Christmas Eve dinner in Buenos Aires?
 

Hello wise advisors,

We arrive in Buenos Aires on Christmas Eve - - 2 families of four with 20-something kids. We are staying in the Recoleta for 2 nights before heading out to Córdoba for a wedding & estancias, Iguazu for several nights, then back to BA to stay in Palermo Soho. We are super excited about our trip. But puzzled as to where to eat on Christmas Eve. We'd love someplace really traditional, since it is our first night. Have had several extremely upscale hotel dinners suggested, but wouldn't be our first choice. I know transportation is not easy that night. Would La Cabaña in Puerto Madera be a good choice? Ideas?

On Xmas Eve you will only find only a few places open for dinner and they all offer special and expensive alternatives.

To help you better, we wise advisors (LOL!) need to know what kind of food you want, your budget, etc.

La Cabaña, in Puerto Madero is a fancy steak place and quite touristy and expensive. It may or may not be what you want.

As transportation WILL be complicated that night, I would suggest restricting yourselves to places in the Recoleta you can walk to.

I assume you know all abour the "blue" rate of exchange, safety advice, that kind of thing.

Have a great time in my town.

Hi!

Thanks for responding so quickly. I have been reading the excellent advice on this forum (mostly yours!) so have saved many posts with general advice about Buenos Aires. Especially the money changing location you specified.

For the restaurant, we do want a nice place - - OK to be somewhat expensive since it is a Christmas Eve celebration. We would like a traditional parilla type restaurant or something very typical for our first night. Thought it would be nice to see the Puerto Madera area since we wouldn't otherwise. And would we see the Christmas Eve fireworks better from there or is that not true? La Cabaña offers a Christmas Eve menu and I think (we are checking) car service. So many of the great local restaurants mentioned on this forum are closed Christmas Eve.

But would love any recommendations for a nice parilla restaurant that is not as touristy... though that is what we are of course!

Also some advice about the fireworks. Where is the best place to see them? Can we go to a rooftop in the Recoleta for viewing?

The next day we are excited to have Christmas dinner at the Argentine Experience since we all love cooking.

I'll ask the people at the Posadas street exchange place if they are open on Xmas Eve and, if so, until what time.

Since they apparently offer transportation and it should be a nice place to enjoy the fireworks from, I'd say La Cabaña should be fine for you.

http://tinyurl.com/n8qtxnp and http://www.lacabana.com.ar/english/index.html

Judging by the reviews they get, The Argentine Experience should be great: http://tinyurl.com/moosr27 which shows you have done your research pretty well, particularly for a
first-time poster. LOL!!!

When you are back in BA, if so inclined, e-mail me at albertovgalloATyahoo.com

Say hi to the newlyweds for me and have a great time in my country with your family and friends, Now Or Not!

Thank you! Hope the food is good at La Cabaña.

On our return on Jan. 1 to Buenos Aires, any suggestions for an interesting small restaurant in the Palermo Soho area? Mid-price, some place where locals hang out. We may be ready for Italian or great seafood by then...

I'm not familiar with the restaurants in Palermo Soho, but I'll ask TOP TA DE MarnieWDC for help.

January 1st may also be a day of few restaurants to choose from....but there are so many there, that I am sure your hotel concierge can tell you what is open that night.

While we have had nice seafood meals in Oviedo - not in Palermo, but easy taxi ride - we tend to follow the advice of our local friends and avoid most seafood during the summer in BA.

One of the better Italian Restaurants, IMO, is in Palermo Botanico...not far from Soho....it is Bella Italia Restaurant ( there are 3 BI s in the same barrio: grill = parrilla; cafe = small, simple Italian).

Honestly, if it weren't that holiday season, you could just meander around near your hotel and beyond and see what looks good, then check it out on line for reviews. Do look at TA also: recent Trip Reports by ElfDoug and SaintBa are repleat with excellent restaurant suggestions around town.

http://www.guiaoleo.com.ar/restaurantes/Parrilla-4/

This might be a good resource for you, too.

The place on Posadas street won't be open on Xmas Eve, which means you'll have to ask elsewhere and most likely get a bad rate.

If I were you, Nowornot, I would ask the La Cabaña people to take cash dollars at a good rate as payment for your dinner.

You could say your Xmas Eve dinner reservation is subject to this condition. Furthermore, if you tell them you don't need a receipt, this could make things easier.

Have a great time in my country.

Thank you all for your time and thoughtfulness with my questions! Such great information (no fish in summer - - interesting!)

And thank you for checking for me on the Posadas street money changing place - - so nice of you to call. What are the hours on Dec. 23rd? One of our party gets in that evening. Would it be open early on Dec. 26th? I will ask at our hotel and also maybe just use dollars to get discounts the first few days.

Now it turns out that the restaurant La Cabaña won't be offering transportation, so we have to look elsewhere for our Christmas Eve dinner. SOOO... back to my original question. Any ideas in the Recoleta area for a traditional parilla or steak place that might be open? Have already eliminated the idea of a tango show dinner because they are unbelievably expensive that night and we don't get excited about a flashy show. We've decided to do a Narrative Tango lesson and tour on Jan 2 or 3 when we return to BA.

In which Recoleta hotel are you staying, Nowornot?

About the dinner at La Cabaña, at what time would you want to get there and at what time would you expect to leave?

At what time on the 23rd would the other member of your party be in town to exchange? It would have to be late afternoon at the very latest. There are other alternatives. I have to look them up on TA, but the rate won't be too good.

As said above, you can write to my e-mail, nowornot.

Have a great time in my country.

Nowornot: I was in a hurry earlier today. I want to add that there are very good reasons for all my questions.

Have a great time in my country.

Thank you avrooster! I sent you an email.