La Factoría Photos
La Factoría Popular Drinks
LA FACTORÍA ATMOSPHERE
You might also consider
Recommended Reviews - La Factoría
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos - La Factoría
What a hidden gem!!! We passed right by it the first time and didn't even notice this was here. Super cute and they have an inside and outside bar too. The drinks were crafted beautifully and the bartenders were super friendly and gave us great local suggestions as well. Highly recommend stopping by for a few drinks here.
THE Famous La Factoria club of where Despacito, Heart Break, and other songs were filmed here. When in Puerto Rico, this is a must. AMBIANCE: Parking: Welcome to Old San Juan, it get get pretty busy - best to carpool or do public transportation. Seating: Indoor seating or private cabana set ups for groups. Room for a total of 100 people. Feels: Welcome to Old San Juan, a mix of touristy and culture. The spot itself is popular for locals and tourists. As for the space itself, what's unique about this spot is this place isn't just one bar. It's actually a series of connected rooms (about 6-7 different spaces), each with its own vibe - speak easy, dance, casual, house, live music and more! I'm surprised each room can contain it's sounds while maintaining its own energy. It feels like a speakeasy maze meets nightlife experience. Dim lighting, vintage touches, and just enough chaos in a good way. DRINKS/EXPERIENCE It was such a fun night, not sure what I ordered but there is an abundance of flavors as every room has different selections. But popular drinks if you're looking for guidance - lavendar mule, espresso martini, a classic mojito. They got the classic to your well-crafted cocktails. Some spots provide food while others is sip and chill or sip and dance. CUSTOMER SERVICE: Fast-paced but solid. Staff keeps up with the crowd and still manages to be engaging. TL; DR OVERALL: 4.5 Stars! Good choices, reasonable prices, and a vibe like no other. As a gemini that can be quite indecisive, I enjoyed this spot - especially with its multiple options. This is more than a bar - it's an experience. A spot where the night can go longer than expected. TIPS: * Walk through ALL the rooms--you'll miss half the experience if you don't
Fantastic vibes and craft cocktails! My friends and I stopped by La Factoria after hearing that they filmed the Despacito music video! We came during the day and there's not many seats, but we were luckily able to grab a table. It was hard to get a bartenders attention at first and no one really came over to ask for our orders. I got the Pornstar Martini, which was super strong and refreshing! Highly recommend if you're a Passionfruit fan!
This bar serves great specialty cocktails and the food was really good too. which is surprising for a bar/club. they have many different rooms with different music selections so there is something for everyone to enjoy. it was pretty packed on A friday night so wear comfy shoes and be ready to dance. my favorite spot was upstairs where i was able to look out the windows and see down the whole strip
Top notch vibes paired with fantastic drinks The playlist here is perfect if you just want to sit down, enjoy a drink, and have a conversation with friends Once again, the mixologists/bartenders were very kind to a solo traveller, going out of their way to make me feel involved in everything going on. The water glass was always (almost immediately) quietly topped up whenever it was empty and they even offered to make me a customised cocktail that was to my taste / what I wanted at that moment Very well deserving of their accolades!
Still 5 stars... We came here Saturday night for drinks after dinner. There's a line outside, bouncer checking IDs, and people wanting to go in, but it moved fast. The place was packed but people move around, between the bar, the second room, and outside. Even with the busy bar, we did not wait long for someone to get our drink order. There's sofas, small tables, and window seats, plus enough space to stand. We waited a bit and were lucky to get the window seats. This is great for people watching plus to enjoy the island breeze. Location is great too, right on the street of many other bars making it easy to hop around and be a part of the very lively crowd that's always happy to be there, both locals and tourists. La Factoría is definitely a must when visiting Old San Juan
The most memorable night I have ever experienced. La Factoría is by no means in a class by itself if you want to feel that authentic real boricua heritage feeling well this is the place. Let me say I was amazed and so were my quests at a party we had on the second floor. When you first walk in the rustic old San Juan aesthetics building makes you feel like you are back early 1900's . Vivian our host was amazing along with all the bartenders,Dj,and the house salsa band which I highly recommend you hire. The food was authentic Puerto Rican food down to the roasted pig on the rod. Wow my mouth just waters talking about it. The la factoria old fashion drink was delicious.I recommend this place to any one looking for a great location to have a gathering with your family members and friends like a welcoming party before a wedding like I did. Parking as you know is impossible but thanks goddess for uber which made it easy for transportation.Well I will definitely be back
Ok, this unassuming (but apparently well-known) bar makes one of the BEST rum old fashioneds I've ever had. La Factoria seems like a place you would find in Portland; it's moderately hipster with an eclectic menu. I got there right around sunset and the vibes were mellow, with the golden hour light creating the perfect ambiance. Service was fast at the bar, and my drink was so, so good. Prices are also very reasonable, especially for Viejo San Juan. Bathrooms are maybe a bit dirty, but otherwise, this place is perfect.
