What a great food experience!!! Casita Miramar easily earned a spot in my top 2 restaurants I've…read morehad the pleasure of dining at in Puerto Rico when it comes to quality food and an overall amazing experience. The restaurant itself is absolutely beautiful, and the service was excellent from beginning to end,from the hostess to the servers and bussers. Our server, Jeffery, was amazing! He was energetic, professional, attentive, and you can genuinely tell he takes his position seriously. I loved that! We were greeted with complimentary sopa de plátano and bacalaítos, and I was NOT expecting to love them as much as I did. This was by far the best sopa de plátano I've ever had. I never thought I could fall in love with a soup, but here we are! (I ordered a whole extra regular size bowl )The bacalaítos were another surprise because they're normally not something I order or even particularly like--and I've tried quite a few in my life--but these were absolutely delicious. My S/O and I shared the churrasco with arroz mamposteao, along with a side of avocado salad and majado de viandas. Everything was a straight 10/10. Not one disappointment on the table. They also make an amazing Rojo Pico, which was the perfect addition to the experience. 100% recommend Casita Miramar. Don't overthink JUST GO! Beautiful atmosphere, excellent service, and most importantly, genuinely delicious, quality Puerto Rican food. This place absolutely deserves the hype and its spot in my top two!

The workers were honestly the sweetest. the environment is so welcoming and calm…read more although i wasn't very happy with the food. i went with my family and we found the food very bland and overpriced!! my mom LOVES cooking and she could tell when frozen beans are served to her. the food tasted old and the rice look like it was reheated from days ago.. definitely might be a tourist trap. the aesthetics are beautiful but isn't worth the price. on the good side, they sell natural juices and the parcha juice was the best i ever had!!

The staff was friendly and helpful. They greeted me as soon as I walked in and they checked on me…read morefrequently! I got the whole fried red snapper. It came out piping hot! It was flavorful and very well seasoned. I added the lime which gave it more and more pop. Then the little sauce on the side gave it a pop, lock, and drop. Haha. The rice was also very tasty. It was my first time having this type of arroz! I was dancing while I ate. The good music playing only added to my dancing from being happy that the food tasted so good! This is will be a must stop every time I come to the island!!

We ended up dining at Refran for dinner our first night in San Juan and it did not disappoint. Our…read moreserver was so sweet and attentive. We ordered the bacalaitos (codfish fritters) as an appetizer and the mofongo with shrimp (and another with pernil). The bacalaitos were perfectly fried, not greasy. The mofongo was the best mofongo I had in San Juan! It was full of flavor and the shrimp was the perfect compliment. My son housed their rice and beans. My husband ordered the tres leches cake. It was probably the best tres leches I've ever had. We'll definitely return next time we're in San Juan.

I stumbled across this restaurant on TikTok, and man, am I glad I did! My lady and I visited while…read moreon her birthday trip, and I'm glad we decided to give it a try. When we arrived, it was semi-busy, but the wait for a table wasn't long at all--8 minutes tops. Once we were seated, we really enjoyed the atmosphere and the warmth of the restaurant. We genuinely felt welcomed. Now, as far as the food goes... MAN, it did NOT disappoint! We were given plantain soup to start, which I had never tried before, and oh boy, it was tasty! Even though it was hot outside, I wanted more. For our entrees, I ordered the beef stew, and my lady ordered the codfish stew. We both gave them a 10/10! Both dishes were rich, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. I honestly have nothing negative to say. Now, as far as the drinks go, we both ordered the PIÑA COLADAS. They were a little different from what I'm used to, but still very tasty! Overall, this was a great experience, and I'm glad TikTok put this restaurant on my radar. Definitely a spot worth checking out!

Overhyped. The service was bad, and the wait for my takeout order was ridiculous. When I finally…read morewent to ask what was taking so long, the guy told me, "OMG, I forgot to put your order in." Seriously? After waiting all that time, I finally got my food and the order was wrong. On top of that, the food was overly salty. Yo soy boricua, but does everyone on the island heavily salt their food? Because never in my life have I had white rice from a legit, authentic Puerto Rican restaurant that was that salty This place was honestly a one-and-done for me. After hearing people hype it up and claim it was one of the best, the experience was a major disappointment. I make this food daily so it ain't anything special to me lol I only came here because my gf wanted some hole in the wall type of food.

