La Madre

La Madre is nestled in the small area of old San Juan and is another great find in Puerto Rico. I had the steak tacos and these were absolutely delicious. The restaurant is absolutely cozy with a clean decor and the staff was absolutely awesome. Very attentive to my needs and we’re super polite. I followed my dinner with some bread pudding that was out of this world. So delicious! This is not a huge restaurant but if you can get in you will truly enjoy your meal.

Very cute area, cozy restaurant with outdoor seating for small parties. Food is delicious, I think it’s the best shrimp and churro I’ve ever had. The prices are very good compared to how good to food is. The flavours are all perfectly aligned. Waiters are very friendly. Definitely would recommend 🌮 🍤

super cute restaurant and the food was amazing. we got the fish and shrimp tacos and the soft corn tortillas were so good! they were both crispy and soft. the different condiments were also tasty

This is such a cute spot. I stopped for a drink and to get out of the rain! They specialize in tequilla and mezcal however they did have a nice wine selection. I did not eat the food but it looked good from.what I could see at other tables. There is a small bar to sit at and multiple tables!

The restaurant is in a great location, and I really enjoyed the overall ambiance. The interior is a bit small, with tables placed pretty close together, which can feel a little cramped. As for the food, we tried the watermelon juice, which was disappointing—very watered down with barely any real watermelon flavor. I ordered the chicken tacos and my friend had the pork belly tacos; we liked both dishes. They weren’t outstanding, but definitely decent. The pricing felt a bit steep, especially for the drink, but it makes sense given the area.

This is the best food, hands down. The skirt steak is out of this world with the mash plantain and sweet potato. The pork belly tacos, whatever sauce they put on, is unforgettable. As a chef in the states, I rate this restaurant top tier! Unforgettable!

Decided to stop by and try it out I got the fish tacos and my bf got the chicken tacos! They were amazing I honestly could eat them every day. The mojito was delicious and margarita was yummy too, generous on the pour as well. Must visit!

Yum! What a fun place to visit for lunch. I had the pork tacos, which were crispy and flavorful. Also enjoyed a delicious local IPA and then tried the spicy brownie after seeing someone else enjoy it. Always looking for a friendly, local non tourist trap to enjoy. This is it.

The food was amazing! Pork belly tacos were a must try and so were the hibiscus tostadas! The servers/hostess were so friendly and helpful. The atmosphere is cozy, and there is outdoor seating available! If I travel back to San Juan I will definitely be going here again!

Patience is a virtue and well worth the wait in this case. They are a small operation as most businesses are and we saw other tables get frustrated at the wait and leave despite their thorough and clear communication regarding wait times. The food was DELICIOUS. So fresh and the fondue was the best queso. We had the steak fajitas and the carnitas chimichanga. They also have lettuce wrap options for those with grain allergies which Is AMAZING. I would definitely come back but come with an hour to spare because it's a popular place! The cocktails were delicious including their mezcal bar next door while we waited. Fun and clean atmosphere in both places with live music in the mezcal bar. Recommend the candela and the jalapeño-colada for drinks if you like some spice. Our hostess Wanda was so kind and communicative. Our server Rubi was AMAZING. The bartender Kristal definitely knows what she's doing--great mixologists. And you can tell they all have respect for their manager Heidi. Together, they provided such great service. I truly believe the people who left just had no understanding of small businesses and zero patience. The food was 10/10 with everything fresh as could be and the service was equally as great.

We did a little research and then chose La Madre based on quality and taste reviewers reported. They were not wrong. It was quite toasty out today so we opted to sit inside. There is room for about 30 people in here +5 or six barstools and that was way more comfortable than outside. Jehan took very good care of us, made recommendations on the drinks and made sure he understood our order by repeating it a couple different times which was awesome. I would highly recommend the fish tacos, they come standard as fried, but we love them grilled and I think they were absolutely amazing. Make sure to add some of the creative sauces and guacamole that they serve on the side. The pozole was very close to what we have in Arizona, so was super happy to find something so yummy! lastly, we ordered the Elote as a side as I get this regularly at home as well and was very happy with the quality, they charred it just perfectly. This was a fairly light lunch for us as we shared everything and the total is $53 before tip. Lovely little spot can highly recommend here in San Juan Puerto Rico!!

