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Silvestre, San José, San Jose

Silvestre

4.8
4.8
894 Reviews
$30 and under
Latin American

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2 people
19:00
Booked 17 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Innovative
  • Good for business meals
Silvestre is a fine dining restaurant located in the heart of San José, Costa Rica. Chef Santiago Fernández offers a well-thought-out, curated small seasonal menu that brings you the freshest locally sourced ingredients. Silvestre is a worthy stop, as part of your exploration of the city, also perfect for a romantic dinner or to celebrate a special occasion. We also offer an impressive conceptual menú degustación about the Costa Rican soul, its flavors and everything in between.

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Latin American, Farm-to-table, Contemporary Latin American
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 12:00–14:45
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Valet Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Santiago Fernández Benedetto

What 894 people are saying

Silvestre reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Costa Rica

    Best Overall

  • Costa Rica

    Innovative

  • Costa Rica

    Good for special occasions

  • San José

    Best Overall

  • San José

    Best Food

  • San José

    Best Service

  • San José

    Best Ambience

  • San José

    Best Value

  • San José

    Innovative

  • San José

    Good for groups

  • San José

    Healthy

  • San José

    Great for fine wines

  • San José

    Great for outdoor dining

  • San José

    Romantic

  • San José

    Good for special occasions

  • San José

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Silvestre offers a truly exceptional dining experience in a beautiful historic setting. Guests rave about the "unique dining experience," "wonderful and flavorful food," and "superb service." The tasting menu, often described as a "culinary journey," features innovative dishes that tell a story, deeply connecting with Costa Rican culture. The attentive staff and cozy atmosphere make it a "must-visit" for food enthusiasts.

894 Reviews
  1. Gabriela

    Costa Rica2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    El lugar es una casona hermosa, la atención y cordialidad de quienes lo atienden es de excelencia! Y la comida es deliciosa muy original y rica! Super recomendable!! Además tiene parqueo propio. El lugar es un 10 para mi 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

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  2. Reese

    San Francisco16 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food and service is excellent. A must do when in San Juan. Foodie paradise.

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  3. Visabella

    Central Coast1 review

    2.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Review of El Silvestre, San José, Costa Rica – 2/5 Stars Ah, El Silvestre—where artistic ambition and culinary execution seem to have had a bit of a falling-out. If you’re looking for an avant-garde dining experience that leans more into “concept” than “delicious,” you’ve found your spot. But if you’re hoping for a meal that actually delivers on flavor and service? Well, buckle up. Let’s start with the first course: a minimalist masterpiece (and by “masterpiece,” I mean two literal lines of food—one of beans, one of palm bits—with a lone yuca croquette). The drink pairing? A house vermouth with Costa Rican water apple, which sounded promising but didn’t exactly kick things off with a bang. One thing they did get right was the interactive element: with each course, you’re given a little keepsake to help build a Costa Rican map. A cute idea, though it does make you wonder—should the highlight of a fine dining experience be a craft project? The second course featured a sardine sitting atop a fish cake, accessorized with a cracker made from its own bones. A bold move, sure, but not exactly the most enticing bite. Meanwhile, “Pacific Side” offered lion fish tartare? between crackers, which was… fine. Then came my least favorite course: an aggressively dry corn cob with a dusting of spicy berry powder, supposedly meant to evoke butter and cheese. The biscuit that accompanied it claimed to have jam inside of the corn cob, but the secret filling was so well hidden I had to interrogate the server to confirm its existence. The biscuit itself? Overloaded with baking powder, which made it feel like a chemistry experiment gone wrong. The fourth course was a real head-scratcher: a cauliflower tamal sculpture with a smiley face (yes, really), alongside collard greens, sausage, homemade ketchup, and crispy carrots. If you’ve ever dreamed of a fine-dining hot dog, congratulations—your moment has arrived. Full Review on Google

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  4. Aaron

    Costa Rica1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 7 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Tasting Menu at Silvestre was not only dellicious but also a very fun experience. Thanks so much for a memorable night

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  5. OpenTable Diner VIP

    Pittsburgh2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 3 March 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    My wife and I were expecting great things as reviews were consistently good. Food was mediocre. Expensive. Wine by glass choices were not a good value. Main dining area filled up and was quite noisy. Back patio looked charming but had limited tables. Saving grace was the delightful server Paloma. We would not return.

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  6. OpenTable Diner

    New Orleans1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It is pricy but worth it. Drinks are great, desserts no so much

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  7. Michael1964

    Monterrey6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 28 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Acabo de llegar de almorzar en el restaurante y me encantó. ¡Excelente servicio, excelente concepto, excelentes platos, y excelente ambiente! Felicitaciones.

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  8. AlejandraL

    Costa Rica2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 28 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    La comida estaba deliciosa, la experiencia muy buena y definitivamente volveremos. Estabamos de aniversario y nos chinearon mucho! Se los agradezco con el corazon.

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  9. OpenTable Diner

    Montreal3 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 27 February 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Beautiful creative cuisine, beautiful local produce. every little detail was very interesting. but the menu was a bit heavy, lots of "gluten", also lacking a lot of freshness and herbes. Overall great ingredients, a cuisine that lacks a lot of punch and freshness.

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  10. Carlos

    Costa Rica3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 21 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great experience with the “menu degustacion” and great food as always!!! The waiters really know about the product.

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FAQs

Silvestre is rated 4.8 stars by 894 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 17 times today
Google Map for Silvestre

Calle 3A - Ave. 11 - 955, Downtown, San José, San Jose 10101

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Latin American, Farm-to-table, Contemporary Latin American
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 12:00–14:45
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Valet Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Santiago Fernández Benedetto
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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