We had a party of six at Puerto La Boca in Little Italy celebrating two birthdays, and we had a great experience! The food was fresh, flavorful, and authentic, and the drinks were excellent. The staff really made our celebration enjoyable. Everyone was enthusiastic, engaging, and attentive to our group, and they created a fun and welcoming atmosphere for both birthdays. The only downside was that it was extremely hot inside the restaurant. It definitely made things a little uncomfortable and better A/C or airflow would have made the experience even better. Overall, we had a great time celebrating. The combination of authentic food, great drinks, and an awesome staff made it a memorable birthday dinner. We'll definitely be back! read more

What a better time to find this place than during the World Cup. We came here with the intention of watching the Argentina v Algeria match and we did not have a reservation. We got there and the hostess told us we could sit outside and that if a table opened up we would move insight. Totally cool we could see inside to the TVs. We had ordered some drinks and bread but a tabled opened up so we got to move which was great!! To eat, we ordered some morcilla and chorizo. For our main, 3 of us shared the parillada which was plenty of food. We also tried an empanada which was pretty good. The fries with the steak was amazing and overall very delicious. No good meal is complete without dessert so we got the milhojas to finish the meal. Yum. Everything at this place was amazing and the staff was just as great which made the experience even better. 10/10 read more

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POSTA!!!!! So we came in here for a drink. Mind you...it was quiet and not too many folks. But...thats why im writing about it!!!!! These places are the POSTA!!!! We were OVER the noise and wanted to go somewhere that we would be seen and or have a good chat. Most places now a days...well...its a show! Service is blah or they just want clicks for social media. This place!!!! Cozy...unique...great hospitality. And....celebrating 20 years!!! If you know ANYTHING about business....THAT IS HUGE! So...GO HERE. GO CHAT with the servers...bartenders. get off the phone and see why...they have been in business for 20 years!!!!! read more

Puerto La Boca - Steakhouses Near Me - San Diego, California

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We had dinner in Little Italy at this Argentinian steakhouse. We decided to share the parillada (short rib, skirt steak, culotte cut, chicken breast, chorizo, blood sausage and sweetbreads inc fries). The red meats were all nicely seasoned, moist & tender. On the other hand, the chicken breast was dry, and could not be rescued by the excellent chimichurri. Lastly, the fries were a nice side to the meats and were GBD. We activated our dessert stomachs and had the milhojas. The layers of walnut, along with the caramel crust contrasted nicely against the rich & savory meats. Rodolfo and his team took good care of us. We had some special requests, and they handled them with ease. The ambiance was quaint, and not too snug. The only downsides were the lack of ventilation made it warm, and parking was $25 for two hours. PLB has been serving great food for 20 years. Its no wonder they have been in business so long. read more

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Sorry no photos. Picked BF up from airport and he had to have PLB. We each had the millense. Me chicken and hilm the beef. With two eggs and an empanada. Soooooo good. And the chimmie churri is Amazing. A great place for a night (or lunch) out. read more

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My colleague and I visited Puerto La Boca, to explore the idea... who does picanha steak better Argentina or Brazil...comparing what we received steak wise at the local Fogo de Chao (on a previous outing ) vs picanha in the Argentina tradition. Hands down the service was very good. Our server was attentive and insightful. The food arrived in a timely manner...just that alone makes this a restaurant to visit. We orders a number of items including 1) Bread and Chimi 2) Mollejas 3) Chorizo All as starters ! Wonderfully flavored, one can't go wrong with anything we selected. The chorizo was very plain in presentation which was strange to me but still good! The Mollejas(sweet breads) were also well flavored and surprisingly not chewy However we came for the Picanha! In this case we ordered "picaña" for two with garlic fries. I'm not an expert on picaña as a cut of meat but what we received was very tender and cooked just right...they know that they are doing here! For dessert we ordered a lot- a lot because we couldn't decide from there many options and they have many desserts we've never tried, YOLO Panequeques con de leche, Alfajores de maicena and membrillo con queso as well as espressos to chase it down. I enjoyed the Panquequws, and Alfajores more than the membrillo mostly because cheese with dessert isn't something I'm accustomed to. read more

