Mike,
There is alot of night life for single males near the presidente, but it is not the best family neighborhood. Walking with-in the a couple of blocks is safe, but further out than 2-3 get a cab to be careful. None of the restuarants listed before are with-in walking distance, except Bakea which has been closed since January 2008. There are 3-4 museums with-in walking distance if you are looking for day time activity.
For an excellent meal get a cab to Hotel Grano de Oro, which is about 5 minutes from the Presidente. The Presidente is downtown San Jose, and the same evils you can find downtown anywhere will be available and many should be avoided.
Have fun!!