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THE REEF BAR ATMOSPHERE
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It's located in a very lively and popular area of the city. You can sing karaoke and dance salsa while you're waiting and after you're done eating. Our server was great, very helpful, he didn't speak English but my Spanish skills rose to the occasion and we had great conversations about Puerto Rico during his down time. I ordered the tostones rellenos de pulpo and I enjoyed every bite. I can't wait to come back again!
Food delicious, ambience beautiful, service very good. We came at night and it was karaoke night. You can clearly see the waves right on the side and can tell that this is an absolute beautiful place during the day, but we weren't able to take the scenes because of the nighttime. The karaoke was great. We came as a large party to have dinner before we cruise out tomorrow and the food was absolutely delicious and our server was on point with so many people he got all the orders right and remembered everything and came and checked on us frequently. The only kind really is parking. It's very narrow and very hard to park.
Parking is tight during mid day, take the first spot you see and walk to the reef which is at the curve of the U shaped road. This ocean front restraint with beautiful views caters to tourists in a way that surrounding restaurants weren't. If that's good or bad, it's up to you. As they say, "it's a choice!" We had several pins coladas, very tasty! The sampler of pork, chicken, plantains, and chicken wings. I had some tasty grouper, the kiddo had wings, and husband enjoyed malfungo. Everyone enjoyed their food, there is no tartar for fish lol, but a tasty oil and herb sauce is at the table. Good drinks and nice views is why you would come here. There is a nice area to swim if you pack your bathing suits!
The Reef Bar - Isla Verde: Stunning Views, But a less than stellar culinary farewell to Puerto Rico. We hit up The Reef Bar for our final night in Puerto Rico, and honestly, the place itself is great. It's a massive deck with oceanfront seating. The view at night was beautiful, but I bet it's absolutely staggering during the day. The start was smooth--the host seated us right away, menus in hand. But then we basically became ghosts. We sat there, ignored, for so long we seriously considered bailing. I was ready to walk out. When a server finally came back, they were really friendly and understood English well enough. After that slow start, the food shot out fast. Kim's chicken was fantastic--moist, cooked well, and the mushroom sauce was genuinely delicious. I, on the other hand, got the short end of the stick. My grouper was just plain bad. It was rubbery, clearly not fresh, and drowned in this very oily garlic sauce. A huge letdown for an oceanfront restaurant and a sad way to end the trip. Note to the kitchen - do not microwave fish! The drinks were good, and the prices were okay, if maybe a little steep for the area. But the absolute worst part was the karaoke. This is a very large venue, and they had the volume cranked up so high that it was harsh and painful. It could have enhanced the experience but the truth is it was so loud we could not converse - it wrecked the atmosphere. The Bottom Line: Great views, great chicken, but the awful grouper, the slow service, and that ear-splitting karaoke mean I probably won't be back , especially considering the 100 other places in walking distance.
Sábado 28 de febrero de 2026 llegamos a este local por qué se nos hizo llegar más fácil, pero fue una mejor elección. Local grande con comedor mirando al mar. Fuimos al mediodía y con Sol y el ambiente estaba fresco. Servicio excelente y ambiente tranquilo para la hora de almuerzo. El mofongo es uno de los mejores con camarones.
You know the food is good at a place if all you see are locals there! The Reef was absolutely excellent, all the way around. The food was impeccable and the service was equally as great! You can either sit indoors or outside close to the water. Pro tip: Order the Churrasco Steak Mufongo. I promise you won't be disappointed! Also, get a spot outside by the water-such an amazing view!
"A great place to grab some apps, a piña colada, sit by the water, and enjoy the spectacular views of San Juan from afar." We were looking for a new place to get food and drinks one evening when I said, Let's drive up into that area on the other side of the bridge before Piñones to see what is back there. I am glad we did too. That little area is loaded with cool shops and places to eat and has great views and especially at night. We walked in and grabbed a table over by the water. Then we waited a good while before anyone even paid attention us even though we kept looking at the bartender and kept trying to wave a waitress over. They weren't busy either so it was kind of annoying that we sat there for 10-15 minutes before the waitress finally came over, but tbh we didn't mind too much because there was a cute cat and we were having good convo while enjoying the breeze and the views. Once the waitress made her way over to us she was very nice. My gf immediately asked her where the restroom was and I asked her to give us a minute to look over the menu to see what we wanted. After she saw that my gf was back she came over and we ordered two piña coladas and a Medalla for myself. The piña coladas were very good but like most places in PR I always question, Did they even put any rum in these? I feel like most places don't think you'll notice since they are so sweet or say, I didn't know you wanted alcohol in them(I had that happen a couple times btw), but when you drink several and you don't feel anything, you basically overpaid for a pineapple smoothie. FYI: always make sure to ask if they have alcohol in them. I am not saying theirs didn't, I am just saying there are a lot of scammers out there. While enjoying our drinks we decided on the cheese curds and fried calamari. They were both tasty. No complaints! I think the main appeal of this place is the location and atmosphere. It's definitely 5/5. I'm sure we'll come back to this place again after a day at the beach or when we are just out driving around eating roadside food from Piñones to Loíza. Mmm... I miss that so much! Great spot! Much Love PR :)
Great spot overlooking the reef providing the vibe we were looking for on a warm afternoon. The owner or manager was visible, and checking in patrons regularly.
