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.

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.

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.

Keepin' it a buck! Eating here is like eating the ultimate home-cooked Puerto Rican meal…read more Rating places in Puerto Rico is tough. There are so many spots that are authentic and incredible, but La Casita Blanca stands out in its own lane. It's gotten more popular and touristy over the years, but that's because they've stayed true to who they are. The authenticity here hasn't changed, and that's exactly why people keep coming. This is the kind of place where the menu brings you right back to your upbringing. You'll find dishes like corned beef, tostones con bacalao, and other classics that just hit differently. And the vibe? It feels like family. Someone who looks like your aunt might be cooking your food, your cousin might be serving it, and everyone treats you like you belong there. Food-wise, everything we had was fire. One of the people I was with is basically an "aguacateologist," and even he said it was one of the best he's ever had. That alone says a lot. Chuletas fried to a perfect golden crisp. The pollo fricasé (pollo guisado, if you know, you know) was on point and even came in a little pot that made it feel extra homey. Arroz con gandules? Off the hook!!!! And to top it all off, they had salsa playing in the background... which honestly had me sold the moment I walked in. Disclaimer/Warning; There will be a line!!! And if you're lucky enough to get a table, sit back and enjoy every second of it.

We drove past Bebo's in our Lyft ride and our driver said it was very good so we decided to visit…read morethe next day. It is a great option if you want local food without the tourist price tag. The inside looks like a cafeteria but it stays busy. We were seated quickly although it seemed packed. They have a good amount of menu options and cross out what isn't available. They also have drink options that our server listed to us. To start, we ordered the lobster empanadas and sangria. The empanadas were delicious! Very tasty and fresh. The sangria however, was not great. It just tasted like juices that don't really work together. I couldn't taste the wine. We ordered the roasted pork and skirt steak. The steak was really tasty, and juicy. But the roasted pork was very dried and hard. It had some good bits in it but there were quite a few pieces that were too cooked to eat. The rice and beans were cooked very well. This is the perfect place for quick local food where you won't spend too much. But if you want a very high quality, I would choose elsewhere.

We ate at both Bebo's and Los Piños -- our two attempts at typical PR food. Both errr fine, but…read moreBebo's was our favorite of the two. It has a small parking lot in the back, which was a huge plus. Service was nice and our waitress was truly bilingual-- able to help us understand nuances of between the Spanish we use in California and Spanish in PR. The mofongo was really good -- better than any time we had it in the past or during the rest of our trip. The ropa vieja was good, but standard. My son had the churrasco (skirt steak) and it was excellent. We ordered sides of amarillos (sweet plantains) and they were the best ones we had the trip -- soft, juicy, with caramelized exterior. We wanted tres leches for dessert, but it sold was sold out. If you only had one "typical" PR dinner, I would suggest Bebo's.

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.

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.

Great service , great food.. very traditional food!!! Every time I visit San Juan, I make sure to…read moremake a stop here!!

The restaurant has the ambiance of a small town PR restaurant that you would find tucked away in…read morethe country roads of the island, with the long shared tables and the decorations. The wait was usual for Old San Juan. About 30-45mins. They take your name down and call you when there's a table ready. What they don't tell you is that the menu is a QR code on the table. Once you figure that you see a well organized and simple 2 pages menu with many PR authentic dishes listed. The waiter comes about 10-15mins later. And it's best to have all your order ready as they don't come back very often. The place is usually packed all the hours that they're open. Food: that's why they lost a star. Rice and beans, Madurai/amarrillos, scurrilous, delicious 5 stars, but the bigger, empanada, chicken with garlic lack the bite that you come to expect of PR food! They lack taste, "Sazon", they were bland and tasted more like someone forgot to season them and forgot the garlic. I'd tell them to go back to their food and make PR food like it's supposed to taste, not for the tourist, please!

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.

What a great anniversary dinner at Cocina Abierta…read more We ordered a la carte from the tasting menu -- 10 dishes simply would have been too much food for the two of us. While all were great, some were naturally better than others. Each dish was prepared carefully and presented beautifully. The menu changes pretty regularly and will be completely different when you eat there. But if Earlin is your waiter, go with her recommendations. Service could not have been better. Earlin, our waiter, was helpful without being intrusive. Tip: We are glad we chose to eat on the terrace. Inside was both too cold -- puertoriqueños love air conditioning almost as much as Atlantans do -- and too noisy.

The concept of cooking with locally sourced ingredients in their natural cycles is appealing and…read morewas finely showcased in the five course tasting dinner. It really brings to live, in the best possible way, the concept of "less is more." I enjoyed every single dish I had (some pics below) and the night's wildcard cocktail on offer was triumphant!

The ambiance is casual cool. The service is EXCELLENT! Our waitress answered all our questions and…read morehelped us figure out what we should drink and order. The food was delicious and nice and hot! We had shared a plate and it was just the right size for us. Excellent choice!

So this is the 2nd time going to Orozcos. You can find it in Diners Drive-ins and Dives. So after a…read moredisastrous attempt at sushi across the street we decided to keep it simple and go to the place in Condado that is guaranteed to be great authentic Puerto Rican food. Coño! It was good! I'm Puerto Rican and I was born and raised in Puerto Rican culture and I can say Orozcos is legit. I ordered their amazing Chuleton Kan Kan with arroz con gandules. (Big crispy pork chop with yellow rice and pigeon peas) It was delicious but you have to eat it traditionally with your hands. Don't try to be proper just dig in like the locals do. Just treat of a piece, eat it and then eat some rice. Mmmmm!!! Don't forget their signature hot sauce it's delicious but not too spicy. My daughter and wife ordered the monfongo with Bistec and mini empanadillas which is a regular beef empanada cut in half. Mix some of that hot sauce with it and BAM! You got the perfect appetizer. The monfongo was their star. I was chowing down on my pork chop but I had to steal a few bites lol. The beef was tender and delicious and the monfongo was soaked in the steak sauce, it was bliss! The staff were funny and very efficient and they all helped each other out. The atmosphere was personal and small with amazing salsa music playing and air conditioners blasting. It was so comfortable I highly recommend Orozcos!!!