Guanajuato Mexican Restaurant

If you want authentic Mexican food where experts of the cuisine actually eat in Durham? Go here. It was no-frills with amazing hospitality. The portions are also huge and you get far more than your money’s worth

Very good authentic style Mexican place in Durham. Small so it gets packed and waits happen. Camerones a la Diabla was spicy in a good way. The torta was stuffed. The Pozele was authentic!

We had steak Mexicano and I forgot the name of the other one(chicken, rice, bean, salad). They were soooo good and they gave you a lot of food for this price. It's about $15-16 each. It's a small restaurant next to a gas station and you wouldn't imagine they have such good food. Most people who dine here are local Hispanic and you can tell food would be food. The only thing is that the mean is kind of hard to read so if you are new, it may take quite a while to read it. But for sure will be back next time.

The food was hot and fast. I ordered 3 chorizo tacos and they were a little salty. The salsa was spicy and delicious. Next time I’ll get a variety of tacos.

Omg... I thought N.C didn't have good Mexican food. My how I was wrong. Durham has it covered. Found this place, recommended by my fellow workers. Can't say enough of how lucky I was to discover such a place. Check out my dinner, Mole and Tacos! 5 star all the way! Don't mind the line of people ordering. The food comes fast and often. I'm happy as can be!

This is TRULY an authentic Mexican restaurant with dishes from the state of Mexico. I am very picky about my Mexican food and this here left me talking numerous times about how delicious things were. Also with every dish each person gets their own homemade corn tortillas (5-6) so you have enough to eat with your food! You don't have to share!! It is extremely affordable and the quantity of food you get is enormous. I kid you not. Everything is freshly prepared and served hot! I will always come back here to eat. Note- a local told us that the wait times to be seated are loooong so a lot of people call in to order food and enjoy at home.

My friends and I came here after a day trip to Durham. We came at a later lunch hour with a mostly empty eating area that quickly filled up with locals as it became 4-5 pm. The menu is featured on a whiteboard and available in Spanish and English, and a friendly cashier took any questions. I ordered three tacos - chorizo, pastor, and carnitas with a Mexican coke. The three tacos were street taco style and a good portion that left you satisfied and full. The meat was not dry and tasted as you expected it - delicious. My friends ordered tacos, pupusas, and caldo de cameron. The pupusas were huge and two servings are definitely fulfilling and tasted amazing. The caldo de cameron was a great size and well seasoned and spiced with a great portion of shrimp and carrots. Throughout the meal, we kept telling each other how amazing the food tasted and also how comfortable the eatery was. This def showed as the dining area quickly filled up with regulars, students, and others craving good food. It's great food that serves the community and leaves you wanting to more by planning a second trip back. I loved the food and can't wait to try more.

10/10 it was perfect. I love little spots like this. You can tell someone’s abuela is back there doing her thing 🤌🏾. Please go check this place out. It brings that feeling like you’re eating real Mexican food, not something another culture is trying to imitate.

As a native Texan, (at least feeling somewhat qualified) I have to say that they have some top notch stuff, super impressed :) it's a pretty cozy space to grab a quick bite or even a sit-down meal. They have a pretty wide variety of options, but you definitely can't go wrong with their tacos! Super affordable and will leave you feeling satisfied and full. Everyone is really friendly and the food comes out pretty quickly. Definitely recommend! Especially their asada, chorizo, and lengua tacos! Will be back to try other things on the menu too. Bonus: they have their own parking lot which is nice!

I love this restaurant, I live about 20 minutes away from here and i rather come here them my local mexican restaurant

Delicious food!!!! I highly recommend. Service is great. Place is perfect for family dinner. Private parking lot. I love this place. Ambiance is family style.

Solid four stars. The Quesabirria was very good and the broth even had chickpeas lurking at the bottom. The tacos al pastor were pretty good and the aguas have numerous chunks of fresh fruit floating in them. The carnitas, liver, and lamb barbacoa were not all that. A little dry, maybe not as flavorful as could be. The staff speaks English and the menu is mostly bilingual. Order at the counter, have a seat, and your food will be delivered to you.

