La Nortena Taqueria & Mexican Grill

All I have to say is yes. Yes to the chips and salsa. Yes to the margaritas. Yes to my meal and the HUGE portions. Yes. I will be honest and say that I can get those same items from other Mexican restaurants, but what differentiates La Nortena from the others is the dedication to the core of Mexican cuisine. They carefully prepare their food and remain true to authentic Mexican ingredients. I wanted to try a new Mexican dish when I went there last and decided on the Enchiladas Poblanos. My server knew everything about the dish (even the history) and helped me make an informed decision on what to order. It was very good and I was able to make two meals out of it.

I'm not one for writing reviews but hands down by far this is the best Mexican spot I've been to. Food was amazing with good portions. The chicken was juicy and had alot of flavor. I'm not a restaurant steak person but the steak in the burrito was very tender and packed with flavor as well. The service was great our server Carlos was on the spot when it came to our drinks as well as being very professional and supper friendly. All the staff was just as good. Will definitely return

Literally the BEST Mexican food I've ever had.

Visiting family from Michigan and wanted some authentic tacos while we were here. Looked up tacquerias and landed on this gem. Service was phenomenal. Our waitress had our drinks as well as fresh hot tortilla chips and multiple salsas to our table within minutes. Tons of delicious options available so we took a little longer to decide. She came back 3 times to check.

Our food came out within 10 minutes, probably less because 3 of us hadn't finished the basket of chips yet. All orders were fresh and extremely flavorful! My daughter is picky and they made her order properly with no issues. This rarely happens. We ended up taking a bunch back to the hotel with us because there was so much leftover.

Service ✔
Quality ✔
Quantity ✔

Looking forward to my next trip to Charleston!

This is the best Mexican Restaurant in the area. The food is amazing. Every meal begins with a warm basket of chips and fresh salsa. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. They will bring drink refills and more chips and salsa before you even think to ask. We drive by at least 7 other Mexican restaurants on the way because it's worth the extra time in the car.

Great lunch specials during the week!

I had a meeting lunch at La Nortena, all three of us with differing expectations for lunch. One of us was starving and wanted quantity, one focused upon the quality of ingredients, and I can eat anything. I typically look for restaurants with warm, personable service and a nice atmosphere.

We were greeted warmly by Brenda, the manager, and were seated in a clean, comfortable booth. I found it pretty impressive that the staff all smiled & made eye contact when walking by. Specials were relayed in an appealing manner, and we were informed of the most popular items on the menu.

We tried multiple spicy and flavorful salsas, and ordered lunch choices were all described as delicious. Two of us needed "To Go" boxes based on the amount of food offered.

I was so struck by Brenda, the manager, and Luis, the owner, and their desire to confirm that the guest's expectations were met, that I spoke to them both on the way out to thank him for the great meal and experience.

As a former restaurant owner, I typically don't visit a restaurant before reading reviews and getting enough input to determine that we should expect a good experience. This restaurant is listed as the number one Mexican restaurant in North Charleston, and is in the top ten of the 250 restaurants in town. I would agree. This is my third visit to this restaurant, and I have been pleased each time. Better yet, I look forward to my return.