Kept seeing a bunch of reviews on how amazing this place was and honestly it's up there. 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 read more

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WOULD recommend (dinner). Stopped by during first night in Puerto Rico, we had a reservation around 9pm 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. read more

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Tapas style in Condado neighborhood. 3.5 stars Food: 4 Service: 3.5 Atmosphere: 3 Cost to worth it rating: 3 Opentableable: yes Return worthiness: maybe Highlights - Croquettes: round crispy balls with the flavor of the day being pepperoni, wonderful creation, 4.5 stars - Quesadilla: super crispy goat cheese with honey my friend loved. 4.25 stars - Empanadas : chorizo and sweet plantains were a great combo and crispy exterior . 4 stars - Pork shank: huge item Herman hofbrau style on the bone and tasty. 4 stars - Fried chicken cutlet: another huge entree and well cooked. 4 stars - NY steak: my teen gave it 4 stars - Shrimp: large shrimp cooked well though mofongo center not sure what the 3rd ingredient was to make it trifongo. 3.5 stars - Cocktails: stellar from the coconut water rum martini to the golden family to the perfect last. - Waiter was kind to put ingredients on the side for my teen son Midlights - Mains we were told were individual entree size but really good feed 2-3 people - Ahi pixtos were a bit large to take in one bite. 3 stars - Atmosphere was a bit odd--semi party vibe but not quite - Flickering lights not sure if on purpose Lowlights - We got sat in a side small dining area on the side of the bar that was not as nice as the main area - We had already paid the bill l with one person using the restroom and they told us bruskly we had to leave cause leave cause had another table read more

My friend travels to PR occasionally for work and this time I decided to tag along. Both being foodies, she only made one reservation and that was to her favorite San Juan restaurant, Santaella. Not only that, she made it weeks in advance because reservations are hard to come by. We arrived for dinner before reservation time and we attempted to open the front door. It was locked, so we along with two other couples, walked to see if there was a side entrance.. Nope! We kept walking to the rear and stopped a random parking lot attendant that shirt had a different restaurant's name on it. He asked us if we had reservations for Santaella and we said yes, and he directed us to a rear entrance. Once inside, my friend realized this was NOT Santaellas but a rooftop restaurant with an entirely different name. Visibly perturbed, she asked our server QUESTIONS! He said, it's the same restaurant, however, only the rooftop is open on Sundays and it's named Azotea.. WHAT?!? LOL! Because we took an Uber, we decided to stay a while. The menu was extremely limited, but we decided to try the Tamarind margaritas, which were really good, along with two appetizers, the tuna lollipops and the pulled pork quesadilla. Both VERY good, but the dinner menu was lacking. That said, I suggested we go to STK for the seafood tower that I had my eye on the evening before, so we exited stage right! Shame on Santaella for accepting reservations through Open Table knowing full well they are not open. I'm giving them two stars because Azotea was decent but it definitely wasn't what she was going for! read more

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This restaurant was a must-try after seeing everyone rage about it online, and it definitely lived up 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. read more

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I'm still thinking about this meal... hands down the best dinner I've had on vacation--maybe ever. Santaella absolutely blew me away. We started with the tuna pinchos, and wow--fresh, perfectly chunky, and packed with flavor. Then came the goat cheese quesadilla, which might honestly be one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. Creamy, rich, and just unreal. I finally had the chance to try escargot for the first time--and now I feel completely spoiled for life. If that was my introduction, the bar has officially been set sky high. Even the Caesar salad stood out--crisp, balanced, and done exactly right (which is rarer than it should be). But the real star of the show for me? The guava and cheese bread pudding. I'm not exaggerating when I say I would 100% pay to have that Ubered all the way to me in Miami. It was that good. What blew my mind was the staff it looked like a hive of well trained bees just buzzing around this insanely packed room doing the best job. The general manager should be proud. Every bite felt intentional, elevated, and memorable. This place didn't just meet expectations--it completely redefined them. Spectacular doesn't even begin to cover it. BRAVO. Chefs kiss. read more

