This place is lovely, absolutely lovely. It quickly became our favorite place to relax and unwind over drinks, dinner and dessert during our week in Vieques. The staff were friendly and professional, quickly recognizing us when we returned and always making sure we had a great table. The street side window tables look out over the ocean and are a great place to enjoy beautiful sunsets. There was an atmosphere of welcome, diversity and inclusion that we very much appreciated. The staff and kitchen went above and beyond, readily willing to customize dishes and entertain special orders. Thanks for making our visit to Vieques so memorable! read more

Best restaurant on the island, bar none. My family and I dined here twice during our time in Veques, once for my mothers birthday dinner, which they succeeded in making extra special. I'm a total foodie and I love going to different restaurants when I travel (and hell whom I kidding, at home too) and this island gem stands out in my memory as one of the absolute best places I've ever had the pleasure of gracing with my presence. The best restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth simply can't hold a candle to it. read more

El Quenepo - Caribbean Near Me - Vieques, Puerto Rico

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Great place, a bit pricey but in the upper echelon of dining experiences on Vieques and the best in Esperanza for sure. Run by some very friendly ex-pats, this place serves excellent seafood as well as steak (had a filet first time I was there which was incredible). Save room for dessert! read more

El Quenepo - Ahi Tuna plate, beautiful and delicious - Caribbean Near Me - Vieques, Puerto Rico

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One of the best ambience for a restaurant on the island! Beautiful setup, like a lush veranda in the jungle. An excellent menu that was more hit than miss. It is pricey. Buy I felt the experience was well worth it. Magical. read more

El Quenepo at Puertas was INCREDIBLE! The experience was so nice, we ate there twice! The owners, Kate and her husband (who is the chef) are extremely friendly and accommodating and the food was delicious. Great ambiance, we had a view of the ocean from each table we sat at. Definitely get the Carbonara - it's hands down the best I've ever had. The grouper entrée was my second favorite. Best appetizer for me was the ceviche, for my boyfriend it was the Tuna Poke. If you're staying in Vieques and are looking for a nice meal, this is it! read more

El Quenepo - Seared Grouper - Caribbean Near Me - Vieques, Puerto Rico

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Even though we had heard lots of praise for this place, the service and food were astounding and a very happy surprise. Started out with a watermelon martini made with fresh watermelon juice and ahi tuna "cigar" spring rolls, both very yummy. Others had short ribs, salads and a ceviche served in a martini glass. My second course was a salmon that was cooked exactly as I ordered (medium rare), something many restaurants can't seem to get right. The mix of vegetables, trumpet mushrooms, broth and noodles was just delightful. I also tasted the chicken roulade, presented in a pyramid and quite tasty. I had a glass of the sangría, which was terrific! We were so full that we split one dessert, the chocolate mousse. It was nice, but definitely had too much fruit. More mousse and less fruit, guys! The service was friendly and attentive. Not pretentious, just truly helpful with a genuine smile. On a Sunday night, we found free parking easily in the lot across the street. I would love to come back here many times with friends. read more

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To start I had the most delicious drink Orange ginger Caprihinia! We then ordered the ceviche appetizer which also had hint of ginger. For my entree I had one of the specials a lobster and shrimp filled monfongo bowl. I was there with a party of 8 and every person loved their food. This place is about 30 dollars per plate. If you are looking for a nice dinner this is definitely the place to go. We are even going to try and go back before we leave the island!!! read more

El Quenepo - Drink Menu - Caribbean Near Me - Vieques, Puerto Rico

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Got a reservation here the day the curfew was extended to 11pm. I was blown away. Quite simply the best meal I've had in the past 2 years. The fettuccine carbonara and the swordfish entree were incredible. The drinks were tasteful and reasonably priced. Overall the finest dining experience in PR I've had! read more

El Quenepo - Swordfish entree - Caribbean Near Me - Vieques, Puerto Rico

Wow!!!!! From the drinks to the appetizers and the dinner. This is an experience of fine dinning. I highly recommend. I had the Limbur fizz (tamarind, ginger, lime and tequila cocktail), the octopus dish and focaccia bread appetizer and the fettuccine carbonara with broccolini. read more

One of the best meals we had in Vieques. Elegant space with a killer beachfront view and expertly prepared food.

