Just remembered when I traveled in 2016, we stopped here to buy water and I mentioned to the bartender I was feeling unwell and he right away told me he would give me something to settle my stomach. He mixed some kind of bitters with sprite and as soon as I finished it and left, I felt tons better. I did manage to take some photos prior to leaving! He salvaged my day and I obviously have never forgotten his kindness. read more

El Batey - Dive Bars Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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I feel like Old San Juan gets a bad rap for being tourist-y and maybe tacky at times. I am not a local or a Puerto Rican. So I cannot truly speak to that. There are quite a few tourist shops with airbushed t-shirts, embroidered visors, and other knick-knacks. However, if you go further into the center of Old San Juan, there are many gems. El Batey is a dive bar, and I mean that in the sexiest sense. This isn't your Senor Frog's or another chain place. This is a place where, as the night goes on, you could find yourself in sexy trouble or instilled with rebellion. This is a place where the bartender is like "Welp, a hurricane is coming," and gives you the leftover shot of Bailey's from making another customer's drink. I love this place. You enter into a bar that looks like Hemingway and maybe Sid Vicious decorated it. You've got traditional Spanish inspired architecture mixed with cards and drawings stapled everywhere, including the lamp shades. Despite it being 3pm and still very sunny outside, El Batey is dark with some low light. The music plays of a 2000s era Sony (or some similar brand) boombox. The bartender, when we visited, was a handsome bald man with an excellent beard and sense of humor. The drinks are basic but delicious. We had spiced rum and Coke, and that's all we needed. The bar had a very cool but friendly vibe. We felt welcomed there, but there was an underlying sense of "Play it cool," because well...we were at a cool kids hang out. We stayed for a drink or two and had a wonderful time, but we didn't want to stay too long to giveaway how enamored we were with the place. Excellent spot. read more

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I loved El Batey! It's an unpretentious, hole in the wall kind of place with a grungy, old timely feel to it. There's not an inch of the store that isn't covered in graffiti - from the walls to the bathrooms to the ceiling; the lampshades also have character from the stickers and papers they have accumulated. Feel good music streams in the background and for its obvious age, El Batey remains well maintained. The bartender was extremely laid back, friendly, and offered quick and accurate service. My favorite was the midori sour. The drinks are decently priced, and there's a pool table for entertainment. The only downside is that people are allowed to smoke inside, so if you are sensitive to the smell of cigarettes, it might be a little uncomfortable. I would visit again if I could! read more

El Batey - bar counter - Dive Bars Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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Great local spot! OldFashion was perfectly made. Definitely a must visit! Not a tourist trap!

I love this place. Im a sucker for a dive bar. But one with character, history, and the remains of the owner who is now deceased above the bar are hard to come by until you find this place. Dark decor cheap stiff drinks. Niiiiice. read more

Best dive in PR, possibly the world. Cheap drinks, cool crowd, music is good, but not too loud. Dark! Nothing more to say.

This place is super unique and different than most other bars in Old San Juan. It's a simple sort of divey bar with decor you won't really find in any other bar in OSJ. I'll definitely be stopping here again when I go to PR very soon....again! Lol read more

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My cool levels went up exponentially as soon as I walked through the door. Before I ever set foot in Puerto Rico, I was advised that i had to come here. I wasn't so sure. I am not a dive bar kinda guy and I was flying solo. Typically, I save my solo drinking for my couch, bed or shower -- and there are usually tears. So, I gulped real hard and walked in. The place looks like a cave crossed with a dive bar. The ceilings are high, there's graffiti on the walls and the rooms are few. And, it's awesome. I don't know that the ambient 'cool' energy is what makes the folks who walk in so much more awesome than before they walk in... but there's something afoot. There's not much to the bar. There's a jukebox with an eclectic mix of tunes. There are regulars who sit on bar stools, talk about exploring the world and buy you beers. And -- and this is the most important part -- the bartenders are way interesting. They're the guys who make women ovulate just by looking at them. They're the guys who instill insta-man crushes in other men (think George Constanza with Dan Cortese). I just wanted to sit there and look at them. And buy beers. So, that's it. It looks like a cave. There's graffiti on the walls. There's cool music (but nothing indy or emo). There are a few bottles (local) for sale with standard liquor picks if the suds aren't your friend. And, cool, pretty bartenders who make you feel like the coolest kid in school. It's like they're The Fonz to your Richie Cunningham. Awesome. And, if you're lucky (and *cool*), you'll be able to leave your business card behind as proof that for a few days in paradise, you were the coolest kid on the bus... and who doesn't want to be that kid? read more

One of the stops on our OSJ bar crawl. It was a Tuesday night so the bar was desolate but we still had a great time chatting with the bartender and of course admiring the 'artwork'. To expand upon Nicole C.'s previous comment: Bring a white Sharpie/whiteout pen. read more

