“It’s not necessarily that good, but I’m still thoroughly enjoying it.”

These words, said mid-bite, perfectly sum up my initial thoughts while digging into the bean and cheese burrito I ordered from Taqueria Guadelajara. The family-owned, authentic Mexican restaurant is located on the corner of 7th and Pitkin in Grand Junction.

Because it is definitely a hole-in-the-wall type of place, Taqueria Guadelajara means it when they call themselves “authentic.” Being from Southern California, I can say that the restaurant very much reminds me of the countless Mexican food joints I would pass driving around my hometown.

The restaurant itself is relatively small, and the front area where customers order portrays the place as somewhere you pick up your food and take it back home.

Taqueria Guadelajara is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., but the last 15 minutes or so is unofficially reserved for take-out orders. Although many corporate restaurants allow guests to dine in as long as they make it in before close, I found it unfortunate, though not surprising, that a local, family-owned restaurant would not do the same.

The place is pretty cheap, with nothing over about eight bucks. Vegetarians should be wary that Taqueria Guadelajara is not veggie-friendly, as the only “vegetarian” items on the small menu are a bean and cheese burrito and a cheese quesadilla. They also only serve one kind of salsa, salsa verde, and it is hot.

Overall our meals were enjoyable, but there’s nothing stopping me from just going to Los J’s instead and paying a little more for a larger variety of, and equally as satisfying, food.

arildefonso@mavs.coloradomesa.edu