Tony's Plus Restaurant Bar

Address: Carretera Chapala-Jocotepec #149, San Antonio, Tlayacapan
Phone: 376-766-4614  Reservations: 376-766-4069
Hours of Operation: Thursday - Tuesday 12 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Closed Wednesday
Facebook Page: Restaurante Tony's Plus
Email: Tonysplus@live.com

Directions: From Walmart travel east on the Carretera approximately 1/2 mile. Tony's will be on the right (lakeside) in the Superlake shopping center. There is parking in front of Tony's Restaurant.

First Impressions

Tony's Restaurant Bar is not the kind of place that I would normally choose to dine. Quaint is okay with me and so is funky. But Tony's is located in a run down strip mall along the Carretera.

However, this restaurant is close to where I live and came highly recommended to us by many friends who have lived here for a long time.

Tony's is well known for high quality steak dinners. So, we finally got up the nerve to give it a try. Tony also owns the carniceria next door so you know his steaks are fresh.

Tony's Plus Restaurant Bar is a place we have returned to several times because of the menu selections and the consistent quality of the food.

 

Menu

Tony's Restaurant has a large and varied menu that include salads, soups, appetizers, chicken dishes, shrimp, pork and steak as well as daily specials.

A nice selection of traditional Mexican dishes are also available, such as burritos, tacos on flour or corn tortillas, and beef or chicken fajitas.

As soon as you are seated, a waiter brings a plate of corn totopos to the table, along with a bowl of pico de gallo, pickled carrots and a mango salsa to help you stave off hunger while you wait for your meal to be cooked to order.

If you prefer to start your meal with a fresh salad, there are several from which to choose -  green salad, Cesar salad and a mixed salad, as well as variations of these that include meat.


The steak menu offers T-Bone, Rib Eye and Arrachera, a tender marinated steak, and Beef Shish Kebob.

Meals are served with your choice of flour or corn tortillas.

Ask the waiter what is available for dessert and he will recite a list of pies -  peanut butter, pecan  and lemon pie - as well as cheesecake and flan.

We chose the flan to split between us and it was delicious.

Ambiance

Tony's interior is decorated with murals depicting the lake and mountains. There are plants hanging from the ceiling and an open courtyard at the back of the restaurant. The entire front is open to the street, which some may find unpleasant.

Like many restaurants in town, they play music from the 1960's and 1970's that they must think all Norte Americanos of a certain age like to hear. I want to go on record now that I have heard enough Classic Rock music to last me the rest of my life.

I wish they would just play Mexican music - softly - in the background. After all, we came here to enjoy the local culture. During an afternoon meal very recently, a dog somewhere behind the courtyard was barking nonstop through our entire meal. 

Tony's is a fine place for lunch or early dinner and the food is good. But, the environment is not conducive to romantic dinners or a special occasion. There is too much noise, from outside the restaurant and from within.

Service

Though we have heard some complaints about spotty service at Tony's, we have always enjoyed good service from the waiters. They are polite and prompt.

They do not hover around us, but check periodically to make sure our dinner is good and that we don't need anything at that moment. They are knowledgeable about the menu and specials.

Price

I have included some pictures from the actual menu that includes prices. Tony's is moderately priced, about the same as finer restaurants in Ajijc. The day we ate at Tony's, we had two glasses of wine each, two entrees and a dessert between us and the final bill was $360 pesos, about $30. I certainly cannot complain about those prices!

Our Recommendation ***

Tony's Plus Restaurant is a nice place for a casual meal, for a steak dinner or Mexican food. The quality is consistent and the prices right.

 

Roberto's

Address: Carretera Poniente #35, Ajijic
Phone: 376-766-1616

Website: www.Robertosrestaurante.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/robertosrestaurante

Hour of Operation: Wednesday through Saturday 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday Brunch 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Parking: On the right, off the Carretera, in front of Roberto's.
Live Entertainment

Directions: From Walmart, drive west on the Carretera through Ajijic, approximately 4 kilometers. As you head out of town, you will come to a small hill. Just over the hill on the right, Roberto's is just past Calle 5 de Febrero. If you reach Calle A. Obregon you have gone too far. Look for the tables set up outside the hacienda gates.

First Impressions

Roberto's was difficult for us to find the first time. Everyone gave us vague directions. It is located right on the Carratera so it should have been easy to spot.

