Sports Bar and Restaurant Planned for South Side

A Puerto Rican bar and grill is in the works for the Polonia neighborhood, just west of Bay View.

Santurce Sport Bar & Grill, 3010 S. 10th St., would replace the long-standing Doctor’s Inn, which closed in 2020 after more than 20 years in business.

Tucked between two houses in a residential neighborhood, visitors of the restaurant-bar can expect drinks, dancing, local DJs and traditional Puerto Rican dishes to accompany the tropical and tiki-themed decor.

Renovations, which started in 2020 and are ongoing, will include a new building facade, bar and kitchen, said Jose Massas Caraballo, a representative for the business. Once the kitchen is complete, Massas Caraballo said, the timeline for opening will be clearer.

In the meantime, Santurce is providing catering services, offering Puerto Rican staples like rice with gandules (pigeon peas), pernil (pork shoulder), potato salad and coditos (macaroni salad).

The name Santurce pays homage to a neighborhood of the same name in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Located about 10 minutes from Old San Juan, Santurce is a colorful area featuring street murals and a flourishing arts scene. The neighborhood is also birthplace of singer Luis Miguel and home to the beloved basketball team, Cangrejeros de Santurce.

The two-story building that would house Santurce is more than 100 years old according to city assessment records. It has a 2,327-square-foot commercial space on the lower level and residential units on the upper floor.

A liquor license application has not yet been filed for the business, but Brenda Caraballo filed an occupancy permit in early 2021.

For more information about catering services, or to inquire about booking the space for a private event, visit the business’s Facebook page.