We all know about Greenville’s Mexican staples, and we’re forever grateful to you 🙏, but what if you want some truly authentic Mexican food in Greenville at a price that will keep your wallet and belly full?

In the spirit of National Taco Day, we set out to find 5 taco auténtico joints you probably didn’t know existed in Greenville, but need to try asap!

Each and every one of these has amazing food (which we tried obviously), so below you’ll find out where to go, when to go, and how to order.

Taqueria Mixtepec | 1225 Pendleton St., (in the parking lot by the Handee Mart) | Village of West Greenville | Open Thu – Sat. after dark

How to order: Three taco options – Pork, steak, or chicken ($2/piece) served w/ cilantro + onions. I went for the pork which was incredible + the steak was great, too. Enchiladas, empanadas, and tlayudas (similar to a tostada) are on the menu as well. There are temporary tables set up around the truck for eating there, or you can order to-go + they’ll include a bag of green chile on the side. Cash only.

La Esperanza | 1152 N Pleasantburg | Open 7 days a week

Hours not confirmed, but Logan went for lunch + we’ve heard they’re open late-night, too.

How to order: 2 carne asada tacos (only $2/piece) w/ cilantro + onions, then add some pico de gallo and their homemade verde salsa (which is spicy). Bring cash, no cards allowed here.

Las Meras Tortas | 6119 White Horse Rd. + 3058 Wade Hampton Blvd (Taylors) | M – Sat. 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. + Sun. 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

The Pierna (spicy pork), chorizo, + Carne Asada via @arielhturner

How to order:These guys are known for “The Mexican Sandwich”, so on my first visit, I ended up sitting with Nicholas, who just moved to Greenville from Colombia (the country, not city). This guy’s tried everything on the menu and told me the La Mexicana sandwich is his favorite (be sure to snag that on your first visit).

But, for your second visit, order the tacos or a burrito (or both 😉). The tacos are just $2/piece + the burritos are huge coming in both regular ($4.75) or California ($6.75).

Bonus: Stop into the La Unica Supercenter next door for authentic Mexican groceries so you can try your hand at making some traditional dishes at home.

Dr. Roccos Tacos | 98 Clark Dr. | Friday + Saturday after dark

From what we’ve heard, Dr. Roccos used to be a “tropical grill” style food truck, but the sign on the truck was never changed once purchased by the new owners, except for the new “Tacos El Original” that has been added. Now, we hear they’re slinging some of the best tacos in Berea and apparently are a late night staple amongst Berea locals.

El Caldaso Taqueria | 6406 White Horse Rd. | Hours not listed

Our team hasn’t had a chance to visit this one just yet, but a trusted friend in the community recommended it to us. According to multiple Yelp reviews, this place is the real deal + they have pork nachos, and who can really say no to authentic nachos?

Tacontento | 3800 White Horse Rd.

Remember my new friend Nicholas from Las Meras Tortas? Well, he gave me an inside tip on another taco food truck, Tacontento (See what they did there? Contento meaning happy in Spanish) which he specifically said: “you won’t find it on the internet”.

Turns out they’re only around after 4 p.m. Thu. – Sat. but tend to hang out around the 3800 block of White Horse Rd. Worth investigating? We think so.

The Pretty Taco | 23 College St.

The Upstate Business Journal justreported yesterday that Greenville’s own Selina Elise (aka The Pretty Taco) will be serving up her own authentic tacos down at the Cigar Boxx on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. starting on October 31. Selina just moved to Greenville but has family living in the Mission District of San Francisco, which is known to have some of the best Mexican food in the country.

If one thing’s true, we love tacos. But, we know we’re not the taco experts in town and we’re not afraid to make this a running list with your help. So, if you know of an authentic place, or try one, send us a picture and all of the info you can muster, and we’ll add it in. Simple as (Mexican) pie.

– Logan