I stopped in for dinner 2 nights ago and had a fantastic mealm I started with a bottle of water and…read morethe hummus. The hummus was so good especially with the fresh baked bread they serve with it. I then had the falafel plate which came with rice, cold potato salad and a carrot/cabbage salad. I really enjoyed everything and the service was great.

I saw a friend post their meal on IG and it literally made my mouth water. So I had to stop in…read morebefore I left San Juan! It's a small, quaint spot but so authentic. From the moment we walked in it felt like family. My picky eater hubby enjoyed every bite and I was even able to get him to dip his lavash in the hummus. Win! If you're in the area, please stop in and support! You will not be disappointed.

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.

We were in town for a short stay as we needed to get something to eat and then return to our ship…read morebefore it left port. Istanbul Restaurant to the rescue. The food was great and tasted very fresh. We ate fresh salads with the main dishes being comprised of lamb and chicken. The dining area was very cozy as we sat underneath one of the ceiling fans. The staff was very helpful and the service was quick.

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.

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!

Super delicious Persian food! It was the perfect option for us since we don't eat pork, and many…read morerestaurants here serve pork. Everything we ordered was fresh and flavorful. One tip: I'd recommend calling before you go because they sometimes close earlier than their posted 10 PM closing time. The server/manager was incredibly kind and welcoming. She was patient, answered all of our questions, and made sure we had a great experience. Also place was super clean, but super cold inside. I'd recommend bringing a jacket if you get cold easily lol. Definitely recommend this place, and we'll be back!

stopped by Kasa Kabob and tried the meat platter with steak, chicken, and the cooked tomatoes --…read moreeverything was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned. The portions were solid and the meats were tender, especially the chicken. Service was fast and friendly, and the food came out way quicker than I expected. Overall, a great spot if you're craving something hearty and well-made. Highly recommend. Nice easy going ambiance.

Authentic Mediterranean food!!!! Great service and prices. Ottoman plate my favorite.read more

Great location, even better food. Must go if you like Mediterranean food. Best chicken and pork…read morekebabs in San Juan!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Vianca made me a fan for life…read more We arrived really late after our flight and were scrambling to find somewhere to eat. St. Germain Bistro Bar happened to be right across from our Airbnb, and honestly it felt like we got lucky. Even though it was late, they seated us right away and helped us pull together two small tables so our family could sit comfortably. My kids were starving, so that alone was a huge relief. The portions for the kids' pasta and chicken nuggets were a little smaller than expected, but the flavor and quality were excellent. You could tell the food was made with care. I ordered the onion soup and the fried cheese with guava dip and wow. Absolutely delicious. The guava dip especially was incredible. I also had a mojito that was perfectly made. But what really made the night unforgettable was the kindness of the staff. My son had forgotten his inhaler and was having a hard time adjusting to the humidity. He was coughing a lot and clearly uncomfortable. Vianca noticed right away and went out of her way to help. She brought over honey and encouraged him to take a little shot with ginger and honey, then brought hot tea as well. She even suggested things like putting socks on him and using Vicks when we got back. When I mentioned that my kids are half Puerto Rican and their abuela already swears by those remedies, she just lit up and said, "Well you're home then, you already know what to do." That moment really stuck with me. The warmth, the care for kids, the genuine hospitality. It's exactly the kind of Puerto Rican kindness people talk about. The kitchen is small, so service can be a little slower, but it's absolutely worth the wait. The food is great, the drinks are great, and the people make the place special. If you're nearby, definitely stop in. Places like this are why people fall in love with Puerto Rico.

Does NOT honor reservations. We reserved a table, and then watched another group of young men step…read moreinto the store and sit down at the table we had been promised. The hostess refused to kick them out. I overheard the group behind us who had made a reservation also be denied. After finally being seated, it took over an hour to get our food. The poulet was very good, but the bread we ordered was smeared with a red sauce where it been cut with an obviously dirty knife. At the end of the night, they gave us a free piece of cake on the house, which is the only reason why this review isn't one star. Also, our waitress was really nice and friendly, which raised the mood of the evening considerably. Other than that, though, I'm afraid I can't recommend this restaurant.