Mario Pagán Restaurant

We had high expectations, though the menu sounds delicious everything we had was quite bland. The soup and appetizers were cold, the chocolate soufflé everyone raves about was anything, but rich. It was large in portion, but tasteless. The sea bass was cooked well, but had no flavor. The Gouda bites were cold and tasted like Cheetos. The best thing was the free bread. Atmosphere felt rushed and busy. Our server Rafael was great and very warm. He was the best part of the restaurant. Another positive is that the tuna tartar was excellent, but sadly among the dishes, the only good one. I don’t leave bad reviews, but for the price point and the prestige of the place we were led to believe it had, I felt others should know. Additionally QR code menus really took away from the ambiance. For an upscale experience in San Juan, I recommend Marabar 1919.

Nice upscale restaurant in the San Juan area. Staff is very friendly and the atmosphere is bright and nice. The cocktails were made really well. The dishes were all filled with rich flavors, but I found the apps and smaller plates to have more unique flavors than the entree white fish. However everything was still great and highly recommended here for an upscale lunch!

This chic, modern restaurant by renowned Puerto Rican chef and passionate ambassador for the island’s cuisine, Mario Pagán offers an elevated dining experience you won’t soon forget. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is stylish yet welcoming, the service is top-tier, and every dish reflects a refined take on Puerto Rican flavors. Mario Pagán Restaurant is just one of several exceptional dining destinations crafted by Chef Pagán across the island, each with its own personality and menu, but all rooted in his signature approach: fresh, elevated, and full of flavor.

Exceptional! The food went beyond our expectations, me and my husband shared the best meal we ever had. Our server, whose name I am completely blanking on, went above and beyond to make our experience memorable. He was very attentive, our glasses never were empty and he did an amazing job describing the food and specials. His recommendations were also spot on, and we enjoyed everything we had thoroughly. We shared the fried pork cracklings, and the flavor was out of this world. My husband chose the Filet meal, and I the Scallops. Both meals were phenomenal and it wasn’t hard to finish both plates in their entirety. The chocolate soufflé was also a good ending to our meal. Overall, we chose this restaurant as a “nicer” date night spot, as we are celebrating our honeymoon and are so glad we went with Mario Pagan over other suggestions we had received. The experience itself made the entire dinner worthwhile, -to the point we are considering going back before our trip ends.

A culinary experience that will impress the most refined people and tastes. From the highly knowledgeable wait staff to the flavor layers of each dish, this is not a place to skip. Go, then go again. I will.