After a week of beer, tacos, street food, beaches, forts, music, and mischief, I had one last mission: a Cuban sandwich. At Ropa Vieja Grill in San Juan, Puerto Rico, they might just perfect it better than Cuba itself. The spot is clean, classy, and welcoming not your typical hole-in-the-wall and the service is top-notch, making you feel like a VIP with every bite. The sandwich itself? Pressed just right, loaded with roast pork, ham, melty cheese, and pickles a little Caribbean celebration in your hands. A must-stop for your final taste of the island flavorful, polished, and unforgettable. read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Started with two sparking waters and the server did bring two bottles but one was opened and some of the Perrier was missing. None had been pre poured so we pointed this out and he took it back and brought a replacement bottle. Was not a good start to the meal. The experience ended up being a bit disappointing. The food was decent, but not anything special, especially given the prices. Some of the dishes lacked flavor, and a couple items came out lukewarm, like they'd been sitting for a while although nothing is piping hot in Europe. I was expecting more authentic, bold flavors which it was not. Service was hit or miss it appeared depending on the server and the table. It took longer than it should have to get our food and even simple things like refills were slow. It felt a little disorganized, especially considering it wasn't that busy. The atmosphere is nice and the location is convenient there but it just didn't quite come together on this visit. Not a terrible experience overall, but there's room for improvement. As a tourist you typically give a place one shot and this was it. read more

Ropa Vieja Grill got the birthday shenanigans off to a great start. It's just about a block from the beach and was the perfect stop, enroute to sun, sand, and celebration. From the moment we walked in, it was a lively and fun vibe. The warmth and friendliness of the staff set the tone and instantly put us in vacation mode. I finally tried the much talked about mofongo (fried green plantains mashed with garlic, olive oil, and "chicharrónes" or pork skins). We ordered the beef, which was tender and flavorful, and more than just enough as it's quite filling. The Puerto Rican lemonade made with passion fruit was another new tickler for the tastebuds. As guests at the hotel (The Condado Palm Inn), we were lucky enough to meet Denise, during breakfast one morning. Let me just say, she ROCKS! Denise was our hostess turned unofficial tour guide, enthusiastically sharing some great ideas and recommendations on beaches, adventures, local spots and other must-see-if-you-can sights of interest. read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

See all

STELLAR!!! I had the pleasure of making this my every evening spot to go to, during my stay this week. There was nothing to complain about. The food, the Service, standing ovation!!!!! and the ambiance was just what the doctor Rx. Thank you read more

See all

The service was great and so was the vibe. We all enjoyed our food and drinks--with the exception of some very bland mixed vegetables that looked like the came out of a bag. My friend was a bit concerned that they couldn't do any modifications of her order, but it worked out. read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - Ropa vieja mofongo - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Great restaurant in a convenient location. I seen the positive reviews for this restaurant and wanted to try it out. We were seated immediately without a reservation outside. Our waitress was very nice and the service was pleasantly quick. My husband ordered the mofongo and I had the red snapper. The food was simple and clean yet so flavorful. When I'm back in town, this will be the spot I take my friends to. read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - Red snapper, red beans, rice, Caribbean salad - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Ropa Vieja is great! My mojito was delicious- the right about of sweet and tangy. I got the penne with chicken in a butter sauce and it was perfect. Not too buttery and the chicken was nicely cooked. We had great service and the outside area is really nice for eating dinner at night. read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - Mojito - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

We thought this restaurant was a tourist trap but it turned it to be decent. It was the first restaurant we ate at when we got to Puerto Rico. After being on the island for 10 days, we had plenty of time to try other places, and I'd recommend something more local/ mom&pop type place. read more

See all

Me encanto este restaurante, muy cercano a condado beach. La comida estaba estupendamente deliciosa, me pedi la ropa vieja y arroz con frijoles. Mis padres pidieron churrasco y también les fue de su agrado. El servicio estuvo espectacular el mesero nos atendió fenomenal siempre muy atento. Nos sentamos en el patio y hacia una brisa placentera fue una experiencia super agradable. read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - Arroz con frijoles y rola vieja acompañados de plátanos fritos - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

My wife and I were in Puerto Rico for a long weekend and this restaurant was right by our hotel. Very nice interior and we were greeted by a genial server. I ordered what I thought was a "Puerto Rican" beer, but it turns out it was a Puerto Rico "Style" beer. It was tasty though. I ordered some fried plantains and a Cuban sandwich. The dipping sauce was tasty for the plantains and the Cuban sandwich had some of the best Cuban bread I have ever had and just the right amount of mustard and pickles. We liked this place for one of our first dinners out and was one of many great places to eat in Puerto Rico. read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - Fried plantains with great sauce and awesome Cuban! - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

