Restaurant guide · Where should we eat?
Beach tables at sunset, a proper casado at a soda, coffee before surf, a pizza everyone agrees on. Pick the occasion, then go straight to the menu, the map or a ride.
Almost all of Tamarindo's eating happens within a short walk of the beach. Tables on the sand line the main road and face west, so from late afternoon it's a sunset line-up; some are all-day spots that do breakfast too.
Behind the beach, the center packs in the rest: coffee roasters and bakeries, taco counters, sushi, Italian kitchens and a handful of sodas serving Costa Rican plates. In high season (roughly December to April) the popular dinner rooms fill, so book the ones that take reservations. In green season some close for a few weeks, which is why every listing says when we last checked it.
Start here
Each shortlist is built from what the restaurants themselves publish (their menus, sites and social pages), backed up by recent reviews: places with first-party evidence first, then alphabetical. Nobody pays to be listed or featured, and a place missing from here isn't a verdict on it.
Beachfront tables facing west. Arrive before the sun gets low.
Eggs, bowls, pastries and good coffee, from early.
Casados, gallo pinto and the flavors locals grew up on.
Tacos, sodas and counter food for the nights you don't want a production.
Candlelight, a longer wine list, a table worth dressing up for.
Room to spread out, and menus with something for everyone.
Fully plant-based kitchens and places with real vegan options.
Roasters, espresso bars and bakeries for a slow morning.
74 in Tamarindo, plus 6 worth the short drive nearby. Search a dish, a mood or a name, in English or Spanish. Playa Langosta's 5 are further down.
Occasion & cuisine
82 places
Tamarindo
Seafood / international
Beachfront restaurant north of the center with a short menu of ceviche, aguachile, grilled fish and steak, and sunset views.
Beachfront, next to Farmacia Tamarindo, north of the town center near the river mouth
Tamarindo
Italian / Sicilian
Small owner-run Sicilian restaurant serving pasta, risotto and pizza, with gluten-free options .
Plaza Tamarindo local #10, Avenida Central, in front of Pacific Park
Tamarindo
Mexican
Temporarily closed
Family-oriented Mexican dinner restaurant at the Tamarindo Diria with fajitas, tacos and margaritas and a playground on site.
Boulevard Diría, Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort
Tamarindo
Japanese / sushi / Nikkei
Sushi and Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian) restaurant in a garden setting on the main street, run by the same group as Patagonia.
Main street, a few meters past Hotel Tamarindo Diria (C. Central)
Villarreal · nearby
Barbecue / Costa Rican
Reservation-only ranch barbecue of local meats in a western-style saloon, often combined with zipline, ATV or horseback tours.
Black Stallion Hills, Villarreal (about 8 min drive from Tamarindo)
Tamarindo
Breakfast / American
Early-opening breakfast spot on an upstairs balcony serving burritos, pancakes, omelettes and coffee.
Calle Central, on the second-floor balcony of the Terraza Iguana Beach Hotel
Tamarindo
Bakery / cafe
Bakery-cafe baking bread, pastries and cakes in-house, serving breakfast and lunch such as sandwiches and shakshuka, with a playful Breaking Bad theme.
Centro Comercial El Punto, local 10, 40 m west of Super Compro, Calle Central, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
International / seafood
The Tamarindo Diria's beachfront restaurant (known earlier as Matapalo), serving international food, seafood and steaks from breakfast to dinner.
On the beach at Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort, Calle Central
Tamarindo
Costa Rican breakfast / coffee
Long-running breakfast and coffee spot serving Costa Rican breakfasts with sun-dried Costa Rican coffee from local farms.
25 m south of Supermercado 2001, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Café / brunch
Air-conditioned café and cocktail bar at Pacific Park serving espresso drinks, bagels, açaí bowls and breakfast/lunch plates, with a gluten-free menu.
