Taste Puerto Rico at the Luquillo Kiosks
Posted on May 31st, 2009 by Gwenn • Updated on Oct 27th, 2011
The Luquillo kiosks (or kioskos) are a much loved part of Puerto Rico. This long row of humble (think almost ramshackle) buildings are right on Route 3 along the beach in Luquillo. But don’t let their appearance discourage you — stop in and you will be in for an experience that is uniquely Puerto Rican.
Something for Everyone
The Luquillo kiosks are about 60 different places, each of them are numbered and many of them are named. A few sell souvenirs and some are vacant. But most of these kiosks sell food and drinks. Some of these places have been run by the same family for over 20 years, while others are brand new and recently opened. It is hard to say which ones are the best — it all depends on what you feel like eating! But most people will eventually have a favorite — just ask a local and you’ll find out for yourself!
One really cool thing about the kiosks is that they are fun and casual, with open air dining. One side of the restaurants opens to the parking lot and Route 3, and on a number of them they are open toward the beach as well. So some have a beach view, while others do not. One place even made a rooftop seating area!
You can stop by for a simple snack or just an ice-cold beer, or take some time and enjoy a "real" nice, sit-down meal. Or just bar hop and skip the food, if you can resist! A number of places will have live music in the evenings (especially on weekend nights). There are even a few with pool tables. Stop in and enjoy, but don’t bother to get dressed up — come as you are and relax.
Rice & Beans, Italian, Mexican, Peruvian … Oh My!
The 60 kiosks (actually, there are a few less) are very different and range in style, taste and price. You can get humble local fried goodies like bacalaítos, alcapurrias, pastelillos/empanadillas or even rice & beans, and a cold beer, for just a few bucks. You can also get much more unusual things like gourmet hamburgers, local/Caribbean fusion, Thai, Italian, Mexican and even Peruvian food. This mixing of the new cuisine and the classic Puerto Rican food kiosk now offers something for everyone. The places without liquor licenses even allow you to BYOB or, if you want, just stop into one place to pick up an alcoholic beverage to go with your meal at another place.
Kiosks Serving Classic Puerto Rican Dishes
- #8 – de Sylvia
- #10 – Ely’s Place
- #20 – Lighthouse
- #31 – Vejigante – 787-315-1832 or 787-604-1382
- #44 – Dieguito and Markito’s Touch of Class (Has air conditioned seating)
- #51 – Castillo del Mar
- #52 – Mi Favorito
- #56 – Manjar Tropical &ndash: 787-355-7676
- #60 – Roca Taina
Newer Kiosks Serving Different Fare
- #2 – La Parilla – 787.889-0590 – Puerto Rican / Caribbean fusion
- #9 – Congas by the Sea – 787-889-1562 – nouville Puerto Rican cuisine
- #12 – El Jefe Burger – gourmet burgers
- #13 – Tapas 13
- #21 – Ay Bonito; has a little bit of all cuisines, and homemade hot sauces.
- #29 – Osso Buco – Italian cuisine
- #35 – Capone’s – pizza & calzones
- #36 – Bohio de Luquillo; Caribbeanized American food
- #37 – Food Space – 787-704-9851 – open for breakfast/lunch W-Sat 7am until 6pm, Sun until 2pm
- #38 – Ceviche Hut – 787-531-8686 – Peruvian cuisine
Each kiosk has different hours — some are open 7 days/week, others are not. Some are closed on Monday and Tuesday. Some are open for lunch during the week, but not nearly all of them. Generally, the kiosks are open Monday to Thursday from about 11am or noon until about 9pm or 10pm. Most are open later on weekends, which is also when you can expect more places to be open.
Stop by and check it out! Pick a favorite! And, until you find a favorite, feel free to kiosk-hop and sample a little from everyone! Just remember, the kiosks are popular with tourists and locals, so if you want the best seats, get there early! And on weekend nights, it is a very busy place to hang out and enjoy.
The kiosks are located on the north (ocean) side of Route 3 in Luquillo, right next to Balneario Monserrate. They’re about 5 minutes east of the "main" entrance (Route 191) to El Yunque National Forest.
You can locate the Luquillo kiosks on our Interactive Island Map.
Use this map to locate places mentioned in this article. You can click on a placemark to view the GPS coordinates for that place.































I actually visited the Kioskos by just randomly running into them on a trip last year with some friends. The Kioskos are an amazing cultural experience that I found very comfortable as the ambiance, social interaction are very similar to my own cultural background in a way (I’m Italian). One should definitely check this place out if you’re in the area. For me, I enjoyed mingling with the locals, hanging out on the beach behind the kioskos (it’s like going to a beach party) and trying the varied foods offered. Definitely come as you are, very laid back and enjoyable. A great place to grab a bite to eat and a beer after hiking in El Yunque.
Comment by Sonia on April 22nd, 2010 at 5:13 pmWe visited the Kiosks last week and had the most fun there. The strip is truly diamond in the rough! We had the lobster dish and stuffed baby red snapper at La Parrilla. The food came out looking so pretty and well prepared that a customer from another table couldn’t help coming over to our table to take photos
. Thanks for writing this article! We definitely was exposed the most to the local flavor at this area!
Comment by Tracie on August 2nd, 2010 at 1:15 pmLot’s of fun – great drinks, food, people! Wish I was back there!
Comment by Patrick K. on October 25th, 2010 at 7:50 pmI LOVE YOUR ARTICLE ON THE KIOSKS OF LUQUILLO,I JUST GOT ADDED ON YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE,I WANT TO MENTION A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THIS ARTICLE, THE PICTURE YOU GOT HERE WITH THE PIÑA COLADA SIGN ITS MY PARENTS RESTAURANT “#33 LA MEXICANA”ITS BEEN OUR FAMILY RESTAURANT FOR OVER 30 YEARS SERVING CLASSIC PUERTO RICAN FOOD,ALCAPURIAS,PIONONOS,MOFONGO,RELLENO DE PAPAS,TACOS,ARROZ CON POLLO,PESCAO FRESCO,ETC…ITS NAMED “LA MEXICANA” AFTER MY MOTHER WHO IS FROM MEXICO…THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ARTICLE …
Comment by ED ROSARIO on February 17th, 2011 at 2:26 pm