Mango Tree Cafe - Almirante

Stumbled upon this cafe by pure, beautiful luck! It is located in the front part of the Mar Y Sol Hostel with a new sign for Mango Tree Cafe being painted even as we speak (or type . When my husband and I were planning our trip to Costa Rica and researching all the cool little places to eat and hang out...THIS is the place we were dreaming about! We walked in and were instantly greeted like old friends by Peter, just the most down-to-earth, fun-loving person. By the end of our conversation, we had made plans to come back for a dinner of fresh-caught tuna and mackerel. Later that night, as we neared the Mango Tree Cafe, we could smell the insanely amazing aromas of our fish being grilled out front. Holy mackerel (yep...I just went there . There was a candle-lit table for two waiting for us, and Peter with his business partner, Tez, were grilling up a storm. We sat there with a cooling breeze coming off the ocean, the sounds of crashing waves only yards away, the mouth-watering smells of the grilling sea-food, drinking our icy beverages, and had to pinch ourselves (actually, we pinched each other...not that we 're into that kind of thing...wait...not that there 's anything wrong with that. . You get the picture, tho '. It seemed like heaven on earth...then Peter served the food... Oh my gosh...the food! I swear to you, I don 't know how to describe it. It seems futile to try. The tuna: perfectly grilled, so fresh and tender! The mackerel: also insanely fresh, smoky, and melting in our mouths! Add the delightfully subtle flavor of the beans and rice combined with a comfortingly tender baked potato. The salad of fresh greens and veggies with a hint of cilantro and a bright, tangy dressing seemed to bring out even more flavor in everything on our plate! But wait! Did I mention the mango salsa! Peter 's secret recipe! It was served in a shot glass which prompted my husband to want to actually shoot it...It was THAT delicious!!! Put it all together and we found that all five of our senses...plus our hearts...were in their happy place. I could say so much more, but I 'm afraid I 've created a wall of words already. In a nutshell: Don 't skip the Mango Tree Cafe!

The owners are the nicest people in the world. Get the lobster and dine outside with a view of the beach. Maybe add a bit of rum to a tamarind batido. What more could you want?

Wonderful food wonderful views wonderful people well worth the trip

Best meal I had in Costa Rica!!! We had grilled tuna and grilled mackerel. OMG, so fresh and so good. Both came with homemade salsa for which they should die. Salsa was prepared with mango, papaya, pepper, cilantro and olive oil. So tasteful! If I had this salsa every day, I would be a happy camper. The fish was grilled by Tez in front and the wonderful smoke aroma of the fish grill really got the appetite. Peter's service was fast and friendly. The atmosphere is very Caribbean. The café is located right on the beach with a fantastic view of the beach and the sea. The price was fantastic! This is a place in Manzanillo that you cannot miss! I'm back! update: good I went back... many times. Jenny the main cook prepared Caribbean chicken to die for that. I am now convinced that Jenny is the best cook in Manzanillo!

The café is now called Cool and Calm Cafe. Here you will find the best food, the best service and the friendly staff of each facility in the area of Manzanillo... by far. Prices are very favourable for both food and beer. Our group of 6 ate there 3 separate nights and we were never disappointed. Highlights were the lobster and shrimp with pasta (recovered), Caribbean chicken, roasted Yucca root and red Snapper fillet. Food tastes wonderful and Andy the cook and owner also place the food beautiful. Andy sat with us after dinner last night in Manzanillo, shared some cold beers and told us about his life. Wow, what a great guy. Please stop at his café. They won't be disappointed.