Fantastic food and ambiance. Service was a bit inattentive - regularly was without beverages. But good experience on the whole

We came to almost empty restaurant. 90% of the tables were empty. Hostess measured us from top to bottom and said that there is no availability for next 2 hours because she is expecting tsunami of clients... all that because we are black and white couple... Congratulations. I will make sure to let all my fiends know, that if they are looking for racist place in entire PR this is a place to go! read more

We heard great things about this restaurant from online searches and our BNB owner - who claimed they had the best burger he's ever had. He's also a Philly native so he knows about burgers and cheesesteaks! We were excited to try and it was a rainy day in vieques. We had no reservations, but hoped to get one. We came when the restaurant opened. Hostess was downright rude and condescending. We were told our group of 4 could sit at the bar at 6pm since they are "booked". When I informed her that online I was able to make a reservation for 4 at 5:30 or 5:45pm, she rolled her eyes and said you can try if you want. So I did and was able to get a seat at a table for 4 by 5:30pm. Waitress was also rude. Maybe everyone was having a bad day? They all just started though? But with some jokes and kind words, I think the waitress warmed up to us. Food was phenomenal, some of the best food we had in Puerto Rico hands down. Drinks were also top notch. Prices were high but expected for where we were. Would have given 5 stars all around if service was significantly better. Which by the way, when we finished dinner, restaurant was still half empty. read more

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What a great restaurant. We sat st the bar and had an amazing meal. Gian(sp) was our bartender and was excellent. We were there at the beginning of hurricane erin. read more

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Ladies wanted to go to a nice dinner. I ordered an expensive Waygu dish, wasn't asked for temp and made the mistake of thinking they knew what they were doing. Contraire mon frere, it was burnt to a crisp! To make things worse the manager did nothing to alleviate THEIR mistake, no dessert, no espresso, no comp, not a single thing but "sorry" which rang hollow doing nothing about it. This place is absolute joke and I'll never step foot in that place again. Get a clue people. read more

This place is a joke! They completely messed up my meal. Which cost a significant amount of money more than any amount I've ever paid for a similar meal. Spoke to the manager about the mistake and she did absolutely nothing to rectify the situation. It's unbelievable that a place touted as fancy and fantastic. Would treat a customer in such fashion. Suffice to say I will never be going back. Figure out what you're doing before you lose all your customers. There's more to being a restaurant than having a swanky building. Customer service matters. read more

Pretty decent meal and very nice ambiance at el blok! The octopus was amazing super fresh and tender one of my favorite bites on Vieques. Everything else was just meh though ordered a side of Mac and cheese really tasted just like Kraft a bit uninspired, the fish was dry (but the bed of vegetables they were on was amazing) and the ceviche was also uninspired it was ok but wouldn't order again! The churros were too dense (although the condensed milk and dulce de leche sauces were perfect pairings). Presentation is really nice and the hotel is one of the nicest in that part of Vieques on Esperanza but for the price I expected the food to taste a bit better! I think if you order right the menu has a lot of potential otherwise. read more

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Great spot perfect location and ideal for everything. Staff and housekeeping also great

The Rooftop Bar is awesome, great seating unmatched views and live music . It's a great place to grab an ice cold drink . The restaurant has a dinner dress code called Island Chic read more

Our meal at Placita was very good, but I think it's become a bit overhyped. We went there for both brunch and dinner. I really enjoyed the shrimp cake Benedict with home fries, but I wouldn't call it a must order item. My friend had the rice bowl breakfast which was totally bland and had no seasoning on it whatsoever. Their version of an espresso martini, which is a blend with coquito, was absolutely delicious. For dinner, again, the cocktails were delicious - the signature gin and vodka dirty martinis were perfect, and have a little spice in the olive brine, making them unique. The signature drink, which is rum with a coconut water ice cube and cinnamon was delicious and a must order for anyone who loves the taste of rum. The appetizers were also incredible - the coconut shrimp is massive and a unique take on coconut shrimp, and the hamachi crudo was perfectly fresh and delicious. I ordered the pork osso for dinner, which, while good, the standout of the dish was the garlic mash potatoes - I feel when you're spending that much money on a (very generous!) portion of meat on the bone, that really should be the most delicious item on the plate, but it was a bit bland and not as melt in your mouth as I would expect. Service was okay, we felt like we were either annoying for not ordering appetizers and mains all at once and asking for food recommendations, but then alternatively felt our waitress disappeared for quite a while when our drinks were empty, etc., and we were prepared to order more. Overall, I still think Placita is worth going to if you're in Vieques, especially for dinner, but there are other spots on the island that I think are doing the same thing they are but just a little bit more refined. read more

