Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant
4502 W Hillsborough Ave, Tampa, FL, 33614
Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant Menu
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Address :
4502 W Hillsborough Ave
Tampa, FL, 33614 - Phone (813) 879-4096
- Website https://www.mexicanrestauranttampa.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Liz G.
I ordered a taco salad w chicken, it was nothing special so I wouldn't recommend this place off of that. My boyfriend and my daughter ate the enchiladas and those were excellent, very cheese. I got a kids pizza for our older daughter, it wasn't what we expected. The pizza was covered in, what tasted like, salsa dip. We went around 4pm, probably about two other cars in the parking lot. In the side of the restaurant where we sat was one other family of 4. Each of us had our own waitress. I saw their waitress check in several time. Our server, on the other hand, was no where to be found. She took our order, gave is the food, and checked in once we were done and needed our check. Once you're ready to pay, you take the receipt to the front desk... More waiting. Good thing I had cash on me. I left it under they keyboard and walked away. After waiting for long for a waitress I was going to keep the waiting to leave.
(2)Michelle D.
Very cool fountain as soon a you walk in. It is very colorful and a nice place to sit down and eat. They have lunch specials but if you want to substitute anything such as black beans its an extra $3.00 minimum. The lunch special will end up costing you more than a dinner price. I wish I wasn't there during a work lunch because the margaritas looked delicious and everyone seemed to be enjoying them. I opted for a Pepsi product....Next time! The food was good but not the best. The salsa was bland. The chips are thick and was served cold. After that, I didn't have high expectations for my food when it arrived. However, the actual food was good! I ordered cheese enchiladas. The sauce was red and not smothered. It had a mild flavor. The pico was extremely fresh and very tasteful. They use a white cheese that also was very flavorful compared to the regular orange cheeses. The best part of the experience was I had an issue with my order. They told me there was no manager until later in the day. I don't recall the lady I spoke with and wish I could have. She really went above and beyond to correct it. There's few times you have an issue and leave happier. She really displayed excellent customer service and for that reason alone I would return.
(3)Mark H.
I've been eating here for roughly 14 years now. This was a favorite of mine for lunch back when I worked around the corner at Thompson Cigar. This is the Mexican restaurant that introduced me to one of my favorite dishes, carne asada. And for years, I used Guadalajara's as the standard when eating carne asada at other places. It's that good. However, as the years went by, I was in the area less and Mexi eateries began cropping up like weeds all over the county. So for about three years, I've gone without a visit. Well, until last night. La Chica and I stopped in after the Bucs game to grab some food. Amazingly, she had never been and I figured I was over due on a visit. I opened up the menu and immediately saw that they actually have my new favorite Mexi dish, El Mojcajete! I was seriously excited to eat this newly discovered dish. I had only eaten once before (at Señor Tequila), so I was eager to do a comparison. Here is the breakdown. Presentation - This goes to Señor Tequila. Theirs comes out in a piping-hot lava rock molcajete bowl with the meats still sizzling like a fajita platter. Also, Señor Tequila's version is topped with a beautifully-grilled poblano pepper. Size/Portion - This too goes to Señor Tequila. Their version was probably 2 or 3 ounces larger. Additionally, Señor Tequila serves theirs with tortillas, rice, beans, lettuce, cheese and pico on the side. At Guadalajara, you just get beans and tortillas. Price - Head-to-head, Guadalajara wins. However, you get a lot more bang for your buck at Señor Tequila. Contents - Again, Señor Tequila wins because theirs includes steak, chicken, pork AND shrimp. At Guadalajara, you only get one meat, but they will mix two if you ask. So 4 meats at the other joint and only 2 here. Also, Señor Tequila has some grilled cactus in theirs. At Guadalajara, no cactus for you! Taste - Here's where Guadalajara pulls out in front a bit. Their version is a bit more "soupy" than Señor Tequila's. This allows all of those wonderful spices to fully soak into the meats and veggies in the bowl, and then you're left with a few brothy sips at the end to wash it all down. Absolutely delicious. Bottom line, if you want to save a few bucks and eat a smaller Molcajete for one, Guadalajara is the place to be. If you want a Molcajete that can easily feed two for an extra buck or two, then Señor Tequila should be your destination. Both versions are delicious.