My friends and I came here after a day trip to Durham. We came at a later lunch hour with a mostly empty eating area that quickly filled up with locals as it became 4-5 pm. The menu is featured on a whiteboard and available in Spanish and English, and a friendly cashier took any questions. I ordered three tacos - chorizo, pastor, and carnitas with a Mexican coke. The three tacos were street taco style and a good portion that left you satisfied and full. The meat was not dry and tasted as you expected it - delicious. My friends ordered tacos, pupusas, and caldo de cameron. The pupusas were huge and two servings are definitely fulfilling and tasted amazing. The caldo de cameron was a great size and well seasoned and spiced with a great portion of shrimp and carrots. Throughout the meal, we kept telling each other how amazing the food tasted and also how comfortable the eatery was. This def showed as the dining area quickly filled up with regulars, students, and others craving good food. It's great food that serves the community and leaves you wanting to more by planning a second trip back. I loved the food and can't wait to try more.

Came on a Saturday evening. There was designated parking with some open slots. Got 1 pastor, 1 suadero, and 1 carnitas. Also go the horchata Ambiance: 3.5/5 Service: 4/5 food came out relatively quickly Food: 5/5 The three tacos were really filling! They all were amazing! Loved the grilled onions, peppers and jalapeños that came with each person's platter. The meat for all of them was surprisingly tender and well seasoned in contrast to the typical over cooked meat in tacos. My wife said it was the best tacos she's had in NC! Price: 5/5 relatively cheap tacos This will be one of our go to spots! The soups/stews looked delicious too!

Delicious, authentic food at a good price. The portions were good and you could tell everything was homemade. Definitely will be going back!

Popped in for lunch, today. I ordered pollo tacos y pollo pupusas YUMMMM! If you are looking for authentic Mexican food in North Durham this is your place. Be sure to try one of their fresh juices with your meal. You'll thank me later :)

I've been coming here since 2006 when it was called Los Comales. They never disappoint us, I've been to many Mexican restaurants in this state and this is the most traditional, real Mexican home made food. Everything is delicious!

One of the best taco restaurants in Durham! Authentic! From the outside it doesn't look like too appealing, but don't let that fool you! Food is so good! Sundays are one of their busiest days, so be sure to arrive early.

Here's an updated 12/15/23 menu of one of my favorite places to eat if I want to feel like I ate a fresh home cooked meal! It can get a bit busy so I usually get takeout but if you find a table definitely sit down and eat it fresh! I have yet to try everything but I will definitely get there my favorite is there Gorditas and that's probably one of the most basics things they sell so that says a lot! It's not that fanciest place to eat but there's no need when the food is great but also keep it in mine there's not many table I'd say no more than 10-12.

La comida deliciosa . Pero tardan mucho en prepararla . La personas que van a la hora de lunch tienen que esperara casi una hora para recibir su comida . Y eso que se pide por teléfono antes .

Authentic Mexican food Love it You must try If you don't know what to order they will recommend

This is why I love Durham. Great foods, no frills and great service. Guanajuato is a local gem and you know it's the truth because there is aaaaaalways someone in their dining room. Always. It's makes perfect sense though, because like the people, I too can't stay away. I've been here several times and absolutely love the food, everything on their menu is fresh and delicious, including their agua frescas - I personally love their Horchata. The menu is to the point and in Spanish listing the different protein options which are then available for their plethora of entree choices. You really can't go wrong, I've tried all the regulars like chicken (pollo), carne asada (stewed beef) and carnita (pork) but don't be afraid to go outside the box. The cabeza (head), tripe aka stomach lining and lengua (you guessed it tongue) are also really good. There's usually someone there who speaks English and the staff are really patient and willing to help if you don't understand. Do yourself a solid and open le google, she can give you an idea of what your ordering via pics in the event you want to stray from traditional tacos. This is a great spot to get takeout in a pandemic, (support local business!!) and they also offer seating indoors, the tables are socially distanced. I opted for takeout and they even walked it out to my car for me, who could ask for more?! I've had a variety of their menu options but all I can say is you'll be coming back for more. Their seafood soup is BOMB, like whole pieces of crab and shrimp in there, their tacos and sopes and delicious and even the basic quesadilla thrilled my tastebuds. To make a long story short, get in your car and go. You won't regret it, bon apetit!

