Don't know what all the bad reviews are for. I consistently receive great service & the same exact GREAT food! Always get the carnitas & it's always a HUGE great tasting portion. The shrimp dishes are great. The rice is great & the beans. It's typical Mexican but better than average! The new pozole dish is just like my mom used to make! A little spicy but PERFECT! I'm never disappointed I will keep coming back. Did I mention they have the giant 60oz Margarita as big as your head?! It's a great novelty & fun if you're looking for a good night out aswell.
(5)
Darren H.
Overall very disappointed in my latest visit. Salsa tasted like peppered tomato juice, the chips were stale, received bland can beans, and they served my wife a burnt quesadilla. The cashier got very sassy when we expressed our opinion on the food and accused us of just wanting a free meal. Needless to say.....Never going back
(1)
Amy Lauren S.
I'm honestly not too picky when it comes to Americanized Mexican food, which is what La Carreta serves- but I am picky about service and getting things right. I visited La Carreta with a group of friends (7 of us total) after a local 5K/10K race on James Island. I saw the Yelp reviews and was a little weary, but I was with my friends and it was more about the company than the food. We just wanted drinks and some greasy Mexican food and after running, I could eat anything. I ordered the huevos ranchero with black beans (which are advertised as an option for any entree with beans) and a water. We did have chips and salsa, which were complimentary, but we had to ask for an extra basket as we only had one for all 7 of us. When our food came out, I had refried beans and not black beans. They were buried under sauce and I didn't see the server right away to tell him. The server also gave me a small plate with two aluminum-foiled covered packs of tortillas. I've never gotten 6 tortillas before with huevos, but okay. The server came back about 5 minutes later. He came to me, took the extra aluminum foil covered pack of (unopened) tortillas off my plate and said "Sorry, these are for the other guy who ordered the fajitas". I can't say I've ever had food taken off my plate and given to someone else in my party. I was always under the impression that once you served food to someone, you couldn't just re-serve it to someone else if it was wrong? I'm not sure why he didn't just bring my friend an set of tortillas that were hot. This was just a weird experience. The huevos and rice were fine- they tasted like Americanized Mexican. But I won't be coming back.
(1)
S D.
Best SERVICE and FOOD I've had since we got to FOLLY Beach, our server was amazing, FOOD came out so hot I had to wait to eat.
(5)
Frank G.
We had a coupon, that's why we went. Before we,we're fully seated we were asked for our drink order. Told waiter to give us a minute. This guy had the personality of my left toe, abrupt, low talker, a 'bull' on his face. I guess he did not like working there. The tacos had only meat and some cheese, nothing else, but we're tasty. Place seemed dirty and 'sticky' to me. Salsa was ok, but watery. I give 2 stars only because we had a coupon, else on star. Service was horrible, he brought the bill before my wife was finished eating. Too many great Mexican restaurants around, this is not one. Threw away my coupons, not worth going back. Yuk. Frank G
(2)
Yusef S.
Wow hard to find decent Spanish food in Charleston a lot of Mexican spots are at three different ones and this one takes the cake for sure my friend and new co worker Don put me on to it. And man is the food amazing trust me I eat at a lot of spots and this one won me over I will be back for sure you got yourselves a new customer. Service was fast seated right away drinks came in a minute followed by some amazing salsa and tortilla chips. I ordered what Don recommended and boy did it hit the spot the steak Mexicana I would highly recommend this spot for really great Mexican food. And it is very affordable and the portions are huge. See photo
(5)
Peonia E.
Went here for lunch today with my guys thanks guys! If I can find a picture from lunch I'll put it up. First of all get the Guaca pico. In this day and age when every single Mexican restaurant locally I can think of more or less serves the same packaged guacamole all I can say is Guaca pico! Fresh avocado with fresh chopped peppers onions tomatoes a little salt-and-pepper ask for some fresh chopped jalapeños mash it up yourself and you've got some pretty damn good authentic guacamole. The rest of the items on the menu range from horrible to pretty darn edible. If you have a margarona or two before you eat anything, it all tastes good. If you have to ask what a MargaRona is you'll just have to go and get one yourself. OK OK it's a bright green margarita loaded with cheap tequila with a mini Corona beer turned upside down in the carnival style glass. One time I didn't say I wanted a small and I got a humongous glass with two of these little coronas in it; can you say shitfaced before my food came? wow that was the best their food ever tasted. I hope this doesn't sound racist but the service has definitely gone downhill since they've gotten so many white people working in there. Sorry gringos! Always open always friendly usually fast and pretty cheap unless you start drinking... Did I say to get a margarona? Oh yes Friday night is free shot of tequila night or at least it was and if you go there on Friday and ask for it they should still give it to you whether you want it or not. Ole!
(3)
Kimberly S.
My boyfriend and I ordered each ordered the La Especial at La Caretta on James Island. Worst mexican food I've ever had! The relleno was greasy and runny; the enchilada's tortilla tasted rubbery and a day old, covered in super sweet red sauce, with watered down meat.
(1)
Lauton S.
This is the worst crap in the world. I would not eat here again if I was literally starving. My beer was hot and flat and their idea of a chile rilleno (means stuffed pepper in spanish) was a nickel sized piece of bell pepper on a small plate of melted cheese. Dont eat here ever!
(1)
Heather W.
Our favorite cheap Mexican place! Ladies night is CHEAP drinks and they always keep the water and chips coming.
The ceilings were really gross, the seats are ripped, the food was ok, I was a bit grossed out by the ceilings. I had the crab quesadilla which was decent. Food came out pretty quickly. My husband and children enjoyed their food. Waitress was super nice, but we ordered fried ice cream and she came back and said there isn't any left, wish she would have let us know ahead of time.
(2)
Nick I.
It's hard to write a review of this restaurant seeing as how we only stayed for 10 minutes. By far the worst service I've EVER received at any restaurant I've ever been too. We ordered two margaritas on the rocks like any normal person would and we were brought an enormous monstrosity of disgustingness. The salsa was tomato sauce with cut up onions in it and was also disgusting. I knew I wasn't missing much seeing as how the restaurant was virtually empty at 6:30 PM but my my wife and two year old son ventured anyway since we love Mexican. The server we had was beyond horrible. When I asked for the manager some other server came to the table and said he was the "acting" manager. I explained the situation and he apologized profusely and said that they had multiple complaints on this other server previously. This was our first time and needless to say LAST time coming to this establishment. I'm usually a very easy going individual especially at restaurants but felt that I needed to get the word out about how horrible this experience was. Beware future diners! La Hacienda is down the street and we went there right after and it was delicious ;)
(1)
Christy B.
We just moved to town last spring! Charleston is an expensive place to live but we finally found out Mexican joint that doesn't drain the pocket book! BIG, tasty margaritas!! We get tacos, quesadilla, margaritas and cheese dip between two people and it runs about $30!! Can't beat it! Great food! Fast, friendly service! Apple tequila shots are always yummy! (And I'm not normally a 'shot' kind of gal!)
(5)
Carl H.
Was writing a review for another Mexican restaurant and that initiated my Mexican food itch... So, since I was downtown I headed over here for lunch. A lot of local places have Chili Rellenos that are just a beefy cheesy sauce over an undercooked slice of bell pepper. I was spoiled by a long ago beautiful young Seniorita, Teresa, from MTP who had opened a quaint spot called Taste of Mexico... Long since closed. Now she served some GREAT Chili Rellenos...... Mmmmmmm. Back to the review, so I had a hankerin' for a real Chili Relleno, and had been to La Carreta before and knew they made decent Chili Rellenos (egg battered and fried, cheese or meat and cheese stuffed pabalano pepper)... Ok, some of the local places make the same but call it Chili Pabalano's. It was lunch and as I usually get there, I ordered their Chili Relleno, Taco and guacamole salad.... Surprise, Surprise, Surprise... What came was a Chalupa, taco, and beef enchilada... OK, What's going on?.. Looked at the menu and the Lunch #2 was what I was expecting... Further detective work shows that Dinner #2 was what I was served.... DRATS!!!!.. Who would have thought that if you ordered #2 at 11:30am. You would get the dinner #2... Guess I should have been more explicit. Anyway it was good. And, I could have gotten it corrected. But who has time at lunch to wait around? So, paid dinner prices for my dinner. Note to self... Order LUNCH #2 or LUNCH #3 next time. I will say their complimentary chips and salsa (read Salsa) are very good.
