We were seated and greeted by a male waiter. When we asked for a wine menu, we were told there was only one white and one red wine available, priced at $11 per glass or $33 per bottle (a Ribera Del Duero). We took a moment to decide whether to get a bottle or just go by the glass. We ordered boquerones and asked about the croquetas, including the price of an off-menu assortment. The waiter said he did not know the price and would have to place the order to find out. He then said he would give us a few minutes to decide. When he returned he was all worked up, and told us that we were "in the wrong restaurant" and that if we found the wine or food too expensive, this was not the place for us. We had not commented on pricing--only asked standard questions. He then said he would not serve us. A different server took over and was professional and helpful. We ended up ordering a bottle of red wine, croquetas, and several tapas. Unfortunately, the initial interaction significantly affected the experience. Asking about prices and menu options should not result in being dismissed. Also, the chorizo al vino was disappointing. read more

FYI the prominent sign: "BOXLAB"@ Elchampi can be confusing to find Stumbled into this Spanish Tapas place right across from where apparently Spanish Explorer Ponce DeLeon is entombed. There are three restaurants that have a few outdoor tables to watch folks come and go. It's the third one down a rather severe sloped, romantic tree-lined cobblestone street to where a thick entrance through a fortified wall with historic sentry placements that guard the estuary at sunset. The small blue-tiled bar greets you into an intimate cavern with little rickety tables and curved whitewashed brick walls. Great cocktails with beers, sangria, and a signature pina cojito. Croquettes, chorizo, fried potatoes, ham, cheese, ceviche all come on shared plates. Everything is made to order and hot, so be patient. They do lots of paella to order. The paella mariscos was great and rice was perfect, fresh, moist and seasoned. Service is welcoming and quick. Can fill up quickly and sound loud like a busy Chinese restaurant in Spanish. read more

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On a recent trip to PR I was in Old Town late one evening with my girlfriend enjoying all of the beautiful architecture while walking around holding hands and being the lovebirds that we are when we both became hungry. We happened to notice this place down the hill and walked down to check it out. We walked in and were greeted by a lady behind the bar and asked if we could sit outside. So we sat down at a table and were soon greeted by Bradimus who ended up being an excellent server and who also recommended we try the Champiñones al Ajillo(garlic mushrooms). Great choice my friend. We ordered: - Medalla (5/5) - House Made Sangria (5/5) - Lonchas de Queso Manchego (5/5) - Champiñones al Ajillo (5/5) I love the whole atmosphere of this place. The food was great, the service was great, the vibes were great, and the drinks were great. We will definitely be back the next time we are in San Juan. Enjoy :) read more

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Great afternoon tapas and aperol spritz - friendly staff, part of the plaza so great to people watch too - come on by! read more

El Champi - Entrance - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

A cute restaurant close to the shore in the heart of Old San Juan. Loved their paella options. The rice was cooked to perfection and infused with the aroma of the ingredients! It is definitely a must try item on the menu! I also enjoyed the jazzy Latin American music they played- it really enhanced the overall dining experience. Servers were all attentive and kind- nothing to complain about! read more

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my best meal in san juan!! service was super friendly and speedy and vibes were great. we sat outside and it was very cute and food came out fast. everything we ordered was delicious, i especially loved the patatas bravas read more

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Sat at the bar and had tapas. Manager was very knowledgeable about gluten, and there were several options available for a gluten allergy. Not a dedicated gluten free kitchen, but care was taken. Service was excellent. It was not crowded, so we had the manager and bartender to ourselves for a while. They were wonderful, and the drinks and the tapas were yummy, . read more

We had a lovely Sunday late lunch. They serve 2 menus out of 2 kitchens. They're just getting started so try them out. The muscles were delicious and the manchego/meat plate hit the spot. I also ordered chicken and scallion skewers from the other menu. It's technically the wine bar with a different name as they get settled, the hours will update. read more

El Champi - Olives, mussels, red wine chorizo - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Very disappointed. One of the servers was extremely rude. A customer asked what drink he was serving and his response was "I do not want to talk to anyone, ask someone else." When the customer said the comment would not be taken personally, the server started complaining and saying "I do not care." Completely unacceptable behavior in a customer facing role. Later another employee was standing in front of bar and handled a bill. When the customer did not see a tip option on the pos device, the client mentioned that wanted to add one. The employee said that there was no need to add a tip here which was not true. Not realizing it the employee already added a tip to the bill without the client's consent. The bartender wearing glasses was very kind, respectful and attentive with all guests. Premium service! Although the SanSe rush is added stress it does not excuse staff being rude or deceitful. Sadly the arrogance and dishonest behavior overshadowed all my previous experiences at that venue. Needless to say it was extremely disappointing. read more

Understaffed!! Poor guy had to make so much food all by himself and we waited forever. Hi, if the owners of this restaurant are reading this, hire more people!! Help your employees out bruh read more

We found this restaurant on yelp while looking for authentic Spanish tapas and were so pleased! The scenery is adorable outside by the hotel, with fun music, some adorable neighborhood cats, and a good vibe. We ordered patatas bravas, seafood paella, prosciutto toast, and cheese croquettes and had more food than we could finish (the portions were incredibly large!) Everything was so tasty and we will definitely be back to try more items on the menu next time we visit. read more

