A lot of things change in eight years -- which was the same amount of time between my most recent visit to Guadalajara Del Centro (last night) and my first time -- but I'm happy to say that the review I composed on the eve of my birthday in 2018 receives a glowing, positive update. I came here after helping my friend's band set up at the House of Blues' Bronze Peacock Room to close a gap of no food that stretched between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Even for a late Friday afternoon, the restaurant had an ample-sized crowd. The hostess led me to one of the tables right next to one of the massive windows facing Fannin Street, which is a great perk of the eatery in my book. A waiter named Guillermo handled my order. I went with the Tex-Mex Classic for my late lunch/early dinner. "John, you smart SOB," I thought to myself when Guillermo brought the meal to me. To say it was massive is putting it lightly. The beef taco, the cheese enchilada, and the pork tamale all fought for space and my attention alongside the rice, which was modestly small for my liking. That could probably explain why the refried beans, which were nicely remixed with cheese, came on a separate saucer. A bit full from working on the complimentary chips and salsa -- I'm addicted to the stuff so sue me *laughs* -- I managed to tackle the TMC. The one item that stood out to me was the taco. Not only was bursting with flavorful ground beef and vegetables, but it was longer than your average taco! Almost a footlong even! My original review touted the fried chicken enchiladas as the must-have dish, but the TMC may give it some competition. There's no doubt that a third visit may come in the future. read more

Guadalajara Del Centro - TEX-MEX CLASSIC - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

Salsa & Guacmole tasted really good! Ordered the appetizer sampler and was pleasantly surprised! The frozen margarita (house) was on happy hour and tasted delicious (also strong). Service was quick but we were the only couple of people in the restaurant. Ambiance was relaxed and the staff were very friendly. Queso was not my favorite but everyone's taste buds are different. read more

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This place is delicious. I've been here twice with large parties of 10 plus people. The service is fast and friendly and they assist with helping you order. Everyone in our group loved their delicious margaritas and cocktails. We shared several orders of the guacamole and queso for the table and it's delicious. A coworker and I selected fajitas for two and everything was hot, tasty, and fresh. We had leftovers so the portions were more than enough. We each had 3 tacos worth and still had beef and chicken left. If I had to pick I liked the chicken beat it was tender and well seasoned. The steak was good but a bit more chewy. Other attendees had enchiladas, shrimp tacos, and other entrees. Everyone was very happy with their selections and we all left full. We typically walk here because parking is a bit confusing as the restaurant is tucked under an overpass I believe and then faces a hotel. It also is partly facing an interior courtyard space with other restaurants etc. read more

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Stopped in for a work lunch, t was before noon, so if you don't want to wait, make that reservation and get seated quicker. It did get busier after we were seated, 11:45, with bigger groups. When I arrived, my party was already there with water and chips and salsa. Service: 5/5 The waiter was very attentive and mindful that he'd check in on us regularly. We also never lacked water because waiter was mindful and keeping eyes on empty glasses. Ambiance: 5/5 Clean and welcoming, only thing is tables are very close to each other that maneuvering around to get up or sit down, you might bump the person next to you. Food: 2/5 I ordered the Quesabirria Tacos (advertised as 3, I received 2) The stewed shredded beef tasted like they'd been stewed in unseasoned water. The only flavor I got was from the tortilla and the cheese. Was really disappointed. The beef consume also did not really have any flavor even after adding cilantro, onions and salt to it. It was a specialty plate so it did come with rice which actually tasted better but didn't get the beans (menu says is served with them) which I didn't even realize because I was talking work that I missed the 3rd taco & the beans. One of my clients had the Guadalupe Lime Beef tacos, and I almost ate his plate. The meat was very flavorful and tender. It's been almost a week and I can still savor those bites. We didn't have any cocktails, but they do offer a Happy Hour Monday thru Friday from 3-6:30. (See photo) I wouldn't mind returning for that, with the anticipation that it will be hit or miss on the flavor, but hopefully a skinny Rita or a cantina sangria will not disappoint. read more