(4)Francesca L.
I wanted to give this place 5/5 stars SO bad because the food was INSANELY GOOD! But the service was sooooo slow and sooooo bad that I had to dock a star ( I would have docked it 2 stars, but that food! Yum!). Went here on a Saturday night with my husband and parents around 7:30. It wasn't busy, or empty. Pretty casual--jeans or khaki shorts for men and a sundress or jeans for women. We started with some margaritas and chips with guacamole and salsa--all very good. Except we ran out of chips and asked for more (twice) and by the end of dinner still hadn't gotten them. I had the fish tacos (came with rice and beans) and WOW I am going to dream about them--they were amazing. My husband had an enchilada (delicious), my mother had a salad (didn't bother tasting it) and my dad had some type of cauldron of red sauce with meat and a "make your own fajita" type set up. The food was out of this work--authentic, a LOT and very reasonably priced. The service was not great. We didn't get refills, we didn't get more chips, we had to ask another waitress to get our waitress to bring us the check, and we STILL didn't get the check. We probably waited longer for our check and to pay than we did to eat the whole meal! I will return for the food, but I will pray I don't get the same waitress....maybe I should order it to go next time!
(4)Dave C.
Stopped here for lunch and the music playing was Reggaeton :/ Terrible. I asked the waitress why werent they playing mexican music and she promptly changed it. Thankfully that small identity issue didnt roll over into the food. Everything was fantastic. The horchata was one of the best Ive had and the price for luch was excellent. If they can keep the image authentic then they will be hard to beat.
(4)Gigi S.
Hungry and weary after a Bucs game, Mark H assured me his old Tampa haunt could fix me, and fix me it did. I couldn't eat again for another day. The adorable dining room and Day of the Dead menus left no hint of what awaited my bowels. After asking the server which of a couple of dishes she would suggest, I ordered the Mojo Shrimp and the hugest margarita they had. She went to the bar and pulled down on an ICEE type lever filling the hugest margarita glass I had ever seen with the concoction and bringing it right over. Not as quickly, my dish emerged. It possessed a funny smell upon arrival, and the shrimp were butterflied for no apparent reason. Also, the tails were on - a peeve of mine. I picked thru the hot dish de-tailing the tiny scattered shrimp while I considered asking if they could up charge me whatever amount to serve the shrimp correctly, but I was so hungry I pressed on. They were salty and really fishy, like say bad shrimp. I continued on with a silent smile as I politely finished my plate. Mark was distracted by his Molcajete, and after a sniff of my dish, realized something was terribly wrong, but it was too late. I left after only a few sips of enormous margarita and reported directly to the restroom using my last remaining strength to build myself a nest in front of the bowl where I hung out for the next day. Never again. Hamas!
(1)Sammy B.
Don't even think of wasting your time going here. The worst service I have ever experienced. The place was almost empty, waited over 1 hour for our food. When it finally did come, only 1/2 the order arrived. Had to wait another 15 minutes for the rest of our meals. Spoke with the management on duty, she could care less. Did absolutely nothing. I nor anyone I know will ever go back there. They are NOT military friendly
(1)Bunny N.
I went to Guadalajara's for lunch. The restaurant was decorated and nicely themed. They have decent lunch specials... most of them are 7.99. I ordered the quesodila (I can't spell) and enchilada special. You do get complimentary chips and salsa before your order is ready. The salsa wasn't anything impressive. My co-worker accidentally had a corner of his paper napkin touching one of the salsas that we weren't eating. In half an hour, the whole paper napkin was soaked from the water that was in the salsa. It's just so watered down with not much flavor. The rest of the food I ordered was mediocre at best. The guac I had only tasted like avocados and onions.... no spices, lime juice, or salt. Service was OK. I've been to better tasting Mexican restaurants.
(2)Larry C.