The reef Restaurant may not be fancy, but it's one of my favorite hidden gems in Puerto Rico. The food is consistently phenomenal--fresh, flavorful, and always hits the spot. Add in the beautiful view, and it's the perfect combination of comfort and scenery. I make sure to visit every single time I'm in town. It's the kind of place that keeps you coming back, not for luxury, but for quality and authenticity. Highly recommend if you're looking for great food without the frills
Authentic cuisine. Great service with beautiful views. Their mofongo is some of the best I've had in San Juan area. Very tasty, seasoned, and not dry at all! The crab portion was hefty. So delicious! The drinks are great. Everyone is really nice. It gets busy so have patience. Pinones is always a vibe. Check it out and enjoy.
Bits of hard crab pieces in our dish but the margaritas were so good! The service was good although our server was a little busy taking a break to check on us without flagging her down.
Only came for drinks and the view, I was not disappointed at all. Drinks were strong, flavorful and nice portioned. The view was the highlight. Breathtaking and my first true view in PR. Beautiful. Excellent customer service.
Beautiful view in Piñones, can't ask for anything better than that. We didn't have much aside from the chicken mofongo and a few drinks but loved the scenery. I recommend checking this restaurant out.
4 months ago
We live here during the month of April and this place is by far our favorite. For those who have said the service is slow, I invite you to relax and enjoy island time. The house sangria is by far the best on the island and the views are spectacular. I've ordered the whole snapper at many places and this one is top tier. I've also been eating Arroz con gandules for over 30 years and nothing compares to this place. Sit back, relax and enjoy! read more
6 months ago
This review is only for drinks and appetizers. I have been to Piñones many times and I just want to say if you are visiting Puerto Rico, it's a great place to have local food and enjoy some breathtaking views. The Reef Bar or should I say, The New Reef has the kind of vibe you dream of when visiting Puerto Rico. Not only do they serve traditional Puerto Rican Cuisine, but the restaurant has Outdoor seating with incredible Ocean views. Unfortunately, the view also includes the trash below. I think the restaurant would really benefit from having it cleaned. We only stopped by for appetizers, but wow what a treat. My husband and I shared an Octopus Salad and Arepas. I also had a Piña Colada and it was absolutely delicious. The prices here are also very reasonable and the service was great. This would have been a 5 star review, if it wasn't for the trash. read more
3 months ago
It's located in a very lively and popular area of the city. You can sing karaoke and dance salsa while you're waiting and after you're done eating. Our server was great, very helpful, he didn't speak English but my Spanish skills rose to the occasion and we had great conversations about Puerto Rico during his down time. I ordered the tostones rellenos de pulpo and I enjoyed every bite. I can't wait to come back again! read more
7 months ago
Food delicious, ambience beautiful, service very good. We came at night and it was karaoke night. You can clearly see the waves right on the side and can tell that this is an absolute beautiful place during the day, but we weren't able to take the scenes because of the nighttime. The karaoke was great. We came as a large party to have dinner before we cruise out tomorrow and the food was absolutely delicious and our server was on point with so many people he got all the orders right and remembered everything and came and checked on us frequently. The only kind really is parking. It's very narrow and very hard to park. read more
Parking is tight during mid day, take the first spot you see and walk to the reef which is at the curve of the U shaped road. This ocean front restraint with beautiful views caters to tourists in a way that surrounding restaurants weren't. If that's good or bad, it's up to you. As they say, "it's a choice!" We had several pins coladas, very tasty! The sampler of pork, chicken, plantains, and chicken wings. I had some tasty grouper, the kiddo had wings, and husband enjoyed malfungo. Everyone enjoyed their food, there is no tartar for fish lol, but a tasty oil and herb sauce is at the table. Good drinks and nice views is why you would come here. There is a nice area to swim if you pack your bathing suits! read more
