Restaurante Los Cocodrilos — Restaurant in Lagunillas

We had lunch here out of desperation. As soon as you get close to the bridge it is clear that it is a tourist trap. I did not really want to eat here, but given that our Son was hungry, we sprang for a burger here and we were mildly surprised that this place was pretty good and the prices were not outrageous.

If you read the reviews here, you might wonder why there is such a great range. Perhaps the customers who ordered a la carte and ordered western dishes might not be happy. As in any tourist area, the parents are stressed out and order familiar things. If you take a deep breath and look around, you will notice all the locals eating giant plates of stuff. The thing to do in this restaurant is to get the buffet and go pick out what looks good to you. Their staff is not fluent in english, but don't be deterred by that. The buffet is excellent and full of very interesting dishes. Do this if you go there.

Get a smoothie from the fruit...

The food here was bland and questionable at best. Even the "casado," a Costa Rican mainstay dish, wasn't all that great. The washrooms were dirty, even by Costa Rican standards and I'm pretty sure my dad got food poisoning from his watermelon (sandía) juice. He spent the evening vomiting and he hasnt done that in years. If you're passing by, it's worth the stop to see the crocodiles but keep going somewhere else for food and a bathroom break. And don't buy a crocodile tooth necklace from the dudes selling them. I watched a vendor use one to dig up some asphalt to throw over the bridge to make...

Si andan por la zona de Tacares – Orotina, muy cerca de Tacones, hay una parada obligatoria que mezcla naturaleza y buena comida. Caminamos hasta el famoso puente de los cocodrilos, un lugar impresionante donde uno puede observar estos animales enormes descansando o moviéndose en el río Tárcoles. La vista desde arriba es única, impacta verlos tan de cerca en su hábitat natural y es de esas experiencias que sorprenden tanto a locales como a extranjeros.

Después de la caminata y la adrenalina de asomarse al puente, paramos a almorzar en el Restaurante Los Cocodrilos, que queda justo al frente. El lugar tiene un ambiente relajado, muy típico y acogedor. La atención es rápida y amable, siempre pendientes de los detalles para que uno se sienta bienvenido.

La comida fue una grata sorpresa: platos abundantes, bien servidos y con ese sabor casero que se agradece. Probamos opciones de mariscos y carnes, todas preparadas con buena sazón y frescura. Además, los precios son justos considerando la porción y la ubicación turística. Lo mejor es que desde las mesas todavía se tiene vista hacia el puente, así que se disfruta la experiencia completa mientras uno come tranquilo.

En resumen, la combinación de la caminata al puente para ver cocodrilos y el almuerzo en Restaurante Los Cocodrilos hace de esta parada algo imperdible. Es de esos planes sencillos pero memorables que muestran lo auténtico de Costa Rica: naturaleza, buena comida y pura vida en...