Buenos Aires, Argentina

[CrescentFresh]

Black Sheep and I are now officially booked for another visit to Buenos Aires with no plans other than to eat, drink and wander. I will revel in the few months before we go, planning which new restaurants to hit, and which of our favorites to return to.

I particularly wanted to share this clever and witty write-up about dining in Buenos Aires and Argentina. There's a lot of truth to it, but it should be noted that it's quite possible to dine very well without having a slab of beef every night. It is true, though, that vegans would do well elsewhere.

"Argentina on Two Steaks a Day" by Maciej Ceglowski on idlewords.com

[Joe H]

There is outstanding Italian in Argentina also - a very large Italian community.

[cgarden]

We also have tickets to go back (just under a year since our first trip). Any and all restaurant recommendations are welcome!

And, should anyone else be looking to take a steaky vacation over the next 3 months, LAN (Latam Airlines Group) has a $399 round-trip fare (from Miami) if you book by Sunday.

[Demetrius]

Wow!! If you hear of any more good deals to Argentina please post.

[CrescentFresh]

Wow!! If you hear of any more good deals to Argentina please post.

That $399 RT is the best I've ever heard and it's how I'm getting there. And the flights to get to Miami for that flight are really cheap right now, too.

Has anyone eaten at Nectarine? I'm seeing some reviews elsewhere that this place is a winner. It may be at the top of my list of new places to try.

[Permanently closed in 2012]

[cgarden]

From this past Sunday's LA Times:

"In Buenos Aires, the Living's Easy" by Molly Malone on articles.latimes.com

[CrescentFresh]

I found Youkali Hotel [(*)] linked on another site. Seems kind of interesting. Not the finest location, but anything in BA is about one to three dollars away via taxi. Fascinating looking hotel and an interesting looking menu. The menu prices are in pesos, so divide by 3. As for wine, I can't possibly understand how they're selling Trumpeter for US$12. I'd be all over that Ruca Malen Cabernet for US$15.

[(*) "Youkali / Boquita Pintadas Hotel (BA) is Closed" on lonelyplanet.com]

[kturkey88]

I'm trying to arrange a vacation to Buenos Aires over the holidays - ideally around new years. I've never been, but I'm a complete junkie right now reading and planning this trip.

Does anyone have any can't miss spots? Did anyone stay in any particularly great/moderately priced hotels and go to any memorable restaurants?

Is a week in Buenos Aires enough?

What about worthwhile sidetrips or daytrips while we're down there?

Thanks in advance! I can't wait to tell you all about where we went and what we ate! (assuming I come back)

[CrescentFresh]

I'm trying to arrange a vacation to Buenos Aires over the holidays - ideally around new years. I've never been, but I'm a complete junkie right now reading and planning this trip.

Does anyone have any can't miss spots? Did anyone stay in any particularly great/moderately priced hotels and go to any memorable restaurants?

Is a week in Buenos Aires enough?

What about worthwhile sidetrips or daytrips while we're down there?

Thanks in advance! I can't wait to tell you all about where we went and what we ate! (assuming I come back)

A week is nice to get a good feel for the city. There are plenty of worthwhile side trips to other parts of the country and day trips to estancias outside BA or across the river into Uruguay.

For starters, what do you consider moderately priced for a hotel? And do you have the freedom to stay longer? That's one of the great benefits about Argentina right now for those spending dollars -- it's generally expensive to get there, but once you're there you get world class everything at a fraction of the cost.

[kturkey88]

A week is nice to get a good feel for the city. There are plenty of worthwhile side trips to other parts of the country and day trips to estancias outside BA or across the river into Uruguay.

For starters, what do you consider moderately priced for a hotel? And do you have the freedom to stay longer? That's one of the great benefits about Argentina right now for those spending dollars -- it's generally expensive to get there, but once you're there you get world class everything at a fraction of the cost.

We aren't necessarily limited to a week - and if there are worthwhile sidetrips that make the most out of our trip down there, I'd definitely be interested.

The plane tickets are looking pricey ~$1500/pp, but money once we get there really isn't a limiting factor to what we do/where we stay. We're not "Ritz" people, but we're not hostel people either. I'd say we'd be interested in the equivilant of hotels like the Kimptons in dupont but if we could stay at a simple, clean Holiday Inn type in a great, safe location and re-coop some of the money spent on those plane tickets - we'd be fine with that too! Something simple - but we do want to feel like we are on our big vacation for the year, enjoying ourselves.

Does that help?

Can you give me an idea of the places you went to? Where/how long you stayed if you went on sidetrips and what/where you ate?

Thanks!

[CrescentFresh]

Let's keep this to food and drink and we'll take care of the lodging and travel issues first via PM.

[kturkey88]

Has anyone been to Mendoza? Maybe on a side trip from Buenos Aires?

I'm looking for recommendations on vineyards and wine tours, ideally ones that pair food or work with a B&B to pair food and lodging.

Thanks in advance!

[africanist]

Has anyone been to Mendoza? Maybe on a side trip from Buenos Aires?

I'm looking for recommendations on vineyards and wine tours, ideally ones that pair food or work with a B&B to pair food and lodging.

Thanks in advance!

 
I haven't been yet, but I'll be there in a week and will give you the scoop when I return. I'm looking forward to some good wine and some better weather!

[CrescentFresh]

Steak #1. Matambre. A kind of skirt or flank steak. Huge. Cooked perfectly. 14 pesos. Approx. $4.75.

[kturkey88]

Steak #1. Matambre. A kind of skirt or flank steak. Huge. Cooked perfectly. 14 pesos. Approx. $4.75.

I'm looking forward to hearing more! Please keep the reviews coming - names of restaurants, food/wine I can't miss, etc.

My trip's a month away and I'll take all the advice I can get.

Thanks CrescentFresh!

PS - If you hear any buzz about the place to be for new years (for my SO and I) , please pass it on. Thanks!

[CrescentFresh]

My third visit in the last 2 years and Buenos Aires hit on all cylinders once again. If you're like me and you don't have money to burn -- or you love Europe but $2 for a pound and $1.35+ for a euro makes you say ouch -- Buenos Aires is your place. You most definitely know you're in Latin America, but because of the immigrant history of the country, you also see so many influences from Italy, England, France and Spain. Throw it all together and this city, with a population humming about 10 million and, in many ways, defined by its diverse neighborhoods, and you have an incredible experience, food, culture, people, you name it. For me, it's not really the Paris of South America as many say. Frankly, it reminds me very much of New York City circa 1978 -- all the dog crap and graffiti, but none of the disco. And, if you're a fan of Madrid, you'll love the dining hours. Restaurants don't get busy until after 10PM and many don't even open until after 9.

