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Mariscos El Carnal


bdlngton

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Never tried the food, but did drop by a few weeks after opening to check the menu. Exhorbitant prices. My guess is they want to attract the overflow from the restaurants on the curves by San Juan Cosala, and made a major miscalculation. Nobody around here is going to pay that much. Different when, as a tourist or vacationer, you are already locked in to the curves with your family and friends.

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In their Guadalajara locations, we would stop in for a bowl of their Sopa de Mariscos, which was large and contained a generous variety of fish and shellfish in a delicious broth.  It was pricey but worth it.

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My wife and I tried their fish 'n chips right after they opened.  The fish looked like it had been battered and then rolled completely flat.  I asked why the menu showed normal plump fish but what they served was so different.  Just the way they do it.  I suggested they change the photos in the menu to reflect what is actually served.  Haven't been back.  Waiting for the restaurant to close from lack of diners then see who takes their place.

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Snarky: (of a person, words, or a mood) sharply critical; cutting; snide.

You are right, snarky is correct, but I have never in my life used it to mean "sharply critical". It is a derogatory term, in my vocabulary, with irreverence and derisiveness.

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Many successful restaurants in Guadalajara are more expensive than comparable ones around Lakeside.  The reason might well be that those patronizing the Guadalajara restaurants are working, as opposed to most of us "jubilados" watching our budgets.   Considering the usual emptiness of this new place, I'd guess the main chain didn't do enough market research.

The other thing is that there is something intrinsically unappealing about a location below the level of the adjacent road.  Maybe the thought of a vehicle going over the side and into the restaurant can't help but occur. :o

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6 hours ago, ComputerGuy said:

Snarky: (of a person, words, or a mood) sharply critical; cutting; snide.

You are right, snarky is correct, but I have never in my life used it to mean "sharply critical". It is a derogatory term, in my vocabulary, with irreverence and derisiveness.

Whaaaat? all of these posts except RVGRINGO (gracias) have nothing to do with the food, service or other info that you should expect from this forum and I still do not know where it is!

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35 minutes ago, gringohombre said:

Whaaaat? all of these posts except RVGRINGO (gracias) have nothing to do with the food, service or other info that you should expect from this forum and I still do not know where it is!

On the south side of carretera in San Antonio, across the side street from the strip a ith Ilumina y Decora and Sunrise restaurant.  As someone mentioned it is actually below the level of the carretera.

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I know this chain is apparently popular in Guadalajara and there is a branch on the Guadalajara-Chapala highway too.  I have wondered if the fact that they started building this branch with big signs announcing they were coming and then seemed to shut down construction for quite awhile soured people on it even before it arrived.  Just idle speculation. 

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gringohombre, It's not snarkiness. It's just a dislike and/or a disagreement with their food/prices.

The question was asked, why is no one ever there. Reasonable answers were provided. The "other info that you should expect from this forum" has been provided. This forum is not strictly restaurant reviews, right? Maybe you didn't like the direction this thread was going, but... doesn't seem like a waste of anyone else's time. Why didn't I eat there? At the time I checked their menu, they wanted 105p for their sopa de mariscos, when Lety's own delicious version was 75p.

My own question is, how are they still there? Can't quite recall when they opened, and don't know if they own the property outright. I was actually quite looking forward to having the place, until I discovered they were the same as the place out by San Juan Cosala... a stretch of restaurants where I have not had a decent meal in 20 years (admittedly, the last five years I haven't given them a chance, and I won't ever again).

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I was hesitant to respond to this but cannot resist. I hate to see threads go offtrack but just want to make a point. Since this is a forum named La Cocina Food, Dining, Recipes, etc.I would expect it to be focused on this. In your initial post you said "Never tried to the food, but did drop by a few weeks after opening to check the menu. Exhorbitant prices". Then I read an actual review by RVGRINGO who said "In their Guadalajara locations, we would stop in for a bowl of their Sopa de Mariscos, which was large and contained a generous variety of fish and shellfish in a delicious broth.  It was pricey but worth it". Why should I consider your point that only addressed price with no actual experience in the size, ingredients and actual dining experience? Also you said "My own question is, how are they still there? Can't quite recall when they opened, and don't know if they own the property outright. I was actually quite looking forward to having the place, until I discovered they were the same as the place out by San Juan Cosala... a stretch of restaurants where I have not had a decent meal in 20 years (admittedly, the last five years I haven't given them a chance, and I won't ever again)"....What does that have to do with anything? Are we not considering this specific restaurant in San Antonio (by the way this is where i live) or should the readers of this forum have to be subjected to "snarky" speculation? Only asking.

