#69 The SEARCH for PORK HIGHWAY.. El Rancho Original was the very first spot my friend wanted to hit when we got to Puerto Rico. We figured we'll stop by for lunch and head back. GPS showed 40 minutes one way. Since El Rancho Original was featured on Anthony Bordain's travel show, it was most definitely on our hit list. But before I continue any further, know that GPS' in PR are irrelevant. And when someone says it takes a certain amount of time to reach a place, double it. Your planning will be much more bearable with those two things in mind. Now on to El Rancho Original: If only I knew how to speak Spanish! After the 2 hour trek through PR to reach ERO, we expected to get a half a pig as part of our order with all the glutonous sides surrounding us. Unlucky for us (but quite honestly quite lucky for my waistline), our order was a plate of lechon with the sides we had ordered. When you say one order of lechon, they mean one pound. So when we said 2 orders of lechon, it was one plate full. To satisfy my fatty friend, we really should have ordered like 10 lbs worth. You live, you learn, then pass on the wisdom. He even tried to go back in line for a second round and asked for an order of the "balat" or skin of the pig. They didnt understand him, gave him a free plate of 2 pieces of skin. You could not have seen a more disappointed face on him or more laughs coming out of my mouth. None the less, the food was delicious. We got 2 lbs of lechon, an order of longanisa, fried plantains, and fried rice. All good orders! Sundays are the best days to go, it's like a strip of parties from establishment to establishment. Music all around, salsa dancing, drinking, vendor tents, outside "roulette" gambling, and just an over all good time. We probably didn't expect to stay so long on such a short vacation trip but gotta say it wasn't the worst decision either! :) read more

El Rancho Original - Barbeque Near Me - Cayey, Puerto Rico

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We came here recommended. We came on a Monday so most shops and restaurants were closed. We were happy to see that this place was open. The lechon was delicious. The white rice and beans were good. The area surrounding the restaurant was a pleasant experience. It was good, not great. read more

El Rancho Original - Creek next to the restaurant. - Barbeque Near Me - Cayey, Puerto Rico

Go on Sunday. Good food, music that reaches your heart (musica que llega a tu alma) Prices are dirt cheap. Quality food. Easy to get to. read more

El Rancho Original - Barbeque Near Me - Cayey, Puerto Rico

And on the eighth day, God created lechon. And it was said that on the ninth day, El Rancho Original blessed the people with the most succulent and deliciously prepared pork in the WORLD. Way worth the drive to the original and best location for this Puerto Rican classic. I LOVE eating roasting pig in the middle of the hills of Guavate. read more

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Best lechon I've ever had and I'm Filipino! Seriously, it's the BEST!!! Follow the PR-52 and signs to Guavate up the PR-184 but do NOT stop until you see El Rancho Original!!! Seriously, DO NOT STOP until you get here because you will be driving on a windy road thru the jungle but keep goin. As another yelper mentioned, if you come on a Sunday, this entire town will be there with blaring music and people dancing. It's definitely fun and good times. The lechon sausage was also good but a bit on the dry side. Lechon was absolutely delicious. The skin was super crispy and the meat was tender and juicy. Every slice that was cut for us was perfect. If you want to eat and hang out with the locals, this is the PLACE to go!!! read more

El Rancho Original - Barbeque Near Me - Cayey, Puerto Rico

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I was extremely, extremely, excited about our day trip to Guavate for a Sunday lechonera festival. It may be that my excitement led me to unreasonably high expectations, but I wonder if this is one of those things that is better in theory than in practice. The stretch of highway 184 through Guavate is just packed with roadside structures (bigger than shacks, but not all of them are enclosed buildings) where you can get whole roasted pig on a spit (lechon asada) with other trimmings. We made our way to El Rancho-- one of the most crowded lechonerias in the area-- and stood in line for a plate of roast pork. The meat was pretty darn tasty, and improved by the local condiment of Aji-Li-Mojili, a combination of vinegar, hot/sweet peppers, and the like, but whose main aspect was intense saltiness. The piece of skin served on top of the meat was too rich even for my blood. And the spectacle and people-watching were a major bonus-- hordes of people, young and old, flocking the streets, standing in line, drinking heavily and merrily, and dancing to a very loud band. That said, after about forty-five minutes of thumping music, hot sun, and fatty pork, I was really hungering for a big green salad, a shade umbrella, and about nine square feet of space to myself. You have to see it to really understand it. If this sounds even remotely fun to you, you should go at least once if you have the opportunity. read more