Absolutely wonderful. We had the swordfish and the striped bass. Both cooked perfectly. Atmosphere was really lovely and service great. Highly recommend. read more

We'd recommend if visiting Esperanza! Quick seating, attentive/friendly service from Trish, very delicious ceviche & poke apps with red curry seafood prawn & conch entree was awesome and more than plenty for 2 to share. Thanks! -Ed&Tom read more

very authentic Puerto Rican food. This whole island doesn't have many nice restaurants. This one is among the top 3? We ordered the lobster special(I still remember that we asked them to bring us the biggest lobster lol and the restaurant did really bring the heaviest! Lol it cost a lot the lobster was humongous. Anyway, it was tenderly cooked/ juicy/ and chewy). All the other food were much better prepared when compared to other restaurants in the neighborhood. Yes, most of the waiters/waitresses are from mainland. This restaurant doesn't open every night/day, check before you go. read more

El Quenepo - Huge lobster - Caribbean Near Me - Vieques, Puerto Rico

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Five stars always a great experience here the owner she is a charm and the staff I can't say enough Food is over the top delish definitely stop here if you can we stopped in for our 25th anniversary Thank you for the great time read more

El Quenepo is back with a vengeance! The interior was completely done over post-Maria and looks great, down to the table tops made form reclaimed mahogany trees felled during the hurricane. The food and service are up to the high standard they set that keeps us coming back for our special night out on Vieques. Great cocktails, innovative cuisine, excellent service. read more

I know that I shouldn't be expect too much from a restaurant on a tiny island. But since they do want to be a upscale dining place, then they definitely need to improve their food. We started with the ceviche, which is okay. I can see how they are trying to be creative with this dish. The entrees, however, were disappointing. We had the Tuna BLT and the daily special scallops. The Tuna which they described as "rare to medium rare" was actually well done on the outer layer but raw in the middle. The scallops were disaster. The surface was too burned and it as a whole tasted like a rubber ball. read more

Our annual anniversary dinner most years! Fancy but casual and yummy. Never had a bad meal here. Flavorful steak and everything tasted wonderful! read more

Fantastic cocktails and probably the most gourmet restaurant in Esperanza. Service was top notch, best in the area. Meals were unique and very fresh. Try the Goat Curry! Also n exceptional wine list. read more

So so good. The food was fantastic. Would recommend the brucatta, pana, and bread for apps. Lobster, short ribs and the steak for dinner. They are not very flexible with dish changes/subs or requests but otherwise fantastic!!! read more

Excellent dinner with great service. Gave excellent options for gluten free. Started with a delicious ceviche and had amazing meals. We had the sea bass and the swordfish. Both were delicious along with the tostones and arroz con habichuelas. Highly recommend this place! read more

Just got back from dinner. It was recommended by the concierge at the W where we are staying. It's about a 15 minute ride to town through some of the narrowest and curvy roads I've been on! We were asked if we wanted to sit in the front where the action is ( the bar) or a quieter table in the back. We chose the back where there were some large groups and families. Our server, Dorina, greeted us promptly taking our drink order. My husband had a citrusy drink I just had some Pellegrino. Our first course was a sweet potato gnocchi with walnuts and goat cheese topped with a balsamic drizzle. Wow they were very generous with the pepper. My husband couldn't believe the amount of pepper on the dish. We weren't expecting the main course to be tasty but our choices were delicious. I had mahi-mahi with a pretzel crust and a key lime foam yum! My husband enjoyed his tuna done to perfection. Desserts chocolate torte and lemon pie with blackberry gelato hit the spot. Try it! read more

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I wanted to be blown away by this place, but alas, I was slightly underwhelmed. Came here during my recent trip to Vieques, and must agree with the other reviewers that the restaurant is beautifully ambient and the service is impeccable. When I lay out $100+ for a meal, I expect to be blown away. Not the case, unfortunately. I opted for the Octopus, mussels, shrimp in a red sauce. The seafood was fresh, but ultimately the sauce was bland and watery. My fiance got the salmon with a curry sauce, which I didn't like, but that's b/c I don't like curry. I would recommend dining at Bili next door, where the food is truly fantastic. read more