(3)
Michael K.
Add to my list of Mexican Restaurant reviews. Still looking for someone to take Senior Tequila's W.A. off the top of my list. Not there yet. I will say La Carreta is pretty solid. The Chips, salsa and queso were pretty standard. I ordered the Chile Colorado, which is my go to Mexican dish. Not bad! I was pleased with the quality of the beef, but the sauce wasn't as good as what senior tequila w.a. puts out. The guacamole salad was a little lacking. Overall, decent place to eat. My wife liked her enchiladas. I didnt like that there was no draft beer, hence no giant 32 oz Dos Equis. But overall a solid 3 stars.
(3)
Nathan O.
Good prices. Not too many Mexican restaurants in the Charleston area, but La Carreta is as good as any
(4)
Mark L.
James Island has a few Mexican choices including Marias (Johns Island), La Hacienda and Cha Cha's. La Carreta offers a refreshing environment with a great enclosed outdoor patio nicely decorated with a wagon on the end which is very cool. The service is always good and never pressured. Always an enjoyable experience and the staff has a smile anywhere you turn.
(4)
Jennifer N.
Apologies I didn't mean to encourage a previous negative review... I've actually never heard anyone complain about La Carreta in my own world. Most prefer them! They are always a great standard Mexican American choice at a reasonable price on James Island/Charleston, with outdoor seating if the weather is nice. They have a great selection of dishes in a very comfortable atmosphere, plus friendly staff. If you live nearby, you can't complain and happy they're around!
(4)
Ryan H.
First off, the two stars are for service, not my actual experience. I had a blast and had great company! I just was pretty disappointed with the service. I stopped in at 6:45 and went immediately to the bar for any possible Happy Hour special on a big Margarita. The bartender was just a little underwhelming and said no Happy Hour special. I like Happy Hours and every bar should have them. In hindsight I think it was more of a language barrier thing because there was a sign saying to ask about Happy Hour. Got seated and we had 6 of us in a pretty small booth. the menu was so huge I had a hard time finding what I wanted. I just asked the waiter if they had stuffed poblanos and he said yes so I ordered the meal. Decent but stuffed with potato and when delivered was told I got the vegetarian. Partially my fault for not finding what I wanted on the menu. Again it was probably the language barrier. The language barrier is probably one of the good things about this place but tonight it just did not work out for me personally. I will go back because I do think they have decent food and better possible service and it is so convenient for me so hope to update this with 3 or 4 stars after my next visit!
(2)
Dolly P.
This used to be my favorite restaurant. Now it looks like it has had some serious interior neglect and the food is not as good nor served as attractively as in the past. The wait staff is the same and still awesome but the house has lost it's clean restaurant feeling. I left La Hacienda years ago when I heard about their dirty kitchen- I don't know what the rating for the kitchen is now for La Carreta. I hate seeing restaurants go bad. I had the burrito supreme plate and it looked like it was thrown together. Hopefully it will turn around for the better by summer. My friends came for the drinks.
(2)
J F.
Typical Mexican restaurant. No complaints here. Came in here for a study break with margarita. Plenty of great cheap lunch specials and awesome patio area! Ended up talking to the manager too and he was a super nice dude. Didn't give 5 stars just cause the service could've been a little better.
(4)
Chris D.
Cheap Mexican food that's within walking distance! Service is usually very good and fast, but has been spotty. Usually vp the food is great but has, on occasion (towards the end of a night) been cold, soggy, etc, or otherwise not as great. They do have some fantastic happy hour deals, so if you live nearby, definitely check it out. The patio is nice too, even though it does overlook folly road...
(3)
Julie K.
Horrible!! I ordered the #11, the burrito, enchilada, taco combo. The burrito and enchilada were stuffed with ground beef and nothing else, no cheese, no beans nothing. The taco had the same ground beef some iceberg lettuce and some shredded cheese - no salsa nothing. No sides at all. My daughter ordered a taco salad and it arrived with iceberg lettuce and chicken and that's all. We asked to see a menu because we were sure it should had more in it. The menu stated it came with tomatoes, guacamole, cheese etc. we pointed it out to our waitress and she balked a little and then took it up with the manager who eventually removed it from our bill. I would not recommend this to anyone. Yuck!
(1)
Sasha S.
Not bad food really enjoyed the place but lost respect for it ..please note if you order something you don't like something they will charge you and throw it away so you might as well ask for a box and give or to your pet . Literally two bites, I had one and my husband took one to see if it was just me ... Usually like it but just bad food night and that ticked me off so hitting up another place and not coming back oh and margaritas are syrupy and had bar tender turn me away when I went to bar to order a shot of patron for my mother in law on a different evening when I already closed out with my waiter .. Oh well had it and done with place
(1)
Alexandra G.
I would give 0 stars if I could. I ordered a chicken taco salad, which the menu says comes with lettuce, tomato, cheese, beans, guacamole, sour cream and chicken. Received it and it had lettuce and chicken with some sour cream. My mother and husband got enchiladas with just beef, there was no rice, beans, or anything that it said it comes with. The waitress said that I would be getting a discount (which I can't believe we had to pay for the meal at all) I received the bill and was actually over charged for the salad. She eventually brought the correct check. I was very, very disappointed. So much so I debated telling a family coming in to rethink their decision.
(1)
melanie n.
Pretty typical Mexican food. Nice original artwork on the tables and walls make for above average decor :). Sports (soccer/futbol) on TV. Service was less than enthusiastic, minimal interaction during ordering / serving process. Almost like we had wronged her in some way before even walking in. Maybe it was because it was 8:40 and they were to close at 10?... Great salsa. I had a shredded beef chimichanga but something about it was just wrong. The sauce: it was smothered in red sauce like an enchilada--but it had fried onions and green pepper strips in the inside - like a fajita? - well. i get there is some variation on what is what when you are talking about Mexican food. -but my biggest ??? was the non-fried-ness? Afterward hubby said he read something on the menu that you could get the chimi fried or not fried. Server certainly didn't ask me so I guess the default is NOT fried. But seriously, isn't a chimichanga that isn't fried just a burrito? The ground beef in the tacos though was excellent!
(3)
Michael T.
Not great - average mexican food.
(3)
Rebecca G.
Just about some of the worst Mexican food I've ever had (although I do admit that I am picky about it after having lived in Texas). The service was awful as well. The waitress threw our menus down on the table and left for a long time. It took forever for her to come back and take our order and to come back to give us our check. And it's not like they were particularly busy that night either. The decor and lighting inside are trashy, not helped by the arcade machine near the entrance. If you want some Mexican food, head down Folly Road to La Hacienda. It's almost the exact same menu...but in a place where people care and the food tastes better.
(1)
Linzzz W.
I stopped here for lunch the other day and was glad I bailed on the Arby's next door. The place is pretty big and there were no other patrons in the place except for a large table of construction workers, about 15 or so, so big parties will definitely fit here. All of the tables in the restaurant are painted under plexi glass and no two are alike. The decor is festive and bright making for a happy ambiance. I sat in the bar and ordered a Dos Equis while watching a futbol game on tv. The servers working there were ultra friendly and one sat with me and chatted me up for a bit. I ordered the vegetarian lunch combo of a cheese quesadilla, a bean and cheese enchilada and rice and beans. The price was totally fair and the food was great. They serve a traditional Mexican style of food and their salsa was especially tasty. I will definitely head back here again as the service was excellent and the food came out lightning fast!
(4)
Uai G.
Very good food and excellent value. Fast service and very friendly staff. Highly recommend for weekly lunch or dinner place.
(4)
Alessandra A.
