El Yunque and the Northeast Restaurants

Some restaurants carry the tourist board's meson gastronómico designation. Such establishments specialize in typical island food. The eastern region has both formal restaurants, where reservations are necessary, and casual beachside eateries, where you can walk in unannounced in beach attire and have a fine meal of fresh fish. Bills generally don't include service charges, so a 15% tip is customary and expected. Most restaurants are open for dinner from late afternoon until about 10 pm.

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  • 1. La Estación

    $$$ | Puerto Rican

    This laid-back spot has elevated Puerto Rican street food to an art form, thanks to two New Yorkers (one Puerto Rican) with restaurant pedigree...

    This laid-back spot has elevated Puerto Rican street food to an art form, thanks to two New Yorkers (one Puerto Rican) with restaurant pedigree who decided to leave the big city and open a new spot dedicated to barbecue in an old gas station outside the Conquistador Resort. Highlighting products obtained from local fishermen and farmers, and smoking their own meats in an outdoor kitchen, Idalia García and Kevin Roth's awesome joint is one of Puerto Rico's don't-miss culinary treats. Settle into one of the mismatched patio tables—be it teak, cedar, or concrete—order up a cocktail, and get ready to feast. An adjacent café serves coffee and pastries all day.

    Rte. 987, Km 4, Las Croabas, 00738, Puerto Rico
    787-863–4481

    Known For

    • Locally sourced produce and meats
    • Delicious barbecue
    • Friendly service

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed.
  • 2. Brass Cactus

    $$ | Steakhouse

    This steak-and-chop eatery attracts so many English-speaking tourists that management doesn't bother printing a Spanish menu. Nearly every dish...

    This steak-and-chop eatery attracts so many English-speaking tourists that management doesn't bother printing a Spanish menu. Nearly every dish on the expansive menu is made to be washed down with beer. Televisions broadcast the latest sporting events, and bands often replace the jukebox on weekends. Free Wi-Fi is available.

    Off Rte. 3, near main entrance to Luquillo, Luquillo, 00773, Puerto Rico
    787-889–5735

    Known For

    • Great steaks and burgers
    • Fun sports-bar atmosphere
    • Reasonably priced cocktails and beer

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
  • 3. Calizo

    $$$ | Seafood

    There's a string of seafood shacks in the village of Las Croabas, all serving delicious fried fish. This open-air eatery, with tables covered...

    There's a string of seafood shacks in the village of Las Croabas, all serving delicious fried fish. This open-air eatery, with tables covered with straw umbrellas and anchored by a bustling square bar, takes things up a notch or two. It's almost across from the Balneario Seven Seas, making it a great place to refuel after a day at the beach. The only drawback is that it's pricey.

    Rte. 987, Km 4.6, Las Croabas, 00738, Puerto Rico
    787-863–3664

    Known For

    • Good fresh seafood
    • Alfresco dining
    • Rather high prices

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues.–Thurs.
  • 4. Chez Daniel

    $$$$ | French

    Chef Daniel Vasse's French country-style dishes are some of the island's best. The Marseille-style bouillabaisse is full of fresh fish and bursts...

    Chef Daniel Vasse's French country-style dishes are some of the island's best. The Marseille-style bouillabaisse is full of fresh fish and bursts with the flavor of a white garlic sauce. Something less French? Choose steak or fish simply prepared on the grill, and pair it with a bottle from the extensive wine cellar. A Sunday brunch buffet (including a brunch cocktail) offers a seemingly endless seafood bar, drawing people from all over the island.

    Palmas del Mar, 1 Country Club Dr., Humacao, 00791, Puerto Rico
    787-850–3838

    Known For

    • French country cuisine
    • Extensive wine cellar
    • Upscale setting and experience

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch
  • 5. El Kiosko Boricua

    $ | Puerto Rican

    Forget McDonald's and Taco Bell; in Puerto Rico, a beachside kiosk like this one is the place to go for fast food. El Kiosko Boricua ticks...

    Forget McDonald's and Taco Bell; in Puerto Rico, a beachside kiosk like this one is the place to go for fast food. El Kiosko Boricua ticks all the boxes for fried Puerto Rican goodies, with alcapurrias, arepas, and bacalaítos among the items on offer. Wash it all down with fresh coconut water or the local beer, Medalla.

