The bland and generic ingredients seemed to have been banned from the kitchen at Cantina 76, as what we had was pretty damn good. The daily taco special was the Smoked brisket & Gouda w fried banana peppers. The flavors were deep and rich, and the Gouda was the right touch. The fried peppers were crispy and light. This was the highlight of the meal as the other two tacos ("Peruvian" shrimp w slaw and a spicy aioli sauce was a bit too salty and the pesto chicken was tasty) were good but paled in comparison a bit. The staff were friendly and laid back college types. Happy hour prices on beer were decent and the bar was active for an early weeknight. Good stuff. read more

I will go back time and time again. These tacos are amazing. The atmosphere is very chill and calm even if it is busy. Friendly service staff who's re very accommodating and answer lots of questions. I could eat about 10 Peruvian shrimp tacos at one sitting read more

I wonder if the majority of Columbia gets overly excited by new atmospheres that use low lighting and have big screen TVs. Ever seen the crowd at a "Carolina Ale House" or "Wild Wings"? This place is no exception. In reality, Cantina 76 needs to close and most likely will. While the 'ambiance' is alright...everything else isn't. The manager is an idiot and a bit of a creep. I don't like saying these things but I'd feel like I was doing Columbia a disservice by not. A close friend of mine had a long coarse black hair in her food--something that could happen anywhere. However, the waitress and the manager both handled it like it was a usual occurrence. They weren't apologetic or helpful. I'd stay away. The portions are small and bland--the food is expensive for what it is. read more

This is my favorite Mexican restaurant in town.....we've been here several times the past four months and have never been disappointed with the food and service. They are consistent with how the dishes are cooked and they're margaritas are amazing! read more

Great food and great service. Step up (Mexican-ish food wise) than your regular run of the mill Mexican food restaurants. Most of the main dishes are tacos (which is good since when I do do Mexican I get tacos), some salads, and quesadillas. Tacos are not your usual basic beef (or chicken) tacos - but tacos with a spin. And reasonably priced ($3.00 per taco). Service was great as well. There's was a group of 18 of us that had dinner. Ordered dinner and had our dishes within 10 minutes. Only downside is parking. Small lot behind restaurant and depending on when you go, you might have to park a (small) ways away. read more

Their website drew me in with 2 things: a simple, delicious sounding menu and the statement, "We use only the freshest ingredients, and everything on the menu is made from scratch in house daily." They exceeded my expectations. Started with the guacamole, which was clearly fresh and tasted great. Good chips too. 2.00 Coronas were nice. Chose three of the 2.49 tacos: Roasted Chicken, Barbecue Brisket, and the daily special, the Chicken BLT. All good, but the special was the best. Per another review on here as to the clarity of the margarita menu. It lays out the variations they make in two columns, and below, in smaller type, they list the selection of tequilas, with prices for one drink or a pitcher. It couldn't be much simpler. There was also a large sorority dinner taking place at the large table, so they can handle at least one large group. Had March Madness on several TV's and a large projection screen on the patio. Definitely my new Tex-Mex place. Hope it takes off. read more

Went here last Sunday. I'm from out of town, came for the zoo, wanted some margs & tacos after that! So I looked on yelp & figured I'd give this place a try. First it's newly now open on Sunday's by the way. Good location, it was nice out so we are outside. A lot of young college age kids working in there, everyone we came into contact with (mostly girls) were nice (friendly/inviting). The inside was kinda popping but still half the tables open (good sized spot). Didn't have to wait for a table outside either. Service was fast! I liked the prices, I felt it was a good deal. You pay for chips & dip here but each is only about $3 bucks (for salsa, queso, or gauc!). I tried the strawberry basil margarita! It was good! I had two {lots of Marg options and tequila upgrades too} A decent amount of mini tacos to choose from for $2.99 each. All & all we were all satisfied. read more

Cantina 76 - Here's a picture of the outside! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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I went here for lunch and got the special. You get 3 tacos and a drink for the money and, although the tacos are very tasty, they are really small and you'll leave hungry unless you want to drop $20 on more tacos. No free chips and salsa and the beer can really rack up a bill in a hurry. I'd go here if I was already full and wanted a single taco and a beer. I wouldn't go here to eat if I was hungry. It's pretty overpriced. read more