Pacific Park, Local 4, at the intersection toward Langosta, Tamarindo
Huacas · nearby
Mexican / Caribbean
Mexican-Caribbean restaurant and bar in Huacas serving ceviches, wings and grill dishes, with cocktails and live music.
Centro Comercial Ruta 73, Huacas
Tamarindo
Mediterranean
Hotel restaurant and bar with pool and bay views, serving Mediterranean-style food and known for its Friday night party with DJs and salsa band.
At Maravida Social Hotel by Crazy Monkey (formerly Best Western Tamarindo Vista Villas), main road above Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Café / bakery
Surf-camp café opening before dawn for coffee, baked goods and açaí bowls, facing the main surf break.
Calle Central, in front of Economy Rent-a-Car, next to Witch's Rock Surf Camp
Tamarindo
Steakhouse / grill
Steakhouse focused on imported grilled cuts such as rib-eye and tomahawk, with a full bar.
Plaza Santuario, Avenida Central
Tamarindo
Specialty coffee
Specialty coffee shop that roasts on site, sourcing from small Costa Rican farms, with espresso drinks, cold brew and coffee beer.
20 m south of Super Compro, in front of the skate park, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
International / grill
Dinner-only restaurant off the main strip with a seasonal menu built on local ingredients, plus wines, cocktails and craft beer; reservations required.
100 m behind Banco Nacional on Calle Corona, between La Baula Pizzabar / Hotel in The Shade and the mini golf
Tamarindo
American / Mexican surf food / Costa Rican
Long-running beachfront surf-camp diner at Witch's Rock Surf Camp serving breakfast through dinner, from breakfast burritos to casados and sushi.
Beachfront at Witch's Rock Surf Camp, Tamarindo main road (Playa Tamarindo 152)
Tamarindo
Seafood / Costa Rican
Beachfront restaurant and bar on the sand south of the main roundabout, serving seafood and Costa Rican plates.
100 m south of the roundabout, facing the beach, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Food court / multiple
Open-air food and cocktail market with independent stalls (burgers, tacos, sushi, arepas, poke, pizza, crepes) around a central bar, with live music.
25 m east of the police station, next to Patagonia restaurant, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Seafood / fusion / sushi / teppanyaki
Dinner restaurant at the Tamarindo Diria focused on seafood and fusion dishes, with a sushi room and a teppanyaki table.
Boulevard Diría, Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort, Calle Central
Tamarindo
Surf-camp bar food (same menu as Eat at Joe's)
Beachfront bar-restaurant at Witch's Rock Surf Camp sharing Eat at Joe's menu, facing the sunset.
Beachfront at Witch's Rock Surf Camp, Calle Principal
Tamarindo
Italian / pizza
Italian restaurant making fresh homemade pasta, lasagna, gnocchi and pizzas, open for dinner.
Calle Costa, 50 m west of Super 2001, next to Selina hostel, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Mediterranean / Israeli
Mediterranean and Israeli spot in operation since 2011, serving falafel, shawarma, hummus and platters, with delivery offered.
Avenida Central 250, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Vegan café
Fully plant-based café serving breakfast, smoothie bowls, tacos, sandwiches, coffee and desserts; supports a local animal rescue through merchandise sales.
Calle Sunrise / Plaza Sunrise, Local 12, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Seafood / contemporary Costa Rican / coffee & pastry
Newer beachfront seafood restaurant with a contemporary Costa Rican menu, specialty coffee and in-house pastry.
Plaza Galerías del Mar, beachfront, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Mexican fusion
Mexican-fusion taco bar serving tacos, burritos, enchiladas and quesadillas, with vegan and vegetarian choices flagged on its own profile.
Corona St, behind the Oveja Negra hostel, Tamarindo (per Tripadvisor)
Pinilla · nearby
Tasting menu / fusion
Reservation-only seven-course tasting dinner served at a shared table in the chef's home.
