mara"s - Chapala

Good service and food. large selection of food on the buffet and fresh hand made tortilla cooked in front of you. a little hard to find but worth it. Ate here s... read more Good service and food. large selection of food on the buffet and fresh hand made tortilla cooked in front of you. a little hard to find but worth it. Ate here several times during my stay and every time it was very good.

We went for lunch after reading the reviews. And yes, it is tucked away and a bit hard to find but well worth it. The downstairs of the house has been converted... read more We went for lunch after reading the reviews. And yes, it is tucked away and a bit hard to find but well worth it. The downstairs of the house has been converted into a very attractive restaurant with several seating areas. Its colorful, nicely decorated...and welcoming. The food is buffet style, cooked fresh daily. But don't think typical US buffet. They have about 5 main entrees to choose from then add rice and beans to your plate. I had the chicken mole and it was fantastic. And corn tortillas are constantly being made fresh and brought to your table hot. In addition we had a drink they make there that was a combination of mint and pineapple. Excellent! Overall, for two people, it was less than $10.00 and authentic Mexican.

This is the kind of hole in the wall place we love. OK, it may be a bit tricky to find, but worth the search. It 's not as small as it may look from the street,... read more This is the kind of hole in the wall place we love. OK, it may be a bit tricky to find, but worth the search. It 's not as small as it may look from the street, it has, at least three separate seating areas, nicely...decorated. This is a very Mexican restaurant, not impacted by American/Canadian influence, it 's very authentic. Just the way we like it. Walk in and sit down, I strongly recommend starting with some of the agua frescas , the strawberry drink is made from the strawberry fields of Jocotepec, very refreshing. The pineapple/mint drink is to die for, it was almost worth the trip all by itself. Then get up and pick a selection of the different dishes on the board near the food area. You go to the counter and they will serve what you picked, take the plate back to your table and enjoy. Yes, it is rather informal, but that is part of the fun.. The mole was some of the best we ever had. Service was excellent. The owners of the newest hotel in the area loved it so much they offer free breakfasts there for their hotel guests. Enjoy.

This place is a true gem a little off the beaten path, but worth it. You get to choose from a variety of homemade dishes, all served with a genuine smile. The a... read more This place is a true gem a little off the beaten path, but worth it. You get to choose from a variety of homemade dishes, all served with a genuine smile. The ambiance is delightful with tons of plants and original art. Never ending homemade...tortillas, extremely attentive staff, and ridiculously affordable.

First, to find the place: head toward Chapala, turn left away from the lake on the main road, Madero, continue thru town and turn right one block before the lig... read more First, to find the place: head toward Chapala, turn left away from the lake on the main road, Madero, continue thru town and turn right one block before the light at the Pemex station. Continue 1 1/2 long blocks; it's on your right. They feature...a buffet-style meal with about 8 entrees for 60 pesos. You tell them which you want and they serve your plate and then add rice, beans, potatoes, and fresh tortillas. There is a table with salsas, guacamole, and relishes. They also have a board that lists the day's specials. Note that these prices are added to the buffet. My husband got the fried fish fillet which added 60 pesos to his cost but which he proclaimed was well worth it. The dining room is very attractive with about 4 tables that each seat 6-8 people. We sat next to the buffet, not realizing there was a separate dining room. This is clearly a bargain restaurant, perfect for sampling local cuisine. The food was freshly prepared and each entree was very tasty. The staff was very pleasant and eager to please. We will definitely return. They are open 8 to 4, closed Sunday.