We were in the mood for some authentic Mexican food and was able to snag a table with the family for dinner. Awesome interior inside as they have a day of the dead type of theme with painted skulls & skeletons pictures all over the restaurant. They even have a very cool looking fountain to greet you once you open the doors and see the hostess which gives it a nice added touch of authenticity to make you feel even more like you've been magically transported to mexico! Aside from taco Bell & Chipotle, i know i'm no where near an expert on Mexican food by any means but what i do know is that i did enjoy my meal and the food i ordered was very tasty. I decided to skip ordering a main entree and since i liked that they have a few items on the menu under $3, i opted to make my own little sampler of various tacos, burritos & enchiladas by ordering a few different items to get a nice sampling of various Mexican foods. The chicken, beef that i ordered on my dishes was on point and the tortillas had a nice crunch to it. Def can taste the better quality of the ingredients used here over something received from one of the major Mexican food chains. I will def be coming back again as i enjoyed my meal and look forward to trying more items on the menu!
(4)Yohanis C.
This is what authentic Mexican food is all about. The decoration of the place brings me back memories from Mexico. Beautiful glass works in the ceilings with images of the Mayan calendar. It's a shame it is not more centrally located but their food is great, specially their Mexican soups. The service is nice, it could be a little faster though.
(4)Mateo H.
Horrible service, bland food. We waited forever to see a waitress, and then she didn't have much time for us. We had to point out to her that we were out of chips and salsa. The place wasn't nearly full, either. When the food came, it had little taste, especially the burritos. We won't be back.
(1)Kelleigh M.
This little hole in the wall is actually quite beautiful inside. It definitely surprised us. We arrived around lunch time on a Saturday and were looking forward to some Mexican. Service was spotty at first but got better once the waitress took our order. I had picked a lunch combo off their menu but then was told the lunch menu was only during the week...weird. So I made my own combo up. I thought the dinner menu, that we were required to order from, was a bit pricey. Enchiladas shouldn't be $14. Although we thought it was good, I don't think it was great. If I was going to want to get my Mexican fix, I would still go to Carmelita's. I absolutely love their chips/salsa and their enchilada sauce.
(3)Charles P.
Carnitas pork.You can't wrong.Taste very good.The Carne asado is also very tastee.Very generous portions.
(4)Mailoha A.
Service was great but food was....okay.
(2)Valery M.
Great food! And really reasonable pricing! Location was perfect too because I have a flight to catch!!
(4)Barry P.
Great food that is made like authentic Mexican. I had a wet burrito that was huge. The atmosphere and service were spot on. Definitely would go on back and refer to friends.
(4)Claudio P.
In all honesty Guadalajara is the Mexican restaurant I've ever had. I had Arrachera al molcajete and Carne Asada and those two were so well made. Perfect temperature and of course super delicious. I strongly recommend Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant to everyone looking for a awesome Mexican restaurant. On the side note, the waitresses and their service was perfect and was very satisfied and impressed.
(5)Lee L.
First thing first I'm the realist... Mexican food lover there is in Tampa Fl. I moved here from Brownsville, Tx google for a reference point... so I would like to think I know good Mexican food. With that being said here is my two cents. Let's us start with the building itself. I will say it's what I would call a hole in the wall place. My wife and I drove past it many times with her suggesting it multiple times. I judged a book by its cover like mom told me not to and sure enough I really enjoyed this place. In Tampa I have only tried Vallarta's twice & El paso aka salsas I think. I disliked both unfortunately. I was tempted to divorce my wife and move back to Texas until Guadalajara saved my marriage. In Texas I loved ordering barbacoa tacos from a place called Rachels in San Antonio yelp it great place. I was unable to find the tacos in Tampa and low and behold Guadalajaras had it. My wife ordered Carne Tostadas which were also amazing so I now also order that every so often. As far as proportions I am a big guy 325lbs and I get full (Merica) as I like to say so that should say something. I work in a call center and will say I think the price is rather expensive around $40 with tip for two of us I will say I typically order a side cheese enchilada to be fair . Overall I love this place and wish to thank the people who run this joint and make it happen, we will be long time customers if the food is always up to the standards it's been the last three times we have been there. this is just my two cents I hope you at least give this place a try if you have not done so already and remember food without taste is like a relationship without sex !
(5)Melissa I.
