La Bodeguita de Manolo Condado — Restaurant in San Juan

We were genuinely excited to try La Bodeguita de Manolo in Condado — the ambiance and decor are exceptional, and the dining room has a cozy, elevated charm that initially made us feel like we had discovered a hidden gem. Unfortunately, the experience quickly soured.

Upon arrival, we stood at the entrance for about five minutes before anyone acknowledged us. Despite several open tables (two 5-tops and a 3-top), we were told we could either sit at the bar or wait for a two-top that was directly in the path of both the bar and kitchen — arguably the worst seat in the house. Wanting to keep things easy, we opted for the bar, though we were confused as to why we couldn’t be seated at one of the available tables.

Once seated, we waited an extended period before even receiving water. Asking for a drink menu turned into a small ordeal — when I asked about their signature cocktail, the bartender struggled to respond, defaulting to “scan the QR code,” then handed us a menu anyway. No recommendations, no enthusiasm, no engagement.

When we finally ordered, our drinks were made by two different people and arrived separately. The spicy Moscow Mule lacked any spice or the ginger beer kick it should have. The Don Santiago looked nice but was served with a short straw that sat below the rim of the glass — we had to fish it out with our fingers. Not exactly appetizing.

We sat for another 10–15 minutes with menus open, clearly ready to order food, but were never approached. Despite at least five staff working the floor, no one seemed responsible for the bar area. Eventually, we just paid for our two underwhelming drinks and left.

A place with this kind of design and potential deserves better service — and so do the guests. Sadly, without mastering even the basics of hospitality, it’s hard to see how this business can...

Great Atmosphere, Service and Food!! Definitely an experience. The Restaurant was full on arrival but we were able to eat at the bar. Our bartender/server provided excellent service and was so informative. We ordered the "MACARRONES" Appetizer- $20. It is Mascarpone cheese, lobster "chicharrón", pickled onions. It was absolutely delicious! Great choice. For entrees I chose the GNOCCHI - S35. This is made with Root vegetable and potato, shrimp, and tomatoes. This was a very unique dish. The shrimp and sage cream sauce were delicious. The actual gnocchi is very different than any gnocchi I’ve had, as it was a very soft mashed “potato ish”consistency. It did not taste like actual gnocchi. When I questioned it she explained it was the root vegetables. It was seasoned very well. I just personally prefer harder gnocchi. Since the menu very clearly states that it was made with root vegetables, I should have inquired prior to ordering. Definitely not the restaurants fault. The other entree chosen by my partner was the BODEGUITA BURGER - $18. Made with Angus Beef, pulled pork, avocado, red pepper aioli, with mixed fries. Fries were delicious. The only suggestion for the burger is to order it a little less well done than you would like. He loved the burger. It was just a bit well done for medium for him. He would definitely order it again. We will plan for another visit next trip! Must mention that our beautiful bartender made the best Smoked Manhattan I’ve ever had. Also, the design that went into the restaurant is just so well done. Be sure to look around each area. As a designer\builder I can share that it is quite impressive! *Note that the Entrance is on the side of the restaurant. Restaurant is in the AC Hotel. Noting this as we chose the wrong...

A mixed bag. You access the restaurant through the coffee shop and a silver door. We ate dinner there our first night and had excellent, well prepared food, but a negative dining experience. There is some real talent in the kitchen. The grilled octopus appetizer was one of the best I have ever had, crisp on the outside and tender in the middle. The carpaccio was a very meager portion, sliced thin as prosciutto instead of being pounded thin as they do at Harry's Bar in Venice, where it was invented. It also had sliced garlic on top. I don't know where that idea came from, but it didn't work. I had the black risotto with langostino as a second course. The risotto was undercooked a bit, not even at the "al dente" stage. They used a commercial black cuttlefish ink, which I expected. The langostino was very tasty. My wife ordered the quails. Unbelievably, they brought out a roasted Cornish Game Hen, which by the way, is neither Cornish nor game, and may or may not be a hen. It's a young chicken, what the French call a poulet. When my wife called them out on it, they insisted it was quail. When she continued, the waitress brought out the packaged one from the kitchen to prove it was quail. When I showed her that it was clearly labeled as Cornish hen, she went back to the kitchen and returned, explaining that yes, it was not quail, but they were out of quail. My wife refused to eat it, which however did not deter them from charging us for it, nor apologizing. Hence, this review. I'm going to skip on the wine review, but that was another screwup as well, which they...