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When understated luxury meets chef-driven Puerto Rican cuisine, Santaella delivers a refined but slightly uneven fine-dining experience. Walking up, the entrance is almost hidden--you see the sign, but you're not entirely sure where the door is. Once inside, the space opens into a sleek, square dining room with a lush, enclosed garden feel. It's cozy, intimate, and secluded from the outside world, with a beautiful bar anchoring one side of the room. The atmosphere is polished and upscale without being overly flashy. Service & Atmosphere * Refined, professional service * Calm, luxurious dining room with a secluded garden vibe * Strong cocktail and wine program Food * Alcapurrias (root vegetable fritter with crab) - flavorful and creative; a great start with layered textures * Creamy Garlic Shrimp - rich, well-seasoned, and satisfying * Chilean Sea Bass - expertly cooked fish, though the accompanying sweet sauce slightly missed the mark * Sweet Plantains with Maple Syrup - indulgent and beautifully executed The kitchen clearly has technical skill, and several dishes hit well. However, some flavor pairings felt just a touch off balance given the price point and fine-dining positioning. Verdict Santaella offers a sophisticated setting and strong culinary foundation, but it doesn't quite fully align with its elevated aspirations across every plate. Still a very good meal in a beautiful space--solid four stars, with the potential to climb higher with a bit more refinement. read more

Santaella - Seabass - Puerto Rican Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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We've been in Puerto Rico for two weeks now bouncing between Condado and Santurce and I have to say this is the BEST spot I've had for food, drink and service while in San Juan. If you are in condado area take an uber to the restaurant for dinner! It's well worth the uber trip. The steak was prepared fantastic - a perfect medium and my tamarindo marg was amazing. The bruschetta was my favorite.. who knew fruit and cheese could be such a good combo?! The restaurant was also wonderfully decorated with low lights and completely instagramable. read more

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We had an incredible dining experience from the food to wonderful and exceptional service from Edward! He made our time at Santaella unforgettable! The restaurant is a nice size and steadily busy. Well lit and had a really nice floral view at the back wall. The food was fresh and flavorful. The stars of the show were the dessert. The chocolate soufflé and the caramel flan were amazing and both paired well with an espresso martini! read more

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Went here primarily for drinks and appetizers on a Friday night! Highlights: - cocktails were well made and well thought out ("spiced old fashioned" was really well balanced, "perfect lady" was delightfully herbal, "barrilito daiquiri" was a thoughtful riff on a classic) - "mini tacos" (ahi tuna) were a good light snack with a generous amount of guacamole - "Bizcocho de Chocolate Caliente" - a warm chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream really hit the spot for a dessert (pair with a tawny port!). I really liked the crunchy top layer and the gooey lava. I like that it was dark-chocolate-esque and not too sweet. I'd have this solo and not to share haha... that's how well I enjoyed it. Meh points: - rice chicharron in the tuna pinchos were a bit stale - really particular, but we were seated on the end of the bar closest to the entrance and the loud club music next door was really mixing into the chilly ambiance of Santaella - if you're seated here on a weekend, I'd politely ask if there's another bar seat available. - service from the bartender was great! But the welcome receptionist had us wait a little longer than needed, it was almost a downer - he was just staring around (likely a reservation system error, but there were a lot of bar seats open where we were going to be seated anyways per our reservation). read more

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An absolute must try spot! The food is absolutely amazing! It's such a gorgeous restaurant and the atmosphere is great! Highly highly recommend read more

Santaella - Puerto Rican Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Parking is hard. Street is filled up, but you can drive a little more down and find parking near the highway. Valet is available but not sure of the cost. Chili Fritto, 10/10: Everyone's favorite. The whole grilled fish was so delicious and it's big too. Def get this! Pastelon, 10/10! So delicious. It's extremely big so def share with others. It tastes like a sweet lasagna. Beef is well seasoned and not oily at all. Very hearty and savory. Maybe too much plantain to beef ratio but it's still solid. Get this! Daily Special, shrimp and Bulgao salad, 3/5: seasoning isn't special, I think it's a simple lime dressing? The plantains fritters being salty was perfect with the cold seafood, making a great pairing. Compared to the others, not worth it. The interior is beautiful! Very moody but also very loud. It's hard to have conversation here. read more