El Batey - Dive Bars Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

I always look for the dive bars whenever I get to explore a new city. I just got married in San Juan and we were lucky enough to spend a few nights drinking in the El Batey with friends and family. Of course a laid back atmosphere, cheap beers (try the Medella) and a good juke box. Bathrooms are a little scary, but hey isn't that what hand sanitizer is for? Left a little piece of myself at the ole El Batey, hope to see it again one day. read more

El Batey - inside the lamp - Dive Bars Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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Looks like a big party joint....grafitti everywhere and a definite party vibe....was so busy had didn't have a chance to grab a drink...the men's room was flooded on the floor so that was a little awkward read more

El Batey - Thinking of my beautiful wife - Dive Bars Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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Best bar you can go in Old San Juan, friendly and cute staff, dogs allowed, great drinks!

Superb cocktail bar with dive bar vibes. Bartender was attentive and skilled. Fun atmosphere and colorful clientele! Would def go back!

One of my fav dive bars in OSJ bc it's a little off the main Street so there less foot traffic making it seem more remote. There's cheap beer and writing all over the walls. It's very dark with decently clean bathrooms. There's a pool table I've never played on. The bartender is always attentive and there mainly Rock music blaring fr the speakers. read more

Cool ass bar in Old San Juan. From what my husband and I were told, the oldest bar in town. Artsy decor. Chill vibe. Not pretentious. Friendly bartender. Delicious reasonably priced drinks. Doesn't seem to be touristy. Met a few locals there and enjoyed great conversation with them and the bartender (who is also in a band and touring Europe right about now). We'll definitely visit again. read more

A dive bar with a long history. There is a pool table near the bathrooms and scribbles all over the wall. If that's your scene, you will feel very welcome here. I liked the business card chandeliers since it was an interesting conversation piece. read more

El Batey - Cash only - Dive Bars Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Yea! Yes! Yes! This little hole in the wall dive bar was the perfect way to end our trip in San Juan. Full of history, a great ambiance, and personable staff. (Shoutout Bianca! We will not mix drinks ‍) El Batey felt so homey that we did not want to leave. A must see if you're ever in San Juan! read more

Amazing as expected such a retro a spot to be in the heart of old san Juan. The vibe and the people make you want to stay and enjoy it to the max read more

El Batey - Dive Bars Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

love this "dive" (if you can even really call it that since it's very instagrammable and aesthetically pleasing). bees cream shot was like a little dessert which i loved and there's a spacious bathroom in the back with really good selfie lighting. also a pool table for those more hand-mind coordinated but i didn't partake. there's a perfect seat by the window give you a direct view of the bar to people watch young men hit on older women so free entertainment is included as well. read more

Over priced mojito! So so bad. It tasted like....well just a mixed drink. My husband had a mixed drink and use to go here all the time growing up. He was also sadly disappointed in my mojito. Cool place though! read more

My favorite bar in Puerto Rico thus far. My in-laws urged my bf and I from going there (Which means it's good in my book) and I wasn't disappointed. Unpretentious,Relaxed and the complete definition of a dive bar. I recommend stopping by and if it's not your cup of tea there are other places around. read more

Overall, our favorite bar while in Old San Juan/Condado for a week (and doing our fair share of drinking). It's easy to get hung up on what's a dive bar, what's not a dive bar. My dive bars are typically prone to serving only cheap, watery beer and strong drinks made with mid-shelf liquors at best. This is not that place. The beers were can/bottle only and there wasn't much of a selection so that fit the bill, but our bartender was making some truly great, creative drinks. Left to his own devices to make us whatever he liked, they were simply the best cocktails we had all week. I wish I could remember his name, but alas (it wasn't Christos). We have some great bars in Portland, Maine (it's near Boston :)) complete with award-winning "mixologists", and this place, at least with this dude behind the bar, was definitely on par, in our humble opinions. The atmosphere is certainly what people must be referring to when they call it a dive, and they're not wrong. It's tattered, written on, and run down in the best possible way, and it was pretty refreshing after finding many of the bars to have more of a nightclub vibe. Even Polo Norte, a self-described whiskey lounge, was fun, but a little weird with the vibe and the blue light, etc. (the super nice bartender there did point us in the direction of El Batey though when asked about his favorite spots, so many thanks to him) I was with two feisty ladies and there were some drunk dudes there flirting with them (it is a bar), but harmless and funny. In fact, everyone drinking there, at least on this particular night, was easy to talk to and not aloof or smarmy as you can sometimes get if somewhere is "trying" to be a dive bar. I can't claim to be any kind of expert on the cocktail scene in OSJ, but for a laid back vibe where you don't feel required to have a silk dress shirt on, where you can still get some amazing cocktails, I would definitely recommend this place. read more

