Taqueria Guadalajara — Restaurant in Madison

There is much to like about Taqueria Guadalajara.

The service is efficient, the menu extensive and you get incredible bang for the buck. I like but not love the food; there are sub-par elements of any meal juxtaposed against some near transcendent elements. While not my favorite Mexican restaurant in town, it is certainly in the conversation.

The Platillo Guadalajara exemplifies uneven performance of the kitchen. This dish for four consists of various Mexican grilled meats, roasted potatoes, knob onions, deep-fried jalapeños and grilled cactus. The steak and rib meat was superb, with a char on the exterior but not overcooked. The same goes for the slightly sweet knob onions, which helped balance out the pile of unctuous grilled meat. And the oh-so-wonderful corn tortillas served on the side were thick, fresh and loaded with flavor. On the flip side, the overcooked chorizo added a crunchy element the dish did not need. The potatoes could provide that textural component if properly prepared, but instead, the limp, under-seasoned spuds seemed out of place in this dish.

The same study in contrasts occurs with the complimentary chips and salsa. The bland, slightly stale tri-color chips seem out of place in a restaurant that serves such wonderfully fresh corn tortillas. Taqueria Guadalajara serves two salsas with the chips. The flavor-packed spicy version is expertly prepared while its milder sibling is a watery mess.

Once you get past the uneven performance of the kitchen, the performance of the restaurant shines.

The expansive menu offers a vast variety of choices, including numerous vegetarian options. Adventurous eaters can dine on buche, tripe or lengua while the kid's menu gives you the ability to feed the bambinos when you elect to bring them along. On weekends, the restaurant offers pozole and menudo. The generous serving sizes mean you will be toting a doggy bag when departing the restaurant.

I have enjoyed top-notch treatment during my visits. While not overly gregarious, the servers are cordial and efficient. Even when slammed with customers, I always receive water and complimentary chips and salsa within a couple minutes of being seated. Also appreciated is how the servers keep a keen eye on the chip basket. They also consistently perform other service basics liking checking in after they deliver the food and promptly removing dirty dishes.

For a mom-&-pop Mexican restaurant, Taqueria Guadalajara gets a gold star for cleanliness. The stainless steel open kitchen still gleans as it did when the restaurant reopened and the tabletops are always spotless.

The serving area is relatively small and there is scant space between the tables. Eating during peak hours means it may be difficult to carry on a discussion with tablemates at conversational tones.

So if you find yourself travelling the South Park Street corridor with a heavy appetite and a light wallet, do not hesitate to pay Taqueria...

Worst customer service I've ever experienced. Was basically told I was the rude one because I spoke up that someone cut me in line despite me being there first. My food was cold and bland when I ate it so I did not finish my food. When I called to speak to a manager I was told I would have to call back tomorrow. When I then asked if I would be able to get my refund tomorrow from the manager I was told no as it has to be the same day because they wanted the food back. So I asked how I'm supposed to get my refund if nobody was there that I could talk to about my issue. I was told I could get my refund then if I brought the food back. So I drove all the way back to the restaurant for them to only try to refund me 12 dollars (which is only half what I paid). They didn't want to even give me my 4 dollar tip back. when I asked for that tip back I was told that I was just wanting more and more money and it "wasn't enough for me still". They accused me of lying because nobody else in the restaurant had complained about the pastor meat that day yet. Told me they didn't want to give a full refund because I "ate all the food" (despite having literally not eaten half of the food and bringing it back to even show it to them) they still tried to tell me I "ate all the food". I felt very ignored and disrespected despite being respectful the entire time. Wish I could rate 0 stars. Used to be a great restaurant but clearly went downhill and I won't be coming back without a proper resolution to...

Don’t be fooled by the understated exterior—this cozy Mexican restaurant is an absolute hidden gem! I previously lived in the area for many years but had never experienced the delicious food and friendly service provided by Taqueria Guadalajara up until my most recent visit. I can tell you with confidence, I had definitely been missing out, and so are you!

I placed a pickup order through DoorDash and arrived a bit early. At first, I was hesitant because the restaurant is exterior is understated and attached to a laundromat, but my doubts disappeared when I walked inside.

The space was clean, colorful, and welcoming, with a cozy dining area and a full-service bar. I was greeted by a friendly staff member who immediately checked on my food. Even though I was early, my order was almost ready. The man kindly offered me a seat at the bar while I waited and I obliged. I ordered a raspberry lemonade and when I say it was the best raspberry lemonade I’ve had in a long time, I’m not exaggerating. Shortly after my food was ready and I was heading to the door, i wished I had the time to stay and eat.

Before leaving, I used the restroom, which was extremely clean and smelled amazing—not something you usually expect at a Mexican restaurant. When I finally got home to eat, my enchiladas were still hot and absolutely delicious. They also included complimentary chips and salsa, which really added to the experience. You wont regret...