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We were looking for places to eat in San Juan, and El Refrán kept coming up, so we decided to check them out. It's not a big place and was pretty packed when we arrived, but we got there at a good time because a lot of people had left, and we didn't have to wait too long. Our server was amazing and made us feel right at home. The food was great. We had ham croquettes, and my husband ordered a pork dish. My blue drink was bomb and matched my nails perfectly! My husband had a smoked old-fashioned that was pretty tasty as well. The best part was the dessert. They have the best Tres Leches I've ever had! It's been voted the best in all of Puerto Rico for the past six years. It's to die for!!!!
First dinner of vacation and it was amazing!! Had the Red Sangria and a Gin & Tonic, both were nice and strong. We had the shrimp quesadilla, chicken quesadilla, chicken tenders with fries and Mofongo with Garlic Sauce. All were amazing!!! And the portions were adequate for the price. Also, Derek was super dope as a server. So friendly and gave great recommendations. We will definitely be back.
El Refran is located right on Ashford Ave- you cannot miss it - it's a tiny little restaurant that always 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.
It sure has a cool vibe here. We sat with our friends to the right of the beautiful, bold mural and looked out across the open facade to see the people walking by and the sights of Ashford avenue on a warm evening. The food is just great. I ordered mampostao rice (rice and beans on the griddle till it gets crispy) topped with the perfectly cooked skirt steak. This was delicious. Hubby got the same with grilled shrimp, also real good. Our waiter was really friendly and, ahem, pretty nice on the eyes.
Should have been our 1st stop! Small spot, but service was welcoming. The food was flavorful, would have liked a little more juice on the pernil but it was tender. The pork chops and grilled veggies packed flavor too.
El Refran is a small restaurant. They had the bartender also serving as the waiter, so service was a little slow. However, he was friendly and tried his best. I enjoyed my fishbowl drink, but the fish nuggets and grilled vegetables lacked seasoning. I also didn't particularly care for the sauces that came with the fish. However, the rice and beans were delicious!
Indoor seating with a open front which allows for a nice breeze! The service was impeccable, started with a passion fruit juice which was very refreshing and from a local farm. I ordered the surf and turf mofongo. It was incredible, the mofongo had a garlic forward flavor. The shrimp was also garlicky and the shrimp was incredibly tender. The grilled veggies were flavorful and fresh!
The plates were huge for the price, and the flavors were great! The lady checked on us often; she was very nice, answered all our questions, and although this place is small, it's definitely beautiful. You eat inside, but it feels like you're outdoors.
We stopped in here on Saturday for lunch. The server was super friendly. Unfortunately, they were out of about half of their items which wasn't the best. They didn't have the cod fritters, empanadas, any chicken, or any pork chops. We definitely would've gotten different things than we did, had this not been the case. We ordered the croquettes which were very good. They did have the chicken wings because it was a different type of chicken. They were good and absolutely huge. We also had the boribowl with steak because they didn't have chicken. It came with rice, beans, and plantains. It was also good! We had the tres leches cake. It came frozen in the middle but overall was very tasty. Great service and good food. Being out of over half of the menu was not good.
I don't necessarily want to give this place a bad review, but I do want to be honest about my experience. To start, I ordered a Shirley Temple and my daughter ordered a cranberry juice. Unfortunately, neither drink was good--my Shirley Temple was flat and unimpressive, and my daughter said her cranberry juice tasted watered down. For food, we ordered the chicken with rice, beans, and tostones. The chicken was juicy (not particularly standout, but still good), the beans were tasty, and the tostones were really good, especially with the ketchup-mayo sauce on the side. The biggest disappointment was the rice--it was hard and unpleasant, almost like the overcooked bottom layer (I think it's called graton). I personally don't enjoy that texture, so it really threw off the dish. If I were to go back, I'd skip the drinks altogether and just stick to the tostones and chicken. Service was fine, nothing remarkable either way. The ambiance is unique--it's technically indoors but completely open to the outside since there's no doorway, which gives it a kind of inside-outside feel. Overall, not a terrible experience, but definitely hit-or-miss depending on what you order.