Visited during the day after lunch around 1pm and enjoyed two amazing cocktails. Knowing this is a hot spot for nighttime, I can definitely see how this place is a fun time. Expert bartenders, can see why they're known for their great drinks. Got a Lavender Mule (perfectttttt with a lavender infusion and ginger flavor but not ginger-spicy) and Cucumber Smash (super refreshing!) which were delightful. The vibe was really awesome even though it was the middle of the day, a great group of locals around too, which only increased my confidence that this was an awesome spot to check out, not just a tourist spot. When they say artisanal cocktails, they absolutely mean it. I enjoyed watching the bartender make our drinks. My husband and I enjoyed sitting at the bar, there are also smaller tables and a really plush red couch area for relaxed seating. The best seat in the house, in our opinion was really the two barstools that look out into the street. We enjoyed sitting there, taking in some of the sun, people watching, and taking some really cute photos with our drinks. Additional cool factor: La Factoria is connected to four other bars, all on the same street, but you can actually navigate in between them through doorways inside each bar. It was really cool to be able to take five steps over and be in another bar and another and another! If you enjoy specialty cocktails that are crafted with passion, make sure you stop by this storied location. Cheers!
1 year ago
Loved the service here! My favorite bar in San Juan serving up good cocktails that are well made. Super welcoming and they open up the "hidden" back bar and dance floor later in the day. Also, get a classic Daiquiri! Not the frozen slush stuff you get in the states. This is a classic and simple Puerto Rican favorite!! read more
4 years ago
Really great place to contrast the chaos that is La Placita downtown/the college-town vibes down the street. La Factoria was like a safe haven for the more mature crowd who wanted to actually enjoy their cocktails and have a more chill atmosphere. Unfortunately because it was Thursday during COVID, only the first main room was open, but we didn't mind much. It was surprisingly not as crowded as we would have thought, but seats were still a bit hard to find (go after them when you see one open). Drinks were carefully crated and each bartender took their time with each order, no rush or frantic shaking was spotted in sight. While this means it's a bit of a wait, it does mean your drink is prepared with careful thought. We went with the classic lavendar mule, which contrary to a lot of reviews, isn't overrated and impressed me. My friend had the cucumber smash and it was delightfully light, similar to a Pims Lemonade but more unique. Overall, I'd definitely come back since the setting was right, the music was right, the prices were right, and the drinks were right. read more
La Factoría lives up to its reputation as one of the best bars in the world. As you enter La Factoria there is an ambiance that you want to stay there for hours and enjoy the people that come in and out of the bar. I came on a si day and spent about five hours here. I ended up making good friends that are from the island that night. We had dinner and hung out. I was thrilled to fond out they have several bars inside the bar. Makes sense? It's like barception! Every room has different music and different vibes. You will be able to find your music genre within one of the rooms. The drinks are so fresh and made for the islands hot and humid weather. I highly recommend the lavender mule and a pineapple drink. Carlos is a nice and amicable bartender along with the rest of the staff. read more
Wanted to stop by La Factoria - the most talked about bar in Old San Juan and boy I was not disappointed. Stop by put your name on the list, the place is huge so they usually accomodate folks in about 30-45 mins wait time. We were seated at the bar cos thats where all the action happens. We ordered the Lavender Mule, Champeta, Spiced Old Fashioned, Buffalo Soldier, Pornstar Martini, Hijos de Borinquen, Peligroso. Honestly, we loved all the drinks but found the lavender mule over hyped as compared to the rest. You will be surprised that this place serves amazing food as well so dont miss out on that. We ordered multiple servings of Manchego Almojabanas (the best), Pulled Pork Empanadas(delicious) & Fried Chicken Wings with Spicy Korean Sauce. Everything was delicious and service was great as well. Prior to COVID there was 7 bars under one roof and now post COVID you have can visit only 3 of these bars and thankfully the menu across all these bars is the same. This is by far the BEST bar in Old San Juan and is worth the hype. What a great vibe. A great place to hangout with friends. Highly recommend. read more
