Santaella

4.7

3860 Reviews

$31 to $50

Puerto Rican

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2 people

14 Mar 2025

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
Website
http://www.santaellapr.com/
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

Location
219 Cll Canals, San Juan, PR 00907
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

Gift card

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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.
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

Popular dishes

Sandía MojitoUS$17.00
bacardi superior, fresh watermelon, mint, fresh lemon & lime juice
Perfect LadyUS$17.00
citron vodka, santaella herbal syrup, st. germain, fresh lemon and lime juice. egg whites and lavender
Spicy PalomaUS$17.00
Mezcal, tequila, pink grapefruit juice, lemon, ginger soda, crushed red pepper spicy salted rim. Garnished with dehydrated citrus
Paper PlaneUS$17.00
woodford reserve bourbon whiskey, cappelletti aperitif, amaro, lime juice
Barrilito DaiquiriUS$17.00
ron del barrilito 3 stars, fresh lime and lemon juice, apricot brandy, angostura bitters, burned orange peel
Placita MartiniUS$17.00
bacardi superior and bacardi 8 aged rum, fresh coconut water, cinammon syrup & bitters
Jibarito MuleUS$17.00
bacardi 8 añejo tum, hot pepper-infused syrup, fresh lemon & lime juice, ginger beer
ParchitaUS$17.00
bacardi 4 añejo rum, fresh passion fruit, agave, lemon & lime juice, ginger juice
Tamarind MargaritaUS$17.00
tequila silver, puréed tamarind juice, cointreau, fresh lemon & lime juice, cinnamon-infused syrup. served up or over ice. salted rim.
Jalapeño MargaritaUS$17.00
patrón silver tequila, jalapeño-infused syrup, fresh lemon & lime juice, orange liqueur, salted rim
Oaxaca Old FashionedUS$19.00
zacapa 23 rum, mezcal, honey, 'sal de gusano', garnished with dehydrated orange
Spiced Old FashionedUS$19.00
bacardi 8 aged rum, angostura bitters and all spiced syrup
Santa GuanábanaUS$17.00
white rum, fresh guanábana (Soursop) pulp, fresh l&l juice, dark chocolate dust & basil.
Golden FamilyUS$17.00
Bacardi 8 añejo rum, pineapple juice, fresh lemon juice, sage and ginger infused syrup, bitters. Gold leaf garnish
Lady BulletUS$17.00
woodford reserve bourbon, fig marmalade, lavender syrup, orange bitters & lime juice
Butterfly KneeUS$17.00
gin, honey, rosemary, lemon juice, butterfly pea tea, orange bitters
Tito's MuleUS$17.00
tito's vodka, simple syrup, fresh lime and lemon juice, house-made ginger beer
Santaella Side CarUS$19.00
hennessy vs cognac, orange liquor, angostura bitters and fresh lime juice
CarajilloUS$17.00
espresso coffee & licor 43

Martinis

Classic MartiniUS$18.00
Gin or Vodka? Dry, Dirty or Perfect? Shaken or Stirred? Bitters? Your Martini your way
CosmopolitanUS$17.00
vodka, cointreau, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed lime juice
Espresso MartiniUS$18.00
Grey goose vodka, tequila reposado, espresso shot, coffee liquor, chocolate bitters. Garnished with coffee beans and powdered sugar

Negronis

Classic NegroniUS$17.00
gin, sweet vermouth, campari, orange

Luxury Cocktails

CasameloniUS$25.00
casa dragones blanco, cocchi americano, watermelon aperitif liquore
Green DragonUS$25.00
casa dragones blanco, agave, lime, ancho reyes verde, pineapple tepache

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

Noise • Moderate

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

J
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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J
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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N
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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S
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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L
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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M
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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OT
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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J
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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T
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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G
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

14 Mar 2025

19:00

Booked 80 times today

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

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

Website
http://www.santaellapr.com/
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

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

Send a gift card

Santaella

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Gift card

Large Group Prix Fixe Menu

Rooftop Experience

Sandwich de Nutella

Escargots

Quesadilla de Pernil

Cócteles

Sandía MojitoUS$17.00

Perfect LadyUS$17.00

Spicy PalomaUS$17.00

Paper PlaneUS$17.00

Barrilito DaiquiriUS$17.00

Placita MartiniUS$17.00

Jibarito MuleUS$17.00

ParchitaUS$17.00

Tamarind MargaritaUS$17.00

Jalapeño MargaritaUS$17.00

Oaxaca Old FashionedUS$19.00

Spiced Old FashionedUS$19.00

Santa GuanábanaUS$17.00

Golden FamilyUS$17.00

Lady BulletUS$17.00

Butterfly KneeUS$17.00

Tito's MuleUS$17.00

Santaella Side CarUS$19.00

CarajilloUS$17.00

Martinis

Classic MartiniUS$18.00

CosmopolitanUS$17.00

Espresso MartiniUS$18.00

Negronis

Classic NegroniUS$17.00

Luxury Cocktails

CasameloniUS$25.00

Green DragonUS$25.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Santaella offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Santaella restaurant rated?

Does Santaella offer gift cards?

Is Santaella currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Gift card