The Merendero Lake

Address: Corner of Calle Colon and Calle Constitution
Ph: (376) 766 1571

Hours of Operation:  Daily 12PM - 7:30PM
Facebook: The Merendero Lake
Credit Cards are not Accepted

Directions: From Walmart head west on the Carretera to a right on Calle Juarez, one block past Calle Colon in Ajijic. Turn right on Calle Flores and right on Calle Colon. The Merendero Lake Restaurant is 4 blocks down, on the corner of Calle Colon and Calle Constitution. It is on the Calle Ocampo side of Calle Colon. Parking is very limited on Colon, Constitution and Ocampo.

First Impressions

The Merendero Lake is located on the corner of Calle Ocampo and Calle Colon, in the heart of Ajijic. It is a pleasant little café, with lunch specials listed on a sandwich board on the sidewalk.

We have often passed by and smelled the delicious aromas wafting through open windows and remarked that we would have to visit.

The Menu

The Lake Merendero advertises their hamburger specials, and offer a variety of hamburger plates on the menu ranging in price from $55 pesos to $75 pesos, all accompanied with French fries. There are also a tempting variety of salads, soup, alfredo, baguette sandwiches, and savory and sweet crepes.



We ordered the Hamburger Nortena plate as the $95 peso special of the day, which included a glass of wine. The hamburger was cooked perfectly, no pink at all in the middle, served with a tomato slice, lettuce, caramelized onions and chipotle sauce. This is definitely one of the best hamburgers lakeside.

We also ordered a bleu cheese salad, with pecans, pear and chopped fresh greens and of course, huge chunks of bleu cheese. Most salads were priced at $65 pesos.

Service was casual, polite and leisurely. The chef came out from the kitchen and checked to see that our meals were cooked to our satisfaction.

We ordered a dessert to split between us. The waitress recommended crepes, with blackberries and cream cheese served with ice cream. It was so good that we are determined to return and order the crepes as an entrée.

The Lake Merendero serves sangria, wine, beer and some mixed drinks, which are listed on the chalkboard.

Ambiance

The Merendero Lake is a pleasant café, with an open air feel about it. Customers can see into the kitchen, and everything appears very clean. This is a place where you run into all the people you know in town, whether eating in the café or passing by.

There is a television in the corner and golden oldie music playing in the background. None of it seems out of place in this upscale burger joint.

 

Price

The prices on the menu are moderate, in keeping with similar restaurants in Ajijic. The lunch special was $95 pesos and included a glass of wine. Entrees are priced from $55 pesos to $120 pesos. Wine was $50 pesos for a large glass. Our meal, two entrees, four glasses of wine, and dessert totaled $358 pesos.

Our Recommendation ***

The Lake Merendero is a great place for lunch, and if you are hankering for a hamburger, this is probably the best one in town. Salads are delicious and just the right size and desserts are unique to the area - where almost every restaurant offers flan for dessert. We will definitely be back for more.