Right? Well, no. Not unless you know where to look you can drive right by it and never know it was there. * Roberto's now has a prominent sign in front of the restaurant. It is on the right, as you come over the hill heading west out of Ajijic. Roberto's is situated on a hill just above the Carretera.  The picture, left, is of the front of the restaurant.


It would be a shame to bypass Roberto's because it is a very good restaurant offering consistently delicious food in a beautiful old hacienda.

Plentiful parking in front of the restaurant and a few tables are set up outside the gates to help customers find the entrance. This is another of our favorite restaurants in Ajijic.

* See below for update on Sunday Brunch at Roberto's.

The Menu

Robert's menu offers a wide variety of dishes - steaks, chicken, seafood, salads. This is North American style food prepared well.

Once  you are seated, the waiter takes your drink order and delivers a basket of warm bread and croquetas de la zanahoria (carrot croquettes) to your table to stave off hunger while you browse the menu.



Some of dishes available daily include Panko Encrusted Fish, Steak Diane, Crab Cakes, Salmon Dijon, Moo Shu Pork, Mongolian Beef.

Brunch is available on Sunday mornings with dishes that include a brunch burrito, salmon scrambled eggs, pancakes and bananas foster, eggs Florentine and crepes.

We visited Roberto's to sample their Sunday Brunch for ourselves and it was scrumptious. There are so many creative, tempting dishes from which to choose.

We finally settled on Robert's Special Breakfast of eggs, ham, bacon, hash browns and praline French toast. Before the meal arrived, we were served  a fruit plate with a seafood spread and two toasted and buttered slices of bread. The waiter also delivered a basket of fresh bread  and carrot fritters.

We also ordered Roberto's Breakfast Special, a frittata-type concoction of chorizo, spinach, mushrooms, peppers, onions and eggs with creamy potatoes on the side.


To drink, we chose freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee. Coffee was included in the price of the meal. When we thought we were finished and full to the brim, our waiter brought out two small bites of very rich cheese cake that neither of us could resist. Roberto's has to serve the best Sunday brunch lakeside.

Roberto's offers special menus during the holidays. Spring is here, and the advertised special for St Patrick's Day will feature a special meal of corned beef hash made in house.

There is a full bar offering mixed drinks, wine and beer. Sunday brunch features drink specials, including Mimosas, Champagne, Vino Blanco
and Bloody Mary for $50 pesos each.

 

Service

Once again, we observed the service at Roberto's and found it to be impeccable. The waiters are very attentive, watching to refill your coffee cup or bring another drink as soon as your glass is empty, friendly and unobtrusive.

We never feel rushed when eating at Roberto's. I appreciate this about a restaurant. If I am made to feel like I could linger all day, I am apt to order another drink, or a dessert to share. We had only been a few times before the waiters recognized us as regular customers.

Ambience

The unassuming entrance hides dining areas perched above the road and shielded from noise by a lush landscape. The wooden gate opens up to a  small flight of steps into an old hacienda turned restaurant.



Musicians play on Sunday afternoon.

A waiter will rush forward to greet you and make sure you are seated in one of the cozy dining areas outside, or in the larger dining room inside the casa. It is easy to find a cozy, romantic corner at Roberto's for an intimate lunch or dinner.

The décor is old Mexico, though the food is definitely Norte Americano. If there is entertainment, it is probably best to dine in one of the indoor dining rooms, as the music can make it difficult to hold a conversation. There is ample parking in front of the restaurant and it is a fairly easy walk from Ajijic.

Price

Roberto's is a moderately priced restaurant. The Sunday Brunch is priced between $75 - $120 pesos. Lunch entrees are smaller versions of the dinner menu and prices start at $65 pesos, with the most expensive dish at $120 pesos (less than $10).

Dinner prices range from $120 pesos to $150 pesos. The price for our Sunday Brunch was $175 pesos.

Our Recommendation ****

Roberto's is a nice place to have a delicious lunch or perfect for a romantic dinner. This is also a great place to entertain guests. That is my grinning brother in one of the pictures above. He loved celebrating his birthday at Roberto's. We highly recommend Roberto's for delicious food.

After today, we can also recommend Roberto's for Sunday Brunch. The chefs are very creative, the food is so good and the overall experience is delightful