Puerto La Boca - The lovely atmosphere - Steakhouses Near Me - San Diego, California

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This place is a gem! We've been wanting to visit puerto la Boca and what better than for Valentine's Day. 1st the food, we ordered the parillada el conventillo with fries and it was bomb. The ribs, the cuts with the chimichurri were amazing, very juicy for being medium well and not dry like in other places. The ambiance and service was great too. We are definitely coming back. read more

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ordered the churrasco (med rare), sirloin center cut, and i would say it's pretty good. the steak was seasoned well and the side of garlic fries was pretty yummy. the chimichurri sauce was solid, great with the steak. the onion was good, which they gave more of it with the steak though. service was good, they overcooked my steak at first and made me a new one after i told them. checked up on me and was pretty attentive. overall, pretty nice place and the steak was good, but not the best steak i've ever had. yummy rating: 8/10 read more

Puerto La Boca - Churrasco - Steakhouses Near Me - San Diego, California

Do not bother ordering from them online. They cancelled my Grubhub order within 5 minutes? I was looking forward to it, and I find that to be so bizarre and inconsiderate. The reason given on Grubhub was "due to the restaurant pausing orders." It's 6:45 pm? read more

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We were so pleasantly surprised by this place - food, wine and service were spot on. There was apprehension at first because the place was really slow at 6pm on a Sunday but we gave it a try anyways. Not too many people venture past Barbusa when in Little Italy but I would absolutely recommend to come one extra block for this place! Every meat selection on the platter was simply amazing - well cooked, seasoned, and went amazing with the chimichuri! Our server, Sebastian gave a 5 star wine recommendation and was so pleasant to chat with. Great scene for date night. read more

Puerto La Boca - Steakhouses Near Me - San Diego, California

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Service as always was amazing very nice people and the food was good. The empanadas are a must every time i come here. read more

Puerto La Boca - Steakhouses Near Me - San Diego, California

I think you have to come with the mindset that this is a difficult to find, old-world experience. I had forgotten my reading glasses so I couldn't really see the menu but the owner came out with a pair of glasses to borrow. He cleaned them of course, lol. They weren't quite right but he came out with another pair and voila, I could read again. But I didn't really need glasses to see that the other guests in the restaurant were all having a good time. It's so hard to find places that are conducive to conversation and the art of dining these days. Most restaurant experiences are designed to make you feel uncomfortable for lingering so that they can get you out as quickly as possible. The opposite is true at Puerto La Boca. You'll probably have to ask for the check. You are their guests until you're ready to go home. Amiability wasn't limited to the owner, by the way, the rest of the staff seemed genuinely happy to be of service. I'm glad for the experience. En fin, bring your friends or close ones, order a bottle of wine and enjoy. read more

Instead of gorging ourselves on Brazilian BBQ, we came to Puerto La Boca during a past San Diego Restaurant Week. There were two very large parties already seated so a waitlist was in effect for an inside table. Availability was immediate if we wanted a table outside along the sidewalk which was what we chose. A three-course meal was priced at $50 for Restaurant Week. My friend and I shared the following... * Beef Empanada * Pulpo la Ribera (marinated octopus) * Picanha * Lomo con Hongos (filet mignon) * Panqueque con Dulce de Leche * Tarta de Chocolate While waiting for our food, a complimentary basket of sliced bread was provided along with chimichurri sauce, olives, and butter. Thank goodness we had this to munch on because the kitchen took an inordinate amount of time to prepare the food. In addition, because we were seated outside, our server was not easy to flag down. The empanada was as expected, a fried turnover with beef filling. The octopus came as diced up pieces sauteed in olive oil, garlic, parsley, potatoes, and paprika. The portion size was small, and I wish they had not cut up the tentacles. The picanha was a sirloin cap cooked medium-rare. It was served as four pieces weighing approximately three ounces each. The meat was topped with a Roquefort cream cheese sauce and three tiger shrimp. A serving of mashed potatoes also came with the dish. The cheese sauce did nothing for me as I liked the components without it. The filet was a ten-ounce portion that was grilled and sauteed in Malbec wine and porcini mushroom sauce. A side of noisette potatoes and broccoli accompanied the beef. We asked for it to be cooked with medium doneness. I thought this plate was well executed. The first dessert was a warmed crepe filled with Argentinian caramel and a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a ramekin. The caramel tasted so good and decadent. The other dessert was a chocolate mousse pie on a cookie crust. It was rather ordinary. When we got our bill, an automatic 18% gratuity was already added even though it was just a party of two. I didn't like that especially when aspects such as the food taking a long time to come out of the kitchen and the server being AWOL for lengthy stretches were below expectations. I don't remember my past visits being such a choppy experience. For this occasion, I rated the prix fixe dinner with three stars. read more

