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Okay great food, ambiance, and service for a great price. It felt warm and homey inside the restaurant and it was worth the wait. Everyone from My teen to toddler loved it. If you go, don't forget to check out the photo op on the way to the bathroom
We came to El Jibarito for dinner after it was recommended by Yelp as it had a 4-star rating. We did have a bit of a wait, but it was worth it. The restaurant is absolutely adorable inside and has a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Once we were seated, the service was quick and attentive. There were four of us in our party, and we started with the pizza turnovers. They were delicious, although I do wish they had a little more filling. I ordered the tamale. While it wasn't quite to my personal taste, I could tell it was well made and I'm sure others who enjoy that style of tamale would love it. My husband had the baked chicken and really liked it. My friend ordered the salmon and said it was moist and very flavorful, and her husband had the garlic chicken, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Overall, everyone in our group was happy with their meals. Between the cozy atmosphere, friendly service, and tasty food, I would definitely recommend this restaurant if you're visiting Old San Juan.
We came here on a Saturday evening as a party of five and had about a 15-20 minute wait, and boy it was absolutely worth it. From the start, our waitress was friendly, energetic, and clearly proud of the food. She brought our table a sample of the Masitas en Salsa de Plátano (pork cubes in plantain gravy), and wow...what a great introduction. The pork was incredibly tender and juicy, and the gravy was rich and savory. The best way I can describe it is like eating a pastel soup. It was so good that a couple of us ended up ordering it as our entrée. We also tried the Christmas Plate, which came with pernil, pastel de masa, yellow rice, and plátanos maduros. Everything was flavorful and tasted like a typical PR holiday meal. To drink, we had guava mojitos, which were refreshing. The service was fast and attentive throughout the meal, and what really made the evening special happened at the end. We were quietly singing "Happy Birthday" to my boyfriend when our waitress overheard us and immediately rallied the staff to come over and celebrate with him officially. It was such a thoughtful gesture that made the night even more memorable. For dessert, I had the flan and my boyfriend had the chocolate tres leches cake. Both were delicious and a great way to end the meal. Between the welcoming service, casual atmosphere, and outstanding Puerto Rican food, We left happy and full.
Loveddddd this place in Old San Juan! Jeremy was an amazing server. The beef stew was so flavorful and moist. It paired so well with the trifongo. We had come here for an afternoon snack and drinks as we were walking around old San Juana and the forts all day and had gone to one fort and ready to move to the next after a bite. This was the perfect meal to hold us over. Not so greasy and not too filling. The drinks were just average but refreshing after hours in the sun. The atmosphere is casual and busy and loud. However, the service was quick even with them being busy. I highly recommend the beef stew with mofongo and coming here even if it's just for that!
First time visiting El Jibarito! What an amazing experience, delicious homemade food with lovely staff members. Even the locals come here of how good it is. You get tons of food for the price and would definitely come here again hands down. Feels like my fam is cooking back there in the kitchen haha. Highly recommend!
We selected this restaurant based off of other reviews. We weren't super hungry, but knew we definitely wanted some Mofongo. This quaint family owned restaurant is close to the ocean, but it does not have an ocean view. It's kind of hidden with a small sign. Nothing really signifying the restaurant from a distance. We ordered the Alcapurrias / Fried Beef Plantain Türnover and the Bistec Encebollado / Cube Steak with Onions with a side of Mofongo. I also had a pineapple Mojito. The food was good. I do wish the fried plantains had a little more beef in them. Some didn't have any at all. The drink was average. The ambience was very casual, warm, welcoming and locally decorated. Our server was very friendly. She had several recommendations and our food came quickly.
I really wanted fried fish in San Juan and got recommended El Jibarito. We went almost near their closing time, unknowingly and still got to be able to sit and got my craving in for fried fish! It's a casual restaurant with limited seating that I think is also a bit popular. When we walked in to dine and we did have to wait a bit and put our name down on the waiting list. However, the time flew by I think it was maybe 20 minutes max and we were able to be seated at a table. My partner ordered the steak, but I wasn't the biggest fan of it. it did come with the plantain side. That was super delicious. Overall, for the both of us and a couple of drinks we spent US$90 with tip and each entrée was about $35-$30.
