, tables, and outdoor & bar seating. It stays consistently busy, but that doesn't stop them from making your visit a great one. Most recently I sat at the bar and Mireya was my awesome server. Don't forget to check them out for Happy Hour!

This is a typical and good Mexican Restaurant. The menu is typical Mexican. All of the ingredients were fresh and well prepared. The food was appetizing and the service was very good. We all enjoyed it from Pork Burrito to Beef Enchiladas to Fresh Salads. There is something for everyone on their menu. The restrooms are very clean, too. I will be back.

WOW! Stopped in for Fajitas for 2 and it was INCREDIBLE! Grilled at the right temp, a generous portion of steak, chicken, and Shrimp; and seasoned sensationally. My pic shows 2 shrimp but that was whittled down from the 10 originally provided which we ravenously engaged upon first arriving! Highly recommend to anyone who wants a memorable savory experience!

This restaurant was the highlight of my trip! My husband and I had dinner twice during our 4 night stay, both times being Mexican (because we could eat Mexican any, and every, day)! The first Mexican was not our favorite. We actually were very hesitant to have Rio Chico the second night. But let me tell you - WE WERE WRONG! The margaritas were AMAZING! The food was OUTSTANDING! The service was DELIGHTFUL! We didn't feel rushed. & everything was fresh!

3.5 stars. We recently went here after the COVID-19 shut down. The outdoor seating area is dog-friendly, which is nice. I ordered a shrimp quesadilla which was fine--a bit bland in a barely toasted tortilla. Service was attentive and kind.

I found my new favorite Mexican place in Charleston! The ambiance, decoration and service are on point and the food is sooo good. Authentic tacos served in corn tortillas . I ordered one of each and the pastor and shrimp were my favorite. Perfectly seasoned and fresh. The aguas frescas (fruit water) are made with real fresh fruit and offer free refill. The melon and horchata are to die for. Keep it up Rio Chico!

I've been to this restaurant several times and developed a great friendship with the staff. Amazing environment and food. Great price for quality food. 100% recommended.

We enjoyed a family meal at Rio Chico. Pleasant atmosphere, tasty food, excellent service. Multiple people visiting the table to make sure we had what we needed. Big portions. The only negatives were occasional spritz of what smelled like bathroom disinfectant and a frozen margarita that had too much triple sec and was an odd color. We will go back.

Rio Chico on Folly Road on James Island is a great place to go for delicious and well made Mexican food and drinks. I like just about everything on the menu and it is well prepared and fresh. I really like the atmosphere that they have here and being able to eat outside too. I have enjoyed myself every time I have been here.

I ordered the Bistec Mexicano, which was fantastic! The only complaints I have about this place is our server, and the salsa. When we ordered margaritas we requested no salt. We had several margaritas, and all let coming with salt. As for the salsa they should have saved the salt from the margarita and put it in the salsa. This also was very bland and left a lot to be desired. I highly suggest the organic margarita. It is made with all fresh squeezed ingredients and 1800. The house margarita is good, but go ahead and spend the few extra bucks and try this tasty concoction. The atmosphere is better than your typical Mexican restaurant. Is very clean with plenty of seating and has beautiful Moravian stars hung throughout the restaurant. This is now my favorite Mexican spot! Check it out!

I went here in a pinch with family in town one evening. I'm the only vegan in the family so was pleasantly surprised there were vegetarian options, and the server was so nice substituting out the cheese for something else. My family as mentioned isn't vegan but we all had a great time and thought food was great, super friendly, and great atmosphere, easy parking, etc. Definitely recommend especially if you family or coworkers who all have different diets.

I could have swore I've reviewed this spot but I guess not and man am I mad at myself for not sharing it with y'all. Hands down Rio is the best main stream family Mexican spot around. It's a no frills kinda place unlike Jalisco or Taco Boy but man it's it banging! I've no joke been here 100+ times in the last few years. The similar restaurants to it on Folly Rd which shall remained unnamed don't hold a candle to Rio. Chips and salsa gets dropped immediately when you sit down. They have a menu for los ninos with burger and fries, chicken nuggets, etc if you got picky eaters. For adults look for the pollo yucateca, camarones diabla, carne asada grilled tacos, quesadilla rancheras as they are all winners. Cold beers, cheap margaritas, good service, great food, you just can't ask for much more!