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As you might guess from the name, the music is as much of a draw as the food at Carli's. The genial owner and host, Carli Muñoz, toured for a number of years with the Beach Boys (note the gold album on the wall) and plays nightly with his jazz trio, often accompanied by singers and musicians who happen to drop in. Inside the skyline-dominating Banco Popular building, this intimate supper-club bistro has elegant tables scattered around the room and a bar made of black Italian granite. Have a seat indoors or on the outdoor out on the patio, and dine on such fusion specialties as pumpkin and shrimp risotto, filet mignon with wild mushroom sauce, or blackened ahi tuna with Cajun spices.
Calle Recinto Sur at Calle San Justo, 00901, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Live jazz
- Caribbean-style tapas
- Classy ambience
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch
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Celeste is Puerta de Tierra's first upscale restaurant. Chef and proprietor, Sebastian Sarda, alongside his wildly talented team, serve some of Puerto Rico's most creative dishes with quality ingredients. Order everything on the menu at this wine and seafood bar, you won't be disappointed.
200 Calle Pelayo, 00901, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Funky wines
- Locally caught fish
- Creative cuisine with seasonal menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.–Thurs.
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Modern light fixtures, exposed walls, and repurposed decorative accents give Cocina Abierta one of the coolest decors in Condado. Chef Martin Louzao prepares eclectic, multicourse omnivore, pescatarian, and vegetarian menus. Grilled Spanish octopus terrine, duck-confit-stuffed mofongo, and ripe plantain carpaccio brûlée with tuna tataki are house favorites. Vegetarian options might include roasted butternut squash soup or mushroom ceviche Peruvian causa. Behind Cocina Abierta are Atelier, a cooking school, and Oriundo, a pop-up restaurant also headed by chef Louzao.
58 Calle Caribe, 00907, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Tasting menus
- Octopus terrine and mofongo with duck confit
- Great wine list
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This casual, no-frills restaurant in the residential section of Old San Juan serves some of the best comida criolla in town. The short menu is packed with flavor, featuring favorites like roasted pork, rice and beans (which pair perfectly with the homemade hot sauces), empanadas, tostones, and homemade sausage. The sample platter, big enough for two, will leave you stuffed and with a great understanding of the cuisine locals are so proud of.
200 Calle Sol, 00901, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Comida criolla
- Roasted pork with rice and beans
- Sample platter big enough for two
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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Tasty sandwiches and burgers are available all day long at this small joint. The onion smasher comes with two beef patties, finely shredded onions, and cheese on a warm brioche bun, and specials may include a perfectly crisp, chicken-tender sandwich or a decadent pork belly with fried egg and sweet-and-sour chipotle sauce. Order at the counter, and grab a seat overlooking the street, or get your order to go and enjoy it at Ocean Park Beach.
1802 Calle Loíza, 00911, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Burgers
- Tater tots
- Excellent sandwiches
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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After a day at Playa Escambron, grab a bite and a beer at this hole- in-the-wall joint, where a tiny kitchen rapidly custom-charbroils burgers. You might want to order two, as they're small, like sliders; regardless, you can top them with Roquefort, cheddar, or American cheese. The sweet-potato fries are tasty, too; add a side salad for $1 more. This place is always packed with locals, so there might be a wait to get a table, but the turnover is quick.
402 Av. Muñoz Rivera, 00901, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Cheap burgers
- Local favorite
- Sweet-potato fries
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The airy courtyard and the comida criolla are among the draws at this local, come-as-you-are restaurant—the perfect spot to end a workweek or a long day of sightseeing. The menu consists mostly of American and Puerto Rican fare. Save room for the homemade flan, which melts in your mouth.
102 Calle San Sebastián, 00901, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Typical Puerto Rican specialties
- Homemade flan
- Casual atmosphere
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Here, the wines are reasonably priced, and the menu is varied, with favorites like osso bucco, beef carpaccio, grilled octopus, lobster risotto, and Wagyu-and-foie-gras dumplings. Portions are large, service is excellent, and brunch is served on weekends.
6150 Av. Isla Verde, 00979, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Affordable and varied wine list
- Large portions
- Weekend brunch
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In addition to serving its signature Gustos coffee, grown in the mountains of Yauco, this café has simple sandwiches and pastries. You'll be lucky to get a seat, as it's wildly popular.
Miramar Plaza, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Great coffee
- Popular with locals
- Artisanal products for sale
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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Although it recently moved from Santurce to Condado, the restaurant of chef Jose Enrique—who's been nominated for the prestigious James Beard Award multiple times—remains popular with locals and visitors for its elevated Puerto Rican cuisine. The setting is casual, and the menu is ever-changing, though it always includes carne guisada (a local beef stew), fritters, and a catch of the day.
1021 Av. Ashford, 00907, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Focus on locally grown produce and other ingredients
- Ever-changing menu
- Celebrity chef
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Reservations not accepted
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Parmesan-crusted tacos are the draw here, with favorites including the fish, pulled pork, or vegetarian-friendly falafel versions. Pair yours with a margarita or mojito, and sit outside on the small terrace. Breakfast service starts at 8 am, and brunch is offered on weekends.
