There was a line to get in, but it moved pretty quickly…read more The staff was fine. They were friendly but never really came back to check on us to see if we needed anything else. It could also be that we were seated on the top floor and not the main floor of the restaurant. We ordered the bacalaitos for an appetizer. I ordered the mero al horno (grouper filet). My husband ordered the fried snapper. The bacalaitos were good. The grouper was delicious. I didn't get the chance to try the fried snapper but it looked good. The rice and beans complimented the dish well.

This was my first time visiting Viejo San Juan, and this was one of those legendary places I had…read moreheard about for years, going all the way back to when I was a little kid. On our most recent vacation, we finally had the chance to experience it for ourselves, and it did not disappoint. The moment you walk in, it feels like you have stepped back in time. The old school dining room is simple and no frills, with basic tables and chairs lined throughout the space, but that is exactly what gives the place so much character and authenticity. It feels like a true piece of old Puerto Rico. And then there is the food. Absolutely delicious, authentic, traditional Puerto Rican cooking. Our family shared the Bistec Encebollado, Carne Guisada, Chuletas Fritas, tostones, white rice and beans, and arroz con gandules. We started with Alcapurrias and Pastelillos de Carne, and everything was packed with flavor. The portions may be a little smaller than what some people are used to, but the prices are very reasonable, which makes it easy to order several dishes and share everything family style. For me, this was more than just a meal. It was finally getting to experience a place I had heard about for most of my life, surrounded by family and enjoying the kind of traditional Puerto Rican food I was hoping for. AMAZING! Definitely a must visit when you are in Viejo San Juan.

I loved this place! It's a hole in the wall with great food. Staff were friendly and welcoming. All…read morethe food was fresh, flavorful, and prepared with care. First time, we had breakfast. We ordered the fried eggs with ham - typical luncheonette food. It came out quickly. Staff was very accommodating to my son who wanted rice and beans for breakfast. Second time we were here we had lunch. I ordered the bistec with onions. Delicious once again. Portion size was great and prices even better. We started chatting it up with some of the servers (one of whom I think may be the owner?) Third time we were here was the morning before coming back home. I ordered the ham and Swiss sandwich. Food came out quickly. Great little sandwich! My son orders his usual rice and beans again. The food and service made Mandolin one of my top places to go to in San Juan.

Café Manolín was the perfect place to start our day in Old San Juan!…read more From the moment we walked in, the staff made us feel like regulars. Everyone was so friendly, chatty, and welcoming, creating a fun and authentic local experience. Breakfast was outstanding. We enjoyed the avena, a delicious Cubano sandwich, a ham, egg, and cheese sandwich, a mortadella sandwich, and, of course, an excellent cup of authentic Puerto Rican coffee. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and prepared with care. A special thank you to the staff for the wonderful hospitality. Great food, amazing coffee, and even better service made this one of our favorite breakfast spots. We can't wait to come back the next time we're in Old San Juan!

Talk about great food and service!…read more Although there's always a line to get in, it does move pretty quickly. Our server was very friendly and accommodating, especially since we were travelling with our child. The manager was also very accommodating and friendly. The menu is fairly simple. You choose a dish and 2 sides. First night, we ordered the blood sausage for an appetizer. I ordered the fried chicken with rice and beans as an entree. My husband ordered the mero (grouper). Surprisingly, the blood sausage was probably the best one I've tried so far. The chicken was fried perfectly, not greasy at all. The rice and beans perfect compliments to the dish. The grouper stole the show though. It was absolutely delicious, probably one of the best fish I've ever had. A few days after, we decided to have dinner here again after my son wanted to eat there. The waiter from the first night and manager recognized us (from the time before) and thanked us for coming back. This time, I ordered the mero with arroz con habichuelas. The grouper was even better than the 1st time I had ordered it. We also tried the juices (orange, passion fruit, tamarind, and soursop) and all of them were so fresh. We loved this place and wouldn't hesitate to come back again.

