La Madre
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La Madre is a Mexican -stlye resturant nestled in the heart of Old San Juan. It is a small space with about 8 tables and a bar, with outside seating. There was about a 35-minute wait, but we were able to get a table within 15 minutes of arrival. Today was a hot day filled with periods of rain. When we sat at our table, we were promptly greeted, and the server returned to take our order. The music is loud enough that we can't fully understand each other when placing an order. Side note: Bathrooms can make or break an experience for me, and their bathrooms were clean. La Madre is a bit of a boutique mexican resturant. The menu features familiar Mexican items with a twist. I had the seared tuna steak, shared a duck quesadilla, and had a limonade. Two things to prepare for: the air conditioning is on full blast, and it gets cold quickly, particularly after it rains and your clothes are damp. Also, it may take a bit longer than expected to receive your order, and water refills seem to require more effort. The place has a nice decor with tables and chairs that are nice. I had to leave three times to go outside to get warm. The lemonade was nicely made, and I enjoyed it. It has a lemon-lime flavor that catches you on the first sip. The duck quesadilla was well prepared, and the duck flavor was nice. The quesadilla had a nice crunch, and the pico de gallo was very fresh and tasty. This is tricky because my brain goes to my varied experiences with quesadillas, but this is different. There is an opportunity to be bold with the flavoring here, since it is quesadillas. The seared tuna steaks and salad were well-presented but ordinary. The tuna is well prepared, but the flavor is very, very mild. I'm now convinced that wasabi would have been a nice option, given how mild the flavor of the tuna was and the mildness of the crust around the seared tuna. This salad was plentiful and came with a very mild dressing that was underwhelming, given how mildly flavored the tuna dish was. Please keep in mind that this place is moderately expensive and, in my opinion, needs to have a reason for people to want to come back; the experience was that good. If you are looking for bold Mexican flavors, the tacos may have it, but other dishes don't, and this was a bit disappointing. I'm on the picket fence about whether I would return.
The ambiance of la madre is a bit more modern especially being in old san juan. Service is super nice but was a bit on the slow side overall. I LOVED the ahi tuna tacos - it was meant to be an app but i had this as my main. 6 small but delicious and flavorful mini tacos marinated in a delicious sweet soy sauce - YUM. worth a try in old san juan!
Vacation Day 1 in Old San Juan was met with a power outage throughout Old San Juan. We stopped into La Madre for drinks and appetizers as we noticed that they had (generator) power. We were seated inside with a nice window seat by a cheery hostess. My wife had a watermelon margarita (just a touch of fresh watermelon which she said was perfect) and I had a fresh squeezed hibiscus lemonade which was a lovely treat for a recovered alcoholic that usually just gets an iced tea. We ordered a fondue (basically chips and queso) which had a nice amount of cheese and as many tortilla chips as you need. I also ordered the Ahi mini tacos which were EXQUISITE. Perfectly seared and beautifully presented, which was also well complemented by their house made hot sauce.
Another hit spot on my PR trip, which is located in Old San Juan. This is a fusion restaurant of Mexican and Puerto Rican. The inside decor is very cool and inviting. We started off with margaritas: tamarind, which was new to me, and mango, both of which were good and strong. All the drinks in PR are strong, btw! As for food, we got the Mini Burrito Rolls, Chimichanga, and Tacos Mexico. Everything was delicious and fresh! Our server was very friendly and explained the dishes to us and gave us a mini background about the restaurant as well. I recommend trying the food with the spicy sauce he offered; it added a bit of spice to the food and made it even better! Definitely recommend them if you're ever in Old San Juan; don't let the outside fool you!
We stumbled across this little restaurant and immediately fell in love! The server was so lovely and friendly and answered all our questions. The food was absolutely fantastic, we both cleaned our plates! Vibes are immaculate outside with the light, colors, and cobblestone. Check this spot out, you won't be disappointed!