Chef's countryside home, ~20 min south of Tamarindo, 10 min east of Playa Avellanas (Pinilla area)
Tamarindo
Food trucks / mixed
Open-air food truck park with several vendors (tacos, Peruvian, fish and chips, crepes, Asian) around a central bar.
North of Pura Vida supermarket
Tamarindo
Sushi / Asian
Sushi restaurant in the El Barrio Gourmet complex beside Banco Nacional, with Japanese, Korean and other Asian dishes.
El Barrio Gourmet, next to Banco Nacional, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Mediterranean / Peruvian fusion
Garden-set dinner restaurant serving Mediterranean-Peruvian fusion dishes, with a full cocktail bar and live music.
East intersection of Calle Corona and Avenida Central (Tripadvisor); also given as 100 m west of Banco Nacional
Tamarindo
Colombian street food
Colombian street-food spot serving arepas, burgers, hot dogs and salchipapas until very late. It also has other Guanacaste locations.
Av Central 140, across from Sharky's bar, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Cafe / international
Surf hotel restaurant and bar open all day for breakfast, bowls, seafood and casual plates, with live music some nights.
100 m west of Banco Nacional, Calle Corona
Tamarindo
Seafood / Latin
Beachfront hotel restaurant on the main strip serving seafood, Costa Rican and Latin dishes, with sunset views and live music.
Main street, 20 m before the traffic circle, beach side (Hotel La Palapa)
Tamarindo
Beach club restaurant
A members' beach club with a full-service restaurant and bar in a small cove at the south end of Tamarindo beach, open to non-members with a day pass.
200 meters north of Hotel Capitán Suizo, Tamarindo 50309 (Tripadvisor); 'nestled within a pristine cove on the beach in Tamarindo' (official)
Tamarindo
Mexican street tacos
Small Mexican street-taco spot with lucha-libre decor, margaritas and tequila, and daily specials such as Taco Tuesday.
100 m east of Banco Nacional, across from the Night Market, next to Chocolat, Tamarindo
Playa Avellanas · nearby
Seafood / international
Long-running beachfront restaurant at Playa Avellanas serving breakfast, lunch and sunset food and drinks.
On the sand at Playa Avellanas
Tamarindo
American BBQ
Casual American bar and diner specializing in house-smoked barbecue such as brisket, ribs and pulled pork, plus burgers and fish tacos.
Central Ave 127, Tamarindo (downtown)
Tamarindo
Juices / smoothies / light meals
Juice and smoothie bar operating since 2004 that also serves breakfast, açaí bowls, wraps and tacos.
Plaza Esmeralda, Calle Principal, diagonal to the main entrance of Hotel Tamarindo Diria
Playa Avellanas · nearby
Seafood / Mediterranean
Beachfront seafood restaurant and bar at Playa Avellanas with an air-conditioned upstairs dining room doubling as an art space.
On the beach at Playa Avellanas (La Purruja)
Tamarindo
Latin / grill
Restaurant-bar with contemporary Costa Rican and Latin grill dishes, cocktails and regular live-music nights.
Avenida Central, next to (east side of) Banco Nacional, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Bakery / café
Sourdough bakery and café baking naturally fermented bread since 2017, plus croissants, Roman-style pizza, quiche and cold brew.
Plaza Palmas, about 200 m east of Banco Nacional, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Vegan / plant-based
Poolside plant-based restaurant at a vegan boutique hotel, with Costa Rican and international dishes, cocktails and vegan wines.
Mother Earth Vegan Hotel, 100 m west of AyA, on the hillside above town
Tamarindo
Indian
Indian restaurant with traditional and contemporary curries, tandoor dishes and many vegetarian and vegan options.
Central Ave 312, in front of BCR bank
Tamarindo
Bagels / breakfast café
Small café in a downtown food court making bagels, sourdough, waffles, açaí bowls and coffee, with vegan and gluten-free choices.
