Anchor Seafood Market — Restaurant in San Juan

The star is for the ambiance only- fantastic singer and guitarist. Service was kind and genuine, however the timeline of getting food for our party of three was outrageous. We ordered the paella, risotto, and calamari. It took 1 hour and 30 minutes for them to arrive. ONE AND A HALF HOURS. This was with a nearly empty restaurant with only one large party expect us. There was zero explanation for this absurd wait. We arrived at 7 PM were seated promptly and did not receive food until 8:30! On a Sunday. With this wait we expected our food to be excellent - at bare minimum very good. However we were all disappointed with overly salty under spiced food that had very little flavor and just a lot of salt. The seafood really what we came here for and our paella and risotto was not the freshest tasting. The calamari rings which were raved about on other online reviews were soggy, thick, undercooked, and with breading that had clearly not been fried long enough. Additionally they were a little cold on the outside. Even the bread, which was placed on the table at the beginning of our hour and a half long wait was under done and a little doughy in the middle. The calamari was served with a garlic aïoli (as well as the bread) which was a little odd despite the aïoli tasting good as calamari is not normally served with garlic aïoli. Everyone about this food left us disappointed and feeling gross. Our copious leftovers, which we had hoped to have the following day, were immediately put in the...

The valet at our hotel recommended this little jewel of a hideaway. The service is impeccable! It was raining and a man came to us with an umbrella and assisted my mom. Inside it was the same. Tag team wait staff insure you do not need a thing! For example: My Mom’s paper napkin fell on the floor. She didn’t realize it but, the waiter brought her a new one! The sauces are fantastic. Very flavorful and nicely done. The fish on both our dishes was over cooked but, not terribly. My mom had the seafood platter. Full of seafood! I’m talking a langoustine, 1/2 lobster tail (Caribbean), a large sea scallop, a mussel, grouper, shrimp and calamari! I had the grouper with a mushroom gravy with thyme. Very tasty! The decor is Spanish and it’s quaint and smallish. It seems to be run be locals and they need our support folks!

The downside, the A/C smells like pee. The place was pretty empty for a Wednesday night in February. Two other diners were locals not tourists like us. Some of the lights weren’t on which made me feel like they wanted to close but, it was only 8pm..? Maybe it was just to conserve. And no view.

Other good stuff: there’s a parking lot! It’s on the Isla Verde strip and easy to get to. Our meals were timed well and did not have to wait. They serve bread with homemade garlic aioli. The restaurant is clean and tidy. The homemade sangria is delicious! And did I mention the service?!! Best service I’ve had in...

TL:DR I wasted 3 hours which I could have spend with my father in Father’s Day. All due to incompetent straight-up lying staff and coward management/owner.

After paying two days in advance, receiving a pickup time and order number; I still had to wait 3.5 hours under the sun to receive the food. The same happens to other 100 people waiting outside the restaurant.

Management did not address the situation and staid quiet inside the restaurant for most of the time. They indicated that it was because they where behind in the kitchen, but the real reason was an incompetency in their coordination and logistics: pickup time and order number assigned where not used and instead they indicated to the clients that they will be served on a first come first serve and to make the line. Also they where ignoring anyone requesting a refund. While in the line, a lot of preference where given to “VIP” which skipped the line and make the wait longer for the other people.

I received the food only when I forced myself into the restaurant and demanded a return of money. Then, they give me the order so I don’t cancel, an order that most likely was set aside for one of there “VIP” customer.

First and only experience. I will not...