Great Food and a Great Location – Mojitos Restaurant – Bar and Lounge

Owned by two Cuban brothers, Mojitos Restaurant may be the only place on the Samaná Peninsula where the namesake drink actually fits the bill. The mint is fresh and the balance of lime and sugar is just right. Plus, you can enjoy a twist on the original. The passion fruit or chinola mojito is a tangy diversion from the norm that goes down quickly on a hot day.

Mojitos Restaurant, Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic

The additional good news is that you can get food as good as the drinks at Mojitos if you choose carefully and are willing to try some new dishes. One of my favorite discoveries at Mojitos is tostone rellenos with shrimp or beef in a spicy sauce. The sauce-drenched meat is loaded into small cups made of ripe plantains that have been lightly fried into form. Three rellenos per serving is enough for two people to share if you are ordering a few tapas to go with your drinks.

Another appetizer done well by the cooks at Mojitos is the fried fish pieces. They usually use mahi-mahi, locally known as dorado for the fish and accompany it with a side of garlicky tartar sauce. You may like it enough you have to ask for more – and they will be happy to oblige.



View of Mojitos from Las Terrenas Beach, Dominican Republic

My favorite main dish is the classic Samana specialty – mero con salsa de coco. The local version of grouper is lightly braised in coconut milk tinted with tomato. Served with rice, the dish is plenty to split if you’ve already had a few appetizers before dinner.  Of course, once you taste it, you may not want to share.

The only disappointing meal I’ve had at Mojitos was when I ordered what should have been a no-brainer for the brothers – the Cuban sandwich. The flaw was the deviation from their usual authenticity. Instead of being served on a Cuban-style bread and garnished with pickles, the sandwich arrived with only ham, pork, cheese and lettuce on a dry baguette. It was simply too underwhelming to be enjoyable and at a price close to equal the mero, it simply didn’t stack up.

Great view of the ocean from the deck at Mojitos Restaurant

The service can be slow – like any restaurant in the Dominican Republic – but if one of the brothers is on-site, expect a friendly greeting and plenty of attention.  Well-situated at the east end of Playa Las Terrenas next to Punta Popy, Mojitos is a great break from the beach where you can enjoy tasty Cuban food and drink. Plus, you can catch a great sunset if you linger long enough.