Peacock Garden

Address: Calle Colon #8, Ajijic
Phone: (376) 766 1381
Website: thegardenajijic.com
Contact: thegarden_ajijic@hotmail.com

Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday 11 AM to 8 PM;  Saturday 9:30 AM - 8 PM; Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday Breakfast  9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Credit Cards Accepted

Directions: From Walmart, drive west on the Carretera to a right on Calle Juarez, one block past Calle Colon in Ajijic. Turn right onto Calle Flores and right on Calle Colon. Drive toward the lake. The Peacock Garden is on the left 1/2 block past the Central Plaza. Parking along Calle Colon is limited.  

First Impressions

The Peacock Garden is located in the heart of Ajijic on the main road to the malecon. The walls of the entrance are decorated with murals of Indios fishing the waters of Lake Chapala.

Beyond the walls, birds sing in the garden and a parrot squawks as you pass into a lush green outdoor dining room.A fountain bubbles up in the corner while peacocks and multiple varieties of chickens roam among the guests.

If Alice in Wonderland inspired a restaurant, this would be it. Peacock Garden is a fantasy restaurant come to life.

Menu

Once seated in the patio area, we were given a menu, in English, with multiple pages of tempting dishes that included appetizers, soups, salads, hamburgers, club sandwiches, and baguettes. We could also choose from the lunch menu or an entire dinner menu.

The theme is eclectic, with some Italian dishes such as alfredo and pizza, seafood, chicken dishes and steaks. We felt like having Italian food the afternoon we visited, and ordered Shrimp Alfredo and a small three cheese pizza.

The thin crust pizza was served bubbling hot.  The parmesan cheese over-powered the other tastes, which was disappointing.

I especially like the taste of goat cheese on pizza, and if there was goat cheese on this pizza, it was lost in the strong flavors of the other cheeses.
The small pizza was large enough to feed both of us. We ended up taking most of this dish home with us.

The Shrimp Alfredo was served in a creamy, well balanced  sauce with lots of perfectly cooked shrimp and accompanied by garlic toast.

We paired this meal with 2 glasses of a very nice Chilean Merlot.

The Peacock Garden has a full bar and good selection of beers and wines. They also offer an interesting selection of desserts, including fried ice cream and the ubiquitous flan, but this time we were too full to order even one dessert to split.

The restaurant is open every day, and opens early on Sunday for breakfast, which is served from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

 

Ambiance

The Peacock Garden is like no place else lakeside. Dining here is like eating in a tropical aviary. You will almost feel guilty ordering chicken. We couldn't resist spreading crumbs around our table to summon the chickens and peacocks to dine with us.

There are arbors hanging with plants, lush stands of bananas on the borders of the garden, tables are arranged under a patio or al fresco, in the middle of the garden. A large fountain flowing at one corner blocks out any sounds of the village that may escape over the walls. This is a beautiful setting for lunch or dinner, for special events or romantic meal.

Price and Service

Service at Peacock Garden is laid back and pleasant. You can spend a long, leisurely lunch here and never feel rushed. We were well taken care of by staff, yet not bothered or rushed.

The prices are in line with the other fine restaurants in the lakeside area. A pizza was $110 pesos, the Shrimp Alfredo, $120 pesos, and wine was priced at  $40 pesos per glass.

Our Recommendation ****

I would eat here for setting alone. It is fun to spend the afternoon dining outdoors, with chickens and peacocks roaming around your feet.

The food selections are not necessarily creative, but rather standard fare well prepared. If you want to impress guests with a setting that is unique, different than you would find anywhere else in Lake Chapala, then this is the place to eat.

 

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.

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.

  

 

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.

La Iguana de Piedra

Address: Jocotepec-Chapala Carretera
Phone: 387-761-0009

Hours of Operation: Daily 10:30 AM - 9 PM
Facebook: Iguana De Piedra
Credit Cards Are Not Accepted

Directions: From Walmart head west on the Carretera towards Jocotepec. Past Los Sabinos and Lago Encantado there will appear on your left a succession of restaurants along the lakefront, starting with Mariscos el Carnal. La Iguana is the last of these restaurants. There is a large orange sign on the right hand side of the road with La Iguana on it. Parking is available in front of the restaurant, and valet parking across the highway is available for $30 pesos.