Most of the places we hit were in the Palermo neighborhood, where we rented an apartment. A few years ago, Palermo, particularly its subset of Palermo Viejo (and its two further sub-barrios Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood) became the locus of many of the hip and happening restaurants in BA. Here you will not only find many of the hangouts for "the beautiful people," (and believe me, just about everyone in Argentina is beautiful) but you'll also find traditional mom and pop parrillas, empanada take-outs, restaurants focusing on certain ethnic foods, and dozens and dozens of restaurants staffed by talented people showing off their artistry and innovation on a plate. And they've got great ingredients to work with, not to mention fantastic wines.

You will not find many "chains" as we know them here. There are a handful of chain places that are more cafe-like, but not really for full-scale restaurants like a Morton's or a Maggiano's that you'd find here. Where you're eating in BA is very likely to be a mom and pop joint, or a local corporate restaurant entity, similar to the setup you find here with Jose Andres and his partners.

Our first meal on the day we arrived was at a local parrilla just a few blocks from our place, Don Isidro [Permanently closed - now The Swagger Bar] at the corner of Bonpland and Costa Rica. We had one purpose in mind for this meal -- do something about our Argentinian beef withdrawal symptoms. Without going into much detail, beef in Argentina is grass-fed, not corn-fed in feedlots. It's also butchered slightly differently, so you don't get a specific Filet Mignon, Ribeye or Strip Steak, but you get something similar. Their cattle are also not slaughtered as young as they are here. And in an interesting note about how serious-ass they are about their beef -- while we were there, a strike was called for by some elements in the "cattle drive" from field to Buenos Aires and the government was ready to send in troops to ensure that the cattle would still come unhindered. If you'd send in the army to ensure that your population gets its beef.......

We didn't take notes during this first meal and we only have one picture. It's my wife's matambre (skirt/flank steak) topped with a morcilla (blood sausage) so thick it could choke a giraffe. As noted above, this dish cost 14 pesos, or about $4.75 US. The mug of beer next to it probably cost about 2.5 pesos. (For brevity, I'll just list prices in pesos from here on out. Just divide by 3 and you'll get the approx. price in dollars.)

The next night, we had dinner at Sudestada, at Fitzroy and Guatemala, about a block away from our place. I had seen this place a number of times, looking in their window and reading the menu posted at the door, and heard good things about it, so I made a reservation earlier that afternoon. It was most definitely needed. Anyone without a reservation was pretty much turned away. A rather small restaurant on a street corner (you can see some photos in the above link, as I don't have any. If you look at the middle photo, we sat at one of the tables near the window that looks right into the kitchen) Sudestada is recognized as having some of the finest southeast Asian fare in the city.

For starters, we shared an order of Thai Fish Croquettes with Sweet Potato ($16) and for mains I had Thai BBQ Pork w/pungent Lemon Sauce ($30) and the Mrs. had Fish and Shellfish Skewers w/Rice and Mango Relish ($33). Our wine selection was a bottle of 2005 Escorihuela Gascon Viognier from Mendoza. (I don't recall the price of the wine, but it was very reasonable and very good. I'm unsure at this point where it may be sold nearby but I know the winery has a lesser label, Don Miguel Gascon, which is found locally rather easily).

Sudestada did not thrill me. As for the food, it was good but not great. Everything we ate came out hot/smokey/crispy, as appropriate, and the vegetables were all fresh and the sauces were tangy. But two things struck me. First, this meal did not transcend anything you could get at a number of simple Thai or Vietnamese places around here. Secondly, they really don't like using chiles. Don't expect any fire-breathing dishes in Buenos Aires. While the food was perfectly fine, the service was just pitiful. Perhaps the worst we've ever had in any restaurant ever in Buenos Aires. Water glasses sat empty and, at one point, were never refilled again. Which really sucked when we had to wait for 25 minutes for them to bring the check after we asked for it. (BTW: You will never be brought a check at a restaurant in Argentina unless you ask for it.)

When I have time to write more, I'll have more details on other restaurants and bars, an "it could only happen to a foodie" story, a hunt for real ale, and plenty of food photos, including one of steak tartare (made with that killer beef) served in a country that traditionally cooks the living daylights out of its beef.

[CrescentFresh]

A Sunday in Buenos Aires can, for many, mean a visit to the Feria de San Telmo where the main drag, Defensa, is closed to traffic and thousands of people descend upon scores of artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, clothiers, etc. sell their stuff in a giant flea market. It's a huge tourist destination and I'm not a huge fan because you're listening to more people speaking English than Spanish. There are, however, some very good bargains to be had. We went solely to find some quality steak knives but had no luck.

We did have luck, though, when we popped into Brasserie Petanque in Defensa at the corner of Mexico. Open 18 months, we were digging the idea of a lively French joint for Sunday brunch. Rather reminiscent of our frequent Sundays at Bistrot du Coin. Petanque was lively and packed when we walked in the door. There were a handful of folks waiting for tables. We gave our names and were told it would be about 20 minutes. But in less than 10 we were seated by the man we later learned was Pascal, the owner.

We dug into a steak frites (which we ordered sans sauce, the Mrs. preferring the beef unadorned that day) and a steak tartare.

Tartare is rather rare in Buenos Aires. In fact I haven't seen it anywhere else. I think there must be a certain Argentine predilection against meat products that haven't had the life cooked out of them, so raw beef is something that probably wouldn't be ordered very much if you could find it at all. But it was an appropriate dish for Brasserie Petanque and the chance to try this fantastic beef in its "naked" state. The meat was not too finely ground, and there were definitely some nice chunks of beef in there, as if they blended in some meat that was finely diced rather than ground. A smattering of mustard atop the disk of meat provided a steady base for the raw egg in half of its shell that came on top. Mix it together yourself with a touch of salt and pepper and wow. This magic Argentine beef tastes just as good raw as it does cooked.

Moments after we began our meal, a server came over and said to us, rather quickly, something to the effect of "the owner would like to buy us a bottle of wine and would we prefer malbec or cabernet." Our Spanish skills, not being top notch, made us question if we heard it right because we really couldn't understand why we'd be offered a bottle of wine in a restaurant we've never been to before. But, that was the case and we dug into a malbec to accompany our lunch.

When the owner walked by our table later, I called over to him to thank him for the wine and we started talking for a bit. Pascal was having a bit of a rough day, I learned, as he had been hosting a party at Petanque until 7:30 that morning for chefs and other restaurant types from around the world. "Anyone from the U.S.?" I asked. "Daniel Boulud," was one of Pascal's answers. A Swiss national, Pascal moved to Buenos Aires only a couple years ago, having spent the previous 11 years in New York managing a company that offered French-speaking tours of the United Nations. A lover of food and wine, much like us, Pascal became quite familiar with many of the great kitchens of New York and friendly with many of those in the industry. And, just like me and my wife, a single visit to Argentina became captivating to him and he eventually moved there and opened the restaurant he always wanted to have. (With food and labor costs so low, and so little regulatory hassles, opening the bar or restaurant you've always dreamed of is a much more affordable possibility in Argentina than around these parts.)

