We're currently dining here, and from the moment my partner and I walked in, the experience has…read morebeen mixed. One of the hostesses was noticeably rude at the start, which set an uncomfortable tone. After being seated, our waiter hasn't been outright unkind, but there's a clear difference in how we're being treated compared to other guests. As a same-sex couple, it feels like we're not being received as warmly, even though he seems to be making an effort to remain professional. As a Puerto Rican, that's honestly a bit disappointing and feels out of place. That said, the food itself has been very good.

A gem. Sat outside & had a great night. Food, vibes, & service were all wonderful. Started out with…read morea complimentary soup & cod fritters (yummmy! & I don't even like fish, usually). The hot sauce on the table was nice, not too hot but a good kick, I usually do not like habanero based hot sauces but this was good! The Queso Frito was interesting in flavors & textures, delicious. El Conflicto was perfect, all the flavor of a pina colada but without the heaviness of syrups & sugar. The Pollo Borracho was super flavorful & filling, chicken cooked to perfection falling off the bone. My fiancé had the Carne Frita, it was super tender & a well balanced dish. Service was friendly & attentive. My only complaint- we were so full we couldn't even look at the dessert menu! Guess we will just have to go back.

El Refran is located right on Ashford Ave- you cannot miss it - it's a tiny little restaurant that…read morealways 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.

This casual restaurant is a fun dinner stop with open air dining (not so good on a hot day though)…read more 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.

As a team we are going for a 4.5 rating. So I do 5 , my wife does 4…read more Get here early opens 11:30 on Sunday about 11 for parking and to get in. They do have valet parking and it is a good idea to use. Roads are narrow and parking is hard to find. Plantain Soup given when you first meet the server. Very good. Beers are $18 Caasita mule $14 very good Arepas con bacalao $18. very fish forward, good. Pigs feet and chickpea stew $19. Aguacate Camarones $27. They have their own hot sauce. Rojo pique, very good $14 Service was very good Note they have a James Beard award.

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.

We drove past Bebo's in our Lyft ride and our driver said it was very good so we decided to visit…read morethe next day. It is a great option if you want local food without the tourist price tag. The inside looks like a cafeteria but it stays busy. We were seated quickly although it seemed packed. They have a good amount of menu options and cross out what isn't available. They also have drink options that our server listed to us. To start, we ordered the lobster empanadas and sangria. The empanadas were delicious! Very tasty and fresh. The sangria however, was not great. It just tasted like juices that don't really work together. I couldn't taste the wine. We ordered the roasted pork and skirt steak. The steak was really tasty, and juicy. But the roasted pork was very dried and hard. It had some good bits in it but there were quite a few pieces that were too cooked to eat. The rice and beans were cooked very well. This is the perfect place for quick local food where you won't spend too much. But if you want a very high quality, I would choose elsewhere.

We ate at both Bebo's and Los Piños -- our two attempts at typical PR food. Both errr fine, but…read moreBebo's was our favorite of the two. It has a small parking lot in the back, which was a huge plus. Service was nice and our waitress was truly bilingual-- able to help us understand nuances of between the Spanish we use in California and Spanish in PR. The mofongo was really good -- better than any time we had it in the past or during the rest of our trip. The ropa vieja was good, but standard. My son had the churrasco (skirt steak) and it was excellent. We ordered sides of amarillos (sweet plantains) and they were the best ones we had the trip -- soft, juicy, with caramelized exterior. We wanted tres leches for dessert, but it sold was sold out. If you only had one "typical" PR dinner, I would suggest Bebo's.

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.

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.

Great service , great food.. very traditional food!!! Every time I visit San Juan, I make sure to…read moremake a stop here!!

The restaurant has the ambiance of a small town PR restaurant that you would find tucked away in…read morethe country roads of the island, with the long shared tables and the decorations. The wait was usual for Old San Juan. About 30-45mins. They take your name down and call you when there's a table ready. What they don't tell you is that the menu is a QR code on the table. Once you figure that you see a well organized and simple 2 pages menu with many PR authentic dishes listed. The waiter comes about 10-15mins later. And it's best to have all your order ready as they don't come back very often. The place is usually packed all the hours that they're open. Food: that's why they lost a star. Rice and beans, Madurai/amarrillos, scurrilous, delicious 5 stars, but the bigger, empanada, chicken with garlic lack the bite that you come to expect of PR food! They lack taste, "Sazon", they were bland and tasted more like someone forgot to season them and forgot the garlic. I'd tell them to go back to their food and make PR food like it's supposed to taste, not for the tourist, please!