    Rte. 187, Piñones, Puerto Rico
    787-596–1684

    Known For

    • Fast food, Puerto Rican–style
    • Ultracasual setting
    • Cash only

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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  • 6. El Nuevo Acuario

    $$ | Puerto Rican

    One among the ever-changing cast of restaurants along Route 187, The New Aquarium, like its neighbors, won't win any awards for decor and design...

    One among the ever-changing cast of restaurants along Route 187, The New Aquarium, like its neighbors, won't win any awards for decor and design. The setting here is decidedly laid-back, with plastic tables and chairs serving as the humble backdrop for some stellar seafood. Vegetarians should request the special meatless mofongo. The service is friendly and attentive, and the location—a literal stone's throw from the Atlantic—can't be beat.

    Punta Cangrejos, off Rte. 187, Piñones, Puerto Rico
    787-662–8258

    Known For

    • Fresh seafood
    • Ultracasual setting
    • Good service

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Sun.
  • 7. El Parrilla

    $$ | Puerto Rican

    Like its neighbors along Route 187, which fronts the Atlantic, El Parrilla specializes in seafood. Trunkfish fritters and seafood empanadillas...

    Like its neighbors along Route 187, which fronts the Atlantic, El Parrilla specializes in seafood. Trunkfish fritters and seafood empanadillas are tasty starters, while the hearty seafood stew called asopao is the main event, and flan with fresh coconut can't be missed.

    Rte. 187, Loíza, Puerto Rico
    787-876–3191

    Known For

    • The freshest seafood
    • Traditional Puerto Rican–style asopao
    • Cash only

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed.
  • 8. La Parrilla

    $$$ | Seafood

    There are dozens of kioskos, or food stands, along Route 3 on the way to Luquillo Beach, most offering humble local fare, much of it fried...

    There are dozens of kioskos, or food stands, along Route 3 on the way to Luquillo Beach, most offering humble local fare, much of it fried. This full-service restaurant raises the bar for its culinary counterparts. Open every day, usually satisfying at least one rowdy tourist bus, the open-air spot delivers sizzling seafood in generous portions. There are even a couple of steaks on the menu that are guaranteed to satisfy the most ravenous carnivores. Like its neighbors, La Parrilla faces the street, but there's a comfortable patio in the rear where you can kick back with an ice-cold beer or sangria and escape the traffic noise.

    Luquillo Beach, Rte. 3, Kiosk 2, Luquillo, 00773, Puerto Rico
    787-889–0590

    Known For

    • Good grilled seafood
    • Alfresco dining
    • Steaks for the non-fish eaters

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 9. Lolita's

    $$ | Mexican

    When it comes to Mexican food, this place is the real deal. For lunch, grab a few tacos (soft or crispy), or try one of the classic Mexican...

    When it comes to Mexican food, this place is the real deal. For lunch, grab a few tacos (soft or crispy), or try one of the classic Mexican entrées. There's a reason devoted travelers return regularly. Wash down the generous portions with oversize margaritas to match, or choose from a large selection of Mexican beers. The pleasant dining room, decorated with slightly kitschy paintings of simple village life, is on the second floor of a building just east of Luquillo. Parking is limited.

    Rte. 3, Km 41.3, Luquillo, 00773, Puerto Rico
    787-889–5770

    Known For

    • Authentic Mexican cuisine
    • Generous portions
    • Good (and large) margaritas
  • 10. Palio

    $$$$ | Italian

    Northern Italian dishes—such as veal marsala or fillet of beef with a caramelized shallot Barolo reduction—are the star attractions at this...

    Northern Italian dishes—such as veal marsala or fillet of beef with a caramelized shallot Barolo reduction—are the star attractions at this top-notch restaurant, where the staff is attentive and amiable. The dining room, with its black-and-white checkerboard floor and dark-wood paneling, is elegant and refined. Before sunset, you can catch a glimpse of the sea through dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows. After dinner, specialty coffees are served in mugs engulfed in blue flames, a showstopper that has people at neighboring tables applauding.

    Wyndham Grand Río Mar Beach Resort & Spa, 6000 Río Mar Blvd., Río Grande, 00745, Puerto Rico
    787-888–6000

    Known For

    • Caesar salad prepared tableside
    • Great ocean views, particularly at sunset
    • Attentive service

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch
  • 11. Pasión por el Fogón

    $$$ | Caribbean

    At this beloved Fajardo restaurant, Chef Myrta Pérez Toledo transforms traditional dishes into something special. Succulent cuts of meat and...