We spent about 15 minutes talking to Pascal about all sorts of things and by the time we left, we were the last customers in the place. Before we left, he gave us a business card with the address of his newest venture, "Taberna Sangria," a tapas bar he opened up just 3 weeks earlier smack in weekday, business-oriented Microcentro neighborhood [Taberna Sangria, Tucumí¡n 400, is permanently closed, and is now El Pulpo.] . Our meal at Petanque, with coffee, dessert, gratis bottle of wine, and tip came to $73 pesos.

A short walk from Petanque, we found Gibraltar, a very comfortable, authentic-looking, English pub that we easily made a home in. Pints of beer were only AR$6, including a hand-pulled cask conditioned IPA from the nearby town of Pilar. The bartender said it was from Stone Brewery, but I may have heard that wrong because I didn't think CA's Stone Brewery was doing a venture like this. The beer was nice. Perhaps a touch too sweet and syrupy, but surprisingly (and pleasantly) not too hoppy for an IPA. We didn't eat, but a fish and chips looks really good and would only set you back 15 pesos. And a single malt Scotch is only 20 pesos. Local music fans would be interested in hearing that Thievery Corporation was heavily represented in their music mix.

Another restaurant we've visited on every trip to Buenos Aires is Central, in Palermo Hollywood. [Central, Costa Rica 5644, is permanently closed, and is now Ceviche.]  We really like it here, but for some reason, we only go for lunch. You'll either be sitting at high marble tables or on couches in front of large coffee tables. Help yourself to some reading material from the magazine rack that covers one wall. And be sure to check out the funky rest rooms.

All the dishes were delicious and imaginative. The ingredients were fresh, hot food was hot, cold food cold, greens were crisp, and sauces provided a welcome tang.

Salmon tiradito with a mango tartar sauce, passion fruit vinaigrette and homemade nachos:
Salmon a la plancha, with broccoli puree, grilled mushrooms, corn flan, terra chips and tamarind sauce:
Coconut and almond crunchy pastry with coffee ice cream:

Dulce de leche crepes: This just oozed with sweet goodness once I stuck my fork in it. We had two other dishes there and I have photos of them, but for some reason I have no record of what they were! Dumb, huh?

[LoganCircle]

Thank you, CrescentFresh, for taking the time to provide so much detail.

kturkey88, have you returned? Anything to add?

I'm leaving next week for 20 days in Argentina and look forward to making use of your meal reports.

[Joe H]

Crescent Fresh: absolutely outstanding and informative reports. Thank you for taking the time to share.

[CrescentFresh]

Thank you, CrescentFresh, for taking the time to provide so much detail.

kturkey88, have you returned? Anything to add?

I'm leaving next week for 20 days in Argentina and look forward to making use of your meal reports.

What day are you leaving, and have you been there before? I've got about a dozen or more restaurants to talk about, but doubt I'll be able to before you go.

Crescent Fresh: absolutely outstanding and informative reports. Thank you for taking the time to share.

Thank you. More stories and pictures to come as I have time.

[kturkey88]

Our recent 2 week trip to Argentina was just as great as CrescentFresh told us it would be. What food - and what bargains! Our favorite dinners (even then ones where we were gluttonous) ended up costing around $50 for 2.

We were a little worried when our concierge sent us to Tierra de Parrilleros in Puerto Madero [Tierra de Parrilleros, Olga Cossettini 851, is permanently closed.] for our first dinner in B.A. We thought we were destined to end up in the B.A. version of Outback, but we were so pleased with this place that we also dined there for our last dinner in B.A. It probably looked the most commercial of all the places we went, but it had our favorite meat and cheese (fiambres y quesos) app platter and if you're a sucker for creamed spinach like I am - it was creamy, buttery and smooth without any of the heaviness - it was the best I've ever had. Plenty of food and a nice walk along the docks at night. I obviously recommend.

We tried Ristorante Dora but didn't have the best luck [Ristorante Dora reopened at Avenue Leandro N. Alem 1016 on Nov 1, 2010.]. The electricity went out in the entire place while we there (which was definitely entertaining) and while our melon y jamon crudo was solid, the fish we ordered was blah. Underseasoned perhaps, or maybe we just misordered and it wasn't to our taste. We both agreed that it could be worth another try if we wanted to get away from meat one night, as most of the dishes focused on seafood - fish, paellas, etc., but we never got back to it.

Another place we thought was destined to be a tourist trap was the Museo del Jamon off of Ave 9 de Julio. We ended up there for lunch when almost everything else was closed on a Monday afternoon. An extremely pleasant surprise - we returned for our last lunch in B.A. as well. A simple and fantastic meat and cheese platter again (maybe we're predictable?) and a refreshing, spiced gazpacho washed down the salty crudos and funky cheeses I love so much. Both times we were there it was virtually empty - despite the name that originally scared us away. While I didn't taste anything complicated, I'd again recommend the fiambres y quesos here.

On CrescentFresh's recommendation, we hit Petanque while we were at the San Telmo Sunday market and also enjoyed it. The tartare we sought out was just as delicious as it looks and the restaurant felt fun and alive - it was definitely the place to be. The owner was great and we were seated within 10 minutes of receiving our complimentary cocktails while we waited at the small bar.

We hit Central for dinner and really enjoyed the creativity of the food and the place. We had a pate app and a manchego cheese tartlet that I wish could start every one of my meals - it was creamy and sharp, but light enough to make us consider ordering it again for dessert. For dinner, my SO had the salmon a la plancha that I had a hard time keeping my fork out of. Desserts were too tempting to pass up so we also enjoyed those. The food was very good and it's definitely funky - I'd warn that it's funky in a way that not everyone would appreciate. It's very dark and there's pretty loud techno music in the background - it had a sexy vibe and was a nice change from the other places we went to - but not where I'd be taking say, my parents, any time soon.

I'd generalize and say that our experience in Recoleta (where we stayed for 3 nights - we jumped around neighborhoods by staying in different hotels) was kind of a bust. It's a nice section, but most of the people we saw, talked to, etc. spoke English and assumed we spoke English and therefore spoke it to us - which we weren't really going for. We had a disappointing lunch on the Recoleta strip - San Balbo? Or something Italian like that. [San Babila?] The carpaccio plate was huge, but the soggy gnocchi and canned tomato sauce were a huge disappointment - especially when post-meal, we realized that this flop was one of our more expensive ones. I'd skip it.
We did however find this little place called Rodi-Bar. It didn't really look glamorous, but the veal milanese and budin de pan (homemade bread pudding) made this diner-like place a nice surprise.

Two others I'll mention were Parrilla 1880 in San Telmo, whose food was solid, but whose service was the worst we received while in B.A. We felt treated like second class customers because we were tourists - ever though our Spanish was more than adequate to order dinner. We even ordered a second bottle of wine and an additional mini-dinner out of spite. Might have been a stupid decision, but we would have missed out on their delicious homemade egg noodles with four cheese sauce if we hadn't gone for it.

