Restaurante María Bonita — Restaurant in Merced

My wife and I had a craving for Mexican on our last night in San Jose, Costa Rica - this place had great reviews, so we gave it a shot. The neighborhood is a bit sketchy, but the owners are sweet and family oriented. We had to be buzzed in the locked front door 🚪 and were skeptical of the choice we had made... that feeling quickly melted away and was completely forgotten when Maria and her parents greeted us warmly and made us to feel like we were family sharing a meal in their home. My wife ordered a mango margarita 🍹 to begin, and she was flying high by the time we got back to our hotel 🤣; she absolutely 💯 loved it. She ordered nachos and was presented with a heaping amount of hot, melty, and savory flavor; the meat was slow cooked and delicious beyond description 😋. I had beef tacos 🌮 and was just as pleased with the flavor and amount given. Neither of us were able to eat all we were brought, and shared our remaining food with a.couple.of local Boys down on their luck - the next morning they found me and thanked us for the meal, and gave me a necklace right of one of their own necks! It brought tears of sadness, gratefulness, and joy... they also loved every bite! ❤ The only criticism is that the prices were a bit steep; the locals would be hard pressed to afford what we enjoyed so much, and that is a shame. Overall though, a must experience culinary explosion...

We have eaten here now 4 times and have always enjoyed it. It's small and homey and the food is nicely seasoned and well prepared. And the beer is very cold. There are rancheros playing on the television which adds to the authentic atmosphere. Friendly service by the owner and I believe his wife might be the star of the kitchen. I don't know that for sure but i do know that there is at least one great cook in this kitchen. This is becoming a regular choice for us when we are craving...

We love this restaurant! The owners are very nice and the food is delicious. Very fresh and authentic. We got Seabass tacos twice and another day we got one of the Seabass entrées and the guacamole and bean dip and 2 of the soups it was all unbelievably delicious. The best Mexican food we’ve ever had! The Seabass is amazing! Don’t hesitate to enjoy your...