Princesa - Cocina Cultura

Three different people from Puerto Rico told us to eat here. The food and service was absolutely outstanding. Our waitress Stephanie was phenomenal and I tried some different foods on her recommendation. I never would’ve eaten in my life and loved it.

Absolutely blown away by our experience at Princesa Cocina Cultura. From the vibes to the drinks to the service, everything was on point. The food was incredible and every dish exceeded expectations. The lamb chops with alcapurria gnocchi were such a creative fusion and absolutely amazing we highly recommend. The fish croquettes were delicious, and the special pastele soup of the day was phenomenal. The ropa vieja was top tier, and the manchego flan was the perfect finish. Special shoutout to our server Carla, who was truly outstanding and made our night feel extra special. She even gave us a glasses of champagne on the house to celebrate our anniversary. Everything was just so good, we had an amazing time and couldn’t be happier. Can’t wait to come back!

The atmosphere was great, prices were ok, food was good but was heavy on oil/fat flavor. Charging $3 per person for water from a machine seems a little to much, specially when the server is not checking if your glass is empty or not, to the point we had to stand and try to get water ourselves.

We loved it here! It was a nice evening, so we sat outside. There were lots of flies in the area, so our server (Diego) placed fly repellers at the table. They worked well. To start, we each ordered a jibarito (very tasty) and shared an order of croquetas pescado. We enjoyed those very much. My husband also ordered chicarron de pulpo, which he loved. I do not eat octopus, so I didn't' sample. It looked appetizing, though. For our entrees, we had pinon de ovejo and a whole fried fish (it was snapper on this day). My husband really enjoyed the lamb dish. The fish was served with fried plantains, and was so simple and flavorful. They were kind enough to remove the head (you have to ask). We did not have dessert, as we were heading to Anita's for gelato (reviewed separately).

Definitely some tasty food across the menu. Staff were super friendly and service was top notch. Their prices were good especially considering the quality of food we all received. They had a nice selection of rum. It was unanimous that their fish was cooked perfectly and was extremely delicious, but everything was quite tasty.

Came for my birthday in September. Food was amazing! Drinks were great. The soup of the day was so good, I wish I could remember what it was called. I got the cod with bacon rice, it was very tasty and the fish was fresh. The prices are reasonable. I definitely recommend to anyone visiting Puerto Rico

We have eaten here a few times since moving to Puerto Rico. I personally love their ceviche but everything else we have had has been great. The servers are professional and the environment is enjoyable. I love the place inside as well, its beautiful.

Phenomenal food and drinks! The coconut-based ceviche is unique. Fish croquettes are great the red snapper is fried perfectly. The banana bread with vanilla ice cream was insanely good. So was the flan. Didn't love the tres leches

Went for lunch today and had the delicious fish croquettes, grandma's arroz con pollo, the Caribbean paella & the best pina colada I've ever had in my life. Great service great food amazing drinks. I wish I got to sit outside but the outside doesn't open until 5 PM. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for lunch or dinner in Old San Juan

I'm back, two years later, and this place is still just as lovely! We sat inside, and the ambiance was calm and cozy. We went on a Thursday evening, and the pretty lights decorating the indoor trees made the setting feel even more special. Our server, Stephanie, was wonderful and gave excellent recommendations, definitely ask for her if you visit! Everything we ordered was perfect. I had the Pork Belly with Risotto, and my boyfriend had the Lamb Chops with Gnocchi. For drinks, I had the Besito e Coco on the rocks (think piña colada vibes), and he had the Don Siete (a rum-forward old-fashioned). I've been here before and would come back, maybe in another two years! Highly recommend this place. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu.

We stumbled upon this restaurant just before it opened at noon. What a great surprise it was for lunch. The service was very friendly. The interior was unique and fun. I had the arroz con pollo and it was pretty much as good as my mother-in-law's. She was from Spain/Cuba. (Rest her soul.)

