10 Best Things to Do After Dinner in Guadalajara

Mercado Libertad is the mother of all Mexican markets and a must for any visitor to Guadalajara. Also known as Juan de Dios, this sprawling, 3-floor megaplex has a mindboggling array of stalls in a haphazard, labyrinth-like layout. From souvenir knickknacks to artisanal leather goods and bootleg DVDs, this heaving indoor market covers all your retail needs.

Haggling is common practice, but remember to be patient and bargain with a smile. If you’re feeling peckish, the food court has all your Mexican favourites (including sweets) at bargain-basement prices. Get in quick because the market is only open until 8 pm.

Teatro Degallado is the place to go to catch a live concert or theatrical show in Guadalajara. Set in the city’s historic centre, this grandiose neoclassical building is worth visiting for the architecture alone. It’s free to admire the lavish murals and halls when there aren’t any scheduled shows. 

The top performances book out in advance, so reserve online ahead of time if you can. Don’t miss the Orquesta Filarmónica de Jalisco, one of the top classical music ensembles in Mexico. Another incredible spectacle is the Mariachi Festival, whose gala performances have an exuberant vibe. 

Arena Coliseo is an essential pitstop for any wrestling fan in Guadalajara. And even if you don’t know a suplex from a piledriver, this boisterous event is still a heck of a lot of fun. Watch in wonder as masked, spandex-clad warriors pull off impressive acrobatic feats to entertain their raucous fans.

The best time to go is Martes de Glamour (Glamor Tuesdays), which attracts the top talent and the biggest crowds. If you’d rather not go it alone, Red Pub runs a double-decker British-style party bus to the event – the tour includes free beer.

Avenida Chapultepec is the strip in Guadalajara to make a beeline if you’re looking to party ‘till the break of dawn. This bustling, tree-lined avenue hosts some of the city’s liveliest pubs and clubs, the perfect place for a late-night bar crawl with friends. Some of the more popular venues pack out with rowdy revellers every night of the week.

If you rock up on a Saturday evening, you’ll catch the tail end of the Paseo Chapultepec Market, where local vendors peddle everything from Huichol beaded jewellery to handwoven textiles. Fortify your stomach at one of the numerous food stalls before hitting Chapultepec’s bars.

Mezonte Destilados Mexicanos de Agave is the ideal spot to sample Guadalajara’s premier export: tequila. But this isn’t a merely shot-slamming watering hole. Rather, it’s a culture-orientated distillery that educates attendees on Jalisco’s many agave-based spirits – it’s more of a classroom than a bar. 

A 2-hour tour teaches you about the 40 different agaves used to make Mexican mezcal and tequila. Once the learning is done, you’ll get the chance to taste test top-shelf artisanal spirits, most of which are distilled in-house. And yes: they’ll happily sell you a few bottles of the good stuff to take away.

Parián de Tlaquepaque appeals to Mariachi lovers as a charming 19^th-century patio where the guitar-toting musicians reign supreme. The feverish folkloric complex houses a cluster of restaurants and bars, which pack out with revellers on most nights. Each venue overlooks a central bandstand where lively Mariachi men strum the evening away.

Serenades aside, historic Tlaquepaque is an exciting place to stroll. Traditional colonial-era buildings and quaint, cobblestone streets hark back to yesteryear, and you’ll see authentic handicrafts at every turn.  Check out Plaza de Artesanías (one block from Parián de Tlaquepaque) for artisanal pottery and other goods.

Cantina La Fuente is a sophisticated spot to imbibe with an older, mostly Mexican clientele in Guadalajara. The traditional cantina-style venue serves ice-cold Cerveza and locally-produced tequila in an atmospheric, colonial-era locale. If you’re still peckish, you’ll find a broad range of tasty Mexican treats on the food menu: tacos, frijoles, and more.

Established in 1912, Cantina La Fuente is Guadalajara’s oldest watering hole. Keep an eye out for the vintage bicycle mounted above the bar. Back in the 1950s, a drunk patron went home without his ride, and the bike became the bar’s mascot – you’ll see it printed on your server’s apron, too.

Hudson Bar, just off Avenida Chapultepec in Guadalajara, is a cool, old-school establishment with live tunes on weekends. Classic rock is the genre of choice here – talented cover bands belt out everything from Queen to Bon Jovi.

Sleek contemporary décor, a trendy clientele, and a superb cocktail menu make this a popular hangout on any given night. Hungry punters will be pleased to hear the nosh is also top-notch, with filling comfort food from Mexico and the US. If the music gets too loud to hold a conversation, head upstairs to the buzzy rooftop bar instead.

Cervecería Chapultepec is the hottest ticket in Guadalajara for budget-conscious beer swillers. This widely popular franchise first opened on Avenida Chapultepec in 2015 and has rapidly expanded into 140 branches. Boasting locations in 9 countries across the Americas, the brand is fast becoming a global beer-peddling powerhouse.

The secret to its success? Rock bottom prices. Every item sold at Cervecería Chapultepec – bottled beers, tiny hamburgers, tasty tacos – won’t cost you a fortune of pesos. The bite-sized dishes aren’t exactly gourmet, but they fill the stomach, and the beer is always ice cold. You’ll find 3 locations within walking distance on Avenida Chapultepec.

Bar Americas is a landmark venue in Guadalajara’s electronic dance music scene. This longstanding electro institution has been enthralling music lovers since 2002 and doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon. The large, laser-lit, warehouse-like club gets jam-packed on weekends when the best DJs play.

Affordable prices and a discrimination-free door policy attract a mixed, unpretentious clientele. Don’t bother coming before midnight – the place kicks into gear late but pumps only until around 5 am. Big-name international DJs have been known to play sets here from time to time.