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Walking through the Santurce, I stopped here for lunch and had a great meal. The entrance was kind of discrete, and it was the valet who showed me the thin door that is the entrance. The inside was quite big and elegant. I had morcilla (Puerto Rican blood sausage) as an appetizer and lacon asado (caramelized pork shank caramelized and potato salad) as the main entree. Both were delicious. I have had blood sausage where it was mostly blood, but this one was a balanced mixture of pork blood, beans, and rice. It was fried crispy on the outside. The pork shank was super soft on the inside, and caramelized with a syrup glaze on the outside. The potato salad was similar to the ones from Austria with a tad vinegar dressing, which complemented the sweet pork shank very well. The restaurant has canvas made with quotes from other famous chefs praising the food of Jose Santaella. Kind of cool. Kind of vain. Kind of collegial. I just have never seen that done before. read more

Wow! This was an excellent afternoon! On a culinary tour of San Juan we had lunch at Santaella great food and service from beginning to end. A beautiful cafe with great ambiance. We had a large group and a tasting menu of several items on the menu and I can say you can't go wrong with anything we had. Absolutely will be back on my next trip to Puerto Rico read more

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The food was very good, but unfortunately the service left a lot to be desired. What should have been a romantic dinner celebrating our engagement turned into a frustrating experience. Throughout the evening, we repeatedly had to try to get someone's attention just to order water, drinks, request an appetizer, and eventually place our entrée order. The lack of attentiveness was distracting and took away from what should have been a special occasion. By the end of the meal, we were so exhausted by the experience that we decided to skip dessert altogether because it didn't seem worth waiting and trying to flag someone down yet again. For a dinner that cost nearly $300, I expected a much higher level of service. While the food was enjoyable, the overall experience fell well short of expectations, especially for such an important celebration. . read more

Santaella - Tuna - Puerto Rican Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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definitely my favorite restaurant i went to in san juan! the vibe is elevated chic - the most similar to nyc vibes you'll find. and the food DELIVERED. our waiter was a sweetheart. put a candle in the dessert for my friend's birthday stars: TUNA (must get), cucumbers, goat cheese quesadilla!!!! read more

Santaella - octopus - Puerto Rican Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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We were on a cruise that stopped in Puerto Rico for one of its ports. We walked to El Morro to see it, but sadly there were no tours since the government shutdown had just started. We took an uber to head back to the ship and my husband found this place to eat that had great reviews. We had to stop by to see if it lived up to the hype. We arrived before 5 which was good since we did not have reservations. There was only 1 other table of people when we got there. We tried a few of the appetizers that the server recommended and they were all delicious. Even the popcorn chicken was the best popcorn chicken I've ever eaten. I got the Camarones and it was amazing. The trifongo was sweeter than I expected. It was fun to try authentic Puerto Rican food and this place was a good spot. Honestly the only thing we didn't like was the baked Alaska dessert because the alcohol flavor didn't burn off of it so it tasted bleh on the outside. The server did warn us it had an alcohol taste so we would not order that again. Everything else was amazing and the service was great too. I'm sure we were under dressed in our swimsuits, but the restaurant was great. If we ever come back to Puerto Rico - we will come again! read more

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Beautiful restaurant in Puerto Rico, I highly recommend you make reservations in advance before coming out as even the bar seats are able to be reserved and if they are full you might not be able to go in or have a very long wait. I ordered a drink, some apps, one main dish, and a dessert to spit with my sister For apps we ordered the famous octopus and the shrimp bao buns. The octopus was good but the bao buns were the star of the night for me. A must have! We ordered the arroz con pollo off the specials of the night menu and it had good flavor but the best part were the plantains on top. To end we got the Nutella toast, I personally thought this was okay and wouldn't order it again. The mojito was good, on the stronger side and not a classic mojito since the mint was on top and not muddled in, I just took my straw and muddled it in to get the mint flavor Service was very nice as well. read more

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Había escuchado muchas recomendaciones sobre Santaella, pero mi experiencia no estuvo al nivel de lo que esperaba, y no estoy segura de si le daría otra oportunidad. En cuanto al ambiente, la música de fondo me encantó y el lugar, aunque pequeño, resulta acogedor. Para cenar, ordené los cachetes de ternera por recomendación del mesero. Si bien la carne estaba muy suave, como era de esperarse, el caldo no me encantó (7/10). La base de puré tampoco fue de mi agrado; me pareció que le faltaba buen sabor (5/10). El servicio no fue rápido pero fue muy cordial! read more