 

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2 hours ago, gringohombre said:

Whaaaat? all of these posts except RVGRINGO (gracias) have nothing to do with the food, service or other info that you should expect from this forum and I still do not know where it is!

But RVGRINGO posted about their Guadalajara locations.  And how long has it been since RVGRINGO lived in Mexico--in terms of posting a recent opinion about a restaurant at Lake Chapala?

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Holy cow, gringohombre, when did you turn into such a rationalizing and picky complainer? This section is La Cocina, not Food. La cocina means "kitchen". Nobody asked about the food: the question was why is this place always empty? You're just engaging in semantics to obfuscate the issue and maybe make your point. If you feel the comments are not on point, fine. Please let's not try and twist things around to satisfy your thinking.

I gave you TWO damned good reasons why I'M not eating there: one, too expensive; two, their sister restaurant serves sub-par food. What more do you need? And I might add, once again, that your continued use of the word snarky is unwarranted. You wanna hear snarky? Nice haircut, gringohombre.

You hate to see threads go off track? I suggest you take a look at all the other comments: yours are the only ones off track today.

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This section is for discussing ANYTHING directly related to food, preparation and serving of food, sourcing of food, anything at all about restaurants including reviews from those who have eaten there and general commentary on the restaurant scene.  It isn't limited to local and it isn't limited to direct experience.

Now unless we can return to that very broad topic in this thread and stop addressing/arguing with each other directly, I am going to close it.

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Years ago I ate at their branch on the Carreterra to Guadalajara and thought the food very ordinary and even then rather expensive.  I  tried them again at the San Juan branch about five years ago and had their coconut shrimp.  Very nasty with the canned sweet coconut sauce in a little bowl on the side for dipping.  Straight out of the can!

No chance at all that I would try them again.

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Numerous locations but the three that are closest to Lakeside:  1. (Piedra Barrenada which is on Carretera Poniente (West), just to the east of San Juan Cosala where there are numerous speed bumps and frenetic guys hopping all over the road trying to entice you into one of the many restaurants along the lakeside).  2. The dismal, poorly located location below Carretera Oriente (East) in San Antonio Tlayacapan, just to the west of Sunrise Restaurant and directly across from the Modelorama Store.  3. On the west side of the Chapala-Guadalajara highway just to the north of the VFG Arena (also more commonly known as the Vincente Fernandez (Gomez) Stadium - Famed Mexican singer and horse breeder).

The numerous Guadalajara locations are, in many cases, known by slightly different names.  They are for the most part somewhat expensive even for Guadalajara and yes as most are quite large facilities located in high traffic areas they cater to Mexican families and large groups.  Sadly, the San Antonio Tlayacapan location is most likely destined for failure and perhaps, unlike most of their locations is not actually family operated but, instead, is a franchise location where the franchisee had no previous restaurant experience and didn't give any thought to how important location is in the restaurant industry.  As a "seafood" restaurant, the lack of clientele is a warning to all.....Unless the inventory turns over....buyer beware!

The San Juan Cosala location has become a favourite on weekends for Guadalajara families and their children. Packed, noisy, terrible service and for most Expats, it's not worth a visit! 

The Guadalajara-Chapala Highway location is noisy, exposed to highway traffic pollution and the proximity to the sewage canal which it not far to the north.  Service definitely needs improvement.

...............................................................

Marisco's El Carnal - History

Forty-five years ago, the Guzmán Hernández family arrived in Guadalajara, Mexico  from Guadalajara, Spain, which later became the owner of a famous series of restaurants known as "El Carnal".

It all started with a small table stand, and so adding table to table 32 years ago was the first restaurant known as "El Carnal" Ten years later opened another branch in Chapalita and 13 years ago under a huge palapa was inaugurated the most Large, same that also has bar, live music, children's play area and own parking.

