Recommended Listening: “Nuevayol.” La Disquera, the San Juan-based office of Fania Records (the pioneering salsa record label founded in New York City—the city Bad Bunny sings about in the namesake song (with a fabulous sample of salsa hit “Un Verano en Nueva York”). At El Choli, keep an eye open for a pop-up of Toñitas, the iconic Boricua bar in Brooklyn that he name checks in the song.
La Factoría cocktail bar
Day tour to the city of Old San Juan It is a must-see for all first time visitors. But stay after dark and you will see the city come to life. La Factoría The space is known for its labyrinthine layout and crafty cocktails. There are multiple rooms to peruse, each with its own style of music and dance; in the largest, you’ll find locals and visitors mingling on the dance floor to salsa, merengue, and bachata, while other rooms offer electronic music and reggaetón on the weekends. There’s a separate enclave that caters to lovers and introverts. They may enjoy the intimacy provided by a low-lit, low-volume environment.
Recommending listening: “Baile Inolvidable.” There are no salsa dance classes to be found here—just feel the rhythm and find your own way.
Lala Restaurant
Anybody up for a mall trip? In the Mall of San Juan’s ritzy shopping center, there is a Puerto Rican restaurant that’s worth the hype. The restaurant is owned in part by Bad Bunny, his manager Noah Assad and the beautiful menu reflects a world-trotting experience. This is a great option for groups of people with different tastes. LalaOne friend’s desire for gyoza or hamachi fried in a pan can coexist peacefully with another’s need for sweet corn agnolotti.
Recommended Listening: “Perfumito Nuevo.” Be like Bad Bunny’s co-star RaiNao—get dressy, try out that new perfume you just bought.
Manzana de Java restaurant
Juan Camilo Becerra is the manager of Manzana de Java: an Antillean-meets-Asian fusion kitchen, located two blocks south of the Playa del Pueblo. This unique restaurant, repurposed from a former ramen shop in the middle of the jungle, serves tapas inspired by two tropical regions. Menu highlights include ceviche, served in a cocoa pod, lionfish chicharrons with green curry sauce, and goat meat with cashews, tamarind and tamarind.
Listen to “Voy a Llevarte A PR”. Manzana de java is sweet and spicy, just like the song that Bad Bunny dedicates for a distant love interest.
La Placita de Santurce
Weekends are a bacchanal. What looks like a farmer’s marketplace during the week is transformed into a full-on party. Nestled in the neighborhood of Santurce, this plaza is lined with bars blasting reggaetón—and the people spilling out of them to dance in the cobblestone streets. Start the night with Caribbean food at Jungle Bird You can roam around as you please. Around the corner you will see older men watching salsa videos, drinking beer and playing dominoes on a TV. A lot of murals are available for drunken pictures, including one that features Bad Bunny and celebrates his contribution to Puerto Rican music.
Recommended listening: “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.” Puerto Rico is at its best, in music and food as well as community.