Ok, the pig roast is terrific (lechon) and it is worth the 30 min drive from San Juan to get out of the city and see the festival atmosphere an outdoor dinning on the weekend. Everything we ate was tasty, and there is live music and all types of drinks to keep you busy while you wait in long, but continuously moving line. All the meats were great and I suggest trying many things while you eat down near the river. So, 1 reason I did not give them 5 stars, some of the staff were wearing a T-shirt that had swastikas on it, as a connection to a local motorcycle club. Totally in bad taste, I'm pretty sure Himmler had no love for Puerto Rican people, not cool. read more

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We asked at a local souvenir stand what place the locals ate at on the pork highway and she said El Rancho. We found the place with no problems and were able to park right out front. It was a weekday around 1:00 and they weren't busy. The pork was so good, perfectly seasoned, tender and crispy skin. The rice and beans I had along side the pork were very tasty and my hubby had the arroz con gandules he said was good as well. The seating area is huge! It was very clean as were the restrooms. The tables were picnic table style. After we ate we walked around the grounds and checked out the 2 souvenir shops that were open. Their prices are good and their servings are generous. They know how to prepare a pig! I highly recommend them and it's well worth the drive up the mountains. read more

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We got here early. Like 10 am early. We were one of the first people here. We looked around for a bit and finally got our food. 5 adults ate till we were stuffed. We had so much left over. We ordered pork for 4, chicken for 4, rice for 5, blood sausage, a flan and a 1.75 liter of coke for $43. Everything was awesome. read more

If I could give this place 6 stars I would. The food is delicous and so authentic. They need to give hotels in the tourist area this info to share with guests. We never would hav made it there had it not been for a couple we met in the hot tub. The food is amazing, great prices and the live salsa music was such a bonus. There is shopping right next door and they have a beautiful area where the streams flow down from the mountains. It was awesome!! It's like a 45 mintues drove south of San Juan way up in the mountains but 1,000% worth the trip. It was drew first real Puerto Rican food we had in a 6 days stay in San Juan read more

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The ordering experience is a little bit chaotic, simply going off of how many people in your group want pork. However, once we got our food, we really enjoyed the pork. You get a lot of meat for a good price, and the sides like the rice and sweet potatoes are really yummy. read more

You'll pass many lechoneras on the way but keep going!!! This place is rocking with live music and high energy on the weekends. We ordered some lechon with arroz con gandules and the homemade chorizo. This lechon is super salty, moist and absolutely amazing! The rice and beans aren't anything special but are a good accompaniment. They don't take cash but have an ATM. A plate will cost you around $10. read more

El Rancho Original - Roasty toasty whole pig! - Barbeque Near Me - Cayey, Puerto Rico

This was about the most fun 4 hours I could have had. There was, of course, the delicious lechonera. And, there is plenty of the usual souvenir junk. But, I came on a Saturday, found some $2 Medallas, and wandered around. The live salsa and bachata music was great, but watching folks who can actually salsa ... salsa was just a total joy. read more

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This is one of my favorite places to eat in Puerto Rico! Comida auténtica! Pasteles, lechón, arroz con gandules...the food is phenomenal and the atmosphere even more so! It was a beautiful and spiritual experience. read more

El Rancho Original - Barbeque Near Me - Cayey, Puerto Rico

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This was our 2nd stop for lunch on Pork Highway. Our 1st stop was Los Pinos which set the standard pretty high. We got the same thing at both places - 1 lb. of lechon with rice. The lechon was good, but it was hard not to compare the two. Although the portion sizes were technically the same, there wasn't as much meat and we had to cut around all the bones/fat to get to it. Maybe it was just the piece we got? Tip- Take your food and sit out back. They have tons of seating and a nice scenic view. read more

El Rancho Original - lechon - Barbeque Near Me - Cayey, Puerto Rico

We have been in PR for 1 week, & this was hands down our favorite meal. Everything was absolutely delicious! And the sitting area was perfect. read more

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I had high expect but we're not met. Still, however good food and atmosphere. Live music and great food. The Mavi let me down for sure... The amount of curvy roads to get there an experience alone! read more

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This place is a must while vacation in Puerto Rico. We went here on Sunday around noon and it wasnt as bad as I thought it would be. The pork, chicken, and ribs are excellent. For side orders, I highly.recommend sweet potatoes and plantains. Those are really good. The prices are reasonable. The services are friendly and helpful. There are plenty of tables and the order line is moving fast. Driving in PR is not bad, but the directions in google map is suck. Heres the direction to go to this place. Stay on 52 and then exit 184. Once u exit you'll see an intersection "make a LEFT turn." Then go all the way up "u will pass a few stores and small restaurants." Don't be afraid, just keep on driving for about 10 - 15 mins up the mountain. Once u hit another intersection u will make a Right turn. Then u will see this place on your right hand side. Hope that help. Good luck! read more

