Café Esperanza

Delicious $ 5 happy hour mojitos with fresh mint. Outdoor seating on a pretty quiet side street. Nice escape from the bustle near the cruise ship docks.

The reviews on this little gem were nonexistent when I looked on Unilocal because of a duplicate listing but now I’ve found the correct link and it seems everyone agrees! Regardless I’m thrilled to be shining a light on these guys.
The fact that we even ate there reminds me of a story about destiny. We had been running around Old San Juan all day and were on our way back to the car but honestly were looking for a bathroom and figured we’d grab a drink and kill two birds with one stone. After walking all day in the muggy heat we wanted to sit inside and we walked by literally a dozen other cafes that either didn’t have indoor seating or just had the wrong vibe. Finally at the point of um… discomfort…and having been down two blocks with NO restaurants, we were lucky to stumble upon Café Esparanza and after a quick look at the menu, took a seat in this very small and intimate restaurant.
The gentleman who seated on us did not look or act the part of a waiter in a café — he was very soft-​spoken and friendly and appeared much more like a local artisan or worker than a waiter. He didn’t speak great English but took a lot of time answering our questions about the menu with great pride about their handiwork.
We wanted something to drink that was light and refreshing and they have a special that with any drink you can add a shot of your choice for $ 3, along with fresh juices, so we ordered glasses of fresh squeezed lemonade with shots of their best rum (a ritual we’ve since been practicing in our room instead of running up a big hotel bar tab). There were several interesting and inexpensive items on the menu and we decided to have something light to eat as well so we ordered the ceviche.
Well the drinks themselves were delicious — very fresh and not as sweet or overpowering as the lemonade at say, Chik-​Fil-​A. The rum he suggested was smooth and met with his recommendation.
The ceviche was large chunks of melo — or grouper — on a bed of mixed greens and it had a little bit of a slightly sweet vinegarette, just enough to enhance without overpowering. I have to say, it was as perfect a plate of ceviche as I’ve ever had and I’ve had a lot. The fish was incredibly fresh and the waiter — whose name is Manuel — told us he had just cut and marinated it earlier that day. In addition, the portion was very generous — more than enough for Lurinda and me to split. It was fantastic.
The menu is not extensive but has several interesting items at very reasonable prices. The ceviche, which was top notch, was around $ 12 but was a much bigger portion that you would normally get. The drinks were not inexpensive either — around $ 6 for the lemonade and $ 3 for the shot but they came in tall glasses so again, very fair prices for what you got.
Finally, unlike nearly everywhere you go in Puerto Rico where customer service seems to be a very low priority, these guys were not only very nice and eager to please but also the food and drinks came out very promptly and that’s been rare on this trip.
So all in all, this place was flawless. Quiet and unpretentious, reasonable prices, incredibly delicious and very nice people. I told Manuel and his boss that we were going to make sure that LOTS of people come and check them out so if you do go (and I highly recommend it), please tell them that Craig from Austin sent you — I want to make sure they know that they made such a fantastic impression on us and of course that I kept my word.

Loved this quiet, charming and artsy little café… food was fresh and delicious and the service was wonderful…

What a delightful find!
We were strolling around in OSJ and came across what seemed like a nondescript café. It was really hot/​humid due to a developing storm, so we figured we’d pop in for a drink and some cool air.
Inside we met Maria, who was friendly, loves her Pandora set to a 60’s soul station, and knows how to make a serious mojito!!! We hung out at a table decorated with a fresh cut rose, and sipped on mojitos made with brown sugar and Puerto Rican local rums: Ron del Barrilito, Don Q, and Bacardi. to name a few. Prices were reasonable, and we got to try a few of Maria’s creative spins on the world famous mojito!
Although we didn’t eat anything, a few other groups came by and had lunch and all the food smelled great. I will definitely be coming by here again on my next trip to PR!

Café Esmerelda was so fantastic we had to go twice during our stay in Old San Juan. They have a «Ceviche of the day»; it was shrimp and some of the best I’ve ever had. For the area the food was very affordable. We were the only locals both times. Too bad they only serve lunch!