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    Charrua Bistro Cafe

    4.2 (61 reviews)
    InexpensivePuerto Rican, Cafes
    Open • 2:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    Charrua Bistro Cafe Photos

    CHARRUA BISTRO CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - Charrua Bistro Cafe

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    Jane P.

    The empanadas here were good! They were fresh, flaky, and flavorful. I got the chicken and beef. The chicken was moist and tender. I liked the beef one too! It was flavorful and cooked to perfection. However, I preferred the chicken empanada. Also, they have an endless selection of sauces. I really liked the cilantro and mango hot sauces. The garlic one was really good too. The ambiance is great. It is casual and homey. We ordered drinks and sat there for a while. The only thing that I would complain about is the service. The girl working there was slightly rude. When we asked for a spit check, she said, "No, you guys figure it out."

    Good Luck
    Joan H.

    This place makes one of the best Sangria's I had in San Juan... Just a little place that we happened on by chance. Prices are reasonable, decorations neat and the management is very friendly. Next time in Old San Juan will be back! I corrected the name with Yelp... Charrua Bistro Cafe hopefully they change it.

    Rina J.

    So I've had a very interesting experience here. I also believe their name on the awning is Birra and Empandas. So my BF and I stopped here a couple of days ago. He ordered a chicken empanada and I ordered a veggie one. The veggie one was still baking, but my bf started to eat his. As he was eating the power in the whole vicinity shut off. Needless to say, I was unable to eat my empanada. The bartender told me he didn't know how long it would be till the power came back on, so I left paying for both empanadas but I only received one. I was very disappointed. It was poor service, although it was no the fault of the restaurant for losing power.

    Outside
    Mary A.

    The sign outside says "Birras y Empanadas" so you know what to expect (beer and empanadas). They also have the happy hour specials and prices listed outside, too. $5 for mixed drinks. Fresh oven baked empanadas are only $3.50. There are 4 different flavors made daily- pollo, chorizo... they were being made fresh every 30 minutes or so while we were there. There is no ac, but comfortable sitting in here with lots of fans blowing. Great service/bartenders both nights we went here.

    Cindy M.

    Our favorite place to hang out for beer and empanadas in Old Town. Great ambiance, near Plaza de Armas.

    Juan-Luis P.

    One of the best bars in "el viejo San Juan" the ambiance is perfect, good music, great drinks and empanadas! Try the chorizo empanadas. The bar reminds me Madrid or La Havana, the owners are awesome, they are at the bar all the time. Highly recommended.

    Empanadas!

    So yummy & truly authentic! Loved it all! Tried all the empanadas with friends & enjoyed every one :)

    Our favorite awning in Old San Juan!
    Christine P.

    We were so happy to come across the "birra y empanadas" awning while walking around Old San Juan during our 2-day stay. They have a $5 drink menu including beer, wine, mixed drinks, etc. Our first taste of their empanadas included their carne (beef) and pollo (chicken) options. In addition to these, they had some with setas (mushroom), chorizo (sausage), and espinaca (spinach). Since we stopped in on a Monday night, it was pretty quiet, but it seemed like there were a couple locals pulled up to the bar. The empanada case was continually refreshed as we sat and took in Desperately Seeking Susan on the bar TV, so no matter which flavor or what time you ordered, they were hot and fresh. In fact, we couldn't stop thinking about these empanadas... so the next day, before we called our cab, we walked over and literally waited outside until they opened their doors at 2:00 p.m. We sat on the front side of the bar this time and found the wide array of hot sauces! Anything you find in a honey bear is made in-house. We tried a bite with almost every sauce and fully enjoyed each one. The drinks and empanadas are definitely a great deal and I highly recommend stopping by for an afternoon or evening snack and beverage.

    James Bond was on with subtitles!  Such fun.
    Tamara F.

    Stop in and get a $3.50 empanada! Minimal bread stuffed with chorizo, chicken, beef or spinach. Absolutely delicious. We came in and "A View to a Kill" James Bond movie was on wonderful worker sweet guy. Whoever said the staff were rude- well I bet they no longer work here. OMG on our way to another happy hour up the street. So happy we made this quick pit stop. Full bar. Nice spot! Healthy filling snack!!!

    Da bomb

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    7 years ago

    Closed? Door locked on a Tuesday afternoon. Out of business? Or just not the correct hours posted on Yelp!

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    5 years ago

    Good flavor. Dough had a very nice crisp to it. You got a good amount in each empanada. Would go back

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    8 years ago

    Evrything was amazing from the empanadas to the service. Drinks where great and a good price. Highly recommend

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    8 years ago

    Loved the service ! Personal and steak skirt empanadas were the best! But tried several and they did not disappoint!!

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    12 years ago

    Awesome find in old San Juan! Definitely stop by. Genuine good, friendly service. Loved it!

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    10 years ago

    A must for $5 all day happy hours. The empanadas are delicious. Cool local atmosphere.

