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    Café Manolín

    4.4 (879 reviews)
    ModerateCaribbean
    Open 7:30 am - 4:30 pm

    Café Manolín Caribbean Restaurant Photos

    CAFÉ MANOLÍN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Café Manolín

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    Stephanie L.

    While in Puerto Rico we decided to try a local spot for food. This place had really good Google reviews and it was a short walk so we decided to give them a try. When we arrived the place was packed which to me is a good indication that the food is good. We waited for quite a while, and we were probably acknowledged once thee entire time we were waiting. As some people got up from the bar we were seated there. I wasn't really sure what to order and asked my server for suggestions and went with her suggestion, which was snapper and mofongo. My son ordered a cheeseburger with fries! I was under the impression that the snapper was going to be fried, but it was just a pan seared filet. Neither the fish or the mofongo had enough seasoning for me, so for me the meal wasn't the best. My son however really enjoyed his food. Service was just okay, we were never asked how our meal was. It's a really small space and gets really packed, but you can tell they have a lot of locals that are regulars. And while we were eating a guy came in playing an instrument and singing which was nice!

    Steak
    Rick C.

    What a great diner atmosphere. Looked crowded but didn't have to wait . Old fashion plastic coated menus . Service was excellent. Churrasco Steak cooked perfectly. First time eating Mofongo relleno de pollo. When mixed with the rice and beans its excellent.

    Daily special: carne mechada
    Lyee C.

    I went to Café Manolín as it was recommended by my local friend. Maybe half touristy, but still filled with locals and super affordable prices for their selection of Puerto Rican specialties. Exterior is a blue building, with it slightly misplaced location-wise on Google Maps. Luckily, I had my friend with me and we found the spot and were seated right away during the lunch rush on a Sunday. Interior has a mix of bar and table seating, a little on the noisier side, mostly from lively chatter and brassy laughter. I asked for the daily menu and a recommendation, and went with their carne mechada. Delicious. The arroz con gandules was super flavorful, and the tostones and mofongo were amazing. Definitely try the house hot sauce here. I only went to a few Puertan Rican spots during my visit: Café Manolín took the cake. You get a large amount of food for the price, and the food is delicious. If you can land a spot, I recommend going here for your fix of Puertan Rican dishes.

    Eggs and pan
    Rose S.

    Great local simple spot! We wanted a good breakfast and fast as it was our last morning in San Juan and Cafe Manolin was just perfect. We ordered cafe con leche, eggs and bread with butter. Yes I dipped the bread in the coffee lol I felt comfy and at home at this place as it is clearly well known by the neighborhood locals. The servers know the regulars and I enjoyed seeing their interactions. Food was simple and hit the spot. We were out of there in no time and on our way to our next destination. I recommend it if you're on a budget looking for simple, not overpriced and relaxed atmosphere.

    Will X.

    A local fav that's generally going to be busy with both people working in the area as well as tourists. Good place to sample mofongo - mashed plantain was good, chicken was fine if a bit dry so def needs the ketchup or hot sauce they provide. Service is great. Cool cozy diner feel.

    Raya V.

    Came during SanSe which is one of the busiest times of year. My daughter and I had been walking around and I wanted her to try a local place that is not touristy with authentic food. Cafe Manolin did not disappoint. She loved it. Very affordable food with great flavors and great staff. Everyone is so hardworking and kind. I love it here. Great vibes always. Thank you for the consistency and not breaking the bank.

    Lunch crowd from the counter
    Pam S.

    Food was delicious! We loved the ambiance. The place was packed with visitors and locals. We had a great time sharing conversation with the San Juan lunch crowd! We made it a point to come here every time we are in the city all the way from New Orleans.

    Trifongo
    Joann S.

    A little packed but a group of 7 got seats at the bar :) Bartender was super helpful and recommended the trifongo which had yuka plantains and something else. I loved it! Cheese flan tasted like cheesecake, texture was a little thick but pretty good!

