Novio and I are still in Puerto Rico visiting family and he had been wanting to take me to this quaint little place right behind his family home in Río Piedras. He and Momager have been going there since its opening so she gets special treatment, free dessert included. Unfortunately Momager was out of town for business and we went on a special date. We went on a Wednesday around 7pm. NOTE: the place is BYOB (bring your own beer) they serve absoluteli NO ALCOHOL, but you are allowed to bring as much as you want and they keep it cold for you and serve it whenever you desire. The place appears small and parking is limited, but is is minimalistic, clean, and classy (the place not the parking). We ordered pimientos stuffed with manchego cheese and chorizo as an appetizer and it was absolutely divine it took me all the way to Barcelona! Note: that was the special of the day and I don't know if its a set menu item, I'll have to ask Novio about that. Now for the entrees; novio being a vivacious carnivore ordered beef short ribs and I ordered half an avocado stuffed with king crab with a side salad and an arañita on the side (arañitas are a food item most common in latin america where shredded plantain bits are put together and fried, they are crunchy bites of pure joy). My entree was in the appetizer option but it was big enough to be a meal on its own. We ordered a side of mampostiao' rice but by that time we were so full we took the whole thing to go. And finally... DESSERT! I love dessert and unfortunately novio has advanced hypoglycemia and can't partake (its unfortunate for him, i truly don't mind at all). We ordered the barriguitas de abuela ( grandma bellies) which are similar to donut holes except stuffed with dulce de leche (condensed milk candy) with berries on the side. It was sooooo good and I ate all six of them as Novio watched in horror. Everything was delicious and the service was excellent. If you don't drink the entire bottle of wine they cork it back up and bag it for you to take home. It's a must visit place for latin food with s twist when in Puerto Rico. read more

Cholo's Bistro - Puerto Rican Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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This place is incredible! Upon arrival, we were immediately sat and attended to by our waiter. My friends and I shared a ton of appetizers including tostones, arepas, shrimp tempura and octopus. Every single appetizer was a 10/10, I would highly recommend the shrimp tempura, it was amazing! The risotto was also incredible, the texture was great and the flavor was on point. We also ordered an assortment of cocktails, my favorite was the Wild Berry mojito. The restaurant itself was busy and full of people but we had plenty of space and privacy. I will definitely be back, I can't recommend this place enough. read more

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Love, love, loved! The food was amazing, service was excellent and the ambiance is cozy, and well decorated. Try it, you won't regret it! read more

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Everything from appetizers to desserts. Great service, great food, etc. The only issue is the parking in front of the restaurant is too small so you have to park in the other side of the road. Other than that no issues. read more

Nice little place. The staff is always nice and cheerful, with a personalized touch when tending to the customer. The food is always on point! We've been there twice this year and have had a great experience. read more

Outstanding food, grear ambiance nice drinks, the presentation of the dishes was excellent, main dishes we acompanied by great sides I had arañitas mi wife had tostones, the pulpo ala brasa for aperitive was outstanding, and our waiter was knowledgable. Great experience and a must repeat read more

Excellent menu, fresh food, beautiful presented. It is a small place and tables were too closed for my taste. Be on time and do reservations because it is always packed. read more

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Good place to eat. Friendly staff and clean restaurant. Usually carry all items on the menu. Make reservations, is a small dining room and parking is hard to find. read more

Simply the best! Outstanding service and Staff. You can order any appetizer ,entrée and dessert and you will be a delighted. Michelin's Start worthy!!! read more

Cholo's Bistro - Puerto Rican Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

The Best restaurant in PR. Excelent food ever... Excelent service Good ambiance. My 5 stars .. read more

Fine fine cuisine. Service, ambient, music all excellent. Food quality is excellent with many many options. Highly recommended. Parking is limited so either be early or be patient. read more

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Buen ambiente, tremendo servicio y la calidad de la comida espectacular. My new favorite place en la Winston!

Best restaurant in Cupey! Food is incredible good and beautiful presentation. Must make reservation because it gets very busy. read more

Excelente chef y selección de platos. Cholo es un artista en la cocina. Lo recomiendo altamente.

Absolutely excellent. The service, the environment, and the food! A fresh take on some old favorites. Best tostones on the island! We'll be back! read more

Cholo's Bistro - Puerto Rican Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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One of the meals you'll experience. I've been there a few times, everything I've tried was delicious. My recommendation, cod croquetas for appetizer, NY Steak for the main dish and finish with a keto desert. read more

Food was absolutely delicious. Fabulous and exquisite dishes. Call in the late afternoon to make reservations.