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We stopped in for lunch, and oh my! SO yummy!!!! At our table, we had tacos and two different salads. None of us were sad about our choices. Fresh, well-put together flavors, and generous portions. The chips and salsa... also no complaints!! The service was quick and kind. The restaurant itself was huge! Fun decor. Definitely a spot to come back to! read more

REVISED REVIEW. I have given a very good review of this restaurant before, but unfortunately the service has gotten horrible. My and wife live across the street few steps from this place, and used to visit weekly. We sat at the bar, as usual, the bartender asked my wife what she wanted to drink, she did and got it promptly. The bartender completely ignored me. After 20 minutes of waiting for him to ask me, I flagged him and complained about ignoring me. He got upset and told me they were very busy. Apparently he talked to the manager, and he came to talk to me. I complained to him and commented that they were busy ( no excuse since my wife got service but not me). The manager brought us the silverware. Finally was able to order a drink and food, which the girl bartender brought us. I have reached to the home office a week ago, but has had no luck talking to anyone. read more

Cannot recommend enough ! Huge restaurant with tons of space- didn't have to wait for a table. The staff were all really nice, the service was pretty quick. I ordered the Enchilada Marisco (Shrimp and Lump Crab), and there was several shrimp in it and good chunks of crab. They were very creamy and fresh. The flavors were amazing. It was overall really tasty and highly recommended. We were there during happy hour too so I got a $6 house on the rocks marg- it was pretty good for $6 ! read more

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I've been here a few times before shows at house of blues. It's always a nice spot to grab a drink and some food before a show. Service is always good. Food is your typical Tex Mex nothing special but it's not bad at all. The half order of nachos is easily enough as a main meal for one person. Very large space and I've never had an issue waiting for a table. I will continue to come here for my pre gaming needs when I have a concert at house of blues ! read more

Guadalajara Del Centro - Half order of beef nachos - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I feel like Guadalajara Del Centro is the best place to go before a concert at House of Blues and that is exactly what my friend and I did a few weeks ago. Unfortunately we didn't have the foresight to make a reservation - I highly recommend making a reservation! When we were there, there was a convention in town, plus add the different concerts taking place and the restaurant was packed. Thankfully we were able to get bar seating after about 20 minutes. We both ordered some margaritas (delicious!), the queso/guac combo appetizer, and our entrees. The food was delicious but my friend's plate (mariachi combo) looked more enticing than my guadalajara enchiladas. The only downside I have from this experience is that I think they added to the tip amount I left on my receipt. Granted, I didn't save the copy and don't have the neatest handwriting, but I haven't experienced this issue anywhere else. I would definitely return, but recommend you double check your receipt and write the tip amount very clearly. read more

We are originally from TX and took a trip to Houston for a show, we stayed downtown and really wanted some Tex Mex. This place was recommended by a bar tender so we decided to give it a try. We were seated quickly then we were totally forgotten for a long while. Once a waitress noticed we had not been served she apologized and sprang into action. I loved the pitcher of sangria, it was full of fruit and served with a sugar rim glass. The enchiladas were exactly the TexMex style I hoped for. The atmosphere was a little bit bougie but we liked it and would go back. read more

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Awful service , very slow , food not good at all steak over seasoned !!!!! Shell tacos worst than Taco Bell ,, enchiladas with ground beef!!! Nope , nope ! Nope ... read more

Truly good. Actually surprised at the 3.7 review. Google lists them at 4.4. Definitely try this. Way more authentic than I anticipated. Would go again. Try it! I had grilled shrimp tacos. The green avocado cilantro creama sauce for chips with salsa was great! Margaritas not too sweet and amazing. Thanks! read more

Amazing service, come by on June 14, 2026 for margaritas and watch the game at the bar! Google may say they are closed but they are not. We were just there and it was great!! read more

