Located smack dab in the center of Fair Oaks Boulevard’s upscale dining and shopping corridor, humble Taqueria Guadalajara is your go-to eatery for all things Mexican. Visit during the lunch hour and you’ll find elegantly clad customers wolfing down the taqueria’s humungous burritos and ridiculously caloric but delicious fajitas. (Try the steak asada and the spicy pork fajitas—you’ll love ‘em.) Other specialties include really tasty soft tacos (with a number of meat selections) and a nice array of breakfast dishes—the kitchen’s chorizo and eggs is a hearty antidote to the I-didn’t-sleep-enough morning grumpies. The taqueria is as plain as they get—big windows look out on a dingy parking lot, Corona flags flutter over the open kitchen, and baskets of colorful artificial flowers dangle above customers. But service is cheery, and the food comes out fast. If you want to see what the food looks like, there’s an entertaining electronic screen placed on the counter that flashes pictures of the various menu items—my kids were fascinated by it. Fancy it’s not, but what Taqueria Guadalajara lacks in ambience, it more than makes up for it in flavor. Check it out the next time you shop at the Pavilions. — Kira O'Donnell

Insider tip: The taqueria has a fun salsa bar, with an interesting selection of condiments.

Payment methods: MasterCard, Visa

Alcohol: Beer only

Hours: 9 a.m.–9 p.m. daily, entire menu (incl. breakfast) served all day