So first of all, there's a lot of dumb people on Yelp. I read a review for this place that mentioned a creepy clown lady on the menu which brought down his rating even though they thought the food was excellent. Ummm, perhaps they haven't heard of Day of the Dead...sigh I digress. The food was okay, I was expecting it to be better. I would avoid the combos as it seemed really normal. My fiance had a some sort of burrito that tasted better. I was really hoping for some authentic Mexican food and everything was about average and a little over priced for average. I would go there again if someone else wanted to go and probably if I needed to just get out of the office for lunch but not a place if I'm looking to really have an amazing meal and amazing service. I prefer Taqueria Emanuals. More authentic, lots of flavor, more affordable prices!
(3)Vlad M.
It's was very filling!! Very good as well. I had the fried burrito with dinner plate, and OH MY!
(5)Erick R.
By far the best traditional Mexican food in the west Tampa. The white cheese dip is awesome and the portions are those you'd expect out of your typical Mexican restaurant. If you're in the area, give them a try!
(4)Liz H.
My partner in crime for the week and I stopped in on a rainy Wednesday evening. I had been here once before almost a decade ago when I was still living in the area. Decided to see if it was as good as I remembered it being. It was pretty quiet that night. Maybe it's because it's out of the way behind the airport and they get more people for lunch from the businesses near by, maybe it was the weather. Either way we had the pace pretty much to ourselves making it nice and intimate. To start the server brought some tortilla chips like most places life this do. They were a bit stale. But we weren't there for those anyways. He ordered the beef sope(I think) and an enchilada. Both of which looked good but he didn't share so all I can say is that he liked them. I got something I don't remember the name of but had goat meat in it. Whatever it was, it was amazing. My partner kept stealing bites of it too. The building could do with a little updating. The paint definitely needs touching up. It really is a hole in the wall type of establishment. But sometimes that's a good thing.
(4)Emily B.
The pro for Guadalajara is the portion size. I could barely finish half of the chimichanga dinner. Flavors were decent, but not memorable. Service was a bit slow, considering there were only a few other tables. Cons: terrible salsa (very salty, watery) and prices are high for the quality of this restaurant. The grilled veggie chimichanga dinner was $12.99. I may stop in again if I happened to be hungry and in the area...but wouldn't go out of my way. The search for great Mexican food in Tampa continues.
(3)Frank N.
I've eaten here several times before and I have to say I have never had a bad meal, but I have tried different Latin cuisines since the last time I ate here and to be honest I've had an epiphany. Being much more familiar with Cuban and similar cuisines now, I've learned that these cuisines do not season their food as heavily as the Mexican food I was used to in California, Arizona, Texas and Mexico. There it is highly seasoned and some of it just plain ole blows your head off. But the Latin cuisines here are restrained and I believe that practice has found its way into the Mexican food found in Tampa and probably Florida. It just all makes sense. So when I lunched today at Guadalajara I was taken aback by what at first I perceived as lacking flavor as it is compared to the Mexican places mentioned. But it is totally consistent with the level of seasonings found in the others cuisines found in Tampa. Different and tasty yes but not over powering or strong. I had the 2 soft tacos for lunch. The Cuban influence is strong here because the waitress didn't say chicken or ground beef for meat choices, she said chicken and piccadillo. Always get them on soft corn tortillas, otherwise it's taco bell. The sides were refried beans...very good and yellow rice...very Cuban. The tacos were packed full. We were given chips and salsa, the salsa was tasty very little heat and a bit watery. I did get to try my very first Horchata. Absolutely delicious, tasted like rice pudding, I highly recommend it. Service was quite good and we were in and out of there in about 40 minutes. This is about as good as Mexican gets around here so go enjoy.
(3)Lindsey T.
I have to say I'm not one to take the time to write a review but I HAD TO for this place after my first time experience last Friday for lunch. Their lunch specials are a lot of food for a VERY reasonable price!! I ordered the #23 Lunch Special - One Quesadilla and One Soft Taco. The quesadilla and soft taco were loaded and completely delicious!! The lunch specials come with yellow rice and refried beans ... and they don't skimp on portions! Then my sister and I shared the Banuelos for dessert...O-M-G! This alone made me want to write the review --- sooooo yummy! Generous amounts of swirled chocolate , cinnamon and powdered sugar. My only two complaints that resulted in me giving this place 4 stars instead of 5 was 1. The service wasn't all that great. The server never asked if we wanted more chips/salsa or refills on our waters. And 2. They were all out of ice cream for the Banuelos!! Who runs out of ice cream?!? Would have made the perfect complement to the fried tortillas...I'm hoping next time we go they have it in stock! For a huge lunch including dessert both our bills came to under $10. Overall VERY pleased and will be back for more :)
(4)Kaylee S.
