www.CostaRicaTicas.com

RESTAURANTS - CRT FAVORITES

As a matter of convenience and for those times when I need a quick restaurant pick.... I think it would be great to have one link for a list of our favorite San Jose Restaurants... maybe like the top 30 spots... (please only suggest places you would truely send another CRT'r)

Feel free to suggest your favorite spots to be added, corrections to be made, etc..

The List

1. Chelle's - on the corner between el presidente and the DR. Great food, awesome casado, cheap prices.. I love this place. -digital jukebox, open 24/7.

2. The News Cafe - at the hotel presidente. decent food, decent prices... good people watching.

3. The Restaurant at Gran Hotel Costa Rica - (across from the opera house) - good food, a little pricey, but open 24/7, and has great coffee and dessert.

4. Bar Empejada - open late, maybe even 24. not sure. 4-5 blocks from the DR on avenida 1. - One of my favorite dives to get a solid casado.

5. Nuestra Tierra - i love this place. great food, amazing coffee and dessert. - #1. Av. 2da. Calle 15 frente a Plaza de la Democracia
(despite a few bad reviews from people, this is still one of my fav's)

6. Tin Jo - a fairly decent chinese restaurant. might be the best chinese in san jose.. - has thai, indian, as well.. - across the street/down the block from Bar Item (calle 11, south of Av. 6)

7. Sportsman's Lodge - Good caersar salad, hot dogs, fish(whole), etc... - and have you checked out the new wing?

8. Mariscar - Great Sea Bass with garlic sauce as well as Arroz con Pollo is excellent, always a lot of locals (usually a good sign) - between presidente and chelle's

9. La Criollita - in Amon near INS Building.

10. Sushi spot upstairs to the right of the presidente - need name and more info....

11. Restaurant Hamborgo - good German cuisine at the corner of A. 5 and C. 33 in Barrio Escalante.

12. Princessa Marina - nice fish place, several locations.

13. Costa Del Sol - Perennial CRT favorite for anything from good pizza slice to the famous Don Gordo especial with other good Italian dishes available. CRT discount.

14. La Esquina de Buenos Aires - Excellent Argentina restaurant. Last time I was there had the lomito with a blue cheese topping. Excellent. Think it was about 6800 colones before the 10% CRT discount.

15. Holiday Inn - Yes a surprise. Had lunch there on Friday and discovered that they offer a buffet at lunch. The menu rotates and on the day I was there was Mexican. Includes salad, soup, various entrées, dessert and natural beverage for 3000 colones including tax and tip. Food was good. Note of caution very crowded at lunch hour. At least it was when I was there.

16. Las Charitos - Paseo Colon area, and very reasonable. Located on Calle 36 about 75 M south of Paseo Colon just down form Veronicas Massage

17. Manolo's Restaurante y Churreria - Another hidden gem, across from the big blue CASIO sign at the end of the walking avenue, 2nd floor.....excellent seafood, and beef dishes and fresh ceviche.... - Avenida Central, Calle 0 y 1. Centro , Boulevard Avenida Central - 506 222 2234 - http://www.mytravelguide.com/restaurant ... reria.html

18. JR's Ribs - http://www.jrribs.com/ - anyone else been here? - located next to the zoo.

19. The New York Bar - They have a good soup of the day, excellent cheeseburger, tasty chili and other typical bar food. Very reasonably priced and usually a few gringos in attendance for some good conversation. - next to DR.

20. Machu Pichu - across from Oasis is a great sea food place. Nice 20 minute walk from Gulch.

21. Nuevo Allegro - Great Steak, located in Escazu. They recently changed their name but not their quality or prices. (La Parilla Argentina before)

22. Soda Peru - 50 yards up the hill from Zona Blue on the opposite side of the street. Nice people, good food, reasonable prices.

23. Fogo Brasil - If you like a plethora of different meats, then this place is for you. Huge ass salad bar and you will never leave hungry. It's not cheap though..

24. Mar y Tierra - good food at a solid price - about 15 minutes by taxi from the gulch.

25. name needed - the restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Sleep Inn - Maybe one of my brothers can recall the name, been for sunday breakfast twice, was impressed on both occasions.

26. Cafe Mundo - great homemade breads, excellent caeser salad, menu mostly seafood and pasta. I normally pass on desert, but not here. If the back garden is open ask to be seated there. Right around the corner from SL.

