This taco joint in South Carolina is among the best in the US, Yelp says. Here’s why

Simone Jasper
·2 min read
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A South Carolina restaurant is dishing out some of the best tacos in the nation, new rankings show.

Tacos Nayarit Mexican Grill in Columbia landed on the “Top 100 Taco Spots in America,” according to a list published on Wednesday, Sept. 21.

To create the list, the restaurant review website Yelp considered businesses that had several taco-related comments. It “then ranked those spots using a number of factors including the total volume and ratings of reviews” over time, Yelp wrote in its report.

Of the 100 places that received national recognition, Tacos Nayarit was the only one in the Palmetto State.

It ranked No. 74 on the list after several Yelp users raved that the restaurant served tacos with a variety of toppings and meat options ranging from carne asada to al pastor. Many were also fans of the shop’s customer service, helping it earn more than four out of five stars.

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“At Tacos Nayarit, we’re proud to bring cuisine from the Mexican state of Nayarit right here to Columbia,” the business wrote on its Yelp page. “Located on the Pacific coast, things are done a little differently in the kitchens of Nayarit, and we’re committed to serving the most authentic flavors of the region to offer something unique.”

Those offerings include fresh ingredients and handmade tortillas, the Yelp post said. For customers who aren’t fans of tacos, the restaurant also sells gorditas, tortas and other menu items from its storefront on Percival Road.

The business, which has roots in a food truck, recently hinted that it could expand in the Midlands. Last month, the restaurant made an Instagram post teasing a second location on Lake Murray Boulevard, The State reported.

Yelp shared its results after Columbia-area eateries missed out on another recent list. In April, Yelp instead named a Hilton Head Island restaurant the state’s best place to get burritos.

This time around, the top-raking taco joint in the country was Ed Fernandez Restaurant Birrieria in California. Rounding out the top five were restaurants in California, Texas and New York.

Yelp shared the results ahead of National Taco Day, which falls on Oct. 4.

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