Very dissapointed taco lover. Salsa and guacamole were bland, service was slow, and the entrees were truly nothing special. I would not recommend!
(2)Aaron K.
This would have been 5 stars if the review was just about the food. I had the combo platter with steak. Taco, tostado and enchilada all were flavorful and everything tasted fresh. My date had the pork which also was wonderful! The staff was very friendly. What brings this review down is the bathroom. It was in bad shape. The urinal was torn from the wall and the floor was slippery with trash all over. I went to wash my hands and the soap dispenser was broken. With some attention to the bathroom this would be 5 stars.
(3)Steve E.
I guess it's time to give up the goods on a great little "hole-in-the-wall" Mexican restaurant located on Hillsborough Avenue. First of all there's the trick of finding this place.... Start by going east on Hillsborough under the Vets, and keep an eye on the right. Just past the fence for Tampa International Airport is a small yellow building near a U-Haul store. If you make it to U-Haul then you've gone too far......keep driving, as that means more chips for me. Yayyyyyy!!!! Guadalajara's is not the typical Mexican chain restaurant, and not the kind of place to go if you're looking to use some kind of internet coupon promising plates of crappy tacos for $5. Guadalajara's *IS* made-to-order, very fresh, very fairly priced, and delicious. My personal favorite is the carnitas plate with a bowl of their outstanding charro beans. The staff speaks Spanish (Wow, big surprise....), and the clientele is generally Hispanic (Another shock, I know....), but they are extremely gracious, helpful, and I can promise you a relaxed meal that you'll enjoy. And if you don't like it......keep driving, and look for a Taco Bell. Ole'
(4)Spence R.
Here is the deal. The food was excellent. That is why they are not one star. But everything else was horrible. First of all their menus have this scary looking dead clown lady on the front with stitches across her mouth. Not really sure what that was all about. Next, the people move so slow - like pond water. I mean, it took FOREVER to get anything. The bring you one measly basket of chips, and we had to ask for them and the basket took forever. We have 4 at our table so that basket went quickly. The ordering food took forever. The food took forever. Waiting on the bill took FOREVER. Then the worst part about waiting was when we needed to pay. I was waiting at the checkout counter for about 5-10 minutes - no one showed up to take my money. I almost just left. But I don't "dine and dash" so I had cash and just threw some cash on the counter to cover the bill and tip. But it was brutal. One final point is that everything is about 30-40% more expensive than a regular Mexican place and it isn't all that much better. I mean it is a little better, but not worth the extra $10 on the meal. What usually would have cost us $21ish at Vallarta's ended up costing us $32 before tip at this place. Music was a tad loud also. Unless you like waiting an awful long time and you like your Mexican expensive and you don't mind the freaky menus, I would go elsewhere.
(2)Kathy D.
