Manuel Antonio Restaurants & Nightlife
Seafood is the staple of Manuel Antonio. You'll find freshly caught shrimp, lobster and red snapper at virtually every restaurant you pass by, and it's definitely worth a try – go for the whole fried snapper if you’re an adventurous eater who doesn't mind his/her dinner staring back at you.
But beyond the seafood, you can find your typical mix of Costa Rican restaurants, fine dining spots, pizzerias and more between Quepos and Manuel Antonio.
Quepos
Quepos is the go-to spot for cheap Costa Rican food. Sodas (small, family-owned restaurants) are on virtually every corner in town, but our personal favorites are located beside the bus station in the small market beside the gravel parking lot.
You can find seafood virtually anywhere in the area and Quepos is no exception. Search along the main road and the oceanfront for seafood and typical tourist restaurants.
Road through Manuel Antonio
On the road through Manuel Antonio you'll find the best restaurants for a night out like El Avion, a restaurant known for the giant cargo plane that runs through it; La Cantina, a lively barbeque restaurant with an open-grill; and Victoria's, an Italian seafood restaurant with nightly live music. But, you'll also find more affordable and equally sumptuous options including Mexican at Sancho's, Asian at Ngo and fish and chips at El Gato Pescador. With plenty so many restaurants to choose from, you can really find something for everyone.
Downtown Manuel Antonio
Downtown Manuel Antonio is a small strip of restaurants, souvenir shops and hotels that run along the beach back to through to the national park. While you can find a range of seafood, typical Costa Rica, Italian and American classics (like burgers and Buffalo wings), most restaurants are over-priced.
For a bit of the local flavor, and our favorite spot in town, walk back toward Quepos along Espadilla Beach until you see an old shack in the tree line with concrete tables covered with orange and green table cloths. That's Balu, the only restaurant on the beach; a great local spot for fresh seafood, cocktails and taking in the beauty of Manuel Antonio's tropical coastline.