The waters off Jacó are some of the best deep-sea fishing on Costa Rica's Pacific coast. Head out of Los Suenos Marina in Playa Herradura — a few minutes north of Jacó — and you can come back with a cooler full of mahi-mahi, tuna and wahoo. The only question is what to do with all that beautiful fresh fish. The answer: don't let it sit in the freezer, and don't try to fillet and fry it yourself after a long day on the water. Bring it to us. Jaco Beach Chef will clean it, cook it, and serve it fresh at your villa that same evening — ceviche, seared tuna, grilled fillets, fish tacos — exactly how you want it.
From the boat to your table, the same day
There's nothing fresher than fish you caught yourself that morning. We'll meet your catch at the villa, break it down properly, and build a meal around it — cooked to order in your rental's kitchen or out on the grill, and cleaned up after so you never touch a dish. It's the perfect ending to a day on the water: everyone's tired, a little sunburned, and starving, and dinner just appears.
What's biting out of Jacó
The Central Pacific is loaded with fish year-round, and the best eating comes home with you:
- Mahi-mahi (dorado) — the most common keeper, and one of the best fish on the grill. Firm, mild, and perfect for tacos or a simple grilled fillet.
- Yellowfin tuna — incredible seared rare, as tartare, or in a fresh poke. Hard to beat when it was swimming that morning.
- Wahoo — a prized, clean-tasting fish that's excellent grilled or pan-seared.
- Roosterfish & snapper — inshore favorites; snapper is a classic whole-fried Tico dish.
One honest note: the big billfish — sailfish and marlin — are catch-and-release in Costa Rica, so those stay in the ocean for the next angler. We cook the keepers: mahi, tuna, wahoo and the inshore fish.
Ways we'll cook it
Tell us how your group likes to eat and we'll build the night around the catch:
- Ceviche & tiradito — bright, citrusy, and the perfect first bite while the grill heats up.
- Seared tuna, tartare or poke — if the tuna's running, we'll show it off.
- Grilled mahi or wahoo — simple fillets with Costa Rican sides, or dressed up however you like.
- Fish tacos — a crowd favorite after a day on the water, with all the fixings.
- Whole fried snapper (pargo frito) — the authentic Tico way, if snapper comes home.
Allergies, kids, someone who doesn't do seafood? No problem — we'll cook something off the grill for them too. See our full dinner menu options and how we handle dietary needs and allergies.
Didn't catch anything? We've still got you
Some days the fish win. If you come back empty-handed — or you'd rather skip the boat altogether — we can still do a full fresh seafood night with fish and shellfish picked up that morning. Either way, you get a restaurant-quality seafood dinner at your villa without lifting a finger.
Good to know
Deep-sea charters run out of Los Suenos Marina in Playa Herradura, just north of Jacó — one of Costa Rica's top sportfishing hubs. Book your chef the same day you book the boat so we're ready when you dock. Message us for a free quote based on your group size and how you'd like your catch cooked.
Make it a whole week on the water
A big group down for the fishing? We can handle the rest of the trip too — breakfast, lunch and dinner through your stay, a pool-party spread on a day off, and the fishing and boat plans themselves. Read up on the Herradura bay and marina and the area's tours, party boats and sport fishing. One team, the whole trip handled.
Let's cook your catch
Going fishing out of Jacó or Herradura this week? Send us your date and group size and we'll be ready to turn your haul into one of the best meals of the trip.