I am going back to BA in May and I was there a year ago. Have prices increased dramatically? Or did I read on this forum that prices may be stabilizing? We are renting an apartment and those prices seem to be the same. I am most concerned about restaurants. as we eat out daily. We prefer steak, pizza and pasta and places that are not trendy.

Prices are up in restaurants, but you will still find that a good meal is not exorbitant. There are also the very good value executive lunches at many places, such as La Parolaccia, where you will even have left-overs for another meal in your apartment. Many of the less trendy restaurants are less expensive, we found, so you should be in good shape there, too. Just expect and plan that you will find higher prices - then you won't be surprised - and may even be pleasantly so - in certain areas.

I hereby move (for the nth time) that MarnieWDC be named chief DE for the Argentina/Uruguay forums!

What you may have read, stephrae, is that I just said in another thread that local prices, which have been on a steady uptrend in free market dollar terms for 10 years, MAY have "started reversing" that trend.

Have a great time in our town.

Thank you Marnie and AVRooster!

This will be my fourth time to Buenos Aires in the last five years. We have rented apartments each time. The first in the Plaza San Martin area, second time Recoleta and the last time Palermo Hollywood. I am having a tough time committing to a neighborhood, they all have their charms. I am leaning towards Palermo Hollywood again because of the proximity of some of our favorite restaurants and cafes, it's nice to be able to walk a block or two to dinner and stay out for drinks and music. A couple of times one of us went home while the other stayed out, which would have been more complicated in the other neighborhoods .. long walk .. or taxis.

A couple of nights our sojourns took us to San Telmo and Montserrat. I loved watching tango at Confiteria Ideal and some of the bars around Plaza Dorrego are very fun. We really enjoy beer, wine open air cafes, live music, people watching.

We are even considering breaking our stay up into two apartments to enjoy different neighborhoods. Recoleta is great in the day and at night for dining, but a little far from the action at night.

I am curious about some of the outlying neighborhoods. I really enjoy the ferias and have heard Belgrano has a nice one. Nunez?

We have attended a couple of Riverplate games (thrilling) and will this time too! We also desperately want to go to a Boca game this time. We toured the stadium the last time, but the game was sold out. My boyfriend has been playing soccer since he was 11 (he's now 48 and playing on up to 4 teams at a time) My DVR is filled with soccer games. He is truly a fanatic. Our last two trips he dragged me all over the city trying to find a pick up game he could jump in. We found that it is not a common thing to do. We asked every person we came across about where he might go to be able to play. The closest he got was some small fields at Parque Las Heras. I have read online that some of the hostels organize games. He even has a few friends here that are from BA that tried to hook him up with friends back home so he could play .. . He is insisting on bringing his "boots" and ball again this trip .. so if anyone has any suggestions.

These are the restaurants we liked most: El Trapiche, El Estrebe, Sottovoce, Il Matterello, Almacen de Pizzas, Bella Italia, Dada, La Parolaccia and Piola, Social Paraiso, Las Pizarras, the Cafe at Museo Eva Peron. A couple of them we went to multiple times and will again.

Some restaurants we may try: El Establo***, El Globo, Parilla Pena**, Salgados Alimentos, La Olla de Felix, Arkako, Doppio Zero, Lo de Paka, La Mamma Rosa, Resto, Filo***, Juana M, Sarkis, La Pharmacie, Don Julio***, El Obrero, Las Cholas (If you have any opinions on any of these positive or otherwise I would appreciate it)

A few we tried and will not revisit - not that they were bad but not so great we have to go back: Miranda, Sette Bacco, Cumana, Il Gran Caruso, La Cabrera, Siamo nel Forno, La Brigada, Amici Miee.

I am very excited to be there on the 29th as I am a fan of all types of noquis. Any recommendations? I plan on lunch at Il Matterello as this is the only day they serve noquis.

I can't wait to have a beer again at El Federal in San Telmo. We spent many a late afternoon drinking beers and eating mani at Kronikos in Plaza Serrano.

Some sites I have not been to but plan on this time: El Ateneo and Teatro Colon. Is Las Chacaritas interesting?

We went to Feria Mataderos last time and probably will this time too.

I went to Tigre my first trip and not too interested in going a second time, although it was beautiful. We are considering Colonia - will it be ok weather wise in late May?

I hate soccer, but I found this for your BF http://www.fcbafa.com/en/

I suggest you research it.

Your BF should bring his soccer boots, but not the ball! LOL!

Have a great time in our town.

Stephrae you have SO got it covered ! My compliments.

I will say that El Establo, Don Julio and La Olla de Felix are among our favorites.

And I would suggest that you consider an apartment rental in the Las Canitas area - lots of cafes, restaurants, bars, music etc. Friends stayed there this year and we had the good luck to visit them - we now count this among our favorite areas. We have rented in Recoleta and Palermo - and will rent in Palermo Botanico again next year (hopefully)- but if I were looking for more night life (or if I were 10 years younger) I would definitely consider Las Canitas.

If youall take buses, do try to get a Sube Card - life is sweet with a Sube Card

Have a fine visit. ~Marnie

AV - thank you for the link - I think you have given us a great solution!

Marnie - One of the apartments we are looking at is Palermo Botanico, another near Plaza San Martin and yet another in Palermo Hollywood. I am a little hesitant that Las Canitas would be too far from the rest of the city. Would it be practical to walk from Las Canitas to Palermo Hollywood? Does the subte go to Las Canitas. Are there some restaurants you can recommend in that area, so that if we don't stay there we at least have a destination to seek out.