119 Av. Central, inside the small central food court near NOI Bistro
Tamarindo
Asian-Latin fusion / seafood
Beachfront restaurant mixing Asian and Latin flavors — sushi, ceviche and grilled seafood — with nightly fire shows.
On Tamarindo beach, next to Ocean Restaurant (and El Be Club)
Tamarindo
Italian / pizza
Wood-fired pizza and fresh pasta restaurant in the Tamarindo Diria resort's boulevard on the main street.
Boulevard Diría, Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort, Calle Central
Tamarindo
Costa Rican / seafood
Beachfront bar and restaurant open since 1974, serving breakfast through sunset dinner with seafood, casados and its homemade cream pies.
Beachfront at the rotonda (roundabout), Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Breakfast / brunch / international
Cozy bistro focused on homemade breakfast and brunch, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
Tamarindo centro, across from Centro Comercial El Punto, next to Coral Reef Hostel
Tamarindo
Specialty coffee / cafe
Specialty coffee house that roasts its own beans, with Nordic-inspired homemade food and many gluten-free options. It is air-conditioned.
Plaza Tamarindo, 2nd floor, local #23, Avenida Central, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Seafood / Mediterranean
Beach lounge and restaurant south of the Diria serving seafood, Mediterranean and Costa Rican dishes, facing the sunset.
150 m south of Hotel Tamarindo Diria, beach side
Villarreal · nearby
Spanish / Mediterranean
Spanish restaurant outside Tamarindo town serving paella, tapas, dry-aged meats and seafood for dinner.
Road toward Playa Avellanas, Hernández junction, across from Bar La Media Vuelta, Villarreal
Tamarindo
Bakery / Mediterranean café
Mediterranean-style bakery and café for breakfast, pastries, coffee and sandwiches; Tamarindo branch of a Costa Rican bakery group.
Calle Cardinal, on the road from Tamarindo toward Playa Langosta
Tamarindo
Seafood / international
Temporarily closed
Oceanfront restaurant at the estuary mouth on the north end of Tamarindo beach, serving seafood-focused international dishes for lunch and dinner.
North end of Tamarindo beach where the estuary meets the ocean; '500 m southwest of Auto Mercado, across the street from El Tesoro'
Tamarindo
Argentinian / steakhouse
Argentine steakhouse in central Tamarindo serving grilled meats, including a dry-aged menu, plus seafood and Argentine dishes. Part of a local group that also runs Bamboo Sushi.
Calle del Parque, Tamarindo (downtown)
Tamarindo
Cafe / healthy / fusion
Beachfront bistro serving breakfast, brunch and lunch with coffee, bowls, tacos and ceviche, with vegetarian and vegan choices.
Calle Central, beachfront
Tamarindo
Latin / international / pizza
Open-air restaurant-bar steps from the beach serving pizza, steak, seafood, pasta and coffee drinks, with live music.
25 m from the Tamarindo roundabout (La Rotonda)
Tamarindo
Sports bar
Neighborhood sports bar serving food and drinks, with live music.
1001 Central Ave (Avenida Central), Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Italian / pizza
Long-standing wood-fired thin-crust pizzeria with outdoor seating and a children's play area.
About 100 m north of Hotel Pasatiempo, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Pizza / seafood / international
Beachfront lounge and pizzeria with a shaded deck, serving wood-fired pizza, seafood and international dishes. It has a sunset bar.
Calle Central, beachfront, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Cafe / gastropub
Cafe by day and bar-restaurant by night, serving brunch, house-roasted coffee, burgers and dinner, with live music. It is linked to Refugio Surf Lodge.
Avenida Central, across from BAC, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Cafe / breakfast / Costa Rican
Family-run café serving all-day breakfast, lunch, house-made baked goods and specialty coffee.
Sunrise Plaza, Local 15, about 50 m north of Hotel Tamarindo Diria
Tamarindo
American / sports bar
Sports bar and grill with many screens showing international sports, serving burgers, wings and American bar food until late.