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I didn't try this place for a long time because I had heard mixed reviews, but finally went for lunch when they had their restaurant week menu and it was great! We went for a late lunch so it was pretty empty. The service was quick and the decor inside is cozy and nice. We had the ensalata mixta la boca, chicken and beef empenadas, and the Entraña steak. Everything was excellent! The chimichurri sauce was delicious. And the restaurant week was a great deal. I'll definitely be back! read more

Puerto La Boca - Ensalata Mixta la Boca & Empenadas - Steakhouses Near Me - San Diego, California

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Purchased a groupon and I was rather surprised that they were offering one as this place is located in a high touristy area with lots of other restaurants nearby and it was busy when we arrived (but seated immediately). We started off with the basket of bread with compounded butter and other tapenades, which was very good and fresh. I ordered the chicken milanesa and my friend ordered the steak milanesa. Both were decently sized and came with fries. Mine was good but not excellent. It was a bit confusing for me because it had marinara sauce so it was almost like I was having Italian food. We ended our meal with dessert: flan and chocolate mousse cake. The flan was just ok, not custardy the way I like but the cake was excellent! As for service, although the restaurant was busy, our server was lacking a bit (appeared to be the host as well), but very kind and friendly. I won't be in the area again anytime soon, but I would frequent this restaurant again and try other menu items (perhaps happy hour as well). read more

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What a great experience on a Tuesday evening! I called almost a month prior to make early birthday reservations for our son & our visit was definitely worth it! My coworker came here a few years ago and recommended the sweet breads. I've been a fan of watching Andrew Zimmern & Anthony Bourdain for the longest. And I was so excited to finally try some sweet breads. I asked if our server could explain to everyone in our party which part the sweetbreads came from cattle- which he explained is not pan dulce (LOL) but, from the neck area. Everyone in our group LOVED this as a starter! Each bite just feels decadent. Rich in flavor, tender, and crispy on the edges. I enjoyed every bite with sips of Malbec along with chimichurri and bits of warm bread. As our evening continued on- patrons were piling in on that Tuesday evening. The short rib plate (asado de tira) and requested medium on the grill. All plates are made to order and the short ribs are flank cut w/ bone in. Steamed veggies are plentiful (carrots, broccoli, fresh green beans, and asparagus). I love how the "Meant to be Shared" platter options. Hubby and I plan on returning to indulge in this option. read more

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10/10 - Best Steak I've Ever Had! I had the Argentinian steak (medium rare) at Puerto La Boca, and wow -- it was hands down the best steak I've ever had! Perfectly cooked, incredibly juicy, and so tender it practically melted in my mouth. The garlic fries on the side were the perfect crispy, flavorful complement. You can get the option to get mashed potatoes. If you go, do not skip the Chile Toreados -- trust me! Pour the juice from the chiles over your steak and it takes the flavor to a whole new level. Absolute heaven. I been back 5 times already for this steak and it never missed. It takes amazing every single time. I also had the beef empanada and it tasted phenomenal. The empanada had a golden crunchy shell and the beef had a phenomenal flavor! I recommend to get! Even the bread and butter stood out -- warm, fresh, and addicting. Every bite of this meal was amazing. I highly recommend this spot to anyone who loves a great steak or is just looking for a fantastic dining experience. 10/10 read more

Puerto La Boca - Argentinian steak - Steakhouses Near Me - San Diego, California

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The best steak! The bread was absolutely the best with the chimichurri. The service was perfect, timing of the food arriving was great. The ambiance is so majestic. Very calm but lively. Overall I can't wait to go back. I got the traditional Argentina dish. read more

