If you’re staying in San Diego, chances are you will want to stop into Old Town.

There are shops, historical sites, and a park to explore. Right on the edge of Old Town is Casa Guadalajara, a Mexican restaurant with a cool atmosphere and good food.

As you walk into Casa Guadalajara, you’ll notice their tortilleria, where workers are making tortillas in-house, and you’ll hear the mariachi band playing for customers as they eat. Put your name on the list and find a comfortable place to sit - or take this time to explore Old Town - because you’ll likely be waiting for a while. Casa Guadalajara is pretty popular and tends to be busy.

We really enjoyed the food we had here. Our favorites were the chips and guacamole, pollo fundido, and enchiladas. We appreciated the recommendations given to us by our waitress, especially when we were about to choose something that she said wasn’t as good. The portions were large, especially after all the chips, salsa, and guac we ate, so you can easily share (many of us did). Even the appetizers were sized more like entrees.

If you are looking for a romantic date night or an intimate night out, though, this is probably not your place. The mariachi band is loud, and while fun to listen to, this doesn’t allow for quiet conversation. If you are up for a louder atmosphere, the mariachi band makes dinner more like a party. They even took requests - they played Disney songs for the table next to us.

There are lots of Mexican restaurants in San Diego, but Casa Guadalajara is one that we would definitely recommend checking out. Keep in mind that parking will likely be difficult on weekdays and nights, but there is public transportation from downtown San Diego that will take you to Old Town so you won’t have to park.

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