Avenida Central, next to Pacific Park Condos, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Costa Rican
Family-run soda serving Costa Rican staples such as casados, gallo pinto and seafood at local prices.
Centro Comercial Rodamar, main road (Ruta 152) into Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Mediterranean
Dinner restaurant with Mediterranean seafood, lamb and steaks drawing on Italian, Greek, Spanish and Levantine cooking.
Calle Cardinal, on the road from Tamarindo toward Playa Langosta
Tamarindo
Bakery / café / tacos
Bakery and café by day (pastries, cinnamon rolls, brunch, açaí) that turns into a homemade taquería at night.
Centro Comercial Plaza Conchal, new entrance to El Mercadito, Avenida Central
Tamarindo
Coffee chain
Starbucks coffee shop opened in July 2025 as the chain's second store in Guanacaste, decorated with work by Costa Rican artists.
Calle Cardinal (road to Langosta), Tamarindo; press names it the 'Galería Langosta' store
Tamarindo
American / burgers
Casual surf-themed burger joint near the roundabout serving handmade burgers, wings, fish tacos and milkshakes, with a kids' menu.
At the Tamarindo circle (La Rotonda), downtown
Tamarindo
European fusion / tapas / seafood
Beachfront restaurant with bamboo architecture serving European-influenced tapas, seafood and mains from breakfast to dinner, and hosting DJ events.
Beachfront, next to El Chiringuito (south part of Tamarindo beach)
Tamarindo
Seafood / grill
Casual beachfront bar-restaurant on the main strip serving seafood and grill plates, with sunset drink specials, live music and a small kids' play area.
Beachfront on Calle Central (formerly Jonny Tamarindo)
Tamarindo
Nikkei sushi / Asian fusion
Japanese-Peruvian (Nikkei) sushi and Asian fusion restaurant in Garden Plaza serving rolls, yakimeshi, bao and ramen, with vegetarian and vegan options.
Garden Plaza (same center as Automercado), Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Indian
Indian restaurant on Calle Central in the middle of Tamarindo, across from El Vaquero.
Calle Central, frente al Vaquero Tamarindo, Tamarindo 50309 (Tripadvisor)
Tamarindo
Pizza / Italian
Brick-oven thin-crust pizzeria that also serves pasta and burgers, with delivery around Tamarindo and Langosta.
Calle Corona, in front of Trio restaurant
Tamarindo
Seafood / steaks / international
Garden restaurant at Hotel Laguna del Cocodrilo serving seafood, steaks and a labeled vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free menu.
Calle Central, inside Hotel Laguna del Cocodrilo (garden, beachfront)
Tamarindo
Pizza / bar
Two-level rooftop bar and restaurant above the Super Compro. The lower deck is a sports bar with pool tables; the upper deck serves wood-oven pizza with ocean-sunset views.
4th floor of the Super Compro building, Calle del Parque, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Modern Costa Rican / seafood
Restaurant and cocktail bar serving a modern take on Costa Rican cooking with seafood and smoked meats; also runs cooking and mixology classes and offers a chef's tasting menu.
50 m from the Alfaro bus terminal, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Gelato / desserts
Gelato shop and café on the Tamarindo Diria boulevard with gelato and other desserts.
Boulevard Diría, Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort, downtown Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Brewpub / surf-camp food (tacos, sushi, bar food)
Craft brewery bar founded in 2011 at Witch's Rock Surf Camp, pouring its own beers with the camp's shared food menu.
Calle Cerritos / main road, up the hill from the gym; part of the Witch's Rock Surf Camp property (beachfront)
Tamarindo
Japanese / sushi
Japanese restaurant for sushi rolls, nigiri, sashimi, poke and teriyaki bowls, with takeout and delivery.
Centro Comercial (Plaza) Esmeralda, across from Hotel Tamarindo Diriá, Calle Central
Tamarindo
Breakfast / waffles
Waffle café founded in Tamarindo in 2016, serving sweet and savory Belgian waffles, breakfast plates, Costa Rican coffee and smoothies.