    Mofongo with Camarones
    Phylicia H.

    I was excited to come back here for lunch. Just like last time, the place was packed with both tourists and locals. Our waiter was super friendly, and service was pretty quick. I wanted the mofongo but went lighter with the onion steak, paired with plantains and salad (rice and beans would've been obviously been better). My friend had the empanada Milanesa and really enjoyed it--she'd definitely order it again. The real standout was the flan--topped with coconut and absolutely delicious. Easily a 10/10! We had a sweet treat every day during our stay in PR, and this flan was hands down the best.

    Amazing food. Service was wonderful. Air conditioned. Everything was perfect. 10/10 meal for our last day in PR!

    Sierra a la Parrilla (grilled king fish) and Mofongo Relleno de Camarones - good
    Lynn O.

    Café Manolín is an old school diner that has been serving breakfast and lunch since the 1940s. It does get packed so expect a wait for service and food. The AC is bumping to keep everyone nice and cool. We tried the Mofongo Relleno de Camarones (the traditional Puerto Rican green plantain dish filled with shrimp) for $18.95 and Sierra a la Parrilla (grilled king fish) for $14.95. Each plate comes with two sides of your choosing. We got rice, beans, salad and sweet plantains, which were all delicious. The king fish was a bit on the tough and dry side, like swordfish. We washed our food down with coconut juice and Medalla, the local beer. The staff are accommodating, but they are sure quick to close at 4pm!

    Mofongo relleno de pollo
    Dave B.

    Delicious stop for dinner. Found this place while roaming the streets, and glad we did. I ordered the pork dish and my wife got the chicken dish. Both excellent and flavorful. I think the pork dish was better Our server was friendly and helpful showing us images of the food on her phone. No English, so that was helpful. We sat at a counter and it was pretty crowded. But crowded is good.

    Bartolo V.

    We were looking for a place to eat once we got to San Juan, we were actually looking for another place but hunger was killing us so we walked in there. The service wasn't bad but they were out of some items on the menu, we ordered a sprite and passion fruit drink and they were out. The food was delicious tho, the empanadas were great and so were the stuff tostones. It was a bit over priced to be honest but that must be because it's right in the heart of the tourist San Juan area but just for those three food dishes, a coke and 2 waters the total came out to $70. Again the food was good but it doesn't justify the price. The overall vibes of the place was nice tho. Very old school. I liked it.

    2 eggs & ham

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    Page 1 of 22

    Café Manolín Reviews in Other Languages

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    Marmalade - Popcorn Shrimp

    Marmalade

    4.7(1.7k reviews)
    0.2 km
    $$$$

    let me begin by saying i had the absolute pleasure of having NAOMI as my server, and she made my…read morenight very special. boy does she know her stuff! she gave me amazing recommendations and knew everything about every single wine that came in my wine pairing. she even threw in a few fun & interesting facts! as for the restaurant itself, there is no a la carte optikn, just a 5 course meal, but you are able to choose which dish you want for each course... with the exception of the navy bean soup which automatically comes as your 2nd course, but rightfully so! a creamy navy bean texture with pork flavors and truffle sprinkled on top makes a fantastic soup! another standout dish for me was my 3rd plate: rabbit with kale pasta and mushrooms. the flavor that bursts out from a bite of the mushroom complements the rabbit perfectly and the al dente texture of the kale pasta really rounds out the dish. i highly recommend the wine pairing, especially for this dish, as it comes with a gamay that really pairs well with the rabbit flavor. the highlight of the night was the chocolate cake i ordered for dessert. i am biased because i have a big sweet tooth, but it may have been the most amazing dessert ive ever had in my life. overall, a 5 star experience that i will be bringing everyone back to again and again.

