David's Cafe

Address: Calle Hidalgo #21, Ajijic
Phone: 376 766 2341

Hours of Operation: Monday - Saturday 8a.m. - 4 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Directions: From Walmart head west on the Carretera into Ajijic. Turn right on Calle Juarez, the first street past Calle Colon. Take first right on Calle Flores, then first right onto Calle Colon. Drive towards the lake for 2 blocks. Turn right on Calle Hidalgo. David's is 1 1/2 block on the right. Parking along the street is limited.

First Impression

David's Café is a small breakfast and lunch restaurant on a main thoroughfare in Ajijic. They advertise a family-style atmosphere.

There is a dining area in the front of the cafe, which is designated a non-smoking area, a short flight of stairs that leads to the kitchen and an outdoor courtyard where smoking is allowed.

Daily specials are listed on a chalkboard and customers are given breakfast and lunch menu from which to choose their meals. David's Cafe has high ceilings, plastic tables covered with multi-colored tablecloths and plenty of room between tables. It is definitely a casual place for breakfast and lunch.

The prices are very reasonable, probably some of the least expensive lakeside. We found a seat easily and were served by the proprietor almost immediately. We arrived just before noon and decided to order from the breakfast menu.

Menu

David's Café specializes in breakfast and lunch. Breakfast selections include French toast, sweet rolls, muffins, waffles, omelets, juices and coffee. Lunch selections range from traditional Mexican fajitas and burritos to hamburgers, sandwiches, and chicken pot pie.

The lunch specials were advertised on a chalk board  and included chili and cornbread, Swiss enchiladas, David's burrito and more. I ordered a sweet roll and coffee and my companion ordered a Mexican omelet with beans, sausage and tortillas. Our coffee was brought out right away and our meals served shortly after, hot from the kitchen.

The omelet was tasty, filled with tomatoes, peppers, onions and cheese. But, as you can see from the picture, only a small "dab" of beans accompanied the meal.


This was a disappointment. Beans are cheap and a good size serving would have made a nice impression on the plate and on their customer. The sweet roll was very fresh and served hot with a caramel and nut topping.

The coffee was tasty, but no one came to top off our coffee, in fact, no one ever came back to the table after our meal was served to see if we needed anything else - like a fresh cup of coffee. David's Café does not serve beer, wine or mixed drinks.

Ambiance

David's Café is kind of a cool little place, with high ceilings and a courtyard in back of the kitchen area and flags hanging on the wall to represent the native countries of their customers.

The tables are covered with clean, colorful table clothes. There is a steady stream of people in and out. After a while, I noticed that none of these people sat down to eat, but rather had come in just to use the restroom.

We did visit the restroom and were dismayed at the terrible shape it is in. There is one restroom for all genders, and it appears to be a former shower room. The sink is located outside the bathroom. Soap was available, but there were no paper towels. It is, of all the restaurants we have visited in Ajijic, the one with the most wretched washroom.

Price and Service  

Service at David's Café is average. We were served immediately after entering the restaurant, but felt abandoned after our meal was served.

No one checked on us or offered to heat up our coffee. We had trouble flagging down the waitress to get a check when we were ready to leave. 

When the check did finally arrive, however, it was quite reasonable. The cost for two to eat breakfast was $80 pesos, about $6.50. The moral of this story - you get what you pay for.

 

Our Recommendation **

Our plan was to not review restaurants unless we could recommend them to our friends. David's Café is right on the edge - it could become a really great little café with a few changes. We think it has potential. The food is good and prices are very reasonable. That is the most important factor in deciding to review this restaurant.

Service is unfocused, haphazard, as if there is no plan to take care of customers after the meal is served. The bathroom is truly terrible and needs to be updated. Management should also stop people who are not customers, from coming in off the street to use the bathroom - it is annoying. With these issues corrected, David's Café could become a great place for breakfast and lunch.