Everyone says come here for the tacos...I concur. I had buffalo chicken teriyaki chicken and Peruvian shrimp. Other people had other tacos. Great tacos, service was pretty slow and somewhat inattentive, but the food is good enough that it's like eh no biggie. Forgot to mention the Peruvian and teriyaki were great. About 3 bucks for a normal taco, almost 4 for the shrimp tacos. UPDATE:::After further research, I have concluded that the slow service was indeed interminable. read more

Delicious food and great atmosphere. We sat at the bar, the bartenders were great and made sure we had everything we needed. I had the queso, chimichanga, and brisket taco everything was perfect. The bbq on the brisket taco was a little spicy for me but it was still good. read more

I really enjoyed this place! I was walking down devine street shopping, and I passed it and thought it would be a great place to stop in for dinner! It reminds me a lot of Taco Mamacita in Nashville (y'all can read my review of that). You can order single tacos, or entrees, plus sides and drinks etc. My boyfriend and I opted for the single tacos. They were so good! My favorite was the pesto chicken. The margaritas were also incredibly tasty and not at all pricey. The restaurant itself was also SO cute, which I was not expecting from the outside. We went for a late dinner and it was perfect for a quiet little dinner just the two of us :) Hope this place does well, because it's my fave mexican place in Columbia so far! read more

The Peruvian Shrimp Tacos are amazing! I love all the tacos, but it's by far my favorite. Cantina 76 is my new favorite place for tacos! I can't wait for my fella to return from his deployment, so I can bring him. read more

Cantina 76 - My new favorite place for tacos! The service is terrific, great location, and so yummy! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Went with some fellow Yelpers after a event next door and was not really that hungry so me amd my other half split a plate of tacos. She had tje BBQ shrimp tacos and me the Roasted Chicken and Peruvian Shrimp tacos. I also ordered a Corona beer with a frosted mug. Strike 1 was the frosted mug was a chillled glass and I let it go for now. Sp our food arrived and I was impressed so this made up for the non frosted mug. Our food arrived and we were very impressed with the portions of the tacos. Fresh and soft tortilla s and flavors werw great on all 3 of the tacos. At $2.99 a piece and great flavors we both agreed we will return soon. read more

Cantina 76 - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Woohoo! As good as it gets! This place is good, good, good! The Food is great! The people are super nice, and they serve the best Margarita I've had in along time! The menu is simple- what they do they do very well! The tacos are very good, they put a nice spin on traditional fares and it comes out very good! The drinks are perfect! If you want a little taste of heaven try the strawberry basil margarita- it's a nice combination of muddled strawberries,basil, and tequila! - goes so good with the spicy jalapenos in the tacos! The traditional margaritas are very good also! Hats off to the bartender, she makes a good drink! The jalapeno coleslaw is a little sweet and a little bit spicy- the savory rice is a mixture of rice, corn salsa?, and cheese- both are very good! The salsa and guacamole are very good also! - nice and chunky -onions and cilantro - Good, good, good! read more

The first time I ate at Cantina, I was horrified at what they were calling tacos. I'm from the West coast, and have been continually disappointed in what passes for Mexican food in Cola. But the fantastic margaritas urged me to return to Cantina. On margarita night (Wednesdays?), margaritas are cheap and plentiful and damn good. I attempted the tacos again, and putting aside my idea of what a taco is supposed to consist of, I developed a taste for their tacoesque creations. The best ones were Peruvian shrimp, veggie, and the smoked pork. They are unique and addictive and well-priced. HOWEVER. For the past three months or so, each time I go to Cantina, I have a disappointing experience. The last time I went, I noticed my food had the overwhelming flavor/burn of Vicks Vapo Rub. It was confirmed by my dining pal. I think whoever was in the kitchen was wearing Vicks and it got in the food! I have also gotten mild food poisoning from Cantina twice now. Something has gone downhill about this place -- I don't know if they hired a new chef, or they have a staff member who is infecting the food with bacteria and/or Vicks Vapo Rub, but I will NOT be eating there anymore. It seems cleanliness/hygiene may be lacking in the kitchen. I will continue to go there for margaritas (I can't quit those), and for the good service. If you go at lunch-time, it's usually not too packed. But if you go for dinner, be prepared for the parking lot to be full! read more