Really cute farm to table restaurant. Everything is local and fresh which is great. Hard to get a reservation at night, we went for a late lunch at 2:30 and place was not crowded. It's cute and chic inside, natural plants and a lot of wood. The fish croquettes were really delicious. I liked the taste of the filling and the sauce on the outside. This was the best thing we had here. They didn't have the whole snapper which was disappointing. I got the goat dish, I never had goat before. It was okay, kind of gamey. Probably wouldn't get it again. Very salty. Rice on side was good to complement it, and I liked the big slice of avocado. The manchengo flan was unique. Tasted mostly like cheese. Very thick and rich and has some cheesy chunks in it. Kinda made us cough a little, got stuck in our throats. I liked my drink a lot. It was their take on the pina colada and had lots of coconut pieces in it. Overall the food was nothing special. Also made us very full very quick. We sat there for about 2 hours, felt very relaxed and not rushed at all. Nice place to relax, eat and get some AC!

Magical place, for a magical occasion-my birthday! I cannot stop raving about this restaurant and the authentic experience shown by ALL of the staff. Thank you, to everyone who worked with my boyfriend to make my evening special. The layout of the restaurant is unlike any I've ever dined at because there is a huge tree, flouring in the middle of the restaurant. This tree compliments the decor and adds to the romantic setting. Drinks: Besito è Coco and Bembe Simply put, the Besito was a creamy drink packed with quality rum and the Bembe was a nice refresher with fresh passion fruit seeds at the bottom. Both were AMAZING! And they were sure to knock you off your feet. Appetizers: we ordered the fish croquettes, which were SO good! Like, Gooooooood Goooooood! Fried to perfection. Main dish: I ordered the Yam and Squash Pastelon and my boyfriend ordered the Arroz con Pollo. Both dishes deserve an award because babyyyyyy, the chef knew just the right seasonings to set these dishes over the top. They were DELISH! Dessert: this tres leche cake was like no other because while engulfed in taste, I have to acknowledge the saxophonist who came over to my table to play "Happy Birthday" while the staff brought out this cake. This experience added to the magic! Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone desiring a high end culinary experience!

The ambiance is cute with several lights hanging from the surrounding trees. We sat outside because the indoor dining area was closed off for a party. Our server was polite but he did take extremely long to attend us. We arrived around 6:45pm and didn't get our meals until almost 9pm. We ordered : Octopus appetizer 5/10 - was served like calamari ( lightly battered and fried) severed on top of a tomato sauce. We did not like it. It was really greasy. Half of Chicken w/ rice 6/10- The rice was really good but the chicken was as extra dry! Ugh it was a rotisserie style chicken but was "flash fried" for a crispy exterior. In my opinion it just dried the entire chicken up. Nope it was a miss for me. Chuletta Can Can (Pork chop w/rice) 7/10 the hubs enjoyed this dish - warning ‼ it is also a bit greasy.

Very cute date night spot with beautiful ambient lighting and great service! Menu includes special delicious cocktails, especially the Barlovento. The arepa appetizer with lamb was a little dry and could use more of the sauce. The ceviche was great - very tasty!

The restaurant setting is of a natural habitat feel, yet enclosed for a perfect cool down from the heat outside. It feels very typical of Puerto Rico, yet artesanal and experimental. Service was top notch, with sincere and elaborate recommendations and the food matched the experience. If you like coconut, two recommendations - their house colada - coquito and their coconut mojito. TO DIE FOR and generous on the liquor. I had the Caribbean risotto, which had plantains and ropa vieja. Outstanding fusion homage to Puerto Rican and Italian cuisines alike! My husband had the ropa vieja with arroz con tocino. Great pricing on all. Plenty of food, so a great value! Highly recommended!

Fantastic food at a fantastic place!! We were hungry and looking to eat authentic Puerto Rican food and this place had that and some great history too. The recipes used here date way back, and their flavor leaves an impression! The restaurant is conveniently located and has an open feel. Service was very friendly and gave the history of the dishes to us as we were deciding. Memorable to me was the smoky taste of the rice being fantastic, definitely a favorite for us! And the appetizers were different than anything we've tried before, but we're glad we did! All in all great food, great staff, fantastic location in Old San Juan. If we find our way back here I'll definitely make a point to stop again. That piña colada was the best one I had on the trip and I need it again!

Princesa has such a pretty atmosphere! The lights, the trees, it's all so calming. The drinks are amazing, the food is delicious! We were here on vacation and had it the very first night of our stay as well as the last night.