Really cute inside but thats it. Two of us, we were on a cruise that stopped in Puerto Rico and we came here for a meal. The margarita I ordered I sent back because it tasted just like juice. I NEVER do that. Never send food back but I'm just exhausted with mediocre food and drinks. The chicken fajitas came out sizzling and the flavors were there but it just felt skimpy. Can't say it was worth the $23 we paid for it. Another server came out after I sent my margarita back and asked if they could make me something else, I declined. Expecting a good margarita from a Mexican restaurant is too much ‍

I have been back to La Madre for many reasons mainly the amazing margaritas. Beyond the great drinks, you can sit at the bar and watch the amazing work done for each dtink. The Jaleleño colada is rich and amazing but watchout! you cannot go wrong with any of the food choices from fajitas to tacos and enchilladas. All of them done with care and perfection. Puerto Rico has the freshest ingredients and La Madre does not disappoint!

FIVE out of freakin FIVE! hands down!! Absolutely everything about this place was incredible! From the moment we walked in, the service was top-notch--everyone was incredibly friendly, especially our server Javier. The food was nothing short of phenomenal, with quality and flavors that completely exceeded our expectations. My gf got the japanese-style steak and I got the enchiladas. Every bite was so so sooo good! On top of that, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, making the whole experience even more enjoyable. It wasn't too full and their playlist was on point for the younger folk. This place truly blew our minds and we cannot recommend it enough! Please do yourself a favor and visit!

We loved this restaurant! We sat outside in a cute, shaded alley. The server was friendly and had great recommendations for spice level. The portions of food were big and dishes are full of flavor. I highly recommend La Madre when coming to Old San Juan!

La Madre is a great restaurant to visit in Old San Juan. It's in a very walkable area and was on our walk back after we visited Castillo San Felipe del Morro. We were seated very quickly and our server Javier was very informative and attentive during our dinner. I ordered the steak fajitas as well as the octopus tacos. Flavor wise these were both very good, but not at all unique or outstanding. Javier brought me some hot sauce to try on my tacos which I loved since it was fruity and hot. This did significantly improve the flavor of both the tacos and fajitas. I will say that the in terms of texture the octopus tacos were wonderful since the meat wasn't overcooked or rubbery like a lot of places do it. Great vibes and service so I'd probably come here again to try other items on the menu if I was in San Juan again.

Absolutely must order the pork belly tacos! The most flavorful, delicious bite of the evening, they have a great crispy crunchy texture and overflowed from the taco shell. Impeccable flavor almost an Asian-Mexican fusion you won't want to miss. Service was great! The enchiladas tasted homemade and really good but could have used a tiny bit more sauce to them, I like enchiladas to be really really saucy. The rebranded queso appetizer "fondue" was a good blend of cheeses and tasted much more elevated than the super yellow queso. It's not authentic Mexican but for the price and the location and ambiance everything was great!

The vibe is about standing in line and makes you think that the hype is great for the food. Unfortunately, it really wasn't that good. The food was cold. Mr. incredible has to say next time we'll stop in and hopefully we can give you the fives.

Visited La madre during our PR trip and was a good place for a dinner with friends and to share food. It does get busy and the area inside is not that large so be aware of that because we were sat outside and got bit a lot by mosquitoes. It is however right off of Calle de San Francisco, a major street in old San Juan so good location when ur around the area. The staff over all was attentive and standard. For food I got mini chicken burritos, fish tacos, and the queso. The mini burritos were fine but lacked flavor, there was a sauce underneath it but is lot of the flavors were just muted. The fish tacos I think were the best out of what we ordered. They were a good size and had good flavor and the sauces they came with elevated the dish. The queso was alright, but they did refill the chips which was nice.

