Good Places to Eat in Rincon, Puerto Rico
Okay, I admit it, I’m a bit picky when it comes to eating. It’s not that I’m afraid to try new foods, or anything like that, I just like to eat healthy, fresh food. Maybe it’s because I was raised by crazy hippies, but I’m just not a fan of most fast food or fried things. So, finding an enjoyable meal in Puerto Rico has been a bit of a struggle for me. Like most caribbean islands, a lot of Puerto Rican fare is fried: mofongo, tostones, empanadillas, etc. With that being said, here is my opinion on the best places to eat in Rincon, Puerto Rico:
Shipwrecks – Everything on the menu is great, but it is expensive. My absolute favorite is the Tuna Tamari Salad. It’s $24 but it is HUGE and could easily feed two people.
Calypso – This is a touristy bar/restaurant, but it’s also a favorite with all the locals. The food is actually very good and reasonably priced. Stefan claims that the churassco steak plate is the best steak in town and trust me, he’s tried them all. They also have good vegetarian or dorado burritos, a decent salad and great drinks.
Pool Bar – This bar/restaurant is a very cool place to get a few drinks and grab some sushi. The sushi is some of the best I’ve had in Puerto Rico (Although, most sushi in Puerto Rico is horrible, so…take that for what it is worth).
Bungers – They just started doing fish tacos (not fried!) and they are SO good and very affordable. I highly recommend them. Bungers also has a good salad and the pastas/meats and whatnot are decent.
Superfoods – This is actually a brand new health food store in town that also serves lunch from 11am – 3pm, and is our new favorite place to eat. It’s very affordable and everything we’ve had so far has been delicious.
Rincon by the Seas – They have a really good chicken breast plate, a decent salad and a delicious hummus appetizer, although I havn’t tried anything else there yet.
So there you have my picks for the best places to eat in Rincon, PR. Please let us know where your favorite Rincon restaurant (or pinchos stand!) is, as we’re always looking to try new/good food!
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June 25th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
I love me some El Meson
June 26th, 2009 at 5:29 am
El Meson??? but that’s just a fast food!!! Stefan, thanks for the recommendations.
June 26th, 2009 at 6:11 am
Walter and I think the churrasco at Calypso is great, but the churrasco at Villa Cofresi is the best! I have also had some very good fish at Cofresi. I do agree with you that Calypso has a very good, simple, and reasonably priced menu. Their mahi platter is excellent (although I must admit it includes tostones!).
Another reasonably light, healthy dish is asopao, soupy rice with chicken or seafood. I like the asopao at Cofresi and at El Flamboyan.
And I join you in fervently hoping for the success of the Superfoods store! We SO needed a place like that in Rincon!
June 26th, 2009 at 7:15 am
what about the hamburger stand? I think that is my favorite, and I wouldn’t have expected rincon by the sea to be on the list…
June 26th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
“Pancho Villa’s” right off the square downtown is awesome!
I am a New Mexican so I love good Mexican Food.
When the two of you go there, only order one dish, it feeds two or more and the nacho salsa mix they’ll bring to your table (por nada) will feed four! It is unreal and you have to experience it, to appreciate what I’m trying to pass on to you. Check it out!
June 26th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Summer, hope your feeling well. It’s tough to have a summer baby (my youngest was born aug 2 1988 .. holy crap.. 21 this year)!! I remember it was the hottest summer on the Jersey Shore and Bob would surf every second he could. He had a “beeper” (remember those)?? and would leave it with the lifeguards. They would mess with his head and call him in saying I was in labor.
I digress… I LOVE love love Casa Islena’s tapas dishes.
And how about El Coqui up in the hills? (greasy but so good).
be well
June 27th, 2009 at 1:24 am
Thanks, I’ll be visiting Superfoods when I fly to the enchanted island in July. For empanadillas, I strongly recommend Kaplash; road 115, Km. 7.
June 27th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
I think the Pool Bar has done a great job. The menu last week had an amazing organic green salad. If any of you from the mainland are reading this, believe me, an Organic salad means that it isn’t iceberg lettuce AND it has flavor besides the dressing. That is probably the first one I have seen that healthy, fresh and well put together in two years.
Kaplash has the least greasy Emapanadillas around. The view is good and if you’re not in a hurry, it’s a very ‘local’ spot to stop for a bite. I like the meat and cheese but everyone buys the Kaplash (lobster, shrimp and fish).
Fast food? Summer and I always hit up Subway when we are on the road because most restaurants serve the usual food, either fried or cooked in butter on a grill or baked with cheese. Yummy treats, but not very good for you on the regular basis. We recently discovered Pollo Tropical fast food and I love it. They have a “Tropi Choppy” for $4 that is rice, beans (black or local style red) with a whole chicken breast chopped up on top. I can’t even finish the plate. I love that place.
And I have to give props to Super Foods for brining some healthier food to town and some new options for us all. They just joined facebook so hunt them down and help spread the good work. (can you say Peanut Butter Bumpers?)
June 27th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Pools is awesome but, the pricing affords the portioning!
June 28th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Hi! Just a quick question- would you happen to know whether the sea urchins in PR in the Rincon area are a protected species? We have noticed that they abound there, but have yet to even try sushi in PR so don’t know if uni is an offering anyway. Thanks. & congrats on the lovely house & baby on the way!
July 11th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
I have to agree with all the above suggestions, however I would also like to add “Rock Bottom Bar & Grill”. Not exactly “known” for being the healthiest place to eat in town, you will be surprised by the diversity of there menu. Some of the menu items that will appeal to the health conscious would be the Marinated chicken breast salad, Chef salad, tuna-melt or the Veggie burger. Dare you be tempted the burgers our delicious not to mention the Club sandwich or the in house made Mozz. sticks. I think they should also be mentioned when you talk Churrasco. By the way a side salad is an option as a side dish for all sandwiches and entrees.
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:18 am
Thanks for pointing out Super Foods.
We just visited 2 weeks ago Rincon for a wedding, and were just thrilled at the healthy and gourmet vegetarian dishes prepared at Super Foods. Of course, the other places Tamboo, Calypso, Pools, and the Happy burger offered some alternatives to our veggie lifestyle.
The Kasch s from Ventura, CA
August 9th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
I have been staying in Aguada since July 26th and will be in town until August 14th. Thanks to you I discovered Shipwreck and so far I have eaten there 3 times and taken or sent a total of 6 people which 2 of them have gone back multiple times. Gracias again for recomending Shipwreck, an awsome restaurant.
September 14th, 2009 at 7:03 am
sushi at pools bar crappy and Condado tourist prices