After a year I think is time to give this review a well deserved update. I keep coming back to this place, I really love it--its one of those places that just gets it right! They offer a variety of herbal cocktail, with unique flavors and creative takes. My husband had a mezcal-base drink with herbs and he loved it--so much that he ended up having a few haha... I went for the classic Old Fashion which was OK, not great. I switched to a Moscow Mule after and that one was really good. Verde Mesa wins you over with freshness, balance, and a clear point of view rooted in farm-to-table cooking. Dishes feel vibrant, intentional and thoughtfully composed rather than heavy or overly manipulated. With that said, we began with the Kumamoto oyster, fresh and sweet. Then we had one of their classics, the sourdough toast with spread. This time they served it deconstructed--bread on the side and the spread separate-- and honestly, I like it better. The bread stays perfectly toasted, and you can built it yourself exactly how you want. The ribeye tartare was a pleasant surprise--rich, flavorful and paired with 'platanutres' (plantain chips) on the side, which complimented it really well. The only small note is that the chips were a bit too small to really build a proper bite with the tartare on top. Maybe using mariquitas would make that pairing even better. Also the tuna tiradito was well balanced with passion fruit, sesame seed vinaigrette and 'ají'. For mains, I had the pork cheeks stew, which was incredibly tender, soft and packed with flavor-- definitely a standout. My mom had the seared yellowfin tuna that came beautifully plated and the tuna had a vibrant red color that looked so appetizing. She really enjoy it, and said it was amazing. My husband had the mahi mahi fillet that came on a white cabbage stew and fish broth--he said he'll come back just for that single dish, that's how much he liked it. We saved some room for dessert and tried the tembleque and the tiramisu. The tembleque wasn't the most traditional version, but it had a subtle ginger hint that really worked and made it feel a bit more elevated. The tiramisu was also a great way to end the meal, creamy and indulgent. Overall, I would said the food matches the space-- artistic, cozy and a little whimsical. It's the kind of place where you slow down and enjoy each plate rather than rush through a meal. read more

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YUMMY! Loved that they have a vegan menu and are open until 10 on a Sunday. The restaurant itself is beautiful, and the dining room was busy and full of energy. I sat at the bar, and the service was quick and friendly. I ordered the vegan Verde Mesa rice, and it was delicious. The flavors worked really well together and felt thoughtfully balanced. The portion was also surprisingly generous easily enough for two people to share. I also had a dirty martini, which was well made and paired nicely with the meal. The only downside is the price. Everything was very good, but it felt a little expensive for what it was. That said, the quality of the food, the atmosphere, and the service made for a great overall experience. read more

Verde Mesa - Verde mesa rice - Seafood Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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I stumbled upon this place while wandering Old San Juan. The menu looked eclectic and interesting. The interior decor was also eclectic and interesting. Some dishes that I enjoyed: * Torched scallops * Tomato ceviche * Verde Mesa rice with chicken longanisa kofta add-on * Yellowfin tuna with roasted pumpkin and burnt daikon caramel The dishes sounded Asian on the menu, looked Asian in presentation, but tasted completely Latin -- that was the most interesting part of dining here. Verde Mesa rice was their signature dish, but I thought the components were weird. It had rice, vegetables, walnuts, cranberries, and Parmesan mixed together. It was a haphazard mess (1 star off). I added the chicken longanisa kofta, but not sure that tied the rice together either; it may have added to the scattered chaos. It was $40 for the chaotic rice mess and chicken longanisa kofta. I would have preferred something with less ingredients and better execution. read more

This was a great place we stumbled into while wandering Old San Juan. They operate on first come first serve with a waitlist, only. Your best bet is to walk in to contact them in person rather than call or contact them online, good luck. The interior decor is very cute and kitschy: homey vibes with fun dinnerware. Our server was very friendly. The conch salad was very chilling and fresh. The Lamb filled triángolis was essentially thin lamb dumplings and they were good, nothing to write home about. The Pork cheeks stew with the gnocchi was so rich: the pork was so tender, the sauce was the perfect amount (for sauce lovers), and the combined texture of the gnocchi was absolutely phenomenal! I had the Creamy coconut tremble for dessert and it was the perfect light dessert, excellent coconut flavors. read more

