La Palapa del Guayabo

Address:  Paseo Ramon Corona #24
                Chapala, Jalisco
Phone:     376 765 4180
Hours of Operation:  Monday - Sunday; 12pm - 9pm
Webpage:  www.lapalapadelguayabo.com

Directions: From Walmart, head east on the Carratera towards Chapala, about 6 1/2 miles. Turn right at the stoplight, heading towards the lakefront. Take the next left, along the malecon. La Palapa del Guayabo is located at the end of the row of restaurants (under the big palapa) at the end of the market. There is limited parking in front of the restaurant, but ample parking along Paseo Ramon Corona.

First Impressions

La Palapa del Guayabo is in a huge, thatched roof building right at the end of the malecon in Chapala. It is the restaurant closest to the lake. Though we have been to Chapala to eat many times, we always preferred smaller, more intimate restaurants so had never tried La Palapa del Guayabo.

However, we were invited by friends who live in Chapala to try it with them, so we met on a Saturday night, before a huge fiesta and walked to the restaurant at the end of the malecon. The restaurant had very few customers, but enough to encourage the mariachis to play loudly and incessantly.

The best feature of La Palapa del Guayabo is the front seat view of the sun setting over Lake Chapala. Otherwise, it has the ambiance of a bus terminal.

Menu

The menu is in Spanish, with no English translation offered. This is okay if you have been in the area for a while, but hard for English speaking newcomers to decipher. This is the first restaurant, in our experience eating at lakeside restaurants, that has not offered a menu in English, or provided some sort of translation.

The menu has the standard dishes available at most of the restaurants in the area - arrachara, fish and seafood and some traditional Mexican plates. The waiter brought our drinks and a small serving of pico de gallo and chips to eat while we studied the menu.

We finally decided on the arrachara, a chilies rellano plate (stuffed with seafood) and molcajete de res (molcajete made with cheese, peppers, and beef) to split for two of us. The prices seemed rather high for a restaurant in working class Chapala, but it appears as though they cater mostly to tourists.

The molcajete arrived at the table bubbling hot and served with corn tortillas. The arrachara was served with french fries and a green salad. The chilies rellano was not breaded, but rather covered in a gritty cornmeal coating and baked. The seafood inside was not warm, and apparently had been prepared much earlier in the day. A small number of corn tortillas accompanied the molcajete, not enough for eating the entire bowl of meat and cheese, but we were not offered additional tortillas and could not get the waiter's attention to ask for more.

The restaurant offers a full bar, though we all drank soft drinks this evening. We inquired about dessert and the waiter told us that there was no chocolate cake, but seemed reluctant to bring the dessert menu, so we asked for the bill and had dessert at a local gelato stand. We were also not offered a way to take home the remaining molcajete.

Ambiance and Service

The best feature of La Palapa del Guayabo is its proximity to Lake Chapala. This is probably one of the best locations in Chapala for watching the sun set over the lake. The night we visited the restaurant, there were a small number of diners, but a large group of competing mariachis, who gathered around one table close to us and played all night.

They never came to our table, which seemed very odd. After a while, we felt like we had crashed someone's private party. It was so loud, that we were unable to carry on a conversation at our table.

We asked for a dessert menu, and the waiter informed us of a few choices, but he did not seem anxious for us to order anything more. I noticed that the waiters had begun to strip the tablecloths off the tables in the front of the restaurant. Our waiter was ready to go home. There was a festival in Chapala that evening and it seemed that everyone was anxious to leave work.

I did not check the restrooms at this restaurant. I have read other reviewers who commented, en espanol, that they are not in good shape, but I cannot verify that claim. It wouldn't surprise me to find that these writers are right. A place that does not care about its customers rarely bothers to keep the facilities clean.

Price

The bill arrived with a 10% propina already added and a charge for IVA (tax). This is the first time, since we have been living at Lake Chapala, that we have seen a bill with these charges added - especially for a table of four people. Our final bill, without alcohol or dessert and with two of us sharing the molcajete was
$663p, an outrageous sum, considering the quality of the food and the service that we received.

 

Our Recommendation **

Seriously? You can't find anyplace else in Chapala to eat?

Okay, we did not get sick from eating at this restaurant, and that is our standard for completely panning a place. You can eat here and not die. The view is very good. If, in the end, you must eat here as a sort of punishment to your guests whom you never care to see again, at least order the molcajete. Ask for extra tortillas, even if the waiter glares and grinds his teeth at you. Otherwise, there are many, many nicer places to eat along the malecon in Chapala, where you will be treated well by the wait staff, can eat great food, and pay much less for the experience.

