Walking around Amsterdam, you will see a large number of Argentinean steak houses. Being a meat eater, these caught my eye and i really wanted try one. Since my husband and I were interested in checking out the Red Light District after dinner, I found a highly rated steak house nearby called Tango. But, arriving at the address of Tango, it was closed.
Since Argentinean steak houses are a dime a dozen, we walked a little further and found Pacifico. We were seated promptly. We were both pretty thirsty, so we asked for some water. Looking at the menu further, I noticed that they charge for water! And it ain't cheap - 3 euros for a bottle. At current trading rates, that's around $3.80. This is actually very common in Amsterdam. Still water isn't tap water, it's bottled water. I haven't tried asking for tap water yet, but I'm guessing it's possible and should hopefully be free.
For my main course, I ordered the rump with a side of corn on the cob, plus the chimichurri sauce. My husband also ordered the rump with a baked potato on the side. We probably waited 40 minutes for the food (although, this also seems to be a common theme at Amsterdam restaurants - much longer waits than the US, which can be relaxing, but surprising if not expected).
When the waiter brought the food out, he gave us the steaks with fries. I suggested this wasn't correct; I had ordered corn on the side, not fries. He took the fries back, and came out with the corn several minutes later. No mention of the potato at this point, so my husband reminded him of the order.
My husband's medium steak was pretty thinly cut and looked really dry. My medium rare steak was a nice thickness and well cooked. The chimichurri sauce was amazing and really made the meal excellent. The corn on the cob was disappointing - half an ear for 2.50 euros...
After we finished the steaks, the baked potato still hadn't been delivered, so my husband asked the waiter again about it. He said it hadn't even been started, and we said just don't bring it. My husband was already full. At this point, the waiter did apologize for the delays and incorrect orders, saying it was an unusually busy and they were understaffed.
Overall, the prices are pretty high, and the service was unfortunately not very great. But, you might have a better experience if you go on a less busy night and are smarter about the food selection. read more