Absolutely -- I'd make it feel like a genuine "we ate GOOD" review, especially since this was…read moreduring your bach trip: SO delicious! We came here during my bachelorette trip in Puerto Rico and everything we ordered was amazing. The food was fresh, flavorful, and genuinely some of the best we had on the trip. The chicken, rice and beans, plantains, avocado, everything hit. Even the drinks were so good. We ordered a little bit of everything for the table and there was honestly not one thing we didn't enjoy. Such a great spot for authentic Puerto Rican food and definitely somewhere I'd come back to whenever I'm in PR!

Trusting the Locals Doesn't Always Pay Off!…read more This is exactly why we like to do a walking food tour early in our trip. It's not just about discovering what to order and what to avoid, but also learning how to eat and enjoy the local food. On our first night in town, we ventured out on our own and stumbled upon this place. We usually trust the locals when deciding where to eat, and seeing a steady stream of people coming and going made us think the food must be good, right? The prices were reasonable, too, so we decided to give it a try. Now I understand why it's popular with the locals, especially if you're dining on a budget. Since we weren't particularly hungry and just wanted a few small bites, we ordered garlic chicken, some empanadas, and mini Cordon Bleus. Oh boy, the garlic chicken was a struggle! The garlic flavor was overwhelmingly strong, and it tasted like undercooked garlic butter. After just two bites, I had to stop because it was simply too much for me. The empanadas were overly fried and greasy, which made them less enjoyable. As for the mini Cordon Bleus, they looked nothing like the Cordon Bleu we were familiar with, and the taste was different, too. Maybe it was the cheese, but we couldn't quite put our finger on what made them so different. Thankfully, it wasn't a complete loss. Our server was very nice, and good service always counts for something! Would I recommend this place? If you're traveling on a budget and looking for an affordable meal, it's worth considering. However, if your budget allows you to explore other dining options, I'd recommend going elsewhere. Sometimes, a busy restaurant doesn't necessarily mean the food will be to your taste. At least now we know!

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

WOULD recommend (dinner). Stopped by during first night in Puerto Rico, we had a reservation around…read more9pm so we were able to see the festivities associated with La Placita. I suggest doing reservations at least 3 weeks in advanced if you want to time that you want especially during peak days like Fri, Sat, etc. When we came in, the staff were very hospitable to us. This establishment has was very intimate, well lit; upon entry the music was a bit loud but then became manageable for casual conversation. We saw a good amount of large parties as well so they have good reputation for celebratory outings. We started off with drinks, ordered the Paper Plane, was very sour but wasn't bad in my opinion (Rating: 7.1/10), but the Perfect Lady on the other hand, was amazing lavender goodness, I don't think I have had a bad lavender drink yet from any place I have had so glad they kept the train going (Rating: 9.0/10). Next, for appetizers we ordered the Empanadas, that have different flavors everyday. The day that we came, the flavor was BBQ pulled pork, which I personally absolutely loved. Crispy, not hard exterior, hot and fresh (Rating 8.8/10). For the entrees, we ordered the Tacos De Mero Empanados (Fish Tacos with Chipotle Coleslaw) and the Milanesa De Pollo. The fish tacos were definitely the best dish at the table, came with 3 tacos that had rich flavors, ordered from the "Daily Specials" section of the menu (Rating 8.4/10). Next, the Milanesa De Polla was a large, breaded chicken breast that was honestly good for multiple people, came with side of arugula and cherry tomatoes with light dressing (almost nonexistent to be honest). It came with a sauce on top, like an aioli that wasn't bad honestly. This dish was a good safe option if you aren't sure what to get (Rating 8.1/10). I wanted to originally order the Pastelon De Amarillos but they were out of stock of that dish during the visit. Overall, Santaella offers pretty extensive menu with foundations of a high quality restaurant. Their service during our visit was definitely top of the line, no complaints. I just wished they had more than 2 single use bathrooms as the line definitely added up which could pose an issue for guests with urinary urgency/frequency. Pricing also wasn't horrible, was able to get a full course dinner for 2 for under $150 so can't really complain, just check their menu before going if you want specifics. They also have Rooftop Sundays at Azotea for those who are interested in their alternative dining setting. This place was good nonetheless and I would recommend it, is right in between fine dining and casual making it good for those dressier date nights.

This is the best place HANDS DOWN that we have eaten at during our trip. If you like seafood, try…read morethe ceviche it doesn't disappoint at all. It was so delicious had a very citrus almost pineapple tasting marinade. Portion was a small bowl but definitely shareable. Hubby and I got the ceviche with side of sweet plantains, mini alcapurias carne (best alcapurias I've had). And we shared the arroz marinera (seafood rice). Everything was so flavorful and delicious. MUST eat here!