El Champi - Seafood paella, patatas bravas, and prosciutto with toast - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Literally, every single food was amazing. The mushrooms are amazing. The Montego cheese croquettes were amazing. The Mojitos were amazing. Just choose something and you will love it. read more

Imagine walking around Old San Juan, browsing shops, checking out the famous tourist spots, and you stumble upon the most beautiful, comforting restaurant named El Champi. The food is just as delicious as you might imagine. We got oysters and the pan tan tomate to share. Both were simply impeccable. To drink, I got a sangria which was equally delicious. I still think about how wonderful the experience was. We will definitely be back the next time we're in Old San Juan. When we first walked in, we were immediately greeted and made to feel at home. I forgot her name, but she was very sweet and offered amazing suggestions for food. The ambiance of El Champi is very cozy. It's the perfect place to relax and rest out of the sun / heat. read more

El Champi - Pan Tan Tomate - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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Love the small tapa place in the heart of old San Juan. Drew my attention cause I saw a picture of their garden view setting but it was closed when I came due to the downpour the night before. I asked the recommendation from the bartender and he suggested me to order the baked potatoes and the mushrooms. Both of them were good especially the mushrooms!!! Highly recommend if you like mushrooms too. Cocktails are great as expected. I had the first one on the menu and of course the pinamajito ( the combination of the two drinks). I had a good time and definitely will go there again. read more

El Champi was a delicious find after exploring Old San Juan all morning. They offered outdoor seating overlooking a super cute street, but it had just remained rained so we sat inside. Our server was knowledgeable about gluten free options on the menu. Our group of 5 shared the following tapas: tortilla, huevos rotos, chorizo, and jamon croquetas. We also split the Valencian paella. Everything was FANTASTIC! I had high expectations after studying abroad in Spain, but El Champi lived up to them with fresh, tasty, and filling dishes. Great spot! read more

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Cute tapas restaurant located in Old San Juan. We ordered five plates of tapas for the table to share, including Patatas Bravas, Chorizo, Seafood platter, Pan de Potato, and Mixed croquettes. Everything was so good! We wished that there was more bread so that we could dip it into the sauce. We decided to sit indoors, which was the perfect time and space to cool down on a hot afternoon. The waiter was friendly. read more

El Champi - Tapas: Patatas Bravas, Chorizo, Seafood platter, Pan de Potato, and Croquettes - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

We were letdown. The Yelp and Google photos bamboozled us! Food was dull and thrown onto our plates. I crunched down on more shells than actual food. I was annoyed and honestly wanted to leave. The outside seating area is on a slant and people are constantly inches away from walking into you. Their enclosed outdoor area had starving cats and the inside seating area is where we sat and I got covered in bug bites. Service took forever and as you can see via the images, there were less than 8 clients in the entire restaurant. read more

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Service was abysmal. Once seated we were pretty much ignored. Food was average at best. The only plus is the location.

Cute little gem The food was delicious & the customer service was amazing! Definitely recommend. read more

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Buen ambiente y buena comida. Caminando por Viejo San Juan me topé con El Champi. Muy buena opción para tapas. read more

El Champi - Ensaladilla Rusa - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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Had lunch here with some friends over the weekend. When we arrived they were already seated at a table in front of the restaurant. There are 4 tables out front, 2 with umbrellas and 2 without. It to worry because the trees provide shade. They also had a mist sprinkler which was nice. The downside to the seating out front is the street is on a hill. We had to place some napkins under the plates to keep them from sliding off the table. The restaurant is located just off Calle Del Cristo, on Caleta de San Juan. It sis a residential area, so it's generally quiet and peaceful. From our table we had a view of the Hotel Convento and the San Juan Cathedral. It was Saturday afternoon and there was wedding taking place. We saw the bride make her way from the hotel to the Cathedral. As for the food, we enjoyed everything we ordered. We had the shishito peppers, pan con tomate, patatas bravas, huevos rotos, croquetas mixtas (6 croquetas - 2 manchego, 2 serrano, 2 chorizo ibérico), serrano and manchego plate, and salpicón de mariscos. My favorites were the shishito peppers (also known as pimientos de padrón), patatas bravas, huevos rotos, and the croquetas. We also ordered pitchers of both the white and red sangrias. Both were refreshing and good. Can't go wrong with either although I preferred the red. Service was good overall. Sometimes it took them a while to check up on us but they were quick to bring us whatever we asked for. I'd return. Also, I'd like to the inside since I did go in. read more

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We came here for lunch, and so glad that we did! We were seated right away and staff was friendly and helpful. The food was very filling and plentiful. The cheese plate and bread was delicious and fresh. The seafood paella had a variety of seafood in it, like clams, calamari, and shrimp and everything tasted so fresh. There is patio seating, as well as indoor seating. Very intimate setting. read more

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Service was good. The paella was ok. Very mushy. The ambiance was nice. Very cozy and right across the street from a beautiful church. read more

