Bigrig1919 Posted May 17, 2013 Report Posted May 17, 2013 I like reading individual restaurant reviews, but take the info with a grain of salt. About 80% of the reviews are the reviewers taste and personal interest and don't necessary reflect mine. Most complain about cost and service. Service can change from day to day depending on who didn't show up for work that day or more customers came that pertictular day than expected. I remember reading one review that the person said the food and service was good, but didn't like the fact that he was charged 30 pesos for a beer and he could get one down the street for 20 pesos. If 10 pesos make that much difference to an overall good meal and day out, , he should eat at home. The end results are, if the owner don't make enought profit, he will close. I wish someone would set up a web site would count the number of people who eat at a pertickular restuarant in Lakeside and how you rated it on food, service, price, cleanness, etc.
bennie Posted May 17, 2013 Report Posted May 17, 2013 bigrig1919, that would work like they do on tripadvisor. if many people have the same complaint, then it just may be true.
gringal Posted May 17, 2013 Report Posted May 17, 2013 Real restaurant reviewers get paid for their opinions. We who live in the boonies work for free. Those who are generous with their time give "fair and balanced" reviews that go beyond just what they like, but cover the details. I agree with you that getting picky about the price of beer is going over the top if it's only ten pesos. Getting charged 80 pesos for a drink the rest of the eateries and drinkeries charge 40 pesos for is worth mentioning as a warning.
More Liana Posted May 17, 2013 Report Posted May 17, 2013 Just a month ago, Zagat released its first-ever compilation of Mexico City restaurant reviews. Surely Ajijic is not far behind! <tongue fixed firmly in cheek>
jkgourmet Posted May 17, 2013 Report Posted May 17, 2013 Considering that Zagat reviewers rated Outback Steakhouse as the BEST steakhouse in America for two years running, I'm not so sure that Zagat is all that reliable. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/outback-steakhouse-voted-1-steak-for-second-consecutive-year-in-zagat-survey-of-national-restaurant-chains-101909628.html A suggestion: Why don't you all try to get www.Yelp.com to add Ajijic to it's site. They are trying to expand internationally.
More Liana Posted May 17, 2013 Report Posted May 17, 2013 Considering that Zagat reviewers rated Outback Steakhouse as the BEST steakhouse in America for two years running, I'm not so sure that Zagat is all that reliable. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/outback-steakhouse-voted-1-steak-for-second-consecutive-year-in-zagat-survey-of-national-restaurant-chains-101909628.html A suggestion: Why don't you all try to get www.Yelp.com to add Ajijic to it's site. They are trying to expand internationally. Zagat is well known for its mediocrity. They actually approached me to write restaurant reviews in Mexico City, but when I saw the criteria for reviewing, I turned them down.
bookwoman Posted May 17, 2013 Report Posted May 17, 2013 Is John Keeling still doing his restaurant guide? I find that very helpful.
Kevin K Posted May 17, 2013 Report Posted May 17, 2013 John Keeling's guide is still in print and still excellent. He surveys a broad cross-section of diners in the area, so his reviews are composite reviews filtered through his own consistenty judicious lens. The glossary of food terms it contains alone is worth the price of admission, in my opinion. He points out that Mexican libel laws make it impossible to be as pointed as he might like on the negative side, but if you pay careful attention to his star system you'll do quite well. Keeling doesn't cover taquerias or street food places very much, but that's because he doesn't think most gringos would be interested. I agree with the other posters who've pointed out that Zagat is pretty useless for a discriminating diner. Yelp (in the U.S.) is a good bit better, TripAdvisor less so but still better than Zagat. Meanwhile we have to content ourselves with word-of-mouth and the advice on this thread, bearing in mind that it could occasionally be worth exactly what one pays for it .
Bigrig1919 Posted May 17, 2013 Author Report Posted May 17, 2013 Zagat is well known for its mediocrity. They actually approached me to write restaurant reviews in Mexico City, but when I saw the criteria for reviewing, I turned them down. I'm not saying or wishing Zagat review Lakeside Restaurants. I was only stating , that I wish we had that type of rating system here. I would like to see how many people eat at a particular restaurant and what the average rating was. If 50 people are rating a place, I think it would be more accurate than if only one.
Chapala.geek Posted May 17, 2013 Report Posted May 17, 2013 I have it under good authority that something that something like your talking about will be online soon.
gringohombre Posted May 19, 2013 Report Posted May 19, 2013 Considering that Zagat reviewers rated Outback Steakhouse as the BEST steakhouse in America for two years running, I'm not so sure that Zagat is all that reliable. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/outback-steakhouse-voted-1-steak-for-second-consecutive-year-in-zagat-survey-of-national-restaurant-chains-101909628.html A suggestion: Why don't you all try to get www.Yelp.com to add Ajijic to it's site. They are trying to expand internationally. If only we had an Outback here! I have found steaks here are spotty at best. Something about grain fed vs grass fed i think. I have found Brunos and maybe a few others have the good stuff (USDA something?). Mexico has some great food but steak is not one. Just my opinion.
bennie Posted May 19, 2013 Report Posted May 19, 2013 new posada has very good steak. makes me want to go there, right now.