I have had the pleasure of eating at Guadalajara several times. In reading the reviews I must, yes must make the following comments: the restaurant does not get its chips for free and many people come in and have 1 beer or drink and make their dinner the free chips and salsa, personally I agree with their concept of charging extra UNLESS people are ordering food, then chips and salsa should flow freely. Seeing a Sysco truck merely means that like any restaurant, yes, even Ruth Chris, they must order food to serve. The boxes from Sysco does not imply that there food is pre-made and/or prepackaged, The comment about the napkin drawing liquid from the salsa, in no way implies that they have added water to their homemade salsa, and it is homemade, as I have enjoyed it on several occasions, and no I am not affiliated with the restaurant in any way, I just call them as I see them. Diced tomatoes and onions, especially tomatoes release their natural juices once their outer skin has been pierced, so it is natural for there to be a natural tomato juice to salsa, some places drain it to have it appear thicker and other places, just let it be natural. Speaking of salsa, I have been know to stop in for a cocktail and enjoy their fresh, homemade salsa and chips. 1 basket of chips and bowl of salsa is plenty to enhance my cocktail experience and alleviate my feeling to much on some other form of food. Another favorite time to stop in, is when I haven't had time for lunch and still have a few hours before dinner. You want something, so you don't feel starved, but not a whole meal. This, is a great time for a beef taco or 2, along with the free chips and salsa you receive, no matter what you order. Taco shells are crisp, not greasy and you get a large helping of well seasoned ground beef along with the usual toppings. I feel the the ratio of meat is more than most restaurants offer and the lettuce, cheese.. are all the right amount and they are fresh. This place may not look like much from the outside, but inside there is nice polished tile floors, a beautiful fountain and it is clean. Unless you go to high end Mexican restaurants, they aren't always going to look so clean. This is another nod to small restaurant owners in the Bay area and not mega chains, let's keep them open and only bash them, if it is necessary. We owe a lot to mom and pop restaurants and it also helps us all that live locally . Another great sign about this restaurant, every time I visit most of the customers are Mexican and know what food they want and how they expect it to be prepared. I see large tables of happy, full and content Mexican patrons, to me this speaks volumes about a restaurant and its authenticity. What's a girl to do? Don't we all love authentic, well prepared Mexican food at affordable prices?
(4)Cathy A.
This was our first time trying this restaurant and I am happy to say it will not be our last. The food was excellent as was the service. Everyone was very friendly and the service was quick. We are very happy to find a decent Mexican restaurant in the neighborhood and will be going back regularly in the future.
(4)Lori V.
I've always liked this place ever since a friend told me to try it. Since them I've brought various guests and we are never disappointed. Last time I went after a long day shopping at babies r us. I had a nice taco salad and it hit the spot. My friend had a yummy margarita and she said it was strong!! I've tried different things each time. I'm always pleased. It is clean inside and smells fresh. The waitresses are good as well.
(4)Ashley P.
The restaurant was decorated nice. Little dirty, sugar caddies not full maybe 3 packets in them. Had to ask for chips and salsa then told we have to pay If we want more. Food was eh. Service was eh. Only us and one other table. Nothing to write home about
(2)Jennifer S.
Went here on a Saturday evening with my family and had great service. Even though it doesn't seem like it from the outside, the restaurant is cozy and cute on the inside. Everything was delicious, even the kids' chicken tenders. And the fajita wrap was fantastic! Check this place out for sure!
(4)Jean A.
Love the horcharta! And some other dishes. Now do not say you didn't like something cause you get the stinky eye! But well I guess she was too busy. They also make good burritos and flautas! I need to try the mole if I decide to go back again.
(4)Carol G.
I happened onto this spot. Very hangry needing food. I was looking for a Cuban sandwich to go.. I know.. wrong country. So I wander in the place expecting nothing.. I was so pleasantly surprised. My server was sweet and accommodating. My Chili Relenos was perfect. I ordered guacamole.. way too much for one sitting. I'm looking forward to eating the left overs later. I highly recommend this place. I was in and out in no time. Super!
(4)Karen D.
So, my husband says he found a Mexican restaurant in Tampa that has good margaritas (according to the Tampa Bay Times 10 Best Margaritas list). We drove from St. Pete in rush hour, pulled up at the restaurant and so far, so good. The exterior was nice, you could hear good music playing from outside. I should have known, however, when my husband told the waitress, "I hear you have good margaritas!" and I saw her puzzled face and shrug of her shoulders, that we may be in for some trouble. I didn't see a drink menu, and she didn't offer anything special, so we ordered two lime margaritas. They tasted like super sour snow cone mix with no alcohol. I couldn't drink it. Luckily, my husband was thirsty, so he just drank them both. We asked if they had anything else, and the waitress looked confused. Nevermind. The food was taking forever (and as another reviewer said - everything was taking forever). I was starting to get really worried about the food, and wishing we could just leave. My husband ordered spare ribs. Really??? It was some thin, flat piece of meat with a TON of fat on it. I've had spare ribs plenty of times, it's never looked anything like this. It was so tough, I couldn't take a bite. All we could do was laugh. My chicken enchiladas were really bland. Not terrible, just bland. My daughter ordered a gordita with ground beef. It was actually excellent. I wish we all would've ordered this because it was the only good thing, and it was priced reasonably. I'm sorry, but I cannot recommend this place. It's like they don't want to make money. We asked if they had any other drinks and the waitress said no. My husband jokingly said, "Just tequila shots?" and she took him seriously and said, "No, the tequila is just for those." (pointing at the margarita glasses). Okay, whatever. That was the saddest Mexican food restaurant I've ever been to. Oh, I forgot to mention, it was 6:30pm and there was only 1 other table besides us. Whoever took such effort to make the place look nice, should put some effort into the menu, pricing and energy in that place.
