My husband wanted to stop here to eat when we first arrived in Old San Juan, but I wanted to try…read morethe local food. I have eaten Turkish food before. However, we were about to leave to catch our flight back home, so we stopped in. Little did I know that they do serve local dishes as well. Since we had already had a lot of local dishes by this time, we ordered the sampler platter I think it was. We shared a platter with salad, rice, lamb chops, chicken kebab, beef kebab, and ground beef kebab. We also got the eggplant appetizer. We let Cecelia know that we were in a hurry to get to the airport on time to catch our flight home, and she made sure we were served quickly. It was really delicious! The rice was buttery, the bread was warm, the meats were all very tasty. It was a perfect lunch before we headed home. It was right across from the parking garage, so that made everything easy for us. We even enjoyed Cecelia's hot sauce even though it was a little too hot for me.

An unexpected stop for lunch during a cruise stop in Old San Juan, PR, the Istanbul Restaurant was…read morea combination of Turkish dishes along with dishes native to Puerto Rico. My brother and I tried dishes from both menus, and found it to be quite good. As we were walking past, a small sign for 'Grandma's Kitchen' caught our eye. My brother had been encouraging me to try Puerto Rico's national dish: Mofongo - mashed fried plantains. Unfortunately, restaurants were just packed with long waits and I wasn't in the mood to wait outside in the sun for a long time. The door next to the sign stated that it was a restaurant called 'Istanbul'. We peaked inside, and was welcomed warmly by a host, who let us know that the restaurant was both Grandma's Kitchen/Istanbul. There was nobody else dining inside, which was weird considering how every other restaurant in the area was packed. The dishes are made to order, so took a bit of time for it to come out one at a time. Mixed Seafood Stuffed Mofongo ($25) - served in a wooden pilon, the tall and narrow neck was stuffed with the mashed plantains, topped with a seafood blend of clams, dense fish pieces, octopus, and squid. The sauce was really well done, not too rich, but buttery enough to accentuate the seafood. I have to believe the seafood was prepared from frozen, but it tasted really good: a definite notch up from the seafood I've been having on the cruise boats. It was the first time having mofongo, and I liked it. This version had fried plantain chips, mixed with the mash of more plantains. I don't think this version had pork skin rinds, and I didn't miss it. It's extremely dense, so ended up eating maybe a third of it while finishing the seafood. It's a solid alternative to rice, though definitely can't eat too much of it. Doner Kebab ($18) - from the Istanbul portion of the menu, this dish was tasty, though the meat was cooked on a flat top grill like a burger patty, instead of on a vertical rotisserie. The lamb/beef patty was loosely formed and well seasoned, with the accompanying tzatziki sauce being a good add-on. Both dishes were cooked very well, the back kitchen has some skills. Service was friendly throughout. Water is not offered, but guessing they will give to you if asked. Payment was provided after the meal, and they do stick on a mandatory 15% gratuity for all party sizes.

On our way to another restaurant for lunch, we saw the sign and front facade of El Cairo and…read morechanged our plans to go inside. The menu offers plenty of choices. I was curious and ordered their lamb lunch box with rice, hummus, and salad. The box looked exactly as good as in the menu picture. While I did not love the salad, the rice, lamb, and hummus were delicious. For dessert, a strong coffee and baklava! The service was just okay. If you are a Yelper and get excited about the 10% discount for your first check-in, they did not honor it.

Food was different and delicious. Service was excellent very attentive and provided suggestions…read more Ambiance takes you to Cairo from the entrance and decor inside. The only complaint was the dessert, the baklava was not fresh. It was kind of hard and cold. Thank you.

Awesome vegan-friendly spot! We were only hungry for a snack, so we got a platter of 3 mezze…read more(babaganoush, pumpkin hummus, and regular hummus). All three were great although the star of the show was the homemade whole wheat pita. Insanely fresh. Fluffy and pillowy on the inside and crusty and crunchy on the outside. Loved it.

Love the decor! The servers were all very nice and the mezze, homemade pita & falafel were all…read moredelicious! Tucked away in a non touristy area. A little hidden gem!

