This is hands down the classiest restaurant in Bocas. The setting is so picturesque, with beautiful hardwoods, soft lighting and a view of Isla Carenero. The salads and steak were fantastic, and it was a nice treat to have a glass of wine for a change. The first time I tried to eat here it was absolutely packed, so I recommend making reservations.

This place is pricier than most Bocas restaurants (I'd have given it four stars otherwise), but I suppose that's to be expected of any restaurant with absolutely no competition for customers. The setting is great, right in the sand at Bocas del Drago, and the menu is huge! I had a garlicky shrimp dish which was surprisingly good, as were the calamari and fries. The servers were very friendly and attentive, especially given how busy the restaurant was when I was there.

I recommend settling into any Bocas vacation by heading straight to the Refugio and tossing back a glass or four of tasty sangria as the sun sets. I've been here several times and have never been disappointed. Some of my favorite dishes have been the hummus appetizer, deviled eggs, buffalo-style calamari, black and blue salad (tasty steak and blue cheese over greens) and meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes. Even though I'm always stuffed by the end of a meal, I can never resist the stellar desserts like apple crisp and peanut butter pie.

While visiting Bocas del Toro a couple of weeks back, a friend and I were caught in a sudden and torrential downpour. The closest cover was at the Paradise Hotel and Restaurant, so we ducked in, just glancing at the board outside long enough to notice that it happened to be happy hour! I ordered a mojito and was thrilled to notice the bartender coming outside a couple of minutes later to pick fresh mint for my drink out of one of the beautiful planters that decorate the covered deck. The fresh mint did its job and the mojito was fabulous! We came back a couple of days later for dinner, and the ambiance on the deck was wonderful. I enjoyed a delicious salad--a true rarity in Bocas--and a huge plate of seafood pasta in a creamy lobster sauce (and another mojito, of course).