El Mercadito & Taqueria

We were on Johns Island and stumbled upon El Mercadito at ~2:30PM on a Sunday afternoon. It was pretty empty, as there were only a few people in the restaurant. We were seated immediately, and had warm tortilla chips and salsa on the table within a minute of arriving. Our drink orders were also promptly completed. Once the drinks arrived, we ordered and enjoyed the chips and the tangy, tasty salsa. Our entrees arrived quickly; however, the waiter had brought me the wrong dish — I’d ordered pollo asado and was greeted with a plate of scallops, shrimp, and other seafood. While it looked good, it was not my order, so we called the waiter back and he took the plate away. There was a 3 minute delay while they sorted things out in the kitchen, and then my pollo asado arrived. And.. . the pollo asado was _​really_​good. Flavorful, well cooked, really satisfying. My wife’s enchilda verdes were also great, and we left El Mercadito very happy with our reasonably priced and really satisfying meal. We’ll definitely come back next time we’re on Johns Island and looking for a restaurant!

2 years later and they have a great new menu… but…the smell when you walk in the door is overpowering and not appetizing… I sincerely want to ask how they clean the floor… or if they use clean mop water… just not clean…

No liquor license. Service was just okay. Place not all that clean. Cheese quesadillas tasted like it was filled with cheese whiz. Salsa was ok. We should not have had Mexican in this wonderful seafood area.

Good Mexican food at a nice price point, especially when comparing it to other restaurants near the islands. We usually eat here while we’re on vacation. Great place to grab a bite on a grocery shopping trip.

The al pastor tacos are the bomb. Perfect post-​beach snack. Service is super friendly.

I almost gave this place one star, but really I guess I can be a little generous.
Yes, two stars is generous. I know, I sound mean, and I hate giving bad reviews, but if you really like Mexican, and good Mexican, this place will likely leave you full but disappointed. Sure, they give you plenty of food at a good price but it’s just so… forgettable. Well, except for the potato burrito, which i will never forget. Mainly because it is a burrito with the frozen crinkle cut french fries stuffed inside.
That is just ridiculous– I was torn between feeling utterly disappointed and just plain insulted.
My meal here had no flavor– plenty of cheese and filling, but nothing memorable.
Except that they put crappy frozen fries in a burrito.
Don’t bother, unless you’re starving.
Oh, okay, I will say the horchata (drink) was excellent, and better than the only other version I’ve had in town.
Sorry, El Mercadito. I wanted to like you. I really did. But I can put fries in my own burrito at home.

From Illinois/​Iowa where there are TONS of Mexican places… been in Chucktown for two mos and unable to cure the spice craving… consider it CURED tonight! Our waitress was awesome, the happy hour drinks were perfect (I had a peach margarita), the the refried beans were real beans, and the fried ice cream was REALLY fried! Two thumbs up from both of us!

I live on johns island and this is our local mexican restaurant. Do not let the pic of the shopping center stir you away. The service is great and the food is good. Great value for a family of four. I love the 3 homemade sauces and salsa that they give to you when you order the individual corn shell taco’s.
Thanks Nacho!!!

Why did we eat here? I have never done a Mexican lunch buffet. I would have loved this if they kept the buffet fresh. The two items that were freshly brought out were good but everything else had been sitting out too long. The service was great as the waiter loved my daughter but they need to keep up with the buffet. My wife ordered the Quesadilla which had tons of chicken but barely any cheese. Our entire meal cost $ 12 so I can’t complain but I would not rush back here. Maybe try them for supper or if you do the buffet come early. S

Maybe it was just an off day. The buffet was cold and old. Our server was at the bar texting and didn’t bring out something after being asked. When it was time for the check and no one could be found, I saw him in his truck in the parking lot on the phone! I can say the prices are great and my lady friend enjoyed her fresh meal. I might give it another go and stick to the menu. Buffet? What was I thinking?

I’m a Texas boy and have been looking for some good Mexican food. This place is pretty good! Not as good as Texas, but the closest I’ve found so far.

My husband and I absolutely love their Quesadilla Mexicana! They are a meal and a half and they look and taste like a homemade meal. We also love the décor of the restaurant. A must try!

