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I really wanted fried fish in San Juan and got recommended El Jibarito. We went almost near their closing time, unknowingly and still got to be able to sit and got my craving in for fried fish! It's a casual restaurant with limited seating that I think is also a bit popular. When we walked in to dine and we did have to wait a bit and put our name down on the waiting list. However, the time flew by I think it was maybe 20 minutes max and we were able to be seated at a table. My partner ordered the steak, but I wasn't the biggest fan of it. it did come with the plantain side. That was super delicious. Overall, for the both of us and a couple of drinks we spent US$90 with tip and each entrée was about $35-$30.
We selected this restaurant based off of other reviews. We weren't super hungry, but knew we definitely wanted some Mofongo. This quaint family owned restaurant is close to the ocean, but it does not have an ocean view. It's kind of hidden with a small sign. Nothing really signifying the restaurant from a distance. We ordered the Alcapurrias / Fried Beef Plantain Türnover and the Bistec Encebollado / Cube Steak with Onions with a side of Mofongo. I also had a pineapple Mojito. The food was good. I do wish the fried plantains had a little more beef in them. Some didn't have any at all. The drink was average. The ambience was very casual, warm, welcoming and locally decorated. Our server was very friendly. She had several recommendations and our food came quickly.
This restaurant comes up in many lists of recommended places to try in San Juan so I decided to try it myself. Walked in at ~7pm and had to wait for 15 minutes to be seated. Ambiance was very casual. Restrooms are at the back of the restaurant and you have to go out to a small uncovered space to get to the restrooms, which are not the cleanest. Masitas en salsa de platano (pork cubes in plantain gravy) comes with green salad and tomato and a side. Choices for the side are white rice with beans (arroz blanco y habitchuelas), yellow rice (arroz guisado), tostones (green plantain), sweet plantain (amarillos), mofongos de platano, yuca, trifongo y pana. The salad did not come with dressing; it was dry and sad. Got mofongo as the side; it was also dry and not flavorful. The pork cubes was tender but not as flavorful as I was expecting. Tres leches was not that sweet which was okay. Overall, the food was disappointing. In addition, wait times can be long; the place can get very busy and loud.
This restaurant and another one close by were recommended to us by our Uber driver for being the spots where you can find good Puerto Rican cuisine in Old San Juan. We came in weary from all of the walking we had done that morning. This restaurant is large and is busy. We had to wait for a few minutes but were seated quickly. I got a cold beer to enjoy but many others were getting their cocktails, which looked good. The eating area, bar, and kitchen are all in the same area, which is pretty cool. My partner and I both ordered the pork tamale which came with salad and your choice of side. We both ordered the mufongo. While I can't speak to the authenticity compared to other restaurants, the food was very good. All of it was tasty and fresh. I also felt very reasonably priced, especially for being in the touristy Old San Juan area. We enjoyed the opportunity to rest our legs in the A/C while enjoying cold drinks and good food. This is a great place to stop in for lunch while you walk around Old San Juan.
We enjoyed some typical Puerto Rican food. We had to wait a short while before we were seated but it was worth the wait. We started wit an order of bacalaoitos which were absolutely delicious. For my entree I had the ribs with tostones. They were very flavorful and good. My girlfriend had the Conch with mofongo de pana. She really enjoyed her meal. The food was good and the flavors were on point.
A little less attitude and a bit more of a smile would do wonders to the service of this place. I stood at the chained gate for a few minutes before I got even acknowledged. It felt like I was being done a favor being served. I had the pina colada, the bacalaitos, the red beans and rice and the side salad. Pina colada - too sugary and like a dessert, side salad - was $5 for a bed of iceberg with 3 slices of tomatoes. Bacalaitos was dripping with oil. All I wanted was some authentic Puerto Rican food and the beans and rice helped. The place is closed with no open windows, smells of cleaning product.
This place was recommended to me and we are so glad we went. There was a bit of a wait but it was fine. The server was very nice and she spoke English--but I had Google Translate just in case. It was raining outside and to get to the restroom, you had to walk thru a courtyard. The restroom was bare bones but I'm not a snob so it was okay. Our food was good--my stew wasn't hot though--temperature wise. It has happened before at restaurants that when it's warm outside, the food isn't hot. But I prefer it hotter than it came out.
