We're currently dining here, and from the moment my partner and I walked in, the experience has…read morebeen mixed. One of the hostesses was noticeably rude at the start, which set an uncomfortable tone. After being seated, our waiter hasn't been outright unkind, but there's a clear difference in how we're being treated compared to other guests. As a same-sex couple, it feels like we're not being received as warmly, even though he seems to be making an effort to remain professional. As a Puerto Rican, that's honestly a bit disappointing and feels out of place. That said, the food itself has been very good.

Great vibes, amazing food, and welcoming service! I would recommend this restaurant to anyone…read morevisiting PR! I got the churrasco and it was delicious.

Great atmosphere. The service was quick and attentive. Portion sizes are fantastic! Pricing was…read morestellar as well for a family

Yelp reviews brought me here…read more Unfortunately, they were out of four of the beef dishes on the menu that sparked my interest. They were completely out of beef. I've been eating pork for days, so that was not an option, and I really didn't want chicken nor fish. However, the waitress told me one of the chicken dishes was very good so I tried it. I had an appetizer and a cocktail. They were fine. For the entree, I had chicken breast with a creamy garlic sauce, served with seasoned rice mixed with beans. The rice was flavorful, but it was not warm, not heated thoroughly. The chicken lacked depth of flavor. It was cooked plain with a garlic sauce poured on top and a few slices of red sweet peppers. Service was fine. The waitress was very friendly and asked how everything was. I told her the rice was not warm. She offered to fix it. However, I lost my appetite. Casual dining atmosphere. Unfortunately, the food was mediocre. Maybe is was a bad night, not sure. I'm on vacation, so I will not return.

El Refran is located right on Ashford Ave- you cannot miss it - it's a tiny little restaurant that…read morealways has a line. For that reason, I'd recommend going at an off time for lunch because it was great! They were out of a few items, but I ended up with a pork chop with guava sauce and it was so good. They were also sadly out of the tres leches cake but I popped back in later that week as they were closing and were thrilled they had some left. That may have been the best tres leches I've ever had. The drinks were also delicious! We'll definitely return next time we're in PR.

This casual restaurant is a fun dinner stop with open air dining (not so good on a hot day though)…read more We went early at 5pm and avoided crowds. The restaurant filled up before we left. We went with the waitress's recommended dishes - Mofongo Churrasco (steak) and Mamposteao Tacu Tacu with grilled shrimp. Flavors were strong and a bit on the salty side, but delicious. We enjoyed both dishes. The Mamposteao Tacu Tacu has a long fancy name but it was rice and beans topped with skirt steak. The sangria was the happy hour cocktail of the night, very refreshing.

This was by far the best place I had in Puerto Rico. Having lived with a few Boricuas for a few…read moreyears, I was never impressed by Puerto Rican food. It's mostly fried and fatty (sorry) but this place was the opposite! My local guy in Puerto Rico told me I would love it since I told him I wasn't a fan of overly fried foods. So he, my client, and I went there and saw it was super cool and right next to Ft Buchanan Army base! This place was packed with locals, cops, blue collar, business folks.. every kind of person was there and everyone seemed to know each other! They had amazing maduros with chicken, carne, veggies, and rice that was so tasty! We ended up going two days in a row for lunch because it was so fantastic and I cant wait to come back here! Thanks for changing my mind on Puerto Rican food!

What a surprise! This place was far from what I expected! Simple environment, simple menu but…read morebeware, you are in for a treat. I was so grateful that my coworkers took me to this place. I was on line with a bunch of people who knew what they came for: good old Puerto Rican cuisine. I went for the pork stuffed with yuca. In was covered in bacon. What a delight!!! I have never tried this and was ecstatic at the combination of flavors. I had two more carbs as side dishes as if that was not enough. Yuca frita fríes and arroz con longaniza. I was in heaven. I was told by saint Peter that this will be served in the heavenly banquet. I was well beyond full from the serving size but not ashamed of the generosity of their service. No longer could I pretend to have an inspired working dinner. I was a clear recipient of the culinary genius behind this creation. Enjoy!!

This is my favorite place to eat! Theres homestyle cooking food everywhere such as spaghetti,…read moreravioli, rice and beans, sausage, chicken, meatloaf, you name it! Chef Ivette really pours her heart and soul onto all her dishes, along with a healthy dose of scowels to accompany you across your culinary experience. Just dont bring dogs or cats- she hates those! Sometimes the food can be a little greasy, but it wouldnt be St. Kitts style Puertorican food if it wasnt accompanied by an immediate emergency run for the toilet! Good food, surrounded by good friends, good family, and a grumpy older woman from St. Kitts hobbling around on what seems to be a peg leg old pirates used while mumbling inaudible tired grunts and sentences from her mouth. You just cant get more authentic than this!

OUT OF TOWNERS!! I went to this restaurant because the restaurant across the street was closed, and…read morethat was what I previously did research on as far as a meal !! next door was open, so I stopped by and the service was nice, but I have one complaint... I was about to order the shrimp and rice off of their menu, which is listed for $24, this is my first time being in Puerto Rico, so I thought to ask the server what would he recommend and he recommended shrimp in Mofongo... I assumed it would be similar price... considering it's still shrimp with a side when I got the bill I was charged $26 for just SHRIMP ... if I enjoyed my meal, I probably would not be as upset about this price but $26 for eight shrimp is absolutely absurd! Especially considering you have a entire meal that comes with shrimp and rice for 24... I'm usually not the type of person to cause complaints in a restaurant, but I definitely asked for clarification from a manager.. and he assured me that that price was correct... I absolutely did not care for them Mofongo... which I was anticipating trying because a lot of people have recommended it. theirs was very dry and firm. I definitely tried it with a open mind and others might have a different opinion than me. ...The shrimp was very good but not $26 good‍ .... The shrimp were average size they were not large or jumbo. ... for reference a side of shrimp where I am from (georiga) is about 10 maybe $15. I do get that I am in a touristy area so prices might be inflated. ... but that price just doesn't seem ethical. I also ordered a drink that tasted like cough medicine and the server was very nice with getting the drink replaced , lastly i ordered a piece of chocolate cake that is listed on the website to come with "snack and chocolate" and it was just a piece of cake in a box all in all I would write this restaurant a 1 ... definitely not worth returning to nothing was WOW, maybe I should have tried something else, but I don't feel like the food I got was worth what I paid‼