While on vacation, we decided to try this restaurant based off the reviews. We had to wait about 7-10 minutes for a table to open up, not a bad wait at all. When we were seated, we were handed menus but were also told that most things on the menu were not available. I had my mind set on getting the skirt steak but unfortunately they were all out of stock. We did go late at night so we couldn't be disappointed. I pivoted and went with the strip steak with truffle fries. The fries were the best part of the meal. The steak was overdone, I asked for medium rare and ended up with a medium well to well done steak. The sides that we ordered were decent. Maybe I'll try to go earlier in the day to see if that will make a difference as far as experience.
Cute little restaurant. Opens later when it rains. Impeccable service. Suggestions provided. Good fresh food without feeling bloated. Salmon and veggies with a beer for lunch! Check it out. A little pricey for lunch. Meal total $31+, but good nonetheless.
I tried a couple of places while I was here in Puerto Rico looking for authentic Puerto Rican food but this place by far has been the best!!!! Depending at what time you stop by there may be a huge line but it is worth the wait. I would recommend what I call going during off time like late lunch at 1-1:30 or early dinner 5-5:30 to avoid lines.
A very small restaurant with absolutely authentic Puerto Rican food with about 10 tables or so, absolutely do not miss this place! So what do you get by coming here? You get the real deal, real Puerto Rican dishes, with the greatest flavors and fair prices. Unless you prefer playing overpriced, find dining restaurants with average Puerto Rican food, which there are plenty of in the area. I'm not able to emphasize how small this restaurant is, it's located right along the main walking strip in Coronado Beach. Maybe 10 tables or so. No reservations walk up wait in line if you have to eat and leave. Not only will you eat the best tasting food during your trip, but probably also pay the least amount of money. We went here twice! Their rice and beans recipe is probably what it's all about! We got grilled shrimp and skirt steak over rice and beans and honestly, I could've had it all week long! This little gem local place is not to be missed! Highly recommended! read more
5 months ago
This casual restaurant is a fun dinner stop with open air dining (not so good on a hot day though). 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. read more
4 minutes ago
We were looking for places to eat in San Juan, and El Refrán kept coming up, so we decided to check them out. It's not a big place and was pretty packed when we arrived, but we got there at a good time because a lot of people had left, and we didn't have to wait too long. Our server was amazing and made us feel right at home. The food was great. We had ham croquettes, and my husband ordered a pork dish. My blue drink was bomb and matched my nails perfectly! My husband had a smoked old-fashioned that was pretty tasty as well. The best part was the dessert. They have the best Tres Leches I've ever had! It's been voted the best in all of Puerto Rico for the past six years. It's to die for!!!! read more
First dinner of vacation and it was amazing!! Had the Red Sangria and a Gin & Tonic, both were nice and strong. We had the shrimp quesadilla, chicken quesadilla, chicken tenders with fries and Mofongo with Garlic Sauce. All were amazing!!! And the portions were adequate for the price. Also, Derek was super dope as a server. So friendly and gave great recommendations. We will definitely be back. read more
El Refran is located right on Ashford Ave- you cannot miss it - it's a tiny little restaurant that always 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. read more
It sure has a cool vibe here. We sat with our friends to the right of the beautiful, bold mural and looked out across the open facade to see the people walking by and the sights of Ashford avenue on a warm evening. The food is just great. I ordered mampostao rice (rice and beans on the griddle till it gets crispy) topped with the perfectly cooked skirt steak. This was delicious. Hubby got the same with grilled shrimp, also real good. Our waiter was really friendly and, ahem, pretty nice on the eyes. read more
4 months ago
Should have been our 1st stop! Small spot, but service was welcoming. The food was flavorful, would have liked a little more juice on the pernil but it was tender. The pork chops and grilled veggies packed flavor too. read more
8 months ago
El Refran is a small restaurant. They had the bartender also serving as the waiter, so service was a little slow. However, he was friendly and tried his best. I enjoyed my fishbowl drink, but the fish nuggets and grilled vegetables lacked seasoning. I also didn't particularly care for the sauces that came with the fish. However, the rice and beans were delicious! read more
4 months ago