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This place is upscale and beautiful on the inside. The service was good, and I appreciated the ambiance. But, don't expect local fare if you come here to eat-- it caters more to well-off tourists, as noted by the menu items and their relatively high prices. Overall it's good, but the food wasn't robust enough to warrant me coming back if I had to choose between El Blok versus a more local spot. read more

Restaurante El Blok - Latin American Near Me - Vieques, Puerto Rico

We are guests of the hotel who wanted to sit for desserts and drinks but were turned away by the staff because "we don't have seating and we have a table of 16 on the way, so you will have to wait for everything." This is not acceptable to someone who has been working in hospitality in NYC for 20 plus years. If we are paying to stay in the hotel...you should make space. But the truth is the restaurant was more than half empty. Shame. read more

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Food was alright. Service was trash. Ambiance was garbage too. I am a service industry worker myself, and lack of professionalism all around was ridiculous. Water not refilled, we were not even asked how we would like our $100 steak cooked until he put in the order and came back. read more

Restaurante El Blok - waited in the rain at the taco stand across the street, and they are saying the restaurant was open. IT WAS NOT. THEY KEEP LYING. - Latin American Near Me - Vieques, Puerto Rico

Dropped in for quick drinks and appetizers before our tour. We let them know we had 30 minutes and they gave us very speedy service. Our teens loved the virgin pina coladas and we had passion fruit mojitos and croquettes. Fast and wonderful read more

Restaurante El Blok - Latin American Near Me - Vieques, Puerto Rico

The food was great. We did a breakfast experience and got the salmon Bennie, the blok sandwich and eggs with bacon and waffles. The service was good- our server was attentive and patient with us. Ambiance was just the way I like it- modern, clean, with outdoor light shining in and an open face kitchen. read more

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Excellent food! Beautiful place for a romantic date or just to hangout with friends. We loved the pork osso and the passion fruit mojito. read more

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We made reservations for dinner here just in case it got busy. At first, the hostess was leading us to the patio, which would have been ok if it weren't windy that evening. Also, we were getting eaten alive by mosquitos, so we asked for an inside table. For whatever reason, both the hostess and the server seemed ticked by this simple request. My friend was battling a stomach bug, so she wanted to take it easy. I, myself, usually can't eat an entire meal by myself in one sitting so we decided to split the steak. EL BLOK PUNCH ($10) Don Q Cristal, Don Q Añejo, Blackbeard Spice Rum, Jugo de Frutas Naturales: refreshing. I dug it and it gave me a decent buzz. I really liked the purple lime garnish. THE SKIRT ($28) Angus Churrasco, Pesto Yuca fries, Sautéed Vegetables y Chimichurri: Steak was perfectly cooked medium but a bit stringy. The sides were good. Server rolled her eyes at our order. The restaurant was not crowded, so come on, it's not like you were losing out on bigger tips. Oh and btw, we still had leftovers (even though it was not a big portion by any means) so anything else would have been wasted. So....3.5/5 for the food. 1/5 for the service. What's up with the 'tude? read more

Restaurante El Blok - El Blok punch ($10) - Latin American Near Me - Vieques, Puerto Rico

Good, new-ish spot in a cool, new-ish hotel in Esperanza, the smaller of the two cities on Vieques. Also known as La Placita (mentioned in other reviews), this place not cheap, especially if you drink and if you go for steaks, which seems to be what they're known for. But we didn't; we mostly shared a bunch of seafood, and we were satisfied. Our dishes came out in quick succession: first a ceviche (citrusy coconut milk was brilliant), then grilled corn ensalada (I enjoyed it, but not as much as my wife did; I didn't think it justified the price), then the pulpo (beautifully plated and tasy, but it seemed a bit tough to me), then the fish tacos (which were maybe the second-best dish after the ceviche, though the sauce slightly overpowered the fish at times). We capped the night with churros, which were tasty (and more than enough for two people). They were served with a very rich milk chocolate, dulce de leche and condensed milk to dip in. read more