Food was amazing! Location is beautiful and very chic and modern. Everyone in my party (5) loved their food. We ordered fish tacos, quesadillas, burritos and pork belly tacos. Pork belly tacos were recommended by the waiter. He was spot on! Absolutely a delicious interesting sexy meal. I loved every second of it. I did get an elote after our food came but it took over 30 minutes and we actually had to wait even tho we were all ready to go. However, they still deserve all stars bc they were busy and I did order it after we had all received our food. Service was good. He was attentive and knowledgeable about the menu.

We ate here on a super busy weekend night. We got on the waitlist and had a drink nearby while we waited. Finally got seated outside by the entrance and had a really nice meal. The ahi tuna taco app was our favorite. Our waiter was scarce (which was fine- he was super busy), but we got to observe the hostess Wanda absolutely crushing it. Gracious, charming, and managing a hell of a waitlist. We even saw her respectfully refuse a bribe from some entitled jerks trying to jump the line. Total pro.

The cutest restaurant with great service from Robert! The piña colada and sopes norteños were so delicious and my family ordered enchiladas, steak tacos, and chicken breast and we all loved everything. And robert accommodated all our request like when my friend wanted to mix the lemonade and watermelon juice together!

Chicken enchiladas were amazing! Their location is off the main busy cruise ship street, which makes for a great ambiance.

This place is a gem. One of the most flavorful Mexican spots. Had the very unique hibiscus tostadas.

I love the ambiance here. I've eaten inside, and outside. The street seating definitely has a patio vibe. It's usually busy, and service isn't bad, but it's only good enough while the food and atmosphere are highlights.

Must be one of the best restaurants in Old San Juan! Great food and ambience! Can be busy but worth the wait.

Loved this place! Just far enough away from the cruise ships that most people won't walk up to find this gem. Beautiful inside and out, everything we had was delicious, went with our kids, would also be a romantic spot for two. Highly recommend!

The food is very good and priced fairly. We are visiting for a week and came back twice! Servers were always nice and welcoming. Definitely Recommend!

Right next to their speakeasy bar. This no reservation Mexican style restaurant is worth the wait. Good food for an oaky price. Nice spot for a casual lunch or dinner. Cannot recommend the speakeasy next door enough for delicious tequila and mezcal drinks

Good food, super slow service. We came here for lunch and I think we sat here for maybe 1.5 hours before we asked to get chips and guac because the kitchen was backed up with our main dishes. It then took another ~45 minutes to an hour for our main dishes to come out. When we got there we were also told there was no indoor seating, so we sat outside. After not getting our food for ~1.5-2 hours we then requested to sit inside as it was very hot outdoors. The staff was accommodating and let us sit indoors - at that point it was almost empty with plenty of tables inside. Overall, the food was good but the restaurant was not at capacity or overflowing to warrant the slow service. I'm sure this was just an off day, but rating the restaurant based on what I experienced.

Great lunch spot tucked away in old san juan. Must try the duck mushroom quesadilla that was our favorite. There may be a wait, so make a reservation if you can. If not you may be waiting 30 minutes. The service was good. We didn't wait long for our food.

The food mostly tasted amazing. We got the hibiscus tostadas which were a little too sweet but still a unique flavor, the sopes huertos which were so flavorful and delicious (especially the stir fried veggies), and the fried cheesecake which was definitely a must-try here. We initially got to the restaurant and were told there's a 1.5 hour wait. Once we got there, we were immediately seated and served for the first appetizer and first dish. We initially ordered only one plate of sopes huertes but quickly realized how hungry we were and ordered another one. However, the second plate took almost 45 minutes. After 30 minutes, we asked the server what was going on and she explained that there were some large groups and it would not take that much longer. We also ordered the cheesecake at this time which came shortly after we were done the plate. The waitress was still very nice and we understand it was busy. Overall, even though the food was great, the waiting made for a not-so-great experience since we did not get to leave until 10:45pm after we were first put on the wait list at 7:45pm. I would definitely stop by here again but call ahead to make a reservation.

