Bad experience @ Guido's in Bs As
 

We're in the middle of our trip to Buenos Aires, and when I get back I'll post on our favorite places and restaurants, of which there have been many.

We've managed to avoid paying too much for taxis, or getting pickpocketed or other pitfalls that travelers can face. However, we did feel robbed by our lunch at Guido's, an Italian restaurant near the Evita museum. It was recommended by Time Out (and others) as a funky little joint, which it was. Time Out mentions their lunch of many mixed appetizers, pizza and pasta for around A$30 (pesos).

We got there and the server immediately started bringing items, including pizza slices and then various antipasti. We never were given a menu, but since the TO review mentioned this style meal we assumed it was the standard. When we finished the main pasta dishes (w/ cheese & veggies) and a small dessert, we were presented with a bill for $140 ($70 pesos per person). This was about as much as we spent on a steak dinner for two with a full bottle of wine, rather than a pasta lunch with one glass of house wine. We asked if there was a mistake and expressed our dismay at this out-of-line check, but there wasn't any budging.

In retrospect, we should have known to look for a menu or at least ask for a price upfront. Since T.O. said $30 pesos, I figured it might have gone up to $35 but never would imagine the huge bill we got. Leason learned, but I did vow to post here (and later at Trip Advisor) to make sure they don't catch any more Fodorites unaware.

P.S. Our favorite night out was at Clasica y Moderna, a restaurant/bookstore that also has some live music. It's their 70th anniversary month so they're having great shows. The food was very good (we had lunch there and came back for dinner the next night with a tango band).

There were 4 of us and we had everything that they brought us, no menu, hardly anyone asks for menus, you just sit down, order drinks and the food starts coming.

We didn't even mention dessert but got that too.

I have to ask how much it all was, or our split..but it was not anything that would stand out as expensive..

BUT...every day prices are changing here.
I can have a cup of coffee and a medialuna in the same cafe on Mon then Wed and Wed the price will be up.

Inflation and the farmers problems right now seem to be causing food to go up in price daily.
I really don't think you were "robbed"...they don't need to rob anyone, the place is mobbed day and night and the owner and his son work there every day and are content.
...ok, I asked...it was about..$180 AR and that included the 2 bottles of wine we split..

alan, I see you said $140 and that is $70 each..it would be more like $44. US each..

I am confused ( lol, can you tell?)
What was the bill in pesos? :)

We are going back soon so I can remember to pay attention to the prices and let you know, if you wish :)

alan64: I don't know this place and don't intend to go, but I'd say the key words in our post are: "In retrospect, we should have known to look for a menu or at least ask for a price upfront." This is something all tourists should do.

I'm sorry about your bad experience, but one thing readers of Time Out should realize is that the prices they mention could be way out of line, because quite a long time could have passed between the moment you read T.O. and the time the reviewer visited the place (if he/she ever really did such a thing).

Let's hope you have a great time during the rest of your stay in our town.

This is from the New York Times .. Guidos Bar on Republic del India gets 41/2 stars from them..

<i>More than a third of Argentina's population is of Italian descent, and Guido's Bar (Rep&uacute;blica de la India 2843; 54-11-4802-2391) fulfills all the Little Italy tropes, from “Volare” on the stereo to the New York City skyline on the ceiling.
But the crowd is Argentine and the food is varied and tasty.
There is no menu and after one question — “Red or white?” — the waiters bring a seemingly random assortment of plates, like a cold appetizer of spinach and red bell peppers in a paprika mayonnaise sauce, followed by Spanish tortillas, stuffed eggplants, penne in red sauce and pignoli nuts.
How the waiter figures your bill remains a mystery.</i>

And Ian Mount, who I believe writes for the Buenos Aires Herald..wrote <i>
“36 Hours in Buenos Aires” (published online on Feb. 4, 2007), recommended the gastronomical adventure of eating at Guido’s Bar . </i>
.
It is a fairly well-known , popular place, not so much tourists as the locals who live around there..that is who we went with. they go there all the time..the owner named the place after his son when he was born or very small, they both work there .. everyone knows each other, it has a great atmosphere and I love the photos and posters on the walls..did you like them alan? fun, huh?

I am happy to see that you avoided paying too much for taxis and didn't get pickpocketed.
I must admit, we almost paid too much for a taxi today, but made him stop and let us out ..
And so far, our pockets have remained unpicked lol.

I am looking forward to more of your story..isn't the weather fabulous? Thank goodness!
ciao, have fun!!

Oh my gosh, we loved Guido's Bar when we were in Bs As last summer and didn't feel like the bill was &quot;huge&quot; by any means. It was a really fun dining experience--loved the food and atmosphere--and it was way cheaper than you'd pay for the same meal anywhere in the U.S. that I know of.

Hi whatever the system it pays to ask up front, how much is your fixed menu.You can do this with a smile and then you will know in advance. In Buenos Aires, or Miami, or Paris....it is a good rule to follow. We all learn from our trips...

Our bill for lunch was 70 Argentine pesos each. I understand that guide book prices can be out of date, and I agree that we made the mistake of not asking up front about the price. Scarlett mentions dinner for 4, with 2 bottles of wine for 180 pesos. That seems fine, but lunch for two with one glass of wine for 140 pesos?

When we ate a dinner at La Caberra, our steak dinner for two people with a full bottle of wine was 155 pesos. At El Trapiche, it was just over 100 pesos (again, with a full bottle of wine). We've had other excellent lunches for 70 pesos. I know there's inflation, but our lunch at Guido's was far out of the norm of all other places we've eaten. This morning another couple told us they went to Guido's and were charged 80 pesos each, so I guess we got off easy!

Everything else is grand here, and we're certainly not letting one bad experience spoil our love of Buenos Aires.

Fine, have a great time during the rest of your stay!