    At this beloved Fajardo restaurant, Chef Myrta Pérez Toledo transforms traditional dishes into something special. Succulent cuts of meat and fish are presented in unexpected ways. A perfectly cooked flank steak rolled into a cylinder served on end has a slightly sweet tamarind sauce that brings out the meat's earthy flavors. If you're a seafood lover, start with the lime-infused red snapper ceviche and move on to lobster medallions broiled in butter. For dessert, order the Caribbean Sun, an ice cream sundae that blends caramel, cinnamon, and chocolate toppings.

    Rte. 987, Km 2.3, Fajardo, 00735, Puerto Rico
    787-863–3502

    Known For

    • Contemporary Caribbean cuisine
    • Fresh seafood
    • Great desserts

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
  • 12. Richie's Café

    $$$ | Seafood

    Perched on a mountaintop, this restaurant—a convenient option for Wyndham Grand Río Mar guests who don't want to dine on-site but are willing...

    Perched on a mountaintop, this restaurant—a convenient option for Wyndham Grand Río Mar guests who don't want to dine on-site but are willing to pay resort prices—has a pair of open-air dining rooms with views to Vieques on a clear day. The atmosphere is festive; there's often a game playing on one of the big screens or a local band jamming on the weekend. Seafood is the specialty here—try the fried plantain appetizer, filled with shrimp, conch, octopus, or lobster, then move on to the whole red snapper or the pineapple rice with shrimp served on the pineapple itself. Bring some insect repellent at night, as some diners have reported problems with mosquitoes.

    Rte. 968, Km 2.0, Río Grande, 00745, Puerto Rico
    787-887–1435

    Known For

    • Fresh seafood, especially whole red snapper
    • Fried plantains stuffed with seafood
    • Ocean views

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
  • 13. Fern Restaurant

    $$$$ | Caribbean
    Closed Permanently

    On the second floor of the St. Regis Bahia Beach's main Plantation House building, this stylish restaurant offers a lush environment in which...

    On the second floor of the St. Regis Bahia Beach's main Plantation House building, this stylish restaurant offers a lush environment in which you can enjoy Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Latin-Caribbean-inspired menu. Two prix-fixe menus are available for those interested in sampling the chef's featured dishes, which draw as much as possible on local ingredients. The indoor/outdoor space is an inviting mix of textures and colors—banquettes with red pillow accents, mesh lamps, metallic-cork wall coverings, recycled kumbuk-wood tables with tangled brass legs. Service is impeccable, and the extensive wine list will delight oenophiles. Save room for dessert, where local fruits figure prominently in delicious concoctions like coconut panna cotta.

    St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Rte. 187, Km 4.2, Río Grande, 00745, Puerto Rico
    787-809–8100

    Known For

    • Prix-fixe menus featuring excellent seafood
    • Utilizing mostly fresh, local produce
    • Extensive wine list

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch
  • 14. Anchor's Inn

    $$ | Seafood
    Closed Permanently

    Seafood is the specialty at this shipshape restaurant. It's a great place to sample such local favorites as chillo entero (fried whole red...

    Seafood is the specialty at this shipshape restaurant. It's a great place to sample such local favorites as chillo entero (fried whole red snapper), among others. When the porthole windows are flung open, a nice breeze blows through the dining room. The convenient location, down the road from El Conquistador Resort, lures travelers who have had enough hotel food.

    Rte. 987, Km 2.7, Fajardo, 00738, Puerto Rico
    787-863–7200

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
  • 15. Bistro Rico

    $ | Café
    Closed Permanently

    Most of Humacao's restaurants are within the bounds of the massive Palmas del Mar, and since you can't eat at Chez Daniel every night, Daniel...

    Most of Humacao's restaurants are within the bounds of the massive Palmas del Mar, and since you can't eat at Chez Daniel every night, Daniel Vasse opened this casual bistro next door to his original restaurant. The menu is mostly made up of extraordinary sandwiches: the sliced duck breast with caramelized red onions is simple but satisfying, as is the codfish with slices of hard-boiled eggs or the filet mignon with béarnaise sauce. The handful of entrées includes a smashing quiche Lorraine. The staff are friendly, and the simple decor is enlivened by slightly kitschy seaside murals.

