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    The Reef Bar

    4.2 (68 reviews)
    Sat 12:00 pm - 3:00 am (Next day)
    Sun 11:00 am - 6:00 pm

    The Reef Bar Photos

    THE REEF BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - The Reef Bar

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    Melinda V.

    Food delicious, ambience beautiful, service very good. We came at night and it was karaoke night. You can clearly see the waves right on the side and can tell that this is an absolute beautiful place during the day, but we weren't able to take the scenes because of the nighttime. The karaoke was great. We came as a large party to have dinner before we cruise out tomorrow and the food was absolutely delicious and our server was on point with so many people he got all the orders right and remembered everything and came and checked on us frequently. The only kind really is parking. It's very narrow and very hard to park.

    Barra
    Fernando R.

    Sábado 28 de febrero de 2026 llegamos a este local por qué se nos hizo llegar más fácil, pero fue una mejor elección. Local grande con comedor mirando al mar. Fuimos al mediodía y con Sol y el ambiente estaba fresco. Servicio excelente y ambiente tranquilo para la hora de almuerzo. El mofongo es uno de los mejores con camarones.

    House sangria

    We live here during the month of April and this place is by far our favorite. For those who have said the service is slow, I invite you to relax and enjoy island time. The house sangria is by far the best on the island and the views are spectacular. I've ordered the whole snapper at many places and this one is top tier. I've also been eating Arroz con gandules for over 30 years and nothing compares to this place. Sit back, relax and enjoy!

    The menu
    Kirk M.

    The Reef Bar - Isla Verde: Stunning Views, But a less than stellar culinary farewell to Puerto Rico. We hit up The Reef Bar for our final night in Puerto Rico, and honestly, the place itself is great. It's a massive deck with oceanfront seating. The view at night was beautiful, but I bet it's absolutely staggering during the day. The start was smooth--the host seated us right away, menus in hand. But then we basically became ghosts. We sat there, ignored, for so long we seriously considered bailing. I was ready to walk out. When a server finally came back, they were really friendly and understood English well enough. After that slow start, the food shot out fast. Kim's chicken was fantastic--moist, cooked well, and the mushroom sauce was genuinely delicious. I, on the other hand, got the short end of the stick. My grouper was just plain bad. It was rubbery, clearly not fresh, and drowned in this very oily garlic sauce. A huge letdown for an oceanfront restaurant and a sad way to end the trip. Note to the kitchen - do not microwave fish! The drinks were good, and the prices were okay, if maybe a little steep for the area. But the absolute worst part was the karaoke. This is a very large venue, and they had the volume cranked up so high that it was harsh and painful. It could have enhanced the experience but the truth is it was so loud we could not converse - it wrecked the atmosphere. The Bottom Line: Great views, great chicken, but the awful grouper, the slow service, and that ear-splitting karaoke mean I probably won't be back , especially considering the 100 other places in walking distance.

    Ric E.

    You know the food is good at a place if all you see are locals there! The Reef was absolutely excellent, all the way around. The food was impeccable and the service was equally as great! You can either sit indoors or outside close to the water. Pro tip: Order the Churrasco Steak Mufongo. I promise you won't be disappointed! Also, get a spot outside by the water-such an amazing view!

    Rob B.

    "A great place to grab some apps, a piña colada, sit by the water, and enjoy the spectacular views of San Juan from afar." We were looking for a new place to get food and drinks one evening when I said, Let's drive up into that area on the other side of the bridge before Piñones to see what is back there. I am glad we did too. That little area is loaded with cool shops and places to eat and has great views and especially at night. We walked in and grabbed a table over by the water. Then we waited a good while before anyone even paid attention us even though we kept looking at the bartender and kept trying to wave a waitress over. They weren't busy either so it was kind of annoying that we sat there for 10-15 minutes before the waitress finally came over, but tbh we didn't mind too much because there was a cute cat and we were having good convo while enjoying the breeze and the views. Once the waitress made her way over to us she was very nice. My gf immediately asked her where the restroom was and I asked her to give us a minute to look over the menu to see what we wanted. After she saw that my gf was back she came over and we ordered two piña coladas and a Medalla for myself. The piña coladas were very good but like most places in PR I always question, Did they even put any rum in these? I feel like most places don't think you'll notice since they are so sweet or say, I didn't know you wanted alcohol in them(I had that happen a couple times btw), but when you drink several and you don't feel anything, you basically overpaid for a pineapple smoothie. FYI: always make sure to ask if they have alcohol in them. I am not saying theirs didn't, I am just saying there are a lot of scammers out there. While enjoying our drinks we decided on the cheese curds and fried calamari. They were both tasty. No complaints! I think the main appeal of this place is the location and atmosphere. It's definitely 5/5. I'm sure we'll come back to this place again after a day at the beach or when we are just out driving around eating roadside food from Piñones to Loíza. Mmm... I miss that so much! Great spot! Much Love PR :)

