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This bar serves great specialty cocktails and the food was really good too. which is surprising for a bar/club. they have many different rooms with different music selections so there is something for everyone to enjoy. it was pretty packed on A friday night so wear comfy shoes and be ready to dance. my favorite spot was upstairs where i was able to look out the windows and see down the whole strip
Fantastic vibes and craft cocktails! My friends and I stopped by La Factoria after hearing that they filmed the Despacito music video! We came during the day and there's not many seats, but we were luckily able to grab a table. It was hard to get a bartenders attention at first and no one really came over to ask for our orders. I got the Pornstar Martini, which was super strong and refreshing! Highly recommend if you're a Passionfruit fan!
Top notch vibes paired with fantastic drinks The playlist here is perfect if you just want to sit down, enjoy a drink, and have a conversation with friends Once again, the mixologists/bartenders were very kind to a solo traveller, going out of their way to make me feel involved in everything going on. The water glass was always (almost immediately) quietly topped up whenever it was empty and they even offered to make me a customised cocktail that was to my taste / what I wanted at that moment Very well deserving of their accolades!
The most memorable night I have ever experienced. La Factoría is by no means in a class by itself if you want to feel that authentic real boricua heritage feeling well this is the place. Let me say I was amazed and so were my quests at a party we had on the second floor. When you first walk in the rustic old San Juan aesthetics building makes you feel like you are back early 1900's . Vivian our host was amazing along with all the bartenders,Dj,and the house salsa band which I highly recommend you hire. The food was authentic Puerto Rican food down to the roasted pig on the rod. Wow my mouth just waters talking about it. The la factoria old fashion drink was delicious.I recommend this place to any one looking for a great location to have a gathering with your family members and friends like a welcoming party before a wedding like I did. Parking as you know is impossible but thanks goddess for uber which made it easy for transportation.Well I will definitely be back
Ok, this unassuming (but apparently well-known) bar makes one of the BEST rum old fashioneds I've ever had. La Factoria seems like a place you would find in Portland; it's moderately hipster with an eclectic menu. I got there right around sunset and the vibes were mellow, with the golden hour light creating the perfect ambiance. Service was fast at the bar, and my drink was so, so good. Prices are also very reasonable, especially for Viejo San Juan. Bathrooms are maybe a bit dirty, but otherwise, this place is perfect.
Still 5 stars... We came here Saturday night for drinks after dinner. There's a line outside, bouncer checking IDs, and people wanting to go in, but it moved fast. The place was packed but people move around, between the bar, the second room, and outside. Even with the busy bar, we did not wait long for someone to get our drink order. There's sofas, small tables, and window seats, plus enough space to stand. We waited a bit and were lucky to get the window seats. This is great for people watching plus to enjoy the island breeze. Location is great too, right on the street of many other bars making it easy to hop around and be a part of the very lively crowd that's always happy to be there, both locals and tourists. La Factoría is definitely a must when visiting Old San Juan
Visited during the day after lunch around 1pm and enjoyed two amazing cocktails. Knowing this is a hot spot for nighttime, I can definitely see how this place is a fun time. Expert bartenders, can see why they're known for their great drinks. Got a Lavender Mule (perfectttttt with a lavender infusion and ginger flavor but not ginger-spicy) and Cucumber Smash (super refreshing!) which were delightful. The vibe was really awesome even though it was the middle of the day, a great group of locals around too, which only increased my confidence that this was an awesome spot to check out, not just a tourist spot. When they say artisanal cocktails, they absolutely mean it. I enjoyed watching the bartender make our drinks. My husband and I enjoyed sitting at the bar, there are also smaller tables and a really plush red couch area for relaxed seating. The best seat in the house, in our opinion was really the two barstools that look out into the street. We enjoyed sitting there, taking in some of the sun, people watching, and taking some really cute photos with our drinks. Additional cool factor: La Factoria is connected to four other bars, all on the same street, but you can actually navigate in between them through doorways inside each bar. It was really cool to be able to take five steps over and be in another bar and another and another! If you enjoy specialty cocktails that are crafted with passion, make sure you stop by this storied location. Cheers!
If you want to go to a unique place that sales alcohol, music and finger foods, La Factoría is it!!! This place is old construction but unique. Bathrooms upstairs were cleaned. It does get crowded. It has different dancing rooms to dance to the beat of bachata and salsa .It Was hard to dance and got too overcrowded. Also the food was amazing, but it took very long, but once it got there. Ive ordered the stake sandwich.
La Factoría has the reputation that it has for very good reason!!! It IS the epicentre of fun, excellent vibes, superb live music and salsa dancing with people at all different levels. We went after finishing a late dinner on a Saturday night, and the vibes that we were hoping for - we received with open arms! There was no long line to get in, and it was definitely crowded inside. Getting drinks wasn't too crazy of an ordeal -- but most importantly, and I cannot stress this enough, it was SUCH an amazing time!!
