6 Best Restaurants in Greater San Juan, San Juan

Located behind a pawn shop, Acapulco doesn't have the most inspiring location, but you should seek out this tiny restaurant for some of the best Mexican food in Puerto Rico. The tacos and guacamole are always made from scratch, and the owners pride themselves on authenticity: you won't find iceberg lettuce or a chimichanga slathered in cheddar here. Instead, expect delicious tacos al pastor, with meat carved from a spinning rotisserie in an open kitchen, and equally tasty cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork). Many dishes are topped with pickled onions, cilantro, fresh pineapple, and radishes. The margaritas are great, and the juices couldn't be more refreshing. The staff is friendly, and all speak perfect English.

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.

People pack this playful café—where bustling servers wear cheeky "Eat Me!" T-shirts—to enjoy fresh wraps, sandwiches, salads, batidas (fruit smoothies), and coffee. You might not need another meal for the rest of the day if you finish the Drunken Pilot, a breakfast dish with four eggs, spinach, tomato, onion, mushroom, and goat cheese. At lunch, try the popular Surfer, a hot, pressed sandwich with turkey, mozzarella, basil, tomato, and pesto mayo. It's often nearly impossible to find a seat at lunchtime, but don't worry: order takeout, and head to the beach for an alfresco meal. Pinky's also has a branch on Ashford Avenue in Condado.

The three "B's" in this bright-yellow restaurant's name stand for bueno, bonito, y barato, a common saying that means "good, pretty, and affordable." Tasty and inexpensive—no wonder it's such a hit with everyone from beachgoers to artists to young professionals. Order at the window, and sit at one of the picnic-style tables on the wooden deck. The grouper ceviche is a favorite dish, as is the beef slider on a sweet Hawaiian bun with tamarind and coffee barbecue sauce. A bar and coffee shop are also on-site. Come back at night for cocktails; it's a fun place to mingle with locals.