Don't think twice, go! This place has it all from 5-star service, ambience and of course award worthy plates. We enjoyed the grilled octopus, arancini, short rib, salmon, risotto, and tostones. Each dish was a highlight on its own. The staff really takes their time to make a lovely experience while cleaning up after each course with fresh napkins, cutlery, and water glasses topped off. A great place with great flavor - a must! read more

A tiny place with a big flavor! The service is very good, and the food outstanding. We started with the montadito de alcapureias, then as a main dish we share the filet mignon in a tamarind sauce with the risotto de gandules, no complain at all, everything was delicious. To close our great experience we asked for the barriguitas de vieja...... oh my god!!!!!!! No doubt is a high recommended place. read more

Everything we ate is the best in Puerto Rico. It's worth it to drive a long way to come here. read more

Excellent choice for risotto. Short ribs cooked perfectly with a BBQ-like taste. Soup was good.

New restaurant in the area. Fresh ingredients with superb taste. The place was noisy but service was very personalized. No liquor license but you can byob with a $10 corking fee. Looks very simple especially because of where it is located but it is worth the drive out there. read more

You. Must. Eat. Here. I am visiting from NYC and received a recommendation for this restaurant from a couple at my hotel. I drove 50 minutes (each way) second guessing why I was driving so far for food. Upon arrival every was very nice and attentive. The food selection was great, I wish I could have ordered everything, I came close. I went with the queso frito, octopus in plantain, ribeye with Parmesan risotto (+$3) and shrimp with lemon and cheese risotto. AMAZING. All the food had so much flavor and the ribeye was perfectly cooked. This was the best meal I've had in a while. I will return here every time I come to Puerto Rico. BYOB so come prepared to drink and dine on amazing food with perfectly attentive wait staff. read more

If you want to find a hidden gem in PR, this is it. What we found was a culinary delight with a great menu. Caution, it's BYOB so come with wine and leave full. The chef sent out an appetizer that was a stellar combination of ground beef, sauce and a fried dough. What a way to start! We also order the Tuna Tar Tar Wonton Tacos that blew us away. Light, crisp and a touch of wasabi kick with a cool avocado garnish. I loved each bite and almost ordered more. The entrees were a wonderful array. The table raved about the Mahi Mahi, seared tuna, swordfish and I enjoyed the shrimp. Get the risotto! What a blend of traditional Puerto Rican beans and rice elevated with a delicate rich risotto. I loved the texture when paired with the shrimp. I would visit again and sample the whole menu. Don't miss dessert, our table sampled every one and loved them. Cholo's does not disappoint in the slightest. Chef, thank you for a great dinner! read more

second time here! Worth it worth it! every dime hope you can enjoy some of the pictures of what I got to try out and mmmmm yes I did finished all the plates enjoy read more

We have eaten here a couple of times. It is awesome from top to bottom. Look forward to the next visit.

This place a must! Everything is delicious and the service is great. The menu changes depending on the season which i looove because every visit is different. read more

It was amazing the service the food its a place to go back. Food was exelent great presentation awsome risotto. read more

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The service was super great. They recommended great dishes since we are visiting from out of town. Had the lobster tail which was phenomenal. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a great atmosphere and even better food read more

Cholo's Bistro - Lobster tail and risotto - Puerto Rican Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

If you have never been here, you're missing heaven on earth. Long wait, but it almost feels like a spectacle. Be sure to get there with a bit of extra time and you'll have one of the most enjoyable meals in your life, hands down. What this man has achieved in his kitchen is pure glory, and the way he and his staff handle this restaurant is simply admirable. I hadn't seen art served like this in quite a long time... read more

Good food, unique menu, great service. A little expensive for the quality/quantity of food. You'll have to order an appetizer if you don't want to leave hungry. I had the pork loin, which I believe was ruined with the "bacon". Unfortunately I didn't realize it had it when I ordered it from the menu, so, partly my fault. But c'mon, nothing you order at a fancy restaurant charging $25 a plate should be wrapped in bacon... that's bar food... which I will gladly eat, when I'm being charged bar food price. #realchefsdontwrapinbacon read more

I usually don't write reviews but I have to for Cholos. My family goes out to eat a lot and for sure this is the best place ever!!! I've been so many times and tried pretty much the entire menu and I can guarantee you that everything was AMAZING!! It's one of those places that you can go and you know the food will be consistent and always good! The service is also amazing! I take all my friends there and they all come saying how amazing it is! It's not very known but it should be! If there is one word to describe it is: AMAZING! read more

Two great experiences. Food quality always great! Amazing service & nice small & fancy little spot. Will keep coming!

Love love love this restaurant!!!! Every time I visit Puerto Rico I end up eating here multiple times!!! The food is up to par with NY high end restaurants and the restaurant feel is intimate and cozy. Every night there are different specials a each is worth trying! The pulpo salad in avocado is addictive and usually the one that runs out first!!! If you're in Puerto Rico you must have a meal here!!! Since it's BYOB (there are stores in the area if you forget) it's nice to have a bill much smaller due to the absence of the prices of alcohol :) I would probably eat here every night if they were opened :) Try the Sunday brunch!!!!! read more

AMAZING!!! Food was delish!! Service impeccable!! Chef is top notch!! Go hungry bc the choices are all good. We decided to try a few things and couldn't decide which was best!!! Definitely will be back!!! read more