Really good food at reasonable prices…read more Friendly and efficient service. My food was out in about 10-15 minutes after ordering...despite it being packed that night. There is seemingly a wait on most nights...especially during peak dinner (6pm - 7:30pm) hours. Visiting during the week, or a bit later in the night may decrease wait times. Dining area is pretty tight so there isn't much privacy and space between tables. Pay at register counter after receiving your bill.

El Jibarito is absolutely worth the visit if you're looking for authentic Puerto Rican food. We had…read morethe lechón con salsa de plátano, and it was absolutely delicious--full of flavor and cooked perfectly! We were a large group, so there was about a 30-minute wait for a table, but that's part of the fonda-style experience. Tables turn over as people finish their meals, and while you're waiting, you can relax with an ice-cold Medalla, which makes the time go by quickly. A special thank you to the staff for the excellent service and warm hospitality. The food, the atmosphere, and the friendly staff made this one of our favorite dining experiences in Old San Juan. We will definitely be back!

Very popular restaurant on the main street near the cruise port…read more Expect waits during peak dinner hours (6pm - 7:30pm) especially on weekends and when the cruise ships are docked. I was able to get a single seat at the bar (there is a small - about 6-8 seats - bar toward the back of restaurant) during peak times on a weekday evening. I ordered the steak which was good but the wait for food was about 30-40 minutes...granted...they were packed that night. Service was excellent throughout...very friendly and patient staff.

Came here for the Pina Coladas, stayed for literally everything else! PR had me in a Sangria &…read moreMofongo Chokehold! It literally doesn't get better than that! This spot was in walking distance from our bnb in San Juan - 10/10, it was cute and lively. It kinda gave sports bar vibes but we enjoyed it! The service was amazing! Like everywhere else in PR. The food, easy- delicious! Drinks, amazing, food amazinger?! Lol we had a time here and enjoyed every second! Great place to stop for some PR staples and a fun atmosphere!

Amazing service for such a large group last minute. Food…read moreand drinks were out of this world. The skirt steak was some of the best steak I've ever had especially for the price. Grouper was so refreshing and creole sauce was phenomenal. Such a cute restaurant with amazing art anf cut little homemade crafts to buy at the entrance if you'd like!

When you walk into the restaurant, there many rooms of all sizes. The servicers are professional…read moreand pleasant. The food was good. They have a wonderful selection to please everyone. You can order for yourself or sharable plates. Highly recommended We did not have a reservation, but they accommodated us.

The food here lives up to the hype! I did not care for the bacalaitos appetizer, but the pork and…read morethe beef were fantastic. On top of that, the mofongo (or did I get the trifongo? sorry, I forget, it's been a month) here was the best I've had in PR; it was well-seasoned and perfectly savory. This was probably my favorite place to have eaten at in PR, and I actually miss the food *cries in California* The space was cozy, and service was friendly if slow. If we had stayed more than a night, I definitely would've had more than one meal here.

This place was alright but credit to a delicious mofongo!…read more Everything came out on paper plates, plastic cups, and also a red solo cup. That seems to be different than all the images i see here. The virgin piña colada was $10 compared to a different review i see here showing less. The vibe was awkward with us being the only group, not much branding, and the paper plates. Good for if you're out shopping in old san juan but nothing crazy that since i didn't grab a picture of the food.

Great food. The sampler platter is a perfect mix. We were looking for something authentic and this…read moreplace was perfect.

This restaurant has been on my San Juan list and it happened to be near my Airbnb so it was a no…read morebrainer for my friends and I to visit. Since I've always seen the long lines outside this store when I passed by, we decided that we try to go in as soon as it opened. So, we lined up around 11:30am. We barely waited much and we got seated. The server that day was quick/efficient/friendly despite the fact that she was running a one woman show. And the food arrived within a decent time. My friends and I decided to order the PUERTO RICAN PLATTER with a side of a side salad. This platter comes with everything you could want & maybe something that might be a bit adventurous for you to eat like blood sausage. Despite that, it's a nice platter to share and try a bit of everything. It's really nice that if you order for 4 people, they give you exactly the amount of pieces that are divisible by 4 (so everyone can try 1-2 pieces of each thing evenly). It also comes with a decent amount of rice/pork as a supplementation, which was nice. It's a balanced meal. And I think the side salad did well to balance out all the fried foods. Overall, we really enjoyed this place. It's a great place to come with friends/families to share. It's a great place as a visitor to try a bit of everything. The platter is a great introduction of puerto rican fried finger foods. And it all taste great! From the presentation of the food to the service here, it's all good. I would recommend this place to others.

I guess Mallorca is a traditional sweet bread with powdered sugar on top. Our funny waiter who…read morespeaks lightning fast Spanish but also does pretty well with English gave us samples of Mallorca. We ordered more with bacon, egg, cheese, and some with ham and cheese. They were serving lunch so we tried the Pernïl and rice and beans. We also got a salmon plate and a chicken cacciatore cooked in Spanish rice. The restaurant is old and very unassuming, but it doesn't stop the crowds of people to come and visit and see old San Juan history which this building has to be part of. It's not glamorous but you feel like you transported back into the very early years of Old San Juan when maybe it was still just San Juan.