1 year ago
The worst experience ever!!! I was walking by this place and wondering if I should check this place out on Thursday Jan 9th. I was holding a can of sparkling water at that time and the guy at the door pointed to it. I realized he meant it's not allowed in there, which I completely understand and was not planning to take it in either. So I told him I knew that and I would definitely finish it before going inside. After that I spoke in Chinese at the door with my dad see if we wanted to go in now or later. The guy suddenly said to us, 'she doesn't like it. Go somewhere else.' I felt very shocked and uncomfortable with that. I told him: we are speaking Chinese. Please don't be judgmental if you don't understand what's going on. He reacted like 'yeah yeah yeah whatever'. Then I realized he is not being sensitive to what he doesn't understand. He is just being a jerk. Very very disappointing and disturbing experience. Decorations and atmosphere wise, it's very average. There are tons of bars like that in Caribbean. There is no way I ever want to come to this place. read more
3 years ago
I received recommendations for La Factoría from so many people, and websites, and travel books! I knew we had to try it during a recent girls' trip. We heard it had several bars hidden inside, but even knowing that, we almost missed a few on our first pass through the bar. We entered to the aroma of coffee in a laid back room - reminiscent of a cool coffee shop or jazz club. There was a small set of swinging doors tucked behind the bar area and when we passed through, we entered a bar almost small enough to be considered a hallway. It was packed, so we had no choice to continue to the next room - which was practically drawing us in with the vibrant sounds of salsa music and lively dancefloor. This is where we acquired our first beverages - a lavender mule and cocktail with fermented pineapple. Both were impressively made and fueled our journey through another doorway to a glowing red room. A sign reading El Final glowed in the corner as pulsing electronic music bounced against the walls and dancing bodies. This is where we originally thought the bar ended - it did say El Final, after all. We were quickly set straight and explored the other areas. There was a candlelit seating area and, our favorite of the first visit - La Cubanita - a quiet, neighborly bar which used to be a local market. It also serves as the back entrance to La Factoría. We enjoyed the rest of our evening there at the bar, chatting with the servers and other patrons. We had such a great time that we returned the next night! That night we were able to grab seats in the second, hallway-sized bar. The music was late 90s hits and the service was amazing. We found out this was the "wine bar" and tried one of the special drinks. The San Juan Grubb was a tasty cocktail using Syrah, Bullet Rye and Allspice. And it was pretty too. Merv was working the bar and he made our night extra special! I wish I could go back again and again! PS: the bathrooms got kinda nasty later in the night. read more
(Visited 2/7/2020) Finishing up our vacation in the Caribbean we were out celebrating our last night in San Juan and we were told by multiple people (locals and hotel staff) that we needed to come here. So the place opened up at 4:00pm and we were not the only ones waiting to get in. So this place has a couple of secrets... Atmosphere/Appearance: Set right in the middle of the busy party district is this low-key gem. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the inside is where this restaurant does all it's talking. So the restaurant is based around being a cocktail bar that makes such cool and unique drinks with the aura of Old San Juan surrounding you. It's aesthetically pleasing and works SO WELL. Seating is limited... in the first room. So what happens is, as the bar stays open later additional rooms open up that lead to more rooms. There are a total of 4 and you always start in the first one which leads into the next room, then into the next and so on. There was a schedule of some sort of when each room opens, but I really believe it's up to the people running the place. It was one of the most unique things I've ever heard of a restaurant doing. Sadly, the bar wasn't busy enough for the last 2 rooms to open early enough (before we left). (This place stays open until 4:00am every single night.) Service: Murphy was our bartender and he... was... awesome. He just had the personality that belonged in that bar. It fit him and he fit it. Lol, I don't even know how else to explain that. Most of the service is done at the bar when you go up and get your own food/drink, but there was a server floating around somewhere. Food/Drink: My fiancée had the Lavender Mule (Ketel One, ginger tea, lavender and citrus) while I had the Hijos Borinquen (Don Q Añejo, Smith & Cross, lime, cinnamon and apricot liquior). The drinks were so flavorful, different and decently strong, although they could've used more alcohol. We had several more drinks, but I think we ordered much simpler concoctions that we knew we'd enjoy and feel the effects of. Lol. Value: It's a hoppin' bar so they know they're worth. Our drinks stayed between $8.00 and $9.00, which is pretty solid to be honest. It's way better than New York City priced drinks, that's for sure. Lol. If you stay a while in here though... you can certainly run the bill up very high. In conclusion, I'd love to revisit this place and come prepared to stay all night. Lol. I wanna see all the rooms and try the entire drink menu. I really loved it here. read more
We popped in during the afternoon and ordered a drink lavender mule. It was fragrant and refreshing!! I had read reviews and thought it was a speakeasy. I asked the waiter and he said that the red light turns on at night which indicates that the back rooms are open. I asked if we could see it and he kindly led us back there to give us a tour. It was a large space with 3 spaces available. Apparently, it's the place to go after-hours like midnight onward. read more
2 years ago
