Nacho tour | Metromix Greenville
Nacho tour
The nachos at Barley's keep it simple but tasty with cheesy goodness. But if you're feeling frisky, you can top 'em with anything you can top a pizza with. (Credit: Melissa Hall)

No matter how you top ‘em, there’s something deliciously messy about a huge pile of cheesy, smothered tortilla chips. It’s like each chip makes its own little edible plate of goodness. And when you get the proper combination of meat, cheese, veggie and chip in every bite, it’s practically dining perfection.

But not everyone agrees on who has the best nachos around. So instead of starting any riots or bar room brawls over the subject, we’ve decided to give you a short list of some popular nachos around the Upstate. Some of these are traditional Mexican-style nachos and some are just a little different.

Chicora Alley

Chicora Alley

608-B S. Main St. - Greenville
864-232-4100

Nachos ($10 for a full order, $7.50 for a half order): The folks at Chicora make a variety of homemade salsas. And you’ll get a taste of all of ‘em on their nachos. Along with melted queso, guacamole and jalapeños. For a couple of bucks more, you can add chicken or beef. Even though we didn’t conduct a formal poll or anything, almost everybody we asked ranked these among the best nachos in town.

Sassafras Southern Bistro

Sassafras Southern Bistro

103 N. Main St. Ste. 107 - Greenville
864-235-5670

Blue Crab and Pepperjack Fondue Nachos ($12 for a large order, $7 for a small order): A platter of both tortilla chips and hand-cut potato chips is topped with melted pepperjack cheese, tomatoes, red onions, olives, jalapeños and sour cream. And oh, did we mention the mountains of blue crab meat they pile on top? They offer a “small” plate for $7.00, and it’s more than enough to share among friends.

Oysters On the West End

Oysters On the West End

11 E. Camperdown Way - Greenville
864-242-0099

Seafood Nachos ($23 for a full order, $13 for a half order): OK, so $23 might seem a little steep for nachos. But they’re loaded (and we do mean “loaded”) with sautéed shrimp, crawfish and blue crab. Add three different cheeses, sour cream, and some fresh pico de gallo, and they’re worth every penny. And as the weather gets warmer, the best way to eat them is definitely on the deck with a cold beer.

Corner Pocket Tavern

Corner Pocket Tavern

21 E. Coffee St. - Greenville
864-242-3432

Nachos Grande ($6.95): Like most of the folks on this list, Corner Pocket piles the nachos up high. You choose chicken or beef, and then they top ‘em with everything but the kitchen sink. The best part, though, is that gooey, orange awesomeness we know and love as “ball park” cheese. There’s a solid layer of it under all of the veggies. And it’s heavenly.

Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria

Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria

25 W. Washington St. - Greenville
864-232-3706

Nachos (plain cheese, $3.25; each additional topping, 75 cents): Never one for conformity, Barley’s doesn’t tell you what goes on nachos…you tell them. If you can put it on your pizza, you can put it on your nachos. Sure, they’ve got black beans, jalapeños and green chilies. But you could also make nachos with spinach, feta, artichoke hearts and sun dried tomatoes. The options are endless. And the folks at Barley’s don’t judge.

Rey's

Rey's

20 N. Main St. - Greenville
864-236-7400

Bourbon Barbecue Chicken Nachos ($8.75 for a full order, $6.50 for a half order): The best part of these nachos is the bourbon barbecue chicken. Pile on some white queso, cheddar cheese and red onions, and the result is pretty tasty.

Liberty Tap Room and Grill

Liberty Tap Room and Grill

941 S. Main St. - Greenville
864-770-7777

Roasted Chicken Nachos ($7.95): At first glance, these might just seem like ordinary chicken nachos. But tri-colored tortilla chips (red, white and blue…get it?), roasted chicken, melted cheese, beans, jalapeños, sour cream, lettuce and salsa all pile up to make these nachos anything but ordinary.

Chili's Too

Clemson University Campus - Clemson
864-656-0753

Kickin’ Jack Nachos ($7.49): Instead of a plate full of lots of smaller chips, Chili’s nachos are large, flat triangles, carefully topped with beans, beefy queso, melted jalapeño Jack cheese, margarita spice and sliced jalapeños on every chip. They kinda look like little slices of a Mexican pizza. And they’re fantastic. We haven’t really figured out what “margarita spice” is, but at this point, we’re not asking questions. You can find the Kickin’ Jack Nachos at any Chili’s location.

Hickory Tavern Grill & Raw Bar

143 Fernwood Drive - Spartanburg
864-591-3290

Nachos Deluxe ($8.95): It’s no secret why these nachos made our list. We like chili. And these are loaded with Hickory Tavern’s own beefy, beany Texas Chili. Add some cheese, peppers and sour cream, and it’s plenty to keep us munching until the last, messy bite.

Tiger Town Tavern

Tiger Town Tavern

368 College Ave - Clemson
864-654-5901

Nachos ($7.75): Like we said before, we love chili on nachos. And TTT piles on their homemade chili and homemade salsa on top of freshly cooked tortilla chips, along with the standard cheese, sour cream and jalapeños. Game day or not, this is one of our favorite spots in Clemson.

Moe's Southwest Grill

Moe's Southwest Grill

2011 Augusta St - Greenville
864-271-6637

Nachos ($7.01): You pick your meat and toppings and Moe’s does the rest. But with an entire buffet line of options, you can definitely get your nachos exactly how you want them. And they’re always so excited when you walk in the door! Nachos are served at all Moe’s locations across the Upstate.

Griffins Sports Bar & Grill

Griffins Sports Bar & Grill

199 Old Greenville Hwy - Clemson
864-654-5008

Barbecue Chicken Nachos ($6.95): You wouldn’t expect a Greek place to have some of the best nachos in Clemson, but Griffin’s certainly does. They start with grilled chicken basted in barbecue sauce, then pile it on top of melted cheese and tortilla chips. For a few cents more, you can add jalapeños, tomatoes, green peppers or onions. And apparently word is getting out, because they’ve recently become one of the most popular appetizers on the menu.

California Dreaming Restaurant

40 Beacon Dr - Greenville
864-234-9000

Seafood Nachos ($9.95): These seafood nachos are topped with spicy shrimp, fresh salmon, chopped red onions, capers and dill in a lobster-cream sauce. And they’re every bit as decadent as they sound. Not in the mood for seafood? Check out their Barbecue Chicken, Creamed Spinach, or Traditional Nachos.

Copper River Grill

Copper River Grill

102 Southern Center Way - Easley
864-859-0086

Creamed Spinach Nachos ($7.95): What better way to get your veggies than to add some cheese, cream sauce and put them on top of chips? Sure, these nachos are a lot like a traditional spinach dip sort of appetizer, but these are smothered with cheese first. And that makes all the difference. They also serve up some mean Barbecue Chicken Nachos. Served at all Copper River Grill locations across the Upstate.

These are just a few of our favorite places in the Upstate. Who did we leave off the list? Let us know in the comments section below.

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