Well, the concept is laudable but the execution needs some adjustments. We walked up without a reservation and were told to leave a number to be notified when a table is available. They did call about 35 minutes later and we were sat down in the garden. The receptionist and the server were very pleasant. We started with a salad and an arancini appetizer, and ordered the rabbit fricassee and goat fricassee, as we were excited about the local flavors. Unfortunately, the rabbit fricassee was very salty and the goat fricassee was extremely salty, almost to the point of inedible. My husband ate it anyway as we were hungry and it was late. The bacon rice accompanied the fricassees didn't have much flavor other than being a little greasy. We loved the service (5 starts) but the food was disappointing (3 starts for the heavy saltiness). Sorry Princesa!

Food was delish! Carla was awesome. However, our friends left because the house did not accommodate the three extra people that were joining us. They left the premises. We has previously requested from the front staff to give us the larger table but they refused.

The concept is a restaurant based around Puerto Rican cookbooks from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The food was, across the board, stunning. Be warned--the main courses are VERY large, so consider splitting appetizers or skipping them entirely. Service was excellent, and the cocktail menu is very creative. If they have ANYTHING with their house-made ginger beer, get it. Period. An absolutely gem of a restaurant--I would absolutely come back.

We came for a bachelorette dinner and booked the private room. There was a $1k minimum spend which we met by getting a couple bottles of bubbly. The food was good, with some dishes better than others. The ambiance was great in the main dining room, with live music and dim lighting. Great for a night out with a date or with friends. I find it odd that the bathroom was located outside of the restaurant but it's not a big deal. Cod fish croquette and ceviche were great appetizers. For the main, we split the can can pork chop which was HUGE and very fatty but tasty. I also got hte mahi mahi which was a bit dry. The star and must get is definitely the lobster rice! Great seafood flavor and big chunks of lobster. All of the desserts were good. Overall a good spot for a fun night out especially when there's live music!

Hands down, best food I ate in Puerto Rico. We reserved a private room for a friend's bachelor party and it couldn't have gone better. Four of us got the rack of lamb (cooked medium) as our main entree and it was delicious. Tender, flavorful, and filling, it hit the trifecta of satisfaction. It came with these little fried dough balls with cheese that just gave it that extra oomph. For the appetizers, the tostones with lamb meat were pretty damn good. Tasty and a quick bite. The little fish croquets were also enjoyable. For dessert, I liked the bread pudding more than the cheesecake, but both were great. Our server, Yaneliz, was fantastic. She made sure we always had water, and brought everything out in a perfect fashion. Very nice to our party and made our night even better. I'll always hold a special place in my heart for this place since it brought our group so much joy. Definitely check them out.

This will be added to our visits going forward! The pork belly, pork can can, lamb, and lobster rice! YUM. Plus 2 for 1 mojitos! I was in heaven!!

1. Very loud. We went on a Friday night they had live music. Very good music but too loud. If you are expecting to talk with anyone else at your table rethink that. 2. I got the lobster risotto for the high price of $56. Definitely overpriced not good do not get. I saw other people who ordered the same also not finish. I also found hair immediately in my food. 3. Service however was great 11/10 Note to manager/owner Please turn down music a little way too loud. For the lobster risotto, the lobster is great and so are the plantains but the rice does not at all complement it.

Beautiful setting, the waitress was amazing, and I have been in San Juan a week and this is the best food I've had so far.

The food was delicious and ambiance was superb. We sad outside in the Patio on a late July evening had had a great time with family. This is in the heart of old town so a great way to end a day in Old San Juan!

I will start by saying this restaurant met the moment. My family & I wanted to enjoy a Puerto Rican meal, a place that would have a nice setting & most importantly, delicious food. Each box was checked. I have to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to Alejandra. She was AMAZING!!! She made our special time special. It's rare to get a double whammy with GREAT Food & Service. I highly recommend stopping by & enjoying the experience of dining here. Disfruta tu comida!

