Though Guadalajara Restaurant may lack an authentic staff, there are many colorful Mexican-themed flags, posters and art pieces hanging about the dining area. The place has a vibrant ambience and is perhaps a rather happening place to be at night, with its well- stocked bar and lively feel.

The salsa is decent and has a tasty roasted flavor, but the some of the “Mexican cuisine,” seems to confuse spicy with Hispanic. The jalapeno poppers, while a Sunday football classic, are far from the kind of thing you’d expect to find at a Mexican restaurant. The nachos and quesadillas have much in common with their overuse of Colby-jack cheese, and the spicy chicken wings seemed out of place.

The rest of the truly Mexican dishes are somewhat enjoyable, this is not a restaurant one visits for the food. The true fun seems to rely on its variety of “specialty margaritas,” which come in several fun flavors, and the exciting carvings within each table that appear to be large abstract flowers and plants. The music adds that extra touch of fun, as the radio station overhead sounded like a crazy Spanish version of WARM 106.9.

— Guy Keltner