This is probably the most divey dive bar I've ever had the pleasure of drinking in. I'll admit, I was a little creeped out at first, especially since all the bar stools were taken, as well as the chairs in the main room on the left. Our only option was to sit along the bench in the room that resembled a third world country's gringo prison. I sipped my can of beer tentatively while trying to play it cool. You better believe I made a beeline for bar seats the moment I saw a few people get up. Once at the bar, I breathed a little easier - literally. The only fresh air came through the open front door. Well, and the area above the bathrooms, which was completely open where a ceiling should be. By now you're probably thinking "Why five stars?" but let me explain. Once we got into our bar seats and we threw some quarters into the jukebox (which was filled with classics and b-sides alike), we got into the groove. A local named Rafael befriended us, and hours passed as we talked, played a round of Yahtzee, and drank far too many cheap beers on the night before our flight home. This last night pretty much solidified two things. 1. That I'd love to return to Puerto Rico again. 2. Next time I do, I'd like to be speaking Spanish. It's on my bucket list and it's time. When in Puerto Rico, make time to swing by this bar. Maybe even find some clarity while you're there. Bring cash. read more

This is the best bar in the world. I'm certain of it. One of the happiest moments in my life occurred in this bar. It wasn't the booze, either; there's something about this place that is so homey and magical and fantastic and everything any place should or could ever be. To others, this place may seem scary...beat-up...run-down. To me, it was heaven. Leonard Cohen/Tom Waits filled jukebox, check. Intelligent, insightful bi-lingual bartenders, check. Busted-ass ceilings, floors, check. Beaten-up bathroom doors, check. Graffiti covered walls, ceilings, check. (The thing is, the bathroom was itself was clean, and the graffiti only covered the walls and ceilings and nothing else, per the bar owner's request. And the busted-ass ceilings? You can see the stars.) And that sort of sums it up: no one that comes here doesn't love and respect this place. It may be a little dive-y (or even scary) to some, but at its core, its a welcoming place for tourists and locals alike. It actually seems to be a big service-industry after work haunt for locals, too. Over the course of the week that my mister and I were in PR, we became friends with a few of the bartenders, and ended up going to see a show at a local venue with one of the bartenders after his shift was through. We also went to a locals only beach in San Juan proper with another of the bartenders and his girlfriend, and it was the most awesomely awesome beach ever. We would've never done these awesome things if it weren't for Mario and Christo. The selection stops at Medella, Presidente, and super basic mixed drinks, but it doesn't matter, nope...not at all. This place is absolute magic, and I'll absolutely be back. read more

You guys. I've been in dive bars. I've written about dive bars. I can speak to you of the diviest of dive bars. This is legit. Top three in terms of how divey it is. I think my expectations were set pretty high with regards to the good times we'd have here but the environment is spot on. Graffiti everywhere (I do mean everywhere) and business cards hanging off lampshades. You could spend some solo drinking time reading those cards and probably find a friend's card, give him/her a ring and catch up. The drinks were okay, served in plastic cups and on the average price-wise. This place is strictly easy drinking -- none of that frou frou stuff. Medalla or booze and a mixer. The jukebox wasn't fired up when we were in there so I can't attest to the selection. Doing it again (if we were staying in San Juan) I think we would have dropped in here around 10 instead of 8 to rub elbows with the regulars and locals and get the real feel. The bartender we spoke to told us some interesting tales about the good times there and a sad story about his lost love. A solid all around experience and one that I'd revisit. read more

I liked everything about this place until a guy spiked my friend's drink. Cool ambiance, awesome jukebox, seen-it-all bartender...and an older guy with a cane who seemed to be a regular, and who must have slipped a mickey to a woman in my group when she went to the restroom. After finishing her drink, she felt sick and nauseated and had to go home. The guy with the cane followed us out and tried to get her away from us. Very creepy. If the management knows about this guy it's their duty to keep him away from unattended drinks. read more

You know you're in a good dive bar when you walk in and feel as though you might get beat up. In reality, easy-going bartenders were serving cheap beverages to middle-aged, sun-beaten, ex-pat regulars in this bare-bones establishment -- Are Americans who leave state life to move to Puerto Rico still considered ex-pats? I don't know, but I dig it. TIP: Bring a Sharpie. read more

Hands down, one of the greatest dive bars I have visited. Good service, fair prices, excellent drinks, and awesome jazz music playing. The bartender was very animated and friendly as she told us about the bar, its owners, and her experiences in Puerto Rico in general. If you visit Old San Juan and don't visit El Batey, you're doing it wrong. read more