    We came here for a birthday and dont regret it at all. Everything was great about this restaurant…read morefrom the atmosphere to the food. Its a fine dining restaurant so the restaurant is really upscale but they also made the restaurant a bit cozy at the same time. The service was amazing as well. Im sorry I forgot his name but he paid really good attention and constantly checked on us especially for my allergies. The food was some of the most delicious food ive ever tasted, especially the risotto (10/10). There was one dish that my girlfriend didnt like but they went immediately to get her something new. Im only giving a 4 star because the dessert i had did have something I was allergic to despite reassurance which cause swollen lips and throwing up outside. Im not sure if the dessert was pre-made but having the allergens directly on the menu may help. Otherwise I completely recommend trying here.

    Photos
    Marmalade - Cozy seats

    Cozy seats

    Marmalade - Three Little Pigs

    Three Little Pigs

    Marmalade - White Hominy Soup with Truffles

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    White Hominy Soup with Truffles

    La Cueva del Mar - Mofongo with Ropa Vieja

    La Cueva del Mar

    4.4(518 reviews)
    6.3 km
    $$

    I highly enjoyed La Cueva Del Mar! I wanted a mix of Latin and seafood and this was the perfect…read morechoice. It was recommended by one of our tour guides so it is a great option for both locals and tourists. It had a nice atmosphere and very large menu with many different types of options. The Frutti di mare was one of the best pastas I've ever had! It had almost every type of seafood you could want. A great option for someone who wants to try a bit of everything. It was large enough to satisfy you but not too large where you have to take leftovers it back to your hotel. It also came with a salad and delicious bread. My husband ordered the yucafongo pollo, and was very impressed. It was also filling and well made. The drink menu also had a lot of options. I went with the sangria which was super tasty! It's more on the fruity side. Our service was great and we didn't have to wait long for a table or our food, although it seemed busy. Whether you live in the area or are just on vacation, I would recommended trying it out!

    This is the "main restaurant" in the Embassy Suites Hotel and Casino…read more It's seafood based and has a pretty extensive menu. We got the Tuna nachos and the shrimp tacos to share. Everything was fresh and delicious! The portions were perfect for sharing and had a wonderful flavor! The shrimp tacos were lightly breaded and had a good flavor. The nachos had fresh ahi tuna and a great flavor with the seaweed salad! The service was good and fast too! The price was a bit high, but it's what you expect in a hotel lobby.

    Photos
    La Cueva del Mar - Inside

    Inside

    La Cueva del Mar - Fish tacos & Sangria

    Fish tacos & Sangria

    La Cueva del Mar - The bar area

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    The bar area

    La Casita Blanca

    La Casita Blanca

    4.4(683 reviews)
    6.9 km
    $$

    As a team we are going for a 4.5 rating. So I do 5 , my wife does 4…read more Get here early opens 11:30 on Sunday about 11 for parking and to get in. They do have valet parking and it is a good idea to use. Roads are narrow and parking is hard to find. Plantain Soup given when you first meet the server. Very good. Beers are $18 Caasita mule $14 very good Arepas con bacalao $18. very fish forward, good. Pigs feet and chickpea stew $19. Aguacate Camarones $27. They have their own hot sauce. Rojo pique, very good $14 Service was very good Note they have a James Beard award.

    Outstanding food. Every bite was delicious. Definitely really popular lunch restaurant and filled…read morewith both locals and tourists. We arrived at 11am on a Monday because that's when we thought they opened. They actually opened at 11:30am, so we were 2nd in line at 11am. Once 11:30am rolled around, the line was very long. It's an old house that was transformed into a restaurant. It's pretty big in there and they have an upstairs as well. It really feels like you're eating in a Caribbean home, from the colorful tablecloth to the things on the tables. The menu is on a board, and they have a Spanish and English version. They give you a cup of complimentary plantain soup which was amazing. We also ordered the fried cheese app which came with a delicious guava sauce. For mains, I had the fried pork with tostones and my husband had the mamposteado (corned beef, fried eggs, and rice). My husband cleaned his plate, while I took leftovers back to the hotel (which we actually ate later because it was that good). They were out of tres leches that day, so we had the coconut pudding for dessert. It was my first time trying coconut pudding and it did not disappoint! For drinks, we had the passionfruit sangria. When we left, there was a very long line outside. Despite the line, they did not rush us out. Definitely recommend and would go out of my way to come back next time I'm in PR.