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Our son suggested this restaurant and we had a great family meal with excellent (friendly) service, amazing food and wine, and perfect table on the back wall. We were not dressed appropriately for this fine dining spot. I suspect they are used to it as they didn't blink. We were not the only ones. Regardless, when we return, we will dress appropriately :) We were super hungry as we did not eat much this day and ordered several apps when the sever came to get our water order. The tomato salad, cucumber salad, toast with some crazy good dipping sauce, and conch salad, were super fresh and delicious. We enjoyed with excellent French & Spanish white wines by the glass. Amazing first course. Our son was just coming off duty and been in the field for a week eating MREs and freezing so he had three of the toast appetizers. Our son ordered family style lamb, the Dorado (they call it by its Hawaiian name to make it sound fancy) and the North African inspired rice. The dorado was just of the line fresh with a simple broth so it was perfectly moist, the lambs was a stew that was unreal. The rice is a great meal if you are veg or not. This is Puerto Rican owned and operated by a fantastic journeyman chef and lady of the house as it should be. Great work and nice to support some hardworking creative locals. read more

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Great find down from Paloma Park. Sleeper of a location that lured us with a few deuces for Al fresco dining. There is a QR code for peeking at the menu, but a printed one in the window would probably have folks better consider a meal. With no direction or plans, we decided to splurge here as opposed to 99% of other cheap places that shout out happy hour with wings, fries and mofongo. (Truth told, I actually peeked into the postage stamp-sized kitchen where every cook donned clean chef coats instead of dingy t-shirts to make up my mind.) Beautiful romantic small interior that features antique mirrors, plates, fixtures, and whimsical lighting. Service was authentic and welcoming from server to Maitre'D. Menu was a bit poetically corny, but creative and interesting with several vegetarian dishes. For the historic area, prices were mid-reasonable. Silverware was wanting heavier choices. We shared plates, which I think the business should consider encouraging. We ordered the equivalent of the number of dishes anyway. Oysters were fresh and pricy, but we could not distinguish any of the described garnishes that sounded too good to be true, and was not tempted to splurge on a $53 upsell of caviar. Oyster Mushrooms with kale and sesame were nice, but the award goes to the tender and rich Conch Salad peppered with breadfruit. Entrees we shared were the Signature rice, Beef sirloin and Pork cheeks. The signature rice was an oblong platter that seemed to be inspired by Middle Eastern flavors. The accompanying green herb vinaigrette was beautifully rendered. Although the rice was seasoned carefully with plump craisins, a smattering of indistinguishable colorful vegetables and a bit of micros and cheese, a $30 tag would seem a bit excessive for a dish that looked eerily similar to Chinese fried rice. Beef sirloin, beautifully cooked Med rare, had cinnamon undertones and was colorful, tender, succulent and savory. Again, great dish with lots of moisture and seasoned accompanying garnishes. The star of the show was the understated braised pork cheeks (where do I find pork cheeks?) with sweet potato gnocchi. Pork was complex but buttery rich and unctuous. The accompanying gnocchi was made of cooked and "riced" sweet potato which can make the tender dumplings a little sticky due to moisture content. The surrounding sauce tied everything together, especially the crispy chiccharon pork skin and walnuts as garnishes. Dessert was a Coconut Tremble that looked like panna cotta. Small but hit the spot for a light textured finish. Service was steady, professional and timely. Interior finishes were customized and lovingly placed from champagne flutes to pressed ceiling tin tiles to restrooms. Was featured in Places to go PR dining Award-Winners. read more

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the restaurant itself is very pretty. the food is good and the cocktails are crafty, just how i like them. they play around with a variety of flavor combinations. i didnt get a full 5 star wow factor, but i would return to give it another shot for that extra star. read more