Patience is a virtue and well worth the wait in this case. They are a small operation as most businesses are and we saw other tables get frustrated at the wait and leave despite their thorough and clear communication regarding wait times. The food was DELICIOUS. So fresh and the fondue was the best queso. We had the steak fajitas and the carnitas chimichanga. They also have lettuce wrap options for those with grain allergies which Is AMAZING. I would definitely come back but come with an hour to spare because it's a popular place! The cocktails were delicious including their mezcal bar next door while we waited. Fun and clean atmosphere in both places with live music in the mezcal bar. Recommend the candela and the jalapeño-colada for drinks if you like some spice. Our hostess Wanda was so kind and communicative. Our server Rubi was AMAZING. The bartender Kristal definitely knows what she's doing--great mixologists. And you can tell they all have respect for their manager Heidi. Together, they provided such great service. I truly believe the people who left just had no understanding of small businesses and zero patience. The food was 10/10 with everything fresh as could be and the service was equally as great.
We did a little research and then chose La Madre based on quality and taste reviewers reported. They were not wrong. It was quite toasty out today so we opted to sit inside. There is room for about 30 people in here +5 or six barstools and that was way more comfortable than outside. Jehan took very good care of us, made recommendations on the drinks and made sure he understood our order by repeating it a couple different times which was awesome. I would highly recommend the fish tacos, they come standard as fried, but we love them grilled and I think they were absolutely amazing. Make sure to add some of the creative sauces and guacamole that they serve on the side. The pozole was very close to what we have in Arizona, so was super happy to find something so yummy! lastly, we ordered the Elote as a side as I get this regularly at home as well and was very happy with the quality, they charred it just perfectly. This was a fairly light lunch for us as we shared everything and the total is $53 before tip. Lovely little spot can highly recommend here in San Juan Puerto Rico!!
7 months ago
I like what we ordered. La madre special ( fatty pork smothered with cheese), Shrimp Fajitas, and Caribbean salad. Wait to be Seating time is 30 mins on a Tuesday afternoon. We ordered right away, because there are so many people waiting. If you wait to read the menu when you sit down. It would further slow down. The price is higher than the sign outside. ( some are two dollars more.) over all, we like it. read more
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Carlos S.
For clarity, the dish referenced in your review was fajitas, which…
This Mexican restaurant was near the hotel in Old San Juan and had really good reviews. Did not disappoint. There is sitting inside and out. I liked sitting inside. They have a small bar as well and looked nice inside. Staff was friendly. For the appetizer, I ordered the queso fundido and mini burritos. The mini burritos (chicken) were really good. The chicken was fresh and this guava type sauce on the plate under burritos was great. What a great mix. I ordered chicken soft tacos for entree and it was good as well. To me, the best thing I ate in that restaurant and out of a few restaurants I went to while in PR was the dessert. They have like a croissant with chocolate bread pudding and it was amazing. I ordered 2. Definitely have to try this if you go. read more
5 months ago
2 years ago
This place is a gem. One of the most flavorful Mexican spots. Had the very unique hibiscus tostadas. read more
2 years ago
Chicken enchiladas were amazing! Their location is off the main busy cruise ship street, which makes for a great ambiance. read more
2 years ago
Right next to their speakeasy bar. This no reservation Mexican style restaurant is worth the wait. Good food for an oaky price. Nice spot for a casual lunch or dinner. Cannot recommend the speakeasy next door enough for delicious tequila and mezcal drinks read more
1 year ago
7 months ago
1 year ago
The food was amazing! Pork belly tacos were a must try and so were the hibiscus tostadas! The servers/hostess were so friendly and helpful. The atmosphere is cozy, and there is outdoor seating available! If I travel back to San Juan I will definitely be going here again! read more
6 months ago
1 year ago
Wow. Just wow. Daughter had the steak and I had the pork belly tacos. Both were amazing. This place knows how to cook !!!! Service was good too. T read more
1 year ago
Amazing!! We had a party of 5 and were seated quickly! Every single item we ordered we asked our waiter who was super nice his recommendations and nothing disappointed! The ahi tacos 10/10 and it comes with 7 mini tacos! The pork belly tacos and fish lettuce tacos were amazing as well. The pozole was so flavorful and tender! We tried the corn and cassava fries that were delicious! Overall great experience. read more
2 years ago
Great lunch spot tucked away in old san juan. Must try the duck mushroom quesadilla that was our favorite. There may be a wait, so make a reservation if you can. If not you may be waiting 30 minutes. The service was good. We didn't wait long for our food. read more
3 years ago
This restaurant was incredible. Everything was delicious. I especially loved the ahi tuna tacos, the octopus tacos, and the fondue. They use fresh ingredients. The jalapeño colada was also good. Not very spicy. I loved the hipster vibe. Service was friendly. I can't wait to return. read more