We live cantina! Wish they had one in Lexington, but it's worth the drive. 4 stars only because they get out to go order wrong more times than not. Their food is god though so we'll always come back. read more

Very authentic selection of of tacos. Try the quest bean dip. I had the veggies tacos, great pico de mix in tacos. The beans actually compliments the tacos. A very social spot but limited space and parking is limited. I'd return read more

If I could give zero star I would. Chimichanga was dry. Queso and salsa not free. Overall over priced mexicant (not a typo) place. Would not go back. read more

Amazing food, quick service, amazing margaritas! Highly recommend the surf and turf tacos and the house margarita

The margaritas are pretty good. The bean taco was a spoonful of flavorless beans on an awful tortilla microwaved to lukewarm. Ground beef tacos were better, though only by comparison...actually they were pretty awful too. Shrimp taco was just ok. All the ingredients were bland, generic, and boring. read more

Worst taco ever. Not like in a funny sarcastic way, but in a serious "that was the worst taco I've ever eaten" sort of way. Refried beans and bland cheese microwaved in a tortilla for 15 seconds. The truth is that all restaurants get some of their ingredients in big plastic food-service bins, but rarely does the taste of plastic really shine through in the food. read more

Wanted to eat at this place soo badly. Came on a Saturday night, which as expected was a busy night. Didn't mind waiting. Hostess said 35 minutes. Ended up waiting over an hour. Then overheard the hostess tell a waitress that the wait is 35 minutes where in reality is well over an hour. Ended up leaving. I would have been fine if the hostess were honest in saying, "hey our wait is 90 minutes". At least that way I would have been expecting to wait 90 instead of 35. Beware of going here on a busy night. Hostess might give you incorrect waiting times. read more

Mi dios! The wait was twice as long as they said, the short margaritas were $6 a piece, and the nachos were no bueno. Redeeming qualities include hardworking USC coeds providing great service and anticipating needs. The "contemporary" mexican tacos and food were just what one might expect for the location in Columbia, SC. Music was too loud but staff was very accommodating with TV channel selections for NBA finals. A better bet for no frills mexican but great quality is Tio's downtown. Adios mi amigos, no mas deniro para me! read more

Food and drinks were underwhelming. Not sure if it is just a local hype place but there are better drinks / tacos joints to go to.

Some background about myself, I am originally from Texas and nothing can beat the Tex-Mex experience there, but this is as close as it gets! I have never had a problem with the waitstaff or the service. The biggest problem I ever have is parking, but that is everywhere in Columbia. Every time I eat here, my mouth is watering for more and I cannot wait to come back to stuff my face full of the chips and salsa, tacos, or taco salad. Their margaritas even rival the ones in Texas. They are so good! (even though I prefer them frozen most of the time) They are worth the price tag. So overall, this is a great place to bring friends and family or if you are just craving some good Mexican food, I highly recommend coming here. read more

Great Mexican cantina in the Columbia area. Cantina has fantastic tacos - I recommend the chicken teriyaki (my favorite) or their chimichanga! Their appetizers are also great. Personally, I recommend going with some friends to get the tres hombres (guac, queso, salsa). The only problem is finding parking, as Cantina can get very crowded and does not offer that many parking spots. read more

I always enjoy Cantina 76 and absolutely recommend it if you have a margarita or taco craving. Their margaritas are the best in town in my opinion. With a variety of styles and tequilas, there's something for most. Best deal is the B1G1 house margaritas at happy hour. Tacos are wonderful and fresh. My favorite is the Peruvian Shrimp. Try the guacamole. Also a winner. The service is great too. The right level of attention without feeling rushed. It's a place you can stay 20 minutes for a quick lunch or 3 hours with a crowd for afternoon drinks. read more

