Fine dining, beach bars, local sodas, and cafes worth your time. Every listing checked against live sources.
Jaco's 40 verified restaurants make it one of the most food-dense towns in this directory, led by 14 general restaurants and 7 bars and nightlife spots along the main strip, plus beach bars, sushi, and cafes for a mix that leans toward Jaco's nightlife reputation.
Jacó
Aloha Beach Front Bar & Grill is a family-run beachfront spot at the south end of Jaco serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with dishes like seared tuna, mahi mahi, shrimp and rice bowls. It sits on the sand with a daily happy hour timed to sunset and occasional live music or DJ sets.
Jacó
Amancio's is an Italian-owned restaurant on Jaco's main strip serving wood-oven pizza, handmade pasta, and antipasti. The kitchen prepares pasta dishes tableside, finishing sauces in a hollowed wheel of Parmesan. It is located in Centro Comercial El Jardin and is closed on Wednesdays.
Herradura
Sushi and pan-Asian restaurant in the Los Sueños Marina Village blending Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese dishes. The kitchen builds sushi and sashimi around the marina's fresh daily catch and overlooks the harbor. Open for lunch and dinner.
Jacó
Coffee shop and micro roaster at the intersection of Avenida Pastor Diaz and Calle Bohio, run by a family-owned Jaco coffee roasting company. The cafe roasts and sells Costa Rican coffee alongside brewed drinks and pastries.
Jacó
Caliche's Wishbone has operated on Jaco's main strip since 1995 and is a longtime gathering spot for the local surf community, with signed surfboards decorating the walls. The menu ranges across wood-fired pizza, Cali-Mex dishes, seared tuna, and poke bowls. It sits across from the Il Galeone commercial center and has a covered patio bar facing Avenida Pastor Diaz.
Jacó
Beachfront bar and restaurant on the site of a former 1964 hotel, rebuilt as part of the Clarita's beach resort. It has two oceanfront pools, a beachfront restaurant, and a rooftop bar with sunset views.
Herradura
A laid-back coffee shop and bakery in the heart of the Los Sueños Marina Village, serving espresso, fresh-baked pastries and bread, light meals, and gelato. Open from early morning to late evening.
Jacó
El Chicano Mexican Food is a Mexican restaurant on Jaco's main strip serving street tacos, burritos and margaritas, open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. It has a daily happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. and air-conditioned indoor seating with television screens for sports.
Live music
Jacó
Family-owned beachfront seafood restaurant on Jacó Beach with terrace seating and sunset views over the Pacific. Known for lobster prepared several ways plus ceviche, calamari, and red snapper, it has served fresh seafood for more than 45 years. Live music runs on weekends.
Jacó
Juice bar in Jaco specializing in acai bowls and fresh fruit smoothies, open mornings into the afternoon most days of the week. The menu covers superfood bowls and cold pressed juices.
Jacó
Bistro and wine bar in the Jaco Walk open-air center, opened by chef Danny in 2010. The menu mixes Cajun-inspired entrees, sushi, steaks, and Costa Rican seafood, paired with a wine list, inside a space with whitewashed brick and street-art walls. Open evenings.
Live music
Jacó
Cafe and bar on Pastor Díaz serving a mix of Latin American and vegetarian dishes, with American-style breakfasts, brunch, salads, and sandwiches. Vegetarian and vegan plates include cauliflower tacos, a falafel burger, and a Tico Vegano breakfast. Open daily from 8 am with nightly live music.
Jacó
Restaurant and bar on Avenida Pastor Diaz in front of Pops Ice Cream, open daily from 8am to midnight with live music most nights. The kitchen covers vegan, gluten free, and keto options alongside a full cocktail and wine list.
Jacó
Bakery and cafe on Avenida Pastor Diaz, Jaco's main street, serving artisanal pastries, coffee, and batidos from 8am to 5pm. The shop despite its name is located in downtown Jaco, not Playa Hermosa.
Jacó
Hola Indian Restaurant Jaco is part of a small Costa Rica chain with locations in Jaco, Manuel Antonio and Uvita, serving North Indian dishes such as butter chicken, biryani and tandoori specialties. It takes orders via a dedicated Jaco WhatsApp line and offers dine-in, takeaway and table reservations.
Jacó
Infierno is a Neapolitan-style pizzeria on the ground floor of the Il Galeone commercial center on Jaco's main avenue. Pizzas are made with fresh mozzarella and a choice of toppings, baked in a wood-fired oven that reaches roughly 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. The restaurant also serves a grill menu alongside its pizza offerings.
Jacó
Jerah Authentic Thai Cuisine is a small Thai restaurant on Calle Anita in Jaco with an outdoor veranda and ocean view. It serves authentic Thai dishes with vegan options and operates with street parking available.
Jacó
Koko Gastro Bar sits directly on Jaco beach with tables on the sand and an open-air dining room serving fusion dishes like ceviche and a tuna poke bowl alongside cocktails. It is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and draws a sunset crowd, with occasional live music.
Jacó
La Bruschetta Trattoria Bar is an Italian restaurant in Jaco serving pizza, pasta and grilled dishes. Reviewers note the thin, crispy pizza crust and fresh ingredients, and it takes reservations by phone.
Herradura
Italian steakhouse in the Los Sueños Marina Village serving wood-fired pizzas, handmade pasta, risotto, and aged Angus steaks cooked over a wood-fire grill. Open daily for lunch and dinner with marina-side seating. Most grilled dishes except those served with pasta are prepared gluten-free.