Travis Posted May 19, 2013 Report Posted May 19, 2013 Zagat is well known for its mediocrity. It really would be a marriage made in heaven then. The perfect match! Lakeside area restaurants, plus the Zagat system, equals lowest common denominator multiplied to the point of cafeteria food. Oh wait, we're already there. Sorry if I sound so cynical. Just tired of chasing down restaurants locally. I need to learn how to cook. Bah. P.S. Pretty sure I spotted an Outback on Lopez Mateos Sur. And damn....that bloomin' onion sounds kinda good these days!
Solfeggio Posted May 19, 2013 Report Posted May 19, 2013 In regard to the original post, there apparently is something like this coming. According to an ad on page 269 of this year's Chapala Directory, a new web site is under construction that will have restaurant ratings by the public. Sounds interesting.
Bigrig1919 Posted May 20, 2013 Author Report Posted May 20, 2013 In regard to the original post, there apparently is something like this coming. According to an ad on page 269 of this year's Chapala Directory, a new web site is under construction that will have restaurant ratings by the public. Sounds interesting. I hope you are right. I will be the first to sign up.
Islander Posted May 20, 2013 Report Posted May 20, 2013 There is not a good restaurant Lakeside. I had a good meal here and there but have not found the good restaurant yet. The problem with the local restaurants is that there are just very inconsistent (including Brunos and other faves). If your reviewer will do the evaluation on one and only visit then good luck. If we need to have a good meal the we stay at home. Just saying.
bennie Posted May 20, 2013 Report Posted May 20, 2013 IN consistent is the problem. i had several years w/great food@one place. then bad bad bad. i cook@home.
JRPJR Posted May 20, 2013 Report Posted May 20, 2013 There is not a good restaurant Lakeside. I had a good meal here and there but have not found the good restaurant yet. The problem with the local restaurants is that there are just very inconsistent (including Brunos and other faves). If your reviewer will do the evaluation on one and only visit then good luck. If we need to have a good meal the we stay at home. Just saying. I respectfully disagree. There may not be a great restaurant Lakeside but there are at least a couple of good ones. I have a very difficult time understanding some peoples expectations. I have eaten in "great" restaurants in many different countries and yet there are a number of places Lackside that I find fun and enjoyable.
Ginger Posted May 20, 2013 Report Posted May 20, 2013 I have to agree with JRP. We're a small town with a small population relatively so I think our selections are very good considering that. We also don't pay Michelin star prices for any meal here.
gringal Posted May 20, 2013 Report Posted May 20, 2013 Exactly right, Ginger. If you were in a NOB town with a comparable sized population, you wouldn't find top of the line restaurants there, either. The big cities have the great chefs and the reason is obvious: top chefs demand, and get, top pay. I hear too many people complaining that the restaurants here at Lakeside are so-so at best. True enough, but maybe their expectations are unrealistic. We have a larger selection of decent ones than I expected to see when I moved here. I can make a better meal at home than I can get in a restaurant. That's true for many others, I'm sure. However, sitting down in a pleasant environment and being served a meal without having to cook and clean up (especially in May weather) is, as my far northern friends say..... "a right treat".
gringohombre Posted May 20, 2013 Report Posted May 20, 2013 No good restaurants here? Are you kidding? I spent quite a few years in an area of California called the High Desert (Victorville/ Hisperia/Apple Valley) with about the same population as Lakeside and the same geographic area. I could count the good restaurants on 2 fingers. Fast food restaurants...one on every corner. Wendey's, McDonalds, Burger King, KFC all over the place. I went back there recently to visit and on a Saturday night I could not find one place with live music and any action...man, was i glad to be back here! We ought to thank our lucky stars every day to be here...I can name over a dozen restaurants that I would say are good to very good and every night you can find a nice place to relax, dance and have a good time. Maybe this guy is from France...you know how they are about food, Please!!!
gringal Posted May 20, 2013 Report Posted May 20, 2013 No good restaurants here? Are you kidding? I spent quite a few years in an area of California called the High Desert (Victorville/ Hisperia/Apple Valley) with about the same population as Lakeside and the same geographic area. I could count the good restaurants on 2 fingers. Fast food restaurants...one on every corner. Wendey's, McDonalds, Burger King, KFC all over the place. I went back there recently to visit and on a Saturday night I could not find one place with live music and any action...man, was i glad to be back here! We ought to thank our lucky stars every day to be here...I can name over a dozen restaurants that I would say are good to very good and every night you can find a nice place to relax, dance and have a good time. Maybe this guy is from France...you know how they are about food, Please!!! Chuckle. One never has to do without a greaseburger in that part of the world. Did some time in Riverside county, oh yes.
Bigrig1919 Posted May 28, 2013 Author Report Posted May 28, 2013 Today, I was pleasantly surprised!! I use trip adviser all the time when I'm in the States, but have not paid much attention to it when I'm down here. Sometimes, when I'm in a big city in Mex and need a B & B , I check TA. Today I looked up Ajijic and WOW, they have a large selection of Restaurants rated.
Bigrig1919 Posted May 29, 2013 Author Report Posted May 29, 2013 The man's happy. Case closed. You always this nice
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