Must-see nightlife in San Juan

  • El San Juan Hotel Lobby Bars

    San Juan

    This iconic hotel's three lobby bars are undeniably the most glamorous in town, with acres of gleaming marble and lashings of art deco elegance. Choose…

  • Cafe Comunión

    San Juan

    Set up by award-winning Puerto Rican barista Abner Roldán, this contemporary cafe wouldn’t look out of place in New York or London. Supporting the island…

  • VC Lounge

    San Juan

    Condado’s most historic hotel has a suitably opulent lobby bar. The master mixologists craft classic and one-of-a-kind cocktails, partnered with some…

  • La Placita de Santurce

    San Juan

    Santurce's famous market – La Placita – is also the hub of one of San Juan's hottest nightlife scenes. Especially good on Thursday and Friday nights, the…

  • Jungle Bird

    San Juan

    Hiding in plain sight just off the Placita de Santurce, this chilled bar boasts mixologists who craft killer cocktails, such as the adios pantolones …

  • El Batey

    San Juan

    If Hunter S Thompson's ghost wanted to relive his Rum Diary days, this is where you’d find him. Unashamedly crusty, the walls of this cavernous drinking…

  • La Factoría

    San Juan

    The so-named Hijos de Borinquen (or Sons of Puerto Rico) has three distinct zones in one shabby-chic space – a cool cocktail lounge, wine bar and swinging…

  • Cafe Con Cé

    San Juan

    This cupboard-sized cafe, with its industrial-chic walls and Scandi-influenced furniture, brews top-notch coffee, perfect with the delicious vegan…

  • Finca Cialitos

    San Juan

    You'll find your best cup of San Juan joe at this cozy cafe that's a bit like wandering into someone's living room. Beans come from the family's coffee…

  • Brava

    San Juan

    Inside the El San Juan Hotel, this club gets packed with beautiful people. A mix of hip-hop, Latin and international sounds fills the small, two-level…

  • Mist Rooftop Bar + Kitchen

    San Juan

    The big draw of this multi-level rooftop bar are the showstopping views over Playa Isla Verde. Closely followed by the cocktails and light bites, perhaps…

  • La Vergüenza

    San Juan

    With showstopping views over La Perla and the Atlantic's endless blue expanse, this buzzy chinchorro (casual restaurant serving local dishes and drinks)…

  • La Taberna Lúpulo

    San Juan

    This beautiful old corner bar has been updated with Puerto Rico's best selection of artisan beers, including Ocean Lab and Boxlab. Pull up a stool to…

  • El Bar Bero

    San Juan

    Barbershop by day, dimly lit bar by night – the clue's in the name (barbero means barber). Mixologists rustle up great house cocktails, many with hair…

  • Tia Maria's Liquor Store

    San Juan

    She admits to being almost 30, though the boys who pack Tia Maria’s are aged across the spectrum and turn up from all over the island for the strong…

  • Café Cuatro Sombras

    San Juan

    Those craving some top-notch caffeine should head to this joint opposite the cruise port, a cross between a cozy cafe and cool hangout. The beans are…

  • Birra & Empanadas

    San Juan

    This dive bar comes with art-covered walls, mismatched tables and chairs and a small interior patio. Latin music streams through the speakers as you knock…

  • Hacienda San Pedro Coffee Shop

    San Juan

    An example of why the city has become a coffee mecca: beans grown and roasted at their own finca are used in an impressive range of drinks, at prices you…

  • Toxic Night Club

    San Juan

    Don't let the bars on the windows turn you off, this is a popular gay club in the heart of Santurce. DJs play house and Latin music, keeping the small…

  • Mezzanine

    San Juan

    There's a lot to like about this 2nd-floor, old-school lounge bar. The creative cocktails – try the Moscow Mule with house-made ginger beer, the well…

  • Circo Bar

    San Juan

    A mix of locals and visitors, this turns hot and heavy after midnight and on weekends, when high-energy dancing gets everyone up close and personal. Fair…

  • Mallorca_cafe_Old San Juan_Puerto Rico V

    Café Cola'o

    San Juan

    Enjoy handpicked coffee from various small farms in Puerto Rico's Central Mountains. Ask the baristas for recommendations – they have an encyclopedic…

  • Esquina Watusi

    San Juan

    With its bright-green graffitied walls, it's hard to miss La Esquina Watusi. Set smack in the middle of the Santurce street-art district, it draws a cool…

  • Don Ruiz Coffee Shop

    San Juan

    Among the many treasures inside the Cuartel de Ballajá is this little cafe that roasts its own coffee beans and prepares it using a variety of brewing and…

  • La Concha Lobby Bar

    San Juan

    Take your place with the beautiful people at one of Condado's hot spots. At weekends, the lobby bar explodes with activity while chic cocktail-bearing…

  • Zal Zi Puedes

    San Juan

    This self-proclaimed gay 'minibar' – 'get out if you can' in local parlance – features nightly acts with drag queens, singers, strippers and poets. Shows…

  • El Patio de Lila

    San Juan

    This tiny bar is big on color, covered in murals by local artists. In the evening it sets up sidewalk tables, perfect for people watching. Grab a craft…

  • Douglas' Pub

    San Juan

    This diminutive dive bar is almost as small as the corner pocket in the upstairs pool table. Stop for a cold beer or a cocktail and enjoy the genial vibe…

More destinations you need to see