Okay we are from Ca where Mexican is all over the place.
Finally found a place with some spice.
I had the fajitas and my wife a combination plate.
Food was good and service great.
Clean place and happy hour until 8 pm.
We both had Margaritas and they were good.
Chips and salsa with a little spice.
Best we have had east of Mississippi.

Its just not that good. I’ve had worse, but this is place is «run of the mill.» I may have given it 3 stars, but feel inclined to go with 2 to balance out these 5 star ratings that are just bogus. I place heavy weight on the salsa when judging a Mexican restaurant, and the salsa at El Mercadito does nothing for me.

Got an al pastor (pork) taco. It was pretty good. Wedge of lime and some slices of radish came with it. Took a look at the lunch buffet ($ 5.50) and it looked good.

Anyone who has said this place is not just the typical «Mexican by numbers» restaurant is just plain wrong. That is exactly what it is.
Not terrible, but definitely not special…

Renting a house on an island is poetic and all, but it also means when you want to go out for dinner you’re left with rather few options. El Mercadito was one of the closest restaurants to our house in Kiawah, conveniently located next to the Piggly Wiggly we were frequenting anyway, and we liked it so well that we ended up eating there twice in a week.
Let me just start off by saying that Mercadito’s Quesadillas Mexicanas were some of the most delicious things I’ve ever had north or south of the border; the combination of veggies, meat, & spices is making my mouth water even now thinking of it. You get two huge quesadillas, salad, guacamole, and sour cream for $ 8.50, which is easily enough for two meals. On my second visit there I tried the grilled chicken taco salad (served in a flour tortilla bowl — my favorite!). Warning: this meal was NOT for the health-​conscious, but ooooh it was good! Scantly a cup of shredded iceburg and a single slice of tomato made it a «salad», but the rest of the humungo bowl was filled with chicken, sour cream, & cheese. Bust up the side of the bowl to add some crunch and yum!
Check out the Mexican art hanging above the register; there’s an awesome painter hiding somewhere in the owner’s family. If I lived in the area I would definitely be a regular here, especially with the $ 6 weekday lunch buffet and the happy hour specials. ¡Qué bien!

We were pleasantly surprised by this little restaurant next to the Piggly Wiggly on Johns Island.
We were staying on nearby Kiawah Island and were a little tired of the sky-​high on-​island prices. We had read great reviews about the Mexican truck at Rosebank Farms, but it was closed both times we went. We tried El Mercadito on a whim.
I ordered a lunch special, with rice, a chicken burrito, and a carnitas taco. Delish! The carnitas tacos were the highlight of the meal. My husband ordered them as well, in addition to a chile relleno, beans, rice, and a regular ground beef taco. The waiter offered soft or hard corn tortillas; we selected soft and were very happy. Salsa was spicy; lots of cilantro and great fresh, home made (?) corn chips.
Would definitely recommend this spot to others. Wish I could give 4.5 stars — very good; just not comparable to great Mexican we have had in Mexico and CA. Nice spot if you are staying in Kiawah or Seabrook and want a nice, low-​key, less expensive spot to try. Whole meal was $ 20.

Just moved from California a few months ago and have been seriously craving something that comes close to resembling Mexican food in Charleston. (I live across the street from Moe’s.) The fact that this place has only been reviewed once in over two years is quite disappointing.
My girlfriend has softball games out on John’s Island, so we finally gave El Mercadito a try this afternoon. Had tacos de carnitas and al pastor. Both were very flavorful and came with radishes and a pickled jalepeno on the side. Keep in mind these are traditional-​style tacos, served on soft corn tortillas — no crispy shells or cheese. Just meat, onions, and cilantro.
We washed the tacos down with an $ 8 pitcher of Dos Equis Amber!
The place was clean. Several of my girlfriend’s teammates joined us, and they put several tables together for our group. The service could have been a little tighter but it wasn’t bad and, they were kind enough to change the TV for me to watch the end of the Talledega race.
We’ll definitely be going back to try more of their menu.

Best mexican food in Charleston county y’all! I know it’s a big commitment driving all the way out to John’s Island, but it is totally worth it. This is NOT one of those bland, choose from dinners 1 – 20 kind of menus. El Mercadito has a wonderful selection of tasty mexican fare, all at a reasonable price. There’s a healthy variety of tequilas available as well.
There are many many mexican eateries in the Charleston area, but do yourself a favor and head out to the island for El Mercadito. Es muy bueno.