If you're looking for the best asopao on the island... your search stops here…read more I've never had something like this before. The flavor was ridiculous in the best way possible, the shrimp was perfectly cooked, and the tostones were notably fresh. 10/10- you MUST go. Out of all of the gumbo variations I've had from countless regions, Puerto Rico's is my favorite. Particularly from La Cueva Del Mar. Our server, Nicole, was an angel. She is SO SWEET. She made the experience even better!!! It was packed and very loud at 7pm on a Thursday, which is a nonissue for me, but if your party prefers a quiet meal, be mindful of timing.

I ordered the medium friend red snapper, delicious…read more Service was ok Ambiance was nice family owned restaurant

Came here at the recommendation of my Uber driver. Happy to say that it did not disappoint. There…read morewasn't anything on my dish that I disliked. It tasted very much like someone's grandmother was in the kitchen making this food. It's no surprise that this place gets packed. If you want delicious Puerto Rican comfort food then come here. The pork dudes were delicious, I couldn't pretend to dislike it if I tried. The gravy of course was great and helps make the rice even better. Although I'll admit that the rice while good was a bit lacking. The flan on the other was the best flan I've had in a long time. Perfect way to end the meal. A must if you're in the area.

Honestly one of the best meals I've had in a while. Alcapurria Quema from the outside seems…read moreunassuming but inside is a cozy and vibrant restaurant. Came around lunchtime and ordered the carne guisa with rice, beans and plantains. Also ordered a pollo alcapurria which I took to go. You know the food is good when something as simple as the rice is prepared perfectly. The carne guisa was hearty and reminiscent of pot roast, and the beans and plantains were perfect (and their house hot sauce was the perfect addition). The alcapurria on its own was filling and reminded me of our Jamaican saltfish fritters (: The portions are large so you'll definitely leave with leftovers. My waitress was knowledgeable and friendly. This will be my first stop post-landing on subsequent visits!

This is not a polished, Instagram-perfect restaurant and that's exactly the point. That's why I…read morelove it so much. Tucked inside La Placita de Santurce, its a small, casual, almost hidden spot that's usually packed with locals. Think plastic chairs, outdoor tables, music playing and a constant flow of people coming in for a quick bite or drink. Feels more like a neighborhood hangout than a restaurant. I've been coming here for years and this is what I've learned, take it from a local. For a quick bite, alcapurrias are a MUST -- especially beef or crab. Also the "pastelillos" are amazing-- corn beef, chorizo, morcilla... Everything freshly made to order. Now, if you want to sit down and enjoy an authentic Puerto Rican meal, here are some of my favorites: chuletas fritas, chicharrones de pollo, bistec encebollado and carne frita-- of course with a side of rice and beans or tostones for the win. Bottom line: you come here for flavor and authenticity, not comfort. Enjoy

A real culinary experience! They offer a 5 course meal that will surely give your tastebuds a…read moreroller coaster of unique tastes. All the staff are VERY knowledgeable about the food and ingredients. Cocktails very good as well.

4.5 stars. Cocina Abierta was one of the better meals of our trip. The food was excellent overall,…read morewith the lone exception being the empanadas, which were simply too salty. Everything else was very well done. The two of us split one order of the five-course tasting menu plus an additional starter, and it ended up being a nice light meal. Had we each ordered our own tasting menu, it would have been far more food than we wanted...something we found to be a fairly common theme with portion sizes throughout Puerto Rico. The standout of the evening was the Criollo Duck Mofongo, which was absolutely exquisite and easily the best mofongo we had on our trip by far. The cocktails were tasty and unique, but a bit small for the price. This definitely isn't an every-night kind of restaurant...the prices are on the higher side. But if you're looking to splurge a little, it's a fun place to do it.

SUPER yummy food here. My boyfriend had been raving about this place, so when we visited PR we had…read moreto try it out. We were seated pretty quickly and our waiter was great. The place has a warm, homey touch to it. I ordered the Grouper & my boyfriend got the Carne Frita mofongo. Both were 10/10. Their mojitos were very delicious as well. Will definitely be back the next time we visit!

Great service, very lovely place. This place was features on the show Diners, Drives, and Dives and…read moreis worth the visit! Lots of tourists visit here, but good Easter extremely flavorful. I had the chicken mofongo with garlic sauce and have been craving it ever since. I highly recommend!