(1)Rob L.
I have been living in Tampa for years and have passed this restaurant many times. Tonight I decided to go in for dinner as I was running solo. Service was excellent, friendly and genuine. I was seated quickly and my server had my drink order in quickly. She then returned with chips and really delicious salsa. It tasted very fresh and had nice flavor. I ordered the tamale dinner. It was brought out surprisingly quick. I am always happier when I see a plate like this one, it looks fresh and steam was coming off it, which included wonderful aroma. All in all, a very solid experience both with the food and the service. I'll look forward to going back. Yelp can be frustrating to me because it seems like some of my fellow reviewers simply want to take their grief out on someone. I try to be realistic with my reviews, as a perfect example, there were no burros farting rainbows at this restaurant but they delivered exactly what I expected. Nice food, pleasant friendly service in a reasonable price. What else can you ask for?
(4)Deana D.
$3 for a tortilla chip refill. What a joke. Gave it a 2nd chance. Still bad. LA Hacienda down the road is 10x the place that this place is. Restrooms were disgusting. No urinal.
(1)Diana A.
I have been there 3 times and every single time they mess up my order. I have never had good service . The queso is good that's the only reason they got three stars
(3)Cory H.
My favorite Mexican restaurant !!! They Fancy Chimmiechanga is my absolute favorite!!!! But fajitas r good 2 mmmmmm luv it!
(5)Mark B.
This is a great Authentic Mexican restaurant. The atmosphere is relaxed and enjoyable. The food is delicious and the servers were all very friendly.
(4)Chris R.
This place ad nice decor,the staff was friendly the food was excellent. I recommend anybody to come.
(4)Callie S.
My bf and I love this place! Uusually Mexican restaurants try to meet American taste but the food made me feel like I was in Mexico. It was outstanding and so was the service. Also they do have the Mexican Leche! woohoo!
(5)Sandra A.
This place isn't fancy on the outside, but it is very nice on the inside. The first thing we noticed when we walked in was how clean everything was...even the ceiling fans were spotless. The service was fast and friendly, the food was authentic Mexican food (not Tex-Mex thankfully), and the portions were huge. It's hard to find good Mexican food that is not drowning in cumin, garlic or salt. The food stands out, not the spices. The salsa tasted fresh and homemade as well as the tortillas. We ordered the Tacos al Pastor, Steak Taco and Chicken Flauta to start...and all were delicious. You should definitely try the Tacos al Pastor. My husband ordered the steak burrito and I ordered the chicken enchiladas for dinner. Everything was fantastic. I cannot say enough good things about this place. We live in St. Pete and it is a bit of a drive just to eat here, but I believe we have found our new Mexican joint. We will absolutely be back as there is so much on the menu we can't wait to try.
(5)Sunny B.
From the outside you are not expecting too much by way of decor or ambiance, but inside it's rather cute. Food is good, prices are good.
(3)Tony K.
This is my first time here and I am very impressed. After growing up in AZ I am a bit of an Mexican food snob. I must say that the food was amazing and only second to their service.
(5)Veronica G.
Great food, tasted like homemake. Good service but food took little time to come out. Nice little restaurant, nice colorful decoration. We will go back again.
(4)Jane S.
I have NO IDEA why this does not get consistent 5 stars. It is as good Mexican food as I have ever had (outside southern California). It was probably the best chimichanga I have ever had. I've also had really good food in hole in the wall places where presentation was not considered. These plates were gorgeous AND delicious. Prices very reasonable. Decor was very nice as well.