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We were more than impressed with our dinner at Restaurante El Blok, also known as Placita. We started with an impeccable ceviche (daily catch, house leche, cilantro, veggies) that I would order again and again. At times, I can find ceviche to be a bit abrasive with all the citrus, but not the version here: it was gentler, with mild orange and grapefruit flavors and red peppers. I'm honestly a little sorry we didn't go back the next night just to get it again. I liked my fish tacos (Mahi Mahi, spicy aioli, avocado, red pickled cabbage) almost as much as the ceviche. The luscious aioli perfectly complimented the tender flavors of the Mahi Mahi, which had a touch of char from the grill. The cabbage added some crunch and zing. I had a bite of my fiancé's Pasta Langosta (usually lobster, but served as shrimp the night we were there), which is a bit of a rare choice for him, since he often finds white sauces to be too heavy. Luckily for him, this was anything but too heavy. And the dish was covered in a layer of baked cheese, which I love. The drinks were good, too. I had the Arcaico (rum, velvet falernum, fernet, cardamom) which was well-constructed though a little heavy on the fernet, which has a bitter intensity such that it can overpower drinks easily. Couldn't taste much of the falernum or cardamom as a result. I'll note, though, that I'm a little sensitive to bitterness and others might find it to be more balanced. I also had a really nice glass of Sauvignon blanc from New Zealand. The ambience was nice, too: modern and airy with a bit of an edgy trendy vibe. Tables were quite spaced out (perhaps for Covid reasons). read more

Our meal at Placita in the El Blok Hotel was excellent--as good as I've eaten anywhere. Perfectly cooked churrasco steak and roasted veges, aligot that could have been served in Paris, delicate and perfectly sauced ceviche. read more

First, I'll start with the positives: 1) Very cool open air venue 2) Very friendly servers Now for the rest of my review... I came with my family and we were utterly unimpressed. 1) All of our dishes came out at completely different times from each other. It was about 30 min between the time when the first and last dishes came out 2) All of the food that we ordered was disgusting and either grossly under or over cooked 3) We were lucky we double checked our check because they added an item we did not order read more

How can I start with this review? Service was awful. We had one party in our group that had gluten allergies and when we asked if a soup had gluten the server reaction was like we were dumb for asking if a plantain soup (mind you plantain does not have gluten) had gluten. The ambience is ok, no air conditioning but that is the style. Bathrooms were not clean and floor was all wet. Food was just ok. Some of the plates were better than others. Fish tacos were not good, ceviche was not good, tuna tartare was ok, steak plate was good. For drinks we order a lavender mule, it was ok but did not had any lavender flavor, we ordered a Tito's with passion fruit but honestly passion fruit flavor was missing (I think they made it wrong). In general the experience was bad bad bad and will not go back. We were a group of 10 people and everyone felt the same way. read more

I love this place! I ordered the ceviche and the vegetable plate. Both were so good. At a lot of places the veggie plate is just something they throw on the menu to accommodate vegetarians or healthy eaters, but this one was so delicious I came back the next night to order it again! It featured a yummy coconut rice, heaps of nicely charred roasted veggies, and a flavorful chimichurri sauce. I was also so impressed by the options the bar offered, including non-alcoholic spirits from Monday. I had a delicious non-alcoholic mezcal mule, and the bartenders were all super nice and helpful. read more

El servicio es excelente, los empleados muy amables. La cena espectacular con unos sabores deliciosos. La coctelería es excelente, los mejores tragos de la zona. read more

We ate her twice on vacation, both AMAZING Experiences! They took all of the proper COVID-19 precautions and the customer service was superb. The meals were incredible, very unique dishes, nothing we would change. The gift shop is also great, lots of cute jewelry! We will definitely be back on our next visit! read more

We had there brunch the other day and it was delicious. Every meal was better than expected and exceeded all our expectations. There house potatoes are amazing along with any of the egg dishes. The lox is also a favorite of our party. We had a handicap member of our group and they where extremely accommodating. They also had a beautiful gift shop with the most comfortable bathing suits I've ever had, I even had to return the text day to get another one! Beautiful jewelry and handbags as well. read more