Don't know what all the bad reviews are for. I consistently receive great service & the same exact GREAT food! Always get the carnitas & it's always a HUGE great tasting portion. The shrimp dishes are great. The rice is great & the beans. It's typical Mexican but better than average! The new pozole dish is just like my mom used to make! A little spicy but PERFECT! I'm never disappointed I will keep coming back. Did I mention they have the giant 60oz Margarita as big as your head?! It's a great novelty & fun if you're looking for a good night out aswell.
(5)
Darren H.
Overall very disappointed in my latest visit. Salsa tasted like peppered tomato juice, the chips were stale, received bland can beans, and they served my wife a burnt quesadilla. The cashier got very sassy when we expressed our opinion on the food and accused us of just wanting a free meal. Needless to say.....Never going back
(1)
Jennifer N.
Apologies I didn't mean to encourage a previous negative review... I've actually never heard anyone complain about La Carreta in my own world. Most prefer them! They are always a great standard Mexican American choice at a reasonable price on James Island/Charleston, with outdoor seating if the weather is nice. They have a great selection of dishes in a very comfortable atmosphere, plus friendly staff. If you live nearby, you can't complain and happy they're around!
(4)
Michael K.
Add to my list of Mexican Restaurant reviews. Still looking for someone to take Senior Tequila's W.A. off the top of my list. Not there yet. I will say La Carreta is pretty solid. The Chips, salsa and queso were pretty standard. I ordered the Chile Colorado, which is my go to Mexican dish. Not bad! I was pleased with the quality of the beef, but the sauce wasn't as good as what senior tequila w.a. puts out. The guacamole salad was a little lacking. Overall, decent place to eat. My wife liked her enchiladas. I didnt like that there was no draft beer, hence no giant 32 oz Dos Equis. But overall a solid 3 stars.
(3)
Nathan O.
Good prices. Not too many Mexican restaurants in the Charleston area, but La Carreta is as good as any
(4)
Amy Lauren S.
I'm honestly not too picky when it comes to Americanized Mexican food, which is what La Carreta serves- but I am picky about service and getting things right. I visited La Carreta with a group of friends (7 of us total) after a local 5K/10K race on James Island. I saw the Yelp reviews and was a little weary, but I was with my friends and it was more about the company than the food. We just wanted drinks and some greasy Mexican food and after running, I could eat anything. I ordered the huevos ranchero with black beans (which are advertised as an option for any entree with beans) and a water. We did have chips and salsa, which were complimentary, but we had to ask for an extra basket as we only had one for all 7 of us. When our food came out, I had refried beans and not black beans. They were buried under sauce and I didn't see the server right away to tell him. The server also gave me a small plate with two aluminum-foiled covered packs of tortillas. I've never gotten 6 tortillas before with huevos, but okay. The server came back about 5 minutes later. He came to me, took the extra aluminum foil covered pack of (unopened) tortillas off my plate and said "Sorry, these are for the other guy who ordered the fajitas". I can't say I've ever had food taken off my plate and given to someone else in my party. I was always under the impression that once you served food to someone, you couldn't just re-serve it to someone else if it was wrong? I'm not sure why he didn't just bring my friend an set of tortillas that were hot. This was just a weird experience. The huevos and rice were fine- they tasted like Americanized Mexican. But I won't be coming back.
(1)
S D.
Best SERVICE and FOOD I've had since we got to FOLLY Beach, our server was amazing, FOOD came out so hot I had to wait to eat.
(5)
Frank G.
We had a coupon, that's why we went. Before we,we're fully seated we were asked for our drink order. Told waiter to give us a minute. This guy had the personality of my left toe, abrupt, low talker, a 'bull' on his face. I guess he did not like working there. The tacos had only meat and some cheese, nothing else, but we're tasty. Place seemed dirty and 'sticky' to me. Salsa was ok, but watery. I give 2 stars only because we had a coupon, else on star. Service was horrible, he brought the bill before my wife was finished eating. Too many great Mexican restaurants around, this is not one. Threw away my coupons, not worth going back. Yuk. Frank G
(2)
Yusef S.
Wow hard to find decent Spanish food in Charleston a lot of Mexican spots are at three different ones and this one takes the cake for sure my friend and new co worker Don put me on to it. And man is the food amazing trust me I eat at a lot of spots and this one won me over I will be back for sure you got yourselves a new customer. Service was fast seated right away drinks came in a minute followed by some amazing salsa and tortilla chips. I ordered what Don recommended and boy did it hit the spot the steak Mexicana I would highly recommend this spot for really great Mexican food. And it is very affordable and the portions are huge. See photo
(5)
Peonia E.
Went here for lunch today with my guys thanks guys! If I can find a picture from lunch I'll put it up. First of all get the Guaca pico. In this day and age when every single Mexican restaurant locally I can think of more or less serves the same packaged guacamole all I can say is Guaca pico! Fresh avocado with fresh chopped peppers onions tomatoes a little salt-and-pepper ask for some fresh chopped jalapeños mash it up yourself and you've got some pretty damn good authentic guacamole. The rest of the items on the menu range from horrible to pretty darn edible. If you have a margarona or two before you eat anything, it all tastes good. If you have to ask what a MargaRona is you'll just have to go and get one yourself. OK OK it's a bright green margarita loaded with cheap tequila with a mini Corona beer turned upside down in the carnival style glass. One time I didn't say I wanted a small and I got a humongous glass with two of these little coronas in it; can you say shitfaced before my food came? wow that was the best their food ever tasted. I hope this doesn't sound racist but the service has definitely gone downhill since they've gotten so many white people working in there. Sorry gringos! Always open always friendly usually fast and pretty cheap unless you start drinking... Did I say to get a margarona? Oh yes Friday night is free shot of tequila night or at least it was and if you go there on Friday and ask for it they should still give it to you whether you want it or not. Ole!
(3)
Kimberly S.
My boyfriend and I ordered each ordered the La Especial at La Caretta on James Island. Worst mexican food I've ever had! The relleno was greasy and runny; the enchilada's tortilla tasted rubbery and a day old, covered in super sweet red sauce, with watered down meat.
(1)
Lauton S.
This is the worst crap in the world. I would not eat here again if I was literally starving. My beer was hot and flat and their idea of a chile rilleno (means stuffed pepper in spanish) was a nickel sized piece of bell pepper on a small plate of melted cheese. Dont eat here ever!
(1)
Heather W.
Our favorite cheap Mexican place! Ladies night is CHEAP drinks and they always keep the water and chips coming.
The ceilings were really gross, the seats are ripped, the food was ok, I was a bit grossed out by the ceilings. I had the crab quesadilla which was decent. Food came out pretty quickly. My husband and children enjoyed their food. Waitress was super nice, but we ordered fried ice cream and she came back and said there isn't any left, wish she would have let us know ahead of time.
(2)
Nick I.
It's hard to write a review of this restaurant seeing as how we only stayed for 10 minutes. By far the worst service I've EVER received at any restaurant I've ever been too. We ordered two margaritas on the rocks like any normal person would and we were brought an enormous monstrosity of disgustingness. The salsa was tomato sauce with cut up onions in it and was also disgusting. I knew I wasn't missing much seeing as how the restaurant was virtually empty at 6:30 PM but my my wife and two year old son ventured anyway since we love Mexican. The server we had was beyond horrible. When I asked for the manager some other server came to the table and said he was the "acting" manager. I explained the situation and he apologized profusely and said that they had multiple complaints on this other server previously. This was our first time and needless to say LAST time coming to this establishment. I'm usually a very easy going individual especially at restaurants but felt that I needed to get the word out about how horrible this experience was. Beware future diners! La Hacienda is down the street and we went there right after and it was delicious ;)
(1)
Christy B.
We just moved to town last spring! Charleston is an expensive place to live but we finally found out Mexican joint that doesn't drain the pocket book! BIG, tasty margaritas!! We get tacos, quesadilla, margaritas and cheese dip between two people and it runs about $30!! Can't beat it! Great food! Fast, friendly service! Apple tequila shots are always yummy! (And I'm not normally a 'shot' kind of gal!)
(5)
Carl H.