Santaella - CACHETES DE TERNERA EN FRICASÉ CRIOLLO - Puerto Rican Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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Loved my experience at Santaella! I was dining solo, made a reservation earlier in the day and was seated right away. I started with an incredible passionfruit cocktail- can't recall the exact name but it was fresh and strong! As an entree, I ordered the pastelon, which was HUGE. This is definitely a dish better suited for a larger table (and possibly an entire family, lol) but I could not pass up the opportunity to try pastelon and really enjoyed it- it was kind of like a lasagna with beef, cheese, and plantains. I think the best part of my meal was the dessert, which was salted caramel pot de creme. The caramel flavor was incredible, it was topped with flaky sea salt and came with a side of fresh whipped cream. Even being full from way too much pastelon, I still finished it (thankfully it's a lighter dessert!). I had a great server, Eduardo, who was attentive without being overbearing at all. He had excellent recommendations (I tried the pastelon and salted caramel pot de creme because of him!) and was kind and professional. The interior of the restaurant is lovely as well. Highly recommend! read more

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Absolutely AMAZING! The atmosphere was beautiful, service was incredible and the food was so good there are not even words for some of the dishes. Everything was great and I would travel to PR just to eat here!!! We had a large group and tried the following: Ahi Skewers - 10+ Veal Cheeks - 10+ Hen of the Woods Mushroom - 10+ Quesadilla- 10+ Salted Caramel Dessert - 10+ Gorgonzola Pasta - 10 Octopus - 9 Pastelon - 8 (A bit sweet for me. Everybody else loved it!) Chocolate Cake - 8 (Nothing special, but good) Shrimp - 7 (Least favorite for everybody, but still good) I highly recommend. You won't regret eating here! read more

Originally, we had planned to tour the San Cristobal fort, but due to the federal shutdown that wasn't possible. We managed to catch a break and got into Santaella without a reservation and the six of us enjoyed their outstanding cuisine. We expected a small delay due to our party size, but twenty minutes is a bit much. The service was seriously lacking. Even though they overlapped, I feel they were spread too thin. We're convinced our main guy was hammered and he's the one I liked best. The food was fabulous. The calamari is a must try, as was the Pinchos De Atún (ahi tuna skewers). The highlight being the Red Snapper with cilantro chimichurri and fried plantains. I understand fine dining and culinary experience being incredibly expensive, but in my opinion this place was simply overpriced and overrated. Naturally, portion size was small, but it was far more than fashionably expected. 12/25 read more

Santaella is a classic and it's no wonder why when you enter and get the chance to dine in. The restaurant was quite full, both with tourists and regulars alike, and we were promptly seated and whisked to a table near the back. Initially, we were slightly disappointed not to have a full view of the unique interior and also realized (unfortunately!) that we were seated underneath a very cold section of the restaurant. I mentioned this to our waiter who was very kind and came back with both a blanket and a cardigan for my partner to wear. We started off with some safe bets, between the arancini style tostadas and octopus which were both fantastic. My partner ordered the veal cheeks which were diving (~$46) and I ordered the pork shank but ultimately regretted not swapping dishes! The veal cheeks were soft, tender and bursting with flavor while the pork shank, while good, was a bit on the saltier side. We also ordered a side of sweet plantains not realizing what a large portion they end up giving you! All in all I was impressed by both the service and quality of food provided. Though San Juan restaurants tend to over-salt many of their dishes I thought Santaella's was quite good (with a small exception with the pork shank). Portions are quite sizable so recommend coming in hungry! read more

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You need reservations but so worth it. We got lucky that they sat us at the bar without having one because we didn't know. The decor is nice for being in the Placita area. We had the Shrimp Bao Buns, the soup of the day which was a Sopa de Gandules and the Shrimp Trifongo. The soup was such a hit that next time we're getting one each instead of sharing. My partner had the Spicy Margarita and I had the Parchita. Everything was delicious. Damien was our bartender and you could see the care he put into making our drinks. Will definitely visit again because everything was delicious. read more

