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Chef José Santaella - Santaella, San Juan, PR
Santaella, San Juan, PR
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This restaurant now offers Takeout

This restaurant now offers Takeout

Bring the restaurant to you. Order and pay for food directly on OpenTable.

Santaella

4.8
4.8
3212 Reviews
$50 and over
Puerto Rican
Top Tags:
Chef José Santaella has trained with some of the best chefs in the world, including Ferrán Adriá, Eric Ripert, and Gary Danko. His apprenticeships and successful catering career paved the way for Santaella, his signature restaurant in Santurce's La Placita Marketplace. The decor is rustic yet elegant, with exposed walls, Edison light fixtures, an interior garden, and a sparkling bar. Chef Santaella fuses local and international ingredients to perfectly execute Puerto Rican nouvelle cuisine. The menu is dominated by tapas, which you can easily make into a meal. Favorites include the ahi tuna skewers, goat cheese quesadilla, 'alcapurrias' topped with crab, and foie gras terrine with fruit jelly . The cocktail bar is one of the best on the island, so don't leave without trying one of the concoctions by Santaella's mixologists. -Fodors

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 65 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Puerto Rican, Caribbean, Latin / Spanish
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Fri 11:30 am–5:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–9:45 pm Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (787) 722-7600
  • Website
    http://www.santaellapr.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Owned/operated by
    Latinx or Hispanic, LGBTQ+
  • Executive chef
    Chef José Santaella
  • Catering
    For Caterings, please contact: https://santaella.tripleseat.com/party_request/26218
  • Private party facilities
    For Group Dining Inquiries please visit our website at: https://santaella.tripleseat.com/party_request/26218
  • Private party contact
    Kristian Toro: (787) 725-1611
  • Location
    219 Cll Canals, San Juan, PR 00907
  • Neighborhood
    San Juan
  • Cross street
    La Placita de Santurce
  • Parking details
    Santaella has valet parking thru Valera Parking ($10) and there are also two public, paid parkings nearby.
  • Public transit
    Stop #19. Bus lines: A5, B21, M3, B16
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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Experiences

  • Large Group Prix Fixe Menu

    $125.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Multiple dates available
    Enjoy a delicious selection of dishes perfectly sized for your group. Select from a variety of dishes to create your custom Santaella 3-course prix fixe menu. Visit our menu section at santaellapr.com to view our group menu options or email us at reservations@santaellapr.com with any questions. Once booked, we will follow up with you to select desired menu. Group menus are required for parties of 11 or more guests. THIS EXPERIENCE IS NON-REFUNDABLE.
    Large Group Prix Fixe Menu Photo

  • Christmas Eve Menu

    $145.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Dec 24, 2022 - Dec 24, 2023
    Join us for Christmas Eve Dinner: MENU LINK > http://www.santaellapr.com CENA DE NOCHEBUENA: < HORS D'OEUVRES > EMPANADILLAS de morcilla PINCHOS DE ATUN marinados en especias orientales ALCAPURRIAS con ensalada de cangrejo a las hierbas < PRIMER PLATO > PASTELES de masa y cerdo con ensalada de aguacate y lechuga del País en vinagreta de cilantro y pimientos rojos asados < PLATO PRINCIPAL > (selección de:) FILETE DE RES angus en crema de setas con arroz con romero y arándanos, 'pecans' SALMON ASADO en mantequilla de limón y alcaparras sobre puré de malanga < POSTRE > 'JUBILEE DE FRUTAS' tropicales al Cognac. Helado de queso crema y vainilla TRUFAS de chocolate

  • Happy New Year 2024 - Second Seating

    $375.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Dec 31, 2022 - Dec 31, 2023
    Join us for New Year's eve celebration. Second seating 8:30PM - 10:00PM MENU LINK > http://www.santaellapr.com FESTIVE INDULGENCE: PHYLLO with goat cheese, truffle honey, micro arugulas BACON-WRAPPED DATES with pecans EMPANADILLAS cream cheese & herbs MORCILLA crispy blood sausage, pique dip ATÚN & CAVIAR seared ahi tuna, osetra caviar PASTELES chicken and yucca puerto rican pasteles COCHINILLO suckling pig, pigeon pea rice, elbow salad CHOCOLATE TART mint bark CHAMPAGNE TOAST at midnight

What 3,212 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Caribbean

    Puerto Rican

  • Puerto Rico

    Hot spot

  • Puerto Rico

    Puerto Rican

  • Puerto Rico

    Most Booked

3,212 Reviews

  1. OpenTable Diner

    Caribbean

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    La sopa excelente, el pescado exquisito, buen postre

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  2. RaulM

    Caribbean

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent service and food . Our reservation was for 9:30 pm but the food came out very fast.

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    Caribbean

    2 reviews

    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    overall1food2service1ambience4
    El servicio del valet parking fue pésimo. Uno de los platos que pedí era dulce y en la descripción no lo decía en ninguna parte. El mesero no dió un buen servicio.