First Impressions

La Iguana de Piedra is just one of about a half dozen attractive restaurants on the lakefront between Ajijic and San Juan Cosala.  Every restaurant along this stretch of highway employs wavers who stand on the street, signaling and whistling at potential customers to encourage them to stop and eat.

These restaurants cater to weekend visitors from Guadalajara and start filling up after 2 p.m. on the weekends.

Behind the castle-like walls is a series of open air dining rooms under huge palapas and situated on the waterfront.

Once inside the large doors, you are in a beautiful garden. The grounds are filled with tropical plants, statues of animals and a pier that reaches out over the lake. We arrived a little early so were leaving just as the band was setting up. The next time we will make sure to come a little later in the day so we can enjoy the live music. .
 

Menu

We were seated promptly and the young waiter brought out large tostada chips, salsa and pico de gallo. Then he asked if he could take our order, though we had not been given menus

We told him we needed to see a menu and he informed us that there was no menu in English.
 "That is okay," we said, and so finally were given a menu.

 It was a very odd experience. We placed a drink order and sampled the giant chips and salsa, which were good, but we waited for some time before our wine appeared. The menu offered shrimp, octopus and fish, prepared in a variety of ways and several cuts of steak. The prices are some of the highest we have seen in lakeside restaurants. Customers pay for the beautiful setting and entertainment.

I would have thought  we were getting the gringo prices except, unlike most nice restaurants in Ajijic, there were very few gringos dining at La Iguana.

We ordered two shrimp dishes, Camarones Empanizado  and Camarones Verecruzana,  then sat and gazed at the lake while waiting for our meals.

Shrimp Veracruzana had large tender shrimp, served in a tomato, chili pepper, caper and olive sauce. It was slightly spicy and delicious and served with Mexican rice, a salad and slice of watermelon.

Shrimp Empanizado,  breaded and fried shrimp, was also served with salad, rice and watermelon.
The breading was nice and crisp and the shrimp large. Unfortunately, the shrimp was a bit overcooked and tough, the result of cooking too long. The Shrimp Veracruzana was the much better dish.

There were several desserts on the menu, however, the waiter did not ask for a dessert order. Our meals were so huge and filling, we decided to forgo dessert this time.

La Iguana has a full bar and serves beer and a very large glass of wine for $50 pesos.

Ambiance

Dining at La Iguana de Piedra is a beautiful experience. The dining rooms are situated under huge palapas over looking the lake. This is the quiet side of the lake so there are a few pelicans landing and taking off and fishermen casting from small boats on the far side of the lake.

We chose a seat at the edge of the lake. The view, alone, is worth a trip to La Iguana de Piedra for lunch.

Service was a bit slow. It seemed like they were not quite ready for customers when we arrived. We waited for some time before our drinks arrived, though we ordered them immediately after we were seated.

Our waiter asked for our order before we were given a menu. Our meals came out promptly after we ordered and the waiters were polite, though not especially attentive.

There was nothing wrong with the service, per se, but there was also nothing especially remarkable about it either.

Maybe management at La Iguana needs to bring in those guys off the street, the ones waving and jumping and begging customers to choose their restaurant, and let them spend some of their enthusiasm waiting on customers and let the confused and uninterested meseros spend some time flagging down customer in the streets.

Price

La Iguana de Piedra is one of the most expensive restaurants that we have dined at along Lake Chapala. Our meals were good, but not outstanding. The draw of this place is the beautiful setting. Our meals were $150 pesos each and were some of the least expensive dishes on the menu. Our total bill was $500 pesos

Our Recommendation ***

La Iguana de Piedra is a beautiful place to have lunch on a warm, breezy afternoon. Come a little later in the afternoon and enjoy the live band. The food is good, and service is average, but the setting is spectacular. Have the Camarones  Veracruzanas, if you can stand a little spicy kick to your meal.