I was fortunate to grow up on California and traveling to Mexico way too many times, I must say, this place is amazing!! Next to some of the hole on the wall Oaxacan restaurants or fish taco places in Ensenada, the meal I had today was delicious. I want to try the entire menu!! Outstanding!! I give it 11 stars!!

Amazing! The place looks a little run down on the outside but the inside is full of delicious food and delightful staff! Delicious tacos and pupusas were amazing!

We did a taco tour of the top rated authentically Mexican taco restaurants in Durham, and this one was by far the best. The tacos al pastor was delicious, with tender, well-seasoned meat. My friends reported that the quesabirria was a great choice as well. Logistics to note: The parking lot is small, due to social distancing there aren't many tables available, and the food does take some time to be ready, so call ahead and order for take out. Looking forward to my next visit!

We stopped for lunch here when passing through Durham and will be stopping here every time we pass through in the future. Here you fill find authentic Mexican food for a great deal. I ordered the chorizo and carnitas taco and a chicken and cheese pupusa. The tacos were incredible but I was absolutely blown away by the pupusa. Everything was packed with flavor -- highly recommend!

This place is consistently amazing. My favorite is always the quesobirria. I was intimidated by the Spanish menu but everyone speaks English and they are all incredibly nice. I cannot speak highly enough of this little dive of a place on the corner of Roxboro and Saint Paul Street.

I ordered a torta de huevos y chorizo which is essentially a Mexican sandwich. I would have loved if the bread was toasted but the flavors were there! They also have pupusas which I ordered a few with cheese and beans which were generous in size . Their menu has all sorts of options which makes this place great for any time of the day plus the prices are very reasonable.

Street style tacos and more conveniently located near I-85. + Ambiance is a hole in the wall in a forgettable area off I-85 in Durham. Inside is clean and bright with lots of natural lights. Busy with a constant flow of customers... I ordered ~15 minutes ahead so my tacos were ready when I arrived. Expect to wait in line to order, to wait for your food and yup to wait for a self-service table if you are eating in. + Tacos were very good here! I tried barbacoa, carne asada and al pastor tacos. They came naked on double corn tortillas and I dressed them from their salsa bar. I liked al pastor and barbacoa but their carne asada wasn't my favorite. It was a little too gristly but they all had nice flavors. I'd give another + here but their tortillas fell apart and made it a little messy. ++ Price is reasonable. My 3 tacos were just under $8. ++ Service is friendly and helpful. = Parking is free and is shared with a couple of other merchants. It's tight and has some pot holes. Overall, very decent street tacos and is conveniently located for a quick stop. I'd opt for flour or no tortilla dishes which is unfortunate cause that just changes everything! Their menu looks to be typical Mexican comfort eats...tacos, pozoles but they have pupuzas too. It seems to be popular with the locals...Spanish speaking and English speaking ;-). MY RATINGS - - - Inhumane - - Disgusted - Don't bother = Missed the Mark + Good ++ Better +++ EDIBLE...WHERE have you been all my LiFe!

My friend and I were looking for a birria place in durham. After a long search and a few phone calls, we found this restaurant. Very much a hole-in-the-wall place, but MAN was this experience life-changing. We waited about a very mouth watering 15 mins to get our food and it did not disappoint. We cleaned our plates without exchanging another word, for there was no time for talking. Amazing birria tacos, haven't tried anything else.