Un lugar al frente de un malecón y vista majestuosa del viejo San Juan; y cerca del pier para…read morellegar a pie. Un servicio ameno, la espera por una mesa fue como un relámpago, en segundos. Nuestra mesera Paula su servicio fue carismático y atento. Flipe con los chorizos en salsa de vino tinto y especias criollas. Los camarones parecían unas gambas, muy ricas es su punto de sabor de ajo no fue invasivo. Fue majestuoso en boca. Y que decir de la chuleta Can Can, sencillamente sublime, crocante, jugosa, el punto de sal único. 20 de 10. Maridaje cerveza local Medalla y cerveza sin alcohol Heineken 0.0. Sin embargo, hay cócteles de autor y tradicionales.

I'm still thinking about this meal... hands down the best dinner I've had on vacation--maybe ever…read more Santaella absolutely blew me away. We started with the tuna pinchos, and wow--fresh, perfectly chunky, and packed with flavor. Then came the goat cheese quesadilla, which might honestly be one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. Creamy, rich, and just unreal. I finally had the chance to try escargot for the first time--and now I feel completely spoiled for life. If that was my introduction, the bar has officially been set sky high. Even the Caesar salad stood out--crisp, balanced, and done exactly right (which is rarer than it should be). But the real star of the show for me? The guava and cheese bread pudding. I'm not exaggerating when I say I would 100% pay to have that Ubered all the way to me in Miami. It was that good. What blew my mind was the staff it looked like a hive of well trained bees just buzzing around this insanely packed room doing the best job. The general manager should be proud. Every bite felt intentional, elevated, and memorable. This place didn't just meet expectations--it completely redefined them. Spectacular doesn't even begin to cover it. BRAVO. Chefs kiss.

Wasn't aware Sundays had a completely different setup, and we were disappointed to be seated on the…read morepatio. Half of the chairs were wet when we arrived, and the waiter had us wipe them down ourselves. On top of that, several menu items we wanted were unavailable, and one of our drinks never even came out, despite reminding the waiter multiple times. We also received an email only a few hours before our reservation saying it had been moved two hours earlier, even though nobody from the restaurant contacted us directly or confirmed the change with us. Overall, the atmosphere just wasn't pleasant and the service felt off the entire night. The food was alright, but definitely nothing memorable. The staff also seemed very unwelcoming, which added to the strange vibe overall.

Ordered on doordash and it was quick and tasty. Big portions and good discounts. Will have to try…read moreother items from menu soon. The kankan pork was good and rice was also flavorful.

MERO! MERO! Order the Mero!…read more I had an opportunity to try this place through Uber Eats when I looked it up online I saw that it's a beautiful restaurant, very nicely designed and conveniently in the Metro San Juan area. I don't think many people know about this place, but they should...! Based upon the menu that I reviewed, they offer a lot of delicious things and they're pretty moderately priced. I would highly recommend coming here in person. I plan to do so today!

We were in the area shopping around and exploring. It was earlier in the day so not many places…read morewere open, we saw signs leading to this food truck. They had such poor service, they were not helpful in providing menu items or recommendations. Very impatient. The truck was pretty small, clean interior, and drinks were organized. They had limited seating with NO shade/umbrellas. After they took our order we waited over 40 minutes for three boxes of food. The platter came with meat, veggies, two sauces, and another side of choice (I chose fries). We all got Chicharrones, it was very juicy and tender. And the exterior skin was surprisingly really crunchy! Super tasty!! The fries were mediocre, cold and thick cuts. Portions were filling, none of us were able to finish. I don't recommend, plenty of other restaurants that offer the same items with better service and shorter wait times.

Love Trifongo Taino the bartenders are amazing and the food is fresh and delicious! If you come to…read moreLa Placita you must make a stop at Trifongo Taino is right in front of Paraiso.

Food and Service are amazing, Sarah was a great waitress. She was attentive to us as recurring…read morecustomers and was on top of refilling drinks and food orders. This was our go-to spot.

Look, were we at an alcapurria spot ordering pastelillos? Yes. Do we regret it? Absolutely not…read more We got one each of vegetariano, cebolla y queso, pollo, and guayaba con queso. The vegetariano was mid, but the other three? No complaints. But honestly, the food is only part of the story here. The vibe is everything. Salsa playing, high energy, warm service. We rolled in late and hungry, looking for sweet refuge from La Placita crowds, and they welcomed us like we belonged there. The music started out mixed, but at some point it shifted to Contra La Corriente front to back. We were enjoying our pastelillos, singing along to No Me Conoces, minding our own business when... el apagón. Not the whole Placita, just a couple spots including this one. The staff didn't miss a beat. Flashlights came out, mood lighting appeared, and nobody rushed us. We finished our food. We paid. We left happy. 5 stars because some experiences are bigger than the sum of their parts. This was one of them.