Capitán Cook

Description:

• Set between the beachfront and the main street of Cortecito, this is the most enduringly popular dive in town. Don't expect elaborate food, fancy sauces, or social prestige: In fact, when you approach the outdoor vestibule that prefaces the place, you might think you've entered the forecourt to a garage. The allure here is the ultrafresh seafood that's simply but superbly grilled to order from a chalkboard menu. A battery of outdoor grills lies near the entrance to a dining area whose tables are positioned beneath palm-frond gazebos overlooking a crowded stretch of rather narrow beach. Additional seating is upstairs, within an air-conditioned dining room that resembles a log cabin perched on stilts above Main Street. Platters of grilled fish, freshwater crab, or lobster will be accompanied by lime-flavored butter sauce.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2010