La Lena

Address: Francisco  Madero #236C, Chapala
Ph: 526-422-7813
      526-420-2096
Hours of Operation: Daily 12 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Directions: From Walmart head east on the Carretera approximately 7 kilometers to the intersection with Calle Francisco Madero. Turn left on Calle Madero. La Lena is 1 1/2 blocks on the left. Parking spaces are along the highway and are limited - watch for an opportunity to park as soon as you turn onto Calle Madero.

First Impressions

Brightly colored La Lena is perched above the sidewalk in Chapala. Decorated in orange and green, it looks like a Mexican fiesta. Banners are strung above the dining room and tables are covered with multi-colored tablecloths. The open air dining room overlooks the sidewalk and the main thoroughfare through Chapala.

A charcoal grill, made from half of a 55 gallon barrel, smokes on the patio. Cooks exit the kitchen from time to time to put a pot on the fire, or to roast tomatoes. La Lena has that casual, beach shack feel that is perfect for a late afternoon lunch.

The menu is  propped against the wall, next to the short flight of steps into the dining room so customers can peruse the selections before making a commitment to la comida.

Menu

La Lena is not designed with gringo visitors in mind, but that is the charm of this cafe. The food is traditional Mexican fare. The menu offers several varieties of quesadillas, tacos, empanadas, and burritos as well as steaks, hamburgers and chicken burgers.

The menu is in Spanish and the waiters speak no English, but we were able to  get by with our limited vocabulary and the young waiter was patient with us.

We ordered a cheese quesadilla, empanadas camarones (shrimp turnovers), a chicken burger and French fries. The waiter brought totopos, salsa and pico de gallo to the table along with our Pacifico beers. The chips were fresh and crisp and the pico de gallo some of the best we have had.

Our meal was served after just a short wait. The chicken burger was actually a grilled chicken breast on a bun, served with avocado slices, tomato and lettuce.

The plate included french fries, but not knowing this, we placed an additional order for fries. No matter, since they were very hot with no greasy taste, so we ate those too.

The shrimp empanadas were incredible, served with a tomato and lettuce salad. The turnovers were fried crisp and the shrimp and cabbage interior was warm and cooked just right.
La Lena has a full bar located at the end of the dining patio, however, they do not serve wine. Beer is available.

Ambiance

La Lena is a cool place to eat. The dining room is outdoors, under a covered patio. It is just high enough above the sidewalk to allow diners to watch the world go by without feeling like they  are part of the street scene. We sat at the table closest to the railing to have a bird's eye view of the main thoroughfare and do some people watching. Carnival started today in Chapala and strangely costumed actors where beginning to show up in the plaza across the street.

There are pictures of famous Mexican banditos on the wall and the ubiquitous sun plaque. The grill is an interesting addition to the patio, smoking slightly, pots and fresh vegetables taking their turn cooking over the hot fire.

It is all very casual, very Mexican, very pleasant. Our waiter spoke no English, but was prompt, efficient and friendly. The washrooms are clean, with separate facilities for men and women.

Price

We ordered a chicken burger, an additional order of fries, cheese quesadilla, shrimp empanadas and four Pacifico beers. Our bill totaled $279 pesos, about $22 USD - a great deal.

Most of the items on the menu ranged from $20 pesos to $65 pesos. The most expensive items were those that served two people, which topped out at $120 pesos.

Our Recommendation ***

La Lena is a good place for lunch. We recommend the cheese quesadillas and the shrimp empanadas if you do go. The prices are very reasonable. Sometimes it is nice to eat at an establishment that does not necessarily cater to gringos. It reminds you that you are, after all, in Mexico

Cafe Negro

Address: 158 B Carretera of Chapala - Jocotepec and Calle Allen W. Lloyd, San Antonio, Tlayacapan
Hours of operation: Monday - Saturday 8:30 AM - 4 PM, Sunday 8:30 AM - 2 PM
Summer Hours (May-October) 8 AM - 2 PM Tuesday through Sunday (Closed Monday)

Directions: From Walmart head east on the Carretera approximately 1/4 mile. Cafe Negro is on the left. Across from AbsolutFenix Realty and the bus stop.

