Tras-Patio. An Intimate Discovery in the Heart of Hato Rey

Oct 13

2 min read

Chef Javier Nassar brings an international culinary career, a passion for wine, and generations of family recipes to the restaurant’s new chapter.

San Juan, Puerto Rico — Tucked along Calle Uruguay, Tras-Patio offers a quieter side of Hato Rey. Inside, softly lit tables, upholstered banquettes, family photographs, and carefully chosen art create a setting that feels both elegant and personal. Reopened in June 2026 after a complete transformation, the restaurant invites guests to slow down and stay awhile.

The experience is shaped by chef and owner Javier Nassar, whose career has taken him from Miami to Vienna and back to Puerto Rico. Nassar studied culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University and earned a sommelier certification from the United States Sommelier Association. At the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, he worked with Mediterranean and classic French cuisine and served as a culinary instructor for the hotel’s wine club. His later work in Europe included restaurants and hospitality events in Vienna, as well as catering for Formula 1 Grand Prix events. Back in Miami, he cooked at The Forge before returning to San Juan.

At Tras-Patio, those experiences find expression in a steakhouse rooted in Puerto Rican flavors. Lunch brings together asopao and mampostea’o with a lobster roll, steak sandwich, and half chicken prepared en chicharrón. Dinner is an invitation to share: filet mignon tartare, octopus chicharrón, bacalaítos, and alcapurrias lead into dishes such as filet mignon, pork prime rib, and steamed local cartucho. Local ingredients remain central, with French, German, and Mediterranean influences woven through the menu. Wine has a place of its own at the table. Nassar’s sommelier training informs Tras-Patio’s distinctive wine offering, giving guests another way to explore the menu over a long lunch or an intimate dinner. The bar lounge also serves signature cocktails.

The restaurant’s deepest inspiration is found in a mural of handwritten recipes. Once stored in family boxes, the recipes of Nassar’s grandmothers, Alexandra and Herminia, and his mother, Hylsa, now have a permanent place in the dining room. They sit among family photographs and artwork, including pieces created by members of the service team.

Tras-Patio first opened in 2010. Its return brings the family’s history into a new setting, where Nassar’s culinary experience and the recipes he inherited meet elegantly at the same table.