Puerto La Boca - The traditional dish. Get the bread, too. - Steakhouses Near Me - San Diego, California

3/5 stars for me due to the service being great. The food was nothing special so I most likely will not be coming back. Considering the hefty prices, I was expecting something more flavorful. We started with the calamari (I forget what the dish was called) but the breading fell completely off each piece. I love calamari but if the breading can't even stay on, then it's a wash. We also ordered the bread with butter and chimichurri sauce. The bread was good but it just seemed like any French bread loaf you can get at your local grocery store. For the main dish we ordered the churrasco for 3 with fries and veggies. I didn't take a picture of the veggies because they were literally just steamed vegetables. I was expecting some seasoned vegetables or something I couldn't make at home, so was disappointed. The French fries were really tasty though and crispy so I'll give them that! While the steak itself was tasty, I fail to see what made it Argentinian or different from any steak you'd make at home. There wasn't any seasoning on it aside from salt and pepper and it did come with chimichurri sauce on the side. But other than that, it was just steak. I think overall I was expecting more of the food and it could be possible I didn't order the correct items. We went in to eat dinner at 4 pm ish and we were the 1st and only people there. While we were eating 2 more people came in but otherwise in the span of 1.5 hours, only 3 parties came in to eat. Granted it was the middle of the week so consider that as well. The restaurant itself seemed nicely decorated and clean. read more

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Excellent service and food! very pleasant cozy indoor seating area. It was a great dinner experience. We will definitly visit again soon:)

I went here on a dinner date on Sunday evening and had such a great time. It's rated as a $$$, but I was impressed with the lower prices for the quality of food. We ordered the: - Sangria--large, not overly sweet, and fresh-tasting - Fernet con coca--exactly as it's described on the menu and deliciously strong in flavor - Bread - Churrasco - Entraña - Flan I ordered the Churrasco medium (I wish I'd ordered it medium rare!) and the Entraña was medium rare. Both were delicious cuts and prepared perfectly. We both loved the charcoal smokiness that gave flavor without overpowering. The flan dessert was delicious too. The flan itself was a little denser than what I was used to, which I liked, and the caramel on top was very sweet! Our server and busser were attentive and helpful. He brought out my order and quickly realized it wasn't cooked to what I asked, then took it back and quickly brought the right one. We didn't need to ask for more water or anything else because they kept track without bothering us. Overall, a great experience! Love the venue too, it's bigger than it looks outside and is decorated nicely. Would recommend! read more

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Mine and my wife's favorite restaurant when visiting San Diego. Been coming here since 2007 and still consistently delicious. Amazing Empanadas, Steaks and famous chimichurri sauce. Service is always top notch. Highly recommended. Thanks for everything. read more

I don't usually write reviews, but after this visit, I felt like I had to. I went to this cozy little Argentine spot with my mom, my wife, and our little one--and from the moment we walked in, we felt like family. The staff greeted us with genuine smiles and made us feel completely at ease. You could just tell they cared about making it a good experience, and honestly, they knocked it out of the park. Now the food--wow. We started with some fresh bread and chimichurri that had just the right amount of kick and tang. Then came the morcilla and chorizo, both packed with flavor. And the steak? Perfectly cooked, juicy, and rich. I paired it all with a cold Quilmes, and for a moment, I forgot I wasn't actually in Buenos Aires. There was something really special about sharing that meal with my family. Watching my kid take bites of steak and seeing my mom enjoy the flavors took it all to the next level. We left full, happy, and already talking about when we'll be back. To the folks running this place: you're doing something really special. I'll definitely be coming back--and maybe next time, you'll remember the guy who came in with three generations at one table. If you haven't been yet, go. You won't regret it. read more

Argentinian restaurant in Little Italy! Cute old-fashioned interior with densely packed tables. Good wine selection. Friendly staff. I am a fan of Argentinian food, but I must say this is about average when it comes to Argentinian food. Sausage was good, empanadas not so great. Milanese was dry and tough to eat. Alfajores were overly seasoned with coconut. All in all I would say bellow average but good service made up for it to a degree... read more