1104 Av. Magdalena, 00907, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Fish tacos and margaritas
- Prime people-watching from the terrace
- Breakfast and weekend brunch
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This local bakery is always buzzing with locals and tourists. Display cases are full of luscious pastries, including the quesito (cream cheese–filled puff pastry), and sandwiches include the medianoche, made famous when President Obama ordered one while campaigning. For dinner, dive into a fish dish or paella, or do like the locals and make a meal out of savory Spanish tapas.
1966 Calle McLeary, 00911, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Great baked goods, including cream cheese–filled quesitos
- Medianoche sandwiches
- Sometimes curt service
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Families with kids, beachgoers in flip-flops, and businesspeople all flock to this casual, marine-themed restaurant, renowned for its seafood dishes. Grouper tacos, lightly fried and topped with a spicy slaw, are a best seller—don't leave without trying at least one. When in season, opt for the conch salad with tostones or the conch empanadilla, a local version of a turnover. For more substantial fare, order Caribbean spiny lobster, whole fried snapper, or arroz con mariscos, La Cueva's version of a paella. Ask for the homemade hot sauces; they pair wonderfully with the flavorful seafood dishes. Feel free to walk here for lunch, but opt for a cab at night: Calle Loíza is still in its development phase and can be unwelcoming after dark. You'll find other locations throughout San Juan.
1857 Calle Loíza, 00911, Puerto Rico
Known For
- House-made hot sauce
- Fish tacos
- Conch in season
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La Madre is a hip Mexican restaurant, with a stylish, young clientele to match. Yes, it covers the standards, including some very tasty tacos, enchiladas, and chilaquiles, but you'll also find innovative, modern, international interpretations of Mexican cuisine. With well-priced margaritas, you can afford to sample more unusual flavors like cucumber, soursop, Caribbean cherry, and tamarind. The sleek dining room feels artsy and dreamlike, with classic cartoons and old movies projected silently onto a wall. Brunch is served on weekends, and seating is available outdoors. A neighboring speakeasy specializes in tequila and mezcal cocktails.
351 Calle San Francisco, 00901, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Popular weekend brunch
- Outdoor seating
- Large variety of margaritas
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$$ | Santurce |
It's an exciting time for pizza in San Juan and one of the newest and most delicious additions to the scene is La Santurcina. Brought to you by the owners of the upscale restaurant Vianda, this full-service pizza joint is a pizza-churning, bustling machine that's always packed. Start with the fried olives and wings followed by any of the creative pies. Don't miss the zucchini with ricotta. They don't take reservations so get there early.
1250 Ponce de Leon Ave, San Juan, n/a Puerto Rico, 00907, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Creative pizzas
- Vegetable-forward menu
- Family-friendly vibe
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Chef Kelly Piro perfectly executes such Thai dishes as som tam (papaya salad), drunken noodles with barbecue pork, and green curry with shrimp. The bar serves excellent cocktails, although it's best known for its large gin selection.
303 Calle Canals, San Juan, n/a Puerto Rico, 00907, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Reservations are recommended
- Gin cocktails
- Drunken noodles and green curry
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No lunch Mon., Wed., and Thurs.
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Celebrity-chef Mario Pagan dazzles diners—among them businesspeople trying to impress their counterparts—with his creative, modern Puerto Rican fare and a setting that's reminiscent of a sleek, midtown-Manhattan restaurant. An attentive, professional waitstaff serves dishes like Gouda croquetas with sweet papaya, Chilean sea bass with yuca-truffled mousse, and lamb-shoulder confit.
1110 Av. Magdalena, 00907, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Trendy patrons
- Sophisticated dining
- Well-known chef
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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Across the street from a string of major hotels, this casual restaurant doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside it's decorated in warm, tropical colors. The kitchen turns out delicious versions of Cuban and Puerto Rican favorites at reasonable prices. Tasty options include Cornish game hen stuffed with congrí, a mixture of black beans and rice; perfectly seasoned and tender beef churrasco; and fried chickpeas with ham and chorizo. The crowd is a pleasant mix of tourists and locals, families and groups of friends enjoying a relaxed evening out. Throughout the restaurant, local art hangs on the walls, and you can shop from your table if you find a painting you like. The restaurant has several branches around the island, most in the metro area.
Av. Isla Verde, 00913, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Local vibe
- Large portions of typical dishes like churrasco and ropa vieja
- Family-friendly atmosphere
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Proprietor Yareli Manning runs this food-truck park in the heart of Miramar, where seating is at communal picnic tables. Though the roster of vehicles changes, regulars include Meatball Company, Yummy Dumplings, and Pa'l Pita. One truck sells beer and mixed drinks.
1006 Av. Ponce de Leon, 00907, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Variety of quick-bite options
- Outdoor dining
- Family-friendly atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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This cozy spot does a wonderful job with traditional Italian dishes of the kind that your nonna (grandmother) might have made. The ravioli di anatra, filled with braised duck and pear in a port-wine reduction and topped with truffle butter, is great. There is also a nice selection of specialty pizzas made with Caputo flour from Naples.
103 Calle San Jorge, 00911, Puerto Rico
Known For
- All house-made pastas and mozzarella di buffala
- Cozy ambience
- Creative cocktails