Sushi
$$$
Bamboo Sushi Club
Tamarindo
A sushi and Japanese-Peruvian nikkei restaurant in the center of Tamarindo, part of the local Grupo Patagonia. It is widely cited as the town's go-to spot for sushi.
Restaurants and cafes in Tamarindo & Playa Grande
Fine dining, beach bars, local sodas, and cafes worth your time. Every listing checked against live sources.
Tamarindo's 9 verified restaurants include Dragonfly Bar & Grill for fine dining and Bamboo Sushi Club, alongside beach-town staples like Nogui's Restaurant, a compact lineup reflecting the zone's tight, walkable center.
Cafe
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Cafe Mar Azul
Playa Grande
Cafe Mar Azul is a breakfast, lunch and dinner cafe in the Palm Beach Estates community of Playa Grande, a short walk from the beach. The menu covers vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, and the restaurant hosts live music on select evenings.
Cafe
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Dawn Patrol Coffee & Bakery
Tamarindo
Dawn Patrol is the specialty coffee shop and on-site bakery at Witch's Rock Surf Camp, baking croissants, cookies and banana bread daily alongside espresso drinks and tropical smoothies. It opens before sunrise as a staging spot for surfers and travelers heading out on early boat trips or tours.
Fine Dining
$$$
Dragonfly Bar & Grill
Tamarindo
A Tamarindo dinner restaurant open since 2005, a short walk from the town center in an open-air space. The kitchen sources fresh local ingredients and changes the menu seasonally, paired with wines, cocktails, and craft beers. It seats up to 150 guests and hosts private events such as rehearsal dinners and wedding receptions.
Restaurant
$$
Eat at Joe's
Tamarindo
Eat at Joe's is the original beachfront restaurant at Witch's Rock Surf Camp, serving casados, breakfast burritos and other Costa Rican staples in an open-air, sand-floor setting since the camp opened 25 years ago. It draws surfers and travelers who eat at the same tables as camp guests and instructors.
Beach Bar
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El Beachclub Playa Grande
Playa Grande
El Beachclub Playa Grande is a beach club steps from the sand with a bar, coffee and ice cream counter, food trucks, lockers, showers and a surf shop under one roof. It hosts an art and music night market on Wednesdays and a monthly weekend event.
Restaurant
$$$
El Huerto de Playa Grande
Playa Grande
El Huerto de Playa Grande has served the neighborhood since 1998 as a restaurant and pizzeria with a wood-fired oven, serving Mediterranean fusion dishes alongside pizza and pasta. It is one of the longest-running restaurants in Playa Grande and offers takeout for guests staying nearby.
Beach Bar
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El Vaquero Beach Bar
Tamarindo
El Vaquero is a beach bar built into the sand at Witch's Rock Surf Camp, with a live band stage and stools placed close enough to the water that waves reach the edge of the bar at high tide. It runs a daily sunset happy hour with live music from 4 to 7pm.
Fine Dining
$$$$
Fish and Cheeses
Langosta
Fish and Cheeses is an Italian restaurant in Playa Langosta serving handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza and imported cheeses and wines, open since 2015. The kitchen makes its own mozzarella daily and runs a gourmet market alongside the dining room, with live music on Mondays and Fridays.
Restaurant
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Green Papaya Taco Bar
Tamarindo
Open-air taco bar in central Tamarindo serving tacos, bowls and Mexican-style street food. A long-running casual favorite in town.
Restaurant
$$
La Oveja Surf House
Tamarindo
An all-day restaurant in central Tamarindo, 100 meters west of Banco Nacional, open daily from 7am to 10pm. It also doubles as an event venue for gatherings in town, and ranks among the higher-rated dining spots in Tamarindo.
Beach Bar
$$$
Langosta Beach Club
Langosta
Langosta Beach Club is a members-only resort club on a cove in Tamarindo that also sells day passes, with a full-service restaurant and bar, infinity pool, poolside bar and beachfront dining. Day-pass guests can use the pool, beach and dining areas alongside members.
Juice Bar
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Mandarina Tropical Juice Bar
Tamarindo
Mandarina Tropical Juice Bar has served fresh tropical smoothies and juices near the Tamarindo Diria hotel since 2004, alongside tacos, wraps and acai bowls. It operates from Plaza Esmeralda on the town's main street with outdoor seating for people-watching.