We went here on the recommendation of the chef at Marmalade in San Juan, who gave us one of the best meals ever! He said this was one of his favorite places. Since we were staying nearby, we decided to go our one evening in Vieques. I called just a few hours before to secure a reservation, and did so without a problem. We were seated immediately at a nice, white clothed table. There are some seats that are better than others, right in the front by the open aired windows, overlooking the Malecón. Of course, since we made a reservation at the last minute, we didn't get one. I'd recommend to ask for one when you make your own reservation. Service was excellent the whole night. There were some specials that night, one being a delicious sangria. It was just sweet enough. I really enjoyed it! They also bring you bread with a unique dipping plate, with oil and vinegar, and it also had molasses and some tomato. It was very good! The bread was baked in house, a sourdough roll. It was tiny (1 roll cut into 4 small pieces for 2 of us). Don't worry, I remedied that by asking for another one. Yum! It was hot and delicious. I started with a salad and then got sweet potato gnocchi. I am a vegetarian and I should have asked them about more options, but I wasn't that hungry. My husband got a special of the night, mofongo with seafood/shrimp. My salad was really yummy with a great dressing. The gnocchi was well made but it had a lot of nuts and goat cheese, which I thought overpowered it a bit. My husband loved his mofongo, which had huge shrimp and a great flavor. It was made with something off the norm - not plantains. Bread fruit and something else that I forget. Overall, a solid experience, good service, and I could've eaten that bread all night long! read more

Sorry to come off as a NYC restaurant snob and burst everyone's bubble. El Quenepo is just not so wonderful, especially when the high price is factored in. I did have an excellent tuna steak in an Asian-style sauce. However the rest of the meal was either just average or mediocre. The cocktails were less than average. If this restaurant was elsewhere I'd give is 2 stars, but considering the culinary mediocrity that is Vieques, this is about as good as it gets. read more

went back to El Quenepo again. Basically every trip to Vieques is also a trip there. The whole menu was outstanding food and cuisine. This is definitely some passionate cooking team living on most beautiful island read more

First, let me say It's good food. But for the price, I expect a little more... and ordering specials there will get you into trouble. Stick to the main menu: Most menu items are $25 or under, which I consider to be reasonable for the malecon. However, they were having a mofongo special and a fish special. The mofongo was almost $40. They don't tell you the cost when describing their specials. Mofongo should NOT cost 40 dollars. Its typically $13-19 around the island. We were a little disappointed with that surprise. We couldn't afford to eat out again after that meal. When you go, just order a well drink and something off the menu, and your bill can be under $30 a person. However for 2 when we went, it was about $120, and we didn't feel like we were splurging when ordering (1 drink each and what we thought were modest entrees) Just ask for pricing if you are unsure, because being surprised when the bill comes is not cool. Their cocktails are expensive if not using well. The atmosphere and the service were good, as was the food, but the specials were ridiculously overpriced. I am not sure why that is. If everything would have been the same price, it would have gotten 3 or 4 stars from me. I guess I just don't get the hype. read more

Little disappointing from all the high reviews. Our server was awesome, she was friendly and knowledgable. The wine was great, mixed drinks were weak tasting only juice. The food was just ok, definitely not worth the money it costs. Servings are pretty small as well. Apps were nothing special (crab and cheese wrappers, ceviche) besides the tuna poke, that was very good just a small serving. We ordered the scallops that were truly delicious, the reason really for the stars given. Wish it came with some sort of starch to create more substance instead of a fritter/spring roll type thing. Mofongo was made with pana and wasn't bad, was on the sweeter side though because of the calabaza. Not my fav. Lobster was very small for the price, little tough/dry. Whole fried fish was my least favorite by far. Fish was fishy and very sweet with the panko crust and the sweet sauce with white rice. Special dessert of peanut butter chocolate cheesecake was pretty good. Vanilla creme brûlée was not at all. It was cold and did not have too much flavor. Overall not my best meal here and the most expensive by far. For me and my family it was not worth it. read more