Indoor seating with a open front which allows for a nice breeze! The service was impeccable, started with a passion fruit juice which was very refreshing and from a local farm. I ordered the surf and turf mofongo. It was incredible, the mofongo had a garlic forward flavor. The shrimp was also garlicky and the shrimp was incredibly tender. The grilled veggies were flavorful and fresh! read more
1 month ago
The plates were huge for the price, and the flavors were great! The lady checked on us often; she was very nice, answered all our questions, and although this place is small, it's definitely beautiful. You eat inside, but it feels like you're outdoors. read more
3 months ago
We stopped in here on Saturday for lunch. The server was super friendly. Unfortunately, they were out of about half of their items which wasn't the best. They didn't have the cod fritters, empanadas, any chicken, or any pork chops. We definitely would've gotten different things than we did, had this not been the case. We ordered the croquettes which were very good. They did have the chicken wings because it was a different type of chicken. They were good and absolutely huge. We also had the boribowl with steak because they didn't have chicken. It came with rice, beans, and plantains. It was also good! We had the tres leches cake. It came frozen in the middle but overall was very tasty. Great service and good food. Being out of over half of the menu was not good. read more
1 year ago
I don't necessarily want to give this place a bad review, but I do want to be honest about my experience. To start, I ordered a Shirley Temple and my daughter ordered a cranberry juice. Unfortunately, neither drink was good--my Shirley Temple was flat and unimpressive, and my daughter said her cranberry juice tasted watered down. For food, we ordered the chicken with rice, beans, and tostones. The chicken was juicy (not particularly standout, but still good), the beans were tasty, and the tostones were really good, especially with the ketchup-mayo sauce on the side. The biggest disappointment was the rice--it was hard and unpleasant, almost like the overcooked bottom layer (I think it's called graton). I personally don't enjoy that texture, so it really threw off the dish. If I were to go back, I'd skip the drinks altogether and just stick to the tostones and chicken. Service was fine, nothing remarkable either way. The ambiance is unique--it's technically indoors but completely open to the outside since there's no doorway, which gives it a kind of inside-outside feel. Overall, not a terrible experience, but definitely hit-or-miss depending on what you order. read more
6 months ago
While on vacation, we decided to try this restaurant based off the reviews. We had to wait about 7-10 minutes for a table to open up, not a bad wait at all. When we were seated, we were handed menus but were also told that most things on the menu were not available. I had my mind set on getting the skirt steak but unfortunately they were all out of stock. We did go late at night so we couldn't be disappointed. I pivoted and went with the strip steak with truffle fries. The fries were the best part of the meal. The steak was overdone, I asked for medium rare and ended up with a medium well to well done steak. The sides that we ordered were decent. Maybe I'll try to go earlier in the day to see if that will make a difference as far as experience. read more
6 months ago
Cute little restaurant. Opens later when it rains. Impeccable service. Suggestions provided. Good fresh food without feeling bloated. Salmon and veggies with a beer for lunch! Check it out. A little pricey for lunch. Meal total $31+, but good nonetheless. read more
1 month ago
4 months ago
I tried a couple of places while I was here in Puerto Rico looking for authentic Puerto Rican food but this place by far has been the best!!!! Depending at what time you stop by there may be a huge line but it is worth the wait. I would recommend what I call going during off time like late lunch at 1-1:30 or early dinner 5-5:30 to avoid lines. read more
4 months ago
Super tasty mofongo and the service was incredibly friendly! Great place to stop by and would definitely go again read more
10 months ago
This was my first Puerto Rican dining experience and it did not disappoint because I ended up going here twice for lunch for the same thing. Xena was so great at the suggestion because I wanted to try authentic Puerto Rican dishes so I went with Pernil Mofongo and Queso Frito (basically fried cheese). Everything was delicious and the service was really good and steps from my hotel. I love the ambience and friendly atmosphere. read more
2 months ago
My wife and I were in Puerto Rico and we saw good Yelp reviews for this place right across the street from our hotel. We entered on a Wednesday night about 5 PM and I ordered a Cuban and some of the Puerto Rico rice and beans, they are so good! The Cuban was full of wonder pork and ham and just enough accouterments to make it happy. Super filling and our server was super nice in this clean, smallish Puerto Rican joint. Good times with the with and washed it down with a beer. Refreshing dinner on our last night in Puerto Rico. read more