Mariscos el Carnal

Address:  Carratera Oriente #1352
                San Juan Cosala, Jalisco
Phone:  387 761 1010
Hours:  Monday - Sunday 12pm - 7PM
Webpage: www.elcarnalmariscos.com

Directions:  From Walmart, head west on the Carratera towards Jocotepec, for approximately 7 miles. Mariscos El Carnal is the second restaurant on the left (lakeside, with the shark hanging at the entrance), in the line of restaurants in the Piedra Barrenada. There are some topes (speed bumps) just before the restaurant and flaggers trying to get you to come to their restaurant. Valet parking is available for about 30 pesos.

First Impressions

Mariscos el Carnal is located in what is known as the Piedra Barrenada, a tourist zone between Ajijic and San Juan Cosala, lined with lake front restaurants.

You can't miss the entrance to Mariscos el Carnal. There are large topes (speed bumps) at the beginning of the restaurant zone that slows traffic down to a crawl. Then, there are hoards of young, extremely energetic men waving frantically at every passing car, urging them to park and dine at one of the  restaurants.

And, if the flag-wavers and the topes don't alert you to the entrance of Mariscos el Carnal, just watch to your right for the giant replica of a shark that hangs out front.

On this stretch of Lake Chapala, the water comes very close to the road, so all the restaurants offer a view of the lake. Marsicos el Carnal has about the best view of them all from their open-air dining rooms.

Use the valet parking, or just pull into the parking lot across the street from the restaurant. The crazy, flag-waving hoard will make sure you cross the road safely.

Menu

The menu at Mariscos el Carnal is about the size of a small novel, offering an impressive variety of fish and seafood dishes, steaks and traditional Mexican plates served in interesting and unique ways.

For instance, you can choose a hot cheesy molcajete or a mixed platter of seafood or  meat served on a table top grill.

Package deals are available for groups who like to share. Be careful, because some of these deals include a bottle of tequila which will raise the price of the meal significantly.



When we arrived one early Sunday afternoon, we were seated by the hostess without having to wait. The waiter took our drink order while we read the menu.

Our drinks arrived quickly, accompanied  by an interesting starter that included a tasty pico de gallo and a mixed fresh vegetable dish served with crackers and packaged tostada chips.

We ordered the fried shrimp plate and seafood stuffed flautas. Frankly, I am addicted to the flautas at Mariscos el Carnal. They are so light and delicious that I could eat a dozen at one setting.

Fortunately, they only bring three, accompanied by a guacamole sauce .
There were three on the  plate, above, but I couldn't help eating one before taking the picture.

We ordered a nice Merlot to accompany our meal and ended the feast by splitting a piece of rich chocolate cake. Mariscos el Carnal has a full bar available and the menu suggests some unique cocktails and mixed drinks.

The last time we dined at Mariscos el Carnal,  we ordered the mixed shrimp grill. The waiter brought a clay, grill to the table, filled with shrimp prepared in every way imaginable - fried, diablo, garlic and butter and cheese stuffed, bacon wrapped, to name some.  The meal was accompanied by a plate of rice and salad.

This is a fun way to taste a little bit of every shrimp dish.

Service and Ambiance 

The flag wavers and the guy on stilts, yelling and motioning drivers into their establishments, are obnoxious. But, once you enter the restaurant you encounter a less frenetic environment. There are roaming mariachis and a live band plays for guests after 3 pm on weekends. There is a long pier that stretches from the restaurant into the lake.
 


The view from our table at Mariscos el Carnal

The service from wait staff is good, and I have never felt rushed when eating at Mariscos el Carnal, though we may sit and sip wine and stare across the lake long after we have finished our meal.

The view from the dining room is superb. We watched the vaqueros and their horses on the beach, speed boats pulling skiers, and jet skiers enjoying beautiful Lake Chapala on a recent Sunday afternoon.

Oddly, we are usually the only gringo diners in the restaurant and I cannot understand why, since the food is excellent and the view of the lake is unsurpassed.

The dining room is covered by a huge palapa, with an expansive view of Lake Chapala from every table. If it is breezy when you go, sit one table back from the lake's edge and avoid being chilled.

 

Price

Mariscos el Carnal is pricier than most restaurants lakeside by about 25%, not a lot when you consider the setting. It is nice to sit by the water as you enjoy an excellent meal. Dinner for two, four glasses of wine and dessert will run about $600p, or $45US at today's exchange rate.

Recommendation ****

Eat here. Excellent food. Wide variety of dishes and presentations. Full bar. Good service. The music can get loud, so if this bothers you, do as we do and come in the early on a Sunday afternoon.

