Where to Eat, Stay, and Play in Guadalajara, Mexico cntraveler.com

Whether you're going for tequila and mariachi, or the 2026 World Cup Games, Guadalajara has plenty to offer.

A few things to understand on a high level: When it comes to Mexican gastronomy, Guadalajara is home to some of its greatest hits. The city is the birria capital of Mexico where the savory dish is made with mainly goat, but also lamb, beef, and veal; it can even incorporate seafood. Likewise, this city is a destination for sandwiches. Two musts are tortas ahogadas, consisting of salty birote bread drowned in tomato sauce and fiery salsa de chile de arbol; and lonches, for which lunch meet and local cheese are layered in a softer bread roll. You'll find many types of tacos available throughout the day, of course, not to mention top notch seafood. Luckily some of the most imaginative chefs and bartenders in Mexico are in this city, making use of all of the above, in totally new ways.
Casual eats

If you're arriving early in the day via Guadalajara International Airport, it’s a short taxi ride to Birriería Chololo Campestre, opened in 1920, for an iconic plate of oven roasted birria de chivo (goat birria) that’s as much a symbol of the region as mariachis and tequila. Go for the combo of peinecillo (a fatty cut of goat), ribs, macho (intestines), and carnaza (a prized boneless slice with consommé), plus sides of refried beans and queso fundido. Corn tortillas and salsas come with the array of meats for making tacos of this smoky stewed goat.