Raíces
Raíces (315 Calle Recinto Sur, Old San Juan) — You can’t miss this lively restaurant thanks to the waitresses in all-white campesina (peasant) dresses. Themed as a country venue, with artsy re-creations of rustic life, the whole atmosphere feels a bit Disneyfied, but it doesn’t stop the locals and tourists—who have seen it featured on various TV shows—from packing in for the criolla fare. The food is a tad overhyped, but the crowds willing to wait an hour or more for a table seem to disagree. The signature dishes are the giant deep-fried Kan Kan pork chop and mofongo with churrasco (marinated shirt steak). The garlic shrimp mofongo, served country-style in a pilón (pestle), is quite tasty. Drinks come in tin mugs, including fruity frappes.