Was curious to try out a new restaurant that was so well rated and boy we were not disappointed. This hidden gem had all my favorites. Jarritos, pupusas, and Quesabirra tacos! The parleying lot and seating area was almost full when we arrived, but we found room and after a short wait were served delicious food. As a non-Spanish speaker, it can feel intimidating to be in a restaurant where that is the dominant language, but the relaxed atmosphere and kind staff totally put us at ease. Can't wait to go back.

We tried this for the first time. We ordered the shrimp and chicken fajitas. You expect to hear sizzle when it gets to your table. There was no sizzle, in fact the onions and peppers looked like they were boiled. You want that crunch of the peppers and onions. For a Mexican restaurant they'll have to do better on a popular dish.

I'm from California and in LA we have authentic Mexican food. We moved to NC 3 years ago and haven't found any authentic food we enjoy. We were in Raleigh and wanted to try some Mexican food. We found this place and let me tell you it is really good. It is very close to the authentic food in California, the food actually had flavor. The Birria tacos were very delicious. Crunchy and savory. The staff is really sweet. Will be back soon.

I cannot rave enough about this place's tacos and pupusas! I wake up dreaming about them This place is definitely a hole in the wall with some high quality flavors that your taste buds will never forget. For all pictured in the photo cost about $26 for 2 people and it is worth every penny! What are you waiting for? Go check them out!

Amazing tacos, but comes with a long wait time. We went on a Sunday evening and after ordering our tacos, we had a 30 minute wait. The place was packed with people, but that means you know the tacos are great and they were!! All of the meats were packed full of flavor and were very filling.

bad service and the meats are changed the carne asada tacos is not really carne asada is a different style of meat not to mention prices are increased at the time of paying going from $11.00 to $14.50 ... called to make sure about it ...they say they don't run the menu and that they don't run their yelp no resolution from Manager .., will not eat or recommend this place .... very disappointed ... high price low quality... half the food went to waste ... check receipt after paying ...

The food is great but over all I came in today and I had order and no one told me I couldn't sit down so I just chose a seat and a waitress comes up to me and tells me I can't sit down so I was just like what the fuck and then they tell me I can sit down like just tell me if I can or can't I'm the first place

I've only been to Guanajuato Restaurant once, but I had a nice experience. We ordered 3 tacos, as well as a birria plate (3 tacos). The sauce for dipping was deliciously savory and flavorful. A little greasy, but filling and delicious. For drinks, I ended up with my favorite-- horchata! It was a little on the thinner side, but I enjoyed it all the same. Very refreshing with the heavier tacos. The family who owns the place is super kind. I really liked them. From other reviews, I'm very curious about their soups/stews/pozoles! They sound amazing. Ugh, now if I can just have the strength stray from the birria tacos...

One of my favorite authentic Mexican restaurants in Durham. Wide ranging meat selection. I especially loved the suadero and cachete. The meat is tender, juicy, and flavorful. The grilled peppers which accompanied the tacos were a fantastic touch. I loved all 3 salsas that came with the tacos as well.

This is my favorite Mexican restaurant in Durham. Hands down. We eat here at least once a week. Great authentic food. Amazing tacos and pupusas.

Best Mexican food in the triangle. Authentic. We've been going there for 4 years and it is consistently good. Never a bad experience.

This spot is a bit off the beaten path off a busy street outside downtown Durham, but man do they make some good tacos. We tried a smattering of different options and all were very good. Also got a horchata which was HUGE, honestly the biggest drink I have ever seen. Not the prettiest on the inside so maybe take to go, but you won't find better value for tacos pretty much anywhere.