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Let's start with parking: we chose the valet option and since we're tourists, we're not sure where else there was parking. When you get inside for dinner, you're hit with a very dimly lit, beautifully aesthetically organic interior. Our standout favorites were the PULPO A LA PARRILLA, LACON ASADO Y CARAMELIZADO, POLLO DESHUESADO EN CREMA DE SOFRITO CRIOLLO and the PINCHOS DE ATÚN. For dessert, we ordered a BAKED ALASKA, and although it was a cool little fire show, every single bite tasted like liqqaaaa so order at your own risk. We chose this place for our "nice dinner" and the prices reflect that. Regardless of cost, we did enjoy our experience here and we definitely enjoyed the food. Next trip, we would love to return! read more

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Such a pleasant break from the tourist traps! The vibes are fantastic and the food is excellent. Highly recommend sitting at the bar to really get a feel for the place especially if you're just two people - the host, bartenders, and waiters are exceptional. We came two nights in a row! read more

The only reason this isn't 5 stars is because of how our server made us feel rushed the entire time. Im not sure if he thought he was being attentive, but checking on us and asking whether we're done with our plates every ~5 minutes is excessive. Now for the food; everything was delicious. The entire meal, my friends and I were sharing appetizers and our entrees because of how tasty each thing was! A chorus of "mmm", "wow", "taste this", "so good, right!?" could be heard from the very first appetizer that hit the table. We recommend everything we had. Truly. Sashimi de Salmon Tacos de tartar de Atun Calamari Fritos Chillo Frito con tostones Lubina Asada Camarones en Crema Al Ajillo Reservations can be hard to get but the food is totally worth it! read more

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Santaella is easily one of the best restaurants in Puerto Rico, hands down. We were lucky to get an early dinner reservation, and even though we brought our toddler, the staff was welcoming and kind. The atmosphere is elegant and lively. I would say it is definitely more suited for couples or business dinners, but still a memorable experience. We ordered the Goat Cheese Quesadilla (Quesadilla de Queso de Cabra) and the Red Snapper. The quesadilla completely stole the show, it was so good that I honestly can't even remember how the snapper tasted! At first, the quesadilla came out quite burnt, but the waiter handled it wonderfully and quickly brought us a new one. The second one was perfect. I don't even like goat cheese but I loveeee this. It is very creamy, flavorful, and the goat cheese taste isn't too strong that it bothers me. In fact, it is perfect! The food, service, and ambiance together make Santaella a standout spot in San Juan. It's definitely a place I'll remember and would love to come back to for a special night out. read more

Santaella where do I start? Let's just say this place is very exclusive. I mean, you can't even get in without a reservation. I've been to this area several times and this was my first encounter. From the vibe to decor this place does not disappoint. We sat at the bar which was fine. I couldn't get a table in time. The bartender was very cool and his drinks were splendid. We ate the scrumptious tuna pinchos, the quesadillas (don't be fooled these are different) Filled with goat cheese and topped with honey and arugula. Next level joining of flavors! We also had the pork belly! Everything was so good and flavors paired so well together. If you're looking for that exclusive vibe in Puerto Rico this is the place to be. Buen Provecho! read more

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Wasn't aware Sundays had a completely different setup, and we were disappointed to be seated on the patio. Half of the chairs were wet when we arrived, and the waiter had us wipe them down ourselves. On top of that, several menu items we wanted were unavailable, and one of our drinks never even came out, despite reminding the waiter multiple times. We also received an email only a few hours before our reservation saying it had been moved two hours earlier, even though nobody from the restaurant contacted us directly or confirmed the change with us. Overall, the atmosphere just wasn't pleasant and the service felt off the entire night. The food was alright, but definitely nothing memorable. The staff also seemed very unwelcoming, which added to the strange vibe overall. read more

I would definitely recommend this spot for drinks at the bar! We had 2 rounds of our drinks. Not sure if you need reservations for that but I'd definitely get some because it was hard to reserve. Our reservation was for 10:30! The place was very intimate with the dim lighting and small space. Good for date night. Everything was pricey - just appetizer options were $18+ but we knew that before coming. I liked the tuna skewers the most but wish it came with more (esp for the price). The calamari was just okay. We also tried the popcorn chicken but it had a very weird aftertaste so we sent it back immediately. It's unfortunate because it was the dish with the most portion. Didn't even get a photo of it. I have a sweet tooth and love chocolate so I tried the warm chocolate cake and it was delicious! The staff was very welcoming and our waiter was attentive and nice. read more

