Chris Ann

I am staying at the Wyndham El san Juan this week. Can anyone recommend some good restaurants in the area?

rqf

I don't recall the names but there is a steakhouse, a Chinese, an Italian, a Mexican and a rib/chicken restaurant located in the hotel. The first three are located in the lobby, the last two on the top floor of the hotel. There is a Ruth Chris steakhouse and a Japanese restaurant located in the Intercontinental Hotel next door to the El San Juan. There is the Metropol, a less than 10 minute walk, that features Cuban cuisine - very popular with visitors and local alike. Across the street from the Wyndham and just past the Intercontinental is Mi Casita, a restaurant that features Puerto Rican cuisine. Metropol and Mi Casita are both reasonably priced. Needless to say the restaurants in the hotels are not inexpensive. If you get tired of spending about $10 for a continental breakfast or between $15 and $20 for a full breakfast at the hotel walk over to Mi Casita. THey serve a full breakfast for $1.99. This is not a fast food restaurant. It is sit at a table and be served establishment. There are plenty of good restaurans in Old San Juan which is a $12 cab ride away. One of the best restaurants serving PR cuisine is Ajili Mojili located in the Condado - an $8 dollar cab ride. This one is not inexpensive. There are other restaurants, some fast food, very near the hotel but I have never eaten at any of them.

tom

Any of the restaurants at the El San Juan would be a good choice:<BR><BR>La Piccola Fontana is an excellent Italian restaurant (in a small intimate setting)<BR><BR>The Palm - steakhouse. One week during the summer they have a wine festival where for something like $25 per person you get to try several different wines (ranging from champagne to white to reds to dessert wines). I've done that before and it was a lot of fun. If you're into that, check at the restaurant to see if the festival is going on while you're there.<BR><BR>Backstreet Hong Kong - has very good Chinese food (the restaurant itself is pretty cool and the service is excellent).<BR><BR>The Ranch is a rib place on the top floor and in an open air setting. Good ribs in a country/western atmosphere.<BR><BR>I can't remember the name of the Mexican place (mainly because I don't care for Mexican food) but it is also on the roof and a pretty nice spot to sip a Margharita (sp?) and watch the sunset.<BR><BR>For cheaper eats - definitely try Metropol, which is walking distance from your hotel. The place, which serves Cuban food, always seems to be crowded. Really good stuffed cornish hen (for under $10).

Chef Jason Girard

Try these restaurants in and near Old San Juan:<BR><BR>The Parrot Club<BR>363 Calle Fortaleza, (787) 725-7370 <BR>Seats: 130<BR>Cuisine: Nuevo Latino<BR>Specialties: seared sea bass simmered in a clam sauce; glazed grilled salmon with wilted spinach; risotto with white cheese; smoked chicken and goat cheese salad with bananas<BR>Entr&eacute;e price range: $16-$29<BR><BR>Che's Restaurant Argentino<BR>35 Calle Caoba, (787) 726-7202<BR>Seats: 150<BR>Cuisine: Argentine steak house<BR>Specialties: grilled 14-ounce skirt steak; grilled 12-ounce New York strip; mixed grilled meat platter of beef, pork, chicken, sweetbreads and blood sausage with fried rice and beans; filet mignon<BR>Entr&eacute;e price range: $7-$35<BR><BR>The Dragon Fly<BR>364 Calle Fortaleza, (787) 977-3886 <BR>Seats: 40<BR>Cuisine: Latino/Asian fusion<BR>Specialties: blackened tuna in a dark rum sauce with orange essence and mashed yuca; grilled flank steak with a timbale of banana, portobellos and tomato chimichurri; sugar-cured lamb on sugarcane skewers with pi&ntilde;a mint mojo and Israeli couscous<BR>Entr&eacute;e price range: $18-$29<BR><BR>Havana Caf&eacute;<BR>409 Calle de Parque, (787) 725-0888 <BR>Seats: 120<BR>Cuisine: Cuban and Latino fusion<BR>Specialties: filet mignon in a blue cheese sauce with salad and red beans and rice; fillet of codfish with cilantro sauce; chicken cr&ecirc;pe with b&eacute;chamel salsa<BR>Entr&eacute;e price range: $13-$25<BR><BR>La Ostra Cosa<BR>154 Calle St. Cristo, (787) 722-2672 <BR>Seats: 30<BR>Cuisine: aphrodisiacal<BR>Specialties: grilled prawns; cheese crisps stuffed with minced fish, conch, octopus and shrimp; fillet of sole poached in a white-wine sauce; grilled king crab legs<BR>Entr&eacute;e price range: $11-$17<BR><BR>* The Parrot Club is probably my favorite on the list. San Juan is a good restaurant city, better than most in the Caribbean, and you'll find lots lof little mom & pop places in and around Old San Juan. Walk around and peek into the windows. See where the locals eat! That's the best way to discover something great -- let me know if you find anything!!! Good luck.

debra

chef jason's post is very helpful, i plan to go to san juan later this summer...i remember a place in old san juan called something like la zaraganzas (apologies for my lack of spanish)...is it still there? recommended?

Maureen

Just reading a paragraph from my Caribbean Travel & Leisure; For that big lunch try "Morgan's Steak & Seafood" Restaurant-787-275-0850-dining room is very cozy and the bar overlooks the bay. Watch boats ply the waters while you chow on churrasco (skirt steak), eggplant a la Morgan's stuffed with lobster and shrimp...To get there take the ferry (50 cents) from Pier 2 (AcuExpresso terminal) across San Juan Bay to Catano. Turn right out of the terminal and you'll find a picturesque new malecon (seaside way) Walk about 3 mins and on the left is Morgans.

janecel

I used to live in PR. My favorites were Chayote and Pikayu. Both feature Nuevo Latino cuisine and are expensive but worth it.

Sarita

I grew up in San Juan, and my personal favorite for all those years was El Zipperle. It's a local favorite, the people at the El San Juan will be able to tell you how to get there quickest. My other favorite is Ajili Mojili, but don't go when you're in a hurry to eat because it takes a while to serve (at least in my experience). Have fun!

C

I'll be in San Juan next week and would like to try the Japanese restaurant at the InterContinental.<BR>Has anyone been there?

Marsha

Some of our favorite restaurants thru the years have been Ajili Mojili (sp?), Tuscany's (Marriott), Ruth Chris Steakhouse, and Antonio's--all in the Condado area if you want a change of scenery.

Marsha

Mistake, Ruth Chris is close to ESJ.