In the passage to the beach, 50 m from the roundabout, in front of Portofino, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Bar / seafood / international
Beachfront bar-restaurant with a broad menu (burgers, tacos, pizza, pasta, seafood), with sunset views and live music.
On Playa Tamarindo beachfront
Tamarindo
Pan-Asian / sushi / oysters
Long-running Asian restaurant (open since 2000) mixing Korean, Thai, Vietnamese and Japanese dishes with sushi and a raw oyster bar.
50 m north of Pacific Park Condos, near the Langosta intersection, Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Mexican
Small Mexican taco bar with homemade corn tortillas, located within the El Terreno complex beside Banco Nacional.
Inside El Terreno, next to Banco Nacional, Tamarindo
Next door · about 2 km south
Playa Langosta is Tamarindo's quiet next-door neighbor, about 2 km south of the center along Calle Cardinal and Avenida España. It has a handful of restaurants of its own, listed here; everything above is five minutes away by car.
Some places with “Langosta” in the name, like Langosta Beach Club, actually sit on the Tamarindo side of the point, so they're in the main list. The restaurants at Occidental Tamarindo, the resort near the river mouth, are for its all-inclusive guests, so they aren't listed.
Staying in Langosta?
Gaudy can suggest a place and quote a ride from your Langosta rental or hotel.
Playa Langosta
Italian / Neapolitan pizza
Pizzeria and cocktail bar a short walk north of the Occidental Tamarindo resort in Playa Langosta, known for wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza; it offers gluten-free and vegan options.
Av. España, 100 meters north of Hotel Barceló (now Occidental Tamarindo), Playa Langosta, Tamarindo 50309
Playa Langosta
Italian / fresh pasta / wood-fired pizza
Italian restaurant on the Calle Cardinal road through Playa Langosta that makes its own fresh pasta and cheeses, with wood-fired pizza and seafood; it also has a private-event speakeasy room called The Klub.
Calle Cardinal (Cardinal Street), Langosta Beach, 100 meters before Cala Luna Boutique Hotel, Playa Langosta, Tamarindo 50309
Playa Langosta
Costa Rican-focused global fusion / farm-to-table
The restaurant at the Cala Luna boutique hotel in Playa Langosta. It serves farm-to-table fusion food centred on Costa Rica, using produce from the hotel's own La Senda farm, and has a separate poolside lounge for lunch and drinks.
Cala Luna Boutique Hotel & Villas, 2 km south of Tamarindo airstrip, Playa Langosta (official site says 'Playa Tamarindo'; Tripadvisor hotel listing says 'Playa Langosta')
Playa Langosta
American / Costa Rican bar food
Casual sports bar and grill just north of the Occidental Tamarindo resort in Playa Langosta that serves bar food, sandwiches and tacos, with pool, ping pong, darts and other games.
About 100 m north of the Occidental Tamarindo resort (formerly Barceló), Avenida Galicia, Playa Langosta
Playa Langosta
Mediterranean / international
Evening restaurant and cocktail lounge opposite Hotel Cala Luna that replaced Bistro Langosta. It serves Mediterranean-inspired dishes, with air-conditioned indoor seating and an outdoor garden.
Cardinal Street at the intersection with Andalucía Street, in front of Hotel Cala Luna, Playa Langosta, Tamarindo 50309
Can't decide?
Tell her who's coming, what you feel like and where you're staying. She'll suggest a few places, and she can drive you there and back if you'd rather not deal with parking or a late walk home.
Getting there and back
Every card has a “Ride with Gaudy” button that names the restaurant in your message. A ride doesn't reserve a table: book that with the restaurant directly, or ask Gaudy to help you ask.
How this guide works
Listings last reviewed against public sources on . Businesses have not confirmed these details themselves unless a listing says so.