We were in old San Juan and wanted some authentic Puerto Rican food. I found this spot on Yelp and…read morewas surprised to know this was a TikTok favorite. The restaurant is medium sized, so for the sake of space they make you wait outside for a table. Our group of 7 was seated pretty easily but it also wasn't too packed when we arrived. Their menu is written on a chalkboard and from my knowledge, they don't provide any physical copies. My table got a variety of things but me in particular, I ordered the Puerto Rican sampler. We split it between 3 people and they said it could feed 4 but hmmm, I'd be skeptical of that. I think no more than 2 comfortably honestly as a meal. The sampler was delicious though and had all the main things I wanted. The corn fritters were a hit and the steak was well cooked and seasoned. While the food was good, the wait was a little long and the service was mid (not bad but not the best we've had). Solid 4 stars

This place was great! The perfect place for a real Puerto…read moreRican cuisine with a view and some outside dining. Our waiter was very attentive and great! The pork chop was delicious and pretty big if you're not a big eater, you can definitely share the plate! The stuffed avocado was absolutely delicious. I finished the entire plate. I would definitely recommend this place if you are in San Juan and want some authentic Puerto Rican food.

Look, I get it; customers eating late after you've worked all day is draining, but I showed up at…read more9:45 pm. While the food was fresh, the prices were set for all the cruise ships that pull into San Juan, making them overpriced. Besides, most folks off those cruise ships don't have rental vehicles, so they're not going to venture out of the Old San Juan area. Service was lacking; she never offered another drink, and she passed by my table several times, stood in a corner, and ventured outside a few times. At one point, I was looking directly at her like when panhandlers on street corners ask for your spare change. Finally, I had to ask another waiter for assistance. I did notice the staff cleaned tables regularly. However, i didn't see what condition their restrooms were in. Total breakdown of charges for my visit, Mofongo with roast beef chunk pieces $38.00, ans Sprite 3 x $3.75.

I remember coming to this restaurant aBout 5 years ago oomph my layover in San Juan. The food was…read moreso memorable that I decided to come back in 2020 to see if it was still good. Well good news, the food is still good! I stopped in during the festival of San Sebastian and the restaurant was packed! We luckily got a seat for two and were able to order right away. I order the mofongo de pollo and my friend ordered a different meal with a soup. I am not going to lie, the service was extremely slow and the food took about 30 to 40 mins maybe to come out. I expect this was because of the festival and how busy the restaurant was. When the food came out, it was delicious! The chicken was great and drenched in a salsa criolla sauce. It was definitely worth the wait! After my meal, I ordered a coffee to digest the food. Luckily this didn't take as long as the food. I would definitely recommend this place however if you are in a rush, it might be best to go somewhere else. The food is very tasty!

This is a difficult review to do because technically we only had an appetizer and drinks. First of…read moreall the rest is located next to the Christopher Columbus Plaza in Old San Juan which makes it an ideal location for tourists coming in and out. The restaurant is very small inside but they do have outside dining which is what we chose to do. The service was good, they were very attentive to our needs. Unfortunately, the appetizer we ordered was just awful. We ordered a mix of very traditional Puerto Rican bites-small alcapurrias, sorrullos, chicharrónes de pollo and some fried cheese. There was absolutely nothing good about the mix. The alcapurrias has no meat whatsoever, the chicharrónes were not crispy and the cheese was just awful. I wanted to give them a 1star review but I felt this would not be fair because we did not try an entree and I hope that would be better. The 3star was because the service was good. In addition to the service later on in the evening they had live music which was essentially old traditional Puerto Rican music which was excellent. So to be fair I thought a 3 star review would be the right thing to do. Hopefully the entrees are much better just stay away from the surtido appetizer because it was not good.

I discovered a quaint little spot on YouTube while researching my cruise that serves authentic…read morePuerto Rican food. I was really craving fried snapper, but unfortunately, it was too large for me to eat by myself. To my disappointment, it was served family style, and my family wasn't in the mood for fish. Instead, we ordered several items from the menu, including stew chicken, fried pork chops, which my son really enjoyed. We also had mofongo with chicken and creole sauce, white rice and beans, fried plantains, and another side of beans and rice. We definitely over-ordered, as the food was plentiful and very filling. In fact, that was the only meal we had that day. If you're ever in San Juan, Puerto Rico, I highly recommend this restaurant. It's a hidden gem tucked away on a side street. You will not be disappointed! I can't wait to go back.

Try. the. Mofongo. The skirt steak mofongo, with garlic…read moresauce. Order it, possibly to share -- it's a big portion. You will not be sorry. Your date might be a little over-garlicked if you try to kiss them without letting them at least try it, though. Definitely a vampire-free zone. Delicious! And the best I have ever had, anywhere. We tried a little of a lot of things, kind of a meal of sides to go with our mofongo, and the empanadilla pastry was flaky and light. Hubs liked the chicken one best, I preferred the ground beef. But the big takeaway is the mofongo with garlic sauce. They even let you choose from a list of other sauces if you don't want garlic, but frankly, there's a reason it's listed first and it's not just tradition.