Jacó
Lemon Zest is a chef-owned restaurant opened in 2007 by Richard and Nellie Lemon, with Chef Richard trained at the Culinary Institute of America and formerly a culinary instructor at Le Cordon Bleu Miami. The menu fuses Costa Rican ingredients with international techniques, spanning sushi to Caribbean-spiced dishes. It operates in Centro Comercial El Jardin, about 50 meters south of the Mas x Menos supermarket on Jaco's main strip.
Jacó
Nightclub on Calle Bohio in downtown Jaco, known locally as one of the largest dance clubs in town. The venue is air conditioned with a large dance floor, lounge seating, and a full bar.
Jacó
Mono Verde is a tapas and wine bar on Jaco's main street known for its fusion small plates, wine list and two-dollar margaritas served in eleven flavors. It is open daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and hosts live music on weekends.
Jacó
A long-running open-air nightclub and bar on Jacó's main strip, central to the town's nightlife with DJs, bottle service, and busy weekend parties. One of the better-known late-night venues in town.
Jacó
Sports bar attached to a small hotel in Jaco Beach, showing live games on multiple screens. The bar serves a full food and drink menu alongside its game day programming.
Jacó
Bakery in downtown Jaco across the street from the Mas x Menos supermarket, open daily from 6am to 6pm. The shop bakes empanadas, sweet croissants, churros, and other Costa Rican style pastries.
Jacó
Artisanal bakery and cafe in Jaco selling bread and pastries made in house. The business operates primarily through its Facebook page and phone orders.
Jacó
Jaco location of the national Costa Rican ice cream chain Pops, on Avenida Pastor Diaz downtown. The shop serves scooped ice cream in the tropical fruit and classic flavors the chain is known for across the country.
Jacó
Poseidon Restaurant operates inside the American-owned Hotel Poseidon, a 14-room property on Calle Bohio a half block from the beach in downtown Jaco. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, with yellowfin tuna sliced and served with soy sauce and balsamic vinegar as a house specialty. Lunch items include mahi-mahi fish tacos, burgers, and Philly cheesesteaks, served alongside a full bar.
Live music
Jacó
Boutique brewery and tasting room in south Jacó with a rotating tap list of house beers from IPAs to stouts, plus pub fare like fish tacos and wings. The taproom sits in a converted warehouse one block from the beach and opens daily from 4 pm. Live music runs several nights a week.
Jacó
Rebel Pizzeria is a pizza restaurant near Calle Madrigal in Jaco run by Cibo Costa Rica, serving scratch-made pizzas and a full drink menu. It is open Tuesday through Sunday, closed Mondays, with lunch and dinner service hours.
Jacó
Nightclub and bistro bar on Cocal Street next to Cocal Casino, with a steakhouse restaurant, bar, and disco club under one roof. Live DJs play Thursday through Saturday nights with bottle service and VIP tables.
Jacó
Sports bar and live music venue next to Jaco's central park, on the site of the former Beatle Bar. The bar has multiple TV screens plus a 220 inch projector for sports broadcasts, a pool table, and regular live music and open mic nights.
Jacó
Side Street Bistro is a sandwich and salad restaurant in Jaco Walk, next to Puddlefish Brewery, serving items such as steak and portobello mushroom sandwiches on homemade bread. The menu includes vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options alongside craft beer. The restaurant has a family-oriented setting with a kids' play area and hosts live music on alternating weekends.
Jacó
Soda Garabito is a cafeteria-style soda serving classic Costa Rican dishes including casados, rice and beans, and fresh natural juices. It is located down the road toward the Pops ice cream shop, shortly before the Oceano hotel, and is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Jacó
Soda Marea Alta is a locally owned soda on Avenida Pastor Diaz serving traditional Costa Rican dishes such as casados, rice and beans, and gallo pinto. It operates 24 hours a day from Wednesday through Sunday, covering breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Jacó
Taco Bar is an open-air restaurant that has served Jaco since 2007, built around a large U-shaped bar with stools and rope-hung swing seats. The menu centers on fish, chicken, shrimp, and squid tacos paired with an all-you-can-eat salad bar, plus fruit smoothies. It is located on Lapa Verde street across from El Lagar, about 20 meters east of the Pops ice cream shop.
Herradura
A casual sports bar and grill in the Los Sueños Marina Village, known for burgers, tacos, and game-day viewing on a large video wall. Open daily for lunch and dinner, with delivery inside the resort.
Jacó
Coffee shop on Calle Lapa Verde next to the park, serving coffee, tea, and pastries alongside a lunch menu. The cafe operates as part of a missions organization that houses missionaries in Jaco.
Jacó
Japanese restaurant on the second floor of the Il Galeone mall near Pops, part of a group that started in Huntington Beach, California and opened in Jacó in 2002. The menu centers on California-style sushi rolls and Pacific-caught fish. Half-price rolls run on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Yes, 7 verified bar and nightlife spots serve the town, more than any other beach zone in this directory, concentrated on Jaco's main strip.
Aloha Beach Front Bar & Grill, Caliche's Wishbone, and Clarita's Beach Bar are three of the 4 verified beachfront options in Jaco.
Yes, Bambu Sushi and Asian Cuisine in Herradura is a verified option, one of 2 sushi spots serving the zone.
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