Steph Says: Puerto Plata!

[Metro Jacksonville]

Steph Says:  Puerto Plata!



The lovely Steph Bewley brings us her latest restaurtant review.

By popular demand through a reader's poll, Steph checks out Puerto Plata in Ortega.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-aug-steph-says-puerto-plata

[DavidWilliams]

Sounds good. Is this the place in Lakeshore that was a Chinese restaurant for many years?

[stephElf]

It's in Ortega on Blanding, very close to San Juan.    

*edit - Perhaps that actually is considered Lakeshore?

[mandy6488]

It's in Ortega on Blanding, very close to San Juan.    

*edit - Perhaps that actually is considered Lakeshore?

Yeah, it is Lake Shore/Lakeshore (however you spell it), Mrs Steph Says!

[stephElf]

Ahh thanks for the clarification Mandy! It is a hop, skip and a jump from Ortega though and literally 2.5 minutes from the Publix Shopping Plaza at 17 & San Juan.

[stephenc]

Horrible place. I ate there a few years ago with several Dominican friends. The staff was very rude and food was over priced. The Jags happened to be playing and I asked them to turn the tv  on to watch the game. The waitress said no, then walked off. No explanation or anything. I ate there again on Sunday with the same friends because I was told the staff had changed. WRONG!!! Ordered the Arroz con Pollo for $9.25.  Got about a pound of rice and about 7 half dollar size pieces of chicken in it. My friends had to ask several times for water and the waitress kept ignoring them till I got up and ask the staff in the back for some. Granted the food is pretty good, but with rude staff forget it. This place doesn't have refills either. If you order a soda for $1 you will get a glass of ice and a can of soda. I love my Spanish food but will NEVER go to this place again.

[stephElf]

That stinks! I had a similar experience at Havana Jax.. but it was mainly because of a language barrier... our meal from A - Z was botched and annoying... It has been a while though and would give them a second chance - the food was good.

[Fallen Buckeye]

I've been there and I liked it. Then again I eat just about anything. The server was nice enough when I was there, too.

[mandy6488]

I've been there twice and never had a problem with the service. It wasn't the best in town but it wasn't horrible. I think any issues were because of the language barrier.

The food is tasty and I don't think it is overpriced at all. I got the roast pork, like Steph mentioned and had plenty to eat and leftovers for the next day.

I do wish the Sangria had fruit in it.

[ChriswUfGator]

Horrible place. I ate there a few years ago with several Dominican friends. The staff was very rude and food was over priced. The Jags happened to be playing and I asked them to turn the tv  on to watch the game. The waitress said no, then walked off. No explanation or anything. I ate there again on Sunday with the same friends because I was told the staff had changed. WRONG!!! Ordered the Arroz con Pollo for $9.25.  Got about a pound of rice and about 7 half dollar size pieces of chicken in it. My friends had to ask several times for water and the waitress kept ignoring them till I got up and ask the staff in the back for some. Granted the food is pretty good, but with rude staff forget it. This place doesn't have refills either. If you order a soda for $1 you will get a glass of ice and a can of soda. I love my Spanish food but will NEVER go to this place again.

This place hasn't been there that long, and definitely wasn't there several years ago. I think you're thinking about the seedy Mex/Latin place that was there before Puerto Plata.

The location has always been a restaurant as long as I've been here. First it was some seedy Chinese place that closed down, then around 2001 it became a seedy Mex/Latin place, which closed down. Then it sat vacant for awhile, and maybe a year or so ago it became Puerto Plata.

But it has changed hands a bunch of times, and based on the timeframe you're referring to, it's not possible that the current restaurant is the one you went to. PP is maybe a year'ish old, or something like that. I remember watching the renovations take place when I'd drive by there.

I've never eaten there and don't know them, so I'm certainly not defending them with this post, but that was definitely a different restaurant when you went there.

[DetroitInJAX]

I just recently went to Puerto Plata within the last week.. This place was recommended to me by a coworker who is Dominican, as is her husband.. So I decided to try it out.. I dragged along a Colombian and a Nicaraguan and we went for it....  All 3 of us had the arroz con pollo and were equally impressed...  I eat mine with ketchup (the ONLY way to have it).. We also ordered Plantains and they were cooked just right.  I was very impressed with the upkeep of the building, the furnishings, staff friendliness, and prices were very reasonable for the amount of food you get.

Also, regarding the refills on soda.. This is somewhat of an American thing... If you've ever traveled to S. America or Europe, you never get free refills.  This is not an American restaurant.

Free refills are part of the reason this country is so fat anyway.

[ricker]

Clean, consistently delicious, potent sangria, cheap price$, huge portions, great hours, friendly smiles AND prompt courteous service no matter your party size---AND literally less than 30 paces from monthly summer outdoor movie nights cast onto the back wall of the auto garage at Appleton and Blanding directly across form the Lakeshore Schwinn fitness shop.
open late on wekends and very lively if you like to dance on a patio!

[AmyLynne]

Horrible place. I ate there a few years ago with several Dominican friends. The staff was very rude and food was over priced. The Jags happened to be playing and I asked them to turn the tv  on to watch the game. The waitress said no, then walked off. No explanation or anything. I ate there again on Sunday with the same friends because I was told the staff had changed. WRONG!!! Ordered the Arroz con Pollo for $9.25.  Got about a pound of rice and about 7 half dollar size pieces of chicken in it. My friends had to ask several times for water and the waitress kept ignoring them till I got up and ask the staff in the back for some. Granted the food is pretty good, but with rude staff forget it. This place doesn't have refills either. If you order a soda for $1 you will get a glass of ice and a can of soda. I love my Spanish food but will NEVER go to this place again.

