The Best Seafood Restaurants in Guadalajara

Guadalajara is a city where tradition meets modern life, and that includes its food. The local cooking ranges from traditional Jalisco dishes such as tortas ahogadas (pork sandwiches drowned in salsa), birria and carne en su jugo (beef stewed in its own broth) to some of the best tacos you will ever try. At the same time, the best restaurants in Guadalajara are often ranked among the top in Mexico and Latin America. This time we focus on the best seafood restaurants in Guadalajara.

Below we cover the seafood that the Pearl of the West (as Guadalajara is known) has to offer, highlighting restaurants that stand out for their authenticity, freshness, quality and creativity with fish and shellfish.

From bright ceviches to expertly cooked fish and shellfish, this guide points you to the places worth visiting if you want the best of the ocean in the middle of Guadalajara.

Malaya Barra y Mar

The space is small but the flavors are big. In a relaxed setting, it serves a varied menu whose highlights are the aguachiles (raw shrimp cured in lime juice and chile), the tacos and the camarones zarandeados (shrimp grilled Nayarit-style). It also has a wide selection of drinks, which makes it a great place to go the day after a party, if you know what we mean.

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La Panga del Impostor

On a pleasant terrace in Colonia Americana, chef Antonio de Livier serves a menu built mainly around ceviches, seafood cocktails, aguachiles and tacos. If you visit Thursday through Sunday, do not miss the grill specials.

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El Memín

Originally from Mazatlán, Mariscos El Memín has won the hearts and stomachs of Guadalajara locals. Its relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere, large Sinaloa-style menu, generous portions, distinctive seasoning and affordable prices make for a combination that pleases both your palate and your wallet.

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Mi Niño Jarocho

A casual restaurant in one of Guadalajara’s traditional neighborhoods. The menu stands out for its cold dishes, excellent ceviches, tostadas and seafood cocktails. The shrimp torta ahogada deserves special mention, and you should definitely try it. All of this earns Mi Niño Jarocho a place among the best places to eat seafood in Guadalajara.

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La Docena

La Docena recently earned a spot on the prestigious “Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants” list thanks to its focus on sustainable, top-quality fish and shellfish. Known for the freshness of its shellfish, the menu includes oysters on the half shell, grilled and zarandeados, live clams and king crab, plus a variety of tacos and tostadas. La Docena is a benchmark among the best places to eat seafood in Guadalajara and all of Mexico.

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El Farallón de Tepic

One of the most traditional seafood restaurants in Guadalajara, with a menu typical of beachfront restaurants in Nayarit. Highlights include the ceviches, pescado zarandeado (butterflied whole fish grilled over coals) and shrimp prepared several ways. The menu also has some less traditional options, such as Thai salmon and camarones di Mateo, which you should definitely try.

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El Zarandeao

A completely unpretentious restaurant where flavor is what matters. As you might guess, the specialty is pescado zarandeado, but there are also zarandeado shrimp, octopus and salmon, which you might not expect. You will also find the classic aguachiles, seafood cocktails and tostadas, and to finish, fried plantains with condensed milk. There are three locations: two in the Guadalajara metro area and one in Cajititlán, a short distance from the highway to Chapala.

El Dorado

When it comes to atmosphere, El Dorado offers two very different experiences. The Miramar and Santa Anita locations are simple, probably not where you would go for a special occasion, while the newer Valle Real location is more upscale. The atmosphere varies, but the quality of the food is consistent at every location, so you can count on a good meal wherever you go. The menu includes classics such as zarandeado dishes, seafood cocktails and aguachiles.

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Mariscos Alex

At a time when “neighborhood joint” is often confused with “hipster,” Mariscos Alex is a true neighborhood seafood spot in the original sense. There are no frills and no decor driving up prices; the Nungaray brothers, who own the place, make sure every customer leaves happy and full. The menu is made up mostly of the classic dishes you would expect at a beach restaurant, with great seasoning, generous portions and fair prices. Its reputation has spread well beyond the Las Torres neighborhood, so you will often have to wait for a table, but we promise it is worth it.

