Skip to main content

Restaurants in San Juan Puerto Rico

I prefer to eat in local restaurants and try authentic food when I travel. I was in San Juan, Puerto Rico for the I-CHRIE Conference last week. I stayed in the Caribe Hilton, which is about 10 minutes away from Old San Juan (by bus; 50 cents one-way per person). As a result, I visited Old San Juan often, where I randomly picked three restaurants for lunch and dinner. They all served very good Puerto Rican food.









First, I tried La Bombonera located on CII San Francisco (Picture 1 to 4). This restaurant was established in 1902 and still maintains an old Puerto Rico feel. I ordered a drink of pawpaw shake ($4.5), rice with lamb ($11.95), and rice with sea squid ($11.95) for two people. I felt the lamb was overcooked, but the rice with sea squid and the pawpaw shake tasted very good. I was too full to even try any dissert. Later, I found out this restaurant was recommended by Rachael Ray. If you like Rachael Ray, you may not want to miss La Bombonera when you are in Old San Juan.

Also located on CII San Francisco, there is another old Puerto Rico restaurant --- Cafeteria Mallorca (Picture 5). Its settings are similar to La Bombonera’s. Most customers of this restaurant are locals. Items served at Cafeteria Mallorca looked almost identical to those of La Bombonera. I ordered a drink of pina colada, rice with chicken, and rice with sea squid for two. I have to admit that I did not like the drink, but I really liked the food in Cafeteria Mallorca because they tasted better and were cheaper (roughly $1 less per item) than those served at La Bombonera.

Last but not least, I truly enjoyed the food in Café Puerto Rico, which is located in the Plaza de Armas. This casual dining midscale restaurant was small but is very good for business lunch or dinner. I ordered shrimp in garlic source for appetizer ($9), fried whole red snapper with two sides ($21), and cod fish with yellow rice ($17) for two people. The price was very reasonable, and the food was excellent (except for the side of mofongo, which tasted too dry for me). One drawback of this restaurant is the service was slow.

Overall, I had great dining experience in Old San Juan. While La Bombonera and Cafeteria Mallorca allowed me to enjoy the “old” Puerto Rican dining experience, Café Puerto Rico served me great Puerto Rican food. After this trip, I am more open to Puerto Rican food. What’s your experience with Puerto Rican cuisine?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Luxury vs. Millennials and Their Technology: The Ritz-Carlton (By Julia Shorr)

Embodying the finest luxury experience, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC has been established since 1983. In 1998, Marriott International purchased the brand offering it more opportunity for growth while being independently owned and operated. They are known for their enhanced service level as the motto states, “Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen”. The luxury brand now carries 97 hotels and resorts internationally and is attempting to keep the aspects of luxury while keeping up with the trends of the technologically improving generations. The Varying Demographics of the Target Market The Ritz-Carlton’s typical target market includes: business executives, corporate, leisure travelers, typically middle-aged persons and elders, and families from the upper and upper-middle class section of society .   This infers a large range of types of travelers in which all are similar in that they are not opposed to spending extra for the luxurious ambiance. However, w...

In what ways will AI affect restaurant operations?

A new wave of industrial revolution is here --- AI (artificial intelligence) will change everything we do. Undoubtedly, AI can improve restaurant operations.     Menu Engineering and Quality Control    AI can provide insights into a restaurant’s menu offerings and pricing strategies based on consumer data and market trends. Restaurant owners can adjust the recipes/menu and price accordingly.     AI can help restaurants monitor food temperature, cleanliness, and safety procedures, ensuring they comply with health and safety regulations. For example, AI can remind a sushi chef to replace a sushi plate that has been “sitting” on the conveyor belt for too long with a more popular item.     Consumer Experience   AI can help restaurants create location-based, personalized marketing campaigns to reach specific and targeted customers at the right time. Then, AI-empowered chatbots, reservation, and table management systems can help restaurants an...

Is It OK for Hotel Staff to Wear Piercings and Tattoos?

Time has changed. I see more and more college students wearing piercings and tattoos nowadays, but is it OK for hotel staff to wear piercings and tattoos? The answer is “no, no, no.” According a report at USAToday.com, customers across the board do not want to see any hotel workers with pierced eyebrow, pierced tongue, tattooed arm, or nose ring. Some may argue that tattooed and pierced workers may seem more acceptable in edgy boutique hotels as compared to the big franchised hotels, but the survey results did not find any differences among a variety of lodging products. Many respondents believe people who wear visible tattoos and piercings are taking a high risk of their professional lives. If you stay in a hotel, do you mind being served by tattooed and/or pierced staff? What if you are the one who makes the hiring decision? References: USAToday.com: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010 Picture was downloaded from http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010P