Was writing a review for another Mexican restaurant and that initiated my Mexican food itch... So, since I was downtown I headed over here for lunch. A lot of local places have Chili Rellenos that are just a beefy cheesy sauce over an undercooked slice of bell pepper. I was spoiled by a long ago beautiful young Seniorita, Teresa, from MTP who had opened a quaint spot called Taste of Mexico... Long since closed. Now she served some GREAT Chili Rellenos...... Mmmmmmm. Back to the review, so I had a hankerin' for a real Chili Relleno, and had been to La Carreta before and knew they made decent Chili Rellenos (egg battered and fried, cheese or meat and cheese stuffed pabalano pepper)... Ok, some of the local places make the same but call it Chili Pabalano's. It was lunch and as I usually get there, I ordered their Chili Relleno, Taco and guacamole salad.... Surprise, Surprise, Surprise... What came was a Chalupa, taco, and beef enchilada... OK, What's going on?.. Looked at the menu and the Lunch #2 was what I was expecting... Further detective work shows that Dinner #2 was what I was served.... DRATS!!!!.. Who would have thought that if you ordered #2 at 11:30am. You would get the dinner #2... Guess I should have been more explicit. Anyway it was good. And, I could have gotten it corrected. But who has time at lunch to wait around? So, paid dinner prices for my dinner. Note to self... Order LUNCH #2 or LUNCH #3 next time. I will say their complimentary chips and salsa (read Salsa) are very good.
(3)
Mark L.
James Island has a few Mexican choices including Marias (Johns Island), La Hacienda and Cha Cha's. La Carreta offers a refreshing environment with a great enclosed outdoor patio nicely decorated with a wagon on the end which is very cool. The service is always good and never pressured. Always an enjoyable experience and the staff has a smile anywhere you turn.
(4)
Ryan H.
First off, the two stars are for service, not my actual experience. I had a blast and had great company! I just was pretty disappointed with the service. I stopped in at 6:45 and went immediately to the bar for any possible Happy Hour special on a big Margarita. The bartender was just a little underwhelming and said no Happy Hour special. I like Happy Hours and every bar should have them. In hindsight I think it was more of a language barrier thing because there was a sign saying to ask about Happy Hour. Got seated and we had 6 of us in a pretty small booth. the menu was so huge I had a hard time finding what I wanted. I just asked the waiter if they had stuffed poblanos and he said yes so I ordered the meal. Decent but stuffed with potato and when delivered was told I got the vegetarian. Partially my fault for not finding what I wanted on the menu. Again it was probably the language barrier. The language barrier is probably one of the good things about this place but tonight it just did not work out for me personally. I will go back because I do think they have decent food and better possible service and it is so convenient for me so hope to update this with 3 or 4 stars after my next visit!
(2)
Dolly P.
This used to be my favorite restaurant. Now it looks like it has had some serious interior neglect and the food is not as good nor served as attractively as in the past. The wait staff is the same and still awesome but the house has lost it's clean restaurant feeling. I left La Hacienda years ago when I heard about their dirty kitchen- I don't know what the rating for the kitchen is now for La Carreta. I hate seeing restaurants go bad. I had the burrito supreme plate and it looked like it was thrown together. Hopefully it will turn around for the better by summer. My friends came for the drinks.
(2)
J F.
Typical Mexican restaurant. No complaints here. Came in here for a study break with margarita. Plenty of great cheap lunch specials and awesome patio area! Ended up talking to the manager too and he was a super nice dude. Didn't give 5 stars just cause the service could've been a little better.
(4)
Chris D.
Cheap Mexican food that's within walking distance! Service is usually very good and fast, but has been spotty. Usually vp the food is great but has, on occasion (towards the end of a night) been cold, soggy, etc, or otherwise not as great. They do have some fantastic happy hour deals, so if you live nearby, definitely check it out. The patio is nice too, even though it does overlook folly road...
(3)
Julie K.
Horrible!! I ordered the #11, the burrito, enchilada, taco combo. The burrito and enchilada were stuffed with ground beef and nothing else, no cheese, no beans nothing. The taco had the same ground beef some iceberg lettuce and some shredded cheese - no salsa nothing. No sides at all. My daughter ordered a taco salad and it arrived with iceberg lettuce and chicken and that's all. We asked to see a menu because we were sure it should had more in it. The menu stated it came with tomatoes, guacamole, cheese etc. we pointed it out to our waitress and she balked a little and then took it up with the manager who eventually removed it from our bill. I would not recommend this to anyone. Yuck!
(1)
Sasha S.
Not bad food really enjoyed the place but lost respect for it ..please note if you order something you don't like something they will charge you and throw it away so you might as well ask for a box and give or to your pet . Literally two bites, I had one and my husband took one to see if it was just me ... Usually like it but just bad food night and that ticked me off so hitting up another place and not coming back oh and margaritas are syrupy and had bar tender turn me away when I went to bar to order a shot of patron for my mother in law on a different evening when I already closed out with my waiter .. Oh well had it and done with place
(1)
Alexandra G.
I would give 0 stars if I could. I ordered a chicken taco salad, which the menu says comes with lettuce, tomato, cheese, beans, guacamole, sour cream and chicken. Received it and it had lettuce and chicken with some sour cream. My mother and husband got enchiladas with just beef, there was no rice, beans, or anything that it said it comes with. The waitress said that I would be getting a discount (which I can't believe we had to pay for the meal at all) I received the bill and was actually over charged for the salad. She eventually brought the correct check. I was very, very disappointed. So much so I debated telling a family coming in to rethink their decision.
(1)
melanie n.
Pretty typical Mexican food. Nice original artwork on the tables and walls make for above average decor :). Sports (soccer/futbol) on TV. Service was less than enthusiastic, minimal interaction during ordering / serving process. Almost like we had wronged her in some way before even walking in. Maybe it was because it was 8:40 and they were to close at 10?... Great salsa. I had a shredded beef chimichanga but something about it was just wrong. The sauce: it was smothered in red sauce like an enchilada--but it had fried onions and green pepper strips in the inside - like a fajita? - well. i get there is some variation on what is what when you are talking about Mexican food. -but my biggest ??? was the non-fried-ness? Afterward hubby said he read something on the menu that you could get the chimi fried or not fried. Server certainly didn't ask me so I guess the default is NOT fried. But seriously, isn't a chimichanga that isn't fried just a burrito? The ground beef in the tacos though was excellent!
(3)
Michael T.
Not great - average mexican food.
(3)
Rebecca G.
Just about some of the worst Mexican food I've ever had (although I do admit that I am picky about it after having lived in Texas). The service was awful as well. The waitress threw our menus down on the table and left for a long time. It took forever for her to come back and take our order and to come back to give us our check. And it's not like they were particularly busy that night either. The decor and lighting inside are trashy, not helped by the arcade machine near the entrance. If you want some Mexican food, head down Folly Road to La Hacienda. It's almost the exact same menu...but in a place where people care and the food tastes better.
(1)
Linzzz W.
I stopped here for lunch the other day and was glad I bailed on the Arby's next door. The place is pretty big and there were no other patrons in the place except for a large table of construction workers, about 15 or so, so big parties will definitely fit here. All of the tables in the restaurant are painted under plexi glass and no two are alike. The decor is festive and bright making for a happy ambiance. I sat in the bar and ordered a Dos Equis while watching a futbol game on tv. The servers working there were ultra friendly and one sat with me and chatted me up for a bit. I ordered the vegetarian lunch combo of a cheese quesadilla, a bean and cheese enchilada and rice and beans. The price was totally fair and the food was great. They serve a traditional Mexican style of food and their salsa was especially tasty. I will definitely head back here again as the service was excellent and the food came out lightning fast!
(4)
Uai G.
Very good food and excellent value. Fast service and very friendly staff. Highly recommend for weekly lunch or dinner place.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Alessandra A.
Don't know what all the bad reviews are for. I consistently receive great service & the same exact GREAT food! Always get the carnitas & it's always a HUGE great tasting portion. The shrimp dishes are great. The rice is great & the beans. It's typical Mexican but better than average! The new pozole dish is just like my mom used to make! A little spicy but PERFECT! I'm never disappointed I will keep coming back. Did I mention they have the giant 60oz Margarita as big as your head?! It's a great novelty & fun if you're looking for a good night out aswell.
