| 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.
After you have lived in the country for a while, the dance
bug 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, 2408511
in Tibás, 237-0851 in Heredia, 442-3536 in Alajuela
and 2198787 in Desamparados). The latter has schools all over
the San José area in Alajuela, Heredia, Pavas, Escazú,
Tibás and San Pedro. Other 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 El Azteca dance hall in the suburb of Desamparados.
It has large dance floors and really fills up on the weekends.
El Garabaldi and El Buen Día are other dancehalls in
the southern part of the city. Here are some more clubs where
you can go to dance to Latin music: El Tobogán, 200
meters north and 100 meters east of La República (223
-8920), Castro's Bar, Calle 22, Barrio México, San
José, (256-8789), El Palenque at Balneario Ojo de Agua
in San Antonio de Belén ( 441-1309), Manolo's Bernardo
Soto Highway, Alajuela (433-9001), Típico Latino, downtown
Heredia, (237-1121), Nuevo Rancho Garibaldi, 600 meters west
of the Marcial Fallas Clinic in Desamparados, San José
(218-1149) and Picachos, Paraíso de Cartago, (574-6072).
For additional information about Latin dancing, see: http://www.salsapower.com/cities/costarica.htm
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.
The city of Heredia boasts several excellent watering holes.
El Bulevar, Rancho Fofos and La Choza in the vicinity of the
National University of Heredia, are the places to party. 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 are in a jazz club
back home.
The quiet Shakespeare Bar, near the Sala Garbo movie theater,
is a good place to have a couple of drinks.
If you like the university atmosphere, the college crowd
and barhopping, 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. The Sand Rock Bar around the corner
is popular with the younger crowd.
The area around the University of Costa Rica in San Pedro
is packed with 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 do not 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. Also check out the bar on the second floor
of the Holiday Inn. It has a great view of Morazán
Park.
The Gringo Bar Scene
There are several gringo bars that cater almost exclusively
to expatriates in downtown San José or nearby. Although
we do not 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 Hotel Presidente's bar, the 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. Thousands
of people walk by this spot each day.
The New York Bar is one of our favorite watering holes. The
congenial female bartenders will make you feel right at home.
Another gringo hangout is the new Tropix Bar at the
Dunn Inn Hotel in historic Barrio Amón. They offer
a variety of drinks and mouth-watering snacks. The atmosphere
is quaint.
As previously mentioned a great gringo spot is the
Blue Marlin Bar Sport enthusiasts frequent 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.
The Sportsmens Lodge is a new hang out in downtown San José.
They offer satellite TV, pool tables, real Mexican food and
rooms. For information, see: http://www.sportsmenscr.com.
Gringo Gulch Area
Nashville South is a country-western bar in downtown San
José with an interesting clientele, western décor
and country music in the background.
Mac's American Bar and Restaurant, south of La Sabana Park,
is another famous gringo hangout. Doña Carmen
of Tiny's Tropical bar fame is the cook. You can savor her
great cooking and watch major sporting events such as NFL
games on DirectTV and the Dish Network. They have a huge Saint
Patrick's Day arty every year. We highly recommend this place.
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 del Sol golf course.
Rock & Roll Pollo also located in Santa Ana, offers satellite
TV for viewing all major U.S. sports. The food is also good.
More Good Bars
Most bars open at 11 a.m. and close at 2 a.m., seven days
a week. Some have happy hours.
Antojitos ........................................................Good
Mexican food
Boulevard ......................................College atmosphere
in Heredia
Castro's ........................................Good dancing
in Barrio México
Chango ...................................................
Bar-restaurant in Escazú
Infinito........................... Has two dance floors,
all types of music
Gran Hotel................. Nice outdoor patio in the heart
of San José
Hotel Corobicí ...............................................................Good
bar
Holiday Inn......................................... Across
from Morazán Park
Hooters.......................................................
Part of the U.S. chain
Hotel Balmoral.......................................................
Nice quiet bar
K & S Brewery .............................A micro-brewery
in Curridabat
La Cantina..........................................Located
at the Hotel Irzazú
La Soda Tapia......................... Nice place across from
Sabana Park
La Plaza.......................................... Elegant
with large dance floor
Mirador Ram Luna......................... Family style, jukebox,
dancing
Tapachula .................... Gringo bar near soccer stadium
in Alajuela
Tropix Bar ..................................... Gringo bar
at Hotel Dunn Inn
*See the The Tico Times or La Nación
for more entertainment.
Gambling
Gambling is a pastime enjoyed by both tourists
and residents. Costa Rica has about 20 casinos, most in the
San José area with a few at beach resorts. Rules differ
slightly than in the United States. 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. The remaining games are 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
open from 6 p.m. to 3 or 4 a.m. Many casinos offer 24-hour
gambling.
Most casinos offer perks for gamblers such as free bocas
(snacks), drinks and an occasional buffet. Some foreigners
gather at casinos on Sundays to watch football games.
The Fiesta Casino, the Gran Hotel Costa Rica Casino and Club
Colonial are casinos 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.
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 instantwinner lottery,
similar to that played in the United States, raspa.
In this game you scrape off an area on the ticket with a coin
to see if you have matching symbols or numbers.
There is also an illegal underground lottery played the same
days as the legal lottery on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. The
game is attractive to some locals because you can win from
five to 70 times the amount of your ticket. Also, it is easier
to claim the prize in the regular lottery.
There are several types of illegal lottery: The Changa is
played among Nicaraguans; La Pulga is played around the Borbón
Market in San José; La Panameña works in conjunction
with the Panamanian lottery; and Cuatro Cantos is played in
the port town of Puntarenas.
We don't recommend playing illegal lotteries; we mentioned
them only to let our readers know they exist.
Betting on horses is legal in Costa Rica, but the local track
closed in 1995 because of financial problems. At the Casino
Club Colonial and Hotel Del Rey there is betting on most major
sporting events. In November 2001, betting on Costa Rican
soccer games was legalized.
Where to Gamble
- Fiesta by far the best casinos in Costa Rica (downtown, Heredia, Alajuela near
airport)
- Gran Hotel Costa Rica (another good place to gamble)
- Hotel Del Rey
- Casino Tropical
- Club Colonial (sports betting)
- Holiday Inn
- San José Palacio
- Hotel Cariari
- Balmoral Hotel
- Hotel Corobicí
- Hotel Irazú
- Hotel Herradura
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