La Lanterna by Franco Seccarelli — Restaurant in San Juan

I stumbled into this place by complete accident without a reservation. I was drawn in from the street by beautiful lighting plants and ambience that make this one of the most enchanting restaurants I've ever walked into. I was told that I could have a table but that they would need it in an hour which wasn't a problem since I was by myself. That's sad it took 15 minutes for someone to take my order and I had to ask for them to do it. I was getting more anxious by the minute because of what I was asked in the beginning which was to be out in an hour. When I sat down at my table the owner and some other staff were talking right next to my table, sort of having a work meeting which was fine but I thought it was really odd that the owner and he's clearly identified in pictures on the website etc didn't even greet me smile at me or say hello and once again I felt invisible as a single diner, as a woman over 50, etc. I mean he stared right at me and just walked away. I would think that for an owner to have his roots in the restaurant business linking all the way back to Perugia, and a family business, that he might have expressed some sort of a welcome. About an hour later I had to ask for the dessert description so that I could pre-order it so that I wouldn't take up too much time, and I did this on my own accord. I was impressed with the fact that they had risotto with something besides mushrooms as a vegetarian option and it was quite good but I was full from the burrata and arugula salad and bread so brought half of it home with me to my hotel. Salad was great the bread was delicious. I selected the chocolate ganache for dessert and it was very very good. I broke a 6-month sugar band to celebrate my birthday and did not regret it.

Servers walked by me for a good 20 minutes before I could get anyone's attention to let them know that I was ready to order, needed a check etc. it was as if they just didn't see me. But as I got closer to getting my check one server was quite attentive and thanked me for coming.

Sadly, before my meal I went to the ladies room and there was a dead cockroach on the floor. I'm not particularly squeamish but I know many people are and it was really kind of surprising to see because the place is otherwise immaculate and beautifully lit.... Probably one of the most romantic restaurants in all of Old San Juan.

It's it should never be assumed that a single woman walking in without a reservation is not going to understand food and wine and how to be treated well when they're dining. I've eaten all over Italy including Perugia and I was surprised by the...

3 stars for the rudest hostess or waitress ever. We had a reservation at 8, and we arrived on time. Nobody's at the hostess stand and after a little while, I go in. This lady comes like literally next to me while I am asking her politely: "good evening we have a reservation etc." in Spanish of course, ( I live here since forever, and I am half Puertorican) and she ignores me not once, but twice, my husband and friends are like in awe, she just walked through me like if I was a ghost or something. I was even making jokes, " am I invisible? Can you guys see me?"

She is Puertorican, and this is the typical attitude that we are getting more on this island. This attitude of despise, contempt, and disdain against foreign people is becoming a trend, unfortunately. I was very embarrassed because our friends were visiting, they love Puerto Rico, and it was the night before their departure. As a local, I want to show my family and friends the best places and services in Puerto Rico. We were this close to leaving, but we didn't leave because it was Monday, and a lot of restaurants are closed.

Another person attended to us and we were finally seated. We waited 15 minutes for someone to show up. We ordered the cocktails and it took 1 hour for the cocktails to arrive.

Our waiter was very good, and the sommelier Andres was amazing. He suggested the perfect wine for our dinner and was very attentive to the wine. The food was delicious. No complaints at all about it. The timing of the food was good too.

I was hoping to have some sort of compensation for the cocktails because we were supposed to have them before dinner and the food came out very soon ( an hour waiting for cocktails, like NO). They don't know how to fix things like this in the restaurant and hotel industry on this island. Shame. For $150 per person or more, I expect and impeccable service, no waiting, and if they make a mistake we expect them to rectify it the proper way. Comping a dessert or drink can make a great impression on your guests. They should know better.

Btw, whoever does the website the menu is not working and the opening hours...

Our group of 8 girls dined at La Lanterna for a special occasion, and it was a frustrating experience from start to finish. We received printed menus, but a waiter also recited a lengthy list of “today’s specials” verbally, which was difficult to follow and remember—especially for a group our size. They asked whether we preferred still or sparkling water; we chose still, only to be charged $7 per bottle.

The service was excruciatingly slow, with delays in distributing menus, serving dishes, and even delivering bread, which only arrived after we requested it. Then, they brought additional bread we hadn’t asked for and added a charge to our bill. The pricing felt downright dishonest. We ordered a half portion of “Pappardelle ai Porcini”, billed $34, while the full portion was $39. When we questioned this, the waiter explained there’s “not much price difference” between half and full portions—information that should’ve been shared beforehand, but was conveniently and intentionally ignored. The truffle pasta from verbal menu was an even bigger letdown: a half portion cost $40, suggesting full plates should be $45-$50 considering what waiter said. Yet reading the reviews from months ago highlighted same dish was charged $80 for a full portion for another customer. The waiter knew we were sharing a plate and himself suggested about considering the half portion. Which looks like a Scam.

To add insult to injury, a “ginger-haired woman” promised a complimentary dessert for our bride-to-be as a surprise, but we only received a card. Meanwhile, the table next to us enjoyed an actual celebratory dessert, leaving us feeling deceived and overlooked. The waiter who served us didn’t even bring the check himself—someone else dropped it off, highlighting the indifferent service. La Lanterna’s staff needs to focus on clarity and honesty rather than trivial details like napkin folding. We left Scammed, discriminated, and disappointed, far from the fine dining experience we’d...