Restaurant Reviews

Lake Chapala may just be paradise for those who enjoy dining out and eating wonderful, creative food. This guide to our favorite restaurants is just that - our very own favorites. We have ranked them according to their menu selections, service, ambiance and price and have personally eaten at them all, sometimes more than once. If you think we have left out a really good restaurant, it is probably because we haven't eaten there yet. Let us know and we will make a visit and add our review to this guide. Buen Provecho!

Friday, February 27, 2015

Ocampo 71

Address: Melchor Ocampo # 71, Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico
Phone: 376 108 0862  Reservations accepted
Hours: 2pm to 12pm, Wednesday - Sunday ; Summer Hours 4pm - 12pm
Wifi Available
Live Jazz every Wednesday, at 7:30 pm
Facebook Page

First Impressions

Ocampo 71
OCampo71 opened recently as a neighborhood bar and pub in Central Ajijic, just two blocks west of Calle Colon. It has a friendly, "everybody knows your name" feel with a full bar, comfortable seating areas for groups to gather and dining tables in a covered outdoor dining room as well as a pleasant indoor area.

We visited on a Thursday evening when the café was moderately busy. We had reserved a table but there was no reason to on this evening as there were plenty of tables available, though as more people learn about the pleasant, comfortable ambience and friendly service, that will most likely change.

Propaganda Craft Beer
Ocampo 71 has live jazz on Wednesday evenings, starting at 8pm. We were a day late on this visit, but won't be next time.

Menu

We were seated promptly and the waiter brought the drink and food menus. We were waiting for friends to join us for pizza and botanas so ordered drinks and took a few minutes to peruse the items on the menu. Ocampo 71 features a full bar with a large selection of Mexican craft beers.

For those who like a light, IPA, Propaganda Beer, brewed in Monterrey was a favorite of the table. We also sampled the Tijuana Moreno which is a dark stout, and 7B, an amber beer brewed in Mexico City.

Pizza Menu
This is a casual eatery, so the offerings include foods you can eat with your hands, like nachos,  French fries, baguettes, hamburgers, sandwiches and a special pizza menu. When our friends arrived, we ordered fries and nachos and Pizza Margherita.

This is a thin, crisp crust pizza with tomatoes, cheese and basil and was good without being too filling, and is just enough for two people. The nachos were crisp and the topping had just a little kick.

Carlos waited on our table and provide lots of good information about the different Mexican craft beers and also made recommendations. We lingered over our pizza and botanas for two hours, never feeling rushed.

Nachos and Pizza at Ocampo 71


Service and Price

The service at Ocampo 71 is attentive, informative and friendly. The customer is king here. This is a great place to meet friends to chat over a Mexican craft beer and botanas.  Prices are reasonable. Our bill, for pizza, nachos, 3 craft beers and 3 glasses of was $445 pesos, about $30USD. Try getting something comparable north of the border for this price.



Our Recommendation ****
Blu Velvet Plays on Wednesday Evening
 

We like Ocampo 71 and will return for Jazz night. This is a great place to meet friends for a pizza or hamburger, accompanied by a craft Mexican beer. It is within walking distance for visitors staying in Ajijic and one of the few places in the area open until midnight. We made it back to Ocampo 71 recently and spent a nice evening listening to a really good jazz quartet. There is even room for dancing, if you are so inclined.