When you work downtown you end up trying a lot of the nearby restaurants eventually. I've tried most things on the menu. I can say that before covid the food tasted better - not sure what changed afterwards. Its not a bad change up spot if you work downtown. The staff is pretty good at keeping up with the needs of the table whether its more chips and salsa or keeping the drinks topped off. On the plus side they do have a nice upstairs location that is good for hh for groups. Its ok for lunch better for drinks after work. read more

This place caught my eye because of the look of the exterior. It looked like an upscale restaurant and then we saw that the price was not bad at all. There's public parking all around but we didn't have to worry about that because we're staying here downtown. The ambiance is really beautiful. It's colorful and definitely has that Latin vibe. The restaurant is huge. There are seatings on the first and second floor. The time we came in there was no wait, we were seated right away. Our server Guillermo was very nice. So polite and friendly. He had a great smile each time he came to us. The food came right away. My friend had the Enchilada Marisco and I ordered the Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes with Shrimp and Lump Crab. We tasted each others food. I think I liked my friends order better :). That lump crab over the enchilada was very good. I liked my food but I think there was too much going on with it. I would eat the sweet corn cake by itself not with all the toppings. The toppings were very tasty but not with the Corn Cake. And I didn't taste any Crab. And you can never go wrong with chips and salsa. I definitely recommend the Enchilada Marisco! read more

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You know this place is ok. We usually stop in before hitting the House of Blues for a concert. The service and the drinks are really good, the food is always just ok but it's super convenient to the venue. read more

Nice little tex-mex place in the downtown area, and nice walking distance from several hotels. On a recent trip to Houston, we had a late night where we needed to find a restaurant close to our hotel, and this place came up on yelp. it is a pretty straightforward, no-frills, no-fuss environment and the food was pretty solid. The interior doesn't feel super special in any way, but the food definitely delivered what we were looking for. The wait staff was super kind and accommodating for everything we needed. I think there are some definitely better Tex-Mex places near here, but if this is close to where you are staying I definitely wouldn't overlook it if you're looking for a good meal. I would recommend trying the white queso, as well as the fajitas which come with a lot of accouterments to make a nice solo taco. read more

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We stopped by for a quick bite to eat right before the dinner rush on a Saturday night the place was clean and the service at the bar was great!! We both tried the Mexico City soup, which tasted fresh, and healthy (full of yummy veggies). It was exactly what we needed after a night out. Will definitely be back to try something new!!! read more

Guadalajara lunch was a hit. Probably was one of the best lunch during the visit in Houston. It came out hot and fresh and very delicious. The Oaxaca old fashioned needs some serious practice but hey this is definitely it a drink they get requests for much I assume. We came after the lunch rush so we didn't wait long for our food at all. Provecho read more

Guadalajara Del Centro - Enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

I was not a fan of the food. It was very bland . I ordered the 3 tacos meal for lunch and it lacked flavor on all levels the queso was good but that was about it. I doubt I would return. I was hoping for a more authentic dining experience. read more

I originally ordered to go a few times from this restaurant, as it is near my place of work. The food always was ready on time, generous portions, and bursting with flavor. It is obvious they use high quality ingredients. Today I ate at the bar for the first time and was equally impressed. Excellent staff, service, a truly top of the line experience! read more

While waiting on our reservation at Puttshack we decided to walk here for food. It was happy hour but note the happy hour food is only served in the bar area. The house margarita and spinach/chicken quesadillas were pretty good. The happy hour nachos were horrible. My nephews had the chicken tenders and fries from the kids menu. The service was okay. read more

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Very mid, very meh This is the shortest review I've ever written but honestly it's not worth elaborating. read more

The service was amazing but the food was the worst. Bland and poor quality. I won't be returning!