Kept on seeing my friends come to this place so I had to see what the hype was about! They have a full salsa bar here so choosing this place was a no brainer... or at least that's what Justin Bieber said :) Ordered a Barbacoa de borrego, Asada, carnitas tacos and a Torta Milanesa Best taco: asada (beed) Runner up: carnitas (pork) In 3rd: the lamb, which is the barbacoa de borrego. It's gamey without a lot of flavors, so you'd have to add sauce to make it better Had a Torta Milanesa, and it wasn't that great. I didn't see or taste any ham, egg, and barely had any lettuce on it. Aka kinda flat, BUT the beef was sooo tasty. The last item I had was their menudo, which is a traditional Mexican soup, made with cow's stomach in broth with a red chili pepper base. I'd have to say that it needs more hominy (dried corn kernels) and diced onions. The soup was a little bland. The tripe was the usual chewy texture and was pretty tasty. My roomie didn't like the way it looked or tasted so I gobbled it all! Bottom line: try the asada, hold the Barbacoa. Don't get the menudo if you're iffy about texture. Coming back for Suadero, Milanesa con pollo, and their pozole!! OH. Their Horchata is MONEY. Grab one or you're missing out

The best Mexican you may ever have. In an unassuming location, be prepared to Google translate the menu (or ask for a English menu, if that's your thing) and try out some delicious Mexican you may ever have!

These tacos were excellent! I had chicken and beef tacos. I went during the COVID-19 era. The staff were very nice, and they had appropriate COVID-19 precautions that made me feel safe. I waited outside for my order, and they brought it to me. They gave a number of red and green sauces too. I can't wait to go back!

The food is good, and authentic. We live less than a mile from the restaurant and order often. As mentioned by at least one other reviewer, however, the price you are charged is always higher than listed on the menu. This also includes when ordering via Postmates. In my experience, the prices charged is usually 20-30% higher than the price listed on the menu. We love the food, but we're getting tired of being overcharged.

Really delicious and authentic Mexican food. Very reasonable prices. Will definitely be back!

The food here is awesome! Their vegetarian options, like the veggie burrito, are fire. They also have mushroom tacos, which are pretty good. I would recommend the vegetarian tacos as well.

I was in town for the day and a friend recommended me this place. I went in on a Sunday at 1pm which was POPPING! Luckily I called ahead of time and only had to wait in line to pay for my take out order. The pupusa was delicious and so were the pastor tacos. Unfortunately the carne asada was a little hard (not sure if it was overcooked or what) so that's why it wasn't a 5 star meal. Overall, great environment and authentic tacos and pupusa. Hopefully next time I go the asada tacos are better.

Though it's almost always really crowded and there are other options nearby (the fantastic-in-its-own-right La Superior and the sadly terrible Super Taqueria are both less than a mile away on N. Roxboro as well as the totally solid Taquitos de Oro truck that usually is parked in the check cashing place that shares a parking lot with Guanajuato), Los Comales/Guanajuato is worth the hassle if you want some good tacos, tortas or soups. The tacos are always packed with meat that's cradled inside some freshly cooked tortillas. They have some options rarely seen on everyday menus at most taquerias (chivo de birria, crispy tripe, cabeza and buche tacos) as well as menudo and consommé de birria (goat soup) every day. They even have some really rare (though not totally recommended) dishes like higado encebollado (pan fried liver and onions). In addition to the breadth and quality of the menu the folks there are incredibly friendly, they make delicious aguafrescas and the salsa bar is super fresh (even though the salsas themselves are nowhere near as good as Nacos, La Superior, Azteca or Taco Market in Raleigh). Overall a great experience

Yummmmm best tacos I've had in a while. I like to order pastor wherever I go but surprisingly carne asada really wowed me here. Shrimp tostada was fresh and delicious but I probably wouldn't get that again. Pupusa sadly didn't come out piping hot like last time, which was disappointing because I was really looking forward to it. Salsa bar filled with delicious pickled veggies reminded me why I was so sad when los comales closed. Glad it's back under another name. Very affordable, much delicious, just be prepared for a long wait.