We also tried Spirit, a tapas and oysters bar in Palermo. We only stopped in to try South American oysters and I won't say that I wasn't a little scared. If you're an oyster fan, you might want to try a few, as the creaminess is something I wasn't really expecting, but after just a few, I was done. They're thick and meaty, but the clean, refreshing finish (as I like) wasn't there, and with me, mentally, that wasn't working.

Hope this helps. I want to thank CrescentFresh for his great recommendations and general advice.
LoganCircle - Have a safe trip and a great time!

[kturkey88]

Went to Mendoza for three nights on a little side-trip from B.A. The good was great, the wine was unbelievable and there was much more to do there than I was prepared for. We wished we had another night or two....

Anyway - about the food. There's a strip in Mendoza city right off of the Plaza de Indepencia that has a row of restaurants where we found locals and tourists mixed in. Our first night's choice actually ended up being our favorite dinner of the entire trip - B.A. included.

We sat outside at Sr. Buque because the cooler, adventurous "Il A Fran" (that's my best guess as to what it was actually named) that we want to go to wouldn't take us until the next night (assuming we made a reservation). At Sr Buque, we started with a delicious mushroom and cheese crostini - a toast the size of an Italian Store sandwich with piles of sweet, salty, sauteed mushrooms and cheese on top. Wow.

We ordered the asado ribs and then - after loving them despite all the work to cut each piece of meat around a dozen or so ribs - we ordered a full bife de chorizo after that (this meat was that good and like 8 bucks). Terrific meal, outstanding service, great wines. We felt like locals at this place -anyone in Mendoza city should definitely check it out.

We had a lunch at Ruca Malen winery (as part of a wine tour), that was enjoyable because they paired four courses with four of their wines, but the crowd I was with seemed to believe the food was better than the wines that were serving. (I liked the Ruca Malen Kinean though, fwiw.)

We returned to Sarmiento (street? Ave?) that night to eat at "Il A Fran" (again, my best guess). It has a really cool wine room in the front of the restaurant where you can buy, drink and I believe taste wines. We had our absolute favorite wine of the trip here (my new favorite) - a banarda-malbec blend, Siesta en el Tahuantinsuya - but the food was forgetable.

We also went to Francis Mallmann's restaurant, 1884, which was nice - it was the first place we really saw and enjoyed cocktails (since everywhere else was focused totally on the wine) and the pisco sour was fantastic. The food was good - fancy/schmancy Argentinia style - "baby goat", and I can't remember what else, and the restaurant itself was set-up beautifully - a grand room with high ceiling and without wall decoration and an outside terrace with 15-20 tables...very nice, romantic. In the future I'd skip it and go to Sr. Buque - but it was a nice dinner and with all of the hype, we had to try it.

[CrescentFresh]

Went to Mendoza for three nights on a little side-trip from B.A. The good was great, the wine was unbelievable and there was much more to do there than I was prepared for. We wished we had another night or two....

Anyway - about the food. There's a strip in Mendoza city right off of the Plaza de Indepencia that has a row of restaurants where we found locals and tourists mixed in. Our first night's choice actually ended up being our favorite dinner of the entire trip - B.A. included.

We sat outside at Sr. Buque because the cooler, adventurous "Il A Fran" (that's my best guess as to what it was actually named) that we want to go to wouldn't take us until the next night (assuming we made a reservation). At Sr Buque, we started with a delicious mushroom and cheese crostini - a toast the size of an Italian Store sandwich with piles of sweet, salty, sauteed mushrooms and cheese on top. Wow.

We ordered the asado ribs and then - after loving them despite all the work to cut each piece of meat around a dozen or so ribs - we ordered a full bife de chorizo after that (this meat was that good and like 8 bucks). Terrific meal, outstanding service, great wines. We felt like locals at this place -anyone in Mendoza city should definitely check it out.

We had a lunch at Ruca Malen winery (as part of a wine tour), that was enjoyable because they paired four courses with four of their wines, but the crowd I was with seemed to believe the food was better than the wines that were serving. (I liked the Ruca Malen Kinean though, fwiw.)

We returned to Sarmiento (street? Ave?) that night to eat at "Il A Fran" (again, my best guess). It has a really cool wine room in the front of the restaurant where you can buy, drink and I believe taste wines. We had our absolute favorite wine of the trip here (my new favorite) - a banarda-malbec blend, Siesta en el Tahuantinsuya - but the food was forgetable.

We also went to Francis Mallmann's restaurant, 1884, which was nice - it was the first place we really saw and enjoyed cocktails (since everywhere else was focused totally on the wine) and the pisco sour was fantastic. The food was good - fancy/schmancy Argentinia style - "baby goat", and I can't remember what else, and the restaurant itself was set-up beautifully - a grand room with high ceiling and without wall decoration and an outside terrace with 15-20 tables...very nice, romantic. In the future I'd skip it and go to Sr. Buque - but it was a nice dinner and with all of the hype, we had to try it.

Mendoza is one of half a dozen other cities in Argentina I need to hit, and soon. I'm curious about what disappointed you about 1884. I've heard/read in some places that it's the finest restaurant in South America and one of the finest in the world. I've seen video shot from there in some of the food shows and it is, indeed, beautiful. That terrace looks amazing.

Setting aside your particular preference for Sr. Buque and thinking more in terms of "the great unwashed masses," is the scuttlebutt on 1884 (finest restaurant in South America) just plain wrong? Or would it not surprise you that it would be considered as such in some circles? (This coming from a guy who thinks R.W. Apple was crazy to put a place like Cabana Las Lilas in Buenos Aires on his list of must-dine places on planet Earth.)

[CrescentFresh]

Our recent 2 week trip to Argentina was just as great as CrescentFresh told us it would be. What food – and what bargains! Our favorite dinners (even then ones where we were gluttonous) ended up costing around $50 for 2.

I'm very glad you had such a good time. I'm also very glad that you were able to take advantage of some of my recommendations, but also struck out on your own and discovered some that I'm now sure to try on my next visit (which can't come soon enough!) Some brief things that strike me:

Museo del Jamon is a popular, multi-branched joint in Madrid. I can only presume they're one and the same. That contrasts with Olsen, a popular spot in Buenos Aires, which followed up by opening a second Olsen in Madrid.

I'm fascinated by the difference between lunch and dinner at Central. As I noted above, I've been to Central several times but for some reason only for lunch. Now I know what the DJ booth is for!

Your assessment of Recoleta does not surprise me. It's the Ritziest-monied neighborhood in the city and with prices so low there are thousands of foreigners, particularly Americans, buying property and moving in. If you can't afford Central Park West in Manhattan, why not live like royalty in its Buenos Aires equivalent. (Don't get me wrong. There's lots to like about Recoleta. It is beautiful and walking around there is great. For many people it will be a big draw. But it's not my style. And foodwise, I'll only recommend Nectarine*).

