La Madre — Restaurant in San Juan

The good and the bad about this restaurant.

Summary:

Margaritas were EXCEPTIONAL Food was mostly great (except this one plate) Servers were prompt, kind and responsive Hostess was the WORST ever

Full story:

We visited this restaurant on a Saturday night in march 2025. We were celebrating a the announcement of a fellow guest’s new baby. we were an 8 person party. Upon seating at the table, the hostess came over and gave us a lecture about how they don’t take 8-person parties without reservation, and how we should be grateful of her doing a miracle to accommodate us; and making a point to remind us that because of the situation we would automatically be charged a 20% gratuity, and no check splitting beyond 3 cards.

Following that, our server Sue (short for “Zuleyka”) came over and took our drink order. She was bright, attentive, kind and responsive. And we loved her.

She took our drink orders. And I must say, the margaritas were all exceptional. The coconut, cucumber, passion fruit, and lime margaritas were some of the best we’ve ever tasted. You will not be disappointed.

Once Sue took our food orders, while we were waiting for it to arrive, we were chatting it up at the table, like all other guests. For some reason, the hostess came to us, and literally told us to be quiet, in so many words. We were aghast, and completely taken aback, since the restaurant was bustling so it was loud throughout, and we were no more louder than any other table. It seems like she was uniquely annoyed at us for no reason. This completely killed our mood, and honestly we had a hard time recovering from this incident during the rest of the meal, as we felt like school children reprimanded by a spiteful teacher. We found this somewhat disingenuous since, throughout the meal, we would catch the hostess meandering about looking at her phone.

Additionally, adding injury to insult (literally), the stairway to the bathroom was dangerously slippery, to the point were one of our guests slipped and feel on his back, causing a serious scrape on his elbow and a soft tissue injury. There was no sign or notice, other than a bus boy saying “oh yeah, be careful with that.” Sue, however was responsive and provided assistance via a first aid kit, which helped a lot. This was appreciated.

Once the food arrived, we were highly satisfied with the fajitas, cheese dip, tuna steak, and quesadillas. Great taste, size and pricing. The only exception, and it was a severe one, were the Tacos la Madre. The guest who ordered them, could not finish them, stating they were inedible.

Once the check arrived, we found it fairly reasonable. It was about a $300 bill for 8 people, including apps, entrees and drinks.

All in all, I would recommend for the margaritas and most plats; but would caution as to the managing staff and restroom conditions. We will likely return, whenever that lady is...

In summary: Being busy is not an excuse to ignore guests, their requests, or not acknowledge long wait times out of courtesy and pretend service is okay.

The story: Our order was taken pretty quick but only 30 min later someone else, not our waiter, checked on us. We got our food 45 min in, cold and without the hot sauce my husband asked for. The girl that served his food brought the sauce right away though. I then received my quesadilla and asked for sour cream, which usually comes with it. I was told it’s a 75 cent charge and agreed. 10 min later I asked for it from our waiter who stopped by to check on us, because I didn’t get it yet but ate 1 of the 4 pieces already. I got something that to me is not sour cream and didn’t eat it (it had a sauce consistency and green dots in it. It looked more like the cilantro cream side on the menu which didn’t come with my dish either). I didn’t eat more of my dish nor the sour cream. My husband ate it instead because he was hungry after his burrito.

At the end after we asked for the check, a girl came to take our plates. She dropped food on me and didn’t say anything. She apologized when she dropped more onto the table later when picking up another plate. I didn’t care about what I’m wearing so I didn’t react and just flicked the food off me. I did point to my full side of sour cream though as she took the plate and asked to please not be charged when they bring the check because as she can see - I didn’t eat it. I said I don’t think that is sour cream.

We asked for the check 3 times, third time being from our waiter whom we then watched do other things around the place going in and out before bringing it (waited again), with the 75 cent charge included, of course. When we mentioned we had asked to have it removed, a new girl came with a corrected bill to explain/prove to me that what I received was in fact sour cream… not sure that was necessary for 75 cents to tell a customer they weren’t right. For me it was principal already to not pay that after eating cold food and waiting so many times without an acknowledgement of the food taking long or anything.

I always leave a tip but left nothing this time. I’ve worked in a restaurant myself and usually feel bad even if something went very wrong and still leave something. People have bad days or busy days but the service we received was bad from multiple people and the food was cold. We heard someone else be told by the hostess to expect the food to take long right before we got our food but no one ever told us this or apologized it took long when the food came. Just overall the same “mistakes” could have been made but with acknowledgment or an apology and we would have felt different about the experience and left a tip. However, no one seemed to care there, so...

I’ve been coming to La Madre for five years, first discovering it during my first six weeks living in Viejo San Juan when I’d stop by nearly every day. Back then, it had everything: incredible food, warm service, and a vibrant atmosphere that made it an easy favorite.

As a travel advisor specializing in Puerto Rico, La Madre has long been one of my top recommendations for clients visiting Viejo San Juan. The food continues to shine: consistently delicious, beautifully presented, and perfect for sharing. I always suggest ordering a few dishes for the table, and I’ve shared videos of my top three go-to appetizers that I always come back for.

Although the food has been consistently excellent and I truly salute the kitchen staff for that, the same cannot be said for the team managing the customer experience. I say this not after one off visit, but after three recent visits where the service was frustratingly poor. The food alone earns this review its three stars, but without genuine hospitality, the colorful decor and lively ambiance simply aren't enough to create a memorable experience.

On our most recent visit, we were seated at the bar, which would have been fine if the setup weren’t so tight that my husband was practically part of the bar service station. I’ve attached a photo to show how cramped it was. We were happy to sit at the bar, but at least give guests enough space to enjoy their meal and certainly don’t act like we’re a nuisance for being there. We still pay the same prices.

What was most disappointing, though, was being met with indifference, even rudeness, from the front-of-house team on our last three visits. From the moment we stood at the door politely waiting to ask for a table, the energy was cold and transactional: a recitation of where to find the QR code, no real welcome, no interest in making guests feel at ease. To top it off, I spoke to the staff in fluent Spanish and was repeatedly answered in English, which felt unnecessarily dismissive. This wasn’t a one-time occurrence. I always give the benefit of the doubt, which is why I returned twice more in recent months, only to have the same experience repeated. The warmth and welcome this place was once known for has truly vanished.

¿Eso es lo que quieren reflejar al recibirnos en su isla, una tierra tan rica en cultura, sabor y orgullo? ¿Eso es también lo que debo esperar cuando les envío a mis clientes, confiando en que vivan lo mejor de Puerto Rico, con hospitalidad y calidez genuina?

I write this with genuine disappointment, but also with hope. La Madre has the potential to offer an amazing dining experience, but it requires rediscovering the spirit of hospitality that once...