Absolutely phenomenal experience from start to finish. Cesar was fantastic--warm, attentive, and made some truly spot-on recommendations. We started with three appetizers: the chicharrón de pulpo, ceviche de pescado, and montadito de arepas. All three were delicious, but that octopus? Next level. Drinks were on point too. We sampled a few, but the rum old fashioned and the passion fruit sparkling wine stole the show. The ambiance was perfect. We sat outside, and it was super comfortable--great vibes and a surprisingly quiet atmosphere that made the whole evening feel relaxed and special. For dinner, we had the costillas de cordero and... wow. O.M.G. Bone-clean-licking good. Rich, tender, perfectly cooked. The gnocchi it came with? Absolutely dreamy. A must. I would 100% return. This place hit all the right notes.

My yelp scroll to find a "fine dinning" restaurant, during my stay in San Juan lead me to finding this gem. It did not disappoint! The hostess greeting us with a smile upon walking in; once she had seating for all the members of my party, she escorted us to a table. The atmosphere in this dimly lit, intimate restaurant was one of warmth, it was cozy but sophisticated. There was a soft Jazz beat playing throughout the restaurant, we opted to sit outside around the gazebo bar. Our waiter "Juan Carlos" was so thorough in the explanation of both the cocktail and dinner menu, he gave us a brief history about the restaurant and had perfect recommendations on what to eat or drink based on what we each had a taste for. Everyone enjoyed their meals and we will be coming back on our next trip. The food was the most authentic Puerto Rican food I have ever had, and I loved every bite of it.

The service was very good. We got seated very quickly, and the staff were very attentive. We had cocktails and split a couple of appetizers with an entree. We started off with the Barlovento and the Bembé, which were really good. I then had the Besito e' Coco, which was delicious. It could be a dessert cocktail. We split the ceviche and the cod filet. Both were outstanding. I loved the chickpea stew. If you get a chance, please stop by. You will not be disappointed.

The food, customer service, portions was amazing! This is going to definitely be one of the restaurants I will still think about when my vacation in Puerto Rico is over!!! Amazing place to celebrate a birthday with the ambience and live music. Loved it!!!

11 of us went together and we all loved our food. The ambiance was amazing too! It's beautifully decorated and lit. I ordered the lamb chops and they were delicious! Chef's kiss! I also got tres leche for dessert. It was good but I couldn't finish my meal or dessert. The portion sizes are big. This is the first time I ever left lamb chops on a plate but I did eat most of it.

One of the best restaurants I've had in San Juan. It's perfect for lunch and dinner. The service was very prompt and we had drinks and food in a matter of no time. I love the inside since it feels very rich and filled with laughs from all of the surrounding tables. You see smiles all throughout the restaurant. The food was nothing short of incredible. So many flavors and everything looks just as good as it tastes. I really enjoyed the pork belly which didn't stand a chance the moment it made its way to the table.

This place is dirty and not managed well. The bathroom looks like no one has cleaned it for a week. I can only imagine the kitchen. Food tastes like it was already cooked and not cooked to order.

The service provided by Lyriel was top notch. She is very knowledgeable on the menu and was able to steer us to two great dishes. The pork shank and pork belly were both excellent. The shank was fall apart tender and juicy while the pork belly was a wonderful combination of crispy and fatty. The inside part of the restaurant was quite loud and that was before the live music started. We were shouting at each other to be heard. Good food for a good good price will bring me back the next time I'm on Old San Juan.

Princesa Cocina is idyllically located at Paseo de Princesa on Calle Shurmberg. They serve classic local dishes with natural light streaming in through the center of the restaurant. They also have a backyard patio with a rum list. For lunch, we were drawn to the crispy pork belly cooked Puerto Rican style, served with rice and plantains. The dish was so large that we only had room for a side of bean salad with avocado and taco chips. It was more than enough food for two people, and we barely finished it. We were impressed with the elegant, woody ambiance. My partner joked that we should have booked dinner here instead. With the great customer service and delicious food, we will be back for dinner.

Lovely staff and intimate, lovely place. I'd recommend coming here if you're looking for something unique in the area. The food here is solid and the presentation is lovely.

