Silvestre

What a great experience, if you are in San Jose you have to come and try this place, came for a romantic date with my wife and it was not that busy, perhaps for a Monday. The service was superb and the food and drinks are out of this world, make sure to try the Cloromido Picado cocktail 🍹

I made a reservation for a late lunch here only to discover two things: 1. It wasn’t packed (which I’m surprised by) and 2. If you want the tasting menu, it’s recommended you allow for 2-3 hours for the experience, so book an early lunch or just go for dinner. I went a la carte but the servers still provided some information about some of the dishes I ordered. Everything tasted AMAZING and there was so much still left on the menu that I wanted to try, I strongly considered making another booking to come back. This restaurant was my favorite in San Jose! Don’t skip out on this.

It was an experience more than just dinner. We were a group of 8 and 4 of us were vegetarians (no eggs). We picked the tasting menu. Not only did the Chef meet our dietary requirements, but he made sure we all had a wonderful experience. Every dish had a personal story. It was 100% worth every pretty penny we spent. Multiple courses came one after the other and we dined for a full 3 hours. Fantastic experience!!

The food was absolutely delicious! The decor and ambiance were great! The staff was very friendly. We had a 6-yr old with us for dinner and they had kid options. Highly recommend this restaurant.

What an amazing experience this was! The flavours and story telling made it such a unique dinner as we journeyed through Costa Rican food and culture. Charlie our server was fantastic at explaining each dish and helping us understand the tastes we experienced. They also adapted the menu to be gluten free too. Definitely a restaurant that should be top of your list when visiting San Jose!

Very exquisite dining experience. Bit expensive. (I didn't like the spices in the pork brioche but it was very nicely done - switched with wife). The deep fried tres leche cake dessert was phenomenal.

Jesus was the most delightful storyteller. He brought all of the chef’s stories in his food to life and made our night so special. The food was exceptional. Best meal we have had in our 3 years in Costa Rica.

Definitely splurge for the tasting menu. I absolutely loved the experience I had here. The tasting menu was a story and the waitresses and waiter did such a great job conveying it!! Parking is street parking and the entrance is pretty hidden. I attached a photo of the street view since we had a hard time finding it

Tasting menu was fantastic. Music was a little loud.

Delicious food and served in unique ways. We did the 7 course tasting menu and the stories behind each dish were interesting. Also, there were some surprises as there are times that what you're eating tastes different than what you're expecting.

The tasting menu was a journey through Costa Rica, complete with a gifted map. The food and service was exceptional. The teams love for what they do and create comes through.

Dining at Silvestre was more of an all-round amazing experience and a trip down the history of some of Costa Rica’s main dishes and ingredients. We had a set menu ordered and by the time we were through to the last dish we were super full. It’s definitely a place where effort has been clearly invested in giving the customers an experience along with a delicious dining experience. We’ve also learnt a lot more about some of the Costa Rican ingredients. It’s a fancy place and it’s definitely upscale in terms of pricing, but also worth the money. Highly recommended!

Great good and service. Fine Dining at its best in Costa Rica. Elevated Costa Rican restaurant. Truly was a gastronomic experience. I did the tasting menu here with wine pairing. It can be pretty pricey here, though everything in Costa Rica seems to be Hella expensive. But over all great experience and amazing food. Love the theme and story that goes with the seasonal tasting menu. Also like how there are photographs for each dish which they give you to take home. Highly recommend if you're looking for an elevated gastronomic Dining experience

Amazing culinary experience. Presentation of history, ingredients, flavors, art, wine, restaurant made liquor. Incredibly service. I've been to a lot of amazing restaurants around the world and this one belongs on chefs table. Deserves Michelin rating. Highly recommend the chefs tasting menu.

So I took a chance on a coupe of items I probably wouldn't have normally selected. One was just okay and the other blew my mind. The chicken pate wasn't for me, but that's okay. The cauliflower tamale, was awesome! So if you are looking for a whole tasting experience and are near the park, give it a go!