See all

It's my first time in Puerto Rico and this place was recommended by my taxi driver who I'm so glad I listened! I ordered the ropa vieja plate and it was 10/10. The flavor was incredible, the portions were great, and everything tasted authentic and fresh. I would definitely be back! read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - Ropa vieja - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Don't order the fish. It is old and pricy! Service was good but did not get any discount for old fish that we did not eat!! read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - Outside - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Exactly four years later, I returned--and I have to say, I adore past me for leaving such a helpful review. I followed my own advice and ordered exactly what I recommended... and it absolutely delivered. I went with the masitas de cerdo (fried pork chunks), tostones, and congri (rice and beans). The rice was just okay, but the pork and sautéed onions? Incredible. Perfectly crispy on the outside, tender inside, and packed with flavor. The sauce the tostones come with is very common accompaniment but I'm not a big fan of it. To drink, I had the passion fruit mojito--refreshing, not overly sweet, and honestly, I could've had three more. We actually loved it so much, we came back again during our trip. Our go-to order is now locked in: masitas de cerdo, tostones, and fries. Pure comfort food perfection. The only heartbreak? They only offer Tabasco--no proper hot sauce in sight. As someone who grew up on Caribbean flavors, this felt like a personal betrayal. Tabasco with this food? Absolutely not. A few other notes: * Like many spots in Puerto Rico, the menu is accessed via QR code--so having Wi-Fi is essential. * Thankfully, they do have Wi-Fi. * They also sell cigars if that's your thing. * And the outdoor seating is lovely--great vibes all around. So glad I got the chance to come back. Still delicious, still full of flavor, just missing the hot sauce I didn't know I'd mourn. read more

See all

This was a conveniently located spot across from my hotel and it seemed to have good reviews, so we decided to give it a try. We were early for our reservation but we were seated right away. I was surprised that a smaller place had such an incredible wine list! We enjoyed a great bottle with calamari and seafood salad. For the main, a whole red snapper was flavorful but overcooked. We enjoyed it but just wish it hadn't been overdone. Service was very good. Overall, it was a positive experience and I would return. read more

Great service and great food! We opted to sit outside and had a great experience. I would certainly go back and try more of the menu. The mofongo was amaaaazing. Lots of flavor and sitting in a buttery sauce that made every bite delicious. read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - Ropa vieja mofongo! - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

See all

We had to scan the menu to our phones in order to order. Very tedious to navigate. The food was average. I had the Masitas de Puerco((fried pork chunks) and steamed yucca with Mojo and salad. The meat was a little dry. Otherwise, the rest was very good. My husband had the Cuban sandwich but it was overloaded with thick pieces and couldn't taste anything even the pickles or cheese that usually enhances the flavors. read more

Modern and elegant place. Waiter was friendly and helpful. Food was tasty so I had to share (sorry for my messy plate). I felt the yuca was a bit too chunky for my taste. It was good and the seasoning was perfect. The drink was tasty too, just wished it was a bigger glass and not a martini glass. read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - Ropa vieja mofongo side of fried yuca frita and tamarind margarita - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Waiter was extremely rude! We pointed out a discrepancy on our bill and the waiter snatched the receipt from my husband's hand and quickly switched away. My husband's Puerto Rican steak was literally gray and looked as if it had been boiled in water. The chicken in the Arroz Con Pollo was extremely dry. The red snapper had ZERO seasoning. I would never return to this tourist trap. read more

See all

I've eaten at a few restaurants on the PR trip and have been mostly disappointed. However, Ropa Vieja grill had exactly what I have been wanting and expecting. Like a lot of the restaurants on Ashford, they had a mix of indoor and outdoor seating. Outside was romantic, great yellow lighting, but not intimate necessarily as it was busy, a bit noisy, and lots of pedestrians walking past. But I like that. It was alive. Patio was packed, inside was also pretty packed. The customers seemed to be a mix of English-speaking Americans and Boricuas. I saw a lot of people waiting for tables. Being alone has its advantages. You know that one middle bar seat that is in between two different groups? I grabbed it immediately. Service was great for the island (or any island). But they call it "island time" for a reason. Don't expect mainland USA speed and service here (or anywhere in the world frankly). These bartenders were friendly and helped me when I asked, but they won't be checking on you when they are busy. They had a ginormous wine and drink menu. Ok let's get to the point shall we, the food. My order: ropa vieja de la Cubana, frijoles negros, arroz, y plátanos amarillos. (Fall-apart beef stew, black beans, rice, and ripe/sweet plantains.) Every single thing was *perfect*. When I'm in the Latin Caribbean this is what I come for. This right here!! I'm not a big mufongo guy but you can order that too. They also had many other typical Puerto Rican foods like croquetas, arroz con pollo (rice and chicken with saffron), and so on. They also had burgers and fries if I am not mistaken. But honestly I'd go straight to the ropa Vieja de la cubana. Unless you like garlic alot then get the ropa vieja mufongo. Had a glass of Tempranillo. It was fine. Total bill of like $26!! I repeat $26!! They say PR is expensive but compared to most cities and tourist areas, imo, that is extremely low priced. Remember I had a glass of wine and a main with two sides!! This is an easy $60-80 in Phoenix. So I'd say this is a great deal. If you're in Condado, run, don't walk, to ropa vieja grill on Ashford. Same goes if you're staying in ocean park or isla verde.. get an uber to this place now! If your in old San Juan iirc they have some good options there. But otherwise, if you want real Latin Caribbean cuisine, this should be your first stop. read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - Ropa vieja de la Cubana, black beans, rice, and ripe plantains. - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