But my biggest surprise is your review of Parilla 1880. What you describe is nothing like I've ever experienced there in four visits. Visit one, I didn't speak a lick of Castellano. I'm much better in restaurants these days. I've particularly loved and recommended that place because, unlike the standby parillas you always hear about (La Brigada, Des Nivel, Las Lilas, etc.) I found that 1880 was the place that was Porteno through and through, but welcomed and treated travelers well. What you experienced at 1880 was what happened to me at La Brigada. But I'd heard from others that it could happen there. I've always heard good things about 1880 and my visits there were top-notch. I HOPE it was just a bad night. Otherwise there will be some 'splainin' to do. I recommended them and I have some of the waiters names!

I just wish 1880 was located somewhere between 1789 and 2941. That would put it somewhere in Arlington, I guess. Maybe someday Ray will want to change the name of his place! Or sneak in some contraband beef for variety's sake.

*Subject of a future post.

[cgarden]

Olsen, a popular spot in Buenos Aires, which followed up by opening a second Olsen in Madrid.

I have more to say about our recent trip to Buenos Aires, but this post reminded me of how much we liked Olsen during our recent visit. First, I thought the place was beautiful - the outside seating is completely surrounded by foliage, so you feel completely removed from the rest of the block (which, IIRC, was not one of the neighborhood's most beautiful). For appetizers I had fried oysters with an apple/dill/fennel/walnut/lemon salad - I thought the oysters were good and the salad was delicious, very crisp in both texture and flavor, and Owen had salmon rillettes, also very good. For dinner, I had flash fried tuna with smoked yogurt and some sort of mango salad - the combination of the tropical mango with the otherwise scandinavian flavors worked better than I thought it would, though the tuna was a bit more dry than I had expected. Owen had cubed tenderloin with shoestring potatoes, which he liked, although I think he ultimately decided that he would just as soon have another steak. For me though (as a non-meat-eater), I loved that the fish dishes were so thoughtfully prepared. I would unhesitatingly recommend Olson over both Spirit and Nemo (both of which we tried on our first visit), which both specialize in seafood.

[CrescentFresh]

I would unhesitatingly recommend Olson over both Spirit and Nemo (both of which we tried on our first visit), which both specialize in seafood.

I've got some pictures of Olsen, including that outdoor seating area, that I'm going to have to dig up and post. You're right, it's a stunning setting for a meal. Sitting on that outdoor deck with candlelight, all the foliage, a "waterfall wall" and some amazing food is just an absolute pleasure. On our most recent visit, we only went for lunch. It also was the only restaurant where, when we asked about taking photos, we were told we could take them of anything BUT the food! We were cool with that though.

We had a chance to meet chef/owner German Martitegui. I recognized him from some magazine photos and saw him sitting in the center of the dining room on some couches, taking care of business. I don't think the comparison is exactly fair, because when you think of folks like Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, etc., you can't escape their rather overblown personalities, but I think it's somewhat fair to say that Martitegui is kind of an Argentine equivalent of these famous chefs.

He was very accomodating and pleasant and when we talked about Olsen and the food he was both modest and pleased we liked it, but also seemed to enjoy sharing a moment with fellow people who get kinda nutty about food. He speaks very good English, too, and tells us he enjoys spending time eating in NY when he's shuttling back and forth from his properties in BA and Madrid.

My experience at Nemo seems to be much better. We usually hit Dora for seafood but decided to try Nemo this time. The couple next to us, who recently moved to BA from the Pacific Northwest (and haven't even walked out of Recoleta yet) recommended we try the seafood platter for 2. They told us they eat at Nemo 3 times a week and have tried just about everything.

The seafood platter was big, and came with a selection of broiled and grilled fresh fish. Some of them we've heard of and knew. The others....well....we experimented. And we liked them all. Brotola, besugo, lenguado, mero, pacu, trucha and salmon. All cooked nicely, leaving juicyness and tender flesh. Came with some excellent rice that had a hint of lemon, and some grilled vegetable brochettes. For $79 pesos it was easily enough for both of us. Quenched the thirst with a bottle of Saint Felicien Chardonnay Elaborado en Roble (2004) for $59. And we still had room for dessert, which was very thinly-sliced pineapple, surrounded by a coconut creme - more like a foam/espuma - and a mango sauce. It was excellent. Very light and had a hint of sweetness. A perfect dessert item.

Question: Are there any squirrels in Argentina? I don't think I've seen any.

[cgarden]

Question: Are there any squirrels in Argentina? I don't think I've seen any.

I think the lack of squirrels may be related to the abundance of cats. I think the most surprising moment of our first trip was when we walked by a park at night and suddenly realized there was an army of cats looking out at us.

When we went to Nemo, we had the ocean tapas for 2 - it wasn't bad by any means, but we weren't blown away as we were at Olsen. Also, we were the only people in the restaurant for dinner (I think we went for a late-ish dinner on a weeknight), so the staff seemed eager to get rid of us.

Upthread, somebody asked about carpaccio - Bella Italia Cafe does a very good version (at least according to Owen, who went back for it two days in a row).

One recommendation that I haven't seen mentioned here yet - Juana M., on Carlos Pellegrini in Retiro. It is an enormous, cavernous space that seemed to be crowded every night of the week (but no need for reservations, at least in our experience) - over 2 visits, Owen tried various cuts of steak and seemed to like the ojo de bife best, and I tried the gnocci in a spinach alfredo sauce (very, very rich - not like that's a bad thing) and the "fish in a shirt," which was grilled brotolo in pastry. A word to the wise - their rendition of blood sausage is not for the faint of heart. The wine list was relatively short, but we enjoyed our Dona Paula malbec. The bill was laughably small, even by Argentine standards (undoubtedly one reason for the restaurant's popularity), maybe $60 pesos between us.

[CrescentFresh]

I think the lack of squirrels may be related to the abundance of cats. I think the most surprising moment of our first trip was when we walked by a park at night and suddenly realized there was an army of cats looking out at us.

The Jardin Botanico is well known for its multitudes of feline residents.

[jigones]

In our recent honey moon we went to Buenos Aires. Unfortunately it was during the farmers strike, which means the quality of the food was not the best in certain places. However, even during that time period we has some fabulous meals. I'm from there so I know my way around pretty well so here is a list of places one should eat at:

Cuartito- The pizza is sublime and the empandas are a must.

Bristo or Mercado (in the Faena Hotel)- The Bife the Chorizo and Patagonian lamb are the best I ever had. They also have a chocolate cake with molten chocolate and dulce de leche on top of a raspberry sauce with vanilla ice cream.....this was a once in a lifetime desert (i've had similar, but nothing like this.)

El Desnivel- great barbecue, but I had a problem with the amount of/lack of seasoning. Great chimichuri.

Marriot Plaza- Eat here....good all around.