We came across the lovely restaurant by chance and were amazed by the lovely and very unique decor. The service was incredible, and the food was absolutely incredible. We enjoyed the tomato ceviche for appetizer (forgot to get a photo of that one) then the Verde Mesa Rice with Sirloin added as well as the Pork Cheeks Stew. All the dishes were delicious! We would highly recommend this restaurant if you are in Old San Juan area. read more

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The food here is excellent and amazing. Our service was not very good. That's why only 4 stars. We started with the mushrooms and conch salad. Both were very tasty, among the best dishes we've had in the past 12 months. Then we had the tuna and rice/vegetable dish. The tuna was perfectly cooked and came with some excellent pieces of caramelized daikon and pumpkin. The rice dish featured a lovely assortment of vegetables, including eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, caramelized onions, dried cranberries, walnuts and pumpkin. Both dishes were inventive and well prepared. The service was not up to the quality of the food. After ordering, our server returned 20 minutes later to say the kitchen wanted to confirm our entrees (seems highly unlikely since he had received our order) and we then waited an hour before they were finally delivered. When we inquired as to where they might be he explained that there "was a slight delay" and again blamed the kitchen. Given the fact that other tables who were seated at the same time as us received their food efficiently, we can only assume we were unlucky in our server assignment. read more

From the moment we walked in and saw the eclectic, old world decor to the welcoming staff (who seated us immediately) - this dining experience was absolutely delightful! And it's the only farm to table business in San Juan! Our server Kristina was very friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. She was prompt in taking our orders and always had a smile! They offer a wide array of options for herbivores and carnivores alike- no small feat in Old San Juan. My mother in law got the scallops, my father in law got the rib eye, my husband got the pork stew, my kids split the chicken and I got the signature vegan fish with a side of tuna. We were a little disappointed with the serving sizes (relative to cost) but that disappointment was not well founded as each of us was completely sated at the meal's end. All in all, a must stop - with beautiful views of the harbor too! Note: while the staff was very welcoming to my children (who were mostly well behaved) it's not exactly a kid restaurant unless they are adventurous eaters! read more

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Delicious food! The decor is adorable, and the service from Christina was great. Highly recommend the rice and tuna. Good options for vegans and gluten free as well. read more

Verde Mesa - Date cake - Seafood Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Wow! That was amazing! More than a meal, and experience. The food was an amazing collection of flavors and textures. The space was busy and sparked no end of conversations. Our server was wonderful. A big win all around! Well be back (after all, there are so many things on the menu yet to try!!) read more

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We ate here 2 years ago for an epic lunch, a group of 5. I left a rave review. Here's another! This time just my husband and I. They do close between 3-5, remember that! The decor and ambiance are so charming! Our server, Christina, was perfect! My husband had the tuna, fresh and spiced perfectly. I had chicken kofta! Drinks are inspired and delicious! The Purple Cloud dessert... dreaming about it for 2 years... so light, the berries so fresh... coffee service delightful! Don't miss this elegant farm to table experience! read more

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Just WOW! The decor in this place was incredible- very romantic too. I loved the food. The menu is very creative; it's different than what I would usually eat, which was so refreshing. The service was top notch, can't wait to go back. read more

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This was our last meal in San Juan. Everything was good!! Some favorites: Appetizers: tartare, tomato salad, oysters were meatyyy Entree: fried rice and ribeye We ordered all 3 desserts and demolished those :) read more

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Sooooo good! Great food, excellent service and eclectic decor. Love the ambience. We highly recommend. read more

Verde Mesa - Decor - Seafood Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