Early lunch after Castillo son Cristobal. Christmas Plate was very tasty. Pork ribs, tómale (wrapped in a banana(?) leaf), yellow rice, and sweet plantains. My wife had the pork with plantain gravy. She thought it was delicious. Surprisingly, the tostones were the item not that tasty. Great PR vibe. Like the laid back nature. Seated
1 month ago
10 hours ago
The restaurant has the ambiance of a small town PR restaurant that you would find tucked away in the 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! read more
First time visiting El Jibarito! What an amazing experience, delicious homemade food with lovely staff members. Even the locals come here of how good it is. You get tons of food for the price and would definitely come here again hands down. Feels like my fam is cooking back there in the kitchen haha. Highly recommend! read more
I really wanted fried fish in San Juan and got recommended El Jibarito. We went almost near their closing time, unknowingly and still got to be able to sit and got my craving in for fried fish! It's a casual restaurant with limited seating that I think is also a bit popular. When we walked in to dine and we did have to wait a bit and put our name down on the waiting list. However, the time flew by I think it was maybe 20 minutes max and we were able to be seated at a table. My partner ordered the steak, but I wasn't the biggest fan of it. it did come with the plantain side. That was super delicious. Overall, for the both of us and a couple of drinks we spent US$90 with tip and each entrée was about $35-$30. read more
We selected this restaurant based off of other reviews. We weren't super hungry, but knew we definitely wanted some Mofongo. This quaint family owned restaurant is close to the ocean, but it does not have an ocean view. It's kind of hidden with a small sign. Nothing really signifying the restaurant from a distance. We ordered the Alcapurrias / Fried Beef Plantain Türnover and the Bistec Encebollado / Cube Steak with Onions with a side of Mofongo. I also had a pineapple Mojito. The food was good. I do wish the fried plantains had a little more beef in them. Some didn't have any at all. The drink was average. The ambience was very casual, warm, welcoming and locally decorated. Our server was very friendly. She had several recommendations and our food came quickly. read more
This restaurant comes up in many lists of recommended places to try in San Juan so I decided to try it myself. Walked in at ~7pm and had to wait for 15 minutes to be seated. Ambiance was very casual. Restrooms are at the back of the restaurant and you have to go out to a small uncovered space to get to the restrooms, which are not the cleanest. Masitas en salsa de platano (pork cubes in plantain gravy) comes with green salad and tomato and a side. Choices for the side are white rice with beans (arroz blanco y habitchuelas), yellow rice (arroz guisado), tostones (green plantain), sweet plantain (amarillos), mofongos de platano, yuca, trifongo y pana. The salad did not come with dressing; it was dry and sad. Got mofongo as the side; it was also dry and not flavorful. The pork cubes was tender but not as flavorful as I was expecting. Tres leches was not that sweet which was okay. Overall, the food was disappointing. In addition, wait times can be long; the place can get very busy and loud. read more
This restaurant and another one close by were recommended to us by our Uber driver for being the spots where you can find good Puerto Rican cuisine in Old San Juan. We came in weary from all of the walking we had done that morning. This restaurant is large and is busy. We had to wait for a few minutes but were seated quickly. I got a cold beer to enjoy but many others were getting their cocktails, which looked good. The eating area, bar, and kitchen are all in the same area, which is pretty cool. My partner and I both ordered the pork tamale which came with salad and your choice of side. We both ordered the mufongo. While I can't speak to the authenticity compared to other restaurants, the food was very good. All of it was tasty and fresh. I also felt very reasonably priced, especially for being in the touristy Old San Juan area. We enjoyed the opportunity to rest our legs in the A/C while enjoying cold drinks and good food. This is a great place to stop in for lunch while you walk around Old San Juan. read more
7 days ago
We enjoyed some typical Puerto Rican food. We had to wait a short while before we were seated but it was worth the wait. We started wit an order of bacalaoitos which were absolutely delicious. For my entree I had the ribs with tostones. They were very flavorful and good. My girlfriend had the Conch with mofongo de pana. She really enjoyed her meal. The food was good and the flavors were on point. read more
