Los Laureles

Los Laureles Restaurant at Hotel Villa, Monte Carlo
Hidalgo 296, Chapala
376-765-2120
www.hoteles.udg.mx

Hours: Open 7 days; Monday through Thursday 8:00a.m. through 9:30 pm; Friday through Sunday 8 am through 10:30 pm; Sunday Breakfast Buffet
Credit Cards Accepted: Visa and Mastercard

Directions: From Walmart, follow the Carretera to Chapala. Hotel Villa Monte Carlo is on the right, as you cross the hill. Park along the street, next to the hotel.   

First Impressions

I had no idea that this restaurant existed until we joined the swimming club located at the Hotel Villa Monte Carlo in order to take advantage of their wonderful pool. This is a hidden place, without much advertising or promotions of any kind.

Sometimes a sign indicates that the local Rotary Club meets there, but otherwise, the restaurant seems to exist for the weekend hotel guests - mostly from Guadalajara - that stay in the hotel. This hotel is affiliated with the University of Guadalajara.

The restaurant is located in a nondescript building that fronts the Carretera. The indoor dining area is spacious, clean and inviting, but we always sit outdoors, under the ancient trees that surround the café, beneath the white canopies. The outdoor tables are covered in crisp white and red tablecloths. It is a pleasant  place to have lunch on a bright, not-too-breezy  afternoon.

Menu 

We have eaten at Los Laureles several times. The food and service is consistently good. This time, we arrived in the late afternoon for lunch. The waiter appeared promptly, after we had seated ourselves. He took our drink order and gave us  menus, written in Spanish with the English translation just underneath each entry. He came back with our drinks, and shortly thereafter, a basket of freshly baked rolls.

The lunch menu is extensive. There are a number of appetizers to choose from, including ceviche, to start the meal. Soups include tortilla, cream, and a ham and cheese soup, served in a bread bowl. Several salads are also offered.  


The menu includes small plates, and larger meals. Choose from a variety of sandwiches such as club or vegetarian, steak sandwich or chicken "hamburger" as well as traditional hamburgers. 

Mexican specialties include enchiladas, tacos and tostadas. There are several seafood and steak plates as well as pasta dishes such as spaghetti and fettucini. There is something on the menu for every taste and every size appetite.

We ordered a salad with shrimp, club sandwich with French fries and ham and cheese soup served in a bread bowl.  Everything was quite good.

Ambiance and Price

The service at Los Laureles is good. The waiters are pleasant and accommodating. Entrée prices range from $36 pesos to $120 pesos.

There is no loud music playing here, only the sounds of the birds in the canopy of trees, and there is a good view of the lake from the outdoor dining area. This is a very pleasant place to enjoy lunch in a lovely, quiet setting.

Our Recommendation  *** 

Los Laureles is a nice destination for lunch. The prices are reasonable and the service is good.

The food is not unique or creative, by any means, but rather standard dishes prepared well and served by attentive staff in a beautiful setting.

La Palapa del Guayabo

Address:  Paseo Ramon Corona #24
                Chapala, Jalisco
Phone:     376 765 4180
Hours of Operation:  Monday - Sunday; 12pm - 9pm
Webpage:  www.lapalapadelguayabo.com

Directions: From Walmart, head east on the Carratera towards Chapala, about 6 1/2 miles. Turn right at the stoplight, heading towards the lakefront. Take the next left, along the malecon. La Palapa del Guayabo is located at the end of the row of restaurants (under the big palapa) at the end of the market. There is limited parking in front of the restaurant, but ample parking along Paseo Ramon Corona.

First Impressions

La Palapa del Guayabo is in a huge, thatched roof building right at the end of the malecon in Chapala. It is the restaurant closest to the lake. Though we have been to Chapala to eat many times, we always preferred smaller, more intimate restaurants so had never tried La Palapa del Guayabo.

However, we were invited by friends who live in Chapala to try it with them, so we met on a Saturday night, before a huge fiesta and walked to the restaurant at the end of the malecon. The restaurant had very few customers, but enough to encourage the mariachis to play loudly and incessantly.

The best feature of La Palapa del Guayabo is the front seat view of the sun setting over Lake Chapala. Otherwise, it has the ambiance of a bus terminal.

Menu

The menu is in Spanish, with no English translation offered. This is okay if you have been in the area for a while, but hard for English speaking newcomers to decipher. This is the first restaurant, in our experience eating at lakeside restaurants, that has not offered a menu in English, or provided some sort of translation.