This restaurant comes up in many lists of recommended places to try in San Juan so I decided to try it myself. Walked in at ~7pm and had to wait for 15 minutes to be seated. Ambiance was very casual. Restrooms are at the back of the restaurant and you have to go out to a small uncovered space to get to the restrooms, which are not the cleanest. Masitas en salsa de platano (pork cubes in plantain gravy) comes with green salad and tomato and a side. Choices for the side are white rice with beans (arroz blanco y habitchuelas), yellow rice (arroz guisado), tostones (green plantain), sweet plantain (amarillos), mofongos de platano, yuca, trifongo y pana. The salad did not come with dressing; it was dry and sad. Got mofongo as the side; it was also dry and not flavorful. The pork cubes was tender but not as flavorful as I was expecting. Tres leches was not that sweet which was okay. Overall, the food was disappointing. In addition, wait times can be long; the place can get very busy and loud.
This restaurant and another one close by were recommended to us by our Uber driver for being the spots where you can find good Puerto Rican cuisine in Old San Juan. We came in weary from all of the walking we had done that morning. This restaurant is large and is busy. We had to wait for a few minutes but were seated quickly. I got a cold beer to enjoy but many others were getting their cocktails, which looked good. The eating area, bar, and kitchen are all in the same area, which is pretty cool. My partner and I both ordered the pork tamale which came with salad and your choice of side. We both ordered the mufongo. While I can't speak to the authenticity compared to other restaurants, the food was very good. All of it was tasty and fresh. I also felt very reasonably priced, especially for being in the touristy Old San Juan area. We enjoyed the opportunity to rest our legs in the A/C while enjoying cold drinks and good food. This is a great place to stop in for lunch while you walk around Old San Juan.
So early warning the sign is not hanging out where it's visible. So look for that dark green building and the sign is on the building in black really high. Walked into a nice small local restaurant A/C is great in here after that walk to get here. The servers greeted us with a big beautiful welcoming smile which is always the best way to pull me in. Drinks- we got the mojito (classic) and the passion fruit margarita and they were both very nice. Drinks were mixed great where nothing was overwhelming the other. Beef turnover- nice and tasty. The beef was seasoned well with hints of herbal seasonings. It came with a little pepper sauce that wasn't just spicy but had like a sweet pepper and chives flavor as well. Baked pork ribs- got this with the white rice and beans. The beans was well seasoned and tasted really good. The rice was cooked well and with some salt where it's not too much but you can taste a hint of it with every bite. The pork was disappointingly dry. It had a nice flavor almost like smoked but too dry and hard. Fried snapper- this took the cake. It was cooked to perfection where it wasn't dry but soft and juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. It came with a nice tasting garlic sauce but honestly the sauce over powers the herbal flavor of the fish. Fried cod fish- this was a no no. It was fried like a chip but tasted like oil. There was no fish flavor at all.
This was worth the wait. We waited around 20 minutes. The host and servers were very friendly and hospitable. The vibe in the restaurant was very festive. We were seated upstairs and had a great view of the first floor. The pina coladas were delish and the food was so yummy. We had the snapper, steak, pork. We had sides of yellow rice and sweet plantains. So good! You name it, it was delish. We had the coconut flan and the tres leches for dessert and I must say the flan was the best one I've ever tasted. I understand the hype of visiting this long-established restaurant!
Found el jibarito by asking g chat gpt of some really good places to eat in san juan. El jibarito came up as one of the many places. We had a party of 5 and waited maybe 10 minutes. We were seated and scanned the qr code on the table for the menu. Our waitress showed up with a sample of pork cubed in plantain gravey. Must say that was absolutely delicious! We all enjoyed that very much! The pork was soft and the plantain sauce was very savory. I would describe it like eating a melted pastele. Super good! That's what atleast two of us ended up ordering. And I would recommend it! The service was fast and attentive and the ambiance was casual. I woukd definitely come back.
A little less attitude and a bit more of a smile would do wonders to the service of this place. I stood at the chained gate for a few minutes before I got even acknowledged. It felt like I was being done a favor being served. I had the pina colada, the bacalaitos, the red beans and rice and the side salad. Pina colada - too sugary and like a dessert, side salad - was $5 for a bed of iceberg with 3 slices of tomatoes. Bacalaitos was dripping with oil. All I wanted was some authentic Puerto Rican food and the beans and rice helped. The place is closed with no open windows, smells of cleaning product.
