Delicious!!! We started out with the Fresh Guacamole, it was phenomenal! Their salsa was good too. My daughter and I both ordered the lunch fajitas (steak) and they were GREAT! So much flavor and every piece of steak was good, not fatty or chewy. We opted for beans instead of rice, they were fantastic! The service was great, restaurant and bathrooms very clean. This will definitely be a go to place when we're in town. read more

Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant - Fresh Guacamole - Mexican Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

We ordered 3 separate entrees today. The steak fajitas The super flour tacos The steak quesidilla The steak fajitas were tasteless. No spice. Bland. No sizzling plates. The vegetables were way overcooked. The super flour tacos were terrible. The flour shells tasted old and seemed to have a taste like someone threw them onto a hot electric heating coils. Taste was awful. Meat was tasteless. No flavor. I found them almost inedible. In fact I thought I was going to feel ill when I was there. But just stopped eating them. The quesidilla was ok but rather overcooked. Not the best. I will not be back. We tipped the waiter as it was not his fault. But $74 for 3 lunch items was steep for such poor quality meals. read more

Stopped by today for a late lunch. I'm relatively new to the area so am trying out a variety of local spots. I was greeted & seated promptly and the complimentary Chips and Salsa showed up shortly thereafter. Chips were fresh & the Salsa had a wonderful flavor with a hint of heat without being overpowering. I ordered the Ground Beef Chimichanga & the flavor was very good along with the refried beans, rice & fresh veggies. Very enjoyable experience & I plan a return visit to sit on their beautiful patio. read more

Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant - Ground Beef Chimichanga with Refried Beans & Rice. - Mexican Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

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This is hands down my favorite Mexican restaurant in town. I used to drive clear across town just to come here even though we lived within walking distance to two others. For starters, their salsa and white queso are filled with favor and the best we have found. The salsa is perfectly blended and is the right amount of spice. You can't go wrong with any of the dishes, but a few of my personal favorites are the cheese steak tacos, Al pastor street tacos, fajita quesadilla, and chicken and rice. My boyfriend loves the house tacos. Though they are simple, he says the meat is so flavorful and nothing else compares. The staff is always friendly and quick. I have yet to have a bad meal here. I keep finding myself coming here time and time again and every time I get a wonderful experience and an even better meal. I can't say enough good things about this restaurant. read more

Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant - Salsa and Queso - Mexican Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

Overpriced , food is average, not bad though. Service and ambiance was fine. Be advised they automatically add their tip to your bill at 18%. You have to ask them if you want it changed. read more

I ate here just last night. Came in solo(I'm glad they're open late because I didn't get here until a little after 9pm). Anyways. I ordered a Miller Lite on draft and a queso dip that chorizo in it. I can't remember the exact name of the dish, but it was on point. It came out extremely hot, but after about a 10-15 min cool down it was ok. And that draft beer was ICE COLD. I ordered the steak fajita quesadilla next. Kind of weird that no beans were included, but the quesadilla was good! Rice was decent. I would stop here again if I'm back in the area and needing a Mexican food fix. read more

Fantastic Mexican restaurant in Ankeny! I love this place and stop in every tin be in mmm in the area (multiple times a year). Service and food is always great. This time, the server was Santiago. The margaritas are good and the shot at the end of the night is fun! read more

Great food with excellent service....will definitely be coming back. Received our food rather quickly.

They are very very rude to older people and younger. They will throw the check at you and not bring your food that u ordered. They don't bring your food or drinks on time. They are just very rude in general to customers and they have changed after a while because the food isn't very good either, they have changed many things that make it horrible. (No hate) read more

Finally got a chance to dine in and everything was great! Service was great, they were on top of all refills- drinks, chips and salsa. Food came quick and the guys taking care of our table were kind and efficient. Food was GREAT. Had plenty of left overs for a second meal on my shrimp and rice. Thanks Guadalajara! read more

I can't say enough times how good the service and food is at Guadalajara is. My wife and ai moved away to Austin Tx, and came back for the weekend. We came in tonight and was treated like long lost friends. Juan and the others always make us feel very welcome. The food is very consistent and well priced. This is one of the best tasting Mexican restaurants in Iowa, in fact it's better than anything we found in Austin. We know we will be coming to visit every time we are in town. Thank you for reading my ramblings Sepi read more

It's so delicious, took my family out there and got some margaritas! Place was lively and food was awesome. The waiters were nice and kind to me and gave me time to order, the birria tacos are bomb! read more

Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant - Birria tacos - Mexican Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

I have been here several times as I circle through the many Mexican restaurants of Ankeny and they do a good job! I ordered 2 soft shell tacos and rice with a side of queso. My table also got the Guadalajara burrito. All was pretty good, standard Mexican food. The wait staff was very attentive and our food was brought out incredibly fast - we were in and out in under 30 minutes. Tons of seating indoors and outdoors. Will come back! read more