Some reviews are not fair to the restaurant for what it really is; however, The Cantina doesn't help by advertising itself as a Mexican restaurant. This is NOT a Mexican restaurant. It isn't even a Tex-Mex and I'm not sure what to call it. It's more of a niche tapa mexi-style quick bite food venue with nice decor. Like most reviews show there are limited food options and it seems they try really hard to "up class" the food. The dishes look pretty and taste ok. A standard soft taco is $2.99...... The chimichanga is priced more than a standard entree at a Mexican restaurant but at the size of an appetizer. The food isn't bad but isn't great either. What put the final nail in this 2-3 star coffin is the chips and dip are not complimentary. Seriously? read more

I love this place. I'm a local and I seriously don't even know how may times I've been to cantina. Happy hour has great drink specials. I always get the trio of dips and then 2 or 3 tacos and I am stuffed! The honeysuckle marg is my fav! This is awesome fresh modern Mexican food. read more

Love, Love, Love Cantina 76. Good tacos in Columbia, SC are hard to find, but if you like a wild taco with a bold flavor this is the place for you. If you are looking for classic mexican tacos with steak or chicken you might be disappointed. Cantina offers a couple different taco options instead of your conventional taco meats. I highly recommend the buffalo chicken or peruvian shrimp taco, but all of the options are great. Cantina also has a great bar with good happy hour prices. read more

So I went to Cantina 76 last week when I was on yet another "vegan try." Not the smartest move on my part to go to a Tex-Mex restaurant with that diet, but surprisingly there were actually options on the menu for me. The chips with salsa were good. Very generous portion of basket of tortillas and the salsa had flavor (not the best I've had but it was not bad). I asked for two enchiladas with just veggie refried beans and requested both red and verde sauces, assuming they would come out vegan. They brought me a plate of the enchiladas but the sauces had cheese in them. When I asked our server if it was possible to get them without the cheese, she was very sweet about it, and took my plate back instantly. They were very quick about bringing me a vegan plate and I really appreciated the accommodation and friendly service. The sauces tasted pretty good and for my first vegan Tex-Mex dish, I wasn't disappointed. I'm not a big fan of the atmosphere (with the dark lighting and choice of tables and chairs), it has more of a sports bar vibe than a nice dining out decor, but the food is not bad and the prices are very reasonable, so wouldn't mind going back. read more

WOW! I started off with the prickly pear margarita. The recipe was on point! The salsa had a kick and the queso was delicious. The enchiladas were delightful, topped with a tasty chili con queso sauce! read more

The food is really good but the service was horrible. People who were seated ahead of us had their entrees before we even had our order taken. Our waitress never came to the table after we ordered and it took her 10-15 minutes to get our check once we were done. read more

The flavors here are so fresh! The queso is nice & thick, rich & creamy. My favorite taco is the Peruvian Shrimp Taco, my husband prefers the Buffalo Chicken Taco. The tacos are so good that we haven't even bothered to drift to other items on the menu, though I'm sure those would be equally tasty. We have good service & great food every time we go. Highly recommend. read more

If you're looking for tapas style Tex-Mex this is the place for you. Between my friend and myself we had the Peruvian shrimp, BBQ pork, fried fish and chicken tacos. The fried fish came with a jalapeno cream sauce and pickled jalapenos, yum! It was by far my favorite. We went in on a Wednesday night and our bottle of wine was surprisingly half off, score! The chips and salsa (or in our case, queso) you had to order. This was at a minimal cost so no biggie. The service was alright, very hands off. They were busy though so I'll cut them some slack. I'll be back for cheapish, quick tacos and half off wine! read more

One of the few restaurants in Cola that beats out its competitors in Chas (Taco Boy, Zia Taqueria, White Duck, etc.)! Unlike a lot of boutique taco places, the tacos are fairly priced for their size. They do solid versions of the classic "Mexican" appetizers (guac, queso, salsa) and sides. The jalapeno cole slaw is my personal favorite. read more

Food was tasty. Service was friendly and fast. Peruvian Shrimp taco and the roasted chicken enchiladas with red beef chili sauce were tasty. Rather loud at 5:00pm on Wednesday. read more

