The Friendly Debate Over Puerto Rico’s Signature Drink Continues To Stir Controversy

Pina Colada Caribe Hilton San Juan Puerto Rico — A Pina Colada at Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Photo: Caribe Hilton

Ask who invented the Piña Colada in Puerto Rico and you’ll probably hear two different answers. While Barrachina in Old San Juan proudly makes its claim, Caribe Hilton says bartender Ramón “Monchito” Marrero created the famous cocktail in 1954—and even has a government proclamation supporting its case.

There is a small debate on a Caribbean island about the origin of the Pina Colada drink. Was it created by a bartender at Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico, or the Barrachina in Old Town?

Now PubClub.com is not one to get involved in debates about the creation of a cocktail (after all we, like millions of others, are just happy that someone invited it) but here is the story from Caribe Hilton.

Bartender Ramón “Monchito” Marrero is credited for creating the Pina Colada 1954. After three months of experimentation, he settled on the recipe which he felt captured the true flavors of Puerto Rico. He continued to serve it at Caribe Hilton for the next 35 years and was rewarded for his efforts when Puerto Rico named the cocktail its national drink in 197. The resort also holds a government proclamation validating its claim.

Certainly Monchito’s tradition of creating cocktails continues to this day with the full Pina Colada menu. Caribe Hilton is also one of the most popular bars among those at the hotels on this San Juan beach near the airport; this is the area where flight crews stay on layovers, too. So you’ll be unlikely to be drinking Pina Coladas alone there. Which is the way PubClub.com prefers it, of course.

Full Pina Colada Menu

What is not up for debate is the fact that the Pina Colada is the official drink of Puerto Rico and if you want one, only Caribe Hilton has a full Pina Colada menu with different versions of the popular frozen cocktail. It features a Colada Grande, which is a 15-ounce version of the original with a double-shot of rum ($20, $25 if you add a floater); the Piña Colada Martini (two rums and blue curacao, $16) and the Patron Colada, which is made with Patron tequila instead of the traditional rum ($18, $23 with a floater).