La Iguana

[Mainecoons]

When we took our RV buddies out to see the RV park at Roca Azul yesterday (Thursday), we stopped for late lunch/early dinner at La Iguana, which is basically the last of the lake front restaurants headed west just outside of San Juan Cosala. It is the one with the really high walls and big entry gate.

Wow, what a beautiful place and wonderful meal. My wife and I had arrachera (hope I spelled that right) some of the best we've ever had, our friends shared a huge stew pot of shrimp, beef and chicken. Everything was beautifully served with a wonderful salad and piping hot tortillas.

We had 4 beers between us and two large ice teas. The bill came to 570 pesos plus tip for a very large and elegant meal. We were the only expats in there, the rest appeared to be locals or Tapatios. The restaurant was filling up rapidly when we left around 3 PM.

All the entres looked fabulous, next time we're going for the fish which really looked well prepared and was what most of the diners were ordering. The place apparently specializes in late afternoon dinners and closes at 7PM.

Loved it and put it on our top list of restaurants to revisit.

[Guest Gringal]

When we took our RV buddies out to see the RV park at Roca Azul yesterday (Thursday), we stopped for late lunch/early dinner at La Iguana, which is basically the last of the lake front restaurants headed west just outside of San Juan Cosala. It is the one with the really high walls and big entry gate.

Wow, what a beautiful place and wonderful meal. My wife and I had arrachera (hope I spelled that right) some of the best we've ever had, our friends shared a huge stew pot of shrimp, beef and chicken. Everything was beautifully served with a wonderful salad and piping hot tortillas.

We had 4 bears between us and two large ice teas. The bill came to 570 pesos plus tip for a very large and elegant meal. We were the only expats in there, the rest appeared to be locals or Tapatios. The restaurant was filling up rapidly when we left around 3 PM.

All the entres looked fabulous, next time we're going for the fish which really looked well prepared and was what most of the diners were ordering. The place apparently specializes in late afternoon dinners and closes at 7PM.

Loved it and put it on our top list of restaurants to revisit.

Some misspellings deserve to be celebrated, si? So, were the bears tasty?

Thanks for the review. Always wondered as we passed it.

[losgatos]

There have been past reports of ex-pats being ignored and/or treated less than hospitably at La Iguana. Sounds like your service was acceptable.

[Doolittle]

I think there are not two restaurants in Piedra Barranada with "Iguana" in the name, so I guess you're referring to La Iguana de Piedra, "The Stone Iguana." We've always found it to be excellent and have never felt unwelcome as gringos there. If fact the opposite is true; the first time we were there, about 3 years ago, the owner joined us and when we asked for the cuenta, he said, "Please, before you go have one more drink with my compliments."

[mexicanseahorse]

When we took our RV buddies out to see the RV park at Roca Azul yesterday (Thursday), we stopped for late lunch/early dinner at La Iguana, which is basically the last of the lake front restaurants headed west just outside of San Juan Cosala. It is the one with the really high walls and big entry gate.

Wow, what a beautiful place and wonderful meal. My wife and I had arrachera (hope I spelled that right) some of the best we've ever had, our friends shared a huge stew pot of shrimp, beef and chicken. Everything was beautifully served with a wonderful salad and piping hot tortillas.

We had 4 bears between us and two large ice teas. The bill came to 570 pesos plus tip for a very large and elegant meal. We were the only expats in there, the rest appeared to be locals or Tapatios. The restaurant was filling up rapidly when we left around 3 PM.

All the entres looked fabulous, next time we're going for the fish which really looked well prepared and was what most of the diners were ordering. The place apparently specializes in late afternoon dinners and closes at 7PM.

Loved it and put it on our top list of restaurants to revisit.

Good for you. I have been saying for years that some of the lakefront restaurants in SJC serve excellent meals at fair prices. Glad you tried one and were happy.

[newinajijic]

Mainecoons - I'm happy you enjoyed your meal without getting sick. I've hear mixed reviews on La Iguana.

My Mexican Doctor, who is very well known in Ajijic, told us not to eat at these restaurants in Piedra Barrenada. Enough said.

[Guest Gringal]

Mainecoons - I'm happy you enjoyed your meal without getting sick. I've hear mixed reviews on La Iguana.

My Mexican Doctor, who is very well known in Ajijic, told us not to eat at these restaurants in Piedra Barrenada. Enough said.

