Emilio's Cafe

This place was a delight on a lazy afternoon in town. Our waiter was so upbeat and helped us spot various wildlife amongst the trees. I had the whole red snapper and we shared the ceviche. I have never had fried plantains before but they were tasty! Great place to sit and watch and eat without feeling rushed

If you’re in the area you must come to this place to eat! You will dine outside overlooking breathtaking views with amazing service and even better food! The fish is so fresh and caught the same day. They also accommodate for gluten free. I recommend the whole fish red snapper. It has a nice ambiance here and the staff are great.

Came here for sunset after seeing all the reviews. It’s definitely a nice place with beautiful views. Service was fine and staff were friendly but they took a long time getting to us after ordering and then when bringing the check and it wasn’t that busy. We had the calamari which was just okay, the passion fruit pie/cheesecake, and this vanilla and chocolate crème brûlée cheesecake. The passionfruit pie is the best dessert I’ve had here. We had passionfruit cheesecake at 2 other places and this one was on another level. It was light yet rich and the topping was the perfect level of sweetness. It really just hits the spot.

Emilio’s was on my ‘to-do while in Manuel Antonio’ list and aim so glad I went! The food was fantastic, the atmosphere was nice, and the menu had fantastic variety. I went to Emilio’s at about 5:45-7:30 PM on a Monday night and didn’t have to wait for a table for two people, but it was quite busy inside.

We started by sharing the Caribbean Ceviche, which was phenomenal. This was also brought out with fresh bread and butter, also fantastic.

For entrées, I ordered the whole red snapper, which came with vegetables and rice - it was delectable. The coating on the Costa Rican style snapper was just perfect. I ordered the grilled version (but had the choice between grilled and fried).
My friend ordered the Caribbean fish fillet, which she also enjoyed. Her entrée also came with rice, which had been cooked just right.

We both ordered drinks, the house cocktail - which was (no surprise!) fantastic. It was the perfect blend and provided such a smooth and flavorful drink. Truly one of the stars of the show, I loved it. I had initially started out with the strawberry mojito but ended up asking for a different drink because it didn’t taste very good. However, our waiter was very friendly and understanding about me wanting to order a different drink. I’m unsure if I was charged for both, but wouldn’t have complained if I was.

All in all, great food! I want to come back for breakfast before I leave the area. I also want to pick up a piece of one of their wide varieties of cheesecakes and other desserts.

We arrived in town from Monteverde to an incredible view, atmosphere, food, and service. The staff was wonderful and took our picture and provided great insight on their food offerings. I had the poke tuna bowl and the ingredients were fresh and my family’s food looked equally delicious.

I had to interrupt conversation approximately 12 times to comment on how amazing the experience was while there. I will dream about this meal and experience. Started off with the amazingly fresh and creamy Mediterranean salad, had the Thai Sea Bass Curry, and finished with a perfectly rich key lime pie. My mouth is watering oh my. Service was amazing, fast and kind. Would go again times ten.

Went here for an early dinner. Thought it was just another restaurant. We were wrong. It was amazing. The food, the scenery, and the staff made this one of our favorites while in Costa Rica. I had the poke tuna to start and the seafood trio for dinner. Followed by an amazing peanut butter oreo cheese cake.

In my opinion Costa Rica shouldn’t be known for its food. In most places we visited (10 days) we didn’t have good food. When we arrived in Manuel Antonio we found Emilio’s cafe where we had multiple meals (excellent breakfast, lunch and dinner).

Really nice Chipotle eggs Benedict, best breakfast in the country.
Also had a perfect pepper steak for dinner a couple of times!

Also a fantastic view (photos)!

Delicious dinner and so many different desserts to choose from. Fast service! One of my favorite stops to eat in the area.

So glad we stopped by here on a short day trip to Manuel Antonio. Found this gem of a place as it was highly recommend through travel blogs and I must say it lives up to the hype. This popular yet quaint cafe/restaurant has excellent views of the beach and Manuel Antonio national Park. We came to it, after spending a day on the beach in the sun and caught some pretty sunset hues. The view is everything, watched some exquisite birds while we dipped on our drinks. Their desserts were on point. The appetizers (ceviche and the burrata) were good. The staff was polite and helpful. Travel bloggers didn't disappoint :)

Best meal in our trip to CR! Great vibe, delicious dishes (ceviche, shrimp curry, Caribbean chicken, Caribbean Sea bass) and fabulous desserts. We had been hunting down a higher-end, non touristy spot and this place was perfect. View just is the icing!

Unfortunately we did not take any photos of the food but Emilio’s was our favorite 2 meals of the trip (since we went back a second time because it was so good!). The stand out dishes were the shrimp curry, Caribbean ceviche and our absolute favorite the coffee crusted sirloin. Best steak we ever had - perfectly medium rare. The drinks were delicious as well and our server was super nice. Lastly the view is unbeatable. Would highly recommend.

“Emilo’s Cafe is an absolute gem! During our vacation, we found ourselves returning almost daily to indulge in their delightful offerings. The A Lo Macho Seabass is a definite must-try, bursting with flavor and expertly prepared. Their selection of cakes is simply divine, with the banana bread standing out as the best I’ve ever had. And let’s not forget about their caffe latte – the best in Costa Rica, hands down. Impeccable service, cozy atmosphere, and consistently delicious food make Emilo’s Cafe a standout dining experience. Highly recommended!”

Delicious food with a great view. We had the whole red snapper, Mediterranean style ceviche and the surf n turf. All were well seasoned. At the high end of restaurant prices

My first morning in Manuel Antonio did not disappoint! Walked from our Airbnb to Emilio’s cafe. I’m not a big breakfast eater so ordered the fruit plate with my Americano. Coffee was amazing and the fresh local fruit was fabulous. Because the Americano was so good and I didn’t want to leave, I ordered a cortado. Swoon worthy. And that view!!!

Also, the service was top notch!

Don’t miss this place! They serve lunch and dinner as well and are closed on Tuesdays.

This place is fantastic. Our large group (10 people) have eaten here twice already on our vacation. Servers are friendly, food and drinks are great and fresh, and the views are amazing. The chicken curry is perfect. The falafel is also great.

This was our favorite restaurant from our entire trip! First of all, the food was absolutely amazing! I went with my family for dinner and we all got some kind of fish. I had the Tuna Trio and it was one of the best meals I’ve had in a while. Our waiter was so friendly and helpful with recommendations as well. Now, I have to give this place even more praise for their dessert. Desserts at restaurants are often disappointing but the dessert here was out of this world! We all got something different and everyone was amazed! I highly recommend the Passion Pie! Lastly their coffee is definitely something to write home about!

Best breakfast I’ve on my trip so far. Rancheros were delicious and a nice chill morning vibe with an ocean view. Nice job guys.

Every meal was absolutely perfect. Good sized portions and everything was cooked perfectly and fast. We had a Plato típico, Eggs Benedict, and a strong, yummy cappuccino. The service was great and we had the most incredible view and even got to spot some cute little monkeys. Wish we were staying in the area to eat there again. Worth the visit!

Absolutely delicious food and great presentation.Service was great! Loved the breakfast and almond cookie . The atmosphere is nice as well. Perfect place for a family event or casual date. Manuel Antonio Beach view is amazing. You should go and taste all of Emilio's menu.