The menu has the standard dishes available at most of the restaurants in the area - arrachara, fish and seafood and some traditional Mexican plates. The waiter brought our drinks and a small serving of pico de gallo and chips to eat while we studied the menu.

We finally decided on the arrachara, a chilies rellano plate (stuffed with seafood) and molcajete de res (molcajete made with cheese, peppers, and beef) to split for two of us. The prices seemed rather high for a restaurant in working class Chapala, but it appears as though they cater mostly to tourists.

The molcajete arrived at the table bubbling hot and served with corn tortillas. The arrachara was served with french fries and a green salad. The chilies rellano was not breaded, but rather covered in a gritty cornmeal coating and baked. The seafood inside was not warm, and apparently had been prepared much earlier in the day. A small number of corn tortillas accompanied the molcajete, not enough for eating the entire bowl of meat and cheese, but we were not offered additional tortillas and could not get the waiter's attention to ask for more.

The restaurant offers a full bar, though we all drank soft drinks this evening. We inquired about dessert and the waiter told us that there was no chocolate cake, but seemed reluctant to bring the dessert menu, so we asked for the bill and had dessert at a local gelato stand. We were also not offered a way to take home the remaining molcajete.

Ambiance and Service

The best feature of La Palapa del Guayabo is its proximity to Lake Chapala. This is probably one of the best locations in Chapala for watching the sun set over the lake. The night we visited the restaurant, there were a small number of diners, but a large group of competing mariachis, who gathered around one table close to us and played all night.

They never came to our table, which seemed very odd. After a while, we felt like we had crashed someone's private party. It was so loud, that we were unable to carry on a conversation at our table.

We asked for a dessert menu, and the waiter informed us of a few choices, but he did not seem anxious for us to order anything more. I noticed that the waiters had begun to strip the tablecloths off the tables in the front of the restaurant. Our waiter was ready to go home. There was a festival in Chapala that evening and it seemed that everyone was anxious to leave work.

I did not check the restrooms at this restaurant. I have read other reviewers who commented, en espanol, that they are not in good shape, but I cannot verify that claim. It wouldn't surprise me to find that these writers are right. A place that does not care about its customers rarely bothers to keep the facilities clean.

Price

The bill arrived with a 10% propina already added and a charge for IVA (tax). This is the first time, since we have been living at Lake Chapala, that we have seen a bill with these charges added - especially for a table of four people. Our final bill, without alcohol or dessert and with two of us sharing the molcajete was
$663p, an outrageous sum, considering the quality of the food and the service that we received.

 

Our Recommendation **

Seriously? You can't find anyplace else in Chapala to eat?

Okay, we did not get sick from eating at this restaurant, and that is our standard for completely panning a place. You can eat here and not die. The view is very good. If, in the end, you must eat here as a sort of punishment to your guests whom you never care to see again, at least order the molcajete. Ask for extra tortillas, even if the waiter glares and grinds his teeth at you. Otherwise, there are many, many nicer places to eat along the malecon in Chapala, where you will be treated well by the wait staff, can eat great food, and pay much less for the experience.

La Casita del Molcajete

Address:  Paseo Ramon Corona  #132
                Chapala, Jalisco
Phone:  376 765 4906
Hours: Monday - Sunday,  9am - 11pm
Credit Cards Accepted

Directions: From Walmart, head east on the Carratera towards Chapala, about 6 1/2 miles. Turn right at the stoplight, heading towards the lakefront. Take the next left, along the malecon. La Casita del Molcajete is located in the row of restaurants at the end of the market. There is limited parking in front of the restaurant, but ample parking along Paseo Ramon Corona.

 

First Impressions

La Casita del Molcajete is in the middle of a strip of restaurants at the eastern end of the Chapala malecon. In this area, it is sometimes hard to tell where one café ends and another begins.

Perhaps that is why it took us nearly a year to get around to trying this pleasant little restaurant.




The interior is spotless, one of the cleanest restaurants I have seen lakeside. We were early and there was only one other table of diners when we arrived so we had our choice of tables covered in bright green, blue and orange tablecloths.

Menu

The maître de greeted us and introduced us to our young waiter, who immediately took our drink order and brought out pico de gallo and salsa  to enjoy while we looked over the menu.



In addition to the cafe's namesake dish, a bubbling volcanic cauldron of cheese, peppers and seafood or steak called molcajete, the menu also offered a variety of appetizers, fish and seafood cooked to order, steak, soup, salads, and a few traditional Mexican dishes. 

