The 12 Best Tortas Ahogadas in Guadalajara

Don José started his tortas ahogadas business in the 1960s, traveling the city streets. In addition to being a true legend, this place stands out for its flavor and quality.

Although today they have a permanent location, the tortas are still prepared on the famous bicycle and are still served to eat there or to take away in the traditional bag.

The perfectly cooked birote, a good variety of carnitas, and a delicious sauce (especially the spicy one) have established this small spot as one of the best places to eat tortas ahogadas.

The recommendation is to order the combination of pork belly, cheek, and pork rind carnitas, and for dessert, a golden potato taco with tripe.

This traditional torta shop has been open since 1986. It’s known for its classic torta: a birote bun, beans, carnitas, and its special sauce made with tomatoes and chile de árbol.

The quality of its dishes is always top-notch, which is why it has to be in our guide.

Tortas Toño is perhaps one of the most famous places to eat tortas ahogadas. They opened their doors in 1990 in a metal food cart in the Colonia Providencia neighborhood.

They currently have eight locations where you can try their delicious traditional torta ahogada and variations featuring chicken, panela, and shrimp.

This family-run business opened its doors in 1978, and since then has offered some of the most delicious tortas ahogadas in Guadalajara.

They stand out for their high-quality ingredients, the golden-brown bolillo, and their super-spicy sauce that’s just right.

Pepe Castañeda’s tortas are located in Jardines de la Cruz at a casual spot with outdoor tables.

They stand out for their excellent service and for serving Tonicol to accompany your delicious torta ahogada.

Perhaps less well-known but definitely worth keeping on your radar, Tortas Rigo is a hidden gem.

They’ve been in business for over 60 years and have been following Don Rigo’s one and only original recipe ever since: with braised pork rinds (cheek and belly) and raw tomatoes with vegetables.

This street stall is a must-visit. With over 50 years of experience, the family business has been passed down from generation to generation.

When you arrive, you’ll find a line, but it’s well worth the wait to taste those delicious sauces and those legendary bean taquitos.

Quality, flavor, and price—they stand out from the rest because the meat is sliced rather than chopped, and because they give you a small bone of meat for free so you can clean it.

Best of all: they sell beer and can make it “clamato-style” with the same sauce used on the tortas.

Located in the Santa Tere neighborhood, this popular spot gets very crowded, so we recommend arriving early to get a seat.

In addition to standing out for their tortas, they have other delicious dishes on their menu, such as taquitos destrozados, borradores, and blanditos de panela asada.

Now with several locations around the city, these tortas ahogadas gained fame for their crispy bolillo and flavor. They come with beans and are filled with carnitas, tripe, tongue, or panela. The tomato sauce isn’t spicy and they’re topped with caramelized onions, lime, and radishes.