Guadalajara Restaurants

1. Cafe D'Priss

Cafe D'Priss offers great coffee and breakfast; their waffles are the best in town. Portions are reasonable and prices are low, making it a favorite among locals and visitors.

2. Cerveceria Chapultepec

It's difficult to beat Cerveceria Chapultepec when it comes to finding a quick snack and a cold drink. Throughout the day, you'll find tacos, desserts, and many beers, and everything costs 20 MXN.

3. Chiles and Beer

Chiles and Beer serves quick (or not) meals throughout the day, to be washed down with—you guessed it—beer. Their burgers are big and tasty, but it's the seafood that stands out, particularly the aguachile, a type of Mexican ceviche that hails from Sinaloa. The classic version is made with fresh raw shrimp or fish, cucumber, red onion, lime juice, and chilies that have been pulverized with water—hence the name.

4. La Chata

At high meal times, travelers will find lines of locals and tourists alike extending out the door of this traditional Mexican restaurant in El Centro. While the decor is plain, the food is among the best in the city. Items worth testing include the queso fundido (cheese fondue) and the enchiladas. If you're staying in West Guadalajara, there's a second restaurant at 405 Terranova in Providencia.

5. Ajijic Tango

Considered one of the top restaurants in Ajijic, this Argentine favorite has locals and tourists waiting in a line down the block to get inside. Many go for the arrachera (flank steak), lamb, or carpaccio. Reservations are a must on weekdays, but the eatery doesn't take them on weekends, so get there early.

6. Brew House–Corazon de Malta

The only gastronomic brewery in Chapala, it offers craft beer and delicious food including burgers, burritos, tacos, and salads.

7. Casa Fuerte

Relax with tasty Mexican dishes at the tables along the sidewalk or in the oversize garden patio surrounding a magnificent old tree. Try the house specialty: chicken stuffed with huitlacoche (a corn fungus that's Mexico's answer to the truffle) and shrimp in tamarind sauce. Live musicians accompany the food (2:30 to 6 pm, approximately) every day except Monday.

8. Dona Gabina Escolastica

Dona Gabina is a local staple. While pozole and enchiladas are among the most popular dishes, nothing on the menu here will disappoint. Portions are large and prices are fair, so don't let the queue to enter deter you.

9. El Parián de Tlaquepaque

If you are looking for a traditional Mexican experience, there's no better place to go in Tlaquepaque than El Parián. At this large complex with a central patio shared by 18 different restaurants and bars, everyday is a Mexican fiesta! Mariachis perform all day long and tequila flows easily. The cuisine might not be the best in town, but it's quite good. 

10. El Rincón del Sol

A covered patio invites you to sip margaritas while listening to live trova (romantic ballads). Musicians play Tuesday to Friday evenings and on weekends during the leisurely lunch hour. Try one of the steak or chicken dishes, the burrito, or the classic chiles en nogada in the colors of the Mexican flag. The staff is friendly and helpful.

11. Fonda Cholula

This typical Mexican restaurant owned by José Cuervo serves decent quesadillas and other local favorites without leaving your wallet empty. The margaritas are quite tasty, too.

12. Johanna's

Come to this intimate bit of Bavaria on the lake for German cuisine like sausages and goose or duck pâté. Main dishes come with soup or salad, applesauce, and cooked red cabbage. For dessert indulge in plum strudel or blackberry-topped torte. Come on the early side, though; this restaurant closes at 8 pm.

13. Karne Garibaldi

This Tapatío institution has held the Guinness World Record for fastest restaurant service: 13.5 seconds for a table of six. Lightning-fast service is made possible by the menu's single item: carne en su jugo, a combination of finely diced beef and bacon simmered in rich beef broth and served with grilled onions, tortillas, and refried beans mixed with corn.

14. Karne Garibaldi

15. Karne Garibaldi

16. La Antigua Casona

Food in this "Old House" is exquisite, the location is serene, and the service is very good. Located inside Hotel Solar de Las Animas, it's open to the public.

17. La Bodega de Ajijic

Eat on a covered patio overlooking a grassy lawn and a small pool at this low-key restaurant. In addition to Mexican standards, the menu has Italian pasta dishes. Service is friendly, and there's live music—ranging from Mexican pop and rock to blues, jazz, guitar, and harp—most nights.

18. La Estancia Gaucha

One of the city's best non-Mexican options is this delicious Argentinian restaurant with decades of success. Steaks are their specialty, but they also offer a wide array of dishes including fish, pasta, and salads. An outstanding cava will also delight wine lovers.

19. La Morenita del Santuario

Locals and visitors come here for tasty traditional Mexican food in a simple family-friendly restaurant. Try the pozole, which starts with hominy and a protein as the base, and comes in three types of broth. Red pozole is a thinner broth that uses dried, red chilies; green pozole broth is rich and calls for fresh, green peppers; and white pozole is a thinner broth without chilies.

20. La Moresca