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    10 years ago

    Not good...beer was warm and the empanadillas were cold and old. ..plus the owner was super rude and unaccommodating

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    Page 1 of 2

    Charrua Bistro Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Charrua Bistro Cafe

    “One of the best bars in "el viejo San Juan" the ambiance is perfect, good music, great drinks and empanadas!”

    Mentioned in 22 reviews

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    Café Manolín - Mofongo with Fried Pork

    Café Manolín

    4.3(892 reviews)
    0.2 km
    •$$

    I loved this place! It's a hole in the wall with great food. Staff were friendly and welcoming. All…read morethe food was fresh, flavorful, and prepared with care. First time, we had breakfast. We ordered the fried eggs with ham - typical luncheonette food. It came out quickly. Staff was very accommodating to my son who wanted rice and beans for breakfast. Second time we were here we had lunch. I ordered the bistec with onions. Delicious once again. Portion size was great and prices even better. We started chatting it up with some of the servers (one of whom I think may be the owner?) Third time we were here was the morning before coming back home. I ordered the ham and Swiss sandwich. Food came out quickly. Great little sandwich! My son orders his usual rice and beans again. The food and service made Mandolin one of my top places to go to in San Juan.

    Very disappointing experience, especially because this place was recommended to us by locals…read more Unfortunately, we never even got the chance to enjoy the restaurant because of how we were treated while being seated. One of the ladies was very nice and welcoming, but the woman wearing glasses and the gentleman handling the seating were extremely rude and dismissive toward my family. As a Black family, the way we were treated honestly made us feel like we were being treated differently because of our skin color. I obviously can't speak to anyone's intentions, but that is genuinely how the interaction made us feel. It was uncomfortable enough that my family decided to leave rather than stay and eat. It's especially disappointing when you're visiting Puerto Rico, excited to try somewhere that locals recommended, and you're made to feel unwelcome before you've even sat down. Based on our experience, I would not recommend this place to other Black or dark-skinned families. No customer should walk into a restaurant and leave wondering whether the color of their skin affected how they were treated.

    Photos
    Café Manolín - Interior of restaurant

    Interior of restaurant

    Café Manolín - Mofongo plate x 3 meats

    Mofongo plate x 3 meats

    Café Manolín - Menu on dec 2024

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    Menu on dec 2024

    Deaverdura - Sampler

    Deaverdura

    4.2(1.2k reviews)
    0.1 km
    •$$

    Talk about great food and service!…read more Although there's always a line to get in, it does move pretty quickly. Our server was very friendly and accommodating, especially since we were travelling with our child. The manager was also very accommodating and friendly. The menu is fairly simple. You choose a dish and 2 sides. First night, we ordered the blood sausage for an appetizer. I ordered the fried chicken with rice and beans as an entree. My husband ordered the mero (grouper). Surprisingly, the blood sausage was probably the best one I've tried so far. The chicken was fried perfectly, not greasy at all. The rice and beans perfect compliments to the dish. The grouper stole the show though. It was absolutely delicious, probably one of the best fish I've ever had. A few days after, we decided to have dinner here again after my son wanted to eat there. The waiter from the first night and manager recognized us (from the time before) and thanked us for coming back. This time, I ordered the mero with arroz con habichuelas. The grouper was even better than the 1st time I had ordered it. We also tried the juices (orange, passion fruit, tamarind, and soursop) and all of them were so fresh. We loved this place and wouldn't hesitate to come back again.

    Food is a 4, however, since I only had the tasting menu, this is not conclusive…read more Service is 5, the staff was kind, prompt, nothing to complain about Ambiance is 4 family restaurant vibe, menu is on the wall Wish: wish they have more sauce options on the table, ie: hot sauce

    Photos
    Deaverdura - The ambience

    The ambience

    Deaverdura - Small house salad

    Small house salad

    Deaverdura - Passion fruit juice

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    Passion fruit juice

    Borikén - Passion fruit mojito and rum punch

    Borikén

    4.3(8 reviews)
    0.4 km

    I remember coming to this restaurant aBout 5 years ago oomph my layover in San Juan. The food was…read moreso memorable that I decided to come back in 2020 to see if it was still good. Well good news, the food is still good! I stopped in during the festival of San Sebastian and the restaurant was packed! We luckily got a seat for two and were able to order right away. I order the mofongo de pollo and my friend ordered a different meal with a soup. I am not going to lie, the service was extremely slow and the food took about 30 to 40 mins maybe to come out. I expect this was because of the festival and how busy the restaurant was. When the food came out, it was delicious! The chicken was great and drenched in a salsa criolla sauce. It was definitely worth the wait! After my meal, I ordered a coffee to digest the food. Luckily this didn't take as long as the food. I would definitely recommend this place however if you are in a rush, it might be best to go somewhere else. The food is very tasty!