Cluny's- The lamb ravioli, chocolate flan and chocolate mouse were brilliant.

Other thoughts:

Drink every malbec over $7 possible. They are all marvelous....why does wine cost so much over here??????

Drink the coffee at every coffee house, it was all good and the atmosphere was great.

I want my TOSTADOS!!!!! Eat as much of these as possible. Basically grilled ham and cheese, but the bread is completely different.

Pastries....well we need some more locales that see real/good pastries at a decent price.

[mr food]

will be in BA and Mendoza next month so any advice appreciated! Restaurants, winebars, jazz clubs...

[Adam23]

Heading to Buenos Aires and El Calafate in a few days. Anybody have any updates? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

ill be in BA and Mendoza next month so any advice appreciated! Restaurants, winebars, jazz clubs...

So many good choices in both locales. Here are some recs for BA.  Remember, pay cash and Dolar Blue is your friend.

High-end: Chila. Best restaurant in BA.  Superb, expensive but compared to the US, very cheap.

Experimental Cuisine: Aramburu - great cutting edge items; great value for what it is

Closed-Door Restaurants - BA has lots of these.  I particularly enjoy Ocho Once - superb value.  About $30 pp for multi course meal and wine.

Other options:

Hernan Gioppini "“ great food and great value

Alvear Palace "“ Afternoon tea "“ this is posh, no need to dress up though really.  Share one tea and order an extra tea "“ about $30

Don Julio "“ One of many steakhouses "“ arrive early or you wait (but they give you free beer).  I like this one the best.

Parilla Pena "“ near Recoleta "“ locals joint; no english really but english menu "“ Literally steak, two apps, desert and wine was $20 for 2.  I like it for lunch.

Ice cream- I cream is amazing in BA. Way better than the US.  The best are Volta and Arkako (unreal).

[iolaire]

Don Julio "“ One of many steakhouses "“ arrive early or you wait (but they give you free beer).  I like this one the best.

We received bubbly at Don Julio for the wait.

Parilla La Cabrera in Palermo Soho has a 1/2 priced "happy hour." Arrive at 7 PM and finish your meal by 8 PM all days of the week at 50% off entire check. It was well worth it and allows you to eat much ealier than normal (and faster). Here is someone's blog post that describes it: http://www.traveling9to5.com/2012/12/how-to-eat-an-argentina-steak-for-half-price-in-buenos-aires/ We enjoyed this meal but accidentally ordered a large avocado/hearts of palm salad that was much too large and cost as much as a steak.

Well in BA realize that the servers are happy for you to split entrees. We don't eat a ton, so at most restaurants we ordered one steak and some apps or sides and split the steak. That ended up being a perfect sized meal.

Also re Cash xoom.com just upped the exchange rate for legal cash transfers from dollars to ARS to 15.0405 versus the blue rate of 15.88 pesos. So if you are able to get to a zoom pickup point that's a good way to get your money without dealing with the Blue Rate folks... I never picked up my money and they refunded it (because I was unable to get to my desired site on Friday afternoon when I arrived and two other pickup points were closed on Saturday and I had another source of cash...)

[mr food]

thanks everyone for the suggestions!

[youngfood]

Any recent reports from Buenos Aires or tips for Mendoza?

[DonRocks]

12 minutes ago, youngfood said:

Any recent reports from Buenos Aires or tips for Mendoza?

I have several recent travel guides if you want to save yourself about forty bucks.

[youngfood]

16 hours ago, DonRocks said:

I have several recent travel guides if you want to save yourself about forty bucks.

Happy to take them off your hands, but my experience has been that I get better recommendations here than I do in guidebooks.  

Did you go?  If so, please dish!  

[DonRocks]

50 minutes ago, youngfood said:

Happy to take them off your hands, but my experience has been that I get better recommendations here than I do in guidebooks.  

Did you go?  If so, please dish!  

No, I was going to go this Spring, but there was too much going on - happy to give them to you. If you know CrescentFresh, he was *really* big into Argentina awhile back; not sure if he's still as involved with going there, but you might want to contact him.

(One of the guides is a Michelin Green Guide for Buenos Aires, so that will give you some touristy things to do.)

[Tweaked]

First of all, you can be a non-meat eater and eat very well in BA.  In fact, you can eat very well.

Here are some of the place we enjoyed during our trip to BA in December.

La Alacena Trattoria (Palermo): Adorable corner store style Italian restaurant by chef Julieta Oriolo.  Great house made pasta, recommend the marinated fresh sardines, and the tiramisu will end the meal nicely.  They also own a pasta and salumeria store a couple blocks away.  Reservations suggested.

Floreria Atlantico (Retiro):  Speakeasy style basement cocktail lounge tucked along Arroyo street.  The first floor is a florist and wine shop (what a great combination).  A heavy door leads downstairs to the cocktail lounge.  The cocktail menu is seasonal rotating plus classics (they make a great negroni).  Also very good food: anchovy on toasted focaccia, shrimp and king crab stuffed empanada, fried baby potatoes.  They ask if we had reservations, but we had no problem walking in at 5pm/6pm and sitting at the bar, which is where you want to sit anyway.  The bartenders are great.  This place is so good we went twice.

La Biela (Recoleta):  Across a small park from the main entrance to Recoleta Cemetery, La Biela is one of the old school classic cafes of BA.  Great spot for a pre or post meal while visiting the cemetery.  Serves traditional BA cafe food. 

Cafe Tortoni (Plaza De Mayo Area):  Bills itself as the oldest cafe in BA, the tourist now out number the locals but they are still serving very good classic BA cafe fare.  Very good coffee and jamon, queso, tomate tostado (think grilled ham and cheese sandwich).  The carrot cake was excellent.

Aldo's Restaurante (Palermo):  The food at Aldo's was a little too rich on rich, but they have a lovely patio for outdoor dining and an extensive wine list with many Argentine wines.  The burrata small plate was excellent as well as good pastas, but as noted you'll want to try to balance the meal.   

Obrador Florida (Palermo):  Artisanal helado shop.  Excellent gelato. 

Freddo (multiple locations):  Helado chain located across the city.  The dulce de leche is very good, nutty and rich taken to point just before burnt.   

Merienda (Palermo):  Noting this cafe because it was near our airbnb, but a good example of the many, many neighborhood coffee shop cafes that are all over the place in BA.  You could literally do a trip to BA and only eat at these types of places.     

Croque Madame (Multiple Locations):  This cafe appears to be a chain that has contracts with many of the BA museums.  Museum cafes in the US are usually underwhelming, but Croque Madame does a good job.  If you need a quick pick-me-up while at the museums, this is a good option. 

Plazoleta Dorrego (San Telmo):  Plazoleta Dorrego is the heartbeat of the San Telmo neighborhood with street performers and street market vendors.  The plaza is filled with cafe tables serviced by several restaurants and bars.  Grab a seat, order a drink, and people watch.  It's a great way to spend an hour or so while exploring San Telmo.  