I accidentally stumbled upon this restaurant while looking for a Puerto Rican restaurant in Old San Juan. Entering into the restaurant, the decor is very warm and comforting with eclectic mason jar lights with cherubs hanging from the ceiling to the variety of mirrors on the walls. The restaurant is female run and locally owned with a mission. They serve unlimited filtered still and sparkling water to start. Their cocktail selection is very floral/herbal and the staff are very helpful with recommendations for food or drink. We had the tomato salad which was delicious. The lamb raviolis were aptly described by the waiter as "a warm hug". The mains were a mahi mahi in cabbage stew and the kabobs and rice were delicious. The chicken of the kebabs was one of the more flavorful chicken dishes I've had to date. The panna cotta with passion fruit was refreshing. The chef works with local micro farmers throughout the island to locally source the freshest ingredients. Definitely a must try when visiting PR. read more

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Very kind service albeit slightly slow because they were busy. The resistant is in a historic building and is decorated beautifully. The food was good and I appreciate that it is farm to table with a menu that changes daily. However, the flavor was lacking in complexity. I have had much better food at the same price point. I paid $64 for the duck in a cocoa demi glaze, but the duck was tough and tendinous and lacked enough demi glaze. We also tried the scallops, which were good but not worth the price. Their house rice dish was delicious and packed with flavor. I'd recommend getting that and avoiding the more expensive dishes, as they are not as tasty nor worth the price. The purple cloud dessert was made of whipped cream with berry compote with meringue bits inside. It was tasty, fresh, and clearly homemade. read more

Verde Mesa - Duck breast in cocoa demi glaze - Seafood Near Me - San Juan, Puerto Rico

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Soooo yummy, ambiance is wonderful, staff is attentive. We were told about this restaurant from another rad place A26 and he was right. This farm to table was delicious Adrian was such an awesome server and he was so nice to share so much info on the restaurant read more

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Verde Mesa was the perfect ending to our Puerto Rico visit and came highly recommended by local friends. From the moment we walked in, the cozy, intimate vibe set the tone for a special night. Every dish we tried was absolutely delicious, and the rice dish and drinks were superb, flavorful, comforting, and beautifully prepared. We were seated later in the evening around 8:30, and while our main server was not quite as warm or inviting as we had hoped, the evening truly shined thanks to Morgan (I hope I have her name right!). She was incredibly kind, thoughtful with her recommendations, and made our group feel genuinely seen and cared for. Her attentiveness and warmth elevated the entire experience. Thank you, Morgan and Verde Mesa, for making our last night in Puerto Rico so memorable. If you are looking for incredible food in a cozy setting with service that makes you feel at home, Verde Mesa is absolutely the spot. read more

This place has to be a practical joke to see how far they can push foodies under the guise of "farm to table". First they charge you $3.50/person for "ultra high quality filtered" water. Unlimited refills, though. The ribeye tartare ($26) was the smallest portion of tartare I've had anywhere in the world. It was maybe 2 cm tall at most, minimal portion. I'm not sure why it was so much because the steak had minimal flavor - it obviously wasn't dry aged or prime. My mahi-mahi was the least visually appealing dish I've had anywhere. It was a grey piece of fish on top of a grey cabbage stew, the dish honestly looked like gruel. The fish was great but everything under it was lacking. For sides - $5 gets you 3 pieces of broccoli in a tiny ramekin. The toast was also $5 and no more than 1.5 slices of bread. The only saving grace was my wife's mangu dish, the smoked pork balanced wonderfully with the pickled onions. The highlight of the meal was the family of 4 next to our table ordering the scallops appetizer for $26. When it came out, it was 1 scallop in the middle of the plate. The daughter asks, "By scallops did they mean scallop?" The whole family stared dumbfounded at the plate. Service was excellent. Great ambience. read more

Great vibe, ambience, service, and food at this farm to table restaurant! Came here for lunch recently on friend's recommendation, and it was a wonderful experience. The restaurant interior is beautiful, and because they don't take reservations, we came close to opening hours and didn't have trouble getting seated at a choice table. Purified water, either sparkling or still, for $3.50 a person. Unlimited and our waiter made sure to refill our bottle with sparkling water often. Many choices on the menu for veggie and pescatarians. The yellow fin "tiradito," tuna meatballs, and signature rice were all tasty, and more than enough for us to share and enjoy for lunch. Highly recommend if you're in Old San Juan! read more

