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Indoor dining area  - El Nuevo Acuario, Carolina, PR

El Nuevo Acuario

4.8
4.8
23 Reviews
$30 and under
Seafood

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2 people
19:00
Booked 5 times today
  • Charming
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Good for groups
Nestled in a quaint fishing village just five minutes outside San Juan, El
Nuevo Acuario offers an authentic taste of the sea. This charming, family-run seafood restaurant is a hidden gem where the daily catch arrives straight from the local fishermen’s boats to your plate. The rustic setting, with ocean views and a warm, laid-back atmosphere, creates the perfect backdrop for enjoying fresh Caribbean flavors. From grilled lobster, whole fried fish to steak and mofongo stuffed with shrimp, every dish is a celebration of Puerto Rico’s coastal bounty. Locals and visitors alike come for the food, but stay for the genuine hospitality and the unbeatable seaside vibe.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Vegetarian / Vegan, Puerto Rican
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Fri 16:00–21:30 Sat 12:00–21:30
  • Phone number
    (787) 662-8258
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Leonardo Boitel

What 23 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.9Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
El Nuevo Acuario offers an extraordinary Puerto Rican seafood experience with "unbelievable" firecracker grouper and "outstanding" whole red snapper. Guests rave about the "delicious" seafood rice, fresh fruit mojitos, and "amazing" service. Despite occasional slow service, the "sparkling clean" atmosphere and "scrumptious" food make it a must-visit.

23 Reviews
  1. Andrew

    Tampa

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 4 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We went here for a nice dinner for our last night in PR. The food was delicious and the service was great. Everyone was very nice.

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  2. Sally

    New York City

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on 3 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The best firecracker grouper and coconut shrimp. If you crave tres leches cake dine there Wed/Thurs before they run out!

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  3. Roy

    Chicago

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 30 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service and food. Whole red snapper was delicious as was mofongo that came with it!

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  4. Mary

    San Antonio

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 18 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous dinner- grouper the absolute best appetizer. Red snapper tops octopus shrimp all wonderfully prepared and presented. Great wait staff. Very attentive- a most pleasant evening. Highly recommend dining here.

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  5. Mike

    VIP

    New York City

    40 reviews

    4.0

    40 reviews

    Dined on 18 January 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The fresh seafood was delicious! The firecracker grouper and the seafood rice were outstanding. People are very nice and accommodating. 

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  6. Sonia

    Calgary

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 15 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The firecracker grouper appetizer is out of this world! We also had the Red Snapper (chillo) entree with the seafood rice and both were excellent. Highly recommend!

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  7. David

    Montreal

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 10 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 2
    Hidden gem! Great food and prices. Great service as well.

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  8. Jason

    Chicago

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 30 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    Good food, overpriced, not enough servers, nice restaurant area.

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  9. Don

    New York City

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 30 December 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Incredible food, snapper and grouper were both excellent. They were really overwhelmed so the service was slow, but they couldn’t have been nicer and the food was worth the wait!!

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  10. Robyn

    Greater Boston

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 28 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What an extraordinary meal. First, the cocktails: We got strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, and coconut mojitos - each one made with fresh fruit and no “mixers” - DELISH. Then - the food: At our waitress’s suggestion, we got the firecracker grouper - unbelievable. SO good. The seafood salad (like a ceviche) - so fresh. Amazing flavors. And the lobster empanadas- more delicate than expected!! Served with a dipping sauce that was the perfect accompaniment! As a main course we got the whole Red Snapper with a side mofongo, and a mahi mahi special w rice and beans - we literally licked the plates clean. Service: our servers were so kind and enthusiastic, so proud of the food they were serving- they added something special to the meal. All in all, a 10/10 authentic and spectacular Puerto Rican seafood experience. SO grateful we found it! If I am ever lucky enough to be back in PR, I am DEFINITELY going back!

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FAQs

El Nuevo Acuario is rated 4.8 stars by 23 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 5 times today
Google Map for El Nuevo Acuario

Carretera 187, Punta Cangrejo (Piñones), 00772, Puerto Rico, Carolina, PR 00772

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Highway 187 Pinones
  • Area
    Carolina
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Fri 16:00–21:30 Sat 12:00–21:30
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Vegetarian / Vegan, Puerto Rican
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Leonardo Boitel
  • Additional
    Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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