Wondering where to go in Guadalajara? Well, here is my guide to Guadalajara nightlife!
I had the opportunity to spend a week in Guadalajara this past October and I had a blast.
The city has an interesting nightlife scene so be prepared for a lot of late nights and some bad hangovers!
This guide will show you how to approach the nightlife scene in Guadalajara, where to go, and other tips I learned along the way…
Chapultepec vs Zapopan
The two big party regions in the city are Chapultepec and Zapopan.
Zapopan is in the western part of the city. There are a ton of new malls, big box retailers, and commercial properties there.
The area has been in development for a while.
The other big nightlife scene in Guadalajara is Avenida Chapultepec (
Chapultepec Avenue).
On this main strip, you’ll find dozens and dozens of bars and nightclubs. This place is popping and you’ll see a lot of people out late.
So if you’re staying in Guadalajara, I would recommend staying within walking distance to these two areas (or within a 5 – 10 minute drive).
While I was in Guadalajara, I was able to go to quite a few bars and nightclubs.
And here are my favorite spots…
Bar Americas Review
I would say Bar Americas is one of my favorite bars in Guadalajara.
I’ll never forget the first time I went there.
I had just finished dinner and taken a quick nap in my hotel room.
I quickly showered and put on some clothes and was ready to hit the night on the town.
And it was about midnight at this point. I went straight into the club and it was pretty much empty!
I ordered a tequila and squirt from the cute bartender and asked her what time it normally gets busy at the bar.
And by “asked” I mean I typed it into Google translate.
She told me it doesn’t get busy until 2 AM!
That’s Latin American night life for you!
But anyways, the club is really cool and it gets super crowded on the weekends (like elbow to elbow) crowded.
And you should totally expect to get beer and other drinks spilled on you at some point in the night.
So there are two rooms in the club (it’s pretty much underground so your cellphone service will be crap).
The first room is the smaller one. There are couches around the corners, but they fill up fast.
The ceiling is really cool because they light up and create light shows. Bare in mind that the club is really dark inside.
The other room is next door and they usually play some different music there.
So…time for a quick funny story before I talk about another cool spot you should hit up.
About 30 minutes after I ordered that squirt and tequila drink, I had to use the bathroom.
I went into the bathroom marked “M”. I was a little tipsy from drinks at dinner and the little cocktail I just had.
And I forgot M stands for Mujer – women in Spanish.
Needless to say, the girls inside were quite surprised…as was I haha.
So don’t make the same mistake as this dumb gringo
Kin Kin
I think Kin Kin is my favorite club in Guadalajara. So, I went there on my first night on the town.
I had just finished exploring parts of the centro historical district and eaten dinner at La Chata (one of my favorite restaurants).
And it was Friday night before Halloween so people were all dressed up around the club.
The club is downstairs in the basement so look for the bouncers outside the door.
The actual club is a little small (which I didn’t like at first).
Like most of Latin America nightlife, it gets busy later in the night (after 2 AM). So be prepared for a long night of drinking!
What I like about this bar is they have a lot of good cocktails on the menu.
The margarita is very good and they also have a few drinks I don’t even know how to pronounce (but they’re really good).
So let’s start off with the prices, you should expect to pay between $3 – $6 per drink, including tip.
The DJ booth is near the back and they have a small dance floor, which gets really busy later in the night.
During my first trip there, I actually meet two girls who were out with another guy friend.
I bumped into one of them by accident and they said “sorry” in English, so I struck up a conversation.
Things went pretty good and I got their number. But that’s a story for another time 🙂
Anyways, the Halloween party they had was pretty cool. Lots of people dressed up and the music was good.
They played a good mix of EDM and House.
Cervezeria Chaulpetc
Cervezeria Chaulpetc is actually a chain of breweries across Latin America and there are two locations that you should visit in Guadalajara.
The first is the one in Chapultepec .
Seriously, this place is busy every single night. I walked past it on three separate nights and it was packed with no seats open.
I actually didn’t visit this location because it was too busy.
But, if it’s anything like the other one I visited, I think you’ll like it.
The other location to visit is the one in Tlaquepaque. This location is located on the main road so you’ll be near a lot of nice restaurants and other bars.
But this one is really cool. The brewery is on the second floor and it’s HUGE.
If you want to get some quick bites and some good beer with friends, this is the place to go.
The drinks are pretty cheap (no drinks or shots are going to cost you more than $6 bucks).
And if you want tequila from the menu order the San Matias Gran Reserva.
Trust me, it’s good and smooth so you won’t have a hangover.
And you can actually buy the entire bottle for about $18 or $20 bucks – totally worth it if you’re in a big group.
And the people there are very friendly. Not many of the staff speak English, so be prepared for a lot of pointing when you want to order something.
Do’s and Don’ts of Guadalajara Nightlife!
Alright before I end this post, I wanted to give you all a few do’s and don’ts when it comes to Guadalajara nightlife.
Don’t: Dress like a Gringo
When it comes to Latin America, dress up a little bit when you go out. You’ll have a lot better time when you don’t look like a gringo in cargo shirts and a t-shirt.
Wear some nice boots or casual shoes, but no sneakers. Wear a polo shirt or a button-up shirt.
Do: Approach girls with confidence
A lot of guys are afraid to approach girls in Latin America if they don’t speak English.
Don’t let that stop you and approach with confidence regardless.
And if worst comes to worst, use Google Translate to help you score a date.
That’s how I did it! When I went to Cervezeria Chaulpetc for the first time, the hostess caught my attention.
I tried to talk to her with my limited Spanish, but wasn’t going anywhere. So I finally decided to just whip out my phone and ask her out to dinner using Google Translate.
It worked too 🙂
P.s. If you’re looking to learn how to speak better Spanish, check out Rocket Languages!
Don’t: Don’t go out too early
As I mentioned before, the nightlife scene doesn’t really get started until late.
So don’t go out too early. And don’t eat dinner too early as well (unless you’re going to take a nap before you go out to the clubs).
Do: bring cash
Most bars and clubs in Guadalajara have to process credit card transactions through one of those portable verifone machines.
Those machines are REALLY slow. So bring cash to avoid big waits.
Is Guadalajara Nightlife Safe?
Overall, the nightlife scene is Guadalajara is very safe (even for tourists).
In my time there I even saw one group of American blondes at a bachelorette party!
The bars are all pretty safe. All of the clubs will check anyone for weapons before they are allowed inside.
So don’t worry and try to have fun 🙂
Anyways, I hope you found my guide to Guadalajara nightlife to be helpful and have fun in this amazing city!