El Champi - Sangria. Very good. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Popped in here at the very end of the night on a Sunday and the phenomenally kind bartender extended the kitchen for just a few minutes allowing us to order an array of delicious tapas. The drinks were delicious and balanced and the vibe was excellent. Highly recommend read more

I was looking for places for dinner and saw they had paella and had to stop in. However, we ended up ordering the black rice with calamari from the suggestion of our waiter and we were blown away. The rice was so flavorful and had a nice richness due to the squid ink. He also suggested that we got the shishito peppers off of their tapas menu which were SO good. The squeeze of lemon on top really brought out the sweetness of the peppers and went along well with the garlicky salty seasoning on them. You can either sit outside which we did, but we did end up getting bug bites since we went later at night so we then moved inside to the bar area. If you're looking for good Spanish food, this is the place! read more

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We sat inside at El Champi for an early dinner and some cocktails. Our waiter was very friendly and worked with us to ensure we understood the menu, which was kind. I loved the appetizer with ham and cheese, it was delightful. The flavors in the paella were good too, but I think some of the seafood may have been overlooked. Overall I would recommend this spot for dinner, although next time I may try and sit outside and enjoy the ambiance there. read more

El Champi - Paella de Mariscos - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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Food good , portions a tad small The paella could have a little more spice or flavoring it was a little bland . Decent ambience with cool little inside courtyard . Limited beer selection (3) read more

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This was our first stop in old San Juan. Tucked away down a steep walk across from the Cathedral. There is outdoor seating, inside seating with AC and an indoor patio area. There was only one server on a Friday afternoon who was also making drinks. Service was decent until other patrons started showing up. Once that happened, we waited 30 minutes to get our waters refilled. It took about 30-45 minutes for the food to arrive. My wife asked for a Mojito, which never arrived. Can't blame the guy, he was the only person there. If you have an hour or two to spare and don't mind slow service, I'd say check this place out. Otherwise, there's so many other food and drink options in the area. read more

El Champi - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

I loved their huevos rotos tapa. It was my favorite. It is potatoes with a fried egg on top and jamón serrano. Just break the yolk and give it a good swirl. So good. The croquetas and shishito peppers were also very good. Although I liked the pan con tomate, I thought the toast was too thick. It should be thinner. They have good sangría. I would like to come back to try their paella. read more

El Champi - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Stopped in for waters, loved the energy so much that we stayed for drinks and food. Service was excellent. Really enjoyed chatting with the staff. Food and mojitos were great. Thanks for the memorable experience! read more

"No fruit, that means more sangria" Riley said when the waiter dropped off the pitcher. Btw the waiters all have a cool kid Chinatown vibe about them. In my younger more vulnerable, maybe less focused on a 6 bed on Further lane years I found that look adorable. I digress. The sangria here is phenomenal. It's juicy and alcoholic the perfect mix, like an EV Range Rover SVAutobiography edition...it'll exist soon trust me. I didn't hear a word of English and Riley and I swooned the whole time. Could have been the fancy mozzarella sticks or the sangria but I like this place read more

El Champi - Patio area - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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We wanted to come to Triana but it is no longer here and decided to try El Champi which is a quaint place with Spanish tapas and paellas

if you want fresh quality food, this is not the spot ...the server is nice and friendly but the Food quality is just so disappointing the steam muscle you can tell it's not fresh barely any meat almost felt like they precooked it, and just heated up in the pan when someone takes an order , paella was mediocre , and the seafood was not fresh!!! wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. read more

El Champi - Seafood paella - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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We had the Champiñones Al Ajillo and the Totilla Española on the Tapas section of the menu. They were both OUTSTANDING!! The service is top notch! This restaurant has a Spanish flair and very impressive. A small tucked away place in a very charming street. A must on your trip to San Juan! read more

El Champi - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Great Service, on point. Food is Good. Great atmosphere. Tremendo Servicio, comida en su punto perfecto. Buen Ambiente. read more

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I've been here a couple of times and not much has changed. My first time was a while ago and they had live flamenco dancers while you dined... I just went there recently and the food, ambiance and service was still at its best that I remembered it being. The seafood paella is for sure why I came back. read more

El Champi - The side entry. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

We had a wonderful time, love to come back soon. Such a great ambience eating on the sidewalk and all, waiter was nice and courteous, added to the great meal. read more

Drinks were good, tapas were serviceable but nothing amazing. Service was friendly. Outdoor seating on a very cute street gave it a nice ambiance. read more

Has a nice sitting area on the sidewalk under the trees. This place opens no earlier than noon I think, even though good place for "lunch" Note that even though there is a food menu, they won't serve you at the sidewalk. You can get drinks (sangria is good) but you'll just sit there until you go inside and ask for food. Turns out you have to come inside. After figuring that out, the food order was good variety: Croquettes de serrano and chorizo were flavorful. Lonchas de Manchego ok. Patatas bravas ok. Decently priced for quantity and tourist location. Service ok. read more

We had a friendly and attentive waitress. We ordered the ham and cheese plate for an appetizer and split the meat paella. It was a very nice dining experience. read more