La Casita del Mocajete has a full bar, wine and beer as well as non-alcohol beverages.

We ordered fried shrimp and my companion said that it was some of the best he has tasted anywhere. The plate held a generous number of shrimp, steamed squash, a green salad and bread. The shrimp was lightly breaded and served hot, but not overcooked.

We also ordered chicken fajitas. The chicken was well seasoned and accompanied by refried beans, guacamole and a green salad and served with warm, thin corn tortillas. It was fresh, authentic and delicious.

Ambiance and Service

La Casita del Molcajete is a clean and pleasant café, though it appears rather dull on the outside. There is traditional music playing quietly in the background, so we were able to talk while we dined.

The young staff was courteous and paid attention to our table, attending to our needs without any prompting and without making us feel as if we were rushed.

The restaurant started to fill up just about the time we were ready to leave, and it is apparent that this is a favorite with local diners.

I stopped in the ladies' room before leaving and was pleasantly surprised. This is one of the nicest, and cleanest, public restrooms I have encountered in Mexico. I always feel good about eating at a restaurant that pays such close attention to these details.

Price

Prices are  reasonable, aligned with the cost of dinner at the surrounding restaurants on the malecon. We were happy to see that La Casita del Molcajete takes credit cards, except for American Express, though we had our pesos ready just in case.

Entrees, 4 glasses of wine and tip came to $500 pesos, less than $40US.

 

Our Recommendation ****

Put La Casita del Molcajete on your list of lakeside restaurants to try. The food is very well prepared and delicious, the service attentive and courteous and the prices will not make a hole in your budget.

El Quetzal Restaurant

Address: Hidalgo #236, Chapala,
Phone: 376-765-6063
Hours of Operation: Monday - Sunday 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday - Breakfast Buffet from 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.; Live Music - Sundays from 3 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Directions: Start in Chapala, from the intersection of Calle Francisco Madero and Calle Hidalgo (the end of the Carretera).  Head west towards Ajijic on Hidalgo. Travel approximately 1 1/2 blocks. El Quetzal is on the left. An iron gate sports a sign announcing the restaurant and a sandwich board in the street advertises "El Quetzal". From the malecon in Chapala, walk west, past the Beer Garden. El Quetzal is just before the end of the malecon.

First Impressions

If the ancient Mayans had designed a restaurant, El Quetzal would have been the result. The quetzal, a beautiful tropical bird, was sacred to the Mayans.

The décor of this lakeside restaurant is like a museum of Mayan symbols - serpents, also sacred to the Mayans, coiling down the tamarind tree, the plumed serpent, representing the marriage of the quetzal and the serpent, and Mayan statues.

Customers enter from the street, or from the patio entrance on the western end of the malecon and dine alfresco, under the shade of the huge tamarind tree.

Our visit was on a beautiful spring afternoon.  We chose to sit at a table near the malecon so we could gaze upon the lake and the mountains in the distance. A warm breeze was blowing off the lake.

The Menu  

The waiter brought our menus immediately after we were seated, took our drink order and left us to read the menu. The menu is available in Spanish and in English.

El Quetzal specializes in steak, fish and seafood dishes. There is a tantalizing selection of appetizers, including fondos, soups, empanadas, quesadillas, molcajetes and ceviche.

A full bar is available, and a wine special was offered at 2 X 1 prices. The white wine was served cold, chilled to exactly the right temperature.

We ordered shrimp empanadas, refried beans and shark cooked in garlic. The waiter brought out a basket of huge totopos and a spicy salsa to whet our appetite while we waited. 

The shrimp empanadas were large and served sizzling hot with a crispy crust and accompanied by a small side salad and slice of watermelon.

The serving size was so large that I could not have had anything else to eat. I broke open an empanada to reveal a creamy cheese filling stuffed with shrimp.



The thin filet of shark, cooked in garlic, was accompanied by large wedges of fried potatoes and served with a small green salad and fruit.

The shark was tender and not overcooked. The refried beans were creamy and topped with melted cheese and totopos.

Some tempting sounding desserts on the menu made us think twice, but after a huge and satisfying meal, we were unable to try any of them. Looks like we will have to return for dessert.

El Quetzal is moderately priced, a little more expensive than some other restaurants lakeside. The shark was priced at $120 pesos and the empanadas, at $100 pesos. Wine was a bargain, though, at 2 X $40 pesos.

