Osteria Moderna — Restaurant in Pozos

A group of us (6 total) showed up for our Valentine’s Day reservations. There was a miscommunication somewhere and our reservation had been lost. The situation was IMMEDIATELY rectified. The owner and his wife accommodated our group to a standard above my expectations! The restaurant was stunning, you could tell there was a lot of thought put into the design. The color scheme, and lighting were beautiful and gave a sophisticated and romantic vibe to the atmosphere. Fresh rose petals adorned the tables and floor, along with the live music which added to the ambiance. The wine selection was phenomenal and the complimentary Prosecco was elegant. The waitstaff were friendly, professional, knowledgeable and prompt, which was a pleasant find given how busy the restaurant was that evening. The owners brought the tastes of their home in Rome, Italy right to the table in front of you in Costa Rica. The pasta is home made and you can taste the truth in that statement when you order it for your meal. The Lomito Prime Angus was cooked to perfection and plated aesthetically atop the mixed vegetables which were also very delicious. The fish croquettes were scrumptious! As someone who doesn’t particularly care for fish, I have to say it was so good, I would eat them again. The evening finished off with a cappuccino and an order of the Tiramisu. The cappuccino was exquisite and the tiramisu was delectable and served in a fun style of mason jar that gave dessert a whimsical feel. I also tried the cheesecake which was uniquely plated and equally as delectable as the tiramisu and probably smoother than any cheesecake I’ve every tried. All in all the experience was truly memorable and we all left happy, laughing, singing and dancing through the rose petals. I will certainly be dining here again under the crystal chandeliers and recommending this establishment to anyone visiting Costa Rica. Bravo to the...

The thing is, it's expensive -- somewhere between "extremely" and "shockingly" expensive. We went intending to have lunch and just had an appetizer because we couldn't believe how much a meal would have been -- a straightforward lunch would legitimately have been once of the 2-3 most expensive meals we've had in 6 years in Costa Rica (behind a 12 course tasting menu, and I'm not sure what else). Maybe others tend to go to restaurants priced like this, but nowhere we go -- which includes many of the restaurants considered the best in the city -- has such a high-end-only price range.

That said, the one thing we had was really, really good. Very high quality fish and preparation. We would go back to have it, when we felt like our wallet was burning a hole in our pocket. And the place is nice, even though it's in one of the "food malls" typical of the area (which is not a negative, just part of what makes the price shocking).

The $5 small bottles of sparkling water (which we unfortunately ordered without checking the price)...

We arrived at approximately 5pm, which is a little early for dinner and the restaurant was empty which is concerning. We weren't sure about staying because we were the only people in there.

WOW! What a fantastic find and I am so happy we stayed for what was one of the best meals we have eaten in Costa Rica.

The restaurant is lovely inside and beautifully decorated. The owners are welcoming, warm and love what they do and you can see it in the service and taste it in the food. My son's steak and fries were excellent, he gave it a thumbs up and he is a very picky eater. Mine and my husband's entrees were delicious and the bread was amazing. The owner was extremely generous and comped my son's (who he affectionately referred to as principe) meal. We are looking forward to returning and will...