An unexpected stop for lunch during a cruise stop in Old San Juan, PR, the Istanbul Restaurant was…read morea combination of Turkish dishes along with dishes native to Puerto Rico. My brother and I tried dishes from both menus, and found it to be quite good. As we were walking past, a small sign for 'Grandma's Kitchen' caught our eye. My brother had been encouraging me to try Puerto Rico's national dish: Mofongo - mashed fried plantains. Unfortunately, restaurants were just packed with long waits and I wasn't in the mood to wait outside in the sun for a long time. The door next to the sign stated that it was a restaurant called 'Istanbul'. We peaked inside, and was welcomed warmly by a host, who let us know that the restaurant was both Grandma's Kitchen/Istanbul. There was nobody else dining inside, which was weird considering how every other restaurant in the area was packed. The dishes are made to order, so took a bit of time for it to come out one at a time. Mixed Seafood Stuffed Mofongo ($25) - served in a wooden pilon, the tall and narrow neck was stuffed with the mashed plantains, topped with a seafood blend of clams, dense fish pieces, octopus, and squid. The sauce was really well done, not too rich, but buttery enough to accentuate the seafood. I have to believe the seafood was prepared from frozen, but it tasted really good: a definite notch up from the seafood I've been having on the cruise boats. It was the first time having mofongo, and I liked it. This version had fried plantain chips, mixed with the mash of more plantains. I don't think this version had pork skin rinds, and I didn't miss it. It's extremely dense, so ended up eating maybe a third of it while finishing the seafood. It's a solid alternative to rice, though definitely can't eat too much of it. Doner Kebab ($18) - from the Istanbul portion of the menu, this dish was tasty, though the meat was cooked on a flat top grill like a burger patty, instead of on a vertical rotisserie. The lamb/beef patty was loosely formed and well seasoned, with the accompanying tzatziki sauce being a good add-on. Both dishes were cooked very well, the back kitchen has some skills. Service was friendly throughout. Water is not offered, but guessing they will give to you if asked. Payment was provided after the meal, and they do stick on a mandatory 15% gratuity for all party sizes.

I love to use Yelp to find local spots when traveling; however I can't get on board with the high…read morereviews of this spot in old San Juan. The falafels were doughy and undercooked and the chicken kabobs very tough. Service was good, and we were the only ones in the restaurant. It's a little dark but clean.

Food was different and delicious. Service was excellent very attentive and provided suggestions…read more Ambiance takes you to Cairo from the entrance and decor inside. The only complaint was the dessert, the baklava was not fresh. It was kind of hard and cold. Thank you.

On our way to another restaurant for lunch, we saw the sign and front facade of El Cairo and…read morechanged our plans to go inside. The menu offers plenty of choices. I was curious and ordered their lamb lunch box with rice, hummus, and salad. The box looked exactly as good as in the menu picture. While I did not love the salad, the rice, lamb, and hummus were delicious. For dessert, a strong coffee and baklava! The service was just okay. If you are a Yelper and get excited about the 10% discount for your first check-in, they did not honor it.

Love the decor! The servers were all very nice and the mezze, homemade pita & falafel were all…read moredelicious! Tucked away in a non touristy area. A little hidden gem!

Awesome vegan-friendly spot! We were only hungry for a snack, so we got a platter of 3 mezze…read more(babaganoush, pumpkin hummus, and regular hummus). All three were great although the star of the show was the homemade whole wheat pita. Insanely fresh. Fluffy and pillowy on the inside and crusty and crunchy on the outside. Loved it.

Avoid this place at all costs! If you want your food to look like the tempting photos on the menu,…read moreyou'll need to ask specifically, and be prepared to pay extra. The so-called fresh orange juice is a complete misrepresentation--it's pre-bought, not squeezed in-house, and tastes just like store-bought store-brand juice. Four of us ordered breakfast, and every single plate came out cold and dry, as if it had been sitting out from yesterday. The ambiance is barely welcoming, worsened by a waitress who seems to have an excuse for every problem with the food. Can a restaurant be sued for false advertising? They display a tempting photo on the menu, then tell customers, 'If you want your French toasts just like in the picture, you need to ask for it, and it will cost extra'--ridiculous! This might just be the worst dining experience in Old San Juan... Horrible place and experience....