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Very very good food. This place has a great vibe to it. Lots of seats, lots of music, lots of people, and lots of nature. Cant miss the creek running straight underneath of the building. If you're in the area, definitely stop by! read more

El Rancho Original - Right in the backyard of the restaurant!! The seats are right behind where I took this photo! - Barbeque Near Me - Cayey, Puerto Rico

The best local lechon (roasted pig) and rotisserie chicken, rice and beans! Don't pass this place up! Come hungry! read more

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Lechon was delicious here but a bit salty. Blood sausage was just ok, chicken sausage was just ok, rice was ok, salad was dressingless, the panza de cerdo con caldo was delicious. LOUD live music. Good amount of tables for people to sit. Good location. Public parking $3. Their frappe de guanabana and passionfruit was delish. read more

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This really DID look like a ranch.. minus the horses, plus the video poker machines, that is. I much preferred the supple meat here, as we were given some meat attached to the skin. The meat on the inside was definitely dryer though. The skin? Not as good as Los Pinos, for sure. Ordered: -1/4lb lechon ($4) - skin? thin and crispy. meat? tender as can be for a pig of that size. -Guanabana ($1.61) - 12oz plastic cup of more soursop drink! Total came out to ~$6 after everything I'll upload teaser pics for now but will upload more in a few days to do this review justice..be sure to check back! Pic1: http://i44.tinypic.com/34ew6q9.jpg Pic2: http://i39.tinypic.com/34j42ft.jpg Pic3: http://i41.tinypic.com/2ng6j9i.jpg read more

This a must stop for all that are visiting Puerto Rico. Like many others have said, this place gets packed with locals on the weekends and become a hangout. This is not the easiest place to find if you're not a local. SOOoooo...When getting off the 52, make sure you head up the mountains on 184 all the way until you meet an 'T' intersection, make a right and continue up until you pass "Los Pinos" it's also a Lechonera restaurant and you.ll also find the road named "Los Pinos." Pass this just a bit more and you'll find El Rancho Original on your right hand side. Just as Andrew Zimmern 'Bizarre Foods' host stated that this is the place to come look for 'comida criolla.' The experience that you get is none other because you need to stand in line while watching the guy behind the glass with "morcillas" or blood sausages hanging from up top while an entire roast pig is sitting there with a lightly lit fire under it keeping it hot, chop away the portions for the customers in line with a large machete. Your roast pork as they call "lechon" is wonderfully seasoned and perfectly balanced with all the flavor on the bones traveling all the way into every piece of the meat. The second you order, they ask you for how many people and provide you with the perfect portion according to be fed. Every order comes with the skin, "chicharron" that is nice and crunchy with a little bite to it. What wonderfully seasoned pork!! The "arroz con gandules" is perfectly seasoned and even though sitting on a steam table, the rice was not hardened, every forkful was delectable delicious! Other sides include yuca, morcillas, llame, boiled green plantains... read more

Food was cold. Long lines and expensive. No servers anywhere. They need to learn a lot about customer service. Never again. Don't waste your time with this one. read more

Maybe the members who wrote negative reviews either went on an off day or don't really know pork. Of course, Americans know bacon, ham and sausage, but when it comes to roast pork there is no real comparison. They seem to say that it's dry & stringy. Guess what!? All roasted pork is dry and stringy. So is all turkey breast, but it's a matter of how tender & flavorful you can make it that is the gamchanger. OK. Rant over. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get there. It took us about 90 minutes to get there but we did get lost. Now it'll probably take less than 40 from San Juan if we went again, but I heard on weekends the traffic can be bad in the area as everyone is trying to go. If you go on Sundays, all the locals said go before noon as tons of people go after church. We went on a Monday afternoon and I'm glad we did. There was no crowd at all and were able to get our food almost immediately. The guy was incredibly nice and took the time to make sure we got exactly what we wanted even though he didn't speak English very well. This place knows its pork. It was incredibly tender beyond belief. It didn't matter where on the pig it came from as we asked for a sampling of all of it. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask for the ear. I wanted to really try that too. Their side dishes were good too. I got the beans and rice as well as the pork stomach. The pork stomach was boiled in a very tasty broth. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I'd recommend it for those who like it or are feeling adventurous. I liked the fact that they sold 2-liters of Coke. Since there were 3 of us it was nice that we didn't have to order drinks all separately. This place is like an entire entertainment complex. Behind it is a nice park like area with a cool stream flowing right in the middle of it. There are little cabanas for people to enjoy their pork. They even had a nice stage right by the food service area. During the weekends, families make it a day to come out to enjoy food and music. They even have a full bar there that wasn't open at the time we were there. Seems like a good time on weekends. read more

