Costa Rica
Restaurants & Reviews

San Jose

*Special List of Fine Restaurants
and Restaurant Reviews in Costa Rica!

Restaurants Listed by Locality
in Costa Rica!  All Budgets! 

Costa Rica Restaurants & Reviews

Our Favorite
San Jose Restaurants

 

International Famous Italian Chef "Tony D' Alaimo".

Expect to dine with "Celebrities", and even the President of
Costa Rica, who flock to his Restaurant to delight in the sensual
Italian Specialties... which can be found no where else in Costa Rica!

All of Tony's "famous dishes" are prepared to order and are very
reasonably priced! Reservations Recommended.

Open: Mon-Sat: 12-2:30 and 6pm-10:30pm
(Closed on Sundays).

Una rica fusion entre los clasicos del jazz y nuestra musica...
Costarricense.

Neto  Quiros - Piano  and  Daniel  Morera - Sax Alto

http://www.JazzdeCafetal.cjb.net

This bar and pizzeria right in the middle of San José's student
neighborhood is a big hit with the locals, with its friendly
atmosphere and reasonably priced food. If you are staying in
the neighborhood, this is a good place to start the night before
you head out for some drinking and dancing. Most of the clients
are students and it is usually somewhat quiet.  Come with a friend
and enjoy a conversation over your meal.

This Café has food quality, elegance and atmosphere. Nested at
the National Theater, its lavish décor, particular to the neoclassic period,
sets an almost "holy" ambiance. Precious woods and crystal on the bar
counter, and marble flooring and tables, welcome guests as if members
of a Royal Court, and the food and pastries bring along the taste and
savoir-faire of the best classic European cuisine. When visiting the
theater, you know now where to satisfy your palate like a king.
 

This small, cozy café, decorated in indigo blue and yellow tones, breaks
a little with the idea of the Mexican dishes we are accustomed to. Their specialty is breakfast, which in Mexico is lavish and assorted. Eggs in
different preparations like Rancheros or a la Veracruzana, Quesadillas,
Sopes and "Chilasquiles", all slightly piquant, are part of this daily meal,
along with fresh coffee and fruit juice. Their Mexican pastries are also
delicious.   Breakfast & Brunch.
 

This traditional landmark in the heart of San José, has undergone a series
of cosmetics, but has always been a gathering place for the late-night
people.  Some time ago people came here for a snack and a nightcap
after a wild party, so the owners decided to attract the guests with their
own wild party as well!

A three-level arrangement was built, with a restaurant on the first floor,
a bar on the second level, and a disco on the third. Fun & Atmosphere!
 

In this restaurant, the owners, Pedro Valiño and Luisa Esparducer, will
attend to you personally with care and dedication. This Catalonian couple wanted a homey atmosphere so you will feel more like a family friend than
a guest. The decor and furniture are those of a real Spanish home. Their
sangria and tinto de verano are wonderful, traditional beverages for the
warm months. Additionally, you can enjoy specialties such as rabbit with
lobster and lamb sweetbreads, as well as fish and seafood prepared in a
very particular Catalonian way.
 

The beef cuts and pork chops in this traditional Costa Rican restaurant
might very well belong to a brontosaurus! They practically come out of the
plate because of their gigantic size. Simple décor and rustic benches and tables. However, when it is time to sink in your teeth, you forget your surroundings. Juicy beef cuts, beautiful super pork chops, and jumbo-size Chicharones will consolidate your stomach with your heart. Traditional
cuisine, steak & barbecue, inexpensive.
 

Taking a ride to Las Nubes de Coronado is almost a spiritual experience.
The everlasting mist mantle, the dairy farms with their pink or light-blue
painted old wooden houses, and a thick vegetation will make you feel
some sort of déjà-vu.
This restaurant offers a very eclectic menu, ranging from the traditional
Costa Rican cuisine, to pizzas and Mexican tacos, along with good
background music. Dining with a view.
 

