Balvanera — Restaurant in New York

Absolutely Amazing Traveled from outside the city to celebrate an anniversary dinner to Balvanera and the experience was beyond memorable that we are planning a return trip.

We made a reservation online which was simple. The most difficult was to find parking in the area but was able to find one a few blocks away.

We entered slightly before our reservation and were quickly offered our choice to sit. The service was genuine, kind and welcoming. Throughout the evening it remained consistent and professional but low key and not over the top.

The space is fantastic and intimate with the lighting and decor that transports you to a cozy restaurant in Buenos Aires.

The wine selection is extensive and with many offerings to satisfy the wine enthusiast.

Our order began with a selection of shared starters Empanada Remolacha And Mollejas

We selected the Meat empanadas offering and these were not your ground beef empanadas you would normally find but a true slice steak - these were tasty and a great opening to our meal. With chimichurri and salsa criolla on the table to accompany it. The baked pockets of joy were fantastic.

The Remolacha was an unbelievable surprise as it was the first time tasting a beet warm. Usually beet salads are cold but this was beyond beet salad with the oozing of ricotta and flavors made this hands down a want to eat again dish.

I was on the fence on ordering the provoletta or Mollejas but I am so happy we chose the mollejas even though they were not on the online menu so it was a huge surprise to see it on the menu at the restaurant. This dish was absolutely the best mollejas i have ever eaten. The pairing and flavors with the lime and chopped apples was a highlight that I want to recreate and will definitely order again if on the menu.

For our main course we order the entrana - skirt steak and the rib eye. Both selections were seasoned with just the right amount of salt and the quality and taste rivals the NYC known steak houses. The Ribeye I believe imported from Argentina was spectacular and tender. Each bite melted in your mouth.

The evening ended up with a delicious flan and The team were gracious and gave us to flutes of champagne to commemorate our anniversary that capped an incredible evening. Only wish I was able to have a Fernet while there.

The owner and chef should be very proud of the dishes coming out of the kitchen and the attentive team. If Messi is the GOAT of the Soccer field Messi needs to eat here on his next visit to NYC because Balvanera is a GOAT of Argentine Cuisine bringing it to another...

I had heard so much hype from friends about this place, but unfortunately it just did not hit the marks. First off, prices are higher than what is advertised on the website, which is unfortunate as a consumer, but I get it, coming back from a pandemic + inflation…just would be better to have that in mind before coming here. The second thing that really bothered me, was my partner and I ordered two IPA’s from a brewery which we have the beers of at home. The waitress was confused and asked us if it was the ale we wanted (from that same brewery) and we corrected that it was in fact the IPA that we wanted. When she brought the beers to us though, it was immediately obvious that the beers were the ales and she had mixed something up. So when she came back around, I respectfully clarified if there was a mix up, but she insisted they were the IPA’s and not the ales, yet we knew this was incorrect, and when we got home we confirmed this. The IPAs we have wt home had a distinctly different taste than the beers we were served. Lastly, and probably the most frustrating, we ordered the platter, which comes in at $70, and for that much you’d expect everything to be perfect. We ordered our steaks medium, and the first two were DELICIOUS (melt in your mouth), but the strip steak was obviously completely overcooked and 100% a wel done. From the pictures you can tell that these are not the same temperature. When you pay so much money, it’s really disheartening to leave an entire steak on your plate because it’s just not cooked correcrly( it unfortunately tasted and had the texture of rubber. I’m positive if it was cooked how we’d asked, it would have been just as delicious as the others.

Overall, like I mentioned, it just didn’t hit the marks. Maybe we came in on a bad day and the waiters/cooks were stressed (for some reason they allowed these two tables to toss a paper airplane across the restaurant for like one hour and be super rowdy), but I really wish this place lived up to the hype my friends made it out to seem :( I’m sure that for others, their experience did hit that mark but unfortunately it...

Balvanera never ceases to impress. I recently returned for an evening that reaffirmed why this Argentine haven is my go-to for impeccable flavors and refined yet unpretentious dining. Every course was a masterclass in balance and technique.

I began with the pulpo de playa—a beautifully charred octopus that boasted a delicate, smoky aji ahumado and a vibrant olivada that highlighted its natural sweetness. Each bite was tender, perfectly complemented by a subtle char that spoke to expert grilling. The burrata appetizer was equally captivating; its luxuriously creamy texture was enhanced by a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, toasted pistachios, and fresh herbs that elevated it from simple to sublime.

For the main course, I indulged in the dry aged rib eye—a true highlight of the meal. A USDA 42-day dry-aged, 25 oz steak that was cooked exactly to order, its exterior formed a tantalizing crust while the interior remained melt-in-your-mouth tender and bursting with concentrated, beefy flavors. Every slice confirmed that the chef truly understands the art of dry aging and precision cooking.

Even the little ones had their moment of joy; my toddler couldn’t stop raving about the chirrizo criolo. The house-made pork sausage, with its robust spice profile and tender texture, was an unexpected treat that appealed to all ages. And, as always, the fries are a star in their own right—consistently crispy on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside, they’re the ideal sidekick to every dish on the menu.

In short, Balvanera offers a dining experience where each dish is thoughtfully executed, making it a culinary adventure that delights the palate and satisfies every craving. Whether you’re a seasoned foodie or simply in search of a meal that’s been prepared to perfection, this restaurant is...