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    Waiter's Gastro Bar

    4.3 (598 reviews)
    ModerateLatin American
    Closed 5:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

    Waiter's Gastro Bar Latin American Restaurant Photos

    WAITER'S GASTRO BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Flan
    Ashley E.

    Best meal I had in San Juan! The Paella Jibara (meat paella) was delicious and the side of beans recommended by the bartender was surprisingly flavorful. The portion for one was huge, enough to split between two meals. But the highlight was the house made hot sauce! I also tried flan for the first time and enjoyed it.

    Elise Dixie Jane M.

    A brilliant take on comfort food and Puerto Rican cuisine. Delicious mofongo and guava sauces. No reservations required and right on the strip! Easy access. excellent service., and exceptional food. I've never eaten or ordered wings and ribs, but they were highly recommended by our server. So, I heard the call and the bonus was guava sauce! Holy moly donut shop. A must order to slather on all foods. My husband ordered the crab paella and loved it! Waiters will be a must visit on our next trip to Puerto Rico!

    Ada G.

    Every single plate was so darn good! Every bite forced me to do a happy face in my seat! The service was on point! This place is absolutely authentic to Puerto Rican culture! I can't express enough how much more amazing it is

    Waiter's Paella for two - mahi-mahi shrimp, calamari chicken muscle sausage
    Katherine H.

    Drinks - great! Ice cold beer and the whiskey shot is better than Screwball If you love seafood, get the Waiter's Paella! Very generous seafood. The seasoning and taste is authentic and flavorful The server was really attentive There's a small outdoor seating where you can people gaze and get fresh air

    These people take their name very seriously, lol Waiters has us WAITING! Expect a good hour if anything or more for the food to come.. the sign they post is actually true. We first had The puerto rican cheese for appetizer suggested by the bartender. Wasn't bad.. but I would skip it and try something else. It tastes like the Indian dish, paneer basically but without the sauce. However... the chicken mofongo & salmon plate were so good. Worth the wait in my opinion. I would also try the steak rice too if you see this post. It looked really good when I saw it on someone else's table and even the waitress recommended it but I didn't end up getting it after all.

    Skirt Steak Mofongo
    William C.

    This place is so good that I came here twice on a week trip. It's a fairly intimate restaurant and there seems to always be a wait especially on the weekends, but they have both indoor and outside seating. The service was good and the food is delicious! The ingredients were straightforward, but the flavors were outstanding and authentic. The fish ceviche was balanced just right and came with tostones. My favorite was the skirt steak, but the mofongo was one of the best I had while in PR. I've eaten my fair share of mofongo and honestly the Creole sauce here makes it so much better. I'd absolutely come back here anytime I visit PR.

    Fried PR cheese
    D. Scott C.

    Not much to look at from the street but once you get inside and order food it's a whole different story. Be careful walking in, the steps to the bar can be somewhat difficult. We've been here twice in two days. The staff is always friendly and have suggestions if you don't know what you want. Juan the bartender is awesome with the drinks. I asked to be surprised and he didn't disappoint. Their selection of authentic PR food is wonderful. We'll more than likely try everything on the menu. We haven't had a bad meal here. If you're in San Juan, come eat here

    Stephanie L.

    Omg get the guava wings!!!! The ribs!!! The mashed potatoes!! Everything we ordered, we loved.

    Avocado stuffed with grouper in garlic sauce.

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    2 months ago

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    9 days ago

    This place sucks, food too salty and low quality. High reviews due to tourists, do with that what you will

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    17 days ago

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    1 month ago

    Best mofongo of my life. I recommend the mofongo with pork ropa vieja topped with creole sauce. Good service and great vibes.

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    1 year ago

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    4 months ago

    Very good food. Great service. The waiter was very friendly. My first experience with Puerto Rican food.

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    4 months ago

    Our meal as great, would definitely go back. The staff was very attentive and the food was amazing.

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    4 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Good casual spot that was convenient to the hotel once we had tired of the hotel restaurants.

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    2 months ago

    Would recommend great service and great food please come I would recommend go here and have a great time

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    1 year ago

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    4 months ago

    Great introduction to Puerto Rican food. Flavorful and abundant. Reservations recommended.

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    Page 1 of 15

    Waiter's Gastro Bar Reviews in Other Languages

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    Casita Miramar - Arroz con Mariscos (seafood paella) and Churrasco (steak); Follow me @RimyEats on Instagram

    Casita Miramar

    4.5(1.7k reviews)
    1.0 km
    $$

    We're currently dining here, and from the moment my partner and I walked in, the experience has…read morebeen mixed. One of the hostesses was noticeably rude at the start, which set an uncomfortable tone. After being seated, our waiter hasn't been outright unkind, but there's a clear difference in how we're being treated compared to other guests. As a same-sex couple, it feels like we're not being received as warmly, even though he seems to be making an effort to remain professional. As a Puerto Rican, that's honestly a bit disappointing and feels out of place. That said, the food itself has been very good.