The Reef Bar - Isla Verde: Stunning Views, But a less than stellar culinary farewell to Puerto Rico. We hit up The Reef Bar for our final night in Puerto Rico, and honestly, the place itself is great. It's a massive deck with oceanfront seating. The view at night was beautiful, but I bet it's absolutely staggering during the day. The start was smooth--the host seated us right away, menus in hand. But then we basically became ghosts. We sat there, ignored, for so long we seriously considered bailing. I was ready to walk out. When a server finally came back, they were really friendly and understood English well enough. After that slow start, the food shot out fast. Kim's chicken was fantastic--moist, cooked well, and the mushroom sauce was genuinely delicious. I, on the other hand, got the short end of the stick. My grouper was just plain bad. It was rubbery, clearly not fresh, and drowned in this very oily garlic sauce. A huge letdown for an oceanfront restaurant and a sad way to end the trip. Note to the kitchen - do not microwave fish! The drinks were good, and the prices were okay, if maybe a little steep for the area. But the absolute worst part was the karaoke. This is a very large venue, and they had the volume cranked up so high that it was harsh and painful. It could have enhanced the experience but the truth is it was so loud we could not converse - it wrecked the atmosphere. The Bottom Line: Great views, great chicken, but the awful grouper, the slow service, and that ear-splitting karaoke mean I probably won't be back , especially considering the 100 other places in walking distance. read more
6 months ago
Sábado 28 de febrero de 2026 llegamos a este local por qué se nos hizo llegar más fácil, pero fue una mejor elección. Local grande con comedor mirando al mar. Fuimos al mediodía y con Sol y el ambiente estaba fresco. Servicio excelente y ambiente tranquilo para la hora de almuerzo. El mofongo es uno de los mejores con camarones. read more
You know the food is good at a place if all you see are locals there! The Reef was absolutely excellent, all the way around. The food was impeccable and the service was equally as great! You can either sit indoors or outside close to the water. Pro tip: Order the Churrasco Steak Mufongo. I promise you won't be disappointed! Also, get a spot outside by the water-such an amazing view! read more
"A great place to grab some apps, a piña colada, sit by the water, and enjoy the spectacular views of San Juan from afar." We were looking for a new place to get food and drinks one evening when I said, Let's drive up into that area on the other side of the bridge before Piñones to see what is back there. I am glad we did too. That little area is loaded with cool shops and places to eat and has great views and especially at night. We walked in and grabbed a table over by the water. Then we waited a good while before anyone even paid attention us even though we kept looking at the bartender and kept trying to wave a waitress over. They weren't busy either so it was kind of annoying that we sat there for 10-15 minutes before the waitress finally came over, but tbh we didn't mind too much because there was a cute cat and we were having good convo while enjoying the breeze and the views. Once the waitress made her way over to us she was very nice. My gf immediately asked her where the restroom was and I asked her to give us a minute to look over the menu to see what we wanted. After she saw that my gf was back she came over and we ordered two piña coladas and a Medalla for myself. The piña coladas were very good but like most places in PR I always question, Did they even put any rum in these? I feel like most places don't think you'll notice since they are so sweet or say, I didn't know you wanted alcohol in them(I had that happen a couple times btw), but when you drink several and you don't feel anything, you basically overpaid for a pineapple smoothie. FYI: always make sure to ask if they have alcohol in them. I am not saying theirs didn't, I am just saying there are a lot of scammers out there. While enjoying our drinks we decided on the cheese curds and fried calamari. They were both tasty. No complaints! I think the main appeal of this place is the location and atmosphere. It's definitely 5/5. I'm sure we'll come back to this place again after a day at the beach or when we are just out driving around eating roadside food from Piñones to Loíza. Mmm... I miss that so much! Great spot! Much Love PR :) read more
1 month ago
8 months ago
Great spot overlooking the reef providing the vibe we were looking for on a warm afternoon. The owner or manager was visible, and checking in patrons regularly. read more
1 year ago
The reef Restaurant may not be fancy, but it's one of my favorite hidden gems in Puerto Rico. The food is consistently phenomenal--fresh, flavorful, and always hits the spot. Add in the beautiful view, and it's the perfect combination of comfort and scenery. I make sure to visit every single time I'm in town. It's the kind of place that keeps you coming back, not for luxury, but for quality and authenticity. Highly recommend if you're looking for great food without the frills read more
Authentic cuisine. Great service with beautiful views. Their mofongo is some of the best I've had in San Juan area. Very tasty, seasoned, and not dry at all! The crab portion was hefty. So delicious! The drinks are great. Everyone is really nice. It gets busy so have patience. Pinones is always a vibe. Check it out and enjoy. read more
8 months ago
10 months ago
Only came for drinks and the view, I was not disappointed at all. Drinks were strong, flavorful and nice portioned. The view was the highlight. Breathtaking and my first true view in PR. Beautiful. Excellent customer service. read more