10 months ago
Absolutely delicious, and so close to the hotel! We're dusting at Candado Vanderbilt and we just got in. Super casual, food came out quickly and was hot. Everything was good! I'm not huge on steak but I got the Mamposteao Tacu Tacu with skirt steak and it did not miss! My partner got the mofongo with chicken and garlic sauce and I'm glad she did! Definitely a great "I just got off the plane and need something quick and delicious" spot! Highly recommend! read more
2 months ago
Amazing food. There is reason why this place has 4.5 stars on yelp. Mofongo was a bit plain, but the steak and the shrimps are amazing read more
1 month ago
We lucked out. Went when we could just walk in and sit down. Other nights we passed by and it was a long line. Service is very friendly and nice but very slow. I felt like he was making a million drinks before he took our order. I got the grilled chicken which was supposed to have a passion fruit sauce on it but there was not sauce and it was pretty dry. I did like the tostones it came with, and it came with a lot. My friends liked their meals a lot. Though they didn't have the mushrooms for the quesadilla. Also we had the best fried cheese app here, get it! It's an indoor outdoor restaraunt so it can get a little hot. Bathroom is single and a bit run down. But overall nice atmosphere, decent food! Wish we came back to get the cheese again. And also try other things. read more
4 months ago
I completely understand why this place has such amazing reviews. If you're in San Juan, this is a must-visit spot. The food was amazing, the portions were generous, and most menu options came with a side. The ambiance of the restaurant was fantastic, with an open street view that really made you feel connected to the local community. The service was good as well, although a bit limited due to the small staff. Overall, I'd rate this place a 10/10. Whenever I come back to Puerto Rico, this will definitely be one of my regular stops read more
1 year ago
My wife and I visited El Refran for dinner recently. We love Puerto Rican food but were underwhelmed by our experience. We started with an order of Codfish Fritters. The fritters had a creamy mixture filled with shredded cod on the inside but were burnt on the outside. For my entrée I had the Kan Kan Pork Chop. The meat was a bit dry but there were some parts of the cut that had crisp skin. Overall, the food is edible but there are much better options in San Juan. read more
Right across from Condado beach, and the meal was FILLING. The meal you see on this picture was the KIDS MEAL. And damn was it good as hell. It's in a very touristy spot so it was more expensive than the norm, but people are really cool and the food was good. Perfect Puerto Rican after beach meal. read more
Especially in PR, with so many amazing local options that are a bit more out of the way, I usually wouldn't choose a spot right by the hotel for lunch. However, seriously, this was one of the best meals we had in San Juan! The tripleta was unlike any I've had before, it was juicy and melty and so so yummy. The pernil was seasoned and cooked perfectly, as was the mofongo, which made every bite perfect. The mamposteao was also perfect, and my boyfriend and I tore it up. I ordered at the counter and waited, and it did take about 25-30 min to come out, which was excessive, but that is to be expected at a tourist hotspot (there was tons of other people waiting around me). read more
3 months ago
7 months ago
This place puts a modern twist on Puerto Rican food! I really loved the vibes and all the staff was absolutely welcoming and friendly. It is smack in the middle of everything touristy so while im no expert on the local food, this place was delicious to me. If you find the local food to be a bit bland, this place manages to recreate the local food in a way that elevates it. A big plus, they have a large selection of drinks! read more
3 months ago
9 months ago
Excellent Cubano Sandwich. Wonderful happy server. Small restaurant. You may have to wait but totally worth the wait read more
A restaurant with grey food and street views. The churrasco was tender, juicy and flavorful. The tres leches cake was phenomenal too! The restaurant is located right across from La Concha so diners get to be close to all the actions on the boisterous street outside while they dine. Service was decent and friendly, but slightly understaffed at busy hours. It's a nice experience overall! read more
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More info about El Refrán
Ashford Ave 1104
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00907
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(787) 998-4750
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29 reviews that are not currently recommended
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