    A gem. Sat outside & had a great night. Food, vibes, & service were all wonderful. Started out with…read morea complimentary soup & cod fritters (yummmy! & I don't even like fish, usually). The hot sauce on the table was nice, not too hot but a good kick, I usually do not like habanero based hot sauces but this was good! The Queso Frito was interesting in flavors & textures, delicious. El Conflicto was perfect, all the flavor of a pina colada but without the heaviness of syrups & sugar. The Pollo Borracho was super flavorful & filling, chicken cooked to perfection falling off the bone. My fiancé had the Carne Frita, it was super tender & a well balanced dish. Service was friendly & attentive. My only complaint- we were so full we couldn't even look at the dessert menu! Guess we will just have to go back.

    Photos
    Casita Miramar - Indoor Dining Room

    Indoor Dining Room

    Casita Miramar - Amazing chocolate Fudge Cake delivered to restaurant (Cakes by Glorimar in PR). Staff sang and added candle

    Amazing chocolate Fudge Cake delivered to restaurant (Cakes by Glorimar in PR). Staff sang and added candle

    Casita Miramar - Pastelón - Delicious thick Caribbean soft meat and plantain taste and texture

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    Pastelón - Delicious thick Caribbean soft meat and plantain taste and texture

    Ropa Vieja Grill

    Ropa Vieja Grill

    4.1(602 reviews)
    0.6 km
    $$

    After a week of beer, tacos, street food, beaches, forts, music, and mischief, I had one last…read moremission: 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.

    Started with two sparking waters and the server did bring two bottles but one was opened and some…read moreof 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.

    Photos
    Ropa Vieja Grill
    Ropa Vieja Grill - Shrimp under specialty Lamb stew Yuca fries Tostone Puerto Rican rice and beans Sautéed veggies

    Shrimp under specialty Lamb stew Yuca fries Tostone Puerto Rican rice and beans Sautéed veggies

    Ropa Vieja Grill - Amaretto Colada, or a Baileys Colada, is a great twist on a traditional Pina Colada.

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    Amaretto Colada, or a Baileys Colada, is a great twist on a traditional Pina Colada.

    El Jibarito - Flan de coco and flan de chocolate

    El Jibarito

    3.9(2k reviews)
    4.2 km
    $$

    Loveddddd this place in Old San Juan! Jeremy was an amazing server. The beef stew was so flavorful…read moreand moist. It paired so well with the trifongo. We had come here for an afternoon snack and drinks as we were walking around old San Juana and the forts all day and had gone to one fort and ready to move to the next after a bite. This was the perfect meal to hold us over. Not so greasy and not too filling. The drinks were just average but refreshing after hours in the sun. The atmosphere is casual and busy and loud. However, the service was quick even with them being busy. I highly recommend the beef stew with mofongo and coming here even if it's just for that!

    The restaurant has the ambiance of a small town PR restaurant that you would find tucked away in…read morethe country roads of the island, with the long shared tables and the decorations. The wait was usual for Old San Juan. About 30-45mins. They take your name down and call you when there's a table ready. What they don't tell you is that the menu is a QR code on the table. Once you figure that you see a well organized and simple 2 pages menu with many PR authentic dishes listed. The waiter comes about 10-15mins later. And it's best to have all your order ready as they don't come back very often. The place is usually packed all the hours that they're open. Food: that's why they lost a star. Rice and beans, Madurai/amarrillos, scurrilous, delicious 5 stars, but the bigger, empanada, chicken with garlic lack the bite that you come to expect of PR food! They lack taste, "Sazon", they were bland and tasted more like someone forgot to season them and forgot the garlic. I'd tell them to go back to their food and make PR food like it's supposed to taste, not for the tourist, please!

    Photos
    El Jibarito
    El Jibarito
    El Jibarito - Condiments

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    Condiments

    La Alcapurria Quemá - Alcapurria

    La Alcapurria Quemá

    4.5(164 reviews)
    1.0 km
    $$

    Look, were we at an alcapurria spot ordering pastelillos? Yes. Do we regret it? Absolutely not…read more We got one each of vegetariano, cebolla y queso, pollo, and guayaba con queso. The vegetariano was mid, but the other three? No complaints. But honestly, the food is only part of the story here. The vibe is everything. Salsa playing, high energy, warm service. We rolled in late and hungry, looking for sweet refuge from La Placita crowds, and they welcomed us like we belonged there. The music started out mixed, but at some point it shifted to Contra La Corriente front to back. We were enjoying our pastelillos, singing along to No Me Conoces, minding our own business when... el apagón. Not the whole Placita, just a couple spots including this one. The staff didn't miss a beat. Flashlights came out, mood lighting appeared, and nobody rushed us. We finished our food. We paid. We left happy. 5 stars because some experiences are bigger than the sum of their parts. This was one of them.