27. Pollo Campesino - (not to be confused with the fast food chain, Pollo Campero): One block south of the Hotel Presidente has excellent chicken and is very inexpensive. Good egg rolls as well.

28. 1930 Club - It is good for a cheap boca and they treat regulars well. They often have good versions of pescado entero frito and higado

29. Hamburger Factory - Good food and reasonable prices. Just up the road on avenue central from Pres on the right.

30. Donde Carlos" for a little "fine dining" - Argentinian restaurant...who always honor graciously the CRT discount card. http://www.dondecarlos.com . The Churassco Lomito has been my consistant favorite. Great wine selections as well.

31. Bar y Resturante Olio - Mediterranean dishes, with great meat, seafood entres similar to Esquena. Price wise cheaper than Esquena. OK wine list, mostly locals. - Five minutes from the gultch

31. The Restaurant /Bar at DEL RAY - Good food. Awesome Chicken Kiev.

more to come...

...and please tell me if something is on the list that truely does not belong. (as i haven't been to every spot.)

--
need more info for...
-ABC
-Chicheronera Rancho Allegre (the Colombian Bar) - dinner?

From the list you have so far I assume you are looking for places within walking distance of the gulch. In that category would add:

Holiday Inn Yes a surprise. Had lunch there on Friday and discovered that they offer a buffet at lunch. The menu rotates and on the day I was there was Mexican. Includes salad, soup, various entrées, dessert and natural beverage for 3000 colones including tax and tip. Food was good. Note of caution very crowded at lunch hour. At least it was when I was there.

La Esquina de Buenos Aires Excellent Argentina restaurant. Last time I was there had the lomito with a blue cheese topping. Excellent. Think it was about 6800 colones before the 10% CRT VIP discount.

Costa Del Sol Perennial CRT favorite for anything from good pizza slice to the famous Don Gordo especial with other good Italian dishes available. CRT discount honored.

Should you include restaurants outside the gulch the list will easily top 30

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

SODA PERU.....50 yards up the hill from Zona Blue on the opposite side of the street. Nice people, good food, reasonable prices.

Delicasas del Peru (called Soda Peru above but no longer ambiguous) I would not call Soda Peru near the parliament building a favorite.

Princessa Marina nice fish place, several locations.

La Criolita in Amon near INS Building.

Restaurant Hamborgo, good German cuisine at the corner of A. 5 and C. 33 in Barrio Escalante. If it isn't a favorite, it should be.

The little sushi place upstairs to the right of the Pres. is very good.

_________________
Why Chicas Come to CostaRica:

"Predators gather where prey abounds"

Have to add Mariscar to the list between Presidente and Chellies.

Great Sea Bass with garlic sauce as well as Arroz con Pollo is excellent, always a lot of locals (usually a good sign)

One of my favorites along with several of the above espescially La Criollita

For those who venture to the Paseo Colon area I would recommend Las Charitos and excellent Cuban Soda and very reasonable. Located on Calle 36 about 75 M south of Paseo Colon just down form Veronicas Massage

_________________
In Search of Fine Kittens,
Please... Bring back the Muff

Sportsman's Lodge is fast becoming a favorite. They make probably the best Caesars salad in the Gultch area. Also their hot dogs are about the ONLY good ones around.

When I stayed at Castillo in October, they had an information sheet in the room giving restaurant/attractions suggestions. I meant to try the German restaurant on it, but never got around to it. Does anyone know the name of this restaurant & whether it's any good?

I forgot to list, and surprised no one else has mentioned, The New York Bar.

They have a good soup of the day, excellent cheeseburger, tasty chili and other typical bar food. Very reasonably priced and usually a few gringos in attendance for some good conversation.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

How about Mar y Tierra? A few of us went there last week, and the food was good. Total tab for 6 people, for dinner and lots of drinks and shots, came to $92. Not sure exactly where it is, but it only took about 15 minutes by taxi from the gulch.
MG

_________________
You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

For me,and many others,the best steak around the SJ area is still Nuevo Allegro which is located in Escazu. They recently changed their name but not their quality or prices. (La Parilla Argentina before)

Machu Pichu across from Oasis is a great sea food place. Nice 20 minute walk from Gulch. This is my favorite resturant in the city.

I would second or third Soda Peru. My fav.

Peru Deliciosa must on one there; I give a vote for Fogo Brasil.

_________________
I said hey baby, take a walk on the wild side.
Lou Reed