Avoid this dump at all costs. Although slightly charming inside, it's insanely overpriced. 78 dollars for a dozen oysters and 40 dollars for a plate of rice. Not to mention the food was average at best. I live in Manhattan where food isn't cheap, but these prices were just obnoxious. The servers were nice, but it's being managed by the biggest clown on planet earth. He had a terrible attitude and even worse taste in hats. I hope the manager sees this review himself so he knows that while he was ruining our night, he had food in his teeth. Maybe check a mirror before greeting people at your mediocre restaurant. read more

Our second time at verde mesa in a week... and it did not disappoint. Andres made sure we got a table on the busiest night at the exact time we hoped. Our table was perfectly set, the restaurant was festive and cozy. We celebrated New Year's Eve with the most incredible food... the star of the night was the pork cheek stew. Comforting, warm, rich, yet decadent. The yellowfin was perfect portion size and the pumpkin accompaniment was perfect. Will definitely be returning next time we're in old San Juan. Thank you Verde Mesa read more

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We had a good dinner at Verde Mesa. Without a reservation on a busy weekend evening, we only waited about 45 minutes for a table. Once seated, we received kind service in their fun dining space. Their menu is eclectic and we were drawn to their vegetarian rice option. It was pretty good! In and out for us. read more

Very happy with how this place operates. Walk ins, farm to table, and quality recepies. We had steak tartare, longaniza/kebabs, and lentil rice. Quite Moroccan inspired. Service was good. Ambiance is decorated in a very hip way. Quality place. Insta: eljefede53 read more

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Pretentious and over priced. Scallops were chilly and raw and a can of local beer is $11. Signature rice was good.

Signature dish was incredible. Unique ambiance. Service was great. Loved everything about this restaurant.

What an experience. It all starts with them greeting you like you're a long lost friend that they've been expecting. The decor and ambiance are comforting, nostalgic and the food is ABSOLUTELY MELT IN YOUR MOUTH DELICIOUS. So fresh and imaginative and made with care. This will be a regular stop whenever I'm in Puerto Rico! read more

Scallops with Caviar ($34): Absolutely not worth it. An appetizer for $34. You have to really like caviar to want to pay $34 for this. Tasted fine, but truly a ripoff. Verde Mesa Rice ($26): this was delicious. Every bite had a whole world of flavors. Such a great melange of ingredients coming together. At $26, the price is pretty hefty for a vegan dish. Swordfish ($38): swordfish was decent. The swiss chard was way too salty, which detracted from this dish. Tasted okay otherwise, but 100% not worth the $38. Ambiance/Service: when we were seated, our table was dirty. There were still crumbs on it. When they brought over wooden utensils holders for us, one of them still had some food encrusted on it. This was unacceptable. When we informed our waitress about it, she didn't really apologize. Otherwise, interior decoration was nice. I was between a 3 and a 4 for this restaurant. It's a 3.5, but I'll round down to a 3 because this place is so overpriced. We basically got everything the waitress recommended, and the only one that MIGHT have been worth it was the rice. read more

Hands down, the best meal I've had in my life. Beautiful ambiance, amazing service, just the absolute best! There were delicious options for the vegetarians as well as our meat-eaters. Literally, my brother-in-law is traveling back to PR for his birthday and one of the highlights is to visit this restaurant again. I cannot say enough amazing things about this place. It was soooooooooo good!!! read more

The worst experienced ever. We had a reservation for 7 and when we arrived we were asked to wait outside, which we did. We got drinks and waited and waited . And then were told by Andres we could have more drinks and wait some more. All outside. Long story short, there was no hospitality or concern about people waiting around to have dinner. read more

Really welcoming staff. Good choices for vegetarians. Ceviche m, mushroom appetizer and the rice dishes were delicious.