A little less attitude and a bit more of a smile would do wonders to the service of this place. I stood at the chained gate for a few minutes before I got even acknowledged. It felt like I was being done a favor being served. I had the pina colada, the bacalaitos, the red beans and rice and the side salad. Pina colada - too sugary and like a dessert, side salad - was $5 for a bed of iceberg with 3 slices of tomatoes. Bacalaitos was dripping with oil. All I wanted was some authentic Puerto Rican food and the beans and rice helped. The place is closed with no open windows, smells of cleaning product. read more
This place was recommended to me and we are so glad we went. There was a bit of a wait but it was fine. The server was very nice and she spoke English--but I had Google Translate just in case. It was raining outside and to get to the restroom, you had to walk thru a courtyard. The restroom was bare bones but I'm not a snob so it was okay. Our food was good--my stew wasn't hot though--temperature wise. It has happened before at restaurants that when it's warm outside, the food isn't hot. But I prefer it hotter than it came out. read more
5 months ago
Great place to sit and get a delicious bite in Old San Juan. I really liked my ceviche in the giant avocado. My guy got tacos. He enjoyed them. read more
27 days ago
Early lunch after Castillo son Cristobal. Christmas Plate was very tasty. Pork ribs, tómale (wrapped in a banana(?) leaf), yellow rice, and sweet plantains. My wife had the pork with plantain gravy. She thought it was delicious. Surprisingly, the tostones were the item not that tasty. Great PR vibe. Like the laid back nature. Seated read more
1 month ago
Walking around san juan and found this delicious place! Our food was so tasty and service was great . This place was packed but the wait time was not too bad! When you see line out the door it has to be good food ! It was !! read more
1 month ago
I drove around the whole island trying to find the perfect mofongo -- that mission will continue on my next trip to Puerto Rico. I was always drawn to the plantains, the bistec, the beans, and the rice. That may be the Guanaca in me -- but it did not disappoint. There's always a line, so make sure to get there, put your name on the list, and be prepared to wait (though not for too long). It's community seating, so say hello to your neighbor! The vibe is loud, but very pleasant. You'll leave happy. read more
5 months ago
Ok so when I'm telling you ... grandma may be cooking here ... it was so delicious . Home made food literally. The service was excited and I loved the ambiance and overall I'm glad I tried this place out. I had a piña colada, with bistec de carne con arroz y abichuelas and maduritos. We also ordered a carne guisada .omg must have this next time . Soo flavory and perfect. read more
1 month ago
2 days ago
I genuinely hoped to enjoy this restaurant, but it fell short in a few important areas. The service was below expectations, and the food didn't seem to reflect the authentic flavors of Puerto Rico that I've experienced firsthand. The dishes lacked the depth and vibrancy I associate with Puerto Rican cuisine. Although the atmosphere was pleasant, I'm not sure I would choose this location over other nearby restaurants. read more
1 year ago
My husband had been raving about the first restaurant we ever ate at in Puerto Rico about 10 years ago. We couldn't remember the name of the place for the life of us. For our second trip to PR, decided to go here for lunch and lo and behold it was the same restaurant we went to 10 years ago! lol It was not as popular when we first went, now there's a line outside waiting for them to open up! Food is fantastic! Brought back the best memories! Loved their arroz con gandules and mofongo. A lot of the food we had in PR was very salty, this place was perfectly balanced for us. Skirt steak was overcooked even though we asked for medium. Service wasn't great but at least efficient. Would highly recommend trying this place. read more
6 months ago
Wowwww what a hidden gem in viejo San Juan (old San Juan). Service was great, food very authentic and home style like abuelita used to make. When you're inside it's painted up nice like it's a street right outside. Very colorful! Food was top notch read more
1 year ago