"You're lucky. We're usually packed at this time," said the order-taker when I walked in at 11:40 on a Saturday. There was still some snow on the ground, so maybe people were still waiting for secondary roads to thaw out. That's not to say it was empty. There was a family at one table, some men in painters' gear and another group walking through the door. I was impressed with the food in my taco order. The chunks of meat in my carne asada tacos were big and showed the grain of the beef. The el pastor packed a tart, pineapply punch. The chicken was shredded and appeared to have been braised. These tacos were an open palate for the diner to dress, coming with just the meat and tortillas. They have an ample condiment bar with onions, three types of salsa, limes and other accoutrements. I definitely recommend adding lime juice and salsa to ensure the tacos aren't dry. Also, the partial table service was a bonus. After ordering at the counter, they bring out the food and then bus the table. They also have a variety of other Mexican specialties. I can see why this place has so many positive reviews -- definitely a delicious excursion.

Excellent. A quick google search tells me that Guanajuato is a state in central part of Mexico. Anyhow when I'm here my meat of choice is steak or grilled chicken (if you don't specify grilled chicken it comes shredded). There's fresh made juice daily. My go to orders are burritos, tacos, sopes, pupusas. Clearly I eat here a lot. Anyhow... try this place and you won't be disappointed. (The pupusas are also the best I've had anywhere in Durham.) Oh and the salad bar.... the salad bar impresses everyone I bring here.

We were driving from Charlotte, NC to Richmnond, VA and found this on the way. Excellent pupusas and tacos. Loved the sauces as well. Only problem is this place is crowded with lots of people coming here at 1:30pm.

The food is so good. I would highly recommend getting the menudo, pastor taco, lengua tacos and any of the fresh drinks that they make.

Coming from California, I have very high expectations for a Mexican restaurant and it has been difficult finding a good place on this coast. I was initially drawn to this restaurant from its glowing reviews and pictures very reminiscent of good Mexican spots in Cali. In short, we were excited to give this place a try and are extremely pleased. Environment/Ambiance: 4.5/5 Definitely welcoming and easy to navigate. The restaurant was clean and had a steady flow of customers. Great for family or grabbing a quick bite with friends for lunch. There is a TV, but it was set to a Spanish novela. Service: 5/5 Both the ladies we interacted with were super friendly and helpful. The cashier was nice and prompt with our order and the other server was quick to bring us our meal. She even gave a refill of horchata before we headed out the door. We waited approximately 10 minutes for our food, which is relatively quick since a large family placed their order just before us. Food: 5/5 I ordered the Enchiladas Verdes and my husband got a burrito with barbacoa. I loved my dish and ate 80% of it (small asian here!). It was definitely a good recommendation from fellow Yelpers. Fair warning, it does lean on the spicier side, so keep that in mind. The portion was also giant, which might have filled both my husband and me if we didn't skip breakfast. The enchiladas were filled with chicken and the green sauce was amazing. There was a good helping of lettuce, avocados, and the works also. As for my husband's burrito, he enjoyed it but it was a bit too gamey for my taste. He didn't mind it but he would like to try something new the next time we come here. I would like to try out their selection of tacos, since that's what other patrons seem to go for. Oh, the horchata was cool, refreshing and tasty. Miscellaneous: * Basic Spanish and understanding of Mexican cuisine might be helpful as the menu is completely in Spanish. Thankfully, the staff are more than helpful explaining what is offered. * You order and pay at the counter, then find a table. They will bring your order to you. * Tacos come with just the meat filling so you can dress it up however you enjoy at the toppings cart.

I mean what a great restaurant. First of all, we gotta continue to support family owned spots in Durham. Second of all, its amazingly delicious. Third of all, the salsa bar! Fourth, get to catch up on your novelas while you're chomping your tacos. ALL IN ALL ITS THE BEST. We love their tacos-you literally cannot go wrong with the options they have. They are small but mighty so I suggest min. 3. The salsa bar is a great place to add all your spice (there is a lot!) and fresh pico etc. My fave is torta milanesa de res, which is a hefty stacked sandwich. Don't sleep on their rice and beans! Plus they sell huge Topo Chicos, which cause me great joy.

My favorite taco spot in a town with great taco options. I haven't had any other items but the tacos of various meats but each I've tried has been stellar.