El Batey - Dive Bars Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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Drinks were $3, granted they came in little plastic cups but still, you can't beat what is essentially a few shots of alcohol and a drop of mixer for $3. Very eccentric place with the people to match. We visited this place twice during our stay if that tells you anything. This is where you go when everything else is closed and most normal people have gone to bed. Wear whatever you want, no one cares and that alone is a reason to love this place. We met people from all over and just had a great time in this graffiti covered den of fun. PS. you will never hear the song you select on the jukebox, accept it. read more

I'm sorry but this place looks scary as F%^k. It looks like your in a scene of Shelter island in the insane asylum, once you get passed that its all good in the Old San Juan hood. I don't drink but they make great virgin Mojitos! and the ppl who go there are pretty cool. Its alot of locals no to touristy... which is great i hate tourist in local dive bars, save me the trouble of trying not to throw up during awful pick up lines. Soo Basically if you can hang def come to the bar, if ur a tourist just dont talk and no one will notice.. lol jk everyone is really cool and welcoming there. read more

My new favorite place in San Juan. Bartender is friendly, beautiful and full of energy. Great Mojitos. Try the Dirty Mojito here. read more

El Batey - Dive Bars Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

I was told this is the second oldest bar in Old San Juan and by the looks of it I believe it! This place was awesome. Beautiful people, mostly local....drinking, chatting, playing pool. Graffiti everywhere, bathrooms are yucky...........but I did get to meet Benicio Del Toro who just happened to be hanging out there chatting it up with the locals. Very, very cool.... read more

Very nasty place. It's a sh!t hole with an expensive bar that doesn't make anything special...serves on little plastic cups. It's dirty, bathroom is outside and has cockroaches, the guy that said owned the bar was very aggressive,apathetic and not polite at all... very impressed with his bad behavior. Don't recommend this at all. read more

The mother of all dive bars. El Batey is in Old San Juan, so if you're out late wandering the picturesque cobblestoned streets and want to grab a beer or shot before heading to wherever it is you're off to, this is the place to go. Bring a marker, as you can leave a quick note or some art on the walls, and your business cards make up lamp shades on the lights above the bar stools. It can get a little rowdy, but what's a fun dive bar if not a little sketchy and a little wild?? read more

This place is rad. It's a great dive bar. Lots of locals and tourists. People are friendly, the jukebox is great and the drinks are cheap. A huge plus is that they're open til 7am....that's right 7am. Good times had by all here. read more

Look I'm from Detroit where calling a bar a dive is a serious compliment. El Batey looks the part with is graffiti strewn walls and rickety furniture. Yes, the juke box is stocked with good tunes but the crowd was just not my scene. Maybe it was because it was a Saturday night but the place was packed with obvious 'cruisers.' If I'm in Old San Juan and NO ONE is speaking Spanish then I get concerned. I'll give it another shot during the day or a week night. read more

Trying to duck out of scattered thunderstorms, I stumbled on El Batey. WOW! It was the middle of the day but there was a level of comfort in this bar. I came in for one beer and left after four and would have stayed longer if I didn't have to meet up with friends. Having been a bar owner, I wouldn't call this place a dive bar unless we talk about the restrooms. Almost every surface of this place is covered with "tags" of people that left their mark and a few framed illustrations like the ones found in the Palm Steak House. Maybe this was where those illustrators hung out at the end of the night? The beers were cheap and drink list is sparse so don't expect Issac from the Love Boat treatment. There are plenty of lame bars up the street that cater to the cruise ship folks. read more

This is by far the BEST DIVE BAR EVER!!! If you're in Old San Juan you have got to go to this place!! Great and Very inexpensive drinks and Felipe the bartender is Super Awesome!!! I went there 2 nights in a row and it never disappointed once!! I am definitely coming back here every time I'm in Puerto Rico!!! read more

El Batey - Felipe the bartender was awesome!!! Go to El Batey in Old San Juan!! A GREAT DIVE BAR with an AWESOME ATMOSPHERE!!! - Dive Bars Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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El Batey is the dive bar that I have been searching for my entire life! I stumbled upon it in Old San Juan and I continued to go back. It is right across from the convent hotel and next door to a few great food places. The bar has a rusty old wooden door, and cages over the windows. You walk in and it is literred with graffiti and pictures everywhere. A few tables and chairs and that is it. Songs in the jukebox were only a quarter. Yes, 25 cents! The Madalla beer was always icy cold and went down smooth and so did the Coors light. They have some hard liquor but not a huge selection. The bartenders are awesome and provide some great conversation, as do the other patrons. There are restrooms in the back (nothing fancy) and a pool table and some books. My favorite part was the twilight book series over the pool table with the rest of the books. That was entertaining to see. We stayed for hours and had a blast for very cheap. I would go back to PR just to hang out at El Batey and get my card on the shade. read more

One of the coolest hipster Dive bars in the world. Great vibe, awesome location, perfect Juke Box. read more