This place was phenomenal. The plates are huge. We shared ropa vieja mofongo and arroz con pollo, and we couldn't even finish our food. Quick, friendly service and we'll definitely come back on our next trip here. This beats the stereotypical hotel restaurant read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

As other reviewers shared this is a popular place in Condado and reservations are a good idea, especially for the weekend during season. As a walk-in we were prepared for a wait, especially when the patio was packed and the inside looked to be as well. The hostess, pleasant, but firm; if we wanted to be on the waiting list we needed to stand in the main corridor, in the lane of people coming and going. Didnt' make sense, but hey, I'm not a complainer. My wife thought better of a better idea and headed into the bar, where while full at first, after a minute a seat opened up for her to be able to place a drink order for while I waited amongst the traffic corridor. Once she secured a drink for us (which they mixed up my order), we luckily only had about a 30 minute wait for the Commandant, I mean Hostess, to point to a small table shrouded by a pillar for us to sit at. Odd that table had been cleared and cleaned at least 10 minutes earlier. After seating ourselves, another 10 minutes passed, and after several other nearby tables had been seated, water delivered and orders taken, before someone showed up to offer us water. Okay, enough of the bad stuff about short staffing and dictatorial hosting. On to the good things! The menu is varied with good options for apps and entrees, broken down by protein. Having been promoted as a Puerto Rican cuisine we had to jump in on the Mofongo Pollo as a shared plate. It was rich and very filling. The waiter did offer his advice that its best consumed earlier in the day, so luckily we split it 4 ways so as not to be a gut buster. For entrees, my wife went with the Cazulea de Mariscos, or a Cippino-like dish, with a latin twist and I for the classic Ropa Vieja, the shredded meat in a tasty carribbean flavored sauce. All entrees come with 2 sides so Rice & Beans, Plantains, steamed Yucca and mixed veggies were ours. All were equally great, but on reflection, with the Cazulea, it would have made sense to do another rice order to augment the generous sauce. We thoroughly enjoyed our food and rate their kitchen highly for the output. If you don't mind the service, then you will be rewarded with a great taste (at least in your mouth and in your tummy) from your experience here. read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - Cazuela de Mariscos with Steamed Yucca and Mixed Vegetables - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

See all

We came by for brunch & immediately loved the ambiance! The service was wonderful, but I think we would have enjoyed our food had we come for lunch or dinner. What we ordered wasn't bad but it definitely missed the mark. Overall, I would definitely come back to try this place for dinner! read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - breakfast potatoes - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

During my visit to Puerto Rico, we were at the beach and saw this place hd the most reviews and decided to check it out. The server and service great, was really friendly. The food, pasta was good. Alfredo quite creamy with tender chicken pieces. But what was slightly disappointing was the chicken rice. I felt it was very salty, considering I am trying this dish for the first time, maybe that's something I'm not used to. The server also made sure and got us a large piece of tres leches, which was really good. read more

See all

While on vacation and we stayed in Condado so of course we have to try the local food. Found this place to our ABRB. The place looks nice inside and has plenty of space but to be sure I would make a reservation because we had to wait about 10 min for a table. The waiter was really nice and made contact with us right away for drinks. We ordered a few drinks while we had dinner and they were good. We ordered some appetizers the Risotto Fritters, and the Empanadas. The fritters were soft, flavorful, and tasteful. The empanadas beef inside was tender and juicy, with good seasoning. Our entrees included chicken with rice and beans, shrimp criolla with rice and beans, and sweet plantains, fried pork chunks with yucca, and plantains, and the Ropa Vieja with yucca, and plantains. The chicken was cooked perfect with nice flavor to it, and the rice and beans was delicious, best beans I've ever had. The shrimp also was cooked perfect with a little nice spice to it and of course the rice and beans again was great, along with the plantains. The fried pork chunks had a great flavor and were tender, the yucca was good, and the plantains as well. The Ropa Vieja dish had so much flavor to it and the meat was so tender. I recommend any of these dishes. The service was really nice and always available if you needed anything. We didn't try any dessert because there was too much food to eat for us that we didn't have room. Great job. Must visit this place if you want a good mean. read more