(5)Darren H.
Overall very disappointed in my latest visit. Salsa tasted like peppered tomato juice, the chips were stale, received bland can beans, and they served my wife a burnt quesadilla. The cashier got very sassy when we expressed our opinion on the food and accused us of just wanting a free meal. Needless to say.....Never going back
(1)Amy Lauren S.
I'm honestly not too picky when it comes to Americanized Mexican food, which is what La Carreta serves- but I am picky about service and getting things right. I visited La Carreta with a group of friends (7 of us total) after a local 5K/10K race on James Island. I saw the Yelp reviews and was a little weary, but I was with my friends and it was more about the company than the food. We just wanted drinks and some greasy Mexican food and after running, I could eat anything. I ordered the huevos ranchero with black beans (which are advertised as an option for any entree with beans) and a water. We did have chips and salsa, which were complimentary, but we had to ask for an extra basket as we only had one for all 7 of us. When our food came out, I had refried beans and not black beans. They were buried under sauce and I didn't see the server right away to tell him. The server also gave me a small plate with two aluminum-foiled covered packs of tortillas. I've never gotten 6 tortillas before with huevos, but okay. The server came back about 5 minutes later. He came to me, took the extra aluminum foil covered pack of (unopened) tortillas off my plate and said "Sorry, these are for the other guy who ordered the fajitas". I can't say I've ever had food taken off my plate and given to someone else in my party. I was always under the impression that once you served food to someone, you couldn't just re-serve it to someone else if it was wrong? I'm not sure why he didn't just bring my friend an set of tortillas that were hot. This was just a weird experience. The huevos and rice were fine- they tasted like Americanized Mexican. But I won't be coming back.
(1)S D.
Best SERVICE and FOOD I've had since we got to FOLLY Beach, our server was amazing, FOOD came out so hot I had to wait to eat.
(5)Frank G.
We had a coupon, that's why we went. Before we,we're fully seated we were asked for our drink order. Told waiter to give us a minute. This guy had the personality of my left toe, abrupt, low talker, a 'bull' on his face. I guess he did not like working there. The tacos had only meat and some cheese, nothing else, but we're tasty. Place seemed dirty and 'sticky' to me. Salsa was ok, but watery. I give 2 stars only because we had a coupon, else on star. Service was horrible, he brought the bill before my wife was finished eating. Too many great Mexican restaurants around, this is not one. Threw away my coupons, not worth going back. Yuk. Frank G
(2)Yusef S.
Wow hard to find decent Spanish food in Charleston a lot of Mexican spots are at three different ones and this one takes the cake for sure my friend and new co worker Don put me on to it. And man is the food amazing trust me I eat at a lot of spots and this one won me over I will be back for sure you got yourselves a new customer. Service was fast seated right away drinks came in a minute followed by some amazing salsa and tortilla chips. I ordered what Don recommended and boy did it hit the spot the steak Mexicana I would highly recommend this spot for really great Mexican food. And it is very affordable and the portions are huge. See photo
(5)Peonia E.
Went here for lunch today with my guys thanks guys! If I can find a picture from lunch I'll put it up. First of all get the Guaca pico. In this day and age when every single Mexican restaurant locally I can think of more or less serves the same packaged guacamole all I can say is Guaca pico! Fresh avocado with fresh chopped peppers onions tomatoes a little salt-and-pepper ask for some fresh chopped jalapeños mash it up yourself and you've got some pretty damn good authentic guacamole. The rest of the items on the menu range from horrible to pretty darn edible. If you have a margarona or two before you eat anything, it all tastes good. If you have to ask what a MargaRona is you'll just have to go and get one yourself. OK OK it's a bright green margarita loaded with cheap tequila with a mini Corona beer turned upside down in the carnival style glass. One time I didn't say I wanted a small and I got a humongous glass with two of these little coronas in it; can you say shitfaced before my food came? wow that was the best their food ever tasted. I hope this doesn't sound racist but the service has definitely gone downhill since they've gotten so many white people working in there. Sorry gringos! Always open always friendly usually fast and pretty cheap unless you start drinking... Did I say to get a margarona? Oh yes Friday night is free shot of tequila night or at least it was and if you go there on Friday and ask for it they should still give it to you whether you want it or not. Ole!
(3)Kimberly S.
My boyfriend and I ordered each ordered the La Especial at La Caretta on James Island. Worst mexican food I've ever had! The relleno was greasy and runny; the enchilada's tortilla tasted rubbery and a day old, covered in super sweet red sauce, with watered down meat.
(1)Lauton S.
This is the worst crap in the world. I would not eat here again if I was literally starving. My beer was hot and flat and their idea of a chile rilleno (means stuffed pepper in spanish) was a nickel sized piece of bell pepper on a small plate of melted cheese. Dont eat here ever!
(1)Heather W.
Our favorite cheap Mexican place! Ladies night is CHEAP drinks and they always keep the water and chips coming.
(4)Barret B.
Usually have a nice time. It's a cheap cliché Mexican restaurant, I know, and sometimes me and my squad are up for that. Tonight however, the all-male staff was pushy and took my friends plate from him as he was delivering the last bite to his mouth. They then dropped off the bill and attempted to take my plate before I was finished. The salsa was soupy too. Idk, usually a decent time, don't go on a Sunday maybe?
(2)Heidi J.
The ceilings were really gross, the seats are ripped, the food was ok, I was a bit grossed out by the ceilings. I had the crab quesadilla which was decent. Food came out pretty quickly. My husband and children enjoyed their food. Waitress was super nice, but we ordered fried ice cream and she came back and said there isn't any left, wish she would have let us know ahead of time.
(2)Nick I.
It's hard to write a review of this restaurant seeing as how we only stayed for 10 minutes. By far the worst service I've EVER received at any restaurant I've ever been too. We ordered two margaritas on the rocks like any normal person would and we were brought an enormous monstrosity of disgustingness. The salsa was tomato sauce with cut up onions in it and was also disgusting. I knew I wasn't missing much seeing as how the restaurant was virtually empty at 6:30 PM but my my wife and two year old son ventured anyway since we love Mexican. The server we had was beyond horrible. When I asked for the manager some other server came to the table and said he was the "acting" manager. I explained the situation and he apologized profusely and said that they had multiple complaints on this other server previously. This was our first time and needless to say LAST time coming to this establishment. I'm usually a very easy going individual especially at restaurants but felt that I needed to get the word out about how horrible this experience was. Beware future diners! La Hacienda is down the street and we went there right after and it was delicious ;)
(1)Christy B.
We just moved to town last spring! Charleston is an expensive place to live but we finally found out Mexican joint that doesn't drain the pocket book! BIG, tasty margaritas!! We get tacos, quesadilla, margaritas and cheese dip between two people and it runs about $30!! Can't beat it! Great food! Fast, friendly service! Apple tequila shots are always yummy! (And I'm not normally a 'shot' kind of gal!)
(5)Carl H.
Was writing a review for another Mexican restaurant and that initiated my Mexican food itch... So, since I was downtown I headed over here for lunch. A lot of local places have Chili Rellenos that are just a beefy cheesy sauce over an undercooked slice of bell pepper. I was spoiled by a long ago beautiful young Seniorita, Teresa, from MTP who had opened a quaint spot called Taste of Mexico... Long since closed. Now she served some GREAT Chili Rellenos...... Mmmmmmm. Back to the review, so I had a hankerin' for a real Chili Relleno, and had been to La Carreta before and knew they made decent Chili Rellenos (egg battered and fried, cheese or meat and cheese stuffed pabalano pepper)... Ok, some of the local places make the same but call it Chili Pabalano's. It was lunch and as I usually get there, I ordered their Chili Relleno, Taco and guacamole salad.... Surprise, Surprise, Surprise... What came was a Chalupa, taco, and beef enchilada... OK, What's going on?.. Looked at the menu and the Lunch #2 was what I was expecting... Further detective work shows that Dinner #2 was what I was served.... DRATS!!!!.. Who would have thought that if you ordered #2 at 11:30am. You would get the dinner #2... Guess I should have been more explicit. Anyway it was good. And, I could have gotten it corrected. But who has time at lunch to wait around? So, paid dinner prices for my dinner. Note to self... Order LUNCH #2 or LUNCH #3 next time. I will say their complimentary chips and salsa (read Salsa) are very good.
