Caminito La Boca — Restaurant in Melbourne

Our New Year’s Eve dinner at Caminito La Boca was a major disappointment. It started on the wrong foot the moment we walked in. We were forced to pay upfront as soon as we arrived, which immediately felt unwelcoming and set a negative tone for the evening. Unfortunately, things only went downhill from there.

To begin with, we were completely unaware that there was a set menu for New Year’s Eve. This was not communicated at the time of booking, there were no details provided on the table or anywhere within the restaurant. When we asked a staff member for clarification, she was unable to explain what the set menu included. The owner then came out and, instead of addressing our concerns, became defensive, as though we were out of line for simply wanting to know what we had paid for. The lack of transparency was frustrating and unprofessional.

The set menu itself was priced at $120 per person, which felt outrageously high for what we received: a shared antipasto, one beef empanada, a main course of steak with potato salad, a dessert (flan mixo), and one complimentary drink. When we calculated the usual cost of these items, it came to $81. While we understand that a New Year’s Eve surcharge is to be expected, a near 40% markup felt excessive and exploitative. The food, while rustic Argentinian cuisine, was far from fine dining – yet the price tag suggested otherwise. We left feeling like we had been taken advantage of.

The service was equally disappointing. Drinks had to be ordered and paid for at the bar, as there was no proper table service. We even had to request water for the table, and when it finally arrived, we had to ask again for glasses. These may seem like small inconveniences, but when you’re paying $120 per person, there’s a certain level of service you expect – and this fell far short.

The restaurant decor was on point and looked and felt Argentinian, however it was slightly comical that despite the Quilmes signs, not a single Argentinian beer was on the menu, perhaps a minor detail, but added to the sense that the restaurant was more about appearances than delivering an authentic and thoughtful dining experience.

Overall, Caminito La Boca failed to deliver on every front. From being forced to pay upfront, to the lack of communication, inflated pricing, poor service, and small but noticeable details like the absence of Argentinian beer, the entire experience left a sour taste in our mouths. I wouldn’t recommend...

Australia needed a place like this! Argentinean restaurants in Melbourne so far were all about posh steak houses with fusion cuisine at crazy prices in the cbd. This place is the real thing, a friendly neighbourhood bodegon. A menu that represents a no-frills, argentinean cuisine, very well executed, surrounded by a living museum of argentinean memorabilia. Any football fan would also appreciate that they have a TV replaying football games (not footy/cricket :)).

While enjoying a Quilmes beer, we tried the fried beef empanadas for starters that came with a perfectly balanced chimichurri. They were so good, we could have just ordered a few more and called it a day. When ordering mains, we would have way over-ordered as we didn't know portion sizes were so generous. Guadalupe, our friendly waitress, advised us to order a bit less, which was truly spot on. Kudos to prioritising great customer experience over $$. The asado is a great-value array of food portraying the highlights of an argentinean bbq, all very well cooked (medium rare is not a common thing for argentinean asados so please request that specifically if you wish). The provoletta was a very welcome addition, and the morcilla/black pudding was nicely spiced up. The veal milamessi was really tender and thick. Desserts were also very generous. The chocolate cake pieces were what you would normally consider 2x serves anywhere else. The flan was nicely paired with dulce de leche. Would definitely...

This was easily the most disappointing dining experience I’ve had in Melbourne. I would strongly discourage anyone from dining at this restaurant. After placing our order, we waited half an hour, only to be informed that several dishes were unavailable. It then took another hour for the food to arrive. The Asado was overly salty, and the service was unacceptable. When we asked about the delay, the waitress, Esmeralda, was dismissive and rude, attributing her behavior to it being the restaurant’s first day.

To make matters worse, the live music was so loud that it became unbearable. It was impossible to have a proper conversation or enjoy the atmosphere. When we shared our concerns with the chef, he was polite and apologetic. However, the owner, Mrs. Roxana, interrupted, dismissed our feedback, and instructed the chef to stop engaging with us rather than addressing the issue herself.

To their credit, one of the waitresses did apologize at the end and offered a 10% discount on our bill.

Even so, the entire experience was incredibly frustrating, and I cannot recommend this...