Before we visit, we checked out the Michelin restaurants in Costa Rica but they don’t have any. We have been recommended to try this place and we were not disappointed. The restaurant may not be fancy but it is really warm as you were invited to eat at your friend’s garden. We choose 7 courses menu “1,000 memories” which composed from childhood dishes of the chefs and everything was delicious. I feel connected to the dishes as it was part of my childhood as well; the cereals, the ice-shaved foodstall, and Grandma’s sewing kit. It is not only creative but also soulful dining experience. Thanks to the chefs, and our waiter - Jesus.

Amazing dining experience from start to finish. We got the tasting menu with the standard wine pairing and I believe it would deserve a Michelin star if they rated restaurants in Costa Rica. Make sure to come with an empty stomach as the tasting menu food will push you to the limit (even for someone who eats A LOT like me). The bee themed desert might be my favorite desert of all time. The staff is very friendly and explains the thoughtful background of each dish they present.

What a fun experience, we tried the 7 course tasting menu and it came with a 3D map/puzzle so we could learn about the different regions of the country that each plate originated. Paloma, our server, was fantastic and made the evening a lot of fun. Highly recommend!!!

Great experience, and I mean it when I say experience. My wife and I have had quite a few tasting menus and coursed meals yet this stood out for a number of reasons. A few being the quality of ingredients, attention to detail in plating, the balance of flavors across all dishes, knowledge of the staff, and the ambience. Silvestre told us a story of Costa Rican fine dining and they told it to us well. I will be genuinely surprised if they are not Michelin recommended in the coming years.

Easily our best meal in Costa Rica. So inventive, and more importantly we'll executed. The flavors popped, the textures in each dish were very complimentary. We got all of the vegetarian mains and they put so much creativity and substance in them. We were so satisfied. You could tell veggies weren't an afterthought and they took those dishes seriously. The fried tres leches dessert was maybe a tad too sweet but hey that's my fault for ordering a fried tres leches lol

If Michelin rated restaurants in Costa Rica, Silvestre would have one. Everything was really fantastic and a beautiful tribute to Costa Rican good, sustainability, and the people who farm the ingredients. My total was about $150 USD for an 8 course tasting menu with wine pairings - extremely reasonable for the quality. I am a tough critic and this lived up to expectations for me. I went alone and the service was lovely.

Pure delight. One of the best meals we had in Costa Rica. Authentic flavors, best ingredients, exceptional hospitality. Dishes reflect Costa Rican traditions while being beautifully executed. Unforgettable experience.

Very unique menu and cool atmosphere. Different spices and materials. Played eclectic recorded jazz. Only cons - hard to find. A very small sign and no lighting outside. Fortunately there was a woman in a yellow jacket to direct us. Also not a safe neighborhood as confirmed by a local. But glad to experience 😌.

Truly one of my top restaurants! Great quality, atmosphere, and service! Intimate setting and you almost can't go wrong with the menu. I enjoyed the white fish cooked in a Banana Leaf with a coconut base.

This place was a truly magical experience from start to finish. The service was phenomenal. Each dish was a masterpiece. The drinks paired beautifully. Side note for light drinkers (not me) sip don’t finish or do because Pura Vida. You do get a little souvenir at the end, but I won’t ruin the surprise by telling you what it is. You wont regret the visit. Just do it. Meals like this make life worth living.

Our party of seven experienced Silvestre’s seven-course tasting menu, a truly immersive journey into Costa Rican gastronomy. At the start, we were given a puzzle map of Costa Rica — with each course, a new piece was added, alongside an explanation of the dish and the region it represented. This thoughtful narrative tied the menu to both place and culture, creating a dining experience that was as educational as it was exquisite. Each plate showcased vibrant, locally sourced ingredients, prepared with artistry and precision, balancing tradition with contemporary creativity. The service was impeccable — attentive, polished, and deeply knowledgeable, elevating the entire evening. Silvestre transcends dining; it is a guided exploration of Costa Rica’s culinary identity, blending storytelling, culture, and fine dining into one unforgettable experience.