(3)Michael K.
Add to my list of Mexican Restaurant reviews. Still looking for someone to take Senior Tequila's W.A. off the top of my list. Not there yet. I will say La Carreta is pretty solid. The Chips, salsa and queso were pretty standard. I ordered the Chile Colorado, which is my go to Mexican dish. Not bad! I was pleased with the quality of the beef, but the sauce wasn't as good as what senior tequila w.a. puts out. The guacamole salad was a little lacking. Overall, decent place to eat. My wife liked her enchiladas. I didnt like that there was no draft beer, hence no giant 32 oz Dos Equis. But overall a solid 3 stars.
(3)Nathan O.
Good prices. Not too many Mexican restaurants in the Charleston area, but La Carreta is as good as any
(4)Mark L.
James Island has a few Mexican choices including Marias (Johns Island), La Hacienda and Cha Cha's. La Carreta offers a refreshing environment with a great enclosed outdoor patio nicely decorated with a wagon on the end which is very cool. The service is always good and never pressured. Always an enjoyable experience and the staff has a smile anywhere you turn.
(4)Jennifer N.
Apologies I didn't mean to encourage a previous negative review... I've actually never heard anyone complain about La Carreta in my own world. Most prefer them! They are always a great standard Mexican American choice at a reasonable price on James Island/Charleston, with outdoor seating if the weather is nice. They have a great selection of dishes in a very comfortable atmosphere, plus friendly staff. If you live nearby, you can't complain and happy they're around!
(4)Ryan H.
First off, the two stars are for service, not my actual experience. I had a blast and had great company! I just was pretty disappointed with the service. I stopped in at 6:45 and went immediately to the bar for any possible Happy Hour special on a big Margarita. The bartender was just a little underwhelming and said no Happy Hour special. I like Happy Hours and every bar should have them. In hindsight I think it was more of a language barrier thing because there was a sign saying to ask about Happy Hour. Got seated and we had 6 of us in a pretty small booth. the menu was so huge I had a hard time finding what I wanted. I just asked the waiter if they had stuffed poblanos and he said yes so I ordered the meal. Decent but stuffed with potato and when delivered was told I got the vegetarian. Partially my fault for not finding what I wanted on the menu. Again it was probably the language barrier. The language barrier is probably one of the good things about this place but tonight it just did not work out for me personally. I will go back because I do think they have decent food and better possible service and it is so convenient for me so hope to update this with 3 or 4 stars after my next visit!
(2)Dolly P.
This used to be my favorite restaurant. Now it looks like it has had some serious interior neglect and the food is not as good nor served as attractively as in the past. The wait staff is the same and still awesome but the house has lost it's clean restaurant feeling. I left La Hacienda years ago when I heard about their dirty kitchen- I don't know what the rating for the kitchen is now for La Carreta. I hate seeing restaurants go bad. I had the burrito supreme plate and it looked like it was thrown together. Hopefully it will turn around for the better by summer. My friends came for the drinks.
(2)J F.
Typical Mexican restaurant. No complaints here. Came in here for a study break with margarita. Plenty of great cheap lunch specials and awesome patio area! Ended up talking to the manager too and he was a super nice dude. Didn't give 5 stars just cause the service could've been a little better.
(4)Chris D.
Cheap Mexican food that's within walking distance! Service is usually very good and fast, but has been spotty. Usually vp the food is great but has, on occasion (towards the end of a night) been cold, soggy, etc, or otherwise not as great. They do have some fantastic happy hour deals, so if you live nearby, definitely check it out. The patio is nice too, even though it does overlook folly road...
(3)Julie K.
Horrible!! I ordered the #11, the burrito, enchilada, taco combo. The burrito and enchilada were stuffed with ground beef and nothing else, no cheese, no beans nothing. The taco had the same ground beef some iceberg lettuce and some shredded cheese - no salsa nothing. No sides at all. My daughter ordered a taco salad and it arrived with iceberg lettuce and chicken and that's all. We asked to see a menu because we were sure it should had more in it. The menu stated it came with tomatoes, guacamole, cheese etc. we pointed it out to our waitress and she balked a little and then took it up with the manager who eventually removed it from our bill. I would not recommend this to anyone. Yuck!
(1)Sasha S.
Not bad food really enjoyed the place but lost respect for it ..please note if you order something you don't like something they will charge you and throw it away so you might as well ask for a box and give or to your pet . Literally two bites, I had one and my husband took one to see if it was just me ... Usually like it but just bad food night and that ticked me off so hitting up another place and not coming back oh and margaritas are syrupy and had bar tender turn me away when I went to bar to order a shot of patron for my mother in law on a different evening when I already closed out with my waiter .. Oh well had it and done with place
(1)Alexandra G.
I would give 0 stars if I could. I ordered a chicken taco salad, which the menu says comes with lettuce, tomato, cheese, beans, guacamole, sour cream and chicken. Received it and it had lettuce and chicken with some sour cream. My mother and husband got enchiladas with just beef, there was no rice, beans, or anything that it said it comes with. The waitress said that I would be getting a discount (which I can't believe we had to pay for the meal at all) I received the bill and was actually over charged for the salad. She eventually brought the correct check. I was very, very disappointed. So much so I debated telling a family coming in to rethink their decision.
(1)melanie n.
Pretty typical Mexican food. Nice original artwork on the tables and walls make for above average decor :). Sports (soccer/futbol) on TV. Service was less than enthusiastic, minimal interaction during ordering / serving process. Almost like we had wronged her in some way before even walking in. Maybe it was because it was 8:40 and they were to close at 10?... Great salsa. I had a shredded beef chimichanga but something about it was just wrong. The sauce: it was smothered in red sauce like an enchilada--but it had fried onions and green pepper strips in the inside - like a fajita? - well. i get there is some variation on what is what when you are talking about Mexican food. -but my biggest ??? was the non-fried-ness? Afterward hubby said he read something on the menu that you could get the chimi fried or not fried. Server certainly didn't ask me so I guess the default is NOT fried. But seriously, isn't a chimichanga that isn't fried just a burrito? The ground beef in the tacos though was excellent!
(3)Michael T.
Not great - average mexican food.
(3)Rebecca G.
Just about some of the worst Mexican food I've ever had (although I do admit that I am picky about it after having lived in Texas). The service was awful as well. The waitress threw our menus down on the table and left for a long time. It took forever for her to come back and take our order and to come back to give us our check. And it's not like they were particularly busy that night either. The decor and lighting inside are trashy, not helped by the arcade machine near the entrance. If you want some Mexican food, head down Folly Road to La Hacienda. It's almost the exact same menu...but in a place where people care and the food tastes better.
(1)Linzzz W.
I stopped here for lunch the other day and was glad I bailed on the Arby's next door. The place is pretty big and there were no other patrons in the place except for a large table of construction workers, about 15 or so, so big parties will definitely fit here. All of the tables in the restaurant are painted under plexi glass and no two are alike. The decor is festive and bright making for a happy ambiance. I sat in the bar and ordered a Dos Equis while watching a futbol game on tv. The servers working there were ultra friendly and one sat with me and chatted me up for a bit. I ordered the vegetarian lunch combo of a cheese quesadilla, a bean and cheese enchilada and rice and beans. The price was totally fair and the food was great. They serve a traditional Mexican style of food and their salsa was especially tasty. I will definitely head back here again as the service was excellent and the food came out lightning fast!
(4)Uai G.
Very good food and excellent value. Fast service and very friendly staff. Highly recommend for weekly lunch or dinner place.
(4)Alessandra A.
