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    El Platanal

    3.8 (60 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 10:00 pm

    El Platanal Photos

    EL PLATANAL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - El Platanal

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    Dany G.

    Excelente, realmente fuego en un ambiente muy agradable . La atención de todos es excepcional

    Bacalaitos, terrible, gummy, too salty.

    The garlic grouper is delicious. So is the bistec con cebolla. The tostones de platano y pana, yummy. The bacalaitos were terrible, gummy, and raw inside. The beers were cold.

    Sopa de platano
    Sin Y.

    You have to try the local dish called Mofongos. The service was fast and food was delicious! Inside the place was well decorated and had bunch of tv's. If you visit San Juan must try.

    Awesome dinner!
    Kenneth S.

    If you want to eat authentic Puertorican food, this is the place. Enjoy the classic Mofongo, Chuletas Kan Kan, Arañitas, etc. the service is quick and personal and the prices are accessible. Don't miss it if you are in San Juan.

    First photo of the parasite when first discovering it inside my chillo frito.
    Angelina M.

    !!! 2 INCH TONGUE-EATING PARASITE found inside my fried red snapper, the "chillo frito"! (See photos) I ate the entire fish up to the jaw and that's when I saw the tail of the thick long parasite --this parasite has claws, two eyes, and whiskers. Google: Cymothoa exigua, or the tongue-eating parasite (louse), it enters fish through the gills. The female attaches to the tongue, while the male attaches to the gill arches beneath and behind the female. The staff took my plate to the back, returned and said "we broke open the jaw and examined the fish and you are right and we are horrified and so sorry." The manager admitted to frightening discovery and offered a postre. Not a free meal, but a dessert. Of course my appetite along with my guest was gone, so then they gave me the bill and expected me to pay for the fish BECAUSE I ATE IT. I said to them "how am I expected to pay for a meal with a parasite?" The waiter sighed and said "okay" then took the fish off and billed me for our two drinks, appetizer, with their tip included in the bill. My guest and I were in shock--traumatized, so I quickly paid just to leave. The next day a family member saw the entire video on social media and called the restaurant to demand a refund. The staff said that I could come back to the restaurant and they would give me the refund, so when we let them know that their response to this traumatic situation was to now have me drive an hour our of the way to get a refund on top of their mishandling was insult to injury is when they offered to pay for my gas *****BUT ALL OUT OF POCKET SO THAT THE OWNER WOULD NOT FIND OUT ABOUT THIS. 1: A parasite in my food. 2: expected to pay. 3: the staff are trying to hide this from ownership. 4. I have not yet recieved the refund, will update this post if/when I do. "Dear Department of Health.....

    Red snapper with dirty rice (my plate) Shrimp and avocado with sweet plantain (her plate)
    Kaiyou V.

    This place was the first restaurant we stopped by and it was a blast. Food was good, service was great, and our server Michael was perfect! Ask for him when you get there because he'll take care of you!! He recommended some perfect appetizers, and the entrees were phenomenal! The drinks were so good too. Definitely will be the first place we come back to when we do come back!

    Entrance
    Michelle C.

    Looking for fairly priced, delicious Puerto Rican food? Then look no further when in the metropolitan area, "El Platanal" is a perfect choice!! Probably one of my favorite places to get Puerto Rican Food, "Platanal" is a banana/plantain plantation. Is no wonder why "El Platanal" is named after a plantain plantation they specialize in anything plantain. Mofongo? You got it! Fried or sweet plantains? Go for it! Plantain soup? My favorite place to get it. A must is are their Fried cheese with guava sauce appetizer (GET IT!!!) and their "Aplatanado rice", which is packed with "gandules" (pigeon peas) and mashed fried plantain (similar to small mofongo balls). Finally, depending on what you get, prices range from $8-20, but they always have house specials which some stay constant and others change from day to day. Check them out!!! FYI: Parking is limited and cramped. :\

    Sandwich De Platano (plantain sandwich) with Camarones (shrimp) inside
    Ben T.