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Our server was outstanding. When he heard we were here for our son's graduation from Iowa State he offered our son any dessert and gave us tequila shots. I had the steak fajitas, my husband chicken fajitas, both were fine. The other people in our party had street tacos, quesadillas, and burrito. Portions were BIG, but just okay. I had a spicy margarita, it had no spice, only a few jalapeños floating. The Palomas were the size of a large beverage, but once again just okay. The serving saved this review. read more

Went tonight on a monday night. The tables were sparse and the staff was plenty to ensure good attention to details. This was my first time eating Guadalajara food. The restaurant provided chips and salsa on the house. The chips were fresh and the salsa wa quite meh. I've been to other places where the salsa sets up the tone for rest of the food - this wasn't the case here. I ordered a dinner plate with spicy shrimp, mushrooms, guac, lettuce, rice and beans - The sauce on the shrimp was fiery as the menu cautioned but was very good. It wasn't burn your mouth type but soft sure was enough to lit me up in a nice way. I think I'll be back to pay another visit. read more

Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant - Shrimp in a fiery sauce - Mexican Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

The service and food here is always great. I come here usually when I'm visiting, and since the last time I've been here, they've apparently remodeled the place. I opted to sit outside in their spacious outdoor seating area and munched on some chips and salsa. The salsa had a slight kick to it, but I would probably still categorize it as "mild". I went with the fish tacos and it was delicious! An order came with three of em, and they were packed with slaw and crispy deliciously breaded fish. Overall the meal was excellent and really hit the spot! read more

Excellent service, excellent food. Ambience is exactly what you'd think of for a nice, but casual restaurant. Highly recommend and one of our go-to spots for eating out! read more

I've been here a few times, the first time it was my birthday and I had a blast with my dad and my step-mom. Second time, it was good, food came out fast the second time, it was under 10 minutes which is very impressive. The food was amazing like the first. This place is very clean and has delicious food. When I went the third time, one of my foods had a really long hair in it which made me lose my appetite. Which is why I give it 4 stars. Other than that, the food is worth it and the time is efficient. Make sure to check ur food for hair before eating. read more

I always get a small complementary shot of tequila which is a plus. Food is rich in flavor and always hits love coming here with groups of friends before we go out. Servers are always in a great mood and keeps me coming back. read more

One of my favorite Mexican restaurants in all of Ankeny. Their service is the best. You will leave grinning ear to ear from the entire dining experience. The margaritas are gargantuas if you so select them. And their skinny margarita's are some of my favorite as well. The food alone is the best in all of ankeny & we've been consistent visitors for 6 years now telling everyone who visits to try them out. read more

Great food, service and ambience! We loved our experience and will be back for sure! Best Mexican in Ankeny!

Every Night this restaurant is packed in Ankeny. One would think maybe it's the only Mexican restaurant in town but that is incorrect Ankeny has several Mexican restaurants. When you enter the restaurant you smell all that delicious food, you see all the Ethnic culture all around you. The staff being professional and courteous as they seat you and help you with your order. This is a family owned Restaurant and they know hospitality!!! read more

My wife's family is from Zacatecas Mexico and I love the cooking from south of the border. Each region of Mexico cooks with different ingredients and spices so many wonderful flavors. Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant has many of them, authentic beans and rice can usually predict that they know what they are doing. This place hits many mark's with a perfect 10, great authentic food and chili sauce with gusto. Bon Appétit read more

Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant - a plate of mexican food - Mexican Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

The food was great large portions. The service was a little slow but it was good. I'll recommend the place if you're in Iowa!

Excellent food and customer service! Mexican fajitas were great! They have updated the restaurant since the last time we went and also very clean. read more

Two most important things. Great food and great service. Both were spot on. The Chile verde was uniquely great. I hope to get back to Ankeny and have it again. My daughter got the nacho supreme - and tonight I tried the left overs and they were surprisingly great. Nachos... they made those great. The service was pretty great. Wish this place was in my home town. read more

This place is by far the best Mexican restaurant I have been to. Every time my girlfriend and I go we are greeted and seated very quickly. The wait staff there are always helpful and very thoughtful when it comes to personal needs and even special dates such as birthdays. The restaurant is very clean and shows they care. I typically order the choripollo which is chicken with chorizo on a bed of rice and queso. This place never fails us. read more

I have always liked the service and the speed in which our food was prepared. The food itself was always hot and cooked well. The atmosphere was great as well as the restaurant itself was clean. I would recommend this establishment for anyone out there looking for great Mexican food that I think is priced just about right. read more

I stopped in here with a few other people during a busy sunday lunch rush, and was very impressed with the food and service. The queso, fajiatas and burrito were hot, fresh and well made. Our server was great, and my gf loved the margarita. Will def be going back. read more

Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant - Queso - Mexican Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

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Foods amazing had several different dishes and it does not disapoint. We even share sometimes so everyone can try new things.