See all

4.5 experience and food. But the excellent service and outside eating with glimpses of the ocean in the distance have me rounding up versus down. We had the skirt steak appetizer (amazing), avocado salad (refreshing) and the ropa vieja entree (so yummy). The entree came with sides - we got the mixed rice and beans and the bread fruit. Overall the food was very good but the ambience made this a must come back to when in San Juan. read more

See all

I got the garlic chicken and fried plantains and grilled vegetables. Food was good and service but really overpriced for the quality and it was kinda slow. read more

It was the only place available without reservation for Mother's Day lunch. I did not take any pictures unfortunately. It is one block from a nice beach, if you find a park, you can go walking. We had the Asian meat as appetizer (which was good) and some rice cheese balls, crispy and very good. I had the chicken Parmesan, good. And my husband the oxtail, he said it was good, but I did not tried. Environment is very nice and service was great. read more

Food and service was absolutely amazing!! Definitely recommend the food here out of any other place

My boyfriend and I went for dinner and had a wonderful experience. Our server, Angel, was very friendly and attentive. We started with the Wagyu Sliders and the (not-so) Mini Beef Empanadillas, both were delicious. For our mains, I had the Ropa Vieja Mofongo and he had the Oxtail. The Oxtail is a must-try. It's rich, tender, and full of flavor. We sat inside, and the AC kept the space nice and cool, which was a plus. I'm in town for a business trip and was a little disappointed that they don't accept American Express, but that was the only drawback. Otherwise, it was a fantastic meal and experience overall! read more

I stayed in the Fairmont Hotel in El San Juan Puerto Rico. I searched high and low for a cute restaurant with good food and found this magical place. I took an uber from San Juan to Condado. It took around 10-12 min to get there if I remember correctly. I came here for my pre birthday weekend during labor day and I had such an amazing time. The staff was great, food bomb, and drinks hella strong! This was my type of place for sure. What I ordered ____________________ Grouper Ceviche: 12/10 YO this was spectacular! The acidity the vibrant flavors! The huge chunky pieces. I loved this so much! I thought about this dish probably 3 days after I left PR that's how good it was to me! Fried Calamari: 9.7/10 Yum! This was fried fresh and they paired this with a flavorful aioli. Skirt Steak (Churrasco): 14/10 Yo this was seasoned by my people. This had to have Haitian Epis in it because baby this was too good. God himself seasoned this skirt steak! That's how remarkable it was! Pact with flavor after the first bite. I got white rice and red beans as sides and the beans contained pork. I was hesitant about this I don't typically like pork in my beans but I gave it a try and was pleasantly surprised. Lamb Shank: 9.3/10 This thang had to be cooking for hours. The amount of different flavors in this dish is truly impactful. I was so touched when I had a bite of this. My heart was so happy! The meat was literally falling off the bone. It was so tender and soft! Cheese Flan: 10/10 This was surprisingly tasty. It was sweet but not too sweet! Please get this for dessert! Mojito: 10/10 Strong, authentic, and delicious! The mojito speaks for itself truly! Overall Experience: 10/10 Customer Service: 10/10 Will I Return? : YES! If and when i come back to PR! This establishment has been Tamied ™ read more

See all

I met up with my family here after work around 6 pm. The place seems to be very popular and has very nice decor and design quality throughout the establishment. The staff was friendly but attentiveness could have been better. I didn't take any pictures of food but we ordered the ropa vieja mofongo, masitas mero, and rice and beans. Everything was great except for the ropa vieja in my opinion. I'm sure others may like it but the beef just wasn't tender enough for me and the flavor could have been a lot better. Other items on the menu sounded great so it could be an option in the future. read more

Did I just find a spot in San Juan with the most refreshing Martini?! Yes, I did! I had such a great experience the first time I came 3 years ago, I had to return, and they did not disappoint. They sat us outside on the patio, where we could soak up the vibrant nightlife and feel the electric energy of Puerto Rico. And oh yeah, the food! I ordered the Mero Frito, which was perfectly fried with a generous portion. I also had the Shrimp Mofongo with the garlic criollo sauce. It was absolutely fabulous, with just the right amount of sauce. And did I mention the Martini?! Thank goodness I was only walking distance from my hotel. This place is a MUST! read more

