Nightlife · Guadalajara · Mexico
Guadalajara nightlife
Where the evenings happen in Guadalajara, from early drinks to late nights.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Talton12, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Guadalajara has a big, varied nightlife driven by its universities: cantinas and mezcal bars in the centre, a dense bar and club scene in the Americana, live music and long-running gay bars, and mariachi in Tlaquepaque. The main areas are Colonia Americana, Centro Histórico, Tlaquepaque and Providencia and Andares.
Key facts
- Nightlife areas
- 4
- Stay near the action
- Colonia Americana and Lafayette
- Local drink
- Tejuino
Where to go out
Colonia Americana
Avenida Chapultepec and nearby streets such as Calle Libertad have cocktail bars, mezcalerías, clubs and LGBTQ+ venues.
Centro Histórico
Traditional cantinas with botanas and live music, plus the mariachi plaza near San Juan de Dios.
Tlaquepaque
El Parián's bars and mariachi bands, busiest on weekend evenings.
Providencia and Andares
Upscale bars, lounges and clubs popular with a well-dressed crowd.
Nightlife tips
- Bars fill late, after 10pm, and clubs keep going into the early morning at weekends.
- Use ride-hailing apps to get home rather than walking quiet streets late at night.
Evening sights
Architecture · Centro Histórico
Teatro Degollado
Seeing a performance is the best way inside; check the programme and buy tickets at the box office for folkloric dance or the philharmonic.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- History
- After dark
- Couples
Landmark · Centro Histórico
Plaza de los Mariachis
Agree the price per song before the band plays, and visit in the early evening rather than late at night.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- After dark
- History
- Iconic
Neighbourhood · Tlaquepaque
Tlaquepaque and El Parián
Visit on a weekend afternoon to browse the galleries, then stay for drinks and mariachi at El Parián as the evening begins.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Art
- Couples
- After dark
- Free
Street · Colonia Americana and Lafayette
Avenida Chapultepec
Explore the side streets, such as Calle Libertad and Calle Morelos, where many of the best small bars and coffee shops are.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- After dark
- Food
- Free
- Couples
Experience · Centro Histórico
Lucha libre at Arena Coliseo
Buy a cheap mask from the sellers outside and sit in the middle sections, where the atmosphere is loud but family-friendly.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- After dark
- Kids
- Iconic
What to drink
- Tejuino — A cold, lightly fermented drink of maize dough with piloncillo, served with lime, salt and a scoop of lime sorbet. It is sweet, sour and salty, and a classic way to cool off.
- Tequila — Jalisco's blue-agave spirit, made in the Tequila region west of the city and the Los Altos highlands to the east. Locals sip good blanco or reposado neat, often with sangrita, a spicy tomato-citrus chaser.
- Cantaritos — Tequila mixed with orange, lime and grapefruit juice, grapefruit soda and salt, served in a clay pot with a chile-salt rim. Roadside stands on the way to Tequila serve them in huge sizes.
Evenings through the year
Sunset and the overnight low decide how long the outdoor part of a night lasts. May has the warmest evenings, with lows around 15°C (59°F).
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Overnight low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | About 18:33 | 7°C (45°F) | 2 |
| April | About 19:12 | 12°C (54°F) | 1 |
| July | About 19:37 | 16°C (61°F) | 21 |
| October | About 18:29 | 14°C (57°F) | 6 |
Getting home late
- Walking — The cathedral, Plaza Tapatía, Cabañas, the San Juan de Dios market and MUSA are all within about 20 minutes' walk of each other.
- Bus — The Mi Macro Calzada bus rapid transit runs north along Calzada Independencia to the zoo and Huentitán, and many city buses cover other routes cheaply.
- Ride-hailing — Uber and DiDi are widely available and inexpensive, and are the easiest way to reach the Americana, Providencia and Zapopan at night.
- Taxi — Street taxis are plentiful; use metered taxis or agree the fare before getting in.
Late-night bites
- Torta ahogada — Torta stands and small shops across the city, especially in the centre and around markets; ask for 'media ahogada' for less heat.
- Lonche — Lonchería counters across the city, particularly busy at breakfast and midday.
Staying safe at night
Most visitors have trouble-free stays, but watch for pickpockets in markets and on crowded public transport, and stick to busy, well-lit streets at night, particularly east of the Hospicio Cabañas. Ride-hailing apps are a sensible choice for late-night journeys.
- Emergency number
- 911
Where to stay for nightlife
$$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, couples and solo travellers
Colonia Americana and Lafayette
West of the centre, the Americana and Lafayette districts were laid out for wealthy families in the early 1900s, and their tree-lined streets still hold Art Nouveau and early modernist houses, including early works by Luis Barragán. Avenida Chapultepec and the streets around it are now the city's liveliest strip of coffee shops, restaurants, mezcal bars and galleries.
- Good
- Best café and bar scene in the city; Walkable, leafy streets; Short taxi ride to the centre
- Watch out
- Bar noise on weekend nights; Prices higher than the centre
- Nearby
- Avenida Chapultepec, Templo Expiatorio, MUSA
Questions travellers ask
+Where is the best nightlife in Guadalajara?
Colonia Americana, Centro Histórico and Tlaquepaque. Avenida Chapultepec and nearby streets such as Calle Libertad have cocktail bars, mezcalerías, clubs and LGBTQ+ venues.
+Which area of Guadalajara is best for nightlife?
Colonia Americana and Lafayette: Early 20th-century mansions, cafés and bars along Avenida Chapultepec.