Nightlife, Entertainment,
Nightclubs & Casinos

Nightlife and Entertainment

There are countless open-air restaurants, bars, dance halls and discotheques all over San José and in most other parts of the country. Costa Ricans love to party and dance. Most of these nightspots will appeal to anyone from- 16 to 50 give or take a little for the young at heart.

No doubt when you have lived in the country for a while, the dance will bite you. There are numerous dance academies in the San José area that offer classes for all levels of experience in various styles of Latin American dance. If you want to learn how to dance like a Costa Rican, call El Malecón Escuela de Bailes Populares 255-0378 or Merecumbé 220-8511 in Rohrmoser, 289-4774 in Escazú, 240-8511 in Tibás, 237-0851 in Heredia, 442-3536 in Alajuela and 219-8787 in Desamparados. The latter has schools all over the San José area in Alajuela, Heredia, Pavas, Escazú, Tibás and San Pedro. Other s dance schools are: Academia de Bailes Latinos 233-8938, Kinesis Academia de Baile 440-0852, Inovación Latina 255-1460 and Academia Salsabor Estudio 224-1943.

Once you have mastered the basic dance steps and can dance to the rhythms of salsa, merengue, cumbia and other Latin dances, put on your best pair of dancing shoes and go to either El Higuerón or El Azteca dance halls in the suburb of Desamparados. They have large dance floors and really fill up on the weekends. El Garabaldi and El Buen Día are other dancehalls in the southern part of the city.

San José´s many discotheques and dance halls play music for all tastes until the wee hours of the morning; admission is inexpensive or free. International liquors and cocktails, as well as all local beers and beverages are served. Also, keep in mind that many of these clubs serve food and the traditional heaping plates of delicious local appetizers or hôrs d'oeuvres, called bocas.

Most of these establishments are quiet by day and artistically decorated. Many have adjoining restaurants, live music or a disc- jockey and well-lighted dance floors. El Centro Comercial El Pueblo has two of the country's best discotheques: La Plaza and Infinito. Both have huge dance floors and play a mix of American pop, salsa and reggae. Hooligan's Bar on the road to Heredia, in front of the Atlas Factory, features a Ladies' Night and 2 for 1 nights. Bohemian types should check out El Cuartel de La Boca del Monte. Old hippies and Costa Rican yuppies mingle there. It is one of San José's oldest and most popular bar and restaurant combinations. They have a good mix of Latin and American music. The place really fills up on Mondays and Wednesdays when they feature live music. The bar is known for its truly authentic cuisine.

For lovers of jazz there are several good clubs in the San José area. The Jazz Café in San Pedro is the best spot to hear the rhythms of soul, blues and jazz. The décor will make you feel like you're in a jazz club back home. The quiet Shakespeare Bar, near the Salo Garbo movie theater, is a good place to have a couple of drinks. If you like the university atmosphere, the college crowd and bar -hopping, then the suburb of San Pedro is just the place for you. Start by checking out the Planet Mall Disco located in the San Pedro Mall. Across the street from the mall is the All Star Bar & Grill. They bill themselves as Costa Rica's premier sports bar.s They have several gigantic screens for viewing sporting events and are open from noon to 2 a.m. daily. The Sand Rock Bar around the corner is popular with the younger crowd.

There are plans for a Hard Rock Cafe to be built in Costa Rica within a year.

The area around the university is full of college-type hangouts. Most of these places are full any night of the week. There is some entertainment here for everyone.

For those of you who don't like loud music, sports bars, large crowds or a boisterous atmosphere, some more sedate establishments let you relax with friends and enjoy conversation.

Most hotels bars have a laid-back ambience. The Hotel Grano de Oro has a lovely patio where you may sit and nurse your favorite beverage. The Amstel Hotel Lounge is another quiet place to retreat. For the best free bocas in Costa Rica, we suggest you try the Yugo de Oro. Also check out the bar on the second floor of the Holiday Inn. It has a great view of Morazán Park.

Where to go for nightlife and entertainment
Antojitos Good Mexican food
Bar Mexico Live music
Chelles People watching hangout
El Cocoloco Good dancing to a Latin beat
Infinito Has two dance floors, all types of music
Mirador Ram Luna Family style, jukebox, dancing
Salsa 54 Great dancing downtown
Túnel del Tiempo More dancing downtown
La Plaza Elegant with large dance floor
Friday's In San Pedro, great American style food

The Gringo Bar Scene
As we wrote earlier, there are several gringo bars, which cater almost exclusively to expatriates in downtown San José or nearby. Although we don't recommend hanging out at these places 24-hours a day, there is no better way to hear stories about life in the tropics, keep up on local gossip, meet some colorful local characters and gather tips about living in Costa Rica while you sip your favorite beverage.