Don't know what all the bad reviews are for. I consistently receive great service & the same exact GREAT food! Always get the carnitas & it's always a HUGE great tasting portion. The shrimp dishes are great. The rice is great & the beans. It's typical Mexican but better than average! The new pozole dish is just like my mom used to make! A little spicy but PERFECT! I'm never disappointed I will keep coming back. Did I mention they have the giant 60oz Margarita as big as your head?! It's a great novelty & fun if you're looking for a good night out aswell.
(5)Darren H.
Overall very disappointed in my latest visit. Salsa tasted like peppered tomato juice, the chips were stale, received bland can beans, and they served my wife a burnt quesadilla. The cashier got very sassy when we expressed our opinion on the food and accused us of just wanting a free meal. Needless to say.....Never going back
(1)Jennifer N.
Apologies I didn't mean to encourage a previous negative review... I've actually never heard anyone complain about La Carreta in my own world. Most prefer them! They are always a great standard Mexican American choice at a reasonable price on James Island/Charleston, with outdoor seating if the weather is nice. They have a great selection of dishes in a very comfortable atmosphere, plus friendly staff. If you live nearby, you can't complain and happy they're around!
(4)Michael K.
Add to my list of Mexican Restaurant reviews. Still looking for someone to take Senior Tequila's W.A. off the top of my list. Not there yet. I will say La Carreta is pretty solid. The Chips, salsa and queso were pretty standard. I ordered the Chile Colorado, which is my go to Mexican dish. Not bad! I was pleased with the quality of the beef, but the sauce wasn't as good as what senior tequila w.a. puts out. The guacamole salad was a little lacking. Overall, decent place to eat. My wife liked her enchiladas. I didnt like that there was no draft beer, hence no giant 32 oz Dos Equis. But overall a solid 3 stars.
(3)Nathan O.
Good prices. Not too many Mexican restaurants in the Charleston area, but La Carreta is as good as any
(4)Amy Lauren S.
I'm honestly not too picky when it comes to Americanized Mexican food, which is what La Carreta serves- but I am picky about service and getting things right. I visited La Carreta with a group of friends (7 of us total) after a local 5K/10K race on James Island. I saw the Yelp reviews and was a little weary, but I was with my friends and it was more about the company than the food. We just wanted drinks and some greasy Mexican food and after running, I could eat anything. I ordered the huevos ranchero with black beans (which are advertised as an option for any entree with beans) and a water. We did have chips and salsa, which were complimentary, but we had to ask for an extra basket as we only had one for all 7 of us. When our food came out, I had refried beans and not black beans. They were buried under sauce and I didn't see the server right away to tell him. The server also gave me a small plate with two aluminum-foiled covered packs of tortillas. I've never gotten 6 tortillas before with huevos, but okay. The server came back about 5 minutes later. He came to me, took the extra aluminum foil covered pack of (unopened) tortillas off my plate and said "Sorry, these are for the other guy who ordered the fajitas". I can't say I've ever had food taken off my plate and given to someone else in my party. I was always under the impression that once you served food to someone, you couldn't just re-serve it to someone else if it was wrong? I'm not sure why he didn't just bring my friend an set of tortillas that were hot. This was just a weird experience. The huevos and rice were fine- they tasted like Americanized Mexican. But I won't be coming back.
(1)S D.
Best SERVICE and FOOD I've had since we got to FOLLY Beach, our server was amazing, FOOD came out so hot I had to wait to eat.
(5)Frank G.
We had a coupon, that's why we went. Before we,we're fully seated we were asked for our drink order. Told waiter to give us a minute. This guy had the personality of my left toe, abrupt, low talker, a 'bull' on his face. I guess he did not like working there. The tacos had only meat and some cheese, nothing else, but we're tasty. Place seemed dirty and 'sticky' to me. Salsa was ok, but watery. I give 2 stars only because we had a coupon, else on star. Service was horrible, he brought the bill before my wife was finished eating. Too many great Mexican restaurants around, this is not one. Threw away my coupons, not worth going back. Yuk. Frank G
(2)Yusef S.
Wow hard to find decent Spanish food in Charleston a lot of Mexican spots are at three different ones and this one takes the cake for sure my friend and new co worker Don put me on to it. And man is the food amazing trust me I eat at a lot of spots and this one won me over I will be back for sure you got yourselves a new customer. Service was fast seated right away drinks came in a minute followed by some amazing salsa and tortilla chips. I ordered what Don recommended and boy did it hit the spot the steak Mexicana I would highly recommend this spot for really great Mexican food. And it is very affordable and the portions are huge. See photo
(5)Peonia E.
Went here for lunch today with my guys thanks guys! If I can find a picture from lunch I'll put it up. First of all get the Guaca pico. In this day and age when every single Mexican restaurant locally I can think of more or less serves the same packaged guacamole all I can say is Guaca pico! Fresh avocado with fresh chopped peppers onions tomatoes a little salt-and-pepper ask for some fresh chopped jalapeños mash it up yourself and you've got some pretty damn good authentic guacamole. The rest of the items on the menu range from horrible to pretty darn edible. If you have a margarona or two before you eat anything, it all tastes good. If you have to ask what a MargaRona is you'll just have to go and get one yourself. OK OK it's a bright green margarita loaded with cheap tequila with a mini Corona beer turned upside down in the carnival style glass. One time I didn't say I wanted a small and I got a humongous glass with two of these little coronas in it; can you say shitfaced before my food came? wow that was the best their food ever tasted. I hope this doesn't sound racist but the service has definitely gone downhill since they've gotten so many white people working in there. Sorry gringos! Always open always friendly usually fast and pretty cheap unless you start drinking... Did I say to get a margarona? Oh yes Friday night is free shot of tequila night or at least it was and if you go there on Friday and ask for it they should still give it to you whether you want it or not. Ole!
(3)Kimberly S.
My boyfriend and I ordered each ordered the La Especial at La Caretta on James Island. Worst mexican food I've ever had! The relleno was greasy and runny; the enchilada's tortilla tasted rubbery and a day old, covered in super sweet red sauce, with watered down meat.
(1)Lauton S.
This is the worst crap in the world. I would not eat here again if I was literally starving. My beer was hot and flat and their idea of a chile rilleno (means stuffed pepper in spanish) was a nickel sized piece of bell pepper on a small plate of melted cheese. Dont eat here ever!
(1)Heather W.
Our favorite cheap Mexican place! Ladies night is CHEAP drinks and they always keep the water and chips coming.
(4)Barret B.
Usually have a nice time. It's a cheap cliché Mexican restaurant, I know, and sometimes me and my squad are up for that. Tonight however, the all-male staff was pushy and took my friends plate from him as he was delivering the last bite to his mouth. They then dropped off the bill and attempted to take my plate before I was finished. The salsa was soupy too. Idk, usually a decent time, don't go on a Sunday maybe?
(2)Heidi J.
The ceilings were really gross, the seats are ripped, the food was ok, I was a bit grossed out by the ceilings. I had the crab quesadilla which was decent. Food came out pretty quickly. My husband and children enjoyed their food. Waitress was super nice, but we ordered fried ice cream and she came back and said there isn't any left, wish she would have let us know ahead of time.
(2)Nick I.
It's hard to write a review of this restaurant seeing as how we only stayed for 10 minutes. By far the worst service I've EVER received at any restaurant I've ever been too. We ordered two margaritas on the rocks like any normal person would and we were brought an enormous monstrosity of disgustingness. The salsa was tomato sauce with cut up onions in it and was also disgusting. I knew I wasn't missing much seeing as how the restaurant was virtually empty at 6:30 PM but my my wife and two year old son ventured anyway since we love Mexican. The server we had was beyond horrible. When I asked for the manager some other server came to the table and said he was the "acting" manager. I explained the situation and he apologized profusely and said that they had multiple complaints on this other server previously. This was our first time and needless to say LAST time coming to this establishment. I'm usually a very easy going individual especially at restaurants but felt that I needed to get the word out about how horrible this experience was. Beware future diners! La Hacienda is down the street and we went there right after and it was delicious ;)
(1)Christy B.