Restaurante El Blok - The second one because it was so comfortable - Latin American Near Me - Vieques, Puerto Rico

5 stars for the cocktail happy hour. The best view on the strip! There is a happy hour on the top level of the hotel/restaurant. Cocktails (rum punch, margarita...) are $9-10. I think Medalla was $2 (the best deal I have seen anywhere) but Corona was $5. The bar has about 5 seats, but the entire upper deck is accessible. There are many lounge chairs to hang out on while you watch the sunset. There is also a hot tub upstairs (not sure if open to all, or just hotel guests). Very friendly bartender. Music was very loud! 3 stars for breakfast. Restaurant located on the 2nd floor. There is still a great view if you choose to sit at one of the barstools along the edge- opens to look at the street/beach below. Came here for breakfast/brunch the following morning. The brunch menu is posted on the first level and that's what hooked us. However, the menu we were given had much fewer options. I was very disappointed in the lack of options. I ended up with a hodgepodge of items- toast, yogurt, granola, fruit. Not bad, but not what I wanted, and certainly overpriced. read more

Restaurante El Blok - Rooftop patio at sunset - Latin American Near Me - Vieques, Puerto Rico

The octopus was dense and steak like with a rich flavor. The conch was a great flavor. Cooked to perfection. The ceviche came with chips and was quite refreshing actually. The waitress was top notch. Very informed of the menu and every dish. The environment was incredible. High end, and unwise dishes. Must try! read more

Restaurante El Blok - Octopus appetizer - Latin American Near Me - Vieques, Puerto Rico

Others have also had some pretty bad experiences here which makes me believe that my experience was not unique. My family and I came in during a rainstorm to grab some drinks and to kill some time. We double checked with the security guard that we would still be able to enter as we weren't guests and he said it was totally fine. We get to the entrance to the restaurant and were turned away for no apparent reason. The security guard was a bit taken aback and tried to get an explanation from the hostess but got nothing. We left but were super disappointed by the rude service at what otherwise looks to be a decent place. Don't recommend at all, go to nearby Kelly's for amazing service and food instead. read more

Was turned away from service, unsure what the reason was, very poor service, would not recommend for tourists or anyone visiting

This is a beautiful building well done and with a simple yet elegant touch. We were there for breakfast. My husband ordered a bloody mary. I just had orange juice. The meal was delicious. He had the egg benedicts. The eggs were done correctly, and the sauce was delicious. I had waffles, eggs, bacon and breakfast potatoes. The potatoes were a pleasant surprise. They came with spinach, carrots, and other veggies. Very good and creative. I am not a health nut; if you prefer without vegies, you can ask them to. They are very accommodating. It was a great experience. I can't wait to try the lunch menu. read more

Restaurante El Blok - Latin American Near Me - Vieques, Puerto Rico

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Had dined here two nights ago with my wife and had an absolutely wonderful experience. Came back with our five-year-old son and mother-in-law tonight and the service was awful. First the host flat out refused to seat us at a different table when we didn't like where he had first sat us, even though the restaurant was only 25% full and we had made a reservation. No reason given, didn't check with anyone, just said "no" twice. The manager ultimately let us choose another table, but then our waitress was disinterested and unfriendly, and seemed annoyed at US when we asked after our child's dinner that hadn't arrived several minutes after everyone else was served. Usually waitstaff go out of their way to make sure kids get their food ASAP. Food was fine, not as good as on Thursday. Would not recommend, felt entirely unwelcome. read more

Sword fish medium well with mofongo and veggies and the Blok punch to drink. Yum! My husband had the hammer jack and the sweet and spicy drink. Sooooo good! read more

Restaurante El Blok - Latin American Near Me - Vieques, Puerto Rico

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This fine dining restaurant is located on the 2nd floor of El Blok. Offering spectacular views of the atlantic and the biobay. The sunset bar is located on the 5th floor of the said building. The service was great and the food was good. I did not care much for the ceviché. Sowrdfish and mahi, luckily were on the menu for that day!. Try the breadfruit mofongo cake. read more