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  4. CLARISAO

    Caribbean

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    overall4food5service4ambience3
    We picked the reservation time 530pm thinking it would not be loud and noisy but wrong, it was too loud to keep a conversation. Food as always was superb. For the first 1/2 an hour service was erratic then it picked up a better rhythm.

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I loved everything about this place. Service, ambiance and more than anything food! Definitely worth the visit, everything was delicious!

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  6. OpenTable Diner

    Miami

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 25, 2023

    overall2food2service1ambience3
    So so… actually overall disappointed. Felt they are focused on quantity over quality. Also 20% tip automatically included and no way to get around it… definitely expected better service if that was the case… hope they get the quality back.

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  7. ATLdiner

    Atlanta Metro

    23 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    23 reviews

    Dined on November 25, 2023

    overall2food3service1ambience4
    I go to PR at least once a year and have been to Santaella over four times. This pains me to say this, but our experience was really bad. Our server (bartender) could not have cared less about us. 25 minutes to ask what we wanted for drinks, didn’t refill water or poor us wine, didn’t ask how anything was (not even once). People have off days, but that was atrocious. Food was good but not great.

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  8. OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 24, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Food was the focus of our trip and Santaella was the definite favorite restaurant!

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  9. OpenTable Diner

    Tampa

    9 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on November 24, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Loved this restaurant- food, cocktails and service were on point. We will be back.

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  10. YarelysF

    Caribbean

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 24, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Buena comida y ambiente relajado, no me gustó el bizcocho de chocolate pero los aperitivos y platos principales estaban deliciosos.

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  11. OpenTable Diner

    Miami

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    3rd time in PR

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  12. OpenTable Diner

    Caribbean

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on November 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great place for a group reservation. Great food and ambiance. Prepare to pay around $100 per Person. It’s worth it plus it’s in the center of the party @ La Placita.

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  13. OpenTable Diner

    Nashville

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Loved the food. We are vegetarian and we loved all vegetarian options.

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  14. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Came for my mothers birthday and it was amazing! Seeing the Chef was such an honor, he’s so approachable, humble, nice. We ordered the empanadas (spinach/cream cheese), croquetas (chicken/bacon), Brussels sprouts salad, Caesar salad, Red Snapper, Salmon, Pastelon - all was amazing. My only regret is that we couldn’t take it to go.

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  15. RoxyQV

    Caribbean

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 22, 2023

    overall4food5service4ambience4
    The food is incredibly amazing! And the ambience it's just perfect for a mid week dinner with friends.

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  16. DavidK

    New York Area

    31 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    31 reviews

    Dined on November 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Santaella came highly recommended from a friend who had been many times. My family and I were thrilled we followed the suggestion. Three shared appetizers (empanadas, octopus & croquettes) each were terrific. Four different entrees (veal cheek, sea bass, filet mignon & pork) each rivaled any dish we’ve had anywhere in the world. Carlos, our waiter, was excellent. Though not cheap, you certainly get what you pay for. Excellent meal.

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  17. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    12 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on November 21, 2023

    overall4food5service4ambience5
    Food was great though it took forever because it seemed like our server forgot about us… we wanted to get dessert but it took so long for our server to come back we ended up just leaving. 5:15 reservation and left around 7:30.

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  18. MeganM

    New York Area

    41 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    41 reviews

    Dined on November 20, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    One of the best dining experiences in San Juan. Amazing selection of dishes with tons of options to share and taste. Wonderful cocktail menu.

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  19. PF2319

    San Francisco

    41 reviews

    5.0

    41 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Enjoyed the empnanadillas, ask for some spicy salsa. Calamari was interesting as it had an Asian flavoring. All the fish dishes were excellent, each of our party of 4 had a different one.

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  20. OpenTable Diner

    Caribbean

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    overall3food3service4ambience2
    Very sketchy entrance for a tourist who is not expecting a dark alley with incredible police presence. It was extremely loud and there were times that music was blaring you could not hear the conversation you were trying to have with your table. The ahi tuna app was very good. I would order again. For mains I got the fried snapper with green plantains. The snapper was overcooked and was not seasoned. The green plantains were awful. No taste. Our other main was the pork shank. It was okay. There was a little gristle and fat that we wish would have been cut away, but overall good. I do think we maybe did not choose the best options. I definitely think the ahi tuna and octopus is more in the chef’s wheelhouse, so I will take that as our mistake - no mistake of the chef or service team. We would come back here, just order different things - and I think this would provide a much better experience.

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  21. TimothyF

    Greater Boston

    30 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    30 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing food - wonderful service!!! It's a don't miss....

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  22. Katarina

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food, excellent service, I love this restaurant! It is a bit expensive but worth the experience!

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  23. Olivia

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Awesome spot right in La placita. Great for an amazing dinner and even better cocktails before hitting the dive bars and clubs of La placita. Gorgeous vibes and very nice staff.

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  24. Mary

    Detroit

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food and great service. Highly recommend to try!

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  25. Shreya

    New York Area

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 17, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Will recommend to everyone visiting and living in PR, really good!

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  26. MattH

    Salt Lake City

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Wonderful food, friendly and attentive staff, and a great vibe. Highly recommended!

