Ajo Negro — Restaurant in Autonomous City of Buenos Aires

We came to this restaurant with high expectations, after friends recommended it to us, but it was a terrible let down. Maybe it is not our cup of tea, but we had the strong impression that the theme of the place was a desire to "épater les bourgeois" or being original for the sake of being original. Starting from the fact that you sit at "communal" tables, elbow to elbow with people you have never met before. Not a bad thing, per se, but a bit jarring when you go to such an upmarket (read: expensive) place. The same goes with some strange food combinations (fish carpaccio with grapes cut in half... why?) and we felt that nor the portion size (very, very small), nor the quality of ingredients (not bad, but just "normal") nor the cooking techniques justified the very high prices they charge. The presentation is nice, but for me that's not enough. We order, as per recommended a "tapita" (appetizer) and a "tapa" (main... if you could ever call it that) each and we ended up being more hungry than when we walked in, while having spent significantly more than we normally spend for a very fulfilling dinner at...

A very original tapas bar, which rather ironically, has no tapas with 'black garlic'. The tapas are mostly fish-based, which is a most welcome alternative. The ingredients are fresh, the preparation and presentation very enticing to both sight and taste. Prices may seem a little high for the size of the portions, but given the quality of ingredients, it's quite worth it.

Alas, there are only 5 small and 5 big tapas to choose from, plus a couple of daily dishes not in the menu.This seems to be the usual compromise one has to make to find consistent good quality in well prepared dishes.The menu changes only by season.

The concept is to eat at a long table, in a relaxed atmosphere with soft lighting adequate enough to appreciate what you are about to eat. My friends and I ended up sitting in the back room, which is yet to be fully refurbished to match the front room, with its...

Seriously one of the best meals of our lives. Forget all the overrated Michelin star emulsions, frozen nitrogen treatments and interesting, but unfulfilling mini-bites. Ajo Negro delivers what a starred experience should be. Every dish was interesting, without being over-contrived. The Patagonian razor clams, quickly grilled over an open flame, were so good that we all nodded in communal delight with the chefs. The staff were warm and engaged while they delivered flawless staging and service, again with no fussiness or drama. They made us feel extremely welcome and seemed genuinely appreciative by our compliments and enjoyment of the evening. And for once I left a top tier restaurant not only properly full, but absolutely at peace with the bill. Ajo Negro is a restaurant we will return to every time we’re in Buenos Aires. We thank them for their amazing hospitality and...