Where to Eat and Drink in Guadalajara Right Now
With Mexico City to the southeast and Puerto Vallarta to the west, Guadalajara has historically been an afterthought for many international travelers. Yet with the town of Tequila nearby to serve as a draw for drinks-focused tourists, its rapidly growing reputation as a culinary and cocktail destination has given the city a vibrancy and energy that has to be experienced to be understood.
Like any big city, Guadalajara has a number of neighborhoods, each with its own distinct vibe and style. The heart of the culinary and bar scene is Colonia Americana. Located near the center of the city, it’s absolutely teeming with places to eat and drink, as well as some of the best preserved examples of the schools of architecture that flourished in the 1920s and 1930s as the city grew and rebuilt after the Mexican Revolution.
Guadalajara is also a late-night town, with many bars and restaurants serving well into the early hours of the morning, and revelers taking advantage of the warmth and temperateness to turn a dinner out into a party, any night of the week.
For those on their way to GDL, here are some of the best places to drink and eat right now.
The Best Bars in Guadalajara
El Gallo Altanero
Credit: El Gallo Altanero
While the pedigree of Freddy Andreasson’s highly acclaimed El Gallo Altanero — it’s No. 8 on North America’s 50 Best Bars 2025 and No. 48 on the World’s 50 Best Bars 2024 — might make you assume a degree of seriousness and solemnity, that misconception is shed almost the moment you walk in. Now, the drinks are definitely serious, but the vibe is far more lively and party-oriented than many other bars of its ilk. At the loud, open-air spot, it’s not until you take a sip of the stunning Negroni Tropezado, made with raicilla, Aperol, and fresh pineapple, or the justifiably famous Paloma that you realize just what good hands you’re in.
De La O Cantina
Credit: De La O Cantina
One of the bars that helped propel Guadalajara’s culinary and bar scene forward, De La O highlights two distinctive expressions of fermentation in Mexican culture: tepache (fermented pineapple) and pulque (fermented agave), often combined with tequila or other agave distillates. Get the Tepache Jaibol or La Buena Yerbabuena, and snack on the chicharrón tacos. The bar also pays homage to the greater history of the cocktail renaissance with a page dedicated to cocktails created by Phil Ward.
Farmacia Rita Perez
Credit: Farmacia Rita Perez
It’s fitting that what would otherwise seem like an unassuming dive bar offers not just an incredible selection of tequila and other agave spirits, but some of the best aguachile that Guadalajara has to offer. In fact, that’s where Farmacia Rita Perez co-owner Francisco “Pancho” Castillon got his start in the hospitality biz, making aguachile, the popular Mexican ceviche dish, for bars all over town. Now, he’s something of a mythical figure in Guadalajara, with undefined (to VinePair, at least) roles in many of the city’s top bars. Catch him on the right day and he might pour you a mystery spirit from a clear, unlabeled plastic bottle, or teach you his personal method for enjoying the last bits of your aguachile (we won’t spoil it for you). Even if you don’t meet Pancho, the jukebox and the wealth of agave spirits are well worth a visit.
Old Peter
Credit: Old Peter Bar
It may share a building with Farmacita Rita Perez, but Old Peter is a decidedly different bar and vibe. A bit clubbier and moodier, the cocktail program highlights gin cocktails alongside the more expected agave and whiskey drinks, with the nicely balanced Aviation being a particular standout. The back bar also offers a larger collection of the botanical spirit, including a number of Mexican renditions.
Matilde Mi Amor
Credit: Matilda Mi Amor
Owned by industry veterans Gina Castillo and Steffin Oghene, this rooftop bar highlights creative craft cocktails, agave, and a modern take on Mexican cuisine. With Castillo and Oghene having deep histories in the American spirits and cocktail industry, it’s a bar that blends the best attributes of the local culture, cuisine, and ingredients with a sensibility that resonates with travelers and tourists accustomed to American bar experiences.
Mezonte
Credit: Mezonte
Less a bar than a library of sorts, Mezonte is a hole in the wall that focuses on preserving and protecting the history of fermentation and distillation of agave in Mexico, including those from the pre-colonial period. The opportunity to taste distillates from various states, made in small quantities, from a wide range of species of agave is a remarkable one, and well worth seeking out for the truly passionate.
The Best Restaurants In Guadalajara
Xokol
Credit: Xokol
Corn is not just the centerpiece of this remarkable restaurant, it’s the raison d’être for chefs Óscar Segundo and Xrysw Ruelas Díaz, creating a mechanism to not just explore the crop’s many varieties, manifestations, and uses within local and indigenous cuisine, but also the very history of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and Mesoamerica. While the menu changes frequently, keep an eye out for their version of burrata, made from an Oaxacan-style cheese and aged cotija. The dining experience is dark, moody, and communal: Come curious and leave sated.
Nejayote Molino
Credit: Nejayote Molino
As if to prove that siblings can be wildly different, Nejayote, also from Segundo and Diaz, is a bright, breezy, casual affair that still showcases blue corn tortillas made to order in front of you. To call the space cozy would be understating it, but with dishes as good as the huevos enhojados (eggs cooked on top of hoja santa leaves) or the lengua tacos, you won’t mind the lack of personal space.
Alcalde
Credit: Alcalde
While perhaps best known for an elaborate and immersive tasting menu, don’t sleep on Alcalde’s à la carte offerings, which draw on chef Francisco Ruano’s Jaliscan heritage and global experience to bring out truly distinctive flavors. Astonishingly thin and flavorful air-cured beef, or stunningly tender octopus highlight that mix of local ingredients with a playful, flamboyant style of presentation and plating.
El Farallón de Tepic
Credit: El Farallón de Tepic
One of Guadalajara’s most classic restaurants, El Farallón specializes in Zarandeado-style fish and seafood, a method of preparation where the fish is split and then grilled over hot coals in a wood-fired oven. Its popularity with locals means that the atmosphere is always lively and frenetic in the best possible way. Standouts include the chipotle octopus and the Matanchén ceviche.
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