LE STELLE Restaurant & Wine Bar — Restaurant in Nosara

Our family dinner for New Year’s Eve was a perfect storm of disappointments. It began with a flavorless bread snack, devoid of olive oil or vinegar, and it only worsened from there.

The service was abysmal, with a waiter coming to take our drinks order only 1 hour after we’d arrived. The wait staff were extremely disorganized as they attempted to deliver our food multiple times before our drinks had even arrived. Once our drinks finally came 1.5 hours after being seated, they then tried to skip the first course by delivering the second course. The manager insisted that the second course was in fact the first course, at which point we informed them of their own 5-course menu and then had to enjoy both courses simultaneously.

When we received our mains we discovered that multiple people had the wrong meals. It turned out that their one-page menu was incorrect since dishes listed on the English menu (which we ordered from) didn’t match the Spanish menu (which the waiters used). The owner, Carlo, seemed oblivious to this mistake until we pointed it out to him at the end of the meal.

The food itself was a huge letdown. Waiters failed to ask for our preferred level of doneness for our beef and so it all came well done. We then had a chocolate dessert containing no chocolate and a limoncello tiramisu bearing no resemblance to a tiramisu. We weren't alone in our disappointment, as the table beside us expressed similar complaints.

Throughout the meal we encountered numerous issues with the service, including missing cutlery, empty glasses left on the table, and waiters who argued that it was our ordering that was the issue despite the litany of errors throughout the meal.

What was perhaps most disappointing, however, was the attitude of the owner and manager. When we brought our concerns to their attention they were dismissive and superficial with their apologies, choosing to blame the issues on a backed-up kitchen, new staff, and one member of staff calling in sick. It was clear that they knew we wouldn't be returning and, as a result, they didn't seem to care about our complaints.

The only redeeming qualities of the experience was the beautiful decor and the live music. However, the hired magician's performance was disruptive and amateurish, ruining the ambiance with his loud performance that rendered table conversations impossible.

The final insult was the bill which was over $200 (₡100,000) per person - excluding drinks. When we mentioned to management that the overall experience didn't warrant this exorbitant cost, they refuted and argued that it wasn’t that expensive and was actually pretty reasonable. This response only added to our frustration and disappointment.

In conclusion, our experience at this restaurant was a disaster from start to finish. With abysmal service, mediocre food and an extortionate menu, I simply cannot recommend this establishment to anyone. Unless they seriously revamp their service, cuisine and management, it's best to avoid this...

Wow! What a fantastic experience! The venue is beautiful and the atmosphere is so lovely, with so much attention to detail. We came with our two 14m olds and the restaurant was very family friendly! (Moreso than other restaurants we've tried in the area). They even had two high chairs, which was a bonus. The venue is very spacious with beautiful gardens; if you come with small children there is space to walk around if they get overwhelmed and need a change of scenery. The menu was original and offered good variety. The complimentary foccacia was so tasty! We started with the tuna tataki, which was delicious and a very generous portion! For mains we had the duck in the green pepper sauce, which was so tender and delicious! We also had the sea bass which was so fresh and flavouful. The food was fantastic! Even our toddlers who are going through a picky stage ate half our meal. We got french fries for the kids and they were flavourful, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The staff were so kind and attentive, the best service we've had so far in Nosara. It was a great experience overall and we will be sure...

Absolutely blown away by this culinary gem in Nosara, easily the pinnacle of our month-long eating adventures. Kicked off with a cheeky amuse-bouche of mushroom pâté crostini, we were then treated to gluten-free bread that didn't taste like despair—rice flour and lentil, both surprisingly palatable. The main event? A shared rack of lamb and a half duck with green pepper sauce, flanked by a potato gratin that stole the spotlight in its little ramekin. Even the side veggies had us nodding in approval.

And then there was the coconut flan, a grand finale that had us at "hello" and "goodbye" in one bite. Nestled beside a quip of whipped cream and strawberries wearing mint leaf hats, this flan was not just a dessert, it was the encore we didn’t know we needed. Smooth, rich, and with just the right shimmy, it vanished from our plate with a speed that was almost rude to the chef's artistry. If you visit, skip this at your peril, because this flan doesn't just end the meal; it steals the show.

Do yourself a favor and dine here. High chances of food envy...