El Santuario

Rating

4.6

426 reviews · Google

Tamarindo Spanish

About

An Italian spot in Tamarindo where the draw is often the room and the welcome — live saxophone on some nights, and a server named Angie whom guests single out as warm and professional. On the plate, the gnocchi and calzone get the most love, starting with bread and marinara, and there are gluten-free options. Reviews split on some dishes and value, so order the pastas that regulars praise.

Photos

Amenities

Takeout

Dine-in

Curbside pickup

Reservations

Breakfast

Brunch

Lunch

Dinner

Beer

Wine

Cocktails

Coffee

Dessert

Vegetarian options

Outdoor seating

Live music

Good for groups

Restroom

Wheelchair accessible

Parking

Location

Next to the Plaza Conchal, Plaza Santuario, Local number 3, Provincia de Guanacaste, Tamarindo, 50309, Costa Rica

Get directions →

Recent reviews

Gerri Pattengoogle★★★★★

Had an amazing dinner tonight. Engie was our server. She was friendly and knowledgeable with the menu. Service was amazing!! Now for the food. My husband had the canzone and my daughter and I each had the gnocchi. All were very tasty. They brought out bread to start with a marinara sauce...so good. Overall experience was amazing.

Dec 2025

Andrea Calderongoogle★★★★★

Absolutely delicious Italian restaurant! Every dish was full of flavor, made with fresh ingredients, and beautifully prepared. You can truly taste the quality and attention to detail in every bite. What made the experience even more special was Angie’s exceptional service. She was warm, attentive, and incredibly professional, always making sure everything was perfect. I would definitely come back — not only for the amazing food, but also for the outstanding service. Highly recommended! 🇮🇹✨plus GLUTEN FREE

Feb 2026

Vitality Villagegoogle★☆☆☆☆

Beautiful flowers or aesthetic BUT.. For the price of the food.. and the service I’d save your time and go to Nari or somewhere else with similar cuisine. I had to bring my salt and pepper to the table..ask for Parmesan.. got charged for water without being told it was going to be a charge. The pasta was super oily.. I cook a decent amount at home and could have done better. Considering they said everything was from scratch.. The best part was the big shrimps and the saxophone player that was playing. Besides that the 52US we spent was not justified for what I experienced. In a town of many restaurants spend your hard earned money elsewhere.

Mar 2026