    Mabel T.

    The reef Restaurant may not be fancy, but it's one of my favorite hidden gems in Puerto Rico. The food is consistently phenomenal--fresh, flavorful, and always hits the spot. Add in the beautiful view, and it's the perfect combination of comfort and scenery. I make sure to visit every single time I'm in town. It's the kind of place that keeps you coming back, not for luxury, but for quality and authenticity. Highly recommend if you're looking for great food without the frills

    Raya V.

    Authentic cuisine. Great service with beautiful views. Their mofongo is some of the best I've had in San Juan area. Very tasty, seasoned, and not dry at all! The crab portion was hefty. So delicious! The drinks are great. Everyone is really nice. It gets busy so have patience. Pinones is always a vibe. Check it out and enjoy.

    Dinner with the fam!
    Sydney W.

    Bits of hard crab pieces in our dish but the margaritas were so good! The service was good although our server was a little busy taking a break to check on us without flagging her down.

    View
    Mike J.

    Only came for drinks and the view, I was not disappointed at all. Drinks were strong, flavorful and nice portioned. The view was the highlight. Breathtaking and my first true view in PR. Beautiful. Excellent customer service.

    Inside the restaurant
    Mabel S.

    Amazing view! My favorite restaurant in Porto Rico. Service is fast and staff is friendly. The food is delicious, price is reasonable and honestly most important, it's the view!

    Lucy M.

    Beautiful view in Piñones, can't ask for anything better than that. We didn't have much aside from the chicken mofongo and a few drinks but loved the scenery. I recommend checking this restaurant out.

    Fish Bites
    Lilly B.

    The reef is about a 15 minute drive from old San Juan and is right in a little Cove. The beaches all along the water are beautiful with light sand and really clear water. The Reef has a lot of seating inside but the outside seats overlooking the water are where you need to be! The service was great and the drinks were tasty. The shrimp and rice were okay but the shrimp were kind of over cooked and not that exciting. The fish bites were absolutely delicious! Lightly fried and very fresh! Definitely a good spot to visit, grab a small bite to eat, have drinks and enjoy sunset!

    Next to the restaurant is a staircase that goes down to the beach. And this is the lovely view.

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    1 year ago

    100% would go back, the food was a10/10. Real Puerto Rican food! The piña colada was refreshing. I had the large steak and mofongo.

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    2 years ago

    The view of the ocean was amazing, the food was good. Service was slow. I would go back for the view alone!

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    1 year ago

    The location was great. Drinks were great. Service was good and food was just ok. I would go again

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    The Reef Bar Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - The Reef Bar

    It's a hidden gem we stumbled on looking for real Puerto Rican food.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    La Terraza - Pinchos in Paradise