Thus, what began as a stand on the sidewalk of Guadalupe Zuno and Nuño de Guzmán, now has several branches including La Calzada Independencia, Javier Mina, Santa Teresita, Las Fuentes and Piedra Barrenada. Needless to say his fame that reaches Los Pinos, presidents and expressors have enjoyed our seafood; As well as innumerable characters of the artistic medium.

The business is family owned and operated through a society created by all the brothers, and other members of the large family also collaborate. Coming from a port they have experience in preparing and selecting the seafood so that they are kept in optimum conditions and lose neither quality nor taste, this without a doubt is also one of the factors of their good results that recently has led them to receive The "Industrial Merit Medal 2008-2009" which was delivered by the then Secretary of Economy and the Governor of Jalisco Emilio González Márquez.

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5 hours ago, Carnivore said:

Numerous locations but the three that are closest to Lakeside:  1. (Piedra Barrenada which is on Carretera Poniente (West), just to the east of San Juan Cosala where there are numerous speed bumps and frenetic guys hopping all over the road trying to entice you into one of the many restaurants along the lakeside).  2. The dismal, poorly located location below Carretera Oriente (East) in San Antonio Tlayacapan, just to the west of Sunrise Restaurant and directly across from the Modelorama Store.  3. On the west side of the Chapala-Guadalajara highway just to the north of the VFG Arena (also more commonly known as the Vincente Fernandez (Gomez) Stadium - Famed Mexican singer and horse breeder).

The numerous Guadalajara locations are, in many cases, known by slightly different names.  They are for the most part somewhat expensive even for Guadalajara and yes as most are quite large facilities located in high traffic areas they cater to Mexican families and large groups.  Sadly, the San Antonio Tlayacapan location is most likely destined for failure and perhaps, unlike most of their locations is not actually family operated but, instead, is a franchise location where the franchisee had no previous restaurant experience and didn't give any thought to how important location is in the restaurant industry.  As a "seafood" restaurant, the lack of clientele is a warning to all.....Unless the inventory turns over....buyer beware!

The San Juan Cosala location has become a favourite on weekends for Guadalajara families and their children. Packed, noisy, terrible service and for most Expats, it's not worth a visit! 

The Guadalajara-Chapala Highway location is noisy, exposed to highway traffic pollution and the proximity to the sewage canal which it not far to the north.  Service definitely needs improvement.

...............................................................

Marisco's El Carnal - History

Forty-five years ago, the Guzmán Hernández family arrived in Guadalajara, Mexico  from Guadalajara, Spain, which later became the owner of a famous series of restaurants known as "El Carnal".

It all started with a small table stand, and so adding table to table 32 years ago was the first restaurant known as "El Carnal" Ten years later opened another branch in Chapalita and 13 years ago under a huge palapa was inaugurated the most Large, same that also has bar, live music, children's play area and own parking.

Thus, what began as a stand on the sidewalk of Guadalupe Zuno and Nuño de Guzmán, now has several branches including La Calzada Independencia, Javier Mina, Santa Teresita, Las Fuentes and Piedra Barrenada. Needless to say his fame that reaches Los Pinos, presidents and expressors have enjoyed our seafood; As well as innumerable characters of the artistic medium.

The business is family owned and operated through a society created by all the brothers, and other members of the large family also collaborate. Coming from a port they have experience in preparing and selecting the seafood so that they are kept in optimum conditions and lose neither quality nor taste, this without a doubt is also one of the factors of their good results that recently has led them to receive The "Industrial Merit Medal 2008-2009" which was delivered by the then Secretary of Economy and the Governor of Jalisco Emilio González Márquez.

I had the same thought (Doubt? Question?) about the freshness of the seafood given how few customers there are. Must all be frozen.  As you say, another reason to think twice about eating there.  I wonder how long until they have to close.  

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If this is one of the San Juan cosala places where people pester you with dirty cloths in your face to go eat there after blowing a really loud whistle, I never plan on trying it. 

I wonder why Mexicans think this technique works? It just screams desperation and unprofessionalism to me.  

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