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Love their empanadas! Their mash potatoes are just like my mom used to make. Delicious food and great service. Not to mention the chimichuri. The best I ever had! They sell the jars so I have at home and eat as a spread, toss on pastas etc. delicious! read more

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My family celebrated Mother's Day at Puerto La Boca. We had a wonderful time together and the atmosphere was great. The attention was very good, Rodolfo was always attentive to our needs throughout the afternoon. The food and drinks were exceptional. We will return and recommend this place read more

We have been coming here for years. Discovered this place for restaurant week and has since become one of our favorite restaurant week stops every year. (We also come in when it isn't restaurant week.) Through the years, the menu has changed slightly; but one thing that has stayed consistent is the awesome and friendly service and quality of food. Hubby always orders the Entraña Argentinian steak and rice. I opt for the picaña, but ever since they took it off their restaurant week menu, I order the entraña or salmon. Your meal comes with complimentary bread, along with olives, herbed butter and chimichurri. These appetizers alone will definitely make you full even before you start the main course. You do have to try their empanadas. I always order the corn and cheese, but there is also beef, chicken, spinach and cheese. Try it with some chimichurri! You're welcome! Located on India street in Little Italy; parking is always a challenge. The hubby and I enjoy dining here so much that we don't mind scouting for parking. read more

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Found this little gem during Covid! What a find! The service is always excellent, the staff make you feel like family and are very attentive. As a result it is one of our favorite places in San Diego, and the only place we go to for filet as it is always prepared exactly as ordered-seasoned perfectly and the correct "doneness" The only drawback is the interior of the restaurant is crowded with tables, making Movement a challenge. Overall 9/10 would recommend! read more

**Review: Amazing Experience!** I found this place on Yelp, and I'm so glad I did! Looking for a birthday dinner spot with options for my child, this place stood out for its meat offerings. We made reservations a week in advance. Parking was easy to find on the street or in nearby lots. Upon arrival, we were seated promptly and offered drinks and appetizers. I wanted to try the sangria, but wanted my first choice to be a mixed drink, however it was unavailable, I opted for the 43 Pina. It was strong and delicious! For appetizers, we had spinach and cheese empanadas, bread with chimichurri, and chorizo--all fantastic. My husband ordered the popular entraña, my son had the churrasco, and I enjoyed the fettuccini cuatro quesos. Each dish was mouthwatering; I even regretted not adding steak to my meal (I meant too)! When I ordered the sangria, I was surprised to see options for red and white. I chose red but quickly found my husband's white (chardonnay, rum, and homemade juices and fruit pieces) to be the star of the show and may have enjoyed both!!. It was the best sangria I've ever had! From the service to the food and ambience, everything was top-notch. There were coat hangers available, which was a nice touch. I'll definitely be back, and I hope they consider offering a bottle of that amazing white sangria to-go! read more

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We came across this spot during a girls trip. The drink menu and drinks we great. We had a mango mojito, raspberry mojito, manhattan and espresso martini to start, for food, we tried beef and chicken empanadas, shrimp and octopus appetizers plus the soup of the day, minestrone. For main courses we had steak and chicken alfredo. We loved the purse trees they had available for guests. We walked in and were able to get a table for 6 on a Friday afternoon. The atmosphere was good for our group and had an a great wine wall and wine selection. read more

Puerto La Boca - Outdoor seating - Steakhouses Near Me - San Diego, California

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Love the corn and cheese empanada! All meats are delicious and the dulce the leche crepe is amazing!

I visited after trying their food at a Yelp event. The steak was delicious and the atmosphere was cute. The prices seemed very fair. I'm only taking one star away for the slow service. They weren't busy and didn't appear to be understaffed but it took an eternity for someone to come take my order. When I was nearly done with dinner I had to ask for more water. Still the staff were polite, just not sure what the holdup was. Also it's little Italy so be prepared to drive around or pay dearly for parking (nearest paid lot was something like $20 for 2 hrs). read more

