TIERRA AL MAR — Restaurant in Mount Pleasant

The star of Tierra Al Mar is the food, so we'll start there. Carne asada tacos were so delicious we wished we ordered 3 more. The fried shrimp tacos were tasty. The Romaine chopped salad was a symphony of flavors, and with grilled shrimp added, was really, really good. The corn bowl with cabbage and avocado was, well, we just kept eating and eating! And a MUST try is their homemade Red No.1 hot sauce - remarkably good. The only disappointment was the guacamole. Too much lime and salt totally overpowered the avocado. However, the desserts, oh the desserts! Mayan chocolate pudding with mezcal whipped cream was rich, with perfectly balanced flavors, and the churros were some of the best we've ever had. They were served with a cream that we wished was in a bottomless glass. This chef really understands how to balance flavors. Drinks were good- the mezcal old fashioned was smooth, and a nice twist on the classic. The pisco sour was OK, but not quite authentic. Ambiance is lacking because it's tiny and packed, and seats near the front door are very cold with the door constantly swinging open. Service is excellent. Parking is plentiful.

Update: Their margaritas...

This happy hour gets a 10/10 … I would rate is 11/10 if I could!! Ordered the small nachos and they were huge… The quesadilla is next level and the happy hour taco had so many toppings it could’ve literally been dinner! Presentation was beautiful, food was delicious, and $17 for all of this food?!? you literally can’t beat it! Also ordered the House margarita, $8 during happy hour, delicious and strong! Tons of outdoor seating, very nice inside layout (although it’s a bit smaller inside) - plenty of parking - staff incredibly friendly and helpful. Please come check out Tierra Al Mar for Happy Hour - I promise you will be super impressed! One thing to keep in mind, happy hour is on Monday through Friday from 3 to 5 PM so plan ahead and get here early, but super cool that they also offer the happy hour on Saturday and Sunday...

The food was incredible! The best Mexican food we’ve had in the Charleston area! The margaritas and tacos were amazing The atmosphere was fine. We sat outside (the restaurant has a small inside area)- then it started raining/storming. We sat under a covered area- but the sideways rain still made it slightly damp. The staff brought out extra napkins and towels in case we needed them due to the rain. The reason for our 3 star service score is due to waiting over 10 minutes for a server to greet us and over 30 minutes to receive our 1st drink order. But the food was so delicious we will definitely give them...