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Great ambience at the bar. Salad with chicken was average though the chicken was delicious. The greens were a little more like kale and not enough dressing. Pasta with cheese, cream sauce and shrimp was absolutely outstanding. Good drinks and fun bartender. read more

This is one of the nicer restaurants in Esperanza and rocks more of a Miami beach vibe, making it a little at odds of the quiet town. That being said we had drinks here twice and dinner once during our week stay. The cocktails are great! The "champing thing" (actual name) is a must have. I also enjoyed their anchovy appetizer. I'm usually not a fan of fish but this was pretty tasty. I had their vegetarian special which was an avocado topped with vegetables in a garlic sauce. It was good but not great. The sauce was a little heavy for the avocado while the overall flavor of the meal was a little muted. My wife had the lobster pasta which had the same garlic sauce and was more of a baked lobster macaroni (but not actually macaroni). Overall I would recommend for drinks and app but you don't need the full dinner. read more

We went to el Blok this Friday for post thanksgiving dinner as I had some friends visiting us in our residence in Vieques for the weekend and had made dinner reservations for 4 that evening. As we approached the hostess ,she noticed that I had no shoes although we were all appropriately dressed. I explained that my puppy literally had destroyed my shoes and I didn't have any but would be happy to sit outside away from public view if necessary. The restaurant has ample outside seating ,and had only 3 tables seated ,none of which were outside. It was virtually empty. The hostess rudely and loudly admonished me that "this is not a tiki bar". This drew stares from the few patrons that were within earshot and obviously drew unwarranted attention to our party while we waited at the hostess stand. I was shocked at her aggressive attitude and asked to speak to the manager. I explained the situation to him and told him that I am a regular patron to their restaurant and often brought friends and clients for dinner to their restaurant. This "gentleman " was uninterested in anything we had to say and suggested we buy some shoes from their souvenir shop which we actually considered doing but deuces not to do as it was just too far across the line at that point and it would be awkward to drop $500 for dinner at a place where we felt unwelcome. He said that he stood behind his employee and that we could find somewhere else that would serve us. As we left I wished him good luck upon which time he retorted that "they don't need luck" as we walked away. The rest of my party was appalled at his lack of professionalism and the whole situation in general. This man is absolutely in over his head in his responsibilities and clearly does not belong in the food and beverage industry. We had never had an experience such as this at El Blok and needless to say we will not be patrons of this restaurant ever again. We had heard some anecdotal stories from El Blok and rude treatment to customers but had mostly dismissed them as such but now we definitely understand that there is a pattern here with the management and staff there. Mind you this is an establishment that is beachfront and as hotel guests there during the pandemic ,during which time they were clearly struggling to stay open,the shoe issue was irrelevant. Many people dine there in beach wear and barefoot daily as we have noticed and done ourselves. We were well received at a neighboring restaurant and had a wonderful meal that cleansed our palate from El Blok. Whomever the general manager is or owner for El Blok is ,do take note and mind what goes on at your restaurant please as this current staff and particularly this manager is costing you dearly. Every restaurant was packed last Friday as we noticed on our drive home. El Blok had 2 tables. We will NOT be back and needless to say ,there are other much better alternatives such as Tradewinds,Bili and El Quenepo,among others ,that will appreciate your business and not take the client for granted. read more

The service is ridiculously bad, especially the host! I arrived at Placita, a restaurant of El Block hotel, at 8:20pm. The host can't seat us because he said they closed. However, there was a couple walking to the host, right after me, and he seated them directly. What!? I walked back to the host and told him I had reservation so why can't seat us? He just shook his head and said, sorry we closed at 8:30pm, and then walked away immediately. Don't go there to ruin your vacay mood. Racism of any kind is not right. read more

We had to burgers and some churros. Everything was soooo good. Best churros I've ever had. Lanie, the manager, was so helpful and accommodating. Our night would have been ruined without her! Definitly stop in if you have the chance. read more

Amazing restaurant!! Stubbled upon this place for brunch and it was delicious. It was so good that we decided to return for dinner that same night to celebrate my birthday! The service was impeccable and everything we ate was delicious. You MUST try a coquito when you go to this place!!! read more