Old San Juan

Sad. I was a fan of this place– Bummer.
I had the mofungo which was really good and there was a ton if it. I felt bad wasting the amount I didn’t eat. Take out containers must be so midwest. They threw out my stuff.
The pernil looked awesome.
Oh well… guess I won’t be hitting up this place on my next visit.

Wow, another downright insult to Puerto Rican food. Not sad to see it go! The food was super tasteless and actually didn’t even come close to having that Puerto Rican flavor we’re known for having in our food. It was a mix between Argentine and Puerto Rican food so perhaps the style was more Argentine no offense because us Ricans have sensational tasty food!
So long Old San Juan…

Where did it go? Looks like it is officially closed. Hmmmmm…

I came here on a date cause this person recommended this place for paella and I had the only craving for it.
So I ordered it and it came in a pot and it was the best Paella Valencia I ever had. Definitely better than the one I had up the block from this place. The service seemed okay, my date ordered in Spanish so maybe that made a difference — it usually does when you order in their tongue.
The price was pretty much Manhattan price — a little pricey, but I would order that again. The last time I try to go for lunch on a Friday afternoon, it was closed — not sure why.

Old indeed.
This is as well preserved a 70’s era fine dining timecapsule you’ll ever encounter. Leather bound menus the size of a Richard Scary book, crisp linen table cloths, starched cloth napkins and nary a whit of the «frayed around the edges» entropy so often observable in such aging gigalos.
We arrived at 9:30 and it was mostly deserted – turns out they close at 10. The appetizer platter that arrived didn’t jibe with the menu but we didn’t mind the delicious pileup of steak, chicken, chorizo and one muy tasty empanada. We tried to order 2 other apps but were told they were out of stock. The bartender was in a hurry to close up but nonetheless poured the remaining quarter-​blender of frozen marguaritas into our near empty glasses.
And may I say it was a pleasure to enjoy my favorite beverage sans the unnerving glare of Freida’s ubiquitous unibrow.

2-​for-​1 margaritas/​mojitos. Watch out, because before you know it you will have had five. $ 8 for two decently sized, delicious and dangerously strong drinks makes for a very drunk Lisa, all before 8pm.
We sat at the bar, where we were able to order off the full menu (the empanadas were more reminiscent of quesadillas, fyi). The bartender was very friendly and personable, and didn’t kick us out when two of my friends each spilled their mojitos.
Food was average, happy hour drinks made up for it.
Downside: No outdoor seating.

Had my 1^st ever (casual) dinner date with the b/​f at this place.
I’m gonna be honest, the food was nothing to recall.
The b/​f & I passed by this place last week & he asked if I wanted to hit it up… I passed on the suggestion.
For me to pass up on Latin food is a wee bit major in my world, so that’s gotta say something.
It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t even memorable.

Stopped in for the 2 for 1 mojitos. they were good but small and could have had more mint. Get what ya pay for I guess. Just wanted a couple of apps but there were very few vegetarian options to choose from. Tried to get crab cakes and cod fish fritters, both were out. Ended up with ‘popcorn’ shrimp and mussels. the shrimp were actually gigantic, quite tasty but certainly not popcorn. the mussels were good but the sauce/​broth they were in could have been spicier. ended up adding tabasco to it.

You know you have found a GREAT place when you walk into a restaurant, sit down, and the first thing that you hear is the family of 13 Puerto Ricans — old and young — bust out singing the Spanish song that is being played on the radio. Wine glasses in the air, chairs pushed back, and singing at the top of their lungs. it was great.
While their beer selection was a little sparse — even though the menu said they had Negra Modello, when Warren ordered it, the waiter looked confused. While Warren drank a corona, I ordered a ‘Tequila Cocktail’. I thought that it was going to be good — it was strong with cheap tequila, pink, and small. I promptly drank that and then ordered a corona.
With drinks settled, we tackled the extensive menu. After perusing the menu — and complaining about the lack of vegetarian fare — I ordered shrimp in a spicy garlic sauce with beans and rice. It was amazing.
While the art is a little old, the beer a little slim, and the waiters a little un-​atentitive, the food was great, the atmosphere was even better, and the price was the best.

Have you ever had Puerto Rican food? I am not talking just fried Plantains here. Hello Mufungo! It was really delicious and apparently authentic according to my friend who is from Puerto Rico.
P.S.
Do not order the Arroz Con Pollo and the music is really old.

i met up with my cousins at old san juan one glorious summer night. 4 pitchers of sangria… yes please! one negative to the sangria was that they didn’t take the rinds off the oranges. is it normal to have to sputter out orange skins when you have sangria? hmm don’t think so. anyways, the menu was quite extensive, so i shared the seafood paella and the porkchops with one of my cousins since we both couldn’t decide on 1 thing only. everything was delicious and the portions were huge. drool.

the waiter forgot one of the entrees and even didn’t apologize. the waiters wasn’t that happy at work and i believe it reflects as a good ambiance to have good time in your dinner with friends.
the place is quite dark too.
the food (besides my friend’s food that was forgotten), was ok, nothing amazing, his was a little too much microwaved… well, thats an ok place to go. but i dont think i should go again.

