El Establo — Restaurant in Autonomous City of Buenos Aires

The meat was okay, but the empanadas were cold.

The reason of my rating is the service. I found it a bit mean-spirited that the waiter brought us two separate half portion of ojo de bifes - I believe when ordering I tried to make sure I was telling him we wanted to share one full portion.

Servicio de mesa figuring on the bill - showing the white tablecloth when asked about it?!. I mean, if you’re asking that, your service should match it. I shouldn’t be asking for chimuchurri myself then. Not the mention the quality of the breadbasket…

It also wasn’t nice that I was asked about where I was from when I raised eyebrows about him bringing two separate ojo de bifes and the servicio de mesa - as to implying that I wasn’t knowledgeable about the country and its manners. I’ve been living here for close to 2.5 years, and I do eat out a fair amount of time.

A pity that I had no chance to know the name of the waiter. Because I saw that one that serving other tables was good at his job. It would have been nice to differentiate.

No surprise that they had many tables available at a time when there were 40 min waiting time for their competition a few blocks away.

We paid 85 USD (Dec 2024) - two half ojo de bifes, two empanadas, two small waters. They have 10% discount for cash payment if you’re fond of carrying...

El Establo is an unpretentious restaurant with decent facilities and open late on a Sunday night (when this reviewer went). The steak looked good and was cooked medium rare as requested. The wine selected was pleasant and more than adequate at the price.

I was going to remark that the tablecloths and quality napkins were rather nice, but as that was the kindest thing I could think of it seemed it might be rather impolite to say so. About three-quarters of the steak was edible, the rest was gristle; the edible part was quite reasonable bit not outstanding and certainly not for Buenos Aires. The creme potatoes were without any taste (re-heated I think in an oven, which at least gave a nice brown top).

The dessert I chose turned out to be a rather unimaginative if palatable glass filled with cream, semi-solidified at the bottom, into which some walnuts had been stirred and a bit of whisky poured over the top. The whisky did make it quite pleasant. The price was not outrageous (a little over AR$1550 not including tips) but as the meal itself was little more than moderately enjoyable it still does not represent great value.

Given his experience, this reviewer at least, found it hard to credit the glowing terms of several popular reviews that had brought him to select the restaurant for his...

El Establo Is the first place we eat on arrival to Buenos Aires. AND El Establo Is the last place we eat before leaving back to the United States. This says what we think of El Establo.

We enjoyed at late lunch at 5pm yesterday, 7 November, 2023. We shared the larger Ojo De Bife jugoso (beef tenderloin medium rare), mixed salad, and French fries-all to share.

Wine, the whole menu is extensive and well priced (not expensive at current Blue rate US to Argentina peso).

FYI blue= rare Jugoso=medium rare Al punto= medium to medium well

At El Establo the beef is premium quality. The waiters have been there for decades. This combined with their age speaks well for their employer and for El Establo as a place to be a waiter. Waiter is their profession.

They are attentive and friendly but don't expect chatty gushy waiter like at a U. S. chain.

It had been over 10 years and pre-pandemic since last visit.

El Establo Is as good as always, steadfast in quality and service.

They are glad to split portions and to wrap if you'd like to enjoy a reminder from El Establo...