Restaurante Sikwa — Restaurant in San Pedro

We were really looking forward to eating dinner at Sikwa on our final night in Costa Rica. We were celebrating a few things including our five year wedding anniversary and some other momentous life landmarks. When we arrived the menu included a tasting menu and we were told we couldn’t have the tasting menu. There was nothing on the website to suggest we needed to prebook a tasting menu. We were then told there was no wine but three separate tables were served red, white and sparkling wine during their meals. We tried to order a specific cocktail on the menu and that one wasn’t available either. The food was very good, and the interior is nice, if a little loud. But the restaurant was let down by the process and the front of house. We saw other couples get up and leave after not finishing their meals and front of house didn’t do anything to mitigate the service. At the end we asked if someone might be able to call us a taxi and she said there were no taxis, which is a surprise in a big city on a Tuesday evening. The chefs are clearly working very hard, we enjoyed the food and we love the concept of the restaurant but we just didn’t have a great time so we wouldn’t come back. Front of house made us feel like an...

DISGRACE of a restaurant with among the most terrible owners I've had the opportunity to meet.

Let's start by saying that the atmosphere was great. Beautiful layout and a perfect place for any kind of company. The food was pretty good (empanadas were great) but very overpriced. They're definitely playing the fancy card, which is a shame, given that this is a project that is suppose to raise awareness about indigenous food in the region. Guess you only get to learn if you have a hefty pocketbook. Knowledge to the bourgeois, I guess.

However, that wasn't my biggest gripe. My biggest gripe was the waitress-owner duo of utmost disrespect. First, this waitress had this attitude where if something was the matter, she'd start treating you less kindly, but the big problem came when the owner would show up if you had any feedback or questions about the restaurant.

He'd come, lecture you, treat you like an idiot, and then get mad if you had anything to say in return.

Absolute disgrace. Not worth your time unless you want to go to the one restaurant in Costa Rica with the absolutely most terrible, toxic...

Unfortunately, the food’s quality and taste made the price feel excessively high — about $150 before service charge — and it simply wasn’t tasty.

The service also needs more attention. Crumbs from the first dish were left on the table until the end, and utensils weren’t changed unless absolutely necessary. These small things added up and made the whole experience feel less.

Each dish comes with a “story,” often tied to indigenous culture, local ingredients and sometimes oppression :)))but when the food itself lacks flavor, technique, and balance, the storytelling starts to feel like a cover-up rather than respect. It’s hard to justify such a high price with just words and symbolism.

I kept questioning whether my view of “fine dining” should be challenged by this “grounded” experience — maybe ordinary food can express authenticity and worth the payment. But in the end, I couldn’t reconcile it. It didn’t feel like the chef showed genuine respect for the diner’s experience, and I felt the need to write a review. Selling stories without good food isn’t honoring culture — it’s just...