The Beach House Bar and Restaurant — Restaurant in Tempate

Although The Beach House Bar & Restaurant is about 30 minutes from Tamarindo, we decided to make the drive after seeing positive reviews. Unfortunately, this was one of the worst dining experiences of our entire 10-day trip to Costa Rica.

The customer service was incredibly poor from the moment we arrived. Despite trying to communicate in Spanish, our waiter insisted on speaking to us in English and still got the drink order wrong. A simple request for a vodka double turned into him bringing doubles of everything. When we politely pointed out the mistake, he became defensive and blamed us for a “communication issue.”

While we were trying to enjoy the atmosphere, we noticed a small rodent-like animal repeatedly approaching the kitchen area. I asked what it was out of curiosity, and again the waiter responded condescendingly, rattling off a list of Costa Rican wildlife and making us feel foolish for even asking. It wasn’t the question that was the problem .. it was his tone.

To make matters worse, he was warm and friendly with other customers who appeared to be regulars, which made us wonder if they simply don’t care for tourists.

As for the food: my pasta was served cold, and my daughter’s dish was raw. When we brought this to their attention, they actually mocked us in Spanish, joking that her food was “still alive.” As native Spanish speakers ourselves, we fully understood the comment and the disrespect behind it.

My husband is one of the kindest, most easygoing people you’ll meet, but even he was so upset by the treatment that he felt the need to speak up then and there. It completely ruined our night.

This place may have good reviews, but we left feeling disrespected and disappointed. Save your time and money .. there are far better spots in the area with great service, food, and...

A little gem. Unpretentious and humble tico style eatery, situated 40 feet from the ocean. The oceanview is strewn with old and new fishing boats anchored at bay. Outdoor dining feels like being in an old fishing town, with waves lapping into the short beach. A local pale ale was a great accompaniment to one of the best meals on my short trip to see homes in Las Catalinas. The fish ceviche was fresh and tasty; I must have fished every last bit of protein in the perfect ceviche soup. They ran out of shrimp, so the server loaded my wrap with all lobster. Drenched in a local home-made Costa Rican hot sauce - every bite was heaven. For about $20. The french fries were a perfect blend of crispy outside with tender local potato in every bite. The music in the background is soft pop cover songs. Every time I experience these diners and dives served by smiling local people - CR draws me back. This eatery is a great place to experience pura vida food and spirit. Take a break from the resorts and enjoy...

Stopped by here for lunch and was not disappointed! There is a small parking area out front and the restaurant is around the back of the building. No indoor seating available, however there is a covered patio area and decent shade throughout! It is right on the water so you have beautiful ocean views when you eat. Food was great! I had the fish and chips and I highly recommend them! We did order onion rings as an appetizer but never received them. We were hungry so ordered them for something to snack on while waiting on our food. However, the food came out before getting the onion rings. Because the whole purpose of getting them was to have something to snack on, we did not bother to ask or follow up about them because we already had our food. I am sure that if we bought it to their attention they would have made well on the issue. Staff were friendly and approachable. They were constantly checking in and making sure that food was good and drinks were filled. Highly recommend this place for...