Cabanna Restaurant

Owned by Los Arcos, Cabanna inherits its parent’s attentive service, careful selection of quality ingredients and excellent execution. The menu is mostly tacos, tostadas, pizzas and small-plate “beach snacks,” ideal for ordering two, three or four and trying several things. If sharing is not your style, there are also regular-size dishes so no one reaches into your plate. The space is modern and pleasant, ideal for dinner and drinks from its standout cocktail menu with friends.

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Ponte Trucha Negro

For many years, Ponte Trucha Negro was one of the best-kept secrets of the traditional Santa Teresita neighborhood. Thanks to its quality, it is becoming better known among locals from other parts of the city every day, as the lines outside show. The menu features original dishes with clever names, including salads, tostadas, tacos, seafood cocktails and hot dishes. Add excellent prices and efficient, friendly service, and it is easily one of the best seafood restaurants in Guadalajara.

Isla Ancla

This spot specializes in tostadas topped with different kinds of aguachile, ceviche and original creations such as the “pulpotle” and “camaronpotle,” which, as you might imagine, come with a tasty, spicy hit of chipotle. The Isla Ancla menu has other dishes you should not miss, such as tortas ahogadas with shrimp or fried tuna, fried octopus tacos and seafood cocktails. Good food, a calm and casual atmosphere and friendly service from the owners. What more could you want?

Los Arcos

Founded in Culiacán in 1977, Los Arcos is a seafood benchmark not only in Sinaloa and Jalisco but across Mexico. It is the birthplace of the famous taco gobernador (a shrimp and cheese taco), copied by hundreds of restaurants around the country and created in honor of a governor of Sinaloa at the time. The menu includes standouts such as camarones culichi (shrimp in a creamy green chile sauce), camarones Arcos Mazatlán and pescado a la silla. It also has an attractive, welcoming dining room and warm, attentive service.

Campomar

Campomar holds a top spot among the best seafood restaurants in Guadalajara, as its five locations in the city, with long lines every day, make clear. Locals’ love for Campomar is well deserved: the restaurant successfully combines excellent cooking, exceptional service and prices that, while not cheap, match the quality, the attractive setting and the generous portions. If we tried to list every dish you should try, we would have to copy the entire menu. So, at the risk of leaving out real gems, do not miss the camarones zarandeados, the shrimp and octopus chorreada, the coconut shrimp and the “el tigre” sea bass ceviche (available only at Punto Sur and Andares).

Mariscos El 30

From Mexpan, Nayarit, comes Mariscos El 30 to Colonia Americana, with Nayarit-style seafood. Regulars’ favorites include the aguachile canelo, the tuna tartare, the tostada huichola, the oysters zarandeados and the tacos enchilados. Besides the great food, Mariscos El 30 stands out for its good prices. Consider yourself warned: it will become one of your favorite seafood restaurants in Guadalajara.

Mariscos Puerto Escondido

Unless you live nearby, Puerto Escondido may be one of those restaurants you have never heard of, which means you could be missing out on a real find. It is a casual, relaxed place with a clear focus on great value. When you arrive you get complimentary marlin and cheese taquitos; for a main course, we recommend the combinado zarandeado or the stuffed salmon. Its quality, generous portions and good prices earn Puerto Escondido a well-deserved spot among the best restaurants in Guadalajara.

Erizo de Mar

One of the most sophisticated and best-executed seafood restaurants in Guadalajara. Chef Fredy Monteros, a graduate of Glion Institute in Switzerland with experience in restaurants in Dubai, Chile and China, came back to Guadalajara to share his vision of fine cooking. The Erizo de Mar menu keeps changing, but the quality of the ingredients and the techniques stay constant and at the top of their game. Easily one of the standouts in our selection of the best seafood restaurants in Guadalajara.

Octo

Octo is a chef-driven experience for all the senses. Taste is not the only one rewarded: as soon as you walk in, the striking architecture catches your eye. Double-height ceilings, interior patios and terraces with a pattern of terracotta hexagonal bricks set the stage for the meal ahead. Chef Óscar Garza of Bruna created a menu of original dishes inspired by several cuisines, paying tribute to ingredients from the seas of Baja California, Nayarit, Oaxaca and Michoacán.