This place hasn't been there that long, and definitely wasn't there several years ago. I think you're thinking about the seedy Mex/Latin place that was there before Puerto Plata.

The location has always been a restaurant as long as I've been here. First it was some seedy Chinese place that closed down, then around 2001 it became a seedy Mex/Latin place, which closed down. Then it sat vacant for awhile, and maybe a year or so ago it became Puerto Plata.

But it has changed hands a bunch of times, and based on the timeframe you're referring to, it's not possible that the current restaurant is the one you went to. PP is maybe a year'ish old, or something like that. I remember watching the renovations take place when I'd drive by there.

I've never eaten there and don't know them, so I'm certainly not defending them with this post, but that was definitely a different restaurant when you went there.

They have been around longer than you think....

A review from 2006

http://reviews.metroguide.com/d.asp?pi=28677

[ChriswUfGator]

Horrible place. I ate there a few years ago with several Dominican friends. The staff was very rude and food was over priced. The Jags happened to be playing and I asked them to turn the tv  on to watch the game. The waitress said no, then walked off. No explanation or anything. I ate there again on Sunday with the same friends because I was told the staff had changed. WRONG!!! Ordered the Arroz con Pollo for $9.25.  Got about a pound of rice and about 7 half dollar size pieces of chicken in it. My friends had to ask several times for water and the waitress kept ignoring them till I got up and ask the staff in the back for some. Granted the food is pretty good, but with rude staff forget it. This place doesn't have refills either. If you order a soda for $1 you will get a glass of ice and a can of soda. I love my Spanish food but will NEVER go to this place again.

This place hasn't been there that long, and definitely wasn't there several years ago. I think you're thinking about the seedy Mex/Latin place that was there before Puerto Plata.

The location has always been a restaurant as long as I've been here. First it was some seedy Chinese place that closed down, then around 2001 it became a seedy Mex/Latin place, which closed down. Then it sat vacant for awhile, and maybe a year or so ago it became Puerto Plata.

But it has changed hands a bunch of times, and based on the timeframe you're referring to, it's not possible that the current restaurant is the one you went to. PP is maybe a year'ish old, or something like that. I remember watching the renovations take place when I'd drive by there.

I've never eaten there and don't know them, so I'm certainly not defending them with this post, but that was definitely a different restaurant when you went there.

They have been around longer than you think....

A review from 2006

http://reviews.metroguide.com/d.asp?pi=28677

You do realize that:

A: The restaurant name probably changed on that review site and the reviews carried over.

and,

B: You are quoting a post that's already over a year old. Trust me, Puerto Plata opened in 2008 or 2009, I live 5 minutes down the street from it. Go ask them if you don't believe me. Before that it was a Mexican place, and before that a Chinese place. I drive by daily, I'm quite familiar with it.

[stephenc]

Horrible place. I ate there a few years ago with several Dominican friends. The staff was very rude and food was over priced. The Jags happened to be playing and I asked them to turn the tv  on to watch the game. The waitress said no, then walked off. No explanation or anything. I ate there again on Sunday with the same friends because I was told the staff had changed. WRONG!!! Ordered the Arroz con Pollo for $9.25.  Got about a pound of rice and about 7 half dollar size pieces of chicken in it. My friends had to ask several times for water and the waitress kept ignoring them till I got up and ask the staff in the back for some. Granted the food is pretty good, but with rude staff forget it. This place doesn't have refills either. If you order a soda for $1 you will get a glass of ice and a can of soda. I love my Spanish food but will NEVER go to this place again.

This place hasn't been there that long, and definitely wasn't there several years ago. I think you're thinking about the seedy Mex/Latin place that was there before Puerto Plata.

The location has always been a restaurant as long as I've been here. First it was some seedy Chinese place that closed down, then around 2001 it became a seedy Mex/Latin place, which closed down. Then it sat vacant for awhile, and maybe a year or so ago it became Puerto Plata.

But it has changed hands a bunch of times, and based on the timeframe you're referring to, it's not possible that the current restaurant is the one you went to. PP is maybe a year'ish old, or something like that. I remember watching the renovations take place when I'd drive by there.

I've never eaten there and don't know them, so I'm certainly not defending them with this post, but that was definitely a different restaurant when you went there.

They have been around longer than you think....

A review from 2006

http://reviews.metroguide.com/d.asp?pi=28677

You do realize that:

A: The restaurant name probably changed on that review site and the reviews carried over.

and,

B: You are quoting a post that's already over a year old. Trust me, Puerto Plata opened in 2008 or 2009, I live 5 minutes down the street from it. Go ask them if you don't believe me. Before that it was a Mexican place, and before that a Chinese place. I drive by daily, I'm quite familiar with it.

lol. I think I know. I went there with my DOMINICAN friends. This is a Dominican restaurant. That's why we went. I go to church a few blocks from this place and used to live around the corner a few years ago. When my friends moved here from D. R. in 2005, they were so excited to find a place with Dominican Cuisine. It was probably the summer of 2007 when I ate there. I know in my previous post I said I would never eat there again but I've been a couple times since. Food was very good and the service wasn't as bad.lol.