Beautiful restaurant, delicious food, fantastic service, stunning outdoor sitting. Desert was not my favourite and the lamb either but the amazing atmosphere was incredible good

Restaurante Silvestre is more than just a dinner — it’s an experience. The beautifully restored house sets the perfect atmosphere, and the tasting menu comes with creative storytelling, thoughtful details, and even small gifts that make the evening feel truly special. The highlight for me was the dessert “Footprint on the Moon” — such a memorable and symbolic way to end the meal. While the food itself was good but not outstanding for the price (around €250 for two with drinks), the overall storytelling and atmosphere made it worthwhile. What stood out the most was our female server — she was incredibly warm, attentive, and genuinely made us feel welcome. If you’re looking for a unique, immersive dining experience in San José, I’d definitely recommend Silvestre.

The restaurant is beautiful and exactly what we hoped it would be. We tried the 7 course tasting menu. The food started out very good but we were disappointed with the main which was a pork dish with little taste. Didn’t seem worth the price in the end. The presentation was nice and well thought out but the taste overall was not as we expected. Maybe skip the tasting course and go ala Carte.

We had a mixed experience here for dinner. We did the chefs tasting menu and found some dishes that were tasty and well crafted and others that were bland and tough. The last savory dish, a pork preparation, was very good and we had one dish with a small piece of sausage that was tasty, the lionfish tartare was delicious and a small biscuit was soft and warm. The elements that didn’t work were the corn which was tough and cold and filled with a hear of palm puree which was very bland. The sardine slice was quite fishy with minimal seasoning. We did the Silvestre drink pairing which I would highly recommend. They made different fruit based wines/liquors to pair with the dishes including a blackberry vermouth, pineapple wine and they were all beautifully dry and flavorful. Overall a mixed experience and I did not feel it was a good value given the inconsistency of the dishes and small portions of meat. We did think the story of the dishes and their origin around the country paired with the beautiful Costa Rican wooden map to take home with the beautiful tokens for each course was a creative and memorable souvenir.

Loved this experience and the photo book you get from the tasting menu. The food is fun and incredibly thoughtful. I will say the that at this price some things should be improved. 1. The tables need to be refinished lots of scratches on the tops 2. The cilantro with the pork dish came out wilted looking like it had been sitting too long. The ceviche cereal paired with Peruvian wine was superb!

I did expect a lot, from reading previous comments, and because this one is a place acknowledged to serve a fine dining experience in San Josè. I went for lunch, I had the lunch menu offer (3 plates for 18000 CRC) and I added another plate. So I tried their salad, their ceviche and the beef cooked in the carbon. I finished with the desert. I have to say that everything was decent but nothing extraordinary. The best was the ceviche, the meet was something quite standard and the salad mainly exotic. Still not impressive.

The food was the highlight of this restaurant, as it was creative and we enjoyed hearing the story behind each cuisine. We loved how authentic Costa Rica ingredients were used. On the downside, this restaurant is located in a sketchy neighborhood, so highly recommend taking a taxi instead of parking and walking especially in the evening. Furthermore, it was odd how customers were segregated inside the restaurant based on race and color of your skin. We sat in the back section and assumed it was a coincidence that only Asian customers were placed in the back. As we were leaving the restaurant and passed the main dining area, we realized it was no coincidence.

I recently dined at Silvestre, a restaurant in Costa Rica that promises a refined dining experience. The ambiance is okay, but the decoration isn’t the best—it’s rather gloomy, set in an old house that feels a bit dreary. It could benefit from incorporating modern art to create a striking contrast with the vintage elements, which might brighten things up and add more appeal. The food itself leans towards a minimalist style, which I appreciated for its simplicity and focus on quality ingredients. The flavors were well-balanced and demonstrated good taste in preparation. Portions were okay—not overly generous, but sufficient for a lighter meal. However, there were some notable drawbacks. The wine selection, while available, comes at exorbitant prices, and the options aren’t necessarily the best quality for what you’re paying. Service was a mixed bag; one waiter in particular was extremely intense, constantly chatting and offering what felt like subtle, implied observations that bordered on unsolicited advice. It made the experience feel a bit overwhelming rather than enjoyable. Value-wise, Silvestre is positioned as a mid-range.