The reef is about a 15 minute drive from old San Juan and is right in a little Cove. The beaches all along the water are beautiful with light sand and really clear water. The Reef has a lot of seating inside but the outside seats overlooking the water are where you need to be! The service was great and the drinks were tasty. The shrimp and rice were okay but the shrimp were kind of over cooked and not that exciting. The fish bites were absolutely delicious! Lightly fried and very fresh! Definitely a good spot to visit, grab a small bite to eat, have drinks and enjoy sunset! read more
2 years ago
Amazing view! My favorite restaurant in Porto Rico. Service is fast and staff is friendly. The food is delicious, price is reasonable and honestly most important, it's the view! read more
3 years ago
Beautiful views! Tasty food! The service was also good. We did I have to ask for some additional hot sauces but they were given to us quickly. read more
8 months ago
3 years ago
Everything about this place was amazing. All I wanted was a good food. And a beautiful sunset. I let the bartender and pick my drinks and food. I could've done without the pina colada but the mixed seafood mofongo was deliciously awesome. If I could eat Mofongo every single day I would be a happy woman. read more
3 years ago
The view that is offered is the most impressive thing offered here. The service is super slow and it almost felt like we were being a bother to our server. The drink quality left a lot to be desired. The piña coladas we ordered were lacking flavor and i had to question if they had any rum. Be forwarded that parking is very difficult and some spots are available for purchase, I paid $10 for a spot. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
1 year ago
3 years ago
We were told to visit this restaurant for "happy hour" and decided to stop by without any idea of what to expect. My friend and I were caught off guard by the traffic getting into the local area - a long line of cars were headed to the same place, so we hoped it was going to be worth the wait. I lucked into a great parking space as someone was pulling away and we exited into the group of bars, restaurants, outdoor grills and mix of dance music. We pointed ourselves towards the ocean and that's where we found New Reef. The sun was an hour away from setting, and we snagged a table right at the edge of the deck to enjoy the view. This was definitely the most beautiful view we had during our trip to San Juan. It's stunning. The food was standard bar-type snacks. It was fine, but the stuffed tostones we ordered were just alright. The drinks were served in plastic cups and water in plastic bottles. The shot glasses (yes, there was some tequila consumed) ranged in size from normal to super tiny, without explanation. A karaoke DJ set up inside (it was Thursday) and several locals sang during our visit. I would say this has a very "local's bar" vibe. We enjoyed the sunset and then headed off to find the next spot. My only suggestion would be to get some adjustable umbrellas on the outside deck. It was early April and already got extremely hot before the sun got low. We wished we could angle the umbrellas as we were melting. Still, it was a lovely sunset. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
The food was awesome. Extremely flavorful. The service was perfect. The ambiance was vibrant and relaxing. The restaurant is located amongst other restaurants, shopping sites and on the beach area. Beautiful area. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
Great view. Good prices. Good service. Manager carlos was very attentive and made sure we felt comfortable and welcomed Gracias Carlos! read more
4 years ago
Ate here last night. Very very casual. The staff were extremely friendly. The views are to die for. I had grouper and should have ordered the sauce on the side as it was not what I prefer, but it was decent. Margaritas were good. Staff were extremely friendly. The waitress did not speak English and we made it work. I was extremely thankful they weren't upset or mean to me because I do not speak Spanish. The views... well, just see the pictures. Amazing. The downfall... music was extremely loud. It ruined the experience for me a bit. If you're looking for quiet this isn't it. The menu, which was on copy paper, has no descriptions. It made it difficult to navigate and choose an item with my allergies. Why I chose the grouper. Overall a good experience. Not disappointed but not great. read more
7 years ago
Superb!!!! This is my first and last stop in Puerto Rico. Near the airport with a beautiful view of the beach this restaurant is the perfect place to spend time drinking or eating. Drinks! 1- Medalla ! 5 of 5! Puertorican beer! Excellent! 2- liquor 43 with milk and cinnamon! - 5 of 5! Great drinks! 3- housemade Sangria! 5 of 5! Very strong , great flavor ! 4- chichaito shot! 5 of 5 ! Great ! Someplaces can add flavor! Food! Puertorican sampler ! 5 of 5 ! Pure puertorrican flavor! Beautiful place, clean with private parking lot. Staff is great! Highly recommended!!! read more
3 years ago
Tremenda vista al Mar. El Chillo entero muy sabroso y el trifongo está muy bueno también. Realmente lo recomiendo. read more
2 years ago
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Carretera 187
Pinones, Puerto Rico
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(787) 646-9933
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