Rum can be found everywhere in the Caribbean, but perhaps no destination is as rum-soaked as Puerto Rico. The rum-loving island is teeming not only with great distilleries but also with great bars.
Puerto Rican bars take full advantage of the island’s natural resources. Today, a new generation of bartenders is transforming the island into a premier drinking destination. Their unique cocktails combine tropical fruits, spices, and premium spirits, using advanced and creative techniques.
Now that Spring Break is starting, let’s explore together some of the best bars in San Juan with the Best Rum Cocktail Menu.
Comercio St., San Juan
La Casita de Rones, located in Plaza Dársenas in Old San Juan, is a gateway to world-class rum cocktails and island-flavored gourmet dining. It draws inspiration from the tales of Puerto Rican rum distilleries. This charming venue houses two bars, a restaurant, and a souvenir shop. It has easy access for tourists arriving on weekly cruises.
La Casita is the official flagship store representative of Rums of Puerto Rico, which offers exclusive rum tastings, 100% Puerto Rican craft materials, exquisite food, and high-quality merchandise.
1464 Wilson St., San Juan
173 Grados is a mixology bar located in the Condado area. It has a lounge ambiance, excellent cocktails, and delicious local dishes. This bar offers a great atmosphere and service.
148 San Sebastián St., Old San Juan
La Factoría is a must-visit place for rum lovers, voted one of the top 50 bars in the world four years in a row. Since its inauguration in 2013, it has accumulated several achievements.
The large compound boasts four distinct bars within. Each bar takes on a life of its own, emphasizing everything from wine to dancing. The newest is a de facto speakeasy that serves distinctive classic cocktails. At the front bar, expect a buzzy atmosphere with pitch-perfect rum drinks and hands-on hospitality.
La Factoría is famous for taking Puerto Rican mixology to the next level. The cocktails are refreshingly simple but masterfully made. Its owners also run other bars around San Juan, like Caneca, La Cubanita and El Desvío (right next door), and Jungle Bird.
Lote 23, San Juan
Caneca Coctelería Movil is an Airstream bar slinging rum cocktails. There are frozen drinks and cocktails over ice, and the “Suavecitos” section of the menu features low-ABV refreshers. While enjoying Airstream-prepared cocktails, you can also taste Puerto Rican staples from the other vendors and enjoy music performances and art demos. This is the ideal place for outdoor lovers who want to drink beneath the San Juan sun.
Canals Santurce St., San Juan
Jungle Bird is a cozy little tiki bar on the edge of the La Placita de Santurce neighborhood. You will enjoy a mix of tropical and Tiki drinks. You will find a deep lineup of rum specials loaded with house-made ingredients, including Caribbean ingredients like fresh coconut, pineapple, and sugarcane. It also offers a food menu of delicious, Caribbean-inspired bites to mop up your drinks.
156 Sol St., San Juan
The Mezzanine will transport you to 1950s Old San Juan. The drinks are classically inspired and have a notably tropical twist, like the Guava Cosmo or the flagship drink, the Patria Libre, made of aged rum and served over coconut water ice cubes. It draws a happy mix of visitors and locals with classic cocktails, a rustic interior, and a generous happy hour. The bar also has a few balconies that overlook the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan. The Mezzanine also has a selection of craft beers and wines from around the world.
562 C. Cuevillas, San Juan
Elegant and based on the era of Prohibition, Bar La Unidad serves artisanal cocktails that are as good as any in any city on the US mainland. It has a gorgeous interior, attentive service, top-notch cocktails, and exquisite food. You can expect refined touches on classics, like a piña colada with coconut water and cinnamon syrup. Here, bartenders reinvent classic cocktails and mix lively libations from unexpected ingredients. For example, the tart Beet O’ Juice combines aged rum with rhubarb bitters, habanero pepper, and beetroot soda.
219 Canals St., La Placita de Santurce, San Juan
Santaella is an excellent option for people-watching, artisan cocktails, and a beautiful setting. José Santaella, one of Puerto Rico’s top chefs, manages this wood-paneled bar. The decor is smartly contemporary, with Edison lights, exposed concrete walls, an interior garden, and flamboyant murals adding a creative spark. Award-winning Caribbean cocktails are skillfully crafted by the bar staff using produce, herbs, and spices from the restaurant’s garden. A stand-out is the Santurce Daiquiri, a blend of aged Don Q Reserva (Puerto Rico’s top-selling rum, produced in Ponce) with apricot brandy.
35 Barbosa St., Isabela
La Central is located in the beautiful beachside town of Isabela, in the heart of the city center. The atmosphere of La Central is intimate and relaxed. The venue hosts local bands, art shows, and bar takeovers featuring guest chefs and bartenders every month. Their regular menu features finely crafted cocktails, usually a mix of five or six ingredients combined to create an incredible sensory experience without too much pomp or circumstance.
259 Tetuán St., San Juan
Scryer Rum is an excellent option for rum purists. It is a buzzy cocktail bar and craft distillery that blends creative élan with an earthy neighborhood vibe. In the wake of Hurricane María, owners Garrett Robinson and Derek Schwarz built Scryer from the rubble of an infamous punk-rock hangout. They shifted the focus to small-batch, cask-seasoned rums. The signature cocktails successfully combine some unusual flavors, like the Classy Lassie, which blends Scryer rum with Port wine, lemon, and honey, or the Claude & Sherry, a playful riff on an Old Fashioned.
Puerto Rico has a rich history of cocktails, so you will find an array of tropical and rum-based drinks, including some made with fresh-squeezed juices and other house-made twists. You will also experience its contagious vibe and delicious cocktails. Whatever your drink of choice, be sure to find a new favorite bar in San Juan while exploring the island. Cheers!
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