Na Praia Seafood & Raw Bar — Restaurant in San Pedro

Na Praia (formerly just Praia) has been a consistently rising star in the seafood arena for the East of San Jose area.

This place will awe you because of what they manage to do with the limited space and the great ingredients. Some of the customers may see you too, as it is not uncommon to catch a glimpse of relatively famous locals looking for a good seafood fix.

The restaurant has three areas you can sit on: one inner area with both tables and a bar; one open terrace to one side and the newest is an enclosed terrace on the front, all external areas have area heaters.

The food: fresh and varied, mostly seafood. The menu is quite ample and you will take your time to go through it (hint: go for the octopus!)

Beverage-wise: reasonable variety of wines, very good variety of beers and various other non-alcoholic options to choose from... If you are really into that.

Prices are slightly on the higher side for some dishes, but the quality and freshness surely justify that small price spike (did I mention the octopus?)

Service is pretty good.

You are likely to need reservations during the weekends, specially if you want to...

I don't know if 5-6 years back I had a different palate or that this place has just downgraded in quality but my experience here this time was incredibly disappointing. The ceviche was chilled, which of course hints at it not being fresh. But, I could give that a pass, it's ok, it can be that it was just in a colder part of the freezer. But what really let me down was the shrimp, it's clearly frozen. If you're a place specializing in fresh seafood you cannot serve frozen shrimp. That just shows your lack of attention to detail and desire to cut down costs. But I don't see the same "cut costs" mentality to the customers with the pretentious nature of your prices. Don't go here, there are plenty of good seafood joints...

Napraia is, hands down, my favorite place to dine out in Costa Rica... and honestly, nothing else compares. Whether you’re enjoying it in person or ordering on Uber Eats, the quality is always flawless. You can tell every dish is made by people who truly love cooking and eating. I’ve tried: cóctel de camarones, aguacates rellenos, pulpo a la parrilla, and the risotto. The pulpo was perfectly grilled, the risotto rich and creamy, and those stuffed avocados? Just wow. Everything is made with real passion and creativity. Sure, the prices might feel a little high to some, but trust me — it’s worth every colón. If you’re a true foodie, you owe it to yourself to give Napraia a try. Once you do, you'll never...