Overall a decent experience, but I would like to check out La Factoría when we are not dealing with COVID. First, if you are a person who does not like to wait 30+ minutes to enter a spot, then this is not the place for you (especially during the weekend). I think that I'm at that age where 25 minutes is a long enough wait for anything. Fortunately, we visited on a Sunday afternoon, and our wait was about 28 minutes. For all the hype that I heard and read about the place, I was expecting to be blown away. Folks were taking about the placeas if Jesus Christ would be behind the bar making cocktails and turning water into wine. Honestly, it felt like a standard lounge that is present in any major city. While it was a bit average, I appreciated that the lounge had a great selection of alcoholic beverages to wet your whistle. Also, the bartenders are open to adjusting the beverages to what you may like (within reason). For instance, I'm not a fan of sugary drinks, and they were fine with excluding simple syrup from my beverages. I will say that the alcohol content of many of the drinks were on the low side, but that kind of comes with the territory in these types of places. To be honest, I thought the food at La Factoría was a bit better than the cocktails. Maybe, I was more hungry than "thirsty". Btw, the pulled pork empanadas were AMAZING. While the bar has various themed rooms with a speakeasy vibe, customers could not move between the various rooms because of COVID restrictions. To be honest, I'm not sure if you even have a choice in which room you will be placed. Perhaps the place is a bit more entertaining in the absence of COVID restrictions (not the lounge's fault at all). For example, I would have loved to have checked out some of the other rooms, but completely understand why we could not. It's worth checking out if you are in Old San Juan (are 30+ years old) and the line is pretty short. read more
5 years ago
La Factoria is a hidden gem as it doesn't have the words on the outside. If you know, you know. While exploring San Juan it's a great place to stop for refreshing drinks and a bite to eat. Before entering, your temperature is taken and you are pointed to a table. I ordered a shaken pina colada and it was great! They also have other well crafted drinks on the menu I just wish I wasn't all liquored out so I could try them all. This spot was also voted one of the top best 50 bars in the US! I highly suggest visiting La Factoria in San Juan! read more
3 years ago
Overall this bar has a really cute vibe and the bar tenders are really friendly. However when it comes to the cocktails I found them to be alright. My sister ordered a mojito and I ordered a lavender mule per the bar tenders recommendations. The cocktails tasted like juice. They were okay but I wouldn't come back here for cocktails. read more
3 years ago
The vibe changes with every room you enter and there is something wonderful about that. Spectacular and creative cocktails plus great music. Always worth entering for a good time! read more
Woooow I've heard about La Factoría but had never gone. Drinks are as amazing as everyone hypes them up to be. If you are in Old San Juan, run to this bar, the ambiance is very cute and drinks are amazing. Our friends had a blast here. 10/10 read more
We were visiting PR while in port from a cruise and wanted to get away from the busy spots so we ventured to La Factoria. There are several restaurants/bars connected to one, but we liked the vibe of this one the best. It was open air, bright, and was playing good music. Luckily, there were only two of us, so it didn't take too long to find a seat at the bar. However, shortly after we sat down, it did start to get busy, and it was quite a while before any seats opened up in the bar area, or surrounding it - which pretty much only allowed for to-go drinks. The cocktails were amazing! They really know what they're doing and offer a wide variety of crafted drinks for you to enjoy. The Champeta was my favorite (I think I had 3), but we tried several on the menu. We also had some appetizers to snack on and while surprising, the "truffle fries" were more like chips, but good enough that my husband did not leave any behind. And yes, they did film the music video "Despacito" here so bonus points if you're into that. Just overall cool vibes, and a nice spot to visit while in PR. read more
The uniqueness of the bar is it consists of three sections with each section having a different vibe. The bar has a rustic and sexy feel, which is perfect for a date or group gathering. Their cocktails all cost $10. Tried a mezcal based cocktail - was citric and smokey but not strong enough... Music was retro and tasteful. read more
3 years ago
1 year ago
Interesting and refreshing drinks! This place is allegedly the oldest restaurant/bar in the area. Bar tenders we cute, personable and friendly, and seemed to know what they're doing. Loved the place! They may need a little rehabilitation on the facade and exterior of the building as their second floor balconies seem to be falling apart but the bar is excellent! read more