Carthage Express in San Juan, PR was such a great find that we ended up coming back again!!! this…read moretime for breakfast. From the first visit, the food stood out as fresh, flavorful, and thoughtfully prepared, which immediately made it a place we wanted to revisit. When we returned for breakfast, it didn't disappoint. Everything was delicious, well made, and satisfying, making it the perfect start to the day. You can really tell they care about quality and consistency in their food. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, and the service was friendly and attentive on both visits. The staff made us feel comfortable and appreciated, which added a lot to the overall experience. Carthage Express quickly became one of those spots we'd gladly return to again and recommend to anyone visiting or living in San Juan.

The food was excellent, and the staff was very attentive. This is a small family-owned restaurant…read morewith authentic Turkish food and lovely decorations, including many beautiful lamps.

Sultan Abi has a special place in my heart…read more I can't recommend this place more than enough! The food is amazing, the staff is amazing and the chairs are soo comfy! I always order the same because is just so so so good that I don't want to change‍ The seasonings are just perfect, the Hummus is the best Hummus you will have in ANY restaurant. Lately I've been ordering To-Go because of the baby, but they have NEVER given me an incorrect order. The Shredded lamb is on the things that sells fast VERY quickly so I highly recommend ordering it. The plate I ordered is the Turkish Delight where you have the best of everything. You get the shredded lamb, chicken and flank steak with any complement you like! If you are in the area please do visit because it is literally Turkey in Puerto Rico!

Incredible every time. Fiko is amazing and his creations are on point. We have come here for…read moreyears and always crave for the next visit. Simply one of the best restaurants in PR.

Been there two times. First time we got take out and second time dine in. We had a wonderful…read moreexperience both occasions. Food was delicious, service was excellent and the restaurant is very clean. Some of the best wait service in town, attentive and anticipated our needs without hovering. Chef came out to greet us which was an added bonus to the experience as he answered some questions about the cooking process and ingredients. Highly recommend.

We got the lamb kofte plate and lamb shawarma. The plate comes with rice, pita, hummus, baba…read moreghanouj, and salad - the sides could be more but the kofte were delicious. The shawarma was dry. The server was friendly, and there is a fair amount of seating.

I had this spot bookmarked for a while. Finally got to go after my kid's soccer game. It's located…read morein a strip mall behind Plaza Escorial. From the outside it doesn't look like much. Nothing stands out. But don't let that fool you, the inside is nice. It was early so we were most likely the first customers of the day. We started off with falafels. Very fresh, perfect taste. I'm sure it helped that the oil was also fresh because we'd arrived early, but I'm sure they're always fire. We also ordered the Labneh. This was also good. For the main course I went with the mix platter. It was a good way to try the different meats: chicken, lamb, and beef. It came with rice, salad, and hummus. Perfect for one person. Very tasty. Loved the rice and salad. Overall, great spot not far from San Juan. Worth the trip.

This place is absolutely exquisite. Every dish stands out, not just because everything tastes…read moreamazing, but because each plate is full of flavor and beautifully presented with so much attention to detail. Even the white rice was incredible, perfectly cooked and honestly one of the best I've had. Reminded me of my grandma The service was very friendly and attentive throughout the entire experience. Everyone was welcoming, helpful, and always ready to assist with a smile. The atmosphere is warm, elegant, and timeless, with a classic décor that makes the space feel relaxing and inviting. No matter the time of day, you immediately feel comfortable and welcomed here. Definitely a place worth visiting.

What a great place to try! It batted a thousand. It's beautiful setting makes a strong first…read moreimpression. Everyone on staff was courteous and smiled. Our table was by the window and it was great. We were never rushed to finish and we ended up with about a 3-hour lunch. We started out with the manchego croquettes with a delightful sauce. So yummy. I heard the harvest soup was delicious. I ordered the burger which was delicious! The fries were one of a kind. A must try, impossible to describe. The eggplant salad was amazing as well. To top it off, we had the tarta vasca for dessert. Save space for that!!!