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| - There is much to like about Taqueria Guadalajara 2.0: the service is efficient, the menu extensive and you get incredible bang for the buck. I like but not love the food; there are sub-par elements of any meal juxtaposed against some near transcendent elements. While not my favorite Mexican restaurant in town, it is certainly in the conversation.
The Parrillada that my table ordered during my last visit to Taqueria Guadalajara exemplifies uneven performance of the kitchen. This dish for four consists of various Mexican grilled meats, roasted potatoes, knob onions, deep-fried jalapeños and grilled cactus. The steak and rib meat was superb, with a char on the exterior but not overcooked. The same goes for the slightly sweet knob onions, which helped balance out the pile of unctuous grilled meat. And the oh-so-wonderful corn tortillas served on the side were thick, fresh and loaded with flavor. On the flip side, the overcooked chorizo added a crunchy element the dish did not need. The potatoes could provide that textural component if properly prepared, but instead, the limp, under-seasoned spuds seemed out of place, considering the generous pile of starchy Mexican rice served on the side.
The same study in contrasts occurs with the complimentary chips and salsa. The bland, slightly stale tri-color chips seem out of place in a restaurant that serves such wonderfully fresh corn tortillas. Taqueria Guadalajara serves two salsas with the chips. The flavor-packed spicy version is expertly prepared while its milder sibling is a watery mess.
Once you get past the uneven performance of the kitchen, the performance of the restaurant shines.
The expansive menu offers a vast variety of choices, including numerous vegetarian options. Adventurous eaters can dine on pig stomachs or beef intestines while the kid's menu gives you the ability to feed the bambinos when you elect to bring them along. On weekends, the restaurant offers pozole and menudo. The generous serving sizes mean you will be toting a doggy bag when departing the restaurant.
I have enjoyed top-notch treatment during my visits. While not overly gregarious, the servers are cordial and efficient. Even when slammed with customers, I always receive water and complimentary chips and salsa within a couple minutes of being seated. Also appreciated is how the servers keep a keen eye on the chip basket. When the chip level starts running low, the server will promptly ask if the table if they want a refill. They also consistently perform other service basics liking checking in after they deliver the food and promptly removing dirty dishes.
For a mom-&-pop Mexican restaurant, Taqueria Guadalajara gets a gold star for cleanliness. The stainless steel open kitchen still gleans as it did when the restaurant reopened and the tabletops are always spotless.
The serving area is relatively small and there is scant space between the tables. Eating during peak hours means it may be difficult to carry on a discussion with tablemates at conversational tones. The dining room has the obligatory muted flat screen tuned to a Liga MX match or other Latin programming.
Pro tip: When perusing past reviews, be aware that a completely remodeled Taqueria Guadalajara reopened on August 8, 2013 after a fire closed the restaurant for over six months. You should discount any comments about the gritty nature of the eatery before that date.
So if you find yourself travelling the South Park Street corridor with a heavy appetite and a light wallet, do not hesitate to pay Taqueria Guadalajara a visit.
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