    La Terraza

    3.7(6 reviews)
    0.0 km

    While on family vacation in December of 2024, my family and I decided to visit the beach along the…read moreSan Juan northern coastline. While we didn't go into the ocean itself, we were able to enjoy a scenic view and some great food & drinks from La Terraza Bar & Restaurant. La Terraza is a bar & restaurant that is along the roadside of the coastline that is just east of the populated San Juan city area. Because we arrived early afternoon, parking was very difficult and only got worse as the evening set in. I'm guessing the best time to visit these popular areas is earlier and in the morning, before the crowds. We were fortunate that we drove slowly along the roadside and looked for people walking to their vehicles to leave and we ended up grabbing a spot directly in front of this establishment. La Terraza also had staff roadside that asked if we were going to dine-in and then guided us into a space. At the time, the staff at La Terraza was very friendly, helpful and seated us at a high-table along the road with a sweeping view of the beach. Along with these high-tables, customers can also enjoy their open-aired interior seating with table-service. Tables are good for seating groups of 4. There was also, what appeared to be some construction going on to repair some interior damage, but their restroom was simple & clean, with running water and paper towels. Their bar area was small and only made for ordering, not seating. We were able to get rum shots for $4 a piece and mixed drinks for $8 a plastic cup. Service was friendly & attentive and we were able to order some traditional local snacks including: bacalaito, beef alcapurria, various empanadas (fried pâtés) stuffed with saltfish (bacalao), chicken or beef and these accompanied our drinks perfectly. Even with all of drinks, 4 shots, 2 drinks and snacks, the bill total was under $55. We were then able to pay and leave our vehicle parked in front and walk down to the shoreline across the street. This was really nice! If you walk down the stairs just west of La Terraza Inc, you'll be in the sand and the ocean. Overall, it was a great experience that made the rest of our beach day easy and I recommend. On a side note, when we returned later that evening to order more $4 shots, turns out we must have drank at Happy Hour times earlier, because the shots were now $7-8 a piece. TIP: Make sure to confirm prices BEFORE ordering if drinking on a budget.

    Was brought to this restaurant as one of the stops included in a tour I had booked on a trip to San…read moreJuan. The group I was with was given an appetizer platter to share. I didn't get to try everything but all of what I did try was good. For my entree, I ordered the fried chicken with rice and beans. Interestingly enough, I was surprised that the chicken reminded me of the way it is typically cooked in the south (Louisiana) except it wasn't as seasoned but not in a bad way, it was still flavorful. Overall, I enjoyed my meal. Everything was fresh and tasty. I ordered a piña colada to drink , without expecting much and it turned out to be one of the best piña coladas I had in Puerto Rico. I will remember La Terraza the next time I visit the island because this is one place for sure where I know I will have good food and drinks.

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    La Terraza
    La Terraza
    La Terraza

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    La Nasa - Love this place ! Great atmosphere with amazing ocean view  and OMG delicious food

    La Nasa

    4.5(4 reviews)
    68.2 km
    $

    There are no pictures from La Nasa. And that's because it's completely dark. Yep, you can barely…read moresee inside this indoors/outdoors club. While Lazy Jacks down the way plays basketball games and pumps US music, La Nasa is much more autentico. Locals gather here and they play classic Puerto Rican party jams. We grabbed some drinks (they have the seemingly ubiquitous Don Q Pina Coladas) and watched people dance some version of the salsa. The atmosphere felt a lot more like what we were looking for -- right on the beach, Spanish speaking only, something that's been around for locals forever. Beware the rickety stairs on the way down to the beach. We almost had serious injury there due to the one spinning step. And I'd skip the $1jello shots just on principle. We really enjoyed the juxtaposition of the really American focused bar down the way and this OG spot. Drop in here, grab a bev, enjoy the dark water and the big sky at night.

    The old-school Caribbean vibe is thick as algae at La Nasa…read more Esperanza itself is only one busy street with 7 or 8 restaurants on it, and La Nasa is the bar at the end that's pumping out PR's favorite party tunes from their covered dance floor that looks over the sea. The local beer, Medalla, is $1.50. Or you can be brave and try one of the many tropical drinks listed on the board behind the bar. We got the "Biobay" for $6 each, and to me it tasted like $12 worth of booze (or at least that's was a super-boozy mix drink can cost in Chicago). We promptly spent our savings on the horse roulette game that everyone was playing. With a limit of two dollars per bet, your money won't run away too fast, and you might as well play because this is, quite literally, the only game in town. We were there a little early in the evening and saw a lot of people dancing the merengue. I'm guessing the dance floor only picks up as the night goes on. My friend commented that the glorious part of the establishment was that it felt more like a family place than a bar - old and young age groups were represented on the floor and on the tables out front. For me, this was definitely a highlight of my trip to Puerto Rico, and I plan to come back with my boyfriend soon to get on that dance floor.

