Vaca Brava, Lunch in Old San Juan

The day we visited the HMS Bounty, we finished by going to lunch at Vaca Brava.

Here’s a link to the
HMS Bounty post.

I had heard friends rave about the Vaca Brava restaurant in Barranquitas so when they opened a second one in Old San Juan, we had to check it out.

Vaca Brava is easy to find.

It’s located on Calle Recinto Sur, directly across the street from the old U.S. Post Office. They are in the space where the Hard Rock Cafe used to be. Vaca Brava is about 3 blocks from the docks. There’s a full size fiberglass bull standing by the front door.

Please note that these first 2 shots are from the same vantage point.

Ironically, ‘Vaca’ is a cow and not a bull.

The Restaurant- It’s a large space at 13,500 square feet. Remodeling set them back $300,000. As with most structures in Old San Juan, it is not very handicap capable.

I especially like the sepia-toned black and white photo collage of cows, running up the wall in the main room. Rather eccentric.

The prices are typical for the tourist district of Old San Juan.

Not bad, but not cheap, either. If you want to try something truly Puerto Rican, this IS the place to hit. They have daily specials that are posted on a board out on the sidewalk, but no mention of them in the menu. I would suggest asking your waiter about the specials, if that seemed appealing.

The atmosphere is light and cozy. A true family vibe.

I liked it. We chose a spot on the ground floor in the open, but there was even more seating on the gallery above. The mission style architecture is very inviting.

Vaca Brava has a reputation for huge servings and from what I could see, it’s true. Me First Mate and I usually split a plate… that would work well here. Unfortunately, the menu has many more ‘dinners for 2’, but at twice the price. I suspect ‘doggy bags’ are very popular.

I ordered the house burger with fries.

At $10 bucks it was a bargain. It came on a split roll with both ‘blanco’ and cheddar cheese and grilled red onions… as well as all the ‘fix’ns’. The patty was more like chopped flank steak than conventional hamburger. It was fantastic! By the time I finished it, I was full. I highly recommend it. Oh, if you want Mayo for your burger or catsup for your fries, ask.

Everyone spoke English so no language issues.

Me First Mate ordered an appetizer of Alcapurria. A dish usually made of mashed Yautia and ground pork, then deep fried. This version used Platano instead of Yautia. It came with a mild dipping sauce. I liked it, but me First Mate said it was not traditional Alcapurria.

Service was polite, but it took 15 minutes to place our order and 45 minutes to get it. Another table of 6 teens showed up after us, ordered and received their food before we got ours. As long as you are not in a hurry, this is a great place. You ARE on vacation, right? We did not order the daily special so I don’t know if that would have made a difference.

I can say it was worth the wait! The issues were minor so I still think the experience rates 5 skulls.

Since I ran out of room for images on the Bounty post, I’ve included a couple of extra shots here.

The shuttle ferry terminal is easy to spot.

Look for the big ‘AcuaExpress 2’ sign. If you want to check out the free Bacardi tour (includes 2 free drinks), this is where you have to go.

There are vans at the terminal in Cataño that will take you to the Bacardi Campus and back for a small price. It’s worth the trip, I’ve done it 3 times now.. here’s a link.

Trolley Stop 14 is located out front of the Pier 2. The trolley will take you all the way to Fort San Cristobal, El Morro and back to the docks. There are many more stops along the way.

The Don Q, Serralles show room is directly across the street from Pier 2. This is the most popular rum in Puerto Rico. A premium rum. Their showroom is open to the public. Don Quixote is their ‘patron saint’ of sorts. It’s worth a stop to check out.