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.

We came for lunch around 11:30 am. We had just managed to beat out a lunch crowd. It's a hole in…read morethe wall with no frills, but good food. Staff were very friendly. We tried the Mallorca with ham and Swiss cheese. It's basically a ham and cheese sandwich with powdered sugar on top. It was good! We also had a few lunch dishes. I ordered the Chicken Breast a Milanese (it's basically Chicken Parm). It was good. My husband ordered the rice with squid. I actually enjoyed this dish a lot. I'd come back again for a quick lunch.

We came here November 2024 and loved it so much we went back the next day. Returned today and it…read moreis still great. Love the food so much and the staff is very attentive! Cute setting too.

Located near Plaza Colon. We came here for the mofongo. Definitely dive bar vibes…read more We ordered drinks and mofongo. I got the sangria and my husband got a pina colada. Food was good. People were nice. Nothing that stood out in a negative way. Nice stop to try some local food.

What a great food experience!!! Casita Miramar easily earned a spot in my top 2 restaurants I've…read morehad the pleasure of dining at in Puerto Rico when it comes to quality food and an overall amazing experience. The restaurant itself is absolutely beautiful, and the service was excellent from beginning to end,from the hostess to the servers and bussers. Our server, Jeffery, was amazing! He was energetic, professional, attentive, and you can genuinely tell he takes his position seriously. I loved that! We were greeted with complimentary sopa de plátano and bacalaítos, and I was NOT expecting to love them as much as I did. This was by far the best sopa de plátano I've ever had. I never thought I could fall in love with a soup, but here we are! (I ordered a whole extra regular size bowl )The bacalaítos were another surprise because they're normally not something I order or even particularly like--and I've tried quite a few in my life--but these were absolutely delicious. My S/O and I shared the churrasco with arroz mamposteao, along with a side of avocado salad and majado de viandas. Everything was a straight 10/10. Not one disappointment on the table. They also make an amazing Rojo Pico, which was the perfect addition to the experience. 100% recommend Casita Miramar. Don't overthink JUST GO! Beautiful atmosphere, excellent service, and most importantly, genuinely delicious, quality Puerto Rican food. This place absolutely deserves the hype and its spot in my top two!

The workers were honestly the sweetest. the environment is so welcoming and calm…read more although i wasn't very happy with the food. i went with my family and we found the food very bland and overpriced!! my mom LOVES cooking and she could tell when frozen beans are served to her. the food tasted old and the rice look like it was reheated from days ago.. definitely might be a tourist trap. the aesthetics are beautiful but isn't worth the price. on the good side, they sell natural juices and the parcha juice was the best i ever had!!

Whew! Sooooo good!…read more My husband ordered the ribeye and subbed out the mushroom risotto with cheese and it was perfectly cooked and seasoned! Easilyyyy the top five steaks I've ever had in LIFE and I'm a foodie. Kids ordered Alfredo and it didn't disappoint! We also ordered the lobster risotto and it was SOOO delicious and flavorful! Perfectly cooked! Our waitress was also very attentive and helpful with suggestions with the menu. If we're ever in town we are definitely coming back!

When you want an easy, reliable seafood lunch near the San Juan port, Cayo Caribe hits the mark…read more Our walking tour guide recommended this spot, and it ended up being one of the better casual lunches of the trip. It's located close to the cruise port area, making it an effortless stop if you're exploring Old San Juan. The vibe is straightforward and comfortable--think casual, sit-down seafood spot where you can relax, grab a drink, and not overthink the menu. It's not flashy or upscale, but that's part of the appeal. Just friendly service, cold drinks, and solid food. Service * Very friendly and welcoming * Easy walk-in experience * Relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere Food & Drinks * Standard beers and cocktails--perfect for a mid-day refresher * Seafood Fried Platter - especially the fried cod; crispy, flavorful, and well-executed * Tacos (Fried Shrimp & Fried Cod) - the standout; fresh, generous portions with crunchy slaw and spot-on sauce The tacos were the surprise hit--bright, crispy, and packed with flavor. Exactly what you want from a Puerto Rican seafood lunch. Verdict Cayo Caribe is a dependable, casual seafood stop near the port. Nothing overly complicated--just good service, fresh seafood, and a relaxed setting. A great lunch choice if you're in the area and craving fried seafood and tacos. Solid four stars.