    My mom (vegetarian) and I found the delicious flavors we've been hoping for on our first visit ever to Puerto Rico (having only had Puerto Rican food a few t8mes in our lives made by a few friends, relatives and a rare number of restaurants in the Bay Area, California. OooWee! I got the Pernil Al Horno (pork shoulder) which had succulent meat and crunchy skin, flavored perfectly and not salty. Paired it with Arroz Apastelado (yellow rice with shredded plantains, chekpeas and olives) which was some of the best Puerto Rican rice I've ever had; perfect texture, amazing flavor, not dry or soggy. Side of Trifongo was fantastic even without any sauce on top. Some garlic or creole sauce could makenit even greater. Mom loved her Sandwich De Platano (plantain sandwich) with Camarones inside (shrimp). I had a bite and was blown away how flavorful it was for looking so simple. We began making plans to ensure we eat at this restaurant again towards the end of our trip. Each plate is enough for 2 so we had very delicious leftovers too. Very friendly waitress, Kieshlymar. She thought her English wasn't good but she did great with all of our questions. Clean restaurant with festive decor and some creative touches.

    Christy M.

    This little place has a lot going for it. 1. It's open later than a lot of places in the area. 2. It has outdoor seating and it's a pretty festive environment. 3. The food is pretty solid and really affordable. All three of us in my party got the plantain sandwiches. One got chicken, two of us got the skirt steak. This is a pretty filling meal, the plantains are crusty almost like bread, but so much better because they are plantains! The steak was tender and flavorful. The service was perfect. I'm a fan of this place.

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    2 years ago

    Another favorite stop when visiting PR. Wive loves the fish. Motofgo is solid as well.

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    7 years ago

    I've been there twice, good plantain although not the best carne frita, accesible and competitive prices

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    6 years ago

    You cannot skip this place (either location). The food is great, the staff is friendly, and the servings are plentiful.

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    Page 1 of 2

    El Platanal Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - El Platanal

    I had Filete de Mero with mofongo, and my friend had Aguacate Relleno de Ropa Vieja and he adored it.

    Mentioned in 11 reviews

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    La Casita Blanca

    La Casita Blanca

    4.4(682 reviews)
    7.0 km
    $$

    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.

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

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    Sangria

    Santaella - FILETE DE SALMÓN ORIENTAL

    Santaella

    4.3(687 reviews)
    7.6 km
    $$$

    Kept seeing a bunch of reviews on how amazing this place was and honestly it's up there…read more To start off, I'm not really a sweets guy so my take is going to be a little off from the general public. We were able to snag a reservation but for a late time which was about an hour and a half before close. The service was super great but one thing I wished they mentioned that the bottled water was going to be a $40 charge lol. Makes sense for any upscale restaurant though. Should've mentioned we wanted tap so fair warning, ask cause you WILL get charged haha. We had a group of 10 and for how big the group was, the food came out pretty fast. I don't think we ever had a time between drinks to entrees where we were waiting for food to come out. We got the watermelons mojito for drinks since it was the most raved about. It was good but personally nothing crazy for me. 8/10 score on that. We also curry popcorn chicken, the ahi tuna lollipops, the empanadillas and the goat cheese quesadillas for apps and honestly overall 9/10. This is where I don't like the sweetness part of this meal. The empanadillas were what I was most excited for but it was more sweet then savory which sort of lose my appetite a little. I think if you like that kind of taste then it's going to be good. It wasn't a bad taste at all. Just too sweet for my liking. The curry popcorn chicken was good and the lollipops were great. Again, nothing crazy. The goat cheese quesadillas was good as well but again, too sweet for my liking. Now on to the entree, they didn't have the porkchop since we came late so I ended up getting the porkchop belly dish. When it came out, it looked amazing but then I got a whiff of it and smelled cinnamon. That's when I was sort of disappointed. It was like eating pork but tasting Cinnamon Toast Crunch and as said before, it tasted great but too sweet for me. This one was way too sweet to where it seemed like a dessert item. I just had poor luck and got one of the one items that were sweet. This doesn't tank the rating down whatsoever because I also should've read it had cinnamon. It would've been great if they made a dipping sauce or something to pair it with and not have it on the pork belly itself. I got to try other dishes my friends got which were good as well but I wish I got to try something else. If I came back I would try the sold out item which was the pork shank or the sea bass. I know for a fact the sea bass was amazing. Had a bite of it and thought "I'll come back for that" Overall, 10/10 experience and nothing bad about the place but gotta try different items when I go next time. I understand the hype now