    Photos
    La Casita Blanca
    La Casita Blanca
    La Casita Blanca - Sangria

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    Sangria

    La Garita - Garlic shrimp and octopus mofongo

    La Garita

    4.3(236 reviews)
    0.6 km
    $$

    Worst wait staff I have ever met honestly…read more We arrived at 5:18 and waited 90 minutes to get the food. It was insane!! Juice order had to be taken twice since they forgot. If it was exceptional food, it is one thing but this is below average at best. #WORST

    La Garita is set back in the heart of old San Joan. I'd suggest parking in the garage or on the…read morestreet and not driving down in the neighborhood of La Garita because the roads are extremely narrow. Upon entering the restaurant we got seated immediately. We sat outside on the patio because the view is phenomenal. It took awhile for the waitress to come out and take our order. Maybe because we were hungry. Honestly though, I feel it was enough time to look over the menu and make the right decision as to what to order. The environment is so calm with the sound of the waves and the breeze coming through the open windows. It might be too much for some ( like my cousin ) but I love it. So our food came along in a decent amount of time. Our drinks first. We both got Passion fruit juice. 10 OUT OF 10 . I got the grouper with rice and beans. 10 out of 10 AGAIN (This place can't miss) the different flavors bursting on my pallet is just what I like. All the different sautéed vegetables in the top of the fish was a great call and super necessary. My cousin for the lobster mofongo. It had soooooooooooo much lobster in it. OMG and seasoned very well. That's not really my thing but it had seafood and looked so good and was dripping with the sauce I couldn't resist. The fried fish were had for an appetizer was seasoned and fried to perfection. I highly recommend this place. Is my fourth time here. I don't have PR without coming here.

    Photos
    La Garita
    La Garita
    La Garita - Mojito

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    Mojito

    La Casita de Rones - Chicken Chicharrón with beans & rice

    La Casita de Rones

    3.8(514 reviews)
    0.2 km
    $$

    It was our last night in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and to be honest, we hadn't been completely…read morethrilled with some of our previous restaurants experiences. We decided to give it one more chance for our last dinner -- and I'm so glad we did. The food was amazing. We genuinely enjoyed every single plate we ordered. Everything was flavorful and well-prepared -- no complaints at all. The staff was great and very attentive throughout the night. And they even had a good spicy sauce! I have Mexican friends who love their food extra spicy, and this sauce definitely delivered. The vibe was tropical and beautiful. It's located right by the shore, so you get a nice view while you eat. It was the perfect way to end our trip. Honestly, we loved it. You must try their chicken Chicharron And Signature Stuffed Mamposteao!

    My wife and I arrived on a cruise ship and were looking for some authentic PR food. We didn't…read morerealize that most places that were recommended close early on Wednesday's, so we ended up here which is close to the cruise ship. There was no wait for a table, but it took a good 10 minutes for the waiter to even come to our table. Drinks took about 5-7 min, which isn't bad. We ordered dinner and the wait began. 20 minutes after we ordered, my wife's dinner came out, but mine didn't. She finished her food in about 10 min, my dinner still hadn't arrived. We waited another 30 min (1 hour after ordering) and my meal still hadn't come out. Our waiter never checked on us, never offered us more drinks, never apologized for the wait. After the hour, I walked up to our waiter and told him we were leaving. They did remove the food that never arrived but they didn't seem the least bit apologetic. For a first impression of Puerto Rican service and quality, I would never recommend this place.

    Photos
    La Casita de Rones
    La Casita de Rones
    La Casita de Rones - I think whisky old fashioned (hubs)

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    Café Manolín - caribbean - Updated May 2026

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