Villa Leonor At Ballena Beach Club

I came as part of my air B&B stay, what a spot. When you pull in, you may be greeted by a family of monkeys, which was pretty cool. I came mostly for the private beach access that was a part of my stay, but having the restaurant there was very convenient. Very laid back. Cash only!

Villa Leonor at Ballena Beach Club is a hidden gem. Unassuming, laid back with good vibes all around, I’m so glad we stumbled upon it one afternoon. We’ve gone back again (twice! and plan to again soon. It’s one of our favorite places in the area. We had the fresh caught tuna and hearts of palm salad for lunch—that we doused in a delicious homemade salad dressing. We went back for sunset and the weekend BBQ menu and got the fish of the day (red snapper wrapped in banana leaf and it’s quite possibly the best fish we’ve ever had. Cooked to perfection—we cleaned our plates. Locally sourced takes on a whole new meaning here, with ingredients sourced from the local farmers market, purveyors and right on the property—we watched the chef venture out of the kitchen to snip fresh herbs from the garden right next to us. The staff is incredibly friendly and attentive and you can see the owner is passionate about serving up high vibe food and ensuring everyone is enjoying their experience. I also love that they play reggae and Bob Marley : I work in the travel industry and travel often and love embracing the Bourdain way, discovering intimate, local spots with high quality food and good people. I almost didn’t want to leave a review to keep it for us but this place deserves 5 stars.

Delicious is a complete understatement here. We had the seared tuna and steamed fish in banana leaf. Honestly this may have been some of the best food we’ve had. Being well travelled, we’ve eaten all over the world and this is a very solid 5 out of 5! We were also super impressed with the service, so friendly and welcoming! Cliff, the owner, greeted everyone who came in and that added to the welcoming atmosphere. We are staying at a villa just up the mountain and Cliff is looking after us at the villa as well. The beach at the restaurant is impeccable, with beautiful sunsets to enjoy after eating a late lunch. The restaurants also has an outdoor shower and pool with a swim up bar, that you can cool down in after the beach. What a true gem this place is, if you’re in the area, this is a must. One must also not forget the give a shout out to Pimienta (Pepper), the dog that lives at the restaurant! She’s adorable, and is part of the welcoming committee! She doesn’t beg, or jump, so fear not…she’s a mini fury part of the experience. Do yourself a favour and visit Villa Leonor!

What a hidden gem! We went on someone else’s recommendation, and were very pleased. The chef is a master with his homemade sauces, which make every dish we tried. Everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Don’t miss it!

Had a really good meal here tonight. I had the snapper steamed in banana leaves on the bbq and it was delicious . Really great spot to order and then walk out and see the sunset from the beach. I’d definitely recommend it for that reason and great Costa Rican food.