Where to Eat in Jacó: Three Places We Send Guests
A proper dinner out, a table on the beach and Thai food with rescue cats for company. Three places we are happy to send guests, whatever the night calls for.
The short version
- Zelva Grill & Wine for steak, seafood and a long wine list, when you want a proper dinner out.
- Sea Salt, on the beach at Hotel Jacó, for a meal with your feet near the sand, from breakfast to sunset drinks.
- Jerah for authentic Thai food in a treehouse-style garden, with rescue cats for company.
- At the hotel, Paradise Grille serves the breakfast included with your room, then drinks and snacks by the pool until sunset.
We know a lot of the people who run restaurants in Jacó, so this is not a ranking. These are simply three places we are happy to send guests, each for a different kind of night.
Zelva Grill & Wine: a proper dinner out
Zelva is a steakhouse with a serious wine list, one of the newer restaurants in town. Expect steaks including Wagyu, fresh oysters and fish, with wine to match. There is an air-conditioned dining room and an outdoor terrace under warm lights, and a play area at the back, so it works as well for a date night as for a family dinner.
Sea Salt: a table on the beach
Sea Salt is the beachfront restaurant and bar at Hotel Jacó, open air and right on the sand. The menu leans on fresh seafood with a mix of flavors, and it is open from breakfast through dinner. Come in the late afternoon: happy hour runs as the sun goes down over the water.
Jerah: Thai food and rescue cats
Jerah serves authentic Thai food, from pad Thai to green curry and tom yum, in a garden setting built like a treehouse, with tables outdoors under a roof. It is also home to a family of rescue cats, and it has a small café for breakfast and lunch with fresh bread and pastries. The kitchen is happy to adjust dishes for dietary needs, including gluten free, and cards are accepted.
Closer to home: Paradise Grille
Our own poolside cafe and bar serves the breakfast included with every room, from 7:30 to 10:00 AM, then cold drinks and easy bites like ceviche and nachos by the pool from 11:00 until sunset. It is open to walk-ins too. See the menu.
Planning the rest of the week? See things to do in Jacó.
Questions travelers ask
Is there a restaurant at Bird of Paradise Hotel?
Yes. Paradise Grille, our poolside cafe and bar, serves the breakfast included with every room from 7:30 to 10:00 AM, then drinks and snacks by the pool until sunset.
Where can I eat on the beach in Jacó?
Sea Salt, the beachfront restaurant and bar at Hotel Jacó, sits right on the sand and is open from breakfast through dinner.
Where can I find gluten-free food in Jacó?
Jerah, the Thai restaurant, is happy to adjust dishes for dietary needs, including gluten free.
Where should we go for a special dinner in Jacó?
Zelva Grill & Wine: steak, seafood and a long wine list, with an air-conditioned dining room and a terrace.