Puerto La Boca - Steakhouses Near Me - San Diego, California

My coworkers and I came here for the Restaurant week menu. Overall it was great, service was great!! I ordered beef ravioli last year and it was yummy but the chicken on the beef ravioli was slightly dry. This year I ordered the skirt steak and it was so good! Fries were very garlicky, garlic was a bit raw so my garlic taste lasted throughout the day, not so great. The steak was a bit oily for my taste. I do have to say the empanada was worth ordering! The setup inside the restaurant suits the Argentinian vibe I imagine! I'm just not sure I would personally go back, but would recommend for those who want to try this cuisine. read more

Puerto La Boca - Empanada - Steakhouses Near Me - San Diego, California

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we've been coming here for more than 15 years, that's how much we love this restaurant ! we always order the Entrana for 2 (skirt steak) ; heavenly! The chef explained that it's cooked on a slanted grill, allowing the juices to flow to the rest of the cut. Lovely staff, courteous, friendly; they're like "family, " to us! The prices are very reasonable. I'm very critical about how food is prepared, seasoned, etc. This restaurant checks all the boxes! I wish I was able to upload a photo of the dish but this site doesn't allow it. this is a very casual, yet fine dining, experience! You won't be sorry! Everything is made "in-house," including the yummy mashed potatoes. No mistakes have ever been made, re; the way we want it cooked. The wait staff and cooks have always been the same ; it's a wonderful place! We've met the owner. who also happens to be an artist; his beautiful work adorns the walls and tables! It's a fun place to dine! read more

Lord and behold we had Messi's favorite dish here; Milanesa Napolitana! It was really good but next time we will definitely try it chicken instead of beef! It was nice to have the option' and we went with beef! Bread with chimichurri is a must! Also had langostinos in ajillo, a fresh fig salad, and cheese and beef raviolis! Service was great, from being greeted and seated to being served all our food. We sat right in front of the bar and had 2 tv's available to watch the sports we wanted to tune into! Super thanks for that! Food was very well prepared, didn't take long and all flavors blended great and was seasoned just right. Music was playing in the background the whole time and that was ok because volume wasn't super loud. read more

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The chimichurri sauce is soo good! I love this place and I've been coming food decades!

Stopped in at 4pm on a Tuesday and asked about happy hour. The bartender told me I was early, but it would be ok. I was fun either way. I got a dealer's choice empanada and a glass of white. Atmosphere was calm, bartender was great, and the ham and cheese empanada was fucking fantastic. Thanks! read more

An empty restaurant at 5 pm is usually not a good sign. Maybe because it was a weekend but overall we were pleasantly surprised. We were seated right away at the bar area, probably to make it easier for the bar tender to wait on us. We ordered: Bread and Chimichurri, bread was fresh and it also came with olives, Rabas Mixtas, the calamari was a bit chewy but the shrimp and veggies had a great taste. Unfortunately, after I ordered server came to say he was out of Picana which was the main reason we came , we went with his recommendation of Entraña, skirt steak, well seasoned and cooked to my liking but not what I wanted. We also had Milanesa al Caballo, according to my husband it was delicious. We ended strong with dessert, Milhojas and Chocolate cake both very decadent. The have a full bar and serve non alcoholic drinks as well. Overall a good experience. Maybe we'll come back to experience the dining room and the piano which we saw when we walked in. read more

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Definitely pluses and minuses from my experience here. On the plus side, they were able to accommodate our party of eight on a Saturday night when most other places were unable to do so. The bread and chimchurri starter was good. I probably should have tried the empanadas but was afraid I would be too full if I did that before the main. I decided not to get what the waiter recommended as the "favorites" and go with what he recommended as the "most authentic" to Argentina. I had the short ribs. My main problem with the dish, and what I noticed about all of the steaks, is that I am not a "char guy" when it comes to my meat. Everything came with a bit of char, so it was not really to my liking. I also did not find the mashed potatoes or fries to be that great. I did finish off the night with dessert (since I didn't overfill on the empanadas) and had a really great apple pie slice with ice cream. That was my favorite dish of the night! The service was good, if not a little slow at times. I appreciate being given time and not being hounded for the dinner or dessert order, but a little less time probably would have been good! read more

Amazing food and service... we go every anniversary and it's always delicious and very welcoming. The restaurant has soft and relaxed music aswell. read more