Elena — Restaurant in Autonomous City of Buenos Aires

We ended up having the three main meals at Elena despite my dislike of dining at a hotel. What great decisions we made!

ATMOSPHERE: Elena is this Four Seasons' main restaurant located on the lobby level. Decor is a mix of contemporary and French Quarter, with an open-view kitchen and seating on two levels. A dry-aging refrigerator is showcased up front with a wine cellar on the second floor.

LUNCH MENU: Apps, salads, charcuterie, pasta, poultry, meats, fish.

FOOD: Sautéed Shrimp Four good-sized shrimp were stir fried, sat over a bed of creamy-savory red cabbage and topped with French fried onions. Tasty app but the shrimp could've been charred better to give it a more appetizing texture.

Elena's Caesar Salad An overly generous amount of smoked trout took the place of anchovies that have a taste similar to salmon. The dressing was creamy, the portion size small.

Bitter Leaves My spouse's dish. Chunky cuts of different veggies were tossed in an orange dressing. I didn't have any as I didn't care for any of the ingredients.

Risotto Parmegiano Also my spouse's dish. I tried a spoonful of this heavy selection but I'm not a fan of its texture though he enjoyed it. Very rich and creamy.

SERVICE: Our female server was friendly but she didn't check on us. A female manager came around checking on guests.

BREAKFAST BUFFET: Daily breakfast came included with our room. I have never seen a fresh honey comb station until now. Honey and toast is way better than jelly & jam! My mushroom, ham and cheese omelette was fluffy and tasty. Also served on the line were eggs, bacon, potatoes, cereals, fruits and cheeses. Service was very good. Turns out iced tea isn't a standard offering so they had to make it special every day I was there.

DINNER MENU: Apps, salads, meats, duck, pastas, fish, pork, desserts.

FOOD: T-Bone for two Oh. My. Gawd. My spouse and I were in heaven savoring every bite of the filet and New York cuts. Dry-aged for 60 days and simply seasoned with just salt, the flavors were amazingly pure. THE best steak I've ever had. Highly recommended!

Elena Stuffed Potato Wowed again. The bacon-y flavor soaked deep into the spud covered in cheese. THE best baked potato ever and also highly recommended.

Grilled Sweetbreads Can this place get any better? Sure they can. Buttery soft goodness in every bite. Holy geezuz.

Grilled Octopus The cut of tentacle was steamed to perfect tenderness with a good amount of chewiness. A streak of fried cassava lined the plate for a little bit of starch.

SERVICE: Again, very professional.

OVERALL: Exquisite steaks, nice breakfast and lunch options. Affordable for being in a hotel. Great service. Highly...

I am very disappointed by our experience at Elena last night and would go as far as to say the restaurant’s management and sommelier spoiled my husband’s birthday dinner. The restaurant looks very nice although it’s maybe more casual than expected (guests with backpacks and kids in high chairs) but our waiter was very pleasant and polite. The food was really good. We ordered a bottle of really good wine ($4100 pesos) which was only brought out after we were already eating our appetizers. It was very cold, well below the recommended serving temperature and the wine had zero taste because of it. It could also have had a fault but it was impossible to tell. The sommelier told us to “cup” our glasses to heat it up. Honestly, it is out of this world that an alleged great restaurant has an uneducated “sommelier” working for them that would make such recommendations! She also said it was better to have colder red wine because if it’s warmer you can taste the alcohol more. She could not respond when we asked her what she believed this particular wine should taste like. By the time we finished our main course the wine still hadn’t opened up and the sommelier and manager refused to smell/taste it themselves but instead kept on claiming it was excellent wine and we were wrong. The manager at this point started claiming she was a sommelier too which is hard to believe. Conclusion: they would be “willing” to pour the wine back in the bottle from the decanter to send it home with us, but we were paying for it regardless. We said we were very disappointed by this and if they would make us pay for a bottle that we were unable to drink with our dinner we would surely not be returning and the manager literally said “OK, FINE!” I am certain the owners of this restaurant or even the great Four Seasons hotel would not want to be associated to someone who would ever treat their customers this way. Also, they should hire a real sommelier that cares for their wines and knows what she is talking about. We will be sharing our opinion amongst friends and family. I hope the 1000 pesos they “saved” by not taking the bottle off the bill was...

Elena – Four Seasons Buenos Aires ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is where the big players of Buenos Aires come to have lunch, and it shows from the moment you walk in. Elena combines elegance, consistency, and flavor in a way few restaurants in the city can match. The dining room itself is stunning, a two level space with an open kitchen, black iron staircases, and a dry aging room on full display. Between the leather chairs, marble floors, and soft lighting, the décor feels timeless. It is the kind of setting that will never get old. The food is nothing short of excellent. We started with a small bite of charcuterie, then moved on to their perfectly seared sweetbreads and ribeye. The dry aged cuts here are exceptional, deeply flavorful and cooked with precision. Even the sides like roasted potatoes and seasonal greens carried the same care. Dessert closed on a high note with a delicate crêpe and ice cream. The wine list is a journey through Argentina’s best vineyards. We enjoyed a Cabernet Sauvignon from Atamisque and compared it with a Gran Enemigo Cabernet Franc, both poured and presented with thoughtful explanations by the staff. Service was flawless, attentive without being intrusive, always professional, and quick to anticipate needs. Even the bathrooms carry the same level of design detail and care as the dining room, which says everything about how consistently high the standards are here. Elena has earned its Michelin 2025 recognition and its spot among the World’s Best Steakhouses, and for good reason. It is not just a hotel restaurant, it is one of the most impressive dining experiences in Buenos Aires. So far, this has been the best place I have had the pleasure of eating at in BA. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to experience Argentine beef and hospitality at the...