Disappointing....We had better roast pork in old San Juan and St. Louis, Missouri...imagine that! We went out of our way to get to this place after seeing it featured on both Anthony Bourdain and zimmerman. It took us more than an hour to get here from San Juan, mostly thanks to incredibly confusing directions (the place is not in Cayey, it's in Guavate. We initially drove towards Cayey and went quite far in that wrong direction. If you are coming from San Juan, after getting off at the exit from the high way, turn left and follow the road into Guavate). We tried a number of items, including of course the lechon pork platter, a small order of beans and rice, pasta salad, pork blood sausage, and these spiced meat wrapped in leaves. The roast pork was salty and incredibly dry from overcooking. The skin was inedible (pretty much rock hard), again from overcooking. The blood sausage had no flavor whatsoever, and the spiced meat in leaves unfortunately tasted a bit like undercooked eggplant for some odd reason. The best part of our entire meal was the pasta salad, rice and beans, and the virgin Pina Colada I had. Since i could have gotten any of these three items at pretty much anywhere, the long drive for us did not deliver what the food channel shows had hyped this up to be. On a side note, a week before I left home to vacation in Puerto Rico, I had fantastic Chinese home style red roast pork in a hole in the wall restaurant in St. Louis. Albeit the flavor profiles are different, but that pork was well cooked and well seasoned and not overly salty. These are universal requirements for good pork dishes that El Rancho Original just didn't deliver on our trip. read more

Not all that, meat was undercook, rellenos de papa were no tasty, dogs bothering you not a good environment, after all the stuff i saw on tv i expected better. read more

Soooo good! Can't say whether this was better than any of the other Lechoneras, but it was busy and definitely some really good pork! We also got arroz con gandules, batatas, morcilla (blood sausage), and pasteles (tamales). All great but the standout items were the pasteles and the batata, and, of course, the pork! The dark meat was a bit juicier but the rest was good too, and the crackly skin was a special treat. Ate out back near the river and enjoyed a cold beer with our food. They also have a full bar and there are pina colada stands nearby. Went mid-week around 2pm and it was busy but not crazy. Parked on the street and didn't have to walk far. read more

Ah Guavate, so much food, too small a stomach. Great selection of PR cuisine. My husband had the lechon and I had the chicken (yeah, I know)....but it was some of the best chicken I've had since coming to this island! The sides were tasty and oddly enough, the potato salad that came looking like a scoop of mashed potatoes was extremely good. The amarillos could have been cooked longer where you get more of the sweet crispness, but still good nonetheless. We paid less than $20 for lechon and two sides, chicken and two sides, two cokes and a Mavi, so the cost is really inexpensive. Talk about a party. Everyone is eating, drinking or dancing the day away. Definitely recommend getting there before noon as the line to get into the town will be halfway down the mountain by then. The $3.00 parking really can't be beat, plus less likely to get blocked in by people just stopping their car. read more

Hands done the best lechona I've ever had. The skin was super crunchy and delicious. It was so very satisfying with a Medella light. Worth the drive! read more

We stopped here for lunch on our way back to San Juan after visiting Ponce. The drive up was "fun". Very curvy. There are many places to stop on the road, but we chose this one because it was at the end and it was very lively and had the largest crowd. We parked on the side of the road but there are lots for $3. So we got in line and ordered. You basically look through the window and point to what you want. We got lechon (pork) for two, a small cup of potato salad, rice and beans for two, 1 pasteles, 1 maduras, an orange juice, beer, and soda. The total for $26. It was a feast for three people. The pork was salty (in a good way) and juicey, and the skin was like a thick potato chip. The potato salad was simple but tasty. The rice was good and flavorful. The maduras was nice and sweet, but I wished it was cooked a little longer. I like mine pretty soft. The pasteles was gross. It had a weird flavor that we could not identify. My only other complaint was that I wished we had more pork meat. There was a lot of bones, cartilage and unrendered fat. All together the food and experience was really good. The had a live band and many people were dancing. They have a full bar and some type of gambling game. There were lots of places to sit. We went down the stairs in to the back and sat under a gazebo by the stream. read more