Postres:  BA is a city of desserts.  You can barely walk a block without running into a small postres cafe that serves coffee and dessert.  There's too many to note, just stop in at one that looks good.  Embrace the BA lifestyle of the afternoon coffee and dessert.  

Porteno style pizza:  Lionel Messi was openly mocked when he shared a photo of Argentine pizza from a Miami pizza shop on IG.  But Porteno style pizza is a thing, a cheesy, gloopy thing.  It's basically a pan pizza with tomato sauce, a lot of cheese, thinly sliced tomatoes, and one olive per slice.  It's a curious creation, but strangely tasty in a drunk pizza kinda way.  Had to be tried. 

 

While BA's rep is a city of beef there's plenty more to the BA dining scene.  We found very good Italian/Mediterranean influenced food, excellent pasta, cured sardines and anchovies seemed to be having a moment, burrata was everywhere, and the cocktails were excellent.  And it's a city where you have to save room for dessert.    

   

[Tweaked]

Buenos Aires Travel Tips

Transportation

We flew American Airlines BWI-DFW-EZE.  Admittedly that route was a bit planes, trains, and automobiles and it did take us 23 hours door to door to get from my apartment to our Airbnb in BA.  However, Argentina is only a two hour time difference this time of year, so despite a long travel day, there was little travel hangover and no big time change adjustments to struggle with.  You can pretty much stay on DC time and function very well in BA.   

Most international flights will arrive at Ezeiza International Airport (EZE), which is about an hour outside of downtown BA.  You should plan on about two hours from arrival to clear passport control and then transport into BA.  Our Airbnb host arranged for a friend to pick us up at the airport for a small fee.  The best no hassle route is to pre-book a cab with Taxi Ezeiza:  book online, check in at the Taxi Ezeiza kiosk at the airport, they will call one of their drivers who meets you at the kiosk and takes you to the cab, and off you go. 

For most domestic flights and limited South American flights, the smaller Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP) is located in BA proper and easy to use. 

In BA, Uber is widely available (you can even pay your Uber drive with cash) and the subway system is easy to use.  The subway ride is flat rate (about 80 cents USD) and multiple passengers can use the same subway card.  The subway lines will take you to most of the neighbors you'll want to visit.

Currency

The Argentina peso is currently in free fall and Argentina is facing massive inflation.  It's tough to judge current prices online right now because prices change weekly, that said USD goes a long way in BA.  In December, $1 USD was roughly $1,000 pesos (Blue Rate) and is currently around $1,200 pesos (Blue Rate).  

As a tourist, you'll be using several exchange rates.  The unofficial Blue Rate (the best rate) is what you can get by exchanging US currency at cambios in BA and Visa and Mastercard will covert purchases using the Foreign Tourist Dollar or MEP rate (the second best rate).  Visa does the conversion automatically to your credit card statement, Mastercard will do the conversion to the official exchange rate and then credit you to the MEP rate.  Make sure your credit card waivers international purchase fees. 

If you want cash, bring brand new crisp $100 USD bills (you'll get a better exchange rate) and use one of the many cambio money exchange stores, they are all over the place.  Or you can download the Western Union app and Western Union money to yourself on the go and then collect your money at Western Union stores.  Some of the cambio and Western Union locations are better or less sketchy than others, so ask a local for the best places.  Our Airbnb host gave us good suggestions.  Most of the cambios and Western Union stores have different hours or close early on the weekends, so plan for that.

We found that the best route for us was to pay for most things like big meals or shopping with a Visa Venture card and then walk around with about the equivalent of $20-$25 USD is Argentine pesos for smaller purchases (coffee, drinks, or small meals etc.). 

Tourist Stuff

If you like big boisterous cities, then BA is the place for you.  

We rented an Airbnb for 10 days in the Palermo Soho neighborhood.  The area is very walkable, has tons of cafes, restaurants, shopping and is convenient for getting around town. 

WhatsApp:  Almost everyone and many businesses use WhatsApp and almost all your electronic communications will be via WhatsApp, so you'll want to download it to your phone.   

BA has several large museums and many many smaller museums.  Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA) is great for contemporary Latin American art and a very cool building.  If you are picking one art museum to go to MALBA is my recommendation.  Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is equivalent to Argentina's national gallery and was good.  Museo Moderno in San Telmo was a cool space but the art they had on display was...ok.  If historic house museums is your thing, then the Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo is cool.  For something completely different visit the Museo del Agua y de la Historia Sanitaria aka the Toilet Museum.

Cementerio de la Recoleta is justifiably famous and definitely a must visit.  We did a two hour guided tour which was about $10 per person plus entrance fee.  There are multiple companies that offer tours.  

I'd also suggest seeing what is playing at Teatro Colón, an opulent grand theater with some of the best acoustics in the world.

But really, BA is a great city to wander around.  There are lots of public parks, cool architecture, and you are never far from a great place to eat or drink.    

 

[Keithstg]

On 1/26/2024 at 2:49 PM, Tweaked said:

Buenos Aires Travel Tips

Transportation

We flew American Airlines BWI-DFW-EZE.  Admittedly that route was a bit planes, trains, and automobiles and it did take us 23 hours door to door to get from my apartment to our Airbnb in BA.  However, Argentina is only a two hour time difference this time of year, so despite a long travel day, there was little travel hangover and no big time change adjustments to struggle with.  You can pretty much stay on DC time and function very well in BA.   

Most international flights will arrive at Ezeiza International Airport (EZE), which is about an hour outside of downtown BA.  You should plan on about two hours from arrival to clear passport control and then transport into BA.  Our Airbnb host arranged for a friend to pick us up at the airport for a small fee.  The best no hassle route is to pre-book a cab with Taxi Ezeiza:  book online, check in at the Taxi Ezeiza kiosk at the airport, they will call one of their drivers who meets you at the kiosk and takes you to the cab, and off you go. 

For most domestic flights and limited South American flights, the smaller Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP) is located in BA proper and easy to use. 

In BA, Uber is widely available (you can even pay your Uber drive with cash) and the subway system is easy to use.  The subway ride is flat rate (about 80 cents USD) and multiple passengers can use the same subway card.  The subway lines will take you to most of the neighbors you'll want to visit.

Currency

The Argentina peso is currently in free fall and Argentina is facing massive inflation.  It's tough to judge current prices online right now because prices change weekly, that said USD goes a long way in BA.  In December, $1 USD was roughly $1,000 pesos (Blue Rate) and is currently around $1,200 pesos (Blue Rate).  

As a tourist, you'll be using several exchange rates.  The unofficial Blue Rate (the best rate) is what you can get by exchanging US currency at cambios in BA and Visa and Mastercard will covert purchases using the Foreign Tourist Dollar or MEP rate (the second best rate).  Visa does the conversion automatically to your credit card statement, Mastercard will do the conversion to the official exchange rate and then credit you to the MEP rate.  Make sure your credit card waivers international purchase fees. 