Hold the boat! "These restaurants"? All of them? Some of them? Let's get specific. That's a very damaging statement.

[RVGRINGO]

Iguana de Piedra was nice at its old location, just a few doors east, but the new location is spectacular and the food is excellent. We've never been ignored; far from it. The ladies have gone there just to have snacks, drinks and a domino game at the edge of the lake.

It is a wonderful place; no matter what John says. Of course, he has never been there and I suspect the same of his "Mexican doctor".

By late afternoon, on a weekend, the place will be packed, interior and roadside parking will be full; but there is parking across the road. They even have a valet, if you have Mexican plates on your car.

[Spot]

We had 4 bears between us and two large ice teas.

So, were the bears Polar, Panda, or Grizzly?

W

[Mainecoons]

They were Polar Bears, very nice and chilly!

LOL, you don't get cut any slack here on typos.

Didn't mention it but the service was attentive and polished. Waiter spoke some English but we stuck to Spanish.

BTW, do NOT recommend this place on the weekend, it is packed with Tapatios. In fact that whole restaurant strip is one big traffic jam on weekend afternoons.

On a Wednesday, it was perfect.

[slumdog]

Had a pretty nasty experience there about two months after they opened in the new location. I hope they've improved, but I won't go back because the experience was so negative. Problems included uncooked chicken, served in the dark so that it was bitten into before the raw flesh was discovered. Service was lousy, just lousy. Lovely location, though.

[cedros]

I've eaten at La Iguana de Piedra about 10 times and the service has always been excellent. They do a huge business on the weekends when they must have at least 40 staff. They have a second kitchen that they open when it is very busy. What a silly thing for your doctor to say-don't eat at any of them. There are about 15 restaurants and they are all quite different and of course run by different people.

[newinajijic]

I prefer to listen to my popular Mexican Doctor who was born here and lived here all his life which is more than you can say for yourselves.

I prefer to play it safe with food and the restaurants I go to. Why should I take "any" chance of getting sick, only to pay $ 300 - $ 500 pesos on meds to recuperate.

That is why we don't eat at Bruno's or Pedro's anymore. Too many of us got sick eating there, so I don't take my Dinner group there.

Why should I drive out of Ajijic when the best restaurants are here in Ajijic?

[Mad_Max]

Why should I drive out of Ajijic when the best restaurants are here in Ajijic?

So that is what makes you the expert at all restaurants at Lakeside. Didn't realize that you never left Ajijic as I thought you did review restaurant in Guad too - but maybe someone just ordered food to go and brought it to you - as I would guess you wouldn't have taken the bus - versus driven - into Guad

[newinajijic]

So that is what makes you the expert at all restaurants at Lakeside. Didn't realize that you never left Ajijic as I thought you did review restaurant in Guad too - but maybe someone just ordered food to go and brought it to you - as I would guess you wouldn't have taken the bus - versus driven - into Guad

You are a newbie here, you don't know me and you make assumptions on the board which makes you wrong. Reread my post, I didn't say I never left Ajijic, DID I?

Food to go, YUK! NEVER!!! Yes, I did reviews on two restaurants in Guad and no I would NEVER take a bus anywhere I didn't have to, especially those crappy buses that go to Guad. I drive to Guad all the time, about every month for 9 years, unlike the wooses here who are afraid to drive. It's no different than driving in any other US city.

[slumdog]

Some of us live in a very small world, with blinders of our own creation. I actually had someone, living in a gated community, act surprised when I told him he could run into any hardware store here and buy a power bar for his electronic components. He is so used to sending his gardener out for stuff.

My greatest restaurant pleasure, just like when traveling back home, is discovering "new" restaurants in Mexico. The campestre style places are usually surprisingly wonderful finds. As I posted just last week, I hit the upstairs level of one of those places in Chapala just past the malecon. The service, even with the place packed with Easter vacationers from Guadalajara, was first-rate, and the food was a joy. Not to mention the free margaritas.

I've been here for six years and had never managed to venture there. Now I will try them all; there must be at least five in a row. What a crime if I had decided not to eat outside of my bubble for fear of getting sick. Of course, I suppose I could have just as easily sat outside and watched the dozens of daily visitors stumble out, puking and dieing of intestinal problems, before I decided.

"Food to go, YUK! NEVER!!!" Ah, now I know why when pizza or something is mentioned, New always tells us to "make your own". Unlike the woose, I'll get a round twit.