Overall: 4 stars Located centrally in Condado district, the restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating. We were seated outdoors to watch the "night life" and to catch the ocean breeze when it was blowing. Can get hot and steamy if no wind however the cold Mojitos helped our body temperature to a reasonably temp. Outdoor seating is about 20 tables which can seat 4 to table. Indoor has a bar and at least 20 tables. 4.5 Stars: Our server was friendly, professional and helpful with our questions on certain Puerto Rican options. Our Spanish was limited so we conversed in English. Most of the staff were bilingual which is helpful. She made sure our glasses were filled w water due to steamy night weather. Food: 3 - 4.5 Stars We ordered: Appetizers 4.5 Stars: Empanadillas de Carne - 4 mini beef empanadas. They were hot, steamy, savory beefy pastries that were perfectly fried. The seasonings had a hint of cumin, garlic, and other herbs that were delightful to the taste buds. NOT: be careful when biting cuz they were freshly deep fried. Hot and steamy. Entrees: 1. Mar y Tierra (camarones & Bistec de filete) garlic shrimp and skirt steak w steam yucca and veggies. 3 stars . The shrimp was sautéed in a "butter garlic" sauce that didn't taste like garlic and there no other seasoning ie- salt and pepper with the garlic sauce. Also the skirt steak was grilled w ZERO seasonings such as Salt and Pepper. Could have been a lot better. 2. Salmón al Sartén con Salsa de Mangó w Black Beans and steamed rice. The Salmon was thick, pan seared and had a moist texture. The mango sauce was fresh and light but slightly too sweet however it was still delicious. The black beans were somewhat bland but was an acceptable with the steam rice and salmon. Mojitos were 3.75 stars. They were good but nothing special. Needed a lightly more syrup and rum but they did the job to cool us down on a lovely evening. read more

See all

The food was average. The pancakes looked amazing however, they tasted like biscuits and our son only ate half of one. The service was good and attentive. The outdoor seating was wonderful early in the morning. The ambiance was island casual. read more

See all

We ordered the Ropa vieja mofongo, braised Short rib w/ white rice/beans & Yuka frite. Absolutely amazing. My first time trying mofongo and I couldn't put my fork down. The meat was flavorful, tender, falling apart, the sauce was thick and melted the mofongo perfectly. The braised short rib required no fork pressing at all. Without sauce very juicy and flavorful. I never had beans like that and they were great. Definitely 10 out of 10 on this food strip. Customer service excellent. Nice quaint space for inside and outside seating. read more

Ropa Vieja Grill - Ropa vieja mofongo - Latin American Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

See all

Great service. Wonderful garlic shrimp. Full bar that makes a mean gin and tonic. Inside can be a little cold if you're under a vent. Outside seating is my recommendation. read more

This restaurant is close to many hotels. Good Puerto Rican food. The service went well. The vibe is fine but nothing spectacular.

Located right on the main strip Ashford Avenue, Ropa Vieja Grill offers delicious authentic Puerto Rican cuisine with a Dominican flair. Our waiter was attentive and provided good customer service. I enjoyed my meal and would definitely eat here again. read more

See all

Yes yes yes!!! All the way yes!! We had the ceviche as an appetizer, it was delicious. My husband had the New York strip with black beans and white rice and a side of plantains - he said it was the best black beans he's ever had. His dish was soooo good. I had the ropa vieja mofongo 10/10 so gooooood! The ropa vieja was so tasty and the mofongo has so much flavor! Wish we could go back there again tomorrow For dessert we had the tres leches it had cinnamon and was really moist! Yummy! read more

See all

After an early flight to Puerto Rico to see the Bad Bunny concert, my friends and I were starving before heading out to some of the experiences available on the island. After checking in early, we wanted a quick bite and found this place across the street from our hotel. We were seated quickly and the waitress did a nice job of going over what were the specials. Even though we were hungry, we knew we had a lot of walking ahead of us so we ordered just a few bites. We ordered the Ropa Vieja, Mofongo, the fish bites, and bacaloitos. This is a Cuban/Puerto Rican fusion place. The Ropa Vieja was good. It was nice and tender and had good flavor. The fish bites were delicious light breaded not greasy and the fish tasted fresh. The Bacaloitos were good not the best that I've had but they were tasty. I had a Mojito and it was nice and refreshing. This was a great start to our Puerto Rico trip. Definitely a good option if in the area and looking for a meal. read more

See all