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    El Federal

    3.7 (58 reviews)
    ModerateDiners, Bars
    Closed 11:30 am - 10:00 pm

    El Federal Photos

    EL FEDERAL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - El Federal

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    Reviews With Photos

    Matt C.

    We found this place here on Yelp and our Cab driver confirmed that it was a great place to eat. It's a very popular place and was busy. It was built in the 1860's and has a lot of history. It is very antiquey. They have a wide variety of items - meat, burgers, fish, pasta, salads. The menu is quite large. They have beers and wines and hard liquor. I had the Dubbel Beer - It was red in color and very tasty. They have a nice little wine list with Argentinian wines that were good and very affordable. The rooms are small and noisy, but there is certainly a LOT of energy in this place. I was in the mood for something green and always love pasta so I chose the Caesar Salad and the egg noodles with bolognese sauce. I was not pleased with my choices. The food was marginal at best. The pasta was way overcooked and the bolognese was tasteless. The salad itself was okay - with chicken and croutons, but the dressing was thicker than cake frosting and didn't taste anything like Caesar Dressing to me. I should have followed my instincts and had BEEF because that's what Argentina is best known for. The service was okay. She was friendly but not very informative. The prices seemed reasonable to me - but this is my first time to be in Argentina. It seems to that that this is one of those Touristy places that everyone hears about and goes to, because everyone tells you that you should. So I did. I don't think I'll be back.

    Ricardo Q.

    Classic Bodegon fare. Food was Ok, not surprising. Good Tortilla and a Milanesa that won't be remebered.

    Suprema Milanesa
    Tony J.

    Was walking past this bar and decided to come in. Super cool old looking bar really caught my eye and when you walk in you can see it has an old-school ambience to it very traditional of an old British like pub. Food I ordered the Suprema Milanesa. Which pretty much is a chicken breaded Milanese with cheese and tomato sauce on top. Unfortunately, this is my first experience with Mila in Argentina, and it was a bit disappointing. Taste like something I could get back at home. I will say it was still tasty just not up to the hype I had in my head. They also don't have any chili flakes which I think would've helped this dish out. Everyone in the bar is friendly enough, although it does seem a little chaotic. I didn't know who to order from, and when I would talk to the bartenders, they would leave before I was able to get my order in. Just pleasantries and after I ordered my drink, I couldn't get a hold of anyone to take my food order. I personally wouldn't recommend this to an out-of-town, if you're looking for some authentic Argentinian food. But the ambience there is great, and if you're looking for a pub to drink in with a lively crowd, then this is the spot

    Menu cover
    Atul P.

    A classic bar and cafe in the historic San Telmo neighborhood of Buenos Aires is a landmark to visit. The bar is still preserved pretty much in the traditional Parisian cafe style. Even some of the equipment looks like it might be from the 19th century. The atmosphere is distinctively European -- minus the cigarette smoke! Basic wooden tables and sparse chairs dot the floor as aproned staff float about. We had leisurely beers at El Federal and were left totally undisturbed until we were ready for the tab. In a very Spanish touch, the beers came with a tiny basket of peanuts in the shell. Except there was a basket provided for the shells (unlike just tossing the shells on the floor like bars in southern Spain). This bar is definitely worth a visit, if only just for the bragging honors.

    bar area
    Ju L.

    Though both show up in the same sentence in most tourist guides, this resto-bar is way more awesome than Bar Plaza Dorrego nearby. Opened in 1864, it's actually a couple decades older. But there's a warmer, less gimmicky, more everyday feel about it. They're busiest on Sundays during and after the San Telmo antique market. Patrons seem mixed between tourists and locals. The menu may be comically long and relatively ordinary, but they're known for their picadas (meat/cheese boards). Choose one along with a glass of house wine to tide you over until dinnertime. If you manage to catch a tray of pan casero (baked in-house) fresh from the oven, order one of the fragrant square loaves with some butter ("manteca" instead of "mantequilla" in this country!) and dulce de leche. Availability of fresh pan casero seems to be highest before noon and later in the evening. Worth a visit? It's one of the few things in all the Buenos Aires guidebooks that I've thoroughly enjoyed. Experience it as a relaxing cafe-bar rather than as something on a checklist.

    Deven K.

    Very nice atmosphere inside the restaurant. The food is average, but we only had a sandwhich. Perhaps other things are better? But a definite must if you are in the area. Even if just for taking pictures of the inside!

    Flavio L.

    Great food, great place, great price. Dont miss it if you are visiting Argentina. Go walking so you can Check many good places around.

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    3 years ago

    Long wait, but the food was very good. The staff was particularly excellent and friendly.

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    8 years ago

    Greasy food. Dirty bathrooms. Canned peanuts. Coffee is lukewarm and gas station kind. Nice decor though.

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    12 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Great empanadas but they served us leftover lamb from the weekend. It tasted like fridge and was very dry. Not impressed.

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    Page 1 of 2

    El Federal Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - El Federal

    The absolute best vermouth in Buenos Aires that I have found so far is at the Cafe San Juan, also in San Telmo.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Florería Atlántico

    Florería Atlántico

    4.2(246 reviews)
    3.2 kmRetiro
    $$$

    Arriving back from Iguaza Falls, we decided to risk a very late dinner here without reservations…read more The uber ride dropped us off and a pleasant employee guided us to the location as we were a bit bewildered as to where the flower shop storefront was located. We loved the florist- yes plenty of fresh flowers in the shop, They opened the walk in fridge door and we walked downstairs to the speakeasy amid the dj spinning records. We were seated at a table and a very pleasant server ( who spoke English) dropped of our menus and took our drink orders. My aperol spritz was refreshing and hubby enjoyed his cocktail too. Our preferences for seafood or veggies allowed our server to make recommendations that were amazing. The complimentary sourdough bread was devoured- it had been a long 24 hrs without much food - another story! The crab empanada was large enough to share and was AMAZINGLY yummy. No wonder it is one of the most ordered dishes. Hubby loved his anchovy crostini, the BBQ shrimp - delicious, and we shared the argula salad- also a winner. Not much wait for an Uber back to our Airbnb at 1am- time to prepare for tomorrow's departure. Hope to return in the future!

    Rating: 4.8/5 [dine in]…read more This speakeasy is tucked inside a flower shop and has made the World's Top 50 Bars list for 11 years, so we had to check it out! We came on a Friday around 6:30 PM and were seated right away. The vibe was calm enough to hold a conversation, though we were told that around 9:30 PM a DJ comes on and the energy shifts. After walking through the flower shop, a host led us through a hidden door and down a flight of stairs into the bar. The menu is extensive, so it took us a few minutes to decide, but our cocktails arrived quickly. Presentation is simple with no flashy garnishes, yet the drinks were crystal clear and incredibly balanced. They were so good we finished them fast. Highly recommend the Yvy Maraey (14,800 ARS)!

    Photos
    Florería Atlántico - Speak easy vibe.

    Speak easy vibe.

    Florería Atlántico - Mushroom empanada and an unknown drink.

    Mushroom empanada and an unknown drink.

    Florería Atlántico - Negroni y Venezuela

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    Negroni y Venezuela

    El Federal - diners - Updated May 2026

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