You're in Old San Juan, wanting to experience Old Puerto Rico. How about classic PR recipes dating from the 1800's surrounded by trees growing through walls and roofs of the restaurant? We made a reservation for lunch on Three Kings Day, fully expecting crowds downtown for celebrations, but found plenty of room and no competition for service inside even as the street outside was quite packed with market tourists. It does seem that this may be better known as a dinner spot than a lunch spot, but we were happy to enjoy this as a capstone after our morning Old San Juan tour. What we ordered: Vegetable Mofungo Smoked Pork & Chicken Sausage Rice Lamb Chops & Yucca Every dish was flavorful, well prepared, and I would try them all again! Based on the menu description, I didn't realize the Rice dish was going to be primarily rice, since it led with two meats mentioned, but there was enough meat in there to make a meal of it and not just a side dish. It's not listed on the cocktails, but I wanted to try their signature Piña Colada and I'm glad I did! Toasted coconut with a dark rum floater - maybe not quite 1800s recipe because ice wouldn't have been a thing... but so refreshing and tasty! I would love to come back and see this environment at night with a musician on stage. PS. A note on location- I thought I could access it from inside the walls of Old San Juan, but it's actually outside the walls at Sea Level on the boulevard below and across from public parking.

Fabulous atmosphere with magnificent food ! I have the cod stew with chickpeas it was outstanding! Mojito was delicious too

3 of us ordered different dishes, however none of us particularly loved them. We all agreed that our dishes were excessively salty as well. However, Stephanie gave us a truly 5 star service experience as if we were at a Michelin Star restaurant. I can't give enough positive review as to how amazing her service made the experience. Thank you Stephanie!

Me encanto!! El mejor restaurante en el area El lugar es muy bonito y la comida deliciosa lo encontré por yelp! :)

The food, wine, and ambience was good - my only grievance is how salty it was. I could barely finish my food because it was so salty.. However, they do have a neat concept; every recipe is very old and comes from an old cookbook. The ambience was warm and cozy and ideal for a date night or a group gathering.

We went here for lunch one day. The service was great, but I felt like the food took a little while to come out. We liked our meal but it was a pretty expensive lunch. We ended up sharing fish croquettes and the fish of the day. I loved the pickled onions on top, but the fish lacked some seasoning even if it was cooked in a perfectly flaky way. The fish croquettes were really yummy and well done. The inside was also really cool and I loved how they decorated. Even having the trees inside the restaurant was interesting.

My daughter and I came upon this place after visiting El Morro. The decor & ambiance was nice and on the fancier side The service was quick and efficient. Our food was good but a little on the pricey side. My daughter had the ceviche. I had cassava baskets stuffed with ropa vieja and a mojito.

Great dinner spot in the heart of all the Old San Juan action. Went for dinner with a group of colleagues during a conference and everyone loved it. Service was great - they got our large group seated quickly - and the food was tasty and reasonably priced.

As Princesa declares to their customers on their website, "We'll Make you Feel the Magic", and we felt it indeed! From the moment we came in, we were welcomed by a live musician on stage who could play all sorts of instruments. I tried the Fish Croquettes and had the Ropa Vieja for my entree. Though the Ropa Vieja was not as stewed for as long as I would like (which made the dish a bit dry), it was still delicious enough to eat.

We visited this restaurant on 12/26 at 8:28PM after reading the reviews, expecting a certain degree of service. When we arrived, we saw a line of about 3 parties who were waiting and observed they were addressed with some degree of service. The woman at the front walked up to us and immediately said "we are closed. They are the last party" gesturing to the party of 5 infront of us ( a party of 2). She never said "hi, how can I help you, do you have a reservation" We asked to speak to the manager who came over stating that they weren't accepting anymore people dining as their kitchen was backed up with a wait time of 1hr. We communicated that it was rude for his hostess to not ask if we have a reservation but to accept the two parties ahead, while dismissing us- funny how people get egos as soon as they see brown faces and assume their quality of service requirements are no longer required. He never apologized but doubled down and instead continued to say he could not sit us for dinner. It's fine if a restaurant is experiencing great business and is busy for the night but if you have 'x' number of reservations and close at 9PM, you should be prepared to dine who walks in before that time. If not - kindly clearly state that you are: A) reservations only B) kitchen closes/last seating at 8PM or, C) when walk in's come in- communicate that you have a wait time for dining or seating of an hour or more and ask if they would like to wait. We have dined at some of the most expensive/ niche restaurants around the world. The service here upon walk-in left much to be desired.