The pork belly tacos were the most delicious thing I ate on the island. So much so that I shared them one night and came back to eat my own a few days later. They offered chips and salsa like it was complimentary but they weren't, it's ok but a heads up would be nice. Drinks were tasty. Service and recommendations from staff were also good.

This Mexican restaurant was near the hotel in Old San Juan and had really good reviews. Did not disappoint. There is sitting inside and out. I liked sitting inside. They have a small bar as well and looked nice inside. Staff was friendly. For the appetizer, I ordered the queso fundido and mini burritos. The mini burritos (chicken) were really good. The chicken was fresh and this guava type sauce on the plate under burritos was great. What a great mix. I ordered chicken soft tacos for entree and it was good as well. To me, the best thing I ate in that restaurant and out of a few restaurants I went to while in PR was the dessert. They have like a croissant with chocolate bread pudding and it was amazing. I ordered 2. Definitely have to try this if you go.

This place is very good! Food is tasty and it's a fun atmosphere. There will definitely be a line so be prepared to get a pina colada next door while you're waiting.

This place gets a 5 star review across the board. Me and my family of 3 went to this restaurant located in old San Juan. After I tour through the area, we came upon this place because my daughter been asking for tacos the whole trip haha. When we arrived the host/waiter sat us down and accommodated us because we had a small stroller for my son. We started off with appetizers such has elote corn, fondue, and cassava fries. As for drinks me and my wife had passion fruit margaritas. Once I knew the appetizers and drinks were great, I knew the entree would be as well. My daughter order pork belly tacos, I had chicken tacos and my wife had fish tacos. The seasoning on all 3 tacos was delicious. We sat ate and converse for about 2 hours. I recommend this place if you are in old San Juan area. Thank you La Madre.

Cant rate the food. We didn't order anything because they would not give us paper menus and we don't do QR codes. Margaritas were ok but not great.

Very clean delicious food ! Tastes like a meal with love ! The restaurant brings great vibes and the staff are phenomenal and make sure you are enjoying yourself. The drinks are also very good. I had a sangria and it definitely was refreshing. The food is also a good place to have a good meal.

I visited old san juan with my boyfriend and his family the first week of january and somehow forgot to do some reviews, so i'm doing them now. it was late at night and we were STARVED. la madre was literally 10 yards away from where we were staying. they let us know they had a wait limit of about 30 minutes and took our phone number down. in about 15 minutes, the host recognized us and waved us in with a smile. we were quickly seated and greeted by our server. we both ordered the tacos mexico -- pork tacos in a corn tortilla with cilantro and onion. while waiting for our food, we drank their fresh squeezed lemonade, and though being a bigggg sour fan, it was too puckering for me. we were exhausted, so we ended up taking to food to go. once we were back and were able to eat, we SMASHED those tacos. i can't say there was anything 'super' special about them, but they were good enough for us to put them AWAY instantly. overall we'd rate la madre an 8.5/10

This was truly a disappointment, if you love, authentic Mexican food Do Not come here. I had the Chilaquiles- what a joke that was. It was clear that at this establishment, they have no clue what Mexican food is or taste like. They gave me one dry tostada instead of the Totopos with salsa, and on top of that the food was lacking flavor and spice. The service could've been better, more attentive. The ambience was pretty nice. However, You are better off going to Don Tako, the birria and tacos there are flavorful.

the Fajitas were served sizzling hot and they came with a lot of sides (no rice). i usually don't like rice so this dish was perfect for me. the staff were super friendly.

This restaurant was incredible. Everything was delicious. I especially loved the ahi tuna tacos, the octopus tacos, and the fondue. They use fresh ingredients. The jalapeño colada was also good. Not very spicy. I loved the hipster vibe. Service was friendly. I can't wait to return.

