Recommended listening: “Nuevayol.” La Disquera once served as the San Juan office for Fania Records, the pioneering salsa 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
A day tour of Old San Juan is practically mandatory for any first-time visitor; but stay a little while after dark to see it come alive. La Factoría is famed for its crafty cocktails, as well as the labyrinthine setup of the space. 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 even a special enclave for the lovers and the introverts, who may appreciate the intimacy of a low-lit and low-volume space.
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
Trip to the mall, anyone? Beyond the Nordstrom and Tiffany’s, inside the ritzy Mall of San Juan is an upscale Puerto Rican dining experience worth the hype. Partially owned by Bad Bunny and his manager, Noah Assad, the picturesque restaurant boasts a globetrotting experience encapsulated in its menu. It’s ideal for those traveling in groups with conflicting palettes; at Lala, one friend’s craving for pan-fried gyoza and hamachi can peacefully co-exist with another’s hankering 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
“We believe that Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean, have more in common with Southeast Asia than people think,” says Juan Camilo Becerra, manager of Manzana de Java: an Antillean-meets-Asian fusion kitchen, located two blocks south of the Playa del Pueblo. Repurposed from an old ramen shop, this one-of-a-kind restaurant fashions tapas from the intersections of two tropical regions. Highlights from the menu include ceviche served in a cacao pod, lionfish chicharrones served with a green curry aioli, and a goat meat fricasse with tamarind and cashews.
Recommended listening: “Voy a Llevarte a PR.” Much like the song, which Bad Bunny dedicates to a faraway love interest, Manzana de Java is both sweet and spicy.
La Placita de Santurce
What appears to be a farmer’s market during the week transforms into a full-on bacchanal on the weekends. 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 your night with Caribbean snacks at Jungle Bird and roam as you wish. On one block, you’ll find whole families singing karaoke outdoors; around the corner, you’ll see old men drinking beer, playing dominoes, and watching salsa videos on a big-screen TV. There’s also an abundance of murals to take drunken photos with, including a special Bad Bunny portrait celebrating his role in Puerto Rican music and culture.
Recommended listening: “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.” This is Puerto Rico at its best; in music, food and community.
