El Pilón de Los Arrieros — Restaurant in Jalisco

There is big rivalry between this restaurant and Birrieria 9 Esquinas noticeable the moment you arrive at the area. I'm not sure how that affects the overall experience.

Regardless, service was amazing once inside. Birria and Barbacoa are two of the most traditional plates of local cuisine. We decided to order both plates with a side of guacamole.

Pricing was fair (around 120-140 pesos/main dish)

Let's start by saying their chunky salsa is amazing. The House salsa, I dare to say, is probably made with some of the birria's broth and is better appreciated by people who enjoy the taste of birria. Both salsas are mild/medium to the occasional heat seeker. The guacamole was amazing and fresh. Tortillas are hand made in there and great.

The birria and Barbacoa meat have a somewhat pungent taste, with lamb being a bit stronger. Recipes for these dishes vary from family to family, here is where I was shocked. The dishes lacked a distinctive taste. There wasn't a prominent unique spice or taste profile in the stew. Heat level was low. The taste quickly became much better and bold after adding both salsas and salt to the dish.

There are, at times, a group of musicians walking around singing requested songs, the environment is very nice and family friendly.

Overall, the quality of the experience is good but not necessarily as unique as expected. I truly wonder whether the taste has been commercialized to cater to many types of people. Regardless, it is definitely not a bad experience and a fair place to enjoy a delicacy in the area with all...

i was looking for a Mexican restaurant to try but this one specifically left me feeling unsatisfied and disappointed.

first of all customer service wasn’t great, me and my girl visited this place following google maps since we checked excellent reviews from americans like us, and stepped to main door not even a soul was there to welcome us, a waiter in the distance saw us walking in and immediately asked what we wanted? i said table for two obviously then he replied pick a table of your choice, we headed to apparently to the back outside the restrooms and he came at us being rude claiming the tables were taken already, ok we headed back and picked a table for 4 people.

Afterwards we proceeded to order and waited around 30-40 minutes to get our food ready… my carne asada plate was not cooked enough, beef was not even good and my wife’s plate wasn’t properly seasoned enough, plates were so gross and we didn’t even finish them. Left this restaurant expecting more and tbh plates were overpriced in my own opinion..

if you’re looking to get something good, please be aware...

El Pilón de Los Arrieros delivered a genuinely enjoyable dining experience. We ordered five different entrées, and each one was packed with flavor—well-cooked, beautifully plated, and clearly made with high-quality ingredients. The beverages were also top-notch and paired perfectly with the meal.

That said, a few things kept it from being a full 5-star experience. Some of the portioning felt a bit off—especially the sides like the beans, which were noticeably small given the price point. It didn’t ruin the meal by any means, but it was something we noticed.

Overall, we still had a great time. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, the service was solid, and the food quality speaks for itself. A bit pricey, yes—but worth visiting if you’re looking to enjoy a flavorful, well-prepared meal in a...