A MUST if you're staying in Old San Juan!! The greatest breakfast in a really traditional…read moreold-school cafeteria. Pictures of Old San Juan in the early 1900s line the walls to show how little the town has changed in the past century, and Mallorca Cafetería is a gem that has withstood the test of time. Definitely an affordable breakfast as the most expensive mallorca is still under $10. Cafe con leche in styrofoam cups is a staple that is great even in the heat. Definitely worth getting a cup of orange juice as it is freshly squeezed to order. During my stay in Puerto Rico I had several mallorcas around the island but none come close to what I consider the original. Pressed and doused in powdered sugar it's surprisingly both light and filling. We had tried coming at around 9a the previous day and there was already a long line outside so we chose go to somewhere else but made sure we were out the door by 6:30a the next day to get to Mallorca before it opened and there was still a bit of a line. We were able to get in and situate ourselves once they opened at 7a; there are lots of small tables with chairs which we chose because we had a larger group but if dining solo or with one person it's definitely a great experience to sit at the bar for a more traditional feel. Again, this is a must for me every time I am in San Juan and I'm happy to carve out some time for one of the greatest breakfasts you can have. Would rate ten stars if it were possible.

This restaurant is exactly the kind of place you'd want to bring your SO to. It's very romantic,…read moreit's got a live band, and the music is loud enough to listen and enjoy, but soft enough to have conversation. The food was a joy from start to finish. I started with a drink that resembles an espresso martini, but very inspired by the locality. We shared cassava baskets filled with ropa vieja and some local cheese. This was incredible but I did find the cassava shell tough to chew. My main dish was the catch of the day, which was snapper (absolutely delightful!) the snapper was served with a dollop of mashed potatoes and tostines! Everything here was incredible though I did find two of the tostones tough to chew. Dessert was bread pudding using Mallorca bread with coconut and guava alongside a scoop of ice cream. This was a bit of a let down, but still wonderful. Service could be better? We did feel like everything took a long time due to the waiters absence. Otherwise, this place was great! Do come!

Nearing the end of a weeklong stay in PR, on our first night in Viejo San Juan my group and I chose…read moreto go to Princesa. What intrigued us most was their commitment to Puerto Rican traditional cooking styles dating back to the 1800s. I was able to make a reservation on the same day and was seated as soon as I arrived . The interior was absolutely stunning; softly lit wood and trees everywhere with the backdrop being an old wall from the original walls built by the Spanish many centuries ago. I believe there were no booths, all tables with chairs. The food was good, but unfortunately it did not live up to the absolute charm of the ambience. The arancini was a good starter, although it was stated to have longaniza and I didn't detect any visually nor by taste. The cocktails were interesting and not terribly overpriced. For my meal I had the risotto caribeño which perfectly meshed the arroz con gandules I grew up eating (and now make myself) with creamy risotto! I was pleasantly surprised and appreciated the amarillos chopped up and mixed in. While there is no question this is one of Princesa's most popular dishes, I did kind of find it to be...monotonous? I wish there was something else in my bowl. I appreciated the tostones that came with the obligatory mayochup but also would have liked to see some more color on my plate. For dessert I had the queso de flan manchego, which I also quite enjoyed. I know manchego is a hard cheese akin to Parmesan but I was still surprised of the texture it had within the flan, which from muscle memory I expected to be smooth. Great taste. Overall this is a special place and can quickly become pricey. It would be good for a romantic dinner or another special occasion.

Amazing Paella Sangria and Flamenco Show! Good service nice ambience. Restaurant has a history used…read moreto be a Local Bank in the sixties.

Place is outdated, but spacious. They offer a flamenco show at 7:30 that is so worth watching…read more Juan Carlos is amazing. As for the service, so-so. Our waiter was not very attentive nor ready to provide recommendations. He showed up only when called over to the table. Ordered the croquettes and the were still raw inside. Overcooked on the outside. Let him know and he said yes, I don't like that texture. Really, he could have said something when I ordered them. The octopus was bland, the patatas bravas had a nice spicy flavor. The risotto was nicely sized, but lacked flavor. Overall service lacking, food average, show amazing.

We happened upon this place and decided to try the cod fish croquettes. Simple but flavorful!!…read moreLoved not only the food but the family that owned it. The service was wonderful. It's a small but quaint place that you need to go check out!

OMG!!! Ok so you HAVE TO GO TO THIS PLACE!! Everything is delicious. Walked in thought, "ok, so…read morelet's give the TINY place a chance. And the inside IS TINY but the food is explosive!! Tried 6 different things ALL yummy but the pork dumplings?!?! And the ravioli!?!? I was so full by the time the burger and fries came I thought noooo but my taste buds said come on babyyyyy..... Also had a delicious turnover and fried plantains all good. The guys running the place are great too, Really friendly but the fooood ! Portions big enough to share.

Permanently closed per Google (we couldn't find it). But Brasas in the same area was AMAZING! Try…read morethe stuffed mofongos.

Wonderful restaurant! We have been twice and loved each time. I am vegetarian while my husband is…read morenot. Chef Josh made an amazing vegetarian stuffed pepper dish that was not on the regular menu. Wonderful to have a chef that can accommodate and create tastey dish. Friendly service, great food and nice location. I will continue to frequent this restaruant.