El Sanjuanino — Restaurant in Autonomous City of Buenos Aires

We came here twice for dinner during our week in BA but could have easily come here more. We found this restaurant during our research for trip but I can’t remember where I read the recommendation except I did take note that their empanadas are highly recommended and the review is absolutely correct.

We tried the baked and fried empanadas and both were juicy and flavourful but I’m partial to the fried one (Sanjuanino). We ordered fernet with Coke on both visits and we had a generous pour each time 😊

On our first visit, my husband ordered a choripán. As soon as I saw modongo (tripe stew) on the menu, I looked no further. I loved loved my big bowl of tripe. The organ pieces were tender but still retained their gummy texture and the flavour of the stew base was very pleasant. My husband said his choripán had very good flavour but was a bit dry (could have used a little more grease).

On our last night in BA, we wanted to go somewhere homey with hearty dishes so came here again. My husband had a milanesa and fries and I went for the steak and fries. The attached pictures say it all and I don’t think I need to put words to describe them.

As a visitor, you will probably want to dine at Don Julio like everyone / every travel website suggests. However, if you aren’t able to make a reservation there, you won’t miss out much. El Sanjuanino will give you a more leisurely neighbourhood dining experience with equally good and authentic Argentine asado menu. Besides, El Sanjuanino will not burn a hole in your wallet.

Some of the wait staff are more comfortable conversing in English than other but if you will be fine even if you have a very limited Spanish vocabulary. The patrons were about 50/50 locals and English-speaking...

El Sanjuanino was recommended for its empanadas, and we can confirm those were one of the best we had in Buenos Aires.

They are made "al horno" (on the oven), which I personally prefer rather than the fried ones.

🥟 Regarding empanadas, they have some different fillings on their list and we had the spicy meat and the capresse (cheese, tomato and basil). I cannot even choose a preferred one. The meat one was perfectly spicy, it had egg and olives for extra flavour, and it was really moisty. The capresse was with a lot of melted cheese, and tasted like a really good pizza. The outter layer was thin and they were not super roasted, which is exactly why I loved them so much. If I knew it before hand, I would just have ordered more empanadas and made my lunch out of it.

🍲 As it was an unexpected really cold and rainy day, we were suggested to have some lentejas, which is a one pot of lentils, sauce and different meats (sausage, meat, panceta). It was a perfect combination and a great dish to share after empanadas.

The service was extra special. Although we had amazing experiences in Argentina, I should say that the staff was genuinely good with us.

They have a second room on the basement, and it's a good idea to visit when you are around...

Great service from all the waiters who were all very friendly and helpful. The first visit we ate empanadas: the picante was superb and so too were the Caprese, and the blue cheese. Those were washed down with a Quilmes Clásica, which is a great lager.

We went back that evening for bife steak, which was an eye-opening and belly-filling delight: huge and cooked to perfection, with the chips being proper chips (like in England). The house red slipped down a treat (apparently, it was a small glass but in England it would be charged as a large!)

For our third visit in three days (yes, the food really was that good), we enjoyed the locro and Milanese. Again, lip-smackingly good.

The restaurant is really cosy, especially downstairs, and we will visit again the next time we're in Buenos Aires. Great quality and the prices are...