Ambiance   

The location and ambiance of El Quetzal is just about perfect. There is soft Mexican music playing overhead, the view of the lake and the mountains on the southern shore is lovely.

The manager of the restaurant, walks among the diners, chatting and making sure everyone is satisfied with their meals. 

The décor is unique and fun, with snakes coiling around the trees and statues of Mayan gods guarding the bar. El Quetzal is certainly  different from anyplace we have dined along the lake.

Our waiters were polite and very professional, anticipating our needs but not coming back to the table too often.

The restrooms are old, but they are clean. Mujeres and hombres have separate spaces. They could use some updating and the Mujeres had no paper towels or working lights.

Price

El Quetzal is not cheap, but the prices are reasonable for the quality of the food that is served. Our meals, including wine, came to $375 pesos, less than $30 USD

Our Recommendation ****

El Quetzal is in a unique and beautiful setting, a Mayan garden hidden from the street by an ordinary looking entrance.

The food is delicious and the 2 X 1 wine special makes eating here a bargain.

We are coming back to El Quetzal soon. I have a feeling this restaurant is destined to become one of our favorites.

  

 

Restaurant Isla Cozumel

Address: Paseo Ramon Corona #22A, Chapala
Phone: 376-765-4606 or 376-765-7515
Hours: Open daily, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Credit Cards Accepted


Directions: From Walmart, drive east on the Carretera approximately 7 kilometers to the first red light in Chapala. Turn right at the light, onto Madero and left on Paseo Ramon Corona, which runs along the waterfront. Isla Cozumel is located at the end of the malecon, next to the giant palapa.




View from outdoor seating at Restaurant Isla Cozumel

First Impressions

Restaurant Isla Cozumel is a great place to eat after a walk on the malecon and a boat ride to Scorpion Island. There are wandering mariachis and unlimited wine and margaritas included in the price of the entrées. Lake Chapala is famous for near perfect climate and we visited Restaurnat Isla Cozumel on a particularly fine afternoon in November.

The Menu

Restaurant Isla Cozumel offers a variety of seafood and traditional Mexican dishes. The waiters are quick to bring out chips and salsa, followed by an appetizer of totopos with a refried bean and cheese topping.  The menu offers a large variety of seafood dishes and traditional Mexican plates -  fried shrimp, garlic shrimp, coconut shrimp, ceviche de pescado, scallops, octopus, filet relleno de mariscos, and calamare. 

They also offer steaks and traditional Mexican dishes, including a wonderful hot molcajete - a dish of melted cheeses and seafood. Our favorite dish is Costa Azul Camarones, which is a bacon wrapped, cheese stuffed shrimp. The bacon is not greasy, but more like a thinly sliced ham. This is so delicious we highly recommend that at least someone in your party try this dish and share - if you can force yourself to after the first bite.

The restaurant has a full bar, but just be aware that if you order the house wine or margaritas, then the price of those is included in your entrée. The waiters will bring out refills in huge icy pitchers and there is no additional cost. Our guests did not believe us when we told them this. If you have company to entertain, this makes taking them to dinner a real bargain.

Ambience

We always choose a sunny day to visit Restaurant Isla Cozumel and sit outdoors at the end of the malecon and engage in people watching. The best day to do this is Sunday, because a lot of visitors come to the lake from Guadalajara.

There is a market that runs along the street-side of the malecon and native dancers and musicians that you can watch from your ringside seat. Wandering mariachis stop by the table and sing a ballad or two to you while you enjoy your meal.

Service

I am becoming very spoiled living in Mexico. Service is always polite, prompt, courteous and that is exactly what you will find at Restaurant Isla Cozumel. We practice our limited Spanish on the waiters and they are very kind and accommodating. The restaurant is very clean and the bathrooms are spotless. This is a go-to place for us when we are entertaining guests from NOB.

Price  

As we alluded to above, Restaurant Isla Cozumel is a real bargain. The prices are very reasonable, you are served complementary appetizers immediately upon being seated that are over and above the standard chips and salsa. The food is delicious and is accompanied by all you can drink wine and margaritas. Dinner for four hungry Americans, including drinks and tip, was $550 pesos, about $42.

Our Recommendation ****

This is a wonderful place to eat, not only because the food is very good, but because the setting is wonderful. We recommend a day in Chapala to include the vendors and a quick trip out to Scorpion Island and then return for a late lunch at Restaurant Isla Cozumel.