The new bar at the Hotel Presidente's News Café, is the new happening place in San José. The food and drinks are great and it is a fantastic spot to "people watch".

The New York Bar also under the management of Patt Dunn is one of our favorite watering holes. The congenial female bartenders will make you feel right at home. A great gringo spot is the Blue Marlin Bar in the Hotel Del Rey. Sport enthusiasts frequented this bar. You'll hear a bit of friendly boasting and some tall fish tales at this unique bar. If you want to make some acquaintances, this bar is worth visiting. Jay the bartender is a long-time Costa Rican resident and knowledgeable.

The Monkey Bar, directly across the street from the Blue Marlin, is another favorite with expats. Around the corner from the Blue marlin you can hear good 50s, 60s and 70s music at Sharkey's Bar. The clientele ranges from expatriate Canadians and Americans to young ticos who stop in for a beer or two. There is always rock music in the air and occasionally live groups perform.

Another gringo hangout is the bar at the Dunn Inn Hotel. You can always meet expatriates here. The owner, Pat "Tex" Dunn used to run Nashville South and a couple of other gringo bars.

He is a congenial man who can provide you with information about living in Costa Rica. Lucky's Piano Bar next door to the Hotel Balmoral, is a people- watching bar because its large plate glass window provides a view of busy Avenida Central.

Mac's American Bar and Restaurant south of the Sabana Park is another famous gringo hangout. Tex Mex restaurant in Santa Ana is another favorite drinking spot with Americans. A lot of golfers go there after playing at the nearby Valle de Sol golf course.

Nashville South is a country western bar with an interesting clientele, western decor and country music in the background.

Risas has five bars on two levels and a large dance floor in downtown San José. The owners are from the U.S. and the clientele is mostly Costa Rican yuppies and gringos. By the way, they serve great food. Try some of their sandwiches.

More Good Bars
Most bars open at 11 a.m. and close at 2 a.m-7 days per week. Some have happy hours.
The Boulevard College atmosphere in Heredia
Hotel Corobicí Good bar
Holiday Inn Across from Morazán Park.
La Soda Tapia Nice place across from Sabana Park
Hotel Balmoral Nice quiet bar
Las Tunas Great patio, north of the Sabana Park
Gran Hotel Nice outdoor patio In the heart of San José
KS Brewery Another micro brewery in Curridabat
Chango Bar-restaurant in Escazú

Gambling / Casinos
Costa Rica has about twenty casinos, most in the San José area and a few at beach resorts. Rules differ slightly than in the U.S.A. or Europe, but gambling is fun to learn the Costa Rican way. There are four legal casino games. Rummy, a variation of black jack or 21 is the most popular of these casino games. Craps, roulette (played lottery style rather than with a wheel) and tute a type of poker played against the house. Slot machines are legal. Most casinos give free drinks while you play and are opened from 6 p.m. to 3 or 4 a.m. Many casinos offer 24-hour gambling.

The new Fiesta Casino and the Gran Hotel Costa Rica Casino are both located in the heart of San José. They are by far the best places to gamble. The casino on the top floor of the Holiday Inn offers a spectacular panoramic view of the city of San José. If for no other reason, you should go to this casino to take in the view and snap a few photos. You may also gamble on the Internet through a local company called Grand Central Casino and Sports book (see www.gcsports.com or call 1-800-213-3370).

Where to Gamble
o Fiesta (new downtown casino in the Hotel Presidente)
o Gran Hotel Costa Rica (another good place to gamble)
o Hotel Del Rey
o Casino Tropical
o Cheetah's
o Club Colonial (sports betting)
o Holiday Inn
o San José Palacio
o Hotel Cariari
o Balmoral Hotel
o Hotel Corobicí
o Hotel Irazú
o Club Triángulo
o Hotel Sheraton Herradura

The most popular form of gambling in Costa Rica is the national lottery or lotería. This game of chance is played a couple of times each week. You can purchase a whole sheet of tickets or a fraction of a sheet from any street vendor. A substantial amount of money may be won. If you are lucky enough to win the huge, annual Christmas Lottery, or Gordo Navideño, you will become very rich and will probably be set up for life. To find the results of the lottery, look in the local newspaper. There is also an instant winner lottery similar to that played in the U.S., called raspa. In this game you scrape off an area on the ticket with a coin to see if you have matching symbols or numbers.

Betting on horses is legal in Costa Rica, but the local track closed in 1995 due to financial problems. At the Casino Club Colonial and Hotel Del Rey there is betting on most major sporting events. In November of 2001 betting on Costa Rican soccer games was legalized.