Oh, how I waited four years to return--this was meant to be the grand finale of our trip to San Juan, and it ended up being deeply disappointing. We went completely out of our way, squeezing in this visit just 3 hours before our flight, because I had been dreaming about it for so long. All I really wanted were the masitas de cerdo... but they weren't available at all. Heartbroken, I settled for the pork ribs. While they had good flavor, they were unfortunately quite dry. The mofongo was generous and well-seasoned, though I wasn't a fan of the large chunks of unmashed plantain throughout. I asked for hot sauce and was given a thimble-sized portion--barely enough to taste. The side salad? Sad and undressed, almost like a garnish rather than a real offering. We also ordered piña coladas, which tasted like they were missing most (if not all) of the alcohol, though we still ended up having two each. A small highlight: this was the only place we found that served Ron del Barrilito, so we made sure to get a shot of that. As for the service--borderline inattentive at best, which added to the overall letdown. I'm glad I came back, if only to put the curiosity to rest. Now I know: some memories are best left untouched. read more
The fact that restaurant isn't higher in ratings but so popular and there can be a wait time is surprising. My aunt has been telling me about this place for a while and so happy to have the opportunity to do so! This place is like coming to your families house and getting that authentic feeling of Puerto Rico and getting that home cook meal and that is what me and my boyfriend needed. We both cleaned our plates and my boyfriend was so impressed with service and quality of the food that he does not want to go anywhere else when we go to Puwrto Rico lol I was glad he loved it so much as he can be very picky. Overall, please come try this amazing restaurant in Old San Juan! read more
20 days ago
Like everywhere here, things are slow. But maybe that's the vibes of a great relaxing city like San Juan. I'm from Chicago and everything is go go go, or else it's considered slow. I had the el sandwich de jabarito and it was good. The fried plantain had a nice . Highly recommend! read more
Highly visited Puerto Rican gem. We loved everything about our food and drinks (worth the 45 min wait). They are traditional, family owned business. Depending on the time you go, it can be a long wait and you cannot make reservations. I also recommend shared vehicles or ride share because Old San Juan has very slim parking options. Below is my rating of the food and drinks: *Fried Red Snapper: BEST fried fish I've had in a minute... they get 10/5 for this one. *Arroz con Gandules: 5/5 *Piña Colada: 5/5 (best I had in PR) *Guava Mojito: 5/5 *Mofongo: 4/5 *Pastelillos De Pollo: 3/5 *Garlic Sauce: 5/5 Everybody was so kind and helpful. They really do work like a team! Recommendation for the restaurant: please renovate your restroom. read more
2 months ago
Please refrain from visiting this establishment. The experience is not worthwhile. The wait time to be seated is approximately 40 minutes, followed by an additional 30 minutes before a server approaches to take your order. It takes about an hour for your food to be served, and querying the staff about the menu often results in an unpleasant attitude. Furthermore, upon billing, you may wait another 30 minutes to settle your account, which can be tiresome. Consequently, we chose to leave and pay at the bar. Regrettably, the food was also not of satisfactory quality. read more
8 months ago
Brought a group of 7 here at 5 pm on a Thursday and we were able to be seated quickly. The vibe was lively, fun, and energetic. We asked for recommendations for plates to share across the table and loved everything we had. Would highly recommend trying the Mofongo con Carne Guisada and the Plato Navideño was a great sampler to share. read more
After an amazing concert the next morning, my friend and I were looking for a breakfast spot as we were starving! We were going to go to a location around here, but there was a crazy line so we started looking for different options and came across El Jibarito. I was glad that we stopped in here as it felt like an authentic location. We got lucky and were seated pretty quickly because after us they started to be a line outside. We started with bacaloitos and empanadas. Both were crispy but not greasy and flavorful. For the main I had carne guisado with arroz con guandules. The beef was tender and the rice was flavorful. My friend had the chicken and it wasn't as good. But I was happy with my meal. It was a great alternative to the very busy location that was down the road so if you're standing in line and looking at your Yelp app this is definitely a good alternative read more
8 months ago
So we came here and they lied to us about the wait. They told us half an hour and then when we waited they kept telling us we were next and we ended up waiting maybe an hour and a half. So that was very upsetting; then the food was good. The service was a bit better when we went inside. Overall the food was good. I ordered garlic shrimp with trifongo. I enjoyed the trifongo. The shrimp didn't have a lot of flavor and needed the sauce to be thicker. The place does remind me of eating at home. The appetizer was delicious and I definitely recommend that. read more
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