Good food, super slow service. We came here for lunch and I think we sat here for maybe 1.5 hours before we asked to get chips and guac because the kitchen was backed up with our main dishes. It then took another ~45 minutes to an hour for our main dishes to come out. When we got there we were also told there was no indoor seating, so we sat outside. After not getting our food for ~1.5-2 hours we then requested to sit inside as it was very hot outdoors. The staff was accommodating and let us sit indoors - at that point it was almost empty with plenty of tables inside. Overall, the food was good but the restaurant was not at capacity or overflowing to warrant the slow service. I'm sure this was just an off day, but rating the restaurant based on what I experienced. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
Small corner spot that has inside and outside dining. Arrived on a Thur afternoon (4pm). Was warmly greeted and seated right away. Staff was nice and took our order quickly. We ordered 3 appetizers the ahi tacos, tacos de pulpo, and duck quesadilla. Oh and a jalapeño colada. Everything was delicious!!! The ahi tacos were small but they provided just enough. Hubby and I shared. I was craving a piña colada but they don't serve frozen drinks. This was the best they can do. It tasted like a piña colada but with a taste of spice but not overpowering. Would definitely return when I come back to the PR! read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
Wow. The food was amazing! I had the steak sopas. The flavors were crazy good. My spouse got Japanese steak. It was great. The little alley with lights and tables was so nice. read more
3 years ago
Love this place! One of the best places in old San Juan. The food was amazing and reasonably priced (2 drinks an App and entree was $50). It's a cute small vibe in there and you have the option to sit outside on the cobble stone hill or inside. The waiter was great and helped us with all questions and gave recommendations. I would definitely come here again!! read more
2 years ago
I visited old san juan with my boyfriend and his family the first week of january and somehow forgot to do some reviews, so i'm doing them now. it was late at night and we were STARVED. la madre was literally 10 yards away from where we were staying. they let us know they had a wait limit of about 30 minutes and took our phone number down. in about 15 minutes, the host recognized us and waved us in with a smile. we were quickly seated and greeted by our server. we both ordered the tacos mexico -- pork tacos in a corn tortilla with cilantro and onion. while waiting for our food, we drank their fresh squeezed lemonade, and though being a bigggg sour fan, it was too puckering for me. we were exhausted, so we ended up taking to food to go. once we were back and were able to eat, we SMASHED those tacos. i can't say there was anything 'super' special about them, but they were good enough for us to put them AWAY instantly. overall we'd rate la madre an 8.5/10 read more
I love this restaurant. The vibe is very fun and eclectic. It is in the heart of old San Juan. The food was delicious! We tried the queso and chips, hibiscus tostadas, the vegetarian burrito and the enchiladas. We loved the food, especially the hibiscus tostadas. The server was a little slow and the server was a little inexperienced in my opinion in terms of hospitality, but I wouldn't hold that against the restaurant. read more
2 years ago
The pork belly tacos were the most delicious thing I ate on the island. So much so that I shared them one night and came back to eat my own a few days later. They offered chips and salsa like it was complimentary but they weren't, it's ok but a heads up would be nice. Drinks were tasty. Service and recommendations from staff were also good. read more
2 years ago
Very clean delicious food ! Tastes like a meal with love ! The restaurant brings great vibes and the staff are phenomenal and make sure you are enjoying yourself. The drinks are also very good. I had a sangria and it definitely was refreshing. The food is also a good place to have a good meal. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
This place gets a 5 star review across the board. Me and my family of 3 went to this restaurant located in old San Juan. After I tour through the area, we came upon this place because my daughter been asking for tacos the whole trip haha. When we arrived the host/waiter sat us down and accommodated us because we had a small stroller for my son. We started off with appetizers such has elote corn, fondue, and cassava fries. As for drinks me and my wife had passion fruit margaritas. Once I knew the appetizers and drinks were great, I knew the entree would be as well. My daughter order pork belly tacos, I had chicken tacos and my wife had fish tacos. The seasoning on all 3 tacos was delicious. We sat ate and converse for about 2 hours. I recommend this place if you are in old San Juan area. Thank you La Madre. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
Cant rate the food. We didn't order anything because they would not give us paper menus and we don't do QR codes. Margaritas were ok but not great. read more
More info about La Madre
Calle San Francisco 351
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901
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(787) 647-5392
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