We just moved to town last spring! Charleston is an expensive place to live but we finally found out Mexican joint that doesn't drain the pocket book! BIG, tasty margaritas!! We get tacos, quesadilla, margaritas and cheese dip between two people and it runs about $30!! Can't beat it! Great food! Fast, friendly service! Apple tequila shots are always yummy! (And I'm not normally a 'shot' kind of gal!)
(5)Carl H.
Was writing a review for another Mexican restaurant and that initiated my Mexican food itch... So, since I was downtown I headed over here for lunch. A lot of local places have Chili Rellenos that are just a beefy cheesy sauce over an undercooked slice of bell pepper. I was spoiled by a long ago beautiful young Seniorita, Teresa, from MTP who had opened a quaint spot called Taste of Mexico... Long since closed. Now she served some GREAT Chili Rellenos...... Mmmmmmm. Back to the review, so I had a hankerin' for a real Chili Relleno, and had been to La Carreta before and knew they made decent Chili Rellenos (egg battered and fried, cheese or meat and cheese stuffed pabalano pepper)... Ok, some of the local places make the same but call it Chili Pabalano's. It was lunch and as I usually get there, I ordered their Chili Relleno, Taco and guacamole salad.... Surprise, Surprise, Surprise... What came was a Chalupa, taco, and beef enchilada... OK, What's going on?.. Looked at the menu and the Lunch #2 was what I was expecting... Further detective work shows that Dinner #2 was what I was served.... DRATS!!!!.. Who would have thought that if you ordered #2 at 11:30am. You would get the dinner #2... Guess I should have been more explicit. Anyway it was good. And, I could have gotten it corrected. But who has time at lunch to wait around? So, paid dinner prices for my dinner. Note to self... Order LUNCH #2 or LUNCH #3 next time. I will say their complimentary chips and salsa (read Salsa) are very good.
(3)Mark L.
James Island has a few Mexican choices including Marias (Johns Island), La Hacienda and Cha Cha's. La Carreta offers a refreshing environment with a great enclosed outdoor patio nicely decorated with a wagon on the end which is very cool. The service is always good and never pressured. Always an enjoyable experience and the staff has a smile anywhere you turn.
(4)Ryan H.
First off, the two stars are for service, not my actual experience. I had a blast and had great company! I just was pretty disappointed with the service. I stopped in at 6:45 and went immediately to the bar for any possible Happy Hour special on a big Margarita. The bartender was just a little underwhelming and said no Happy Hour special. I like Happy Hours and every bar should have them. In hindsight I think it was more of a language barrier thing because there was a sign saying to ask about Happy Hour. Got seated and we had 6 of us in a pretty small booth. the menu was so huge I had a hard time finding what I wanted. I just asked the waiter if they had stuffed poblanos and he said yes so I ordered the meal. Decent but stuffed with potato and when delivered was told I got the vegetarian. Partially my fault for not finding what I wanted on the menu. Again it was probably the language barrier. The language barrier is probably one of the good things about this place but tonight it just did not work out for me personally. I will go back because I do think they have decent food and better possible service and it is so convenient for me so hope to update this with 3 or 4 stars after my next visit!
(2)Dolly P.
This used to be my favorite restaurant. Now it looks like it has had some serious interior neglect and the food is not as good nor served as attractively as in the past. The wait staff is the same and still awesome but the house has lost it's clean restaurant feeling. I left La Hacienda years ago when I heard about their dirty kitchen- I don't know what the rating for the kitchen is now for La Carreta. I hate seeing restaurants go bad. I had the burrito supreme plate and it looked like it was thrown together. Hopefully it will turn around for the better by summer. My friends came for the drinks.
(2)J F.
Typical Mexican restaurant. No complaints here. Came in here for a study break with margarita. Plenty of great cheap lunch specials and awesome patio area! Ended up talking to the manager too and he was a super nice dude. Didn't give 5 stars just cause the service could've been a little better.
(4)Chris D.
Cheap Mexican food that's within walking distance! Service is usually very good and fast, but has been spotty. Usually vp the food is great but has, on occasion (towards the end of a night) been cold, soggy, etc, or otherwise not as great. They do have some fantastic happy hour deals, so if you live nearby, definitely check it out. The patio is nice too, even though it does overlook folly road...
(3)Julie K.
Horrible!! I ordered the #11, the burrito, enchilada, taco combo. The burrito and enchilada were stuffed with ground beef and nothing else, no cheese, no beans nothing. The taco had the same ground beef some iceberg lettuce and some shredded cheese - no salsa nothing. No sides at all. My daughter ordered a taco salad and it arrived with iceberg lettuce and chicken and that's all. We asked to see a menu because we were sure it should had more in it. The menu stated it came with tomatoes, guacamole, cheese etc. we pointed it out to our waitress and she balked a little and then took it up with the manager who eventually removed it from our bill. I would not recommend this to anyone. Yuck!
(1)Sasha S.
Not bad food really enjoyed the place but lost respect for it ..please note if you order something you don't like something they will charge you and throw it away so you might as well ask for a box and give or to your pet . Literally two bites, I had one and my husband took one to see if it was just me ... Usually like it but just bad food night and that ticked me off so hitting up another place and not coming back oh and margaritas are syrupy and had bar tender turn me away when I went to bar to order a shot of patron for my mother in law on a different evening when I already closed out with my waiter .. Oh well had it and done with place
(1)Alexandra G.
I would give 0 stars if I could. I ordered a chicken taco salad, which the menu says comes with lettuce, tomato, cheese, beans, guacamole, sour cream and chicken. Received it and it had lettuce and chicken with some sour cream. My mother and husband got enchiladas with just beef, there was no rice, beans, or anything that it said it comes with. The waitress said that I would be getting a discount (which I can't believe we had to pay for the meal at all) I received the bill and was actually over charged for the salad. She eventually brought the correct check. I was very, very disappointed. So much so I debated telling a family coming in to rethink their decision.
(1)melanie n.
Pretty typical Mexican food. Nice original artwork on the tables and walls make for above average decor :). Sports (soccer/futbol) on TV. Service was less than enthusiastic, minimal interaction during ordering / serving process. Almost like we had wronged her in some way before even walking in. Maybe it was because it was 8:40 and they were to close at 10?... Great salsa. I had a shredded beef chimichanga but something about it was just wrong. The sauce: it was smothered in red sauce like an enchilada--but it had fried onions and green pepper strips in the inside - like a fajita? - well. i get there is some variation on what is what when you are talking about Mexican food. -but my biggest ??? was the non-fried-ness? Afterward hubby said he read something on the menu that you could get the chimi fried or not fried. Server certainly didn't ask me so I guess the default is NOT fried. But seriously, isn't a chimichanga that isn't fried just a burrito? The ground beef in the tacos though was excellent!
(3)Michael T.
Not great - average mexican food.
(3)Rebecca G.
Just about some of the worst Mexican food I've ever had (although I do admit that I am picky about it after having lived in Texas). The service was awful as well. The waitress threw our menus down on the table and left for a long time. It took forever for her to come back and take our order and to come back to give us our check. And it's not like they were particularly busy that night either. The decor and lighting inside are trashy, not helped by the arcade machine near the entrance. If you want some Mexican food, head down Folly Road to La Hacienda. It's almost the exact same menu...but in a place where people care and the food tastes better.
(1)Linzzz W.
I stopped here for lunch the other day and was glad I bailed on the Arby's next door. The place is pretty big and there were no other patrons in the place except for a large table of construction workers, about 15 or so, so big parties will definitely fit here. All of the tables in the restaurant are painted under plexi glass and no two are alike. The decor is festive and bright making for a happy ambiance. I sat in the bar and ordered a Dos Equis while watching a futbol game on tv. The servers working there were ultra friendly and one sat with me and chatted me up for a bit. I ordered the vegetarian lunch combo of a cheese quesadilla, a bean and cheese enchilada and rice and beans. The price was totally fair and the food was great. They serve a traditional Mexican style of food and their salsa was especially tasty. I will definitely head back here again as the service was excellent and the food came out lightning fast!
(4)Uai G.
Very good food and excellent value. Fast service and very friendly staff. Highly recommend for weekly lunch or dinner place.
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