(5)Kevin F.
So far I've tried to the steamed goat, beef cheeks, and the cactus with eggs. They've all been excellent. Maybe one of these days, I might get adventurous enough to try the menudo ;)
(3)Peter C.
This is thhe best Mexican food I found in tampa ...
(4)John S.
My wife and i love Mexican food and eat it quite a bit. Guadalajara is the best place we've found in the Tampa area so we keep coming back. We've eaten here at least 50 times both lunches and dinners. Great food, usually good service and reasonable prices. When traveling we use Yelp to zero in on places to eat. Likewise if you are from out of town, try this place, we think you'll be pleased.
(5)Craig D.
Great authentic Mexican food. I had the steak fajitas - huge and very tasteful. I would certainly come back for another meal. It's a drive for me but well worth it
(4)Sharen U.
We have a friend that moved here recently and have been exploring all the local places. I had been to Guadalajara's a few times and just love it, so we went there at lunchtime. The best thing is the tacos al pastor. They are out of this world in flavor. The place is always clean, very kitchy Mexican decorations. We had quite a problem with our waitress, she was new and not very good at her job. I think if I had never been there it would have lead us to never go again, I spoke with the cashier and she was going to speak with the manager. If I had never been there before I think it would have caused us to never go again despite the excellent food, but I realize that an occasional employee issue happens anywhere, so we will be back!
(4)Carlos H.
After finding myself pretty satisfied with Vallarta's Mexican and no longer exploring Mexican restaurants, I decided to try this place randomly when driving around this part of town for lunch and was satisfied but not amazed by their food. The restaurant was pretty nice inside and the waitress was decent, though she looked a little confused half the time. My sister was disappointed with their menu and the food we got was just alright. The real reason why I liked this place has to be that they have Horchata, a mexican drink that few places in Tampa have available.
(3)Richard S.
Great food and very friendly, attentive service. The taco salad was very tasty and the perfect size. Roosters tacos was one of the best taco dishes I've had in a while.
(5)Lauren G.
Those who are giving this cafe positive reviews do not know authentic mexican food. Let me start with the service. I went here the first time with a Groupon that gave me 50% discount and arrived on a Sat. night yet it was still only half full of patrons. We immediately asked for the horchata which they did not have....what? Tortilla soup? Not that either....why have things on the menu if you dont actually offer them? After we ordered an appetizer we did not see our waitress for some time . She finally returned with a small (tiny) pot of melted chees...which provided only four tablespoon servings total! They offered the typical "tex-mex" fare that you would find in a Don Pablo's or a chain restaurant. The pork was fatty, the refried beans extremely oily and when we ordered "micheladas" or beer with clamato juice and chili spice we received something that wasn't even drinkable. Doused in so much chili we couldn't even choke it down. My boyfriend was raised in Mexico and I have been there many times. I have eaten excellent mexican food in the states as well. This is NOT mexican. It's a poor example. One more visit gave the same result, no horchata (it was a weekday!) and a non existent server. It took us over 45 minutes to receive our entrees after ordering! They have to improve service to deserve more than 2 stars.
(1)Curtis K.
Went to lunch there with a co-worker. Was seated a received drinks and chips. Then waited 20 minutes and no one came to take our order. During these time two other groups were seated and orders were promptly taken. My co-worker and I walked out eventually.
(1)Chastity R.
After going to many different Mexican restaurants trying to find the most authentic food, I finally came across this one that is very close to my home. Everything I have tried here has not let me down and is very fresh. I would highly recommend this place to you Mexican food lovers.
(4)Occy V.
Slap your momma good Carne Asada for 12 bucks. Awesome and very authentic latin taste !!
(4)Kevin H.
this is far and away the best place for good Mexican food in the greater Tampa area - not fancy at all, just really good food at good prices. i highly recommend the getting anything Al Pastor!
(5)Shakira H.
After trying Guadalajara for the first time today, I have to say that we are fans. I had the Chili Rellano (sp?) with ground beef (I asked for it) and my boyfriend had pork carnitas. Needless to say, both were delicious! The pork melted in your mouth and thee chili was beyond delicious. Its a cute little place with friendly faces and great service. We will definitley be back!
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