This is a trendy atmosphere of urban delight where the "be's and wanna
be's" share the secrets of success, enticed by the glamour of the night,
the musical videos displayed on more than 12 TV monitors and a giant
TV screen. If you want to court your companion, there is a gift shop, or
you can have your best facial features captured for posterity by an expert caricaturist.
 

This is an authentic Chinese restaurant of very good quality. Its decor is simple,
with typical ornaments from China, and the service is courteous and kind. They
serve family dishes that start with a service for two for 6,888 colones, which
includes a corn and ham chowder, and shrimp as appetizers. Spanish, English, Mandarin, and Cantonese languages are spoken here.
 

This restaurant offers various Central American dishes, based on chicken,
rice and beans, and a variety of Chinese recipes, such as Chow Mein and
Chop Suey. The roast chicken is especially good. Poultry in Central
America is generally "free range," and has a much more natural flavor than
in many other parts of the world. Ask for a spicy sauce and some fresh
limes to accompany meat dishes, and drink some cold cervesa!
 

As the night spreads its shroud and the explosion of the sunset's wildest
colors start giving way to the blinking of the stars, many go home to rest.

However, many others start a new life cycle: "Living La Vida Loca" (Living
the crazy life). El Cuartel is the perfect place to do so.

Here, people of all ages, colors and backgrounds gather to eat, drink,
listen to the music, and make new friends. It has three different areas,
including an art gallery, so you can "Live La Vida Loca" the way you like
it best.
 

La Cocina de Leña is one of the most experienced places in San Jose
for quality and the serving of traditional Costa Rican cuisine. It has been
listed as one of the finest establishments to offer authentic Costa Rican
food.
 

Long live Mexico!   You will hear this expression, more likely in Spanish,
quite a few times at this traditional and well-known place in the heart of
San José. Here, you can have some drinks, eat food and listen to the
Mariachis and "Trios" singing at your table for a little cash.

The "Trios" are musical groups of three persons that specialize in the
romantic boleros-style music. Additionally, if you so desire, you can hire
them, or any of the Mariachis, to perform a serenade to your beloved at
home or at a party.
 

Established five years ago, La Estancia Steak House is a restaurant that features international food with an emphasis on roasted and grilled meats.
Other plates include tacos and Mexican food.
 

The name of this restaurant indicates the great importance of maize in
Central America. Thanks to its creation during years of cultivation, the
Olmec civilization, the first civilized society in the Americas took its
place in history. The cereal continues to be very important in the basic
diet of the people. Here, one can choose from a range of vegetarian
dishes, accompanied by juices and juice-based drinks.
 

You can categorize this restaurant in a few words: traditional Italian
elegance and superb food. With an extensive à la carte menu, no doubt
you will find variety when you order. Selections vary from antipasto,
salads, soup, pasta dishes, risotto and some other light appetizers,
to the most complex and wonderful creations. And, of course, a good assortment of splendid wines is available.
 

To fully understand the trattoría concept, you will need to think Italian.
Unlike a formal restaurant, these small eateries have a different
approach: from the kitchen of la mamma! This means that the food is
usually prepared in a traditional homemade fashion. Tables dressed
in white and red (or blue), small-squared tablecloths, Chianti bottles
hanging here and there, and unpretentious décor of a trattoria appeal
to good traditional Italian food lovers. This is exactly what you will
find at La Trattoría Restaurant.
 

Here, you can enjoy a hearty breakfast, with eggs, beans, ham,
hotcakes and more, and drink delicious coffee. The prices are
exceptional, even if the dishes are rather simple. Lunchtime plates,
based on chicken, meat and or rice, also offer good value. Drink a
well-chilled beer and do not forget to ask for some chili and fresh
limes. If you are alone, this is a good place to sit quietly and read
the paper.
 

If you love those small barbecues in the middle of your table to cook
right there in front of you, the widest variety of tender meats and
seafood, Korean style, you will love this place. Besides, they have a
special fumes extractor beneath the table to absorb all the smoke
and smells! There is also an excellent sushi bar for the Japanese
cuisine lovers. The menu is so ample that you may need a
dictionary to guide you though!

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