[Mad_Max]

You are a newbie here, you don't know me and you make assumptions on the board which makes you wrong. Reread my post, I didn't say I never left Ajijic, DID I?

Food to go, YUK! NEVER!!! Yes, I did reviews on two restaurants in Guad and no I would NEVER take a bus anywhere I didn't have to, especially those crappy buses that go to Guad. I drive to Guad all the time, about every month for 9 years, unlike the wooses here who are afraid to drive. It's no different than driving in any other US city.

I have taken the bus into guad - but haven't seen any wooses. Do they go every day? I think it would be cool to be on a woose bus - definitely will take my camera. Ah, Ajijic, something for everyone.

Woose - definition

Woose - Narnian creatures are any non-human inhabitants of Narnia, the fantasy world created by C. S. Lewis as a setting for his The Chronicles of Narnia. This is a series of commentaries on the creatures of Narnia. ...

[newinajijic]

slumdog - Only reason I tell you to make your own Pizza is because you can make better at home than any Pizza at Lakeside.

The ONLY Pizza at Lakeside that is close to real Italian is Tratorria di Axixic, but most of you won't go there because it's the highest priced at Lakeside.

Even Toscana cannnot compete with homemade Pizza. One day he ran out of sauce and put Tomato Paste on our Pizzas. A TOTAL YUK!!!

[cedros]

A popular doctor-that's seem an odd way to describe a doctor. I briefly went to a popular one in Ajijic but he wasn't any good.

Have you tried the pizza at La Vita Bella? It is good.

I prefer to listen to my popular Mexican Doctor who was born here and lived here all his life which is more than you can say for yourselves.

I prefer to play it safe with food and the restaurants I go to. Why should I take "any" chance of getting sick, only to pay $ 300 - $ 500 pesos on meds to recuperate.

That is why we don't eat at Bruno's or Pedro's anymore. Too many of us got sick eating there, so I don't take my Dinner group there.

Why should I drive out of Ajijic when the best restaurants are here in Ajijic?

[solajijic]

Like the doctor comment, dso true.

When we want pizza its usually because no one wants to cook so making our own isn't an option. La Bella Vita is great, don't like the italian Trattoria.

However, we do love the resturants at the end of the Chapala malecon, downstairs center left is a terrific mochete resturant. About 250 pesos two people meal with beverage.

Also we REALLY like going to resturants that are full of "Tapatios", it means its good, that people are happy and that adds to the meal.

La Iguana is fabulously fun...Sunday afternoon, its packed its busy and noisy and its fish meal is fab!

[More Liana]

Hmmm...I have eaten many, many wonderful meals at various restaurants at Piedra Barrenada and have never gotten sick. My two favorites have always been Las Olas and Las Gaviotas. At La Gaviota, I am partial to the huachinango dorado--the whole fried red snapper. I haven't tried La Iguana de Piedra, but maybe one of these days when I'm in Ajijic we'll head on out there. Sounds fabulous.

And I absolutely agree with solajijic: Sunday is far and away the best day to go, when the crowds and the bands and the abandon make the atmosphere terrific.

[Tingting]

I've eaten at La Iguana de Piedra about 10 times and the service has always been excellent. They do a huge business on the weekends when they must have at least 40 staff. They have a second kitchen that they open when it is very busy. What a silly thing for your doctor to say-don't eat at any of them. There are about 15 restaurants and they are all quite different and of course run by different people.

They must have had a major attitude adjustment. When 4 of us went there, we were totally ignored. No one ever acknowledged us, spoke to us or even looked in our direction. We finally got up and left in disgust. It wasn't just us, though, they did it to Mexican and foreigners alike. While I'll forgive a lot, I won't forgive rudeness.

[martygraw]

Went there yesterday (Sunday), and sitting at the next table was, are you ready for this?? JOHNS MEXICAN DR.

[newinajijic]

martygraw - I guess you're a mindreader too, since I have never mentioned my Mexican Doctors name. Do you get joy from picking on other people? I think so.

[cosalamx]

Went there yesterday (Sunday), and sitting at the next table was, are you ready for this?? JOHNS MEXICAN DR.

Shame on you, Martygraw. I realize the target is sooo appealing, but you should exercise some restraint. I am still waiting to find out why Mexican's can't build proper sewage treatment plants like they have in the USA.