Piñones is a strip of public beachside kiosks about three kilometres east of Isla Verde along the coastal road, and it is one of the best places to eat cheaply and well in the San Juan area. The stalls serve traditional Puerto Rican fried food — alcapurrias (fried dumplings stuffed with crab or meat), bacalaitos (salt-cod fritters), empanadillas, and tostones — along with cold Medalla beer. Everything is made fresh and costs almost nothing by tourist standards.
The scene on weekends is lively: locals come here to eat, drink, and listen to salsa and reggaeton from competing sound systems. The beach behind the kiosks is undeveloped and uncrowded compared to the resort strip. Come on a Sunday afternoon when the whole area comes to life, or on a weekday morning when you can eat in peace with the ocean in front of you.