I wouldn’t really recommend the 7-course tasting menu here. The food quality felt mediocre, nothing very exciting, and some dishes tasted a bit awkward. I wasn’t asked about allergies—only mentioned avoiding lamb and cilantro—but at least 3 of the 7 courses still had cilantro, which made the experience unpleasant. In other restaurants I’ve visited in the region, they were usually able to provide alternatives. The pacing was slow, with long waits between dishes. I had the Silverstre Pairing—the drinks were aromatic and enjoyable on their own, but they didn’t feel well-matched with the food. Also unusual that the waiter placed 2–3 empty glasses on my table at once, instead of one per course. My seat location was another downside: the restaurant is in a historic house, and the creaky wood floor near the dining room entrance meant I constantly heard distracting footsteps. On the positive side, I liked the warm yellow lamps at each table, and my waiter seemed to try his best despite the language barrier. At the end, they gave me a nice wooden puzzle map as a souvenir of the menu. Still, compared with Monteverde’s San Lucas—who offers a similar 7-course Costa Rica-inspired tasting menu—San Lucas clearly wins in food quality, service, and overall atmosphere.

Our server appeared to be the head waitress and was managing at least four tables, including two with rather large groups. As a result, it was quite challenging to get her attention throughout the evening. We noticed that other guests who were seated after us received water, cocktails, and a thorough explanation of the menu before we did. This made us feel somewhat overlooked, as if we were seated in a corner and forgotten for much of our meal. Unfortunately, this impacted my overall experience at the restaurant. On a brighter note, the oxtail empanada was the standout dish of the night; it was absolutely delicious and bursting with flavor. We also tried the beef ribs and a vegetarian dish featuring jackfruit. Both were decent, but neither left a lasting impression. For dessert, we opted for a mango dish and carrot cake. The mango dish had a burnt (I think it was meant to be carmelized) element on top that overpowered all the other flavors, making it hard to enjoy. The carrot cake was dense, slightly oily, and just okay. I appreciate the creativity and ambition behind this restaurant, and I genuinely wish them the best. With a few adjustments to service and refinement of some dishes, I believe they have the potential to offer a great dining experience.

Everything was perfect except for the portions. My wife and I visited the restaurant on the 31st for a set menu at $90 per person. The ambiance was fantastic, with beautiful décor and a welcoming atmosphere. The service was impeccable—attentive staff with great stories about Costa Rica woven into each dish. We would have given a 5-star rating, but the portions were very small. After our meal, we ended up having a second dinner elsewhere. We did share our concerns with the waitress, who kindly offered to provide more food, but we declined as we didn't want to inconvenience the staff. While the flavors were excellent, the service irréprochable we were still hungry afterward, which is not acceptable paying a premium price. We've dined at Michelin-star and high-end gastronomic restaurants, and we've never left hungry.

Nice atmosphere with attractive green plant décor. Unfortunately, the food was overly salty, and the fish lacked any special cooking technique despite prices being nearly double those of some Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris. The curved potato chips, whether house-made or sourced from industrial supplier, were a poor choice and did not add value to the dish and the lamb was average—good presentation but very ordinary flavor. Service felt indifferent rather than welcoming.

Did the tasting menu, 8 courses. I thought i was getting a walk through of Costa Rican map, and food. But it was element based. Still cool though I was expecting a cool CR souvenir if im honest. The courses were weirdly timed with tons of time between them. Some courses, like the vegetarian, was phenomenal. The fish course not my favorite.

I'm writing this hopping the experience will improve. My couple and I visited in excitement because we heard it was an amazing experience. We've traveled to many restaurants around the world and thought this was going to be wonderful, little did we know: 1/ about dinner: in advanced, during the reservation, we told the hostess about my couple allergy, they told us it was going to be taken into account. For our surprise there was no food she could have. We asked The waitress if she could ask the chef to make something else, she said NO. we ordered an appetizer, it was bland with no texture. My beef was chewy and hard with ok smashed Beans. My couple order the vegetarian dish, it was mushy and bland. 2/ About the service: It was very sad for us, to see how the waitress was rude to us, like she didn't wanted to be there, after a while we had to see how she treated very well english speaking natives. I wondered to my self, could this mean CostaRicans are less welcomed. 3/ about the place: it is very nice but nothing out of the ordinary. I hope this will be taken into account so the service and food will live up to the hype.