While dining is almost always casual, dress up if you wish! However, at night, it is customary and practical for men to wear long-pants. If you’re thinking your on vacation insist on wearing whatever you want, go ahead! Just remember to use mosquito repellent, especially around the feet if wearing shorts.

The local dish is called a “casado” which is a hearty-sized meal of rice, beans, a vegetable serving, sweet planteno, and your choice of beef, chicken, or fish. It can be just right for surfers starving for carbs after a hard day surfing! Not for dieters! Oddly, often it is not found at the evening dining restaurants. Try it for an early lunch because you’ll need 5-7 hours to get hungry again for dinner.

If it seems your bill never comes, remember you must ask for it! Unlike restaurants in other countries it is not their custom for them to say anything because your dinner is taking so long, here you can sit at your table “till the cows come home!”   They will never ask you if you want your bill! If you want to speed up the process, a good practice is to ask for it when the food is served. Most restaurants prepare bills by hand, so give them a little extra time.

How to ask for your bill in Spanish? Regaleme la cuenta, por favor! Literally this means, ‘give me the gift of the bill’.  Or, just get they’re attention, by pretending you’re signing your check in the air, and say “cuenta”.