Bar & Restaurante El Ancla

Beautiful spot right on the beach. We walked in off the beach and scored a lovely table right in front of the beach. Got in on happy hour , which was nice. I had the shrimp with coconut sauce and vegetables- excellent, jumbo juicy shrimp! My husband had the chicken cordon blu, with rice- equally as yummy and both big portions. Víctor our waiter was great, friendly and quick on service, and recommendations. Definitely a great place to eat and watch the gorgeous sky from the sunset under a tree canopy. Only Downside was parking was hard to find- but hey- Pura Vida!- In paradise, no rush and eventually found a place to park:)

This is my partners and I's favorite restaurant in Samara! Everything we have ever ordered is so fresh & good! My favorite is the arroz con camarones, it's the best I've ever had ! And their hot sauce is delicioussss! Love the vibes too, it's right on the beach, good prices & sometimes they have live music

April 2025 update: My wife and I visited this casual, beachfront restaurant a dozen times during our our recent two-week stay in Samara - some with our son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren; others, as a couple. During meals, the six of us enjoyed a variety of moderately priced menu offerings; my wife’s and my mutual favorite entree is the Filet de Pescado al Ancla. Ancla’s yummy smoothies were our afternoon refreshment several times. Dining at sunset is a delight, watching the changing sky colors over the ocean. We were treated several times - afternoon and evening -to wonderful live music performances. Each time, our experiences were enhanced by the friendly service provided to us by Kady, Rebecca, Kay, Victor and several others. +++++++++++++ December 2024: During our two-week stay in Samara last month, my wife and I dined at El Ancla four times. Our food and beverages were good (one of my wife’s entrees was not satisfactory initially, and, when we informed our server, he returned it to the kitchen and brought her a replacement, which pleased her) and priced moderately; we enjoyed the beachside setting, listening to the waves and watching lovely sunsets; and, one evening, we were treated to wonderful live music, played by two talented musicians. The servers were friendly and helpful - we wished only that there were more of them: they were responsible for many tables, which are set in a large area and some distance from the kitchen and bar; several times, when we wanted their assistance, we were not able to catch the attention of any of them for quite a while. Nevertheless, we are looking forward to more dinners at El Ancla, when we visit Samara again.