1 month ago
3 months ago
1 year ago
Food was delicious and it's known by the locals. Beer is $4 and food is fairly priced. Little bit of a walk but worth the hike. Tip: get the stew with yellow rice! Soooooo delicious read more
I enjoyed this place so much I came back a second time. They offer a variety of sodas, beer, wine and juices. I opted for the Pina Colada which was deliciously sweet and can be ordered with or without rum. The first night I had the Bistec Encebollado, cube steak with onions with a side of rice and beans. It was full of flavor, the steak was tender and I couldn't get enough of the rice and beans. I went back for the churrasco a la criolla, skirt steak in creole sauce and this was my favorite. I was so glad to come back for this perfectly cooked steak. Both times there was a short wait but it was worth it! This is a hidden gem in Old San Juan with great service and traditional dishes packed with flavor. read more
5 months ago
4 months ago
I loved this restaurant. The food was excellent. The food came out very fast too. Definitely a must while in old San Juan. read more
I came across El Jibarito in my search to find an authentic place to eat in Old San Juan. Many people say that this place is a tourist trap, but I genuinely had some AMAZING food here which is why I'm giving 4 stars. Everything we ordered tasted 10/10. We started with the mini alcapurrias which I highly recommend. I ordered the fried snapper which at first glance doesn't look very special, but oh my, the flavors were on point! It was perfectly crispy accompanied by the best arroz con gandules I probably ever had and a pastels which I've been craving since the holidays. I'm docking one star bc the server "accidentally" pressed the wrong tip amount and we ended up tipping more than we expected to. read more
10 months ago
The food here is one of a kind. If you want a taste of Puerto Rican home made cuisine then this is the spot. The lines can be long but the food is worth the wait. Everything I go to PR I have to eat here at least once. read more
1 year ago
9 months ago
The food here was horrible. Our appetizers never arrived. When we finally got our food, it was cold and we returned multiple dishes and did not request replacements. The pernil was cold and dry and so was the chicken. The trifongo was cold and hard. Some of the dishes were mediocre at best. I'm not sure how they have 4 stars. When I went to pay they had not removed the dishes that were returned. The girl who served us was very nice but the kitchen has a lot of work to do. Will definitely not be returning, sadly. read more
2 years ago
We love El Jibarito! The food is delicious and the ambience is happy. There is always going to be a crowd so it's worth the weight. Be sure to arrive with enough time to wait and enjoy your meal. My daughter loves their bacalito. Their Mojitos are really strong. So glad we have to walk everywhere in San Juan. There is no driving after this Mojito. It was someone's birthday and the staff sang a song. I've never heard before, which was fun and lively. This time I got the salmon and it was really good. You just leave happy from this place. Highly recommend. read more
9 months ago
Jave our waiter was excellent with my allergies to guide on what to order and WOW it was amazing. We shared a whole Red Snapper. The only negative is the "salad" that was for two people to share was three leaves of lettuce and a hard tomato slice. It was beyond excellent. read more
5 months ago
2 years ago
Came here right before it got busy. We were seated right away. Our appetizers came out quick, but the rest of the food took a while to get. The food had good and had flavor. I'd say it was very authentic. Prices were very affordable. My only complaint is after we got there, a lot of people started to come, and I felt like the busser (an older guy, not the younger waiters) kept trying to get us to hurry up and kick us out. At that point, we didn't feel welcome anymore and decided to take the remainder of our food to go. I'd say if you want to come here and enjoy your time and/or socialize, probably not the best atmosphere. read more
10 months ago
The waitress was so nice and polite. The food presentation was great. But I give the food I had steak and onion 8 out of 10. But someone else had a fish dish and it was good. The ambiance is nice and very cultured. read more
Stumbled upon El Jibarito while walking the streets of Puerto Rico. It was full but got a table right away. I got the lunch special which was Ribs with 2 sides; Meat was dry but seasoned. Rice was delicious, Tamale needed seasoning but hot sauce did the trick. Food came out 5 minutes later so I'm guessing I got the last bits of the meat because it was dry and not hot. Other things people were eating around me looked better and it seemed everyone was enjoying the food. Would try again and get something different. read more
2 years ago
