El Chivo Cantina — Restaurant in Nosara

We took a recent day trip to Nosara and decided to stop for dinner at El Chivo Cantina.. A generally regrettable choice and an all around bad experience.. The food was underwhelming, the drinks too sweet, and most importantly our waiter made too many mistakes and always acted like he was doing us a favor by trying to be polite.. We ordered roasted chicken with mashed potatoes for the kids, but they brought out chicken with French fries and when we asked about the roasted vegetables that were supposed to come with the dish, he said he could ask the kitchen (?!?)... When he returned to our table he literally just shook his head and said “no”.. Now if the food was good we may have overlooked the bad dining experience, but at least 3/4 of the chicken that they served us turned out to be bones, cartilage and other inedible stuff.. Really disappointed with this place and I feel like the positive reviews were...

When I was reading about Nosara and seeing what there was to do and where you could go to eat while there, I was drawn to El Chivo. A new Mexican cantina with a story that involved a chupacabra involved? I had to go to there!

With Charlie the Traveling Chupacabra (as well as Cedric the Roaming Gnome) in tow, I enjoyed gluten-free tacos (chili butter shrimp with avocado), Mexican street-corn and an incredible chocolate pot de creme. My husband dug into his chicken enchilada and after that the fresh churros and we left as two very satisfied customers.

Sadly, our plans didn't allow for us to make a second visit during our stay, but I could have eaten at El Chivo every day and not grown tired of their offerings. If you find yourself in Nosara - or just near it - take a turn and head to El Chivo. You...

In the moment I met Matt, the image of Sir Richard Branson came to mind. Like Sir Richard, Matt's Costa Rico journey started where it was supposed to end. Matt didn't have enough money to head home at the end of his first trip. He certainly made the best of the situation. His wife, his daugher and El Chivo each serve as a testimonial to his character and commitment to his adopted home. During Hurricane Nate, he had a simple goal, "Keep the Lights on". Through torrential rain, with 3 days of no power, he succeeded. The food was to die for, The drinks were "mighty tasty" and the staff, including Henry and Carlos, were top-notch. Our time at El Chivo was by far our favorite memory of our week of living dangerously in Playa Pelada. Thanks for the...