This is a place that you need to know what Latino culture is about; family, friends, sharing and loud…
We went there as a struck of luck, just walking down the street looking for a place to eat after a matinée on Broadway. As a Puerto Rican, this was my cup of tea. So in we went…
I loved the typical Spanish music as it reminded me of my Grandmother who passed away a few months before. The place has a bunch of old pictures and the ambiance is «corny» but for the typical Latino, it is ok.
We order the mix platter as an appetizer and not a disappointment at all! It has everything a Puerto Rican could ask, empanadas, morcilla, pasteles and all of our typical food. It is a huge plate and that alone, fed two people! But we already ordered so we had the «Arroz con Pollo» (chicken with rice) and the Paella. Yum, yum… and the portions are huge! Be ready to take a ‘doggy’ bag with you. And the desserts are very good, most of them being homemade.
However, the service is VERY LACKING! Waiters are unfriendly and dissappear for periods at a time. Because I spoke Spanish, we were treated a ‘little better’. I did recommend «Old San Juan» to friends. They loved the food but hated the service.
The Final Verdict:
Restaurant Ambiance/​Décor: 3.0 out of 5.0
Staff Service/​friendliness: 1.0 out of 5.0
Seating Arrangement/​Layout: 4.0 out of 5.0
Seating Comfort: 4.0 out of 5.0
Food Quality/​Flavor: 5.0 out of 5.0
Wine/​Alcohol Selection: 4.5 out of 5.0
Price Value: 5.0 out of 5.0
Bathrooms Cleanliness: 4.0 out of 5.0
Final Score: 30.5 out of 40 (76 out of 100% or C+ grade)
Final Comment: Go for the food and not the service… just ignore the ‘unfriendly’ waiters and concentrate in your company and the food. A great amount of food for the outrageously low price.

Went here last night with some friends.
The food was decent but the ambiance was a little eh.
Hence the three-​star rating. I’m not a big meat eater so going to try to be as objective as possible, which is why I am giving it one more star than I preferred.
This restaurant works only in extremes.
Upon walking inside, we were greeted with a heat compatible to that of the Amazon. Surprisingly there were still a good amount of people.
We asked the waiters if they could please turn on the fan (which they happily and quickly obliged). Hello Hurricane Katrina part II. I felt like I was at a photo shoot with one of those wind blowers. Minus the hot models and wonderful catering.
Anyways, off the fan goes.
There were quite a lot of birthdays and I guess in keeping with the Puerto Rican culture (I’m only guessing so don’t judge me), they like to celebrate in tradition (think lots of hats, hearty singing and loud, LOUD music). It was fine and festive, but a little too much for a Monday night, especially after a long day at work.
I got one of the specials for the night (they ran out of shredded beef so I settled for beef stew). One friend got the roasted pork leg and the rest of the three got various steaks.
The portions are definitely sizable and come with yellow or white rice and soupy beans. My beef stew came with mutant-​sized potatoes and carrots and were as tender as they come. It wasn’t overly flavorful but beef stew is a comfort food so you don’t want it to be an explosion of seasonings anyways. Nevertheless, I kind of missed my mom’s version of beef stew a little more. The rice was nice and fluffy and the beans were really good. No complaints from me.
My friend got the Churrasco Argentino steak. It came with a fresh salad and some unsalted french fries (they were good– not soggy but nice and firm). It also came with a delicious green sauce. Stay away if you don’t like cilantro/​parsley, but since we all do, we thought it was great. His entrée came with three plates, one housing each of his sides/​main dish. His steak was juicy and tender and cooked to a perfect medium. It also came with onion rings (batter was a little soggy but the onion was sweet) and a fried plaintain thin crisp.
My friend’s roast pork leg (also a special) tasted, well… exactly how the other white meat should/​would taste. It was dry and thin, but did contain some flavor. Not my favorite.
Overall the food was decent and hearty but the atmosphere was just a tad overbearing. Nice to say I’ve tried PR food, but probably would not crave it any time soon.

This is a dark, atmospheric place. Ceiling fans, soft Puerto Rican music, The waiters are old, not especially friendly, and wear traditional outfits. There are lots of photos (of the owners? I don’t know) from the 70’s and 80’s, so it feels like a time warp when you step inside.
Of all the items I tried, I absolutely LOVE the Arroz con Pollo (basically, chicken cooked with the rice). It’s the best of any Caribbean/​Latin restaurant I’ve been to. It comes out in its own crockpot, and the waiter scoops out servings for you. For about $ 10, you get tons of it (I can never finish), so it’s an excellent value. If I could just rate the restaurant on this one dish, it would be 5-​stars.
As for the other dishes… I’ve had better. I’ve had the plantains, the seafood dishes, the steak… and it’s just whatever. Nothing special.
But go there to try the Arroz con Pollo.