    Palmas del Mar, Anchor's Village Marina, Rte. 906, Km 86.4, Humacao, 00792, Puerto Rico
    787-850–7938

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 16. Blossoms

    $$$$ | Asian
    Closed Permanently

    This dining room brings the Far East to Puerto Rico. The first thing you'll notice is the sound of meats and vegetables sizzling on the large...

    This dining room brings the Far East to Puerto Rico. The first thing you'll notice is the sound of meats and vegetables sizzling on the large teppanyaki tables. The chefs here know they're on stage and perform with a flourish. Despite the abundance of fresh fish, sushi bars are a rarity in this part of Puerto Rico, but this one has a seemingly endless array of excellent sushi rolls to satisfy all cravings. Want traditional Chinese fare? Try the Passion Love Boat (lobster and shrimp) or the Full Steam Ahead (steamed fish with scallions and black mushrooms).

    El Conquistador Resort, Rte. 987, Km 3.4, Fajardo, 00738, Puerto Rico
    787-863–1000

    Known For

    • Good sushi
    • Both Japanese and Chinese food
    • Teppanyaki grill
  • 17. El Varadero Seaside Grill

    $$ | Seafood
    Closed Permanently

    At this no-frills seaside spot perched on the docks of pretty Marina Puerto Chico, San Juan native Charlie Barrett has created a recipe for...

    At this no-frills seaside spot perched on the docks of pretty Marina Puerto Chico, San Juan native Charlie Barrett has created a recipe for success. Simple yet cozy nautical touches serve as the backdrop for grilled fresh tuna, mahimahi, and snapper, as diners while away the hours watching the boats bob along the water. An extensive appetizer list rounds out the menu. Kids will love the mahimahi nuggets, and for those who like fire with their food, this friendly hangout makes five different kinds of hot sauce.

    Marina Puerto Chico, Rte. 987, Fajardo, 00738, Puerto Rico
    787-860–2662

    Known For

    • Great grilled seafood
    • Excellent sea views
    • House-made hot sauce

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
  • 18. Las Vegas

    $$ | Caribbean
    Closed Permanently

    The food is a slight cut above what you'd expect to find in such an out-of-the-way place. Be sure to try the rum punch, the corn fritters as...

    The food is a slight cut above what you'd expect to find in such an out-of-the-way place. Be sure to try the rum punch, the corn fritters as an appetizer, then think about the roasted lamb in a wine-and-herb sauce as a hearty dinner. In a region where eating outdoors on plastic tables and chairs is the norm, the dining room's wooden furnishings are a blessing.

    Rte. 191, Km 1.3, , 00745, Puerto Rico
    787-887–2526

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Tues.
  • 19. Soleil Beach Club

    $$ | Seafood
    Closed Permanently

    A bit more refined than some of its neighbors, this restaurant actually sits on a wooden platform positioned above the sand. Even nicer is...

    A bit more refined than some of its neighbors, this restaurant actually sits on a wooden platform positioned above the sand. Even nicer is the upstairs deck that lets you gaze at the ocean instead of the parking lot. The grilled USDA steak served with chimichurri is as good as it gets, and the fresh halibut fillet with beurre blanc and cassava mofongo is equally tasty. Save room for postres (dessert)—the coconut ice cream is worth every calorie. There are a couple of bars, and bands playing Latin music set the scene on weekend nights. Call ahead and you can arrange free transportation to and from your hotel—a very good deal.

    Rte. 187, Km 4.6, Piñones, 00979, Puerto Rico
    787-253–1033
  • 20. Yuquiyú Delights

    $ | Caribbean
    Closed Permanently

    Named for the Taíno god of goodness, this open-air dining room will be a sight for sore eyes after hiking all day in the rain forest. The chalkboard...

    Named for the Taíno god of goodness, this open-air dining room will be a sight for sore eyes after hiking all day in the rain forest. The chalkboard out front usually lists a few specials like burgers and quesadillas filled with skirt steak. The covered terrace is scattered with a few tiled tables, which are further shielded by umbrellas. Off the kitchen, there's a little shop where you can stock up on water for the trail or snacks for the ride home.

    Rte. 191, Km 11.4, El Yunque, Río Grande, 00721, Puerto Rico
    787-396–0970

    Known For

    • Bar food like burgers and quesadillas
    • Casual setting
    • Alfresco dining

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner

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