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    La Nasa - Teriyaki ribs!

    Teriyaki ribs!

    La Nasa - Pepper steak

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    Pepper steak

    La Grieta - Interior.

    La Grieta

    4.7(11 reviews)
    12.8 km

    Grear ambiance, vibes, drinks, and service. Love it!…read moreRecommended for locals and tourists.

    I first discovered La Grieta approximately two years ago during a brief stop in Old San Juan. The…read moreatmosphere and warmth of our initial experience was so great that I made it a deliberate mission to find it again when visiting recently. We were thrilled when we finally walked through the door again after wracking our brains to remember our favorite spot in Old Town. Upon entering, we were greeted by a young woman who, mentioned it was her very first day as an assistant to the bartender. Despite being brand new, she was warm, engaged, and genuinely welcoming, excited for us that we had made it back after several years, and impressed with our efforts. Shortly thereafter the bartender on duty approached us mid-conversation, visibly irritated. When I mentioned that we hadn't yet decided on drinks but were being well taken care of in the meantime, she interrupted sharply to bark at us that she was the bartender and the ONLY one who could help us. The tone was unwelcoming enough that after a moment, my companion and I determined that we would prefer to move on and left without ordering. The atmosphere is truly special, and it deserves to be matched by the experience guests receive at the bar. Our experience was simply not the vibe that night, and I truly was disappointed FOR the new hire who was doing what she should in engaging us until we could be served. I sincerely hope to return on a future visit to San Juan and to rediscover the experience that first brought me back to La Grieta.

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    La Grieta
    La Grieta
    La Grieta

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    La Factoría - Spiced Old Fashioned

    La Factoría

    4.5(775 reviews)
    13.2 km
    $$

    THE Famous La Factoria club of where Despacito, Heart Break, and other songs were filmed here. When…read morein Puerto Rico, this is a must. AMBIANCE: Parking: Welcome to Old San Juan, it get get pretty busy - best to carpool or do public transportation. Seating: Indoor seating or private cabana set ups for groups. Room for a total of 100 people. Feels: Welcome to Old San Juan, a mix of touristy and culture. The spot itself is popular for locals and tourists. As for the space itself, what's unique about this spot is this place isn't just one bar. It's actually a series of connected rooms (about 6-7 different spaces), each with its own vibe - speak easy, dance, casual, house, live music and more! I'm surprised each room can contain it's sounds while maintaining its own energy. It feels like a speakeasy maze meets nightlife experience. Dim lighting, vintage touches, and just enough chaos in a good way. DRINKS/EXPERIENCE It was such a fun night, not sure what I ordered but there is an abundance of flavors as every room has different selections. But popular drinks if you're looking for guidance - lavendar mule, espresso martini, a classic mojito. They got the classic to your well-crafted cocktails. Some spots provide food while others is sip and chill or sip and dance. CUSTOMER SERVICE: Fast-paced but solid. Staff keeps up with the crowd and still manages to be engaging. TL; DR OVERALL: 4.5 Stars! Good choices, reasonable prices, and a vibe like no other. As a gemini that can be quite indecisive, I enjoyed this spot - especially with its multiple options. This is more than a bar - it's an experience. A spot where the night can go longer than expected. TIPS: * Walk through ALL the rooms--you'll miss half the experience if you don't

    Amazing. Seemed a little intimidating at first with fancy vibes but it was great. Bar tender was…read morekind and helpful. Honestly the Paloma was o e of the best I had all trip. Pricy but the atmosphere was worth it. Seemed to be cool people upstairs but we sat at the bar. Bouncer frisked only young men, which was hilarious as it seemed to surprise the white dudes, lol. Music was a highlight. 90s hipster stuff, we asked about it and it is a custom playlist. Velvet Underground and the like

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    La Factoría - Wooo!!!

    Wooo!!!

    La Factoría - Our most loved signature cocktail: Lavender Mule

    Our most loved signature cocktail: Lavender Mule

    La Factoría - Perfect, historic bar!

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    Perfect, historic bar!

    The Reef Bar - bars - Updated May 2026

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