Avoid this place at all costs! If you want your food to look like the tempting photos on the menu,…read moreyou'll need to ask specifically, and be prepared to pay extra. The so-called fresh orange juice is a complete misrepresentation--it's pre-bought, not squeezed in-house, and tastes just like store-bought store-brand juice. Four of us ordered breakfast, and every single plate came out cold and dry, as if it had been sitting out from yesterday. The ambiance is barely welcoming, worsened by a waitress who seems to have an excuse for every problem with the food. Can a restaurant be sued for false advertising? They display a tempting photo on the menu, then tell customers, 'If you want your French toasts just like in the picture, you need to ask for it, and it will cost extra'--ridiculous! This might just be the worst dining experience in Old San Juan... Horrible place and experience....

Carthage Express in San Juan, PR was such a great find that we ended up coming back again!!! this…read moretime for breakfast. From the first visit, the food stood out as fresh, flavorful, and thoughtfully prepared, which immediately made it a place we wanted to revisit. When we returned for breakfast, it didn't disappoint. Everything was delicious, well made, and satisfying, making it the perfect start to the day. You can really tell they care about quality and consistency in their food. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, and the service was friendly and attentive on both visits. The staff made us feel comfortable and appreciated, which added a lot to the overall experience. Carthage Express quickly became one of those spots we'd gladly return to again and recommend to anyone visiting or living in San Juan.

I had this spot bookmarked for a while. Finally got to go after my kid's soccer game. It's located…read morein a strip mall behind Plaza Escorial. From the outside it doesn't look like much. Nothing stands out. But don't let that fool you, the inside is nice. It was early so we were most likely the first customers of the day. We started off with falafels. Very fresh, perfect taste. I'm sure it helped that the oil was also fresh because we'd arrived early, but I'm sure they're always fire. We also ordered the Labneh. This was also good. For the main course I went with the mix platter. It was a good way to try the different meats: chicken, lamb, and beef. It came with rice, salad, and hummus. Perfect for one person. Very tasty. Loved the rice and salad. Overall, great spot not far from San Juan. Worth the trip.

We got the lamb kofte plate and lamb shawarma. The plate comes with rice, pita, hummus, baba…read moreghanouj, and salad - the sides could be more but the kofte were delicious. The shawarma was dry. The server was friendly, and there is a fair amount of seating.

This place is absolutely exquisite. Every dish stands out, not just because everything tastes…read moreamazing, but because each plate is full of flavor and beautifully presented with so much attention to detail. Even the white rice was incredible, perfectly cooked and honestly one of the best I've had. Reminded me of my grandma The service was very friendly and attentive throughout the entire experience. Everyone was welcoming, helpful, and always ready to assist with a smile. The atmosphere is warm, elegant, and timeless, with a classic décor that makes the space feel relaxing and inviting. No matter the time of day, you immediately feel comfortable and welcomed here. Definitely a place worth visiting.

Stopped by here for a business lunch and it was amazing. The service was spectacular the food was…read moreamazing. If you happen to come to eat here get the fish it was delicious. Great staff and the restaurant has a nice feel of a modern PR vibe. Great place to eat either casual or a business environment.

I Love this place because it never disappoints. We ordered a cubano, a lamb gyro and the lamb ribs…read morein wine sauce (they are baby lamb chops) with a side of mushroom risotto. Everyone loved their food! The staff are always very friendly. and the place is always well air conditioned and clean.

Wow! This place is amazing! From the moment we arrived, I knew we had found something special…read more The staff were amazingly friendly and welcoming. They seated us right away, gave a great rundown of the menu, and promptly brought our drinks. The place is clearly a favorite in the area as it was packed with tourists and locals alike. The smells are mouth watering, the layout of the building optimized for space and also getting you seated as quickly as possible. The gyros were absolutely amazing! They were seasoned perfectly, portions generous, and hard to put down! Quite possibly my favorite gyros ever! This place is so good that we came back to back days after making a pact never to do that in PR. It's that good! If you are anywhere near this place, get here as quickly as possible. It's worth it!

Incredible every time. Fiko is amazing and his creations are on point. We have come here for…read moreyears and always crave for the next visit. Simply one of the best restaurants in PR.

Been there two times. First time we got take out and second time dine in. We had a wonderful…read moreexperience both occasions. Food was delicious, service was excellent and the restaurant is very clean. Some of the best wait service in town, attentive and anticipated our needs without hovering. Chef came out to greet us which was an added bonus to the experience as he answered some questions about the cooking process and ingredients. Highly recommend.