La Braza Smokehouse — Restaurant in Vega Baja

I was surprised by this restaurant. All the food that we ordered was absolutely great except for one particular dish, more on that later. La Braza Smokehouse, as the name states, is a place to primarily eat meat but they offer other food options to appeal to a broader customer base. I ordered 1 pound of BBQ ribs with mofongo (smashed plantains). It was delicious. Three ribs amounted to one pound but each bone had a good portion of meat. I am a ribs enthusiast myself and these were one of the best ribs I have tasted in a very long time. They were meaty, juicy, well seasoned and the sauce was not overpowering like other places that tend to use the BBQ sauce to disguised lack of flavor. These ribs were very tasty. The mofongo was excellent as well. Smooth texture and well seasoned without an overwhelming garlic taste, 10/10. Other dished ordered by my party were the smashed plantains stuffed with chicken, it was great. Also the arroz mamposteao was very good. The only dish that sadly fell well short was the asopao de camarones. It had a good portion of shrimps but it sadly lacked of flavor. Aside of this particular plate everything else was excellent. Even the desserts were very good. The service provided by Emanuel was above and beyond. Very attentive and on top of everything. I have to mention that, even though is was a Friday afternoon and the place was far from crowded, the food took some time to be served. I don’t mind waiting if the food is freshly cooked like they did. But be warned, depending on the day you visit this place you may have to prepare to wait some time for your party to be served. They place is crowded on weekends. Nevertheless, the place is...

We ate here twice in two weeks. The Asopao was sub-par. We ate outside both times. This was a huge mistake. It turns out, that at about 8 pm, they wash their bathrooms out with an extremely strong detergent and then flush it into the street. The detergent then runs along two sides of the dining patio. The nauseating odor of the detegent enveloped the patio. It painted my tongue and burned my eyes. When this happened we could only taste the detergent. The first night i thought the smell was coming from inside so i insisted we eat outside when we went back. I didn’t determine the source of the smell until my head was pounding and my meal was spoiled. I had to go inside and pay my bill so we could leave. I won’t go back at night. The kitchen closes at 8 pm. After dining twice, there is nothing on the menu I can recommend and certainly not the...

I had an absolutely delightful experience at La Braza Smokehouse in Vega Baja! The ambiance was warm and inviting. I savored the BBQ ribs, which, while not quite falling off the bone, were bursting with smoky flavor and juicy goodness—truly satisfying. I also tried the steak mofongo; the steak, likely boiled, was a touch chewy but still carried a tasty charm that won me over. The service was exceptional, with our waitress, whose radiant grace and warm smile lit up the room, making every interaction feel special in the most understated way. The staff’s attentiveness and genuine hospitality created a welcoming vibe that felt like a home away from home. La Braza Smokehouse is a must-visit for its flavorful dishes and heartwarming service. I’m already eager to return! Five stars...