    This restaurant was a must-try after seeing everyone rage about it online, and it definitely lived…read moreup to the hype. Out of all the restaurants I visited in Puerto Rico, my friends and I came to the agreement that this was definitely the best one, and I can't believe we almost didn't come! To start off, the staff is super nice and made us feel welcome. I may be biased because one of them complimented my "gracias" (lol) but they were accommodating and patient as we had a hard time deciding what we wanted to order, since everything looked so good! The pinchos de atun was a must-try since everyone online was talking about that dish in particular, and it was AMAZING. The tuna is so fresh and complimented so well by the sauce and the rice cracker. The ceasar salad was flavorful and a great addition, since we didn't have much veggies at that point in our trip. And the sea bass!! SO tender and delicious. We also got the perfect lady cocktail and the guava & cheese bread pudding, and both were perfectly sweet and balanced out the rest of the meal. Everything about this place was amazing. The inside of the restaurant is very pretty and it's located near La Placita, so easily accessible to the nightlife if you want to party afterward. I will definitely be recommending Santaella to all my friends and coming back if I visit San Juan again.

    Photos
    Santaella - Dinning room area

    Dinning room area

    Santaella - Tomatoes with Parmesan Cheese Ice Cream

    Tomatoes with Parmesan Cheese Ice Cream

    Santaella - Pulpo Parrilla

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    Pulpo Parrilla

    Cocina Al Fondo - Rabbit meatballs, root vegetables 'al pilón' - good!

    Cocina Al Fondo

    4.6(93 reviews)
    7.7 km

    Beautiful restaurant with outstanding, creative dishes…read more My husband and I ordered one app and two entrees. The portions were very large, and we would have been fine with just two menu items! To start, we had the roasted eggplant, lamb 'picadillo', date sofrito, 'Feliche' yogurt. Really delicious and probably best for sharing among 3-4 people as it's a bit heavy given the lamb. Nevertheless, it was really good and we finished it! For entrees, we tried the (1) rice with rabbit, sweet plantain in its leaf and the (2) breaded pork loin, mushroom cream, cherokee tomatoes from San Lorenzo, tostones. Our server was super excited when we ordered the rice with rabbit and I understand why. It was insanely flavorful. Also a massive portion haha. We really enjoyed this. The pork loin was delicious as well, especially with the mushroom cream. Plantains are one of my favorite foods, and these tostones did not disappoint. The restaurant itself is beautiful. It's a nice mix of modern decor with homey, vintage elements. There is a very large outdoor space, but I'm really glad we ate inside. Definitely recommend - especially for a group that likes to share!

    What a perfect dining experience. The staff genuinely seem thrilled to work there. They made us…read morefeel so welcome. They were also so excited to recommend dishes from their expansive menu! Beautiful layout with roomy indoor seating arrangements and a lovely outdoor seating space. Bathrooms were pristine with a changing table Food: Corn fritters with cod & heirloom tomatoes - light and delicious, packed with layers of flavor. Nice blend of textures from crispy to the savory tender fish and the tomato crisp Chicken thigh chicharrones - wow. So good. Tender and flavorful Prawns - plump and tasty. Soaked in a wonderful stew I would say 3-4 dishes is good for 2 people with a healthy appetite Would 100% like to come back the next time we are in Puerto Rico

    Photos
    Cocina Al Fondo
    Cocina Al Fondo - La Maja cocktail, Beets and 'Lucía' goat cheese terrine, honey, cherry tomatoes, almonds, artisanal bread toast - lovely

    La Maja cocktail, Beets and 'Lucía' goat cheese terrine, honey, cherry tomatoes, almonds, artisanal bread toast - lovely

    Cocina Al Fondo - Funky Fashion - their twist on Old Fashioned

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    Funky Fashion - their twist on Old Fashioned

    La Cueva del Mar - Mofongo with Ropa Vieja

    La Cueva del Mar

    4.4(518 reviews)
    7.8 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

    El Platanal - puertorican - Updated May 2026

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