We just got back from our date night dinner at Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant in Oakland. I started going there in 2005. It is down the street from where my boys went to high school. So after our school parent meetings we would go down to Guadalajara and throw back some tequila shots and re-hash the meeting. I just introduced my husband to it about 2 years ago. He used to get his Mexican food from the Guadalajara truck that sits in the restaurant parking lot. Now he comes inside. The food is good and the prices are definitely affordable. It’s a casual place and absolutely family friendly. It is the only real restaurant I know off that is open until 3AM, other than Denny’s. I have never had their breakfast and they have what looks like a good breakfast menu.
I usually have the fried red snapper. It’s a whole fish – head to tail. You get rice, beans and a sald with it. My husband had that tonight and I had Mariscada (sic) (?), a seafood platter of grilled octopus, abalone, shrimp, scallops, halibut and clams or muscles. They garnish the plate with sliced oranges and cucumbers. There are scatterings of jalapeno peppers and bell peppers throughout. They offer a garlic or red diablo sauce with it. I truly like the fried snapper but I’m trying to stay away from the fried foods. So, the Mariscada was the next best choice. They have Happy Hour 5 or six days a week but at a weird time. You will have to look that up yourself but, I think it’s something like 8pm – midnight. Many times the have what we call the battle of the Mariachi bands. One band may come in the front door and start playing and another band may come in the side door. I guess it’s which band that gets there first. Sometimes they will wait each other out. And, there is always the little ladies coming around with beautiful flowers to sell. They have TV’s playing some game – tonight the Raiders, most nights soccer. Many of the Hispanic families start coming in around 8 o’clock, moms, pops, grannies and plenty babies. You can truly learn and use your Spanish there.
For people who know Oakland, Guadalajara is on Fruitvale and E. 12th Streets right across the street from the BART station and right at the railroad tracks. You have probably pasted it a zillion times and never paid it any attention. It’s a lot going on at that intersection. Anyway, check it out and get back with your experience of Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant. You know what happens after we get full. Nitey nite.