We went here last night for dinner, they promptly took our drink order but then didn't come back for at least 30 minutes for our dinner order which is fine we are on vacation after all, however they then came back after an hour to ask what our order was as the "kitchen had confused some orders". We were reassured our food was ready they just didn't know what to bring out, well this was not true as our food didn't come out for another hour! The food was fine, not worth the wait for sure.

Really cute place and we were hungry. Got the fondue cheese dip which was spicy and great. Fried burrito was also amazing.

La Madre was well worth the 35 min visit on a Sunday evening for us. My only regret is being so excited about the food and drinks that I Didnt snap any pics for my review. The alley had seating but it was a little rainy. Inside was a vibe with old movies playing on the projector. Service was attentive. The passion fruit margs were stiff and delicious. We enjoyed the fondue appetizer followed by the Madre Tacos (one of each meat) and a Carnita's entree served with a tamale (cannot recall the name or find an updated menu online). The portions were plenty and everything was delicious. Highly recommend La Madre when in Old San Juan.

Put in a reservation and when i got there they told me it would be a 45 min wait. My phone had the table ready in the next 5 min. False advertisement.

Delicious! Huge party and they serviced us wonderfully! Best food on any island we have visited! Kudos!

Very tasty fish tacos. Prompt friendly service. Nice latin ambiance. I really enjoyed the experience. Nice people! The cajin in my margarita was a nice touch.

Food, service, and ambiance were fantastic. Five stars earned. Great menu of tapas or mains. The breakfast menu looks great too.

I kept walking by La Madre and they were either slammed or not open. But it is one of those restaurants that I just knew was going to be delicious and it was! We came in for lunch and ordered the jalapeño piña colada which was just fantastic. Creamy, sweet, and spicy. So so good. For appetizers we had to get the queso fondue, which was delicious and fulfilled the craving that I had. It had a white wine base which was interesting and more European flavors but I really enjoyed it with tortilla chips. We also sampled the pork mini burrito roll ups which were great as well. For entrees I tried the chicken tortilla soup and the trio of tacos. Everything was fresh and tasted fantastic. The soup had a great broth and I loved the sour cream and sides that came with the tacos. This restaurant has a great vibe with bright colors and a welcoming atmosphere. We also had probably the best server of the trip who kept us happy despite being the only person working the front dining room and bar the majority of our visit. La Madre is a treasure!

Last night was great. Came first a birthday celebration and celebrate we did. The staff brought out a desert complete with candle and everyone sang along. The food was super good! Great selection of drinks ! And the street corn was so good. !!!! Check it out !!!

This was my hands-down favorite place to eat in Old San Juan, in the 5 days that we were there. Super tasty and fresh Mexican food and really reasonable prices.

This place is beautiful, it was my first time in PR and I am happy I was able to try this place in old san juan. The food was pretty good, I did have to wait for a bit of time. So I ended up taking my food to go but ill come back again.

Love this place! One of the best places in old San Juan. The food was amazing and reasonably priced (2 drinks an App and entree was $50). It's a cute small vibe in there and you have the option to sit outside on the cobble stone hill or inside. The waiter was great and helped us with all questions and gave recommendations. I would definitely come here again!!

So happy we made it here during our 4 day stay in Isla Verde. We got the lettuce fish tacos, beef and chicken chimichangas. Absolutely delicious! We probably should have gotten another app bc the portions are on the smaller side. We ate outside after a 40min wait in the cobblestone alley. It's in old San Juan and you'll definitely feel like you've gone back in time. Beautiful experience, great service!

SO GOOD! Service was great! Drinks tasted so good but food was even better! Duck quesadillas and pork belly tacos were SO GOOD OMG! And the steak for dinner which was so bomb! Walked in here randomly and so happy we did. Dinner was 10/10 highly Recommend

My husband and I were looking for a spot open late. We initially didn't go for it because we're from LA and didn't go all the way to PR just to eat Mexican food, but this was absolutely spectacular. The menu is thoughtful with Mexican classics, but with a small PR twist. The cocktails are INCREDIBLE. The service was gracious and the music on point. Probably our best meal of the whole trip.