Lacto
Ovo
International
Costa Rican
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. A 12-room economically-priced hotel in downtown with cafe. Menu offers various local dishes plus veggie sushi, veg curry, salads, fruit smoothies and juices. Ask for your coffee or smoothie to be made with plant milk (like coconut milk). Nightly movies shown. Open Mon-Sun 7:00am-9:00pm. Open Mon-Sun.
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Montezuma Beach, Montezuma, Costa Rica
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- Outdoor seating
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Last update on 01 Apr 2020 by Guest
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34 Reviews
First Review by teal_ocean
happycowgirl
Points +5775
Great Location, Wonderful Vibe - Edit
First, let me admit that I did not stay at the hotel but I'm writing this review because I wished I did. During my 3 days in Montezuma, I ate every single meal at El Sano Banano restaurant because the food was so good! If you stay at their hotel, their delicious breakfasts are included. I got to know many members of the staff during my time here and all were outstanding.
Read moreNot only is the food geared toward vegans and vegetarians, they recycle everything under the sun, there are environmentally themed signs around, the outdoor dining in the rear garden is lovely, the photos at the entrance staircase the the hotel pay homage to the environmental founders and wildlife preservationists of the area. In short, the vibe is amazing.
The rooms at El Sano Banano are very plain and simple. But they're air conditioned! While in Montezuma, I stayed at Agua Vista which is deep in the forest a few miles up the hill. It was phenomenal during the day but miserable at night. Agua Vista has no air conditioning and you can't open the windows at night b/c the coatamundis (raccoon-type animals) break in through the screens not to mention the local robbers who break into hotel rooms at night to steal anything from passports, iPhones to clothes. In sum, the rooms at El Sano Banano might be small, but they're air conditioned, secure and centrally located. You can walk to all the restaurants, the beach, small grocery store, take a cab to the parks, book tour right downstairs and every night there is a free movie with dinner.
Guest
aisawesome
Points +215
vegan fajias = heaven - Edit
Came here I think 3 times while in Montezuma. The waiters were so nice and the service was great. All 3 times I had the same meal because it was SO AMAZING! I thought about trying other things but I just couldn't resist getting this meal again and again because it was so good.
Read morevegan fajitas. one of my favorite meals in all of Costa Rica.
Guest
Pura Vida Pantry
Points +41
Good Food - Edit
Food is good, location is central, they have movie nights which are a blast.
Read moreGuest
pablocollier
Points +66
Just what we expected! - Edit
Went out of our way to drive to Montezuma to eat at Sano Banano! We ordered the Vegetarian fajitas and "Casado". They
Read morewere great....didn't expect anything less.Go!
Pros: neat place, friendly staff
Cons: parking is dubious
Guest
molloy206
Points +91
A must if you're in Montezuma - Edit
El Sano Banano is in the centre of Montezuma and is affiliated with the fantastic Ylang Ylang Beach Resort just further down the beach. Our taxi dropped us off here on the way to Ylang Ylang and we decided to have lunch before heading to the resort.
Read moreThe menu is large with a good amount of veg and vegan options all clearly labelled. The menu has a good variety of traditional Costa Rican dishes and lots of delicious juices and ice-blended teas, lemonades and smoothies. (I'd really recommend the Ice-blended lemonade with ginger for a really refreshing midday drink!)
On the 2 occasions we ate here I had Catacones (fried plaintain patties served with refried beans, salsa and guac). Absolutely delicious! Really fresh and tasty - but the portions are very big! Be warned if you only want a light lunch :)
I also tried the heart of palm salad which came with a delicious basil dressing. My partner had the quesadillas - again he said they were superb but a massive portion!!
The food is very good quality but on the pricey side compared to other places in Montezuma (but worth it when you consider the portions, quality and service) - $15-$20 for entrees and $8-$15 for salads and lighter bites.
The service is imeccably polite and attentive. Seating is either on the porch fronting the bustling main street, at the back under the palm trees (good for iguana spotting!) or inside in their comfortable restaurant.
Definitely try this place if you're in beautiful Montezuma!
Pros: Good food, Attentive Service, Centre of town
Cons: Huge portions, Pricer compared to other places
Guest
veganstastebetter
Points +205
best option in montezuma - Edit
We ate here several times during the week we stayed in Montezuma. There are several vegan options for myself. My girlfriend had her meat options. The restaurant does not serve red meat. Only chicken and seafood. I had banana pancakes, scrambled tofu, fruit salads, veggie fajitas, pasta, stir fry. The prices are expensive for costa rica but reasonable for a tourist town. The price also reflects the high quality of food, large quantity, great service and nice restaurant. We ate on the outdoor patio, the front cafe along the road, the lounge and movie area. It was also great to watch some movies from back home after being on the road for so long.
Read morePros: location, quality and quantity, great service
Cons: bit expensive, front sidewalk seating can be loud
Guest
teal_ocean
Points +122
Nice Place - Edit
Friendly place, clean, good bread and movie night. This is a tiny town--and they have sushi!
Read morePros: Nice place
Cons: More vegan options
Guest
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