Thank you to our server, Diego for a wonderful experience at Verde Mesa. We got the red potion for drinks (without alcohol) and it tasted like a witch brewed a refreshing, spiced, and lightly sweetened tea. We got the chickpea stew and the rice dish, both incredible. I'm sure they do meat well here, the table next to us ordered the lamb special and it looked great. I would honestly come again just for the ambiance. It reminded me of a basement of an eccentric single mom's studio basement apartment. Gold, mirrors, candles, and cupid! 10/10 would recommend! read more

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Food was incredible. Service was not. I would come back but hope for much better service.

I really enjoyed my meal at Verde Mesa, flavors were balanced and they have a farm to table concept. Great service, nice atmosphere, and kind of a funky decor (in a good way). I highly recommend either reservations or getting there early; this restaurant filled up quickly. I was a big fan of the sashimi and everything we ate was really tasty (the fried rice / house rice was extremely flavorful). Mid tier price range; expect to pay about $50-$75 per person in terms of food alone. Highly recommend this restaurant read more

I have lived in Puerto Rico for decades. This is the most sophisticated pallet on the island. The tastes are tremendous and subtle. You will not find a more professional wait staff. It's hard to tell who the owner is because everybody is so concerned and on top of it, they could all be owners. There are many traditional dishes with new and interesting twists. The best restaurant in Puerto Rico, hands-down, and still largely a secret. read more

Upscale Puerto Rican cuisine in Old San Juan, recognized as a semifinalist restaurant of the James Beard Award. We were told it is a Puerto Rican owned business, in business now for about 16 years They don't accept reservations by phone, but we were advised that customers that arrive at their opening time of 5:30 pm or after 8:30 have the best odds of a prompt seating. So we were the first customers to be seated since we were at their entrance about 30 minutes before they opened. They do provide outdoor seating while you wait to be seated.Their price range is high, especially for main entrees and alcoholic beverages, but we had prepared for the experience by reading several reviews, which recommended trying their appetizers and their signature dishes. Since we weren't very hungry, we ordered two of their appetizers and two of their main dishes, and we skipped the alcohol and instead ordered their house distilled still water at $3.50 for a refillable bottle. For appetizers we had their cucumber melon salad garnished with thinly sliced rambutan and trout roe, priced at $22,and the second app was a tomato ceviche with a culantro(a type of thick leave cilantro) sauce priced at $18. These were served elegant bowls and aesthetically pleasing presentations, but undeniably tiny portions. Both very tasty, we had about two or three tantalizing forkfuls each and they were gone. Particularly delicious was the creamy culantro sauce, which was intensely flavored and we asked how they made it so creamy and learned that it is thickened with xanthan gum. Their signature dish, the Arroz Verde Mesa came next. This dish, priced at $30, was more substantial, with a melange of flavors that was thoroughly satisfying and just enough for two. Next came their Kofta plate, which featured three medium sized chicken medallions on a bed of a fricasé of white beans with Moroccan seasoning. I enjoyed it more than my fiance, who thought we had ordered lamb as the protein, but she enjoyed the beans. Priced at $31, the Kofta dish probably packed more nourishing protein overall and I enjoyed the Moroccan seasoning. The meal overall was delicious and exotic but more of a gustatory tease for a price point of $104. We did enjoy their lavishly decorated interiors, the subdued lighting, and our waiter was very eager and attentive, but he brought us a couple of plates we had not ordered, which led to some delays in getting what we ordered. We did enjoy the experience, but I'm not sure I will be returning, especially if I'm hungry. read more

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The food was exceptional! Don and Steven provided great service and recommendations. Beautiful spot in old town

Great vibe; cool decor; super friendly staff 100%, with shout out to Christina! Oh, the food was amazing! We cruised through 4 appetizers and an entree--each were really interesting fresh flavor combos that actually really worked! Scallops, sourdough, lamb and salad was terrific and novel. The special drinks that can be Mocktails or with liquor Are also great. read more