Restaurants offer city quick, inexpensive dining experience
If you’re a fan of quick dining that is made to order and comes served with an inexpensive price tag, there’s really no need to look any further than your local Mexican restaurant. Serving up a variety of cheap eats loaded up with fresh guacamole, melted cheeses, plenty of spicy flavors and pretty much any combination you could ever think of (not to mention the free salsa), these types of restaurants have become a dining staple for many USC students here in Columbia. And the city offers up many restaurants to choose from, ranging from the usual in-and-out eatery to the more upscale establishments. No matter your taste or your budget, there’s a Mexican joint tailor-made to your needs.
Mucho Margaritas
819 Harden St.
Chances are, if you’ve strolled through the Five Points area on almost any given night of the week, the massive margarita towers perched on the tables both in-and-outside the doors of Mucho Margaritas have caught your eye. But that’s not the only thing that’s made the restaurant has become famous. Fondly known as one of the smaller Mexican dining establishments in Columbia, Mucho has become a hit in the USC community for its flavorful salads, grilled entrees, quesadillas and tacos, the majority of which are priced at under $10 for an entire meal. Although Mucho offers much of the typical Mexican restaurant fare including the Speedy Gonzalez and golden-fried chimichangas, it also provides more unique options like the massive Burrito Loco, stuffed with your choice of meat and a plethora of lettuce, cheese, beans and other fresh ingredients or a trio of enchiladas doused in queso, tomatillo salsa or red sauce.
Eric’s San Jose
6118 Garners Ferry Rd.
Voted the best Mexican restaurant in Columbia for 10 years in a row by readers of The State, Eric’s San Jose not only provides appetizing meals with more than reasonable pricing, the restaurant also has a fully-furnished sports bar as well as a delivery option through Columbia’s 256-TOGO. A favorite of both families and students, Eric’s prides itself on giving customers the best dining options at a great price. In addition to a wide array of full-fledged meals including fajita dinners and burritos mexicanos, Eric’s has a “special dinner” which combines all the Mexican classics. The restaurant also offers vegetarian dishes, a special kids menu and an à la carte menu for those who prefer to order only one or two items. Eric’s is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Tio’s Mexican Cafe and Cantina
921 Sumter St.
Located within walking distance of the USC campus, Tio’s is one of the only Mexican eateries that stays open late enough for some serious late-night munching after a night out in Five Points. Tio’s is open until midnight Monday through Wednesday, and remains open until 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. Tio’s is known for its specialty “wet” burritos, which consists of flour tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken, pork, steak, vegetables or jerk meat heavily covered in special enchilada sauce and cheeses (hence the “wet” effect). Tio’s also offers a flavor-packed Mexican pizza, piled high with onions, filling, cheese, peppers, olives, beans and tomatoes, fully stacked nachos and fish tacos. However, the menu also provides customers with some less-than-typical items, including wings, mozzarella sticks and chili cheese fries. And just to sweeten the deal, Monday night is college night at Tio’s and your student ID can get you $1 margaritas and Bud Light with your meal as well as 20 percent off your dinner order.
More Like This
#LegalizeMarinara: Stoner’s Pizza Joint serves food with a culture
By Stephen Pastis | March 1, 2021