    This is not a polished, Instagram-perfect restaurant and that's exactly the point. That's why I…read morelove it so much. Tucked inside La Placita de Santurce, its a small, casual, almost hidden spot that's usually packed with locals. Think plastic chairs, outdoor tables, music playing and a constant flow of people coming in for a quick bite or drink. Feels more like a neighborhood hangout than a restaurant. I've been coming here for years and this is what I've learned, take it from a local. For a quick bite, alcapurrias are a MUST -- especially beef or crab. Also the "pastelillos" are amazing-- corn beef, chorizo, morcilla... Everything freshly made to order. Now, if you want to sit down and enjoy an authentic Puerto Rican meal, here are some of my favorites: chuletas fritas, chicharrones de pollo, bistec encebollado and carne frita-- of course with a side of rice and beans or tostones for the win. Bottom line: you come here for flavor and authenticity, not comfort. Enjoy

    Photos
    La Alcapurria Quemá
    La Alcapurria Quemá - Chorizo empanada

    Chorizo empanada

    La Alcapurria Quemá - Empanadas

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    Empanadas

    Los Pinos Café - Fried Smoked Porkchop

    Los Pinos Café

    3.5(299 reviews)
    0.9 km
    $$

    Many restaurants were closed for Good Friday, but Los Pinos Cafe is open "24/7," and they held true…read moreto their outdoor signage! The restaurant is located in the cute Miramar area -- also home to my favorite coffee shop, Gustos! Finding parking on Ave. Juan Ponce de León is not easy, but there are many side streets that had open parking spots. The restaurant was busy the whole time we were there, but there always seemed to be an open table. Our waiter was excellent and all the waiters we saw were bilingual. The garlic bread was ok -- tasted like garlic powder on a fluffy, lighted toasted sourdough. I had the "regular" grilled pork chops and they were the best pork chops I've ever eaten. The taste of the grill was so good and the chops were still pretty moist. My wife and kids had the churrasco skirt streak. My son said the steak at Bebo's was better, but I the steak at Los Pinos was super tender and buttery. The mofongo was so bland we didn't eat it and the amarillos (sweet plantains) were dry and lacked any caramelization on the exterior. French fries were good. As a bonus, I finally got my tres leches and it was good. I've never seen a cake oozing so much "milk" from the top of the cake when it was cut. Overall, a solid place, but Bebo's gets the win for our favorite Puerto Rican food. Regardless, I would easily return here for a meal.

    This was no better than a 3-star place for me, but my friend loved his seafood soup enough to earn…read morea promotion. This is right next to another 24-hour restaurant which I also visited, and which is visibly less popular. The air conditioning wasn't working this entire evening, and for most of our visit the power was out. I do realize that's more of a Puerto Rico thing than anything related to this restaurant though, and they were able to keep the food coming (albeit very slowly). My food was a very average pasta of the sort that I could get at a small town restaurant anywhere else in the US. But my friend who is NOT easy to please, absolutely loved that seafood soup. If good seafood soup is a draw for you, you probably should come here and get that. I should also mention that the servers were appropriately contrite about the lack of A/C and power and the overall slowness. Although, as with blackouts, I think servers being genuinely nice is a Puerto Rico thing. Also I thought I remembered seeing it was 24-hours, but maybe it's more like almost-24? Check and make sure maybe.

    Photos
    Los Pinos Café
    Los Pinos Café - The best pork chops (a la parilla) ever! Churrasco steaks were also very good.

    The best pork chops (a la parilla) ever! Churrasco steaks were also very good.

    Los Pinos Café - Mini alcuppurias

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    Mini alcuppurias

    Restaurante Raices - Boatload: (Bacalaitos)

    Restaurante Raices

    3.3(1.9k reviews)
    4.0 km
    $$

    This place was very busy. We had to wait about 30mins before entering they write down your name and…read moreit will be called based on table availability. Once we made it inside they had a long menu of different items. Was able to order and the food took some time to come out but with how busy it was I knew it would be a while. The food came out and it was fresh also hot just missing some hot sauce. The place is noisy with voices carrying which is normal. A recommended place to visit when in Old San Juan.

    I asked a Puerto Rican friend for restaurant recommendations in Old San Juan. This was one of the…read moreplaces on his list. I checked the menu and decided to come here for dinner. They don't take reservations but we were gonna go early anyway. We decided that we'd get there at 5:30 PM and allow up to 30 minutes wait time. My friends got there a bit before 5:30 and were seated before I arrived. I got there a bit after 5:30 and there was a line of people trying to put their names down as I was walking in. They had already ordered drinks and an appetizer. We ordered another app and put in our entree orders. The bacalaitos took about 30 minutes to arrive. They were delicious. Not too salty which was great. The entrees took over 30 more minutes to come. I ordered the paella and it was delicious. My friend thought her mofongo was just ok. I tried a bite and it was kinda bland. The kids thought their entrees were ok. I thought they didn't make the right choices. Service was OK. Server wasn't really present as the majority of our time there was waiting vs eating. That was true for most patrons. Most people seated at tables were waiting instead of eating. Not sure if there was an issue that night. Either way, I'd say that it's still a good spot. You just can't come hangry or in a hurry.

    Photos
    Restaurante Raices - Juan and the wine selections.

    Juan and the wine selections.

    Restaurante Raices - Pechuga de Pollo

    Pechuga de Pollo

    Restaurante Raices - Paradise Found:

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    Paradise Found:

    Waiter's Gastro Bar - latin - Updated June 2026

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