Charlie’s Tacos

Located just a short distance from the U.S. military base and once a bustling commercial hub, Park Avenue Street is home to this taco shop. It started as an "A-Sign Restaurant" during the era when Okinawa was under U.S. military rule. An "A-Sign" was a business permit given to US military-approved restaurants in Okinawa before its reversion to Japan.

The flagship menu item is the "Charlie Rice" - rice specially cooked for taco rice, topped with taco fillings and an original sauce. The story goes that this dish originated when they ran out of taco shells, and the leftover fillings were placed on rice for the staff meals. Customers then began requesting the combination, leading to this unique creation. It comes topped with meat and two kinds of cheese, and the flavor of the meat stands out exquisitely. Their standard tacos use barley, providing a pleasantly chewy texture. Customers can choose their preferred combination of spiciness, beef, chicken, or tuna.

The sturdy chairs inside the shop cater to the larger foreign clientele, hinting at its history with the nearby military base. One wall is plastered with messages from visitors from both within and outside the prefecture, a testament to the long-standing affection for this establishment.