El Rancho Original - Crunchy pork goodness. - Barbeque Near Me - Cayey, Puerto Rico

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This place was a bit hard to find but after getting directions from someone at the number provided we where able to find this place. Nothing fancy but honestly the lechon was something out of a five star super expensive restaurant. My husband and I got one pound of meat and arroz con gandules and two caned sodas for about $22usd. And let me tell you we loved it so much we so badly wanted to buy another pound. They had live music and from what we observed this is where all the locals come on a sat. There was also a drink stand to the side of this place that has the best piña colada I've ever had, it was so fresh:). Can wait to eat here again:) read more

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This area lives up to its reputation as I had the best Lechon I've ever had. El Rancho service, food presentation, and side choices were exceptional. We pretty much asked for the combo and pointed anything that looks interesting. We were very shocked how cheap the meal was. A bonus for El Rancho is you get a nice view of the creek, nothing beats drinking Medalla Lite and eating Lechon by a running creek. Overall, great LeChon and side options + service. The blood sausage was a bit bland, but it was the first time I've had PR blood sausage so it could be the way it was intended. Enjoy the recommendation. Cheers. read more

The best! You want a real Puerto Rican experience? Not one you can find in a brochure or on a tour? You want to get down like a food show host? Take the time to drive to Guavate and enjoy the unique food experience. A Yelper's destination for sure. The area is the mecca of roasted pork, Lechon! They also serve roast chicken and sausages but Lechon being the headliner, it's followed by typical sides and a full bar specializing in Pina Coladas and ice cold beers. The whole ambiance is covered by live music and loud conversations. Families, seniors, tourists, locals all flock to this country pit-stop to enjoy it all. El Rancho is the default spot for sure! Don't miss the outdoor seating next to a small stream out back. Parking can be tough on the street so nearby pay lots are an easy alternative. read more

There is a pig heaven on earth!! This is our second time back to the pig highway my hubby dreams of this place lol. He is from Cuagas and every time we come "home" we come to eat in Guavate. We have tries several places up and down the highway but this one wins hands down. Today we got a rice n beans, pork, pastele, chicken stew and two drinks for $10.80. More than enough for us to share. Try it once your hooked after that! Puerto Rican soul food!! read more

We came here after trying the lechon at Los Pinos. We wanted to compare Anthony Bourdain's pick to Andrew Zimmern's pick so we visited both spots on our Sunday drive to Ruta de Lechon. Their ordering system here was much more unorganized than Los Pinos but the wait was about the same. Both places had salsa music but it seemed like the patrons here were louder and rowdier, perhaps even more inebriated. Our main goal was to try the lechon so we ordered a pound of lechon, arroz con gandules, and some flan. The lechon meat was drier and a bit rubbery here whereas the meat at Los Pinos was tender and juicy. However, the skin was also not crispy, like the lechon at Los Pinos. The flan lacked flavor. If your time is limited, I would recommend just going straight to Los Pinos as the texture of their meat is much better. read more

El Rancho Original - Chopping up the pieces - Barbeque Near Me - Cayey, Puerto Rico

The place is a nice place to take your family. We ordered the lechon, morcilla, pasteles, pina colada and some arroz con gandules. The food was good, but being Puerto rican, I have tasted better throughout my trip to the island. However, it was good food. They also provide salsa music in which you and your family can dance to. I was back home and really feeling the warmth of my people. The drive there was all mountains, but well worth it. There are other Lechoneras, but you have to read the signs....there was one that stated it was the new rancho, that was not it.....it must state El Rancho Original....so go, enjoy and dance. read more

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BEST LECHON EVER!!! Worth the drive & it's cheap! No where else on the island compares to this place! A must every time I come to PR! read more

El Rancho Original - Barbeque Near Me - Cayey, Puerto Rico

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Fantastic lechon!! It's a walk up pig roast that looks like it really rocks on Friday and Saturday nights. Head south on route 52 out of San Juan and exit at route 184. Up the mountain for about 5 or 6miles. Stop when you see a place that looks like Disneyland for lechon. read more

El Rancho Original - Barbeque Near Me - Cayey, Puerto Rico

So worth the drive out if SN Juan! Fun atmosphere on the weekend in addition to the amazing Pig roast and all the sides! Seriously try as many sides as you can! read more

El Rancho Original - Barbeque Near Me - Cayey, Puerto Rico

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