Clarita’s is a beachfront bar and grill in Jaco that has been serving the same stretch of sand since 1964. It sits directly on the beach, 100 meters north of the Best Western, and is open to anyone — you do not need to be a hotel guest.
In July 2026 the property above it reopened as Clarita’s Beach Bar & Resort, a WorldHotels Elite hotel, but the restaurant kept its original character: plastic-free casual, feet-in-the-sand, Tico prices.
Essentials
- Hours: daily, 7:00 a.m. to 11:45 p.m.
- Phone: +506 2643-3327 · +506 2643-2615
- Address: beachfront, 100 m north of the Best Western, Jaco
- District: Jaco · Canton: Garabito · Province: Puntarenas
- Postal code: 61101
Prices below are in Costa Rican colones, as charged. Dollar figures are approximate at ₡500 to the dollar.
MENU
Breakfast · Appetizers · Main Dishes · Rice · Pasta · Burgers and Sandwiches · Pizza · Desserts · Sides and Extras
Breakfast
Served from 7:00 a.m. This is the cheapest full meal on the menu and the reason many people walk over from nearby hotels.
- Desayuno tico (the Costa Rican classic — gallo pinto, eggs, plantain) ₡4,428 · ~$9
- American breakfast ₡5,412 · ~$11
- Big Boy ₡5,412 · ~$11
- Pancakes with fruit ₡4,675 · ~$9.50
- Omelets ₡5,412 · ~$11
- Fruit plate ₡4,305 · ~$9
- Huevos rancheros ₡4,305 · ~$9
- Breakfast burrito ₡4,675 · ~$9.50
- Burrito pintico ₡4,675 · ~$9.50
- Iced coffee ₡1,845 · ~$4
- Cold chocolate ₡1,230 · ~$2.50
Appetizers and Snacks
- Shrimp quesadilla ₡6,765 · ~$14
- Cheese quesadilla ₡6,150 · ~$12
- Vegetarian quesadilla ₡6,150 · ~$12
- Clarita’s quesadilla ₡6,120 · ~$12
- Clarita’s nachos ₡6,150 · ~$12
- Burrito (beef or chicken) ₡6,150 · ~$12
- Shrimp burrito ₡6,765 · ~$14
- Vegetarian burrito ₡6,150 · ~$12
- Clarita’s burrito ₡6,395 · ~$13
- Crispy tacos ₡6,765 · ~$14
- Chicken taco ₡5,780 · ~$12
- Clarita’s taco ₡6,765 · ~$14
- Chicken fingers with fries ₡6,000 · ~$12
- Fish fingers with fries ₡6,000 · ~$12
- Mahi-mahi fingers ₡6,765 · ~$14
- Clarita’s enchilada ₡6,150 · ~$12
- Chicken or beef wrap ₡6,150 · ~$12
- Chimichanga ₡4,305 · ~$9
- Mixed appetizer platter ₡12,300 · ~$25 (for sharing)
Main Dishes
The casado at ₡4,920 (~$10) is the best value on the menu — it is the traditional Costa Rican plate with rice, beans, salad, plantain and your choice of beef, chicken, fish or pork chop.
- Casado (beef, chicken, fish or pork chop) ₡4,920 · ~$10
- Chicken cordon bleu ₡8,856 · ~$18
- Chicken filet in mushroom sauce ₡6,642 · ~$13
- Grilled chicken filet ₡6,642 · ~$13
- BBQ ribs ₡8,980 · ~$18
- Jalapeño pork chop ₡7,380 · ~$15
- Tuna loin ₡9,470 · ~$19
- Pepper steak ₡9,470 · ~$19
- Filet mignon ₡10,700 · ~$21
- BBQ skewer, beef or chicken ₡7,380 · ~$15
- Steak in white sauce ₡9,470 · ~$19
- Jalapeño steak ₡9,470 · ~$19
- Blackened mahi-mahi ₡8,856 · ~$18
- Clarita’s mahi-mahi filet ₡12,300 · ~$25
- Whole fish ₡14,760 · ~$30
- Surf and turf ₡22,140 · ~$44
Caught your own? Clarita’s will cook a fish you bring in for ₡7,000 (~$14). Jaco is a sportfishing town, and this is the kind of thing that rarely appears on a menu.
