Restaurants

San Juan's fine dining scene is the most varied and developed in the Caribbean. City restaurants serve up excellent Spanish, French, American, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, and Asian cuisines.

While tasty Puerto Rican food has always been widely available on the island, in recent years it has moved front and center at many of the city's finer restaurants. Several of the island's most talented chefs are striving to bring their hometown cuisine to new heights at some of its trendier eating establishments.

San Juan literally has some of the best steakhouses in the world (BLT Steak, the Palm, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Moron's of Chicago, plus a number of superb local Latino steakhouses specializing in grilled meats). And the island has long delivered expert renditions of Spanish cuisine, as well as traditional French and other Continental cookery.

Of special note are the Italian restaurants (and local pizzerias), which take their inspiration directly from the New York City area and are competitive with the best in the genre stateside. Many others are Argentinean kitchens, which serve up a lighter Italian fair and delectable grilled skirt steak.

There also are several seafood restaurants in the city. Seafood also plays a big role in many other local restaurants as well. Local seafood is generally in plentiful supply. Many of the finer San Juan restaurants also import fresh seafood from off island, especially for non-native species like Maine lobster and salmon. Red snapper and dolphinfish (known as chillo and dorado, respectively) are two local favorites, with fresh catch of each being widely available.

What may surprise the visitor is the quality and variety of Asian restaurants in the city, which include several gourmet eateries specializing in regional cuisines of China and top-notch Japanese steakhouses and sushi emporiums. There are about a dozen Lebanese and Arabian restaurants offering great food at modest prices. Many transport diners to the Middle East with Arabian music, belly-dancing, and a sheik's tent decor.

San Juan also has unexpected surprises: gourmet Indian, German baked goods, a Peruvian ceviche house, and an Irish bar and grill plucked out of midtown Manhattan.

The resort hotels along Condado and Isla Verde house excellent restaurants, among them, some of the island's finest. But you will miss out on some of the more unique and memorable dining experiences if you don't search beyond the hotel establishments.

There has been a restaurant explosion in San Juan in the past few years, first in Old San Juan, and now more recently in Miramar, Condado, and surrounding areas. Isla Verde and Hato Rey also have a large number of restaurants.

There is a string of traditional restaurants that have been established for more than 30 years. Most of these specialize in Spanish or Continental cuisine, with a Puerto Rican flair.

Of course, the pleasures of eating in San Juan go beyond formal dining in restaurants. A fixture in the city is the presence of Spanish panaderías, or bakeries, an excellent choice for breakfast or lunch but an option for dinner as well. They have fresh baked goods, fat deli sandwiches, and traditional Spanish entrees like caldo gallego and arroz con pollo. You get strong and tasty Puerto Rican coffee, fresh juices, and frappes as well.

Also be on the look out for fondas, which are basic restaurants, often with just a counter or a few tables, that serve tasty local food at rock bottom prices. There are a number of these around Avenida Ponce de León in downtown Santurce, which cater to office workers and students. Look to a fonda for an authentic island meal and a chance to brush up on your Spanish and rub elbows with Puerto Rican workers.

The city is one of the fast food capitals of the world, with all the familiar American brands, but also more obscure regional favorites, like Pollo Tropical. U.S. casual chain-style restaurants also have a big presence on the island, with everything from Chili's to Marcano's Macaroni Grill to Applebee's here.

Street-food aficionados will also find solace in San Juan. There are many stand-up only cafes throughout the city serving barbecued kabobs, fried codfish fritters and turnovers stuffed with fish, spiced chicken, or beef. The Piñones area, east of Isla Verde, has oceanfront wooden stands where the frituras, or fried beach snacks, and kebabs are cooked over open fires.

The restaurants listed in this section are classified by area and by price, using the following categories: Very Expensive, dinner from $50 per person; Expensive, dinner from $35 per person; Moderate, dinner from $25 per person; and Inexpensive, dinner under $25 per person. These categories reflect prices for an appetizer, a main course, a dessert, and a glass of wine.

Music While You Munch

Several restaurants in Old San Juan, and elsewhere throughout the city, have live music on certain days of the week. Knowing the schedule could determine where you eat dinner, since starting your night off with great island music and food is the best way to do it. If it's Friday, you might consider Amadeus when it has live music for its weekly Bohemio nights. The Parrot Club has live Latin jazz and salsa Tuesdays and Sundays, while Sonne, which has a Latin-music DJ all week, hosts tropical music sensations like Tanya Rivera on Saturday nights. Carli Café Concierto has live jazz nightly at 9pm, while Barrachina Restaurant has a live flamenco music and dance show nightly. La Playita in Isla Verde hosts weekend troubadours, while Condado's Yerba Buena (Av. Ashford 1350, Condado; tel. 787/721-7500) has Cuban salsa Friday nights, bohemian music Saturday nights, and great Cuban food in a nice setting.