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!!
1 year ago
It's basically an indie spinoff of a Mexican restaurant you'd find in the states. I ordered a mango margarita and it was strong and tasty. But it did take a while for the bartender to make. It looked like there was only one girl behind the bar making the drinks for the whole place. It's not a huge venue, but I figured you'd have at least two bartenders. The fondue (fancy cheese dip) was served with some tomato chunks and had just the right amount of spice for me (a spicy wimp). But it was HEAVY and I was pretty full after splitting with two other people. **They also charge $1 for extra chips so just FYI. I got the Sopes Norteños for dinner and they were delicious! However, I also like well done/slightly crispy grilled beef tips. Overall it was affordable. I'm not expecting anywhere in OSJ to match the prompt waiter/waitress service that I see in the states, so going into it with an attitude of sitting down and enjoying a meal with your travel group/partner is definitely the way to go. This is not a restaurant for those on a time crunch. read more
I kept walking by La Madre and they were either slammed or not open. But it is one of those restaurants that I just knew was going to be delicious and it was! We came in for lunch and ordered the jalapeño piña colada which was just fantastic. Creamy, sweet, and spicy. So so good. For appetizers we had to get the queso fondue, which was delicious and fulfilled the craving that I had. It had a white wine base which was interesting and more European flavors but I really enjoyed it with tortilla chips. We also sampled the pork mini burrito roll ups which were great as well. For entrees I tried the chicken tortilla soup and the trio of tacos. Everything was fresh and tasted fantastic. The soup had a great broth and I loved the sour cream and sides that came with the tacos. This restaurant has a great vibe with bright colors and a welcoming atmosphere. We also had probably the best server of the trip who kept us happy despite being the only person working the front dining room and bar the majority of our visit. La Madre is a treasure! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Delicious! Huge party and they serviced us wonderfully! Best food on any island we have visited! Kudos! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Last night was great. Came first a birthday celebration and celebrate we did. The staff brought out a desert complete with candle and everyone sang along. The food was super good! Great selection of drinks ! And the street corn was so good. !!!! Check it out !!! read more
SO GOOD! Service was great! Drinks tasted so good but food was even better! Duck quesadillas and pork belly tacos were SO GOOD OMG! And the steak for dinner which was so bomb! Walked in here randomly and so happy we did. Dinner was 10/10 highly Recommend read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
Very tasty fish tacos. Prompt friendly service. Nice latin ambiance. I really enjoyed the experience. Nice people! The cajin in my margarita was a nice touch. read more
2 years ago
Really cute place and we were hungry. Got the fondue cheese dip which was spicy and great. Fried burrito was also amazing. read more
3 years ago
Came here a few weeks ago to celebrate my sister in law's birthday. Great choice. Pretty much everything we ordered was solid. The only miss I would say were the fish tacos. The fish was good, but I felt the toppings would have gone better with a beef taco. The tortillas also weren't heated enough. The was completely different from the octopus tacos. Those were incredible. Everything there popped. The duck quesadillas and the fondue were also huge hits. But the star of the night was the ahi tuna mini tacos. For every dish the ingredients stemmed frayed and of higher quality. Our server was nice and attentive. Food came out quickly. The bar, however, was slow that night. The drinks were good, though. The overall vibe was hip and chill. They have some outdoor tables in the alley. Also in the alley is La Grieta, a bar that I believe is also owned by La Madre's owner(s). They specialize in mezcal cocktails. Very good. Give them a try if you're waiting for you table or just want drinks. They have their own Yelp page. read more
2 years ago
Great Yelp recommendation in Old San Juan. Family trip to PR and my teens loved every bite! Freshly squeezed lemonade, a great treat with the mini burritos. Kids loved the tacos and quesadillas and adults loved the sopes. read more
One of my favorite meals we did in Old San Juan. My cousin (and frequent travel buddy) is a vegan, and we had a surprisingly difficult time trying to find vegan friendly food in OSJ. We chanced on La Madre and hopes they could do some veggie only tacos but they were able to accommodate us even beyond our expectations. When we first arrived, they took our name and told us it would probably be a 45 minute wait. They took my number and told me they'd call when the table was ready, so we went up the alley way into the speakeasy next door to have a drink while we waited. About 15 minutes later, our table was ready... easy peasy! I started with the Fondue (white wine and Monterrey Jack cheese fondue served with mango pico de gallo and corn tortilla chips), while my vegan cousin just ordered a side of the mango pico de gallo, which also came with chips. The fondue was great... it was super thick and made for some great cheese pulls. The flavor was also delicious, and the portion was pretty large -- definitely meant to be eaten by more than one person. #NoShame. As a second appetizer, we ordered the Sopes Huertos vegan style (two crispy corn sopes covered with refried beans, stir fried veggies, tofu, cilantro, onions, green or red salsa, and crispy shoe-string potatoes). The vegan version isn't listed on the menu, but when we asked if they could be made vegan, our server said that they do that all the time. They were amazing. Probably the most flavorful thing we ordered the entire time we were in VSJ. I almost wanted to cancel my entree and order another round. For my entree, I got the Chimichanga with Chicken (fried burrito filled with refried beans and your choice of meat, covered in tomato sauce, grated Monterrey Jack cheese, cilantro cream, lettuce, and tomatoes). It was stuffed full of a ton of pulled chicken and refried beans. One thing I didn't love is that it didn't seem like it was actually fried -- the tortilla wasn't crispy at all and had more of the consistency of a burrito. It was super filling and very tasty tho! My cousin opted for the Vegetarian Burrito made vegan (stir fried peppers, onions, carrots, zucchini, eggplant and tofu, filled with lettuce, pico de gallo, and guacamole. Topped with tomato sauce, cabbage, and chives). She said it was delicious and also struggled to finish hers bc we were so full at that point. We also tried a few of their flavored margaritas, including Tamarind, Watermelon, Coconut, and Hibiscus. My favorites were Hibiscus and Tamarind, and each marg comes with an option to get it rimmed with salt, sugar, tajin, or some combo of the 3. Definitely recommend stopping by! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