We went to this fine dining restaurant after checking other reviews. Being vegetarians, we checked with the hostess if they can accommodate our needs. She gave us options and we were looking forward to the experience. We ordered 2 appetizers and a salad. 1. Cashew Cake was delicious with the chutney. 2. The Plantains in gnocchi style were simply sugar coated. They were too sweet even for a dessert. We ordered 3 main courses: 1. Noodles were good nothing extra ordinary 2. Garlic Naan with Spinach and Goat Cheese. The naan was again OK . the curry had this weird taste to it... i guess the spinach sauce and goat cheese did not blend well 3. Mofongos: we had high expectation for this one. Well just steamed vegs in some sauce. Not flavor or zing. :( Overall we paid a lot for the OK food. We have eaten delicious food at smaller joints. read more

Absolutely enjoyed the food and service here. Kate, the owner is a doll. We have had dinner here twice and they were both fabulous! read more

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Oh snap! You were probably recommended this place by someone and didn't find it on your own - that's cool, me too. First off, the food is some of the tastiest stuff you'll ever put in your mouth. If you're concerned about the price, get over it. It's one of the nicest places on the island and you're most likely on vacation. Things to order: 1. Calamari appetizer - this isn't your run of the mill calamari, it's a flavor explosion and eats more like a stew with more delicious ingredients than you could ever identify. 2. The obligatory mofongo - yeah it's that thing that's fried with seafood and spices and the restaurant does it well. You should definitely order it even if it's to share for the table. 3. Carnitas - this entree is da bomb (yeah, I'm bringing it back cause it's that good) - the slow roasted pork with the corn crepes and perfect balance of spice and flavor was what will get me to come back. This should be a definite order for you and the rest of your table. The cocktails and bread are mighty fine as well. They make their sourdough bread in house and serve it with a tangy sauce and I can't get enough of it. El Quenepo has made me a happy man - thank you! read more

The restaurant is beautiful. The service top notch, and the food Scott turns out from the kitchen rivals he best restaurants from all over the world! A definite gem! A must eat! read more

My husband and I had a wonderful dinner here our first night in Vieques, and enjoyed it so much that we came back later in the week with friends. I am a huge fan of their Cucumber Collins, a drink so unique and delicious I took a photo of the menu item so I can try to create it at home. It's delightfully refreshing, and the thinly-sliced cucumbers lining the inside of the glass are pure art. My husband is equally enamored of the not-too-sweet sangria, which is exactly what it sounds like - it's rich, complex, and serves up the perfect amount of buzz. Since we went there twice, and once with a group, we got to try many dishes. The tuna poke stood out as an appetizer - while not strictly traditional Hawaiian poke, the fish melted in our mouths and the combination of flavors was stunning. I also tried the ceviche and stone crab claw (a special), both of which were excellent, and the dum dums, which I thought were only okay. On my first night there I had the scallops, which I was really excited about. Unfortunately, although most of the dish was outstanding, the scallops themselves were a little tough and fishy. This was my only complaint about the place, and shouldn't deter you from going there, but if you're considering the scallops you may want to ask your server if they're good that evening. (The servers, incidentally, are extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the food, as well as being quite personable. It was great to see them get excited about our orders - I love it when waitstaff are genuinely excited about food.) On my second night I had the mofongo, which was reallllly tasty. I also tried the special cocktail, a mango martini with just-picked mango. Yummmmm. For desert we had the chocolate sphere. It's exactly what it sounds like, and it is not to be missed. Will definitely be back if I find myself in Vieques again. Highly recommended! read more

The sever and manager were rude and didn't notify that they charge 5 dollars for every entree course you shared until we saw the bill. And told us which is "American Standards", which is no sense. In addition, the manager said that we are responsible to read the menu carefully since they put it in the menu with very very tiny font at the bottom of the menu that no one will notice. I understand that they can charge for it, but at least notice customer first before ordering. Last, the food is very pricy, and not worth it. There are many other choices in the island with higher quality and better service. read more

They charge 5$ fee for splitting the entree, told us this is "American standard", which is rediculous. And they charged a mandatory 20% tips. Very bad attitude. It's a clear 1/5. read more

5 dollars are charged for "sharing the entree". Never heard about that. Makes no sense.