Good ambience, great service, excellent musician. My meal was pretty good but my wife's fish was dry from being over cooked. It was the fresh fish of the day but looked to be packaged, frozen, and square. It maybe unrelated and she is very sensitive to MSG, but she's been in the bathroom dealing with a gastero issue. We should have said something at restaurant and sent her meal back. But did not want to cause a problem. Perhaps we should have.

2 for 1 mojitos from 3-5. The Smoked Pork Arancini - like meat rolled croquette's- and the Bean Salad pictured were really good. Great ambiance and service. Place is a little hidden but a great find. Fancy restaurant- not a bar.

WOW, Princesa blew me away! We celebrated my friends birthday here on a Wednesday night around 7:30pm. It's absolutely beautiful and unique. There are trees growing through the walls and roof of the restaurant and out front there is an even bigger tree with a bunch of lights that catch your eye at night. Once we walked in, we were seated within 5 minutes and scanned a QR code for the menu. So many delicious dishes from fish croquettes to fresh catches of the day. For the table, we ordered the fish croquettes and beef piononitos which we devoured in minutes, haha! The cocktails were freshly crafted so I had to order a strawberry margarita (thumbs up). My friend ordered the Besito e' Coco which was *chefs kiss*. Now although there weren't many options for me (pescatarian), I was excited to try the yam, eggplant and squash pastelon. It was sooooo good I'm thinking about it now! The fresh cod filet in a chickpea stew looked good as well but it comes with bacon rice which is a no for me. I would've swapped with white rice but I really wanted the other rice without the bacon. ALL of my friends really enjoyed their meals, especially my friends that ordered the red snapper. For dessert, I highly suggest ordering the guava bread pudding and coconut flan. Both were absolutely amazing and we can't stop talking about it. I was never a flan girl but that one changed my mind. How could I forget about the live music?! Along with a lovely older couple who danced all night :) Highly suggest Princesa, especially if you're celebrating an occasion!

Amazing ! The ambiance, service, and especially the food !! I came during Christmas and the decorations are beautiful.. I definitely recommend this place.

A lovely interior and exterior design with great, traditional food and the best service we had on the island. Nicole was our waitress and she was super friendly, knowledgeable and kept pace with our party of 11. We tried a number of specialty cocktails and wine and a sampling of starters. Highlight entrees were the can can pork (woah that thing is a specialty in PR for a reason), the cod in tomato with beans and white rice and the rabbit. The only challenge is was for a Friday night family dinner the music was really loud and made it hard to talk at the table. The music was really nice if we were there for cocktails and drinks but a lot for dinner.

Very nice, fun restaurant. Great for a fun party or super fun meal, very festive and beautiful. Great menu with authentic PR style food and drink. Good service! Staff is very nice. *****Great Air Conditioning also! What an enjoyable place. If your in old San Juan please come and check it out!

We ordered the lamb, red snapper and pulled pork stew. Everything was great, and Piña colada was also amazing! The server was very professional and we were happy that we chose this place. Highly recommended.

After a long walk in Paseo de la Princesa in millions degrees weather this is a he perfect spot to cool off with a nice drink. All drinks were delicious! Refreshing, aesthetically pleasing with freshly made tropical juices. We sat at the bar and the server who was helping us was slow. We skipped ordering apps since he didn't check on us and we didn't feel like waiting forever. Seems like a great place to have dinner or lunch. Looks like is better to have a reservation. My score is a solid 3.5 based on the delicious drinks and slow service.

I read lots of reviews on this place, and lots of other places. We're so glad we chose to come here. The drinks were yummy - we had mojitos and el jibarito. The food was delicious. Per the other reviews, we had the chicken stew (soup of the day), the bean and avocado salad, and the pork belly risotto. The avocado bean salad had great citrus flavor. And the chips weren't too salty. The pork belly was cooked so perfectly, and the risotto was so tasty. Not too salty as other reviews mentioned. I would 100% recommend to others traveling to old San Juan.