First Impressions

Café Negro is a bustling, busy little café on the lateral road next to the Carretera in San Antonio. There are a few tables set up on the narrow sidewalk near the entrance to expand the small indoor dining room. There are two tables with umbrellas to block the sun and a table with no umbrella and as many tables as can be packed into the indoor dining area.

This place  is always busy, full of expats and visitors to the area. It is jam packed inside, but freshly painted and clean.

There are no hours posted on the front of the café, no phone numbers, no website or social media posts or reviews for this café. From the menu, it appears as if the café is open Monday through Friday.

Menu

Café Negro has a small menu of daily breakfast entrees that change each day of the week, but we were told we could order anything off the menu. There is a nice  selection of beverages - coffee, tea, hot chocolate and juices. You must ask for water if you would like a glass with your meal. The coffee was served hot, but was a bit weak and watery tasting.

The menu includes crepes, several varieties of omelets, scrambled eggs, bagels, fruit, yogurt, and a vegetarian frittata. The morning we visited we ordered a ham and cheese omelet and  vegetarian frittata, which were both served with a cup of fresh fruit and toast.

Our meals came out of the kitchen quickly. The ham and cheese omelet was very good with a generous amount of ham and cheese.

The fruit cup had fresh strawberries, melon and kiwi, a nice accompaniment to the breakfast. The shredded zucchini and carrots that topped the frittata were barely cooked, almost  raw. I had expected something different, so it is probably my own fault that I was not happy with my meal and could only eat about half.

I would not order this again, though the presentation was beautiful. If the vegetables had been cooked properly, it probably would have been delicious.

Ambiance

Café Negro is a tiny café. There is not enough seating, inside or outside, for the large number of customers. Be ready to sit very, very close to your neighbors. Grab a seat outside, under an umbrella, if a table is available.

There is music playing in the background, not too loud, golden oldies that so many Mexican restaurants assume will appeal to their customers. Café Negro's customers are mostly retired residents of Canada and the US.

Parking is plentiful and located along the lateral road in front of the café. It appears as though many of the customers walk to the café from nearby neighborhoods. Service is prompt, perfunctory, almost brusque. You certainly don't feel like loitering at your table, having another cup of coffee, chatting with your companion or reading the Guadalajara Reporter at Café Negro - get in, eat and get out.

Price

The price for a full breakfast at Café Negro is very cheap. We ate two full entrees and had two American coffees for $138 pesos. What was a little disconcerting was the charge for topping off our coffee. Our bill included a $10 peso per cup charge for each refill.

Really? A charge for topping off my cup of coffee? I could understand a charge for specialty coffee refills, but for heating up a regular cup of coffee when the meal is served? I had to ask several times before an obviously perturbed waitress refilled our cups and told us - in Spanish - that she was charging us for the refill.

It surprises me when businesses do not realize that little things - refilling a cup of coffee, pleasant wait staff  - are what bring customers back again and again.

Our Recommendation ***

The food is average at Café Negro and the dining room and serving areas are clean. If you want a quick breakfast, with decent food at reasonable prices and don't mind snarling wait staff and an extra charge each time your coffee cup is topped off, then Café Negro fills the bill.

Our joke about places like this is that if you get on their nerves, by asking for a glass of water or to have your coffee topped off, they add a PIA charge to your bill - because you have been a pain in their posterior. I suspect we got a PIA charge on our bill for bothering them for a refill of our coffee.

But, I could be wrong. Maybe they treat all of their customers like pains in their ...well, you get the idea. Personally, I have come to expect courteous service and the welcoming, relaxed atmosphere of the local cafes, so I will not return to Café Negro. But, a lot of expats like this place, it is always crowded, so there must be some attraction that totally escapes me.

Try Café Negro if you must, but if you feel rushed and unwelcome, and get a PIA charge for asking the waitress to heat up your coffee, don't say I didn't warn you.