Santi's West Ashley

It has been a very busy summer for us here in Charleston and somehow Fall came without notice. We have been dining out as usual but have not had the time to dedicate to adding new posts. We will try our best to catch up and ignore the distraction of our pesky day jobs!

My fiancee, Poe, had been wanting to check out Santi's for nearly a year. There are enough eateries in Charleston that you could avoid eating at the same place twice in a year. The hole in the wall greasy spoons are plenty (and our favorite), but so are the well established, even famous eateries like those you may have seen on Food Network.

On Saturday, October 18, 2025 we decided to squeeze Santi's into our day of errands and grabbed some nosh. We were first extremely impressed how they were able to make this restaurant really stand out. The way it is situated off Savannah highway, you park in the back which has a strip mall behind it and a Chick-fil-A next to it. Walking up after we parked the outdoor deck had a very festive appeal, highly decorated. Poe took so many pictures. We were greeted and seated by a friendly gentleman and the eye catching decorations continued to pour into the restaurant washing all over every square inch. There was art work composed of broken tiles, a solitary skeleton seated at the bar. It was all so very unique as if we were transported to another place far away.

Poe ordered chicken quesadillas ($11.75) and I ordered chicken tamales with green sauce ($11.75). Our drink orders came and Poe remarked that her tea did not taste brewed ($3.50), possibly fountain tea. My Diet Coke came in a can ($2.50). The service was fast and friendly, the parking was wide open. The deco was remarkable. Now it was time to check out the food. They brought us house salsa and chips. I always consider the salsa as the first impression in these types of establishments. The salsa did not disappoint. I like spicy, Poe has a low tolerance but does like some flavor as well. We both agreed the crispy chips and flavorful salsa were both great that day.

When our meals arrived, I was famished. I almost ate faster that I could register the taste. But I did catch it. The green sauce was amazing. I thought they could have given more though, it was roughly a tablespoon. I am sure our friendly server would have brought more had I asked. However, when I dine I like to see what the standard portions are and if I return make the requested changes. Poe was not happy with her chicken quesadillas. The presentation was amazing but she did not really care for the texture. She thought it seemed chewier than it should have been. I gave it a try, it was definitely cooked through but somehow there was a slight chewiness. The flavor was great.

Our total bill included a CC service fee came to $35.03. This is not a bad price for a lunch for two. I took exception to paying $2.50 for a can of soda and Poe was not impressed with the texture of her chicken but did absolutely enjoy everything else in the experience and said she would like to come back and try a different dish.

Overall, we give Santi's a 3.75 out of 5 rating. Please see our FAQ page to understand rating system.

Check out their website here: Santi's.