We loved La Factoria so much that we came back every night of our vacation in San Juan. I like that there are lots of different bars so that they each have their own unique vibe. The place was poppin every night that we were there, so I recommend getting in early if you want to be able to get a seat. The bartenders were great; our first night we sat right at the bar and worked our way through the Cocktail list, and after we tried everything on the menu that we wanted to try, the bartender made us a few specialty cocktails based on our preferences. They say they serve food, but they weren't serving food at any point that we came by (one day we were there as early as 7 but apparently food service stops early in Old San Juan). I enjoyed the atmosphere, the drinks, and the service and highly recommend you stop by if you're into craft cocktails! read more
La Factoria, is a hip cool bar located in Old town San Juan. It oozes character and coolness. We came here a few times, during the day and night, and each time we came it was busy busy. The bar is massive with numerous concoctions of alcohol and beers. They have a mix of locals and tourists as customers. The service is top notch, quick and efficient. The building once again is old and super cool. With many books and crannies. It's actually attached yo another bar call La Cubanita, which we never got to. We were having too much of a good time in La Factoria. It's definitely a do not miss here. I saw couples, families, young people.. all sorts. It's great and I was really glad to have experienced it. Highly recommend not missing this cool spot. read more
3 years ago
This was a really cool spot to hang out and have several drinks and people watch. Several friends of ours recommended this place and we are glad they did. The only issue we had was trying to actually locate the place because there is no signage. We literally walked past it several times before actually finding the place. The drinks are expertly made and the bar is really cool. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
4 years ago
Ame here Halloween night upon the recommendation of a few San Juan locals we met earlier in the day. We had a ball!! Despite the volume of patrons, they still featured a holiday cocktail menu and the drinks delivered. I had the Salem's Potion (which they used Bombay Sapphire as the gin!), and tasted my cousin's Blood Moon. Both were tier 1. Upstairs we had Rum miles and I fell in love. As I wrote this I am sitting at the bar at 3:09AM on my birthday and could not have imagined a better place to ring in another year. Mind you it's 3 am on a Monday/Tuesday! I'd say I'll try to spread the word but everyone here already knows! read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
1 year ago
3 years ago
This is an absolute must stop when in old San Juan. The vibe was a little young for me, but it was still a really awesome place. Many rooms to meander through. Bartenders are all 'real mixologists. Drinks take time to concoct, but worth the wait. I had an Espresso Martini and a Lavender Mule. Had the bacon wrapped date app. This place was in the "Top 50 bars of the world" 3 consecutive years. Espresso Martini was top notch. Will definitely return. read more
4 years ago
People come for the despacio video but stay for the secret rooms. Upon entering you can stay all night as one place leads to the next. The first bar has coffee snacks and cocktails. I had a divine mojito (the cocktails aren't cheap but they are fancy and fun ~$12). The second place was a cozy wine bar that has seating surprisingly (it was a Monday). The wine was also pricey but nice- they had specials on the board and I enjoyed a delightful rose ($11). The third place had salsa dancing and a lively atmosphere. A little scary due to COVID but fun no the less. The bar here was packed and had great energy. Loved this experience plus it's in a good location. Definitely too expensive to stay all night but worth a visit for sure. read more
4 years ago
A great place to start the night; a great place to end the night! It's an eclectic speakeasy with a "secret," red door leading to another, quiet, narrow bar, which leads into a spacious, very different, energy bar. The drinks: delicious, beautifully garnished and generous. I'll be back Old San Juan! Un gran lugar para comenzar la noche; un gran lugar para terminar la noche! Es un bar clandestino ecléctico con una puerta roja "secreta" que conduce a otro bar angosto y tranquilo, que conduce a un bar de energía espacioso y muy diferente. Las bebidas: deliciosas, bellamente adornadas y generosas. ¡Volveré al Viejo San Juan! read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
needed a light refreshment and their Lavender Mule was perfect! highly recommend. really chill place and the bartender was super nice. read more
More info about La Factoría
Calle San Sebastián 148
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901
Directions
Visit Website
http://www.lafactoriavsj.com
Hours
Payment methods
Food & Alcohol
Services
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Other Amenities
From the Business
La Factoría Reviews in Other Languages
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
35 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
3 years ago
11 years ago
12 years ago
3 years ago
8 years ago
10 years ago
5 years ago
5 years ago
6 years ago
10 years ago
12 years ago
8 years ago
9 years ago
10 years ago
7 years ago
4 years ago
1 year ago
8 years ago