I'm shocked I haven't reviewed this place yet. While I've been here for other very good food, lately I have been here for the lunch buffet, which is available weekdays and weekends for an upcharge. It's ok for price. It has a good selection of foods, including enchiladas, taco fixings, fajitas and fixings for other Mexican foods. They also have queso. So you can use it as a dip for your chips or over your enchiladas. Clean. Friendly staff. Family friendly. Lot parking. A huge outside dining area. And easy access from I35, 1st street exit. CyHawkApproved. Marcy'sDinerTantrumScale 5/5- NoScreamingKids. Lots of families here when I've come for buffet. read more

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I'm a foodie, well-traveled and have lived all over the United States. We just moved to Ankeny (she's well-travelled also but from Ankeny) and decided to start exploring the area. This may be among the best Mexican food in the country! This place was clean and smartly presented, but without any snootiness--feels like a classic Mexican dive joint but refined in decor. Service was prompt and without frills. Waiter didn't lose a beat while simultaneously working the bar and also apparently the secret is out about the free kids meals because, holy kids everywhere. I asked for and received good advice for choices from our waiter. I decided on the chicken enchiladas. They were perfectly moist but without the extra fluid that ruins the rest of the dish. I then asked for the best hot sauce they had available. Our waiter returned, with a smile, and presented the most heavenly hot sauce I have EVER been served at a restaurant. Of course I had to know what it was and was informed it was their take on Chile Seco! So fantastic and it brought my chicken enchiladas to actual spiritual transcendence. Oh, and free lunch for kids on Sundays. Go to this place and eat food, people! We will be back. read more

Today we met other family members for lunch at Guadalajara. Our experience was not the greatest for our first visit to this restaurant. The plus to this place was they had a lunch buffet that was reasonably priced at $8.99 in which had such things as taco meat, fajitas, enchiladas, chili releno, rice, pico, refried beans, etc. The selection was vast and was very good. (I did wonder why they were allowing the customers to get their own food on the buffet however. Apparently the spread of Covid by handling the same utensils as everyone else is no longer a concern.) Now for the major Caveats to our dining experience . . . The menu I opened had not been cleaned for some time. It had unidentifiable gunk that was stuck between the pages in which was still moist. Another issue was that we asked for black pepper in which they brought out in an empty Corona bottle filled with pepper flakes. I can't imagine one can easily clean the inside of the bottle prior to filling with pepper What makes one question if the inside of the bottle was clean? The quick answer is that a face of a plate on the buffet had a straw wrapper that was obviously on the plate when washed. The wrapper was stuck to the face of a plate that was stacked and was presented as a clean plate on the buffet. It is pathetic when restaurants don't even take the time to look the plates over that come out of the dishwasher and has particles of anything stuck to it that should not be there. If a person can get beyond the caveats listed above and not question the possible cleanliness of the kitchen, they will likely have a great dining experience. Like I stated, our food tasted great, but it was hard to look beyond the obvious things a health inspector would likely have a field day with. If the place would use more care and spend more time cleaning, I have no doubt they would be open for many years to come. Unfortunately this is not currently the case. read more

My favorite Mexican restaurant in town! They treat you exceptionally good here! Great food and atmosphere! I've become a regular! Never disappoints! read more

One of our families, favorite lunch spots. The buffet is something you don't have around here. Dunk it with cheese sauce and yum yum! The services outstanding the waiters are very fast and efficient. Overall well run establishment and highly recommend. read more

Good food, fresh ingredients. The Carne Asada Tacos were delicious, and the Shrimp with Rice was really good as well, and I could only eat half and took the rest home. It appears Guadalajara Restaurant has expanded the interior restaurant and the exterior patio, as well. The food prices are very reasonable, and we look forward to our next visit. Thank you Guadalajara Restaurant!! read more

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Amazing service, crazy fast, a little better food and atmosphere than a basic Mexican restaurant. Margaritas big as your head

We stopped on the way back to Ames after visiting the fair. The server was very attentive and even made some recommendations. We ordered the shredded beef chimichanga to share and a house margarita. The margarita was very good and the chimichanga was amazing! I love shredded beef and this one was so flavorful! We will definitely visit this place on our next trip! read more

Amazing food and portion sizes. Margarita was delicious as well. Complementary tequila shots when you order an alcoholic beverage. What's not to love? read more

Went to the Altoona restaurant. Their new building is so nice. Food and service as usual was excellent.