www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Jaco has gotten expensive for eating out.. Recently I have started back eating at the sodas.... For a while there I was consistently spending $10 for lunch and $15 for dinner... Now I am spending about 3500 colones or $7 total for lunch and dinner. I have a smootie for lunch and my food tab is under $10 for the day.. Meals aren't spectalar but they are good solid food. Garabito for lunch and the soda out on the highway as you turn into Jaco, for dinner... Both a 3 minute walk from my apt... Big difference in the pocket when you do this over the course of a month.

Hey Thirdworld, I agree!! I've been eating at Soda Garabito for many years. The service and food has always been good, and the giant glass of ice tea on a hot tropical day is a nice way to cool down with your meal. There are a few food items that are not on display in the steam table up-front. The cooks keep them hot on the stove-top back in the kitchen. So ask. My favorite is carne y salsa (beef and gravy). The only disappointment at Garabito is the fried chicken. It's cooked to death and is way too dry. For a much better chicken dish, try Soda Rustica. It's down the street from Pancho Villas close to the beach. Excellent tender chicken!!
One bonus to eating at these sodas is watching all the girls walking by, as many live down the street from these sodas.

Now it is not a soda Captain, but a good place for chicken is the place on the corner across from Mas x Menos.... The corner of the street where you turn to Hotel Oz. They have good chicken and ribs done on the grill, and they also have really good fried chicken... I will check out Soda Rustico sometime. Gets boring eating at the same spots all the time...