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  27. OpenTable Diner

    Atlantic City

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Food was exceptional. Well worth the wait for reservation

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  28. OpenTable Diner

    Salt Lake City

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 16, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience4
    Food delicious. Our table for 2 … with so many other available tables left me wondering whether if you are female there are …. Regardless, I will go back in a jiffy. 🧐

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  29. Robert

    Washington DC

    21 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on November 15, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Best fried calamari appetizer we’ve ever tasted. Wonderful ambiance as well.

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  30. RonA

    Pittsburgh

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great option for "fine dining" Puerto Rican style!

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  31. OpenTable Diner

    Fort Lauderdale

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 12, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Estuve el sábado y estuvo excelente pero al siguiente día (Domingo)también tuve otra reservación en el rooftop de Santaella y me sorprendió que la comida no fue lo mismo. Ordenamos una chuletas de ternera y vinieron crudas.

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  32. DanielS

    Caribbean

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent Restaurant. We will return to Puerto Rico many times in the future, in part, because of this restaurant. Daniel S.

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  33. Pepon

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 10, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Todo delicioso, la atención increíble. No se pierdan el pastelon de carne

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  34. OpenTable Diner

    Houston

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Good service, good food, the restroom could use some work woman were going into the men’s restroom and the lock to the stall is hard so someone can accidentally get walked in on if they aren’t able to lock it. Perhaps better signage or gender neutral/unisex restrooms would be better. In terms of the food everything tasted good.

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  35. Wmnrfromvnus

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 9, 2023

    overall2food2service5ambience5
    Waaaayyyy overpriced! For the $58 fish dish you'd think that you'd leave full. All their dishes were sub par. Those reviews that rave haw good the food tastes must come from folks that don't cook. No seasoning, flavors were dull and bland. This was supposed to be an amazing birthday experience and we were so disappointed. $190 for 2 people wasted! And i didn't even have a drink, i had water, so go figure. I don't ever think I've been to a restaurant where i paid so much, the food tasted bland and i didn't get full or had leftovers! I would not be mentioning this place to anyone, won't wish this on my friends and family. UNLESS YOU HAVE DISPOSABLE INCOME, I DO NOT RECOMMEND!

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  36. OpenTable Diner

    Greater Boston

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Awesome. Food. Service. All amazing. Yummy. Nuttela sandwich was yum.

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  37. Cpgranados

    New York Area

    42 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    42 reviews

    Dined on November 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Consistently 5 star service and the menu is delightful and delicious. TOP restaurant not to be missed n Puerto Rico. The appetizers are savory and the main plates portions are large. Highly recommended.

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  38. IaroslavM

    Greater Boston

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 8, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Mushroom dish was good, octopus was not..I even mentioned this to our server that it's way too soft( probably was overcooked). Drinks were good, very mixed crowd. Lively place for dinner. Service was attentive

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  39. Ninoshka

    Caribbean

    19 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    19 reviews

    Dined on November 7, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    As always the food and service were excellent. We loved everything we ordered. Can't wait to return.

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  40. Kate

    Greater Boston

    3 reviews

    2.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 7, 2023

    overall2food5service2ambience4
    I was really looking forward to dining at Santaella. What we had of the food was great, but the service was lacking so much that we cut our visit short. Maybe it's my fault for sitting at the bar. I informed our server of my food allergy (sesame), but we still received a dish with sesame seeds on it without any notification or offer to change our order. My entree was never rung in, so after waiting for quite some time while my partner ate his meal, we decided to just ask for the bill especially since by that time the bar was getting very crowded. We would have gotten additional cocktails, dessert, etc. but kind of just felt like we were in the way. Again, I really enjoyed the food and our cocktails but was really disappointed in the lazy and lackluster service.

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Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitizing

    • Surfaces sanitized between seatings
    • Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily
    • Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
    • Contactless payment available

  • Screening

    • Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
    • Staff is vaccinated

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Santaella using the Order Online button. Santaella also offers delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. Santaella also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (787) 722-7600.

Santaella is rated 4.8 stars by 3212 OpenTable diners.

Santaella does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 65 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Santaella

219 Cll Canals, San Juan, PR 00907

Additional information

  • Cross street
    La Placita de Santurce
  • Neighborhood
    San Juan
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Fri 11:30 am–5:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–9:45 pm Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Puerto Rican, Caribbean, Latin / Spanish
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Santaella has valet parking thru Valera Parking ($10) and there are also two public, paid parkings nearby.
  • Public transit
    Stop #19. Bus lines: A5, B21, M3, B16
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Owned/operated by
    Latinx or Hispanic, LGBTQ+
  • Executive chef
    Chef José Santaella
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.santaellapr.com/
  • Phone number
    (787) 722-7600
  • Catering
    For Caterings, please contact: https://santaella.tripleseat.com/party_request/26218
  • Private party facilities
    For Group Dining Inquiries please visit our website at: https://santaella.tripleseat.com/party_request/26218
  • Private party contact
    Kristian Toro: (787) 725-1611
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
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