Look, were we at an alcapurria spot ordering pastelillos? Yes. Do we regret it? Absolutely not…read more We got one each of vegetariano, cebolla y queso, pollo, and guayaba con queso. The vegetariano was mid, but the other three? No complaints. But honestly, the food is only part of the story here. The vibe is everything. Salsa playing, high energy, warm service. We rolled in late and hungry, looking for sweet refuge from La Placita crowds, and they welcomed us like we belonged there. The music started out mixed, but at some point it shifted to Contra La Corriente front to back. We were enjoying our pastelillos, singing along to No Me Conoces, minding our own business when... el apagón. Not the whole Placita, just a couple spots including this one. The staff didn't miss a beat. Flashlights came out, mood lighting appeared, and nobody rushed us. We finished our food. We paid. We left happy. 5 stars because some experiences are bigger than the sum of their parts. This was one of them.

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

PHENOMENAL This is…read morenot just a restaurant, this is a dining experience. This is upscale elegance in a relaxed environment. This is global techniques blended with locally sourced Puerto Rican ingredients. From the moment you walk in, you feel welcome. I was there to celebrate my birthday (a reservation is a must). I asked if I could be seated in a different section of the restaurant, and even though they were packed, they said absolutely and found me a lovely seat in the bar area. The staff is knowledgeable and attentive. I suffer from severe food allergies but wanted to experience their tasting menu. My server spoke to the chef directly and then took the time to walk me through every option. I TRULY appreciated that they did not take anything off the menu but rather told me how they could adjust for my allergies. That is very rare and so very much appreciated that they went that extra mile for me. I highly recommend the tasting menu. It's 5 courses and they give you 3 options to choose from, within each course. And for the price ($85), a great value. Everything was delicious but I highly recommend the Breadfruit Gnocchi, Rainbow Runner Crudo, and Criollo Duck Mofongo. Chefs kiss! What I also noticed was, even though they were insanely busy, they didn't make you feel rushed. The invited you to savor the experience - which I did. Next time you are in San Juan, make a reservation and go. You won't be disappointed!

The concept of cooking with locally sourced ingredients in their natural cycles is appealing and…read morewas finely showcased in the five course tasting dinner. It really brings to live, in the best possible way, the concept of "less is more." I enjoyed every single dish I had (some pics below) and the night's wildcard cocktail on offer was triumphant!

The ambiance is casual cool. The service is EXCELLENT! Our waitress answered all our questions and…read morehelped us figure out what we should drink and order. The food was delicious and nice and hot! We had shared a plate and it was just the right size for us. Excellent choice!

So this is the 2nd time going to Orozcos. You can find it in Diners Drive-ins and Dives. So after a…read moredisastrous attempt at sushi across the street we decided to keep it simple and go to the place in Condado that is guaranteed to be great authentic Puerto Rican food. Coño! It was good! I'm Puerto Rican and I was born and raised in Puerto Rican culture and I can say Orozcos is legit. I ordered their amazing Chuleton Kan Kan with arroz con gandules. (Big crispy pork chop with yellow rice and pigeon peas) It was delicious but you have to eat it traditionally with your hands. Don't try to be proper just dig in like the locals do. Just treat of a piece, eat it and then eat some rice. Mmmmm!!! Don't forget their signature hot sauce it's delicious but not too spicy. My daughter and wife ordered the monfongo with Bistec and mini empanadillas which is a regular beef empanada cut in half. Mix some of that hot sauce with it and BAM! You got the perfect appetizer. The monfongo was their star. I was chowing down on my pork chop but I had to steal a few bites lol. The beef was tender and delicious and the monfongo was soaked in the steak sauce, it was bliss! The staff were funny and very efficient and they all helped each other out. The atmosphere was personal and small with amazing salsa music playing and air conditioners blasting. It was so comfortable I highly recommend Orozcos!!!