3 Top Taco Spots in Guadalajara, Mexico
In the City of Tacos, our tried and true favorite ‘hidden gem’ taco restaurants
Before moving to Guadalajara, our experience with Mexican food largely centered around burritos, fajitas, and enchiladas. Guadalajara, however, is the Land of Tacos; without exaggeration, there are thousands of taco stands and restaurants in this city.
Tacos here come with a wide range of fillings to which you can add toppings (cilantro, onions, and radishes are most common) and sauces (salsas) to suit your tastes! The most famous, quintessentially “Guadalajara” tacos are the al pastor and the birria. Al pastor tacos contain marinated pork cooked on a vertical spit and served with pineapple, onions, and cilantro. Birria tacos contain slow-cooked meat (usually goat, beef, or lamb) that’s full of spices (cumin, oregano, chili) and served with a flavorful broth (consome) and often browned on the grill until the tortilla is crispy.
We have enjoyed over 1000 tacos in just 2 years here! They’re relatively healthy and very affordable - what’s not to love about feeding your family of 5 for ~MXN $250 (US $13)?! Note that we did not say fancy - the vast majority of taco spots are casual, practical establishments.
Amongst all these tacos, three restaurants stood out and became our go-to spots (and all three feature robust topping and sauce bars that we highly recommend you explore!):
For Birria & Al Pastor Tacos: Tacos Pepes
Calle Manuel López Cotilla 1534, Colonia Americana (downtown Guadalajara)
Truly a hidden gem not far from many of GDL’s top tourist locations, Pepe’s ridiculously affordable and delicious birria tacos are addictive! Pepe is the longtime owner and very friendly - he makes you feel like a guest in his home, always happy to bring you seconds (or thirds!) at your table. There is ample sitting room in the restaurant (tables seating 2-4); many people sit right outside along the tree-lined street as well. The sauces/toppings bar here has a wide selection (we recommend the guacamole sauce) of flavors and spice-levels. Try some consome (broth) to dip your taco into if you’re in the mood!
Favorite All-Around: Camachos Taqueria
Avenida Montevideo 3392, Providencia
As its name implies, this is a small establishment right along Guadalajara’s beautiful and lesser known aqueduct. Its run by 3 incredibly kind guys and is very affordable. There isn’t much seating area (perhaps 10 stools along the bar) but the atmosphere is great - what is not to love about sitting near a grill in open air looking out at a lively tree-lined boulevard?
We’ve enjoyed everything we’ve ever ordered here, from their generously sized, delicious variety of taco meats to their aguas frescas (juices) and even their quesadillas (a relative rarity in GDL). We got into the habit of showing up and eating whatever was ready from the grill rather than ordering any specific dish given the overall high quality. Mum’s favorite taco toppings here are the picked (pink) onions and the avocado sauce (lime green).
For Shrimp Tacos: Los Compios
There are 5 Los Compios tacquerias in the city:
Avenida Inglaterra 5003, Jardines Vallarta (‘our’ one)
Avenida Piotr Ilich Tchaikovski 578, Arcos de Guadalupe (near Parque Metropolitano)
Avenida Punto Sur 312, Tlajomulco de Zúñiga (Punto Sur, south of the city)
If you’re specifically looking for shrimp or fish tacos (or quesadillas), these are the best we’ve found! Their tortillas themselves are also somehow extra delicious. While the tacos come to your table in very simple form, their toppings/sauces bar is generous and we love loading our tacos up to bursting - note that the toppings/sauces increase in spice level from left to right. There is ample seating at tables here.
Have you discovered other amazing taco spots in GDL you’d like to share? Let us know in the Comments.
Check out our Post Directory for more recommendations of places to see and things to do in beautiful Guadalajara such as:
For great restaurants in Guadalajara with play areas for the kids to enjoy, see this post!
Interested in venturing a little further outside of the city? Our post about great family activities within about an hour’s drive from Guadalajara is here!
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