We had gone on a walking tour and the guy recommended this place for authentic Puerto Rican food. It was packed on a Monday (MLK) for lunch. The skirt steak was delicious. I decided on the breadfruit mofongo because I haven't had breadfruit before, and I loved it! It was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. My friend got the pork ribs, they were cooked okay. The mixed monfongo was great! Service is slow I think it's the island life, we enjoyed it and weren't in a rush but for those that are just remember that! The inside was nice and cooled and decor around was fun to look at while you wait for food. Online menu - https://www.icloud.com/pages/05Mqcy6xVOgadl5SfuJ_InaAg#MENUUUUU read more
7 months ago
2 years ago
I think El Jibarito might be my favorite meal I've had in San Juan or be really up there. I'd been recommended this place from someone whose spouse is from the island and have been here twice now. The last time we got the bacalaitos, trifongo (cassava, green plantain, plantain), tamal, and alcapurrias and I probably loved everything in that order. I would order everything again - I could have the bacalaitos and trifongo right now. It was so crispy and well fried and delicious. The one downside was the service was struggling a bit - they gave one of our dishes to the wrong table and didn't realize until we asked about our food, so it took pretty long. I would go again regardless, but be prepared to wait haha. read more
6 months ago
3 months ago
8 months ago
This place came highly recommended by 2 local people. Food was just ok. We expected better. Cute atmosphere. Very casual. A little cramped. Service was fine. Wish we had chosen a place with outdoor seating. This is a hole in the wall. Opened the door and walked into a dark stairwell. Restaurant was through a side door. read more
7 months ago
8 months ago
Maybe they were having an off day? Either way, the only good thing about this restaurant was the appetizers. Entrees were average or below. I would not recommend, nor would i come back! Service was okay, our waiter had an attitude and seemed annoyed when I asked to explain what a certain item was. There's other, better authentic restaurants around. read more
2 years ago
When gov like something - you go twice in 3 days. The food is excellent, we had: el palo navideño, pasteles, mofongo anda few drinks. Mojito and oils colada are a must try. The service was great and has a fun welcoming atmosphere. read more
1 year ago
TLDR: Good food, amazing ambiance, okay-ish service We visited El Jibarito while visiting San Juan and we were absolutely amazed by the interiors as soon as we walked in! The decor mimics the Old town with its small houses and wonderful colors. There was also live music when we visited. The food was really good. The Tamales were really well done juicy and flavorful. The desserts were amazing! read more
3 months ago
1 year ago
This place came highly recommended by our Uber driver, but unfortunately, it didn't quite meet our expectations. The mofongo was dry, and it was my first time trying the red snapper. I was pretty decent and seasoned fine. The service was okay, but not memorable. Maybe we caught them on an off day. I would go back and try the food again just to see if it was just a bad day or not. I wouldn't fully write them off, but at the moment from what our experience was it was just okay. read more
3 years ago
In Old San Juan...this is my favorite place to come for a quick lunch when all you want is classic food from Puerto Rico. I recently found out my in-laws used to come here before moving to the States back in the 70's...so in a way it's a family tradition. What to get...whatever the daily special is. The pastel is always perfect. Never too salty or soggy. The bistec encebollado is the same...well done, but not too tough. The arroz con gandules is always perfect here, never too greasy or over seasoned. Perfect texture and flavor every time. For those not familiar with Puerto Rican food...one thing that's super unique that you have to try is the trifongo. Words don't do it justice, so I won't even try to explain the flavor...just please promise me you'll order a side of it (2 people can easily share) and then dm me to say "thank you". Price...for the area, this place is very reasonably priced. Figure for two people having lunch and some drinks + tip...you're going to spend between $50-$60. Good service. If you're there on a day when the cruise ships are in port, you might have to wait 20-30 minutes for a table. It gets busy...but that's because it's good. Enjoy! read more
3 years ago
The place was packed but we were seated immediately. The ambiance is like a small town dinner. Nothing fancy. But it looks authentic. The restrooms needed more attention from the management. They were not clean! The food was good. The service was fast but was not attentive. The food really needed some salt and to find a salt shaker I had to walk around the place to find the waitress and ask her! Generally, good food, mediocre service, some cleaning problems. read more
7 months ago
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