Rice Dishes
- Arroz con pollo (chicken rice) ₡6,150 · ~$12
- Seafood rice ₡7,135 · ~$14
- Shrimp rice ₡7,135 · ~$14
- Chef’s rice ₡6,765 · ~$14
Pasta
- Chicken pasta ₡6,150 · ~$12
- Shrimp pasta ₡7,625 · ~$15
- Seafood pasta ₡7,625 · ~$15
- Vegetarian pasta ₡5,535 · ~$11
- Kids’ pasta ₡2,952 · ~$6
Burgers and Sandwiches
- Cheeseburger ₡4,675 · ~$9.50
- Special burger ₡6,027 · ~$12
- Tuna burger ₡6,765 · ~$14
- Mahi-mahi burger ₡7,135 · ~$14
- Buffalo burger ₡6,150 · ~$12
- Chicken burger ₡5,535 · ~$11
- Ham and cheese sandwich ₡4,428 · ~$9
- Steak sandwich ₡4,428 · ~$9
- BLT sandwich ₡4,428 · ~$9
- Mini burger ₡2,767 · ~$5.50
Pizza
Three sizes: small, medium and family.
- Margherita (cheese only) — small ₡3,875 · medium ₡6,150 · family ₡9,480
- Caprese (cheese, sauce, basil, tomato) — small ₡4,182 · medium ₡6,520 · family ₡10,578
- Ham and cheese — small ₡4,305 · medium ₡7,135 · family ₡12,300
- Salami — small ₡4,305 · medium ₡7,135 · family ₡12,300
- Pepperoni — small ₡4,920 · medium ₡7,380 · family ₡13,530
- Bacon (cheese, sauce, ham, mushrooms) — small ₡5,166 · medium ₡7,380 · family ₡14,760
- Hawaiian (cheese, sauce, bacon, pineapple, ham) — small ₡5,535 · medium ₡7,750 · family ₡12,730
- Caribbean (mozzarella, pineapple, sweet pepper, jalapeño, bacon, ham, onion, garlic, coconut) — small ₡6,395 · medium ₡9,100 · family ₡14,145
- Jacobeña (shrimp, squid, onion, sweet pepper, mushrooms, garlic, parsley) — small ₡7,380 · medium ₡11,070 · family ₡17,220
- Mexican (BBQ sauce, cheese, chorizo, hearts of palm, jalapeño, onion, beef) — small ₡7,995 · medium ₡12,054 · family ₡16,482
- Clarita’s supreme (mozzarella, sweet pepper, onion, garlic, bacon, mushrooms, ham, pepperoni, salami, tomato, ground beef) — medium ₡11,439 · family ₡15,967
The Caribbean and the Jacobeña are the two worth trying if you want something you will not find at home — the first has coconut on it, the second is built on local shrimp and squid.
Desserts
The cheapest course on the menu — nothing over $7.
- Brownie with ice cream ₡3,500 · ~$7
- Tres leches ₡2,030 · ~$4 — the Costa Rican classic, sponge cake soaked in three milks
- Coconut flan ₡2,460 · ~$5
- Cheesecake ₡2,460 · ~$5
- Ice cream sundae ₡2,460 · ~$5
If you only try one, make it the tres leches — at about $4 it is the cheapest thing on the menu and the most Costa Rican.
Sides and Extras
- Bacon, ham, sausage, toast or vegetables ₡1,107 each · ~$2
- Rice, beans, chimichurri, sour cream, tortilla ₡800 each · ~$1.60
- Ranch, blue cheese, tartar, buffalo or BBQ sauce ₡800 each · ~$1.60
Staying at Clarita’s
The building above the restaurant reopened in July 2026 as a WorldHotels Elite resort with 63 ocean-view suites, two pools, a spa and a Japanese restaurant. Rates start around $211 per night in low season.
See our full guide to Clarita’s Beach Bar & Resort — rooms, rates and what to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be a hotel guest to eat at Clarita’s?
No. The beachfront restaurant is open to the public daily from 7:00 a.m. to 11:45 p.m.
How much does a meal cost at Clarita’s?
Breakfast runs about $9 to $11. A casado — the traditional Costa Rican plate — is around $10. Main dishes range from about $13 to $21, a family pizza from about $19 to $34, and desserts $4 to $7.
Do they take dollars?
Prices are listed in colones. Most restaurants in Jaco accept US dollars, though the exchange rate applied is usually less favorable than a bank’s. Ask before ordering if you plan to pay in dollars.
Can they cook fish I caught?
Yes. Clarita’s will prepare a fish you bring in for ₡7,000, about $14.
Is there anything for kids?
Yes. Kids’ pasta is ₡2,952 (about $6) and a mini burger ₡2,767 (about $5.50).
What desserts do they have?
Brownie with ice cream ($7), tres leches ($4), coconut flan, cheesecake and an ice cream sundae (about $5 each).
Are there vegetarian options?
Yes — vegetarian quesadilla, vegetarian burrito, vegetarian pasta, and the Margherita and Caprese pizzas.
Where exactly is Clarita’s?
Directly on Jaco beach, 100 meters north of the Best Western, in Garabito canton, Puntarenas province. Postal code 61101.
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