La Casita del Molcajete

Address:  Paseo Ramon Corona  #132
                Chapala, Jalisco
Phone:  376 765 4906
Hours: Monday - Sunday,  9am - 11pm
Credit Cards Accepted

Directions: From Walmart, head east on the Carratera towards Chapala, about 6 1/2 miles. Turn right at the stoplight, heading towards the lakefront. Take the next left, along the malecon. La Casita del Molcajete is located in the row of restaurants at the end of the market. There is limited parking in front of the restaurant, but ample parking along Paseo Ramon Corona.

 

First Impressions

La Casita del Molcajete is in the middle of a strip of restaurants at the eastern end of the Chapala malecon. In this area, it is sometimes hard to tell where one café ends and another begins.

Perhaps that is why it took us nearly a year to get around to trying this pleasant little restaurant.




The interior is spotless, one of the cleanest restaurants I have seen lakeside. We were early and there was only one other table of diners when we arrived so we had our choice of tables covered in bright green, blue and orange tablecloths.

Menu

The maître de greeted us and introduced us to our young waiter, who immediately took our drink order and brought out pico de gallo and salsa  to enjoy while we looked over the menu.



In addition to the cafe's namesake dish, a bubbling volcanic cauldron of cheese, peppers and seafood or steak called molcajete, the menu also offered a variety of appetizers, fish and seafood cooked to order, steak, soup, salads, and a few traditional Mexican dishes. 

La Casita del Mocajete has a full bar, wine and beer as well as non-alcohol beverages.

We ordered fried shrimp and my companion said that it was some of the best he has tasted anywhere. The plate held a generous number of shrimp, steamed squash, a green salad and bread. The shrimp was lightly breaded and served hot, but not overcooked.

We also ordered chicken fajitas. The chicken was well seasoned and accompanied by refried beans, guacamole and a green salad and served with warm, thin corn tortillas. It was fresh, authentic and delicious.

Ambiance and Service

La Casita del Molcajete is a clean and pleasant café, though it appears rather dull on the outside. There is traditional music playing quietly in the background, so we were able to talk while we dined.

The young staff was courteous and paid attention to our table, attending to our needs without any prompting and without making us feel as if we were rushed.

The restaurant started to fill up just about the time we were ready to leave, and it is apparent that this is a favorite with local diners.

I stopped in the ladies' room before leaving and was pleasantly surprised. This is one of the nicest, and cleanest, public restrooms I have encountered in Mexico. I always feel good about eating at a restaurant that pays such close attention to these details.

Price

Prices are  reasonable, aligned with the cost of dinner at the surrounding restaurants on the malecon. We were happy to see that La Casita del Molcajete takes credit cards, except for American Express, though we had our pesos ready just in case.

Entrees, 4 glasses of wine and tip came to $500 pesos, less than $40US.

 

Our Recommendation ****

Put La Casita del Molcajete on your list of lakeside restaurants to try. The food is very well prepared and delicious, the service attentive and courteous and the prices will not make a hole in your budget.

El Arbol de Cafe

Address: Calle Hidalgo #236-4
               Chapala, Jalisco
Phone:    376 765 3908
Hours:    Monday - Saturday, 8am - 3pm

Directions: From Walmart head east on the Carratera approximately 4 1/2 miles. El Arbol de Cafe is on the right (lakeside) of the road, across from the murals and next to the entrance of El Quetzal Restaurant. Parking along the road is limited, but El Arbol de Cafe is a short walk from the malecon where parking is plentiful.

First Impressions

El Arbol de Café is a neighborhood coffee shop with a limited breakfast menu. I have driven by here many times without paying attention to this art-filled shop when on the way to Chapala from Ajijic.

One day we were walking up the sidewalk from Chapala and spotted a friend coming out of the shop with a bag of coffee beans.

 "Best coffee lakeside," he said. Instead of taking his word for it, we stopped in to try it for ourselves and it is, indeed, very good coffee. There are tables inside the café and outside. The café has a lot of original art displayed on the walls and also for sale.

Menu

El Arbol de Café is mainly a coffee shop. You can order your cup of java and sit at an outdoor table to take in some people watching, order a bag of whole beans to take home, or have it ground as you wait. There is also a limited breakfast menu available and a few sweet treats offered to accompany your cup of coffee.

Ambiance and Service  

This is the kind of place you can come to linger over a cup of coffee and read the newspaper, or check your email.

We ordered our coffee at the counter, but the barrista brought it to our table and checked back later to make sure that we were satisfied.

El Arbol de Café has the air of a small, independent coffee shop in the states - cool, serene and just a little bit funky.

Price  

Prices are reasonable at El Arbol de Café.  Coffee to take home is $130/kilo, or about $10 for 2.2 pounds and worth every penny.

Our Recommendation ***

Only three stars because this is not a full restaurant, but rather a coffee shop. However, we know that visitors for the weekend, or longer, like to know where to get a good cup of coffee and a decent internet connection. If you are in Chapala, El Arbol de Café is the place to go for both.