Great location! We had a great meal with friendly service both from the servers and the rest of the staff. Our server, Dio was excited about the specials and very friendly. He even made sure that my young daughter got a specially prepared kids pasta. Good wine selection and neat menu. Very regional fair in an upscale fashion. On the down-side, the crowd was loud and it was generally hard to hear. Weighed against all the others serving Caribbean fare, I would put it on top. Weighed against all restaurants on the island, I would give it 4 stars. read more

If I were to rate the main dishes alone--minus the appetizer, desserts, coffee, and bad service we received during our 2nd visit--I'd give them 5 stars. During our 1st visit service was superb. We shared a tasty appetizer, good wine, and a watermelon martini that wasn't too bad. My husband had a pork special ($36!) and I had a seafood stew special ($29). We both thoroughly enjoyed our dishes, so much so that we finished every morsel on our plate. Topped with an excellent server, we decided to return the next day for dessert as we couldn't eat another bite! Our second server wasn't so great. We ordered coffee and 2 desserts: a flan (good, but just ok) and a plantain flan (wasn't horrible but didn't hit the mark), both at $10 each. Our coffee was served lukewarm. We mentioned it to the server who argued that it couldn't be and then added the regular one could be but there was no way the one could be because they use a pod! He was not apologetic but, with a little attitude, eventually offered to take both of them back. He then returned with the same cups after he had clearly just microwaved them (yes, microwaved coffee--with its cream and all--tastes different!). He then stood there and said "why don't you try them now to see if they are hot enough for you." This was so off putting and definitely not the experience we'd expected, especially with their high prices. We left the 1st night with a positive impression (and accepting of high bill) only to leave the 2nd night with extreme disappointment. read more

The menu items here were good but not the greatest on the island. Pricing wise you are better off going to the W hotel. We had the salad, soup, and steak and a side of gnocchi. Very disappointed with the service because they harassed us to finish our meal to eat dessert! The food was decent but not worth the price. Avoid!!!! read more

I ate here a few weeks ago with a friend. We had 3 apps, two mains and two desserts.. Some of the food was great and some less so. The presentation of the food was excellent, and the service, wine and cocktails superb. We really enjoyed the steak and the Trigger fish and a warm sage brownie. The menu is very eclectic drawing on both local and foreign inspirations from as far a field as India and Korea, including influences from Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. This is well suited for a tourist focused establishment; there is truly something for everyone. The waiters are well trained to introduce the menu and the many specials; typically two starters, two mains and two dessert specials. This includes explaining many of the details of the dish; for example they had a sugar cured timbale of salmon and tuna... and the waiter explained what a Timbale is. Another dish was formed with a PVC pipe and this was also explained (we didn't have that dish). Some diners might find such level of detail over the top but if you didn't know what a timbale was or have an aversion to PVC the details are very helpful. Especially since the menu is so diverse not every diner will be familiar with every dish. For example they have Indian Saag on the menu; a spinach dish which was good served with home made Naan (which was great); the waiter explained both Saag and Naan. I found the level of detail a bit long winded but enjoyable, entertaining and a pleasant part of the meal. Every interaction with the staff was started by the greeting, "buen provecho." It started off charming but seemed over played by the end of the meal. We had sincere and attentive service from our waiter, food runners, and the hostess/owner. The prices were moderate by NYC standards and they are not the most expensive on the Island. If you are looking for local food and local culture this isn't the place but if you want finer dining this could be the place for you. If you are with friends or family who have diverse food interests or needs you can find everything here from fish, vegan and full on carnivore. My only serious complaint was that my Trigger fish, served with a curry couscous was so elaborately constructed in many layers I had to get a separate plate so I could navigate the dish and concurrently access both the fish and couscous. I ate every bite. read more

My husband and I came in to have a drink at the bar. We wanted to do a "bar crawl" starting at one end and finishing at Trade Winds (excellent by the way). However, we came in and sat down and didn't leave for several hours! As soon as I saw the menu and met our bartender, I knew this was the place for us! A foodie's paradise! The owner, Kate, was our bartender and she had so many amazing stories to tell. The food was out of this world- especially for Puerto Rico! Fresh, delicious and creative. I ordered the charcuterie with 3 different types of meat and the arugula salad (it's hard to find any decent salad in PR in my opinion). My husband ordered the mofongo which he claims was the best he had the whole time we were in PR. We love visiting PR but the food hasn't always been the best part of the experience for us. HOWEVER, El Quenepo changes all of that! Yes it is pricey but for what you're getting it's worth it. PR has to import most of their produce but this restaurant grows most of their own ingredients.You must go here! read more