During my time in Houston, had a dinner with a larger group of friends, one of which chose this location. Chips and salsa were delicious. When I can't stop eating chips and salsa at a spot, it is definitely because they were good. Had the fish tacos which were super tasty and hearty. All main dishes come with rice and beans, which is a great add. Ordered desserts as a group: churros and tres leches, both of which were absolutely delicious. This is a great spot for a large group; they have the space for it and their service is solid. Our waiter was fantastic. read more

Guadalajara Del Centro - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

Oh my God. This place is so amazing I ate here 2 nights in a row! The chips and house salsa are awesome and addictive. Fresh and hot with red and a very unique green style Night one I had the superior fajitas with beef, chicken and bacon wrapped shrimp. It was almost too much to finish and the beans were equally unforgettable Night 2 I toned it down a bit and went with the pollo del mar: grilled chicken and shrimp with mushrooms, cheese and spinach smothered in cheese and fresh homemade guacamole The house sangria pairs well with everything Servers were fast, friendly and attentive Unfortunately they are closed on Sunday or I would have made it a trifecta My highest recommendation read more

Guadalajara Del Centro - Superior Mixed Grill - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

It's been a few years since I've eaten at GDC and I forgot how good the food is. We were going to a show at HOB and wanted to eat somewhere that was close so we chose GDC. I ordered the blood orange margarita on the rocks with tajin and it was sooo good! This may be my go to drink from now on. The tajin had more of a kick than I was expecting, but the drink was just sooo good! I wish I could have another one right now lol. The chips and salsa were good and it was hard not to over do it lol. For my entreé, I had the fish tacos (breaded) and they were delicious. The breading was good and the mango pico de gallo really added a nice flavor to it. It came with rice and beans. I had refried black beans and those were delicious! The rice was pretty good, but the beans were by far my favorite. I was so hungry when the food came out, that I didn't think to take a picture until I was already halfway done with my meal. The portions are filling. I managed to eat the tacos and most of the beans, but didn't have much room for the rice. We thought about dessert, but decided against it since we were stuffed. Our server was awesome! He was so friendly and attentive. The other staff members kept water glasses full which I love! We had a great dining experience! read more

The facility is amazing possibly the best i ever seen, but the food is average at best. Salsa was weak and taste and look like it was premade. My burrito look amazing but had artificial nacho cheese on it which totally turned me off for a $20 burrito, don't think i ever seen fake nacho cheese on a burrito. read more

Guadalajara Del Centro - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

So let me start by saying our server, emiliano, was amazing. Now let's talk about the food. The blanco queso was delicious. The freshly made guacamole was one of the best I've ever had. Then my wife and I shared the lime fajita platter and got chicken shrimp and beef. All three meats were tender cooked perfectly and delicious. This is a must come too, I can't imagine why it only has three and a half stars. Mexican is one of my favorite cuisines and I can eat here everyday. read more

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I had Jury Duty and was staying at a nearby hotel. I was looking for restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. The previous night I had walked to a different restaurant and was very disappointed. I love Mexican food and have previously eaten at a different Guadalajara location. I ordered Queso Especiales with Beef Fajita as an appetizer. It was delicious! For my dinner, I ordered the Tejano Platter. It was The Bast! I really needed to walk further than just back to my hotel to walk off my meal! If you are ever in the area, please give this place a try. I promise you will love it! The food and the service is amazing! read more

The food was great. The caso was great, the beans were amazing, the chips were crispy and flavorful.The service was good and they were pleasant and wonderful. The place looked so cool and with the details there it was awesome. read more

Great happy hour! House margarita was perfect, and the food selection for happy hour was nice as well. I highly recommend adding Guadalajara to your happy hour list. read more

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Came here for me and my baby babes one year anniversary. We saw it one day one the way to House of Blues and decided to give it a shot. I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much. Chain Mexican restaurants really don't do much for me. From the outside the place looks nice and when we went inside it looked nice as well. We were greeted with chips and salsa. They were good but that's usually hard to mess up. We decided on chips and queso as an appetizer and we also ordered the fajitas for two. It was all good and I actually enjoyed the food. The price was reasonable and the service was pleasant. It made for a nice and memorable anniversary dinner. read more

