What locals are saying
Rio Chico has built a stubborn following in West Ashley on the strength of from-scratch Mexican cooking — the arroz con mariscos and cheesesteak burritos get called out by name, the chips-and-salsa are generous to a fault, and the handcrafted margaritas do their job. The dining room gets described as drab enough that the takeout crowd may have the right idea, but the food earns enough repeat visits to sustain a multigenerational regulars base that has been showing up since opening day. The restaurant's reputation took a real hit after a 2022 incident in which cooking oil from a broken kitchen line traveled through the parking lot into a storm drain and into a neighboring pond, sending green herons to a wildlife rehab center and drawing a city notice of violation — some longtime customers said they were done for good.