Drink: I got the lavender mule which was pretty good without too strong of a lavender taste while my friend got the hints de borinquen which is very strong Price: reasonably priced at ~$12-14 per cocktail Atmosphere: really lively and fun atmosphere and larger than it looks at the entrance read more
2 years ago
While on a walking tour of Old San Juan our tour guide walked us past La Factoría. It was dark outside at the time and you could barely tell anything was going on inside. She promised us it was a great place to have a drink and is voted one of the best 50 bars in the world. So a few days later I was walking around old San Juan with no destination in mind when I came across it again. This time it was daylight and the doors and windows were open. I loved the look of the inside and stopped for a piña colada. I had great service and my drink was super tasty also. I'd definitely recommend stopping by the next time you're in San Juan. read more
I came across La Factoria on a Thursday late afternoon. It wasn't crowded at all an I really enjoyed myself. I sat in the main room an asked the bartender for the Lavendar Mule (most requested drink at the bar.) It was really good an the bartender was super friendly even giving me a taste shot of the lavender syrup that goes into the drink! There are 2 other bars within the establishment. One being dedicated specifically to wines. The music was great an to my surprise my drink was very affordable! $10 including tip. I will definitely be back an I highly recommend it! Just note the name of the bar isn't anywhere on the building. Don't frett though! Google maps will take you there. Just look for the coral color building on the corner! read more
A 5 star is an understatement! This hole in the wall bar blew my mind. The cocktails - recommendations by the bartender - were amazing! The vibe of the bar was extremely old San Juan. On a Thursday night, we didn't wait much, just a couple minutes. It's apparently #23 or so out of #50 best bar in the United States on a list - and I'm extremely glad I tried it out! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Amazing vibes and cocktails. They hidden rooms after hidden rooms which is fun to explore. I loved the evening I spent here - everyone seemed to be having fun, there was live music and a couple was dancing. Highly recommend! read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
Not so hidden bar with lively eclectic seating, open air and a labyrinth. Service was super slow so we ended up only having one drink and half the bars were closed due to Covid (not their fault) for the price the drinks were so so but not phenomenal. Would go back again when things open up more to give it a second chance but it's not on my top must go to advise. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
Fantastic cocktails!! My partner and I stopped by after a long day in the hot sun. These cocktails were very refreshing and well curated with some interesting ingredients. The bartenders were very friendly and helpful! read more
2 years ago
Bartender, Amazing and efficient! Drinks, fantastic! Atmosphere not to be missed! I love this place for drinks and fun with friends. I'll definitely be back again and again! read more
#39 for 2018 Super chill for a speakeasy in thr rear with a red couch and 2 red cushion chairs along side a couple red benches. Rustic hole in the wall bar off the main drags on Calle San Sebastian. I found it relaxing and comfortable to shoot our snippet of the Despacito video, the silent version. Music may be added later. This is early in the afternoon on a Thursday playing some good music, mostly old classics and a few new ones. I could stay here all day listening to this but there were other sights to see. After midnight, on the wknds, the life changes something you have to see. Long before Despacito, La Favtoria became famoùs for its' coctails being #5 in the world. Not surprising as many Puerto Rican bars have taken high positions using their advantage of the variety and quality of local fruits and other ingredients. We came back later to try a couple of their specialties and were not disappointed. Service was bar none good. Mixologist knew his craft in listening to him explain himself to a few visitors. Good to know. Lavender Mule: citrus, lavender syrup, ginger tea and vodka. This was a surprise because I could taste everything. That was nice. I would order it again. Mercado Roms: citrus, pineapple/chile ancha shrub, grapefruit juice, honey clove and mezcal. After a busy day playing tourist, those drinks were so good. It was close to midnight. Time to go. Had to get up early anyway. RUN!! read more
Excellent cocktails, very cool atmosphere. I read about La Factoría being among the best bars in the world so of course we decided to check it out for ourselves. There's no real signage marking this spot so we almost missed it but the loud music from the inner room can be heard all the way out in the street. We preferred to hang out in the outer bar and enjoyed some well crafted drinks. The tropical vibes remind me of a bar in NOLA. Definitely a must visit for anyone looking for a proper cocktail bar. read more
This is our second time here in San Juan, PR and yes we love it here!!!! It's a must visit for sure! They have amazing mojitos here and drinks in general. The environment is awesome too! So there you have it yelpers! Until next time guys! read more
4 years ago
6 different rooms in one! A must try while you're in old San Juan. The sangria was delicious, and the lavande drink was a crowd favorite. Would recommend this to anyone visiting Puerto Rico. I'll for sure be coming back to la factoria! read more
4 years ago
Super cool vibes and great drinks! I got a margarita and my friend got the popular champeta. read more
4 years ago
Cool hidden bars in the back speak easy I won't tell you where it is cause that's half the fun .. bartenders are nice and make great drinks and very cool vibes read more
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More info about La Factoría
Calle San Sebastián 148
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901
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http://www.lafactoriavsj.com
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