The food mostly tasted amazing. We got the hibiscus tostadas which were a little too sweet but still a unique flavor, the sopes huertos which were so flavorful and delicious (especially the stir fried veggies), and the fried cheesecake which was definitely a must-try here. We initially got to the restaurant and were told there's a 1.5 hour wait. Once we got there, we were immediately seated and served for the first appetizer and first dish. We initially ordered only one plate of sopes huertes but quickly realized how hungry we were and ordered another one. However, the second plate took almost 45 minutes. After 30 minutes, we asked the server what was going on and she explained that there were some large groups and it would not take that much longer. We also ordered the cheesecake at this time which came shortly after we were done the plate. The waitress was still very nice and we understand it was busy. Overall, even though the food was great, the waiting made for a not-so-great experience since we did not get to leave until 10:45pm after we were first put on the wait list at 7:45pm. I would definitely stop by here again but call ahead to make a reservation. read more
2 years ago
So happy we made it here during our 4 day stay in Isla Verde. We got the lettuce fish tacos, beef and chicken chimichangas. Absolutely delicious! We probably should have gotten another app bc the portions are on the smaller side. We ate outside after a 40min wait in the cobblestone alley. It's in old San Juan and you'll definitely feel like you've gone back in time. Beautiful experience, great service! read more
2 years ago
the Fajitas were served sizzling hot and they came with a lot of sides (no rice). i usually don't like rice so this dish was perfect for me. the staff were super friendly. read more
1 year ago
On our vacation someone at the hotel mentioned this spot for lunch and it sounded great so we stopped by. Small but beautifully decorated, we were impressed. For starters we ordered the hibiscus tostadas. They were amazing! Not everyone can prepare hibiscus well and this place did it well without overcooking it or adding too much oil. The refried beans , avocado and cheese hit well with a beautiful crunch of the tostada shell. The showstopper for us was those tostadas. For our meal, we both had tacos. I ordered the chicken tacos on soft shells and they were great... Well cooked and packed with pico, crema and cheese. For drinks we ordered the hibiscus margarita. It was small but strong. We had a good time and would recommend stopping by if you like Mexican food :) prices are a little higher than other local spots but worth the spend. read more
3 years ago
My family enjoyed an early dinner at La Madre. The service was fast, which was perfect for our kids. Our margaritas were excellent, and we loved our fish tacos. Also, my kids loved their cheese quesadillas. The only real downside of La Madre was the pricing. The margaritas were $12 each! Both of our drinks had a lot of ice, so the value just wasn't there. Maybe this is normal in PR, but when I asked for a refill of chips for our guacamole, it was an extra charge . read more
Passed by here and it is a cute and trendy little restaurant. There is often a wait so get there early before the lunch or dinner rush. If there is a wait there is stuff to walk around and do while you wait. You can sit outside but if it is packed it can be annoying to be on top of people. I sat inside during this dining experience. I got a fresh grouper fillet and fried cheesecake. The fresh grouper fillet was incredibly salty and mushy, I think it tasted good (?) but it was hard to tell. It was filling though and the sweet potatoes were decent. Fried cheesecake: there wasn't any more ice cream which was fine but what I received was so little. It was a bit tough dough wise, and the filling was just okay. I was expecting something a bit more spongy in terms of filling. The servers are not that attentive but the hostess who seated me was INCREDIBLY SWEET and accommodating. She gave the best customer service. Would I come back? Maybe, just for take out and a taco or burrito. The main entrees don't seem that appealing to me, personally. read more
3 years ago
Great location, amazing food!!!!! And I swear that everyone working here was so amazing! From our server to the bidder, hostess, bartender, I mean everyone there was helping each other, clients, cleaning, doing! Great experience and super cute place. read more
I really wanted to love this place after seeing all the rave reviews, and mainly I did - the place is outrageously cheap for OSJ with most items on the menu falling around $11-12. Drinks are inexpensive as well although we found that to be the norm in most parts of San Juan. The food was DELICIOUS. I loved my burrito, and their homemade hot sauce was to die for. The place itself is adorable and super trendy with good music. Docking a major star for the service. When we first arrived, we were quoted an hour wait time. Painful, but nothing we're not used to coming from New York. We grabbed a drink at a nearby bar to kill time and after an hour, checked back in with the restaurant. Still not ready. After much ado, we were finally seated outside and brought menus. The time passed from there with no sign of anyone coming to take our order. A member of our party had to go in to let them know we were ready to order. From there, it took a while for the food to come out. It was the sort of thing where we wanted a quick dinner and ended up being there for hours. I would still recommend the place, but make a reservation if you can and if not, don't come starving like we did. read more
1 year ago
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1 year ago
Food and drinks were so good, the spicy colada was a cool twist on a drink you see everywhere in PR. Be prepared to wait, as all of our food took a very long time and the last drink we ordered before food and didn't get it until our dinner was almost finished. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
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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