Cocina Abierta

A uniquely wonderful dining experience from start to finish. Each dish was a feast for the senses and everyone we interacted with was gracious and kind. The highlights for me were the duck mofongo and the “wildcard” cocktail made by the incredibly talented in-house mixologist, Rafael. This was such a special evening and I hope to return someday!

While in Puerto Rico we wanted to support the movement for food sovereignty through sustainable farm to table dining. Cocina Abierta was a wonderful experience with a vegan tasting menu option. My husband and stepson both agreed that the vegan dishes were truly the best, they did the menu very well. Nice cocktail menu as well, good service, we had a lovely evening.

We were looking for an upscale experience in San Juan for the weekend and Cocina Abierta delivered without breaking the bank. We did the $85 tasting menu and every dish was exceptional, with the dessert probably being the highlight of the meal. Cocktails were also delicious and complemented our meal well.

I made a last minute reservation here (day before) and while it did require credit card information and come with a cancellation fee, there were still good dining time options available (18:30). I loved the structure of the menu before I even arrived. You have the option to effectively create a cost-efficient “combo” by picking an item from each “act” on the menu for a $85 5-course meal. You can also order Ala carte. You can also order one 5-course combo and add a couple Ala carte options. We went with two adults and one child and ordered one course and 5 items ala carte. We ordered the croquettes, empanadas, and sweet potato naan from the prologue section, all of which were delicious. From the main menu, we ordered the crudo, the snook, gnocchi, beef steak, duck mofongo, wahoo, and cacao dessert. Our favorites were the sweet potato naan (we ordered two servings), the snook, the beef steak, and the duck mofongo. I love experiencing multiple flavors and textures in one bite and all of these dishes offered that. The naan came with three different sauces (my favorite was the honey butter). The snook had two different sauces and capers and edible flowers. The beef steaks came with crispy onions, plantain balls, and pineapple vinegarette. And the mofongo was so smooth, paired with a consume and guava hoisin marinated duck. The staff were incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and accommodating as well as kid-friendly. Service was super quick - we were in and out of there in 1 hour and 15min, even after ordering additional food after we finished our first round of orders. The total came out to $200 before tip for 2 adults and 1 child. It was still very quiet around 18:30 but started picking up from around 19:00-19:30. There’s also a parking lot right next to the restaurant for $7, which was very convenient.

I have no words that can express how amazing my experience was From the moment I walked to the moment we left our jaws were on the floor. We tried the 5 course chef experience and I still dream about every course. Our servers and the bartender (Rafael?) went out of their way to ensure our customer experience was one to be remembered