Whether it’s Taco Tuesday or any other day you’ve got a hankering for tacos, Greenville is the place to be. With well over a dozen Tex-Mex and taco-specific restaurants, Greenville has more than enough options to suit any price point or tackle any craving.
We’ve limited this Around Greenville eatery list to taco restaurants that are privately owned and originated in the Upstate (the popular White Duck Taco didn’t make our list because it got started in Asheville, North Carolina). We’ve also trimmed our selections down to those located within a 15-minute drive from the BJU campus.
Tipsy Taco
6-minute drive from campus
Website: tipsytaco.net
Founded in Greenville, Tipsy Taco is a local favorite that’s rapidly becoming a phenomenon across the Southeast. Tipsy Taco bills itself as a restaurant that serves “Tex-Mex with a little twist.” This lunch and dinner spot has an extensive taco menu that features fun and original flavor combinations, like the Seoul City taco (shaved filet mignon, Korean BBQ, and Asian slaw) and the Black N’ Bleu (blackened chicken, arugula, tomatoes, bleu cheese crema) — as well as classic tacos, like their Old School (seasoned ground beef, lettuce, cheddar cheese). Their menu includes other Tex-Mex favorites like burritos, fajitas, nachos and more.
With several locations in Greenville, Tipsy Taco is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Cucho’s Taco Grille
6-minute drive from campus
Website: eatcuchos.com
Cucho’s Taco Grille is new in town, but it’s already making waves for its delicious, authentic tacos and other Mexican street food snacks. Its owners spent time in Mexico studying common flavors, cooking methods and foodie trends before opening Cuchos with the goal of delivering the best taco experience.
Cucho’s has an extensive menu that includes a range of creative tacos as well as quesadillas, burrito bowls, salads, street corn and more. Among their tacos is the trendy quesabirria, a taco designed to be dunked in a broth-based dipping sauce called consommé.
Opening hours at Cucho’s are 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Willy Taco
9-minute drive from campus
Website: willytaco.com
Willy Taco got its start in Spartanburg, South Carolina before opening a location in Greenville. Willy Taco prides itself on the freshness of its menu items and on their commitment to running a zero-waste operation by composting and recycling all their restaurant waste. They also deliver interesting and original flavor combinations on their taco menu with ingredients including pimento cheese, black bean hummus, applewood smoked bacon and ribeye.
Willy Taco’s Greenville location is not open Mondays, but they’re open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m.–11 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m.–10 p.m.
Farmhouse Tacos
9-minute drive from campus
Website: farmhousetacos.com
Farmhouse Tacos’ first location opened in Travelers Rest before its owners expanded into the heart of Greenville with a second location on Laurens Road. Farmhouse Tacos calls its tacos “Hand Crafted. Locally Sourced” and “Made with Love.” Their menu includes a robust list of creative taco varieties (including one called “crab cake with fried green tomatoes”) alongside quesadilla selections, burrito bowls, salad options, brunch plates and more.
This taco shop is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Automatic Taco
11-minute drive from campus
Website: automatictaco.com
Automatic Taco started as a food truck before it built a brick-and-mortar eatery in 2019. They’ve found a home in The Greenville Commons, an establishment that houses several businesses under one roof.
Their menu is shorter than others on this list, but their flavor combinations are just as inventive. Options include a range of classic taco flavors as well as a Korean Pork Belly taco topped with kimchi and cashews and a Green Curry Shrimp taco with fried avocado and mango. They also have authentic Central American sides like Mexican Street Corn and Papas (specially seasoned potatoes).
Automatic Taco is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Tacozzini
11-minute drive from campus
Instagram: @tacozzini
Tacozzini makes it on our list for their menu combining tacos and pizza — a match made in heaven. This restaurant prioritizes having something on the menu for everyone. They have substantial and delicious vegetarian and gluten-free options for both their tacos and pizzas to accommodate a wider range of dietary needs and preferences.
This fusion restaurant’s menu includes options like the Southwestern Sweet Potato Taco, the Backyard BBQ Pizza and the Southern Roots Taco (featuring smoked pork and jalapeño slaw). They also have a fun dessert menu that includes a Rocky Road Dessert Pizza. Tacozinni also has options for gluten-free foodies: every pizza on the menu (with the likely exception of the Dessert Pizza) is available on cauliflower crust, and they use corn tortillas for all their tacos.
Tacozinni is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Catch up on our Around Greenville series to see more of what our city and the area around it has to offer.