Cantina 76 - Peruvian Shrimp Taco - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

This place is great. My only complaint is that the service was slow to be so slow. We just went for drinks and appetizers. They have individual tacos that range for about $2.99. The BBQ shrimp taco is amazing. Definitely check it out! A great place to go for a happy hour with outside seating. read more

Cantina 76 - A menu option with salsa, Guac, and queso - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

I have been to Cantina on Devine and on Main numerous times but I do love the location, atmosphere, and just overall experience of this location. My all time biggest complaint with Cantina is that some of the tacos they never fill all the way up. Luckily I know what those are so I steer clear. Today, I got the fish taco which although it didn't fill up the burrito, it was cooked to perfection and the sauce and jalapeños added just the right amount of kick. Their special taco today was the surf and turf which was flank steak and fried shrimp and wow!! I wish it was a regular. It filled the taco and was juicy and flavorful. My favorite special taco they have is the Baja taco...nothing will ever touch that but this surf and turf taco was truly another favorite to add. Have y'all tried the bean queso dip? It will change your life! We got the trio with the queso, gauc (which I mowed down), and salsa. Soooo good! I love this place and will always pick this location to enjoy a work lunch and or girls night! We sat on the patio today and it was absolutely perfect! Service was great as well! read more

Cantina 76 - Tex-Mex Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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I posted this on the Main St location Yelp page. I'm posting it here because I've been to the Devine St location several times as well: Is this the best Mexican/Tex-Mex we can do Columbi-uhhhh? Positive: I only come here for one thing: the Guacamole. It is legit and good and done exactly how it's supposed to be done: made to order. Cantina is the only place in this city where the guacamole is actually BRIGHT GREEN and thus fresh, and thus MADE TO ORDER. Or, you guys keep the seed with all the guac to keep it fresh for a couple hours. Fine, works for me. For that, I give you one star, Cantina. You earned it. Negatives: Everything else is super gringo-fied "Mexican" food. Lots of pre-made flour tortillas. No, they do not make their tortillas in house. That's your first red flag. The menu is entirely made and inspired by white people. The tacos are made with gringo meat (ground beef) and gringo cheese (that shredded four cheese bullshit you find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store) and gringo lettuce and there's a lack of cilantro and real Mexican chiles and tomatillo sauces in all of their dishes. Not a racial thing, just completely inauthentic and it tastes like eating grocery store food. I myself am a gringo as well. I know what real Tex-Mex/Mexican food is. Lived in Houston and Austin for a couple years. How is this good Mexican or Tex-Mex? Where's the true appreciation of actual Mexican cuisine? Do you even have a mole dish? Fried chicken tacos and fried chicken salad is NOT Tex-Mex or Mexican food. WTF is chipotle BBQ shrimp? That ain't Tex-Mex or Mexican either. Here's the thing though, this place has an average of 4 stars on Yelp. Know why? Because people in this city think Cantina is good because it's "different" from all the other Mexican places here. But all the other Mexican places here are a joke, we all know that, with the exception of some true Mexican tacos from Moctezumas. I'm not trying to hate, honestly, I'm really not. The menu at Cantina 76 is so uninspiring and clearly not made with fresh ingredients, and they litter their website and branding with the words "fresh food." A meaningless term in this context for all restaurants when you think about it. It's a joke of a menu. You want real Tex-Mex/Mexican food? Look no further, if you guys brought a menu like this to Columbia you would clear 7 figures in 6 months: http://eltiempocantina.com/menu/ But I'm a bit cynical and suspect you couldn't execute menu items like that, which makes me sad. Know why? Because you lack the skill and determination. How about do some actual food research before you decide to create a menu and open a 6-figure investment? Clearly you never did that, and it shows with your bland and empty menu. Why wouldn't you go to 2 or 3 of the top Cantinas in Texas before you decide to open up a Cantina? It's beyond obvious you never did anything like that. The arrogance and provinciality of the good ole boys in Columbia. Keep evolving Columbi-uhhhh. read more