We love to go to La Boca to an amazing restaurant, Il Matterello. To avoid all of the traffic and expensive long taxi rides, we hopped on the subte at Santa Fe and rode it to the last stop near the Casa Rosada, walked 5-6 blocks and then took a cab. We went three times on our last trip and we always go at lunch as everyone has warned us about going to into Boca after dark.

As I said before, I hate soccer, particularly the Boca Juniors team, but there is a recent thread on TA about getting tickets to the matches they play in, which you may find helpful.

Our friends walked to Palermo Botanico from Las Canitas (we took the bus)several times...and to Jumbo and to other areas. I am not an expert on Las Canitas;we just liked the vibe and the location - and as walkers and bus takers, it was well-located for us. I will try to send a message to our friends who stayed there - they can, perhaps, give more specific info.

What streets (apt) are you considering in Palermo Botanico ?

Las Heras and Ugarteche in Botanico.
Avenida Cordoba and Esmeralda near Plaza San Martin.
Fitzroy and Costa Rica in Palermo Hollywood.

If I had to pick one I think it will be Fitzroy. If we split our time between two apartments it might be Fitzroy and Esmeralda. I like Plaza San Martin because it's an easy walk to San Telmo.

AV - that's me on TripAdvisor asking about the Boca tickets

Oh, I see! Great!

Hi stephrae! We spent 4 weeks in this apartment in Las Canitas last month

http://www.vrbo.com/142764

It was our first visit to Buenos Aires and I agonized over neighbourhoods - for us an open kitchen and outdoor space is essential for long stays so this apartment won. It was absolutely perfect for us and I would highly recommend it, and Las Canitas (recognizing I don't have the frame of reference you do).

We are big walkers so the location was fine for us - for example we walked to the Evita Museum on Lafinur - that took about 30 minutes (we probably ambled along); to the shopping mall Alto Palermo about 40 minutes; to Palermo Soho about 20 minutes; to Belgrano under 30 minutes and about 5 minutes to Jumbo! It was really hot when we were there and we actually were surprised at how much we walked despite the heat. And compared to Toronto we found the cabs to be really cheap so we didn't use the bus or Subte (I think Las Canitas is better served by buses than the subway).

Re restaurants - will check our notes. One thing we found (pleasantly) surprising about staying in Las Canitas was how relatively quiet it was. Despite the area being full of restaurants with outdoor seating, we weren't disturbed by street noise even with our patio doors wide open at night - admittedly we were on the 7th floor but we were at the corner of Baez and Arevalo - the heart of Las Canitas. There aren't any buses inside Las Canitas, which we think contributed to the quiet.

Nice summary of a stay in Las Canitas, Elizabeth. I look forward to your restaurant/bar/cafe recollections, too. Gracias.

Stephrae, we also loved Il Matterello - glad to know others have discovered it. We found out about it through a French Guide Book ~ and we, too, went there for lunch so as to avoid La Boca in the dark.

All of your apartment locations look good, although I would prefer Palermo to the San Martin area for a longer stay - again, more comfortable walking about at night.

Keep us posted on your plans - very helpful and interesting.

Stephae.......From reading these posts.......You ARE an honorary Porteno!!!!!!
We are also on some similar wavelengths. We would not go back to Settee Bacco and while I enjoyed Cumana, DH was not impressed.
We always go to El Obrero for lunch....taking the bus and walking and it's always fun, even though prices have increased dramatically.
Las Cholas was good....Don Julio is inconsistent: perhaps it has improved Marnie???? Went to Sarikis April 2011 w/ a local and while we were NOT impressed, she was embarassed. Would not go back. Yet the crowds were impressive.
Juana M has been a favorite for years...but was definitely inconsistent last March/April. Some of us love it......others hate it!
Always enjoy El Establo and really looking forward to Olla de Felix and Il Matterello on next trip.
Brasserie Petanque in San Telmo is a winner too.

Hola morewierd, Maybe someday we will be in the same city at the same time. Your ears should be burning as today yestravel and I were recounting the many suggestions you have given us over the years.

Don Julio is definitely much more tourist oriented than it used to be, not my favorite thing, but the meals we had there last year and this were of very good quality. Two years ago we had a so so meal there, but gave them another chance.

El Estrebe on Pueyredon - I think of it as Recoleta, but I think it may be Barrio Norte ? - is excellent for lunch or dinner. A fine neighborhood parilla - worth a little travel.

I would not go back to Juana M even if it were the only restaurant in BA.

When we had dinner there, the steaks came to our table so fast they must have been pre-cooked.

Have lunched at El Estrebe and would definitely return.

Ahhhhhhhhh AV.........you are still one of our favorite people even if you feel the way you do about Juana M.

Who knows Marnie,Jan 2013 may just be meet up time.

Have a great weekend.

Since we seem to talking about neighborhoods and restaurants, I would love to know what some favorites are in each barrio. Not just your favorite restaurant but what dish you like there as sometimes your impression of a restaurant is marred by ordering the wrong thing. I make up all sorts of lists before we go, by neighborhood and by cuisine. So, as we go to and event like the Feria San Telmo, I have restaurants we want to try in that area. I have asked this on Trip Advisor and people are often very vague or refer me to guiaoleo or the sticky. I have relied on guiaoleo to mixed results. Does anyone know when they list prices on guiaoleo are they per person, per entree or what?

I would enjoy your favorite restaurant and dish for :
Palermo Viejo, Las Canitas, Recoleta, San Telmo, Boca, Belgrano, Centro etc.

Also, your favorite Italian Restaurant, Pizza and Parilla

And lastly, your favorite spot for any of the following: provoleta, gnocchi, sorrentinos, tiramisu, sabayon, helado, medialunas, empanadas ...

I understand the prices on guia Oleo are per person, but I would only consider them a vague general indication, as they could be outdated or not accurate.

Have a great time in our town.