restaurant

[taminark]

Anyone have any suggestions for a restaurant in San Juan. Local cuisine or mexican would be nice. Thanks!

[Jeepers385]

When we went in October we ate at a restaurant called Yerba Buena. It was very good, we had about 10 people with us, we were all sailing together and met through our Roll Call and decided to meet each other before we sailed. We stayed at the Radisson Ambassador and it was about 2 blocks from the hotel.

 

If you go to the Ports of Call Board for San Juan you'll probably get a lot of good info from others who have eaten and stayed there.

 

Happy cruising.

 

Debbie

[sherry7]

We were on the Serenade a couple of weeks ago, and flew in a day early so were could spend some time in San Juan. Two different park rangers at the forts (El Morro and San Christobal) recommended Cafe Puerto Rico to us. The food was very good and the prices reasonable (for San Juan, that is). Both of us had the Mofungo with shrimp and lobster, and it was very good. (I was also told the pork Mofungo was very good). You can get Mofungo made with either cassava (kind of like a potato...what we both had), or with plantains (kind of like a banana). We both had flan for dessert, and it was excellent. I thought Puerto Rican food would be like Mexican food, but it's not...totally different.

Cafe Puerto Rico overlooks the statue of Christopher Columbus. We sat upstairs and had a beautiful view of the statue with a full moon behind it. Wouldn't you know, all of my pictures of it (at night time) turned out blurry? :( The restaurant is within walking distance of San Christobal Fort.

Here's a review from Frommer's which has the address, etc:

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/sanjuan/D50439.html

Oh, almost forgot...this restaurant (plus another one we went to, Barrachina's) automatically adds in the tip on your bill. They list it as tip/tax. I was confused as to which one (tip or tax) it was, so I asked. It was a tip. Nothing wrong with that (as I'm sure a lot of tourists 'stiff' them), but something to be aware of.

[Aubiecruiser]

I also recommend Cafe Puerto Rico. We stumbled across it walking around old San Juan and wanted to try something with a local appeal. We were not disappointed. Friendly staff, great service, wonderful food with really unexpected presentation and very reasonable prices. Will go back next time we visit the island.

Aubie

[judy&steve]

 

 

Oh, almost forgot...this restaurant (plus another one we went to, Barrachina's) automatically adds in the tip on your bill. They list it as tip/tax. I was confused as to which one (tip or tax) it was, so I asked. It was a tip. Nothing wrong with that (as I'm sure a lot of tourists 'stiff' them), but something to be aware of.

 

We went to Barrachina the day we disembarked the Serenade. This is the place where they will store your luggage or carry-ons in our case. It was very convenient. For a couple of bucks tip, they will watch your stuff while you wander around Old San Juan. We had a lovely lunch there. The food was pretty good. It was a nice place to spend some time. Clean rest rooms, security for your belongings and good, well-priced food with a local flare. We were very pleased. We grabbed a cab when we thought we should leave for the airport. Our bags were already checked through with AA and we had our boarding passes already, so it was a breeze.

I was a little apprehensive about leaving our two carry-ons, but I needn't have worried.

The day before the cruise, we stayed at the Hyatt Dorado Beach. It was wonderful.

--Judy

[erniesband]

We really like the Parrot Club, 363 Fortaleza, and Ropa Vieja on Ashford Ave. We've been to Barrachina, and it was okay. We paid more for lunch there for 3 people than we did at Ropa Vieja (authentic Puerto Rican and Cuban cuisine) for dinner. There's also a great tapas restaurant at Hotel Convento.

[hstrybuf]

We also enjoyed The Parrot Club. We were lucky enough to get a seat upstairs in the open air courtyard.

[fireguy091]

I 3rd the Parrot Club, will be eating there again soon myself...:)

[Jeepers385]

Oh I forgot about Barrachina. We had lunch there one time when we sailed from SJ and loved the place. Loved the atmosphere and the drinks were pretty good, the parrots were talkative and supposedly that's where the first pina colada was served.:D

Debbie

[sherry7]

We went to Barrachina's the day we arrived back in port...we also left our luggage there. I thought the food was okay, but I thought the Cafe Puerto Rico was much better. I ordered a Pina Colada since they were invented at Barrachina's, but I was kind of disappointed in it...it was very weak and runny.

[JTJ]

I always walk to "La Fonda El Jibarito", it's very, very local on Calle Sol 280 (280 G St.) in Old San Juan. Waiter may not speak very good english or any but they have a menu (in pencil, gotta love this place) that I think is in both languages. Try the fricase de carito (goat stew) and mofongo (mashed plantains) or the chillo entero frito (fried red snapper). Beer is fairly cheap too, especially for OSJ, dinners are between $8 and $12. If you are there on a Sunday morning walk to the Catedral de San Juan sit in the back and after the service walk around and look in the alcoves, they have life like images/figures from the Bible. I think it's been there since the 1500's. It's at 153 Cristo (Christ) St and is in the direction from the piers to La Fonda (the inn).