    This is a difficult review to do because technically we only had an appetizer and drinks. First of…read moreall the rest is located next to the Christopher Columbus Plaza in Old San Juan which makes it an ideal location for tourists coming in and out. The restaurant is very small inside but they do have outside dining which is what we chose to do. The service was good, they were very attentive to our needs. Unfortunately, the appetizer we ordered was just awful. We ordered a mix of very traditional Puerto Rican bites-small alcapurrias, sorrullos, chicharrónes de pollo and some fried cheese. There was absolutely nothing good about the mix. The alcapurrias has no meat whatsoever, the chicharrónes were not crispy and the cheese was just awful. I wanted to give them a 1star review but I felt this would not be fair because we did not try an entree and I hope that would be better. The 3star was because the service was good. In addition to the service later on in the evening they had live music which was essentially old traditional Puerto Rican music which was excellent. So to be fair I thought a 3 star review would be the right thing to do. Hopefully the entrees are much better just stay away from the surtido appetizer because it was not good.

    Photos
    Borikén - Appetizer-

    Appetizer-

    Borikén - Chicken mofongo with rice and salad

    Chicken mofongo with rice and salad

    Borikén - Chicken mofongo with rice and salad

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    Chicken mofongo with rice and salad

    Casa Luna Rest. - Avocado salad

    Casa Luna Rest.

    4.4(42 reviews)
    0.4 km

    I discovered a quaint little spot on YouTube while researching my cruise that serves authentic…read morePuerto Rican food. I was really craving fried snapper, but unfortunately, it was too large for me to eat by myself. To my disappointment, it was served family style, and my family wasn't in the mood for fish. Instead, we ordered several items from the menu, including stew chicken, fried pork chops, which my son really enjoyed. We also had mofongo with chicken and creole sauce, white rice and beans, fried plantains, and another side of beans and rice. We definitely over-ordered, as the food was plentiful and very filling. In fact, that was the only meal we had that day. If you're ever in San Juan, Puerto Rico, I highly recommend this restaurant. It's a hidden gem tucked away on a side street. You will not be disappointed! I can't wait to go back.

    Try. the. Mofongo. The skirt steak mofongo, with garlic…read moresauce. Order it, possibly to share -- it's a big portion. You will not be sorry. Your date might be a little over-garlicked if you try to kiss them without letting them at least try it, though. Definitely a vampire-free zone. Delicious! And the best I have ever had, anywhere. We tried a little of a lot of things, kind of a meal of sides to go with our mofongo, and the empanadilla pastry was flaky and light. Hubs liked the chicken one best, I preferred the ground beef. But the big takeaway is the mofongo with garlic sauce. They even let you choose from a list of other sauces if you don't want garlic, but frankly, there's a reason it's listed first and it's not just tradition.

    Photos
    Casa Luna Rest.
    Casa Luna Rest. - Red snapper!!!

    Red snapper!!!

    Casa Luna Rest. - Weak Piña Coladas

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    Weak Piña Coladas

    Casita Miramar - Arroz con Mariscos (seafood paella) and Churrasco (steak); Follow me @RimyEats on Instagram

    Casita Miramar

    4.5(1.7k reviews)
    3.5 km
    •$$$

    What a great food experience!!! Casita Miramar easily earned a spot in my top 2 restaurants I've…read morehad the pleasure of dining at in Puerto Rico when it comes to quality food and an overall amazing experience. The restaurant itself is absolutely beautiful, and the service was excellent from beginning to end,from the hostess to the servers and bussers. Our server, Jeffery, was amazing! He was energetic, professional, attentive, and you can genuinely tell he takes his position seriously. I loved that! We were greeted with complimentary sopa de plátano and bacalaítos, and I was NOT expecting to love them as much as I did. This was by far the best sopa de plátano I've ever had. I never thought I could fall in love with a soup, but here we are! (I ordered a whole extra regular size bowl )The bacalaítos were another surprise because they're normally not something I order or even particularly like--and I've tried quite a few in my life--but these were absolutely delicious. My S/O and I shared the churrasco with arroz mamposteao, along with a side of avocado salad and majado de viandas. Everything was a straight 10/10. Not one disappointment on the table. They also make an amazing Rojo Pico, which was the perfect addition to the experience. 100% recommend Casita Miramar. Don't overthink JUST GO! Beautiful atmosphere, excellent service, and most importantly, genuinely delicious, quality Puerto Rican food. This place absolutely deserves the hype and its spot in my top two!

    The workers were honestly the sweetest. the environment is so welcoming and calm…read more although i wasn't very happy with the food. i went with my family and we found the food very bland and overpriced!! my mom LOVES cooking and she could tell when frozen beans are served to her. the food tasted old and the rice look like it was reheated from days ago.. definitely might be a tourist trap. the aesthetics are beautiful but isn't worth the price. on the good side, they sell natural juices and the parcha juice was the best i ever had!!

    Photos
    Casita Miramar - Indoor Dining Room

    Indoor Dining Room

    Casita Miramar - Amazing chocolate Fudge Cake delivered to restaurant (Cakes by Glorimar in PR). Staff sang and added candle

    Amazing chocolate Fudge Cake delivered to restaurant (Cakes by Glorimar in PR). Staff sang and added candle

    Casita Miramar - Pastelón - Delicious thick Caribbean soft meat and plantain taste and texture

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    Pastelón - Delicious thick Caribbean soft meat and plantain taste and texture

    Charrua Bistro Cafe - puertorican - Updated September 2026

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