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This is my favorite restaurant in the whole island! It's very cozy and intimate, and the interior design of the space is very beautiful. My friend and I got several dishes here to share: octopus, tostones and ceviche, and a baked lasagna (made with plantain). They were all delicious and was an elevated twist of the traditional Puerto Rican dishes. The service was also great. We sat at the bar where the bartender was serving and talking to us, but there are also ample table seating inside the restaurant. We had reservations here so there was no wait upon arriving, but I think this restaurant does get busy during peak hours. The octopus was good (4/5): Cooked really well and loved the sauce that it sat on top. I didn't care much for the hard boiled egg that it came with, I thought it was pretty random and didn't add to the dish. Tostones and ceviche (5/5): This was good, I really liked the tostones. It's not made with the typical plantains, but I can't remember what these tostones were made out of :( I do recommend asking the staff and trying it though! Lasagna (5/5): This dish was amazing!! My favorite out of everything we ordered. The portion is huge, so if you are coming with a big group, this would be a great dish to do family-style with. It's like a lasagna layered with plantains and meat, so it's savory and sweet. read more

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Very fun club! Great drinks, better music and lots of space to dance. Can't wait to go back :) read more

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We had a great meal at Santaella. Everything we ordered had great flavor and the service was also good. We also appreciated having valet service. read more

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We made a reservation which is recommended. Location was great with placita outside. Cocktails were stellar, strong wine list too. Atmosphere was tranquil and really pretty. Service was 10/10 friendly, casuals, but very on point. Fun and good recommendations. Apps were a true highlight, with some local favorites. I got a special pasta which was decadent. read more

Have dined here twice now when in Puerto Rico and both the food and service are incredible! Amazing dishes crafted with pride of the Puerto Rican culture that perfectly pair innovation and taste. This most recent visit on 17-Feb wowed me with a unique take on a caprese appetizer made with Parmesan Ice Cream and tomatoes, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. WOW! An incredible combination that I'll be attempting at home. You can't go wrong with any of the selections here! Santaella is always on my "to do" list in PR. read more

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Very good food. Good looking servers. Recommend. Would very much recommend. A little chilly so maybe wear a shawl

First time visiting Puerto Rico and this restaurant did not disappoint. I will say it is very pricey and most dishes are a bit on the pricier side ($40-$60 entrees). They also charge you for water which we were unaware of (they only offered still or sparkling and charged $8 for still). We order two appetizers, 1 entree and 1 dessert and it was all delicious. The Lubina Asada (sea bass) was the star of the show in every way possible. It is a must order! Our server/waiter recommended it and he was spot on. We also ordered the alcapurrias with crab meat and the calamares in what tasted like an Asian inspired sauce. Lastly we ordered the bizcocho de caramelo y merengue dessert which was delicious but too big and very sweet/decadent. We had amazing service and the ambiance was beautiful. We had a reservation and when we arrived, we asked for a table near the wall due to a hearing issue and they were graciously able to accommodate us. read more

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We had a lovely experience at Santaella! We had a large group and our waiter always made sure our drinks were full throughout dinner and we were satisfied. What we got, starting with our favs first: -sea bass -shrimp in garlic cream sauce- the shrimp was PERFECTLY cooked -empanadillas- a great starter for the table Pork shank -goat cheese quesadilla -risotto de orzo criollo read more

Santaella - Empanadillas - Puerto Rican Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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Updated review - Came by 1/17/25 for dinner. My friend clearly stated upfront that she had a serious eggplant and bell pepper allergy. Our waiter, I believe his name is Fernando, acknowledged the allergy and took our order. We ordered the Alcappurio, which wound up having bell pepper in the topping. My friend got violently sick immediately and ran to the bathroom to vomit. It was truly terrible. We let our waiter know and turns out one of our entrees also had bell peppers! He was extremely unapologetic and dismissive, didn't even say sorry. We wound up getting the manager involved, but all in all it was a bit of a sh*tshow. I love Santaella, the food is top notch, but this experience has really turned me and my friends off. On the flip side, the busboy was super sweet and helped us navigate the situation. read more

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