Restaurant
$$$
Nogui's Restaurant
Tamarindo
Beachfront restaurant on the south side of the Tamarindo traffic circle, open since 1974 and one of the town's longest-running businesses. Serves seafood and Costa Rican dishes for lunch and dinner, with beach access and a well-known sunset view.
Sushi
$$
Origami Street Food
Playa Grande
Origami Street Food is an Asian street food truck stationed at El Beachclub Playa Grande, serving sushi rolls, nigiri and other Japanese-inspired street food. It is one of several food trucks operating inside the beach club alongside a surf shop and convenience store.
Bakery
$$
Pandeli Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Pandeli Tamarindo is a bakery and coffee shop across from Hotel The Coast on the road to Playa Langosta, serving pastries, espresso drinks and breakfast and lunch fare. It doubles as an espresso bar and patisserie in a compact storefront setting.
Beach Bar
$$$
Pangas Beach Club
Tamarindo
Beachfront restaurant and bar at the north end of Tamarindo near the estuary, known for seafood and grilled dishes served under almond trees on the sand. One of the more established sit-down beach dining spots in town.
Soda (Costa Rican)
$
Rural
Tamarindo
Rural is a soda, cantina and marisqueria in Tamarindo serving traditional Costa Rican dishes and fresh seafood at local prices. It is recommended in expat and traveler forums as one of the few authentic sodas left in the tourist center of town.
Cafe
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Santa Rita Cafe
Tamarindo
Family-run cafe and market in Sunrise Plaza, created by a local architect and chef, serving specialty coffee, homemade baked goods and all-day breakfast and lunch. Regulars single out the crispy gallo pinto and fresh bread made in house.
Bar & Nightlife
$$
Sharky's Sports Bar
Tamarindo
Sports bar on Avenida Central next to Pacific Park with nine screens showing NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, UFC and soccer. Known for burgers, wings and onion rings, and turns into a themed party most nights with karaoke and beer pong.
Bakery
$$
Sol Bakery
Tamarindo
European-style bakery and cafe in Centro Comercial Plaza Conchal, open 7am to 9:30pm daily. Known for almond and dulce de leche croissants, cinnamon buns and brownies, with a full breakfast and brunch menu, and it switches to a casual taqueria in the evening.
Bar & Nightlife
$$$
The Sidebar at Playa Langosta
Langosta
The Sidebar is a gastro-lounge in Playa Langosta that took over the space formerly occupied by Bistro Langosta, serving a cocktail-driven menu with both air-conditioned indoor seating and an outdoor garden. A resident mixologist runs the cocktail program and the bar hosts a daily happy hour.
Restaurant
$$$
Tropic Tamarindo
Tamarindo
Owner-run restaurant near Tamarindo beach serving reinvented Costa Rican cuisine with a Caribbean influence, built around smoked meats and fresh seafood. Also runs a cocktail program and a hands-on cooking and mixology class. Hosts private events for up to 35 guests.
Ice Cream & Gelato
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Venezia Gelati & Caffe
Tamarindo
Venezia Gelati & Caffe is a gelato and coffee shop on Calle Central near the Tamarindo Diria hotel, offering a rotating selection of artisan gelato flavors. It stays open into the evening, drawing an after-dinner crowd along with beachgoers during the day.
Bar & Nightlife
$$
Volcano Brewing Company
Tamarindo
Volcano Brewing Company has brewed craft beer on the Tamarindo beachfront since 2011, among the first craft breweries in Costa Rica. Its street-side tasting bar at Witch's Rock Surf Camp shows live sports on flat-screen TVs and stays open late for the after-surf crowd.
Soda (Costa Rican)
$
Wrapsoda
Tamarindo
Casual soda on Tamarindo's main street across from Witch's Rock Surf Shop, serving wraps, ceviche, arroz con pollo and casados. Offers outdoor seating, takeout and delivery, with vegetarian and vegan options on the menu.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get a nice dinner in Tamarindo?
Dragonfly Bar & Grill is the verified fine-dining pick in town.
Is there sushi in Tamarindo?
Yes, Bamboo Sushi Club is a verified option in Tamarindo.
Where do locals eat in Tamarindo?
Nogui's Restaurant is a long-running local favorite and one of the zone's verified restaurants.
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