One of the worst dining experiences ever. Started off badly when the hostess tried to seat us at a small table in the corner. When we objected, she tried to seat us at another small table in a different corner. It was early, about 5:15 in the evening and there were maybe three tables occupied. Once she finally got a clue, she seated us at a booth. We waited quite a while before our server came. We ordered and the food came fairly quickly. The food was really good, but.....our server came back by one time. Never came back to refill my wife's tea until we asked another server for assistance. After we finished she cleared about half the plates and left the rest. She finally brought the check after we had to ask for it. We will never go back to any of their locations. There are plenty of places with good Tex-Mex in Houston. read more

The worst food I have ever had! I ordered SWEET CORN TAMALE CAKES WITH SHRIMP AND LUMP CRAB (Three corn cakes with sliced avocado) to go. It's the most disgusting food! Here's how to describe this dish: It tasted like it's leftovers from customers and just slapped it on the container, topped it with some cream and added some shrimps. And who knows... the shrimps were probably left overs from customers. I don't even see any sliced avocado on this. As you can see, it's mashed avocado. I had severe diarrhea. Seriously!!! To employees there, how would y'all feel if someone does the same thing as what you did to your customers???? It's disgusting!!!! read more

Guadalajara Del Centro - SWEET CORN TAMALE CAKES WITH SHRIMP AND LUMP CRAB (Three corn cakes with sliced avocado) - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

Had the tres leches was not good very dry and I was very disappointed because the presentation look good.

This is my favorite date night spot and one of my favorite restaurants of all time. Service is always outstanding, and the food always hits. Prices are also super fair considering how nice it is and its location downtown. I have tried several of their enchilada variations, their chicken flautas, and their stuffed avocado. If it is your first time going there, I highly recommend the fried stuffed avocado. You literally cannot go wrong with it. I tried their dessert, but it was just okay. The red velvet tres leches is interesting but not my cup of tea. I don't drink alcohol, so I asked for a mocktail, and the bartender was able to make something for me off the menu that was absolutely delicious. I was so shocked at how great it was. The only thing about this place is that there is no parking on site since its downtown. However, there is sometimes street parking, valet, and parking garages around if you're willing to pay. Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this spot, and I give it a 12/10. read more

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Service was prompt and attentive throughout the meal. The restaurant was large and open with a variety of seating. The booth that my friend and I sat in was comfy. We both ordered the house frozen margarita with salt to start, and it was delicious. I love Chile relleno, so was thrilled to be offered a gluten-free version. I was a little disappointed in what I received. The flavor was good; however it was basically a solid piece of seasoned chicken breast with a half a poblano pepper laid on top of it, garnished with cotija cheese and avocado, no cheese with the chicken, and ranchero sauce around it. The menu also mentions spinach which was also missing. When it first came out, it was also missing the cotija cheese. I had to ask for it. Despite all of this, it did taste really good, and the black beans were the best I have ever had. I would give it another try if I was in this area of Houston again. And my friend was very happy with her meal. read more

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I came here last night before a show at the house of blues and I was blown away. I ordered a raspberry lemon drop that was absolutely delicious. I'm not a "sweet drink" type of person, but this drink was perfectly balanced. It was a little sweet, tart and you could still taste the liquor. For dinner I ordered the quail which came with 2 roasted quail and 4 stuffed bacon wrapped quail legs. When I say this is THE BEST quail I've ever had, I'm not lying. The meat was so tender, perfectly flavored and came on top of sweet sautéed onions. I'm not sure what sauce they served with this dish, but I could drink it with a straw. I think this is one of the more expensive meals but trust me when I say it's WORTH IT. I was lucky to enjoy the company of Guadalajara's bartender. I'm not 100% sure of his name but it started with a G and he was polite and attentive. 10/10 would recommend his service and this meal! read more

Best Fajitas, Churros, and Margs ever! Great service and amazing food. Can't emphasize enough the reviews are misleading this place has amazing food and everyone is super kind. I can't believe this hidden gem is just sitting in downtown Houston without greater recognition. Do yourself a favor and come here immediately it was an amazing experience! read more