Guadalajara Grill – Good Mexican Food in Tucson

November 27, 2007 | By Kelley Koehler | Filed Under Restaurants 

 If you’ve read this blog for more than about a week, you’ll notice I talk quite a bit about food.  Mexican food, in particular – my favorite.  If food isn’t spicy, it probably isn’t worth eating.  I nearly had to fire a client the other day because he said he didn’t like jalapenos.  I’ll forgive him though, as he is from Houston and accustomed to that nasty Tex-Mex stuff.

So today, I present the Guadalajara Grill, at 1730 E Prince Road, in Tucson.

bienvenidos a guadalajara grill in tucsonWorst part about this place is the parking – it’s a little awkward, but they’ve now got a parking lot attendant to help things out.  Okay – and the building is a bright yellow and looks like a revamped convenience store from the front.  Trust me – go park, sit down, and eat.

As the popularity of the place grows, so does the seating area.  There’s a huge patio now, and a little bar area around the corner, which is where we were seated last weekend.

tableside salsa at guadalajara grill in tucsonSoon after you’re seated, the salsa lady will come by with her cart-o-salsa-fixin’s.  Mild, Medium, or Hot?  We go medium, as it has nice flavor and a decent level of spice, not too overpowering.  No onions for us though, Hubby doesn’t like them.  She’ll create salsa at the table for you.  Don’t like cilantro?  Want more tomatillo?  Just ask, and your wish is her salsa command.  The fresh, tableside salsa is one of the best parts to this place.

The menu has grown over the years as well.  It’s not your typical taco/tostada/burrito place.  There’s an excellent green chile pork dish, lots of seafood, intricate moles and sauces.  The Guadalajara Grill is a great place to move out of your food comfort zone, try new things. 

three combo item meal at guadalajara grill in tucsonThis is Pop’s meal, the three item combo meal.  No fancy sauces for him, no sir.  The mark of a good Mexican food restaurant is always either in the enchilada sauce (atop the tamale here) or in the chile rellenos.  So Pop always orders those items.  At Guadalajara Grill, he is not disappointed.

Place gets busy on weekends and Friday nights, so call ahead.  The mariachis come around in the evenings as well, serenading customers during their meal.  The tableside salsa is excellent, but try not to fill up on the chips and salsa at the start – you’ve got a fabulous meal coming!

Comments

7 Responses to “Guadalajara Grill – Good Mexican Food in Tucson”

  1. Bobbi on November 27th, 2007 10:03 am

    You are making my mouth water. . . . .

  2. Steve Belt on November 27th, 2007 2:06 pm

    My stomach has been growling for 3 hours, since I skipped dinner last night, and what do I read as I’m about to head out for lunch? While Guadalajara Grill is a bit far away from me (too bad, because it looks great), Mexican food is now on the menu. Thanks for helping me decide what’s for lunch today.

    PS- Go Devils! hehe

  3. Nickie on November 27th, 2007 5:50 pm

    Oh that looks yummy!

    I made some killer chicken enchiladas this past weekend when some friends came over – good thing I have a couple left – I’m hungry now!

    Thanks for the tip Kelley!

  4. Kelley Koehler on November 27th, 2007 9:02 pm

    Guadalajara Grill is one of our favorite places, glad it looks good to you guys too!

    Steve – blah blah blah sundevils. Doesn’t basketball start soon? :)

  5. Keith on November 28th, 2007 1:03 pm

    My Personal Tucson favorite is Maria Bonitas…mmmmmYum

  6. Is Guadalajara Grill Moving Down the Street? | The Housechick Blog on June 6th, 2008 12:22 pm

    [...] moving to new digs soon, given the existing location is near Prince and Campbell.  Still – the best tableside salsa.  I hope there’s a good patio space in this new location. Share and Enjoy: These [...]

  7. Karina Cervantes on December 12th, 2008 5:07 pm

    That looks so yummy, however you can really make most of these dishes yourself. I’m in Lima, Peru and I manage to do it, albeit with some planning and preordering through http://mexicoetal.com or mexgrocer.com for needed ingredients. Plus, those are really just over bloated versions of the real things that are much simpler. Those commercial versions are like a “heart attack in a box”. However the guadalajara grill might not be a commercial establishment, i don’t know; But chili’s and countless others are.

    I’m originally from Guadalajara, and it’s nice to hear it exists somewhere outside of Mexico. :-)

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