If you want cash, bring brand new crisp $100 USD bills (you'll get a better exchange rate) and use one of the many cambio money exchange stores, they are all over the place.  Or you can download the Western Union app and Western Union money to yourself on the go and then collect your money at Western Union stores.  Some of the cambio and Western Union locations are better or less sketchy than others, so ask a local for the best places.  Our Airbnb host gave us good suggestions.  Most of the cambios and Western Union stores have different hours or close early on the weekends, so plan for that.

We found that the best route for us was to pay for most things like big meals or shopping with a Visa Venture card and then walk around with about the equivalent of $20-$25 USD is Argentine pesos for smaller purchases (coffee, drinks, or small meals etc.). 

Tourist Stuff

If you like big boisterous cities, then BA is the place for you.  

We rented an Airbnb for 10 days in the Palermo Soho neighborhood.  The area is very walkable, has tons of cafes, restaurants, shopping and is convenient for getting around town. 

WhatsApp:  Almost everyone and many businesses use WhatsApp and almost all your electronic communications will be via WhatsApp, so you'll want to download it to your phone.   

BA has several large museums and many many smaller museums.  Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA) is great for contemporary Latin American art and a very cool building.  If you are picking one art museum to go to MALBA is my recommendation.  Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is equivalent to Argentina's national gallery and was good.  Museo Moderno in San Telmo was a cool space but the art they had on display was...ok.  If historic house museums is your thing, then the Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo is cool.  For something completely different visit the Museo del Agua y de la Historia Sanitaria aka the Toilet Museum.

Cementerio de la Recoleta is justifiably famous and definitely a must visit.  We did a two hour guided tour which was about $10 per person plus entrance fee.  There are multiple companies that offer tours.  

I'd also suggest seeing what is playing at Teatro Colón, an opulent grand theater with some of the best acoustics in the world.

But really, BA is a great city to wander around.  There are lots of public parks, cool architecture, and you are never far from a great place to eat or drink.    

 

Thanks for this! Heading to BA and Montevideo next month. Staying in the recoleta in BA. Couple of questions - have noticed you mention Visa/ MC, but not Amex? That due to personal preference or a lack of acceptance? I assume the former but thought I would ask. Did you stay in BA or take any day trips, like to the Tigre Delta, for example?

[Tweaked]

1 hour ago, Keithstg said:

Thanks for this! Heading to BA and Montevideo next month. Staying in the recoleta in BA. Couple of questions - have noticed you mention Visa/ MC, but not Amex? That due to personal preference or a lack of acceptance? I assume the former but thought I would ask. Did you stay in BA or take any day trips, like to the Tigre Delta, for example?

Well, first reason is I don't have an AMEX card.  Also, it was our understanding at the time that AMEX did not offer a good exchange rate for in country purchases in Argentina.  Visa/MC offering the Foreign Tourist Dollar or MEP rate is a relatively new change.  So if you are planning to use AMEX in BA you should dig into what exchange rate AMEX is offering and if they charge international transaction fees (there's a lot of conflicting info re: AMEX usage in Argentina on the internet).  I've had a Visa Venture card for years and since the Venture card doesn't charge transaction fees and Visa automatically uses a good exchange rate, that was the primary reason we used Visa.  

Another tip for using credit cards as a tourist in Uruguay:  if you use a credit card the transaction will automatically refund the VAT on purchases made by tourists.  On the receipt you'll see a VAT credit and it can be a significant savings.  So for larger purchases, like meals at restaurants, I'd definitely recommend using a credit card vs. cash.  Here's some more info.  

We stayed in BA for 10 days and then took a 3 day trip to Iguazu Falls, which is about a 2.5 hour flight from BA.  We heard cool things about the Tigre Delta, but when we were there in December the temperatures in Tigre were over 100F.  It looks like the temps are now cooler, so definitely worth your consideration.

Let me know if you have any other questions.     

Another tip, a lot of restaurants in BA and MVD use the booking app Meitre.  It's easy to use and you can set up an account when making your first reservation but you'll almost certainly end up using it if/when making a restaurant reservation.  

https://meitre.com/en

[dracisk]

3 hours ago, Keithstg said:

Did you stay in BA or take any day trips, like to the Tigre Delta, for example?

I was in BA in 2010, so I don't have much useful info at this point other than to highly recommend a trip to Iguazu Falls, which I thought was one of the most beautiful and impressive places I've ever been. You could probably do it in a (long) day, but it's about an hour flight. We stayed one night there and visited the Argentine side one day and the Brazilian side the other day. At the time U.S. citizens needed a visa to visit Brazil (not sure if that's changed), and we thought it was worth the hassle of getting the visa to see the Brazilian side as well as the Argentine side. We also needed a yellow fever vaccine for Brazil.

[Keithstg]

2 minutes ago, dracisk said:

I was in BA in 2010, so I don't have much useful info at this point other than to highly recommend a trip to Iguazu Falls, which I thought was one of the most beautiful and impressive places I've ever been. You could probably do it in a (long) day, but it's about an hour flight. We stayed one night there and visited the Argentine side one day and the Brazilian side the other day. At the time U.S. citizens needed a visa to visit Brazil (not sure if that's changed), and we thought it was worth the hassle of getting the visa to see the Brazilian side as well as the Argentine side. We also needed a yellow fever vaccine for Brazil.

Tourist Visa requirements for Brazil had been waived - they are coming back in April. Had to check precisely because of Iguazu - I have an active business visa for Brazil, but was a nice relief not to have to go through the e-visa process for the rest of my family, even though from what I understand it was relatively easy.

[Tweaked]

29 minutes ago, Keithstg said:

Tourist Visa requirements for Brazil had been waived - they are coming back in April. Had to check precisely because of Iguazu - I have an active business visa for Brazil, but was a nice relief not to have to go through the e-visa process for the rest of my family, even though from what I understand it was relatively easy.

Re Iguazu Falls:  Just so you know the walk way out to Devil's Throat on the Argentine side was washed away in 2023 by flooding and when we went in December the trail was closed.  That said, the Upper and Lower trails on the Argentine side are well worth visiting.  The lower trail has some amazing views.  Assuming the trail is still closed on the Argentine side, you'll need to go to the Brazilian side if you want to view Devil's Throat up close.  We spent about six hours wandering around the national park on the Argentine side. 

Hotels can arrange a cab to take you to the park and then you exchange WhatsApp info and text the driver when you want to be picked up.  Or you can take the city bus, which is a fun adventure.    

The Jungle Restaurant at the Iguazu Jungle Lodge is good.  Plenty of non-lodge people were dining there and seemed popular for steak.  We had a river fish called Pacu, which is relate to piranha, and it was really good, simply grilled with lemon. 

The central area of Puerto Iguazu has several blocks of restaurants and bars and I noticed there are several winery/tasting room type places around town.