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Roasted SeaBass over 'Batata' purée - Santaella, San Juan, PR

Santaella

4.7
4.7
3860 Reviews
$31 to $50
Puerto Rican

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 80 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Lively
Chef José Santaella refined his culinary expertise with top chefs like Ferrán Adrià, Eric Ripert, and Gary Danko. His years of apprenticeships and a thriving catering career led to opening *Santaella* in Santurce’s La Placita Marketplace. The restaurant offers a rustic yet elegant atmosphere, with exposed brick walls, Edison lights, an indoor garden, and a stylish bar. Chef Santaella creatively combines local and international ingredients, crafting Puerto Rican nouvelle cuisine. The tapas-focused menu features favorites like ahi tuna skewers, goat cheese quesadillas, crab-topped ‘alcapurrias,’ and foie gras terrine with fruit jelly. Known for its vibrant ambiance, *Santaella* also boasts one of the island’s best cocktail bars, with expertly crafted drinks by its skilled mixologists. Praised as a culinary treasure in San Juan, *Santaella* impresses with "amazing food," "exceptional service," and "top-tier cocktails." Ideal for special events or memorable evenings, it’s a must-visit.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Puerto Rican, Contemporary Latin American, Cocktail Bar
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Tue–Fri 11:30–17:00 Dinner Tue–Sat 17:00–23:00 Sun 17:00–22:00
  • Phone number
    (787) 722-7600
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Chef José Santaella
  • Catering
    For Caterings, please contact: https://santaella.tripleseat.com/party_request/26218
  • Private party facilities
    For Group Dining Inquiries please visit our website at: https://santaella.tripleseat.com/party_request/26218
  • Area
    San Juan
  • Cross Street
    La Placita de Santurce
  • Parking details
    Santaella has valet parking thru Valera Parking ($10) and there are also two public, paid parkings nearby.
  • Public transit
    Stop #19. Bus lines: A5, B21, M3, B16
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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Experiences

  • Large Group Prix Fixe Menu

    US$125.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Multiple dates available
    Enjoy a delicious selection of dishes perfectly sized for your group. Select from a variety of dishes to create your custom Santaella 3-course prix fixe menu. Visit our menu section at santaellapr.com to view our group menu options or email us at reservations@santaellapr.com with any questions. Once booked, we will follow up with you to select desired menu. Group menus are required for parties of 11 or more guests. THIS EXPERIENCE IS NON-REFUNDABLE.
    Large Group Prix Fixe Menu photo
  • Rooftop Experience

    Multiple dates available
    Azotea by Santaella, perched above the famed Santaella Restaurant in San Juan’s Santurce district, is a chic rooftop bar and eatery that draws both locals and visitors. Its laid-back, open-air setting offers stunning cityscape and sunset views. The menu highlights Puerto Rican-inspired dishes with global touches, including fresh seafood, light, shareable plates, and inventive cocktails with local twists. Coupled with a curated wine and beer selection, lush décor, and lively music, Azotea creates a vibrant nightlife atmosphere perfect for romantic dates, group gatherings, or simply taking in the scenic backdrop. Sunday Menu on the Rooftop: https://www.josesantaella.com/menus/#azotea
    Rooftop Experience photo

What 3,860 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Caribbean

    Puerto Rican

  • Caribbean

    Most Booked

  • Puerto Rico

    Puerto Rican

  • Puerto Rico

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Santaella offers a vibrant dining experience in San Juan with "amazing food," "exceptional service," and a "beautiful ambiance." Renowned for its creative Puerto Rican cuisine, it features standout dishes like "ahi tuna" and "baked Alaska." Despite occasional service hiccups, it remains a "must-visit spot" for locals and tourists alike.

3,860 Reviews
  1. James

    SW Indiana2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful and accommodating service excellent waiter and food is outstanding

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  2. Jennifer VIP

    Orlando16 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The service was great! Drinks and croquettes were really good. The calamari was just ok. For our entree we had the whole red snapper….unfortunately it was so overcooked it was almost inedible.

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  3. Nancy VIP

    Philadelphia22 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Santaella is our annual treat when in San Juan. By far our fave restaurant. We both had the sea bass - outstanding! Chorizo and cheese empanadas, brussel sprout salad, an awesome bottle of wine, and attentive waiter added to our 5 star experience. Pricey, but worth it. Go, you will love it!

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  4. San

    Chicago1 review

    3.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Why charge water still for $14 when we don’t even ask to refill our cups? like the waiter does not really ask if we need or not and just refill and in the end just charge us like that? bad experience

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  5. Larry VIP

    Cleveland45 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic. Unassuming exterior that gives way to a warm and lively interior. Food was inventive and outstanding as was service. The coconut custard dessert was worth it alone. Highly recommend.

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  6. Michael

    Greater Boston8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My wife and I dined here based upon reviews read online and y’all were correct. The food, the ambiance, and service were top-tier. If you’re going to San Juan, I would say this is a must stop. When we left, the surrounding establishments were lively with club music, which you couldn’t hear while dining at all. Great spot, great area, great recommendation!

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  7. OpenTable Diner

    New York City3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The waiter, the choices, the ambiance, everything was lovely!

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  8. Jorge

    Houston1 review

    1.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Nice place with view of the placita but if you are looking for a good selection of food this is not it. We ended up getting salads since the only thing on the menu that loomed promising was not available. So we played it safe and ended up getting salads and the salads were as salty as the ocean! $180 laters we ended up getting some mcdonalds…

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  9. Tito VIP

    Caribbean17 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Santaella has lost some of the luster it had some years ago. The dishes our group had were competent, not outstanding. The ambiance seems more focused on a party atmosphere, with the music noticeably louder than in the past. The deafening noise from the long line of bars next door (and the flashing lights of police cars) seeped into the restaurant, which marred the dining experience.

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  10. Gabbi VIP

    Washington DC2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    This was our favorite meal during our trip to San Juan! Elevated local dishes with fantastic flavors. The octopus and tuna starters are must-orders. We sat at the bar and ordered a lot of smaller plates to share. Service was fantastic!

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FAQs

Santaella does offer delivery in partnership with Uber Eats.

Santaella is rated 4.7 stars by 3860 OpenTable diners.

Santaella does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

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 80 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Santaella

219 Cll Canals, San Juan, PR 00907

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    La Placita de Santurce
  • Area
    San Juan
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Tue–Fri 11:30–17:00 Dinner Tue–Sat 17:00–23:00 Sun 17:00–22:00
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Puerto Rican, Contemporary Latin American, Cocktail Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Santaella has valet parking thru Valera Parking ($10) and there are also two public, paid parkings nearby.
  • Public transit
    Stop #19. Bus lines: A5, B21, M3, B16
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Chef José Santaella
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (787) 722-7600
  • Catering
    For Caterings, please contact: https://santaella.tripleseat.com/party_request/26218
  • Private party facilities
    For Group Dining Inquiries please visit our website at: https://santaella.tripleseat.com/party_request/26218
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

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